Sparkling Boy

We went to Target today as a family, and had stopped to look at something when I hear Isaac singing, fairly loudly, "Get, your, sparkle on!" (from the new Barbie and the Fashion Show movie).  A lady standing by us heard him and smiled and said to me, "He must have sisters!"  He continued to sing this song, fairly loudly, the rest of the time we were there!  If he wasn't such a rough and tumble boy in every other aspect, I might be worried. . .

Here's some more fun, random pictures!

Isaac still loves his little brother, and Ammon is still unsure of what to think!  Actually, Ammon loves his siblings and smiles and laughs at them all the time!

Oh, EmmaLee!  She has been FULL of attitude lately, can you tell?!

Eden had picture day a couple of weeks ago and chose her outfit and hair due for the day!  Luckily, her bangs have grown out enough now that they don't really stand out at all!  I can't believe how big she is getting, and she has started helping around the house so much more!  She is such a joy and such a big helper!

Isaac wanted to get a picture taken as well, and it is actually a more normal picture of him, mostly!

Ammon discovered his thumb last week!  It's so cute, even though I know if it really becomes a habit I won't like it so much later on!  I've never had a thumb sucker!  What's funny too is that he has the Soothie brand binkys, with the holes in the binky part, and I found him today with his thumb stuck in the hole part, so he was sucking on both his binky and his thumb!

This isn't the clearest picture, but it kind of shows how blue his eyes are.  His cousin on Rob's side that is only about 2 weeks younger (but about a pound bigger), has super brown eyes, and Ammon has really blue eyes, so when they get together, both of their eyes stand out!  It's so cute!  Ammon also started laughing this last week, which is SO cute!! 

Marriage Tips

10 Ways to Daily Improve Any Relationship
Complied by Victor W. Harris, MS

1. Say "I love you"
2. Kiss or hug
3. Give a compliment
4. Mediate for 3 minutes (Why it is wonderful to be married to my partner. . .)
5. Touch "Goodbye"
6. Touch "Hello"
7. Share a personal feeling
8. Perform an Act of Service
9. Keep a Promise (Trust)
10. Provide Surprises

Just a little of what I'm learning in one of my college classes!

Festival of Trees

We have decided to donate a tree to the Festival of Trees this year in Caydin's name.  The title of the tree is "Christmas at Last", and is based on the Chronicles of Narnia.  We will be decorating it with Narnia themes, toys, figurines, etc.  Of course, the Chronicles of Narnia are a parallel of the gospel, with Aslan representing Christ.  We felt this was an appropriate and yet fun theme since it is through our Savior that we will one day be blessed to be with Caydin again.  If anyone is interested in donating towards our tree to help pay for the cost of creating it, our mailing information for it can be found here.

In case anyone doesn't know what the Festival of Trees is, it is a fundraiser for Primary Children's hospital, and people donate trees in the name of a loved one who has passed on.  The trees are sold, and the proceeds from the trees are donated to Primary's to help patients and families of patients to pay their medical bills.  Caydin spent the last 30 hours of his life at Primary's, and I am so grateful that he was at a place where the doctors and nurses are so expert at children's care, and also knowledgeable in how to help families who's child does not survive.  Caydin's accident and resulting medical care costs were in the hundred's of thousands of dollars, and that was just for 30 hours!  We were blessed at the time to have insurance that covered the cost, but there are many families that don't have that good of insurance, or any insurance at all!  And, there are many children who spend MUCH more time in that hospital getting continual treatment than we did, who could really use some help with the bills.  Medical cost bills can be even tougher to pay than normal bills because of the emotion behind the care received, especially if the results were of a loved one passing away; it can be a monthly reminder of that heartbreaking time!  So, I know that the proceeds from our tree will be greatly appreciated by those who will be receiving it from the hospital!

You Never Know

Living by an Air Force base, you never know what you are going to see!  Earlier this week we were driving down the main street here by our house right after we had picked Eden up from school.  Suddenly, flying over our heads was this Stealth bomber!  I couldn't get my camera out quick enough to get a decent picture of it because by the time I got a picture, it was behind us and so flat to our view that it is hard to see what it was!  But, we noticed the route it was flying, and thought there was a chance it was heading back to the Air Force base, and decided to drive up there to see if we would be able to see it.  On our way there, it again passed over us, flying the same route!  We got to the base just as it was landing and taking off again, so I was able to get this video of it!  We've noticed that planes, especially the bigger transport ones, often fly a circle over the base, landing and then taking off again.  I'm guessing that they do this to practice their landings and take offs.  Anyway, ironically, after I took this video, it actually changed course and flew off over towards the west desert, which is where the other jets are always flying to, and didn't come back!  So, I was glad we got this video!  The jets can be noisy, but it is kind of fun living by the base and seeing the F-16's flying over head several times a day!  It doesn't really get old to me, and since my kids are used to the noise of them now, it's all good!

Five Years Today

Five years ago today, Caydin "graduated" this life and went back to his heavenly home to peace and glory.  I miss you today, buddy, even more than normal!  Thank you for your example, and help me get through all the unknown years ahead so we can all be together again as a WHOLE family!  I LOVE YOU!

August Birthdays

August is Birthday month for both of my girls!  I haven't downloaded my pictures for this years celebrations yet, but wanted to post something before it got too late! 

Eden's birthday was on August 4th and she turned 6 years old!  I can't believe she is already that old!  She is my helper, and my little mother, at least in the trying to boss her other siblings around!  She is very stubborn, but likes to talk things through. Whenever a problem comes up, if I try to "tell" her how to deal with things, she won't hear it at all!  But, if I discuss the issue with her, and give examples from my own experiences, she would talk about it for hours!  I love that thinking side of her!  She is my sweetheart, and I'm so grateful that I am so blessed as to be her mother!! 

This is Eden on her blessing day.  She was born with one club foot, and by this time had I believe her second or third cast on, so everyone signed it who came to her blessing!  I love that Caydin is talking to her!!

Here is Eden just a week or two before her first birthday.

By her second birthday, she was already wanting to be a little princess, and loved dressing up!

I took this picture of her the morning of her third birthday.  It is weird to me to see this picture and compare it to EmmaLee today, since it is EmmaLee's third birthday today!

Eden right after her 4th birthday.  I think going from 3 to 4 was a big "growing up" time for Eden when she went from toddler to girl!

Eden right after her 5th birthday. 

Eden just a couple of weeks ago at 6!  She is getting so much bigger and older now!  Sure love this girl!

Like I said earlier, EmmaLee's birthday is today (okay, it is actually the 15th, which it was when I started this post!) and she is now three!  I said Eden is stubborn, but EmmaLee is even MORE stubborn!  She loves to sing and dance, and if she is comfortable, if you ask her she will sing a song about just about anybody!  She loves playing with her older siblings, and is pretty easy going when it comes to playing!  She loves to smile and be happy, but she has her little "monster" voice that comes out when you don't respond to her fast enough!  She is also so special to me, and I love having my two girls!

This is in the OR right after EmmaLee was born!

Here is EmmaLee at one!  Such a cutie!

Emma when she turned two!  It is amazing how much faster your later children grow!  I think because they have older siblings to learn from, they just seem to catch onto things faster and sooner and get "older" faster!

Emma at three!  Happy birthday my little sunshine!

What Kids Say!

Yesterday was a family reunion for my mom's side of the family.  We spent the day up at my aunt's clubhouse having a blast!  There was a splash park right around the corner that the kids LOVED, and we also went swimming and had fun talking and playing with lots of family!  I will have to post pictures of it later this week, but I wanted to write down a couple of things the kids said before I forget!

Just a warning, but this first one is a potty one!  Isaac had to go to the bathroom at one point, so Rob took him.  After he had finished his business, he looked into the potty before flushing and saw his poop, and told Rob, "It's like a family!" 

My sister Melanie was holding and talking to EmmaLee, who loves jewerly.  Melanie had on a strand she had gotten after my Grandma Dickey passed away.  She told EmmaLee where she had gotten the necklace, and EmmaLee told Melanie, "Someday when I'm a great, great, great Grandpa Dickey, I will die."