Sadie's Busy Birthday

Sadie and her pre-school class waiting for the program to start.

Sadie on stage singing her little heart out.

Sadie sitting with Santa Claus the first time all smiles.

Sadie on Santa's lap the second time for Lexi's benefit, neither one very happy about the arrangement.

Sadie and her purple horse cake that changed colors fifteen times.

We had such a busy day for Sadie's birthday. I went to her pre-school to take ice cream cone cupcakes for their snack time that morning. After pre-school we played and did the usual until later on in the afternoon. Cory had gone over to a friend's who was helping him replace the block heater in the pickup. So I got dinner done early, got Sadie in her new birthday dress (she looks to old in it:( ) got Lexi ready and myself ready to go to the school Christmas program which the pre-schoolers got to participate in this year. The program involves pre-school through grade 6 (remember this is a SMALL school). We arrived early as Sadie's teacher requested but still hadn't heard from Cory so I called him and finally reached him as the program was about to start so needless to say, Cory was late which frazzled me in the beginning. As the program started, I was juggling my 14 month old and a camera at the same time which didn't produce very quality pictures I might add. Then Sadie starts to sing Jingle Bells at the top of her lungs which about overpowered the rest of the Kindergarten and Pre-school kids. What can I say she loves to sing, at least it wasn't a Taylor Swift song which is her preference at home. Cory finally showed up as the kids sat down for their part of the beginning program. Then we had to entertain two restless kids until the big kids finished their play and the pre-schoolers could sing their last two songs. It was very interesting! But they sang great and Sadie had a fun time. Then Santa came so we did the whole wait in line for that which Sadie loved, Lexi didn't. We arrived home at 8 p.m. and then cut cake and opened presents. I made Sadie's cake to her specifications which she changed on me every ten minutes. All in all the madness created unforgetfulmemories for us. I just need to remind myself to breath once in a while :)

My Nephew is HERE!!!

For those of you who maybe didn't know my older sister Jenn had her baby this morning. She was having pains and started having really close contrations and went to the hospotal around 2a.m. and then at 4:16a.m. came baby Trenton Andrus. he was rubbing her rib the whole time so he came out a little bruised but okay. The docotrs don't seem to be worried about his kidneys as much so that is good. he weighed 7 lbs. 15 oz. Don't have a picture yet-sorry!

Vegas Vacation

Cory and I traveled down to Vegas the second weekend in December to go on vacation and go to the Wrangler NFR on Monday night. Boy is it a long old drive down there! We drove most the way on Saturday stopping at around 11 p.m. to get a room and sleep until morning. Another couple went down with us too, Cory's cousin Chandra and her husband Jason Day. We enjoyed the conversation on the way down. Sunday we drove the rest of the way to Vegas and just walked the day away. We walked to the Cowboy Christmas displays in the different hotels and had a great time. I was just content to walk through all the hotels and see the details they put into jazzing up the strip. We had a lot of fun. We went to Fremont Street where the light show on the old strip is and had a fabulous prime rib dinner there. The rodeo was lots of fun to but I have to say I could have watched it at home on a TV and seen more up close than what I saw on the screen at the rodeo. But we had a great time and were glad to get the long drive home done with on the way back!



Cory and I inside Caesar's Palace. I really am amazed by how intricate the details are in these hotels and shops. Inside here we found a cool store that had framed memorabilia from any number of famous actors, singers, etc. The most expensive thing there was a cape worn by the very first Superman. It was selling for $42,000!

I found my inner cowboy down there and Cory well, you can see what he found.

I couldn't believe our luck! I got at picture with the new 007, Daniel Craig! He was there outside the Venitian hotel posing for pictures and I was ecstatic! He's a hottie huh? Besides, how many chances am I going to get to take my picture with a famous actor? Not many from where I live. Okay well he didn't really have much choice to take the picture with me since he couldn't moveand maybe he couldn't move whereas he was a wax figure :)

Sadie and Lexi stayed with Cory's parents and they had a great time. In fact when we got there to pick them up after our trip, Sadie said,"Mom can you go on another LONG date again soon?" But at least we know they had tons of fun. This picture was at home after we gave them their surprise. They love their new irrigating boots.

Mommies Love Pickles

We were in the store in Salmon a few days ago and as we were checking out, the clerk started to talk to Sadie about how old she was, what she wanted for Christmas, etc. Out of the blue she said to the clerk, "I can't wait until I'm a mommy." The clerk asked her why that is and she replied,"Because when I become a mommy I will love pickles." I guess she figured that because I like pickles and nobody else in our family does, that must be the logical reason why. I was rolling in laughter at the store, it was so funny.

Thanksgiving!

Grandma Bird and Sadie playing outside. (Of course mom is taking the picture)

Grandpa and Cody downstairs "resting".

Lexi snoozing the day away!

Daddy joining everyone else too!

Cary counting hiles in his eyelids.




Oh I am so behind! We spent Thanksgiving here with Cory's family and it was great. We stuffed ourselves full and then these pictures reveal what everyone did after that! I am so grateful for the family we have close by out here. I appriciate all they do for us there are so amny things I can't make a list of them all. I love them all dearly, even the pesky brother-in-laws! I love my little family and my sisters and their families and how we can stay so close even though we live far away now.

Habits and vacations

This is Lexi's favorite "pacifier". She goes to sleep, calms herself down and passes the time with it. Gotta love those plugs.

Here is Sadie getting the "fuzzies" from her toes. She does this four times a day and even to her sister's toes. Habits are so much fun.

Here are the kids in the hotel tub. They thought this was great because it was ten times bigger than our tub at home. They didn't want to get out of it!

Bren and Sadie proving that friends stay friends no matter how far apart they are and no matter how long between visits.

Okay so I'm finally back somewhat to normal. We went to Bosie to a pivot conference (which is a HUGE sprinkler to you non-farmers) last week for two days. It was fun. The kids were wanting to get in the pool but it was closed for the winter. What a crock, the weather was like 65 degrees and they close a pool! Anyway the kids did really well int he car thanks to technology and DVD players. We went with some good friends of ours, Jordan and Susan Whittaker. Sadie was very excited though, she got to visit her best friend Bren Duckett in Nampa. They had a fantastic time playing together.
Sadie sand her little heart out at the primary program on Sunday. She did her parts very well and sometimes sang louder than the entire primary. It wasn't noticed to bad except when she sang the wrong words to make up for the right ones she couldn't remember. A lot of people were laughing so I guess she was the comic relief for the day. For practice the week before the stake president was here and sat by her the entire time. He complimented her on how well she sat still and I wondered who's kid he must really be talking about. he set Cory apart to be the Ward Clerk that week so now I get to contend with two kids to get ready for church, sit in sacrament and eat lunch in the afternoon by myself. I don't look forward to that but I'm excited for Cory and his calling.
Cory went on a trip to Nebraska to go get a pivot from the manufacturer so he left yesterday after church and will be back tomorrow night. I now feel a little like a trucker's wife (I don't know how you do it Korryn). I get to work on my Christmas calendars and stamp a little tomorrow while Cory is gone so that is a plus!

We are going to stay here and have Thanksgiving at Cory's parents house. It should be a fun day with lots of eating and playing Rook. Hope you all have a fabulous turkey day! Love to all-

Head Butting

Lexi loves the cats (They aren't ours exactly, they came with the place). This gray one likes to rub up against everyone for attention , therefore Lexi figured that was how you greet the cats and follows suit. This is what she does every time she sees the gray cat now. They sometimes rub against each other so hard they both fall over :)

Only Lizard Talk

As Sadie, Lexi and I were in the car yesterday, Sadie and I were working on memorizing her lines for the Primary Program in two weeks. Ecko the toy Lizard had accompanied Sadie in the car and her attention was quickly drawing to the lizard instead of what mom was reciting to her.
I tried to get her to tell Ecko her lines as practice and she sighed and said, "Mom, Ecko doesn't speak people talk. He only speaks lizard talk."
I gave up on the lines for the program and started to converse with her about her lizard only to be rebutted again. Sadie sympathized with the lizard saying, "Ecko missed his mommy." I thinking I was helping Ecko's case I said, "Why don't you be Ecko's mommy so he won't be lonely." Sadie replied, "I'm a people mommy so I can't be a lizard mommy. Only Lizard mommies can be Ecko's mommy." So I stand corrected.

Boo!!

On Halloween night we went to Trunk or Treat and they got plenty of candy. Then we went to the school for the carnival and the kids played a couple games before we went house to house. It takes a lot longer to do that here because the houses are spread out miles apart but they had fun. Lexi got grumpy towards the end but who can blame her for having five shots for her immunizations that day. Sadie was a in her words "gorgeous" princess and Lexi was a dragon.

I caught one!

Sadie and Lexi fishing in the creek behind Grandpa and Grandma Bird's house. She caught one too! She also caught a frog. Lexi is checking out the frog in the bucket.

Finally it is done!

Well I finally got with the program and made a blog for our family to keep in touch with everyone else. Since we moved, we finally have most things put away but still have those few remaining boxes of things you just don't know what to exactly do with them because you're running out of space to put them. The kids are settled in their new place and adapting to life out here on the ranch. Sadie loves pre-school two days a week and mom enjoys the break. But I enjoy her help with Lexi too. It has been very cold the last couple nights. Our thermometer read 4 degrees this morning when we woke up.
We had a great time over Halloween. Here you go to Trunk or Treat and then drive all over the country to trick or treat because the houses are spread all over miles apart. Sadie had a lot of fun and kept wanting to go to Aunt Jenn's house, Anthony's house and Rhett's house to trick or treat. She still has a little trouble with the too far way concept. Lexi ended up getting shots on Halloween and getting poked five times because they didn't have the combination shots. But all in all it's amazing what a little candy will do for that!
Cory is keeping busy with jobs here and there. We just bid a big job close by and got it so we are gearing up for that, but it may have to wait until spring because of the cold weather. The ground is getting harder by the minute up here and our excavator groaned in protest, or maybe that's because it's old-
I just got put in a new calling, right back into Primary as the Nursery leader. I had a feeling it would be that when I substituted for that class the first week we went to church here. But I'm excited and I can take Lexi with me to class so it will work. Love to all our family and friends!! Miss you all-