So its been a long time..

For starters we are back in Utah. We moved here in July. Richard didn't get here until almost October. We both work at the Olive Garden. I am working my way to become a manager and Richard is a server. He will be starting school next fall after we become residents and get everything financially set. Jackson is such a fun little boy. He will be 1 year old in just 8 days. He keeps us very busy. He hasn't started walking yet but he can move like there is no tomorrow. He is jabbering and trying real hard to say some words. We started a week ago, putting him in his crib to put himself to sleep, it only took a week and he is a pro at it now. It is very comforting that he can do that by himself. Now Richard and I can get back to our relationship. Jackson loves going outside, sadly I just don't do it enough with him. He is such a joy to have in our home. Makes it all worth while, as I am sure all you parents agree.

We are doing well. Not alot goes on in the Dalton household. Just working and playing with Jackson. Some may say we are pretty boring but we enjoy it.

Family Pictures 2009

Our friend Paul took these for us and I absolutely love them. This was our first professional family shoot. I hope to make it a annual thing. It was fun for us, even though it was cold and windy, we still had a blast.

Just some pictures!!

Mom and Jackson at Scera park....

Jacksons first time on a slide, he thought it was hiliarious...as did I.

Jackson's first time in a pool. He loves the water.

Wow it has been forever

Sorry no pictures to post yet, not my computer. So for those of you who don't know, we have made our way back to good ole' Utah again. July 23 we packed up our trailer and car and hit the road for a 7 day road trip. With RIchard being in Alaska, mom and I did it ourselves. It was quite an excursion. We stopped in Texas to see my grandparents whom I have not seen since 1998. It was such a wonderful time to just sit around and visit with them. Who knows if I will ever get to see them again. WE did take 4 generation pictures so I will have to post them later. My grandpa loved Jackson. He kept calling him "the general" because his first name is jackson and middle name lee, both generals. He couldn't get enough of him and Jackson was just as fond of him.

We made it to Utah on June 30th and got to move into our home. It is a huge house. My mom and 3 brothers are living with us for the time being. BUt there is plenty of room. We have 4 bedrooms, 2 living rooms, 2 bathrooms, a huge room over the garage and a fireplace. :) I am just grateful to be in a home.

Richard is still in Alaska and will be home the end of september. I am working at the Olive Garden and still liking it. I am very grateful for a job that pays pretty well.

As for the love of my life, Jackson is 8 months old today. He has two teeth and is getting more real soon. He hasn't started crawling but scoots and creeps and rolls everywhere. He is very chatty, he makes all sorts of noises and when he is really tired it even sounds like he says "mama". He is getting so big. It makes me sad to think in 4 months he will be a year old. He is a very curious little man, he watches everything we do, and sometimes tries to mimic. He loves music and has learned how to shake his head no so he does it to the music. He is such a good boy in church. He never cries and if he does see another baby crying he just stares at them. He is all smiles and such an easy going baby. I am very lucky.

We are so thrilled to be in Utah, and I just can't wait for my husband to get home so he can fall in love with Utah just like me.

I know its been too long...

I am lagging on this blogging thing. I do apologize. We have been busy. For starters Richard left April 28 for Alaska to work for Princess Tours as the steward on the tour train. He loves it so far. I am still working as a waitress at a local restaurant. Its not my favorite place but it pays the bills. Mom is still keeping the house in order and watching our little guy.

Jackson had his 4 month check up in April and he weighed in at 19.2 lbs and was 25.5 inches long. He is going to be a big boy no matter what. The doctor said he was doing what he was supposed to and doing great. He cried for just a minute or two when he got his shots. I think he actually realized what happened this time around not like last time. But overall he was a very calm little man.

Here are some things that Jackson has learned to do or is doing.

-He loves to stand while we are holding on to him

-He can roll any which way.

-He has started blowing raspberries.

-He can hold his own bottle

-He love his bath and has learned how to kick and splash with his legs

-He sleeps about 8 hours a night sometimes 9 or 10

-He loves to put anything and everything in his mouth

-He has just started on cereal and loves it.

-He smiles all the time unless hungry or sleepy

-He stays awake for about 3 hours at a time now

-He can play with toys passing them from one hand to another

-He found his feet.

-He responds to his name when you say it.

He is a very happy baby that surprises us everyday with a new thing he has learned. I am very blessed to have such a wonderful little man.

We are officially below the month mark in moving to Utah. We finally got the house we wanted. Once I get some pictures I will post it. Its in south provo and is perfect for us. I am so ready to move in and get started and settled. Thats about it for now.

Jackson

Jackson is just growing up so much everyday. He is 4 months old as of saturday and is a little ball of energy. He can hold his head up now and actually enjoys tummy time. When we give him tummy time he is tucking his legs under and raising his butt as if he will start to crawl, but he hasn't mastered the pushing with his hands yet. He does reach and try to grab if something is in front of him. He is fascinated by his hands and loves to chew on them. He can hold his toys and rattles and enjoys putting them in his mouth as well. He is a very happy baby. He smiles and giggles and is chatty just about all the time. The most beautiful sound is when he wakes up in the morning, he doesn't fuss or cry but instead lays in his bed and just coos and talks. I can't help but just look at him at these times. He is trying really hard to roll from his back to his tummy. He loves to scoot on his back. If we turn our back on him he'll turn himself around so he can see us. He is sleeping at least 8 hours through the night. There is just so much he is doing now. He has his 4 month check up on Thursday, so I will definitely post again.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles...

Sorry no pictures this time but our laptop is no longer alive so we have no way of putting pictures up until we buy a new computer. So for now just words...

It has been a while since I blogged, so I will catch you up. At the beginning of the month we decided South Carolina isn't the right place for us, so we started to weigh our options. Because of all the people I know and the fact that I basically already have employment and my family lives there we have decided to move back to UTAH in June. Richard is excited for a new place and to finally meet everyone. I am happy to get back on our feet and maybe get ahead as well. WE will be renting a trailer and driving at the end of May and into June.

As in other news, Richard will be leaving us for Alaska for the summer. HE was unable to find work out here so he applied to work for Princess and was hired to start May 1st. He will be an onboard steward (basically maintenance) on the tour train that has about 300 passangers and rides from Anchorage to Fairbanks Alaska. He is really excited and so thankful for a job. We are sad to be apart for 5 months but we are doing what we have to do. This day in age with the economy and not having a degree it is really hard to find proper employment that will support your family. Richard will be joining us in Utah at the end of September.

First Spring Day!

Saturday was a beautiful day. The temperature was up to 85 degrees. The sun was shining and the animals were out. We had this little lizard just walking around our porch and Richard was able to catch this amazing photo of him in the shrubs. It was just a wonderful day of relaxation and warmth.

Jackson got to enjoy the outdoors as well. Thank Aunt Holly for giving us this little chair for him, so he can enjoy sitting outside just like we do. Our friend Aly gave him that precious little hat which was perfect for shading his face. He loved it out there. He is just talking and squealing so much now. He only takes cat naps throughout the day now. He is awake alot and jabbering away the whole time. He has started sleeping longer through the night, just last night he slept 10 hours. Mommy and daddy were grateful. :)

Here's my little angel!!!!!!!

So much to write about....

Well for starters, I have a job. The economy has taken a toll on South Carolina as well. I didn't really want to work but we decided which ever one of us got a job first would take it. I am working at a restaurant just down the street from our home so it isn't too bad.
On February 12 Jackson had his 2 month check up....and let me tell you he is such a good little baby. He weighed in at 14 lbs 4 oz and was 23.5 inches long. 95th percentile across the board. The doctor said he was perfect. He is eating just the right amount. He also got his 2 month shots. I was expecting a screaming baby but he didn't make a peep. He made a little noise with the first needle then basically just laid there until she was done. He is such a trooper. He is getting so big and he is so smart. Around the beginning of Feb. he started cooing and squealing and smiling. We can't get him to be quiet anymore. He loves his play mat and can even pull on the toys. He loves sucking on his hands and is very alert to whoever is around him. He is such a good baby. We couldn't be more blessed.

On the weekend of February 20-22, we went up to Easley, SC and visited with Richards family. And when I say family, I mean the whole group. We got married so fast and so far away that none of our family members were able to come. (alaska is too expensive to fly to) so this was the first time meeting any of his family. WE stayed with his sister and her family. I met his grandma, his aunts, uncles, dad, cousins, neighbors, friends. You name someone, I probably met them. Everyone was so kind and loving. They just made us feel so welcome. My mom even went with us and they welcomed her like family as well. Jackson was the center of attention. He was such a good little man. He would let anyone and everyone hold him. It was so nice to finally put faces with the family that Richard speaks so fondly of. I am so grateful that they are all so loving. They really made us feel loved. I can't wait to see them again.

As for day to day, we are doing well. South Carolina is growing on me more and more each day. I love going to church every sunday and feeling the spirit. Our ward is simply amazing. I love my family and the togetherness we feel all the time. I am so grateful to have a wonderful husband and a perfect baby. :)

Quick note

Hello, I know it has been forever. I just wanted to check in and say I will be posting next week sometime. Currently we are in Easley South Carolina visiting/meeting Richards family. This is new for me because I never got to meet any of his family before we got married so this is really fun. I will definitely post about it when we get back home. Hope everyones weekend is wonderful.

Okay so this just happened as I was posting....

Jackson was taking a nap while I was doing some things on the computer, blogging included. He started out in the the first pictures position and within 5 minutes he rolled over to his side and settled into the second pictures position. I just thought it was too adorable. I had to share.

6 weeks old!!

I can't believe Jackson will be 6 weeks old tomorrow. He is just growing up to be a handsome little man, although he is actually still a baby. :) He is such a good baby. He has just started sleeping through the night for about 6 hours. He doesn't really fuss unless he is hungry and he especially doesn't like to have a poopy diaper on longer than 5 minutes. He lets us know as soon as he is done that it is time to change it.He is still rolling over and is starting to like his play mat. He is very aware and interested of everything around him. He will move his body and his head so he can see who is holding him, and then he'll just stare at you. He has just started smiling and cooing. Those moments when he is totally content and so happy just melt my heart and make it all worth while. He is just so darn cute. I couldn't be more blessed.

Dalton Look-alike Meter

So we did the look alike meter and I think it is mistaken. Jackson totally looks like Richard. Maybe I didn't use the right photos. Oh well!! It was fun anyway.

MyHeritage: Family trees - Genealogy - Celebrities - Collage - Morph

Some pictures.

This is about all I can upload right now. Jackson is getting so big already. He is so alert and awake almost all day and is sleeping about 4-5 hours a night. He is such a good baby. Doesn't fuss except when he is hungry and we are taking too long to make his bottle. :) He got to meet some of his relatives on his daddy's side last wednesday. He has a cousin that is 3 months older than him. They were really cute together. She couldn't stop eating his hand and he didn't mind one bit. I was thrilled to finally meet Richards family as well. It was a wonderful visit and I can't wait to see them again. As soon as we get the internet I will post more pictures.

A little update.....

Sorry no pictures to post, we don't have the internet yet so I am doing my typing at the local library while Grandma takes care of little Jackson...

So Dec. 30th we set out on a 6 hour flight to Chicago with approximately 30 minutes to then get to our next flight which then took us to Columbia, South Carolina. Jackson was an angel the whole time. He slept except to feed. He didn't fuss once. It could be because he is so little or I was just blessed. Either way I am grateful. We got into Columbia at 930 at night with no idea where we were staying. Ooops, I forgot to book a hotel! Luckily we found one right down the street from our new apartment. On Dec. 31, we signed the lease and moved in. And by moved in I mean't carried our luggage in. (our household goods won't be in town until Feb. 2) We are currently sleeping on the floor and eating pb&j sandwiches. Bless the army for shipping everything for us, but I just wish it was faster. Everyday since moving in has been filled with lots and lots of sleep, occasional eating, a few walks, a couple bus rides downtown, 2 trips to the library, filling our applications and tons and tons of phone calls. Moving to South Carolina was the right thing to do but it is also a big struggle. I pray and pray every day that Richard will find a sufficient job. Luckily my brothers are just wonderful and have lent us some money to hold us over for a little while but it is scary to not know where the next installment will come from. Richard is doing a great job looking for employment and I know with faith and positive thinking his shining moment will come.
On another note, we went to church yesterday and I have already come to the conclusion that our ward is going to be wonderful. Our bishop is a military man ( i am a sucker for the military), our sunday school teacher was a riot, full of knowledge and our relief society is huge. All the ladies were so welcoming and full of helpful ideas. I am excited to see what's in store for the future and our time with this ward.
I am truly blessed to have a roof over my head and a healthy baby. I have enough to eat and a wonderful husband who is diligent in wanting to take care of his family. I have the most amazing mother anyone could ask for. She has been such a help and comfort these past few weeks. I am so thankful for all that I do have. I have wonderful friends that are so unconditional and are willing to jump whenever we need them. I am thankful for everyones kind words and comments. It is nice to know we are not alone.