Wennon

From the time that Tyson could talk, he's always called Brennon "Wennon."  This last few months he's had such a jump in his vocabulary, that it's made me kind of sad to see him growing so much so fast.  We went in for his Well Child Checkup as soon as we could after the move and insurance and all that jazz, so it ended up being on Wednesday.  The Dr. made a comment that he has such clear speech, much better to understand than most his age.  I couldn't agree more!  Last night as we were praying as a family, it was Tyson's turn.  He likes to ask "What's next?" all the time, so Randy started thanking Heavenly Father for each child by name.  When he came to Brennon, we all assumed he'd say "Wennon," but to my surprise said it correct.  And again my heart broke at how quickly the time is going.  No diapers and better speech all in the same week.  Stop growing, babies!!!!

Game Night

Jamie and Cameron are the first friends we've made here.  When we lived in the rental, we lived 7 houses away.  Now that we've moved, we're only 4 away.  It's a mere 40 steps from my front door to hers.  Not that I've counted:)  Since first meeting them, Jamie and I have painted her powder room, crafted, shopped, done lunches, done some "book clubs," decorated, and just hung out.  It has been so much fun having a friend SO close.  Randy and Cameron have built shelves in the garage (with more on the way) and gone shooting.  Last night they made an ammo run at 9:30PM since everywhere is running out the moment it gets placed on the shelves.  All of this has been fun, but the most fun that we have happens after the kids are in bed.  Since you can see our home so easily from theirs (and vice-verse) we each put our kids to bed and get together for games.  We've played Settlers of Catan- Cities & Knights three times now after 8:30PM.  It's kind of funny, because we're the ones that introduced Cities and Knights to them, but they're the ones that have won all three times.  We've also played Quelf, Acquire, and Wits & Wagers with them.  This is fun!  We kind of always have a Saturday Night Date in a way.  One where I hope to win at least once:)  One more reason I know we were lead to the Tri-Cities!

Done!

With Tyson potty training himself so early, we never really worried about nighttime diapers.  We continued to just put him in a diaper at night after the first two nights of pee.  With the move from Wyoming to Washington, and then renting while we were here, I didn't worry about trying him out without a diaper because I didn't want the house to stink while we were trying to sell it, or the rental to stink because he was having accidents.  So, now that we're in our own home and things are settling down (knock on wood,) we tried him without one three nights ago.  And we're done!  :)  No more diapers in the Dirks' home.  Ever. Again!  Wow, that feels so nice.  I can't believe we're past that stage after 11 years.  Lovely.  The weird thing is, on Tyson's second night going commando, Brennon actually peed his bed.  First night ever!!  He was so confused about it, too.  He was telling us (in his cute way of telling stories) that he woke up wet.  His eyebrows were pulled down low, his arms were flailing, and his voice was one of awe.  He had actually peed his bed and couldn't remember doing it and didn't know why he woke up wet.  It was so weird.  That just made Tyson's wet-free night even better!  The next milestone we'll come up on is when Tyson goes to Kindergarten.  My babies are growing up:(

Early Morning Breakfast

So, we've moved over into our new house. It was so nice only having to move 5 houses away!!  Not to say that it is all done, but it was easier than the move we made from Wyoming to Washington just 3 months ago.  I love that we were able to roll the metal garage shelving on our furniture dollies down the street so we didn't have to take them apart:)  Randy is a genius!  Since we didn't get our keys until it was almost dark on Valentine's day, we made an initial haul that night and then made the big push on Friday.  Saturday morning we didn't have a clue where anything was, so I packed up the kids and headed to Winco for doughnuts.  While in line at 7:15 AM with a dozen doughnuts, a man asked me in an incredulous voice, "Who eats doughnuts this early in the morning?"  With eyes raised at his weird questions, I said, "Um... my kids!"  wondering "who doesn't eat doughnuts in the morning?"  And, if they don't, when do they think it's acceptable?  Then my eyes traveled to his grocery load.  BEER!  He was buying a case of BEER at 7:15 AM and thought my purchase was weird.  And then I realized, he must have already been drunk:)  For the record, I think any purchase of beer is too early!

Happy Valentine's Day 2013

This year we got a house for Valentine's Day!  After a week of trial after trial trying to close, it finally because official today at 4:00 PM.  We are moving in!  Happy Valentine's Day 2013:)  PS. Randy will never be able to top this year's gift!

Marriage

I've heard a lot recently about how sometimes a girl will marry a man just like her Dad.  Well, yesterday we were telling our kids that Randy and my Dad were born in the same hospital, went to the same Elementary, Jr. High, High school, College graduating with the same degree.  I guess my Dad is just so awesome I didn't stray from a single detail:)  My parents have been married for 33 years this July.  I know we won't stray from that detail either!

Egg Whites

I found out a few years ago that if you use egg whites as a mouse while your hair is damp and ready to dry, it will make it curly.  I just brush my wet hair, use one egg white almost like a gel, and then crimp while I dry.  Next thing I know, curly hair that lasts all day and washes out the next.  It doesn't smell either.  There was actually a girl that sniffed my hair one time when I told her how I did it:)  Anyway, Ty was snuggling with me tonight, kind of crimping my hair in his cute little hands.  "Mom, why is your hair so spokey?"  Um... I don't even understand a word you just said!  Who knows what "spokey" means?  Not me!

Frames

Shelby's glasses age 3-5

Shelby's glasses age 5

 

With the move and new insurance, Shelby's eye appointment this year got pushed back a few weeks.  She has needed some new glasses for a few weeks because her last pair got chewed by Bella.  The weird thing is that those glasses that she had from 3-5 didn't get ruined once.  Can you imagine that?  Not once!!  She got them the week she turned three!  I can NOT imagine Tyson having glasses and not having them get messed up once.  Then she turns five and gets some pretty cute glasses and then has to get another pair because of the dog.  When we moved to Richland, she actually found the first pair and wore those for a few weeks before a pin came out and lost a lens.  Today, as she was picking out frames for her new glasses, she tried on about 10 pairs before choosing the ones I had her try on very first.  They are so cute!!  The funny thing is, when we were checking out, the Doctor actually said that our insurance pays up to $139.  Her frames only cost $9!  So, when we could have the most expensive frames in the store, we got the least expensive.  The 5 year old glasses cost us $150 a piece.  YIKES!!  Talk about bad luck!!  Let's hope we have good luck with these frames.  No dog might be a great thing for her vision!

Grown Up

Keilie 2005  Man, I love those eyes and flawless skin.  And psycho pigtails:)

Every time I pick up Keilie from Sylvan Learning Center, without fail, she asks me what we're having for dinner.  Tonight I told her we were having leftovers.  A couple minutes later she made the comment that she couldn't wait to grow up.  I asked her why, curious to hear what she had to say.  "Because, when I'm older I can have Ice Cream even if I don't finish my dinner."  Sad that she knew she wouldn't like dinner tonight because she hadn't loved dinner the last three nights.  Better get some new recipes:)  For the record, she's right.  There are even times when I have ice cream for dinner!  Being grown up is awesome!!!

Upcycle

I got the idea to make these storage containers on Pinterest.  Since we use about 2-3 cans each month of our food storage, I can't wait to line my linen closet shelves with them.  Can you imagine the clean look of identical storage containers?  *Swoon*  The cans are free and the twine only cost $5.00 and will last for three cans.  Careful, I'm feeling crafty again!  I just need to find a cute project to lable these bad-boys!

Warts

Remember the episode in my life where I had planter warts on the bottom of my foot that plagued me for 6 months?  Each night I took an hour pealing off the layer of acid I put on the night before, plus some of my actual foot.  It was quite painful!  And embarrasing.  And painful!  A couple months later, Caden complained about one on the ball of his foot. We went in and had the most simple procedure of them painting on some "beetlejuice" on the wart and then it took care of itself.  I promised myself that I would always go that route when one "popped up" in our family (had to show my lame side there, didn't I?)  It was so easy.  Painless!  Well, a week ago, Brennon complained about his big toe hurting.  It was a HUGE wart!!  So, I made an appointment with a dermatologist hoping to convince them to do the same thing.  They have "other procedures."  Either they scrape off the top and inject meds or they cut it out.  Um, why don't they have the easy way?  So, they put a little numbing gel on his toe while we waited in the small room with expensive equipment every.where for an HOUR while it numbed.  The kids were good, but BORED!  Brennon asked why they didn't have toys.  Um, yeah, why don't you have a few at least?  Then the doctor came in and tried to be funny, but his assistant just made it uncomfortable.  They did not have a good relationship, so she'd roll her eyes at everything and pretty much mock him while he worked.  They they started to scrape the wart.  Brennon was saying that it hurt, to which their reply was, "No it doesn't.  This doesn't hurt."  I wanted to scream, "HECK YES that hurts!!"  I was trying to comfort him without saying out loud that these psychos were trying to help.  Then, the arguing began between Dr. and assistant about which size bandaid they should put on.  HELLO!  Get me out of here.  I don't care about that stupid bandaid.  Just let me leave so I can find a new Dr.  Hopefully one that will have beetlejuice!  What a nightmare.  Brennon asked for us to never go back.  I was glad to say, "That's one promise I can make that I have no chance of breaking!!"  There's something to be said about working relationships.  Maybe that's why Randy and I work so well.  We just don't argue!  Or I just do it all:)  Just kidding!

Boiling Syrup

I have been pretty sick the last four days.  I have felt incredibly nauseated and have had only a few bites of anything.  Even the thought of water has me gagging.  The only benefit to something like this is the weight loss:)  Even now feeling slightly better, I'm not sure I'd do it again!

 

This morning I walked down stairs feeling pretty shaky and weak.  I made it to the couch before collapsing with a beating heart and quick breath.  The kids were begging for breakfast, so I asked Caden to get them toaster waffles.  He placed the waffles in the toaster and the syrup in the microwave.  I was barely coherent when the scream erupted.  Blood curdling screaming.  Caden had put the syrup in for too long.  The boys had gotten it out to give to him.  The bottle melted.  Boiling syrup splashed onto their legs and then hardened.  And burned!  Thankfully Brennon had long pants on.  Ty didn't fare so well:(

With adrenaline coursing through my body, I swept Ty up and ran him upstairs to the sink (wishing the downstairs bathroom had more than a pedestal.)  He was crying, begging for cold water.  However, because it had hardened, it wasn't relieving the burn.  Randy came in by this time and helped peal off the sugar.  I was doubled over on the toilet.  Not only had I used more energy in the last few minutes- or four days for that matter, but I was already nauseated.  I couldn't handle watching him peal it off and leave my sweet babes legs burned and welted.  Hours later, this is how one leg looks.  I took it with my phone, so it's not the best quality, but maybe that's just fine.  It looks horrible in real life!

 

In Caden's defence, we always put the syrup in for a minute and a half.  However, that's when it's full, not a small line at the bottom.  He did it how I told him, just didn't realize it was that much only when the bottle is full.  After collapsing in my bed after the initial shock, I then cursed myself for not simply getting the breakfast myself.  I definitely wouldn't feel so drained now!

Cousins

Brennon & Payton

Payton is my sister Danielle's little girl.  She was due before Brennon, but Brennon ended up being born just 7 days before her.   I wish we lived closer to cousins.  I grew up having parties regularly with mine.  I know most of them pretty well and still communicate with them often.  I hope these two have more memories together.  Maybe they'll be like me and my own cousin Brennon.  There was a period of time we were going to marry each other:)  Not to worry, there was no kissing involved!

Keilie's Christmas Wish

Keilie brought home a Christmas Bulb with her Christmas Wish from school today.  She said she's glad that her teacher didn't throw it away, she wanted to keep it for always.  I asked what made this craft so special that she'd want to keep it forever & ever.  "Well, we had to think of a Christmas wish and how it would affect others."  So, I asked her to read me her Christmas Wish...

My Christmas Wish

My Christmas wish is that there will be world peace.  This affects others by allowing people to do homework in silence.  That is why I wish for world peace for Christmas.  By: Keilie Dirks

My sweet, thoughtful, naive little Keilie!  I'll try harder to have peace in our home so she can do her homework in silence.

Ty's World

After walking outside, Ty looked at the half moon and said, "Mom, looks like Jesus only wanted to turn it on a little, huh."

After noticing it had gotten dark, in a matter-of-fact tone, he said, "Well, I guess Jesus went to bed."

Ty wanted to go to bed early last night.  He crawled into my bed and said, "Mom, I want it to be nighttime in here.  Will you turn off your moon light?"  I guess that's what he'll call the lamp from now on.

Joking around with Ty, I asked why his pillow stunk.  "Well, I peed on it!"  I didn't really think it stunk, in fact I love the baby smell after he sleeps, so this caught me off guard.  I got a bit stern and asked if he really peed on his bedstuffs.  It was hard to stay stern when he started to really giggle and say, "I'm sorry, Mom.  I just love peeing on my bed."  He knew he was joking.  He's got a quick whit at 3.  He's following in Randy and Caden's footsteps already.

While in Utah the past few days, he wore a shirt that said, "If you're looking for trouble, you found it!"  After my mom read his shirt to him, he came to me with the cutest tone of wonder and surprise and said, "Mom, if we're looking for trouble, we found it!!"  Boy is that shirt made for that little boy!  It could also use the words stubborn, adorable, or love.

I slept in the boys' room while at my parents house.  One morning, while trying to pry myself out of bed, Ty asked if we could play hide-and-seek.  I said yes, fully intending to count to 20 and stay in bed for 20 minutes:)  He hid at the bottom of my feet, started yelling "Seek, seek, seek" and jumped up with a BOO!  I like his version of the childhood game much more than the original.  Especially since I got to stay in bed for 20 30 more minutes.

Henry Ford Museum

New World Systems Company Party

Henry Ford Museum

January 19, 2013

 They rented out the museum just for us.  Cocktails and appetizers were served from 6:30-7:00.  We then were seated for a magnificent dinner for (seriously tasty) Chicken Breast, Fillet Mignon (too pink for my taste.  I like mine practically burned,) potatoes, and asparagus.  The dessert bar was open to as much as you'd like of Lady Fingers cake (which is what I had,) Ice Cream Sundaes (Randy's fave,) and a Soda Fountain with every kind of drink you could want.  They also had an open bar.  We got water:)

 This car looked as if it came straight off the winner's circle.  There was still confetti stuck to it.

 Randy needed this pic for his dad.  Bill Elliot is his favorite. 

 This prototype could hold our whole family.  Maybe not comfortably, but would fit us just the same.  I can just imagine the person sitting backward in the middle kicking those sitting forward in the backseat.  I'd never buy this car!

 I had to take a picture next to the Reagan Car.  That man holds a special place in my heart.  He gave my mom and dad the money they needed to save their little girl- even if for a short time.  I found out the week before that the funds needed for Keilie to have the liver transplant came from him on January 16, 1986.  She went into a coma on the 17th, they found a liver donor for her on the 18th.  She was life-flighted to Omaha where the liver arrived just after midnight on the 19th.  She was a "4" on a scale where "5" was dead.  It was pretty special for me to stand next to his car on the day 27 years after my little sister's life was saved because of him.  She was able to be with us for 9 more months.  President Reagan is one of my hero's.

 It was pretty scary standing next to this.  I can't imagine the horror of seeing this in real life when seeing it on a mannequin was so scary.  My life was in no danger, but I still felt the terror.

 Henry Ford paid $500,000 for the restoration of the bus where Rosa Park made a statement.  She was no longer going to cave to the white people.  I was able to sit in her exact seat.  I can't imagine that era.  I'm so glad I didn't live in a time of segregation.

 Randy wanted a picture to show how empty the place was.  We truly had the place to ourselves.  It was wonderful!

 For Caden:)

 For Darwin.  Growing up on a farm, these tools were a big part of his life.  How grateful we are for tools that make life just a little easier.

 Thomas Edison's signature in cement.  We were unable to go to his laboratory, brought to the museum and restored.  It was closed until the summer season.  When asked if the lab was how it was when he created the light bulb, he said, "No.  It's too clean."  It would have been neat to see the lab.

 Car Seats.  Clearly things have changed over the years.

 Don't ask me how they got these trains into the museum.  I really couldn't see how.  Look how HUGE they are!!

 Probably the cutest conductor ever!

 Snow plow, anyone?

 One of the first McDonald's signs.  Next to that is one of the first Howard Johnson's signs.

 Chitti-Chitti Bang, Bang.

Notice the small oil vials on the side.  Randy loved this.  Can you imagine needing to stop to grease your car all the time?  Yeah, me neither.

 

On the flight home talking to the man in the next seat, I found out that his Grandfather was the caller for the square dances that Henry Ford had.  He loved to dance!  He also told me that during a time where money was scarce, but Henry Ford had some, he'd go to antique shops and ask how much the owner thought his store was worth.  He'd then write a check on the spot, fill a moving truck he had with him, and take it to the basement of this museum.  There is more stored in that basement.  More that we will probably never see.  In this case, I'm glad Henry Ford was a hoarder.  It was the most fun I've had at a museum in a long time.  I just wish my husband would let me read more about what we were looking at.  Randy just wanted to browse, I wanted to study.  After all, what's the use of going without kids if you don't get to enjoy the activity?  :)

Downtown Detroit

Downtown Detroit, Michigan

 The walk to and from the Auto Show was so beautiful.  There are some beautiful buildings in Detroit.

 The brown one was so cool.  Surrounded by taller grey ones, it looked so extraordinary and wonderful.

 This was a park terrace that has probably been in a movie or two.  Simply gorgeous.  And across the river is what?  Oh, right.  Canada.  Isn't it kind of crazy that it dips down South of a city in the U.S.?  I didn't know it did that until this trip.  Obviously not, or we would have gotten our act together and got that driver's license!  Still not over it, as you can plainly see:)

 Not sure what this signifies, or why it doesn't meet at the top, but it was huge and cool.  I had a thought that it might have been the inspiration for a "portal to another place" in a book.  That's what I see when I look at it, anyway.

Randy loved these five massive buildings.  It's the headquarters for GM with a Hilton hooked onto it.  HUGE!  They just look so neat.  Wouldn't it be wonderful to see something so grand in your mind and have it actually become reality?  I loved the time we spent downtown.  Although, by the end, my feet were incredibly sore from the boots I borrowed from Brooke.  We went back to our hotel and took a nap.  On vacation.  For me, that is the best kind of vacation.  Ever!

Auto Show 2013

I flew out of SLC airport on Friday afternoon.  After asking everyone I knew if they could watch my kids, I finally found three angels to take them in shifts.  Probably better that way.  Five kids is a lot if you're not used to it.  In Kimberly's situation, 9 kids!  I couldn't have done this trip without sacrifice from family and friends.  Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!

 If you know me, you know that I love a certain magnetic map with the United States, Canada, and Mexico.  I have quite a few of the western states, with one in Canada from our New York trip in 2005 and on in Mexico from our Brownsville, TX trip in 2004.  There was one state that was a gaping whole in the Midwest, Michigan.  Now it's filled.  However, there was one more magnet we could have gotten if we knew it was this close.  Above and below are picture of Canada!  I was THIS close, and missed it!

 We walked right next to the tunnel entrance.  It was torture.  When we moved to Washington we found out there is a special type of Driver's License that allows you to get across land boarders without a passport.  I had to take my Birth Certificate and answer a few questions and then wait for a couple of weeks for it to come, but other than that, it was easy-peasy.  Randy was the one the found out about it, but he hasn't gotten his yet.  We're still looking for his Birth Certificate.  I could have gone alone to Canada, (believe me, I considered it) but we still wouldn't have been able to get that magnet.  It's a family map, not an individual map-hence the missing Florida, although Randy spent a few months serving his Mission there while waiting for his Visa to Brazil.  We've made a pact that he will have the Enhanced Driver's License by the Company Party next year.  Or else!

 We decided to go to the International Auto Show.  It was opening day and Randy couldn't pass up bragging rites to his family.  Especially Darwin.  Being in Ford capital of the world, we couldn't miss a showing of the newest models of the Mustang.  Low and behold, it was the first car you passed by the entrance.  Funny story, some girl walked by and told her friend that it was a Viper.  I almost laughed in her face.  Even if Darwin weren't so into Mustangs, I would know the difference!

 I was intrigued by Electric cars.  The future is so close it feels!

 Car enthusiast with his girl. 

I was just there for the company.  Without kids.

 Although, I do love the Dodge Challenger.  This one was the most beautiful I've ever seen.  The blue had sparkles.  So did the white.  I would take one of these in a heartbeat.  If cost weren't an issue.  Or seats. 

 This was Randy's baby.  He's always loved the Jeep.  This one was decked out and super cool.

 Had to get a picture of a Viper.  And laugh again at the girl.

 We found out that the more exotic cars were in the basement.  It was quite a bit less crowded down there.  These were the cars Randy wanted to see.  The Super Snake GT 500 Shelby's.  Beautiful!

 We saw this as we were leaving.  It's called a QuadSki.  It is both a 4-wheeler and a JetSki.  It is made for both.  You can seriously drive straight into the water after a jaunt on land and just keep going.  It was seriously cool.  The picture up top shows the wheels ready for water, the one below shows it ready for land.  How cool is that?!  Not enough for us toe pay $40,000, that's for sure!

 I wanted a picture with my Lova outside showing the sign.  He thought it was lame- hence the laughing.

 And then this face...

Yep, I still love that goofball!  Against all odds.  Forever & Ever.