Our Little Family

Cutest Chicken Ever

We had such a fun Halloween.  Brittney and her family came up for the weekend. It was so great!  On Friday Adison went trick or treating at grandma Cathy's office.  At first she was a little timid, but by the end she was grabbing hand-fulls from people's offices.  Saturday we went over to Camie's house and had lots of yummy food.  Then all the cousins that were here went trick or treating together. She wouldn't say  anything when she got to the door, but after she would whisper thank you. After that we went over to visit Grandma and Grandpa Gardner.  She loved to show off her costume!

 

All the cousins ready to go. Bottom left: Adison, Julia, Ali, Eliza River, Keaton, Cassidy, Hadlie, Bryton, and Colten.

  

Pumpkin Land

We took a little trip to pumpkin land. The weather was so nice, it was a perfect day. They had a little corn maze, lots of animals to look at, and of course tons of PUMPKINS!

 

Adison wasn't quite sure what to think about it all.

 
We really only walked around the outside of the maze.

playing with daddy

  

We had such a fun day!

In Honor of my Heritage

 

Have you seen anything cuter? Ever?

I am b.a.c.k.

I knoooooow.  I will catch up.  Just bear with me if you see an Easter post pop up in October!  

First Fishing Trip

We went to the ranch for a few days to help with some things.  If you don't know Adam, he LOVES to fish. It is a Gardner trait I have yet to inherit.  Adison and I were up at the lake for all of 15 minutes.  It was FREEZING!  He is really hoping she likes to fish, I wouldn't bet on it! 

She likes sitting in the stroller.

She really liked helping hold the pole.

But when it came to the actual fish, not so much...

my gramps

I had to use this one.  It is my favorite.  It's just so him.  I love him.  I miss him already so much. He passed away early in the morning of June 7th.  He went to the hospital the day before, my aunt Susan was with him. I know it is mostly family who reads this, and you've all done your own posts too.  But just for my sake I have to write down some of my feelings.  He's my grandpa.  The only one I ever knew.  But he was good enough for two!  I think the grandkids are having a harder time than his kids! Maybe not.  We all keep asking if the tears will stop, but they don't, and we have him to blame for it!  

Jen already said a lot of what I am feeling, but here goes:  I know he was 92.  I know he was getting worse.  I know he lived a WONDERFUL, full, great life.  I know that we were all blessed to have him this long, I know I was blessed to have him be my grandpa, I know it is good he went so fast, I know, I know, I know.  But it is still hard, and I still cry, and I will still miss him all the time.  

I am so glad that I got to see him a few times in the last couple of months.  I saw him in March when we were down for a few days, and I went to his distinguished Nevadan award, and spent time with him later that day.  AND he came to my cousin's wedding last week.  We had a big get together over at my cousins house, and then I saw him the next day at the luncheon.  He was always smiling, watching the kids, smiling, speaking kind words. 

I have the BEST memories of him.  I was talking to Chelsie the other day, and I said, you know he just made us all feel so special.  Like we were the best grandchild in the world.  He had a really special talent at that, because I know all us grandkids are thinking, but nobody can feel like this right now, how I feel, about losing him.  He was our hero.

Some of my favorite things and best memories about gramps:

-His smile. He was always smiling.

-His stories.  I really hope these are all on video somewhere.

-His voice, gruff but loving. I especially loved when he yelled at the cows!

-His love of his family. Nothing was more important. And we knew it. Everybody did.

-His love of the gospel.

-His bolo ties!

-His cowboy hats.

-His love of the temple.

-His love of nature- the ranch.

-His kind heart.

-How much he loved Adam.

-When he would scare us to death.

-Leaving $20 on my bed after they would stay the night.

-Giving me one of his cowboy hats when I was in highschool. A treasure.

-Him sitting and watching the kids for hours out the window at the ranch.

-Sitting in his chair brushing his teeth. 

-Giving him haircuts.

-Watching him talk to, tease, and play with kids.

-My very first horse ride on my own horse, he took me and britt. Big moment.

-His hugs.

-Him ALWAYS telling me how much he loved me, and Adam.

-His generosity.

-Never speaking bad of others.

But my VERY favorite thing about my grandpa is him with my grandma.  My cousin took this picture a while ago while they were walking to the car.  This is how they were. Always. They were married 63 years. They were the most loving couple I have ever seen.  It is a goal. My grandma is incredible. She made sure that he was always taken care of. We will all have to do that for her now. Words will never express how much we all love him.  It is something that can only be felt.  Just thought I'd get this down, before my eyes completely swell shut over the next few days.

ONE

Yep, she's one. We can't believe it.  Everybody says it goes by so fast, but until you have your own, you don't know.  She must have know a milestone was coming this week.  She was different. Naughty different.  I came back from my scrapbook weekend, and I keep asking Adam where out nice sweet baby went.  That is ok, I guess she has to grow up and form opinions, I just thought it might be a little later!  She is proving to be quite a funny little girl.  She has the best facial expressions ever.  Here are a couple of things about her right now.

*Is crawling a LITTLE bit.  She can do it, but can still get around faster scooting.

*Has the SMALLEST feet.  I went to get some of her newborn shoes out so she would have something to wear.

*Blows kisses

*First words: da da, ma ma, nah nah (food), then last week all she could say was "Oh wow!"  It was the cutest thing ever, now she is being stingy with them. She is also trying to say hello, (with a phone up to her ear) an thank you.

*Still pokes her lips out and says oooh oooh, when she is excited. And claps all the time, especially for any music, or baby einstein.  This is especially funny when she starts clapping after a musical number at church.  When she gets really excited she does everything she knows how to, peekaboo, claps, so big,-hilarious.

*Is so curious, and really observant about everything.  SOOOO Adam. 

*Eats a lot. Loves any fruit. Likes to throw all of it on the floor. 

*Shakes her head no.  Funny Story: The other night we were at dinner with Adam's family, and her cousin Taylor had a baby doll that was in a teddy bear outfit.  Have you seen those dolls?  Grandma kept asking her Adi, do you want this baby?  And she would scrunch up her nose, and wave her hands and shake her head no till she took it away. 

*Covers her mouth and giggles.  Grammy Brenda taught her this. (And the phone thing) She does it when Adam gets up to conduct at church. 

*Still tiny.  A couple of weeks ago she weighed 17 lbs. We go to the DR. in a couple weeks. 

*Her favorite thing to do is take things out of something and put them back in.  Over and over. I constantly find things in her diaper bag she just takes them out of her toy basket and puts them in her bag. 

She really is a joy!  We love her so much and are so glad she is in our family.

(check out her one year pictures on the side.)

Mothers Day

Story time:  I really had a mothers day weekend.  Me and Adison were supposed to fly to Las Vegas on Friday afternoon.  My grandpa got this great award, and I REALLY wanted to be there.  Adam couldn't come which he was SO sad about.  He started a class on Saturday, and then last week he was called to the bishopric, and he was in charge on his first Sunday because the bishop was out of town!  

Wednesday night Adi got a fever.  It got pretty bad.  When we got home from the dr. on Thursday it was almost 105 degrees, and I was freaking out.  He told me not to take her if she still had a fever. What a great day.  I feel bad I didn't make a bigger deal out of it for our mothers.  Thursday night, I packed and when I was finishing at 2:30, (I know, I SO don't procrastinate!) she woke up.  She had no fever, wanted to eat, drink, and play.  When she woke up the next morning, still no fever.  So, I packed for her, and we went to my parents house to meet Camie to go.  We took her temp when we got there, and it was a little higher.  We took it a few minutes later, and it was even higher, so we decided she shouldn't go.  I unpacked her as we drove to the airport.  I was already emotionally tired from trying to decide if I should take her.  It ended up that she was pretty sick the whole weekend, so I am really glad she didn't come, it would have been so hard on her.

Adam's mom saved us by taking her on Saturday morning and Sunday until about 2:00 when I got home. It was so nice to know she was well taken care of.  I really didn't worry that much.  Just a little because she was sick.  I had such a great time just being with all of my family, immediate, and extended.  It was really a great weekend.  My parents drove Camie and I home, and we left early, so that we could be home for part of mothers day.  

I came home to a clean house, flowers, and a cute card Adam made.  I had a nap, and everything!  He IS the best.  He told me it was a perfect time to have mothers day.  Me being gone made him appreciate me more, and his mom helping made him more grateful for her!  

I love this little face, I am so glad she made me a mom!

Now on to my mom.  She is so great.  Really.  She is caring, loving, kind, generous, strong, sensitive, she is not only my mom, but one of my best friends.  I love to be with her.  I learned everything about being a mother from her, She is also the best grandma.  I swear Adison would rather be at her house than anywhere else.  She is always on the floor playing with her when I come to get her.  I NEVER worry about her there.  I am so grateful that she has been willing to watch her while I work.  

We found out a couple weeks ago that my mom has uterine cancer.  It was a shock to me.  Something like that really puts things in perspective for you.  I feel very peaceful about things, and I always have. I am grateful about the power of prayer and fasting.  Her Dr. is very positive about things, and so are we.  I LOVE you mom!  

What a difference a week makes!

Yay!  The snow is gone.  Spring is back.  Tulips are my favorite flower, so we always like to go to the tulip festival at Thanksgiving Point.  We went last night for our FHE.  I am taking a photography class, and it was the perfect place to do my homework.  I kept saying, this looks fake, like we are in a painting. I felt kind of like we were on a movie set.  It is so pretty.  And the bloom-o-meter was only at 60% so it's just going to get better.  If any of you have a chance, you should definitely go! 

Seriously

Okay, I know I am WAY behind on the blogging, but this current situation has got to be documented immediately.  Notice the date is April 16, not December or January, April.  Easter was last weekend for Heaven's sake.  Yesterday was a bad day.  Tax day makes everybody in a bad mood, it snowed all day, AND I got a traffic ticket.  To make things worse, spring is my favorite time of year, and now all our blossoms are going to be ruined.  I woke up to the crunching sound of cars driving on the snow.  Adam was out taking some pictures of this horrid event.  Note:  I have tried very hard not to complain all winter.  Now it is not winter, so it is definitely allowed.

I think this tree might break, it is too heavy. :(