Reader's Digest Update!


Okay, so it's been quite a while since an update & someone (Dad) has mentioned that I needed to do it.

Things have been really crazy around our house for the last couple of months. Toph got a new job, I'm currently working 2 jobs, Madison turned 6 & Kaydence is potty trained. There's your readers digest version.

Trista is getting married in February & we are all really excited for her. We went dress shopping last weekend & it finally hit her that this was happening when they placed the veil on her head. Before that moment it was more or less like she was just trying on dresses. It was pretty funny!

We (my whole family) are planning a trip to Disney Land this December & my kids are already totally excited. Everytime a Disney Land/World commercial comes on they start jumping up and down saying "I want to go on that ride." I think it will be a blast!!!

Well, I know that this is short & sweet but hope everybody has a great 2010 but I need to go help Kaydence & Madison put on their dress up clothes now.

Summer is finally here

So as soon as it decided to stop raining, my kids wanted to go to the water. We took them up above our house to Deep Creek, because Toph wanted to do some fishing, but the kids were way more interested in throwing rocks than fishing. It didn't tak Kaydence but 10 seconds and she was in the water as far as her shorts would allow her. Madison on the other hand was perfectly content to just stay dry and observe everything that was going on. She did throw a rock or 2 after a little while of watching Kaydence.

After our trip to Deep Creek, we learned that people have been having a lot of leeches on the fish that they are catching so we decided that this was not a good place for the kids to play in the water so we took them to Twin Lakes the next time. We enjoy living so close to Twin Lakes and being able to go camping and swimming there and so do the kids. Once again it didn't take Kaydence long at all before she was in the water and wet. Though on this trip she helped her dad actually catch a fish!

Kaydence is 2!!!

So Kaydence finally turned 2 on the 7th of June. Though she is going on 13, she still had a really nice party. We had a tinkerbell themed party which became rather appropriate considering that she took on the attitude! All of her cousin's were able to make it and it appeared that all of the kids had a really fun time. The day started out rainy and cloudy but cleared up just long enough for Kaydence's party to be outside, which was wonderful for me.

Maggie gave her a jump-o-lene which was a big hit with all of the kids and her Maggie-B gave her lots of toys for her sandbox that Toph and I got her. The kid is always digging up Maggie's flowers and picking rocks out of the dirt. She has really enjoyed the sandbox and the "jump, jump."

A Little Behind

So, obviously I am a little behind on the updates. Above is a slideshow from Baby Animal Days last month that we attended with Tara and her kids. My kids have always enjoyed this event but this was Tara's kids first experience......I think they enjoyed themselves as well.

Madison's favorite part was riding the horses.......no brainer, I know. As for Kaydence, I'm not sure if riding the horses or recieving kisses from the baby calf was her favorite. You see, Kaydence had been eating cotton candy before we got to the baby calves and as soon as she went in that pen that calf smelled that sugar and it was on. When the calf first walked over to her, she began to give it a love as though she thought that that was the calf's intentions as well. The calf on the other hand had another thought. That calf began tasting Kaydence's cheek and was not about to stop. We finally had to get her out of the pen just so her face would remain intact. After a short period of time of that calf "kissing" her face she decided that the calves were not so cool afterall.

Weekend at Tara's

A couple of weekends ago we got together with my family and took the kids to Disney on Ice in Salt Lake. Kaydence dressed up as Tinkerbelle and Madison was Belle along with Breklynn. Though Kaydence doesn't quite have enough hair to get into a bun as Tinkerbelle's she definitely has enough attitude to make up for it and therefore played the role perfectly. She loved all of the lights and music. She continued to bounce between me, Toph and my dad because for any of you that know Kaydence, if there is music you just cannot expect her to hold her little shaker still. Not to mention that everytime Mickey or Minnie came out she began to yell "Hot dog." Apparently she has watched a little bit of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on Disney.

Madison on the other hand was a different story, as usual. As soon as the lights went out and the music started she said "I'm ready to go." She then continued to clench to my mother as the show began but a funny thing happened. Now we have always known that Madison has always had a special place in her heart for her Uncle Ty (Tara's husband) but I had no idea of the calming effect he has on her. I, as a person who has Madison day in and day out, was in shock. She asked to go to her Uncle Ty and shortly after was completely calm and even began clapping and yelling at the characters. It was truly remarkable to see her enjoying herself so much at something that is so far out of her comfort zone. Usually there are too many people and the music is just way to loud but for a moment she actually relaxed and enjoyed herself. I will never truly understand the influence that Tyler has on my daughter or what it is that makes her feel so secure with him but I am truly grateful that she has an Uncle like him!! He is truly a blessing in her life.

Anyways, after Disney on Ice we spent the night at Tara's house, as it was Derrik's first B-day, and Madison was so excited that that was all she talked about the entire week. We took the kids to Cabela's on Saturday while Tara was teaching school and they had a great time. Breklynn ended up with an amazing shooting score thanks to her Uncle Toph....they are a great team. And, of course, they loved to see all of the animals. I know surprise, surprise on my kids. I can't help it if they know their wildlife, in Toph's words, they are being trained well.

Overall, we had a great weekend.

What a Weekend!

So, my sister Tara came to visit this last weekend with her kids and I think that we were going non-stop the entire time. It was nice to have them visit. I know that my kids especially enjoy it when they come.

We started the weekend Friday afternoon with lunch at the hospital with Maggie and Pompie (my mom and dad) which quickly continued on at their house while they were both still at work. Next I was informed that Madison would be spending the weekend there with Breklynn so I needed to go and get her overnight bag packed.

Then on Saturday we Tara, Mom and I took the kids cosmic bowling and to McDonalds. I would love to post the pictures that we have of it but we are still waiting on Maggie to send them to us. Hint, hint!! They had a lot of fun bowling and oh yes, I killed Tara and so did Breklynn. :)

At McDonalds Kaydence decided that she wanted to climb in the toys following Breklynn. At first I really thought that I was okay with it but I quickly learned that I was an absolute nervous wreck!! I am so used to Madison being not adventerous in the least that now that I have one that is I'm not so sure that I am as okay with it as I thought. When I told Toph of the nervous breakdown that I was having with Kaydence up in the toys, he laughed. Of course, so did Mom and Tara. She made it back down to my level without a scratch but didn't like the slide all that well and did not decide to venture back up. THANK GOODNESS!! I don't think that my heart could have taken it again.

On Sunday we had an enjoyable family dinner with everybody and finished the night off with a game of Tripoly. Unfortunately Tara had to head home with the kids before we got started but we will get her to play one game with us eventually. We just need to remember to get it out sooner.

To sum it up we had a very eventful and busy weekend but it was all fun!!

Christmas has gone!

Christmas has come and gone in a blizzard of wrapping paper at our house. Christmas is Madison's favorite time of the year and she talks about it all year around but I can honestly say that this was the first year that she actually got into the whole present thing. She generally just likes all of the lights and music but was really excited for the first time for presents. I think that it would be an understatement to say that her Maggie (my mom) has completely and succssfully incorporated her love for Christmas into her grandaughter and for any of you that know Toph, this has taken some adjusting for him to become excited about Christmas instead of playing the part of Scrooge. I must say that he did rather well this year though he still full-heartedly blames my mother....she doesn't mind.

As for Kaydence, she was so accustomed to being told "NO" when it came to touching the tree and the presents that when Christmas morning finally got here she had no problem telling everybody "no, no" as they were opening their presents. There was actually a moment of hesitation and a bit of coaching before she would touch her presents. It reminds me of a video that we have of Shalie (my little sister) when she was a little bit older than Kaydence is now doing the same thing.

As for the New Years celebration, my kids are not much for partying or being up late. They were in bed by 9:00 p.m. and sound asleep without a fight. I know, lucky us!

From our family to all of yours, we hope that you all had a wonderful Christmas and hope that your New Year is filled with happiness and joy!!