Shantel's visit to Idaho

I have the best sister. This last week David went on a work trip, and Shantel came up with Lydia and Austin to play with us. It was so nice to have a little company. I felt kind of bad because as much as I love living in Idaho Falls, there really is not too much to do. Especially in winter with a  bunch of little kids. So we didn't really do anything super fun, but it was fun for me to see my niece and nephew, and to have some company for a couple of days while Kevin was at work.

We went to Target to go clearance shopping. The cartwheel app had a coupon for 20% off all clearance. Isn't that great? If you find something on clearance for 50% off, you get to take an extra 20% off of that. It made for a great deal. I got a cute coat, boots, and hat for Camille for next year. I am really excited for next year already so that she can wear these cute winter clothes.

Shantel bought us pizza AND bread sticks for dinner. She spoiled us. If we ever get pizza we hardly ever buy bread sticks as well. It was wonderful.

The next day, we just hung out with Shantel at home. We watched "Dirty Rotten Scoundrel". It is an older movie, but it was cute. We really like Steve Martin.  I think he is so funny.

I got Austin to laugh again. I think that if you took his little laugh and recorded it, that it could heal anything. Cancer, beaten. Depression, gone. Whenever I hear his sweet laugh my heart just feels so full and happy. It is the cutest thing. He is always smiling. Or crying, but mostly smiling. His smile just melts my heart.

Camille really loved Austin. She would go over to his little bouncer and help him bounce, and pull the bouncer cover off. She liked to pat his head, and she even tried to help wipe his face off. She just loved having another little baby around. So did I.

I loved having my sister here and her little family. They make me so happy. I am so glad that Family is forever, because I don't know what I would do without them.

I have a 1 year old

I have a 1 year old. A little active amazing girl. She is really great. Looking back on this year she has learned so much. I mean, even in this last month she learned how to climb up on the kitchen chairs, which is really terrible. Now she is falling off of them all the time. Anyway, I don't even know where to begin telling you about Camille this month. I feel like she is just a little toddler, except she can't talk yet, and she can't eat hard foods. Other than that she just does her thing. She is constantly running around the house exploring things. She loves to put things on her head. Today she was wearing the Frisbee as a hat. It was so adorable.

Camille is really starting to figure things out. It is amazing how much she has learned even in this last month. I can say "find..." and say pretty much anything, and she can find it. It is pretty much the only way I can get her to eat. I say, "Can you find the bread?" and she picks one up, shows it to me, then eats it and says "num, num. num". Then I say, "Can you find the cheese?" then she picks one up and shows me then eats it. It is really cute.

She has been so cute. She started trying to dance. When some music come on she gets really ridged, makes her hands into fists, and bounces her arms up and down. It is so funny to watch. I am glad that she likes music though, because I think that music is very important.

She has learned the song "If you are happy and you know it". I can start singing it and she will clap her hands. That is the only action she knows. She also will say ma ma, and da da, when I put them in place of where she should clap her hands.

We finally bought Camille a crib and she was a champ. The first nap that she took in it, she cried and cried. But that night and ever after she has slept really well in it. The biggest problem that we face with the crib is that her pacifiers fall out of it.

I feel really stumped at what to write. I feel like she hasn't changed that much, but at the same time I feel like she is almost a different person. She seems so much older, but isn't really doing too much different.

She is just perfect. I just love to hang out with her all day long. She is so fun to play with. I love you Camille. I hope you always remember how much your parents love you! Happy 1 year!

I am awesome and I made a time capsule

When I was 15 I made a time capsule. It was for my youth group. I am sure I thought it was a lame activity, but I was so grateful that I did it now. I saved it for 10 years. I didn't peak inside. I didn't open it early. And surprisingly I didn't lose it. At the start of this year I finally was able to open it up. I wish that I would have put an explanation of why I put all of the things I put in my time capsule. But I think I remember most of them. Here is what I put in.

When I was a freshman in High School, my sister Shantel did the 12 days of Christmas for me. It was so thoughtful and kind. I remember being so excited to see what was coming that day. My sister is such a kind, thoughtful, and wonderful person. I hope I can be half the woman she is. I am so grateful for the wonderful example she is from me.

I put in several things from my girls camp experience. I always loved girls camp. It brought back fond memories of spending time with wonderful girls and strengthening my testimony and feeling the love that the Lord has for me.

I put in some papers that were put on my locker as a freshman when I played volleyball and basketball. Sports were so important to me growing up. I have so many good memories and have made so many good friends from playing sports.

We filled in a paper about our likes and stuff. I put who my friends were, who the President was and our Young Women leaders, what boys we liked and our favorite foods.

I put in some notes from my best friends. I love that Jaelle has always been one of my best friend. I don't talk to her very often, but she is still one of my best friends.

I also added lots of pictures of my friends. Most of them are from my 8th grade graduation.

This was so fun to open. After I opened it I made Kevin and I write letters to each other that we will open in ten years. I am so excited to open them. It was such a fun thing to do. I hope to make more as that time goes on with more kids.

Library

We went to the Library yesterday. Camille has been to the Library before, but she was finally old enough to actually enjoy it . She found this awesome snake chair and just ran to it and loved it. It was so fun to see her playing.

I felt kind of bad because she pulled so many books off the shelves. The librarians had to put so many books away. I felt kind of bad, but Camille sure didn't. She loved playing. I had to document this because she was just so cute. I hope she someday has the same amount of love for books that I have. Books are awesome. I hope she feels that way when she gets older as well.