Slacker...

I have been a blogging slacker lately, but then again, I have been a slacker at most things in my life.  Pregnancy is no fun.  It leaves you feeling icky and very tired all the time.  I am approaching my second trimester (this pregnancy is going way too fast) and I am starting to feel much better.  So of course, before the house work that needs to be done and getting laundry done so my family has clean clothes, I HAVE to blog first because that is the MOST IMPORTANT thing....right???  Enjoy the update!

Random cuteness...

Camden likes to be a poser.  He will start striking the most random poses when you get the camera out to take pictures.  Here is one of them.  Sorry he is lacking pants but he loves running around in his "unnies".

This kid will fall asleep anywhere.  He is a good napper and sometimes I will just find him sleeping where ever he fell.  Once again he has no clothes on (this is kind of a thing around our house).  I was in Jason's office talking to him and came out in the living room and this is how I found him.  He also loves falling asleep in this position in his car seat and he does this same thing with his arms when he is watching TV.  He is such a funny little guy!

Kaysia is my girlie tom boy if that makes sense.  She loves everything her brother loves, but also loves getting into make up and dressing all girlish.  Here is an example of the two put together...

Jason and I were sitting on the couch and here comes Kaysia dressed up in Kyson's batman costume with dark red lipstick on.  "I'm BatWOMAN".  Strike a pose Kaysia...

You are my super hero!

Unfortunately I don't seem to have any random cuteness of Kyson : (

                      I will have to work hard to capture some of that and post about it another time.

Breakfast at our house...

It seems like everyone in the family wants a different cereal every morning.  One morning I saw all the different boxes sitting on the counter and I just had to take a picture.  I am not a rock star kind of mom that cooks breakfast in the mornings so yes, most mornings we do eat cold cereal.  At least we have a variety! 

First day of School...

Kaysia started FIRST grade this year.  I can't believe how big my baby is getting!!  She was so excited to go to school ALL day long, sit at a real desk and most of all EAT LUNCH at school!  She got assigned a teacher that I heard HORRIBLE things about.  Of course I didn't hear these things until the Saturday night before they started school.  I was at the school bright and early to talk to the principal about my concerns.  He told me that this teacher does come with some "baggage" and she is excited for a fresh start and has "promised" to turn over a new leaf this year.  WHAT????  Yeah, not for me and Kaysia.  She is a 'special' kid, in the sense that if she does not stay challenged she will become bored and not only become a problem causer in class but will fight me everyday to go to school.  Kaysia loves learning and is a great student, but that sometimes is our problem, if she isn't learning, she doesn't want to be there.  This teacher's "methods" I was sure would be a problem for us.  Anyway, I dropped her off at school to the teacher I wasn't comfortable with and cried all the way home.  Mixed emotions really, sad that she was growing up and sad that I was uncomfortable with her teacher.  The principal called me later that day and told me that he was putting kaysia in a different class at noon!  I was excited.  She loves her new teacher and so far loves first grade!

Great picture huh??  This is what happens when mommy spends the morning of the first day in the principal's office and doesn't have time to make sure she got a decent picture!

Kaysia doesn't look happy in any of these pictures.  It wasn't because she lacked excitement, it was because she wanted to go to class and we were stalling!

Kyson started his THIRD year of pre-school this year, yes I know, overkill.  He really likes it and he likes to feel big like his sister and that he too has a place to go during the week.  He loves his school and his teacher and to be honest I kind of like him having somewhere to go!  I love to see his face when I pick him up from school, he is so excited to tell me about his day and I am so excited to hear about it!

My babies are growing up so fast but I love to see them learning new things and I love them to start new adventures in their lives!

Fishing with Grandpa...

I took the kids fishing this summer along with my parents.  Jason had to pull an all-nighter at work so we went and spent the afternoon and night with them.  We went to some lake, I can't remember which, and didn't have any luck catching fish but the kids had fun anyway.

Kyson being a poser...

Camden just being cute.  He had no interest in fishing, all he did was throw rocks in the lake, which I am pretty sure is the reason for not catching fish!

Kaysia had to pee REALLY bad and at the time I wasn't aware of any bathrooms around.  There of course were but I didn't find out until after.  I decided instead of trying to help her squat in the bushes I would build this....

an outdoor toilet for girls!  It actually worked great.  Boys are so much easier in the wilderness, but if you ever have to take a little girl out in the bushes, I highly recommend building one of these!

Living Planet Aquarium...

I finally took the kids to the aquarium this summer.  I don't know who liked it more, the kids or me!  I am so fascinated with marine life.  I couldn't take a ton of pictures because the lighting was horrible but I did get a great picture of this ugly little guy!

My FAVORITE part of the aquarium was petting the the sting rays.  Most of them stayed deep in the water but there was one who LOVED being touched.  This sting ray would go up the side, jump at you and would just sit there so you could touch it.  Kaysia and Kyson weren't fans at all. Camden put his hands in the water and looked further down the tank and when he noticed one swim under his hand he pulled his hand out of the water so fast!  I finally got him to touch one and he thought it was pretty cool.  He was more interested than the other two for sure! 

It was a pretty cool place and although it was pricey, I think it is something we will do once every summer!

My Grandpa's...

I have been VERY fortunate in my life to not only have a relationship with ALL my grandparents but to also know my great-grandparents.  They are all so special to me and I love them very much!  My grandpa's have taught me a lot about life. Their infinite wisdom is something that I will ALWAYS cherish and keep with me.    
     My grandpa Linton has not only taught me, but shown me so much on how the gospel can bless your life and there isn't any question I can ask him that has to do with the gospel that he can't answer.  He is my spiritual guide in this life.  He has the best attitude and just loves having fun with all of his great-grandkids!  If I remember right he and my grandma have 24 grandchildren and 23 great grandchildren with 5 more on the way all due within 3 months of each other!  They are pretty diligent about showing up to anything they are invited to!  My kids love them so much and so do I!  My grandpa has a pretty bad back that causes him to be in pain, but that NEVER stops that man from playing with the kids and rolling on the floor with them!  Here is a picture of him giving Camden a shoulder ride which he was obviously enjoying!

My grandpa Whetman has always been a special man to me.  He seriously is the wisest man I will ever meet on this earth!  He knows everything from gardening to grocery shopping, from websites that can get you  the best deal on things to cooking a gourmet meal off of next to nothing, from building ANYTHING, to financial planning.   He has been someone that I seek advice from on almost everything.  He too has the most amazing personality.  He never complains, EVER.   Right now he has lung cancer, pulmonary fibrosis, and emphysema.  He is on 100% oxygen 100% of the time and when you call and ask him how he is doing he ALWAYS says, "I have nothing to complain about!"  Even though he is very sick he still goes out on his 4 wheelers, mows his and his neighbors lawn and just enjoys life.  NOTHING will stop him from living the fullest life he can.  In what would be a scary time for most of us his attitude is positive and uplifting.  He is realistic and knows that his time left on this earth is short, but he continues to live and live well and as happy as possible.  In my conversations with him it seems to me that he isn't scared to leave this earth.  He knows that he has been good to people and after this life, he will be in his words, "alright".  I KNOW he will be more than "alright".  He will live in a place with gardens that he couldn't even DREAM of!  His favorite smell of decomposing grass freshly tilled in the dirt will be all around him!  As for now, I will enjoy him while he is here as much as I can!  He continues to teach me something new every time I am with him and his advice is the best I have ever gotten and it is never ending!  He will always be an example in my life.   My kids love him and Kaysia especially seems to have a special place in her heart for him.  

I am a very lucky person to have these men in my life.  They will continue to guide me in directions that will always be good for me and my family, both spiritually and temporally.  

Playing in the Rain...

I LOVE summer rain storms especially the kind with GIANT rain drops that fall when the sun is still shining! We've had a few really great ones this year and I let the kids play in one. They had a blast and I loved taking the pictures and smelling the cool rain hit the warm pavement! Of course I was under an umbrella, I couldn't get the camera wet!

My favorite thing about rainstorms are the rainbows!