The Lil' Dunns

Rockstar...Miss Diva...CHLOE

2010-08-23T11:28:00.000-07:00

It's a Popcorn Picnic!

2010-06-24T15:42:00.000-07:00

I made the girls a some popcorn for snack. When I went outside Haidyn was so proud, "Look mommy we set up a "wash cloth" for our popcorn picnic!" I think she meant a table cloth, even though it was her swim towel. That girl cracks me up!

AND THEN LATER...I saw this...

Strawberry Girl

2010-04-18T20:10:00.000-07:00

Miss K was introduced to something new and exciting tonight. She loved it -- to pieces!

I think I just peed myself...

2010-04-03T14:29:00.000-07:00

Another post -- as promised! Today we went to a little Easter party at our clubhouse. Haidyn went on an egg hunt. The kids saw the Easter Bunny. We got lots of candy. And the girls got their faces painted. Just came home to start packing and Ashlee was cracking me up while practicing some hilarious faces in the mirror! She can be so funny at times! I had her do a little show for the camera! I really think I just peed myself -- she is HILARIOUS!

Where is this year going?

2010-04-01T15:54:00.000-07:00

I can not believe it's April 1st today! I have been meaning to blog for quite some time now. I just didn't realize that quite some time now meant more than a quarter of a year! Where is this year going? I have so much to share and record. I will make it my goal to blog as much as possible this month. But as much as possible may end up being just today's post. It's baseball season and life is just plain insane now. We have no life really. It's meals on wheels for the next 3 months. I can't seem to get things under control anymore. There is too much to do in a day and even if I feel like I'm finally catching up, by the next day it's out of control and overwhelming again. I said the other day, "I'm going to finish all the laundry today!" Well, what an oxymoron that is -- the laundry is never finished. I have 4 kids who think cleaning your room is throwing everything in the hamper. Hello?!@ I have even hung a sign up that reads:

So let's see if that helps. Probably not. I just needed to be heard and since noone can hear anyone around here...well, hence the note.

I will start my first post of the year with Miss Kendyl. She is amazing! Her little personality is starting to surface and we are loving her to pieces! Kendyl is happy -- most always. She loves her family. Very much a mama's girl despite the fact she rambles, "dada" all day long. Daddy's the ni-night guy though. He's the one who does her night time routine; dinner, bath, ba ba and bed. And if she wakes in the night (which is rare) Daddy comes to the rescue. (the benefits of not nursing anymore) She thinks Nolan is hilarious. All he has to do is stare at her and she smiles from ear to ear. Ashlee is her little protector / second mommy. If things are getting crazy with the other kids she looks for Ashlee to swoop her up and make it better. Kendyl loves Haidyn! Haidyn has always been the life of the party, no matter who she's with or where she goes. Haidyn IS Kendyl's party. When Haidyn's around, Kendyl lights up and bounces. These two are going to be best buds -- I just know it.

Kendyl now has 2 teeth and I think more are on the way. She started crawling and she's getting around pretty good now. She likes to try to keep up with Haidyn. I think she will soon learn that no one can keep up with Haidyn. But for now it's entertaining to watch. So with that, I will leave you with some recent photos. Til my next post...hopefully sooner than later.

Kendyl Rose is 6 months old!

2009-12-26T17:23:00.000-08:00

The day after Christmas and all is settling down - finally. I can't believe I even found time to blog again. I couldn't let today go by without documenting this special day - Kendyl Rose's half birthday! We had great plans; make a half cake, eat only half a sandwich for lunch, get only half dressed (staying in jammies for the other half of course) and feeding Kendyl only half of her food for the day (LOL - as you can see she is not starving by any means) But we woke up feeling kinda sick and stuffy. It ended up being a quiet jammy day - we watched some movies and got pretty competitive with our new Wii. Besides, there were plenty of treats left behind from the Christmas aftermath. Even a half cake would have put us over the top!

So here she is. Our littlest princess. Sitting up all by herself. Six months new! We are in love with our little Kendyl.

Baking with My Baby

2009-11-05T12:21:00.000-08:00

The little girls are napping so Kendyl and I decided we needed some chocolate!

Kendyl Rose is 4 months old!

2009-10-26T20:00:00.001-07:00

Our Monster Mash! Enjoy!

2009-10-23T07:47:00.001-07:00

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Many faces

2009-10-19T15:29:00.001-07:00

Alert

Content

Happy

Hilarious

Curious

Puzzled

Sweet

Zerbert face!

Determined (and focused on getting those toes)

Our Kendyl

Kendyl these days...

2009-10-19T09:28:00.000-07:00

Kendyl is changing so quickly. Her personality is starting to come out and play. The newest thing are her zerberts. She does it when she's happy, when she sad and just because. This is what we hear from Kendyl all day...

She is a great sleeper. LOVES her sleep actually. She sleeps from 9:30 pm til about 6:30 am. She wakes up to nurse and then goes back to sleep - sometimes til noon!!! This child can sleep just about anywhere...

She is so smiley! Loves to interact with people and really wants to get that laugh out. A few times she's kinda giggled, but she's not quite sure how to handle those tickles yet. Laughing is still a work in progress but til then, her smiles are plenty enough for us.

Still loving to nurse even though we have been dealing with 3 month long, stubborn thrush that will not go away! Tried formula and she just can't keep it down. So, for now we are dealing and it almost seems the norm since it's been like this since nearly day one.

Kendyl has found her LUNGS! There is a new scream in the house! SURPRISE Haidyn! You're not the loudest anymore -- well maybe. (I will spare you that video)

About a week or so ago she started becoming really interested in holding/hitting rattles aand toys. She loves to snuggle up to her bo-bos -- her cuddly, soft, mini-sized blanky.

And, here is bo-bos...

As you've seen in previous posts, Miss Kendyl is a thumb sucker but more recently we've seen this too...

So that's it for now. She is a great baby! She's so easy going, so happy, so adorable! We love our little Kendyl Rose.

................

This hat has been around for over 10 years! This was the very first baby item Gramma Dee purchased for Ashlee when we found out we were expecting a girl. I love this little strawberry hat. It has blessed and warmed Ashlee and Haidyn's head and now it blesses Miss Kendyl's. Love it!

A CAT PICNIC

2009-10-14T20:10:00.001-07:00

From the other room I hear, "Mommy, I'm having a cat picnic!"

I come around the corner to find this...

and it was most definitely a CAT PICNIC.

This cat puts up with WAY too much.

Little Miss

2009-10-12T22:08:00.001-07:00

I love her!!!!

Our Cub Scout

2009-10-09T21:01:00.000-07:00

I am so behind on blogging and have so much to share! But I couldn't let tonight go by without sharing Nolan's news. He is joining cub scouts! He is really excited about it and can't wait to earn as many badges and awards as he possibly can. Ryan and I are very excited for this new venture. He already feels so important -- like he has this great duty to achieve. We gave him his new uniform today and he's been walking around doing his "scouts honors" and vowing to do his best at everything (except vegetable eating of course).

He's so handsome is his new uniform!

Our little man! We're so proud!

A Sunday Night Cool Down

2009-09-20T20:30:00.000-07:00

We took the kids to the clubhouse tonight for a swim. It was another hot day. Kendyl and I decided to take a dip too. Kendyl loves her baths so it was no surprise that she loved the pool too. It was my first swim this year. I wasn't too excited to squeeze back into my swim suit nor expose my whiteness from lack of sun all season. But I did and it wasn't so bad after all. Here's to another week. It will be a short one. We leave for Sea Ranch on Thursday! Can't wait!

Our four kiddos

Mama and her wee one

Just like Happy Haidyn, we have a Happy Kendyl

Haidyn still loves to catch air! Especially when it lands in a SPLASH!

The big kids.

Miss blue eyes. Kendyl gets lots of comments on her crazy hair and bright blue eyes.

Happy again!

I think Daddy likes tossing her around (in an evil sort of way)

ENJOY YOUR WEEK!

Sugary Afternoon

2009-09-08T08:50:00.000-07:00

It was so nice to have a long weekend. Yesterday, we claimed it family day but couldn't decide what to do. Ryan suggested Apple Hill and everyone cheered! So off we went. I purposely left my camera behind. I wanted to play with my kids yesterday and not just watch them play though the lens of my camera. (although, I was thinking about my camera a lot and wishing I had brought it) So without any photos to share, here's the gist of our amazingly, yummy trip to Apple Hill.

1 dozen apple donuts

1 candied apple with sprinkles

1 caramel apple

1 caramel marshmallow stick

1 homemade candle (by Haidyn) with bubble gum scent

2 face paintings

1 bucket full of apples

2 bbq tri-tip sandwiches

6 bottles of water

1 square of pumpkin fudge

$ .50 for petting zoo food

It was an afternoon packed full of clear blue sky, fresh air and lots of sugary treats. Maybe that's why Nolan got sick at bedtime. He seems fine this morning so I'm sure it was from the overwhelming consumption of sugar. We are bloated and feeling a little sluggish today - but it was worth every bite!

Now -- what to do with all of these apples...

When It's Hot!

2009-08-29T17:47:00.000-07:00

If you're ever stuck inside when it's 104 degrees outside,

try this...

If you didn't quite catch it, that's our cat, Antonio being a good sport.

The New Ashlee

2009-08-28T15:18:00.000-07:00

Miss Ashlee had been complaining about headaches. After being fed up with her complaining of yet another one of her ailments, we finally decided maybe she wasn't crying wolf after all. Lo and behold, our baby girl needed glasses!

So, here she is. They suit her well. Don't you think?

ADORABLE!

LOVING HER NEW LOOK!

2 months old

2009-08-26T16:31:00.001-07:00

Kendyl Rose is 2 months old today!

Haidyn's First Day of Preschool!

2009-08-24T15:25:00.000-07:00

Today was Haidyn's first day of preschool! She was so excited and so anxious. I woke up to find her sitting at the top of our stairway. She was dressed, had her backpack on and she was holding a brush and some hair ribbons.

"I'm ready for school mom! Can you do my hair like Ash?"

She looks up to Ashlee so much -- it's cute.

She's a big girl!

Haidyn and Alexis (who I do daycare for)

Haidyn, Miss Tracy and her classmates

Penngrove and a New Toy!

2009-08-23T13:11:00.000-07:00

Ashlee, Kendyl and I headed out west to Penngrove, to visit my grandparents yesterday. My Grandpa is not doing so well -- we were long overdue for a visit. It's such a relaxing drive and so beautiful out there. I love the endless vineyard covered rolling hills. It's even more breathtaking in the fall when all the leaves are changing color. I really miss Sonoma County and it's calm. It was nice to go back home again. I wish I would have taken more photos to share.

While we were there, we scored Grandpa's old food dehydrator! Grandpa used to make the BEST beef jerky for all the grandkids but now he is too weak to conquer such a task. We are going to give it our best! But first, Ashlee and I decided to make some yummy snacks for this week's lunches. First in the making are nectarine fruit rolls. Secondly, we added some apples to the bottom racks. We'll let you know how they turn out. We are so excited for our new toy!

Hungry!

2009-08-18T17:54:00.001-07:00

Miss Smiley!

2009-08-18T17:04:00.001-07:00

Why We Love Cool, California

2009-08-16T18:55:00.000-07:00

Today we drove out to see Ryan's parents (Papa Dennis and Gramma Jan) in Cool. It was far from cool out there today though. It was hot. The kids just love going up there! They love to run around on the property and feel the sense of freedom. There are no fenced in 20 x 30 yards in Cool. It's country at it's best! It's a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon. We feel relaxed and ready for our crazy week -- in the suburbs. (sigh....)

Why we love Cool, California...

Papa and Gramma live there!

The trees have personality.

You find color bursting everywhere.

You find houses waiting to become homes.

Mario is there and ready to play and cuddle.

We get to sit back, chat and eat while the birds do the same.

The kids can climb trees!

and feel proud when they reach their 'goal branch'.

Gramma takes us on walks.

We can play on the grass and pose for a picture!

Happy Sunday everyone! Enjoy your week!

Fifth and Third

2009-08-16T18:50:00.000-07:00

It's official! We have a 5th grader and a 3rd grader! Where has the time gone? I can't believe this is Ashlee's last year of elementary school - crazy! Aside from first day jitters,

the kids are adjusting well to their new school.

It's gonna be a great year!

Mad Scientist

2009-08-04T19:48:00.000-07:00

How sad is it that Haidyn got this science kit for her birthday last year (in November) and I am just now getting around to doing it with her? Super duper sad! We made erupting lava, predicted color changes and made growing crystals. Haidyn loved it and was so proud. I need to make a better effort at sitting down to 'play' more. We had fun!

Auntie Shelly stopped by and joined in the fun too!

They Say...

2009-08-03T16:03:00.000-07:00

They say you can't spoil a baby by holding them too much. I don't know -- she looks pretty spoiled to me.

Still loving every minute of her!

Done Seeing This...

2009-08-01T16:58:00.001-07:00

I am so ready for school to start. Mostly because I'm sick of seeing this! It's so nice outside. I don't get it. I'm glad we limit our kids on their video game playing. But they sure make certain they get their daily dose. (sigh...bigger sigh)

A Victorian Tea Party

2009-08-01T16:36:00.001-07:00

Ashlee was quite pleased to receive an invitation to a Victorian Tea Party. Her friends, Korena and Karissa (twins) were turning 10 and she was invited to tea at high noon. She was to wear her best dress and speak with a British accent. When I dropped her off, to my surprise it was the real deal -- fine silver, china, mini flower shaped sandwiches, handmade cupcakes and treats galore! I wanted to stay and have tea! They played fun games from the era; Pass the Slipper and the Don't Smile Game. Ashlee came home in this stunning hat in which she crafted. What a fun party!

Her very own Victorian original: by Ashlee

"Lovin' My Crib -- Call MTV!"

2009-08-01T10:54:00.001-07:00

"Cousin Kaihla became a big girl almost over night, so when she moved into her new big girl bed I scored this awesome crib! I love it! I sleep so much better now and Mommy is loving my 5 hour stretch at night. Life is soooo good!"

See how well rested she looks?!

Getting Bigger

2009-07-30T09:37:00.000-07:00

Miss Kendyl is 5 weeks old tomorrow. She is so much fun. Smiley as can be! She's filling out and is starting to feel a little less fragile. I held off on the one month photos to spare you of her florescent purple lips. We are fighting a bad case of thrush and our medication stains everything! Unfortunately her lips were purple too -- til today! So here's a picture of our normal faced baby. Enjoy!

Look at that head control!

So Sweet

2009-07-17T12:39:00.000-07:00

Turn up the volume for this rare but special moment...

3 Weeks New!

2009-07-16T16:06:00.000-07:00

More pictures? Of course! I want to capture it all -- every stage, every expression, every pose you can imagine. After all, she is our last baby and I just can't get enough of her. Pretty soon she'll be at the next stage -- less moldable and less sleepy and her photos will be full of smiles. So for now I want to capture the innocence of her while sleeping. Like I said in the previous post, this girl likes her sleep. So far the task has been a piece of cake!

Sleepy Girl

2009-07-15T14:22:00.000-07:00

Kendyl has been such a good baby. She definitely loves her sleep! Mostly she likes to be held or worn in the baby sling as she sleeps. But occasionally you will find her dreaming here, in her little buzzy seat.

I wish I was getting this much sleep.

Our Four Babies

2009-07-11T14:36:00.000-07:00

Here are our four babies! Things are going pretty smoothly with our new addition. I can't believe Kendyl is 2 weeks old already! It was a sad send-off today when Gramma Dee left. No more sleeping in for mommy, unlimited access to the pantry for the big kids or hourly arts and crafts for Haidyn. It was such a blessing to have her here. We miss you already! Thank you for a wonderful week!

WE MISS YOU GRAMMA DEE!

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

4th of July - 2009

2009-07-04T23:00:00.001-07:00

What a great day we had! Tammi, Sean and Co. came out for the weekend. It was nice to have all the grandkids together for a holiday again -- Grandma and Papa were thrilled! The kids were so anxious for fireworks and talked about them non-stop. Then, the time had finally come! All were ready, except Haidyn and Kaihla. Kaihla eventually warmed up to the sights but Haidyn was having NO part in the fun. She hid under a blanket all evening until eventually she fell asleep in Grandma's arms. Miss Kendyl hung out inside where it was a bit quieter. Everyone had a super fun day!

Grandma & Papa with Kaihla, Shad, Haidyn, Nolan Kendyl & Ashlee

The grandkids

Nolan, Haidyn, Ashlee and Kendyl

Kaihla and Shad

A little sand to help kill some time -- what they really want are fireworks!!!

Still waiting....a little game of Memory may distract them.

Whoo Hoo!!!! It's time!!!

Haidyn before she realized what fireworks were...

Haidyn after one sparkler

Nolan showing his spirit

And Ashlee too!

Oh yeah, and TODAY was Kendyl's due date! She was officially due on the 4th of July. But we welcomed her 8 days early.

Happy 4th everyone! Hope your day was as great as ours!!!

Miss Dimples...

2009-07-03T14:10:00.000-07:00

I forgot to mention... Kendyl has TWO of the most adorable dimples! They bring tears to my eyes when she flashes them in her sleep. Must be some sweet dreams.

Kendyl - One Week Old

2009-07-03T12:03:00.001-07:00

I can't believe it's been a week already. She has fit so nicely into our family - almost like someone just slipped her there while we weren't looking. She makes the cutest faces and the messiest of diapers. She is just heavenly! Happy one week birthday Kendyl Rose.

We love you! XOXO

I posted more pics of our little miss on my photog blog. Click HERE

4 Days Old

2009-06-30T15:21:00.000-07:00

Here she is...

So far, so good. She likes to eat - a lot. Mostly in the wee hours of the night. We are doing well and trying to adjust as best we can. She makes our life sweet again. We are in love with our Baby Kendyl.

SEE MORE HERE

Our Family...bigger and better

2009-06-28T22:51:00.000-07:00

Our family is complete!

Kendyl Rose Dunn

Friday, June 26th, 2009

at 1:13 p.m.

7 pounds, 7 ounces

20 inches

The new, bigger, better and complete Dunn Family

We are so blessed!

Still Waiting...

2009-06-23T15:26:00.000-07:00

No baby yet. Looks like with a little help she will be welcomed to the world this Friday, June 26th. We are scheduled to be induced in the morning. Can't wait!

We're Settled!

2009-06-18T22:18:00.001-07:00

The move went so well. We were amazed at the support of our friends and neighbors. We had friends show up with friends we didn't even know! I can't begin to tell you how grateful we are! The house is feeling so much like home already. My nesting has gone into overdrive and for those who know me well, I don't need to tell you that my pictures are hung and most everything has found a place. Amazingly -- we feel settled.

Just getting back into a routine and waiting for our newest addition to make her debut. It all went as smoothly as we ever could have imagined. We feel so blessed! Thank you everyone!

Our Special Thanks to:

My parents

Ryan's parents

My sister, Lincoln and Cousin Becky

My grandparents

The Gossells and Zack's awesome crew

The Wonnacott Family

The Dyer Family

The Nichols Family

The Lacoste Family

The Tully Family

Heather Lerwill

Heather Gillespie

Heather Wonnacott

Sherry Kobane

This list is just amazing to me! Whether you helped load the truck, watched a few kids or made yummy treats, we couldn't have done it without you. You guys are the best!!!

XOXO

Please Wait Baby Kendyl

2009-06-10T22:33:00.000-07:00

As miserable as I am, I am hoping Kendyl waits at least another week so we can move and be somewhat settled for our baby girl. Crossing my fingers and legs.

Moving Sucks!

2009-06-08T17:41:00.000-07:00

Enough said.

All Packed Up

2009-06-01T11:42:00.000-07:00

Haidyn: "Mommy, come watch the movie with me."

Mommy: "I can't Haidyn, I have packing to do."

Haidyn: "Why?"

Mommy: "I have to pack up everything that we want to take to the new house."

Haidyn: "Pack me! I want me to go to the new house!"

Brothers

2009-05-30T20:35:00.001-07:00

Nolan has finally accepted the fact that he is getting yet another sister. He has made it very clear that Antonio (our cat) is all the brother he needs.

As much as this kitty has been driving me nuts lately, how could I dream of separating this awesome duo?

10 Years Ago...

2009-05-27T10:20:00.000-07:00

10 years ago today I gave birth to this amazing child! Ryan and I were so excited for our little princess to arrive. We were ready for parenthood and couldn't wait to start the journey! It has been an amazing 10 years! Ashlee has been such a joy and has brought so much laughter and silliness to our family. She's blossoming into such a young lady -- almost overnight. Here are some fun things to share about our Ashlee Marie...

1. Ashlee wakes up early and happy - everyday!

2. She loves to sing and dance

3. She is an aspiring artist and is constantly drawing or crafting something

4. She's a little bit of a pack rat

5. Loves to collect little "treasures"

6. She loves Haidyn to pieces but gets frustrated with her easily

7. Surprisingly, she loves Nolan but they fight sun-up til sun-down

8. We've even caught her yelling at Nolan in her sleep

9. She's a daddy's girl all the way

10. But loves her girl talks and shopping trips with mom

11. Her favorite color is blue

12. Her favorite dinner is Tuna Casserole

13. She likes her pancakes with just butter - no syrup

14. She makes friends easily

15. She loves school and is exceptionally smart

16. Sometimes her mouth gets a little smart too

17. She plays the piano

18. Drama, Drama, Drama Queen

19. She HATES spiders

20. She loves animals

21. She's a princess all the way - never liked to be dirty for too long

22. She loves the beach

23. She has a special bond with her grandmothers

24. She has more purses than me

25. Every year she cuts her hair short and regrets it

26. She's a good friend

27. She loves playing softball

28. She bites her fingernails

29. She sucked her thumb til she was 7

30. She LOVES to read

31. She is very thoughtful and giving

32. She needs to work on her "freak out moments" (hormones are brewin')

33. She was an easy baby

34. She's very independent

35. Her nicknames are: Ash, Ash-lls, Biddish, Ash-bi-dash (thanks to her dad)

36. Her giggles are infectious

37. She's left handed (little lefty)

38. She always tells a story with a smile

39. She thinks she's funnier than she is - which makes her all the more funny!

40. She's our first born and we couldn't be prouder!!!

Thanks for being the child that welcomed us into parenthood! We love you more and more each day! Happy birthday Ash! Love Mom & Dad

Gone Buggy!

2009-05-22T14:35:00.000-07:00

Haidyn has never been afraid of bugs before. But lately she has been terrified! Nolan had a class project last week. He has been studying the life cycle of silkworms. Haidyn was FREAKING out about the silkworms -- trembling, screaming and clawing her way up into Ryan's arms. I can't even describe the show she put on at school - my words wouldn't even give it justice. Let's just say, it was over the top! We had never seen her this way before. Now she is starting to have nightmares about ants and bugs being in her room. Not sure where this is stemming from but it's almost entertaining in a way. Ashlee has been working with her. She finally got Haidyn to hold one of Nolan's silkworms (he got to bring 2 home as pets) the other day.

Today, she found a ladybug outside. She was kinda upset to find it. After some encouraging, I got her to hold it -- for about 3.5 seconds. Then she said, "I'm done. Make it go away now!"

Baby steps

Twinsies!

2009-05-22T13:39:00.000-07:00

This morning I put on my little blue sundress. Haidyn saw me and ran to her room. She wanted her blue sundress too. I obliged. "Look mommy, we match!" Too bad I had errands to run. I'm sure people wondered what the matchy-matchy was all about. Oh well, whatever makes my princess happy!

Ashlee's 10th Birthday Splash!

2009-05-18T12:42:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we celebrated Ashlee's upcoming 10th birthday! She wanted a swim party and boy did it turn out to be the day for it -- it was a scorching 102! She invited a few of her closest friends to Grandma & Papa's clubhouse. It was a pretty simple party. The kids just swam the whole time. It was even hard to coax them out of the water to enjoy the melting cupcakes! I have to say, it's nice that our kids are getting older now and I can actually breathe and somewhat relax at the pool, not worrying about them drowning every second.

Happy (early) birthday to our 1st princess! We've reached double digits now!!! Where did the time go? (sob...sob...sob)

If Nolan Only Knew...

2009-05-11T09:03:00.001-07:00

If Nolan only knew that while he was away, Haidyn played dollies in his bed. I think we'll keep it to ourselves.

A Happy Mother's Night

2009-05-10T21:07:00.000-07:00

It was a pretty uneventful Mother's Day but I'm not complaining. I spent yet another day in bed, still trying to get over this flu. Ryan and Ashlee cleaned the whole house! What a great start for the week!

Nolan let me pull out his tooth and he hurried off to bed early, anxiously awaiting the tooth fairy.

Ashlee went to bed like a pro - as usual. Tired from all the cleaning I suppose.

And Haidyn....well Haidyn wasn't too thrilled to see the day come to an end...

But it doesn't take much to snap our happy Haidyn out of her stink. Daddy laid down with her and after a comical version of the Three Little Pigs, he had her smiling once again.

Good night and Happy Mother's Day to all the deserving mommies out there!

Enjoying Haidyn

2009-05-03T18:14:00.001-07:00

Haidyn and I have been enjoying our one-on-one time lately. It makes me sad that soon she will have to share me with her new baby sister. I know there's enough of me to go around -- I just hope she does.

Lil' Helper

2009-04-30T10:20:00.000-07:00

I am soooo tired today. After we got the big kids off to school, I curled up on the couch with the remote. Haidyn was fine playing with her stuffed animals and keeping herself busy while I half-watched an old episode of 'Supernanny'. She soon cuddled up to me and rubbed my hair, "Mommy, you sick today?" I told her that Mommy was just a little sleepy. She said, "Don't worry I help you Mama. I do your dishes fer you - Otay?" I gave her kisses, said thank you and figured she'd head off to her play kitchen to wash her dishes. A few minutes later I heard water running and dishes banging in the sink. I rolled off the couch to discover this...

Feet in the sink, dress soaking wet - all to help out a sleepy mommy! Gosh, I love this child!

Our #2

2009-04-23T14:28:00.000-07:00

So our first born is actually our #2 this year. This season has been fun for Ashlee. She has been working hard at her pitching and it's starting to pay off. The girls had a fun game in the heat on Tuesday - tonight's game should be much cooler. Here are some pics from Tuesday night's game.

Up to bat: "It's #2, Ashlee Dunn"

Ashlee: "WOW! We just made an out at 2nd!?"

Here's our little pitcher!

She's ready...

Little pep-talk from coach...

Lightning girls trying to keep cool in the dugout

The Water Slide

2009-04-20T20:53:00.000-07:00

Today was unbelievably hot! When we got home from Nolan's baseball practice tonight we needed to cool down - we literally melted out there! Ryan pulled out the water slide and the kids had a blast. This water slide has been great! This will be our 3rd summer with it. It has split a few seams - but nothing a little fishing line and needle couldn't fix. Ashlee and Nolan wanted this water slide so badly, that they saved up their money and bought it 100% by themselves. It was a great buy! I hope it lasts them many more summers.

(it's a great babysitter and the kids love her)

Our #1 - 2009

2009-04-20T14:44:00.000-07:00

Nolan had a great game on Saturday. He's getting hits off the pitching machine every time and man that kid is FAST! His positions are first base and pitcher (next to the machine). He is really loving baseball this year! So much so, that last night he was filling out his poster for 'student of the week' and more than one of his answers involved baseball in some way.

Here's is what Nolan put on his poster...

My favorite color is: "Red and golden."

My favorite food is: "Chili cheese dogs."

My favorite animal is: "A king cobra."

When I grow up I want to be: "A fire fighter."

If you had one wish: "I would wish for a baseball field in my backyard."

My favorite thing to do is: "PLAY BASEBALL!"

See our little pitcher (top left)

He's so fast it was hard to get the shutter speed just right

IT WAS A GREAT GAME!

Our Easter

2009-04-13T09:19:00.000-07:00

We had a great Easter this year! It started with our annual egg hunt at my mom's clubhouse on Saturday. Ashlee opted out of this venture - choosing to play in her softball game instead. She has decided that she is getting too old for egg hunting. So I took her place because I LOVE hunting for chocolate! Nolan was most pleased with himself this year because he found a "silver egg"! He's been after one for the past 3 years. There are only 3 and you can trade it in for a huge chocolate bunny - he even shared it with me! By the way Ashlee's game was amazing - tied up and went into extra innings. So fun for them! We even got to see a lot of it after our egg hunting.

Sunday morning we were awaken at the crack of dawn by our kids (much like every other house in the world) to enjoy the Easter bunny festivities. We had toaster waffles for breakfast since I neglected to grocery shop before the weekend and then we were off to church - 5 minutes late as always! We met up with Ryan's family at his Grandpa's retirement home for Easter brunch. Haidyn and I got a mid afternoon nap while Daddy took the big kids on a bike ride.

Four Generations of Dunn Boys

Ryan, Dennis, Nolan, Ken & Terrell

And it wouldn't be a holiday without someone getting sick - we put Nolan to bed early with a fever once again. We didn't sleep much last night. But at least it was a relaxing and fun weekend. We need to get used to lack of sleep anyways - right?

Happy Palm Sunday!

2009-04-05T20:18:00.001-07:00

Happy Haidyn Once Again!

2009-04-03T14:56:00.000-07:00

Here she is - Miss Happy! Long overdue for her 3 year photos.

To see more click HERE!

Opening Day Madness!

2009-03-22T08:20:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was opening day for baseball/softball season! It is always a CRAZY day! The kids love it though and get really pumped up for the season! It all starts at 8:00 am - parade of all the teams, opening ceremonies at the park, lots of early morning candy, and then of course each of then have a game!

This year Ashlee is on the team Lightning. She has a few of her friends from class on her team and Principal Reed is her coach - so she's pretty excited. The weather was rainy on and off so I didn't take my camera to their games today. Ashlee pitched the first inning of her game (in the rain). She was cold, wet and a little nervous but she still managed to strike out a batter. Not bad for our "girly girl"! Even with a few tears and frozen fingers from the freezing rain, she managed to get a hit and eventually bring in a run for her team. Way to go Ash!

LIGHTNING - Girl's Softball - Minors - 2009

Nolan is on the Florida State Seminoles this year. He didn't know anyone on his team. And to our surprise, our little bashful dude wasted no time making new friends. Nolan is such a natural out there on the field! He loves the game and is so focused! It's the perfect sport for our concentrated little man. He plays first base amazingly well and seems to be really understanding the game this year. He is new to Minor League this year and with that comes the infamous pitching machine. It's a little intimidating for these pro-tee-ballers but Daddy is taking Nolan to the batting cages today for some more practice.

FLORIDA STATE - Little League Baseball - Minors A - 2009

Baseball season is always stressful and go-go-go! But with all the stresses of life right now, this is exactly what we need!

Our kids are awesome!

My Patient

2009-03-20T16:34:00.001-07:00

Today is my birthday. How does a mother of (almost) four spend her birthday? Why, at home with a sick kiddo of course! My morning started off great and then....the call came. Nolan was in the nurses office with a fever. I should have half expected it, it's been making it's way around the neighborhood. When I got to the school to pick him up, he said he was sorry and he hoped he didn't get me sick on my birthday. He's such a sweet guy!

My little man refused to take a nap. Instead he wrapped up in a blanket and started on a 3-D puzzle - but guess what? He didn't get too far before his little aching body fell asleep. He's a pretty good patient, I have to admit. I'm so sad for my sweet little man. I hope he feels better soon.

"P" is for Princess!

2009-03-10T19:56:00.000-07:00

Today for Haidyn's preschool our lesson was on the letter "P". Fortunately, we have an all girls preschool at this time, so we were able to celebrate the letter "P" the best us girls know how - WE HAD A PRINCESS PARTY! We curled hair, put on some sparkles, dressed in princess attire, made magic princess wands and ate popcorn for our afternoon snack. Haidyn had so much fun! The only way I could coax her into bed tonight was by promising to have another princess party very soon.

"P" is for Princess!

Princess Haidyn

Princess Sydnie

Princess Noelle

Princess Abby

Princess Chloe

The Princesses dancing at their ball!

(Princess Paige's presence has been requested at the next ball)

What Makes It All Better?...

2009-03-05T15:37:00.000-08:00

We have been dealing with a lot of stress in our lives. But today I sat back and really noticed what I love.

I love when I'm staring off into space in deep thought and Haidyn comes and put's her happy pizza face in mine!

I love that when Nolan walks in the room he always touches my belly and asks if the baby's awake. He loves to feel her move.

I love that Ashlee leaves me little notes like these: "Dear Mommy, I love you very much. I love you as much as the earth itself. I know our baby has good health. I watch you as the stars go by and you know that Daddy wears diamond ties. (???) I love you mommy. Love your eldest daughter, Ashlee"

I (kinda) love that this baby does acrobats inside me at night while I'm trying to sleep - it means she's healthy

I love that Ryan cleaned the garage today and told me to go lay down and rest.

I love that my mom has been so supportive and takes my phone calls even when she's working. And that when I don't call her, she calls to check on me.

I love that my magnolia tree is in bloom.

I love that the dog and cat have become best friends.

Today, I am thankful for what is truly important.

(and yes, my tree is one of those things)

10 Years of Bliss...

2009-02-16T09:44:00.001-08:00

Ryan and I just celebrated our 10 year wedding anniversary! We had a great time alone together - and we needed it. Times have not been easy for our family these past few months. It was just what we needed to de-stress, reconnect and just enjoy each other! We sent our kids off to friends and family for the weekend. Frugal us, had a gift card for a great dinner and a gift card to the movies. It was the perfect "get away" for us, given our current situation. Thanks to everyone who helped make it possible!

February 14, 2009

xoxo

Discovering With Cousins...

2009-01-31T19:26:00.000-08:00

Today we met my sister Tammi and her family in Sausalito for a day at the Kids Discovery Museum. It was so nice to get out of town and the weather was spectacular! Thanks for inviting us! We had so much fun!

Ashlee (9), Nolan (7), Shad (3), Kaihla (19 mos.), Haidyn (3)

Nolan Michael

2009-01-26T09:34:00.001-08:00

I finally had a chance to take Nolan out for a photo shoot. He's so handsome!

Rain, Rain, Don't Go Away

2008-12-23T08:31:00.000-08:00

Haidyn loves to be outside and even the rain can't keep her away. The other day Ashlee bundled her up and took her out to jump and play in the rain. That child has way too much energy!

Haidyn and Her Kitty

2008-12-12T16:29:00.000-08:00

Haidyn is in love with Antonio, our kitty. She is a bit too love-y with him at times - a little 'Lennie-ish'. But good ol' Antonio takes it without any complaints. He seems to like the extra affection.

Tree Deal!

2008-12-03T10:52:00.000-08:00

Due to the crappy economy, most of us are pinching pennies this year. If you are looking to save a little on your Christmas tree this year go check out 'Wise Buys' in Roseville. They just got a shipment of 700 trees and all of them (6 - 12ft.) are only $9.98! We drove out this morning and got one for us and one for my parents. Just thought I would pass on a good deal for those who are interested! Better hurry - I heard they sold out their last shipment in 3 days.

Our annual tradition is to drive up to Apple Hill to cut down our tree. But this year value outweighed our tradition.

'Wise Buys'

1159 Roseville Square

Corner of Douglas & Harding

Thank You

2008-11-28T18:06:00.000-08:00

I just want to say thank you to my husband and to everyone who has been so concerned over my health lately. This pregnancy has been a rough road these past few weeks. Ryan has been amazing! He's Mr. Mom, Mr. Dad, Mr. Nurse and so much more. Today he took me to the hospital and I was given fluids for my dehydration and some nausea medication. I truly hope that I can not only start to feel better, but start to enjoy this FINAL pregnancy.

Thanks again for all of your concern - we (me and little fetus) will be okay~ Kimberly

Thank you Ryan - I know it's been hard for you but I love you =0)

SURPRISE!

2008-11-20T12:43:00.000-08:00

We were surprised too!

It's time to share the news as I can no longer hide it. My belly is growing and I have been so sick that people are beginning to worry. Yes, it is true - baby number 4 will be arriving hopefully sometime before July 4, 2009!

The kids are very excited while Nolan is already planning for bunk beds - he just knows it's going to be a baby brother.

I guess we'll be needing a new license plate soon. Any suggestions???

Haidyn Turns Three!

2008-11-12T18:14:00.000-08:00

I can't believe our baby girl is 3! Exactly one week after Nolan's birthday, we celebrate Haidyn's! This year they each had small parties with their friends and then one Saturday we had my parents and Ryan's parents over for pizza to celebrate both their birthdays.

Haidyn loves her new Dora bike from Papa Dennis & Gramma Jan.

My mom bought her an American Girl (Bitty Baby) with matching Christmas clothes - too cute!

And our little mastermind loves his new Erector Set!

Haidyn's Dora Party: We had the party last Friday morning. It was a Dora fiesta! We had a small jumper, a pinata and for lunch we made tostadas. It was lots of fun. Here's Haidyn waiting for her friends to arrive for the party - she was having a hard time being patient.

Haidyn's famous tongue - so purty!

Cousin Shad beating up Dora.

"Thank you friends for all the fun presents! We had a fun day!" ~Haidyn

Trick-or-Treat

2008-11-12T15:47:00.001-08:00

Every year we carve pumpkins the day before Halloween - which is Nolan's birthday!

Halloween night was fun! We went over to the Dyers' house for dinner with our Allaire Circle Family and then off we went to find the candy. This was Haidyn's first year where she really understood what was going on. She loved it! After every house she would ask, "Mommy, can I go trick-or-treating again?" She wanted to be assured that this venture would never end!

Of course it did and she was thrilled with her loot!

When we got home we had a ton of candy to hand out to other trick-or-treaters. So, Ashlee and Nolan plopped themselves on the front porch and took over the task - it was great!

Backed Up Blog...

2008-11-12T15:15:00.000-08:00

I am so behind on blogging! I don't know where to begin and there is so much I will have to just leave out - I can't find the time these days. I will start with the Piano Recital.

Ashlee has been in piano now for about 3 years. This was her first recital. We were all so nervous for her. Papa Dennis, Grandma Carolyn and Papa Larry came to support the kids too. Here is a little clip of one of the songs she played. She did great and recovered from her little mishap marvelously! (notice no music, she played by memory)

Nolan has been in piano for about 3 months now. He is learning fast and seems to really enjoy it. I was so proud of him! Nolan does not like to be in the spotlight (like his sister). The fact that he not only got up there, but performed wonderfully is just amazing to me. Our little man is maturing. Unfortunately, Haidyn was being a handful during Nolan's performance so I don't have his recording on my camera. Daddy did video the entire performance on our camcorder, but I have yet to figure out how to upload those files. So here is a photo (of his back - sorry)

Miles, Nolan, Raelynn & Ashlee

Thanks Carrie, for teaching our kids to play piano and enriching our home with the sound of music!!!

Why We Keep Going Back...

2008-10-26T19:48:00.001-07:00

We love fall and we LOVE APPLE HILL! This is one of our favorite times of year. Our family has been heading up the hill every year since Nolan was born and as long as we're Californians, our tradition will never die. You may wonder what is so great about apples and the hill in which they come from, so we are hoping this blog posting will bring you a little piece of what us Lil' Dunns call, "Apple Heaven."

Apple Hill is located off HWY 50 just above Placerville - less than an hour drive from Sacramento. It's the perfect day trip and such a beautiful drive. There are over 30 farms you can visit and some are even open year round. We usually head up again in December to cut down our Christmas tree. So, here are the reasons why we keep going back...

#1. The Free Shuttle: it runs only during the month of October. You can park for free at Schnell Elementary School and the shuttle takes you on the apple farm loop. Shuttles run about every 15 minutes. (make sure to get your boxes of apples and pumpkins last)

#2. The Food: It's like going to fair - but better! Ryan is always a fan of BBQ anything! I have to admit today's pork tri-tip (is there such a thing?) was delicious!

It was FINGER LICKIN' GOOD!

#3. Apples, Apples and more Apples! There are too many yummy apple treats to list.

But our favorites are caramel apples, apple pies, apple fritters & of course the apple donuts.

And fresh apple juice to wash all that sugar down!

#4. COLORS! There is an overwhelming abundance of color - it's sensory overload at it's best!

#5. Choosing our pumpkins: despite all the fun local pumpkin patches, the kids like hauling home their pumpkins. The deal is that they have to be able to carry it themselves since Ryan and I are usually loaded up with boxes of apples. I think it makes them feel important - this year Daddy did end up carrying the brunt of our goods.

#6. Crafts & Fun: Each farm offers different activities for families. There are street markets of various hand crafted goodies, produce stands galore and crafts for the kids. The girls enjoyed getting their faces painted.

While Nolan made his own candle.

#7. Time??? What? We find that there's no such thing as a schedule when we're at Apple Hill - the best part is taking our time to enjoy every bit of "Apple Heaven". After all, our next visit is a year away.

Alice, the Sorcerer and the Queen

2008-10-24T21:06:00.001-07:00

Tonight was the fall carnival at the kids' elementary school. We didn't take the camera with us - we wanted to make sure we were able to enjoy every minute but of course I snapped a few before we left.

Let's start with Miss Alice. Haidyn isn't really that into movies yet, but she does love Alice in Wonderland. We were lucky to have borrowed this great costume from Taylor (all the way from Texas!) Doesn't she make the cutest Alice?

Next up is Nolan! We bought this super hat while we were in DisneyLand last year. He mentioned back then that he would like to be Sorcerer Mickey and Nolan never forgets. So I made him the robe, we found the perfect gold rope and voila! Sorcerer Mickey!

Last, but not least is Miss Ashlee. She had quite the time making her choice of costume this year. I still have a bag of fabric sitting here on my desk - someday it will make the cutest Little Red Riding Hood costume. She was all over the place; Little Red, Princess Lucy, Pirate Girl, the list goes on. But one day we were in Marshalls and found this great Queen of Hearts costume. Knowing that Haidyn would be Alice, it was perfect! Done deal! She won best overall costume tonight at the carnival for her grade level. She was very proud!

Tonight when I was putting Haidyn to bed she was throwing a big fit (obviously from the excess of sugar tonight) She was screaming, "Off with your head!" to me while I was wrestling her down to slap some jammies on her little heiny! I think we may have to save Ashlee's costume for Haidyn. It's her new favorite line.

Our little trick-or-treaters!

"Legos Rock!"

2008-10-18T20:17:00.001-07:00

Today was Nolan's birthday party trip to the Lego store in Santa Clara. The Lego store and it's employees really went above and beyond to make this day extra special for our little dude and his friends -- we were blown away! It was so fun, the boys had such a hands-on experience. I have to admit I was a little worried about taking four boys on a trip but the boys were so mellow, so well behaved and so intense in their building and creativity. The employees were so laid back - the boys pretty much had the store all to themselves for over an hour before it opened to the public.

Nolan and his best buds (Miles, Blake, Liam and Nolan)

The wall of LEGOS! Every boy's dream! They stood in front of it, mouths open and just stared...

Our first activity: the boys were given a cup of legos to custom build their own car.

They took this job very seriously...

Once they had their cars complete, Travis (our Lego go-to-guy) set up a ramp so the boys could take turns racing their cars. They were able to tweak their designs to enhance speed. (they were little engineers)

Then they were given a cup of Legos and had to guess how many were inside -- the winner got to fill a cup with Legos from the famous LEGO WALL!

Next, they each got to choose a Lego kit to build and take home.

And FINALLY, they were able to browse and purchase MORE LEGOS!

Taj Mahal

You could say we left a few empty shelves - they were in 7 year old heaven!

We had lunch at California Pizza Kitchen

Cheers birthday boy!

Our little man will be 7 years old on the 30th!

NO JUMPING ON THE COUCH -- unless the camera is in hand

2008-10-10T10:35:00.000-07:00

Our 3 monkeys...

The Cat and the Hat

2008-09-29T17:21:00.001-07:00

Miss Natalie

2008-09-26T14:05:00.000-07:00

Our time with Miss Natalie is almost over. Natalie has been Haidyn's speech therapist since April. Haidyn has come so far and will soon be graduating and moving on to continue her speech improvements through our school district. It has been such a joy to watch Natalie work with Haidyn - she is patient, loving, encouraging and highly professional. Our family will miss you Miss Nat, you have played such an amazing role in Haidyn's development- THANK YOU!

The BIG FOUR-0

2008-09-17T20:40:00.000-07:00

He made it! Ryan survived turning 40! Hooray! I have been secretly planning his 40th getaway trip for quite sometime. It couldn't have come at a better time for us. As some of you may know, Ryan was recently given a final employment date of December 31st - he was laid off. It has been an emotionally draining past couple of weeks so this trip was even more special. Saturday we flew out to Palm Springs for 5 days of relaxation and pampering. It was a great trip once we got through day #1. Unfortunately, our first night there we got food poisoning - we thought we were dying. It's not fun being sick with only one bathroom. But we pulled through and had so much fun the rest of our trip. On his actual birthday (Tuesday, September 16th) I had a convertible delivered to our hotel for the day. Ryan was so ecstatic! It was the highlight of the trip for him! I, of course enjoyed the pool and our spa day. We had an 80 minute couple's massage - it was heavenly! Once we were feeling better, we enjoyed some great dinners. We highly recommend Bing Crosby's and Le St. Germain Restaurant ~ spectacular!!!

The Car (2008 Audi A4 Convertible)

Heading off to Ryan's birthday dinner @ Le St. Germain

"I wish to be younger."

Cruisin' in the desert...

Lunch in downtown Palm Springs (9-16-2008)

Ahhhh......the spa day......ZZZZZzzzzzz

Oh, did I mention the waterpark at our resort? Here's Ryan...

Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa (our home for 5 whole days)

One of the many pools...

Bing Crosby's Restaurant (best meal we ate the entire trip!)

My sexy 40 year old husband...

Us...

Room service - Ry's birthday breakfast

Our room #411

Happy Birthday Honey!

Too busy to blog...

2008-08-29T16:46:00.000-07:00

Life is so fast right now! I haven't a second to spare. You can follow what's new with Haidyn on my daycare blog. (Click here)

We'll settle into our new routine soon and I'll be back to blogging - maybe.

They're Off!

2008-08-13T10:16:00.000-07:00

Today was the first day of school. They were both so excited and ready to go bright and early. We had a family meeting last night to remind them of our morning routine and go over what was expected of them. Here's our plan:

Ashlee

1. Don't get out of bed until 7:00

2. Get dressed

3. Make your bed

4. Feed the dog

5. Eat breakfast

6. Brush your teeth and hair

7. Get your backpack and lunch

8. Get in the car by 8:40

9. No fighting

Nolan

1. Don't get out of bed until 7:00

2. Get dressed

3. Make your bed

4. Feed the cat

5. Eat breakfast

6. Brush your teeth (no hair to brush - his idea)

7. Get your backpack and lunch

8. Get in the car by 8:40

9. No fighting

Day ONE was a huge success! Everyone was dressed and fed and happy! I even had time to snap a few pictures.

Nolan (2nd grade) and Ashlee (4th grade)

Awesome job Ashlee and Nolan! Hope you're having a great first day back at school! See you at the bus stop - we love you!

(Mom, Dad & Haidyn)

Last Weekend...

2008-08-12T11:09:00.001-07:00

The last weekend of summer! My parents came with us to take the kids miniature golfing. Again, it was hot.

The girls taking a break to plan their strategy.

Nolan couldn't decide - left or right? Mostly he was trying to drive the ball rather than putt it.

But once he figured it out, he got a HOLE IN ONE!

Ashlee was patient - taking her time to look cute.

Haidyn's golfing abilities are still a work in progress. Mostly she attacked the ball with the club. Getting mad at the ball for not moving.

Until....she figured out that it was easier to just put the ball in the hole - with her hand of course.

Here's Papa Larry in quite the predicament.

After a hot day golfing it was only fitting to sit down and enjoy some blue raspberry ICEEs. Yum Yum!

HOPE EVERYONE HAD A GREAT SUMMER! WE SURE DID!

Camp

2008-08-12T10:22:00.000-07:00

I'm a a little behind on my posts but now that summer is officially over for the kids tomorrow - Whoo hoo! (Oh wow, did I just say that? I meant, how sad - I shall miss them dearly.) I decided it time to add the final summer posts. So, here is our ever so fun trip to Lake Mendocino. We took the kids camping for 4 days. It was fun although by day 4 we were ready to head home - back to hot water and electricity. My sister, Tammi and her family joined us on day two and that made it even more enjoyable. Despite the killer heat and the lingering smoke from nearby wild fires, the kids had a blast! We decided in the near future that there will be no more camping at the lake without a boat - it's an essential. (so anyone reading this who has a boat - we would love to have you over for dinner and a game night) hee hee

Sean, Tammi, Kaihla, Haidyn, Kimberly, Ryan, Shad, Ashlee & Nolan

Ashlee...

Nolan...

Kaihla...

Haidyn...

Shad...

Makin' S'mores...

________________________________

Oh, and let's not forget Max, our newest addition to the family. Caught by Uncle Sean at Lake Mendo. We brought him home and he is now Nolan's new pet...

A Gym Swim - (or not)

2008-08-04T13:48:00.001-07:00

It was a nice night so we decided to go for a swim at our gym. We were disappointed when we got there and the pool was closed - earlier in the day they found a "floater". Yuck! But we decided to stay and play in the water park area. I brought along my camera and snapped a few before I was told to put the camera away by security. I wasn't aware cameras weren't aloud at the pool but once I thought about it I was in favor of the rule. I wouldn't want just anyone snapping pics of my kids in their suits. So enjoy the few that I got.

My boys

This is such a rare shot for me to have captured - Nolan hates the camera. But isn't he handsome?

Miss personality!

Ashlee - "Weeee!"

I don't think I'll ever understand why Ry calls Haidyn, Hai-a-lot. I think it somehow relates to the CareBears and the land of Care-a-lot??? So far, she doesn't seem to mind though.

Yogurty Cute

2008-08-01T12:05:00.000-07:00

Enough said.

Movie Night!

2008-07-30T18:06:00.000-07:00

It's 'Movie Night' at the Dunn house! I needed some down time this afternoon so I promised the kids if they all took a nap then we could rent movies and stay up late. To my surprise they were all in their rooms asleep within minutes! When they woke up we went to Blockbuster and rented some movies - as promised.

Playing tonight: Nancy Drew and Snow Buddies

They love setting up the hide-a-bed and falling asleep to movies. And it wouldn't be the perfect slumber party without the popcorn their favorite cuddle quilts (made by Auntie Linda)

The Puppet Show...

2008-07-24T18:38:00.000-07:00

Fort Update..

2008-07-23T15:01:00.000-07:00

Okay, so here's the update on the fort. It's done - as done as it's gonna be this year. Maybe next year we will add a canvas top but for now it is what it is. The kids don't seem to mind a bit. They spend all day up there! They draw, read, write and eat up in that fort. I'm sure if we let them sleep up there, they would.

Today I decided to head up and see what all the excitement was. I found that Ashlee is the ring leader - of course. She has a schedule of what they will do daily. She cracks me up.

View from Ashlee's window

Nolan taking me and my camera for a tour of the clubhouse

Artwork they created for today's art show

Their fort is equipped with a rope ladder, two chairs, a table, carpet, a clock, trash can, art supplies and a fake potted sunflower. Let's not forget the dry-erase board with clubhouse rules, the agenda charts (by Ashlee) and a ton of beautiful artwork created by my ever so talented children!

Bye-Bye Binky!

2008-07-23T14:13:00.000-07:00

We have been trying to find the right time to take away Haidyn's pacifier (a.k.a. Binky). It has just never seemed like the right time - a vacation was coming, we had potty training going (which by the way we have pretty much accomplished! Hooray!) or there was something going on that required having Binky around to make things a little more "doable" for us (you binky moms know what I mean). I really thought she would wean herself one day. She weaned herself from nursing and she weaned herself from the bottle. But no - Binky was staying!

We just got back from camping on Sunday and we knew this was our last trip of the Summer - it was now or never! We told Haidyn that we had left the binkies at the lake. She was soooo sad! She sobbed and cried the first day but after that she has been okay with it. She knows now that binkies are for babies and she is now a "big girl". A big girl that goes on the potty and sleeps without a binky! I can't believe we did it! Bye-Bye Binky!

Our baby girl is growing up.

First Cut

2008-07-16T09:18:00.000-07:00

Haidyn got her first hair cut this morning. We needed to get rid of some of that tangly, brittle baby hair. It had been 2 1/2 years and mommy was ready to say bye-bye. We had not cut it before this, other than her bangs. She was very excited for a hair cut - but squirmy! I kept questioning her over and over again, "who cuts hair Haidyn?" and she would answer, "Mommy do it." "Does Haidyn cut hair?" "NO, Mommy do it." Hopefully she will only use scissors on paper. Wish me luck on that one.

BEFORE

AFTER

I cut about 4 inches off the back!

"Awe, I cute!"

A Sugary Sweet Day

2008-07-14T07:47:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, we took the kids to the Jelly Belly Factory. We took the factory tour and had to wear these awesome hats! Ashlee and Nolan LOVED the sample station! Haidyn fell in love with a little red Jelly Belly bear and insisted it was her baby. We bought it for her and she has named him, Belly. It was a fun day...

Our Favorite Jelly Belly

Ryan: Root Beer

Kimberly: Orange Sherbet

Ashlee: Cotton Candy

Nolan: Cinnamon

Haidyn: Very Cherry

We must have worn them out because all three of them slept the whole way home - and so did I.

Happy Birthday Papa Jimmy!

2008-07-11T16:35:00.000-07:00

Here's how we celebrated...

and they were YUMMY!

Happy Birthday from Sacto to Vegas!

Our Family Reunion - We're Home!

2008-07-11T12:08:00.000-07:00

We are home from Oregon - and it was loads of fun! It was so good to see everyone and the weather was nicer than expected!

Get ready for a ton of photos!

Family Photos...

The McCann Kids

The Grandkids (well, most of us) we missed you Tim, Craig & Jeff

The Great Grandkids

Our time on the beach...

Family Olympic Day...

Wheelbarrow races, piggy back races, crab walk race, sprints, water balloon toss, and bouncy balloon race. The kids really had fun!

Everyone was a winner!

The Volleyball Tournament!

Here are the teams...

TEAM #1

TEAM #2 - The Winners! (the cheaters)

When the parents are tired and there's nothing left to do...

Play in the dirt!

The Game Room...and games!

The place where we stayed (Osprey Park) was equipped with a game room. There were 2 pool tables, air hockey, arcade basketball, foosball and ping pong!

Our family likes to play games! Scrabble, Poker, Pictionary and Cranium were among the favorites this trip.

Karaoke Night!

The Deep Sea Fishing Trip

Loretta, Nathan, Ryan, John, Scott, Jacob and Ray went on a deep sea fishing trip early Tuesday morning. I was so upset to hear that NOONE brought their camera! They had a blast though. They all caught loads of fish and crab! (Ling Cod and Sea bass) They had the fish filleted so we couldn't take a picture when they returned either. So here is a photo of Scott and Logan. Logan wanted to help: "Let me crack it dad!"

It was a great trip! The place where we stayed was quiet and secluded and seemed spacious enough. It only sleeps 24 but my Aunt and Uncle brought their trailer. Nolan got to camp out in the trailer with his cousin Logan. And Loretta brought her tent trailer and Ashlee got to camp with her and Robin. Thanks for making it fun for my kiddos! They were quite the happy campers!

I think history will repeat itself - Summer 2011!

Someplace a bit warmer hopefully!

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P.S. Cousin John saves the day with cameraphone!

My cousin John just forwarded me the few pics that he took on the fishing trip with his phone! I love technology. Now there is proof that these guys didn't just pick up some tasty fillets at the market.

Leaving Newport Tradewinds

Here's Scotty pulling up his crab pot

The backs of Loretta, Ray and Ryan

We're OFF!

2008-06-28T21:24:00.000-07:00

We are heading to Waldport, Oregon for our family reunion! Can't wait!

We'll have lots to share when we return!