For those of you away we thought we'd show you the progress being made on our house. The first thing done was the waterfall/pond. The pics don't give it its due justice. It's totally amazing! So glad to have that gray rock gone. We even have a bridge. Then we got rid of the cover on the porch and can see the mountains. Then we needed some light in the back and we got a door and 2 windows by moving our cabinet to the dining room side. Then the box over the cupbaords came down and box light. All the sanding and mudding made our house all smokey. We still can't get rid of the dust. It hasn't been fun washing every part of the kitchen 5 times a day. Now we're onto the patio. Doesn't it look amazing. We look like millionaires. Ha! They'll be more pics to come.

Having a lot of fun at Parker's Birthday Party/combined Shelby, Cassidy, and Dad's party. Daniel and Brandon always are the first ones in the kitchen and the last one to clean up after any dinner. Man, I picked two good son-in-laws. Lexi's cool hippie costume for school using Cassidy's clothes. Thanks Cass! :D The birthday's yummy cake! Mmmm in a heart shaped cake pan for the valentine boy. Shae still never leaves her favorite game. And talking with the Mac's on the computer! Great to see them again!

"The fundamental job of a toddler is to rule the universe"

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“A three year old child is a being who gets almost as much fun out of a fifty-six dollar set of swings as it does out of finding a small green worm.”

“You can learn many things from children. How much patience you have, for instance.”

“It is true that you may occasionally overhear a mother say “Children must have their naps, It’s mother who knows best.” When what she really means by that is that she needsa rest.”

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Isn't that so very true. Each and every one of them. I have tried to document this stage and in my head I think "My posterity will LOVE all of these pictures" So, here is to you posterity. Enjoy.

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recent events: Pulling the botton drawer open to stand in, in order to get to the top drawer

-dumping out the button bag

-racing dogs up the stairs (and later sorting out the dog food into three different pots)

-leaping from the chair to the table to get the laptop (really, no exaggeration on the leaping)

-crawling under the pews at church (great entertainment for whoever is behind us. I stopped being embarrassed or worried MONTHS ago of what people may think.)

-eating the JELLO dessert all by her self that was meant for three people

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she is a really big ball of energy and we do just love every moment of it.

Christmas from TX

We would like to introduce our friends: Mary and Joseph. This is Mary before Christmas Day. :)

We love to play with them. We love to have them tell our story. And they, in turn, cause squeals of delight from a certain toddler we all know and love.

A HUGE thank you to our sweet, thoughtful, and most talented McCall and JD for the time, effort, money, thought, and love that went into the second most important couple to walk this beautiful earth. (for real. And I mean Adam and Eve as the first, not McKay and Makana, just to clarify).

Did I mention this is hand sewn? yep. every. single. stitch.

And did I mention when we opened the box, our reaction was something to the effect of "OOOOHHHHH" and "GET OUT! THIS IS AMAZING" and even a Staci London style few choice exclamations.

Celebrating Tanner's and Brandon's birthday! YIPPEE!!!






















These are our gifts from our persons at Christmas. How fun, don't we just love Christmas?
Parker got new pjs a funny story about himself and a wooden spoon from Tanner. The story was funny but also made us tear up.

Parker was his usual self and made lots of gifts. The awesome chess table game, 2 missionary journals, a beanbag toss, a tailgate wagon of food. The food is almost gone in the pic.

Lexi got some cool shoes Kels painted herself, a journal, a t-shirt with Lexis face on it and 3 bows.All made by Kels(except the journal)

Cassidy is wearing the dress from the belbys and holding a purse they made and wearing a necklace they made.

Kelsis pic which will be up in a few days is a pic Cas painted from a picture kels took while in Russia. Then she enlarged 2 pics kels took and framed them.

Lex made a family night kit in a wooden chest for the belbys similar to what she made for the macs.

JD and McCall put up a pic k? Same with the Macs.

a day in the life

Better than a purse, my pink and white bucket has all a girl needs

Pretzels, sippy cup, cow toy and who could forget my hair clip?!

I like to spend my time talking on the phone...

(notice her three ponytails!)

Climbing on things...

and trying on all different types of beads. . Sometimes though they get stuck in my hair

And before bed I get to take a nice long, hot bath. Its one of my favorites. I like it best with lots of bubble but I do get very sleepy

{ way to cover up baby! }

Texas Tantrums

Just a minute....

And there you have it folks...