We're still here!

    Well, it's been over a year since I've posted anything on this blog.  I'm not going to try and back track because that just seems overwhelming.  I'll give a brief review of our past year.
     Ben graduated from vet school and we left our beloved Pullman and moved down south to Santa Rosa, CA.  It's a beautiful place (Santa Rosa itself is nothing spectacular but the surrounding area is amazing) in the middle of wine country and only 30minutes for the coast.  The weather was beautiful year-round and I made some really good friends there. Ben worked at a 24-hour emergency vet clinic called Pet Care.  He LOVED it there.  Heavy case loads with interesting cases, many, many, smart and talented doctors that he absolutely loved to work with and learn from. He was only doing a year long internship so we knew we would only be there a year.  He loved the other interns he worked with.  There was a lot of fun things to do in California.  We were near San Francisco and also close to the redwood forests.  The Jelly Belly Factory was one of the kids' favorite places to go.  We visited Bodega Bay a lot and other beach towns.  I'm so grateful for the opportunity we had to live so close to the ocean.  We made a trip down to San Diego to visit Ben's friend, Cole, and his wife and new baby.  We went to Disneyland, which Kharisma loved but I think Willum was still a little young for it.  I was able to participate in the Disneyland 1/2 Marathon with my friends Heather and Samm.  In February we found out I was pregnant with Dixon baby #3!  It took awhile for the this to happen so we were very excited.  I even let Ben practice his ultrasound skills on me at the clinic, where he found out the gender but promised to keep it a secret because I wanted to be surprised.  He did it.  I was very surprised.
    Ben applied and was accepted to the Army Veterinary Core Program.  We were, at first, assigned to a base in Yuma, AZ which I was not excited about because of my disdain for any temperature about 75 degrees. Luckily, something happened that led us to be assigned instead to Kitsap Navel Base in Bremerton, WA.  I was thrilled about this.  Bremerton is located in the Puget Sound area and is just a 45min ferry ride to Seattle.  I love the Washington coast, it's beautiful and the temperature is perfect.
    Before going to his assigned base, Ben had to attend Officer Training School in San Antonio, TX.  He was there for three whole months.  Those were long months.  The kids and I were alone in Santa Rosa for about a month, packing and preparing for our move. Luckily the Army arranged for us to be packed up by a moving company.  Then our stuff was moved to WA and stored until we arrived.  So we went to Utah and lived with my parents for a month.  I'm so grateful for that time we had with them.  It was hard to leave.
     At the beginning of September we took the long drive to Bremerton.  My mom tagged along which was such a blessing.  The kids and I were alone for a month until Ben was able to join us.  During his three month training time he was able to visit us in Utah one weekend and then a week before he came home the kids and I flew to TX to visit him.  The first week in Bremerton was rough.  We live about 30 minutes from town and in a thick forested area.  I didn't have any cell phone service or internet service.  I had to drive about 10 minutes before my phone would pick up a signal.  I finally had to switch cell phone companies and then shortly after we had the internet hooked up and things got better, I didn't feel so isolated.  October 10th Ben finally joined us!  He had about two weeks off until he needed to start work.  It was sooo good to have him back.
     I have the kids in swimming lessons and gymnastics and I love watching them learn and grow.  I chose not to start Kharisma in Kindergarten yet.  I debated about this issue, literally, for years.  With her summer birthday it would have made her one of the youngest in her class and I felt that keeping her home another year would benefit her in the long run.  She was absolutely ready for Kindergarten but that wasn't my concern.  I tried many times to convince myself that it would be fine just starting her at the regular time but every time I did that I just couldn't feel good about it. I 100% do not regret keeping her home, I'm so glad I listened to my instincts.
    Well, there is my brief review. Next post will be a birth story!

Easter 2013

We had a lovely Easter weekend!

Started out with the Stake Primary party where

the kids had their first Easter Egg hunt.

Willum was pretty funny, the ONE egg he got, he put into

someone else's bucket.

But the Easter Bunny was there and gave him a sucker 

so he was pretty happy about that.

 Our Easter buckets (that I love) filled with goodies.

Mine is the sad one with no decorations yet.

Ben likes fast cars (and crappy movies, obviously)

 I tried to get some pictures of them looking cute on Sunday but I failed.

This is what I got...

Willum Turned 2!

Our little man just turned 2 years old.

It's hard to believe he's already so big.

I love this boy so much, he's

the cutest.

He got to have doughnuts and chocolate milk for breakfast.

 I feel bad for not getting more pictures.

Kharisma friend, Brooks, had his birthday party the same day, 

so technically Willum had a party and luckily he's

not old enough to know that it wasn't for him!!

We did have a pizza party with cake and

his best friend, Isla, was there so I think

he had a pretty good day.

 He got an awesome tool set and a Vet Kit.

Grandma and Grandpa Dixon got him a real golf set,

complete with golf balls with his initials on them!

He loves them. We took him to the park the other day so 

he could use them.

Grandma and Grandpa Christensen sent a new outfit and a bag

of candy that when he opened it up, he was so excited he grabbed

the candy and jumped up and down on my bed yelling, 

"Candy, candy, candy!"

I wish I had had my camera at that moment.

My dad is also making him an activity board with random

latches and switches/button and other hardware but they'll

bring that up in May for graduation. We're excited for it.

He's trying to show me that he's two!

Willum is 24 pounds now (remember he was 21 lbs at 6months)

so I feel like he's such a small guy.

He thinks he's big and tough though.

Lately he has been picking on kids that are older than him.

He'll go up to some random boy and do a slow motion punch with 

the facial expression of some tough-guy.

I don't know what he's thinking but I'm getting a little tired of

pulling him out of fights that he starts. 

Usually he's totally unprovoked even.

Despite that issue, he's such a sweet little guy

who loves to play with big sister.

He loves when we read books,

playing outside,

eating,

swimming,

sleeping (hooray for 3 hour naps!)

watching Yo Gabba Gabba and Blue's Clues,

animals,

babies,

and trains.

He loves helping with chores, like,

taking clothes in and out of the dryer,

unloading the dishwasher,

putting the soap in the dishwasher,

spraying anything he can and using a scrub brush,

throwing things away,

and is very good at pointing out messes that need to be cleaned up.

(also loves making those messes)

Willum is a very busy boy with lots of energy.

I love seeing the little boy he is developing in to.

He absolutely loves going to Kharisma's preschool.

When we drop her off, he immediately goes into the bathroom

and puts the stool up to the sink and washes his hands

(that's what all the other kids are suppose to do)

and then goes and finds one of the stations to sit at and starts playing.

He is so friendly to strangers, always waving and saying hi.

Every night when I'm putting him to bed I tell him how important he is

and

how much we love him.

I love the relationship he has with his sister and pray that they

will always be close.

Happy Birthday Willum

We Love You

A Baby Shower

A few weeks ago I helped with a baby shower for our friend Charlene.

A little girl.

So naturally we used a lot of pink.

I think it turned out pretty cute, I especially love the tulips.

Art-ing It Up

About a month ago I went to visit our friends, the Claytons, and see their

beautiful newly built house. I wanted to take some sort of housewarming

gift so in a matter of days I focused most my time and energy into making some

art for their new space.

I kind of love them. They at least pretended to like them :)

 Kitchen art inspired by another friends kitchen art.

Animal art for Max.

I love this and someday will make one for my son.

Their daughter's room is a ladybug theme

so this is my take on it.

Hopefully something that can grow with her.

My pictures are sort of horrible... combination of my lack of photography skills and not really knowing how to use my simple camera.

Lastly, I made a large painting for their master bedroom.

Just something abstract that would go with the colors of their room.

It was pretty fun to do. I wish I took the time to paint more often.

Valentine's Day

Our Valentine's Day was pretty fun this year.

Last year, children were puking.

Ben surprised us with flowers and cupcakes!

 He said that when he was at the store getting the flowers

an older lady saw him holding the purple ones and said to him, 

"She's going to love them!"

He said to her, "I hope so, she's 3!"

Later, after she checked out and was leaving the store she came back

and told him he was an amazing father.

She was right. He's pretty great.

Kharisma was SO excited for them. She kept smelling them and

saying how cute they were.

 Willum enjoyed his cupcake.

I enjoyed my flowers.

Pictures of life

A month or so ago I was in my bathroom  getting ready and when I turned around this is how I found little Will.
I love this boy so much.
So cute.

Kharisma at her friend's pajama birthday party.

 Fresh out of the tub.

The many faces of Kharisma:

 I love how Willum eventually figures out what he's suppose to be doing.

I swear he picked this out all on his own.

Don't worry, he didn't leave the house.

(I HATE how difficult it is to put picture where you want them on blogger!! Or am I just super dumb?)