Two Today!

Happy Birthday to my baby boy today! He's 2 years old. So hard to imagine.

Carson brings such joy in my life. As most of you know - he was a total surprise and very unexpected. He definately wasn't in my plans, but the Lord had other ideas, and he knows best!!

Carson is a happy boy. He is usually very easy to take care of - very easy going. He has brought such happiness to our entire family. Spoiled - probably! Loved - definately.

Carson is always making us all laugh. He is developing quite a sense of humor himself too. He is getting to be quite a little tease. Imagine that - in this family.

He's such a smart little bugger in so many ways. I can't believe all the words he is saying - even starting to talk in small sentences. He has been trying to dress/undress himself. It is quite funny at times watching him and how proud he is of his accomplishments. He is so polite - always saying "please" and "thank you". He even says thank you when you change his diaper, put on his shoes, for every little thing. It is so cute and fun to listen to him.

He LOVES sports - all kinds. He got a little bat for Christmas and is always trying to hit the ball with it. He also got a little basketball hoop and is learning to shoot. If there is a ballgame on TV - Carson will sit down and watch it. He knows the different kinds of games too, telling you what they are. He loved to go watch Kendall and Jason wrestle and cheer them on.. Love it!!!

Carson has the cutest smile - just seeing it will brighten up anyone's day. He is such a joy in my life. I love you Carson. Happy Birthday!!

Here are a bunch of different pictures of Carson the last couple of months.

State wrestling for Kendall and Jason

Ready for church with little miss EmmaLee.

My two little helpers in the kitchen.

Classic picture of falling asleep in the highchair.
Laying on the trampoline with Kristi - under the stars.
Love that smile!

Everytime he jumps on the tramp - this is what happens to his hair

At a wrestling meet. Don't you like him in Westwood orange!

I will try and get some more updates done soon on my blog - state wrestling, Jason's first dances, and more. Keep watching!

I was Invited!

I was invited to participate in the Miss Teen - Phoenix pageant on Feb. 14th. I bet all of you out there didn't know I was so young -did you! I can even bring friends and family members to participate if they meet the eligibility requirements. Sorry Molly, Jo, Karen, Julie - and all my other Pheonix area friends. You have to be between the ages of 7-17. I guess you are all just too old to come with me. So what am I doing hanging out with all you old women anyway?

Cheetah Girls

I think the birthday present Dani liked the best last November was the ticket that Matt and Mikel gave her to the Cheetah Girls concert and money to buy a concert shirt.

The day of the concert Dani was so excited! She could hardly wait to go. Mikel was going with her too. Aren't big sisters great!

If you have ever been to a big time concert - the best seats are the ones on the floor - which these were. They were on the 13th row even - on the aisle.

Here's Dani!

Mikel was sitting in the aisle seat (playing games on her phone - she wasn't real excited about the concert) when out of the corner of her eye she saw some security people. Hmm - something must be happening. She looked behind - and saw even more security coming. Looked longer and saw the "Cheetah Girls" coming up the aisle. She hurried and grabbed Dani and brought her to the end of the aisle. She said Dani just stood their with this star-struck look on her face.

She pulled Dani's arm and hand out - and stuck them out in the aisle. All of the Cheetah Girls shook her hand! Talk about exciting!

Here are a few pictures from the concert. Mikel took 90 pictures - I only posted 4!

Yes - Disney goes all out! Imagine that.

What an exciting time for this little "tweenager".

Thanks Mikel - and Matt- for being so great and getting her a gift she'll always remember!

Bath Time Fun

Saturday is a special day - it's the day we get ready for Sunday

which means

Bath Night!

We were babysitting EmmaLee one Saturday evening.

When it got time to put Carson in the tub - she just had to get in too!

They had a lot of fun playing with all those toys!

It's been so much fun for Carson to have EmmaLee around so much. They get along so good too.

Well, they do have their moments - but they are few and far between.

Carson is going to miss his best friend EmmaLee when she moves to Idaho.

Grandma will miss her too!

It's a ...............?

A few years ago we totally landscaped our yard - front and back. Along with that - we had fruit trees planted. (All we had at this house before was the ornamental orange trees. Useless!) We were really missing the navel orange trees and lemon tree at our other house. We figured that 2 orange trees and 1 lemon would be good. (We had at least 8 orange trees, 3 grapefruit, and 1 lemon tree before)

So - we had the 1 lemon tree and 2 orange trees planted. Or did we?

It takes a few years for much fruit to produce on the trees. Last year we really had a lot of lemons - and a few oranges. This year we saw a lot of oranges growing on the trees and were

excited! Just over a month ago Doug grabbed an orange off one of the trees, but it was really sour still. So disappointing, but we knew the longer you left the citrus on - the sweeter it gets.

(Our trees at the old house - the oranges were so sweet by December.)

We've been using some of our lemons - the lemon tree is loaded! Love fresh-squeezed lemonade! Doug went out last night to water the trees and check the fruit again.

He came in with a weird look on his face and told me to come and see.

This is what I saw:

Can you tell what it is?

Oranges and lemons growing on the same tree! The ones on the left are navel oranges.

On the right - lemons. Some of the lemons are yellow - but some of the lemons on the tree have the lemon shape - but are more orangy in color. The tree has tiny thorns - not like the big ones on regular lemon trees. Orange trees don't have thorns. We haven't tasted the oranges yet - but the lemons taste like lemons. This tree is loaded too. Now we have TONS of lemons. One lemon tree is all one family really needs - and now we have 1 1/2 or is it 2?

We used to have 2 lemon trees at our old house - but cut one down.

It was right behind the basketball hoop. Our basketballs kept getting popped by the big thorns.

Besides, lemon trees aren't all that pretty. Orange trees are much prettier. Who plants lemon trees in the front yard - and behind the basketball hoop? Someone who always makes the basket and never missed I guessed. That wasn't my kids - they always seemed to miss. Which is why their basketballs were always getting popped!

So - lemons anyone?

Carson's Adventure

What an adventure Carson had yesterday (if you can call it that) - and I got to be a part of it all.

It was getting close to nap time - so I had Carson sitting on the couch watching "Cars" and snacking on a mixure of peanuts and M & M's (which he has had before). I'm close by doing some things when I hear him start to cry - really fussing. I look over and his eyes are all watering and he is grabbing his nose. I check him out - and find -
.

.
.

a peanut up his nose!

I tried getting out it by using my nails, tweezers - having him blow his nose.

No go.

I call my neighbor. Maybe if one of us holds him still (which he hadn't been doing when I was trying) and the other tries to get it out.

No go.
I call Doug at work - he comes home - at 2:30 in the afternoon

(good thing he works only about 5 miles away!)

We try flushing it out, using the bulb sryinge to suck it out, try pushing it out (again).

No go.

Finally - we call the doctor. Have an appointment in just over an hour.

I take him in - wait in the waiting room for about 1/2 an hour.

I take Dani - and the camera so she can take a picture of the doc, Carson and me while he works on getting it out.

We finally go back to the room - doc comes in about 5 minutes or so.

Brings a spoon with pepper in it - and a few other tools.

Says "let's just check it first."

Pushes on the side of Carson's nose

and

OUT DROPS THE PEANUT!

5 seconds.

That's all the time the doc took to get it out.

It had dropped down into his nose far enough to just drop out.

I spent $25 for 5 seconds.

Little stinker - but a happy little stinker now.

There wasn't even enough time for Dani to get a picture.

He's the first child of all my 8 kids to shove something up his nose like that.

It better be the last time!

Carson is an adventure all by himself.

I guess he is my adventure.

I never know what he is going to do next.

His life and mine - one adventure after another, some just more

adventureous.