This is the Life!

I've done it again..

2010-12-04T20:28:00.000-08:00

I guess I wasn't kidding in my last post when I said see you in four months. I wasn't actually planning to wait four months to update this thing, but it seems to have worked out that way. We have had some wonderful and fun events occur in our lives in the last few months; the best of course was welcoming baby Ryker to our family in October. He is the best baby ever and has really been fun. I had been knocking on wood since he was born just waiting for him to be fussy and not sleep, but I've come to accept the fact that he really is just a good little babe and couldn't be more grateful. We feel so blessed to have him in our lives and to have 3 sweet little guys. His brothers just can't get enough of him and are always kissing and loving him. They can't wait to see him when they wake up in the morning, and have been great big brothers.

Cooper also had a birthday in October. He had some friends over for a Halloween/birthday party. I can't believe it has already been five years since he was born. Where does the time go? He is such a great kid and a good big brother. We love him lots and are so proud of him. He is in to "superheroes" and was Iron Man for Halloween. Conner didn't really care what he was, so the little monkey was...a little monkey.

Another wonderful happening was Ryker's blessing. It was very nice and because we are moving (I'll have to save that for another post) we were able to have it at our home with just a few close friends and family.

Over the past few months it has been fun to have family come help us and visit us. We love you, and love having you visit! xxoo

Quarterly update...

2010-07-29T14:26:00.001-07:00

Time for my quaterly update. :) Kar gave me a hard time for not updating my blog ever so I'll slap some pictures on this post and call it an update.

Jake helped coach Cooper in t-ball this summer. He had a lot of fun playing on a team with his little buddies. It was also very entertaining for us to watch.

We went to Rexburg and Island Park this summer to spend time with grandpa and the Deans. We love going to the cabin, riding the boat, and enjoying the scenery. We also went to West Yellowstone, went through the shops, and had ice cream cones. My dad bought the cowboy hat for Cooper and I thought it was funny that he carried a little stuffed moose everywhere.

VISIT FROM THE DEANS
Boy were we spoiled. We had Kar, Bai and Gabe visit us for three whole weeks. We couldn't have had more fun. We played in the sprinklers, read books, painted, went to the park, did some projects, and of course went shopping. The kids played non-stop and we miss having all their cute faces here.

>REUNION
We were able to go to the Peterson reunion in Ogden Canyon this year at the Wolf Creek Resort. As always we had a ton of fun, laughed a lot and ate way too much. The kiddos loved playing in the pool and of course always love being with grandma.

Alright, so there is my lazy, quick, picture plastered update. Baby boy #3 will be here in 4-5 short weeks, so I hope I can be a little bit better at updating this thing....oh, who am I kidding see you in about 4 months. ;)

Mess, Party, and Vacation

2010-04-02T16:18:00.000-07:00

Yes, miracles do occur. I am updating my blog for the two people who read it and for my own good. We have been busy and when I get too far behind it seems overwhelming to try to remember it all, so I will just highlight a few of the more interesting things we've been up to the past month or so.

#1 Keeping up with this guy:

For those of you who didn't see the powerpoint I put together, this little guy is a sweetheart, but he has a bit of a sneaky, naughty side to him. For example: He will find and use whatever he can to reach what he wants and usually isn't supposed to have. See below. (Not pictured toy car used as a step to get into drawer) The laundry basket-cake sneak was quite ingenious.

Recently, the little stink produced a permanent marker picasso on multiple surfaces including but not limited to: 3 doors, 2 walls, and a couple carpet markings. Why he chose the permanent marker amidst a variety of color wonder invisible markers and washable markers is still beyond me. Luckily, after a lot of elbow grease, a trip to the grocery store for more rubbing alcohol and a fingernail polish remover fume headache, the mess was pretty much all gone. Needless to say markers are no longer within reach.

#2 Tea Party
See Karlie's Blog for a description of the fabulous tea party we had at grandma Peterson's. ( It does sometimes pay off to be a slacker, less work for me. Thanks Kar :) I had a lot of fun and enjoyed the yummy food. The Cox girls all did a great job in putting the whole party together. I am glad I could share such a fun day celebrating grandma's birthday with the girls.

The Birthday Girl- Love you grandma!

#3 Vacation!
We headed to Disneyland Saturday night and drove until early Sunday morning. Thanks to Josh and Jake for sticking it out, and for getting us there on merely 5 hour energy drinks, caffienated beverages, and In-N-Out burgers. (Gross right?) We went to Disneyland for 2 days, Seaworld, and California Adventure for a day. We met characters, went on rides, spent too much on food and toys :), watched shows, and had a blast. We wore ourselves and the kids out every day. I can't complain because the weather of course was perfect, the company was the best, the kids were angels (most of the time), and Jake left his laptop home...I'm ready for another vacation!Cousins waiting for the train.Coops looks a little worried to be on Splash Mountain, but he loved it and went on the ride several times.

"That's the way things happen on the Polar Express!"

2009-12-15T07:36:00.000-08:00

The boys and I took a short trip to Utah and while we were there we headed up to the Heber Valley Railroad with grandma to take a ride on the Polar Express. As you can imagine Cooper really enjoyed it. Before we boarded the train the conductor happened to walk by, presenting a must have photo op. On the train we had hot chocolate and cookies, sang Christmas carols, read the Polar Express story, and visited with Santa, who gave out silver bells. It was a great way to start off the Christmas Season.

Yes, that's right Jr. Conductor meets the real deal.

Looking for Santa who was waving outside the train.

Let the train ride begin!

October Festivities

2009-11-11T13:02:00.001-08:00

We had a fun Halloween; it's such a busy, exciting time of year for our fam. The boys made quite a pair. Coops wanted to be the conductor from the Polar Express . He was a darn cute conductor and there weren't 10 other conductors running around like the Buzz Lightyears last year. This was the first time Conner went trick-or-treating and he got the hang of it real quick.

Cooper also had a great birthday! He is such a good boy and we love him lots!

Summer Finale

2009-10-06T13:13:00.001-07:00

Summer is officially over, and I am happy to welcome in a new season. We had some good times this summer. The boys are growing and keeping me busy, here are some highlights (and a lowlight) of the last couple months of summer.

Cooper started preschool! I admit I was a little worried how it would go. He got cold feet just for a bit on the first day, but I told him I had a surprise for him when he was finished and that he could wear his Batman shirt. That was all it took and he has looked forward to his two days of preschool each week ever since. He especially loves recess and show and tell. It's a little bittersweet that my baby is already almost 4 and going to preschool, but it is also nice to have a few hours a week to get some things done or have some quiet time when Conner naps.

We learned this summer that Conner likes to take vent covers off, and Cooper likes to step in them. We also learned that there are screws poking out inside the vent and if you go at them the wrong way they are sharp and can cut your leg. Well, Cooper actually learned this and he learned it the hard way. We made a visit to the quick care after the above mention happened. Cooper was pretty calm...until the stitching began the poor nurse got a work out trying to hold his leg still. He was a tough boy though and was back to normal the next day. He thought it was pretty cool, and would tell anyone he could about his 15 stitches. I just hope we don't make visits to Primary Health a habit.

Visit from my very favorite sister! Kar and her kiddos came for a visit from Ohio. We loved having them here, and I have dreams of one day sharing a backyard (wouldn't that be awesome). We celebrated Bai's birthday princess style, did some shopping, and relaxing, and just enjoyed having them here. Unfortunately, Karlie didn't enjoy the plane rides too much and that may be the last visit for a while.

So, I decided I would try to get some quick family pics in this year, since we haven't taken any for a couple of years. You might know I am a certified family picture poser (if there is such a thing), though I have never been considered photogenic. My mother, bless her heart had our family picture taken every year for some 20 odd years. We had gotten to the point where we knew the routine. Keep your eyes open, smile, tilt your head. Sooo, I thought we'd whip some pictures out real quick Dad and Nick being our "professional" photographers. Here is how it went...
There was quite a bit of this and A lot of this.

However, there was one picture that they were both smiling and cooperating and I looked like this.

Ha, ha shame on me. Needless to say we are waiting for our pictures to be photoshopped. :)

Finally some motivation

2009-08-07T13:07:00.000-07:00

Call me a blog slacker if you will. My dad said he keeps checking for an update, and that was just the motivation I needed to post something on my blog. Summer has been busy and we've had lots of fun. Thanks to Kar I don't need to post much more than what she did about the fun we had last month just go to http://www.thedeaners.blogspot.com/ (Ha, Ha thanks Kar!)

These two loved the boat and the wind in their hair.

The cabin is in a prime location...close by the swings!

We enjoyed Seven Peaks waterpark, just like the good ol' days. Cooper got pretty brave and had lots of fun in the water and on the slides.

The summer has been hot, and we are looking forward to a cool down. Cooper will be going to preschool in the fall, and although he will still have another year of preschool, it's crazy that he is old enough for preschool. Some of my earliest memories are at Mrs. "B's" preschool. Going to the park across the street to play, green eggs and ham, bringing a handful of starbursts to school and telling the teacher I had treats for the class :), Thanksgiving program, and the little friends I had. I hope Cooper's preschool experience provide lots of fun too.

The bigger the kid, the bigger the mess. At least that's how Conner works. The older he gets, the more he gets into things and explores. He is on top of and into things constantly and I have found he enjoys eating chalk, dog food, and crayons recently. He keeps us on our feet, and keeps us laughing. He is a little character and our little cuddle-bum.

Strike a pose :)

Busy Bees

2009-05-28T07:47:00.000-07:00

Busy busy...we are busy little bees over here and things seem to just get busier. We have had some great times this last month.

We got our backyard in and had a big cement pad poured. The kids are in heaven (as am I) we all love to be outside. Cooper got a new bike and loves to ride it around and around in circles. We put our trampoline up a couple of days ago and I am proud to announce I can still do some flips I was also tempted by the new grass to do some tumbling in my backyard and pulled off a round off back handspring and a muscle :)

Jake is busy with work and is great at what he does. He works so hard he has only been able to golf a few times this year. Conner is a curious little guy and is into lots, even my mixing bowls aka helmets. He always has a bruise on his head, so maybe I should make him wear this all the time.

I have been keeping busy with my new calling as R.S. second counselor. I am a bit overwhelmed, but I just need to get organized and stay positive. If anyone has any fun enrichment meeting or activity ideas, I would love to hear about them.

In the words of Shakespeare PARTING IS SUCH SWEET SORROW...

This past week we traveled to Rexburg to help move stuff out of our old house and bid her farewell (the house); we enjoyed eachother's company and actually had a good time (see http://www.thedeaners.blogspot.com/). Old Gray was good to us. She was welcoming and kept us warm and safe. We played lots of baseball on her lawn, and basketball on her driveway. She let us slide down her stairs in sleeping bags without any major incidents, and let us use her corners and bathrooms as "offices" for "work". Her layout facilitated many chases and "bank" and sending letters from bunkbeds. Old gray was the backdrop of many holiday, birthday, and other celebration pictures. She was sturdy and strong and rarely let us down. A fine old house you were Ol' Gray; thanks for the memories farewell and adieu we will miss you!

Easter

2009-04-14T08:20:00.000-07:00

We had fun dying Easter eggs a few days before Easter; all precautions were taken including stripping down Cooper and restraining Conner in his high chair in order to avoid any dye incidents. Cooper created some pretty cool eggs resulting from a five color dye bath. Easter Day was absolutely beautiful and we couldn't have asked for nicer weather to enjoy the day with relatives and celebrate the special holiday remembering our Savior.

Cooper's egg creations

I thought it was kind of cool that Conner was over a year old and it was his first Easter. (He loves jelly beans)

Haircut

2009-04-14T07:56:00.000-07:00

We finally did it. Conner's long locks are no more. His hair had never been cut and I was tempted to keep it long, but the double cowlick/Dennis the Mennis and straightness finally convinced me to cut it. Jake our personal barber did the honors and Conner didn't mind it a bit. Now he looks like a little boy (as opposed to a baby) and I think it looks pretty darn cute.

My birthday boy and smarty pants

2009-03-30T11:04:00.000-07:00

I can't believe my baby is 1. This past year has flown by so fast, it seems like yesterday we were coming home from the hospital. Conner has grown a lot and he is becoming more independent, demanding, and vocal. He is such a cute little guy; he makes me laugh all the time. He is on the small side unlike Cooper. He is below 15% in both weight and height, but he is an eating machine. He is also about ready to start walking by himself, which would probably help him keep up with his brother better.

Birthday Boy and Daddy
No surprise he liked the cake!

Cooper's new obsession is the states...the United States of America. He got a Leap Pad for Christmas with a U.S. map and since then has learned all 50 states. We were pretty surprised when he started telling us where states were and what family member lived there. Then we bought him a book for $1 that has pictures of each individual state and now he can name each state by just looking at it's shape. He's a smarty pants alright and I just hope he always finds learning fun.

February at a Glance

2009-02-22T13:01:00.000-08:00

In order to prove to Ashley that I don't just blog every other month, I have to post something before March :) An exciting event occured last month, Jake turned the big 30! He was gone to Virginia training, but we had cake, balloons, and a banner waiting for him when he returned. We have been keeping busy and are loving the more mild temperatures on this side of the state. We had a fun Valentine's Day, and Cooper especially loved "Valentime's" Day, saying Santa brought him a present. Cooper had his first sleepover, his cousin K slept over and they had fun time. Only one unfortunate incident occured when K got up in the middle of the night and peed on the kitchen floor, thankgoodness it wasn't on the carpet. (We still love you K) Besides that everything went great. I think I am having a little Spring fever and have been wanting to clean, organize and get projects finished, so we spent this past weekend staying up until two in the morning to put together some office furniture (finally), and organizing our garage.

VALENTINE'S DAY!

FIRST SLEEPOVER

K holding the culprit in his hand...a cup of orange juice.

Christmas 2008

2009-01-07T14:00:00.000-08:00

We had a great year in 2008 and we're excited to welcome 2009! Hope this new year is filled with more great memories. Here are some photos of our fabulous Christmas.

Lots of Snow!

Lots of Rockin'!

Lots of Polar express train! (Cooper playing chicken, he only lost once ;)

Mountain River Ranch was a grand ol' time; the kiddos and I all bundled up.

p.s. I'm a little out of the loop and just barely started a facebook account. I'm trying to figure it out, so wish me luck. I'm going to try to not neglect my blog, and neglecting my children for more computer stuff is not an option :)

November update here at last

2008-12-14T08:03:00.000-08:00

Last months happenings...good times.

Holy War 2008! Jake scored us 4 tickets, parking and hospitality tent accomodations through Geico. We geared up for the game Jake, Dad, Nick and I and headed into the enemies territory. Nick and Jake were the brave soldiers obviously and I was proud of them for not hiding their true colors like I did. Nick wore a bright blue throw back Steve Young jersey and Jake wore a little less subtle BYU t-shirt. Dad and I on the other hand, though true blue fans dressed in our neutral attire. Dad wore an Ohio State hat and I wore a black jacket, hoping to avoid confrontation...a lot of good that did. The moment we set foot in the battleground of Salt Lake City, the heckling began. It was an interesting experience (thanks to Jake and Nick) to be standing almost all alone in a sea of red. We were yelled at and mocked as we made our way to our seats, hoping for a good game (key word hoping) just innocent fans wanting to watch a football game, but what took place next was quite disturbing. Grown men were yelling hatefully at each BYU fan that passed, insulting more than just the team they were rooting for. We were seated in a sea of red clad die hard U fans, who groaned as we took our seats. Shortly after the guy behind us began to cuss and as Ralphie off the Christmas Story would say, In the heat of battle he wove a tapestry of obscenity, that as far as I know is still hanging in space over the Great Salt Lake. He cussed repeatedly and loudly in our ears until we could take it no longer. We decided we'd rather watch the game on grandpa's new 47" TV in peace with fellow cougar fans than suffer in the war zone. We have now decided to never attend a game at Rice Eccles again, and I'm still trying to figure out why they call it the holy war, because there was definately nothing holy about it!

We had Thanksgiving in Rexburg with mom, dad, Ty, Nick and Grandpa and Grandma Pete. We had a grand time and mom made a delicious feast as usual. I couldn't be more grateful to be with the ones I love and am so thankful for on Thanksgiving. Only thing missing was the Deans but can't wait to see them for Christmas!

During our visit we went to the Grand Teton mall to see this Santa, but as you can see it's definitely one of his helpers, because this obviously sn't him. Cooper unlike his mother at his age was eager to talk to Santa and tell him what he wanted for Christmas.

At the end of our visit we were able to get together with a few friends at the Palmer's house. Jake, Paul, and Evan childhood and college buddies have remained in touch with their first Bishop on campus. The visits to the Palmer's just get bigger and crazier, but only two ornaments were broken at this reunion :} It is always great to see the Palmer family, they are such an awesome and, welcoming family!

INTERNET

2008-12-11T09:12:00.000-08:00

We finally got internet! We have been in the process of changing internet providers for two weeks and we are finally in business. I never realized before how much I used the internet, or relied on it, but now I appreciate it even more, especially since we are getting it for free...yipee. I'll post some updates in the near future, perhaps when the babe is napping.

All we do is party!

2008-11-03T13:24:00.000-08:00

We have had a lot of fun the last couple of weeks! Here is a quick run through of what we've been up to. We are finally getting the last of the boxes unpacked and are really enjoying our new home. Cooper and Keifer had a joint birthday celebration. We went to the pumpkin patch/corn maze/tractor rides place, had cake and opened presents. Cooper loved the Spiderman hat and gloves the Chibante's gave him. He wouldn't take them off and even went to bed with the gloves on that night.On Cooper's birthday we were excited to have our first visitor come to stay with us...Grandma! She arrived just in time for the treasure hunt. I dressed Cooper up in his pirate costume and sent him on a treasure hunt to find his birthday "loot". He had a fun time finding each clue with the help of uncle Tyler, and especially playing with his treasures.

Halloween was "sweet" as ever! We went shopping during the day with grandma and then went with the cousins to a trunk or treat, followed by trick or treating through the neighborhood. The weather was great, the kids had a great time and got loads of candy. I quickly filtered out the "not worth the calories" candy and Cooper has been really good about sharing

and not going overboard or wanting candy all day. He had a blast as Buzz Lightyear with his light up wings and Conner made a short appearance as his sidekick Woody.

So we have basically been busy partying, and I can't complain about that. Bonus: Here is what I've learned the past couple of weeks: Wear tennis shoes to a corn maze and don't bring a stroller through it (one bumpy ride). Visits from grandma are the best. My baby is quickly becoming such a big boy and is the best big brother, and we love him lots. Halloween is still almost as fun as when I was a kid, I just don't have to do all the work to get the candy.

We've moved

2008-10-21T21:43:00.001-07:00

We are officially into our new home! Thank goodness for movers, (except when they break bookcases and cribs). I am still trying to get over the amount of paper they used to pack us. Let's just say we were swimmin' in it. Just about everything was wrapped in paper, even the birthday candles, but luckily almost everything was in good condition. We still have boxes to unpack, things to organize, and rooms to be put together, but we are enjoying our new home very much. Later I will post an update and maybe if we're lucky some pictures once we are a little more settled.

He's my comic relief and he doesn't even know it!

2008-09-25T09:06:00.001-07:00

Yes, my son makes me laugh and amazes me each day with the things he says and does. Here are a few recent examples:

**We are in Walmart and Coops and his cousin are in the cart. We decide to check out the Halloween costumes. I spot the presidential nominee masks and start thinking it would be funny to dress the two of them up as McCain and Obama in little suits and masks for Halloween...okay maybe not that funny. But, I was looking at them when Coop says, "It's John McCain and Barack Obama." I paused for a second, looked at him, then said, "yep you're right." Either the news is on a lot at our house, or he really enjoyed the campaign speeches.

**This morning I woke up with some very crazy hair. Rough night...yes. He sees it then says, "You have Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on your head." Sad thing is, I did kind of look like Mickey. **Also, grounds for congratulations is he picked out his first outfit all on his own. He said it was what he wanted to wear, and I said it was fine as long as he knew he would have to change if we went anywhere. He ended up going to the grocery store with Jake in the below pictured "perfectly plaid" outfit.

I LOVE YOU BUD!!!!

Out with the old in with the new

2008-09-08T12:49:00.000-07:00

Am I on a roll or what? I'm going to get two posts in today. So, another reason why things have been crazy is because we are in the process of selling our house. Two weeks ago we put our home on the market and within a week and a half we had an offer on it...CRAZY. I hoped and prayed we could sell it quickly, but wasn't expecting to sell it that quick. I showed the house about five times; each time I had to make sure it was spotless (not so easy with a baby and a toddler running around.) One morning a realtor called me while he was outside my house to see if he could show it right then; thank goodness the house was still clean from the night before. So, our work paid off, and even better, we found a new house that we really liked and put an offer on it and just found out they excepted our offer. YIPEE! We will probably be moving sometime in October and boy am I glad someone will be doing it for us. We are excited to be starting a new adventure and continue to be so blessed and we are incredibly thankful.

Pathetic

2008-08-20T12:22:00.000-07:00

Yes, each month I seem to become a more pathetic blogger. Last month went by without a single post...oops. It's a repeated excuse, but I can't seem to find the time to blog. Maybe it's time to start scheduling in blog time. Anyways, I guess no news is good news for us. We have been busy with lots of fun things. We went to a family reunion in Bear Lake last month which is always filled with good times, good food and good company. From there we headed to Boise and then from there we drove to California. We surprised Jake's mom for his parents 30th wedding anniversary. We had a great time; while we were there we had a couple of barbeques, visited some friends, and rented a patio boat and waterskiied on the lake. Although we had fun, it sure is nice to be home, to sleep in our own beds, to use regular size shampoo bottles, and to take clothes off hangers, living out of a suitcase isn't all that great. Dorothy was right, there really is no place like home!

This is what a day at Lake Oroville does to you!

Our big news this month...

2008-07-29T08:49:00.000-07:00

I guess it's time for my monthly post; I know I need to be a better blogger, but the summer seems to just get busier and busier. We have some big news of the month...we are moving! Holy cow, I can't believe it. Jake was offered a promotion last week, and we accepted it. We will be moving to the Boise area around the end of next month. It was a hard decision, and I can't believe people everyday have to make that decision, but I think we've made the right one. I knew we would not live in our home for very long, but I didn't think it would only be for two years. I'm so proud of Jake. He works really hard and has been progressing with Geico quickly over the last couple years. We had to take the offer because it's the only position in Idaho, a good pay increase, and who knows where we'd end up if we didn't. So, we'll take Boise with family close by and a 4 hour drive home over someplace hotter and farther away like Arizona or Nevada (other states in Jake's work region). We are excited and nervous to move and are looking forward to a new adventure, but will miss family, friends, and this area we've lived in. Look out Boise, here we come!

Here are the latest pictures of my favorite lil' guys

Summer Fun

2008-06-30T09:19:00.000-07:00

I have to squeeze this blog in before the month is over, so I'm not accused of going without a new post for over a month. We have been busy and enjoying the summer; here is what we have been up to.

*Conner was blessed this month, it was a very special day. We also enjoyed having family visit us.

*Karlie visited us from Ohio for 3 weeks, I always love when she visits. We were able to spend our birthday together. We enjoyed campfires and smores, warm weather, haircuts, visiting with friends, playing in the water, shopping and relaxing. How we love the joys of summer!

*We were also able to share our birthday with the fathers in our lives. My dad and husband are the best fathers ever, I love you guys! I must also brag about Jake winning two awards at an AD Conference this past month. He was seated next to Geico's CEO at a banquet where he was awarded best customer service and adjuster of the year for his region. Woohoo, way to go. You're the man Jake, we love you!

*We took our family to Cedar City Utah for a weekend, and I played basketball in the Utah Summer Games tournament. My neighbor put together a team and we had a lot of fun playing some really competitive teams. I haven't played that hard in a long time and ended up quite sore and feeling a bit...old? The weather was really nice Jake got a little golf in and Cooper loved staying at the hotel and swimming with his buddy.

*We visited the splash park in Rexburg for the first time and there were a ton of kids, but Cooper had fun on the carousel and even braved the water slides.

*Holy Cow, Conner is three months old!

It wasn't me

2008-06-30T09:15:00.000-07:00

So, we are sitting in church and during the sacrament we hear a woman's cell phone begin to play a joyful tune. It just so happens that the woman whose phone was ringing was sitting right next to me. She slyly reaches down to her purse and shuts her phone off. Meanwhile I have my big black bag on my lap and I am franticly digging through it trying to find something to keep Cooper quite and occupied. I'm sure the congregation looked toward the sound and saw me digging through my bag and thought I was trying to find my phone...ha, ha, I was probably the only one who really noticed, but I though it was quite a coincidence.

Latest Happenings

2008-05-28T07:31:00.000-07:00

Yes, I am a blog slacker and it's been a month so time for an update. We are all doing terrific, and just waiting (and waiting) for summer, or at least for it to stop raining. We went to the doctor today and Conner at two months is 58th percentile for weight and 83rd for height, and is growing great. He has been smiling now for a couple of weeks, and he laughed at us the other day. We just can't get enough of those darn cute gummy smiles.

We had a fun memorial day weekend. We were able to get some projects done at our house, food storage, and new bark outside, and Jake took Cooper to his first movie. He had seen Indiana Jones on TV and wanted to watch it over and over, so Jake decided to take him to the new Indiana Jones movie. Jake said he ate almost the whole bag of popcorn, but did really well, and only got antsy towards the end (p.s. Jake doesn't recommend the movie).

This picture is of Cooper on our way to Idaho Falls. Before we left, Jake was putting him in his car seat I told him to stop picking his nose, but he kept going. As Jake was trying to put his arms through the straps, I guess his finger went a little too far up his nose, 'cause it started to bleed. Two lessons I hope Cooper learned...listen to your mother, and use caution when picking. Hence, taking a nap with his favorite hat and tissue up his nose.

Hip Hip Hooray

2008-04-24T15:53:00.000-07:00

I must announce that Cooper went to nursery by himself for the first time. It was my first week back to church with Conner, so Jake took him to nursery then snuck out. The nursery leader did a great job of distracting him, and that was that. Maybe it just clicked, maybe he was ready, or maybe it was a fluke; but he went and that's all that matters. We were finally able to give him the toy we'd been bribing him with for weeks. He would say he wanted the toy, but would get to the nursery door and say, "don't want Jessie". So for those of you out there who think your child may never go to nursery alone, don't give up...if Cooper can do it anyone can; way to go bud! :) Wish us luck for next week, let's hope there's no "relapse".

Cooper with his "bribe" (Jesse and Woody) and Our Two Burritos

P.S. So I'm debating about going private or not. My posts are just simple updates for friends and family, and I can't decide if I want to give up the opportunity of connecting with "long lost friends" by making my blog private; I'll let you know if I decide for sure.

Cartwright Family Update

2008-04-10T12:35:00.000-07:00

We are all doing great, and are adjusting well to having two little boys in our home. Conner is doing well; he was a little jaundice and we had to use a bili blanket, but other than that he eats well, and sleeps pretty good, and is a pretty happy baby. Cooper has adjusted surprisingly well and is a sweet big brother. He rushes to Conner's side whenever he cries and puts his hands on him and rubs his head. He only gets a little jealous when Jake holds Conner, but I'm just glad he isn't jealous when I hold him.
Here are a few more pictures of our new little one, proud daddy, and lovable big brother. Thanks for all your well wishes.

SEARCH FOR BED RAILS...

After looking at lots of different safety rails, I found ones that I really liked, and thought I'd pass my findings on to those of you with kids getting ready to transition to a twin bed. These bed rails are so cool. They slide in between the box spring and the matress and are hidden until you need them and then they pop right up. I like them because they don't take over the bed and it makes making the bed easy. The brand is Regalo and I was only able to find the set of two on Target.com.

I have also been meaning to post the extent of my craftiness. I have had fun with Cooper's room; I made curtain tiebacks, covered a lampshade, covered the pillow (mom helped), and painted a big tin star.

Going Private ?

2008-04-02T08:08:00.000-07:00

After many blogger friends have gone private, I think I too would like to go private. There are a few reasons I would like to go private, but mostly to just be safe. Please let me know if you would like to be able to view my blog, by leaving me your e-mail address and I will add you. I will eventually get this done when things settle down a bit and I am able to spend a little time blogging :)

Conner Rohn Cartwright

2008-04-02T08:03:00.001-07:00

We are so excited, our baby boy is here!

Conner Rohn Cartwright

born March 29, 2008

7lbs 13 oz. 191/2 inches

Cooper's it...

2008-03-04T07:10:00.001-08:00

Cooper was tagged by Jeter and Boston, here are eight things about him:

1- Not a surprise to all, Cooper is a ball of energy. He has been since he was a baby and would kick his legs all the time. He likes to run, and especially race in the hallway. He likes to jump on beds and off the couch and roll around. I wouldn't have it any other way; he is so much fun and keeps our home lively.
2- Cooper is a chatter box. He can carry on a pretty good conversation, and makes us laugh with words and sayings he picks up. He also likes music and singing and can sing a number of songs all the way through.
3- Right now Cooper loves to play with cars and trucks. He has baskets full and we have almost got all the "Cars" characters, which he knows all by name and color. ( yes, cars are a great way to learn colors). Cooper also loves the movie Toy Story, my favorite is to hear him say, "Buth Liyear says to infinity and beyond".
4- Cooper was never a very cuddly baby, and despite my early training he didn't like to shop, However, he has grown out of those things. I'm glad he now likes to cuddle and also doesn't mind shopping. Sometimes he even requests to go to the red store a.k.a Target.
5- Cooper loves to play outside, even in the winter he wants to go out and play.
6-Cooper's best friend is a chihuahua. Jake and I joke that Bibby is Cooper's best friend. I don't think Bibby would agree though. Cooper loves to tease and chase Bibby and thinks it's funny when Bibby growls at him.
7-Despite having short parents, Cooper has always been tall for his age.
8-Cooper is officially potty trained! We haven't had an accident for at least a couple of weeks now; he is doing great and we are so excited.

The Weeks Happenings

2008-03-04T06:49:00.000-08:00

My doctor's appointment went well and I'm measuring right on. I can't believe I only have 3 weeks left, we haven't decided on a name and I'm not prepared quite yet, so I guess I'd better get going. I've been keeping busy doing some projects, and even pulled out my sewing machine. I covered a lampshade and made curtain tiebacks for Cooper's room. I've been afraid of my sewing machine, because I didn't know if I could figure it out, but it was easy and fun. I think I will be doing more sewing projects in the future. I went to a baby shower last week for my neighbor who is having twins, it was fun to socialize and be grateful that I'm only having one baby, even though I look like I'm having twins. ( j/k twins are the best ;) Also this past week I was released as the 2nd counselor in our Young Womens. We had only been in for about a year and a half, but the YW president got called to serve on campus and Jake got a calling in young mens, so it was time to be released. I have become attached to the Young Women in our ward, they are really exceptional girls and are a lot of fun. However, my new calling is a sunday school teacher for the 15 year olds. Another new mom and I will switch off, which will be good for me because I'll have a new baby too, it will be fun to still get to work with the youth.

Here's what we've been up to...

2008-02-17T08:24:00.000-08:00

POTTY TRAINING: Cooper has been doing very well at potty training. I thought I would try to train him early (27 months) just to see if he would do it, and to hopefully not have to change two diapers. He doesn't have hardly any accidents, and is doing so good, we're so proud of him. Thank goodness for Lightening McQueen underwear, stickers and candy; I think we've almost got this down!

SICKNESS: Cooper was sick for a few days with a fever, a cough, and a runny nose. He is such a trooper though, and he is starting to feel better. However, now I'm trying to fight the illness I can feel coming on, being sick is no fun. Picture of Cooper right before we put on his PJs, he wanted daddy to hold him.

VALENTINE'S: We had a good Valentine's Day. We got a fun visit from Grandma Holman who brought some fun valentines for us. Then I topped the night off with my two favorite guys, and two things I quite enjoy, pizza and relaxing.

PREPARING: I can't believe we only have a month left in this pregnancy...crazy. We decided to move Cooper out of his room (the nursery) early, so he could get used to a new "big boy" room before the baby came. So, I have had fun doing a couple of projects in his new room. We found some really cute furniture, and a cute quilt for his bed. Cooper likes his new room, and even calls his old room his baby brother's.

Husband tag...

2008-01-31T08:12:00.001-08:00

What is his name? Jake Eldon
How long have you been married? We just celebrated our 5 year anniversary in December.

How long did you date? We knew eachother longer, but we started dating in February and were married in December. So, 11 months (we were engaged for 3).

How old is he? 29
How old are you? 25
Who eats more sweets? No doubt I do. I love sweets in any shape or form. Jake doesn't even really like sweets, he likes gummy candy and an occasional baked good. I am trying my hardest to corrupt him, or teach him the finer things of life.

Who said I love you first? Jake did, I would have been too big of a wuss to say it first. I didn't say it after he did, because I wanted to say it on my own terms, even though I did. We actually turned it into a joke as to when I would tell him I loved him. I later wrote a poem and told him I loved him.

Who is taller? Jake is not too hard, I'm 5'2" and Jake is 5'10"
Who can sing better? We both aren't great singers, but we can both carry a tune.
Who is smarter? Jake is. We had some same classes in college and he would hardly study for the test and I would study and read the book and he would do as well as I did. However, I am always right!

Who does the laundry? I do most of the laundry, but he is a great helper if there are clothes in the dryer when he gets home from work he will help fold them.
Who does the dishes? I do most of the time.

Who pays the bills? He does, and I'm glad. I think he likes to know exactly what's going on.
His guilty pleasure? Golf, and talk radio. He is a good golfer and loves to golf, I think he would golf every day in the summer if he could.
Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? He does. I did when we lived in Colorado, it seems like I always end up on the side where the bathroom is.?
Who mows the lawn? Jake, but I help with weeding and other yard work.
Besides you, who is his best friend? His parents and Paul Fairbanks, they grew up together in California and Paul now lives in Rexburg.

Who cooks dinner? I do. Jake is a good cook and likes to try experimenting sometimes. I should really get him to cook more. Jake loves tacos, can't beat taco Tuesday.
Who drives? Jake pretty much all the time. He is a good driver and is very good with directions. He likes to drive long distances and doesn't ever get tired.
Who is more stubborn? Jake is, and I tell him that's where Cooper gets it from, but don't get me wrong I can be stubborn too.

Who kissed who first? I am a wimp, Jake did of course. He asked me first if it would be okay, I agreed.

Who asked who out first? We had hung out before with all of his roomates, but he asked me out on a date first.

What was your first date? We went to Dairy Queen and talked, he was very interesting.
Who proposed? He did. I kind of felt it coming and might have even hinted that if he was going to he'd better do it so we could plan. He came to Logan and we went up to the temple. He had a book with "our story" in it. Then he had post it notes with nice things written on them, I lifted the note up and another compliment was underneath. The last post it note said hopefully more chapters to come and I lifted up the note and a hole was cut out and the ring was inside. He got on one knee and proposed. I cried and said, "of course".

Who has more siblings? He has 4 siblings 2 bros. and 2 sisters. (half) I have 2 bros. and 1 twinner.

Who wears the pants? It depends on the situation, but I think mostly Jake.
What is your favorite thing about him? Where do I start. I couldn't ask for a better husband or father. He is fun, and has a great sense of humor. He is a hard worker, and is so likeable, random people just love him. He is laid back and easy going, but very determined. He is sweet and sensitve, and very unselfish. He is the best, I wish I was more like him!

I tag Karen and Cindy

January Happenings

2008-01-26T11:46:00.001-08:00

We have had a great year so far. We celebrated my Grandma Holman's 92nd birthday, my mom's birthday and Jakes 29th birthday this month. Cooper continues to crack us up with things he says. Yesterday he hurt his belly and said, "I hurt my baby brother." I guess we need to help him understand that Cooper doesn't have a baby brother in his tummy, just mommy :) He also went potty for the first time on the toilet this week, but truthfully I think it was an accident. (He hasn't gone since, despite all the bribing).

I thought this was funny. Cooper loves primary songs and in this video he is playing with Play Doh, and trying to sing at the same time.

Moments of our January

2008-01-26T11:45:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Jake, we love you! Jake cheesing it and Cooper more interested about what's inside.

Some things Cooper likes to do: Push things with wheels (in this case he is giving the Geico gecko a ride), watching Toy Story in our guest bedroom with his Winnie the Pooh blanket, and "bowling" on the Wii.

Another wonderful holiday season

2007-12-30T20:40:00.001-08:00

We had an amazing Christmas. Lots of snow, family, and great food, what more could we ask for. (Except to have the Deans home, of course). Cooper was lots of fun and enjoyed all of the festivities. He had fun opening presents, and really liked his ornament from grandma and grandpa, if that was all he got I think he would have been happy. Jake's Wii was a hit, and we've had fun playing it. We even got my mom and dad to play a match of tennis...quite entertaining. Jake and I also celebrated our 5 year anniversary this past week. I'm a very lucky lady with a wonderful husband, and can only say, "time flys when you're having fun". We have so much to be thankful for; we've had a wonderful 2007 and are excited for another great year in 2008! Happy New Year!

So it's been a while...

2007-12-16T13:52:00.000-08:00

Cooper our little man smiling for the camera

Cooper wearing his Christmas gift from Bailee; headphones that are little dogs.

We have been busy having fun and wouldn't have it any other way. We had a great Thanksgiving in Utah, and the only thing missing was the Dean family. Luckily we were able to see them this past week. We picked them up at the airport at Salt Lake and were so happy to finally see Karlie, Josh, and adorable Bailee. We did some shopping in Utah and went to a reception for Tristen Miller. I was jealous there was so much snow at my granparents house, but luckily we got our storm a few days later. Cooper absolutely loves to play in the snow, and would stay outside all day if he could. Karlie's stay was way too short and it only seemed like they were here for a couple of days, but we had fun with them while they were here. Cooper loves Bailee and has missed having his little cousin to play with and tease. It will be nice to have two children, because if Cooper wouldn't do something, all we had to do is have Bailee do what we wanted, and then he would do it. We are enjoying the Christmas season and hope you are too.

So I've been tagged...

2007-11-17T07:07:00.000-08:00

I've been tagged by a few friends, which means I'm supposed to tell you six things about myself that you might not already know...

1- I have a major sweet tooth, actually sweet teeth, 'cause I think my mouth is full of them. I love just about anything that is sweet. I believe it is hereditary, but I think that's just my way of blaming my four root canals on other people (yes, four). Ever since I was young I think I've had a candy sensor and always knew where I could find candy. My mom could never find a good enough hiding spot, and I think she gave up trying. And well my grandma, besides the open candy dishes throughout her house, her secret stash was never really secret.

2- When I was younger leaving home for long or short periods of time for that matter was never really appealing to me. At twelve years old I went to a basketball camp in Utah for a week and could hardly even handle it I got so homesick. When we moved to Colorado we decided we wanted to be near at least one grandma and grandpa and since California is too expensive we decided to move back to Idaho. Good thing my California husband doesn't mind the cold, 'cause that could have been a problem. I guess you could say once a home body always a home body. I do admit however, that if Colorado was little closer to home it would be tempting to live there.

3- I am not a huge fan of speaking. Large groups or small, I'd rather not, thanks anyway. In college, we were required to do lots of presentations. I got out of the actual presentation by offering to put together the entire slide show for the non-speaking part of the presentation. I am slowly overcoming this fear by teaching the young women in our ward every now and again, which I'll admit can actually be kind of fun.

4- Some namesake facts: As if it isn't obvious I have indian blood running through me :) That would be because Pocahontas, yes the Pocahontas around the river bend is my 15th great grandma. Also, I apparently didn't know what my middle name was until I was 8 years old. On my 8th birthday I got a set of scriptures with my name engraved on them. As I examined the cover I read aloud, "Kacie "Camel" Holman?" Instead of Camille.

5- I am somewhat of a clean freak. I can't stand my house being messy. I even try to avoid buying Cooper toys that have lots of small pieces that could end up strewn around the house. I like things to be in their proper places. Jake sums it up when he says I, "run a tight ship". Good thing I have him well trained.

6- Since the holidays are close I'll admit I love almost any holiday. Valentines, Easter, St. Patty's Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas they're great. Holidays are just something to look forward to, to decorate for, and a good reason to celebrate. I like to carry on traditions, and have even had family members call me the Christmas Queen. (As long as Queen is in the title I really don't mind.)

Well, there are six facts about me, that you may or may not have already known. Oh, and tag you're it to all of you on my friends and family list who haven't been tagged.

Drum roll please...

2007-11-08T16:58:00.000-08:00

Is drum roll one word or two? Oh well. I do have an announcement for those of you who don't already know. I am expecting #2, and since Car got some flack for waiting 'til 22 weeks I decided to let you all know at 20 weeks. I thought it would be another boy, but the Dr. suggested it may be a girl at an ultrasound on a Tuesday, but to not buy girl clothes yet. Then the next day on Wednesday which was Halloween, I went to the hospital and since my mom works in the x-ray department she had the ultrasound tech take a quick peek. "Oh yeah, I can tell you it's a boy." It was pretty obvious to me that it was a boy, but what do I know. So for right now I think I'll wait until the next ultrasound before I say for sure what it is...but I think it's a boy.

Happy Halloween

2007-11-05T19:06:00.000-08:00

Halloween is great, especially the candy...(Yes, I have major sweet teeth). I was so excited that Cooper was old enough to go trick-or-treating and get some candy for me, I mean him. Actually, we only went to a few houses and to grandma and grandpa's work, but ended up with an acceptable stash. Cooper loves bananas and I sometimes call him monkey, so I thought it was suitable that he dress as a monkey for Halloween. He got the hang of trick-or-treating after the first door or so, but would say, "trick-or-treat" and start opening the door himself. I think he enjoyed all the kids coming to our house. We had quite a few, and luckily we handed out most of the candy so there wasn't too much left staring me in the face.

Birthday #2!

2007-11-05T18:52:00.000-08:00

Holy cow! I can hardly believe my little guy is already two years old, and what a fun two years they have been. We celebrated Cooper's birthday with pizza and presents the day before his birthday. At the pizza place grandpa Holman taught him how to say delicious and as he was sipping his fruit punch he said, "mmm, licious" it was pretty funny. We made him open presents in the car on the way home so he would stay awake because he didn't take a nap. It was one enjoyable car ride (Mickey Mouse singing all the way home). The next day we enjoyed balloons and cake. I always wonder what we ever did for entertainment before Cooper was born; he entertains me 24/7 with his new words and "sentences", funny faces, and explorations.

Vacation fest comes to an end...

2007-10-22T09:39:00.000-07:00

Cooper in a ball pit (he received a good sanitizing after that). Bailee and Cooper in an Amish Buggy.

Cooper riding a tiger at the Zoo.

From Boise to California, Utah, Ohio, and home again. It feels like I've been gone for months. Cooper, mom and I went to Utah and stayed at my grandparents house. We had to be at the airport by 5:00 so I made sure I had everything ready the night before. All I had to do in the morning is basically put my suitcases in the car, and get Cooper into his car seat. We were a little rushed getting to the airport, so I decided to wait by the car at the drop off area while my mom checked in. As she was checking in I wanted to have my ID ready so I could run in and check in when she was finished. I went to my carry on and my wallet wasn't there, then I went to my suitcase, then Cooper's and back to my carry on. I was starting to freak out, tearing open my suitcase, I began thinking when I last had my wallet and realized I had put it in a shopping bag and forgotten to take it out the day before. I was upset thinking I would have to catch a later flight. To make a long story short, I didn't even need my ID, but I had to go through extra screening. Cooper and I had to stand in a booth and have air shot at us from all directions, which needless to say doesn't make a toddler very happy at 5:00 in the morning. Despite all the drama, Cooper was a champ on the airplane. We arrived in Cleveland and could hardly keep from smiling as we saw Karlie's car approaching to pick us up. Karlie had a fun week planned for us and we were so excited to just be able to spend it with her and her little fam. We did a lot of fun things while we were there. We went to a chocolate factory, a huge park, the zoo, a play place, shopped, and went to a fun amish restaurant. Most of all I enjoyed relaxing with Karlie and mom and watching Bailee and Cooper play together. They are both such characters and Bailee is really starting to show her personality. Anyhow, the time came for us to return home and it was sad to say goodbye. So my vacation time is over for a while now, but it's nice to be home and back in the swing of things.

Check out my Slide Show!

2007-10-06T09:30:00.000-07:00

Vacation!

2007-10-05T07:41:00.000-07:00

We had a fun week last week. Jake, Cooper, and I drove to Boise where we dropped Cooper off with Grandma and Grandpa Cartwright and four cousins. Jake and I went to California with Jake's sister Joli and her husband Charles. We arrived in California and headed to Disneyland (Joli wanted to go there without her kids because when she has gone before she couldn't enjoy it because she was always trying to keep track of them, making sure they didn't get lost.) Disneyland was lots of fun but was pretty busy on a Saturday. We also spent our vacation at Sea World, Universal Studios, and California Adventures. We really enjoyed ourselves. The weather was great, by Monday the crowds were smaller, and we ate a lot :) It was a fun vacation, but one of the best things is that Cooper did great in Boise. He loved being with his cousins and was great for grandpa and grandma. We missed him while we were gone and were really excited to see him.

Check out my Slide Show!

2007-10-01T14:10:00.000-07:00

September

2007-09-16T13:58:00.001-07:00

It's been a busy month so far. I have been helping a lady in our ward by babysitting her two kids on Mondays and Tuesdays (in September) while she teaches 2nd grade. They are good kids, but it sure is different watching other peoples kids. A couple of weeks ago we converted Cooper's crib into a toddler bed. He actually really likes it and doesn't try to get out; next step...potty training. Cooper also loves to hold Bibby, they are little buddies and like to chase eachother around.

Summer Happenings

2007-09-05T11:00:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone-

We decided that blogs are a good way to keep in touch with everyone, so we decided to start our own. We are all doing great. We are happy and healthy and couldn't ask for anything more.

We have had a fun summer, especially with visits from the Dean family. We had a fun barbeque and marshmallow roast in our backyard with the whole family during their visit.

We have had a couple of famiy reunions, and love getting together and catching up with family.

We are enjoying Rigby and are looking forward to the fall and a couple of fun vacations in the next couple of months.

Cooper Cowboy

2007-09-05T09:53:00.001-07:00

Cooper is our little ball of energy and fun. He is a sweet boy and his comments and personality make us laugh constantly. He can just about say anything we do, and we think it's funny to make him say things. He is starting to say colors "lellow" school bus, and can almost count to 10!