Temple Work

I have such a strong testimony of temple work. I have always had a testimony of this ever since I was in Young Womens and could go do baptisms. My testimony has grown leaps and bounds the past couple weeks. My dad and I did some of our family names for geneology and we took the names to the temple. It was THE most spiritual experience I have ever had. My parents, Jeremy and I, Zac and Crystal and my brother Greg went and did baptisms for 28 of our family members. I was privileged enough to do the baptism and confirmation for my Grandma. Velta Ione Campbell. My dads mom. I like to think I was pretty close to her. I was crying so hard I was whimpering. The spirit was so strong ! It makes me choke up even writing this. I did names for 4 other relatives as well.

The week after all of us, minus Greg, went back and did all the initiatories and one session for each. Once again I had the same 5 names, and did the endowment for my Grandma Campbell. Of course, I cried again. I am trying not to go too much into detail, but I guess I just want to say that I am SO grateful for the work we all do in the temple. I know how important it is and I feel so privileged to be able to work in the temple every month. To see what goes on there and to feel the spirit that's there. Such a privilege.

SYTYCD

Once again, we went to go see So You Think You Can Dance! It was AWESOME! The best yet. Even though I was the 5th wheel with my parents and Zac and Crystal, I still had such a blast. In fact, I found my birthday present while I was there. The girl in front of me and her flaming gay friend both had their cameras up in the air the entire show. At intermission I noticed some of the shots she was getting. They were awesome, so I asked her what camera it was. When she told me I text Jeremy and asked him to research it, he found a good deal and now I am getting a sweet birthday present! I CANNOT wait.


Before the show, we went to dinner at the Cheesecake Factory in Mission Viejo. Then the show was at The Pond in Anaheim. Afterwards we went back to Cheesecake Factory and got dessert! lol...the funny thing is...at dinner my dad didn't finish all his food so he asked the waitress what time they closed. She said midnight and my dad proceeded to ask her if they could hold his leftovers in their fridge until we came back later that night. He cracks me up. So of course, we get there and his food is in the fridge with all the cheesecakes in it. Hilarious.

Anyway- here are some of the pictures I took. Not so great because my camera kinda stinks, but I am getting a new one so ...NEXT YEAR.

Autumn!

My best friend since 8th grade Autumn and her hubby Bryant came into town for a couple days last week. Bryant had some work to do in LA so they stayed there. On Thursday I met her up in Irvine and the Spectrum and we hung out there all day and shopped, ate and saw an awful movie. (still bitter autty) .... then we went to Target and did some more shopping. Then on Friday her and Bryant came down and we went on a triple date with them, us and Zac and Crystal. It was a lot of fun. I miss her already. Autumn and I have been through SO much together and I don't think that bond will ever be broken. Ever. We just get each other. We understand each other. We can see past each others flaws and love each other for the best friends we can be. I miss you Autty. Hopefully we will live by each other again SOMEDAY.

Carmelas Italian Restaurant in San Marcos
We introduced Autumn and Bryant to Frugos too and they are HOOKED!
Crystal and I.
Kasen strangling me.

Playwerx

People from my playgroup have been ranting and raving about this cool place in Carlsbad called Playwerx. I never bothered to set it up as as event until I had a couple people request it, so I finally did it. Boy, am I glad I did! It's the coolest place ever!! It's only $5 for kids 3 and under. Which kinda stinks since Kasen will be 4 soon. Then it goes up to $10. How lame is that? Anyway. It's really sweet! It's this HUGE indoor playground. Rope swing, ball pits, mondo slides (even I fly down them!), climbing areas. They have a little library too with some soft bean bags and pillows for the kids to look at books and read. They have an arts and crafts section as well. Where you can go color and stamp. So cute. I wish I had known about it sooner! We are going to take advantage of this place before Kasen turns 4.

One of the coolest parts of this playground is that all the stairs and grounds are made out of like seatbelts. It even holds adults. I go in there and play with the kids too! The slides, did I mention? Are REALLY fun!

Oh, how I love him.

I cannot even tell you how much I love my little boy. Especially when he is sleeping! :)

I really love that he STILL loves Bobby!

Date Night

Jeremy and I don't get date nights very often, but we had a really good time last week with the Hornes. We went to Roadhouse Grill in San Marcos, really tasty. Then we went to go see GhostTown. It was HILARIOUS. I laughed, I cried, I laughed so hard I cried. It was too funny. Even Jeremy was cracking up. I highly recommend it! Of course after the movie was over, we introduced Michelle and Owen to FRUGO'S. The best self serve yogurt place out there. Anywhere. We have tried several in the area and have not found a single one that even comes close to it.

Exciting Friday Night

While the boys were doing this all night.....

I was doing this! Crafting!

3 flower picks from Rod Works. 1 bucket from Tai Pan. Brown ribbon from Tai Pan. Green moss from Michaels. I think it turned out pretty cute.

I filled this bucket from the dollar bin at target. ($2.50) with a piece of quarter fabric ($1.oo) from Joannes, and used some ribbon from the dollar bin at target to tie around the handles. I didn't have anything to put in it, so I put some cinnamon potpurri in it for the time being until I find something I like to go in it.

Jeremy got his video game today that he got for his birthday. It didn't come out until this week and my mom and dad gave him a check to get it so while I was at costco today, I surprised him with it. Bad idea. Now I get to have a husband who will stay up til 5am playing video games (ALL night long). Be sleepy tomorrow. Sleep all day!

Cute Conversation I overheard between Kasen and Jeremy.

Kasen: "I am having so much fun playing this game with you daddy!"

Jeremy: "Are you? You have no idea how happy that makes me Kasen! I'm so glad. That makes my day."

Even if it's video games they bond over, I just think its so dang sweet!

Wanna go to Disneyland for free?

Here is how you can go to Disneyland for free on your birthday! I received an email from Disneyland themselves, and then my brother sent me the email as well.

Follow this link!

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/disneyparks/en_US/WhatWillYouCelebrate/index?name=FreeOnYourBirthdayPage&bhcp=1

5 Reasons

Here are just 5 reasons it's not fun to play hide and seek in my house:

5. Kasen slams doors behind him leading you to where he is hiding

4. Bailey will definitely sniff you out and give your hiding spot away

So, she has to hide with you.

3. Kasen says he will count to 30 and then only counts to 20 so you have

that much less time to find a spot when you think you have 10 extra

seconds

2. You walk into a room and say "hmm...where could Kasen be?" and he giggles

and jumps up and says "Here I am!!"

1. When it's your turn to count, Kasen runs off while telling you where he is

on his way to hide.

I mean REALLY? How fun is that? lol....

My sweet baby...

I received a CD from Jeremy's mom today. It made me cry. It was full of pictures of Kasen when he was a baby. A BABY! I don't even remember those days. My Kasen is going to be 4 in November. He goes to school. He talks back. He tells me he likes my clothes. He isn't a baby anymore. How sad! This was a SERIOUS trip down memory lane. All his baby pictures are on OUR computer which is not working right now, so it's been a while since I have seen him as a baby. How can it be? I don't get it! Where did all the time go? It seems like I was just calling my father in law the childrens dentist to tell him about Kasen's first tooth. It seems like he just started learning his alphabet. I honestly don't get it. What happened? He can't grow up! He is all I have!

It's so bitter sweet. I love the age he is at. He is so smart. He tells me he loves me. He teaches me new things everyday. He tells me silly jokes. But when he was a baby, he cuddled me, he relied on me more, he would fall asleep in my arms. I guess that's why I have pictures like these, to move on making more sweet memories, and continue to hold on to the old sweet memories.

You are my WORLD Kasen Jered Bruce.

(4 weeks)



(3 months)

Cooking Blog

I have started a recipe blog. If you are interested in being a part of it, let me know. I can add you as an author and you can add your recipes along with pictures of the meal for others to eat. We will do the same. Anyone who isn't part of the blog already, interested? If so, comment and leave me your email address and I will send you an email with all the info, and then blogger with send you an invite letter to add you as an author to the blog.

I'm pretty excited. We already have about 10 people on the blog!

Conversation Between Two 3 Year Olds

A little background: Kasen and Brielle were sitting in the family room. I had just cleaned out Kasen's old sippy cups and some bottles and plates and they were sitting in a big tupperware container on the floor in there.

Brielle: Why are all these sippys here?

Kasen: They are for when I have brothers and sisters

Brielle: But you don't have any

Kasen: But I will when my mom gets married again

Brielle: Oh cool


My dad: That's a perfect example of putting 2 and 2 together and getting 5!

lol....all Kasen knows is that you have to be married in order to get pregnant. Cracked me up!

First of the Last

Tuesday was Kasen's first day of his last year of preschool. He was so excited at the idea of going back to school. It was a long summer for him without school. He was always asking when he got to go back. He knew that when he started seeing more school buses on the road, it was only a matter of time before he got to go back too.

When I dropped him off, I had to walk him in to drop off my contract and to drop off tuition. I started to get out of the car and Kasen hurried to say, "It's ok mom, you stay in the car, I can walk myself in" I guess he grew up over the summer because he never had a problem with me walking him in to school every day last year. Sad.

When I picked him up at school he was crying hysterically and could hardly breathe because of it. He was freaking out. Wouldn't eat his lunch that Miss Cassie fixed him. Plain spaghetti and a hawaiian sweet roll. Those are 2 things he would TOTALLY eat any other day. I just assumed he was super tired because he didn't sleep well the night before AT ALL.

I got him home and carried him out of the car, at which point I realized he was REALLY hot. I took his temp and it was 103.6! Yikes. I gave him motrin and put him to bed. He was ready and willing to go to bed. He had a fever with as high as 103 and as low as 101 until yesterday (friday). The Dr said it was just viral and it would go away in a day or two. It did. I was just worried because the temp was so high for the most part. 103 is no good for my sweet boy!

So he ditched school on Thursday and is ready to go back Tuesday again!

Pet Store

While we were at the mall, Kasen wanted to go to the pet store. Cori and I took him in to see the puppies and this is what Kasen had to say....

All the people in the store were laughing and pointing at Kasen. Some might have been annoyed, but most thought he was quite cute and entertaining. I must agree. Especially the cute part. On the second video, he actually got one of the dogs to bark back at him. I missed most of the barking match, but caught a little on camera.

Introducing....

The newest member of the Kasen Bruce family....


My friend Cori and I (who was visiting from Las Vegas) went to the mall in Mission Viejo and walked around last weekend. Kasen came with us and in result of being SUCH a good boy and also getting enough stars on his chore chart that week, he got a surprise. We took him into the Build A Bear store and he got to make a new friend. One of Kasen's other best friends has come from this store (Bobby) and so I was hoping that Kasen could make another best friend. Or maybe a best friend for Bobby? He really thought it was neat. He got to add a heart to the doggy. He got to press the pedal and fluff him, he got to bathe him, brush him and name him.





When it came to the name and birth certificate process, he knew right away what he wanted to name him. Duba. (doo-buh) Don't ask. I don't know. But he LOVES the name. He loves Duba! It all worked out nicely.

Adding Duba's heart.
Fluffing
bathing
brushing
taking Duba home.

He saw a dad walking through the mall with his little boy on his shoulders and immediately wanted Duba out of his box and put him straight on his shoulders. Aww!
So tired on the way home in the car. Hugging Duba tight.
Cori and I. Friends since we were 7.