Summer update: 2 of many

So, I think I've figured out the mass blog postings... post all the pictures you want to write about first.. and THEN put your words around them :) So we'll start off with this shirt.. I got Dylan because Jesse is trying to get onto a police department.. it says "Dad's Lil Lieutenant - 2nd in command - after mom that is" I thought it was so stinkin cute. We also bought Dylan a pool for the summer.. he has loved it so far and so does Nana.. She got a new swimsuit and she is sooo cute!!! as you can tell.. Bella also loves the pool as a GIANT drinking dish! We have spent almost every day over in this little pool. it, by far, has been the best $15 we have spent this summer. After we went swimming one day, we came home and Dylan found a box to sit in.. we have been working on smiling for pictures for the family reunion so that he's not just looking around when someone takes a picture... so far we have a lot of work ahead of us.... These are some super cute shorts that Grandma Potter bought for Dylan. Our smiles are getting better :) and 4 pictures later.... SMILE PERFECTION!!!!!! now he smiles on "command" or "demand" (which ever you think is less offensive) for any picture and LOVES to look at the pictures after you have taken them. My car, has been in the shop since Jan. Jesse got in an accident in the snow and it's just taken forever for them to find the parts and get it fixed... so for 6 months we lived with borrowing and hitching rides everywhere.. well.. for Jesse's Birthday/Fathers Day/ Anniversary.. we bought him a new/used car.. it is a 2004 Saturn Ion.. it came with the windows tinted and with the rims already on!! sweet! We've loved having a camera again in our lives.. we took some really fun family pictures on a day when we were really bored and somehow ended up hanging out on the kitchen floor! this is Dylan in Jesse's motorcycle helmet..

awe what a fam!!!

those are my funny funny boys!

MOMMY KISSES.... Dylan:"uhh, really do I have to?" So, one day, I was making lunch and Dylan was being especially cranky so I pulled out some pots and pans and some spoons so he could make a whole big racket... well after about 15 minutes it got REALLY quiet.. so I called out Dylan's name and I heard this little "uh"... So I walked around the corner and around the couch and this is what I find... a Dylan Salad!! he wasn't too happy that I went and found my camera instead of getting him unstuck. He loves putting on my sun glasses!!! and we had a blast hanging out with Granddad when we were learning how to walk... about 2 weeks after they left... he walked on his own... More to come....

Summer update: 1 of Many?

Wow, how long has it been.. way too long. We've been having way too much fun this summer to be busy blogging. also, we've been having too much fun that we forgot to take pictures! We had a family Reunion, on Jesse's side, in Idaho at some pretty fun Hot springs. We went to Downata Hot Springs and to Lava Hot Springs (my favorite). Dylan had so much fun playing with his Granddad and Grandma that I'm sure they have pictures.. but Mom and Dad were going down too many water slides to get a good look at them. We've also had cousins over for swim.. I did get pictures of that though.. but before we get into that.. This will be a very long post since I am trying to do some ketchup.. hahah catch up! so we'll start where we left off... a good Solid.. what was that 5 months ago.. Dylan had his 1st birthday.. we've had ALL sorts of fun since then.. we woke up that morning to find him getting into his daddy's Shooting stuff.... Glasses (very Zoolander) and Earmuffs....lucky for us that's all he was interested in (since Jesse's guns are all locked away)but this is his "DJ Dylan" Face .. We got him a Tonka push truck for his birthday to help him learn how to walk (which he then did on his own about 2 weeks later) and he loved to play "mechanic" We have also had a lot of fun spiking his hair. mommy and daddy constantly are doing their hair. Daddy cuts his hair all the time and Mommy gave herself a new cut and color and so why shouldn't Dylan have some really great do's huh?? Jesse and Dylan have soo much fun together making faces and "attacking" mommy. Mommy needs to stay on top of her Ninja skills to keep up with them. and while mommy is doing her hair, Dylan LOVES to sit in his highchair and eat lunch.. he loves food of all types and usually we find a mess with him in it :) the joys of laundry...we learned very quickly to let him eat without a shirt on! I guess now would be a great time to show you what I've been working on while he's been having fun in his chair!! I gave myself a new cut and color.. this is the before and after shot...it was a two day process and I loved every minute of it. That's right, I did those foils myself! I'm very proud for not being able to really see where they were going.. unfortunately It faded a lot so I had to go back to the darker color.. who knows. maybe I'll do it again someday it was really fun!.. another fun thing that happens around our house is that Dylan is constantly making us laugh. here are just SOME of the funny things we catch on camera... Like tackling Dad in the middle of the floor, and looking very innocent. Doing Yoga with me..... Look, mommy, No Hands!!!! He is my 100% boy, he loves listening to music... He loves to watch TV and Movies (his favorites right now are Madagascar 2, he knows that one by heart and roars through the whole thing. and Cars.. because he can say "car" and say "vroom vroom") He also, for some reason, loves to play with bowls, lucky for me he hasn't tried to put a bowl full of food on his head yet..

Happy Birthday Dylan!!!

Dylan had the best 1 year birthday party. He got to share it with his cousin Isaac who will be 2 on the 9th. Dylan will be one on the 4th so we decided it was time to bust out the party!! It was a construction theme and I waited all day to cry (like most mom's tell me I would) but it never came. I was just so happy that we had gotten past the first year and now we can get onto the "terrible two's" and get those over with! This little boy has given me so much joy and he makes me laugh every day. He has the best smile and, like his daddy, knows how to win your heart over in an instant! I find it strangely odd that my little boy is so engaging to strangers. He will make a wonderful missionary. anyone and everyone will say "hi" to him and smile and wave and we'll just start talking! I am also amazed at all the things he can get into especially when he thinks I am not looking. I am always scolding myself for melting at his smile when he turns around and realizes I am watching him. I cry every time he hurts himself and I love to watch him giggle at his monsters! I have been so blessed with such a wonderful little boy that I can hardly believe it has been a whole year since the day he was brought into our family! I love that he teaches me patience and love like none I have known before. I guess I am just so grateful for his wonderful spirit I never know such a little person could have. He is so forgiving and so loving that sometimes I wish he could say what he thinks, but I am relishing in the fact that he can't do that quite yet and that he'll still be my "baby" a little while longer. So here's to you: my little man, my Dill Pill, my snuggle bug and one of my best friends. HAPPY BIRTHDAY DYLAN ROBERT POTTER! mommy loves you more today than she did yesterday and will say the same tomorrow. Love, Mom and Dad!

We can Update!!!

Oh how I love Christmas and my wonderful husband! Jesse was a rock star and got me a camera for Christmas! So, now I can update you all with pictures of our family and all of our good times. I think I'll start with Thanksgiving which we spent with Jesse's parents this year. We had so much fun listening to his parents giggle and play with Dylan that his mom and sister were so nice to capture so many pictures for us. Dylan had so much fun calling all of his relatives to wish them Happy Thanksgiving. None more excited than his Great Grandma Elison. His Grandma Potter was so excited just to see his face light up that she was more than willing to hand over her phone to him Tana and I had so much fun putting together the Desert cups that we had to pause for a moment of proof! We made Strawberry-Banana parfait things that were so good it would melt your socks off! and they were so pretty that they looked worthy enough to be on food network so we took a picture of them as well. Dylan was so excited for Thanksgiving dinner that he was just the happiest kid. But when all was said and done I don't think there were any two people *besides his parents of course* who could have loved this little boy more. We were very sorry that we had to leave and take all the giggles and fun away, but it just means that we are so excited to go back and visit! Now... On to Christmas!!

A non-purposeful break...

We had our camera lost/stolen. It was in our diaper bag and it has been "misplaced"! So we wont be posting pictures again until we get a new camera. Dylan is 2ft 4inches and 20lbs and is "talking" up a storm! he loves to bang on things and will give the best and biggest smiles when he is being held! He loves.. "dancing" and "flying"! Jesse is doing well at work, He is getting really close to being hired on to Pasco Police Department, and we just got into an apartment here that is a month to month lease so that will be good for when he goes into the academy! Pretty much thats all new.. Will post more once we get a camera!

Bendixsen Family Reunion

So last weekend we had the most fantastic family reunion EVER!!! I have discovered the joy of family get togethers. we had Sejena and Ewan, Derek, Sonya and Isaac and Gary, and Me and Dylan and Jesse all here for the weekend and we had the most fun I think I have ever had. The boys (except for Gary) went swimming in this little pool but they had so much fun! we gabbed had a Partylite party and ate TONS of junk food!! It had to be one of the best weekends ever!! anyways just thought I'd let you know what was going on with our family. Dylan has 7 teeth and is trying to learn how to crawl. he rocks back and forth and scootches backwards on the hardwood floor but he's getting there. Ewan started Kindergarten and is having a great time. Isaac (the little daredevil) is still the biggest risk taker ever and Gary is Isaacs little mini me!! We're all doing wonderfully and I hope to get pictures posted soon!

*Birthday Girl*

So two days ago it was my 22nd birthday. and since Jesse has to work on tuesday nights, he took me out on monday to tricities (the only town that has a decent mall or shopping experience or food scene, and is also about an hour away) and took me shopping and out to dinner! it was fabulous. and then tuesday we just hung out with family all day!! it was more like a birthday weekend than a birth-DAY!! but on tuesday morning, I woke up to Jesse holding Dylan and both were "singing" me happy birthday. Jesse was singing and Dylan was just making some noises, but it was still the cutest thing ever!! My dad also gave me my grandfathers .22 rifle he bought in 1942. so yes, I got a gun for my birthday!!! It was very cool! I'll post pictures and some more details when its not almost midnight!!