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December 22, 2007

Merry Christmas!

This year we actually got around to sending out Christmas cards! The last couple of years we have kinda let that slide. Poor Liam was born in Sep 2006 and we never even got around to sending out birth announcements. )-=
Poor fourth child, see how neglected he is!
Anyhow we thought that instead of writing a newsletter and sending them out for people to read and trash, we would send a card with our blog address on it and send everyone here to read about all the stuff we have been up to this year. That way people have a choice to read or ignore! Anyhow interesting or not here is what 2007 was like for the Dalton's.

Jan- Triston (6 years)was in Kindergarten, enjoying school and learning new things. He even mastered riding a bike without training wheels. Anja (4) was going to a two day a week preschool with all her little friends from church. She loved it as well, especially the art time. Nika was being a normal two year old, getting into trouble and Liam was turning 4 months old and being as cute as ever. Ben was working at Western and Southern Financial Group, and was the ward music chair at church and Esther was still enjoying her calling in Primary as Assistant to the President.

Feb- Esther & her Mom went to see a professional Mens Soccer game at the huge new stadium out here where the AZ cardinals play. Just being inside the stadium was awesome since it has been featured all over for its innovative design. PBS, Discovery, etc. The game was lots of fun too, very loud (poor Liam, who came along too) USA won, so it was a great night indeed!


Also in February Esther's Uncle Peter from Holland came out to visit. It was nice to visit and we hope he and his family can come again soon! Nika was still suffering from her asthma but in February she was put on a second medication that seemed to help her greatly! Liam turned 5 months and ate his first solid food!

Mar- Ben was excited to be flown up to Salt Lake City to interview with Beneficial Financial. A great life insurance and financial planning company owned by the church. Also Ben's sister Camille and her family came out to visit and we all had fun at a little train park north of us.


April- Ben's interview went well and he started at Beneficial! This was the month of watching professional sports. Ben got some tickets to a Coyotes game and he took Anja and Triston to see their first Ice Hockey game. Also he was lucky enough to get two tickets to a Phoenix Suns basketball game. He and Triston had a Daddy/Son Date and enjoyed the game just a few rows away from the court! All Triston talked about about after that was, Steve Nash this and Steve Nash that! In the same month that Liam turned 7 months and got his first tooth, Triston lost his first tooth, only two days apart! And by the end of the month it was warm enough to take our first swim at the pool. Liam's first time in the pool!

May-Ben and Triston went on their first Father and Sons outing. Triston was so excited to go camping. They decided to drive the van and sleep in it. They even brought Malibu (our lab) with them. The campout was north of us in Flagstaff. They had a bizarre late season snow storm and so Triston experienced snow for the first time. They stayed warm by sleeping together, even Malibu! They came home the next day smelling of camp fire and full of smiles! Anja was playing in our backyard and tripped over Triston's scooter. She landed hard on the cement and after taking her to the local pediatric urgent care we found out she had broken her collarbone. Poor thing! She was not a happy camper, especially since we were swimming pretty regularly and she wasn't really able to swim with her arm in a sling. She finished preschool and had time to relax at home and mend.

June- Good thing kids heal fast! In just three weeks from the time she broke her bone, Anja was healed and ready to swim which she mastered this summer. So now Triston and Anja both can swim on their own. Liam started crawling this month, and turned 9 months shortly after. Triston graduated from Kindergarten and our summer vacation began! We tried to swim often and go to the splash park out here. The local library had finally opened so we enjoyed some story time/craft days!. Ben got called to teach Elder's Quorum lessons this month.

July- We went to the local fireworks show held at the Phoenix International Raceway, just 5 miles from our house! (Yes on race days we can hear those engines!) Unfortunately it happened to be one of the hottest days that year, 117 F. They had blow up water slides but Anja was a little hesitant to go on them since they were huge (twice the size of normal backyard ones) Triston got wet and stayed happy, Anja and Nika unfortunately got heatstroke and Ben hiked them back to the car to drink water and get cool in the air conditioning. Liam, Triston, Esther and her mom watched the fireworks from the stands and Ben and the girls watched from the van. Ben, Esther and Liam went to a Diamondbacks baseball game with our friends the McBurney's! Also Esther's friend Angela came for a visit, the first time in two years. They had fun catching up and just relaxing. Nika turned 3 on the 28th, and enjoyed a Curious George birthday. Her favorite Monkey!

Aug- We made a quick trip to California to visit Ben's family before school started. Triston started 1st grade on the 6th, and Anja started Kindergarten on the 20th. Liam turned 11 months and started saying Bye Bye. Ben and Esther celebrated their 8th wedding anniversary, they went to an indoor shooting range and out to dinner. It was a lot of fun and beware, Esther is a great shot! Esther got roped into coaching Triston's soccer team this season (his third year)which started at the end of this month. Also Esther was called to the 1st counselor position in Primary instead of Assistant. It wasn't much of a change since she was doing similar duties already.

Sep-Triston had soccer every Saturday and Anja tried out Ballet. Both of them started going to a chess club once a week after school. Liam turned 1 this month and had his first haircut. Four days later Anja turned 5! (If you go back into my archives for those months you can see photos)We also went to Lake Pleasant for labor day weekend and took both dogs with us.

Oct-This was the month of sickness. We went through the stomach flu and colds. Yuck! At least the kids had two weeks off of school and so they didn't miss any school because of it. Ben's brother Jed came to live with us and we celebrated a fun Halloween together!

Nov-Triston turned 7 years old. Ben's parents and sister Abbey came and visited us and we all went to a family reunion in Mesa for Ben's Grandmothers side of the family. Triston and Esther both got strep throat this month although not from each other. Also Ben's sister Klare and her family came to visit for Thanksgiving and Esther cooked her first Thanksgiving meal. They were no comedic blunders and everyone enjoyed themselves! Triston and Anja went to the Phoenix Symphony and if you have read earlier posts this was the month Triston got to conduct the Phoenix Symphony! Anja started as a Daisy girl scout this month and is very excited about her twice a month meetings!

Dec-The month is not over but it has been eventful. Esther was called as Primary President this month and has been very busy getting the Primary ready for the new year! Esther went with Anja and Triston to see the Phoenix Ballet performing the Nutcracker. It was nice even though the kids were disappointed that the characters only danced. Anja kept asking when are they going to talk! We have been enjoying the usual holiday parties and craziness that accompanies this time of year.
We hope your year has been a good one and that next year will be even better! If you check out our archives you can see more pictures of our adventures and we hope you will check back and write us a note every now and then! Thanks for being our friends!
Love,
Ben, Esther, Triston, Anja, Nika, Liam, Malibu and Roise

December 12, 2007

Your the big fat man!

So Nika came up to me the other day and this was our conversation
Nika: "Mommy, I want you to wrap presents."
Me: "Why?"
Nika: "I want you to wrap presents for Santa."
Me: "Well Santa wraps his own presents."
Nika: "But aren't you you Santa?"
Me: (surprised but trying to keep the dream alive) "No I'm not Santa, do I look like a big fat man?"
NIka: "No"

I recounted this conversation to Ben later and Nika was listening. When Ben looked at her and said the same thing I did to her.
Ben: "Does Mommy look like a big fat man?"
Nika: "No your the big fat man."

Input laughter here! he he he

December 10, 2007

Dalton Elfs

Hey, I just made a total elf of my kids. Check it out by clicking the link below.
http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1279926560
and I made an elf out of Ben and I. Check it out by clicking the link below.
http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1280273903

December 7, 2007

Moodygrouch Rottenton

That is my Grinch name... if your curious about yours go to this site...
http://www.yourgeekfriend.com/GrinchName/GrinchName.php?FirstName=&LastName=&submit=Go%21

November 30, 2007

Last post of November

Triston and Anja's whole school went to the Phoenix Symphony on Wednesday the 28th. I was going to go too but Anja was too sick to go to school so Triston went alone. I am so bummed I missed this trip because apparently it wasn't just their school but several other schools and out of several thousand students the conductor picked Triston out of the audience to come up and help him.
Picture Triston in his place...

When I went to pick him up it was clear he was the toast of the school. All the teachers were telling me how cute he was and that he was the perfect kid to pick because he was very animated in conducting the symphony. Dang it all! I wish I had a picture. Well I do but just not at the symphony... Here he is and with his treasure, straight from the conductor himself!

Thanksgiving Fun with the Davis's

We were happy to have Ben's sister Klare and her husband Darren and their 4 kids over for the holidays. I cooked my first Thanksgiving meal and it was actually quite a good turn out. The food was good and the company was even better!
Liam got to know his younger cousin Ryder and his cool toys!
Here Nika gets in on the fun

The Davis boys comfortable on the floor with Malibu

My cute little nephew Ryder!

The day after Thanksgiving we went up To Anthem AZ which is a community just north of Phoenix that has the most amazing park. I love to take the kids up here it has the best playground ever! And even though I am pretty sure I got strep throat from playing on the equipment with the kids I still love it. (Side note- Saturday I came down with a sore throat that did turn out to be strep... I am feeling better now that I am on antibiotics!...)
Here are a majority of us as we are eating lunch before we go play.
Here Anja takes the lead with Dennam in finding Nika...

Top
and Bottom

Uncle Jed having fun with Anja
Triston in the cool castle

The train at the park

I love the sand lots up at this park because they have fake buried dinosaur bones for the kids to discover.. too cute!

Can't wait to see our family at Christmas! Love you guys!

November 21, 2007

Gives me chills!

November 19, 2007

Dinner with the Missionaries

Always fun but more so yesterday when I had a lid to my pot explode on the stove! Wow I am sure glad that it was tempered. It scared me and worried me that the elders might die at my house after eating soup with glass in it! LOL But the blessing on the food did the trick and I am happy to report that no one was injured either during the making of this meal or afterward in the consumption of it. Although Jed did find a couple of pieces in his drinking cup. Whoops! What a crazy Sunday!

New this past month!

Well Ben's brother Jed moved in with us this past month. He is going to get a job and go to school for a year before he leaves on his mission! Exciting stuff! He is such a help around the house and the kids absolutely love having their uncle around! Nika thinks he is her personal property and every time he leaves the room she starts asking where he is. Too cute!


Ben's youngest sister Abbey and my inlaws came out the first weekend in November. It had been two years since they had been to our house and it was nice to have them up. We went to a family reunion in Mesa, AZ for Ben's grandmothers side of the family. The Payne's! It was nice to visit and meet new people.


Liam loves Grammy he was just a bit tired in this picture...


The cute couple!

Triston's 7th birthday

Now that it is almost Thanksgiving I finally find myself with the time to write about Triston's birthday! What a slacker mom I am! All I can say is that our Primary Program is done and I now feel like my time is my own again!
Let's see, first of all on his birthday I went in with a little birthday treat of fruit pizza.

He also got to show his birthday book that I made with a picture of him every year on his birthday.
Here is a picture of him in his class.

That night we opened a few presents with the family.
Remote control truck is always good!

So is a kite!

Mom's idea of a great birthday gift. Since Triston has been having a lot of math homework lately. Can you tell by his face that he isn't to sure...
Dad's idea of a great gift and even though he is looking down you can tell he agree's

He is really excited to be trying out baseball in the spring, he kept asking for the basics to get him started training. Daddy got a bat and glove as well. So cute!


I have been wanting to make this cake for a few year and Triston finally agreed for this to be his birthday cake. It is a bunch of eyeballs, and it is perfect to make the day after Halloween because you need so much candy for it and I was given permission to use their stash to create my fun cake!


Then a week later we had a birthday party for him at Peter Piper Pizza. He had fun but I don't think we will do that one again it was a mad house full of kids and their hapless parents...



And for the record Ben does attend these events too he is just a little camera shy, here is one of my only pic's of him that night.

Triston had a good time and now he is on his way to that milestone eighth birthday. The time sure has gone by fast.

November 13, 2007

10 things...

Tag, you're it! Here's how you play:Once you have been tagged, you have to write a blog with 10 weird, funny, random things, facts, habits, or goals about yourself. At the end, choose 10 people to be tagged, listing their names and why you chose them. Don't forget to leave them a comment telling them that they are "it" and to read your blog to see why. You can't tag the person who tagged you. Since you can't tag me back, let me know when you've posted your blog so I can see your answers.

Ok so I was tagged by a couple of people so I figured I should indulge the masses and write this thing.

1. I sometimes have strange food combinations, I love turkey pot pies but only with apple sauce mixed in. I know real exciting huh!

2. I have a goal to send out birthday cards on time this coming year. I seem to do well in the beginning and then forget everyone at the end. So look for cards in 2008!

3. I love dancing, if I have to work out I would rather take a dance class before anything else, my favorites right now is a Latin class, and a class called Zumba which mixes Latin, Hip Hop and Belly Dancing. So much fun!

4. I have always wanted to be a good singer. Even as a kid I can remember thinking that maybe when I was an angel in heaven God would bless me with a good singing voice. Kinda like, sorry your dead but here is your consolation prize!Well I may not sing well but he blessed me with a husband who can serenade me!

5. I really want an English Bulldog.

6. If I was in need of a job and didn't have a family I would be an EMT.

7. I love Ikea, some of the furniture isn't the best quality but I love a store that takes the guesswork out of decorating.

8. My birthday falls on Easter occasionally. As a child this inspired nick names like Esther Bunny, and Easter Esther.

9. A boy once had a crush on me whose last name was Mole. I knew it would never work when someone pointed out that if we married and someone called my name starting with the last name. It would sound like MOLE-ESTHER. Not the most flattering!

10. I used to be a tom boy and I loved climbing trees, until a friend of mine fell and broke both his arms. I have been afraid of heights ever since. However I do try to conquer that fear and have been cliff diving before.

Ok that was all I could come up with. If you want to do this go for it I won't pressure you!

November 9, 2007

Sick Kids

So I will get Triston's 7th birthday stuff up here soon I promise. Lately I have been dealing with sick kids. We had the mid October throw up stuff and then colds and now Triston has strep. Happy birthday kid! Anyhow sorry for my lack of posts. I will do my best to get some up soon!

October 29, 2007

The Horrible Truth! (-=

Here is a different take on carving pumpkins. *laugh* Enjoy!

October 26, 2007

Trunk or Treat

For those of you who actually read my blog on a regular basis,(that was pretty presumptuous of me wasn't it!)I apologize for the lack of writing this month. I don't think I have been any more busy then usual but I have had a definite apathy for the blog. At the end of the day when I have a choice of updating or sleep, well you can guess by this month what I chose. However I am feeling the false peppy high that can only come from the ward trunk or treat. Yes I admit to helping myself to the goodies that my children so tirelessly trumped for. Anyhow the point is that I think that tonight I can finally update you to all our going ons...
There are a couple new posts so keep looking down...
Here are my two witches. It was going to be a witch and a princess but after seeing Anja's cool witch hat, Nika decided witch was the way to go!

Triston wanted to be superman this year and I think he looked super cute!
I was able to use my trusty costume. A different lamb but just as cute. Mary and her lamb are ready to go!
I don't look enthusiastic but don't worry that is just because Triston didn't warn me before the pic was taken.
Our ward had two horses to ride on and the kids loved it!


Mom don't forget to brush our teeth after all that candy!