Ryan is an official Lawyer!!! On Wednesday we drove up to Madison and he was sworn in (early yea!) in front of a Wisconsin supreme court judge. It was Ryan and one other guy. It was nice to have a small quick ceremony, so that the girls were able to come with us. It was a great day. I’m so proud of my husband. He has worked so hard to accomplish his goals. Go Ryan!!
This is Ryan soon after he opened his bar exams results. Doesn’t he look so happy!



The capitol building was so beautiful. I was very impressed. These are some pictures of us before the swearing in.
Ryan in front of the Supreme Court Room



Ryan being sworn in- By the way I was holding Kaitlyn in my lap rocking Emily in her car seat with my toes, video taping the swearing in with one hand, and took this picture with the other! I’m impressed with myself.



Ryan signing his name to the list of lawyers ever sworn in in Wisconsin, they have books from way back when, and everyone always signs after being sworn in



Our Family with the Justice that swore Ryan in. He has six kids, cool huh! And yes, Kaitlyn is on a cell phone. The marshal let her borrow it. She was very helpful with Kaitlyn who of course wanted to run around and make lots of noise.



Afterwards we went to the top of the building and they had an observation deck where you could walk around and enjoy the view of Madison. This is the stonework that was all around the dome at the top.



Here’s the view of Madison. Those are lakes in the background.




The Wisconsin state capitol has a very unique layout, I think. It kind of looks like + but at an angle and the center is big. I don’t know if that makes any sense but here’s a few pictures outside.




Also there was a protest going on while we were there, I thought that was kinda cool.

Afterwards we took the girls out to the (free!) zoo. It was really nice. It had been a long day so we were very worn out, but Kaitlyn loves animals so it was fun even though we were all tired.



A grizzly bear. Ryan didn’t think I should be friends with the bear, but he looks so cute! Hard to believe he can be very vicious. I’m glad we saw him in a good mood.



They have a children’s zoo inside the zoo that has a carousal and playground and more animals. Kaitlyn and I got to ride on the carousal .
Kaitlyn on her Cheetah.



I chose the Elephant right next to her.



Kaitlyn thought it was so cool to sit up on her Cheetah all by her self. Then the ride started! She looked pretty scared, but I wanted her to do it so I just reassured her. About half way though I got off and stood next to her, and she just wanted me to hold her. I made her stay on the cheetah and as soon as the ride stopped she signed more and didn’t want to get off. Too funny. So I THINK she enjoyed the ride. It was fun either way. I’m like a little kid. I love to ride the carousal, in fact I was a little sad to get off my Elephant and stand next to Kaitlyn. But, of coarse I did because I love her. This is sometime during the ride.



They had these cool animals that you could climb inside. This kangaroo, and also a cute turtle you could poke your head and arms out of, like you were wearing the turtle shell. My little Roo, Kaitlyn



We got in the car to drive home, and were just barely out of the parking lot when both girls were already asleep. It was a fun and eventful day in Madison. I got this cute shot of Kaitlyn sleeping. She was so tired!



After we got home and rested for a little while we went out to dinner to celebrate. It was so nice to not cook after such an eventful day! While we were there Emily sat in a high chair at a restaurant for the first time! She’s getting so big.




After that we walked to Ryan’s work so he could show me this!



Pretty cool! His name is now on the window. It looks like he’s always been there. I think it feels so much more official now. He also got his business cards in! We took some close up pictures, but Ryan doesn’t want people calling from Timbuktu so I won’t post those. This is him holding one though.



And his office. I’m pretending to be a client



Ryan behind his desk



That was one very eventful day! A 2 hour drive to Madison, a tour of the capitol, Ryan being sworn in (yea!), a trip to the zoo, 2 hour drive home, going out to dinner, and going to Ryan’s office. We all slept well that night. If only I could have my husband home during the week more often. What a fun day.

More fun Dalton adventures!

In Madison (2 hour drive) they have a FREE zoo! And, it’s not like the Logan free zoo which has pretty much no animals, this zoo was awesome! We loved it. We didn’t get to stay for long because it was sprinkling the whole time. I think because it was such a nice temp. outside all the animals were out and doing things. It was so cool. There were a few of these posted around to take pictures with. This is Kaitlyn and Ryan



And me and Kaitlyn



This was so cool there were two orangatanges (sp?) swinging around and having fun. Then all of a sudden we found out one was the mom and the other was her daughter. How? The daughter came up to the mom and started nursing. Crazy. She must have been a toddler because she ate like Kaitlyn (who does NOT nurse, she’s way to old!). She would come up to her mom take a couple sips and run off swinging around like crazy and then come back for more. In fact the more I watched the more I thought Kaitlyn is very much like a monkey. She would have loved to play in there, especially if she were able to swing around like a monkey.



Ah, the lions were the next exciting animal. When we got up there the two lions were snuggling, it was so cute! So I was telling Kaitlyn -aw look the lions love each other, isn’t that nice? Then the male decided he didn’t want to just cuddle anymore! I was so embarrassed! Ryan thought it was really cool, such a guy. The female turned him down, so the male staked off and started pacing around and grunting. It wasn’t a full lion roar, but it was pretty loud! Everyone came racing over to see what the lions were up too. I just had to laugh, the lion was pouting cause he didn’t get his way. Too funny. This picture was before, um everything.



Oh, did you notice I’m holding Kaitlyn and Emily and feeding Em a bottle all at the same time? Yes I know I’m supper talented. Plus it was only for a few seconds so I could get Ryan to take a picture.

Afterwards we drove around until we found a Chili’s for lunch. Kaitlyn was so funny during this lunch. There was a table behind us and she kept turning around and standing up to peek over the bench and hang out with the other table, especially when they got their food first! Every time the waiter would walk by with some ones’ food, she would start saying Thank you, and kept repeating it tell she got louder and louder and then, to her dismay he’d put the food on another table. I think she was really surprised that he didn’t turn and bring the food to her instead. I mean come on, she even said thank you!

After we finished eating we got up to go and she noticed a couple of teenage boys that were sitting near us. She walked strait up to them and stared at one of the boys until she had his attention and then smiled and waved. The table that was behind us that she’d been talking to before just started laughing. Ryan was just shaking his head and laughing too. We are in so much trouble with that little girl!

More random fun pictures

Ryan with a sleeping Emily



Emily’s first time rolling over! -August 19, exactly 4 months old



Went to check on sleeping Kaitlyn, this is what we found

While we were in Utah Ryan participated in the community summer band. He is a drummer and had a great time playing with them. When we got back there was one concert left. He wasn’t able to go to the practice the week before, because he was taking the bar, but they let him play anyway. Yay for us! It was so fun to see him get to play. He really misses his drums (they are in Vegas? I think). Before the concert started Ryan took Kaitlyn and showed her all the drums, she had a great time!



This is Ryan playing the cymbals.



Kaitlyn loved dancing to the music and entertaining the old ladies near us.



I have such a hot drummer husband!


Now a bunch of random pictures for your enjoyment.

Emily fell asleep in her jumper.



Emily sleeping on me.



My girls



She’s giving her a kiss, right?



Playing with sunglasses




Isn’t she so cute? I came in to check on her and this is how she was sleeping!



Kaitlyn loves to help mommy cook



Kaitlyn in Emily’s jumper, she’s so silly.

The best most wonderfil news EVER!

Ryan passed the bar! Ryan passed the bar! Ryan passed the Bar!!! Yaaaaaay!!! We are SO excited! If you could hear me, I’m practily screaming, and I am jumping up and down in excitement! Oh, so wonderful. Just wanted to share the great news! I’m so proud of my babe!

I forgot, at the Wilson Family Reunion my Dad was in charge of a fun-run. Now, I am not a runner. I don’t enjoy running, but most of my family does, especially my dad, brothers, and Julia. Last year they did this same run and Dad was the one who organized it, so they asked Dad to do it again because it was so much fun. I thought it would be fun to see how far I could get. It was a 5k. I had the girls in the double stroller and I didn’t bring any shoes except for flip flops. The track was full of little hills and was a good challenge. It looped around like a 9 and we started in the middle. After pushing the girls all the way around the loop, I dropped the girls off with some of the people who were going half way and cheered as my brother Jace ran in and finished the race. He got second place! I kept going and my competitiveness started to kick in. I knew I wasn’t going to win, obviously, and I wasn’t in shape to run it, so I decided that I just wouldn’t be the last in. The last half is just as long but there are a ton of hills that are pretty steep, and once you get to the end you turn around and come back up to the middle. (So, if you took the 9 example you do the bottom leg down and then back up) I was the last to finish the first half with the girls by quite a bit, so I had a lot of catching up to do. I was so proud of myself, not only did I do the whole race, but I did half pushing the girls and I passed quite a few people and didn’t finish last. That was a big accomplishment for me. Ryan was very impressed when I called to tell him how it went.
So, after we got back I had only a little time with Ryan before he had to leave to go up to Madison to take the bar exam. That was so hard to let him go after just getting back. Especially since I no longer had help with the girls and didn’t know anyone in town. I was very worried that it would go badly. Luckily, it went pretty well and I didn’t go crazy or anything. Ryan had a day of orientation, then the next day was two sessions of essay exams both with 4 essays each. So 8 total. That must have been no fun, what a long day. Then the next day was a 200 question test and he could finally come home. We were so glad to have Ryan back for good! I am so glad the exam is over. Now, we just wait to see if he passes. They are supposed to send the letter on September 7th, so we hope to know by Tuesday. That may seem fast, but he took the exam at the end of July, so it’s really been quite a wait. If he passes they don’t do the ceremony until OCTOBER!! The students that graduated from Wisconsin have been working since May! Ryan’s hoping that they will induct him sooner, because he can’t work until after that.
The next weekend Ryan took us down to Debuke Iowa (about 45 mins from here) to the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium. We had a great time; here are some pictures from our adventure:

Ryan and Kaitlyn standing in front of one of the aquariums. Kaitlyn LOVED looking at all the fish!



Ryan at the wheel



Kaitlyn being just like Daddy, isn’t she so cute!



This was part of the outside exhibit, were the kids could play. Kaitlyn thought it was way fun!



Daddy and Kaitlyn on one of the boats we got to tour



Me, trying to hold Kaitlyn still for a picture with Emily in my arms. We were at the very top of the ship in the hurricane deck.



The top of the ship



Looking towards the water from the same spot



I think Kaitlyn would have jumped right off the ship into the water if she could have



Kaitlyn playing. She wanted to steer the little ships in the pond



Kaitlyn loves animals, just not up close. She didn’t like this!



I tried to get a picture that looked like Emily was in the water, this was the closest



A big fish you could go inside of

Contest

I won this fun little contest on Sister Matheney's (Heather) blog and part of the deal is that I would post the same contest on my blog!

Here you go: PAY IT FORWARD I will send a handmade gift to the first three (3) people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. You may not receive it tomorrow or next week, but you will receive it within 365 days! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog. (So, you must have a blog to participate.)

How fun! Now let's all pay it forward, give each other gifts just for fun, and comment away! If you are one of the three, I'll contact you to get your mailing info (if I don't already have it.) If you're not one of the three, hurry and click over to the winners' blogs to see if you can make it!

** "Handmade" could mean something crafty, something pretty or something yummy coming from me. I'll cater it to the recipient.

Wilson Family Reunion

At the end of our Utah trip, we went to the Wilson Family Reunion. This is a treasured childhood tradition. We drove up to Utah almost every summer to go to the family reunion, and also visit my mom’s side of the family. I hadn’t been to a reunion since the summer after I graduated high school, so I was really looking forward to seeing everyone again. I am the first cousin to get married and the fist to have kids, so it was very fun to have everyone met my girls. I actually have 3 aunts that were pregnant at with me when I was pregnant with Kaitlyn. 2 of my mom’s sisters and one of my dad’s. It’s kinda fun to have kids the same age as my aunts. Plus it was fun that all my aunts and uncles are now great aunts and uncles. Besides the one aunt (Aunt Laurie) that was pregnant (with Jack) at the same time as me, all the other children were much older. That made it a little harder at first. I had two of the three youngest. Luckily everyone thought that the girls were cute, so I had a lot of volunteers to help me watch the girls. Kaitlyn loved being outside all the time (we go camping in the mountains), but most days she refused a nap. By the time we got to bed time she was a monster, I mean walking zombie. Well probably both. Em’s had a hard time with naps too, because it was so hot during the day I worried when I put her down in the tent. Fortunetly aunt Michelle and Grandpa had an RV with AC, so a couple of times the girls slept in there. For the reunion we spend about 3 days camping. We play volley ball (my team got 2nd place!) and other games, swim in the creek, cook outdoors, do a craft (a REALLY cute photo fame this year), the kids do a bunch of games, and end with a talent show. Plus lots of other fun stuff. My cousin Jill is in a band and they came up to play for us. It was really cool. Adam joined in and here’s a picture of them playing.



Jill also cut hair for a lot of people, including me. Thanks Jill! It's really cool to see some of my cousins growing up and doing cool stuff.
Here's Ashley holding Kaitlyn and Kirsty



A bunch of kids during the kids games. My sister Jessica and cousin Kate are holding the beach ball. Kate is the cute red head.



These are pictures from the talent show. I have some very talented cousins, it was fun to watch. Kaitlyn enjoyed sitting on Uncle Cody’s lap, other wise I don’t think we would have stayed up and watched it. It was very late, and Kaitlyn was VERY tired. Cody did a great job with her, and I think he even enjoyed holding her (it’s a good thing cause I was done!)
My cousins Kate and Todd singing 50 Nifty United States by MEMORY!! Their mom, Aunt Laurie is amazing. These two are so cute!



My cousins, Stephanie and Kirsty singing a cute mormon boy song I’d never heard before, but it was really cute. I guess that’s what I get for not living in Utah or Idaho.



Uncle Brad and Aunt Laurie singing together. They both have amazing voices. Uncle Brad looks EXACTLY like my dad did when I was growing up! I love talking to him. It’s so fun to see all the little things that he and my dad do the same. Their voices even sound the same. When he came to my sister’s wedding he was sitting, working on his computer and cell phone catching up on work. I had to take a double take. That is were my dad would sit doing the exact same thing.



Aunt Sherri, Amber, and Adam doing a skit



My brother Jace and sister Jessica doing a dance. I thought they did a great job! It was so cute to see little Jess dancing with Jace. I didn’t know the boy could move. I was very impressed.



And Uncle Jimmy doing a monologue.



There were a lot more talents, but these were the ones I got pictures of. Also I wish I would have taken pictures of more people, and more of the activities. I always forget to take enough pictures. My Grandpa’s sister also put together a really cool DVD with some film and pictures from when they were kids. It was so weird to see Grandpa as a young adult and some of my aunts as young children. It was really cool, and I’m sure it will be a family treasure.

Then we headed for home. I got to spend another evening with my Aunt Michelle and then she took us to the airport bright and early the next morning. The flight went a lot better this time! No blow outs, and I think the girls even napped for part of it. Seeing as I can’t really remember any detail, it must have been smooth sailing. I was SOOO glad to see Ryan when we finally got to Minnesota! Ryan’s pretty sure we drove over the bridge that later collapsed or at least one of the ones close to it. I’m really glad we weren’t there when it did. That was pretty scary when I saw all the news reports. We are so sad for all the people who didn’t make it.
On the way home we stopped somewhere to get out and stretch our legs. Kaitlyn and Ryan were having so much fun playing together! It was SOO cute. I love seeing Ryan play with the girls. Dad is always way more fun than mom. He comes up with the craziest fun games, and the girls just adore him. Here’s my handsome hubby with the girls, back together for the first time in 2 ½ weeks.