The Announcement Guy

With a great big push from some friends, (and wife's encouraging words) Kevin has decided to try his hand at starting a business. He is now "The Announcement Guy," creating custom picture invitations, announcements, professional photo editing (digital enhancements) and the like. He has been doing my cousin Tana's senior portraits and they look amazing! We had some friends over last week and they were working on their "Save the Date" card for their wedding. So, Kevin spiced it upquite a bit, and a few days later: Email established, portfolio pulling together, water mark made, web page ideas being tossed around, 1 confirmed returning client, 4 potential clients and more to come! We are just sticking our toes in to get a feel for this. Kevin will be going on hold between Primary Flight Training and Black Hawk Training for a few months with only PT to go to, so this should be something to keep him busy and entertained/productive! So, if you know anyone with a new baby, getting married or ? that needs his "services" let us know! His e-mail address is theannouncementguy@gmail.com. And, here is some of his "work"

Family Day

Family Day was in June. It was our 1st time to see Kevin fly. He did awesome. It was so hot out that day, you can tell by how flushed Chloe's cheeks are. This was her 1st time wearing ear plugs too, she didn't even seem to notice they were there.

Baby Sign Language

We have been working on teaching Chloe sign language. She has been doing the bath sign for a while but that has been it so far. Yesterday, I was giving her a breakfast of baby food granola and about half way through her normal amount she clamped her mouth shut and very deliberately did the sign for milk. She refused to take another bit so I asked if she wanted milk and she smiled. How could I then refuse to nurse her? So later, it was nap time and she really (note the serious emphasis) did not want to take it. I usually only nurse her post nap, but she started screaming while doing her sign for milk. I thought this was supposed to be a blessing to understand the baby.... not help them get whatever they want sooner!

Don't Hold Your Breath...

Yes, yes, I know it has been a LONG time since I posted an update... so don't hold your breath while reading this, it's long winded.

In June Chloe and I headed out to Idaho to see Joseph off for his mission to Sacramento and for 2 family reunions. They were amazing... Thanks to all who had a hand in putting them together. The Zimmerman reunion was in a awesome house on Garfield bay with our own private dock, need I say more? I guess I do, since I have more to say. Dad took his boat and tried to kill us all pulling a tube behind. We had great food and good company. Our Dillin reunion took place in the most beautiful area on earth, North-North Idaho, where my cell phone thinks it's Canada. We had some laughs and crazy-good food (i.e. a whole pig cooked over a fire in the ground stuffed with a prime rib and a turkey). And a shout out to my mom and dad for putting up with us and wrangling up a pack 'n' play and everything else amazing you guys did for us.

Would you believe me if I told you this is farmer Bob? J/K. Well he is my grandpa and he is a farmer and his name is Bob. Isn't he so cute in his straw hat and overalls?

It was also really nice to see all of Kevin's North-Idaho family too. I really appreciate the effort each of them made to come and spend some time with the sis-in-law and niece.

We spent 3 weeks total in Idaho. The last week mostly consisted of shopping all day everyday for Joe's mission. Who knew it would be so much work? (and might I add money?) I'm ready to go a while without shopping! Kevin sure missed us though. Before I left I made sure to make extra when cooking and pop it in the freezer. Kevin had a good 4 or 5 meals that would be good for a dinner and a few lunches. All he had to do was put them in the oven. Would you be surprised when I opened the freezer upon returning home and not one had been used? He says he forgot, I wonder if secretly he really doesn't like my cooking...

Chloe was pretty much held for 3 weeks straight and despite that set back, it only took 2 weeks for life to get back to normal here. FINALLY she is back to sleeping through the night and will play alone on the floor longer than 10 seconds at a time. She is rolling all over the place and is wiggling on her tummy forward. She is sitting up well and is making many new sounds. Starting yesterday she has been saying the t and c/k sounds. Her new word sounds like "ticole" and along with dadadadadadada dadadadadadadadadad, she says it every five seconds (can you say mama for crying out loud?). Now don't get the wrong idea here, I'm not one of those mom's who says her 2 month old is saying complex sentences, it just happens to sound like a word, lol. She is however, starting to use sign language, which from everything I've read about it says they will start anywhere from 6-8 months if you're consistent with them. SO she's about average being just over 7 months now. She only is signing bath so far ( I think her other signing like, eat, milk and all done have just been accidents so far) and I think baths about her favorite thing on the planet! In fact, her baths are so much fun, there was even a carrot that insisted on joining her tonight. OK, now i need to breath, and let you breath, maybe I'll post again sometime soon. If anyone actually got this far.....

If you plant a salsa garden, it will grow.

So, I've planted my garden, in swimming pools. I've planted everything I need to make salsa as well as lettuce and carrots. I've got lots growing, prob too much, everything might be a little close together, but it's my first garden, so I'm bound to make some mistakes.

Today I found that my hanging tomato plant has one little baby tomato! So, I had to take a picture of it too. I also have a few peppers growing as well.

Chloe: A Hick with a Mo Hawk

Ok, she's not a hick nor does she have a mo hawk.... I guess you could say it's more like a, well, high and tight. See exhibit 1:

What can you do when you're arms don't even reach to the top of you head? Now the hick part: this is what she wore to church today and Kevin informed me that she was a hick wearing it. Not what she was wearing was hick-ish, but that she infact was a hick herself. All the women at church gushed over her. THEY loved it. I think it's adorable. That's more important I suppose...

On a more serious note, check out something I think is pretty neat that Kevin did:

Rednecks are from Alabama

Since moving to Alabama, we've seen some weird things. Like 10 teenagers in bathing suits on the back of a FLAT BED truck with inner tubes going 60 down the highway.....I think skin and road don't mix well, but I guess that was just how I was raised! But what I spotted yesterday topped them all I think. On our way back from the Atlanta Temple yesterday, (which was really nice) I saw this at a gas station as we were pulling out and I made Stephanie back up so Kevin could get proof to show you all. It had been raining pretty hard, so I feel bad for the guy, his arms were probably pretty sore.