Christmas Tree Lane 2008

Papa's & Great Grandpa Henderson's Birthday's

Mad Dog Avery. What chu looking at?

 

Katie and Charlie have fun building tinker toy towers. Charlie has a very vivid imagination. Sometimes his tinker toy creations are transformers, or bad guys, or other some other evil entity that needs to be destroyed or at least webbed. Notice the spider man pajamas. He has convinced himself that he truly is spider man.

Feeling manipulated!

Last night, around 9:30, I was helping Robby do the dishes, and watching Dancing with the Stars (yes, both can be done, that's what commercials are for!), when Charlie comes out with this pitiful look on his face. He says "Mom, I'm scared." So immediately I go and take him back to bed, and talk to him about why he is scared. He tells me that he is scared that spiders will think that the web is real and will make it their home (Robby and him put up fake Halloween cobwebs around his window earlier that night). So I shut his blinds, tell him that spiders won't make it their home because they didn't spin the web themselves, and lay down in his bed with him. We get all snugly and comfy, then I look at him, and see the biggest grin ever on Charlie's face. I ask him why he is smiling, and he tells me that he is happy. I ask him why he is so happy, and he tells me "Lets just rest Momma, lets just rest." But I needed to know what made him so happy, because I had a feeling. So I ask, "Charlie, did you tell me a lie about being scared of the spiders, just so I would come and lay down with you?" His face was so precious, with this half grin, saying yes. I couldn't believe it, but I couldn't be mad at him either. How does he know how to do that already? He is almost 4, but still I would never think that Charlie would be able to come up with that all on his own. Little stinker butt!

Avery Walks!

Avery has finally walked on her own! Not the kind with me or Robby holding her hand, but of her own free will. We were at my sister's house celebrating Mclane's 12th birthday on Sunday when she took about 5 steps from their piano bench. We were watching Mclane open presents, so when we realized what she was doing, we all screamed and then she sat down on her bum. She has been walking and staying on her feet a litte more each day. She still does her booty scoot though, because she can get to where she wants faster that way. I know that I am doomed because now she can get into more trouble, but I am happy because she has finally reached this milestone at 15 months. She is just our little pipsqeak who likes to do things on her own terms! Good job Avery.

Charlie's 1st day of Preschool!

Charlie was so excited to start his 1st day of preschool. I couldn't get him to just stand and smile normal, not at home or at school. What a character! Charlie loves going to school, and I have seen a difference in him since he started. I wish that I could be a fly on the wall in his classroom, just to spy on how he interacts with the other kids, and especially to hear the things he says. I was a very proud mom that day.

The Best Way To Camp!

On July 3rd, we decided to have a last minute camp out, in my parents backyard. It was a fun way to start the Fourth of July celebrations. I could not believe how fast we packed everything up and headed out the door. Way to go Robby for keeping the camping gear so organized. On our way out the door, I thought, "Is all this worth it?" The car was STUFFED for just one night in a backyard! We ended up having a lot of fun, and so did my parents. Thank you Nana & Papa for letting us intrude on your backyard. If you are going to camp, this is the way to do it. Robby was going to grill hot dogs, but by the time everything was set up, Papa was already home with pizza. Yea, nothing to clean up. Avery and I were able to make a Target run, to get last minute stuff for Smore's and dutch oven cobbler! Charlie had so much fun in the spa. He was in there for like 2 hours. Raisin Feet! Avery loved crawling or should I say scooting on the grass, but she had a blast in the flower bed dirt! My cute, sweet little girl, having the time of her life scooting around in the dirt. A nice clean bathroom was a major plus! So was having a sink handy, and extra measuring cups that we forgot. Robby made a good dutch oven peach cobbler. Nana even stayed up late to try it. One of the best perks was letting Avery be able to crawl around inside the house for a few minutes to get all her energy out before bedtime. And so was being able to put her to sleep inside the house while watching the Food network, so the boys voices and laughs wouldn't keep her awake. Thank you Avery for staying asleep when I put you down in the play pen in the tent, and for sleeping through the night in the tent! The kids woke up happy which was a plus. Robby made some good pancakes and hash browns for breakfast. Charlie loved being able to spend so much time outside. Now Robby thinks we are ready for the ward camp-out in August! I don't know about that one, maybe if Avery is walking. We'll see!!!

My sweet little girl in the dirt.

Charlie loves the spa!

I love happy kids in the morning!

Oakland Temple

I wanted to post this picture of the Oakland Temple because it had an influence on Robby's desire for a new camera. There is a website www.ldschurchtemples.com where people can post pictures that they have taken of the different LDS Temples. Robby put up a couple of different pictures of a few temples, and he got two different responses from two different people asking for a copy of this photo. He never gloated, but I could tell that he was proud of his photo. I am proud of him too!

New Camera!

Robby has been wanting a new camera for like a year now. Every time a picture turned out fuzzy I would hear; "See I need a new camera." So for Father's Day I gave him a New Camera Fund Jar. The incentive was for him to save enough money over the next few months, and to pay cash for it. Well, it worked for a week! Best Buy opened down the street on June 20th, and Robby had to go. After twenty minutes Robby comes walking out with a new SLR camera in hand. His reasoning was that his Best Buy card had a zero balance, and it is a family investment because we will have the camera for forever. So much for trying not to accumulate new debt! He will just have to keep picking up extra Saturdays at the hospital! I have to admit that I was disappointed in him for not saving for it, but I got over it. I love it! It is a really nice camera and it has been fun taking pictures so fast one right after another. We have been able to catch shots of Avery, that we weren't getting before, because she would move before the old camera would focus. The only draw back is that we have taken over 500 pictures already, and it takes a lot of time to upload and sort through them all. Here are some fun shots of the kids from the first few days of having the camera.


Charlie loves to get Avery up after nap. Sometimes she crawls around her crib like a caged animal.






















Charlie is way into Spider Man now. He loves this shirt because it lights up.


































Charlie & Avery had fun in the swings, while Daddy had fun taking pictures.





































































Fun in the Tub!

Avery's 1st Birthday

We cannot believe that Avery is a year old already! Time is flying by and there is no stopping it. We had a fun party for her on Sunday the 8th, with our family that lives in town. We missed all of you that live far away! Avery is growing very slowly, but she is healthy. She is now 16lbs 5oz and 27 3/4 in. long. She is pulling herself up to standing now. Avery is our talker. She loves the phone, especially the cell phone. Every time she drops a toy, she says uh-oh, and she has learned to say what sounds like Hi. Give us a ring and you will definitely get an ear full. Avery has also learned to give hugs and kisses which are the best! We love her very much.


First attempt at a cupcake cake. The frosting was too runny, but oh well, there is always next year!


Avery had to be hand fed her birthday cake. She would poke her finger in it, but no chance of her smearing it all over.



Thanks to Charlie, Avery had a lot of help opening her presents!

Peek-a-Boo Fun

This is a video of Charlie & Avery playing peek-a-boo before bedtime. Charlie loves to torture Avery, and yet she still loves to play with him and to give him loves. I guess that is what brothers and sisters do. Every morning she looks for him to come out of his room down the hallway. She gives him hugs every time we get her up from nap, even when he has stolen her favorite blanket from her! It amazes me at the love that Avery has for Charlie after the many pokes, pushes, pulls, kicks, and squeezes around the neck that he does to her.

First attempt at a family blog

Hello to everyone who joins us on the beautiful blog. We typically make fun of people who send out lengthy Christmas newsletters, I guess blogging is kinda like that. We've enjoyed some of our friends blogs, so I guess we can contribute as well as consume. Katie will be responsible for all correct spelling, and Robby for any humor. Katie will also be responsible for making sure this is not the first and the last posting.

Slide show of the kids