Stephanie and Bryant

June 6th, 2009
(Yeah, this is a little late - I keep waiting for Steph to post these pictures on her blog)

Ellie and Sophie

Family Reunion

Wow! It's been awhile.

So, earlier this month we had a family reunion on Aaron's side of the fam. (his parents and siblings). Aaron and I were the chair people of the reunion which was a bit stressful, but all in all I think things went well and everyone had an enjoyable time.

Aaron has 7 siblings (all are married except the baby of the family). There are 14 grandkids (with one due any day now). 29 people all together! Fun, fun, fun!!!

Aaron's oldest brother Justin is a photographer (among other things) and he took all of these pictures.

We started the reunion at Aaron's parents house which is where this picture was taken. (Aaron designed and built their awesome front patio.)

We went to Island Park to our brother-in-law's cabin for the last couple days.

Aaron's brother, Brett, was the host of the family Redneck Games. Some of the events included toilet seat toss, cherry seed spittin' contest (I won in the Women's Division), and hub cap throwing (the picture below was taken just before Justin ducked out of the way to save his life).
I think it was especially fun just to be able to have all the little cousins get together. The two oldest are 7 and the rest are all 5 and under. They have so much fun together (despite some of the battles)! Here are some of the girl cousins playing dress-up.

(Ellie, Carly, Kay-Lynn, Kaylie, and Megan)

Collecting wild flowers at the cabin.

King (and Queen) of the Hill. (Ashton and Carly)

It was fun to see the whole family! Thanks for everyone's enthusiasm and help! Love ya!

What do I have to complain about?

I've had a few pity parties for myself in the last month or so and the other day I came across this quote. You've probably seen it before, or some version of it. (sorry, the formatting is a little crazy.)

If you wake up this morning with more health than illness...you are more blessed
than the million who will not survive this week.

If you have never
experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of
imprisonment, the agony
of torture, or the pangs of starvation...you are
ahead of 500 million people
in the world.

If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your
back, a roof overhead
and a place to sleep...you are richer than 75% of this
world.


If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare
change in a dish
someplace...you are among the top 8% of the world's
wealthy.

If you can read this, you are more blessed than over 2 billion
people in the world who cannot read at all.

If you hold up your head
with a smile on your face and are truly
thankful...you are blessed because
the majority can, but most do not.

So, what reason do I have for throwing a pity party? After reading this,
none. Plus the fact that I have so many more blessings on top of this. Including
the fact that of the billions of people who have lived or will live on the earth
I am one of the very few who has the blessings of the gospel in my life! I truly
do feel blessed!

Happy Birthday Aaron!!!

Another reason I feel so blessed...

If you ever think your life is hard...

try being Ellie.

Mommy makes me put on new panties even if I don't mind wearing my panties with pee in them

I wanted Mac 'n Cheese for dinner but all we were having were homemade egg rolls (that Mom slaved over)

I'm so dang cute that Mommy and Daddy are always wanting to hug and kiss me!

What we've been up to - Part II

So, we've been without a computer for the past week - which has been kind of hard. (The battery ran out and the cord wasn't working.) But it's been nice because I haven't been tempted to blog and serf the net instead of taking care of my family. I also disconnected the TV on Monday and that has also been a little hard. But it has been so great to not hear Carly begging for movies all day. We're thinking of going to cloth diapers and turning off our electricity all together - what do you think? ha ha!

So, this is what we've been doing lately:

Carly: Still taking pictures Her leg is healing (although I'm sure she'll have a scar - maybe it will keep her from wearing short shorts and mini-skirts though!)

Even though she is old enough (by two days) to go to kindergarten this year, we are 98% sure that we'll wait and send her next year. I have mixed feelings about this because she is totally ready for kindergarten and I know she would love it! But, we don't want her to have to be the very youngest and the last one to do everything in her grade. (Although it might be nice to NOT have her dating and driving her sophomore year.)

We watched "The Emporer's New Groove" for our Fun Friday Family Movie Night last week and Carly LOVED it! She quotes it all the time which is so funny (most of the time).

Ellie: She still hunts for rolly pollys almost every day and loves making mud soup/pie. And she also insists on wearing a skirt or dress almost every day (I need to go to the DI for some dresses and skirts to play in.)

A handful of Rolly Pollys! Yuck!

She loves to ride Carly's bike and is getting pretty good (better than Carly actually because she rides more). It really makes Carly mad, so she told Ellie she could just have the bike.

Aubree had her 4 month appointment last week and she's doing great. She's 50% on height, weight (13 lbs, 10 oz.) and head measurments! She has been laughing at us for awhile now, but just recently discovered how funny peek-a-boo is. Here's a video:

You can't ever hear enough of it!

Aaron: They just had some more lay-offs at work a couple weeks ago. Aaron still has a job though. They let go of more than half his team! Scary and sad, but we are so grateful to still have a job. Now we're wondering if this means more job security for him and if we should try to take advantage of the good deals for buying a home right now. Aaron is also pretty pumped about ward softball that started last week.

Me: I've been making a few felt hair clips (the picture below doesn't do it justice - it is soooo cute!) They are way easy, but pretty time consuming if you stitch around each layer.

I just got done reading "The Good Earth" - so good! It was about a farmer in pre-revolutionary China. Totally different than anything I would have picked up on my own. But, man! It has given me a lot to think about! I love our R.S. book club. They have been focusing on the classics which is what I really want to read, but I never know what is good (until now).

Aaron and I have also been planning a family reunion for his side of the family (parents and siblings). What a job! It's a lot to plan and it's hard trying to accomodate to what everyone wants.

My sister, Stephanie is now Stephanie Nielsen! She was married two weeks ago in the Salt Lake Temple by President Monson. Yes, our prophet Pres. Monson. It was so neat! (He knows Bryant's grandma.) He was just as I imagined he would be (although he looked a little older) - very kind and full of stories (both funny and touching). The advice he gave was the same advice he got when he and his wife were married - to pray each night together. Even though it was so wonderful to meet the prophet and get to shake his hand, the highlight of the day was seeing Steph and Bryant married and sealed for time and all eternity (and it would have been just as neat if it had been any other sealer!) They have been on their honeymoon the past couple weeks and I just can't wait to talk to her again (I wanted to call her to see how they are doing but Aaron told me it would be weird to call someone on their honeymoon).

I'll post pictures of the wedding day when we get pictures back from the photograper!

For her bridal shower I made a little book of advice. These are Carly and Ellie's contributions:

"Hold hands in your new house" -Carly

"Make a family" -Ellie

What we've been up to...

Carly - Climbing up the apple tree (She get this high all by herself)!
Falling down the apple tree (natural consequence of climbing it without Mommy or Daddy with you). Poor girl!
practicing photography skills - a sample of her latest work below :)
We've been trying to teach the girls about being polite, we still have to work on it a little:
While passing a lady at Temple Square Carly whispers to me, "Mom, that lady has pretty hair", moments later, and much louder, "I won't say that she's fat, that might be embarrassing."


Ellie - She's been doing a lot of Rolly Polie hunting (you know, isopod crustaceans of the family Armadilliadiidae- a.k.a. potato bugs)
singing opera (so dang cute, but she's too shy to do it for the camera)
Aaron thinks that she is possibly OCD ( I think she's just 3...but maybe)
Earlier this week I checked on Ellie during her naptime and I found her like this. In her closet inside a pillowcase.

Aubree (Bree, Breester, BreeLyn, Chub-a-wub) - Smiling, talking, and laughing (I can't get enough of it)! She also loves to look at her hands and will try to catch one hand with her other hand and get it in her mouth. Weighs about 12 lbs and is working on rounding out her cheeks (I just want to nibble on her cheeks all day long). She is exclusively breastfed, but I did find a binky that she likes (both a good and bad thing), so maybe she will take a bottle now if I tried.

This picture makes me want to wake her up and cuddle her! I just love my sweet baby!!!
Have you ever seen cuter little piggies?!

Me (Camile) - I had the stomach flu a couple weeks ago (sure makes me grateful for the good health I normally enjoy....and not being pregnant). 2nd Enrichment activity as Enrichment leader. Trying to spend more quality time with Carly and Ellie (an ongoing goal of mine - problem is I'm not as organized with my time as I would like to be). Trying to finish the Book of Mormon by the end of summer (thanks to motivation from my friend, Leah). Just finished the book "A Girl of the Limberlost" by Jene Stratton-Porter. I really liked it (but I like her book "Laddie" even better).
My sister, Steph went to the Bountiful Temple yesterday to receive her endowments. Aaron and I were able to be there - so neat!

Aaron - Still has a job! YAY!! (Although things are still REALLY slow at work.) He's also got a couple of free lance jobs that he's been working on which is such a financial blessing. He's been studying for the Landscape Architecture licensing exam. He drew out on an AWESOME hunt (bull elk and Mule Deer buck - at the same time)!!
Unlike me, Aaron is very organized with his time and very self-disciplined. He usually wakes up at about 5:30 or 6:00 to practice piano and organ, then ride his bike to work (7 miles). When he gets home in the evening he plays with the girls, helps clean the house, and helps get the girls to bed. (What a guy!) Then he works on one of his extra jobs or studies for the licensing exam. (I can't wait for this exam to be over so we can start watching movies again - we are movie junkies.)