Dallen in the double digets!

Dallen had his 10th birthday on Friday. His day started out kind of rough. He came home from school and was just sad. I wasn't able to do what I normally do for birthdays because Scott and I have both had to work at our Parade Home and it had consumed that day, too. So, he got home from school and was bummed and since I wasn't able to take him out to lunch, we had invited his two best friends (named Ashton) to go do something fun with us on his birthday. So, Dallen chose ice skating. Did you know that had an ice rink in St. George?!? It's new this year and not permanent, yet. They are trying to raise money to make it more permanent, but for now we are enjoying it until it gets too warm. So, Alec had been many times and said he would stay with them while I went home and make Dallen's birthday dinner (and wrapped his presents!!!). It was crazy. But, Dallen and friends and brothers had a great time...falling down a lot! Then they came home and we ate dinner (Chicken Crescents) and then we had family and his two friends come over for cake. He wanted an "I-pod" cake and I had just got this recipe for fondant (it's in my "recipe of the week"), so I decided to try it. I forgot to add color when I was supposed to, so he got a white I-pod, but I was so proud of myself for making my own fondant and it actually tasted way better than the store-bought stuff. All in all, it was a great day and thanks to family to make it that much better. He really needed the attention and I am grateful that they would take time on a Friday night to do that. This is a picture of Dallen with his three best friends named "Ashton" (including his brother).


Derrek went out on his first real double date, in the sense that he actually asked a girl to go on a date with him and he paid for everything! They went and played laser tag. Got the 50 piece McNugget meal (yuck!) for dinner and then went to the spinning park (that's what we call it because everything there spins). Then when they were sick from spinning, they called it a night. The group took our big van and had a great time. It was fun to hear him talk about his night.


Like I said before, Sunwest has been doing their Parade of Homes this week. It actually has been a really good 10 days. We have had A LOT of people come through the house, and hopefully just one will want to buy it from the customer we built it for a couple years ago. The decorator did an amazing job and she has had a lot of business come from this, too. It is just amazing to see the Lord work in these few lives with this one event. I was going to have to miss church again today to be there (I had to miss last week), but I am grateful to my sister who had the thought to come so that I could go to church. It was a great meeting. But, it is just cool to see His hand in all the little things as well as the big things. I know the house will sell for our client. I don't know what will come of it for Sunwest...maybe nothing, but I do know that we were supposed to do it. It has been good.

Another Priesthood holder in our house!

Today Ashton was ordained a Deacon and right after church, the Deacon Quorum President took Ashton to do Fast Offerings...nothing like initiation! He was really wound up today, but I think the excitement of getting to do the things like the older boys was almost too much! Even if his brother's complain, there is still an excitement of being one of the boys that get to do those things. He had a good birthday. He had to wait until the evening to open his presents because I bought a present that he already had (I had re-arranged his room and found he had already purchased the present that I had bought). So, I had to go back to Wal-mart the day of his birthday and exchange it so that he would have something to open that he didn't have! He didn't mind, too much. I pulled him out of school during lunch and we went to Panda Express and wasted a little time because he didn't want to go to Math class, but I told him if he didn't, then he would have homework on his birthday. He managed to get all his homework done for the day and had no homework that night...happy birthday to the both of us! We had all the family, that possibly could come, come over for cake and ice cream. It was a fun night, and thanks to all those who could come. It made him feel special. He's my quiet one and really doesn't ask for much, but when he kept asking if people were going to come over that night, I was just praying that it was a good night for it to happen, and you all pulled through for him. I knew it was important to him.

This is Ashton's cake. In the pot I did chocolate cupcakes topped with brownies to look like dirt. Then we stuck fake leaves in to re-create the Toy Story scene with the army men. Lego put out a new line of Toy Story Legos and the Army men were what Ashton wanted on his cake...

Two are ready to shoot at anyone who trys to take the presents!

One is on the look-out, while the other is on the radio giving the orders. The jeep is below ready to take them wherever they need to go!

This Sunday is/was Scout Sunday, and so I HAD to force my kids to take this picture, but I don't get this opportunity to see all my young men in their Scout uniforms together. The sad thing is that Calvin and Alec were practically busting off the buttons because they are four times bigger than they were when they were 11 year-old Scouts! It is time to invest in bigger pants and shirts. Poor Alec, his sash didn't even fit. He seriously has shot up in the last six months and I feel I am buying him new clothes (especially church pants!) every other month! Anyway, they were good and wore their uniforms and I am grateful for the Scouting program and the things that they have learned and experience because of it. Dallen didn't feel like one of the boys because he had the blue shirt on, but I reminded him that in a couple of weeks, when he

is a Webelos, he can have a brown shirt, just like his brothers. They are quite the group of young men. I love them tons!