Five in the Hive

Random Pictures of the Kids!

2009-08-19T23:00:00.000-07:00

All dressed up, now where do we go!Love those eyes! Love that smile!

"Kate the Fire Lady" her own words!

Striking a pose. Where in the world did she learn that!?

Enjoying some milk shake!

The End

Friends Forever

2009-08-19T22:46:00.000-07:00

The Kirby's came to Bako for a visit and we couldn't wait to see them. We were so glad they could squeeze us in for a visit.

Olivia, Allison, Emma, Katelyn

The girls had a great time playing together and were sad to say "goodbye."Kim and sweet baby Leah.Heather and Kim

I have really missed having Kim close by. She has been such a great friend and I can't wait for her to move back. I hope it happens soon!

Oh Tooth Fairy!

2009-08-19T22:41:00.000-07:00

BeforeAfterJune 1st Olivia lost her first tooth. It was barely hanging on. All it took was a little tug and it was out. August 6th she lost her 2nd tooth. This one she pulled all by herself. She was pretty excited and "it didn't even hurt"!

Thanks Tooth Fairy for the "one bill dollar."

Love, Olivia

Allowishus Devardander Abercrombie

2009-08-19T22:35:00.000-07:00

This is Allie our cute little Schnauzer. She is about 8 months old here.Smile!!
She has been a great addition to our family. The kids lover her and she is great with them.

Cute little Allie Dandy!

Pasadena in May

2009-08-19T22:03:00.002-07:00

Well as you can see I am months behind here. So I will attempt to get caught up over the next week or so!! Disclaimer: School is starting next week!

After dropping Nana off at the airport we hit the beach!!

Took a little ride along the beach with only one pedal working on my side of the bike! It worked out well for me!!

Enjoyed some music and cute little dancers! They were invited to dance with the entertainer! The lady put her hat on Katie and suddenly she couldn't lift her feet more than 2 inches off the ground it was so funny. She did this little shuffle dance the rest of the time!

Kate and Olivia shakin' some booty.

Played in the sand!

Kate, building a mote around the rock!

Olivia building a castle for the princess!

Jackson freezing his buns off!

I wonder what they are talking about.So cute!

My handsome hunk of a husband!And of course, me!

Dinner Conversation

2009-06-17T18:28:00.000-07:00

This was our conversation at dinner tonight.

Olivia: You nurse Dad, huh Mom?

Me: I do? (with wide eyes)

Olivia: Yeah

Me: And how do I do that?

Olivia: You feed him good food. You make him vegetables and lots of good food. You nurse him.

Me: Oh!! Like, nursing him back to health.

Olivia: Yeah, you make him healthy with the food you cook!

Kidspace Adventures

2009-06-05T11:54:00.000-07:00

They loved sleeping together in the same bed. It was quite the PARTY! Then off to Kidspace. This is a great place to take the kids. These little bikes were so fun, even the littlest could ride!Katie enjoyed catching a ride with Olivia too. There was a track with arrows for the kids to follow. It was funny to see them trying to keep on coarse. Liv did pretty good. Jackson enjoyed the water features of the museum.Waiting for the Puppet show to start.Learning about different animals and the exercises they do everyday. Here the kids are flying like birds. They also ran like leopards, crawled like crabs, and hopped like kangaroos.

Watching the Puppet show- The Tortoise and the Hare. Climbing out of an ant hole.There were many things to see and explore. We really had a great time and will be going back again sometime. Thanks Mom for a great time.

Afterwards we went out for ice cream.Jackson and Nana
Saying Goodbye. We loved having Nana stay with us for 2 weeks. Can I just say how amazing my Mom is? This lady is nonstop, she has more energy than I do! She claims it was the altitude. I would hate to see how I would do in Utah now!

We love you!

Happy Birthday Jackson

2009-05-25T23:16:00.001-07:00

Jackson on his first Birthday! I can't believe how much he has grown!Having a little boy is such a delight. Jack is so adventurous.....
and... well all BOY!

Jack's first time to the Beach!

Jackson is always smiling and is full of hugs and love for Momma!

He is such a sweet little guy! I just love him to pieces!

Making a mess-something he does quite well! This one however, was planned!

Jackson loves ketchup right now and will eat just about anything-if dipped in ketchup.

After getting a new dog, Jack wanted to see what it was like to be a dog.

He love, love, loves Football!

He is a little rough and tumble guy!

He likes to fish-and doesn't like help with his pole!

He knows when he's lookin' good!

Jackson loves to go to the park and play, play, play!

He found this magazine stand and would not get out. As you can see it took much coaxing. As it does when he sets his mind to something it is hard to change it! A little stubborn you could say!

Best smile ever!

Happy 2nd Birthday Jackson!

Jackson we love you so much. You have so much enthusiasm for life. I love to watch you play and run up and down the hall with your trucks. You such a blessing to our family. We love you Buddy! Happy Birthday!

Peach Tree Update

2009-04-20T11:30:00.000-07:00

My peach tree is doing awesome. It is so full of peaches it has to be thinned. I am really excited. I hope they make it to full maturity!

Nature Hike with Noni and Poppy

2009-04-16T13:48:00.000-07:00

Noni and Poppy came to visit for a few days and one day we decided to head up the canyon and take a little hike. This is where our trail led and with little ones we decided this was a little too rocky so we turned back! And we headed to Nelda's for a burger and shake. If you ever go to Lake Isabella check it out. We love to go there, but don't too often because the ride up makes me so, so sick. But I think....it might be worth it!The Boys! I love this picture.

Jack, Paul and JonOlivia loves to hike!Levi and River came along with us and were a joy.

The Fam!

Our Beetle Bug

2009-04-16T13:33:00.000-07:00

Olivia found the dog chomping on this big beetle. So we captured it and looked it up online. After deciding it was probably a Rhinoceros Beetle (or in the family)and harmless, I let the kids play with it.Jack was okay with this little creature, until it crawled past his elbow!
Olivia on the other hand wanted to keep it as a pet.

Las Vegas

2009-04-16T13:13:00.000-07:00

In March I met up with sisters and friends in Las Vegas and it was great to see them! Michelle, Kristine, Me, Stacy

(at the top of the Stratosphere)

Dinner at the top of the World (or so they say)!

Janae, Me, Michelle, Kristine, Stacy, Theresa, Katie
Happy Birthday Stacy (in June)!
It was so nice to see my sisters and enjoy the sunshine a little.
I wish I could see them more!

Maybe next time we can meet at the beach!
(hint, hint)

Jack's New Do

2009-04-16T13:06:00.002-07:00

Jack was long over do for a haircut. Here is a before...and a cute after!We went grocery shopping after his hair cut and he smiled like this the whole time. People were asking me if he was this happy all the time!!

2009-03-11T21:03:00.000-07:00

At 3:30a.m. I wake with a start and am prompted to move. I jump from my bed and quickly move toward the kids. As I leave my room, I hear an all to familiar sound of running water. I sail across the floor the remainder of the distance to the kids bathroom. And what do I find? My most recent specimen standing at the sink. I do what any mother would do at a moment such as this, and send him to bed. I feel things are going pretty well, since the water is only covering the larger portion of the counter and not the floor, only one towel is sopping wet, only half the rubber bands have been washed down the drain, only one book is dripping with water, and only five bows have drowned. I clean up, and all the while Jack is wailing and crying "Momma" in his bed. I kneel down at his bedside and he wraps his little arms around my neck and squeezes with all his might...and won't let go. Then says "I sauwee" What more can I say, this little guy pulls on my heart strings.

Peach Blossoms

2009-03-06T21:26:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it is only the beginning of March and already the peach tree is in full bloom. It was so fun to see the girls go out each day and carefully inspect the tree to see how it had progressed from buds to blossoms and now leaves. Hopefully I can add peaches to that list. We are not to hopeful since it has only been in the ground one year. But we will keep our fingers crossed!Notice all the dirt? We are in the process of building a raised garden/flower bed. The soil here is clay. We are hoping that this year things will grow a little better with improved soil. And praying that it is not my thumb.This is my raspberry vine. Look at all those raspberries. I can taste them now-or not. Because the dog ate them-ALL. I wanted to strangle her. But I didn't, I just put her in her kennel. So, there was not a berry left, not even the slightest bud of a raspberry. I guess there won't be too many raspberries this year.

Can you tell I was a little mad?

This is the sweet little Garden Fairy!

Doesn't she have such an angelic smile!

80's Flashback

2009-02-28T21:07:00.001-08:00

Our ward had an Awesome 80's Party and I think I enjoyed myself a little too much! We got all decked out with miss match shoes, gold chains, blue eye shadow, big hair and bandanna's. Superman even joined us for the evening. There was Karaoke for the brave. Katie got up and sang Surfin' USA. She did a great job singing the words that she knew. Olivia got stage fright at the last minute and stood in the background. And when we left she had a melt down because she didn't get to sing. I felt really bad-maybe at the next party. But Kate really enjoyed sharing the spotlight with Elyse!Jackson and Daddy-O getting their groove on!!Dude!Amber (aka Punky Brewster) and Roegan.Stephanie the mastermind of the Party!
Karen, Heather, Jen, Sheryl
Monica and Jocelyn
There was some really awesome 80's gear tonight. I have to say I don't exactly love the 80's look, but I really do still like the music!

When we got home Olivia asked me "what is that blue stuff on your eyes? Does it come off?" Thankfully, yes!

Kate just might be an 80's style child-she told me I looked really cute and she liked my hair. "It's cute Mom, it's cute!" Or, she didn't want to hurt my feelings!

Where are we headed?

2009-02-24T07:00:00.000-08:00

I fear this is what our great nation is headed towards.

Norman Thomas

Socialist Party presidential candidate in 1940, 1944 and 1948.

“The American people will never knowingly adopt socialism. But under the name of Liberalism, they will adopt every fragment of the socialist program until one day America will be a socialist nation without knowing how it happened.”

Is that....Jon??

2009-02-22T21:49:00.000-08:00

Jon decided to shave off his facial hair and this is how it ended up...for the day. I wish I had gotten pictures along the way-he had several styles and this is what he decided to leave. But when he first shaved Jackson looked at him and just began to chuckle...a full belly chuckle. It was so funny. Even at a young age he new Jon looked ridiculous. Do you know of any openings for mall security??

If you want my body and you think I'm sexy, come on baby let me know!!

I love my husband--he is so funny and fun to tease!!
Love you babe!

Snow in California!!

2009-02-22T21:39:00.000-08:00

Katie decided that if it wasn't going to snow here she would have to make a little of her own. She found some styrafoam packing and broke it into a jillion little pieces. These pictures are just the tip of the iceberg. She is crying not because she got in trouble, but because I told her she had to clean it up. This mess continued to appear for several days. Those little balls just stick to everything.

Hermie the Crab

2009-02-22T21:18:00.000-08:00

While I was in Cayucos I found a great little spot to do some beach combing. There were tons of little shells and all kinds of coral. I decided to bring some shells home for my kids. And I later found out one of the shells had a creature living inside. A hermit crab. The kids named it Hermie, he enjoyed one meal of fresh clams (which I found and we cracked open) and then unfortanely I found him dead the next morning. Luckily the kids weren't too devestated. I prepped them for the event as I knew it would be soon.

Jackson was okay with it, until it began to crawl. You can see the fear on his little face as he was scooting to get away from it. Later they became friends.

As you can see Olivia and Katie really liked their new friend Hermie.

Cayucos

2009-02-22T20:56:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago I was privileged to go on a Leadership Training overnighter with the youth of our Church-The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. We went to Cayucos and it was just beautiful.This is the awesome beach house the girls stayed in. It was very accommodating, all 14 of us had a bed to sleep in!! This is the view from the end of the driveway. It really was breathtaking in the morning with the fog and cool misty air.This is the building out training was held in and the boys slept in. This garage is a landmark--it was built in 1932. There was a perfect view of the ocean from the the welding end of the building. Sadly, I didn't get too many pictures. I guess I was occupied with the training. The weekend called for rain and on Sat. it rained just as the youth were headed out to the water but that didn't stop them. Luckily it stopped raining just long enough for them to get in the water and FREEZE!!This is view of the country side as we were headed home.

I am definitely looking forward to taking my family here some time soon!!

Jack' First Black EYE

2009-02-22T20:51:00.000-08:00

Mister tough guy himself!! He pulled some wooden puzzles off the dresser and they got him right in the eye. His eye looked much worse a few days after this picture was taken.

Party in my Crib

2009-02-11T22:56:00.000-08:00

Just recently Jackson has gained a love for books. He will not go to bed unless we read a story and then put a book in his crib. And Olivia loves to read books and explain the pictures. Here she at work.

They were so cute. I walked in and found them all in Jack's crib reading books. I ran for my camera and was lucky enough to get a picture!

Grandpa's Farm

2009-02-11T22:52:00.000-08:00

We took a little trip to Grandpa's Farm and this is what we saw...Little Pigs... I think this one is the cutest!! Ponies....Goates....

a yak, turkey, chickens, bunnies, ferret, and birds.
There were lots and lots of bikes to ride and a hay ride with Grandpa driving!!

What a handsome little man!!

There were tables set up in the horse stalles and that is where we ate lunch. The kids thought that was pretty fun.

Disneyland....AGAIN!!

2009-02-11T22:22:00.000-08:00

Jon's brother Greg came to visit and so... we went to Disneyland!! The girls adore their Uncle Greggie! They were so excited to see him!

Gotta love the glasses!

Mr. Toad--Jackson loved this car as you can see!I thought it was so funny the way Olivia is totally striking a pose in this picture. She is such a ham! (Chloe, Katie, Jackson, Olivia)Olivia and Jackson--need I say more!Minnie Mouse was a favorite!Katie jammin' on Minnie's piano!

We had a really great time as usual and it nice to see Uncle Greg, Alicia and Chloe.

Thanks for visiting!

The Joys of Christmas

2008-12-26T20:49:00.000-08:00

We have many reasons to be rejoicing this year. First and foremost we are healthy and happy! We are grateful to be living in a free country were we have the right to practice the religion of our choice. We have a home and food on our table, which we consider a blessing. Jon has a job that he enjoys and provides for our family, which is also a wonderful blessing.

And we have three beautiful children.All of the kids were very excited to receive gifts this year.

We hope with time and increase of years they will learn the joy of giving!
Their joy was our gift this year.
It is so fun to see the joy and excitement of children opening a present.

Thank you to everyone who sent gifts. We are really enjoying everything we received.

We hope you all had a very Merry Christmas

and had the pleasure and joy of your families being near.

We also had the pleasure of having Cami and Chris Katona and his sister Julie over for Christmas dinner. It was a joy to have them. We had a great time visiting and eating lots and lots of food.

Merry Christmas!

Happy Birthday Olivia!

2008-12-17T22:18:00.000-08:00

Olivia is 5

I know this is a 4 days late, sorry Olivia.

Happy Birthday to You! Happy Birthday to You!

Happy Birthday dear Olivia,

Happy Birthday to YOU!

I can hardly believe it has been 5 years. It seems like yesterday that we saw your beautiful face for the first time. Olivia could not wait to turn 5 just like she couldn't wait to begin her life. Olivia is such an outgoing and friendly girl. She loves to play and be silly. She loves to learn and can not wait to start school next year.

Olivia enjoys creating music, singing and dancing. She likes to sleep outside!

She likes to get her fingernails painted...
her face painted and...
have her hair done, but does not enjoy getting it done!! She is very crafty and wants to craft every chance she gets!

She loves the fall leaves.

(These were saved just for her, by Noni and Poppy in Utah) She can't wait to go to the ocean again!!

Once when Olivia was asked what type of things she likes to take to bed she replied, "BOOKS". And she does. Every night she has stacks and stacks of books on her bed!
Her first crush, Uncle D! She loves to swim and...

play in the water! She loves pretty flowers and...is always helping plant them!!

She is....

SUPER...SUPER...

SILLY!!!She loves her Noni and calls her nearly everyday.

I think it was the first number she learned to dial. She likes to swing!

She likes to be on top of things!

And climbs EVERY tree she can! She loves "Milkshakes."

Her best friend, Kate.

And her baby brother Jack. Whom she loves to help contain!!

She is so helpful with Jack. Just recently she decided she can change his diaper, even if it is poopy, but quickly realized she needed a little help!!

She loves to help her Daddy and spend time with him.

Olivia loves to paint and would do it everyday if I would say 'Yes'.

Olivia has a gorgeous smile and is such a light in my life. She is a spiritual giant and teaches me new things each day. She is so willing to help and always wants to please. Olivia I love you so much and am so blessed to be a part of your life.

Happy 5th Birthday!

Face Paint Anyone? Anyone?

2008-12-14T23:49:00.000-08:00

My friend Stephanie and her cute kids came over the other night and the kids were singing Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer and Olivia ran to the other room and came back with a red nose. And this is what it evolved into.

Elyse, Olivia and Kate (just in case you can't tell)

The boys were lucky and didn't get involved!!

Jackson, Elyse, Olivia, Kate and Grant

Just a little word of wisdom-washable markers are not always washed away with the first wash. It might take 3-4 or 5 washes for it to come off!!

Thanksgiving Trip to Utah

2008-12-14T22:34:00.000-08:00

For Thanksgiving we headed to Utah. We got up at the crack of dawn and we were on the road by 6 am. We hoped the kids would go back to sleep but that didn't happen, at least for awhile.

When we stopped in Beaver Olivia insisted we take a picture of them in this huge rocking chair even though it was like 38 degrees outside. Too funny!

The kids did great in the car and were so excited to finally be there!The next morning Poppy treated us to a yummy breakfast at a little Ma and Pa place in Bountiful. It was really tasty. Kate got to sit next to Poppy and she was talking his ear off. She sure loves her Poppy.Olivia got to sit next to Uncle Derek and she was hammin' it up!Noni and Poppy saved the leaves so the kids could play since we really don't have too many leaves were we live. They were ecstatic to play in the leaves. For the girls Birthday celebration day they chose to go the park and watch movies with Noni. They really had a good time at the park playing chase!

Olivia and Noni

Afterwards they helped bake a cake and then decorate it! They really love the new dolls they got. Thank You Noni and Poppy. We also got our hair cut while in Utah, which we were long over due for. I have only had my hair cut one time since we were in Utah in Aug. 2007. I was so excited to finally get my day at the salon. My sister Stacy is so cute and is always so generous when it comes to cutting our hair. She blocked out her whole day so we could enjoy the day. Before our haircuts all the sisters and mom met up for lunch and sadly I didn't take any pictures. But we had a great time visiting.
Olivia with Aunt Stacy
Katie getting her curls put in. She loves to have her hair curled.
Jackson gets a new do! Nana and Papa also wanted to celebrate the girls Birthday's with them and decided it would be fun to go to Chuckie Cheese. All the cousins came and they had a fantastic time. I remember when I turned 4 years old I had my party at Chuckie Cheese and loved it. There was this huge ball pit that I thought was the greatest, sadly they don't have that anymore.

Olivia and Kate with Chuckie

Thank you Mom and Dad for the great Birthday party. The absolutely loved it!!Olivia riding the Imaginarium Bike. Katie loved to ride this horse. When you dug your heels in it went faster. Maybe it was coincidental, who knows!We had Thanksgiving with Jon's family. And it was tasty. Again I forgot to take pictures. But Jon did get a few of the kids doing a fun little sock snowman craft. By this time Katie had had enough fun and was conked out.There were 19 adults and 13 kids (all under the age of 7) and it was suprisingly not to crazy!
This is the bed that I slept in, it was so comfortable. It is a King size bed that you just melt in to. Jon slept in the other room, because Jack didn't sleep real well while we were there. But I think he was waking up to sleep in the comfy bed. What do you think???

Alowishus Devadander Abercrombie

2008-12-11T23:58:00.000-08:00

While we were is Utah for Thanksgiving (I will post pics soon) our family grew. Please Welcome...

Alowishus Devadander Abercrombie

we call her

Allie DandyShe loves to lay beneath the Christmas TreeAllie loves to be dragged around on the floor-it is so funny!Finally, someone his own size to play with!!

Happy Birthday Katelyn

2008-12-08T21:02:00.000-08:00

Katelyn turns 3!

Katie is such a tender and feisty little girl. I cannot believe the time has passed so quickly. I can still vividly remember bringing her home from the hospital on a sunny December day. These are a few of our favorite things about Kate! One minute she is smiling and the next she is snarling.
She is full of expression and wears it on her sleeve! You always know what she is thinking!
She loves her brother Jack!

She walks on her tippy-toes... even when she is not dancing! She adores her sister Olivia...most of the time!

She likes to make a mess for no apparent reason!

So, so sweet...

Giggly....

Pouty...

Mad...and Happy!

Just to name a few of her everyday emotions!

She does not like to Smile for the camera-almost always!

She loves to wear a hat-but not for too long!

She is Potty-Trained and proud of it!

She is Beautiful!

She likes the sand but not the ocean!

She loves to spend time with Daddy-even when it is 100 degrees!

She like to play with her friends!

She likes to do crafts!

She loves, loves, loves STRAWBERRIES!

She loves her cousins-especially Justine!

She was so excited to meet the "Witch" at Disneyland.

Her first really scary accident! It all turned out okay!

She ate cotton candy at Disneyland for the first time and loved it!

Kate is silly!

She loves to swing and always wants to go higher and faster!

She is very curious!

She has a hard time waiting for her cake!

She loves to be without clothing or in PJs'!

Kate is a sweet and spicy little girl. She loves to be on the move and tries very hard to do whatever her sister is doing. She likes to play with Jackson and is his best buddy. She likes to play with little itty bitty toys and things. She loves pizza and pancakes, but she says her favorite foods are green beans and marshmellows. Her favorite color is blue for today. She loves to watch movies and asks for a "moody" first thing every morning. She does not like to clean up and does whatever she can to evade it--like go to bed! She loves to dance and play with play dough. She loves to snuggle first thing in the morning. She loves to give kisses, but only on her terms. We are so blessed to have Katelyn in our lives. She has taught me so much.

We love you Katelyn,

Happy 3rd Birthday!

Picnic in the Park

2008-11-14T13:51:00.000-08:00

The sun was bright, the air was cool, the skies were blue and the air was clean-somewhat. So we headed to the park

Earlier this month we had several cool and rainy days and once it warmed back up we took a trip to the park. There is nothing better than a picnic in the park (at least to my girls). This was a new park that we had not ventured to before and it turned out to be great.This is a quiet little park. We had the place to ourselves. They couldn't wait to check out the water feature!Jackson had just woke up from a nap in the car so he was content to just sit and look at the water, Thankfully!Now these are the days that I look forward to all summer long!

Face Painting

2008-11-09T21:50:00.000-08:00

Daddy decided today was a great day to do some face painting and what a great idea it was. We had a fantastic time getting our faces painted.

Olivia the Snow Fairy

Kate trying her hardest to stay still-not an easy thing to do!This picture is so funny. Jon asked her if he was hurting her, and she said "no it tickles"!

Kate the Diamond Princess

Jackson held very still while Jon was painting the red triangle. He was almost in a trance. But then...He started to get silly. The video is at the bottom!!

Jackson as SupermanSuperman and UnderdogKatie said I looked "scary and cool"

This is what she calls "The Flying Bat"

Jon said I was a "Warrior"

We decided I was a Princess Warrior named Flying Bat!!

I just love my husband. He is so much fun. Thanks for the great idea and the fun evening. We will have to do it again tomorrow!!

Wild Animal Park

2008-11-07T16:46:00.000-08:00

My o my! A couple of weeks ago we headed down to Escondido for a little fun. My Mom was staying at my Aunt Marian's and thought it would be fun to go to the Wild Animal Adventure Park.

This is a picture of Jackson playing in Shiloh's house. He absolutely loved Marian's dog. All the kids had a great time playing with her. In fact Olivia asks, every day, for a dog now. Olivia and Kate

Riding the Rhino.
Birds of Paradise

Daddy and Kate

The Crew

Kate with Great Aunt Marian
Riding the Train

There was an animal petting area that the kids really enjoyed. Kate became quite attached to this little deer. As you can see it is missing an eye and she was very concerned for the poor little deer. Jackson on the other hand was quite interested in that wiggling thing at the other end!

Olivia enjoyed feeding the deer
Still guarding her sweet little deer as Jack is "poking fun". You can kinda see that he is laughing. He thought the tail was just great to watch flip around.Learning what the other end is all about! Okay so this was my favorite animal at the park. I guess because it is was one I have never seen before. The Okapi.

This log was great. The kids had fun climbing in and out of it like a little bear.

Are you my Momma?

After the Park we headed down to San Diego. Jon really liked this picture. Maybe it had something to do with the flying machines on the ship??
The picture says it all!Olivia in front of "The Pirate Ship" as she called it, with Little Lion of course. Olivia loved climbing in all these gnarly trees throughout the park.

We had a really great time. Thank you Mom for the great idea and the fun weekend. Thank you Marian for letting stay at your house. We had a lot of fun with Shiloh too!

Happy Halloween!!

2008-11-01T13:59:00.000-07:00

Fall is my favorite time of year. I love the cool crisp mornings that make you want to snuggle up. And Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. This year Halloween just seemed to slip by. I did a lot of Flu Clinics this year and somehow didn't get but 2 decorations up. My poor kids were begging to put stuff up. And now it is over. Hopefully I can impress them with Christmas. It is just around the corner you know!!

To begin our fall festivities we went to a small pumpkin patch of sorts (more like a road side stand). The kids were excited to pick out their own pumpkins. I told them one each and somehow we ended up with eight pumpkins!!

Jon loved this picture of Jackson so I had to share it.

Picking out the perfect pumpkin Jon was trying to save this pumpkin from Jackson, who was playing ball with it!! We carved a cat into this pumpkin and it turned out amazingly good. Our only error was doing it on Monday, by Wed. it was really wilted. I even put it in the fridge. And I forgot to get a pic Very excited to see the goopey guts of the pumpkin.
Drawing her pumpkins face! This was the face that Olivia drew on her pumpkin. She even got to cut out some of it. She decided it was too hard.

Cute little pumpkin head!

Jackson was not so excited about the pumpkin goop. This is a look of disgust after sticking his hand in the pumpkin. He was so funny to watch, his expressions were GREAT!Mr. Pumpkin HeadJackson was a cute SKUNK this year. I thought it was fitting since I always call him a little "stinker" Katie finally decided she would be ballerina of sorts. This was an old costume we had for Olivia. Katie refused to wear the bumble bee costume that I made her. She was insistent on being a Pink Ballerina and would settle for nothing less. I did get her to wear it from the car to the church building for a play group activity. And after shedding the bumblebee tutu she said she was a black ballerina (she was wearing a black leotard). You could say she is particular!! I wonder where she gets that?

Olivia on the other hand was the subject of envy. She was a pink ballerina. She loved this pretty ballerina dress that Noni sent. Thank you Noni.Just before we went Trick~or~Treating.

We made these cute bat hats with our play group. Thanks Brooke for such a fun day. You did a great job putting it all together.

Olivia with her pink nose (from a stamp).

Katie and another one of her great faces!

Jackson being his sweet little self. He is so full of smiles lately.

After going to the church to do some Trunk~or~Treating, play some games and eat some chili, we headed home to hand out candy. This is how our Halloween evening ended. Olivia pulled a chair up to the front door and waited for some kids to come. Luckily we did get a few, or we would have had one disappointed little girl.

Creamy!!

2008-10-26T23:26:00.000-07:00

We were learning about the letter B and decided to trace the letter B in shaving cream. The kids really, really enjoyed this. We will have to do it more often. We started out in the kitchen, working in pie pans and soon realized we needed to move outside.

I think Jackson thought it was whip cream. He kept trying to eat it.Kate is washing her hands. She loves to wash her hands. I mean loves it. I am very tempted to remove the doorknob from the door but that is a whole other story!! Olivia getting all lathered up!

Once outside they just went crazy with the cream.
This fun little activity took me back to elementary days. Does anyone else remember cleaning their desk with shaving cream?

All these pictures were taken before things got a little wild. So just a note--plan on a bath after this activity!! Super fun-definitely a favorite!

The Great Outdoors

2008-10-26T22:50:00.000-07:00

Over Labor Day we had some cooler weather and decided to take advantage of it. The girls love to sleep outside with Daddy in the tent. I know there are a lot of pictures but I just couldn't narrow it down.

Kate and Daddy

Olivia and MommyCan you see the excitement in their faces? Each night we read four books but tonight I told her only one. So she picked a chapter book! Smart girl. We read Junnie B. B Jones by flashlight. Katie was asleep by the end and Olivia was wide awake wanting more.

As you can see Jon was nearly asleep before we started reading!

Jackson is not ready for outdoor adventures (or maybe I value my sleep to much). So we slept inside. He was excited to wake everyone up the next morning!

I guess that is what a sleeping bag does to the hair!

Silly Sisters-they were snuggled on the chair watching cartoons!

The Month of September

2008-10-20T16:31:00.000-07:00

Well I guess I am falling behind with blogging. I am having a hard time managing my time lately-there never seems to be enough! This month we have done lots of arts and crafts in an attempt to divert Olivia's attention from the fact that every other child in her church class started school this year. She barely missed the deadline and was not happy about that.

Katelyn is now fully Potty Trained and we are all very proud of her. During the process of potty training I noticed some funny things that I will share more so for her than anyone else. She always said she could hear the pee pee coming. And she would cup her ear as if to listen for it and then run to the bathroom. Each time she poohs she attributes some type of animal to each one. My favorite was "Look Mom a family of snails". And there were others a froggy, turtle, snakes. And then she would say, every time, bye by pooh pooh see you tomorrow. I know you are all thinking why is she talking about pooh. But this is a great milestone in life. To be able to go to the toilet yourself and take care of business. And I just want to remember how silly my sweet little Kate is and how proud she is of her new accomplishment.

We had the opportunity to take a trip to Las Vegas. Jon's childhood friend invited us to meet them in Vegas. We stayed in their timeshare with them. I am so sad I didn't get any pics of them together :( The girls really loved playing with Mia.
We did lots of swimming

and checked out the Dolphins at the Mirage.

The girls and Jack really enjoyed feeding the hordes of pigeons their breakfast. Who knew pigeons ate bacon?

This is how Jackson slept best the first night-unfortunately for me!

We also went to the Fair this month. Olivia really liked checking out the little chicks. She even got to see one that was just hatched. Kate really liked the little bunnies. Jackson thought the sheep were pretty funny when the jumped on the fence. The pigs also caught his attention. Overall all the animals were great!! When aren't they! The girls also enjoyed climbing up into the firetruck and talking with the firemen. Olivia being a little "sheepish"

Sweet Sisters

The Month of August!!

2008-09-03T21:32:00.000-07:00

I'm baaack! I was grounded from blogging. Jon found some article that said blogspot was the number one place to get a virus. So I wasn't aloud to blog until we got a new virus scanner (whatever it is called). Then I was enjoying not blogging and just reading for a while. So now I have to play catch up. So here is our last month. I know there are a lot of pictures. I will try to keep the commentary short!

This last month Olivia and Kate's friend Alexia invited them to go to Ms. Ashley's. It is a dress up girly girl place. They had so much fun. They dressed up in hula skirts and flip flops, got their nails done, make-up put on, did a fashion show and ate pizza. It was really fun to see the excitement in Olivia's face. Kate wasn't to sure about what was going on. But she enjoyed touching everything in the store and rearranging all the stuff on the shelves.

Olivia and Alexia getting nails painted.

Olivia was so excited she couldn't stop smiling! She thought this was royal treatment.Katie was happy to sit on the couch and watch some Bratz show--well at least for a minute.Rice and Beans

We had a craft day one day. We made glitter bottles, oil bottles and bubble bottles (with water bottles). The they played with rice and beans. It is amazing that something so simple can be the most fun . They played for an hour or more. And wanted to play again after dinner.

They enjoyed separating the beans and rice, squishing it through their hands, and dumping them out to start over. This really was fun and not too bad to clean up!!I just like this shot because both their hands are in the bowl. And it reminded me of how quiet and nicely they played together this day :)Kate has had here share of mischievousness this last month. This day I found that she had dumped all the little rubber bands in the hallway. It was fun to clean up!! This picture is after about half were picked up. And a few days before I caught her giving herself a cold bath in the sink! The counter and floor was completely soaked. She was having a wonderful time. Jackson learned to climb an 8 foot ladder! Go Jack. We had the ladder inside because Jon was checking out our insulation after we got an outrageous electricity bill. Come to find out there was very little insulation on the east side of the house, which explained why the girl's room was so HOT! The insulation company came blew a bunch of insulation in and there has been a noticeable difference in the temperature. But please feel free to donate to the Keep the Hess's Cool. LOL! (no really, it is hot in this place)Katelyn was very interested in the process of cement repair. Cement repair? Didn't you just have cement done you ask? Well, yes we did! And just a note. When it is a good deal--there is a reason--probably not the best quality. I guess you get what you pay for.Jackson had to watch from inside after being too much help!

I just loved these pictures though.

Dewar's Ice cream

We had a tour of Dewar's and learned how they make their famous taffy and we all had to wear these fun hair nets. They girls thought they were pretty funny.Then we got to see how they make ice cream and even got to sample it. YUM!KatieOliviaAlexia
Jack--He was such a sport. He stayed in this backpack the whole time and didn't even squawk.
Kelly and Jonathan. Isn't he the cutest!
I am so glad to have such a good friend. Kelly is so sweet and thoughtful. She is such an uplifting and positive person in my life. Love ya Kell
After we ate ice cream and pizza. We all had a great time.

Jon made some yummy chocolate treat and as you can see Jackson really loved it too! And he is also very patriotic even at a young age. Oh, say can you see....
I love this little guy so much. He is so happy and full of adventure.

Backyard fun in the water

The kids love to play in the water. These are just some fun water shots.
Olivia playing in the mud-which also a favorite thing to do! I think this day she was trying to plant a tree branch from the tree trimming I had done earlier. She is always wanting to plant things.

Getting water for her little plant!
Hair-Do's

Knot Bows Three twisted knots
Striking a pose
Twisted doggy ears--Kate named this oneI love her hair in ringlets
This is a top that I made with the help of my friend Stephanie. She is so crafty. Kelly and I had so much fun making these with Stephanie. I don't think we could have figured out all the measurements without her help. Thanks Steph.
Backside of top and a side ponytail
The many faces of Kate. She is full expression. You can read this girl so easy. You always know how she is feeling about something.

Too CUTE!!

Family Pictures

2008-08-03T15:30:00.001-07:00

We also did a little photo shoot with the HELP of Noni and Poppy. Here are the best of the pictures. Sorry again for dragging you out in 90 degree weather.

#2#3#4Which family picture do you think is best?

Sweet OliviaThese two expressions are classic Katie.Jack is such a ham!!

Katie always puts her arm around Jack. He is not so fond of this but I hope some day he will be.

Christmas in July

2008-08-03T14:44:00.000-07:00

Noni and Poppy came to visit over the July 24th holiday and we were so excited to have them. The kids were counting down the days. We got to do all kinds of fun things. I think the favorite for the kids was just playing with Noni and Poppy for hours on end. The kids are very lucky to be the only grandchildren at this time, and they are very, very spoiled. It was like Christmas when they came. Here the kids are playing with a bubble gun that they got. They had a lot of fun with it! This bubble gun was a hot commodity and Katie had a hard time giving it up once she got her hands on it. But Olivia did get her turn! Jackson liked to watch the bubbles float on by, as long as he wasn't to close--he got a few shots in the eye. We also went to one of their favorite play places--Pump it Up!! It was so much fun. The kids go crazy at this place. Olivia really loves to race in the obstacle course and she loves to win. Katie had a great time jumping and going on the slide. Jack liked the little car and by the end he couldn't get enough of the obstacle course. Noni even slipped on her socks to play with the kids. They really enjoyed playing with her. Poppy, I think got wore out just watching the kids. Really it is crazy! It was really nice to have one adult per child. Jack loved hanging out with Poppy!!

Jack and Poppy taking a stroll. Or should I say, Poppy chasing Jackson down!
Look at that cute little chicken nugget!!
Noni on the slides with the girls. This picture doesn't show but this is a pretty steep slide. After we wore the kids out a little we all went to eat at a favorite BBQ place, Champ's BBQ. It was yummy. Then we all went home and crashed.

Thank you Noni and Poppy for all that you do. It was nice to be able to go on a date--without the kids. We had a nice time. Thanks for the meat and the Christmas Tree. You are so generous, we are truly blessed. We can't wait to see you again in November.

Boogers!

2008-07-23T12:38:00.000-07:00

This was my conversation with Olivia in the car yesterday.

Katie: Is that a booger on my seat?
Me: Olivia did you wipe that booger on her seat?
Olivia: No I wiped it on my seat?
Me: Olivia, I just cleaned your seat. Please don't wipe boogers on your chair. When we get home you need to go get a tissue and clean it up.
Olivia: (a few seconds have passed) There! I put the booger back in my nose!

Yes, I was pretty disgusted the rest of the way home.

Husband Tag

2008-07-19T22:42:00.000-07:00

This is my first tag. I must say the title is deceiving. When I first read it I thought "finally, Jon has to write something." But, then I read on and realized I was supposed to write about him! So first here are the people I am tagging-Michelle, Becky, Katrena, Stephanie, Kim and Janell.

1. What is his name?

Jon, Jonathan, Babe, Daddy

2. Who eats more?

I hope he does!

3. Who said I love you first?

Jon did.

4. Who is taller?

Jon, by about 8 inches.

5. Who is smarter?

Well...Jon but don't tell him that.

6. Who is more sensitive?

Me, but he does have a sensitive string in him. You just have to know how to pull it!

7. Who does the laundry?

I do.

8. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed?

I do, it's closest to the bathroom!

9. Who pays the bills?

Well...technically he pays them...I just write the checks.

10. Who cooks more?

I do.

11. Who is more stubborn?

Hmm. That is a hard one. I think we are equally stubborn.

12. Who is the first to admit they are wrong?

Usually Jon.

13. Who has more siblings?

I do 5 to 3.

14. Who wears the pants in the family?

Jon wears them, I like him to know the final decision is his.

15. What do you like to do together?

Spend time with our family, go on walks and bike rides. Watch movies. Go to beach, hiking and travel.

16. Who eats more sweats?

That is a hard one. But probably Jon.

17. Guilty pleasures?

Hamburgers and ice cream!

18. How did you meet?

Through friends

19. Who proposed?

Jon

20. What is his best feature?

I love his smile and laugh. That is one of the first things I noticed. I love to hear him laugh. And I love his broad muscular shoulders. SSSexy!

21. What is his best quality?

Well he has tons. But to pick one I would have to say... He is a hard worker and very devoted to providing for his family. He puts everything he has into what ever he is doing. I love that about him.

Sunday Do

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

Last Sunday Katelyn was sick, so Jon stayed home with Katelyn and Jack. Which meant I had some extra time that morning. So I did Olivia's hair up real cute and she wanted to share the pictures.Olivia striking a pose.Jon was trying to be real slick; he got Jackson all dressed and ready to go to church with me and Olivia. So, I asked him, "Why did you get Jackson ready?" He replied, "He loves to go to church, so I thought you could take him." For those of you who have seen him at church, know! He likes to move! Needless to say I did win this battle. Olivia and I enjoyed ourselves in peace. It was a really great sacrament meeting. I think it is the first time in months...maybe years that I was actually able to listen to every speaker...all the way through!!

Jumpin' Jack

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

Jackson reached another milestone and is very excited to show off his new moves. He can jump! He is such a happy guy. We are so blessed to have him in our family.

Bandaids to the Rescue

2008-07-12T09:05:00.001-07:00

We had some friends over to make Bee Bows and had a great time. While the kids were playing Katelyn and Emiley bonked heads. Olivia came to their rescue and bandaged them up. Things were instantly better. Thanks Olivia.

4th of July

2008-07-09T14:31:00.002-07:00

This 4th of July was very exciting.
Jon surprised us with a trip down to Marina Del Rey. We had talked about going but decided we wouldn't go this time. But after some thought Jon decided to take advantage of this 4 day

weekend. So we went to the Beach! We had a wonderful time at Santa Monica Beach. We had a nice little spot close to the water. The family next to us dug a big huge hole and Kate and Jack loved playing in it. They dug so deep there was water!

Kate is definitely a beach bum--she loves the sand!!! And her diaper was full of proof. She had so much fun digging and building castles in the sand. Olivia loved going in the water with her Daddy! Daddy would take her way out in the water. The waves were crashing over their heads. I was so happy to see her having so much fun fully immersed in the water. Too bad there are no pictures.Jack truly enjoyed the salty sand. The first thing he did was sit down and dig in. He was literally shoveling the sand into his mouth. It was pretty funny the fist few times then I had to put a stop to it. He was okay with that once he discovered there were better things to do with the sand. He did enjoy running, digging, and throwing the sand. He also enjoyed smashing Katie's castles. Olivia would drag in the kelp and then Jack would explore it. He quite liked the stuff.
Jon and Olivia getting ready to catch some waves! After the beach we headed back to the hotel to get ready for FIREWORKS!

Before the fireworks we stopped at the In-N-Out Burger that is right next to the LA airport and got to watch some airplanes land. Then we walked across the street to this little park and took a few pictures of the kids.

These trees were perfect for climbing in....And of course taking pictures in. KatelynJacksonOliviaWe went to Chace Park which was in a Marina and waited for the show. There was a radio station there playing music and a clown with balloons. But the kids really had the most fun just messing around on the blanket with Daddy. Daddy surprised them with candy necklaces they got to put together. We really had a great time. These are the funky little hats that the clown made for us. We put on Jack and he pulled right down on his head and started laughing. He thought he was pretty funny. The girls were sad when they all popped. Which was before the show even started! The next day we headed down to Carlsbad to go to Legoland.Olivia and Kate with Bob the Builder. Kate was immediately attracted to his ears.This was the first ride we went on, it blew water out all around as you whizz around in this little sea jet. It is like you are barely evading the bombs. Olivia liked it. Katie getting swallowed up by a shark made out of Lego's.
Olivia taking her turn in the mouth of a Shark!Olivia and Katelyn all locked up!This is Miniland. It is all built out of Lego's. It was pretty amazing. This San Francisco. It was like you are really walking through the city. There was even the pier that all the sea lions have taken over. The curvy road, the SF bridge, china town, Nob Hill. All of it. It was really neat. In this picture you can see New York City, the Statue of Liberty and the new Twin Towers. There was also the Taj Mahal, Sydney Opera House, Las Vegas and many more. This is for the Nascar lovers in my family. Yes, there was even Nascar. You can see the fans in the stands, the pit, campers, too many things to name. See the little guy on Port-a-potty and the police all around!
I really loved how it seemed you were there. These cities are like exact replicas of the actually city. There was so much detail. It was really neat! We had a wonderful weekend. (Even though Jack cried until 1am both nights and Mommy got food poisoning!!) Thanks Daddy for the great surprise!

The Noodle

2008-06-30T20:52:00.000-07:00

The girls love to play in the water and when we looked outside they were both naked and having a water fight. We convinced them that a swimsuit was a must and they continued.

I was really suprised to see Katie getting her face wet. She usually doesn't like that. So we had to get a picture of this . She even looks like she is enjoying it too!

This is the Noodle--the sprinkler--but yes, you could call Olivia a Noodle too! They love this sprinkler.

Jackson just looking cute. He loves to drink out of the hose. And it shows all down the front of him.

Olivia trying to get warm in the sunshine!

Happy Birthday to Me!

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

As you know everyone has a Birthday and my happened to be June 18th. The girl's are always excited to celebrate a birthday. Olivia knew it was my birthday and really wanted to make cupcakes. So I told her if we had time we would. We had swimming lessons in the morning, then lunch and naps. And we had planned to go to dinner that evening. So when she woke up from her nap she was in a hurry to make cupcakes. I was in the other room and when I came into the kitchen she had the flour, sugar, brown sugar, cupcake pan, measuring spoons and cups, and a bowl all out. And two eggs which she cracked into the bowl. She and Katie were going to make cupcakes with or without me. I asked her what recipe she was following and she said she didn't have one yet. I had a great time making cupcakes with the girls. Here are pictures of the finished product. Later when Jon came home we each had a cupcake before heading off to dinner. There is nothing better than dessert first, right?Blowing out the candles-with a little help.
Once wasn't enough!
Thank you Olivia, Kate and Jack for the cupcakes.

Body For Life

2008-06-22T17:45:00.000-07:00

Well it is official. We have started Body For Life again. This time we are doing the full 12 weeks and beyond. I would like to drop about 30 pounds and get into a size 6 again. Jon doesn't want to so much loose weight as he wants to build muscle. So all the encouragement and reminders are welcomed. We won't scare you with the pictures yet. We will give you 12 weeks to prepare. We will keep you posted on our progress and post the final pictures Sept. 14. And if there is anyone who would like to join--please do!

My Little Jay Bird

2008-06-22T16:08:00.000-07:00

Katie is such a little Jay Bird. She loves to be naked and to play in the sand. Today she combined the two. It ended up being quite an interesting combination.It wasn't the first time that I have looked out the window to see Katie stark naked playing in the sand. Try as I might, I just can't keep clothes on this kid. I am just hoping she will grow out of this soon.
How nice to be so care free!

Fruits of Our Labor

2008-06-19T23:32:00.000-07:00

The first fruits of the year. The girls were so excited to pick their own strawberries. Jack was mostly interested in the dirt!They each got to pick two strawberries and eat 'em.
Olivia was squeaking here! You know the sound she makes when she is excited.
"See Mama"

We have had so much fun growing a garden this year. The girls have been very excited to check the garden and see what has grown each day. I have to say our strawberries are by far the most fruitful!

Swimming at Aunt Andrea and Uncle Joe's

2008-06-19T22:48:00.001-07:00

Olivia, Jack and Kate patiently waiting to get in the pool!

We went up to Fresno for the day on Saturday. The kids really enjoyed swimming. We practically had to tie them down to keep them out of the pool. This was a huge improvement from our last venture to the pool.
Olivia turned out to be quite the fish. The floaties did wonders. She was a little unsure at first, but we gave her a noodle and she was set. Before we knew it she was swimming the length of the pool. It wasn't long before she ditched the noodle and a while later said to me, "Mom, I don't need these floaties anymore." I finally convinced her that wasn't such a good idea.

The kids had so much fun playing with Nana and Justine in the pool. This was the beginning of Olivia swimming the width of the pool! She would finish and want to do it again and again and again.

We really had a great time. Thanks Aunt Andrea and Uncle Joe for letting us come up and swim! Thanks Mom and Justine for all your help with the kids.

Disneyland Slideshow

2008-06-19T18:55:00.001-07:00

Father's Day

2008-06-16T23:56:00.000-07:00

Happy Fathers Day

to the best Daddy ever!

Jon we are so grateful to have you in our lives. You bring so much adventure to our family. You are always ready to get down on the ground and wrestle with the kids, kick a ball, play catch, draw, and even play dress up if asked.
You are never afraid to be silly or strange. We all love the child in you, especially the kids. I think you are asked to quiet down as much as they are when playing. I love the way you really get into entertaining them. I love to watch you run and play tag with the kids. To watch you dance and gel with music is something we all need to do. You are a great dancer. You definitely move to your own beat!!
This is the beloved monkey expression--always a crowd pleaser. Your laugh is so contagious and such a joy in my life. You need to do it more!
....................................................................................................................................................................

Then there is the coocky face that you pull whenever we try to take a picture. I guess you never grow out of silliness.

Here we have two handsome guys busy at work. Something you are always doing--just doing! You are a very hard worker and we appreciate all that you do for our family. You are always looking for jobs and projects to keep you from idleness. I admire that in you.
You are so willing to include the kids in your projects...at least for a little while. Gotta try it a least once!

Thanks for including the kids in all that you can. They love to work by your side and be your little helpers.

Thank you for the adventures you take the kids on...even if it is only in the backyard. They love to spend time with you and can't wait for their Daddy to come home each night.
The most important of all is the good example you set for our children. You are a worthy priesthood holder and you honor duties. You are a man of your word. You are always willing to help others even if inconvenient for you. You are honest and sincere. You are constantly striving to be a better person. You are loving, kind and a wonderful Father.

Happy Father's Day! We love you!
Love,

Olivia, Katelyn, Jackson and Heather

Disneyland Round Two

2008-06-16T22:32:00.000-07:00

We got to go to Disneyland again!!!

This time with Nana and cousin Justine!

Jackson and Katelyn love to ride the carousel.

Jackson could not get enough of this ride. He was kicking his feet trying to get the horse to gallop the whole time. It is fun to see him so excited. Sword and the Stone!

Justine, Olivia and Kate

Justine with her Price Charming!

Nana and Jack riding Winnie the Pooh Adventures.

This ride is very colorful and kinda psychedelic.

I think Jackson enjoyed ride and Nana too. It was so bright she had to where her sunglasses though!!

The Fairy Godmother---We got to see her several times. She was so sweet. Katelyn could't stop saying Fairy Godmother after we saw her. She was very impressed.

Pocahontas--She was the first of the three Princesses we were able to see. The kids waited very patiently in line for about an hour the next thirty minutes...they weren't so patient. This was the longest line by far, but it was worth it to them!
Aroua--Wow! That's a mouth full.

Snow White--She was the favorite! Katelyn kept asking all day about a witch. She really wanted to see a witch. This is as close as it got today. She was pretty excited as you can see.

Justine, Olivia and Katelyn waiting in line for a ride. The last two times we were at Disneyland we missed Winnie the Pooh and the girls were so disappointed so we made sure we didn't miss him this time. Jackson was the least bit enticed by these characters. He wanted nothing to do with Pooh Bear.
Eyore--ho hum....Tigger--Notice Jackson is smiling...Tigger is not touching him! After visiting Critter Country we watched the Main Street Parade and then headed over to California Adventure Park. We had just enough time to ride Soarin' California (which was a favorite) and then go to Bugs Land (also a favorite). There were no lines at Bugs Land and we got to go on all the rides in about 20 min. Then we watched the end of the Light Parade. And to our suprise as we were walking out the Fireworks started over in Disneyland and we had a great view at the park enterance. What a great day! Thanks for all your help with the kids Nana and Justine. I couldn't have done it without your help.

Disneyland

2008-06-16T14:30:00.000-07:00

The girls were so excited to go to Disneyland. It's been about six months since we last went. The flowers are so beautiful, these big pots line Disneyland's main street. It is so fun to experience Disneyland through the eyes of your child. What a magical place.

Jon with the girls in the lush land of BUG LAND.
Jesse from Toy Story--the first and only Character we saw all day.

They must have been hiding all day! I think Olivia's favorite thing about Disneyland is the cotton candy. As soon as we entered the gates she was asking for cotton candy. We were able to hold her off until after lunch. Then she ate half the bag and saved the rest for later (about 20 min. later!).
Katie playing on the rocks in Toontown. What a great expression! Jackson -just relaxing! The Hopper Crew. GRRR! What a great way to spend the day!

Jack's New Haircut

2008-05-29T15:14:00.000-07:00

Before

Jackson was so excited to get a new haircut. I took him to COOL CUTS for Kids. They had a little fire engine for him to sit in and he thought that was pretty cool. He barely sat still, he was rocking back and forth and just looking up at me with glee. He knew it was all about him. And after he was finished he was just smiling as if to say he was

pleased with his new style. It is quite cute, but I have to say I was a little sad to see all that baby hair go.

After
TOO CUTE!

Celebrating Jackson

2008-05-28T12:33:00.000-07:00

Jackson's 1st Birthday!

A monkey cake for my little monkey!
A blow torch to light the candle is always helpful.
Yum! Yum!
Jack's Birthday Party was a lot of fun. We had friends over for a BBQ and some games. The kids played with a parachute thing? (like in grade school on field days) and on the swing set. We had banana cake and ice cream and the kids decorated cupcakes to look like monkeys. The only thing that could have made it better is the rest of our family. We missed you guys!

Things we love about Jackson

"I love his smile and his laugh is contagious." Mom

"Jack is pretty." Katie

"I love how he is rough and tumble." Dad

"I like his laugh, it makes me smile." Olivia

I love his cuddles." Mom

"I like to play in the mud with him." Katie

"I like to play with Jackson." Olivia

"I love his enthusiasm and excitement." Dad
"I like to watch him eat--it's entertaining." Dad

"I love his new hair-do!" Mom

We are so blessed to have such sweet boy in our lives. We love the dynamic a boy has brought to our family. It is so fun to watch him play with his sisters. He is defiantly a rough and tumble kid. If he falls, he is quick to recover and get back to what he was doing. He has even conquered the ladder on the swing set and does a victory dance at the top each time he climbs it! So cute. We love our little Jack.

aka: Jackie boy (Kate's regular), J.P., Jacks, and Buddy.

Plant Your Garden

2008-05-26T23:35:00.000-07:00

Olivia has been practicing this song since our FHE lesson on "Plant a Garden". She was really excited to share it with everyone and see herself on the computer. She did a great job too! Take note of the nice bruising on her forehead. We had our first casualty with the new swing set-well the wall around it.

Help! Somebody save me!

2008-05-19T22:36:00.001-07:00

I knew Jack was near because, I could hear him. He would kind of squeal a little then babble like he was playing. Then, I finally asked Olivia where is Jack? I thought she had put a blanket under the basket, but no, it was her baby brother. The funny thing is, he really didn't seem to mind being in there. He even posed for a few pictures.

Hey mom, can you see me now?

Can you please tell her to get off !

Strawberry Milkshakes

2008-05-19T22:13:00.001-07:00

For Family Home Evening one night we talked about planting a garden and how wonderful it is that we can grow a garden of our own. Then we planted strawberry plants and made strawberry milkshakes. The kids love strawberries and can't get enough of them. I was almost disappointed but we finally found some strawberry plants at the sixth store we visited. I guess they are just really popular here.

I just loved this picture, his expression is great!

Olivia, Kate and Jack with their milkshake mustaches!

Bark! Bark! and more Bark!

2008-05-19T21:54:00.000-07:00

The kids found the dump truck very fascinating to watch.

"WOW, that's a lot of bark! How are you going to move it?"

Yipee! We have Bark!

Daddy Do List

2008-05-13T10:20:00.001-07:00

Here are some pictures of our latest projects. And one of the house-much to Jon's objection!

Jackson helping lay a little sod!
Making sure it is squishy wet!
Daddy and his little helpers!
Yeah!! There is a slide!
Getting closer to a completed project. Jon has been working on this every spare moment he has.

Mother's Day

2008-05-13T08:52:00.000-07:00

This Mother's Day was great. Olivia sang at church with the primary kids and did wonderful. I love to see her excitement when she goes up to sing. Jon made breakfast, dinner and cleaned up! And I was able to just sit back and relax. It was wonderful. Jon also made a cake with homemade mango filling and frosting. We decided to enjoy the nice evening and then the cake. So we were outside for a while and then went in to find Katie! My exasperation yeilded no hault as she fisted the cake yet, again. It wasn't until I said no, no, no, you don't eat cake like that, that it clicked-the platter was placed high on the counter so she couldn't get it. She finished eating that which was clutched in her fists and when asked if she would like to sit at the table and have a slice of cake she replied, "no I already had cake". Needless to say the cake was very yummy-even with the middle missing! We all had a good laugh too.

Katie double fisted and enjoying every minute!

Just one last bite mom and then I'm finished!

Buggies in Kate's bed

2008-05-09T21:20:00.001-07:00

Last night Kate woke up screaming there were "buggies" in her bed. I looked everywhere to no avail. Then she screamed, "right there" and squirmed as far from the buggies as she could. (There were no "buggies" to be found). All I can figure is she was hallucinating from her temp of 105. She is doing much better today.

Beeing introduced

2008-05-08T21:30:00.000-07:00

Well, here we go. We are now up with the times. We decided to create this blogspot so that we can share all our excitement and insanity with all those interested. So, here are our sweet little bees. But be careful sometimes they sting and even bite!

Blue eyed beauty!

Artist at work!

Jack's favorite place in the house!