8 Years

Today is our 8 year Wedding Anniversary. We celebrated a few days early so we could have a little 2-day getaway. We dropped the kids off with my parents...

and went to our favorite Italiano Restaurant...


and ate this...


mmmm... Charles' looks better... but I think mine was bigger...


Then we checked into here...


then left to go see this...


The next day we went here...


then here...


and brought home this...


Charles was in heaven with his Buff Moz and Salami and Prosciutto on Ciabatta.


Then we went here... And got in bad moods...


So we went to see this... to cheer ourselves up.


We have been so spoiled this year with having time together without the little ones. We had a week in Arizona, a week in Mexico and now this. I feel like we may have maxed out the "Grandma privileges" for a while. Thanks Mom for taking them so much for us. We have REALLY appreciated it. Maybe next time we'll send them to CA. You cool, Sherrie? :)

Charles, thanks for 8 crazy-fun years. I love you. :)

4th of July

Hi, This is Jaden. This is about the 4th of July.

This is Bradley. He is scared of fireworks. This is why I took the pictures of the fireworks. And it's why I am writing this blog.


These are fireworks. They are smokeworks. I like to call them smokeworks because they smoke and they're fireworks.


These are what they look like when they are not doing it anymore.


These are what they look like when my dad put them in the trash can of water.


These are loud ones. These are really loud and cool. I mean those are really cool, but not loud. They can turn colors. I took that one when it's yellow.


This is Bradley looking out the window. He was too scared to stay outside.


Kaleb is silly. He threw one of the poppers up at the house.


That is me throwing the poppers.


This is Bradley throwing the poppers. He came back outside because we weren't doing the loud ones.


This is so funny. I taught this to Bradley. It's so funny that he does it with his socks. That would hurt!

That is when we did the Sparklers and we were singing "The World Has Just Begun."


These are our favorite. Period.


Daddy is helping Bradley with it because he is scared.


That is so funny, Kaleb. You are so silly!

Calamity Jane

C.J. Ashton
Oct. 21, 1996 - July 6, 2010

Although she was not "technically" my puppy, she was special enough to me to memorialize. Ironically, CJ was born on Kare and Curtis' birthday, and passed away on Julianne's. She was 2 months old when she came home to Kare and Alli on Christmas of 1996. She was half lab, half cocker-spaniel, and the prettiest little puppy I have ever seen.

The really cool thing about getting a dog (something my mom swore we would NEVER do) was that our good friends, the Collins' also got a puppy that Christmas... Junior. Junior and CJ were brother and sister.


I remember when we would come home from school to find no puppy in sight. She used to somehow hop over the 6 foot wooden gate and run to the Collins' house to find her brother. It was amazing to me that she knew her way there.

I remember how cute it was when she could follow this list of commands: "Sit. Lay. Roll over. Play dead. Shake. High five. Up." She was so awesome. Was it Julianne who taught her all of that? I'm sure Dad had an important roll in it. I remember him having intense training sessions with her.

She was Mom's faithful morning-walk companion.

She was always so excited when anyone walked through the door.

I was really amazed and touched, when I would come home after about 4 months away at college and she was just as excited to see me.

If you were ever trying to sleep in, she would always scratch on your door. Not to get you up, but to join you.

I remember David taking CJ and Junior to run free at the field at the church. I was always so nervous that he gave them so much freedom. But when he whistled, they always came. Man, CJ was a fast runner.

She was Mom and Alli's guardian when Dad had to move to Utah without them Alli's senior year of High School.

CJ had a rough time during her last days. Mom, Dad and Alli did a great job of taking care of her, and making the hard decisions.


She was very very sick. She hadn't eaten in days, she barely drank any water and whatever she did drink, she threw it right back up. She didn't have enough energy to make it out the doggy door or go up and down the porch steps.


Mom read that vet's won't ever tell you what to do for fear of getting sued, but this vet reassured Mom and Alli by saying it was definitely time to put the poor puppy out of her misery. The vet said she was pretty sure CJ had cancer, and was very yellow with jaundice when she was finally put to rest.


I wish I had a picture of Kare and Alli with their puppy, but I don't. Although I am anti-pet now, I am glad we had CJ. She was the spunkiest, prettiest, and coolest puppy ever. And it was extremely sad to see her go. But we are all happy that she is no longer in pain.

We all miss you, Pretty Girl.

Jaden and Forrest Jr.

Jaden and his cousin Forrest Jr. were sitting in the pool and they were taking turns playing "the Dad."

This is the conversation Charles overheard:

(Forrest is the Dad, and Jaden is the kid.)

F: You are NOT going to the party tonight, and you are NOT going to the club.

J: Why not?

F: Because your girlfriend will be there. And you can't kiss her.

J: Well. I'm GOING. (Swims to the other side of the pool and comes back)

J: I'm back.

F: Did you kiss her?

J: Yeah!

F: That's it! You're grounded! For a MONTH!


(Now Jaden is the dad and Forrest is the kid)


F: Can I go to a costume party?

J: Is your girlfriend gonna be there?

F: Yeah.

J: Well you better not kiss her!

F: I'm GOING to! (Forrest swims to the other side and comes back)

J: Well? Did you kiss her?

F: Yeah!

J: Fine. You're grounded for TWO months!

Go Take a Hike!

While Mere was here visiting last month, we decided to take the kids on a hike. We went to... this one place that I can't remember the name. Ummm... we'll call it the "Pleasant Grove/Lindon exit... 200 S. ...canyon." Yeah. That sounds good.


It's a gorgeous trail that Mere and Julie showed me a few summers ago.


It follows a stream almost the whole way so there's always water to stop and play in, or throw rocks into.


We only went as high as the waterfall, which took us almost an hour.


This is the view from our highest point, near the waterfall.


We stayed there and took a rest,


...re-hydrated...


...and taught Mere how to make alien hands.


Then on our way back down we stopped again for a snack. Poor Kaleb was not very happy with his food options.


Jaden and Bradley didn't mind.


Our descend was a lot quicker. It would have been even faster if Bradley didn't insist that he walk by himself. It was actually more of a run.

I think Jaden looks cool walking with Mere, with one hand in his pocket.


Kaleb finally cheered up a little.


It was a great trail for the kids and I think they enjoyed their first hiking experience.

Kaleb's Award

My first year of Preschool is finally over. My teachers made our class perform this like, "Broadway" singing program, which was followed by each of us receiving some special kind of award.

Well. I have worked very hard this year on ONE thing in particular. Being quiet. I did such a good job at this, that out of the entire school year, I only said one word: Mayflower. That's it. Not a single other word. My communication was a head nod or a head shake at best. Pretty impressive, huh?

Anyway, somehow, I made it through the long and "wonderful" singing program. Barely. Then it was time for the awards. I mean, awards are a big deal, right?

They called my name...

I bravely walked across the stage...


and accepted my award...


I couldn't hear much over the applause. My family is crazy. So I sat down to examine my paper.


What?! The Most Talkative Award?! Are you kidding me?

Man!

Do you know how hard it is for me to be quiet?

Just ask my mom and dad!

I worked so hard, all year long!

All for nothing.

No appreciation.

What a waste of time.

I am so done with this Preschool!


What? What's that? We get to celebrate at McDonalds?


Peace! I'm outta here!

Jaden's Award

Jaden is just finishing up Kindergarten. He did very well, made a lot of friends, and was overall, just a good student.


He earned a "Soaring Eagle" award. It's an award for students who have gone beyond the regular requirement of Kindergarten... or something like that. His certificate was nice...


...but Jaden was all about the medal. Way to go Jay!