Enjoying Every Moment

It's a Girl!

2011-08-30T18:23:00.000-07:00

Dallin has been wanting a lizard for a very long time. He has saved his money and dreamed of the day he would have one. Cody mentioned it to a coworker and within a few days she texted him that she had a friend who had 2 but they did not get along so she was getting rid of one.

The next day Barbosa was (grudgingly by some) welcomed into our home. (Barbosa is a Bearded Dragon)

Dallin is one proud papa! I have to admit that she has grown on me. She is really calm, and sweet. She even snuggles! It was really neat to see Dallin work so hard and finally get what he wanted. He takes really good care of her as well. I can not believe he is old enough to be so responsible (even if I have to remind him about her needs sometimes). He takes care of her without complaining.

2011-08-20T07:11:00.000-07:00

Well, It has been nearly a year that I have not posted. We have a new computer, and I miss having a reason to immediately document life so I am going to try this again. I don't think I will try to catch up this blog, but here are a few fun photos of what we were up to this past year.
Okay the first photo is not fun. Brynn put her tooth in her lip. She was fine and after a big emergency room bill it healed on its own.

The school year ended. Next week Kenley will be a 5th grader, Dallin a 3rd grader, and Lauren a 1st grader. Wow time is going so fast.

Taryn had her first birthday. She really savored her cake!

Dallin started scouts and 6 months later he had already earned his wolf badge.

We had a chance to go to California to let the kids meet their great Grandpa and Grandma, visit Huntington Beach, and Disneyland.
It was wonderful!

Well, here is hoping all will go well with this computer and my camera, and my time!

@$#%&^&

2010-09-03T08:13:00.000-07:00

I have not been able to get my computer to read anything from my camera's memory! So no first day of school, no baby kisses, no layouts! I hope I can figure this out soon.

Sketches week!

2010-08-18T05:35:00.000-07:00

I thought that it would be fun to challenge myself, and make a layout using each monthly sketch from http://allisonrdavis.blogspot.com/. She is so talented, every time that I look at her blog I am inspired. Here is one of my takes on the February 2010 sketch. I though that it was fitting to use pictures of Taryn because she was born Feb. 2010.

I used the January 2010 sketch for the next two layouts. (I wish I could use a scanner instead of photos for this.)

Anyway, I am posting my progress so I can keep focused on a goal that I have set. Thanks for looking.

Funny little Taryn.

2010-08-16T20:13:00.001-07:00

Don't ask me why, but this is how Taryn is falling to sleep at night the past few weeks. If she gets really tired she almost panics until her hand finds its way to my face, usually my nose and mouth. I do not know if it is the feel of my breath, or just knowing that I am there, or what, but it comforts her so she can fall asleep. Whatever works I guess.

Happy Half Birthday Taryn!

2010-08-13T06:50:00.000-07:00

Sweet baby Taryn is 6 months old! Where did the time go? She is still such a joy. Taryn is sitting up pretty good now, she laughs at silly things like when her Binky just sits on her nose, or when we make growling noises. Her smile is infectious. I just love her cute little "wings" of hair, and her pretty blue eyes. I can not imagine my life without her.

Scrapbooking Apprentice

2010-08-11T07:41:00.000-07:00

Brynn loves to look at her baby book, so I decided to help her start to make her own scrapbook. She had so much fun, and looked pretty cute doing it.

I think if you stick out your tongue you will be less likely to cut yourself :)

She was very pleased with the finished page.

I hope she continues to enjoy the time we spend creating together.

Water park Fun!!!

2010-08-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

(What's that you say, Never seen a picture of Dallin with a genuine smile! Keep scrolling down.)

My sweet sister Amber took us to a movie and water park near where she works. The kids had never been to a water park before and they loved it. We are excited to do this again.

2010-07-23T07:41:00.000-07:00

I have been finding some freedom in the mornings while everyone else is asleep. I have been making these baby toys for shower gifts, some to sell (soon) ...

and some for Taryn. She loves them! I love the opportunity to create. I have also been making some home decor items. I will try to post soon.

Brynn is learning how to do hair and makeup! She is going to need some practice, and her sisters better learn to keep their play makeup put away.

Taryn has learned to roll over...

and blow raspberries! So cute!!!

Kenley learned how to make pancakes from scratch! (a good cook always samples before serving to anyone else:)

Lauren is learning to read, but I still need to get pictures.

Dallin is learning to say goodbye. He has had the little green bracelet (Easter grass) on for over a year. When he noticed it was fraying we had to make a replacement. I like the new one much better.

The 3 different birds that have come in my house through the heater have thankfully found freedom. It is hard to see, but there is a bird in the above photo.If you have seen the pigeon episode of Modern Family, yes that is how you react!

I think it is safe to say that July has truly been a month of finding Independence and freedom!

Jorgensen's picnic in July

2010-07-23T07:28:00.000-07:00

We had a great time. Hope we do it again next year!

2010-07-09T08:43:00.000-07:00

Our neighborhood had a patriotic block party on the 5th of July. It was so fun! Great food, cotton candy (or "pure sugar" as Brynn calls it. She must have heard adults talking.), and fireworks!
On the 3rd we went to the Air force Museum. The learning center was closed, so we will have to go again, but we had a great time looking at the rest of the interesting items.

I love this sweet picture of Dallin holding Daddy's hand.

Lauren is obsessed with the " I love you" ASL sign.

Taryn is 5 months old as of the 7th. Hard to believe that she is that old already. She has been so good from the start, and has been wonderful the last few weekends. We have had some busy weekends lately. I am hoping to get a family reunion post done soon. Thanks for checking on us!

Scrapbooking for me!

2010-07-08T08:50:00.000-07:00

I have been working on an album for my sister-in-law (wedding sign in book) for the past few weeks. I really enjoyed helping with it, but it feels good to finish a layout for myself. I am in love with the sketches week on this blog http://allisonrdavis.blogspot.com/ she and her family are so talented. This is my version of this weeks sketch.

Catching up! (well, trying)

2010-06-10T05:47:00.000-07:00

Hard to believe, but Taryn is 4 months old. She is doing great. She has discovered her hands, and has them in her mouth most of the time that she is awake. She still naps well, and is cooing and laughing a lot now. She smiles very easily, even at people that she does not know. She is a delight to have in our family.
Brynn is still two and sometimes terrible...

but most of the time she is sweet!

We co-hosted (thank you so much for all you did Trisha) a bridal shower for Shelly (sister in law) on Saturday, and I feel like such a neglectful mom. I did not even think about sunscreen. All the girls got a bit burnt, But Brynn go the worst of it. Her little shoulders look so sore. Sorry baby!

All the kids really enjoyed themselves. The oldest ones had so much fun with uncle Bill.

The treats turned out yummy,

Mmmmmmm!!!

The beautiful Bride-to-be received some great gifts.

The refreshment tables looked so cute! (way to go Trisha) It was great.

Dallin got some Legos from his uncle Shane H. He plays with them nearly every day! He is so creative. I love to watch him think things through, and figure them out.

A couple weeks ago the big kids got to go to Logan for the annual Grandma Party. They had a ball, but Brynn was a bit sad to have to come to Todd and Trisha's with the adults. Aunt Deana made it all better by getting treats for her and having their own party. Thanks Deana!!!

She was having a lot of fun playing with Mayla, and by the end of the night I think she forgot all about feeling left out. These two will be old enough to go next year.

Lauren was so proud of herself for graduating from preschool. She is so smart and loves people, that I have no doubt that she will do great in kindergarten.

Wow, we have been busy. Thanks for checking on us.

2010-05-23T17:34:00.000-07:00

I have been seeing this expression a lot lately! 2 year olds, yikes!

Kenley is such a huge help to me. All the rest of the kids love her like a second mommy.

I am teaching Kenley how to sew. She loves it! I love this tounge out shot. She gets that from her dad.

Here is a better picture of her hair after getting it cut.

Our little Taryn is three months old. AMAZING HOW FAST TIME GOES. She still naps great, sleeps 5-6 hours at night, eats, then goes back to sleep. She smiles a lot, and is laughing more. She is also beginning to "talk" to us, I just love baby coos. We are doing good, and loving life.

Daddy's girl

2010-05-18T20:37:00.000-07:00

Brynn is our little Daddy's girl. She has attached herself to him much quicker than any of the other kids.

She is also learning to manipulate! Now that I am in the primary in our ward I really need her to stay in nursery. (Cody works 8 Sundays, has 4 Sundays off then starts over again. YUCK!) I bribed her with treats last week with great results, so this past Sunday I told her she could have a Popsicle if she stayed in class. She looked at me and said "and some nuts?" Whatever works I guess.

The other day the kids were watching a show that Brynn was scared of. She wanted Cody to hold her, but he needed to shower. She asked if she could shower with him, and was told no. He visited with her for a few minutes, then while Cody was gathering his clothes she asked him "We are buddies right?". He assured her that they were, then she said "Can I shower with you?". Well, good try sweetheart. She is so fun to have around!

A Challenge!

2010-05-07T08:28:00.001-07:00

I am trying to enter KSL Studio 5's five dollar challenge. I can not get my picture to submit. I would love a chance to step out of my comfort zone and take a risk. I usually lack the confidence, but I think this project could inspire others if it could be seen. I emailed them with the problem, and I am hoping they will look here. I made this project with old cardboard boxes, scrap fabric, jute,and lace, and wood letters that are found at Joann's fabrics (40% off). I would be happy to buy the supplies again to have the receipts if I were to be chosen as a finalist.

A NEW DO

2010-05-03T21:51:00.000-07:00

Kenley's hair was getting very dry and unhealthy, so we decided a haircut was a must. She also wanted to have some bangs cut . Here is the before picture...

Here is the just before...
and finally the after.

I need to get a better after picture, but she has bangs for the first time in her life, and the back is full of layers. She loves it. I have seen her walk down the hall swinging her head so her hair will bounce. She has also been in front of the mirror a LOT more. She looks even more grown up now.

Farm Fun

2010-05-02T15:37:00.000-07:00

Last week was my Dad's birthday. We had a party for him, and while we were there we got to see the baby cows and the Easter bunny (at least that was what Brynn called the rabbit). The kids were able to bottle feed the calves. It was so fun to watch. I am sure that it was a day that they will always remember.

It was wonderful for the kids to experience some of the things that I did as a little girl. I hope when they are grown, they look back on their childhood with happy memories like I do.

2010-04-27T18:05:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of my latest project.

The rectangles are boxes from stuffed animals the girls received for Christmas. I covered them with burlap and the leftover fabric from the curtains.
I made a flower from burlap scraps, jute, and Prima flowers.

The black swirls are made from jewelry cord that I hot glued on.
My kitchen is finally getting some life. Hope everyone likes it.

A Much needed Face lift!

2010-04-20T08:36:00.000-07:00

My poor kitchen had no personality. I finally made the time to give her a bit of color. I made a little curtain topper and an art piece for the wall. I have another project for a different wall that I am working on, hopefully I can finish soon. Anyway here is a pitiful BEFORE shot.

And the AFTER...

A little better huh. The wall hanging was made based on inspiration from one I saw in a Michael's add. I am pretty happy with the end result. I had to figure out all the dimensions and cut the wood with our band saw (my first time using it), and the "tiles" are pieces of foam board covered with scrapbook paper. Total out of pocket $9.50. for the curtains and the wall hanging.
Now our home is starting to look "Homey" and more comfortable.

She is a BLESSING!

2010-04-20T08:14:00.000-07:00

Taryn was blessed on the 11th. She fussed a little, but she sure looked beautiful. We all love her so much. Our family feels complete now that she is here.

I wanted this special day to be perfect so.......
I made her a pretty little bracelet, a white blanket,

some cute little booties,

a blessing dress (without a pattern, I must have temporally lost my mind, but it turned out pretty).

and some sweet cookies. (I made the cookie cutter from a foil pan after I saw how on studio 5. Easy and fun.)

It was a beautiful day. Thank you to all who came to support us, and to those who brought food for the lunch after thank you again.

2 months old.

2010-04-07T08:25:00.001-07:00

Taryn is 2 months old today. She is still so calm and sweet. She is sleeping for about 6 hours at night. She is starting to coo and Smile often. I am so happy that she is in our lives.
The kids are out of school for spring break. Kenley and Dallin have been making me breakfast in bed. They are so thoughtful, the menu could use some work though.

Tomato juice, Apple, Dry cereal, & a pickle.

Chips, broccoli, strawberries, & dilly beans.

Egg salad, applesauce with strawberries and cinnamon, & strawberries & bananas with a lot of cinnamon.

Yum.

I am a very lucky woman, but I think I better start getting out of bed a bit earlier!

Spring

2010-03-27T12:29:00.000-07:00

First warm day!!!

Taryn's first time joining me to get the kiddos from school. I think she enjoyed it.

This is my latest home decor project. Framed paper lollies. The hardest part was picking out paper. I am pleased with the results.

1 month old!!!!

2010-03-08T14:22:00.000-08:00

Time goes so fast. Taryn is a month old now. She is still very calm, not to mention how cute she is. I love her so much.
Brynn makes me laugh so often. The other night she told me she had a "bummy wedge", I am pretty sure that she wanted to say a wedgie.

We sent the kids to bed the other night, but told them they could read for a bit. I went to check on them and this is what I found. Kenley and Brynn reading together in Kenley's bed, and Dallin and Lauren reading together not in bed. Silly kids!

Taryn

2010-03-03T15:53:00.000-08:00

I could not resist putting in this sweet sleepy picture. I love the yawn.

Why is it so hard to get the perfect picture of newborns? She is so beautiful, and sweet. We feel so blessed to have her in our family.

Happy Birthday Lauren/ Happy Valentines Day!

2010-02-18T13:02:00.000-08:00

Wow! We have 5 kids! It is wonderful.

Sweet little Lauren is 5 years old. She is already excited to start kindergarten this coming fall. I did a little interview of her to document on her birthday page. Some of her answers were so cute. I am excited to do this for all the kids each year and compare answers. I got the idea from a page that I saw on a blog that I love.http://allisonrdavis.blogspot.com/
She designs some great layouts. I love that she does 2 page layouts, and uses 4x6 photos.
Check her out if you are a scrapbooker.

BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!

2010-02-17T19:02:00.000-08:00

As we are getting to know Taryn, we are learning just how blessed that we are to have her in our family. She is so sweet, and calm. She cries less than 30 minutes a day. I know that as she gets older she will be awake more and will probably complain a bit more, but she really seems to be calm and patient. The kids all adore her. Some people were wondering if Brynn would get jealous. I am happy to say that she is only jealous when someone else is holding Taryn because she wants to be the one holding her baby sister. I hear Brynn say "let me see her!" and "Me hold her." at least 50 times a day it seems.

All in all we are all doing well. Last week a stomach bug hit Kenley and Brynn. This week Lauren got a cough. I was hoping that we could avoid all sicknesses this year. So far the baby is avoiding everything though, and that is a great blessing.

I am just enjoying being a mom, and have been content to let Cody take care of the day to day chores. He has been WONDERFUL. The house is clean, laundry is caught up, and meals are taken care of with little, if any, help from me. I am going to enjoy it as long as I can. As a side note, we found out that when he goes back to work he will be back on the day shift. YEAH!!!

What a wonderful life I have.

Welcome Baby Taryn!!!

2010-02-10T09:37:00.000-08:00

We finally got to meet our baby Taryn.

Notice how calm and comfortable I look. Epidurals are priceless!!! I can not believe I had four kids without one.

Her hair is so soft and pretty.

Taryn Charlene

February 7 2010

8 lbs. 2 oz.

21 in.

She is doing great.

Sushi night!!!

2010-01-25T18:58:00.000-08:00

I think I may have eaten too much, I seem to be a bit round. :)
Dallin did not like sushi.

Lauren loved it.

Good food and family. What more could a person ask for.

Justin, Deana, and Jess came over for dinner tonight. We made 8-10 sushi rolls (only using cooked meats of course). They were filled with a variety of vegetables & meats. I only recently discovered that I like sushi. Lauren learned that she loves it. Dallin was the only one who did not like it.

A great DI redo

2010-01-08T19:56:00.001-08:00

Cody sculpted this chess set about 5 years ago. He sold a few sets with a chess board that you would just set on a table. He has wanted to build a chess table to keep the pieces on to display, and be ready for a game at a moments notice. After my Dr. appointment this week we stopped in the DI to look around. As we were leaving I noticed this end table. The top was ugly, But the base had a fun personality that I thought would match the pieces. When I pointed it out to Cody he was sold instantly. We bought it on Tuesday and the top was refinished and the tiles glued down by Friday. We are happy with the final project. I guess that this story proves that patience pays off because it is just what we wanted, and only cost $10.

Lauren's first field trip

2010-01-08T19:37:00.000-08:00

For the letter "M" we took the kids to the Air force Museum. All the moms came so with the 6 preschool kids, Moms, and Siblings we had a big group. They had so much fun.

Cody had a pottery order to finish so I did not leave Brynn home with him. I am so glad that it worked out that way because she really enjoyed it.

The volunteers in the learning center were so great. The kids were able to experience a lot of fun things. None of them were ready to leave.

Christmas was a Success!!!

2010-01-08T19:12:00.000-08:00

Brynn loves her puppies. It is a good thing, because Santa was not the only one who thought of it. She ended up with four puppies this year. She loves them all!!!
The big hit for Dallin was the bacagon stuff. He was so happy with all that he got.

Kenley was spoiled also. She loves to make things, so I know she will have fun with her sewing machine. She loved everything that she received.

Lauren had a great day also. She opened the etch-a-sketch that Santa gave her and said "Wow, I have been wanting one of these.

Our extended family really spoiled these kids. We all had a wonderful day.

We are now trying to do some serious "Spring Cleaning" to get the house ready to bring a new little girl home to. One month left and then we will get to meet our daughter. We are so excited. All of the Dr. visits are full of good news. She is doing well and is about 5 1/2 to 6 1/2 pounds now. The final 2 ultrasounds showed a normal, healthy baby. Although that was great to hear, I would have loved to see her face. She just would not put her hands down. I guess she is shy. It will be fun to get to know her.

Homemade Christmas continued.

2009-12-10T20:35:00.000-08:00

Here is the newest outfit, complete with a flower headband and a matching bracelet. I am having so much fun making these doll clothes. I can't wait to see my girls reactions.

I made this newborn hat for a cousin. There was no way it would fit Brynn's head, so Lauren's doll had to model again. The flower is a barrette, so it can be removed and used even after the hat is to small. I also made a poinsettia flower barrette, but it was hard to get a good picture. I wish the detail of the hat were more clear. It is a pattern that I just came up with, but I was pleased with the outcome. Now I need to make 1 more before February!
Brynn is modeling a scarf that I made for a gift.

This is the second watch that I made for the coat trade. I liked how it turned out, but the picture did not do it justice. When Cody took it to work today to give it to his co-worker, another co-worker saw it and ordered a yellow one. It feels so good to create something that you feel turned out well, but to have others appreciate it is so humbeling,yet satisfying.

As I proof read this post, I am realizing that I really need to learn how to take better pictures. I am sure that there are so many functions on my camera that would improve the quality of photos.

I better get to bed, I have a lot more gifts to make tomorrow.

Homemade Christmas!

2009-12-09T21:34:00.000-08:00

Boy does life get busy at this time of year. There have been 4 birthdays in our family sense my last post, plus Halloween, and Thanksgiving. I have a lot of updating to do, but it is late, so much of it will have to wait. I wanted to show some of what has been keeping me busy though. We have been making most of our Christmas gifts for this year. I can't post pictures of a lot of it yet, but the kids are asleep, so I can show a bit of what I am working on for the girls. I have only spent $7.oo on fabric and Velcro. The rest of the supplies for the doll clothes were just scraps, or old clothes that had a hole or a stain or I just did not wear. I am hoping to get several more outfits completed soon. We have also been selling some jewelry. The pink watch is actually one of two watches that we are trading to get a brand new coat for Cody, but we have sold a couple of other ones. I have been busy, but it is fun to create new things.

We are all doing good. Everyone is healthy, and looking forward to the holiday break. All in all life is great.

a Happy Halloween party

2009-10-18T20:36:00.000-07:00

The J side Halloween party was this weekend. We has so much fun. I was a fried egg.

Shane and Marianne are not able to come to Dallin and Brynn's Party, so they came with gifts. Marianne put in a lot of time in to make Byrnn an outfit, complete with a hat. We love it. I hope to get some pictures of her in it this week, but Lauren took this picture and you can see the cute hat and shirt, so I thought that I would post it now. She loves the hat. She wore it all day today.

Beautiful in white.

Dr. Quinn Medicine woman

Teela From the He-Man series.

If you have have seen The Lord of the Rings, then you should recognize this boy.

We all had a great time. Thank you to all that put in so much work into the food, games, decorations, and every other detail that is needed to have a wonderful party.

2009-10-15T16:05:00.000-07:00

Last night Brynn was sitting on my left side, and Cody was on my right. I had my knees up and Cody reached his hand under my knees and tickled Brynn. She leaned over and said "Stop it Daddy." Cody said "How do you know that it was not Mom?" Brynn replied "NEVER!" she then leaned into me for a hug and said "Loves me." Not only is that darling, it proves that I am training her well, and that is a full conversation. She is not yet two. I can't believe how well that she talks, but you will have to take my word for it because she is to shy to talk around others.
The other day I looked at her and told her that she was cute. She said "Me?" when I answered yes you, she said "Oh, thanks". She is so fun. I just love this age.

More crafts!!!

2009-10-14T13:15:00.000-07:00

I have been feeling pretty crafty lately. This is the Barrett holder that I made to match the curtains and bed skirts in Kenley, Brynn, and Baby's room. Girly, girly, girly!

I love fall, the colors, tastes, and textures are just wonderful. Katie and I made these cute pumpkins last Monday. For those of you going to the Jorgensen Halloween carnival, you just got a sneak peek at the prize for our game. I made two sets.
This next project I did on my own. My aunt gave me the vinyl letters a couple years ago. I just did not have inspiration until today. The original vinyl had a pumpkin silhouette in the center, but I wanted something more three dimensional. Then the A-Ha moment, cut one of the cheep little orange pumpkins, the ones that you get to fill with treats at Halloween, in half. Paint it to soften the bright orange, give it a stem, and a raffia bow, Glue it down, and Voila 3-D cuteness.

I don't have a great deal of space in my living room, and my cute apothecary jars are on the T.V. stand, so I thought that these new projects could spruce up the speaker one the side. It turned out well I think.

Have a happy Autumn everyone.

What are we spending time doing...look and see!

2009-10-05T20:15:00.000-07:00

We have been making funny faces,
and more funny faces.

Katie called me and told me she had seen a project on a blog that she likes (called shanty 2 chic, they have cute ideas, but I don't know how to put on a link, so you will have to google them. ) She said that she went and bought all the stuff and would be over the next day.

This was the result of our Saturday afternoon. I think that they are darling.

I love how the apothecary jars turned out! I am excited to fill them for different holidays!

More funny faces were made. I call this one the abstract monkey face.

Crazy button bracelets were completed.

These bracelets were fun to make, and Kenley loves them.

We also made some fish hook necklaces. I helped a little, but the real credit for these goes to Cody. He not only did the bead work, but designed and carved the hooks. Talented and good looking, I am a lucky girl.

Even more funny faces!

And more necklaces.

Still more funny faces,

and necklaces,

I have also been making hats for our new little girl, curtains and bed skirts for the kids rooms and baby blankets to donate. We are busy trying not to wast our talents, now if only we could use them to make a living.

A Funny Little Story

2009-09-27T14:22:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, We were getting ready to bath Brynn. I helped her take off her clothes in the living room, then she ran to the bathroom. As she was leaving, Dallin noticed her backside. He started to laugh and said,"She is so small. She does not even have a butt, just a crack for her thighs to fit in.".

First days of school.

2009-09-04T08:13:00.000-07:00

Lauren started preschool this past Wednesday. There are six kids in her class. Me and the five other mothers rotate weeks teaching. It is great because the kids are getting the preschool experience, they are with kids that they will go to school with( so they will already have friends), and it is free.

Lauren loves it! She has instructed me to call her either "Preschool Girl", or " Preschool Lauren" from now on. I went with her on the first day so I could help out. I was thinking about going the next time, because the first few times can be crazy until the kids learn the rules, and the routine. On our way home that first day Lauren said "Mom, can you just drop me off tomorrow like the other kids moms? I think it would be much funner and then I will just tell you what I did when I get home.". She is by far our most independent kid. I am very pleased that she is so confident. I know that she will do great because she is a good listener, loves to learn, and she enjoys being around other people.
Kenley and Dallin went back to school on 8-24-09. They both have done great, and have made new friends. They both have great teachers as well.

Dallin has done so much better at adjusting to a full day away from home than I had feared. It is hard for him, he wishes that he could be picked up half way through the day, but he still goes and works hard. He is excited because he is reading so well. He told me the other night that he thinks he has a great brain. I think he is correct.

Kenley is doing great in 3rd grade. She misses her 2nd grade teacher though. She has made new friends and is doing great with her timed reading lists. We are very pleased with her, and all her hard work.

Honesty + imagination = Lauren

2009-08-14T07:30:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Lauren pointed to my face, and said "I love you there!". I thought that she was pointing to my chin (I almost always have these red bumps there, but it is always worse with hormones, and being pregnant results in a lot of hormones.) so I said, "My chin?". She replied "No, your cheeks. You need to get rid of those bumps on your chin. You should ask the Dr." I asked her how she thought that the Dr. would get them off. She told me he would use water and a knife. He would gently scrape all the bumps off with the knife. I then asked her what he would need the water for then, and she said, " To wash all the blood off." If only that would work!!!

Create!

2009-08-06T07:27:00.000-07:00

Kenley had her first solo baking experience yesterday. I was in the kitchen with her, but I was working on something else. She made fruit Z bars. They are these sweet treats made with zucchini and coconut. She did a great job. They were delicious.
I saw an idea for a bib made out of wash clothes that had sleeves. I loved it so I had to try one. It was a bit tricky to figure out how to make the neck opening big enough for her head to go through, but small enough that it would still cover tightly enough to protect clothing from food stains. I think I got it though, and I have the supplies to make 3 more, now I need to find the time to do it. I am pretty happy with how it turned out. Brynn has used it a couple of times, and it worked great.

So far she likes it. She was getting sick of her other bibs, and could take them off herself, but she can not get this one off alone.

Heaven or cannibal???

2009-07-27T08:47:00.000-07:00

This morning during breakfast Lauren said "Did you know that my mouth is Heaven, because these (her cereal) are all people." Dallin responded with "No that would just make you a cannibal." Who needs a comedy channel when these kids are around.

garden goodness

2009-07-21T18:00:00.000-07:00

I think this is the cutest baby artichoke ever. I can't believe that this is growing in our backyard.
Dallin is standing next to our nearly 6 feet tall tomato plants.

Lauren is next to our zucchini plants. They are nearly as tall as she is.

Harvest time.

We have watched our corn pop up in rowes.

Homemade ruhbarb jam. We picked the rhubarb out of the backyard, found a recipe, and mixed it up. Yum Yum.

Oh Brynn, what are we going to do with you!

2009-07-11T17:48:00.000-07:00

Many of you know that Brynn has a nose issue. She loves the feel of things tickling her inside her nose. Well, tonight she put a Perler bead up there. Luckily Cody was able to get it out by using a crochet hook and tweezers. I hope she grows out of this soon!!!
She is really good at holding still for extractions though. (this is the second time Cody has had to lay her down and use tweezers to remove something. The first time it was a paint chip the size of my finger nail.)

I'm back, well almost.

2009-07-10T15:51:00.000-07:00

It seems like I can't remember what feeling good feels like. Being pregnant for the 5th time has really drained me, not to mention the nausea. Just as soon as I started feeling better, I woke up with a terrible bladder infection. Yea for me. I have never had an infection like this, I have a whole new level of compassion for other sufferers. Anyway, I figure I better post an update.

Have you ever seen a diaper wedgie?
I love this shot of Dallin fishing in Wyoming.
Here is a sweet shot of our little Lauren.

Skully, Dallin, Brynn & Rolene waiting for the famous Alpine Parade.

Kenley and Grandma.

The parade lasted less than 15 minutes, but the kids filled a grocery bag full of candy and toys. Kenley got hit in the head with a sucker that left a big goose egg. They all had fun though.

The girls finally convinced Brynn to dress up with them. She looked so cute.

The mosquitoes were terrible. Even though we doubled up on bug repellent, Kenley and Lauren were attacked like they were made of pure sugar.

Kenley's bites don't show in the picture to well, but she got the most bites, and some of them swelled to the size of a silver dollar.

Lauren's big catch. She was pretty proud because she was the only one to bring in a white fish.

Kenley loved to reel the fish in, but standing next to them for pictures was not as fun for her.

Brynn loved playing with the rocks on the shoreline. She loves to be outside.

Dallin reeled in the biggest catch of the day. I forgot to pack his belt, so grandpa let him borrow the stylish red suspenders. They just added to the whole fishing experience, and the pictures are redneck priceless!

When the fishing slowed down Dallin, Lauren, Brynn, and I built some rock people.

I think he turned out pretty cute!

Pretty cute little fishing family!

The last month has been really hard on me, but I am starting to feel a bit better each day, so I am hoping to get back into the blogging routine. Maybe I will even hand the camera off once in a while so I can be in a picture or two.

We are very excited to welcome a new baby into our family in February. It will be great to find out the sex of the baby. We will be happy either way.

Let the harvest begin!!!

2009-06-09T17:59:00.000-07:00

Cody picked these yummy strawberries today, and there are at least as many more that should be ready by tomorrow. I am so excited.

We also have tons of peas and zucchini and yellow squash that should be ready to pick within a week. I am hoping to see a big decline in my grocery bills.

Lauren's turn for an adventure!

2009-06-07T20:27:00.000-07:00

Aunt Amber called Saturday and said that she and Mike were going to take Mike's niece Karley to the dinosaur park to celebrate her birthday, and they wanted to know if Lauren wanted to go with them. Lauren was very excited, and she had a great time. Amber took over 100 pictures, so she put them onto our computer so Lauren would have them also. When we looked through the pictures, Lauren was telling us all about them. Here is some of what she had to say about her fun adventure.

This was when they were doing some "crayon art".
Playing near the "Spot dinosaur".

When Lauren saw this picture she said "Hey, That is Karley, (pointing to her) She is not supposed to be there. I was not in her picture." I guess that they were taking individual shots.

This is the "Long neck".

This is my favorite one!!! When I asked her what they were standing near she said "That is a Hoecaponus". She said it without hesitation, just like she was an expert. I just love her imagination. She is such a wonderful little girl. I am glad that she had a great day. Thanks Amber and Mike!

Schools out for Summer.

2009-06-05T18:10:00.000-07:00

Cody and I helped out with Kenley's class for field day. There were many different outside activities for the kids to participate in. It was a lot of fun.

Before school was over, a Clinton firetruck came and soaked the kids ( and many of the parents).
Lauren did not expect to get this wet. She was not very happy about it. Dallin said that it felt like fists coming out of the sky and hitting him. Kenley loved it.
Kenley made it to the final three in musical chairs.

This year we let each of the kids choose a plant to care for and harvest from. Lauren chose a strawberry plant. She has eaten 5 good size berries so far.

Cody and I are so proud of Dallin. Everything that he had to do for the kindergarten program was way way WAY out of his comfort zone. He did it all and did a great job. I cant believe he is a first grader now.

Singing and dancing in front of people, Wow! Most of the time if he has something like that he wants to show off, He makes me come into another room so Cody can't watch, because both parents together are to big of a crowd.

Kenley did such a great job with her animal fair project. She learned a lot about jaguars.

This is a video of Dallin's favorite song from his program. It is called the friendship song. He said that he liked it because he got to sit down and put his arm around his friends.

What have we been up to? Let me catch you up.

2009-05-30T18:36:00.000-07:00

Kenley made salt dough to sculpt a jaguar for her research animal.

This is one of my favorite pictures from Mothers Day. Sometimes I feel like this most of the day, But I enjoy motherhood. It is the hardest job that I will ever love!
We woke up on "H" day and realized that Kenley needed a hat. I planned on making one, but lost track of the days. I decided to see how fast I could crochet. I started this hat before school and finished it on the walk there that morning.
This is why an 18 month old should not play with markers!

She loves to color. Luckly she is good about only coloring on paper. It was all over her hands because she had trouble putting the lids back on. I was volunteering at the kids school, and another mom brought the markers. All of the other kids got tired of coloring after about 15 minutes, but Brynn colored for over an hour. What really surprised me though was when I went over to help her clean up, the only marker with the lid off was the one she was using at that time, but you could see that she had used several colors. She was putting each lid back on before getting a new one. Hopefully she will always like things neat and organized. Oh and thank goodness for washable markers.

After playing in the mud, We came inside to wash up. What started as a quick hand washing turned into a bath in the sink. Brynn loved it.

Because this was not a planned bath, I did not have a towel, so a dish towel had to do. Cute!

I went into the bathroom and found Lauren fixing Brynn's hair. I thought that it was pretty cute that Brynn would just sit there and read a book, just like she was in a real salon.

Lauren is such a cute sweet big sister.

Lauren has been extra sassy lately. The other day we were walking to get the kids from school, and I pointed out some beautiful flowers in a neighbors yard. She agreed that they were pretty then said "Look how messy their backyard is!". I told her that it is not nice to say mean things, and that we should always try to look for the good in everything. She looked up at me and with her little attitude said "WHATEVER". Sometimes I wonder how I will be able to handle her when she is a teenager, Maybe we could send her to live at Cody's work. Just kidding. I would miss her to much.

Dallin needed a new summer hairdo. He loves it, and I am pretty happy that I can brush it in about 30 seconds.

We are all doing great, and loving the weather. Our gardens are growing fast, the weeds are also. Now I understand the expression "kids grow like weeds.". It seems like I could watch my kids, and my weeds grow noticeably each day.

We had a great Memorial weekend. Cody had to work on his birthday so we celebrated early. Not many family members were able to come, but we sure had a great time with the ones who could. We barbecued, then had homemade fried ice cream. The food was delicious, and the company was wonderful.

Dallin's trip to the zoo.

2009-05-26T13:20:00.000-07:00

Here is what Dallin has to say about his field trip.

We got to ride the bus to the zoo. There was a spider monkey. My favorite was the rhino.

Dallin

Dallin said that he had a lot of fun. He told me that he did not eat his lunch fast enough, so he only got a few chips, and some raisins. (that is not surprising, he is a very slow eater.) He also said that he fell asleep on the bus on the way home, and almost fell out of the seat when the bus turned like a wild one. He is so cute when he tells stories.

He had to be at the school at the same time as Kenley, and did not get back until 2:00pm. It was so strange having him gone in the morning. This fall will be a hard adjustment for us both when he will be gone all day for first grade. I still miss Kenley when she is at school. I wish that the school day was a couple of hours shorter. I like my kids home with me!

2009-05-19T14:59:00.000-07:00

Kenley went to the zoo today. Here are some pictures she took, and what she has to say about her day.

This is a porcupine
we saw it with it's spikes up. I thought it was cool! I took this picture because I knew my dad would love it.

I think this is BEAUTIFUL!

My mom says she loves this rhino.
Kenley

I think that I have a junior wildlife photographer for a daughter. She did a great job, and had a fun day.

Scripture Power!

2009-05-17T20:18:00.000-07:00

Dallin has been wanting me to make him a scripture bag for well, to long. I finally made it today. I am pretty happy with it. I did not have a pattern, but it turned out surprisingly good. The back has a place to hold a small notebook and three pens or pencils. The front has a large pocket with his name on it. I cut the letters for his name out of fabric with my Cricut machine. This was a first for me. I can not wait to try cutting more fabric shapes.

I think that he is happy with it.
The picture makes it look like the pocket is crooked, but it is not. The whole thing is far from perfect, but it is not THAT bad.

The great outdoors(aka our yard)!

2009-05-16T18:56:00.000-07:00

This is our back garden. We planted potatoes, onions, peppers carrots, green onions and lettuce.

This is our side garden. Here we have tomatoes, beats, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, peas, beans, cucumbers, zucchini, yellow squash, and corn. (I am sure that I forgot something) We are so pleased with the progress of the gardens. Cody and I often go out and walk around the yard to look at the new growth. We also planted four fruit trees this spring, and three of them have fruit growing. We planted watermelon, pumpkin, rhubarb, and artichoke along the back fence. The strawberries that we planted last year have grown at least 5 times their original size. I think that next to being a wife and mother, gardening is one of the most fulfilling things that I have done.

I keep thinking that Dallin will grow out of the "fall asleep anywhere" stage. Well he is 6 1/2 now, and this is how he drifted off last night.

This is Brynn's favorite spot in the house. She is standing on a chair, looking out the kitchen window, watching the other kids play. It is kind of sad, but I don't want her outside without me, and I can not be out there all day. At least she does not cry, she just watches and yells "hi" or"Dad"!

Jorgensen happinings

2009-05-06T09:10:00.000-07:00

I got in the shower this morning, and this is what I found waiting for me at the bathroom door. Brynn loves to bath, so when she heard the water running she undressed and stood at the door crying. I did not know that she could take her shirt off.
This picture is to remind Cody that we really need a SANDbox. Brynn and Lauren both love to dig in the dirt. now that spring is finally here, I have a lot more laundry to do.

Dallin loves to learn new amazing things that his body can do. This picture makes me wonder if I am feeding him enough? Also, he just recently learned that he can wiggle his ears. What a talented boy we have.

At the kids school there is what is called the Alphabet countdown. The last 26 days of school they do something fun for each letter of the alphabet. For "B" day it was Backwards day. The kids had fun putting on their clothes Backwards. Dallin even had me part his hair on the opposite side.

I did Kenley's hair in backwards french braids. I just started at the bottom, and finished at her forehead. I think she looked pretty darn cute.

2009-04-27T17:20:00.000-07:00

I thought that I would do a quick update. This last little while has been pretty good. All the sickness is are house is getting better, FINALLY! Brynn is officially 1 & 1/2 today. Time has gone so fast, yet I feel like she has been with us forever. She is talking so much. some of her new words are, Yes, Home, RRRWoof, La La ( this means Mayla, her cousin, I think she thinks every picture of a baby is Mayla.) Low-a ( her version of sister Lauren's name.) and many more. I have had to laugh at all the people who are surprised that she is walking now. She started walking in September @ 11 months old. I think people believe she is younger than she really is because she is so tiny (almost 18 pounds). Anyway, The last 18 months have been wonderful just getting to know her.

Yesterday Lauren got to color a picture of Adam and Eve during her sunbeam class. She was very excited to show us her picture of "Prince Adam and Eve". Those who know Lauren well are aware of her love for the cartoon He-Man. Prince Adam turns into He-Man when he holds aloft his magic sword and says " By the power of Grayskull". She recited that for me.

We are all doing great and enjoying the springtime weather, and playing in our backyard.

Thanks for checking in on us.

When did I become a jungle jim?

2009-04-20T17:51:00.000-07:00

I like being on the floor and just being silly with the kids.
I enjoy making them laugh and have fun,

but I am not sure that ^ this ^ is my favorite part of parenthood.

Well, it tastes like cookies!

2009-04-15T14:51:00.000-07:00

If anyone has ever wondered what would happen if cookie dough gets over mixed, we discovered the answer.

It turns to mush. Even after you refrigerate it before you bake it, it still spreads so thin on the cookie sheet that you cannot get them off in one piece.

I appreciate help in the kitchen, but I think I will make cookies by myself from now on.

We were making cookies for one of Cody's coworkers. Needless to say I had to make a whole new batch.

Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T12:44:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter everyone. What a beautiful day it is here. We went to stake conference this morning. It was held at the Ogden Tabernacle. The Tabernacle is next to the Temple so after conference we took the kids to look at the flowers, and to touch the Temple. They thought that was so neat to be that close to the house of the Lord. What a wonderful way to start the day.

Cody has to work this afternoon so we had an Easter lunch. Not a traditional ham though, we had corned beef and cabbage. Yumm. I am looking forward to a nice calm evening to finish off the day.

Happy Easter!

Dallin lost his first tooth!!!

2009-04-10T08:59:00.001-07:00

Wow, Dallin is growing up so fast. He lost his first tooth this morning. He did not even cry. He plans on waiting until tomorrow night to put it under his pillow though. He wants the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny to come on the same night.

I'm done, now the easter bunny can come!

2009-04-09T22:17:00.000-07:00

I finished Brynn's dress. It turned out pretty good, I had a bit of trouble with the zipper, but that was probably because the other two were no trouble so I thought I was home free, I was wrong. Well they are all done now and I am so happy. They did not turn out to bad for a rusty ol seamstress, even if I do say so myself.

This was an interesting project. I did not have a pattern, but I thought that I would try a tie for Dallin. When I was getting started I told him that I was not sure if I could make it work. He said that he would be sad if it didn't work, but he would still be happy as long as I tried. I was surprised that it was important to him. I guess he was starting to feel a bit left out, and needed something new made by his mom. It is probably a bit tough to be the only boy. all in all it did not turn out to bad. Now I will know what changes to make if I ever make another one.
Happy Easter!

2 down!!!

2009-04-07T10:21:00.000-07:00

This is Kenley's Easter dress. Now I just have to make Brynn's Dress and Dallin's tie within the next 5 days. Not to mention hair bows to match. Yikes! I better get back to work.

Mmmm, Fresh Bread!

2009-04-06T19:26:00.000-07:00

We went to Logan this weekend, and stayed with Grandma Jorgensen, and Shelly. Grandma and Dallin got up in the morning and made bread. They made four loaves from scratch (they even ground the wheat). It turned out so yummy. Dallin is not afraid of work. He did not complain or try to leave (not even when it was time to wash the dishes!) before the whole job was finished. He is a great little helper with a wonderful Grandma that takes the time to teach him.

Busy, but fun!

2009-04-01T20:22:00.000-07:00

One down (almost, I need to sew on a hook and eye fastener and a flower) 2 more and a tie to go!

This is Lauren's Easter Dress. I decided to make them this year. Hopefully I can finish Kenley's and Brynn's dresses, and Dallin's tie in the next 10 days. P.S thanks Mae for the inspiration to get back to work, and finish this!

Lauren must have been quite tired because she was wide awake 5 minutes before I snapped this shot this afternoon. She did not get a long nap though, I had to wake her up so we could go to scouts. She didn't mind, a ten minute power nap can completly refill all the energy that a four year old needs.

FIRST TIME WITH FULL PIG TAILS! So so cute! Now if we could figure out the secret to growing hair on the top of her head.

Every day gets pretty busy anymore, But I would not trade places with anyone in the world! I love my family! The life and memories we are creating together are Priceless!!!

Brynn, Show me your muscles!

2009-03-31T17:51:00.000-07:00

Because my kids will rarely show their tricks to others (making me look like a liar when I brag about what they can do.) I decided to post this. Hope it makes you smile. (:

Mommy's little helper!

2009-03-30T20:46:00.000-07:00

It is so hard to make time to scrapbook! Lately when I think I have a minute, Brynn wants to be in my lap. The other day I just set her on my desk thinking that it would not be long before she was into everything. She showed me how wrong that I was. We have done this a few times now, and she really does not touch things without "asking". She will lightly touch or point at what she wants (usually my button drawer) and say "huh". She will sit there quite content for an hour or so before she gets bored and wants to move on to something else.

FUN FUN FUN!!!

2009-03-29T07:43:00.000-07:00

We had so much fun celebrating Jessica's birthday with her. A great big thanks to Justin and Deana for the wonderful time! Kenley is so sweet, She keep an eye on Dallin and Lauren the entire time. She loved the Pirate's cove.

Lauren loved everything. She wants to go back for her birthday!

Dallin loved the Pirate's cove and the arcade. he won 40 tickets and spent probably 20 minutes thinking about what prize to choose. He went with a lemon head candy and a sumo wrestler figurine.

It is so hard to get Brynn to look at the camera, but I have very few pictures of me that I don't hate and this one is not to bad so I had to keep it.

THE BIRTHDAY GIRL!!!

Growing up to fast!!!

2009-03-27T21:06:00.000-07:00

This is the gift that I made for my niece Jessica's birthday. I am pleased with how it turned out. The idea evolved from just decorating the letter J into this mini beauty station. The mirror was fun to decorate partly because I got to use my new home accents cartridge (thank you honey) with my Cricut. The tulle and ribbon on the J are for storing her earrings, just poke them through and place the back on the earring. The three hooks are for necklaces and bracelets. The ribbon wrapped up the side can hold Barretts. Kenley thinks that I need to make her one now.

Kenley is so excited to wear dangley earrings. She still has to wait until May, but she wanted to try these ones on because she made them. She is so beautiful and creative. I cant believe how grown up that she is.

Truely beautiful

2009-03-25T09:17:00.000-07:00

Lauren did her hair all by her self today. This just proves that she has true beauty because she is able to pull this look off.

I think she likes it!

2009-03-22T09:21:00.000-07:00

This is Brynn's first time getting to lick the beaters. I was making frosting for cinnamon rolls and I thought I would let her give it a try. I have been giving her more foods to try lately. I think that from the pictures it is obvious that she likes food.

The painted clown face picture is Brynn eating ravioli. She had 3 or 4 bowls. I was a little worried that with so much sauce on her face It would stain her skin. It did a little bit, but not as bad as I feared it would.

It has surprised me how good that she is using the spoon. I was only giving her finger food, or feeding her myself until last week. I gave her a spoon to use and she immediately picked it up and was getting food in her mouth with it.

Heros

2009-03-12T21:19:00.000-07:00

Kenley had a speaking part in her 2nd grade program. She did so great. She spoke loud and clear. The program was about heroes, and the kids made pictures of their heroes. Kenley chose Grandma Jorgensen. They have a strong bond, probably from all the great time spent with each other when we lived in Logan. It is heartwarming.

We arrived at the school early, but we still did not get to sit as close as I would have liked to. For some of the songs the 2nd graders were sitting down, so I could not see Kenley at all. During those times it was fun to watch Brynn. She was dancing to the music. It was a great program. It is good to be reminded about all the sacrifices that loved ones make for me. To all of you who have helped us in any way, THANK YOU! You have been our heroes.

CARNIVAL!!!

2009-03-06T18:19:00.001-08:00

We just got back from the school carnival. The kids had so much fun. There was a bounce house, fish pond, 3 legged race, hula hoop contest, candy walk, and face painting. The PTA committee did a great job. I love opportunities to create good memories for the kids. The bounce house and hula hoop contest were the kids favorite. If any parent wants a good laugh, I would recommend watching kids hula hoop. Kenley is to good now to be funny. Lauren is getting pretty good also. Dallin is almost crude when he gets going, but he can keep it up for a bit. Even Brynn shakes her little hips. It was just to cute.

First taste of Lemon

2009-02-26T17:12:00.000-08:00

I probably should not think this is as funny as I do. I guess that is the mean mom side of me.

In all reality though, I do love to watch as the kids learn and experience new things.

Brynn is watching me and looking at this picture. She is laughing, stomping her foot, and pointing at it. I guess that I am not that mean if she finds it funny also.

2009-02-24T16:24:00.000-08:00

Well, we are starting to feel better so I thought an update would be good. First of all, Lauren's birthday party was very nice. Thanks to all who could come, and to those who couldn't we hope everyone is better now.
Last Sunday we took Kenley to the ER because she had a fever of 104.2. She has the flu. (influenza A if Shane is reading this.) She was the worst, but not the only one to be suffering. I have it, so does Dallin and Brynn. Dallin recovered the fastest,and Brynn and I are doing much better, but Kenley is still pretty sick. Her fever has gone down a lot though and she is getting her appetite back.
We are all ready for the cold and flu season to pass. We have had our share of sickness this year.

2009-02-14T08:35:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentines Day!

Happy birthday Lauren!

It is hard to believe that Lauren is four years old. I made raspberry stuffed french toast for her birthday breakfast, and we definitely needed candles to blow out. I took some time to get everything ready, but she is worth all the work. Happy birthday sweet girl!

2009-02-13T15:56:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we went to Logan to visit the family there and to meet Bianca and Sue. They were staying with Valerie and Shelly to visit the U S from Seoul. They were wonderful and are now considered part of the family. We will miss them. We stayed with Todd, Trish, and Mayla in their beautiful home. We had a delicious dinner and visited while the kids played. They got along so well and had a lot of fun. Thanks for the great weekend everyone.

2009-02-04T19:51:00.000-08:00

We went to parent teacher conference yesterday and were very proud of Kenley and Dallin. They both got all fours on their report cards. That is like getting straight A's. Kenley is reading 96 words per minute ( above average ), and is great in math. She was also asked to perform a special part in an upcoming program. Dallin's teacher said that he is moving along just where he should be and is understanding everything that he needs to be. He is also being more social with his peers and that makes us very happy. Today we took them to get their free donuts for their good grades. They are great kids and we are very proud of them and hey if we can get a dozen donuts , that is a yummy bonus.

2009-02-01T13:18:00.000-08:00

Brynn got a lot of compliments on her looks today at church so I thought that I would post a picture.

2009-02-01T13:13:00.000-08:00

Dallin built this tower himself. He loves to build and says he wants to be a "worker" when he

grows up. When he was asked what he wanted to DO when he grew up he said he wanted to visit his mom. Yep, he is a keeper.

2009-01-31T07:54:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pictures of Brynn that I just love. Recently I have stopped blocking the kitchen from her and she is loving the freedom of coming in and out whenever she wants. Her favorite thing to do is get in the cupboards. I thought that it was so funny that she decided to use my sauce pan for a seat. Well I guess with a diaper on, it would not be that uncomfortable. Comfortable or not she sure looked cute.

The picture of her with the pony tails make me so happy. I love to do her hair, and surprisingly she does not mind it.

Finally this is the face Brynn makes if you ask her to tell you what a monkey says. I just think it is so cute, and could her big brown eyes be more beautiful?

2009-01-30T08:04:00.000-08:00

Kenley's hair on Halloween

I made this dress for Kenley.

Kenley's first activity days was a "snow flake attack" They decorated snowflakes and delivered them to others in the neighborhood. She loved it.

Kenley was baptized in December. We are so pleased with her choice.

Kenley is eight years old now. I can't believe how fast time goes. She is doing great in second grade. She is reading at a 3rd grade level, and is excelling at math and science. She is enjoying primary activity days every other Tuesday. Kenley is such a caring and helpful girl. Often times Brynn is just as content to be held by her as she is when I have her. She is loved by all. We are very blessed to have her in our family.

2009-01-29T20:31:00.000-08:00

2009-01-29T19:59:00.000-08:00

Dallin is such a sweet boy. He is smart, funny thoughtful, and loving. He has had a great sense of humor from the time he was tiny. Dallin is doing better than expected in school. We knew that he was smart and that he would be able to keep up there, but we were worried about how he would function without me being there sitting next to him each day. He has surprised is at how smooth that adjustment has been. He loves his teacher and is opening up enough that he is making friends.

Dallin is very creative and artistic. He is picking up reading very well and is good at math, but art is his favorite. He told me today that he was the first one to complete a task that his teacher asked the class to do. She complimented him and said that she was glad that he was in her calss. I could tell that he was very proud.

Dallin brings us very much happiness. He makes us laugh and love him all the more everyday.

2009-01-29T19:24:00.000-08:00

Here are some pictures of Lauren. This is my favorite Christmas picture for 2008. Her hair was so perfect for Christmas morning.

The other photos are for her birthday anouncements.

Lauren is such a sweet girl. Even though she has the reputation of being our most sassy kid, she really is not bad. She has a strong will to do things her own way. She is so fun and full of life. She is joy and we are so grateful to have her in our life.

Lauren loves to learn. She also loves to color, cut, glue, and anything else that makes a mess.

2009-01-29T19:06:00.000-08:00

Our sweet little Brynn. She is so much fun. Brynn loves to dance, color, play, and explore. She is one year old and in that short year I have learned that without her our family just would not be complete. She makes my heart sing everyday.

Brynn loves her mommy and Daddy. It is funny that she loves Cody so much, because it took a bit longer for the other kids to enjoy his company. With his work schedule he does not get to be home as much as we would like, so of all the kids it is good that she fell in love with Dad so soon.

2009-01-29T18:01:00.000-08:00

This is a current picture of our little ones. I think it is almost impossible to get them to all look at the camera, with a smile, at the same time. Sometimes I take so many pictures to try to get one good one, sometimes I give up and say "That will have to do." Smiles or not, we love them so very much.

2009-01-29T17:51:00.000-08:00

Well, we finally have a blog. Hopefully I won't let life get to busy to keep up on it