Wanna Bet!

This post.

Oh my.

In some ways it is nice to know that I am not alone in this world. That other mothers have creative, resourceful children too.

But in other ways it makes me think perhaps mom is right.


I may miss these days.


Some perspective is a good thing.

I'm gonna miss this?

My mother said that one day I would miss my kids being little. Some times I'm not so sure I believe her.


Take dinner tonight for example. This is Caden and Grace. I asked Caden why he was trying to sit in Gracie's booster and he said, "I'm not." So then I asked him what he was doing. He said, "I'm stepping in it." So what did I do? I whipped out my iPhone and took a picture because what else can a nursing mother do?

I might miss this Caden.


And this Gracie.


And Betsy and Robyn too.


But only if I forget about the gigantic mess that was made. :)

Car City

This post is really just a quick note-to-self so I don't forget about this newest great game the kids have invented. Plus the picture of Colin and Robyn with their new glasses they got this month.


Car city is a game the kids started this summer in the sand pile. Caden started it by filling the sandpile with water creating a swimming pool for the matchbox cars and the game took on a life of it's own as it evolved into a whole community.
Car city is on “Hamburger Island” in “Garbagetown.” The cars soon outgrew the sandpile and development crept out onto the patio. There are well laid out streets with houses and shops lining them. The opening of the shops necessitated the need for a bank and some kind of currency to shop with. The currency has changed as they discover better and easier ways to keep track of it. Of course, the store owners wanted lots of business so they needed to advertise. Then, like all larger cities, they needed rules to guide conduct. Laws were written but crime still became a problem and they needed a prison and policemen. Soon they needed a hospital and doctors and nurses because of injuries and diseases that were being spread throughout the community. (One of the diseases was house flu and it resembles Swine flu.) Over development occurred surrounding the swimming pool and the old time residents marveled at the changes but due to poor community planning “The Villages” were soon destroyed by flooding.

It has been so fun to see this game unfold. I have loved watching what happens next. It's been interesting to watch the changes that happens as the “community” grows and evolves. I plan to let them go with this as long as it lasts.

Go Boy!

Caden really got into his promotion. This morning he came into my room and told me he let the ducks out - something I hadn't gotten around to yet. Then, while I combed my hair, he cleaned the bottom half of the full length mirror. Later he told me he climbed up high and put scissors away. It's great when kids see a need and fill that need! (But perhaps we need a new location for the scissors.)

Bouncing babies

Here are some random pictures of my "babies" in their bouncer seats. Aren't they cute?!!

Happy Birthday to Caden!

Caden turned two this month. How fast time flies!

A few things about Caden:

He has beautiful big brown eyes that make me melt.


He got an RC car for his birthday - he likes to "shoot" it to make it go.


He loves his baby sister and he now calls all the dolls in the house "Bets."


He really likes to play outside.


The ducks are not afraid of him, but they should be.


He started calling me "Mommy Reeder" this week - it cracks me up!

Caden and Betsy

Cutest picture ever!

Aren't these the cutest pictures ever?!! They were taken at Brad and Aston's wedding. I love them.

Happy Mother's Day!

Instead of breakfast in bed, Randy woke me up with this picture. Congratulations Ron and Andrea! I guess it's fair that you got yours first, but I wouldn't have minded getting a baby for Mother's Day too. (Madeline Rose was born yesterday morning - May 9th. She is two weeks early! Maybe her cousin will follow suit. That would be okay by me!)

Randy did make breakfast and when I came down to the table to eat I found very unexpected presents. I love a nice surprise. He had gotten me daisies and a terracotta flower pot that I had told him I wanted. My plan is not to use the pot for flowers but to use it to roast a chicken in. It's my latest idea. I read about it in Alton Brown's book I'm Just Here for the Food. I love Alton Brown's stuff. I'll have to post about it when I try it.



Robyn also had a nice surprise for me. She has been sewing lately, but she never showed me what she'd made until this morning. It was a homemade bag filled with little pillows that she had embroidered on. Made me cry. She is getting pretty good. Here are some close ups of her handiwork.



Grace also had presents for me. She made me a necklace. Unfortunately Caden broke it while I was wearing it. I need to get some stronger string. At primary, they had the kids write somethings they would do for their mothers today. Grace wrote that she would mop the floor and make cookies. When we got home, she had the floor mopped before I even got my dress changed. Then she changed and got right on those cookies. She did a great job making me some no bake cookies. They were very yummy. We recently got her tested for food allergies and found out she can't have dairy, wheat, or eggs. Luckily, with some minor modification, no bake cookies are okay for her to eat. Happy day - I wouldn't want to have to live without cookies. (But if I had to choose, I'd take Grace over cookies.) After dinner she finished sewing this pillow for me. It will be perfect for supporting my neck on our next car trip.


Colin and Caden have been fairly good boys. Colin wrote on his Primary list that he would program in PHP. He's been doing it since he got home. It's not exactly what I might have chosen for him to do for me for Mother's day, but at least he's happy. I do like happy children.
Caden drew me a picture this morning. The picture turned out great. Too bad he didn't stop there - he also decorated the wall and the electrical outlet with his marker. In case anyone is interested - dry erase marker does come off of electrical outlets but it doesn't come off walls. It's a good thing he is cute. Both my boys have those big brown eyes that make me melt - that's why they get away with everything.


This next picture is for my own dear mother. She had a few boys with big brown eyes that got away with a lot too. This boy reminds me a lot of one of them.

Words Caden Can Say

Colin captured some of Caden's words for me. I have no idea how he got it on this blog, but I am thrilled he did it. This is just a small sampling of the words Caden can say because he doesn't exactly like to talk on demand and into a microphone.
The words are apple, duck, Elmo, Momma, no, and Uh, Uh.

Spring has Sprung!

I was feeling really bad about living so far away from family this month. Not so much anymore.

We went to Brad and Ashton's wedding this past weekend. It was beautiful! Everything went very well and it was great to see everyone. We had a great time. However, it was very COLD and snowy.

It was very nice to come home to 50 degree weather and crocuses. I love springtime!

Maybe you guys should all move closer to me. :)

Study Buddies

Randy and Caden are "studying" together. Sometimes there are advantages to being a lefty - you can study in the same chair as your Dad without bumping elbows.

Randy is applying to George Wythe University. He is taking an extension class called American Foundation this coming semester. They will be studying the founding documents such as The Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the Federalist Papers, and Tocqueville's Democracy in America. He is going to be pretty busy this next semester as he is also taking 4 credits from BSU toward his second bachelor's degree.

What a great example for the kids!

Music Man

Caden woke up this morning "singing" the train part of Orange Blossom Special. I don't know how to type what he said. Something like "err, errrrr, err, err buck, buck, buck, buck." How can you not wake up with a smile when that's your alarm clock. So funny!!




Of course, the little turkey won't do it again for me so I could get a movie. This is not today's picture, but it's classic Caden.


The big kids have been doing several Christmas Fiddle shows at nursing homes and care centers for the past two weeks. With all the practice and the shows, it's no wonder Caden can sing the songs.

Merry Christmas!

It's that time again - The Country Harvest Hoedown is here!

This is it. The BIG Weekend we've all been waiting for. Finally.
The Country Harvest Hoedown is tonight and tomorrow. I can't wait to see the show.

Colin, Robyn, and Grace are all in it and they have been practicing for months to get ready.



Yesterday, Colin and Robyn were on TV as the dress rehearsal was televised during the weather reports on the news. That was pretty cool.



Grace didn't go because it was WAY too early in the morning for a four year old. She and Caden had a good rehearsal anyway.
Uncle Mike wrote and said to make sure Caden learns something "manly" like the guitar. Caden is happy to comply. Every time Randy picks up his guitar to practice, Caden goes for his too. Admittedly, Caden's playing backup isn't too pleasant on the ears, but it sure it fun for the eyes to watch.
(He still can't wait to get his hands on a fiddle though.)

When is the good part of pregnancy?

I was feeling not so great the other morning and I said to my family, "Don't mind me, this is just the bad part of pregnancy." After saying that, I wondered when the good part of pregnancy was. Then I looked around and saw it all around me.

Here are a few examples of the good parts of pregnancy, yep they pretty muchly all happen AFTER it's all over.


Colin, Robyn, and Grace trying to hold down the leaf piles they've been working on when a big wind came up.

Caden insisting he get to try to ride the unicycle. I am pretty sure he'll learn it before I ever do. I've been working on it and it's just too darn scary! It's the one thing I didn't get done before I turned 30. I brought home Mike's unicycle and I worked on it unsuccessfully for days. Then one night after work, Randy hopped on it and rode around the block. He was the kids' hero that night. He totally cheated by not telling them that he has been able to unicycle for years. Sure made me look bad! Pretty funny though.

Grace working on learning to rollerblade. Robyn found them at the DI yesterday and the three big kids have been taking turns with them. They actually only fit Colin, but that hasn't stopped the girls from trying. Robyn is the best at it so far. Luckily, I learned to rollerblade as a child, rollerblading is not nearly as scary as unicycling. Randy said he married me for my rollerblading skills. I'd better dust them off and start practicing again. :)

Crazy Manimal!

Cader Bader is a crazy manimal! But he has beautiful big brown eyes so he gets away with everything.


He is not afraid of ANYTHING.


The girls and I made the cutest table display yesterday with some great little gourds and pumpkins we found at a farmers market. Today Caden put all the great little gourds and pumpkins down the vent! Even the adorable little warty one.
Randy saved the day by crawling under the house and pushing up on the vent so I could retrieve them. Hooray for Dads!



He thinks he is big like his brother and loves to get in on the computer games. Colin has been building a chess playing robot this week with the Lego Mindstorms and Caden loves to "help." I'll have to get a picture of it when all the bugs are worked out. Colin is building it for Robyn - she likes to play chess, but no one likes to play with her because she always wins so he is building her a robot. What a great brother! :)
I love to watch the things these little turkeys come up with.



One good feature about Caden is his impeccable table manners. He can use a spoon better than his three siblings put together. He is contrary even in that though - notice he is a little lefty!

Number 5 is alive

Yes, it is true. We are expecting #5 to join our family around Memorial Day of next year.
Yes, it is WAY to early to announce anything, but I like the sympathy when I am feeling crappy so I usually tell early.
Yes, it was planned.
Yes, Caden and #5 will only be 23 months apart.




Caden likes this pregnancy so far - he loves eating crackers together in my bed. He's all about the food!




Aunt Keri has requested that we name this child after her, but my girls have been calling #5 Rosie for a long time. Grace came up with a compromise - Rosekeri. The boys have this crazy idea that #5 is a boy and that Keri is too girly for a boy's name. So we came up with the name Irek. What do you think?

Weekend Fun

My Kids are so very creative. :)  Here they are being "doggies."  Caden thought it was pretty funny.  I am not sure what the implications for the future are.  Hopefully he doesn't try it in Oreo's water dish.  

Last weekend we went to Gunfighter Skies. It was pretty awesome. We even got to see the Thunderbirds.  

Fall Pictures of Caden

Caden is getting to be such a big boy. He loved "helping" to plant the fall garden.



Baby Yoga!