The blog has begun!

Ok, here it is.......OUR FIRST BLOG! Woot woot!

Well, a little about us. We are now official Idaho's (ya know, living in Idaho). We have been here in Idaho Falls since August of '07, and we are loving it here! Doug opened the doors of Caldwell & Roush Drywall, LLC. with his partner in crime, Blake Roush, in about January of '07 and has been on the road to great success ever since. This year has seen plenty of "up's" for his business, and not so many "down's". There is so much work to be had here and their name is definitely getting around! They know what they're doing and they do it well. Doug is a great salesman and schmoozer. I have been so impressed with the great relationships he has formed with contractors, they love him! (But who on earth wouldn't?)

Dallin has grown so much this past year. He started Kindergarten pretty soon after we moved here and is now out for the summer. He is moving on to FIRST GRADE! It's crazy how the first year of school flies by! He has learned to read very well in such a small amount of time and comes home with all these little facts about things. I am amazed at how much information he is soaking up like a sponge. I'd like to think he is so smart because he takes after his momma, he he! He is also the social butterfly, if you haven't already figured that out. Everywhere he goes, he is Mr. Popularity, the "Big Man on Campus". He is so mature and socially advanced for his age, the kids just flock to him like he is the cool "older" kid. It is so funny. His social life is full and he craves it.

Drew has gotten so big! If you think Dallin is smart, watch out for Drew! One thing that amazes me is how well he speaks. His vocabulary is endless and his speech is perfect. Since he turned two, he has been singing songs like mad. He has whole songs memorized word-for-word, perfectly! His most famous songs are "Itsy Bitsy Spider", "I Love to See the Temple", "Twinkle Little Star", and "I'm Trying to be like Jesus". Not bad for a two year old, but more than that what kills us is that he sings some serious chart-toppers on the radio too. We'll be listening to the radio in the car and hear him in the back seat belting out some Fergie or Alicia Keys or Justin Timberlake. Just about anything. Other than his singing and talking abilities, he is the sweetest kid I have ever met! He is such a great snuggler, so obedient, soft spoken and doesn't cry and whine so much like other kids do. He is also really tough. He can get some serious injuries and I wouldn't know because he doesn't cry when he gets hurt. For example: We were outside working in the yard and he comes up behind me and is telling me in this cute voice how he got hurt. It didn't sound alarming, so I didn't even look at him and said, 'Oh, I'm sorry Drew', just to validate what he said. If I weren't really listening, I would have missed it when he said he was bleeding. That's when I turned around and saw that he had a huge gash on his hand that was just dripping blood! Things like that go on all the time when he gets hurt. I finally told Doug we really need to watch him and check him thoroughly when he says he is hurt because it's decieving how bad it is when he isn't screaming bloody murder! (Which is what we are used to with Dallin.....still). Drew is the tough kid while Dallin on the other hand is the baby of the family.

Doug and I both have callings in the ward. He is on the Activities Committee and I am the 2nd Counselor in the Young Women Presidency along with Assistant Camp Director. Doug struggles with his calling because he has to tap into his inner girl. You know, ideas on activities, decorations and planning the food menu isn't really up his alley. He kindof stands back and lets the women tell him to haul and set up tables and chairs and to do the brawny "man" work. That is where he is most comfortable, but someone has to do it, right? My calling helps me fill up my time with scenery other than kids, housework and cooking. It is fun to get out and hang with the Young Women and do fun activities with them. Almost all the leaders are in their 20's so it is real fun! I am a little awkward with girls though, because I have spent the past 7 years with nothing but BOYS! I always related better with boys anyway. Like Doug, I am not tapped in with my inner girl too much either! But, it is a good learning experience and refreshing to be with women!

Well, enough of my rantings. If you got to the end of this, you must really care about what is going on with us! Thanks for caring! If not, I understand, I probably wouldn't read it all either!



Happy Blogging!