TEAM JAKEWARD! Eclipse Review

Oh my goodness yesterday was fabulous. Shawna and I celebrated the occasion by spending some time getting our toes painted. Mine were blood red.

We then hit Ty's tee ball game and went out to dinner at our favorite Mexican Restaurant, Joe Banditos in Springville. We all shared because their portions are extremely generous.

Then around 8pm we met with Deb, Frank took all our kids - thanks Frank! and headed out for Provo Towne Centre. We walked past hundreds of Twilighters camped out to see the midnight showings and casually walked into our theater without a line.

We sat down in our awesome seats - thanks Debbie! and received door prizes. Darin got Alice's choker. I got some Cullen charm bracelets. And I also got a Team Jacob magnet that I gave to Shawna. We all shared the charm bracelets seeing as there were enough for me, Darin, and Shawna to share. They were black and Darin pulled them off nicely.

The showing was a premier and started at 9pm! It felt so good to just walk in, get pampered and then be able to watch the show before anyone else! Yay! All because of Debbie and her connections that the government would kill for.

Highlights:

*Graphics were awesome!

*The writers gave Edward a personality! Smiley, teasing, traditional.

*Ed and Bella finally had more chemistry than Jake and Bella! Yay!

*Jake made girls swoon with his shirt on!

*Alice was hot and amazing!

*We learned about Rosalie's past.

*We learned about Jaspers's past.

(It was exciting to see those characters flesh out a bit)

*The kid who plays Seth is amazing, so adorable! I can't wait to see more of him.

*I am officially Team Charlie after the sex talk he and Bella had! It was awesome and spoke to all dads everywhere!

Post any questions you may have, the Eclipse Doctor is in the office!

Eclipse!!!

I'm very excited that I have tickets for Eclipse for Debbie, Frank?, Darin and me the day BEFORE the opening of the movie, June 29th at 9pm, not MIDNIGHT! Again, I owe this to my dear sister-in-law Deb for knowing people in high places that have the means to rent out entire theaters for friends and family!

What this means: door prizes, walking in casually a half hour before the movie starts, no lines and the excitement shared with freaks at the same level as you! This is the door prize I received last year. I have caught at least 6 people taking pictures of it while stopped at stop lights and one woman who asked permission in a grocery store parking lot.

I'm so very excited and have been tempted to purchase yet another tee representing this newest movie from Hot Topic, but since it isn't a great example for our financial goals, I will have to wear one of the other twenty shirts I have that are Twilight related.

I know there are those who are tired of the Twilight Saga drama, but since I read the books two years ago next month for the first time, the smells, sounds and sunshine bring me back to the first time I picked up Stephenie Meyer's book. And all else dissolves away into the excitement that I felt with the first taste of a conservative vampire book. 

Since then, I have read probably close to 50 vamp books to try and satiate my thirst, to no avail. I have come to the conclusion that there are vamp books, and then there are Stephenie Meyer vamp books! I just look to the day when Midnight Sun will be released - spurring the insistence that Meyer continue all four books from Ed's perspective. Until then, the movies will have to do.

Baby Guinea Pigs

Hours after an emergency c-section, Bessie and two babies arrive home.

Bessie and babies

I really love this picture! 

Rosalie holding Mommy Baby and flashing her scratched arms from her beloved cat Princess.

Winston and Gramma

Rosalie with "Mommy Baby"

Ty was thrilled that these creatures were born the day before his birthday

Rashady was happy to be able to hold the little baby

May Flowers

Our tulips topside.

Daffodil.

I spy a kitty, can you?!

Rashady helping Daddy mow the law. After all that's what the little bar is for, right?! Darin has turned our back yard into a professional looking golf course. It's breath taking, especially compared to what it was. 

A rare picture of Sinatra. She is quite a shy cat for everyone but Mom, but on this sunny day she risked the adventure outside. 

A little reminder of my childhood in the beauty of an apple blossom.

Dixon $Dollars$ and Dixon Store

So I had the bright idea to do chore charts with the kids and to offer Dixon $Dollars$ to them each day for doing 80% + of what was on the list (there is a lot on the list). Over two weeks they did their chores and saved their dollars to buy items out of the Dixon Store.

While I prepared and purchased items for the kids, Nin just happened to be visiting. Well, I couldn't reward my kids alone while Robel, Deonna, Angelia and Michael were here without offering them the Dixon Store as well. So Nin's kids were able to earn Dixon $Dollars$ by helping out my kids with their chores, picking up little treats that Dusty left on the ground, and making their beds and cleaning up their messes. Robel especially was excited to make money!

On Friday before Darin's birthday we got all of the items we purchased and marked them with prices and laid them out nicely on a table in the garage. Being from a military minded family I had the kids line up from the basement stairs from oldest to youngest. From there they marched into the garage while prizes galore met them and excitement was so thick you could almost touch it.

All of the kids had a wonderful time choosing things to purchase with their well earned $Dollars$. Enjoy the pictures and maybe this would be a great option for your children as well. . .

Nin's Visit

My kids anxiously awaiting Aunt Mindy, Uncle Daniel, and their kids.

Pulling into our driveway

Rosalie handing Dusty over to his mom for the first time!

Nin amazed at how ittle bitty Dusty was.

Leah lovin on Dusty

Robelly thought Dusty was ALRIGHT!

A little concerned, but otherwise a happy Michael with his new puppy!

Deonna the snuggler with Dusty.

Leah Leah showing Auntie Holly how frozen her hands are. 

Daniel made a special pie for the special boy on the day of his birth.

A tuckered Dusty catches some winks after the kids go to bed.

Darin's 34th Birthday Party!

Darin turned 34 on April 7th, but we waited to celebrate with Nin and her family. We also invited some very close friends and family to attend as well. Thank you for all that came. It was a HOOT!

 

We had pineapple sherbet with pineapple soda for punch, veggies and dip, fruit and dip and sausage dip!

Darin's "Luau" birthday cake

The grown up table: Daniel, Mindy, Deb, Grammy and Grandpa Floyd

Friends from our old ward, Wendy Wilcken and children

Jourdan Wilcken with baby Wilcken

Old neighbors and friends that are new neighbors and friends!

Devin the Menace! Lovin his punch and the umbrellas were surprisingly loved!

Tiki mural

All little girls got flowers in their hair! This picture of Angelia is priceless!

Deb and Frank

If you brought gifts you were warned that you would be shot on site. 

Grammy and Grandpa Floyd definitely have a death wish!

Teresa limbo-ing right before she fell on her butt!

It was a VERY SPECIAL birthday for Darin!