Just short of 10 years..

Our anniversary is coming up here in the next two weeks. To celebrate for our anniversary we took a very short trip to Hawaii. We left Tuesday morning, arrived Hawaii time at Noon. We hung out on the Lahaina side of Maui. We went swimming when we got there and then took a stroll down front street, has lots of neat shops and it right on the beach. Wednesday we went snorkeling all day. The best part the sea turtles they are amazing. I took some pictures with my underwater camera but haven't got them developed yet. You would see some little ones to just down right HUGE. It was so fun, we also saw a snowflake eel, eagle or bat rays (not sure which). It was so fun and fast we also saw some movies while we were there Couples Retreat, very appropriate for the occasion and the Michael Jackson movie. We were home Friday morning. Thanks to all those great friends and neighbors that watched my kids and to Grandma, love you.

This turtle was so crazy, I would stay right by these rocks and let the water take it in and out over the rocks. It seemed to be a game for the turtles.

Ben was looking straight down at the turtle watching it go over the rocks.

Some Trunk or Treat fun.

Optimus Prime, A witch, Bumble Bee and a Rooster.







I was the run-a-way bride and not a stretch for Ben...ehh?

This was some stretchy struff my mom got us for our mummy costumes. We were messing around after dinner and snapped some photos of the craziness.

Fall Break

For fall break this year we had lots of ideas of what we wanted to do, it was getting our check book to agree. We thought we would head down or over (what ever way) to San Diego, but the car rental is insane. So at midnight we decided to drive down to Vegas, yes we did go down there not too long ago, however we went to Lake Mead.

This trip we stayed about 7 miles south of the strip in a really nice place that sells time shares. I have decided they are my favorite places to stay. We took the kids to Hoover dam, the shark reef at Mandalay bay, the M&M store. The hotel provided kids arts and craft classes, we of course went swimming every morning.

We had a great time.



This is the new bridge they are building over the Hoover dam.

Cooper couldn't believe Sponge Bob was in Las Vegas

Thanks

Our other family member has moved on, hopefully to another family who will appreciate it as much as I did. I remember as a kid a few neighbors of mine had everything from minivans (astro vans), suburbans, we personally had a station wagon 2 of them to be exact. I had always thought our neighbors Suburban was pretty cool, so to have one when I was older and to haul kids around was a good choice for me. Our lease was up and it was time to decide what to do and the list was long of what to do, should we get a car, a minivan, another suburban.

To make a long story short we looked and looked, negotiated the price for the 2004 Suburban and then we ended up getting a new one. Yeah for us, not so yeah for my pocket book. Only because I have been known to say to Ben, when I want to buy something that is pricey
"I will work extra shifts" well this commitment it for 6 years of extra shifts....or until Ben FINALLY gets his own store...

So another white Suburban, it definitely has some neat features that I appreciate vs. the old one.

One of the best is that it shifts down to a V4 on long stretches of road so better gas mileage, it has blue tooth through the car, so some of you that may call me will be in surround sound in my car.

Funny story about that, Cooper truly believes that all cars are auto bots "transformers" one day I was driving and I started to steer with my knee to put my hair in a ponytail and I hear Cooper say under his breath, "see I knew it was an auto bot it is driving itself".

Well now with the new car, it talks to you with the blue tooth.

It's sad the new car smell won't last long, but we are glad to have another safe reliable vehicle to taxi little people around in.

Other than that the sick bug has hit our house with furry. About 1 week in a half ago we all got a cold (head cold). Recovered and then about 3-4 days ago everyone started complaining about headaches and their throat hurting. We all got taken over by strep throat.

Kessler was really the only one not overcome, he has pediatric asthma. He gets a cold and then rattles, and has a horrible cough.

Some positive highlights, Cooper learned how to ride his bike and Alivia has got 100% on all of her spelling tests so far (my treat bag has been good motivation so far)

Bauer learned how to write the letter B and was so proud of himself.

Ben will be leaving Jordan landing soon in about 2 weeks, where: not sure yet??

We loved conference, I could not believe how powerful Elder Hollands talk was, especially after the song the choir sang.

We get to go on vacation just the two of us at the end of this month. YEAH HOO!!

The Young Women and the women I serve with in our ward are awesome and I am so glad to be a part of their lives.

I love being a wife, a mom, a part time employee, a daughter in law, a sister in law, a sister, a daughter, I have lots of thanks in my heart.

September

My blog updates might only come once a month these days. Life is busy in the Whidden house-hold.
I thought-- how do you put down everything that has gone on, and thought to myself as I was making my list for this week, that is what I will have to do, to get up to speed here.
1. Cooper started Kindergarten and loves it. He really loves music time, he comes home singing the songs all the time. Cooper, Alivia and some other neighborhood kids all walk home together. They love being so responsible.
2. Alivia in first grade. I bought this bag and filled it with all sorts of goods, from the dollar spot at Target. If she gets a 100% on her spelling test on Friday she gets to choose a little something. It has been very motivating, we'll see how long it lasts:) 3. Bauer loves the one on one mom time. Cooper goes to school, Kessler takes a nap, and we get to hang out. Lately we have been laying down and taking a nap too:)
4. Kessler is getting big saying a lot more words, his latest words. Stop, ouch, what, incredible (kind of, we know what he is saying) He also loves the water, much more than Bauer does now.
We went on a very short trip to Lake Mead, and he wanted to be in the water the whole time. Bauer totally content on the beach. Pictures of Kessler playing in the gutter in front of our house. Lovely:)

5. We love fall around here, the weather is perfect right now, the a/c doesn't run for 22 out of 24 hours of the day, we have been able to go on walks, play outside, enjoy opening the windows at night. (except for Ben, it flares up his nostrils, with allergies)

6. Cooper is learning how to ride his bike, he is almost there he can peddle and balance on his own he has a problem steering in the right direction.

7. Ben is back at Jordan Landing as the HR person.

8. I am still in Young Women's, which occupies my Sunday's, Wednesday's, Volleyball Thursday's, I am one of the room mom's in Liv's class and one of the room mom's in Coopers class. Which I love, I would do it every year if I can swing it. My kids have great teachers and I am so thankful for that, it makes it easy.

9. I have been working upwards 50 hours a month flying, extra money is always nice....we are trying to plan a trip in October for our 10 year, Ben's 35 b-day this year. We have lots of places on the radar, just can't decided which one. Also Christmas is coming upon us fast.

10. Love the craziness, I again was talking to an older mom on the airplane and she was going to visit one of her children across the country. She expressed she missed having them at home, and wishes it wouldn't have gone so fast. Amen to that!!

Hooray for School!

We have been excited in our family for school to start Alivia started last week and Cooper started yesterday.
It was pure torture for Cooper to wait one week later than Liv, but he had a great time yesterday and can't wait for today.
Alivia really lucked out this year and got the best first grade teacher, my neighbor and friend to boot.
Cooper has a really sweet teacher, this is her second year teaching. He has quite a few friends in his class, so they get to all come home together.
Bauer and Kessler get my undivided attention all afternoon, they is especially nice for Bauer.
Kessler demands a lot of my time anyway, so when he is napping Bauer and mom get to chill together.

Ben's last day at American Fork Target is today, and starts back at Jordan Landing on Monday doing HR stuff? I have no idea what they plan on doing, but I am not going to believe anything they say anymore, I will just wait and see what ends up happening with the STL stuff.

I officially don't sing girls camp songs all day anymore, we also have been able to spend a lot of time with Ben's parents. They are staying here until they leave on their mission which was moved up a few days.
It has been really interesting to hear how well the church does with medical/mental health issues for missionaries. The church has a lot of resources and it is amazing to me the service people give, once they are retired and give up family time to go and serve the Lord.
We are going to miss them, hopefully we will be able to go and see them before they come home.

The Lord said to Noah, there's gonna be a floody, floody

I am so glad to have had the opportunity to have gone to girls camp. There is an amazing camp up in Heber, Utah.

It is truly an amazing place, Gordon B. Hinckley dedicated the grounds and he called it a Temple with no ceiling.Girls camp was everything I remember and then some, skit night, long hikes, flag ceremony, devotionals, kitchen duty.

What I didn't remember was the flushing toilets, showers and cabins. We were not so lucky, when I went. We washed our hair in a natural spring, that was FREEZING!

Skit night!

My good friend the camp nurse.

The lake was pretty, the girls were able to go play on the water.

The leaders. Myself, Shasta, Amy, Steph, Noelle.

I hope I get to do it again some day.

We had some really spiritual expierences, that I will never forget.