New day...

Not only is today a new day for our blog: once again being used.

It's also a new day for our growing monkey: Tylie.

Today she turned six!

She's been excited about it for weeks! The sooner it got, the easier it was for us to explain count-downs to her, and for her to actually grasp the time frame.

As usual, Bec and I stayed up decorating the downstairs, getting it ready for her birthday morning.

Streamers, balloons, wrapped presents... tired, but excited to see her face in the morning, we turned in.

She woke up somewhere around 6am, and couldn't go back to sleep. You'd think it was her very own Christmas! 

Bec planned a Luau birthday party with her kindergarten and dance friends. She chose gnocchi for dinner (a popular meal with each of the kids), followed by cake and ice cream with a few family friends.

Once I figure out how to get our pictures off of our camera, I'll post some. For now-here are a few I took with my phone.

Last sleep as a five-year-old... our youngest is six!

Where's time gone??

Happy birthday Tylie. Our little monkey...

Fly on the Wall

Sometimes I enjoy just taking a step back and watching, and in some cases listening, to our children play... Every now and then Becky and I get an outsiders view into their imaginary worlds. It almost feels like we're watching a timid animal out in the wild where, if you make the slightest sound, the animal will scurry off and your show for one (or two) comes to an abrupt halt!

This evening after dinner, we were cleaning up while three things took place:

1. Dallin went upstairs to shower

2. Kailee played with her Barbies

3. Tylie sat at the table finishing her food

From downstairs, I could hear Dallin singing at his little heart's content, and at the top of his lungs! Which song? Who knows, but he sung it as if it were his favorite!

Kailee lined up her Princess Barbies and their dresses in a row; some on the sofa, some on the floor in front of the sofa. All the while humming a soft song: tune, again, unknown to me.

Tylie, who was left to finish her food since she decided to talk during dinner time instead of eat, sat at the table giggling after each bite and would say to herself, "One more bite" in a tone that moms use when they're trying to motivate their child to eat just "one more bite". You know the one, tone starts out low, ends high... she was so happy to have finished; it was quite an accomplishment for her this evening!

I couldn't help but pause, watch, and listen to them. Each child content in their own world; no distractions, no worries, no sibling annoyances. It's times like these that I get a glimpse as to why the Savior admonishes us to become as little children; they're so pure and innocent. I love these moments when I can just observe them, as a fly on the wall...

Eventually

Eventually, I will be updating this blog. It seems that whenever I have something to share, I go to Facebook. The thought of playing catch up to this blog is terrifying! I might just start fresh and attempt to post something each month. But to give you something to look at, here's a picture of all the kids on their birthdays this year :)

Dallin turned 8 on April 14th

We had a BYU party and some of the BYU football players came.

(He gets 2 pictures) Our buddy got baptized this year. Such a special day.

Kailee turned 7 on June 15th

We took Kailee to Minnie and Friends Breakfast for her birthday.

Tylie turned 4 on May 23rd

(Is it sad I don't have a picture of Ty alone on her birthday or at her Tangled party?)

Our monkey is still so little!! Most 3 year olds and a few 2 year olds tower over her!

Here's to me, hopefully, getting back into my blog!

Time flies when you're having fun

It's hard to believe how fast the past nine years have gone by. Our wedding day seems as if it were only a few years ago! And yet, here we are: 2 states, 3 cities, 4 wards, 5 addresses, 5 cars, 6 jobs, 7 years of school, AND 8 car seat and/or stroller combinations later, celebrating 9 years of marriage to each other.

What a roller coaster ride it's been; one that I'd run to the end of the line to do it all over again, not changing one bit of it!

Pictures from our wedding day:

Happy Anniversary Becky!

Fashion Remix

Last year Becky and I attended an event called Fashion Remix. It's a charity event where teams of Interior Designers are randomly paired up with a manufacturer of various interior products. Each team is then given the challenge to design and create an outfit out of that manufacturer's product. It is quite a challenge as none of these materials were ever intended to be made into an outfit someone could actually wear!

Last year, three co-workers of mine and I joined in. We were paired with a furniture manufacturer and made a dress made out of wood. It was a challenging and seemed to have taken FOREVER to complete... and yet SO rewarding when our model walked the runway wearing the dress! This year we formed the same team, along with a second team from our firm, and are at it again...

(last year's wood dress)

One week from tonight is this year's event. We've been hard at work since May, meeting during lunch hours, and even taking "homework" home at night. This year we are paired with Hallmark Building Supply. You may ask "Who?" That was our first remark as well. They rep many companies, adnwe chose DuPont. This year's dress: Corian & Tyvek. No sneak peaks... You'll have to come to the fashion show to see ;) (Or wait until after when we post some pix)

For more info, follow this link: http://fashionremixslc.wordpress.com

Gratitude

It's all too familiar to us.. we hear of a story either on the news, from a friend we talk to during the week, or these days even through facebook-a story that makes us take a step back and really appreciate where we are in life. One that makes all our troubles, worries, or concerns seem so small and almost silly for even occupying our time. For me-it wasn't so much a story, but rather a picture.

At work we receive the Wall Street Journal each morning. Each day's copy is placed on the coffee table for guests to read as they wait in the lobby. It's become a habit of mine to stop by periodically and see what's on the front page, to see what events are taking place around the country or world.

Yesterday, this photo was on the front page:

Apparently there's a volcano in Indonesia that has been inactive for 400 years, that's now erupting-forcing people to evacuate. I saw this picture and couldn't help but picture my family and I sitting on that moped covered in ash, clinging onto what little of our belongings we could take with us as we fled from our home.

I stood there in the lobby for a minute staring at this picture, sympathizing with this father doing all he could to make sure his family remained together, and safe. I was sad for them, yet so very grateful for my family, our health, and our safety.

We have been so blessed, and I don't just mean my family, but all of our family and friends. Many of you reading this are LDS, just as we are. We have been blessed with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. With a living prophet who communicates with our Heavenly Father, and who leads and guides us with love. We've been blessed with the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost-to protect us from danger, teach us the truth, and widen our understanding of things pertaining to the Gospel. We've been blessed with the scriptures to help us learn and grow spiritually, and that relate to us. We've been blessed with a Savior, one who knows each of us, understands us, and loves each of us. I am so grateful for this knowledge. I am grateful to be married-and sealed-to a wonderful woman that I love. Grateful to have three adorable children who make me so very happy. Especially grateful to know that even if an erupting volcano were to come between us here on earth, in heaven we'd still be together... Forever.

Conversation with a 6 year-old

Kailee went to a friend's house to play after school today, so on my way home from work I picked her up. She was in quite a good mood seeing how she had been looking forward to this, and was very talkative. Here's a snippet of our conversation-or rather-a snippet of what she had to say to me while I was driving us home:

K: Daddy?

Me: Yeah?

K: You and mom are good cookers and good driver-ers.

Me: You mean mom and I are good cooks and drivers?

K: Yeah. You both know how to make eggs, and-HEY! There's my bus stop!

Me: Yup! There it is.

K: eggs, and cereal, and-do you know what the shortest word is?

Me: No, what?

K: X

Me: (trying not to laugh) X?

K: Yeah, X; like 'ecckkkksss'. And you both drive really good!

I tried not laughing loud enough for her to hear me. It was a cute conversation. And like I said, she was VERY talkative when I picked her up. There was SO much more to this conversation, and it jumped around so much that I couldn't remember the entire thread by the time I got home!

Kailee-I love you!