The Owens Family

4th Surgery in 4 Years

2012-01-14T21:51:00.000-08:00

January 13, 2012 - Joshua had eye surgery to repair a detached retina and 4 tears in the in his left eye lining.

The damage resulted from a blow to the eye with a 2 inch hard rubber bouncy ball, a little over a month ago. Josh had been playing with the boys. They were in the garage, which was dark, and Josh would jump out to scare them, from the lit hallway. When he jumped out, Kaden threw the bouncy ball directly at him, as hard as he could. It happened to land directly in Josh's left eye. He had some vision problems at first, but thought they were progressively subsiding. Until recently, when he completely lost the vision in that eye and everything went dark.

On Sunday, Joshua and I fasted and prayed to know what we should do. Josh had a prompting that we should contact the doctor. We called the Casey Eye Institute. When Josh went for his appointment, on Thursday, they sent him up to OHSU's emergency department to be seen and prepped for surgery. They told him he had a detached retina and at least 2 tears. Since he had eaten earlier in the afternoon, they scheduled the surgery for Friday morning. We asked some friends to come over and administer a blessing to Josh, prior to the surgery. The blessing stated that the surgery would go well and the doctor's hand would be guided.

The surgery lasted about an hour and a half, and went very well. They were able to drain the gel in his eye, laser the tears, and get the retina back into place. They put a gas bubble in his eye to keep everything in place during the healing process. Since it went well, they did not have to put a buckle in place to hold the eye together, which would have been there permanently and would have caused Josh an additional amount of pain. --They say it could be up to 6 weeks before his previous vision is restored.

When Josh was 4 years old, he was hit in the left eye by a neighbor boy who threw a sharp piece of plastic. As a result of that trauma, Josh's lens had to be removed and he has remained partially blind in that eye. However, he did have blurred vision and peripheral vision. ---The doctors say, that in 3 months when the eye has healed from this recent surgery, they can discuss possibly attaching a cadaver lens to hopefully improve his vision in that eye. We're looking forward to that possibility! Until then, Josh has to spend the next 2 weeks taking things easy, with no heavy lifting and no bending over.

Although this trauma and surgery did not come at an ideal time, we know that our Heavenly Father answers prayers. We were blessed that Mom had reason to be back from out-of-town early, to be able to watch the boys for us. Josh was blessed that the surgery went well and they didn't have to use the buckle. And it's a blessing to know that he may have the possibility of improved vision. We are truly blessed!

Daddy's Little Helper

2012-01-14T20:40:00.000-08:00

January 3, 2012 - Versii is fast becoming Daddy's Little Helper. He's been helping Josh out with several different projects. Here he is taking off the lug nuts.

While working Versii said: "This is axle-ific!"

--There's some new car lingo for you.

After he finished helping Daddy, apparently he decided to do some maintenance on his own car. I'm told he jacked this car up all on his own and starting working away.

Paxton assisted after waking up from his nap. :)

When he finished, Versii said, "Maybe we should put this car in a restaurant, since it's wheels don't work anymore."

(This barely made sense to me, until I remembered that we recently ate in the Old Spaghetti Factory. And he thought about the old red trolly car they have inside.)

Merry Christmas 2011

2012-01-13T20:35:00.000-08:00

December 25, 2011 - Christmas Morning!

The only thing Versii asked of Santa this year: Pop-its!

"Lots & lots of Pop-its!"

Paxton wanted his own little Legos, just like his brothers.

My gifts: A new apron, the Eddie Bauer vest I wanted, a set of rings & perfume.

Versii showing off his new Lego set.

L: The boys helping Grandpa open his present.

R: Paxton saying "Hello" to his new dog "Scout".

Josh's Christmas came early this year, so I picked up two of his favorite treats, just to give him something to open. :)

Paxton's new Penguin Race. His friend Fischer has one, and he just loves it!

Versii thoroughly enjoying his pop-its!

The boys played with their new Legos for hours.

Christmas Eve 2011

2012-01-04T20:25:00.000-08:00

December 24, 2011 - Christmas Eve with the family!

Legos & a little slinky fun = 2 happy little boys

I just love this face!

Rough-housing with Uncle Jeff.

Christmas with Kado

2012-01-04T15:17:00.000-08:00

December 20, 2011 - Christmas with Kaden.

This is Kaden's year to spend Christmas with his biological mom.

So, we celebrated with him the day before he left.

Papa Norman sent Kaden & Josh army helmets.

He also sent the boys a case full of cars!

"Presents! Presents! Presents!"

"Please Mom, please can we open the presents now?"

New DS Games! Yes!

One of the things on the top of Kaden's Christmas list this year: Plants vs. Zombies

He was so excited to open it, he just couldn't wait to start playing!

Kaden loves to build things, so Josh really wanted to give him an erector set this year.

Josh made fun of me for playing the carnival game on the DS. I just couldn't help myself...simple, but addicting. Plus, someone had to test it out right?

Paxton's big excitement after the gifts were opened -- cutting up the wrapping paper into tiny pieces!

Something New, Something Borrowed

2011-12-17T13:27:00.000-08:00

Something New:

The boy's Christmas stockings -- Last year Paxton was too young to realize that he didn't have a stocking, but now he wants to have whatever his big brothers have. So I made the boys all matching stockings. I designed each tree to have the same amount of branches to match each year they are old. Now we'll always remember their stocking were made when they were 8, 4, & 2.

We also recently acquired some super cute mushroom ottomans. My boys have always loved Mario Bros., so of course "a mushroom stool is super cool!"

Something Borrowed:

My Aunt Joy gave us the idea for a really fun gift.

A Winter Survival Kit.

We loaded up some empty Nesquik containers (easy for us to come by, since my boys love their chocolate milk) with the following:

-A can of sprite.

-A packet of cup of noodle soup

-A packet of hot chocolate

-Hand Sanitizer

-Hand Lotion

-Kleenex

-A small flashlight

I love the way they turned out.

Thanks for the idea Aunt Joy!

Father Son Trip to Astoria

2011-12-16T20:44:00.000-08:00

December 11, 2011 - Josh took the boys for an overnight trip to Astoria.

They love to go on trips with Daddy.

I love their trips with Daddy too. ;)

They came home with some great pictures & fun memories.

Boys: "We saw fake Santa Mom!"

Me: "Oh, really, you mean one of Santa's helpers?"

Boys: "No Mom, he was plastic!"

I love Kaden's face here. And when I said, "Kaden you're making such a crazy face." He said, "Yeah, well I couldn't figure out why Daddy was making me take a picture with a huge trash can!" - LOL

Love this picture of my boys!

"Daddy took us to the cemetery and we saw ghost es! We saw the holy ghost."

Our Budding Musician

2011-12-16T20:35:00.000-08:00

December 7, 2011 - Paxton learning to use a pick.

Daddy gave him a pick of his own.

Ward Christmas Party

2011-12-16T20:23:00.000-08:00

December 3, 2011 - Kaden played "Joseph" in the nativity at our Ward Christmas Party.

(Kaden opted out of sitting on Santa's lap this year.)

Cavalia

2011-12-16T18:51:00.000-08:00

November 26, 2011 - Julie, Josh & I had the opportunity to go see Cavalia.

Phenomenal show!

Most amazing live show I've ever seen!

Special thanks to Mom for watching all 5 kids during our night out!

Zoo Lights 2011

2011-12-16T14:41:00.000-08:00

November 25, 2011 - After the Children's Museum, we all met up with my brothers Jeff and Reed & their families to see Zoo Lights.

Waiting in line for the zoo train.

All aboard!

Off to enjoy the lights on foot.

Children's Museum with Cousins

2011-12-16T11:27:00.000-08:00

November 25, 2011 - My sister Julie & her kids came up for Thanksgiving. The day after Thanksgiving we all went to the Children's Museum.

Paxton just loved this dog & didn't want to leave it.

I just love this picture of Ashlyn admiring her face painting work.

Kaden's handy work.

As always the dig pit is loads of fun!

Austin, Ashlyn, Versii, Kaden & Paxton

Holiday Hats

2011-12-16T10:52:00.000-08:00

November 20, 2011 - I made the boys new Christmas stockings this year, (I'll posts pictures later.) and with the extra fleece I decided to make them each a matching scarf & hat with their first initial.

L to R: Versii modeling his hat & scarf. -- Paxton on Thanksgiving, offering us a little post dinner entertainment. "I'm fireman Paxton!"

Halloween 2011

2011-12-16T10:19:00.000-08:00

October 31, 2011 - We spent Halloween trick or treating with friends and then stopped off at a local neighborhood on our way home.

The boys ran into Iron Man. Who told them, "Remember to brush your teeth!" Versii still talks about it.

By the end of the night...Kaden was begging to go home.

But somehow he found his "second wind" when we arrived home with all that candy!

Trunk or Treat 2011

2011-12-16T09:45:00.000-08:00

This year I made myself a Halloween costume & dressed as a Peacock.

October 29, 2011 - We took the boys to our church for Trunk or Treat.

L to R: Kaden as Master Chief "Halo Guy", Versii as Optimus Prime & Paxton as "Bapman"

Making crafts.

Trunk or Treating.

Overnight on the Columbia

2011-12-02T10:06:00.000-08:00

October 28, 2011 - We went up to the Columbia Gorge Riverside Lodge with Grandma. Beautiful location right on the river with gorgeous views!

This is one way for the boys to wake up Daddy (who can't be seen, because they're on top of him).

Our cabin overlooked the river and had a private soaking pool on the back porch, where we spent the evening and morning hours.

In the afternoon we spent time playing on the grounds behind our cabin.

The boys spent their energy running, jumping and collecting shells.

Hanging out on the pier.

The beautiful views of the drive home.

R: Josh's favorite viewpoint in Washington is now "closed".

Such a shame that it can no longer be enjoyed.

Party time!

2011-12-02T10:01:00.000-08:00

October 27th, 2011 - Versii celebrated his friend Erika's birthday in style.

Erika's the blonde at the head of the table. She's just like Versii, but a girl version. I just think these pictures are so sweet.

Sweet Smiles

2011-12-02T09:51:00.000-08:00

October 26, 2011 - Kaden & Versii proudly showing off the volcano they made in their sandbox. Meanwhile, Paxton was inside playing guitar with Daddy.

Happy Birthday Joshua!

2011-12-02T09:31:00.000-08:00

October 20, 2011

Happy 31st Birthday Joshua!

We love you!

One of Josh's favorite desserts is pumpkin roll.

So we had pumpkin roll instead of cake.

Pumpkin Carving

2011-12-02T07:48:00.000-08:00

October 17, 2011 - Carving our pumpkin. Each boy had their own, but we decided to carve just one this year.

Kaden did a lot of the carving himself.

A preview of the boys costumes. They were so excited they didn't want to wait for Halloween.

Fun at the Zoo

2011-12-01T19:27:00.000-08:00

October 14, 2011 - Kaden had the day off of school, so we all went to the zoo.

Kaden's almost as tall as a Sun Bear.

Riding the zoo train.

Lego Kingdom at the Children's Museum

2011-12-01T18:52:00.000-08:00

October 14, 2011 - Portland Children's Museum.

Every time we go to the Children's Museum, the boys love to see the train.

The temporary exhibit at the museum is Lego Kingdom. And my boys love Lego's!

I think Paxton and Versii most enjoyed the slide.

Kaden's favorite Lego creation is this dragon!

The boys engaging in a friendly jousting match.

Kaden had so much fun climbing along this wall.

Paxton loves to climb...anytime, anywhere! And he was obsessed with carrying around this dog.

Our 1st Build & Grow Workshop

2011-12-01T15:58:00.000-08:00

October 8, 2011 - We took the boys to their first Build & Grow workshop at Lowes. The project: "Monster Machines" They had a great time! Grandpa pretty much built Paxton's...although he may have hammered on it a little.

Versii had some help from Daddy.

And Kaden built his entirely on his own.

Kaden proudly showing off his completed Monster Machine & his certificate.

Girl Crazy

2011-12-01T14:44:00.000-08:00

October 8, 2011 - I have a sister-in-law, pregnant with her first, a baby girl. After talking to my Mother-in-law, who mentioned that she might like a quilt and that she planned to use animal prints & bright colors within the nursery design. I decided to make her a t-shirt quilt. The quilt front is made entirely from recycled t-shirts. The back and borders are made from leopard print fleece. And then I thought, why not make matching pillows. And how fun would it be to make her some little headbands and a matching t-shirt skirt. I may have gone a little crazy, but since I have only boys...I rarely have need to make cute things for girls. I had a lot of fun & love how everything turned out.

L: I pieced together an owl with button eyes for a little added detail.

R: t-shirt headbands with a twisted flower.

Here is the front and back of my first baby t-shirt skirt.

Sisters in Sedona

2011-10-13T16:13:00.000-07:00

September 29, 2011 - I flew to Phoenix to meet my sister for our first ever kid-free, girls' weekend. When I arrived we went straight to the mall for dinner & shopping.

Saturday, Julie had booked appointments at the spa for manicures & pedicures. And afterward, I decided to have my hair cut. (new cut, pictured on the left.) It's been awhile since I've had bangs, but I kind of like them. After that, we shopped some more!

Sunday morning we got up, packed our bags & headed to Julie's friend's house for breakfast and conference. Then we hit the road for Sedona.

Above: Me, outside of our room at the Sedona Summit.

After we checked in, we walked the grounds for awhile.

In the evening, we played games, spent some time relaxing in the hot tub & chilling out in our room watching TV and eating some sugar. :) The next morning, we left early for a segway tour of Sedona. Since they move solely based on your balance, they take a little getting used to, but once I figured it out, I had a blast riding the segway.

Julie & I on our segway tour.

This is the view from the bridge, pictured above.

L: The former home of Lucille Ball. They keep a life sized replica of her on the balcony. - R: One of the many sculptures on display & for sale throughout Sedona. I think you can take this one home for a mere $6,000.

During our segway tour, our guide took us through the grounds of Exposures Fine Art Gallery. It's said to be the most prestigious art gallery in the southwest and artists come from all over to display they art there.

Julie & I outside of Tlaquepaque, Sedona Arizona's Arts & Crafts Village.

The grounds and shops at Tlaquepaque are truly beautiful. The man who built it, promised not to remove any of the trees in order to complete construction. Because of this, there are trees literally growing through walls and in the middle of shops. Our tour guide said that Sedona attracts many artists, and each believes that their artwork is "the best!" ---We certainly believed him after perusing the shops. The cheapest thing in any of them was about $25.00 and that was for a simple beaded bracelet. We saw a cute little, simple 9 inch x 9 inch painting with a price tag of $625. If that gives you any idea of the outrageously overpriced art. I will not deny that the art was beautiful, but I could find similar art somewhere else for a fraction of the cost.

At the end of our tour, we had the chance to cruise around the streets of a near by neighborhood & pick up the speed. I cruised around at a peak speed of 12.8 mph. If you ever have the opportunity to ride a segway, do it! They're so much fun! Now I know why Julie wants one.

After our tour & window shopping at Tlaquepaque, we walked over to a nearby resort and strolled through the grounds. We fed the ducks.

Then we came across this giant chess set.

For our evening entertainment, Julie booked us on a helicopter tour of Sedona. Not sure if you can tell from the picture, but there are no doors on the helicopter. It's completely open to the outside. The ride was a little breezy, but so much fun!

Just some of the gorgeous views on our tour.

Julie shot this beautiful view. I was seated in the middle of the front & Julie was seated on the side, in the back, so we passed the camera back & forth a few times. A little scary to do, since there were no doors.

I just love this picture.

L: We saw several cliff dwellings during our tour.

L: Three Brothers rock. - R: An aerial view of Sedona Summit, the resort we stayed in.

A breathtaking view of Cathedral Rock. (highlighted by the sun, near the center)

Apparently, the most photographed rock formations in Sedona.

The drive back to the San Tan Valley.

I love spending time with my sister. She planned so many fun adventures for us & we laughed a lot! We had one amazingly eventful weekend! Thanks Jewels! A girl couldn't ask for a better sister! And thanks to my husband, Joshua, & my Mom for taking such good care of my boys while I was away.

Back to School!

2011-09-17T15:36:00.000-07:00

September 6, 2011 - Kaden's 1st day of the 3rd grade.

He had Mr. Goff for 2nd grade and he'll be his teacher again this year. He's really excited! Kaden says, "Mr. Goff is my best teacher ever in my life!"

Kaden was so excited for this school year to start.

End of the day.

Kaden had a great first day at school!

The One & Only Summer Campout

2011-09-07T16:08:00.000-07:00

September 5, 2011

Josh has been away working in West Virginia all summer. He had 4 days off over Labor Day weekend and flew home to spend them with us. We had a great time with him while he was here. Monday, late afternoon, we drove up to L.L. Stub Stewart state park. We rented cabin no. 12 - Nice cabin, beautiful park!

Going for a hike.

Daddy & his boys!

Gorgeous views. Up on this summit you could see the moon on your left & the sun setting to your right. I only wish I could have a picture of both together.

Which way should we go?

Josh told a few stories while we hiked. One about some headless horseman lurking in the woods...and Kaden's worried face is him wanting to go back to camp ASAP!

Josh taught Kaden how to chop wood.

Paxton used his camp chair's cup holder to collect rocks & dirt! He's such a dirty little boy. If there's dirt, he's all over it...or it's all over him!

The views from our cabin.

Kaden & Versii making faces. Versii said, "look at my finger mustache!"

Josh telling more stories...and scaring Kaden again.

Here's Versii saying, "Look, I think I see some little midget monsters."

Enjoying their s'mores! Can't have a camp out without them.

Love this one!

Getting ready for bed.

(Sorry for the photo overload...I have a problem with editing.)

Summer Swim

2011-08-21T23:14:00.000-07:00

August 19, 2011

My friend Nicole had the boys & I over to swim.

I was really looking forward to going swimming, as I recently purchased my first new swim suit in over 10 years. Obviously, I don't go swimming much. But as I thought about it this year, I realized that both my suits were purchased in Colorado, sadly dating them back to at least 2000. So out with the old & in with the new!

You can't see it, but Kaden is sporting a Mario tattoo & Mario swim shorts.

How can you go wrong when you combine 2 of his favorite thing: Mario & swimming.

Paxton loved the water!

He would stand on the edge of the pool, count "1, 2, 3." Then he'd leap off & I'd catch him. Then I'd stand him back up & he'd jump again and again. One time after he jumped, he said, "Look! I did it! I did it!"

Versii is a little more reserved when it comes to the water. He mostly just wanted to watch from a distance. He'd pop into the hot tub every now and then. And I convinced him to get into the pool for a bit, if I held him.

When I told the boys it was time to get home, they all jumped into the hot tub & refused to come out.

Thanks for having us Nicole!

We had a great time!

Oaks Park - Aug 17, 2011

2011-08-21T16:03:00.000-07:00

August 17, 2011

I took Kaden to Oaks Park.

Here he is on top of the ferris wheel.

Kaden & I rode the following rides together:

1. Rock & Roll

2. Ferris Wheel

3. The Zoooom Coaster

4. Up, Up & Away

5. The Rockin' Tug

6. Lewis & Clark Adventure

After that, I started feeling a little sick. Must be my age, coupled with the heat & excessive spinning. Not a good combination.

Kaden loved the rides. He went on 9 more rides, by himself.

The Spider, twice.

The Frog Hopper.

The Big Pink Slide.

The Zoooom Coaster.

The Tilt a Whirl, twice.

The Lewis & Clark Adventure.

& The Rock & Roll.

Luckily we didn't have to ride the Looping Thunder Roller Coaster because Kaden said, "I would never want to go on there!" (Plus he was too short anyhow.)

Here we are riding Up, Up & Away, the spinning hot air balloons. Kaden kept spinning that wheel like a mad man. So much spinning I had to close my eyes to keep from getting really sick.

Who doesn't love the way they look in the fun mirrors?

Kaden on the Zoooom Coaster.

Rock & Roll.

L-R: Rock & Roll, The Frog Hopper, Kaden in front of the Bumper Cars. Looks like he's about 3-4 inches too short. When I told him he was too short, he said, "What kind of crumby place is this?

The Big Pink Slide.

The Spider. This is Kaden's favorite.

L-R: Up, Up & Away, The Spider, & The Lewis & Clark Adventure.

Thanks to Mom for watching Versii & Paxton while we played!

Regatta Park - Lincoln City 08.2011

2011-08-13T15:41:00.000-07:00

August 11, 2011

On our way home from the coast, we stopped at Regatta Park in Lincoln City.

You can enjoy gorgeous views of Devil's lake from the playground.

But the boys just thought the playground was great!

They didn't want to leave.

Kaden is our biggest monkey!

tire swings = big fun

L: Paxton is only pretending to sleep.

Newport Beach 08.2011

2011-08-13T14:56:00.000-07:00

August 10, 2011 - Newport Beach

After we went to the aquarium, Mom & I took the boys to the beach.

It was really windy, making it a bit cool. So I just let the boys play on the beach in their clothes & jackets. That made for one wet, super sandy mess. Lesson learned, I won't ever do that again. But they did have lots of fun!

Kaden trying to fly our kite.

Versii took a turn flying the kite too.

Mostly the boys just thought it was fun to run & jump in this stream along the sand.

They also did a little digging.

Ready. Set. Go!

They also had fun playing in the ocean.

The kite in the air above the boys is ours, being flown by Grandma.

Me & my boys!

Proof of the super sandy mess!

Oregon Coast Aquarium 08.2011

2011-08-13T14:12:00.000-07:00

August 10, 2011 - Oregon Coast Aquarium

Kaden with the piranha.

The alligators.

L: The largest crab in the world = the Japanese Spider Crab.

Watching the seals. The boys loved them, especially Paxton.

Sharks!

The boys playing at the aquarium's playground.

L: Kaden showing off! - R: Grandma, Paxton, Versii & Kaden

Another August Day

2011-08-13T13:29:00.000-07:00

August 8, 2011

Kaden built this lego cable car with the help of his new Lego Inventions book.

Just because...

2011-08-05T18:23:00.000-07:00

...he loves me!

These are the gorgeous flowers Joshua had delivered to me today.

Thanks babe! I love you & miss you too!

An Arsenal of Nerf Guns

2011-08-04T20:05:00.000-07:00

July 27, 2011

Kaden has been talking about buying a Nerf gun with money from his piggy bank for months. I took the boys to the store and he picked out a giant Nerf long strike rifle. (Blue & orange, pictured below.) This gun is so tall it comes up to his shoulder!

Above: Kaden pictured with Versii's new shotgun.

Target practice in the backyard.

"The arsenal"

We previously owned two small Nerf guns.

And now we have acquired an additional 6.

Kado's Back!

2011-08-04T19:32:00.000-07:00

July 25, 2011

Versii and Paxton making Kaden a "welcome home" poster.

The finished poster. Complete with Luigi, a mushroom, monsters, stars and "stepping stones."

L: This is the first time the Versii has ever written his name by himself.

R: Kaden's plane just after it landed.

Fresh off the flight.

Waiting for his suitcase.

Welcome Home Kaden! We missed you!

Kaden spent 5 weeks with his biological Mom this summer.

5 weeks is a long time, especially for little brothers who don't understand time.

We are all so happy to have you home Kaden!

Look at the pure joy in Paxton's face to see his big brother!

L: Versii was so happy to have Kaden home he didn't want to let go.

R: Hugs with Grandma.

L: Kaden showing off the piece of cow jar he found in Colorado.

R: The mess of books Paxton made while I was unpacking Kaden's bags.

Cleaning is a constant battle: While I'm busy cleaning one mess, Paxton will be busy making another.

Versii's Family

2011-08-04T19:20:00.000-07:00

July 17, 2011

Versii drew his family and pasted it up on the wall.

He said, "Here's Dad, and Kaden, and Me, and Paxton."

I said, "Where's Mommy?

Versii says, "Ok, Mommy I'll draw you."

"Thanks for including me in the family Versii."

L: "Dad & Mom" - R: "Kaden"

L: "Versii" - R: "Paxton"

Columbia Park Imagination Station

2011-07-11T18:42:00.000-07:00

July 9, 2011 - I took the boys to Columbia Park/Imagination Station.

Great fun for the boys!

Not so fun for the Mom trying to keep an eye out for them.

This park has a vast amount of large play structures where kids can quickly disappear from view. And lots of small spaces that making navigation as an adult a little slower. So I had quite the workout trying to keep up with them.

But I did promise to take them again when Kaden comes home.

Paxton, "Look a airplane!" --- Versii, "I'm on top of the world!"

Sliding down the rock.

Versii's Bedtime Doodles

2011-07-05T18:20:00.000-07:00

The other night while trying to put the boys to bed, Versii started drawing on the Doodle. After he drew the plane, I said to him, "I'll go get the camera and take a picture of it." ---When I came back and snapped the picture, he said with a huge grin, "Thank you Mom." ---He then proceeded to draw the following 3 pictures and gave descriptions for all. :) Versii is just starting to enjoy drawing. He's quite an imaginative kid.

July 3, 2011

L: "Airplane with one person in it."

R: "A lemonade with a dinosaur tooth in a boat."

L: "A banana and a egg and anoder egg & a dinosaur big egg."

R: "It's a wars dude....I mean it's a bubba rhindo."

Fireworks in Our Backyard

2011-07-05T13:09:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th of July 2011!

God bless America & the freedom's we enjoy.

We hadn't planned on doing anything much this year.

With Josh & Kaden out of town and Versii's fear of fireworks, I opted to just stay home.

We did go out to the 4th of July Tribute & breakfast at church.

And after I put the boys to bed, I ventured out in the front yard to find fireworks exploding all around me. Who needs to go to a crowded place anyway, when you can just step outside your front door? Our neighborhood sounded like a war zone with all the cracks & booms. And it did wake the boys once, but they seemed to sleep through most of it. The fireworks were beautiful to watch. And even though I don't know how to work my camera that well yet, I was able to capture a few nice shots, I think.

Jared & Kathy for Time & All Eternity

2011-07-05T11:57:00.000-07:00

My cousin Kathy & her husband Jared were sealed in the Portland Oregon Temple on July 2, 2011 for Time & All Eternity. Congratulations Jared & Kathy! We're so happy for you!

I designed the invitations for their sealing (above).

The 2 photos above were taken by Kathy's sister Tammy. She's becoming a great photographer.

Dad & Grandma Lorraine

Jared & Kathy surrounded by most of the family & friends who attended.

I always love to be in the temple. It's truly the closest you can be to heaven on earth.

YW Camp 2011

2011-07-04T13:41:00.000-07:00

Cinderella Cabin Photo

L to R: Me (Cabin Mom), Alicia, Katherine (Cabin Mom), Lauryn, Natalie, Amelia, Olivia and Elly (Our Junior Counselor aka JC)

Day 1 - Monday, June 27th

We arrived at camp at 9:30 am to set up & get ready for the girls to arrive.

Our girls arrived at 2 pm. After meeting the girls & unpacking in the cabin, we went for a tour of Camp Angelos.

The theme at camp this year: Princesses

"Destiny to Shine"

Each cabin was named after a Disney Princess.

Always nice to be reminded of our royal birthright.

The Cinderella girls on the camp tour.

Camp tour: visiting the fishing pond.

Waiting for the evening flag ceremony to start.

L to R: Katherine, Elly, Natalie, Amelia, Olivia, Alicia & Lauryn

Our first campfire.

L to R: Nicole & I - My girls (The Cinderella Cabin) performing their first campfire skit.

L: Amelia at campfire having her wish to "see a unicorn" granted.

Day 2 - Tuesday, June 28th - The Early Bird Hike - 7:30 am

1st & 3rd Year girls

R: Ray Evans leading the girls in his favorite camp song, "Pioneer Song" - A favorite camp tradition: Most girls can not think of camp without a memory of singing the Pioneer Song with Ray.

Our views of the Sandy River during our hike.

L to R: Nicole & I - Elly & I

L: Nicole performing with her girls in one of many funny skits at camp fire.

R: Nicole posing with her bulls eye bead after scoring her bulls eye in archery.

Day 3 - Wednesday, June 29th - Yes, we were shooting with Panda Bear bows...but I shot my bulls eye the day before (proof on the right). Special thanks to Ray Evans for teaching us archery.

Hanging out during "free time."

Day 4 - Thursday, June 30th

My crazy girls jumping in the river for the "Polar Bear" dip at 8 am.

I had a great week at camp with old & new friends. I loved being a Mom to my cabin.

It's nice to take a break from the world for a week and be reminded of what really matters in this life. Between our daily scripture reading, Destiny classes, daily devotionals & the fireside on the last night of camp, the Spirit definitely manifested itself unto me. I'm so blessed to have been able to share in this experience.

A special Thank You to my Mom for watching my boys all week while I attended camp.

Thank You to all the Leaders, Staff & Youth Camp Presidency for making this year so memorable!

Kahneeta

2011-06-26T14:38:00.000-07:00

June 23, 2011 - The boys & I drove out to Kahneeta for the night, with Mom & my cousin Angela. The views along the way are beautiful. As soon as we arrived at the lodge in Kahneeta, we saw a fire truck speeding up the hill. And soon found out that a guest had been barbecuing on the porch of their hotel room and sparks had flown up from the barbecue catching the outside of the hotel on fire. So they had evacuated that wing & the lobby was filled with upset guests waiting to claim their bags from their room & check out. ---Luckily, our room was on the opposite wing, so we were able to stay. No way would I have stepped back into the car after traveling in between my boys for almost 3 hours. A hotel employee said they had worked there 11 years and never had a fire. We were just thinking, what are the odds that this would occur on the night we decide to show up? But the boys did love seeing the fire trucks & police.

The view outside of our room.

We arrived too late to go swimming. So we just wandered around outside & hung out in the lobby while the boys wore out some energy.

R: Versii, Me, Paxton & my cousin Angela.

Mom & Paxton.

June 24, 2011 - In the morning, we had a lovely breakfast at the hotel. Then we went over to swim. The boys couldn't wait to swim! And it was great swimming in a warm pool. The water is pumped in from the natural hot springs and they cool it to a comfortable 96 degrees. The only thing is that it was really breezy, which made it really cold if you weren't in the water.

The fun thing about Kahneeta is that you can bring in your big pool floaties.

Versii had a great time floating around on the big whale.

And Paxton had fun in the kiddie pool.

Paxton checking out the tee pees. We'll have to stay in one next time.

Versii running around outside the pool, just before we left for home.

Some of the beautiful views we encountered on the trip.

The boys loved seeing the horses along the drive.

And right where we were going to stop for lunch there was a huge accident blocking 3 out of 4 lanes. So we, just kept driving. Such timing we have. But it was still a fun adventure.

A Day on the Columbia Gorge

2011-06-22T15:26:00.000-07:00

June 20, 2011 - Since we had Julie here in town. We decided to go out for a cruise on the Stern wheeler, check out the fish hatchery, visit the dam & stop off at Multnomah Falls. We took our nephew, Chris, along too. Above: Versii, after I found him in the bathroom trying to give himself a mohawk.

Eating at Char Burger just before our cruise.

Waiting to board the sternwheeler.

The Columbia Gorge Sternwheeler.

The boys checking out the train.

Versii kept calling the paddle wheels the "ferris wheel."

Washington on the left, Oregon on the right.

The boys steering the ship.

Versii showing off his Honorary Captain's Certificate.

Playing at the park.

Bonneville Fish Hatchery.

The boys playing around in the old "pill box," used during WWII.

Bonneville Dam.

Multnomah Falls.

Paxton fell asleep in the car on the way to the falls, so Mom stayed in the car with him while we took the short hike up to the bridge.

Kaden's Baptism

2011-06-22T14:25:00.000-07:00

June 18, 2011 - Kaden's Baptism Day

The night before, Kaden said, "I want to get right to bed! I'm just going to brush my teeth and go right to sleep. I'm just so excited to get baptized! So excited to be baptized! I just have to go to bed right now!"

We're so proud of Kaden!

He's such a sweet, wonderful, smart young man.

Our big surprise: Julie!

She flew in & arrived in Portland at 2am on Saturday morning, took a taxi here & snuck into the house.

(Lucky for her, we somehow forgot to lock the side door on the garage.)

When we woke up in the morning to get ready for the baptism, there she was! Surprise! We're so glad that she was able to be here for such a special day!

Kaden's Mama & her husband Dane, Aunt Mazie & Gammey drove from out-of-state to be here too. Kaden was really excited to have them here.

L: Dane, Shanon, Kaden, Mazie & Gammey

R: Mom, Versii, Kaden, Paxton & Dad

L: Jewels & Dad (the day before Father's Day)

R: Jewels & Kaden

L: Paxton was such a stinker. Look at that face -- so cranky.

M: Josh & Kaden just before the baptism started.

R: Dane, Shanon & Kaden (Dane & Dad helped Josh confirm Kaden as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.)

We had a wonderful baptism.

Mom (Grandma) gave the talk on Baptism.

Shanon sang a special musical number.

Kaden was baptized by his Dad (Josh).

Gammey & Mazie gave the talk on the Holy Ghost & presented Kaden with a beautiful handmade Mario quilt.

Kaden was confirmed by his Dad (Josh).

We had a nice luncheon afterward.

We're so thankful to all of our friends & family who took the time to be there to share this special day with us.

The next day I asked Kaden how he felt during his baptism.

He said, "I just felt really good, warm & happy."

My Boys

2011-06-22T14:12:00.000-07:00

June 1, 2011 - Kaden all ready for Cub Scouts.

Kaden's 1st Cub Scout meeting was the last before their break for summer. So they played in the gym & had treats. Here he is showing off with the basketball.

June 14, 2011 - The boys enjoy a rain-free day, with a little bike riding.

Paxton just loves to scoot along on his trike & Versii has finally decided to start pedaling. Every day for the past week he's said to me, "Mom, I'm gonna go ride my bike, OK?"

Kaden saying, "Mom, look - he's really pedaling!"

BBQ at My Brothers

2011-06-21T15:53:00.000-07:00

June 10, 2011 -

In the evening we went out to my brother Jeff's house for a BBQ.

Beautiful weather + cousin Chris + a trampoline + a tire swing + a tree house

= a ton of fun for the boys

The boys love to play with their cousin!

...And they actually all folded their arms & closed their eyes for prayer. Amazing!

You have to love that Paxton is trying to wield a sword that's longer than he is & that Kaden's prancing around with Katie's fuzzy scarf.

L: This is Kaden saying, "Mom, can we get a tire swing?"

R: I'm pretty sure Versii is defending the fort.

Paxton looking out from inside the fort.

I think this is just the sweetest picture.

We are now the owners of this horse. And on the way home, Versii overheard a conversation about potholes and blurted out, "Mom, I think we should name our horse Pothole." ----Everyone, meet Pothole.

Playdate!

2011-06-21T15:10:00.000-07:00

June 10, 2011 - Clark College/Marshall North Park

I took the boys up to Vancouver to meet a few friends of mine at the park.

Harlem & Versii.

Paxton was a tad bit cranky as he fell asleep about 10 minutes before we arrived at the park.

Ella & Paxton on the swings.

Ella & Lily.

Thanks for meeting us up at the park Pa & Angela!

Always great to see you both!

Paxton's 2nd Birthday!

2011-06-08T14:11:00.001-07:00

May 31, 2011

Happy 2nd Birthday to Paxton!

I can't believe he's 2!

He's such a funny, sweet & determined kid! When he wants something, there's nothing stopping him.

Turning 2 must have made Paxton feel extra brave. Normally he only tries to pet the ducks, but on his birthday we could hardly get him to stop trying to carry them around.

Paxton loves the neighbors ducks! He just follows them everywhere.

L: Notice that Paxton's front is completely wet. He had a little too much fun playing in the ducks bath. R: Checking out the chicken coop from the inside. Usually he just watches from the outside.

This is the face you get when you say, "Say cheese!"

Paxton with his birthday card from Great Grandma.

Opening presents.

Feeding Monkey with his banana bottle.

Monkey, meet Doggie.

Birthday dessert: Ice Cream with M&M's and sprinkles!

We had to light the candles a few times just to get a picture of them lit.

Good to the last drop. Paxton spilled on the table and licked it up. Often if he's eating something that he loves you'll see him with his little face all the way in the bowl, licking it clean. :)

Kaden & Versii love ice cream too, just like their Grandpa!

Birthday measurements:

Paxton is 35.125 inches tall and now weighs 29 lbs.

He's grown 4 inches this past year!

Daddy's Hat

2011-05-24T07:43:00.000-07:00

Paxton found much entertainment in his Daddy's hat yesterday!

Josh would say, "Hey that's my hat!" and try to grab it. Then Paxton would yell, "Mines!" And run away! Then about a minute later he would run back to repeat it all over again. The picture on the right is of Paxton tattling to me. He ran up to me and said, "Mama, Daddy take-a my hat. uh uh, mines!" You can see the genuine concern on his face. I love how little kids can be so easily entertained & they offer much entertainment for us as well.

Happy 4th Birthday Versii!

2011-05-23T20:39:00.000-07:00

May 23, 2011

Happy 4th Birthday Versii!

It's hard to believe he is 4 now.

One more year and he'll be in school!

Versii admiring all his new birthday trucks.

(What's funny is, this year we let the boys pick out their own birthday gifts and yet Versii was still surprised when he opened them today.)

The garbage truck is the 4th garbage truck in his collection. Loves them for some reason! His favorite book is called "I Stink!" A book about, what else? A garbage truck.

Versii picked out mini chocolate cupcakes, sugar cookies & brownies for his birthday!

He also received a card & money from Great Grandma.

In it, she talked about the "Happy Clock" (a clock Versii dubbed the "Happy Clock", one that plays music & the face moves every hour) ---Versii put his hand up to his ear and said, "Hey I think I hear that happy clock!"

Birthday Measurements: Versii is 43.25 inches tall now and weighs 39 lbs.

He's grown 3 and 1/2 inches this past year!

Inflatable Kingdom

2011-05-23T07:44:00.000-07:00

May 21, 2011 - Mom & I took the boys out to Inflatable Kingdom for their birthdays!

(Kaden's birthday: yesterday, Versii's: Monday, & Paxton: next Tuesday)

They only had about an hour of playtime, as we hid terrible traffic on our way and

Versii fell asleep in the car, just a few minutes before we arrived.

But as soon as we woke him up & said, "We're here!" --He just hopped out of the car as wide awake can be. And they had a blast!

Jump! Bounce! Fall! Jump again!

Paxton in Wacky World. He needed help to climb this slide.

One time I watched him run in & then about the time he should have come back out, he didn't. I went in after him and he had somehow managed to make it up & down one slide, then he was stuck in between. When he saw me come down the slide, he just hugged me tight and said, "Thank you Mama." So happy to be saved!

The "Fire Truck" slide. The boys favorite! Around, up, down. Repeat! Over & over again! One of the employees asked me, "How do you keep them entertained at home? Those boys are running like they're running a marathon. Up, down, around! They never stop!" ---Tell me about it! :)

Right: Paxton making his way up to the top of the fire truck slide. He's such a determined kid! When he wants something, he does not stop trying to get it.

He must have climbed that slide about 20 times, by himself!