Happy Birthday Honey!

Happy Birthday to my wonderful husband. He is such a fun, loving father and an amazing husband. I love watching him with our children and spending time with him. Thanks for all you do for us. We love you!!!

I tried to download a video of my crazy husband entertaining the guests from Utah but it didn't work. Here is a photo instead. He is riding on a toddler car down our very, very steep driveway. It was not the smartest thing to do but at least he had a helmet on, right! :)

Go Dave Go!

Dave did a triathlon on the 24th of July with his brother Mike. We were so excited to go watch and so excited to have Alison and the kids along.

This triathlon was in Trenton, NJ and it was HOT that day. We had to leave at 5:30am and when I went out to load the kids into the car I about died from breathing in the heat and humidity. It had to already be 85 degrees. The heat just continued to rise and it was so hot that the participants were not aloud to wear their wet suits because the water temperature was 86 degrees. Dave said it was not refreshing.

Besides the heat we had a really good time. We walked from place to place hoping to see Dave and Mike as many times as possible. After Dave finished we got some shaved iced to cool off.

Dave did really well as usual and placed 65th. This race had 1800 participants, it was HUGE! Mike did awesome for his first tri. He even finished under his goal time. Congrats boys. We can't wait to cheer you on at the next one.

Here is one more picture of my big eater. At 7:30am she was hoarding all the cheese puffs.

It's growing!

Our sweet Lana gets called a boy anytime we go out into public. I try to put bows on and she is almost always in pink but people only notice that she has no hair and call her a boy. We have been waiting for her hair to show signs of any growth. It has finally happened. We are thinking that it might actually grown in. We can't wait to see what color it is going to be. Her hair from birth has been strawberry blonde but I think the new hair is just blonde. Here is the proof of a little length. I know it is not much but it more than she had.

Two New Things at our House

#1 New Thing....

our Albino Squirrel named "Mini." Taylor gave it that name the first time it appeared and it has stuck. The first time we saw the squirrel was when some of the Bramhall clan were here visiting. It has continued to come back and we love to watch it. It is one crazy looking squirrel.

#2 New Thing....

our 1927 Gulbransen piano. I am so excited. This is what I got for my birthday from Dave and the kids. It took a lot of men to get it into our house. If you have been to our house you know why, we have about 20 stairs to our front door. Thanks to some wonderful ward members and Dave's amazing carpool friend, Rich. I love it and can not wait to learn how to play again.

One of Dave's Adventures

Taylor called Dave at work on a Friday and said "Dad lets go get McDonalds fur (that is how Taylor says for) dinner and then go for a hike." Dave agreed. In my motherly mind I thought we would probably go to a park with picnic benches eat some McDonalds and then go for nice leasure walk. Sometimes I forget who I am married to!

Dave send me a email later that afternoon it said....
Here is you mission should you choose to accept it!!
Load the car with you and 3 children....
Dress in very dirty clothing....(pack some for daddy!)
Also pack Dads climbing bag/equipment and lots of flashlights/headlamps, and baby carriers
Meet @ Big Y parking lot at 5:00...
Dont be late!
This message will self destruct in 5 seconds!

Oh great what is he going to make us do? What does he have planned? We just wanted a hike! I went into a panic and was not sure what to do, but decided to go with it and have fun.

We showed up at 5pm and Dave had McDonalds. We drove a few miles up the road and pulled off at a hiking trailhead.

Lana loved the cheeseburger. Don't be deceived by her tiny body. This girl can eat!

We then hiked only 100 yds to Tori Cave. Taylor and Dave went down in and after about 10 feet Taylor was not so sure about it anymore and they came back out. Then Taylor wanted to take me down so we went the same 10 feet and came back out. Then Dave adventured to the end of the cave. Taylor thought it was so awesome. After exploring the cave we went for a hike and enjoyed Conneticuts beautiful nature. Thanks for great hike Dave!

Ocean City 2010

We had such a wonderful vacation with the Bramhall Family. Thanks to Tim and MaryAnn for the vacation and thanks to everyone else for a good time and a lot of help.

Things to remember:
*1 year old twins are a lot of work at the beach.
*1 year olds like to eat sand.
*Lana loves to drink salt water.
*Naked spagetti night
*Alison and Mike taking home the trophy
*Alison really wanting to do double elimination
*Lana boggy boarding
*Lana the cowgirl on the merry go round
*Drew climbing all over the chairs
*Drew hates cold water, partically the ocean
*Horseshoe crab
*Taylor posing for the pictures (copying Isabel and Cecily)
*The many pools dug by the men
*Taking pictures of 7 young kids does not work
*Taylor's first minature golfing and lots of holes in 1
*Mike forgetting his wallet
*Keeping the kids at until 10:30 every night
*Putting the hammer down
*The crazy popcorn eaters (Drew, Lana, Lydia)
*Drew and Lana clinging to mom

My WIFEY!!!

So today is my 8th Anniversary and I thought I had better give a bit of much deserved praise to my wife.

I can't believe it has already been 8 years...though they have been the best of my life. My wife is my best friend. She is very outgoing, adventurous, patient(you'd have to be to live with me!). I am always amazed at the lengths she will go to to entertain my crazy ideas. Recently leaving UT, where she was born and raised (never living more than 100mi from home) to venture to the east coast...for my career. She has adopted so many of my hobbies, I believe against her mother's will, she rock climbs with me, mountain bikes, skis, and paintballs, it would seem anything I want her to! She fortunately for me, is very fit and athletic and therefore has done very well at conquering all of this....except maybe her first Downhill Mountain bike trip on Squaw Peak...hehehe! (she went over the handle bars at least 15-20 times and kept riding...no exaggeration!)

Along with her sense of adventure she is the best mother I could ask for! Our kids adore her. She has the skill of some how juggling three very young children and managing to keep them all very healthy and happy! A feat I have yet to perfect. She is incredibly selfless and becomes more so everyday. Her welfare and needs you can plainly see are always 2nd to that of mine and our kids! She is great homemaker, though I am not sure where she finds the time and energy,...since she is regularly up numerous times in the night!

Lastly as a wife, she is great! She is very understanding of me, patient with my crazy quirks, sarcasm,"humor", ideas, races, and hobbies. I know I don't always tell her enough, but I want her to know how grateful I am to have a wife as amazing as she is! I think there are very few others like her...try living with me for a week and you will see!!

Thanks for a great life honey! I love you!

Dave