4th of July

For the 4th of July my family all came over and we had a bbq. After dinner we headed outside and did some sparklers, pop its, snakes, and some pretty innocent fireworks. My dad is not a fan of fireworks and was terrified we were going to catch something on fire. He was freaking out the entire time. Brad is the complete opposite. He LOVES doing fireworks. The bigger and louder the better. Cooper and Holden liked the sparklers for a minute and then were over them. After we did fireworks we all headed to watch the West Jordan City fireworks. We got there and they started right as we were sitting down. It was perfect. We enjoyed the show and then we were able to head out. Cooper enjoyed the fireworks but is a busy body so he had to constantly be moving. It was a really fun 4th.

***Please take notice of Cooper's outfit. He HAD to wear those boots all day long. He is so stylish!!! :)

Cooper doing his sparklers in style. Lounging in his chair and all.



Me and my baby

All of use during fireworks at our house

Grandmom with her boys.

At the West Jordan fireworks

This is Cooper experiencing Pop Its....
and Brad proceeding to throw them at my feet and legs.

Lately....in pics

I have been soooo bad at blogging for like the past month. Summer just got crazy and we were too busy having a good time. So here are some pics of what we have been up to!

hanging with daddy
playing with Holden
City Creek
good ole naps
lacrosse and soccer games
took of pajamas and diaper one morning in crib
bath time
found own sense of style
trying to get used to sitting on the potty
found a girlfriend
mischievous
helping out around the house
loving the treats summer brings with it

Being Cooper's Mom

I am so grateful for the chance I have had to be a mom. Not just a mom but Cooper's mom. It is the best job that I have ever had. He definitely tries my patience some days but there is nothing better than hearing him call me "mommy". His kisses, hugs, giggle, smile, fat feet and hands, big cheesy grin, double chin, big boy hair, fat tummy, olive skin, big hazzle/brown eyes (totally depends on the day), how I'm usually the only one who can understand what he's saying, his adorable little jump, the way he is obsessed with vacuums, is crazy wild and hyper, loves shoes, how he loves his daddy, how he loves to clean, how he's a little OCD with putting things back, his fearlessness with jumping off or onto things, how he responds "k" when you tell him something, how he loves candy and junk food as much as I do, how he wants to help me with everything I'm doing, and just so much more are what makes me happy! He is the perfect baby for me! Yes he's a toddler but will always be my baby! I wouldn't change anything about him! He makes me strive to do the best I can and be the best mom possible! Everyone always asks when I will want another baby and honestly as of now I am completely content with just Cooper! I'm not ready to share my attention and not get to focus completely on my Cooper. Mother's Day isn't really a day to me on celebrating how great of a mom I am or for all the work that goes into being a mom. It really is a day for me to reflect on the amazing blessing and opportunity that I have been give to be Cooper's mom. It's hard work and some days are very trying but I wouldn't choose any other job!

I had an amazing Mother's Day this year. We got up and went to church. I did have to teach but my lesson got cut short so was only about 15 minutes. Our ward excuses the women 15 minutes early and they feed us yummy treats. We had fruit, fruit dip, an assortment of brownies, and some other yummy stuff. We came home from church and I was able to nap. It felt awesome! We then headed to my aunts house for dinner. We hung out outside and the babies got to play in the pool and run around. It was a fun and relaxing day!

(1 & 16)Cooper singing "3 Little Monkeys" with my grandpa and Aspen
Playing with Cousins Asher and Holden
(8)Taking a stroll with my grandpa
(9)Walking to the car with Papa and carrying Aspen's bag
(4 & 15) Torturing poor Holden

Brad surprised me with probably my favorite present of all time. It's a necklace with the imprint of Cooper's big toe on it. He found it here. Babies under 2 don't have defined finger prints so you have to use their toes. This way I am always carrying around a little piece of Cooper! It's always the meaningful things that always mean the most to me.

(I could not get a good picture showing the print)
What the nursery kids gave their moms....so sweet!

Life Lately

We have been having lots of fun our around our house lately. Here are just some random pictures and a couple of videos showing what we have been up to!

We had to bring his carseat in to wash the cover (he decided to dump an entire bowl of watermelon on him while driving on the freeway)...it stayed in for a few days and he loved it. Then he found Holden's carseat!

Yes I painted his nails....he asked me too. The best part is that he knows how to blow them dry! HILARIOUS!!!!

Creamies at Costco.....make for a happy baby while shopping!

Strawberries at REI...he buckled himself like this.

Taking Buddy for a stroll

Water day outside with the neighbor kids. We played with our water table (best purchase...it was a huge hit) and ran through sprinkler. Cooper got drenched!

He is obsessed with his block bin

He knows he's a stud

REALLY???

Cooper being oh so funny

So happy after nap time

We don't make him do this!

Shows a little of how crazy Cooper is


Cooper and mommy McDonalds picnic

He loves this chocolate tin...even after the chocolates are gone

Loved watching the lawn mower

Made Jolly Rancher suckers

Where's Cooper's hands???

CHRISTMAS 2011!!!!!!!

We had such a fun filled busy Christmas season. It all started out the Sunday before Christmas with my families annual Christmas party. It is at my grandma and grandpas house. We eat, play bingo, and have a gift exchange. I didn't pull out my camera so didn't get any pictures :(

Next was Christmas Eve. Not long after I woke up I got a migraine.....I had one last Christmas so I was not very happy! I luckily was able to get some sleep to get rid of it just in time to leave for dinner. We went to my cousin Joel's house out in Eagle Mountain. I still wasn't feeling 100% but I wasn't not going to go. We had dinner and dessert and then headed back to our house to open presents.

My family opens all of our presents from each other on Christmas Eve. It is a fun tradition that we always look forward to. My mom went a little crazy this year and completely spoiled Cooper and Holden. I should have taken a picture of all the presents we had to open. My entire front room was covered in piles. My grandma, grandpa, and aunt Pam all came over to enjoy the excitement. They spoil us as well so I like that they are able to see us open our gifts.

We all got so spoiled!!!!

Brad:
sushi making class (for 2 so I get to go)
apron
socks
hoodie
Apples to Apples

Brad and I:
The Ten Commandments series of paintings by Arnold Friberg
sheets
dish drying mats
The Five Love Languages book
money

Kacey:
purse
jewelry
picture frame
subscription to Family Fun magazine
cricut (my mom gave it to me earlier in the year for my birthday and Christmas)

Cooper:
vacuum
broom, mop, cleaning set
circus tent
shape o toy
books
balance bike (grandpa had to get the boys their first bikes)
bath toy
A huge train set that Grandpa Jim made!

There was so much more but I can't think of everything!!!! :(

After opening presents all of our family left and we were able to get ready to put Cooper down. Cooper got into his Christmas pajamas from my mom.

We read the Polar Express on Christmas Eve so we did this and put baby to bed. Luckily I had wrapped everything already so I didn't have to get anything wrapped or put under the tree. We were just able to relax until we went to bed.

Christmas morning we slept in. It was nice because we got to bed a little late. Cooper was kind of fussy so he needed milk asap before we could even begin to bring him down to open presents.

Buddy could smell his stocking so we let him dig in before we got started.

Cooper opened a few of his presents but then was off playing with other things and getting into stuff he shouldn't be. Brad and I continued opening presents and looked over to find Cooper doing this. He feels so big climbing up to the kitchen table and typing on the laptop.

Mom helping Coop open his presents

I got Brad and Cooper a couple of things the same for their stockings. A big slinky and lantern for Brad and a little one of each for Cooper. I couldn't resist getting Cooper things like his daddy. He wants to do everything Brad does so it was perfect!

Cooper's favorite thing that they both got however was the train whistles. Cooper had so much fun blowing them with daddy.

Again we all got spoiled!

Brad:
Bucky balls
a straight razor shave from The Art of Shaving in Fashion Place mall
A canvas with his favorite picture of Cooper for his desk at work
a framed picture of Cooper with a poem about Daddy's Hands
an experiment book (yeah he is a 10 year old boy)
wallet (get one for Brad every year for Christmas)
a full set of Tupperware kitchen knives

Kacey:
clothes
a new robe with my initials monogrammed on it from Land's End
lotions and soaps (my favorite scent coconut lime verbena was discontinued so Brad loaded up on all of them he could find)
metal decorative covers for my soaps
this awesome new cup
7 slap wrist silicone watches...I had asked for 1 and Brad got a ton of them!

Then we are going to be getting food storage instead of going crazy for Christmas. We feel like this is something we really need to do!

Cooper:
xylophone
books
puzzles
The Hallmark Cooper bear that reads to you
Tickle Monster book set with tickle gloves
puppy blanket and pillow
magnets (abc and dinosaur)
markers, crayons, playdoh
tupperware stacking pails
a recorder
lacing beads
gyro bowl

I was big on not getting many toys but learning manipulatives and things that have a purpose. I guess it is the teacher coming out in me!


After we opened all of our presents we had breakfast....yummy!

My parents and Aspen came over a little later and we made a ham and hung out and just relaxed. Chase and Kaitlin decided they weren't going anywhere on Christmas so they weren't getting together to hang out on Christmas like we usually do. I was sad!!! We just had a relaxing day. We didn't make it to church because my family came over to do lunch before my mom had to go to work.


Cooper being silly with Aunt Aspen......and no he wasn't drinking the Mt. Dew!
Cooper enjoying his presents

I've packed away a lot of Cooper's presents and will pull one out at a time. I want him to be able to enjoy each one fully. He favorites right now are his broom, vacuum, stacking pails, xylophone, shape o toy, and slinky.

I was SOOO happy to not get a migraine on Christmas like I did last year. I did however get the one on Christmas Eve and then two the day after Christmas. There was a 3 hour span in the middle of the day where I was fine. Ugh!!!!!

4th of July

I hope that everyone had an awesome 4th of July! I know we did. It all started on Saturday. We had a BBQ and had a bunch of friends over. It was a blast! In total we had 16 adults and 7 kids/babies. It was so much fun. We grilled and just stuffed ourselves full. We played Mexican horseshoes and then did fireworks. I had a lot of fun getting ready for the BBQ. I wanted to be really festive this year. Since I have had Cooper I have wanted to make every holiday fun and start new traditions. I really want us to have 4th of July shirts. I looked around and just couldn't find any that I loved. So I decided why not make them. I really love how they turned out! I made mine a little more girly than the boys.

Next I really wanted our house to be cute for the 4th. I made a few crafts because I didn't have anything. The HOME was from a craft group I did, the star and firecrackers are from a craft day my neighbor had, and the rest I just did (stole some ideas from blogs). I even made the food festive for the occasion.


I was so happy with the turn out we had. It made for a really fun night! We stayed up late doing fireworks. I was worried my neighbors were going to hate me. But we had 3 other couples who live in my neighborhood so we could share the blame if someone complained :) Even Cooper got to stay up for fireworks. One of our friends babies was sleeping in his room so I couldn't lay him down. He actually really liked watching the fireworks. Indiana even got to join in on the excitement. They both ended up on my lap and I was perfectly fine with that. Brad and one other guy were in charge of the firework show. Everyone brought fireworks so we had a lot to do. We splurged and bought one of the huge pack of fireworks. I about died when Brad said we were spending so much on fireworks because I am good with just pop-its and sparklers. But the show was fun! One of our neighbors was doing the huge ones in the sky so we got to enjoy their show too!




On the actual 4th we didn't do much. We tried running some errands but a lot of places that we needed to go were closed. I had us wear our matching shirts out for the day. Brad informed me we were "That" family. He made fun of me and couldn't believe I was okay with us matching. But he didn't complain and wore his shirt happily :) We had decided just to stay home and relax. We made homemade ice cream in a ball and invited my brother Chase, his girl friend Kaitlin and my adorable nephew Holden over. We grilled and played basketball. Then once it got dark we went out with our neighbors and enjoyed more fireworks. It was a fun 4th!

My ADORABLE nephew

Made ice cream in this ball....it was fun and delicious!!!