Facebook

I am mostly blogging about this for Steven. We both recently joined facebook. I love it. It is so much fun. I have the best time catching up with old and new friends. If I get a free minute I am checking my profile. I guess I seem to be on my facebook page a lot when Camden is asleep because Steven took a picture of it. This was supposed to be our time. Oh well, I guess that's what boundaries are for.

Ladies Christmas Dinner

Another way that we got to celebrate this Christmas season was through our Ladies Christmas dinner at Church. Last year was my first year attending, and this year I decided to try my hand at co-hosting a table. Most of the the ladies from my MOPS table were interested in attending, so I, along with my mentor mom Amy decided to co-host the table together. I am so glad I did it this way. It was great fun to decorate and put our table together, each sharing half of the work. I supplied all of my wedding china for eight ladies. Amy did the tablecloth and centerpiece. She also did the beautiful and yummy favors for our table. It ended up being a family event as my mom joined me as my guest, and Steven spent the evening serving our table dinner. It was really a fun night to enjoy a nice dinner and a show and get us ready for the season.

Our table

Steven did such a good job serving our table dinner.

Some of the lovely ladies from my MOPS table.

Snowflake Lane

When we returned home from Texas our Christmas season was in full gear. After flying all day we raced home to take naps and get ready for our first Christmas event of the season. We headed off to Snowflake Lane. It is one of our favorite Christmas traditions. It's where drummers who are in high school, line the streets in front of a mall close to our home. The drummers play while they blast snow and music through the streets. It is a really fun way to get into the spirit of the holiday. This year we went with some of my family. Camden really enjoyed the music, the sights and especially the suckers that were passed out to the crowds.

A group picture in front of the mall's Christmas tree.

Paying my sister back from last year.

Camden loved all the characters of Snowflake Lane.

Camden at one point during the night wanted to clap. How can you clap when you are holding a sucker? Where else do you put it? In your Daddy's mouth of course.

Then you take it back immediately after clapping.

It was a big night for a tuckered boy!

Thanksgiving

We spent a week in Texas for Thanksgiving. We enjoyed getting away from the cold weather of the Northwest to spend some time in the warmer weather of Texas. It was fun for Camden to visit his Granna and Pop, and most importantly his new cousin Lane who was born in August. Lane is 3 1/2 months and the cutest boy cousin Camden has. Camden also enjoyed his big girl cousin Brynna. He took to her very quickly, and all her toys. She was very good to play so well with him. We enjoyed our time so much with them that it was hard to leave. We hope to get these cute cousins back together soon. Our week was of course jammed pack full of fun activities.

They love each other!

Brynna took over the leash, but didn't like it when Camden led her away from the group

The two families.

The grandparents with the grandkids.

Little Lane loved his sling.

What a happy baby.

Jumping into the foam pit.

Camden's first "choo choo" ride.

All ready for the Aggie game.

It was a great week!

Praying in Church

I wish I had a picture to post for this, but I just don't have one. This melted my heart more than anything Camden has done to date. We were in Texas over Thanksgiving and had a chance to go to Church with Camden's Granna and Pop. They go to a very large Church so we had no problem taking Camden into the service and sitting in the very back with him. For a while Camden had fun playing with the backs of the pews. He would pull all the papers out and little pencils and hand them to us. Luckily no one was sitting behind us. While Camden was in the middle of playing, the pastor began his sermon. Their pastor is very loud and speaks with authority. Camden sensing the change in the sermon let out an "oh" and turned around as quick as could be. He sat down in the pew between Granna and me (mama). He folded his little hands as tight as he could, bowed his head and closed his eyes. He sat there for roughly five seconds before letting out a very heartfelt (and loud) "a-men". After that he went back to playing. It was such a sweet and heartfelt prayer that he did on his own prompting. We aren't quite sure what he could be praying for but we know we must be doing something right.

I've been tagged!

So my sister in law Diana tagged me, so now it's my turn to tag others. Here's what you do.

Link the person that tagged you and post the rules on your blog*Share 7 random/weird facts about yourself*tag 7 other people and link to them at the end of your blog*let each person know they've been tagged by leaving a comment.

Here goes:

I broke my arm when I was three
I was born in Utah
I have to have a fan running to sleep at night
I still have my wisdom teeth
I can't stand the way chalk feels in my hand
I played the trombone for two years
Sir mix- a -lot lived on my street when I was growing up


I tagged Brett-because Diana tagged my sister-It's only fair!

I tagged Cheryl, Kate, Jennifer, Katie, Melanie & Meg because you can't learn too much about your friends!
Have fun!

Halloween

It's almost Thanksgiving and we are about to fly off to Texas to celebrate. We thought it was about time I posted something about Halloween. Camden was our little Lion boy and he looked so cute. Halloween turned out to be a fun filled day of firsts for us.

The day started with trick or treating at my mom's office. Camden had never been trick or treating before. Camden took to taking candy from other people and putting it in his bucket so quickly. He was a good sport keeping his costume on the entire time.

I can't tell who had more fun.

Later that evening my sister and her husband brought over our niece "peanut" to have dinner. My mom came later with her friend Steve. Before dinner we took Camden trick or treating in a neighborhood close by. This was our first time taking him out. His costume was so warm and cozy that he didn't need to wear a coat. The rain even stopped long enough for us to trick or treat. Camden learned to say the word "candy" on Halloween and hasn't stopped saying it.

I am embarrassed to say he did very well for his first time out. Looks like Mom and Dad have to help him eat all his candy. For the health of his teeth of course!

Pepper even got into the fun by wearing his pumpkin shirt and going trick or treating with us.

I Have...

This was so fun. I saw this on a blog and took the challenge to try it myself. It' s really a lot of fun. Just cut and paste the list to your own blog and put in bold all of the things you have done. You really learn a lot about a person. The things I have done are in dark blue.

I HAVE….
1. Started my own Blog
2. Slept under the stars-unfortunately
3. Played in a band-Don't ask
4. Visited Hawaii - Honeymoon
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than I can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain - Does hiking count?
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sung a solo-my first and last
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris-age 15
13. Watched lightening at sea
14. Taught myself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child-Maybe someday
16. Had food poisoning-I'll never eat sushi again!
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown my own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France-It was tiny
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitchhiked
23. Took a sick day when I wasn't ill-Who hasn't?
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice-Hopefully someday with Steven
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person-Not me, but Steven has
34. Visited the birthplace of my ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught myself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had my portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing -Not me, but Steven has
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris-Been underneath it, waiting to go up it with Steven.
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain-Are you kidding, we live in the Northwest!
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia-Not me, but Steven has several times
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check-Oops
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar-You have to try it once
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone-Just ask my sister
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle -Unfortunately
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person-Pretty sure Steven has
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had my picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible-No but I need to
86. Visited the White House-Stood outside it
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life-gave the Heimlich to a friend in a restaurant
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous-Sir mixalot lived at the end of my street.
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Rode an elephant

Kissing cousins in matching shirts

I was very dissatisfied this fall with all of the pumpkin shirts that were for sale (especially since we had such a cute shirt from last year). After looking high and low and giving up on finding anything cute (in our budget), I decided to attempt to make one myself. It was pretty easy with fabric paper, a computer and a printer. I think they came out pretty cute for my first time.

Camden's "ti ta" (aunty) and "dic a dy" (Uncle Ty) were nice enough to take Camden to another pumpkin farm this October. I also got the chance to make a matching shirt for Camden's cousin "little peanut". We were lucky enough to get a date night, and "ti ta" and "dic a dy" got to try their hand at two kids. We really appreciate them taking our wild child out in public so we could get a chance to spend some time together.

Kissing Cousins

They really do love each other.

Munkin Patch

Camden's language has exploded in the last month and it has been so much fun. He is not perfect at every word but he is having fun being our little parrot. We have been doing a lot of talking about pumpkins this month, thus came the word "munkin".

We took advantage of a nice Saturday in October and drove to a local farm and munkin patch.

We had a great time exploring this farm with Camden. He enjoyed the animals and the abundance of land to run on.

In the end we came home with four munkins (one for Pepper) to sit on our front porch to welcome visitors.

The great munkin search begins.

He was mostly just looking for a munkin he could pick up.

Not quite Camden, try again.

Now you have the idea Camden.

Good pick Camden.

Dada found the good munkins we had to pick off the vine.

Camden's first time rolling around in the hay barn.

This area was filled with tons of little dried corn kernels.

Camden could barely walk in it, but we had a hard time pulling him away.

Election Day

In honor of election day I thought I would have a little fun. Camden has been interested in coloring lately so we have been doing a lot of it at our house. I thought it would be fun tonight to give him a blue marker and a red marker and let him predict who is going to win the White House.

This is what he predicts.

This in no way reflects our views of either political party.

Just having a little fun!

Happy Birthday Granna!

Happy Birthday Granna!

We hope you have a special day.

Looking back with you and Camden,

Meeting Granna for the first time.

Having dinner at the Oasis

Sharing your favorite ice cream with the ice cream monster.

We love you!

Kids Table

Some friends of ours threw a little reunion party for our old Sunday school class of young marrieds. Most of us are still at our Church spread out through different ministries and others have moved to other Churches. It was so fun to get back together and catch up and look at how our families have grown.

The kids table has come a long way since I was a kid. They sat in the nice dining room with the linen table cloth and a candle. These kids don't know how good they have it.

Thanks Melanie and Ryan for hosting such a fun party. Can't wait for the next one!

All about Camden

This made me laugh. We were all out to dinner celebrating Steven's birthday. Steven was holding our niece Ava so I thought I would take a quick picture. Camden was sitting next to Steven and thought that I was taking his picture (honestly, why wouldn't it be about him?). It turned out cute enough with everyone smiling. Camden doesn't have to know it wasn't about him.

Bye Bye Binky

Shortly after we got home from our Olympic Peninsula weekend we talked about getting rid of Camden's binky. It was something he seemed less and less interested in anyway. We debated about it for a couple of days before deciding to just get rid of it cold turkey. The first nap he cried about five minutes. The first night he cried twenty minutes (the longest 20min). Each day over a week it gradually became less and less. It took about two weeks for him to totally forget about it. He has done so well and we are so proud of him. We are so happy we took advantage of this opportunity.

Thanks to all of our friends who offered support, advice and encouragement. We appreciate all of your kind words.

I sometimes still miss that binky face. It's so cute.

Much better!

Who has time for a binky when you have a popsicle and a sippy cup.

Labor Day Weekend

OK, so I am posting about Labor Day weekend in October. My excuses are that I have been working as a Nanny part time starting right after Labor Day while also taking care of my family. I have to admit I wasn't excited to post about our Labor Day weekend. It was something we had been looking forward to all summer and it didn't go as planned.

Over Labor Day weekend we visited the Olympic Peninsula with my family. We stayed in a KOA campground in a two room cabin. It was pretty much the same as camping without a tent. We had heat and beds so I was satisfied. However Camden was miserable all weekend. We cut the weekend short to take him to the doctor. We found out that over the weekend he cut three teeth and got hand, foot and mouth disease. It was a rough weekend but we were able to have some fun. Get ready for family picture overload.

All of us at Hurricane Ridge.

I actually broke out in song "The Hills are Alive...". All I got was a few laughs.

It was really beautiful.

The Cabin was nice but small. I only cared that it had heat. They had a great swing on the front porch that we spent a lot of time on.

The first night we were really miserable. It took an hour and a half to get Camden to sleep. He ended up sleeping with us all night because he was so miserable. We were pushing Motrin and Tylenol every four hours and it didn't seem to make a dent. He even got a hold of our cell phone in the night and called his pop at 4:00am (oops).

My Mom offered to help us for a bit so we could go shower and get ready for bed. While we were gone Camden crawled on top of her and fell asleep. My mom was so afraid to move that she stayed that way until we got back (her poor neck).

We had to take a few pictures before we could help her out.

This was Camden's first real camping experience. He had fun with all of the dirt that was around. He handed piles of dirt to anyone that would take it.

Such a sweet boy.

You can tell in this picture he has a sore on his tongue and he is drooling from teething.

They even had a tether ball set at the campground. We all had fun playing.

This brought back memories from elementary school.

Liz can still play a mean game of tether ball. She can still beat anyone she plays.

My sweet boy and his Daddy. This is one of the last pictures taken with Camden and his Binky. We took it from him cold turkey shortly after returning home (once he was better of course). I will post more about that later.

We also went to The Olympic Game Farm while over on the peninsula. It was one of our highlights. You drive around this farm feeding bread to all kinds of different animals. We had a great time. Camden even got into it and had fun feeding this gentle llama. We definitely recommend you making a stop there if you make it over to the Olympic Peninsula. It is well worth the drive.

It was a bittersweet weekend. The end of our fun summer. Camden was miserable but he is still our sweet boy. If you haven't had enough of our weekend yet, we have pictures of our full weekend posted on our website.