Dutson Daze...

A (Sorta) Happy Birthday...

2011-11-17T17:23:00.001-07:00

Can you even believe we officially have a ONE year old!?!
Me either!

I had a low-key little birthday party planned for Ms.Perry. It was going to be a birthday breakfast with the family and a couple of Perry's friends. There was going to be parfaits, and waffles, and music, and gifts, and laughter and a banner that I spent a great deal of time making and...

...And then this very sad and sick little face and asked me to cancel the party...

So cancel the party, I did.

And just as life would have it, she was much better by her Birthday. I'm convinced it was all a scam to get her Birthday festivities drawn out for an entire week.
(Hence the random and lack of pictures.)

{Brad surprised both Perry and I with this cute little Radio Flyer Trike.}

Happy Birthday to you, little Wink!

11 Months Old...

2011-09-29T10:55:00.002-07:00

You know on the first day of class how the professor tries to scare you into dropping the course?

"My tests are SO hard!"

"Your weekends will be replaced with tears and studying!"

"This is the weed-out course and 50% of you will FAIL!"

Well along with all of those kind words, my current Physiology professor also said

"If you just had a baby -- drop! this! class!"

I immediately panicked! I did indeed "just have a baby", right?

False!!!

This here little tot is almost a whole year old! I didn't just have a baby! Why does it feel like she just got here? Where did my baby go? But so it is, she's officially 11 months old today and a mover and a shaker she is! :)

* Her absolute favorite "toy" is any book. She can sit on my lap and let me read to her ALL DAY. In the car, she's flipping through a book -- at home, she's flipping through a book. Book worm like her Dadadada.

*She recently graduated from scaling the furniture like a cat to full on (assisted) walking. Assisted meaning she now just drags her high-chair everywhere she "needs" to go and uses it as a standing prop.

* Eats 3 meals a day and is starting to refuse the bottle.

* She can say Momma, Dada and A-woooo-ga! Why I tough her to say A-woooo-ga, I don't know. But it's pretty cute when she randomly blurts it out!

* She's got 7 teefers. 3 on bottom and 4 on top! They kinda of all just popped up at the same time!

* She hums herself to sleep and when she's almost awake in the morning she hums a little until I go get her.

* Her favorite treat is some good old H20! When I get her a sippy-cup she starts laughing and lauging. And any chance she can get her little mouth on our glass of water is the best moment of her life.

* She can crawl up all 40-trillion stairs in our house. Like, really really fast! We're still working on her going down the stairs and NOT head first.

* She LOVES dogs and hates cats. Sigh, we've taught her right. She gets all clingy when we're around a cat and absolutely freaks out with excitement when we see dogs. She could spend hours chasing her Grandma's poodles, and when she gets her hands on Maggy....whack!....she smacks her (in a friendly playful way) and the chase is back on! :)

Oh Wink Tink, you really are our sunshine!

Stop growing up so fast!

7 month photo taken by Jen Herem Photography

You're Welcome For Your New Addiction...

2011-08-11T22:50:00.000-07:00

Oh, people!
As if any of us need one more thing to waste time on...

Now t his?

"Pinterest is a Virtual Pin-board that lets you organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web." See something you like while surfing the web? Pinterest allows you to "pin" it to your board and will automatically log the site it's from.

Here are a few of my favorites from my "boards".

Dressing Myself...

Foooooood...

Perry Shea...

Hair Help...

Must. Go. To. Bed.

And if you're still waiting for your long-drawn-out invite,
leave your e mail and I'll send one your way.

Find me HERE.

Family Pics By The Always Incredible...

2011-08-03T09:25:00.000-07:00

I've said it before...
(here & here)
And I'll say it again...

Jen Herem...

You are amazing!

Jen Herem Photography:

Website

Blog

Kennington Family Vaca...

2011-07-25T11:45:00.002-07:00

A couple weeks ago we spent the weekend basking in the St.George sun with my family. As following family tradition, we went to Tuacahn Theater and saw The Little Mermaid. This year it was oodles better with little Perry with us to watch!

She was in heaven watching all of the
lights & bubbles & water & crazy costumes & Mermaids & fishies.
She loved the singing and the dancing...
And while we loved the show --
I think we all loved watching her little face light up even more!

We spent a day at the lake on wave-runners. Looking back it's funny how fearless I once was. Cliff jumping and attempting unsafe maneuvers on the water was second nature. But this year was different. We knew we had a sweaty little tinker-tot waiting on the beach for us and we needed to remain in one piece.

We're such parents!

We had a fabulous trip that went by way too ding-dang fast.

Till next year Kennington Fam!

Brad The Grad...

2011-07-20T10:08:00.002-07:00

Whew!

He's done!
For good this time!

Brad finished the Westminster MBA program last December and
took a long awaited walk in his hooded robe a few weeks ago for graduation.

Our day started with a little outdoor brunch held on the Westminster campus...

We then headed to the Maverik Center for the official graduation...

And attempted to get a cute picture of Perry in Brad's graduation cap.
Unsuccessful - - As you can see.

{Left - Brad's graduation from the UofU - 2007}

{Right - Graduation from Westminster - 2011}

We celebrated later with our family, friends and some good old BBQ'n!
Again, I'm so grateful for such a hard working husband
and Winkle and I are so proud of you!

Perry's Eating Habbits...

2011-07-09T00:17:00.003-07:00

People!

I suck at blogging!
Oops! Oops! Oops!

We've got lots of catching up to do over here.

So new goal -- blog once a week!

We'll see how this goes...

For now, let's do some catching up on The-One-And-Only...

When little Wink turned 4 months old she was finally ready to try something other than boring old breast milk! We followed the newest recommendations of The American Academy Of Pediatrics. Their latest study suggest to start feeding baby yellow veggies and then graduate from all fruits and green vegetables to the (appalling and rank) meats.

Perry has now consumed fish, peanut butter, noodles, eggs, ext. Risky stuff feeding a little one such commonly know allergy provoking foods, right? This new regimen however, has proved to minimize the risk of later food allergies AND reduce the risk of childhood obesity.

(More about this study and recommended guidelines found HERE.)

(Cough cough...)
I'm affraid I'm coming off as a prude here. Let me be clear...
We eat Oreos in bed. OFTEN!
In all efforts to keep Perry nutritionally balanced,
I often slip just so I can see a giant chocolate smile. :)
Perry has been generously offered fantastically unhealthy foods
ranging from 7 layer choco. cake to those cute little white and green gummy frogs.

And a little video of her first time eating.
Brad and I are the epitome of first-time-parents!

Stay tuned for more...I hope.

Perry Bunny...

2011-04-25T20:21:00.003-07:00

Despite the fact that Perry's pediatrician has forbid us from taking her to church until mid May (seriously!!!), we found it only appropriate to get her a Sunday dress and pair of bunny ears for her 1st Easter.

We spent time with both families hunting down the best candy of the year
(Cadbury and Reese's Eggs) & $2.16 in loose change!

Easter 2011 - - great success!

{P.S. Leftover Peeps = amazing S'mores!!!}

Lots Of Firsts For Perry...

2011-03-22T22:57:00.000-07:00

Last week Perry and I took a last minute trip down to Arizona for some much needed sista-sista time. Perry was her typical angel self on the plane and made us lots of friends cooing and giggling.

Within minutes of Kaelin picking us up from the airport, we had ourselves the biggest Diet Cokes we could find and some supermarket-sushi.
Ya, we're classy like that!

Perry took a dip in the pool for her very first time.

Our trip to the pool was about 7 exhausting minutes long.

She was a wreck. I think the wreckage began when I got a little too hyper with the sunscreen.

Better luck next time!

We went to the mall...

3 times...

And I did the unthinkable...
I had my babies ears pierced!!!!
(GASP)
I'm a weakling and made my sister hold her while they were pierced. I walked away so I didn't have to witness any tears. She cried for maybe 30 seconds and has been perfectly fine since.
Brave little cookie!

I took this video right after her ears were pierced to prove that she was alive and well. (Mostly for my Mom who was super anti-Perry-piercing.)

((((And pleeeease ignore my ridiculous Mommy voice and the fact I claimed it was August 16th when indeed it's still only March.))))

And if I haven't already told you (because I'm telling just about everyone...)

I BOUGHT MY OWN STUFF TO DO SHELLAC NAILS!!!

I'm obsessed with that stuff and thought it would be cheaper to do myself rather than pay the salon every other week. So of course I painted Kaelin and Kami's nails.

Our flight home was delayed 4 hours. Never a good thing for a Mom traveling alone. But look what Winkle did...she slept for most of the delay. Awwww...

It was a fabulous trip. Not only was I able to spend time with my sis, Kaelin, I was also able to visit my sister-in-law Kami and her little Hen boy. It stinks that they are living so far away. But in the meantime, at least I've got my little Perry-Pie.

Our Valentines Day Spent With The Bachelor & Buffalo Wings...

2011-02-17T15:17:00.001-07:00

This year, in attempts to find any excuse to be in our pajamas by 6 and avoid a 4-hour wait at any given restaurant, we decided to stay in. So I did what I do best and ordered take-out from Wingers.We ate our smorgasbord of food while watching Michelle get booted off The Bachelor.

Speaking of The Bachelor - and this is totally off topic...
But maybe we Googled who wins this season...
And now you wanna know too, hu? HU?

Click HERE to spoil the hype.

Brad surprised me with flowers - I was excited.
Then he pulled out a mini arrangement for Wink and I screamed!
I was easily 20 times more excited for her mini flowers!

And for goodness-sakes, Valentines Day was on a Monday?

Nothing even sounds romantic on a Monday...

Except for buffalo wings and The Bachelor, right?

Phone Photos - - Part 1...

2011-02-09T23:16:00.001-07:00

Would you believe me if I told you that I've taken over
500 pictures on my phone?

Well you should...

(507 to be exact!)
And you better believe the majority of these pictures are of little Perry-winkle.

1. Wink showing off her cute tooshie.

2. A very fresh-from-heaven little babe.

3. Two week old Perry kickin' it with her elephant friend, Hector.

4. Jamming out to Switchfoot.

1. Sending Dad love at work.

2. Real upset about the snow storm that rolled in that day.

3. FIRST SMILE and I just happen to be taking her picture right then!!!

4. On our way to her first Dr. appointment.

More to come...

Newest Profession...

2011-01-26T00:40:00.002-07:00

I'm a recently retired surgical technologist. That's right folks, no more nasty doctors barking orders and throwing toddler-like tantrums. Oh the stories I could tell you, but back to being recently retired...

So while I will miss watching educated adults act like fools, I'm really enjoying my new profession of being a SAHM (stay at home Mom). I love scooping my smiling baby out of her crib every morning. I love how she smells of spit-up, I really do. And I love dancing for her just to get a big toothless smile on her face.

Although I miss the snot out of some of my favorite friends at the hospital, I'm really growing fond of this new profession here--blow-outs and all!

Little Ducky's Dr. Appointment

2011-01-18T14:56:00.001-07:00

Little Perry had her two month check up last week and

was found to be a healthy little tot.

Weight: 11 pounds

Height: 23 inches

Head Circumference: 39 cm.

How do I even put into words how much we love this little girl? Maybe I'll tell you about her humongous dimpled smiles that constantly make my day. Or about the other night when I started crying (happy tears) as she was "talking" to me. I can't even blame the tears on the hormones anymore, just pure love.

Bottom line, we LOVE this little girl.

A Name And A Blessing...

2011-01-03T10:00:00.002-07:00

We blessed little Perry Shea yesterday in my parent's home. Brad gave a beautiful blessing as Perry coo'd the whole time. Brad took a peek at her during the blessing and right as he did, she gave him a big toothless smile. She must know how much her Dad loves her.

Perry's beautiful blessing dress was knit by my mother in law, Kari. She surprised me with it a few days after we found out we were having a girl. It fit and looked perfect. She also knit her the most perfect little pair of booties that matched the dress. Unfortunately, this poor girl inherited her Mom's extremely long fingers and toes and the booties were too small.

We love this little girl so much and are so grateful she's ours for eternity.

All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth...

2010-12-21T08:27:00.004-07:00

In Other News:

Miss Perry Pants now sleeps through the night!

I'll consider this an early Christmas gift from her.

So Proud Of Brad...

2010-12-14T15:23:00.001-07:00

Brad finishing his last project...

(WARNING: This post is dripping with cheese, I apologize in advance.)

Tonight, Brad will present his last presentation, turn in his last written paper, and attend his very last class...EVER! He will be graduating from Westminster with his MBA and I am sincerely so proud of him. Over the past two years, I've watched Brad dedicate himself to school while continuing to be a terrific husband (and now father), work long hours and accomplish many other goals. On many occasions I would pull on his sleeve and beg him to hang out with me and forget about his homework. I tried to convince him that "C's get degrees", but Brad would never settle for a poor grade and insisted on only turning in quality work. Brad will probably kill me for tooting his little horn so much, but guess what? Not only will Brad now have a master's degree, but he's graduating with an overall GPA of 3.9! Hopefully Mr.Smarty-Pants passed on some brains to little Perry.

I feel so blessed to have Brad as my husband. He's such a hard worker and is such a driven person. When Brad says he's going to do something you better believe he does it, and does it well! He's a great provider, he's a wonderful Dad, and always encourages me to become better. And last but not least, Brad makes up the greatest songs about Perry. (He's even really good at singing them in the shower!)

Pictures from his trip to Brazil with his MBA class.

Angra, Brazil

Rio, Brazil

Sao Paulo, Brazil

Perry and I are so ~~lucky~~ blessed to have you, Brad. We're proud of this great accomplishment and proud to call you ours!

Xoxo,

Karlee and The Winkle-One

(I warned you it was going to be cheesy, but I meant every word.)

Picture Perfect...

2010-12-08T16:37:00.002-07:00

My fabulous photographer friend (hello tongue twister) Jen did it again! She recently shot Perry's newborn pictures and we love every. single. one. Any picture of Perry is quite easy to love, but Jen has some insane talent and as always, did an amazing job.

I will now show off our little Perry-winkle...

Pictures from the hospital...

10 Days old...

Baby shower pictures... (I've been awful at blogging this past year, but better late than never, right?)

The disc Jen gave me also included pictures from my baby shower she and my other good friend Diana threw for me back in September. The shower was absolute perfection. My friends completely spoiled Perry and made me feel so loved!

Jen Herem Photography:

Blog

Website

I'll Make This Short And Sweet...

2010-11-25T20:59:00.000-07:00

I'm simply grateful for the people in my life...

My hard working, handsome and loving husband.

My beautiful and healthy Perry Shea.

My extremely supportive family.

And amazing friends.

One more picture, just because it melts my heart...

Happy Thanksgiving!

Perry Shea Dutson...

2010-11-18T21:49:00.003-07:00

Well our little Perry Shea is almost 3 weeks old and I'm just now getting around to posting how we got her here. I figured it was time to post something when I realized that I have no idea where the last 3 weeks have gone or what we've done. We've just been soaking up every last minute with this little gal and couldn't love it anymore.

Our sweet little Perry Shea Dutson safely arrived on Friday October 29th, at 7:59 A.M. at McKay Dee Hospital. This is her birth story...

At my 39 week OB appointment, I was informed that I had an “unfavorable cervix.” Sounds harsh, hu? Long story short, I was carrying her very high and it was unlikely that she was going to come down on her own. After discussing a few options with Dr.Spencer, we decided a c-section was our best option given our circumstances. My OB then surprised us by asking if we would like schedule the c-section for the next day! I still remember looking at Brad in shock and realizing he was even more shocked than I was, but he had a huge grin on his face! So...that was that. We were scheduled to meet our little girl the following morning at 7:30!

The rest of my day was a blur. Brad headed back to work and I got in my car and drove around aimlessly as it sunk in. I packed our bags (that's right, I still hadn't packed the bags yet), cleaned the house and Brad and I went our our last date without having to find a babysitter to celebrate.

Waking up the next morning at 4 A.M. was easy-breezy knowing that we were about to meet our baby. We hit up McDonald's and headed to the hospital. As soon as we checked in, I started to get really nervous. Brad kept me calm and reassured me everything was going to be just fine. As soon as I got my epidural, I felt really relaxed and surgery started! After about 10 minutes and lots of pushing on my already sore ribs, I heard the cutest little cry. Good old Dr.Spencer held our little Perry Shea up for me to get a quick glance at her, and it was love at first sight! Brad and Perry were quickly swept away to clean her off and I was closed back up.

After Perry was born, her temperature and blood sugar levels were both low. They put her under a heater and after about an hour I finally got to see her. I was able to feed her and warm her up doing "skin to skin." Soon after, her temperature and blood sugar levels were normal. We were officially a family!!

Headed into the hospital without a baby...

Signing my life away. I think this is when I started freaking out!

Getting geared up for the O.R.

I was nervous for the epidural but it didn't hurt one little bit.

First time I saw her sweet little face. And I love that the clock in the background shows exactly what time she was born.

Classic Perry face!

We spent the next few days at the hospital recovering and cuddling our little girl. It was such a good experience to have her. I loved my c-section and I am so glad that's how we got her here. We feel so blessed we get to be her parents. We're also grateful that she's perfectly healthy with ten fingers and ten toes.

We were in the hospital for Halloween and of course she had to sport her giraffe costume. Obviously she was drowning in it, but adorable none the less! Hands down my favorite picture of Perry!

Dad getting her ready to take home.

Leaving the hospital as a family...

And you've heard it before but - - babies are little miracles. We didn't even know we were capable of loving her this much. We can't wait to raise this little beauty!

Introducing...

2010-10-31T21:46:00.001-07:00

Perry Shea Dutson

Born - Friday October 29, 2010

6 Pounds 8 Ounces

And an adorable 19 inches long.

We couldn't love this little girl any more!

And as always, these perfect pictures were captured by the amazing

Jen Herem Photography.

More pictures coming soon...

Who Will This Little Squirt Look Like...

2010-10-11T14:42:00.000-07:00

Dark hair and dark eyes like her Dad?

Light hair and light eyes liker her Mom?

Or red hair and fair skin like BOTH of her Grandmas?

Place your vote...

-------------------------------->

Counting Down Those Days...

2010-10-09T08:32:00.003-07:00

If you thought I would get creative and blog about
something other than this baby, think again!

34 weeks - 35 weeks - 36 weeks
(I know my outfits all looks the same. Pregnancy has cramped any style I once had!)

We're literally counting the days until this little tot get's here and like most, we're getting impatient! She's all we think, talk and dream about! 22 tiny little days left. So close, yet so far away!

I've now started my weekly check-ups with my OB. Thursday we had a little ultrasound and everything looks great. She's measuring a bit small, 6lbs 1oz., but I'll take small over big when it comes to pushing her out!!! I went to the appointment hoping for a miracle. The miracle went something like this: My doctor would look at me with an amazed look on his face and say, "Wow! You're dilated to a 4 already, she'll be here any day!" Ha, dream on Karlee! I haven't even started dilating! Zero! And he didn't tell me if I've effaced at all, so I'll take that as a zero as well! Wish me better luck next week!

Up to this point:

My doctor is shocked at how high I'm carrying this baby. He says it's one of the highest he's seen. Not only do my ribs feel bruised and broken, but by the end of the day I don't dare eat or drink because it makes me sick and straight up miserable! I swear her cute little foot is in my throat!

The nursery is almost complete. We finally finished the painting and now have new carpet. We just need to put the crib together, put some things away, and bask in the accomplishment of it finally being done!

I've completed my breastfeeding class which I'm so glad I decided to take. I know nursing is supposed to be a "beautiful and natural" thing, but I'm really nervous about it! I thought the class was helpful, but I must admit that I'm still a little weird-ed out by the whole thing...

Brad set up the Pack 'N Play. About a month ago. In our bedroom! Ya, he's excited to become a Dad!

I haven't been nervous about the birthing process until recently! I'm regretting not taking a Lamaze or birthing class. I just can't fathom how this baby is going to get out!!! I need to stop You-Tubing birthing videos...they are causing some wak dreams! :)

I've had all of my baby showers now. We feel so blessed and loved by so many people. This baby has lots of people that love her already and can't wait to meet her. Come out little lady, we're so ready to meet you!

Random Blurbs...

2010-09-02T15:54:00.005-07:00

This may be old news to some, but we've finally decided on a name for this baby girl, Rilo Shea. Rilo, as in the band Rilo Kiley, and Shea as in my middle name. We love it and I don't think we'll be changing our minds (sorry Mom and Dad) unless she comes out screaming she hates it! :)

Next up, I purchased Rilo a Halloween costume. Maybe I'm jumping the gun. Maybe I've jinxed her into arriving after Halloween. But I couldn't help myself when I saw this cute giraffe costume at Baby Gap. She's got a thing for giraffes already, I just know it!

Can you believe it's September? Hallelujah! Fall clothes just in time to cover up this ever growing belly. Fall scents just in time to get me through these last 59 days. (Yes, I'm counting...) Fall weather just in time to somewhat avoid any more swollen feet. Fall television series just in time for me to veg in front of the T.V.! Yup, I'm ready for fall!

<----This is me soaking my super swollen feet in a very public little stream in St.George. Probably not very sanitary, but I was straight-up desperate. It was funny listening to Mom's coaching their children on why they couldn't join me in a foot soak!

As I was watching Jersey Shore the other night, (classy, I know) I realized that The Situation's culinary skills far exceed my own! I'm embarrassed for myself. New goal: Make one real meal a week. No help from the frozen section or pre-made meals from a box. I hope to share some meals on this blog, given any of them turn out.

May The Nesting, Shopping & Maybe Even More Blogging Begin...

2010-08-05T17:12:00.001-07:00

Done. With. School.

{At least until post-baby.}

And it feels weird and refreshing and depressing and wonderful.

Yes, all of those emotions at the same time.

Wait, maybe that's the hormones talking...

Anyway, I'm always dying to see others "belly pics" yet I've avoided them myself. The camera and I just aren't as good of friends these days. Here are a couple from the past few weeks.

<-----
24 Weeks...

----->
26 Weeks...

Brad has been hard at work on the nursery. He even took it upon himself to hang up some of her clothes in her closet. He's pretty excited to snuggle her little diaper butt on the couch this coming football season. I think she's excited too.

Unfortunately, I can slowly feel my energy level dwindling and I fear I won't accomplish my semi-insane "nesting" list in time. Brad starts his last semester of grad school in a couple of weeks and I will continue to work at the hospital and pray this baby is happy, healthy and maybe even a tiny bit early.

Symphony Weekend...

2010-07-19T12:44:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend, we ventured up to Deer Valley to picnic on the grass

and enjoy some Ben Folds preform along side the Utah Symphony.
We also hung out with Ms.Amy, her date, and this cool Hipstamatic Photo app. on my phone.

Pretty Park City sky.

Our view from the tippy-top!

Luckily, it cooled off the second we sat down,

and luckily Brad let me wear his sweater.

Despite Ben Folds being a bit goofy, I'm pretty sure even baby

Dutson enjoyed him. She's a wiggle-worm lately, especially when it comes to music!

He Or She...?

2010-07-10T21:56:00.000-07:00

Oh wow!

I have been terrible at blogging. So much catching up to do.

Let's start with the important stuff, like the sex of our baby!

We wanted to find out if we were having a Mr. or a Mrs. with our family. So we had the ultra-sound technician put the sex of the baby in an envelope to find out the gender later that night. I took the envelope to Parson's Bakery and asked them to bake a cake with either blue or pink frosting, obviously coordinating with what was inside that little envelope. Refraining from ripping open that envelope to take a peek was strenuous, to say the least.

We had family over and had everyone grab themselves a drink of either PINK lemon-aid or BLUE Kool-Aid to cast their vote for boy or girl. The majority drank the Blue Kool-Aid, including Brad and I.

And...we found pink frosting!!!

We were honestly shocked at first, but could NOT be more excited for this little stink bug to come hang out with us!

And the shopping has officially begun!

How I Broke The News To Brad...

2010-05-10T17:09:00.001-07:00

First off, I have a confession. Remember that picture below where I'm showing off my new baby bump? Well, it's kind of phony. You see, Brad was out of town for a couple weeks and I thought it would be funny to send him a picture and trick him into thinking I "popped out" while he was gone. But believe me about one thing, my butt thighs and love handles are looking mighty pregnant these days. So fun! :)

...

And now, how I presented to Brad that we're gonna be PARENTS!

(Idea courtesy of Diana.)

I made a little dinner of "baby-back ribs", "baby" carrots, "baby" tomatoes, "baby" noodles & "baby" sodas. I didn't say a word.

I just smiled and we ate...

He had NO idea!

If all else failed, I made this "baby" cup-cake

and hid it to aid as a major clue.

It came in handy when I had to prove to him I wasn't kidding!

I asked him to tell me exactly what we were eating...

and after a little help, he got it.

He was and still is more excited than you know!

Looking at this picture brings back memories of all the different emotions we felt that night.

Excited yet apprehensive...

Mostly excited!

We find out what we're having on THURSDAY!

We both think it's all boy.

Stay tuned...

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words...

2010-05-02T20:22:00.000-07:00

Baby Dutson

Due Halloween Day

I Plan To Be In Bed By 7, Cookie And Milk In Hand...

2010-03-30T17:07:00.003-07:00

I called in sick to work today because well, I'm sick! Once I finally dragged my pale broke body out of bed, I made a quick dash to the grocery store and grabbed some necessities to make cookies while carefully avoiding anyone I might know. I'm not a pretty sight today.

I now have Applesauce Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookies made.

4 dozen of them.

Cream:

2 cups sugar

1 Cup Shortening

Add:

2 eggs

2 cups applesauce

2 t. soda

Sift & Add:

3 1/2 cups flour

2 t. nutmeg and cinnamon

1 t. salt

Add:

2 cups Quick Oatmeal

1 (maybe more if you're like me) pkg of chocolate chips

Bake @375 for 8-10 min.

And you have permission to eat these for breakfast.

After-all, they have applesauce AND oatmeal in them!

Mix Tape - Vol. 1

2010-03-29T08:56:00.002-07:00

I love music.

Such a weak statement, I know.
Because really, who doesn't love music?

So I've decided to share what I'm listening to.

A mix-tape, if you will.

Then maybe I can hear what you're listening to.

And we can all share our love for music.

{FYI: I am in no way attempting to stay within the same genre.

That would be too uniform.}

Enjoy.

1. Sade - Soldier of Love

2. The Killers - A White Demon Love Song
3. The Verve - Love is Noise
4. Tom Petty - Learning to Fly
5. Republic Tigers - Buildings and Mountains
6. Fun. - Take Your Time
7. Limbeck - Julia
8. Spoon - Written In Reverse
9. JJ Grey & Mofro - Orange Blossom
10. The Honorary Title - Everything I Once Had
11. Jack's Mannequin - Caves
12. MGMT - Time to Pretend

More mix-tapes to come...

Weather Got You Down - Part II

2010-02-18T19:02:00.001-07:00

Last year I posted some of my favorite YouTube videos for a
mid-winter pick me up. With all this crummy weather,
I think it's time to share round #2.

Nick Pitera
The more I listen to his stuff, the more I love his fruitcake voice.

This is a wedding invitation! I can't wipe the smile off of my face when I watch it. How cool would it be to make one of these types of movies?

What's your favorite YouTube video?

I. Can't. Sleep.

2010-01-21T02:05:00.003-07:00

Tonight, I'm the unlucky winner of the night shift at the hospital.

Middle of the night I should say. I've been ever so kindly offered a "sleep room". The room is fully equipped with a bed, t.v. and access to unlimited Diet Coke. I however, have elected to stay in the staff lounge. It's less scary in here. I just know this place is haunted! I've heard stories and I can feel it. Maybe I'm being a bit dramatic, but I'm not locking myself into a cell to get taunted by ghosts.

So, if you're reading this tonight and having any sort of belly pain, {I'm talking any pain at all}, get to the hospital! I could really use the company. And chances are you'll need your appendix out right away! (wink wink)

In the meantime, I hope to land at least a nod at some point.

Wish me luck.

Boarding With My Brothers...

2010-01-04T10:09:00.004-07:00

While Brad spent his last day of '09 at work, I headed up the canyon with my brothers (and Konrad's new fiance' Heather) for a day of snowboarding.

Me and the little bro.

Quite pretty!

The weather could not have been any better. Loads of fresh powder from the storm the day before and blue skies all day. My snowboarding skills have drastically decreased since my more dedicated days on the hill in junior high and high school. Pretty much my little brother schooled me all day!

I'm still pretty sore, 4 days later.

But so worth it!

A Totally New Year...

2010-01-02T15:56:00.001-07:00

{Picture taken on auto timer...hanging from a tree. Pretty good, eh?}

Brad somehow talked me into going on a hike up Mueller Park Canyon this morning. Yes, in the snow. Yes, in the cold. Yes, on a perfectly good Saturday morning. Believe me, I tried getting out of the hike. I'm confident hiking in the snow is not my specialty.

On the hike, we babbled about our accomplishments and failures in 2009. The good, the bad, the funny. We also mustered up a handful of solid goals we hope to accomplish in 2010.

Needless to say, the hike turned out to be the highlight of my weekend. Being out in the fresh air with beautiful scenery around was just what I needed. Refreshing might sum up the hike. I will absolutely be going back, and hopefully taking loved ones with me to share what I felt today. {CHEESY, I know!}

Peace out 2009...

2010 is gonna rock your socks!

Quite The Christmas...

2009-12-28T13:37:00.002-07:00

We had a fabulous holiday weekend.

As if getting 4 days off work wasn't satisfactory enough,

we got family time, gifts, food and naps!

We also got a new niece and nephew for Christmas.

Henry, made by Kami and Paul on the left.

And Greta brought to you by Niki and Ben on the right.

My Mom and I will be off to Michael Buble' in March.

Got Snuggies, leopard print no less.

Maybe I even took mine into the movie theater!

Luke was pretty disappointed when he opened this Glenn Beck book.

{On accident, of course...}

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas this year!

And Happy New Year!

Please Accept This In Lieu Of The Christmas Cards We Never Sent...

2009-12-24T09:40:00.005-07:00

Hi.

It's

been

a while

since we've

blogged, but...

I thought I would

give Facebook a break

and stop by our blog to tell

everyone Merry Merry CHRISTmas!

I made a tree

with my

words

Ha!

We plan to:

Spend time with both families.

Go to Nutcracker, Men In Tights

Make scones

Go to a movie. Any suggestions?
{And don't say AVATAR!}

Go snowboarding...?

Hit up the Men's Half-Yearly Sale

We wish all our dear friends and family a wonderful little Christmas!!!

And So This Is Christmas...

2009-12-03T20:58:00.002-07:00

So...

not only is fall semester finally over,

but the Christmas decorations are up {at last} in the Dutson home!

This makes me one happy gal.

I will admit however,

I took a nasty spill off a tall stool

trying to get an ornament to the tippy-top of the tree.

I stayed on the ground for a minute trying to decide
whether I should laugh or cry.

I chose to laugh. And heck, why not?

It's Christmas time!

Giving Thanks...

2009-11-26T07:29:00.007-07:00

Today we plan to share the holiday with both of our families. This will require a lot of will power to put away 2 full Thanksgiving meals. I have no doubt we can accomplish this task, I just don't know how we'll feel at the end of the day.

We have so much to be thankful for this holiday season, here are just a few...

Our terrific family and friends.

30 Rock & Gossip Girls for contributing to some of our favorite nights.

Our dog Jeffery, despite his snoring and hard broken habits.

Mini space heaters!

Beyonce, for she brings Brad joy.

Cafe' Rio for providing our family dinner at least once a week.

Making it through this treacherous semester.

Answered prayers.

Happy Thanksgiving!

*In honor of getting to meet our newest nephew today, compliments of Kami and Paul,

I thought I would post this old and random picture of us.

May The Holidays Begin...

2009-11-24T21:35:00.005-07:00

I'm a sucker for anything that has to do with the holidays...

I think this is because I know I only have about 1.5 months to get my greedy little hands on it!

Let me share a few of our Christmas fave's!

First, and absolutely foremost...

White Fudge Oreo's!

Peppermint ice cream...

The more crunch, the better.

Home Alone...

Mom: "Say goodnight Kevin."

Kevin: "Goodnight Kevin!"

The Christmas scents from B&BW.

Specifically, Vanilla Bean Noel!

I've already got about a year's stock pile tucked away.

Brad's not too tickled about this, he thinks it's foul.

And a couple of Brad's favorites...

Hot chocolate...

May I suggest adding some vanilla soft serve ice cream to your hot
chocolate next time you're grabbing a cup at the gas station?

You'll thank me later!

And last but not least...

Apple pie, which I may attempt to bake this week...

If you have any good pie recipes, please send em' our way.

I'm ashamed that most of these "favorites" are food.

I guess that's kind of what the holidays are about!

{I said kind of.}

Traditions...

2009-10-26T19:25:00.002-07:00

This year we're trying something new! We're making some of our very own Dutson-family-traditions. You see, this will be our 4th holiday season being married and sadly enough, we have yet to practice any sort of tradition.

We're both coming up with a tradition for each of the holidays. These traditions are sticking, so they better be good!

Let me share with you Halloween tradition #1

Brad's idea:

Thriller at Kingsbury Hall

{Leave it to Brad to recommend the dance production.}

So to Thriller we went. Such a good production,

and our company, Amy and Lee, weren't too bad either!

We're struggling to come up with Thanksgiving-ish traditions...

If you have any ideas, send them our way!

We Went To Hawaii...

2009-10-26T19:21:00.000-07:00

A year and a half ago...

And I'm just now getting around to developing these pictures

we took with an underwater disposable camera.

Can you say procrastinator...?

Party Boy...

2009-10-19T15:31:00.002-07:00

We celebrated Jeffery's 3rd Birthday last week with a cheese burger from McDonalds.

About 3 years ago, Brad was trying every trick in the book to convince me into getting a dog. I've always loved dogs, but the thought of an indoor dog made me cringe. Accidents on the carpet, jumping on furniture, the smells...

I obviously buckled. After laying down some pretty strict rules, I agreed to getting a pooch. One night, I picked Brad up from the airport with our newest addition to the family sitting on my lap, Jeffery.

Now, I love him. I have personally broken every single one of those rules I laid out in the beginning. I'm a sucker for "The Jeffery".

Happy 3rd Boomer Boy!

Che[Mystery]...

2009-10-15T16:37:00.008-07:00

In exchange for a passing grade in chemistry this semester, I would gladly...

1- Acquire the dreaded swine flu.

2- Give up Cafe' Rio for life.

3- Agree to a natural child birth.

You think I'm kidding...

Tis The Season

2009-10-05T18:02:00.003-07:00

I really shouldn't be sharing recipes or giving any sort of cooking advice. I mean really, cooking is NOT my forte'. But as the temperatures drop and being that it is already October, I though I might share this tasty and super idiot proof recipe with you.

3 Ingredients

{2} Boxes of spice cake
{2} Packages of chocolate chips

{1} Large can of pumpkin filling

{Okay okay, the recipe only calls for one bag of chocolate chips...
But who are we kidding, two is more tasty!}

Mix it up...

Bake at 350 degrees.
Large loaf {30} minutes

Small loaf {24} minutes

Ta-da!

Oh, almost idiot proof...
Don't forget to grease your pans!

Enjoy!

It Snowed Today...

2009-09-30T19:39:00.012-07:00

I've been thinking a lot lately about who I am, and what I want to become. Not necessarily career wise, I'm talking about the person I am inside. Sometimes, I question myself. I worry I'm not smart enough. I worry that maybe I've offended someone. I worry I said the wrong thing or should have helped a friend in a different way. I worry that I could do more for those in need. I worry I should have done more in the short 24 hours I have been given that day.

Maybe everyone feels this stress. I don't know. Despite me worrying about these things, I do know that I am a good, caring and genuine person. As life get hectic, it's hard to remember all the things I am blessed with. Deep down, I know that I'm being my best self and that I try to become a better person everyday. I also know this is exactly what I should be doing, and it is good enough. It's good enough for me and it's good enough for the people who love me. I need to remember this.

I'm making a change starting today. I'm going to stop stressing the small things in life. I'm going to stop worrying that I might not be a good enough neighbor, good enough comforter, good enough wife, student, employee, driver, friend, sister, daughter....on and on. Although these are all admirable things to be concerned about, I will view them in a different way. I will remember that as long as I'm trying to be my best self, every day, that's good enough. And I'm good enough.

Wish me luck with my new goal!

Photo via...

The Get Up Kids...

2009-09-21T19:45:00.006-07:00

One more Birthday post...

The night before my birthday, my cool cat older bro Konrad surprised
me with tickets to one of my favorite bands, The Get Up Kids.

{Well, he tried to surprise me.}

Before the show, I spotted Matt Pryor, the lead singer...

Asked for a picture...

Got it.

Happy Birthday to ME!

We were really cool and wore ear plugs
to protect our precious ear drums.

I felt like a total dweeb, but for once

my ears weren't ringing after the show!

After the show, Kon and I got a quick
picturewith some of the band again!
If you don't know who The Get Up Kids are,
please do yourself a favor and download them ASAP!

Thanks Foof!

Birthday Bash With Friends...

2009-09-18T12:38:00.008-07:00

Some fine friends of mine took me and Ms. Amy
out for our Birthdays this week.
We feel we're getting so old!

Much like Amy, some of my dearest friends in life
have shared a September Birthday with me.

It must be our Virgo nature.

{This is not to say I don't have some wonderful non-Virgo friends.}

We gathered at P.F. Chang's and shared
some delicious Chinese food.

Duard telling a super dramatic story...

So hard to open...
Look at Amy's face!

We were told we would get $100 if we ate our whole cake...
Didn't happen.

I'm so grateful for such exceptional friends
who also happen to be the best of company!
Thanks for a great night!

Oh, and please learn from my mistake.
Don't forget your debit card at P.F.'s...
Someone (maybe the server, maybe not)
might snag it and use it at a local
restaurant within a mere hour!
YIKES!

Brad's Watching The BYU Game, I Prefer To Blog...

2009-09-12T15:05:00.013-07:00

Fun.

{Formerly known as The Format}

Aim and Ignite.

If you and I are good friends, chances are I've made you a c.d. or two. Along with the c.d., I've probably promised you, "it's the best mix/c.d. yet." I love sharing good music with my loved ones.

I'll give you the same promise with this c.d. by Fun.

Highly recommended by me...

Do take a listen!

You might convince me to burn it with the exchange of some Jr. Mints...

No News Is Good News...

2009-09-10T09:13:00.004-07:00

Labor Day weekend, we caught up on some homework and some much needed sleep. The highlight of our weekend was eating at Cafe' Rio...TWICE. It was quite relaxing and uneventful. I liked it that way.

I've been spotting crowds of sunflowers along the road lately. I pulled over the other night and picked a few to fill my new vase. Nothing's better than free flowers!

We're quite excited to catch up on our television series that are released on DVD this month. Specifically House, 30 Rock, Gossip Girl, & Entourage. We don't have a single functioning channel in this house, but you better believe we get really into "our" shows.

So far, school has been easier than we both anticipated. {KNOCK ON WOOD} Let's hope it stays that way!

My back has been KILLING me lately. No amount of icy hot, heating packs, or back rubs help. I'm about to fall to the ground and never get back up. Dramatic, I know. I'll happily take any advice given at this point.

And that's the latest from the Dutson fam.

I Can't Stop Watching This...

2009-09-04T19:23:00.006-07:00

Brad Back In The Day...

2009-09-01T15:02:00.003-07:00

My mother in law just passed these gems on down to me!

Um...maybe I can't stop looking at them.

Maybe they make me want kids ASAP.

And maybe he's gonna kill me for posting these...

And now the goofy stuff...
{Shhhh...don't tell}

I sure hope our future children

inherit his killer looks and personality!

Do Come...

2009-08-27T18:28:00.005-07:00

A friend of mine has put together a little boutique that will take place this weekend. It's actually not so little anymore! Lots of vendors, including myself, will be selling the cutest baby stuff around! Do come join us at this not so little boutique this weekend.

When: Saturday Aug. 29

Time: 6:00 - 8:00

Where: Greene's Residence

1184 W. Millbridge Lane

West Bountiful, Ut. 84087

Flyers have been scattered around Davis County.

Come early so you don't miss out! There will be catered food,

giveaways and much more!

{Photo found via We Heart It}

Fall Also Brings School...

2009-08-26T18:26:00.004-07:00

We both started school today. This displeases us both.
One day, it will pay off.
Brad will have his MBA & be a stellar business man.
And I will be a nurse, saving lives and stuff! ; )

Wish us luck!

{My campus just added a soft serve ice cream machine...at least I'm off to a good start!}

Maybe A Bit Premature...

2009-08-24T09:58:00.001-07:00

I am sick of summer and so ready for fall!

Fall brings my Birthday, my favorite fall scents
from Bath and Body Works
and best of all, fall clothes!!!

Here are some things that I'm keeping in mind for
when that fall breeze comes rollin' in.
Which in my opinion, couldn't be soon enough!

I love all the flannel this year!
Ambercrombie & Fitch
{It brings out the Al Borland in us all!}

This bag would even fit my school books....
Urban Outfitters

This sweater, with pants of course!
Urban Outfitters

LOVE these new wayfarer Ray-Ban frames.
I have an appointment with the eye doc next week
and I think I'm leaning towards these!
Ray-Ban

And these ankle booties.
Jessica Simpson

(Anyone know where I can find a cute pair of brown booties...?
I swear I've searched high and low)

Okay, and maybe I just love this whole outfit.
Free People

I'm feeling a bit materialistic now...

The Little Sis Is MARRIED...

2009-08-20T17:18:00.001-07:00

The wedding was beautiful...

The bride was even more beautiful...
Here are just a few of the 347 pictures we took on the big day.

Awwww...

With the brothers and the bride...

Jumping in front of cameras...

Under the only olive tree in Utah...

At the SLC Temple...

In preparation to trash their car...

The reception...

The end...

Weekend with the fam...

2009-08-16T19:23:00.002-07:00

This weekend, we went through the
Bountiful Temple with my sweet sis Kae.
It was her first time through so the whole fam was there.
I loved being in the temple with my whole family,
it feels so good to have them around.

And some random pix from her bridal shower...

We're getting real excited for the upcoming nuptials...
Only 2 more days Kae!!!

Farewell Smith Fam...

2009-08-09T12:01:00.002-07:00

Our dear Kami and Paul officially moved to Arizona this weekend! They are trading us in for warmer weather and 3 years of law school. How do you expect us to meet the little tot that's due in October? This would be so much easier if you still lived 60 seconds away!

All in favor of Kami getting a blog say aye!

Meet the moving crew!
Brad & his Pop's were gone for a few days helping them move in.
Maybe they fit some golfing in too, who are we kidding?

While he was away, I spent some quality sista-sista time with Kae. We did some pre-wedding essential shopping and of course ate some very authentic Italian food at Olive Garden. I cannot believe the little sister is getting married in 2 weeks! (Gasp!)

Normally when Brad's away, I sleep with a hammer to attack the bugler/rapist. This time, I was tough. I even slept with the lights off...no hammer! But I'm sure glad he's back!

Kami and Paul, you shall be missed!

Gabe Bondoc

2009-08-05T10:07:00.002-07:00

I was browsing YouTube the other night and stumbled upon this gent.
I love his silky smooth voice...
and his glasses!

He's a good mix of my 2 fave guitarist/singer/songwriters, John Mayer and Jason Mraz.
I find myself going back to YouTube to listen to more!
Go check out his other stuff out HERE!

Jeffery's jealous of my popsicle!

2009-07-31T12:02:00.001-07:00

He just rested his cute little head on my knee's

and begged for a bite!

You better believe he got a bite!

Jen Herem Photography

2009-07-29T12:49:00.002-07:00

My very talented, and not to mention gorgeous friend Jen
just launched her new photography website!

Do go check it out, you won't be disappointed!
She's having a contest for $50 off any session!
For details on entering, check out her blog!

She shot my little sister's wedding bridals a couple weeks ago.
Gorgeous. Gorgeous. Gorgeous.
Here are just a couple of my favorite! We LOVED them all!
It would take up my entire blog if I posted all of my favorite shots!
Thanks again Jen!

Happy Pioneer Day!

2009-07-24T06:58:00.002-07:00

Last night we {even Jeffery} enjoyed the Mueller Park fireworks!

Why I love Utah:
*You can find a Cafe' Rio in almost every city*
*We get all 4 beautiful seasons*
*Utah Jazz*
*We get an extra day off in July & another excuse to play with fireworks*

Have a fabulous holiday weekend!

Music To My Ears...

2009-07-23T15:58:00.000-07:00

I went to Jack's Mannequin with some friends last weekend...
I loved every second of it.
Amazing singer.
Amazing piano player.
Amazing harmonica player.
Basically, he's amazing!

{Here he is on the piano!}

There are so many good concerts coming up.
I don't think I'll be making it to all of them, but you better believe I'll try!

August 16 - - Pete Yorn
August 26 - -Nickelback
September 1 - - Modest Mouse
September 1 - - Dave Matthews Band
September 10 - - Brandi Carlile
September 16 - - The Get Up Kids
September 19 - - The Honorary Title
October 17 - - Ingrid Michaelson
November 20 - - Billy Joel & Elton John

Anybody down to join me?

Our 4th

2009-07-08T09:36:00.001-07:00

Let's not be too surprised my patriotic treat turned
out to be a disaster!

It tasted pretty good otherwise!

Besides the little mishap with the dessert, out holiday weekend was wonderful! We spent some time with the Muirbrook fam, endulging in chinese food and some fireworks! Avi even sported a matching headband with me! Isn't she a doll?

Saturday, we enjoyed the Oakley rodeo with some friends. Really, "rodeo-ing" is such a dangerous sport! I jumped out of my seat in fear someone's skull was about to become a pancake a few too many times.

And guess who sat in front of us?!? Elizabeth Smart! She's all grown up now and such a cute girl. Maybe I snuck a picture of her. After all, she is a celeb.

Hope your weekend was wonderful and filled with fireworks and fun!

I'm attempting...

2009-07-03T15:41:00.000-07:00

to make this...

So far, I've lost half the blueberries in a
tragic spill up the stairs!

I'll need all the luck I can get given I only "cook" toast!

Happy 4th of July!
Don't loose any limbs to fire crackers.

10-10-10

2009-07-01T14:38:00.001-07:00

Sometimes I worry too much. Sometimes I think too much. Doesn't everyone? It's just kind of part of life I guess. But I let myself get carried away with worst-case scenarios more often than I wish I did.

Why am I blogging about this? Well, I read an article a few months ago that I need to remind myself about on days like today when my mind can't let something go.

Take that silly (or big) worry and ask yourself these three questions:

1- How will this affect me in 10 days?
2-How will this affect me in 10 months?
3-How will this affect me in 10 years?

New perspective, eh? Most of the time, my worry will be gone within the 10 days, let alone 10 months or years. So breath Karlee, everything is going to be just fine.

So, there's an little inspirational thought, more for myself than anyone else. Thanks for letting me vent!

Maybe I'm having anxiety because deep down, I'm missing Michael Jackson.
(I said maybe...)

Karlee vs. Elmyra

2009-06-23T19:36:00.001-07:00

Remember Elmyra
from Tiny Toon Adventures?
The girl who really really loved animals...

Well, I just came across this old pic of me + Jeffery...

and can't stop laughing!
He looks like he would do about anything to be
released from my "Elmyra" grip!
Love you Jeffs.

Shush Girl...

2009-06-11T18:02:00.000-07:00

Meet our cutie nephew Caleb.
His Mom told us that he's been singing his own
version of a little song that's on the radio.
This was our attempt to get it out of him while
he was laying on the airport floor!

This is what he {we} are singing:

Shush girl
Shut your lips
Do the HELICOPTER and talk with your hips

Silly little guy!

Alaska & Seattle

2009-06-10T08:49:00.000-07:00

We just got back from some Alaskan crusin’! It was a much needed vacation and was incredibly relaxing. The sights we saw were stunning! I think we all packed for -7 degree weather. Somehow, we ended up with record breaking temperatures and got to do something not everyone gets to do in their lifetime - - we got to LAY OUT in Alaska!

We played lots of games on the ship and I even read a WHOLE book that wasn’t school related! (Ya, that’s a big deal for me.) We also ate way too much food. Our days sadly enough revolved around when we were going to eat again. Isn’t that what cruising is all about though?

Lots of oldies on the ship. There were probably 60 elderly to 1 person our age. This made for some fun nights in the “Crows Nest” watching them get their groove on! Oh ya!

We also stayed a couple nights in Seattle and spent some real quality time with our friends Tyler and Stacey. They have lived in Seattle for four years now and they're never coming back to Utah. I understand why now! I loved it there. I felt like such a city girl! Thanks for the fun time Tyler and Stacey.

We loved hangin' with the whole fam for the week!
Thanks for the fun trip everyone!

And The Winner Is...

2009-06-07T18:38:00.000-07:00

We’re back...and SO not ready to head back to work tomorrow!
{More Alaska pix to come.}

As for the giveaway...
Brad picked a number at random.
He chose his lucky number 3.
Congrats Ali Howard!
Pick any band and I’ll send it your way girl!

And thanks so much for all the sweet comments! ;)

Headband News Times 3

2009-06-02T16:58:00.001-07:00

ONE...
It's only taken me twenty times longer than I had planned,
but I finally created baby headbands for my Little Shea's shop.
Voila'!
They just might make me want a little tot

of my own so she can wear them!

TWO...
Little Shea's headbands {baby and adult} are now sold at one of
my fave boutiques, Hip& Humble!

THREE...
And last but most definitely not least...
Little Shea's had it's 100th sale!
I've seen others do giveaways on their blog
and thought that would be a great way to celebrate!
So a giveaway it is!
Leave a comment and I'll pick a random commenter.
Winner will pick a headband of their choice.

- - -
In the meantime, we'll be off exploring the lovely
and large state of Alaska!

Ta ta for now!

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

2009-05-24T19:04:00.000-07:00

We hope you're all enjoying this lovely 3 day weekend.
It's been a bit cooler than we'd hoped,
but that won't stop Jeffery from
rockin' these shades!

You have no idea how many powdered doughnuts
it took to keep these glasses on Jeffery.
( Yes...I said DOUGHNUTS! )

Click HERE for the most fun you've had in a while.
HERE for a good laugh.
& HERE to waste some time.

Oh, and does the color of my blog look like puke?
Cuz I kinda like it...

My weekend project

2009-05-17T18:18:00.000-07:00

I got this bad boy at the thrifty old D.I.
I thought it would make a perfect little coffee table for our not so perfectly decorated house.

So I sanded her down,
beat her up a little with a hammer,
& then she was stained.

Here is the finished product.
So come stop by and we'll enjoy a cup of coffee over the new coffee table...
Wait, lets make it a bowl of ice cream!
After all, it's mighty warm these days, & I'm not about to complain about that!

Happy Mommy's Day!

2009-05-10T15:07:00.000-07:00

{Isn't this the greatest 80's picture of me and my Mom?}

Just a few things my fabulous mom has taught me:

- Just go to bed, it won't seem so bad in the morning.

- Let the small things in life make you happy, e.g. new flavor of gum, Cutlers cookie, a good C.D.

- Surround yourself with positive and happy people.

- Be nice, because mean people suck!

- Always take her advice. (It saves time in the long run.)

I'm blessed to have two great moms; my mom and my mother in law Kari! I love you both! Happy Mother's day to all you wonderful Moms!

Is it Bunko or Bonko?

2009-05-02T14:06:00.000-07:00

My high school girlfriends and I get together once a month for a little food, laughter and GAMBELING of course! Ashley hosted this month in her new and beautiful house!

We usually sit around after the big game and laugh until someone wets their pants. It's so much fun to get together with such good friends and remenice about the good old days! I can't wait to KICK ALL YOUR BUTTS NEXT MONTH!!!

New Bands!

2009-04-29T21:25:00.000-07:00

I was off work today and planned on sleeping my butt in! Did it happen? Nope! The hospital decided to include me in their practice 'disaster drill' and call me at 7 AM! Thanks a lot! So I was up early, finishing my online class that I've completely neglected, and making new headbands! Come and meet some of these new bands I've been busy working on since the crack of dawn!
www.sheabay.etsy.com

Can you believe it's almost May? Summer here we come!

He Asked & She Said Yes!

2009-04-19T17:25:00.000-07:00

Meet my
gorgeous,
smart,
funny,
kind &
talented
little sister,
Kaelin!

Unsurprisingly, her boyfriend Pierce proposed this weekend.
Of course she said YES!
And yes, I cried when she told me how he proposed!

I guess that's just what happens when you go to BYU!
Congratulations you gooshy mooshy love birds!
I can't wait to plan the wedding!
Is that cool Kae?

I Stumbled Upon This Website...

2009-04-14T21:05:00.001-07:00

And I'm hooked!

Anthropology-{Esque} attire at Forever 21-{ish} prices.

{shopruche.com}

I want it all!

Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T14:41:00.001-07:00

Happy Easter Everyone!
Love,
The Dutson Fam & "The Big Bad Bunny"

Shane + Nikki

2009-04-08T08:57:00.000-07:00

So we traveled on down to California last weekend for Brad's cousin's wedding. As cliche as it sounds, it truly was one of the most beautiful weddings I've ever been to. Well planned and such a perfect couple! Brad was a groomsman and did one heck of a job walking down the aisle!

Congratulations Shane and Nikki!
We are so happy for you two, and even more excited for you to make babies!

{Side note}
I'm just now getting over the flu.
The nasty kind you get in elementary school.
Recommendation:
Never...
ever...
eat mac & cheese and chocolate chips when you're bound to hurl it back up!
Bad combo!

Book Suggestions Pretty Please...

2009-03-30T19:59:00.001-07:00

This weekend we're DRIVING to California to watch this cute couple get hitched!

Problem: I get terribly car sick if I do anything more than sit or sleep.
Solution: Listen to book on i pod!

So all you book worms out there...pretty please send your suggestions my way!
(And you better not say Twilight...)

I know just the little bird who can use them...

2009-03-29T09:32:00.001-07:00

Look at these cute bird cages I scored at a yard sale yesterday!

They were a whopping 25 cents each!!!
You better believe that won't be the last yard sale I hit up!
Anyone want to join?

Spring Has Sprung...

2009-03-22T20:57:00.001-07:00

I'm so excited it's officially spring!!!

Here are some things I just might need this spring!

Anyone up to buying it for me!?! Brad?

Dress - Forever 21 $34.50
Sandals - Urban Outfitters $120
Bracelet - American Eagle - $9.50
Sunglasses - Nordstroms $180

Boutique & More

2009-03-17T20:01:00.000-07:00

First of all..Happy St. Patty's day! I just got done eating green french toast to celebrate the day. Brad wanted nothing to do with it! SO picky! Surprisingly, I'm NOT wearing green right now! Good thing you can't reach through and PINCH me!

Moving on...

I'll be selling my headbands at my friend Jen's house this Thursday night! Jen will be selling designer jeans for a killer price, Mandy will be selling the cutest baby headbands on the planet, and I think some other little surprises will be there as well! Come far and wide, everyone is invited!

So COME! Comment me if you need Jen's address...don't be shy! The mo' the betta!

&

Come check out my latest...
www.sheabay.etsy.com

Dumpster Diving...

2009-03-04T21:25:00.001-07:00

Ever lost something important? Something brand new? Then remember you probably threw it away in the BIG black garbage can? That was me 5 minutes ago! And yes, I found my missing article, but only AFTER digging through the garbage in the rain!And come to find out, it was in the black hole, AKA, my purse! I’m a genius!

{Let’s not be too surprised if I wake up with pink eye!}

And to top the day off, I found out that Jack's Mannequin canceled his SLC show! How dare you!

Meh…
I'm done complaining!

By The Way...

2009-02-18T21:29:00.000-07:00

I have had several people ask if they can pick up their headbands to avoid the hassle of Etsy! That works perfect for me...no problem-o! I would also be happy to drop them off! You can contact me at
karleedutson@gmail.com.
You just might find some baby headbands up in the shop sometime soon as well!

Click HERE to check out Little Shea's!
Thanks again everyone!
Xoxo...
Little Shea

Little Shea's

2009-02-17T22:40:00.001-07:00

Hello blogging friends! So I finally did it and I've opened up a little Etsy shop selling my handmade headbands! Please come check out my stuff, and I would love to hear what you think! I will have more merchandise listed soon! Thank you so much for you’re great response already! Happy shopping!

Etsy
Buy Handmade
SheaBay

Xoxo...
Little Shea

Honest Scrap Tag...

2009-02-15T01:44:00.001-07:00

Thanks for the tag Jen! It's the honest scrap tag and the rules are: List 10 honest things about yourself, then tag 7 other blogging buddies.

Because this is the Dutson family blog, I'm going to share things about the whole fam dam!

BRADFORD
1-Brad is a germ FREAK! Hand sanitizer is his BFF. In fact, that's exactly what I should have gotten him for Valentines Day!

2-His toe touch is...

a little too good!

3- Type A personality...all the way!

4-He admitted to me a couple weeks ago that Beyonce is his guilty pleasure. He's even working on the music video dance to Single Ladies.

5- He's pretty good at making up songs about Jeffery and I, and sings them any chance he gets.

KARLEE SHEA
1- A life long goal of mine is to go on The Price Is Right, bid one dollar, spin the wheel, and win the show case showdown!

2-I'm not scared of spiders, blood or heights, but I'm terrified of having kids. Don’t get me wrong, I defiantly want them. I'm just scared of what happens after I birth the kid!

3-I have terrible hearing! I was technically deaf in my left ear for a while. It fluctuates. So if I say "hu...hu...what" a billion times...sorry, can't help it!

4-I LITERALLY set 5 alarms to wake up to. 3 on the cell, 2 on the alarm clock! I'm a worry freak! And what if the electricity goes out or the cell has minor glitch and never goes off? I've always got a back up plan!

5- I'm cheeeeeeap! It makes me sick to spend money. You can often find me wondering Target with a heaping cart, but find me leaving with nothing in hand!

JEFFERY (THE BOOM BOOM THE LITTLE LITTLE GUY)
1- He despises the shower.

2- Jeffrey loves Italian food.

3- He loves to sleep in until noon!

4-His best friend is Roxy.

5-He loves taking walks on the Farmington Lagoon trail.
Tag:
Irene
Nikki
Diana
Kristen
Cherice
Alisa
Audrey

Love Feavaaaa!

2009-02-14T16:02:00.000-07:00

Go funk out you're pictures here!

Happy Valentines Day & 3 day weekend!

Weather Got You Down?

2009-02-10T17:48:00.000-07:00

I'll give you the Karlee Dutson guarantee these will cheer you up!

Don't skip this last one...it's pee your pants funny!

Our Totally Romantic Super Bowl Anniversary!

2009-02-01T11:05:00.000-07:00

Happy three year wedding anniversary to us!
It just had to land on Super Bowl Sunday! I'm sure it will be a lovely day filled with nachos & football!

Married February 1st, 2006

Sealed SLC Temple February 1st, 2008

Anniversary 2009

But if I'm going to watch the Super Bowl, I'm glad it's with him!
Happy Anniversary Brad!
Xoxo,
Karlee

I know it's late but...

2009-01-26T19:59:00.001-07:00

Someone, somewhere once said that if you share your goals with others, you'll be more likely to achieve them. I need all the help I can get, so I'll share.

This year I resolve to:

-Live in the moment. (Stop wishing time away.)
- Improve posture.
- Hike Mt.Timpanogos with Brad.
- Eat more apples...

- And less cookies. (The hospital's cafeteria cookies are irresistible.)
- Be BOLD.
- CALL more often, rather than texting.
- Read Confession of a Shopaholic before I see the movie.

- Speak s.l.o.w.e.r.
- Spend more time with the family.
- Domesticate myself.

- Read Book of Mormon front to back, with the Bradford.
- Run the Wasatch Back and 1/2 marathon.

- Take care of what I already have.
- Conquer Tetris on the cell.

-Drink milk...(I'll regret this one.)
- Apply (hopefully get into) nursing school!

God Bless American...

2009-01-12T21:53:00.000-07:00

IDOL

It starts tomorrow night and I can't wait to see people make a fool of themselves during auditions! I'm so kindhearted!

Lost Offspring?

2009-01-06T20:29:00.000-07:00

Don't these little squirts look like they belong to me?

Unfortunately, they don't. But these cutie-dootie boys just happen to be my favorite (and only) nephews!

I’m sure he learned to pick his nose from me. :)

Jingle Bells - Batman Smells

2009-01-01T18:05:00.000-07:00

We had a lovely Christmas break filled with family, friends and food. We were able to spend time with both of our families. My favorite little sister was even in town! We’ve been blessed in so many ways. Especially this time of year, I am reminded of how grateful I am for our Savior, Jesus Christ!

We wish you all a very merry new year!!!

Can I officially listen to Christmas music already?!?

2008-12-03T16:01:00.000-07:00

We had Thanksgiving this year with the Kennington side of the family! Always entertaining! This side of the family is HUGE, hence every party we have is at the church stake house. Nothing like a little basketball after engulfing 7 pounds of turkey!

My cousin put together Kennington family Jeopardy! It was pretty funny!

Anyway...
Were any of you courageous enough to participate in the Black Friday madness?!? And why is it “Black Friday”? Why not Blue Light Special Friday or Golden Friday? Well I'm glad I steered clear of the mess. Apparently ther were some “killer deals” at good old Wal-Mart. Literally though! A Wal-Mart employee in New York was TRAMPLED TO DEATH when he opened the front doors on Friday morning!! So sad! I didn’t believe my sis so I looked it up! It's true. Wako people trying to save a couple bucks!

Anyway again…
It's now December and Thanksgiving has come and gone - - I've waited long enough! Can we can finally listen to Christmas music without people freaking!?! I’ve been working on making the perfect Christmas CD since 2001!!! It's no joke! It’s still a work in progress, but I find it only fare to share it with the rest of the world this holiday season. Please let me know if I'm missing any crucial Christmas jams! Enjoy!

In no specific order, beside my all time favorite Santa Baby, I present to you...

*Madonna – Santa Baby*
*Chuck Berry – Run Rudolph Run*
*Ron Sexsmith – Maybe This Christmas*
*Mariah Carey – All I want for Christmas is You*
*98 Degrees – This Gift*
*Elton John – Step into Christmas*
*Jack’s Mannequin – The Lights and Buzz*
*Beach Boys – Little Saint Nick*
*Thurl Ravenscroft – You’re a mean one, Mr.Grinch*
*Bryan Adams – Christmas Time*
*Nat King Cole – The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You)*
*Wham! – Last Christmas*
*Christina Aguilera – Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire*
*Bobby Helms – Jingle Bell Rock*
*Trans-Siberian Orchestra – Christmas Sarajevo 12/24*

*U2 – Baby Please Come Home*
*Michael Buble’ – Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow*
*N’Sync – Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays*
*Paul McCartney – Wonderful Christmas Time*
*El Vez – Mamacita Donde Esta Santa Claus*
*Jessica Simpson/ Nick Lichey – Baby, its cold Outside*
*Brenda Lee – Rockin’ around the Christmas Tree*
*Eagles – Please Come Home for Christmas*
*The Almost – Little Drummer Boy*
*Britney Spears – All I want for Christmas (Santa can you hear me)*

Happy Turkey Day!

2008-11-27T09:19:00.001-07:00

Are you ready to get your turkey on? I sure am! And on this blessed nap taking, turkey baking, frantic shopping, Home Alone watching, 4 day holiday weekend, I have so much to be grateful for!

I was going to blog about how grateful I am for a king size bed and double stuff Oreo's, but today I find it more appropriate to be serious. After all, blogging is serious business!!! Ha!

I have decided to spare you the gushy crap and simply express my gratitude for my family. I have been blessed with the best family in the world. I couldn't ask for anything more. It makes me a better person knowing that no matter what, I always have them! My grandma has been very sick this past week and it's great to see my family work together and help each other out. I'm so grateful that my cute grandma is going to be fine! She's such a fighter!! I love you fam!

Happy Thanksgiving peeps!!! Eat up!

2008-11-13T18:02:00.000-07:00

Today I did my first c-section delivery at work! It was kind of like watching an alien horror movie but somehow still beautiful! I ALMOST got a tear in my eye!

BTW: Although I'm not a Twilight extremest...the soundtrack is first-class!!! Check it out!

2nd BirFday!

2008-10-13T19:18:00.000-07:00

What up blogging beeotches!! This is Jeffery coming at-cha! Tomorrow is my SECOND birthday…which I think is 14 in dog years! I thought I would pay a little tribute to myself since I get NO respect around here. After all, these owners I got expect me to go “potty” outside and call me bizarre names like tuffy! DIS-respected!!!

Since us dogs never get tagged…I TAG MYSELF!

3 GOALS:
1- Learn lyrics to Coolio’s Gangsta’s Paradise.
2- Be a cast member on The Real World.
3- Try chocolate. (I wanna see what all the rave is.)

3 FAV. THINGS TO DO:
1- Eat only Karlee’s nicest shoes.
2- Smoke Cuban Cigars.
3- Watch Judge Judy...my IDOL!

3 BEST MOVIES:
1- All Dogs Go To Heaven
2- The Godfather
3- Mrs. Doubtfire (I laugh so hard every time)

Oh, and will someone remind the owners that ALL I WANT FOR MY BIRTHDAY is a Hanna Montana Poster and to upgrade my NON-flip phone!

PEACE!

26 POINT 2...PHEW!!!

2008-10-06T20:17:00.000-07:00

We did it!!! After many early morning running sessions and inheriting some sweet thigh stretch marks, we finished our first marathon! If I wasn’t so bloody sore I would pat the heck out of my back! Worth it? Yes! Will we do it again? Don't ask today! (Brad says yes) We can't even walk up our stairs!

James Brad and Karlee (Minus poor Ali who messed up her knee only 2 weeks before the marathon!)

We kept a pretty sane pace while enjoying the pretty red rock canyon view! It was POURING rain most of the race with the wind working AGAINST us...so that was terrific. We're really proud of ourselves and had fun accomplishing this goal together!

Graduation!

2008-09-20T16:31:00.001-07:00

This past week I had my graduation ceremony. I was excited to attend until my teacher called and asked if I would speak to my graduating class. I was pretty frightened, not only for myself, but for everyone who had to listen! All and all, I think it went well…I’m just glad it’s done and I’m so excited to have completed my program. I think Brad’s excited for me to finally contribute to our bank account too!