SIMPLIFY.......Yeah Right!?!?!

Okay, really, I am not being blasphemous! Here's some of the stuff I have been up to, and maybe why I haven't posted my pictures of the day for months! I am still taking them, hopefully someday soon they will get published!

Finishing the basement

Soccer

Potty Training

Helping out in classes

Dealing with a very messy, very busy boy

Helping with homework

Hanging out with good friends

Volleyball

Volunteering at the preschool

Shepherding

Did I mention our bathroom flooded the day before we left for our cruise

and yes VACATIONING too! Now I am home for 5 days before leaving for another 9! Also trying to keep a livable (notice I didn't say clean) house, feed us all, keep up with 2 blogs (or not), plan a first grade field day and AR movie party, run a Bountiful Basket site, learn what I am doing with a new calling, I am pretty sure I could keep going but I want to stop thinking about everything that NEEDS to be done! Anyway, just thought I would let you all know I am still alive.

Dinner in a Basket

Many of you know I run a Bountiful Baskets pick up site. One of my favorite things about doing Bountiful Baskets is trying lots of new and different foods. Maybe some of you are like me, when I would go to the grocery store I would pick up the same fresh fruits and veggies, and hardly try anything new. I know this isn't for everyone, but I LOVE having my produce picked out for me and then going home to find new recipes to make from the stuff I get. I have decided to start a blog of recipes to use the Bountiful Basket fruits and veggies. If you want to check it out the address is:

http://basketrecipes4u.blogspot.com

Weeks 8, 9, &10

Saturday February 19-Jean has been making blankets for some of the grandkids. Allyson loves to snuggle up to her and watch. Jean is such a great, patient grandma, she even let's Ally try some stitches.
Sunday February 20-On the way out to Jean's house for Sunday Dinner we were listening to church songs instead of Natalie's princess CD. She wasn't too happy about it!

Monday February 21-Brayden loves to chew on his blanket when he goes to sleep. I think this is such a funny thing to do. If he could I think he would shove the whole thing in his little mouth!

Tuesday February 22-Guilty Lilly! She colored her whole hand red with markers, I am actually pretty impressed by how well she covered everywhere, inbetween her fingers, her nails, everywhere!

Wednesday February 23-My 30th Birthday. We went out to Applebee's for kid's night, and the girls got their face's painted.

Thursday February 24- Allyson got glasses. About a month ago at her well visit we discovered she couldn't read the letters on the chart. She is very excited to have them.

Friday February 25-This is what 6 adults and 13 kids will do to a Cookie Monster at Pizza Pie Cafe! (Photo Credit-Jaren Layton)

Saturday February 26-We had a birthday party for me! I wanted to have a few friends over and play games and have dinner and dessert for my party, so that's just what we did.

Sunday February 27-Our nephew Jared got ordained a deacon today, so most of Allan's siblings and their families were out at Lee and Jean's house. The girls spent most of the time in the bathroom doing eachother's hair. This was Hailey's do.

Monday February 28-Allan's mom Jean retired and this was at her retirement party.

Tuesday March 1-We finally moved Brayden into a forward facing car seat. He seems to like it.

Wednesday March 2-Allyson up late doing her homework! We found out Uncle Bruce would be coming to help us start working on our basement so as soon as the kids got home from school I made them start cleaning up the basement so we could get to work and it was bedtime when I remembered we still hadn't done her homework.

Thursday March 3-After prayers the kids all decided to tackle Allan!

Friday March 4-Hailey helping to make ravioli for dinner. Lately she has enjoyed looking through cookbooks and deciding what we should have for dinner.

Saturday March 5-The first wall going up in our basement! YEA!

Sunday March 6-It snowed and was perfect snowman snow so we made a snowman family! The best thing about snow in March is that by the time church got out the snow (and snowmen) had practically all melted!

Monday March 7--Natalie was getting into bed and fixing all her little stuffed animals. She said the adult ones were on the left (of the picture) and the baby ones were on the left. She then changed the frog for a brown monkey and told me that the brown bear is in love with the pink monkey and the pink bear is in love with the brown monkey, but they can't get married because it would be silly for a monkey to marry a bear. Silly girl!

Tuesday March 8- Hailey practicing volleyball. She is by far the youngest and smallest girl on her team, but she trys really hard. Her first tournament is on March 19 and we are very excited!

Wednesday March 9- Lilly got into the stickers and decorated herself.Thursday March 10- This was right after Brayden woke up. He was too lazy to hold his bottle so he slouched down and rested it on the table while he drank.

Friday March 11- Hailey nominated her teacher to win the Stone's Kia Teachers and Treats program and her essay was chosen, winning her teacher $250 and their class a pizza party!

30

I don't really love this picture, one of the kids took it when we were bowling a couple of weeks ago, at least Brayden looks cute! So last year I posted that my goal was to lose 40 lbs and get to 130 before my birthday. I made it to 136 losing 34 pounds. I think that's pretty good, and I think I would have made it if I hadn't had surgery last Monday, well, at least it would have been close! This is as light as I have been since I graduated from high school and stopped dancing every day (can you say "freshman 15" more like 20 really) I did get this low one other time between Natalie and Lilly maybe even down a couple pounds from where I am now. I still have this goal in mind and once I can start working out again I hope to lose those last 6 pounds. BY THE WAY, has anyone else noticed that it's really hard to lose the last 10 pounds? Forget The Biggest Loser, I think they should have a show about that where you get to go on and lose those stubborn pounds and then get a makeover or something! haha! Anyway, here is my picture from last year:

This year I have a goal that is more spiritual in nature. I want to have personal scripture study everyday. This was on my list of New Years Resolutions too, and it hasn't happened regularly yet. I don't know why that is so hard for me, we have been really good for a long time at reading as a family, I just have to make it a priority! I think it was last year for awhile, Allan and I wouldn't get on the computer until our personal scripture study was done, I guess I should go back to that!

ONE-derful!

For Brayden's birthday I made him 2 ball cakes, one for all of us to eat, and one for the birthday boy!
Brayden loves sports, I know that seems silly to say at 1, but it is true! He went to all of the BYU football games with us and he would just sit on my lap and watch the game. He loves to watch sports on TV too. I think it's a genetic trait for Staker boys or something? So, ball cakes seemed a perfect fit for this little sports fan!

Blowing out his candle, he of course wanted to grab the fire.

Getting started.

Yea for cake!

This is awesome!

All done, time to throw it on the floor.

One happy ONE year old!

After cake, Brayden had a bath and then he got this rocking horse for his birthday present. He wasn't really too sure about it at first, but he loves it now!

Brayden is such a happy baby! I often say he is my reward for Lilly! hehe. Seriously though, unless he is tired or hungry or has a stinky diaper he never cries. He walks around our house exploring or playing with his sisters and I hardly even know he is here. Brayden was our earliest walker, walking 2 days before he turned 10 months old. He loves to climb on things. He loves cuddles but just quick ones. He often will walk up to someone get a little hug and then walk away going on about his business. He doesn't like being kept in one place and wants to be free to do whatever he wants. He hates it when doors are shut and will knock on any shut door until someone comes to open it. He has been able to climb stairs since he was about 6 months old, and is just now starting to figure out how to go down (doesn't quite have it yet.) The funny thing is he can get off of really high things like our bed, couches, chairs and things like that by sliding off feet first, but he won't go down the stairs the same way. He is such a smiley baby and is always quick to laugh. Since he was first laughing he has done that catching his breath inhale laugh, it cracks me up! Brayden never took a binky like his sisters. To go to sleep he shoves his blanket in his mouth and chews on it. I love having a boy for so many reasons I didn't even realize when we had all girls and I can't wait to keep learing about this little boy!