Dan and Heather Through the Years...

For our 5 year wedding anniversary, I made Dan a video that showed pictures of our lives from our wedding day until then. So I (with the help of my Dad) made him a 10 year anniversary video that continues from our 5 year Anniversary until March of this year. At the end of the video I put pictures of just Dan and I through the years since we started dating almost 15 years ago. So since the rest of the video is almost 40 minutes long, I'm just posting the very end. I think it turned out great and I had Dan crying (of course...it's genetic!).

Finally celebrating our 10 Year Anniversary!

We finally found some time and money to celebrate our 10 Year Anniversary that was on March 16th. We got a room at the Grand America Hotel downtown and it was so lovely! Dan took work off on Friday, June 18th and we headed downtown that afternoon. Our good friends, Richard and Holly happened to be celebrating their 10 year Anniversary that weekend too, but were staying somewhere else. So we decided to meet for dinner at Ruby River. It was great food and company. Then after dinner had a chance to digest, we drove to Leatherby's for dessert. Thanks for joining us Richard and Holly!

When we came back to the hotel after dinner, our bed had been turned down, with robes and chocolates set out on the bed and soft music was playing! I could handle this kind of life!


Lounging in our sitting area of our room. We had a stocked fridge with drinks and candy, but I couldn't bring myself to pay $3 for a small bag of M&M's, so Dan ran to 7-11 and got us a bunch of treats and drinks for $7. We decided to rent a movie from the hotel (Valentine's Day) instead of going to a movie. It was a pretty cute movie and surprisingly clean.

The chocolate they left. We loved the Grand America and would stay there again in a heartbeat!!

The next morning we went downstairs to the Garden Cafe for breakfast. It was luscious!

We checked out of the hotel then went and test drove a couple of Nissan Maxima's and wandered through Home Depot (romantic huh?). But it was a fun 24 hours! :)

A House of Strep!

So a couple weeks ago, I noticed that Brooklyn's ear was draining fluid. She has tubes in her ears, so I knew she had an ear infection (that's what the tubes do....they drain the infection). We started putting the drops in her ears that are supposed to clear up the infection. 2 days later, her left ear started draining with no signs of her right ear clearing up. I had her 1 year old check-up the next day and Dr. Edwards gave me some stronger drops and said if they don't clear up in 2 days, to call our ear doctor, Dr. Heras. Well during those 2 days, Dan and I came down with something. We both were achy with bad sore throats and colds. It didn't really feel like strep so we didn't go get it checked. Meanwhile, Brooklyn's ears were still draining and it was getting worse. They are draining this white, gooey junk and it was all over her shoulders on her shirts. On Thursday, Zane woke up with a fever and sore throat and Lindsay and Gavin both complained of sore throats. I took them all with me to see our ear doctor. As soon as Dr. Heras saw Brooklyn's goopy ears, she said "that's a strep infection in her ears." WHAT?" I asked her if we could get strep throat from it because we had some symptoms. She said, "Yep, it's probably all over your house." She checked all the kids throats, Zane's was the worst looking so she swabbed his. It was POSITIVE for strep, so she put all 6 of us on Amoxicillin. So the picture above is what my fridge and counter looks like when we all have strep!

Brooklyn's Birthday

We celebrated Brooklyn's birthday with my family on June 6th and with Dan's family June 13th. She got some fun things but was still clueless as to what was going on.

As a tradition, my mom makes a Pooh Bear cake for all the grandkids on their first birthday. So far, she's made 19! Crazy woman! But they always turn out adorable! Thanks MOM!



All that hard work.....
Brooklyn kept sticking her foot into the cake!

Brooklyn and Riley



Opening presents on Uncle Chris' lap.

Eating brownies at Grandma Tracey's

All of her fun gifts!

HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY BROOKLYN!!!

FASTEST year off my LIFE! I can't believe she's already 1!! Brooklyn, we are so happy to have you in our family! You are the sweetest baby and so happy and so much fun to have! WE LOVE YOU BROOKY-BOO!

Scrapbooking at the cabin again

On June 3rd, me, mom, Laurel, Missy, Karen, Heidi and Amy went up the cabin to scrapbook and work on Quiet Books. Dad came up to protect us from evil things and Amy's Sam (I have to clarify which Sam since now we will have 2 Sam's in the family) came up to hang out with Amy who ended up being sick the whole time! Of course we had a blast scrapping, booking, eating, laughing and we even had a friend of Karen's come up and gave us massages. It's nice to be away from all distractions!

Dad's hair-do after his massage!

THANK YOU Mom and Missy for working on our kids' quiet books! I wish I had your sewing talents!

Laurel and Heidii

This is pretty much all that Amy and Sam did. Except Sam did help Uncle Brent and Dad with some things that needed to be fixed .



Karen and Me


Sam was also our spider killer!

Our new favorite quote by my mom occurred at the cabin this weekend.

"Those are not for the Navajo."

It's an inside joke and I can't reveal what we were talking about when she said this but we all almost peed our pants! I am even laughing about it as I type this! Oh mother!

Memorial Day

Visiting my Grandpa and Aunt Kathy's graves

Visiting Oma & Opa and Ur-Oma's graves

Brooklyn was being so sweet sitting on her blanket.

REAL Soccer!!!

Dan took the boys to their first REAL Soccer game. They were both looking forward to it, then the day of the game, Zane decided he didn't want to go! I was like, Sorry buddy! We bought tickets...you're going! But really his ticket was free from the SS City Soccer League. But don't tell him. He couldn't give us a good reason why he suddenly didn't want to go. But I made him anyway. Dan took them to In and Out Burger for dinner, then he decided he was excited to go to the game. WHATEVER kid! They had a really fun time, but I think the boys mostly liked the treats they got while they watched the game!

School's out for SUMMER!!!!

I LOVE this time of year... when kids are in their last few days of school and having field days, and graduations, and everyone is so excited for summer! Gavin graduated from his first year of Preschool with Miss Nicole on May 21st. He is doing very well. He writes his name rather good and knows his Pledge of Allegence.

Gavin and Miss Nicole

Zane graduated from Kindergarten on May 28th. He LOVED having Miss Gurney and never complained about going to school. He has picked up reading very quickly and is doing well in Math.

Dancing with his friend Anna Pitcher

Miss Gurney and Zane

Lindsay graduated from 1st grade on May 28th as well. She adores Mrs. Richins! Her reading has improved so much and we've discovered she is very good at spelling. She also is very good at Math.

Mrs. Richins and Lindsay

These are most of her 100% spelling tests from the year, but not all. She got 100% on most of the Pre-tests, then she didn't have to take the Spelling Test the next day...she got to play.


Granny Annie was able to come to their Graduations/End of School Programs.

Zane in Soccer

Zane has come a long way in Soccer this year. He's a little more aggresive and he actually got near the ball and kicked it a few times! We're so proud of him. He really enjoys it but is looking forward to T-ball this summer.