We have been...

My mom asked to show some pictures of what we have been up to... so here you have it. We have been...

Making messes...

Taking lessons...

Hanging out at the river...

Getting left out of the fun...

Taking naps...

Breaking rules...

Taking friends rafting...

Getting cleaned up...

Watching movies...

Opening early presents... Being girly...

Trying to get group pictures.. Begging daddy not to leave us...
Playing hard...

Celebrating our successes...Baking for friends...
Swinging at Grandpa's house...

Looking pretty as can be...

Practicing our skills with dad...


Eating as much as we can fit in our mouths... Jumping really high...

Peeking during prayer...
Loving Uncle Ty...
and so much more...

Dad, Coach, Friend, Counselor and So Much More!

Anyone who has known me for any length at all knows that I adore my dad! He is truly an amazing person with so much to offer the world. He can be a bit crazy and irrational at times but I say it only adds to his character! When I was in Junior High we had to write a story about "our Hero" and of course no one else came even close on my list and I proudly shared with my class, who already knew and loved my dad, some of the things I treasured most about him! Well, I guess that is what I am doing now... I want everyone who knows me to know about my wonderful father. It's weird how when you grow up (have I done that yet?) you make all kinds of friends who become like an extension of your family to you and yet they don't know the most important people in your life. So let me just tell you that although he sounds like a bear, talks like a heathen and behaves like a loony bin at times my dad is a remarkable man who loves and gives and gives and gives and tries extremely hard to hide his sensitive side (which is about 99% of him). If I ever needed anything small or large there is not a doubt in my mind he would be there for me in an instant! It may take some whining on the small stuff but none the less he is always there and always has made me feel so loved and so cared for!

What prompted this you may wonder... well my dad has been having a lot of pain lately and after being misdiagnosed with colon problems the doctors finally realized he has a "tumor" in his kidney that they suspect is cancerous. He had a cat scan done and it showed he is bleeding internally and will need to have a biopsy done early this week to figure out if he truly has cancer or not. Whether or not it is just the thought of him dealing with this breaks my heart and reminds me how lucky I am to have a dad like him. I pray to God that this will not be cancer, especially since my dad can be a big baby about being sick and needing help, but if it is I will try my hardest to do whatever I can to be half as there for him as he has always been for me. Not that I think he would need me but if he ever did I would treasure the opportunity to care for him and give back just an ounce of all he has given me!

I love you Dad! I'll always be your Baby Girl/Champ and I am praying so hard for a good outcome next week! Our family doesn't need any more drama... so let's get this over quick!

For those of you who are friends with God please ask Him, with me, to allow the biopsy to show there is NO CANCER. Thanks!

Oh and please do not mention this in front of my kids... they know all too well the devastating affects cancer can have on someone and we will not mention it to them until this is confirmed or denied. They don't need to think about their very loved and adored Papa being sick.

I want to be like Jill!

What does Jill have that I want??? Amazing pictures of her family!!!

So since I think I already have a handsome hubby and cute kids (as does Jill)... I figured all I need now is a good camera (like Jill). So now that Kyle finally got me my dream camera (Yeah for husbands who spoil their wives), with a little help deciding what that was from Jill, I am sure to capture some great shots. If I do not then I guess I will just have to accept that when it comes to having an eye for great pictures... Jill and I are just not in the same boat!


So here is what I have done with my new toy (The Nikon D-60) in it's first 24 hours:

at home:

at our picnic today... they need some work but I was playing with things and obviously I didn't know what I was doing.

Things I love about the camera... it takes the pictures super fast, I can edit them on the LCD screen, all the fun options and it has an AUTO setting so I don't need to really learn how to use it.

Things I'm not so thrilled about... you have to look through the little eye hole when capturing a shot, losing the ability to capture the short little videos, it's kind of complicated and it's bigger and that's it!

Cowboys and Cowgirls

Adia LOVES horses! She has always been into them and Kyle and I just recently have started encouraging this love of hers. She takes riding lessons at home and has been in a horsemanship/discipleship class for a few months now as well. In fact this Saturday her class is going to a rescue ranch to clean horse poop out of all the stalls... so fun huh? She is actually really excited about it. We used to think this love of horses was just because Papa (Amy's dad) has them but she has finally convinced us this is truly her own desire that she is willing to put a lot of work into. While we were in San Jose this last time we got to see her show off her extremely improved skills and her natural talent with the horses. She was riding all over the property and her posture was amazing as well as her ability and her knowledge of how to care for the animals. I was very impressed (and a bit scared) watching my big baby girl ride a huge horse that you couldn't pay me to ride! She spends morning (6am) until we make her come in at night with the horses while we are there and it cracks me up. She rode around one day for about 7 hours with just a small lunch break. Here are a few pictures of my cowboys and cowgirls... yeah, I don't know how my kids turned out like this either???

It looks like Avery is falling in love with these animals as well and she was so jealous we wouldn't let her out of the round pen without an adult guiding her horse. The big one (KD) in this picture is hers and the little one (Sierra) is KD's baby and that is the horse my dad gave Adia. All the grand kids that show interest get a horse... kind of.


Kenyon likes the horses but more he just enjoys running around in the dirt, climbing the fences and of course going super fast with Papa on the quad.

Adison likes being around the horses but more than the horses she loves Pepper... the little dog.
And we can't have a post that totally excludes the little guy so here is Kaden enjoying the scenery. He sure has a lot to take in all the time! And then when he is exhausted from all the fun he always has loving arms ready to hold him.



Thank you Dad for letting the kids take over your playground while we were in town... I guess all those horses and dirt mean something to me after all! If I have to be around horses you have the perfect setup for me and I am really grateful!

Five is FUN!

This morning Kaden was having some belly time and you should have seen how cute it was with his 4 cheerleaders all on their bellies cheering him on! 4 cute little voices saying "roll over" or "Yeah Kaden". There was also a few "Yeah Adison" since she was showing off that she can roll over too. She is not about to let Kaden steal her show! Anyway... after the production I remembered, one of the many reasons I have always wanted lots of kids is so I could get a picture like the one above. So Cute and So Fun! And below is Adison showing off her stuff and getting in Kaden's way since everyone was looking at him.

Yoda or Nerd

Okay, several of you have told me that I am mean for saying my son looks like a nerd. Some sweet friends helped me realize I should have said Kaden looks smart and then no one would have felt bad agreeing. Anyway my point is that if I am mean for saying he looks like a nerd is my mom mean for laughing when she saw Kaden's new picture and saying "Oh how funny. You aren't going to like what this picture makes me think of" after a little prodding she tells me my son looks like Yoda. Whatever! I may just be a biased mom but I really don't see the resemblance... so who is brave enough to tell me he really does look like Yoda? Ha Ha Mom... now the whole world knows what a sweet Grandma you really are!

Happy Birthday Kaden!

Our baby boy is 3 months!

Little Kaden is getting so big so quick and I don't like it at all. I feel like everything that happens with him is going to be my last experience like that and to be totally honest I am having a really hard time. For the last nine years I have had a little baby and I have loved it! He just grew out of some of his size 3 month clothes and I cried and cried knowing I will never need them again. In fact I'm crying as I write this. Kyle doesn't get it and just hugs me and loves me through this. He happens to love that we are done with this phase! I think I agree with his decision but it doesn't make it any easier. I do look forward to the freedom we will have with our children now that I won't be pregnant and sick any more and soon I won't even have a nursing child. This is so crazy! I always thought I would have a huge family and now my little family of 7 (i know that is big to most people but I really thought we would have like 8 or 10 or even 12 kids) is all done growing.

So on a more positive note... Isn't Kaden precious!!!! I sure am proud to be this cute little boys mom and I pray God will give Kyle and I wisdom as we try to raise another child to serve Him! I'm amazed at how each little baby of ours is so different and so easy to love just as much as the first. Motherhood is truly a blessing and I pray I never take for granted these children and the special role God has given me in each of their lives!

Oh and I'm not a mean mom... I love this kid more than anything and think he is as cute as can be but will any of you admit that he has a nerdy look? Let me know which picture you like the best? Oh and side note... Kenyon is pretty handsome huh? He is such a good big brother and such a goof ball. No wonder Kyle relates so well with him (I'm refering to the goofball part but Kyle knows what it's like to be super cute too)!