Is that a....Fork?

For a couple weeks we had noticed tiny little flakes in our water when we would use the ice dispenser. After getting to the point of pretty much refusing to use the ice, we finally decided one Friday when we really wanted to make some flake free Pina Colada's(virgin, of course) to see what the problem was. So, we pulled the ice tray out, and after removing most of the ice, this is what we found. I was questioning out loud, " How does a fork possibly end up in an ice maker?" John remembered then that the kids had been making their own "homemade" popsicles out of kool-aid, and protein shakes, even water, whatever they had at the moment. We decided to announce that the popsicle craze had to stop as it was becoming a nuisance and making a lot of unnecessary messes. So, as children will do, they looked for a way to hide them. John and I had both pulled a "popsicle" or two out of the ice, but one of the times, it must have been missing it's "stick".

It's kind of hard to see, but this picture shows where the fork had carved into the plastic, thus the white flecks in the drinks. Ewwww!

We left this on an otherwise empty counter as a discussion piece for the next day with the kiddo's. They actually were quite taken with how cool they thought the fork looked, so I'm sure the rest of the please-don't-do-this-again-so-we-don't-have-to-replace-the-ice maker lecture was lost on them.

Braxton Kade, C.K. is 8!!

My Braxton has turned 8 years old today! In the title I put his household nickname of Braxton Kade C.K. The story behind that is when he was about 3 years old he asked us what the rest of his name was since JJ's name was John Edward IV, or the fourth, as we would say it. So we gave him the extension that day of C.K., standing for "Cool Kid" and it stuck. He still refers to himself as such to this day! Since we have just begun this blogging fun less than a year ago, and since, as I've mentioned before, I consider this my Journal of sorts, I have decided this year for each of my children's birthdays that I will provide a probably not so brief synopsis of them to this point. I thought it would be neat to have when I print this off as a book! So feel free to just buzz through the pictures or read through the tidbits! This first picture is Brax at about 2 and it is one of my very favorites.I love this picture. It is Braxton through and through.

On his blessing day at just a couple weeks old

I'm honestly not sure how he survived this much "love" since it was fairly constant!

Braxton Info: Braxton wants to be an astronaut, a cowboy, a piano player, a missionary,and a good husband and father when he grows up. It's not that he hasn't chosen, he has decided that these ARE the things he will be. He's known this since he could put words together to tell us so. I can't wait to watch him achieve his dreams!

Braxton had true colic from about two weeks until he was about 5 1/2 months. He would have crying spells lasting several hours nearly every day. In all honesty, I believe I have blocked a lot of that time period from my memory. But the amazing thing is, when he came out of it, he has pretty much been a very content and HAPPY kid ever since!

Braxton LOVED Popsicles even when you would think they would be to cold for a kid that young Braxton Info: His favorite color is Green

Love the Bald head

1st birthday- and getting some more of that "love" I was talking about

Love from the momma!

Blackmail for later in life! He brought me this dress of Tori's and wanted it on!

Brax and Tori

2nd Birthday

Braxton Info: Braxton ad imaginary friends by the names of George, Stanley,and Hokey-pokey. From a very young age, I'm thinking 3, he would keep me informed of their daily activities and if they were with us at the moment or not. We just sort of went with the flow of things, as he was in definite belief that these were real, yet invisible beings. I would catch him having conversations. It was interesting, but entertaining! It went on for a couple years. He still refers to them from time to time as his childhood imaginary friends.

Learning to be a big brother with Ashlee!

oops! I'm not sure why this is sideways, but this picture is just so funny. Braxton was clearly not happy about something and I'm sure being asked to sit for pics didn't help matters!

JJ and Brax. I seriously have so many pictures of these two together. I think there are several included in this post! They are very close despite the fact that personality wise, they are really not much alike. They started something called "Brotherly Time" where every night they talk about their day, read scriptures and then make up funny( and strange) stories to make each other laugh. Crazy boys making priceless memories, I'm sure!

Braxton Info: Braxton believed (and hopefully still does!) that he had actual superpowers that he just couldn't tell anyone about. He would whisper to me when no one else was even around that he felt very strongly that this was true and he wondered what I thought. I told him of course that I believed with him, anything was possible!

With our dogs we used to have, Xander and Precious

Braxton loves Basketball and can't wait for the opportunity to play on a team someday!

Braxton and Tori

John and Mike Galbraith did Braxton up like this during a trip to the Beach. Braxton couldn't wait to get home and see the picture!

John painted Braxtons face for the 4th

This picture gives a great view of the beautiful silky white locks Braxton had. He had a bowl cut from age 2-6 because of this.

Braxton Info: As mentioned earlier, Braxton want to be a great piano player. His motivation songs that he really wants to learn are Fur Elise and Canon. He's already begun tapping out Fur Elise. I love his dedication!

Braxton has always liked to dress nice and loves outfits with multiple parts.

Braxton got asked to be the " Play Ball" kid at a Silverhawks game that we went to. He got to go down to the middle of the field and yell play ball into the microphone to start the game. He felt very special! He remembers that day very well and still has the shirt in his drawer!

Brax can pose with the best of them when he wants to

He has played rec soccer several seasons and really enjoys the social aspect of it the most

Showing his Husker Pride!

5th Birthday

Looking "up" to his older brother. Classic.

Holding baby brither Kian

Braxton Info: Braxtons' favorite food is Chinese. However, Braxton has never been a picky eater. One of the only things he will not eat is Mac and Cheese

Braxton and his buddy Spencer on the day that Spence moved to Idaho. They were quite the pair.

First Day of Kindergarten.

Braxton seeing how he measures up to JJ.

Halloween 2007 or a vision of the future?

Jumping on the trampoline in the snow at night.

Braxton Info: Braxton loves Star Wars anything, but has yet to see the original movies. We'll have to rent them for him sometime.

Played at a friends house with chalk. I think they got more on them than anything else!

This is Braxton with his "special" friend, Aspen. They met when her family lived here for a year. He thought she was very cute from the first day he saw her. I remember the day he came home and told me about her. After several months of living here, she decided the feeling was mutual, and lets just say, Jenny and I had alot of playdates in the couple of months before they moved. These two still keep in contact by email.

First day of 1st grade

Halloween 2008- Jack Sparrow, the pirate

An interesting snowman....

Like I said, Big Star Wars Fan

This is a classic picture of Braxton teasing. I'm not sure who took this pic, but this is definitely Braxton in action. He can be quite the onery instigator at times!

Gathering his hoard from a pinata bust!

First day of 2nd Grade

Braxton Info: Braxton is such a people person. He is also very versatile. As a result, he can play individually with anyone of his brothers and sisters. He just becomes whatever he needs to be depending on who he is with. It has resulted in him having special relationships with each of them. It's very important to him that everyone feel included.I love it

This is an outfit that Braxton, John, and I designed for a project at school. His cape and front read " C.K. The Green Machine"

Braxton playing with two of his cousins, Bryce and Braden, who were all born the same year, at our family reunion this summer. They have a lot of fun together.

So that is my amazing Braxton Kade Blomstedt, C.K. I am so grateful to have him in our family. He is so fun to be with one on one because he has such a strong imagination, and conversations are always interesting! He works hard and does exceptionally well in school, which I know will help him to achieve his goals, whatever they may be. One of Braxtons strongest attributes, which I haven't even mentioned is his budding little testimony. As a child he truly gave full meaning to me of the term "out of the mouths of babes". His greatest excitement for this birthday this year had nothing to do with presents. He was so ecstatic that he would be getting baptized and going to scouts. He is so excited to be an "official" member and do things of his own merit. For his cake this year, he said he wished we could make one that had a church building on one side, a temple on the other, and scriptures in the middle. I told him that was probably a little complicated for a cake, but a really neat idea nonetheless. I love his enthusiasm. It is inspiring. He is really a great kid and we love him!

Happy Birthday Brax!