Wow, time flies when you have a breakdown!

This is what we've been up to since my brief psychotic episode. (Yes I'm taking abnormal psychology this semester and have diagnosed myself and most family members with mental illnesses, quite fun actually!)

My Washington trip was a success and helped me discover two important things. Washington's climate sucks. And I'm not the only crazy person in my family!

But jokes aside, the reason for the trip was my EVER so handsome nephew Robel's sealing to his family for time and all eternity in the Portland, Oregon Temple September 18th, 2010.

Mini Me, My Love, My Lover, My Robey

What a sweet picture of Robey and Grandma Kestner. 

Robel's missionaries. What special young men, and exactly what Robel needed.

The whole fam damily!

Proud parents of their sweet, sweet boy!

The colorful Grove Family. We needed some!

I still don't know how Grandpa Grove sat criss cross apple sauce for this picture. :)

Fall Canning

Now, I know I'm chubby in these pictures (no need to comment one way or the other) but I really wanted to document this event since it's the first time I've preserved since Mom taught me when I was a senior in high school. It's been a blast! The tomatoes I did because they were easy. The peaches because they were readily available. The peach and apple pie filling because of all the things I could preserve, homemade canned peach or apple pie filling just overwhelms a store bought can. No comparison.

These little peaches are from our lovely tree in our back yard. They are incredibly small this year, but I've heard that is fairly normal for peach trees to be big one year (last year) and small the next. 

This is Falisha and me pealing, coring and eighthing the apples here. We have a neighbor on the corner that let us use as many as we'd like for free. There's nothing like a little neighborly kindness! PS They will be receiving several quarts of my preserves for their selflessness.

Now they look a little brown from the air, but I kept them lemon juiced and in water to help. Once they hit the pie filling though, they were a perfect site to see!

Our niece Falisha has been absolutely amazing through the canning process. One day she brought over a friend and after I blanched 9 quarts of tomatoes they successfully skinned and halved all of them. The night before she helped me with my peaches. Then tonight she came over and sat herself down to help with the apples. What a blessing to the Dixon Cannery!

The Peach Pie Filling. Looks so good! I had some extra and so I made a little peach crisp to snack on with Falisha.

IT WAS SO GOOD! 

No words to describe the taste of the peach pie filling passed from Debbie Bolen to my Mom to me, but this picture of Falisha pretty much sums it up!

First Day of School, Ty and Rose

Rosalie and Ty were so cute in their new clothes I almost died from admiration. I have realized that I can no longer successfully dress myself or my husband in latest fashion - but my kids. . .! They are just so beautiful, they should be paid to put these clothes on. If only it were conducive to our family's lifestyle. Ty cracked up at the picture above. He thought he was being so funny posing like that.

Rosalie is such a wonderful older sister. I love love love her outfit. Notice it's hip, but also modest! :) She loved it and she especially loved being dolled up. She had her CTR bracelet from Aunt Debbie I think, and a heart key necklace from Mom (purchased through Aunt Debbie). Ty came home so excited about all day school. He was like "Mom we get THREE recesses!" 

Poor kids had to pack it to school the first day with all of the school supplies the teachers asked nicely for. Their teachers Mrs.'s Shaffer and Smith are really fabulous and I can tell Heavenly Father picked out just the teachers that will help them grow this school year!

My Edward and me - together 11 years!

Darin and I have officially been together for over 11 years now. August 13, 2010 was exactly 11 years from our first date as an official couple. It was even on Friday the 13th like our original date. Now if you're the superstitious type the Friday the 13th may concern you for a first ANYTHING let alone date with your future spouse. But believe me, the number 13 has brought me nothing but luck since before I chose it as my soccer number in HS.

But I digress. Darin is my perfect match in every way. Some of those ways are figurative and other ways are literal. For example, literally we are both fun loving, love to be the center entertainer in a crowd and perpetually live as teenagers through our friends and relatives. On the other hand figuratively Darin has been figuratively very good for me in a LOT of ways. He strengthens me. He challenges me. He helps me be a better person. All of these ways are difficult and uncomfortable, but I am glad he is there to help me overcome my weaknesses.

Most importantly of all, he is My Edward! I had successfully steered clear of everything Twilight until my fun loving cousin Shawna told me a little bit more about the books and the characters. I dove in, and I never looked back. At the time I was working at Wal-Mart and was astounded at the women googling over how dreamy Edward was and how dissatisfying their own husbands were. I thought, wait, this isn't healthy! I thought about it more and realized that a huge reason why Edward was so adorable to me was because of his similarities with my husband. It was then that I started calling Darin "My Edward" and he's in my cell phone programmed as such to this date. 

Darin is very similar to Edward in a lot of ways, let me count them: Darin, like Edward is extremely old fashioned he is the ride in on a blazing white horse hero type. He likes to be quiet about private things (much to my surprise and chagrin). He is quiet and wants other's to take intimacy and romance seriously. 

Both have green eyes. Edward while he was human. Darin while he was human.

Now one of the most endearing qualities about the character of Edward in the Twilight Saga is that he wants what is best for Bella, even if Bella doesn't realize it will make her happy in the long run. That is a pet peeve of mine concerning Jacob in the books. He was always trying to push Bella to the wrong decision. In the end Ed had to let go of Bella and trust her to make her own decisions, however, he just wanted Bella's happiness. Darin is like Edward in this. He does A LOT of things for no other reason than my happiness. I would list them, but in order to be old fashioned I will keep them to myself. :)

My Edward also is an extremely bad driver. Now there are some of you out there who would argue that Edward is a good driver, just fast and able to maneuver effectively. You cannot make me believe that he is a good driver, just as I have a difficult time sitting in the passenger seat while Darin drives.

Darin also has some anger issues (as do I) but nothing is sexier than an angry vampire, except maybe a jealous angry vampire. Darin controls himself well, and if I had to put up with me I would show my anger a lot more and in public. 

Darin teases me and laughs with me about a lot of my choices and things I say. Ed was always smiling at or laughing at Bella, much to her and my frustration. But I've decided it's a good thing! 

Darin is a remarkable guy. He is my best friend, lover and a wonderful father! I am completely contented with Darin as my eternal companion. I hope that I've portrayed to all just how unique and wonderful a man he is. He is MY EDWARD.

Our School, Our Community in Mourning

Salt Lake Tribune Remembers Brandon Curtis

SHS Football Coaches Scott Mitchell and John Paystrup 

depart after interviewing with the media Wednesday afternoon.

SHS Football - Team Brandon

Head Coach Scott Mitchell holds a meeting with the team on Wednesday, and shares his faith and hope with his football team.

 I imagine that Coach Mitchell had several words of solace and comfort to share with his team from those powerful pages of the book he is holding.

Happy 9th Birthday Rosalie!

Over the past year Rosalie has grown more beautiful and more sweet. She really is the best daughter and much more than her mother deserves. 

Rosalie's best friend in all the world is Marissa, her cousin. They are just 11 days apart, beautiful, sweet and kind, put up with younger brothers diligently and boy crazy! Not too bad though for their ages!

Watching Bradley's varsity baseball game up in So. Jordan Spring 2010

Painting Easter Eggs Spring 2010

Say "Cheesy!"

Relaxing while reading the riddles the Easter Bunny left her.

Our little girl is the best reader and she loves it. This is something that I may just have to take credit for. When she first came into our home, she could barely read. In fact, that was the reason why we held her back in 1st grade. But since, Rosalie has gained a love for reading aloud and silently. I feel perhaps it's because her mom likes to read so much, and can't go to sleep without reading at least a paragraph. 

Where do kids get those cheesy grins? Grandpa Kester, that's where!

In Memory of My Beloved

I have to acknowledge God's tender mercies when thinking about the tough times the past few weeks. My beloved little Arwen Even Star was hit by a car and killed. However, she was able to crawl out of the street (so more cars couldn't hurt her) and then I took a different route home (first time in a year) and found her a little after it happened. I was able to sob and rock my poor lovely kitty and kiss her soft furry head. She was the furriest of kitties I've ever had - so soft like rabbit fur.

She was probably my most refined and dignified kitty ever. She hardly ever played unless unceasingly tempted. However, in the spring when the weather would warm up enough for her to handle, she would race around the yard chasing unseen foes. She'd bounce and crouch and stop immediately on her belly. And look around hoping no one had seen her.

In the cold months of fall and winter she would snuggle and love on me while I spent time on the computer or as I was sleeping on my side she would snuggle up near my shoulder and be a soft, sweet, purring warming Love. I desperately cherished those moments - being few and far between. When I would catch her sleeping in public I would love on her as much as possible and stroke that incredibly soft fur.

The most frustrating thing she would put me through, is first not holding still and letting me smother her with loves. Second, when it was cold outside she would fight an inner battle. She would want to go outside and play and beg for me to let her out. However, as soon as she was out she'd wait by the sliding door and meow and beg for me to let her back in. It was a sick cycle. And one that I, as her human servant, couldn't help but repeat with her over and over for 5 months out of the year.

Arwen loved her daughter Sinatra dearly. Although she was aloof to people, she would snuggle with Sinatra at a drop of the hat. I don't know if cats know that a grown up cat is their offspring, I just don't know. However, I like to think she did. After all, I had Sinatra sniff poor Arwen after the accident. I didn't want Sinatra to wonder where her mom had gone. I wanted Sinatra to know Arwen was deceased. Sinatra has been different without Arwen to tag behind, and although Sinatra usually stayed indoors during the Spring/Summer months she has already has filled Arwen's role of being gone most hours of the day and night, whereas before she'd stay home and cuddle with me.

I am grateful for my wonderfully naughty children who were able to mourn Arwen with me. I never appreciated them so much as when poor Rashady and Ty would start sobbing so heartbreakingly over Arwen's death. It was nice to have someone to comfort and cry with. Darin really doesn't care, not being an animal person. I was really missing my dad. He was so sensitive to my delicate feelers. Darin is to my children what my dad was to me, though. And that's more than I can ask for.

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.