Elf on the Shelf

I have been waiting and waiting to get the elf on the shelf, for a couple of reasons...
1. The cost...$30.00 just seems high for a freaking looking elf and a book.
2. Cailey and Cayden's age.

However, this year was the year! I wrapped up the book the night before and placed it by the front door and forgot about it. The next morning, as I was brushing my teeth, Cailey came running into my bathroom with the package and said it had hers and Cayden's name on it. I looked more closely at the package and told her that I thought it was Santa's signature. Instant insanity!!!

The kids tore open the package and were shocked to see the box! Cailey thought it was a stuffed animal! ha! We read the book and had to come up with a name for Mr. Elf instantly...Cayden wanted to name him Blue (the name of our horse) and Cailey came up with Blink (perfect Elf name if I don't say so myself!) Cayden agreed and so it was done. So we placed Blink, still in the box, (because we cannot touch him or he will loose his magical powers) onto the window seal for the day. Every so often I would catch Cailey going into the living room and chatting with the Blink.

Last night was our first night having Blink stay in the house. Cailey went to bed that night and called me into her room 3 times for me to check to see if Blink had left yet or not. So innocent! After the kids fell asleep I decorated Cailey's little tree that goes into her room, put the tree in her room and placed Blink near the tree. She is for sure that Blink decorated the tree (which she added was a lot of work for such a little elf!). Tonight, I am going to decorate Cayden's tree and put it into his room (he does not even know I got him a tree!) and place Blink somewhere near it!

Like I said, I think this little elf is a little freaky! I kind of get freaked out when I look at him. Cailey loves it, but I think she is kind of scared of him too (who wouldn't be!), but wants to love him! Cayden....he is just not sure yet!

I look forward to many more days of hiding him around the house. I have found some really cute ideas on pinterest that I will probably do. I am also using him, whenever there is a fight going on I tell the kids Blink is listening to them and that he might have already left to go tell Santa! They instantly stop fighting and go check on Blink! Hey a mom has got to do what a moms got to do!!!!

Cayden's 4th birthday...Cars theme

We just celebrated Cayden's 4th birthday...Disney's Car theme.

Cayden loves to watch CARS and decided very early on that he wanted a CARS birthday. CARS is a very easy theme to go with! One could go very extravagant or very simple. I would like to say we went somewhere in between. The problem is, boys just don't get into parties like little girls! I even bought a game for the kids to play and did not even bring it out! Oh well, I will tuck it away for some rainy day.
I am going to leave the rest of the post with less words and more pics!

just a few videos

At the beginning of the month we went to Blackfoot to see the family. We also went to the fair and horse races while we were down there. The races are fun, but the Indian Relay Races are thrilling! I love to watch them because they are totally crazy. Well, I guess the kids fell in love with them as well because when we got home this is all Cayden does....

Cailey is still loving the dance games on the Wii and does this a  lot...

Back to School

Yes, we have been in school for a month now...CRAZY how time flies by. September is always such a busy month for us. I have to get back into the swing of things and now Cailey and Cayden both have to get into swing of things too!

Cailey is in kindergarten...KINDERGARTEN!!! How did that happen? She was very nervous for her first day, but very excited. However, the nerves took over and she did not want to go once she got there! My mom had to bring her down to the school (not only was it her first day of school, but it was also my first day back to school with 33 3rd graders). I was able to take an hour and go to her orientation and that is when tears started for her and a little for me (I had to hold it together, all the other moms were!). The kinders got to go out for recess while the moms and dads stayed inside to learn what their children were expected to do/learn (which by the way, scares the pee out of me!). Cailey did not want to leave my side and cried and cried. It was very hard for the both of us. However, once I got her fingers off of my legs she was fine! Everyday since then she has been fine!

NO smiles for her on her first day :(

Who could of ever guessed that us three girls (me, Leandra, and Kelly) that grew up together would all have daughters going into kindergarten together? I love this picture!

End of her first day and she is all smiles

I take the same picture every year by this tree.

Cayden is in preschool. He was totally not ready to go, but we sure were! Cody had to take the morning off and take him because I knew it would take longer than a half hour to take him and I could not ask for longer off than that off AND I knew there was going to be a fit and tears! So Cody took Cayden to his first day of school. We did not get any pictures because that just was not going to happen! Cayden told us all summer he was not going to go and that was it, ha!!! We had other plans for him! He cried and cried,  in fact, he was the only student crying and it made Cody feel pretty lousy (which I am glad he had to go threw it with him, because I am always the one that has to deal with it)! Cody finally had to leave and the teacher had to hold him. He threw up a little and then was fine (why my kids?) On the second day, Aunt Tawnya took him and he gave her the long eyes, but he made it through it and I am so  proud of him for doing it. He is loving school now and has made one friend he talks about; however, he does not know his name other than it is the boy with the blue jacket.

A no good, horrible day!

What a day and not a good one either...My mother in law came and got the kids for me this morning so I could go have a make over. Started off to a great start.

Just as we were finishing up on my hair I get a call from my neighbor that he thought he might have shot my dog, Scooby!!! "what that cannot be!" Scooby and Murphy are locked up in their kennel!" Well, I was wrong! The dogs dug out and went running the neighborhood. Scooby dug into a pen with a sheep and tired killed it...The neighbor saw her doing it and killed my sweet Scooby girl!!!

He was in the right, Cody would have done it to another dog if they were chasing his horses. But it still sucks! It sucks because we love her sooo much! It sucks because she was a great house dog! It sucks because she was great with the kids!

Will we get another dog? NO!!!I am over dogs! We will keep Murphy and work with him and give him all the attention. But God, I am soooo going to miss Scooby. I am going to miss her big curly body, her excitement when she got to come into the house, her attachment to Cailey (they were best friends!)

Cailey is upset because she did not get to say good bye :( Cayden, just thinks she is going to dig herself back up out of the ground. He finally did come around and asked about Scooby's mom and dad and he was sad that they would never get to see her again!

Rest in Peace Scooby Doodle Doo....We will see you again!!!

Not in my 20's anymore....

It is hard for me to believe that I am not in my twenties anymore...Not sure if I should feel any different because I don't. It really does not seem like a big deal. I am very content with my life right now. I have a wonderful husband that works his butt off to provide for me and the kids (and his hobbies!), two wonderful (most of the time) and healthy kids, a beautiful house, two dogs, a cat, and a perfect job! All I am missing is a little picket fence! ha! But seriously, I dont' know what else I really want out of life! Yes, of course being debt free and not having any care in the world about money, but that is not realistic for my age!

For now I am okay turning 30. My life right now is EASY manageable!!! The kids are not as demanding as they were a couple of years ago. I am beginning to get sleep again! This is HUGE!!! A friend of mine once told me that I would really enjoy my early thirties because my kids will be old enough to sleep throughout the night, get up in the mornings and watch Saturday cartoons while I slept in and that they would not be old enough to stay up hours into the night and me staying up all hours of the night wondering what they are doing! I think she knew what she was talking about!

Last weekend we had a birthday bbq with my friends and family. It was great! An 18ft. water slide for the adults and for some daring kids and a bounce house for the not so daring kids! It was so much fun celebrating with my friends and their kids.

When the bounce house showed up and the kids sat on the patio waiting anxiously, the guy asked the kids if there was a birthday and they shook their heads and he asked whose birthday and they giggled and looked at me and I rose my hand and said mine! He laughed, but I am okay with that! This is where I am at with my life and so are my friends...with small kids. I really don't think there was any better way of celebrating...

Here are a few things I want to accomplish before I turn 40 (Oh my...Cailey will be 15 years old and Cayden 13...I don't like to think ten years from now...excuse me while I go have a good cry!)

1. Get back into a little better shape
2. Go somewhere on a vacation, without kids and outside of Idaho!!!!
3. Take the kids to Disney World Land....let' s be practical....CA is probably a little cheapier than Florida!

Okay as of now, I can only think of 3...Like I said, I am a very content kind of person!

So here is to being 30!!! It has started off being great :)

The super water slide

My water slide partner and best friend (she knows too much about me to be called anything else!)...Becky Brown 

My dear friend, Amber . No matter how much time goes by Amber and I can start right where we left off!  

Athena's mommy, Jill. Super fun friend to be around and my sunbathing buddy at the Emmett City Pool.

The bounce house for the kids

My little dare devil...I love this little girl!!!

A goal..what am I thinking???

Back in May I started thinking, "Oh my, in 3 months I am going to be 30!" Now turning 30 is really not a big deal to me until 4th of July came around and I started talking to young 20 somethings and they really seemed young! I am pretty sure they thought I was an old nagging mom by the time our camping trip was over! And it has been some time since I have been carded for buying beer, yep, I am showing my age (Cayden put years on me!)...So anyways, back to May...I kind of started thinking what I would like to do before I turn 30...Yep it was really planned out since I had only 3 months, but I figured I could do or try to do most of thing while I am still 30...ha!

Well one of my "goals" was to "train" (don't even now how to "train") for a marathon. Kind of seems like a lot of people I know are doing it and maybe it could be fun. ya right! I hate to run! So anyways it has kind of been in the back of my mind...no training done yet! Now I have less then 3 weeks before I turn thirty and I come across this....

I have one month to start, yes I said START, running and getting prepared for this race. It is going to be a blast! Best part is, I am going to be running/walking with Cody (yep,  he is going to do it with me) my sister and Josh, and a couple of her friends. I am super excited for it. Oh ya, did I mention it is a 10K? I am going to die!!!

Wish us luck! We are open for suggestions for outfits (thinking maybe we should do a theme with it), and if you feel like you would be like to part of it, let me know....

4th of July Night

What a crazy weekend!

Leave on Friday for camping until Monday...

Come home Monday to a dead fish :( Cailey's beta fished died while we were gone), do laundry, clean the camper out, water flowers, take care of the neglected house, put on a happy face and head to my sister's for a bar-b-que! I am exhausted. But I loved every minute of it!

After the bar-b-que, we headed to the old lumber yard and watched the fireworks from there. Then it was back to Tawnya's to let off our own fireworks. I am a cheap one when it comes to fireworks. Not Cody though, $30 later and stupid fireworks that did not do much we headed home to much needed sleep. Poor Cody had to leave at 5:00 am for work!

James just adores Cayden

The kids on the fire truck

Cailey enjoying the night on her daddy's lap

So pretty!!!

Cayden (along with all the rest) loved the sparklers!!!

Watching the fireworks...

4th of July Weekend in Cascade

I hate coming home from camping!

I hate the unpacking!

I hate the washing!

I hate the low you feel!

However, I love the memories we make every year!

Cailey with her first fish...she would "mother" it around and carry it like her baby

Cayden and James with their "cheese" smiles. James loves doing everything Cayden does

Waiting for the Cascade parade to start.

Cailey watching the crazy people

the kids excited for CANDY!!!

Waiting patiently for CANDY!!!

My fourth of July cake that melted before we got to eat it, but it was still good!

Mother's Day

I hope everybody had a wonderful mommy's day. I sure did!

Cody let me sleep in :)

He cooked a wonderful breakfast for me, the kids and his mom.

I am almost embarrassed to admit this one, but "the kids" got me a Kitchen Aid mixer...I have been wanting one for years now! It is a pretty red one :)

Cailey made me a really cute pot and then we were able to plant flowers in it.

And then we lounged around.

Cody had to leave around 2:00 for work. He is working in Wyoming this week. 

It was a wonderful day until then!

What did you do?  

Easter

I loved the idea that Easter was so late into the year! But once it got here, it did not feel to much Easterish because it was so late. hmmmmm

We were very thankful that it was warm enough to go Easter egg hunting in warm weather this year and not snow (like last year)!

Cailey and Cameron Brown

Cayden and his best bud, Tucker Brown

On Saturday we went to the Letha egg hunt and it was wonderful! There were still a lot of kids, but not as many that attend the Emmett egg hunt. They had eggs in the grass vs. candy thrown everywhere. And the kids got a lot of eggs. I met my friend, Becky, and we separated the kids...I took the girls to their age group and she took the boys to their age group. It worked out well.

After the egg hunt, I took the kids to the wheels and wings show. It was great! We were able to sit on the air way and watch planes land and take off. The kids got to check out the life flight and watch it leave (actually they had to hide behind me because we were almost blown over by it). Cayden really enjoyed this!

After that we headed to Uncle Ronnie's house for his branding mainly to watch daddy rope some calves! We went long enough to watch for an hour, eat a nice lunch (branding lunches are always the best!) and leave to go home and rest before we headed to watch the movie HOP!

Cayden taking a rope to his daddy

Sunday was much more relaxing! We woke up to find what the Easter bunny left for the kids, searched around inside for the Easter eggs the Easter bunny left, ate our traditional sticky buns. Got ready and headed over to Margie's for dinner and another Easter egg hunt, and ended the night at my parents for dessert and a smack at the pinata.

Cailey sporting her new shades...

It was a busy weekend for us and Monday came way to soon!

Teacher Appreciation Week

Of course, you can't go through one day or week without some holiday, but teacher appreciation week hits a soft spot in my heart! I love my job, in fact I really don't see myself doing anything but teaching. As the years go by though it is getting harder and harder...and I thought teaching was supposed to get easier the longer you have been at it. ha!

I am not sure if the economy has to do with all the problems we are having in the classroom or if some parents just don't parent anymore! It is really frustrating. The problems the children have in these days are not even comparable to the problems I ever had or probably will never have! These kids come to school and we expect them to learn what verbs, adjectives, nouns,  how to write a complete sentence, multiply and divide and all they can think of is... that one of their parents don't want them or don't want to see them, they saw their dad doing drugs, their mom is in prison for "being in the wrong place at the wrong time", they are living with great grandparents, they haven't seen their dad in over a year or worse yet, they have never seen their dad! Seriously, my heart aches for these children and then the other part of me wants to scream and yell at their parents for doing this to them. There really needs to be a test before you can get pregnant. If you and your significant other (at the time) cannot pass the test both people right there get fixed on the spot!

And then not to mention Mr. Luna (Mr. Lunatic) wants us (teachers) to get paid for how well the kids do in school! I would love for every single congressman to come into my classroom and work with these kids for a month. I bet they would change their level of thinking very quickly!

Now that I got that off my chest it is teacher appreciation week and I love to shower Cailey's teachers with some small token of how much we appreciate them. I teach third grade, that is 26 8 or 9 year olds. Not 30 3-5 year olds. I don't know how she does it, but dang Mrs. Riggans is a great teacher! She has two other helpers that Cailey just adores too.

This year we made up these little plastic holders that say "You are o "fish" ally the best." Filled with Swedish Fish.  No I did not come up with this idea on my own. The world wide web is great for ideas, but bad for creativity. I seriously don't even think for myself anymore.

Cailey had snacks on Monday, we supply snacks and drinks for all the kids in the class 2-3 times a year. They are butterflies, even though Cody will argue they are not! I wanted to do this idea for a couple of years, and it was now or never. Cayden will not want to take butterflies to school with him next year!