Cardboard Fort

Apparently I have been ordering a few too many things on amazon.com recently because we had loads of boxes. I have been feeling bad about not spending as much quality time with Camille and Jason as I would like. So I decided that I was going to build a fort with them. It actually turned out to be pretty awesome. It had the main part, then a window you could stand up and see out of. It also had a little shoe box on the front that had a hole so I could stick snacks and notes through it, and a box on the back where they could store books and such. It was a fun day and they had fun playing in it for the next couple of days.

 

7 Year Anniversary

Kevin and I have been married for 7 years! I can hardly believe it. Our anniversary fell on a Sunday this year, so we celebrated on Saturday. Seeing how we have a 2 month old, it was kind of an uneventful anniversary. We ordered in Texas Roadhouse, which is one of Kevin's favorite places. We watched Batman vs. Superman. We were less than impressed. It was so confusing and we couldn't recommend it to anyone. Then we went to bed early because the night before (Friday to Saturday night) Kevin had driven a load to Wyoming but he drove from 7 PM to 4-5 AM. So long! He was exhausted. But in the end it was just so nice to be with the one I love. Kevin is my very favorite person to be with, whether we are working, relaxing, playing, or anything. He is the one I want to spend my time with.

On our anniversary (the 12th) we actually had some of my best friends from when I lived in Ephraim over for dinner. Jaelle and Jena were able to come over with their spouses. It was so nice to catch up and meet with them. It was interesting to see the different stages we were all in. Kevin and I had been married for 7 years, Jena had been married for a handful of years, and Jaelle for a couple of months. Fun fact, Sadie was actually due on Jaelle's wedding date, but ended up coming late.

Overall our anniversary was wonderful. It is always fun to look back on the years together and see what we have been through. It has been a lot of changes and moves and a little craziness (mostly from me) but the only thing that has stayed constant is knowing that Kevin loves me and I love him. I am grateful for him. Here are 7 reasons why I am the luckiest girl to be married to him.

1. Kevin is the hardest worker. In all that he does, he gives 100%. At home, or in his church calling, or in his job. He is always working and trying to be better.

2. He is the best dad. He will get home from work and play with the kids and do all sorts of fun things with them. He loves his kids and they know that. They are so blessed.

3. He is always looking for ways to help me. I am pretty sure that Kevin has put Sadie to bed more in her life than I have. And it is so helpful to me and I feel so grateful that he will help with Sadie.

4. He likes to eat out almost as much as I like to. I really love cooking, but sometimes it is so nice to just pick something up and not have to do dishes. If I am not feeling like cooking, Kevin never complains if I want to pick something up. It is the best.

5. He is the funniest person I know. Just writing that sentence makes many memories run through my head of me just laughing. He makes me laugh and I love that.

6. Kevin makes me feel like a gourmet cook. When I make cookies he eats at least a dozen, and I know that sounds like such a silly thing, but I like to make people (especially Kevin) feel happy with things that I cook.

7. He loves Jesus Christ. I am so grateful to have married someone who cares what the Lord wants him to do. We are trying to do what the Lord has in mind for us and  become the people He wants us to be. I am grateful to have a husband by my side asking the Lord for guidance.

Mostly, I just love everything about Kevin. Every year with him has gotten better and better. I can't wait to see what year 20 brings us. I love you Kevin, Happy Anniversary!

Grandma and Grandpa Walkers House

Shantel and her kids came up this last weekend and we headed up to Morgan. It was a nice little day away. We got there and the kids went out and picked all the ripe produce from the garden. They picked so many strawberries and peas, some raspberries and zucchini, and even a couple of carrots that they were not supposed to pick. One thing that we really love about Grandma and Grandpa Walker's house is the garden. It was so fun to be up there with Shantel and her kids and my parents. 

My dad pruned the tree a little big so that the kids could climb in it and they loved it. I didn't get a picture of Camille, but here is a cute picture of Jason climbing in this tree. 

A couple weeks ago we went up and canned some beets with Grandpa Walker. We only got 4 pints, but we did it. It makes me happy that my kids get a little experience in a garden. 

I love my parents and love being so close to them that we can go up and do some of these things. Family is the best. 

Rock Park

We did it! We got out of the house! Well we have been out of the house before this to the grocery store and to Camille's swimming lessons and such, but we haven't been to a park yet. When we found out that we would be having a baby in June I was excited because I thought that would mean we would be able to be outside all summer still. When Camille and Jason were born both in the middle of winter, we didn't leave the house hardly ever because it was SO cold and it was rampant flu and RSV season. So we just stayed home, which I think was hard on me mentally. So i was extra excited about having Sadie in the summer. Well, come to find out the middle of summer is just slightly better than the middle of winter. You cannot take a swaddled baby into 90-100 degree weather. It would just be torture for the little baby. But we finally took her out to a park and played for a little while.

Camille and Jason had so much fun. I really need to take them out more. We went to this park that was a bunch of rocks to climb on. I think they would have liked it better if they were a little older, at least Jason anyway. Camille seemed to be pretty good climbing on everything. But I would help Jason climb up and he would jump into my arms. He thought it was pretty wonderful. I really love spending time with my kiddos.

I am hoping to hit up a couple more parks before the end of summer. And hopefully as Sadie gets a little older we will be able to do more and more. I love being able to stay home with these kiddos and spend my time with them. 

Sadie's Baby Blessing

Today our sweet Sadie was given a blessing by Kevin. We had gotten ready early this morning. Our church is at 1 o'clock but even though it is later in the day I still made everyone be ready almost an hour early so if people showed up to our house we would be ready. So everyone was ready to go. Well, of course we still didn't get to church until 12:58. We were almost late to our own party. Ha ha. But we got there with a little time to spare. When Brother Anderson stood up to welcome the congregation and announce the program he was so funny. He ended up  saying that there would be a baby blessing for SAD-ie (like the emotion sad) Anne (he got that right) Sanderson (not even our last name. Ha ha. The bishopric behind him all leaned forward and said, "Sadie!" It just made me laugh. Eventually he got it right, and we went on with the program, but it was something to remember.

Kevin gave the most beautiful blessing. He blessed her with so many blessings that will help her through her life. I recently have just been feeling so grateful to be married to someone who holds the priesthood. The power of God, here on earth, to be used for good. I feel so grateful for the blessings it brings to mine and my families life. And for a husband who served a mission and gained so much knowledge and a strong testimony while serving the Lord. I just feel so grateful.

We came home after sacrament and enjoyed the company of our family while eating Sandwiches. Sadie slept in her swing for the most part. It was perfect because people could come see her, but she wasn't crying. Camille and Jason cried most of the day on their blessings, so this was a nice surprise.

Sadie, we love you and are so grateful you are part of our family. You were so beautiful in your little dress and I can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for you on this earth. You are going to be such a great impact for good. Love you forever.

Camille had been happy all day, until we took this picture

A Letter to Jason

Dear Jason,

I just have to apologize. I am just starting to get back into blogging so that we have a record for our family of what we have been doing. I am excited to do this, but as I am looking through pictures I know that I have missed so much. After you were born I didn't have a laptop to sit and blog on, so I didn't. But I missed writing down so much of what you did for the first two years of your life. I have a terrible memory and I know that you won't have as many stories because they were not written down, but I wanted to tell you that I love you and you have always been such a joy! So I am going to write down in this letter a little about the first two years of your life.

When you were about three months old you broke out in a terrible terrible rash. Head to toe you were just covered. It was so sad. Your pediatrician said that it was just baby acne (ugh...we did not like him) but I knew it had to be something else. I started cutting milk and bread out of my diet hoping that maybe you were having a reaction to one of those, and you started to clear up some. I wasn't sure which one you were reacting to so we took you to the allergist and got a scratch test done. You came back positive for having allergies to milk and eggs. Since I was still nursing you, I had to cut them out of my diet, but it was so worth it. You cleared up and stopped scratching so much. It made me so happy to see. Before we knew what was wrong we always had to keep socks on your hands so you wouldn't scratch your face and you would wake up in the middle of the night rubbing your head on your bed because it was so itchy. So I would come in and scratch your head. You loved having your head scratched.

You were such a mama's boy. You would just sit on my lap all day long. You had no motivation to crawl or walk because you were just content on my lap. Eventually you started crawling at 10 months, then a couple months after that started walking. Even now at 2.5 years old you still love me to hold you, and I love holding you when I am not holding Sadie.

You loved your pacifiers. You called them "rah-rahs". Even until you were 2 and could say pacifier, you just called them "rah-rahs". Another word that you couldn't pronounce when you were little was Camille. You just called her "coco". The nickname you gave her stuck. When she was born we said we were just going to call her Camille, no nicknames. But because of you we now often call her "Co" or "Coco".

We brought you home to our apartment in the Village when you were born and you lived there for the first 1.5 years of your life. We loved all of the people that we met at the Village and would say that so far in our lives, it has been our favorite place to live because of the good friends we met. That being said they were cinder block walls that were ancient. The vents were so full of dust and who knows what else. It was actually pretty disgusting. In turn, you were sick about every other month. I hope that since you were sick so often as a baby, that as you grow up your immune system will be extra strong and you won't get sick too often. Once we moved from there you stopped being sick so often, so I think something in that apartment was making you sick.

Once we figured out the allergy issues, you were actually a pretty chill little kid. Once we took a hike out around a little lake and you were in your stroller and you just hung out the whole time while Camille was running around and dropping rocks in.

 You were fairly serious when you were little. But when you smiled it would just melt my heart. You were the cutest little boy. I loved being able to be home with you and spend so much time with you. I wish that I would have written more each month about the progress you were making and the funny things you were saying, but I didn't. I love you Jason. I can't wait to see what kind of man you grow up to be. If you are anything like your dad you will turn out just fine.

Haderlie Campout 2018

I wrote a long paragraph about the Haderlie camp out, and then asked Kevin to write a little bit about the camp out this year (see below) and his paragraph was so much better than mine. I am sorry that I am the one writing this and not Kevin. He is much better at words and writing than I am. But you have me, so I guess you will just have to read my not so great writing. Here goes nothing....


Every year the Haderlies get together and do a camp out. There are 100+ people that come and it is always such a wonderful time. Every year Kevin and I have showed up around 4-ish instead of at 12 when you first can arrive. We always get the worst tent spot because we get there late. This year we decided we were going to get there right after noon, and we did! We got to pick a spot in the shade that was even kind of flat. It was so nice. Only two other people were there, and so we set up camp then went into Logan and got some Aggie Ice Cream. We got there and could hardly believe the line coming out of the building. We dragged all three kids up, and waiting in line for probably an hour, but we got our ice cream and enjoyed ourselves. By the time we got back to camp, a lot of people had set up their tents.

Camille and Jason had so much fun playing in the dirt and with cousins. I can hardly believe how dirty they were. But kids and dirt go together so well. Sadie slept better than Jason did. This is the second time we have taken her camping, and both times she has slept better than Jason. We are hoping to get Jason sleeping better on our next camping trip.  We had a couple of fun days filled with good food and good fun.

This is Kevin.  The camp out was a lot of fun this year.  One of my favorite parts that happens each year is the Saturday morning event where we tell stories about Grandma Elmina and Grandpa Conn.  The stories almost always revolve around food, hard work, service to others, etc.  As always, my dad tried to be the jokester when he speaks.  He is pretty funny I guess.  I really love the camp outs.  I feel like I hardly know half of my cousins.  I have been making it a point each year for the last couple of years to try to get to know my cousins better.  For instance, this year I spent nearly all of Friday night learning the names of cousins of mine.  It was a success.  I learned at least one person's name which is more than has happened at many other reunions.  Overall, I love my immediate and extended family and feel so privileged to be part of it.

Jenna again. See, I told you his writing is better than mine. I was back and forth taking care of kids during the time where everyone was telling stories, but what I heard made me wish I had known Grandpa Conn and Grandma Elmina. They sounded like wonderful people, and even though I have never met them, they seemed to come alive a little more to me during that time.

We had so much help with Sadie. Her cousins Hailey Culumber and Emmaline Haderlie were always so kind to hold her while I was eating. Kevin said that he would see Sadie with some random person, and think "well, she is probably okay if she is with family." but there were so many people who wanted to hold her, and I was so grateful for all of them.

Overall the camp out was a success. We love being with family and spending time unplugged from our phones and just being outside. The kids loved exploring and playing with so many cousins. We are already looking forward to next year!