The Jared Andersen Family

8 Months ago.....

2010-10-12T12:10:00.000-07:00

I actually posted to this blog. What has happened? Well...stay tuned and I will catch you up on the last 8 months. It will definitely be a "watered down" version...but none the less...you will be updated!! :0) By the way...a word of advice...don't EVER misplace your cord that downloads your pictures. Just saying!

We are a little crazy here lately!

2010-02-28T11:33:00.000-08:00

I have totally and completely neglected my blog. I admit to it. Thanks so much to everyone that has patiently waited for me to find a couple of seconds to update this. Every time I think about updating....I have to chase a twin out of something or there is the never-ending pile of laundry that must be done.
So...I will start with today and work my way towards the beginning of the month. Or at least atempt to.

Today, our Mr CJ had his 4th haircut. Mind you I have given him 3 of the 4. Kind of scary for me...BUT...he has really, really thick hair and that seems to be somewhat forgiving to the mom who is trying to save a buck or two. I just have a hard time spending $12 plus on a boys' haircut. Do you think youtube could teach me how to do it better? Just kidding. I think it looks ok. I just couldn't stand the "shaggy" around his ears and such.

We have spent most of the entire month chasing two boys around the house. We have decided that Mr. guy smiley is really the spoiled one. He really doesn't like to share the toys that are meant for both of the boys. He has learned to throw a "ROYAL" fit if he does not get his way or if Mr. CJ tries to take a toy away. SIGH.....What is mom to do? I usually let them duke it out. It seems to work better that way than if I try to resolve or help to resolve it anyway.

We started working on our backyard. I found a guy out of Lehi....(fabulous by the way) who could do the work and then wait for payment until our tax return showed up. (It is taking a lot longer than I thought).....Get this...he showed up when he said he would, he finished the job ahead of schedule, and cleaned up the mess like he said he would. I was not frustrated for one tiny second!!! AMAZING...if you want his name....just let me know. I would highly recommend him. Here are some before and after pictures. Now we just need a fence, sprinklers and sod!! I had to work the day they came, but Mr. A said that the boys spent a good hour or more watching the "tractor" move the dirt around. My boys are definitely boys!!!
BEFORE:

DURING:

AFTER:

Mr. Smiley and Mr. CJ are growing like crazy. I do not know how much they weigh, but I know that I can no longer carry both of them. I have tried and just about throw my back out each time I do. I love this picture and that they are both posing with their feet.

We celebrated Valentines Day with all three kids and most of my family. I really have a great husband. Who would normally do that? Anyway...Mr. A filled the shower with balloons filled with "hugs and kisses"....yummy!! I gave him a homemade card and an I-tunes gift card. The man knows how I love chocolate....so....he gave me plenty. After church a lot of my family showed up and we ate and talked. The big boys all had fun playing video games. It was good times!!!

Miss M competed in her first jazz competition team of the year, yesterday. Her team did such a fantastic job!! I am really amazed at how well these girls did. We went to Thanksgiving Point and I was really happy that Madisen had so much fun. That girl loves to dance!!!

So Mr Smiley likes to give us his version of "winks". It is cute.....Mr. A caught it on video the other day. You have to watch your fingers around these kids!!

So...despite a few colds that have put us under the weather....we are doing good, loving life....and getting ready for the boys to turn one year old! I cannot believe it!! Only a few short months and Miss M will be 10 years old. Double digits baby! She cannot wait. I can.

10 months....Oh BABIES!!!

2010-01-05T20:32:00.000-08:00

Yep. We have survived!!! Yes we have!! The twins turned 10 months old today. I actually feel very proud that I did not torture them too much. A dear friend at church stopped me and asked me how I liked being a "mother of three". I told her I loved it! I meant that with all Sincerity of my heart to. She said that she felt I had adjusted well to three kiddos. Why thank ya!!

Here are the boys stats from last month at their nine month check up:
Rylen
wght: 21.61 lbs
length: 30 inches
Percentage of ideal: 89% (the pediatrician told me this was off and should be actually higher).....ok.

Caysen
wght: 20.72 lbs
length: 29 inches
percentage of ideal: 95%

Since the twins are 10 months old today....just thought I would share, as their mom, my top ten favorite things.

10. I loved the day last month I was stopped in the grocery store and was told by some random stranger that..."your boys are too old to have a pacifier". I asked the lady how old she thought they were. She replied that she would guess they were almost two! I actually bellied laughed so loud that several heads turned in our direction. When I explained that they were only almost 10 months old, she quickly turned her little cart and went the opposite direction.

9. I love watching the twins play together. They are learning to share more and don't seem to get too upset if they steal each others toys. I am sure that their first full word will be...."share!"

8. I still do not listen to advice from others that have no clue about twins, taking care of them....etc. If you are not sure what I am talking about, see my post from 10.05.09.

7. A child's laugh can heal a wounded heart in less than 30 seconds! It is magic!!

6. Teething sucks & drool happens!!!

5. Not all babies like to sleep through the night...even at 10 months old!

4. A simple toy ball will keep a 10 month old boy occupied all day!

3. Even at 10 month old, some kids prefer their mommy!

2. 1 p.m. church is much better than 11 am church for 10 month old boys that need a little nap before we sit through 3 hours of meetings!!

1. The bond between twin brothers only grows stronger as they grow older together!!

Hold on.......I need to catch up!!!

2010-01-04T20:22:00.001-08:00

I cannot believe that it is already January and that Thanksgiving, Christmas and the new year is already here. What in the world happened?

Let's see if I can catch up a little here. I really have not meant to ignore our family blog. I just feel that life was a little crazy and there seemed to be way too much drama around certain events. So.....let's start with Thanksgiving.

With Thanksgiving, we rotate which family we spend it with each year. Last year we went to Idaho and spent time with my family. So - this year we spent time with the Andersen's. It turned out to be very interesting. I learned that I really, really, really, LOVE a more traditional type Thanksgiving. It was the twins first Thanksgiving, and I guess I really wanted to have something more traditional. I also realized that when you are in a family......that is not always the case. Here are some pictures from that day:
Madisen enjoying all the ice cream she could eat.
Caysen showing a rare smile. Even the people in the background are amazed!
Mr. Happy all the time Rylen!

So from the pics you can see that we went to a restaurant. It was different....very different. That is all I am going to say about that adventure.

The Sunday after Thanksgiving we were able to go down to Temple Square and listen to Madisen perform with the Riverton Children's Choir that she sings with. It was VERY amazing!! I must say that I was outstandingly suprised!! I had heard how good the choir was.....but I honestly just thought is was mom's blowing their own horns for their kids. I was WRONG!!! It was a cold, but fun night.....

The twins turned 9 months old on the 5th of December. Madisen and I have been joking because she is 9 years old in December 2009 and her brothers are 9 months old in December 2009. I don't think that kind of number stuff will ever happen again. We adventured to Kiddie Kandids for some photo opportunities that Caysen of course did not like too much! I still think the pics turned out cute though. (I realize of course that I am very biased!)

Christmas morning came all too quickly this year!! We did however manage to get our tree decorated and our Christmas cards sent out early this year!! Thank goodness! We decided to set our tree up downstairs since the twins rarely venture down there. Guess what? We did not have even one broken ornament. I felt it was important to record that moment, because with our boys there is no guarantee that it will every happen again!!!

Just before the madness began!!!

Madisen has been wanting an "American Girl" doll FOREVER!! Santa finally brought her just the one she wanted. I am glad that santa finally came through!!

The twins were a lot of fun this year!! They loved, loved, loved all the wrapping paper and new presents they received! It was a great Christmas for our kids!!!

Jared and I rang in the new year 2010 by both working the graveyard shift! Thanks so much to my sister Summer and her family for coming down and watching the kids overnight! I don't know too many people that would give up their New Years' Eve to watch three kids for free! Thanks again....you saved us!!!

So - this is my post to bid 2009 farewell. You have been good to our family and you will forever be filled with many, many memories. I am anxiously excited for the new year of 2010 and all the possibilities and milestones we will meet! Let's go!!!

8 Months and counting....

2009-11-19T12:18:00.000-08:00

The twins turned 8 months old earlier this month. We have had a lot of "firsts" the last few weeks.

Madisen went back "on-track" after having her first 3 week break from school this month. Oh how the boys miss their big sister who would make them laugh when they wanted to cry. I have missed Madisen's help and companionship!!!!

Caysen has been acting like a little flipper! Dang him! Oh, guess what? He cut his first tooth. I guess that explains it. He has also started "hopping" around. He lunges forward when he is on all fours, hence why we call it "hopping". He and the dog have a love hate relationship. Caysen loves the dog, but the dog is not sure if he loves Caysen.

Rylen has decided to grow out of the 12 month clothes he has been wearing. He made his first appearance in 18 month outfits last week! I thought the growing thing was suppose to "slow down" by now!! He also cut his 2nd tooth. He is no longer my one tooth wonder.....he is now called the two tooth wonder!! He is "talking" non-stop. His favorite word is "da-da"....go figure!!

We are excited for all of the upcoming holidays. This year is flying by all too quickly!! We are still trying to decide where to put our Christmas tree up that it will be "safe".....if there is such a place!!

Before and After......

2009-11-04T22:49:00.000-08:00

So our little blondie has needed a haircut since he was born. Jared has given him a little trim here and there. His hair was driving me crazy! It could not decide if it wanted to stick up or stick down or both!!! The top was so long and the sides hung shaggy over his ears. It was definitely time for a change!

I found out that a gal in my ward cuts hair. She said she would love, love to give Caysen his first haircut. Sweet! She is a super talented lady and I was very happy with the results. Thanks Kay!!

Before:

After:

Now his cheeks stick out even more!

Halloween 2009

2009-11-04T21:09:00.000-08:00

I for one really love Halloween! I am not sure why, other than I loved, loved, loved that my mom always decorated the house for Halloween - and then I knew that other holidays were on their way. There is just something special about the holidays and sharing those with family!!

On Friday we went to Kathryn Michael's Photography in Riverton because she was holding an awesome "charity bash". If you brought in some canned goods, she would take your kids pictures for free in their Halloween costumes. This gal is simply amazing!! She did our family photos last July and she is the one and only photographer that has ever taken a picture of Jared with a great smile!! Here are pictures from that day.

You should totally check out her website here: http://www.kathryn-michaels.com/
If you decide to use her, tell her that Heather Andersen sent ya!

Friday night we carved our pumpkins. Madisen had been bugging me FOREVER to get these done. Her Grandpa Ruby brought her a monster of a pumpkin from his Idaho patch. I told her that she had to clean it out. She did a great job. We pulled some patterns off of Hershey's website and had some fun. I think they turned out great!

On Saturday we went trick-or-treating with some of our cousins. It was a lot of fun. The twins only lasted about 40 minutes, but hey, I was glad they lasted a little while. Here are some pictures of the spookies:

On our Spooky tree we have some fun glasses. It has kind of become a tradition that each kid needs to have their picture taken at least once. I love this picture. It makes me smile every time I look at it!! :0)

I hope everyone out there had a safe and Happy Halloween!!! Bring on the turkey day!! I am always up for good food!

More Family Time.....

2009-10-28T11:44:00.000-07:00

So if you ask Madisen she will tell you that I am "cheap". Not in a naughty sense of the word, but I am a true at heart sucker for a really good deal!!! I LOVE to be the bargain hunter and find the steal of a lifetime for almost nothing.

So we have been trying to do "cheap" family outings. These have proven to be some of the best. Two weeks ago was our stake conference. Jared was all gung-ho to go, while I refused. I just did not want to wrestle on the hard chairs with two 7 month old boys. SO - we did not go. I kinda feel guilty about it, but we had some "family time" instead which was a lot of fun.

We went up American Fork canyon for a drive. We wanted to see the leaves changing colors. At the mouth of the canyon it was absolutely beautiful!! At the top, most of the leaves were already gone. We drove to Canyon Springs (I think that is what it is called) and then came back. It was a nice afternoon and not too cold.

The kids, especially the boys were fascinated by all the leaves. Such a new world for them. It was great!

I love this picture of Madisen. The car was mostly quiet on the way home and when I looked to see why...(this of course is rare with three kids), I found Madisen mesmerized by the colors she was taking in. I asked her what she was doing and she said....just soaking it all in mom, just soaking it in.

My husband turns into a different person anytime we go up American Fork canyon. He changes in a good way. He grew up in AF and spent a lot of time riding the canyon on his bike, camping with friends and driving to get away from life. I love to watch his love of the canyon come out whenever we go. Maybe we should go more often!!

Family time....

2009-10-18T20:24:00.001-07:00

Last weekend we went to Gardner Village because "the witches were out!" It was a lot of fun and did not cost us a thing! If you have not checked this out yet - you really should go! We went on a Saturday, which I would not recommend because there were so many people, but other than that we had a lot of fun.

So some updates on the kiddos.....
Rylen FINALLY cut his first tooth. My goodness it has taken forever for that stink'n thing to break through. It is the bottom one on the left. It looks like the bottom one on the right is not far behind. No wonder we have been changing shirts 3-4 times a day!!

Caysen is getting up on all fours now. He rocks back and forth. We are betting that by Halloween he will be crawling. Heaven help the Andersen house. He REALLY wants to be able to get to Scoobie. I really feel sorry for the dog.

Madisen is getting ready to go off-track. She has this next week in school and then she is off for 3 weeks. Short break for Thanksgiving. Back at school for another 3 weeks and then 2 weeks off for Christmas holidays, then back for like 4 weeks and then another 3 weeks off. She is really excited to be off track. We cannot wait to have our official "helper" back home full-time; even if for just a few weeks.

We have almost completed all of our Christmas shopping. We are just focusing on putting it altogether. We are usually completely done by now, but we have been a little busy. We are really excited for the upcoming holidays. I especially love them!!!

Seven Months Old....Holy Smoke...Already?

2009-10-05T19:57:00.000-07:00

Yes it is true. My twins turned 7 months old today. I really cannot believe it. I know that I say that every month as we inch closer to the one year mark. My boys are closer to being one year old than being at the newborn mark. Crazy huh?

Both boys are obviously not starving. They are so big. They wear size 4 diapers and wear 12 month clothes. Some of their pajamas are 18-24 month size. Madisen never grew this quickly. The doctor tells me that they should mellow out on their growth once they become more mobile.

Speaking of mobile.....Caysen is "army crawling" everywhere. I know he is going to scare the h*ll out of me one day because I will turn around and he will be right there! Rylen sits up on his own and is just content to hang out. He really has no desire to be on his stomach. (maybe because it is always full!)

I need to explain this picture of Caysen. He is playing with his dad's shoelace. No big deal right?....actually it is a big deal for me!! When Jared was younger he used to play with his shoelaces all the time! He even went through a jaunt where he did it again as an adult. Well, Caysen somehow received the "I love shoelaces" gene and he loves them also!! Heaven help us all!

Madisen and Jared both got new glasses last week. Madisen really likes them. She is 9 years old and already has bifocals. Poor thing. She can see things far away just fine, but up close is another situation. I asked her how things are at school with her glasses and she said that she likes them a lot and they have helped her.

So I know that I have only been a twin mommy for 7 months now, but here are a few things I have learned.....

1. Do not listen to people's advice that have never had twins, taken care of twins, or had twins in their family. People LOVE to dish it out, but most of it is garbage and they really have no idea what they are talking about!

2. Embrace the advice given by other twin mommies. I have loved doing this!! They definitely know and understand what "works".

3. There is a very special bond between twins. I hope my twins will always share this bond, no matter what.

4. Just because your house is a mess.....this does not make you a bad mom. The moments spent with your kids are much more important.

5. Staying home is the HARDEST job ever!!!! I always have worked full-time, so this as been an adjustment for me! Being home for most of the time (I still work, just not as much) has been an adjustment. It is better to embrace the adjustment than fight against it.

6. Your babies will still love you, even if they have to cry while you take 30 seconds and go to the bathroom.

7. Spit happens!!! Every day in fact!!

8. There is no greater love than the love a mom can give her kids.

9. On occasion, a mom may find that one or both of her twins will be just as stubborn as she is. :0)

10. Every mom needs "mommy time"!! Don't let anyone tell you that a schedule is not important! They are idiots!!!

Remembering & loving those we serve.....

2009-09-24T12:32:00.000-07:00

On Monday night I received a phone call from my visiting teaching partner. She is a wonderful lady. We have been visiting teaching together for almost five years now. I never want to go with anyone else!!

One of the sisters that we visit teach passed away Sunday night/Monday morning in her sleep. She was 95 years old, but still as sharp as a tack and a lot of fun!! She always said that she wanted to just go to sleep and then not wake up. What a blessing that Heavenly Father would grant her the wish of her heart.

One of my favorite memories of her is visiting her and all of us laughing so hard that we almost wet our pants. Leota said that she did!!! She always had chocolate for us and I loved her dearly. My life is better because I was able to visit and get to know her, she taught me so much when I was suppose to be teaching her!!!

I love you dear friend. I will miss visiting & seeing you. Till we meet again.....

Leota Thomas Smith
July 4, 1914 - September 21, 2009

Biography
Leota Thomas Smith, 95, passed away September 21, 2009 at her home in Bluffdale, Utah.

She was born July 4, 1914 in Malad City, Idaho to David Dredge Thomas and Sarah Claudia Richards Thomas. She was the oldest of four children. She graduated high school in Malad and attended one year at Utah Agriculture College in Logan, Utah.
On September 19, 1935 she married Samuel Wayne Smith in the Salt Lake City Temple. They were happily married for 66 years at the time of her husbands’ death.
Leota loved being involved in church and community service. She was a long time member of the University Park Daughters of Utah Pioneers and was a member of the Pocatello Literary Club. She was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and held numerous positions. She was Relief Society President; Stake Young Women’s President and organized the first library in the Pocatello 6th Ward.

Leota was a gifted gardner and loved her roses and other flowering plants. Her talent for quilting and sewing were unmatched. She loved music and loved to play her piano and organ, but only privately. She was a great cook, and was known for her homemade chicken noodle soup.

Leota is survived by her children: Sharon Lee Smith Gustavson of Titusville, Pa., Kathryn Annette Smith Miller of Pocatello, Id., Scott Wayne Smith (Allyn) of Pocatello, Id., Wendy Sue Smith Nielsen, of Bluffdale, Ut., Kristine Kay Smith Nielsen (Anders) of Riverton, Ut. 21 Grandchildren, 37 Great Grandchildren.
Leota is preceded in death by her husband, Samuel Wayne Smith, her parents David Dredge Thomas, and Sarah Claudia Richards Thomas, her brothers Grant Thomas and Maurice Thomas and sister Maurine Thomas Hughes West, and by an infant daughter, Gaylyn Smith.

Leota was loved by many and will be missed! She left a great legacy of good works and selfless service.

Funeral Services will be held at 12:00 noon on Friday, September 25, 2009 at the Century Ward Chapel, corner of Fourth and Fredregill, with Bishop David Andersen conducting. The family will receive friends Friday morning from 10:00 am to just prior to services at the Century Ward Relief Society room. The Interment will follow at Smithfield City Cemetery in Smithfield, Ut. Arrangements are under the direction of Colonial Funeral Home, 2005 S. 4th Ave, Pocatello

Doctor appointments & all that fun stuff!!!

2009-09-18T21:51:00.001-07:00

So I took the twins into the doctor on 09/09/09. I did not even plan it that way! Cool huh? Yeah- whatever.

Anyway - here are their stats:

Caysen
18.52 lbs.....67% centile
28.15 in......93% centile
Percentage of ideal for weight & length....91%

Rylen
19.51 lbs.....82% centile
27.36 in......80% centile
Percentage of ideal for weight & length....102%

The doctor told me that for the percentage of ideal, it is based on what the "average" is for kiddos their age. The pediatrician said that he thought my boys would be bigger/heavier/etc., just looking at them. He said that they look like their are one year old. Oh my.....let's not rush things here!!!

The MA's had me worried for a little bit about Caysen. They measured his length three different times. They said that they could not believe how long he was. Let's pray that my boys get more of the "Mills height gene" than the Andersen one.

I was excited to also learn that the twins do not need anymore shots until they are one year old!! YES!! The doctor was very happy with their growth and let us know that we needed to look into new car seats for at least Rylen at this point. Aw...I love the "bucket" seats. It makes going to the grocery store with both boys so much easier. We are adjusting. Here are some pictures of Rylen in his new "big boy" car seat. He loves it because he can see out the car windows better. He loves to "talk" to the passing cars too and to his brother Caysen.

Rylen has way of expressing his endless "chatter" ALL THE TIME.....I think he will be the first of the twins to talk...while Caysen will definitely be the first to walk. Caysen is trying SO hard to crawl. No!!! STOP!!! I am not ready for mobility yet....(Will I ever be?)

Over the past two weeks, Caysen has suddenly decided that he likes his pacifier again. Why could he not like it in the middle of church when he would scream his head off? I don't know....but just when I want to break him and Rylen of it....he decides to love it again. *sigh* I will wait for now..... Here are some pictures of my favorite time of day.....Nap time!! I think it is Madisen's favorite time of day too!!!

Speaking of Madisen....she is doing fabulous in her school class. I am really proud of her. She is working really, really diligently to master her times and division tables. Keep it up girl!!! On Wednesday she decided that she wanted to make dinner. SWEET!!! I was totally loving it. She made chili and cinnamon rolls. Ok - so not the most difficult, but with only a little help she did it. (Of course I was scared to death to leave the kitchen!!)

Madisen tried out for the Riverton Children's Choir and made it!! We are really proud of her. She will be singing with the choir as an "alto". Way to go girl. This is a fantastic group and we cannot wait for her first performance at the end of November.

So sorry for the long post, but just too much to catch up on.

We have survived 6 months!!!!

2009-09-05T20:25:00.000-07:00

The boys turned 6 months old today! I really cannot believe we actually survived!! Here are some pictures to celebrate......these last 6 months have gone SO quickly!!

Caysen

Rylen

First day of 4th grade.....

2009-08-18T12:34:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the first day of 4th grade for the princess - Madisen! I cannot believe how quickly this summer has gone. The first day really came up on us fast! Here are some pictures of Madisen on her first day of 4th grade. I can remember my 4th grade year. It is strange because I can only remember bits and pieces of other grade school years, but 4th really sticks out in my mind. I had a hard teacher, but it had to be one of my favorite years too.

Madisen is in a 4th/5th grade split class. I really like her teacher and I am impressed with her organization skills!! It will be an interesting year, and one that I KNOW Madisen will be challenged. Good luck princess!! We love you!!!

So yummy!!

2009-08-14T22:28:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I gave the boys a cracker while I mixed up their cereal and other food. Rylen of course went to town on the thing. He loved it! Caysen on the other hand was very upset when he was too rough with it and it burst into several small pieces. Heaven help me. These boys are so different in personality; which of course is a good thing.....

Caysen has also found his "tongue". So - he has been sticking his tongue out at everyone, but especially me for the last two days. Gotta love it!!!

Madisen and Caysen
Madisen and Rylen
Rylen and Caysen after eating their vegetables & rice cereal!!
Caysen showing how he feels about taking an afternoon nap!
Rylen loving his cracker!!

So they all rolled over.......

2009-08-14T22:14:00.000-07:00

....and the little ones said..... Hey mom! Watch this!! Enjoy! I caught both the boys rolling on video today! Rylen has rolling "down", but Caysen will only do it if it is "his" idea....I wonder who's kid he is sometimes!!! :0)

Now it's Rylen's turn.....

2009-08-12T20:47:00.000-07:00

Today after having a "break" of about 1 week from "tummy time" - Rylen looked at me, smiled and then turned from his stomach to his back. I was SO excited for him that I almost made him start to cry. Sorry buddy - but mommy is loving these milestones you and your brother are giving me. It makes for twice the fun!!

5 Months....Seriously....Already????

2009-08-05T19:40:00.000-07:00

So with today being August 5, 2009 - my twins Rylen and Caysen turned 5 months old. Before they were born several wise and experienced people told me that with twins, the time seems to go even more quickly - so take lots of pictures. It is amazing to me that they are already 5 months old, but sometimes the days just drag!!!

All of the kiddos are very healthy and for that I am very thankful. We know that the day is fast approaching when their "infant" car seats will be a thing of the past. Jared wanted to weigh them today, so here are the stats:

Rylen Mills Andersen
17.4 lbs.

Caysen Jared Andersen
17.4 lbs.

Madisen Andersen
71.6 lbs.

I cannot believe that Rylen and Caysen weigh the same. No wonder I can hardly carry both of them when they are in their car seats!! Happy 5 month birthday boys! We love each of you so much!!!

It has happened.....

2009-07-27T22:34:00.000-07:00

.....tonight after I got home from work, I was playing with the twins on the floor. We were having some "tummy time" which I must mention is not a favorite for either of them. Both of the boys have been trying really hard to roll over on their own. Well it happened.....Caysen rolled over on his own. I really thought it was a one time deal, so when Jared came back in the room, I put him back on his tummy and guess what - he rolled again! Heaven help us for many of us know what comes next!!!! MOVEMENT!!! Way to go Caysen! I am sure that Rylen is only a day or two out for his first solo roll!!

The week of July 24th, 2009.....

2009-07-27T22:31:00.000-07:00

With Madisen being out of school, I have really tried to find some fun activities that we can do together. I am not really good at this because I have always worked. Madisen asks me all the time, what can I do....and please don't say "chores". I cannot blame her. I absolutely hated "chores" growing up. Well, I have been scouring the little newspaper that comes with the weekly ads for free stuff to do. If we had a lot of money, then finding things to do would not really be a problem. I have loved the challenge of finding fun summer things to do that are free!! Yes - my maiden name is "Mills"; therefore I am allowed to pinch pennies. :0)

We have visited a few splash parks or hope to visit them before school starts. We have walked the neighborhood and found some "pretty cool" yards that we did not know existed. We also found a fun activity at the South Towne Expo Center before the Pioneer Day parade on July 24th. It was the parade float preview. It was free and was way awesome. Madisen loved being with her cousins to take part in this free fun and liked getting up close to the floats. Her favorite float was Murray City's. It had ballet shoes on it and Maddie was in heaven. She also liked the Days of 47 Royalty float and expressed her desire to someday ride as the royalty in the parade. Heaven help me!!!

On Saturday we spent the day at Lagoon. Yes I know this is not free - but I did find awesome discount tickets for the park through my work. We had a lot of fun and I learned that my 9 year old is a lot more brave than I am. She rode many of the big rides and roller coasters that I could not even think about riding! Way to go Madisen!!!

Here are some pictures from the float preview. Enjoy!

While mom is at work.....

2009-07-18T14:41:00.000-07:00

the twins are learning new tricks! Way to go Caysen we know how much you love your pacifer. NOT!!!

First day eating rice cereal.....

2009-07-18T14:37:00.000-07:00

Here are some pics from the Rylen and Caysen's first time eating cereal. As you can tell it was not as enjoyable for them as I hoped it would be. Now a few weeks later - look out! I cannot feed these two fast enough! They love it and their vegetables too!!

Rylen

Caysen

Last day of 3rd grade

2009-07-18T14:31:00.001-07:00

Ok - I think I may have finally figured out why I am so behind on things. Let's see - I have twins, check! Madisen is involved in summer dance, check! Madisen finished 3rd grade, check! The twins turned 4 months old, check! There are two holidays this month, check! It was the Andersen family reunion, check! The laundry is caught up, um....not quite check!
First day of 3rd grade, Riverton Utah

Here are some pictures from the first day of 3rd grade and the last day of 3rd grade. Madisen does not look too happy on the first day, but I guess she was a little happier about the last day!
Great job Madisen! You did it!!

Last day of 3rd grade, Riverton Utah

Happy 4th of July!!

2009-07-18T14:27:00.001-07:00

Yes I know that I am just a few weeks late with this - but I figure better late than never!!

We spent the 3rd and 4th of July with Jared's family at a family reunion. It was a lot of fun and it was great to see a lot of his cousins that I had not seen in forever! Unfortunately, things were so crazy that we did not get too many pictures! OOPS. We will do better next year. Maybe. :0)

More pictures of the twins....

2009-07-18T13:23:00.000-07:00

I took the twins to their 4 month check-up on July 7th. The pediatrician was very, very happy with their growth. Here are the stats:

Rylen
Weight: 15.65 lbs
Height: 25.59 in
Percentage of ideal: 97%

Caysen
Weight: 15.87 lbs
Height: 25.39 in
Percentage of ideal: 101%

So - I guess all the fuss about the boys not growing right the first little while of their lives as finally been put to rest!!! my heart literally melts anytime they smile or laugh! The one person that seems to be able to calm them the best is their big sister, Madisen. She has proven to be a life saver and a wonderful help. Madisen has given each of her brothers a nickname. They are "Smile'n Rylen" and "Cute Caysen". We love each of you so much!!!

Go Wynter Go!!!

2009-07-18T13:05:00.000-07:00

While we were in Idaho we were able to attend one of my niece Wynter's softball game. She is such an awesome player. I was really proud of her!! Of course Madisen nominated herself as the team cheerleader. You go Madisen!!!

Idaho in June....

2009-07-18T12:53:00.000-07:00

We traveled to Idaho for a long weekend in June. My sister put together an open house for me and my babes. It was really nice to see mostly family and some good friends. Thanks to everyone who came! Love you all!!!

The passing of an icon.....

2009-07-12T20:01:00.000-07:00

So I am sure that everyone knows that Michael Jackson has passed away. I will admit that I was a total and complete fan of his in junior high. I carried around a small notebook with his picture on it that I wrote all of my homework in. (Yes - I made a "list"). But he is not the icon I am talking about.....

Farah Fawcett I thought was one of the coolest ladies on television growing up. Yes, somehow, I too wanted to talk to the box with a voice and make a difference in the world. This too is not the icon I am talking about....

The icon to our family was also known as "Kris", "Grandma Kris", and "Nama". She was a super courgeous woman and humble in every way. She always made me feel like I was the best mom in the world - when in reality, I had no idea what in the world I was doing!!! She made such a huge impact on my daughter with her love and testimony that I will forever be grateful. It is through a family member that we met her. We love that family dearly and our hearts ache for their loss. We also know that we can see her again if we can just have the type of faith she had. We love you Nama and everything you showed us by your example. Till we meet again.

Kristine Anderson Johnston
(April 2, 1951 - July 8, 2009)
Our cherished wife, mother, sister, and grandmother passed away peacefully at her home in Elk Ridge, UT on July 8, 2009 at the age of 58 after battling cancer. Kris was born April 2, 1951 in Springville UT and was the third of seven children born to Mays and Orpha Anderson. She is remembered by her siblings as being a spunky and humorous child. Kris graduated from Springville High School in 1969 and soon thereafter attended BYU where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education. While pursuing her education she met Steven C. Johnston and they were married in the SLC Temple on November 16, 1973. They enjoyed nearly 36 years of marriage together. During this time she served in many church capacities, lived in various locations, including England and Malaysia. Kris and her husband served an LDS humanitarian mission in Bucharest, Romania. All of these, plus many other experiences, blessed her with an increased amount of faith and understanding of Heavenly Father's plan for His children. Kris will always be remembered for her compassion, acts of service, love for her family and those around her, and above all ... faith in her Savior Jesus Christ.
Kris is survived by her husband Steven, her five children: Matt (Monica) Johnston, Amy (Neil) Andersen, Laurie (Kevin) Wilson, Dana (Mark) Purcell, and Katie (Jeremy) Bailey, her eleven grandchildren, and her siblings: Cheryl, Dave, Jim, Kay, Michael and Dane. She is preceded in death by her parents Mays and Orpha Anderson, and her granddaughter Lindsey Kate Johnston.

A viewing will be held Monday July 13, 2009 from 10:00 to 11:30 at the Payson East Stake Elk Ridge 6th Ward Chapel located at 185 E. Ridge View Dr. in Elk Ridge, UT. Funeral services will follow at noon. Interment will be held at the Springville Evergreen Cemetery.

Special Bond

2009-06-11T11:57:00.000-07:00

Everyone told me that there seems to be a "special bond" between twins. I see this more and more every day as the twins grow. Enjoy these pics of them over the last month and a half!!

Mother's Day

2009-06-11T11:38:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone had a good Mother's Day!!! I sure did.

I am NOT a big fan of this holiday. I think we should celebrate moms every day of the week. We don't need to give gifts or remember them just on one day. Anyway - Madisen surprised me when I got out of the shower with my "gift". I think it was gorgeous! Inside was one of her white elastic headbands colored with markers in all different colors of the rainbow. It also had a lime green ribbon and black ribbon tied to the headband so it could be "fashionable". The ribbons hung down past my hair. I wore the beautiful thing all day. I love it!!

Blessing Day

2009-06-11T11:24:00.001-07:00

Jared blessed the twins on May 3, 2009 in our ward here in Riverton, Utah. After church we had food and fun at our house.

We were very lucky to have lots and lots of family and friends join us. Some could not attend, but we know that they wanted to.

Jared did a great job and I am so grateful he was able to do this for our boys. Rylen was blessed first and Jared said that he really had to look closely at him to make sure he said the name right. I laughed because I don't think our twins look very much alike. They look like siblings, but they have so many features that are different. Jared said he just wanted to make sure he gave the right one the correct name. Makes sense. Here are a few pics.

Caysen Jared Andersen
Rylen Mills Andersen

Catching up!!

2009-06-11T11:22:00.000-07:00

Yep...I need to catch up with my blog since I am trying to use this as my "journal" also. Here goes.

I Survived!!!

2009-06-11T11:18:00.001-07:00

I survived my first week back at work. And better yet, the boys survived too! :0) Jared did a great job with them. (Of course!)

It is amazing to me how much more I sit down at work than I do at home. Staying at home is a really hard job I have decided, but worth every minute. Jared asked me this morning if I ever get bored? What is he talking about? It's not boring to sit and talk to only two 3 month old boys all day, and then in the late afternoon when Madisen comes home, I get to talk with my 9 year old princess. BORING?? I don't think so! I will only start to worry if I start to talk to myself. oh wait, I sometimes do that already.

Bring it!

Tomorrow is the day.....

2009-05-31T21:47:00.000-07:00

that regretfully I have to return to work. I have shed so many tears over this that I hope I can make it through the day. I will be going back to work only part-time, but I have NEVER left the twins for more than a few hours. They will be 3 months old on Friday. Yes - can you believe it? I cannot!!! Madisen said that she will miss me being home when she gets off the school bus. AARGH!!! I really hope I can do this. The only comfort I have is that Jared will be home with them. Many of the neighbors and friends are on "high alert" in case he needs help. I know he will do a great job!!!

We weighed the boys and Madisen yesterday. Here are the stats:
Madisen - 73 lbs.
Rylen - 13.2 lbs.
Caysen - 14 lbs.
Rylen @ 6 weeks old
Caysen @ 6 weeks old

Madisen is really proud of Rylen and that he has almost caught up to Caysen in weight. I think all the weight is in their cheeks!!

I have a lot to update, but will need to do this later!!!

Happy Birthday Princess!

2009-05-12T12:15:00.000-07:00

I can hardly believe it but my sweet princess is 9 years old today! Happy Birthday Madisen! We love you dearly and the kind heart that you have towards everyone!! You are the best daughter ever!!

Update on the fam....

2009-04-19T20:41:00.000-07:00

I can hardly believe that my boys are already six weeks old. Today was such beautiful weather that we took a walk as a family. We also took the boys to our ward for the first time today. Holy smoke!! Jared and I kept looking at each other like - "was this really worth even coming to church for"....see - it was a little bit of chaos.

I realized today that my little guys really both have a great set of lungs on them. Jared spent most of the first meeting out in the foyer with Rylen. I was up and down like a yo-yo with Caysen. I also explored the mother's lounge to change not one - but yes two yucky stinky diapers on Caysen within an hour!!! Craziness!!! Our church is at 11am - right smack at the start of the boys' long nap. Oh Joy!!! Madisen also was throwing a fit because she did not want to sit by herself - I really don't blame her.

Anyway - we made it through. The walk was nice just before bedtime. Jared told Madisen that I have been looking forward to taking walks and using the double jogging stroller I found. It was wonderful to get out and everyone seemed to enjoy it.

Right now our camera is broken, really broken so we are trying to find a new one that will not cost us too many clams. Anyone have any suggestions?

We also weighed each of the kids tonight too. Madisen weighs 73.2 pounds. She is really getting tall so I told her that she was just "perfect" weight for her height. Rylen weighed in at 9 pounds and Caysen weighed in at 11 pounds. This week I put all of the boys' "newborn" clothes away. They were just too tight and I probably need to pull out the 3-6 months clothes and get them ready because at this rate, the 0-3 month stuff will not last long. It is amazing to me how fast they are growing and changing.

They're here....!!!

2009-03-24T16:46:00.001-07:00

Ok I know my boys are over 2 weeks old, but hey - I am on the computer for only the second time since they have come home!

Life is a little crazy around here. I think it may only get more crazy once Jared returns to work which is on Sunday. I am not looking forward to it!!

Does anyone remember the movie "Poltergist"? There is a part when the cute little blonde girl turns on the TV and says 'they're here' in the creepiest way possible....well - I have often felt this way the first few days we were home from the hospital. :0)

The boys were born March 5, 2009 at Alta View Hospital via C-section. Yes - lucky me, Baby A had turned and both boys were breech. I carried these guys until I was 38 weeks pregnant, not something I would recommend to anyone planning on having twins!!

Baby A was born at 7:54am and Baby B was born at 7:55am. I cannot express how I felt as I heard of their cries. It was a special moment for me.

Baby A is Rylen Mills Andersen. He weighed in at 6 lbs. 12 oz. and was 20 1/2 inches long.

Baby B is Caysen Jared Andersen. He weighed in at 7 lbs. 13 oz. and was 21 inches long.

As Rylen was born, I felt an enormous amount of pressure relieved from my back. It was wonderful!!! Then once Caysen was born, I felt even more pressure relieved. That sensation was completely amazing!! As they showed each gigantic boy to me, I told my OB that I could hardly wait to hear how much each weighed. He said that they were definitely good sized boys. I told him that I wanted to go on the biggest loser just for this one week - mostly because I know that I would be the biggest loser! :0)

The staff at the hospital were fantastic. We stayed for 3 days and I was very glad to be home. I have had too many health complications following the c-section, something I know is getting better each day....just something that was not planned! We are doing great though.

I am so grateful that my boys are as healthy as they are. We love them to pieces and they have brought such joy to our lives already! I really worried how I could love these boys as much as I love Madisen - but I really do! A parent's capacity to love is amazing!!

Well I better go - Caysen is screaming right now. Rylen will not be far behind if I do not hurry.

Final Countdown!!!!

2009-03-02T11:45:00.001-08:00

It's the final countdown! I can hardly wait for the next three days. I just finished at the doctor's and we are "ready" for Thursday - 03.05.09 - the day that we will finally be able to meet these boys!

Jared went with me to this appointment. The doctor said that he wanted me to make an appointment for in six weeks when I left his office. Jared spoke up and said - I don't think Heather can make it another six weeks. The doctor and I started laughing. I told Jared it was for the follow-up visit, but I did agree with him that I could not make it another six weeks.

I measured 55 weeks pregnant which seemed to amaze the doctor. He told Jared that I was amazing because he usually only saw that type of measurements with quads. I know that there are only two in there - thank goodness!!! Both babies are still breech - so we are planned for a c-section Thursday first thing.

I had a dream last night that the babies were born. Baby A came first via c-section and when the doctor pulled him out he was about the size of a 2-3 month old. He gave Jared and I the "cheeziest" smile I have every seen. Next came Baby B and he was the size of a 3-4 month old. He came out and the doctor held him up. He looked at Jared and I and gave us a double thumbs up! I remember waking up laughing.

3 days to go until we finally get to meet these little miracles. I am grateful that I have been entrusted with two and pray that we can make it through this. :0)

My sweet Madisen woke me up this morning with a great big hug and a kiss. She is the biggest sweetie ever. She told me that she had made me breakfast. I found a banana, go-gurt, juice, fruit cup and a piece of toast waiting for me at the table. This kiddo is the best! I asked her what she would like for breakfast so I could fix it for her while she got dressed and then we could eat together. We ate our breakfast together and she headed off to school. She keeps asking me how many days until she is the big sister. We have her "I am the big sister" shirt all ready to go for Thursday. She is just as excited as we are.

I love being a mom and a wife. Jared and I are trying to imagine what our life is going to be like going from a family of 3 to a family of 5 overnight. We feel totally lucky and scared about all the upcoming changes. If you know of someone that no longer believes in miracles, then they need to come and talk to Jared or I. We appreciate all the love and support we have felt from everyone.

Come on Thursday!!! :0)

New room for the boys

2009-03-02T11:12:00.000-08:00

So here are some pictures of the boys' new room. Jared did a great job of painting it and helping me get it ready. We cannot wait for the arrival of these little guys!!

More baby stuff......

2009-02-24T10:11:00.000-08:00

So I went to the doctor again yesterday. The doctor was funny and wanted to know if I had asked my baby boy A yet why he decided to be a "little flipper" and go breech on us. All I could do was laugh.

I am now dilated to a "2" and 50% effaced. Wahoo- raise the roof - WHATEVER! My doctor said that he wanted to go ahead and see me next week. I asked him: why? I honestly thought he would schedule the c-section this week!! He said that because my blood pressure is so good and the boys seem to be doing fine - he wants to wait until 38 weeks to do the c-section.

I expressed my concerns to him regarding going into labor and the complications - ie delivering the cord first, etc. Well - he checked me and assured me that this would not be my case.

So - only 9 days to go if I do not go into labor on my own. Not that I am counting or anything!!!

Madisen has started to call me the "cabbage patch mama". At first I did not understand what in the world she was talking about. I asked her what she meant by this. She said that my feet and ankles look like one of her cabbage patch dolls because they are so swollen and big. So - another thing that I look forward to losing after these boys are born - my cabbage patch feet and ankles. :0)

Last Ultrasound....

2009-02-19T16:03:00.000-08:00

Could it really be true? I have made it in the pregnancy to the last ultrasound? Yes I did and I can hardly believe it! I guess a part of me really thought that I would have these babies by now.

I had a doctor's appointment on Tuesday. I am only dilated to a "one". BUMMER!! My doctor said that he would strip my membranes next week when he saw me. Later that day I had an ultrasound and guess what - the little flipper - Baby A is Breech AGAIN! So - both babes are head up!!! This means that a c-section will be planned for me!

I am totally OK with this - just as long as the boys are healthy - that is all I really want/care about!! So - I called my doctor and spoke with his nurse. She said she would let the doc know and they would call me if he wanted me to come in sooner - otherwise they would see me on Tuesday.

So - Baby A's estimated weight was 6lbs 4 oz and Baby B's estimated weight is 6 lbs 8 oz. Both babies fluid looks "outstanding" and they are both very active. Of course, they are boys. I am very happy with their growth and just want them to be healthy when they are born.

I am 36 weeks pregnant today. So - when I was about 30 weeks pregnant I "grounded" the boys and told them they were not allowed to be born until they cooked for another 6 weeks. We made it!!! I will keep everyone posted. I cannot wait to be able to see my shoes again!!!

More remodel...I know it never ends with us!!!

2009-02-09T14:05:00.000-08:00

Here is a slide show of Madisen's new room. She wanted to move into a "New room" and give up her old room to her new brothers. I asked her probably too many times if she was really sure and she said that she was. Here are the before and after pictures. She loves it and we do too!

My "Sweetheart" Tree

2009-02-09T13:10:00.000-08:00

Ok - so I have not been the greatest blogger lately, but trust me, I really have to plan my bathroom breaks, etc. when I am downstairs. We do not have a bathroom down here yet. So - Hopefully I can get this post done before nature calls AGAIN!

Anyway - growing up my mom always had different holiday trees. One of my favorite was her "Sweetheart" or Valentine's tree. Two years ago I also adopted this tradition and we love it! Here are pictures of this year's tree. It has actually been up for awhile. My favorite addition this year is the pink and red mailboxes found at Target right after Christmas. I have learned that if I see something, then I had better grab it or else it is gone!!

30 weeks and loving it?!!!

2009-01-12T16:45:00.000-08:00

So here is the latest "belly" picture. I am 30 weeks prego here. My leave of absence "officially" started on 01.07.09. I am trying to adjust to being home and just trying to take it easy.

Madisen wanted me to take a picture of what she looks like too!!! I think she is much cuter!! :0)

Feeling 15 years old again????......

2009-01-12T16:29:00.000-08:00

What in the world can I mean by this? I feel like I am so clumsy like I was when I was 14-15 years old. My parents used to tease me that I could trip over a gust of air when I was that age.

So - at my last ultrasound just before Christmas (December 23rd),I was 27 weeks pregnant and the boys were doing great! Baby A weighed in at 2 lbs. 9 oz and Baby B weighed in at 2 lbs. 12 oz. No wonder my belly is bigger than my chest! (Direct quote from my wonderful husband!)

Later that night one of my teeth started to hurt. Needless to say I ended up needing an emergency root canal on the Friday after Christmas. I found an endodontist that had just got back into town and was willing to help me out. Does anyone want his name? I am happy to pass his contact info on. He was fabulous and the relief was sweet!!

On Monday I went to the doctor and he was very, very happy with how things are progressing. He said that I was measuring 41 weeks - so if I was only having one baby, I would be measuring a week overdue. Really??? Crazy for me since I only carried Madisen to 38 weeks. Anyway - the doctor said that "You know how to grow boys". Great! He was very happy with the babies growth and feels that I should be able to carry them to 36 weeks. I got to thinking about this - if the boys are almost 3 lbs at 27 weeks - this means that they will be over 6 lbs. each at 36 weeks. That is a 12 lb. baby! YIKES.....I know this is best - but a little scary too!!

Anywho- last Tuesday I had to go to the dentist so they could make a crown and put a temporary on the tooth that had the root canal. I was sure glad to get home. I was cutting some homemade bread and the bread knife slipped out of my hand and my little pinky finger got in the way. I had a hard time getting the bleeding to stop, so I woke Jared up and had him take me to the instacare. I ended up needing 3 stitches.

We came home and Jared said that I was to get into bed and not move and not touch anything! He said that he could not handle anything else happening to me. See what I mean by feeling 15 years old and clumsy again?

Christmas 2008

2009-01-12T16:09:00.000-08:00

Our Christmas this year was nice because it was "small". We really decided to not go totally overboard and it proved to be one of the best Christmas' ever!

Madisen and I spent Christmas Eve wrapping presents and getting ready for Santa. She tried really, really hard to stay awake so she could see him, but finally gave up around 11pm.

Madisen prepared the goodie plate for Santa all by herself. She did a great job. Santa left her note thanking her for the treats, but told her she needed to work on keeping her room more clean. :0) We love Santa!

Christmas morning we opened our gifts. Madisen received three gifts from Santa because this is the same number of gifts that baby Jesus received. She got a digital camera (that thing shows up when you least expect it), a B-bratz.com doll and a webkins.

I love this picture with the webkins. I can remember feeling this way about many of my Christmas presents. She carries the webkins everywhere with her. I think she takes better care of it then she does of her "real" dog.

Jared received a digital video camera. This is something he really wanted especially before the boys arrival. I received a cricut machine and a bunch of extras that went with it. I need to find the person at Roberts that helped my husband and give her the biggest hug ever! She helped him do a fabulous job!!

We later went to Jared's brothers home for a potluck lunch. We opened more gifts and then headed for home. Jared had to work the graveyard shift on Christmas, so he wanted to take a "nap" before going to work.

We hope everyone had a really great Christmas! We sure did!! :0)

Christmas Dance Recital 2008

2009-01-12T16:03:00.000-08:00

So I know this is not a "big deal" anymore for us, but Madisen had her Christmas dance recital on December 18th. She has grown, changed and improved so much in her dance. She is taking ballet, hip hop and is on a jazz competition team this year. She really loves the jazz competition team!! We have noticed her confidence increase so much.

Thanks to all our family who came to support her!!! As usual, the place was a zoo and way too small for the number of dancers that are involved with the studio. I can hardly believe that they have cut their numbers way back too!!

Here are a few pictures of Madisen with some roses her Aunt Laurel and Uncle Dayn gave to her. She was SO excited. She just barely allowed me to throw them away.

Great job Madisen!! We love you!!

Oh the Memories....

2009-01-12T15:54:00.000-08:00

Jared turned 36 years old on December 23rd this year. I really wanted to surprise him for his birthday and fly one of his mission companions out for his birthday. He totally badgered me until I gave in and told him what I was planning. He was a little sad that he just didn't leave things alone and ruined his own surprise.

So - his old mission companion that he had not seen since he left the mission spent 4 days visiting us. They spent time at temple square and visiting families that now live here in Salt Lake. His old companion is from the Philippines, but now lives in Denver Colorado. His old companion also cooked some very yummy food for our family. We really loved it!!

I think they both enjoyed themselves and I was glad to have my husband back. Happy Birthday honey!

Thanksgiving 2008

2008-12-07T21:18:00.001-08:00

We had the fun experience of traveling to Idaho to spend Thanksgiving with our family there. It was a great experience! It was the first time that my mom's kids have all been together for the holiday in almost 8 years or more. Thursday was filled with lots and lots of yummy food. I was in charge of the pies and I am so thankful for my brother Aaron and his help in getting those ready. I was still feeling a little under the weather from my run in with the flu the day before.

Of course Grandma Ruby had a craft for the kids to do each day we were there. Madisen was in total heaven!!! I swear that girl could live in a craft store. :0)

Friday morning my sister Summer and I ventured out around 7am and hit a few stores. I was not too impressed with the Black Friday ads this year, but picked up at least two things that were necessary. It was crazy because we went at 7am and was able to get everything we needed, but my sister and sister-in-law that went at 4am did not luck out like we did.

Friday night my sister's family and my family headed to Twin Falls for the "Christmas in the Sky" festival. This is put on by a local nursery there. If you bring an unwrapped toy you have the opportunity to talk with Santa, eat a baked potato and chili and enjoy Christmas carols broadcast by the local radio station. In their courtyard area, they have several bonfires burning and provide hot chocolate and cider all for free. This was a great event. After awhile, they also light off fireworks while Christmas carols are played. I loved this evening! It was such a neat experience to pull my princess and husband tight to me and feel how lucky I was at that moment to have them. I truly felt very lucky for all the blessings in my life.

Saturday was filled with more crafts provided by Grandma. On Sunday my brother reported on his mission. He did such a great job and I cannot believe how much he has changed. I was really happy for him and what he accomplished while he served his mission. We had more delicious food and then headed for home. We were able to stop and see our real dad for a few minutes too.

When we finally arrived at home around 10:30pm, I was never so glad to see my own bed. There is just something about sleeping in your own bed! I was so excited to be home and have one more day to recuperate from all the fun we had at Grandma's house!

Another Ultrasound?

2008-12-07T20:34:00.000-08:00

Being pregnant with twins has definitely been an experience like no other. Don't get me wrong, it has been totally amazing, yet different.

The Tuesday before Thanksgiving I had another Ultrasound and met with a perinatologist. I can definitely say that those people are amazing. I think they wonder why I am even there. Everything is going GREAT!!!

Baby A weighs in at 24 weeks at 1 lb. 4 oz. and Baby B weighs in at 24 weeks at 1 lb. 7 oz. So - eventhough I have not gained very much weight, these little guys are growing as they should.

I am also grateful to know that if they decided to make their entrance into this world at this point, they would have complications, but most likely would survive. Medical technology today is amazing, but I am still praying that I can make it 37 weeks.

I have had some strange cravings with these babies that I never really have had before. One of those being these little treats I found one day at the dollar store. On Monday I could not stop thinking about them, so my wonderful husband went to the dollar store at 9:45 pm at night to pick some up for me. They are very, very good and ah, hit the spot, just right.

Reflections Contest 2008

2008-12-07T20:23:00.000-08:00

Ok. So much has happened in the last two weeks that I cannot believe it has been two weeks since I have posted to my blog. So - here is to some catching up.

The Monday before Thanksgiving, Madisen had the "Reflections" award assembly at school. She entered the contest under the choreography section. The requirement was that she was to choreograph her own dance routine and make her own costume without any adult help. She begged me to allow her to do this. I told her to go for it, but the only help I could give would be in recording her dance. Thanks so much to her Aunt Lou Lou and Uncle Dayn.....they graciously helped with this area. So - needless to say, Madisen won for her division! I am really proud of her. She was so excited when they called her name!! She went up to the front with a red face and everything. I almost thought she was going to cry. I was in such shock!! Of course our camera was acting up, so all we captured was some shots after we got home. Her routine now goes to the district level and if she passes there, then on to the state and national level.

Way to go Madisen!! You did it!

Chores according to an 8 year old girl named Madisen

2008-11-19T10:08:00.000-08:00

Ok. So - for those of us that are already "grown up", raise your hand if you were raised having "chores" that you had to do. I am definitely raising my hand. I remember at Madisen's age having to help a lot around the house because my mom worked full-time and let's face it, it takes an entire family working together to make a house run smoothly.

While Madisen was "off-track" I would leave her a small list of "chores" that I wanted her to accomplish while I was at work. Surprisingly, she is a good at vacumning, emptying the dishwasher, etc. Often times she would say to me....

Madisen: Mom - what is this?
Me: It is your list of things I would like you to do today.
Madisen: Do I have to?
Me: Yes, Madisen. These are your "chores" and there are not very many.
Madisen: Chores? Mom - this is not 'Little House on the Prairie"
Me: Be careful, or else it could be.

So - Madisen did a great job while she was off track of making her bed, picking up her room, helping her dad cook dinner etc.

On Sunday the speakers at church were a recently returned missionary and a member of the high council. The high council member gave a really good talk about "assignments" and embracing the assignments in life that we are given or are called to.

He related a story of his 10 year old daughter and how she hated the different assignments around the house that they gave her because she was the oldest. He also said that it was good for her because she had become more responsible and had set a good example for her siblings.

I leaned over to Madisen and said to her....
"see you are not the only one in the world that has chores and responsibilities".
In her own way Madisen looked up at me and in a very NOT quiet way said:
"It's slavery I tell you. Pure slavery."

I looked around to see several rows of people trying to hold in their laughs. Since we were sitting the 2nd row back from the front in the chapel, and the speaker looked our direction, I am sure that many heard her comment. I tried really hard to not laugh too, but just tried to reassure Madisen that it was not "slavery" at all.

For some reason, I can remember some of these same feelings as a kid. I am so grateful that my parents taught me how to work and taught me all about responsibilities. I hope Madisen will feel that way too when she is older. :0)

Prego - emotional breakdown # 568

2008-11-07T20:00:00.000-08:00

Yes - being pregnant for me is really not my favorite time in my life. Please don't get me wrong - I love the fact that right this second I know that in about three or more months I am going to be the mom of two more kids. It's just the emotional baggage that I have while I am on this journey.

Anyone that really knows me, knows that I cannot stand it when my emotional side comes out. It is totally embarrassing. When I am pregnant, I can cry at the drop of a hat at things that would affect me before, but not make me cry. Well - being pregnant turns on the emotions like never before. Just ask Jared - he has lots of stories to tell, especially with this pregnancy. I honestly have wondered how he has survived!!

Anyway - I was going through all of my girl baby stuff. I had saved everything from 0 to 18 months that had been Madisen's. I took a sweet trip down memory lane as I sorted through everything and divided it up. There were a lot of great memories, but also a lot of tears shed. That first two years of Madisen's life went all too quickly! I just cannot believe that my little girl is growing up so fast. I loved so many of the outfits that she used to wear.

I do feel some relief in knowing that 5 garbage bags, yes that is 5 garbage bags, will be given to others that I hope can use some of the items. I think I used to really go overboard when it came to cute clothes for Madisen. What am I saying - Used to? I still honestly do.

So - as I sorted through what I have bought and been given for these boys - I am grateful and hope to not go too overboard. Yeah right!! :0)

Grandma Ruby eat your heart out! :0)

2008-11-07T08:44:00.000-08:00

My youngest brother J.T. just returned from his mission last week. He decided to come and spend the week with us and visit family, friends and another "special" friend. Anyway - he had a date with this "special" friend and my mom had left her red hat in the car. I guess J.T. was a little embarassed by it, so he brought it in. Madisen found it on the table and was in heaven. She kept saying, isn't Grandma Ruby the most fashionable? Yes Madisen - just like you - she is "fashionable"!!

Happy Birthday Jacob!

2008-11-07T08:40:00.000-08:00

On Saturday we went with Madisen's cousin Jacob to his favorite restaurant for dinner, The Mayan. Madisen loves this place because of the..."cool divers". We hope Jacob had the best birthday ever. We love you!!!

Halloween 2008!

2008-11-07T08:35:00.000-08:00

Halloween was interesting this year for our family. I ended up having to work a night shift and then was on call. Jared took Madisen trick-or-treating with some of her friends. She was able to get a lot of candy, but she said that she missed having me there. Awh....

I wish I would have thought to ask off the day from work since it was the last time that we will have just Madisen for Halloween. Crazy how things are changing!!

Madisen wanted to dress up as Sharpay from "High School Musical". Her dad did not know how to put on make-up, but I still felt she made a "fab-u-lous" Sharpay.

We hope your Halloween was fun and safe!!

Forever the Princess!!

2008-10-28T18:15:00.000-07:00

This is how Madisen feels about her two siblings that are on the way.....

Yes - she will always and forever be the one and only princess!!!

We love you Madisen.

19.5 weeks....& love at first sight!!!

2008-10-28T17:59:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe it, but I am almost 20 weeks prego with twins!! Reality really has not totally hit me. Things are becoming more real each night as a try to fall asleep and feel as if there is a marching band marching through my abdomen. Don't mind the bags under my eyes....Hence - the marching band thing.

We had our size and dates ultrasound today. You know, the "official" one. It was great!! A gal that helped with a lot of my training did the ultrasound and she was fabulous....of course!! Thanks "C"!!! :0)

So - it looks like we will have two Jared Jr.'s running around our house. I am honestly too excited for words, but yet at the same time....I am frightened enough to pee my pants if I think about it too much.

One thing I find amazing is that you can fall in love with something before actually being able to "see" it. I feel so lucky to be entrusted with two, but I honestly am scared to death too.

Any help with names would be great!!

While mom is away.....

2008-09-21T11:07:00.000-07:00

So I have been working 3 13 hrs shifts each week. This keeps me away from home pretty much the entire day on those days. I don't really like the shifts, but it is allowing me to be full-time so that I will qualify for short-term disability pay when I have the twins.

Jared put Madisen in the bathtub and she wanted her drink from dinner with her. He told her "no". A few minutes later he caught her with her drink in the bathtub!!! She can be so stubborn and I have no idea where she gets this from. :0)

So - while mom is away....the kids will play with their drinks in the bathtub!!

Real Life Picture Tag

2008-09-05T21:21:00.000-07:00

So my sister Amy tagged me with a REAL LIFE PICTURE TAG. Here goes:
Rules: The rules are you have to take ten pictures of the following things. And you have to do it RIGHT AWAY. No straightening, cleaning or wiping your child's nose. I took them right away I did not touch a thing. No Cheating.

1. The Fridge - Not much there. It stinks too! Cleaning the fridge is one job Jared refuses to do. Does anyone have a clothes pin I can borrow for my nose?

2. My Closet - No cleaning up here obviously! Half these clothes don't fit anymore too - 3 months ago they fit me just fine. Even my scrub tops are getting tight. AAAHH - the joy of being pregnant with twins!! :0)

3. the Pantry - Hey at least there is food in here!

4. My Favorite Room - I love this room because I can play the piano and Madisen will sing for hours on end. Or - we can sit on the love seat and read books together for hours. It is a great quiet room...

5. Laundry Room - I would hardly call this a "Laundry Room". How about a place where the laundry is done - see the clean towels in the dryer. Yeah - they are dry and clean and have been there for at least 4 days...

6. Self Potrait - scary I know. It is almost past my bedtime!! This picture is proof that I did not break the rules :0)

7. Bathroom - Ah, the place that brings sweet relief at least 4 to 5 times each night... he he he

8. What are the kids doing now? - See this crazy packet Madisen is working on? I am SICK of it!!! She is taking forever to finish it...My other "kid" is playing the Wii but would not let me take a picture. (Jared - my husband)

9. Kitchen sink - Oh boy am I every glad that I decided to do the dishes after dinner!!

10. Favorite Shoes - These are my favorite shoes right now. Once snow flies - these will no longer be my favorite shoes. I do love the convenience of them now!

So - I tag all my card club pals, any of the gals that I work with that want to play and anyone else that feels as brave as I did tonight. Have fun!!

Grandma Ruby Jr.

2008-09-04T09:02:00.000-07:00

So one day a couple of weeks ago Madisen and I were at Walmart picking up a few birthday presents. Madisen likes, yes likes, to go to the fabric section and "just look". She always sounds just like my mom when she says this, and frankly - it scares me!! Anyway - they had a new shipment of fleece and there was some High School Musical fleece. I told her that she could pick out one and I would serge around it for her. She walked away and a few seconds later came back with this other High School Musical blanket. She had me sold on it right away, because it was a blanket that she could make by herself.

So - we brought it home and a week later she made it. She loves the thing and I must say - she did a really good job on it. She loves crafts and especially loves to sew. This is why I call her Grandma Ruby, Jr.

For those that do not know my mom, she is an extremely talented seamstress. She is the type of person that can look at a dress in a magazine and then go home and make it without a pattern. She does beautiful work. I think that is why I do not attempt it.

Great job Madisen. I know Grandma Ruby is proud of you. :0)

Madisen's 1st day of 3rd grade....

2008-08-30T08:52:00.000-07:00

We made it through a really fun summer and Madisen started back to school on Monday August 18th. She was extra excited because she has one of the best 3rd grade teachers EVER!!! This will be a wonderful change from last year.... She was definitely ready to go back to school. I think was ready too. :0)

Madisen's baptism gift

2008-08-27T11:42:00.000-07:00

So one tradition that Jared's parents started was that they would take any grandchild that was baptized to "Build-a-bear" and they could pick out what they wanted. Madisen so looked forward to this for a long time.

Grandpa Andersen took her to the store. I asked Jared to go along so that Madisen would not bankrupt her grandparents!

She picked out this super cute bear. She picked out this outfit because it looked "High School Muscialish"!

The biggest news of all!!!

2008-08-27T11:26:00.000-07:00

Ok - so you may be wondering why I have not posted to this blog for almost 7 weeks now. Why would I let things get so out of control? I usually am more organized and more on top of things.
Anyway - I found out the 2nd week in July that I was expecting. Jared and I were totally shocked. I was about 7 days late with my cycle and he told me to take a pregnancy test. I did not want to because we have taken pregnancy tests and ovulation tests for 7 years now just to be disappointed. So - I went ahead and took the test before going to bed. It came up positive almost immediately! I was completely shocked. Jared was so excited. We can hardly believe it!
Most of my time has been spent at work or asleep. I have been SO tired with this pregnancy. Some days are worse than others as far as feeling sick. I almost have welcomed the feeling sick (sort of) because then I knew I was going to keep this pregnancy.
So two weeks after that I was at work and asked one of my co-workers if she would take a look and see if there was anything even there by ultrasound. She looked and told me she thought there were two sacks. I could have died. Another co-worker looked the next week and sure enough there were two sacs with two heartbeats!!! So right now- I am 11 weeks pregnant with twins....
We were not even trying anymore. We had decided to start our adoption file with LDS Family Services. We had given up on having any more of our own. No fertility drugs, no ovulation tests - just pure Heavenly Father decided it was time.

All I know is that Heavenly Father has His own time frame and only He knows why He has it. I know that He has a purpose and reason for everything that happens in our lives. He is the creator and loves us and knows the desires of our hearts. He blesses each of us accordingly.

Enjoy this video from the day we told Madisen she was going to be a big sister. My family is also there and knew that we were pregnant, but not with twins.

We also told Jared's family this past Sunday. Many of the ladies in the family had had dreams that we were having twins. Funny how the Spirit works through the ladies!!

Idaho for a quick trip

2008-08-27T11:17:00.000-07:00

Madisen and I took Wynter home and while we were there my sister was able to get us tickets to the Twin Falls Idaho Temple open house. The temple was beautiful inside and we had a lot of fun. Great Grandma Mills was able to go with us too. The chaperones in the temple kept asking Grandma if she wanted to take the elevator or needed a wheelchair. She politely told them "no" and she preferred to walk because she could. Afterwards we went to Sizzler for some yummy lunch! It was so good to spend a special day with some of our favorite people.

Finally done!!!

2008-08-27T11:08:00.001-07:00

Yes I can officially say that I finished school!!! I am SO happy to be done. July 28th was the last official day of school in the Ultrasound Program. I cannot believe how fast the last two years have gone. I would not under any circumstances want to start over again though either. It was a really tough program, but has proven to be worth every hard, frustrating, fun moment.

2nd week in July

2008-08-27T10:15:00.000-07:00

Madisen's cousin Wynter from Idaho stayed with us for 8 days this summer. We had a lot of fun. Wynter is such a well behaved kiddo. We love her so much!! She really showed Madisen how to not be so spoiled.

We spent the time at the water park with other cousins (BLAST!!), shopping, going to the Gateway Discovery Zone (I would highly recommend this) and at swimming lessons. It was a fun 8 days and we hope that Wynter will come and stay with us again next summer.

We know that Wynter really missed her family while she was with us, but she was such a joy to have around. We love you Wynter!!

Shopping and swimming lessons

At the Discovery Zone at Gateway....

Major catching up!!!

2008-08-27T10:04:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe how fast time has gone. So much has happened in the last few weeks. I have definitely learned that it does not pay to get behind in your blogging.

Madisen was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on July 5th. As her mom, it was one of the most joyful and happy experiences of my life. It was amazing to see my child make a decision, which was totally hers, that will have eternal consequences not only for her, but for her children, etc.

We had lots of friends and family that supported her. I appreciate everyone's help and support in Madisen's decision. After Madisen's baptism we had a get together at our house. We had yummy Hawaiin haystacks, cake, cookies and more food! It was a lot of fun to have everyone together. It was the perfect day!!!

Happy 4th of July!!!

2008-07-18T21:43:00.001-07:00

ok..ok...so I am almost a month late in posting this....We sure did have fun. We went to a park at the river bottoms and then went to Laurel and Dayn's house for some backyard water fun!!! Afterwards we went to get something to eat and then set up our chairs for the fireworks in Riverton. Of course I was on call and only was able to see 7 minutes of the fireworks!! Oh well. It was fun just being with family.

Madisen's decision

2008-07-18T20:39:00.000-07:00

Madisen turned 8 years old in May. Earlier this year - back in January -she told us that she did not want to be baptized. We told her that it was fine and that we would support her in whatever she decided to do. Now- we really were not worried. We knew that it could take Madisen 5 weeks, 5 months or even 5 years to decide to be baptized - still - we wanted it to be her decision. She decided right after her birthday that she wanted to be baptized. We were happy - #1 because it was her decision and not ours. Here are pictures from the Sunday she had her bishop's interview. She was nervous, but she did a great job!

More remodeling

2008-07-18T20:34:00.001-07:00

All the carpet pulled out!
The "handy" man!
After
So we decided that we really hated the carpet in our front room. We had a few dollars left and decided to replace the carpet in there as well. When we pulled up the carpet, even the bare floor looked better than the carpet did. Jared worked super hard on all our remodeling and I am really glad that he is so "handy"....

Last day of 2nd grade

2008-07-18T20:21:00.000-07:00

First day of 2nd gade
Last day of 2nd grade...Yeah!!
We made it through 2nd grade!!

End of 2nd grade Project

2008-07-18T20:13:00.000-07:00

Ok - so Madisen had this gi-normous project due the week before 2nd grade ended. I was so glad to be finished with 2nd grade it's not even funny!!! Anyway - she had to do an animal report. She chose to do her report on the Jaguar. She had to draw pictures and actually write a research paper. I swear her teacher should be teaching Jr. High and not 2nd grade. Anyway - she also had to make a diarama. I think it turned out really great. We were proud that Madisen worked hard and we were really glad when this was all over!!!

Too much....

2008-07-17T20:36:00.000-07:00

Yes too much has happened in the last two plus weeks. Our computer is currently on the outs and I am hoping to update my blog tomorrow. I hope Jared can fix the darn thing. I will post several things I promise with pictures and all!!!

Fun test

2008-06-22T18:21:00.000-07:00

Ok - so I found this test on my friend Dory's blog. I couldn't resist. I love it. I definitely need to tell my husband that I am a "superior 1930's wife". He he he...I am still laughing about this!!!

As a 1930s wife, I am
Superior

Take the test!

Long awaited "after" pictures

2008-06-22T17:50:00.000-07:00

New Countertop
New Floor
Everyone keeps wanting to see the after pictures of our kitchen remodel. Well, they are long coming because we decided to replace the dining room and hallway floor too. It has been a messy month for us here at our house. This next week we are getting new carpet in our front room. I cannot wait!!! We will have to wait to replace the bedroom carpets for awhile.

Enjoy....I sometimes have a hard time believing that this is the same house!

Imagination anyone?

2008-06-22T17:39:00.000-07:00

Ok so let me explain these pictures. Anyone that has ever gone shopping with me knows that I am the biggest "sucker" for the clearance and sales racks. In fact, most things I buy are only off sales racks. My sister Alicha and I were at Roberts yesterday looking for a clock kit. (Which they no longer have....AARGH!!) Anyway - we hit some major clearance tables. I keep thinking..."I really should just not even look and walk away".....Did I? Heavens no!!! Once again the "sucker" in me just wanted "to look".....I found the most awesome find of all. PIPE CLEANERS! These are Madisen's favorite craft item and she loves to create all things possible with them. They can keep her entertained for HOURS!!!! The best part of all was that they were 90% off. I think I paid a total of 14 cents for each package. See why I love the clearance racks so much?

Happy Father's Day!!!

2008-06-15T23:38:00.001-07:00

I just wanted to wish my husband and father of my daughter a Happy Father's Day. Who else would be able to put up with me!!! I love you sweetheart. Things have not always been easy, but at least we have enjoyed the ride together. I look forward to many more "adventures"!!!

My need to "show off" - just a little

2008-06-08T19:38:00.000-07:00

So Madisen's baptism is on date for July 5th. Jared and I are very proud of her and her decision to be baptized. We really wanted this to be her decision, not ours.

So I worked this weekend on her invitations. Tomorrow I will go and pick up the pictures that I ordered. I am really excited. I "borrowed" the invitation fold from a baby announcement my sister in law Brooke put together about a year ago for her cute baby.

Let me know what you think!!!

Madisen's 8th birthday

2008-06-02T21:27:00.000-07:00

So I know this is way late...but we have been just a little busy.

Here are pictures from Madisen's family 8th birthday party. We went to Riverton City Park and had pizza, chips, cookies and soda. It was FREEZING!!! All of the kids played on the playground and she opened presents. She was totally and completely spoiled. Thanks a million to everyone that was able to attend.

The demolition begins!!!

2008-06-02T20:54:00.000-07:00

Here are pictures in the early stages of tear out.....it was a lot of fun....BUT....A LOT of work. It will so be worth it when it is done. You can also see the wonderful sheetrock job my husband did. We hired out the taping and mudding - thank goodness!!! Thanks Brad for the incredible job!!! :0)

Kitchen before pictures

2008-06-02T20:32:00.000-07:00

Here are the "BEFORE" pictures of our kitchen. The tile guy is suppose to be coming sometime this week to install the floor tile and then I will post our "finished" pictures. We put the cabinets in today....a BIG thank you to Aaron and Dayn for all their help.....THANKS!!! We also put the countertops in and the sink. I can hardly wait!!!!

The remodel continues

2008-06-02T20:26:00.001-07:00

Ok...so I was having major issues with my digital camera. So - I tried a new memory card, and whala....it is now working again!! YEAH!!

Here are some pictures from our remodel. Enjoy....because I really have?

So - Jared was in the attic trying to arrange some things and his foot fell through the front room ceiling.....Did I mention how much I love remodeling? Anyway - luckily he was not hurt and the hole is now patched.... Picture coming of that.

My finished project

2008-06-01T13:25:00.000-07:00

Last night was Girls Card Club Night. It was totally awesome to be able to stop working on the kitchen and be able to go and have some "down" time.

We exchanged our cards and then made this "project". I was fine with everything except for the measuring of the different fabric pieces. Everything else seemed to be a so easy!!! I don't know why I hate having to measure and cut and then measure again.

Anyway - look mom!!! I actually sewed this!!! Thanks to all my card club gals for your help and encouragement. I just have to be excited that I actually finished it!! I wish I could have been blessed with the same sewing talent as my mom....but since I wasn't, I will take this accomplishment.

The madness has started!!!

2008-05-26T20:41:00.000-07:00

Yes! The madness of remodeling our kitchen has begun!!! I will have to post pictures when I can get my camera working again.....AARRGGHH....Another frustration I cannot deal with right now.

Anyway - We cleaned out all the cupboards and tore out all of the old cupboards today. My hard working husband was just as excited as I was to "throw out" the old cupboards. I can hardly wait!!! Madisen thought it was so neat that our fridge is now sitting in the dining room. All the boxes and stuff are in the dining room, the dishwasher is in the front room, etc.....I must admit, it is driving me a little crazy!!! I cannot wait until we can start putting it back together.

Tomorrow our sheetrock guys are coming. We need to tear out the "boxes" that were at the top of the cupboards. I cannot wait!!! We had cereal for dinner which Madisen thought was cool. Cold cereal....yummy!!

Happy 8th Birthday Princess!!!

2008-05-13T21:18:00.001-07:00

May 12th was Madisen's 8th Birthday! I cannot believe it. Here are a few "early" pictures and the other pictures are mostly from this past year. I love you Madisen - always!!!

Ear Piercing for Madisen

2008-05-13T19:42:00.001-07:00

Ok. So I know that my little princess is definitely growing up. She has been begging us for over a year to let her get her ears pierced. I told her that if she received a 100% on her spelling test that I would let her. She did it!! So on Saturday- May 3rd her dad took her to the mall to have her ears pierced. You may be asking why her own mother did not take her. I have to be honest. I just could not do it. I can remember being 10 and having my ears pierced and it hurt like crazy!! I could not watch someone hurt my girl like that. So - Madisen's dad was the brave one and took her. Great job dad! The earrings look great!!

More Madisen dialogue

2008-05-08T10:25:00.000-07:00

Madisen was in the car with my sister Laurel and her husband Dayn coming home from Dayn's parents house. They live off of Bangeter Highway and 13400 South. There is a new Wal-mart that just opened there. There were some deer in the road. Laurel and Dayn told Madisen to look at the deer.
Madisen took a look at all the deer that were in the road. Madisen told Laurel and Dayn - What are those deer doing in the road? Don't they know that they should not be on the road? They should be on the sidewalk!!!!

Madisen dialogue

2008-05-06T18:44:00.000-07:00

Ok. So last week when the Jazz were up 2 games to the Rockets, Jared and Madisen were watching the game. The Jazz had their "B" team in which is mostly black players. I was on the computer working on who knows what. Anyway - I overheard the following conversation:

Madisen: Daddy
Jared: Yes
Madisen: Do you have to be black to play basketball?
Jared: (Trying not to bust up laughing) No - why?
Madisen: It seems most of the players on the Jazz are black.
Jared: Some are, but there are other that are not.
Madisen: Like who - I don't see any playing right now.
Jared: (With a huge smile) Well, there is Harpring, A.K., Okur, Korver and Fesenko.
Madisen: But are the players that are black, are they better than the white players?
Jared: No, not necessarily.
Madisen: Then why are only black players playing right now.
Jared: I don't know, go ask your mother.

At this point I am practically rolling on the floor with laughter. Such an observate kid now, huh?

Random thoughts of a 7 almost 8 year old!

2008-04-25T09:32:00.000-07:00

A fellow blogger friend asked her 4 year old to finish these sentences. I was laughing so hard. I thought - ok - let's see how Madisen who is 7 almost 8 years old will finish these sentences. Some of them are hilarious and others are down right silly. I was surprised that she actually knew some of these! Enjoy!!

The only thing we have to fear is…the dark
What goes up…an air balloon
A bird in the hand…flies in the sky
Many hands make…a flower
Only the strong...men can do it
Lightening never strikes…on the ground
Pitter-patter of…rain
Beggars can’t be…true
Waste not...recycling
I’m so hungry I could…eat an elephant
Like a bat out of…a cave
There’s a sucker born… in the hospital
Give me liberty or… freedom
You say potato, I say… hot potato
Money is the root of… toys
When in Rome… dinosaurs will roam the earth
Early to bed… at 8 o’clock
Beauty is… beauty and the beast
He’s treading on… the sidewalk
Practice makes… perfect
Haste makes… what is haste?
Waste not… paper
A chip off the old…tree
A penny saved is… one cent
When the cat’s away… on the train
You can lead a horse to water but… it might start buck’n
My love is like…a rose
Ask not what your country can do for you, ask… my mom
A watched pot… might ring itself
Four score and seven years ago,… I got an A
Too many cooks… might burn the whole kitchen
If at first you don’t succeed… try, try again. This is from Dragon Tales!
There’s no place like… home
A chain is only as strong as…a cow
Don’t cry over… a toy
A fool and his money are… robbers
Two heads are better than…one
A journey of a thousand miles…can lead up to succeed
Look before you…cross the road
Always a bridesmaid never… cries
Actions speak louder than… words
It’s like taking candy from… the store
You can’t teach an old dog… new tricks
If you can’t stand the heat… turn off the heater
When it rains it… usually makes a fire
If you love something… throw it away
Half a loaf is better than… two
Happy as a… baby
The grass is always greener…than hay
Tie goes to the...zoo
Make hay… what?
Money doesn’t grow on….trees
Two wrongs… is failing
Nip it in the… tree
Laugh and the world… of American
A picture is worth… a thousand words
April showers bring… May flowers
Where there’s a will there’s…an ask
Better late than… sorry
You can’t judge a book…. Without words
Into the sky…is a bunny

The "other child" in our family

2008-04-24T20:25:00.000-07:00

So I definitely need to explain these pictures. Madisen loves our digital camera! Thank goodness it is digital!!!! I cannot tell you how many silly pictures I have deleted off of it.

Anyway - we have "early days" at our house. I get up at 5:30am and Madisen is up at 6:00am. I know - it's early. I usually let Scoobie outside, then jump in the shower and get dressed. I then let him in and then it is time for Madisen to get up. On this morning, I guess Scoobie was still tired after he came back in. Madisen took these pictures of him. I was laughing hysterically!

Scoobie really is the "other child" in our family!

Madisen's Dance Recital

2008-04-24T20:15:00.001-07:00

Tuesday night was Madisen's dance recital. She did such a great job. We are excited that dance is done for the year. She wants to dance on a competition team next year - so we will have to see how things go! Great job Madisen!!!

Madisen's new favorite "job"!

2008-04-20T16:31:00.000-07:00

Check out this smilebox! I taught Madisen something new today. It took forever, but now she knows how to do it! Good job sweetie!!

Make a scrapbook - it's easy!

New Windows!!

2008-04-20T15:59:00.000-07:00

Check out the before and after pictures!! The first picture is the after and the second picture is the before - you know, the windows that have the "jail bars" on them! It has been a long time coming- but YES!!! - finally we had new windows put in our home. It is amazing how we do not hear every car that is passing our house now. The quiet has actually been really nice. Jared and I have been wanting new windows in our house since we moved in three and half years ago. We knew that we desperately needed them, but have done our best to get by. We received a referral for a wonderful window company from my friend in the ward - Thanks Natalie!! They came and gave us an estimate. Jared and I talked about how we were not going to let anyone "bully" us into windows. Jared promised that he would call me and we would decide together if we would go with this company. We had received two other quotes to replace all the windows in our home. One was for $14,000 and the other was for $9,000. So - I was holding my breath. We received a pretty good tax return, but not that good! Anyway- the company came out and gave us such a great price that Jared told them to "go ahead". The windows are Amsco windows which carry a life-time warranty - so if you need new windows or know someone that does, I know a great company!

oops!

2008-04-11T19:37:00.000-07:00

I guess the actual picture might be helpful!

Tell me what you think!!!!

2008-04-11T19:35:00.001-07:00

ok - So I have been trying my best to grow my hair out a little bit. Yeah - it was a little crazy to be on call and go in, needless to say in the middle of the night, with hair that was only half standing up. People looked at me funny and I wanted to yell at them - "Freak, it is the middle of the night! You honestly didn't think I was going to do my hair for you!!!"

Anyway - the change has been nice too. But - all my blogger friends out there......Let me know what you think!!!

Vote on the sidebar. :0)

Happy Anniversary last Friday!!!

2008-04-09T09:22:00.000-07:00

Ok. So I definitely need to give credit to Jared. For our anniversary, I bought hime the much wanted and anticipated Ipod. The one I bought can play videos or music. I admit, I have played around with it and it is really cool!!! :0)

Jared and Madisen went to Shane Co. and Jared bought me a real set of pearls in a necklace and earrings. I was SO shocked and very surpised.

I had to work, but we went to dinner on my luch at Cafe Rio. Love it! So - besides having to work, it was a pretty good anniversary!

Tag?.....

2008-04-04T07:21:00.000-07:00

I have been tagged by Amy & Sherri.....so - I am just going to answer all these questions once!

Rules are this, if you are tagged you take these questions and post them on your own blog with your own unique answers. Have fun getting to know your friends!

ABOUT ME
10 years ago:

today I was celebrating my one year anniversary with my husband. I think we stayed at the Anniversary Inn. Wow - I can hardly believe that we have been married for 11 years today! Yipes. Did Jared even remember? Nope.

5 Things on my To-Do List:

1. Let Scoobie live for eating a whole box of crayons that Madisen left out and didn't care if he ate or not.
2. Not get mad at Madisen for leaving her crayons out. Aargh!! She has become so messy lately!
3. Go to work and make it through my night shift, plus call I have.
4. Work on the laundry. I swear it never ends!!!
5. Go shopping at Smith's to take advantage of their awesome food storage deals this week!!

5 Snacks I enjoy:

1. Roasted almonds
2. chocolate covered peanuts or raisins
3. Reduced fat/sodium wheat thins
4. apples with peanut butter
5. Fiber One oatmeal/granola bar

5 foods that I love:

1. Authentic Indian food
2. Spring mix salad with chicken and sliced almonds
with poppy seed dressing
3. fresh fruit and I mean it has to be fresh!
4. Chicken curry with rice
5. Lemon pepper grilled talapia

What would I do if I were suddenly a Billionaire?

I do not know what I would do if I was a billionaire. It will probably never happen, so - this is a question I would really have to think about.

Places that I have lived:
1. Springdale, ID
2. Twin Falls, ID
3. Salt Lake City, UT
4. Burley, ID
5. Moscow, ID
6. Ogden, UT
7. South Jordan, UT
8. Riverton, UT
9. Provo, UT
10. Moen, Chuuk - Micronesia
11. Lelu, Kosrae - Micronesia
12. Moen, Chuuk - Micronesia
13. Barrigada, Guam - Micronesia
14. Merizo, Guam - Micronesia
15. Riverton, UT
16. Fort Union, UT
17. Salt Lake City, UT
18. Riverton, UT
19. Burley, ID
20. Pocatello, ID
21. Riverton, UT

Favorite Quote:

"We don't stop laughing because we grow old, we grow old because
we stop laughing!"

YOU HAVE BEEN TAGGED:

Sarah, Tami, & Summer

Too much fun?

2008-03-28T15:28:00.001-07:00

As you can see I have added lots of extra pictures from Easter. We had a blast!! It was a fun filled weekend, yet crazy at the same time!

Our house is really quiet lately. I have the next few days off, so I am looking forward to being able to relax just a bit. I did get a phone call this morning to see if I would come in to work. I already had an appointment at 12:30pm that I had canceled twice already - so needless to say, I did not go in! WHEW!

The Great Easter Egg Hunt

2008-03-28T15:16:00.001-07:00

Make a slideshow - it's easy!