Bella is ONE!!

I can't believe my baby is one today she has grown so much this last year!! She is such a happy baby always laughing at her big sister and brother. She loves to walk all over the place now and sometimes will try and walk before she crawls. She eats all sorts of foods and loves to eat. She loves to play peek a boo with anyone that will play with her and loves play with her toys. We are going to have a family birthday party this weekend for Bella and Abby, since Abby is only 6 days older we decided to do a birthday party together. I will post some pics of the party later. Here are some pictures of her growing up this last year. ENJOY!!

My Climbing Girl!!

Bella has discovered that she can climb up thing, which means she is trying to climb on everything including the stairs. She does a pretty good job climbing the stair, though I am always there to make sure she doesn't fall backwards. Another thing that she loves to climb on is a blue chair that we have in our living room. Here are some cute picture of her in this chair. She absolutely loves this chair and get upset if Lexi and Spence are sitting in it.

Book Signing

This last weekend was Jared and his brother's (Jeff and Craig) signing and reading of their book. They did it at this cute little bookstore in Seaside, OR, called Beach Books. I was lucky enough to be able to go with Jared. We left Lexi and Spence with family, and took Bella with us. All of Jeff and Craig's family were there to enjoy also. They had a few friends and family show up, which I think was just the right amount for the size of the bookstore. They started the evening with an introduction, which Jared was in charge of and then Jeff and Craig both read a chapter from the book. Then they answered any questions that anyone had. I thought it went really well and I even took some pictures for you all. Not only did we have a nice time at the bookstore, but we also had a nice time spending some time with Jared's parents with out all the kids, which was nice. In the picture above it is a picture of their book (which Jared took and cut off the top of the book) and a poster from the bookstore and an article that I believe was in the Daily Astorian, about the book.

Craig, Jared and Jeff getting ready to start

Jeff reading from their book

Craig reading from their book

Jared, Craig and Jeff with their book

Managing Time!!

So I figured out why I have such a hard time keeping this blog updated. I think I have a problem managing my time. I think I need to set aside time once a week to make myself sit down and do this (even if I don't have pictures). That is another problem by the time I download my pictures then it has been so long since things have happened I figured that too much time has passed. Well anyway I just thought I would let you know that I am trying my best!! I am not even sure if anyone is even reading this anymore, but if you are thanks for sticking with me.

So an update on the family, Jared is working lots still in between jobs and have to work both of them, so it makes him extra busy. Also Jared and his brothers are having a book signing in Seaside this weekend. When he found time to help write a book with his brothers is crazy to me. Jared also has a new calling, he was just called as a Ward Missionary. These pictures are from when we went on a hike on Bridal Veil Falls

Lexi is coming to the end of her 1st grade year and is excited already about next year and being a second grader. She has lost two teeth and has a bunch of other ones that are loose. In school she was complimented on her handwriting skills and how well she can write. I was really proud of her. Lately with every one's birthday coming up in our family, she has been saying how it is not fair that she has the last birthday in the family. We try to explain to her that we all have to wait a whole year for out birthday's and she does too. Lexi also had her 1st grade music program. Where she got to play an instrument and sing for us.

Spence just had a birthday a couple of weeks ago. He is now a 4 year old!! He is such a big boy and helps me out during the day while Lexi is in school. He was so excited to finally turn 4 because his cousin Billy who is 5 weeks older then him turned four and kept telling Spence that he was 4 and Spence was only 3. So he was really happy to say that he was 4 also. With it being his birthday he got to stand up in front of everyone in Primary for the first time to have them sing Happy Birthday to him. He was so excited about that and told us all about it after church. Another funny thing about his birthday is when I asked him what he wanted for his birthday breakfast, he told me he wanted Captain Crunch with Crunch Berries. I told him he could have anything and he said that is what he wanted. He is so silly!! He had two parties and cakes, one with friends (Scooby Doo-my sister Michelle decorated that cake, so talented) and then a just our family party.

Bella is grown so much lately. She has started to say or attempt to say words for things. She has also successfully taken a couple steps all by herself. She is still really wobbly, but gets real excited when she does take steps. I have seen her take 6 steps all by herself without help. She is growing up so fast and will be turning one here in a couple weeks. She is such a happy baby and loves her sister and brother. Church time is really hard on Bella, it is during her nap time and she will not fall asleep for us at church so we end up walking the halls or trying to make her happy enough to stay in class. I hope this ends soon so that it will be better at church. Just this last weekend with it being so nice we decided to take a trip to the beach with the kids. Bella had her first official trip to the beach and she loved walking on the sand and didn't mind the water to much either.

As for myself not much of an update just trying to get through each day and keep the kids healthy and happy.

I guess that is an update for now.

7 C's Books

Okay - shock of all shocks, but I (Jared) am actually blogging this post on Patti's blog. She declined to write this for me, so I had no choice...
:-)

Anyway, I wanted to let those of you who did not already know that two of my brothers and I wrote a book. It has been published, and is due for National Release on June 3rd. If any of you want to take an advanced look at it, click on the 7 C's Books link under Patti's links (on the lower-mid left hand side)

The book is called Dead Reckoning and is a Sci-Fi (semi Space-Opera) novel.

The book is available for preorder from our website for any interested in doing so. We will be having a book launch party out in Seaside, OR coming up soon for anyone interested in an excuse for a beach trip.

Thanks all, and I hope all is going well for all of you. I had been accused by some of not letting people know about it, so I figured I would cheat and post it so none had an excuse to not know...

:-)

Talk to you all later.

OMSI Trip

We took a trip to Omsi during Spring break. It was a mad house while we were there, but still fun. The kids really enjoyed it and we got a membership, so that we can go back often. They liked looking at the dinosaurs that they had on display. They also enjoyed playing in the ball area and lots of other things. It was Bella's nap time, so she slept most of the time. Something else that happened during spring break was it snowed. I captured a couple of pics with the kids outside while it was snowing.Billy and the kids outside by the dinosaur

Billy (cousin), Spence and Lexi watching the T-Rex

Lexi and Spence doing a puppet show

Bella tired and wanting to sleep

Lexi and Spence outside while it was snowing

This is what the cars looked like. Didn't really stick.

Happy 8th Anniversary!!

Jared and I celebrated our 8th Anniversary this last month. We didn't get any pictures, but I just wanted to say how much I love my husband and what a great man he is. We got a babysitter for the night and went bowling. We hadn't been bowling since Lexi was a baby and we use to do it all the time while we were dating and after, but just didn't get a chance. That was really fun and harder then I remember it being. It took a lot of muscles that I don't use that often I guess. Then we went out to dinner at "The Roadhouse". That was really good also. Then we took advantage of having a babysitter and went to Fred Meyer and walked around and pick up a couple of stuff. It has been 8 wonderful years and I look forward to many more years. I thought I would share some pictures of what we looked like 8 years ago on our wedding day. Sorry they are scanned in and not too great of quality.

On our wedding day!

Looking toward our future!!

I absolutely love this picture. We have a big one of it on our wall.

This is us on our Honeymoon. Yes, we both have changed a lot!!