The new guy in our life... Meet Caelen! More to come on his arrival and sweet little adventures.

Coming soon!

New addition to the family

Meet Meeka. Cream colored husky, blue eyes. Two years old, stubborn like a Dean and absolutely cuddly! We fell in love at first sight, at the shelter of all places!

We love her and hope you get to meet her soon!

That's one of her stubborn looks. She just stares at you like she just don't care. Love her!

If you are thinking of getting a pet, please go to the nearest shelter and save an animal.

Vitamix

We just received our Vitamix this week. We've wanted one for quite a while now and we finally were able to buy one. This is the best investment ever. If you don't know what a Vitamix is, please check this out.

For people like us who eat lots of veggies, fruits, juices and smoothies, this is the perfect kitchen tool. But we can do so much more than that in it: grind our grains, make ice cream, soups, nut butters...really anything.

We LOVE it!

California...Oh How We Miss You!

So the past couple of weeks we were in California visiting family and friends, and particularly we were there to see Benjamin before he left for his two-year mission in the Fortaleza Brazil Mission for the church. It was so much fun, and we realized during our time there that California really is one of the best places around.

When Clément (Jen's brother) visited California, he bought a flag

Visited Maryland, DC, and Virginia...no flag...that says it all really

Why? Well, there's long lists out there on the internet if you google long enough, for starters; but really it just fits us better than any other place we've been. Hawaii was great, but living on an island isn't for us (but that could have something to do with the fact that we couldn't leave the island because we were poor students! haha). The people were even friendlier than most Californians (a feat not so easily achieved), and the food and sights were amazing! However, the fact that California is still connected (for now) to the rest of the US and you can drive everywhere a lot cheaper than flying makes it more desirable. Plus, we like road trips!

As for the East Coast, probably better that nothing was said. Just doesn't fit us at all. 95% humidity all the time, making summer a sauna (pools of sweat included) and winter seep in through every crack possible. Nobody knows how to drive here, and traffic around DC feels like LA, but all the time! 2 hours to go 8 miles...really?? Really. Been there, done that. The museums and history are cool and all, but just not the place for us to live. We'll bring our kids back and say, "isn't it great to visit places like this, then go home to where you can walk outside and not feel like either hell is frozen over or you are in a Halls commercial?"

"Breathe my pasty friend, breathe!"

Anyways, enough with the ranting...how about the trip? It was great. Lots of family and friends...

Last family photo shoot before Ben left

All the Dean boys in uniform

All the Dean boys in uniform...again ;)

...Lots of food...

A "light" breakfast at Doria's

A "light" lunch at Squeeze Inn Burger in Napa with friends

...Boating...

I'm not really falling...trust me...

The shot before this looks like he's getting up on a wakeboard for the first time...

The shot after says he's not...

This one I like, because it says Clément could pass for superman!

Darren and Nicole battling it out on the tubes

David one-up'ed Clément's Superman pose when he did it while flying

Jen just working on her tan

...Food...

Darren has cooking ribs down to an art...MMMmmmmMMMM

Dale, Hannah, Joey and Ella joined us after boating for the BBQ...

don't worry, Jen stayed vegan...Chris couldn't resist!

Camping and Silvis (Chris's mom's side) family reunion

Jen's big leap of faith...

Which she survived despite thinking she would die (and actually enjoyed it really)

Mom and her parents (Chris's grandparents)

The rope and ring game...and the picture with the most people in it that I have...there were between 40 and 50 people at the reunion...it was a blast!

Jen's first fire...a natural!

...More Food...

Clément's first S'more

We celebrated Jen's fire-making skills by eating 4 (vegan) S'mores...each!

...The Beach...

Why jumping pictures are so entertaining I'll never know...but they are!

Jen's name change went through just a few weeks before we left...

Officially a Dean!

The only one brave enough to play in the water besides Sarah!

...Did we mention food?

Clément and Jen with bread bowls, and Ghirardelli ice cream!

And of course...

seeing Elder Benjamin Dean off on his mission

At the Stake offices before the setting apart...

...and at the airport

Good luck Elder Dean! We love you and miss you, and we'll see you in two years!

Overall it was a wonderful trip, and we miss everyone we were able to see again already! Can't wait to go back!

Keeping it zen!

It's the end of the semester..finals are coming up...the hubby is keeping it zen!

For a good laugh...

What am I doing you might ask? Trying to relax my jaw...smiling for pictures hurts...

Now go on and laugh...

You are authorized to use this picture for blackmailing...because really, it's quite funny.

We took that picture the other day... 

And then saw this...

Oh I think I'm just so priceless sometimes... :)

Cherry Blossoms

We are spending the weekend with about 14 million other people... no, not in our place...how would we fit? But watching and listening to General Conference. Every six months, the Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints has a general conference over a weekend. Four sessions of two hours. 1 prophet. 12 Apostles. Lots of general authorities. lots of counsels, advices, stories, laughs, good news and above all, the  amazing presence of the Holy Ghost. To teach us what we need to hear. We all hear the same talks but the Spirit will whisper the things that we need to our heart and ears. We love General Conference. Reminds me of my time as a missionary on Temple Square.

Before the 1st session started, we decided to go to the Tidal Basin for some fresh air and cherry blossoms. A bit cold but always beautiful. Blossoms remind me that there is always a new beginning available. We can start new each day, don't have to wait for Spring. Life gets tough but we blossom through our trials, we refine ourselves and become what the Lord intends for us. We are His children and our potential is huge and divine.