Farewell Brandon

My nephew Brandon is going on a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He was called to the Philippines which is near and dear to my heart since my brother also served there. I am so proud of Brandon: the funny boy he was, the hysterical teenager he is and the man he is becoming. I have loved watching him progress. He has made good choices both easy and hard ones. He has great examples in his family and friends and I am proud to watch my kids watch him as an example. The road isn't going to be easy for him the next two years but I know he will be watched over and I know he is loved. We love you Brandon!


Brandon and Dee at the Sacramento temple.


The Treadway gang after his farewell talk at church.


Did I mention he's handsome? :]


And this is my beautiful niece Tressie. I loved the picture so I thought I'd post it. (Miss you girl!)

He smells like peanut butter for some weird reason...

Disclaimer. For those of you who don't have kids or even those of you that do, but not like Carter, I want you to know I do honestly watch him. In fact I watch him very close. Usually if I can't hear him he's up to something. During this peanut butter time I was in the bathroom cleaning up the mess he had left after playing in the toilet two minutes before this. (The good news is his hands were scrubbed and his clothes changed before the peanut butter.) It isn't that I don't keep an eye on my kids, it's that he is fast. Very fast. Just keep that all in mind before you pass judgement on me...

And today dog water.

Rolling fun

Ode to Halloween

The end result is way too much candy for a family of 6. How did we get here you ask?


Well first we decorated pumpkins.



Then put on some costumes (McKenna the fortune teller, Ellie the ballerina)


(Tyler a Marine, Carter was Yoda)


What we won't do for candy! And as always, May the Force Be With You...

Pumpkin Patch

One of the best things about being a domestic diva is you get to go on field trips with your kids. One of the perks for making all those lunches in my opinion. This last week I got to go with Ellie's kindergarten class to the pumpkin patch.

We started on the playground...


Moved to the petting zoo with pigs, baby goats, calves and a really fast turkey. Yes, the mom next to Ellie looks concerned because the baby goat thinks her hair is hay. She however, thought it was hilarious.


Then picked the perfect pumpkin to take home. Ellie loves "little things" and picked the smallest one she could.


Mad dash through the hay maze...


Self portrait on the train.


I wonder where our next field trip will be!

Because he's one...

I know I still haven't done Bert and Amber's wedding, but that is going to take a little time. Until then I thought I'd show some pictures of Carter because he is very very very one!


Making goofy faces and noise ALL THE TIME!


He's learned how to get the cereal out of the pantry, dump it until it all falls out then sits on the floor and eats it. Does that say 4th child or what?


I left his yogurt too close to the edge of the table while I took care of something else for just a minute...Notice the big bloop on the floor? He walked in that all over the floor. The dog was happy. Me? Not so much.



Loves the dishwasher. Notice the book in there? Also loves books. Clean ones, wa ha.


But how can you not love that face?!