OORAH!

This is Clint this time. Audrey thought it would be best if I wrote this post.

A few weeks ago, we had kind of a big event in our family... 6 months ago, my Mom called me and asked "Did Kade really join the Marines?!" I had no idea, but it was true. Kade had been speaking with recruiters for the previous few months to decide if it was right for him. A few weeks ago, the day finally came for him to report to San Diego for boot camp. The day before, we had a family barbecue.

Boot Camp for the Marines is 12 weeks long and is the most demanding (both physically and mentally) than any other. To add to that, Kade got pneumonia his second week there and spent a couple days on bed rest. From his letters, it sounds like he's actually having fun. Not that we're really all that surprised. Kade has been preparing for this for 6 months. He knew what he was getting in to.

They say a recruit can never receive enough letters. We've been writing him almost non-stop. If you feel like dropping him a letter to let him know you appreciate his sacrifices, I'm sure he'd appreciate it.

Recruit Pedersen, Kade D.

2nd Bn. Golf Co. Plt 2141

36001 Midway Ave

San Diego, CA. 92140-2141

Semper Fi!

Play Kitchen

For Christmas, I'm going to figure out how to make Darbi this...

or this...



They're cuter than the store bought ones.. Any tips for me??

Midnight Munchers

I thought I should put up a post regarding this post from this vacation..
About the bed bugs..
My friend Amy informed me that all my friends in real life and web life probably think disgusting things about us. (assuming people actually read this)
She said it nicely though. She's a good friend. :)

We don't have them! Wahoo!! I just didn't want anyone out there thinking we were nasty little bed bug transports and out there sharing them with the public.
Instead, we had other fun little critters munching on our deliciously sweet bodies! I don't know what exactly but our good friends at Guardian Pest Control assured us they would put an end to the midnight snacking.

We are sleeping soundly and waking up bug bite free nowadays.

Blowing Bubbles

Try to ignore any spit noises I make..
I was chewing gum and blowing bubbles and Darbi thought she could do it.
It's just too cute not to share.

Build-a-Bear

Today, my Grandma Linda (D's great grandma) took Darbi to the mall to get her first Build-a-Bear. It's the softest cutest bunny and she l.o.v.e.s. it!! The funny thing is, just yesterday, I was walking around the mall and took D into the B.a.B store to look at the bears. I saw this bunny rabbit with long ears that were hot glittery pink and I loved it! I showed Darbi and let her hold it for a minute. I didn't tell grandma about it though. Grandma said she let Darbi choose which animal she wanted and she totally wanted the bunny with hot pink ears! I loved it!! And so does D. She drags it everywhere and is constantly giving it loves and kisses. I can't even stand how cute it is.



Giving kisses. :)

The Tissue Box

I left a tissue box in the backseat. Within arms reach. :(

1 mile down the road and we're at the grocery store...
they were literally floating out of the car.. there were so many tissues!

Labor Day BBQ

First of all.. prepare for picture overload. There's really only like 10-ish pictures..
Second of all.. Can you believe I've never been ice blocking?! Never! Whenever they went for a YW activity, I was always gone.. soccer practice, x-country race.. something. Anyway.. It. was. AWESOME. So for Labor Day/Kade leaving, we had a BBQ at the park near Clint's growing-up-home and went ice blocking!

Baby Tyler.. adorable right??

Kade & Kelsey.. also adorable right?? :)

Chad, Kade, & Clint

Chad, Pam, Kade, & Clint

Darbi & Kelsey

I took Darbi down the hill with me. It was a small hill. I don't think she cared either way.. :)

Darbi wasn't feelin' so hot today. I love when she gives little loves.

Zoo Trip

Last Saturday we went to the zoo. I think Darbi loved it but the whole thing kinda sucked.. for me anyway. I had the stomach flu all day and still decided to go. It was hot. I wore a sweater cuz I'm stupid. The animals were boring. That's pretty much it. And I fought myself all the way home to make sure I didn't lose it in the car. Darbi did love the monkeys and the birds though.. We'll try again when it cools off. Hopefully the animals aren't so boring next time..

Summer Work Party

A couple of weekends ago we had Clint's summer work party up at Sundance. It is so pretty up there! There was a lot of stuff for kids to do, but Darbi was still too small for most of it. We sat at the bottom of the hill for about an hour trying to decide if we should go on the chair lift. I kept seeing other people take their babies on without any way of strapping the kid to them. I was terrified of taking Darbi up that high without a least a rope to tie around us!! I made Clint hold her the entire way because I was having a major anxiety attack. Anytime she got wiggly, I started freaking out all over again. Near the end, I got brave and we stuck her in between us.. It was super fun and they had some seriously yummy food at dinner. After there was a show with Ryan Shupe and the Rubberband. Darbi loved it.

Baby Chub

I've got another slew of posts lined up but I found this tonight while organizing my pics.. I almost started crying! How ADORABLE is this?? All that baby chub and little baby sounds! She still sounds like that.. sorta. Oh I love her! This video was taken right before Halloween last year and she had just found her feet and also that they fit nicely in her mouth. I've watched it so many times already! :D

Teenage Handful

Jayne came down one day so we could plan a little surprise going away party for Kade (we already had it so I'm not giving anything away) and while we were talking, Darbi got a hold of her purse and put it on by herself and started walking around like it was no big deal!! Crazy right?! We handed her the phone and staged the next 2 pics but still.. my baby is growing up. :(



Jayne and Kade put those stickers on her forehead and also on her lower back. Her tramp stamp. :) Let's just pretend and not make it real. But right after they left, she decided to go and smack her head against the corner on the wall. OUCH. This was her super sweet smile just minutes after she did it too. She had a giant goose egg for a few days.

First Airplane Ride

We're crazy about germs around here. Ca-razy. But I couldn't pass up a trip to AZ to surprise my family. It was my parents anniversary on August 15th so Clint, D, and I flew down. I felt better about it since it was summer and not super sick season. Darbi did really great on the plane though! I was suuuuuuper nervous but everything went really well. Except we almost forgot her carseat! Kind of a big deal. Clint remembered it right before we jumped on the shuttle and had to run back for it.

On the shuttle.

Watching planes.

We had an aisle seat on the way over and a window seat on the way home. I recommend the window seat for sure.. I didn't take any pictures of us in AZ for some reason. When we got there, Dad picked us up (he was in on the secret.. it was all his idea). When we got home, Jed was the only one home so Dad walked in just with Darbi and said "Look who I found outside!" All Jed said, without interest... was "Who's that?" Blah. Your freaking niece!!!! He was excited though.. Later, we were hiding in the kitchen when Mom got home. She screamed and it was totally worth it! I miss home...

Pics from the flight home.

Mountain Goat

She climbs (into) everything.

Jayne's Wedding

Jayne and Clint were married on July 31st. It was so beautiful! We were all kind of scared because it was super cloudy and rainy all day and actually rained pretty bad right up until about 20 minutes before the ceremony. My hair got all frizzy which is why you won't see any pictures of me here. :) Jayne looked beautiful and Clint obviously couldn't have been happier! I cried when she walked down the aisle. I couldn't help it.

Before the ceremony

Kade & Kelsey

Beth & Melissa (Melissa was one of the adorable flower girls)

Clint watching Jayne walk down the aisle (she came from the side first, then walked down the aisle) Isn't his smile so great?! :)

Jayne & Dave
(I LOVE her dress and those yellow shoes!)

Darbi just hangin' out.. lookin' cute. :)

The wedding was held in the backyard of Jayne's Maid of Honor. It was so pretty and elegant. Especially with those ominous dark clouds in the background. So romantic!

(MY) Clint & Jayne :) I can't believe I didn't get a picture of HER Clint with her!

The twirling flower girls.. So fun!!

Thanks for letting us be a part of your wedding Jayne & Clint! It was absolutely BEAUTIFUL!

Jayne's Shower

We threw a little wedding shower for Jayne back in July (see how far behind I am in blogging?!) and I had to share this genius idea for the punch bowl. We had it at the Maid of Honor's Mother's home and her backyard was BEAUTIFUL. She had this giant black walnut tree that shadowed over her entire deck in the backyard. It was seriously something out of a magazine. I didn't get great pictures though. They don't do it justice. My camera doesn't work well in soft lighting.

She froze limes and water in a bundt cake pan and used it to keep the punch cold, look pretty, AND it held the ladle!! Genius AND convenient, right?!

Sorry for the blurriness. I want her backyard.