Gardner's Village

2015 Gardner's Village trip!!  It was kind of stressful for me this year.  I'm not in a very good place mentally or physically.  I need a therapist - or I just need to start taking better care of myself.  I guess the latter is the cheaper option. 

 

Regardless of the state of myself at this point in my life - it was fun to get together.  Alexa didn't get to come this year - but she will next year for sure!

 BABIES!!  We had two new additions to the tradition this year!  Little Teagan and manly Jack Jack!  Teagan looks just like her daddy and Jackson looks just like his mommy.  They are adorable!!

 We are getting quite the group of gals!  We somehow twisted my mom's arm and got her to go this year.  I don't know if she'll go again, but I am glad that she came!  The bottom right picture of her is one of my favorites.  When she (or my dad) sincerely laugh - it's awesome.

 Eva was non-stop action.  My girls are a little more chill.  The 3 of them are FINALLY starting to enjoy each other's company.  It's cute!  I can't believe how long the Diva's hair is!  I bet my girls would be just a long in my husband wouldn't have chopped Taylors off in 2013.  BOYS!  My mom got the girls all a light up sword and they loved them.

 My little butterflies had a fun night.  Rylee is my little poser.  I love these little ladies!

2 year olds - AGAIN

Remember this?  It was just a couple of years ago!!

 These little munchkins had their 2nd birthday!!  I love their hair.  Luke is my little Goldilocks.  I love it.  More times than not - Lexi's hair is a hot mess.  But when it's fixed, it's darling. I remember when Taylor & Rylee were 2 I was just putting tiny ponytails on top of their heads. 

 We gave them pillows for their birthday & I made them cute and kind of matchy pillow cases.  Luke loved his dinosaurs.  He flopped his whole body onto the pillows like he was in heaven.  Lexi didn't care much until it was bed time.  There was so much going on - pillows were the last thing on her mind.

Along with the pillows, we got a killer deal on this little mini trampoline.  They both love it!  They also got a cute busy box & book from Brad & Mona and a race car and princess dress from my siblings.  Luke is starting to figure out his race car and he loves it.

The last gift we gave them was a fishing game.  A hand-made fishing game!  I had to work some graveyard shifts at Crystal Inn - so I sewed up 14 little fishies!  I found the cute buckets and Casey crafted the handle on to them...Shelby made them the wood part.  Talk about a team effort!  Luke loved baby Jack Jack.  Mona & brad love to give our kids camo stuff.  It is Casey's favorite color.  I was surprised when I saw their matching outfits and told Mona she couldn't dress Lexi like a boy - but she looks pretty freaking adorable.

They have the cutest puppy & kitty that they sleep with every nap time & night time - that is how I decided their cakes for this year.  They turned out pretty cute!  I had put the '2' on the kitty and Caleb was doing the final inspection and said, "What about a 2 on Luke's?" I said, "There really isn't a space for it."  He said, "Have it hanging from his collar."  What a smartie pants.

I think I mastered a cake recipe.  It's not dry & flaky.  It's fantastic.  My frosting was on point as well.  I don't toot my own horn very often - but this birthday was a success.  I love my little babies and hope that they had a WONDERUFL birthday.

Cake From Heaven

1 cake mix - any flavor or brand BUT JIFFY

1/3 Cup water

1/2 Cup vegetable oil

10 oz. sour cream

2 tsp vanilla flavor

1 tsp butter flavor

1/4 Cup flour

3 eggs 

Mix for 3 minutes on medium speed.  Bake at 350 for 25-35 minutes.

Fall Picnic

We had the Anderson family fall picnic at Second Dam.  The weather was fantastic...almost HOT!  Here are the boys...being boys.  Caleb loves little Blakie.  He asks every single day if he can come over or if we can go to Blake's house.  Griffen was a fantastic rock skipper.

So fantastic that he about killed Luke!  (I am probably exaggerating.) While I was walking my Grandma to the other side of the dam, I guess Griffy Poo skipped a rock and it went all the way across to Luke & went between his legs.  Glad it missed everyone!

This little Jack Jack was getting all of the love!  And he should!  He is adorable and such a sweetie!  I love his look as his mom & big sister are smooching him. 

 My babies aren't babies anymore.  Lexi ALWAYS has someplace to go and you better hurry to catch up with her!  Luke kept saying "ducky....ducky...ducky"  He was in heaven.  My mom handed Lex a piece of bread to feed to the ducks and she just ate it.  It was cute.

 My grandparents hadn't ever been here.  I really think they enjoyed the afternoon.  Grandpa kept counting the ducks as more & more arrived to be fed.  I think he got up to 19.

 These girlies.  I hope that they will all be besties!!

 My grandpa was roasting his marshmallow & I guess it started on fire.  He started flinging the roasting stick back & forth really fast to put the flame out.  Dylan was cracking up & my mom was freaking out because she thought melted mallow was going to end up burning someone.  I'm sorry that I missed the moment.  He got some mallow on his face and Dylan said, "Messy, aren't they?"  Grandpa said, "I guess that's why you guys call it a smear!"  Smore...silly Carlos...a smore.:)

Check it out! EVERYONE IS LOOKING FORWARD!  This will probably NEVER happen again.

 And then this happened.  Caleb pulled a face, Griffen turned into a mom eating monster, Derrick wanted some of Dylan's nip, and Lexi decided to grope my mom.  Family's are the best!

August!

I can not believe that August is over!  It's over!!!  Summer has ended - the leaves are changing - there is a nip in the air.  I love it, but seriously?  It's September?! 

 

Before school started we opted for a summer swim day at the North Shore pool.  Caleb loves Blake.  LOVES HIM!  They were inseparable.  Luke loves - well, me.  He was crying his face off if I wasn't within 12 inches of him.  Taylor & Rylee & Eva & Lexi were all over the place.  They had a blast.  Jack Jack was adorable - of course! 

We got a small summer rainstorm and Rylee had to grab her umbrella.  What a cute girl!  She is such a little poser. 

We had a box.  We LOVE boxes.

This cute little dump truck is NOT a ride on toy.  Try to tell these two cuties that.  I dare ya.

My mini army.  They were laying on the blanket looking at the clouds, but when I opened the door to snap a picture, they all rolled over.

Rylee put on a little pirate gear and said, "Mom - you better take my picture."  Wish granted little girl.

What is this?  The month of Rylee?  Her & Taylor LOVE to sit on Casey's lap.  He must have been extra comfortable this night.

This picture cracks me up.

This picture also cracks me up.  I wanted to get a quick shot of the 2 sets of twins, got out my camera and Caleb skipped over and said, "I'm coming!" Cracked me up.

Seriously?  Identical sleeping too?!  They sure do look a lot alike - same eye color, same hair color, same little cute bodies, but they are 100% different.  It's fun to watch them become themselves.

School started!

CALEB'S 2nd GRADE FAVORITES

TV Show:  Teen Titans Go

Movie:  Avengers - Age of Ultron

Song:  Take me to Chruch - Hoozier

Color:  Blue & Red

Food:  Chicken Cordon Bleu

Treat:  Smores

Activity:  Swimming or Xbox (Skylanders or Minecraft) 

 

He wants to be a construction worker when he grows up because they get to drive a lot of cool equipment.

 

TAYLOR'S PRESCHOOL FAVORITES

TV Show:  Paw Patrol

Movie:  Sleeping Beauty

Song:  Heartbeat Song - Kelly Clarkston

Color:  Pink!

Food:  Mac & Cheese

Treat:  Cookies

Activity:  Playing at parks

When I asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up she said, "UGH!!  I don't want to grow up.  I am going to just be a kid."

 

RYLEE'S PRESCHOOL FAVORITES

TV Show:  Paw Patrol

Movie:  Tangled

Song:  Shut Up & Dance - Walk The Moon

Color:  Purple!

Food:  Mac & Cheese

Treat:  Cookie dough

Activity:  Dance class

When I asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up she said, "I want to be a mom...just like you!

Roasted!

We started National Toasted Marshmallow day with some hot dogs, fabulous corn on the cob and chips!  The only child that LOVED their corn was Lexi.  She had a hard time getting any off of the cob, but she kept trying.  I did cut some off for her and she ate it right up!  Smart girl!  It was delicious.

 We celebrated redneck style this time.  I wasn't in a good mood...Caleb wasn't in a good mood...I didn't feel like chasing everyone around a campground.  And guess what....it was just fine having the fire right in our driveway!

 

Look at Rylee grinning at her big brother.  Does it get any cuter?

We only have two roasting sticks...so Taylor was the lucky one that got to use an actual stick for her mallow!  Taylor didn't love her smore.  She just wanted to eat the marshmallows NOT roasted.

Luke wasn't interested in anything but this big gulp cup and straw.  Lexi loved being a big girl sitting in her sister's chair.  Caleb snapped the picture of me & the girls & the one of Casey, the girls & me.  After he took the picture of the 4 of us he said, "Wait a second.  How am I supposed to get in the picture?"  It was funny.