10 years

This isn't normally our choice of words when expressing our affection towards each other.... but it is true :).  Jeremy and I celebrated 10 years of marriage today.  We spent the day together, (with Craig as our tag-a-long ;), going out to lunch, shopping, relaxing, dinner, and dessert.  It was so good to spend the day with just him.  (Craig did so good all day... snoozing away :).  When we went into the picture booth we were giving several border theme options to choose from.  But, of course, the up and down button was broken.  So we had to press 'OK' to the only theme it let us highlight : "I Freaking Love you".  We just burst out laughing.  But I do... I Freaking love this guy.  Happy Anniversary babes!

Memorial Day weekend

This last weekend we got to enjoy some extended family time.  Jeremy's brother Josh and his family came up for the weekend.  The kids had so much fun Sunday night playing with the dads. :)  Tackling Uncle Josh and Jeremy was probably their highlight!  The next day we did a lunch picnic at the park to celebrate sweet Kayli Grace's birthday, their second oldest.  I forgot my purse at home with had my camera, and I'm so sad I didn't get any pictures of it, because she was just beaming!  It was the cutest. :)

Grandma Elli has been here this week and we have loved it!  So has baby Craig.  I love this picture of him just soaking up grandma :).  

Gail has been so good to us!  Meals, letting me take naps, watching the kids, helping us out.  Thank you so much Gail!  I had to take a picture of this dinner because she whipped up a homemade potato salad that was divine!  Nothing like good homemade cooking :)

Carson and Craig

The other night Carson asked if he could hold baby Craig.  It was the sweetest thing.  I've been waiting for Carson to initiate a little more towards Craig because he's had to share mommy so much with the baby.  It's been 2 weeks since Craig has been born.  So this made my night.

A Safari in our Backyard

We've been a little preoccupied with the new baby lately and have not tended to our outdoor needs.  We'd look at our lawn and say, "tomorrow we'll mow it... tomorrow, tomorrow."  Something has kept delaying us: other priorities, tired, work, something comes up, rainy weather, new baby ;).  Jeremy got the front lawn mowed yesterday despite the drizzling rain.  But we have left the backyard for 'tomorrow'.  Tonight, after dinner, the kids went outside to play for a bit while the sun was still out.  I peeked at them outside and couldn't help but laugh out loud.  They were playing lions in our incredibly tall grass.  The way the light shown on them from the start of a setting sun made it look like a perfect safari picture.  Haha, seriously, we are mowing it Tomorrow ;).

Little Craigers is opening his eyes more and more.  I love it.  Especially when we make that eye contact.  He's starting to see me :).

A little more of Craig

Here are a few pictures I've snapped recently of our new addition.  He's been a sweet baby, with his moments of "I wanna be up no matter What time it is!" ;)  We have been loving up little Craig.

He's still in snooze land most of the time :). I like those moments.

It's been a little adjustment for Carson not being able to have mommy all to himself, especially when he wants to cuddle.  But he's been a good boy, and we've been trying to keep him busy w/ other activities.  We look forward to when Cami and Alex get home from school to have some buddies to play with.  It's cute, Carson will say, "When baby Craig get older, he can play with me!" It'll happen faster than we know it!

Home At Last

On Mother's Day morning we set off to the hospital.  It was time.

We got into the hospital around 9 in the morning and started the induction process.  It took quite awhile to get things going as we knowingly expected.  But once I started showing some hopeful progress they broke my water around 7 pm.  That's when the things started getting much more intense.  Thank heavens for those lovely things they call 'epidurals'!  Around 10:30 the nurse was coming in quite frequently, noticing the baby was in quite a bit of distress.  Jeremy was trying to stay calm hoping I wouldn't notice, but I did.  Especially when they put the oxygen mask on me.  They quickly grabbed the doctor and once I was fully dialated they wanted me to push right away.  After a couple of pushes he was out.  Sure enough the cord was sung around his neck.  Jeremy said he was very purple when he came out.  Thankfully everything was quick and he was crying his healthy newborn cry, taking his very first breath :).

Jeremy had stronger feelings about what we should name our new little one, so I told Jeremy he could name our little boy:

Craig Robert Anderson

-after my dad and grandpa

We had several visitors come see little Craig.  These are some of the pictures people were able to email me while we were in the hospital because I didn't grab my camera, so thank you! 

My mom and her newest grand baby

I think Cami was the most excited of all the kids to have a new baby in our home.  Even if it was a boy ;).

Alex is happy to have another boy in the family, someone else to add to the evening ritual of rough housing.  At least in a couple of years ;).

Grandma Elli and her newest grandson :). Gail says that Craig looks SO much like Jeremy when he was born.  So maybe we'll get another mini-me Jeremy :)

While we were @ the hospital, Gail and Aunt Launa were at our house taking care of all our kiddos.  I am forever grateful for their help!  Especially with Carson because he was sick (hence the lack of pictures with Carson and baby Craig).  It was a great comfort to know my kids were in good hands.  On Mother's Day, Launa, Gail, and the kids made soup, rolls, and cinnamon rolls to celebrate Mother's Day.

Carson enjoyed his time with Grandma Elli, especially when he got his sweet treat @ the restaurant they went out to.  Apparently he just kept holding his gummi worm... haha he is fascinated with anything the wiggles or crawls :).

Time to go home

I always forget how small they are when they are born.  And it's always so apparent when you buckle them into their car seat for the very first time.

We are all so very happy to be home.  And Cami can't seem to get enough of him. 

Welcome home little Craig.

Multiple Memories

The joy we get in life doesn't come from the things you own, the comforts of life you have, or any temporal perks we might encounter.  It's the people we are blessed to have in our life that fill our buckets to the very brim!

Children, for one, can be some of our greatest joys.  This weekend Cami and I got to have a girls night out while Jeremy took the boys on a Fathers/Sons outing.  The minute they left the house, Cami got straight to planning!  We played some games, we made dinner together, and then headed to grandma's house to paint our nails and stay up late watching 'Annie' with Grandma Cheeto and Aunt Jessie.  Throughout the weekend we kept singing several of the songs from 'Annie'... such a classic!

The next morning we slept in.  After breakfast we went and fed the geese and seagulls by the river and then went for a walk along the river. We saw this cool cut down tree stump in the shape of a heart and Cami couldn't resist climbing it.  It made for a fun picture:). 

Along the way we saw tons of little goslings along the grass, pathway, and river.  I am a succor for baby animals... if only they could stay that way ;).  But that's not part of Heavenly Father's plan, now is it :).

While we were having our girl time together, the boys, (which included: Jeremy, Alex, Carson, Uncle Zack, Uncle Tyler, and William), went camping!  I told Jer to make sure he took some pics, so this is what he captured.  Boys, dirt, and sticks... perfect camping scene :).

Their campground

In the tent.  I will have to say, Jeremy did an awesome job wearing these boys out because on Saturday when they came back, Alex and Carson fell asleep at 5:30 that night and didn't wake up til morning!

So our van obviously got very dirty on their trip.  But what are these markings???  Nope, probably wouldn't have guessed it, because I sure didn't!  Carson and William went up and down the van making BIG lick marks!  Yes, one lick didn't stop them... the dirt in the mouth didn't even phase them.  They just went on licking the van all the way down! LOL, disgusting!  I guess I'm just glad they didn't try licking the tires :S.

The boys made a couple of stops on their way home.  Shooting out in the country (Alex shyly reported to me that he shot his first gopher, probably not sure what I would think of it... but I know he quite enjoyed it ;) and then fishing and the Hartley pond.  Zack had the lucky pole and caught several fish....

Even by the line!  This fish didn't even touch the hook!  It's gills got caught in the line and Zack pulled it in. :)

Later that night I had quite a surprise in store.  The boys were back and Jeremy said he lined up some babysitting so we could go on a date. Awesome!  But little did I know he was leading me into a surprise attack by some of the best friends in the whole world!  This picture is horribly blurry, but it will forever be a reminder to me of how friends and family make life complete!  I am totally undeserving of such a sweet gesture and was touched by their love and effort in throwing a baby shower for me.  Oh I love you all! Seriously, words just can't even express it!

And I HAD to take a picture of this adorable diaper cake!!  Ash, Alisha, and Lisa... so awesome! Thank you!

After Jeremy dropped me off @ the shower he went back to the house and did a little bit more camping stuff, except with Cami.  She didn't want to be left out of the campfire fun ;).  Hot dogs and smores :).

 I am so grateful for the people, the angels, that are in my life.  I am meeting many more and await others to come.  The Lord allows certain people to pass through or stay in our lives that are there for a reason.  That uplift and bless us.  I thank God for letting me be apart of the lives of these beautiful souls, and MANY others!