Family Fun for Us

Nook Tablet Giveaway

2012-01-14T19:05:00.000-08:00

Here is another amazing giveaway from Sparkling Reviews! this time for a Nook tablet.

If you want to enter, go Here.

Cross your fingers. :)

Win a Kindle Fire and Amazon Gift Card!

2012-01-14T18:57:00.000-08:00

If you go to the Sparkling Reviews blog, you can enter to win an Amazon Kindle Fire and $50 gift card. How awesome is that!

Enter Here

Cake for the First Time, Yummy!

2011-10-20T22:25:00.000-07:00

For Quentin's birthday I made him a little cake to eat and destroy. He loved it. He wasn't quite sure what to do with it at first, until Sierra showed him. Then there was no holding him back.

Here is a video of the occasion, complete with the Happy Birthday Song. It cut out just before he really dug into the cake, but from the pictures you can tell that he enjoyed it. lol

First Year Pictures

2011-09-17T21:00:00.000-07:00

My friend Erica took pictures of Quentin for his first birthday. They turned out so adorable. He was a grumpy gus the first morning, so we had to re-shot on a different day as well. Even with his grumpiness the pictures turned out too cute. Here are a few of my favorites.

1 Years Old

2011-08-31T21:26:00.000-07:00

Quentin is now a big 1 year old boy! He celebrated his birthday at the beginning of the month. At his one year check up he weighed 21 lbs. 13 oz. and had a height of almost 31 inches. Which puts him in the 40th percentile for weight, and 80th percentile for height.

Good morning birthday boy!

At 12 months Quentin...

-Crawls....yippee!
-Claps when we say "Yay!"
-Finally says "Mamamama"
-Will come to us when we ask
-Waves bye bye
-Will point to things in the books we read to him
-Loves the Popcorn Popping, and Itsy Bitsy Spider songs
-Scrunches up his face, yells, and flexes his arms and legs when he gets really mad
-Drinks whole milk instead of formula without any problem
-Loves to crawl up to us and start bouncing up and down on his knees

So MAD! lol

This past year with Quentin has been such a joy. I really can't believe it has already been a year! It has gone by so quickly. It has been such a blessing to have him in our family. I am very thankful that he decided to finally join us. He adds such happiness to our lives. We love him so much.

Big Fish

2011-07-27T14:22:00.000-07:00

A couple months ago, Dan took Dallin camping for a Father & Son campout that our church puts on every year. They had a fishing pond where they were camping, and Dallin caught a huge, and I mean HUGE blue gill. These fish are usually less than a pound and the one Dallin caught was over 2 lbs at least.

Look at the size of that baby! Dallin was very proud! :)

11 Months Old

2011-07-25T21:03:00.000-07:00

It is getting very close to Quentin's 1st birthday, so I thought I'd better update the blog with his 11 month stats.

He wouldn't keep his 11 month sticker on long enough to get any good pictures

At 11 months Quentin...
-Walks while holding on to our hands
-Sits up on his own
-Gives big, slobbery, baby kisses
-Has 8 teeth now. 4 on top, 4 on bottom
-Started using the spoon to feed himself
-Eats pretty much everything now. But we have to watch out how much we put on his plate, becauce he will just shove it all in at once, if he can.
-Likes to drum (just like his Daddy)
-Still thinks the kids are hilarious.
-Plays the "game" Go to Sleep...Wake Up!
-Has a smile that melts our hearts.

We love our little buddy.

10 Months Old

2011-06-28T20:51:00.000-07:00

Quentin is so close to being a year old. Only two more months. I can't believe how fast this year has gone! I've loved seeing how much he has grown in this short amount of time. But it is bittersweet. I'm trying to hold onto his babyness as long as I possibly can.

At 10 months Quentin...

-Weighs 20 lbs. 14 oz.
-Says a ton of DaDa, LaLa, GaGa, YaYa's, but still no MaMa's. lol
-Finally will roll tummy, to back, to tummy again. (He's been doing it for a while now in his crib, but just refused to do it outside of the crib)
-Eats, besides his other foods, bite sized pieces of chicken, turkey, and beans. He especially likes the beans.

-Has 7 teeth. 4 on top and 3 on the bottom.
-Still sleeps through the night. (hallelujah!)
-Kicks the ball when we roll it to him. He loves balls!
-Still has the sweetest, most easygoing personality.

9 Months Old

2011-06-03T11:31:00.000-07:00

Quentin turned 9 months old last month. At his check up he was 30 inches long, and weighed 20 lbs. 1 oz. Still a big boy.

At 9 months he...
-Says "Da Da Da", and "Ba Ba Ba".
-Eats more solid foods like bread, crackers, small pieces of pasta, etc.
-Uses his fine motor skills to pick up his pieces of food.
-Now has 5 teeth, which he got pretty much all at the same time. 4 on top and one on the bottom.
-Started to clap his hands.
-Plays peekaboo.
-Growls when he is grumpy.
-Is a very happy boy.
-Is very curious about the world around him.

Strolling in Style

2011-05-29T20:40:00.000-07:00

It took me about two months to find the "perfect" stroller for Quentin. But I finally decided on one, and I couldn't be happier. It is called the Zooper Twist. It has pretty much everything I wanted. I've had friends ask about it, so I thought I'd post about it on our blog.

I wanted a lightweight stroller, that was good quality and versatile. I didn't want to end up with 3 or 4 different strollers to fit all my needs. I'm not a runner, so I didn't care about jogging capabilities. Just something that was easy to push and turn. It had to have tall handles, and a big (I mean HUGE) canopy. Reclines all the way down and sits up all the way. Has a belly bar, that is removable when the baby gets older. Has a good height and weight capacity. And folds compactly. The Zooper fit the bill, and then some!

My only complaint, and it is a small one, is that even though the fold is compact, it is still pretty long. It will fit in our Toyota Matrix without a problem, because of the trunk space. But in our SUV, if the third row seat is up with the stroller in the back, it doesn't leave much room for groceries, etc. Unless you want to put them on top of the stroller, which I don't like doing. That is the only drawback, in my eyes. And it wasn't something that I felt was a deal breaker, we just need a new SUV. lol

Quentin really loves riding in his new stroller.

The stroller also has a nice sized basket at the bottom (a big sized diaper bag might have trouble fitting in it though), plus two large pockets at the back to hold essentials. It has a 5 point harness safety belt. It has a cup holder. The canopy has built in UV protection and is water proof. It can hold an infant carrier. The leg rest is also adjustable. It comes with an UV netting that goes around the front of the stroller if you are out in the sun a long time. And a foot muff attachment, for when it is really cold outside.

Anyway, I can't say enough good things about the stroller. It is fabulous! Zooper has other models besides the Twist as well. You can check them out here.

By the way, the toy Quentin is chomping on is called Chan Pie Gnon, by Vulli. The makers of Sophie the Giraffe. It is a teething toy, and Quentin adores it. It is his little friend. It works like nothing else has, for his tender gums. Plus he loves to shake it to hear the squeaking noise it makes.

Playing Roll the Ball

2011-05-10T20:05:00.000-07:00

Quentin really likes to play ball. We'll roll it to him, and he gets so excited. He shakes his arms up & down, and drums on the ball until it rolls away from him.

Here he is playing with Dallin.

Dallin is such a good big brother. Quentin really loves him.

Sierra's Baptism

2011-05-08T20:46:00.000-07:00

Sierra turned 8 years old in January, and made the choice to be baptized. We had some of our family and friends come for the special event.

Sierra said the water was cold. After her baptism, she said she felt very proud and good. Her Daddy baptized her, and then Grandpa confirmed her and gave her the Gift of the Holy Ghost.

L-R: Gpa, Gma, Auntie Erin, Quentin, Sierra, Mommy, Dallin, Daddy, Uncle Adam

To celebrate this special step in Sierra's life, we told her we could go to dinner wherever she wanted. And no surprise here, she picked Red Robin. We chowed down on some yummy food, and visited with friends and family.

Sierra, with her friends Brookley and Allie

Marcie, Chad, and little Hadlee

Dallin and Evan

Scott and Jenny with their two youngest kiddos

I'm so proud of Sierra, and the choice she made. She is such a sweet, kind hearted girl. A mother couldn't ask for a better daughter. I love you sweetie.

8 Months Old

2011-04-14T09:57:00.000-07:00

Master Quentin is 8 months old. He weighs 19 lbs. 14 oz.

My poor boy was dealing with a cold during his 8 month bday. So no happy guy in these shots.

At 8 months He....

-Sits completely on his own.

-Seems to have no desire to crawl or creep. He might end up being like his mommy, and just go straight to walking.

-Loves to stand (with mommy or daddy's help).

-Eats all his veggies, and now has started on fruits (still not sure about them yet).

-Got a cold for the first time (I think it's amazing he went 8 whole months with no illness)!

-Says "Ba ba ba ba".

-Likes to be tickled on his ribs and armpits.

-Has the most adorable giggles and belly laughs.

-Really likes the ABC Song. Especially when mommy does sign language with it.

7 Months Old

2011-03-10T20:46:00.000-08:00

Another month is here and Quentin is 7 months old. He is still growing like a weed. And shows us more of his little personality each day.

At 7 months Quentin...

-Sits up straight for a few minutes at a time before either falling over or folding himself in half.
-Eats more veggies. He has now added carrots and yams to the menu. He loves the yams, the carrots not so much.
-Makes the cutest scrunched up face when he doesn't want to eat anymore food.
-Still will NOT roll from his tummy to his back.
-Has started to try to scoot himself forward while on his tummy.
-Has been teething all this past month, but still no teeth. He's been Mr. Cranky with nothing to show for it. Poor guy (and poor mommy lol).
-Thinks Sierra and Dallin are hilarious. If anyone can get him to laugh, it is them. :D

Half a Year Old

2011-02-16T20:30:00.000-08:00

Quentin turned 6 months old this month. He weighs 18 lbs. 14 oz and is 29 inches long. He weighs more than 75% of the babies his age, and he is off the charts in height. The doctor said Quentin is the height of an average 10 month old! I see basketball in his future. lol

At 6 months Quentin,

-Continues to eat amazingly well. He has started eating acorn squash and butternut squash. He thinks they are delicious.
-Has started sitting in his highchair like a big boy.
-Can sit up, without support, for a few seconds.
-Still prefers rolling from back to tummy, but not tummy to back. He can do it, he is just a stinker about it. ;)
-Doesn't sleep through the night yet, but has cut his waking up down to 1 or 2 times on most nights.
-Likes mommy to copy his talking. He will continue to talk, if I mimic him.

Bath time. Look at that cute chubbiness. :)

Enjoying the view from up high

Such a big boy, sitting on his own!

Laughter is the Best Medicine...

2011-02-05T14:02:00.000-08:00

Especially cute baby laughter. :D

I finally got Quentin to give us some good laughs. I was driving a little car on the floor and up to Quentin, where I would then say "Beep beep beep!". He thought that was so funny. Here is a video of it. Enjoy!

Yummy Rice Cereal

2011-01-28T20:31:00.000-08:00

Quentin started eating rice cereal this month. He has really done such a good job eating, even from his first attempt. Here are some pictures and videos from his first experience.

I'm ready mama.

In goes the spoon.

Wow, that was yummy!

And this is what he did after he was finished. So I know he liked it. lol

He really loves his food. I'm excited to start feeding him veggies once he turns 6 months. Hopefully he will still love eating, once that occurs.

***For the fam, go here to see the post on our blog, so you can watch the videos.

Meeting Santa Claus

2011-01-24T20:23:00.001-08:00

In December our ward at church had a Christmas party. Jolly Old St. Nick surprised the kids with a visit. Dallin and Sierra were able to see him and get pictures.

Unfortunately Quentin wasn't able to meet him. He was cranky and ready to go home and sleep. I didn't think about pictures until after we had left the church. Darn!

Christmas at Christmas

2011-01-23T21:03:00.000-08:00

This year we spent a quiet Christmas at home, with Dan's parents. It was nice and relaxing.

Our Christmas tree.

Anxiously waiting to come downstairs.

Santa ate our cookies and left a note, yay!

Quentin, wondering what is going on.

Present time.

Sierra got these cute slipper socks from Gma.

Dan, happy about his gift. I got him flying lessons (in an airplane, not a la Peter Pan *hee hee*). :)

And this was my big gift. A Eureka Steam Mop. I was super excited, because it was what I wanted the most for Christmas.

Gma and Gpa helping Quentin opening his gifts. He really thought the presents were tasty. lol

We had a wonderful time remembering the birth of the Savior and being with loved ones.

Caught in the Act Finally!

2011-01-16T21:13:00.001-08:00

I felt this deserved a separate post. I was finally able to catch Quentin smiling on camera! Yippee!

It was only a half smile, but "beggars can't be choosers" as the saying goes.

See, he does smile. I wasn't fibbing. lol

5 Months Old

2011-01-16T20:50:00.000-08:00

Quentin is now in his 5th month, and continues to be a joy to us.

At 5 months he...
-Rolls over from back to tummy to back again
-Has started eating rice cereal and LOVES it
-Takes things off his face, by himself, if his face is covered
-Loves to blow violent raspberries
-Will hold his bottle by himself a little bit, before he gets distracted by something and forgets that he's the one doing the holding
-Is still stingy with his laughs, but that's okay
-Really loves watching Baby Mozart and Baby Beethoven
-Has for the most part got his nap schedule finally on track (knock on wood)

It's raspberry time!

Visiting with Donald

In the Double Digits!

2011-01-15T20:54:00.000-08:00

Dallin had his 10th birthday this past month. It blows my mind to think he is already 10 years old! Two years away from being in the Young Men's program at Church. Three years until he is a *gasp* TEENAGER!! Wow, it just goes by so quickly.

He had a nice birthday. He got to open his present from us (a Harry Potter Lego Game). Then we took him out to dinner at Red Robin.

Sierra is pouting because she didn't get an ice cream sundae. lol

By the end of dinner, Quentin was not a happy camper.

Then a few days later he had his party. Star Wars themed, of course. ;)

Silly boys, watching a Lego video they made together. They obviously thought it was hilarious.

They made star fighters that were, then, sent to destroy the Death Star.

L-R: Lucas, Connor, Alex, Sierra, Dallin, and Justus

Musical Chairs ala Star Wars themed music.

Millennium Falcon relay. Even Dan got in on the fun.

After the games and cake, it was present time.

Christmas at Thanksgiving

2011-01-15T20:44:00.000-08:00

We went and visited my mom and family for Thanksgiving this year. So that meant we were able to have an early Christmas with them along with the Thanksgiving festivities.

Dallin & Sierra with their Uncle Ian

Great Grandpa meeting Quentin for the first time.

Enjoying all our goodies.

4 Months

2010-12-11T20:22:00.000-08:00

Quentin is now 4 months old. He weighs 16 lbs. 8 oz. and is 27 inches long! His doctor said he is longer than 95% of the babies his age, and weighs more than 85%. Wowzers!

At 4 months he is:
-Talking ( i.e., squealing and screaming)
-Attempting to roll over from back to tummy (he rolled over for one whole day, from his tummy to his back. But now refuses to do it).
-Blows very slobbery raspberries.
-Grabs, holds onto toys, and puts them to his mouth.
-Laughs a little, but it takes a lot to get it out of him.
-Smiles all the times (although I still haven't been able to really catch it on camera).
-Continues to be as sweet as he can be.

Here is a video of him "talking" a little bit, before he decided to chomp on his hand instead. lol

For familia that get my posts through e-mail, you will have to go to our actual blog to watch the video... here

We all love him so much. :)

Halloween 2010

2010-11-20T15:07:00.000-08:00

Here we are for our ward's Halloween Trunk or Treat party on the Friday before Halloween.

Dan and I dressed up as Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf again. Dallin was Darth Vader, Sierra was a vampire bride, and Quentin was a little puppy dog.

It was a fun night and the kids looked so cute.

Carving Time

2010-11-15T21:05:00.000-08:00

Dallin's jack-o-lantern was a pirate. See the eye patch?

Not sure what Sierra's was supposed to be. But it had hair. ;)

Ooooooo Spooky!

Pumpkins Everywhere

2010-11-15T20:55:00.000-08:00

Before Halloween we went to our local pumpkin patch. Dan's brother, Adam and Adam's girlfriend, Kim were visiting us at the time. So they were able to go with us.

What Quentin did the whole time yet again. lol

Finding a good pumpkin

Yippee, for the pumpkin patch!

The Ocean

2010-11-06T20:51:00.000-07:00

During Labor Day we went to the ocean with some friends of ours. Quentin was only about a month old, and he did so well. He slept pretty much the whole trip.

We went to two different beaches. The first was rocky, with tide pools and seals. It was neat to see all the little sea creatures, but it was windy and chilly.

The seals

Then the second beach had smooth sand to make sand castles, and warmer temperatures. The water was still on the cold side, but that didn't stop the kids from getting themselves drenched.

Both places were a lot of fun. We had a great time!

Professional Photos

2010-11-04T12:23:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine is a professional photographer. You can see her work here.

When Quentin was 10 days old she traveled to our home and took pictures of him. And some with Dallin and Sierra as well.

She did a beautiful job and was so good with Quentin. Here are some of the photos that we purchased from her.

See, isn't her work exquisite?!

We'll be getting this storyboard in the 10x20 size to hang on our wall or on an easel (I haven't decided yet).

3 Months Old

2010-11-04T12:01:00.000-07:00

Quentin reached his 3 month mark two days ago.

We won't know his stats until his 4 month appointment. But I can tell he continues to grow "like a flower, not a weed" (as Sierra would say).

He is all smiles for us now. Unfortunately I haven't been able to catch any on camera. But I almost got it with this picture.

He'll hold his head up while on his stomach like a pro. He especially likes to do tummy time while on mommy's legs, and then look around at everything around him.

He is also batting at his toys all the time and within the last two days he has started to grab at his toys too!

He is an easy going, happy baby. And continues to bring our family joy.

The Fair

2010-10-27T10:13:00.000-07:00

We went to the fair, as a family, a few weeks ago. It has been a long time since the last time we went to a county fair. So this was a fun experience for us.

We checked out all the farm animals.

Dallin and Sierra played in the kids zone area.

Dallin played this rifle shooting game.

Also Dan and the kids checked out this big tree house.

We went on a couple rides.

And best of all ate yummy fair food (I was too busy eating it to get any pictures lol).

And this is what Quentin did the whole time we were there. :)

Enjoying the Bouncy Seat and Swing

2010-10-24T21:08:00.001-07:00

Quentin really likes his cradle swing. This is what he does every time he gets in it. :)

He also has a cute bouncy seat that he loves. It has these adorable woodland animal toys on it. Quentin has decided they are his good friends. He'll smile and talk to them each time he sits down. It is beyond adorable.

Here is a video I caught of him talking to his animal friends. He is starting to try to bat at things. But, as you can see in the video, he hasn't quite gotten his coordination down yet. Poor thing almost poked himself in the eye. lol He is such a darling boy.

2 Months Old

2010-10-07T20:42:00.000-07:00

Quentin turned two months old this past Saturday. He weighs 12 lbs. 10 oz. And is 24 inches long. Needless to say he is a big boy and oh so cute!

He now blows spit bubbles, holds his head up well, smiles (although it still takes a lot of coaxing to get those smiles), and makes adorable cooing noises. And obviously he is a really good eater. lol

So serious!

Dallin used to sleep exactly like this, when he was a baby.

Our sleeping angel

Quentin's Blessing

2010-09-20T20:07:00.001-07:00

A couple weeks ago Quentin had his baby blessing, given to him by Dan, at church.

Here he is in his little white outfit that Grandma C got for him to wear.

He looks so precious in it.

Here's the happy family. :)

Strong Little Man

2010-09-08T21:28:00.000-07:00

At two weeks old, Quentin was holding his head up really well. We can't believe what a strong little guy he is!

Here we go.. One...

Two..

Three!

LOL the exertion made him go cross eyed. ;p That's okay, he's still adorable.

School Days, School Days...

2010-09-08T21:24:00.000-07:00

Bright and golden rule days...

The kids first day of school was a few weeks ago. And they seem to be off to a great start. Both Dallin and Sierra's teachers are wonderful. The kids are really enjoying their classes.

First Day at Church

2010-09-02T20:57:00.001-07:00

This past Sunday was Quentin's first day at church.

He looks so handsome, even with the binkie in his mouth. ;p

Pizza Bagels

2010-09-02T20:49:00.000-07:00

Dallin and Sierra made dinner for the family on Monday. It was pizza bagels. They were very tasty.

The kids did a great job! Thank you Dallin and Sierra for the yummy dinner. :)

One Month Old Already!

2010-09-02T20:31:00.000-07:00

Today Quentin reached his one month birthday! The past month sure did go by quickly. He now weighs over 9 pounds and is about 23 inches long.

Look at Quentin holding the paper for Mommy! He is already such a thoughtful boy. ;)

Dallin and Sierra posing with Quentin

Silly faces

We love our little guy. He continues to bring such joy to our family.

He's Here!

2010-08-19T20:15:00.000-07:00

Our baby boy Quentin Miles joined our family on August 2nd, 2010. He was 7 lbs. 11 oz. and 21 1/2 inches long.

I went into the hospital for my surgery at 6:30 that morning to be prepped and ready by 8:30 AM. This was my first c-section, so I was nervous but was able to hold it together thankfully.

The before.

Everything went smoothly with the surgery, expect for one small hiccup at the beginning. My blood pressure dropped suddenly and my heart skipped a couple beats. But that was only for a minute and then everything was alright.

Prepped and ready.

Dan was in the surgery room with me and that was a big comfort and helped a lot. Next thing we knew Quentin was born. It was very surreal for me. I've waited so long for him to join our family, that it still didn't seem real until that moment when they held him up over the screen so I could see him.

The doctor said Quentin is a healthy little boy. And I am recovering well. No major drama this time for either of us, thank goodness!

First sponge bath. As you can see, he's not happy about it. lol

The kids meeting Quentin for the first time.

Proud Papa.

Quentin is such a sweet baby and a joy to the whole family.

Dallin and Sierra really love him.

The after.

Finally home. :)

He is definitely a blessing to us, and I thank God for the miracle.

We Love Our Daddy!

2010-07-26T19:31:00.000-07:00

The kids relaxing with their Daddy.

Cub Scout Camp Fun

2010-07-26T19:15:00.001-07:00

Dallin and a lot of fun at his cub scout camp this year. The theme was sports.

On the last day they had a luncheon for the whole family. And then they set up this huge waterslide.

The kids loved it!

Future Students, Here We Come

2010-07-24T21:13:00.001-07:00

Dallin and Sierra decided to create a school in Dallin's room. Dallin was the head teacher and Sierra his partner. They were going to teach some of their friends in the neighborhood about the rainforest and ocean animals.

The classroom all set up.

For our family home evening one night they got to practice their teaching techniques, so they could be prepared. Both of the kids did a good job. We learned a lot. :)

Painting Pretty Pictures

2010-07-24T21:08:00.000-07:00

Sierra enjoying painting a picture after church, one Sunday.

Her masterpiece.

Memorial Day at the Park

2010-07-24T20:53:00.000-07:00

After the swimming time at our friends on Memorial Day, we headed to the park for bbqing and games with a bunch of our other friends.

Croquet, water balloon toss, and duck duck goose, how fun!

Memorial Swimming Time

2010-07-24T20:48:00.001-07:00

For Memorial Day we got together with some friends of ours and the kids did a little swimming. It was actually a semi cool day for May. The water wasn't as warm as I like it, so I chose to stay out. But the kids still had fun.

Open House 2010

2010-07-19T20:37:00.001-07:00

The kids had their Open House at school back in May.

Dallin's classroom.

Standing next to a big rainforest wall the kids made.

A neat word search puzzle Dallin's teacher made out of the kids' names. Can you spot Dallin's name? I see it, yay!

Sierra's classroom.

Sierra is showing off her cool scrapbook of all her hard work, that her teacher made as a keepsake for every student.

We really enjoyed going to their classrooms and looking at all the accomplishments they did throughout the year.

Quentin's Nursery

2010-07-16T12:18:00.000-07:00

I'm finally finished with Quentin's nursery. Except for a few small things. But those can wait until after the baby is born anyway, so it's not a big deal.

Here is the before (well actually it is more of a semi-before, because I was in the process of painting when I thought to actually get a picture of the before).

And the after... I wanted something gender neutral, ya know, just in case. lol I went with a sunshine, morning, birdie, tree type theme. I have to say it looks much better in person than it does in these pictures (my camera, grrr). But enjoy!

The color is a soft green called "Soothing Aloe" (thank you Jolie!). I absolutely love the color. You can't see it very well in this picture, but in the left corner is a 6 ft tall tree (half tree actually), and above Quentin's name on the right side are two birdies flying away.

The wall color works perfectly with the bedding, which is from The Land of Nod.com . It is called "Oh What a Beautiful Morning". The bumper has a sun rising from behind two green hills.

Quite a few of the decorative touches in the room I made myself (*pats myself on the back* lol)

I adore this wee little chick. It is from an esty.com shop called asherjasper. She makes all sorts of adorable felted toys.

A sparrow sitting on top of the closet frame.

Vintage inspired sign, with one of my favorite childhood phrases.

Well there you have it, Quentin's new room. I had such a blast creating it! Hope you liked the tour. :)

Mother's Day Treat!

2010-07-15T20:23:00.001-07:00

My super sneaky hubbie Dan, sent me a surprise Mother's Day treat in the mail.

Chocolate covered strawberries! Oooh they were so good. :)

My favorite was the dark chocolate one, with the dark chocolate chips. You can never have too much chocolate. lol

Easter Egg Hunt

2010-07-15T20:13:00.000-07:00

We took a trip up north for Easter vacation. At Gma's, the kids got to hunt for those elusive Easter Eggs. Ready, set, go...

Hmm, where can they be?

Those eggs sure are tricky!

The eggie treasure that was found. Score!!

The Kids and Their Coz

2010-07-15T20:10:00.000-07:00

Rockin' out with cousin Mandy.

They love their baby cousins.

Surprise Bday Dance Party

2010-06-23T11:31:00.000-07:00

For those that know me well, know that dancing is a passion of mine. And unfortunately something I don't get to do very often anymore.

Dan, being the sweetheart that he is, threw me a surprise dance for my birthday! He is so sneaky. lol

Elizabeth, Bret, Jeanette, and Scott

Erica, myself, Peggy, and Candice
Our friend Marcie helped him plan, and set up everything.

With Marcie and Chad

Peter, Josh, Scott, Ted, and Nick
We had about 20 to 30 people there. Everyone seemed to have a great time.

Kristen and Neal striking a pose

It was a blast, and just what I always wanted! Thank you again Danny Boy. I love you so much.

Grillin Time

2010-06-23T11:27:00.001-07:00

For one of his cub scout requirements, Dallin had to make a meal for us outside. So here he is with Dad learning how to grill out on the bbq.

He chose to make hot dogs for everyone. :)

Cub Scout Award

2010-05-26T21:16:00.000-07:00

Dallin received his Wolf award for Cub Scouts back in February. Now he is on to working on his Bear achievements.

Pinning the wolf badge pin on Momma

Sierra had to be in the picture too, lol

Dallin with his friend Leif
I'm so proud of my little man. Way to go Dallin!

10th Anniversary Trip

2010-05-26T20:37:00.000-07:00

For our 10 year anniversary this past February, Dan and I went to the Carmel/Monterey/Pacific Grove coast. Our bed and breakfast was in Pacific Grove this time. It was nice, not the best we've stayed in, but certainly not the worst either.

While we were there, we never got to go down to the beaches, because of the tsunami warning, from the earthquake they had down in South America. So all the beaches were closed. But we got a couple shots of the waves. It was crazy how high up they were. Usually at the beach in Carmel, there is the huge sand hill you need to walk down to get even close to the water. But the water was literally coming all the way up the hill. My pictures don't even come close to showing how awesome (and scary high) the water level was.

Instead of the beach we went to the Carmel mission. We've never been there, so that was cool. Neat to see the history of the place.

We also of course had to do a little shopping in Carmel. I really love that town. The buildings are so quaint, and fairytale-ish.

For lunch we ate at a place in town called Carmel Belle. They sell organic, locally grown items. It was super yummy.

For dinner on our special night, we went to the Inn at Spanish Bay (which is on 17 Mile Drive/Pebble Beach) to eat at Roy's! Their food was amazing, as usual. Since it was our anniversary we got extra special attention. They gave us seashell necklaces for us to put on each other. They had a special menu with a Happy 10 year Anniversary to Mr. and Mrs. C. greeting on it. And with our dessert they wrote in chocolate on the plate wishing us a happy anniversary. No pictures though, my poor camera was acting up all through the trip and then the batteries completely died on me. :(

Something that happens during the dinner hour (all the time, not just for our anniversary lol), is at sunset there are bagpipers that come out onto the golf course,which is right there outside the restaurant. The pipers play until the sun goes down. Such a cool experience to witness in person.

We had a wonderful time throughout the trip.

Thank you again to Gma and Gpa C for watching the kids for us.

And thank you to my sweet husband, Dan for the beautiful 10 years. I love you.

The Baby's Name has Been Chosen :)

2010-04-07T08:55:00.000-07:00

I had the first name picked out for awhile now. It was one I've liked for years and years, but wasn't sure whether it fit with our last name. Once I got preggers, it just felt right to me. I knew it was his name. Plus the name, in its Latin origin, means fifth. Which is appropriate since he will be the fifth and final member of our little family. :)

I was dithering between two different middle names. Both middle names are ones that I've loved as middle names for a long time as well, but I wasn't sure which one would fit my criteria best. I wanted something that was one syllable, like Dallin and Sierra's middle names: Brooks and Lynn. Plus I thought it would be nice to have a little bit of an extra connection to Dallin, (since the baby is a boy), with the baby's middle name ending in an 's' sound.

Also, I love names that have history to them, and that aren't uber popular or common. I don't like my children to have names that you hear every day, or names that are the "flavor of the month" so to speak.

So without further ado, the baby shall be named......

Quentin Miles

Oh, and in case anyone is curious, (there is always the slight chance that the ultrasound was wrong), for a girl we are going with Cicely Jane.

Ultrasound Results

2010-03-22T20:16:00.000-07:00

So I had my ultrasound today, and we found out what we are having. Are you ready?!.........

It's... a..... chicken... just kidding.... *drum roll please*................

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~Yay!~~~~~~~~~~~~* :D

BYU Basketball

2010-03-21T21:32:00.000-07:00

A few months ago the BYU basketball team played in our area, and we were able to go see them as a family. This was my first time watching them live, so it was a lot of fun.

It was also the first time Dallin and Sierra had ever been to a live basketball game. They enjoyed it, but soon got a little bored watching, and decided to entertain themselves in other ways. As seen in the video below. lol

The kids got featured on the big screen for their dancing abilities. That was a treat for them. :D

BYU won the game. Go cougars!!

Cousins to Ring in the New Year

2010-03-19T13:17:00.000-07:00

We had Dan's cousin Joey and his family visit us for a few days back at the end of December and into the new year. We had a fun New Years Eve gathering with them, and a few of our other friends. Unfortunately I forgot to take pictures. LOL But here is a cute one (and the only one) of Sierra with two of her second cousins: Jenna and Kayla. :)

Sierra's 7th Birthday

2010-03-19T13:00:00.000-07:00

Sierra turned 7 years old back in January. Wowza!! We threw her a little party with a few of her closest friends. They had Mac & Cheese for lunch... Sierra's favorite.

Then they played a couple games.

After that it was cake time. Sierra helped me make the cupcakes. She wanted rainbow ones with sprinkles.

Last, but certainly not least, it was present time. Sierra made out like a bandit with new Littlest Pet Shop toys (she loves them, so she was very happy).

The girls (and Dallin) had a good time.

Time in Chico

2010-03-19T12:47:00.001-07:00

Here are some pictures from our visit to Chico back in January (I am so behind in my posting).

Happy to be with Grandma H

We love our Great Grandpa H
We had a nice visit with some of our family. And the kids enjoyed opening up all the extra Christmas presents. ;D

10 Whole Years!

2010-02-25T19:06:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is our ten year wedding anniversary! :D It sure has gone by quickly.

Happy anniversary to My Edward. I love you more than ever baby.

Christmas Day

2010-01-08T20:17:00.001-08:00

We had most of Dan's family come stay with us for Christmas this year. It was a lot of fun having a house full of people.

Woo Hoo it's Christmas and Santa Claus came!

Adorable, Baby Mandy

Sierra loving the beanie Grandma knit her

Excited about his Legos

Just lounging around :D
Then for Christmas dinner, we had my brother Ian, and his new puppy, joined us for the festivities. ;)

Waltzing with Uncle Adam

Spending time with Uncle Ian (and the puppy too!)
It was a wonderful Christmas.

A Picture Worth a 1000 Words

2009-12-28T12:57:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas

2009-12-23T20:52:00.000-08:00

Since we have family coming tomorrow, I thought I'd send out early Christmas wishes to all our family and loved ones everywhere.

We hope your Christmas is a peaceful and joyful one.

We love you, and wish only the best comes your way!

Oh Christmas Tree

2009-12-17T21:18:00.000-08:00

We found a beautiful tree this year at the Home Depot. The kids, Dan and I had a nice time decorating it, while listening to Christmas music.

The finished product.

It's so purty.

Decking the Halls

2009-12-16T21:35:00.001-08:00

I have had fun again decorating our new home for Christmas. Especially since a lot of family are coming to our house this year for the holiday.

I made this lil ol' wreath all by myself. In the light it looks like there are gold ornaments, but they are really green.
I loved how this picture of Mary and Baby Jesus caught the reflection of the star on the Christmas tree. How appropriate is that?!

I've especially been on a red and silver kick this year. I just love those two colors together for Christmas.

I got this idea from Pottery Barn to put the jingle bells in the cute apothecary jar. The Falala, I felt, was the perfect touch.

The coffee table with pretty, sparkly candles and wintry berries.

Our mantel.

The piano in our living room got all decked out too. Don't you love the vintage Santa Claus pictures? :)

I still want to do more, but for now I'm pretty pleased with the results. Up next... the Tree. :D

Surprise Birthday Treat

2009-12-12T12:26:00.000-08:00

For Dallin's birthday this year, we surprised the kids with a one day trip to Disneyland! We've never been there during the holidays, and this was a perfect excuse to go. The kids were super excited, once they actually believed that we were really going there.

We got there the afternoon before we were to go into the parks. So we spent the evening in Downtown Disney. Did a little shopping and ate dinner at Rainforest Cafe.

The next morning we got up bright and early and headed to Disneyland. Let me say that the parks are gorgeous all decorated for Christmas. We really loved the magical feel of it all.

I caught a picture of the Evil Queen peering out the window
We started the morning in Fantasyland. Small World was very neat with the Christmas overlay. I actually think I like it better that way. The song is less annoying with the Christmas music interspersed with it. lol

For lunch we ate at one of our favorites, Carnation Cafe. Where I got my usual Loaded Baked Potato soup and Turkey Sandwich on Pretzel Bread. Dallin got his favorite Peanut Butter Painters Palette, Sierra got (no surprise) Mac & Cheese, and Dan got the yummy soup too with a Chicken Crescent Sandwich.

After lunch we did a couple Tomorrowland rides, then up to Critter Country for the Winnie the Pooh ride, followed by Adventureland for the Jungle Cruise, and then headed to California Adventure to ride Toy Story Mania and a few other rides. We got to meet Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, and Jesse in DCA. The kids were happy about that.

We went back to Disneyland for the Christmas parade. This was a nice parade. Lots of holiday spirit. And we got to see Santa Claus.

After the parade we went to dinner up in Frontierland, at Big Thunder Ranch BBQ. It has become my new favorite restaurant. It is a brand new, and it was so much fun! Everything was served family style and came out in rustic pots. We got BBQ ribs, chicken, and sausage, cole slaw, corn bread, baked beans, and corn on the cob. It was delicious! And to top it off, they have entertainment while you eat, set in the outdoors under the stars.

During the entertainment the singer Miss Crystal (the "owner" of the ranch), had the kids come up and sing a couple Christmas songs with her. Dallin wasn't feeling up to it, but Sierra went up there. She got to sing "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" and "Jingle Bells".

Also one of the other musicians was going around to the tables playing his guitar and singing to everyone. When he came to ours, we told him it was Dallin's bday, and he whistled the Happy Birthday Song to him. It was funny.

I highly recommend this restaurant!

After the dinner we went back to Tomorrowland to ride Buzz Lightyear Astroblasters, and Star Tours. Then we went to get ready to for the holiday fireworks show. This was so amazing! And it ended with snow falling on Main Street. What an unforgettable way to end the night.

We had a wonderful time on our trip. I would never do just one day again though. We like to do too many things when we are at the resort, that just can't get done in one day.

Below are a few more pictures of the holiday decorations around the park.

Dallin the Filmmaker

2009-12-04T18:53:00.000-08:00

Dallin, and Dan made their first Lego Star Wars video. As you will see we thought it was rather funny. lol

Great job Dallin! :D

Our Halloween Party

2009-10-24T20:36:00.001-07:00

Last night we had a Halloween party at our house. We all dressed up in couples inspired costumes. Dan and I decided to go as Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf.

All our friends that came, had awesome costumes too.

We go together just like Peas & Carrots

Cat Woman and a Halo Guy

Cleopatra and Antony w/ their pet Spider, Emma

Super Mom and Super Dad

Indian Princess and her Mountain Man

Static Cling and Fabric Softener (hee hee, so cute)

The Dawgs (hilarious!)

Who let the Trash in?!! LOL
We had a ton of yummy food. Although I didn't get any pictures of all of it (I was too busy eating), other than my Vampire Bite Cupcakes. Aren't they adorable?! I got them off of a baking blog. They are super easy to make and I love them. :D

Sparkling Apple Cider, that I made into Halloweenie Themed bottles
We enjoyed each others company...

There were even prizes for our costumes.

We won Ghoulishly Awesome, Mind Blowingly Spooktacular Couple! (Dan looks like he's about to eat me)

Bone Chilling Couple went to Donovan and Rani. Their scary prize... a Jonas Brothers notebook and Hannah Montana stickers. LOL

Fancy Pants award went to Jane Ellen and John. They were rockin' the bling

Elizabeth explaining their costumes... they won the Costumed couple that makes you go "Huh?" award

The Party Pooper award went to Peggy and Ted, with their trashbag ensemble.
Also Molly and Nick won the award for They're laughing in the graves, couple. And Mike & Krista got the Sweeter than Candy Corn award.

The night ended with some party favors. I made these (see, the crafty bug bit me again).

I got the idea from Martha Stewart.
Each couple also took home the tombstone we had made for them. The graves also served as outside decorations for the party.

Here is a pic of our tombstone
It was a fantastic night, with a bunch of good friends. Thanks guys for making the evening a success! :)

Decorating Fever

2009-10-24T19:46:00.000-07:00

Now that we have our own home, I've been in the decorating mood for the Halloween & Fall season. And I have to say that I am proud of myself, because a lot of the items, I made myself. This is coming from someone that is not crafty at all. So I think I deserve a pat on the back. lol

Here is some of the decor inside...

Dan surprised me with the roses. :)

There is "blood" in the candle holders. Oooh scary!

And out...

Sierra added her own decorating touch with this Halloween poster of a spooky ghost

It is hard to see, but the sign says "Park Your Brooms Here" (yep, I made that ;p )

And because we need a couple pictures of the kids. Here they are wearing some of the decor.

Concerts

2009-09-26T11:33:00.001-07:00

So the last couple months have been filled with concerts. If you haven't noticed by now, Dan and I are very big on music and love going to see our favorite bands live. ;)

Here are pictures from the last couple we've gone to. First off is Blue October, who we saw again, this time in San Jose. I loved them just as much as the first time around. And I'd definitely see them again, if I had the chance!

Then at the beginning of this month was our dream come true concert; seeing AC/DC. This concert was epic and all we had hoped for! Definitely worth the money and now we can die happy. LOL ;p

There were a lot of interesting people at the concert (to put it nicely), but thankfully the people that were seated around us were perfectly nice. Just there to have a good time. No crazies.

So the next concert, (although it technically isn't a concert, but a performance), is the So You Think You Can Dance Tour in November. A couple friends and I are going to that. I'm so excited to see all my favorite dancers perform!

And then my next dream concert, that I'm crossing my fingers for them to come to our area, is MUSE. They've announced some tour dates since they just released their new album (which is amazing BTW!). But nothing yet on our side of the country.

I told Dan that is what I want for Christmas, or my birthday, depending on when or if the tickets do come out for our area.

Back to School

2009-09-12T21:03:00.000-07:00

School for Dallin and Sierra started mid August. Dallin is in 3rd grade now, and Sierra is in 1st grade. So they both get out at the same time this year, yay! Makes it much easier on Mommy. lol

There first day was filled with excitement. Sierra, has Dallin's former 1st grade teacher. So we knew she would be great with Sierra.

Dallin's teacher is very nice as well. Dallin really likes her.

Yay for school!

Our Vegas Trip

2009-08-30T23:18:00.000-07:00

In July, Dan and I went on a get away to Las Vegas, with his cousin Joe, and Joe's wife Sabrina.

While driving to Vegas, there was a summer storm that hit. Thankfully we got the tail end of it

Danny and I stayed at Caesar's Palace this time. It was a nice enough hotel, but not one we'd probably stay at again. Our favorite place to stay so far has been the Bellagio.

Our room
Our first night there we went to see the Cirque Du Soleil show; Le Reve. This show was really neat. It was all performed in water. Some of the stuff they did was amazing! This was the second Cirque show we've seen in Vegas. The other was Ka. Between the two, we liked Ka better. But Le Reve is definitely worth seeing at least once.

Joey and Sabrina

The next day Sabrina and I spent the morning at the spa. I got a fabulous massage and then we hung out in the saunas. So relaxing.

Entering the spa

Afterward, the four of us ate lunch at Bobby Flay's restaurant Mesa Grill. Oooh it was so yummy. His restaurant is a must eat at place! We asked our waiter how often Bobby comes in, and the waiter said Bobby actually comes every few weeks. That would've been fun to meet him.

Once lunch was over, Dan and I headed over to Bally's for our Price is Right live show. This was a lot of fun. A lot of people got called up to the stage to play, but unfortunately neither of us got called. Oh well it was still fun to participate in the audience. They actually had some cool prizes. A car, vacation, stainless fridge, etc.

When the show was over, the host, announcer, and "Barker's Beauties" were outside the theater meeting the audience. Dan took the opportunity to get a picture with the Beauties. ;p

After the show, Dan and I walked back to Caesar's to get some ice cream from Serendipity's. This is an ice cream parlor made famous in NY City. There are only three in the whole US. The two in NY and then the one we went to in Vegas. They are most famous for their Frozen Hot Chocolate. So I had to try it, while I could. It was so chocolaty and delicious!

The yummy goodness for your viewing pleasure
We then headed back to the hotel for a late afternoon/early evening swim. The pools there at Caesar's were cool. A lot of statuary and grottoes. There were no jacuzzis though, because they were still under construction. That was a bummer.

Later that evening Joe, Sabrina, Dan and I ate dinner at the Top of the World restaurant at the Stratosphere. This is the restaurant that is, obviously, at the top of the tower. The Stratosphere hotel itself is a bit on the dumpy side. But the restaurant I highly recommend, if you ever get the chance to eat there. We try to go there on every trip, if we can. The food is excellent, and the view is amazing!

The restaurant actually rotates 360 degrees within the hour. So you are always seeing a new part of the Vegas strip and outlying area. Definitely go at night, with all the lights, it is so pretty.

A view of the Strip from the Top of the World restaurant
After dinner we said goodnight to Joe and Sabrina, while Dan and I headed back to our hotel for some dancing. We were going to go to Pure, but the line was miles long to get in. We didn't want to wait that long. So on our way back to our room we found a place called Cleopatra's Barge. It worked out perfectly. There was no cover charge, so we didn't feel like we had to stay there for hours on end. And they were playing a nice variety of retro 80's, and 90's dance music. Loved it, we had such a good time!

The next morning was our last day of our vacation. We ate at the breakfast buffet, then bade goodbye to the cousins. Then packed up our room and skedaddled. We stopped on our way home, at the outlet mall that is in Primm. After that we were homeward bound.

We had such a wonderful trip. There is so much to do in Vegas, even for those of us that don't gamble. I highly recommend going. :)

Princess Camp

2009-08-12T22:09:00.000-07:00

Sierra's summer camp this year was a Princess Camp. She did a bunch of princessy type stuff, and a ton of arts a crafts. On the final day, they had a princess makeover.

Sierra wore her favorite Cinderella costume. She got her face all prettied up. And got a beautiful crown and other jewels. Then all the princesses received their certificates.

Sierra had a good time! :)

Fire Camp

2009-08-05T14:28:00.000-07:00

This summer both of the kids had the opportunity to go to a city run, week long, camp. Dallin chose Firefighter Camp. It was held at the new fire station in town.

He learned about fire safety, and first aid. Got to ride in the fire truck. Learned how to search and rescue people. Put on all the official fire gear. Used the hoses to put out fires.

On the last day all the kids had a free for all water day. They did various games with water, and got soaked to the bone.

At the end of his last day, they had a pizza luncheon for the kids and the families. With a "graduation" ceremony. Dallin got a certificate, pictures, a hat, and got to shake all the firefighters' hands.

Dallin had so much fun. We highly recommend this camp for those of you that are in our area.

Pedicure Time

2009-07-28T23:08:00.000-07:00

Sierra loves getting her nails painted. While Grandpa and Grandma C were visiting us, Sierra convinced Grandma give her a little pedicure.

Look at those cute toesies.

Independence Day

2009-07-28T22:39:00.000-07:00

This year for the 4th of July we spent time with our friends Marcie and Chad, and their family. We had a yummy BBQ, and swam the day away.

Afterward we went home and lit some fireworks in the front of our home.

Oooh pretty fireworks!

The kids, especially Sierra, loved playing with the sparklers.

Happy Birthday America!

Another Cool Deal!

2009-07-13T14:56:00.000-07:00

Real Simple magazine is on sale on Amazon right now, only $5 for a 1 year subscription. Is that a bargain or what?! Here is the linky link for y'all...

Real Simple 1 yr for $5

Got this tip off of one the home decor blogs I frequent. Enjoy!

Father's Day BBQ

2009-07-11T13:22:00.000-07:00

For Father's Day weekend we went to spend time with family. Dan's Aunt Patty had her annual bar-b-que at her home. Dan's Grandpa West, whom we haven't seen in a long time, was there. It was nice to spend time with him and the rest of the family that was there with us.

The boys w/ grandpa

The girls turn
The kids had fun swimming in the pool. It was actually pretty cool that day, so the rest of us opted to stay out of the water. Such a bummer.

They also had fun playing with their baby cousin, Mandy. Isn't she a doll?!

The next day, since we were so close to our old stomping grounds, we decided we would go to our old ward in San Andreas for church on Sunday. It was fun to see all our old friends, that we haven't seen in a few years. And seeing all my primary kids that are grown and teenagers now was crazy! When I say my kids, I mean I was Primary President (in charge of the children's program, for our ward, in the LDS church), in the San Andreas ward before we moved away. So I consider them mine. lol I can't believe how much kids grow in what seems like three short years. We had a great visit.

Open House

2009-07-09T13:19:00.000-07:00

Now that things are finally settling down with the home buying, moving, unpacking, adjusting to our new place, and having our computer working again after its melt down, I finally have the time to post on the blog a little more (I hope).

So here are the kids at their school's open house, that happened back in May. We looked in each of their classrooms to see all the hard work they did for the year.

Dallin's classroom

Dallin's final science lessons in 2nd grade were about insects, so the kids caught bunches of wee buggies

A Story by Dallin

Sierra's classroom

A lovely art piece created by Sierra

Then afterward all the students put on a patriotic performance for the families (time to play can you spot the kids). It was so cute.

Free Paint

2009-06-26T10:21:00.000-07:00

Free is good, right?

I got this tip from my friend. Thanks Brittany!

Glidden is giving away a free quart of paint. Any color you want. While supplies last. Click on the link below to sign up.

https://www.glidden.com/promotions/free-paint-giveaway.do

I went with the color Arctic Blue. It is for our downstairs bathroom.

Thought I'd pass on this cool deal to all my peeps. ;)

Again! :D

2009-06-25T14:42:00.000-07:00

Yep, we are going to see Blue October in concert once again. Yippee! They are coming around our area on their tour one more time. This time in San Jose. And, funny coincidence, one of their opening bands this time, is Switchfoot. Who we saw in concert, in May, with some friends.

Here we are at the Switchfoot concert; Janeece, Mike, Dan, and I.

The Switchfoot concert was a lot of fun. It was nice to have a "bigger" name band right in our city. Hope it leads to more good bands coming our way.

Big Fish

2009-06-25T13:08:00.000-07:00

While at Lake Powell, Dan let Dallin fish a little while we were at the docks. Dallin was able to catch a big carp. Everyone came out to watch Dallin reel it in, and make sure he didn't fall into the water. lol

Gma & Gpa making sure Dallin Doesn't Join the Fish for a Swim

After the catching fun, the carp was set free, back into the water. Bye bye fish!

Lake Powell Trip

2009-06-22T16:43:00.000-07:00

Our family reunion on Lake Powell back in April was fun. We had some interesting weather with 55 mph winds one day and chilly weather, but over all it was a good time. Here are some pictures from the experience.

Views of the lake

Our houseboat

An inside view

Uncle Adam and Sierra

Crazy hat time, with Auntie Lindsay and Cousin Makenna

Skipper Dan :)

Docking on the beach

The kids braving the cold water

We rented a power boat, but it was too cold to water ski :(

Yummy BBQ ribs and other tasty things for dinner

Just chillin'

Playing a little catch after dinner

Some games to pass the time through the bad weather

Our little family

I caught a picture of a gorgeous sunset with the moon rising over the water

The Next Tiger

2009-06-21T23:27:00.000-07:00

The kids have fun "golfing" with the real golf clubs their Uncle Adam got them for Christmas last year. Notice the fancy hats, and the plastic cup hole? There are nothing but true professionals here. ;D

A Dream Soon Realized!

2009-06-16T21:49:00.000-07:00

Dan and I have been huge AC/DC fans for years. One thing we've wanted to do was go to their concert at least once in our lives. Something I didn't think would ever happen. That is until I got an e-mail from Ticketmaster informing me that AC/DC just announced a tour date in a city near us.

I bought tickets Saturday, the second they went on sale. Yippee! We're so flippin' excited! :D

Monster Trucks

2009-06-16T21:24:00.000-07:00

Back in March we took the kids to a monster truck rally. This was our first ever experience. It was fun to go to as a family. Dallin LOVED it!

The trucks were loud, so we bought the kids these nifty ear muffs they were selling. They look like truck wheels.

There were thrills, spills, and one cool Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle.

We were rooting for Gravedigger. He won, woo hoo! Everyone in our seat section ended up winning coupons for free burgers, since "our" truck won the match. Go free burgers! lol

Big Bad Kinder Grad

2009-06-11T14:51:00.000-07:00

Sierra is officially no longer a kindergartner. Two weeks ago was the kids' last day of school. And on said day, all the kindergarten students put on a performance for their families.

It was adorable. They sung some of their favorites songs, that they learned throughout the year.

Then there was refreshments for the kids and families. Big, yummy cookies and lemonade.

After that Sierra said goodbye to friends and her teacher Mrs. Lopez.

Mrs. Lopez was a wonderful teacher. Sierra is really going to miss her.

Now it is on to 1st grade for Sierra and 3rd grade for Dallin!

I Miss 3rd Ward...

2009-05-24T21:49:00.000-07:00

WAAAAH! :*(

On a happier note, I am loving our new home.

It's Official!

2009-05-09T21:46:00.000-07:00

Do do do doooo...The house is ours! We got our key this past Wednesday. :D

We are now in the process of cleaning and painting. We spent most of the morning and afternoon today painting the whole downstairs. It was exhausting, but it will be more than worth it once we're done. Our friends, Ted and Scott, were there to help us.

We got the first coat on all the walls. And we'll finish the final coat on Monday. I am loving the color. It is called drifting dune. I will post a picture of the finished look, when we are done. So you can see just how purdy it really is. :)

Thank you Ted and Scott for all your help! You guys are beyond awesome.

Almost There

2009-05-03T20:48:00.000-07:00

We finally signed the loan docs and paid our down payment this past week. So we should be getting our keys this coming week. I can't believe it is almost finally here! Our first home!

Here are some pictures of the inside of the house. It was really difficult to get good angles to take the shots. So it is hard to see everything. It's much better in person. ;) But here you go...

This is the front living room I'm standing in. It is what you see when you first come through the door. Through the archway is the dining room.

This is the kitchen and the family room. I am in love with the counter tops. They are a beautiful black granite. The first time I looked at this house with our realtor, I hugged the counters. LOL We plan on replacing that sad excuse for a mantle in the family room.

The ginormous loft. We are using this as the kids play area. Keeps all the toys from migrating downstairs.

The master bedroom.

The balcony off the master bedroom.

The yummy spa tub in our bathroom. Not fond of the tiles, but they'll do for now.

There are three other bedrooms upstairs, but it was too hard to get any pictures. Also the laundry room is upstairs, which is a plus.

Anyway, that is it. Hope you enjoyed the tour. :)

Updates 'R Us

2009-04-04T10:56:00.000-07:00

So it looks like we will be moving into our new home in about two weeks. Or should I say we will be signing the papers and giving a big lump sum of money to the loan people in about two weeks. ;)

After that we should be getting our keys, and getting things ready to move. We are going to paint the whole downstairs, and get the carpets cleaned before we start moving our stuff in.

The house isn't thrashed like a lot of the homes we've looked at. The previous owners took good care of it. Eventually we will be changing a few things like updating the appliances, and changing the bathrooms from ugly tile counters to granite. And maybe a few other minor things to add value to the home. For now things are fine the way they are.

Once the painting is done, then will begin the part I hate, moving everything. At least this time our move is only two miles away, instead of many hours away.

This week we are going to Lake Powell, in Arizona for a family reunion with Dan's family and extended family. We are staying on houseboats. It will be my first time. Should be fun.

So I'll have a bunch of pictures to share once we get back. And hopefully pictures of the inside of our house soon as well.

Bunco craziness about to begin!

There were about 24 people playing that night
In the meantime, here are some pictures that I forgot to post earlier. Back in January we had a couples bunco night, at our friends Scott and Jenny's home. Crazy does not even begin to describe the chaos that was that night. lol It was a blast!

When we play it is never for money. Just a chance to get together and have fun. Prizes, of course, are an added bonus. It was hilarious to see the hubbies getting so into it. They were more hardcore than those of us who are veteran players.

My Cub Scout

2009-03-30T20:47:00.000-07:00

Now that Dallin is 8 years old, he has the opportunity to be in Cub Scouts. He is really enjoying himself, and having fun with his friends.

He recently received his Bobcat award, and is now working on getting his Wolf.

Here he is working on a jello creation with Daddy, for the Blue and Gold Dinner.

They decided to go with a Star Wars theme (no surprise there ;D).

Approaching Normal

2009-03-27T09:34:00.000-07:00

Blue October's new album, Approaching Normal came out this past Tuesday. I have to say it does not disappoint. The songs were so great, just as I remembered them at the concert. As an added bonus for those of us who choose to buy the Clean version of the album, there is a different song for the last song that is not on the Explicit version. It is called Graceful Dancing, and it is very moving.

It replaces the song, The End, which was the one I posted about having to close my eyes during the concert. Well the verdict is in... although the music is very catchy, I can not ignore the very hardcore lyrics (probably the darkest song Blue October has ever put out, and that is saying a lot lol), so I won't be getting it.

Otherwise all the rest of the songs are super fantastic. I heart all of them. You can buy the album Here, or of course on iTunes. It is nice to see how much their music has grown and evolved.

I think Stephenie Meyer explained it perfectly when she said this about Blue October's music.."There is empathetic power in Blue October's music--the listener doesn't just sympathize with the feeling of the song, the listener has no choice but to feel the song as if the emotion was his/her own." That is exactly how I feel about them.

Speaking of Stephenie, My Never is the song on her Breaking Dawn playlist. Which is on the new album. So that is an added bonus for those of you that are Twilight Saga fans. It is such a pretty and emotional song.

Justin wrote it for his wife, who at the time (before their relationship) he never thought he'd have anything other than a friendship with her, even though he did have feelings for her. The only good quality version of the song I could find, was this acoustic version Justin sang at the Breaking Dawn Concert. Don't mind the Japanese animation. ;)

This next song, is the song that had me in tears at the concert. Justin wrote it about his daughter. It is called Blue Does.

And if I had to pick my most favorite song from the new album, it would have to be Jump Rope. This is the song Justin wrote for his daughter. It is so positive, upbeat, and just cute. It makes me happy to see Justin in such a better place in his life, than he was previously. And this song really shows that.

Here is a video from the concert we were at in Vegas. The sound isn't that great, it is much better in person and on the album. But it was the best I could find. Enjoy!

Here are the lyrics:

Remember how you used to say
You couldn't wait til tomorrow for a brand new day, and
No fuss when you had to ride the bus,
You just add a little blush to paralyze your school crush

Now your older and the weight is on you shoulder
Make the world a little colder
No more hiding in the old day
Be strong
Don't you give up hope
It will get hard
Life's like a jump rope

Up, down, up, down, up, down, up, down, yeah
Cause it will get hard,
Remember life's like a jump rope
Up, down, up, down, up, down, up, down, yeah
It will get hard,
Cause it will get hard

There'll be a bump and there will be a bruise
There'll be lumps and there will be a snooze
There'll be a path that you will have to choose
There'll be a win and there will be a lose, and
You gotta hold your head up high, and
Watch all the negativity go by
Don't ever be ashamed to cry
You go ahead
Cause life's like a jump rope

(Chorus)

I want to tell you that everything will be okay
That everything will eventually turn itself to gold
So keep pushing through it all
Don't follow, lead the way
Don't lose yourself, or your hope
Cause life's like a jump rope

(Chorus to jump rope chant with kids)

(Chorus to the end)

Here's Our House

2009-03-23T14:29:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of the outside of our soon to be new home. :)

Everything still seems to be going smoothly.

Blue October Concert

2009-03-22T21:18:00.001-07:00

Dan and I had such a fun time in Las Vegas. The concert was awesome! It was very different from Justin's appearance at the Breaking Dawn Concert, that Dan and I went to in August.

Just a heads up for those that haven't had any experience with the band other than at Stephenie Meyer's book signing. Especially if you were planning on taking your kids. Justin isn't the calm and lovable guy that he was at the signing. He's a lot more hardcore and has a potty mouth. Actually watching his on-stage performance had me giggling, because it was so theatrical and in your face (in a good way, I liked it). I do wish he didn't swear like he did though. But he still was a cutie, even with his angsty, tortured act.

What I really enjoyed was the fact that the band sounds almost exactly the same live, as they do in their studio albums. There are some bands that sound great on their albums, but terrible once you hear them in person. Well this was not the case with Blue October. They were fantastic live!

They started the night with the songs from their new album, Approaching Normal. I really liked a lot of them. Four of the songs I had heard prior to the night, because of the Breaking Dawn Concert and other things.

During one of the songs, Justin had videos of his baby daughter playing on the big screen, in back of the band. And he sang the song while watching the screen for most of the time. It was so sweet, and I was very teary eyed during the performance. You can tell he loves his daughter more than anything.

The only song I did not like from their new stuff, was the last song they performed. I can't recall the name of it, and honestly I can't really remember how it went. Maybe I'll end up liking it when I hear it again. The reason I didn't like it was they played a yucky video. I ended up having to close my eyes about half way through. So my experience with that song was very unpleasant. Other than that though, I liked all their new stuff.

After a short intermission the band came back out and played some of their well known stuff. Most of it was from their Foiled album, with one song from their History For Sale album. They sang a ton of my favorites, so I was happy. :D

I wish I had pictures, but they didn't allow cameras.

Thanks Danny for such a wonderful birthday present. Love you!