Funny thought

(2nd generation! Mine and My Cousins kids)

My friend posted a thing on facebook about cousins. It got me thinking about my wonderful cousins I'm closer to them than my siblings. I love them! From that this memory popped into my head I made a funny connection and thought I'd share. When we were little we were playing outside at our grandma's being mean excluding the 2 younger boys so they went and tattled and my aunt came out and said to Jer honey you have to be nice to your younger brother. After she went back in we were teasing him about being called honey so we started calling each other things like peanut butter jelly and jam we thought this was so funny at the time. So fast forward to now- this is what I thought was funny- what do I call my kiddo's? Xadi has morphed from pea to sweet pea to peanut to peanut butter to sweet peanut butter pie! Charlie started out as butter ball after 2 thanksgivings ago when he was super chub before he started crawling so after he started to slim I just called him butter and now he is butterscotch pudding pie. Xadi gets after me if I don't say the whole thing. If you are wondering why such long nicknames I use them why I'm feeling frustrated with them for just being kids- you know when it's taking ten minutes to get boots and coats on! I say it so I remember how sweet they are and they are learning!

Celeste's Party

Celeste had the most awesome christmas/ Mark's birthday party on Saturday night! It was our 2nd annual Murder Mystery dinner! So Fun!

We were Britney and K-fed! When I looked her up online to figure out a costume I discovered she doesn't wear clothes so how is a nice mormon girl going to dress like her? this is what I came up with. Pretty clever I think!

My baby girl is 4!

I can't believe my baby is 4. I know it's cliche' but it seems like just yesterday I was in the hospital holding her for the first time. I remember holding her there and falling in love! Xadi was a beautiful baby in now she is my beautiful little girl!

Over this past year she has grown up so much. She is such a big helper, always encouraging those around her- sometimes even her parents! I love that she always has kind loving helpful words to those around her!

Some of my favorite things she has said over this year are:

-Daddy do you know how special you are? You have a special spirit from heavenly father!

-Charlie roo did it! Look mom Charlie did it! When he took some of his first steps.

-Mom someone was sad today at school, it's okay I asked her to play with us then she wasn't sad anymore!

-Mama I love you!

-Does it make you happy that you have one of your family members to go with you to the store?

Our Adventures-

She begged all summer to go camping so finally after getting ditched by daddy because of work. We decided to go with Papa Tim and cousins, to see Papa cousin Earl.

Xadi received a Birthday phone call from Geoffrey the Giraffe from Toy's R Us- To which she said- Hey I saw you in the parade!

Xadi Loves dressing up- this witch dress was one of her favorites from this year. It was so sad when the hat blew away in a big wind storm- don't worry we found her a new one!

Favorite color- yellow

Favorite song- heart song paramore

Favorite blanket- different and other. Both made by my friend Charity- one just has added squares of a different floral print- a wee bit confusing!

Favorite place to go- zoo, cousins, and swimming (here she is so excited to swim in the ocean until she found out how cold it was!)

Favorite food- berries, burritos and pizza "I like candy just a little bit."

She is really good at keeping Charlie busy so I can update my blog! LOL

She started school this year and loves it! She has made so many fun new friends and is learning so much! The other day in the car on the way home she said cressendo. Me: huh? Cressendo- louder. louder! louder!!!

We love this little girl so much she really is a special spirit sent from heaven to help us all! She Love to learn about the gospel - especially temples and read scriptures. I can't believe how blessed I am to call her mine! I'm glad I can share her with all of you too!

Halloween- BOO!

Sorry I forgot I had this draft and didn't post it before- Enjoy!We had so much fun together for Halloween! Celeste has started a tradition of making Doughnuts every year in her new hood. So I have started the tradition of helping- or at least trying to make it crazier by add my two adorable yet out of control children! Davi is always working on holidays so I play the sad single mother role, Celeste and Claudia take pity on me and invite me to be part of their festivities! New Years here we come! Celeste made the dough and hot cocoa I made the chili and a yummy time was had by all!

Xadi's friend (Celeste's neighbor's daughter- we've hung out a few times- but in the world of a 3 year old that's practically a best friend!) came over to trick or treat. We were just happening to get bundled to go out so when they were leaving in their super cool water barrel train behind the 4 wheeler Xadi jumped on board! One of the Dad's came up and asked, "Is there an Elle here?" That's me I replied- wondering who knows me down here? "We have your Daughter on our train- Is that okay if she goes with us?" Um sure I'll just walk by you guys with my stroller, I guess... Turns out they are super nice guys having fun with their kids- being big kids themselves with their toy train. They even helped Xadi get in and out of the train at every stop! So sweet! Oh and we got to trick or treat Thurl Bailey! Yea he answered the door himself. Xadi asked "Mommy why is that man so tall?" That got a good laugh from the guys! Of and All night she was wondering who "Cruella d'bill" is. So that warranted a trip to the "bid-d-o" store on the way home! I know you're all wondering how I deprive my child of such info!

As for Charlie he just loved his candy! Don't you dare try to take it out of his bucket!

Neon Trees

David's first arena show! AMAZING! He has come so far in the 1 1/2 years since starting the lighting business! I'm so proud of him. Check out the mind blowing things he did, like the Neon Trees sign under the drums! And just to sit there and watch him work his board it's awesome! I love shooting shows! I guess it's that I love to capture other people's passion. So Babe I hope I captured yours tonight! Good Job- Love you! Thanks for the awesome show babe! You, Rich, and Adam made it rock!

Are we not just so cute?

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My Birthday

Do you ever have times in you life you feel a little un-loved? Well for the last little while I have, I guess you can say I've been in a bit of a funk. That is until my birthday! My friends from near and far really showed me how loved I am. First Jenni started plotting with Davi to make sure I got a gift from my kiddo's for my birthday- Although I'm still waiting for it and have no idea what it is I'm sure if it's Jenni's idea it will be Fab! She was going to take me for a Pedi while the did it but schedules didn't work out in our favor. Which we realized the night before my birthday-

So I was thinking I'd make jam and cleaned my house- I know you 're all thinking oh what fun! So my birthday morning rolls around, and Celeste calls to take me to Lunch and to get a Pedi, BTW it's super cute. I get off the phone with her when Sharie calls to go for a Birthday ride at 4. She picks me up with flowers, balloons, a super cute card and some adorable rubber gloves! So sweet! We have a very lovely ride on legacy with Steph. I think that's going to be the end of the celebrations when she drops me off and plays that she needs to come say Hi to Xadi, when in reality she is my sitter for the evening so Davi can take me out to dinner.

WOW What a fun filled day, But it didn't end there the next morning Celeste, Steph, Polly, Becky, Nicole, Marge, Jill, and Cindy took me out for Breakfast and lavished me with gifts. Then Davi took me shopping. Then I went out to dinner with Celeste and Amber then we went to Witches Night Out, then to get Hot Coco after Xadi got lost because some nice ladies thought she was lost and took her out of the store to the DJ table to find her mommy when my back was turned.

Now your thinking two days of celebrations that's got to be enough- Nope! Tiffany took me out to breakfast Saturday. Then we were going to go to the pumpkin patch but the weather thought differently and won that fight! So we went to Lowes for Xadi's project with Jenni and she gives me the cutest melter pot. Then Teresa and Necia (see the last post) both call me.

And Celeste set me up with Facebook so I got even more birthday wishes from there, Not to mention My Family. If you are reading this you are probably one of those people who enriches and blesses my life. I am so grateful for your friendship and love! Thank you!

Finding missy

Multanoma Falls

DO you ever have times in your life you need to remember who you are and that you are loved? Well I had one of those times this summer. So my best friend Teresa from when I was six heard it my voice and said come up. Davi was working for two weeks straight so I thought why not! I packed up the kids the dog the bike and bike trailer and off we went to Washington/ Oregon. To place that feels like home- I ran to her and her family so many time in my childhood when I just needed to be loved they were always there for me when my own family could not be. They always gave me the love and support I needed, and still do. Teresa moved up there when we were thirteen. We've stayed close. I use to go up to visit her every summer, Her family always welcomed me with open arms and an open house- Nothing has changed! While I was there her cute little family came down with the stomach flu so her sister let me stay at her house instead. You can't find a nicer family anywhere! Teresa took the day off work so we could go to the beach together- sadly that was the day of the stomach flu! I thought I'd take a bunch of fun pictures at the beach so I didn't take any of her cute kids before that and we decided to leave after that, it will always be one of my greatest regrets! But our other friend Charity and I want to go up next summer! So Teres take that as fair warning!

Oddly enough my other childhood best friend Necia's older sister lives up there too! So I was able to see her too and her daughter was kind enough to go to the beach with me- a real life saver with two little ones! It was so fun hanging out with her she reminds me so much of Necia at that age. Just absolutely charming with such a zest for life and an amazing sense of self- I have no idea how those Ching's do it, but the girls in that family have so much self esteem! I'm trying to emanate the lessons Mama Ching taught me to my own daughter in hopes that she can end up with that! That is what I admire most about that family. As I struggled to find out who I was the Ching's always knew who they were without pretenses or apologies!

What I love most about both of these families are the lessons they taught and the unconditional love they always gave and still do to a little girl who alway just wanted a Mom and found so many willing to be just that! So THANK YOU to all of you who call me Missy! You loved me, raised me, and I can never thank you enough!

Buried in sand

First splash of the Pacific Northwest Ocean

Super Cute A With Charlie