A new addition

I saw this cute dog at the park one day and made the mistake of talking about it at dinner. We had a new puppy by lunch the next day. When we get an idea in our heads {ahem... Scott's head} we don't mess around.

This is ANNIE!

 She is half Labrador Retriever, half Shetlin Sheep Dog. So far she's favoring the sheep dog in size and stature, but the Lab in hair (thank goodness)! We got her from the humane society, her and 4 of her siblings were brought in because their owner was very old and couldn't take care of them (or so they said) they said she was approximately 10 weeks old.  She is the sweetest little thing and for the most part very calm (a very welcome trait after having crazy Cooper for the last 11 years!)

 She pretty much rules the roost around here!

 And she's got everyone wrapped around her little finger (well if she had a little finger that is) and is it just my imagination or is she smiling here?

She has nearly doubled in size since we brought her home a month ago. She is now the size of Cooper although much thinner, and is not afraid to take him on. He treats her like a pesky little sister, but I think he enjoys having her around.

 She has started overlapping her ears when she's thinking, it's kindof strange but cute.  This picture here, she sat with Sienna and read a whole book. She kept cocking her head, while looking at the pictures, like she was really understanding, it was quite hilarious.

I've already seen her "heard" the kids while playing in the yard with them. I hope that she'll be a good dog to take camping, one that will help keep the kiddos out of danger.  

She's really smart, and has almost mastered going potty outside, although we have to respond quite quick. She doesn't have much bladder capacity yet!  But she's sleeping through the night and i couldn't ask for more than that. The first 4 nights I felt like she was worse than having a newborn around.  She loves Scott and just sits and cuddles with him. He babies her and takes care of her, and tends to all her needs. I figure he is welcome to do that, I have to do that to the 3 human children living with us, I don't need another person on my lap!

Tanner's birthday!

Unfortunately, I didn’t get any pictures, but Tanner also had a birthday. He turned the big 7!  I hid 7 presents throughout the house and sent him on a scavenger hunt, each with a clue that told something we love about him. It’s probably just middle child syndrome, but he really needs to hear how and why we love him often (I mean, everyone want to hear they are loved, but Tanner needs it a little more often) I think he had a good day, and I found the last clue (a big sign that said We love love love you) taped to his wall later. He got several little things, but the highlights were water color paints from Grandma Dial, money from Grandma Mortensen, and a remote control truck from us (that he broke with-in 4 hours of owning- Thank goodness for a good return policy, we are now on our 3^rd, they just don’t make those things like they used to)

There are a lot of things we love about Tanner. He can be the most kind, loving, helpful brother & friend. But tick him off and you will see a little Demon come out. He is very sensitive to the needs of others, and will often times give up something he wanted, to make someone happy. Other days though, you can’t mess with him. We had an incident the other day where he was sent to the principal for hitting. My first reaction was like “What the heck??!?” But after talking to him, this little punk cut in line at recess and stole his swing, he refused to get off and so he punched him.  I wasn’t necessarily praising it, but he stood up for himself, instead of being a doormat, so I guess for that I’m grateful!

Tanner doesn’t have very many things that he is passionate about. Baseball was boring, Karate was lame, Basketball was just ok. But ART on the other hand, he lives for. He loves to draw, color, paint, craft, etc. Any of it. And ALL DAY LONG!  I recently found out about one of the schools in our district that starts a pretty heavy art program in 5^th grade. They have to submit their portfolio and all that crazy business to get in. If he continues in this path, I’m going to seriously consider moving him there when the time comes.

He’s doing good in school and I’ve seen a huge improvement in the last few months. Reading finally just clicked in his head and his confidence while doing it has grown by leaps and bounds.  

Baseball season

 In the last two months Tanner started machine pitch baseball. I think he had fun, it's always hard to tell. He hit the ball EVERY TIME he got up to bat, which was totally awesome, but the rest of it, the waiting for other people to hit the ball so that he could run the bases, and the being in out field, about bored him to death. Once he got to be catcher, which he was really excited for, until he got up there, and kept getting hit by the ball. He told me after that if he had to do that again, he was never coming back to baseball again.  His team was the Golden Knights, and he got a trophy and a pizza party at the end, so all in all I think he enjoyed the season. We'll see if he wants to do it again next year.

What's been going on...

Apparently, I don't update my blog frequently enough for my dad. I mean, come on. It's only been 2 months!

A lot has happened in the last 2 months, so let's get caught up, shall we?

This little girl turned the big 3!

 Her new "Princess Dress" from Grandma

 Her new babies, which both make way too much noise. This was prior to the much needed haircut in the previous post.

 She also got a big girl bed. I hadn't really planned on moving her to a big girl bed quite yet, but I had a mattress fall into my hands so we figured why not. She loves it!  Also, the blanket was one that my Grandma made for my mom. I used to use it too. She loves it!

Don't forget the cake!  I made her the yummiest "poke" cake. It was red velvet cake, I poked holes through out the cake and poured cheesecake pudding on top, then after that set up, we topped it with cool whip and crushed oreo's. It was divine! (Thank you pinterest)

And in honor of her 3rd birthday, I finally printed her baby picture and put it on the wall. So she's official now!  I have a little feet cross stitch thing in the works for the top half of the frame. I promise to have that done by her 4th birthday!

Sienna is such a fun part of our family. She is feisty, and loves to tease. She loves to fight (wrestle) and is quick to jump in to save someone if they are being attacked. I think we can say she's 99% potty trained. I can't say 100% yet because she refuses to use ANYONE elses toilet but our own.  It makes it challenging because we can't go anywhere for any length of time. She hasn't really had any accidents while we've been out though, cause she can hold it for hours!! We did have a small victory when she used the potty at the park last week. It involved alot of crying and threatening on my part. But she finally did it, clinging to me like she was going to be flushed away.   

She's starting to talk a little more clearly, although she WILL NOT talk to anyone but us. They say in Nursery she's never said a word and she's been in there now for 20 months, every Sunday.   I have friends who promise me their kids were that anti-social as little ones too and they grew out of it, I'll just hold to that promise, praying that she isn't clung to my leg for the rest of her life!   Her newest phrases are "Meet you there" (when I tell her to go play in her room) and "Phew! That was a close one!" (when she barely makes it to the potty). She's also my little shadow and won't let ANYONE do ANYTHING for her. Only MOMMY!  It's getting a little old. People say she'll grow out of that too, and I can only pray that it happens sooner than later. 

She has this quirky thing that she says that we can not figure out for the life of us. She's done it for a while now, but she'll say "2-5-6". She says it when she wants to know where we are, or when she seems to be tired. She'll say it when it seems like she wants to tell us hello, or that she loves us. It seems like she's using it as a term of endearment.  We just respond back "2-5-6" and she walks away happy. It's one of those things that I'll probably never understand but want to remember as one of her quirky ways. Scott has taken to teasing her now, responding "No, 3-5-7" She looks at him like he's absolutely crazy and then makes him say it right. She's an odd duck, that one! But, oh how we love her!!

Salon Mommy

 The boys were getting their usual buzz cuts over at Dad's Barber Shop so I thought Sienna could use a wash, cut & style over at Salon Mommy. Normally she doesn't let me touch her hair, but she let me blow dry it all the way this time! I've been trying to grow those stinkin' bangs out for a good year, but they refuse to grow back, they are always hanging in her eyes, and she doesn't care. She wont let me style them at all, so I decided to just cut them and let them do what they do.

Parent Teacher Conferences

Its parent teacher conference time, and so the boys had the chance to show me the work they are most proud of.

This is Tanner's house with a story inside, about his Family:

I have a bruthr and a sistr and dad and mom. There names are Jooleea, Scot and Seenu and Chasetin.  Our favorite place is Micdonals. And we bulev in God and Jeesis. My dads job is a probashin offucr. My moms a carpet cleaner. Our favorite game is candyland, we always play it. My mom and dad joke.

Spelling obviously isn't his strong point!   I love that he put that we believe in God and Jesus, that impressed me. Also I haven't been to Mcdonalds or played Candyland in at least a good year, so I'm not sure where those things came from... And mom and dad joke??  I have no clue. I guess we are pretty silly around here:)

This is Chasetin's self portrait:

After talking about Martin Luther King, they had to write their own "I believe" speeches. His, in case you can't read it says: 

I have a dream that gas prices will go down and wars and cancer will be stopped.

Apparently I might complain about gas prices just a little too much?!!?  I asked where the cancer thing came from, because as I thought about it, he doesn't know anyone that has cancer. But apparently, they have been making valentines for kids with cancer, and I was touched that he understood what they were actually going through.

The Diary of MY Wimpy Kid

I know I'm breaking some HUGE parent code by reading my son's journal, and even worse, by posting it on my blog. But I just had to, it was too funny not to. Plus, he left it on my desk, and after staring at it for like a whole minute, debating if I should read it or not, I figured... he was practically asking me to, by leaving it there.

He made a new years goal to start a journal. Here are his first 2 entries (complete with his spelling):

January 5, 2013

Saturday

Ok. To start of with my journal, today is offisily the worst day of my life. for Christmas I got a 3DSXL. I only owened it for 10 days and I got it tooken away. OK, OK, I know your looking for more info about this. But it all started when we were cleaning our play room and I bent his, or I should say my brother's plastic toy axe and he yelled and elboud me in the sholder so I told on him and my dad totaly Lost it. I told on him alot befor that and we were not listening, and being so bad. So my Dad took away all of our toys, well not all of them. I have a bunch of legos in a drorw on my desk. I cried so hard that I got a non stop headake. I layed in bed for about an hour and my mom said we could get out if we cleand our room, trust me it wasn't that dirty. When we were done I had to vacum our room.

Tusday Jan 22nd, 2013

I keep forgeting to wright in here so here I am. In the 27 days since I wrote in here, things are going well. I got my toys back to.  So at school the person that sits next to me threw up and luckily she didn't get it on my stuff. 

Wasn't that just so funny?  Overall, I was impressed with his writing. (Spelling needs a little work, but we'll get there!)  I was also impressed that on the "WORST DAY OF HIS LIFE" he never said that he hated us or that we were mean. He told why they got in trouble, and recognized that they did something wrong, maybe it might have worked!!   

NOW, DON'T ANY OF YOU DARE TELL ME KID I DID THIS. K?? THANKS:)  

Charlie's Girl

 

I wanted to tell you about this really great book I read. It's called "Charlie's Girl."   

Seriously, just trust me- GO BUY THE BOOK! It's available on Amazon or at Deseret Book.

It's a story about a 14 year old girl, named Rosalind, who's parents died when she was an infant and has lived in foster care in Phoenix her whole life. She lived a life not knowing anything about her family or where she came from.   Meanwhile in South Carolina, her Grandmother Grace is searching for her Granddaughter, not really knowing anything more than her name. She finally located Rosalind in the foster system and sent for her.

Through a family history assignment in a history class, Rosalind and Grace grow to understand and eventually love each other.  Rosalind is trying to discover who she is, while Grace struggles with how much of her parents story she wants to share with the young girl.

It's such a beautiful story of family, and self discovery. You feel the fear Rosalind feels at being in yet another home. It has heart ache, and a little mystery, it's also a beautiful introduction to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as Rosalind meets a Mormon friends and starts to learn that there is a possibility that she can see her parents again.

I loved this book! I was sad when it ended... I turned the final page, just ready to read more!

SO GO READ IT! Seriously, SO GOOD!

Day 7-3

I've been lazy and haven't even gotten out the camera for our festivities.

Day 7
Coloring Gift Tags

Day 6
Final letters to Santa

Day 5
Drive around and look at Christmas lights

Day 4
Cookies for Santa.

Day 3
Deliver goodie bags

I'm kindof ready for this elf thing to be over:)

Day 12-8

On Day 12, the elf left a note on the couch for the boys to find in the morning, when they got up for school. This is what it said:

"Turns out, I'm needed at the North Pole, so I'll be gone for a few days.
Here's an idea- You should skip school and go somewhere for a few days too!
I hear your Grandma & Grandpa Dial are visiting Idaho,
so that's where you're going to go. Your bags are packed and the car is loaded.
Are you ready?......... Set... GO!!
See you Tuesday. Have a blast. Love- your elf"

I totally blind-sided them and it was awesome!  We drove all day Thursday and stayed in a Hotel in Pocatello that night.  We wanted to be all rested and looking nice for that morning because...The best part of the whole trip was that Grandma & Grandpa didn't know we were coming!  I had one of my brothers do some spying for me, and he found out they were just hanging out for the morning at my Grandparents houses, so we just showed up. My grandpa happened to be standing at the window when we pulled up, and I heard him say "Why, I think that's that bunch from Arizona"  approximately 15 seconds later, my Mom ATTACKED us at the door. It was totally awesome!  Dang I forgot how cold it can be. 23 degrees was a shock to my system! Now were home and on the home-stretch to christmas!

15 hours in the car is a LONG time!

Meeting our new cousin Alexander. He's only a day old.

Dude! It snows here. I forgot that minor detail.

They were determined to make a snowman! It didn't work (obviously!)

They got to "help" feed Uncle Verl's cows.

Playing with cousins & Grandma

Chase was all to happy to shovel the driveway.