So I'm sick of looking at the same old post on our blog whenever I log in to check someone else's. So here's some random pics that are already on facebook, but at least it will give me something new to look at! Now if only I could remember how to flip the pictures...

1,2,3!

Carter wants to be a scout!

It was that time of year again for our cub scouts--Pinewood Derby! Since Jason and I both now have responsibility for Cub Scouts, we took Carter with us thinking he'd run around like crazy...well, he had so much fun watching the cars race and more especially counting down for them to race, it was so cute!

Cheesy, we know. Jason is really proud of his "friendship knot" on his neckerchief...

Future scout!

Can't wait for spring!

I do a little music class once a week with some friends from church and our nursery age children. Here's a few pics of Carter playing at music class. He's always the wildest one..! We use this little sombrero for our Mexican hat dance. It actually sits on the floor and the kids dance around it, but they usually like to try it on, too! This next one is a song that you do with your teddy bear, that's why the kids have animals on their heads!

When he chooses to participate, Carter knows just what to do!

It was deceptively warm looking today...supposed to be in the 50's and it is, but the sun keeps hiding behind the clouds and it is really windy at the park! But ya know, once you've made the effort to get to the park, you have to stay and play a while!

Carter loves the swings, I have to lure him away with the promise of a snack.

Happy birthday Carter!

Contrary to his expression here, Carter had a grand time at his birthday party! He seriously ran, jumped and laughed for 3 hours straight! He is such a delight--so smart and playful and compassionate. He can count to 13 all by himself; he sings and asks me to sing with him constantly; when someone is sad or another kid is crying he walks over very concerned and says, "what's wrong? It's okay." I know it's so cliche, but it's really hard to believe he's already 2. I seriously can hardly remember when he was a baby. I guess that means it's time for another one--we think so, too! Here is the Elmo cake I made...it took forever to frost, but it's kind of fun!

Carter was so funny opening presents, he wanted to play with what he opened right away and it was torture making him open the other presents...that'll change before too long I think!

Carter and Ixchel blowing on noise makers--there was a lot of spit swapping I'm afraid.

Three cheers for Carter, our darling little boy!

I always felt bad for people when their basement flooded...

And then it happened to us! Well the electric breaker or whatever that the sump pump was linked to decided to stop working on a rainy, snow-melty night and we had a wet basement as a result. It was an inch deep in the more sloped parts, but we were really lucky that the basement isn't finished and most of our stuff was on shelves anyway. It was just a pain to roll up and remove the carpet scraps we had down there. Wet carpet is heavy!

It's fun to dress up!

So we had this Murder Mystery dinner game night and some fun friends dressed up with us.  The setting was supposed to be 1936 England at a country mansion.  My grandparents graciously let us use their home which has a "parlor" and the dining room is separated from the kitchen.  The game itself was somewhat of a letdown--it was really complicated and a little risque...but the company was fabulous!  Here are the Howards--Gil was Dr. Malcolm "Mal" Praktiss, and Sandi was an actress, we'll leave out her name...

Jason was a lawyer/golfer nicknamed "Pro" and I was the victim's secretary, a feminist whose initials were "ERA".
These are the Smiths--Tara was a famous novelist nicknamed "Ali" Biye.  Kevin was a mountaineer and the murderer!

The Belnaps--Kellee was a former model, now famous rich wife named "Flo" Wing Brooks, and her husband was a banker "Donny" Brooks.  I'm just glad they all have a sense of humor--that's exactly why we invited them!

Makin Jerky

Grandmother and Grandfather Guffey have come up with a fabulous recipe  for jerky that we've all been hooked on for quite some time.  It is a lot of work to make though, and so this year Dad decided to take over the process--with supervision of course.
Carter thinks this is Curious George...
oh the gore!
Grandfather supervising.
all I have to say is, don't shake hands with any of these people!  It sure was tasty guys!

I'm sorry to any who check on our blog how pitifully rarely anything is posted.  But it feels like too much work to post pictures and all that...so I just avoid it.  Anyway, I thought I'd just add a tidbit here.  I've just been thinking how much I love my little boy.  He is so so precious.  And I know all moms and dads think the same about their little ones and isn't that great?  It is the way it should be.  I love Carter's little giggles, his pure enjoyment of reading with me, his intense scrutiny as he concentrates on building an even higher tower of mega blocks,  the way he so eagerly reaches for his milk that he is bouncing on his tiptoes...  What a pleasure to witness his childish innocence.  I've been feeling somewhat frustrated lately that he doesn't like to stay at the childcare place at the gym while I do a group class, but then again, how can I be upset with him?  I'm not.  He's just used to having me all to himself every day, as he should be, and it's not really fair for me to suddenly drop him off in a strange new place and run away to exercise.  So instead of feeling frustrated today after he only lasted 15 minutes in the playroom before I was summoned to his rescue, I just felt so blessed that he loves me that much.  It is my bliss.

Ode to my husband

Well, I have to blame this on all of you out there who write sweet posts about your spouse and then leave those less dedicated and less creative bloggers like myself looking just a teensy bit bad...  I can't tell you the number of times Jason has hinted, ever so subtly, that so and so writes about her husband, isn't that sweet??  Well I hate having him feel left out, so I must tell everyone who stumbles across our sad little blog page, that I DO love my husband!  He is the most wonderful, faithful, hard-working, and not to mention, the HOTTEST man I know.  I am so blessed that he is in my life.  I can imagine my life without him--and it would be tremendously sad and lacking.  He is so good to me, humoring all my silly ideas and attempts at cooking.  He is such a good Daddy--Carter is a very fortunate boy and so dearly loved.  He is my anchor amidst life's stormy waters.  He is my love.

We are still crazy about each other.

One of the things I like best about Jason is his humility.  He's always looking for enlightenment...not to mention he has a great sense of humor...

What can I say...he lights up my life!

I like to think we're a good team, but really he is the strength, pulling me through the tough times and encouraging me through the rest.  I don't think there's been a day that's gone by in our marriage when he hasn't told me that I'm beautiful.  Now I know I don't always act or look beautiful, but he is like my Johnny Lingo, telling me what he sees because he always believes in me.  I love you honey!

Carter's favorite part--stuffing his mouth with sugar. He loves suckers.

Mommy and Daddy are so weird. But it's fun to be weird sometimes!

Dig that fro daddy!

Carter's not so sure he wants any part in all this...

"Umpkin!"

Ever wonder what Gini would look like as a blonde? Well, I think I'm a brunette for a reason... I don't know how I get talked into these things, but I dressed up as a princess for Livi's daughter's third birthday. Ixchel LOVES princesses and had a little tea party and all her little friends dressed up like princesses to come. I think I'll have to ask for compensation if I ever do this again..! Carter was totally WEIRDED OUT by the whole thing and officially thinks girls are SILLY.

This was the coolest part of the hike...the BEAR!

Reunion cont'd

the grandkids at the petting zoo where we rode horses
that bear is about twice as big as the one we saw
yeehaw!
Elijah, me and the cowboy

the results of the previous evening's pedicure session

Reunion

This beauty is Ammon, slumbering peacefully into the afternoon...
Part of one of the skits at the variety show--that's Sarah with the notebook, Heidi in the green, Gini in the red, Ammon and Jason to the left
Amy and Chad in their aged costume for their skit

sisters just do each other's hair when they get together. That's Amy doing Sarah's with Rachael sitting by. The Tim Guffey grandkids as still as they could be for a photo shoot. From the left: Sean, Carter, Alex, Elijah, Annabelle, Kaylee, McKayla, and Kacie.

reunion in Gatlinburg

hiking up to Grotto Falls--not such a good idea to go on a 45 minute hike with a heavy wiggly boy on your back! He hated the trip up...
Finally free of the backpack!
Carter had a blast playing in the icy water and was soon soaked.
Not much of a waterfall, but it was August.

Cool, llamas waiting for us at the trail end!

some of summer

Carter found his nose...and was pretty excited that his fingers fit right in those holes!

Aww, how appropriate! While at the Columbus temple on their 64th anniversary, we happened upon this car that said just married! Sweet family
Daddy's boy
Jason looking studly as best man for David.

To be a kid again

I love playing. It's great that now I have a child so I can play and look legitimate, like I'm just playing because he needs a playmate. Truth be told, I can't wait until he's old enough to ask to go to the park everyday and go on picnics and play in the sprinkler. I almost feel like I'm making him do those things now, just cuz I want to! But come on, who ever gets tired of playgrounds? I was just telling Kerrie, they should really make adult-size playgrounds-- you know they'd get plenty of use.

Mommy kind of forced Daddy to ride the dinosaur with Carter so I could get this picture. I think he's a little more self-conscious.
Carter is very curious about the water and the ducks, shoulder ride became mandatory to ensure dry baby.
So fun, Kerrie's little boy Caiden is 2 months and a day younger than Carter. I think he's a little taller than our boy, though!

Ice cream cones

Mmm, I think I like this thing mommy! How come I've never had it before?!
Like mother, like son...oh now we've done it, he'll never want anything good for him again!
Yummy yummy! It's great, he likes the cone so much it'll entertain him for 20 minutes in the stroller while we go jogging!
Out to eat at Montgomery Inn with the fam.
Hey no fair dada, you stole my binky!

Lemonade

Thought it was lemons, but it turned out to be lemonade...

Rules:Copy and paste these rules to your blog post.* Link back to person who tagged you.* Write about an incident in your life you first thought was really bad, but ended up being a blessing.* Tag people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs.* Let each person you tagged know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

When Jason and I got married, I was going to school at BYU in Provo, UT and he was in Idaho. We decided to live in Cincinnati, although it would be a pain to transfer credits and we ended up doing more time in school than we could've gotten away with had we stayed out west. But it just felt right to live at home in Cinci. So after we realized how frustrating the whole school -credits-getting into new programs process was, we really wondered, why didn't we stay at BYU?! We didn't have to wonder too long, though. We found out Jason's dad (Mike) had lung cancer about a year and a half later. It would have been really awful to be living in Utah while he was here in Ohio and not knowing how much time he had left and not being able to be with him. So we got to spend a lot of time with him that we otherwise would have missed because we stayed in Ohio. That time and those memories are obviously irreplaceable and trump any inconvenience in transferring and making up credit hours. We're thankful that Heavenly Father led us to make the right decision in moving back home. Mike hung in there until Carter was born and died on Easter Sunday last year. We really miss him and are sad that Carter will not get to play with his Grandpa and learn his handyman ways. But we know we will see him again and are grateful for the comfort that gives.

Alicia tagged me www.homestate.blogspot.com and I tag

Katie www.penderclan.blogspot.com

Kerrie www.quillinfam.blogspot.com

Mom www.timguffeyfamily.blogspot.com

and anyone else who wants to share!

bedtime ritual

playtime

Carter checking out his new toy Daddy so cutely set up with his stuffed animal friends. Carter LOVES his animals, he carrys them around and lays on them and hugs them, so sweet!
He thinks it's pretty great!
He is a pro at the slide already!

Carter looks like he's scheming on some devious plan for mommy...
No, not my sweet little boy!

Heeeey hillbilly! Carter's first ridin' mower experience. He was scared of the noise until he got to ride on dada's lap. Yes, the hood is missing...but it gets the job done a whole lot faster! yep, I think we're done dada.

Just love the weather here in Ohio...not!

Our big snowstorm of the year--check out the 5 foot drifts on the deck!
Very pretty, just really glad I didn't have to be at work! Although, I had to work the night it started and Dad waited up for me to get off work at 11:45pm and picked me up in GM's 4wheel drive Tahoe--my hero!
Thought it would be fun to take Carter to an Easter egg hunt...bad idea. It was packed and most kids walked away with an empty basket (Carter didn't stand a chance!), it was FREEZING and windy and muddy...I hate it when the weather doesn't cooperate.
Da-da kept Carter warm.
Grandma came over on Easter Sunday.

Blessings

I watched the most touching video online today about a baby who had a birth defect and lived only 99 days. His parents kept a video diary of each day he lived, not knowing how many precious days he would survive. It ends with the dad saying goodbye for now and that he knew they would only be separated for the rest of his earthly life. Especially at this Easter time, it is such a sweet and powerful reminder of the blessing of Christ's atonement and resurrection--that we will see our loved ones who have passed on again, that we will all live again, thanks to the wonderful gift our Savior has given us. I urge anyone who hasn't seen this video to watch it, it is so wonderful. I got so choked up, but I felt so good inside knowing that God loves each of us, His children, so much. Here is the link:
http://www.ignitermedia.com/products/iv/singles/570/99-Balloons
I am so grateful for my sweet little baby and the miracle that he is. Heavenly Father is so incredible to share these sweet spirits with us for a time!

Laughing Carter

Don't know what it is about a laughing baby that always makes me grin, but if you're feeling blue watch this. I bet you'll be smiling soon!

Carter's birthday party

Aww, our little boy is no baby anymore!
This is post-cake, notice the sweater is gone...soaking in the sink to get the chocolate out, but it was worth it!
He's just realizing mommy slipped a hat on him and he wants it off!
The man of the hour, stomping through his territory!
Playing with Ixchel. The yellow blur is the huge rubber duckie Grandmother and Grandfather gave him, he loves to pick it up and throw it down and burst out laughing! He's starting to quack, too!

Carter's birthday party

SNAP! Watch out Ammon!
party animals!
Andy and his little sidekick. For the record, she wanted to wear pink.
It was pretty hard to get Carter to look at the camera with all the noisemakers going off.
A little cake got his attention though. He couldn't figure out how to get it all in his mouth at the same time!

Family time

we're so glad when daddy comes home! glad as we can be..!
Carter would not let anyone else hold him but Ammon, he really loves his uncle!

On Carter's first birthday

This is so cool, I can bang on it, it reflects me and I can climb on it, too!
What is this big yellow thing?
I kind of like sitting here.
When there weren't 20 other kids crawling up it, Carter gave the slide a try.
Ready to swim!

On Carter's birthday, Jason was supposed to be out of town, but the snowstorm the night before cancelled his flight and we were all together on his big day. We took him to the mall where they had an indoor playplace and to swim at a gym we have a free trial membership at, we think he had a pretty good time!

more hodgepodge

some of Carter's first unsteady steps
He's such a helper, he likes to do laundry!
What a happy explorer he is! And what a drooler!

hodgepodge

Goofing around with his little turtle walker, this thing really helped him pick up walking speed! He's wearing a vest Livi made for him, isn't it nice?!

Carter did remarkably well at the bowling alley, as long as we kept him well fed...

Oh Carter loves all his pretty aunts!

Carter's first Christmas

We're sitting on the new mattress set Jason got me for Christmas, very nice!
Ooh dada, what is that? Can I eat it?!
At Nana's house, Carter kept trying to eat the ball on Jason's Santa hat.

He'll shoot us for this one in a few years..! But he's such a pretty little boy!

Can't start too early! Hopefully Carter will stick with piano longer than Mommy did.
Buddies.

Visit with Jason's mission companion David

David and Kristina, the REAL reason he came to Cincinnati.
comps-lifelong buddies
Keeping baby warm.

Bath time!

Who loves the bath? Carter does! He thinks it's hilarious when you hit him with a tidal wave and you should probably wear a poncho if you're the lucky one bathing him...

Carter and Grandma having a good time.

Carter getting ready for Christmas

Thanksgiving

Carter likes Ixchel, she's not so sure about this little bald man who wants to hold her hand...!
Uh, are you sure she can handle me? I'm a squirmy worm!
It just wouldn't be Thanksgiving without the Avilas! We love you guys!
Grandpa Hammer and Carter getting to know each other a little better.
Grandma Ruth with her grandson and great-grandson.

catching up...

Oh what fun it is to play at Sharon Woods!Especially with Uncle Ammon, Carter just adores him!
Horsing around with David Naranjo, one of Jason's mission companions in Spain who came to visit.
Post-bath happy baby, getting ready to take a chew on whatever happens to be nearby...

So we haven't posted anything in a while...not that we haven't been taking pictures or anything, it's just that dial-up is soooo SLOW! Good news, we finally got high speed! And Carter is asleep so I can post something in peace. So I'll try catching up a little bit, these pics are a little old, but I'll get to the present eventually.

Our House

For those who haven't come to visit us yet (ahem... and you know who you are), here are a few photos of the house we bought a year ago.

Carter Laughing

Here is Daddy getting Carter to giggle a little. The video is a bit outdated... Carter no longer laughs when we sneeze or shake our heads, but he loves to be tickled!

Carter's looking more like Daddy all the time!

More Carter

And now Rachael will do the duck dance... Uncle Ammon and Nana hold a finally awake Carter.

Aunt Sarah loves Carter. 3 generations of Forbes boys.

Pretty in pink! Aunt Rachael, Cousin Kaylee and Aunt Amy.
Ben and Brittany.

Amy and Chad.
Cousin Elijah likes baby Carter.
Nana, Aunt Rachael and sleeping Carter.

Carter is surprisingly at ease in the arms of Sean and McKayla..!
Snoozin' and again...

Carter doesn't mind car rides.
Uncle Ben and Grandmother feeding me.

Getting sleepy The new family

Great-grandparents for the umpteenth time!

Babies can tame even the wildest! Cousin Alex was very sweet, singing "I am a Child of God" to Carter all on his own.

Mommy finally gets to hold her little boy.
Proud Poppi.

Grandpa Forbes, all choked up.
Arrgh! Carter doing the pirate face, Mommy with just a swollen, tired face.

First look at baby Carter!

Introducing Carter! Getting checked out...

Is it over yet?
8 pounds even
C-section and I still got a conehead!

Aww, what a sweet mommy!

What a sweet sister! Keeping my hair out of my face turned out to be a really good thing since I got so sick during the c-section.
The soon-to-be parents--well, soon is a relative term when you're in labor Jason all suited up for the OR

Ahh, the epidural effect...

Carter loves to mimic Mommy and Daddy's faces!

Do I know you?

Carter loves to cuddle, if you can get him to wake up!

Of all the Daddy's I could have had, I get this one?

Just hanging out with Dad...

What's Carter looking at? Post your response - best guess gets ten extra credit points!

Our Little Carter

This photo pretty well summarizes the past few weeks!

More pictures to follow...