Kayla turned 12

It is hard to believe my little girl is twelve years old and going into Young Womens. Where did the time go. I have decided I am officially getting old. I am not the young one I used to be. Kayla had an interesting birthday. Her mom Had a migrain all day and could not do much for her birthday between a new baby and a migrain that put her in bed. Thank goodness for a wonderful husband and father who stepped in and did it all. Kayla wanted to have spaghetti dinner for her birthday dinner with garlic bread and the famous angel food strawberry shortcake for her birthday cake. Normally I have birthday gifts early and I am ready. However, this year I had nothing. How was I supposed to tell my daughter i had nothing for her birthday and maybe we could just post pone her birthday to another day. On top of that her first YW activity was a mother daughter activity. How was I going to do it all and still go with Kayla to young womens. Once again, my husband rescued me and went out and got her gifts and and we ended up celebrating her birthday with her birthdya dinner at 11:00Pm. Hey it was still her birthday for one more hour. Yes we did it!

Kayla said, "The best birthday gift I could have had came early, my Baby Sister"

Ashlynn printed out a picture of her and Kayla and wrote a sweet note on the back for her. Talk about sisterly love. Oops if you look carefully you can see ashlynn used a permanent marker and it bled through the picture. We all laughed when ashlynn said, "oops it looks like we have chicken pox."

"Yes I got my spaghetti dinner for my birthday"

Brayden went ice skating

Brayden got to go ice skating for the first time for telling the truth 100 times. We had a little jar and every time Brayden told the truth he got to put a penny in the jar. We told him that when he earned one hundred pennies that he could pick what he wanted to do. Brayden picked going out with his dad ice skating. They had so much fun when Brayden got home he said, "I figured it out. I can save my lawn mowing money for a month and then I can pay for Dad and I to go Ice skating again."

Brayden's tenth Birthday

Brayden loves his cousins so much that he wanted to celebrate his birthday with them on Friday before they left. His actual birthday was not until Sunday. We had a party with the cousins on Friday with the famous "Strawberry Angel Food Shortcake" since we did not have enough time to make the football field cake that he wanted. Then on Sunday, his real birthday, we sang to him again and he had the football field cake that he wanted. It is hard to believe that Brayden is ten years old and going into the fifth grade. At the end of July Brayden recently started playing football. The coaches really work the boys hard but Brayden loves it. He practices three days a week from 6:30 to 8:00 pm. Brayden is constantly wanting to practice football so Michael decided for his birthday he would enjoy a tackling dummy.

Kayla spent her time crocheting Brayden a coaster for his birthday.

Michael made Brayden's birthday cake. He is such a good Dad!

Alexis's First Bath

Alexis's umbilical cord came off so Aunt Chanda gave Alexis her first official bath. Alexis loved the water. Then we wrapped her up in a cute princess towel. Chandler saw Alexis in the princess towel and said "ah how cute."

The final product after Aunt Chanda's hardwork a "clean and dressed baby."

Chanda and Kayla spent at least two hours playing the flute together. Kayla was so excited that Aunt Chanda brought her flute so they could play together. Kayla loves playing the flute and enjoyed the time she spent with Aunt Chanda.

Visit With Owen's

The Owen's came and visited us last week. We enjoyed them coming and visiting us. The cousins had fun playing together and spending time holding Alexis. The kids were getting cabin fever since we haven't been able to go anywhere with a new baby. So when Chanda and her family came the kids could hardly wait! The kids all played great together and we had a great time!

Surrounded by Nana's Love

Nana made Alexis's car seat cover. Didn't she do a great job? She is so talented. I wish I could sew like that.

Alexis loves to be wrapped up in Nana's love. This is one of the blankets nana made for Alexis. It is so soft and cuddly that Alexis loves to be wrapped up in it all the time.

Can't Get Enough Love

Ashlynn loves to snuggle with Alexis. Every opportunity ashlynn can get to hold Alexis she takes. When the kids decide to go outside Ashlynn will go and find Alexis and quietly hold her in my bedroom so the other kids will not know and try to time her to get their turn.

Brayden holds Alexis one last time before he leaves to go to football practice. Brayden always has to give Alexis one last kiss before football practice and then as soon as he gets home the first thing he does is find Alexis and give her another kiss and says "ah how cute."
Hunter just adores Alexis. Anytime she is laying on the bed he will sneak into my room and hold her. We have told Hunter not to pick up Alexis on his own and that someone needs to put her in his arms cause she is too small. In this picture Alexis started to cry and before I could get to her Hunter had crawled on my bed and scooped her up into his arms. I had to take this picture because Hunter said "See mom I am big enough to pick her up. I picked her up all by myself."

One Proud brother. Hunter got Alexis to stop crying all by himself.

The kids take turns picking out Alexis clothes for the day. Brayden was so excited to dress her in the little onesie he bought for her.