Babies and names

Aaron and I haven't come up with any names that we like yet, but Jacque has some great ideas.  She decided the other day that we needed to have four more kids and their names could be Jack, And, The, and Beanstalk.  That way we could tell everyone we had our own story, and then we could list off everyone's names!!  I told her I would have to pass, but if there is anyone else needing great names for their next four kids, Jacque would be very pleased to let you use her names!

I love traditions.

We have several in our family,

but the best one comes around every two years: 

'02, '04, '06, '08, '10, and '12

BEST BY: 10/17/12

All tied up!

Sarah thought this was the funnest game last Sunday night.  Aaron tied her up in the jump rope and she would get herself out.  I think she had him do this 3 times.  In between two turns, Ellen grabbed the jump rope to have a try at it, but Sarah demanded it back, in other words she screamed at her and pulled it away.  Yes, my sweet little Sarah, has started having an opinion and shares it quite loudly these days.  We are trying to work on having her use words, but she's not talking as much as I'd like.  Not that she can't talk, but mainly because her sisters and brother translate her grunts so she doesn't have to talk.  The other day she screamed at Ellen because Ellen was in her way.  I bent down and told her, "No!  Sarah we don't scream.  Say 'move' if you want her to move."  Sarah looks at Ellen and says very plainly, "Move!"  So now we need to work on saying more things!

Girls Night

This last weekend was Fathers and Sons for our stake and also for the LaGrande stake, so I called mom up and invited to her to come and have a girls night with us!  For our activity, we painted the girls' room.  We haven't painted it since we moved in and the walls were just gross, so mom came, picked out the paint and we went to work.  We started in the early afternoon and finishd at 9pm.  The girls were so excited to help paint their very own room, and I think the end result is 100% better than the beginning.  Mom and I painted around the edges, Jacque painted around the outlets, and then we let Calista and Ellen loose with the rollers.  Ellen painted the bottom of the wall, Calista did a little higher, and then Jacque got to come back and get on a chair and get the top part of the wall.  We had a lot of fun!  I forgot to take before pictures, but you can enjoy the after pictures! 

 Ellen

 Calista

I liked this picture of Calista.  Ellen is into making funny faces when her picture is being taken.  Silly girl!

 I never got a picture of Jacque helping paint because mom and I were painting at the same time, but she was a big helper!!

They love their new room!

Ellen's Wand

Ellen came crying out of the bathroom this last weekend because she had dropped her wand in the toilet and it had gotten flushed down.  I decided I better check it out, because if it did get flushed down the toilet, then we might have problems in the future.  Calista and Ellen followed me in the bathroom to supervise.  The good thing about it already getting flushed was that the water was "clean."  So I stuck my hand down and felt around.  No luck.  It must've gone farther.  As I was standing up, Calista says, "Ellen, your wand didn't get flushed down the toilet!  It is right there on the floor, leaning against the toilet!"  Ellen was so excited, she ran over, picked it up, and ran outside to play.  Why couldn't Calista have seen that wand just 2 minutes earlier?  Why didn't I see it as I was walking up to the toilet?  Ahhhh!  I scrubbed my hands really well before I left the bathroom and tried to forget what just happened.  I think next time I will search around the toilet before I start feeling around inside the toilet!

Jacque's Baptism

Jacque was baptized Sunday, May 6, 2012!  It was a beautiful sunny day, and she was so excited to be baptized!  She was able to be baptized along with 2 other boys from our ward, Jonas Waite and Sam Jennings.  Jacque asked Grandpa Baxter to give the talk on the Holy Ghost and I was able to be the chorister since I am also the Primary Chorister.  We had a wonderful turn out of family and friends.  From sitting up on the stand, I counted over 100 people sitting in the chapel!  I've never seen so many people.  I guess that is one of the perks to getting baptized on Sunday, people aren't as likely to forget and there aren't as many other activities to compete with.  Jacque felt so beautiful that day, inside and out.  Thank you to all who were able to make it for her special day.

I love the excitement shown in her face.

   Ellen asked Grandma Baxter to take her picture, and then just as Grandma took the picture, she hikes up her dress!  This gives you a good glimpse into Ellen's personality.

Grandma and Grandpa Baxter

Grandma and Grandpa Kerns

Jacque with her Great-Grandma, Nadine Baxter, a.k.a. Gram, and Calista

 Jacque and our Bishop and his wife, Steve and Debbie Merrill.

 Jacque with some of her Bradford cousins, Micah, Ammon, Hyrum, and Ann.

 Jacque and the Farber family, Aunt Katie, Isaac, Levi, Abby, Ila, Gracie, Emmy, David, and Gideon. 

There were 6 in the bed and the little one said...

I can't remember why I had to get up earlier, but when I got out of the shower, this is what I found in my bed!  It was so cute that I had to take a picture, and actually Aaron ASKED me to take the picture!!  I didn't know they could all fit in a double bed!  I bet they can't all SLEEP in a double bed though!