9!

I can't believe that it has been 9 years. Where has the time gone. Camden was my easiest delivery! I had a appointment with my doctor. I was overdue. I had spent the day mowing the lawn (it took an hour) in hopes that I would go into labor. No such luck. My doctor was running late (not a surprise...he always was). My 3 oclock appointment was at 5. At my appointment he told me to go ahead and go to the hospital and he would induce me. I went home, called Neil home from the farm and got to the hospital at about 7:30 or 8. The nurses got an IV in me and my doctor arrived at about 9. He was just about to break my water when the nurse came rushing in to get him. He was needed in the ER. At women at 35 weeks was in full cardiac arrest. He came back an hour later, she hadn't made it and neither had the baby. He didn't tell me that, but I read it in the paper that week. So at 10 he broke my water....I was at a one. 3 hours later, and no epidural, a chubby 8 lb. 7 oz. beautiful boy was born. The nurses kept telling me how beautiful he was and how they saw a ton of babies but he was one of the beautiful ones. He didn't have that newborn scrunched look. I was in love! I had hoped and prayed for 4 years for this baby, and he took my breath away!

More than any of my kids Camden really gets into what interests him. For a while it was superman. Unfortunately there was a wiggles kick...where he would only watch the one wiggles video and wanted to watch it everyday all day! The yellow power ranger rulled at our house for about a year. Yellow was the color of the year. He only wanted to eat on a yellow plate and drink from a yellow cup. Star wars was another obsession (that still lingers at this house thanks to youtube. Did you know that grown men spend hours making their own star wars movies. Camden loves the grocery wars one. All the guys are different fruits and veggies. Yoda is Yoga...and yogurt guy!)

Camden is very tender hearted. He is also a deep thinker. He asks me questions all the time that really make me think. Sometimes he is such a old soul.

He is also a great giggler. He loves to tell jokes and is a terrible liar. When he lies he gets this sheepish look on his face and can't make eye contact. If I probe a little more and ask if he is sure that is the truth he usually answers with "oh I forgot".

Camden is a great brother. Brooke was smitten with him when he was born. She was 4 and so excited to be a big sister. When he was a week old I found her next to him on the couch reading him a story.

Camden loves an adventure. He loves to play sports (especially if he wins) and loves to go geocaching. He enjoys talking to adults and takes what they say to heart. The other day we were somewhere and he suddenly says "look, that looks like an ark of the covenant" A few weeks ago in church they talked about that and he soaked it in. His all time favorite teacher is Suzanne Smith. He LOVES her. He loves talking to her and talks all the time about when she was his teacher in primary!

We love having Camden in our family. He is such a sweet boy. He has a great testimony and is a great example to us! Hope you had a great birthday Camden!

Til we meet again!

We moved to St. George the week before Brooke started 1st grade. The first day of school she made a new friend, Mairead. She had also just moved here. Lucky for us she had a younger brother, John. The kids became fast friends and have stayed friends.

We just learned that John and Mairead are moving. We are so sad. So I took the kids to the splash pad to play. Some where I have a picture of them playing at this same splash pad many years ago.

They are the kind of friends that can get together for hours and there aren't any squabbles and not once do they say to me "we're bored". The girls even entertain the boys.

We will miss them terribly!

There must have been something int he water at this splash pad, because it made the girls very silly! So then the boys joined in and entertained themselves for another half hour!

On a side note...when I look at these pictures I am struck again at how beautiful it is here. Really...I get to sit at the park while the kids play and enjoy this amazing view!

Camera Happy!

Today when I was getting pictures off the camera I found these:





Camden and Addison had their own photo shoot. They make me happy. Pictures I would never take that show our crazy lives!

18 months?!

Today I finally took the 18 month shorts out of Addie's drawer. They still fit her....just a little daisy duke on her. Maybe this will help her to stop climbing into the car through the window! I suppose it is time to give up this size....she is 2 1/2 months away from being 4. What about the 24 month shorts you ask? Some of them are still in the drawer. If she wears 24 month shorts I don't have to roll them like I do with 3T. Her "boyfriend" Tyson was so sad that she isn't going to kindergarten with him next year. He said to her, "well if you would just grow Addie you would be able to go with me" Neil's grandpa is VERY short....like comes to my shoulder...so maybe she has his height. That's ok with me. I know she is eating healthy. On Wednesday she had beans for breakfast and lunch. Her favorites are black beans, but garbonzo or great northerns will work too! She would prefer to have beans over a McDonalds happy meal! YEAH! Now I just need to convince the other kids to love beans!

Schools out for summer!

I can not believe that it is the end of May and we are in the 80's. I am loving it! It was so beautiful today. I took a break from deep cleaning my kitchen to walk to the school and pick up the boys. When we got to the school the bell rang. The first kid that walked past us (with his air guitar) was singing "Schools out for summer". I gave a little chuckle, but he turned around and walked past us again this time with hands in the air shouting "victory, victory, school's out for summer". Wow...I guess he was excited. How long do you think he was home before he told his mom he was bored?

Almost famous!

Back in 2008 we were in a commercial. It was for Neils recycling program. I have since lost oh...about 30 pounds. Can we do a reshoot? The kids look so young! My biggest complaint? Why do they have so many bum shots of me!?


Oh...and that isn't our house. Fake house...fake 4 wheeler in the driveway! Real cute kids. Real car. Real cute husband!

Sob...I am so sorry!

One night Neil and I went on a date. Lindz called and asked if Brooke was busy cause they wanted to go out. Brooke was busy, but we had the neighbor girl coming to tend...so send your kids on over. Two hours later I get a phone call...and Sam (the sitter) is crying. She just kept saying she was so sorry. I finally got out of her what happened. She was going to paint the girls nails. Andrew wanted to also. So he managed to pry open his own bottle of polish. So we get this:






Lessons we learned:
1. My friend's husband is the best carpet cleaner in the world. I was going to post an after picture...but I can't find the spot. It took him like 10 minutes to get it up! If you need your carpets done let me know! He is FABULOUS!
2. Sam will never paint nails inside again!
3. Andrew has brute force! He can and will open anything! It's a good thing he is so dang cute and I love him to death!
4. The carpet guy said if you are going to put polish on carpet you should do it the same way Andrew did. He dumped it! He didn't fling it. He said normally if falls off of tables...so it goes flying. This results in lots of little spots. Andrew was kind enough to dump...which makes it much quicker to clean up! So...ummm...thanks Andrew!?!

Baby Shower!

Twilight Edition! (All my friends in SG have posted this...months ago...but friend out of state haven't seen this!

We had a surprise baby shower for Alissa and Valerie. We held it the night that New Moon came out on DVD. They thought they were coming to watch the movie. Here is Alissa's confused/surprised look when we yelled "Surprise". We then had to tell her it was a baby shower!


Valerie gave us the same look...you just can't see it in the shadow!


So she pretended to be surprised for another picture!


My friend Brady did these amazing cupcakes. She made the toppers and used "Forks" to stick them in the cupcakes. (The people in the book live in Forks Washington for all of you out of the loop!)


Liz and Kristen made this amazing salad bar spread. Wowzers it was yummy. Can I also add that I LOVE Craisins on salad! (But I don't love them plain)


The decorations were perfect for the theme!


I went online and found this great templete to download. The juice was yummy!


How sad is it that I only got pictures of two of the party guests? Suzi and Kellie! I didn't even get a picture of Lindz, Liz and Kristen. They worked hard planning the party!


Alissa opening gifts!


The guest of honor. They were suppose to be induced on the same day...but Val was induced early. Alissa had an adorable little boy named Ryker. Val had an adorable little girl (with tons of hair. She reminds me of Brooke) She named her Renesmee.



JUST KIDDING...she named her Adeline Lilly! It was a fun night!

Basketball!

Camden and Easton played on the same basketball team this year.

Neil wasn't the coach...until he went to the first practice and the team was given to him! He had a great time. (Camden just recently asked when he was going to get a real coach since Neil is always his coach!)

The boys had a great season and gained a ton of new skills!

The boys have such different personalities and it really shows when they are playing sports!

They also have very different builds! I love seeing Eastons chicken legs and Camdens stocky legs run down the court!

They both get VERY excited when they score! Next year Camden moves up to the next age level:( That means two teams to coordinate. Maybe Camden will get his wish for a new coach!

Pinewood Derby

Clear back in March Camden had his first pinewood derby.

The scouts worked very hard on their cars.

Somehow this is the only picture I have of Camdens car. It is the one at the very end. See that little piece of wood at the far end? Umm...ok...so I need to get another picture!

I was in charge of snacks. Earlier in the day I went to the movie theatre and told them what we were doing. The manager had them scoop up all the popcorn they had popped for the day, bag it up, and give it to me! FREE Movie popcorn...that was like $1000 bucks in popcorn (man they charge a ton for that stuff). The spectators at the derby got to eat as much as they wanted! Addison and Easton loved watching the race.



There is a guy in town that owns an amazing track. We paid for him to come and time the race. He said our boys had the fastest cars in town! We had a great time! Can't wait for next year!

Playgroup tea party!

Addison has playgroup once a week. Each mom takes a turn, which means 3 weeks off! One week we had a tea party!

Princess Lexi! She LOVED the cookies!

So did Princess Bella!

Princess Addison!

Princess Kara would take a sip of tea/water and say..."satisfactory" Ha! She cracked me up!

All 4 girls in their pretty princess outfits!

Tea Time!

This post should have happened about 3 months ago...but hey...I've been a little busy!

One day Addison wanted a tea party with her friend Auri.

So we got the tea party ready and the girls had a fabulous time!

Ignor my messy unfinished basement!

Instead focus of these two beauties...and their tea party friends!

Sewing for sweet Ivy!

I spent many hours working on a blessing dress for my hairdresser/friend's baby girl Ivy. This is sweet Ivy and her big brother Wrigley (he is the smartest/cutest thing).

I got the fabric at an heirloom sewing shop in Provo. I could spend an entire day in that shop! I got this amazing silk that was a dream to sew...except it frayed like CRAZY!


Mendy and I spent a long time at the fabric store picking out the right trim. Let me tell you that St. George needs an heirloom fabric store...JoAnn's just doesn't cut it. We got the best they had. I think it ended up being beautiful trim!


I fell in love with this dress. Mendy found a dress online and told me that was what she wanted. I ended up making up the pattern....and boy did that make my sewing brain think (which it loves to do)

I felt honored to sew such an important dress for such a special little girl. I can't wait to do another one. Who's next? Mendy? Lindz? Me? (Nope...Neil would have a heart attack!)