Chicken Pox

I know sarah got the chicken pox like a month ago! That is why I haven't really posted anything new. Dave had shingles which gave sarah the chicken pox. So because of all that I've been in survival mode all month it seems like. We had lots of oatmeal baths and LATE nights that we are still trying to re adjust back to normal. Overall sucky experience but its one that I know we went through for a reason. Probably to remind me how good my kids really are! My poor poor sarah I felt so bad that I couldn't do more to help her.

Oatmeal bath in the sink.... she didn't like this too much!

I would find her passed out EVERYWHERE she was so tired, these are just some of the pictures I happened to take. The lion she is sleeping on is one of the only things that put a smile on her face!

We did however manage to get a christmas tree! A live one, I love it! So please wish us well that we can all stop getting sick! Merry Christmas everyone!

Christmas 2009

This year Santa made a house call to my grandmas house! It was so much fun to see santa not dressed in his "sunday cloths" as he put it. Dallin was genuinely excited to see him... this made me smile. We had a lot of time to just sit around, talk, sing and play with Santa!

I was getting anxious to send out christmas cards So I decided to use the pictures we took that day. Knowing myself I should have waited. I'm kind of a stickler for traditions and so we went to see Santa at his "house" (the santa shack) and there we had a great time with Santa. And an even better photo in my opinion. Either way Dallin loved it and I think Sarah could have cared less about the entire situation. I decided to only send out christmas cards to our friends and family that live far away, reason being its a picture of the kids and people who live close get to see them every day.

It has been an interesting situation this holiday season because Sarah got Chicken Pox! Before that happened I had great plans to bake cookies and make chocolates.. all sort of goodies but that didn't happen! I know there is always next year.

I have been trying to teach the kids about the true meaning of Christmas and not just Santa claus and ho ho ho and mistletoe. Dallin really knows who Jesus is in photos but the concept of Jesus as a baby not so much. He can comprehend that Christmas is Jesus' birthday and we give presents to each other to celebrate. It's been fun to watch him learn and grow. Sarah loves to hear all stories no matter what they are about. I'm so thankful for this time of year to really reflect on the Savior, his birth and his atonement. Behind all the hustle and bustle of shopping baking and gathering with friends the true spirit of the season has shone through for me.

We love you all and wish you a Merry Christmas!

Terrible two's

Dallin Gave himself a haircut!

He dressed himself this day! I admit it's pretty cute not terrible!

This all happened while I was using the bathroom. Sarah is covered in hot chocolate powder! almost half a #10 can worth! It's funny now but boy it wasn't at the time.

7 Years!

7 Years ago Dave and I got married! I can't believe it, and I know everyone always says that but its true! our anniversary was actually yesterday and we went out to our favorite place, Outback! We actually went there on our wedding day too so it seems fitting! We were sealed in the Louisville, KY temple on November 16th 2002. It was cold and snowing just a little at the temple. We had 2 receptions one in Indiana and one in Utah, all on 3 different days. I married the best man in the whole world! I'm so thankful we can be together forever.

Dallins new trick

Friday night we had a halloween party where Tiff and Elliot taught Dallin how to "play dead" Good thing they were doctors for halloween to revive him!

Halloween 2009

I don't really feel up to writing an entire story about Halloween (Half our family woke up coughing, one threw up, this morning not because of candy) except this first picture deserves an explanation. Dallin and the carving tools... need I say more! Here are some of the Highlights from Halloween 2009.

He thought the insides were "gucky" so he used a spoon most of the time!

Sarah LOVED it!

Their costumes were best when viewed from the backside!
Me and my 2 little stinkers at the Primary Halloween party.

Steak or Ribs?

We went to Chili's last week for lunch and we asked Dallin what he would rather have. Steak or Ribs? he replied Ribs. Steak or Chicken? Steak. Crab or Lobster? Lobster. Steak or Crab? Crab.

Our boy has expensive and some what refined taste buds! He sure does love good food! He even ate most of the leftovers we brought home!

This is Dallin's Pumpkin he decorated for Halloween!

Happy Birthday Sarah!

My little girl turned one today. We didn't party hard or have a big celebration like you would expect on a first birthday. We just remembered through out the day, with simple gifts and dinner with family. Here are some pics and video to enjoy! Look how BIG she has gotten! Its amazing to me how fast she has grown. Born at 6 pounds 14 ounces, looking at her now you would have never guessed she was that small!

Dallin "singing" Happy birthday to Sarah so cute!

She got some books from Dallin and I made her a dress, some shoes and her "princess" one year old shirt (in the picture above) Grandpa and Grandma Maxfield gave her a doll crib that was made by Sarah's Great Great Grandpa Fowkes, my grandma played with this when she was little and so did my mom.... if I have the story straight!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SARAH!

I tried to get some other video to upload but it was a no go.. I'll have to work on it to see if I can make it work later!

Family Picture Time

On sunday we were all dressed up pretty cute So I decided we needed some updated family pictures with all of us in it! Taking pictures with kids is HARD.. I need photo shop! Kids were being crazy and I mistakenly brought sunglasses (which were a big distraction) It didn't help that Dave doesn't like to take pictures and really just wanted to goto sunday school! I love you honey! If anyone out there is aspiring to be a photographer such as myself and wants to take some pics of our family just let me know! I just can't see paying SO much money for "professional" pictures!

I will alway remember

I will always remember what happened on 9/11. Someday I will tell my children so that they can remember too. Thank you to all the men and women who serve our country, to protect our freedoms.

I left my heart in San Francisco

I don't really know where to start with our trip to San Francisco we did so much more than we have ever done, well discovered more. We didn't get a rental car for our entire trip which forced us to use public transportation, folks let me tell you that is the way to do it!

The first day we arrived we got straight off the plane and took a shuttle to the hotel, which sucked we had to drive all over town to drop off other people. Next time use the BART (subway). Then we headed to the BEST (I kid you not) chinese place about an hour east of SF called The Panda, not to be confused with panda express. After we ate we went to the Oakland Temple. So beautiful but of course I didn't get any pics there. We were so tired after traveling all day we went to bed at 5:30 and slept GREAT, mostly because we didn't have to wake up in the middle of the night! (thanks mom)

Friday night was the best in my opinion, Dave told me he had something planned and would not let me know what it was. All I know is we had to be at pier number 1 at 7:00. We walked around past the docks. Watched an old asian man catching fish.

even offered to give us one to take home for dinner! He was amazing catching a fish about every 2 mins. We walked past Pier number 3 where some dinner cruises were docked and I said that would be so much fun to do.... well low and behold after getting all the information and checking out the menus Dave let me in on his secret... we were going on that dinner cruise! Plus it had music and dancing! Dave is so amazing, Thanks honey for a great evening!

We've been to SF 4 times now and never been to china town. It's very busy but loads of interesting things to look at. We ate some chinese food we've never had before, watched old people play cards in the park, shopped for presents with the lowest prices in town, and admired the amazing architecture.

I wanted to look in every shop we passed but my traveling companion wasn't so keen on that idea! I did find a nice cheap knock off purse! I mean it's real... you can hardly tell the difference! The people in china town were so nice. I think after a while I would get sick of all the tourists but they are still kind.

Another place I'd never been was Boudin the sour dough bread company. I must have walked past the place 50 times before but never stopped. We still didn't go through the museum upstairs... just something for next time. I ate so much sour dough bread the past 5 days... and not sick of it yet. I even brought some home. I love this one shaped like a turtle! Couldn't resist bringing one of those home too.

I really feel like I should just post a travel log of purely FOOD, we ate so many good things. We had 4 or 5 different clam chowders, fish I've never tried before, chinese food, and most of all fresh crab and lots of it! We found a great place for breakfast, so good we went twice. The best place for clam chowder, so good we went there 3 times! We are a couple that loves good food. We were very adventurous on this trip and we reaped the rewards for doing so. We also found ferries we didn't know existed to get us to Oakland across the bay.

I love to call this "our" city as I'm sure do many others. There is just something about it that draws you in. It's been called a play ground for adults and they are right. We talked about "what if" we could live here, but we decided against it because then we wouldn't have as much fun as we do when we visit! (not to mention it's WAY out of our price range)

I could go on and on about all the things we did. About all the things we are going to do next time we go. This was our first "long" trip without our kids, and we missed them, but there were points when it was nice that they weren't there. Maybe next time they can go to. Thanks mom for watching Dallin and Sarah, we truly appreciate it! And most of all thanks to my wonderful husband for a great trip!

Check this out!

This is a unique bike to say the least! The bucket had a seat, thankfully with seat belts! If I didn't have to sell one of my kidneys to get one I might consider it! I haven't really ridden a bike since high school but I should get back in the habit! Im in luck, they are giving them away. Go check their website! Maybe me and all my friends will win one and we can go biking together! I can dream can't I?

Gamping!

ok ok so I know we went camping a month ago and no I did not spell camping wrong... I just typed it how Dallin says it! And he loved it as far as I could tell. For about a week before he kept saying it "gamping" because I had a box full of supplies which included a bag of marshmallows and I told him they were for camping. Along with the "pokey" sticks and chocolate covered cookies! He was excited to sleep in a tent, to have a chair to sit by the fire. Little did he know we would set up our tent on the rockiest campsite and not bring enough warm PJ's because it was freezing that night. Dave came up to the camp site for a couple of hours to sit around the fire and spend time with us. To bad he had to work in the morning or else I would have convinced him to stay over night with us on the lovely hard ground! Next year... air mattress, worth the investment! Both kids did so well during the night, better than I expected. Dallin only woke up once and Sarah Slept right by my side so she slept great. It was pretty cold so I was glad to have them both by my side. We didn't do anything really "adventerous" like go hiking or anything, I figure going out the the wilderness was good enough. I wasn't alone, this was the ward camp out and there was quite a few people there to help me out. The cutest 5 year old girl from our ward held Sarah so much. Too bad she's only five or I'd have a great babysitter on my hands! I had a blast overall! Dallin still "talks" about gamping when he sees our supplies in the garage! We will absolutely go "gamping" again!

My little babysitter!

Here mom have a marshmallow!

"mmmm" smores taste good

First thing in the morning

good morning sleepy head!

Boating and 24th of July left overs.

A few weeks ago we went boating with my grandpa's boat. This is only the 2nd time we've been out this summer. I remember when I was little we used to go every monday night after people got off work. Those were fun times. Now that I'm one of the adults it seems like that is a harder thing to accomplish, going that often. We had a really great time. This was Sarah's first time on the boat (of course I didn't take pics) she was sick last time we went. She loved it as far as I could tell.. she didn't cry that's what I mean!

We played on the shore (very rocky I might add, this is at jordanelle) This was just as much fun as going in the boat. Even though the water is freezing at first it's still fun to play! These are our cousins playing in the water with us. My brother has a wave runner that is finally fixed. I wasn't too sure about it at first but I went for a nice ride around the lake on it. I think I prefer the boat but I'm sure I'll ride again!

Since the then we celebrated the 24th of July, Pioneer Day, Only really a holiday in Utah I might add! Our ward has a breakfast and a children's "parade" we walk around the block with decorated bikes and strollers. The kids had their faces painted, and then we walked and walked like pioneer children. (Yes Dallin has a black eye, the trash can at Mc Donalds attacked him!)

Dave took the night off work so we could light the fireworks that we didn't get to on the 4th. Dallin was a little scared of them at first but after a while he thought they were pretty cool! Sarah like them, I could tell because she would kick her legs in excitement when she saw them. I think she enjoyed the licorice we gave her even more! We went to big fireworks on the 4th at Sugarhouse park and they both liked these too!

Dallin saying "again"! His favorite phrase!

Sparklers aren't my favorite type of firework, plus it was my fault we got the short ones and not the big huge long ones they make now. ( I think those would have been better) But I think you have to have sparklers, I always did! I hope we continue this tradition for a long time!

crawling at funerals

Today was not the most "fun" day ever only because it began with a funeral and ended with crying children at the end of the day. (due to lack of napping and a weird schedule)

There were some good in between parts so that was good. A dear friend of mine, my family's and an awesome member of my ward passed away on Saturday. Today was her funeral. She didn't want a funeral or a viewing but I guess it happened for the rest of us left behind. Shryl was an amazing woman, I remember the most that she LOVED babies and Sarah was no exception. Her last sunday at church about 2 weeks ago, she spent holding her! I think she died too young, she was 70. This morning at the funeral I took Sarah with me. During the service she was a little wiggly so I set her on the floor. She crawled across the floor to the pew across and behind us. I mean she full blown crawled hand and knees, no scooting nothing! She was too cute for me to sweep her up even though I know it was probably a little distracting. But then I thought Shryl would not have minded the least bit! 

I thought it was pretty cool for her to crawl today, it is her 9 month "birthday" and I'm pretty sure that's the same point Dallin started crawling. 

I am amazed at life, the joys and the sorrows. I know funerals are not the most fun thing to write about but I felt it was important to document Sarah crawling and when she did it, this funeral was  a celebration of a woman's life. I know we will all see her again so in a way that makes it not so sad. 

He's Just a Two year old

Dallin saw the cat drinking like this from the faucet and now it is his standard drinking procedure! 

I have been going crazy still.. today marker on the couch and lazy boy chairs. Will this madness ever end? I put things up high so he won't reach them. Dallin's solution, climb up and get it. I put a lock on the bathroom door, he learns how to open it. I put up a baby gate, he reaches over and opens it. When I move it up higher, he crawls underneath. Dallin I love you but I'm really losing my sanity! anyone have any good tips/ advice for me to help me cope through this stage of a two year old? One day I'm going to find him swinging from the power lines outside or something crazy like that. 

But besides all the chaos we had a really great day spending time together as a family, shopping, eating at mc donalds only for the play place of course, we went to the park and it was all around great fun! Dallin really is a good kid, he's just two and it's going to get the best of me by the time he's three. but by then Sarah will be two! Wish us luck!