So Lucky

I was probably in 6^th grade before I realized not everybody has the same things going on at home. My daughter is in 2^nd. Like a normal morning Ria was lollygagging and I told her she had better get going or I was going to have to beat her, I was kidding. Rianne turned to me in all seriousness and said "Mom did you know there really are parents who beat their kids like for real they hit them"! I told her I was aware that happened to some kids. Then, she said "I'm so lucky I have nice parents"! We are so lucky to have her too!

We are also very Lucky that the Leprechaun found us on St. Patrick's Day! He really tricked Ria this year, who would have thought to look in mom and dad's closet for a shoe!

Heath was more excited about chocolate coins than anything else.

Brant also took a "top o' the morning" breakfast in to work; green egg-ocean (German Pancakes) made into an Irish Flag.

 Later that night we had a "Pot O' Luck" with friends! So much food and fun!
Annette sporting a party Prize!

We even caught the cutest leprechaun!

 Ria also had a good time practicing her Irish accent. I must admit mine sounds more like a pirate!

 And of Course we handed out March Madness brackets. This year the bottom bracket fills a goodie request for the winner. Annette has clinched the bottom and because she is an amazing cook, Brant is really hoping to close out a top spot!

We feel so Lucky to be here in Flagstaff and to have made some great friends!

Hangin’ 10

Doesn't seem that long ago when we took our March fourth To Eternity but look how young we are!

That was then

This is 10

I would totally do it again!   

So much has happened and we still feel like newlyweds! Time fly's when you're having fun; we've had so much fun!

Bring on the next 10!

 

We love ESPN so here is our top 10

10 Education moments Brant & Jana bachelors, Brant's masters, Ria starting School, Jana starting on masters

9 Our Life IS a musical

8 Playing/watching sports together

7 Creating a home with our own traditions and buying homes 1, 2 &3

6 Enjoying so many family get-togethers & Making super friends!
5 Baja Cruise (Kayaking)
4 San Francisco Trip (driving the coast)
3 Getting our little miracle Man
2 Going from husband and Wife to Dad & Mom
1 Being Best friends (FOREVER)

For our anniversary I thought we should spend it on the beach, well a trip to Hawaii wasn't in the budget but we got our share of sand... hiking to "The Wave"! It is such a cool Rock formation and here we are hangin' 10!

 

 

LOVE (totally) BUGS

My love bugs!

Two of the loves of my life!

 

Heath was my little cuddle bug!

And Muffin Man 

We made heart muffins

and heart pie (YUM)

I hope everyone enjoyed some time with the one's they Love, I know we did!

I've felt this way for quite some time but here is my attempt at expressing it! I love holidays but I must say Valentine's is one I don't really get. Don't get me wrong I am of course glad my marriage wasn't arranged (or I would probably be married to Tweeb Gladwell). It is fun for the kids and it does break up the monotony of life which is why I enjoy holidays so much!

I am not a diehard Romantic and February 14^th holds no real sentiment for me. The fact is it turns into a day of obligation, like I should do this but my daily life is filled with should do's. I figure if I show love for 364 days of the year then maybe one day a year should be "be a jerk day" where I get to gripe and complain and say everything that BUGS me, maybe hit something too! For those of you who think I must just be bitter, or that I'm mad at my husband because I didn't get roses, absolutely not true! Brant does everything a wonderful husband SHOULD do! He shows me he loves me EVERYDAY! Those little moments that say I love you for no real reason, we call them Random Tuesdays! I'll take Random Tuesdays (no matter what day they come on) over one February 14^th!

Expect to See Big Things…

From our brand new 46" HD TV! We won it in a drawing at the Chiropractic office! We are still pretty shocked & more excited for March Madness than ever before! Our sad TV has been replaced! Check out the before and after!

I never win anything, which is all about to change, (not that I'll be buying lottery tickets) but I'm going to try and be more like my daughter! This spring, we let her watch the Secret. You have probably heard of it but the general idea is putting positive thoughts out and good things happen. I posted Ria's basketball game awhile back, she told me that when they played in the dome she would score a basket on the big hoop, I said I hope so that would be cool, she corrected me with it WILL be cool I'm putting it out the universe. Well she did score a basket in the dome! A few weeks ago, we were running late somewhere, I said "sorry Ria, I think we're going to be late". "Mom we'll just get all green lights", I was amazed as I hit 8 green lights in a row! I asked Rianne how did you do that? "I just put it out to the universe" she said. Well in December the Chiropractic office entered us in a drawing for a 46" HD TV.

You guessed it Ria put it out and we now have a sweet TV! Every time we'd go in she'd say there's our TV, She said I just keep picturing them pulling out our name! Well Thursday the day of the drawing, we were having dinner the phone rang, Ria said so matter of fact "that's them calling to tell us we won the TV". It was! I still can't believe it!

I now have a list of things I'd like her to put out to the universe for me!

Oh the Faith of a child! Thank you Ria & of course, Dahl Chiropractic!
The next big call we get IS going to be telling us we are going to adopt a baby Until that big call happens, I'll just be picturing my healthy, skinny self holding $$$ in my clean new house!

Snow What!

Can you tell this is just out of our front door!

4 snow days and 4 feet of snow! We are so grateful for wonderful neighbors who helped clear our driveway and get the heat back on! (Thanks Marty) Brant was gone with work and I was snowed in! Our weekend plans to Phoenix were ruined and I felt stuck. If you know me at all I absolutely hate feeling stuck. Brant returned on Saturday, to a very clean house, I might add. I didn’t know how he would get his car out, so after I dug myself out, 

We headed in town to dig Brant's car out.  We almost couldn't tell which car was his!

Rianne was a big help.  Heath just played on the hill on the side of the car.   

I was hoping it would be a surprise but after an hour and a half, he got home and finished (he didn't have that much left). We were glad to have him home!

This week when the fog came in, I felt that stuck feeling again and Brant was again out of town. So I headed down to Phoenix the beauty of Flagstaff is after 2 hours down the road, the snow disappeared and cactus started showing up! We went to the temple on Friday, enjoyed the beautiful weather; walking along the temple grounds. Ria took the picture

Back at the hotel we took the kids swimming. Saturday it was off to the Zoo with friends!

The animals were so active, we enjoyed watching the monkeys. The kids loved feeding the giraffe.

What a wonderful well deserved weekend (Thanks Larsen’s)!

She shoots She Scores

Rianne has been playing in a junior basketball league, 2^nd to 4^th grade. She is one of the youngest. Today at practice there was a jump ball between two girls and the coach said "who wants it, pull". Ria ran over to the jump ball and proceeded to pull it from the two girls. She is pretty aggressive. Most people ask if I have a hard time not coaching her, the answer is YES. I am so grateful for patient coaches, so these little kids can have these experiences I couldn't do it! I am also grateful for Brant and how he keeps me in check when I ask "can I tell her this?" and he says "well how are you going to say it?"

Saturday her team was the "Couch Potatoes" at the NAU Girls basketball game. They were also the half time entertainment, with a little Scrimmage. It was a little therapeutic for me to watch her playing with her friends! I never thought it would be a good idea for me to have a girl but He does know what is best and I am so glad He sent her to me!

She loved running through the tunnel and playing the game. Her favorite part: dribbling the court shooting and making a basket on the big 10 ft hoop in the dome!

She had a great night drinking pop, eating wings and playing with her teammates. Dancing to see herself on the big screen was a bonus! She was sure they would put it on TV. She was moving too much so we didn't get great pictures.

Check her out playing defense


She has no idea where the ball is but her girl was not getting it. She almost got hit in the head on the rebound.

Heath wishes he could play. They were giving away old jersey's he found this one and was so excited to wear uncle Chad's numbers when I told him that was Uncle Chad's number he corrected me and said "uh mom there are two" After Ria's practice she was telling me about a drill and Heath said "Did you get to play defense" (I guess he is defensively minded like his dad).

He has been so funny lately. Heath and I were driving home from town; he says "Mom are DEERS nocturnal?" (I don't know how to spell that). I said "I don't know usually we… He interrupts me and says "I know Santa's are but are all deers nocturnal? (He is SO Funny). Right now he is really into asking how to spell things and writing it down it is pretty funny to listen to him play mad libs with Brant "Dad give me an adjecdiv (sounds like a medical procedure). Brant answers "Red" Heath asks "how do you spell that?" "R-E-D" Heath writes it out completely illegible then tells Dad "read that sentence I wrote".

Kids are the BEST! We've had 2 snow days and they have played so good together. They have also cleaned the stove & microwave, made dinner and they have fought over setting the table (every meal). Tomorrow is a snow day too, what will I give them for entertainment? Perhaps the bathrooms although Ria has been requesting making bread! I wish they could do my homework!

Christmas Magic

Heath was so happy to have a Christmas tie like Daddy.

We enjoyed Christmas Eve with are friends doing the nativity, (only this group can make finger food so delicious)! I was so impressed Heath's friend Dillan read 'Twas the night before Christmas to us, he had the whole thing memorized!


We had a fabulous Christmas, @ home with our little family it really was just a perfect day!

I love that both my kids are believers! I didn't love it at 1:30 (Rianne), 4:30 (Heath) or 6:00 (together) but the day was fun taking our time opening presents playing with them and then moving on it stretched out the morning. They were so excited with giving and that made it even better. Heath was set on giving dad a big stapler with blue and silver stripes; I finally talked him into a big one that was blue. Rianne was very happy with a gift from Santa that she didn't even ask for, He is so good. (Fashion art studio) Rianne was very happy about new cowgirl boots.

Heath was very excited about a Batman house from Santa.

Brant gave Heath a Phineas and Ferb shirt with a guitar, Heath is convinced it makes him look older ("I look like a teenager in this")

It was a simple Christmas. I have loved the extra time we've had together. I felt more rushed this year, I was nervous that it wouldn't be as good. I love that we really felt the spirit of Christmas and I feel so blessed for the Reason for this Season. His life is the greatest gift ever given!