Pictures at Layton Park

I know it's truly amazing we actually posted on our blog! I think after one year of being part of the blogging world, I am finally getting the hang of it. So here's to a new beginning (I hope?)

Last Sunday, after church, we took the kids down the the park and got a few pictures of them. We were pretty happy overall, with the way they turned out, considering we just did it ourselves, with our own camera. We figure some pictures are better then none and quit frankly I think a few of these (especially some of the individual pictures of the kids) turned out just as good, as if we would of paid someone to do it! Good job Ryan!

As for the time being, our future goal is to actually have a family picture with myself and Ryan included. So, here's to hopeful thinking! I figure if I can post on a blog that has sat vacant for 4 months, I can aspire to that family picture!

Let's be realistic though, 2011 here we come!

Note: Somehow, our poor little Kendrick is always slipping between the cracks, we forgot to do an individual picture of him! How sad is that? But i will get it done, no excuses!

My Mom...

In honor of it being Mothers Day today, I wanted to do a special tribute to my mom. One thing that many people may or may not know about the both of us is you really couldn’t find two people who were so different. The things that come so easily and natural for her are the things that I really struggle with and have to work at on a daily basis. That’s what makes my mom so inspiring to me.

Let me back up and tell you a little bit about her and some of the things that I most admire about her.

As a little girl my mom always had a desire for righteousness. One time (I’m not sure on the details of the story) but my grandpa had offered my mom and drink of Coke. Now for most of us (Especially if our parents of offering to us) we wouldn’t think twice about it. But my mom had been taught that she shouldn’t drink caffeine, so she told my grandpa no and decided from there she would never drink it, and to this day she has not. (Unlike me, her daughter with a love obsession with Diet Coke) She always holds true to the things she believes in.

Just after graduating from high school she sent off her missionary, headed to WSU library to do a little studying. Upon arrival there looking like a true stud was my dad. It was love at first sight. Yeah!!! And so it began.
This dress my Mom and Grandma made. They sewed all the flowers and bead work on by hand. My mom is an amazing seamstress .












It wasn’t long after the marriage that the first 3 kids arrived (3 kids under the age of 2!) Holy Cow! As time went on and the family grew (6 kids total) Mom never wavered in her values and priorities (her family) from supporting us in everything we did...









Baseball, Track, Soccer, etc...
To spending the night in a parking lot to get us Cabbage Patch Kids for Christmas.














Eating dinner in the back of the car at Burger Bar….















Sewing dresses for Marie Calendars so they could try to make ends meet.















Hiking Mt. Ogden,
















Putting up with this ornery, jealous face for 32 years.















Supporting a husband through school to get his Master…















and doing the most important thing loving us and bringing our lives happiness and fulfillment.














I feel sad Ashtyn and Aleese aren't in any of these; they were the cabooses. So here are a few of us and them. Thanks mom for all you have done for your family. Happy Mothers Day! We Love you!!!

Kid Pictures

These are just some random pictures of the kids that we thought were cute.

Happiness

So the other day I was asking Ryan just some random questions like "What is something that has really hurt you" or "Who (besides me of course) do you feel has had the biggest influnce on your life?" just any question that came to mind. One question I asked him was "what brings you happiness?" and he answered walking outside on a warm day and feeling the sun. It got me thinking of all the small things I need to remember that bring me happiness. So I thought I would list a few things that I really love & enjoy. I would also encourage all my sister & in-laws to do the same I love reading about what others find their happiness in also, heaven knows we could all find a little more of it. So here it goes.
1. Having it be light outside until 9:00 pm
2 The smell of the grass after the lawns been mowed
3. The T.V show, Lost, Prisionbreak, 24, Heros & Homemakeover
4. Homemade Hot Fudge over Ice Cream
5. A peaceful quiet morning with no one except myself
6. Laying on the couch reading one of the Twlight books. (Yeah
can't wait for the next one)
7. Having a good long talk on the phone with a sister or friend.
8. Running on a early summer morning listening to my ipod.
9. Giving Ryan a big hug and feeling total comfort.
10. Watching John & Kate plus 8 (Kate's my true mother hero)
11. Having a new idea for dinner.
12. Seeing my kids when I pick them up from school
13. The 24th & 4th of July prade & Fireworks
14. Love, Love, Love it when all my house is clean (not to often that happens. And it actually smells good at the same time)
15. The feeling I have after I have made it through another sunday.
16. Listening to Ryan play the piano.
17. Diet Coke (need I say more)
18. My kids birthdays.
19. Cafe Rio
20.Getting back into my jeans after a pregnancy.(vein I know, but It makes me happy)
Have a great day. Angie

6.

I Don't Know What I'm Doing

Ok so I have not forgot about my blog. Ryan told me I had to figure out how to do this on my own so he didn't have to do it everytime I wanted something on here. I'm really, really bad with computers and a really, really bad speller (Did I spell speller right? Is that even a word?) So you all will just have to put up with me until I get the hang of it and in the meantime I will be better at posting because I don't have to wait for Ryan to do it all. As for our family we have all been doing good. Me & Ryan went to Hawaii (Maui) for 8 days. It was the first time we were alone in 10yrs (overnight) without our kids. It was truly amazing. I think back to when I was living my single days at home and I thought life was so hard back then. And now I can't imagine sleeping 8 straight hours, getting only myself ready, fixing only my meals (that's only when my mom was not cooking for me) and not stressing when the clock says 11:00pm and thinking "I have got to get to bed the baby has been asleep for 2hrs!" oh life was good. Anyway.... point being Maui was amazing but I truley missed my kids and it makes me realize I wouldn't have my life any other way. 6 Days ago me and my sister Ariane and my sister-in-law (sister) Andrea went and saw my other sister Aleese in Maryland. What a ball we all had just hanging out with the girls. We went to see Aleese's darling sweet baby Barrick who we all have waited a long time to meet. Aleese is an amazing mom (as we all knew she would be) it was really great to finally meet this sweet little one. we basically all just pigged out on junk (what more could a girl want) stayed up way past our betime talking, going out to eat(more eating) and we saw a couple sites in D.C. and I'm not even going to attempt to spell what the sights were because I have no idea, but they were really amazing. We had an really great time. So I have done my traveling for the year as you can tell. Anyway I have talked to long but I am going to attempt to put some pictures on the blog tonight of our trips check back on that. Hope you all have a great day. Angie

We had a great Christmas. The kids had a fun time. The are at a really fun age for Christmas. Kylee wanted a Nintendo DS, Kambree -an American Girl Doll, and Kendrick, any kind of transformer. He wasn't real picky as long as it could change into a robot with guns or something. By the time we went to grandma's house, Karder had become an expert at opening presents. He could care less about what was inside as long as he could rip the wrapping paper off. We all had a lot of fun.

It was nice to have Nic, Debra & Tate out for Christmas. Karder liked having a friend.

Kendrick got a little excited to open presents. He gets that from his mom!

The kids have nick-named our video camera "The Karder Cam". We were going through the videos on our camera and Kylee and Bree noticed that about every other clip was on Karder. Now, I need to let you all know that Angie has done most of the filming on this camcorder thus far. I'm not saying... I'm just saying...ya know. So here is Karder and his candy canes on "The Karder Cam".