Halloween Time 2012

Happy Halloween 2012!

This year wasn't much different than years past, other than we were able to have Carter with us for Trick-or-Treating, which was a ton of fun!  The kids dressed up for school, did their normal parties there and I dressed up for work.  Now, I always dress up (most always) for work and sadly there's not that many people that share the love of Halloween like I do and do not dress up.  BUT....this year, nearly everyone in my department enjoyed the holiday and dressed up or agreed to dress up in extra costumes brought by others.  My favorite part is having the little ones come into the office and trick-or treat....they are so darn cute! 

Jayden and I (me-Vampiress / Jayden-Zombie Baseball player)

For no reason at all.....

For the last few weeks, I've been receiving cards in the mail to my work address from Randy!  He's so thoughtful and sweet!  Each card has a personalized message and several are just funny.  I'm hanging them on the back part of my cube at work and the whole wall is almost full!  One day I received a HUGE box addressed to me.  At first I thought it was work related but when I opened the box, it was a beautiful clock....I LOVE clocks!  I collect them, so for him to think of that was very sweet!  I love this man!  Not only because he does these little things (and so many more I haven't mentioned on my blog) but because of the person he is, the husband he is and the father he is.  I feel very blessed to have him in my life.  Not only mine but in Mckelsie and Jayden's life.  AND....not only did I get Randy but I have three more beautiful children that I get to help Randy raise, love, care and laugh with. 

I am loving life!

All worth it moments!

Surprise!  I finally changed my last name, after 10+ months of being married!!  OFFICIALLY (not just on facebook)!!  YEAH!!!!

When I told Mckelsie that I had finally changed my last name she asked;

"Does that make me still related to you?"

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE her!

 

Thought:

"Anger does not solve anything; it builds nothing. To be angry is to yield to the influence of Satan. No one can make us angry. It is our choice. If we desire to have a proper spirit with us at all times, we must choose to refrain from becoming angry. I testify that such is possible."

~Thomas S. Monson

Education:

Do not educate your child to be rich.

Educate them to be happy.

So when they grow up,

they will know the value of things,

not the price.

Thoughts:

I'm often taken back, surprised and amazed by how sweet my husband is... nearly every day he shows me, tells me and teaches me, purely by example, to be a better person.  He is very patient, kind, thoughtful and seems to always have a pretty good pulse on how I'm feeling about something or a situation.  Today, I once again was reminded of just how blessed I am to have him in my life.  I'm so very grateful that our paths crossed, that he sent me those 500 emails on Match.com and that I gave him an "age exemption". 

I always knew that I did not want to live alone, but also knew that I did not want to live unhappy with someone that I didn't fully love or that didn't fully love me.  I knew that I had to have someone with patience, to help me care for my sweet Mckelsie and Jayden. Someone that could accept my past and be supportive of the decisions I've made with regards to that past that ultimately continue to affect our future.  I'm so grateful that Randy is the person he is and that he is willing to build and grow together with me.  I'm so grateful that we have similar views on life, on what really matters (family) and that he chooses to communicate with love and kindness. 

I've always thought that the people in and out of our lives, come in and out for a reason and my reasoning behind My Randy is that he provides a balance to my life that no one else could. 

I am so deeply in love with My Randy!

Shower Cap

So, Mckelsie has been having some trouble with her scalp.  It has gotten so dry and irritated with red itchy spots all over it.  We've been putting a medicated oil on it and I didn't have a shower cap around and didn't want to have to go to the store at 9:30 pm at night so we improvised..... and figured out that a large size ziploc bag doubles as a shower cap!  It fit perfect on her head and we just secured it with a hair band to keep it from sliding off her head in the night.  Mckelsie just thought she was so funny and wanted to wear the "shower cap" to school the next day!  Hahahaha.......



Before and After School

Randy took the boys to breakfast at McDonalds the other morning before school and Carter and I went to Maverick for a milk shake after school this week! 

Good treats!

Practice Makes Perfect!

Randy and I have been practicing on using our camera

and in Randy's practicing he's gone to Mikale and Kara's

soccer games.  Mckelsie happened to snap a picture of

Randy practicing away!  

Soccer: Jordan High vs. Alta High

These are the things that make me most happy....

My Family.....



Thought:

So very true...so I had to share.  

Naps with the Dogs...

Nap time.....

School's Back in Session! 2012-2013

School season is back!  YEAH!  Mckelsie is a "Junior" this year and I can't believe I'm that old!  Jayden is going into 6th grade and that means this is his last year in elementary school, which makes me feel that much older!  Thank goodness Randy and I have Carter who will be starting 2nd grade on Monday and can enjoy the little kid stage for a few more years.  Both Brendan and Camryn start on Monday as well, Brendan a "Junior" and Camryn is in 8th grade.  Can't believe, even in the short time I've known Randy and the kids, the kids have grown so much!  Apparently, time flies when you're having fun and that is what we're doing, if not trying to do! 

Here's to the 2012-2013 school year!  Cheers!

We settled for a pic from the second day of school!  =) 
 

** I hope to get some school pics of Brendan, Camryn and Carter to add here too!  If not, we might have to reinact it with them! =)  **

Dang Cute Girls!!!

I had to put this cute pic of Camryn and I on here!  

Camryn is just the sweetest!!!

The Temple

Only my closest friends know about my secret hiding place....  I needed a few moments to myself last night and so went to "hide out" for a bit.  I always find peace on the temple grounds and for a brief minute can think about life, quitely in my mind and process difficult thoughts and feelings.  

I sat on one of the ledges of the flower gardens and the beautiful smell of the flowers surrounding me was amazing!   

Demolition Derby

(I'll be adding more pics of the actual Demolition Derby

but wanted to get these

cute pics up of Randy and I first.)

Awwwhhhhhh........

One of my favorite things... Robintino's Night!

Robintino's!  Best.  Pizza.  EVER!!!!

So, everytime I've gone to Robintino's with my kids the deal is; "If they are good, then they get a quarter to get something out of the candy machines on the way out". 

Randy was really good and ate all of his dinner...so he got a quarter!  =)

 Jayden, Carter and Mckelsie

I think I've converted Carter to Robintino's!  He loves it!

Thoughts:

"I can choose to let it define me,

confine me,

refine me,

outshine me,

or, I can choose to move on and leave it

behind Me........"

"It doesn't matter waht you look like on the outside,

It's whats on the inside that counts."

Archibald Cabin 2012

Oh my goodness..... The Archibalds are a lucky family!!!  Randy's grandparents bought some property years and years ago.  They actually had the property for years before they built the cabin.  The cabin is quite large and has a great loft area with extra beds and an area for the kids to hang out in and play games or rest or just relax.  Also adds more floor space for kids to sleep!  Randy's grandparent's built the cabin 20 years ago and now that both of them have passed on, each of their children (Randy's parents) take turns each year being in charge of the scheduling of the cabin.  If you schedule time there, your only responsiblity is to wash the sheets and towels that you used and clean the cabin before you leave.  Otherwise, there isn't any cost as it's all maintained by a trust fund set up by Randy's grandparents.  What an amazing blessing that his grandparents left for their family! 

The cabin is located in Island Park Idaho and right behind the cabin, they have their own private dock to the river/reseviour.  Mckelsie and Jayden learned to knee board for the first time and they had a blast!  I knew they were really fish!  All of our kids got some time on the jet ski's, canoe's and paddle boat.  There's ton's of life jackets stored at the cabin and everyone seems quite good at sharing the use of the jet ski's.  I felt especially grateful while there, for the kindness Randy's family showed myself, Mckelsie and Jayden.  Having just come into the family, it was very reassuring to have them all be so nice and understanding.  I think we all were wishing we could've staying another couple of days. 

Jayden 

Mckelsie

Angela and Mckelsie

Dave (not sure what he's rocking....but it worked for him!)

Kids games....

Camryn, Jessica and Mckelsie

Poor Grandpa Archibald!  Grandma Archibald thought it would be fun for the kids to toss wet sponges and try to hit Grandpa's face!  What a good sport he was!

Ben got stuck with the task as well!

Cleaning up the canoe's.... My sweet Randy!

I love this picture!  Mckelsie rode on the back of the jet ski with Randy while Jayden learned to knee board.  It was her job to hold up the orange flag to notify other boater's that there was a person in the water.  She did perfect!!

By the time we left....Jayden was a pro!!!

What a great view and so many great memories!

We went out one day with Mckelsie and Jayden to knee board and I sat on a community dock so I could take pictures.  Randy would take Mckelsie and Jayden right near me and I was able to get some great shots!  I love the one handed move here with Jayden.  Now imagine his yell as he sped by; "Wahooo.....YEAH!!!!". 

Dang, that guy is so freakin good looking! 

Mckelsie

Look at how happy she is!!!  She had so much fun, it made it that much more fun for me!

Randy was having a little bit of fun....

I can hear it now.... "Oh yeah!".

The first day was a little overwhelming for Mckelsie.  There were a lot of people there that she didn't know and a lot of kids making A LOT of noise.  She disappeared for awhile and this is where we found her.  It was in a little closet up in the loft area.  I ended up laying down with her and napping for awhile.  It was actually quite cozy and if you closed the door on the closet, it drowned out the noise pretty well.

Grandpa Archibald, taking it easy watching the kids....

Carter learned to ride a two wheeler!!!  He was so excited and proud of himself! 

The cutest part was that he was giving lessons shortly after learning himself to his cousin. 

Tadpoles....

Aiden and Jayden spent a lot of time in the canoes and Jayden was in HEAVEN!

Ben....ahahahaha.....

The guys, struttin their bods.

Brady and Brendan

Camryn, Jessica and Ashley took the jet ski out for a ride.

Almost every afternoon, there was a thunderstorm.  They usually didn't last long and cleared up quickly. 

Here's Randy's artistic shot of the pooring rain.

Camryn is so dang cute!

Trevor was teaching the little kids about the guitar.  I was actually upstairs at the time and

just listening to him talk to the kids about where to put their fingers and then telling them to

go ahead and strum was one of the cutest things I've ever heard. 

Mckelsie, Shelby and Grandma Archibald

Grandma Archibald, Shelby, Will and Mckelsie

Angela and Lane

My sweet Randy

Stef (Trevor's wife)

Ben was teaching Carter how to fish....very cute!!!

Mckelsie and Randy getting ready for her first jet ski ride driving!

They DID make it back, safe and sound!

Amy (Randy's sister)

Apparently, every year, Grandpa Archibald finds flags in the community of Rexburg that need to be retired so he gather's them up and saves them for the family reunion and teaches all of the kids the importance of the flag, has the family perform the Pledge of Allegience and then teaches the kids the proper way to dispose of the flag. 

Carter fell asleep this way two nights in a row!

Camryn, Jessica, Ashley and Mckelsie