Sassafras

Soooo, there is a conversation that Brileigh and I will have after I saw this picture. She is a "dazzler" for the K and K Dance studio in the QC. So, this is from left to right - Brileigh, Kylee and Emily. Kylee is a good friend of ours and Brileigh's dance teacher.

The Dazzlers compete in competitions all over and it has been great for her to expand her talents and have a great time as well. Our little Saige is shy when you meet her, just at first but when she steps on the stage - 300 or 3000 or at Disneyland - no problem, she is all business and ready to go.

She is too cute, pretty and definatley sassy. I was wanting boy first because I wanted to be sure if I issued a take care of that dude order, he'd protect his sister at all costs...BUT this sweet little thing is going to take out boys without ANY problem! LOVE HER!

...BUT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A MODESTY TALK WHEN I GET HOME!!! Thanks Ky!

Some of our summer fun

What up?!! What Up?!!! So, this will be one of a few more I'm sure, but this was the beach and my sandy son - Dalton, but he has a few nicknames - one prominent one is Dalt at least lately Charai, Brileigh and Bitty have been calling him that, but to me it's pretty much always Peanut. There is always a process especially with the Allen side, but I like it cuz the 311 bassist is P-Nut and it makes me laugh.

We had a trip where we went to Cedar City for the Davis family reunion and after that we went to Newport and hit the beach for 3 days solid - it was AWESOME! This is Dalton as the sand monster - the funniest thing is when Charai told him to go into the ocean and rinse his swimsuit he went into the ocean about knee high, dropped trau and started splashing himself...hey whatever works! He is a great dude and is laid back more so than anyone I know and can switch gears to be the craziest dude in the room.

He's awesome and likes to punk rock out with Dad!

September 11th

So, today has been the 7th year anniversary of the attacks on Sept. 11th. It occurred to me that I have never - ever - wrote anything down about it. I have told the story numerous times but now - while seeing all of the videos and specials today thought that it freshened up quite a bite to write down what happened with us during that time.

I had just graduated from ASU and had taken a job with Shaw Industries. Before heading into the field there is a 3 to 4 month training in Dalton, GA. We arrived early in June and had hung out in the south until the first part of September. Charai's parents came out and took back Brileigh and Charai on the 1st day of September and went back to AZ. We had a townhouse in Tucson, but we were waiting to make move until I got back from GA.

The training was pretty much over at that point, just a few odds and ends to finish up with. So everyday was pretty laid back - Shaw had a design center that we went and studied our line in, but we mostly kicked it, napped in the area rugs and called home from the phones in there! LOL.

I was done and ready to leave on September 11th, my awesome Dad was going to fly to Nashville and I was going to pick him up and we were going to chase the sun west and get home - fast. We always had meetings at 8am at our training office. At that point, those of us that were in the program ready to leave would go do what we needed and then meet at the design center. That morning I went to the post office and went back to our apartment.

The truly weird thing was that I hardly ever listened to the radio at that time - I was in my Punk phase and if it wasn't a CD of some band on Fat Wreck Chords or Epitaph I wasn't listening to it. BUT, that day I was not only listening to the radio but I was listening to 2 of the quirkest dudes on the dial. They started talking about how one of the World Trade Center towers was hit by a plane. I parked the car and bolted into the apartment and I saw the second plane hit. Just absolute desparation and shock coursed through my body - I was sick.

When I went back to the training center, I told them what happened we started looking online and we saw all the pictures. We went to the TV room watched for a while and went and donated blood. The next few days were a whilwind, my family was thousands of miles away and I was missing them bad. I did hang with Rob and Dee Holt. That was a blessing to be with them.

I left GA on the 12th of September and made it to OK that night...saw the memorial there and almost made it to TX. I was home on the 13th at about dinner time. Brileigh took her first steps that night about 9 of them to me sitting on the floor. For the first time in days I was peaceful and happy.

***Side note, Charai's Uncles are all great guys and truly men of God who honor and respect their priesthood. One of her Uncle's - John Bradshaw was in Boston for business at that week and was supposed to be in the WTC September 11th but felt impressed to head home. He did just that and was protected.