Hair Bows And Dresses!

A few weeks ago, Grant and I went to my 20 week anatomy scan. AKA gender reveal! It was so exciting! We found out it's a GIRL! We were both totally wrong! We were pretty sure it was a boy! But as the ultra sound tech said, there was no "turtle neck" poking between the legs. We are so excited anyways! It has taken us a a little bit to change our mind-sets from blue to pink! I'm just glad we know the gender so we can start shopping and decorating!

Her name will be Allie Jane Butler. Named after my great grandma Greer (my grandpa Gladden's mom). I fell in love with the name when I was looking through family history. Its a common name, but not too common, and I love the vintage ring to it! It was so cute- after the ultra sound, Grant said, "I don't know what to do with girls!" So I said, "The same thing as boys, just a little more gentler and more pink!" He grew up with all brothers, so this will be a fun adjustment for him! Grant's mom is soooo excited about a girl though! She has never had a baby girl, so this will be so fun for her to finally spoil a girl!

I've been in a weird mood where I want to sew and craft ALL THE THINGS (said in the "all the things" meme voice). I've gotten her letters done that will go above her crib done and today I got some fabric to start making some receiving blankets and crib sheets! It will be so fun- and will give me something to do during the hot summer! I'm so grateful I have a mom who knows how to sew- its a skill I never really thought was cool…until now; especially since there isn't always the exact pattern or color of things in the baby section at Target!

I'm wanting to do a soft, shabby chic theme for her room. The bedroom is already a lime green color, which I HATE so we are going to paint it a soft peach color! I've been pinning things on Pinterest like crazy! It will be a fun summer for sure! I love that Grant isn't super picky, because he is letting me do kind of whatever with her room (thanks babe).

As of today, I am 21 weeks and 5 days. So almost 22 weeks. I already feel uncomfortable and its hard for me to bend over to put the strap of my sandals on- so I think regular flip flops will be my best friends this summer! A few days ago, I cracked and had to turn the AC on! It was too hot for this preggo lady! I've also already began making my nest of pillows on the bed. I think I have like 5! Poor Grant has no place to sleep(oops). Only 18 more weeks! Its all down hill from now on! I want her to get here so bad, but at the same time, I'm enjoying feeling her kick and having an excuse to eat anything/everything(no joke- I ate a whole package of Oreos dipped in peanut butter to myself).

April Showers Brought May Flowers

 Grant got me a nice camera for Christmas, but I haven't used it as much as I should. Mostly because we don't have a child to take pictures of yet and there are only so many pictures you can take of your dog and cat before your husband thinks you are a crazy animal lady! I've also been swamped with school and studying.

Well, today I found a few extra minutes to take some pictures of our beautiful flowers in our yard! Like I said in my previous post, the previous owners of our house did a phenomenal job at landscaping the front yard so I can't take all the credit for the pretty flowers and plants. I love our front yard! It is something I look forward to every spring! Even though the plants make my alleges go crazy, I'm still happy we have flowers that bloom! Grant and I have worked really hard the past few months getting the flower beds cleaned up, bushes pruned, and we put down new mulch in all the flower beds so they look fresh and clean!

So without further or do, our May flowers:

That Aspen tree right there is the suspect for all my allergies!

These are my favorite! They are so vibrant! The only bad thing is they attract bees like crazy! I wish I knew the name of it!

I tried to do something cool with the special effects but it didn't turn out as cool as I wanted

These are my 2nd favorite flowers. Again, I have no idea what they are called, but I love the simplicity of them! They remind me of Little House on the Prairie.

*All pictures are property of Laura Butler*

Babies, Blossoms, and House Guests

A lot has happened the past month! Lots of exciting things! First off, Grant and I are super excited to announce that our family of two will be growing to a family of three in about 5 1/2 short months! And that is no April Fools joke either! We are both super delighted and can't wait to welcome little baby Butler into our home at the end of September! My little belly has "popped" and Grant thinks its so fun to rub it and pat it(I concur).

We announced to the world on St. Patrick's day

In other news, Grant and I are both super happy that the weather is getting so nice! We have started getting our yard ready for spring/summer! We already have some of the plants sprouting up and adding some color to our yard! The previous owners of our house did an awesome job at landscaping the yard and it has definitely kept Grant and I busy the past couple weekends!

I am so loving these tulips! We have about 7 spread out around our yard. Last year I didn't realize what they were until they froze and died! So this year I made sure to watch them and keep them alive!

I LOVE the green! We need to put some more dirt down- the wind and weather has thrown it all around! 

I also planted a few veggies and they have sprouted! When it gets warmer out, I'll transplant them all outside! I've never done a garden before, so this is a new learning experience! It will be so rewarding to eat the food I planted and grew!

My cute little plants! They are a little droopy from transplanting so hopefully they will perk up soon! I am most excited about the tomatoes and cantaloup!

Grant has been getting antsy about boating season! Every chance he gets, he is out  firing up the boat and making sure the trailer lights are working so that when the time comes, we can hitch the boat up and get on the lake! They drained High Line Lake this winter, so we are trying to patiently wait for it to get filled back up! It won't be warm enough to wake board or tube for a few months, but we love to just drive the boat around and be out on the water!

The Butler Hotel has been in full swing the past few weeks! My parents' house flooded due to a cracked water line that fills an instant hot water heater under their sink. My mom came home to about 2 inches of water almost covering their entire house and garage! So, while the fixer-upper guys are out there drying and replacing all of their hard wood floors and carpet, they get to stay at our house! We are sad their house is torn apart, but Grant and I are so loving the extra company! We love that our bedrooms are filled and our walls are echoing with loud noises from my younger siblings! Our washer, dryer, dishwasher, and water heater are happy to be used lots too! We really are enjoying it-maybe too much;) Grant taught my younger brothers the REAL way to play Monopoly also(we always just play the version we kind of made up), so they will spend hours downstairs playing! Winnie (our dog) is loving the extra people to chase around and play with also! It's been a fun few weeks for sure! Especially since they will be moving away soon!

I also had spring break last week, so I went and spent a few days up in Greeley with my sister, brother in law, and niece! It was super fun! I got to spend lots of quality time with them and was able to keep Camille entertained while mommy and daddy slept in a few more minutes!

This was the tiny plane I flew in! To be honest, I was pretty scared and anxious the whole flight!

Cute Cami

Helping sweep the basement

Marriage isn't about endings, it's about new beginnings

So, I've been reading all of these "reasons not to get married before you're 23" articles and also some "reasons TO get married before you're 23" and decided to write my own. Although, it won't really be a list, I just wanted to write down what my marriage means to me! I don't want to go into much detail and state my opinions and objections on the other articles, mostly because I'm a firm believer in the saying "promote what you love instead of bashing what you hate," so I'll just jump right in!

A little back ground: I was engaged to Grant when I was 19 and was married to him about a month after my 20th birthday. Grant was 30 when we were married. We have both had our share of flack from people (mostly strangers and acquaintances) about how our marriage would never work. "I knew a girl who was married to a guy 10 years older, and all he did was control her and it ended in divorce." Or "wow, you are so young, you have so much more life to live before you need to worry about marriage." Or Grant's favorite (not) "you're how old and you aren't married yet? What's wrong with you?" It's actually pretty interesting how people think they are experts at relationships because so and so had this experience or that movie portrayed this kind of scenario (thanks Hollywood).

Because I'm NOT an expert on relationships, this post is about my marriage and mine only. But, I think this could be relatable to others (maybe). An idea I've heard circulating around very often, is that marriage is an ending to one's. It's like people think once you get married, your social life, dreams, goals, aspirations, and personality just ends. I am really interested in where this idea myth was originated from.

When Grant and I were married, I didn't feel like my life ended, but it opened a new book of adventure.  I have life goals and dreams, and so does Grant. Did marriage erase them and all of a sudden bring them to a halt? Heck No! Grant supports my goals and dreams, as I do his. After we were married, none of my goals changed, other than I added a few to my list, like being a good wife and partner to him. Getting married made it possible for me to have a permanent companion in my life. I have my best friend beside me for every life struggle and triumph. My best friend is here to give me support to conquer all my dreams. We encourage each other to do our best, give each other a hand when we need help, and open doors to bigger possibilities that we couldn't have opened on our own. Marriage didn't end my life, Marriage fueled it. Sure, I'm young. But hey, I get to enjoy married life with my husband longer. I can't think of a time I was happier than this almost year of marriage! I love and care for another human being, and I receive the same in return. I don't ever have to go on another "first date" in my life!

I think the thought of having to be committed to one person for the rest of your life scares people. The fact is- I don't HAVE to spend the rest of my life with Grant, I GET to! I feel special to have been his choice in an eternal companion! Others view "being stuck" with someone forever is bore, or and ending. But let me tell you, there is no other joy and excitement I find in waking up, hanging out, and spending time with Grant for the next infinity years! Maybe others only date boring people or they haven't found someone who sets of that "spark." Sure, Grant and I have only been together for a year and a half, but those butterflies never go away when he walks through the door from work. I'm always counting down the minutes until he gets home and I always look forward to the weekends because that means we get to spend every waking moment together. It doesn't get "old" or "boring," Its exciting- because I love him!

Even though we are bound committed to each other, doesn't mean we are stunting our personal growth. We are able to grow together. We influence each other in positive ways and build each other up to be the best versions of ourselves.

I hope all my thoughts make sense. They seem to be more together in my mind, but when I write them down, they sometimes get jumbled. Some may take this as a grain of salt or roll their eyes because who am I? I'm just a 21 year old girl who hasn't been married for very long. I just get defensive when society tries to degrade and demote marriage for what it's worth. Mostly because my marriage is something I hold sacred to my heart. I didn't get married to be free from my parents or prove anything (other than my love). I got married because I found my true love and I wasn't going to let him go because of my age or what others were telling us. I've dated many losers in my life and nothing can even come close to the kind of relationship I have with Grant. And when others try to fit me into a stereotype or compare me to so and so, I most definitely will stand up for this important  part of myself.

So, all in a nutshell, marriage isn't about endings, it's about new beginnings.

Loyally and Unwaveringly

I haven't posted since I created this blog, so no better time to do it than the first of the year, right?

It seems the new thing is to come up with a word instead of a list of new years resolutions at the start of a new year. Although Grant and I DID come up with a list of areas we wanted to better ourselves in [I like lists], we came up with a word as well. As 2013 was coming to a close, we reflected on what we accomplished and what we could do better. What is awesome about new years, is that it is about a month and a half before our anniversary, so we were able to not only look back at 2013, but also our first year marriage. We have accomplished soooo many things this past year and we have learned so much as well! 2013 was a stressful, yet amazing year! Learning to live with someone is a big huge adjustment, BUT I wouldn't change it for anything. I felt 2013 was a year full of change and adjustment. I went through the temple, we were married, moved in together, got our house in order [note: still getting it in order-does it ever end?;)], we have both been dedicated to work and school, we have finally gotten into a routine, and we have a cat and a dog we have taken in as our own. 2013 was CRAZY… but crazy fun!

Anyways, onto our word. I'll reveal, and then explain.

Cleave is the word! I can't take total credit for coming up with the word though. My dear mom helped me come up with the actual word. I couldn't quite put my finger on the word that my mind was thinking. But, leave it to my smart mom to help me out! Thanks mom! 

So, why cleave? The Merriam Webster dictionary's definition of cleave is "to adhere firmly and closely or loyally and unwaveringly." Man, do I love the last part, loyally and unwaveringly. 

As some of you know, my parents are moving this year. The company that my dad works for is shutting down their Grand Junction location and is transferring him to Cheyenne, Wyoming. My parents and younger siblings will be moving to either Cheyenne or the Fort Collins area. With that being said, Grant and I will be the "lone rangers" here in Grand Junction. Grant's family is scattered in Utah, and my family is scattered around the country. It's actually pretty scary knowing that we will be "alone." I have never lived away from a family member before, and never more than 3 months from my parents. I'm sad that they are leaving, BUT I'm happy my dad has work and I'm happy for the new adventures both them and Grant and I will have.

Cleave will be a major thing in Grant and I's life this year. We will be left to "adhere firmly and closely" to each other and build a family bond that is both "loyal and unwavering." It will be an adventure, but we are excited. 2014 will be a year of making our own new traditions, making lasting friendships and relationships with our ward family, and figuring out what we will do for Sunday dinner ;)

I feel like 2013 was a year of getting ourselves organized and this year will be full of excitement and memories! And who knows, maybe there will be or almost be a new little addition to our little family by next new years! 

Happy [late] New Year to all our family and friends!