Silly Family Pics

Cost for the new boots--$$$

Cost for the hat and coat--$$

Cost for the sled--$

Expression on the sleigh ride--priceless

I just like this picture because I think my legs look skinny.


Andy kept saying he didn't know what to do with his hands. I don't know if I should laugh or be worried that his expression is so complacent with his hands around my neck.

The Boy needed a little tickling "encouragement" to get his smile going.



I guess Andy thought I needed some "encouragement" also.

Family Pics

These are a few of my favorites, Andy may have different picks. Honestly they are all so good it's hard to pick. I have so many. Looking through all of them I have an overwhelming love for my family. I am SO blessed. So many people are suffering and experiencing devastating trials, but I am calmed knowing that we are healthy, have a roof over our heads, and a way to provide for ourselves. We are so blessed! There is no way God is oblivious to our situation or isn't there at all. God is there--here. Everything around me increases my realization that He loves me and knows me and blesses me.

Thanks Britt these pics are great!

Robert and Cutter

We had our friends Jake and Brittany over for dinner the other night. The boys were down playing and when we peaked in on them they were sitting side by side on the cars pushing buttons and both in their own little world. Of course as soon as I got the camera Robert got up and didn't want to sit still. But it was so cute they were both so intent on their buttons and lights and music.

Olive Fingers

Robert loved having the olives on his fingers.  He loved eating them off of his fingers.  He loved spitting them back out before swallowing any of it.  He was frustrated trying put the olives back on his fingers.  And it was all so much fun to watch. We took them off, put them back on, took them off, put them back on. One of the things I loved about my Grandma Stinger was she always had olives-only we had to eat them. She wouldn't let us waste any. Since this was his first time we'll let it slide this time.

Cute little Stinker

Today after church, Andrew was ready to change Robert's cl0thes so he wouldn't get his Christmas outfit dirty, "Wait, we need a picture!" I say from the other room. This was the best one of a long line of photo shots with our timer. Today in Relief Society, Robert was drawing on some paper sitting on the floor. There was about 10 minutes left and he decided it was time to go. He started putting his cars, books, paper, etc. into his diaper bag. When it was all packed he handed me the strap and whined a little for me to put it on. There was only a few minutes left, we can wait another 5 minutes, right? I put the strap on my shoulder to appease him, but that wasn't enough. He took my hand and headed for the door. I'd love to hear his thoughts sometimes. I can just imagine him saying, "Mom, I'm tired, ready for lunch, Church is over, let's go." We went to the lobby and waited for Andy's primary class to get out. It was so cute.

We had spaghetti the other night for dinner. He loves feeding himself. He tries to use a fork or spoon, and is successful for the first few bites and then just can't get the rest in fast enough. Then comes the handfuls of food aimed at the general area of the mouth. Mmmm Mmmm Good!

I just love this because they're both bundled and ready to go. Robert usually needs a few minutes to warmup to his hat and coat, but eventurally he does smile while wearing them. The pouty picutres are just so stinking cute.

It's Almost Christmas!

This year I feel is complete BEFORE Christmas instead of right up to the deadline. WE've made our Gingerbread House, although the roof is a little funky. I forgot to cut out the front and back with an "eve." But nonetheless, we have a gingerbread house.

We drove to Knox Canyon and cut down our Christmas tree.

Well, actually Andy cut down the tree, I was getting the video camera out but was not fast enough to get the cutting so we got the pics!

It's almost here!!!!

Thanksgiving

November got cold just before we left for Thanksgiving. We drove to Colorado to see my sisters Jill and Anna. Anyway, it was way too cold to not give Robert his new coat we were saving for Christmas. I'm glad we gave it to him early, I didn't want him to be cold, but more importantly he didn't really like it. As you can tell from the face of protest. It's better to save the gifts he'll really like for Christmas and give all the crappy gifts for at other times of the year. See? We're learning.

Third times the charm! Following true Van Orden tradition (that is my sister Jill's family) we all went for a hike Thanksgiving morning to work up our appetite. We took a beautiful hike to Horsetooth Falls, unfortunately it was more of a drip, but still very enjoyable as it was at least 65 degrees. We wanted a family portrait at the base of the Falls and had ask Jill to take the photo with our camera. After the first few shots she put the camera down and said, "Well so far Andy is the only one cooperating!" Oops...aka "Hold still Lacey!" The final product was well worth it.

Yeah, those sunglasses were broken shortly after this photo was taken. The Boy got a little too carried away. They were only $1.

Amanda, myself, Andrew, Joe, and John hiked to the top of the Falls. There was actually a trail that goes to the top, I didn't know that, maybe the others did. We scaled the rocks to the top. It was fun as you can tell by our smiling faces and waving hands.

This is where the Falls should be falling.

Squirrel

First; the story. Friday night as Lacey and I were finishing up dinner Lacey looked over at one of our end tables next to the couch to notice some tiny brown "pebbles" on top of it, and she wondered aloud if it could be poo. "Naw" I said, "It's probably just some of the mess that we missed from that party you hosted the other day." After all there were a lot of small kids that are very proficient mess makers that were in our house during that party. So we cleaned it up without much thought.

Then, later on that evening we found a couple of more "pebbles" on top of the recliner, and wondered again if it could be poo. Again we decided to chalk it up to some messy kids, rationalizing that it was way too big to be mouse poo, and that a mouse would stay on the floor anyway.

Fast forward to Saturday morning. The boy is down for a nap, and Lacey is out doing some errands, so I take the opportunity to sit down and watch some football. After a bit I heard the laundry buzz and decided that I ought to get that changed over. So I hit pause on the game and got up to go into the laundry room.

However, a low rustling noise stopped me from getting too far. I thought that it was probably just some leaves blowing around outside, but in the back of my mind I thought it was probably the source of all that brown stuff we'd found the night before. As I continued to listen, I heard the noise again and was convinced that it was coming from behind our hide-a-bed. Wanting to investigate some more I peered over the back and saw a brown blur jump out of view.

This startled me, and after a second or two I looked back and saw that a squirrel was behind our couch. Not wanting to have the thing go postal on me I grabbed my monopod to poke at it and it ran to the other end of the house.

So I got the video camera out to help me chase it, and this is what happened.

The squirrel finally crawled under the Boy's bedroom door and lodged itself behind his bookcase. About the time I had discovered it in there Lacey had arrived home and was good enough to play goalie and herd it back outside.

We figure that it was probably living with for a day or two before we noticed the droppings, and the only way we can figure that it got in was by falling down the chimney. Either that or it was just real quick running through the front door when we were coming or going.

Andrew's Costume

Andrew doesn't need a costume, he's scary enough without one! No, no, Andrew doesn't like costumes but he goes along with me in mine. That's love xoxoxoxoxo

Yes a little fuzzy, but oh well.

Our Little Stinker

I've been working on Robert's costume since the first of the month. As you can see from his grinning smile he loves being a skunk, as least at the moment.


The cute nose, the whiskers, the stripe down the middle of his hood. I'm so pleased with how it turned out, if I say so myself. Thanks for all those sewing lessons Mom!


The tail really completes it, I think.


And of course I dressed up also. I was hoping to put curlers in my hair the night before, taking them out sometime Halloween so I'd have a fro, and spraying it with colored hairspray, BUT as you can see I'm wearing a wig. No time, no time.