Update-Collage Style

I decided since I am so far behind I would put together some collages and get this blog updated!  I really have about 100 other things I need to be doing right now - laminating, cutting, putting writing folders together, math meeting binders, homework packets, clean the house...etc.  My hands are a little sore from all the cutting, so I'm taking a break to update the blog!  If you didn't already know, I was offered a full time 1st grade position this summer.  I had been waiting for this job to open for about three months and was excited when it did.  Then I learned there were 16 applicants and about died! I was so sick and nervous.  I felt good about my interview.  The 2 hours following the interview were the longest, most nerve racking hours of my life! I was offered the position and I've been cleaning, organizing, and preparing all summer! I am so excited and thankful I was offered this position! First grade has always been my preference.  I can't believe the summer is over already.  We begin school on Tuesday.  Here are a few events I got on camera this summer.

*Fishing-We went up and cooked dinner, went fishing, and played in the mountains.  Davin is such a monkey and this picture says 1,000 words about how our mountain experiences always are with him. 

4th of July in Minersville

I don't know what Davin's deal was during the parade but

he just sat in his chair and was trying to wake up.

The picture I got of him racing is pathetic.  I don't know what

happened but when it is over in .2 seconds that was

the only one I could get.

We sold our Mazda and upgraded to a Pathfinder.  I

didn't realize I would be a little sad to see the Mazda

go, but I was.  So many memories and I thought it was

such a cute and fun car! I do LoVe my Pathfinder

and the room it gives with 2 car seats.

Dawson's 3 month old pics

This one displays his temper.  He didn't have too much

of a temper before, but now he is acting a little spoiled

and wants all the attention.  He definitely shows his

temper when he is hungry..don't we all:)

He is just like Davin was.  He loves to have his blanket

right next to his face, if not completely covering his face.

 24th of July

I love th 24th of July.  It is probably my 2nd favorite holiday.

Grandpa Troy was able to come home for a few days

before they left Indiana and headed to Iraq.  He was

asked to be on a few floats and after I took the picture

of him on the float, Davin joined him and rode down the

rest of the parade with him.

Meet Davin's 'Rodeo Octopus'

One day I was trying to entertain him so I suggested

we go upstairs and make a tent.  We got upstairs and he

started making a tent with everything up in the bonus room.

After a minute this is the conversation between us:

Me: Davin that is an awesome tent.

Davin: Mom it's not a tent, it's a rodeo octopus.

Me-trying not to laugh: Oh, what is a rodeo octopus?

Davin-in an excited yelling tone: You put the cows through

and it wraps its arms around them and stings them through

the chuttes.

I thought I was going to die laughing.  I love his imagination,

you never have a dull moment with him.

 Davin likes to dress himself.  One day, Brennen was working

out in the yard and I was out talking to him.  Davin came out

dressed and ready to help in the yard.  I couldn't resist

taking a picture of his pants.  It was too cute. He was so

proud he got himself all ready to help his dad.

 Rodeo Clown

Davin was playing in my closet, in his swimming trunks,

when he came across a pair of my striped socks.  He

immediately grabbed them and I knew what he had in mind.

He then turned into a rodeo clown; shaking his butt for the bull

to charge, stopping the bulls from stepping on the riders,

opening the chuttes, and waving his bandana to get their attention.

 My sister-in-law Nicole, and family, gave these cute

matching outfits to the boys.  I think they are so cute and

I've been wating for Dawson to fit into his.  I love the bond

these two already have. Davin will be sitting by Dawson

and Dawson will just stare at him.  Dav can make him laugh

easier than anyone else can.  When Dav accidentally hurts

him or does something to make him cry, he quickly starts

saying, "I'm sorry Daws, I'm sorry buddy." It is so cute.

I'm so thankful they have bonded and Dav is good with him.

I'm not going to lie, I was a little concerned before

Dawson's arrival how Dav would react.

Dav's B-Day

 Dav's B-Day was June 3rd.  We decided to celebrate on June 1st because Troy was leaving on the second.  We had family come over and had a little party in our basement.  We had fun and Dav put on quite the show.

 We started off with a game of horse shoes. Dav didn't know how or what to do so he just threw them around and had fun.

Next, we played pin the tail on the donkey.  Dav was excited when it was his turn.  Brennen put on the bandana and spun him around then let him go.  Dav, not knowing what to do, just started walking.  He didn't put his hands out in front of him and we didn't notice until he ran smack into the cement wall.  It was so funny.  Sad-but so funny. 

 Then he blew out the candles on his cake and we ate cake and ice cream.  I tried to do a little horse/farm theme.  We got the cake from Mikes and he thought it was pretty cool.

 Then on to opening his presents.  He got a fun little tent, new chaps, animals for his farm, tractors, a roping steer head, clothes, ect.  He basically got a bunch of farm/cowboy stuff because he is sooo obsessed!

 His favorite...chaps from Grandpa and Grandma Black. The grandparents always win over me! Grandma and Grandpa Orton won over Santa at Christmas with bucking bulls and a chainsaw and now G&G Black won with the chaps!  Needless to say, he is spoiled!  He kept going around yelling, "I'm a real cowboy, yeah!"

 His steer head he loves to rope with his cowboy rope!

Overall I must say this little cowboy had a great Birthday! He is so much fun with a one in a million personality.  He is still a little monster and a handful but I wouldn't trade his personality for anything!
*I WILL be caught up soon..

Playing Catch UP....

Sometimes, I feel like playing catch up is the story of my life! I'm trying. So back tracking to May.. The 222 was once again activated to serve a tour in Iraq.  So Brennen's dad is heading back there for awhile, possibly only until January but probably for 1 year.  We went up on the mountain to have a last BBQ and fishing before he left...

Since we had to be at the airport at 6:00a.m., my boys said goodbye to Grandpa the night before he left.  Obviously they had no idea what was going on but it was a little emotional on the rest of us.  Dawson will be walking, more than likely, by the time grandpa gets home-sad!  I didn't get any of Jackie's pics from the airport that morning.  It was probably a good thing because I tell you, the post-pregnancy emotions or so that's what I blame it on made this tough on me, and my eyeballs! We were all kinda an emotional wreck.  Troy left a few days before the rest of the 222 and 213 because he is a supply sergeant. So there were only 3 other families with us at the airport. It was hard to say goodbye and we're sure going to miss him while he is gone.  We're excited to see him soon for a few days before they deploy to Iraq.  I don't know how the wives handle themselves! I know they say they don't have a choice, which they don't, but I would struggle! So, when you say a little prayer, pray for them and their families!  And remember to be thankful for the freedoms we enjoy!

Dawson's Blessing

We blessed Dawson on May 1st.  He was just over 2 weeks old so he was still pretty small.  I knew it was going to be hard to find him a blessing outfit because of his size, but I bought one I thought might work.  Well, when we got home and I put it next to him, it was evident it was going to be way to big for him.  I was telling my mom how huge it was when my niece overheard and relayed the message to my sister-in-law.  So, she called me and said she still had Chantz's from when he was blessed and it was a newborn instead of 0-3 months.  She brought it down and we decided to use it instead.  It worked out perfect and I'm glad she had it because we wouldn't have been able to find Dawson in the one I bought. 

It was fun to get to bless our little guy with his future friends.  We have been friends with the Wilkins since they moved here.  Brother Wilkins was our seminary teacher.  Gary and Kristina Brown blessed their baby, Kline, too.  Brennen's parents are good friends with the Browns, so it was fun to get to bless our babies together!

Great-Great-Grandma Marshall

Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa Stones

Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa Carter

Family picture with an uncooperative 2 year old!

 

I can't believe we didn't get pictures with either of Dawson's grandparents.

We got the great-grandparents but missed his grandpa and grandma Black

and grandpa and grandma Orton.  Overall, it was a great day and we're so thankful for the blessing Dawson is to us.

Blessed..

How lucky blessed are these two boys??

How blessed am I??

I often take for granted how lucky and blessed I am to be married to such a great guy.  He never complains about taking his night shift (every other night), he can out clean me, he gets up early to take the boys to the babysitters, he gives them blessings when they need it, he always makes me feel good about myself, he is a hard worker, he'll take Dav with him anywhere he goes, he is super cute, etc.  I could go on and on.  I know this is a bit mushy and all, but last night as I cleaned up the dishes and looked over to see these three asleep, I stood back and thought about how blessed I really am!

Easter 2011

 This year for Easter we went down to Brennen's Aunt Shanda's in Beaver Dam.  I was a little nervous taking Dawson because he was just barely a week old.  However, the weather was great and we had a blast.  Dav got to do three Easter Egg hunts this year.  First, Brennen took him to the one in Beaver.  We only got these two pictures.  Brennen said he tripped at first so he wasn't real thrilled but ended up picking up some eggs.  Then he went to an Easter egg hunt in Beaver Dam.  They had a fun little hunt and Dav got quite a few eggs.  After that hunt, we went into Mesquite and did the Easter Egg hunt there.  It was INSANE! Seriously, they had 25,000 eggs!  There were several age groups, they even had an adult one.  My mother-in-law, Brennen's brothers, and Brennen's aunt did the adult one and it was some serious competition.  My mother-in-law got plowed by a man in desperate search for a prize egg.  There were so many kids in Davin's age group the eggs were all picked up in less than a minute.  I only got pictures of them getting ready because as soon as they said go, I lost track of them.

 The Easter bunny found us! Dav got a new set of golf clubs, an outfit and shoes, some play dough, bubbles, and lots of candy! The Easter Bunny took it easy on Dawson.  He got some binkies, a rattle an outfit.  Davin was excited and got right to playing with his golf clubs.  Dawson, well he didn't care so much :)  

 Dawson is such a good baby.  He just hung out and enjoyed life.  I love the boppy Kenz, it even went to Beaver Dam with us in our packed to the ceiling car!

 After the Easter egg hunts on Saturday, we went and fed the ducks.  Davin had a blast.  This was the first time he has ever fed ducks and we had a great time.

We had a blast for Easter.  It was so nice to go somewhere with some warm weather and be with the family! Dawson was great and got a lot of attention!
Dawson is three weeks old today...where does the time go?? I can't believe it.  We blessed him last Sunday because Brennen's dad is leaving for Iraq on June 2nd, so we wanted to get it done while he was home.  I go back to work on Monday :( I can't believe how fast the time has flown! I'm going back to wrap up the last 2 and 1/2 weeks of school.  I can't believe the year is almost over! We are doing great and I'll be getting some more pictures of the blessing and recent happenings soon....hopefully!