Sitting Up

On September 11 Eli started sitting up. He is getting so big his 6 month sats are:

16 lbs 12 oz 25 and a half inches long and his head is 16and a half inches. Eli is getting so big. He LOVES his daddy. As soon as Robin walks in the door he is all smiles. He is now rolling and crawling all over the place. He still does not have any teeth. We call him toothless. Other nicknames he has been given is Thor, Orangutan  (thank you meter maid in Rigby) Eli has really crazy hair. Kenidee and Bennett love having a little brother and are good helpers. They do so good at making him laugh. The only sad thing is that Eli is growing up so fast.

Eastern Idaho State Fair

Oh the Blackfoot Fair... I love going. I love taking my kids. This year we were on a tight schedule because Robin had to be back for work so we didn't get to do a lot of things we normally do. that is okay we had lots of fun. My Mom took care of Eli that was so nice not to have to worry about him and both Kenidee and Bennett could ride in the stroller.

This little train was pulled by a four wheeler around this lot. I thought it was going to shake the kids right out of the barrels. Kenidee and Bennett LOVED it. It was the best $4.00 we spent all day.

Kenidee's favorite part of the Fair is the petting Zoo. She LOVES to feed the Goats. She love all animals, she has to get that from her JuJu. She would feed the goats right out of her hands. Bennett would rather have the goat eat out of the cup.  He didn't like how it felt to have the goats mouth and tongue on his hands.

We could have left Bennett climbing on all the tractors all day long and he would have been the happiest boy around. In fact we were here looking and climbing on tractors for a long time. Funny thing Bennett would only get on the Ford Tractors. He Did not want to get on the other tractors.

Maybe next year we will be able to stay longer and do more. I still love the Fair and all the things to look at. It was a fun little family day. Oh and I want you to notice what Kenidee is wearing, she HAD to wear her boots because we were going to the fair. I love that girl.

First Day of School

Well ... (Sigh) my Baby girl is in Kindergarten! She was so excited for school and to ride the bus. She didn't get to bed till really late the night before. I would like to compare the feeling to Christmas eve, waiting for Santa. Kenidee kept getting out of bed needing something.

I vowed I would be okay and not cry, all morning I got close a few times, but I was happy she was going to school. She LOVED Pre-school. I was so excited for her.

 Then I walked Kenidee to the BUS STOP! ( GULP) Growing up I didn't ride the Bus till I was in Middle school. I just couldn't not imagine my little girl getting on that HUGE yellow bus. I was so glad that our neighbor Kiah was there to help her.  Kenidee told me that Kiah even walked her to her class because she couldn't remember where to go. I LOVE Kiah for taking care  of my girl. 

Watching Kenidee get on the bus is when I LOST it! Really I thought I was going to be okay but nope. About the time Kenidee stepped on the bus her mommy started to cry. I knew that she was going to be okay but she is so little and that bus is so big.  I cried as I walked home but I was okay after that.  When Kenidee got home from school I asked her how her first day of Kindergarten was and she said to me"MOM!! GUESS WHAT? THAT BUS HAS NO SEAT BELTS!" Whenever anyone asked her how school was that is what she told them.

COUSINS!

 Nick and Kari came to visit in August. The kids had so much fun. For the three days they were here the kids swam, played dress up, and barbies. Over and over and over. If they were outside playing and decided to swim then they would just take off there cloths and start swimming, when we would tell them to put on a swim suit it just didn't matter who's swimsuit it was they just got one on.  These kids only see each other about once a year but I LOVE how when they do see each other they act like they just saw each other last week. Kari and I sware Kenidee and Ellie share a brain sometimes. Even though they live so far apart from each other they have the same ideas about things, or do the same things. For example when Kenidee and Ellie were about 2 or 3 Kenidee told me that her and Ellie were going to Disney Land on Rocket(from little Einstein's) Well when Kari and I talked one day we told each other what our girls were saying. They do things like that all the time.


While they were here we decided that we should take pictures of all of them together. Well It is hard to take pictures of 6 kids 5 and under. I am going to have to learn to do some head swapping but I think they are okay. Maybe when we go to Washington in November we can try again.

       

 I was really bad at taking pictures of the kids playing, but the ones I do have I love. Miss Lexie and Bennett were drinking blue Gatorade and Lex says to me "Aunt Stephie, Bennett has a blue mouth. He is so messy" So I had to go get my camera so Lexie could see that she had a Messy face too.

I got to meet my Niece Lila! Isn't she so cute! 

Tyra Jr. Miss

The First of August my Mom, Rachelle and I got to go down to Utah to see my cousin Tyra in her Jr. Miss (its not called that anymore but I can't remember what it is called.) A little back ground on Tyra and I. Shauna (tyra's mom) and I joke that I raised her. I did almost until they moved to Utah. When I went to College Tyra would come and stay the night with me. One time Shauna didn't get there in time to get Tyra and I had to take her to class, I think she was about 4 or 5. I packed her a sandwich, and a coloring book and crayons, but she needed a drink, and to say the least photography class was just not made for a 5 year old.

I am not sure if this was the same time but I was taking Tyra home after staying with me and I ran out of gas. She was dead asleep in the back seat and wouldn't wake up so I carried her a mile or so to find a phone.( this was before everyone in the world had a cell phone)

I would spend summers by the fire pit in their back yard while Tyra and Ethan acted out movies for me.

When I left to do my student teacing in Washington I think she was 10, she made me this blanket, it is beautiful! So I guess what I am trying to say is that Trya and I have a special bond. She is more than my little cousin. So....

We had to rent a car because my mom's car was hit and she had not yet got her a new one. When the lady behind the desk told us all they had left was a chevy traverse I almost jumped for joy. I love that car. That car was my "baby" the rest of the trip. When we had to give the keys back I didn't even make her pry the keys out of my hands. :) Anyway... We got to the Eckersell home in time to help Tyra get her hair and make up done. It was so fun to help her. Rachelle and went to the school early to help her get all situated but she really didn't need  much help she had an amazing stage mom who took awesome care of her. Tyra had a whole cheering section, it was so fun to see her all dressed up and to hear her play the piano WOW! she is so good. When it was all said and done Tyra was proud of her self and so were the rest of us. She did so good, and I might add she go the most flowers out of anyone on stage. It was so fun to get away and to go and support Tyra.

i'm FIVE

August 11 my baby girl turned 5! I can not believe it. She is so grown up, and a bit sassy. She is so excited to be able to go to kindergarten this fall. Kenidee is a big helper, she helps with her brother all the time. She loves to have"pageant hair" (curly hair). She loves dress up and riding her bike with only 2 wheels. ( a new trick she learned this summer) She never wears shoes she is a bit like her mommy that way. She loves strawberry milk, and to make her own concoctions they usually contain  of a little milk, chocolate sauce, and some strawberry milk powder.  she LOVES it.

 This year for her birthday she had a few request... first of all she wanted a rainbow Carmel corn cake and ice cream. Then for her birthday she wanted a lamp, and a night stand, table and chairs for her birthday. Don't most 5 year olds ask for barbies and my little ponies. So trying to be a good mom Rebecca and mastered the cake,and Robin sculpted the number 5 on top.Kenidee thought the cake was amazing, just what she wanted she even told me it looked like a  wedding cake.

when  I was growing up my parents always got pictures of us blowing out our candles, some of the faces we would pull would be so funny. So here we go Kenidee blowing out her birthday candles.

This is the lamp my sweet girl requested. With the idea from my friend Kristin and help from the ladies at the ribbion retreat and Rachelle it turned out Soooo cute. I spray painted the lamp pink to match her room and covered the shade with cute fabric, that also matched her room.

Kenidee really wanted to invite our new neighbors over for her birthday. These girls have so much run together.

Kenidee loves Michael.  He teases her until she can hardly stand it, but they have an agreement if she tells him with out whinning to stop or she does not feel like being teased then he grants her wish. Uncle Rod and Desi they are always so much fun. Almost everytime Rod sees Kenidee he gives her what he calls a million kisses, and kisses her all over her face. she loves it.

Kenidee's night stand and table. she loves it.

The cake really is beautiful, thank you aunt Rebecca I couldn't have done it with out you.

This is my Grandma in the yellow and her little sister Coleen. It was so cute. Grandma was reading this book her coleen. I just thought it was adorable. Aunt coleen is holding Baby Hayden.

Bennett became a cowboy at the party. He was  being so cute. Riding around on his stick horse with his floppy cowboy hat.

Bennett loved to make people laugh. 

Kenidee my darling

Kenidee is so funny. she loves to have her picture taken but she has to do what she wants to do.  So it takes me awhile to get a good one of this silly girl. This day I just thought she looked super cute and starting to be so grown up. love                



Bennett is learning to wink.... If I do say so myself he is so cute, messy face and all.