Friday, October 31, 2008

Pumpkin Carving

We carved a pumpkin about two weeks ago. Why so early you ask? Well, that was the last time we were together as a family, other than Caden's b-day celebration. It has been over two weeks since we have eaten any meal (breakfast, lunch or dinner) together as a family. It has been a long month. We did have a lot of fun carving the pumpkin together.

Caden was afraid of the guts of the pumpkin and wanted nothing to do with it.

Kailyn helping clean out the pumpkin.


Jordan doing her share.

Time to carve. Ken helping Kailyn carve.

Jordan helping carve the pumpkin.

Caden liked the carving much better than the clean out the guts.

The finished product.

Goofy faces (Caden is actually yawning but it fits right in)

Look Who's 2


So Caden turned 2 back on October 19. We had to celebrate his birthday later cause Ken had to work. I love this age! He is so excited about everything. You've got to watch the video of him trying to blow out his candles. He tried so hard but ended up spitting and drooling all over the cake. When he tries and fails he says "I can't do it"

Here are some facts about Caden:
-He now sleeps in a toddler bed. He has actually been doing this since August. When we were in Montana he learned to climb out of his crib and it soon became a safety issue.
-He has definitely entered the terrible twos. He will often cry when he is frustrated (normally cause I can't understand what he wants). He also wants to do everything himself.
-His favorite color is orange. He is always pointing out things that are orange.
-He does not like milk.
-His favorite thing to eat for breakfast is pancakes, oatmeal, and waffles.
-He loves yogurt (which is good cause this is often his main source of calcium)
-He loves to point out "school buses" as we drive around town
-He is a mama'a boy. He always wants to know where I am, "Mom, where are you?" (his favorite phrase). He also loves to say "Mom, wait." which means he wants me to stop and wait for him to catch up so he can hold my hand.
-He does not like animals. Sure from a distance or in a book they are great, but any closer and he freaks out.
-He laughs when he is nervous (ie when he knows he is in trouble). It is a very distinct laugh, very shaky sounding and not his normal laugh.
-He is a weird picky eater. Like the other night for dinner we had a lasagna and grilled asparagus. He didn't even try the lasagna but ate a ton of asparagus. It is frustrating cause he won't even try things, but then the next meal he will try and eat the most unusual things.
-He loves bread. (a complete change from 6 months ago when he wouldn't even touch it)
-He does really good sitting and listening to stories. Even long ones with lots of words and few pictures.
-Loves to watch me cook in the kitchen. We have this little stools (that we got from my grandma Kenison) that he pushes up to the counter and stands on.
-I love his blue eyes. Someone commented on his pretty blue eyes today and I have to agree that they are very beautiful.
-He loves to say, just out of the blue, "Mom, I Love you!" He says this quite often. It is really cute.
-I love in the morning how he comes in my room all smiles and cheerfully informs me, "Mom, I wake up." as if I couldn't tell that he had woken up. He then tells me, "Good morning Mom."

I thought this was a really cute picture of Kailyn.

Caden opening a present from Grandma and Grandpa Bassett. The kids love playing this game together. Caden can't quite catch the butterflies as they are falling but still thinks it is so fun to watch them shoot up in the air and then pick them up once they hit the floor.

Caden opening a package from Grandma and Grandpa Jones. The first thing he noticed was the fire truck (can you see the excitement on his face?). He has LOVES his new fire truck.

Checking out the rest of his presents.
The girls showing off the wrapping paper they decorated.

Kailyn showing Caden the beautiful picture she drew for him.Opening presents.

This is the present Jordan picked out for Caden. Can you see that Jordan is just as, if not more, excited then Caden? Jordan gets really excited to give presents.
Jordan gave Caden a kiss and Caden got such a huge smile on his face. We tried to reinact it but as you can see it was just not the same.

Opening a present from Mom and Dad.


We own a Magna Doodle that Caden loves to bring to me to draw for him. He always asks me to draw either a car or a big truck. I draw it, he looks at it, erases it and then asks me to draw another one. This cake is suppose to represent the car that I draw over and over and over again for him.



Thursday, October 30, 2008

Washington D.C. sites

After spending all day Sunday and Monday with the Nelsons we ventured out on our own on Tuesday. We spent the day doing a lot of site seeing. We got to see a lot until it down poured. We of course were just walking back from the Lincoln Memorial (the furthest thing from anything). It was a long walk and a heavy rain. We got soaked. Some how Caden managed to fall asleep. Sorry the pictures are a little out off order. If you notice there seems to be a lot more pictures of Caden that is because he was the only one willing to stand and smile for a pictures by the end.

We rode the train into D.C. and then toke the subway into downtown. The kids loved riding the subway. That is until the second day we were in D.C. and had to ride the subway during rush hour. Jordan turned to me and said, "Mommy I'm getting squished." "Yes, I'm sorry but we all are."


Kailyn and Jordan feeling a dinosaur bone. Jordan discovered little signs that let you know that they wanted you to touch something (ie a bone, a smooth rock, etc). She then spent the rest of the time looking for these signs and touching everything and then excitedly would come and tell us all she had found something to touch.

We went to Natural Musuem which at a section that had a bunch of stuffed wild animals. Kailyn couldn't understand why they would kill the animals and put them here to look at. I think she was so confused cause just the day before we had gone to the zoo and seen the live ones which were a lot funner to look at.

Caden, Jordan and Kailyn. Not sure why such a look on Kailyn's face. Maybe she is afraid of the elephant behind her.

Checking out the dinosaur bones.

Caden loved the dinosaurs.

Caden still willing to smile for some pictures.

Caden looks a little unsure of the dinosaur head.

After walking in the pouring rain forever we finally found shelter in a walkway of a building. We had hoped to have a picnic over by the Lincoln Memorial but we had to settle for lunch where it was dry.

While, we were eating lunch the rain finally stopped. This is the building that provided us shelter during the storm.

How Caden fell asleep when it was raining so hard, I have no idea.

In front of the White House.





The girls refused to be in the picture but Caden was more than willing.
The girls eventually decided they didn't want to be left out.




Can you tell Kailyn didn't want to take a picture?

Washington D.C.

So as part of our fun in D.C. we went and saw Kung Fu Panda and went to Chuck E. Cheese. Unfortunately, Steve wasn't able to join us for Chuck E. Cheese but Jenny and the two boys were. Our kids had so much fun at Chuck E. Cheese! When the trip was over and and we asked the kids what their favorite part was and they all agreed it was Chuck E. Cheese.

Showing off our Kung Fu Panda moves. As you may be able to see, we had the whole movie theater all to ourselves.


Jordan checking out her loot. Jenny bought the kids and little prize bag which of course the kids loved.

Ken trying out one of the kiddy games.

Helping Jordan to get a little more muscle behind the balls.

Jordan and Kailyn showing off their coins.

Family photo.

Eating dinner.

Ken and me showing off our B-ball skills.

Ken and Kailyn playing a game of air hockey.

Caden going for a ride with Chuck E. Cheese

The girls loved this ride (until they learned they can get tickets and thus prizes from other games). It was a virtual roller coaster ride.

Jordan and Caden.

Kailyn determined to get lots of tickets.

Kailyn playing some basketball.

Kailyn

Jordan trying some basketball.

The kids in their new glasses.

Caden loved this game. You pushed a button to try and knock over the rubber duckies.

So Caden was playing this game when I guess he got frustrated that the balls kept rolling back to him instead of going in the hole. So, he took it upon himself to hop up and walk right up and put the ball in the hole...too bad he put it the hole that didn't count for anything. So much for cheating.

Jenny bought the kids some ice cream bars. Caden was in heaven and had to eat every last drop of it.

Caden happily eating his ice cream.

Caden trying to help Jordan play basketball.