Pumpkin Patch

We went to a pumpkin patch in Scottsdale with Aubrey and Tate and we LOVED it! It was kind of crazy trying to convince Lynden that it was more fun to stay in her stroller than crawl around! Joe couldn't get enough of the horse riding. He was so happy!

He also got right up and center to pet the donkey

Lynden got to watch while Joe enjoyed the maze

And he made it out to the end! Go Joe!

He is all boy and loved these tractors! He could have stayed on them all day if there hadn't been other kids wanting a turn.

Finally, she was allowed out and got to play in the back of the tractor.

Joe loving the horse, Lynden freaking out

Here is cowboy Joe!

What a sweet boy...had to hold himself up and look into the sun because I wanted one of these ridiculous pictures!

Lynden's 1!

Happy Birthday baby girl! Lynden on her real birthday eating her "mini rose bundt cake"

It's delicious!

Joe helped her blow out the candle. This last year with Lynden in our family has been blissful. She is such a sweet tempered baby and has been easy for us. She usually just goes with the flow. She is an ok sleeper and still a great napper. At 1, she has 2 teeth, 6 less than Joe had! She is such a little peanut and is attempting to walk but doesn't get too far. At her 12 month appointment she weighed in at 19.1 1/4 pounds, 29 inches long and had a head circumference of 17 1/2. We completely adore her!

Lynden's 1st Birthday Party

Lynden's birthday is this weekend, but our weekends for the rest of the month are filled with church stuff, so we kept dropping hints to Grandma and Grandpa that we would LOVE for them to be in town and last weekend worked best. Lynden had her 1st Birthday with a garden theme.

She was excited to have so many big kids there since we have to bribe Joe's friends to be hers also!

Her cake and cupcakes for the guests

Everything was pink, green, yellow and cream. I loved planning this!

Madison, Kylie, Parker, and Taylor...Parker's face says it all! He knows Jen's house has treats so the party must have tons and he is allowed to go for it!

Love Kylie's cute face in this picture!

So proud of herself for standing...giving herself claps

Still just hanging out, but not really wanting to take more than 2 steps yet

Thanks big brother for helping blow out the candles!

Lynden loved the tissue and the presents

Joe loved the presents also

Got some sweet new stuff

Lynden opening her first "pink mini van" picked out by Taylor and Parker, all by themselves

Reading her new girly, sparkly book, "Twinkle Toes."

Getting into it now, Jaycee is rubbing Lynden's head. So cute, she always gives her sweet loves

Love my sweet friends! Nichole, Aubrey, me, Melinda and Jamie. I would be lost in Arizona without these sweet friends...and a couple were missing

Jed, Aubs and Tate...They are moving soon and I get so sad just thinking about it. Steve loves hanging out with Jed as much as I love hanging out with Aubrey. Joe loves their toys and Roscoe and Lynden loves playing with Tate. We will be one sad family!

Daddy prepping her for the cake and getting her undressed

She got herself in and Tate was trying to help lock her in

Relaxing, waiting, and knowing something awesome is coming

The cake was top heavy and so it broke when I placed it down...embarrassing for me, but she might want to know one day.

She was very clean and put her little fingers through the frosting

Then started putting her whole hand through it

Definitely didn't like the cake as much as the frosting

Dainty little princess

Pretty satisfied that she didn't have to watch Joe get the dessert without her

Somehow we got it on her elbow and arm

Oh, I have the best family! I know Chelsea would have been here in a heart beat if she could have, but it was nice for Uncle JK, Uncle Ben, Grandma Sue and Grandpa Joe to make the trip. I always put my mom to work when she gets here. I need to learn to simplify! Love you guys!

I love our little family! We love this little girl and are so happy she is in our family. Happy Birthday party sweet one! Life is so good!

Overwhelmed a bit...

So lately I've been feeling overwhelmed by a lot of stuff. I haven't been able to decide if it's just because I must have been a super lazy person premarriage (sorry sweet parents) or if I might have hit a really busy point in my life. I thrive on being a mother to the sweetest 2 I could have been blessed with. I love being a wife to a very easy man to get along with who day after day tries to provide a good life for his family, while also being a family man. I was called to be on the enrichment committee in May and because of trips and summer (everyone leaves Arizona), the first one I helped put on was in August and I loved it! We started preparing for our super craft day and I get called to meet with a bishopric member. I was stressing about it big time wondering what it could be. I was asked to be 1st couselor in the Young Women's Presidency. I said yes without even knowing what it entailed because, quite frankly, I know I can love the girls. How time consuming can it be?! Holy cow, I have seen my September and October calendars fly by like they do in the movies where the tear offs just float into thin air and the months just keep flying by. I'm teaching 2 crafts at the "Friday Frenzy" which has probably added to my stress. I want to still be involved in Relief Society and since this was already planned, I kept on going. Besides mutual and church meetings this month we have a corn maze trip, a temple trip, Presidency meetings, board meetings, and a HUGE Saturday trip coming up with an organization that I think works with the Make A Wish Foundation and we are helping with a train ride to Wickenburg the day before Halloween. Steve and Lynden's birthdays are this month, plus Halloween, I am starting physical therapy again because my knee is still being a pain, chauffeuring Joe back and forth to preschool, trunk or treats, Melinda will have us scheduled for visiting teaching and I know this is silly, but football season is in full swing! So is this really overwhelming or am I just a baby?!
I'm loving it by the way and am learning more of what I'm supposed to be doing every meeting. I love busy life which is most likely why I loved the city life.
Did I mention I'm still trying to be a good mom, wife and homemaker?! :)

Another girls night

I love girls nights! This time we went to Mellow Mushroom. It's a pizza place by where we live. Here are the fun gals that made it: Aubs, me, Andrea, Wendy, Valerie, Jamie, Shelbie, Nichole, Lisa and Libby. Chantelle left right before this picture. One of the things I've learned after having kids, and I've been better at it after my second, it that I need a time out. Steve works 55-65 hour weeks which means a lot of time with my kids. It is great because they are my buddies and I played part in signing up to be mother, but I get so energized with 1 night out a month with friends where I can order by myself, not color on menus, and laugh my head off. I love these times! Can't wait until the next one!

Girls Night-Andrea's Birthday

 Andrea, Jamie, Nichole and I went to My Big Fat Greek Restaurant for Andrea's birthday. It was so fun! I love hanging out with these beautiful ladies. They crack me up.

 My sweet hubby watched these cuties so I could go...shocker, Joe is in his underwear.

Phew, now he is in his jammies, but was in need of some camera time.

Movie Night at the Goodyear Ballpark

While I went to the beautiful sealing, my kiddies got to play with their favorite cousins and went I got back we went to a movie. What I would do to live close to Jess, sigh! We watched UP, ate pizza, popcorn with M&M's, and watched our kids run around like crazy.

Joe adores Kiera and tonight he kept saying something about being her prince charming...fabulous!

Getting 4 kids to not move, smile and look at one time...impossible, but they sure are cute!

Kiera, Jess and I thanks to Joe. Thanks Jess for letting us hang out until Steve could come get us, thanks to our catylic? converter going out on our car!

Eric and Melinda's sealing

This wonderful couple was baptized in May of 2009 and I was blessed to be called to be Melinda's visiting teaching companion. We have been together now since September of 2009 and I tell whoever is in charge in Relief Society that if Melinda and I get switched, I will most likely stop visiting teaching. She is the best. She does nothing short of 150%. We have at least made a phone call every month and we have had 6 of our girls move out of our ward. Melinda never skips a beat...Did I mention she home schools her children, organized a book club, cooks a lot and just is superwoman?! So when she told me she was going through the temple, I begged her to let me come! Unfortunately I couldn't make the endowment session, but was right on time for the sealing!! It was beautiful!

I love her! I have never seen her glow like she did that day!

I'm sure Eric loved that I snagged her away for a picture with me, since I needed "my" picture on "their" day! I'm so glad I have it though!