One Day at a Time

What The...Snow...

2010-05-24T08:22:00.000-07:00

Dear Winter,

We have already experienced your crazy weather for long enough and at very intermittent times. Since we already celebrated the first day of spring, could you please stop teasing us and let the nice weather come through. We would love to be able to get over this crazy cabin fever that has gone on long enough. Thank you!

Regards- April, Gennovah, Boston, and Mackay

PS So Gennovah and Boston finished preschool this past Friday so today is their first official day of SUMMER! Mother Nature didn't quite get the memo. Rain I could handle at this point, but not TWO inches of snow! I am not even kidding. All of the snow gear was packed around the time we had our garage sale 2 weeks ago, so there is no hope for them to play outside, which surprisingly they want to do.

Long Time No Post...

2010-05-21T17:56:00.000-07:00

Well alot has happened in life since the last time that I posted...here is a run down of what has been going on in our crazy busy lives...

Johnny--Still working at England Logistics and the Olive Garden. So if you are ever hungry and feeling generous, he would be happy to serve you a delicious Italian meal near the District! He has started school again to gain his degree in International Business and then eventually his Masters in Psychology. We are on the school path for a long time but in the end it will all be worth it. So he is gone from home most every day and night and the time we have with him is few and far between.

Gennovah--Has finished her last year of preschool. She has done so well learning so much for the start of kindergarten and wishes she could start at her new school tomorrow! I don't know if I am completely ready for it just because she is officially in school. She will start at Early Light Academy which is a charter school in the Daybreak neighborhood we live in. She has lost her two bottom teeth and her top two are so wiggly that they are sure to come out this summer. She keeps busy on her days off by jumping on the trampoline and playing with all the little girls on our street. No matter what time of day there is always a house to play at or girls at our home. I am so happy that she has so many little friends to play with. It will make our summer go by quickly for sure. She learned how to read, so summer will be filled with reading as well, so that she will be ready to go for her studies. One major accomplishment for her is that she saved enough money to buy herself a "tendo ds" (Nintendo DS). She is so proud of that fact and love playing the only game she was able to afford for now.

Boston--completed his second year of preschool and will be starting preschool again this fall. Happy times for the fall birthdays. His speech is improving day by day. It is so impressive how far he has come. Next year he will be doing speech therapy through the Jordan School District. As they are fighting to keep programs going with their budget shortfalls, Boston may only be going to school 2 days a week, so we will more than likely enroll in Learning Dynamics again. We loved that school, the kids have done so well and the teachers are incredible! The amount of time this kid spends in the sandbox, I can't even believe it sometimes! He is way into Thomas the Train and knows every character by name and is not shy in correcting you if you get it wrong. He loves cars and bounces back and forth between cars and trains. He knows all the sounds the letters in the alphabet make which is quite impressive for him. We are slowly working on our colors. He is getting better day by day with counting and can almost write his name. We are hoping that this will be his break through year and he will be completely ready for kindergarten.

Mackay--Sweet Boy. Love him so very much. He is 7 months old now and has one tooth and I am sure there are more coming through. He has been sleeping through the night which is such a blessing for us (especially me). He just learned to roll onto his tummy and thinks that it is the greatest thing ever because he can move around by rolling on the floor. I am sure that crawling is soon to follow, but for now I am happy that he is still kind of immobile. He is very tolerable with Gennovah and Boston constantly touching him and wanting to play with him. He seriously doesn't mind them picking him up and moving him all around. He still loves drinking a bottle and will not eat his baby food if he is not in the mood. He definitely knows what he wants to eat.

Baby #4--Due November 24, 2010. Perfect timing for Thanksgiving. If I have my way we should meet this little one the week before. I just don't want to ever have him/her have to celebrate their birthday on a holiday. We are not going to be finding out the gender of this little munchkin either. We have found it to be soooo much more fun to be old fashion in that sense. What is the point of even finding out, where is the surprise in that. People may think it is odd, but if you just plan to do it you can find the fun in it. And, your doctor has the opportunity to tell you "It's a ...." I am sure that is rarely done in this society that has to have immediate gratification. All development is going well and baby is on track just like the 3 before. I don't imagine things will be that much different come delivery. I haven't been able to sleep as much as I would like because I have developed a bit of insomnia, so I rely in a sleeping aid, which fourth time around I am so fine with it.

Me--Taking care of the munchkins day in and day out. I love it, I am finally completely at home with no one to report to for work. I am no longer at JetBlue which I was sad about at first, but each day that goes by that I can tuck my kids in and read them stories or give scratches I sit back and sigh because I have the most amazing husband ever who is working 2 jobs to keep me home with the kiddies. I am also going back to school. I am probably starting in July to get my teaching degree in math. Might as well do it while the kids are still young, that way when Johnny is working on his Masters, I can possibly get a teaching degree wherever we may end up. We are a bit nervous to see how it will be for us with both of us in school. I am sure quite busier, but that is what life is, a crazy busy day to day bustle. Now to just tackle the mounds of laundry that I am neglecting trying to catch up on this blog that I completely let go since the little Mackster entered our lives. Anyway, hopefully I will have pictures soon and continue to update as the days pass on.

Visit my Etsy!

2009-12-13T22:10:00.000-08:00

If you are looking for a way to organize hair bows, I am selling the hairbow holders I make on etsy.com. you can view some at

http://www.etsy.com/shop/thepickledpoppy

I haven't listed all designs, if you have questions email me through the comments. :)

Bunkees...

2009-10-17T12:23:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year as the leaves start to turn color, hot cocoa warms the hands, and we get to venture over to our favorite pumpkin patch to pick the best "Bunkee" for carving.

Boston's speech is coming along. We drive past the pumpkin patch every day on the way to school and one day he said, "Look, Bunkees." So that is what we call pumpkins around here. We are always on search for pumpkins, our favorite car game is looking for them on the porches of houses in neighborhoods we are in. They are always hunting for bunkees no matter the time of day...

Here is our trip to the patch...

It was such a struggle to keep this kid focused on picking the perfect bunkee for him. He wanted to ride the tractor, and seemed to gravitate to this one the most. Grandpa in Chicago would be so proud he picked the John Deere.

Never a dull moment when you have two wanting to have their pictures taken doing the same thing at the same time, but wanting to do it themselves.

Rows and rows and rows of such great pumpkins. This year was so warm when we went so we were able to take our time and walk up and down the rows, scouring for the best shape to carve.

Here is the one Boston picked out. It was way too HEAVY for him to carry, so he rode next to it for a little while, it was short lived because they both discovered there was one "my own size."

So excited to find a pumpkint that would not only fit but also allow her to push.

Very into the "ghost" pumpkin...

Concentration is key to balance...

We didn't end up with this one, but he certainly had a ton of fun pushing it around.

Our annual picture. The shadows were horrible no matter what angle we tried, so this was the best one. The kids look super cute and were so happy to be at the patch, just ignore the HUGE pregnant woman with them. You know what they say about the camera...for pregnant women it adds more than 10 lbs! Only about 3 weeks to go!!!

Super cutie!

Just like sister, adorable little man!

Picking our Bunkees was such fun this year. We didn't leave with four. We had to get one for the baby, so "fie bunkees" are on our porch waiting to be carved.

Lame I know...

2009-10-10T19:27:00.000-07:00

So what is my excuse? Sheer laziness or something of the sort, but in all reality I have been so sick this time around. Not sure why, but hoping in the end there will be an extremely healthy bundle of joy :)

So my last doctor's appointment update:

Delivery is set for October 28th at 5am...Unless the babe sees fit to come earlier.

Which certainly could be the case, I had some major false labor today while trying to get some Christmas shopping done.--I know. You might think that I am crazy because I am starting so early, but what if I don't feel up to it come time to get it done. PS-who doesn't love to spend money?!

I feel huge, and have gained the most weight so far out of all three pregnancies and have 2 weekish to go! Hence, no pictures! Anyway, Johnny put some recent pictures on my computer so I am going to try and get back into blogging so that everyone can be up to speed on our life ;)

For the Love...of Sugar???

2009-08-17T09:30:00.000-07:00

I dread that glucose test they make you take when you are almost done with your pregnancy...Seriously, I am not going to have diabetes. Gennovah was great, Boston I had a super high level and had to come back and take the dread 3 hour test. And yet again...yummy orange drink here I come for the second time. I guess my doctor is concerned this baby will be huge because I had a high test with Boston and he weighed 8 pounds...

Update on development...This baby is so active I can hardly stand it. I have reached 158 pounds, only 10 to go until I hit my max with both pregnancies prior to this one...new threshold is 175. I will be happy if I stay under that. Since I have less than 10 weeks to go, I am hoping that it won't be that big of a problem. The baby is sitting really low that I had to invest in a support belt, which hopefully will arrive this week. I will let you know if it is a miraculous as those I have talked to about it claim it to be. The baby is sitting super low and on my "last nerve" according to Johnny atleast. Okay, I will admit that I have been a little more grumpy with this one, but wouldn't you be if you were on week 29 and still feeling a sick as you were when you were at week 10?!

So all in all, I needed to vent about going in to do the extra long glucose test...oh did I mention meeting with a nutritionist??? Guess you can't eat the same before you were pregnant if you are me. Seriously I think I eat less so I won't feel that sick...

As long as the baby is healthy, being sick for 40 weeks will be worth it!

Stubborn Already...

2009-06-26T14:43:00.000-07:00

Today we had our ultrasound. It was so incredible to see our little ______. (be our guess to fill in the blank, because we didn't find out!) The ultrasound tech could not get a profile picture of the baby's face because he/she would not cooperate, already and not even born this one has a mind of his/her own! I can post as soon as Johnny has his computer up because we got all the pictures on a disk. I was in awe the entire time, despite having to pee so bad (sorry TMI).

We are totally and completely in LOVE.

Pregnancy Update...

2009-06-15T07:45:00.000-07:00

I know everyone wants pictures, but I absolutely refuse right now. I think because I mostly look fat and feel fat. Of course all for the greatest reason, but I have felt the worst this pregnancy than my other two. I never expected it to be this bad. I have had a migraine for the past 4 days, maybe we are having a boy?! I always got migraines with Boston, never with Gennovah...so that is my theory for now. Unless I am ruined and the child has caused migraines for every pregnancy going forward. Ugh, I would hate to think the latter.

I have already hit 150 pounds, and I feel like I am eating less than ever, mostly because I am so turned off by food and the possibility it will make me sick. Boston and Gennovah have been so helpful. When I am feeling the worst and go lay down in bed, they are content with watching a cartoon or two, or five which happened the other day when I fell asleep. Gennovah got Boston a snack and they ate all the cookies, but it was totally worth it to catch a few winks. I think Boston is starting to understand that there is something in there. He can no longer fit comfortably on my lap to watch movies. He tries to puch my belly in, but realizes this hard thing is going no where. Super cute. Gennovah has to kiss the belly each and every morning. I don't think she has missed since we told her there was a baby in there.

So is it a boy or is it a girl? I wonder as well, but we have decided that everyone can wonder along with us until the actual day. We are not going to find out at my ultrasound June 26. We are just wanting happy and healthy since we have already been blessed with a beautiful and helpful little girl and energetic little boy. They aren't so little anymore, but they will always be my babies.

So now comes the hard part...Names. I am open for suggestions since we are thinking up boys and girls names. Of course we are going to do a place or a city, I think it would be fun to actually visit the place someday with them for a vacation of some sort. Anyway, I think it is about time I start the day and get the kids going with something fun to do before the rain hits today. Pictures soon, I promise!

Update on Boston...

2009-05-23T18:19:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to give everyone an update on the progress Boston is making...

He was diagnosed with Primary Communication Disorder, which was so disheartening, because you want to be able to do everything for your kids and make sure they are healthy and where they need to be. He has been attending preschool through the school district and has made FABULOUS progress. He is able to understand more direction as well as use his word effectively to communicate back to us. It is exciting because he has added more word to his vocabulary. There are days when he says something, and I do a double take because I have never heard him say the word self-prompted before. I am so grateful to his teachers, they are AMAZING! I can't believe the patience they have for him and the love that they show to him while he is in class. He loves school and you can't ask for more than that!

He is continuing to grow and now when you ask him, "Where's Mommy's baby?" He will point to his stomach and say "that." So even though he isn't pointing at me, he still knows where it is. If he really understands what is in there, I guess we will find out at the end of October!

The Countdown Begins...

2009-05-07T09:25:00.000-07:00

Surprise...we are on our third voyage! We are so very excited to have another child, hopefully sooner than what is expected. Gennovah has been the spoiler of news. Johnny and I don't get to tell anyone before she says, "My Mommy has a baby in her belly!" It is just too cute and she is the most excited about having a new "sister", she thinks.

Things have been going pretty good for the most part, I have felt very sick this time around, but I think because Boston and Gennovah are older and I have time to feel the nausea setting in. Right now I am 14 weeks and should be nearing on the feeling better wave, praying for it every night actually. The house has surprisingly stayed clean, it's like the kids understand that I am sick and put their toys away when I ask them the first time.

Thank you everyone for all of the offers to have playdates and help me out. I am so very grateful to feel so loved by everyone around me. Johnny has been such a huge help in letting me get up in the morning when I feel best. I love that his job allows him to be able to do that.

I will keep everyone posted as we progress on this journey...until then...

Taken Over By...

2009-04-27T09:53:00.001-07:00

Well if you have ever seen this you will know what I am talking about...My kids love it and sing their songs A LOT! If you are ever looking to have something stuck in your head for an entire day, Yo Gabba Gabba is it! They teach great things, but seriously does it take much to make a successful kids show these days?!

Chicago on a whim+Trip to ER for Gennovah...

2009-04-08T17:25:00.000-07:00

So working for JetBlue has major benefits as we can take off to Chicago if we want, as long as flights look good. So on April Fool's Day Gennovah asked if we could go, and I figured why not. The flights would be free and the rental car cheap, so it wouldn't be that expensive. So we got packed as fast as we could to catch the red-eye to Yew Nork (as Gennovah would say) and then head over to Chicago. We had a ton of fun watching shows until about 2 am and then the kids finally konked out. We got donuts during our layover and jamba juice and made new friends. Our flight to Chicago had mechanical problems so we were delayed about 30 minutes, and JFK is down to one runway due to repairs so we were then 31st in line for take off. Besides being late we were happy to be hugged and kissed by our Omie and Grandpa, finally!

One of the highlights of our trip was Gennovah's trip to the ER!

Here is the brave little girl. She held her puppy the whole time, making sure it could see her face always to see how brave she was being.

So an explanation as to why we went to the ER. What you can sort of see in her back are cactus needles. Much to my dismay, I only thought this happened in movies. My little brother has three cactus growing in an aquarium near the sliding glass door to the back yard. My sister went outside to show her boyfriend the backyard and Gennovah and Boston were both standing there fighting over who was going to look out the window. I thought it was big enough for both of them, but apparently not! Then there was screaming...first thought...slammed finger in the door. Gennovah turned around to show me her back and sure enough, cactus needles were sticking out. My mom and I tried to get out as many as we could, but I talked with her pediatrician and they advised me to get to the ER as there could be potential infection. So off we went...

After 2 hours of waiting and having the doctor not be able to pull them out either, we went to get the medicine, went home, and ate dinner at 10:30 that night. All in all, she is okay and staying as far from cactus plants as she can. But this is definitely a story she can tell over and over and over!

We've Sprung Forward, But Where is Spring?

2009-03-09T15:28:00.000-07:00

I was so hoping that with the time change there would be a change in weather. For the past couple of weeks we have had warmer temperatures and some days you could go out with just a long sleeve shirt on. Then we set our clocks ahead and what happened?

SNOW!

Yesterday we got hit hard. It was so cold and was super blizzardy--new word by me, outside. Last night was horrible and the road are super slick today. I don't know about anyone else, but March makes me think of Spring Break and Easter = warm weather. Maybe I just need a vacation to somewhere warm...Any ideas?

You never think it can happen to you...

2009-02-24T16:05:00.001-08:00

As mothers I feel that we try so very hard to protect and shield our children from everything that we possible can, so they can feel happy all the time and not know the sorrows that parents might go through. But then what happens when you as a parent feel that you can't do everything to help your child...

Boston has been diagnosed with PCD, Primary Communication Disorder. The short version would be that this blog was written in Chinese and you wouldn't have the first clue in how to read it. Now just imagine that it was the language entering your ears and having no way to comprehend it. Time is the cure. This disorder does have autistic tendencies, however, those should go away as language slowly develops.If those characteristics are still around once he is talking, then we are dealing with an entirely new issue. I knew that everything wasn't right considering he is 3 1/2 years old and not talking.

I just feel like I can't do anything to help him. I cry throughout the day as different emotions take over inside me. I am jealous of the parents that have little boys this age or younger and can communicate that their child is hungry or wants a drink. I feel frustrated that there isn't a way to help him develop his speech quicker. I feel upset when he can't understand the simple instructions of "pick that up" or "put away". It is hard to face the fact that the language barrier prevents such simple actions from taking place and the only prescription for this is LOVE. I guess I wish there was more.

Upon our trials and tribulations comes great joy. I know that I have to sit back and realize that this test of Boston's language will benefit us all. I can't fathom every concept of how, but I know that I have gained more patience.

I just thought I would let everyone know where we are at in all of these doctors' visits and hearing tests. We will have another update in March...

Chaos...

2009-02-16T15:19:00.000-08:00

This says very little about our life since Christmas...

Many of you may know that we never sold our first home, but have it as a rental. We look forward to the day we sell it or may actually make some headway on paying down the mortgage, but it has been wonderful for the most part. Our renter gave us the heads up that she and her family would be moving out right before Christmas. Of course we were already stressed with the holidays and getting everything done, but this was icing on the cake.

Christmas came and went, it was wonderful. The kids enjoyed every minute of helping with Christmas breakfast, opening presents, and the clean up afterwards.

New Years' wasn't anything special, I had to work and we got to bed early...I guess as you get older you wish that the days wouldn't pass by as fast as they do. So I guess I was sticking it to the start of 2009.

4 days later, Johnny got laid off from work. I am sure I developed some sort of ulcer from all the stress going on in my life. I am so very grateful for the Dave Ramsey financial program which we have been doing for the past almost year. We felt confident we could make it for a little while if Johnny wasn't able to find something quickly. Work didn't give any reason except that they were cutting back the work force...This statement is complete BS, because they called Johnny to come in for an interview 2 weeks later. What a joke, and even though it is terrible that he lost that job, he is now home every day.

That is why I have been absent from the blogging world. I have just not had the energy to blog about our life since there really isn't anything exciting going on. Just eating up our food storage and praying something really great comes along for Johnny.

Anyway, we are all healthy and happy...so that is my main focus...until I post again!

MeRrY ChRiStMaS!!!

2008-12-25T09:36:00.000-08:00

Have a great holiday!

We LOVE you all and wish you the best!

Thankfulness...7

2008-11-28T21:00:00.000-08:00

~Family~

Both family near and far. I am so very grateful for this amazing support system that we have. I am so very grateful to my family and the support they give to us despite how far we live from them. I am grateful that they care so very much about us and call when they are thinking of us. I love how much they love Gennovah and Boston. It makes me smile when the kids get excited about Chicago and everyone who lives there.

I am grateful for Johnny's family. With having them so close we get together often, but not as often as we should. I am grateful that the kids have so many cousins that live close by and older cousins that they can look up to as examples. I am grateful for how willing everyone is to help each other out. I am especially grateful for weekend getaways with family. We have had so much fun and plan to make it whenever we can. We really miss Johnny's parents who are diligently serving a mission in Hawaii, as well as Bruce and Natalie's family that live in Montana. We wish that we can see them more.

To all our family...Please know that we love you so very much and think of you often!

Thankfulness...6

2008-11-26T17:21:00.000-08:00

~A Clean House~

Every time Johnny comes home from his business trips I try to have the house completely clean. Key word...TRY. It seems that every time I have most of it cleaned I have to turn around and sweep up crumbs or vacuum something else that has spilled. My vacuum has a permanent home, not in the closet, but in the corner of the family room, much like a piece of furniture.

Last night I finished cleaning around 9:30 and with the kids in bed, I was able to sit in this clean house for over an hour. I just watched a movie and caught up with reading blogs. It was so nice I didn't want to go to sleep. The kids kept the house clean before they went to school which was so nice, but then once they were home, the toys came out and the crumbs were spilled. So when the house is cleaned for even just 2 minutes, absorb as much as possible because it is rare that it happens!

Thankfulness...5

2008-11-25T10:47:00.000-08:00

Thought I could not miss a day, but Monday came and went!

~Being out of Diapers!~

I think about how I did it all those years with Gennovah in diapers and then Boston in diapers at the same time. I was so grateful when Gennovah decided enough was enough and took potty training on her own. Boston has been a slower process and much later one at that. Finally we have got it down. We do have our occassional accident. Seriously, I wonder how much money I was spending on diapers alone. Where is all that money going now? You got me!

Sad Blue Day...

2008-11-23T09:20:00.001-08:00

Just thought I would say sorry to all of those mourning the loss of BYU in last nights game against Utah. Just kidding!!! The game was so awesome and each team played well, but Utah played better! GO UTES!!!

Thankfulness...4

2008-11-23T09:09:00.001-08:00

~Gennovah~

She is so sweet and kind. I love her so very much and feel so guilty that I come down on her too hard because she is the oldest. She has been really sick since last night with vomiting and tummy aches. It was a long night for the both of us, but all she wanted to do was tell me stories and have me scratch her back in the midst of her sickness. It was a great "mommy and me" time even though it wasn't an ideal situation.

I can't believe how grown up she is getting. We got her school pictures and I wanted to cry because she looks so much older this year than last! She is doing so well at school. Her teachers say that she is a popular friend in class. Many children want to play with her. There is one boy who always asks when he walks in, "Is Jen-ah-vee here yet?" Gennovah loves to play with him as well. (First thing she talks about when she climbs in the car.) Should I be worried yet?

She is also close to earning her alphabet crown. In class they work on letters and on the day they master both letter and sound, they are awarded their alphabet crown which is such a big deal. If you ask her where she gets to go once she gets her crown she will tell you right away, Chucky Cheese. I guess great rewards encourage motivation, or is that bribery?

She has so much fun doing tap dance, but the other day told me that she would "much rather do nastics." So come the new year gym"nastics" is it. Hopefully we can start training for the Olympics soon with all the energy Gennovah has.

I love my little princess so very much and couldn't imagine a day without her. I miss her terribly when she is at school even though I can get so much done around the house, ah, so bittersweet. I love that even through hard times of fits and sassing she can still make me smile.

Gennovah, you are mine forever. I love you, Mommy.

Thankfulness...3

2008-11-22T14:52:00.001-08:00

~Emergency Fund~

I know we are taught the priciples of having an emergency fund just for that purpose, to be able to get us through a crisis whenever that may happen. Johnny and I have never really thought much to put money into a fund like this because we are trying to get out of debt and seems to always have endless piles of bills to pay.

We have been making a concious effort to put money away each and every month for just this purpose. (Thank you Dave Ramsey <-- his program rocks, by the way!) So I opened my mail today to receive a bill from the pediatrician for bills from 2005 totalling over $500! I was going to be so sick just thinking about it, but I am not clear why my insurance was never billed because it was for all of the immunizations my children have received. Anyway, it is nice to know that we have money set aside just for little surprises like this. It leaves me with such a peace of mind knowing that we won't be strapped trying to pay this off or to incur more daebt by doing so.

Bottom line: If you don't have one you better start saving for one!

Thankfulness...2

2008-11-21T15:55:00.000-08:00

~My Mom~

Seriously, where would all of us be without these amazing people that are in most of our lives from day one. My heart goes out to anyone reading this that has lost their mother. I am very blessed to have mine with me today, but as my mother and a recent friend have lost theirs I can't begin to imagine what that would be like. I am sorry for your loss.

Living far away has been so very hard with us in Utah and my parents in Chicago, and though it might be straining, it has made me cherish the little things of our relationship.

I love:

when my mom calls or sends me a text (yes, she is great at it!) just telling me that she loves me.
that I can call her 4 or 5 times a day to ask her questions or try to and not remember the reason why I called.
to cry to her to have her comfort me.
when we laugh together.
her suprises, even though it sometimes drives me crazy.
how my children's eyes light up when we talk about her or if she calls to talk with them.
packages.
the feeling when I see her when we fly in for a visit.
her kisses.
her hugs.
her eagerness to have us move to Chicago.
that she is on Facebook!
her determination.
that she always believes in me.

I miss my mom so much, sometimes more than I can explain. And even though it seems like I call so often and for silly things, really it is just to be comforted in knowing that everything is going to be okay, especially when I am on my last string...

I love you, Mom!

Thankfulness...

2008-11-20T10:51:00.000-08:00

My great friend Lisa started this on her blog and I am going to steal the idea, thanks Lisa! I am going to try and write everyday something that I am grateful for...

~FRIENDS~

Life can be pretty tough when Johnny is not around, which is more lately because of the holiday break that is comeing up...I am so very grateful for the friends that surround me. I cherish the friendships that lie so deep that no matter how long it has been since you have talked or how far you might be apart, you are still there for each other.

Growing...

2008-10-19T11:19:00.000-07:00

When we moved to Daybreak, we knew that the neighborhood would grow rather quickly with being in the first phase...Well today is a testament to that. We had our stake conference and you can guess what happened...The Stake Split!

While listening to everyone bear their testimonies I began to think about how many wards and stakes that we have been in since we made our move. The conclusion, 5 wards and 3 stakes. I know that our stake will continue to grow which is so exciting, but our ward will remain for a long while, unless of course they redraw the lines :)

A couple in front of us was hoping to remain in the old stake because everything is organized. I was so shocked to hear this because where else in the world can you claim that in less that 3 years you have been in 5 wards and 2 stakes and have come to know and love so many brothers and sisters. Seriously! I am so excited to be on yet a new adventure, which I am sure will be chaotic but with the church growing so quickly around us, who wouldn't want to be a part of that!

We love to see the Temple...

2008-10-16T17:43:00.001-07:00

We took a recent trip to California and I am finally getting back into the swing of things! Anyway, we got to see two Temples along the way.

First--Newport Beach Temple

I thought this Temple was built a lot more recently than it was, 2005. But hey it is new to you if you are seeing it for the very first time. Every Temple has such a different beauty to it. I love the church.

Next--San Diego Temple

I couldn't believe that this was right off the freeway, literally. It was almost on the I-5. I never understood why every girl would dream of getting married in the San Diego Temple because of its resemblance to a castle, but now I understand. Where ever our kids decide we will be there, I hope that it is the San Diego Temple. I just couldn't get over how majestic it is!

The kids were so cute while we were on the Temple grounds. They were so reverent and especially loving on one another. I love how special they make me feel, but shouldn't it be the other way around?!

We LOVE the Zoo...

2008-08-20T15:07:00.000-07:00

The Boys...

The Girls...

The Kids and the Tiger...

The Family!

That's Amore...

2008-08-19T08:15:00.000-07:00

Dinner has gotten rather boring around here, especially when Johnny is out of own for work. I just can't make anything for myself and the two munchkins without it leaving a TON of leftovers! So we decided to pretend we owned a pizza shop and this is the activity of the night:

I was soooo nervous to let Gennovah and Boston grate the cheese (am I paranoid?). I was scared that they would cut their little fingers on the grater...

Boston did such a great job spreading the pizza sauce, and after about two he lost interest and turned to play with his trains.

Gennovah didn't mind being the center of attention with finishing the pizza for everyone. She did such a great job at "painting" the sauce and then sprinkling the cheese.

Before they go into the oven...

Enjoying our delicious homemade pizza!

Yummy dinner, now what is for dessert?

This recipe is super easy if you wanted to have your children make dinner for a change.
1 package hamburger buns
1 can of pizza sauce (I use a resealable container)
Mozzarella cheese
Make pizza like you normally would on the hamburger bun halves and bake on cookie sheet in over @ 350' for 5-7 minutes.

--Thanks Mom!

No Computer Access...

2008-08-17T10:36:00.000-07:00

I am sure many of you are wondering why there have been no recent posts...Well we are having difficulties with our computer and really have no way to pull up our blog to get pictures uploaded. We are working on a way to reslove this and I hope quickly as I hate that we aren't up to date on things. Sorry to everyone that checks often that we have nothing to show for our latest activity, but it will be: COMING SOON :)

One Word Tag...

2008-06-19T10:50:00.000-07:00

1. Where is your cell phone?..........Purse
2. Your significant other?...............Amazing
3. Your hair color?...........................Brown
4. Your mother?..............................Compassionate
5. Your father?................................Caring
6. Your favorite thing?...................Children
7. Your dream last night?..............None
8. Your favorite drink?..................Coke
9. Your dream/goal?......................Sufficient
10. The room you're in?.................Office
11. Your hobby?..............................QuiltingRunning
13. Where do you want to be in six years?...........Family
14. Where were you last night?..............................Asleep
15. What you're not?........................Patient
16. Muffins?.......................................Lemon
17. One of your wish list items?......Vacation
18. Where you grew up?...................Chicago
19. The last thing you did?................Laundry
20. What are you wearing?...............Jammies
21. Your tv?.........................................Off
22. Your pets?.....................................None
23. Your computer?............................Running
24. Your life?........................................Crazy
25. Your mood?....................................Anxious
26. Missing someone?..........................Spouse
27. Your car?.........................................Wagon
28. Something your not wearing?.......Socks
29. Favorite store?................................Target
30. Your summer?................................HOT
31. Like someone? ................................Johnny
32. Your favorite color?........................Orange
33. When was the last time you laughed?...........Today
34. Last time you cried?......................Weeks
35. Who will do this?..............................Everyone!!!

I tag everyone that just finished reading this!!!

The Grand Tour...

2008-06-08T17:45:00.000-07:00

Here is what everyone has been waiting for...

THE GRAND TOUR...

I can't add any text since there are so many pictures, so if you have any questions about the layout leave a comment and I will try to explain! Have fun with your imagination...

My little Cinderella....

2008-05-26T09:52:00.000-07:00

She looks like such a little orphan in this picture, her outfit, hair, and the fact that it looks like she is earning her keep. She is saving all of her "monies" to buy a Pet Shop Big House. Littlest Pet Shop toys have taken over my house! She is in love with them and will do anything and everything she can to earn money to help her buy a playhouse for them. This particular laundry episode she pushed me out of the way as we were going into the laundry room and told me she was going to do laundry to get monies. So she changed over the washer to the dryer for a quarter. It is so very nice to have her help around the house and saving for something that is important to her!

Hair Wizard...

2008-05-26T09:49:00.000-07:00

Such a precious face walks up to me and asks, "Mommy, I want you to do my hair and make it do like this." (as she is criss-crossing her hands). So I sit her on the counter and begin to do what I thought she wanted, but I was doing it wrong! I had better watch out that she has domain over her own hair and knows how she wants it, she is only 3!

~The final outcome was very successful~

Friendship Bread

2008-05-26T08:50:00.000-07:00

Gennovah is quite the helper...she wanted to do it all. So even though it created a huge mess, this was a fun afternoon. She had a great time mixing the ingredients I put in. We couldn't have any broken egg shells, that will be for another afternoon.

We decided it would be fun to make one large loaf and some small ones, so we can share with some friends.

The best part of making the bread (and most messy) was sprinkling everything with cinnamon and sugar---YUMMY!!!

Now was the waiting game, so we stuck them in the oven and waited an hour for our yummy treats. It was so much fun to have the afternoon baking our tasty bread, Gennovah's comment as we were cleaning up, "Can we make more breads tomorrow?"

New Suits for Swimming...

2008-05-26T08:46:00.000-07:00

So this post is rather old because we took pictures right before our move and then misplaced the camera. Anyway, the kids were excited to get new bathing suits for this summer's water fun from their Omie and Grandpa in Chicago. Thanks to Aunt Sydeny, our personal delivery rep, we received these gifts with many smiles. The kids wanted to wear them all day! We can't wait until it is hot enough to go to the splash pool and wear them!

PS--Just a side note, but I have to hide their suits from them because they are the only thing they like to wear...Anyone else have this challenge?

Here is a Quick Glimpse...

2008-05-26T08:44:00.000-07:00

Our New Home...

So here is what everyone has really been waiting for...sorry for the delay! I took this picture right before Johnny loaded our card onto his computer before he left this week for Idaho. The rest of the pictures are still in his computer, ALONG with the card. So much for showing you the inside of the house! Hopefully I can get that from him this week or something. I guess, right now, blogging the new house just isn't suppose to happen...

To Be Continued...

Car Wash...

2008-05-26T08:39:00.000-07:00

I know they aren't pictures of the house, but hey they are pictures. We had a couple of really warm days last week and the kids asked to wash the car, with a little help from Dad, they got the job done! So this is our driveway and we are some of the very few in our neighborhood that actually have a driveway instead of an alley! We are excited now, I know, ask me in the winter I am sure I won't be feeling as grateful for it!

The kids were completely soaked after this. We had a clean car, clean kids, and what do you think it did the next day?! Of course, it RAINED!

Welcome Baby Maycee!

2008-05-22T14:53:00.000-07:00

Congrats are in order to our dear friends KC and Sally. They welcomed little baby Maycee Jane to their family last night. I went to visit Sally and get a first hand sneak peak at this cute little one and she is absolutely beautiful! You can see pictures on their blog...

Happy Birthday Maycee!!!

Missing...

2008-04-19T07:19:00.000-07:00

It is with great sadness that I write this blog to explain that we are still unpacking boxes and have yet to come across our camera/camcorder! I know we should have packed it somewhere we could easily get to it, however, it has vanished into that "secret spot" we all can't find from time to time...

Looong Weekend...

2008-04-07T14:03:00.000-07:00

We have officially moved in, but are struggling with getting everything put away. I am so excited to get everything in order, but we are still awaiting the delivery of our fridge and washer and dryer! I don't know how I can live out of a cooler for another day! This too shall pass, I know, I know! I will hopefully have pictures up in the next little bit, we just have to find the camera! Just wanted to let everyone know that we are finally in.

It's Moving Time...

2008-04-02T19:58:00.000-07:00

Well, it has definitely been a slow process but we should be closing on our home this Friday. With the way the market has been banks have been demanding so much from everyone to make sure they are covered. I wish we could have been moved in by this Friday so we could get settled, but it won't be the case.

I think I have determined the one thing I HATE most in life is packing up and moving. Since I turned 18 this will be my 16th move. Can you even believe that?!

1.) Home to UW-Milwaukee Dorm
2.) UW-Milwaukee Dorm to Home
3.) Home to UW-Milwaukee Dorm
4.) UW-Milwaukee Dorm to Milwaukee Flat
5.) Milwaukee Flat to Milwaukee Studio Apt.
6.) Milwaukee Studio Apt. to Home
7.) Home to BYU Housing
8.) BYU Housing to Johnny's Parents'
9.) Johnny's Parents' to Logan Rental
10.) Logan Rental to Johnny's Parents'
11.) Johnny's Parents' to Centerville Rental (Johnny's sister)
12.) Centerville Rental to Draper Apt.
13.) Draper Apt to Johnny's Parents'
14.) Johnny's Parents' to Centerville
15.) Centerville to Daybreak Townhome
16.) Daybreak Townhome to OUR HOUSE!!!

I am so incredibly excited to be hopefully moving for the last time in a long time as you could imagine! Anyone want to help???

Mr. Photogenic...

2008-03-22T07:59:00.000-07:00

In the past couple of weeks, Boston has wanted to be in pictures galore! He is becoming super photogenic as well. I might have a Mr. America on my hands!!! Does playing in sand count as a talent? Just Kidding. I love my little buddy!

Freedom from Clothing...

2008-03-21T10:58:00.000-07:00

Is it boys or this age?

Sometimes when Boston wakes up he is either 1--Naked, 2--Without jammies, 3--like this. He just likes the freedom of not having anything on! Yes, in this picture he has his body through where his head is suppose to be! Craziness--Just thought I would share :)

I'm a Big Girl Now...

2008-03-20T06:55:00.000-07:00

We have been working on night time training with Gennovah for a while and nothing seemed to be working. One day I was in Target and saw the Disney princess be in a bag. I asked her if she wanted it and was so excited that I was letting her get it. She carried it all through the store and to the car after we checked out. To her dismay we got home and it went on top of the refrigerator. There were a lot of tears and once she calmed down I told her that she had to stay dry for 5 nights and she would get her princess bed. After 2 weeks of hard work she acheived staying dry and now has her princess bed. What an amazing little girl, I am so very proud of you Gennovah!

Good morning...

2008-03-19T09:51:00.000-07:00

I woke up this morning a little grumpy with what lay ahead of me for the day...PACKING! I can't even believe how quickly the end of the month is creeping up on me. During breakfast the kids decided to strick a pose. How could I continue being grumpy after seeing something as cute as this?!

Fun Times...

2008-03-18T07:54:00.000-07:00

Well if you are ever looking for something to do with leftover cereal boxes...here was a hit with for Boston!

Lame...

2008-03-13T11:44:00.000-07:00

I know that I haven't update this in forever! We have had a lot of things going on with us...We listed our home for sale in January and now it is March. At first we were freaking out because the house that we love had been on the market for almost a year and we didn't want someone else to come along and snatch it from our grasp and then the reality set in about how we might not sell our house.

Well...we are moving out on April 1st! Not sure where we are going yet as we wait for our offers to be accepted from the sellers. But I just thought I would let everyone know that everything is okay with us but we have been very busy taking care of this new aspect in our lives and we will hopefully be back up and running as we approach the end of the month. Stay tuned...

The Man of My Dreams...

2008-02-21T11:24:00.001-08:00

Well I have been tagged and I have FINALLY finished...

What is his name?
Johnny Russel Hansen

How long have you been together?/How long did you date?

We will be together 6 years this March. After Johnny finally made up his mind about me we dated from March until May when he proposed, and we tied the knot in August. So all in all a total of 5 months!

How old is he?
Johnny will turn 28 in July. He is close to 6 months older than me, so as soon as I catch up he gets older.

Who eats more?
I think we eat about the same, since we are pretty much the same size.

Who said "I love you" first?
Johnny said I love you first. I responded with a "thank you", I know totally lame, but I wanted to be certain that those were my feelings and not just words.

Who is taller?

Johnny is taller--his 5'9" compared to my 5'5" (He tells people 5'10" so don't spill the beans!)

Who sings better?
Can I just say there is no hope for our kids because we both try...and if you heard the rest you'd know!

Who is smarter?
How unfair of a question! Johnny is so smart in every aspect of life, but when it comes to school...I would go to school every semester if I could I love to learn.

Who does the laundry?
I try to get as much done as I can, but if he opens the drier he warms the clothes and puts them away. I always leave him to pair the socks because I hate that about laundry!

Who pays the bills?
I pay the bills but with the money that he earns, does that answer the question?

Who sleeps on the right side of the bed?
Looking at the bed I do.

Who mows the lawn?
The gardeners. But once we move Johnny will seeing that I am allergic to grass :(

Who cooks dinner?
I cook dinner most nights, but if we are up for an Italian creation then it is Johnny hands down.

Who drives?
Johnny

Who is more stubborn?
I am!

Who kissed who first?
I really don't remember.

Who asked who out first?
Johnny asked me on a date, but after I asked him to as for my my number.

Who proposed?
Johnny did. I was going to move back to Chicago in May and he proposed so of course I stayed!

Who has more friends?
That would be Johnny. I left everyone in Chicago when I joined the Church and it is very hard for some people to keep in touch, but since we have been married I would say it is pretty even seeing that we are usually around married couples.

Who is more sensitive?
I am.

Who has more siblings?
Johnny has 2 brothers and 4 sisters and is the youngest, where I have 1 sistser and 2 brother and I am the oldest.

Who wears the pants?
I definitely get my way most of the time but there are some topics that Johnny doesn't budge on, and well, we just won't get into those!

That seemed to have taken forever and seeing that a lot of my friends have already done this in some way shape or form I can't really tag anyone, just beware for the future!

Guitar Hero...

2008-02-06T21:37:00.000-08:00

So my little brother and his friend brought their Guitar Hero to play while they visit. Who invented this because it is sooo fun. Notice...No pictures. I didn't dare let anyone take any while I was on the guitar playing. I must have looked like a fool because I sure felt like one! Anyway, most of our nights are dedicated to playing each other especially on expert. If you haven't tried the game I really recommend it! I am seriously thinking about getting a game system so we can get Guitar Hero and rock out!

Crazy Snow Day...

2008-02-04T08:44:00.001-08:00

Yesterday I woke up and couldn't see outside our bedroom window. Snow was whipping around like crazy because of the gusty winds and the heavens opening up. My brother Andrew and his friend Christian were the most excited because they are visiting from Chicago to snowboard. So, of course, they would be "stoked" because of all the fresh powder! Well were were going to start getting ready our neice Abby's baby blessing when her Stephanie (Johnny's sister) called to let us know their church was CANCELLED! I couldn't even believe it. They cancelled church! I wasn't too shocked because Johnny wanted to get out and buy some chains since there was already a foot of snow on the ground and seeing that we don't have an SUV we needed some assistance. (I know, my little sabbath breaker!) Uh, he couldn't even back out of the driveway because the snow drifts were too high!

Regardless of our slow non-successful morning, by afternoon the winds had calmed down cosiderably and it was time to have fun! Johnny, Andrew, Christian, and Gennovah went outside to play around and have a good time with the "2-4 inches" we were suppose to receive. Boy were they off, it was more like 12-18"! What do you do with all that SNOW, but build a SNOWMAN!!!

This was not going to be just any snowman you would find on the street! We are talking GIGANTIC!

So that is what the four of them set out to do. (Boston was down for a nap and I, unfortunately don't have any boots!) Keeping in mind that it couldn't be a normal size snowman. These had to be HUGE! So big that they needed a ladder to get the snowballs ontop of one another! The bottom of each of the were taller than Gennovah. She loved being ontop of the snowman.

Talk about TALL! With the top ball on, this snowman reached a towering 14 ft!

Here is Christian trying to add the touches we need to make this look more round after the struggle of finally getting it on top! Pure PERFECTION!

As you can tell this was no EASY task!

It wasn't all work, there was time to laugh and have fun! Here are Gennovah and Joy who became snow BUDDIES!

Finishing touches included: scrap material for scarves, liguine pasta (hair), Oreo cookies (less the filling, yum!), two large carrots (Thanks Geoff & Joy!), baby carrots, hats, and a couple oatmeal creme pies!

You can really tell how big these are from the SIDE view!

And here is the FINISHED family...

WHAT DO YOU THINK!!!

A special thank you to Geoff Osmond for capturing this priceless moment for us!

A Prophet Remembered...

2008-01-31T20:30:00.001-08:00

As I think about all of the great things in life, having a Prophet to lead us and guide our spiritual ways tops the list. President Hinckley struck a special chord with me. I was baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in May of 2001. There have been a lot of hills to climb. During these times especially around my baptism I relied heavily on President Hinckley as an example. I love him. He has done so much for me in my life. I truly looked forward to hearing from him during each General Conference and I marvel at everything he said and how is directly related to me.

I was fortunate to be able to attend General Conference right after my baptism. I will never forget how I felt when I saw him for the first time. Tear flowed freely from my eyes. To stand in the presence of the Prophet! What joy I felt as many people might never be able to do that in this life. And the wonderous things he has done for us. Temples! He makes me want to visit them all, not a likely goal, but I could get close. I marvel at what an amazing man he was. He loved us so much because when he spoke it was with love.

As I cry in his passing I rejoice in knowing that families are eternal and he is once again with his beloved. At peace. At home. I will miss him so very much as he has impacted my life more than words can express, he will always be a part of my pioneer heritage which I hold so dear. He will always be remembered...

A Big Thank You...

2008-01-19T07:55:00.000-08:00

Thank you to everyone that helped me with a new background. So I am just experimenting and getting into this so hopefully it will be more of something that I like! Hopefully I can get my hands onto a bloggind guide for dummies :) Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this new splash of color as I search for a background I truly love...

HELP!!!

2008-01-15T08:58:00.000-08:00

So I am computer illiterate or something. HELP PLEASE!!! Anyone...How do I make my blog look cute? I am lost and I am so jealous to everyone that can accomplish this task :( I am so bored with our boring back drop blog and need some help. If you have any idea on how to do this please let me know! Thanks a ton!

Like Sister, Like Brother...

2008-01-12T07:15:00.000-08:00

So everything lately has been..."If Gennovah can do it so can I" for Boston! Painting on the easel has been especially difficult. Is this normal behavior for a 2 year old with an older sibling? I am hoping so, because Gennovah and Boston haven't really fought until this past week. I am really hoping that it is him trying to define his independence and it's just a phase of growing up.

Crazy Sounds of Life...

2008-01-09T18:13:00.000-08:00

I know the music is crazy, but when you have a 2 and 3 year old and you are constantly chasing after them, this is seriously what I have going on in my head. I can't imagine what an addition would do (Not Pregnant!) or even when they get older. Ugh, for now I will continue to smile and watch them grow up too fast!

I will understand if you have to mute your computer while on our blog ;)

Chuck E. Cheese---

2008-01-08T21:31:00.000-08:00

In Chicago we took the kids to Chuck E. Cheese. Umm, they were wired and I don't think it needs to happen again for a long time! They did have a lot of fun especially on the rides, the games weren't as big as a hit as I thought they would be. They did have a blast! Thanks Omie!

Our Snow Family...

2008-01-07T22:19:00.000-08:00

Oh boy. did we have fun building a snow family in Chicago! We just need to have a great snow fall here in Utah so we can show off our snow family :) Especially when we buried Gennovah, Sydney had a great time burying her and best of all Gennovah didn't mind! Boston seemed to like eating the snow versus helping build a snowman. The daddy snow man is missing because we attempted to make him 12 feet tall, but we didn't get any further than the bottom! Oh well, I guess the next snowfall!

More of Our Christmas Fun...

2008-01-05T19:11:00.000-08:00

Gennovah asked Santa for Polly Pockets for Christmas and this is the little closet that he remembered to bring to Chicago, since we weren't in Utah. Gennovah was so excited and played Polly Pockets a lot during the rest of our vacation.

Boston being the cute little boy that he is loves Thomas the Train and he got a lot of Thomas books this Christmas. I love that he will just pull a couple off the shelf and sit and look through them. These are a lot of fun because they are two books in one. When a story ends, flip it over and another begins!

Enjoying more presents!

With our very own Santa "Flaws!" My dad always wears a Santa hat when handing out gifts and the kids took turn in my mom and dad's laps opening their gifts. We were very spoiled this year and are grateful for the time that we had in Chicago.

Merry Christmas...

2008-01-05T19:03:00.001-08:00

Leaving out some milk and cookies for Santa. He sure did like them because there were none left when we woke up the next morning!Presents, Presents, Presents! We weren't up as early as it might seem because of the dark windows outside :) We were up around 7am, but it was early for everyone else!
Boston was excited to open his stocking and find the goodies inside. Once he had candy he was set for the rest of the morning!

Home Sweet Home...

2008-01-04T19:31:00.000-08:00

I know that I am way behind in posting pictures for the blog, but life comes at you fast and I just haven't gotten around to it! We had a very busy Holiday, busy I think is an understatement! For Christmas we suprised my parents and showed up on the doorstep a week before the holiday and they were soooo happy!

We told my parents that I was unable to get off of work so we would spend the holidays here. They were really disappointed since we haven't been out since Gennovah's first Christmas, but little did they know we were planning on Chicago all along! My sister told my mom she got free shipping through work so my mom packed up presents in boxes and gave them to her and instead of putting them in the mail they went into her trunk and closet at home. The best part about it was that my mom had no idea!

We arrived after much delays (not Jetblue) around 11pm. I thought for sure everyone would be in bed, but my mom was addressing her Christmas cards, so we totally lucked out. We parked in the neighbors driveway and hiked through the snow with Gennovah and put her on the porch, I called my mom and played off that my FedEx package was delivered. She went out to check and saw Gennovah and almost started to cry. I think that we made their Christmas a lot of fun! My little brother Andrew bought Guitar Hero III and we had a blast rocking out to different songs. Well he did the rocking out while I tried so hard to keep up with him. I challenge you to play again when you come out in February, Andrew!!!

We were able to see many people while we were in and I am sorry to those that we were not able to spend as much time with. (Grandpa--watch out as I am practicing my gin rummy skills!) It was fun to spend time with family that we haven't seen in forever! Time seemed to fly by and due to a situation with Johnny's work he had to cut his vacation short by a week. The kids and I flew home on New Year's Day to meet back up with Johnny so we could spend time with him before he flies out on Monday (7th) :(

We were sad to go but happy to be home and back to our normal routine. The kids love their beds and so do I. Hopefully we will be able to go back sometime soon, but all in all, our home is our home sweet home...

What a Cutie...

2007-12-16T13:26:00.000-08:00

I wish you all could experience a day in my shoes. You would smile so hard your cheeks would start to hurt! I love this little girl!

Zoo Lights...

2007-12-16T13:24:00.000-08:00

Gennovah had to have her picture taken with the gorilla because we weren't able to see the gorillas. She was so sad because seeing them is one of the highlights of our trips to the Zoo.

Boston was such a trooper. It was so cold. He kept running around I think trying to stay warm. He always has a smile on his face!

So the lights weren't that impressive and no animals seemed to be out when we were there, but now we can say been there, done that, no need to EVER do it again, especially because it was soooooooo COLD!

Little Rascals...

2007-12-16T13:19:00.000-08:00

This is what happens when you answer the door and chat with a neighbor while in the middle of making holiday cookies! I came back in the kitchen to find these two giggling (I am sure they knew they shouldn't be eating these cookies) and eating Oreos! I am not sure how many they had, and I wouldn't have a problem with it, but I wanted to get a head start to it is only 930am! Ahhhh, what can I do with these two besides love them to pieces!

Another Haircut...

2007-12-16T13:17:00.000-08:00

This is the recent haircut for our little Boston! His hair grows so fast it is hard to keep up with it! My friend Brooke cut it and he did so much better than at Cookie Cutters, because I think that he knew her. We went shorter in the front so we can style it a little more. I am not very good at the faux-hawk, so I went more with what I am seeing on the streets. At first I thought it looked like he had no hair but in the end I love it!

The Best Kid "Cookies"...

2007-12-16T13:12:00.000-08:00

Of any recipe I have for "cookie" this is by far the easiest and best for kids to be able to help out.

1 large pkg Rolos
1 Bag of Pretzels (I prefer Snyder)
1 bag halved pecans

Preheat oven to 350'

I put Gennovah in charge of unwrapping the Rolos which takes the longest in making these tasty treats. For every five she unwrapped and counted she was able to eat one. She couldn't unwrap them as fast as me so no chance of her getting a belly ache from too much sugar! Then we laid out our pretzels on a baking sheet. (You don't have to use criss-cross style the other kid works jsut as well.) After you do that put a Rolo on top of each and place in oven for 3-4 minutes. Make sure you have seperated your pecan halves so you can press them in once the Rolos come out of the oven. Press one pecan half into each Rolo and cool. (I put them on my garage shelf because is was freezing out the day we made them.) Wah-lah you have a tasty treat that is super kid friendly to make. They do most of the work and it is really fun!

Snowball Fight!

2007-12-16T13:06:00.000-08:00

It was a solid attempt at a snowball fight but the snow wasn't packing snow, so the snowball fell apart mid air...Hopefully we will be able to build a snowman next time...

Our First Real Snowfall...

2007-12-16T13:04:00.000-08:00

Gennovah's First REAL Haircut...

2007-12-16T13:03:00.000-08:00

Gennovah asked if she could get her hair cut today and I was like, sure why not. Her correct phrase was, "Mommy, I go to get haircut like Boston, okay?" I asked her if she wanted it cut short like hers, because then she wouldn't be able to have her hair in a pony. She said no not short just cut. Off to cookie cutters we went and she had a shampoo and then cut. I had the stylist layer her hair in the back to make it look fuller. Gennovah was so excited and very curious throughout the process. She also was able to watch Charlotte's Web which is becoming one her favorite movies. After everything she said, "Mommy, I a pretty girl!" What a sweetheart!

Amazing Race...

2007-12-16T12:59:00.000-08:00

So would you watch us and cheer us on if we were on The Amazing Race? We applied for the next season and we are crossing our fingers that they might actually consider us. It would be so nice to prove that married couple don't always fight! I wish they would consider our morals so that we can prove to America that everyone can work through everything through communication!

BLACK Friday...

2007-12-16T12:53:00.000-08:00

I guess I never really understood why the Friday after Thanksgiving was called "Black Friday." This year I sure did get a taste of it. I had to work for someone until 5:45am so at 5:50 I woke up the kids and got some treats and we were off to Target to check it out. In all reality we didn't get there until 6:05 so there was no line and we just walked in got some movies and a couple other things I needed anyway and we were out by 6:20! There was an incident over in the toy department where it was so congested might I add that one lady got bumped by another and she just went off. I tried to get away as quick as the pedestrian traffic would allow because the profanities coming from her mouth were unreal. It suprises me in the world that we have such a great day of Thanks and then the next people turn vicious. I guess if you want to see the true colors of America come out on Balck Friday if you dare. People were calling me crazy because I had the kids with me who were all smiles and alert with the fun of shopping while "the sun was still sleeping" and because they had lifesavers before breakfast! Hey, you have to bend the rules sometimes!

Johnny on the other hand slept out at Circuit City and snagged an amzing deal on his new laptop that we have been saving for. He loves being able to hook up to the internet when out of town to be able to talk with us. We just got a webcam for ours so now we will be able to see each other because his laptop has one! My new Black Friday motto: "If you can't shop with a smile after a day of thanks, get out of the stores!"

Nothing Fancy...

2007-12-16T12:46:00.000-08:00

We didn't go all out with China dishes as you can tell above, but we had a great time. Our turkey was beautiful and one hour late. I guess it wanted a grand entrance into our tummies. It and nothing else so we could taste how wonderful it was! Johnny usees a recipe from Bruce his brother-in-law and everytime it turns out so well. Thank you to Bruce for sharing the secrets of great turkey with us! So Boston had a plate full of everything on the table and all he ate was his roll! Oh well, he knows what he likes and he was quite content with it. Gennovah suprised us with tasting everything on her plate and flat out told us which she liked and which was gross. Taste buds definitely develop over time!

Maybe It Was A Month Ago...

2007-12-16T12:41:00.000-08:00

So I know that Thanksgiving was almost a month ago, but hey better late then never, right? Johnny's parents were in Phoenix this year for Thanksgiving and with Jetblue I didn't have the luxury of having Thanksgiving off, so we decided to make our dinner for ourselves. I had several odd shifts throughout the day so we were able to work all together in the kitchen in getting everything ready. Johnny and Gennovah took care of the bird and I took care of everything else. Everything was so delicious! Happy Belated Thanksgiving to all!

2007-12-03T17:02:00.000-08:00

I am soooo sorry to not have posted for such a long time. I have been busy with work and putting up all of our fun Christmas decorations. We have kept busy with Gennovah's preschool and Boston's teacher coming to the house. Christmas shopping has been so much fun, especially when the kids are with me and I am trying to sneak things in here and there without them noticing.

I love this holiday season, except the stores! Why is it after Thanksgiving people turn vicious? I don't understand tis the season of giving, be as mean as you want to those you don't know and as nice to those you love. If only people could realize their actions and words. Despite that I love being able to drive through my neighborhood and marvel at the lights and the different ways people try and decorate their yard and home. I love the excuse to make cookies all month and eat them without feeling as guilty as I normally would. I love the snow, but hate the ice. I don't mind the cold, at least there is no wind chill! But I absolutely love watching the faces of my children as they watch snow fall from the sky and try to catch it on their tongues, as if it were such a game. Oh if that was the simplicity of life, it would all be smooth sailing through.

Check Us Out...

2007-11-19T09:21:00.000-08:00

This is hilarious. Thanks to my friend Joy for the link, because whenever need a smile this is where I am going! Check it out!

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=9549259738

Sugar Cookies...Mmmm....

2007-11-18T18:32:00.000-08:00

So this is close to the finished product. They came out just shortly before the kidies were due into bed. They were each allowed to have one of their choice, but frosting them would have to wait until the morning. Gennovah had a blast and in the morning she woke up and asked, "More cookies a-day (today) mommy?"

Little Chefs...

2007-11-18T18:31:00.000-08:00

Last year for Christmas, Gennovah received a cookie book with tiny cookie cutters and I made a promise that we would make some this year. She was quite the helper, wanting to put everything in herself and mixing everything. It was hard for Boston to get in the picture to help out. Licking the beaters was the best part of this adventure as the douch had to chill and it was bedtime. In the morning Gennovah asked, "Cookies a-day (today) Mommy?"

It's Beginning to Look A Lor Like Christmas...

2007-11-18T18:29:00.001-08:00

Here's how we decorated this year, what do you think?

Gotta Love Crayola...

2007-11-18T18:29:00.000-08:00

Why didn't I invent these? Amazing thing, markers that only write on paper. What is even better is that these two haven't seen these books in a couple of months so when I pulled them out they were excited as ever especially because the got to color with "markers!" I was amazed that it held them for 45 minutes! I was able to do two loads of laundy and put the dishes away without interruption. I can't believe how excited I was to get all that accomplished.

Hinders My Movement Mom...

2007-11-18T18:27:00.000-08:00

So this is Boston's latest trend. He will sneak over to where he thinks we are not able to see him, and yep you guessed it, he takes off his pants. I am guessing that he just doesn't like to have them on. I try to keep his jeans clean at all times as these are harder for him to remove! Is that mean or should I not care? It's just with the winter months coming I want to make sure that he is warm but I have absolutely nothing against a little boy in a diaper running around the house :)

Finishing Touches...

2007-11-18T18:26:00.000-08:00

Only a couple of ornaments were broken during the construction of the tree this year. I imagine there will be plenty in the future. The whole concept was new for Boston. He thought he could play with each ornament instead of putting it on the tree. And once it was on the tree, he thought he could take it off to play with it. Two steps forward and one step back, it took us a little while to put the tree up. Gennovah on the other hand made sure that each ornament had its own branch. It was cute to see her wake up from her nap because she wanted to see, "Christmas." The tree stays lit all day. They have a cow when I unplug it for their naps, so this is the year we will see how long the lights can go. It was a fun end to the day to get the tree up and see the kids smile as they helped accomplish this once a year feat.

A Litlle Early...

2007-11-18T18:25:00.000-08:00

So Johnny left for South Carolina this week, but only until Wednesday morning! He will be back for Thanksgiving and we are so excited about that. So we decided to get the boxes down a little early and put up the tree so the kids could have time to adjust to it and of course so we could enjoy it. I know that it is a little early, but why not? If the stores can have Christmas out two weeks before Halloween then I can have it one week before Thanksgiving. It's my favorite time of year, so it is all justified :)

What Holds Our Attention...

2007-11-18T18:24:00.000-08:00

So what is it you wonder that really holds our attention so much that we choose not to look at the camera when dad is taking this picture? Yes we are watching the tv, so that should give you a hint...

We smile and laugh and dance and sing when we see them on tv...and sometimes we even

WIGGLE(S)!

Yeah-who would have ever guessed that these four guys and their crew would be such a huge success. I am not sure why the kids enjoy watching them, they hardly see their show but when they do it is a fight to get them to do anything else, so I just give up and let Captain Feathersword win ;)

Hitting the town...and helping around...

2007-10-31T18:17:00.001-07:00

We started early at about 5:30 so we could be out with the light. We started with the two kids and then gained a couple neighbor friends along the way. Gennovah had the routine down. She would knock on the door, because she was too short to reach the bell, and they would open the door and she would say, "trick-or-treating". It was too cute! Along with receiving candy we have to teach the kids how to give candy in return and Gennovah was a great helper tonight. She passed out heaping handfuls to all of those that came to our door. We had quite a few more this year than last. The kids made out great with a load of candy. Johnny and I have picked at a couple pieces here and there, but they really got a great bundle of sugar!

Trick-or-treat...

2007-10-31T18:17:00.000-07:00

Well we have our Horse and Indian Girl already to go out and trick-or-treat. They were so patient all day to get ready and go out to finally trick-or-treat, they were plenty excited!

After...Boston's 1st Haircut...

2007-10-31T18:16:00.000-07:00

Well here is our STUD! He did such a great job and his hair is super cute! When he was all finished he got a balloon and a "cookie cutter"--that's the name of the store. No longer a baby, now a little boy!

During the Cut...

2007-10-31T18:15:00.000-07:00

This is an ingenious idea. Thank you to the person that started this! We chose to watch Elmo's World because Thomas the Train was already taken by the boy next to us. I don't think Boston looked at his screen once, he was content watching Thomas from afar.

This is where I started to tear up. It was the "growing up" point in his life so far. I thought that after this he was going to have his big boy haircut and no longer have the look of a baby :(

They get a sucker and everything to keep them entertained. Today was Halloween so don't think they always dress like this :)

The buzzer sure did tickle his head, but what a kid he made it through :)

BEFORE...Boston's 1st Haircut...

2007-10-31T18:14:00.000-07:00

Well, this is our baby boy before his first haircut. Boston was very excited to get his first haircut ever. I was more nervous than anything...

More of the Aquarium...

2007-10-31T18:13:00.000-07:00

There is an area at the aquarium where the kids can explore and climb around. What a great idea, to create a place where they can release some energy! There are tanks located throughout and they can get super close and personal with all of the fish :)

Day at the Aquarium...

2007-10-31T18:12:00.000-07:00

Well it is nothing close to the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, however it works for us. We bought a family pass so we can escape cabin fever this winter.

It was my first time this visit as Johnnt had taken the kids a week or two before. It was exciting to see them jump from tank to tank and see the fish.

There is a place as well where they can pet sting-rays. Gennovah's arms are not quite long enough to reach but the kids sure do get excited at the thought of doing so.

Candyland Galore...

2007-10-31T18:10:00.000-07:00

So Gennovah received Candyland for her very first Christmas :) I know I was really jumping the gun on games, but now three years later she is able to play. This was our first time and she had so much fun. Now that she knows how to play and finds it to be so much fun we play ALL the time. I sometimes find myself hiding the box to get out of playing...however, she is very smart and asks me, "Mommy, where my game go?" Oops, I put it in the wrong spot. "Silly Mommy!"

Playing Candyland is really helping Gennovah learn her colors. The more we play the more she learns, so next step after Candly is Chutes and Ladders. Cross our fingers she isn't as obsessive about the next game as she has been about Candyland :)

Promotion...

2007-10-20T08:40:00.000-07:00

Well after a week of interviews with managers and supervisors, Johnny was promoted! Yeah! I am so excited for everything that this opportunity will give us. His schedule does change a little. Instead of him leaving on Monday morning he will leave on Sunday morning and either come home the same on Saturday nights or early Sunday mornings. Not too big of a change, so we are very excited about everything that will come of this. I just wanted to let everyone know how proud I am of him!

Fall is in the Air...

2007-10-15T12:34:00.000-07:00

So I am super excited about how I finally decorated the kitchen for FALL! Johnny and I agreed that we wouldn't be buying anything more for the house seeing that we want to save for a bigger house since the kids are getting so big and so are their toys, as well as all of the stuff that we have, however, the only way I will be able to stand living here for another year or so is if it looks cute! So now I have decorations for fall and winter, but I m at a loss of what to do for spring and summer...

Pumpkins Anyone...

2007-10-15T12:29:00.000-07:00

These have to be the two cutest kids ever. We went on our hunt to find the perfect pumpkin and we found only two! Daddy didn't come with us because he was in Colorado, but when he comes back we are going to get more! Boston and Gennovah each picked their own, with a little help from Mom, steering them clear of nasty looking spot and ones that were missing stems! Suprisingly they didn't go for the biggest pumpkins, which is better because that is more we will have to carve out.

I tried my hardest to get a cute one of Boston on the hay, but all he was focused on was leaving and getting a drink. I think I will have to be a little more prepared when we go again.

Gennovah on the other hand, was my posing queen. She looked adorable in every shot I took, but this one with her standing on the pumpkins is by far the most precious of the bunch. And trying to take one of them together on the pumpkins was not going to happen, so maybe during round 2!

Mommy's Kitchen Helper...

2007-10-15T12:24:00.000-07:00

Gennovah is goin gto be a TV hit one day! She will probably have her own cokoing show. She has such an interest in helping me with wahtever I am making in the kitcher, from cookies and pancakes, to potatoes and hamburgers. She wants to be right in with all of the action. This was this morning when we made panckaes with M&Ms (at her suggestion!) She helped measure the batter and mixed it herself and helped me flip them on the stove (we might need more practice there!) to the finished project which was de "licious". I couldn't snap pictures of the actual cooking process for safety reasons if you know what I mean! ;) I wonder what she'll cook up next...

Rain, Rain, Go Away...

2007-10-15T12:19:00.000-07:00

This is what we do on a rainy day...We sit and watch movies and snuggle and play...

Train Machine...

2007-10-15T12:16:00.000-07:00

We struck right on the head this year with Birthday presents! Gennovah loves her easel and Boston is so into trains right now that a train track only made sense. Once Johnny set up the track for him he was so occupied with it that he would not get dressed, hence the naked baby :) I might be on to something, but I should probably get some more so that it isn't always a circle. He might get bored of that after realizing that is all we can create :) That's fine with me, who would turn down a trip to IKEA?

Our Little Artist...

2007-10-15T12:13:00.000-07:00

Watch out world, everyone will soon want an original Gennovah. They are quite pricey, so you might want to put a word in for them now! Gennovah's birthday morning came and when she walked into the kitchen there it was, and easel! When she actually understood what you do with it she was excited and wanted to paint right away. She wanted to use every kind of paint that she has: watercolor, fingerpaint, and plain old paint in the jar. We don't have a palate for her to use, so we do a paper plate each time. She loves to mix and brush on the colors all over the paper. The best part of this easel and the paint, besides it staying in one spot, is that all of the paint is washable, so it makes me quite relieved that I can clean it up off of anything! Gennovah spent an hour or so painting this morning and I am sure that she will be wanting to paint when she wakes up form her nap. I am so glad that I bought two rolls of paper. Hmmm, what should I get her for Christmas...(take that as a clue as well :))

Boston and Presents...

2007-10-15T12:07:00.000-07:00

So, I had mentioned earlier that Gennovah wasn't as exciting to watch years prior to this one when opening presents...Yes, as yuo guess Boston opened these two and that was it. He was so overtired that we just put him down for a nap! Wasn't that the meanest thing to do? Of all things on your birthday, "here you go son, go upstairs and sleep while we have fun." Needless to say, he was a much happier boy once he woke up.

Gennovah Tears it Up...

2007-10-15T12:04:00.000-07:00

It is so much fun to watch Gennovah open up presents. She has now com to the age when you can anticpate a reaction to a gift that she got. Where before we were just happy that she could get off the paper, and after three presents the attention span had disapated to nothing. She was so excited to open all the of presents for her birthday. She understood that not all were for her, but some were for Boston and she was okay with that. She kept saying, "Another present to me?" Like she was in complete amazement. A BIG thank you to everyone who was able to come to the party. We had so much fun visiting with you, and Gennovah loves her gifts! And to those who were unable to mae it because of illness or distance, mark a spot on your clanedars for next year, because it is going to BOUNCE your world!

The Cake...

2007-10-15T11:59:00.000-07:00

Next time I will have to remember to get a picture of the cake right away! Oops. Before I knew it the candle had been moved and I couldn't exactly move it back, not to mention replace all of the frosting that had already been taste tested :) I made the Thomas candies on the top of the cake, as you can tell Boston really likes Thomas! Each child that came got a Thomas sucker, like the ones on the cake, as their 'Goody Treat". This was the best cake we have had, besides our delicious wedding cake that is :) We just got a Chocolate, Chocoalte, Chocolate cake from Costco. We were in heaven...