The Zoo

Jackson and Aunt Cindy hanging out at Grammy and Gramp's. What a cute pair!





The black panther at the zoo. The boys were fascinated by it. It was so close!




The turtles and Owen.





THE LOG RIDE. This was the highlight of our trip. The boys had so much fun on this ride and they got soaked! They had such a good time that they had to ride it twice.





Brett and Cindy at the zoo.

The Pool

We had so much fun at the pool! Isn't it fabulous? It couldn't have been more perfect for the kids.



Owen is getting to be a good little swimmer and he loves the water. You won't catch him putting his head under the water but he still loves to be in the water!

Gabe loved the little river they had. He went around and around and around. I've always called Gabe "my water baby". He's always loved the water.

Here is Bryan keeping up with March Madness and enjoying the sunshine....and watching Eli.

Here is Gabe and Eli hanging out at the house.

Fishing....in Phoenix?

We arrive in Phoenix, get off the plane, walk outside to beautiful skis, palm trees, and sunshine. Grammy and Gramps meet us at the airport and the kids are so excited to finally be here and to see Grammy and Gramps. We are ready for our vacation. On our way out to the car, Grammy mentions fishing pond. Next thing I know we are headed to Cabela's to buy fishing supplies. Wait a minute, what happened to laying by the pool, playing golf, or just sleeping in? Fishing is on Gabe's brain. He asks a million questions...Where is the fishing pond? What kind of fish are in it? When can we go, dad? Can we go now?

Trip to Cabela's and we have all the fishing gear. I take a deep breath and remember that this is a good thing that we are going fishing ON OUR VACATION.

Grammy and I took Gabe fishing the first day. He loved it even though there was about 30 other fisherman there also and no one was catching fish. He was very patient and fished for at least 2 hours. Every morning before everyone got up, Gabe and Bryan would load up and go fishing for a couple of hours.

One morning a heron stole Gabe's fish and this only made him more determined to catch one because he had actually seen that there was a fish in that pond. The last day we were there Gabe, Owen, and Bryan caught 3 small fish. Thank goodness!!

Let me just ask this one question....who goes to Phoenix and fishes in the middle of suburbia?

THE DAHLS

Eli hanging in his stroller while brother fishes.

Cactus

Saturday morning here. I'm sitting at the computer looking over pictures of our vacation wishing we were back in Phoenix with the sunshine and palm trees. My boys are watching a fishing show on TV. You always imagine your kids getting up on Saturday morning watching cartoons but my boys would rather watch a fishing or hunting show. They run around the room when the the host catches a big one shouting "Fish on, Fish on".

Back to palm trees and sunshine. We had such a wonderful vacation! Bryan's parents rented a house in Phoenix and we went down and stayed with them for a week. We also got to visit Uncle Brett, Aunt Cindy, and Jackson. The boys had a great time hanging out and playing together. We had such a nice time enjoying the good weather and being with family.

Here is some pictures of the front yard where we stayed. Gabe loved all the cactus and the lemon and orange trees! The boys would pick lemons for Grammy so she could make fresh squeezed lemonade.

Baby Toes

I just love baby feet. There is something about those little toes that makes my heart melt. This might be some sort of fetish. Is there such a thing as a baby feet fetish?

This is day 2 of being sick. Day 2 of being in the house all day, laying around, watching movies, and taking naps. I'm going a little crazy. I always get this way when a round of sickness hits us. It's miserable. I do have to say a big THANK YOU to my mom who came over yesterday and helped with the boys. Thanks mom, you are a true life savor. Not sure what I would have done without your help. Megan also came over with dinner last night. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful family and to live so close to them.

Bryan left for Cleveland, Ohio yesterday morning. This surely isn't helping my mood. Miss him and the boys miss him. Owen doesn't quite understand that he is gone and keeps asking for him. He didn't want Auntie Megan to sit in his dining room chair last night. "That's daddy's chair" he kept telling her. So cute and so stubborn because he never gives up very easily.

Eli is busy using his hands to grab toward things. He is growing like crazy and is almost 4 months. He's an angel. Such a good baby. He is content to hang out with us and loves his big brother, Gabriel. He laughs at him and watches him very intently. He loves when Gabe talks to him, sings to him, and even makes really funny noises.

I'm really hoping that we are all heathy in the morning and can get back into our routine. I would love some adult interaction at this point. I have MOPS in the morning and always look forward to our meetings.

Here is my angel, laughing at me.

Three Boys

Yesterday, I was sitting in my rocking chair with Eli watching Gabe shoot Owen with his toy shot gun. Owen was the bear and a very loud bear at that. He was growling very loud and ready to attack Gabriel. In their game, Gabe is a really good hunter and he shot Owen, Owen fell down before he could attack. I'm sitting there watching all this play thinking "what am I doing in this place surrounded by all this boy stuff? I even have a boy dog."

If you would have told me when I was in my twenties that God's plan for me would be the mother of three boys I would not have believed you. I didn't have a brother and sometimes I don't think that I understand all this boy stuff. All the wrestling, hunting, fishing, and sports. I have to admit that I do get overwhelmed by it all sometimes. None of this was part of my childhood.

Then, I started to think about my childhood and realized that I was wrong. For example, look at the picture of my 5 year old birthday party. All of the guests were boys...not one girl. Every single one of my friends when I was little were boys. I just didn't like the girls. I didn't want to play with dolls and have a tea party. I wanted to be running around outside collecting bugs and playing in the mud. This is what I loved doing. When I would go over to my sister's friend Stacie's house and everything was pink and they were playing their girl games I would feel really out of place and run outside and find my friend Chris so we could go exploring outside.

Then it hit me. God knew what my destiny was even before I was born and led me to this place my entire life. He has prepared me for this since the beginning and I'm so thankful! Not only did he prepare me when I was little he gives me everything I need today. He has given me two wonderful women that have mentored me and taught me along the way. You see, Great Grammy (Bryan's grandma) and Grammy (Bryan's mom) were both the mother of three sons and I have so much to learn from them. In that moment, I felt so much honor and thankfulness that God picked me to raise three sons as each of them did. I sat there and thought about all that was created because of their love and amazing ability to be such good mothers and only hope that I can follow in their footsteps.

In that moment, I was truly amazed that God had prepared me and given me everything that I need for this season in my life. Most days I go to bed exhausted and think that I am in way over my head. But this morning as I was rocking in my rocking chair with my three month old, watching my other two play hunting God's plan was revealed to me and it was amazing! Now, I just need to get off the computer and go be with those boys...maybe I"ll just be the bear instead of Owen!


Grammy holding little Eli. I have so much to learn from this amazing woman!



Bryan and Great Grammy. Grammy is watching over all of us from heaven and we miss her so much!



Three Dahl boys.