Goodbye snow, hello sun and sand!

Just wanted to rub it in a little... :)

Our bags are packed, the truck is loaded (to the very top!), the laundry is done, the house is clean (Hudson is napping), we are ready to walk out the door as soon as Dustin gets home from work. We are leaving for our trip in less than two hours and my stomach is in knots! I'm pacing the house, trying to remember what I'm forgetting!

We'll be in Grenada from Wednesday to Sunday, then in the Dominican Republic till next Saturday! We are so excited, I could hardly sleep last night! Thanks to everyone who is helping with the kids, we know they will have almost as much fun as their parents! They can't wait to play with Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles and cousins...they are as excited as we are, and that is making this so much better.
Thank you Daniel and Amy for inviting us, you are the best friends we could ask for, we don't deserve you! Can't wait to hang out with you for 12 days!

Everyone else, get ready to comment on our awesome tans next time you see us! HA!


See you soon!

Welcome Baby Cole!

I have a new nephew! Yay! I haven't seen him in person yet, but these pictures are so cute I had to show them...Thank you so much Wes for sending them...I'm dying to see him in person! I actually don't know if the pictures made it better or worse...!

Baby Cole Steven Chambers * born February 4 * 6 lbs 15 oz * 19 inches

Kennedy was working on her class Valentines the other night, and I had to snap a few pictures. (I'm really not usually this far ahead of the game, but with the trip, she has to send hers early...)

She is getting so big, I can hardly stand it. I was positively bursting with pride watching her do this. She needed zero help, she is writing and reading so well! She personally addressed each Valentine all by herself and they are totally legible. Plus, she read all of Green Eggs and Ham herself the other night, with no help. I can't believe I have a little reader. Reading is something that Dustin and I both love, and I'm so glad she's already loving it, too.

I'm just FREAKING OUT is all...

So.

I don't know if you've noticed, but we are going to GRENADA in a week.

Grenada for four days, and then to the Dominican Republic for a week! Tropical paradise, while highs are in the 20's here in Rexburg, yay!

So, on top of all the crazy planning, packing, stressing over the fact that I really haven't dieted like I should have, having a really sore arm from getting $380.00 worth of vaccinations so we don't come home with typhoid or hepatitis or anything fun like that, it has just hit me: my babies are staying here, half a world away. And I'm on an emotional roller-coaster about it.

Jeez, what I wouldn't give for Dustin's "He'll be FINE" attitude. Can you tell which one I'm worried about?

And I don't really know what exactly I'm so nervous about. I'm in no way worried about the awesomeness of his sitters, or that he won't have a really good time with them. It's just that he is such a homebody, and really a daddy's boy right now, and kind of hard to understand sometimes, I just...uggghhhh. Am freaking out. So, thank you to everyone who is talking me through it and taking the little monkeys while we go play. I'll bring you something cool. From the islands. That is definitely a cheer-up thought. Now, I have to go do some more packing...ugghh. Just freaking out again, that's all.

Something worth blogging about...

Big birthdays in our family yesterday...and I was too busy celebrating to blog about them on time, so here is a catch up.

Happy 29th Birthday, Dustin! I can't believe we are in our LATE twenties....I'm sure I thought I'd feel a lot older than I do...hmmm. I guess that's a good thing!

Kennedy and I had so much fun planning some birthday fun for Dustin. We made him some delicious gourmet BTS cupcakes, made some birthday cards, and decorated the house. Then, at 4 o'clock, we kidnapped him from work and took him bowling! It was really fun! Then we came home and made his exactly-as-requested birthday dinner: Bacon-Cheeseburgers and Mac&Cheese with Peas...he may have had a little help with his requesting from Kennedy...

Kennedy LOVED "Dad-napping..."

Hudson giving it a try...with a little help.

Hudson was way less naughty bowling than I was expecting. He thought everything about it was awesome, but especially the ball return. He hung out right here the whole time! And he said "Good Job!" every single time someone bowled. It was so cute!

If you are wondering, the birthday boy won...

The delicious birthday meal, complete with favorite chips and drink...Hudson picked Sesame Street plates for the party and was very excited about them!

And obviously I took pictures of the cupcakes...Cocoa Bean, eat your heart out!

Here is my list of 29 favorite things about my favorite 29-year-old...

1. how great you are with food! I love your cooking!
2. How much Hudson LOVES you. I'd probably pick you, too.
3. That you always forgive me. For everything.
4. That you take care of my truck for me.
5. That you always remember the garbages.
6. That you love being with me!
7. Your smile....sigh...
8. How great you are with our primary class, and were with the nursery kids. So sweet and compassionate. I love watching you with them.
9. Your shoulders.
10. That you always say "I love you" on the phone.
11. Your eyes.
12. That you always say yes to my scrapbook getaway requests!
13. *
14. That you don't ever want to work over-time...
15. But that you usually do. We appreciate it!
16. That you are such a better planner than I am...
17. That you like the same movies and TV shows I do...makes it nice!
18. That you always try to make me laugh.
19. That you teach with patience.
20. That you bring Kennedy flowers when she dances.
21. That you let Hudson "come with" whenever possible.
22. That everyone loves you, especially old people...(Jami doesn't count)
23. That you never let me carry anything heavy when you are around, and you usually carry all the groceries in yourself (usually in one trip! impressive!)
24. That you shop for them yourself a lot, too!
25. That you "get" date night.
26. Your cologne.
27. *
28.*
29. That you picked me. And that you do it again every day. I love you!


*too embarassing for the blog, but were in his card. I know, isn't that the point of a blog, to embarrass your husband? But I do have standards, people...

My Mom's birthday is also 1-22, and darn it, we didn't get to see her, but I wanted to tell her how awesome she is. As usual, Jenna beat me to it on her blog, and she said it so much better than I could, so I am stealing what she wrote and agreeing with it! I LOVE LOVE LOVE what she says about my mom and wish it had come from my head, so I will save you the trouble of clicking on her link and just put it here for you! Thanks, Jen!

I just wanted to say I have the best mom in the whole world. I hope I can do even half as good as she did with me and my brothers and sisters. Being a perfect mom to me does not mean your kids are perfect or your house is immaculate or you never make mistakes. To me it is when your kids can come to you at any time with anything and know you will be there for them and love and support them no matter what.
Here is the top ten reasons why she is the best:
1. I really admire my mom for the special and unique friendship she has with all of her kids.
2. Her ability to always look perfect wherever she goes. From the shoes, jewelry, clothes, etc..
3. Her patience with Preslie.. That's really hard to have with a one year old! She is a good Grandma to all the kiddos and they love her so much.
4. She smiles at every person she sees!
5. She is the best cook I know, and I know some good ones!
6. She is the my favorite person to shop with, we always like the same stuff! It never gets old to either of us and we know a bargain when we see one :)
7. Her goals and dreams are never ending, I think thats always a good thing to be working toward something in life, her current dream? To build another house.
8. She has a strong testimony of the church and shares it with her family frequently, and is not afraid to share it with anyone else, either!
9. When your around my mom it makes life feel like a party, she is such a blast! There is nothing in life that a little dessert can't fix :)
10. She helped me become the person I am today. I learned so many things from her and I love her for always making her kids and husband first priority.
SO Happy Happy Birthday!
Thanks for everything Mom!! We love you!

Juvenile Delinquent???

So, Hudson is really into Nickelback right now. Last night, when I was singing him his bedtime song, which is always "I am a Child of God," or every once in a while "I Love to see the Temple," he started saying "no, mom, countdown song! countdown song!" He was requesting "Gotta Be Somebody." Oh, MY.

He has heard that song quite a bit lately on the VH1 countdown, which Dustin has taught Hudson and Kennedy both to love. Never mind we have to skip past lots of inappropriate songs to get to the few good ones, they both come running to the couch when they hear good music coming from the TV....why isn't they don't beg to watch the Living Scriptures Movies that we are basically paying a second mortgage to own?? I mean, I love Nickelback myself, but since their new CD has, like, THREE songs I'll let him listen to, I have started seriously judging my parenting skills...

Oh, and the other reason I think he is a juvenile delinquent? Besides just his general naughtiness? He was trying to use the little seat in my tub as a diving board during his bath this morning. I told him, "Hudson, no jumping, be careful!" his response: "NO! Don't want careful!"

Happy New Year...

...a little late! Ughh, I have been so lazy lately...we have just been relaxing and enjoying our Holiday time off, and the blog has been on the bottom of my to-do-list. And I refuse to let it be another thing I "have to get done!" so, my news is usually late. Anyway, now that we are back to real-life, it's fun to remember our break!

Jeff and Jill and family came up to visit last week for New Years and stayed through Saturday. We had such a great time! Kennedy, Tayler and Cortnie were just three little best friends, sleeping together and trying to play Barbies, Polly's, anything without Hudson or Will destroying it! Cortnie is such a sweetheart, Hudson just loves her, and is still talking about her. She was a big help with the babies and even babysat while Dustin, Jeff, Jill and I went to dinner with our cousins. Hudson was asleep, but still! I was so proud of her, she did such an excellent job! Tayler is lots of help, too, and really had Hudson laughing hard! We also went to see the new Adam Sandler flick, "Bedtime Stories," which we all loved! Hilarious, and very clean for an Adam Sandler...

Here are the girls, enjoying Rudolph's Shiny New Year, while waiting for the New Year...they were so excited that we were letting them stay up till midnight.




And here they are, toasting the New Year with sparkling cider in fancy glasses. I love that tradition!

So, I was just smitten by Baby Will this weekend. Although, we pretty much can't call him that anymore! He is getting so big! I know he weighs at least as much as Hudson, and is almost a year younger! He is a solid little munchkin, and just so kissable! He is always so happy and smiley, I love it! He is so adorable, and gave me several spontaneous hugs over their visit, he just knows how to melt his auntie's heart! Love you Will! I loved getting to know your sweet personality a little better this weekend. Heber is too far from Rexburg!

After-Christmas fun!

Dustin's siblings and their families, minus Darin, Laney and Rod - we missed you! - came to Rexburg to spend a few days over the weekend after Christmas. We had a great time hanging out, and EATING! There were 19.5 people in our house...whoa! Everyone was awesome about sleeping wherever, though, so it worked! The kids were everywhere and I loved it! Thanks for making the long, dangerous trek, guys!

Here are the kids getting ready to exchange gifts...

The Painters gave Kennedy a great Princess book. Here she is showing Kim how well she can read all by herself! I am so proud of her!

Dustin and Mike arm-wrestled for something, I can't remember what, and looks like Mike is still the family champ...Don't you love Dustin's face in this picture???

The kids finally got to play in the snow for a while before they went home. Kennedy and Hudson had such a great time playing with their cousins!