Caitlyn's 1 Month Pictures

So my friend Alicia has a sister in law who is trying to start up her photography business and so they asked if she could take pictures of Caitlyn. My answer...heck ya! Gabriela Walker is a truly talented photographer. She was very patient with Caitlyn (even when Caitlyn was peeing everywhere!) and we had a great time taking pictures of our sweet new baby. The pictures are wonderful and I can't stop looking at them. For those of you living around here who need family photos you should check out her blog http://www.gabrielawalkerphotography.blogspot.com/.
Here she is...

My Big Girl...

Yesterday we went Christmas shopping for the kids and I realized how much Megan has grown up. Last year her requests for Christmas were mostly toys. This year she wants sparkly clothes, a girls magazine(Tyler has been getting Boy's Life since he started scouts and she wants her own magazine), an MP3 player, and boots. Goodness! She is turning into a teenager before my eyes! I'm not ready for this. She is starting to get sassy as well. I'm am going to be in trouble when she becomes a real teenager. I am always saying that I wish I could freeze my kids at this age. They are so precious, well, most of the time. I loved this picture of Megan with Caitlyn. She is not as in to helping with Caitlyn as Tyler is but she still loves her a lot. So here is a picture of my sweet girls!

Bath Time

I don't have a story to go with this I just thought it was a cute picture. Caitlyn loves to be in the shower but as soon as the water is turned off she starts screaming. This was a picture after she had worn herself out from all of the crying. One of these days I will get a picture of her with her eyes open!

Things I'm Thankful For...

I am thankful for so many things but here are a few of them...


A great family



a new baby

great extended family

great friends(and I have a lot of great friends!)

I am also greatful for the Gospel and that we live in a country where we can worship as we please. For all of those people who risk their lives, and have lost their lives so we can have our freedom. For a home that we love(even though it is messy 90% of the time!). I am thankful for a husband who still makes me laugh and for the love we have in our home. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone and enjoy those leftovers!

Our New Family

My mom was here last week to help with the baby and she took thse great pictures for us. I don't know how but all of the pictures we took with her ended up on her camera, I'll have to post those later. We had a great time with her and were sad to see her go. She was a huge help! Thanks Mom!

Halloween

I know it is the middle of November but I had to post these pictures of my cuties in their costumes. Graydon was awesome he took the kids to a trunk or treat and then went around the neighborhood for another 2 hours, he was exhausted when they were done. Our friend Wendy gave us this cute skeleton onsie for Caitlyn and she was born in time to wear it! I love this time of year, the leaves are changing, it is starting to get cold, and the holidays are coming. Happy Fall to everyone!

Caitlyn Wood

Our Caitlyn is here! Okay well she has been here for almost 4 weeks but I haven't had a chance to post. She was born on October 24th at 8:35 pm a whole 2 1/2 weeks early! She was 7lbs. 1oz. (which is a tiny baby for us!) This was my easiest labor yet. I was only in labor for 2 hours! We are enjoying her so much. Tyler loves being a big brother and is always wanting to touch her and hold her. Graydon has been amazing. He has been taking the kids to school, going to the store, and letting me sleep as much as possible. We feel so blessed to have this sweet little girl in our lives and can't wait to see how she grows and changes.

Yes I know this picture is sideways but no matter what I do I can't fix it, so frustrating! I like this picture so tilt your head sideways:)

Conference Weekend

I love conference weekend and last week we had a great opportunity to teach the kids about the importance of conference. I always take notes because it helps me stay focused and I get a lot more out of the talks that are given. For the kids we usually get treats and assign a treat for a topic that might come up, i.e. everytime they hear a speaker talking about the scriptures they can have a gummi bear. This time around we wanted to help them get a little more out of conference so we talked to them about writing down things that interested them or things they had questions about. It was fun to see how eager they were to participate. Megan got really into it. She would copy the speakers name from my notes and then write down words that she heard. We cuddled on the couch while she wrote words like obeedeeinse(obedience) and testmoneae(testimony). They felt like they were grown ups and I think that is why they had so much fun. I hope they retained some of the information too, but if they didn't it was still a great bonding weekend for our family. I couldn't find Tyler's notes, but here are some of Megan's. There was page after page of this...

99 Things I have (or have not) done...
1. Started your own blog*
2. Slept under the stars*
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii*
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity*
7. Been to Disneyland*
8. Climbed a mountain*
9. Held a praying mantis*
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped.
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning*
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty. The top was closed but I've been there!!*
18. Grown your own vegetables*
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight*
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill*
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb*
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse*
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset*
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise*
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied.
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke*
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight*
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted*
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling*
52. Kissed in the rain*
53. Played in the mud*
54. Gone to a drive-in theater*
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wal l of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies*
62. Gone whale watching
63. Gotten flowers for no reason*
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma*
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check*
68. Flown in a helicopter*
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy*
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial*
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square*
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car*
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper*
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House*
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox*
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one*
94. Had a baby*
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone*
99. Been stung by a bee*

Man after looking at this list there are a lot of things I have not done. I have to get cracking.
Now I tag Tiffany and Laura

Baby Shower

My friends Tiffany and Caralee threw a baby shower for my friend Cathy and I. We are a month apart and it has been fun being pregnant at the same time. It was a diaper shower. Since it is the third baby for both of us they asked that everyone bring diapers instead of other traditional gifts. It was so much fun. It was an open house, so people came and went, and Cathy and I got to sit and chat. We had good food and good friends and a few cute baby clothes thrown in, can it get much better than that? Thank you so much Tiffany and Caralee!

People got really creative with the diapers. Our friend Kelly made wreaths out of them.

Caralee, Me, Cathy, and Tiffany

Cute cakes made out of diapers.

Tyler's Baptism

I'm a little late on this but Tyler got Baptized! He was baptized the first Saturday of September. I can't believe my baby is baptized! It was one of the most spiritual experiences of my life! There is something really special about watching your child get baptized by his father that can't be described. When Graydon's brother Tyson asked Tyler why he was getting baptized he said, "To fulfill all righteousness." I couldn't believe it. I can honestly tell you that is something that we have never said. Sometimes I think that little boy will be far more spiritual than I will ever hope to be. I think he was really ready to be baptized. We were fortunate enough to have all of our grandparents, parents, and siblings there, which was awesome. Graydon's sister Tara was not going to be able to come but we got a surprise on Saturday! Graydon's dad, Nikki, flew her in just for the occasion. It was awesome!(Thanks Papa!) We were excited that Graydon's grandpa Wallace and grandma Jenee were able to come out(and allow us to have our own personal baptism :) ) We had such a wonderful time with the family celebrating this great occasion. Thanks to all who helped out (piano, singing, giving talks, helping with food, ect.) and to everyone who took the time to travel to be with us. We love you!

My boys!

All of our family that was able to be there. (We had some close friends that were able to come as well but we didn't get a picture. Thanks for coming guys!)

Graydon's mom Paige, his sister Tara, and dad Nick.

My mom Phyllis and sister Shari

Tyler Turns 8!

It is Tyler's 8th birthday today! This is the first birthday that he got so excited about that he couldn't sleep. He has been counting down the days for weeks. Last night we put him to bed at 7:30; usually he stays up reading and playing until 9:00 or 9:30 but last night he wanted to go to bed right away so that his birthday would come faster. He told me this morning that he woke up at 3:00 and stayed up reading until Graydon came out at 6:00(He will be a wreck tomorrow). He came bursting in the bedroom this morning and said, "It's my birthday! I am 8! If I sin I will need to repent now, this is no longer practice!" I thought that was funny, I'm glad he understands that but I thought it was funny that that was the first thing he said. We've had a fun day going swimming and Tyler got to go and spend some birthday money on more Legos. I can't believe my baby is 8!

Playing in the rain!

I know that I just posted earlier but I had to post this. Megan was asking if she could play in the rain. I told her as long as she stayed in the driveway because I was on the computer and couldn't see her. I came out to check on her and this is what I found. Interesting outfit:) That is a winter jacket she is wearing. My kids make me smile.

Silly Megan!

Megan is so cute. I had to post some of the cute things she has said recently. The other day I was laying on the couch and she comes crawling up at my feet. I ask her what she is doing and she says, "Tiger seeks out Zebra, she finds her prey, she jumps, she tackles!" And she jumps on top of me. I laughed so hard. I had to write it down so I wouldn't forget it. She and Tyler have been reading a lot of Calvin and Hobbes lately so I'm assuming that is where she got it from. Also, a couple of weeks ago she was cuddling in bed with me and she said, "I could only get one eye open this morning, I was so tired. I was still half asleep." Where does she get this stuff. She makes me laugh. Yesterday we enjoyed the relief from the heat and opened the windows(when if wasn't pouring rain) and let the cool air in. The kids were building with legos and Graydon and I were reading on the couch, it was awesome. I am very blessed.

Crazy Coupons

I had to post what I got at Albertsons because this is by far my best shopping trip with coupons. I started couponing a little over a month ago and I think I'm getting the hang of it. My friends Tiffany and Cathy convinced me to do this and I am glad they did! This is what I got...

13 boxes of Cereal

10 Jars of Ragu

5 Suave Body Washes

5 Suave Kids Shampoo

2 Suave Professional Shampoo

3 2Liters of Soda

7 All Detergents

2 Jars of Skippy

2 Yoplait Yoplus 4packs of yogurt

2 Fruit Gushers

2 boxes 100 Calorie Right Bites

2 boxes of Cinnabon Bars

2 pack Stayfree Maxi Pads

2 boxes of OB Tampons

1 Betty Crocker Cookie Mix

1 box Chex Mix Bars

1 bag Cheerios snack mix

1 package of brown sugar

1 gallon of milk

5 Wishbone Salad Dressings

2 Wishbone Bountiful Salad Dressings

2 Jars of Best Foods Mayo

$275.52 worth of products for

*

*

*

*

*

$33.65 but wait.....

I had a $25 gift card from Graydons Reward points for traveling
(Something good for his traveling) and so I only spent

$8.65 out of pocket.

And I have a voucher for $10 off my next shopping trip.

Thank you Albertsons!

(And Thank you Cathy and Tiffany!)