Team Van Cleave

Movie Date with Anya

2010-03-10T10:29:00.001-06:00

Here is Easton and one of our friends girls Anya. He loves her sooo much! They were laying on the couch watching a movie together! It was so cute! We made sure the light was on! HE HE HE

Cowgirls

2010-03-10T10:28:00.002-06:00

Here is a picture of my friend Amber and I. I went to a concert with her a few weeks ago! It was so fun! Tonight I will be going to Jason Aldean with her! We have pit tickets! It is going to be amazing!

Ready for Flowers

2010-03-10T10:26:00.002-06:00

I am ready for flowers and spring! Thought this flower could bring you some cheer. Caleb bought these for me! I love this flower! How can you not look at it and be happy! I have an amazing man!

Movie Night with Buddies

2010-03-10T10:24:00.002-06:00

Easton has 4 buddies that he had over for our last movie night in our old house before we sold it! It was so fun!

Fun Run

2010-03-10T10:21:00.004-06:00

I have been planning fun things for our staff to do. This past Friday we dressed in green and ran to Dublin Bay. It is a Irish Pub where we could get some apps and drinks after a long work week. It was so much fun! The run was just under 2 miles! We had a great day for running and it was warm! It was 48!!!! Heat Wave!

Daddy and His Babies

2010-03-10T10:21:00.001-06:00

Marker Fun

2010-03-10T10:19:00.002-06:00

Here is a picture of Easton when he had a fun time with a marker when Momma wasn't looking! He is all boy through and through!

Marlee and Mama

2010-03-10T10:18:00.001-06:00

Ready for Spring....Who Isn't

2010-03-10T10:16:00.002-06:00

Here is a picture of Easton on his Trike. He loves being outside! It was actually warm this day when we were playing in the driveway....it was 38! We are so ready to feel the warm sun on our face! Bring on Spring!

Marlee is Crawling

2010-03-10T10:11:00.002-06:00

Here is a picture of Marlee! She is always moving and loving every minute of it!

Christmas Morning & Cinnamon Rolls

2009-12-29T15:39:00.002-06:00

Here is Easton having a cinnamon roll and blowing out his candles. Cinnamon rolls for birthday's are a Van Cleave tradition. This one is fresh out of the oven, just the way Easton likes it.

Easton making Momma and Dadda laugh!

2009-12-29T15:20:00.002-06:00

Here is a video of Easton saying cheese for the camera. It is so funny! Anytime we have the camera out this is the face we get! Enjoy!

Easton's 2nd Birthday Party

2009-12-29T15:16:00.002-06:00

Here are a few shots from Easton's birthday bash! We had so much fun. We have such great friends! We are so blessed!

Visit with Kate

2009-12-29T15:10:00.002-06:00

Here is a picture of my cousin Kate and I. With the weather over the holidays being not so great to travel, I missed out on getting to spend a day with her at my Grandma's house. I met her before she flew out so we could see each other for about an hour before she left! I am hoping in the next few years to get out and see her!

Big Boy Bed

2009-12-29T15:05:00.003-06:00

Here is a picture of Easton spending the 1st night in his big boy bed. We found the headboard, footboard and rails at Goodwill. I used a little murphy's oil to make it sparkle and then we called Easton up and surprised him with a new bed for his birthday! He was so excited. The following day he was jumping and went head first into the footboard! I new it was going to happen sooner or later....just not on day 2 of having it!

2009-12-29T14:19:00.002-06:00

Here is a picture of Easton on his "Horsey Horsey" he got for Christmas. He loves it and even let Marlee on for a little ride. She loved it!

I'm Back!

2009-12-28T15:34:00.002-06:00

It's been too long....I am back to officially blog more about our family. It has been crazy having 2 babies, under the age of 2! I am hoping to get things rolling again in the blogging world! Sorry I've been away....let me get started, because there is a lot to catch you up to speed on!

Easton Brushing His Shoulder Off

2009-08-29T16:18:00.003-05:00

Fast Feet in Water!

2009-07-13T18:26:00.002-05:00

Splash Park Fun!

2009-07-13T18:18:00.003-05:00

Here is Easton at the Splash park while Marlee chills out sleeping in the shade! He absolutely loves going. I always pack a lunch and we spend a good hour or two getting fresh air and enjoying the shade!

Easton Breaking out the moves!

2009-07-13T18:06:00.004-05:00

Here is Easton showing a few of his moves! He loves to dance it up wherever possible! HOW CUTE IS MY LITTLE MAN!

Hey There!

2009-07-11T14:29:00.001-05:00

Ahhh! These two had me at hello!

My baby is turning into a little boy!

2009-07-11T14:25:00.002-05:00

Here is Easton at 18 months! He is growing and changing with each day! He has been such a wonderful addition to Caleb and my life! He has brought so much joy to our lives! He is such a wonderful little guy with a great personality! I love you Big E!

Music in The Park!

2009-07-11T14:18:00.002-05:00

Here is Easton in his monkey shirt! Our friends the Jorgensen's and there 2 kids went to a park in Ames where they play music and have a beer tent and food every Friday night. It was really fun! Easton would walk up to strangers and pull his shirt out and make a monkey sound! It was hilarious! He was stealing the show. We had so many people
come up and say stuff to us about how cute he is. He also was a dancing
machine! We had a really good time being outside and enjoying the tunes!

I'm 2 Months!

2009-07-11T14:11:00.002-05:00

Marlee has reached the 2 months already! She weighs 14lbs and has grown 2 1/2 inches in length! It is crazy how much she has changed! She is really quite and expressive little girl! She smiles all the time and has already stared laughing! The doctor says she is ahead of the game in that department! She is also starting to make noises and mimic the sounds that I make! One thing I have been doing since she was 6 weeks old was reading to her 3 times a day! (What can I say....I'm a teacher!) She is such a blessing to our family and big brother gives her lots of TLC! We love you Marlee!

Our Wonderful Daddy!

2009-07-11T14:05:00.005-05:00

Here are some shots of Easton, Marlee, and Daddy hanging out! It is so fun seeing Caleb be Daddy! He is adored by Marlee and Easton! Easton has really started to be Caleb's little shadow! Thanks Caleb for being a wonderful Daddy to our little babies!

Horses!

2009-07-11T14:00:00.000-05:00

We took Easton to the horse track for a barn tour and a chance to see the horses work out on the track! He was sooo excited! I think he made the horse sound for at least 5 hours after we left! It was so fun to see the look on his face when he was able to see and feel the horses! I wish you could have seen his eyeballs.

New Windows

2009-06-16T15:21:00.001-05:00

I'm 2 Months!

2009-06-16T14:39:00.002-05:00

2009-06-06T17:32:00.001-05:00

Aren't smiles contagious!

Moving and Talking!

2009-06-06T16:49:00.003-05:00

Marlee is working it out! She really gets her legs going when she is on the floor! Her head goes from side to side checking everything out!

Smiles All Around!

2009-06-06T16:31:00.003-05:00

Here is a video of Miss Marlee smiling! She has been really showing us some good ones! Marlee has also been super interested already in what Easton is doing! (Big Brother has been super interested in her too!) He shows her his big brother love whenever he gets a chance! Kids are such a blessing! I'm so excited to be home all summer! I am soaking each wonderful day in!

Easton and Brenna being silly!

2009-06-06T15:38:00.002-05:00

Splashing Around

2009-06-03T00:22:00.003-05:00

Easton loves the water! It's going to be a fun summer at the pool, splash park, and cabin! Summer fun in the sun.....here we come!

Yum.....but cold!

2009-06-03T00:10:00.003-05:00

Easton enjoying a cool, refreshing snack before bed!

2009-05-18T17:26:00.001-05:00

This picture takes my breath away! Caleb is so good with Easton and Marlee! I'm a pretty lucky gal to have such an amazing hubby!

2009-05-18T17:24:00.001-05:00

Easton chillin on the couch watching his favorite movie Racing Stripes!

2009-05-18T17:21:00.000-05:00

Brenna over for a play date chilling in Easton's big boy chair!

2009-05-18T17:18:00.002-05:00

Marlee Braelyn turned one month yesterday! I can't believe it! She is starting to really study our faces and has flashed a few smiles! She is so fun and Easton shows her big brother loving everyday!

DVD Trouble

2009-05-18T17:13:00.002-05:00

Easton decided to get into a little trouble the other day when I was feeding Marlee. What you see in the picture are Caleb's "other babies" I thought it was funny and had to capture it on film. Caleb didn't find it so amusing!

2009-05-18T17:07:00.002-05:00

Easton has loved eating apples lately. It is one of the items I pull out when I'm nursing. It keeps him entertained for hours. He really does a great job eating almost all of it! I think yesterday he ate the stem! I'm still waiting for that to exit! I'll keep you posted!

5 years of Marriage!

2009-05-17T15:53:00.002-05:00

I meant to post this closer to our Anniversary however my computer had crashed and burned. Looking back on 5 years of Marriage.....

Walks at Night

Movies and popcorn with M&M's (even though Caleb doesn't like this combo!)

Chicago Trip

Baby Making!

Ice Storm.....(we filled our time up just fine with no power)

Buying and fixing up our first home together and all Caleb's injuries!

Watching movies in the theater room (i.e. the cave)

Drifting off to sleep as my hubby serenades me with the sounds of snoring!

The birth of our son and seeing Caleb as a daddy for the first time.

Throwing around the idea to start a landscaping business with our expertise....j/k

Finishing the basement.

Hanging out with friends and having fires.

Conserving Water

Playing at least 1000 games of uno, phase 10, scrabble, and monopoly combined and letting Caleb win maybe 20 of them.

Camping in the middle of a tornado.

Water fights.

Grilling out. (Caleb grills with the best of them)

Honeymooning in Mexico and speedoes and toplessness

The birth of our Little Miss Marlee! Caleb has a little girl that will adore his every move!

Trips with Friends (Cabo here we come in Aug!)

Texting sweet nothings to each other

Minnesota Trip

Here are just a few memories that have come to mind! Thanks Caleb for all the years and memories that are so vivid in my mind. You are an amazing man that I love! Thanks for your hard work to provide for our family and the love you show our kids and me daily! Let's plan on many more years and hopefully Hawaii in a few!

Bubbles!

2009-05-16T12:48:00.002-05:00

Big Brother Love!

2009-04-18T11:22:00.002-05:00

Here is Easton giving Marlee some loving! I think he gave her at least 15 kisses and a few squeezes! He was having so much fun with her! Way to go Big Bro!

Introducing.......Marlee Braelyn Van Cleave

2009-04-18T10:57:00.005-05:00

Here is our little girl! She takes my breath away very time I look at her! She was born Friday April 17th 7:48 am. She weighed 9 lbs 2 oz. and was 20 inches long. I asked Caleb what he wanted to say about her and all he could say is that she is beautiful.

The story behind her name.

Caleb and I struggled trying to come up with a name that we liked. It's hard being a teacher and trying to find a name that doesn't remind you of any past students, so that added to the complexity of finding a name.

I really wanted to find a name that we could combine the letters of both Caleb and my name. (my name is a combo of my parents names. (Marsha and Randy) Marlee is a combo of using (Mar) from my name, and (le) from Caleb's name, to form her name.

I wanted a middle name that began with a "B" because that is Easton's middle intial. I found the name Braelyn, not intending too. It is the feminime form of my madien name Braden.

Feel free to stop by to meet our little bundle whenever! She is truely a gift from God and we feel so blessed to be parents to another amazing gift!

Strength and Courage

2009-04-14T10:30:00.002-05:00

Here I am only three days away from giving birth to our baby girl. I can't really go anywhere without someone asking, WOW when are you due. How are you feeling? Are you ready? What are you going to name her? Are you getting sleep?

I have had a rush of thoughts and emotions that are flooding my every thought. It's as if my mind cannot stay focused for more then five minutes. (Yes that includes at night too!) I could list the emotoions and feelings I have felt just from this morning and fill half of the page!

The only thing that is getting me through these last few days is knowing that God is by my side through everything. Even though I am about to have major surgery and have a another living being be taken out of my body and placed into this world for me to care and love, I have peace knowing that it is all in God's hands.

I have found a few verses that I have been drawn to these past few weeks. They have given me the peace, strength, and courage I need to face what lies ahead. Thanks to all of you who have kept me in your prayers and thoughts! Thanks to all of you that have encouraged me throughout this pregnancy! God has placed me in a church community that I feel loved and surrounded by many amazing women that at anytime I can turn too, a wonderful family that loves me, and a loving husband that is by my side and has been amazingly understanding and supportive of my thoughts and feelings. He gets the best and the worst side of me and I love him for all that he does to encourage me and keep me my feet firmly planted. I cannot wait to see him hold our little girl and see him model what an amazing husband and father looks like.

Here are the verses that have given me strength and courage these last few weeks! I have written them on note cards and placed them in various places as a constent reminder to put my strength in him.

Deuteronomy 31:6
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

Psalm 27:1
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Mommy and Baby Girl Van Cleave

2009-04-07T13:03:00.003-05:00

Baby girl Van Cleave will be here soon! Many people have asked how they can pray for us. Please pray for our delivery and transistion of a family of three to a family of four. Pray that our c-section can go smoothly with short recovery time! Also for sleep leading up to the birth! Easton has been on my mind with having a new person in the house! Pray that he can still feel the amount of attention and love from Caleb and I! I've been having a lot of memories of my last c-section. Most of them are not the most pleasant! Pray that I can eliminate them for my thoughts! I also need prayer of strength to get through these last few days of work! Lastly, pray that these days can be filled with time spent together as a family and be deligent in preparing our home and lives for our baby girl! Caleb, Easton, and I are looking forward to our new edition to the family and we cannot wait to meet her!

Enormous!

2009-04-07T12:38:00.004-05:00

This is really how I feel!
In case you were wondering what the definition of enormous is see below!

enormous
–adjective
1.greatly exceeding the common size, extent, etc.; huge; immense

Synonyms for enormous:
1. vast, colossal, gigantic, mammoth, prodigious, stupendous. See huge.

I am suprised that when I looked this up in the dictionary my picture was not next to the definition. If you all are wondering, this is exactlly how I am feeling. The doctor thinks that baby girl Van Cleave will be within 1/2 a pound of Easton! I think it's safe to say that the total birth weight of both babies would equal out to be 3 average size babies!To put this into perspective I have done some research on other things that weigh ten pounds!

1. a bag of flour

2. a small dog

3. medium size bowling ball

4. bag of dog food

5. 3-5 good sized books

6. 10 bottles of water

7. 1 1/2 gallons of milk.

8. 1000-sheet ream of 20-pound bond paper weighs 10 pounds.

2009-04-05T08:15:00.004-05:00

Our trip over Spring Break with friends was so much fun! We went to Minnesota to the water park in Owatanna. The gals hit IKEA and the Outlets in Medford, and the guys went to the casino at Mystic Lake. We also made sure we stopped by Cabela's before we headed home. Here are a few shots from ot trip.

More Dance Moves

2009-03-12T23:17:00.002-05:00

Baby!

2009-03-12T23:09:00.002-05:00

Here is Easton checking out mommas growing tummy. Not long and sissy will be here! Easton will give her love taps and rest his head on my belly giving her hugs! I can't wait to see his reaction when she finally joins our family on the outside!

Dance Moves

2009-03-12T22:54:00.003-05:00

Here is Easton shaking what his mamma gave him. Anytime there is music on, he is dancing. It is so cute! The video gives you a glimpse but you really have to see it in person!

Organized Home

2009-03-11T12:25:00.004-05:00

Don't you wish you could feel like you have an organized home? Well I have found a wonderful site that is an answer to prayer! The idea of the website is to help busy mommies get organized. The site is very user friendly and helpful. One item that I am super excited to start is called the household notebook. This contains cleaning lists, meal plans, calendar sheets for planning, budget items, and a whole lot more. With baby Van Cleave on the way, we are looking to stay organized, and fit everything into our budget. The other item that I am super excited about is cooking for the month. I am planning on setting aside one day a month for cooking for the entire month and then freezing it.

Being a mommy and working has been challenging to fit it all in and feel that I am being a good mommy, wife, and keeping up with the daily tasks and chores around the house. It has taking me a good year to figure out a master plan to operate from. Even though it has been a chaotic year, it's fun to look back and seen all that God has taught Caleb and I about working as a team and organizing out life. This website has been one of the tools I have found to be helpful. If you are in the same boat I'm in, click here to take you to the site! Add it to your bookmarks, because it is a very helpful tool!

2009-03-06T21:59:00.002-06:00

Here is Easton eating off of his cool plates that Great Aunt Michele gave him. He loves having the separate places to pick from on the tray.

Tupperware

2009-03-04T12:38:00.003-06:00

Here is a clip of Easton playing in the Cabinets. He loves to take all the Tupperware out! I guess one good thing to come of this is the Tupperware stays organized.

2009-03-04T08:53:00.001-06:00

Here is Easton playing with his new squishy ball! He loves to flop down on it!

Spaghetti Monster

2009-03-02T10:33:00.003-06:00

Here is the Spaghetti Monster! Watch out he is known to devour a plate full of spaghetti in 1 minute flat! He can become fierce and show his teeth if his plate is left empty for to long! Don't let his cuteness fool you!

Valentine's Day Suprise!

2009-03-02T10:24:00.003-06:00

I have been meaning to get these posted for a while so here it goes. Caleb was able to have Valentine's day off. So we started the day out with heart shaped pancakes. We went to the library to check out new books, and went to the grocery store. We also took a nap the three of us and Easton opened his gifts. We decided to get him some Courious George stuff, so it was a Courious George Valentine's Day! He was so cute opening his gifts! It was a rally fun day!

Snack Time

2009-03-02T10:00:00.002-06:00

After School Snack

2009-03-02T09:57:00.002-06:00

Here is Easton enjoying an after school snack! He loves to have his snack in a special bowl and have a little mixture of 1/2 juice & 1/2 water. This has become part of our routine everyday.

Sleepless Nights

2009-03-01T03:40:00.005-06:00

Here is a video of my husband snoring up a storm. You can't get the full affect unless you are laying next to him in bed. It's not much of a video, it's the sound I want you to zero in on. Some nights are worse than others. If you have any thoughts or suggestions on how to put an end to the snoring....please share! I think I would be content bringing it down even a couple levels. What I find most amusing is that Caleb is in denial that he even snores! Sorry babe, lets let the video do the talking!

FYI: Notice when this blog entry was posted! Enough Said!

Words Easton Can Say

2009-03-01T03:05:00.003-06:00

Here is a list of words that Easton can say. Keep in mind that these are not perfected quite yet, but are really easy to understnad what word he is saying! I can't believe that just a few short months ago he was just learning to crawl!

Mama
Dada
Horsey (tonight was the first time!)
ball
baby
bubble
uh-oh
touchdown
book
momo (milk)
tractor (on a good day)
cow
puppy (sounds more like buppy)

10 Updates About the Van Cleave's

2009-02-23T11:01:00.008-06:00

1.Working on baby girl VC's room. I have the paint on the walls and ready to organize all the fun little baby stuff! The color selected for baby girl VC's room is called dune grass. I will post the finished product if that day ever comes.

2. Organizing! Caleb and I have been organizing and downsizing our closets. Caleb used to keep all of his stuff in the guest room (which is now becoming baby room.) We are sharing a closet! (Yes.... I said sharing!) Anyone who knows me understands this is not an easy task! Goodwill will be getting a heaping donation in the next few weeks! It actually feels good to eliminate! Almost cleansing!

3. Meal planning. I have been meal planning for the last year and have loved it! I plan out meals for two weeks at a time. This helps with grocery shopping and staying within a budget! I have found an amazing site that does all the planning for you! This has been amazing because it was taking up to two hrs. to plan and write out my grocery list. If you click here it will take you right to the site! The cost is $15.00 for three months of meals and grocery lists. For busy mom's it's so worth it! All you need to do is shop and cook. This has been a life saver and time saver. Especially being a working mother of almost two, it really helps with knowing what I will be making when I get home. It also allows you to eat a variety of meals so you don't always feel like you are eating the same things every two weeks.

4. Caleb is the number one seller in the company at Aspen. He has been putting in long hours trying to help people see the importance of health and fitness. He is really a hard worker and loves what he does. It will be nice having him around for a week when the baby comes.

5. We are heading up to a water park in Minnesota in March with some of our closest friends. We will stay the weekend and have fun swimming, and enjoying fellowship. I think we are planning on squeezing in a little shopping and the boys are planning on hitting the casino. Look for pictures coming soon.

6. I get the joy of teaching 50 fifth graders about puberty and how our bodies change. Enough said.

7. I'm getting up every night about 3 times to pee. Some nights I don't even remember getting up, the next thing I know I am on the pot. Baby girl VC is also very active between the hours of 2:00 & 4:00. I hope this doesn't mean that she will be on the outside!

8. Easton is getting molars. He already has four and is getting more. This last weekend he had low fevers, was very clingy to momma, and had a few major blow outs due to the teething process. I can't believe my baby is getting big by teeth!

9. We no longer have our little puppy Gizmo. He went to a nice loving family that has a couple of elementary aged kids. I miss him lots! I still look down where his water and food dish used to be to see if he needs more food or water. It was sad giving him away and I miss him everyday.

10. We can't wait until spring at the Van Cleave household. When it arrives we can play outside and go to the parks to play and have picnics. We are still hanging in the 30 degree weather range and hoping it warms up soon! We want to retire the coats and bring on the short sleeves.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2009-02-13T14:26:00.004-06:00

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. – 1 John 4:9-11

Dear Family & Friends,
I can’t believe it’s already February! I ponder each day where the time has gone! Easton is growing and changing with every breath! He went from walking to running in less then a week, loves to read books, loves anything to do with Curious George, will shimmy and shake to any and all types of music, and loves snuggling with mommy and daddy. At his year appointment he weighed in at a whopping 25 pounds! He is also 31 inches long! (I guess it’s safe to say that he is a growing boy and I need to make sure to have the cupboards and fridge stocked at all times.)

Our little baby girl is growing big too! She will arrive via
C-section on April 17th, (unless she’s not patient like her mommy and comes earlier☺) Her busy times are very early in the morning, (4:00 am) I can’t wait to meet our little girl! It’s crazy to think she’s almost here! Caleb and I were talking the other day how fast this pregnancy has gone. Which is very true, but with having two so close, I feel that I have been pregnant for two years! That would put me right up with the gestation period of an elephant. They carry their bundle of joys for 22 months. This is the longest gestational period in the animal kingdom! Thank goodness each pregnancy is only 9 months! Could you imagine?

This past year God has taught Caleb and I the closest meaning of unconditional love possible being parents. Up to this point I found that unconditional love was really hard for me to fully comprehend. It’s amazing the amount of love we have to give! As parents, we continue to love our children through good times and bad, and we don't stop loving them if they don't meet the expectations we may have for them. We make a choice to love our children even when we consider them unlovable; (like at 3:00 in the morning when molars are coming in!) Our love doesn't stop when we don't "feel" love for them. This is similar to God's love for us. God is Love, and His love is very different from human love. God's love is unconditional, and it's not based on feelings or emotions. He doesn't love us because we're lovable or because we make Him feel good; He loves us because He is love. He created us to have a loving relationship with Him, and He sacrificed His own Son (who also willingly died for us) to restore that relationship. What an awesome blessing! I have been challenged with this New Year to be thankful in all that I have, and give as much love possible to those around me! I have two wonderful men in my life and a little girl on the way to shower with love each day! Not to mention a classroom full of fifth graders that may not have anyone showing or giving them love. I have been challenged to be more loving with my words and my actions daily. I find myself asking, “What can I do for ________ (fill in the blank) to show them love today?”

Lastly, today I was listening to Christian radio and they were challenging men and women to tell their spouses each day, “I love you today because….” I found this to be a little thing I can do each day to tell the man in my life how much he means to me. With having Easton in our lives, this is something that has easily been put on the back burner! I’m super excited to see how this will keep the spark going each day in our relationship! I challenge each and every one of you to do this with your main squeeze! Have a wonderful day, week, and month! Keep in touch and you are always welcome at the Van Cleave house!

Love puts the fun in together, the sad in apart, and the joy in a heart.
With Love from Our House to Yours,
Caleb, Maranda, & Easton

Model Potential?

2009-02-12T13:16:00.004-06:00

Here is Easton on the cover of Parenting Magazine. You can click here and create your own! I also got the idea from a friends blog to enter Easton in Regis and Kelly's Cute baby contest. I thought.....hey I have a cute baby! Why not!

Crazy Driver!

2009-02-10T14:21:00.004-06:00

Here's Easton being a crazy driver! He loves his 2 cars he has. Before, he used to push them back and forth. He still does that a little, but he's really into sitting on it and trying to get it to go! This video was taken the night of the super bowl. Easton also says touchdown and raises his hands! You also get a glance at a little movement to the sounds his car makes! Mimi you picked out a good car!

Watch out Gowgirls!

2009-02-10T14:12:00.005-06:00

Easton strutting his stuff in his cowboy boots! He loved walking around in his boots! The giggles were non-stop! I think Mommy and Daddy were laughing the most! Now all he needs is a lucky little cowgirl! Any takers?

Haircut

2009-02-10T14:06:00.003-06:00

Easton got a big boy haircut! He was pretty nervous so I wasn't able to capture it on camera at the salon, however that night I snapped a shot! We wanted to keep it somewhat shaggy! The trim made him really appear like a big boy! Isn't he HANDSOME!

Giggles

2009-02-10T13:58:00.002-06:00

Here is Easton thinking he is pretty big stuff sitting in the big chair where we read books! His laugh is contagious and you cannot look at this picture and not smile!

Chatty Easton!

2009-02-10T13:45:00.003-06:00

Here is a good video of Easton having a "manly" conversation with daddy. (Yes Caleb is going to the bathroom!?!) Easton has been very curious about this! It's been so fun listening to Easton jabber and talk!

Helping Mommy

2009-02-08T21:16:00.004-06:00

Here is Easton helping Mommy with the floors! He is really doing losts of new things! If you listen closely you can hear Easton say book and tractor. Enjoy!

Easton Takes Lots of Steps!

2008-12-24T20:51:00.004-06:00

Here are two videos of Easton taking his first steps! He was so ready! It took only three practice times for him to just take off and go!

Cake!

2008-12-17T19:09:00.002-06:00

Easton attacking his cake!

2008-12-17T18:38:00.003-06:00

Fun in the Snow!

2008-12-17T18:30:00.004-06:00

Here is Easton enjoying his first experience playing in the snow! Other people must think he's super cute, his picture is featured on KCCI website! Click here to see it!

Brushing Teeth

2008-11-06T08:44:00.004-06:00

Here is a video of Easton brushing his teeth now that he has 6 of them! He loves his tooth brush. Sometimes Easton bushes his own and other times Mommy has to help!

Happy Halloween

2008-10-30T13:03:00.002-05:00

Happy Halloween! I am looking forward to my first trick-or-treating outing! Here's a good picture of our "Little Punkin." He loves the wagon too!

2008-10-26T22:05:00.002-05:00

Here's Easton in his Halloween Costume. Don't let these pictures fool you. This Lion is fierce!

Pancake Monster

2008-10-26T10:40:00.003-05:00

Here is a video of Easton eating his first pancake! Do not try this at home!

Excitement In the Wagon

2008-10-19T16:53:00.003-05:00

Here is a cute video of Easton ready to get pumpkins! He got to ride in style in one of the wagons. He loved the ride even the big bumps. It was so cute because he would hang onto the side and shake the wagon! Caleb and I had so much fun seeing him enjoy being at the patch!

Momma and Easton

2008-10-19T16:51:00.002-05:00

Here's a pic of Easton and I getting ready to find the perfect pumpkins! It was so great to enjoy the day with my two favorite boys!

Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-19T16:42:00.002-05:00

Here we are at the Deals Orchard and Pumpkin Patch in Jefferson Iowa. Easton had so much fun riding in the wagon, going on a hay rack ride, picking pumpkins, and enjoying the wonderful fall weather! Hope all of you have a fabulous fall. This is my favorite time of year!

All Giggles

2008-10-11T20:44:00.003-05:00

Here's Easton full of giggles! He is such a happy happy little guy!

Ball

2008-10-11T20:31:00.003-05:00

Here I am playing ball with daddy! My favorite game to play right now.

Little Fire Fighter

2008-10-11T19:59:00.004-05:00

It was national fire prevention week. In Ames they put on a special day where you can go and tour the fire trucks and look at all the equipment they use!

Easton loved it! He especially loved sitting in the big fire truck, running the fire hose, and seeing Freddie the Fire truck.

P.S. Momma's camera wasn't working so a friend took a picture of me running the fire hose and is going to send it! Look for it soon!

Brenna & Easton's Go Cruising

2008-10-07T10:06:00.003-05:00

Brenna came over one night for dinner and play time. Caleb put them on Easton's car together! They loved it!

I Can Crawl!

2008-10-03T21:35:00.003-05:00

Easton is on the go! It's not hard to believe that he's Caleb's son, since he learned to crawl after the TV remote!

Crazy Dog

2008-10-03T21:22:00.003-05:00

Here is a video of the crazy dog Gizmo and Easton laughing hysterically at all the action.

Cruising in my Big Car!

2008-09-26T21:21:00.004-05:00

Here is a video of Easton! This is his new favorite game to play.

Rain Forest Cafe

2008-08-30T13:25:00.003-05:00

At the mall we had reservations to eat at the Rain Forest Cafe. Easton loved it! There was thunderstorms ever 20 minutes, fish all over the place and lots of waterfalls. There was so much to look at and see! It was really great to see Easton get so excited!

Mall of America

2008-08-30T13:20:00.002-05:00

On our vacation we went to the Mall of America! Caleb had never been so it was fun for him to see how mega it really is. Easton loved the special kids area. He sat in this helicopter and thought he was pretty big stuff.

Smiley Boy!

2008-08-30T13:18:00.002-05:00

Here is a great shot of our little man! My heart melts when he flashes me a smile!

Fan Fest!

2008-08-30T13:07:00.002-05:00

ISU has a fan fest before the football season gets underway! Here are a few good shots of Easton soaking it all in! He had so much fun and loved all the action!

Minnesota Zoo

2008-08-30T12:58:00.002-05:00

We took our first family vacation to Minnesota. We had so much fun and lots of good family memories. Our first stop was the Minnesota Zoo. They had a bear exhibit from Russia! It was awesome! By far our favorite stop at the Zoo. Easton was really into the bears and watching them swim and wrestle. He also loved the fish and dolphins.

It's Fair Time!

2008-08-30T12:33:00.004-05:00

Here are a few shots form the Iowa State Fair! Kris and Kayley joined us for a enjoyable trip to the fair! We saw lots of animals, ate some good food,and even saw a cow made entirely of butter. It was a lot of fun and good times!

Goodwill Treasures

2008-08-07T20:37:00.005-05:00

Here is an amazing desk I found last week when Easton and I took a trip to Goodwill. I'm a regular attender to the goodwill. There's something I find very exciting as you enter the doors of the goodwill thinking about all the wonderful treasures waiting to be discovered.

If you want some inside information that I have found to be quite helpful when bargain hunting is every month there is a goodwill calendar with the special each day. These fly out the door so you have to go the first few days of the month. On this particular day it was 50% off all furniture. I happen to steal this desk for $7.00!!!

Here's where you come in. If you are a bargain hunter such as I, and have an amazing find you would like to share, post a comment and share your latest find! I would love to here your story! Happy bargain hunting!

Sippy

2008-08-07T20:34:00.002-05:00

Easton can hold and drink from his sippy all by himself! What a big boy!

Baby Einstein

2008-08-07T17:18:00.003-05:00

Easton loves his Baby Einstein and Sunny Patch Friends DVDs. He will sit and laugh and giggle as he watches them. He loves the puppets and bright colors of the Sunny Patch Friends. I guess it helps a little that the screen in the theater room is as big as the wall. Here's a pic of him sitting in the over-sized chair enjoying the show. What a cutie!

Ultimate Baby Fighting

2008-08-07T16:30:00.002-05:00

Caleb and Jared were watching UFC one night. This is a show were two men fight each other for three rounds with there bare fists. The boys came up with an idea for Brenna and Easton to duke it out! The babies loved it and we happened to get a pretty good action shot!

Play date with Brenna

2008-08-07T16:23:00.002-05:00

Easton and Brenna had a lot of fun playing together the other night. They played the piano and rolled the ball to each other. Brenna even shook her booty! It was so cute to see them play together! I think they are going to be best buddies as they grow up together!