Snow AND Christmas

SNOW DAY!

Two days before Christmas it SNOWED! I would say it was pretty good timing, considering we only get snow a couple times in the year. We had such a fun time! We took a couple drives, made a snowman, and in the afternoon took some of the youth in our ward up to have a snow ball fight. It was a GOOD fight!

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Christmas Morning!

I was terrible at taking pictures, but we had an awesome time! First off, when we woke up, Lance had this dog waiting for Brody and I! Lance is such a great secret keeper! And we all Love our dog, especially Brod!

Brody got this cute horse from grandma and grandpa. He LOVES it!

Here he is unwrapping presents. I'm surprised I even got a picture of that. He was happy to let us unwrap and then give him the toys!

More of Brod and his fun toys! Thanks Aunt Kimber- he loves to put his cars in it!

We all got spoiled and surprised! I got my sewing machine, and a band to go with my wedding ring! Lance got his boots and tons of things he needed and wanted. And Brody was down right spoiled! But from us he got lots of things to keep him quite in church:)

Merry Christmas!

3 Years ago today! I can't believe how fast it's gone! Lance is such an amazing person, there is no one more perfect for me than him! He has treated me like a queen and forgives me in a heart beat when I do something wrong.

And now we have this little stinker, who we love SO much!

Happy Three Years Babe! I love you!

Perfect Timing...

It's been a week since Brody got sick with the hand, foot, mouth virus. boo. It has been a terribly SLOW week. But he is finally feeling better! He only had it in his mouth (instead of a rash on his hands and feet too). But that was bad enough. It was like he had a gazillion cold sores in his mouth. He lived on applesauce, yogurt, and milk. Oh and may I add he was teething too! Perfect for the holiday time huh?! At least it's not happening on Christmas. Well, onto better topics. My family was able to come to our house for Thanksgiving, but I was terrible at taking pictures. Here's one of Brody and his Cousin Tate.

Before Christmas I kept telling Lance that we needed to have a "gingerbread house making

night." Needless to say, he wasn't quite up for it. But I was so happy when I found out we were doing that at our ward party! Brod and I had a fun time building it! Here Brod Man is in front of our tree too! HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

How Old Are You Brody?

This is his new trick!

NEW MOON!

I Loved it! Is anyone else dreaming and thinking about it all the time?!-like it's real life? haha. So I haven't read any of the books, but I NEED to now. Anyone have a set I can borrow?!

6 Things Parents Should Know...

So I was watching the Today show and this segment hit me, and was so important!

"6 Things Parents Should know to keep there Children Out of Trouble"

1.Have dinner together at least 5 times a week. It's so important! And the church has taught this to us as parents!

2. Go to Church, Worship, or Synagogue, at least once a week. DUH!!! But I found it really neat that they said this on the Today Show.

3. Check Your children's homework every night. This helps your children know that you care about their education too.

4.Having a basis of trust. Demanding the truth and getting the truth. Know what your children are doing on the weekends, know who there friends are. And be open with them.

5. Take Your Children On A Vacation. *Without the Blackberry! When your children are trying to get your attention and talk to you, but you've got that dumb phone in the way. They don't think you even care. And this is totally vis versa! Get rid of the technology, just for a week.

6. Play a team sport. Getting you child active and your family supporting is perfect!

Just wanted to share how coincidental this segment was. I know we all know these things but maybe helped you a little like it helped me!

The ZOOOOOO!

Our trip to the zoo about a month earlier didn't end to great. It was closed, but they gave us free passes to come back. Finally Lance had a slower day of work, so we headed off!

After a nice long nap on the way to Tucson we were finally at the zoo.

TIGERS!
this tiger kept coming right up to Brody and growling at him! Brody Loved it! He was so fascinated! I thought it was SO awesome!

ELEPHANTS!
Brody loved the huge elephants!

GIRAFFES!
By this time Brody just wanted to run around, and it was kinda hard to see the giraffes, so I had to force him to take a picture!

POLAR BEAR!
the last time I came to the zoo the polar bear wasn't out. But this time was AWESOME. Brody loved watching the bear show off his swimming skills!

Sorry about Brod's big noggin in the way! haha.

JAGUAR!

Finally the jaguar, it was kinda boring, because it just sat there. Brod was more interested in the parrots next door, squawking SO loud!

BLAZE!
Then we have a little zoo of our own at home. Our neighbors are getting a block fence put up, so we are watching their dog for them. Brody loves to play with him and watches him all the time! He such a good dog too!

Halloween

Our Halloween this year was SO much fun!

the pictures are backwards, and I was too lazy to switch them around. But enjoy...
Here we are at the trunk or treat.

This Brody as the Horse/Cow/Bull and his friend Jordan! She was a cute little bear!
Brody just kept looking in his bucket every time he got a piece of candy.

When Lance first started taking him around, he went to a lady and then went back to her 3 more times. She was so nice to give him candy each time.




Before Halloween we planned on having a pumpkin carving night but it didn't quite work out.
So we just did it during a time when Lance was at home. We had a great time. We roasted our seeds and made caramel apples. Yum!

Last Wednesday I went over to Mesa and that night went to a ward party with the Jones'. Here is Brody and Mariah looking at each other. So cute.

Also Friday night we went to a party and we dressed up. Lance was Howie Mandel and I was one of the briefcase girls from Deal or No Deal. Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures on my camera. I know, I'm SO regretting it.

Scariest Night of My Life!

I'll just start right in because this is a LONG story. So last night the young women were having a girls night, and pampering some us women in the ward. So nice huh?! Went to that and saw Lance at the church with his Young Men as I was leaving to go home. (which I hate going home without lance at night.) Anywho, so as I pulled onto our street I noticed that the motion light was on....side note: the motion light doesn't go on until you are RIGHT in front of it. K- back to the story. So I kinda got way freaked out and called Lance and made him stay on the phone with me until I got in and settled. So I got all settled and turned on all the main lights in the house. Brody was so tired, so I started to make him a bottle and then...I heard a shuffle upstairs and then a ring from a phone that quickly turned off after the 3rd ring. (I'm starting to scare myself all over again.) I froze. K- another side note...all of us scare ourselves, me probably a little more than others...but come on a ring tone ok. So I froze there looking down stairs looking at Brody. -How do I get out. There is only three choices. The only thought that kept coming to my head was "Get Out Now!" I had to be brave...As much as I didn't want to be. So I ran down stairs, grabbed B. and ran out the garage, slamming it closed behind me. I ran to Luci's house and rang her door bell and banged her door. I told her everything as I was bawling and shaking. She ran upstairs and grabbed her gun. ahah. I love her. I called Lance and he had sent his cousin over. So Luci and Troy went in. They were gone forever! Lance had gotten there too. And called me about 15min. later. And they told me what had happened. When they had gotten in the family rm. they heard the ring tone too. Luci said she got SO scared. Troy had the gun. When they got up to the kitchen, Troy heard it again...but he heard it really close to the kitchen, not upstairs. Then they discovered the culprit. The baby monitor...it was out of batteries. Woops, probably should have replaced that. (oh and the shuffle, if you've ever been in my house...it makes SO many creaks...even worse it literally howls when the wind blows.) Normally I would have felt so dumb. But I don't about this one. Everyone was just as scared. But I live in one of the best neighborhoods in SV. Thank you Luci and Troy! And my sweet hubby for not making fun of me.

By the time they looked through the entire house, it was easily 9:30pm and Brody was SO beyond tired. He fell right asleep on the floor!

Well I got my scare for Halloween. No need for a haunted house!

Apple Annie's

Well since it was Columbus Day. Lance decided to take off work and hang out with us. Also, since we drove all the way to Tucson last Saturday, just to find out the zoo was closed, we needed to do something fun.
We are really wanting to get into the holiday and so Halloween is coming up and we needed to get some pumpkins!

Here's Brod riding in the cart to go and pick our pumpkins!

There were pumpkins EVERYWHERE! And tons of rows of fresh vegetables to pick. They also have an apple orchard that I need to go back to.

Daddy picking out our pumpkins.

Brody liked to hit the pumpkins...but I think he liked the rocks on the ground...lets just say we brought back some souvenirs in his pockets...

They had a HUGE field of sunflowers. This picture doesn't do justice. It was gorgeous!

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Fall

This tree is right outside my kitchen window. I LOVE it so much. It begins to turn orange before any other tree I've seen....it does so early that this year I thought it was dying. It makes me love fall even more than I ever have. I wish when we move I could transplant it to where ever we go!

I wanted to upload a photo of Brody in front of it this year and last year. But our computer is so full that I had to burn it to a CD and delete it. bummer!

Yes, he is only in a diaper...again. He seriously hates clothes. That's ok, cuz I love his chunky-rolly body!

Back from Vacation...

We're Back!

First off- Bad news

I left my camera at my parents house. I was so upset!

So I have a couple pictures before I get some from my sis-in-law.

Well, like I said on an earlier post. We had to change our flight, because of my grandpa Standage's funeral. It was a sad and hard one, but it was very good! I learned even more about my grandpa than I knew! I was able to lead the opening song...that was hard. I just looked at my Granny Nelson the whole time, she had a huge grin on her face, just for me! Well, the Sunday before we celebrated my dad's 50th and Brody's 1st birthday. What better way than having my dad's AMAZING smoked ribs! They are seriously divine. And of course his favorite German Chocolate Cake!
Here is Brod and cousin Tate devouring their ribs!

Then, Tuesday morning we went to Idaho to visit Lance's mission comp. and his family. They had twin boys back in February, and they were SO cute!

Here is Lance, with the big rainbow trout he caught when they went fishing in...I think the Snake River.
Then we headed down to Salt Lake for conference. That was probably one the most amazing experiences ever! We weren't super close, but just to be able to physically see the prophet and apostles was incredible! I loved it! And not to mention, we were upgraded to the the Grand American Hotel! Can you say luxury!
. On our drive home we stopped at cove fort...and we seriously got the best tour guide! He was awesome! And we grabbed some apples....nice and tart just the way I like them!

Doesn't Brody look SO comfy. He was so happy to be home. Even though he needed a nap right when we got home, he played with all of his toys for two hours straight!

On the Agenda...

This has been such a busy last week. Lance has been working like a mad-man, and I have hardly seen him. So I had to get everything done, before our trip. But here's where we will be the next week and a half...

1. Leaving this morning for mesa! I'm finally getting my hair cut! I'm desperate!

2. Monday is my Grandpa's funeral. So we had to change our flights...Delta people are very sympathetic, and were nice enough to wave all the fees!

3. Leave Tuesday morning, and get to Idaho Falls, ID around noon(I like our new flights...they are getting us there faster!). Hanging out with Lance's mission comp. and his family!

4. Friday we are driving down to Salt Lake City and meeting up with Lance's mom and dad and sisters. And going to visit people and places that his sister went on her mission.

5. Saturday/Sunday we are going to General Conference! I'm so dang excited! I've never been, I can't wait!

6. And then we drive the long....8-10 hours home. I'm super nervous about that one-with Brod. Considering he hates being in the car for longer than 5 min.!

I'll have pictures and such when I get back! booya!

Grandpa Standage

My Grandpa Standage passed away yesterday afternoon.

The last few times we went to visit him, his Alzheimer's was getting real bad. But he always made us laugh, and told us at least twice, "it's ok, I meet new friends everyday!" haha. He is such a sweet man, and I was lucky enough to be the 21st grandchild sealed in the temple to my husband by him. We love him so much and will miss him.

Feelin Yucky

This week has been TERRIBLE! Tuesday night it started with a sore throat....Wednesday I had a complete cold. Colds stink but their manageable. I figured I would start feeling better, plus I babied myself because I have a one year old to take care of and I have to go on the pioneer trek on Saturday. Unfortunately, I just kept getting worse. So on top of that, Thursday afternoon, I started to feel nauseous...which turned into not keeping anything down all night and today. I got right into the doctor's about 2 hours ago, and I'm not too happy with the outcome. At first I had every symptom for the SWINE FLU!!! Yikes. I about peed my pants. But I have congestion, which is not a symptom of the swine flu nor the regular flu. So the Doctor, basically has no idea what I have...GREAT! So we just treat the symptoms till all is well. Hopefully these suppositories will start workin fast. Oh, I feel terrible too, they had to get a replacement for Lance and I on the trek. I feel so bad that this happened. Oh, then my sweet baby is starting to get all congested....I'm doin everything I can to not give it to him. Bummer of a week!

The PARTAY!!!

My Big Boy's Party!

(sorry for the past 2 post being a major picture over load!)
The day was PERFECT!

Had some lunch with cousins, got the house cleaned, and Brody had two-2 hour naps! BOOYA!!!

Here's the BIG cake....I wish I could say that I made it, but all the credit goes to Costco! And of course it was absolutely FABULOUS!!!

Here is Luci (neighbor), Grandma Clawson, and Aunt Andrea

Daddy cookin some yummy hamburgers and hot dogs!

I know Holly's going to mad for me putting this one in....but I had to! haha. Also pictured, Corey, Jordan, and Samson!

CAKE TIME!!! Of course he LOVED it. Until, he rubbed his eyes and then he was mad....

BATH TIME!!!

Then we started to open presents. He got spoiled ROTTEN!!! Here is the Lion that Grandma got Brod.! He LOVED it and kept giving it kisses.

This is the toy we got Brody. He LOVES it too. He still can't quite get on it or push with his feet-by himself. So he usually pushes the back and presses the buttons. HEY maybe it will help him walk...

He was such a good and happy boy...especially with so many people and kids around stealing his toys...haha.

THE LOOT!!!

Told ya he got spoiled...nah just loved! Thank you to everyone who brought food and Brody a gift. Also to those who sent cards and Granny for the fun music card...that B played with ALL morning! And to those who drove down- Andrea, Holly, Chad and Rachel, and Trevor and Adrienne!

After everyone left, I made Brod a bottle and let him lay down and watch some tv before bedtime. He had a better idea I guess! haha. (Thanks Kimber for the ball pit!)