Let's go Ride a Bike!!!

 Derrick learned to ride a bike today!  Hooray!  He has been asking to learn for a few weeks now, but every time Dustin went to take off the training wheels he panicked and said "No".  Today he finally did it!  He was so excited to "ride with the big kids"!  Go Derrick!

 Using the breaks! : )  This is a big deal and one of the first things Dustin likes to teach the kids and is constantly reminding them of for a few reasons.  1:  They have ruined tons of shoes stopping themselves with their toes...sigh!  2:  Afer Alex's "near death experience" (as my mom likes to call it) zooming down the hill to the duck pond and crashing in the rocks, knowledge of breaking with the pedals is vital!  LOL!

 Our cute little Derrick and his short little legs!  LOL!

 The same day Derrick learned to ride a "Two-Leeler" (that's how Derrick says it), Zeke learned to use the pedals!  This makes me happy.  It's so frustrating watching them try and scoot those big bikes along with their feet, when the pedals are so much easier.  Yea for Zeke!

Dustin learned to ride the scooter...Ha Ha.  He didn't know I took this picture, and he totally biffed it at the end of the sidewalk when the wheel hit one of the cracks.  I was dying!

Gentlemen

We had to speak in church today for the first time EVER in our 10 years of being married!  Seriously I can't believe we have dodged the bullet for that long, but somehow we did. I was so proud of Dallin and Alex.  They did a great Job!  Dallin got up there all by himself and said his talk loud and clear.  He gave me one little look before he started and I though for sure he was going to bawl, but he did it!  So sweet.  Alex had a little help from Mom, but did a great job as well.  I had to laugh when he got a little nervouse and stated to mumble, so I whispered "talk really loud and clear" and then he said into the microphone, "TALK REALLY LOUD AND CLEAR!"   Funny.  Our topic was Bravery.  I of coarse balwed the whole time, and for no reason.  I tried to write a funny talk with no personal stories attatched, but you know me...blubber!  Dustin got up there at the end with a few min. to spare and tried to smooth my hormonal outburst over by saying that our family was a little emotional this week because the RedSox didn't make the playoffs!  Seriously!  That guy always has a joke up his sleeve!  I wonder where he get's it????  Who knows.  All in all, it was a special day and I was proud of our little family of gentleman.  Well gentleman for an hour least : P

"Camp Out!"

I went to work the other night and came home to find lots and lots of boys having a "camp out" in my family room!  Dallin's first "friends" sleep over.  He was over the moon!  Dustin was a true good sport.  Fed them all, partied with them and even hauled all the mattresses up from the spare rooms so they would have a good sleep!  Bless his heart!  They had a blast, and even slept in pretty good the next morning too!  This reminds me of the "Sand Lot"  all those boys 'Camping Out' telling each other wierd stuff!  Lol! Fun times!

Day number 2

Ok....I first had to give myself a one day test to make sure I was seirious, so today marks day number 2!  I am officially on a diet, or as I like to call it... a get healier time to start working out plan...lol!  Maybe if I post it and keep track I'll have to be a little more accountable and show some results huh!  Welll it's worth a shot.  Wish me luck!  Protien shakes here I come!

P.S.  All the junk food that was in the post about coupons is still neatly tucked away in my storage room for guests (who are not dieting) and school treats!  Hey I can't be the "no-fun" mom who shows up with carrot sticks and water right? LOL!  I will be eating the "Healthy Request" soup that I got for FREE!  20 whole cans for FREE!  Whahoo!  Still loving the coupons!

To Grandma's House We Go!

We got to spend Conference weekend in Salt Lake and Grandma and Grandpa Herbison's House!  Can I just say I love going home!  I love going home to my Mom's house.  There is just something about it.  I didn't realize how much I miss the mountains and the seasons and even the smoggy air until we got out of the car and the cool air hit me.   We had a great time!  Here are some of the highlights...

Grandma and Grandpa Herbison and the boys.  They had so much fun with them.  Grandpa showed them his garden and let them pick tons of carrots and tomatoes...Yumm!  Grandma had lots and lots for them to do.  (She has now resorted to handing out money for prizes...sweet!  They loved it!)

 We went up the canyon for a picnic and to see the colors and to take some bridal shots of Tara...  She looks so pretty!

Took some pics of the kids too...  Dallin still has those baby teeth...LOL!

                                                                                                                                                               

Alex is getting  bigger every day...

 

 Derrick has that smile on his face wherever he goes...

 Zeke is as full of life as ever!

This was the best we could do at posing four little boys for a picture

 

 This was more like it...DOG PILE!!!

Say Cheese!

This is my favorite picture.  FAMILY!  I love them.  The food was great, the colors were beautiful!  I love being in the mountains!  Don and Jenni came with their grandson,  it was so good to see them too!

 

 On the way home we stopped in at Dustin's mom and Dad's to say hi and of coarse we got spoiled with food again!  This is Dustin's Grandma Alldredge.  Four Generations all together---sweet.

I have officially joined the "Coupon Club".  For a few years now I have been diggin my heals in and making excuses as to why I though coupons were dumb and a HUGE time consumer, but a  few weeks ago I stopped into Albertsons on my way home from work and got behind a lady that paid I think $1.39 for 9 boxes of Mac and Cheese and I had to questions my coupon convictions.  Was a little time really worth the beneift of saving money?  So I decided to get on the coupon wagon and gave myself a two month trial period.  I made a goal to stick with it and do all the deals and clipping and organizing into a binder for two month, keep track of what I saved/spent to once and for all decided if I was just being stuobborn or if there was really something to this after all.  Well I have now been "on the wagon" for 4 weeks and I can't believe all the money I have saved!!  Plus I am having a ton of fun in th mean time.  I love to get a bargain, and this satisfies both the craving for shopping and bargain hunting and actually stocking up the shelves with things that usually cost a ton of money.  This has been my best deal so far...I got all of the things pictured above at Smith for a grand total of $27!  My origianly sub total was $120 so I was stoked when it went all the way down to $27!  Even the lady behind me was impressed.  She said, "Now that's how you shop with coupons!"  So much fun!  I am hooked! (Not to mention I now have all my kids "class treats" for the next six months!  Wahoo!)

Dustin' Shelves!!!

Dustin' Shelves is finally up and running!  Dustin has launched a new "business" making shelves and other home decor!  Something he has always been good at and enjoyed. He's had tons of people over the years ask him to make them anything from shelves to toyboxs to entertainment centers (mostly me LOL!) and he does such a great job that he's decided to make it a "small" but hopefully sucessful business!  The stuff he's kicked out of his workshop in just the past few weeks has been way cool and he's sold all of it in a day or two and has orders for more!  Way to go Dust!  Check out his website www.dustinshelves.com to see all that he can or has done!  I can't wait to see what he builds next!  Wish I could keep it all.  Way to go Dusty!

 

 

10 Years and Counting!

Today makes our wedding official ten years later!  Whew!  We've come a long way huh?  Four kids, one black dog, moved to St. George...and a bunch of stuff in between.  LOL!  Happy Anniversary Dust'!  I'm glad you are mine and I am yours!  Love ya!

10th Anniversary Traditional Gift:

Tin or aluminum. The pliability of tin and aluminum is a symbol of how a successful marriage needs to be flexible and durable and how it can be bent without being broken.

10th Anniversary Contemporary/Modern Gift:

Diamond jewelry. A marriage that lasts ten years is as durable and beautiful as a diamond.

10th Anniversary Gemstone:

Diamond jewelry or blue sapphire.

10th Anniversary Color:

Silver or blue.

10th Anniversary Flower:

Daffodil. Trumpet-shaped daffodils represent joy, cheerfulness, and happiness.

He Did It!

Derrick's first day of Pre-school was eventful to say the least...

He was all smiles and couldn't wait to go to school!  We got there, took his picture and everything was great...until we got inside.  He was a little intimidated and didn't want to stay.  Ran out of the school and I had to chase him down and DRAG him back in there.  I finally just had to leave him crying.  I sat out in the car until another mom told me he was fine.  I felt like I had wronged him or something...sad.

This is what I found when I went to pick him up!  Smiles from ear to ear!  He had a great time!  Hurray!  He loves school!

A side note:
We were on our way home and he started digging through his backpack to show me all the things he got to do and he found some crayons and "lipstick" (lip balm) from who knows when.  Dallin used this backpack a few times and he wanted to use it too.  Anyway, he got all excited and said "Thanks Mom!  You put these crayons and "lip-stick" in just for me?!? You are just the greatest!"  I felt like a great mom...he was happy...life is good!!!

*Special thanks to the crayon/"lip-stick" fairy for making our day! LOL!

Our canning jars runneth over!

One Hundred and Ten QUARTS!!!  (That's the BIG Jars!)  Need I say more?

                                                                                                                                                                 

The Church farm had a surplus this year of peaches and were giving them away to anyone who would take them.  Whoot!  So while I was at work Saturday, I asked Dustin if he would take the boys and grab some to can.  I canned a ton last year and we've enjoyed them all year long!  The boys love them so I figured why not?  This is what I came home to... Four HUGE laundry baskets busting at the seams!  They did an awesome job and we had our work cut out for us!

  

Dustin and I canned for four days straight!  We bottled, boiled, dehydrated, you name it we did it!  Grandma and Grandpa Herbison were down to bring Julie back from her knee surgery and Grandma made yummy cobbler.  If you could do it with a peach we did... There is nothing like looking at all those jars on the counter though and knowing you have something to turn to when times get bad.  They turned out beautiful!  We are all stocked up again for another year!  Wahoo!