Dalton Family

Not Ready

2011-03-16T20:37:00.000-07:00

On Monday Cory and I went to Kindergarten Registration for this cute little guy. He was super excited and loved the attention. Cory asked him if he was nervous to do the assessment and he rolled his eyes and said "No Way." While we were there he asked me if he gets to go to kindergarten the next day. He is READY! Way more ready than me! Do I have to send him? Is my youngest really going to leave me? Is he really going to head out the door everyday with his big brother and go to elementary school?? I've always said that I would not be sad when my kids were all in school. I guess I've gone soft. Now I want some time back. I want his skin to stay soft and squishy. I want to snuggle on the couch with him and hide under his blanket.

Yesterday I went to New Beginnings for Young Womens for this little girl! She was also WAY excited! She even got dressed up in a skirt I have never gotten her to wear. She wanted to wear my dangly black earrings and she brushed her hair without me asking her to do it! Before we even got there I could tell she was wanting to become a young women before my eyes. She LOVED every minute of the night. She was thrilled to be introduced and have them talk about her. She told me she loved the speakers talk on hope and faith. She loved the brownie, cheesecake, strawberry, whip cream dessert (all her favorites!). And most of all she loved talking to the two beehives that sat behind us at the end. I watched her talk to them and I could see how happy she was. I wasn't prepared to feel so sad there! I am excited about this new phase in her life. I know she will love it. But I am not ready for her to become a young women!

I hope she always wants to dance and sing together in the kitchen and be silly with me. I hope she keeps laughing at me. I hope she will always write me cards when she is happy, sorry and sad. I hope she always wants to spend time together 'just you and me." Most of all I want her to keep talking to me!

So this week has found me a little too sad. I know it's all cliche' to say I wish they would stay little. But this week it's too much to see them change and grow up so fast.

2010-09-09T10:52:00.000-07:00

Yes I finished it. And not nearly as fast as I thought I would because frankly I didn't love it! I found myself trying to plug through to get to the good stuff. But without saying too much, I am still waiting for the good stuff. I hate to say this but maybe the movie will help me out with that.... But I don't usually like my books made into movies so I might just have to learn to like the ending to THIS story.

So I am dying to know what others have to say about the book. Have you read it?? Did you like it.

I need to know.

I really should start that book club I've been wanting to do so I can get these things off my chest.

a few of the things i love

2010-08-26T22:18:00.000-07:00

I think just for fun (mostly for myself) I will add a few of the OTHER things I love to this blog. I still love to post about my kids and family but there are lots of other things I would love to write about. My two favorite things to do are read and eat, seriously I could survive on those two things. I love to discuss what I read, whether I love it or hate it and whether anyone else should read it. I love to eat, but only particular things. I love trying new recipes and I think I'll share a few of those here. I'll try to take pictures, but a photographer, I am not. Also this past year I have found that I love to sew, thanks to my Grandma's old Bernina. I am NOT great at this and can mostly sew straight lines, but with a great pattern, straight lines can turn into something great... I think. I also love gardening, but you know, this year my garden REALLY stinks and half my flowers didn't grow so I won't be mentioning those things. So....

The Best Green Beans!

Last night after Madey picked some of the green beans from my garden (one of two items that actually grew) I wanted to do something different with them for dinner. So after looking up recipes online I saw a few that said just to boil them with new potatoes. I have never had them this way and it sounded interesting. I happened to have 10 small new potatoes from the vegetable stand on Yellowstone Hwy, left on my counter from several nights ago. Amazing! I never have ingredients laying around that I actually need.
So here's what I did.

1. Diced up 8 small new potatoes.
2. Boiled them in salted water until I could stick a fork in them easily.
3. Added the large handful of fresh green beans to the potatoes.
4. Continued to boil until green beans were barely tender.
5. Drained them.
6. Added a large tablespoon of soft butter and sour cream.
7. Added a splash of vinegar (I used apple cider)
8. Added a splash of worchestshire sauce and Salt and Pepper.
9. Stirred until everything was covered (It was just a light coating of sauce).

And we DEVOURED it! The green beans and potatoes were so delicious, I am going to make them again this weekend. We finished them off today for lunch. Even my picky eater, Emmett, loved them and he dislikes most vegetables as a rule. I thought since green beans are in season you might like to try it too. You wont be sorry! It was Yummy. I wish I had a picture because it was pretty too.
LOVE fresh vegetables!

Home

2010-05-04T09:43:00.000-07:00

We got to go home this past weekend and had so much fun. It's funny how we still call it home and we haven't lived there for 10 years. It still feels like home though. As soon as I take that Price/Manti exit and the overpass takes me into Spanish Fork, I feel different. Always excited to see my family, younger because I just get to chill, happy because I can get a Johnny's coke if I want to and drive up the canyon or down the river bottoms if I want to. Mostly glad I get to sit on my mom's couch and talk and talk to my parents and brothers and sisters. As a bonus my kids get to be ignored and spend hours playing with their cousins in the basement or outside and they LOVE it! I think they forget Cory and I are there. What do they need us for when they have Aunt Lisa to take them anywhere they want to go?

We went home for my niece Hailee's baptism.

She and her mom Melanie looked so beautiful.

It was a great baptism and makes me so excited for Emmett's next month. I hope they both took in everything that was said. Both of Hailee's grandma's gave great talks. Whenever I go to baptisms I think a lot about the gift of the Holy Ghost. I think it takes a lifetime to learn everything about that wonderful gift and how to listen so we can hear it. I know I am still trying.

Hailee's little brother Cash and my brother Ryan looked great too.

I love little boys in ties.

And Ryan did a great job on the baptism and confirmation.

We also went home for a surprise party for my dad's 60th Birthday. My sister Lisa planned the whole thing and it was so fun! He was actually suprised! I thought after we (all 6 of my brothers and sisters and families) left him and my mom in the living room and told him we were headed out early to the restaurant that he was going to catch on that something was going on, but he didn't.

My Dad teaching Emmett one of his favorite things to do.

I thought it was funny that at the party there were so many people we hadn't seen in a while but yet we (my brothers and sisters) all still squished together on the same table and talked and laughed the whole night. This picture was taken at the baptism but it was pretty much the same that night. I wish I would have gotten a picture of everyone! At least of my dad since it was his birthday party! But I never seem to get out my camera at the right time, that's just how I am.I really do wish I lived closer so I could spend more time with them. You know, just drop in on Sunday or go see Simon's baseball games or go for a walk with my sister's and sister in laws. It's hard living away sometimes. It even feels like my brother John and Heather live there since they are always there when we are.
I guess in a way everyone wants to be home.
It's a comfort thing I guess.
I'm glad I live close enough to go home.

A Good Idea

2010-03-22T19:59:00.000-07:00

So every once in a while I have a good idea. Not very often, but you know occasionally it happens. Today when I was thinking about what I could do for Family Home Evening
- I know you're shocked that we actually have those around this house -
at 3 o'clock this afternoon, I kept thinking of the song "Follow the Prophet." Cory and I are sunbeam teachers in Primary and this happens to be the song they are working on. Our sunbeams LOVE this song! I can actually see all their mouths moving when we sing this - even the boys.

( As a side note, I'd like to say that my favorite part of this past Sunday in primary was during this song. The kids march in place for the chorus and wave their fingers when they say "He knows the way." Well, our kids really get into the actions and Tyler always gets carried away and goes right from the marching - into star wars moves. He still sings and everything. But I love watching his facial expressions when he is swinging that lightsabre.)

Madey has always loved this song too. She taught herself to play it on the piano about a year ago and taught the rest of us ALL of the verses (there are nine). So we sing this regularly for FHE.

My idea, after having the song stuck in my head all day, was to assign all three kids a prophet from a verse and have them teach us about them. We found the pictures in the Gospel Art Kit and I helped Conner and Emmett with any questions they had about their Prophet.

When Emmett was teaching us about Adam, I was so surprised the things he taught us that I had not helped him with (he has and has had GREAT primary teachers). I could tell that he loved teaching us.

Madey taught us about Noah and about Daniel. I learned things about Daniel that I hadn't known before and loved listening to what she had to say about them both. She always includes how people feel when she talks and did with these Prophets too. I could feel her testimony of prophets while she was talking.

Conner taught us about Jonah. When I asked them who they wanted to talk about, Conner immediately yelled "Jonah, Jonah" then sang to himself "learned, deep down inside the whale."
Conner really knew his stuff about Jonah too. He knew that Jonah didn't want to do what Heavenly Father had asked him and that he ran away. His favorite part to teach was when the whale threw Jonah up. He even demonstrated with his toy whale. But the best part was that every time he said anything about Jonah, he followed it with "learned, deep down inside the whale." I think he said it like 8 times during his lesson.

So I know this is a long boring post about our Family Home Evening lesson. But I thought it was good - for us- on so many levels.

My kids got to shine.
I learned, a lot.
Cory enjoyed watching his kids teach.
It was almost no prep, for me.
I think my kids learned a few new things too.
And most of all it was successful family time, which doesn't always happen around here.

Facing Fears, Drowning and Perfect Teachers

2010-02-25T19:49:00.000-08:00

I have tortured Emmett and myself in summers past by making him take swimming lessons. He really hated every minute of these and never has gotten use to the idea of going under water. Even though he will play in the water in a hotel or something like that he hates it when you actually try to teach him to swim for fear you will make him dive in or just go under water.

So I knew when I saw the flyer come home from school, about two days at the community pool teaching them water safety, that we were probably going to go to battle about the water again. He did try to get out of it for a long time. But I assured him that they wouldn't make him do anything he REALLY didn't want to do. But I was hoping he would feel a little peer pressure to try new things and join in the fun. I worried that I should go with him and I worried that it would be worse if I were there. I finally opted not to go and sent him on his way hoping he would face his fear and go under water and actually like it.

He came home the first day and said
"Well I had a little bit fun but I am NOT going again," very casually.
I asked him why not and he said he drowned two times. I said
"Wow really two times, did they jump in and save you?"
"Well no, I just drowned a little" he said.
I tried to get the story out of him (knowing it was not nearly as bad as he was saying) but as always with him it's hard to get him to stay on one story line to get all the info. He was pretty calm about it but by bedtime he was still very sure he was not going back.
"I will just stay at the school while my class goes, Mom" he said.
The next morning he was very upset that I was making him go back. He wouldn't even get ready for school.

So I went into school early to talk to his teacher thinking I might have to go with him this time. She was so great, let me just say here how much I LOVE Emmett's teacher, Mrs. Bair. She is the perfect teacher for him. She said right away that he did have a hard time. She said she could see it on his face. She said she stood on the side of the pool right by him and his partner and encouraged him. She said things to him every good mother would say to their kid when they are scared. I was so grateful in that moment that she was there and was able to help him. She has always been able to "read" him and help him in the right way. She laughed when I told her what he said about the day before and put in all into perspective. She told me he had to go swimming again and that I shouldn't go. She also said she would break the news to him herself.

He came home that day and said
"Mom I will tell you what I had, I had a blast!"
"That's great Emmett, what was different?"
He said "Well I didn't drown and I faced my fear."
He even went under the water, bobbing he called it. He said the canoe was the best part and he was so glad he went.

I love when someone else can make such a difference in my kids life for the better. And I am so happy Emmett is finally trying new things

Let's Just Pretend It's Spring

2010-02-20T15:03:00.000-08:00

So the sun has been shining for a good 3 days straight now and I LOVE it. If I just feel it's warmth through my bedroom windows (which fully face the afternoon sun this time of year) or stay in my car and pretend it is as toasty outside as it is inside then... well
I am HAPPY!
I love the sun and spring and while I am mentioning things I love let me add that I love dirt (the kind I get to dig in not the stuff that always lives in my house) flowers, water, the smell of grass, heat, exercising outside instead of on the treadmill, hiking, bar-b-ques and standing in my front yard talking to my neighbors! All things that I am desperately needing right NOW!

But for now I think I will just enjoy the sunshine. Because I heard that it has been snowing in Utah for the past 3 days.

Christmas.. come and gone.

2010-01-09T21:40:00.000-08:00

The best part of Christmas this year was at 5:20 AM on Christmas Morning. Madey and I had had MANY negotiations on what time she was allowed to get up this year. We began discussions on this back in November. Nobody (or I mean Cory and I) wanted repeats of years past, when she stayed up ALL night. One year, the same year Conner was just a baby, she came into our room every hour all night. Last year she at least stayed in her room. This year I said she was allowed to wake us up at 6:00AM, of course she came back with 5:50, 5:51, 5:52, I finally gave in at 5:59. So on Christmas morning I woke up at 5:15 and lay there for a min ute and realized I could hear little voices and squeaking doors. I walked into Madey's room and saw this....

Notice the Christmas lights, Madey has had those up in her room since the first of November. She really is Miss Christmas, she LOVES everything about it and makes it fun for all of us.
Every year I am amazed at how much more fun it is to be a parent at Christmas!! I love watching them.
They tore into their presents of course and and they were all opened by 5:30.

2009-12-22T18:38:00.001-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

2009-11-22T17:05:00.000-08:00

Wow! Can I just say I cannot believe it is the end of November and Thanksgiving is almost here, never mind Christmas! The blanket of snow as we came out of church was a reminder we are all ready in winter up here in Idaho! Yikes, I hate Idaho winters and I have only lived through one ( if we could just convince them to plow and salt the roads I would be a happy woman). But I am determined to enjoy this winter and not hide out in my house. When my kids were younger I constantly wanted an excuse to leave the house, so I would often take them out to just drive around or go get a drink (since I recently stopped drinking soda- that is not as much fun as it used to be). But now all though I still love to get out, I can spend the whole day in and never notice the outside world. Just the regular routine during the school week with all three kids seems to take a lot more time than it used to.

This year homework takes on a whole new meaning. I feel like the kids do almost all their school work at home! We (I include myself because it is WORK) spend a couple of hours a night to get it all done. Most of that time is spent helping Emmett learn to read and I am so grateful for his determination, but he moves at a MUCH slower pace than me and I have to use a lot more patience than I have, to sit next to him and keep at it. But he really is making incredible progress and I am so happy about that. Madey just really learned to read on her own and I don't remember any struggle. It seems everything Emmett learns takes a while to really sink in, but his patience and determination are unmatched by anyone I know. I really think these qualities will eventually serve him well in his education. Madey has been doing a lot of creative writing for her homework and I really feel for her there. (sometimes just putting thoughts to words for this blog can be painful for me). But thankfully she seems to be taking after her dad and writes really well. I do love her history homework though. Sometimes I sneak her history book out of her backpack so I can read it too. Conner is writing his name! YEAH! I love good preschool teachers! He does love school but still tells me every Tuesday and Thursday morning that he is NOT going to school. You have to love the kid for his persistence.

Emmett just finished is physical therapy! YEAH! He met all his goals, but one (the bike). He did really great and I can really see the difference it has made. I think it has helped him with his reading. I know that sounds crazy but its true. He is still in speech and is making great strides in that as well. He still has a while to go in that but I am thinking of pulling him out and trying to do it on my own. Our insurance doesn't cover it as well as we thought and speech therapy is three times the cost that physical therapy is. Crazy. But I think I can do it. He has been taking it for a while and I have a lot of information on it. Emmett has been learning so much this year, its a wonder he gets "free time" at all.

That's my beef with all the homework. Once the kids come home, do all the homework and reading, do there chores, and anything else they have going on like piano and speech (which are the only two things our family has outside of school) how are they supposed to have down time or hang out with friends and family?? Let's just say we have a celebration every Friday!! It's just a faze I know... there's a time for everything.

All that complaining aside, I just have to say I love Thanksgiving. And I love this time of year. I am incredibly grateful for all I have. I have three beautiful kids that I get to help teach. I have a wonderful best friend and husband in Cory. And I have a wonderful family. The example of my mother and sisters these past few weeks has had a life changing effect on me. I hope I can live up to their example. I am grateful for prayer and faith and that those principle were taught and are still being taught to me through example, by many. I am very thankful for Cory's family and so happy that Lily is here to complete it.
And So.. Happy Thanksgiving to All

More Pics

2009-06-12T20:34:00.000-07:00

Just more photos of the fam, since I could not get some of these to down load yesterday.

Family Photos

2009-06-12T08:59:00.001-07:00

We finally had family pictures taken and they turned out SO Great! I love them. They were taken by Lennie Hanson of LM Photography.

I Love you, I really really do!

2009-03-09T21:39:00.000-07:00

So, yes I am just posting something Conner said - again. But this a great way for me to document it and you might enjoy it too. Madey took Conner outside to try out a new bubble blower with a giant wand(it sort of resembles a magic wand). As the giant bubbles got carried upwards with the ever present Idaho Falls wind, he said "The magic bubbles are going to heaven." Madey said "Yes." Very thoughtfully Conner said "I want to go to heaven." Madey said "Why?" and he said "Jesus Christ lives there, I want to live with Jesus Christ." Later when we were telling his dad this story in the car he said it again and he asked me if I wanted to live in heaven with Jesus Christ (he always says His full name) and I said "Yes I would like to, some day and I would like to live in heaven with Madey, Emmett, Conner and Cory." He said "you would?! why?"
"Because I love you," I said and he said "You do??" in his shocked little voice! He sounded so suprised. "You love all of us??" So I guess you can say it a million times a day and there still might that moment when they are suprised by it. I Love you Conner, I really really do!!!

"Old Lady"

2009-03-07T21:31:00.000-08:00

So I know it's been a really long time since I posted anything, so today I am going to blog just to blog. I don't even have any pictures to include. So you just get my ramblings. Today Conner got really mad at me (as he does every day) and as he walked away he said "You... You... Old Lady!" Cory and I looked at each other and said "What the ...?" I tried so hard not to laugh but he heard me and now he's been saying it all day. I don't even know where he heard it. He usually tells me "You not a boss" (since he always says "a" instead of "the") or "I'm going to spank your butt Mama!" I am glad he's finally got new material.

2009-01-25T17:58:00.000-08:00

Grandma's, We wish we could see them everday!

2009-01-24T18:39:00.000-08:00

Madey Emmett and Conner spending a little time with Grandma over Christmas. Emmett is the one who loves puzzles and is very good at them. Conner just has to be involved in everything. Don't ever try to leave him out!! Madey and Emmett are wearing the pj's I made them for Christmas Eve. Don't look too close, Madey's sleeve is all ready coming out! Looks like I need more help, Mom.
I wish the kids could spend more time with their Grandparents. I remember spending half my life at my Grandma Phyllis'. I learned soo much from her and my Aunt Marilyn. I guess we just have to soak in all the memories when we are there. That's why I love how both Grandparents try to spend quality time with them when we are in Utah! We love you all!

Christmas Extras

2009-01-19T18:05:00.001-08:00

My Snow Girl!

2009-01-19T08:05:00.000-08:00

Madey LOVES the snow and wants to live outside in her snow pants. Even better if she could hang out in Taylor's snow fort all day! She got to try Snow Boarding at Kelly Canyon two weeks ago and had the time of her life. They went up on a bus full of 4th, 5th and 6th graders. She had a one hour lesson and then got to try it out on her own with her friends. She said they snowboarded all the way to the lodge, where she ate a dinner of nachos and doritos(so healthy!!). Oh and a hot chocolate that a boy bought her!!
I love Madey's zest for the outdoors. She is always the one to get the neighborhood kids outside playing in the snow or mud. She will push or pull the kids in a sled, wagon, stroller or whatever she can find in the garage.

Cutest Smile in Town

2009-01-13T21:30:00.000-08:00

Emmett spent all day Sunday trying to pull out his front tooth. His Dad finally got it out and now I smile every time he talks. It's so stinkin cute!! He is so excited for himself and he wants to pull out the other front one (also very loose) just so he can "get more money."

The best part of Christmas

2009-01-05T22:14:00.000-08:00

This Christmas was perfect! We had so much fun with the kids all day. We stayed in our p.j.'s and built a Lego truck, boat, airplane and even spongebob squarepants. Later in the day we got to ride behind Tom and JoAnna's 4wheeler on our still snow covered streets. (Definantly a white Christmas in Idaho!). Everyone even like the Christmas dinner of fish sticks and french fries that night. We woke up the next morning and headed (a little slowly) to Utah to see everyone we love. Madey said we had Christmas for 3 days in a row and we really did. Everyone was still around and we got to celebrate all over again. These pictures are of the kids in their new dress clothes from Grandma Dalton.

It's about time I start a Blog

2009-01-05T21:42:00.000-08:00

Well I've finally done it! I started this blog a week and a half ago and I guess it's time to bite the bullet and actually post something on it. I have been wanting to start doing this for a while now but as with everything else in my life, it's taken a REALLY long time to actually get on it. I think it will be fun and my kids will love to see themselves on the computer (since they will be the major content of this blog!). I'm mostly doing this for everyone in Utah (and so I can play with my new camera), since I wish you all could be a part of our everyday lives. But I know no one is moving to Idaho anytime soon, so this will have to do. I know I can't blog like the others (mm.... Robyn and Kelli) but I'll still have a good time trying.

2008-12-29T18:35:00.000-08:00