Kate's tree

Here is my sweet Kate's festival of trees tree. I think it turned out pretty nice. It was a ton of work, but fun to do. My Young Women helped out a little with decorating and making the blocks. It wasn't emotional for me at all until I went up to the Expo Center to put it up and then a flood of emotions kinda hit. Its like the people that all those trees were dedicated to were there watching and loving it. It was pretty cool.
My mother and father in law bid on the tree and ended up winning it. Pretty cool. Now each year Gail is gonna put it up to remember our sweet Kate who is waiting on the other side for us to all come home. I love and miss her so much, but am grateful for the experience and the sweet guardian angel we have now. Love you Kate!

Tagged!

Okay, so I'm a little behind on my tags(thanks Abbie!:)) So here I go on a little 8 fun...
8 TV shows I like:
hmmm..this is a hard one cause I really only watch childrens shows like Super Readers and Sesame Street, but if I did watch more TV for myself...
1.Dancing with the Stars...if you know me you know why. On the movie Girls Just Wanna Have Fun when she says, "I love to dance" That is so me. I am not a good dancer, but I can do a killer sprinkler..ask my Young Women
2.The Office..I love love this show. I think it is hilarious!!!
3.The Bachelor...Corny, I know, but whatever right?!
4.C.S.I. Random, but I get so into these types of shows. If I could get myself to read, I'd probably read stuff like this.
5.Monk..HaHa. This is tribute to my father, but I have continued enjoying his O.C.D.ness all the same.
6.Matlock. Again, my father. I loved watching it with him and still secretly turn it on every once in awhile while Coop is taking a nap and I am cleaning or something.
Sadly, I think this is where I end. I mean I'll watch Oprah or Racheal Ray, but not totally addicted to them.
8 things I did yesterday:
1.Woke up at 4:30 a.m. to take some of my Young Women to the temple to do baptisms for the dead. It is a crazy early hour of the day and its sometimes hard to get up, but I absolutely love it. The girls amaze me.
2..Taught my Power Pump class. I teach at the AF Golds Gym and love it!
3.Babysat my friends kids. We have them through the weekend. They are 10,8, and 4. Super good kids too!
4.Did a couple loads of laundry, packed for the weekend stay at my friends to babysit, straightened my house in a little over an hour. Not bad.
5..Ate enough calories by snacking constantly all day to undue any activity I have done. I was on one...chips, cookies, M&M's, nothing too good for me.
6. Cooked dinner and made cookies which I partook of a little too freely..haha!
7.Played Roar! tag with Lacy(the 4 year old) and Cooper off and on all day running through the house, up and down stairs, laughing my head off at how stinking cute they are. (if you don't know what Roar tag is, come spend an hour or two with Cooper. He loves to have you hide or "Run for your life" as he says, as he runs after you scaring you with his ferocious Roar!)
8.Went to bed with Cooper in my arms at 10 o'clock. All that tag must have wore me right out! I love being a Mom!
8 things I'm looking forward to:
1.Christmas. I love Christmas. It is even better now that I have a child to get all excited with me. I would be okay thinking there was still a Santa Claus! I get so excited about giving gifts, the parties, the friends and family around, the lights, the food. I mean its fabulous!
2.Trek next summer. I never got to go when I was a youth and missed out in my last ward cause I had just had Cooper. I think it sounds like a great experience.
3. More children. I have been trying to get prego for a bit now with no success. I hope I have more up there cause I would love to have like 3 more or so.
4.February. We are doing a big Missionary Month with our youth that is quite involved. I am excited to participate and see how the youth grow, hopefully, from the experiences we have planned.
5.A night or two away with Clint. I would love to spend a little time with my love, just the two of us away from it all.
6.Clint to have a job. I love him around, but he is going nuts. It is also a little stressful not knowing where we will be in a month or so and how long til we have money coming in and insurance and all that lovely grown up stuff.
7.Tomorrow. A new day. I just kinda like that sometimes.
8.Getting my Christmas shopping and presents done. I am horrible at procrastinating. I like to make homemade things too and I can't wait til last minute cause then they just stress me out and never end up as good as I want them too.
8 of my favorite restaurants:
This is kinda hard for me. I mean are we talking favorite restaurant for a salad, for dessert, for main dish food. It makes a difference, honestly. Do you think I love food too much? Maybe think about it too much? Hmm...anyway...in no particular order...
1.Sweet Tomatoes
2.Chuck a Rama. I know I know, I call it Upchuck ususally, but I do love it. I get a fresh salad bar that I love with a little other and dessert. I love that I don't have to set on a dish like at a regular restaurant. I like that I can have a taco, some turkey, nachos, and mashed potatoes and thats okay. Also, it is great with kids too.
3.Bajio. I love that darn Green Chile Chicken Salad with corn, salsa and their ranch dressing. YUM!
4.Paradise Bakery. I really enjoy their chx artichoke panini and a chocolate chip cookie to end it off. How fabulous is that!
5.Ruby River. I love a good steak, that thing they call a baked potatoe with all the breading and salt. Yummy.
6.Cheesecake Factory. A perfect meal for me there is a side salad with their ranch. It's a little spicy and they have all these shredded veggies on the salad, Avocado Eggrolls(they sound slightly healthy but really they are totally fried and fabulous!), and then a vanilla bean cheesecake slice for dessert. YUM YUM YUM
7.Panera is one I have loved and miss from Chicago.
8.I don't know the name, but a little Greek place in San Diego. My friends and I used to go there all the time. The gyros can't be beat, and the hummus and pita bread! SO GOOD! I miss that place and crave it more than any other place. If you know of a fabulous little Greek place, please let me know...
8 things I wish for:
1. Eternal life. I know I'll get it, but I want the best kind. The one where I live with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ again. The one where my little Kate is. The one with unending happiness. Sounds great to me, just gotta get there.
2.More children. I don't know if this means adopting or just being patient til the time is right for me to have another one, but definitly more hopefully.
3.A house. I love living in my brothers basement. I love hanging with them and the friendship we have strengthened, and I love our ward. I just would really like a home of my own..above ground. I love the sunlight coming in through the windows, the garden to grow, the weeds to pull, the lawn to mow...haha, thats funny! I am totally rhyming. I am somewhat writing a fairly corny little poem. Anywho...yeah, a home.
4.My family to be happy and safe and healthy.
5.To be a better, more happy and uplifting person.
6.To become better at not procrastinating
7.To know the scriptures better.
8.This last one could be a selfish one filled with lots of temporary stuff like clothes, a treadmill, and other stuff that really doesn't matter, but we all have on our wish list(at least I hope I'm not the only one that thinks of this kind of stuff too)
8 people I tag:
Cami
Erin
Lindsey
Kalli
Kari
Kinsley
Nikki
Stephanie
and all the rest of you...you know who you are! haha

Mr. Incredible!

Wow! Almost a month behind..thats horrible! Guess that shows how crazy my life has been for the last little bit. Anywho...here he is, Mr. Incredible himself! Isn't he adorable! He was all about Grrring people of Halloween as he flexed his massive muscles. I loved it! Holidays only get funner and better with children. Coop was a ball to go trick or treating with. He was so much more interested in the decorations of the houses than the fact that he got candy. He was cracking my brother Kurt up cause he wanted to go play with a dog passing by or check out the skeletons on the front lawn or he kept putting his eyes right up to the strobe lights people had going on their front lawn that night. It was great fun and now mom has enjoyed all the Halloween candy a little too much!

Cooper got to go trick or treating with his cousins, Raegan and Macy, whom he loves to play and who are absolutely adorable! How cute are they? Their mom, Bryn, made their costumes..talent I tell you, she is amazing.





Clint and Cooper at the ward Halloween party. Doesn't Clint look HOT in his elvis mask! I love that that is all he did, not an outfit to go with it, just a mask and a little Clint attitude! Love him!!

CornBelly's Fun

Just some fun pictures of our time at Thanksgiving Point Farm and Corn Bellys. It was so much fun to watch him have such a great time. He loves his cousins Macy and Raegan.

Crazy Sleeper

So, yes, he sleeps just like his mother. Kalli can attest to the random positions I would fall asleep in. When we are tired, we are out! He is a crazy, all over the place sleeper, but I love this..it just looks so uncomfortable.

"K..Let's go mom"

How cute is he! I was getting a kick out him. We packed some diapers in his backpack and a few treats and he decided that he needed to take all his clothes off, put his backpack on and his hat. "K, Mom, lets go. I'm all ready"

What is wrong with me???

Ahhh! My hair is falling out by the clumpfulls(is that a word?). My eyelashes on one eye are totally breaking off. My skin looks like high school all over again..not so attractive. I feel like I have to have something in my mouth eating at all times. I'm eating every second. Literally..like stomach growling within an hour of eating like its fast Sunday. I'm all emotional, either really feisty or crying! Me! I don't cry ladies..like in 4 years of marriage maybe 4 or 5 times to Clint, but yet in the last month or so I have about doubled that! Random!
I mean I have been using the "my hormones are balancing out still" excuse for awhile now, but its time to really look at what it going on. It has been almost 9 months now so what gives? I never had this with Cooper. My hair got thicker, my skin started to look better (never have had good skin). I felt alot more normal by this point after Coop.
I know, I know..this pregnancy and birth involved a heck of alot more emotions and such and all that, but really, to suddenly have your body whack out!
So really, what gives? Any ideas? My mother in law did her "natural health" stuff on me and says that my iodine is low which throws off your thyroid.
I know what ya'all are thinking..she's pregnant. Not so, wish I was, but no go yet.
Anyway..just needed to rant for a moment..

The Hubby tag

Well, it has started...I've been tagged. But what a fun tag to do..brag about my hub. Love it!

1.Where did you meet? My brother Kurt gave Clint my number. The first time CLint called he talked with me for about 5-10 minutes going on and on like I should know who he was. I finally said, "I'm sorry, but I don't have a clue who I am talking with?!" He laughed and then told me that my brother had given my number to him to call and take me on a date, and so we did....
2. How long did you date before getting married? Well, tricky question..here's why. I met Clint and about 4 weeks later took off and moved to San Diego. I was a little love shy and he was so great so I thought it was too good to be true so I left thinking he wouldn't care. Not so. We kept in contact (texting mostly 'cause it was free for me and I was poor.) He came to see me and I was a brat the first time. But about 6 months later I moved home and we were engaged about 2 weeks later. So from time I first went out with him..8-9 months with engagement time. Actually dating, only a couple months, most of which was engaged. What a guy to stick with me, and now... happily married.
3. How long have you been married? 3 years and 5 months or so! Fabulous!
4. What does he do that surprises you? Ya know, he just does things every once in awhile that make me smile. Brings me M&M's, plans a little get away for us, just a peach he is!
5. What is your favorite feature of his? That's a hard one. Have you seen my man? He's so handsome! Okay, I have always been a sucker for his biceps. Ahh! I love them! I mean whats not to love.. his chest, eyes, smile, Mmmm yummy! anyway, back to earth...
6. What is your favorite quality of his? Gosh, that's another hard one. He has such a big heart. He would do anything for anyone. He is such a service oriented person. He is a wonderful father and husband. He honors his priesthood. Very honest. Hard worker. I just love the guy! Man, I'm kinda getting gushy...
7. Does he have a nickname for you? Sweets. He is my sugar daddy and I am his Sweets..fun!
8. What is his favorite color? Yellow..Orange..anything nice and bright! (he is color blind and likes colors easy to see)
9. What is his favorite food? Sadly, I'm not totally sure. Meat. Steak, Prime Rib, M&M's, Coke, Steak...Prime rib...
10. What is his favorite sport? Um...what sport does he not like. Baseball, Football, Hunting...let's play ball!! or kill something...
11. When/Where was our first kiss? In my apartment in Orem.
12. What is your favorite thing to do as a couple? Eat. I've established his love of meat and he married the perfect girl for that..I do too! We may not have the same hobbies, but we definetly enjoy being together whether we are doing my thing or his.
13. Do you have children? Yes, 2. Cooper (a.k.a. Mini Me. He is a small Clint) who is a crazy little 2 year old who is full of energy and a joy in our family. And Kate. She would be 8 months old. She passed away shortly after birth. And hopefully a few more on their way.
14. Does he have a hidden talent? He is an accountant. Crazy to think of him as an accountant, but yes, he is really good at math and numbers and all that stuff. I love it..I'm married to kinda a nerd. I love nerds! I even have a shirt that says so.
15. How old is he? 29
16. Who said "I love you" first? Clint. Like I said, I was a little love shy. I said it back a couple weeks later though.
17. What is his favorite type of music? That depends on the situation. Normally, hard rock, but when getting pumped for a football game or something..Enya. funny huh?
18. What do I admire about him? I married a good man. I love his in-ability to say bad things about people. He loves to tease, but when it comes down to it he doesnt like to gossip or say mean things about others, especially when others are. I also love that he is what he is. You don't have to read into him or anything. If he is mad, he's mad. If he's happy, he is happy..etc...
19. Will he read this? Not sure.
Okay, I tag anyone who hasn't done this and has a hubby. Bryn, Cami, Kinslee, Erin, Stephanie...you know who you all are girls. Its kinda fun to put down on paper(computer) some of the things that you adore about your husband

Conference Weekend

I love conference weekend. I love the uplift, the strong spirit in my home, the desire increased to become better and do better. I thoroughly enjoyed it this last few days. I did my best to really listen to the talks, amid a 2 year old running around crazy wanting to "wrestle" "play wich me, momma" "trains" "I color" "catch me, mom, c'mon run, come get me". I love the little munchkin, but when it comes to spiritual upliftment time...he'd rather play! ha ha. I too, have a little A.D.D. myself though so I can't say much. I can't sit still very well anyway. Love conference, love my little boy and his craziness, love my darling hubby, and I did love the rain!

The Phone Call to Grandma

Coopers new thing is to call people on the phone and have random conversations with them. We call someone at least once a day for him. This morning Cooper wanted to call Grandma on our way to her house. So, I dialed and handed the phone to him in the back seat. He had a peanut butter sandwich he was eating for breakfast. He started talking to Grandma and was telling her that he was eating a PB sandwich and pulled the phone out to "show" it to Grandma. All the while yelling into the phone, "Can you see it, Grandma?" "Look! Look!" While yelling he is showing every side of the sandwich by doing circles with the phone around the sandwich and continuing to yell.."Look! Can you see it? Look, grandma, look!" I was cracking up watching him.

Amateur Wedding Cakes

My husbands brother, Tracy, just got married this last week to a darling girl named Camri. I love them both and I am so excited for them. I told Camri that I would make the wedding cake awhile back and it was gonna be a simpler thing. I kinda had fun with it and this is how they ended up. It is a ton of work and kinda expensive for the supplies, but I now realize why they charge so much for them. They are super fun to do though and would actually like to do it again sometime maybe. I really enjoy creating things. Anyway, let me know what you think...

The Fake Cry

Cooper is real good at this one...
Mommy putting Cooper into his car seat, accidentally hits his leg against the arm rest(not hard mind you)
Cooper starts to cry.
Mommy: "I'm sorry bud, did that hurt you?"
Cooper:"Yeah Momma. Cooper is, whimper sniff sniff, hurt."
Mommy:"Yeah, I'm sorry, but that is kindof a fake cry buddy."
Cooper:"sniffle, little giggle, Yeah it is a fake cry, Momma. sniffle, giggle giggle"
He then begins to laugh as I buckle him in saying, "I fake cry Momma" (all while continueing to sniffle and whimper.
I love this kid! He is such a bundle of energy and joy!

Just a little Cooper talk

Mommy: "Come here, Cooper. Lets change your poop (diaper).
Cooper argues playfully...I finally get him to hold still...
Cooper: "Yeah Mommy. Here it comes. Here comes the sick Mommy!"

RED BOOTS

I just had to put a picture on with Coop in his red boots. He loves these boots! Grandma Gardner gave them to him and they are by far his favorite shoes. He will wear them with anything and everywhere and I love it! I think it is fun to see him in a cute little outfit with bright red boots. I am sad he is growing up so quick cause he is sooo dang much fun!

THE BUZZ CUT!

Mommy: "Daddy will you cut Coopers hair a little? I still want it long enough to style and spike though"

Daddy:"You want me to buzz it?"

Mommy: "No, just cut it shorter to get it out of his face. Its so hot in the summer with all that hair."

Daddy: "Okay"

...moments later Mommy comes out back to her surprise...

THE BUZZ CUT!

I wanted to cry for a minute, but within a day I actually liked it and now I totally love it! Good job Dad! Cooper looks like a little boy now..no more baby boy. Check out those lips!

Cooper actually loved Clint buzzing his hair off. I thought he might freak out, but he was helping Clint. He was so excited to tell all that "Daddy cut Coopers hair. Its all gone."

Dragon Hunts

"Ahh! Dragon get chew!! Run Daddy!"

Coop and Daddy heading out to find a dragon...

Here is Cooper all ready to go "catch a dragon" with his orange construction hat and his pop gun.We found quite a few in the neighborhood if you can imagine. He was cracking us up. Ever since this night, if he even sees this orange constuction hat he gets all excited to go catch himself a dragon.

Baby Kate's grave stone has now been set. It turned out pretty good, I think. Its kinda nice to go to her gravesite and see it there. I think it isn't much larger than her little casket. The cement surrounding it it maybe 5 or 6 inches wider, but pretty well the same length. I love this little one and can't wait to see her again one day!

Landon(Coops cuz whom he adores and follows around any chance he can get) and Cooper "just waiting for butterflies to fly by".

Cooper loves the art of dragging around Landon's butterfly net and pretending to catch "yadybugs" and "butterflys". "yook, Mom, yook...a yadybug!"

This is how it starts out. Him sitting, table and floor clean...

and this is where it goes only moments later..he can't sit still for 2 seconds. My son got that one from yours truly..

This is our morning routine. Cooper wakes up.."mommy, watch TV"...'drink"..."hungry" He then pulls out his table and chair and sits/climbs while eating his breakfast and watching Sesame Streeet or Super Readers or George. What a cute little munchkin he is! I love this motherhood stuff!

April resolutions...?

So, I'm not doing so good at this blogging stuff, sadly. It so fun to see others and I get all inspired and then...nothing. I feel like a lamo dork. I'm realizing though, reading everybody's blogs, that this could actually kinda be an out for me, a mini journal of crazed thoughts. I'm not so good at expressing my personal,deep feelings. I do really well at plugging on with life reagardless of what it is offering me at the time. Although sometimes I need to just let it out, but again, not so good at that. Well here's to, not a New Year's Resolution cause we all know how those go, but rather a mid-April resolution cause who knows that could be the key to it actually working..ha ha.

Here goes me, myself, and my feelings going on inside this little crazy head of mine...
I really am happy. My life is great, truly. My husband is wonderful and truly my greatest friend and fan. My little Cooper is the light of my life! I just can't get enough of those big brown eyes and Snuffalopogus(or however you spell it) lashes. I feel like a bad Mom sometimes when I don't spend as much time playing with him as I think I should have. (I'm sure we all have that guilt sometimes), but I just want him to know my adoration for him. I love and miss terribly my little girl(tears beginning to swell). I know she is in a wonderful place and that it really isn't that long until I will see her again, but dang it, I wanna talk and play with her now too. How selfish maybe? I am partially jealous cause I am actually kinda grateful I don't have to worry about her in this horribly wicked world, but yet still....I miss her. I know I still have major hormones going on, don't we all ladies..but I, I just want to hold her, kiss her, see her beautiful little face and feel that amazing spirit she has. Wow, seriously amazing spirit. I still feel her with me and it is such a strength. Just weeks after having Kate, I was put into the Young Womens Presidency, which I am so thrilled about, but I feel like between Kate and my calling Satan is doing overtime on me. Its hard to explain, but it kindof exhausts me. Am I making any sense? Probably not, but it kinda feels good to just let it out for a minute so please bear with me.. I am so grateful for a knowledge of the whole plan, for a personal knowledge of our Saviors love and concern for us, cause without it I think it might be so easy to get tired of the fight. I know and feel him helping me and cheering me on. What a blessing.
Sorry to have babbled on, but sometimes you just need that. Thanks...

this is my favorite picture of Kate

Kate Marie Gardner. She was born on Jan 25 and gave us a half an hour with her sweet spirit before returning to her Heavenly Father. She weighed 4 lbs 10 oz, has a ton of black, curly hair, and the cutest little button nose. She is just beautiful and the most precious little thing. We love her and miss her, but are excited to see her again one day soon. Love you Kate!

Baby Kate

Cooper and his cousin Hannah getting into a little flour at Grandmas. They tend to get into mischief together.