Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Dean & Dianna - The Beginning

My friend, Emily, has asked those who blog with her to write out stories on how we met our husbands.... so here goes....

The story starts in 1981, yes, I am THAT old! I was attending a Church Young Adult dance in Glendale with my girlfriend, Carolyn, and my 2 sisters, Nora and Wendi. I had graduated from high school just 4 weeks earlier but with a late birthday, was not 18 yet, so I was not 'technically' legal to be at the dance - shhhh! don't tell!
Very early into the dance a good looking guy came up to me and said "Hi" - like we knew each other or something. The weird thing was, I kinda knew him, too. But neither of us could figure out where we knew each other from. We danced alot together and had an immediate liking to each other and stayed together most of the evening, still trying to solve the mystery of why we both felt we had known each other. We never could figure it out and came to the conclusion that it must've been just a weird coincidence or something. After a very sweet but very sensual kiss goodnight, (nobody tell my kids that I kissed on the first date!!) we parted with Dean having taken my phone number. (btw- I lived in Newhall and Dean lived in Simi Valley, about a 45 minute drive without a fwy that connected the two at the time.) When I got in the car with Carolyn and my sisters, Wendi asked, "Wasn't that the guy with the red truck from the last dance?" I still wasn't exactly sure where she was going with this, but yelled out the window, "Hey, do you have a red truck?" before we drove away. He answered, "Yes!" as we drove away. As Carolyn started driving us home, Wendi reminded me of the happenings of the dance just a few weeks back.....



.... At the Plummer Bldg. dance (yes, I went to THAT dance illegally as well), I attended with a boy named Richard. I didn't know him extremely well but considered myself lucky to be out with him and gave my attention to him for the evening. So most of this story was vague to me, but my sisters quickly reminded me of the facts from the evening. AFTER the dance, my 2 sisters and I were getting into our cars to go home, I with Richard and my sisters drove with Carolyn, I think, when 2 boys from the dance, one in a black truck and one in a red truck, who didn't even know my sisters asked if they wanted to go to Bob's Big Boy with them. (Okay - this is another place for a disclaimer... our kids should never know that we were so easily able to get into strangers' trucks.) Free Meal!! SURE! One of my sisters, I'm not sure which went where, got into the black truck with Alan and the other climbed into the red truck with yes... DEAN! We all drove to Bob's and sat at one of those great circular corner booths. But my sisters traded guys. Whoever was with the guy in the black truck was now sitting with the guy with the red truck and vice versa. I have to shamefully admit, I was so into Richard, I really didn't notice much about the other 2 boys and certainly didn't look twice at Dean. I DO remember though just one detail about the evening at Bob's and that is when Dean was looking at his menu and asked the waitress (beehive hairdo and all), "Can I have anything on the menu?" She looked at him strangely and said yes.... and this boy with one of my sisters proceeded to ask (with a silly smirk), "Then can you stand on my menu?" Yep, he was corny back then, too!!!


The night ended without incident and we all drove to our respective cities and homes having had a fun filled evening. So - now - jump ahead 2 weeks to the Glendale dance - Dean WAS the guy in the red truck - THAT's how we had seen each other - NEITHER of us had made much of an impact on each other 2 weeks previously but that night, we had connected. Dean came to Newhall that very first week to attend a fireside with me and it all started from there.... But here's the clencher to the story....

MY HUSBAND HAS DATED BOTH OF MY SISTERS!
How weird is that!

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Kaylee Cut Her Hair

And interestingly - it's not such a bad cut! Hairdresser???

Monday, August 31, 2009

Chris' Homecoming!

Sunday, August 30th, was Chris' homecoming talk at church. He spoke on Enduring to the End and did a fabulous job of sharing his wonderful spirit and love of the scriptures. Afterward, family and friends that came for the special day enjoyed a luncheon of Houston recipes (brought back by Chris). We had yummy brisket with a homemade bbq sauce, jiffy corn casserole, mashed potatoes, salad, and some of mom's homemade bread. Was a great feast!


Saturday, we had a great time being IN the water. Seeing that it was 108 in Murrieta (about 102 in the hills where we live - but STILL!!!)



It is so great to see all my boys together again. They are each so strong in the gospel and such great examples to me. I feel blessed to have them all in my life. But sadly, Kyle is off to Arizona again to rejoin his job at Anasazi and we will miss seeing him for the next month or so.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Chris is Home!

Lots of Hugs, Tears, and Laughter as Elder Chris returned home from the Texas, Houston Mission today!




Caden stayed at school like a good boy and got his own special welcome home from Chris at the Ward Building.


The Morgan Family all together again!


Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Cute Photo!

Just taking some camera shots at the pond and Paris walked into the frame. Random!

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

This is for Emily!

Okay Emily,
I took your challenge and played with iphoto. This is baby Caden. I cropped a little, touched up a little here and there, and really made the photo work with the old hat (it was actually Dean's when he was a baby) by applying the antique look. What do you think?


Monday, August 17, 2009

Kaylee in 5th Grade

Saturday, August 1, 2009

Caden on Piano

video

"We'll Bring the World His Truth"
Written by: Janice Kapp Perry
Arrangement by: Marvin Goldstein

Played at the Morgan Family Reunion Talent Show

Friday, July 31, 2009

Our Beautiful Pond (minus all the people)

Dean's sister, Alaina, took these beautiful photos of our pond area. It is such a beautiful, peaceful sanctuary. It was the very useful site of the 2009 Morgan Family Reunion and we hope many good memories were made here.



Saturday, July 18, 2009

The last movie my dad worked on before retiring is coming out into theaters!  Can't wait for GI JOE!

YouTube - GI Joe Superbowl trailer spot

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Beach Day

Beach Day - Oceanside Pier

There were tons of people - just a few feet between each group of people, which was really fun when the tide came in and everyone started moving back onto everyone else.  But crowds aside, the weather was absolutely perfect.


Kaylee was so brave and just got out there.  I didn't have Caden there, so I was a little nervous, but she did great!  

Thanks to Emily, Lucas, and Alex for driving.  We had a fun time!


Saturday, July 11, 2009

Slow Dance


(This poem was written by a teenager with cancer)


Have you ever watched kids

On a Merry-go-round?

Or listened to the rain

Slapping on the ground?


Ever followed a 

Butterfly’s erratic flight?

Or gazed at the sun 

Into the fading night?


You better slow down.


Don’t 

dance so 

fast...


Time is short.

The music won’t last.


Do you run through each day

On the fly?

When you ask “How are you?”

Do you hear the reply?


When the day is done

Do you lie in your bed

With the next hundred chores

Running through your head?

You’d better slow down


Don’t 

dance so 

fast...


Time is short.

The music won’t last.


Ever told your child,

“We’ll do it tomorrow”

And in your haste,

Not see his sorrow?


Ever lost touch,

Let a good friendship die

Cause you never had time

To call and say, “Hi”?


You’d better slow down.


Don’t 

dance so 

fast...


Time is short.

The music won’t last.


When you run so fast

To get somewhere,

You miss half the fun

Of getting there.


When you worry and hurry

Through your day,

It is like an unopened gift...

Thrown away.


Life is not a race.

Do 

take it 

slower...


Hear the music 

Before the song is over.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Kaylee's New Sweater!

I know it's summer and all.... but I'm learning to knit sweaters.  I started with a little baby one for Kamber and just finished this chunky style hoodie for Kaylee.  She loves sweaters and blankets (she's always cold like her mom) so she is thrilled.  It is a little big, but I wanted her to have a chance to wear it next winter.



Of course, Kaylee had to go and dress it up.  She can make anything look good.  She loves clothes and dressing them up, layering, matching in a mis-matching kind of way... she's actually very talented at it.  In fact, her latest hobby is designing dresses and cutting them out for her portfolio.  Who knows....


Saturday, June 13, 2009

REPRIMAND!

Okay - a little reprimand for all my blogging friends and family!  What the heck?  I don't have anything to read!  UPDATE PEOPLE!!  POST SOMETHING!!  Love always, Dianna!

Monday, June 8, 2009

Elder Chris - Only 11 Weeks to Go!

Elder Chris has spent the last 3 months in Spring, TX and will be staying for at least another 6 weeks.  He's very excited about the work and can't believe how the Lord keeps blessing missionaries.  They have a baptism set for June 20th and more in the works.  He's so happy to be a missionary.  Here's a quote from his letter today:

"I love this work! Great things are always unfolding left and right and I love proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Now that I'm nearing the end of my mission I have been doing some personal reflection. I have changed so much, I have learned so much, not only in the Gospel but in also life lessons. I know that I wouldn't be even close to who I am now if I hadn't served my mission. Now I understand why the Church encourages the young men (and women) so strongly to serve missions. There is nothing else that I could be doing in my life that can compare to this sacred work."





Saturday, June 6, 2009

What do you do when you turn 45?


You learn to bake bread.....
You teach yourself to knit....
And you plant a garden... (just so you can wear one of those wide brimmed hats!)
Okay - I also work out 3 times a week, can hold my own in raquetball with Caden and Kyle, and take care and school the kids.  But, I love that my new hobbies all fall under the aging woman category... :) 

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Kyle is Engaged!

For those who haven't met... this is Carla Hayden, Kyle's fiancee!  Kyle asked her to marry him after the family went on a bike ride down Red Canyon, just below Bryce Canyon, Utah.  I didn't find this out until later, but luckily I had the thought to take their picture while we waited for the other riders and snapped these pics of their actual engagement spot!  How cool is that?  That night, Dean, Caden, and I had dinner with Carla's family and Kyle broke the news to everyone.  Not that it was a surprise to anyone - he had just asked permission from Lance a few days before.  But still, it is so great that it is official!  I've never had an engaged son before, so it'll be a new and fun ride from here.  Congratulations to you both!  We love you Carla and can't wait for you to formally join the family.  Kyle - I love you so much - Congratulations, Son!


Oh - btw - no date is set yet - looking at late in the year.  We'll keep you all posted.  

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Photos at the Pond!







Stake Daddy/Daughter Night


Kaylee went on a date with Daddy on Saturday night.  They ate dinner, danced, and had this adorable photo taken.  

Kaylee definitely loves her daddy!

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Kaylee and Grandma Morgan