So Close

This girl is so dang close to walking. She's about 50/50 walking/scooting. We're almost there! Tonight she took the initiave to walk all over our Friend's apartment with no encouragement from Mom. It was so exciting to see her go and do it all by herself! Go McKenzie!

McKenzie's special diet

Since moving to Miami, Mckenzie has decided to put herself on a "special diet". This diet you might think odd, is actually very common for children under two, I understand. It consists of eating apples


Sidewalk chalk, mostly the color red


Sand, by the handfuls I might add


Note, very little sand around the mouth, as most made it down the shoot.


Bread by the loaves, ahh just like her Mama


And cottage cheese eaten sideways for more nutrition


With this diet, McKenzie is able to work full time. Right on schedule as planned,


Enjoy spending time with her best friend,


And keep up with her "cool kid" status

I'm still adjusting to this new diet, but I think we're gonna make it. Stay tuned for more adventures from Miami! Ta ta for now!

Home Sweet Home!

Ok here it is!! Pictures of my lovely home! Now I am really proud of this little casa inside and out, so if you don't like it, or think my style stinks, please just lie to me and tell me you love it. We worked really hard to get here and managed to do it without therapy or Shawn loosing his knee caps. Here's my house.

The outside. Duh.
The view from my back porch, not too shabby.


The entry way. With my lovely Rod from Rod Works. Hanging pictures on ribbon is not as easy it as looks.


Power bath, imagine with some really fun Orangish wallpaper with dark brown embellishments, don't laugh.

My kitchen. Love these cabinets. Paid just a smidgen extra for them.

My living room, complete with Mckenzie's toys all over the floor. Notice the ridiculously expensive 46inch LED flat screen to the right? Shawn's little addition to the decorating.

Master Bedroom, complete with baby wipes on the dresser. You can tell I have kids, and don't clean before taking photos of my new house.

Master Bathroom, look at all that make up!

Office- this will have lots of old family photos framed all over the walls, with old newspaper clippings and antiques.

Bathroom, I tell everyone we got these paintings when we were down in Rio De Janerio. The beaches there are amazing.

McKenzie's nursery- Ok, can you see the stripping I worked so hard on? It's very subtle, I was sad it didn't come out more dramatic.. Maybe next kid I paint for it will. Oh, and it's missing the painting from Pottery Barn kids that I won at "Oh Sweet Sadie" that will hang over her bed. Minor details I know you are dying to hear about.

Other side of McKenzie's room. Oh, and It's missing the base board that Shawn so kindly forgot to hang in between the two colors before he left for Miami.

Ok I am REALLY proud of this, mostly because I put these shelves up myself- well, Rob helped with the second one, but I put ALL of our food storage up by myself, and now I have arms of steel. Look how ready we are for an earthquake? Or to get robbed after you all read this blog. Notice the 72 hour kits on the second shelf? That's right, I'm ready for an emergency.. just as soon as I get back from Miami.

The food storage all labeled and carefully placed by my own two hands. I rule.

Ok that's it! Thanks for entertaining my creativity and checking out my new house. Oh and thanks of course to Rod and his team at Axiom Home Loans who closed my loan without a hitch and making my dreams come true. (My dreams of not living forever in my in-laws basement) I now work there by the way. I had to go work for the best mortgage company in Utah. Come and see us! And bring us your business too! And maybe one day, you too could have a mansion like mine!

Chao!

Never a Dull Moment

So just as I am getting all cozy in my new home, Shawn decides our life is just not exciting enough and that it's time for us to move to Miami for the summer... So we'll be heading out in a couple of weeks. . Not even giving me enough time to take pics of the home and get them on my blog! Just kidding, I'll find a spare moment to send pics of our beautiful new home including McKenzie's cute new Nursery that she is loving. (not as much as Mom of course)

Here's my bug all ready for Miami! Say goodbye summer! We'll sure miss you! See you next year!

Happy Birthday!

Denielle: So what are you doing out here?
Shawn: I don't know actually, I just came out here to have a good time,and have an adventure. I turned 28 just a few months ago back in March.
Denielle: March what?
Shawn: March 3rd.
Denielle: Oh no. This isn't going to work.
Shawn: Why? l
Denielle: Because that's my Birthday!

I knew right then and there, 5 minutes into our first date, that I was going to marry that boy. And I did.

Shawn and I had a great Birthday this year! We went up to Oregon for a week, and spent a night alone on the coast in a tiny town called Manzanita. It was so awesome. We spent the whole day on a beach practically to ourselves. It was so beautiful and so peaceful. It's moments like that, when it's just you and the earth, and nothing else, that you feel closer to your heaven more than ever. And then to share it with Shawn, was heaven and then some. We went crabbing with Shawn's family, visited all the beaches and had so much fun. McKenzie loved playing in the sand, and did pretty good on the boat ride for crabbing. She was a good sport. I even caught a crab! All in All it was an awesome trip! Happy Birthday Crazy Gates!



Shawn got a big ol shot gun for his birthday from me! Look how tuff he looks!

We are seriously such nerds. Who poses like that for the camera when they are out by themselves on the beach in their scrubbies?! Lamos..

The family getting ready to go crabbing!


I caught a crab! But I had to throw it back. Apparently being scrawny and female is a good thing in the fish world.

Who is this cute kid! I love her.


Oregon has some of the most beautiful coast I have ever seen!

After spending a few days on the coast, we went to visit Shawn's older brother and his family. We loved playing in their big back yard!


Mckenzie had a blast playing with cousin Olivia on the swing for the first time.

And just who's scowl is McKenzie wearing here? One guess, it's not mine!

Happy Birthday Shawn! I love you dude!

Latest Low Down...

Well I guess I should give a quick update about what we're up to and how the cutest gal in Alpine is doing. McKenzie turned 1 year on Jan 19th, so she is 13 months old now. She is now a scooter, she can pull herself up all by herself, she is a cruiser, and hopes to walk before the age of 30. She is taller than most her age, she has a big head, which she has managed to crawl around with, but has yet to lift it off the floor while doing so. She says Mama, Dada, Dog, duck, (she also quacks like a duck, which apparently is the sound for every animal currently) she has recently mastered the words No, and grandma (although it doesn't quite sound like that). She loves to give kisses, and is so dang cute I love her to pieces. She has 6 teeth on her top and bottom, which makes this the 4th week that the Gates Family has not slept well through the night. She is a happy girl, who loves to laugh at anything that gets thrown up in the air. Although she does not like drinking milk, she eats really well, and hopefully one day she will forgive me as I quit nursing her far too late... we're currently trying chocolate milk, but to no avail, she is not a chocoholic like her mom and dad.

Mom and Dad are doing great by the way. We are building a house in Draper which is scheduled to be done March 26th, so you're all invited to the house warming party!! BRING LOTS OF GIFTS!! :) J/K But I really can't wait to show off my decorating skills. Shawn's business is really taking off. He's about to land a couple of HUGH accounts, and when he does, this will allow us to work here in Utah. He's decided to stay home this summer instead of selling security to build his biz I'm really proud of him. He's done so much in such little time, and has sacrificed so much for out little family and I am grateful for every single thing I do and don't have. I'm good. Tired.. all the time... Mother's around the world, why did you not tell me I would always be this tired? Happy to be a Mommy and a wife, and hope one day I will make it to the spa.. ahh.. p.s. my b-day is next Wednesday and my favorite Spa is anything with the word Aveda in it.

Chao for now, just wanted to give you the latest low down!!

House when it was about 2 weeks old. They build these suckers so fast!

The view from my soon to be back porch looking south. If you look straight out the back of the house, you see a beautiful mountainside with lots of trees.

McKenzie and Daddy in the soon to be finished Grand room/kitchen.

Happy Anniversary

It was the Crazy Gates' 3 year Anniversary January 5th. We celebrated by dropping the kiddo off with Grandma for the night and headed up to Johnson's Mill in Midway. We stayed in the largest room in the house with the Largest Bathtub! It was the size of my bathroom at home! It was a great night. I loved getting all dressed up in my little black dress- although it's much more little after 3 years, and we went to Ruth Chris in Park City.. I LOVE me some good Steak. It was a great little getaway. I luv my Shawnee. Thanks for 3 amazing, crazy, wonderful years!



Pictures from our Balcony of the Mill.


Big 'ol bathtub!