Pay it Forward

Okay so on my awards post I said the first 3 commenters would be getting a gift from me! The winners were Janice at Eleven months apart, Kila at Mom to 3 cubs, and Dawn from Colours of Dawn. If you guys want your gifts please email me your addresses at dunnfour6@yahoo.com so I can get them out. Most people are doing homemade gifts but right at the moment I don't have my things to do that or time for that matter so I am changing it up a bit and will send you Ketchikan, Alaska gifts instead. Hope you guys like them! If you don't want to participate let me know so I can go to the next person on the list.

Fun Monday "Security Blankets"

This weeks Fun Monday is brought to us by Karina at Candid Karina here is her challenge for this week.....

"I want to see your security blankets. No, not the kind Linus carries around with him in the Charlie Brown cartoons, although, if you have one of those, by all means share it. What I want to see are the items you just cannot leave home without. What is it that if you leave your house without, you feel naked, incomplete, not quite right? This can be one thing or many things. And since most of us don't live in a clothing optional society, lets just assume we all leave the house fully dressed...I want to hear about those other things...the extras. The things that make women's purses so heavy and men's pockets so messy (I'm going to get grief for this one, aren't I?) What can't you leave home without? Show us pictures, tell us stories...have fun!"

Seems pretty simple right? I thought so. Until I started thinking about it. Honestly I'm not a normal girl. I don't like to carry a purse unless I absolutely have to so I don't carry much with me unless I can put it in a pocket. Oh I have a purse but it actually permanenty resides in my car right now. Don't worry where I live no one is going to want to try to get into it. Also there is nothing in it really. So to make this a little more interesting I decided to show what I can't leave the house without and what the hubby doesn't leave the house without. Now he is the one with a lot of stuff!

So I will start with my first comparison. Our keys, I carry by car keys and the key to our storage with me. Thats it for keys. I have to say though I am notorius for losing my keys though so I don't always have them with me. Which is why it is probably a good thing we don't lock the doors! Like I said no worry about anyone comming into the house that I don't want in there, they would have to find it first. That and no one around here locks anything up so nope no house key here. My keys do have a buttons for my car though cause I can't go without buttons...for some reason we don't lock the car much either.....

The comparison you ask? Look at Kelly's keys!

There are actually about 30 different keys here. Granted he keeps all 3 sets of keys to our vehicles on him (I only carry the set for which vehicle I'm driving) he also has keys that open the doors to his work and all the master keys for the heavy equipment vehicles he works on. I posted what he does a few posts back if your intrested. He does have one special thing on his keychain that makes me all happy inside......It says KnT I made it for him in highschool 15 years ago for a jewelry class project and gave it to him. It's a bit beat up now and not as shiny but it makes me happy that it's still there!

Next thing is the most important thing to me! My cell phone of course. I did say I'm notorius for losing my keys right? I also get lost going places. Around here I don't get lost as much but I forget where things are and need to get someone to tell me where to go. Also I am a phone-aholic! I am always on the phone. I bought this phone in August just before we moved and I love it. It's also a camera phone, an mp3 player and so much more and it's small and cute!

Kelly on the other hand has more then I do here as well. He has his own personal phone and a work cell so he always has both with him since he can get called anytime for work.For me that is it! Kelly also has at least 2 pocket knives and his leatherman and a whole lot of change...And since he can be sent on a plane or a ferry at any time with his job and has all this extra crap around he always has this with him when he leaves as well...And since the title for this was security blankets I thought I would show you Kelly's! His grandma made it for him when he was a kid and he still has it. It needs a lot of work and was obviously very loved when he was younger because the poor thing is falling apart. No he doesn't take it with him wherever he goes though but I thought I'd share.

Izzak my 12 year old participated this week also so please check out his security blankets!

Awards and Pay it forward! long overdue!! (I fixed Izzaks link)

Okay I have gotten some awards lately but I'm a terrible person because I don' t pass them on in a timely manner. I do thank people for them but I'm supposed to pass them, right?

Part of it is blogger, my computer or the internet have been bad lately I am having problems posting pics. Even though I am posting them and sometimes a lot it takes forever because I get error messages. Anyway aside from the excuses. I really do appreciate the awards people give me!! It makes me feel special....

So I will get those taken care of at least the ones that are fairly recent.




This one is from a fairly new reader of mine Marja that I do enjoy reading but have been having a hard time with getting to and commenting on everyones blogs latelyThe bloggers I give this to are:

Alpha Dude He's a funny dude and I love hearing his stories. I have enjoyed his stories about his family. He has a great son names Josh
That Chick! I can pretty much always count on a laugh from her! Her open letters are always great and many times she says things I'm already thinking. She's not afraid to say what she thinks and her kids are great! So's the hubby.
Jocelyn I love her posts everytime. She is a faboulus writer in my eyes and really makes me laugh also
Melanie at Our Happy Happenings Recently her adorable little girl turned one and she wrote several posts about her feelings about her growing up. I loved the posts and several of them hit the mark with my own feelings about my kids growing up
Janice at Eleven Months Apart Janice is a great photographer and I wish she lived close by, I would totally inlist her to do some photos of my kids! She doesn't give her self enough credit though because even when she says they aren't very good they are really great!



This award was given to me by Melanie at Our Happy Happenings
this is what it says This Egel Nest Award for Blog Excellence was given to me from ZAM. This award was created by Brad Egel as a way to honor your friends who you think have excellent blogs.
Scribbit Anyone who already reads Scribbits blog do you really need and explaination to why I think her blog is excellent? She posts pretty much everyday always has great posts. She is hosting a Winter Bazaar at her blog and you really should check it out!
Amy at A Family Story I love Amy's blog and her header I have always loved. I feel like that some days. Pop over to her blog Friday was her and her twin brothers birthday! She has adorable little girls and I love to read her blog
Dreaming What Ifs I love her blog what can I say. Also her nicknames for her kids are too cute!
The Dust Will Wait Karmyns mom and a fabulous blogger as well. The name of her blog is part of one of my favorite poems and caught my attention immediatly when I found her.




This one is from Sylvia at HeiressChild and Kila at Mom to 3 cubs “This award is for those bloggers who are nice people; good blog friends, and those who inspire good feelings and inspiration. Also, for those who are a positive influence on our blogging world. ONCE YOU'VE BEEN AWARDED, PLEASE PASS IT ON TO 7 OTHERS WHO YOU FEEL ARE DESERVING OF THIS AWARD.”

Here is What Sylvia said about me! "-i'm always inspired when i read about your children and the love you have for them. you're very smart, and to me, your whole family has made a positive influence on the blogging world. i liked how you responded to the anonymous person last week
about the address."

Heather at The Zoo One of the original people who found me. We have emailed back and forth ever since not always regular but often. I consider her a friend. In fact when our original plan was to move near Anchorage and we were going to drive from Oregon we were going to stop off and visit her and her family. One of the reasons I was disapointed we couldn't drive to Ketchikan I was really looking forward to meeting her in person. I hope someday we will meet!
A Step at a Time by Debbie One of the few homeschooling bloggers I know. I got the idea to homeschool Izzak from reading her posts. She talks about her doubts in herself sometimes which actually gives me hope since I doubt my ability all the time.
Wendy at Chaotic Kiddospassword protected Another blogger I feel like I've become friends with from blogging. She helped me with my template when I was trying to do it myself and nearly brock my blog in the process.
Stacy at Bowl Full of Wishes Wendy's sister. I'm jealous of the friendship they have and how they do things together. I don't have that kind of a relationship with my own sister. I love seeing it. We are doing a Flat Stanley project for her daughter right now who also is a first grader named Madison! Small world isn't it?
Emma A day in the Life of a mum to 4 Emma was the very first blogger who found me from comments I had left on another post. I feel like I can connect with her and think we actually have a lot in common. We both have sons with similar learning problems, both have 4 kids and sometimes neither of us is holding it all together very well. Recently she posted about how if her head wasn't attached she would lose it when talking about losing important things. I can soo relate. I feel like she is another friend!
Frannie Frannie loves my little Madison. She is always commenting that she will babysit her for me and if she didn't live so far away I would totally take her up on it. I gotta love anyone who adores my little Maddie so much!
Scribbit I said above that Scribbit was my go-to person a lot of times before we got here about information on Alaska. I still feel she is. I think it is awsome that she addresses every comment I give her on her posts with a personal email.


This one is from my friend Heather at The Zoo and Melanie at Our Happy Happenings I say my friend because I have actually met a lot of people who I consider friends since blogging and she is one of them. We "talk" via e-mail pretty regular and I really look forward to "talking" with her!

This is what the person who created this award says about it- "the thing that I love most about blogging is that I learn so much about a person just by reading their blog. I have met MANY wonderful people with wonderful stories to tell, and I am grateful every day for each person that I have the pleasure of crossing paths in life with. I wanted to create something special for the top ten people who have inspired me through their blogging; the stories they tell, and the lives that they lead with grace and dignity. I visit their blogs for inspiration and encouragement. Although there are MANY people I want to give this award to at this very moment, I am going to choose ten bloggers: Please grab your badge and wear it(with a smile) proudly, and pass it on because you inspire and encourage me, thank you. So, now it is my turn to pass it on."

Here is what Heather said when she gave me this award "makes me grin in envy at the beautiful scenery of her new Alaskan home. Her kids are pretty entertaining too! I liked Izzaks eagle outfit. :) She's an encouragement to me as well."

Frannie Again some of this has to do with her love for all things Madison. She makes me smile everytime she comments. I love her blog too. She is one I feel I could be friends with if we lived closer by. Her little Drama is the cutest little guy and I love when she posts pictures.
A Kid Called Emma Emma has the cutest little face and head of curly locks. Kenzie used to have hair like that and I miss it! Recently they went to a restaurant and told them it was Emmas birthday just so they would sing to her. Too cool!! I wish I had the nerve to do that.
Colours of Dawn Another homeschooling blogger I have started reading just recently. Her kids are older ages. Even though she tries to say she isn't very organized she has posted several posts about it recently and I so wish I could be like that!
Chrisb Chrisb makes me smile especially every Wednesday with her Whitty Wednesday posts she started awhile back. Sometimes the fun is in her comments though when Beccy and her and her other daughter Sam getting into it together!
Peppermint Tea Chrisbs daughter she was also one of my first blog finds. She regularly makes me laugh and if you go to her blog soon you can read the story of her tasting magic sand that was on her daughters floor! She makes me smile with the stories she tells as well.
Emmakirsten at Going for a baseball team? Is pregnant with her 5th baby right now and I'm actually jealous I'm not sure why but I wouldn't mind another baby. I really can't wait till he is born so that I can see new baby pics. She also has a son with learning problems.
TwinsxTwo What can I say she has 2 sets of twins! I would go nutso with 1 set and hers are not very far apart in age. Her younger twins have craniosynestosis. Another thing I couldn't imagine dealing with surgeries like that for 1 child let alone 2 at a time. Really you should check her out she is an inspiration to me!
M at And then there were 2 M's little boy Liam is just now in the process of getting started on therapy for speach and other delays. She is where I was with Izzak 10 years ago and I totally feel for her frustrations! I've been there hon It's hard but I promise you will make it and be a better mom from it!! She has a lot on her plate right now but still manages to make me laugh sometimes and if not all she has to do is post pics of her kiddos they are both adorable and her little girl Lily has the cutest smile!
Steffi Makes me want to take up sewing if I could just figure out how to make a straight line. She posts pictures of the clothing projects she does making clothes for her daughter Nathalie and some she has made for her little nephew Tom. She is an awesome seamstress and I am extremly jealous that she makes and sends things to Beccy for her daughter Molly. She lives in Germany and writes in both english and german which I think is very cool. I took German in highschool and like to read the German translation first to see how much of it I remember. Honestly for me though I'm lucky sometimes that my posts are in understandable English
Izzak (my son) I wanted to include. He has a blog, he doesn't post very regularly but writing is very difficult for him. He has reading and writing disabilities among a couple of others so his posts are short. He is an inspiration to me though because he has been through a lot in his short 12 years and finds ways to overcome most. I know he will find ways to work around his disabilities because of that and because of that he is my inspiration and makes me smile every day!

Honestly though I love all of the blogs I read and would consider them all to be at the top of my list. Otherwise I wouldn't have come back again and again! You are all parts of my daily life since I can't wait to get a decent chunk of time to check on all of you! I worry whenever someone doesn't post for a few days just like if I hadn't heard from a friend on the phone.

I also need to include in this post that I was a commenter on Frannies Pay It Forward post so the first 3 commenters who post here on this post "win" a gift from me! You have to promise to do it on your blog also to participate. Most are doing a homemade gift but really with the move I don't have time and my stuff is still packed away so I have decided to do mine a little different and I will send a gift from here in Ketchikan! Hope you choose to participate and I will post the names of the commenters on my next post. I will just need those named to email me their addresses at dunnfour6@yahoo.com.

"M" makes me laugh!!!

I went over to visit my blogging buddy M this evening and she had posted a little video her mother had made for her on jibjab. I thought it was so funny I would give it a try. All 4 of the kids and our extra "kid" Josh Kelly's younger brother....oh yeah I still need to tell you about him being here don't I? A later time. For now laugh at my families expense....I did!

More Stormy Weather and a blackout!

Look at this sunset! Isn't it gorgeous? I wish the camera had picked up the pink a little better but you get an idea. Why do I show this? Well because when you have a pretty day like this one

It is not fair for the weather to do this to your the next!

Yes we had a downright nasty storm last night. You can barely see the barge in the photo below because the fog rolled in so fast. The winds were nasty but since Ketchikan doesn't have a news channel or anything I have no idea how fast the wind was.
All I know is it was bad enough to leave us in the dark last night....Maddie says hi! She also wants to know why it is darker in the house then outside. Well, she is only 6!

Take a look at a bit of the storm. Sorry about me seeming to almost drop it but I almost got blown away!

Untitled from my4kidsdunn on Vimeo.

Also please pray for and keep in mind the people in Southern California with the wildfires going. I spent most of my childhood in San Diego and we have a lot of family friends who still live there. One family has been evacuated from their rental home and the new house they were having built may have burnt down but I am not sure yet. It was in the line of the fire though so very possible it is gone. They do have children as well. His brother is fine other then smoke and dirt from the fires not sure about a store he ownes yet either. Lots of people being evacuated though. We have one family that we have not heard from.

Fun Monday

This week's Fun Monday is being hosted by WT, he wants to see some clothing art. That's tee shirts, baseball caps, hoodies, sports uniforms or any bit of clothing that you or your kids own that has interesting, funny or artistic graphics.

Hmm we are a family of goofy and funny graphic shirts. I love to buy them for my family I don't have many myself. This is my favorite for myself...

The rest of the family though? They have tons. I got lots of them to post for this post. Kelly has several but only found a few of them for this post...He is a big fan of Big Dog shirts

This one Joshua is wearing both Kelly and him have. In case your wondering that is a 3 ft gummy snake he is holding!

If you can't read it it says "If you don't like my attitude QUIT TALKING TO ME!!

That is one of Kellys personal favorites which is probably why Joshua wanted one for himself.

You can't read this one but it says "Don't be offended if I just turn around and walk away" Yep sums him up at times. He has another one that says "I'm really excited to be here" yep it's sarcastic....

What 12 year old doesn't have a sexy Spongebob t-shirt......

You know skateboarding is more fun then homework, right???

And it always seems like a good idea at the time.....

He really does look like he is thinking of an explanation in this one. I like shirts that are excuses for not doing things and sayings that are trying to get out of trouble. We have lots of these type shirts.

Izzak bought the evil monkey shirt himself last weekend when he was at a youth conference in Juneau with the youth group. He got back Sunday morning and this is what he had on in church....I thought it was a little inappropriate.....He thought it was funny and so did the hubby and Kellys brother. These were some of Izzaks shirts.

Joshua likes the homework shirts also. I'm sure his teacher enjoys when he wears this one. His aunt bought this one for him. I think it's pretty cute.

This is a good example as well. Really Santa doesn't want to talk to her......he may get a lump of coal.....

Yes, yes he is easily amused especially by himself....

Just and example. He is wearing the shirt in the pic below and is bouncing a ball off of his chin. Yep easily amused.....

Really it wasn't him who tracked all the mud in my car......yeah right..

This was a pajama shirt he got last year. It says "The boogyman is afraid of me!" Yes my son he is and so are we......

Kenzie has several but I can't seem to find them at the moment. Most of hers actually have something to do with shopping or girls being better then boys but those are the ones I couldn't find just this one

And this one....

Madison has a lot of attitude t-shirts. Some of you who already read my blog are familiar with this one "Who me? An attitude problem?" Yes Maddie you....... her poor teacher is learning this one all to well at the moment. So not looking forward to parent teacher conferences in 2 weeks....we've already had a couple of conversations.

Really she could have her own reality T.V. show. This child is a hoot! Oh and she is still working on getting all 6 of those teeth in. Eventually right?

When we lived in Portland their grandpa used to take them to blazer games and Maddie was a big fan.

Uncle Josh moved up here to and wanted ot be part of the pictures. Hmm he doesn't always look so happy to have his picture taken

The last shirt is actually an important one to us and we all have one.


The little girl in the shirt is Kennedy. She had leukemia and just finished 2 1/2 years of chemo in August! We are so happy for her and she just had a birthday this month and is 7 years old. She's a friend of the girls and her mommy is a friend of mine that I miss from Oregon.

Hope you enjoyed a look into our graphics wardrobe. I'm really surprised blogger let me post so many pictures!

Just for this Day

Last year before my blog was every noticed I had posted this poem to my kids. It was during a lot of troubles we were having between Kenzie and her chronic stomach, asthma, etc. problems when they were testing her for Cystic Fibrosis (long story) and we weren't really getting answers. I was fighting daily with the school for Izzaks educational needs not being met even while the school was telling me grim statics about what he will be capable of doing when he grows up. I was really frustrated and found this poem. Yes of course it made me cry.

I am posting it again not because we are back in that period where I was feeling like everything was falling apart but because when I originally posted it I did not have the correct name of the poem or the authors name. I received an email from her today and wanted to make sure that she received the credit she really deserves as well as having the original poem which I think is so much better then the one someone tried to make there own for a scam email.

This poem was originally written by her for her son Dhylan. I do not know the story behind the poem but I can see the love for him in her words.


‘Just for this day’

By Sally Meyer


Just for this morning,
I am going to smile whenever I see your face, and laugh when I feel like crying.

Just for this morning, I will let you wake up softly, all rumpled in your flannel pyjamas, and hold you until you are ready to stir.

Just for this morning, I will let you choose what you want to wear, and smile and say how beautiful you are.

Just for this morning, I am going to step over the laundry to pick you up and take you to the park to play.

Just for this morning, I am going to eat a huge breakfast , with bacon, eggs, toast and waffles, and you don’t have to eat any.

Just for this morning, I will leave the dishes in the sink, and let you teach me how to put that 100 piece puzzle together.

Just for this afternoon, I will unplug the telephone and keep the computer off and sit with you in the garden blowing bubbles.

Just for this afternoon, I will not yell once, not even a tiny grumble when you scream and whine for the ice cream truck, and I will buy you one if he comes by.

Just for this afternoon, I will not yell once, not even a tiny grumble when you scream and whine for the ice cream truck, and I will buy you one if he comes by.

Just for this afternoon, I won’t worry about what you are going to be when you grow up or who you might have been before your diagnosis.

Just for this afternoon, I will let you help me bake cookies, and I won’t stand over you trying to ‘fix’ things.

Just for this afternoon, I will let you put all kinds of barrettes in my hair and lipstick on my face, and I will tell you how pretty you have made me look.

Just for this afternoon, I will take you to McDonald’s and buy us both a Happy Meal, so that you can have both toys.

Just for this evening, I will hold you in my arms and tell you a story about how you were born, and how much we love you. Just for this evening, I will let you splash in the bathtub and not get angry when you throw water over your sister’s head.

Just for this evening, I will let you stay up late while we sit on the porch swing and count all the stars. Just for this evening, I will bring you glasses of water, and snuggle beside you for three hours, and miss my favorite show on TV.

Just for this evening, When I kneel down to pray, I will simply be grateful for all that I have and not ask for anything.

Except just one more day.

~ Copyright Sally Meyer 1999 ~

Look what we got today

If you want to see what it is about go here The Dangerous Book for Boys. I have been looking for activities and history projects to do with Izzak and this book really has it all and it's geared towards boys so even better! Obviously we are using a lot of other materials for home school as well but this is a fun one to do with him when we are looking for something different to do. Any of you out there with boys should really look into it.

Fun Monday "how we met"

This weeks Fun Monday is brought to us by Janet from The Planet of Janet. Here is her assignment for this week....

Describe your meeting with your spouse/significant other. I especially want to hear "meet cute" stories. And it doesn't have to be your actual current sig/other. Perhaps the "meet cute" story is a former boy/girlfriend... or even a best friend. Illustrate with photos, of course


I'm not exactly sure what she means by "meet cute" story but I will describe how Kelly and I met almost 15 years ago! We are only 31 so that is pretty much half of our lives already!

Hmm where do I begin? First off we met at our high school youth group from church. I started going to this church my Junior year (11th grade) in high school after a very bad experience from my previous youth group leader whose wife decided on her own that I was a bad person basically, not sure how she formed that opinion but it turned out bad and that youth group actually disolved afterwards because none of the rest of the kids felt they could trust the youth leader or his wife anymore. I had gone to the church Kelly went to for a youth ralley type thing and had liked the group and felt excepted so most of us kids from the other group started attending this new church.

My first impression of Kelly was that he was a jerk! To be honest. Yes he knows it and actually takes pride in it! Kelly was a mechanic and one of the bigger kids in the group and hung out with some of the other boys that were also bigger and a bit rowdy. So anyway the first time I saw Kelly he and 3 other friends of his had decided it would be funny to take the smallest Freshman boy in the group and wrap him in duct tape. Nice guys right? Well yeah they didn't stop there they had him standing on a piano bench and were in the process of taping him to the wall when one of the youth leaders came in and stopped them.....poor kid. There were a couple of other things he did to be a bit of a trouble maker before we ever actually talked but I found out later that he had noticed me the first time I came and already liked me but had a girlfriend already.

He got up the nerve to talk to me that spring which was about 4 months after I had started attending and we talked a few times. It was a good time for me I had just moved to a new house with my parents and was trying to make some decisions regarding school. It was going to be my senior year and I didn't know if I would take the bus to the old school (which would be a 1 hour trip twice a day) or go to the school in our new neighborhood. We talked a couple of times before summer came and he was a counselor at the churches summer camp so he was gone for awhile. His girlfriend was a counselor to so I didn't think anything of our little talks.

In August the church had a church picnic at the same camp he was at. He was there and told me that he had broken up with his girlfriend and we spent the rest of the day walking through the camp and talking. He asked me if we could do something sometime when he got back from camp and I said yes.

We went on our first date at the end of August and I decided to go to the new school which was t he same one Kelly went to. After the first date we were pretty much inseperable he picked me up from school and drove me home or to my work at the time. We went out most weekends and spent the day after school together. Actually I helped with his english homework and somehow he ended up with a better grade? Not sure how that happened.....

In about January we already new we wanted to get married some day.

We had our Senior pictures taken together and that is where the pic below came from.....


I could finish the story with how we got married in August exactly one year from our first date but I will save that for another post!