More Summer Stuff...

HOUSE
We've been remodeling our house ever since we moved out here...4 years! It is quite the project inside and out, but it has been so much fun (honest) and rewarding! Bryan is such a hard worker and is so smart...and if he doesn't know how to do something he learns how, and if it's smarter to hire it out...he does! The vision we have for the house is coming together and we are excited to see it complete...who knows when?

THis isn't a very good "after" picture, but it was the most recent that I had.

SUNSETS

I love where we live for many reasons, one being that there are so many picture opportunities it's perfect! I could honestly take pictures for HOURS where I live and probably do it again the next day and the next day! I don't want to become a pro, but I do enjoy taking spur of the moment shots like these beautiful sunsets...if I knew how to edit I could make them a bit sharper and fancy, but I think they are dandy how there are!

I must have been in a hurry to go somewhere because I just took my camera with me in the car, and I'm glad I did because I had a good photo idea and pulled it off...(if you can't tell I'm taking the picture in my car and that's the reflection from the driver's side mirror)

FLIES!!!!!

Ugh! I HATE flies...and they are EVERYWHERE! This is one of 6 sticky fly traps in my house and this is the 2nd time I've hung new ones up! My husband tells me that it's normal because we live in the country, but seriously! I think there's a secret passage the flies have found and they are slowly taking over my home! It's really ridiculous and I'm SICK of them! That's one good thing about the cold weather! DIE FLIES DIE!

To Can or Not to Can...that is the question!

The answer...CAN! My mom helped me with my first canning "season" last summer and I only did peaches. This summer I planted items in my garden so I could make salsa, I got some tips on stewing tomatoes from my good friend Sherelle and I have a 14 month old who LOVES peaches and pears, so this canning "season" was a busy one! And the funny thing is, is I know that lots of people do WAY more than what I did, and I thought I did a lot! Ha! Anyway, I did feel really resourceful and very homemaker-ish growing my own produce and actually making things out of it. It was a very good feeling.

Here's my big helper...

Halloween...better late than never!

On Friday the 29th I took a trip to Rexburg to see my grandparents, it was a long time coming. I had a few excuses that helped get me there: deliver Cade's one year old pictures and "trick or treating". I'm so glad I did! They all loved Cade and Cade got to see his great grandparents. I know he doesn't understand who they are but I'm glad I'm getting pictures so I can show him when he will understand. It was also so much fun to talk with them! It's always neat to have your grandparents be able to relate with you and compare stories of when they were raising their kids. It helps you realize that they have been there, done that! No wonder we are told to respect our elders, we can learn so much from them! I love my grandparents and am so thankful for the relationship that I have with all of them! What a blessing.

Grandma and Grandpa Lowder...I'm pretty sure I've posted this before but my grandparents match their outfits everyday, and have for a VERY LONG time (over 28 years) Cade was being a goofball, but I think they liked it!
Now if this doesn't melt your heart....I know it melted my Grandma Thompsons!

My Grandpa Thompson is a VERY handy man...his specialty I think is wood products, including bird houses! He makes the cutest little bird houses and he has quite the variety. He's an amazing man and has so many qualities that I admire...we were sad he wasn't there!

Just thought this was too cute

Grandma Sargent. Cade doesn't get to see his Great Grandparents too often because his mom is a slacker. But I did make him a quiet book for church and it has pictures of every family member and he can name everyone. He LOVES grandma Sargent it's so cute. She watched him for me the other day and he didn't cry or anything! Thanks Grandma! I'm so grateful she is able to help me out because I love that Cade is developing a relationship with her. Its very special.

At Aunt Ranay's house playing "memer" (spencer) and "anna" (brianna)

I bought Cades shirt in Park City a while ago, and then found mine at Walmart later on! We are a cute skeleton couple!

Bryan was a really good sport! This is SO outside his comfort zone, but being the smart wife that I am that is the reason we are hunters: he's already got the clothes, he likes to wear them, they are comfortable and I might add he's a very attractive hunter! I did put him on a pretty good guilt trip too, but it didn't kill him and it was fun! I LOVED it and so did Cade! Thanks dad for being a good sport!

Here we are with Andrew, Steph and Hayden. Steph found out about a costume contest at Kings in Shelley and Bryan wanted to get a play gun for Cades costume so we tagged along with them. Don't they look awesome!? Andrew is really going to school to become a nurse so their costumes fit perfectly! Steph you thinker you.

Our cute little hunting family...again.

Cade with cousin Hayden. Cade loves all of his cousins and I feel bad for the "baby" cousins (Hayden and LaJae) because Cade thinks he's WAY bigger then them and tries to help out which turns into mauling them! I think the babies like it....to a point. Pretty soon they will be big enough to defend themselves!

And I'm sorry, but there were too many cute pictures to really have to choose so I at least limited myself to three!

Next year we are fixin to be cowboys, hopefully we can trick dad into dressing up again...we'll see!

Be Prepared!

Sorry for another LONG posting here but I had to do the rest of my summer pictures while I had the time to sit down or they may have never been posted. Cade was at such a fun age (9 mo-1 year) this summer so we were able to do lots of things he could actually enjoy. It was a different kind of fun because we did things as a cute little family. Bryan sometimes rolls his eyes at me and thinks I'm cheesy when I tell him that this time of my life is something I've been looking forward too for a long time. Doing things like going to the fair or zoo as a family and taking pictures of every little thing we do now because we have a kid. I know I've always wanted to be a mom, but I don't think I knew how much I would really love it. I love being a family!


FAIR
This is Cade's first trip in his forward facing carseat! It's SO nice having him face forward and we can tell that he likes it better too. He was so cute because you could tell he kind of felt cool in his seat he kept looking around everywhere and laughing.

This is classic Cade right here...He loves to play with hair. It's cute, he will do it when he's tired or concentrating on something, in this case the horses. If dad is holding him it's either dad's ears or hair, if it's mom it's always hair.

Cade loved the horses, of course, but I didn't get any good pictures! I was mad because I couldn't figure out my camera and Bryan was mad because I was taking so many pictures...trying to figure out my camera...long story short I wanted a happy hubby over a picture with every stinking animal. (notice where cade's hand is...)

Cade loved all the animals, but wasn't too sure about the pig.

He must have ate too much fair food, he was tuckered right out!

Trip to the ZOO

This is where Cade sat most of the time during our visit at the zoo. These two are like two peas in a pod. I love watching them together because Cade really is a Bryan Jr. in some of the things he does...it's funny!

Cade really liked the ducks, geese, swans...whatever else was in this pond...he liked it.

So I took a few pics of the animals, but not very many turned out! They always say you can take 100 pictures as long as one turns out you did good...Well here's the one! If I knew how to edit pictures I could make it really cool looking but I thought it looked good as is. Watch out national geographic...haha I'm a dork.

Ok, I love the face Cade is pulling here. This is what he does when he's trying to say something and he has to concentrate a little harder. I know I'm obsessed with my own child which is probably healthy and normal, but when I see pictures like this I can't help but smile and be proud because he is so adorable!

I thought this turned out to be a pretty good picture considering a wooden post took it! Aren't digital cameras and timers the best!

Sorry, but he is SO dang cute!

On August 14th my little sister and her hubby had their first baby! She had a girl and they named her LaJae Diane Simmons. Jen did AMAZING! for her first pregnancy, I was so impressed with her! And she transitioned into being a cute little mommy, no problem! She is doing so good and is a natural. I'm so proud of her and I love that we are in the same phase of our lives now, we talk about our babies, hang out with our babies and just have fun! I love my little sister A LOT and I hope she knows it!

Favorite Aunt Tiff with baby LaJae!

This is a recent picture of LaJae that I stole off Jens facebook page...she's getting soooooooooooo cute! Look at those lips! She's got attitude already!

Cade likes to help clean out the cupboards so there are a few cupboards designated "Yes cupboards" I picked the ones that have the easiest things to pick up after they are strung out across the whole house! He keeps himself busy and I can get other things done so I say why not! Plus, look how cute it is!

Cowboy in training! Cade loves to ride "Bubbles" (Buckles) with Bryan. He just loves to be outside and loves every animal we see and all the dirt and rocks! Call me crazy but I think Bryan finds a little joy in taking his son on horse rides so it's not just for Cade. Aren't my boys handsome?

As many of you know we have been remodeling our house ever since we bought it...going on 4 years now. MOST the inside is done and we are just finishing up the siding! It has been quite the project, but for the most part it really has been fun! Bryans is amazing and has so many handy skills its ridiculous and I like to think that I bring a creative flare to it all...:) I will have to dedicate a future post to our fun, cute, old but new house!

Cade likes to help...

This year was a good year for my garden...except for my corn! It seems like after I took this picture my corn decided to stop growing! We were able to salvage a few ears so we could enjoy a taste of homegrown corn on the cob! I love summer food! I had great success with all my other gardening, and even canned most of what I grew! It was very satisfying to say the least! Can't wait for next years "harvest". (if anyone has any tips on how to keep corn growing...please share!)

I play the organ at the temple twice a month and I love it! I had my camera in my car and decided I needed to take a few pics of the temple, this was my favorite.