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We LOVE school!!!

First day of school!

YAY!!!

I have been so nervous that Cassi would have a hard time...but she did so good!

I am hoping that it continues!!!

Madi didn't want to hang by us...she was ready to go find all her friends!!!

Doesn't she look so excited!!!

Cassi said she had a great day and we are waiting for Madi to come home, but I am sure her day was awesome too!!!

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I LOVE cuddles from my baby boy!!!

Porter is not a big on cuddling.

Lucky for me, he isn't feeling great today.

(Just kidding, I am sad he isn't feeling well, but I am loving that he loves me so much!)

The little guy would not go down for his nap.

When I laid him down he would cry this heartbreaking cry and stand at the edge of the crib just waiting for me to rescue him.

Which, of course, I did.

I did finally get him to take a couple naps today and he is acting much better.

He is such a sweet little boy!

I am so thankful for him!

(please ignore the silly teddy bear sheets on his bed, he had a few messes all over his crib today...so this is what we had left that was clean!)

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Also....

School starts tomorrow!

I am so excited to get back onto a schedule.

I am so nervous for them to go back, mostly Cassi...I am curious about how things are gonna go?

Luckily Ayden, Cassi's best little friend, is in the same class.

This could be a good thing or bad thing.

Lets hope for GOOD!!!

Madi is very ready.

I just hope she forgets how much I got mad at her this summer!!!

I think she just loves to fight with me!!!

Anyway,

Elsie also starts school on Wednesday, so it is a full week!!!

Look for cute back to school picts tomorrow!!!

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We LOVE birthdays at the Fire Station!!!

For some reason Madi's birthday always seems to fall on a day that Dad works!

But she is totally fine with that cause she loves going to the station for her Birthday!!!

We made some banana bread for the guys.

The kids played on the fire trucks, as usual.

Slid down the pole, like always.

A trip to the Fire Station never gets old!

Madi had a fun day.

Pretty boring, but relaxing to begin with.

Her best friend Kara, and her family, came to wish her a Happy Birthday.

Then when the little ones woke p from their naps we headed to the station.

Afterwards we went to Target, where Madi wanted dinner.

And then she picked out a pair of shoes for school.

I think she had a pretty good day.

Next week is going to be the big celebration!

Getting baptized!

CrAzY!!!

Madi opening the present from Cass.

It was a journal and it matches her scriptures.

You can't tell me that he's not gonna turn out to be a fireman, right!!!

Daddy with Elsie up on the truck.

By the way, I need to toot Brent's horn...since he won't do it.
After months of studying...getting ready for the Captains test, then having it rescheduled for several reasons, (one being a nail in the hand) he was finally able to take it last Monday.

Well, he passed, and we are so very proud of him.

This means that he now can swing up as Captain when his Captain is gone.

This is a great thing, that also comes with a lot of responsibility!

We are very proud of him and the hard works he does for his Family!!!

This is also a present from Mom and Dad.

So the plan for last night was to have her friends Kara and Aubree sleep over.

Then everyone got sick.

But I still talked Madi into sleeping in the same room with Cassi and Elsie for a fake sleepover.

This was we were able to sneak in her room after they were asleep and install her new headboard that we made for her.

It is an old door that I put covered fabric squares in the holes and then Brent put crown molding on the top.

I think it looks so cute and now I can't wait to make the quilt that I am planning.

(just another project...hmmm...)

So Madi woke up this morning and went to her room to find her brand new headboard.

Anyway, pretty cute huh!

Years of Madi Bell

Madi Bell age 1

age 2

age 3

age 4

age 5

age 6

age 7

age 8

She sure is turning into a lovely young woman, isn't she.

Happy Birthday Bell!!!

Today I first born turns eight years old.

Eight seems so old to me!

I can't believe that this little baby, who started out so tiny, is now so big and grown.

Madi's life started out pretty rough.

I was induced 4 weeks early because of Toxemia.

Madi was born with under developed lungs.

She spent 8 days in the NICU.

Those were the longest days of my life.

To not go home with my baby was very hard to do.

We were so blessed, and so scared the day we took our precious Madi home.

We moved to Idaho when she was not even a month old.

Lots of new changes in a little period of time.

Madi was a good little girl. (Still is pretty good)

And I was worthless at everything except being a Mom.

Madi was never put down!

Nothing got done.

Like I said, I was worthless!!!

I would rock her to sleep...sometimes run her to sleep.

Funny story.

Imagine, if you will, a crying baby, probably 6 months old.

Wrapped in a blanket in Moms arms.

Mom running in the house in a figure 8 pattern around the table in the dining room then around the counter in the kitchen, over and over until said baby is sound asleep.

Weird, right?

Luckily with my second kid I learned to just lay the stinking baby down so they can learn to sleep themselves.

She fell asleep in our bed every night until Cassi was born when we finally decided that things needed to change.

She is a great sleeper now!

Madi was also a thumb sucker.

And I think it was adorable.

But I never had to worry about weening her from it, cause as soon as she started to walk, at 10 months, she stopped the thumb sucking.

Yes, walking at 10 months!

Crazy!

Madi has always had the best laugh.

From a very young age she would just let it loose and everyone around couldn't help but laugh!
Madi has always been a smarty.

She loves to learn and Dad loves to teach.

Oh, did I mention she is a big time Daddy's girl.

Well, she is.

She loves her Dad.

They have always had a close relationship, and I love it.

I just can't believe so much time has gone by!

She is 8 now.

Happy Birthday Madi Bell!!!

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We LOVE early birthday presents!!!

Madi turns 8 tomorrow!

8!

I can't even believe it!

We, Brent and I got her her very own scriptures.

But since he is working tomorrow we wanted her to open them tonight.

She was so happy.

And even happier when she saw her name engraved on it!

After that we had her look up some scriptures on baptism.

And of course she did some 'practice' baptism's with Dad...

She is very excited to have her very own scriptures!

She was supposed to have her best friend sleep over tonight.

But last night Cassi threw up.

We thought it was something she ate, until Elsie threw up later on tonight.

And what great luck...both times it was on the brand new carpet!

Good thing it is getting replaced!!!!!

So the sleepover was cancelled.

But she did get to pick out a movie, The Hannah Montana movie, and they got to stay up late to watch it.

Hopefully everyone is feeling better tomorrow so that we can go visit dad at the station.

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I LOVE my big healthy boy!!!

Porter had his 9 month appt. today.

He is big, nice and healthy!!!

90 % in all areas...big boy!

We were in the waiting room for an EXTRA long amount of time..so I shot some picts of him with the phone.

He is pulling himself up to everything.

Madi was walking at 10 months...I am sure hoping this is not the case with him!!!

But what I love most about this picture is his super chunky dimpled thighs!!!

YUMMY!!!

But the way he is moving...he is gonna be loosing that chunky-ness real fast!

Oh, by the way, he was 23 lbs.

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We LOVE our new carpet!!!

We are gonna LOVE it more when the correct amount arrives in 2 weeks, and it is installed again!!!!!!!

Cassi wanted me to take a picture of her pretending to pull the staples out...

Taking a second look at it, it kinda looks like she is trying to go potty......

ANYWAY!!!

Our carpet came today.

The carpet guy came in, measured and chuckled...

Brent asks what was funny...

The carpet guy says..."I shouldn't laugh, cause it isn't funny, but we are short. There is not enough carpet!"

SERIOUSLY!!!!!!!!!!!

AHHHHH!!!!!

So this is what we did...

He installed what he had...and put a different piece of different carpet to make up for the spot.

Now they have re-ordered to CORRECT amount this time and it should arrive soon.

I can't even tell you how mad we were!!!

I am bummed cause we were all excited to have nice beautiful carpet when our families come to town for Madi's baptism...but now we have this.

Not too attractive!

Oh well.

I am thinking we can talk them into carpeting out office too...or give us something for the trouble, right!!!

Seriously!

BUT...on a happy note...

You know how I was concerned about the green tone....

Well, no worries.

WE LOVE THIS CARPET!

First of all, it is the most comfy in the whole WORLD!!!

And it looks great and I think matches our personality, if carpet can even match personalities!

So we are slowly putting stuff back in...and I LOVE the room even more than before!

It is so great!

Come see it!

(It was hard to find the right coloring in the room for 3 separate times of the day...but you get the idea...so much better, right!)

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LOVE when the painting is all done!!!

Our living room is always a work in progress.

It is the room we spend the most time in...so therefore the room I change the most...

Well, big changes coming tomorrow!!!

OUR NEW CARPET!!!!

YiPeE!!!

BUT...we needed to re-paint...not any new fun colors, but we still had unfinished crown molding from.........a long time ago....

And when I originally painted the tan walls, I painted it with matte lustre...or whatever it is called in paint.

BIG MISTAKE!!!

It looks so bad, so many finger prints that wouldn't wash off and it just looked bad.

So we got some paint the same color, better finish.

So we had to paint that, and the white stuff underneath needed some refreshing too!

SO...

We are done now.

Looks good...like I said, not a big change for how much work went into it, but it still looks good and fresh!

Can't wait to see it with the carpet!!!

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I LOVE when things turn out...kinda...like you planned...

I decided this year to make some messenger bags for the girls...

(even though I have been informed, thanks Jenni, that they are not allowed to have anything but backpacks...)
And I found an awesome tutorial, and started on them.
This one is Cassi's and it is mostly finished.
Just a few touch-ups are needed, but I am very happy with how it turned out.
I am definitely one of those people that things usually don't turn out as planned, so it is always a pleasant thing when it does turn out as good as planned!!!

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They LOVE their barbie house!!!

You can tell by the picture that Madi was not so happy about me taking this picture...

She said, "Is this for your blog...if it is, make sure you say that I DON'T usually play with barbies!!!"

Ha ha...silly girl!

I wish I still had time to play with barbies!!!

Anyway, a few years ago, Brent and I (mostly Brent) made this house for the girls...

I would love to someday make a second half to it and hinge it on the side...but that would make it pretty dang big!

Anyway, we have real carpet and linoleum inside, wood floors made out of large popsicle sticks...Brent fashioned a toilet, sink, (out of a broken wooden spoon, clever man!) there is wainscot to match what we have in our house, the walls are painted the color of our house, he made some awesome furniture, most of it is pretty mutilated by now.

But it was a fun project that has been dearly loved ever since.

There is even a staircase in it, which is something that I always wish I had.

Barbie houses never seemed to have staircases, how in the WORLD are barbies supposed to get upstairs without a staircase...

I guess I should have taken a shot of the inside...but they looked so cute there, not playing with barbies, and the pretty sun setting outside the window...had to capture it!

Elsie was there too. She is in the back left top room playing.

She plays for hours in that thing.

She almost crawls inside it!

I LOVE it that they LOVE it so much!!!

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We LOVE the water park!!!

First of all, our guests made it...safe and sound.

After Brent towed them from Mountain Home to here at 30 mph...

YIKES!!!

So it is a tradition for these guys to come up and we all go to the water park.

We got up this morning, found a place to fix their car,

then after baby naps and lunch, we headed to the water park.

But first we left Uncle Russ at the car place to wait for the car...

Little did we know he would be stuck there ALL DAY, and find out that their car will not be fixed today and they will now be traveling home in a rental car.

So poor Uncle Russ didn't get play at the water park.

By the time he got there it was too late to do anything, so he got a 15 minute free pass to come in...for 15 min.

Anyway....................

The rest of us had a fun time.

The girls had so much fun going on rides and having a blast with their cousins!

Thanks Thomsons for coming to visit.

Sorry it turned out to be such a HASSLE!!!

We hope it won't deter you from coming again!!!

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I LOVE my BIG 9 month-er

I can't believe it!!!

My baby boy!

He is such a big boy...and he just keeps getting bigger!

He brings so much joy to my life and our family...

I am so blessed by this little boy and the unconditional love he gives to his CrAzY mom!!!

I hope he keeps lovin' me!

He is one spoiled little boy, each one of older kids adore him.

This little boy has his daddy wrapped around his finger.

When Brent look sat Porter you can just see all the things going on his Brent's mind about all this little boy can accomplish in his life.

We always say, "This little boy is special, this little boy is gonna do something special in this life."

And I truly believe that.

I love you Porter Brent for making our family complete!

(p.s. this is a cheat picture...it was not taken today, but was taken the day we took picts of the kids....)

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Currently we are waiting for some guests to arrive.

Brent's big sister, Nancy, husband Russ, and 4 of their kids are coming for a visit...but their car broke down outside of Mountain Home...so Brent went to the rescue!

So we are trying to wait patiently....

These girls are going nuts!!!

We will have a fun-filled day tomorrow!!!

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LOVIN' Porters new crawl!!!

He is finally crawling...well, army crawling!

He has been rolling everywhere, for a long time.

But today, as he was reaching so hard for the remote...he figured the feet thing out and pushed himself forward!

Awesome job buddy!!!

I love his concentrated 'tongue hanging out' look on his face!!!

Isn't he such a cutie!!!

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I LOVE that she is walking!!!

Elsie walks everywhere in the house.

She is doing so great!!!

She still can't get up without holding onto something to pull up on, but we are working hard on that.

Outside the house she still uses her walker, but we are slowly trying to work church in without the walker, then maybe school.

She is just such an awesome little girl!

She is such a hard worker!

We LOVE you Elsie Rose!!!

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We absolutely, positively LOVE our children!!!!

They make me CRAZY, frustrated, happy, sad, LOVED, stressed, hyper, exhausted, MOODY, excited, proud, joyous, BoNkErS, but most of all they make me feel like the luckiest Mom in the world!!!

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(Here are a few secrets from our little photo shoot)

Cassi's skirt is really a shirt....

This is the first time Porter has ever worn shoes!

Those sunflowers (in the back) are picked from another location and stuck into the weeds here.....

All but Elsie are wearing thrift store items.

I am on the other side of a huge ditch...

Our trip to this spot included...

-Me carrying the chair down, then up the ditch...

-Me carrying Elsie while guiding Madi down and then up the ditch

-Then back to get Porter and guide Cassi down and then up the ditch...

-Another trip for the sunflowers out of the car.

*** Then when we were done, I did the reverse order***

Needless to say, I was a sweat-ball!!!

But Madi assures me it is good to sweat!

And the chair is borrowed from my awesome friend Elizabeth...

My kids were such GREAT sports!!!

I sure do LOVE them!!!

I can't wait to hang this on my wall!!!

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I LOVE when they DON'T FIGHT!!!!!!!!!

While trying to get them all ready for bed, I peaked into Madi's room and saw this.

I thought it was so sweet...

'cause this NEVER happens!!

And I LOVE when it does!

NEED HELP!!!!

I want the honest truth...

your honest opinion!!!

I get the opportunity of shooting the Boise Fire fighter Calendar this year.

But we are stuck on one issue.

Do we try to shoot a calendar that has cool action/artistic/emotional shots...something that can be hung in the administrative offices in Boise...

OR

Do we go for the classic beef-cake calendar???

The reason for the calendar is to raise money for the burn-out fund, money to go towards fire victims.

So we want to sell as many as we can.

There are a couple other cities (Eagle) that have just started to make calendars, before we never had competition...

So what do we do?

What would you buy????

What would you hang in your home???

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I LOVE Relief Society

No, I am not gonna get all churchy on you....

But today has been a very Relief Society filled day!

Of course at church, where the lesson was about Relief Society and the blessing it brings to our lives...

I have been so blessed in my life by way of the Relief Society...most recently the help we got from everyone when we had to go back to the hospital after Porter was born.

I wish all those ladies could really know how much we appreciate that, and their willingness to help.

But then today I had the opportunity to take dinner to one of the ladies I visit teach who just had a sweet, beautiful baby girl.

Visiting Teaching, another great blessing.

I have so many special friendships made because of Visiting teaching...

And the last thing today was the opportunity I had to sew a quilt top for the Humanitarian service project we have coming up.

They supply me with all the blocks and I just sew it together, but the thought that I had a hand in something that will keep a family warm in the cold night.

There sure is something neat about being a part of that!!!

Anyway, I am so grateful for the blessing of having Relief Society in my life!!!

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ALSO...

Happy Birthday to my little sister Sara, who has always been the peace-maker in the family and is just about the sweetest thing anyone could ever meet!

I love you Sara and I am so lucky to have your example in my life!

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I LOVE to re-purpose!!!

Can you guess what this WILL be???

(It's not there yet, but getting there...)

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We LOVE visitors!!!

We love when people come to visit!!!

Aunt Kay (Brent's sister), Uncle Johnny, and their daughter Monica came to stay with us for a couple days!

We are already having so much fun!

It is great to have such a great family!!!

(Thanks Monica for letting our girls maul you!)

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Elsie LOVES her fishies!!!

Yes, there are fishies in there...

they are just so tiny!!!

The sales lady told us not to get the ones we wanted, cause our tank wasn't big enough!!!

So each of the girls picked out a little guppy.

Madi's is orange, named Rainbow.

Cassi has a yellow one named Sunny.

And Elsie's is purple...and her name is Dory.

This is Elsie's late birthday present, that we finally got around to getting.

She loves them so much!

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We LOVE how proud the girls are of their art.

Tonight the girls had their art exhibit.

Each child from the classes got to display their favorite piece.

The girls thought it was pretty cool to have their own art show!!

I loved how proud they were when they saw their pieces on the wall!

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I LOVE early Christmas presents!!!

We have needed new carpet...for a LONG time!!!

We finally decided to do it.

Well, we decided to go price it.

We found this piece that both of us fell in love with...and it wasn't too far out of our price range!
One question...does anyone think it is too dark?

I put pictures of the sample next to our couch, and the wood floors.
We are loving it.

The only little problem is that the carpet has a small olive green tint to it...you can't really see it, and I don't think I would have noticed it if the sales lady hadn't said it.

I just worry that the whole room done with end up looking green.

But when it comes down to it, we both love it, so why not?

Anyway...tell me your opinions on the dark???

Brent and I like it cause it is different.

Anyway, happy early Christmas to us!

(I wish it wouldn't take 2 weeks to get in!!!)

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I LOVE squeaky clean kids...

Especially when they are on their way to bed!!!

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I am so THANKFUL for great emergency rooms!!!

(And AWESOME friends to take your kids on a seconds notice!!!)

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Just a fair warning....

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Yep...

It's real!

Poor guy.

It was an easy going kind of day.

Brent started out the day not feeling very good, so we all took it easy.

Later in the day we ventured outside, where Brent saw that his wheel barrel had fallen off the wall in his shed.

He wanted to quickly fix it...just like he likes to fix everything...

This was the nail guns fault...not Brent's!!!

He was putting a nail into a 2x4...the 2x4 was a scrap and a kinda old scrap.
Well, the 2X4 splintered and the nail followed the course of the splintered piece of wood, and went straight into the palm of his hand.

Poor boy.

I heard a call from the garage saying..."Hey Kimi...will you come in the garage for a second, I need to talk to you."

I thought I was in trouble.

When I got out there he showed me his hand and I kinda panicked!!!
Sometimes I wonder how much help I really am.

So I hurried and called Heather and she gladly took our kids for us so I could rush him to the emergency room.

It was an exciting night for them in the emergency room too...

we had lookers peeking into our door quite often.

Kind funny...

He is doing good.

He is actually quite lucky.

It did go through the bone....but it did not shatter it or break it...just put a big hole dead center!

It was a good thing it was dead center, if it was a little to the right or left, it would have broken it.

So that is why he is lucky!

Thanks to all the nice nurses......and the pompous doctor....

And a BIG thanks to Heather for being so willing to take all the kids for so many hours!!!

And wish Brent luck in his recovery!!!

(By the way...the picture was Brent's idea...so don't be thinking I am a terrible wife for doing a little photo shoot before the emergency room!!!)

x-ray with nail in...
x-ray with nail out...the red circle is around the hole in the bone...