Grandparents visit and Elsie's award

Elsie came home from school last week announcing she was student of the week. They have a little awards thing where they get something for being a good leader. Grandma and grandpa O'Dell were in town and were able to come see Elsie. She was really happy they could come.

This is Elsie and the substitute principal. All the kids thought he was great. Aren't all subs better than the teachers?

Grandma, grandpa, and Elsie. They got to see our school and a little about what the kids do.

So happy for Elsie for choosing to be a good leader.

Thanksgiving morning grandma asked to make breakfast. She made her dad's favorite tradition. Grandpa Fredrickson use to make swedish hotcakes Thanksgiving morning because that was a tradition in his family. Grandma taught Elsie how to make them and she loved it. Elsie loves to help in the kitchen.

After breakfast grandma made some Thanksgiving turkeys with the kids. They loved it and loved snacking on the goodies. 

Camden turned 3

This post is long overdue. Camden turned 3 the middle of November and I think it was the best day he didn't want to end. He couldn't get enough of being the birthday boy. Elsie helped get him dressed with his hair done and even a belt. Camden chose to get hamburgers that night. I don't know why because he barely ate it.

 Sadly, the night ended with an accident. Maybe all the excitement was too much. He chose a plain chocolate cake with sprinkles on it.

 He could have blown out the candles a hundred times and loved it.

Camden is not my baby anymore. Although he is my youngest he is constantly doing what the big kids do. He is growing like a weed. He has almost caught up to Elliot who is going to be 5 soon. This year Camden has come a long way with his speech. He talks so much now. As his mom I can understand 90% of what he says but others still have problems. Camden loves to help out. He likes to vacuum but doesn't get to because he ends up chasing his siblings. He doesn't like dinner but loves breakfast. Camden has grown a phobia to throwing up. In the summer he had a bad case of stomach flu and couldn't keep anything down for longer than 15 minutes. After that, every time his tummy hurts Camden thinks he is going to throw up when it doubt it is really from not eating dinner. Camden loves farm animals, especially horses. He asked for a computer for his birthday. 

3 Reasons I love Camden

3 I love how Camden is becoming independant and yet loves to hop in my bed, cuddle, and talk to me in the mornings.

2 Camden loves to play with all his siblings. He colors with Rylan, plays toys with Elliot, works outside with Kaden, and plays dolls with Elsie. I love how he gets involved with everyone.

1 Camden loves to show love. I love it when he comes up to me and gives me a kiss. Often times it's after he see's dad do it, but I'll take it however I can.

We are so happy to have Camden in our family. His smile lights up the room and his personality is so energetic. He is always moving and we love this little guy.

Clean up at Grandma's house and memories

One Saturday afternoon  a few weeks ago we headed up to grandma's house to clean up for winter. It was a really nice day and there was a lot to do. We told the kids they couldn't play until we cleaned up. They got to work and did a great job. The reward was donuts and grandma's hamburgers for dinner.

Growing up my parents made us do almost everything together. We had to cut and haul wood for ourselves and grandparents. There was planting a garden, working in the garden, canning apricots, picking whatever fruit there was offered to us. There's nothing like home grown boysenberries and cherries. I remember all that work and a lot of times it wasn't fun but there were lots of good memories.The greatest memories were the family was together and helping. Whether it was making our garden grow or seeing grandma so happy we were keeping her warm for the winter it taught me that families stick together. The things I remember the most were when we stayed up working late into the night canning so we could eat in the winter, jumping in the big wholes dad dug in the garden, spending what seemed like all day cutting big logs in the mountains and having to roll them to dad, or taking wood to families that didn't have any. Having 4 girls did not stop my dad from putting us to work. We learned how to work together and get things done. How grateful I am for parents that made it a point to teach us that each one of us was important and needed. More importantly that the family worked together. I love doing things with Mike. I love it more when we as a couple get the kids and work. I love how Mike's parents taught him how to work and if he wanted something he worked for it. Mike continues to teach me the joy of work. He is often tired, sleep deprived and lacking energy but he never once complains about having to go to work so early and doing what a husband and father do to provide for his family. Oh how I love and admire this man.

Kaden's party

Saturday Kaden had his birthday party. He was so excited. We got pizza and ice cream for the party and had lots of leftovers.

They played wrap the mummy with toilet paper. They best part was getting out of it all.

Kaden wanted to watch one of his truck movies with his friends but dad found a real truck show that was very interesting. Everyone wanted to see.

What Camden learned

A few weeks ago Camden learned how to climb out of his crib. He is my youngest and I have not put him in a big bed because it's been nice. He knew how to get out of his crib with a stool and when I took it away he figured how to do it on his own. Since learning this new art Camden has started taking shorter naps, getting up earlier in the morning and getting out of bed a handful of times in the middle of the night. He comes to my side of the bed and gets in. I have never let me kids in bed with me unless they are sick. So I am having to teach Camden mom's bed is not for him. He only gets to be in my bed for 2 minutes and then I take him back. Next week I will try not even letting him in my bed. Have you had any problems with children roaming around in the night? What did you do?

Halloween

This year the kids weren't too excited about Halloween except for getting all the candy. Earlier in the month they got out the costumes and never cleaned them up. It was a sad thing because come Halloween they had to do some extra things around the house to get them back. Halloween morning we went to the Library storytime and trick or treated there.

We went to grandma Wilcox's office and went trick or treating in the afternoon. They scored big time so we didn't need to go anywhere else. 

Kaden was Spiderman this year. Rylan was a football player because he couldn't find his transformer bumblebee costume he misplaced which we found a few days later.

Elliot was super why and loved it. Lots of people commented on that one. Camden was a dinosaur. He called it a monster for a long time. Elsie wasn't sure what she wanted to be for Halloween. She finally settled on a witch. And because it wasn't the day after Halloween it was full price. I told her it has to last her 2 years. She was okay with that.

This is their silly faces. Anyone scared?

I asked Mike if he ever thought one of his boys would wear his football uniform. He never had. Rylan really liked it, it's just too bad we didn't have a helmet.

Kaden is 8!

Kaden turned 8 years old Friday. I remember his birth like it was yesterday. I was having contractions all Halloween hoping he wouldn't come that day. He didn't but I spent all that night in the hospital waiting for my doctor to break my water. It wasn't my doctor's fault, but the hospital's for not calling my doctor until the morning. She was really upset. But aside from all that soon after my water broke Kaden was born. Every time I tell Kaden's story Elsie gets upset because she got denied her Halloween. She didn't know what it was until she was 3.

Kaden has celebrated his birthday over the last few days and was loving it. For his birthday dinner Kaden chose to eat at Famous Dave's. I was happy because I like the place. Mike ordered the family meal that had a little bit of everything. I told Mike we didn't need all that but I have to say I was very surprised at how much the two older boys put away. The waiter even brought Kaden a little sundae because it was his birthday and we all sang to him. Mike told Kaden it was his birthday dinner for the next 3 years. Kaden waited all day for Mike to come home so he could open his presents. Mike was running later than normal so I gave in and let him open some. The presents were the best part.

This is a picture of after dinner. Kaden ate 6 ribs, fries, beans, a muffin, more meat and ice cream. Yum!

Sunday for dinner we invited family over. Kaden had so much fun. 

Kaden chose a coconut cake for his birthday. I didn't remember when he had one before but after asking him more questions we realized he wanted a cake just like uncle Dave's. We figured out it was a German chocolate cake. It was so good there were nothing left after the party.

This boy is my absolute favorite Kaden. 

8 reasons why I love Kaden.

8 Kaden loves to play, not just play but get others involved too.

7 Kaden thinks of others. He often does little things just because.

6 He is silly, he loves to wrestle and play with his little brothers.

5 Kaden works hard on his schoolwork. He learned in 1st grade how much easier it is to get his work done first. He is getting really good at reading.

4 I love how Kaden draws. He has such a creative mind and great desire to make what he sees. He creates notebooks full of his drawings and shares them with others.

3 I love the excitement Kaden has about the gospel. He is very eager to get baptized and be a part of boy scouts. He is taking things very seriously and I love to see him pay his tithing and read his scriptures because that's what a disciple of Christ does.

2 I always love getting notes from my children but the notes I get from Kaden are when he's had a bad day or when I have had a bad day. He lets me know how much he loves me.

1 My favorite thing about Kaden is his hugs and kisses. I realized a few days ago my boys may some day not like the kisses and hugs I give him. But it always warms my heart when he has a hug just for me and lets me give him blow kisses.