Happy Birthday Sweet and Sassy!

Happy No.2 EllieBoo!

We absolutely love this little girl!

We are so very fortunate to have you in our family!

Your brother adores you.  He says he wants to marry you.  (We're still trying to explain that one to him.)

happy, content, cute, silly, thoughtful, sassy, sweet, smart

a parrot, a puppy, a kitty, a duck

a sister, a daughter, a friend, a peace maker, an angel

AmaZing!

precocious

{making aunt jen's rolls}

{playing with a roll of tape}

Hey, I would do this one again!  It kept him busy for 30 minutes!

shiny and cheap

Have you seen the wreath that Eddie Ross made last year out of ornaments?

Mine's not as pretty, but it was cheap!

If it falls it will break, but it won't shatter.

I bought plastic ornaments on clearance last year, and also some at the Dollar Tree.

In the Spirit of Thanksgiving

Have you seen this yet?

I love it!

{Here's some trivia for you:  Paul and I came up with Dallin's name due in part to this man (Dallin H. Oaks).  Most people here that we have met think that "Dallin" is a unique name that they have never heard before.  They have a hard time pronouncing and spelling it.}

I am thankful for so many things.

Paul

Dallin

Ellie

family

friends

food

steady income

home

car

health

happiness

the Gospel of Jesus Christ

priesthood

babies

lotion

tender mercies

soap

water

airplanes

and so on and so on

Through all the trials that life brings, I am thankful for the many blessings that life comes with.

Martha trees

hopped over here and found a super link for some more cute trees

{image via marthastewart.com}

"enemies" and friends

"Bad Guy" Jacob and "Super" Dallin

Speaking of dirt...

ornament 2009

I avoided pushed back making more important Christmas things on my list and made our Christmas ornaments for this year.

{fun and easy instructions}

worm house

found this

then later, this

following the trail of dirt, wood, paper, pencils, and water

I found this

after a bath (while mom cleaned up the kitchen)

dinner was served

while Ellie threw Jell-o all over the just-cleaned floor,

Dallin spilled Jell-o down his underwear

at the park, in NOVEMBER

We are loving this weather!

70 degrees today!

It does NOT feel like November.

While I was at a service project this morning, Paul took the kids to the park.

Paul (and Dallin) took some great pictures.

A great picture by Dallin!

Spraypaint Pillows!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

One day, I will have a bigger garage (bigger than the small, packed, one car space that I have now) and I will say:

"Hey ladies!  I am going to do this SUPER cool project......

{image via: v and co tutorial: spraypaint pillows}

....so come on over and make them with me!"

and then we will laugh and paint and have so much fun hanging out in my garage!

okay?

okay.

billy rat pretend mr. incredible

"I love you , too, Mom!" -Dallin Duncan

"Daddy is my best friend" -Dallin Duncan

(socks on hands = "pretend mr. incredible")

a joke, by dallin duncan

Why did the chicken cross the limb?

Because he didn't have any chairs!

me asking dallin a joke:

Why did the chicken cross the road?

dallin's answer:

Because he didn't have a car!

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Dallin likes to call names lately (although he insists it's NOT calling names).

His favorite phrase:  YOU BILLY RAT!

And sometimes, if we are lucky, he shortens it:  YOU BILLY!

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Dallin: (lifting up his fist) Punchers going to punch you!

Me:  And you will straight to time-out if you punch me.

Dallin:  (still holding his fist up) But I will not punch you, Puncher will punch you.

Me:  Then Puncher will go to time out!

Dallin:  (realizing that he, too, will go with Puncher, changes the shape of his hand)  It's not Puncher any more, it's Mr. Moo!

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Dallin LOVES his little sister.  He is starting to call her by his own nicknames:

Elle

Ells

I just die of the cuteness when he says these!

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I love you, too, Dallin!

growth chart

{growth chart}

woe is me....i have no cricut

so i bought the vinyl on etsy

Veterans Day

Some pictures that we have on hand:

Paul's paternal grandfather Clinton Lee Duncan

Paul's dad Stuart Von Duncan

Kristen's maternal grandfather Robert Lavern Breseman

Kristen's maternal great uncle Albert Boyd (Uncle Red)

Kristen's paternal grandfather Robert Que Steele

Grandpa Steele's platoon

KITCHEN UPDATE

a little antique white paint on the beadboard

a touch up or two or three

a couple things on the wall

THEN complete!

did you notice my COMPLETE color change?

i like to keep things exciting around here

i LOVE it

it's bright and calming

it makes me happy

dance, magic, dance

she's still got moves

even in her brother's shoes and socks