Wild Hair Day!

This last week was sprite week at school.  Monday was St. Patrick's Day so it was wear green day.

Tuesday was Wild Hair Day. . .  Here are our the kids wild hair!

Dillon's Blue and Gold Banquet 2014

Dillon's Blue and Gold Banquet was this last week.  They held it at a little bowling ally at the Army Depot here in Tooele.  We had pizza and cake and had a lot of fun bowling.

Happy Birthday Dan

This weekend was a busy one.  We had the chance to watch my sisters three boys from Friday morning to Saturday after noon.

Saturday was Dan's 41st Birthday.  We started off with Cake for breakfast and Dan opened his gifts.

Then I was off to a RS Conference were we had yummy lunch.  After I got home we loaded up the boys, dropped off a funeral potato's to the church for a funeral luncheon and Dan and I headed to the temple.  We did sealing this time, that is always fun to do.  Afterwards we went to Texas Roadhouse for dinner.  This was my first time going there.  It was pretty good food.  When we got home we got the kids to bed and we watched the movie Catching Fire together.

It was a busy weekend, but we had a good one.

Honey Do List...

I didn't get the pictures taken, so maybe I will tomorrow, but this weekend Dan knocked off some items on the Honey Do List...

We have 15 windows in our house.  5 of them had screens on them, but two of the screens needed replacing.  The other 3 where ok.  Last week we bought window screen kits for all of the windows.  Yesterday Dan put together 7 window kits and replaced the screen on two of the windows.  So he only has 3 kits left to build.  He also started to install the new front Screen door.  We have to get a chisel so he can finish it, but he will get it finished this week.

Now we are ready for warmer weather to come so we can open windows and not let the bugs get in the house.

Lots of updates!

Wow this last month has been a lot of fun!  I have also learned some important lessons.

As Dan and I prepared for our tax refund to come, we talked about what we needed to use it for, house, cars, ext.  As we prayed about it we really felt like we should get a newer van then we had.

So after much research and talking about what we wanted, we did some looking and we were able to pay cash for a 2002 Honda Odyssey.  I love this mini-van and it has been wonderful!  We saved so much money that we were able to replace our broken dishwasher and get a new microwave for over the stove.  These have all been a blessing to us.  This experience taught me that if we want something we can have it and not get into debt.  A few days later we sold our old mini-van to a couple that really needed it and we were able to buy their extra car so that we had two cars.  We again paid cash and even though it has a few issues, it was things we could work with.  Dan still takes the bus to work, but on the days he has to drive, I will still have a car at home to use and his Sunday and Tuesday meetings at church will be easier as I don't have to drive him and then come home and then go back (he is one of the ward clerks).  The smaller car gets better gas miles which we are happy about.

I feel like a rich women because we were able to buy 2 cars, a new dishwasher and a new microwave all with cash within 5 days.  Now we are broke, but we don't have car payments so that is good.

I learned I had to make some sacrifices, but in the end I still ended up with what I wanted and what I needed!

Our New Mini Van.  2002 Honda Odyssey The kids are loving the power sliding doors.

I am loving the bigger trunk space.

2000 Grand Am

New Microwave~ I choose black because I am hoping to change all of my appliances to black some day.

new dishwasher

She Needs Glasses!

Jennilyn has been complaining of headaches for a while.  I knew she sat in the back of the class, but since she was complaining so much I decided to take her in to get her eye's check.  

We were told that she is nearsighted and will probably have eyesight like her dad.

She picked up her glasses today, and I let her pick out a 2nd glasses case so she can keep one at school and one at home.

Love you in your glasses Jennilyn, they make you look smart!

Happy 5th Birthday Ruth and Irene!

Today, my babies are 5 years old!  Where does the time go!  They are each other's best friends!

Ruth and Irene are doing so good in preschool.  They can write their names, are learning the alphabet, counting, and love to do what ever Dillon and Jennilyn are doing.

They are my charmers and try to get away with anything and everything!

We have a lot to look forward to for next year.  Ruth and Irene will start kindergarten and all 4 kids will be going to a new school.

We love you Ruthie and Renny!  Happy Birthday!

Welcome 2014

Another year is here!  I love new years.  We all get a little older and hopefully we have learned things through the last year.

I saw this picture on facebook yesterday and I totally want to take it to heart!

2013 had some rough bumps in the road, but we made it and we are so excited to start of 2014!

I have made some personal goals that I hope will help me be a better person, mom and wife.

Dan and I have also set some goals as a couple that I feel will be very rewarding.

We are also going to start taking a family history class together at church which we are excited about.

One thing I want to make sure I do is take more pictures.  I hardly took any pictures during the last two weeks so I have nothing to show of what fun we have had.

So from Our Family to Yours Have a Happy New Year, and make it a great one!

Christmas Newsletter 2013

It is that time of year again...I sit here reflecting on this last year...Wow what a year it has been.

One year ago this week we moved into our 1st home.  What a difference it is to live in a house and not in an apartment.  We are so glad we were able to do this last year.

Now onto what is going on with the family:

Irene will be 5 in Jan.  She loves going to preschool and is looking forward to Kindergarten next year.  She is the taller of the twins and loves horses, princesses, and playing with legos and playing games on Lego.com

Ruth and Irene are best friends.  The joys of being a Twin!  Ruth too loves Preschool and is looking forward to Kindergarten as well.  She is the smaller of the two and two loves horses, princess and playing with legos and on Lego.com

Jennilyn is our smart 1st grader and is 6 yrs old.  She is an excellent reader and is learning math and enjoying it.  She loves to play ballerina and she has a lot of the same interest as the twins with horses, legos, princess and such.  Of course they all share a room so that is not hard.

Dillon is our fun energy boy.  He is in 2nd grade and just turned 8.  Dillon was baptized on Dec 7th.  He is enjoying cub scouts and he loves legos.

This year has been a roller coaster for Annette and Dan.  Both of us have had some health scares this year. But we have had fun too.

The end of  January we found out we were going to have another baby and were very excited about it, but a few weeks later we ended up in the ER with Annette in so much pain.  They were trying to find out what was wrong and we heard the baby's heart beat, but then were told that it was another Tubal Pregnancy.  They took her into emergency surgery.  While they were there they found out that Annette had appendicitis and took care of that too.  Annette is doing well and is moving forward as a mother of 4 kids.

In  April Dan had a scare that took us to the ER with him.  He has had problems with High Blood Pressure for a few years, and they were having trouble getting it under control.  He started seeing a specialist this year and with a lot of hard work we now have his BP under control, but he is also now seeing a cardiologist and it has been determined that he has a mild heart condition called  left ventricular non-compaction.  This is a hereditary family condition.  As of right now we just keep moving forward as there is not a lot of things to be done for it.  He will continue to be monitored for it.  But he is doing well and has lost 30 lbs this year.

 In June Dan and Annette traveled to Minnesota to attend Dan's sister Annette's wedding.  While we were there we got to visit with many friends and family.  Dan's Grandmother also celebrated her 90th birthday while we were there and it was very neat to get to spend time with her.

The kids and Annette spent a week at Camp Tifi with Papa Jack and Nana this summer and we had a lot of fun.

In October Dan and Annette celebrated 9 yrs since they got married.

We had the chance of having both sets of grandparents come and visit us a few times this year.  Also Great-Grandparents have come too.

In September we had a chance to have all of Annette's sisters come to Utah and spend time with all of them, and have some of them come stay at our home.

We are loving having a house and having family come visit.

Dan is still working at Sportman's warehouse.  And has had a busy year with them.  Annette is still enjoying being home with the kids, she has started doing some babysitting.

This year we have really been blessed and watched over.

We want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

From Our Family to Yours!

Love,
Daniel, Annette, Dillon, Jennilyn, Ruth and Irene

Christmas Card 2013

Dillon's Baptism

On Saturday December 7, 2013 Dillon Archibald Burke was baptized as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints by his father Daniel P. Burke

This was a special day.  We want to thank all that were able to come and let those who were not able to come know that they were missed.

Weather, work and illness prevented some of the family coming, but we had a great day with those that came.

We love you Dillon and are so proud of your choice to be baptized!

Dillon and Dan before the services

Annette, Dan and Dillon

Our family

Cousins together

Nana Dillon and Dillon, Papa was sick and not able to come

Aunt Jaclyn, cousins CPC, SRC and MJC with Dillon

Grandpa and Grandma Burke with Dillon

Dan with his parents and the kids

Congratulations Dillon!

Dillon with the cake!

Happy 8th Birthday Dillon!

8 yrs ago today I became a Mom!  Dillon you are my sweet boy and I love you so very much.

Dillon you have been improving so much in school and are starting to have interest in things you like to do or want to do.

It is fun to come say good night to you and find you reading a book in your own way before you go to sleep, just like Mom and Dad do.

You are starting Cub Scouts this week and I am excited to see you learn about new things.

We love you Dillon!  Happy 8th Birthday!

Sorry no older pictures they are all on the portable Hard Drive and I didn't have access to it. :)

Halloween 2013

Two weeks ago a friend called and asked if she could take the kids to the pumpkin patch and carve pumpkins with them.  I said sure.  The kids had a lot of fun, of course they love spending time with Crystal and her nieces and nephews.

On Oct 29th (Our Anniversary) we had the ward trunk or treat, sorry pictures did not turn out.  The kids had fun dressing up and going and playing games, riding horses, and getting candy.  It was cold and I had not had the kids dress warmer as I wasn't thinking.

Halloween night I had them dress warmer.  It was not as cold as it had been two days before and we did two whole streets in our neighborhood and everyone told us we had to go to the Bishop's house so we loaded the kids up and drove over to the Bishops and hit a few homes around his that don't get many visitors.  We were back in just over an hour which is alright as it was a school night.  They each got to eat two pieces of candy and they were all asleep by 8:30.  I had turned out the lights at 8:15 when we had not had trick or treaters for about 10 min and I only had a few pieces of candy left to hand out.

It was a good night over all.  My girls loved being princesses and Dillon loved being a pirate.
I hope you all had a safe and fun Halloween!

(not the greatest picture)

All in a Days work

This weekend Dan dug a hole.

All the kids helped at some point (sorry no pictures of Dillon helping)

This is what he put up. A hand rail.  It still needs some paint.  I like the post covers.  They are solar power little lights.

Technically we don't need a hand rail for the number of stairs that we have, but we have noticed some people were having issues going up without some help. so we decided to match some of our neighbors and put in a hand rail.  I am loving it!