Update

Well, it is been FOREVER since I've posted anything. We've done a lot since I've last written in August. I guess time got the better of me and I slacked off as well. Sorry.

Christmas was a blast. Sarah was totally into Santa Clause this year. She's also in preschool and loves her teachers at Melody Lane. She's the tallest and youngest in her class. She's very bright and is looking forward to starting kindergarten in August this coming year. Sarah is writing and loves to draw, cut, tape, and glue things. Santa was so smart this year and gave Sarah a roll of her very own tape to use since she was using all of Mom's. She liked this idea a lot and mentioned to me Santa should bring her some tape every year.

Daniel got tubes put into his ears Feb. 1st last week. He's sleeping much better now :o). It's about time, too. Poor little boy had ear infection after ear infection. After a really sick bout on our cruise, I said that was enough and took him to an ENT and the following week surgery was scheduled. Daniel did very well and is on the up and up. Thank goodness for tubes!!

Daniel is also learning how to do many things. His favorite thing as of late is throwing. He's very good at throwing balls, socks, shoes, sippy cups, sister's toys, and anything he can get his little hands on, down the stairs. He has pretty good aim too. Future quarterback? Perhaps. He has also learned where his nose is and how to make plenty of animal noises. His favorite noises to make are a bear (grr!) and an elephant (presses his lips together and blows really hard, usually just making his hair fly up). His very curious and very smart.

On the cruise Daniel managed to change the combo on the safe in our hotel room. We had to call security to come and unlock the safe. Then he managed to change the combo on Nana and Bumpa's suitcase while on the boat, which resulted in Bumpa breaking the lock off the suitcase in order to get back into it. Well, things couldn't been worse.

The cruise was a blast!! We went to Disney World for 2 days before we left Tampa for Belize, Grand Cayman, Roatan, and Cozumel. It was wonderful seeing so many places and getting out of the cold Utah weather for warmer climates. It was a blast having all my siblings, their spouses and kids, and my parents there as well. It was a big family reunion. We look forward to the next one...perhaps a few more years away so we can save enough to afford another fantastic trip.

I auditioned for the Stake Musical (The Music Man) here in Hyde Park. I am casted in the role of Mrs. Squires. A pick-chick again! Yeah!! I think this will be a lot of fun. I'm excited to meet new people and become more intergrated into the stake/ward since I'm new to Hyde Park.

Now Valentines Day is approaching. I can't believe how quickly time has flown by. I wish it didn't, yet it does. Now, onto other news. I'm starting a new diet. It's called the Dukan Diet. The science behind it is pretty solid and makes complete sense to be as well. So, I've started a new blog about it. I'll weigh in tomorrow and off I'll go on living a new way of life (diet wise). I'm pretty pumped up about this and think this will be a good change not only for me, but my family as well. No more preservatives, no more refined sugar, no more carbs (ok, carbs are a yes, but are limited). Wish me luck! (www.nataliedunkandiet.blogspot.com). My goal is to update the blog once a week to inform everyone of my progress. And since I'll be updating that blog, chances are I'll be twice as better at updating this blog as well.

Time has flown by!!!!

Well, time has just slipped right past me. I can't believe it! Daniel is a full blown crawler. I can't believe how fast he moves and how quickly his little hands get into things! I have to hide things and lock things up. I really didn't have to do that with Sarah--she was more content. But not Daniel, is a little mover!!

Sarah had a wonderful 'Tangled' birthday party. It was what she asked for. It was great. I made sourdough and ciabata bread (long and tedious process) and made her cake. I labeled all the foods with characters from the show. It was a lot of fun, but a lot of work! She got a ton of presents too! She's a spoiled little 4 year old, but she's worth it. Pictures will be posted when Becca gives them to me. My camera pooped out, so I have to depend on others for pictures.

Daniel got his first haircut! He looks so much older!! I can't believe what a haircut can do to a little baby.

BEFORE

AFTER

The house is coming along great. Jordan and I have been busy, busy, busy! The Parade of Homes is September 9th-17th, but we must have everything completed by the 6th. And we need to close on our house as well. Whew, it's a lot to do. Jordan and Jon (bless his heart) did our sprinkling system. Uncle Dave back-filled it with top soil and we're ready for curbing. We're getting that on Monday. Wednesday we're laying sod. Monday we get carpet and a kitchen backsplash. The painter is coming tomorrow to stain the banister and the front door as well as work on touch ups. Jordan and I need to seal the tile. The wood floor is done (hallelujah!). And I'm working on sewing curtains. Like I said, we've been busy. And with two kids, it makes things extra hard. But, there is a light at the end of this house building tunnel. We'll be moving in after the Parade of Homes and we can return to our lives before we decided to build. It's been a great experience, but a very time consuming and hardworking one. In the end I know it will be worth it. Pictures of the house will come soon, too.

Daniel is Crawling!

Daniel is crawling now!!! It took him 10 1/2 months, but he's doing it!!! Yeah!!! I bet he'll be walking here pretty soon.

Sarah is into face painting. So I've been putting my artisitic abilities to work (not that they're too good anyway) and have painted her face as a butterfly more than four or five times now. She enjoys it, so that's all that matters.

Daniel is shooting up like a weed. And he's a comedian! He loves making faces and then he'll continue to pull the face until someone laughs or pays him some attention. He's not shy, just like his sister. *Sigh* I have my work cut out for me yet.

I must say, however, that I have the two cutest kids there are on earth! Sarah with her off the wall sayings and Daniel with his faces. Surely he too will say off the wall comments and we'll just laugh and laugh and laugh.

Sarahism of the week:

Sarah: Nana, I love you.

Nana: I love you, too.

Sarah: So I peed in your toliet.

House Update

Well, the house is coming along! Yeah!!! It is so great to see things moving right along. We should have paint on by the end of this week and then we start on flooring!! So excited. Jordan is smiling (his usual cheesy grin) as he's carrying a mirror into the house for us to see if it's big enough.

Anyway, back to the house. We're also prepping the yard for sprinklers and landscaping. Jordan and I are going to do all the work (yikes!) but we're looking forward to it. The Parade of Homes is coming up in the next two months and we have plenty to do to keep us busy.

The house is black in the picture because tomorrow they plan on stuccoing the house. Then they do the rock. I can't wait!!

On the other side of things, we're still remembering to have fun. We've been to Bear Lake more times this year than we have any other year--thanks to the 50 minute drive vrs. 3 hour drive. Kids and Mommy can handle the 50 minutes much better than the dreaded 3 hours. Sarah loves riding the horses at Bear Lake. She's always asking to go and stay the night, but she handles things well when we just take a day trip.

And...drum roll...Sarah has learned to go on the tube behind the boat! She's such a fish! I wonder who she gets that from....? Well, the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree, does it? She's very much like her Mom in that sense and opposite of her waterphobiatic father.

Daniel is growing right up! He's such a weed! He's not crawling yet, even at 10 months, but he's sure trying. I give it another week or two. Then, I'm certain of it, he'll start walking in just a short amount of time. He has such good sense of his feet, it'd surprise me if he wasn't walking soon after crawling.

Well, that's about it in a nutshell. The summer has been great! I'm so glad I can stay home with the kids and be a more active part of their lives. This is all I've ever wanted and I'm so blessed!

Summer Fun

Well, this summer has definitely been a scorcher...NOT! It's been the coldest spring/summer I can ever remember. This weather reminds me of the Alaskan cruise Jordan and I took 2 years ago. Despite the rain, we've managed to spend time at Bear Lake and enjoy the short moments of sun we get.

The house is coming along great! We've been building now for just over three weeks and already the roof is sheeted! My uncle Dave has been working very hard and fast, so has my cousin Chris. Jordan and the electrician are working evenings to get the wiring done (which it almost is!!) and soon we'll be sheet rocking. I can't believe how quick things are moving along. We're on the fast track to the Parade of Homes.

Daniel got his 9 month pictures done. Liz did a fantastic job (always!!). My little man is growing right up and I can't believe he's almost 1 now! Wow, time sure flies. This time last year I was preggers and living in SLC with Sarah while Jordan was working up here in Logan. Seems like forever ago, yet just yesterday.

I love the picture of Daniel eating Daisy's ear. She's such a good beast and Daniel is eating whatever he gets his tiny hands on! I have to watch out with him, cause he eats everything!! I catch him trying to eat shoes all the time. I'm going to have to start hiding them.

Daniel isn't crawling yet, but is very close. He's trying to figure out how his feet work in the crawling process and occasionally will go on his knees. Once he figures out he has to use his knees to crawl, he'll be off--then I'll be very worried! I can honestly say having a late crawler isn't the end of the world by any means. I like this stationary stage he's in. I can set him down and now worry about where he'll go and what he'll stick in his mouth. But, oh, those days will be short lived now.

Sold!

Well, we signed the papers today and lot #27 at Foothill Heights is ours! Yeah!!! Jordan and I are building a custom made home in Hyde Park, Ut. We're so excited. We over look the valley through the front of our house and we'll have a nice secluded backyard looking straight up the mountains. We're so excited. More pictures will be posted as we move along.

I've also been busy sewing. I've chosen some colors out for my new house and have made...not blankets...not curtains...but pillows! I do need to iron the one, obviously. Best part about these pillows? You can turn them around and get different look. Pretty neat if you ask me. I'm way excited!!

Sarah-isms

Me: Sarah what happened to your bow? It's missing.
Sarah: It winded away.

Me: Sarah, get your jacket on, it's cold out.
Sarah: Catch me the coat. (I'm fairly sure she meant, 'throw me the coat.')

Cousin Abby came to visit after we returned from Arizona and upon seeing Abby, Sarah said this: Abby! I never see you again!! (Pretty sure she meant: I thought I'd never see you again!)

There's more where these came from. Sure to post more soon.