"Snowing"

Our family went up to Mt. Charleston on Monday since Dustin didn't have to work and the kids were home from school for President's Day. We thought it would be a good opportunity to get some "snowing" in. It was such a beautiful day up there, very mild. I hate the cold and snow is not my favorite, but I do enjoy that we do this every year. We always have a great time and more importantly the kids LOVE it!!

Dustin and Scotty

Karley, after she had just gotten done taking a ride down the hill.

Dustin and Scott enjoying a ride together. Look at Scott's face, he was lovin' it!
Leah, Scott, and Madison.

I have no idea why I'm craning my neck like that! Not comfortable!

Oh yeah, now I remember... I felt like I was going to slip down the mountain.

Dustin with two of his babes.
I love my snow buddies!!

Paigey-girl getting ready to take a turn with the sled.

Karley hiked to the top of the hill with her cousin's Alex and Asher(you may remember them climbing on our lake hike also) I guess they love climbing mountains and scaring their parents.
Madison laying in the snow.

Maybe she wouldn't give up the pole or maybe she was catching a free ride courtesy of her cousin, Asher.

We couldn't find any of Scotty's beanies so he had to borrow one!

Karley, Scott, and Dustin heading to the meadow for some more fun.

So much fun!!! We had hot cocoa and Winchell's donuts after we were done sledding.Yumm!!! My kids are already begging us to go again but I'm not sure if it will happen! For sure we'll go again next year, though!

Happy Valentine's Day

Our little sweet-hearts on Valentine's Day 2008

I know not every one celebrates Valentine's Day but I really love this holiday! I try to make it special for my kids so they know how much we love them.

Scott, Madison, Paige, and Karley in their Valentine's shirts. I know this won't last forever and someday Scott will say "you expect me to wear that?" but I love Valentine's and so I will do this for as long as I can get away with it.

The cute place-mats I got from Target. I'm going to use these every year to put their Valentine's on from me and Dustin.I like to get my kids a small gift each year on Valentine's. I usually get them a small box of chocolates or a cute t-shirt. I decided instead this year to get a box of chocolates from See's(nothing but the best for my family) for every one to share and since my kids are really into Target gift cards I got them each one except for Scott. He got a Valentine's Elmo book and a t-shirt.

Part of my gift to Dustin was a frame with different openings so I needed to snap some pictures this morning since I've been a slacker and my kids have all had runny noses.

Not quite sure what I'll do with the pictures yet or which ones I'll use but it was fun.

I just love Valentine's. I'm sure my neighbors must think I'm crazy since I was outside this morning in my robe and slippers snapping pictures.

One last picture before the girls head off for school.
Scott taking a break, exhausted from all the picture taking!


I hope every one is having a wonderful Valentine's Day. Take this opportuntity to tell every one you LOVE just how much you care!

The Story of US ...part 1

I wanted to write out "our story" in celebration of Valentine's day but this is a long story so I apologize but I have to tell every detail...

I met Dustin in January of 1998. We were both dating other people and we went on a double-date to see the movie The Wedding Singer. We spoke very little that night probably just, Hi I'm Leah, nice to meet you, that sort of thing.

In March I bought tickets for me, my boyfriend, and my best friend, Amber to see Madness! Between the time I purchased the tickets and the night of the show I had broken things off with my boyfriend. Amber was going to meet me at my house so we could go to the show together but when she got there she had Dustin with her. They weren't "together" but she really liked him. I didn't care, I was surprised she had brought a date but I was so excited for the show! I was FREE and single and I was happy to see all of my friends and listen to some great music and have a really good night!

The three of us had a fun time on the way to the show, I think we were all pretty excited to go and we found we had a lot of things in common as we talked on the way.

When we got there Dustin saw one of his friends and ditched us, just kidding... and me and Amber went to mingle and didn't see Dustin again until later in the evening! I remember feeling like every one I knew and loved and cared for at the time was there that night. It was like one big party and honestly one of the funnest shows I had ever been to. When Madness started playing Dustin had joined back up with us. We danced and danced and had the best time. A guy came up to me and asked if I wanted to get on his shoulder's and Dustin, who barely knew me leaned over and told him to leave me alone. I thought Dustin was a really nice guy. After the show we went to Denny's and when Amber went to the bathroom to powder her nose me and Dustin just started chatting it up. I didn't feel any pressure since I wasn't interested, I just felt I had met a new friend and we had a good time together. It was a special night!!!

The next day at work I told a co-worker about the show and that I had met this really cool guy named Dustin.I told her I'd probably never see him again but I had a huge smile on my face when I was telling her about Dustin. Maybe a teensy, tiny crush?!?

Now this is where the story gets interesting...
Fast forward to May when my oldest brother was getting married. I had been up at the temple with them taking pictures all evening and I had planned on meeting the new man in my life(not Dustin) at a show later that night. I got tied up with the pictures and by the time I got home and called Amber she was too busy to go with me. I was bummed cause it was already getting late and I didn't want to go alone. She said why don't you call that guy we went to Madness with, Dustin, and I probably said something like "Oh, heck no I don't know him, why would I call him?She said hold on and she three-way telephoned him. I was dying, I didn't really know this guy, I wanted to go see my new crush, and she was three-waying him. I felt so embarrassed. She said, "Dustin, remember that girl, Leah from Madness?Will you go with her to a show at the Huntridge?" I know Dustin felt stupid and so did I since it was just so akward. He said "after I get off work I've got to go home and talk to my Mom, I haven't talked to her for awhile." Yep that was the best he could do. He told me he'd call me later. I found out that he had a date that night with someone else and he was breaking it off with her to take me out! AWWWW! He picked me up and we went to the show. It was OK but we had fun talking and joking around and it never felt weird besides the three-way phone conversation earlier.
We just clicked, I had so much fun with Dustin and it was like we had always been friends. We laughed all night and while I was sitting in the theater he leaned over and kissed me. I always said he SWOOPED on me cause it just came out of nowhere. I wasn't expecting to get kissed that night, not by Dustin. We were afraid to tell Amber that we had kissed and I think we were even more worried to tell her we would probably start seeing a lot more of each other. We left the show since it was lame anyway and on the way home he asked me, "do you want to go eat or do you want to go make out?" I was kinda impressed at how BOLD Dustin was and I liked that he didn't beat around the bush, he liked me and I was beginning to like him. Let's just say I wasn't very hungry that night......

We actually ended up driving somewhere and Dustin chatted my ear off until 4 in the morning. Seriously I had never dated a guy who wanted to tell me so much. I was loving it but I did end up nodding off in the car. I just wasn't used to talking for that long and staying up that late.He felt really bad so we made plans to go out Friday night.

My friend got married and I invited Dustin to come to the reception with me.What a dumb plan, huh? We went to the reception and while he was talking to some friends from highschool I told my friend, Kim, that I was going to marry him. I just knew that early on! I locked my keys in the truck I was driving that night and it ended up being a huge bummer since my Uncle had to come and pick us up. Dustin left his new sunglasses in the truck and so he called me on Sunday and asked if I could bring them to him. I went over there after church and when I got there he acted like he didn't even care that I had come over.I'm thinking he thought I did it on purpose just so I could see him again. I was bummed. It was weird and I promised I would never call him EVER, EVER again and I didn't!!! He called me a week later and told me that he had started a new job, he had been busy and he wanted to see me again so I decided to give it one more shot! I'm so glad I gave him that second chance.
* just a side note, Amber was very happy for us and so excited when we told her we were getting married.
We spent every waking moment together after that!
We got married the following January and we've just celebrated our 9th anniversary.

Dustin and I in the beginning.

We went on a double-date with Kourtney to Red Robin. We are exchanging mints that's pretty romantic, huh?

Sealed for Time and All Eternity

2000



I love you Dustin, Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Hike to Hoover Dam

We went hiking on Saturday at Lake Mead with my family. It was such a beautiful day it would have been a shame to stay indoors. We hiked for 3 and 1/2 miles alongside the lake and through 5 railroad tunnels down to Hoover Dam. It was gorgeous!

Here is one of the railroad tunnels. It was amazing... and dark.... and spooky! Just kidding it was really cool!
There were a lot of biker's, runner's, and people walking their dogs. This is the first time I had ever even heard about this hike but it was so worth it and I'm so glad that we went, I really do love being outdoors with my fam. My big brother, Andy, the leader of our excursion (just check out that walking stick, that makes you official) with my SIL Victoria, fellow hiker! My Mom took some really great pics http://one10th.blogspot.com/
Our CREW minus Scott, he was getting pushed in his stroller a ways up. He's such a primadonna!

Three little monkeys climbing on the rocks!
Three little monkeys getting yelled at to GET DOWN!The kids climbed these rocks so fast. By the time we caught up to them their cousin, Alex had already made it to the top!

Madison and Paige squinting for the camera. They have such beautiful squints, don't ya think??? or maybe Paige just spotted one of Nevada's rare birds, that might be it!
Karley and Paige exploring! "Peace out, Mom, I'm on my way up this mountain!"
Me and Dusty Boy

By the end of the hike we were all a bit dusty and tired and blistered and whiny! But what a fun hike and we couldn't have asked for more perfect weather. Some of us wussed out and hitched a ride back to our cars and Dustin, Andy, Hannah, And Victoria's friends hiked the 3 and 1/2 miles back. What a bunch of trooper's. I think next time we go we'll bring our bike's and go to the dam and back. Any one interested?

We're BACK...

...and feeling better every day!!!


Sorry to bore every one with another post about sickness but that's about all we know right now! Last friday I went to the Dr. and found out I had tonsilitis. I'm still on antibiotics and feeling much better. Madison had to go back to the Dr. and was put on antibiotics for bronchitis, Karley's ear is doing much better and she's very happy to be back at school, Paige still has a runny nose but she's back at school and doing well, Scott had to go back to the Dr. on Wednesday for double ear infections and his ear drum also ruptured on Sunday morning. Dustin escaped this "round" of sickness, luckily!


Scott loves his binky but after the ear infections he's barely even touched it. This may be a good time to "wean him" from it! I'm not quite sure if I'm ready to give it up though(since it's mostly for ME, right?)
We've been feeling just a little couped up so we decided to take the kids to the mall and get out of the house for a bit. Madison with her new outfit from Build-a-Bear, check out the glasses on her doggy, SOOO CUTE!! She had a choice of anything she wanted from the mall(within a certain price range, of course) and this is what she chose! I just love the glasses!

Karley had totally worn out her skateboard so while we were at the mall we checked out a skate shop to see how much it would cost for a new deck. It was only about $20. so we left and I said maybe we'll do that for her for Valentine's. We usually just save stuff like that for holidays or special occasions but Dustin wanted to do something special for each child, so he talked me into it. It's hard for me to explain this but we barely EVER go to the mall and we NEVER say to our kids"just go ahead, pick out anything you like and we'll buy it for you!" It's usually more like "we can't afford that" or "not this time" This was going to be a special night! SOOO Karley got her new deck from industrial and right when she got home from the mall they went right to work getting it put together!
Karley is so proud of her new skateboard and she brought it to school for show-and-tell.

After visiting build-a-bear, Paige wanted to go and look at shoes! If any one knows Paige, you know she's a shoe-a-holic. Me and Dustin laugh because most "women" kick off their heels right when they get home from work, but not Paige! She gets home from school and walks straight to the closet to put high heels ON!!!
She spotted these "beauties" and just had to have them! Her very own "high heels"!! She tried them on and just started beaming. Dustin looked at me like "That's the gift, Don't you dare tell her no!" I'm such a practical shopper but tonight was not about being practical, tonight was about having FUN. I clenched my teeth and took her up to the register since she wanted to wear them out of the store. We were loving Paige's new attitude walking through the mall. I wish every one could have seen it, I've never seen her so excited or smile so big!

This has nothing to do with the mall since Scotty just sat in his stroller the entire time. He is too young to really WANT anything besides naps and food and fresh diapers. I'm sure he was just grateful to see the outside of the house just as much as the rest of us.

I check on him every night before I go to bed and I just love watching him sleep!
I could just pull up a chair and stare at him all night! He's always in a different position and he's usually done something funny with his blanket or clothing or SOCKS! I just love sleeping babies!

OK so it was such a great night!! Dustin is so much fun and I love that he has such a youthful spirit! The best part about the whole night?!? My kids were so grateful for what they had recieved. We asked them where we should stop for dinner and karley said "OH No, we are going home and eating ramen, you guys have done so much for us tonight!" I LOVE her! I know it sounds cheesy but my special gift was watching them pick out their new treasure and seeing how thankful they were! I know they won't forget how much fun that was and I don't want to forget either!