Sunday Afternoon Drive

We have always gone on Sunday afternoon drives since the beginning of our marriage. These drives usually take place in the country side. Okay, ALWAYS take place in the country side, but today part of our drive was down to the library to return books before we head off to Washington D.C in the morning(for an entire week!) The beginning reason for this drive, was because being a country kid.. I get a little stir crazy not seeing a gravel road every once in a while, but now another reason for these Sunday after noon drives is to get Cache to take a nap. Yes it's the only way he will fall asleep at nap time. Go ahead judge me. I use to judge people like me too when my child was perfect, and now I'm eating my words. It's how life works I'm learning. Anyway we took some fun pictures and then I spent precious sleep hours playing with them. I need to figure out how to use my camera so these pictures are more clear. Oh well, sometime, soon I hope. See ya when we get back! Happy Thanksgiving!

This next one is my absolute favorite:

Grandma and Grandpa Orton



And because I always take too many pictures here are some more! The hawk is a crazy story. Everyone was just sitting in the living room when we heard a screech, looked over and the front door was open and there was a hawk sitting on the railing just looking in at everyone. By the time we got the camera out it had jumped over to the car, but yes this picture is taken from inside our house.. The rest of the pictures are some of the neighbors and friends that came to attend Naomi's blessing with us. We only had the people who traveled a bit come over after to eat because our house is too little and we don't get to see them as much as our other friends. We are so blessed to be surrounded by so many and such great people!


This is Raymond. He is just the cutest boy. He is our neighbor and he is mentally disabled. He is just the most innocent and loving boy, loving everyone he meets and always always always smiling unless his mp3 player is out of batteries, then he'll let you know. Sometimes I get to watch him if his parents have to work and he is so helpful in the kitchen. Well he was waiting all afternoon for his turn to hold Naomi. He waited and waited and waited patiently and kept reminding us that he would like a turn. He only signs he doesn't speak. Well when it was finally his turn, he was smiling so big I thought his face would bust in two. He did a really good job holding her and would talk to her in jibber jabber(he can't say real words). What a sweet boy. Everybody loves Raymond.

Blessing

Sunday was Naomi's blessing day. It was a nice day surrounded by our parents(minus my mom) and lots of St. Louis Family. Naomi wore the dress my mom made for me when I was blessed as a new born. She also found the extra fabric from 26 years ago and made a matching bonnet. Now whattya think about that? Pack rat or awesome? Devin's parents flew in for the weekend and entertained Cache like pros. My dad also flew in making it the first time I've seen him since last Christmas so it was really good to see him. He and fixed all our cabinents and broken drawers, and made sure our vehicles are up to par. It really was a great weekend .
Here are some pictures :

Naomi with her daddy and two grandpas.
What a lucky girl to have such great men in her life.

Happy Birthday Cache

Sunday was Cache's Birthday! November 2nd. I had bought a train table this summer at a garage sale (for $5 including tracks and train, but who's braggin?) We set that up just outside his door and grandma motorcycle sent an engineers hat and whistle to add to it. We put all his wrapped presents from us and other grandparents next to the table. We went and got him up to show him and he just had the biggest smile on his face I've ever seen. So cute that I just let him open all his presents right then and there instead of waiting to blow out his candles. He got a picture old testament book, which he was actually really really excited about and a Bob the builder hat(again found at a garage sale.) But I think his remote control toddler proof race car took the cake. We spent the day playing with is toys, or I should say Devin and he did, while I finished his cake. It didn't turn out anything as planned.. oh well. I don't have patience to try and do it slow and right.. I take too many short cuts and well...make a mess outta things, but just like last year, we were able to salvage it a little bit and make it presentable. Cache thought it was awesome.. so that's what matters right? I spent too much time stressin about it and not enough time just celebrating Cache's birthday and I do regret that a bit....better next year I guess. We invited some friends over to eat it and sing happy birthday that night and play with Cache. The next morning when I went to get Cache up he ran out, and said "where's my presents?" I guess he doesn't understand that birthday's are only once a year.
More than anything, I could tell that Cache just loved that we spent a whole day focused on him and giving him extra love and hearing us say over and over: "We are so glad you are part of our family Cache!" I think he really needed that. We've had a rough bout with Cache lately with him moving to a big boy bed and refusing to go to sleep at night and also potty training. I think he is so used to us saying "no Cache, why did you do that?!" Or "do you want a time out?" Or " You're in big trouble mister!"

To see just how much he enjoyed our attention, was awesome but hurt at the same time, because I could see in his eyes that he had been missing that, and wanting it.. He is such a good boy, and seems to have an extra large funny bone. I noticed it even in the hospital when he was born. Just the way he would look at us would crack us up. He has a thrill for life and a love for other kids that really is unique. He makes a new best friend every time he goes to the park or waiting room in the doctor's office. Little kids just seem to naturally follow him. I love hearing Cache singing(or yelling) primary songs from the minute he wakes up and all day long. His strong spirit is a challenge for us sometimes, but as someone pointed out to me the other day... the strong spirited ones were saved for this time because they would have the strength to stand up and fight Satan in these last days. Since then I've tried to look at him in a couple different light and instead of trying to get rid of his defiance or attitude, I am trying to focus it on the good and make him feel love from me, not someone he needs to fight. ( i have a lot to learn still though.) I could never imagine loving a little boy so much as we do Cache. What a great 3 years it's been!

The rest of Halloween

For Halloween this year we went to the ward Trunk OR Treat and chile cook off the night before.
Devin kept character the entire night, including before and after the party. We took our nieghbors four children with us while she went to parent teacher conference and he had them entertained with stories about when he was "growin up on da farm, and cut his leg clean off when the tractor bucked him off." The lesson being learned to always wear your seat belt even if your "just in the tater field." Yes he ate his chile dinner with a shovel and by the end of the night he was assigning "manure duty" to whoever was misbehaving. Devin even treated us to some hillbillysinging of Halloween carols sung to the hymn of some famous christmas tunes. I thought Devin was going to scare the kids but by the end of the night we were all laughing. Even me.




On Halloween, Devin took Cache trick or treating with our neighbor Sky. Naomi had a bit of a cough so I stayed in. After wards we made scones and pumpkin butter (thanks for the idea and recipe natalie!), and pumpkin muffins with our neighbors and planned on watching Ernest scared stupid, but the VCR broke so we just stuffed ourselves and talked. We had a total of TWO trick or treaters come and Devin's version this year of candy was a bag of Andes' mints. The kids were so excited when they saw them. They were like "OH MAN I LOVE THESE!" and went to grab a handful. Devin slapped there little fingers and then handed then each ONE teeny andes mint... I don't know I thought it was pretty funny. Those were the only trick or treaters like a said...I made fun of him a bit for that one.

The Love of My Life

So I'm too tired tonight to post all of Halloween and Cache's birthday but I thought I would give you a teaser so you can check back for when I actually do post them. Yes folks that is a shovel.

UH BEE

About a month before Halloween I asked Cache what he wanted to be and he firmly stated :"UH BEE MOM." So I just waved it off thinking he can't even pronounce Halloween (kaloweeen) .
he doesn't even know what he is talking about.

Weeks went on and we would talk about it again and each time: "UH BEE." I wasn't worried thinking we'll just put a wig on him or have him wear his cowboy gid up from last year.. then the week of Halloween came.. "UH BEE!" So I shopped around .. they make lots of cute girl bee costumes with tu tus. I finally took him to the store and showed him the spider man outfits and Frankenstein. "NO eye na be a BEE for Kaloween!" Finally at the grocery store, Cache lured me over to the halloween candy and they had a few outfits of course all frankestiens and mostly dog outfits. I picked out some spider webs and started pushing the cart away, when Cache stood up in the cart and started yelling: "A BEE!, A BEE!" I turned around and looked to where he was pointing and sure enough there was a little bit of yellow fuz sticking out from underneath a pile of costumes. It felt a little bit like the scene on willy wonka when Charlie spies the bit of gold from under neath the wrapper you know? I walked over and pulled out the little fuzz and along with it came a whole Bee costume. It was shoved behind the others, the only one not on a hanger and even a 3T size taboot! This was destiny. Cache grabbed it and held it all the way to the register. "my bee! my bee!" It was marked $20 which was a bit steep for my Halloween budget( we usually just make stuff outta sheets and panty hose you know?) but that day I would have paid $50. Anyway I got home and looked at my receipt. Well whatta ya know only $5. I felt like a won the lottery. We went and found some black tights and I do believe we had the happiest bee of all Halloween. And that's the story of "UH BEE."

Now there is ONE tired BEE, and Halloween is still days away!

Savannah Colette Spratling

We would love to announce for Ben and Cindy and also congratulate them on their new baby girl. Savannah was born yesterday afternoon and was a whopper! I have been trying to hold back the tears today and just move on with the fact that I don't get to meet her for another 2 months. It is strange for me to have a new somebody have the name Spratling and when I no longer am known by that name. I still feel like that's my name. So actually I feel part ownership in Savannah. :) No just kidding, but we already love her. They named her Savannah "Colette" after my mother, which is totally appropriate because Ben was always a mama's boy. NO really he was.

Dress up

i found this little coat and hat in a pile of hand me downs, hand be downs? Anyway, kinda cute, and funny, she is already growing out of it, so this will have been the first and last time she wore this little ensemble. I sat her on the couch while making lunch and she just looked so funny, I had to take her picture. She's a happy li'l girl.