Simply Craig

A house turned into our home... and then was turned over to someone else. Yep, we moved! We'd been in our home for seven years and decided it was time for a change, so we sold our home at the end of Lines Lane. I'd like to say it was no big deal, but I can't. It was a  BIG  deal. To my surprise, on moving day I realized just how attached I'd become to this place. As the movers carried out the last load of boxes, I found myself standing in a big, empty house when reality finally hit. We're really moving. Suddenly, I felt a flood of emotions all at once. I was excited about the new house we would soon make our home. Although our lives wouldn't change dramatically, I still felt a little anxious about the unknown. My heart ached as I thought about the ward we were leaving behind—a ward filled with people we'd grown to love. Teachers, leaders, and friends who had helped strengthen and enrich our lives and, in one way or another, made each member of our family a l...

This one will be creeping right into adulthood before long. We realize our time with him at home will begin to dwindle before we know it, so we're trying to take in every moment. We love you, Nathan, and appreciate the example you are to your brothers and sisters. A few facts about Nathan at 14... He loves just about any kind of weapon made...especially guns. Yikes! He's a very bright kid but doesn't always feel it's necessary to turn in some of his school assignments. That is, until his iPod gets taken away. Then suddenly, those assignments become a priority. Funny how that works. He loves pizza and BBQ wings. He's beginning to think girls aren't so bad after all. He can get along with just about anyone—with the occasional exception of his youngest brother. 😉 He's responsible and knows how to work hard. He loves the Scouting program. He wishes he had his OWN cell phone instead of having to share the family phone. He's enjoying the stake dances he now g...

I've been looking into his blue eyes for 16 years. Today I realized something. He's perfect. I could not possibly love this man more than I do. He's so good to me. Happy 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16th Anniversary!

You won’t get much frill with this post. No pictures or creative titles. In fact, I’m not even authorized to be posting here. For some of you who really know Lorri, you have already figured out who this is. For the rest of you, well, you’re smart enough—just hang in there and read on. It wasn’t too long ago I pirated the password and snuck in a post from me, her secret admirer. She figured it out quickly and, to my surprise, left the post up for a little while. Maybe she thought there was someone out there that had a question about whether she was truly loved or not. I doubt it. One thing that has always bugged me is this: When someone dies, it is as if they were perfect to their friends and family. You know what I mean? People always say things like, “He was such a good dad,” or “He was always so pleasant,” or “He treated me so good.” Think about this. And no disrespect intended for any reader out there who may have a recent loss. But of everyone who reads this, it would be you who co...

When we curl up together on the couch, I want to watch a movie. He wants to watch UFC. I love taking pictures of him. He hates having his picture taken. I eat vegetables. He doesn't. I watch movies. He sleeps through them. He's a saver. I'm a spender. He drives too fast. I drive too slow. I love a home-cooked meal. He'd rather eat out. I love shopping for clothes. He  DOESN'T . I love music. He tolerates it. He loves going to the spa for a massage. Me? If I don't know you, please don't touch me. I love shoes. He only  NEEDS  one pair. I love a bubble bath. He loves a shower. I love to read. Books put him right to sleep. He's a thrill seeker. I avoid anything involving fear. He's an early riser. I prefer to sleep in. He loves a foot rub. I'm way too ticklish. We are different in so many little ways. And somehow, it works. Actually, I think that's part of why it works. He brings things into my life I probably wouldn't choose on my own, and ...

We have new neighbors. And along with the new neighbors came a new little friend. The only problem is...this little friend seems to think  our  home is  her  home. She waits for us to pull into the driveway and then walks right in—uninvited! She prances around the house as if she owns the place, making herself perfectly comfortable wherever she pleases. And wouldn't you know it... She's managed to win over everyone in the house. Especially Bree. Our little Breeley has wanted a kitten for what seems like forever. In fact, while we were visiting my sister in Utah this past summer, she "found" a kitten while exploring the neighborhood with her cousins. She begged. She pleaded. She cried. And we still came home... kittyless. I'm pretty sure we broke that little girl's heart. But apparently Bree wasn't giving up that easily. A kitten has been part of her daily prayers ever since we left Utah. And now, months later, a kitten that looks remarkably similar to the ...

Our Christmas vacation officially began on Christmas Eve when we boarded a plane headed for Utah, hoping to find a little snow waiting for us. We found it. And then some. The snow kept falling throughout much of our twelve day stay, giving us exactly the kind of  white Christmas  we had hoped for. Looking through these pictures, it might seem like I had my camera attached to me the entire trip. Surprisingly, I didn't. I only pulled it out of the bag twice in twelve days. And you know what? It was kind of nice. I would have loved a few pictures of the kids skiing, but this year I decided to leave the camera behind, put on my own skis, and join them. We hit the slopes on Christmas Day and couldn't have picked a better time to go. There were hardly any crowds, no long lift lines, and we skied all day. Next on our list... Tubing at Soldier Hollow. We bundled everyone up from head to toe, and once you're dressed warmly enough, you can stay outside for hours. So that's exactl...