Service Bud's

Here are a few pictures that I took the other day before church. My attempt to get some Christmas card photos ordered and delivered.

Camden and Case great buds, although they do fight over toys and slap eachother now and then.. they really do love each other. Especially if both of them have a sucker in their mouth. Who wouldn't be happy??

Our ward was having a little service project and we took home these blocks to sand and paint for them to be donated to an orphanage. We did it for Family Home Evening, and the boys had a great time. It was fun to teach service to a 4 year old, and explain that many kids don't have any toys and that by him painting these blocks, other kids would play with them. I know you aren't supposed to " boast" about doing service, but the pictures are too cute not to share!
So boasting I am..

I'm turning into my mother!

When I was growing up, and my Grandma who lived in Wyoming was coming to visit us in Las Vegas, we would clean the house like crazy. It was those times that our house was in tip top shape. Carpets would get cleaned, closets would get organized, every dish in the house was clean and everyone would be on their best behavior.We would be sure to have some cold Coca Cola in the fridge, since this was her favorite drink.. This is happening to me!!!

I now have my mother who now lives in Wyoming coming to visit for 2 weeks. We cant wait! We look forward to the time we will be with her. Christmas decorating to be done, turkey to eat, and treats to bake. I am totally getting older. Camden cant wait for Gamma to come and sleep in his bed. Case will be excited for all those kisses and hugs.

Carpets got cleaned last night, laundry is caught up and the garage is even clean. The pantry is stocked with tons of great deals (thanks to my new found couponing hobby). She is watching the boys for us for 5, yes FIVE days while Blades and I go for a little trip.

Other motherly duties that I would rather not have the blessing of dealing with :

Case deciding to tear off his diaper, and poop on the lawn..ya I know yuck!
being in the tub, getting out and pooping yet again on the tile..
just now while I was blogging, getting into a package of Crystal light, and eating the powder. You should see his purple mouth and hands..
Camden having trouble sleeping at night, and climbing in our bed the last week. Last night we lead him back to his room with a smile.
Having an accident on our brand new matress, and having to get out every trick to get it out at midnight last night...

I am totally blessed with a great family and I love my children dearly. I will take those nasty jobs with a smile and just blog about it to make me feel better!
( Case just got into a chocolate pudding mix, and its all over the floor..
I'm not blogging anymore!!)

Anniversary time!

Sunday was our 6th year anniversary. Where does the time go? I know everyone says that, but seriously time is flying by. We were married in the Las Vegas temple after being engaged for 5 months. We met at the end of June 2002, and Blades asked me to marry him 5 days after we met. ( he bought the ring 2 months before that).. We had been chatting on the internet and corresponding by email and letters and expensive cell phone bills... for about a year before we decided to actually meet.( we pretty much knew we were going to get married ). He was at home in NC. He had served his mission in AZ, and was planning a trip to visit some friends. Since I was so close in Vegas, we decided we would meet. He had planned on being in AZ for a few days, then drive to Vegas with some friends. I was too excited that he would be so close, that I figured I would get in the car and make the 6 hour drive to AZ at the last minute to meet a few days before we were really supposed to meet. ( I made great time... 4 1/2 hours.. I really hate driving, but I had something to look forward too I suppose). My friend Karen and her husband Mike drove with me.

We met at the Mesa AZ temple, at the visitors center.. It was so weird to see a face with the voice I had been listening to for a year. In August that year, I flew to NC to meet his family and drive across country with his truck and things.It took us 4 days to drive.. The first time I met his family I couldn't understand what they were saying, but I could catch a word here and there. Their accents were so southern, that it took some getting used to, and now when we visit, I find myself catching right on and talking like them too! He has a wonderful family that we wish we lived closer to.

We celebrated by going to Texas Roadhouse for dinner, and started some Christmas shopping on Saturday night. Sunday, he made a roast in the dutch oven, and I made bread. We even got out the tablecloth, sparkling apple cider and the fancy dishes. The kids thought it was fun too! Case loved the bubbly.. and Camden wondered why that fancy juice was in our fridge..

6 years later, we have 2 beautiful kids and have learned lots about eachother. I couldn't ask for a better husband and friend. He loves me even when I am grouchy. He is very thoughtful and a great daddy! So a big shout out to you dear! Happy Anniversary!

Halloween time

Camden and Chloe.. waiting for trick or treaters
Case, Sawyer, Camden and Thatcher.. (neighbor's)
Case wondering what the heck is on his head
Peter Pan
Case and Cori at Schnepf Farms
Pumpkin Patchin
Peter Pan in action
Case, the boy in the jammies from Peter Pan
Grandmas hard work
Carving pumpkin at the last minute
Treasures Grandma sent
Yummy.. how can I get this open?
The loot from Grandma
Bzzzzn
He was crazy for getting on this thing. Are these things even safe?
Cori and Camden... on the rickety roller coaster

Blades and the boys at the ward trunk or treat

First of all.. sorry about all the pictures. I've been waiting for my camera to cooperate with my computer, and we have finally made that happen.. They are kind of in random order.. but nevertheless....We went to Schnepf Farms for the first time this year. We live so close, but never have been there before. There were pig races, carnival rides, and a pumpkin patch for the kids to play in. Camden and I rode the roller coaster, and he rode the swingin' swing. ( the pic looks like he is screaming.. he is the one in the front)

My mom that lives in WY made the kids their costumes this year. Peter Pan, and the little boy in the jammies with the bear and blankie. She just asked for the measurements over the phone, and whipped em out. ( I had a cute bird costume that Case wore the night of Halloween too)

As soon as the outfits arrived in the mail, Camden was so excited. There were tons of treats and fun things in the box. The boys had a great time looking at the treasures that she had sent. Although he kept talking about Captain Hook, he decided to be that for next year. We had the ward trunk or treat the Debra and I were in charge of. Our ward is getting so big, that it was quite the event. We have over 900 people now in our ward, and had about 400 show up that night. We had a chili cookoff, and cornbread. It was all outside, so the cleanup was easy. Thanks Debra for all your help!! One more activity for the year to go.. yeah!

The night of Halloween, we just hung out around our neighborhood. We invited the Williams over, ordered pizza, and the dads passed out candy. We had set up our chairs and a table outside, and just watched the kids come and go. Camden and Chloe loved passing out the candy to the other kids. It was too cute! We took the kids to see a few neighbors, and just trick or treat on our block. The weather was so warm that it didnt even really feel like fall.

Camden got to dress up for his first Halloween school party. I will figure out how to add them to my post also :)..

Our trip to Vegas

All the kids feeding the ducks bread.. Case just ate his instead of feeding it to the ducks
Camden in the water, and Michael giving Kyla a wedgie in the background..ouch!
Jump jump!
waiting for the water to spray
Case with Grandpas hat on
Camden Case and Trevor
Halloween Classic
yummy Donuts
Case the mouse
Grandpa and Camden
Grandpa reading to the kids
Case and Jacob
Camden, Kyla, Jacob and Case..
Playing playdough with Kyla
Kyla and Camden

Daddy was headin' to Vegas for work, so we decided to join him so we could spend time with family and friends. We had a great visit. We stayed with Grandpa Dill and Grandma Pat. Blades brought one of his employees with us, who doesnt have any kids. Im sure it will be a while before he thinks about having kids.. 12 hours with 2 loud boys will change anyones mind.

It's so great to see how excited my dad gets around his grandkids. He even sat down and read with them. Case was a bit hesitant with his scratchy beard, but gave hugs regardless. He even met Michael ( my brother) and I at the park to play with the kids. He got a kick out of them feeding the ducks, hitting a baseball, and playing in the water. I guess only in Las Vegas or AZ can you play in the water at the end of October and it be warm enough! We had lots of fun with Uncle Michael, Aunt Juanita, Kyla and Jacob.. (cousins that are almost exactly the same ages as Camden and Case).

We went to my cousins trunk or treat for her ward, and I had left our cute costumes that my mom had made in AZ, so off to the dollar store we went.. and came up with this.... Camden a clown, and Case a mouse! They had a great time going around to the different booths, and getting prizes and treats. Amorette and Trevor joined us, and we all had a great time.

It was great to visit with friends too. No matter how much time goes by, as soon as we get together and visit.. it feels like we never left at all!

Loosin' my wheels

A few weeks ago we were at the park, and Camden jumped on a kids bike that had no training wheels. He wanted to try it out, and did great. He fell quite a bit, but wanted to get right back on and try again. As soon as we got home, he asked dad to take his training wheels off. Blades helped him get used to the bike, and he was off. He catches onto new things so quickly and is very determined to get it right. Way to go Camden!