My New Favorite Thing!

I was at the wonderful store Walmart getting some sunblock and I noticed these wonderful things hanging on the end of an isle. It is probably hard to tell what these are, but they are similar to Push Up Pops. What you do is fill them up with juice, smoothies, yogurts or whatever you want and put the lid on and freeze. When they are frozen, you take the lid off and put it on the bottom and then you twist up what is inside. It is so fun because I hate buying popsicles for my kids because they have so much dye and sugar. And I don't want to give my kids artificial sugar. These are not messy at all. I keep them filled in my freezer and I don't even mind if they eat them for breakfast because it is either juice or yogurt in them. I even slip some liquid vitamins in them and they don't even know the difference! They are great!

My sweet 2 Month Old

I can't believe Caleb is already 2 months old. He has started getting some chunk on his skinny legs (or as much as our little babies can get) And for the past 2 weeks, he has been sleeping THROUGH THE NIGHT!!! He sleeps for about 8-10 hours!!!!! We could not be any more blessed to have this sweet boy in our life!

I love the way I can still smell his little baby scent even when I am not holding him. He has a killer smile and has started talking to us.

I do get jeaouls of Mark a lot though. When Mark gets home from work and holds Caleb, he gets this ridiculously huge smile on his face and he cooos just gets so excited to hear Mark's voice..... Wait a minute, I am the one with him all day and changes his diapers and feeds him and yet Mark gets those cute little moments. At least I get to see them!

I was at our mutual activity last night and I had to take my kids with me. Well, some of the leaders were holding Caleb. Jamie Williams asked Elli if she could keep Caleb. Elli told her, "No, but you can borrow him.... and then give him back." Then she walked away to get another water balloon. When she walked back by, she told Jamie, "If you want a baby Caleb, just go to the hospital and get one. But that's our Caleb," I love how sweet and innocent kids are. I wish just going to the hospital to get a baby was that easy! Don't we all wish that. No more stretch marks, saggy boobs, or everything else that goes along with having babies!! Thanks for sticking up for your little baby, Elli!!

Camera Addict

I love taking random pictures of my kids lately. I don't know what it is, but it is out on my counter all the time, or in my diaper bag "just in case" there is a cute picture to take!! Here's one that I just took! I was going to lay Caleb down and Braeden ran over and laid on his bed so he could hold him. "OK, then.... I'll just have to take a picture of you then, Braeden!" That was his punishment for getting in my way... but he doesn't seem to mind when I whip the camera out. He actually loves it.



This was Elli holding Caleb, of course. She is constantly wanting to hold that boy. You can tell in his face he gets passed around a lot in this family!

My camera was stolen!

This is what happens when your kids get ahold of your camera. I found these when I uploaded my pictures on my computer.

They were playing "Alvin & the Chipmunks" that day so Elli got on Braeden's blue pajamas and found those glasses (she was Simon), Braeden was Alvin and wore red. They even got a green onsie and had me put it on Caleb so he could be Theodore. He must have been sleeping when they took pictures.

What a crazy group of kids we have! Nothing surprises me with them.

Cute Faces of Caleb

This kid LOVES to get his diaper changed. Every time I lay him on his changing table, he gets so excited. This time I had my camera near by and I took pictures of the different faces he makes when I lay him down to change his diaper! TOOO CUTE!!

Our version of a pool!

We aren't lucky enough to have a pool, but in a way, it's nice not having the resonsibility it takes to have a pool. Way too much maintance for me right now. But since my kids don't like playing in the 100+ degree weather (which I don't blame them for) it's nice having something they can do outside. It's the greatest thing we can own in the summertime.

They are so cute together when they play. They are the best of buds! Lately they have become more mature (I guess you can call it) and they have really played well together. They have always like playing with each other, but it ALWAYS ended in a fight, someone crying, not sharing or just not wanting to play together. But lately, (and I mean lately) it has been so fun to see them really enjoy each other. They say sorry to each other and Braeden even gets sad when Elli decides she wants to play with something girly.

But I love watching them be together and enjoy each other! Maybe I am speaking too early and am this stage won't last..... I can hope though!!!

As If I Am Not Old Enough.....

Kendee Rowley, Shanon Scott, Amy Chappell, Caryn Beck, Me and Alison Anderson

I went to my 10 YEAR REUNION last Saturday. Crazy I know! (Or maybe some of you are thinking I AM old and I just need to come to grips with it) But I am glad I decided to go. I wasn't sure if I was going until about 2 days before. But knowing many of my friends were going, I wanted to. I saw so many people whose names I forgot, people I forgot about but loved seeing again and people I had no idea who they were. It was a good thing we wore name tags.

Me and Becky Beals

It was a great night of reminiscing and almost winning the award of having a newborn at home. I lost by 3 weeks.

Me and Caryn

I just wanted to thank my sweet 'ol hubby for making the most of it and getting to know the other husbands so he wasn't so bored. He really is a great sport when it comes to supporting me. Being from California, he did end up knowing people he could talk to, so that was nice for him.

Me, Rachel (White), Lynndsey Ward, Alison Anderson

How to kill a mouse!!

Braeden could talk your ear off for HOURS about everything he is thinking about. You can say something random about anything and you can literally see the wheels turning in his head. Today was no different. He has been watching "Tom & Jerry" lately and explained to me how to kill a mouse if one comes in our house. He was talking about buying a cat and letting the cat catch him, putting cheese out to trick him and then catch him. And I think I listened to suggestions for about 10 minutes. It really was kind of cute listening to his voice. But at the end of it all, Braeden said....

"We should get a shirt made that says 'All of my great ideas will blow your socks off!' "

So you ask where he got that. He has a shirt that says "All my great ideas get me in trouble." He simple thinks that shirt is not true and we should get a new one.

Kids keep us laughing.

What a BABE!!

Well, I just wanted to post this picture of my gorgeous sister Kara because I thought it was such a cute picture of her! She is such a fun sister and I love hanging with her! She has one of the most addicting personalities and is always fun to listen to. The things she says makes everyone laugh! Anyway, Kara, I just adore you! You are gorgeous!!

Oh, and she is holding Crew. (Lisa's youngest) He is one boy I want to take home with me everytime I see him. He is absolutely adorable!

The Wedding Dancer!!

My cousin, Dano Shreeve, got married yesterday. When we were driving to the reception, Braeden was asking us where we were going and after we told him he wanted to know what a reception was. So we told him. He wasn't too excited to be going, but excited to see his cousins. When we got there, he and Elli were starving so I got them a plate of food and Mark and I stood in the receiving line. This was too cute not to take of picture of. Elli and Braeden both sitting at this cute little table!

Mark holding our cute Caleb.

Braeden with his cousin Caden (my sister Lisa's boy)

They were all playing tag together. And by the end of the night, Elli called them her"friends." She stuck with these girls all night and didn't wan't to leave them.

OK, here was the HIGHLIGHT of the night. Braeden stole the dance floor and didn't care who was watching and had all the confidence in the world to dance like a ROCKSTAR! The cutest part of it all was that he would dance himself outside the door (where the food table was) and eat some ice every once in a while. Then come back in and continue geting jiggy wit it.

He was shy at first to go out and dance, but all of sudden, he broke out the MOVES! Moves that I have never seen him do before. I could not believe this was my little boy. He must have got it from his Aunt Lisa who lives to get out on the dancefloor. (If you get on her blog, she has a couple videos of her doing Karaoke and busting her moves.) Braeden continued dancing until we left.

He ended up having a fan club. 3 girls were following him around and one of them got a chance to ask him to dance. (AAahhhhh, he is only 5 years old) They ended up all wanting to dance with him and made a circle.

Elli and Daddy got jiggy wit it too! She loves dancing with her daddy!

This is video of him dancing. I was so mad I didn't have my video camera. I used the video on the regular camera. It doesn't have a way to add extra light so it isn't very bright, but you can see his shadow dancing. The photographers were snapping pictures of him like crazy.

But it's funny because you'll see my sister Lisa join Braeden, then Caden, and then Mark who was holding Caleb.

On the way home, Mark and I were telling Braeden how he was an amazing dancer and that everyone loved watching him and thought he ROCKED. Braeden's response to us was CLASSIC..... "I knew I could ROCK THE WORLD."

Then I was asking Elli if she had fun dancing with Daddy and her response was.... "I rocked around the world Mom." She is always copying what Braeden's says. So that was a very fun night for us. And Braeden now likes Wedding Receptions.

*** Braeden is starting a business of being a Wedding Dancer. He has all the energy in the world to go all night long if you would like. If anyone would like him to dance for your wedding reception, let us know. ***

Stapley Pool

Braeden & Caden

So to keep my kids BUSY, we bought tickets for the Summer Movie Fun at Harkins Theaters. We go every Wednesday with our cousins (Holly's family). And then after the movies, we have been going to the Stapley Pool. It is a very fun pool! I love going there. Their kiddy pool area is great for kids who don't know how to swim.

We had Braeden's cousin, Caden (Lisa's boy) spend the night (Tuesday night) so he joined in our festivities for the day.

Braeden

At the pool they have a fun slide, BUT you have to be a certain height. And of course, my sweet little Braeden doesn't meet the height requirements. He is alway a hair too short. But the first time he went up the stairs, the life guard didn't let him go. He was a little disappointed, BUT he had a plan. He kept his eye on which life guards were up there. Everytime they switched, he would go up to see if they let him go. Well, the next life guard let him go and he was lucky enough to go SIX TIMES. Braeden couldn't have been more excited. So he and Caden went down the slide until that life guard left.

Caden

Genetics!

So this is where Caleb got his curly hair! This is my wonderful Dad. You can barely see it in this picture, but these guys are twins.

Happy Birthday Mark!

So Mark turned 31 yesterday! I didn't forget to post, we just had a busy day! But I wanted to post some things I LOVE about him!!

* He comes home from work and makes each one of kids feel special and let them know how much he loves and missed them

** He will always kiss me goodbye and when he gets home from work

** He will always let me hold his hand

** He remembers things I didn't think he would remember

** He loves to pamper me

** He will watch the kids when I need a break

** He teaches our kids (and me) gospel principles

** He is patient with me and lets me have my "GIRL" moments

** He will feed Caleb and change his diapers when he's home (without me asking)

** He does the dishes after dinner (without me asking)

** He makes a KILLER steak (about as good as Ruth's Chris)

** He will give me a foot rub for no particular reason

** He is very musical and sooooo talented with it!

** He compliments me

** How he "tries" to annoy me (in reality, I am better at annoying him)

** He is such a hard worker that when he puts his mind to something, he gets it done with perfection

** He is not afraid to kill bugs for me

** He adores his family and is the most important thing to him

** He is a person anyone can get along with

** He is agreeable

** He is very creative

Happy Birthday Babe! Hope it was a good one!!

Squishy Soda???

So you are asking what squishy soda is.....Well, Elli came up with this. When we got home from church and started making something for lunch, Elli was talking about squishy soda. We asked her what it was and she showed us. She was holding a can of soda that had the top part broken off. (The thing that opens the can.) Well, there was a little hole on the top of the can where the thing broke off. Elli was able to "squish" the sides of the can and pop would come out. Hence....Squishy Soda.

Where do they come up with this???