Merry Christmas

We had a great couple days before Christmas celebrating with friends and family. Dave and Em had their 3rd Annual Englund Christmas Party!



The stinking Griz game overshadowed the party, but we still had a great time seeing old friends, eating Dave's excellent food and watching the kids play and dance around together.

We celebrated Christmas with Dylan's parents and siblings the Wednesday before Christmas. We made pizza and opened gifts. Spencer was hilarious as always. Addison has really warmed up to him and even searches for him now. Just in time for him to leave for a year. She says Spencer is "funny" now instead of "scary"! Grammy and Grampy Powell got Addison a tricycle. She loved it so much she literally laid on it, hugging the box!


Christmas Eve we spent the afternoon and evening with my dad and granny. We had a wonderful turkey dinner in celebration of my dad's birthday and Christmas Eve.



Addison wasn't acting normal most of the night. We figured she was over tired from the past couple days. She wasn't hungry and turned down pie! She kept laying on the floor and grabbing her belly and asking to go home and she never wants to leave Papa's house! Around 8 pm she crawled up on my lap and threw up, big time. This is the first time she has had the "flu". She was so sick for 12-15 straight hours. For a few hours she would throw up every 10-15 minutes. Dylan and I took turns camping out with her in the living room throughout the night. She didn't understand throwing up into the pot so it often was splattered everywhere. We went through every sheet and blanket we had. On Christmas morning Dylan said to her, "Honey, Santa came. Look at your stocking!." She barely had the energy to glance up to see it full of stuff. She said weakly, "Yah." Around 11 am that morning she was sitting up on the couch
and we set presents and her stocking in her lap. She was very weak and had a hard time opening the gifts.

She began to light up and get some energy! We missed a large Powell Family gathering at Aunt Wendy's house. I also was ill and with Addi spent most of Christmas Day sleeping. It was such a bummer that she was sick on Christmas. We had spent weeks talking about Santa and she was starting to comprehend the idea and was looking forward to the day to open her presents. We had a nice, quiet, sick day at home! The very next day she felt so much better and was able to play and enjoy her new things. Even in the sickest moment of her little life she never lost her sweetness. At times she was worried about me and would say to Daddy, "Momma, sick." She has the sweetest little voice asking for juice or wa-wa and is so sweet and cuddly when she isn't feeling well. My poor little girl!



It was a little different Christmas than we were looking forward to, but happy, healthy (well, Dylan was) and together in a warm home. We are very much looking forward to the new year. God willing, a pay check will be in our future, another move (hopefully the last one in a long while), and maybe Dylan will allow us to talk about a little brother or sister for Addison!

Oooooo, Christmas Tree

Last Saturday Dylan, Addi and I and Emily, Dave, Jake, Jody and baby Christian bundled up and headed into the woods to search out the perfect Christmas tree. We found the snow up Elk Meadows. We went up as far as the snow would let us. We built a huge fire at the beginning of a gated road. The chili, hot dogs and hot chocolate kept us warm.

The girls and the kids set out in search of our tree. Jody found her tree right away. We joked with her that she stole the tree Emily and I had picked out! Addison found her perfect tree not long after Jody. She pointed it out to Daddy who chainsawed it down for her. She even drug it a little way! I finally decided on one right before we packed up. It is a difficult decision. Your relationship with your Christmas tree is an important one. You need to feel bonded to your tree! Plus I felt so happy to be up in the woods choosing my tree the right way! I enjoyed not being in Salt Lake City strolling through a imitation forest in a golf course parking lot! It just isn't the same.



We put Molly-Dog to work and had her pull Addison in the sled! It was fun until Addison started getting snow in her face.


On the way out, in the dark, Dave and Emily finally found their tree!

Dylan pulled out a slick-tired Saab that had slid off the road into the snowy ditch! Thank goodness for big trucks and four wheel drive.

There is nothing better than spending a snowing day in a Montana forest with great friends and good food.

Our beautiful Christmas tree is decorated and looks great! I love Christmastime and all the great traditions and memories our family is creating.

Who You'd Be Today

I missed you today, Danny, more than I have in a long time. The temperature was bitter cold, the sky was deep blue and clear, the mountain tips are covered in white, clean snow, and there is a silence about today that is screaming your name. Today would have been a day you, me, Jakey and Sara would have skipped school, piled into my Jeep and headed to Lost Trail for a cold, clear, day of skiing.

I look forward to the day that I see you and hug you and my soul is once again complete .

Until I see your smile again bro...Missing you and loving you, Your big sis.

These lyrics, sadly enough, say it perfectly.

Who You'd Be Today
Sunny days seem to hurt the most
Wear the pain like a heavy coat
I feel you everywhere I go
See your smile, I see your face
I hear you laughing in the rain
Still can't believe your gone

It ain't fair you died to young
Like a story that had just begun
But death tore the pages all away
God knows how I miss you
All the hell that I've been through
Just knowing, no one could take your place
Sometimes I wonder, who you'd be today

Would you see the world
Would you chase your dreams
Settle down with a family
I wonder what would you name your babies
Someday's the sky's so blue
I feel like I can talk to you
And I know it might sound crazy

Sunny days seem to hurt the most
I wear the pain like a heavy coat
The only thing that gives me hope
Is I know, I'll see you again someday

Addison's Words

Some things I never want to forget.

The way she says some words:

Ra-Ra = Sara
Dabe = Dave
Wiper = Fischer
Meelow = Mason
DubDow = Pug-Pug
Opple = Open
Cheese = Camera
Vitty = Vitamin
Toot = Cute
Boob = Boots
Forb = Fort
Mulp = Milk
Puter = Computer
Buttent = Button
Side = Outside
Boop = Book
Bankie = Blanket
E-oo = We have no idea, but she says it all the time
Nummy = Yummy
Kayoh = Kaidyn

We are quite disgusting and blame anything stinky on Pug-Pug's butt. So whenever Addi farts she says, "Pug-Pug did it"!!

For the longest time, she thought moles and nipples were owies and would try to pick them off.

She tries to sing along to several songs. She doesn't know the words, so she mouths silently random words. She looks like she is lip singing!

She still will only sign "Love You" and will not say it.

The way she dances...She puts her hands into fists and hold her elbows at 90 degree angles and bounces her arms up and down!

The way she used to have to hold my hand while she pooped. Now she is all grown up and needs privacy and goes into the bathroom all by herself and closes the door.

Her fascination with buttons, especially purple ones. Papa has a tin can full of buttons. She loves to dump them on the table and separate out the purple ones. She almost always leaves Papa's house with a purple button in a zip lock baggie.

The way she turns anything into a phone and pretends to call people. I saw her one day sitting on the recliner holding a remote (a pretend phone) up to her ear with her shoulder, pretend talking to Ra-Ra, while scrolling through her pictures on the digital camera. What?? When did she turn 13?

Whenever the dogs bark she says, "Heeeyyyy, Sshhhh." Whenever the dogs fart she makes them go outside and says, "side, stink, potty."

She loves having her toe and fingernails painted. After she gets them painted she has to show everyone her nails. She will even take off her shoes and socks to show people her toes.

The way she makes the noise the animal makes instead of saying the name of the animal. Monkey is "eeee oooo", Lizard is flicking her tongue in and out, Cat is "meeeoooow", Deer is blowing air out of her mouth! She may never say the words just make the noises!! She finally says the word wolf instead of howling like one!!!

The way she gets herself ready to go down a slide or jump off of something. "Ready, two, three, go!!!"

Literal World

Addison did or said something the other day, I don't even remember what it was. I said to her, "Wow, honey, you must have your smarty-pants on." She turned to me and said, "Noooo, Mamma. Piggy pants."

She had her piggy jammie pants on!!

Seriously, I about died. I forget that they see their world literally. We must confuse her daily with our silly sayings. I love that she can communicate to me what is going on in her precious little mind.

Addison's Favorites -- Two years, one month old

"Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens, Brown paper packages tied up with strings, These are a few of my favorite things..."

As Addison grows her favorite things change!

Her favorite.....

Book: Her Dora books that Papa got for her.

Toy: Her dolls and all their accessories.

Breakfast: Cereal or oatmeal with cottage cheese and yogurt and a glass of orange juice.

Way to be silly: Acting like she is going to give a spontaneous, sweet kiss and then she gives a slimy, wet puppy-dog kiss. She literally licks our faces and then bursts into laughter. I blame Aunt Sara for this not-so-sanitary trick!

Way to be bossy: She drags people where she wants them to go. She struggles with saying "please" and can sound super bossy when she talks.

Thing to wear: Her "party dress". Any fancy dress and fancy shoes. She loves picking out her own clothes now. She isn't always coordinated, but she says she always looks, "Toot." (cute)

Word: "What?" If you look at her too long, she says very sassy-like, "What?".

Color: Purple. Everything has to be purple or she has to choose the purple one.

Person to call: Papa. Whenever she hears a phone ringing she screams "Papa" and gets so excited. She asks to call Papa a least 30 times a day! (this hasn't changed)

Snack: Fruit Snacks and Diego yogurts.

Animal: Monkey. She hangs on everything, while making her monkey noise! We play on the "monkey tree" on one of our hikes. She hangs on door knobs, tables, the handle in the car....everything and pretends she is a monkey.

Movie: Her Dora movie. I recently hid it. I couldn't take it anymore!

Game: She has started pretending. She loves serving us coffee and pop in anything resembling a cup. She fills the cup from a pretend spout in the wall. If she serves us milk she always brings pretend cookies.

Song: She makes up her own songs. We rarely know what she is singing, but she sings a lot!

Thing to do: Playing in her cardboard house that she got from her birthday or in a fort Emily or daddy builds for her.

Place to play: Outside. The yard, the park, the hiking trail. Rain or shine, she wants to be outside. (this hasn't changed)

Way to help mommy: She dusts and cleans the windows. She really just likes spraying the cleaning solutions.

Way to help daddy: She loves going outside while daddy cleans up after the dogs. However, she doesn't exactly help him, but she keeps him company.

Time of the day: Evening. She gets a burst of energy and gets super silly. She runs all over the house and loves to "rough".

Way to exercise: Dancing and doing silly arm lifts.

Chore: She helps set the table and she helps take care of baby "Wiper".

Place to "go-go": To the "museum" to play with Kaidyn on Thursday mornings. She loves painting and using Play-Doh in the craft room and making herself a kitty with the face paint.

New life skill: She almost always folds her hands to "pray" before we eat. She will say "pray" and help us fold our hands if we forget. The other day she prayed before our hot chocolate. So sweet.

Thing to do like Daddy: Use the elk call and make super loud, obnoxious elk calls.

Thing to do like Mommy: Wearing a bra. I have to tie one of my bras on her! She wears it over her clothes.

Big person thing to do: Using the computer. She loves playing Dora games, watching Diego, and using the paint program.

Way to be sweet: She gives back rubs and gently caresses our faces. She gives really tender kisses on our cheeks.

Accessory: Her hats and scarfs.

Thing to try and get away with: She is two. She tries to get away with anything and everything she knows she isn't supposed to do!!!!!

Kendall and Josh's Wedding

The "whorl wind of craziness" is over, Kendall and Josh are married. I have said it several times, the last few weeks have been crazy getting ready for the wedding. The Saturday before the wedding my house was packed with excited, supportive women celebrating Kendall. It was a great bridal shower. After Grandpa Phil's funeral Aleta and Emily helped me scramble a few more things together before guests arrived. I served brunch complete with homemade muffins of all sizes, fresh berries, "egg goop", coffee and juice. I all turned out surprisingly beautifully. Kendall got many, many wonderful gifts. We even got her to blush with some sexy lingerie! Deaette made the room burst into laughter with a giant, size 100, panties and underwear! It was hilarious. Kendall said, "I don't even know what this is or what to do with it!"


After the shower the wedding party and the mother's of the bride and groom went for pampering of our toes and fingers. It was relaxing, however, the paint chipped almost immediately. Later that evening the wedding party and friends went out on the town. It was a great night out. We laughed a lot. I was seriously sore the next day from all the silly dancing!

On Wednesday the decorating of the church and Hertiage Hall began. Several late nights later the decorating it was complete. WOW, is all I can say. The President could have shown up and felt comfortable with the beauty of the reception hall.

Josh's family hosted a Thanksgiving Rehearsal dinner at the C'Mon Inn. It was lavishly decorated and the food was great. Addison had a great time playing with her second cousin, Ari. Addi and I went swimming after the dinner, which she loved.



The wedding went very smoothly and was so sweet and beautiful. Addison did great. She was to sit in an adorable wagon and I was to pull her down the isle and she was supposed to toss leaves out of the wagon. She did sit in the wagon, which was great, because during rehearsal she would not do it! I helped her toss the leaves out of the wagon for Kendall to walk on. About half way down the isle she shied into laying down in the wagon trying to hide from all the people! She was, as usual, adorable!



Kendall was stunning! Her dress and her hair were perfect. Josh was very sweet and made us all cry when he said his vows.

As matron of honor, I gave a toast to the bride and groom. I don't even remember what I said, I totally winged it. It went well We ate and danced until around 7:30 pm. Addison loves to dance. Someone said she 'already has rhythm! She is so much fun. She is still talking about "Kendall's party" and the "dancing". The music ended and we sent the bride and groom away with fireworks and sparklers. I loved it. It was a really cool idea.


Kendall's family and friends spent the next several hours taking down all the decorations and cleaning up the reception hall.

The happy couple are in Vegas celebrating their new marriage!

When It Rains, It Pours

It has been an insane week. I feel so overwhelmed, torn between many different emotions and in need of a long nap. I feel like I have so much going on, almost too much to handle.

I missed Taige's funeral today. I had no idea it was already the 19th. I was really upset at myself that I missed it. All because I am totally aloof and unorganized.

My first paid photography job is tomorrow. I am photographing a large family and 5 individual families. Talking both indoor and outdoor photos. I am so excited for the opportunity and am happy that the family has such confidence in my photos. I was hoping to be able to prepare and visualize a lot more than I have. I just pray I am creative and naturally brilliant tomorrow!!

Grandpa Phil's funeral and Kendall's shower, that I am hosting, are falling on the same morning, this Saturday. I pray that saying goodbye to Grandpa Phil and celebrating Kendall on the same day allows Kendall to feel special, honored, and that she is able to remember her bridal shower as a happy memory.

I created the program for Grandpa Phil's funeral. It went very smoothly and I was able to put a great looking program together rather fast. I went to proof read the program one more time and print them. The file would not open. Something messed up with the saving and the program would not recognize the file. So I am having to recreate the whole darn thing. Oooohhhh. Just keep breathing!

Ok, so once I try and vent about all the stuff going on, it seems ridiculous and not that overwhelming, but really some how it is a lot! Maybe it is because normally if I do the dishes and blog on the same day it was a busy day!!! I like my boring, mundane existence! It is all I can handle.

Well, I haven't even mentioned "New Moon" is out and I don't have the time (or the money) to go to Colorado to watch it with Sara!!! If only everyone could be in love with a vampire! Ahhh, fictional life is so much easier and romantic! I may read the series again just to get lost in their lives for a while.

I got my hair done tonight at 8 pm. When I got home Dylan and Addison were asleep. I took a bath without Dora the Explorer and read! As a mom, these little luxuries aren't always first priority. A super hot bath and poetry can boost the spirit and revitalize the soul (ooohhh, wow. That was almost deep!).


Addison was adorable and a little violent and I need to share! The other day I took her to get her 2 year old shots. She was fine in the waiting room and was even expecting her friend Kaidyn to stop by and play with her. As soon as we entered the exam room she stopped and the door and starting screaming, "No, no. No, owie." I had to pick her up and force her into the room. As I took off her shoes and pants she screamed some more. As the nurse cleaned off her leg with a cotton ball, Addi slapped the nurse's hand away from her leg. The nurse said, "Ok, mamma, you have to hold her!" She is still traumatized. Aunt Sara talked to her about 15 minutes after her shots. She had stopped crying by then, but as soon as I handed the phone to her, Addi started bawling all over again. She is pretty much a total drama queen. She was traumatized all over again when the band aids fell off because band aids make all owies better. I wish that were really true.

Grandpa Phil

In loving memory of Dylan's wonderful Grandpa Phil who passed away on Tuesday. He was a very sweet man who was always telling amazing stories of his life and making you laugh with inappropriate jokes! I feel blessed to have known him. I am sure he is making Jesus laugh right now! You will be dearly missed Grandpa Phil.

The loss of an old friend

A good friend from high school past away last week. Taige Smith was one of the most the most lovable, kind people I have ever known. He was my adventure partner and roommate when I lived in Hawaii. He was with me during a critical point in my life when I truly began to get to know myself and when I learned what was truly important to me. I will never forget his tall, gangley body running freely on the beach or his feet hanging off the end of his rummage sale bed! He had a wonderful laugh and smile and I only wish we would have kept in better touch the past 8 years. Taige is apart many of my high school memories..."Merry Christmas Missoula!" Taige, you will be missed.

The sadest part about loosing someone you were once close with makes me wonder why we didn't keep in touch. Why did we let stupid stressers in Hawaii come between us.

Another painful lesson in life. Don't realize what someone means to you only after they are gone.

Missoulian Obiturary

Sheridan Weekend

Addison, Papa, and I met Sara and Ellie in Sheridan, Wyoming for the weekend. Seven and a half hours is half way between Missoula and Colorado Springs and that happens to be Sheridan! The girl's birthdays are 7 days apart and Sara and I wanted to do a special birthday getaway tradition with the girls every year. This weekend in Sheridan begins this special tradition. We left Friday after work. Papa was deathly sick but hung in there to drive into mid-morning! The last couple hours of the drive he was a bit delusional due to being so sick and was "seeing" white rabbits running along the truck!! It was hilarious. He said I couldn't drive because I couldn't even see all the rabbits outside the truck!!! He kept laughing about using a teepee symbol as a lodging symbol!! I still don't quite get what was so funny! We made it to Sheridan around 1 am. Sara and Ellie pulled up shortly after us. Ellie was so sweet and came right to me with a kiss and head butt!!

Addison opened her birthday gift from Auntie and Cousin around 2 am. A very approaite Dora purse, sunglasses and talking "Backpack". The girls played together in party hats until we made them go to sleep around 3:30 am.

Sara bought the girls matching Dora jammies! They loved them. On Saturday morning the girls were awake and Sara and I were just waking up. The girls were sitting on the bed talking to each other in between Sara and I. I watched Ellie point to Dora on her jammies and say to Addi, "Dor". Addison pointed to Dora on her jammies and very clearly, ennucaited, "Dor-a"! Ellie said, "Nooooo, Dor", as she pointed to her Dora! This went back and forth for a few minutes! Then shortly after this little argument Addison layed on the bed and Ellie layed her head on Addison's chest. Cuddling together Addison wrapped her arm around Ellie. It was the sweetest thing I have ever seen.

The girls had a great time swimming in the pool and hottub together. Addison was a water maniac as always and even jumped into the water without me there! She is crazy. She pushes herself under the water and blows bubbles out of her nose. She holds her breath when she jumps in and loves being under the water!

The girls enjoyed wrestling and roughing together on the bed. Addison would growl at Ellie and tackle her. One time tiny little Ellie pinned Addison! I was a blast watching them together.

It was a quick visit, but a great time. Papa started to feel a little better and was so happy he made the trip. The girls LOVE their Papa and Papa kind of likes them too!

Addison will talk about this trip for months. She says, "Ellie, Ra-Ra, home." "Ellie, pool." "Ra-Ra, funny!!!" So adorable.

Thanks for a great trip Sara. Next year....Maui, on me!!!

Happy 2nd Birthday Addison Jo

"You will never be one again, the two's are tumbling in..."
Addison turned two on November 4th! We hung out as a family for most of the day. Her party started at 6:30. Being back in Missoula we are lucky enough to be surrounded by nearly our entire family and many wonderful friends. Most who are in town came over to celebrate Addison's day with us. We had a ton of family and friends smashed into our teeny, tiny house for a great birthday party. It was tight and cozy, but wonderful.










With Addison being obsessed with Dora and Diego, it was only appropriate to have a Dora themed party. I made a cake that looked like "map", "Giant forest, snowy mountain, Addi's Dora Birthday Party!!!" If you are familiar with Dora you know what that means! Addison and I also made purple cupcakes that had Dora on them for her friends. I made giant pots of chili and white chili, and corn bread muffins (which I burned when I tried heating them back up!).

I put together a picture slide show of Addi's first 2 years. I cried a few times while making it. It is so hard to believe that she is two. It ended up being 14 minutes long and it was awkward for everyone to watch because I couldn't get the DVD to play on our old DVD player so I had to show it on my computer. It was mostly for me anyway!!











Addison loved having everyone over. She was giddy and so excited and ran everywhere she went. She totally understood what opening her gifts was all about this year. And sweet natured like she is allowed the other kids to help her open her gifts! She got a ton of amazing gifts. I joked that I will be canceling Christmas as our house is packed full of Addi's stuff!!

When you ask her how old she is she doesn't show you two fingers, she says, "Twoooo!" She is a great kid and is still very easy! Hopefully she will skip the "terrible twos"! She can have an attitude but I am thankful she is even-tempered, not easily upset and so loving and kind.





It truly was a day to remember.

Pumpkin Carving...is not nice.

Last night we carved our pumpkins. Most people would not think carving a face into a pumpkin is mean or abusive, unless you are Addison. She carved pumpkins last year at Aunt Sara's, but I guess she did not remember that the pumpkins do not suffer in this process!! She sat at our table and watched Daddy cut the "hats" out and then watched him clean out the guts. She did not want to participate because it was, "wet." She sat there pretty much disgusted. Daddy drew his pumpkin's face on his pumpkin and began cutting it out with a knife. Addison was not impressed. She kept telling daddy, "No. Owie." In her precious little eyes daddy was hurting the pumpkin. It was time to cut the face out of her little pumpkin, the pumpkin she very carefully selected the week before, I was worried she would not let us. She watched intently as I cut out his eyes and when I poked out his nose it fell onto the floor. She said, "Nooooooooo." "Owie." "Nose." "Dropped it." She quickly picked up the pumpkin and said, "Sorry." and kissed and hugged her pumpkin. For the rest of the night she called him the "baby" and carried him around kissing and hugging and saying "sorry" to the pumpkin! She kept looking in the trash for her pumpkin's nose!

Beware angry, bees on the attack

On Saturday, I was viciously attacked by a crazed, possibly rabid honey bee or Yellow Jacket. Addison and I were walking the dogs at the river when the attack occurred. It was late evening when it happened. I don't remember the last time I was stung by a bee, but I do remember it not hurting like that. I was stung on the back of the neck. It felt like it kept stinging over and over again for at least 15 minutes. My muscles immediately stiffened and it felt like I had whip-lash. My head felt so heavy and I felt like I couldn't hold it up. I felt this way until the next day. It left a giant welt and red spot. A few minutes before the bee attacked me a little dog we were saying hello to also was stung. In all seriousness, I warn keeping your distance from fall time wasps and bees. They do seem to get more aggressive this time a year. In a quick search online I could not find any definite biological reasons why. So beware!

Addison was very sweet and kept checking on my "bee, owie" and kissing it better! I think this is why I recovered so quickly!

A Cold Homecoming

We attempted the Homecoming Parade this morning. Addison and I each had four layers on!! We lasted about 30 minutes!! It was cold, 12 degrees when we left the house. We found a spot out of the wind in a door way. Addison kept saying, "Cold. Go home!" We stayed long enough for Addi to get a piece of gum and an American Flag. We stopped for some coffee and hot chocolate. Addi took a sip of the hot chocolate, which had quickly cooled to luke warm and spit it out all over her coat. It was still, "Too hot.", according to Addison! It actually was her first cup of hot chocolate and I don't think she was expecting it to be warm. We left after seeing the horses and went to Benson's Farm to pick out our pumpkins. The greenhouse was a lot warmer and Addison had a great time wandering around looking at all the pumpkins.

"Scary"

Addison has started describing things as "scary"!

These things are "scary" to Addison:

Public restrooms when the toilet flushes. It is "too loud", she says.

The trains near our house when they bang together. They are too loud also.

Halloween decorations she sees in stores!

Dark rooms. "Scary. Light.", she says.

Spiders that she sees crawling in the grass! We found a HUGE barn spider crawling in our grass. The spider was between her and I. She said, "Mommy. Scary." I mean this spider sent shills up my spine. It was scary, but beautiful. It had a neat red hint to it's body. I helped Addi walk around the spider then we watched him walk around for a long time!

Uncle Spencer. Her big uncles have always scared her. We think it is there height and big hair. We thought she was over it, but the other day we dropped some stuff off at the Powell's house and Uncle Spencer was in the basement. Daddy took her down to say hello and she started wailing, "No. Scary. Momma. No. Scary." Oh, poor Uncle Spencer!

The Latest

Well, my blog has become my last priority! It has been nearly a month since I last wrote. I feel like nothing too exciting has happened. We finally feel settled and back into our daily routine.





















I have tried to really buckle down and study during Addi's nap times instead of Facebooking and Blogging! I am tired of thinking of my class and want to be finished with it. It is taking me way longer than I was expecting. I am tired of it.





























I started watching Fischer, a almost 5 month old baby boy, every other week. My friend Emily gave my name to a family she met through work who was looking for someone to watch their baby. Addison and I just love having him. He is a very sweet.

Dylan is busy, busy, busy. He has already started his 2nd rotation. He is working with a PA at a Family Practice clinic just down the road from our house. He is seeing and treating patients. He is seeing a variety of illnesses and getting more and more confident every day. On top of working all day he comes home and studies and documents patients for a few hours every night. He has papers to write and submit to school and his master's project to work on. In mid-October he is going back to Salt Lake City for a week of testing and other stuff. Addison and I were going to go with him and then fly to Colorado to see Sara and Ellie, but it is a week that I have Fischer. Hopefully, we can go on his next trip.































We are busy helping Kendall with wedding plans and chores. I have started planning her shower and bachelorette party. Eight more weeks or so until the big day!

A couple days ago I took Addison to the river and took some pictures of her. She will be two in five short weeks and I wanted to get some fall pictures of her before the weather changed. I am very proud of them. They turned out so great. She was a blast. We talked, laughed, and explored while posing for pictures! I feel the pictures really captured her. Her every expression!

Dylan has Wednesdays off now and Dylan and Addi have special Daddy-Daughter days. Of course they go fishing together! She loves it and when Daddy asks her what she wants to do she makes her fishy face. They even sit on the recliner together and watch fly-fishing shows!









We love being surrounded by our families and friends again. Addi asks for Papa daily. It is nice to be able to buzz up there anytime she wants. She loves her Aunts and Uncles and is saying their names now! Her Grandma and Grandpa's give her all the attention she needs. She loves the special time with each of them. Addi loves her "Em and Dabe". She squeals with excitement when we get together with them! It is so special for her to be surrounded by so many people who love her.

Granny Ag celebrated her 86th birthday a few days ago. The family got together at Lolo Steakhouse. Wow, 86. She is doing great!

Addison's new thing is asking, "Why?", after EVERYTHING we say. Dylan even replied to her, "Because I said so!", the other day! Hahaha! It is pretty cute. She talking up a storm. She is putting 2,3 and 4 words together now. The other day Pug-Pug farted loudly, and it was extremely stinky. Addison got up and walked to the door while saying, "Pug-Pug, Butt, Outside, Potty." I about died! She continues to amaze me everyday. She is in love with Dora, Boots and Diego. She watched them in the morning and talks about them all day long! We were on a walk the other day and the day before Dora was collecting blueberries on her show. Well, Addison was collected snowberries on our walk. All of a sudden she stops and screams, "Dora. Berries. Addi. Berries." She made the connection to what she was doing and what Dora had done! Amazing.

Follow this LINK to see the complete album of Addison's Fall Pictures!

Vigilanty Bird Watcher Harrasses Young Mother and Her Dogs

I woke up this morning, like most mornings. I got Addi dressed and fed and loaded Addi and the dogs up for a morning walk by the river. This morning I was not greeted by the songs of birds or the sound of the rive. This morning I got a different sort of greeting.

I pulled up to the Tower Street river access off of 3rd Street. A place I have been talking my dogs on off-leash walks for several years. A place I frequent at least once a week. In the parking lot was a lone minivan and a nice looking gentleman standing in the parking lot taking a picture of a bird. I parked my car and sat there for a minute or so until I saw the bird he was photographing fly away. I then got Addi out of the car seat, said, "Hello." to the nice looking man, locked up my bag and let the dogs out of the car. This is when the nice looking man looked at me and scowled and said, "Shouldn't you have those dogs on a leash?" I nicely replied, "No, they are just fine." Well he proceeded to harass me saying I was breaking the law and I should have my dogs on a leash and ya-dah-ya-yah-dah-ya-dah. I understood the trail was an off-leash trail. My dogs weren't bothered by this man scolding me. They were off doing their sniffing of the perimeter and their morning potty business. I tried to ignore the man and I followed behind them picking up three fresh piles of poop and responsibly disposing of them. He then proceeded to take a picture of my car and license plate, a picture of me and pictures of my dogs and my little daughter. Ok, buddy this is where you crossed the line. Still calmly, I asked the man to stop taking pictures of me and my daughter. He rudely replied, "Look lady you on are on public land I can do what I want. Now get those dogs on a leash." I said, "Ok, if you won't stop taking pictures of us then I will just call the police." He told me to go ahead. I dialed 911 and told the operator this was a non-emergency and proceeded to tell her what had happened. I told her I felt harassed and threatened and to please send a patrol car. Meanwhile, the man walked to the trail-head signs looking for it to say leashes were required, however he did not find that. As I finished up with 911 the man made his way out of my view and I suppose went walking down the trail.

I loaded the dogs back into the car and sat and waited for the police officer to show up. A few minutes later the nice cop lady called me and I explained to her what had happened. She said she was on the way and to stick around if I wanted to but to have no further contact with the man. She showed up and we had a little talk. She said she wasn't clear on the leash laws in this particular area as she also walks her two labs at the same spot off leash on occasion. She was very nice and thought the man was just a "crotchety old bird watcher who gets mad when the dogs scare away his birds." I am sure she was right. But me and my dogs have as much right to the trail as he does. Even to think I waited until his precious chickadee flew away before I released my beasts! The nice lady cop "advised" me to leash the dogs the first 100 feet or so as to not bother people in the parking lot and to check with Parks and Rec on the exact leash laws. She also said to notify her immediately if I see the man again or see his car drive past my house. Creepy.

I left this area and Addi and took the dogs just down the road to the 7th Street river access. We had a nice walk and met a huge dog named Riley who played and played with Mason. The nice cop lady called back and said she spoke with the gentleman and he said he had no intention of using the photos for anything other to prove I had my dogs off leash. He also lied to her and said he didn't take a picture of my car, that he deleted the one picture he took of me and that I didn't pick up the poop. She "advised" me to please pick up my dogs poop, which I did!!

Sounds petty now that I write this little story. I even apologized to the nice cop lady for coming all the way down for something so petty. But she said, "Please don't apologize, that is why we are here." She also said you never know when some small encounter can lead to a big arrest of a big, scary, stalker, raper person. She was very nice and professional and I was happy I called. I am very protective of Addison and living in Salt Lake next to the drive-by shooting drug dealers has made wary of every stranger, nice looking or not. Paranoid, maybe. But also safe. I am always watching my back. Someone wise once said to me, "Watch your back. Don't become a victim." And when I say he once said to me, I mean he tells me about every time I talk to him!!!

He may have been just a crabby old man, but he is also lucky crabby man. Lucky that Dylan or Sara wasn't with me to give him a few not-so-nice replies to his rude accusations and lucky I called the police instead of my very protective, AR-15 packing father!!!

What really bummed me out is that this experience is what you find in the big city. Crabby people out to ruin everyone else's day. Big city mentality is leaking into our small, happy, weird, friendly city. Pretty soon the safe, secure, home-town feeling will be extinct. I feel robbed of my sense of security to go walk my dogs at this access free from harassment. I probably will not go back.

A Honorable Mention

My daddy was my hero
For my very youngest years;
Daddy kept me safe and happy,
And he chased away my fears.
I watched in awe and wonder
At each manly thing he did;
Oh, I looked up to my daddy,
When I was a little kid.

My dad was still my hero,
As the years passed, one by one.
He taught important lessons,
And he took some time for fun.
He was my firm foundation;
On my dad I did depend;
He was always there for me,
My dad, my guide, my friend.
My father is my hero,
Now that I am fully grown.
I love him and respect him,
The best man I've ever known.
I knew when I would marry
That my husband had to be
A great man, just like my father,
Dad, my hero you'll always be.

By Joanna Fuchs

My Beautiful Daughter - 21 Months Old

Addison Jo is my favorite photography subject. She is getting so big and so beautiful! One little walk in the forest and I get the best pictures.