Kleven Family Christmas Party

Santa's Elves! These are my dad's cousins and they happen to be brothers. They come from a family of 10 kids! Anyway, they always do a really funny skit for the party and this year they were elves. And yes, they are wearing tights!

My dad always has a corny joke or comment, so the elves cropped him in this picture with the Blue Collar Comedy Tour guys. It was a joke on my dad. It was so funny! He's the second from left, obviously! And sorry to Uncle Richard for having your bald head in the picture!

Daisy's first time to sit on Santa's lap! She did wonderful! She didn't even cry or get scared.

Slade did great too! The past two Christmas' he totally freaked out when he saw Santa. This year I kept telling him that Santa is nice and wants to give him a present. He was really nervous, but he didn't cry!

This is our 2007 Family Christmas Picture. My awesomely talented sister Kendyl took it for us. Skylar had to tickle Slade to get him to smile and it turned out great because then Skylar had a great smile too. Thanks to Ashley for letting Daisy wear one of her hairbows! And thanks again to Kendyl and my friend Kristi for letting me borrow clothes! I would have looked like a frumpy dumpy mom without them.

Kids Christmas Pictures

This morning we took pictures of the Stock side grandkids. We went to Lyndsay's in-laws house because her father in-law is Santa every year and sits in his sleigh in his front yard and waits for kids to come by and get pictures with him. Anyway, we used his sleigh for the pictures. We tried getting matching dresses for the girls, but were not able to do so. Although, it turned out cute anyway. This is just a picture that I took with my camera. I am so not a photographer by any means. From left, Madison (Erin's step-daughter) holding Bostyn (Lyndsay's), Kinley (Erin's) and Slade holding Daisy. She obviously doesn't enjoy sitting like a lady. It was fun and hopefully my mother in-law will be happy with it, as she is using it for her Christmas card. This is not the picture that will be used, but something similar. They are so cute! Poor Slade, the only boy. But then, Daisy is the only girl on the Barnes side.

Wonderful News!

My husband has been testing with many different valley fire departments for our whole married life. Time after time, he received rejection letters. We know it is really hard to get on with any department, and it really comes down to politics when they hire. Meaning, you have to know the right people in order to get a job. Well, on Wednesday the 5th, Skylar received a phone call from the Tempe Fire Chief, and he offered Skylar a job! Skylar was not expecting a call because he had gone thru the whole process with Tempe a year and a half ago and was put on their list that lasts two years. Anyway, he has to pass a CPAT (physical agility test), a physical from a DR. and a background check before he can start the academy in February! We are so excited to start this new adventure in our lives. It about time! So, pending those few tests that have to happen, Skylar will be a firefighter! This blessing couldn't have come at a better time. We are truly blessed!

Single Mom for 8 days!

As you know from my previous post, Skylar went hunting for eight days. I was able to experience what it is like to be a single mom. To my surprise, it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. He ended up staying an extra day because he wasn't having much luck. He saw two Bull Elk, but they were too small, so he passed them up. After that, he didn't see anything! Oh well. He wants to go up to his parents house in Utah and shoot a HUGE one he says. That won't be until next year, and I assume me and the kids would go along. Having Skylar gone during the night was the hardest thing. My worst fear is that someone is going to break into my home while we are all sleeping and steal my kids. So, my kids slept with me every night. Now Daisy won't sleep in her own bed, but at least I was able to sleep peacefully. I took some random pictures because Skylar had the camera and didn't even take one picture!



This is Skylar shortly after getting home. He just shaved off his "hunting hair".(facial hair that keeps him warm) I haven't seen Skylar with his hair long like this, I was wanting him to keep it long and style it cute, but he wasn't going for that. He likes his hair short, really short. This is him telling me that I am crazy for thinking his hair is cute long. What do you think?





Slade in his goggles. He has a tool set that goes with them. He doesn't like it to go any lower on his nose, although they are designed to protect his nose. And he always wants to wear his jacket, even inside the house.





Daisy is still in the stage where she cries every time I leave the room. I think its actually getting worse. I was making dinner last night and had her in the excersauser in the kitchen so she could see me. Obviously, she was very happy about that.

New at our house...

I don't have too many pictures this time because Skylar took the camera scouting over the weekend. And, he is taking it hunting for eight days starting on Thanksgiving, so I won't have any pics until he gets back. Hopefully my next post with pictures will be about Skylar's Bull Elk!?! Because this hunt is a rifle hunt, he is pretty confident that he will "catch one". He hates when I say that. He usually does archery only, so we will see! I was able to capture a few pics before he left...



Skylar borrowed a super awesome two seater quad from a friend and Slade wanted to drive it so bad! I had to lock the garage door because he would go out there by himself and climb up and pretend he was driving it. He would call it a motorcycle, so I taught him how to say quad. Later I asked if he could say quad and he said, "no mom, quad cycle."

I love the fact that my mom is a bargain shopper! She will stop by Goodwill to see if there is anything good and she came across this double stroller! For $25! I absolutely love it! It is so easy to stear and its not heavy at all.

Slade climbed up into the stroller and was watching TV just like that. He is so much like his father!

Be Grateful

Many of you don't know, but my little brother Austin, who is now almost 17, was hospitalized last year after getting GBS, or Guillain-Barre Syndrome. His blog explains it somewhat, and we are all grateful that he is doing great and living life like a normal teenager. I had just found out that I was pregnant with Daisy when he was in the hospital, and I remember thinking how awful I felt with morning sickness. But as my brother lay in his hospital bed not able to move and having to have my dad help him shower and use the bathroom, I felt so selfish and stupid. I couldn't believe I was complaining! It was extremely humbling. As the holidays approach, remember what a wonderful life you have and of all the little things you are grateful for. Happy Holidays!

Busy Week...

These past two weeks have flown by for me! I am finally able to post today! Last Friday, the 9th, Slade turned 2! My neice Bostyn, was blessed two Sunday's ago, so my in-laws came down from Utah, and, being an 8 hour trip, we decided to have a combined birthday party with Slade and Kinley, my other neice, who will be one this weekend. Then, Slade had a Barnes side party on the Saturday after his birthday. He now sings Happy Birthday all the time and carries around his birthday cards and asks if he can go to a party. Anyway, I am helping Skylar get ready for his hunt that is coming up this month. He is going scouting this weekend, and then will be gone for 8 days hunting over Thanksgiving! And, I get to stay home. He is really excited, so I am also trying to be excited for him. It's hard, knowing he will be gone for so long. Hopefully he finds 'the big one' and comes home early. This is a little of what went on the past couple weeks...



Slade is doing quite well at the potty training stuff. He understands what to do, just not when to do it. For his birthday, I took him to McDonald's for lunch and as I was cleaning up the kitchen, he was still in his highchair saying "mom, bee poo poo!" I turned around to find his Happy Meal toy going poo poo in his chocolate milk jug.



This was my latest project. Skylar made me the frame, I painted it, put glass in it and ordered the vinyl from a lady in my ward. It turned out perfect! I love it. It is going in my nook on a wall that has been naked for about 9 months. By the way, it's huge. I tried hanging it, but it was too heavy for the several saw tooth hangers we put on it, so Skylar said he will have to use screws. That is why it is sitting on the floor.

We also made these two frames. We put them in a boutique this past weekend and sold both of them for $65! Yeah! It's a good feeling to know that other people will buy things that you have hand made.

This is my grandpa pushing Slade on the swings at his birthday party. My sister took all of the other pictures with her camera and I haven't gotten them yet, so this is it. He and my grandma are snow birds from Michigan. I believe this is their 12th year coming down. It is fun to have them still be able to play with their great grandkids.