Dunyon Family

Little Boy Blue

2011-09-24T13:59:00.000-07:00

I'm tired of seeing my Preschool Ad on the family blog so I thought I would post a picture of my favorite little boy...

Why did I cry when I found out we were having a boy?? He melts my heart. And so do these crazy girls...

I am so grateful for my children!

~Brooke

Little Joy Preschool

2011-08-01T08:26:00.000-07:00

Enrollment for Mrs. Brooke’s Little Joy Preschool is open! SMALL CLASS SIZE: 5 students max! Our goal is to provide an exceptional learning experience for children while making it affordable for your family.

We will have our State Child Care Certification this month, and have a Business License with the City of American Fork to work out of our home.

I am an Early Childhood Education Graduate from BYU, class of 2004. I have taught at various schools including Hunter High School, Kindercare, and have been a Nanny for families for 13 years. Having my own Preschool & Learning Center now is a dream come true.

Students must be potty trained! Two sessions will be offered:

Pre-Kindergarten
Mondays & Wednesdays 9:30-12:00
4-5 year old students (WILL be attending Kindergarten 2012-2013)

Preschool
Tuesdays & Thursdays 9:30-12:00
3-4 year old students

Open House will be near the end of August.
1st day of Preschool is September 6th.
1st day of Pre-Kindergarten is September 7th.

We have an exciting curriculum this year! Some of the highlights include:

Alphabet/Numbers/Shapes/Colors
Handwriting (Write First Name)
Dr. Seuss Week!
Letter Sounds
Sight Words
Explore multiple painting styles (marble, finger, blowing through a straw, etc)
Counting
Interactive Play
Music
Days of the Week/Month
Show-n-Share!
Opposites
Arts & Crafts
Character Building Skills
and much much more!

I will be compiling a Preschool Portfolio for each child that they will receive at Graduation!

Pictures of our classroom will be posted soon!

We are looking forward to a great school year! Our classroom is clean, organized, and full of learning adventures! Contact Brooke to enroll: abbadunyon@hotmail.com

Lake Powell Extras

2011-07-28T11:40:00.000-07:00

I thought I would add a few more pictures from Lake Powell that maybe shouldn't be or didn't get added to my personal blog. These are a few of the "behind the scene" pictures that truly make Lake Powell. Love you all...when do we go again?

Look Brooke...Aaron really did bathe while we were there!

Ahh, community bath time. I miss those.

Let's go already!

Baby Carter

2011-05-25T11:12:00.000-07:00

I’m only doing this for journaling purposes, so if you are not interested in the details, feel free to just look at pictures.

Since my doctor was not available on my actual due date (April 8th) we decided to schedule an induction for April 6th. My mom flew in from CA to tend the children during my delivery and recovery. It was a relief to know that the girls would be in good hands. The morning that I was scheduled for an induction the Labor and Delivery department was full, and I had to wait for a room to open up before I could go in. After waiting 9+ months, another couple of hours shouldn't have been a big deal, but I'm blaming hormones. Aaron and my mom did their best to keep my mind occupied with other things but nothing was working. Finally Aaron talked me into running to Target with him, and the hospital called us just as we were pulling out of the driveway, [of course, right?], and asked us to come in. We drove the 2 miles to the hospital, and were excited to get this big day started.

When I arrived, I was dilated to 3 cm, 75% effaced and -2 station. They started pitocin and strep B antibiotic at 10am and then we began the wait. We weren’t sure how fast it would go, since this was my fourth delivery, so they kept the pitocin low. The antibiotic needed to be in for a few hours to ensure the baby didn’t get an infection during delivery so once 3pm hit we upped the pitocin and were off and running. At that point my water had already been broken, and I was dilated to 6 cm. The epidural had been in for a couple of hours by then, so life was good. The last two centimeters went quickly but the baby’s station wasn’t changing like we wanted (which we later found out was because the cord was wrapped around him). With some turns and the oxygen mask we were complete and ready to push at 4:50pm. Nine minutes later we met the sweetest little baby boy. He had the quietest cry, it made me wonder if he was okay. Of course everything checked out fine though and he was wrapped up and back in our arms within minutes.

“Baby Boy Dunyon” Weighed in at 8 lbs 3 oz, measuring 20 in long. We had struggled coming up with the right name during the whole pregnancy, so after some discussion that night we finally decided on Carter James Dunyon. He just looked like a “Carter” and I had always liked that name. “James” is my dad’s first given name; I was happy to have that name carried on. One of my favorite moments was seeing the eager big sisters arrive at the hospital shortly after delivery. It was so fun to have the whole family together.

Seven weeks have passed now and it seems like Carter has always been here. A lot of it has been a blur, however Aaron and I feel very blessed. Carter has four mothers (1 mom + 3 well intending sisters) caring for him [sound familiar Nathan?] and he brings so much joy to our home. Carter smiles at us, does not spit up (Hallelujah!), and is very good-natured. He's a dream baby.

1 week old:

2 weeks old:

3 weeks old:

4 weeks old:

7 weeks old:

Carter's Blessing:

Our Cute Children

We love our sweet little boy!

-Brooke & Aaron

Best Mom Ever

2011-05-13T20:47:00.000-07:00

I love my Mom. She is always so much fun. And although we are enjoying our new house, we miss her very very much. I really do have the BEST MOM EVER.

Carter

2011-04-20T12:15:00.000-07:00

I couldn't help myself. (Brooke I hope you don't mind.) I just had to post this cute little picture of the best cross between Aaron and Brooke. Don't you just want to kiss those little cheeks?! Brooke will have to post more, but for now, enjoy those big blue eyes. Love you Aaron, Brooke and Emma, Heidi and Grace!!

Love, Kim

A little of this and a little of that.

2011-02-25T10:03:00.000-08:00

Since it's been several months since my last post, I'll try to do a re-cap. I think we're probably doing the same things that the rest of you are.

In OCTOBER, Emma lost her first tooth. The picture doesn't really show this, but she was THRILLED!! The girls dressed up as three little fairies for Halloween. Grace couldn't believe people were just giving her handfuls of candy.

In NOVEMBER, Aaron treated me, Emma, and Heidi to Disney on Ice. It was amazing!! We also found out we were having a BOY!!!!!!! We're excited to add some blue to this household of princesses.

Heidi enjoyed the Zamboni as much as she enjoyed the show. This little Daddy's girl loves cars, trucks, and machines!

In DECEMBER, we attended Emma's school Christmas Program, made a blanket tent, ate sugar cookies, rode their new bikes from Santa, and celebrated Daddy's birthday with family in Arizona.

The Daddy's made sure to get in a couple rounds of Mario on the Wii.

In JANUARY, we made our annual trip to Disneyland!!!! We stayed at Hotel Nielsen. They have the best playroom! It was so fun to see our family. They were kind enough to join us at the park, which was a blast!

Heidi was finally tall enough to ride the Matterhorn. She loved it!

Their favorite thing is to meet the characters because our girls still think they are the "real deal". They adored Rapunzel.

In FEBRUARY, the girls have been busy little Van Gogh's. I think they've gone through about 200 pieces of paper this month. Grace enjoys drawing too, but her favorite pastime is hiding in the cupboards. The highlight this month was playing with Grandma and Grandpa Storer.

Grandpa taught them how to play "Don't Eat Pete". Of course Grace our sugar baby had a turn too.

We'll probably be posting pictures of our baby boy the next time I get online, so stay tuned!
~Brooke & Aaron

Celebrate!

2011-01-10T11:16:00.000-08:00

Just thought you might like to see how two seven year olds celebrate! Twice the fun for sure!

Donuts for breakfast!!!! Jelly filled of course!

Just like Christmas all over again!

I think it is so funny that Haley wouldn't smile showing her teeth before because of the "gap" between the front two...but now that she has lost one - she smiles big and proud!

Eating My Words...Otherwise known as Caving In!

2010-12-07T12:58:00.000-08:00

I totally caved in. I am completely eating my words. I am regretting ever saying; "I will never..." The non-animal lover gave in for the sake of my children. I love them dearly and they have all been asking for a puppy every year since Paige could speak, and so we finally got them one.

Meet Toby.
His life in our home is in jeopardy daily, but the kids love him. Santa (or according to Nathan - the elves) brought him last Tuesday night. He arrived at our door with a little note saying that he had been waiting to come to our family and since the Christmas tree was up it was time to come. Paige was the cutest to watch. She read the letter and as she got halfway through her eyes brightened and the words "OH MY GOSH!! HE'S OURS!!!" came gushing out! Nathan started jumping up and down and Megan and Haley just stood there.

For whatever reason he has attached himself to my feet and I will be lucky if I don't break my neck tripping over him before Christmas. He is a lovey dog and now that he has been groomed he smells much better. My only fear now is that my house smells like dog. If you do come to see us and you can smell "animal" when you enter the house - please let me know. I will light a few more candles!

Cole and Kate can Skate

2010-10-07T15:21:00.000-07:00

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Parker People Halloween

2010-10-07T15:13:00.001-07:00

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5 Centimeters Long

2010-09-23T09:08:00.000-07:00

Well it's officially official. We're expecting, and the little bundle of joy is due to arrive in April. Emma wants a boy, and Heidi wants a girl. Grace just wanted the suckers that the Dr. was passing out. I guess we only have spring and summer babies!

~Brooke & Aaron

Our Kindergartener!

2010-09-02T20:49:00.000-07:00

Emma had her first day of kindergarten yesterday. She had been awaiting this day for a LONG time, so this was a dream come true for her to go to school with the big kids! She loved it!

(Yes, Heidi brought her "pack pack" too except instead of bringing school supplies, she loaded it up with cars and barbies, because you never know when you'll need those!) (Emma's best friend Jenna.)

Heidi missed her buddy, but she is starting Joy School next week so that should be a fun adventure for her. We look forward to a great school year! As for Grace...even though she's not in school we put her to work doing dishes and

~~cleaning up~~ eating toys. Apparently the little people taste great!

As for a summer re-cap... Brooke and the girls went to Vegas for a girls' weekend with the Dunyon cousins, while the boys were at Powell for Father's & Son's. We went to Powell twice this summer as a family (yes, that's a total of three times for Aaron - lucky guy!). Grace celebrated her 1st birthday at Powell
- so fun! We spent a week in California playing (Emma wanted "yellow hair" like Grandma Dunyon so Grandma put conditioner on her hair with the foils...sneaky. To make sure she was convinced we all had to compliment Emma on her beautiful yellow hair for the rest of the day.)
and attending Breana and Scott Daly's wedding (Brooke's sister). Grace loved her little cousin Luke. He showed us all how it's done at the Spectrum Fountains. Brooke was spoiled having live-in babysitters while we stayed there. We miss living by our grandparents! Grandma and Grandpa Nielsen are coming up this weekend to stay with us and we are really looking forward to that! The girls have already decided what games and activities they'd like to do with them. It's sure to be a blast!

Brooke was called to be the Music Leader in Nursery and loves being in there with Heidi for a few minutes each Sunday. Aaron is still our Superman - working in Salt Lake, going to mutual/scouts, playing basketball every Saturday morning, and chipping away at his always-growing honey-do list (In all honesty, though, some of those projects are his suggestions...I just add to it every now and then.). More pictures to come of our recent home renovations!

~Brooke & Aaron

A Week at Grandma's

2010-08-26T12:52:00.000-07:00

It's always fun at Grandma's house, at Grandma's house, hooray! Just before the kids went back to school, we had to make one last trip to Grandma's house and spend some time in California. We were lucky enough to also get to spend time with Kim and her children, and Luke, Austin & Sarah. Of course, the week was full of activities and excitement, including, a day at Disneyland...
This was the only picture I got that day. The rest of the crew decided to go on Pirates and Kate did NOT want to go so instead, we were lucky enough to be the last family to get our picture with Princess Tiana! Lucky Kate!

Our trip also included a drive down to San Diego and a day at the Mormon Battalion and a picnic in the nearby park. The kids loved being together and seeing the interactive story line. Way cool!

Megan, Haley, and Kate outside the Battalion. Kim always has to be stirring the pot....Hee, Hee!

Then, of course, we had to spend a day at the beach. Luke loved being at the beach and wanted so badly to get into the water and sand, it was hard to keep him away! Cole, Paige and Nathan loved boogie boarding, and Lizzie loved it all, except for the water. The kids were even lucky enough to find a family of sand crabs and capture them in a bucket. They wanted to take them home but there were no seats left for them in the car.
Thanks Grandma and Grandpa for the great week of memories and the great cooking. Till next time.........................

See Kate Sing

2010-07-26T20:43:00.000-07:00

Kate has found the video function on photo booth, it's pretty funny

Lake Powell Birthday's

2010-07-19T08:43:00.000-07:00

What would Lake Powell be without celebrating someone's birthday? Adam's, Dad's, Jill's?......No! Grace and Ryan received the honor of celebrating their birthday's at Powell. Grace turned one and Ryan turned 3! Grandma made chocolate cake to die for and Brooke make carrot cake cupcakes. Both were a total hit. Then on to Dora party hats and horn blowers finished off with presents and cousins. Who could ask for a better party? Thanks to all who made it a great party, and thanks to Wendy who documented the event for me.

Best Dad's EVER!

2010-06-21T12:00:00.000-07:00

We really do have some of the best Dad's ever in our family. Happy Father's Day to you all!!

Dad

Jeff

Adam

Dave

Brent

Matt

Jared

Aaron

Austin

And the one who started it all...thanks Dad, we love you!

In Loving Memory of the La-la

2010-06-12T12:45:00.000-07:00

We have just recently lost a member of the family, our La-la. We've been trying to get Ellie off the pacifier or La-la for quite some time now. The other day I got tired of hearing her talk through the la-la, so I snatched it and told her I was tossing it in the trash. Wow, did the water works come out. Then Jill came over and bribed Ellie with gum. If Ellie could be ok with out her La-la from now on Jill would get her some gum. So, for a pack of gum from mom and one from Jill the La-la's have gone to pacifier heaven. Good by La-la who has been with us through teething, ear infections, halloween, pre-school and nursery. We will miss you. Sleep well little Ellie who now sings herself to sleep while holding on to her pack of gum.

Really?

2010-06-01T14:58:00.000-07:00

As if it's not enough getting on a tram with a bunch of children, stroller, snacks, diaper bag, sunscreen, and jackets...now the trams have doors for us to navigate our stuff through?! What in the world? I'm guessing someone fell out prompting this lovely addition.. Personally I'm not a fan. We'll still go to Disneyland though so why am I complaining?
~Brooke

SWIM LESSONS!

2010-05-14T08:58:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for an instructor, and you live in Utah County, I would highly recommend my sister. She'll teach in Provo and also the Pebblewood Pool (in American Fork) so many of you could walk there! Her credentials are listed below along with the information that you might need. Contact her directly if you are interested. I highly recommend her. Swim lessons are the highlight of our family's summer.

Hope you are all doing well and enjoying this warmer weather!

~Brooke Dunyon

Hi my name is Breana Nielsen and I am Brooke Dunyon's sister. I am a student at BYU studying Exercise and Wellness and am currently a Senior. I have taught swim lessons for 2 years now at home in California but I am staying here in Provo for spring and summer and am looking for students to teach!

* Certified Red Cross Water Safety Instructor
* Private instruction for potty-trained and up
* Twenty minute lessons Monday-Thursday
* $15/lesson
* Lessons at: Marsha Bown’s house (331 E 4450 N Provo, UT 84604);
Pebblewood Community Pool (600 E. 110 S. American Fork, UT 84003)
* Contact Breana for more info at hurdlegirl89@gmail.com
* Classes begin Monday, June 7th at 1:00pm

I receive many questions concerning how often and how many lessons your child would benefit from taking. It would be in your child’s best interest to take lessons on a consistent basis, meaning everyday Monday-Thursday for a week straight. Your child would learn much quicker and be able to retain the knowledge they have gained. Children thrive on routines so your child would become more comfortable in the water sooner and remember what they learned the day before. The benefit for you is that as your child is learning how to swim on a regular basis, in the long run, you will pay less money for lessons as your child learns the skills they need in a more condensed period of time.

Remember – these are all PRIVATE lessons. Promptness is essential so your child gets their full lesson. I’m qualified to teach all levels of swim instruction from the very beginner to perfecting their strokes.

If you have any more questions or concerns, don't be afraid to ask!

Thanks so much!

Breana

My FAVORITE Things!

2010-04-29T10:25:00.000-07:00

My wonderful husband. He works hard to provide for our family, teach the scouts, serve others, and complete his honey-do's, and still smiles through it all. I love the fun energy that he brings to our home. When he walks in the door the kids cannot run/crawl to him fast enough!

Children. I don’t like to brag about my girls because I know everyone has great kids. Nevertheless, I am honored to be their mother and I hope that I can always show them how much they mean to their father and me.

Grandparents. Our children have the best grandparents ever!

Home Sweet Home. Although trips are fun, for me, there’s nothing like coming home! Back to your own bed, your favorite toys, and your saved DVR shows. I still look forward to the next vacation, but I’m content with our daily routine too.

We’ve had a few things going on recently..

We got a Suburban! Never thought I’d own one of those. It’s my new love.

We went on our annual Disneyland trip. A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.

While we were in CA we got to see Grandma Bown as a family (Brooke’s Maternal Grandmother). She always made each of her grandchildren feel like they were her favorite. A week later, Grandma was able to go live with our Father in Heaven. I’m so grateful for her life.

My little sister got engaged!

Heidi turned 3!! We celebrated for a week. Yes, we drag birthdays out as long as we can.

We were my brother’s cheerleaders at his BYU graduation.

Emma’s looking forward to her birthday that’s coming up in a couple of weeks. Apparently you can do a ton of things at age 5 like go to kindergarten, be a super hero, jump rope, and wear real princess dresses. I wish I was 5.

Other than that, nothing too exciting..

~Brooke

Share the Love

2010-03-25T14:32:00.001-07:00

We are bored, time to go to Grandma's!

Picture of the Day

2010-02-22T14:50:00.001-08:00

This was possibly the best picture of the day at Disneyland...and I took it with my camera!! Lucky shot!

Scoutmaster, Snowman, & Sitting up!

2010-02-02T09:24:00.000-08:00

We're alive! We enjoy reading everyone else's posts so much that we forget to post too! Here is a re-cap of January...

We traveled through this

like this

to get away from the snow for a couple of days and hung out with Jenny and Jill's families in Vegas during New Year's. We went to the Children's Museum

and then threw a great party for Aaron's birthday. Emma and Heidi cried when we had to leave their house. Thanks for being such great hosts!!

Now that we're somewhat settled, I've started teaching piano and I now realize how much I've missed it for the past couple of years. Emma wants piano lessons too..I wonder whether she just wants the candy at the end of the lesson or if she's really interested in playing..Maybe a little bit of both.

Aaron was called to be 2nd Counselor & Scoutmaster in the Young Men's. Of course he is happy to serve, even though we've come to find out that these two callings are pretty time consuming. (I have a new-found appreciation for all of those wives whose husbands have served in bishoprics, Elder's Quorum, and other busy callings.) He works 60+ hours a week, and thankfully we still have time to be together as a family, which is always the most important thing. The girls ask every day if "Daddy is going to stay in bed tomorrow" (Translation: Is it Saturday yet?) because that's their big day with him each week. I'm so grateful for Aaron's example for our children. I hope they each develop his desire to serve and his strong work ethic! He is the best husband and father ever!

For Christmas, Grandma and Grandpa Nielsen got us tickets to see The Lion King show in Las Vegas so we drove down to meet them for that.

It was a quick weekend but really fun to see the Nielsen side of the family. The last day we were there, Grace started sitting up on her own for the first time. I guess she just needed a big audience to do it! She thinks she's pretty cool! Now she's into rocking on her knees. I think we'll have a crawler on our hands soon! Time to dust off the baby gate! …I guess I’ll have to ask the barbies if they’ll share their “castle”.

This snow is a bit cold for our California blooded, but the kids loved making their first snowman (for some reason we just never got around to that until now), having Daddy pull them on the sled, and of course making snow angels. Heidi loved riding the sled and Emma didn’t mind pulling, so they were a good match! Good thing Santa brought us scarves, sleds, and snow pants. They are sure coming in handy!

It feels like this video below of Emma and Heidi just happened yesterday. They are two peas in a pod! I still stand by my feeling that having a sibling is one of the best gifts a child can receive. I walked in on this the other day..Emma loves to "mother" everyone and Heidi loves to be "cared for" so it works out well.

Aaron was given tickets to the Jazz game in the lower bowl. It was a great game against Sacramento and I think a well-deserved break for Aaron to have a guys’ night with some of his co-workers.

We've finally pulled Aaron's power tools out of storage and started framing the basement bathroom and we hope it will be ready for our guests by the end of the summer. We're also switching out our door casings, baseboards and are casing the windows in and look forward to seeing it all put together! We’ll post pictures when we’re done. It's so fun to have our own place that we can personalize however we see fit! Good thing I married a builder!...I love my handy-man and our silly girls!

~Brooke

The Annual Gray Christmas Bash

2010-01-10T20:21:00.000-08:00

It wouldn't be a complete Christmas season without the annual Gray Christmas Bash...Here are a few pictures of the events in question....

Here is Jared, playing "Santa" for Kim's ward Christmas party, which, if I can say, was quite a blast and the Santa was a total hunk! Kim and Jeff did an amazing job pulling an event off this size for her size of ward amazingly well. I think Kim was born for this job!

Not but a week or so later, the Grays decided to throw one of their own Christmas parties...This year, however, it was only family and how great it was to sit and visit with family and let the kids play some holiday games. We enjoyed a little Christmas Bingo, some awesome desserts, and "hide the note" as most know it, while singing Christmas carols and using candy canes.

Then, it was time for the bells to start jingling and the kids to start ring-a-ling-a-ling and the man of the hour showed at Kim's door. I don't think I have ever seen children get this quite and orderly this fast before. It was quite cute as they knelt at his knee anxious to see if he had something for them....

Some children sat contently on Santa's knee...

And some did not....in fact, I believe Megan and Haley were the only two that actually hid in their bedroom when they heard him coming....Don't worry Santa, they still love you!

Every baby has to have one of these pictures! Priceless!

Big and small, we sat on him all!

This was the backdrop done for Kim's ward Christmas party. I thought I could get the Christmas card picture done here but I just don't think this one would cut it this year....ya think?

Thank goodness there is family that still loves you and is there the celebrate with you every up and down in your life. Thanks to my family who still loves me at the end of the day. Mom, I am sure you have more than your fair share of these kind of pictures with the 8 of us!

2009-12-14T15:42:00.001-08:00

My first post!! How cool is that huh? Your Father and I looked good in green, and we still got a jig in our step ;) <3 Mom

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Thanksgiving California Style

2009-11-30T10:05:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving was so much fun this year! Here's a little of what we were doing this time around

All the "single" ladies

2009-11-19T12:12:00.000-08:00

Let this be a lesson, don't put a pregnant lady who is 8 months along sitting in a chair front and center...could I look any larger?

Thanks for a great shower everyone!! I know it was a lot of work and thank you husbands for watching the kids so we could have a great weekend!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!!!!

2009-11-06T10:19:00.000-08:00

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Almost done! Just a few finishing touches to go!!

2009-10-09T20:18:00.000-07:00

Exterior. We love being the end unit! We have a nice side yard for the kids to play in, plus we are at the end of the cul-de-sac, so we don't have much traffic. Wahoo!

We are the one on the left.

Private Back Yard with a Gate to the Common Area behind us.

Entry Way from Front Door. That door on the right is to the garage, and the other open door is to the 1/2 bath for the main floor. We have Konecto hardwood throughout the Main Floor. (It's a fake hardwood, but it looks nice). They have not put on any of the interior door hardware yet.
They still need to add the rod iron ballisters here, as you can see.

Family Room. I think we are supposed to have a ceiling fan/light combo in here. I will have to check, but I'm pretty sure we do.

Dining Area. That light is in the wrong spot, it needs to be moved over to the left more so it will be over the dinner table better.

Kitchen - We have a fridge coming, they just haven't put it in yet. Tropic Brown granite.

Upstairs Hallway/Family Prayer Area - Will be the same color as the Main Floor.

Upstairs Main Bath - Not sure what color we are doing here. Any suggestions?

Upstairs Laundry

Master Bedroom - We will paint this Silver Sage.

Master Bathroom - Also will be painted Silver Sage. The cabinet is higher, like Mom and Dad's. So if Brent or Jeff ever uses the Master Bath for any reason, not sure why they would, but they won't have to squat down as much. We're always thinkin' of the tall people!

Master Toilet Room - Will be Silver Sage. Very glad it has a private door. Little girls don't need to watch their daddy go potty. It strikes too many questions at too early of an age.

Master Walk-in Closet - Will be Silver Sage. Brooke will get most of the room. You see around the corner on the right, ya that's Aaron's little corner, it goes back about 3 feet.

Bedroom #2 - Emma & Heidi's Room (It will be Pink, of course). And we just bought them new bunk beds!! Hopefully Heidi is ready for a big girl bed, otherwise we are in for some really long nights.

Bedroom #3 The Nursery - It will be the same color as the Main Floor with an Accent Wall, probably a red.

Stairs down to Basement - Will be painted same color as the Main Floor. I love the little "cat walk" on the left. Ya, Heidi has already "Spider-Man" walked it many times. NOT SAFE!! We will have to do something about this.

Finished Family Room in Basement - Will be painted same color as the Main Floor. We are also going to add a wall down here to make a Bedroom #4 for guests. (If we get any, we live so stinkin' far away from everyone!) And the other side of the wall will be an office.

They still need to add the rod iron ballisters as you can see.

This is the unfinished closet for the bedroom we are going to add.

Unfinished Storage Area in Basement.

Unfinished Bathroom in Basement.

We do the walk through on Monday at 4pm!!! Any pointers are welcome!!

2009-10-04T12:56:00.001-07:00

Picture updates of the house. We have paint and cabinets now!!

Happy 1st Birthday to Elizabeth!

2009-09-28T21:21:00.000-07:00

We can't believe she is one year old. Just think, a year age the Dunyon family was celebrating Madison's baptism as I labored for this little one to come. Now, she's moving and shaking like none other. She loves to be around the other two monkeys and thinks that Cole is the bomb. He makes her laugh so hard, it's adorable! Lizzie is walking pretty well now and is getting her 3rd and 4th tooth in this week. Not exactly in order but she'll at least be able to tear into things now. Here are just a few pictures that turned out from her little party we had for her!

Grandma & Grandpa Dunyon bought her this adorable little stroller, one of her first reactions was to get in, hang on, and go for a ride. Is something wrong with this picture?

Cole and Kate picked out her birthday cake - at first she was a little leary....

and then Kate showed her how to dive in....

and this is how it ended!

What more could a girl ask for?

OUR NEW PLACE!!!

2009-09-26T18:18:00.000-07:00

We are so excited that we are going to have a place of our very own finally! We have taken some progress pictures and will continue to do so! The home is in American Fork, about 2 miles South West of the Timpanogas Temple, awesome! We have 2100 sqft spread out through 3 floors. The builder is finishing the basement family room for us, then we will add a bedroom, bathroom and storage room down there, making the house a 4 bedroom, 4 bathroom, 2 family room, 2 car garage, with a private back yard. We have access to a Club House with a pool, spa, and exercise room, and there is a common picnic area with a playground as well. We are going to be very happy here! Construction is scheduled to be complete by Oct 6th, and we hope to be moving in a week later!

Enjoy the pictures and watch for more to come!!
Here is the street we are going to live on!! Ours is the last one on the left, the best one!
The area on the left will be landscaped with grass and trees, making that a nice little area for the kids to play in the front, plus they can ride their bikes up and down the street without worrying about cars.
Side yard all for us!!! It's technically "common area" but we will be the once to use it most. Our neighbor is a sweet older single lady. Don't think she will be over there much.

Entry hall. The stairs down go to the basement. We are going to be taking out that wall and dressing it up right there to help open up the hallway a little. The flooring for the main floor will be a dark hardwood.

Hallway to the family room. The dinning room is around the corner along with the kitchen. Then the stairs going up will have a rod iron bannister system, very nice.
Family room and dinner area. There is a sliding glass door to the back yard. There will be a gate in the backyard which will give quick easy access to the common area for additional play room.

Kitchen area. We will have granite counter tops throughout the house!

Looking into the family/dinner room from the stairs.
Upstairs hallway. The master bedroom is the doorway all the way to the left. Then the laundry area is the double set of doors. Then the upstairs bathroom.
Master bedroom. It has a vaulted ceiling, and we do have a ceiling fan/light combo.
Master bathroom has a separate tub and shower. Single under mount sink with granite. Walk in closet, and private toilet area.
Bedroom 1 upstairs. This will probably be the nursery. It has a walk in closet also.
Bedroom 2 upstair. Emma and Heidi's room! They are very excited, they keep telling us they want the room pink. Figures. No walk in closet, but double doors on the closet.
Basement. This will be finished. We will eventually put a wall in and make it a bedroom.

Family room part of the basement. Again this will be finished area. The storage area is back behind the stairs along with the bathroom that we will finish after we move in.

Bathroom and bedroom walk in closet that we will need to finish. The basement will be for anyone who comes to visit. Just know you will have your own bedroom/family room/bathroom. We know we are far away from everyone, but hopefully this will make it worth coming up to Utah.

Labor-less Day Fun.

2009-09-10T01:42:00.000-07:00

How do you celebrate Labor Day? You go to the beach!!! We are lucky enough to have super great friends who invited us to join them at Lake Mead for the holiday celebration. We showed up about 10:00 that morning to a great brunch of cinamon rolls, and lemon bread with a side of Laffy Taffy. My friend Michelle made us a wonderful breakfast and lunch for the day, and we really enjoyed it. We spent the day playing on a huge mondo slide, and giving and getting rides on the jet ski. They had a 4 seater jet ski, so tube rides were super fun and the water was warm and inviting. Needless to say we had a great time, we stayed untill dinner and headed home tired, happy and a little sunburnt. (Except Ryan, who had so much lotion on him his greasy lotioned hair could challenge even Grandpa Storer's LOL).

Madison and Ellie (soaked cast and all) Enjoying a hotdog lunch.

Andrew, Devan and Friend Jacob sucking down Snow Cones!!!

Super FUN water slide. Note Ellie w/o plastic bag on arm. It was impossible to keep her cast dry so we just gave up and opted for a date with the hair dryer that night.

Andrew and Ellie could sit in the foot trough of this jet ski. Ryan also had his first ride and came back humming like a motor, which btw is what he now says when you ask him to say jet ski.

We are so lucky to have great friends who let us share the day with them. Thanks Rob and Michelle!!!

Isn't She Beautiful?

2009-08-20T08:26:00.000-07:00

Here is my sweet baby just before the big event. Thank you everyone who came, and to Adam and Aaron and all their family - I missed you terribly but you were there in spirit and I can't wait to see you soon!

Thanks Wendy for getting the great picture, it is the only one we got - you have the touch! And the family picture - here is everyone... the mad, the sad, and the silly! Love you all - thanks for a great weekend!

Here are a few more pictures that didn't make it on to the Gray Family blog. There were just too many great shots to put all in one place!
I love this kid! He is always just so happy to be at "kim's"!
Is David copying Grandma or is it the other way around?
I like to call this one, "Cute mommy-to-be with scary look on face".

Did dad get caught doing something wrong, or is he just surprised that my sandwiches were just that good?!

Wendy must have had my camera - How can you not just want to kiss this baby all over?
The one-armed cutie!

Is it just me or does Scott's face look really white next to Jeff's tan leg? Get that kid in the sun already!

Yes she loves her scriptures and yes she has already started reading in them!

And finally, Nathan's favorite super hero - next to Superman that is. Tate, if you could fly I am sure you would totally trump Superman!

Thanks again everyone! I love you all!

Introducing...

2009-08-10T19:55:00.000-07:00

Grace Dunyon

July 10, 2009 at 4:28 pm

7 lbs 4 oz, 19 1/4 in

Thrilled Family: Aaron, Brooke, Emma, & Heidi

I should have posted her birth announcement sooner, but we've had too much fun playing with little Gracie. Lucky for us, Grace is very patient with our "helpers" who are always eager to mother her (carry her, burp her up on their shoulder, and feed her goldfish). Now I know where the term 'Loved to Death' came from. It will be a miracle if Grace survives infancy. If anyone ever needs a sitter we have a two available. Emma accepts payment in the form of princess paraphernalia and Heidi will work for food.

Spiderman Andrew to the Rescue...

2009-08-04T04:57:00.001-07:00

Andrew had his 4th birthday right after Lake Powell. So of course it had to be a swimming party. But most of all it had to be a SPIDERMAN birthday party. Complete with spiderman invitations, spiderman cake, and spiderman presents. We even had a spiderman save. One of our guests told us he could swim and really couldn't. Thankfully I had just taken my phone out of my pocket before I jumped fully clothed in after him. Nevertheless we had a great party and Andrew loved everything. (Everything was spiderman btw). So if you are having a need to have a spidey day call Andrew you can borrow his spiderman dinnerware from Grandma Storer; play with his spiderman helicopter (shooting web included) and wear spiderman swimsuit complete with spiderman flips. Compliments of Jill and Grandma Dunyon.

This cake was suprisingly easy, um I mean hard. I am an awsome mom.

Greetings from your friendly neighborhood Spiderman.

Spidey Dogs and Watermellon for lunch. (All Spidey red!!!)

Sad, it takes you 6 hours to make a cake and only 6 seconds to eat it. Yummy!!!!

All boys should have their own spidey helicopter to be played with while wearing spideman attire. (Note the little boy pinching himself, he is our neighborhood drowner, lol).

Spiderman Lives On!!!

Lake Powell! Let's go again!

2009-07-22T12:35:00.000-07:00

Here are a few of the fun pictures that we captured while spending the best week of our summer at Lake Powell. We missed all you who missed being there. Next year all of us will have to go - no babies! Sarah you are just going to have to bring sweet baby Parker with us and he can keep precious baby Grace company. I can't wait to see some of the pictures you guys got too! Thanks mom and dad for a wonderful tradition and great memories!

This is actually Kjersten - not Kyra.

Jeff and Tate at the VERY top of Sand Mountain.

Happy Birthday Tate! Our first teenager! - Dave, you just got dumber!

Mom and Jess - who's having more fun?

We have to have one picture at least!

Kevin's awesome wipe out!

How many monkeys can you get in one tube?

AHHHHHHHHH!

This tube was a huge hit with everyone!

And the finally the decent from the top and yes, one more wipe out from the Dunyon boys. This time Tate took the cake though!

To the greatest dad EVER!

2009-06-21T21:15:00.000-07:00

Dad in the beginning

Where their journey begins...

And where you are now....

Dad - this is how we all feel about you! We just want to give you the biggest squeeze EVER this Father's Day! Even though we all can't be with you on this occasion, we want you to know that you are loved and that you are truly the greatest thing a girl could ask for! I don't know what else to say but...We love you!

D I S N E Y L A N D ! ! !

2009-05-18T13:26:00.000-07:00

With Heidi's on April 10th and Emma's on May 10th the celebrations have just continued for weeks with the birthday marathon. Any excuse to eat cake and party, right? The girls had a combined birthday party where Princess Aurora joined us for the occasion. Emma was elated to see her and never left her side. Heidi on the other hand wasn't interested in getting near her, which surprised us because she is obsessed with any book, movie, toy, or dress-up relating to Disney Princesses. Oh well. This was the closest that Heidi ever got to Aurora. :)

For Emma's birthday it was pretty low-key. The girls made pizza for dinner Saturday night and devoured cupcakes afterwards. I was lucky enough to share Mother's Day with Emma's birthday. She has been one of the best Mother's Day gifts ever. We are so blessed to have her in our family. I'm still trying to figure out where the time has gone because it seemed like we just brought her home from the hospital yesterday.

When we asked Emma what she wanted most for her birthday she said that she wanted to take Lady (our former puppy) for a walk. About a year ago Lady went to live with our friends in Sandy. To make a long story short, her body didn't agree with California's weather so we found her a new home and she has been in hog heaven with them. Now that we live so close to Lady this was perfect. So on Mother's Day/Emma's birthday, her wish was granted and we took Lady on a walk together.

Who needs pets when you can just walk your friends' pets? I love Lady, but is sure is nice to have one less body to take care of in the house. :)

At the last minute we decided to borrow our Aunt Vanessa's motorhome and head to Disneyland. So off we went. I don't know if the girls were more excited about riding in the motorhome or going to Disneyland, but either way we had a great time! The girls' favorite spot in the motorhome was the bed in the front above the driver's seat. That's probably the case for most kids. At the park, we pretty much got on every ride that we wanted to that day, so we really lucked out.

Grandma and Grandpa Dunyon joined us at Disneyland and we loved being with them. Grandma even waited in the long line to see the Disney Princesses for us while we went on a few rides with the kids...Isn't she the best?! We miss them so much!

Of course we had to hit the beach while we were in town so Sarah and Austin joined us and we drove down to Dave and Joy's beach house. It was pretty cold but the kids didn't seem to mind too much. They were too busy playing in the huge hole that Aaron dug for them. After visiting with friends and family that night we headed home first thing Sunday morning. Even though it was a quick trip we were so glad we could go. It was great to see some family and for the girls to have a change of scenery. They were so tired..We found Heidi like this on the way home...She fell asleep on the floor on her way back to the bed.

We're grateful to have been able to go on this trip and for the memories that were made. It was our last family vacation before the baby is here, so next time we head out we'll be a party of five! Poor Aaron is SO outnumbered..

~Brooke

As you wish

2009-05-04T11:14:00.000-07:00

I don't like getting my picture taken, but here you go. This is for those that have been asking to see my big tummy. This is 30 weeks with baby #3. No, I'm not holding my stomach up...it's just high.

Just to compare this is 32 weeks with Heidi. Its my only pregnancy picture with her. I know its not great because I'm sitting down, but it's all I had...

This is 29 weeks pregnant with Emma...

My hair gets shorter with each baby. If I have any more children, I may end up bald! Yikes, that's a scary picture. I don't know if I get bigger with each baby, but I do know that each one has been so different. Even though I've been through this two times before, this time feels new. The symptoms are different and I also have two other rugrats running around. I have another ultrasound in a couple of weeks to check the position of the placenta because it was low-lying at my last appointment. Hopefully it has moved and the baby is positioned well because I really don't want a c-section. I know that lots of women have had c-sections, and that some even prefer them, but I personally want to avoid that for myself. Nevertheless, it comes down to what's best for the baby so if it comes to that, then fine, but I'm hoping for a regular delivery right now.

-Brooke

Better Late Than Never...

2009-05-03T18:48:00.000-07:00

For Easter, we decided to go see our Las Vegas cousins for the weekend. Heidi's birthday was that Friday, on April 10th, so we sang Happy Birthday to her as she blew the candles out on her pancake that morning.

The birthday girl wanted to play in an empty bathtub with her clothes on and her lifejacket nearby (she loves that jacket!) so that kept her busy while we packed up the car. We headed to Vegas as soon as Daddy got home from work that afternoon and ended up in terrible traffic that delayed us two hours in Provo. So instead of it taking 5 1/2 hours to get to Vegas, we got there in 7 1/2. At least we made it though, right?

We joined the Eckersley's ward for an Easter Egg Hunt the next morning. It was a little chilly that day but still tons of fun. I don't think the girls had ever seen so many eggs in their life!

We had a second Easter Egg Hunt that afternoon back at the house, then proceeded with Heidi's birthday party with her cousins. She genuinely enjoyed each gift she opened,

which was a nice change from the usual "rip open the gift and throw it over the shoulder" routine. As if the kids hadn't had enough sugar that day, we had "ice cream cone cupcakes" http://jas.familyfun.go.com/recipefinder/display?id=50158 (Hats off to Jenny for the fun idea!). Everybody had their own candle to blow out so after re-lighting everyone's candle almost a dozen times we dug in.

We were so busy the next morning looking at what the Easter Bunny brought us, that we snapped a couple of pictures after church of the girls. These are the best pictures we got...

Oh well. (Andrew couldn't figure out why the Easter Bunny brought Emma and Heidi different gifts than him and his siblings...for example Emma and Heidi got a little carton of goldfish and Andrew got Pez...Jenny and I explained that we are all different, so we each like different things...eventually he accepted that answer...it was funny).

The Eckersley's were such great hosts, as always. Thanks for a fun Easter weekend!!! Love, Brooke, Aaron, & girls.

Happy Birthday Kate!

2009-04-22T12:43:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that our little Katie-Boo is 3 years old! My how the time flies! When we asked her what she wanted to do for her birthday, she simply replied, "Go to Disneyland" with hand on her hip as if to say, "Duh, Mom." 3 going on 13! Here are few highlights of our 4 splendid days in California. Mom & Dad were perfect hosts, like usual, and we loved every minute of it! We are so lucky to have such amazing parents!

Dad was so great to build us a boat at the beach - wake behind the boat and all! You rock Dad!

Grandma spent one day at Disneyland, one day doing hair and driving up to see Sarah, Austin and Santa Monica pier, and another day at the beach. We loved it!

SHOUT OUT..

2009-03-28T13:23:00.000-07:00

...to Austy!!! Hope you have a great birthday today!! We love you!!

Love,
Emma & Heidi

8 Things

2009-03-07T21:53:00.000-08:00

Since I refuse (ok, am just not computer savvy enough) to have my own blog, I shall post the 8 things Sarah, MADE me do, here. Love you Rah rah.
8 Things
1.8 favorite shows: Survivor, CSI (the original), Amazing Race, Desperate Housewives (Hey, mom used to watch Falcon Crest and Dallas), Sesame Street, Arthur, Word World, Master Piece Theater.

2.8 favorite restaurants: Any place with a clean playland, Islands, Fudruckers, Applebee’s, Pick up Stix, Mission Café, Café Rio, Carol’s Bakery in Utah( Is that a restaurant?).

3. 8 books I'd recommend: Anne of Green Gables (entire series), Fablehaven, New Testament made Easier, I’m a Day Late & a Dollar short and it’s Ok., Things I wish I’d learned Sooner, Anything by Roald Dahl, your patriarchal blessing, Book of Mormon.

4. 8 things that happened yesterday: Watched 4 extra children, made dinner at 9:00 am, hung out with Jill & Scott, loaded and unloaded the dishwasher TWICE!!, played Yoville on Facebook, picked up children from school, went to a card making party, and broke my big toenail.

5. 8 things I look forward to: Kids who stay in bed, Lake Powell this year (it’s been a 4 year hiatus), Paige’s baptism, Going to the Temple WITH Brent (not taking turns), Thursday nights (I really like “Survivor”), the Second Coming, clean sheets, and sleeping in past 5:30 am.

6. 8 things on my wish list: Kids who stay in bed, new flooring, solar pool heater, crown molding, time to write in my journal, these dumb comic books gone from my bedroom, fuller hair, a massage.

7. 8 things I love about fall: Halloween, the candy that comes with Halloween, crunchy leaves, My mom’s thanksgiving cooking, children going back to school, back to school shopping, Everyone’s birthday’s squished into a 4 week span, pumpkin patches.

8. 8 People I Tag: The first 8 lucky people who read this. (Oh, you know who you are!)
-Jenny

NO Crunchy Stuff!!!

2009-02-24T13:06:00.000-08:00

I thought I would let everyone celebrate with us on surviving a 3year old's tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy. Andrew spent valentine's day in the hospital with his true sweetheart (mom) and no tonsills. Andrew did great! He didn't complain about being woken up at 5:30 am from a warm bed, only to be carried to a cold car. He walked into the hospital pre-op area, reluctantly agreed on wearing the crusty hospital gown, and even let someone else carry him to the O.R. Even after the surgery he wowed the nurses on how much drool he could produce and how many popsicles he could eat before brain freeze set in. Once he had slept off all the anesthesia, had a little tylenol codine in his system we spent the wee hours of the morning playing trains in the children's unit playroom and riding (silently) up and down the halls on a big wheel. I got very good at carrying an I.V. pole up and down the hallway. Once we were home he did great. He loved having grandma and grandpa Dunyon and his sunbeam teachers come visit him. He especially loved showing off the black hole at the back of his throat once occupied by ginormous balls of tonsils, and telling people, "I can't eat crunchy stuff." So now it has been a week and a half of eating nothing but pudding, gatoraide, and popsicles (Andrew doesn't like Jell=O). He is ready to step it up and have crunchy stuff. Hopefully he will quickly put back on the 5 1/2 pounds he lost. (He is a whopping 27.8 lbs now!!!) and be able to resist Ryan's 25 lb running tackle. Thank you to all my family who called, and loved on my baby.

What Pain?

2009-02-11T19:49:00.000-08:00

So Adam, we all knew you were a pain in the neck but a pain in the intestine? We all hope you are feeling better soon and up and about to tease us all again. We love you!

Love Kim, Jeff, Paige, Megan, Haley, and Nate Dog (as only you call him!)

Who whouldn't want a piece of cake now?

2009-02-08T11:51:00.000-08:00

So I finnally figured out how to download movies from my flip (aka.mommy cam). My favorite flip film from David and Ellie and Elizabeth's weekend is all the children blowing out the candles on the cake. Thank you Kim for the awsome pink candles, I can't believe they lasted so long.

I am so glad for the traditions that mom and dad started when we were small. No other family I know has the children blow out candles over and over and over. (Probably b/c antibiotics weren't invented yet.) What were they thinking!?! Nevertheless it was a fun weekend and I must let everyone know that Ellie has a toyroom on her bed from all the wonderful princess things she recieved for her b-day.

A Giggle and a Wiggle

2009-02-05T19:40:00.000-08:00

I know we all got different pictures from the weekend but I thought I would add a few and say thanks to all who made the weekend - we missed Adam & Co. and Brooke & the kids. Thanks for sending Aaron - he was a great Uncle to have around!

Kevin reluctantly blowing out candles

Aaron vs. Paige

Trigg & Kate

Don't take Trigg's bike...

Sisters

Kate & her Dora bike

The boys playing ball

Birthday Girl, Ellie

Everyone loves Grandma!

You may not be able to see very much of Elizabeth but hopefully you can hear how Madison makes her giggle! Birthday buddies!

Girls are so cute with babies! Maddie's going to be a natural when she gets her own!

New Location

2009-02-03T10:54:00.000-08:00

As many of you know, we acquired a new restaurant for Christmas. We just love our pizzeria! It has taken up residence in the front room now for over a month and we have loved eating, cooking, and playing in our beloved pizza place - you know us Gray's and our pizza! Anyway, the pizzeria has been taken over by new owners and has been moved to a new location today. Now, Cappuccino anyone? Although the living room now once again looks like a real living room, the toy room is truly a place to come, sit down and relax awhile while you play!

Video Post

2009-01-28T09:46:00.000-08:00

I was going through some videos on the camera the other day and cam across these unposted videos and thought, those are funny and need to be out there in blogger land, so enjoy!

Kate loving her Cinderella Pez on Christmas, she would have me fill it up, then eat them all, and then bring it back to have me fill it up, then eat them. I think we went through 3 or 4 packages of Pez

Duke at Christmas

Autopia with Kate, I'm not sure how much she liked it, I think I still have her fingernail marks in my legs, I'm a good driver...right?

Jared and Cold at Disneyland

Finally the beach on New Years Day Eve

We're making room...

2009-01-27T12:08:00.001-08:00

for more sugar and spice!! ...because we are having another...

GIRL!!!!

Emma & Heidi are very excited to have a little sister. Emma doesn't want to wait until July to meet her but she'll survive, I'm sure.

Just wanted to let you all know.

~Brooke, Aaron, Emma & Heidi Dunyon

Happy Birthday to Megan and Haley!

2009-01-08T16:41:00.000-08:00

So this year I mananged to find a pinata that you have to hit instead of just pulling a silly little string! I guess next year we will go back to the string pull ones - much easier, but maybe not as much fun!

The Most Wonderful time of the Year!

2009-01-08T16:02:00.000-08:00

Just a few pictures of the fun festivities from Christmas. We loved having so many join us here in sunny Arizona and totally missed all you who couldn't come. Maybe next year! Let's all meet up on the Polar Express next year - who's in?

Jeff and Megan braving the cold.

Waiting for the train.

On the train, I think we were getting ready to sing Deck the Halls (fa la la la la la la la la)

Haley tasting the snow. BRRRRRRRRR!

Everyone is bundled up warm and Jared is sweating! Crazy guy. He did come home sick though! Maybe he should have worn a coat!

Oh what fun it is to ride on a plastic pushed red sleigh! ( my children called it sleigh riding! hehehehehe!)

Look at Nathan my little "star"!

Even Tate got to sit on Santa's lap! I just love those big boys, don't you?
Trigg was just too cute!

We had a great time and we were sad to see everyone go. But we are lifted by the fact you will all be back again for Lizzie's blessing! See you then!

Love, Kim

A few fun pictures

2009-01-05T20:43:00.000-08:00

SOME of my most favorite moments of Christmas vacation...ok, just a few, they were all favorite moments

Jared at Disneyland

Writing a letter to Santa

Joy trying to flip on the bar

Kate

Austin got me the Wii Fit for Christmas, this was Kate, she was really getting into it

White Christmas?

2008-12-25T20:19:00.001-08:00

This was a crazy week here in Las Vegas..We had snow two days in the same year!!! It began snowing in the morning and by dinner time we were sitting in 3-4 inches. Devan made snowman after snowman because Ellie and Andrew kept knocking them down like punching dummies. It was a great lesson in futility. All in all it was a fun day of puttting on boots, taking off boots, putting on boots, taking off boots....( I must say thanks to our mom who did this for at least 12 years while we lived in Utah). Happy Snow Day. Love Jenny

Just Elfing Around

2008-12-09T16:19:00.001-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Happy Birthday Jessica!!

2008-12-09T08:34:00.001-08:00

Happy Birthday Jessica!! Hope you have a great day!!
Love,
Sarah and Austin

Come What May, and Love It

2008-12-02T11:13:00.000-08:00

With the passing last night of Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin, the oldest member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, I am reflective today. I have taken great strength from the talk he gave in conference just 2 short months ago. It has been a mantra for me since then. In his memory, I post it here in its entirety. Read, and hopefully you will be as inspired as I was hearing it.

Come What May, and Love It

Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

The way we react to adversity can be a major factor in how happy and successful we can be in life.

When I was young I loved playing sports, and I have many fond memories of those days. But not all of them are pleasant. I remember one day after my football team lost a tough game, I came home feeling discouraged. My mother was there. She listened to my sad story. She taught her children to trust in themselves and each other, not blame others for their misfortunes, and give their best effort in everything they attempted.

When we fell down, she expected us to pick ourselves up and get going again. So the advice my mother gave to me then wasn’t altogether unexpected. It has stayed with me all my life.

“Joseph,” she said, “come what may, and love it.”

I have often reflected on that counsel. I think she may have meant that every life has peaks and shadows and times when it seems that the birds don’t sing and bells don’t ring. Yet in spite of discouragement and adversity, those who are happiest seem to have a way of learning from difficult times, becoming stronger, wiser, and happier as a result.

There may be some who think that General Authorities rarely experience pain, suffering, or distress. If only that were true. While every man and woman on this stand today has experienced an abundant measure of joy, each also has drunk deeply from the cup of disappointment, sorrow, and loss. The Lord in His wisdom does not shield anyone from grief or sadness.

For me, the Lord has opened the windows of heaven and showered blessings upon my family beyond my ability to express. Yet like everyone else, I have had times in my life when it seemed that the heaviness of my heart might be greater than I could bear. During those times I think back to those tender days of my youth when great sorrows came at the losing end of a football game.

How little I knew then of what awaited me in later years. But whenever my steps led through seasons of sadness and sorrow, my mother’s words often came back to me: “Come what may, and love it.”

How can we love days that are filled with sorrow? We can’t—at least not in the moment. I don’t think my mother was suggesting that we suppress discouragement or deny the reality of pain. I don’t think she was suggesting that we smother unpleasant truths beneath a cloak of pretended happiness. But I do believe that the way we react to adversity can be a major factor in how happy and successful we can be in life.

If we approach adversities wisely, our hardest times can be times of greatest growth, which in turn can lead toward times of greatest happiness.

Over the years I have learned a few things that have helped me through times of testing and trial. I would like to share them with you.

Learn to Laugh

The first thing we can do is learn to laugh. Have you ever seen an angry driver who, when someone else makes a mistake, reacts as though that person has insulted his honor, his family, his dog, and his ancestors all the way back to Adam? Or have you had an encounter with an overhanging cupboard door left open at the wrong place and the wrong time which has been cursed, condemned, and avenged by a sore-headed victim?

There is an antidote for times such as these: learn to laugh.

I remember loading up our children in a station wagon and driving to Los Angeles. There were at least nine of us in the car, and we would invariably get lost. Instead of getting angry, we laughed. Every time we made a wrong turn, we laughed harder.

Getting lost was not an unusual occurrence for us. Once while heading south to Cedar City, Utah, we took a wrong turn and didn’t realize it until two hours later when we saw the “Welcome to Nevada” signs. We didn’t get angry. We laughed, and as a result, anger and resentment rarely resulted. Our laughter created cherished memories for us.

I remember when one of our daughters went on a blind date. She was all dressed up and waiting for her date to arrive when the doorbell rang. In walked a man who seemed a little old, but she tried to be polite. She introduced him to me and my wife and the other children; then she put on her coat and went out the door. We watched as she got into the car, but the car didn’t move. Eventually our daughter got out of the car and, red faced, ran back into the house. The man that she thought was her blind date had actually come to pick up another of our daughters who had agreed to be a babysitter for him and his wife.

We all had a good laugh over that. In fact, we couldn’t stop laughing. Later, when our daughter’s real blind date showed up, I couldn’t come out to meet him because I was still in the kitchen laughing. Now I realize that our daughter could have felt humiliated and embarrassed. But she laughed with us, and as a result, we still laugh about it today.

The next time you’re tempted to groan, you might try to laugh instead. It will extend your life and make the lives of all those around you more enjoyable.

Seek for the Eternal

The second thing we can do is seek for the eternal. You may feel singled out when adversity enters your life. You shake your head and wonder, “Why me?”

But the dial on the wheel of sorrow eventually points to each of us. At one time or another, everyone must experience sorrow. No one is exempt.

I love the scriptures because they show examples of great and noble men and women such as Abraham, Sarah, Enoch, Moses, Joseph, Emma, and Brigham. Each of them experienced adversity and sorrow that tried, fortified, and refined their characters.

Learning to endure times of disappointment, suffering, and sorrow is part of our on-the-job training. These experiences, while often difficult to bear at the time, are precisely the kinds of experiences that stretch our understanding, build our character, and increase our compassion for others.

Because Jesus Christ suffered greatly, He understands our suffering. He understands our grief. We experience hard things so that we too may have increased compassion and understanding for others.

Remember the sublime words of the Savior to the Prophet Joseph Smith when he suffered with his companions in the smothering darkness of Liberty Jail: “My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment;

“And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes.”1
With that eternal perspective, Joseph took comfort from these words, and so can we. Sometimes the very moments that seem to overcome us with suffering are those that will ultimately suffer us to overcome.

The Principle of Compensation

The third thing we can do is understand the principle of compensation. The Lord compensates the faithful for every loss. That which is taken away from those who love the Lord will be added unto them in His own way. While it may not come at the time we desire, the faithful will know that every tear today will eventually be returned a hundredfold with tears of rejoicing and gratitude.

One of the blessings of the gospel is the knowledge that when the curtain of death signals the end of our mortal lives, life will continue on the other side of the veil. There we will be given new opportunities. Not even death can take from us the eternal blessings promised by a loving Heavenly Father.

Because Heavenly Father is merciful, a principle of compensation prevails. I have seen this in my own life. My grandson Joseph has autism. It has been heartbreaking for his mother and father to come to grips with the implications of this affliction.

They knew that Joseph would probably never be like other children. They understood what that would mean not only for Joseph but for the family as well. But what a joy he has been to us. Autistic children often have a difficult time showing emotion, but every time I’m with him, Joseph gives me a big hug. While there have been challenges, he has filled our lives with joy.

His parents have encouraged him to participate in sports. When he first started playing baseball, he was in the outfield. But I don’t think he grasped the need to run after loose balls. He thought of a much more efficient way to play the game. When a ball was hit in his direction, Joseph watched it go by and then pulled another baseball out of his pocket and threw that one to the pitcher.

Any reservations that his family may have had in raising Joseph, any sacrifices they have made have been compensated tenfold. Because of this choice spirit, his mother and father have learned much about children with disabilities. They have witnessed firsthand the generosity and compassion of family, neighbors, and friends. They have rejoiced together as Joseph has progressed. They have marveled at his goodness.

Trust in the Father and the Son

The fourth thing we can do is put our trust in our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.

“God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son.”2 The Lord Jesus Christ is our partner, helper, and advocate. He wants us to be happy. He wants us to be successful. If we do our part, He will step in.

He who descended below all things will come to our aid. He will comfort and uphold us. He will strengthen us in our weakness and fortify us in our distress. He will make weak things become strong.3

One of our daughters, after giving birth to a baby, became seriously ill. We prayed for her, administered to her, and supported her as best we could. We hoped she would receive a blessing of healing, but days turned into months, and months turned into years. At one point I told her that this affliction might be something she would have to struggle with the rest of her life.

One morning I remember pulling out a small card and threading it through my typewriter. Among the words that I typed for her were these: “The simple secret is this: put your trust in the Lord, do your best, then leave the rest to Him.”

She did put her trust in God. But her affliction did not disappear. For years she suffered, but in due course, the Lord blessed her, and eventually she returned to health.

Knowing this daughter, I believe that even if she had never found relief, yet she would have trusted in her Heavenly Father and “[left] the rest to Him.”

Conclusion

Although my mother has long since passed to her eternal reward, her words are always with me. I still remember her advice to me given on that day long ago when my team lost a football game: “Come what may, and love it.”

I know why there must be opposition in all things. Adversity, if handled correctly, can be a blessing in our lives. We can learn to love it.

As we look for humor, seek for the eternal perspective, understand the principle of compensation, and draw near to our Heavenly Father, we can endure hardship and trial. We can say, as did my mother, “Come what may, and love it.” Of this I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Disneyland in November

2008-12-01T14:47:00.000-08:00

Just thought I would share some pictures of the trip we recently took to Disneyland! Enjoy!

Act your age, not your shoe size

2008-11-21T15:01:00.000-08:00

HAHA! Now you guys can't say I don't act my age, I'm 25 and I act 25! YEAH ME~Sarah

You Act Like You Are 25 Years Old

You are a twenty-something at heart. You feel like an adult, and you're optimistic about life.

You feel excited about what's to come... love, work, and new experiences.

You're still figuring out your place in the world and how you want your life to shape up.

The world is full of possibilities, and you can't wait to explore many of them.

What Age Do You Act?

41 years and Counting

2008-11-15T08:51:00.000-08:00

I was at Mom and Dad's this weekend, going through some old pictures, and I thought I would do a walk down memory lane. Mom and Dad have been married for 41 years. These pictures show there is proof in the pudding....Mom and Dad were crazy in their pictures, now I know where we all got it from. Here are some old pictures that I found of Mom and Dad, enjoy

Mom outside of Anne Hathaway's House

Dad at Anne Hathaway's House

Studly Dad

Sexy Mom, isn't she a total babe?

Mom and Dad 41 years ago, on their Wedding day

Love you Mom and Dad, thanks for all the fun memories, and here's to another 41+ years!! Love you!

I am thankful for trick-or-treating.

2008-11-14T09:50:00.000-08:00

OK, So I finally got our Halloween pictures up. I have to shout out a big thank you to Mom and Wendy for their help making a fairy princess and a Spider man come true. We have Halloween day off from school b/c of Nevada Day, so we went to a friends Halloween party. The children got to golf, pinata, make caramel apples, and jump on the trampoline. The day before we went to a pumpkin patch. It was somebodies farm, with unlimited feeding of horses, chickens, goats, and pony rides. The children also got to choose a pumpkin for the family before leaving. Andrew and Ellie did the honors of carving our pumpkin (which started growing fuzz inside before Halloween night.) All in all our spooky holiday was a success, b/c every night Andrew thanks Heavenly Father for the "Farmer" and for trick-or-treating.

Hot ... Now!

2008-11-13T08:35:00.001-08:00

One of the kids favorite things to do is to go eat at Red Robin. We don't do it too often so as to make it a special treat, but the best part about eating there, other than the fact that Wendy and Jared get to come with us, is the stop over across the street at Krispy Kreme. Yumm-O!

Megan and Nathan love the powder jelly filled.

Haley and Paige prefer the chocolate cover sprinkle variety.

Personally I just love the original Hot Now glazed. Yummmmmmmmm!

Happy Birthday to ALL!!

2008-11-12T14:01:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday to Joy, Brooke and Jared!! Hope you all had a fabulous day!! We love you :)

TAG POST

2008-11-09T21:09:00.001-08:00

I'm also not a fan of tags, but this one is easy, so I'll do it. It's the 4th folder in your pictures and the 4th picture, or something like that...

They had just finished a long "water day" in the backyard. The colors are messed up because my lame camera was dying so the last month of pictures have a heavy shade of pink and then they just go black. Going without a camera was like losing a limb. I survived though. :)

I tag whoever wants to participate.

~Brooke

Halloween in Vegas!!!

2008-11-07T18:09:00.000-08:00

Here are a few shots of Halloween in Vegas with Jaris, James, Kyra and Kjersten.....

Kate's Playdough Trick

2008-11-03T13:33:00.000-08:00

This morning, I was feeding Elizabeth, Cole was playing Wii (like ususal) and Kate was doing playdough. Little did I know that this is what she was doing with it! I guess she needed some quiet time!!

BOO!

2008-11-02T10:46:00.001-08:00

Halloween Humor

2008-10-28T15:06:00.000-07:00

Our Newest Grandbaby

2008-10-22T18:51:00.001-07:00

What more do we need to say about our newest granddaughter? What a cutie! Born September 27th at 2:50 p.m. weighing in at 7 lbs. 3 oz. and 21 inches long. She may have Parker looks but she is all Dunyon when it comes to the important things in life. Thanks mom & dad for having great genes and for spending the 2 weeks with us! Mom - you are the greatest in the world and have a gift with children from newborns to parents and you just get it. One day I will be as gifted as the great and all powerful oz...I mean mom! And dad - you're talents amaze me in woodworking and entertaining children, working while Kate climbs on your back, and you never seem to run out of energy! Go energizer Dad! We love you and definitely have missed you this week - as evident from the number of phone calls you have received from this household this week. Enjoy your time in Utah!

Bowser Dad

2008-10-20T10:00:00.000-07:00

Just when Mom thought she was done making costumes for Halloween, I showed up and asked her to help me make a costume for me and Austin. Princess Peach for me, and Bowser for Austin. I don't want to give too much of it away, but here is the model modeling the head of Bowser...

New Family Photo

2008-10-14T08:30:00.000-07:00

I know Wendy posted pictures of Elizabeth on her page, but I had a few from the hospital that I thought everyone might enjoy - especially the new family photo. Enjoy!

And a little clip of Katie first meeting her new baby sister.

"Mommy, you look different!"

2008-10-07T08:19:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, Emma wears glasses now. I would have posted this when she first got them a couple of weeks ago, however my camera died. She is still blind in her right eye (has been since birth) and at her last eye exam they discovered she's a little far-sighted in her left eye. Therefore, the glasses are to help her good eye see better and protect it (since it's the only good eye it is very important to 'shield' it).

When we first found out she needed glasses, I worried about how we would get Emma to keep them on, and how we would prevent Heidi and other children from pulling them off. To our surprise, Emma loves wearing them and they haven't been a temptation for Heidi or any other children to touch them. Actually, the first day Emma got them, she cried because she didn't want to take her glasses off at bedtime. We think they are helping because when she first put them on and looked at us she said, "Mommy you look different," and smiled.

Heidi is growing up fast. She'll be going to nursery this upcoming Sunday (nursery is the children's sunday school class at our congregation for those between the age of 18 mo. and 3 yrs.). She is fearless and confident...which is exhausting sometimes but she brings so much joy to our home.

Emma is Ms. Chatterbox. She comes in our room at 6:30 every morning and says, "Pssst Mommy, I need to eat eggs." She's our bright, dramatic, gorgeous girl. I'm gathering materials to start my own preschool program with her at home. (Someday I hope to run my own preschool out of my home for my children and our neighbors.)

Anyway, aren't they the cutest girls ever?! I know I'm biased, but still..

Happy Birthday Kimmy!!

2008-10-01T09:19:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Kim! We love you! Have a great day!!

SHOUT OUT

2008-09-13T15:48:00.001-07:00

We just wanted to send a shout out to Sarah on her BIRTHDAY! Have a great day Sarah! We hear you have some fun plans! We love you so much!

Love,
Brooke, Aaron, Emma, & Heidi :)

Do YOU know what we did this summer?

2008-09-10T11:08:00.000-07:00

We had a shortened summer b/c of year round school (only 6 weeks, yikes!!!). So we crammed in all we could. Thank you to Kim who hosted us in Arizona with a private suite, and thank you to all my sibs who make every time we're together awsome. Hope you enjoy the movie. We sure enjoyed our summer.

Emma's Sweet Dace Moves

2008-09-05T16:39:00.000-07:00

I laugh every time I see this...

Happy Birthday, Grandpa Dunyon

2008-08-28T14:55:00.000-07:00

We wish you a Happy Birthday today Grandpa! Thanks for being the best Grandpa EVER!

Fun Family Pictures

2008-08-23T16:13:00.000-07:00

This one is for your kids Kim...to get them through the next week till they can see me again...your welcome! ;)

New Job for Adam

2008-08-12T12:19:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone - Just a quick note to let you all know that my new job is GREAT! I sent out an email to everyone, but I thought I would post my new cell number and work contact info here as well, just in case.

New cell is 702-241-2714 and new work email is adam.dunyon@aristocrat-inc.com. The company is pretty cool. Check out their website @ http://www.aristocrat.com.au/

Adam

Dunyon Family Reunion

2008-07-28T12:56:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of our 2008 Family Reunion at Heber Valley Girls Camp. We had a blast seeing everyone and missed those who couldn't make it. We got to see the construction site of the new temple being built in Draper and some extravagant homes near by. Love, Mom

Fourth of July Picutres

2008-07-15T13:37:00.001-07:00

2008-07-10T19:34:00.000-07:00

Here is fun videos I took while Kim and family were at Grandma's house...enjoy

Oh what fun it is...

2008-07-08T16:02:00.000-07:00

Here is a short slide show of the past two weeks of the Gray family travels. We had so much fun being home with Grandma and Grandpa and Sarah and Austin. Even though I totally missed Jeff and was a little homesick for my own bed I had a blast. I posted a few more pictures and stories on the Gray Family Blog - go check us out. We had a wonderful 4th of July day. Thank you Jenny and Brent and everyone who made it a memorable day. I can't wait to see you all again next week. Till then .....

Archery 101

2008-07-02T08:18:00.000-07:00

Here is a fun video of Kim at the Archery at Harry Potter's Castle!

Father's Day

2008-06-23T08:40:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to post a few pictures of Dad getting his present from us kids on Father's Day for those of you who didn't get to see his reaction! I think he was truly truly surprised, which is a major thing for us kids! Thanks to all those who put it together and executed the plan. It took Aaron and Austin an hour to put together!! :) The first cookin was delicious! Thanks again and Happy Father's Day!

Here is the first BBQ, in serious need of some help

Here is the first meal on the new BBQ

The new BBQ, so nice!

Boys reading the instructions for a BBQ! Boys will be boys!

England 2008

2008-06-16T11:30:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures, of many more to come I am sure, of our trip to England. Go to Kim or my blog for more info!

"Slippin" Fun!

2008-05-29T07:05:00.001-07:00

Here are a few funny photo's from our "Slippin" fun day on Memorial Day. We loved having mom and dad there even if it was just for a short time. The day was cool enough that the pool was a side item, but the slip n' slide was a huge hit - even for the big kids! Thanks Wendy for putting on such a great spread! LOOOOOOOVED IT! See you all soon!

Love Kim

And a few "stills" of the other sliders that day: