E Christmas Cards

I am doing Christmas cards via email yet again. I keep thinking next year I'll do the real thing but it has yet to happen. I'm a little behind because we just got back from an unexpected trip to Utah for the funeral of Chris's grandma; we will sure miss her but she is in a better place now. Even though it wasn't under the best of circumstances we were happy to have a short visit with family. Leave your email if you'd like a copy, you just might get lucky and get anyway.

Books

Caleb loves to read, mind you it can't be a long book because he's too busy to sit in one place for very long, but if it's got pictures or something to feel or open he loves it! He knows the sign for book and will say "boo". After breakfast one morning it was awfully quiet and this is how I found him...

Thankful for Fall

This is one HUGE posting our our fun fall festivities. I love fall, probably the season and colors I miss most as Phoenix is mostly brown all year:). Still, we have a great time and enjoy our wonderful weather! This year Chris attended a helicopter seminar in Las Vegas which enabled us to meet my family in St. George for a day and a half to celebrate Halloween together. Thanks for making the drive and all the fun activities Jardines!

Our first order of business was carving, or as I prefer, decorating pumpkins. Chris did the skull painting and I did the funny face and Caleb's mini spider web pumpkin.

Numero dos: cookie making and decorating. My family's tradition was making sugar cookies for Halloween and that's something Chris and I have carried on, I look forward to it every year.

cutting pumpkin shapes with Dad

We use M&Ms, red hots, and candy corns to make jack-o-lantern faces on the pumpkins and this is Caleb's first year "helping".





Not quite...

still didn't get it...

Caleb's thoughts, "I don't want them on cookies, I want to eat them!"

My mom got this cute set to decorate a pumpkin kid style and Caleb loved it!

We spent Halloween eve at Tuacahn amphitheater playing some fun games and launching pumpkins.

Tiger in the desert

jumping with Uncle Andrew

giving Dad some lovin

bowling (we also did a bean bag toss and ring toss)

Jumbo slide

Pumpkin Launcher!
This was really fun to watch, the pumpkins were loaded and and shot off like a cannon.


Trick-or-treating


Caleb as a chicken


Yes, we were the bat family (mostly) my brother was a knight and my mom the dragon.

Halloween day after church and waiting for Dad at the hotel in Vegas. This is Caleb's smile when he in entertaining, he loves to make people laugh.

On our last day we did the famous breakfast buffet in Vegas and made a stop at a casino called Sam's Town for Caleb to get out some energy before the long drive. In the center there is an open atrium with a large waterfall and life-like animals that make noises and turn their heads. Caleb loves animals and imitating their sounds so this was a fun stop for him.

Thanks for sticking through to the end, hope you all had a happy Halloween!

The Rest of the Utah trip...

It was great for us to be able to escape to Utah for a while to get out of the 110+ temperatures that plague AZ in the summer. Although Chris wasn't able to be with us the whole time we kept busy and enjoyed our time with family and friends. To give a quick recap Caleb was able to meet some his great-grandparents for the first time, help with wedding details, visit friends, go swimming with Grandpa, and went 4-wheeling. We took many pictures during our 6 week jaunt to Utah this summer, so I'll just share a few of my favs...

Caleb learned to climb on EVERYTHING while we were staying with my parents, the bed, the table, chairs, ect. Apparently he was thirsty and decided he needed my drink.

Caleb and I in our Sunday best before church.

Swimming with Uncle Matt at the Aquatic Center in Logan, one of Caleb's favorite activities.

4-wheeling at Uncle Mike and Aunt Catherine's house-

Caleb was squealing with excitement!

Caleb with his Aunts, Annie and Lucy.
Our family is Italian and enjoys a traditional cookie called a Pizzelle. My sister decided she wanted them served at her wedding reception so we spent a day making them and Caleb enjoyed the taste testing.

C Bugs' First Camping Trip

After a busy spring/summer we finally made our outdoor adventure! I had been debating when would be the best time to take Caleb, before he started to walk or after, those of you who have experience with this will have to let me know what your thoughts are. In the end I decided walking would be better, however Caleb is now in the climbing phase so we spent our time keeping him from falling off of the picnic table. He only had 3 falls in 2 days with minor scrapes and bruises, no broken bones or stitches which I was very relieved for!! I had a skunk encounter, it scurried right by me, but thankfully we didn't have the spray!We all enjoyed being outside enjoying nature and a good campfire.

wanting so badly to swim in the lake

Lynx Lake

Caleb and his personality

enjoying breakfast by the fire

hiking with mom

Surprise!

I decided to squeeze in a surprise party for Chris while we were in UT with family, after all 30 is a big deal so why not celebrate twice?! It took some creative planning to get Chris to Logan on the right day without asking any questions but with the help of some party schemers we made it happen. Thanks to all of you who made this day special!

The Surprise!

Chris a few years ago...

Ryan, Jaime, & Mike

Grandma and her boys (Ryan & Alex)

Caleb getting daddy time

Jardine clan

friends Chris grew up with and their families

Bryan, Matt, Melissa, Chris, Cydnee, & Jacob

Ethan, Mike, & Catherine

Audrey Takes the Plunge

Wow, what a summer! After going, going, going I am feeling the slow-down now that we are back home and into our routine, we're a little boring all by ourselves! At the beginning of the summer the three of us took a road trip to St. George to visit my family, who we hadn't seen for a year. While there we also visited Chris's aunt and uncle. After coming home for 2 weeks we were trying to find a place to live because our contract was ending, I just love apartment hunting :( . My younger sister was married in July so Caleb and I took the opportunity to go to Utah for a month with Chris visiting in the middle for the wedding. Chris moved us while Caleb and I were still in Utah, but we made it home in time to unpack and organize lucky me! Editors note: the "lucky me" comment should be taken in context as Jessie was not in Phoenix to participate in the sweat fest known as moving.

Aunt Audrey and Caleb


Bridesmaids

Jardine girls

the sibs plus 2

The BIG 30!!

That's right, Chris entered a new decade this year when he turned 30. We had quite the celebration in honor of the event. First we went to Oregano's (one of our favorite restaurants) a few days before his birthday and he was serenaded by the servers and hosts with the "Birthday Song". Next we had a birthday for him, and Caleb, with our friends here in AZ. Last of all we had a little family time on Sunday, his actual birthday. We sure love him and had a great time joining in his celebration. Love you Chris/Daddy!

Mother's Day

This special day celebrating womanhood always brings appreciation for the great mothers and women in my life; my mother, grandmother(s), mother-in-law,sisters, sisters-in-law, aunts, and great women of the church.

I had a wonderful Mother's Day with my boys! I was able to go SHOPPING all by myself on Saturday, one of my all time favorite activities. Sunday Chris let me sleep in while he got up with Caleb, made a wonderful breakfast and dinner, and gave me these beautiful flowers with a very sweet card. Thank you to my boys who made the day so special for me!

Happy First Birthday Caleb!!

Wow, where did the last year go?! Caleb is one and I can hardly believe it! I have loved being home with him this past year while he has grown, learned, explored and discovered the world around him. Our day wasn't bursting with activities but we had a good time on his special day.

Birthday festivities for a one-year-old...

Playing at the park

Presents

Swimming

Cake

I have a firm "no sugar" policy for my baby, at least until he's two. Needless to say he did NOT like his cake and icing which Dad made him try.

He is such a joy and we feel so blessed to have him in our family! Happy Birthday Baby Boy!!

-Love Mom & Dad

Laughter is the Best Medicine

There are some days when Caleb is in a really good mood and just starts to giggle. If you giggle back it becomes a little game. Jessie got him going one day and they entertained each other. Perfect for those times when it gets a little dull during the day.

Whistling

I've never been able to whistle, and I have tried a variety of techniques and teachers, but I just can't seem to get the hang of it. My baby boy is already leaps and bounds ahead of his mother because he has figured out how to whistle all by himself!

I apologize for the movement on the video, I am trying so hard not to laugh!

Walking?!

Caleb has had a big month; a visit from Grandma Jeri, Aunt Melissa, and cousins, turned 11 months, eating new solid foods, and walking! He's been cruising furniture for awhile now but the past few days he's been letting go and walking by himself. It's so exciting to watch him learn and grow, but I confess it's a little sad for me because my baby is growing up!

I love to See the Temple

We had a little family outing a week ago and went to the Mesa Temple. It was so glorious to be able to be there and feel the calm and peace of the Spirit of the Lord. The Temple and grounds were lovely, especially beautiful in the spring, and smell of the citrus trees made for a wonderful day!

He would rather push his stroller than ride in it!