Caden lost another tooth!

Caden lost his 4th tooth today!  He pulled it out at church and was very proud to show me afterward.  I love his smile without his two front teeth.  He already put it in his Tooth Fairy Pillow for tonight.  I love these simple joys!!

Happy Halloween!

Our trip to Disney World!

We just returned home from Disney World and are suffering from "post Disney World blues", as I like to call it.  We had so much fun and can't wait to go back.  We loved meeting the characters, watching the parades and shows, going on the rides, and just taking in the whole atmosphere!  That was my first time as well as the kids', so it was quite an amazing experience.  We loved watching the kids faces light up as they saw the characters and ran up to hug them all!  I have to admit that I got pretty excited to see the characters too!  It was very tiring, but very fun and we are so thankful that we had this opportunity.  It was truly amazing!!  

Disney World!

More Disney World!

Baby Primus

We had an ultrasound on Wednesday and everything looked good!  The baby seems to be healthy and active!  I am due around February 21.  No, we didn't find out the sex.  I know that drives some people crazy, but that's the way we like doing it.  We're weird I guess.  We are just happy that the baby is healthy and we look forward to meeting it.  It was fun to see it moving around in there. We all went to the ultrasound.  It was hard to get everyone to sit still, of course, but Dan took them out for a little walk during the middle of it.  Colson didn't understand what was going on, but Caden and Collin enjoyed it I think.  Anyway, all is well!!!

We're Moving!!

Dan was offered a new job as a Deputy District Attorney for Umatilla County, which means we will be moving to Pendleton.  We are excited about this opportunity and are looking forward to it.  Dan will start working in the beginning of November.  The kids and I will be going as soon as we can.  It's hard to say when that will be, but the kids are really excited to be living in the same town as my parents, sister and her family, and my grandmother.  It will be fun!

Family Fun at the Apple Orchard!

On Saturday, we drove to an apple orchard and the kids had a great time picking apples off the trees.  They were so excited about it.  At first they tried picking the ones off the ground, then they tried throwing them at each other, which you can imagine how long that lasted without crying, but finally they got the hang of it and started looking in the trees for the big ones with some red on them.  Colson was so cute when he would ask me if a certain one was a good one.  "This good one, Mom?" he would say.  Dan and I lifted Caden and Collin up high and helped them find some good ones to pick, so they loved it.  We ended up getting a few different kinds and came home with alot of fresh, crisp, juicy apples!!! Yum! You know what we'll be eating alot of in the next while!  On the way home the boys each ate an apple and enjoyed the fruits of their labor!

Caden loves riding the bus!

Caden is officially a "bus rider" now and absolutely loves it!  It is working out great for me too, so I am relieved that he likes it so well.  He loves to have me walk him to the bus stop and to be there when he gets off, which of course I am going to enjoy while it lasts!!  

Caden's First Day in the Second Grade

Caden is really enjoying Wright Elementary and his second grade teacher, Mrs. Dunn.  He has already made some new friends and comes home in a great mood every day.  He is doing awesome and I am so proud of the great student and friend that he is, and for the adjustment he has made to this new school.

Caden and Collin are in their second session of swimming lessons right now and they both love it!  It has been great for them, and it's been good for me too.  I have really enjoyed watching them progress and have fun.  I love seeing the smiles on their faces!  They are like fish out there!  Below are some of my favorite video clips and pictures of them swimming, jumping, and diving!!! Enjoy!

Caden Diving!!!

Collin jumping off diving board!!

Caden swimming across pool

Swimming Lessons!

4th of July Fun!

We had such a great day celebrating our nation's birth!! We went to a parade in Monmouth, and the kids had a great time watching and, of course, eating candy.  Caden saved alot, but Collin ate most of his by the time it was over.  Colson just had one at a time and was very content with that!  Then we had a BBQ with our friends the Arnolds, I painted flags and stars on the kids' faces, and then we went to the Salem Riverfront Park and watched the fireworks, which is always my favorite part of the day!  I love this holiday more and more every year.  Collin said he wants to be in a parade when he grows up.  Keep dreamin' big honey!!!  Dan asked Caden where he would choose to serve a mission someday if he could choose, and he said "Florida!  Then I could teach all the people at the Kennedy Space Center!"  I'm not sure where that came from, but I love to hear the funny things that are going through their bright little minds!!  Oh, today in church there was a guy doing sign language for another man, and I looked over and saw Collin trying to do it with him.  He didn't know I was watching him and he was very serious, so it was so hard not to laugh! He is such a goof ball!  I love these moments.  They make it all worth it!!!

Happy 28th Daniel

 Happy 28th Birthday Dan! He wanted to try Key Lime Pie, so I made one, and it was alright, but a little on the tart side!  The Arnolds came over and shared this little birthday celebration time with us! It was fun.  We love you Dan/Dad!!!

Youth Conference Pioneer Trek

This was such a great experience!  We had so much fun with these kids and bonded more than we ever expected.  They were a great bunch.  Not only did we have to push the cart up the hills and hold it back as we went down the hills, but we each had a name of a pioneer pinned to our shirts and learned parts of their stories, which was very inspiring and humbling.  We also gave birth to a baby along the way, had one son break a leg, had two sons taken away to join the army, lost our little baby and had to pretend to bury her, lost our dad and one son, and then had our dad and son come back as ministering angels to help us.  It was such a wonderful experience and we definitely want to do it again!

Caden's 7th Birthday Party!!

We celebrated Caden's 7th Birthday! I can't believe he's getting that big!  He had a fun time with his friends and got some new Transformers, so he was a pretty happy boy! He is growing up to be such a great kid.  We are so proud of him and love him so much!  Happy Birthday Caden!

Happy Father's Day to all our Papas/Fathers!  We love you guys so much, and Dan and I are so grateful to have such wonderful grandfathers for our children.  You are such great examples to them and show them so much love.  They love playing with you and spending time with you whenever they get a chance.  Dan and I feel so grateful for the Fathers we have been blessed with.  Thanks for all your love and support through the years.  We truly appreciate you and miss you!!!

Love, 

Daniel, Jodi, Caden, Collin, Colson

Happy Father's Day to our Papas!

Here is a little video clip of Caden batting.  It is a little blurry, so you have to really watch closely. Collin is the bat boy you see at the end of the clip.  He did a great job being our bat boy this season.  He loved being a part of the team.  Today was our last game.  I had such a good time coaching, and I am really going to miss it.  Caden improved so much this year, and it was so fun watching him.  He is a great little baseball player!!  We are so proud of him!!

Caden batting and Collin as bat boy

Colson's 2nd Birthday Party!

Dan and I took Colson with us last Monday to Seattle to watch the Red Sox play the Mariners and we had a great time.  We were able to see two good games and it was a really nice little getaway for us!

Red Sox Game

Dan took Caden and Collin to the Stake Father/Son Campout last Friday night.  They had fun eating hotdogs and snowcones, and the next morning they had an obstacle course and played stick pull.  Dan had a good time with them but it was a pretty hot night to be in a tent!

Father/Son Campout

Caden and Collin ran in the Awesome 3000 on May 3.  Caden ran a 1.5 k and Collin 300 meters. They did great and it was a blast watching them.  I even got to run with Collin!  Afterwards, they got to see Clifford.  Check out Colson's expression when he's standing next to Clifford. 

Sarah and Ryan, do you recognize the suit Colson is wearing in his individual picture?  

After school one day the kids were playing in the front yard and wanted me to take their picture in the tree.  They thought it was so cool to climb that little tiny tree!

Collin's outfit in his individual picture is one from a day when he kept trying on different costumes and posing for me.