January 2010

New Years Eve

This year the Chandlers, Kartchners and Thornocks all came down to Visalia for the new year.  We had a blast!  

1. Sterling is a little afraid of fire so he stayed back.

2.Uncle Steve and Bree.

3. Steve LOVES his dog!

4. Everywhere Steve goes Charlie follows.

Scott and Katie had our family this year for Christmas.  One of our gifts was a foot massage...the BEST gift you can give!

The next morning we all just played around and enjoyed the first day of 2010. Scott found he hit as many clay pigeons with the fake gun as he did with the real one! This was a great way to bring in the new year.

February 2010

Valentines

I am sad that my sister does not have any daughters but sometimes I really benefit from it!  Like when she wanted to make a skirt for Addyson for Valentines.  If she had all girls Addyson would not have looked so dang cute!  Thanks Aunt Heidi.

Every year we send out Valentine cards instead of Christmas cards.  This is the picture that we used.  This is the last Valentines card that Addyson will do by herself!!! 

Farm Show

The Farm Show is a lot of fun for kids and adults.  The kids have ginormous tractors to climb on and the adults have wonderful food choices!  Maybe its because I am pregnant but man alive the food is good!  The Weibells and David's family were in town so we all made a day trip out of it.

Addyson and I on the BIG wheels!

David was so awesome with the kids.  He climbed up on all the the tractors so us ladies didn't have to.  

March 2010

Addyson is such a good student.  It didn't surprise me when she got Student of the Month.  I know that might sound a little cocky, and yes Addyson does not do everything right, but when she is in school she is an angel!  She was so excited to have her name called at the assembly and to get up in front of all the kids to receive her award.  When she got home she said, "I was scared to go up there but my brain was so happy."

Easter

Easter was a little different this year for the Chandlers.  My due date is April 6th and Easter is April 4th.  I didn't want to take any chances and have Ella on Easter and have Addyson miss out or I not be there with her.  So we had Easter a week before.  Steve's parents and sister and family all came down to celebrate with us.  We had a great time, and I am huge!!!

It was so much fun. We had only pink, blue, green and yellow eggs and all the kids had to find there color eggs.  It worked out great and it was very fair!  Oh yeah, and they all had 3 golden eggs to find and those eggs had money in them!

Aunt Amy was a trooper and dyed eggs with the kids.  I am not to mobile these days!  It was so fun for Addyson to have cousins/friends so she is not out looking for eggs alone.  Thanks Kartchners for making the trip here and sharing such a wonderful weekend with us.

Grandma and Grandpa never miss out!  I love that they are so involved in their kids and grandkids lives.  They spoil them rotten and love them to death!  Thanks for everything you guys do for us.

 Tree House

We couldn't just do Easter on our special Easter weekend, we had to do a project!  Whenever Matt comes into town we happen to ALWAYS have some kind of project that needs to get done.  Matt is seriously the most "handy-man" you will ever meet.  And he is really good at his job!  

When the Weibells lived here they built this tree house...no roof, missing a wall and extremely hard to get up to.  So Matt and his help (Steve & Curt) put a roof on it, finished ALL four walls and built another landing so smaller kids can play in it.  It was pretty intense but it was well worth it...at least for me!

April 2010

I already blogged Ella's birth but I forgot to post all the family that came to see us.  I was so excited to show her off and for people to finally meet her!

It was great to have our moms there for the delivery.  

Big Sister

Addyson is having so much fun taking care of her little sister.  She always wants to hold her and she really is the best big helper.

Addyson & Ella

I got this idea from a friend in Dental School and finally got the chance to do it.  On the day the new baby is born the new baby gives a gift to all of his or her siblings.  Ella gave Addyson a Stacie and Kelly barbie.  Addyson LOVED it and we hope that we will get more chances for that little tradition.

Daddy & Ella

Addyson and her friend Jacqueline dressed up for Twin Day at school.  Don't they look so cute!

Playing with Daddy

Steve got the pool all clean for the start of the summer and Addyson could not wait to go swimming.  It was not very hot but they all had a good time!

Beauty and the Beast

Every year my old high school puts on a musical.  This year it was Beauty and the Beast.  Martie was here helping me out and I mentioned to her that I wanted to take Addyson to it.  So of course with Martie you don't do anything half way.  This was all her, Steve and I just went along for the ride.

Addsyon got a letter inviting her to have tea and cookies with the prince (aka daddy). Martie decorated so cute, the pictures don't do it justice.  Addyson was a little shocked that it was only daddy but still was very excited when she saw all of the baked goods! 

  

Next he told her that they were going somewhere and handed her a "Red Rose".  I can't even explain how excited she was and she didn't even know where we were going yet!  We told her in the car where we were going.  The musical and night were amazing.  It couldn't have gone any better.  She already said how she can't wait until next year.  I hope its a good one!  It would have been a fun night just going to the musical but what Martie did was a whole other story.  She made her feel so special, thank you so much for everything you did.  The next day Grandma and Addyson planted the roses in the garden.  Cross are fingers they grow! 

Dance

It is so much fun to watch Addyson dance.  Maybe because I am living through her!  I love dancing and now I get to watch and be apart of Addysons dancing.  I love the dance studio we go to.  It's not competitive or strict, it's fun!  She enjoys it and will do it as long as she loves it.  

May 2010

Ella's Blessing

We feel so blessed to have our sweet little Ella!  She is truly a blessing in our lives and for that we are so grateful.  This day was very special for me.  I realized that I have so many amazing people, both in my family and in church that I am surrounded by.  The testimonies that were shared on her blessing day will be testimonies that I will never forget.  I feel so over come with emotion when I think of my two beautiful girls and the blessings they are in my life!

I am so grateful for these amazing men in my life!

So many family members came and shared this special day with us.  Thank you!

June 2010

4 babies in 4 months

It is so much fun to be pregnant with your girlfriends!  Ella's the lucky one because she is surrounded by 3 cute boys!  March, April, May and June- Zach, Ella, Reid and Micah.

  

Dance Recital 

This was Addyson's very first dance recital.  She was by far the cutest dancer on that stage!!!  The theme was "It's a Girl Thing"and they all did such cute numbers.  Addyson performed two numbers, Tap and Ballet.  I was so proud of her because she was scared to dance in front of all the people.  We were all cracking up because she would not look at us!
Addyson was very happy to have so many people come and watch.  Grandma came all the way from Sacramento. And the Weibells were here visiting from Utah and made sure they were there.  Addyson felt very special.  (The bottom picture with the arrow on it was a good story.  All the Weibells handed Addyson a flower one at a time and everyone around was dying!!!  Look at the girls faces.) 

Sleepy Baby

This girl likes to sleep!  I have been blessed with wonderful, healthy, happy babies that LOVE to sleep! Addyson used to kink her neck just like this picture of Ella.

  

Last Day of School

How on earth did that just happen!  I can't believe that she is now a 1st grader :-(

On the last day of school they have a going away performance and it was soooo cute.  They sang the song, "Start spreading the news, I'm leaving today, I want to be apart of it, 1st grade, 1st grade!"  It was choreographed and just so cute. Having the Weibells there was a lot of fun.  We took up a whole row!

Beach Trip

Heidi and I, and ALL the kids took a weekend trip to the beach.  I am sooooo obsessed with the beach...I love it!!!  This was Ellas first time!  She did ok but didn't really love the wind!  Addyson and Noah play so good together.  They are little buddies!

So we are a little cheap and decided to stay in the same hotel room...you can say it was an adventure for sure!  Yes that is me in the bath/bed- hey it was a room that didn't have 5 kids in it!!!

We all had such a wonderful trip.  We will have to do it again but maybe next time we won't be so cheap and we will get our own rooms or not have 2 babies with us!

Happy Birthday Addyson!

6 years old is just to old!  She is such a good girl.  She is always happy (unless she's tired) and fun to have around. I can't imagine my life without her.   

I am so happy that Addyson has such good friends!  

Overall we had a fun filled day and now its time we follow Ella's lead and take a nap!

July 2010

4th of July

We had a wonderful 4th this year.  Curt got in a car accident about a month ago so we decided to go to Sacramento for the 4th.  We all had a great time hanging out...it's always a good time with the Chandler's!

Addyson LOVES to be with her cousins!  She also felt like she needed to take care of Bree the whole trip too...poor Bree!  We are so grateful to be celebrating another year of our freedom.  More than anything we are grateful for the men and women serving our country at this time.

Summer Fun

Steve is seriously the best dad.  I was in the kitchen when I looked out and saw Steve decorated with tubes and noodles chasing Addyson around.  He was the "Sea Monster."  Sometimes Addyson has a hard time that there is no one to play with but Steve always jumps in and plays.  Whether its in the pool, jumping on the trampoline, or running around the house she is a very lucky little girl to have him as her daddy (And I kind of like him too!!!).

Hanging Out

I am sure everyone's mother says this but Addyson is the BEST big sister ever!!!  She helps me out a ton.  I can't wait until Ella gets a little older so that I can watch these two interact.  Addyson can really get Ella laughing.  I love my two girls so much.  Sometimes I look at them and I wonder how I got so lucky.