Did you hear....Steve is 30!!!!

My husband is so OLD.... Ok so that's what I would have said a couple years ago but since I'll be hitting that in 2 years I'll keep the old comments at a minuim. So here's a little bit about Steve. (I only get to do this once a year so bare with me)

Steve was born January 6, 1978 and is the youngest of 6 kids, he has 2 sisters

and 3 brothers.... He grew up in the Provo/Orem area in Utah. He graduated from Mountain View High School in 1996 (wow, I was just learning to drive when he graduated). During high school he had a great group of friends that he rock climbed and went back packing with. When he was doing that he also wanted to climb Everest because he loved to climb in the cold. He also started working on computers and playing computer games as a hobby (and still does)

He left on his mission to New Zealand in January 1997. He went to the South Island and although he never went to Antarctica, it was in his mission. He had to ride his bike in all his areas and when he got back he vowed to never get on another bike again. And I think he has lived up to that.

Steve loves to cook. When he was younger he experimented with what ever was in the kitchen and he oldest brother Benji taught him a lot in the kitchen. He was the favorite companion to have in the mission because he didn't settle for Raumen Noodles. He was always cooking for his companions as well as for the investigators or members who had them over for dinner.

While he was in new Zealand he had the opportunity to hike a couple mountains and this is him on top of Mt. Taranaki.

He got home from his mission in January 1999 and we met in November. We met on the internet, so there is does work. And we were married in May 2000. (If you want to hear some funny stories about Steve ask him about his dating experience from meeting girls on the internet)

When we met he was going to school to be a nurse and had completed all the pre-req's and was applying for nursing school when September 11, 2001 happen. At that time Steve was pulled into a different direction, and joined the Army (Utah National Guard). He decided to go the Intelligence route in the military and we were sent to Monterey, California where he learned Persian Farsi and had our first child, James Stephen Grammer Jr.After he learned the language we came to Arizona for more training (and really I'm adding this because of the great picture....

After he was done with training in Arizona we went back to Utah and three days later he was called and told he would be getting deployed. So with a baby that was nine months old and a wife that was 3 months pregnant, he left to Iraq. And in March 2005 Steve had another baby boy. Steve came home for leave and saw Tommy for the first time when he was 3 months old. In Iraq he was the "lucky" man who got to be the gunner on top of the HMV's but I guess there's not a lot of room for you inside a loaded vehicle when you're 6'4.When Steve came home from Iraq he work up in Ogden for about a year. During that time we had our third boy, Tim. (I'm going to have to find those pictures I'm not sure which computer I have them saved on)

After that year of working in Ogden he accepted a job back in Arizona. And this is where he turned the BIG '3' '0'.

This year I didn't do an "official" birthday party for him, but we did have cake on New Year's. I was almost done lighting the candles, and the match got too close to my fingers and I freaked out and blew the match out and .... all the candles too. Well the kids thought it would be fun so they finished blowing them out, so that's the goofy looking picture.
But the boys and I also decorated his car. The boys had a great time with this. And they LOVED the silly string. I left cup cakes and balloons in his car.

He still likes to play computer games, and cook. He is going grey (but that's been since he was 16) He has accomplished so much in the thirty years he has been around. He is a great man with a love for learning. He is willing to help anyone and people naturally gravitate to him. He still loves to cook and usually does our Sunday dinners. He is a WONDERFUL husband and father. The boys love him so much and love when he comes home to give them hugs. He still sweeps me off my feet, and I love the way that he makes me feel. Happy Birthday Sweet Heart.... I love you! (even if you are old)

If you would like to send something to Steve here is his email address steve.grammer@gmail.com or you can post comments here.I'm sure he would love to hear from you.