She's really grown up!

Here's a quick look back. Six years of Addie Jo, as she is called sometimes around here.


This was one of the happiest days of our lives and our family can attest how glad we were after our heartache with Charlotte.

Halloween at about 6 months.

On her two year old birthday. James bought her an Elmo and she was so scared of it when it danced--it took her a while to warm up to it.

A pink party when she was three.

Robyn made this cake for Addie when she was four. Two days before we moved.

At five with cupcakes and candles.

With friends shading her eyes-- she's six....

Flower Fairy party planned in two days!

Addie had a friend party last year so in my mind I thought I was off the hook for this year. But I caved because they are so fun! and who doesn't want cake, ice cream and all the presents?

In the top photo they're playing pixie pixie fairy, (duck duck goose).

Fairy princess Paige looking some what put together. My record in the past with kid parties is plan all day and all the other kids look completely bedraggled by the time it starts.

The treasure hunt.

Party fairies ready to head home. Will I be off the hook next year? I really like the two day time frame though. I called all the moms--so no invitations. Addie and I went to Dollar Tree, Saturday morning, and found stuff for the wands, wings and "petal" skirts. Ya, they were from the aloha section--I just whacked them off. Birthday happiness...Does it get any better than this? Cake anyone?

Speaking of cake. You gotta love Dollar Tree for the toppers. And I put ice cream in the middle of it and the kids loved it. It makes it so easy to dish up--I got the idea from my good friend Jennifer H, who has parties mastered. Frosted with cool whip that they loved as well, also a JH trick. Addie loved your special picture, by the way, Elise. Thanks for sending such love. And Sharon, Addie loved the High School musical card--it's still on the fridge being hung up by the magnet it came with. So cool.

Conference and our Shining STAR

One of the most fun things that the girl cousins do when they get together is dress ups. Princess Paige in pink.

Now I've been working on my photos with my old (relative term being the digital age and all)big as a dinosaur point and shoot and natural light. I'm a fan. Now if only I had washed off Stuart's face before I did the work..... He's now seven months!

Too close. I should have switched to close up mode. This is a cute one of Addie and Reggie. He's spending the week with us because it's Addie's birthday on Saturday. Yea, not a real connection but a compromise why Reggie doesn't live with us any more.....

Here is Addie giving Reggie a seed. We took him to her Kindergarten class because this week she's the shining star. We were going to let him fly around because it's so entertaining--but there was a ceiling tile missing and we didn't want to chance an attic bird.

So we spend conference week end up at the cabin and as always it was a blast. I don't have any boy pictures because the boys are off playing as usual. Ben won't open his eyes for pictures because "the light hurts them". I thought Ali's and Paige's expression was really cute.

We love Donna and Bevan. Donna, the girls loved the pedicure--so thanks. No Settlers though... we'll get to it, we promise.

Donna told me to snap this because this is so "Afternoon Session". Dad how is that even comfortable? Thanks for the great times, Mom the enchiladas were delicious, and the chocolate fountain was divine.

Digital Scrapbooking

I'm looking into a new hobbie--darn it's one that's on the computer. What do you think?

Easter picnic and baby blessing

This weekend we went to Allen and Missy's for the first picnic of the season. It was a little cold to be at the park so we invaded their house. The hunt was great for the kids. Mine are finally catching on.

Stuart's mental process-- "How do I get this goodness in me?!?" Give it to your mother...

Paige showing off her goods.

On Sunday we drove to Pocatello to see baby Macie's blessing. It was so much fun and the spread of food Vanessa laid out was wonderful. Thanks for hosting us all.

Yea a family shot. It seems the more kids there are the more impossible it is to get every one looking at the camera at the same time. This is the best of about 7 taken. Scary. Tom's taking family shots of us in a few weeks--good luck Tom.

Here is Vanessa and the most adorable Macie Marilyn. Addie is also loving Macie.
Not to upstage the new one--Stuart enjoyed the visit with Grandpa and Grandpa Allen too.

Happy Birhday Ben

We celebrated Benjamin's Birthday this week! He's four! He had talked non stop about a Lightning McQueen Birthday and I had sights on a car shaped cake. But frosting that red tastes bitter so I took a different approach. Don't judge the actual cake by it's looks--let me tell you about it.

I took a regular cake mix and put an inch of ice cream in the middle and covered the whole thing with ganache and toasted pecans.

And sprinkles in the piston cup.

It wasn't all about the CAKE--We played a "Luigi tire stacking game" with chocolate doughnuts. Then Presents. Grandma Christy brought over a bathtub fishing game and Ian gave him a Lighting McQeen with interchangeable monster truck tires. After we forced him to blow out the candles he went to play with all the toys. All the adults sat around and ate cake. It was so good so thanks Grandma and Grandpa and Noels for the presents and fun. Ben ended up eating his cake after breakfast the next day. A boy with priorities.

Addie lost a tooth! We think she swallowed it when she was "crunching" an apple. She wrote a note to the fairy and got a DOLLAR!

Just a quick shot of a suit that's almost too small.

A surprise visit fromVanessa and baby Macie. Macie is cute as a button and THAT quilt. The best swaddled baby in the house.

Quick St Paddy Suit

Addie had one minute when we remembered it was St. Patrick's Day. I think she did well pulling this together so she wouldn't pinched.

Counting down the days until she's SIX! I can't believe it,

Blaming Google Reader for Blogglessness

yea--so does everyone use google reader yet for blogging? Last week I loaded all your blogs into it and now I know who's updated as soon as I log on. It's like reading email but I haven't commented as much and my blog updates have lagged.

Or I could blame it all on Benjamin and his tonsil recovery. It's been a week and a half but he's still crazy, or addicted to Loritab, or just in pain. We gage his pain with is noise level and demanding attention. The louder and more annoying he is...well we bring on the drugs. This might prove a problem later but it's working for us at the moment. I've finally figured out our picture management situation and I'll post more pictures later. Hope you had a great Easter!

Ben Doped up

So a while back one of my weekly focuses was to get a Dr. appointment for Benjamin. His tonsils were huge and he snored at night and he was always tired. I took him to Dr. M at South Valley ENT and sure enough he suggested a tonsillectomy--oh and the adenoids while we're in there. Ben went yesterday morning for the "ectomy" and did remarkably well. James checked him in yesterday at 6:45 in the morning. They said to plan on 4-6 hours so I was going to go in at 10:00 so James could go to work. At 9:30 he was eating a slushy and being released so James brought him home.
He's a funny boy. When being carried in he wanted the hospital bracelet off and the IV gauze and tape off. James' said they'd take it off inside but not wanting to wait, Ben ripped off the tape and slipped out of the bracelet before they walked in the door. I had a nest on the couch ready for him--he said he'd rather play with cars. He was hungry too. By dinner we had moved passed apple juice (he had drunk it all) He had eaten--cake, yogurt, a hot dog, 2 Popsicles, applesauce, and two bowls of cold oatmeal. Now warm instant oatmeal is tough enough to get down--Just imagine it with 5 ice cubes.
Now for the title --They prescribed Loritab for the pain. I don't think Ben experiences pain like the rest of us. At about 2pm I decided to give him a dose. He started galloping around and talking really loud. I tried to put him down for a nap but he didn't want to sleep and since he had just had surgery and all I said he didn't have to take a nap-- about 5 minutes later I looked over at Stuart who was fussing and Ben was stomping on his back. Out of my mouth flies "Boys who stomp on babies have to take naps!"
I can't complain about any yucky fluids, or bad smells, or fevers, or anything. I'm kind of sick of the hopped up Ben and being a short order cook, but other than that, He's doing well and I'm feeling a little guilty. My visiting teaching partner brought me this better-than-I'd-ever-make-for-my-own-family-dinner last night. Lucky me. Sorry no photos, the camera and adobe photoshop album are not getting along.

Nature, no dependants and a lemon bar....

.....was how I enjoyed this past Wednesday at Deer Valley. My cute cute sis, Donna, and her husband are tenured employees at this unbelievable resort and hooked me up with some free passes. So, Robyn and I made a morning of it. I relearned how to ski, with the first couple of runs and we skied until noon. On the last time up Donna's lift she slipped us an employee cafeteria lemon bar that she had told me about. It was delicious! At that moment on the lift, I knew that I have everything I've ever wanted and I will never complain about anything ever again. My life is perfect. Thanks Donna and Robyn.

I didn't remember I had my camera until we were stripping down in the parking lot so here's documentation. Anyone else up for a run to Deer Valley for a little bit of heaven?

Introducing....

Baby Maci Marilyn Sutton. She was born on February 28th around 1 in the morning. Nine pounds eight ounces! Of course Vanessa did all that work herself, way to go! The family is getting along great, and we can't wait to meet Maci in person.