Pizza!

 We LOVE to make pizza at our house!

It's ...winter?

Well, we've FINALLY had snow stay on the ground for more than 2 hours for the first time this winter.  Don't get me wrong...I'm not complaining.  I've been LOVING the warm weather.  I haven't missed the snow one tiny little bit.  My kids on the other hand...

They've been trying to enjoy the snow for the short time it's been around.  (Cameron was upset that he didn't have any snow pants like the girls, so I put him in the only thing I had. Doesn't he look adorable? And yes, he CAN put his arms down!) ;)

Our annual pathetic little snowman -

This year I didn't even have to help them make it!

It's hard to see, but this is a picture of Lydia's snow angel that she attempted to make in half an inch of snow - 

Now I'm just hoping that winter doesn't end as late as it started!

Say Cheese!

My favorite thing at Chuck E. Cheese is the photo booth, even though it usually takes a few tries to get a great photo.  Especially when you're a kid and have to do a combination stand/sit/kneel thingy to even show up in the camera.

 Just warming up...

A little better...

 Perfect!

(In an adorably imperfect way)

Cameron is 3!

   My little Cam-Cam just turned 3! (Even though he keeps telling everyone he's "fibe.")  We had lots of fun celebrating with my side on New Year's Eve, and with Randall's side the following Sunday.  Saturday (his actual Birthday) was int-res-ting...
    We took him to Chuckarama and planned to go to the movies after that, but Lydia started complaining of pain in her back, leg, etc. (she wasn't even interested in BROWNIES or ICE CREAM!), so we ended up going to the Emergency Room instead.  Five minutes before we got to the hospital she seemed fine again, but we decided to have her checked out anyway.  After hours of waiting and a couple of x-rays, they told us she had Toxic Synovitis (hip inflammation) and to give her ibuprofen.  Still not sure that was really the problem, but whatever.
    We went to Costco after that, and were pretty exhausted.  Seriously, I'm not sure I've ever felt closer to an asylum than I did after taking all 5 kids to Chuckarama (one of them squirming in pain the entire time), a trip to the Emergency Room, and a Costco excursion ON A SATURDAY.   Therefore, we just went home and had a popcorn movie night.  Hopefully Cameron still feels like he had a fun Birthday, or at least will be too young to remember how lame it was.  Randall still gives his sister Jackie grief because she had the audacity to be baptized on HIS Birthday.  I guess we'll see if he takes after his Dad...

 Tara made this adorable Toy Story/My Little Pony Cake for Cameron and Kayleigh

This is what your pictures will look like if you leave your camera in your car in January, then try to bring it in and take a picture of your child on his new bike.  Just so ya know. 

 Cameron received a bike, cash register set, Shake n' Go Batmobile, some jammies, stuffed Spongebob...

His actual Birthday may not have been ideal, but at least he got to have Birthday cake THREE TIMES!  (One of them was actually a Costco muffin, but they're pretty much cake, right?  And no, he didn't pee his pants...he just spilled his lemonade. Seriously!)

 

    Cameron has such a fun personality.  He can be a little bit sassy at times, and he likes to say things like "I whatever me want," (I can do whatever I want) "No, I don't wike (like) it!" and "I'n talking to Leah!" if you should dare to respond when he's not talking to you.  It's also very important to acknowledge when he IS saying something to you or he'll repeat it louder and louder until you do. Everything is "way mad" (way bad) for him.  He'll say "I ungry way mad," "I need that way mad," etc.  He also can be a little sneaky at times...especially with food.  I swear I feed him CONSTANTLY, but he still loves to sneak food from the kitchen, hide by the far side of my bed, and pig out.  You'd be surprised what I've found over there...a Costco sized bag of grated mozzarella, a bucket of cookie dough, HUNDREDS of Kraft Singles wrappers...

FAVORITES -
Food - "Mush-mellow big" (I still haven't taught him to put the adjective BEFORE the noun because it's SO dang cute! Hope that doesn't bite me in the butt come school time.)  He also asks for "butter honey" (peanut butter and honey sandwich) EVERY DAY.
TV Show - "umi zoominy" (Team Umizoomi)
Color - "red"
Friend - "Gampa" (Grandpa)
Toy - "phone"  ? He plays with his Toy Story and Cars toys a lot.
Movie - "Cars 2 and Woody" (Toy Story)
Book -  "I'n all done now!" (Frankly I'm surprised he answered as many questions as he did.)

FUNNY PHRASES -
Escoose me. I just burp again.

Aaaaaaaaaaar-guh! (sadly, he gets this from me)

Na-na boo-boo,  you can't catch me! (no clue where he got this)

You say yes, Mom?! (He says this every time I tell them they can do something I normally don't let them do.  Like eat chocolate chips, for example. It's like he's shocked that I can actually be nice sometimes.)

A-ter rest time, we wake up! (He seriously says this 15 times a day.  Not sure if it's just a fun fact he likes to share, or if he's afraid he won't wake up someday and needs reassurance.)

I need a do-der (doctor) (Anything from the hiccups to a sticker stuck to his foot - he needs a doctor.)

Funny Conversations - 
1. Mommy: "No way Jose."
    Cameron: "Me not Jose!  Me Cam-ran!"

2.  Cameron:  "Jicken."
    Meleah:  "Don't say chicken."
    Cameron:  "Jicken."
    Meleah:  "STOP!"
    Cameron:  "Jicken."
    Meleah:  "Mom!  Cameron's ANNOYING me!"
I think his goal in life is to drive Meleah crazy by teasing, tackling, and copying her daily.

3.  Mom:  Has anyone seen my camera?
     Cameron: (with adorable playful smile)  I'n right here Mommy! 

   Cameron is so playful, energetic, and incredibly sweet. Whenever he sees someone sleeping, he'll find a blanket and cover them up.  He LOVES to "hold me," "sit on my yap (lap)" and snuggle with me under a warm "bankie"(blankie).  He's very sensitive and will usually run over to me immediately after getting in trouble to give me a teary hug and make up.  I LOVE my little buddy SO much and am SO happy that I get to spend every day with my mischievous, silly, sweet little cutie-pie.

It CAN get pretty dangerous around here...

Better safe than sorry!

Merry Christmas Everybody!

Randall and I watched It's a Wonderful Life this year and I bawled through the entire thing.  I'm pretty sure that's the first time I've watched it since becoming a parent, and I could totally relate to all the stress of sick kids, bills, work, etc.  I loved it!  We had an amazing Christmas this year and once again...I'm totally bummed it's over.  We did all the usual stuff -

Decorated Cookies
Don't look at my pathetic sugar cookies. If anyone has a delicious FOOLPROOF recipe, please let me know because mine NEVER turn out right. 

Decorated Gingerbread Houses

(or gingerbread trailers)

Decorated Ourselves

 Performed in the Nativity at our ward party.

 Had Christmas Eve dinner with the Brown side.

Thanks for the pictures Laura. I couldn't find my camera that morning. 

 My mom made Jedi robes for the boys and Red Riding Hood robes for the girls.

 Opened gifts and played with our new stuff on Christmas morning.

 Cameron REALLY enjoyed all the candy in his stocking (and a few pieces he found in everyone else's).

 LOVE the headphone feature included with this toy. 

 My Mom, Dad, Rachel, and Jana came to see what Santa brought everyone.

 The experienced sniper -

 His worthy opponents - 

 The fierce SWAT sisters -

I just realized that I didn't get a single picture of Savanna opening up her presents on her first Christmas.  That's probably because her siblings "helped" so much that she didn't really have much to do. She still had a great time rummaging around the mess and tasting all the wrapping paper, new toys, and candy wrappers she could find.

 I don't know why Santa's encouraging this whole WALKING thing...

My girls hanging out in their new "carriage."

One of my kids happened to take a picture of Randall's Christmas present during a take-a-ton-of-pictures-before-Mom-catches-you-playing-with-her-camera extravaganza...so I figured I'd include it. 

I received some new clothes, jewelry, boots, a 4-slice toaster (yep, my family's officially too big for a 2-slicer), and a waffle iron all bought lovingly by me...with my husband's money.  The best thing about that is most of it I used/wore before Christmas (which was only fair because Randall started using his present in November) and I LOVE all of my gifts. ;) Surprises are SO over-rated for psycho sale-seekers like me. At least when it's from someone that shares my bank account and doesn't possess my mad deal-finding skills.  Randall has managed to pull off some amazing surprises in the past, but I'm mostly just glad that he accepts me for who I am (a SUCKER for a sale).

I forgot my camera (again), but we had a delicious Christmas dinner over at the Stewarts on Christmas Day and had lots of fun playing games with everyone. 

FAVORITE GIFTS -

Carter - "There are three.  Star Wars Clone Wars III, DS Bakugan game, and my scooter with light-up wheels."

Lydia - "My Barbie Rapunzel and Eu-gene." 

Meleah - "Ree-punzel!"

Cameron - "Woody toys!" (Toy Story sets)

My kids are totally spoiled and my house is a disaster, but we've had a WONDERFUL Christmas.  Now I'd better go clean up this pig sty! 

 

Fortunately, my husband has mad trash-organizing skills and was able to fit all the garbage into our 2 cans (including the box pile from my previous post).  I'm a lucky woman!

I can no longer hide...

In my defense, some of those boxes are from diapers and wipes which are a necessity.  Only a few of them came full of toys to give to my already spoiled children. Really!  ;)