Happiness Is...

Saturday, December 29, 2007

Grandma's Christmas Surprise

For Christmas, we decided to make my Mom a toy box. This is not to say that my Mom loves playing with toys, but she does love all of her grandkids playing with toys. She has been looking for a toy box to put in the living room, but could not find anything.

The boys in our family built a beautiful big box that can double as a bench! Both my Mom and the grandkids loved it! It was pretty funny to watch. Here is a little clip:

Christmas Memories!!

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Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve my family has always had a really great tradition to make a whole bunch of appetizers, and make that our dinner. We eat shrimp,cheese squares, crab roll-ups, stuffed mushrooms, artichoke dip, vegetable and fruit platters, tyropites, and a lot of other great things. This year I really learned to appreciate all of the work my mom puts into making that dinner. I decided to go help her this year.
Matt and I got there around 11 am, and I helped cook for about 6 hours in all, and my mom had been cooking for about 3 hours prior to that!
I was a lot of work, but a lot of fun to be able to help out and learn how to make some new yummy foods!
The only trouble of the whole day, was that Brett and Matt could not stop snitching in the food!

Monday, December 24, 2007

Merry Christmas!!

We hope everybody has a wonderful holiday!

Sunday, December 23, 2007

Temple Square

Last night Matt and I went to Temple Square with my parents, Eric, Heidi, and Tiana. It was a lot of fun to see the lights, but very cold and crowded!

Afterwards we went back to our apartment for hot chocolate, cake, and chips and salsa for Eric's birthday.

Temple Square always makes me feel very Christmasy. I can't believe Christmas will be here in less than 48 hours! Wahoo!!!

Friday, December 21, 2007

Tradition

Every year my friend Jen and I have a tradition of getting together for Christmas. Doesn't sound like much of a tradition, but it kind of is because we don't see each other very often.

I met Jen back at my very first job: Partytime!

We both have a lot of great memories from there, but I think it is safe to say we are glad to move on.

Thanks to Jen and her husband Aaron for being such great friends to us...we are super excited to go skiing after the New Year!

My Favorite Boys

These pictures really don't have anything to do with anything, but I wanted to post them because I love them.

These are two guys I am very grateful for and love very much.

A couple of nights ago I spent some time down at my parents house, and left a little bit teary eyed. I am so grateful for such wonderful parents!

I'm especially grateful for the special relationship I have always had with my Dad. There is almost nobody that I feel more comfortable joking around with and just having fun. He is a great guy!

Hark the Herald Angels Sing!

We had the chance to go and hear the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Sing with The King's Singers. It was really great. We went with my parents and Matt's parents. Afterwards Matt's parents took us out for dessert, which was delicious. It was a really fun and COLD night!

I have to confess: I think I am a Christmas-a-holic. I absolutely love everything about this season (besides the stress). Christmas music is one of my very most favorite things, so I always love a chance to go to a great performance like the Tabernacle Choir.

Our First Christmas!

We are so excited for our very first Christmas together!

We decided to call December 1st our Christmas Day Extravaganza. We got our very first tree, bought wrapping paper, tree decorations, and a few decorations for our apartment. We were pretty tired by the end of the day, but it sure was fun.

We decided we would be a little bit old fashioned, and we strung up popcorn and cranberries to put on our tree. It was a lot of work and a huge mess, but turned out really cute.

Thanksgiving

I wish I had a few more pictures of Thanksgiving, but....I don't, so enjoy what's here.

We got to have 2 Thanksgivings, which was a lot of fun. We spent Thanksgiving day with my extended family on the Goodrich side. There were about 70 or so of us, and then we spent the day after Thanksgiving with Matt's parents and brother, making 5 of us in total. It was a big difference, but we love spending time with both sides.

Dinner was delicious at both places, but I must say, Matt's Dad is definitely gourmet!

We spent the Saturday after Thanksgiving down in Cedar Hills with my family watching the BYU Utah game. Unfortunately (for Matt) the U lost. There were certainly no tears from me:)

Kids Say the Darndest Things

1/30/13- Cam heard Sid the Science Kid say, "everybody can do something special!" He turned to me and said, "even I can do something special? Like fly to Mr. Clawson's (our neighbor SISTER Clawson) and play with all her toys, and when I am finished I could fly back? Wow! That would be really cool!"

Awhile ago- Cam and I were looking at a picture of Jesus, when Cam reached out and poked His nose and said, "honk!"

Awhile ago- I was helping Cam put on his shirt when he started saying, "sings...are doing?" Translation: fingers, what are you doing? Because he got his fingers stuck inside his sleeve.

Awhile ago- We went to the store as a family. After we pulled into a parking garage and got out of the car, Cameron looked up and yelled at the top of his lungs, "HABITAT!"

2/4/13- I laid my head down on Matt's shoulder. Riley walked up and gave me his dirty look and said, "no Mom. My Dad."

2/6/13- Cam did his first poop in the toilet today-yay! We were cheering and getting really excited! He walked back over to the toilet to look at his poop and said, "Wow! It is so beautiful!"

2/10/13- Cam woke up a little groggy this morning and stumbled as he walked. "Mom, I am having a pretty wibbly wobbly day today!"

3/4/13 - Cam learned the word resourceful from Super Why. When I asked him to go upstairs for quiet time, he told me he needed a treat, and I told him not right now. He started to cry and said, "but Mom...I will find a way to get one, because I am gonna be asourceful!"

3/10/13 - Cam while walking up to a large group of strangers: "Everybody! We are here! I am Cameron, this is Riley, and that is Camille."

3/10/13 - Cam: "Mom, can we go buy a cupcake at a....cupcakery?"

3/22/13 - I had Cam and Riley sit down on the couch and I told them I would play them a bedtime song on the piano. It ended up being a pretty long song, that I needed to practice. They sat there the entire time and didn't budge. When I finished, Cam said, "Mom, that was a beautiful bedtime song, but I was just thinking about hampsters!"

4/25/13 - As Riley and I were walking home after dropping Cam off at school, we passed a man who had long brown hair, and a beard. Riley yelled out "Mom! Its Jesus!" Ironically we saw him on our way to pick up Cam as well. It was so funny, I had to tell him. He did kind of look like Jesus, if you don't count the cigarette....

4/28/13 - In primary, Cam was asked what he loves about his Mom. He said, "I like that she cleans up the house for me." Glad to know I'm doing something right.

4/28/13 - The teacher in sharing time said that Joseph Smith was a prophet. Cam yelled out, "No! Smiths is a grocery store!"

5/24/13 - I asked Cam his favorite thing about himself (giving him examples, like, you have a nice smile, good at sharing, fast runner). He finally said, "Mom, I don't like any of those things. I just like my toots."

6/27/13 - While putting Ry to bed, he was singing his ABC's.

"QRSTUVWXY and Z. Now I know my ABC's, next time I want some help."

8/30/13 - Cam: "Mom, when I was 3 legs tall, I didn't know how to read this book. Now I do". Referring to 3 FEET tall.

10/30/13 - Riley said to a GIRL wearing an Ariel shirt, "see? These is my spider rings, Mermaid Boy!"

2/24/14 - Cam: "Mom, are there real bad guys on earth?"

Mom: "Yes. There are some people on earth who make really bad choices and do things that aren't kind."

Cam: "Like...throw up on your head?"

2/26/14 - As Matt was washing Riley in the tub and poured water over his head, Riley said, "Dad! You are being so insensitive!"

2/26/14 - Riley asked where Dad and Cam were. I said they went to work and school, but they would be home later.

"Mom, I believe it is possible that I will never see them again!"

3/10/14 - Riley kept asking me for a snack while I was feeding Micah. He finally said, "Mom, how many times I gonna have to tell you? I meed (need) a snack!"

2013-2014 - Cameron can't say remember. Instead it's "benember?"

3/15/14 - Riley in the bathtub: "Mom, this is a Mommy and a Daddy duck and 2 baby ducks, and they have a baby kitty, and a baby horse that's like a fish, and a sheep!"

3/14/14 - I shushed the boys because I heard a funny noise and Riley said, "what is it Mom? Is it the Holy Ghost?"

3/13/14 - Matt says all the time as a joke, "You know what I always say" and then proceeds to say something he has probably never said in his life. Apparently Cam picked up on it. We were talking about something at dinner time when he turned to me and said, "you know what I always say Mom..."

4/5/14 - Micah was crying in the boys room, and Cameron said to Riley: "Riley, you should probably go down there and nurse him!"

4/7/14 - I wasn't feeling very well, and Riley noticed and said, "Mom, I will take care of you today. Dad and Riley and Cameron will take care of you and Micah, ok?"

I asked Riley who would take care of him and he said, "I don't know. But...I will take care of you!"

4/6/14 - Cameron was having a rough little moment while we were at my parents house for conference. He gets a little overwhelmed when there are lots of people around. He came and asked me to spend a little time with him, away from everybody else. Later that night my Mom was asking him about it, and said, "sometimes you just need to be alone, don't you?" Cam answered, "No, Grandma. Sometimes I just need to be with my Mom." Melt my heart!

4/8/14 - Cam sure know what he wants! He wasn't feeling well last night, and wanted to go to bed early. As I put him to bed, he gave me a full list of his wishes:

"I want socks tonight, and music, and I want you to lay with me, but only for 1 minute. And I want a mask from the doctor so I don't share my germs, and I want my special blanket that you made for Dad, and I want Riley to be quiet, and you to draw on my back." Whew! Whatever the little prince desires...

4/5/14 - Cameron was so excited that we set up the bunkbeds today! We were hanging up his favorite pictures around his bed when he suddenly had to go to the bathroom. He ran out of the room and said, "I will go potty, and when I get back, I will be so surprised by SpiderMan, and Jesus!!"

We were also putting up the beds while we listened to conference. He was so excited that he would hear a word the speaker would say, and yell out, "Yay! The Atonement! Yay! Testify!"

4/6/14 - As Cam was playing with his cousins during Conference, Aunt Megan was telling them to pretend they were in tents listening to the Prophet, just like King Benjamin. Cam got so excited, pumped his arm in the air, and shouted, "Yes! Let's learn the gospel!"

3/28/14 - Matt's Mom was watching the kids. Apparently they took her downstairs to our play house. Cam said, "Grandma, lets pretend this is Heaven. Now we can teach you the gospel!" Riley said, "yeah...the gospel of...poop!" And Cam angrily answered, "no Riley, not the gospel of poop, the gospel of super heroes!"

4/18/14 - Cam: "Guys, I want to tell you my dream. I wish that turkey fell from the sky. I would eat all the turkey on the sidewalks."

4/18/14 - Cam was carrying a blanket and pillow downstairs for a family sleepover when he said, "I am being really big and strong about this!" Suddenly this look of realization came over his face and he said, "maybe I really AM the real spiderman!"

5/3/14 - Riley was jabbering and jabbering in the car-nonstop, to the point that everybody was getting kind of annoyed. When we all finally gave up on talking to each other and the car got quiet, Riley said, "Everybody? Are you enjoying me??"

5/23/14 - Cameron: "Dad, you need to start wearing your underwear on the outside everyday, cause you are really strong!"

5/27/14 - Me putting on fake glasses and playing with Cam: "how are you today sir?" Cameron: "I'm doing good, I suppose."

5/29/14 - Riley was looking at a cat at the zoo and said (in a high sweet voice) "Oh...his name is Kitty Kat, and he has beautiful stripes."

Me: "those are spots, Riley"

Riley: "Yeah, I know...spikes."

5/31/14 - Cameron: "Dad, you should really start wearing your underwear on the outside, cause you are REALLY strong!"

6/19/14 - Riley as he picked a booger out of his nose and showed it to Matt: "Dad, do you want a bite of my golden fruit?"

7/14/14 - Cameron: "Mom, you should pray that you can be a pretty pony when you grow up. Yeah. That's what you should be praying for."

10/17/14 - Cameron: I was telling Cam that the letter "c" can make 2 different sounds. "Yep Mom! It's a pretty powerful letter!"

10/21/14 - Riley: Riley was eating a cookie and getting ready to play the ipad. Cece was sitting in front of him staring him down (obviously, because of the cookie). Riley made a grumpy face and said, "no, no Cece! It isn't your turn to play the ipad!"

10/22/14 - Cameron: "Mom, do the weather people think it is going to be really smooky (spooky) this Halloween?"

11/4/14 - Cameron: "Mom, is it sometimes right now?

Me: "No, sometimes isn't exactly a time-it just means not all the occasionally."

Cam: "What is occasionally?"

Me: "It means every once in a while."
Cam: "What is every once in a while."

Me: "Every now and then."

Cam" What is every now and then."

Me: "Think about going to the park. We don't go all the time, we just go sometimes-and we don't always know exactly when it wil be."
Cam: "So, can we go to the park now?"

11/4/14 - Riley: "Super doggie gets super hero bad guys, and he doesn't cry about it, and he doesn't have a grumpy face about it and he has a happy face about it."

11/5/14 - Cameron during his prayer: "please bless that I won't shoot Riley with that type of nerf gun I'm going to get for Christmas. And please bless that it's the one not with balls, but the one with darts, and please bless..."

November 2014 - Mom- "What should we do for Dad's birthday?"

Cam- "Let's tie him up!"

November 2014 - After I set lunch down, Cameron reminded me that we need to pray. I thanked him for reminding us, and Cam said, "I'm just always trying to make Heavenly Father happy!"

11/21/14 - Riley came all the way from the breakfast table downstairs to my room to use the potty. When I asked him why he couldn't just use the bathroom downstairs, he answered, "because then it might make me have feelings?"

December 2014 - While listening to Christmas music, Cam heard, "I don't know if there'll be snow, but have a cup a cheer!" He asked me to repeat what it said, and then got a confused look on his face. "Mom, does Heavenly Father ask us not to drink cheer?"

December 2014 - Cameron: "My favorite Christmas story is the one about Jesus being born."

December 2014 - Cameron gave me a great big hug and then said, "Mmmm. Now I know what hair tastes like!"

12/23/14 - "Mom, do killers come out on Christmas?" Cameron trying to ask if CAROLERS come out on Christmas.

1/13/15 - We lost Cece for a little while, and after we found her I mentioned that it was a little bit scary that she was lost. Riley said, "she wasn't lost. I knowed where she were!"

January 2015 - Riley: "You know, Jesus is bigger than the wookie man."

2/3/15 - Riley: "When I had a little boy when I was a mudder (mother), my little boy didn't eat."

2/4/15 - Cameron: "Mom, is first grade when I will make a wife?"

2/7/15 - Cameron: "Mom, when I breathe, it feels kind of....boring."

2/11/15 - As I sat down taking a break from a hectic day, Cameron said, "Mom, Heavenly Father doesn't like us to be lazy!"

Riley age 3 - "To inbinify and beyond!"