Trim the tree(s)

Blake and Jared had the day off today, so they decided it was a good day to trim some of our trees.  The trees have grown so that they were in the way in the driveway, and it was difficult to mow under them. 

Here are a few of the limbs on the driveway.

Blake ran the chain saw and cut off limb after limb.

Jared's job was to load the trailer.  Yes, that is our trailer, we bought it a couple of weeks ago.  It worked very nicely to load the branches and take them to the dump, and I think it will work just as nicely to haul four wheelers and snow machines.

Mothers Day in June!

On Mothers Day, my kids told me that they had all gone together and got me something, but it hadn't come yet.  They told me that I had to keep wondering what it was.  Then, last week Brian brought 2 boxes and put them in my garage, saying that it was my mothers day present.  He said they would come back another day and install it.  I still had no idea what it was.  Brian, Randy and Jared had the day off Monday, so they came to install my present.

This is what I found when I walked into the kitchen.  I still wasn't sure what they were doing.

OH! NOW I GET IT!  Drawer shelves for my bottom cupboards!

The finished product!  Yay!  I love them!  Thanks Cindy & Ken, Brian & Celia, Randy & Courtney and Jared!  I love you!

More Maden

I bought a "jumper" for Maden to use at our house.  He seems to like it pretty good.

Isn't he just cute!  He's almost sitting by himself.

Maden has his own way of getting around.  He lays on his back and uses his head for a front "wheel" and pushes with his feet and scoots backwards.  He'll scoot a couple of times, then stop and look at you and wait for you to laugh at him, which of course we do!

Mowing with Maden

Grandpa Blake giving Maden a ride on the lawn mower.  He wasn't scared, just sat there enjoying the ride.

Celia is a smart mommy to make sure Maden wears a hat, so his little head doesn't get sunburned, I guess today it was also a work hat!

May?

We woke up to snow yesterday and today!  Not what we like to see in May! 

                                                           May 6th

May 6th

May 7th

Don't think Maden will try the swing out this morning.

Bird or Maden?

Maden is a really good eater, he loves food and opens his mouth really wide!  He looks like a baby bird waiting for the food to get put in his mouth!  Then when it gets in his mouth he says "Mmmmmmm"!  So cute!

Fun with Maden

Maden and I got to hang out for awhile on Friday morning.  We did a lot of fun things!

We had some tummy time.

We practiced our sitting skills.

We played peek-a-boo.

It was so funny, he would laugh every time the camera flashed, so I just had to keep taking pictures!

He loved playing with a paper cup, it was great entertainment.

It was a fun morning, we had a great time!  (Pretty cute little guy, huh?)

Funny Story

Last Friday Randy and Courtney moved into a mobile home less than a mile from us.  We had helped them most of the day.  About 6:30 that evening after Blake, Jared and I were home, Courtney and Randy walked in to our house, Randy was holding a big wad of paper towel on his thumb.  (Cindy, read at your own risk!)  Apparently, Randy had cut his thumb with a box cutter.  He didn't know if it needed stitches and wanted Blake to look at it.  He was sitting at the table while Blake was inspecting it, he started looking really pale, almost gray. (I've seen that color many times on one of my children who shall remain nameless, except in above parenthesis!) We made him go lay down on the couch.  Blake decided that it would be ok to just super glue it shut, and needed to go get the glue and some other supplies.  Jared went to hold Randy's arm in the air.  Pretty soon, Jared is kneeling on the floor, so I take a closer look at him.  He is more pale and gray than Randy!  He laid down without anyone telling him!  He was so mad at himself!  So, here are these two boys that are both planning to go into medicine!  Oh, well, made for a funny story!

Maden

Maden is now 2 months old!  I love it when he's here!  It brings such a feeling of peace to hold him, talk to him and see his precious smile and hear his little stories. 

Almost smiling

Now that's a smile!!!

Such a sweet happy boy!

Baby petting "baby"

Sitting in the chair like a big boy

He loves laying under this toy, and he really loves it when someone talks to him!

Grandpa's making sure Maden is warm by the fire.

Cute family

Four generations

Fell asleep on Grandpa's lap

Oh Oh, was Ralphie jealous?

Extremely filled up weekend

CHRISTMAS!!!
This long weekend started off with Christmas!!  It was kind of an interesting/different Christmas as far as who was here and who wasn't.  Randy and Courtney stayed the night Christmas Eve, so they shared Christmas Eve and Christmas morning with Blake, Jared, my parents and I.  Then Randy had to go to work at 11:00.  Brian had to work both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, so we saw him by taking dinner to him both days.  Celia's parents and brothers are here from Pennsylvania, so they all came down for Christmas dinner.  It was a good Christmas, even if we did have to work around work schedules!

Courtney, Randy and Jared opening presents

My mom, Jared & Courtney getting ready to eat yummy Monkey bread.  (Cindy, this is what it's supposed to look like!)

Blake and I in our Christmas red shirts!

CINDY CAME!!!!

Saturday, the next big thing happened!  Cindy flew in to the Idaho Falls airport.  It was a long hard day for her, but she made it .... only an hour and a half late.  It is always so good to see her! 

Cindy meeting Maden for the first time, she thinks he's tiny.

BABY BLESSING!!!!!

Sunday morning .... Maden was blessed in Brian and Celia's ward in Idaho Falls at 9:00 am.  Brian did a really good job and Maden was very content.

Maden, in his "tie" and "man pants".  What big eyes you have, Maden.

FAREWELL!!!!!!!

The last thing capping off the weekend was Jared's "farewell"!  He spoke in our ward in Groveland at 10:50 am.  We hurried home from Brian's church to get here in time for our Sacrament Meeting!  He did such a good job with his talk and I am so proud of him!  He claims he doesn't like talking in church, but you would never know by the way he spoke, appearing to be full of confidence. 

This is the picture that will be on his plaque in the foyer of our church.

Just before going to the church.

Randy, Cindy and Jared getting ready to go to the church.

Now, he's even more ready with his suitcoat on.

We are very proud to be his parents!

We had a dinner in our house after church.  We had tables and chairs every where in the living room and family room.  Leisja , Sarah, Danae (who is hiding behind Sarah) and Danielle came to wish Jared well! Thanks to all the people who came to support Jared!

After dinner, some of the kids played Nerts and Spoons!

They look pretty calm right here, but sometimes, it got pretty wild!

After most everyone had left, Nate, Sarah, Leisja and Alicia came and surprised Jared.  They played Nerts again, it was pretty crazy!

We tried to get a picture of Jared and Nate looking dignified like the missionaries they are about to become, as you can see it wasn't too hard for Jared, but Nate....let's just say it was a little harder!

It was certainly a packed weekend, but it was a good one!  I always look back and wish I would have taken more, better pictures, but I guess what you see is what you get.