Busy Busy Busy

** Warning** This is a long post with many pictures... but whats new? We feel like we are on the go all the time around our house. We are in definite need of a STAYcation where we just stay home and do nothing. But it has been so fun to see so much family and do so many fun things. Mandy got home on Wednesday from her mission in Spain. It was so fun to see her at the airport and spend some time with her this weekend. She is such a cutie and we are glad to have her back. Friday we headed out to Hansen Park in Tremonton for a reunion with my Grandmas siblings and their families. It always proves to be a fun camp out with lots of good food, good camp fires songs, and good company. Kaden was in heaven as he ran around the feild of grass doing whatever he pleased. However when it came to sleeping in the tent that night Chris and I were about as far from Heaven as it gets. Taycee was awake from 1-4 singing us sweet melodies. However we have weighed the good and the bad and decided it was totally worth it. Chris got to shoot his gun and play steal the flag. He ended up with a bruised shoulder and a torn up knee. Again he says "totally worth it".
Saturday night Chris and I took Kaden and Hunter to the Fair. Kaden loved seeing all the animals, my nose didnt appreciate it so much. His favorite was by far the pigs. He kept watching them move their noses and he was trying to grunt like them. Actually he does a pretty good pig grunt. When he saw the rides it was all we could to do keep him away from them. But at almost 5 bucks a ride there was no way we were going on any fair rides.

Sunday was Mandy's homecoming. She did a wonderful job with her talk and we all got together for some yummy yummy food afterwards at the Tolmans house. Again, Kaden was ecstatic with the freedom and the many many kids running around. It was a great weekend and to be honest I am totally pooped. The house is in major disorder and I have a lot of cleaning/putting away to do. Only to pack it all back up again to go camping this weekend with the Claytons!

HERES TO FUN TIMES!!

Pictures in no paticular order...

PLEASE DAD can I go on those rides???

I love these piggies


Hmm this sheep is boring.. what else is there

Mooooo

He is doing a piggie noise

Lovin the corn dogs


Where's Waldo... I mean Chris


My little nerd

Here is that yummy food I was talking about



Mandy MOO is home!

The welcoming committee

Hansen Park

This is Kaden showing us his muscles

The shooting game

Oh so happy

Taycee lovin her some Uncle Mark

Kaden and his mask he made... not so happy

36' inch inseam pants from the 60's - 4.00
Long Sleeve shirt that come to your elbows - 5.00

Finding an outfit at the DI for your cousins homecoming because you left your church close at home - PRICELESS

I love you uncle Hunter

Taycee loves grandpa

I've been watching you

I've been watching you dad, ain't that cool
I'm your buckaroo, I wanna be like you
And eat all my food and grow as tall as you are
We like fixing things and holding mama's hand
Yeah we're just alike, hey ain't we dad
I wanna do everything you do
So I've been watching you

I love that song. Mostly because it is so true. I have noticed a lot lately that Kaden watches everything we do and wants to copy us. He has started calling Chris, "Chris" so I am trying to call him dad now. Last night we went and watched Chris play ball with a city rec team. Kaden wanted to be out there so bad with him. We had to keep him on his monkey leash to keep him off the court.

The he tried sitting on his bum and scooting out... that didn't work either.

This is Chris about to make a sweet dunk. ( terrible picture) I need a better camera desperately

Kaden finally settled down on the bench next to me. He kept yelling at the players and telling them to shoot when they got the ball. Occasionally he would yell out "missed"

He was getting pretty into it
Taycee was also cheering for daddy

She liked watching him score

This was the face she gave the ref when he made a bad call

At half time Taycee tried to sneak Kadens snacks away from him while he was contemplating the game.

Another way Kaden is just like his daddy is he loves brownies and brownie batter. I was making brownies a few days ago and Kaden saw me mixing them. He started pointing to it and saying "HUNGY... HAVE IT?" When I said yes and went to hand him the whisk he said "NUMMMMY" and apparently it was... he spent about 15 minutes licking that thing clean.




It use to be when we went outside to play I could sit Taycee on a blankie and she would be content...

Not any more! I cant keep this child out of the dirt.

Yesterday I walked into Kadens room to find this.....
FISH FOOD all over his bed and in between his sheets. GRRR




Don't worry though, with a spoon, a vacumm and about 20 minutes, all was restored to normal.

Oh and by the way... Chris's team dominated in their game. :D

We are family

This past year there have been a few occasions we have been able to take some family pictures. I just never got around to posting any of them. Last month I won a free session with a great photographer Heather McDonald last week we had our session at Wheeler Farm. She did a good job and we got some fun shots. Unfortunately still not a family one with both kids smiling.... someday.
Girls camp was also this week. We were at a cabin in Bear Lake, ( a lot different than when I went to Girls Camp) It went really well and I think I might have learned more than the girls. One of the things the YW president talked about was "stepping out of your box" or really focusing on what other people need. For some reason that really hit home. We seem to live in such a selfish world, its all about what can be done to make life better for us. She used a German word Schadenfreude which means finding joy in others pain. It made me so sad to realize how fitting that word is for the society today. I can't even count how many TV shows are centered around the pain of others. How much better would life be for everyone if we all just took the time to step out of our box and help someone else.... just something to think about.
Kids are doing well. Getting big and learning fast. Taycee is up on hands and knees now. She also had her first 2 teeth break through yesterday. Kaden has started talking more clearly and now repeats words that he hears on TV. It is amazing how much of a difference those tubes have made in his speech in just a week. He is also becoming quite a character. When he gets bonked on the head or "whackeed" as he calls it, he sticks his tongue out and walks around like he is dizzy then falls to the ground. He has also recently taken to yelling "mama,mama, mama" each time getting louder until I say what. Most of the time he rambles off something indiscernible then says "mama, mama, mama" again. It is such a fun game. He also has a new discovered love of coloring. He does it all day everyday. The good things is so far it has stayed on the paper.
Taycee and Kaden have a love hate relationship. As in Taycee loves him and most of the time he hates her. There are a few tender moments when he gives her random loves and kisses. Sometimes when he hears her crying he comes to get me and says with a very concerned look "Tayzees cry... hurry" meaning Taycee is crying hurry and go get her. However most of the time he sits on her takes things away and hits her with things. Just this morning I looked over to see him laying on her with his blankies covering her head... then about 15 minutes later he walked up and kicked her in the head. I might have over reacted.... a little.
A few weeks ago I had a talent agency ask me if I would bring them both in so they could try and put them in ads or commercials. I was a little leery and still haven't gone in.
10 things I know
1. I love being a mom, it is the most rewarding, under appreciated, stressful, loving, and fulfilling job ever.
2. There is a reason they call it the terrible 2's
3. I am starting school again next semester
4.Water fights at 11 o'clock at night with your husband are not immature...sometimes they are necessary.
5. Chris and I have a new obsession with Pinochle
6. There are a lot of areas I can be better in. I will start working on those...now.
7. I just looked down to see Taycee asleep on her back with her bottle in her hands and her mouth still sucking, Kaden just stuck his finger up his nose and and then blew with his mouth (that's how he says shh) he said Tayzee sleepy.... did I mention I love my kids?
8. I have an extremely selfless, loving, and hardworking husband. I marvel every day at the man he is. I am extremely luck to have him for eternity.
9. It has taken me almost 2 hours to write this post because every 2 second I play the "mama" game and have to get something for Kaden.
10. We really need a new blender so I can make peach shakes again.

Kilies Wedding