Monday, August 29, 2011

Little Miss Personality

DSC_0567 (2)I am loving the little things Anna does and says these days.  She has SUCH an imagination, that along with her enthusiasm makes for some funny moments. Here are some of my favorite moments I have been collecting and want to remember.

As we drove up to Artic Circle for dinner she exclaimed..  “I am going to LOVE this place!”

Watching TV shows, like Dora, she talks to Dora and follows along with what Dora asks her to do. After “helping” Dora get across the number bridge she said, “that was fun!”

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When Dave comes home at night she will yell “Daddy’s home” and run to the garage.  Then inside the garage she screams, with her high pitched scream, “DADDY!!!”  It is so cute.

She hums along with any new song she doesn’t know. Then after about two times of listening she knows a lot of the words.

She knows the words to a country song and randomly sings it all the time, “Just a kiss on your lips in the moonlight…”

On Sunday she asked how far Heaven was. After Dave responded, we don’t know she said, “ It’s probably 30 minutes away.”

Woke up the other morning, “ I was ‘out hot’ so I took my shirt off, then I got ‘out cold’ again so I put it on, the I got ‘out hot,’  I was ‘out hot’ TWO times!!”

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She can be mid- thought in the car and see something and get distracted, “A train”  or “bingo” (her new game she learned from her Curtis cousins, she will say bingo for yellow cars), or her new favorite thing, living in Layton, “JET!”

She came up to us at the dinner table at my parents house with a mad face.  “Look at my shirt and skirt they are ALL red!”  We were expecting a tattle tale, then she said, “ it’s from the red berries!” Then Daddy cleaned it off and she went around naked (in her underwear) the rest of the afternoon as she waited for them to dry.  She didn’t mind one bit!

After driving past a construction zone, “that is crazy!  Craziness, that is SO CRAZY! Mommy, What does Crazy mean?”

We had a long conversation about the porta-potty out by the homes being built.  She thought is was so cool.  I told her it was so they had a potty while they were working.  She said, “I bet that is where Grandpa goes potty when he is at work!”  (not quite. (: )  Now whenever we drive by it she will exclaim, “There’s the construction potty” Right now as I type she is watching Dora and just turned to me and said, “I am so happy, guess what happened to the toys.  They flew up in the sky and went back to their owners!”  Oh she (Dora) sure loves her teddy bear!”  “That was my favorite part too,” when Dora got her teddy bear back.

“It’s like 30 pounds long!”

Tonight at Dinner we were having French bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  I dipped my bread and showed Anna.  She said, “I like oil! I like to put my hands in oil.” Random.

She was playing with her nativity set and I came downstairs.  “Mom, the camel’s mother (the donkey) died and went to Heaven, this is heaven (the top stair).”  Me: “Oh sad how did she die?”  Anna said sweetly, “she had a bad heart.”   ( This is sweet and almost made me cry because she is referring to Grandma Karen who died when Dave was 14 years old when her heart failed)

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She will remind me to “Shhhhh”  because “Maddie is sleeping,”  then 2 seconds later yell something or start singing loud.

When I asked her if she wanted to go to Primary instead of Nursery her response was, “NURSERY! Primary was too long”

DSC_0761DSC_0826Refers to the Burton cabin as “The little cabin” and the cabin at Snyder mill the “big cabin” and Snowbird condo as “ the big cabin up the mountains when I went with Kjersti and great grandma.”

How far is Michigan?  Why do we have to take a plane to get there?

“How long is California? (meaning how far)  When can we go to California?”

Pulled a shirt out of Maddie’s closet today, “it’s so darling!”

Hard kisses

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I wrote these down in April…

“Please and tojunkl  ment”  I think she was trying to say Ladies and Gentlemen.  She would say this over and over.

“Is Grandma Karen in Heaven?  Do we take a plane to get to Heaven?  Is Heaven far far away? Where is it? What City is it in?”

I tried to tell her that I didn't believe her when she said she needed to go pee while she was in time out because of past experiences when it was an excuse to get out of time out. .  I said, "I thought you were crying wolf!"  To which she replied, "there aren't any wolves in my room!"

“What’s that Sneakyness doing?”

While blowing then popping bubbles she said, “delete, delete, delete”

July 31st-

“That’s RUDE!”

In the car we had a very awkward and hilarious conversation.  She asked me something and all I (and Dave) heard was “…..  What is it?”  I responded, “What are you talking about”  She said, “what IS it?”  Me: “I don’t know what you are talking about.” Anna:  “Why?… That is silly.  Daddy do you know?”

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August 1st- Why are they lost? (the lost Boys on Peter Pan).  I said, Maybe because they want to live there.  She said, “there is a huge home,  There are TWENTY lost boys!”

“I don’t Wike (like) Pirates, They’re MEAN!”

“Let’s get out of this room, it smells awful!”

She asked when her birthday was so I told her in sequence r of events,  Daddy’s birthday, Halloween, Maddie’s birthday, Christmas, Then her birthday.  “Whoa that is SO Soon!”  What is after my birthday?  I said Valentines. “OH! I woave (love) that day! It is SOOO Fun!”  I laughed and asked why? “Because we get to send people all sorts of nummy treats!”  (While eating dried Mangos)  “I bet Syd and Cait would WOAVE these Mangos!”

Favorite activities… Scissors and puzzles

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One Day she surprised me with a clean (and VERY organized) playroom!DSC_0854DSC_0856DSC_0857

Saturday, August 20, 2011

The “Little Cabin”

We love the Burton Cabin (or as Anna calls it the “little cabin”.) Dave’s Great- Grandparents built it.  Betty Lou’s red decorating is perfect. Dave’s Mom designed the loft.  Dave’s Dad built many things around the cabin.  And Dave’s whole extended family has enjoyed it for YEARS.  We truly miss Dave’s Grandma, Betty Lou, and her dancing moves to Stayin’ Alive, but we are forever grateful for the memories and now the opportunity to enjoy more family time up there.  I could fill this post with hundreds of photos from over the years, but the most meaningful photos are the reason I blog tonight.  Last Sunday we had ALL of Art and Betty Lou’s descendants at the cabin for dinner (minus Dave’s Mom, Karen, who passed away 15 years ago).

37 total people

2 of Art and Betty Lou’s children + 2 spouses, 1 son in law + 1 spouse

11 of Art and Betty Lou’s grandchildren + 7 spouses

14 great-grandchildren (including 5 infants all born within the last 10 months)

6 states represented ( 5 of those from the Richard Burton Family (:   )

1st time in over 15 years ( I don’t even know when) but I know not everyone has been there when I first started going.

It was a memorable night to say the least.  We had great conversations, lots of photos taken (Sarah I need a copy of the good one!), some joyful tears shed, renovation plans discussed, and most importantly LOTS of yummy food and too much dessert

Thank you Richard and Emmy for planning a GREAT EVENING!!

EVERYONE… (37 in all)DSC_0133

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Grand children and Great Grand Babies -  all born within 7 months of each other (isn’t Maddie’s Face hilarious?!)DSC_0178DSC_0171

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Andrew Dave and Peter (one boy from each family)DSC_0127

Group shot in the quaint family room (remember we call it the “little cabin”)DSC_0189

 

Just Ask Anna what she thought of the night… ROCK ON!!! (She enjoyed it when Daddy put her PJ’s on her head!)

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Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Scary Car Seat

Exhibit A – My little SWEETIE DSC_0208


Exhibit B – The CAR SEAT DSC_0209


Exhibit C – The POORLY installed car seat DSC_0211


Exhibit D – The MOUTH of an almost 9 month old DSC_0207


Exhibit E – Large piece of FOAM DSC_0212


Exhibit E was extracted from Exhibit D after she had it in her mouth for over 30 minutes without us knowing (we thought her small gags in the car were from the puff cereal she was eating in the car… she has a bad gag reflex like her mother). I went to nurse her and she started crying, it was then, in the dark I saw a foreign object in her mouth. I’M STILL SHAKING.


Hopefully the free replacement parts will actually work!!

Friday, August 5, 2011

8 years and 2 kids later.

 

in front of temple looking

We celebrated our anniversary on the 2nd and I just have to laugh.  It wasn’t the most memorable anniversary, but it had it’s memorable moments. 

I woke up early with Dave and we had French toast together.  It was nice to be alone in the stillness of the morning.

I gave Dave a funny card (seemed like the right year for humor, not frilly cards- Dave was in tune with that and returned the humor later that night), Then he opened my surprise present for us…  Utah Utes tickets for the UCLA and Oregon St. Games! It may not seem that exciting, but if you are a Utah fan who has been away for 3 years and now they are in the PAC 12 it is exciting!

Dave worked.

I took the car to the shop and walked about 4 miles to the park and library with the girls.

Ran some errands ending up by Dave’s work and more restaurants.

I was in my grungy clothes from the craziness of the day.

The girls were long overdue for baths and didn’t have bows.

We met up with Daddy for dinner at Olive Garden.  Me in my Grunge and Dave in shirt and tie.

Dave helped Anna most of Dinner and I helped Maddie.  We did get to talk… a little.

Our Waiter was coo key and took a long time, even got Anna’s order wrong. By the time Anna got her meal, we were done, especially Maddie.

We went and got frozen yogurt @ Menchies (one of my new favorite things)

Drove home in separate cars through an almost tornado- Dave got some impressive photos.

I went to the store in the downpour.

On my way home I was laughing thinking over the evening and heard the country song, “You’re gonna miss this.” I started to cry. 

I went home to girls in PJs. We laughed with them and put them to bed. They are so stinkin’ cute.

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No, we didn’t have a romantic dinner for 2 on our anniversary. But I would not change this time for anything.  I love my girls and and so thankful for my little family that started 8 years ago.

I am thankful for a wonderful husband who keeps me going, works very hard, is more on top of things than I am, and loves his girls. 

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I am thankful we have times to be together even when I feel grungy.

Happy Anniversary Babe!  I love you and our little family.

Sunday, July 31, 2011

A little bit like Lot’s Wife

So last night I actually got in bed before Dave, a first in…. who knows how long.  I wasn’t feeling too great and the girls were finally asleep.  I took a bath, gave myself an overdue pedicure and went to bed.  Well tried.  I laid there thinking, as most women out there probably do and couldn’t sleep.  In the end I think Dave, once he came to bed, actually fell asleep before I did.

I thought about what a whirlwind these last two months have been.  I am very happy to be here in Utah and have enjoyed all the get togethers, taking swim lessons with good friends, living at my parents house and watching the cousins play all day and almost all night long.  Now things are winding down a bit and I am getting settled in my new home and new city.  I love the space of our new home and many other good qualities it has, I am getting more comfortable.  However, even though we are “close” to family and friends last night I was thinking back to Modesto and all that I loved there.  I was missing a bunch of things. 800px-Modesto_ArchI made lists in my mind of what I would blog about and all the things I miss. Who would have thought that this “little” city would bring so much joy to me?  Not that I am not happy here in Layton, because I am, but I think everywhere you go in life whether it is on a vacation, to a get together with friends, college or moving out of state there is a piece of you that misses those moments.   I would never go back to high school, that time has come and gone, thank goodness, but I don’t feel that way about Ann Arbor or Modesto.  I would go back.  At least when I am up here in Layton, not in close proximity to those I know and love, then I would go back to having friends 5 minutes or less away.  I just keep hoping that our new neighborhood and ward will prove to be as much fun and inviting as my past 2 wards were.

I went to church and they talked about Lot’s wife and how she kept looking back, not just looking, but yearning to be back in the city.  She didn’t have faith for the future.  A grandmother spoke up about how she always says she wishes her kids were still playing in the backyard and would love to go back to that time.  She quoted Elder Holland, “ The past is to be learned from but not lived in. We look back to claim the embers from glowing experiences but not the ashes. And when we have learned what we need to learn and have brought with us the best that we have experienced, then we look ahead, we remember that faith is always pointed toward the future. Faith always has to do with blessings and truths and events that will yet be efficacious in our lives.”

I really stopped to think. I have been blessed with wonderful experiences and memories, but they are just that.  Memories. In the past.  I need to be better at looking forward to the future and having faith.  I have learned so much from moving around the country and I know bringing those experiences with me will help me with this next step.  So right now it is having faith that I will make new friends and be comfortable here, especially in my new ward.

So in efforts to remember Modesto, but not “yearn” for it I write my list of things that I loved about Modesto and will remember with fondness (yes cheesy, but fitting).

Thank you Modesto for making us happy last year with…

Maddie Jane’s arrival. Park Days. Chatting with girl friends. Library story time. Farmers market.  GNO’s. Scrapbooking/book club nights. Birthday lunches. Play dates.  Music Makers. Taste testing Ashleigh’s yummy treats. Dinners with friends - out and in. Utah Utes parties. Tahoe Joes. Mr. Pickles- no, not pickles, but the turkey sandwiches and Sourdough bread. The Fruit Barn smoothies.Walks to the parks and around the neighborhood. Sister Missionaries. Awesome shower parties. SYTYCD nights. The palm trees next door. Seeing Random uses for garages, instead of parking cars.   Do I dare mention puppies on this list? Lunches with Daddy. A&W. Almonds. Tomatoes. Swing set in the backyard.  Chalk art. Beautiful blossoms in the spring.  Anna’s Nursery leaders.  Primary kids and being 2nd counselor.  Trips to everywhere around us. Mia and Winston playing.  Taking it easy at Kristy’s pool. Picnics. Date nights to Dave’s work events. Dinner at Galettos and Dews. Visitors from Utah.

So many great memories… to many to list them all.

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Moving photos

Here’s how we finally got out of there.

We had a TON of help from the Elder’s Quorum and couldn’t done it with out them.  Especially the Rowe brothers as they played Tetris just right and fit us in a smaller truck than we anticipated. (Let’s just say I am still mad at Penske, they were late with our truck and didn’t give us the right one.  But we only ended up paying $330 total plus gas.)

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We also could not have done it without fabulous women who helped watch the girls thanks Leah, Melissa, Cindy for your many hours!!! Other women who helped me pack, Didi and Misty.  And families who helped clean Rowe’s, Tibbs and Stices. You were all amazing!! We could not have made the drive without many yummy treats from many people and phone calls to keep me awake. 

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Anna chant’s our address so cute so I had to take a photo in front of the address.  I wish we would have taken more photos of the people who helped, but this is what we were able to capture. We will miss our wonderful friends.  I hate goodbyes!  We hope that most of them are “see you laters!”

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As we drove away Anna innocently and out of the blue said, “I’m going to miss Kristy, Dave and Winston (their dog).”  If you ask her now what she misses the most about Modesto she will reply, “Kristy and Dave”

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Let’s just say, It always has positives, but moving stinks!