Monday, December 29, 2008

She did what?!

Below is pictured the potty Ellie got with her doll for Christmas this year. She makes her baby go potty all the time and loves to play with it. Well, I was doing stuff upstairs for a while and came downstairs to find Kaden hiding by the couch. I asked him what was wrong and he said "Look what Ellie did." Ellie had decided that her little bum could fit on the toilet too and had pooped in the toilet. Ya, I'm not kidding! It was discusting! I went upstairs and found her on the toilet finishing her started project and I said, "Ellie, did you go potty in your baby's toilet?" She looked at me like she couldn't believe that I had found out. Then she said, "Ya, but I didn't mean to!" Whatever Ellie. Aren't you glad I cleaned it before the picture?
Oh ya, and we had a lovely Christmas! The kids weren't as excited as I thought they would be but they love all of their toys. They were definitely spoiled by grandparents.
Lights at Temple Square a couple days before Christmas.
Reading the Christmas story on Christmas Eve.
Kaden with his most coveted weed-whacker and goggles.
Ellie watching her favorite Christmas present Beauty and the Beast.

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Happy Birthday Jess!


Today Jesse turns 28! He gets to celebrate by going to church meetings all day! Actually in our house Jesse gets a birthweek so he'll have lots of partying to do. We're having some friends over for dinner to celebrate and help us eat the ice cream cake he requested. To keep in line with my new birthday tradition I am going to list 28 things about Jess that I love. Here's Jesse 101:
1. He has the prettiest shade of green eyes.
2. He doesn't eat sandwiches on bread... has to be toast.
3. He likes to play jokes on people. (Is this really something I love or tolerate?)
4. As my sister Casey said yesterday, he treats everybody like a friend.
5. He loves to play with the kids and does play with them A LOT.
6. One of his favorite things to do is hold our children when they are sleeping.
7. He doesn't take life so seriously.
8. He is devoted to his testimony of the gospel. He decided to go on a mission after he'd only been going to church for a couple months.
9. He works hard.
10. He is always very strict with his time card. If he gets a half hour lunch, he takes a half hour lunch.
11. He simplifies his computer language to something I can understand.
12. He eats his cereal in a cup... never with milk.
13. He cannot stand cottage cheese, sour cream or any type of condiment on his hamburger, taco. It will go in the garbage if it is "contaminated". You can't just wipe it off. There are no second chances.
14. He cannot swim... but I love to watch him try!
15. He is very concerned over our children's safety. If any of you know him, enough said.
16. He loves Johnny Cash.
17. He can spin plates and books in his finger. And cookie sheets too we found out recently.
18. He reads his scriptures EVERYDAY.
19. I rarely hear him complain about anything.
20. He can have a THIN stripe of ketchup on his hot dog but it cannot touch the bun. This has taken me 6 years to perfect. Ya, it's that important.
21.He puts crushed up Nacho cheese Doritos on everything. Sandwiches, spaghetti, chicken and rice.
22. He doesn't have much extra time but he always makes sure he spends time with the kids.
23. He loves UFC. Do I really love this about him? I am usually his target for half-nelsons after he watches it.
24. He is patient with me and all of my quirks like my lack of desire to cook dinner.
25. When he laughs really hard, he crinkles his nose.
26. He's never afraid to try something new. (Unless it has sour cream in it.)
27. He treated me like an angel on our wedding day... that still stands out vividly in my mind.
28. Last but not least I am going to post something his friend Zivana posted the other day. She's a Croatian friend he met on his mission. It pretty much explains it all when it come to Jesse.
"I know Jesse is your husband so you know all of his good as well as the bad sides. But I remember him as the most generous elder ever. He had less then most of the missionaries, but it was he who bought a microwave oven to a single mother of three for Christmas. With no one to help out with her kids, spending less time preparing each meal meant the world to her.
He was also the only elder ever to pay for me every time I'd eat out with the missionaries. I worked from 5:30 am till 2:00 pm, every day (weekends included) for 250 $ a month and each time we'd eat out together none of the elders would offer to pay my share, but I'd end up paying for all of us. Only elder Wakley never let me pay. And it's not even about the money, I'm not a stingy person. it's a matter of principle. And respect. And it is exactly what makes one a gentleman."
I love you Jesse! Happy Birthweek!

Monday, December 15, 2008

Happy Birthday Kaden!

Kaden turned four today! It's gone by so fast but it also seems that so much has happened in those four years! Kaden forgot all about Christmas because he was so excited for his birthday. My sister-in-law has a tradition of listing things she likes about a person on their birthday, one trait for how old they are. I am going to copy cat for Kaden today. Here it goes:
1. He has the most tender heart. He cried during the Grinch because he felt sorry for the dog. He's my angel.
2. He has the number one most contagious laugh. If any of you have heard his laugh, which he has been doing since he was 4mos old, then you know what I am talking about. It truly comes from the gut and you can't help but smile.
3. No matter how long I have been gone, he always comes running to me to say hi. I love it.
4. He still likes to cuddle. He always lets me hold him... unless I start in on the kisses.
He had an awesome birthday. He said he wanted another one tomorrow so I reminded him of Christmas. That'll do for now.
Some of Kaden's favorite foods are pancakes and waffles so we met dad at IHOP for breakfast.
Kaden was dying to open presents all day. Grandma Wakley came to the rescue and came up to visit with his presents!
Kaden lit up when we started singing "Happy Birthday". He kept telling me all day to sing Happy Bday to him and when I would start he would say "NO, with the cake!" (Which was Ninja turtles by the way.)
His friend Brayden got him a light saber and a helmet. He looked awesome!
Kaden has been asking for this chainsaw for two months. It must have been the display at the store because it didn't work. Bummer. Should have tested that before I bought it!
When Kaden was distracted with other toys, Ellie pounced on what she wanted. She tried to ride his scooter three times...crashed three times. At least she had a helmet on!

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Finally...Snow!

Kaden has been begging for it to snow for weeks. He finally got his wish on Monday and was so excited to go outside! And it was the typical play in the snow scenario...they liked to throw snow at other people but cried when snow was thrown at them. Ellie followed me around throwing snowflakes at me. (I say snowflakes because her snowballs weren't big enough to qualify as balls.) Our friend Nick was kind enough to take the kids out and pull them behind a four-wheeler on a sled and needless to say that was a bigger hit than our little snowball fight. Gotta love the snow!
Ellie in her snow outfit...it took us longer to bundle up than we were out there! Does her hat look funny? That's because mom put it on backwards!

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Christmas Tag!

Modeling Christmas pj's from last year!

I thought this would be fun to get everyone in the Christmas spirit!
1. Wrapping paper or gift bag? wrapping paper
2. Real tree or artificial? Artificial, no maintenance!
3. When do you put up the tree? Day after Thanksgiving every year!
4. When do you take the tree down? Day after Christmas every year!
5. Do you like eggnog? If it's diluted with TONS of milk I'll drink a little bit
6. Favorite gift received as a child? My porcelain doll
7. Hardest person to buy for? Do I dare say? My father-in-law!
8. Easiest person to buy for? Kaden- he gets excited about everything
9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes! Christmas present from Jess two years ago, the willow tree one
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I don't have one but Jesse gave his sister baking chocolate once!
12. Favorite Christmas movie? Miracle on 34th Street, any version
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? October usually
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yes, when I was 11 a friend gave me a troll and I gave it to someone else... I didn't want it!
15. Favorite thing to drink at Christmas? Water please
16. Lights on the tree? Yes, white
17. Favorite Christmas song? This year it's We Three Kings by Aly and AJ... you should iTunes it
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Travel to both in-laws
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Dasher, Dancer, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blizten, Comet and Cupid? Repeats, I guess not! How many are there?
20. Angel on the tree or star? Star
21. Open the presents Christmas eve or Christmas morning? Pajamas Christmas eve and rest on Christmas morning
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? My son, husband and brother all have bdays in December, hard to think of presents!
23. What do you want for Christmas this year? Time with my husband!!
There it is! And I tag, Tami, Rachel, Wendi, Jami, Heidi, Heather, Lacie and Syd.