My Dallin

Dallin Carl is 5, this has got to be one of the funniest ages in kids. Every question starts with why, and I am not sure about other kids but Dallin loves to talk. He can go on and on about anything and I mean anything, give us a call if you ever need to talk with someone he will be more than willing. He also loves to help with everything, he is always asking to help us with our many projects. He loves to do his secret missions. (If Aaron and I ask him to do something special he gets a secret mission star and each star is worth a quarter on Payday.) Right now his goal is to earn enough secret missions for a donut from the bakery section of the grocery store a whole $.65. It's important to start out small with goals right. 

Dallin is the happiest in the mornings, each morning I can be sure to be greeted with a "Good Morning Mom! Today's the Day!" or "

Mom did you know Today kisses are free? 

Dallin loves people and tells them, even ones he doesn't know, like the ladies checking us out at the tool store. :o) He has the sweetest heart and loves to be held and hugged. He reminds me of my little brother who would wiggle himself into the smallest of spaces between people on the couch. And even though there is no room you try to make it for him because he is just so darn cute. 

I am very grateful for him in my family, life definitely would not be as fun without him. 

My Shane

My littlest boy is going to turn 2 in May. I love him more than anything, but somedays bed time doesn't come soon enough. 

He is not the size of an average 2 year old, more like a 3 year old. I believe he weighs in at 37 pounds now.  He is also extremely smart so he can get though any barrier that I set up. Ever since he started to walk he has also been climbing. I have given up on trying to stop him from climbing up the cat tree we have in our front room. His other favorite thing to do is make big (and I mean big!) messes. The house plant we have in our front room is severely lacking dirt, due to little hands spreading it all over the front room, when he has nothing better to do. He is also attracted to the paper shreader in my office which periodically he empties throughout the office.  He loves to eat, his favorite is to share our dog's food. Yuck! He also has a built in radar if I get anything to eat he is there asking "bite"? 

 

If he wasn't so darn cute I think I would give up. But he is so cute. His blonde hair and blue eyes that sparkle when he smiles.  I actually cut his hair the other day and he looks so much older than before I cut it. :o(  It was getting a little long. He also loves to sing I hear  him all the time (except when he is getting into trouble then he is very quiet) His favorite is 'Jesus wants me for a Sun-beam'. He is starting to talk and all day he has been saying "Yes Mom" it is so adorable. He won't say Daddy yet so even Aaron is Mommy, I am sure he will get it right some day. Shane is by far the best snuggler I have ever had, he loves to sit with me and rock, I can sit with him snuggled up to me for hours. 

 

I know these days won't last long and I try to remember that, especially  as I mop up the lakes in my kitchen and peanut butter pictures off the wall. 

Tagged

 

How did you meet your spouse?


Well there's a story for ya. Aaron was in the Navy and in Training school in Orlando and then North Carolina. Thankfully he was friends with my brothers best friend Shane Stephenson and he would come down for 4 day weekends and spend time with Shane. I too was there with Shane and my brothers who would let their little sister hang out with them.(How sweet of them)  Aaron noticed me and asked Shane for my email address. It wasn't until a wedding reception that Aaron and I were at that I actually thought he liked me. He asked me to dance and that was that. He chose me and I am pretty lucky he did. Not to mention how lucky he is to have me. :o)



Where did you go on your first date?


Our first official date was to a ice skating rink in North Carolina with our friends Maggie and Walter Braun (Who weren't married to each other at the time either.) The date was great until Walter fell and split his chin and we had to take him to the Urgent Care center. 



How long have you been together?


Aaron and I have been together since he flew me to Washington in August of '98 He asked me to marry him the day after I got here then we were married in October of '98. 10 Wonderful Years. And yes the time does Fly. 



Who eats more?


Aaron by far. I keep telling him it will catch up to him and he is going to start to look like my brothers one day. :o) 



Who said I love you first?


I can't remember for sure but it probably was me, I am not a very patient person. Perhaps that should have warned him. Oh Well, he says it a lot more often  than I do these days. I should work on that. I love you Aaron!

Who is taller? 

Aaron is 6'1" and I am 5' 9" The only time I am taller is when I am wearing my heals and he is not wearing shoes. 

Who sings better?


I love to hear Aaron sing, He is asked to sing more often than I am. We both  have a love of singing and love to sing when ever we can. We even sing to our boys before bed every night. 



Who is smarter?


Aaron knows a lot more facts than I do, I don't remember things. Aaron has way more schooling than I do with my 3 college classes. I can't even begin to explain to  you what he does

for work all I know is that it has to do with electricity. I do think I have more common sense than most, and I love to read. I just finished Stephanie Meyers Twilight series and Jane Austin's Northanger Abey. I had not read a novel for probably 2 years before this and it really feels good to sit down with a good book. 

Who does the laundry?


I do. Laundry is my curse! I can never get ahead. There is always a pile somewhere clean or dirty, sometimes both. I love the summer time when the boys wear less clothing, mostly their swim trunks all day. 



Who does the dishes?


Me Again.  Jared is actually starting to help now he is 8 years old and one of his chores is to empty the dishwasher. It makes loading it a little easier when someone is helping. Dallin loves to rinse the dishes for me. Aaron is really good with surprising me at times with having the dishwasher loaded. 



Who sleeps on the right side of the bed?


Is it the right side when you are standing at the foot and looking at the bed or is it the right when you are in the bed? I never know. Well if you are looking from the foot of the bed I sleep on the right (most of the time,  we don't really have one side we sleep on all the time. ) And if you are in the bed Aaron because the clock in on that side and when he works day shift he gets up at 4:00 am and he is so sweet as not to want to disturb me. Mostly I sleep in the middle of the Cal-King and Aaron can sleep on either side he wants. :o)



Who pays the bills?


You're supposed to pay those?



Who mows the lawn?


I do most of the time, Not because Aaron doesn't, it is just that I would rather be outside in the yard and garden than in the house. 



Who cooks dinner?


I do, at least I try. I am convinced that I need a personal chef.
As soon as we can fit it into the budget. :o) Aaron can cook a mean Mac & Cheese when he has to. 


Who drives when you are together?


Aaron, he likes to drive more than I do. 



Who is more stubborn?


Probably me. I seem to get my way more often. 


Who is the first to admit when they’re wrong?


Pretty sure it is me, but then again who says I am ever wrong?



Whose parents do you see the most?


Neither, Mom and Lee live in Florida and Aaron's Mom lives in Utah. Although They all came out in Feb. for Jared's baptism with Sarah and her family and Brian with his oldest boy Kalen. That was the best! I can't wait to do that again. We are planning to all get together in November at Brian's house in Georgia. 



Who kissed who first?


I am sure it was Aaron who kissed me. It was wonderful. And still is. 

Who proposed?


Aaron proposed to me the day after I arrived on the West Coast. He asked me to go on a walk with him through the woods in LaPine, Oregon. (I saw the ring box in his pocket so I kind of knew what he was up to :o) We walked for a while until we came to a log and sat down. Then he asked me to marry him. I was very excited and happy. The ring was beautiful and just what I would have chosen myself. 


Who is more sensitive?


That would be me hands down. I cry all the time. Especially during movies. 

Who has more friends?

Me. The ward I am in has the very best of people in it. I am so lucky to have so many wonderful friends.
Aaron needs a few more guy friends to hang out with. 


Who has more siblings?


Aaron, he is the baby of 6, and I am the middle of 5. 



Who wears the pants in the family?


I think we both wear them equally. Although the boys believe Aaron the first time when I have already said something 10 times. 



So now I tag….

My Mom, Sarah and Kim

SNOW DAY

I love being able to drive to and home from the snow in one day. While the family was here we went up to the Sierra Mountains and played in the snow and then yesterday we went again just because we could. I believe that is one of the best things about where we live, we are no longer than 2 hours from the beach or the snow. 

Pulling the kids up the hills was the most tiring part of the day great exercise though. Aaron was a good sport. I think we are going to train the dog to pull them up the hills next year. 

Yesterday we went back to a fun little snow park with lots of hills. Everyone had such a great time sledding. On one run Dallin got going really fast and a friend didn't quite get out of the way so there was a collision. When I got to Dallin and saw that he had a good bruise 

under one eye, I asked him if it hurt and he said "not to bad, How much damage is on me? " I had to laugh he was so sincere. After that Dad took him back down the hill 3 more times and they had a really good runs. 

On the way home we drove into the most spectacular sunset. I must have taken pictures of it all the way home. This one is my favorite. 

This is Bridal Falls that was on the side of the highway. It was running really well with all the snow melt. 

Pictures at the Wharf in San Fransisco

This is Shane and Aaron looking at the seals on the wharf in San Fransisco. Shane was more interested in the birds than the seals I think. 
Brian and Kalen at the wharf, enjoying the seals. Kalen was acting a little camera shy so Dad had to hold him up to distract him. 
Two masters of disaster scheming up their next dastardly plan. Caleb and Dallin are the best of friends when the cousins are able to be together. 
Family Photo :o) Everyone was so excited can you tell. 
Here is some of the Boudin Sour Dough creations. 

So much happens in so little time

It seems to me that time is flying by so much quicker than when I was younger. I can not believe that it is already March! 

This year has been so busy so many wonderful things have happened to my family, the Lord truly blesses us. In February Jared my oldest was baptized and some of my family was able to make it out to California to visit. Mom, Lee, Sarah, Brandon & Kids and Brian & Kalen were all here. We had a fun filled week. On Thursday we started our fun by going to the Bay area and visiting the Oakland Temple, Fishermans Wharf in San Diego, Alcatraz  and driving over all three major bridges ( thanks to Garmin :o). The boys loved the seals at the wharf. Then we walked to the Boudin Sourdough bread company and sampled some bread YUM! They make a ton of fun shapes with the bread. Soon we were all tired so we  headed home. 

On Friday we visited the small Folsom City Zoo and the city Park, just hanging out enjoying each other's company. 

Saturday was the big day, Jared was baptized by his Grandpa Lee and Confirmed by his Dad. Then we walked over to the Sacramento Temple and took some pictures. 

Monday was so much fun we were able to take the floridians to the snow. I am not sure who was more excited Sarah or the boys. :o) It was a long drive but so worth it. The sledding was so much fun. Everyone had a great time up in the mountains. 

Having six little boys all in the same house was a ton of fun, they all played so well together. My boys really miss having their cousins around. Perhaps one day the Lord will  put us all in the same area, perhaps. :o) 

The Great Project of '07 that has run into '08

O.K. so the Kitchen in our 1950's Craftsman home has seen its fair share of semi updates, but we thought it was time for a complete overhaul. The old oven actually spit a ball of fire at the repair man. We unplugged it. It has needed a good remodle  for a  while but the straw broke when the dishwasher completely died. We are not sure who put the dishwasher in but since there was two layers of particle board and linoleum put down on the floors. Raising the height of the floor and making it impossible to remove the dishwasher with out taking out the floor or the counters. We decided to do both. Ripping out the cabinets was fun but poor Aaron spent 2 days taking out all the layers of flooring. Well we redid the floors and the walls made the doorway twice as big and made a passthrough. The cabinets are in and best of all the sink is working (hurray! Try living a month with out a kitchen sink and you will know what I mean.) We also have a new dishwasher and an oven that works. I am not a great designer but I think it is looking pretty good. As soon as the windows get trimmed (this week hopefully) I will take some new pictures and get them posted. So far I am happy with all the hard work.