Excited

(Dallin playing with Grandpa Hansen)

We are so excited for Grandma and Grandpa Hansen to come play. Dallin can hardly wait. He misses you guys!

Hard worker

I LOVE JOE!!!

Plain and simple statement, but it is the truth. He is such an amazing father, husband and priesthood holder. He does so many things for Dallin and I, and so many others around him. He works hard, long hours on our business and sometimes I know I don't give him enough thanks. I love him so dearly and I am so thankful for him. I think the men in our lives deserve so much more praise and gratitude than we give them at times. I am always quick to thank him when he does something for me...but I know I can say it more often and with more sincerity. I found evidence of just how hard these men in our lives work....enter exhibit A.

EXHIBIT A

Do you see how sleepy eyed these two fathers look? Joe on the left looks like he is about to snooze and so does Brian on the right. After a long days work, both these men took the time to play with their children and let their wives talk with each other and hang out.Then look at our children behind them. Dallin on the right is wide eyed and bushy tailed, full of energy and pizazz and so is Tyson on the right. They are exhausting, even if you didn't just work a long 10 hour day.

Their fathers love them and play with them and make them feel special even after a long days work. Joe doesn't just come home and say, " I am exhausted, so I am just going to lounge for a few hours.." Nope, he plays with Dallin and wrestles with him. He helps him learn new things and keeps him entertained and out of the kitchen so I can do dinner. What a wonderful man he is.

Joe, if you are reading this, Thank you. I love you. Thank you for all you do. You are the best husband and father and we are so lucky to have you.

Christmas in November

Our tree giving our living room a nice warm glow...I just love it!!!

This year we put up the Christmas tree a little earlier than usual. We put it up on November 18th. If I'd had it my way, it would have been up sooner...like that day after Halloween. I LOVE Christmas, I love everything about it. The lights, the trees, the music, the snow...it is just all fantastic. Dallin was such a delight putting up the tree, he loved it. He wanted to help do everything.

Dallin helping me fix the branches

Dallin copying mommy

Don't worry, that is not the ghost of Christmas present...it is just me, a blur in front of the camera. Joe had the flash off, and it made a cool ghost out of me.

Dallin and I had so much fun putting the tree up, he was such a good helper. Joe had fun taking pictures and playing some Christmas music to set the mood. Putting up a fake tree is soooo much easier than a real one. But don't worry, I have been burning pine oil all week to make sure that house still smells like fresh pine trees. Love that smell.

The Pole

This little boy makes me laugh. Seriously.... doesn't this picture make you just bust up laughing? Now imagine all the things I get to witness this silly boy do in person. I think I burn 500 calories a day, just laughing.

Strike a Pose... lol

We did the Monster Mash

Happy Halloween!

The Friday before Halloween, Joe and I and Dallin went to a pumpkin patch with our friends Brian and Ashley and their son Tyson. It was fun to walk through the patch with Dallin. Every pumpkin was a "ball." He had fun...I think. Joe and Dallin found their pumpkins...which Joe later exchanged for some better ones by the cash register...lol.

Dallin was a Dragon for Halloween. I bought the costume without him there, and found out later that the costume was much too small. But there were no exchanges, so I had to make due. Dallin was growling all night. It was adorable.

Dallin loved the candy. His Grandma and Grandpa Johnson gave him a bunch of candy. His favorite was his very own bag of candy corn, which he carried around with him for the first 20 minutes after arriving at their house.

I made sure to brush his teeth really good that night. I think he ate his body weight in sugar.

We took him trick or treating. I loved to hear his little voice say "tant tou" after each person gave him some candy.

I loved to watch Dallin and his daddy walk hand in hand while Dallin's dragon tail swayed side to side with each step.

I love the look on Dallin's face when he poured out all his candy after the night. It was sheer joy.

I most of all loved how he was just so excited to have his candy that he could not sit still for even one picture.

( us trying to take a family pic, but Dallin wouldn't stay still and Joe's eyes are almost always closed...hahaha)

Thankful

Thank you for all the wonderful comments. They have lifted a heart that was in dire need of some uplifting. Thank you for all the prayers and well wishes. I feel so loved and so blessed. I think I have the greatest friends and family in the whole universe...ever in existence.....ever.

Smiles....*sigh*

These two boy are what get me through the day lately. I sure do love them. I mean, those smiles are just to die for.

My little man makes me smile every hour at least. Probably multiple times actually. I love how curious he is. I can't wait to watch him grow and learn more everyday. I am so lucky.