I'm a a big boy now!!!

Well on Monday our sweet Ridge turned 2! So this gives me a great chance to brag him up a bit. Our sweet boy was born via c-section at 8:47 am on November 10th 2006. He made his debut into the world after a bit of a struggle. He simply didn't want to come out. Even though I had a c-section they couldn't get his bit head out. During my entire pregnancy I kept saying how big he felt in my stomach compared to Hunter. he felt so long and so heavy. The doctor predicted that he would weigh about 7 lbs. I kept telling Justin he is going to be 9 lbs. So after they got him out (after 20 minutes of 2 doctors pushing on my belly and pulling on his head and the use of the vacuum) out he came and the doctor said "you are going to have to name him buba!" He was the baby of my dreams. Anyone who knows me well knows I always talked about wanting a chubby little butterball (just like I was). And guess what he was 9lbs even! The kid was an eater and nursed nonstop for 9 months! He was the brother of Hunter's dreams and they are the cutest little friends. Justin and I are always commenting on how well the play together.

Ridge is the most polite easy child now. He says thank you after dinner, throws away his garbage in the garbage can without being asked, says please for everything, closes the screen door when he goes in and out and always wants to throw Aspen's diapers away. He is a ball of fun and is very rarely in trouble. He started sleeping in the bunk beds with Hunter about a month ago and hasn't had a bit of trouble.

He loves Scooby Doo, warm milk in his baba, his blue balnkie and thumb, chicken nuggets and playing with all of his friends!

I have included a dew of my favorite pictures through the last 2 years!

It's Like Having a Barbie!

So everyone had told me that having a girl would be soooo fun. When Aspen was born she got so many cute clothes that she really won't need anything till she is 18months. Well the little fart isn't growing fast enough. She is already 6 months and still barely wears 3-6 month clothes. So I thought she might need a few more things to wear so a shopping I went. I bought the boots before she was born but the dress was too cute to pass up. I feel like I am 5 years old again with Jen playing barbies in our old basement. I thought this picture was too cute to not share!

A Week of Halloween!

I don't think we have ever had so much going on for Halloween but we did! It started with our annual tradition of going to my parents the Sunday before for my dads famous potato soup and a costume display of me and Jen's kids. This year they gave Ridge his birthday presents because they will be in Greece for his birthday. Then we carved pumpkins for family night while we learned about the creation (Hunter was quite interested in how Heavenly Father made everything in 6 days). Wednesday night we went with Justin's parents to their ward halloween party and did trunk r' treating there. Then on the big night Justin took the boys out for 2 hours. It was around 50 degree's even in Eden and the kids had a ball. They got way more candy than they needed but had a blast. Hunter was Indiana Jones, Ridge started the week as a super cute duck but when we all laughed at how cute he was he would not put the costume on so I broke out Hunter's old Tigger costume and he loved that. Aspen started as Wonder Woman but my cute neighbor found this little bug outfit and she wore that on Halloween.

What's College!

So today I took Hunter to a cooking class for kids and on our way to town he started talking to me about school and was asking about my sisters (Shanae and Misty) and what grades they are in and wanted to know about college. I explained that college is not required but it is great to continue learning because it will help you get a better job and make you smarter about lots of things. So he asked something along the lines of if college taught me to "do Pampered Chef". I explained no that I wanted to be a police officer and that is what I went to school for. We started talking about how some moms work and some moms don't and he was asking about what the children do so that have moms that work. (Now before anyone burns me at the stake everyone should remember that I was raised by 2 parents from the age of 11 who both worked full time jobs and provided a wonderful life and lots of love for me. ) I explained to him that most of them go to daycare and proceded to explain to him what that is. He then told me how glad he was that I stayed home with him during the day so he didn't have to go to daycare.

So with that said I have to say 2 things. How grateful I am to have a husband who works his butt off for our family so that I can wake up every morning with my kids and be the first person Hunter see's when he walks through the door from school. I have an amazing husband!

Secondly, I am grateful for my 2nd job (next to a mom) as the Pampered Chef lady. I never dreamed when I was a little girl that I would be the home party lady but I have to say after 5 years it was one of the best decisions of my life. My original reason for doing it was to make my car payment and so I didn't throw me or Hunter out the window (everyone remembers what a horrible baby he was right). I truely believe it saved my life because I was really struggling with him. It has given me a night out each week to talk to potty trained adults, have a kitchen stoked with thousand of dollars in high end cooking tools for free and provides me with a pretty great paycheck ($1000-$2000) per month. (I only tell you what I make because someone asked me the other day if I get paid with free product!) I use to be embarrassed that after earning all those college degrees people would think I had failed and become a salesman but it was a great choice even if Hunter thinks I went to college to "do Pampered chef!"

Yes you can tell me I am Betty Crocker!

So I have this sweet neighbor/friend Trisha who has family who have pear & apple tree's and grape vines. So she asked if I wanted to use some of the apples to do applesauce and apple pie filling (I made the most amazing canned filling last year). Well Justin and I have really been trying to get a full year of year supply of food storage so how could I pass it up. Plus I complain all the time at the fact that I pay to buy the food to can when I could already buy it precanned. So I have always canned but this year I have canned more than I ever have. So here is the rundown this far:



5 Pints of Grape Jelly (1st time I have made Jelly and it was YUMMY!)
10 Quarts of Grape Juice (1st time for this too and it was way good with lemonade)
8 Pints of Raspberry Freezer Jam (Hunter calls this my "famous deeeelicious jam"
12 Quarts of Apple Pie filling
10 Quarts of Stewed Tomato's


Still plan to do applesauce and dried apples


This has been so fun, I am starting to get more and more concerned about what food my family eats and where it comes from so to look at my canned food and know that it is so much better for my children. Plus Hunter loves to help and I feel it sets a great example to him!

Lake Powell

We had so much fun this past week in Lake Powell. We had GORGEOUS weather. Low 80's the whole week. The houseboat ran great and 5 days just didn't seem like quite enough. We were lucky to go with 3 other families in our ward that we just love. Plus my darling sister Misty came as well! I even got my fat butt up skiing after 3 years off due to pregnancies. Hunter got up skiing too and once again was a maniac on the tubes! We only had a few minor issues. Hunter fell into a thorn bush and had to have 100 thorns removed from his hands, then on the last day he was showing off and cracked his head on the concrete. Aspen had a severe diaper rash so bad that we had to go into Page to get some special cream and our sweet Ridge nearly drowned to death in the blink of an eye. Other than that we can't wait to take Stressless out again in the Spring with Justin's family!

Hallaluja!!!!!!

Well as many of you know Aspen has not been the easiest baby. Well I am happy to report that a miracle happened, she found her thumb. She now can self soothe when she is upset and oh my it has made all the difference in the world. She seems to be so much more content. And then Sunday we had our next miracle, she took a BOTTLE! She woke up won morning in July and decided that she no longer liked bottles and wasn't going to take them. So I haven't been away from her for more than 3 hours in the last 3 months! Now maybe Justin and I can get a date once in awhile or I could run errands without having to dash home.