Coyote Hunting

Tyler, Tallon, Dave, and Ryder ventured out on a fun hunt this morning. I think anyone who wakes up before dawn, just to drive for a few hours, just to shoot a coyote, is crazy! But that is probably why I wasn't invited. With a 7 and 6 year old in tow they didn't leave to terribly early and they only drove to Cokeville, but they had a FUN day!! This was Tallon's first hunt and Tyler said he was so happy all day. He was a trooper and the cold didn't seem to bother him to bad.

Dave and Ryder

Tallon trying his hand at calling in a coyote. He never got so see any, but he was excited that he was able to hear "like 30 or 60".

The boys just wanted to shoot something!! So they settled for frozen bug juice bottles.

Their smiles tell me they were happy with their performance!


Ryder, Tyler, and Tallon

Good lookin father son team

They came home tired and cold, but full of fun stories from the day. Tallon talked of nothing else the rest of the day. I think he's hooked!

Feeding: one of the favorites

It has been so nice have a break! Tallon is out of school for the week, Ty is off work for the week, and I only have to work 2 days, so we will have some time to spend doing some of our favorite things. The boys love going to Grandpa Dana's to help feed. They adore the baby calves, the horses, and puppies. But they really love riding on the wagon a feeding the young stuff. Ty and Tallon were excited to go and get a little duck hunting in as well.
The twins ready for their ride

Uncle Jacob and Vivin hanging out

Daddy and Orrin trying to stay warm. It was only 0 when we left the house and warmed up to a whopping 3 above by the time we got back.

Tallon and Jace love tying their hand sleds behind the wagon and playing all the way down to the pastures and back.

The mighty duck hunters. It is really hard to be sneaky with 2 excited little boys and a bunch of farm mutts. Oh well, it was still fun.

It has been nice being able to slow down after the holidays and just do fun things with the kids. Tyler and Tallon have a fun coyote hunt planned with some friends, while Mom and the twins' have a quiet few days planned at home. Hopefully we will be able to get something done.

Dana Christmas Party 09

Tonight we did the Dana party and had a ball. There are enough of us now that we no longer fit at Mom and Dad's, so instead we went to the Senior Center where there was lots of room for the kids to roam. Mom put on an amazing feast! There was so much to choose from and I am not all that great at making choices so I just made 2 plates, but hey I have a good reason, right?
The kids were dying at the sight of the tree and all the presents. Orrin camped out here for a good portion of the night. There is something magical about presents under a Christmas Tree, it can make even the most energetic child sit still.

Finally it was time to open gifts. We all loved the gifts from the family exchange and then it was time to open the presents from Grandpa and Grandma.

Here is Tallon and his most favorite Grandpa. It is awesome to see the relationship these two share.

Mom and Dad hit a huge sale last year and gave all the grand kids clothes and new coats. Just what they needed!!!



And here is the crew. Jackie, Jessie & Jason, Jennie & James with Clancy, Evie, Holt and Anna, Mom & Dad with Jace and Jacob, Jullie & Brian with Camilla, Jerrie, Jaymie & Tyler with Tallon, Orrin, and Vivin.

This was the last party of the season and now the New Year can come.

did YOU get something FUN!?!

Vivin did!

Daddy's Present

Tyler was soooo excited about the gift he found for Tallon this year. It was a wooden knife kit that he and Tal could do together over the holiday break. They got to spend some time together in Dad's gun room and slaved away for a few hours.

Tallon wanted to paint it yellow to match one of Tyler's knives, so that is what they did.

It took a few coats of paint...

and some patient waiting...

but the end result is awesome.

It's a Father Son thing.

Christmas 2009

What a wonderful Christmas we had this year!! The entire night and day were filled with so much magic for our boys and their smiles, giggles, and excitement were just contagious. Tallon couldn't wait to make fudge for Santa and he was thoughtful enough to leave enough for him to take back to the North Pole for the elves.

We gave the twins toddler beds with bedding and that filled our little living room up! It was fun to see all the gifts and stockings waiting to be discovered.


Tallon with some of his treasures

Orrin with his

Vivin with some of his

The boys loved the guns that they gave to each other. Tyler and I spent the day dodging bullets and playing dead.

Tyler loved the bibs that Tallon bought for him. Tallon was worried that his daddy gets cold working out in the weather everyday, so he helped fix the problem.

We loved having Christmas morning with 3 excited little boys. It was hands down the funnest Christmas we have had. We enjoyed a quiet breakfast together and then the Dana clan came to see what we received. After their visit the Hansen's came bearing more gifts and the excitement started again. We made our way to the Grandma and Granddads for a wonderful Christmas dinner and were able to spend a few hours with them and do the family exchange. We were exhausted and ready for sleep that night and so thankful for the wonderful day that we were able to spend with family.

Grandma's Party 2009

Christmas Eve will always be welcomed by Grandma Thelma's Christmas Party. It has been a tradition throughout my childhood and I hope that it will go through much of my children's childhood. It is the only time of the year that the Dana family makes it together. We are always short 1 or 2 families but for the most part everyone is there. The boys' favorite part is Santa (boys' meaning Tallon, the pictures will show that Orrin and Vivin don't quite share the same love).
Orrin doing okay

Vivin loving it

This is my cute Grandma. She loves having her family together. She spends a lot of her time at the party watching everyone interact. She also keeps a watchful eye over her presents making sure that every grandchild and great grandchild is accounted for and happy with what they receive.

Tallon with the Big Man himself. Seriously this kid loves Santa.

I absolutely love this picture. Tallon and Grandma have always been the best of friends. They have some of the funnest conversations and Tallon KNOWS that his Grandma Thelma loves him.

We were lucky enough this year that this was the only place we had to be on Christmas Eve. I like it that way. We were able to spend the entire evening as our little family. We made fudge for Santa and his Elves, drove around town and looked at Christmas lights, read our new Christmas book, and tucked our little ones into bed. Tallon was so nervous that he wouldn't be able to fall asleep and that Santa would never come, so he and I sang Christmas Carols for a while until he was ready to close his eyes. This Christmas has held so much magic for him. He has stressed over being on the "nice" list, did some repenting so that he could be, and just knew that Santa would bring the best presents. It took a lot of convincing on Ty and I's part to get him to not try to "catch" Santa. It was so much fun watching the magic of Christmas in his mind and in his heart. The best part was that he never forgot the real reason for the Christmas holiday. Each night he would pray that Santa would come and that he was good enough for some fun toys and then he would close his prayers by thanking his Heavenly Father for his Son being born and allowing us to celebrate Christmas. Who could ask for more.

Christmas Ornaments

Grandma Dana dropped off her ornaments for this year and the boys couldn't have been more excited. It was the longest 3 hours of their lives (according to Tallon) waiting for Dad to get home so they could open them.

Orrin got "Cars"

Vivin got "Toy Story"

Tallon got a cowboy snowman

The three of them admiring their new treasures

The twins wasted no time and found the perfect spot on the tree for theirs.

Too cute of Vivin to not include it

Tallon has his "own" tree that has been collecting his ornaments since birth. It is fun to look at all the fun ones his Grandma has found for him through the years. Getting his new ornament is probably his favorite part of Christmas. (pic taken by Tallon, not bad)

Thanks Grandma for such a fun "Christmas Tradition"!

where I get it from

Tallon: "Mom & Dad, did you know there are 3 countries in North America?"
M & D : "No Tallon, what are they?"
Tallon: "Mexico, Star Valley, and Canada."

New Belt

Giving dad a hug and retiring his white belt.


Tallon received his new belt this week. Sorry the pics aren't the best but you get the idea.