Glimpses

Smiles

2009-05-14T17:32:00.001-07:00

I love baby Owen's Smile. He has been smiling for a few weeks now, but I finally caught it on camera. I hate how quickly they grow, he is 6 weeks & starting to finally sleep pretty good at night. He is a great baby as long as I am holding him, which is okay since I love spoiling him.

I have also included a picture of my Christian & Andrews new haircuts. I knew it was only time before they did it themselves!!!

Ta-Da

2009-04-06T12:01:00.000-07:00

Our Little Baby Boy is Here!
He was born on Thursday March 26th @ 12:57 pm. He weighed 7 pounds 14 ounces & was 19.5 inches long. It was an easy delivery, Three and a half hours, no pain.. . . . . Gotta Love Modern Medicine. We named him Owen Rex. He is such a cutie & a good mix of Christian and Anrew. He is a very good baby, and sleeps about 4 1/2 hours at night before waking up to eat. He usually only cries when he has a burp or needs to eat. He gets lots of love from his older brothers and they are a little sad that he doesn't do more than sleep, cry & eat.

What we have been up to??

2008-12-08T08:03:00.001-08:00

Our Day at the Pumpkin Patch!!

We actually went to the Pumpking patch a couple times, so this is a compilation of all those trips!

Halloween Night- My 2 Power Rangers

A mini Fall Photo Shoot. . . 1 good Pic out of like 200

Our Baby Boy!!
In November we found out that the boys get another Brother. We are so excited. It will be a fun adventure. I told Steve, that I am destined to be Den Mother & should just invest in the Sexy Yellow Scout Shirt Now!!! Also, he was measuring a little big so my doctor set my Induction date a week early for March 26th. Gotta Love knowing when he is going to get here!

The Ultrasound Tech was awesome & got us some really good pics of the little guy, the first one is of his hand giving a little Wave

And this is a 3-D pic of him sucking his thumb.

The day after Thanksgiving (after our all night black friday shopping) we ventured up into the Uintah Mountains & got a christmas tree. It was so much fun. I think this is going to become a yearly Christmas Tradition.

Gotta Love the Red Face

Pretty good tree coming straight from the Mountains. . . Only one big hole!!!

2008-09-18T14:29:00.001-07:00

A Plea for Help

2008-07-15T15:07:00.001-07:00

I am in charge of our Super Saturday this year & need ideas. I am at such a loss. What have you guys done in the past that you liked, what have you not liked?? Please help. . . .. I know how talented you ladies are. Thanks so much!!!

Funniest Blog Ever

2008-07-11T14:08:00.000-07:00

So Steve & I came across a new blog last night that makes fun of all us Mormon girly bloggers.It's pretty funny though, even if it does make me feel stupid for all the bloggingI do and how much I use the words "like" and "seriously".

Click here to visit the blog. Let me know what you think of it.

** Please don't be offended-- It is only a Joke**

Why Oh Why????

2008-07-10T15:51:00.000-07:00

Why do I try to get pictures of my boys together. If I get one looking, the other has quickly become distracted. It really is a talent to get good pics of kids. I just thought I would share these funny pics of my little "photo shoot" or lack thereof.

This was the only "good" shot. Too Bad Andrews baby Blue Eyes aren't open more

And this is how we ended, with no pants on-- A real Success!!!

My little Baby!

2008-07-10T15:40:00.000-07:00

He is quickly growing up. I really can't believe how fast time flies. I took this picture the other day at the park and thought it was so cute. Andrew is such a ball of fire. I thought Christian kept me on my toes, but I was mistaken. He is so curious & loves to explore. And unfortunately he is smart enough to figure out how most things work. When we were in St. George he learned how to climb out of his Pack-n-Play. What 1 year old does that?? Seriously, nothing is safe any more. He loves to read books, especially I Spy books. He also loves to draw, he will sit and color for hours. I love my little Andrew & can't believe it is already time to start planning his 2nd birthday.

Strawberry Days

2008-07-10T15:04:00.000-07:00

We love our little town of PG & were so excited to enjoy the Strawberry Days Festivities. We went to the Rodeo, Carnival & Parade. It was a fun and busy few days. Here are a few pics of my cowboys, and carnival kids.

Waiting for the Candy. . .I couldn't get them to turn around & look at me

A lot of Updates!!

2008-07-10T14:49:00.000-07:00

Last month we want with all the cousins to Kennecott Coppermine & it was such a fun day. There are tons of big dump trucks that look like Tonka Trucks. This is a picture of a tire from one of the dump trucks. The kids loved watching the trucks with rocks & treasures. We then went to this little town called Copperton & ate lunch at this cute park with tons of trees & a fun park with old tires and tunnels. Christian still asks if we can go to that park all the time. It was such a fun day, and to top it all off. . . we got a visit from the Ice Cream Man. It really doesn't get better than a Firecracker Popsicle!!!

A day at the Park

2008-07-03T19:06:00.000-07:00

Today after Lunch we went to a park and enjoyed being the only ones there. I was able to get some cute pictures of the boys, usually they are not willing to cooperate with me. They are getting so tan from all our outside fun.

When I grow Up

2008-06-14T17:51:00.000-07:00

The last couple days Christian has been telling us that he wants to drive a firefighter truck when he grows up. His little friend's dad does that & he thinks it is so cool. Imagine our surprise when at the Primary activity James dad had the firetrucks there to show to the kids. Christian loved it!! He was also the lucky one to get to sit in the drivers seat, turn on the lights and sirens & then honk the horn. He was so excited, but when he turned all the big sirens on he started to cry. He has talked about it all day. I am glad he got to be a "firefighter truck driver" for the day!

Now we Can Enjoy Summer

2008-06-09T15:03:00.000-07:00

My little Andrew turned into a fish today. He usually is very timid and always wants somebody to hold him while we are swimming, but Today he took off!!! He learned how to use his floaties & can kick to where he wants to go. This means that our daily trips to the pool will be so much more enjoyable, not to mention our trip to St. George & the beach. Yeah for Andrew!!!

Go Utah!

2008-06-04T15:40:00.000-07:00

On Saturday we went to a Real Salt Lake Game up at the U of U. It was really fun. It wasn't too crowded so the boys were able to run around & watch the game all at the same time. We got fun dip & Cotton Candy. . . . They were wired after all that sugar. Real plays at the U of U football field & Christian was very confused as to who we should cheer for 'Real' or 'U of U'. Most of the time we heard Go Utes!!!! We won 3-1, so we picked a good game to go to.

Too Cute!

2008-06-04T15:31:00.001-07:00

I got these cute little goggles for Christian today at Target & he has been sporting them around all afternoon. I should have known to take them away before nap time, cause this is what I found when I went to check on him.. . . Looks Comfy.

Janes Wedding

2008-05-21T15:30:00.001-07:00

April was a really busy month for us. The day after we got home from St. George we went back to the airport to pick up Grandma Brenda. We had a lot to do to get ready for Baby Jane's Wedding. It was such a fun week. We helped Jane pack & move, did a lot of shopping, all the family came into town Wednesday & Thursday, we had a fun breakfast with all the girls at Kneaders the day before the wedding, more shopping & we all got our nails done at LA nails. it really doesn't get better than that, while getting our nails done I started to laugh at one of the asian ladies doing my cousins nails & she got so mad at me. . . She said " you don't laugh at me, I not funny" I just turned my head & laughed harder. All in all it was a perfect week in preparation for Jane's big day. The night before we had a party at Kenny's parents house with all the fam. & then went back to the hotel and swam to our hearts content. Here are some pics of the lovely day!!!

All the girls at Kneaders for Breakfast

The boys playing Volleyball & kenny's house

The New Couple!!!!

Jane & Christian-- This really was a cute moment. Christian was so excited to see Jane get married at the Temple!

Cutting the Cake

Dancing with Dad

Dancing with kenny-- How appropriate that it was a Kenny Chesney song, since that is what my boys call him

The girls all dolled up

The mom's all dolled up & ready for a night on the town

St. George

2008-05-11T13:27:00.000-07:00

I know, I am officially the worlds worst blogger. . . If I am even considered a blogger anymore. But, alas I will post the picks from our week in St. George. It was very fun & uneventful which is just how we like them.

We left the Monday after we got back from the scrapbook retreat. The weather was nice & we spent the days enjoying the pool. We tried to go to the Sand Dunes, but Sand & Wind don't exactly mix well. Steve even celebrated his 29th birthday pool side.

Scrapbook Retreat

2008-04-28T15:33:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of the month I went to a Scrapbook retreat with my Sister-in-laws & friends. It was at a huge Lodge in the middle of nowhere. I have been looking forward to this for awhile. It is a relaxing time spent away from home, where they feed you, give you fun treats all the time, & don't have kids to look after. We didn't go to be until 3:30 each night. We got some scrapbooking done, in between eating, playing games, watching the offices & dancing the Cha-Cha Slide. Can't wait until next year!! Oh yeah, a lot of these pictures were stolen from other blogs so enjoy!!!

Dancing the Cha-Cha Slide

All the yummy Treats to sit & snack on all day long!!!

The Awesome Gifts they had waiting for us

Us Girls just Scrapping away

These are Steves Cousins that Came to the Retreat. It was fun to hang out with them. Aren't they such a cute group

Scrapping into the Wee hours

More about me!!!

2008-03-25T14:40:00.001-07:00

1. What time did you get up this morning? 7:40 Too Early
2. Diamonds or pearls? Diamonds
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? The Other Boelyn Girl-- Good but got a little weird at the end
4. What is your favorite TV show? Grey’s Anatomy & Private Practice
5. What do you usually have for breakfast? a piece of toast with butter
6. What is your middle name? Ann
7. What food do you dislike?
8. What is your favorite CD at this moment? I don’t buy CD’s I buy songs off Itunes. My current favorite is Bleeding Love
9. What kind of car do you drive? Black Toyota 4-runner Love it!!
10. Favorite sandwich? The Paradise Club @ Paradise Bakery & Cafe or turkey cranberry at Kneaders
11. What characteristic do you despise? Flaky, undependable people that say they will do something & then don't
12. Favorite item of clothing? Aeropostale pants. . . SO COmfy
13. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go? A Beach Somewhere
14. Favorite brand of clothing? Gap or AE or Downeast
15. Where would you retire to? The Beach, or a cabin in the mountains. . . Why not both!
16. What was your most recent memorable birthday? My Fry Party of course!
17. Favorite sport to watch? I enjoy them all, especially when I am at the game
20. Are you a morning person or a night person? Night
23. What is your shoe size? 71/2
24. Pets? nah,
25. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share with us? Not really. Same old same old.
26. What did you want to be when you were little? A teacher & a mom
27. How are you today? Excited to play outside with my kids in the warm weather
28. What is your favorite candy? Twix
29. What is your favorite flower? gerber daisies & tulips
30. What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to? Scrapbook retreat, St. George Jane's wedding in April & Outer Banks, NC in August
32. What is your full name? Kate Ann Larsen
33. What are you listening to right now? The Radio
34. What was the last thing you ate? some of my homemade Pico De Gallo
36. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? red or orange
37. How is the weather right now? Sunny and Warm
38. Last person you spoke to on the phone? My SIL liz
39. Favorite soft drink? Coke but I am making my favorite drink be Propel
40. Favorite restaurant?I love eating out. . . . Is that good enough
41. Hair color? Yucky sandy blonde. I am getting it colored on April 2nd
42. What was your favorite toy as a child? I loved this one doll my mom got for me from England
43. Summer or winter? How about Spring & Fall
44. Hugs or kisses? Both
45. Chocolate or Vanilla? Vanilla
46. Coffee or tea? Neither but like coffee crisp chocolate bar
49. What is under your bed? Suitcases
50. What did you do last night? Had yummy dinner, worked on our garden, planted Strawberries
51. What are you afraid of? Mice
52. Salty or sweet? Sweet followed by something salty
53. How many keys on your key ring? 5
55. Favorite day of the week? Thursday, that means the weekend is coming
56. How many towns have you lived in? a lot
57. Do you make friends easily? Most of the time

My 100

2008-03-25T12:07:00.000-07:00

My 100
In 2 weeks I am going on a Scrapbook retreat with My SIL's & I was thinking I wanted to do a mini book all about me. I never scrapbook me or take pics of me either. So here is to trying new things!!! Enjoy & Liz. . .. you better get working on yours!

I Love My husband & children more than anything in the world.
I think that Steve & I compliment each other great! He brings out the best in me & I hope I bring out the best in him.
I enjoy going on adventures. I need to do it more

I love to try new things.
I think that it would be cool to choose the music in movies & TV shows. I always notice the songs during shows and how they bring out such emotions. Happy, Sad, Angry. . .You get the point
I love the smell of skunks. It reminds of driving to the farm with my dad. I would tell him to roll the window if I got whiff of one.
I enjoy reading recipes, whether it be a book, blog, or magazine.
I sing in the car with my boys.
My favorite time of day is dusk.
One of my favorite things to do is drive around at dusk on a spring or summer night with the windows rolled down. And go get Slurpees
I take a shower in the dark. I think I like that I can’t see my fat belly & worry about it. No but something about it is really relaxing to me.
I need to sleep in the complete dark. Like no lights on in the house at all.
My hands look just like my moms, and hers look just like her mom’s., My Grandma Betty.
I never knew what a full heart was until I had kids.
I love how Steve makes me laugh.
I love when Steve talks to me before he goes to sleep.
I love the gospel.
I wish I could go back & take most all of my college classes again as an audit. Knowing what I know now, I think I would learn so much more.
I love learning
Being a Mother has been more fulfilling that I ever thought it would.
I can type 79 words a minute.
As much as I try I am not an animal person. I really hate them all. I don’t think they are cute even. The only animal I can be around is Gabby. She is just there!
I use to worry too much. Steve has helped me changed that.
I am thankful for my ever-growing testimony of Jesus Christ & his atonement.
I never really got along with my little sister growing up. She was just a pest, but now I get sad when we don’t hang out “long enough” What am I going to do while she is in New York
I am a wimp when it comes to pain. I won’t get any needed plastic surgery just out of fear of pain.
I enjoy cooking & trying new recipes. Thank goodness Steve is a great Guinea Pig.
I am planting my first garden this year. Wish me luck!! I have a black thumb.
My safe haven is the beach.
I could sit on the beach all day. When I am on Vacation & we leave to go shopping during the day I actually feel bad that I am missing valuable beach time.
I would now consider myself a camper. I love it!!!
I am always up for a good Girls Night Out.
I kissed a lot of boys growing up & now I wish I didn’t.
I can play the piano & organ.
I hate running. You couldn’t pay me enough to run. It is just not my cup of tea.
Sometimes I try to avoid change, but I am learning that it is what makes the world go around & I need it in my life.
I love to have parties & go to parties. I could always come up with a reason to have a party.
When I was growing up I talked on the phone way to much. Why did I think it was so cool.
Growing up I had one of those see through phones & my own phone line.
Steve has a very artistic eye & can see things that I can’t. I want that!!
I wish I was a really good photographer.
I would consider myself crafty & creative.
I love to play with my kids.
My kids love it when I play with them
I have realized that it is the simple things that mean the most
I don’t need everything to be Happy.
Sunday Drives make me happy. . .. Gas Prices Don’t!
I enjoy music. I love how whenever I hear a song it brings back so many memories.
I love my family.
I am so blessed to have married into a good family. I have heard so many horror stories about in-laws. Luckily I don’t have any to contribute!!!
High School wasn’t my favorite time in life.
I got into trouble both years I was at Ricks College.
I sent off 2 missionaries & never “waited” longer than 2 months.
My favorite treat at the movie theatre is Frozen Junior Mints. Try them you just might like them.
I love Coke!!
When flying on an Airplane I always order ginger ale. Just a little tradition of mine!
Growing up I spent most of my holiday meals eating in a nursing home. Looking back I think that is gross, but at the time it was just what we did. After Aunt C’lee died in 1997 we didn’t know what to do for Holiday meals.
I love traditions. It makes me sad when one gets broken.
I remember so much useless stuff like What I wore on my first date with Steve, What the weather was like a Such & Such a date. . But if you ask me important stuff I don’t know it . . . My brain has failed me
I would consider myself Social.
When I was growing up my parents never let us chew gum. It was just one of their rules, so I would always buy gum at the gas station & chew it on the bus ride home from school & as I was walking up the street. When I got to my house I would always throw it in the bush right by the front door. It is amazing that bush is still alive.
Chips & Salsa is one of my favorite foods. So here’s to hoping my Salsa garden works this year!
I only like to stay up late if Steve is awake with me.
I love the busy-ness of the airport.
I could people watch all day.
I love the East Coast
I love traveling but don’t really have the desire to go to Europe.
I love to travel to exotic places.. . . Remember the beach is my safe haven
My favorite time of “having a baby” is the next day in the hospital. You get to just sit & hold them. Have no plans, nowhere to go, people come & bring treats,
I cut my middle finger off once, luckily they were able to sew it back on
I enjoy Seafood. . . Utah doesn’t have the best though
If the bishop ever called me to be Gospel Doctrine Teacher I think I would faint! Not really a calling for me.
I met my Stevie Wonder on a blind date. Thank goodness for Shellee & Joe!
Steve totally surprised me when he proposed. I remember thinking he is going to have to something really nice again when he proposes. He had me fooled.
I used to go to Concerts all the time.
I always want people to feel comfortable in my home. I hate when you go to peoples houses & don’t even feel like you can sit on the couch.
My parents taught me how important it is to serve others.
I love to play games, but I get a little too competitive sometimes.
I did Long Jump in High School more for the Social Aspect. Not because I was good.
I am not really a list maker, but I love to plan weekly menus, grocery lists & get it as cheap as possible.
I have gone to Lunch weekly with my little sister for the last 3 years. Thanks Dad!!!
Dr. Franks (my dentist) once told me that I had 11 cavities in one visit. I started crying & he called my house later that night to check on me to see if I was okay.
I have driven across country 4 times.
I still remember when & where I was when I Knew Steve was the one for me.
I love getting Good Mail!!! I am so lucky my mom sends us tons of packages.
I was a Youth Camp Leader at Girls camp one year. We had a little girl who was handicapped. .. It was very difficult.
Growing up I lived for Stake Dances.
My first car was a blue mini van with wood paneling. A 1992 Classic!! As many times as I tried to wreck it the dumb thing kept coming back to me.
I used to think I wanted to go on a Mission, until I realized that I would have to eat things I wasn’t too sure of.
My parents always took us on driving adventures. We always went away for the weekend.
I went to a Youth Conference in Kirtland Ohio & had a sacrament meeting in the temple. At the time it was very secretive & the FLDS church didn’t want word getting out. They were worried that other Stakes would want the same opportunity.
I loved my time at Ricks. It was such a fun time in life. I still keep in touch with most of the girls. Too Bad Christy Parker is no more!
I never know what to eat for Lunch at home. . .
I hate drinking milk. I can’t tell you the last time I took a drink of milk.
I got to go on free Vacation to the Bahamas when I was a teenager as the “babysitter”
I want to kids to always be happy & would do anything for them.
My Mom was born in Canada
I love my extended family. . . I love when we have family reunions. We get along great & have tons of fun memories.
I used to make the most embarrassing videos with my friends growing up. They are still out there somewhere & I know one day they will haunt me.

Don't Forget. . .. to Celebrate 311 day!!

2008-03-11T09:34:00.000-07:00

As you know, March 11th is 3-11 Day!; 311 fans celebrate 311. So wear your favorite 311 t-shirt, request 311 at your local radio station, crank up 311 on your stereo, pop in a 311 DVD... I'll let you know what me & the boys did to Celebrate once it is all over!!!!

Catch Up

2008-03-04T11:59:00.000-08:00

I am the worst Blogger these days!!!! Life has been busy as usual. A couple weeks ago my little sister jane & her Fiance went to Virginia to visit my parents & take a break. My dad thought it would be a good idea for Christian to tag along so he bought him a ticket & off Christian went. I was so worried that Christian would miss me & be sad. . . yeah right!! What was I thinking. When he would get on the phone with me all he cared about was what Andrew was doing. I tried to take a picture of him at the airport with his backpack he wasn't being very cooperative.

When we got home from the airport he went running up the stairs to find Andrew & daddy and yelled. . ."i'm here I made it." He was so excited to see little Andrew. I am so glad that are developing a great brotherly bond. Hopefully it stays that way!

Andrew

2008-02-11T11:35:00.000-08:00

Baby Survey

1. Age? Andrew 18 months

2. Name ? Andrew Jame Larsen

3. Birthday? August 9th 2006

4. Time of birth? 3:08

. How long did labor last? 5 hours

6. Who was in the room when baby was born? Steve, Dr. jones, My Nurse Joy. . .

7. How long did you push? 2 pushes & he was out

8. Weight? 7 pounds 9 oz

9. Length? 20 inches

10. Any hair? A lot of Blonde Spiky hair. Apparently he was a sight to see, cause I had a lot of nurses coming in just to see his “punk rock” hair

11. Who does baby look like? Steve12. Be honest...how much weight did you gain while pregnant? 20 pounds

13. Was baby early or late? I was induced 1 week early

14. Who drove you home from the hospital? Steve

15. How many baby showers did you have? 0

16. When did baby start sleeping through the night? About 5 months

17. Did you breastfeed? Well if you consider pumping Breastfeeding. .

18. Which of you takes care of your baby the most? I do, only because I am lucky enough to stay home with him

19. When do you want to have another one? Andrew is still young. . . We will give it awhile

20. How did you pick the name? I wanted the name Andrew & Steve wanted the name James. . . We compromised

21. How did you know when it was time to go to hospital? The nurse at the hospital told me to come at 9:30

22. Anyone spend the night with you first night home? My mom!!! Thank goodness

23.Did you cry the first time you held your baby? Yes

24. Where was the baby born? American Fork Hospital L&D room 11

25. Did you videotape the birth? Nope, but we do have video of the process

26. Most rewarding thing about being a mom? Watching them grow & seeng their little personalities shine through. It is amazing how each child is so different! And when they tell you they love you (Which he hasn’t done yet)

Christian

2008-02-11T11:31:00.000-08:00

Baby Survey

1. Age? Christian 2 years & 10 months

2. Name ? Christian John Larsen

3. Birthday? April 4th 2005

4. Time of birth? 3:40

5. How long did labor last? 20 hours

6. Who was in the room when baby was born? Steve, Dr. Froerer, my nurse Peg & Dr Welling the anesthiologist

7. How long did you push? 2 hours, finally Dr. Welling came & pushed on my stomach while I was pushing

8. Weight? 7 pounds 7 oz.

9. Length? 21 inches

10. Any hair? Quite a bit of dark hair

11. Who does baby look like? Steve

12. Be honest...how much weight did you gain while pregnant? 35 pounds

13. Was baby early or late? Right on his due date

14. Who drove you home from the hospital? Steve

15. How many baby showers did you have? 4

16. When did baby start sleeping through the night? About 4 months

17. Did you breastfeed? I tried & then he kept losing weight so I started supplementing

18. Which of you takes care of your baby the most? I do, only because I am lucky enough to stay home with him

19. When do you want to have another one? Andrew is still young. . . We will give it awhile

20. How did you pick the name? Steve did. . . it is a family name. not to mention the name of the Dr. who delivered him!!!

21. How did you know when it was time to go to hospital? When my water broke. It broke right when we got in the car after leaving Steve’s parents house. I can only imagine how embarrassing it would have been if it broke in their house!!!

22. Anyone spend the night with you first night home? My mom!!! Thank goodness

23.Did you cry the first time you held your baby? Yes

24. Where was the baby born? Cottonwood Hospital L& D room 9

25. Did you videotape the birth? Nope, but we do have video of the process not the actually birth

26. Most rewarding thing about being a mom? Watching them grow & seeing their different personalities shine through!! And I love when they say 'I love you'

Our Dear Prophet

2008-01-28T09:39:00.000-08:00

I quickly wanted to capture my thought. As I heard the news this evening about the passing of our beloved Prophet I was instantly saddened. But almost as quickly as that sadness was felt it was even more quickly replaced with an unbelievable calmness that over took me! I listened to the news but could not get the picture out of my mind of that dear old man in the arms of our Heavenly Father. His journey here was faithfully completed and he was welcomed home.I truly believe this to to be a blessed day. Our Prophet reunited with his beloved wife and companion. I can't even imagine how sweet and precious that reuinion was. I have been blessed to have been taught and lead by such an incredible Christ like individual.

I will forever consider Pres. Hinckley my Prophet. Being in a room with him was such a powerful experience. The spirit that came with him never went unnoticed. How beautiful the plan is and how clear it seems to me at this moment. I know my purpose here on earth. I know what my reward will be. Like Pres. Hinckley if I strive to do my very best, following the commandments and teaching of a loving Heavenly father, I too can be welcomed home into His presents and live for eternity with my family one day.We truly are blessed aren't we! I thought I would include just a few of my favorite quotes from Pres. Hinckley.

**My Favorite "In all of living have much of fun and laughter. Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured" **

"Be grateful. Be smart. Be clean. Be true. Be humble. Be prayerful."

“The time has come for us to stand a little taller, to lift our eyes and stretch our minds to a greater comprehension and understanding of the grand millennial mission of this, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”

“Under the plan of heaven, the husband and the wife walk side by side as companions, neither one ahead of the other, but a daughter of God and a son of God walking side by side. Let your families be families of love and peace and happiness. Gather your children around you and have your family home evenings, teach your children the ways of the Lord, read to them from the scriptures, and let them come to know the great truths of the eternal gospel as set forth in these words of the Almighty.”

There is no obstacle too great, no challenge too difficult, if we have faith."

"Teach your children when they are young and small, and never quit. As long as they are in your home, let them be your primary interest."

"We must work at our responsibility as parents as if everything in life counted on it, because in fact everything in life does count on it."

What A Weekend!

2008-01-14T16:16:00.000-08:00

Basketball!!! This last ThursdayI actually played basketball with the Women of my ward. I know, it is funny to think of me running down the court doing all i can to avoid the basketball but I did it. Next time (if there is a next time) I am going to make it my goal to touch the ball. . . Maybe just a quick pass. Then I can think about shooting & dribbling!!!!!

On Friday night we took the boys to a Utah Flash basketball game. It was so much fun. The tickets were cheap & we had really good seats. The boys loved it. We got these Cheersticks & they kept them very entertained. Next time I go I want to win a pizza, shirt or Bajio Burrito. They give away so much free stuff it is unbelievable!

Sledding

Saturday was such a beautiful day that we decided to take the boys sledding at a little hill by our house. I thought a few runs down & that will be great. Well probably 30 runs down & it still wasn't enough. Christian was so cute & he loved dragging the sled up the hill. . . A big plus for us. By the end of our adventure Christian was bored of regular runs down the hill, he wanted to try to tip it over & do flips out of the sled. I think he is going to be a little out of control when we teach him snowboarding.

The ER

On Sunday after church we were all ready to lay down & enjoy afternoon naps when Christian informed us that he had stuck a football toy up his nose. Steve & I tried to get it out with Tweezer but it was really stuck. We tried to get him to blow it out & that just caused him to Suck it up closer to his brain!! So we left for the ER. After sitting there with a bunch of crazy Sickos we decided to try the Instacare down the street. A much better choice in this situation. With Steve Holding his body as tight as he could, and a nurse holding his head the dr was able to get this tiny football out of his nose. We have now had many talks about how nothing goes up your nose. . . Not even your finger. What a Weekend. Hope you had a great one!

This is Christian holding the "speciman cup" that the Dr gave him with is little football!!!

2007 In a Glance

2007-12-30T09:29:00.000-08:00

Here's a look at our year in Review:
January – Christian & Andrew started going to Storytime at the Pleasant Grove Library. They have so much fun & ask every day if it is Storytime day. We went on an awesome trip to California. We went to San Diego, Disneyland, The Beach & Vegas. It was so much fun to go on Vacation with Steve’s family. It always makes for good stories all year long.
February - Tragedy struck at Trolley Square in Salt Lake City when a crazed young man shot and killed seven innocent people, bringing the reality of what's seen on the news home to us in Utah. Andrew Started sleeping through the night & eating whole jars of food.
March – Christian is able to recognize all his letters. Now whenever we are out & about he just yells out letters. Steve went on his first business trip & left me and the boys. We survived but were sure glad when daddy came home. Grandma came to visit!
April – Christian turned 2 years old. We had a fun birthday party with all your cousins. We went to Canada for Carries Wedding. It was fun to spend the week with family. Steve turned 28!!!!! We went to St George with your cousins. That was a fun week filled with swimming & lots of playing. Andrew learned to clap, cut his first tooth & can say Dada. I got to go on my Scrapbook retreat which was so much fun. I went to a huge cabin with 30 other woman & scrapbooked all night. We had lots of treats & lots of fun. We went hot-tubbing every night & enjoyed not having to get up with any kids in the middle of the night. Can’t wait to go next year!
May - We started to put our garden in. We planted Zuchinni, & tomatoes. We went to Heber & got to ride Thomas the Train. Tha was definitely a fun day for both boys. Andrew learned to climb stairs. We had 5 BBQ’s in 1 month. We sure love our Hamburgers & Hot Dogs.
June – We went to the Cabin 3 times this month. It was a lot of fun. We slept out on the back deck. Steve & I celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary. We kicked off our summer of fairs & festivals by attending the Orem City Festival. It was a lot of fun. . . I do wonder where all the white trash people hide throughout the year. They all seem to come out to these festivals. We went to a Stingers baseball game with our friend Hailey. Steve & Christian went to Fathers & Sons. They had so much fun & next year Andrew gets to go (Yeah for Mommy) We went to the Strawberry Days Rodeo 3 nights in a row. By the last night mommy had the process down to a science. I knew exactly what treats to pack & everything. Jane & I went to the Kenny Chesney Concert at Usana Ampitheatre It was a blast. A Kenny Concert can never get too dull!
July – Jane & I road tripped to Kallispell Montana to go to the Lake with The Schow family. It was a blast. Christian still talks about it. We definitely need to plan another trip like that. I turned 27 years old. Had the first Fry Party. What a novel idea! We went to 3 baseball games, The Utah county fair at Thanksgiving point. And many days were spent lounging at the American Fork Pool. That is the life I tell you! My baby Andrew started walking. Went Camping in the uintas & almost didn’t make it.
August - Steve & I went on Trek with the youth from our Stake. What an experience. The longer I am home the more I can look back & enjoy it. Andrew turned 1. We had a Fiesta party, Homemade Fajitas, Homemade Bavarian cream empanadas. . . Lots of yummy food. I flew by myself with 2 kids 2 and under. We spent a week in Virginia & a week at the Beach with all the Schow’s (I missed you Jill) it was such a fun trip. OBX 2007 lives on.
September – Went Camping for the last time this year. Went to the State fair 2 times. Once again Where do all those people come from.
October – Grandma & Grandpa came to visit!! Carrie & Aunt Jeannie came to visit too!! Nikki & Joe got married. It was a really fun day. We went to the Scarecrow festival, & Barnyard boo. We went to the pumpkin patch with our friends. Halloween was a great night. The boys realized what Trick or Treat really means. They both were Pirates. AArgh!!!
November - Planned our Day after Thanksgiving shopping spree. Organized a cute Thanksgiving Craft. Thanksgiving was a lot of fun, good food! Started playing Bunko. Who knew it could be such a fun game. Decorated for Christmas before December 1st. The boys did a great job with the tree.
December – Grandma & Grandpa came to visit again!! Sinter Klaus came on December 5th. We went to Rexburg Idaho for Luke & Kara’s graduation. Went on 4 girls night out this month (I think that is a record) Had a wonderful Christmas with my family, having kids makes all the difference. Enjoyed driving around & seeing all the lights. I am the host of the New Years Eve party tomorrow night!!!

Merry Christmas

2007-12-25T20:12:00.000-08:00

We have had quite the eventful couple of days. Yesterday for Christmas Eve we went with Steves Family to National Treasure 2. It was a really fun movie, I only wish Andrew enjoyed it like we did. He finally fell asleep the last half hour. Then we went & had dinner, played games & Santa brought an early present. . . . PJ's. We got all the cousins matching Camo PJ's & they were so cute. Last night Christian & Andrew were so cute about putting out cookies, carrots & Hot cocoa for Santa & the Reindeers.

When they woke up this morning it was so much fun. Everytime you asked Christian what he wanted for Christmas he said airplanes. . So Santa brought airplanes. When he saw them this morning he was so excited He kept saying I told him I wanted them & he brought them. I told him!!! Having Christmas with Little kids is a blast. We had to take a break halfway through to eat our yummy breakfast of Monkey Bread!! So healthy & declicious. We then got ready to go back to Steve's parents and open presents with Grandma & Grandpa. We had a fun day.

We wish we were able to go to Canada with my family & cousins but with the storms coming it just wouldn't be safe to be out on the road. Thank you for all the gifts. It has been a wonderful day!!

P.S. I never did send out Christmas cards this year. I had good intentions and then the time got away from me. I figure most of the people I was going to send them to read my blog so you are updated as to what my family is doing. But when I was thinking about sending them out this was the picture i was going to use. What a pair of cuties!!

Back to the Old Stompin Ground

2007-12-14T15:56:00.000-08:00

The View as you Drive into Rexburg

BirchWood. . . Just a note apt 601 had a christmas tree on the balcony I guess that is an upgrade from an ugly couch

The boys enjoy suckers & drinks from Horkleys. . . BTW I got a 44 oz soda for 57 cents. not that I needed a soda that size but it was a steal of a deal. My whole purchase was 82 centsWhat would a trip to Rexburg be without visiting Mean Jean

This weekend I went back to Rexburg & IF for my brothers Graduation from BYU-I. . . .While in rexburg I got a little nostalgic until i realized that I am closer to 30 than I am to 20. It kind of made me sad. I drove around visitng old hang outs & seeing how much things have changed. They are building a ton & it isn't the quaint Rexburg it use to be. This is for you Torrey & Steph!!

I want to put a disclaimer that hopefully more pictures are to come as I am in Eastern Idaho until Sunday & I am in none of these pictures cause it was me & the boys venturing by ourselves while the others enjoyed a (most likely long & boring) graduation ceremony.

What is left of the old Retrix

Self Explantory

Bowling with the Boys

2007-11-25T09:24:00.000-08:00

This Weekend we took the boys bowling at Jack & Jill's Bowling Alley. It was a lot of fun. Christian bowled a 95 & Andrew got a 94. I guess it really does help if you have the bumpers and a ramp. Here are a few pictures from our fun family outing. Hope you guys enjoyed your weekend together. I loved having Steve home with us. It is going to be sad when he goes back to work tomorrow!

Thanksgiving Craft

2007-11-23T17:04:00.000-08:00

This year I was in charge of the Thanksgiving craft & was at a loss of ideas until. . . . I looked in my scrapbook magazine. I found the cutest homemade advent calander. It is made out of matchboxes, scrapbook paper & magnets. I recreated it & added a few things. Each day I added a scripture/story about Christmas, and holiday M&M's as a treat. It was a little time consuming but hopefully my kids love it & it was all worth it.

An attitude of Grattitude

2007-11-21T08:06:00.000-08:00

1. The things I give thanks for this Thanksgiving:
my family
an evergrowing testimony of the gospel
good health
great friends, and a husband that supports my desire for "girls nights out"
the necessities of life (house, jobs, food, etc).
my calling in the Relief Society
parents that love me
a temple down the road
2. My Thanksgiving traditions include:
cooking lots of good food--Thanksgiving gets me in the cooking mood, and it continues clear throughout New Years
getting together with family not that this is any different from our weekly Sunday Dinners. . . but it is still fun

Making fun turkey crafts with the boys

Since all the guys are either playing football or watching it, my sister-in-laws & i decided that we will make a craft before dinner. This year it is my turn to be in charge of it & i still don't have an idea. . . . . We will see what I come up with.

Thanksgiving night we usually all sit around and watch Surviving Christmas. It is one of those dumb funny movies. It has Ben Affleck & is pretty funny, it didn't get good ratings but neither did Dumb & Dumber so I suggest you give it a try this Christmas Season!!

After the movie we pack up & go home, at this point all the wives put their children to bed & then head back over to Steve's parents and that is when the real party starts. We have a sleepover, & pour over all the ads getting ready for our early shopping day. . . This year we got to be out the door at 3:45. The stores open at 4:00am this year!

3. My favorite Thanksgiving food is: Whipped Sweet Potatoes (they have to be done just right, I have an awesome recipe if you want it)

4. My funniest Thanksgiving memory: The first Thanksgiving I spent with Steve's family was before we were even engaged & I was just getting to know the family & during dinner Steve's brother looks at me and says their tradition is to bear their testimony at the table starting with the newest member of the family, so I looked at Steve & he went along with it & then his dad started asking me to. I was honestly about to do it and then they stopped me. I have never lived that one down!!!

5. Tom the Turkey with the Terrible Temper. On Sunday we read this story to the kids & then made the cutest Turkey I ever did see. . . i thought I would share a picture of Christian with his turkey his is itching to eat. . . I am surprise it still has all its feathers!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Thanks for sharing your "thankful lists" on your blogs. It's been really fun to read.
**What are your Thanksgiving traditions?**
**What are the Thanksgiving foods that you couldn't live without?**
**Has anything exciting ever happened to you on Thanksgiving day? Or embarrassing?**

Lets Try This Again

2007-11-14T07:27:00.001-08:00

I can't believe Thanksgiving is in a Week. I am proud to say I have quite a bit of my shopping done. All I have left are my boys & Steve. I am going with my Sister-in-laws Shopping the day after Thanksgiving. It is so much fun. We sleep at Steve's parents house & wake up at 4:30 in the morning to hit Kohls at 5:00 when it opens, Target at 6:00 & Old Navy at 7:00. Usually we then go to Ihop for breakfast. It is a fun tradition that we started. I don't have my assignment yet for Thanksgiving dinner, but I hope I get to make the Raspberry Pretzel Salad. It is so good & I only make it once a year on Thanksgiving. It is a lot of work to just randomly make. I will post the recipe.

So yesterday I thought I was having a bad day dealing with a little family drama. Well come to find out this lady that I visit teach was at the hospital delivering her 20 week old stillborn baby. My VT companion came & got me saying we need to go right now. As we got to the hospital and walked in her room to see tears rolling down her eyes, I felt very humbled. I was crying over spilled milk when I didn't need to. It helped me put things in perspective. I realized that yesterday was only a speck in the eternal scheme of things. My heart is breaking for Amberlynn. She has 3 boys and this was her little girl, but thanks to the gospel she knows Heavenly Father has a plan.

Hope you have a great day today. Enjoy this recipe!!

Raspberry Pretzel Salad

¾ cup butter or margarine
2 ½ cups thing pretzel sticks
1 (8 oz) cream cheese
1 (8 oz) tub Cool whip
1 cup sugar
2 cups water
1 large pkg raspberry flavored jello
2 (10 oz) packages frozen raspberries, undrained & slightly thawed

Melt butter & pour into a 9 X 13 inch pan. Break pretzels in half & pat evenly into the pan. Bake 10 minutes at 400. Remove from oven & cool.
In large bowl combine cream cheese, cool whip & sugar. Dab on top of pretzels & spread to edges of pan. Refrigerate fro about 1 hour.
Bring water to a boil. Completely dissolve jello in boiling water & cool in fridge until syrupy. Add slightly thawed raspberries & stir. Pour carefully over top of cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate overnight or several hours until firm.