This is how Bode reads...

Thought I would share....

This is how our little Bode reads...

Pretty good, huh? He is learning so well.

My book budget (not that I ever had one) has just increased!

Pumpkin Patch

I was feeling a little brave last week and thought I would venture out to the pumpkin patch. We have a darling one kind of by our home. It has a corn maze and a ton of pumpkins to choose from, and quite cheap too. I thought it would be something fun for the kids to do on the beautiful day that it was. Every year that I had been before it was a disaster, and I am not sure why I didn't think it would be this year too....I guess I had my fingers crossed that it would work out okay...but no, it was crazy!

First, we made our way to all the cool tractors they have. They let the kids play on them and just explore. Coop thought they were pretty cool, Bode wasn't quite sure and Peiton was scared of them...we got away from the tractors.
We thought we would go to the corn maze first, that actually turned out great! The kids loved it!

After we got through with the corn maze, it was off to choose our pumpkins. It started going well until Peiton fell and would not quit screaming...I think she was scared of the pumpkins too. Bode thought he would run all around the pumpkin patch, which is hard to chase him carrying a screaming Peiton and pushing a wheelbarrow full of pumpkins. Thank goodness Coop is always up for chasing Bode and Jacki was able to help me push the wheelbarrow.

So we have Bode running all over the pumpkin patch, going into the corn maze and Peiton screaming bloody murder...I was READY to go!

Cute Cooper! Always so good!

Peiton screaming bloody murder!

We tried to get a good group shot before we left. Bode wouldn't look at the camera, Peiton wouldn't sit down because she was screaming and scared of the tractor and it was very difficult to get all the kids to look at the camera at one time...this is the best we could do.

Next year, I think I just might not go, or make sure Collin is with me....

Dressed in White

I can't believe the time came for Cooper to get baptized...it came up WAY to fast!
We have been trying to prepare him for this day and I think he was so ready. I thought he might be a little nervous just because that is the way he gets when he is doing something new, but he did great! The day was awesome!

Cooper and Collin before the baptism

We had a great baptism program. Cooper choose the speakers and all the musical numbers and everyone did such a great job. We had a lot of family and friends there to support Coop and we appreciated it so much. I love days that you are just surrounded by love ones, the day could go on and on it is so great.

Mom, dad and Cooper

He looked so handsome in his tie!

Cooper with Grandma and Grandpa Van Wagoner

Cooper with Grandpa and Grandma Richards

Cooper with Great Grandma and Grandpa Johnson

Cooper with Great Grandma Van Wagoner





After the baptism everyone was invited to a luncheon over at our house...yummm!

Everyone pitched in and helped bring something and it turned out delicious and fun. It was great to chat with family and friends.

Thanks everyone for coming and supporting our family, once again...we loved having you there.

And Cooper, I am so proud of you for making the choice to get baptized and I am so proud of the daily choices you make that make you the GREAT kid you are!

I love you!

Back in Black!

On Saturday Bode had is 3rd Buddy Walk, it was awesome! It was by far the best Buddy Walk we have been to. Our new president Mandy did an awesome job. The best part about it was that Bode had the MOST buddies! O'yeah, he won!! He had 112 buddies, 112 buddies...that rocks! He took home one of the new ipod Shuffles, he thinks that shuffle is pretty sweet.

The Buddy Walk started off with a great carnival! It was done by a down syndrome boy trying to earn his Eagle project, how awesome is that? Pretty sweet! He also threw the best carnival yet! The kids came home with tons of Ty Beanie babies, candy, chips, balloons, cotton candy, popcorn, you name it, they got it. They also had a few inflatable slides for the kids to play on and TONS of activities to do. It was great.

We started the walk after the carnival, it was short and sweet and a ton of fun. It was really amazing to see all of Bode's buddies dressed in black or wearing their black bandannas. It brought tears to my eyes several times. Everyone was so enthusiastic about being there and just seemed like they had a great time.

After the walk we were served yummy Red Robin hamburgers, they were yummalicious! I gobbled mine right up.

After the lunch they had a NICE program. This was when the Bodester got his prize for having the most buddies. They also spotlighted each of the children with downs and had them run the bases on the baseball field. The Brighton baseball team, Miss Sandy and the SUU cheerleaders were all there to cheer them on, it was great!

This year they had a little pearl necklace for all the moms and grandmas, it was really neat. The things they said before they gave each of us the necklace just reminded of how special these little kids are and how LUCKY I am to be a mother to one. I LOVE Bode so much!

They then finished off with a raffle, they had some pretty cool stuff to raffle away, we didn't win any of the really neat stuff, but we did win a few things. It was a great Buddy Walk and we appreciate all the effort that went into it.

We also would like to thank ALL of Bode's buddies that came and supported him. It means a ton to us! We know Saturdays are busy and it takes a lot out of they day to put this little guy first, we really appreciate it. We are so grateful for your continuous support and helping us raise this special little guy. We can't thank you enough!! And thank you to all that donated money that couldn't make it or still made it and donated extra money. Us and the UDSF appreciate it all!

YOU ROCK!

Here is a little (not really little, it is like 9 minutes long) but it just shows how much fun everyone had! Thanks again!