Happy Birthday Girls!

Oh my goodness. My beautiful baby girls are already a whole year old! I vividly remember the night that I had them. The next 364 days are kind of a big blur though. I can't imagine my life without them. They bring me so much joy!

Here they are on the morning of their birthday. They LOVE pancakes, so that is what they got to have for breakfast.
The simple decor. I actually made the banner (with the assistance of my older sister & my mother-in-law) and I love it. I hope that it lasts for years!

The cute cakes for my little bugs.

Say cheese!!

Angela gave the girls some cute little monsters. Taylor LOVED hers! The monsters have the same cute gappy teeth as the girls. The girls actually have a few more. The each have 4 teeth on top & 4 teeth on bottom.

Casey & I got them this laugh & learn home. Here is Rylee LOVING it. Caleb also can't get enough of it. He is a smidge OCD & has to have the door shut at all times.

Taylor has a talent of twisting her tongue. She gets that from me!

"What is this fabulous-ness that you have placed in front of me?"

As you can see - Taylor enjoyed her sugar rush.

Rylee enjoyed smashing it in her own face.

Washing off the cake.

They each got a TON of clothes from me & Casey, some jeggings from Ashley & Derrick, dresses & cardigans from Brad & Mona, cute summer outfits from Colby & Tamara, & socks from Shelby & Shayden. Tamara managed to find a pink & a purple rubber duckie for them to play with when they bath. Casey & I also gave them some books & Brad & Mona gave them some cute tumble toys. Casey's Grandma Sorensen was so sweet & sent the girls a check for $20. We will probably save it for when they need some fabulous shoes!

Taylor & Rylee both turbo crawl every where they go & pull themselves up to a standing position next to anything that is semi stable. Rylee has started giving sweet kisses on the cheek & raising her arms for 'SOOOOOO Big!' They both love the Little Einstein movies & they get a kick out of their big brother.

They are already eating 'real' food & drinking whole milk. They seem to be handling everything just fine. They love pancakes, yogurt, bread, spaghettios, baked fried rice, sweet potatoes, carrots, spaghettie, any kind of soup, & teddy grahams.

Oh Caleb

A few weeks ago I was changing one of the girls diapers. Caleb was sitting by us watching & said, "Hey! Where did that weenie go?"
I said, "Girls don't have weenies. Just boys."
He said, "Oh. Boys have weenies & girls have pouches.....just like kangaroos."
I couldn't argue with him. :)

RIP Grandpa

My Grandpa Anderson passed away on January 25th. He is the first grandparent of mine to pass away. I really didn't know him well - but I do know that he was a strict man. He is definitely in a better place. His mind was pretty much gone & had been living in a nursing home for quite some time. All of his siblings have passed away - so I bet the reunion in heaven was sweet. I liked hearing at the funeral that when he woke his children up every morning he would say, "Rise & shine! We have a million things to do today!" I also enjoyed hearing that he was sleeping in my dad's bed one night at 3:00 AM when my dad decided to sneak back into the house after hanging out with friends. What goes around comes around I guess. My dad spoke at his funeral & did a really good job & painted a good picture of his dad. He mentioned that his dad NEVER complained. That is interesting to me. I complain WAY to much - I've already complained today that I have a headache. Maybe not complaining is something I could work on. He loved fishing & he loved livestock shows.

He was a WWII Veteran. Something that I find mind blowing. I can't imagine the things he experienced or saw. At his funeral there was a gun salute & Taps was played. It was a neat thing to be able to experience.

TO: Private First Class KEITH H. ANDERSON, 39922451 APO #36, U. S. Army

“Under the provisions of Army Regulations 600-456, you are awarded a Silver Star for gallantry in action.”...

KEITH H. ANDERSON, 39922451, Private First Class, Headquarters Company, 3d Battalion, 141st Infantry Regiment, for gallantry in action on 7 March 1945 in France. Private First Class Anderson volunteered to make a one-man night reconnaissance to determine the condition of both banks of an important river. His task was rendered extremely hazardous by enemy flares which illuminated the area, by harassing rifle fire, and by the presence of hostile machine gun positions and German patrols in the vicinity. Although fully conscious of the dangers involved, he waded across the ice, swift flowing stream, secured the necessary information concerning the terrain, and returned, swimming most of the way back. By his daring initiative and outstanding bravery, he furnished information which contributed materially to the success of future operations. Entered the Service from Tremonton, Utah.


JOHN E. DAHLQUIST
Major General, U.S. Army
Commanding


Here is his obituary.

Keith H. Anderson 89, died Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at George Wahlen Veterans Nursing Home in Ogden, Utah after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. Keith was born April 3, 1922 in Bothwell, Utah. He was the last survivor of 13 children born to Eli Carl Anderson and Sarah Ellen “Ella” Hunsaker. He graduated from Bear River High School in 1940 where he excelled in FFA, exhibiting livestock throughout the state.

He served in the U. S. Army during World War II and was in combat in Italy, France & Germany. He was awarded the Silver Star for successfully completing a dangerous reconnaissance mission, swimming the Moder River in Germany into enemy territory where he got vital information for the advancement of the troops. He received two Purple Hearts for wounds inflicted in France and Italy.

He married Cloe Truman on the 30 January 1946 in the Logan Temple. They began their married life on the Utah-Idaho border near Strevell, Idaho breaking up sagebrush to raise dry land wheat. There they began their family in addition to raising cattle and turkeys. They moved to Bothwell in 1954 and continued raising children, farming, livestock and turkeys. He worked for the Federal Land Bank Association where he was the manager. He loved working with the farmers and visiting with them.

He loved agriculture and was a 4-H leader for over 40 years. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, sports, the phone and traveling with his wife.

He was very active in the LDS church serving as a Branch President and Bishop. He and Cloe served a mission to the Florida Jacksonville Mission. They also were temple officiators for 14 years in the Logan Temple. He is survived by his loving, supportive wife, Cloe; Kent (Kathy); Hal (Brooke); Dale; Ted (Ida); Julia Christenson; Helen Whiting (Roy); Don (Kim); and Marchelle Nielson (Justin). 29 Grandchildren, 46 Great Grandchildren and 5 Great Great Grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents and all of his siblings: Vesta, Maurine, Maurice, Reed, Ray, Carlyle, Dorothy, Max, Dean, Verl, Eloise & Gerald.

Viewings will be held 6-8 p.m., Sunday 29 January 2012, and 30 January 2012, 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. Funeral Services will begin 11:00 a.m. All services will be held at the Fielding Stake Center 4375 W. 15600 N. Fielding, Utah. Interment will be at the Valley View Cemetery (Bothwell, Utah).The family is very grateful for the kindness and services rendered by the Wahlen Veterans Nursing Home staff and care givers.

Most...boring...month...ever

OH. MY. HECK. January is so BLAH! October-December FLEW by & now January will - - - -not - - - - end - - - -

I did get to go to dinner with a couple of my peeps from good ol' Effin J (Flying J). I don't see these girls as much as I would like to. Sara is having a baby boy any day now (her 2nd son) so we had to get together to celebrate! Once we all started to have children - our social life totally went down the crapper. We went to the Pizza Factory in O-town. I got a bread stick with some Alfredo dipping sauce & when the waitress brought my sauce to me I thought it was cream cheese frosting. It was that thick. AND.....it was fabulous. I could hear myself getting fatter with each dunk. Casey watched all 3 kids while I went out. It was nice (& a little weird) to get away from it all for a bit.

Lindsay Rice - Sara Westbroek - Me

This is how I spend my evenings. My sweet girls turn into cute, needy wee ones. They HAVE to have mom. If they can see or hear me - it's bad! I don't look that exhausted - do I????

Oh my craftiness! Angela & I whipped these cute butterflies out the other night at her house. I love them! Taylor & Rylee were good sports!

I'll end on the cutest picture ever. I'm glad that I get to stay home with these cute kids every day. Some days are hard - some aren't so bad - but I can't imagine having them with anyone but me. (Taylor - pink socks. Rylee - white socks)

Recent Randoms

January - March are usually the most boring months of the year. It is a HUGE challenge to keep Caleb & the kids I babysit entertained all freaking day. So far so good though - I haven't killed anyone yet.

Casey was watching TV a while ago & Caleb came up to him & said, "Hey, can I get in your pouch?"

Let this be a lesson to all mothers as to WHY you don't leave blankets in the crib with your wee-ones. Rylee managed to make herself into a tootsie roll one night just rolling around in the front room.
My little girls watching some Baby Einstein while I did the dishes one night.

Out of all of the places she can go in the house - this is Taylor's favorite.

Caleb roasting his hot dog.....in January!

Taylor & Rylee get a kick out of Simba. The make a trip to the window each morning to see what that crazy cat is up to.

Caleb loves to make a 'lake' out of his play-doh and have a duck swim around. Totally his own idea - I love it.

Happy New Year

Resolutions are stupid - so I made some. No one else is going to set me up to fail. It's all up to me!

-Find joy in every day

-Lose 30 pounds (I make this one EVERY year) THIS IS THE YEAR BABY!

-Go to church at least 2 times each month

-Grow a plethora of green beans & bottle them

-Bottle Peaches & Carrots (Taylor & Rylee LOVE both)

-Exercise MORE!

2011 was so freaking exhausting. I hope that in 2012 I can get some more sleep!

On New Years Eve we invited Shelby, his girlfriend Christel, & Shayden over for a night of fun. We put Caleb & Shayden down on the pull-out bed for a fun sleepover - but that failed. Caleb ended going to his own bed around 11:30. They wouldn't fall asleep! The adults (& Rylee) stayed up past 2:00 playing Texas Hold Em, Last Word & Battle of the sexes. I had a really fun evening. I love playing games.

Taylor has decided that Rylee is her new obstacle course. These 2 are constantly kicking each other, stealing toys from each other & just being typical sisters.

I love Rylee's face in this one. It says, "Are you freaking kidding me??"

Taylor seems to be a step ahead of Rylee in learning new things. I guess that is what happens when you are 5 minutes older!

Starting to pull herself up to her knees.

And she's all the way up! (Don't worry Grammy....dad lowered the cribs this afternoon)

She loves her sippy cup!