A little Dabell family update...

Things are going well at our house. We are LOVING the warmer weather, the girls have really enjoyed playing outside as much as possible. Trent is teaching at Hillcrest (for those that don't know that) and he is coaching freshman baseball. It seems like we haven't seen him much in the past couple weeks. His team played their first game this week and won 11-1. My brother Jared and his wife McKenna and their 9 month old Anna are here visiting from Pheonix and we have really enjoyed spending time with them. I am now 10 weeks along and feeling pretty good. I am so thankful that I haven't thrown-up but I am EXTREMELY tired and food just sounds gross most of the time. Things seem to be going really well so far, we are still in a state of shock and it still seems hard to believe. We told Brynly after our last ultrasound that I had a baby in my tummy and she said "It's fixed?? I knowd this was going to happen!!" she has been talking about a baby brother for a couple months now and even more so now that I am pregnant. She is so excited and tells everyone that I have a baby in my tummy the size of a grape. :) We feel very blessed and excited!!

Interview with Brynly

Ask your child(ren) to answer the questions and type their answers in.
Tag other moms with kids who might have fun with this. :)

( just type what the kids said...)
1. What is something mom always says to you?
No
2. What makes mom happy?
When I do things without you asking.
3. What makes mom sad?
When I don't listen
4. How does your mom make you laugh?
Tickles and funny faces
5. What was your mom like as a child?
Like me
6. How old is your mom?
29
7. How tall is your mom?
29
8. What is her favorite thing to watch on TV?
Dancing with the Stars
9. What does your mom do when you're not around?
Everything I need to do
10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
I don't know
11. What is your mom really good at?
Playing games, making good food
12. What is your mom not very good at?
Wii Sports (she kicks my butt everytime!!)
13. What does your mom do for her job?
Computer work
14. What is your mom's favorite food?
Chocolate!!
15. What makes you proud of your mom?
When you do my work
16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
I don't know
17. What do you and your mom do together?
Play games
18. How are you and your mom the same?
We are both girls and we like chocolate
19. How are you and your mom different?
We don't have the same color eyes
20. How do you know your mom loves you?
Hug me, Kiss me, say love you.
21. What does your mom like most about your dad?
Kissing him
22. Where is your mom's favorite place to go?
Young Women's (?? I like it but I don't know that it is my fav place :)

We tag Amberlee, Brittney, Nichelle, Holly, Janeal or whoever wants to do it… J

Really Big, Super Big, Huge, Huge, NeWs....

Another miracle has happened in our family.... I am PREGNANT!! We are still in total shock. After eight years and not one single pregnancy, I had resigned myself to the fact that my kids were all going to come to us through adoption...which is wonderful in and of itself, I mean look at our gorgeous daughters!!! A couple weeks ago my period was what I though a week late and I have been really regular for the past 3-4 years. I called Trent and asked his opinion about doing a pregnancy test because after ALL these years and NeVeR seeing a positive test, what were the chances really?? Next to none. He said we might as well just for the heck of it. I came home and took the test convinced it was a total waste of money and it was POSITIVE!!! Trent and I just stared at each other with our mouths open in complete unbelief! It turns out I was actually two weeks late, so I was 6 weeks along. I am now 8 weeks with a due date of October 16th. We had a second Dr. appointment today and we saw the heartbeat! We are thrilled and feel so blessed! This is an absolute miracle to me, just as my girls have been. It feels like icing on the cake to all already almost perfect little family! We hope things continue well and appreciate all the prayers in our behalf!! :)

A fun little shopping trip...

This past weekend I went with a fun group of girls from our recipe group to Park City shopping and then we stayed the night in Layton. I laughed so hard my stomach muscles hurt!!! :) Thanks for a fabulous time girls!
(Amberlee, me, Chantri, Nichelle, Janeal, Stacey, and Stephanie)

Funny Brynlyisms

Today had to go to her room for a time-out for not listening. After she was in her room for a few minutes she opens the door and this is the conversation that takes place:
Brynly: Abracadabra...change mommy's face.
Mom: What? You don't like my face :(
Brynly: No, I like your face I just want it to be happy about me so I am doing some magic!

Yesterday Trent said "Come here Buckwheat"to Brynly. Bryn came over to me and said "Mom dad always calls me Buckwheat and I am NOT a bucket of wheat!!"

She comes up with some funny things!

Fun at the cabin...

We love to go with my family to my grandparents cabin and play! We have to snowmobile into the cabin and haul in all our stuff. One of our traditions is to slide off the roof, so the roof doesn't cave in, for fun, and so it doesn't go off during the night and wake everyone up---it is really loud on the inside!! We have done it a million different ways, this year we cut down next to the roof with a price of wire and then slide down with the snow. This is the first time Brynly got talked into doing it...


Here is Andy and Kyler...






We played a lot of Wii Sports, Mario Kart, and Guitar Hero. Here is my dad learning how to play, he got the award for the Craziest Hair for the day. This is evidence of vacation--lounge and not do your hair :).

Go Angie!

We had a great time playing, eating, playing, and eating all weekend long!

Valentines Day

My Valentine bought me these beautiful tulips-- what a good hubby I have!

We made a special Valentines dinner at the cabin , it was very fun and YUMMY!! When the kids got up on Valentines Day the Valentines fairy came (AKA grandma Sue) and wrote a message to the kids in the snow outside the window...the kids thought this was VERY cool!

Happy Valentines to my sweeties!

Emry's 2nd Birthday

Emry loves to run around in her "birthday suit" all day everyday, she has to get redressed a minimum of 4-5 times per day. This is what happens when she is left alone for less than 5 minutes...another OH EMRY moment :)!
(the green everywhere is handsoap)

Here are some pictures from her birthday party:

There aren't any great pictures, thank goodness for video camera's!! We had lots of family over for cake and ice cream, and of course she was showered with gifts as well. We feel so blessed to have this adventurous, lively, adorable, loving daughter in our family!

Two Years Ago...

A little angel joined our family. In November 2006 a employee of my uncle Randy asked him if his niece (me) was still trying to adopt. We sent his daughter our profile ASAP and set up a meeting with her. On December 7th went to Boise and met with Christina (Em's birthmom) and after a great visit with her we were ecstatic to find out that a baby girl was on her way to our family. We were so excited!! We called everyone that we knew to share the news. Christina was a little unsure of her due date and felt like it could be anytime. We were on pins and needles waiting and waiting. We were told that she was going to be started on December 27th only to find out that she moved to Pocatello. The plan was for us to be at the hospital when she was born, so we were so worried about missing it!! We had our bags packed and we were ready to go anytime. FiNaLlY Emry Ivy Dabell was born on Saturday January 13, 2007. We got the call at 5:30 pm that she had been born and we arrived at the hospital in Pocatello at 6:30 and met our sweet baby girl. It was love at first sight!


Birth Day

Sister Love

Happy Baby!

Blessing and Sealing Day!
We are so thankful to our Heavenly Father and Christina for yet another miracle in our life! Adoption is such a blessing to our family! We LOVE you Emry!!!

Cupcake Party....

Brynly decided the last two weeks before Christmas that she wanted a cupcake maker. I am pretty sure that Santa was already finished shopping for her, but she was telling everyone that she wanted this and that she would make them cupcakes with it. On Christmas morning after the kids open their presents she found one in the front door that Santa almost forgot, and it was even better than just a cupcake maker is was all the stuff to have a fantastic cupcake party. (Thanks grandpa Rod for not letting Santa forget such an important gift) Brynly was very persistent in wanting a cupcake party, so at the last minute we decided to have one. She made YuMmY homemade Chocolate Creme-Filled cupcakes and called some our neighbors whom she had promised cupcakes to come over for her impromptu party.

Brynly and Grandma Sue

Grandma and Grandpa Smith

Brynly and Grandpa Rod

Brynly with Shayla and Shannon Simmons

The party was a success, there were 24 mini cupcakes that received rave reviews and disappeared quickly! If you were promised a cupcake and didn't get invited to this cupcake party, don't worry there is another one coming soon....

Christmas Pictures

We had a great Christmas and we were all VERY SPOILED!! This is Christmas Eve-- the girls got to open their pajamas, only this year we did robes and slippers, which they love! Christmas morning at our house is all on video, I forgot to take pictures too, but it was so much fun.
This is Christmas morning at my parents house. It has been our tradition since I can remember to have breakfast with our extended family at my parents house. We first open presents then make breakfast for everyone. Here is Missy, Andy, and Kyler.
Angie and Brady
The Chef--my dad he just had carpal tunnel surgery on both hands.
The Head Chef-- my mom
We then head over to Dabell's. This is Emry sporting Kathryn's new hat.
Grandma Dabell opening her presents....
Skyler and Liza with their LOOT...notice the Wii they got (and so did we yippee!!)
Grandpa Dabell opening his presents...with a little help. We had a yummy brunch with them too.
Then we head to my Grandma Smiths for Lunch...here is me and my dad! We really had a wonderful Christmas!

Merry Christmas!!

A few weeks ago Brynly accepted her Grandma Dabell's invitation to sing Away in a Manger with her in Sacrament meeting. We practiced a few times with her and she said she was ready. This past Sunday was the big day, and it was cute! She walked up to the pulpit all by herself (since Kathryn was already up there because she playes the piano for the ward). She stood there next to her grandma and sang her little heart out right into the microphone, she sang so sweet and she did a magnificent job! These are some pictures of Brynly and Emry in their adorable new Christmas dresses that Grandma Dabell gave them playing her piano before church.

This is Trent and his girls watching a football game. Ahhhh...

We would like to wish you all a VERY Merry Christmas!!

All About Christmas

1.Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper

2. Real tree or Artificial? Artifical—no mess J

3. When do you put up the tree? Usually day after Thanksgiving

4. When do you take the tree down? Right after Christmas

5. Do you like eggnog? Is isn't something I would buy but I will drink it

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Snoopy snow cone maker

7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, my mother in law gave me the Willowtree set I LOVE it!

8. Easiest person to buy for? My kids

9. Hardest person to buy for? Males J

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail

11. Worst gift you ever got? We got the same book from the same person twice in a row!
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? I don't really have a favorite, I like a lot of them

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Fall

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yes
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Candy and Pie with homemade ice cream

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Clear
17. Favorite Christmas song? O Holy Night

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? We usually go 4 different houses Christmas Day!

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Yes, if I sing the song

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? We have a huge bow
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? One present Christmas Eve (pj's) then the rest Christmas morning

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? People trying to take Christ out of Christmas, since that is what it is all about!

23. What is your ornament style? Red and Silver bulbs

24. What's your favorite for Christmas dinner? Turkey dinner with all the trimmings

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? To enjoy the Holiday's surrounded by my family!

I tag Missy, Angie, Mckenna, Amberlee, Nichelle, and Ashley

Let it Snow!!

The kids are LOVING all the new snow!!! It makes it feel more like Christmas. I love the big fluffy flakes, but not the VERY slick roads!

Underwear anyone?? As I was getting ready to put on Emry's shoes to go to church this morning and I noticed something under her dress and this is what I found-- 7 pairs of Bryn's underwear!!

Thanksgiving, singing, and other stuff....

Here is what we have been up to during my much to long blogging break...

Brynly sang at the Festival of Trees with her children's choir.

We had a fantastic Thanksgiving weekend. We had dinner with the Dabell family on Thursday then we went to Island Park and had dinner with the Gardner family on Friday. It was a lot of fun! Sadly. I didn't take any pictures of Island Park, but these are from Thanksgiving Day. Brynly made these CUTE turkeys for everyone at both our Thanksgiving dinners.

She is an OLIVE addict.

YUM!!!

Don't you just want to kiss that sweet face? What has this little sweetie been doing lately? Humm...playing in the toilet, kitchen sink, drawing on her self, getting naked as often as possible, climbing out of her porta-crib in Island Park and getting in to my make up and applying it on herself, coloring on anything in site when pen is mistakenly left within reach....I think we will stop there, you get the idea. It is NOT a good idea to leave this child anywhere alone! :) How could someone so dang cute be SUCH A STINKER???

What has Trent (aka Mr. Hunter) been up to lately? Here are a few of his trophies--he got two deer and several ducks and geese...but he is bummed he didn't get an elk this year. Anyone who knows me knows that I however, am not sad about this whatsoever :).

We hope you had a fantastic Thanksgiving and enjoy the coming holiday season!