wacky woohoo!

When Dawson came home from school today Easton was having a new snack in his high chair.  I was out of the room putting away laundry (I could hear Dawson laughing in the kitchen).  When I came back down stairs there was a surprise from Dawson...  wacky woohoo  (what we call wild and crazy hair).  He had been working hard to make him and Easton look so cool.  Dawson loves to do his own hair crazy and today was the ultimate because his hair was just sweaty enough from the walk home to do just about anything he wanted it to do.

Back To School

Dallon - starting 4th grade. Dawson - starting Kindergarten.
Every year since we moved here we have taken a picture in front of the school sign on the first day.
We walked as a family to school on the first day.
Our big Kindergartener walking to school on the first day. Not nervous a bit right then. Once we got to the classroom he didn't want us to leave. But, we got him to his desk and said our goodbyes, and he was very brave. Not a tear. I think that having a big brother in the same school makes all the difference in the world. He has watched Dallon go to school for 4 years now and knows that this is just what you do when you get big.
Dawson and his teacher. (pic taken at Meet The Teacher). She is a very coveted teacher here at Stone Oak Elementary. She is the kindergarten teacher that every parent hopes their child will get and we just lucked out! Before meet the teacher night she called our home to let us know that Dawson was in her class. She gave me her home # and told me to call her anytime. Then she asked if she could say hello to Dawson. So they spoke on the phone! Never have I had a teacher call to say hello to my child. That speaks volumes about her! I am so excited about her. It makes it so much easier to send my baby off to school knowing he is with a loving and kind teacher. Dawson is holding a picture he colored for her. (don't even ask me what it is.) Dawson has two kids in his class that actually live in our culdesac (he plays with them all the time... so that is nice).

Unfortunately I wasn't able to get a picture of Dallon and his teacher at meet the teacher. Her fourth grade classroom that night was so crazy. Dallon has a friend in his class who is a really nice boy that he met on swim team. I'm excited about that.

Jaron and Em's trip to Texas

Dallon was so excited to go to a skate park with Uncle Jaron. That is something he has really wanted to do with him. Jaron gave him some awesome skate tips!Jaron is extreme at every sport he does. When he gets into a sport, he goes all out. I had so much fun watching him skate. He just started last christmas and he kicks butt at the skate park now. He has gotten so good. My picture doesn't even do him justice.Spencer and Dawson. Best buddies. They have a ball playing together. They are both 5 1/2 years old and both starting kindergarten this year. It's so awesome to have a cousin your age. (When I say "5 1/2" I stress the 1/2 part. Just like they do. Spencer kept telling Dawson this trip that he is 5 1/2 and Dawson is only 5 so he is older. Dawson believed him and was totally bummed out. The funny part is that they were both born in January and just 3 weeks apart. But older is older right?)
From the time we got into town Dawson started pestering Pappy about riding a horse. So Pappy got out there and made sure his grandson's got a ride. He and Jaron saddled up the horses and gave everyone a ride. Can I just say - it was soooo great to hang out with Jaron and Emily again. I know it's only been 2 months since their move but I've missed them so much! They have a really neat family. My sister-in-law Em is a hoot. I just love her fun personality.

Jaron and Em made this trip back for Jenna's reception. We stayed for a few days and played with them after the reception was over. It was so great to get together again. It wasn't the easiest trip for me. The day I arrived in Stephenville Easton was sick. I saw a doctor there and he had his first ear infection and an eye infection too. So he wasn't his normal self and wasn't sleeping well at night. Then Dawson, Dallon and I all came down with a stomach bug. Miserable. It was a 24 hour thing and we all had it a different day of our stay in Stephenville. But all in all... it was so great to be with family.

Easton starts crawling!

Easton started to crawl on August 5th, the day after we returned from our Utah trip.  (seven months old).  He had been rocking back and forth on all fours for weeks, but this day he just surprised us and took off.  He has been going ever since.  He is a very busy baby now. Apparently, exploring the house is a full time job.  It's alot of work keeping tabs on him but he sure looks cute crawling.  Look at that face smiling up at me. He is so proud of himself. He just melts my heart.  Oh how I love this boy!

Dawsonism...

Dawson said "Will you go get me some water?"  No, buddy.  I'm just too tired.  You go get it.  He said "I'll tickle your head... and crossy's don't count."  How can I possibly pass that up? 

Arches National Park

On the drive home to from Utah we stopped at Arches National Park. We arrived in the evening and stayed until dark. It was gorgeous there as the sun set. 
I wish I could take the credit for the next two photos. They are totally awesome!!! They were taken by Aaron - he loves landscape photography and really has an eye for it. Aren't they great?


Dallon and Dawson after they conquered a huge rock they'd been climbing.

It was a nice break from the car for all of us. The boys loved getting out and hiking. It was the first time they had been to the arches.

Remembering Mom

Somedays it's hard to believe our Mom has been gone for 11 years now.  Other days, it feels like she's been gone for so long.  I miss her so much!  I used to go to her grave alot.  It was right by our home in Heber City, Utah.  It brought me alot of comfort to go there and many times I felt more near to her.  I've lived in Texas for 5 1/2 years now and have only been back a few times.  I don't know if my boys even remember going there.  So, on this trip it was important to Aaron and I to take the boys to her grave.  I wanted to bring something to share with both them and Jenna.  So I brought a special picture of her for both of my boys.  And for Jenna, I brought a wedding day photo of our Mom the day she was married to our Dad in the Salt Lake Temple.  The same temple Jenna would marry Jared in just two days later.  I also brought her journal for us to sit and read a few pages from while we were there.  This journal is the only one she ever kept that I know of.  It was kept from the time Jaron was a newborn until shortly after Jenna was born.  Jenna and I had so much fun reading a few of the journal entries aloud to everyone.  We laughed and cried together... and I am so thankful we made this a part of our trip.

Jenna and Jared's Wedding Day

My sister's wedding was the whole reason for our Utah trip.  It was so awesome to see my her marry such a neat guy in the Salt Lake Temple for time and all eternity.  We just love Jared and the two of them are such a cute couple.  

When I came out of the temple after Jenna and Jared were sealed, Dawson ran up to me and said...  "So........   did they kiss???"  I said yes, and he just giggled.  He then proceeded to tell me that he is changing his name to Telford too!

Taking Jenna's bridal pictures.

My sister is the most beautiful bride I have ever seen!  Isn't she gorgeous!!!  She looked totally stunning in her wedding dress.  I had the priviledge of taking her bridal pictures while in Utah. I did her hair and helped her into her gown and then we took her pictures at a beautiful location (my mother-in-laws reception center, Kokopelli Park).  It was so fun to spend that day with you Sis!  I love you!

Just Us

This photo was taken in my mother-in-laws backyard.   Isn't it beautiful there?  I hadn't planned on taking a family photo that night.  If I had the boys hair would have been done and our outfits would've gone together a little better.  We had just finished taking Jenna's bridal pictures there and were about to head home when Grandma snapped one of our family.  It's just us...  just how we are.  I guess that's why I like it.

Park City, Utah

We just had an afternoon in Park City but we sure made the most of our time.  There were zip lines, slides and coasters but one of our favorite parts was just riding the lift. 
Jenna, Dawson, Dallon and Aaron went on the coaster there.  They said it was great!  Jenna and I took turns sitting out with Easton.  It was fun for me to get to do some rides that I wouldn't have gotten to do if she hadn't been with us.  Thanks Jen!
Aaron and I riding the lift up to the zip line.  The picture below is Aaron on the zip line.  It was totally awesome.  I took that photo of him while I was also on a zip line.


Aaron and Dallon raced to the bottom of the mountain.  Dawson and I rode the alpine slide together.  It was so fun for me hearing him cheer with excitement as we went down the mountain.
We couldn't make a trip to Utah and not eat at our favorite restaurant... Baja Cantina.  The best mexican food ever!!!

Flaming Gorge

Utah is so beautiful!!! We grew up in Utah and never really appreciated it until we moved away. Now when we take a trip back we are blown away by the beauty there. We went to Flaming Gorge with Grandma Francke and Jenna for the day. We had such a nice afternoon together. We had lunch at Red Canyon Lodge, fed the fish in the lake there and Jenna was attacked by a snake (you'll have to ask her about that). haha.

Grandma and the boys took the boat out on this beautiful lake at Red Canyon Lodge after we all ate lunch there. Dawson was spear fishing off of the back and Dallon and Grandma wore their legs out peddaling. They loved it.
The boys are spear fishing right here. They had so much fun with these sticks, I mean "spears." Check out Dawson's stance. He means business. I think they really thought they were going to catch a fish.

Easton cuddling up to his Aunt Jenna. We relaxed on the bench there and had fun conversation while Grandma was out on the boat with the big boys. It was so peaceful there.