Dan Christensen Family

2012-02-06T00:11:00.155-07:00

saturday was a celebration for my dad...

we celebrated his life of 80 years. hAPPY bIRTHDAY!!!

it is hard to put on paper or put into words how i feel about my dad.

i have taken time to really reflect these past two weeks, my heart is weak

and my emotions are close to the surface. he has been the stability for our family,

the rock of our foundation, and the heart and soul of our heritage.

he has taken care of our needs over and over again

and has always trusted that we would remember what we stand for.

it warmed my heart more than ever when he looked at me during dinner and said "thank you"...he was crying and with tears rolling down his cheek he said,

"you kids shouldn't have done all of this for me."

at that moment, everything stood still for me, and i teared with him.

(i thought, you should not have done so much for me)

not sure how many more great years we will have together.

my dad is such a simple man,

but he is a giant in his thoughts and feelings towards his family.

he loved listening to the grand kids...

their tributes were so simple, but the tender moments he captured,

and he was touched by the respect and honor that sang his praises.

i think we all have some pretty big shoes to fill,
i love you...i love your contagious smile...i love your honest heart...
i love your eternal values...and i love that we are a package deal.

happy 80 years dad.

2012-02-03T02:36:00.001-07:00

so much to journal about...
ups, downs, good, bad, happy, sad, feelings and emotions,

however, in the middle of everything in life, i always have a constant...
and that is my little family. they are my support, my strength, my everything!

last saturday morning aubrey was asked to speak in a stake women's conference about her trials this past year and how she has been able to endure through hope and faith. she gave an amazing testimony and i honestly was so proud of her. she was so scared and alot of fear consumed her for a couple of weeks. but, she stood tall and spoke from her heart and i was comforted to know that she has been such an inspiration to each of us in our family.

great job aubrey...super, wonderful job!!!

sunday was beck and dawsons celebration of four years old...

i so love these little guys!!! guess i can still call them little,

but they sure have Big Hearts and Never Ending Energy.

oh gosh, they just make everything in my life happy!!!

monday i was able to spend some quality time with such a great person. she wanted to spend sometime together and so i decided, why not? i am so happy that i took time out of a busy week...everything was perfect. she wanted to go to golden corral for dinner and so we did. during dinner i told her i wanted to go pamper ourselves and get our nails done.

my heart swelled with emotions as she got the giggles and was so overjoyed with such a simple experience. it was truly a night that i embraced! I will treasure this special experience and the tender moments that felt so close to perfect.

2011-12-25T22:59:00.000-07:00

THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS TRULY FILLED OUR HOME TODAY!!!

we enjoyed being together as a family,

we loved the laughter and joy that bounced off every wall,

we felt excitement and anticipation,

we felt the spirit of giving,

our table and tummy's were stuffed with satisfaction,

and the quietness of the afternoon allowed each of us

to reflect upon our many blessings.

We pray that the magic of this holiday season

will continue to be in our hearts and in our souls.

It is that time of year when miracles just seem to happen

and we truly do BELIEVE!!!

2011-12-22T23:01:00.006-07:00

i am so ready for our little boys to be home again!!!

it seems like they have been gone forever and

we are really missing them around here.

we hope that they are having a wonderful time in florida

and are enjoying the sunshine.

it is freezing here and we have had a blanket of snow cover the ground,

they sure better be ready to bundle up again.

we are also hoping that all of our kids have been on santa's nice list this year.

the jolly ol man will be here in two nights and we really want him to be able

to go down the chimney,

drink milk and eat cookies

and fill stockings full of christmas cheer!!!

(crazy, but five minutes into kevin and aubreys trip, beck fell and pumped his eye.

i really think he was trying to be just like grandma)

2011-12-18T19:42:00.000-07:00

andee's first dance recital and her big moment on stage!

we went and watched andee perform with her little dance class last night and were quite surprised. she promised us that she would dance so that she could have a spend the night, and she did so good. she danced her little heart out...not sure if it was the bribe or not, but she was so adorable. and of course, whitney, colton, dan and i absolutely thought that she was the cutest and best in the entire group. she dances with dsds and it brought back so many memories of the recitals that aubrey and whitney used to be in when they were young. as a mother, you experience so many butterflies and want everything to go so perfect, you want the best performance ever and you want your daughter to be a star. i think whitney felt these same emotions last night...but truth of it is, andee was perfect before she went on stage, she is our little angel and a great performance only topped off a bigger smile.

great job andee kae!!! we can hardly wait for your next big performance this spring.

2011-12-18T00:27:00.001-07:00

picture a stable in judea, picture a sacred silent night,

and can you hear the angels near and see the star so bright.

picture a little baby jesus, think of his life and words so dear,

sing praise to him, remember him, as you picture christmas this year.

picture a kind and gentle joseph, picture the mother mary fair.

and can you see so reverently, the shepherds kneeling there.

picture a little baby jesus, think of his life and words so dear,

sing praise to him, remember him, as you picture christmas this year.

last night was our annual armstrong christmas party and a great time was had by all!!! a big thanks and shout out to tom and patty for a fun time. everyone came and participated in all the festivities and i think we all felt a little celebration of the christmas season.

a few highlights from the party-

letters to elder armstrong. we missed him so much at the party but are proud of him!

great dinner and lots of good food and yummy treats.

impromptu talent show...crazy, but we have some talented people in our family. i loved the skit that was put together in a matter of seconds about the howell's and after that act, there was no catching up for the rest of us. however, we all put a good effort into it and had lots of laughs.

ugly sweater contest...everyone came out and participated wearing an ugly sweater and it was a ton of fun to see every ones creation. it was a time for all of us to relax and be silly and try our hardest to look good. i think most of us failed in that department.

the highlight of the evening was when grandma great passed on her priced possessions. she has been collecting music boxes for many years and last night, she gave each one of her children, her grandchildren, and her great grandchildren a wonderful keepsake to tuck away and remember her by. she is not going anywhere, but what an evening of excitement and emotions as we each waited patiently to see what la la she had given up to everyone. she has guarded and protected these boxes for many, many years and i just pray that each one of us will recognize the spirit of grandma armstrong when we hear them and handle them with great care. it truly is a keepsake and i know that she must of spent hours picking out the perfect box for each one of us...it just worked and was great!!!

another wonderful armstrong party...can hardly wait until july 27th, 2012 when we can all get together and party again.

until then...merry christmas and happy holidays from our family to yours!!!

2011-12-16T01:05:00.000-07:00

elder landon armstrong...how's it going?

wishing you were here to celebrate with us tomorrow evening

at our annual family christmas party!!!

we will be thinking about you and wishing you lots of holiday JOY.

LOVE YOU...the christensen's

2011-12-15T10:06:00.000-07:00

happy birthday to me...
happy birthday to me...
happy birthday to me....
happy birthday to me...

i loved the time i was able to spend with our crazy, little kids tonight! and i especially loved them singing happy birthday to me (over and over) at the top of their lungs. they truly have made my day so special...they kept wondering when the party was going to start? dang, guess i forgot to plan that one! we had a fun little night, but i love the quietness of my house this evening. it gives me a few minutes to reflect back over the years. i am so truly blessed and the past 54 years, i have been given rich blessings!!!!

2011-12-13T23:35:00.000-07:00

happy birthday paxton...saturday, december 10th

life is busy and crazy and my eyes have not been cooperating with me since surgery, so i have not even had a chance to write in my journal and tell pax happy birthday. we had a fun day on saturday...we had a little get together at the bowling alley and the kids had a ton of fun tossing the ball down the lanes. i think some of those bowling balls weighed more than our little kids. we opened gifts and had cake and then decided that we had not partied enough so decided to catch a movie. we all went to "Arthur's Christmas" and the kids loved it. pax was better than any two year old at the theater, he was glued to the big screen and was so proud to be the birthday boy. he loved having all the attention on him all day. we laugh at him and call him our late bloomer, but all of the sudden he can keep up with the other three monkeys and gives us all a run for our money. why is it that everything is so cute when kids are two but when they grow up...not so cute anymore.

pax loves his hat that grandpa great made.

2011-11-25T21:17:00.000-07:00

there is nothing better than this time of year!!!

our thanksgiving day was full of the holiday spirit and it was great to be together with the poeple we care about the most...our family!

the excitement of the day was getting a homemade winter hat from grandma and grandpa great. looks like they have spent hours making the perfect little hats for all of their grandchildren and great grandchildren. what a blessing it is that none of our little ones have to go out into the cold with their ears uncovered.

thanks so much grandpa and grandma great!!!!!

2011-11-20T00:57:00.000-07:00

today has been an amazing day!!!

we spent the day in inkom celebrating the life of Oma Lee Armstrong Green and tonight my heart is full for family and the strong influence and footsteps that people can leave upon your life. the tributes that were given today through music and word were perfection for such an elegant lady. she truly was a great strength for her children and her posterity and there was no denying that today from anyone.

she has raised four amazing kids and i love them so much. today my heart was aching for the bit of separation that our busy lifestyles have created. i miss the old time get togethers and i miss the fun times of growing up with the armstrong cousins. we had some great times and i am so thankful for memories that we can laugh and reflect back on...our get togethers at Evelyn's will always hold a special place in my heart.

today was an emotional, feel good day and our heritage and our family name continues to move forward with great strength. i love grandma green and i love that she has returned back to our Heavenly Father living such a fulfilled life...a life that has been difficult, full of trials, and a life that fills the lives of others with such unconditional love, especially her wonderful children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Oma Lee, may you be a peace and may your celebration days ahead be full of never ending JOY!!!

2011-11-13T01:37:00.000-07:00

i hope they call me on a mission

that day is coming all to soon for landon!

in just a few short weeks, he will be heading to the mtc

to get ready and prepare for his mission in germany.

today was a great day for him and our family as he was able to

go to the temple and take out his endowments.

i am so proud of him and it was a tender moment today

as i watched him walk through the doors coming out of the temple.

he seemed to be glowing and valiant and strong!

he will make an outstanding missionary

and i know that he will be blessed to touch the hearts of many.

beck and dawson have asked me all afternoon who went to the temple

and why didn't they get to go to see landon.

i love that he has been an influence for good in their lives

and that they know he went to the temple

and that he is following the teaching of Heavenly Father.

we all have lots of little boys in our family landon

and you are showing them, by example, that we can all

teach and preach and work as missionary's do.

have fun these next few weeks and always, always remember

that you have family members

who deeply care for you and continue to pray for you!!!

2011-11-05T22:34:00.000-06:00

we had a fun day today! tom, patty, grandma and myself drove down to brigham city and met up with garrett to have lunch at the maddox. it was so yummy and the best part of it...tom bought, thanks!!! it was fun to visit and laugh with garrett for a little bit. i love that kid, he just makes me laugh and fills my heart with warm fuzzies every time i see him. he has been such a great friend, brother, cousin to my kids and grandkids...everyone loves garrett.

tom drove us over the mountain and let us go shopping in logan for abit. me and grandma kind of crashed their family day, but it was a fun time and i can hardly wait to go again next time...maybe saturday? YES?

2011-11-05T22:24:00.000-06:00

wow...what a great game yesterday for the
MV Eagles! i had a proud moment watching the crowd and all the fantastic fans that came from all around the valley to support that little school, out in the middle of nowhere. and, i also had a feeling of great satisfaction knowing that this school served me well and has also taken care of many of our family members over the years. get tough eagles and fight for another win this coming week. gosh price, you did a great job and as you went running out onto the field, i must admit, my heart started racing and me and grandma yelled a little louder and sat a little taller. love you!!!

2011-10-31T22:56:00.000-06:00

halloween is really one of my least favorite holidays...

BUT THESE GUYS JUST PUT A SMILE ON MY FACE!!!

they were the cutest, dang, trick r treaters we had all night.

2011-10-31T01:08:00.000-06:00

today was a great day!!!

I Know the Scriptures are True

today we all went to church with whitney to support her with the primary program. it was our first program to watch as a grandparent, and now we can be added to the proud list with the rest of you....we sat on the edge of our bench almost bursting our buttons as andee sang and performed today. it was a very satisfying, good feel, moment for me! she sat with her class, she was reverent, she stood and sang every song, she was so brave to perform her part, and she waved at us anytime she could get our attention. i loved it...i loved it!!! this program has always, always been one of my favorite, but today was different.

i was proud of whitney and how she helped the program come together, and i was proud of andee as she seemed so grown up today. the last song they sang was Scripture Power, and it brought goose bumps to my arms to see her raise her book of mormon over her head and sing with all of her soul.

...scripture power keeps me safe from sin

scripture power is the power to win

scripture power everyday i need

the power that i get each time i read...

what a great job Cedar 4th Ward!!!

2011-10-23T00:35:00.000-06:00

looks like someone is ready to go trick r treating!!! aren't they so cute?

could almost make you want to have ann and andy in a toy chest again.

last night kevin and aubrey were looking through some of my halloween costumes.

they were trying to find something to wear to a party that they had tonight.

once they tried on the doll outfits, they were hooked!

beck and dawson already have their pirate costumes and are all ready to rock it out on halloween...but, they had a great time trying on all of the odds and ends that i have had tucked away in a box. looks like grandma better get to working on a dress up box.

great job tonight preston...we had a fun time watching you

and a fun time getting away and being with the family.

2011-10-15T23:39:00.000-06:00

these two hotties are in san fransico this weekend.

in the morning, they will be running a marathon in the fight for cancer research!

are you kidding me...i am tired just thinking about it.

however, i am so proud of you girls and my heart goes out to you.

we are still counting our blessings for the short journey we have been on this year

and will continue to pray for the less fortunate that fight this battle

every single minute of every single day.

good luck and have fun every step of the way!!!

2011-10-15T22:55:00.001-06:00

my cute nephew!!!

today was a fun game and the last few seconds ended up being a nail biting ending.

however, marsh valley won and preston and his team are headed to the playoffs in the minidome next weekend. yipee, we can hardly wait to go watch the game.

a proud moment for grandma and grandpa!!!

wannabe's.

2011-10-15T22:45:00.001-06:00

the kids finished their last soccer game today and it ended up being a successful season for them....not sure what the score was on any of their games, but success, yes... is at least running up and down the field chasing the ball.

andee did score a goal today. she had the opportunity to have the ball all to herself and off she went. we were all a little crazy cheering for her, but it was a big moment.

i think the most aggressive of them all will be pax. he played on the sidelines at every game and somehow ended up kicking the ball more than our soccer players.

so much fun!!! way to go andee, beck and daws.

and thanks to our loyal supporters!

2011-10-15T00:34:00.000-06:00

i had a little play night and sleepover with the kids tonight.

we had a fun time! the kids kept saying, "grandma, this is fun"

however, their attention span lasted a split second

and we could hardly get from one project to another fast enough.

right now, they are all asleep and hopefully having sweet dreams,

hope they last all night long.

they were all great tonight and were so much fun...once we turned off the tv and turned off the lights, they all wanted me to text their moms to come and get them.

dawson said, "grandma, this isn't fun, i don't want to stay anymore"

did they think i was going to let them stay up all night with me? not!

2011-10-09T23:08:00.000-06:00

sunday nights are always a little crazy around our home!!!

i was able to slow the kids down for five seconds to grab a picture...

they were not to happy about it and a picture does not lie.

guess they were having to much fun running and chasing each other.

good times at our home! paxton has suddenly grown up and is one of the big kids now. he can hold his own against anyone...ask heidi. he put a few bumps and bruises on marcus friday night and had sandy all worked up over his mean attacks. he is so dang cute though...wonder if laughing at him will solve any of his tantrums?

2011-10-01T23:12:00.000-06:00

i am rEALLY lOVING this fall weather!!!!! isn't it so gREAT?

me and the kids went for a walk the other day

and it was so fun to listen to them talk and visit with each other.

i think we had to stop and look at every dead worm on the sidewalk.

they loved it and i loved it. it is so great to feel fall in the air

and to spend some quality time with four of my

fAVORITE lITTLE oNES!!!

2011-09-28T00:01:00.001-06:00

yipee...can't wait!!!

2011-09-13T00:34:00.003-06:00

paxton loves to wear hats and tonight he found a new look
that suited him REAL GOOD!!!

silly kid...he is so fun and SPOILED!!!

2011-09-11T22:55:00.013-06:00

guess who's taking soccer? andee, beck and dawson!

there first game was yesterday morning and i think they all thought it was a time for the cousins to run around on the grass holding hands. not sure if it was such a great idea to have them all on the same team or not. seriously, they were so funny!
i think there will be a few more practices in the back yard before next saturday.
but, as a grandma...i think they did fabulous!!!

they are also all in preschool this year and andee is in a dance class.
i think that this will keep them all busy and hopefully on a bedtime schedule.
hee hee...they kind of all keep grandma hours.

andee spent last night and all day today with me. we kind of treated ourselves like princesses. andee took a bubble bath...we painted her toes and nails...we put glitter lotion all over us...she got into some old dance clothes of whitneys and dressed all up...we put makeup on her and curled her hair, used lots of hairspray and a big flower to finish the look...we played babydolls and watched tv...we sipped on diet coke and ate popcorn...we lounged all day and made homemade chicken noodle soup and cookies. we had a fun lazy day and enjoyed ourselves 100%. i love this little (grownup) girl and love our girly times we have together. she is so dang cute...
she kept telling me that she was awful gorgeous!!!
where did that big language come from?
(dang, i forgot pictures)

2011-08-29T22:31:00.001-06:00

today cody, jordan and myself are all home laying in bed with the pukes and poops. we were watching kids all weekend and they had the bug going on.

guess it didn't want to pass us by!

i can't even believe that it hit all three of us at once and so quickly.

frustrating that i have used most of my vacation at work this year

for sickness and surgery's.

december 29th can not come soon enough!!!

four months from today...woot woot!!!

however.....
i am grateful that my children are healthy, my grandchildren are healthy,
dan is healthy, i am healthy, and aubrey is on her way to being healthy.
we are truly blessed!

2011-08-29T22:31:00.000-06:00

last night we drove out to robin and had a family get together.

my dad and mom make a fantastic garbage can dinner

and last night was the night to give it another try.

yum, they haven't lot their touch!

it was a dang cool night for august 28th, but that didn't seem to hold anyone back.

we all had a fun night....had good laughs, ate yummy food,

and enjoyed being together as a family once again.

2011-08-29T22:30:00.000-06:00

last thursday night we were all sitting around and the guys decided that they wanted to go camping for the weekend. it sounded like a great idea to get away for a couple of days, so i immediately took charge and called and got us a fantastic place to stay at the sawtelle resort in island park. i don't really think this is the type of camping they were planning on, but a bed and a nice place to stay suited my lifestyle a little bit better and aubrey was not in any condition to stay outside on the hard ground.

(i was also looking out for her best interest and it worked)

we had such a great, fun couple of days!!!

we drove into old faithful and it was crazy busy with crowds and crowds of people. she was faithful once again and the kids enjoyed watching the explosion.

there was a lot of cheering and wows going on

and most of them were coming from our section, crazy kids.

we did the unexpected and packed a lunch for a picnic.

we found a nice shady place in the park and had a pretty good time.

the kids went on a little hike and found a teeter totter to ride on.

we went to feed the fish at big springs, but the fish were not too interested.

however, there were plenty of birds/ducks (whatever they were) around to come and eat the bread the kids were throwing, so they were quite excited about that.

they also had to feel the cold water

and then wanted to head up the trail to see where it would take us.

we found some beautiful scenery and of coarse
had to take time for a couple of family snapshots.

we had plenty of fun right at the campgrounds!

the guys found a basketball hoop to keep them entertained.

the rest of us took walks around the site

and had fun just watching the squirrels

and playing in the tee pee.

jordan shared her culture with us

and we all learned a little dancing inside the tent.

wow, i found a talent i didn't know i had...kidding!

we played at the playground

and swam in the hot tub...

it was just alot of relaxation and fun.

we did find grandpa and grandmas camping spot from last year and it was so lonely. it was empty and just looked like it needed a little trailer parked in the spot
with a couple of lawn chairs outside.

pretty much most of the campground was full, and we were pretty lucky...
we only heard one group that yelled for our kids to be quiet.
crazy, it was only about 8:30 at night...really!!!

on our way home, we took a detour and drove over to mesa falls.
it was gorgeous, calming and scary all at the same time.

i loved the sound of the waterfalls, but hated the butterflies
i got in my stomach as i looked down over the rails.

i think i fear heights!

ashton was one of our last stops...we had to stop for lunch and an ice cream.

dang, it was a fun weekend...FUN
and now we should probably all get on a schedule for this fall.

2011-08-16T22:33:00.001-06:00

happy anniversary...27 years!!!

i am not quite sure where the past 26 years have gone, but this past year has passed by so quickly and dan has been a rock in all of our ups and downs as a family.

pretty sure i will hang on to him for another 27.

2011-08-05T22:33:00.000-06:00

after the birthday party on sunday night and things quieted down a little...
the guys all decided to shave their heads in celebration of cancer patients
and in support of aubrey.

we had a fun little family night and it was great to see the support
that my little family has for one another.

today we got exciting news about aubrey's kemo treatments and her hcg levels and we could not be more excited. we have truly felt your faith and prayers and it is such a blessing that soon she will be able to move forward and begin to heal after this long journey. thank you to our wonderful family and friends who have supported us, brought in food, watched the boys, prayed and fasted in our behalf and for your love and concern. beck and dawson have found a new love for their cousins and family and i think have had one heck of a good time!!! thank you, thank you for taking them into your homes and making them feel so loved.

2011-08-05T22:02:00.000-06:00

we Celebrated andee's four year birthday on Sunday and it was a party
with lots of noise and running kids.

i cannot believe that this little girl is starting her fourth year of life....she has been such a blessing to our family and has brought us so much joy. she is a quiet, easy, fun loving, and an entertaining little girl...until, she is around those wild three boys, and then she all of the sudden turns wild and crazy!!! she needs another girl in this family so she has someone to play babies and barbies with.

Happy Birthday Andee Kae

2011-08-05T19:14:00.004-06:00

it has been one heck of a summer...so many bang ups!!! seriously, i can hardly wait for december 28th for two weeks of rest and relaxation.

i am going to pamper myself bigtime!!!

2011-08-05T19:14:00.002-06:00

a week ago today we were at our Annual Armstrong Reunion and had an absolute blast!!! the weather was great and was so kind to us...we had a really good day.
a big thank you to susan steadman and her family! they have the perfect spot for a large gathering and we could not have been more happy. EVERYONE was entertained for the day...everyone from a baby to grandpa great, everyone from big to small, everyone from girl to boy, everyone wet or dry. it was just a fantastic day and i think everyone had a great time. i can hardly wait to go next year, i promise you, i will give shelly and patty a run for there money and i will be the fun aunt on the hill.
woot woot for sharon such great memories!!!

2011-08-05T19:14:00.000-06:00

we had our annual 4th of july party...it was a bang with a whole lot of people, a whole lot of food and a whole lot of rain!!! we had such a fun time and dang, i didn't get one picture. see ya next year everyone.

2011-08-05T19:13:00.010-06:00

andee was on a t-ball team this summer...she was so dang cute!!!
dan was able to make it to several of her games and i was only able to go to one,
but sure glad i didn't miss that one.

she waited in line for her turn,

she batted the ball,

she ran the bases,
she cheered with her team,

and she played in the dirt when she was out in the field. crazy girl!!!

2011-08-05T19:13:00.009-06:00

several weeks ago we went and visited omalee at her new living arrangements. she has lived a great life and has been such an elegant lady over the years. i do not like this part of the circle of life...it was so hard to see her in such a fragile condition. i couldn't help but remember our growing up years and the many nights that i was able to stay in their home, over on hemlock, with kimi kae. gosh those were fun days! i remember always sleeping in the bottom bunk and waiting for cindy to come home...seemed like she was always out a little late with her cute boyfriends. across the hall, robert was always jumping off his bunk bed and him and randy were always hanging from the weight bar that was secured between the doors. i remember ray sitting in the same chair by the kitchen every time i was there and he always was so friendly to me. we always had toast for breakfast and i loved the way she made our toast. years later i found out that it wasn't really the toast that i liked, i loved the margarine they put on it. oh wow, my heart does love this family and i feel the pain that they must be feeling. omalee and her family has truly blessed the armstrong family with love and support.

2011-08-05T19:13:00.008-06:00

who's CUTE grandkids are these?

2011-08-05T19:13:00.004-06:00

DANG...i hate it so bad when i get behind because i hate leaving things out of my journal. so, i am going to post a few pictures of the things that i have missed. first off, i want to finish posting some of the pictures of our nauvoo trip. we had such a great time with mom and dad and i do want to have at least a few pictures of our memories there. i think nauvoo will always hold a special place in the hearts of my mom and dad and it made it really special to be able to share this time with them.
thanks for such a Great trip!!!

2011-06-08T23:13:00.000-06:00

greeting from nauvoo!!!

yesterday we flew into kansas city and drove over to nauvoo...it was pretty much a traveling day, but the weather was really nice and the scenery on the drive was beautiful. everything is so pretty and green here BUT, the weather and the humidity is a little more than us girls are used to.

mom and dad let us sleep in this morning for a little bit and after we all got up and ready, we went to lunch and then spent the afternoon visiting some of the sights. i do love the homes here and it was a good experience to remember some of the history in

ol' nauvoo. tonight we went to rendezvous and then went and watched the international dance group from byu perform.

it has been a great day and tonight we are all tired and ready to bed down for the night. in fact, dad is already asleep...he came back to the motel and turned on the heat cause he was cold. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? it has been 97 degrees out today and muggy, muggy, but he was cold, so we let him warm up. silly grandpa!!!

2011-06-06T22:54:00.001-06:00

oh my word...i am sitting out in the lobby, at a motel, in salt lake city.

we are leaving in the morning to catch a plane to Nauvoo.

come on now my traveling companions...

at 9:30 grandpa, grandma, patty and jordan

were ready to turn out the lights and go to bed.

WHATEVER am i going to do with them for seven more nights???

i guess i might as well get use to the late nights by myself.

crap, i could have stayed home and done that!!!

however, during the long, hot days i am sure we will have a wonderful time

and be able to have some bonding moments together. woot woot!!!

wish the rest of the family, grandkids, and greatgrandkids were all here with us.

we would really be able to rip up the streets in Nauvoo

and show them what an idaho lifestyle is all about.

we will have a great time and miss all of you!!!

2011-06-03T03:04:00.003-06:00

dear journal...

we are all still around, we are all still happy, we are all still busy, we are all still crazy,

and we are ready to catch up and post on the happenings in our home lately.

this week aubrey and the boys moved back home...our home is really quiet tonight,

so guess that is why i am finding time to catch up. crazy, but i miss the noise!

i miss two little boys running through the house, i miss them both talking a hundred miles an hour, trying to catch my attention, i miss beck's cute little smile and i miss dawson curling up next to me when i go to bed at night. however, i feel blessed that their mama is on the success to recovery! aubrey has been on a crazy road since december and we are beginning to maybe see the light at the end of the tunnel.

we have worried, we have cried, we have prayed, we have felt loving support,

and we have felt every feeling a family feels when a loved one is fighting

for health and strength. she is doing really good and hopefully in a few more months her body will be able to keep up with her active personality.

kevin left for his summer employment the first week of may and we have missed having him around. it was hard for him to take off and leave, but he has been a huge strength for aubrey...thank goodness for modern day technology of cell phones and computers. have a great, successful summer kevin!!!

sunday we went and visited the graves for memorial day. we went over to chesterfield, over the hill to soda springs, back to central, hit the robin cemetery and ended back in pocatello to see a few memorials.

it was freezing cold out, but the kids had a fun time. they had to get out at every stop and grab their umbrella's. we tried to tell them that they didn't need them if it was not raining, but who are we too know or even tell them what to do?

they loved picking up all the flowers that had fallen over, a big shout out to beck

for wanting to pick up every flower in the cemetery and putting it back

the way it was supposed to go.

congratulations whitney...after a long, hard fight and lots and lots of studying,

she graduated on may 6th, 2011.

we are so proud of you and your accomplishments!

i know that there were many days when you wanted to quit and be a mommy,

many days when financially you wondered if it would be worth it or not, days when you had to miss out on important events, days when you cried because you missed your children, days when you had to leave your family for eight days to do your clinicals, come home, do your laundry, clean your home, and then pack and do it all over again.

i am here to tell you, that YES, it was worth it and that you are able to do anything with a strong desire and a big prayer.

and, we will continue to pray for your success

until you cross the finish line with your final exam. good luck!!!

congratulations andee...she participated (well somewhat) in her pre-school graduation. it was a proud moment for this grandma!

i wish her mama could have been there with her, but her daddy was there, her brother was there and her two grandmas were there to watch her pout, hang her head down, not participate, and care less what anyone else around her was doing.

crazy thing about it was, her teacher miss teresa, told about each pre-school student and she commented that andee had made the most improvement, was a perfectionist, and was always trying to boss and mother the other kids.

hum...is she a good player or what?

I love this little girl and she just makes me laugh and warms my heart.

another highlight of our past weeks was our "girls night out party".
gosh we had such a fun, fun time!!!

the little girls played in the hot tub in the cold, snowy weather, and had a fun time. i didn't last very long outside with them, but was able to shoot a couple of pictures.

we had a great time getting pedicures, manicures, and facials and it was just fun to be spoiled and pampered a little bit.

everyone participated and everyone of us were ready to compete in a beauty pageant. what do you think?

a handful of the little girls and a handful of the big girls stayed up half the night giggling and laughing and playing jokes on us that were asleep.

dang, guess i took my ambien too early, i totally missed out...everyone said they were tied and going to bed. i can promise you, that will never happen again, i WILL BE the one that turns the light out at our next party.

easter time was fun...

the kids colored eggs and paxton was picking them up and throwing them faster
than we could get them dried. anything that resembles a ball at all,
gets thrown at our house.

crazy kid thinks that anything can be thrown and sometimes it just doesn't bounce back.

the boys had a night out and went to the monster trucks.
beck and dawson loved the big trucks.

it was entertaining for them and it was a good chance for them to be with grandpa dan, cody and their daddy before he took off.

we have been grateful to have jordan in our home this past month! she has been fun and easy going and helpful and respectful. i am sure that our crazy home is driving her crazy and the noise, oh my gosh, it never stops, but the kids love her. beck is always the first to ask where dordan is? is always the first to welcome her home, "hi dordan", and is always the first to crawl up on her lap and give her a big hug. we love her and hope that she finds comfort, love, and support while she is here. and i will continue to pray that our family will be united and find joy in our journey while we are all learning, growing and moving forward with our trials here on this earth. i hope the day never comes when we give up on each other and quit trying.
we are family, we need to be loved unconditional, for better or worse,
for richer or poorer, and always be mindful that we are all striving to be eternal!!!
i have a long ways to go, but
that is my goal and that is my hope for each of us.
EVERY SINGLE one of my family members!!!

oops...i almost forgot our trip to boise.

we had such a good time and are appreciative of april and bailee.

wow, did they ever show us a good time and took us to plenty of good places to eat. thanks guys, can't wait to go again.

yipee, i guess pocatello has good eats also!!!

2011-04-02T13:27:00.000-06:00

kevin, aubrey and the boys left to go home on thursday...

I MISS THOSE LITTLE GUYS!!!

however, the bug has hit our home and i am so glad that they are not here. hopefully they will all stay well, it is not fun.

2011-03-30T00:01:00.003-06:00

what's been going on at our home lately?

lots of Rest and Relaxation for aubrey

and lots of crazy, entertaining nights for the rest of us!!!

* our living room has turned into a man size fort

* we have had lots of snack time

* we have had sleepovers on the floor

* we have had wild baths and shaving time with grandpa

* we have had mommy time

* we have had movie time

* we have had game time

* we have had wrestle time

* we have had family time

* we have had giggle time

* we have had grandma shoe time

* we have had nerd time

gosh, we have had a really GOOD time

and our home will be so quiet when things get back to normal!!!

aubrey is doing so much better...she gets stronger every single day, but she has a long ways to go to regain her strength. we have had positive reports on her and are praying for good news to continue.

THANKS for all of your support!!!
(and the boys do have pajama's but for some dang reason, they want a huge t-shirt to sleep in every night)

2011-03-19T23:59:00.000-06:00

CRAZY...we have been on a roller coaster ride this past month. i never have liked roller coasters, they scare me, i am afraid of them, they make me sick, and i avoid them as much as possible!!! trust me, this ride has been no different.

tonight, i am so grateful for the blessing of health, and for the blessings of prayers and the priesthood. Aubrey is asleep up at the hospital and i pray that her night will be rest full. i have two darling little boys laying in bed with me sound asleep and tonight, we hugged each other and cried. Dawson said, "it'll be alright grandma, it'll be alright", and so tonight, i trust and believe it will!!!

thank you for the blessing of families!!! today, i sent one text message out, and tonight, we feel so blessed. we had family support all day, our kids were taken care of, our fridge is full of food, our day was made brighter with visits, and we know, above everything else, that we can always count on our family for love and support. thank you...thank you!!!

our prayers also go out to Wendy tonight. she is Dan's sister in law and is in Vegas in critical condition, following a surgery. our hearts are heavy for Joe and his family and we pray for her health to improve so that she may be able to be back with her family again.

2011-03-15T00:52:00.001-06:00

our thoughts have been with whitney this past week...she has started her clinicals in utah at the mckay-dee hospital and will be there performing and working for eight weeks. she has been brave and emotional, strong and committed and i know that she will do a fantastic job. we are thinking about you whitney and know that our prayers are with you, as you are striving towards the success in your future.

andee and paxton were with us over the weekend and it was so fun having them around. i know the journey this next few weeks will be hard and challenging, but we support you and love you and will do everything we can to help you reach your goals.

we love and miss you mommy!!!
andee and pax

2011-03-15T00:30:00.000-06:00

wow...things have been a little crazy at our home lately. a little crazy, a little busy, a little wild, a little stressful, a little fun, a little bit of ups and downs, highs and lows, and a whole lot of other stuff. but we are thankful...we are thankful for our blessings!!!

we have been to vegas and back and i just wanted to say thanks to rick and peggy for letting me be a tag-along. dan hurt his back and wasn't able to go the last minute, but i packed my bags and went alone. we had a good time and were able to see some fantastic shows. my dad and mom were able to join us for the trip and i was glad they went along.

my dad is a life time fan of the Price is Right, so we decided to take him to the vegas version. it was alot of fun, but darn...all the butterflies in our tummy and not one of our names were called to COME ON DOWN.

we were also able to go to "o" cirque du soleil and donny and Marie. they were both fantastic shows and the entertainment and talent was superior.

i think every ones favorite moment was staying at the bellagio buffet and eating crab legs for about three hours. me, i am not a big fan...but totally did enjoy trying them and everything else on the buffet line. we did eat good!!!

it was a fun time to be together and enjoy this city lifestyle round the clock.

2011-02-28T22:25:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness...

Is it really possible that a 50+ year old women

can be so wrapped up in this reality show

they call the Bachelor?

Well, Heck Ya!!!

2011-02-23T01:52:00.005-07:00

Viva Las Vegas... Viva Las Vegas...

Viva, Viva Las Vegas!!!

We are so appreciative of the invitaiton to Vegas

and can hardly wait to take off for a few days.

Woot...Woot...It helps my heart to smile, it puts my emotions into high gear,

and gets me all gitty with laughter and warm fuzzies!!!

Oh vacation time with family...it DOES NOT get any better than that.

I just need to break out my black leather mini skit, the stiletoes,

and put some quarters in my pocket and i think i should be looking pretty darn good for the night life!!!

We will miss those of you that are not able to go with us this time.

DANG!!! I really hate leaving people behind.

(We still have plenty of room...beg, beg)

2011-02-15T00:32:00.000-07:00

flowers and chocolates, hugs and kisses, hearts and arrows,

cards and balloons, dinner and romance...

february 14th, a day set aside in celebration

of love and affection.

beck and daws came and had some fun with us tonight.
they walked in and saw something different on our counter and asked, "grandma, you got us a valentine"? those little stinkers, they are always one step ahead of me.

we had a fun night making dinner, feeding the puppies, giving the puppies drinks, putting the puppies down for a nap, waking them up, putting them on time out, and then finally came up with names for them, charlie and sam i am.

andee and pax were not able to come tonight, but andee sent us over a little valentine and we loved it. i love those little valentine cards, they always take me back to my grade school days when we all got to exchange valentines with our classmates. february 13th, i would spend hours trying to decide what valentines to give to the boys in my class. oh wow, glad i no longer have that headache...love you dan and want you to know that i have found the perfect valentine!

2011-02-06T21:57:00.000-07:00

Football...Food...Family!!!
Football...Food...Family!!!

Yep, that pretty much sums up our day on this Superbowl Sunday.

2011-02-05T02:03:00.001-07:00

There has been a lot of celebrating of birthdays lately,

but today, we were able to get together in celebration of my dads birthday!

We did the simple thing and all went in the party van, down to the Maddox for dinner. I know, it was a long way to go just for dinner, but it was a nice time to be able to spend sometime together, the food was excellent, and we we had a fun time laughing and visiting.

I love my dad,
I love that he still likes to hang out with all of us,
I love that he has been such a strength and example for our family,
I love that he has taught us the simple, but great values of life,
I love that he loves and takes care of my mom so tenderly,
I love that I am his favorite daughter, (not...it's patty...pat pat pat) and
I especially love that he is grandpa great
and my grand kids recognize him by that great name.
Andee is a little shy and sometimes a little fear full of him,
but I love that Beck and Dawson are always telling her,
"Grandpa Great is Nice Andee, Grandpa Great is Nice"

It's been another great year dad...Happy Birthday!!!

2011-01-29T22:49:00.000-07:00

I'm just saying...I am not sure what is so Great about being a grandma,
but it is one of the Best and Most Rewarding experiences ever!!!

Beck and Dawson had a birthday and they turned three today. Were they bouncing off the wall and excited and hyper and funny and cute and lovable and adorable??? YES...and we loved every minute of it!!! Time has passed by so quickly and I cannot believe that three short years ago, we all welcomed them into our family and it has been one fabulous ride ever since. They exhaust their mama and they exhaust their grandma, Andee at times has a hard time keeping up with them and Paxton does everything he can to be their friend. However, we love these little guys and we love that they bring such happiness into our home! We love that they each have their own character and personality, and we love that they can make our hearts smile, our feet dance, our hands stay busy and our voices be heard.

Happy Birthday Beck and Daws!!! You are two special little guys!!!

2011-01-29T00:04:00.001-07:00

There is alot of heartache and pain when someone passes away.

Our thoughts and prayers have been with Dakota this week

and we pray that she will find comfort and strength to face the challenges ahead.

Hang in there Dakota and know that we all love you so much!

You are blessed with so many wonderful gifts and talents,

and are gorgeous and beautiful,

and thoughtful and kind.

You have so much to give and so much to offer.

You are truly a gift to your family and have brought them so much happiness.

You have truly been a gift to the Jacobsen family and have brought them so much joy.

Our journey through life is hard and each chapter comes with lots of trials and sadness...

but each chapter also gives us the chance to experience some of life's greatest joys.

We pray that you will be able to move forward with faith in our Heavenly Father.

We Love You,

Dan, Tami, Kevin, Aubrey, Beck, Dawson, Colton, Whitney, Andee, Paxton, and Cody

Now I'm here blinking in the starlight, now I'm here suddenly I see,

standing here it's oh, so clear, I'm where I'm meant to be.

And at last, I see the light and it's like the fog has lifted,

And at last, I see the light and it's like the sky is new.

And it's warm and real and bright, and the world has somehow shifted.

All at once, everything looks different,

Now that I see You...Now that I see You!

2011-01-18T22:47:00.000-07:00

Family Pics!!!

Before the snow began to fall, our family went out to the farm and had some family pictures taken. Kevin's sister Molly is a photographer and is so amazing, so her and her husband Spence came along and took some great shots. Molly is so talented and made it seem so simple to get some miracle pictures of all of us.

We are so appreciative of them taking sometime out of their afternoon schedule. We love the pictures and we love that we were able to have them taken at one of our Most Wonderful Places...Robin, Idaho at Grandma and Grandpa Armstrong's!!!

We want these memories and the barnyard to be a lasting impression for our family.

2011-01-15T23:27:00.000-07:00

Last night Andee and I went out to my moms to visit and to have a spend the night. I had not been out there in awhile and when she called and said to drive out, it sounded like a great idea. Shelly had taken my dad to the basketball games, so it was just us girls.

We had dinner, dressed up like princess's, watched Zoie and Andee dance, had treats and popcorn, and then all curled up and watched a movie. It was a fun night!!!

(andee loved grandma greats pink princess dress...a duster never looked so good)

And guess what...this morning we got up and did it all over again.

I love days like that!!!!

2011-01-15T23:22:00.000-07:00

memories from our Christmas 2010...

Another Great Christmas...Another Great Year!!!

2011-01-11T22:16:00.001-07:00

"Happy Year 2011"

Oh my goodness, Christmas has come and gone, the decorations are down and put away, we have cleaned up the counters of all the junk and food, it is a New Year, and it is now the middle of January 2011. CRAZY!!!

However, I am hoping, praying, wishing, and dreaming of a Great New Year for my family and friends. It is a like a new beginning, another chapter of our lives, and a time to set high expectations for ourselves.

"Cheers to a New Year and another chance for us to get it right"

2010-12-28T22:41:00.015-07:00

Hearts are Heavy...Prayers are Said...Faith is Tested...Testimonies are Strengthened...and our support and love go out to Marsha and her dear family. We pray for strength to be with each of you and pray that comfort will bless your homes in the hard days ahead. We pray for Rick and Peggy and their family and for the Koester's. We pray for the Lish family, and for the members of the Garden Creek Ward, and anyone in the Marsh Valley Community who have rubbed shoulders with such a GREAT man.

I have heard it said that Norm was "The Angel Among Us" and that his heart was bigger and fuller than no other. He truly has been an influence for good!!!

Norm Lish...The Angel Amoung All of Us

I was walking home from school on a cold winter's day

Took a shortcut through the woods and I lost my way

It was getting late and I was scared and alone

Then a kind old man took my hand and led me home

Mama couldn't see him, but he was standing there

But I knew in my heart, he was the answer to my prayers

Oh I believe there are angels among us

Sent down to us from somewhere up above

They come to you and me in our darkest hours

To show us how to live

To teach us how to give

To guide us with a light of love

When life dealt troubled times and had me down on my knees

There's always been someone there to come along and comfort me

A kind word from a stranger to lend a helping hand

A phone call from a friend just to say I understand

Ain't it kind of funny at the dark end of the road

Someone lights the way with just a single ray of hope

Oh I believe there are angels among us

Sent down to us from somewhere up above

They come to you and me in our darkest hours

To show us how to live

To teach us how to give

To guide us with a light of love

They wear so many faces

Show up in the strangest places

Grace us with thier mercy

In our time of need

Oh I believe there are angels among us

Sent down to us from somewhere up above

They come to you and me in our darkest hours

To show us how to live

To teach us how to give

To guide us with a light of love

To guide us with a light of love

2010-12-27T01:42:00.001-07:00

My mom lost her brother this week, we lost an uncle, and the family will feel a void in their home, as another member of the Andersen family was called home to Heavenly Father. He was such a wonderful man and was always the comedy at any of our family activities. He just always seemed to have a quick whit about him and always gave us something good to laugh about. We have not seen him in awhile, but just knowing that my mom, aunt Betty, aunt Carolyn and his family are feeling pain, it breaks my heart.

However, I am positive that those three brothers are raising hell just about now and I can hear my grandma in the background just a giggling.
We love our heritage and miss so many of the great people in our lives!!!

2010-12-25T01:34:00.000-07:00

From our Home to Yours...Merry Christmas!!!

2010-12-24T02:20:00.000-07:00

Guess who came for a visit to our house a couple of nights ago???

That Santa, he is full of surprises and has warmed our home

with a great holiday celebration!!!

2010-12-24T02:12:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday night was our annual Armstrong Family Christmas Party...A Big Thanks go out to Rick, Peggy, and their family!!! They planned a fun evening of entertainment and we all had such a fun time. The kids had a blast swimming, and the cold, blizzard, weather did not seem to bother anyone. The water was nice and warm and the snow falling only added to the atmosphere and spirit of the season.

We had a yummy dinner, played Santa bingo, watched a family video, had a visit from Santa, shared Christmas treats, and enjoyed laughing, visiting and watching all the little ones have fun with the cousins.

We were happy that Grandma was able to come and have a nice evening with us...she is amazing and has been doing so good. She is healing and recovering and will soon be ready for a FUN get away. Better start the planning!!!

2010-12-18T02:19:00.000-07:00

The kids are having a sleepover with us tonight

and wanted to sleep under the Christmas Tree.

After they fell asleep I left the room for a few minutes and when I came back, I found Beck a little closer to the tree. Guess we didn't quite fulfill his fantasy, he needed to be abit closer to the lights and the spirit of Christmas.

They were so dang cute, but it took us quite a while to get everyone settled and quiet for the night. Dawson kept saying he wanted his own pillow because mine hurt his cheeks. Are you kidding me?

Guess I better think about bedtime, they will be up before I even get to bed.

Woot Woot...One week from tonight and Santa comes.

2010-12-18T01:51:00.000-07:00

Our visit with Santa today...The kids loved it and Andee was so brave! I think she had to be tough when she seen how much fun Beck and Dawson were having. However, Pax didn't think Santa was such a great guy.

2010-12-18T01:26:00.000-07:00

Rudolph, where are you???

Last week Beck and Dawson were here and we heard Rudolph and the other reindeer up on our roof. Crazy, I know...but we decided that they were making so much noise because they were hungry. We gathered up some oats and went outside to feed them. Wow, did the boys ever have fun doing that.

Just one problem, I now have oatmeal all over in my yard. Who knows, maybe they have been overeating someplace else. Sure hope I don't have weird things growing this summer.

But no worries about that now, cause I am positive that we will have a few more days that we go out, look up on the roof and leave food on the grass.

2010-12-11T01:39:00.001-07:00

Today we celebrated with Paxton on his first birthday...He was Adorable!!! I cannot believe that little guy is one already, time has passed by so quickly. Today, we partied all day, we went to the movie, we went to lunch, we had a birthday party with cake and ice cream and then had dinner and movies. What a crazy day with no Christmas shopping done again, but it was a good day and we had so much fun.

Happy Birthday Pax...you bring our family so much joy.

Look at what a great job Whit did with her cake decorating skills!!!

2010-12-11T01:28:00.005-07:00

Hells...Bells!!!

The BEST is saved for last and then I flippin forget to send out birthday wishes.

SO, a Very, Happy, Merry, Joyous Birthday

to the few of us that celebrate in the great month of December.

December 5th...Chandler
December 10th...Paxton
December 14th...Tami
December 23rd...Sophie
December 31th...Abbey

December 11th...Max and Shelley's Anniversary

2010-12-03T23:44:00.001-07:00

My mom had knee replacement surgery on Tuesday morning and we have spent time this week concerned about her and her recovery. She has been in alot of pain and misery, but is doing great other than that. Today we moved her over to Quinn Meadows and she will be there for a couple of weeks while she is receiving therapy. She will have a couple of hard days ahead, but she is strong and I know that she will work hard and be ready to come home and enjoy the holidays. We love you mom and pray that you will find comfort and strength as you are healing, and working towards your new goals.

2010-12-03T23:44:00.000-07:00

I have totally let last week and this week get away from me. This is my favorite time of year and I have so much to be grateful for. I just wanted to express our thanks and appreciation for the great family we have. We were able to spend some quality time together this Thanksgiving season and it is always such a warm and welcoming time of the year. We were blessed with a nice, warm place to go, plenty of great food and were able to feast and visit with family members.

Thanks to Tom and Patty and their family for inviting us into their home and for the time and effort they put into another Thanksgiving spread!!!

2010-11-24T00:18:00.002-07:00

Oh My...Surprise, Surprise!!!

Guess who is hitting the ski slopes this year?

The hills will never be the same.

However, they were adorable tonight and were quite excited about their ski gear.

Wonder how many cold days that will last?

CRAZY, CUTE Boys...They are so dang Funny!!!

2010-11-07T23:44:00.000-07:00

This afternoon, we had a good time...

we were able to go out to the farm and have some family pictures taken.

Molly and Spencer were our photographers and did an awesome job.

They were so patient with us and we are so appreciative of them taking time

out of their busy schedule to work us in. Last weekend they had a fire in their home and lost pretty much everything they owned, so to take the time to travel

and be with us today was huge!

Thanks so much!!!

2010-11-06T23:46:00.000-06:00

Tonight I am pouting...

I don't know of too many mothers who would only take her two favorite sons on a vacation (cruise non the less) and leave her other children home. That would be my mom!!! Yup, they left today and could hardly wait to take their first picture and rub it in.

hee hee...hope they have a Great time. But, I am 100% positive that they are going to miss the rest of us!!!

2010-11-06T23:34:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday Jordan B...You little turkey, have a super day on November 17th.

Happy Anniversary to Adam and Angie on November 20th.

We don't have alot of celebrating to do this month...

but we sure have a lot to be Thankful for!!!

2010-11-02T00:03:00.001-06:00

Batman and Spider man and Cinderella, a monkey and a pea pod...that pretty much sums up the excitement around our home this Halloween.

I think we pretty much had the cutest trick-r-treaters around town!!!

I think we pretty much had the wildest trick-r-treaters around town!!!

Time to take down the ghosts and goblins, spiderwebs and witches and time to bring out the turkey, the Pilgrims and the cornucopia's.

Better find the roller skates also, this time of year is so busy and hectic and filled with so much to do. BUT...it is also a great time to reflect upon all of our many blessings!!!

2010-11-01T03:44:00.002-06:00

Getting ready for a Spook-tacular Halloween!!!

Thursday evening was a night filled with pumpkins to carve, homemade chowder, apples and caramel, crazy-wild kids, and a whole lot of memories and fun.

The kids did not stay entertained very long with the carving of pumpkins, however, they all claimed their own and were very protective of their pumpkins when they were all done.

After cleanup, Andee found the veils I had out from the shower, and she had so much fun being a princess. She modeled for us and we took a ton of pictures, it was fun.

The kids danced and kissed and hugged and sang, and were either buzzed up for the holiday, or were to tired to care.

Really...three days of celebrating for Halloween? This is a bit much for me, I don't even like Halloween.

However, it is one holiday closer to Thanksgiving...

The Best Time of the Year!!!

2010-11-01T02:18:00.000-06:00

Here Comes the Bride!!!

On Thursday afternoon at work, we slipped away for a little while and had a surprise wedding shower for Michelle. We all went up to the Homestead's and had some good laughs, great food and were all able to escape and celebrate away from the office. (thanks geri)

I think we did a pretty good job in surprising Michelle, and that made it a lot more fun.

We all put on our veils, our jewels, and had a Big Girl Princess Party!!!

We convinced Michelle to try on her wedding dress and she looked gorgeous.

This weekend she will be getting away for her Real Princess Party and we could not be more happy for her.

Congratulations Michelle and Angier...we will be thinking of you and wishing we were all there to throw our arms around you and celebrate the beauty of you becoming husband and wife.

BE CRAZY, HAVE FUN, MAKE MEMORIES, and

BEST, BEST WISHES to you!!!

2010-10-26T23:09:00.001-06:00

I love fall, and family, and warm homes?

I love falling leaves, the crisp air, and the colors of autumn?

I love that little feet and busy hands can make a LONG DAY BRIGHTER!!!

My favorite time of year is here!!!

2010-10-12T23:13:00.001-06:00

Last week Beck and Dawson spent the night with us...
they got up and wanted cereal for breakfast, so we had Frosted Flakes, My Favorite.

I caught a glimpse of them studying the cereal box and it brought back childhood memories for me. It was a "deja vu" moment.

I used to love going to the store and picking out the cereal because of the prize inside, or because of the outside design of the box, not really because I liked the cereal.

As I watched the boys, they were having fun looking at Tony the Tiger. Do any of you remember sitting and reading every detail of a cereal box while eating breakfast? Oh I loved to do that! Ok...I get the hint, you are thinking that I must of sat and ate too many bowls of cereal. (hee hee)

Those were the days...They're GREAT!!!

2010-10-04T00:37:00.000-06:00

Congratulations April on your Accomplishments and Hard Work!!!

Join me in congratulating April Slayden in completing her NICU clinical hours and didactic training. April has worked very hard over the last 8 months to attain a great deal of knowledge and expertise in the care of the NICU patient. We are very proud of all she has accomplished and welcome her in transporting the neonatal patient.

Starting Oct 6th , April will be on the schedule for maternal, neonatal and Pediatric <12 months of age. April will transport all neonatal patients >29 0/7 weeks up to and including term patients without risk of PPHN. For all patients outside this criteria a Maternal/Child RN will accompany April as a back-up. It will be at the discretion of the neonatologist, April and the RT and to determine if the patient is at risk for PPHN and the back-up RN will accompany the team on the transport.

Thank you to all who have contributed to this process.
Casi

Peggy shared this letter with us at work the other day and was a very proud mother talking about her daughter...guess what?

I am a very proud aunt, bragging about my niece!!!

YOU MAKE US PROUD APRIL

2010-10-04T00:20:00.000-06:00

Have a BOO-tiful Birthday as you celebrate your SPOOK-tacular Day!!!

Anniversary Wishes to
Amber and Spence...October 20th
Grandpa and Grandma...October 28th (Woot Woot)

2010-09-21T21:30:00.001-06:00

"A Dull Pencil Remembers More Than A Sharp Mind"

Growing up, I remember night after night my mom sitting in her chair and writing in her journal...she was so dedicated and committed and has been for many, many years. I am so Proud of her!!! When we were remodeling their home a few years ago, I was putting books away one afternoon, and came across all of her journals. I curled up in a corner and read for quite awhile. I was so entertained and loved the memories that she has created for all of us on paper.

My blog is my Journal...I know that those who read may get tired of me bragging about my angel grandchildren and my family, but someday...someone is going to pick up my journal and be entertained with memories and be proud of our heritage and some of the records that have been kept.

Tonight, I am thankful for parents that have influenced our lives for good!!!

2010-09-21T21:28:00.001-06:00

Our vacation has come to an end all to soon!!! I hate it, we have planned and saved and talked about it for a year and now all we have are our memories. But, we have Memories...We have Great Memories!!! I am so glad that we have been able to spend a week together as a family and enjoy each others company. We had such a good time and if we could, we would do it all over again...even as young as the kids are, they were better than I ever expected them to be and far exceeded my expectations.

We love this magical place called Disneyland and we love Mickey Mouse and his friends...they just seem to bring a smile and excitement to all of us.

THANKS Disney for a FANTASMIC Time!!!

Our Bodies are exhausted from going non stop!!!

Our Hearts are warm from a great vacation!!!

Our Minds are full of Princess's and Pirates!!!

Our Souls are filled with the Spirit of The Happiest Place on Earth!!!

It is nice to be home...and we are so glad that the rest of the family was able to stay well until after vacation.

(The sick bug hit Cody on Sunday and Monday

and then hit Colton and I on Monday and Tuesday...

Oh my goodness, we sure hope it leaves soon and does not get anyone else...it is no fun)

2010-09-21T21:25:00.002-06:00

Sunday, September 12th, 2010...

I hate travel days, especially when we are heading back home. We had to catch our shuttle early in order to get to the airport and checked in for our 1:00 o'clock flight.

Andee and Beck curled up into a little ball and fell asleep on the way home, but Dawson was crazy, I guess he wanted to drink a coke and have peanuts.

We got to Salt Lake around 4:00 and then it was back to our cars for a long car ride home.

Everyone arrived home safely and our homes were warm and welcoming. Paxton was glad to see his little family, but I do not think he was near as excited as his little family was to see him.
We Missed that Little Guy!!!

2010-09-21T21:21:00.002-06:00

Saturday, September 11th, 2010...

A Sad Day...our last day of vacation. Saturday we decided not to hit the park until noon and stay until closing. Wow, it was still a big day, but I think we were all on a high and got some kind of energy knowing that we would not be back for awhile.

I totally expected the crowds to be crazy and thought that we would be standing in line forever to do anything. Dawson was insisting we go on Peter Pan again and that was the longest ride we stood in. We stood waiting to ride it for about 40 minutes. Every other ride moved pretty quick and the wait did not seem unbearable. We hit a couple of the 3D shows at California Adventure and then spent the rest of our day at Disneyland.

We did some shopping, rode last minute rides, ate at the Mexican Grill, and sat and waited for Fantasmic to start at 10:30.

We closed down the park after midnight and caught the last bus to our motel at 12:50. Okay, shouldn't the kids be tired right now? I think they must have all gotten a second burst of energy, because, they were still going strong when we got back to the motel.

We are all really homesick for Paxton and anxious to be able to see him again!!!