CATCH UP!!!

Hey Everyone!!! Well, we've been a bit busy at our house for the last little while. I kinda got bit by the "redecorator bug" and felt like some rooms in my house really needed a face lift. We also had family coming to visit, so the face lifts needed to happen FAST so that everything was ready when family got here. I'll add those pictures later. I still have some finishing touches to add here and there.

We started out with mom and dad coming to visit. What a wonderful few days that was. Sadly, that was when we lost Uncle Reid, mom wasn't quite herself and their vacation was cut a little short so that they could get to the funeral. I was gratful that they made it to the funeral JUST in time, but so sad to see them leave so soon. I've heard her say my entire life that her brother was her best friend. I know it was hard for her to see him go. He was a great man and left behind a beautiful legacy and touched many lives. He will be missed.

Love you so much Mom and Dad! Thanks for being such awesome, fun, good people and good examples. Come back soon. (Mom needs to update her blog and then you can see more pictures of their vacation. I didn't have my camera with me most of the time but she had hers.)

After mom and dad left, Cameron's parents came into town the next day for a family reunion. We had a nice time visiting with the family that we haven't seen for a few years. We had a wonderful BBQ at our house. Kashton was such a big helper getting the yard ready and helping mommy plant flowers.

He is going to be such a wonderful helper. He tries so hard to do whatever me and Cameron are doing. Cameron was putting new rocks into the firepit in the backyard and Kashton helped place a little pebble here and there.

He LOVED digging in the dirt with the spade while I planted herbs. He got so dirty in the process. I never thought I would say that a dirty, muddy little boy was so cute. Can you believe that he even stayed tick and chiggar free?? YIPEE!!! Mommy and daddy were not so lucky. Daddy had to remove a tick from unmentionable areas.

Once family left, we were able to have some family time with just the three of us. We spent a few hours at Silver Dollar City and Kashton was able to ride some of the rides for the first time. He LOVED it. We'll be returning very soon.

I was busy planning a wonderful Baby Shower for my incredible friend Kelly who's having a little girl in about two months. Me, Mesa, and Tami had so much fun doing this together. This is Mesa, Tami (who's also pregnant), Kelly, and Me.

This is the quilt I made for Kelly. I had so much fun doing this, I'm ready to make another one. Anyone else having any babys and wants a quilt??

Kashton is almost 14 months old and is SO sweet. It was a difficult year with the colic which (by the way) was solved when he was eight months old. Poor little guy had such tummy troubles. We put him on Prevacid when he was 8 1/2 months old to help with his tummy. And he FINALLY rolled over when he was 9 mths old and started crawling a few days after that. Poor thing wouldn't ever roll over or lay on his tummy because it hurt him so bad. No wonder he cried so much. You would never know that he was ever cranky because he is so sweet and wonderful now. He has his moments. He doesn't really like to be held or cuddled. There is just WAY too much in the world to explore. There's no time for cuddling.

This picture: He found mommy's juice drink and got into it.

He so dang sweet, I just love him to pieces.

Carrying mom's juice drink around.

Kashton had to have a follow-up appt. to his one-year-old appt. He wasn't on the charts at all at his one year appt. and the Doc wanted to see him again. So at 13 1/2 months old he is finally on the charts at 5% and weighs 19 pounds. Still not big enough for a forward facing car seat. :(

Our precious, happy little boy!!!

Happy Birthday Me!!!

Okay, so I'm rapidily approaching the big 3-0. So I'm going to try to make my final year in my 20's a good one. Because technically I'm still considered young and in my 20's, right? HOWEVER, I was teased the other day about me being almost 30 and my age starting to show. I've had a really bad cough lately (the allergies out here are HORRORIFIC) and I coughed SO hard, I threw my back out. NO JOKE!! I've been walking around hunched over like an old lady with osteoperosis just because of coughing. It's a really good thing that Cameron gave me three adjustments with the Chiropractor for my birthday. Best birthday present ever!!! Thanks baby!!!

We got together with a few friends and went to the best Mexican restaurant in Branson, Cantina Laredo. They have great food and it's a great atmosphere on the lake. You can't see it but the lake is right behind us.All kinds of people showed up to celebrate with us. We had family there (Tonya, Heaven, and Cam's brother Cory),
some friends / cast members (Tim, Gretchen, and Miranda),

the gang member wanna-be's (Mark and Cameron. We missed you Kelly :< ),

and what would a party be like without the DRUNKS (Kelly, Parker, and Steve). Oh, isn't that sweet. They're teaching their son while he's still young. :) I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!

I got a special little birthday brownie. Which we ALL agreed was probably the WORST brownie in the HISTORY of brownies. It was a little (or alot) SCORCHED!!!

Thanks everyone for celebrating the day with me and for all the very sweet gifts!!!

Happy 29th to ME!!!! Man, my back hurts!!!

Happy Mothers Day

This is me on Mother's Day, trying to tell myself that I'm a strong, beautiful person that comes from a wonderful legacy of strong, beautiful women. I look at the picture and REALLY want to say otherwise. HOWEVER, this is a good step for all of us. We need to always remember that we are beautiful women and Heavenly Father sees ALOT of potential in us ......why else would He trust us with these??? Right??? Well, we all need reminding from time to time. Especially after the Mother's Day that I had. Cameron was out of town for the weekend. He works for a professional photographer sometimes and this past weekend he traveled to St. Louis to do a gig there.

Sunday morning started out just TOO early for me. Kashton was wide awake at 6:00 and ready to start his day. (Reminding myself: "I'm strong, I'm beautiful")

Church starts at 9:00 for us. Well, by the time 9:00 rolled around, I had a very unhappy little boy who needed a nap. So...I quickly opted to miss Sacrament considering I didn't want to fight a crying baby out in the foyer...and I put him down for a nap. ("I'm strong, I'm beautiful")

10:00:

Kashton is awake. So I dress him and we're on our way to church. Perfect timing. I'll be able to get to the end of Sunday School and still be able to teach my lesson in YW.

Time for YW:

Kashton is so fussy and I'm so embarrassed (Cameron usually has him while I'm in YW...taking him to class with me is a new thing). The girls are trying to listen to the lesson but are so distracted by my son. I end up walking out of the classroom. Find an empty classroom and the tears started to come. Why does my son ALWAYS do this?? I end up cursing my husband for being out of town on the "special" day that celebrates mothers and here I am...crying in a classroom because sometimes I don't like being a mother. ("I'm strong, I'm beautiful. I can do this.")

I get home from church and Kashton is so tired and ornery that he's having a hard time eating his lunch. The food just ended up all over me, all over him, and me counting to 10 in order to prevent myself from reaching across the tray of the high chair and strangling him. I know it's not his fault.

So tired: He can't fall asleep.

By the time I get him down for a nap, I'm rushing to get ready to go to work (yes, I had to do a show on Sunday) and get everything ready for the babysitter.

Babysitter is late.

I'm late getting to work. I get in a little bit of trouble. ("I'm strong! I can do this")

Cameron redeemed himself. He had some of our friends help him so that when I got to my make-up station at work, there was a palethora of gifts waiting for me. I immediately chastised myself for being angry at him.

Kashton gave me a sweet little card and a gift card to Kohl's so I can buy new pillows for my couch.

Cameron got me a funny card about not being able to remember the fun things we did before Kashton, some beautiful roses and the Sweeney Todd DVD. My employers gave me a corsage. I thought that was very sweet of them.Cameron also got me this amazing figurine which helps remind me again of the potential I have of being a BEAUTIFUL and STRONG WOMAN!!!

My Mother and Father-in-law gave me a beautiful card that my sister-in-law Carlie made and this little tea light.

I ended up getting home late after work because one of my co-workers got sick and I was the only one around to help him. That was a little scary for me.

Cameron was home when I got there. We got in a little argument because he didn't pay the babysitter and sent her home with nothing. I was very embarrassed and mad at him because he never takes on those responsibilities. He just leaves them for me. And Kashton was screaming because he was starving and no one had fed him dinner yet.

Again: Chastised myself. Cameron apologized and made me a WONDERFUL dinner of chicken pasta.

Monday:

I had a coupon for a spa treatment that I received LAST YEAR for Mothers Day that I had never used. It was a difficult year with a colicky baby and simply...I never really dared (at the time) leave Kashton with a babysitter because he's a little high-maintainance. The coupon expired on Monday, so...I finally (a year later) went in for a day at the spa.

I got this AMAZING Chocolate Spa Pedicure. Yes, they COVERED my legs in dark chocolate.

Look at those amazing, PINK toes!!!

I also received a manicure and a facial. It was SO amazing. I can't believe I waited an entire year to do it. So, I hope you ALL had a wonderful Mother's Day. And remember....we are all strong, beautiful woman. Even if our grass is not mowed, we have 2 inches of re-growth coming out of our scalps, boogers stuck to the shoulders of our blouses, green beans wiped all over our arms, still sporting a fake mothers day corsage the YW gave you, and walking around in your house slippers with your church clothes still on!!!!

I LOVE ALL YOU BEAUTIFUL WOMEN!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KASHTON AND CAMERON!!!

Okay, so remember how I said I would have more time to Blog and I would catch up? Well, obviously I lied and I apologize. When I'm not doing a show, baking, or playing with my son, I've been out in my yard working (Are you proud of me Mom??). I love Spring.

Why has it taken SO long for me to post this blog??

I have been DESPERATLY trying to upload a video of Kashton eating his Birthday Cake...but, alas, I'm very technologically challenged. You will just have to settle for these pictures.

So, April 11th was Cameron's 29th Birthday. He doesn't really care for cake but his FAVORITE is cheesecake. So we had our friends Mark and Kelly over and Cam's brother Cory and his girlfriend came over. We ate a pot roast and veggies and cheesecake.

Happy Birthday to my cute, sexy man!!! (Who happens to be a cheesy goof-ball)

We celebrated Kashton's birthday a little early. We had a joint party on Monday the 21st for Kashton and his friend Parker. They are 9 days apart. The party was at Steve and Kelly's house (Parker's mom and dad) and I made the cakes.

Yes, I'm a freaky mom!! Kashton still hasn't really had much sugar, so these cakes were very healthy!!

Yummy marble cake with chocolate chip filling and cream cheese frosting. Not fattening at all!

Kashton had a Superman cake and Parker had a Batman cake. Carrot cake made with wheat flour, wheat germ, and applesauce.

Sweet little Birthday Boy!!!

Me and my little Man. I LOVE HIM!!!

The Woman who LOVE him (and spoil him).

Me, Chesca, Kelly, Lana, and Kelly

We set the boys down to see who would race to their cakes first. Obviously, Parker won. Kashton is such an observer, he always watches Parker. "Uncle" Chip is helping Kashton. (He has alot of adopted aunts and uncles since he never can see his real ones.

Parker dove right into his cake, Kashton really wasn't sure about it.

Daddy had to help Kashton a little bit. Parker wanted his cake AND Kashton's too.

This is the video footage I wanted to show. Cameron helped Kashton with his cake and Kashton immediately started flinging his arm around trying to get the cake off of his hands. What a Priss!!! He didn't like getting dirty.

He just liked his Superman truck. He didn't really want to eat, let alone TOUCH the cake.

Our two kids are complete polar opposites. It's very fun to observe these two. Parker is pretty hyper and likes to get messy. He got his face right down into his cake.

Kashton likes to watch and observe. He's so proper.

Parker: Dirty, Manly-Man!!!

Kashton: Whoosy, Girly-Man (HA..just kidding!! I promise I wont give my son a complex)

After the two boys got a bath, we let them open presents from their adopted "aunts" and "uncles." Of course, the paper was FAR more exciting then the gift.

Thank you everyone for coming and celebrating this awesome day with our little Birthday Boy!

This was actually the morning of Kashton's Birthday, Sat. April 26th. Mommy and Daddy gave him this cute hat. He still needs to grow into it.

Opening presents from mommy, daddy, grandma's and grandpas' and REAL aunts and uncles.

Cute little one in his "Big Boy" clothes that match Daddy's

Fun presents from Cousins Talen and Kendall and Aunt Carlie and Uncle Jared

A new drum from Aunt Carlie, Uncle Jared and Grandma and Grandpa Hansen

Fun books from Grandma and Grandpa Hansen

Happy Birthday to our Sweet Little One Year Old!!!!