Kaiden Portraits '09

Here are some of my favorites from Kaidens pictures this year. I think they turned out pretty good! Hope you like them!

Jocelynn is turning 11!

Well, tomorrow is Jocelynn's 11th birthday! I can hardly believe how grown up she is now and how beautiful! Here are some of her new portraits, I thought it was appropriate to have them done right around her birthday! I hope you enjoy them. It was so hard to narrow it down to just a few! I have 50 of my favorites posted on Facebook! lol

Sisters & Vegas Baby!

So this past week I had the opportunity to take another little overnight trip to Las Vegas! My friends Wendy & Diane were going down with Diane's daughter Jill for the Memorial Day weekend. Wendy really wanted me to come down too so I flew down Sunday morning and then drove back to Utah with them on Monday afternoon. I had so much fun the last time and was really looking forward to enjoying such a fun city again! The morning I got in we went to an awesome breakfast buffet and then headed back to the hotel for Wendy, Diane and Jill to get some rest before heading out on the town for the evening! I wasn't that tired so I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to go and visit my sister Stephanie and her family. They are in Las Vegas for the summer while Britton (Stephanie's husband) is interning at a law firm there. They are staying pretty close to the hotel where we were so I just borrowed Wendy's car and headed over to see them for a few hours. I had a great time and Jack was so adorable showing me all of his toys and we played and he asked me where Brenna was about a hundred times! He is just the cutest thing! So while I was there I decided it was a good time to get some pictures of me and Stephanie together. We haven't done that in such a long time! I also got some cute pictures of Stephanie just being pregnant! Here are some of my favorites!

Here is an adorable picture of Jack


Here is a pic of Steph... I know her eyes are closed but she's still cute!


She so cute while she's being pregnant.


Here is a picture of mom... I MEAN STEPHANIE!!! LOL Just kidding but doesn't she look like mom in this picture!


Here are some sister pictures!






So back at the hotel after visiting Stephanie I took some pictures of us getting ready for the night!









Here is a video that I took of the fountain show at the Bellagio, it was fabulous!

Bellagio Fountain Show

I also had to post proof that we actually do get out in the daytime in Las Vegas!
Wendy and I went and got some hena tatoo's for her. We both got them last time but this time I didn't really want to but we went to a different place this time and they turned out SO much nicer than last time!! So I kind of wish I had gotten one this time! LOL! Oh well, maybe next time! After we killed some time letting her hena's dry a bit we headed to this Indian buffet that was close by on the strip there and had lunch before leaving town. We were the ONLY white people in the whole HUGE restaurant but it was so awesome to be such a minority! The food was really good but we kind of figured it would be considering the astonishing concentration of Indian people that were there! The last picture here is a picture of this great mural that was painted on the wall in the restaurant.

Rich and I got AWAY!

Rich and I got to do something I've been dreaming of for years and years! We took a long weekend and went on a little trip ALONE, without any kids! I was excited to go on our trip but I was SO worried about leaving the kids and both of us being away from them at the same time for so long! We've never both been away from them for more than 1 night and even then, we weren't usually allowed to take more than 12 hours at the MOST(that's a whole other story, though) accept for when my sister watched the kids for us last year! We went several years (like 5) without taking even a night to ourselves (part of the other story) and even very rarely get to go out on dates. I know that most couples go on dates once a week or at least every few weeks or so but getting Rich to take me out on a date, just the two of us, more than once every two or three months is like an act of congress!
So I had a work thing that I took time off for that ended up being postponed and Rich had taken the time that I was going to be gone off to be home with the kids. Since I no longer had to go we decided to take a little trip together! Even though I was aprehensive to leave the kids at first, we had such a great time! We had a few things planned that were completely ruined by the fact that the entire time we were there it was rainy and cold and then it snowed the day we left! But we got to visit some old haunts and eat fantastic food (as always)! We're hoping to go back to NC with the kids this summer on vacation and do all the normal stuff and hopefully it won't be 40 degrees and rainy/snowy! Here are a few pictures we got while we were out there.

While we were there I got to see my cousin Jimmy and his boys! Here is a picture of him with his youngest boy Evan. He is 18 months old!



This is a picture of Jimmy's oldest son Austin who just turned 3 last month!



Here we are on Sunday of our trip! (imagine me singing) "Ju-ust the two of us!"



Here is another one that we got someone to take of us in front of the Cape Fear River. We had a lovely walk down town even though it was a little chilly and rainy. It was nice to be home and really have the time to take things in at our own pace!

Jocelynn & Kaiden Dance!

Ok so Jocelynn and Kaiden had a little dance program at school. They learned different dances. Kaiden learned the Fox Trot and Jocelynn learned Lindy Hop. It was soooooo adorable! Kaiden danced with a girl and I couldn't stand it it was so CUTE! Anyway, here are some videos of them dancing! Jocelynn really seems to have it down but the poor boy she's dancing with... well... poor kid! Hope you enjoy the videos as much as I did!!! Oh and I couldn't get them to upload here to blogger so I had to up load them to YouTube and post a link. Sorry about that!

Here is Jocelynn! (Dancing with a BOY!!)



Here is Kaiden! (Dancing with a GIRL!! Could this be cuter!???!!)

25 Random things about Becky

Rules: Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose people to be tagged. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you!

1)I'm thinking very seriously about having my name legally changed.

2)I am an absolute freak about the TV show Friends. I have all 10 seasons on DVD and can NOT watch the episodes out of order. I also play Friends trivia almost everyday on facebook while I work. I rank pretty high too!

3)Music can change my mood in seconds! I don't listen to much country music because I don't like to be depressed.

4)If I couldn't read I think I would be completely devistated.

5)Speaking of reading, I've read the Harry Potter series between 10 & 12 times all the way through. With the exception of book 5 which I've only read 6 times, book 6, I've read 5 times & book 7 which I've only read 4 times.

6)I read books over and over and over if I like them. I mark the inside cover of all of the books I own each time I read it because one day when I'm gone and my children or grandchildren inherit my most treasured books I want them to be able to open the inside cover and see how many times I read that book. (Yes, I know how much of a freak that makes me!)

7)A long, hot bath and a locked bathroom door are two of my best friends!

8)I have been married to my husband for almost 12 years and I'm still just as in love with him (if not more so)as I was when we first got married.

9)I really miss the whole being pregnant/giving birth/new baby experience.

10)My husband and I joke that I am the guy and he is the girl.

11)I have the most beautiful children in the world...SERIOUSLY! They ARE! Well, I think they are. There are 4 wonderful kids, 2 girls and 2 boys. Jocelynn 10, Kaiden 9, Brenna 3, Sawyer 2

12)I have noticed lately that most of the celebreties that I find attractive bare a striking resemblance to my husband! LOL

13)I enjoy working and do it because I want to, not because I have to. Though, I do believe it is time for a change of departments. I like having a job that challenges me and gives me variety.

14)I have two sisters that are younger than my own two oldest children. One sister is 6 months younger than Jocelynn and one sister is 4 months younger than Kaiden. (Each are from different parents & their respective spouses)

15)There are only 2 scents that drive me crazy in a sexual way one is kind of ordinary... Cool Water cologne. The other one is a little odd... it's Rich's deoderant!lol I also love the natural smell of his breath (not his morning breath lol)

16)I often start singing or humming songs, that are playing in my head, mid-conversation with out realizing it.

17)No one is more important in my life that Richard and my kids.

18)My friend Wendy tells me that I should include the fact that I have a good eye for makeup. I can usually just look at someone and tell what "season" they are, what colors would look good on them, that kind of thing.

19)I used to work on film crews when I was young and have even dated a few celebreties (before they were really, really famous)

20) I wonder where propriety went in our society? I am quite certain it is mostly lost. A very sad thing indeed.

21) I drink out of a straw in a weird way... I didn't realize it was odd until I was a teenager and one of my boyfriends teased me mercilessly about it.

22) I am very, very excited for my first ever weekend getaway with my husband! (we've never been away from our kids alone together for more than one night) I leave tomorrow! YAY!

23) My music tastes are shocking to most people that know me. (I don't know why!??!! lol)

24) My first kiss with Richard wasn't until AFTER we decided to get married! (a little odd for me)

25) Well, this one I'm going to have to keep to myself. It's a secret.

Richard's wonderful talent!

Every year we exchange gifts within our respective families. This year on the Stout side of the family we had Keri in the exchange. Several years ago Rich started to make Keri a quilt rack because he knew she wanted one. He never actually got around to finishing it, what with his busy schedule and all... This is the first year we've had Keri in many years of gift exchanges and I thought it would be the perfect opportunity for him to finish the quilt rack to give her. It turned out soooooo beautiful that I am a little jealous!!! ;) Anyway, here are some pictures of it and a chance, once again, for me to brag about how very talented and wonderful my husband is! Isn't it fantastic!!??