Well, no sense in hiding it, as I'm sure you can tell, we're expecting number 2 on March 24, 2009. Dallas Jay is going to be a big brother, and not quite sure how he feels about it. Some days, well, he'd like to have a baby girl living here, and others he's wiser and wants a baby boy. But, at no time are they ever to be considered his brother or sister. If you ask him if he's going to be a big brother, he says "No, I'm Dallas Jay." So, we're working on that. Seems like there's something in the water lately because a ton of our friends are pregnant!!! Beware of the H2O!

We've been busy since our last posting. We took Dallas down to SLC and went to the zoo with Tony and Lindsey. We had a great time. Here's a pic of Dallas Jay and I and some geeky dude and his bald eagle. It was huge!!! On the way back to Idaho, Dallas wanted Jyl to sing songs. Well, once she had gone through her song list, she said it was Daddy's turn. Every time I opened my mouth to sing a primary song, he told me to stop singing because it was bad. So, I'm pretty sure that I'm not supposed to sing around him.

We stayed with Rachel and it was fun, but we missed the boys as they were all off playing in Nauvoo. Dallas liked their toys, but would have had much more fun with Zander and Keagan (sorry on the spelling).

Dallas is doing well with the potty training. He has a few accidents now and then, but mostly when he is having too much fun to stop and take care of business.

Speaking of too much fun, Dallas got to see all his cousins within a month's time. He saw Julian in SLC when she was up, he saw Peyton, Paige and Ellie when they were here and he got to see Landon this last week in Stanley. He's had so much fun with his cousins and he is really good with other kids, of course, I may be biased. He was so sad each time he had to leave his cousins. It's great that there'll be so many new cousins for him to hang out with, as well as one that is somewhat more permanent!

Well, for my last anecdote, we were up for our usual August trip to Stanley when we had another one of the "worst weekends ever!" I'm pretty sure VH1 could do a show on our mishaps alone! We got up there just fine and had a good time, but when we came home, we had realized that something had gotten to the Jeep. We had heard the dogs barking in the middle of the night, and didn't think much of it. Well, come to realize that the dogs were barking at the bob cat that was in our camp, and scared it up over the side of the Jeep on to the roof, where it hung out for a few seconds before sliding down the glass and to the hood. Needless to say, there's some serious damage done. They estimated $3,500!!! The hood, roof, and doors are going to have to be re painted. Luckily for us, it's covered under our comprehensive deductible of $100! So, I'll have a new paint job for a $100 and they gave me a midget-hearse (PT Cruiser) to drive in the mean time.

In this second picture, you can see the size of the paw print. It's as big across as my house key. Of course, Terry is still convinced it was Winnie. But, a guy I work with is sure it's a cat because the claws aren't out all the time and only cats have that ability. Plus, I know Winnie is athletic, but she couldn't ever make it on top of the Jeep.

When we got home from our disastrous encounter with the feline on steroids, we found our glass picnic table was smashed to thousands of pieces. Evidently, the bob cat had traveled back on top of the Jeep and when we got home, bounded over the roof and landed square on the table. Don't you worry, my head won't be cold this winter, I've got me a bob cat fur hat!

Actually, we think the wind picked up the umbrella, and when it slid out of the table, the table came down with such a force that it shattered into a thousand pieces. No fun. No fun, at all.

Well, other than that, I'm taking my tests over again, and about as excited to do such as a cat likes a bath. Bob Cat, that is. By the way, the guys at the firm are now calling the Jeep the Cat Mobile. And, to add insult to injury, when I took it in Monday, the window fell off the track!

Jyl has been quite sick and can't find anything that is appetizing. It's tough to see her so miserable. Everyone is telling me that it is a sign it is a girl. That would mean she would see me be miserable for 25 years!!!!! Just kidding. I'd let up around 24 1/2.

Take care, and thanks again for all your love and support. You all mean so much to us.

-Ace, Jyl, Dallas Jay, Lima Bean (not official), Winnie, Wyatt and Scooby Doo!

Ahh, Long boarding!

So here we are in July and Andrew has been gone for about 2 weeks ( and doing well based on his happy happy letters) and well Ace is missing having his long boarding buddy and guitar playing buddy, so he has been working with Dallas and teaching him long boarding and the guitar. Dallas did his own version of "I am a Child of God" and playing the guitar. It was pretty adorable if I do say so! He also really likes long boarding with Ace and Winnie and pretty soon will probably be on his own long board. They do grow up quick don't they!

Dallas has officially entered his toddler teenage years. The other night at dinner we were having steak and macaroni salad courtesy of my mom and the picky eater (kind of like his mom) looked at me after viewing dinner and said in his deepest most pleading voice "POTATOES"! A true potato man at heart! His Poppa has raised him well. He will always eat potatoes, they are our fail safe. Another cute, funny story about D. The other night I was reading to him at bed time and he was looking around and saw Andrew's picture on one of his other pictures and asked me where was Andrew. I told him he was on his mission, kissed him goodnight and left the room. The next morning I was making his bed and sure enough there was Andrew's picture in bed with him! He does love Uncle Andrew! Don't worry all of you other Aunt's and Uncle's, he loves you too.

Ace is loving his new job. Everyday they tell him how well he is doing and what a great asset he is to the firm. I am pretty proud of him! Funny, well ok, a pat on the back story for me. Today Dr. Snow told one of my patients that he knew I was a farm girl (meaning I had been taught to work) because I was always going above and beyond what was expected of me and that I knew how to work hard. So kudo's to you mom and dad.

Funny story about Ace and I. We are the perpetual doers. There is always some new way we can spend our holiday or weekend working, mind you as a family, but working. This weekend we took it upon ourselves to spend it working on staining our deck and picnic table. Ace sanded it on Friday and then we stained it Saturday morning and again Saturday night - late, late Saturday night. We finished at 12:00 a.m. In the meantime we had gone boating with Jesse and Brooke who let D drive the boat, and yes he wore a life vest the whole time, and Ace was wake boarding and cleared the wake several times! I am so proud of him. As always Jess and Brooke are amazing at all things, including wake boarding. Following wake boarding we went to dinner at the Pizza Hut in American Falls where we walked in they asked if we would come back later. I said no and then thought to myself, seriously?. And yes she was serious. Funny. Anyway, after boarding we went home put D to bed and stained. Fortunately when we looked at it Sunday morning it actually looked good! I was happily surprised. So that was our crazy Fourth of July. Happy Fourth to all.

What a crazy month!

June has been the craziest month for us! Andrew (my youngest brother) received his mission call to go to Santa Cruz, Bolivia and was scheduled to leave for the MTC on June 25. His farewell was the first weekend in June and it was amazing. He did such a good job! He talked about the atonement and its affect in his life. It is so powerful to hear someone talk from the heart. The next week Andrew, Ace, and my Dad went to sun valley and went long boarding and golfing for the weekend. You can imagine how much fun they had and I am glad that Ace got to go. I know he really enjoyed it. The next weekend Ace went to Island Park with his work and went water skiing on the reservoir. He really enjoyed that. He even got up at 5am to go and said it was freezing, but worth it. Andrew, Andrea and Grandpa Bailey drove up to Island Park and met with Ace.They went fishing on the river and unfortunately didn't catch anything but had fun. The next weekend we went to Rexburg to see Ashley (my cousin)'s baby Ella blessed. It was so neat to see and fun to see all of our family again! We love you Ash!

And then the day came for Andrew to go to Provo. You know I was so proud and happy when Jesse left and even though it was hard when Ace left I was excited and when I left on my mission I was just so excited that it didn't seem sad or hard to say goodbye, but then it came time for Andrew to leave and this one was really hard for me. I think part of it is knowing how much Dallas Jay loves Andrew and how much he will change in that time, but I am glad he is going and proud of him, but this is a new experience for me. The sad part is that the day before he was leaving we found out that his horse had been stolen and Dallas Jay kept asking Andrew where Dusty was! Poor Andrew. But he told me that he knew he wasn't supposed to worry about it and it would be okay. After saying that he looked at Ace and I and said that doesn't mean that you don't have to worry about it! Hopefully we will be able to find his horse in the next two years! So that has been our crazy, but wonderful month. I love June!

Ace's New Job

Here is D and I at the Utah game. So Ace started his new job at Van Orden's today and he loved it! Yeah! I am so glad, because after he was so miserable at ISU I didn't know how he would make it through a bad day. I am so proud of him because I know it is hard to persevere to meet your goals sometimes. It was hard today, though, when I went to lunch by myself and realized that not only could he not have lunch with me, but he was in a different city! Granted it is only 20 minutes away, but I still felt a twinge of OH NO! Don't worry I am fine now! Suck it up Princess as I always say.

We are still working on Dallas's potty training at the moment. Let's just say that it is really tough. My mom says he is doing well, and she should know, but I was a little frustrated when we still had not got it down by day three. I know many of you are laughing right now and saying way to be realistic Jyl. What can I say! Part of learning as a mom is that just because I am determined it is going to work and do everything I can, does not mean that it will work! Dallas actually has to decide for himself and make a choice. Man that is a tough one! But he is doing well and I am learning a lot from this experience as well, so in the end that is what life is all about.

Democracy means that anyone can grow up to be president, and anyone who doesn't grow up can be vice president.
Johnny CarsonUS comedian & television host (1925 - 2005). So funny huh!

Never continue in a job you don't enjoy. If you're happy in what you're doing, you'll like yourself, you'll have inner peace. And if you have that, along with physical health, you will have had more success than you could possibly have imagined.
Johnny CarsonUS comedian & television host (1925 - 2005) I hope that this is something that we can all achieve is some shape or form. Love you all, Jyl

Life at the Call House

I have two funny stories to tell about Dallas Jay. The first one was his first all day day at the farm. Ace was helping move Grandma Call and so Dallas went out with Dallas Senior that day. He loved every minute of it and would not come home, even though Nana tried! When I went to pick him up all I could see was Andrew driving in the tractor and something hanging down from the fork on the front of the tractor. As Andrew got closer I could see that he was holding Dallas Jay in his arm and driving the tractor. Andrew opened the door and there was Dallas Jay asleep in Andrew's arm with a swim diaper on and no pants. I asked Andrew where his pants were and he told me to look at the front of the tractor. Dallas's pants were hanging on the fork because they were wet! Dallas was so tired that he was finally ready to go home when I asked him. I also found out that on that same day he had been with Uncle Jesse by my parents home and had fallen and landed on a cactus. So Dallas came home with bloody arms, no pants and a swim diaper and I bet if you asked him that was his favorite day ever!
My second funny story is when Dallas decided that his Toy Story figure, Woody, needed a bath. He took him into the bathroom and washed his head with soap and then told me he needed to brush his teeth! Then he asked me for lotion to put on Woody's face and he got out a q-tip to clean Woody's ears! And that in a nut shell is our routine.

Changing Jobs...Again?

Well, a year after the first interview, VanOrden, Lund & Cannon, PLLC, called me back for a second interview. This time, they invited Jyl, also. They are an accounting firm in Blackfoot that handles all facets of small business accounting. Well, they offered me the job and starting June 2, I'll be their newest staff accountant. I'm not looking forward to the commute, but this firm has some incredible experience and I am very much looking forward to the education.

Jyl and Dallas are doing well. Jyl has bought a book, Potty Train them in 3 Days or we'll buy your child, or something like that. She is determined that it is going to work. Dallas has not yet been interested at all, so we'll see how that goes. I'm on Jyl's side. No more dirty diapers!!!!! Plus, he's almost tall enough to get his learner's permit, and I think you can't get one if you're still in diapers...I'll have to check the state regs on that one. I think he's not going to love those three days, but I have faith in Jyl, and as a Ward, once she sets her mind to it, well excuse the saying, hell or high water she'll get it done!

We've been working in the yard which always seems like a never ending process. However, tonight we had dinner at our picnic table on our deck, and it finally feels like we've been here forever. It always seems to me that when I get comfortable in a place, I can't imagine not having lived there. I'm finally there here (somehow I hope that makes sense).

I'm wrapping up another semester, hallelujah. I am going to tackle the CPA exam this summer, two classes in the fall, one in the spring, and then I'm done studying-forever. Lots of people go to school for twenty-two years, they're called doctors. While there was a brief moment in time that I considered a PhD, I figure an MBA and CPA are sufficient. After all, I'd just be a long string of initials, A.C., M.B.A., C.P.A., and then PhD? Don't thinks so. I'm already going to sound like some code name for the military.

We're so excited for Liz and Dallas to move into their new home. This will be the fifth move I've helped with in the last 9 months. That's not counting when I forget to check the caller ID before I answer a call from the Elder's Quorum President. I think I about have enough time under my belt that I could be licensed and bonded as a professional mover. However, for those of you that are considering me as help, I am hanging up the belt and enjoying a sabbatical of at least 8 months!

Well, Jyl and I really appreciate all of you and what you mean to us. Thank you for sharing with us your lives, as we share with you ours.

cute picks of d

Dallas with his cousins! Peyton, Julian, Paige, Ellie.