Dallin turns 7!!! and... Maryns future children are going to starve to death!!!

Happy Birthday Dallin!

January 9th we celebrated Dallin's 7th birthday, he kept saying "I can't believe I am 7 Mom"!!! Neither can I Dall!

This is Dallin in his school class room on his birthday.

Getting a good night hug from his best friend Sam

This pictures doesn't even begin to capture just how useless Maryn is in the kitchen!  I take that back, she can clean a kitchen like no body's business, ask her to cook, and you just never know what you're going to get! This is her attempt at banana bread. Actually it wasn't even her attempt! All she was really asked to do was watch it and take it out when it was done! Oh My!

Funny thing is if you talked to anyone who grew up in the same household as I did, they wouldn't be a bit surprised by any of this.

By the way, Maryn is planning to marry someone with a "cooking hobby" and if that doesn't work out, she will live next door to Julie, who has the "cooking thing" down!!!

I figured it out, I guess she will too!

2008 The Year in Review

I saw this little questionnaire on another blog and thought I would use to give an overview of the year 2008. It's been a great year... Here's to an even better 2009!

1. What did you do in 2008 that you have never done before?

I sent a missionary out into the "Field" to serve the Lord!! See Question 6

I colored my hair blonde!  

I made my very own BLOG!!!

2. Did you keep your New Years resolutions and will you make more for this coming year?

I didn't really make any official write them down kind of resolutions! Yes I will make a few for the coming year... Right here on my blog so that those of you that read this can help hold me accountable!!

1. Be a consistant exerciser! I do REALLY GOOD in spurts. Not so good everyday!

2.Do at least one load of laundry everyday monday-friday. Not because I like it, but so that I can stay on top of it and not have it heaping in massive piles in my laundry all the time!!!

3. Run another Marathon and do the Magrath triathlon in less than 3 hours! Lofty goals!! 

4. Read the Book of Mormon everyday, in the a.m before I exercise.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Lots of friends in our ward. No one particularly "close"

4. Did anyone close to you die?

 I wouldn't say I was " close to him" but President Gordon B. Hinkley died on January 27th. We were having a fireside here at our house and Brenda called to tell me. I was really saddened, but happy for him at the same time. 

5. What places have you visited in 2008?

I went to Provo in May for womens conference with my good friend Joanne... Great as usual.

We, Mark and I, went to SLC and Provo again in August to take Russell to the M.T.C... Happy but sad! 

I drove my kids, by myself, to the Redwood National Forest in California....Soooo Coool

Mark and I went to Kauai in October...Ahhh paradise!

6. What dates in 2008 will remain etched in your memory and why?

August 13th, the day we took Russell into the M.T.C. It is just one of those kind of days that as a parent you look forward to all your life, but when it actually happened... Such mixed emotions!

7. What was your biggest achievement this year?

I participated in two triathlons. I did a the sprint distance in the Magrath triathlon in July, then the olympic distance in Fort Mcleod in August. The Magrath tri had an open water swim... one of the hardest things I have ever done!

8. Did you suffer any injury or illness?

Nope

9. What was the best thing you bought?

I bought a pair of earrings that I love and a road bike.

10. Where did most of your money go?

Mortgage, food and gas!

11. What song will always remind you of 2008?

Bubbly by Colbie Caillat

12. What do you wish you would have done more of in 2008?

I wish I would have spent more time playing with my kids, more time reading the scriptures and more time attending the temple.

13. What do you wish you had done less of in 2008?

Eating unhealthy foods and being angry at my family.

14. What was your favorite T.V show?

I don't watch much but I did enjoy So You Think You Can Dance.

15. What was your favorite movie?

I am going to say Madagascar 2, only because it was the last one I saw, and that is about as far back as my memory allows me to go!!! It really was funny too!

16. What did you do on your birthday and how old are you?

I ran the Mellisa 's 22K Road Race in Banff. I turned 40!!

17. What political issue stirred you the most?

I would have to say the prop 8 decision. The US election would be right up there too. ( I was actually really glad to see the whole thing end. The media attention that the US election receives borders on ridiculous! I am quite happy not to have to hear about it every time I ride in a certain little blue Honda Civic with serius sattelite radio!!!) 

18. Who was the best new person you met?

I would have to say Jacqui! She is the girl that Russell dated before his mission. I have to admit that I didn't really want to get to know her at first. I was selfishly only concerned with how her relationship with my son would effect his future. It wasn't until right before Russell left that I realized how much more their is to this girl than just being "Russell's girlfriend". She is genuine and kind, she is a real " go getter" with loads of ambition! She is truly devoted to things that "really matter" and her love for her family is amazing. I can only hope that all my boys will end up with as wonderful a girl as Jacqui!