Carders Birthday Party

My baby turned 1 last Sunday. I can not believe how fast the

time goes by. We celebrated it after Caden's concert last

Saturday night. We had fish and shrimp tacos for dinner along

with homemade salsa and chips and a big bowl of cut up fruit.

It was yummy! Then we had cake and ice cream.

We celebrated at Aunt Marcy's house in Mesa.

Here is Carder looking bashful as we were singing Happy Birthday

He is not bashful though, as you will see in the next pic.

He just stuck his hand in the cake and ready to eat.
He thought this is pretty tasty!

So we just let him dig in all by himself and he loved it!

He did get quite messy. But I think it was worth it.

Here's a group shot of some of the family there.

Notice Marcy is now a brunette. I don't think she

is having as much fun as she did as a blonde. J/K

The other table there with some of the group.

Then it was on to opening presents. He got a musical phone,

a cute little barking puppy, and tickle me Elmo. (Jaron has been

saving the Elmo for Carders 1st birthday for quite some time.

Thanks for parting with it Jaron-I know it must have been hard) ha-ha

We made it a fun night of Wii playing and of course the computer

geeks below were playing on it. Caden and Trevon.

(they are two peas in a pod)

Sorry Grandma I did not get a better shot of you but I

thought it was cute how you would kick your leg up when you bowled.

She was pretty good. She also played tennis against Savannah.

It was a great party and I love to spend time with family!

Thanks Mom and Dad for letting us stay at your home.

I know it was a houseful, but the more the merrier.

Cadens All State Band Concert

Caden made All-State Band and performed this last

Saturday, the 21st of March. It was an all 6th grade band.

We are so proud of Caden in all his accomplishments.

The proud Mom and Dad with Caden and his trumpet

There was a wonderful support group there for Caden.

Gma & Gpa Whipple, Aunt Marcy, Uncle Tim, and cousins

Trevon & Savannah and his immediate family.

The proud Grandparents

We made it an extended weekend. We came down Friday
and stayed through Monday. It was Carders 1 yr. Birthday
on Sunday and then we went to the Zoo as a family on Monday.

I'm sooo behind on posting and sorry I missed some Birthdays
and happenings but it is too overwhelming to catch up and so
I'm just catching up the last week is all.

A Typical Sunday afternoon

Carder is really pulling himself up to things these days.

But no, he did not pull himself into this window on his

own. But he sure enjoys it. Vinnie got some pics of him

yesterday but since we woke up to some snow this morning

I thought I would post this one so my family can see.

While my mom has beautiful flowers blooming in the valley,

we are cold and snowy. (but it will be a different story in a few months)

We have the 8:30 am church so we have all afternoon to

spend time together. The kids are usually a little on the wild side.

Anyone else's kids like that?? After sitting still for 3 hours they

just got to let it out! This is not typical with Vinnie teaching Kamrielle

gang signs. But hey, look at the arm around him. There bonding. And

Caden is teasing Carder. Now that is very typical around our house

on a Sunday. Lots of teasing.

Well she learned "peace" that's a good one.


They all just got done playing a game of "old maid".
Caden never stays put for me to get his picture.
He's at that age.



We had Vinnie's brothers family over for dinner after Church.
Joey, Alisha, Brook & Brynn.
Of course I did not think to get a picture then. They just
moved closer and into the ward and it has been fun.
Ecspecially for Kamrielle. The twins are turning 3 next month.
We had pork loin with trimmings and then I made a fruit pizza.





This is us having seconds on the fruit pizza later today.
Vinnie's on the phone plotting out a risk game with the
guys for later tonight.





Smiley Carder. I just love to capture there smile!

Big brother watching over little brother. There is 11 and a half years

between these two. But they have a special bond. When

Caden gets up in the morning he comes downstairs and right

into our room because that is where Carder typicaly is in the

morning and when he see's Caden his face just lights up.

I love to watch that.

And I love our typical Sundays...

kids...they are the best!

Kamrielle was watching the Fox and Hound movie

this morning and she said "Mom, find the Mickey Mouse part"

I said Mickey Mouse is not in this movie. She said "Yes,

he is I saw it on here yesterday." So I pushed the menu

button thinking maybe it was in the bonus part.

Well we pushed all the extra bonus buttons and did

not find it. I told her just watch the movie ok. It's not on here.

She said in a frustrated voice "Mom sometimes you just

don't know everything. I saw it and I know its on there, ok."

I just smiled and shook my head. She sounded so grown up.

Kids...You gotta love em!

This was Carder taking a nice long nap earlier this week.

I usually don't bother him but he was sleeping so long I thought

I better go check on him. So I took this picture knowing if he

woke up it would be ok. But he just kept right on sleeping.

He has his leg propped up over the blanket. He is also turned

sideways in his crib. He is such a funny sleeper.

Don't ya just want to get those cheeks?

Happy Birthday Mom!

Mom, I want you to know I got up at 5 am this morning

to do this post. You know me so I thought that might

impress you. Well since its soo early I deleted this picture

on accident it was at the bottom and now its at the

top so keep reading the next part is actually the start.

Today is my Mom's Birthday! I would like to wish her a very

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

Sorry mom that I can't be with you today on your Birthday.

This is when I wish we lived closer.

I know it is going to be a fun-filled day for you today, though.

My mom has many talents! She is truly a loving person!

She is a nurturer. She has nurtered people around her all

her life. She loves every one of her grandkids to the sun and

moon and back again. I love that she wants to spend time with

them and has to call them if she has not seen them in a while.

She is always willing to take them! I wish she lived closer!

She has the most beautiful singing voice! I have the priveledge to

sing with her every now and then but it is a little intimidating,

because she is so good!

She is a wonderful baker! I absolutely love her cinnamon rolls!

Did I tell you that I love her cinnamon rolls? They are the best!

She always had breakfast for you growing up and homemade goodies!

I probably should not mention that she is 59 today but I am because

it is hard to believe! She is a beautiful woman!

Enjoy your last year of the fifty's.

Thanks for being you, MOM! I hope you have a wonderful day today!!

Wii Family Fun

So this is the game room upstairs. And when I say game room

I literally mean game room. It is not my favorite room in the house.

There is usually games or movies scattered about and there is

"game" animals hanging all over the wall. 3 Deer, 1 Elk, & 1 Bear.

Luckily that is all for now but this is not where I spend a lot of

my time. I do however like having this room for the kids.

It serves it's purpose and I'm glad to have it.

So we got a Wii for Christmas and everyone has been enjoying it!

I think Boxing is the family favorite. This was a fun night.

Kamrielle was the winner. She is really good at Boxing.

Vinnie and Caden concentrating real hard. They crack me up.

Uh-Oh Vinnie what is that look of concern? Is Caden beating you?
Looks like it from Cadens face too. I however am the worst at Boxing.
Vinnie and I like to play tennis together. I have to admit that I woke
up in the night with sore biceps from playing tennis. I guess I better
keep playing so I can not be sore again.

We have enjoyed the Wii and the time we get to spend
together as a family playing it.

Happy Birthday Laura!

Our family would like to wish Laura a very

Happy Birthday today!! I believe she is in Mexico

with her whole family on vacation! I think that

is soo sweet for her to want to spend her 40th

birthday with the whole family. I hope they are

having a great time! Here is Laura with her two

hairless dogs when they were here at Christmas time.

We don't get to see them as often as we would like too.

Usually just once a year. So I don't have too

many pictures of you, Laura. But I'm glad to have

you as apart of our family. You really are a caretaker.

In all aspects. Such as your husband, kids, dogs, house,

business, and always helping out when you are here too!

You have a precious family and we love you all very much!

This is the whole family on Christmas eve this past year.

Wow, Laura I hope I look as good as you at 40!

Carder's into everything

It was'nt this drastic as this lady makes it look.

Actually I was laughing everytime I found him

in yet another mess... See pictures below and

you will see what he was into just this morning.

He crawls toward the fireplace often and I have to really

watch him. He has not gotten very close to it yet.

Just to the edge of the tile. Well today he saw a piece of

coal that he put right into his mouth.

Not once but twice. So he had black stuff on his hand

and around his mouth. He is a very determined little guy!

Then he found his sisters crayon container opened of course

and pulled them out one by one. Luckily he did not try to

eat one yet but, I'm sure it is just a matter of time.

He also thinks his sisters room is pretty fun to get into things

and this is where he heads everytime...Her book shelf and

pulls off all the books on the bottom shelf. She gets so

frustrated with him and I remind her that she did the

exact same thing to Caden. She just smiles.

I think I've got some fun filled days ahead of me...

I mean a lot of messes to clean up ahead of me.

I did not get any real pictures of this because Vinnie

has got my camera with him. He made a quick business trip

up to Wyoming. But he is on his way home as I type. Yay!

Happy New Year!!

from our Family to Yours
We may not have it all together
but,
Together we have it all!


My family means everything to me.
Just look at those sweet kids above.


I love these boys. Are they not the cutest smiles?


And this is my sweet girl. She is everything I
ever wanted in a daughter! Sweet & Sassy!

And look who I get to spend eternity with...

It does not get any better than this!

Looking forward to another year with my family...

It's one year closer to Eternity!

Christmas ~ with the Whipple Fam

Well my camera battery died Christmas morning with the charger

being back in Show Low. So here is the one and only Christmas

morning picture I got of cute Carder. He likes to bang things so

a hammer that makes noises as you bang it seemed very fitting.

So the rest of these are from Christmas Eve. We got together with

my family this year for Christmas (we roatate every year) and so it

was down in the valley this year (which I think is always nice to get

out of the cold for a few days) It was pretty packed with something

always going on but it was fun! We arrived Tues. night and stayed with

my sister Marcy and family. Christmas eve day was spent doing

last minute shopping and then family pictures that afternoon. Then

our traditional Navajo Tacos for Christmas Eve dinner and playing

the White Elephant game over at my parents house. So that is what

the following pics are from; Christmas Eve. The grandkids went

ahead and opened their gifts from Gpa & Gma Whipple. Here is

Carder sitting on top of his gift with Vinnie. He will love this!

This is Carder's first Christmas and he enjoyed all the wrapping

paper best of all! He turned 9 months on the 22nd.


This is cute Paige playing with Carder.

Luke and Camdon showing what they got.

Look at that gorgeous smile from Miss Savannah.

Caden got a gun case. Just what he asked for from Gpa.

"Vinnie keep your gang signs to yourself" ha-ha

Laura (my sister-in-law), Marcy (sister) holding my baby Carder,

me, and my Grandma Ries.

Kamrielle excited to open her gift from her grandparents

Here is what the three girls got...They love their babies!

My Grandpa & Grandma Ries came to celebrate with us on

Christmas Eve too!

Here they are with all of their Great-Grandchildren.

Just wanted to go around the room and get some group shots:

Richard (bro.-in-law), Luke (nephew), Todd (brother) and Gpa Ries.

Caden (my oldest), Tim (brother), Jaron, Trevon & Camdon (nephews) &

Carder (my baby) being held by Trevon.

Kiff (brother) and my Mom.

It was a wonderful time! We had Christmas breakfast at Richard's

parents house (They have done this for several years now) They fed

around 170 people this year. Then we headed to the movie that afternoon

Bedtime Stories It was a great movie and everyone enjoyed it! Then

we came back to Marcy's and had a nice Ham dinner with all the trimmings

and then played games till really late. On Friday we did a little more shopping

and then played some Basketball at my parents church bldg. with some

cousins and there kids we don't always get to see. All the adults in my family

went out to dinner at Tia Rosa's and enjoyed our last night together!

We ended up staying an extra day and came home on Saturday instead

of Friday. I'm glad we did and we had a great time! I am glad to get back

home and back to the regular schedule and not having all those treats around!

I think I gained 5 lbs. just in the 4 days we were there...but it was soo worth it!

Thank You to my wonderful family for making some more fun memories for us all!