Since When Do You Need the Beach for a Bonfire?

Today has been quite the eventful day! It started out with 3 hours of swimming at the pool with MANY friends from the ward. I would have taken pictures, but there were a lot of kids and a lot of chaos! Then, later on in the day, I took Luke to his first day of Soccer...which he totally loved!

Of course, no day would be complete without a bonfire in the backyard! We made smores for camp night at YW's a couple of weeks ago and Devon has had bonfire fever ever since! He decided that tonight was the night. He had dreams of making a larger fire, but was worried the neighbors would call the fire department...so he made it smaller. After this first picture, he decided the flame needed to be bigger for the camera and added more tinder to the flame!
Oh, baby! Look at that fire-roasted marshmallow! Does that look good or what? Hopefully Luke didn't learn any fire-making tips from this bonfire session! Luke and Fire do not sound like a good mix!
This was Taylor and Luke's first time eating smores and they LOVED IT! Taylor kept saying, "Mom, they are soooooo great!"

Directions to where I am...

Be born October 31, 1977 (Halloween) in Salt Lake City, Utah. You will be the first of three children to be born into your family. You will anxiously wait for other siblings to arrive and be thrilled to finally have a baby sister that you can smother with love. You will enjoy mothering, teasing, and playing with her. After a few more years, a baby brother will arrive. On the day of his birth, you will be greeted by neighbors at your home, after school, to be taken back to their house for the night. You will miss and worry about your mom and dad all night and cry yourself to sleep in your care-bear sleeping bag. When you wake up in the morning, you will be told that you have a new baby brother and feel very proud and excited. For a few years, you will share a bedroom with your brother and sister and love it! You will enjoy telling them what to do and playing make-believe games with them.

You will love Elementary school and have many friends. For your kindergarten school picture you will wear a blue and white jumper that looks just like the one in "Annie." Throughout these years, you will sing, sing, sing. You will stand in front of your piano, which has a mirror on it, and watch yourself sing along with Neil Diamond. While doing so, with a brush in hand, you will imagine yourself singing on-stage with him in front of lots and lots of people. You will experiment with scissors and cut your own hair and have to have it all chopped off. You will play in your grandma's basement with cousins, play her organ, love her ice cream and peach jam, and love the Christmas traditions at her house. You will crack your chin open while playing on a teeter totter at your aunt and uncles house and get stitches. While on your way to getting stitches, you will be sad that you don't get to eat your aunts amazing Navajo Tacos. Your other grandma will take you shopping to Nordstrom regularly to buy you new clothes and you will love it! You will be the tallest girl in your class and hate standing on the back row of all your class pictures. When you are in the 5th grade, you will have the cutest boy in your class ask you if you want to go steady. You will say yes, but rarely talk to him. One day, at school, your boyfriend will stop you in the hall to tell you how he feels about you by having you put headphones on and listen to "I'll be Loving you Forever," from your favorite band, New Kids on the Block. Your face will turn bright red, but you will feel soooo cool! You will beg your parents for a dog and finally get one for Christmas. You will want to name her Princess, but, since she is really your Dad's dog, your dad will convince you to name her Dutchess. You will really love this dog! You slip in dog poop, while in your socks, in your front yard, while trying to impress your boyfriend. You will try to get back into your house to change your socks and, while giggling, your sister and her friend will lock you out and not let you in. You will take many trips to St. George, UT to visit cousins and love it! You will forever feel connected and close to these cousins from these trips. You will make up dances to Paula Abdul in your basement with your best friend and teach them to your sister. You will be a Daddy's girl and love to follow your dad around the yard while he does yard work. Your dad will tell you not to let your friends call you "Kim" because "Kimberly" is a much prettier name. You will listen to and sing along with Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine over and over and imagine yourself singing her songs. You will run for Class Historian, in the 6th Grade, and use a New Kid's on the Block theme by saying: "Kim's got the RIGHT STUFF" for your ad campaign and win. Elementary school will end and shortly after the beginning of your 7th grade year, your entire life will change and you will leave all of your good friends and move to the southern California, a.k.a The OC.

Much of your Junior High years will be difficult. You will experience having your clothes, hair, and make-up being made fun of for the first time in your life. You will feel alone, sad, and wish you were still in Utah. You will spot a boy with a BYU sweatshirt on and wonder who he is and think he looks cute. You will try out for the 8th grade cheerleading squad and while practicing your routine, trip over your dog and sprain your ankle. You will not make the squad and feel sad. You will, however, audition for the 8th grade vocal ensemble, make it and feel happy. At the end of the 8th grade, you will try out for the freshman high school cheerleading squad, make it, and finally feel like your life is good again. You will have two boys ask you if you become popular if you will go out with them. Their comment will make you feel sad that you are not popular, but feel hopeful.

High School begins and you feel confident and cute. You are starting to have many friends and love being a cheer leader! You will also join the Choir and love it! You will turn 14 and start attending Saturday Night Church Dances. This is where you will meet Boyfriend #2. This boy will call you many times on the phone, which you will love, and he will ride his bike, during the hot, hot summer, 20 miles or so to your house to see you. He will kiss you in your back yard and then your dad will put his bike in the trunk of his car and drive him home. You will break up with this boy. When you are 16 you will fall in love with Boyfriend #3. He is a goof who you have fun with and think you might marry someday. You will break up with him. You will meet the boy from Jr. High, with the BYU sweatshirt, named Devon, in History Class, your Junior year, and invite him to go to Swing Class with you. He will become your final boyfriend, best friend and sweet heart. You will do everything together. He will even go with you to mail packages to Boyfriend #3 who is on a mission. You will have three car accidents (2 your Junior year and 1 your Senior year). Your third accident will cause you to have anxiety about driving the rest of your life. You will audition for Vocal Ensemble, make it, and love it, love it, love it! You will sing a solo in Prism and love it! Your confidence will grow and grow. Your sweet heart will ask you to Junior Prom by sprinkling candy kisses all over your floor. You will go to Senior Prom together too. During these years, your parents will lecture you on dating other people and be worried about you dating only one person. You will think very hard about their lectures and consider dating other people, but not want to lose the one best friend you'd had since Elementary School. So, you will continue to date him and fall in love with him. You will graduate from High School together and wonder what the future holds for you as you leave to attend Ricks College and he makes plans to go on a mission.

Your parents will drop you off at Ricks and you will walk around campus crying all day long. You will miss your family immensely! Devon will come visit you and you will feel happy. Devon will leave for his mission. You will worry about him, but enjoy the new friends and opportunities. You will do silly things, stay up late, study hard, and giggle and laugh with roommates lots and lots. You will meet a girl that will become a best friend for life! Devon will get very sick on his mission and come home. You will debate about what to do, but finish out your time at Ricks and graduate. Devon will visit a lot and you will visit him a lot.

You will come home and pick up where you left off, attend Cal State Fullerton, and love being home. Your parents will still wonder if you should be dating the same boy and tell you that maybe you should still date other people, but you don't want to. Boyfriend #3 will come home from his mission and you will realize that he is a loser and wonder why you ever thought you might marry him. You will be a part of the Miss Placentia Pageant. You will work at this very hard and not win, but feel very good about what you did. You will go on a week long trip to Washington, D.C. with your family and, on the day you get home, get engaged! You will feel very excited, but hesitant to share the news with your parents. Your parents will be happy for you and 6 months later you will marry your best friend and man of your dreams in front of numerous family and friends who love you. It will be one of the happiest days of your life!

Six months, after marriage, your husband will decide to change careers and you will put your house up for rent and move into your brother and sister-in-laws basement in Utah for 4 months. You will fall in love with their adorable twins and learn a lot of life lessons. You will remain in Utah for 3 years. During this time you will experience the joy of pregnancy and welcome into your life a beautiful daughter. Although she keeps you up at night, and you are sleep deprived, you will fall deeply in love with her. You will enjoy every aspect of being her mom and singing sweet songs to her. 4 months after her birth, you will move to San Diego. You will love it there and make lots of friends. One day, while driving in the car, you will have a strong impression to have another baby. You will share this experience with your husband and become pregnant (probably that night) with baby #2. It will be a boy. He will be the most happy, smiley baby who also sleeps well and is a joy to have. Him and his sister will become best friends. You will buy a house in San Diego and wonder how you afford it. You will watch your daughter and son become best friends and treasure every kiss, hug, laugh, and moment. You will fly to Denver, Colorado to audition for American Idol with your sister. It will be one of the greatest experiences of your life and you will love every minute of it! You will welcome a third son into the family who will add so much more joy than you ever thought you could imagine. You will be so grateful for these wonderful gifts from your Heavenly Father. You will have days that seem impossible and days that you never want to end. Soon after your third son is born, your parents will move to Tennessee, your sister will move to Utah, and your brother will return home from his Mission and go to BYU. Your heart will ache and you will feel sad that they are so far away. But they will visit often and you will remain close. You will become closer to your own family because of this and remind yourself of all that you have to be grateful for. Life will go on. You will continue to clean your house, do laundry, go to the pool, the beach, the park, talk on the phone to friends and family, go to church, still sing along to your favorite songs and imagine it being you in front of the fans, share sweet moments with your children where you play imaginary games, sing songs, read books and cuddle and kiss them good night. You will fall deeper in love with your husband and share many fond memories with him that the two of you will hold onto for the rest of your life. Blog and Blog and Blog. Write this post and anxiously wait for others to write one's similar to this for you to read. You're here.

This blog was inspired by my cousin Christie who I have loved reconnecting with and inspires me with her words of wisdom, my sister, Robyn and brother, Michael who remain to be two of my very best friends and help keep us connected although we are far away! Writing this blog was a really fun trip down memory lane!

Where's Luke?

Can you find Luke?

Oh, there HE is!!!

I am so glad my kids play so well together. I love to see them use their imagination and be creative! I can't help, but brag about how cute they are!

Blake's Birthday

It was only appropriate to make Blake a caterpillar cake. After all, he is our little caterpillar!
Taylor and Luke were so proud to help Blake celebrate his special day. Taylor begged me all day long to make the cake and decorate the house for his birthday. She was worried the day would end before we had done any birthday celebrations.
Taylor made this sign herself. I wrote the Happy Birthday which she colored in, but she wrote and colored the Blake part all by herself.
It was so cute watching everyone help Blake blow out his one candle.
He opened a few presents and then ate his birthday cake.
He wasn't quite sure what to think about the cake, at first, until I put a little bit of frosting in his mouth.
Then, he Loved it!
What a cute boy! Happy Birthday, Blake!

Happy Birthday, Blake!

It's hard to believe that one year ago today, I gave birth to Blake Devon DowDell! The pregnancy and birth of Blake were the most difficult and trying out of the three. He has been an amazing baby. While I was pregnant with Blake, I kept telling everyone that I felt like this baby was going to be a very sweet and loving child. We really debated about names for a long time. Devon really insisted on naming him Diego (it was not a joke, he was serious!) and I went back and forth with the name Canon. I kept saying all along that I didn't feel like either name (well, I never really considered Diego) really fit this baby and then one day, out of the blue, we started talking about the name Blake and it fit. The name Blake totally fits our baby Blake.
I was induced 2 weeks early and he was born weighing 7lbs. 15oz. We actually think he would have been an even 8lbs, but he peed when he came out. He was so content in the hospital and slept the entire time. It was the most relaxing hospital experience I had ever had.
We love that his birthday is so close to the 4th of July--it will make for fun birthday parties!
This picture was taken after the baby blessing. Don't Taylor and Luke look happy to be there!
Blake has been the most easy-going baby. He has been toted around all over the place and never once been difficult. When we went to meet Michael at the airport, when he returned home from his mission, I was carrying Blake and started running and yelling Michael's name once I saw him. Everyone thought I looked so crazy, but Blake didn't mind.
Blake also has to be one of the most photogenic babies I have ever known. I don't think I have a picture without him smiling. We don't even have to coax him to smile, he just looks at the camera and smiles. He also LOVES the beach! He loves to crawl around in the sand and put his feet in the water, neither one of my other kids ever did that!
He is our happy, social baby. He is definitely going to be the life of the party when he gets older!
Ever since I can remember, he has watched people and waited to make eye contact with someone so that he can smile at them. People can't resist his amazing blue eyes and chubby cheeks and thighs. We were recently at a wedding reception where the photographer couldn't stop taking pictures of him and kept asking me if she could squeeze his cheeks. You just can't help yourself--he is just so squishy and kissable!
In some ways this last year has been the longest, yet shortest year of my life (does that make any sense). Time has gone by so fast, and, yet, on the days that having three kids seems like too much, it makes the days seem like they go on forever.
Life wouldn't be the same without our sweet Blakey! We love you so much--Happy Birthday!

Father's Day Tribute

Since today is Father's Day, I thought it would only be appropriate to make a special tribute to the man that I love! Since High School, Devon has proclaimed his undying affection and love for me and continues to make me so happy and grateful that I am married to this wonderful man.
I thought I would share a few reasons why he is so great and makes us all so happy!

1. He is very affectionate and kind. There isn't a day that goes by when he doesn't give me a compliment or tell me that he loves me.

2. He is a wonderful father and playmate with our children. He can make anything seem fun and exciting. His most creative invention, yet, is his Kiddie Tidepool that he makes at the beach. He digs a hole in the sand and then puts a tarp inside to create a pool for the kids to play in and they LOVE it! He loves his children.

3. He is a very hard worker and a good provider for our family. He is also very generous. His generosity goes beyond his own family and enjoys sharing what he has with others. It really makes him happy.

4. Whenever I am down or feel like I need something new, he never hesitates to let me go shopping and spend money! Every girl, I think, has those days where she just needs to shop!

5. One time he had this huge wart on his leg and he let me pour acid on it to burn it off and even though I poured it in the wrong spot and it was burning and stinging and gave him a lasting scarr, he never really complained and forgave me.

6. He has a great sense of humor and smile! His smile and laugh is contagious. He has a way of making everyone feel good when they are around him.
7. Nobody can eat ice cream like Devon!!! Not only can he eat A LOT, but he still gets it all over his mouth and hands...pretty funny!
8. He is very sensitive towards my needs and if I am ever feeling anxious about doing something, then, if he can, he does it for me.

9. He has a great relationship with his mom and dad as well as my mom and dad. He would do anything for them!

10. He is great at helping me keep the house clean with three kids. He always picks up after the kids without being asked.

11. He never complains when I am too tired to cook dinner and want to eat out (even if it's been for an entire week)!

12. I love that we have three favorite songs that sum up our marriage: "Just another day in paradise," "In a real love," and "Hot Mama." Download and listen to them, I think any husband and wife could relate!

13. He is very passionate when it comes to politics and LOVES to watch Fox News!

14. He loves and is devoted to the Gospel.

15. He still married me even though my brother popped a pop rock in his ear and when Devon complained about his ear hurting, Michael said, "Devon, you're the biggest baby I know."

Thank you for all the memories and sweet things you do each day that make me love you more and remind me of why I chose to spend forever with you. You are so great and we love you so much!

Crazy Hair

After we went to the pool today, this is what Blake's hair looked like afterward spiked up with the sunscreen in it. I had no idea his hair was this long!
This picture perfectly shows Blake's single tooth on top. Everywhere we go, people laugh when they see him smile because he only has one tooth on top. Not for long, though, his other tooth finally came in last week. What a funny boy!

What A Week!

LUKE AIRBORNE AT THE POOL

This last week I have been on-the-go constantly, which is so NOT like me! For those of you who know me well, know that I am very much a home-body and enjoy being home for naps and so on. For the last couple of weeks I have been feeling very anxious and on the brink of having a panic attack and found myself wondering why I have been feeling this way. Now, after looking back at my life over the past week or so, it is not hard to understand why. So, this is an account of how my time was spent last week...

Sunday, June 3rd: Church 9-12pm, YW meeting 12-1pm, Presidency meeting 1:30-3:30pm. I arrived home and Blake was already awake from his nap which meant NO down time for me...need I say more?

Monday, June 4th: Mostly, a pretty easy-going day. I took the kids to the pool and started preparing for the combined mutual activity that I was in charge of the next day.

Tuesday, June 5th: Get Taylor out the door for pre-school, exercise, clean the house, get dressed, pick up Taylor from pre-school, come home, get all of the things together needed for our YM/YW combined activity on Optimism. I had planned to do an ice-cream sculpting contest and relate it to how we are the "sculptors" of our own life. Then, last minute (which is so me. In fact, I think I do my best thinking at the last second) I decided to throw together this short 5-7 minute presentation on optimism relating negative and positive things in our life and ended up putting together an entire visual aid and display that took up my entire time that afternoon until I needed to be at the church at 6pm to set up. I spent the next 2 1/2 hours at the church and came home just in time to help Devon put the kids to bed. Luckily, he had straighted up the mess I had left behind and I didn't have to worry about that too! We put the kids to bed and 10 minutes later Blake woke up throwing up all over himself and his bed...AAaaaahhh!

Up and down all night with Blake...

Wednesday, June 6th: Taylor's Final pre-school hoorah! I was in charge of bringing an appetizer to the picnic, but since I had no time the day before, I rushed to the store at 7:30am to buy the ingredients and throw together a spinach artichoke dip. Blake was still running a fever and not feeling good, but I couldn't disappoint Taylor and not go. I gave Blake some motrin and a quick nap, hurried in the shower, got everyone dressed, made the appetizer, woke up Blake from his nap, we were out the door at 9:45 and on schedule to be at the Park at 10:00. We arrived at the park and discovered that I had to pay to park the car. I only had a $5 bill and the machine only took 5, 10, 25 cents or $1....AAaaaahhhh! So, I parked the car anyway, unloaded the kids, walked them over to the park, and found someone with change for a $5, walked back over to the machine and got a parking pass, put it in my car and went back to the park and mingled for a couple of hours and had a good time. We arrived home and everyone zonked out, including me (yahoo!).

Blake still has a fever and yucky diapers!

This is Taylor and her Teacher, Mrs. Tranchina.

All of us at Da Kitchen, our favorite Polynesian Restaurant!

Thursday, June 7th: Blake still had a fever and I was starting to worry that it was ear-related since it always had been in the past. I made an appointment with the doctor and took him in. The good news was it wasn't ear related and his ears looked fine. The bad news was it was just a yucky flu virus and the other kids would probably get it too (great!). I had planned a play date with friends later on in the afternoon and really didn't want Taylor and Luke to have to miss it, so we drove straight from the doctor to the park and played for 2 hours while Blake laid miserably on my shoulder. My back was so sore the next day. It is not easy holding a 26 1/2 pound baby like that for that long. Oh-well, I love it when he still lets me cuddle with him. I got home and realized I hadn't done a thing to prepare for Robyn, Joe, Parker, and Michael's visit. After the kids went to bed, I stayed up cleaning the house until midnight.

Friday, June 8th: Blake's fever is gone, Yay! Utah has arrived, Yay! Robyn, Michael, and I go for a morning jog while Joe stays home with the kids, Yay! Came home, took the kids to the pool, later went to Da Kitchen for dinner, put the kids to bed, and then stayed up playing Clue on DVD until 1:30 in the morning.

Saturday, June 9th: I helped Utah get ready to leave to drive to the OC for the wedding. Then, I took the kids to Target to buy a wedding gift and buy Luke new sandals (we lost his other ones at the park earlier in the week). While trying on Sandals with Luke, I was kneeling on the floor with him and when I went to stand up, my big toe toenail caught on the carpet and peeled up off my toe (OUCH!). I continued to the check out counter with my toe bleeding and in pain and trying not to cry. I got the kids in the car and 2 minutes later my mom called to tell me my Dad was called to be the 1st counselor in the Stake Presidency. With my toe aching and bleeding, and the thought of Utah going back home, and thinking my Dad's new calling would endear them to Tennessee forever...I began to cry harder. Needless to say, I pulled myself together, got everyone dressed for the reception and we, shortly after arriving home, packed into the car again to head to the OC. The reception was fabulous and totally fun to see all of our old friends from the OC. We got home close to midnight.

Sunday, June 10th: Devon had a 7am meeting and we all got to church late. I had a meeting after church, but other than that it was a good day. Later that night, Taylor woke up throwing up...I guess it never ends!

And I wonder why I am on the brink of having a panic attack?!

This is what I make Taylor do to relax me...she loves to play with my hair and I love every second of it! She always makes my hair look really crazy so I had her take my picture.

My Little China Doll

Taylor went off on her own today to play up in her room and this is how she arrived once back downstairs. It doesn't show up as much in the pictures, but her eyes are covered in blue eyeshadow and black eyeliner and her lips are smudged up to her nose with lipstick and lipgloss. One of her most favorite things in the entire world is to raid my make up drawer. She is all girl, what can I say? She is just like her mom.
The beautiful kimono was contributed by Grandpa Johnson. Who knows what she will be inspired to dress up as next. She told me I had to take a picture and put it on my blog because, as she said, "oh, it would just be soooo cute!"

Just a little note: Blake is doing great! His ear tube surgery was a success and we are all glad to have it over with! He is just as happy, playful, and content as ever. Maybe now I can get some sleep at night!