CEDRIC & SARAH

South of the Border

2012-01-14T12:03:00.000-08:00

Here's a video of our trip to Playas de Tijuana. We went to help celebrate our next door neighbor's mother's 91st birthday. It's tough to fit such a fun trip into a short video, which is why this video is almost 8 minutes long. Don't feel bad if you don't have the patience to watch the whole thing.

Video from the park: New Year's Eve Day

2011-12-31T17:52:00.000-08:00

Here's a fun video. Enjoy!

Her performances...theater darling!

2011-12-24T21:35:00.000-08:00

here are some photos of Scouts first play ever. It was based on the Eric Carle book, The Very Quiet Cricket. She played a mosquito, cicada, and praying mantis. The second set of pictures is of The Nativity scene the primary kids performed at our church Christmas party. She really wanted to be the sheep and boy was she a good one!

She turned 4!

2011-12-13T20:50:00.000-08:00

Scout is now 4 years old and she has a bike of her very own. Of course, Baxter had to get one too and he threw a monster fit over it:) He couldn't handle just watching and had to have one of his own. I will put up pictures of the kids biking later. For now enjoy some pictures of Scout's carnival themed birthday party. There was gumball machines filled with gumballs for prizes, cotton candy, popcorn, hot dogs, nachos, gifts, tons of friends, a pinata, and a clown to face paint. Scout and her friends had a great time. Hooray for 4!

Halloween post finally.

2011-11-27T13:21:00.000-08:00

Halloween was a subject of much excitement at our house this year. It is exciting ever year really, but this year we had a tooth fairy and a dragon! We went trick or treating on Coronado Island with a neighbor. The kids had a great time and Scout actually got too scared to go up to one particular door. She loves the scary and spooky Halloween season, but for some reason that house just didn't sit right with her. The consequences: one less piece of candy than Baxter and the neighbor girl:) I didn't mind one bit!

Scouts candy. She wanted to make sure everyone knew it was hers (she was nice about it though).

The Family

Bell and The Tooth Fairy

Saying goodbye to Halloween 2011.

I think he had a bit too much!

The Deal

2011-10-29T20:05:00.000-07:00

Ok, if you haven't noticed it appears as though we have abandoned our blog. This is not true! The truth of the matter is, our laptop (holding all pictures) broke and we did not take the time to figure out how to bloggicize on our borrowed desktop. Ya know, move pics around etc. Basically we were just being lazy about it. Anyway, today some new pictures were taken. Here are some really good looking kids!:)

PS: I edited the pics and they are the right way up in file preview and all, but who knows why it is all wacky here.

Baxter and his apparent love for Sesame Street

2011-09-01T14:31:00.000-07:00

Below are some ever so cute pictures of Baxter. Until recently it was assumed Baxter did not love anything or anyone but his "ma, ma, ma ,ma, ma." One afternoon while visiting Sea World with the Jenkins our eyes were opened to Baxter's true love, Sesame Street. There we were riding rides, playing in water and boom Baxter gets sucked in to the singing and dancing show put on by the Sesame Street characters. He was soooo excited and cried when the show ended, he ran to catch Elmo, Abby and Cookie and was disappointed to find a long line. Lucky enough for Baxter he has a very nice big sister who waited in line for him while he enjoyed the bounce area of Sea World. Here are some pictures of all of Baxter's dreams coming true (and a couple of others.)

Summer fun.

2011-08-06T20:58:00.000-07:00

I'm not even going to try and make any sense of the order of these pictures. So, here they are...proof of all the fun we have.

Sanjaye (my nephew) came for a visit. We obviously went to the Mormon Battalion Visitors Center. We also went to the San Diego County Fair, the San Diego Zoo and did some swimming.

Bax and Aunt Linds always have lots to talk about.

Cedric and some dudes from school participated in the Camp Pendleton Mud Run. It was a whole 10K. I seriously have never seen Cedric run and find it hard to believe he did it! But, he really did!

Aunt Deb should charge to use her place; it is like a resort.

Tavan's kids had a great time with Uncle Ced and Grandma at Lake Tahoe

BAXTER'S FIRST HAIRCUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This really deserves a post of it's own. Scout and Sanjaye and Bax got their do's courtesy of Grandma D. This was Scout's second cut. She felt soooo pretty and special.

A Bunch of Stuff I Don't want to forget.

2011-07-09T16:48:00.000-07:00

Wake up, it's morning! Everyday these kids wake up and act as though they attended the best party of their life the night before. I love there grumpy little faces.

Boys and Girls...

2011-07-08T21:43:00.000-07:00

I recently hosted two baby showers. One for a boy and the other for a girl. While preparing for them I noticed the natural differences between boys and girls in my own home. You will see what I mean.

Our weekend (and lots of cute pictures

2011-06-04T23:21:00.000-07:00

Cedric and I took Friday afternoon to see X-Men. We had so much fun. It was even better that the tickets were more than half off! A friend babysat for us, so to return the favor we babysat that evening for our friend. The kids had a blast having a sleepover party! All together there were 4 of them (kids not parties). We went to bed late that night and woke up early to head for Laguna Niguel (1hour north up the coast) to attend Daniel's birthday party. Daniel is my cousin once removed and Scouts second cousin. It is all very technical. What is he really? Family! It is that simple. The party was pirate themed and tons of fun. He got sooooooooooo much awesome stuff. Scout LOVES him.

Scout and Brodie are in the same primary class. The are great friends.

While the big kids snuggled up for books Bax took a bath. Brodie's little sis couldn't handle the wild party and went to bed at 6:30.

This real pirate is Daniel's Grandpa on his dad's side:)

Baxter thought the party would be a good place to debut his new hairstyle.

The park was a prime location. There were good looking people everywhere.

See what I mean?

Here sits guys. They are doing what they do best...sitting.

Here is the birthday boy. He is a super cute kid. The very cool pinata was courtesy Aunt Cathy and Uncle John. Aunt Cathy had to help the kids find the power to crack open the skull.

The real reason this party was great: we got to hang out and relax!

My Grandma Pat was in a comfy, shaded spot enjoying all of the family. Well, at least she did not say she wasn't enjoying us!

Here is a vicious pirate dog and a man vacationing in HI. (Pippy and Uncle John)

Scout was excellent all day. She loves this type of stuff, it just makes her happy.

After all of the fun we headed home, stopped at Costco on the way and had a relaxed dinner. It was a great weekend.

Easter Post, Finally

2011-05-08T19:36:00.000-07:00

Easter was so nice this year. Two kids hunting for eggs was too cute! The Easter baskets were a hit and church was good. A perfect Sunday:)

I just love Cedric's Easter look:) In case you did not know, he is broken. The doc said he could be fixed though! (it is just his arm/wrist area)

We had to rid the house of all the eggs quickly this year. Baxter was fighting for possession of each and everyone. They ended up causing a contentious atmosphere. Poor Scout. It really was simply funny!

When my mom came to town......

2011-04-24T22:15:00.000-07:00

She was detained (sort of, for a minute) in Mexico!!!!!!!!!!! LOL, no, really though there is a story. My mom came for a visit, for the most part it was great. The kids just loved her up and she did the same to them. We decided it would be a good idea to go to Tijuana for the day. Even better, our friend Ben (who lives there) offered to helps us get there and back again. We parked our car on the US side for free at the mall. Then we walked across the boarder and walked around Tijuana for a bit. Scout really wanted to sit on the Zonkey (donkey painted like a zebra) so we let her. It was a well spent $2.! We ate tacos too. Then it was time to go back across the boarder. DUN DUN DUN! So we wait in a loooong line of pedestrians to go in to the USA. It was our turn finally and everything seemed like it was ok. Well my mom showed her US military ID (it used to be a valid form of proof of citizenship and we were told by folks that it was fine) and they would not let her in.! We were not allowed to talk to her or stay back and they kept the rest of us moving toward the USA. She did not have a phone and I had no idea what was going on. I just knew I had to wait and not leave the boarder area until I saw my moms face. I sent Cedric, Ben, Scout and Baxter home in the car. I was set to wait and wait and wait and wait and.......you know. I was preparing what I was going to say to her and how I would "fix" this situation. It took only (roughly) 30min! She even came out with a smile, not that is was fun. We got on the trolley and rode it home. We were exhausted and decided not to do that again anytime soon unless we went with Juanita! The end result: a fun story and great memory. I love you mom.

PS: While Ced and I were showing our passports a guy "saw an opportunity" and tried to break through and get in to the US. He actually casually walked by with NO ONE noticing until Ced and I said out loud (but not yelling) "who is that guy, what is he doing." He was detained quickly by about four guards. It was kinda a bit of excitement to end the day just right:)

Fun with Friends

2011-04-16T23:48:00.000-07:00

Our friends have a Dr. Suess Birthday party every year. We were lucky that we made friends with them before the party! It was really creative and fun. We like our friends so much we decided to go to a parade too! Oh, and a another small event at SDSU. A good time was had by everyone:)

Thanks Juanita!

2011-04-16T23:08:00.000-07:00

Our neighbor Juanita is the best! She is ALWAYS there for us and is a truly incredible person. Every week she is serving someone or something and doing a little bit of good in this world:) She made Scout a doll. The doll is a special kind of doll and Juanita could tell you all about it. I only know it took a lot of time and heart. The doll is seen here keeping Scout company.

Juanita not only makes dolls, she makes cookies too! Scout had a great time decorating.

Walker...Texas Ranger

2011-04-10T17:11:00.000-07:00

It appears we have a little walker on our hands. A Walker Texas Ranger, that is. Now that Baxter is fully mobile, Bad Guys and Ne'er-Do-Wells have something to lose sleep over. As you see at the end the of the video, Scout just can't help herself; she has to be on screen.

Good job walking, Baxter!

Scout's First Church Talk

2011-02-20T17:18:00.000-08:00

You have to watch to whole thing to know that Scout had a perfect grasp on the subject matter of her talk - she gave it in its entirety while the mic wasn't working, and then again verbatim so that the whole room could hear. Needless to say, we are super-proud of her.

He's ONE!!!!!!!!!!

2011-02-07T22:43:00.000-08:00

This past Tuesday was Baxter's first birthday! We had a small dinner party with the homemade enchiladas and Costco -made cake. Baxter got his own miniature three tiered cake to dig into:) He wasn't too sure about being served a bright blue cake, but he ended up thinking it was alright. Our neighbors and a couple of friends joined us for the celebration. Baxter really enjoyed opening gifts. At that point in the evening he had realized everyone's attention was on him! He was thrilled about that. He is the cutest mama's boy ever! We love him so much and look forward to his 2nd year.

He loved the singing.

He had a really good time with his cake!

This is Joy with Bax and Scout. Our kids love her!!!!! She is one of Aunt Lindsay's good friends and now ours too.

Baxter got a beach ball, shovel set and a few cute outfits for his birthday. The ball was a hit with everyone.

So I know this is totally WT to have your kid wearing nothing but a dirty onesie unbuttoned, but he was getting ready for his bath. We took the picture for everyone to see that he can now stand on his own for a few seconds!

Oh, and we had to include a picture of Scout! What is wrong? Can't you see her?

How Do You Do Monday Nights?

2011-01-31T23:22:00.000-08:00

We have family home evenings that end in dance parties!!!!!!!!!!! Woooooooooooo!

Happy Belated Holidays

2011-01-23T20:05:00.000-08:00

Christmas was pretty awesome. All of the Anderson Kids were in the same room together, which means two things: (1) "Swiss Family Robinson" Reenacting ("You can't tell me what to do..." "I just did"), and (2) Awesome Family Pictures!

It also means that we get to have awkward family parties (actually, we usually only have a talent show, but this year we had a party too). This year's party theme was A Charles Dickens Christmas (which for me meant "A Wander Around the House in a Bathrobe Christmas")

Sarah was the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come and I was the Ghost of Christmas Present. Check it...

Happy Belated Holidays.

Mini Road Trip

2011-01-23T14:03:00.000-08:00

Scout, Bax and I set off on our own mini road trip last weekend while Cedric was in Utah. I was determined to have a good time opposed to staying home going crazy.

First, it was off to Rancho Cucamonga to visit Maria, Shane, Brooklyn and Elise Oka. They have been family friends of ours since the moment we moved to Utah. We now live 2hrs from each other in California! We stayed one night with the Oka's. The next day we drove 30 minutes North to La Verne with the Oka's to pick oranges at a really cute, old fashion grove. After lunch in the park the kids and I were off to Costa Mesa to visit my Aunt Cathy, Uncle John and Grandma Pat. The kids took a refreshing nap the whole way and I got a break from noise! It took a little over an hour and was a great drive.

Aunt Cathy's house was really fun. She works for a vet and can't help but save animals. She has a couple of dogs and a lot of cats. The animals are all very clean, and well behaved. The kids and the animals got along great. My grandma was there and Scout just loved her and my grandma just loved that about Scout. On our way out my Aunt and Uncle noticed a nail in my tire. That was a bummer, but it was fixed quickly.

The next stop was Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo. At this point in the trip I stopped taking picturesL. It was a nice visit. My cousin lives on one side of the freeway (Laguna Niguel) and my Uncle Doug and Aunt Sandy live on the other side (Mission Viejo area). We made one stop at my aunt and uncle house. My cousin Kathleen and her son Daniel met us there. When I rang the doorbell my uncle said a quick “hi” and promptly asked for my keys. It was obvious that he had heard about the nail in my tire. While he took my car to get the tire fixed the kids and I visited, played and ate dinner. Shortly after dinner we were on our way home to San Diego. It was a quick hour and twenty minute drive. We arrived home just in time for baths and bed.

Both of my kids were excellent the entire trip (mostlyJ). If anyone out there hears me complaining about them please remind me of this post!

Generations

2011-01-15T23:14:00.000-08:00

This photo was taken by accident earlier today. I absolutely love it. It is my Grandma Pat and me sitting on my Aunt Cathy's couch in the front room of the house my dad grew up in. A side note: My Dad helped paint the house a key lime green many years ago. The house still looks like a slice of pie. I love it there.

Don't Forget About Thanksgiving!

2010-12-03T21:10:00.000-08:00

How do you know your officially a "grown up?" I don't know, there are probably a lot of contributing factors to that title. I think one of those factors may be hosting Thanksgiving. You know, cooking a turkey, "dealing" with family at your own house, being responsible for days of leftovers. You get the picture. This year we had a delicious and grateful day of thanks at our house! I still don't think I am a real "grown up" at times but I guess I am, considering I am married with two kids? I definitely don't feel like one when my parents are around. I hope that never changes. I love my family. I know that will never change, grown up or not.

I am grateful for all of this.......

I promise all of these pictures were taken in November! Jealous? San Diego, Ah....

Birthday Days

2010-11-28T21:31:00.000-08:00

Today, the 28th of November I turned 28 (this is Sarah)! My family was in town a few days ago and we celebrated today last Friday. Last Monday Scout turned 3! I hear from my friends that 3 is harder than 2. I will let you all know how it goes:) Turning 3 is a big deal. She had a party the day before Thankgiving. Her requests were a pink cake, friends, sparkle shoes and a teapot. She got all and more. Cedric and I made a pinata for her, but we failed to get any photos:( Happy Birthday Days to us!

Don't know what she is looking at, but it must be important princess stuff.

Her very pink birthday cake. It was even pink on the inside.

Scout and my dad waiting for the party to start.

LIMBO!!!

She even had cute guys at her party.

Nice and neat. It did not last long.

Probably wishing for a pony!?

She likes to play "rescue" so I made a cape.

Bax didn't mind being the only guy at the girls table, but he didn't like his pink cake too much.

Halloween and a Day at the Beach

2010-11-07T16:37:00.000-08:00

I want to let the pictures speak for themselves- so less talk, more picture. Suffice it to say we had an epic day at the beach and an even epic-er Halloween. Here are some pics-

October 21st, the Day Cedric was Born

2010-10-21T20:45:00.000-07:00

Today Cedric has officially entered his "late" twenty's. He is now 28 years old, a husband, father of two, law student, surfer and still the most handsome skateboarder I have ever met. He is in a great place. When he got home from school this evening he had a birthday party waiting for him. There were hats, food, dancing, laughing, singing and banana cream pie with candles. For dinner we had pot roast (the worst I have ever made, I usually cook well) and he was so nice to act like it was good and even insisted on saving it for lunch. He does that and then it sits in the fridge for a week. His intentions are good! Here are some pictures of the festivities. Yay!!!!!

We love living in San Diego

2010-10-17T14:36:00.000-07:00

Living here has been great. It is just our style. Scout and I love to be busy almost always and San Diego provides endless opportunities. Baxter goes along for the ride, usually with a smile! Cedric loves surfing three mornings a week and is almost always happy. While I wish I lived closer to my parents and Cedric's parents I couldn't see us anywhere else for the time being. San Diego is the perfect place to be a stay at home mom with a husband in law school. Sure, there are annoying things about San Diego (like tiny parking spots) just as there were about Provo/Orem (tons of snow), but for now it is worth it. The pros far out weigh the cons! Here are some recent pictures to prove it.

This is what happens if we stay home.

He is so handsome sitting poolside, even with a little drool.

This kid really needs to take a swim class. She can't help but jump in. Really!

Hanging at the zoo. We walk there at least once a week. It takes less than 10 minutes.

Staying up past bed time to ride a pioneer wagon is always fun, until someone starts to cry.

It was nice out and he had to study. That is the worst part of living in San Diego for Cedric.

This is the best part of living in San Diego.

Mermaids do exist. Sea World has them as part of their conservation program. Baxter was there too. He was just resting in the stroller.

Oh yea, Jordan came to visit.

These are the only pictures we have taken.

2010-09-26T15:15:00.000-07:00

This is what it looks like when Cedric is supposed to be doing the laundry!

This picture may explain why he is so sleepy.....

Behind the scenes at Sea World!

2010-08-18T08:41:00.001-07:00

Here's the short version of the long story- Sarah's BFF, Lindsay, asked her friend, Mike, if he would show us all around behind the scenes at Sea World. Mike is a researcher there and has full access to pretty much everywhere. We saw, and interacted with, Beluga whales, dolphins, baby sea turtles, a pilot whale, a walrus, bamboo sharks, a fur seal, a HUGE polar bear, and the list goes on. It was completely EPIC! Here are some pictures and a video:

Cold Day at the Beach and Random Photos

2010-08-15T18:51:00.001-07:00

Our family day at La Jolla Shores turned out to be a cold one. Being the stalwart family that we are, we found a way get to the beach, set up our stuff and then gripe all day long. What can I say... we're troopers. Actually, all things considered, we had a good time, but we're hoping for better weather and warmer water next time. Also pictured are the surfboard racks Ced built out on the porch which he's really proud of, and a picture of Scout and Baxter being cute. Also, Sarah got to go up to Burbank and ride some Olympic caliber horses right down the road from Warner Brothers Studios. Very cool stuff.

Life in San Diego

2010-08-09T20:33:00.000-07:00

San Diego has been good to us so far. It's taking a little while to get used to the obvious differences between Utah Valley and San Diego (especially since we live right by the gay district... not "happy" gay... gay gay). As the photos below will tell you, we've been having a blast while getting settled. Scout has been learning how to surf, and also got her nails painted by the fabulous Lindsay Danger (Sarah's BFF). Some super-buddies (Adam Davis and his lovely lady, Angie) came down from Redondo Beach to help us move in our stuff, and Baxter is continuing to be cute. We also got a zoo pass and have gone a few times (not pictured) and have gone to Balboa Park many times (not pictured) and Cedric won a muscle contest at a local beach (also not pictured). Cool... we'll keep you posted on new happenings as they are happening.

Living in the hood.

2010-07-03T13:05:00.000-07:00

Living in our neighborhood has been fun. It is a place where block parties still exist. Last night a 4th of July celebration was held. This kids had a parade and then we all watched the fireworks and caused a little ruckus. Scouts float won the most creative award, but she did not want to ride in it. She said she wanted to MARCH!!! So, our friend Sam and his dad sported the float and took home an awesome bug catching prize. Below you can see the wagon all decked out for the parade and Scout having some fun with sparklers. Baxter was sleeping the whole time. This first picture was taken after the all the fireworks and 2hrs past bedtime. It is rare to catch her looking this out of it.

Parade Time

2010-07-03T12:45:00.000-07:00

The 4th of July is a big deal in Utah Valley. The people around here love parades.

Here is Scout stretching out for the Provo Kids Parade.

This is the only picture I have of Bax. He had a good ride.

Princess P from the show Super Why was there. This was very exciting for Scout and Susana.

Cedric pushed Baxter the whole way and helped throw out candy.

Scout met up with Jared and Lauren to meet Super Why.

Scout and I making sure the guys were keeping up!

Fun at the water park

2010-06-15T21:11:00.000-07:00

Today was a great day to enjoy the water park. Scout and water go together like peanut butter and jelly.

Learning to Roll, By Baxter L. Anderson

2010-05-23T21:15:00.000-07:00

He is now 3.5 months old and getting to be such a joy. He goes to bed at 8 and wakes up at 8ish with only one night feed. This is when they start getting cute!

LOST....

2010-05-23T20:02:00.000-07:00

Cedric will know why I titled this LOST, but I am anything but lost. I am on my couch in my house listening to Scout call "mom, mom, mom, mom, mom" from her bed room. When I go to see her she has her blankie over her face and starts to dance. Then I ask her WHAT! She just starts to babble trying to find a good reason for calling me into her room for the one hundredth time in 15 minutes. It always comes down to "I have to go potty." I say ok, then she sits, smiles and doesn't go. Is staying up really worth just sitting on the pot? For a two year old I guess it is. It just doesn't seem as exciting to me. Maybe if I had her outlook on life I would love to just sit on the pot? I don't know, and never will, and that is ok with me:) Hey, it is quiet now! Just in case any of you out there miss her, here are some pictures of THE SCOUT. I love her!

This is a picture after her first American Idol try out. She didn't understand why Randy kept calling her dog. Hollywood will have to wait for her. I think she has decided to join some sort of revolutionary group for kids who have been forced to eat their vegetables.

This morning she came in to wake me with a kiss at 8:00am. She does this every morning, but today she looked like this. I was almost happy to wake up!

She really likes to check out the ants. She takes at least one minute leaving and one minute going every time we go somewhere to look at the ants. I get so impatient, but it makes for cute pictures.

This I just like.

This is the view from my parents place in Reno. Well, mostly. My Uncle bill and Scout aren't always having a talk in front of the mountains. I love this picture.

That is enough about Scout, my laundry is calling. Oh, in case you are wondering....I absolutely love Bax. His pictures will come soon. He is sleeping quietly and thus did not spark my need to blog tonight.

Swimming on a Saturday!

2010-05-22T16:03:00.000-07:00

Today we went swimming at the local rec center. It was great and so much fun. Scout was crazy. She would act as if she were going to jump in to our arms and at the last minute fake us out, turn and jump out in to the water. Apparently she doesn't know she can't swim by herself yet. Anyhow, here are some really bad pictures to prove we were there.

Happy Madres Day, Honey

2010-05-09T21:05:00.000-07:00

I don't want to gush or anything, but Sarah is a pretty awesome wife and mom. I think the above photo is all the evidence I need; not only does it showcase her amazing good looks, but it also showcases her creativity and thoughtfulness (I'm making reference, of course, to the super-cute shirt she made for Baxter that says "My Daddy is a BYU Graduate". She made one for Scout too, and the little dudes wore their shirts on graduation day). Sarah is who I always hoped I'd end up with, speaking in general terms and specifically. She is both feisty and graceful, though probably more feisty. When I met her ten years ago, I knew she was my type of girl, and that hasn't changed. I'm proud she's my wife, and so happy that she is the mother of our children. I love you, Sarah. Happy Mother's Day!

I feel like me again

2010-05-01T21:44:00.000-07:00

I am currently in Reno. Cedric is in the Hampton's eating lobster and the like (no joke here). While in Reno, I stopped by to see my old stylists. I always love my hair short and after having my second kid I really needed a new look. Here it is, first the old then the new.

He is sooooo handsome

2010-04-28T21:26:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Jonathan Canlas everyone in the world can see how handsome my husband is!

Not only is he handsome, he is also very smart.

It is true, he graduated from cosmetology school (I know, I am so funny!). Cedric is now a BYU graduate and on his way to law school! Congratulations!

Did the Easter Bunny come to your house?

2010-04-06T20:00:00.000-07:00

He came to ours! We had the best time dying eggs as a family and I am sure the Easter Bunny had a great time hiding the eggs. Scout found all of them, so we thought. We told her she found all of them and there were no more to find. Ha! about a half hour later she jumps up from a corner in the house with such excitement and says "I found it." There she held in her little hand a yellow egg. She was very proud of herself. Cedric looked at me and said "oh yea, I forgot about that one." Together we thought how happy we were she found it instead of us smelling it a couple of days later!

Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Anderson, we love you.

I could not believe how patient Scout was for this activity.

Cedric's Tigger egg.

Scout trying to make a Tigger egg.

Where did it go?

Here it is!

Baxter told us he is already "over" the Easter Bunny thing and took a nap to dream of bigger and better things.

Full House

2010-03-21T20:28:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures from the last few weeks. A lot to write about, but we'll let the pictures speak for themselves:

Baxter's patented laser-stare-of-death

Scout's bed time escape attempt. She thinks if she can get one part of her body through, the rest will follow... like a squirrel.

Remember "Full House"? Mike is Danny Tanner, Kolby is Joey, Andy is the Olson twins, and I'm Jesse (obviously)

Scout's new decorations and new big-girl bed. She clearly doesn't really care for either of them.

Scout and Baxter future blackmail photo

Scout helping Sarah change Baxter. Cute, obviously.

Today was a good day......

2010-02-25T21:26:00.000-08:00

If you read the tittle of this post and immediately thought "Ice Cube," then you are not alone. But, the point of this post is not to talk about the rapper Ice Cube (although, I do love that song still. it's just not appropriate for our family blog. that is what I am told by Cedric). The point is to show our family and friends that we have been having many good days since Baxter has been home. The last two pictures really are from today.

Too tired to post pictures, but.....

2010-02-18T21:03:00.000-08:00

Baxter is home! He came home on the 11th. Overall he is healthy, but he is still on oxygen and and apnea/heart rate monitor. Scout loves her brother so very much, but is going crazy sitting around the house. Honestly, so am I! That is the update for now.

Pictures and an Update

2010-02-07T13:04:00.000-08:00

Baxter is still in the NICU. The reasons change everyday. Today it is eating and an aspiration/oxygen issue. Also, reflux is going full force. Reflux is no fun for babies or parents, but Cedric and I are prepared to deal with it as Scout had severe reflux issues 'till 18 months. As it goes for NICU babies he is doing well and was upgraded to a less intensive nursery just a few days ago. He is likley to be there for at least another week and a half. He is "oh so very cute" even with all the stuff attached to him.

Of course, it can't just be one kid having issues! Scout had surgery last Thursday for tubes and an adnoidectomy (spelling ?). That was a crazy day. Listen people if you can avoid putting your little one through general anesthesia then you are lucky. She was so combative and crazy coming out of it. She was screaming, kicking and trying to pull out her IV. Popsicles really saved the day. That wasn't it. Last night she was having really shallow, fast breathing and running a high fever. She is still feverish today and very sick.

I am greatful to have these experiences and also really greatful I only have 2 kids whose bad health is only temporary.

My mom left today and Cedric's mom is here this week. Thanks to both of you. We love you.

Here are some pictures.

He was really hungry! It was a good thing to see him care about food!

He has a name!

2010-02-01T18:44:00.000-08:00

Dear Internet,

Meet Baxter Lewis Anderson!

He's the small one at the bottom.

He's Here!

2010-02-01T06:35:00.000-08:00

The boy is here! 3 weeks early, but chilling and eating like a little champ. As you can see, he weighs in at 6 lbs. 9 oz.. He's 19 inches long, enjoys long walks on the beach and romantic fireplaces. We're thinking Lewis Scott Anderson, but until we're sure about the name, he shall be called Dude.

In the Hospital!

2010-02-01T02:33:00.000-08:00

We're in the hospital right now having a baby! Totally unexpected... 3 weeks early. Everything is going splendidly. The top picture is Sarah during a contraction and the bottom picture is between contractions. Do you notice any difference? When the baby comes, we'll post name (if we have one by then) and stats. Woo hoo!

Christmas and the New Year!

2010-01-01T13:11:00.000-08:00

This holiday season brought lots of great stuff to our family this year. Scout got a new wagon that she loves, Cedric received awesome monster finger puppets from Jordan, our yard was decorated with another snow man and I now get to brag about my straight A getting husband! Yes, he did it again! He doesn't want me to brag, but I can't stand keeping it to myself. It makes all of the long lonely days I have worth it. Anyway, here are some pictures of the cool stuff the holiday's brought.

This wagon was loaded with gifts and there were still more under the tree. Thanks to family and friends Scout was thoroughly spoiled this year. She appreciates all of it!

Grrrrr.

This is the totem pole that now decorates our yard thanks to Cedric and Micah.

Snow-pa's and Quilts

2009-12-27T08:26:00.000-08:00

We've been having a very merry Christmas around here. After I finished finals, Scout and I made a snowman who looks a lot like a certain grandpa-

Sarah named him Snow-pa and Scout calls him Papa (which is what she calls great-grandpa Anderson). She was out in the yard yesterday kissing him on the cheek.

Sarah went too far this year with presents. No matter how hard I try, she always out-does me in gift-giving... not that I think it's a competition; I think of it more as rivalry between two or more persons or groups for an object desired in common, usually resulting in a winner and a loser but not necessarily resulting in the destruction of the latter. Anyway, besides buying me some awesome goods, Sarah also took my favorite old t-shirts that I couldn't bring myself to throw away and made this-

I'll never leave the house without this blanket, even when I start law school. Anyway, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

December thus far.....

2009-12-22T19:38:00.000-08:00

December has been great so far. The best part is that Cedric is only one more semester away from graduation. BYU has a very short Christmas break, but it has been so nice to have Cedric around. Here are some pictures of our fun day sledding at Sundance and of our family at the church Christmas party.

Cedric sold back some books. With the money he bought a sled and an insulated thermos for hot chocolate, put gas in the car and took the family sledding.

Obviously, it was extremely bright out. Scout had a great time.

Sooo excited for the party.

Getting a two year old to hold a smile long enough for a digital camera to catch it is truly impossible.

This picture is for Grandma Durand.

TWO

2009-12-06T21:05:00.000-08:00

Scout's 2nd birthday was on November 22. We had a small party the day before with cupcakes, friends and presents! Scout had a blast as did the other kids. Our small home was trashed, but it was all worth it. Here are some pictures.

Scout blew out 2 candles all by her self.

Dads? They were there, just smart enough to stay away from the soon to be cupcake mess. The kids got to decorate the cupcakes with sprinkles.

The party favors were a hit with all 5 kids. They consisted of sunglasses, play-doh, a crazy straw and Nemo fruit snacks.

This was the very first time I ever made cupcakes. They were chocolate with chocolate ganache centers and the best homemade cream cheese frosting ever.

In the morning Scout opened gifts. She got the coat and a bunch of other things from Grandparents Durand and the kitchen from Cedric and me.

She loved (and still loves) the puzzle and dress from Grandparents Anderson.

All of her friends were so kind to bring gifts to the party and she received birthday surprises from two great grandparents. She really knew it was her day, and thought the next day was hers too! Thanks to everyone for coming and sending there best wishes.

Good Bye Mullet, Hello Big Kid.

2009-11-20T22:19:00.000-08:00

Scout is turning 2 on Sunday and I thought it was time to get her hair cut. This was her first real haircut. My mom took a turn at cutting her hair when she was about 1. We have not returned to Salon Grandma! No, it wasn't that bad; it was only her bangs. Scout will be an only child for 3 more months, so, I am determined to spoil her as much as possible. When it came to choosing a salon she informed me it had to be fun, have cars, show Dora and have candy and balloons. I thought, "well, that isn't over the top at all," and I made an appointment at a special kids salon. There was even a slide in the waiting area. It was actually worth it! The girl was exceptional with kids and new just how to cut AND style the thin, static filled hair on my kids head. The only rough part was informing Scout that is was time to go.

The stringy mullet.

This was her face as she saw the car!

The haircut it self.

The cut is done. Just needs a bit of style.

The final look.

The front does not look too different. She is growing out her bangs. The whole look over all is nice and clean and she can still put most of it up in pony tails.

What has Scout been up to?

2009-11-11T20:59:00.000-08:00

Scout's calander is always packed. With the nice, mild weather we have been having she has been doing some last minute "good weather" activities.

She loves Grandpa Andersons mower.

She got some kissing time in.

Scout was nice enough to take her parents to Sundance.

She even had the time to show her dad some of the mountain side.

October is over, but not forgoten

2009-11-04T20:37:00.000-08:00

Here are some pictures from October that did not make it in another post.

My mom came to visit and unfortunatley there are no pictures to prove it. Cedric, my mom, Scout and I had a great time at Gardner Village. The pony ride was a big hit.

Scout had her first dentist appointment. It went really well. She even had a couple of x-rays taken.

Tomato pie is delisious. Try Paula Deans recipe some time.

Cedric's cousin, Jessica, came for an impromptu visit and we had an apple picking party with Nigel and Camille.

Scout loves practicing for when she gets a real pony!

This Halloween Was Awesome.

2009-11-01T19:52:00.000-08:00

This year Cedric and I attended a party we are invited to every year by Nick and Julie Escobedo. It is always way fun and one lucky person even wins $100.00 for best costume. This year it was a transformer couple. They put so much work in to thier costumes!

The Winners

Sarah, Cedric (zombies), Kolby (Alps hiker), Grant (pilot), Micah, Camille and Carly (Brothers Bloom)

I did not even have to do my make-up. I just woke up, never got ready for the day and this is what I got!

Cedric? Is that you?

The best part of Halloween was trick-or-treating with Scout!

Grandma and Grandpa Durand found a very cool dragon costume for Scout to wear. She put her costume on at 8:00am and would not take it off until it was time for a bath at 7:30pm. That was Friday. Saturday she put it on after her nap and took it off for her bath once again. Scout had a great time getting treats and Cedric had a really fun time giving treats and a few scares! He wore a gorilla costume he has had for a while, acted liked a stuffed gorilla, sat on the porch and scared the heck out of little treat seekers! It was so fun for everyone.

Not too scary before dark.

Getting started.

Scout knocked every time, but it just wasn't loud enough. I decided to knock too.

She asked so nicely for a treat and said thank you every time. After the 4th house she really got the hang of it and just wanted to keep getting treats. So, that is what we did.

Checking out some loot.

All of the booty. This kid was one lucky 23 month old!

Binging time. Oh, the laundry is clean and was waiting for our maid to fold.

A toddler on her way to one serious candy hangover!

All in all, it was great. Scout never got sick, she did have a bit of trouble falling to sleep though. The next day was fine and she did not ask for a single piece of candy all day! Good thing too, because it is all gone.

Over the Halloween weekend we also attended a church costume/chili party and a family/friends party. We look forward to next years festivities.

Halloween Poem

2009-10-31T11:21:00.001-07:00

It's that time of year again! "What time of year?" you're thinking. Halloween, duh. Every Halloween for the last three years I have written a cute Halloween poem. So here's this year's:

Down the haunted gravel road
Across the haunted bridge.
Through the haunted pumpkin patch
Beyond the haunted ridge.

I walk to school each foggy morn
With no one else but me
And say "hello" to headless ghosts
And wave to haunted trees.

And with a grin upon my face,
I guess I'm pretty brave.
I'm not afraid of eyes that gaze
From far beyond the grave.

I'm not afraid of creepy ghouls
That lurk in murky ponds,
I'm not afraid of witches
Or their warts or magic wands.

I'm not afraid of screaming winds
I'm not afraid of lightning,
Cause if I'm late for class,
My teacher turns out much more frightening!

Happy Birthday Cedric

2009-10-23T21:20:00.000-07:00

Cedric wanted a small get together at Tucano's for his birthday dinner, so, that is what he got. We both ate way too much. At least I have the excuse of eating for two!

Below are pictures of the festivites. Hannah and Jeff, Andy, Kolby, Grant, Micah and Amanda and Jeremy were all there to celebrate.

Just for the Grandparents, Pictures of Scout

2009-10-02T21:36:00.000-07:00

This picture is proof that she never slows down

Bath time is the best time. Second to bed time!

Looking cool in another "car."

Sneaking a snack.

Afternoon pudding. She loves it, I hate it. Guess why!

The people under the stairs

2009-09-13T19:07:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, we recently moved from Chez Wymount (BYU student family housing) to the Merrill and Enid Anderson Compound. We are in what are arguably the most coveted living circumstances known to the Anderson family. We get to hang out with grandma and grandpa every day and the digs downstairs are pretty sweet. It's especially nice to have a washer and dryer. The downstairs apartment at grandma and grandpa's hadn't been updated in awhile, so below are some home improvement pictures including Cedric, Amanda and Jeremy, and Sarah took the pictures, which is why she's not in any of them (taking down wall paper and replacing the drywall/tub-surround, etc). Also, Cedric delivered pizzas for a couple months after we got home from the internship in Reno. He got his old job back at the hospital and promptly burned his pizza delivery shirt.

A whole 35 minutes!

2009-09-06T14:21:00.000-07:00

For those who don't already know this, Scout is extremely active! A couple of words people have used to describe her are "free", "spirited", "fun" and "independent." These are all very nice ways of reminding us how crazy she is. It should be obvious that church meetings aren't exactly her thing. That is a nice way of putting it. This Sunday was different. She sat on our lap or in her chair for 35 minutes with no freak outs! It was actually an enjoyable church service. Thanks Scout!

A Brief History

2009-08-02T11:27:00.000-07:00

As many of you reading (including my parents- tisk, tisk) did not know, a few days ago was a time to celebrate for Sarah and me. That's right- it was National Penuche Day on the 22nd. It was also our third anniversary. Which is also good. We celebrated in high style by going out to dinner and watching the new Harry Potter movie. It was romantique. So, pictured below are some of the important events from our nuptials to the present day. Enjoy. Or else.

Anderson Family Reunion

2009-07-12T09:45:00.000-07:00

Sarah and Scout are visiting the Durand side of the family in Sacramento, so it's my turn (in my loneliness and solitude) to update the web log. We recently enjoyed the Brad and Olivia Anderson Family Reunion in the picturesque hills of Sparks, NV. I can't believe that my parents' family is big enough to have a family reunion... it's just weird that we all are married with children. But I digress. So, the Anderson Reunion is a kind of mellow version of Woodstock (less live music, but just a much naked mud-romping). I don't want to write too much, but in order to explain the pictures below, I'll mention that the reunion included 1. An all-day, sunburn inducing trip to lovely Lake Tahoe 2. Making stilts out of cans (Boy Scout Handbook style) 3. A real pirate treasure hunt in the desert, including a real treasure chest, a real tombstone, a real map, a real Jolly Rogers flag, and real pirates 4. A variety show (or "talent show". The name was changed for the sake of political-correctness). There were also water-balloons and other such fun, random activities.

Thank you for farms....

2009-06-27T12:42:00.000-07:00

For those of you that may pass Thanksgiving Point on a regular basis you may wonder, as you drive by, if there is anything really there or is it just a big building. Well Scout can tell you how much fun can actually be had there! We had a great time. The girl working the pony ride even let Scout ride for free. Thanks to her, it really made our day.

We're back, and we have A LOT of pictures !

2009-06-07T20:25:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful past six weeks. Cedric did an internship at his dad's law firm in Reno. While there we lived in his parents house and shared a space with Missionaries and even took them to Tahoe! Our good friends, Jeremy and Amanda Madsen, came for a visit. The four of use enjoyed Tahoe and late night Reno dinning. Scout and I frequented the library and even started making friends. My sister in-law came for an extended visit with her three girls and the experience was good for all of us. We were able to fit in all sorts of fun. Not only did Cedric work, but we were able to relax at my parents and enjoy the pool at their Sacramento home. We took a vacation for two to Santa Cruz (this is where Cedric proposed to me), and we stayed at night a Cedric's Grandma Dahl's Ranch in Starr Valley, NV. Please enjoy all of the pictures of our life the past six weeks. There are A LOT of them!

Four Friends.
They have the best milkshakes! The Banana Slugis the mascot of UCSC and are found all over the region.
Pleasure point, one of Cedric's favorite surf spots.
What feet look like in really cold tide.
Very squishy Sea Anemone.
Tons of Mussel.
Big and bright star fish.
The coast along HWY 1 in Santa Cruz.
A great campsite in Redwoods.

A happy two with the Sea Lions.

Our home for a couple nights.
Mom and Dad Durand's resort.

We're in the news...not even in handcuffs this time!

2009-05-20T22:16:00.000-07:00

So, as some of you good folks may know, my brother Micah, our buddy Grant and I are in a wedding band together. We have played quite a few weddings, but have mostly done it as a hobby that pays. Well, since Grant is such an awesome dude, he contacted the Daily Universe of BYU/Provo fame and let them in on the secret that we are the tallest wedding band ever and they couldn't wait to interview us. So you should definitely read the article, which can be found by clicking here. After you're done reading that sweet article, check out our website at thegatsbys.com. Big thanks to Leo and Jon for always taking awesome pictures of us-

Scout's Easter Adventure Video (as promised)

2009-04-26T21:47:00.000-07:00

Here's a short clip of Scout hunting Easter eggs.

Easter

2009-04-12T12:06:00.001-07:00

Last night we planned a BBQ and egg dying party. Our BBQ got rained on, so we just moved it inside. Andy, Katie, her two boys, Jared, Kolby, Amanda and Jeremy were in attendance. Thanks to Amanda and Jeremy the egg dying was a great success. They supplied all 24 eggs and the coloring kit! The Matthews family was so kind to lend us their BBQ, but were unable to make it. Stay tuned for Scout's exciting Easter adventure!

Conference, Crepes, and Classiques

2009-04-05T17:36:00.000-07:00

So, this was a red-letter conference weekend. We got to listen to every session of General Conference (daddy saw all the parts he didn't sleep through... non-drowsy cold medicine my eye!). We had crepes for a "brunch" (not quite breakfast, not quite lunch, but it comes with a piece of cantaloupe at the end) on Saturday. Sarah makes awesome crepes. Our friends from upstairs, the Madsens, came down and we all got our brunch on. It was festive. On Sunday, we continued to watch conference and enjoyed the great messages. Scout payed pretty good attention. Later on, she went out to the porch to work on my old Schwinn Stingray in her overalls and new Converse kicks. She's a classic.

It's my Anniversary

2009-03-25T20:51:00.000-07:00

Today marks THREE WHOLE YEARS of me being a full fledged active Latter Day Saint! So, yes it is a latter day and I am a saint. A stained glass window replica of me is being made right now. If you would like to attend the unveiling ceremony let me know! Really though, I love being a part of this wonderful church. The decision I made three years ago to dip in to freezing cold water all dressed in white has truly changed my life for the better and I know there are even more blessing waiting to come to me and my family. I know with a surety that if my baptism would have never taken place, Samantha Scout would not be here today. Who could live without her? For sure, not my DAD! Scout loves her Grandpa 100%. Here are some pictures to prove it......
My dad is so nice, he is showing Scout her new home when the economy completely collapses.

He even showed her where the rats will be so she can be sure to have protein in her diet..

I love these two! Thanks, Dad, for supporting me and my family.

Smoke-signal me, dogg....

2009-03-22T08:51:00.000-07:00

As is normally the case with us, money is tight. As a money-saving measure, we have decided to do away with such luxuries as our subscription to O magazine (all things 'Oprah') and toothpaste. One of the luxuries that we are getting rid of tomorrow is our cellular phone. We're going to Little House on the Prairie style. From now on, if you need to reach us, you can send a post by Pony Express, or a homing-pigeon with a note attached to its leg, or use smoke signals. Of course there's always our home phone- 801-378-5143 or our email- cedricwilford@gmail.com. See you all at the hoe down.

Fairytale Town

2009-03-14T12:48:00.000-07:00

Scout and I went to Fairytale Town. It is a magical park where there are animals, gardens and fairytale stuff like big cheese and castles. The best thing was that is was only $4 for the both of us.

Cute

2009-02-28T16:44:00.000-08:00

Sarah insists that I post new pictures so that when people look at our blog, they don't see my face and mustache from the previous post staring at them. She wants "cuter" pictures. Well, since we don't have any cuter pictures than me and my mustache, I'll post these ones of Scout getting ready for skateboarding season-

On Mustaches and Traveling Home

2009-02-16T20:59:00.000-08:00

I went to visit Sarah and Scout at my mom and dad's house in Reno this weekend. Sarah has been recovering from her hand surgery and mom and dad have been helping her take care of the Scout and everything else. It had been two weeks since I had seen them so I decided to drive out for President's/Valentine's day weekend and be with the fam. Well, Sarah and Scout were supposed to stay another week in Reno, but they decided to drive home with me. Now maybe I will have a little direction to my life, instead of roaming aimlessly as a bachelor. I began to grow a mustache while they were gone (mostly to keep the ladies away), but I couldn't handle looking in the mirror because of the creepiness, so I shaved off the mustache a few days before I saw Sarah. It's too bad... I was really looking forward to creeping her out when I saw her; instead she was all happy to see me and stuff. Here's a handsome photo-

Who wants to play Hobo Stew?

2009-02-08T20:26:00.000-08:00

Happy Hobo Give-Away!

So, as some of you may know, I recently started selling prints of my original artwork on Etsy.com. To introduce myself to the cyber world of commerce, I decided to give away three prints to one lucky person. All you need to do to win is come visit my blog at www.happyhobotradingpost.blogspot.com and follow the instructions.

Keep it Happy!

Good Times at Handless Manor

2009-01-25T15:47:00.000-08:00

So, here's the four-one-one: Sarah had surgery on her right wrist again (she'd already had surgery on that hand last July). The doctor went in and cleared away some torn and loose ligament tissue that had been so painful for Sarah. This will hopefully do away with future problems regarding her hand. Of course, she refuses my idea of removing her pesky human hand and replacing it with an interchangeable hook hand. She could use a hook for cleaning, typing, changing Scout, etc.; change it out for sewing scissors, then exchange it for a remote control for watching TV, and then maybe a pipe for evening time. You get the idea. Anyway, since Sarah is one-handed for about a month, we called in some reinforcements in the form of Grandma Anderson (code name- "Mommy Bones") and our good family friend Lindsay (code name- "Lindsay Danger"). So for two weeks, Sarah has enjoyed help around the house with Scout etc., and our family has enjoyed some very nice visiting time with a couple of wild ladies. Thanks guys! Below are some pictures of the goings down-

Unfortunately, we didn't get any pictures with grandma, but here's Scout wearing one of the super-cute aprons that grandma made for Scout whilst she eats and helps Sarah with the cooking. Thanks Mommy Bones!

I think Scout and Lindsay were born to be BFF's!

Family Pictures

2009-01-11T12:06:00.000-08:00

We had the whole family together this last Christmas, which means all six kids, all their spouses and all the grand-kids. I think there were 26 people, give or take. A young lady that works at my dad's law office came by and took some great family pictures. She was also nice enough to do individual family portraits. Below, I have posted a few of the ones I liked-

Here's a nice one of the whole family. Little Calvin looks like Nosferatu.

For this one, Britta had the idea that we should do the Cosby Show ending, where we all wiggle our fingers in front of our parents' faces and then do the dramatic pull-away at the end... remember that?

Scouty-Lou-Who

I call this one- Happy Family with Fuzzy Borders

I call this one- Mom and Dad Kissing Scout with Fuzzy Borders

Here's one of Scout receiving lightning bolts of inspiration from her piggy tails.

My Cranium Hurts!

2008-12-30T15:54:00.000-08:00

Christmas was so much fun. We ate, played and it was so fun seeing all the babies together! Tavan and his family gave us the game Cranium for Christmas and the whole famliy enjoyed it, well, at least for the most part. I am not sure if the girls love it anymore. The stinky boys beat us twice. There is just no explanation except for cheating! I have asked the makers of Cranium to start an investiation on how the boys could have possible won and hopefully us girls can get our pride back and be deemed the ultimate champions!

Christmas Come Early (For Scout)

2008-12-21T13:44:00.000-08:00

We are taking a plane to Reno for Christmas and would not be able to fit Scout's presents in our luggage, so Scout's Christmas came early this year. We set out her presents last night and she got to open them this morning after a little breakfast and dragging mommy out of bed. We made a video, but for some reason we can't post it. So, below are some pictures of Scout enjoying her new toys.

Christmas Has Come

2008-12-18T20:49:00.000-08:00

I will try to make this story brief, but I felt like I should post it to hopefully spread some Christmas cheer (without getting anyone drunk...). So, my record player stopped working about a month ago, which was really bad timing because we have a handful of great Christmas albums on vinyl that we enjoy listening to. This is the third Christmas Sarah and I have spent together and so far we have always listened to our records, so we thought this year would just be a bummer. Well, our home-teacher, the infamous brother Brian Phillips, is a graduate student in the electrical engineering program here at BYU so I thought I'd ask him if there was anything he could do to try and fix it. Well, to make a long story longer, he came over and we disassembled the record player and he told me the motor was shot. After finding out that in order to get a new motor, we would have to make a bulk order of at least a thousand motors, we felt a little helpless. Well, my calling-magnifying home-teacher is not easily daunted so he took the motor apart to see if he could fix it. He did indeed fix it. He came over tonight and we reassembled the record player and then stood in silence and listened to the Dance of the Sugarplum Fairies from The Nutcracker. Brian didn't have to take time to do this for me, especially during finals week, but he did and I'm very grateful. Merry Christmas.

The Ward Christmas Party

2008-12-07T19:54:00.000-08:00

This post may very well be an excuse to post more pictures of Scout for the Grandparents! Yesterday was our church Christmas party. It turned out so well. The food was good and the talent show was awesome. There was even juggling, unicycle riding,throwing of crazy objects, Chinese yo-yo and accordion playing (all by one guy!) Cedric played and sang Bing Crosby Christmas songs that he arranged so cleverly. Here are some pictures.

Our life is one big never ending party

2008-12-07T19:37:00.000-08:00

I thought when I joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints my crazy hectic life style would be done with. Almost three years latter I have come to the realization that "the party of life" it self is raging more than ever. Crazy and hectic don't even cut it. The past two weeks have been so busy. First our cars transmission went out. Out came my mom from Sacramento with my dad's Tacoma to the rescue! It was so nice to see her over the Thanksgiving weekend. I rented a bed from BYU and she stayed in our tiny apartment and was happy when it was time to go! That same weekend and all in one day we had Darin, Ross and Toby Tiner over for brunch and then the neighbors over for dinner and visited numerous times with our other neighbors Missy and her girls while somehow in there we managed to fit in a visit from Maria and Brookie! Then it was back to workout group, grocery's, work, and trying to be a good mom, friend, neighbor and wife. Anyway, I love my life and all the people and things that are a part of it. Here are a few pictures.

Scout Turns ONE!

2008-11-22T15:06:00.000-08:00

That's right... Scout is now at the ripe old age of ONE. We got her some blocks to play with and as can be seen below, she loved them. We had a small party with Micah, Camille and Nigel, Uncle Andy, Ken, Missy, Elise and Addy and The Madsens (Jeremy and Amanda). As Jerry Seinfeld would say, your first birthday is a lot like your last- all your food has to be mashed up for you, you're probably wearing a diaper and people are assuring you that everyone at your party are in fact friends of yours.

Here's Scout snuggling with her new best friend- a wooden block.

they say these types of toys help your kids get smart fast- we didn't think they would have such quick results!

Party Time

Scout is about to destroy the beautiful cake that mommy and Missy made for her

She Walks!

2008-11-04T22:10:00.000-08:00

Yes, we realize she's not wearing pants. She's a little hippie, but she's our little hippie. I love how it looks like she falls into a hole at the end of the video... she's fine, by the way.

Apples and Pumpkins and Pies, Oh My!

2008-11-02T20:44:00.000-08:00

This Fall has been off to a great start! I finished sewing my apron (no pattern!)and made apple pie with apples we picked as a family (see past post.) Halloween has been the best ever with three awesome parties and pumpkin carving. Scout, our neighbor Amanda and I even got to visit Gardner Village. Scout and Cedric are actually decedents of Archibald Garner, the pioneer that settled the village. The Oka family was able to join us for some of the fun as well! On to Thanksgiving.

Just to Give Mom a Heart Attack...

2008-10-30T12:04:00.000-07:00

On October, 25th Nick and Julie Escobedo had their Monster Mash of a Halloween party, which lived up to it's ever-growing reputation of coolness. This year, Bob and Rita Marley showed up and rubbed shoulders with none other than Amelia Earhart and Barack and Michelle Obama. Barack and Michelle won the costume contest by popular vote and about ten minutes later, the McCain campaign called demanding a re-count. Also pictured below is Cedric's birthday party at Tucano's Brazilian restaurant. Good times.

"The Veggie Vampire"- a Halloween poem for you

2008-10-25T15:39:00.001-07:00

Late at night, all dressed in black, below a moonlit sky,
I sneak into the orchard and I suck the apples dry.

The bitter juice of lemon fruit, with ripened nectarine
makes nice dessert for artichokes with turnips, beets and beans

Yes, oranges, peaches, passion fruit, zucchinis, peas and pears,
had better not stay out at night, and if they do-BEWARE!

For, in the early morning, farmers find the peels and rinds,
and shriveled up tomatoes hanging sadly on the vines.

And gardeners and cultivators grasp their produce tight
for fear that I, the Veggie Vampire, strike again tonight!

Stop... Apple time.

2008-10-19T11:40:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of Scout and daddy-o picking what turned out to be a decade supply of apples from uncle Grant's haunted orchard. We gave a lot of the apples away to our neighbors in hopes that they would cook delicious things using the apples and then bring those delicious things to us in thanks for the apples. So far we've had some delicious apple pie from our upstairs neighbors, but nothing from anyone else. We have taken note of the people that we gave apples to who haven't offered us delicious apple-based treats and we plan on egging their apartments Halloween night.

Scout's first car- we told her she can start driving as soon as she fixes it up.

Catch up

2008-10-08T19:53:00.000-07:00

In the past few weeks we went to the zoo, Scout sent her first text message, she also started learning how to do head stands and the whole family went to General Conference.

End of Summer Blues

2008-09-28T18:18:00.000-07:00

Here's a video of Scout dancing away her end-of-summer-blues

Shabu shabu (food cooked in broth and held with chopsticks)

2008-09-25T19:10:00.000-07:00

Welcome Home Oka Family!!!!

Our dear friends Maria, Shane, and Baby Brooklyn (Brookie) have arrived home from their summer internship in Japan! Cedric, Scout and I are so happy to have them home. Maria was so kind and brought Scout and I a parasol to block the sun. It is black (my favorite color) with lace around the edge. We love it and feel so chic using it to block the sun. Unfortunately, I do not have a picture yet. The Oka family also brought us the traditional meal of shabu shabu. Shabu Shabu is the equivilant of our "swish swish" sound we use. So, if a person runs by in old school track pants the sound in Japan would be "shabu shabu". The dish is similar to the fondue of Switzerland. A person uses chopsticks to swish thin slices of meat and a variety of vegetables in a pot of boiling broth to quickly cook it. The cooked food is dipped in a citrus soy sauce or sesame sauce (or some other sauce) and enjoyed with rice. It was delicious and was a great way to sit around the table and catch up.

Here is random picture from last week ....
A cool bug on our recycling bag

Two of my favortie things.....well I guess three.

2008-09-04T20:05:00.000-07:00

Andy was so kind and took the family to Park City for the Parade of Homes. We saw some of the homes his company built and we saw some of Andy's drawings being used in the actual building process. It was very cool. Cool in two ways! 1. Awsome, Bad and Radical 2. Cool enough for a scarf and jacket. Fall is upon us!

First two favorite things. Scout and Cedric enjoying Park City weather. I love this!

Other favorite thing (this one is just for today)
I made this today. It was amazing! Homemade cream puffs on nice china with fancy extras are definitely a favorite today. Bet you wish you could eat one!

The Biggest Little City in the World and The River City Welcome the Andersons

2008-08-31T11:19:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, we embarked on our annual Anderson Family vacation. Usually these trips include something grand like bungee jumping from spaceships orbiting Saturn or visiting the world's largest ball of twine in Cawker City, Kansas. This year, however, we wanted to show Scout off to as many Scout-spoiling family members as possible. So we boarded a Southwest airplane, against Hannah's advice, and headed for Reno. After a few glorious days in Reno and one extra-glorious day in Lake Tahoe, we drove west to Sacramento, the "River City" and sometimes home of "the Governator", a.k.a. "Kinder-congress Cop". We spent our days swimming in grandma and grandpa Durands' pool and enjoying the fine California weather. Our trip was great and we owe it all to the hospitality of Scout's grandparents on both sides who drove us everywhere and fed and overall spoiled us rotten. Thanks! Here are some pictures-

Scout and dad living it up at Lake Tahoe.

Scout and mom, also living it up.

Scout and grandma- I know it appears that all Scout did was get held by different people, but she also swam and stuff.

The famous albino "Tahoe Gorilla" emerging from the woods.

Jordo, Ruth and Massey... three true Tahoe bums. I think they've been there like 20 times this summer.

Before we left Reno, Scout wanted to know the feeling of being a ruthless high-power attorney, so she sat in Papa's desk over at Anderson, Dorn and Raider, the highest powered law firm in the universe.

Grandma Durand and Scout at the Durand Pool-Party 2008. Huge party.

Here's grandpa Jim in his second home- the pool. I've never seen a man take as great care of a pool as Jim.

Sarah and her sister Holly with Scout and Holly's twins Keith and Ethan.

Sarah with Tony and Holly. Good looking bunch...

Who stole the cookie from the cookie jar?

2008-08-11T14:01:00.000-07:00

Scout got caught (literally) trying to nab a little snack!

Dahl Reunion/First Time Swimming

2008-07-13T20:49:00.000-07:00

We can't possibly do justice to the last couple of weeks by way of writing, so we're going to post some nice photos and call it good (yes, smarty-pants, I am feeling too lazy to write a big paragraph about all our fun times... just enjoy the pictures, OK?).

Scout's 4th of July Address

2008-07-04T07:23:00.000-07:00

Every Fourth of July, we celebrate the crossing of George Washington from Spain to a beautiful land named Wyoming. He was originally searching for a passage to Canada where he knew he would find spices and silks more delicious and beautiful than anything ever before tasted or seen. What George Washington found was even better- Firecrackers... Huge warehouses full of firecrackers that one could purchase and ignite for one's own enjoyment. Having never experienced such a place, George Washington wandered aimlessly around the store, filling his basket with only small bottle-rockets, (a beginners mistake) because they were so cheap and looked like fun. He was soon helped, however, by a young Native American named Abraham Lincoln. "Don't fill up on bottle-rockets," said the young Lincoln, "you need a variety... here, check out these water-proof M-80's and some roman candles!" Well, Abraham Lincoln invited George Washington to his Bar-B-Que that night, where there was lots of turkey, mashed potatoes and olives on the tips of everybody's fingers. To commemorate the great Bar-B-Que, which also included guests like the King of France, Thomas Jefferson and the CEO of Wal-Mart, Teddy Rosevelt, a statue was carved out of a mountain by Pablo Piccaso. The rest is History. Happy 4th of July!
By,
Samantha Scout Anderson

A message from Scout

2008-07-02T20:37:00.001-07:00

Cute video for Grandma Irene (And grandpa Jim, If he promises not to tell CPS)

2008-06-29T20:21:00.000-07:00