Our Thanksgiving

Our Thanksgiving Day tradition is first we play or watch the Elders Quorum play football the morning of Thanksgiving, come home get ready to go to a movie (this year we saw Enchanted) and then after the movie go over to Jeff and Cindy Jensen's for the rest of our Thanksgiving Day. At their house we eat, socialize, eat, look at the day after ads, eat, watch a movie and of course eat again. That is what we do pretty much every Thanksgiving. This year I brought the appetizers (cheese ball and crackers, veggies and dip, and stuffed mushrooms) and some of the mashed potatoes too. Max peeled almost all the potatoes, what a big helper! Then early Friday morning we sometimes shop together for the great deals. Well this year none of us were too into shopping, but Van woke up early so I got ready and left for Target at 6:30. On my drive to Target I remembered that my mom wakes up early and I just knew she would love playing with Van while I shopped; and the wonderful mother she is told me to bring him over! So I went shopping and only wanted to buy this twin doll set for Hanna and play dough, but when I got to Target they said they never got that doll set in, but they were giving a different doll away for the same price. Well I didn't want that one so I went to another Target and they were sold out; I was ready to give up. I went home got my kids dressed brought them to my moms for breakfast and then I asked her if I should go and get it at another Target and she told me to go! So I did and luckily it was there and I got the twin dolls with this whole big set of furniture for $30! I'm glad I got it! Later that day Kurt, Skye, Michael, and our family drove out to State line to meet with dad and Debi for lunch. They go there each year with Debi's family so we went out and had lunch and looked at the shops. I shopped, but couldn't find anything I liked cheap enough to buy. We had a good time visiting and the kids always love seeing there "Papa" (that is what they call him and we have always called him Grandpa). Saturday we had Thanksgiving with my mom. Kurt and Skye were here from Utah, Michael came and our family. Van loved the apple pie and whipping cream! It was nice having Kurt and Skye down for the weekend. Max and Skye played and played, Hanna liked playing with Skye and Skye liked playing with Van, so it worked out great! We had a Happy Thanksgiving weekend!

Making Quilts

This week was just the same normal stuff. School, dance, t-ball, Young Women's...oh ya that is something I can write about; at Young Women's we started making rag quilts and my neighbor gave me an old sewing machine so last night my mom came over and showed me how to sew the squares for my quilt. I was able to get half of my squares sewed before the sewing machine jammed, now I'll have to wait for my neighbor to help me. I am so happy to be in Young Women's I'm learning so many skills that I never caught onto before! We have made quilts that are with two sheets and you tie them together and so now I am going to make Max and Hanna a quilt for Christmas. I'll post the pictures of all three of my quilts when I finish! Another great skill I learned was baking banana bread, I never knew it was that easy! I never thought I liked it until during my mission when my mission president's wife made it for all the missionaries and so I tried it and loved it! Maybe I loved it so much compared to the other choices I had to eat in Taiwan! To sum it all up, I love my calling!

List of 5

I've been tagged for the first time by my good friend Autumn, so here it goes...

5 Things I was doing 10 years ago:

1. Working in Utah to gain residency for U.V.S.C.
2. Living at the Glenwood.
3. Working at Day's Inn, doing maid service.
4. Wishing I was dating someone.
5. Reading the Bible.

5 Things on my to do list today:

1. Go to Walmart (done).
2. Do the dishes (1/2 done).
3. Do two loads of laundry (1/2 done).
4. Visit teach.
5. Office work for Danny's business.

5 Foods I enjoy:

1. Indian
2. Thai
3. Pasta
4. Bajio (Mexican)
5. Bread and butter

5 Bad habits

1. My impatience.
2. Biting my nails.
3. Too strict with children's routine
4. Too obsessive with having things done my way.
5. Spending all my free time on the Internet.

5 of my favorite toys: I don't have any, so I'm going to change this to...

5 of my favorite things to do on my spare time:

1. Getting on the Internet!
2. Heritage makers books (scrap booking) on the Internet.
3. Looking at houses (on the Internet).
4. Scrap booking.
5. Reading a book.

5 People I tag:

1. Alicia
2. Carolee
3. No more blogging friends.

Van Turns 1

Van turned one on Saturday November 10th! The sad thing is he teethed and his nose was yucky all weekend. Danny and I were not too happy about it, because my mom had taken Max and Hanna for the weekend and we wanted to veg and enjoy ourselves, but baby Van was wanting someone to hold him all weekend long, I guess you can say we were being a little selfish. Van got just what he wanted for his birthday; all of Mommy and Daddy's love and attention! Van locked himself outside. We missed Max and Hanna but they had lots of fun with Grandma Susan! They played with Baylee and Reagan and had a lot of fun with them. Grandma took them on the train from Oceanside to San Diego and picked up Baxter to go to the beach and play. They got to visit with Aunt Rebecca and Great Grandma Mike too. They enjoyed their weekend, but by Sunday night they were ready to be back home. They didn't come home until Monday, so Hanna had a little bit of a hard day on Sunday and woke up twice in the night crying for mommy. We celebrated Van's birthday on Monday with both grandmas, the Jensen Family and Tracy and Alena Blackwell Family. It was pretty simple. Van not wanting to eat his cake and icecream, which was fine with me! I'm so mad at my cammera! None of the important pictures turned out, I'm still posting it anyway! It was also our sister-in-law Cindy's Birthday this weekend so on Saturday night we went to a "Fabulous 40 Surprise Party" for her. It was done by her sister's and of course they did an excellent job! Danny and I were also able to attend the temple on Friday night which was very nice. I hadn't been since just before I had Van. I never feel comfortable enough to be somewhere where I have to turn my phone off for 2 hours until my baby is one. That is also when I ween, so before then the baby just isn't ready to be away from me for that long at bedtime.

Eventful Week

Hanna started dance this week. She was so excited to go and had been asking when dance starts every day for the past 2 weeks. Right after dance class started I think she was done. Her teacher was a little more outgoing then I think she felt comfortable with. I think the teacher forgot that the kids were only 2. She was a little too energetic for the little ones and she spent way too much time on the language of ballet. Hopefully next week she'll calm herself down and just let the kids dance! It was nice that I was able to sit in the same room as her, I doubt she would have stayed in if I couldn't. We'll try it again on Tuesday. Isn't Hanna's hair cut so cute?! Max started tee ball and had his first game already! He is on the "Dodgers" with the 5 and 6 year old kids, I had to put him with his cousin Zachary or he wouldn't have wanted to play, but he looks as though he fits right in! Tee ball at this age is nice, everyone gets a chance to hit three times and play different positions in the outfield each game. He got a little board, but he did get a little action and he really likes his new hat! Grandpa Ernie and Grandma Debi were in town for work and were able to come watch Max play and had some fun with Hanna and Van on the sidelines! Our ward had a chili cook off for Halloween and a Trunk-or-Treat! The kids had lot of fun! We didn't have baby Van trick-or-treat, but when the kids got home and dumped their candy all over our bed he was just about talking for some of their candy! So we gave in and gave him a succor which made him so happy! He was so cute doing the cutest little um um umms and smacking his little lips and shacking his head, it was diffidently all worth his reaction! Hanna and Rylee Blackwell dressed as Tinker Bell, so cute!

Sick Kids & Halloween Party

Hanna and Van had the croup flu for most of the week. Late Monday night Hanna woke up with coughing and a high fever of 102.8, she was up for most of the night she even threw-up it was so scary. Plus baby Van was coughing and not breathing very well, so Danny slept in the room with him and I slept with Hanna. Danny had a big breakfast to cater for on Tuesday morning and had to leave by 4:00 a.m. So after he left Hanna had just went to sleep and the baby woke up, but I didn't want to leave Hanna because I was still worried about her, so I called my mom and she came over and laid with Hanna. I was so thankful my mom lived so close to be able to do that for me! They were sick until Friday. They still have the yucky cough though. Every year my sister-in-law Cindy puts on this huge pumpkin carving contest and costume contest the Saturday before Halloween. It is very professional with rules like pumpkin carving starts at 4:30 and ends at 6:00 sharp! No tracing, no pre- drawing and get this; judges that don't know the family who just come to judge the pumpkins come to judge. The whole party gets way into it! The prizes go to scariest, grossest, funniest, most creative, and best all around. I felt that Danny's was the scariest, he carved a skeleton face with the hood over the head, (sorry no picture my camera ran out of batteries). But some pumpkin that wasn't even scary got the prize (I think the judges wanted a kid to win, but it wasn't even a kids pumpkin). That's my opinion, I'm not bitter or anything. For the costume contest we dressed up as Danny=Peter Pan, Jenny=Wendy, Max=Hook, Hanna=Tinker Bell, and Van=John (the baby with bear). I love how Danny gets excited about doing a family theme and gets so into his character every year. I thought Max was so cute!!The first year we did a theme was in 2005 we were Old McDonald Had a Farm, 2006 we were Cowboys and Indians. It is just so much fun to do a theme! Even though we didn't win the costume contest this year (we didn't win last year either), I thought we were so cute! Cindy's brothers family were the Scooby doo gang and it deserved best overall, I have to admit! It is always fun to go to her Halloween party and watch everyone get into their pumpkins and costumes. We had a lot of fun and look forward to next years party. Halloween 2007 "Peter Pan" Halloween 2006 "Cowboys and Indians" Halloween 2005 "Old McDonald Had a Farm"

Fun with Grandma

Last week we went to the pumpkin patch for F.H.E. and the kids had so much fun sliding down the huge slide. Well, most of the kids enjoyed it, but if baby Van could talk he would say, "It was too scary!" Danny let baby Van go down the slide like he goes down the park slides, which is on his tummy, feet first alone! About 1/4 way down he started to turn around and then he started the shaking with the screaming cry, poor baby! After that he was nervous about doing anything else. At the pumpin patch with Grandma Susan! The big slide Van went down alone. Wednesday was Danny's 29th Birthday! We went to his favorite restaurant Sushi Mon for lunch which was nice. But that was pretty much it, oh, and I did all the house cleaning for his B-day. We normally clean together on Wednesday nights after the kids go to sleep he sweeps and mops and I clean the bathrooms, in the day I dust and vacuum, Max cleans the windows and does the garbage's and Hanna takes all the rugs outside and washes the doors and walls. It is a good routine and it works really well! On Friday night we went to this yummy Italian restaurant called Maggionos with two other couples from our ward. That was a lot of fun and we all must have gained a couple of pounds that night! Then on Saturday Grandma Susan took Max and Hanna on the city bus ride. She took Max when he was two and my nephew Baxter when he was two and on Friday night she was over babysitting and Hanna said, "Grandma you haven't taken me on the bus!" And grandma said, "Your right Hanna, we'll go tomorrow" and Hanna said, "And Max can come too." So they went on the bus ride to the park and me and Van met them there for a picnic then we drove home. Max and Hanna at the bus stop. Grandma and Van at the park, it was so windy. We had stake conference this weekend and it was about member missionary work. It was way good, I was inspired!

Danny's Reunion

We had Danny's 10 year reunion this past weekend. It was pretty much all weekend long. On Friday night was the tale-gate party and Homecoming Game. Danny wasn't able to go, but since I paid I went with the kids and at first they thought I was just a stray mom trying to get some free food. But I new a couple of people their from previous get togethers with the L.D.S. crowd, so then they knew I was legit. Danny was able to come to the game for about 15 minutes and then had to leave again; he does this huge catering every year for the same group which falls on this same weekend. After the game my mother-in-law Dee was so kind to come over and watch our kids so we could go to the Friday night get together, which was at a bar, but still a lot of friends were going to just hang out. On Saturday night we had the expensive dinner at Canyon Gate (gated community) Country Club. We were a little nervous about having our babysitter come because Max got sick early that afternoon throwing-up and Hanna and diarrhea. I called my babysitter at 5:30 and told her about the kids, but she was fine with it. I had Hanna asleep and Max watching a movie so all she had to do was put the baby to bed in 45 minutes, so I felt like I could go and not worry. It was fun going with Danny and meeting all his old high school friends. Danny was loved by his high school peers (who dosen't love Danny)?! Danny was voted most friendly by his class. His reunion was a lot better than mine last year. People got so drunk at mine that they almost had to turn the ship around and end early. Plus I was not very well known in my high school class. Anyway, then today after church we went to the park for the family picnic so we could meet the families. Max and Hanna woke up with no illnesses, but after the park Van threw-up on the drive home(poor baby). It must be going around, but luckily it is very short. Danny was lucky to have so many L.D.S in his high school, I hope this for my children as well! At the reunion dinner Max and Van, too cute!

Crazy Week

This has been a very exciting week, but kind of crazy as well! First off on Monday night we went to my mother-in-law Dee's for F.H.E. and while we were there Danny was BBQing out back by the pool while Max and Hanna played nearby. After Danny was done he started heading inside the house when he heard Max say, "Hanna fell in." Danny turned around and Hanna was in the deep end of the pool kicking and trying to get above the water with just a tip of her nose in the air. He thought about jumping in, but he felt Hanna was doing well enough that he decided to run around the pool and pull her out! Poor Hanna came out fully dressed, shoes and head-band, crying, "I sink, I soaking wet!" We warmed her up (the water was so cold, by the way) and put a cute dress-up on her and she was happy! On Tuesday Danny had to go to St. George to get some items he was out of from Hogi Yogi. So he asked if we wanted to drive with him and I wasn't sure if driving for 3-4 hours would be fun for the kids. So I called my mom and she said, "Lets go and I call my time share and see if I can get a room for the night." So we all ended up going and when we got to the time share mom had gotten the Presidential Suite that was so the BOMB! It was 2000 sq. ft. with 2 master suites a kids bedroom a huge beutiful kitchen and family room and best of all a hot tube on the back balcony! The sad thing is we got there at 8:00 p.m. and had to leave by 5:30 a.m. the next morning so mom and Danny could be back for work. We all enjoyed our short stay! Friday, Danny told Max they were going to go camping for there date night, but as the day went on Danny was getting busier with work and wasn't going to make it home early enough. Max had been talking about camping all day long and collecting stix for his fire so I told Danny he was going to have to still do "camping" with him. So when Danny got home we had Max's cousin's Zachary and Andrew come over and camp with Max in the backyard. Danny made a big fire outside on the rocks and they roasted marshmellows on the stix Max had collected and Danny also made dutch-oven peach cobler, yummy! Andrew (10), Zachary (5), and Max (4), all slept in the tent out back. I put the baby monitor outside, so if they needed us they could call us. When Danny was just about to fall asleep he heard a strange sound on the monitor, he soon realized it was the sprinklers! He hurried and unplugged them and went to check that the kids were still dry, which they were. It was a very windy, cold night, but they had a lot of fun! The next morning Danny built them another fire and the roasted more marshmellows, Hanna was enjoing this activity as well. At one point Hanna forgot that her stick was just in the fire and still very hot. She must have put it next to her eye and burnt herself. Poor Hanna had such a rough week! Max, Zachary and Andrew with the bomb fire! Roosting marshmallows with dad. Eating Dutch oven peach cobbler, yum! The boys get ready for bed. Hanna's burn next to her eye from the hot stick.