Our House!!!

I have been bugging Sam about getting a house ever since we moved to Georgia. Well, in November 2009 we actually got one! I probably looked at 100 houses (our realtor was very patient with us) before finally finding this one. As soon as I stepped inside I knew it was for us! Luckily Sam felt the same way. :) It definitely needed work, but it sure was an adventure learning how to paint, spackle, tile, grout, etc.! We closed on our house November 2nd and officially moved in November 28th. The whole month of November we fixed up the house during the day, and slept at our apartment at night - except for some special nights where we stayed up until 2 or 3 a.m. painting and camped on an air mattress at the house. Caden was a good sport through it all. Luckily the house has a play room that he was able to stay in while we worked. Sam and I would switch off watching him and painting. It was a crazy time... but it was worth it!

Two cute boys on our soon to be front steps.

This is Caden's play room. Definitely my favorite room in the house!

Little Caden in our soon to be new kitchen. He was just learning to walk at this point.

Kitchen Before

Kitchen Before

Kitchen During

Kitchen After (we still need a backsplash... but the wallpaper & yellow counters are gone! Yay!)

Living Room Before was blue

Living Room During

Living Room After

Hallway Before

Hallway During

Hallway After

Caden's Room Before

Caden's Room During

Caden's Room After

Master Bedroom Before

Master Bedroom During

Master Bedroom After

Master Bathroom Before

Master Bathroom After

Entryway Before

Entryway After

The Wall... Sam and my dad built this little wall. They're so handy!

Spare Bathroom Before

Spare Bathroom During

Spare Bathroom After

We are so grateful that we could have this house. It has been a wonderful place to be, and we have met some great people here! Heavenly Father has definitely blessed us in so many ways!

Christmas

Christmas

This was Caden's cute Christmas sweater vest.

Christmas Eve - he's so happy!

Christmas morning Caden awoke to a cool new b-ball hoop!

Finding all the goodies in his stocking.

Mimi and Popi came for Christmas!!

Sam and my anniversary - we shopped till we dropped at the Outlet mall and then Sam and I went to a nice dinner that evening.

Our Christmas card picture

My beautiful nativity - I love it!

Caden's first picture with Santa! He wasn't too sure about that guy. ;)

Cousin Marnie and Caden in the tubby

Cousins Marnie and Maggie came over to play a few days after Christmas.

Caden LOVES to vacuum!

Caden likes to play peek-a-boo in the pantry.

Caden 11-13 Months

11 Months

Caden used to practice walking by holding onto a laundry basket and pushing it all over our apartment. It was pretty cute!

His first real haircut! He did pretty good sitting still surprisingly.

I love this picture!

This was my favorite outfit on him.

Sam would sit Caden on the edge of the couch and let him "Jump to Daddy!"

Cool Dudes

I love my sweet boy!

Halloween!

I made these cute cake pops for the ward trunk-or-treat. They are pumpkins, bats, and ghosts. (I'm sure I got the idea from Bakerella... my idol!)

Our cute little lobster!

Thank you Red Lobster for loaning us a pair of lobster bibs! :)

Caden even got to go around and get a little candy from some of the cars.

1st Birthday!

Yay! Cheerios and a birthday plate! What a great birthday breakfast!

I carved a Happy Birthday Caden pumpkin for Caden's birthday, and Sam carved the funny little face.

PRESENTS!!!

He didn't really understand what the whole wrapping paper thing was all about. We had to help him open most of the presents.

This was the first time we discovered Caden could have Oreos! Thanks Grandma and Grandpa! We have had a close relationship with this cookie ever since that day!

Playing with presents!

1st time in the big boy car seat!

We love swinging!

Get him Caden!

Mimi came over for Caden's birthday and had a fun day with us!

What a fun Mimi!

What a fun Daddy!

"High in the Sky!"

1st time playing in sand! (It's a beach volleyball court at the park)

I think this is a cool picture with the sun's rays right on him.

The birthday cake! It has all of Caden's favorites: a laundry basket, balls, thread, a shoe, an outlet/cord, my cell phone, peas, and his stick. :) This was also my first time ever trying fondant - and my first time making a vegan cake (if you don't count the few practice rounds right before his birthday)

Caden got to have the entire top of the cake!

The shoe was my favorite.

12 Months

Look at this little suit!

It just makes him want to dance!

There were a few weeks where this would happen about every other day. It was tough transitioning to a later nap time.

Yay! Caden got his first Calvin and Hobbes book from his Aunt Ashley!

And Mrs. Priola got him a Peter Rabbit book for his birthday! We love it!

When we were moving into our new house, one night we ate dinner at our apartment, but Caden's highchair was at the new house. So Caden had to sit on some old phone books and be strapped into the chair by one of Sam's old belts. It was pretty funny.

13 Months

This is was Caden's camera face. Every time we said "smile" he would lift his chin as high as he could and give a big toothy grin.

Yay! Mommy got her dream gift! The most beautiful nativity in the world! Thank you Sam and Julie! You are the best!!!

Grandma and Grandpa send a Christmas Box every year, which is always a fun surprise. I thought my nativity was awesome, but apparently Caden thought this can of hot cocoa was pretty cool too! :)

1st toothbrush!

Caden liked playing with the ornaments on the tree of course!

Caden and Hobbes: BFF's

Cool shoes!

Cooler shoes!

He was such a big helper! Caden always had to be right in there raking with me, even though the rake was three times his size.

We love outside!