The Best Day

Our little, but mighty, Colby was baptized yesterday morning at the Harrison street stake building.

(This is the same building where I was baptised)

It was the best day.  

Steve did a wonderful job with both the baptism and Colby's confirmation.  It also had to be the cutest baptism ever as Steve picked up Colby dripping wet and hugged him right in the font.  

Steve and I have very tender feelings about our Colby Virge.  We've had many discussions about Colby's strengths , his love, his determination, his obedience, and his love of life and all things fun this past week.   We are enamored with this little boy and the zest he brings to our family.  He's pretty awesome…and we love him!

My dad presided and conducted at the pre-baptism meeting.  I'll miss his presence on the stand at functions such as these when he is released from the stake presidency this summer.

Colby with Sister Hieder and Bastow.  Couldn't ask for a better primary presidency!  They spoiled him rotten both in words and gifts.

The Walker and Dixon family together.

Cara was taking the picture.  Thanks Cara!

Both sets of grandparents.  Could a boy get more lucky???

Our family.

(Andrew was on his tiptoes for this shot.  He is not quite taller than me just yet.)

Just me and my boy.

Colby, your dad and I are so proud of you and your decision and desire to be baptized.

We love you more than you could ever imagine.

Other (less formal) pictures from yesterday….

Grady finding his perch on the stand.

The three teenage cousins.

Anavey, Andrew and Holly

The girly girls…aka Saylor's posse (at least she would like to think that)

Gary, Margie, Michael and Chenele.

We were assigned the high council room for Colby's confirmation.  The boys decided they would sit right up to the table and make their presence and authority known.

Carter, Wyatt, AJ and Wes.

Cara, Jared, JaNae, Dad and Mom

A huge thank you to both the Dixon and Walker families for being with us on Colby's special day!

Carter's Arrow of Light

Carter has a crazy fun scout troop.  It' huge.

And last week nine of the boys received their Arrow of Light award. 

Yes, nine.

As part of the ceremony, the awarded boys are allowed to shoot a FLAMING marshmallow into the parking lot.  

Its hilarious and scary all at the same time.  I'm grateful the boys were only allowed to shoot one at a time.  I could imagine the chaos that could happen with nine flaming marshmallows.

Carter being lit.

The shot!

Who wouldn't be happy after shooting fire?

The scouts with their awards.

The boys then get to leave their hand print on a massive canvas.  Carter put his right above Andrew's.

I'm proud of Carter and all his hard work and fun he has put into scouts!

And side note…guess who else started scouts this month?

Look out troop 180!  

Before I forget...

I always seem to forget to write these things down so I figure I better before I forget completely.

Grady said what I'm calling his first official word this weekend.  He said "Gi-Gi" which means gi-gi which is what we call his binki/pacifier/soother  (so many ways to say it).  We call it a gi-gi because my twin nieces Annie and Meg called them gi-gi's when they were little…and the family tradition was passed on.

Grady will now reach for his gi-gi while saying it loud and clear.  He loves that thing or things.  We have about eight that get passed around.

My other kids' first words if I am remembering correctly.

Andrew:  No!
Carter:  Cookie
Colby:  Hi there!
Saylor:  Momma

Colby turned the big big eight!

My Colby turned the ripe old age of eight on the 25th!

We started the celebration early by having his friend party on Thursday evening.  This was his first friend party ever so we tried to make it fun.

Steve started out by bringing home a HUGE bunch of balloons just for Colby.

Eight is great my friend!

Colby chose 6 friends to accompany him to JumpTime a local indoor trampoline jumping arena.

(No pics from there…Steve took all the kids so I'm totally understanding the no picture thing.  That is just craziness!)

The kids then came to our house for pizza and cake.

See the large child third from the left?  That is Jeff Bulkley, Colby's best friend.  Jeff has 5 daughters and Colby has made himself Jeff's honorary son.  Jeff even got a little kid invitation to the party, came to JumpTime and then our house.  He is a trooper…as is his wife for letting him come!

Happiness is a party with chocolate cupcakes!

…the candles were trick ones ordered by the birthday boy.

Charlie, Trevor, Casey, Colby, Aj, Mason and Jeff in the back.

A little opening presents game.

Dang trick candles!  Ok…they are just really fun.

On Friday I took (pretty simple) treats into Colby's class.

He loves Mrs. Snow!

His present showed up just in time and arrived on my doorstep hours before he got home from school.

This kid loves his man cave beanbag.

For the final hurrah, we went to DQ for dinner.

(Of course the Bulkleys were invited as was Andrew's friend Barrett.)

The day ended with a Dilly Bar and a hot tub party at the Bulkelys.

Happy Birthday Colby!  We love you so much it hurts!

Really Fast Catch Up

Things to write about in the next few days when I finally stop messing around and get something done:

Carter's arrow of light award
Colby's 8th birthday
How buying flowers makes me happy
Diabetes…I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy let alone a great friend
My sister is AMAZING…no really she is

Grandma Walker's Easter Egg Hunt

My mom is amazing.  (nothing new here)

Every Easter she puts on a giant egg hunt for the grandkids…and it NEVER gets old.

Each grandchild has 24 eggs, loving labeled with their name, full of treats and cold hard cash.

(I wish I was little still.  I want candy and money!)

We so appreciate her and my dad for entertaining and loving our children!  

My kids are spoiled.  Oh. So. Spoiled.

The 13 kids who live in Idaho.

We missed you Dean, Dawson, Bentley, Sadie, Leah and Grant!

The excitement is killing them…along with having to take pictures.  Oh the HUMANITY!

Even Grady had his own eggs to hunt for with Dad.

The teenagers. 

They tried so hard to act cool and collected, as if they could care less about an Easter egg hunt.  But we adults knew better…those kids LOVE it!!

The "bunny" took it easy on Saylor and hid the majority of her eggs in one small area.

Really Mom…do I have to smile for this?  I have candy to find!

Success!

I love when they act like they actually love eachother…for about 5 seconds.

What is this in my egg?

5 BUCKS??

The bunny was generous. 

Told you he loves this candy hunt.

What?  Is that a small smile creeping across his face?

Or, is it the chocolate talking.  The world may never know.

Yeah…I found all my eggs.

And I did it all the while looking this good.

(Carter my love, I understand you want to grow up and be older like Andrew so bad!  But just for me…would you stay 10 a little longer?  Please?)

Checking out the loot.

Thank you Mom and Dad for a wonderful afternoon.

We love you!