The Carney Family

Saturday, March 8, 2008

Shopping

This is another post where I am needing some advice... For those of you who know me, I'm not much of a shopper. I have either had my mom, sister, or good friend Nikki help me out with my struggle to shop. Well, I'm almost back down to my goal weight and after clearing out my closet of outdated styles, I am on a mission to go shopping. But... I don't know where to start. Please leave some advice on good places to shop, some tips/strategies you might use to pick out clothes, etc. I'm serious, I am really bad at shopping and after looking at my old wardrobe, I need to be more up-to-date. Also should I look for ideas and bring pictures with me or do I just write down a list of what I'm looking for? Please leave comments! -Tiff

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Laundry Advice?

So, our belt in our dryer broke and we won't be able to get it fixed for a whole week! I attempted to hang dry clothes today but they all turned out really stiff. And the towels feel horrible! I looked online to get ideas on how to air dry clothes (pathetic right?) and it didn't mention anything special. Does anyone have any advice? I don't know if I need a different detergent to make the fabric softer? Please leave your comments/advice! -tiff

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Baby Bumblebee!

Little Freeman loves acting out songs, and this is him acting out the Bumblebee song.

Dedicated to Grandma Jolene

Big Boy Bed

Nathan is growing like a weed so it's almost time to move him into the crib so we needed Freeman to start transitioning over to the toddler bed. We were going to have him take naps first, but one night I was getting him ready for bed and he went to the toddler bed. I thought, might as well give it a try, so we did our bedtime routine and I tucked him in. It was a success! He's been sleeping in the "Big Boy Bed" for almost two weeks and we are so proud of him. Here is a picture of him sleeping in the bed his first night! I'm so proud!

Sleeping Brothers

I was holding Nathan and Freeman was trying to crawl all over me for attention. Finally I asked him if he wanted to cuddle with me to. So while I had Nathan in my left arm, I had my right arm around Freeman. I was making faces at Nathan and talking to him, when I noticed Freeman started to lean more into me and then practically roll against me... He fell asleep! I moved him off of me and then noticed Nathan started to doze off. I then layed Nathan next to Freeman and they took a 30 minute nap. I had to get a picture of this and thought they looked so sweet! I love our boys!

Saturday, February 9, 2008

Erickson Visit

This past week we went to the Wildlife World Zoo and had the chance to feed the giraffes. It was such a fun experience and we were laughing so hard. If you look closely at the picture you can see how long the giraffe's tongue is... We would try to drop the food on it's tongue but it would get our hand and curl it's tongue around it which was the wierdest feeling!

Mom and Freeman racing down the slide.

Little Freeman loves slides. He will wait at the top and say, "2,3, slide!" and then slide down. This was one of his favorite things at the zoo. Kids are so funny.

Freeman and Tohbi anxiously waiting for Grandma and Grandpa Erickson, and Uncle Nick to come over.

Grandma and Grandpa Erickson holding Nathan and Freeman after Nate's blessing.

Don't trust a kid with a Snack Pack...

Little Freeman is going through the stage where he wants to be independent so he likes to feed himself. He has been doing a great job lately so I gave him a Pudding Snack Pack and a spoon and started making dinner. Occasionally I would turn around and check on him and he was doing fine. Well I continued to cook and started thinking to myself, "This is so nice I can finally cook dinner without waiting on him hand and foot." I finished cooking and turned around and this is what I saw. What a stinker.

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Nathan's Blessing

This past Sunday we had the opportunity to bless Nathan. This is an ordinance when the Dad gives the baby a name and a blessing. The name is recorded and the blessing is a prayer that is inspired by the Holy Ghost. For example Freeman prayed before giving the blessing to know what to say and also during the blessing some things just came to him so it was included. It was a beautiful blessing and I am so proud of my husband for being a worthy priesthood holder so he is able to give our children blessings and that he is such a great example for them. I am thankful for my children and how sweet and loving they are. I am also thankful for our families that love and support our family and these important events in our lives.

Friday, January 11, 2008

Our Smiling Nathan

Here is our Nathan showing off his cute smile. He had his first smile at 5 weeks, but in this video of him at 7 weeks, you can see him get excited and smile.

This is a Classic

Little Free loves playing with the basketball hoop that Daddy gave him for Christmas. If you listen closely you can hear Freeman saying his new phrase, "Whoa Baby" and "Shoot" (for shoot the basketball). Then of course our favorite is after he shoots, watch closely!

Sunday, January 6, 2008

The Holidays

Here's Nathan! I was trying to get a picture of his cute little smile, but you know how kids are in front of cameras...

Here is a hyper Freeman after riding on his rocking horse that Great Grandma got him.

Little Freeman loves to ride on people's back to play horsie. Here is a picture of him trying to get Aunt Nadia to be a Horsie. And it worked. He even got Grandma Homenick to be a horsie!

Little Freeman enjoying a present from Grandma D.

We went to the Wildlife Zoo to see the Christmas Lights and we couldn't pass up a carousel ride for Little Free. We also got to go to the petting
zoo and feed the goats and deer. Tiff discovered a quirky new fear at the petting zoo... Bambi! We've been watching to many "Animals Gone Wild" or something but those deer made her squirm!

Grandma D with our little chunk! He is a growing boy! He will be turning 2 months in a week!

Here is little Freeman playing with Percy the Train on Dad's leg.

Sunday, December 16, 2007

Christmas Program

Last night was our family's first acting debut. Freeman and I were Joseph and Mary, and Nathan was Baby Jesus in our Christmas Program at church. Nathan did a great job sleeping through it and in the spotlight he truly looked like a little angel. Little Freeman was in the audience and we could hear him yelling out, "Baby! Mom, Dad?" It was a great experience for us all.

Saturday, November 17, 2007

Nathan and Family

Grandma Jolene

Dad and Nathan

Tiff, Freeman, Nathan, Grandpa Peter & Aunt Nadia

Nathan sleeping away

Uncle Nick and Nathan

Nathan Aaron Carney

Nathan's finally here! He was born on Monday at 10:08 am, and was 7lbs. 11 ounces and 20 inches long.

We went in Monday morning to get induced, and they started the 1st gel at 7:30 am. Right away Tiff started having a contraction that was lasting a few minutes but luckily it started to let up. The nurse offered an epidural but Tiff wanted to wait because she didn't want to seem like a wimp after just 20 minutes. Well, unfortunately she only had a 20 minute window of that opportunity and the baby came to fast for any pain medication, so after a lot of screaming and three pushes, out came Nathan!

Wednesday, October 3, 2007

Just for Dad- Free at 8 months

I know this video is old, but I think Little Free is so cute. He used to talk to himself or make sounds when we weren't around and he would think it was so funny when we caught him. I taped this for Daddy Freeman because "DaDa" was one of Little Free's favorite sounds to make. I hope you enjoy this as much as we do!

Thoughts by Little Freeman

Freeman always cracks me up with some of his comments and questions. Here are some that make me laugh.

I have attempted to make a garden and there is still no sign of life. Little Freeman was helping me water it and Freeman turns to me and says.
"Mom, the garden not working?"
"The garden is sad"

Dec. 2008

It's been a few weeks, and the garden is finally growing. Well Freeman went outside with me and yelled enthusiastically, "The garden is working now!"

We were walking out of the store today and Freeman is trying to stop me and tell me something,
"Mom, you look tired"

While Freeman was pretending he was talking on the phone, I asked him to put something away. He acknowledged me and then went back to the phone so he can actually end his pretend conversation,
"I Pick up toys, All right, Bye"

I turned on the television this morning and ESPN was on, and Little Freeman says,
"Yeah! Football, Go Cardinals!"
I so know where he picked that up from!

I told Freeman,
"I need you to get dressed," and he looked at me offended, "Mom, I don't wear dress!"

We were leaving the playground and Freeman says...
"Bye Bye Playground!... Mom, the playground is sad." Why is the playground sad?
"Because I'm going bye bye"

1/24/09
"Mom, you're a child of God"

I caught Freeman coloring on his new Christmas bike with a marker, and I told him that "dad would be very upset because he put a lot of thought into getting you a bike," and Freeman corrected me and sounded a little upset, "Mom, Santa gave me that bike!' Whoops....

Freeman was jumping off the bed and grabbing onto the rim of his basketball hoop. It kept tipping the hoop over so I told him he needed to stop and be safe. His explanation was, "Mom, I play like the Suns!"

March 2009
Parts of Freeman's prayer:
"Dear Heavenly Father, thankful for Daddy and his boo-boo and that he dusted it off, thankful for his other elbow, two elbows... thanksful for the Suns game and basketball... Goodnight.. in the name of Jesus Christ Amen."

May 2009
Little Freeman is really big on saying his own prayers. Here are some things he includes in them that I think are cute.

One night Freeman pointed out that Tohbi had a boo boo on his leg. So later when it was prayer he said, "Thankful for Tohbi and his boo boo, pray that it gets better."

"Pray that no bad guys come into our house."

"Pray that Daddy does good at his training"

"Thankful for Nate and that he copies me." (He says this when Nate immitates saying a prayer)
5/20/09
It was time for bed and Freeman kept leaving his room and coming into mine. I told him he had to go back to his room and he responded, "Stop, I need to think, Let me figure this out."

Our dog Tohbi was in the car with us and he kept trying to climb onto my lap. I kept pushing him away and saying, "No!" and Freeman interrupted and said, "Mom don't do that, that is going to frusturate him!"

6/13/09
It was naptime so it was pretty quiet in the house. Freeman woke up and went potty, and then he came out scared and tiptoed over to me. He whispers, "Mom, what is that noise?" So, I'm listening and all I hear is motorcycles or a lawn mower sound outside, so I told him that's all I hear. He let's out his breath and is relieved. "Mom, I thought there was a lion and tiger in our house!"

7/15/09
I was on a ladder looking into the attic and Freeman asks, "Is Heavenly Father up there? Do you see him." So I told him no he isn't in our attic, he is farther above us. "And then he said, "Dad said that he is up there" and points above his head."

7/22/09
I love how kids have questions that you just aren't sure how to answer. This is one of my favorite questions of all times.
Freeman likes to question who made things and this is our conversation the other day.
Freeman: Mom, who made the trees?
Me: Heavenly Father
Freeman: Who made the clouds?
Me: Heavenly Father
Freeman: Mom, who made Heavenly Father?
Me: That's a great question... ask your dad.

7/21/09
Freeman and I were playing together and all of the sudden he stops and looks at me seriously..
"Mom, the baby needs to come out of your belly so I can play with it."

Sept.2010
Freeman just asked me,
"Mom, how do you get a girl to marry you?"

Nathan

Nathan 11 months
Nate started taking his first steps! He loves to walk back and forth between mom and dad. He also is a little goofball. He likes to breathe in and out of his nose really fast as he is walking, he will raise his face up and yell, "Ahhh", and make a goofy, whiny face to make me laugh. His little personality is just shining through, and I think he is going to be our little clown.
He also likes to clap, and he tries to do the fingerplays to, "Itsy Bitsy Spider," and "Patty-Cake." Then if you say, "Where's Nathan?" or "Are you hiding?" He will put his hands to his ears and that's his way of hiding.

Nathan 15.5 months
Nate has been a late bloomer with his talking but I think he is finally picking up on it. He now says, "Juice," "Dada," "Broom Broom" "Ah da (All done)" Momma, and for some other things he just makes sound effects. He is quite a character and loves to make us laugh. He likes to stomp his feet really fast, or he has this goofy walk where he hunches over and shuffles his feet. He loves to race garbage trucks with his brother and do anything he is doing. He is our little sweetheart and goofball.

Nathan 18 months
Nate gets so excited when he sees birds. He has come up with many facial expressions and our favorite his "oh" look. It's like making a fishy face with your mouth. He loves to give kisses and hugs. The first thing he does in the morning is get a book and reads in his crib. As soon as you walk in he repeats, "Book! book" and wants you to read to him. He likes pictures of ducks, cows, dogs, cats, and trucks. He has his own "Puppy Monster Truck" that he makes the sound effects for. It looks like Nate is going to be our climber. He has figured out how to move a chair to his high chair, climb up and get into his high chair. We have also found him on our table to dancing around. Another thing I just love about Nate is when he gets the chance to walk around, he has to wave to EVERYONE, and he keeps waving until they wave back or smile. So, then of course with the positive attention he gets, Big Brother Freeman will start to wave to, so I have this little parade of boys waving to every stranger walking by. Embarrasing, but I love it!

Nathan 19 months
SUPER HEROES!!!
Nate is such a boy. He has picked up the web throwing from his big brother so he chases after you pretending he is Spiderman. He also likes batman, and even though he doesn't say much, he says, "Ba Man!" and makes him fly around. He also loves monster trucks and makes some pretty great sound effects.

Nathan 22 months
FINALLY TALKING!!!
These past 2 weeks Nate's vocabulary has finally arrived! He would say basic words and sounds, but was really behind on communicating. We've been reading more, breaking down words, using flash cards and just working non stop and finally it kicked in. It all started when we went to see Nadia and when Nate saw her dog Rowdie, he said "Puppy" for the first time. Now he can say so much more and I know he isn't as frusturated because someone understands him. Some of my favorite words he says are, Doggy, Baby, No Wa Wa (Water), Connor, Outside/Inside.

About Me- 15 Months

A little about me, Little Free.
One of my favorite things to do is go outside. Mom and Dad will tell me we are going out and I'll run and find my socks and shoes to put on. While outside I love to look and listen for birds and airplanes and will even make a sign for each one when I spot them.
I can dance to Ring A Round the Rosie, Do as I'm Doing and Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes.
I love reading, and when I want to read with Mom or Dad I start repeating, Read, Read, Read until I get my way. I enjoy acting like animals, especially a gorilla, monkey, or alligator.
Here are some things about me at 15 months. I'll update you next month!