This last week

If anyone wants to know what my life is full of lately…its this.

High school swimming is nuts.  So nuts.

I'm learning to take over to help run the Canyon Ridge swim team for the next few years.

I'm shaking in my boots, but excited to learn new crazy things.

My latest accomplishment (however silly and insignificant) was ordering new swim caps for the team.

Andrew wanted the new logo on them instead of what was on the previous caps.

I was excited when they turned out well and they look pretty slick in the water.

Happiness is here again as Steve sent me this picture last week.

Our beloved taco truck had opened a store front and then recently closed it.

We were so so sad about losing our favorite place to eat.  But Steve saw the truck and totally stalked it until it opened.  Hurray for us!  Our lunches will once again be happy and be full of deliciousness!

After Andrew's swim meet in Sun Valley last weekend; Susan, Megan and I stayed in Sun Valley for a short girls weekend.

We ate, shopped, hiked and laughed a ton.

I'm grateful to have these women as my closest friends.

Love them.

It wouldn't be a blog post without a house update these days.

Last week the HVAC and plumbing was installed.

The only thing missing is my master tub.

The wrong one was delivered and then the one I originally chose was deemed unavailable.  So I quickly found a replacement tub that I hope will look good in the space.  It's a square tub that looks pretty modern.  I really hope it goes with everything else I've chosen.  It should be installed on Tuesday.

This coming week electrical should be installed along with my exterior siding going up.

If we are really lucky we might even get the roof finished!

Apparently…Grady finds running errands with me exhausting.

I'm happy to have my buddy on my weekly shopping trips, but I'm not sure if Grady feels the same.

Grady did have an exciting week other than shopping.  His crib was converted to a toddler bed after he climbed out and landed right on his head.  He is loving his new found morning freedom.  I'm grateful for the transition because at the new house Grady will be sleeping in a bunk bed with Colby.  There isn't any room for his crib in his room along with dressers and bunk beds.  He's growing up and growing up fast!

Saylor Kate has been tinkering on the piano.  Grandma taught her a little tune that may or may not include "pull down your underwear" in the lyrics.

My mom just laughed and told me maybe I shouldn't trust her to babysit anymore.  Ha Ha Mom…nice try!

In addition to her song teaching skills, my mom has some serious serious sewing skills.

In one morning my mom whipped out an amazing cape and arm bands for Carter's Darth Vader costume.

She. Is. Amazing.  

End of Story.

Steve is also amazing as he brought me this delicious drink home from Sips.

Dirty Diet Coke is the bomb.

Saturday we all drove to Boise to try desperately to pick our granite.  Really…the granite choice is getting old and I'm totally done mentally.  

After we went to the granite place, we visited RC Willey to check out furniture options.

We didn't buy anything, but Steve and the boys enjoyed testing out the massage chairs.

We also got free pumpkins just for stepping into the store.

Some of us were more excited than others.

This has nothing to do with anything except that I love getting messages like this for Andrew.

He added Steve's picture to this Star Wars app.

Hahahahahahahah.

Today to finish off our week we had family pictures down at centennial park

I took a few shots of the kids rolling in the leaves with Steve.

I LOVE family pictures and I can't wait to see them!

JaNae's family was here getting pics too and I loved getting random shots of some of the cousins.

 When did these two get so big???

Because you know…they used to look like this!

And can I say how cute the relationship Grady and my sister JaNae have??

He loves her so much…and the soda and donuts she regularly provides!

 I must write down that I do have another child and his name is Colby.  But where are the picture of Colby you might ask??

I don't know???  I'm thinking he always moves so blasted fast I never get to get a picture of him.

He does exist and I do indeed love him.  Let's work on that this week shall we Colby?  You slow down…and I'll try to get a picture of you!

Carter Turned the Ripe Old Age of 12

Last Monday was Carter's 12 birthday.

Steve got up really early and bought donuts for an early morning candle ceremony!  I think this might become a tradition as we've done it for the past two years.

(Please excuse the mess in the background.  Obviously we didn't clean up from the church meeting the night before…and my parents were out of town.  AHHH!)

Carter ate his donut and about 30 minutes later felt completely sick to his stomach.  School didn't happen and he ended up sleeping on the couch most of the morning.

(I think the sickness was brought on by 10 pm hamburgers with dad the night before.  Carter isn't a late night junk food eater and now we know why!)

In the afternoon Carter perked up as his stomach settled down and he felt up to opening Grandma Walker's present.

The money is so so good!

With Carter home from school I had to drag him along in my errands.

We ended up at Target to pick up prescriptions and Carter conveniently picked out his birthday present instead of getting cold hard cash like he had previously asked for.

He spent the rest of the afternoon building his new Imperial Shuttle.

Ditching school and building legos sounds like the perfect birthday to me!

When the other kids got home the were so excited with Carter's birthday present so they got out their legos too.

I kind of thought Andrew was out of the Lego scene…I was so so wrong!

 Saylor is just into puppies I guess!

Because Carter's stomach didn't return to normal until Tuesday, we waited to celebrate as a family with Carter's birthday request. 

Gluten homemade pizza for dinner with a peanut butter cheesecake for dessert was all Carter asked for.

We thought we'd make the pizza a little more exciting.

And the cheesecake turned out fun too.

By the light that thing gave off you'd think he was 80 or something!

Happy Happy 12th birthday my Carter dear.  I love you!

Today after church Carter received the priesthood and was ordained a deacon in our ward.  He will pass the sacrament for the first time next week and most likely go to collect fast offering.  He will be put to work in our ward!

Both my parents and Steve's parents were present at Carter's ordination.

I could kick myself for not getting a picture right after.  Blast!!

Steve gave Carter a beautiful blessing in addition to the priesthood.  I was a fantastic afternoon!

I'm so happy to have yet another priesthood holder in my home.  I love my family and I love the gospel of Jesus Christ!

Steve's 43rd Birthday

Life honestly has never been busier.  Steve and I discussed the other night if things were going to slow down.  We guessed not at least until cross country and high school swim team are over.  But I'm sure something will come up to fill those spaces.

In the mean time I want to breathe.  I don't want to miss the little things that matter while I'm in the midst of the whirlwind that is life.

For instance…we really wanted to go take a certain picture for our Christmas cards.  (Our minds are already turning on a fun idea.)  We looked at our week and realized the ONLY time we are all together to go get this certain picture is at 7am.  Yeah…like that's going to happen.  Sigh.

But here are some breathing moments... 

Steve turned 43 on Monday.

We celebrated by getting BBQ take out and eating chocolate cake.  

That's as fancy as we can get around here.

Happy Birthday Steve!  We sure do adore you around here.

And Grady adores blowing out your candles. 

Carter had a really fun appointment this week.  (sarcasm sarcasm)

Carter had his consult, x-rays and impressions to prepare him for BRACES.

Sorry Dude.  

It's not going to be a comfy two years but your smile is going to ROCK when we are done.

I apologize right now for family pictures being less than a week after you get your brace face.  Its cruel and I know it. 

Had to include this boy's resemblance to me.

He is the only one that looks like me so I need to relish it. 

 (But there is still a ton of Dixon in this boy.  Cute cute kid.)

This is how my house looked last Sunday.

The back too.

I'm in love with my covered porch.  We are going to enjoy it oh so much!

Sunday afternoons are for back rubs I guess.

These two traded off...

and then spent some "quality" screen time together.

I love love love their fun relationship.

Last week Saylor was (not so) patiently waiting for her window seat.

She may have called out to the framers one day in frustration, "Where is my window seat?!"  Not my best parenting moment.

 The other night we showed up and surprise…window seat.

Her dreams are coming true.  

Now only if she had Rapunzel hair so she could let it out the window. 

Speaking of windows…we have some.

They sadly put the wrong grid in them, so the glass will have to be replaced.  Grateful my builder is willing to fix mistakes.

This is my dining room.

I'm having some anxiety.  I ordered as little windows that opened on the main floor as possible…mostly because picture windows are so much easier to clean.  I'm worried now that having two different kinds of windows next to each other is going to drive me batty.  I think I may have made a mistake that I can't fix now.  Bummer.

I'm just hoping every time I wash these picture ones I will be grateful I made that choice.

And I'll just put some blinds on the other windows.

(I keep repeating…no house is perfect…no house is perfect.)

I do love these windows though.

Our family room is bathed in north light.

Grady is becoming my house buddy and loves to get out of the car and get dirty.

I'll be grateful when the walls are sheet rocked so I don't worry about him falling through the wrong wall and ending up on the first floor.  Yikes.

And today he found his window.  Saylor might object as its in her room…but what happens when she is at school wont kill her.  

(yes I am holding onto his pants with my finger as I take this picture)

Andrew had a long lunch today so I picked him up and took him out.

He is so blasted fun lately.  

I love spending time with him and love when he spills his guts and talks.

…I also love teasing him about girls.  

This is where I drop him off at school everyday and watch him walk away.  Honestly…it was yesterday and he was in kindergarten getting on the bus in Virginia.  (sniff sniff)

Now this kindergartner…she better not grow up too fast…because it frightens me.

She was a moody miss this morning and hated how I did her hair for crazy hair day.

He face shows her emotions really well.

Another big sigh on my part.

I braided her hair last night in tiny braids to make it wavy for today.  It turned out more cute than crazy.

Is it bad to admit I want to buy her a crimping iron???