A friend for everyone

Our new-found friends from the ward, The Stowers, came over on Friday to play. We have hung out a few times with them and even spent a wonderful weekend with them at their cabin in Bear Lake. Benson and Trevan are quickly becoming best buds. They are so cute together!

Here are the little boys playing and having treats...

Here are the big boys playing and having treats...

How Low Can You Go???

Casey and I are true fans of KSL.com's Classified section. It is one of the many sites we visit daily. We have bought a lot of things and sold one laptop on KSL.com.

On Monday, Casey just happened to open up the free section and notice there was a 57" HDTV listed. It had only been online for 1 minute and he called on it. They promised him that we could come and get it, so we went and got it yesterday in West Jordan. The TV wasn't working right, so Casey looked it up online, and turns out that everyone who owns this model of TV has the same problem.... when the TV gets to be 6 years old, something happens and the screen goes totally green, then turns off. So Casey looked online some more and found the solution. You have to turn one screw about 1/8th of a turn and whalah, fixed. So we picked up the TV last night (thanks for the help, Andy) and brought it home. Casey took out a few screws to get inside and then turned that one screw a little bit, and tah-dah, fixed. It took about 10 minutes to fix.

So now we have this beauty sitting in our living room. It's HUGE all around, I'll have to get rid of my entertainment center (it's all your's, Andy), because the TV is bigger than the entertainment center.
So here is our free TV, I guess it did cost about $15 in gas to pick up, but that's it!

Also, in about October, we noticed this basketball hoop listed for free in Harrisville, so we picked it up for free too. It is a really nice hoop, Casey loves it.

Things my Daddy taught me....

To get us all in the Christmas spirit, we decided to decorate sugar cookies yesterday. Doesn't it look so clean and peaceful and wonderful?

Have you ever tried to do ANYTHING with a very curious one-year-old around? Well, after trying and trying to keep him away from the frosting, his loving father gave up and handed the kid a spoon.

By this point, McKenzie is GAGGING!!!

(The frosting didn't turn out so well, I guess I need to work on my frosting making skills, but Benson seemed to like it.)

A couple of weeks ago, the Haws family had a "yankee swap" for our Christmas presents to each other. Thanks to Brady, Casey got this "AWESOME NERF GUN". He and Benson love to play with it. Although I have to keep reminding Casey....

WE DON'T POINT GUNS AT PEOPLE!!!!!!

The many stages of our bathroom

This is what it looked like before we moved in.

This is what it looked like after we moved in. Carpet on the floor and baby in the tub.

We (Casey) ripped up the carpet and there was linoleum under it.

I painted the vanity. It went from off-white to chocolate brown.

Casey laying tile

Casey laying the final tile

This is what it looks like now. No carpet, no baby in the tub.

We're still trying to decide what to do with the pink tub and the flowery toilet and sink.

Any suggestions?

Quirks

I got "tagged" forever ago, and am just now getting to it, so here goes:

♥ Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of yours.
♥ Tag 6 fellow bloggers by linking them.
♥ Leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger’s blogs letting them know they’ve been tagged.

1. I love organization!!! But that doesn't necessarily mean I'm a clean person. Since I'm home all day long, I usually try to do some cleaning around the house. A lot of time, my "cleaning" turns into organizing. I'll go to put something away in the closet and end up re-arranging the whole closet. Today I thought I would do some laundry. I separated the laundry into separate categories of items that needed to be hung, jeans, socks, towels, unders, etc. And then I left them on my bed. If they were in one big pile, they would drive me crazy, but since they are separated like that, it is not a problem at all.

2. I love lists. (Stole this one from Jordan). I am obsessed with making lists for myself and for other people. And, to go along with this obsession, I also love list paper (you know those pads of paper with lines labeled "to do")... The other day, I bought 5 pads of list paper because I didn't know when I would find it again! Just like Jord, when I make lists, I often write things that I have already done on them so I can check them off, and then I'll leave the list out so Casey can see how much I did.

3. I am a semi-violent person. When something pops into my head, I'll often hit the nearest person to me and shout whatever I thought of as loud as I can. This really bugs Casey and he has to keep reminding me not to do it. I often have the urge to hit people and sometimes even bite... I know, beware!

4. I love even numbers. I will only say the prayer if it's an even number day, otherwise, it's Casey's turn. I didn't want to get married on an odd numbered day and when we were going to schedule Benson to be born, I had to make sure it was going to be an even numbered day. This is a little different, but if I ever set an alarm clock (I rarely do), I have to have the first and last number be the same for instance: 6:16, 5:45, 3:23, 7:07, etc.

5. I love fancy socks. Up until this summer, I did not own a pair of plain, white socks. It was starting to get out of control and I was beginning to look silly, so I broke down and bought white ankle socks. But they don't count cause you can't even see them when you wear them.

6. I love the Internet. There are certain sites (woot.com, ksl, blogs, email, my bank) that I check multiple times a day. Most of the time, there isn't anything new, but just in case there is, I will keep checking! The worst part is, that woot.com is only one thing per day, and still, I'll check it like 4 or 5 times cause what if they just happen to change it? Woot-offs are the worst! You can just count me out for the whole day!

7. I love getting a good deal! (oops, I did 7 quirks) I will often buy things I DO NOT NEED just because they are a good deal, hence woot. I will buy things at costco because it seems like buying in bulk is such a money saver, when I'll never use 4500 rolls of paper towels. I always think that I won't be able to find a good deal again or I'll justify buying something because "I might need it someday".... We have 50 cans of pork & beans downstairs because they were on sale. And I HATE PORK & BEANS.

That was fun. I tag: Judi, Chelsey (invite me to your blog!!!), Emily, McKenzie, Krystal, and Candace.... but only if you guys want to.

Merry Christmas

Since it is officially December, I think I can post our Christmas Card without prematurely spreading holiday cheer. I've been listening to Christmas music for a month now and I've just been holding back my season's greetings.... Until now. Here it is, our Christmas Card for this year. We'll still send some in the mail, but only to some of you.

Credits: Everything used from Shabby Princess "twas the night" kit.

Blessed are the curious...

I love, love, love vinyl lettering, I've even seriously considered buying a vinyl lettering machine. So, one day I saw this little saying and I thought it described Benson perfectly.

"Blessed are the curious, for they shall have adventure".

I'm sure glad I got that saying because Benson has had a whole bunch of adventures this week....

He must have just figured out that he was small, because we've had this cupboard for a few months now and he always plays with the stuff in the cupboard, but he has never tried to climb in. Until now.

We are trying to teach Benson how to share (he's terrible at it). Today we were having shakes, so I was sharing mine with him. Instead of drinking from my cup, he decided to blow bubbles in it, and this was the result.

We cut our Christmas tree down yesterday, so today we were decorating it. I put all of the lights on without any problems, and then we started putting the ornaments on. Turns out Benson LOVES balls, and so our ornaments were very interesting to him. He was pulling them off faster than we could put them on. And, to make his adventure more wonderful, he decided to hide all of the "balls" he pulled off the tree. We found some in his garbage can (along with shoes, clothes, toys, diaper rash cream, lotion, bath toys, etc.), we found ornaments in with his toys, in the kitchen, and in the bedrooms. Hopefully we found most of them.

Notice the black eye and the bruises on his face? Another adventure involving Grandma's house, a fish tank, and a rocking chair... we really don't abuse him.
What curious little boy wouldn't climb behind and under the tree?
This is how our Christmas tree looks now. Ornaments on the top half only. Playing with the ornaments was fun while it lasted, but I do want them to last at least until Christmas.
*NOTE: We didn't get a "Charlie Brown" tree on purpose. In fact, when we were in the forest looking for a tree, this one looked way better than the rest. But looking at it now, we realize that it is, indeed, a sad little tree. (I still love it, though)

In all things, give thanks

Since Thanksgiving is coming up, I wanted to post some of the things I am thankful for:

Casey...
He is, above everything, my very best friend. I never get sick of talking to him, laughing with him, playing games with him, and just being with him. I always want to be where he is. Sometimes I probably bug him because I never want to go somewhere if he isn't coming. If he's going to play b-ball with the guys, I always want to come. He takes such good care of me and always listens to my problems when I magically have a problem every night at midnight while he's trying to sleep. He really is my other half and I love him more everyday.

Benson...
He makes me laugh constantly. I think he is the cutest little thing. I can't imagine him not being in my life. I love to kiss his chubby cheeks and hold those tiny little hands. He is such a good boy, besides wanting to hit everybody lately. I've never had many problems with Benson, and I'm really grateful that he is such a good boy.

Family...
I just love 'em. My brothers and sisters, and even my parents, are my best friends (besides Casey). We love to go to my parents and just hang out. Casey's family has been nothing but wonderful to me. They do the funnest things. They always have fun parties with the funnest games. I couldn't have asked for better in-laws

Friends...
We're making more of them, and that's fun. I'm thankful for the friends I had in elementary, and even before that. Those girls are still some of my best buds. I'm thankful that they helped me grow up and were good examples for me.

My house...
I love our little house. I feel so at home here. I am grateful that Casey works hard so we aren't renting. And even more grateful that we have people to pay us rent! I love the things that Casey has done to make our house more ours. Paint, tile, rugs, towels, curtains go a long way. And I'm thankful for my washer, dryer, and dishwasher (thanks Mike & Gayle).

The gospel...
I honestly would be lost without it. I can't imagine going through life not knowing what I know. I feel so much comfort knowing that I can be with my family forever. That God is there, and that he loves me. That I have a savior and I can repent when I fall short. That we have guidance on the earth today, a prophet who is inspired, and people around us who can help when we need it.

My slippers...
For anyone who hasn't seen them, they are DISGUSTING!!! Casey got me some new ones last year for christmas because the ones I was wearing before were gross. But the new ones soon looked worse than my old ones. Anyway, I'm grateful for the comforts of life that I enjoy. For heat, air conditioning, plumbing, power, a car to drive, money for gas, food to eat, people to love, and carpet on my floor (even if it is carpet-tile).

My life...
I truly am blessed. I feel bad for all of the things I complain about. I have everything I could ever need, and more. I never go without what I need and often have too much. I hope I can stop and take a look at my life and do better. Live a better life. Serve more. Do more. Be more.

Dalpias Digital

I know I mentioned this before, but a while ago, I set up a blog for my photography business. It is now up and running! I've been doing family pictures like crazy and so I've got a lot of new pictures on there. So, feel free to check it out anytime.

Also, I don't advertise or publicise my photography business at all (this post doesn't count?), I totally rely on word-of-mouth to keep it going. So if you know anyone needing a photographer or videographer for anything, please feel free to give them our number or website.... Thanks!!!

DalpiasDigital.com

Hair Cuts

Benson's hair was starting to get out of control. He doesn't have very much hair, but it was REALLY long, so we decided to cut it.

Here are some BEFORE pictures:

Benson's daddy's hair was starting to get out of control too. So we cut both of the boys' hair together. Here is Casey, the mighty hunter, before: (hope you're not expecting an after, cause I didn't get one.)

Here we go!!!! Off with the baby hair!

AFTER:

Benson seemed to really like his hair cut.

This is kind of gross. But here is what was left after the hair cuts. Everyone always asks us where Benson gets his blonde hair from. I usually say the sun, but you can tell that it is a lot lighter than Casey's.

*Please note: Yes, folks, this is our infamous carpet-tile. Do not be fooled. It is neither carpet or tile, but a unique combination of both. Please do not be alarmed or confused.

Restaurant Certificate

So this is a little weird, but it really worked, so I thought I would post it for all of you.

Quoted from lifehacker.com:
"This website Restaurant.com sells gift certificates to participating restaurants all over the country, often offering deeply discounted prices. Right now the site is selling $25 gift certificates for $10, which isn't a bad start, but from now until Halloween, entering TREATS at the checkout applies a second 80% discount to the sales price. The result is a supremely cheap $25 gift card for just $2. Want to aim higher? The same discount applies to more expensive gift cards as well, so you can snag a $50 gift card for $4, $100 for $8, and so on. Be sure to read up on the participating restaurants before buying and check the fine print for the restaurant you plan on using it at so there aren't any surprises when the bill comes. A Restaurant.com gift card may restrict you to a minimum food purchase, for example. In the midst of financial apocalypse, this seems like a nice way to save a few bucks but still enjoy a meal out."

Last night, Casey and I bought a $25 gift certificate (for $2) to this Warehouse Steak restaurant in Ogden. The catch is.... You have to spend $35 in order to use your $25 gift certificate. So, we both ordered nice dinners and Benson got an order of french fries. We spend almost exactly $35 on dinner. Then we used our gift certificate for $25 and so our dinner only ended up being $10 (plus tip)... and the cost of the gift certificate, which was $2.

Casey made the observation that it's more like a coupon (spend $35, get $25 off!) than a gift certificate, and I agree. There aren't a ton of restaurants that participate, so if you want to check it out, go to restaurants.com before halloween!!!!

Happy Birthday!

These are really late, since Benson had his birthday in September, but I wanted to post a few pictures of him eating his cupcake.

This actually isn't even on his birthday. For his birthday, I made him a basketball cake, which he hated!!! He wouldn't even touch it and when I put a taste of frosting in his mouth, he started gagging!!! So the day after his birthday, I gave him this cupcake and he devoured it! He loved it! So here are some pictures of his non-birthday.

Things We're Learning...

Everyday Benson learns new things. Here are a few he's learned today...

Talking on the phone Trick or TreatingChecking out the goods after Trick or Treating

(he ended up with... a cell phone, measuring tape, 2 halloweens decorations, a yellow crayon, Nintendo gameboy game, and a nose aspirator (snot sucker))

Learning to Cook
Learning to Blow Bubbles (he's had a runny nose)

And what am I learning? I'm not really sure, I guess. Sometimes it feels like the only things I'm learning are how to cook, clean, fold, scrub, wipe, wash, rinse, load, unload, etc.

Casey says that I am Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent.... but somehow that isn't exactly what I want to be.

So I'll keep on learning. Or trying to learn at least.

Halloween Past

The other day I was putting up all of my halloween decorations and we found Benson's hotdog costume from last halloween. We put it on him to see if it still fit, and it did! He hated it because he couldn't walk, but it was fun to see how big he's grown. Here are some pictures of him in his hotdog costume last year and his costume this year.