Tag: Jeff

An Engaging Proposal

Posted on by missystowell 4 Comments on An Engaging Proposal

Fourteen years ago today, in a sealing room in the Manti temple, Jeff proposed.

Still on crutches from his farming accident just 6 months earlier, he got down on his good knee and asked me to marry him.  It dawned on me shortly after I accepted that I actually had a date that night with someone else.  See, Jeff and I had only been dating for 4 weeks.  This might sound alarming to some, but we had actually known each other for 6 1/2 years, having dated some during my first (his 2nd) year of college.  In and out of touch over the next several years, we finally figured out that we really liked being together this time around.  But we never had the “let’s only date each other” discussion.  I figured out pretty quickly that I preferred spending my time with Jeff, but we were only a couple of weeks into our new relationship when my brother’s friend asked me to his community college’s Valentine’s dance.  So when I blurted out, “I have a date tonight!”, Jeff said, “I know.  You can go.”  Yeah, right.  I didn’t go.

My Dad jokes that I finally caught someone because – with his injury – Jeff couldn’t run fast enough.

Whatever the reason, I’m glad Jeff puts up with me.  I think we make a good team.  Love you, babe.

I know this isn’t the best picture of me or the kids, but Jeff looks hot!

(I got the best one.  Wahoo!)

Thanksgiving Break

Posted on by missystowell 8 Comments on Thanksgiving Break

I love Jeff’s job.  I mean, how great is it that he has 3 months off in the Summer?  And if that weren’t enough, he gets a full week for Thanksgiving, another week for Spring Break, and at least 3 weeks for Christmas.  It’s the best I tell ya!  So what does he do with all this time?  Pretty much whatever I want him to do.  Yep.  My wish is his command.  Talk about feeling like a Princess!

I will mention in passing that Jeff started this year’s Thanksgiving break by painting the toyroom, which went from Kermit-the-frog-green to a warm beige; and the family room, which went from a really pale yellow to a beautiful sage green.  Both rooms look awesome even though the family room  turned out to be a bigger project than first anticipated!  But the project I’m most excited about is the dining room.  For a while now I’ve been frustrated by the state of our dining room.  I love our counter-height table and the huge window and especially the built in china hutch.  It has a lot of character.  But the dining room is also home to the main computer in our home.  I’m pretty adamant that the computer stay in a high-traffic area.  But it  is usually an eye-sore with all the papers/clutter/stuff that accumulates on a daily basis.  Here’s what you used to see to the right upon entering the dining room (the table is behind Soren).

And here’s what was on the wall to the immediate left of the entrance:

Frightening, eh?

So here’s what we came up with instead.  Drumroll please…

Isn’t it great?  We made the computer “desk” counter-height so we could use the extra chairs from our table.  It’s also the perfect height for standing when we need to look up something quick.  I organized my files to make a place for the papers that always seemed to be lying around.  And it’s amazing how much of the “stuff” we were able to throw away.  Hooray!!!  Here it is an entire 5 days later and the room is still clean!

You might notice my Mother’s Day gift from Jeff on the desk.  Yes, it’s a pink laptop.  And Jeff had to take it to a conference shortly after it arrived.  You know a man really loves his wife when he’ll buy her a pink laptop even while knowing he might have to be seen with it in public!  This Jeff, he’s a keeper!

Christmas break?  Bring it on!

A Good Night’s Sleep

Posted on by missystowell 2 Comments on A Good Night’s Sleep

Jeff slept great last night.

That was to make up for the night before.

Jeff attended a conference in Louisville, KY on Saturday so Friday night he stayed in a hotel.  I won’t name any names, but it was a nice hotel.  He got in late, showered, and was anxious to get to sleep as the conference started early the next morning.  Upon pulling the covers back, he discovered body hair in the sheets.  Eeeew.  After a call to the front desk, they said they would promptly find him a new room.

New room.  Pull back the sheets.  Crumbs.

Another new room.  Pull back the sheets (this time with hotel employee still in the room).  Hair.

Exhausted, Jeff finally asked, “Do you have any clean sheets?”  Hotel Employee made a trip to the laundry room, brought up clean sheets, and he and Jeff made the bed.

Charge for the room?  $0.

Sleeping in his own bed?  Priceless.

A Man and his Garage

Posted on by missystowell 2 Comments on A Man and his Garage

This is the relaxed, happy smile of a man who just built himself a garage in about 5 weeks, give or take.  Yes, Jeff has officially completed his major summer project and he has a few new tools and some big muscles to show for it.  He did the last of the finishing work – painting the doors and putting on the doorknobs – on June 17.  He started building around May 7 or 8.  He had help raising the walls and putting on the roof.  Otherwise, he was a one-man-show.  He did a fantastic job!  Now let’s see what other projects I can come up with to keep him busy for the next 8 weeks…

Here are some pictures to show the whole project from start to finish.

You can click on any of the pictures to get a better look, but here’s the last one for your viewing pleasure:

Didn’t he do a great job?  As you can see, we need to do something about the driveway and he’ll be building some steps for the door, but one thing at a time.  We love it!!