The Rich's

Some of the animals

2011-10-16T22:31:00.002-06:00

Amusment Rides

2011-10-16T22:18:00.003-06:00

Here's a few more pics of the amusement park rides. You can see in the kids faces, they were having a blast.

Yellowstone Bear World

2011-10-16T20:35:00.006-06:00

A few weeks ago, Beth and I decided to load up our kids and our trusty babysitter, Jenna, and head to Driggs, Idaho for a wedding. Adding an extra kid in the mix may sound crazy, but we couldn't have done it without Jenna. We borrowed Mom's Envoy and put Campbell and Brayli in the back with our new portable DVD players and Jenna in the middle seat with Broxon. I meant to take pics the whole trip, but never got around to it...

We left bright and early on Saturday morning and drove past Idaho Falls to Yellowstone Bear World. The kids loved seeing all the bears running free, but I think us adults enjoyed it even more! After we drove through the bears, we went into the petting zoo and mini amusement park. Brayli and Campbell were able to go on almost every ride and had a blast doing it.

Riding in the spinning bears... before Campbell got sick :(

We didn't go very fast when Broxon was with us... we waited until he stayed with Beth.

Campbell loved riding the choo... choo. He would love it even more now. Trains have become his biggest fasination. Then he barely new what they were.

Checking out the big bears through the fence.

A lady was nice enough to take this picture. Too bad Jenna was telling Campbell to look at the camera. Look closely in the background, you can see a bear climbing the tree!

Campbell trying to escape through the picture. I think this is one of my favorites. Of course, he wouldn't stay in the picture with everyone else. He has a mind of his own.

Behind us are new baby cubs.

Beth and her kids with the new baby cubs.

Our babysitter, Jenna, doing what she does best... taking charge of both kids :)

After all the fun of Bear World, we went to a motel, cleaned up and headed to the wedding reception. On our way around the winding roads from Idaho Falls to Driggs, Campbell got sick. I figured he was choking on the fruit snacks we gave him, or he was just sick from spinning on the rides. He threw up all over his clean clothes. He was fine the rest of the night.

The next day was a different story. Campbell woke up sick and remained that way ALL the way home. We stopped at Wal-Mart and bought new blankies and clothes. Jenna learned to clean throw up of the face of a baby while driving down the freeway at 75 mph. I know she didn't enjoy any second of it, but again, we couldn't have done it without her. Campbell was tired that night, but hasn't gotten car sick again. Hopefully it was all just a bad spinning ride.

Post Overload!

2011-08-23T23:30:00.001-06:00

Chris is at work and Campbell is in bed... so I have finally updated my blog for the last few months. Sorry for the overload, but be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom to see what has been going on in our busy lives!

Campbell's World

2011-08-23T23:17:00.002-06:00

Campbell has become quite a little talker. He also thinks he needs to be on a cell phone all the time. He has a play phone that we charge and he carries on long conversations with himself. Today he even put his hand up to his ear and talked into it like a cell phone. He is starting to get a decent vocabulary. He says: Thank you, please, all done, mommy, love you, more, Suzy, Poppy, Meema, blankie

It is so much fun watching him grow. He climbs everything and gets into everything if he isn't watched constantly. He jabbers with me constantly and wants to interact with me all day. I love that he catches on so quickly, although he doesn't always act like he does. He goes to time out and waits for me to count to ten, then he says, "no, no, no" before he goes and does whatever he wasn't supposed to do! I love this time in his life :)

OUCH!

2011-08-23T21:55:00.001-06:00

When we went camping over Chris's birthday, Campbell took a terrible crash. He was walking around the campground with a rock in one hand and a stick in another. Somehow, he fell and gashed his lip. His mouth was full of blood and he learned to spit really quick. I rinsed it with Hydrogen Peroxide and again he spit really well. I was so worried he would get an infection. For the first couple days it looked so bad, but it has healed real quick and you can hardly even tell it happened now. I guess that is the least I should expect with my little monkey.

Family

2011-08-23T21:53:00.001-06:00

For Brayli's 2nd birthday, she really wanted Granny Black to come. I went to pick her up and brought her to Grandma Patty's house. She sat outside the pool area and watched the kids swim and play. Campbell climbed up on Meema's lap and posed for this cute pic!

Brayli got a Tangled table for her birthday. She and Sophia were minding there own business and eating there food when Campbell decided to join them. As you can tell, he wasn't really welcome!

Great Salt Lake

2011-08-23T21:51:00.001-06:00

After camping at Pa John's lot, we headed to Salt Lake for Keaton's homecoming. We had Christian and Stefen with us, so we went to a couple new places. We spent our first day playing at Lagoon. I didn't get any pics because I was too busy having fun on the rides!

On the way from Lagoon to Sandy, we went to the Great Salt Lake. In all my years going to Utah, I have never actually been to the lake. It was so gross. There were dead birds everywhere and the smell was awful. It was an okay once in a lifetime experience. Now I can at least say I have been there!

Tag-a-long

2011-08-23T21:48:00.001-06:00

Campbell has become quite a tag-a-long and wants to follow wherever anyone goes. He frequently followed the boys when they would walk to the lake. He so much wants to be a big boy!

Campbell found a new friend in Pa John. He went on two 30 mile 4-wheeler rides and fell asleep in Pa John's arms. He also helped him around the lot by moving rocks and driving the tractor.

Anytime Campbell wasn't being watched, he would end up on a 4-wheeler and wait for someone to give him a ride. He wore quite a path on Pa John's lot.

Swimming

2011-08-23T21:47:00.001-06:00

We wanted to take Campbell down to Lake Cascade to swim. Even though it was warm outside, the water was too chilly for Campbell's liking. He didn't mind too much when he was just touching it, but as soon as I got his life jacket on and tried to get him to swim, he hated it. Needless to say, we didn't stay in water long.

He had much more fun when we went to the hot springs. I tell you, he so much prefers to be in warm water. Hopefully next year he will be able to enjoy being in Grandma Patty's pool.

Camping at Pa John's

2011-08-23T21:44:00.001-06:00

Lots of our summer camp trips involve going to Pa John's lot in Donnely. We have learned the importance of having a baby gate in front of the trailer for Campbell to be contained in. He is good as long as he doesn't see the rest of the family running around. He plays with his toys just like he was at home.

Beth and Matthew showed up unexpectedly and didn't have warm clothes for Brayli. Unfortunately, she is just enough bigger than Campbell that his clothes didn't quite fit, but she was warm! Love this beautiful smile!

Waiting patiently for a ride!

Roaring Springs

2011-08-23T21:42:00.001-06:00

So, as I said in a previous post, Campbell only really likes playing in warm water. I didn't know how he would react to the water at Roaring Springs. It took a little getting used to, but he warmed up. He enjoyed playing in the kiddie pool and even went on the slide with me! There is a teeter-toter in the water he really wanted to play on. At one point, a bigger than him little girl wanted to play on it too. She knew she was too big for him, so she just pushed it up and down. He had so much fun and she was such a sweet kid!

4th of July

2011-08-23T21:39:00.001-06:00

Apparently, I didn't get a bunch of pics this year. I usually have pics of the whole family waiting for the parade, parade pics, etc. It was a little different this year though. Dad's family didn't come until a few weeks later. I must say, it was a little weird, but we did spend the morning with mom's family, so I don't know why no pics :( Campbell got to ride the 4-wheeler all over town, he was in heaven.

Zach bought a pet snake and decided to get it out before the parade. Most people are scared of it and don't like it. Campbell wasn't scared at all, he reached right up and "petted" the snake!

At the Park

2011-08-23T21:37:00.001-06:00

Jazmin had her birthday at the park this year. Zak, Jazmin, Jenna, and Quinn had so much fun playing with Campbell on the playground. I must say that Campbell seemed to enjoy himself too. He kept climbing the ladder to be able to go on the slide. He also liked the swing, but mostly the slide!

We also fed the ducks afterward. He wasn't quite sure what he was supposed to be doing, but he kept throwing bread and went through a whole loaf! It is definitely something we are going to have to do again as he gets older.

At the Zoo

2011-08-23T21:35:00.001-06:00

I had a friend of mine in town with her kids for a few days and we met at the zoo. Unfortunately, I didn't even get pics of Campbell with the boys. Here are a few of the best shots of Campbell. We paid a little extra and went to the butterfly exhibit. One landed on Campbell's arm. He never even noticed it. He wasn't impressed with the goats. This one kept getting closer and closer, Campbell got further and further away.

Camping at Grand Jean

2011-08-23T21:32:00.001-06:00

Chris's aunt and uncle are the camp managers at Grand Jean campground. They work at the state park, but there is a campground down the dirt road that has a great natural hot springs pool. Campbell hasn't enjoyed swimming much this year, but he really loved being in the warm pool. The first morning we went, they had just opened the pipe to the hot water. We had to stay right next to it or Campbell shivered and his lips turned blue. We went back the next day in the evening and were able to enjoy the whole pool.

Chris's family came and joined us after a couple of days. We were able to have meals together and go on a couple rides. Campbell again had a great time on the 4-wheeler and even fell asleep on the rides. It's hard work being a kid!

He also a great time playing in mom and dad's bed. He climbs on our bed and gets the walkie-talkies from the corner. He would lay in bed and talk, waiting for a response (that never came!)

Summer Fun!

2011-08-23T21:29:00.001-06:00

As soon as it finally got warm, I wanted Campbell to have a little pool to play in. I, however, didn't want one of the cheap little ones, I wanted one with fun stuff to play with. Little did I know that the one I bought was going to be so difficult. Jenna and I had to blow most of this "little" pool up manually. After awhile, I got smart and used the air mattress pump. However, it didn't work as well as I had planned and most of the pool fell in on the kids. Oh well, it looks like they had fun anyway.

Don't mind Campbell's too small swim top, I guess he is to big for 12 months!

1st Campout of the Season

2011-08-23T21:27:00.001-06:00

At the beginning of May, Chris and I took Campbell on his first campout of the season. That is where he found his true love of climbing and 4-wheelers. As soon as everything was unloaded, he made his way to the Can-Am (smart boy)! He also climbed the trailer stairs constantly. I tried to set him on the rocks and get some pics, but no luck! So, we just get pics of his back climbing everything.

He did so well sleeping in his new bed too. My mom bought him a fold-out couch for his birthday. It unfolds and has a sleeping bag built in. It fits right next to Chris and my bed in the trailer. He slept most the night and stayed so warm!

Farewell to Zach

2011-08-23T21:24:00.003-06:00

Before Zach left on his mission, we had a family dinner and roasted marshmallows. It was fun to have us all together and hang out in the gorgeous weather. Brayli and Campbell sure love Zach and have so much fun hanging out with him. He is such a great example to them.

Everyone knows that Zach came home 2 weeks later, that means we get many more of these wonderful family moments over the coming years. Zach, we are so happy for the choices you have made in your life and even more happy to have you as a part of our lives.

New Slide

2011-08-23T21:18:00.002-06:00

For Campbell's birthday, I got him a small slide. You know, the ones that are usually outside, no, not ours. I turned our dining room into Campbell's playroom. I moved our dining table into the fireplace room and put all of Campbell's toys in the living room. He now has basically free reign of the playroom and family room. Here are some pics after we first got it with Brayli and Campbell playing. (Sorry, Beth, I know Brayli's hair is crazy, but they had so much fun!)

13 month pics

2011-06-21T21:37:00.002-06:00

Stats:

20 lb 1 oz

8 teeth, 3 molars

waves bye-bye and blows kisses

loves electronics

climbs EVERYTHING!

runs everywhere

only eats when he wants

flirts with teenage girls

loves his babysitters

starting to repeat words

calls everyone momma

wears 12- 18 month clothes, size 5 shoes

sleeping through the night!

no more formula

Family Pics!

2011-04-07T00:17:00.002-06:00

These are a few of the pictures Deidra took for us on Sunday before Zach left. Obviously the babies weren't very cooperative, but otherwise we had some pretty good pictures! Beth's idea of us in a pyramid turned out better than any of us expected. I love the one of Zach with the babies. It is crazy to think they will be so different when he gets home. Zach... have a great mission, we LOVE you and are so proud of the choices you have made.

Campbell's First Birthday

2011-04-06T23:50:00.008-06:00

On Campbell's actual birthday, Chris, Quinn, and me took him to dinner at Mancino's. After dinner we met mom and Jennna at our house and ate a cake Quinn made for his Scout cake auction. He got his first present in the mail that day from Aunt Cole. It was a "Sick Bear." He can use a stethescope to listen to his heart and lungs and also tear off a bandaid and put it back on. It definitely gave him the giggles! Thanks Cole! He also got a nightlight to go in his new monkey bathroom. He wasn't quite as excited about it... yet. In a few years it will be great to have a nightlight in the hall for him. Thanks Mom! Campbell wasn't sure he should blow out the candle or touch it. He chose to touch it... right as his daddy blew it out for him. Chris couldn't handle the idea of him burning his finger. What a good daddy!

On Saturday after his birthday, we had a big party. We invited our family and close friends. I guess we have more than I remembered. I had an inflatable bounce house/slide that was a big hit with the kids. I borrowed a barn from a friend and decorated it with jungle animals! I loved the way it turned out. Thanks to Camie Jordan, we had an awesome cake and cupcakes. I think that was the best part of the night. Grandpa Hill provided hamburgers, hot dogs and all the goodies! Unfortunately, Campbell was getting sick and didn't have the most fun that night. We all had a great party despite his illness. I just felt so bad for him. I found out on Monday that he had a double ear infection. Poor baby :(

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Christmas... really late!

2011-04-06T21:36:00.004-06:00

I know this is so late, but I thought I would update the last few months of our crazy lives. Campbell is sleeping and I have a little time to myself! Christmas was great. We had Christmas Eve at my mom's house with our family and Aunt Joy's family. We decided to do the gift exchange like we always do and read a story as we passed gifts around the room. We made homemade clam chowder and had Aunt Joy's rolls bowls.

After dinner, we had our Hill family kids gift exchange. All of us draw names and buy gifts for each other. This years were all pretty exciting. Braden got one piece, feety pajamas for Beth. Chris bought Braden a fake bird to shoot. Campbell got a fist and starfish that we can hook up to the computer and play games. Mom bought Campbell and Brayli Leapster Scout and Violet. They were definitely the biggest hit! I got a full series of books!

Christmas morning Campbell got his presents from Santa and when he became bored with that, he used Dad's presents to climb up to the piano! Overall, it was a great holiday.

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9 Months Old

2011-02-09T22:46:00.007-07:00

So it's a good thing I posted Campbell's 8 month post early because I am posting this one so late. Campbell has really turned into a little man and is such a busy guy. He hates to hold still and climbs everything. So much for keeping my little man little! It is bittersweet to see him changing so much and so fast. I love to see all the things that he is learning, but I hate that my baby is growing up so quickly.

- He climbs over his barricades

- He loves to feed himself

- He HATES baby food

- He finally holds his own bottle

- He sleeps in his own crib, but not all night long :(

- He loves Brayli

- He waves good-bye when we go to the garage

- He loves to chase Suzy

- He dances to music
- He likes books (not as much as Brayli though!)

- He claps for himself

- He can say no

- He cries when we tell him no

- He loves his babysitters

Campbell's First Christmas... the Beginning

2010-12-01T22:31:00.000-07:00

Soon after Thanksgiving, I wanted to get a Christmas tree up and get the house ready for the holiday. I have so many decorations and last year, Chris got to put them all up by himself. This year we had each other... and another helper! We bought a small Christmas tree and put it up on our dining room table. Campbell loved to look at the lights and he even helped put on his first Christmas decorations.

Thanksgiving 2010

2010-12-01T19:43:00.000-07:00

We had a great Thanksgiving... truly so much to be thankful for. Last year I sat on Aunt Joy's couch with my leg propped up on the couch. This year I was able to participate in all the fun. We had a great dinner at Aunt Joy's and then Chris's parents also had dinner for us. I ended the night playing cards at Grandma Patty's! Campbell loves to eat real food and Thanksgiving was his favorite so far... who could blame him. He was so full and apparently so was his daddy!!!! After a great dinner at Joy's, they both slept in the warmth of the sun!

8 Months

2010-11-20T12:36:00.002-07:00

A year ago, I was sitting in the hospital on antepartum with excruicating pain in my leg. Today I am chasing a rambunctious 8 month old baby. Crazy how much changes in a year! I am actually going to post Campbell's 8 month post a few days early!

- pulls himself up to furniture

- tries to walk

- is scared of his crib

- loves toys

- climbs the stairs

- hates baby food, but loves adult food

- eats 3 meals a day of 'real' food

- refuses to hold his bottle

- occassionally says "mama"

- loves chocolate

- has 2 teeth

- loves playing with Brayli

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First Haircut

2010-11-20T12:33:00.002-07:00

Campbell has had a really long patch of hair on the back of his head since he was born. I have been very hesitant in cutting it! I finally gave in and cut all the top of his hair to the same length. Needless to say, Campbell didn't enjoy it. Sara did a great job and now his hair looks great!

Halloween

2010-11-20T11:03:00.003-07:00

We had a great Halloween this year. My friend, Cindy had a fun Halloween party on Saturday. She had hayride, pumpkin patch, "stone soup", and food & games. Campbell enjoyed looking at the cows on Cindy's farm, riding on the hayride, and especially loved the bouncy house slide! After the party, we went to Grandma Black's to visit. We took pictures of the kids in her entryway. It was a pretty cute setting, actually. We also went to the wards trunk-or-treat. I carried Campbell around with a bucket and we got candy at every car. No one even asked questions. All in all it was a great day!

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7 Months

2010-11-20T10:41:00.003-07:00

I am a bit late in posting this since Campbell is now almost 8 months, but I don't want to miss a month. Here are his 7 month stats:

- 17 pounds

- tries to climb stairs

- still won't hold his bottle

- hates the exercauser (he can't move!)

- loves his jumper (for awhile)

- eats 3 meals a day

- won't sleep in his crib

- tries to pull himself up

- crawls everywhere

- chases Suzy

- hates being covered with blankets

- says "dada"

- is starting to play with toys

- loves toys that move and make noise

- tries to play on daddy's phone and computer

- makes soooo much noise at church

- "talks" all the time

I know, I know...

2010-11-07T01:31:00.002-06:00

So, this blog is in dire need of an update, but life has been crazy lately! Crazy doing what, I am not sure, but needless to say, this blog has suffered! Between babysitting and just taking care of Campbell, I am left with little time. Watching him has become a full-time job. He crawls everywhere (Thanks Zach!), tries to climb, refuses to hold his bottle, and loves to be held (but climb out of your arms!). So, hopefully next week when I get a couple days off, I will post pics of what we have been up to. I am also working on a photo wall in my family room that I will post pics of too.

First Tooth!

2010-10-19T02:27:00.002-06:00

Campbell's first tooth broke through a couple days ago. He hasn't been fussy, but has had 2 ear infections since his 6 month well-check. He also had very little appetite. I thought his gums felt swollen, but I also thought I was just an excited first time mom. We went to the doctor last Wednesday when we found out about his second ear infection. The doctor looked in his mouth, but didn't think it looked like he had any teeth coming in. Come to find out, the very next day, it broke through the surface! He had been sticking his tongue out all day and rubbing it funny across his gums, Aunt Jenna put her finger in his mouth and sure enough, a little tooth! He is also trying to get the left front tooth, so is still very protective of his mouth. The tooth is also just barely through, so no pics yet. Hopefully soon.

6 months old!

2010-09-24T08:32:00.002-06:00

My baby turned 6 months old yesterday. It is amazing how much he has changed in the last month.

- rolls from back to front and back again... and again... and again

- says "dada dada"

- "almost" sits up

- plays with any toys around him

- loves attention

- blows "raspberries"

- makes silly faces

- pulls hair

- won't hold his own bottle (prefers to grab my face and hair)

- finally eats rice cereal

- has no desire to sleep all night

- is the LOVE of my life!

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Germany... Finally!

2010-09-23T18:45:00.000-06:00

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5 Months

2010-09-04T20:00:00.004-06:00

I know, I know everyone wants to see Germany pics, but right now you will have to settle for pics of Campbell! I haven't had time to put a slideshow together of Germany. Right after we got home, Campbell turned 5 months old. He has started to change so much and become such a little man!
5 month stats:
Don't know weight!!!

Rolls from back to tummy
Pushes himself around by pushing on his head!
Spins in circles on the floor
Pulls toys on his swing
Grasps toys
Accidently hits himself with toys
Almost holds his bottle
"Sings" himself to sleep
Loves to eat his toes

Blows "raspberries" all the time

Goes through 2-3 bib a day

Gives kisses (especially to Grandma)
Hates to sleep alone
Tries to sit up by doing "crunches"
Growing up despite me
Doesn't know how to eat rice cereal

First time in a high chair. (Restraunt in Germany. He didn't even get to eat anything!)

Loves fingers in his mouth, even if they aren't his own!

5 month birthday, smiley boy!

First bite of food, most of it came right back out. We are still working on how to swallow food.

Germany

2010-08-16T12:33:00.002-06:00

We just returned from our 2 week vacation to Germany. It was full of lots of driving, sight seeing, and other fun stuff. Campbell is still 8 hours ahead in his sleeping schedule. It is 12:30 right now and he thinks it's 8:30, he is sleeping! Last night was rough. I am getting some stuff done around the house, ie laundry, and then I will keep him up the rest of the day so I can try to get him back on schedule! Keep checking for updates with lots, did I say LOTS of pics!

Just pics!

2010-07-24T14:38:00.002-06:00

He loves to sleep with his hands under the pillow! He looks like he is faking being asleep here, huh?

There's a smile for the camera. He always has huge smiles right when he wakes up, then he screams because he is usually hungry!

He has just found his feet in the last week or so. He tries to pull himself up!

Where did they go? I know there were here a second ago!

Just more pics!

2010-07-24T14:35:00.002-06:00

First time in the "real" bathtub! I think he LOVES it!

Rockin' the tie dye!

Not sure what to think about the water! He actually really enjoyed it, he just never shows it to the camera.

I will not smile...

4 Months old

2010-07-24T00:43:00.003-06:00

Wow! Another month has passed and my baby is now 4 months old. Crazy how the time flies. He has changed so much. We go to the doctor next week for his 4 month well check. I will see then how much he weighs, but I can definitely tell he is getting bigger. He can no longer wear his 0-3 month jammies. His legs can't stretch straight!

New tricks and favs:

- Loves to stand

- Found his toes and loves to play with them

- Pulls himself up to touch his toes

- Doesn't enjoy tummy time, but doesn't hate it

- Is starting to like books

- Loves TV (probably too much thanks to me!)

- Smiles only when the camera isn't out

- Likes the water

- Loves the real bathtub

- Tells great "stories"

- Still loves to cuddle

- Hates being hot

- Loves being outside

- Has a great laugh

- Loves to be tickled

- Always has his hands in this mouth

- Almost blows "raspberries"

- Sleeps about 7 hours a night

I will try to get pics added and his weight posted before we leave for Germany.

Outdoor Photoshoot

2010-07-20T22:32:00.002-06:00

While Heidi was here to take family pics, I decided Campbell needed 3 month pictures too! Luckily Grandma has a great yard to take pics in . We wandered around and found the best places. Some right in the flower bed! Don't worry, we "fluffed" the ground cover back up when we were done! I don't think she even knew we did it! Heidi took a lot more pics, but these ones are my favorites!

All Because Two People Fell in Love...

2010-07-20T22:31:00.003-06:00

Since we haven't had a family picture since Marc and Andi got married, we were really wanting a more updated family picture. We had a good majority of our family here this year for the 4th of July. We invited Heidi to come over and take family pictures.

The beginning of it all...

Still missing about 20 people, but still a pretty big crowd!

My mom and dad with their kids and grandkids.

My sweet, little family.

Cousin Love

2010-07-20T22:27:00.002-06:00

Campbell was the center of attention with all of his cousins over the week. Whenever he was on the ground, the kids just kept coming! But really, who could resist my sweet baby?

Tucker with Campbell

Lilly with Campbell

Jenna, Mykena, Lilly, Jacob, and Trevyn with Campbell

Car Show

2010-07-20T22:26:00.002-06:00

After the parade, the classic cars all line up at the school for a car show. Actually anybody and enter and this year Zach decided to put his car in too! He took every measure to make sure it was detailed the best that it could. In fact, he park his car in MY garage the night before so he didn't have to drive down the dirt road to his house!

Detailing the inside

4th of July... Really Late!

2010-07-20T22:24:00.002-06:00

I have debated on wether or not to even do these posts so late, but I decided if I ever do a blog book, this will be important. Dad's family was all here for the 4th of July again this year. We had fun playing cards, eating, and swimming. Of course, it wouldn't be the 4th of July without the Melba parade!

Chris atop his throne! Same place as last year I'm sure!

Lilly waving for candy! Who could resist that sweet smile?!?

Brayli found her new love... suckers!

A quick shot of Campbell's cute bib and outfit! He looks thrilled, doesn't he?

Family Parade

2010-07-20T22:18:00.003-06:00

This year our family had several entries in the parade. Check them out.

Kris and Bill in their Jeep.

Zach in his car

Braden driving around one of the queens.

Ward Float

2010-07-20T22:16:00.002-06:00

Not that I had anything to do with the float, but it sure was cute! The primary kids sang and danced and played homemade instruments.

Check out Ramie and Bliss on the front row! Good job girls.

Cold Weather 4th of July

2010-07-20T22:14:00.002-06:00

So, every year when the 4th of July rolls around, we hope for moderate weather. This year it definitely wasn't too hot. I would have to say it was at times, down right cold. Since most of my dad's family comes from warm cities, the kids were not enjoying the cold weather. Me, I quite enjoyed the mild temps. It was actually enjoyable to walk around Melba and look at all the displays. Unfortunately, Campbell didn't even get to show off his cute outfit!

Suzie sitting in Campbell's stroller.

All the kids piled into the back of dad's van! It looked like a circus car full of clowns!

Campbell had to be all bundled up. He really has a cute 4th of July outfit on... I promise!

Brayli was bundled up too, but didn't mind the cold!

Swimming

2010-07-09T17:12:00.002-06:00

Campbell went swimming for the first time over the 4th of July! Grandma's pool was only kind of warm, but Campbell didn't seem to mind. He wasn't overly thrilled to be in the water, but he didn't cry either. Chris finally had me get Campbell out because he thought Campbell was getting cold. I will have to say, when I got Campbell in the house, he was a little mottled!

P.S. Don't look too close at Chris, he didn't want me to post these because he is so white:)

3 Months

2010-06-24T00:21:00.005-06:00

I cannot believe that my baby is 3 months old already. Wow has the time flown. It has been such a great joy to have him in our home. He has definitely brought Chris and me closer together and we have loved learning how to be parents!

3 month stats:

11 pounds 10 ounces

- loves to lift himself up (while holding someone's fingers)

- pulls Mommy's hair

- still loves to play with his toy from Sara

- has a new butterfly toy he plays with

- has been camping twice

- rolls over (when he wants too)

- sleeps up to 5 hours at night (for mom!)

- holds his hands together

- recognizes his bottle

- hates his face being covered

- loves to watch the fan

- loves, loves, loves getting and giving kisses!

- only wants his pacifier when he is bored

******** Pictures to come *********

Enjoying Bathtime... finally

2010-06-16T09:18:00.002-06:00

It's no secret that Campbell has never enjoyed bathtime! However, now he is starting to think it is not so bad afterall! I think he may even like it. He is starting to get too big for his little tub, so I tried a new ducky one. Unfortunately, the baby is supposed to be able to sit up before you can use it. I thought he would be able to lay down in it, but nope. So, until he can sit, he either has to stay in the little tub or we can move up to the real thing... we'll see!

Continued

2010-06-16T09:13:00.001-06:00

Big smiles

Punching arms

Pacifier anyone?

Sleeping through the picnic

2 1/2 Months

2010-06-16T09:09:00.002-06:00

Just chillin' on the couch

This playin' is hard work...

What a good grip!

His favorite place to sleep... on mommy's pillow!

Memorial Day Campout

2010-06-16T08:50:00.002-06:00

Although the weather wasn't ideal for a campout on Memorial Day, we had a great time. We kept Campbell bundled up in a snowsuit and blankets most of the time. Brayli wouldn't be detoured by the cooler weather and enjoyed playing in the sand and watching all the kids.

Campbell and Mommy

Brayli and Matthew

Jenna and Sara

Just chillin' outside

Not a good start

2010-06-16T08:43:00.004-06:00

This is how our Memorial Day weekend campout began...

Last year when we went to Yellowstone, we noticied a crack in one of our trailer tires. We stopped at a Les Schwab, but the guy said is was just a flaw and shouldn't be any trouble. That was last summer. I guess this summer is a different story!

We were almost to our destination at Pa John's lot, when a man drove by waving at us. I looked back at the trailer and saw smoke coming from it. Luckily, I have a handyman for a husband and it took him less than 15 min to find all his tools and get the tire changed! We continued on our way and didn't have any more troubles!

Grandparents are the greatest...

2010-06-16T08:39:00.004-06:00

... Need I say more! (Sorry, I can't get the 2 last pics to flip:(

Great Grandpa and Grandma Hill

Grandma and Grandpa Rich

Grandma and Grandpa Hill

Great Grandma Black

Ouch!

2010-05-24T17:37:00.002-06:00

Why the sad face, you ask?

2 months old.... it means shots! Lots of shots :(

The day after Campbell's 2 month birthday, he had to visit the doctor.

It also meant 3 shots. OUCH! Campbell was such a champ, but wasn't very happy afterward. He spent the rest of the day either sleeping or crying. His poor little legs are so sore and he doesn't like them being touched or moved. It is so sad when he wakes up and realizes that they still hurt. Hopefully he will be able to sleep tonight, otherwise, here's to a long, long night!

2 Months Old!

2010-05-24T17:26:00.002-06:00

I absolutely cannot believe my baby is already 2 months old. It has gone by so fast and he is growing so much. I think in the last 2 weeks, he has had a giant growth spurt! He wore newborn clothes and now is almost too long for the 0-3 month! I can't believe it! He has brought such joy to our lives. He has brought me and Chris so much closer together. I love how Chris looks at him and loves him so much. He still doesn't allow me much sleep, but I am learning to adjust, just like all new mothers do.

They are going to be such good friends!

He might turn into a daddy's boy afterall!

2 month stats:

Weight: 10 lb 13 oz (25%)

Height: 21 1/2 inches (10%)

- learning to hold his own bottle

- follows voices

- reaches for toys

- loves his swing and bouncer

- loves sleeping in mommy's arms

- doesn't like sleeping at night

- loves to kick his legs

- makes fun sounds

- loves to listen to mommy tell stories

- tries to roll from his tummy

- only likes his pacifier when he is bored

- has visited Utah 3 times

Campbell (and Brayli's) Special Day

2010-05-24T17:05:00.002-06:00

Campbell was blessed my his daddy on May 23, 2010 at the home of his grandparents. It was a special day for everyone involved. Campbell remained quite during the blessing and Chris did an excellent job. Campbell is truly blessed to have such a great daddy! Brayli wore her beautiful dress to get pics with her cousin. (She has a pretty great daddy too!)

Quinn's Baseball

2010-05-24T16:52:00.006-06:00

Quinn's baseball games are very uneventful and these pics tell it all. Quinn stood as pitcher, though the coach pitches. Once the ball went right to him and right over his head! He got better as the games went on and even stopped the ball on 3rd base once. He was able to hit the ball every game and make it to 1st base. They let the kids run all the bases once they make it to 1st and the last kid gets to run a home run. Quinn was frequently the last batter and got to run "home runs!"
Quinn has the white hoodie on!

Various pics

2010-05-24T16:48:00.006-06:00

Quinn has been playing coach pitch softball. Campbell and I decided to walk to the ball parks one day. Of course, the weather wasn't perfect. I bundled him up in a snowsuit and wrapped him in blankets. I don't think he even knew how cold it was!

This is Campbell's favorite place! He loves his aunt Jenna.

Sleeping like an angel!

Mother's Day

2010-05-24T16:17:00.005-06:00

I had a great first mother's day. We traveled to Utah for the weekend and visited with Chris's grandma. She was diagnosed with cancer a couple months ago and we try to get there as much as possible. (In hind site, I am so glad we went since she passed away 5 days later.) It was great to visit with her and hear her stories and her testimony. Chris's parents went too. I was able to get some great 4 generation pics with them!

Grandma Huston, Campbell, Chris, Barb

We got home on Saturday and spent mother's day with my family. We had dinner at my parents' house with them and my grandparents. It was a fabulous dinner and I made Grandma in Utah's famous strawberry dessert. I also got great 4 generations pics with my family!

Me, Campbell, Grandma Black, Mom

Grandma Hill, Me, Grandpa Hill, Campbell, Dad

Campbell, Me, Mom, Brayli, Beth

Finding his voice!

2010-04-30T10:43:00.002-06:00

Campbell is beginning to learn how to smile and even find his voice. Everytime I get the camera out, he usually stops, but yesterday I got lucky! Enjoy the pics and videos!

Random Pics!

2010-04-30T10:38:00.003-06:00

Just some random pics of my sweet baby! He is so much fun. He isn't doing much lately, so there aren't many exciting things to see. Enjoy anyway!

Just chillin' in the swing! (Thanks Beth for the lifesaver!)

All ready for the softball and baseball games! All too soon, he will be wearing uniforms and playing in those games. I will enjoy him just dressing up while I can!

Campbell's first day going to church. He looks so happy! He even slept until the last 30 minutes of church. Then he thought it was time to eat and have a clean diaper!

Trip to Utah

2010-04-30T10:36:00.002-06:00

We found out recently that Chris's grandma in Utah has cancer and is quite sick. We have meant to get to Utah to visit. In fact, we had planned a trip prior to me finding out about my blood clot. The week we were supposed to go, I ended up in the hospital. Needless to say, when we found out she was sick, we waited for a warm weekend and headed to Utah. We stopped at Chris's work to show Campbell off to his co-workers and feed him. He slept until 15 minutes before we arrived at Grandma's! We had 2 great days visiting with Grandma. She has so many stories to tell, she also made sure to bear her testimony. She is such a strong woman and it is so fun to listen to her tell about her life!

Campbell was almost as good coming home. He needed to eat just past Burley. However, when we reached Mountain Home, he felt lonely in the backseat. We pulled over and I got in the backseat with him. As soon as he realized he wasn't alone, he stopped crying and was fine. Funny kid, he already knows what he wants!

First Walk

2010-04-30T10:34:00.002-06:00

A couple weeks ago, back when it was warm, we took Campbell down to the walk by Dan's Ferry Service. We got him bundled in his carseat and stroller and away we went. Chris and I really enjoyed ourselves, Campbell slept through the whole thing! The walk goes through the hill and there are animals, decorations, and cute sayings. I was enjoying myself being with Chris and Campbell and once again, forgot to take many pics!

Our happy family before the walk!

Campbell sleeping through the whole thing! I am sure he absolutely enjoyed it. It was really his first time being outside in the fresh air!

The only other pic I took. There are beautiful peacocks roaming around before you start the walk. Right after I took this one, the peacock spread his feathers. (I missed it!)

Grandparents are the BEST!

2010-04-30T10:32:00.002-06:00

I wanted a baby for so long and love Campbell so much! However, I am not the only one. Campbell is blessed to have many people who love him. Here are a few pics of him with his favorite people..... Grandma Cindy, Grandma Barb, and Grandpa Jeff!

All clean and cuddly after one of those famous baths! My mom stopped by on her lunch break and "saved" Campbell from me giving him a bath. As you can tell, he was grateful!

Grandma Barb has the "magic" touch and can get Campbell to sleep the whole time she holds him. As you can tell, he enjoys this too! Grandma Barb can't take her eyes off him!

Grandpa Jeff just sleeps right along with Campbell. It is becoming a Sunday ritual! Looks comfy!

First Tub Bath

2010-04-14T16:00:00.002-06:00

Again, these were taken quite awhile ago. This was Campbell's first experience in a tub. He hated it just as much as all the other baths. I made sure the water was warm, certain body parts covered, and he was as comfortable as he could be. It just didn't cut it for him!

Do we really have to do this every few days? I think I am fine the way I am!

Again, maybe my hands will make this all better! I think I can make it through this afterall.

Okay, it wasn't so bad! Maybe I will be okay the next time!

No, he still doesn't like his baths. In fact, just this morning, he screamed bloody murder the whole time he was in there. But, he smelled so much better when the bath was all done!

First Bath at Home

2010-04-14T15:52:00.002-06:00

So, this post is a little late. These pics were taken the first Saturday Campbell was home. He hated his bath at the hospital and this one at home was no exception. My mom gave him a bath in the sink while I took pics.

Okay, maybe this won't be so bad...

Oh yes it is. I hate this. Put me back where it is warm!

Maybe if I suck on my fingers, this will all go away, or at least make it better! Campbell loves to suck on his fingers. Usually it is the thumb on his left hand or all his fingers on the right hand.

Getting my hair washed is okay! As soon as he was bundled up and getting his hair washed, he quieted down and loved it! Look at that beautiful face!

Easter

2010-04-05T10:07:00.002-06:00

So, I didn't actually take any pictures on Easter. (I know, BAD MOM!) We spent the day with both sets of grandparents and Campbell was basically held the whole day. Not too shabby! However, last week, when Campbell was only 4 days old, Beth came over and helped take these great pics of Campbell! I wanted to make sure he still fit in an Easter basket when we took them, so we did them a week early.

D-Day

2010-03-24T11:05:00.003-06:00

Check out the previous post before this one.

This is what I looked like with a temp of 100.1 and burning up! Chris kept me covered in cold washclothes. When that stopped working, we put the washclothes in ice cubes! Everyone in the room was freezing and I was still so hot. Chris worked so hard to keep me cold. He would change them out as soon as they got warm!

The light at the end of the tunnel! This is how his legs were every time we did an ultrasound. Guess he wouldn't disapoint when he came out!

Waving to say "hi"

Big stretch!

Just chillin'

Feeling good after the C-Section

Chris, Dr. Hodges, Me (yes, I look tired. It had been a long day!)

The beginning of a long day...

2010-03-24T10:52:00.001-06:00

I knew I was being induced, so I did my hair and put on my makeup. I was feeling pretty good at this point. Check out how the day progressed.

I was starting to feel warm, so Beth acted as my nurse and took my temp!

Contractions are really starting to hurt, I am also getting warm and am starting to have Chris cover me in cold washclothes.

The bottom line shows my contractions. They were hard and heavy every one to two minutes! The top line shows how steady his heart rate was. He was clam and steady the whole day.

Quick Update!

2010-03-19T08:05:00.002-06:00

So, I went to the dr yesterday for my 38 week check up. No real changes. Everything looks good, baby just doesn't want to come out! After my appt, I started having pretty strong contractions. I didn't think much of it, I have been having them for about 2 weeks now. Mom and I ran some errands and then I went to her house. I decided to take a bath because that always makes them go away. However, after about 30 min in the tub, the contractions were stronger and 2 min apart. I called my nurse and headed to Labor and Delivery Triage.

I was hooked up to a monitor and sure enough, I was having contractions every 2 min. About every third one was prettty painful, but the others were managable. The nurse checked me and I hadn't changed. She sent me on a walk for an hour, yes an hour. I haven't walked for an hour straight since I got my blood clot. She also told me to walk through the contractions. I did my best. When I returned to the room, she checked me again. Still, with no changes. Stupid contractions, all for nothing. She was ready to send me home with Ambien, but then I started crying and saying how much pain I was in. She offered to let me soak in the tub for an hour. So, that's where I headed. After 40 min, the tub wasn't comfortable anymore and I really just preferred to go home if I wasn't staying, so I headed back to my room. After each intervention, they have to hook me back up to the monitor for at least 20 min and recheck me. I continued to have contractions every 2 min, but continued to have no change. So after starting this adventure at 4 pm, I left the hospital depressed, tired, and groggy (Ambien) at almost 9 pm.

The Ambien helped me fall asleep fast last night, but after about 5 or 6 hours, I was wide awake.

No real contractions to speak of this morning and Campbell is moving and shaking like nothing ever happened yesterday. So, here's looking to Monday! I will be induced at 7 am, unless this turkey actually decides to try to come on his own again. Wish me luck!

36 weeks and yes, counting!

2010-03-04T09:24:00.002-07:00

I am finally on the downhill stretch. I can't believe I have made it to 36 weeks in this incredible journey. This baby has definitely thrown my life for a loop, but it has been totally worth it. I love all his little (or big) movements! He is a serious mover and shaker! I went to the doctor yesterday. Nothing really significant, most likely no baby in the next week. So, until my next appointment, we wait!

Work Baby Shower

2010-03-04T09:10:00.002-07:00

Thank you Vicki for a wonderful baby shower. It was great to see my friends from work and have a fun time! The theme was A Very Hungry Caterpillar. The food was amazing and it was all great!

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Family Baby Shower

2010-02-24T16:56:00.001-07:00

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33 weeks, but whose counting?!?

2010-02-17T17:22:00.003-07:00

So this pic was actually taken almost a week and a half ago, but you get the idea! I will post more after my baby showers the next two weekends.

Quick Update!

2010-02-05T14:55:00.003-07:00

So, I took pics of me the other day, but I decided I looked too much like a cow to post them :( I don't feel that big, but the pics were very unflattering. Hopefully, I will get some soon that are post worthy. So..... until then, just a boring update!
The baby still doesn't think we need to know for sure what gender he/she is. I have had a total of 4 ultrasounds that should have shown it, but legs are either crossed or baby is facing my back. I guess we will know when he/she comes into this world. Baby also can't decided if he wants to be breech or head down. He moves constantly and prefers to have whatever body part under my ribs! I am learning that I need to be leaning back almost all the time in order to breath. Oh well, I love his little movements and watching him as he rolls in my stomach! The doctor said if I go into labor in 3 weeks, he won't stop it, so here's counting. I am not holding my breath though, I am sure we will go to term. My blood clot is resolving, or so it seems. I feel much better. I am able to get up and walk a little everyday, but get tired quickly. I am great at giving shots and could probably do it with my eyes closed, but hopefully it will be over soon! Here's to a happy, healthy baby!

Christmas 2009

2010-01-01T14:02:00.001-07:00

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My Christmas Present

2010-01-01T13:11:00.003-07:00

This year for Christmas there wasn't anything that I wanted or really even needed. Chris kept asking me what I wanted and I told him to save money to do the baby's nursery. So, what did I get for Christmas? A baby's nursery! He spent all day Christmas Eve priming and painting. On Christmas Day we got the crib and the day after that, the nursery was about done. The only thing left to do is get the changing table, add a window valance and of course..... the baby. That however, has a couple months to go! Chris wishes he had waited to do the nursery because now he is ready for the baby : ) We both love the end result and go sit in there frequently!

The color before. (Yuck, brown!)

The white primer.

The color... yellow!

The quilt that will be above the changing table.

The crib. Check out the adorable mobile!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

2009-12-10T12:25:00.002-07:00

Since I am basically on modified bedrest for who knows how long, we decided against a big Christmas tree this year! We have a fake tree in the corner of our family room and we decided to use it for our Christmas tree. Chris was a good sport and did all the ornaments and finished the decorations around the house. There is just enough to make it feel like Christmas. It's nice to look at all of it while I lay on the couch. Also, for viewing pleasure, I added some pictures of my growing belly!

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It's a boy.......we think!

2009-12-10T11:54:00.004-07:00

So, this little boy isn't making it easy for us to determine his gender. This time, he was curled up in the corner quietly sleeping and not wanting to spread his legs! The ultrasound tech couldn't get him to move at all. Eventually, we were able to see a little something right between his legs. Since the last tech and this tech thought it was a boy, we are going with boy. But, believe me, I won't be taking tags off anything. The doctor said we could do another ultrasound to see, but I don't know if we will or not.

On to stuff about me. My leg is feeling better for the most part. I am able to walk on it without it turning blue and causing me a lot of pain. The doctor told me to start doing a little more on it this week to see how much I can handle. I must say the six hours we were gone from the house yesterday just sitting in the car and being at the doctor's office wore me out. Today, I have very little energy and my leg isn't feeling as good! He isn't in any hurry for me to try to get back to work, so we will see, but I am not on complete bedrest. That is at least a plus. I go back in one week to see how I am doing.

Now for the fun stuff.... pictures!

Freaky front face picture. Chris says it looks like he has a blanket around his face!

Beautiful profile. Who does he look like?

Vote!!!

2009-12-02T17:09:00.002-07:00

So, one week left before our next ultrasound! Please vote to let us know what you think we are having!

As a side note: As soon as I can find where Chris hid my camera, I will take some belly pictures. I am sure you are all anxious to see my growing belly. Oh well, if you're not, I need pics for nostalgia reasons!

Update!

2009-11-21T17:45:00.002-07:00

So, no fun going on here. Baby is great. He/she is starting to move a lot lately. I, am not nearly as lucky. I get to move from the bed to the bathroom and back again. I am on unofficially bedrest. I have a huge blood clot in my leg and the pain is so severe I can't stand on it longer than that! I am giving myself blood thinner shots every 12 hours until the baby is born, if not longer. I had a follow-up appointment and Wednesday with my dr and he admitted me to the hospital for IV fluid and pain meds. I am currently trying to wean off the IV meds and start taking meds by mouth instead so I can get home. Right now my goal is to make it home before Thanksgiving. Today has been a good day. I only needed IV meds once and have been able to keep my pain under control. Hopefully, I will be home soon. I will probably have to stay in a hospital bed downstairs for awhile until I can learn to tolerate my pain and walk up and down the stairs. Oh well, a baby will definetely by worth it!

We still don't know!

2009-11-03T23:18:00.002-07:00

The only thing we do know is that we have a modest baby. He/She had it's legs crossed and was lying in a pike position when we went in for our Ultrasound yesterday. One picture is suggestive of a boy, but still not very clear! Chris thinks he knows it's a boy, but only time will tell. So, you have one more month to guess what we are having!

Pine 2009

2009-10-29T18:26:00.002-06:00

Last year at a snowmobile fun run, Chris won a one nights stay in Pine, Idaho. I had never heard of the place, much less been there, but I was excited any way! We made plans to go in August, but I had a bad cold and didn't want to waste a romantic getaway sick. We changed plans and actually went to Pine and stayed with my parents at a friend's cabin. It was fun to see where we were going and I was even more excited. So, after planning camping trips, football games, and just plain being pregnant, we finally set the date of October 23. (Only one week before the gift card expired!) Needless to say, I started to get sick right before we left, but not nearly sick enough to keep me away! The little motel was so cute! It was really clean, well kept, and so much fun! Of course, I forgot to take munchies with me, so we went to the expensive little store and bought snacks before we went to the little cafe for dinner. We also ate at the cafe for breakfast! So much for our "free" nights stay! There isn't much to do in Pine, so we spent Saturday morning driving around. We found some really nice campgrounds, but no where really to ride 4-wheelers so I don't know if we will go back or not. So, enough with the journal, enjoy the picutres! Be sure to scroll down, there is more than one post!

More Pine

2009-10-29T18:24:00.002-06:00

Just some pictures of the beautiful scenery! I am not the best photographer, but you can still see how pretty it was after the nights rain!

The Motel!

2009-10-29T18:19:00.003-06:00

So, here is a funny story for everyone. I am going to blame it on pregnancy brain. When we checked in at the motel, the lady gave us two sets of keys. I put both of them in my purse and obviously only had to use one set because Chris and I were together the whole time. On Saturday when we were getting ready to leave, I could only find one set of keys. I emptied my purse and still could not find it. The motel room wasn't big enough to lose it in. Chris jokingly said, "Is it still in the door?" I said, "I bet it is. I am not joking, check the door!" Sure enough the key had been left in the door the whole night. Good thing it was a small place with few guests because we were the first door as you entered the building. Funniest thing is that Chris was worried about someone peeking through a small opening in the curtains. Guess that wasn't really a problem, huh!

It's a BOY...... or a GIRL!

2009-10-13T17:00:00.005-06:00

So, I have always had a nursery set picked out if I had a boy, but a girl was a different story. I went to Babies 'R Us today to help Beth pick stuff up. In the back of the store, all the nursery sets are set up. I saw my alphabet soup with red tags on it. Yep, CLEARANCE! How could I resist? I bought the whole set: bedding, wall hangings, hamper, rug, everything. It can be returned within 90 days. Remember, I had no idea what I wanted for a girl. We decided to look at girl bedding. Beth found a beautiful girl set on CLEARANCE! Guess what, I bought it too! The whole set! I know I got carried away, but I got such a great deal and to have the whole set, who could resist? I have both sitting in the baby's room, just waiting for the ultrasound on Nov.2 to tell us the truth!

Go Boise State!

2009-09-26T12:28:00.002-06:00

So this post is a couple weeks old, but it is appropriate for today too! Deidra here is the post you have been waiting for. We had a BSU party a couple weeks ago with Deidra, Joey, Sophia, Beth, Matthew, and Brayli. Our tortilla chips were blue and orange and some were in the shapes of footballs! Of course, we were all dressed in the colors of the Broncos, especially Sophia who wears her orange and blue proudly!

Sneak Peak!

2009-08-31T21:17:00.005-06:00

Five weeks ago this is what I saw.....

Now I am going to have this........

Coming March 2010

I am an AUNT!

2009-08-19T17:22:00.002-06:00

And I must say I am a very proud one at that! I have the most beautiful niece ever. Beth had Brayli Ann on Saturday, August 15 at 8:42 pm. (Chris's birthday!) She had a relatively quick labor for a first baby and went home the next day. I was camping at Jardine's lot so I didn't get to see her 'til the next day, but it was worth the wait. I have seen her almost daily since and she gets cuter and cuter every time. I can't believe she is here. When Beth told us in December, it felt like August was so far away and now it's here. I have yet to get a picture with me, but enjoy the rest.

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Camping 2009

2009-08-19T16:38:00.003-06:00

So, Chris and I have been on so many camping trips this summer, I can't begin to tell about each one. But, I will try....

One of the first trips we went on after Yellowstone was to our friend John Jardine's lot with Joy and Mitch. Braden went with us too. We had yummy dutch oven dinners, steak and potato dinners, dutch oven desserets, and lots of 4-wheeling. I have never been the best 4-wheeler, but I was riding with pros. I had to buck up. We went on a 5 hour ride around the back of Tamarack. There were rocky hills, crazy curves, and wild animals. (Just kidding on the wild animals, unless you count us!) When we got to the very top of the hill, at the Tamarack ski lift, my 4-wheeler decided to die. It has a very dead battery. Luckily we were able to trade it out with Chris's and his charged it the rest of the way home. We all made it home in one piece. (I didn't say we made it home clean! Check out the pics below!) I ended up sick with allergies, sunburned and covered with mosquito bites. Everyone went on the ride again the next day while I laid on the couch and played on the computer. Overall, the trip was really great! One of the best things about this trip, was that our big dogs became friends with Suzy. The actually laid on the carpet together without any problems.

The next trip we went on, Chris and I went all by ourselves. That doesn't happen much with us, we really like to have friends and family. We wanted to go to Silver Creek Plunge, but not drive the crazy road to get there. We stayed at a campground at the bottom of the hill. We went on a couple hour ride just from the campground the back way around to the hot springs. Mostly road driving, nothing too crazy! We had a small beach down below our campground. Suzy like it only enough to get a couple sips of water. We also left our watermelon in it to keep cool! After we left that campground, we stayed the night at Starlight Mountain Theater and watched another show. We have been there three times this year and love it every time!

Our most recent trip was back to Jardine's lot. Chris helped John a lot with projects he had around the lot. They cut logs, brought in new sand, built benches, and rode 4-wheelers. I think Chris did a lot of work, but he found enough time to have fun. Mom, Quinn, and Jenna came up for a day and a half. Joy, Mitch, and Heidi also came up for a couple days! We had lots of fun again. Overall, it has been a busy summer!

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4th of July

2009-07-06T19:05:00.001-06:00

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Family Fun

2009-07-06T17:57:00.002-06:00

Over the 4th of July, my dad's sisters and brother came to town. At any given time, there were at least 10 children running around. I took all 10 of them one day. We went to Celebration Park, ran through the sprinklers, ate pizza, and had fireworks. I had a system when I hollered out 0 and the kids numbered off 1 through 10. That way I would always know I had them all! One night, my family went to the drive-in. We saw Night at the Museum 2 and the new X-Men. I fell asleep during parts of both of them! I had a nice comfy spot in the back of the Jeep! Enjoy the slideshow. (No one was harmed in the balancing act while reading!)

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Beth's Baby Shower

2009-07-06T16:06:00.001-06:00

Check out the slideshow of Beth's baby shower. We had so much fun and it was full of pink!

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The Discovery Center

2009-07-01T12:57:00.003-06:00

We have had some friends here from Germany and have been trying to show them around Idaho a bit. They have never been here before and want to see as much as they can. Yes, we know our area isn't big, but there is amazingly lots to see. We have gone to Silver City, Celebration Park, The Discovery Center, etc. I think they have seen quite a variety. Here are some photos from the Discovery Center. Sophia was with us and you can tell she was really enjoying herself. Our friends from Germany also had a lot of fun!

The Finished Product!

2009-06-13T17:27:00.001-06:00

Kitchen Makeover

2009-06-11T00:24:00.005-06:00

While on our vacation, we had our kitchen redone. I have always hated the green countertops (and there are a lot of them!) The backsplash was also very boring. We had wanted to do concrete countertops, but after a reality check of the price, we went with less expensive laminate. It wasn't my first choice, but it turned out absolutely gorgeous. It made the rest of my house look really dated. Needless to say, the rest of our house will follow shortly. I already have big plans for the tile in the entryway and fireplace. I can't get my memory card to download the "after" pictures, so for now you get to see the "before."

There are pictures of the "before" and after Chris busted out the old tile. That even looked better than that ugly white tile!! Hopefully, I will get the memory card to work tomorrow and get the finished kitchen. All I can say, it's worth the wait (and all the money it took!)

The Rest of the Trip

2009-06-11T00:08:00.002-06:00

After we left Yellowstone, we headed to Red Fish Lake. Chris has never been there before and wanted to check it out. The lake was beautiful, but it was really rainy there. We want to go back and try out the activities on the lake.

Next, was just a short drive to Grand Jean. Chris used to go there as a kid and wanted to see if it was still the same. Many things had changed, especially the shorter drive back to the camp. The best thing there was the empty pool, we were the only ones at the campground that night. It was nice and warm.

After our one day visit at Grand Jean we headed to HorseThief Resovoir. We stayed there for two nights and had fun fishing and riding 4-wheelers. It was still a little rainy, but it kept the trails nice and dry. Chris caught the biggest one of the day, but I was already back at the trailer and didn't even get a picture. The picture is of the one Zach reeled in. The first day we were there, Christian decided to wreck his bike. Beware of the pictures, they are pretty graphic. We had planned on staying another day, but the rain got the better of us.

On to Silver Creek Plunge. We figured that if it was going to rain, we may as well have a warm pool to swim in. Chris, Zach, and me spent many hours in the pool while Christian sat on the sidelines playing the GameBoy. I felt so bad for him, but he asured us he was fine. The pool was great, the 4-wheeler trails were muddy. It wasn't the best place to be that day.

Our last visit was Crouch, Idaho. I really wanted to go to Starlight Mountain Theater, so we drove in to stay closer. I was so excited until it started to rain and rain and rain. I was so sure we were going to be there and not even get to see the play. I waited until the last minute to buy the tickets and it was well worth it. It drizzled on us a little throughout the whole play, but not enough to really bother us. We saw Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. I would highly recommend it and Chris and I plan to go see the other plays. Enjoy the slideshow!

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