HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

I came across this cute idea for the kids valentine's day cards and they loved making them! I thought they turned out really cute too!

CHRISTMAS FUNNIES

I know, I know, I am finding it hard to keep up with blogging right now, but I've got to post these before I forget them!

McKenna

On Christmas day, McKenna wa admiring her new blendy pens when she looked at me and said
"Mom, I just love Santa Claus...he gives you whatever you want without you having to do anything for it! And he always knows exactly what I want!"

**obviously the statement, "if you're not good, Santa won't bring you presents" means nothing to her**

Harrison

Adam's birthday is on the 23rd and so Adam and I usually go out that night. We left our kids with Adam's parents and while they were there, someone in Adam's family asked Harrison if he thought he was going to get any presents from Santa this year. Harrison replied with, "(sigh) Well, it's going to be close! Sometimes McKenna just does things that make me hurt her!"

**I guess he knew how close he really was to gettting coal for Christmas**

Tyler

This is Tyler's first Christmas where he has really noticed things like the Christmas tree, presents, Santa Claus and especially the Christmas lights outside. So, everytime we would pull out of the garage, be it daytime or nightime, he would enthusiastically say, "oh, MEEMUS!!" (which in Tylernese means Chrismas lights) He was so cute this holiday season!! He even learned to sing Jingle Bells and Must be Santa - he would just walk around the house humming and singing the words he knew all day!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS 2009

We have so much to be thankful for this year!

Everyone had a great year! Here's a litte bit of what we've been up to:

Adam is enjoying more time off from the Mail Center this year - we have been lucky to have such great employees...and the kids love having him around - McKenna hates going to school when dad is home because she thinks we party all day without her... if only she knew how uneventful everyday is around here.

I am enjoying being home with the kids and we are expecting our 4th child coming July 2010. I am Primary President (since June 2009) and feel so comfortable with the children! It's a lot of work, but fun!! I'm also still trying to keep up on blogging and look forward to putting together my first book beginning of next year!

McKenna is doing great in 1st grade! Her teacher has nothing but great things to say about her - she is great with reading and does it whenever she has a moment to sit (or whenever Hannah Montana or Suite Life on Deck isn't on). She is still doing dance - working towards her 5 year award next year!

Harrison is still rambuncious as ever! He is really into ninja's (he calls them "aninjas") and is wanting to join a karate class...I'm still trying to decide if fighting skills are really what he needs!?! He is in preschool and likes that and he is picking up on Kenna's math skills left and right! He and Tyler do pretty good playing together during the day, but he would prefer to be watching t.v. or playing Wii games with dad - he loves "boy time" as they call it.

Tyler is a total cutie! He's talking up a storm as he's approaching his birthday - he can now sing the ABC's and sings while walking around the house all the time! He is a pretty patient child - I sure hope he keeps his calm demeanor as he hits toddlerhood! Right now he is in love with Mickey Mouse and Elmo and will ask to watch Elmo's World almost everyday!

- We are hoping for another great year in 2010 -

HOLIDAY GREETINGS

Trying to get a holiday card together to send to everyone - I have failed at having an ACTUAL family picture taken this year and am running out of time!! So, it's now up to me and my photography skills....yikes!

attempt #1- everyone look at the camera...

attempt #2 - I said, ...everyone look at the camera...

attempt #3 - too shadowy...

my last attempt - not bad, but....

Wait - why not kill 2 birds with 1 stone!!

We'll try putting the camera in auto mode with everyone (I can get my family picture AND holiday card).... that's great!! Now it's off to get these processed!!

I just love how I wait until the last minute!

SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN

4th OF JULY FUN

Another year, another 4th of July... although we always do the same things, we still have just as much fun as the last year (kind of like the show "Survivor" - after 18 seasons of the same situation etc, I still love it)! We wake up early on the 4th to catch our Ward 4th of July breakfast. Next, we hurry on over to the parade to sit with my parents and siblings. I really enjoyed this years parade because we actually saw FLOATS and not just big trucks with a banner on the side advertising the local chiropractor or law firm! Take a look:

Saw the old alma mater' s float and had to yell out, "GO KNIGHTS!" hard to imagine I was ever that young...

Others reasons I love the parade -

time with grandpa

anxiously waiting for the next candy-throwing float (notice the PINK tie-dye shirts....grrrr!)

more time with grandpa and grandma

Next we are off to: Adam head to the annual volleyball tournament at the Petty's - Adam and his best friend, Josh, started this tradition more the a decade ago and it's still going strong!! Jennie and the kids head over for the BBQ at grandma/grandpa Beans house for swimming and food!!

We met up later in the afternoon to go to Adam's parents for an evening BBQ (after reading through this blog, I can see why I weigh what I do...I am a social eater?!?) The kids had a great time getting rides from grandpa on his newest contraption!

And lastly, we race down to the river for fireworks....and they are GREAT fireworks!!

Whew...

TRIPLE HHH

Well, once again, I am "late" at posting what's been happening here - December is always a busy month for everyone, but not only do I have the "H"olidays to tend to, but also birthdays for my "H"usband and for "H"arrison (thus the triple H - get it?!)

I didn't even post on Adam's birthday, but want to now, so he knows I love him!! We are both now in our 30's - how THAT happened I'll never figure out! We didn't do too much for his special day - went to lunch, and took the kids to see a movie that night..if only life would stop on such days...Here are a few wishes I have/had for him on his birthday:

1. I wish him happiness everyday - and hopefully most of it from me and the kids!


2. I wish him health for many, many more years. He is the one who gets our family DOING things (i.e. bike rides, swimming, vacations) and I think he'll go crazy if he ever HAS to sit still for too long!



3. I wish him to know how much I love him!! He is my support system, "my man" and I can't imagine how I could be happy without him in my life! He makes me smile and laugh everyday and helps me to live a little bit more than I would if he weren't in my life! - Happy Birthday, Adam






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We had the holidays in the middle and had a great time with our families! We are so lucky to have them both so close - I'm sure we take it for granted!!

I decided to start a new tradition this year - I was at Bed, Bath & Beyond and found a "design your own plate" kit and thought it would be fun for the kids to color and use it for Santa's treats (only $4.99) and the kids loved it!! I plan on continuing that one next year - McKenna took pride in drawing the Christmas tree, and the multi-colored "lights" around the edge. We tried to quickly teach Harrison to draw a candy cane or something Christmasie before it was his turn - he's not into drawing yet, but he decided to go with a "Christmas shark" (do you see it?!?) I think it turned out pretty cute! We also continued our annual gingerbread house and Christmas Eve pj's...




Christmas morning finally arrived and we had a great morning together! Santa came early this year for Adam and I - about nine months early with the arrival of Tyler - a complete JOY to have in our family:


We tried to keep things a little simpler this year for Christmas - why go spend a whole bunch of money and have them end up playing with the $5 gift the most?!? Santa brought McKenna a baby alive that wets her diaper. McKenna and Harrison think it's so funny to watch the baby pee in the sink, because that baby SPRAYS!! She also got a neat jewelry box with accessories that she can color (see the pics below - pretty cute huh?!?) she is such a perfectionist when it comes to coloring...the crayons and colored pencils HAVE to be sharp or she won't use them anymore. In her stocking she found her first set of fake nails and couldn't wait to put them on - and then take them off 5 minutes later.

Santa brought Harrison a Batman racetrack, which he thought was great - everything he opened that morning he stated, "AAWWESSOOOME!" He also received Martian Matter - the martians have quickly populated throughout our house and to a few of the neighbors as well! I would have to say Harrison is more into "dress-up" than McKenna at this point, so he also got a new superhero costume - "AAWWESSOOMEE!"

Hopefully Tyler won't have a complex when he gets older because of his first Christmas..he just didn't get as much as the others. Santa brought him a penguin punch bag, a Horton stuffed animal, and some baby food in the stocking - he was just as happy as the other two!



After the morning, we went to my parents for Christmas dinner and opening cousin presents there. McKenna and Harrison received WARM quilts for their beds from grandpa/grandma Bean - they are sleeping much warmer now - along with another little gift! Tyler received a ball popper toy and he giggles everytime it's on! Grandpa/grandma Cromwell made them all their gifts this year: Tyler received a great little merry-go-round toy, McKenna got a number game, and Harrison got a couple puzzles with pics of our family and of grandma and grandpa. The cousin gifts were great as well - make-up for Kenna, Batman for Harrison, stuffed animal for Tyler!! We are so blessed to have all that we do: family, friends, a warm home, food to eat, and endless toys to clutter the hallways! It was a great Christmas!

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The day after Christmas, we loaded up in the car and drove to Utah for the annual Liljenquist Christmas Party. It is held at a different place almost every year, and we always have fun. This year the party was at a family fun center. It truly WAS FUN!! The food, drinks, arcad tokens, roller skate rentals were all covered , so how could it NOT be fun!?! The kids played in ball pits, climbed through indoor tunnels, and climbed, jumped through a ton of HUGE bounce houses...they were even big enough for the adults!! McKenna and Harrison tried out roller blading for the first time - we had a great time and hope we get to go back next Christmas party!

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Just 5 days after Christmas is Harrison's birthday! He turned 4 years old!! He is an AAWWEESSSOOMMME kid! He cracks us up on a daily basis! Right now, he is really into superheroes, Star Wars, and dinosaurs. For his birthday, we went to Blast Off and celebrated with some of his cousins. We took him to dinner and let him choose where...he chose the "chips and salsa store". The employees put a huge sombrero on his head and then sang to him...he loved that!

Since it was his 4th birthday, here are 4 of the many reasons why I love Harrison:


1. Harrison always compliments me - he'll look at me and say, "mom, I think you look pretty!" even when I'm in my pj's and cleaning up breakfast....he's also quick with the manners - if I do not say thank you to his compliment, he'll always remind me that I need to say it!

2. Harrison is always willing to share his toys, food, etc with everyone around. He is a very giving little boy and is always bringing Adam or me a drink, to share.

3. Harrison is my story-telling child. He is always telling a story, dream or "something that happened to him one time". He knows he shouldn't fib, so after he's made up a story and I've called him on it, he'll always say, "I know, it was just a DREAM I had..." he is a great story/dream teller!

4. Harrison has the BEST laugh and can crack the hardest of faces with his contagious laugh!! No matter how mad I am at something, Harrison can laugh and I forget why I was even angry - every family needs a child like that...Harrison is ours!

THIS IS HALLOWEEN

Halloween 2008 - we had a wee pirate:

a fierce ninja, and a spirited cheerleader:

The weather was exceptionally nice this year - the kids didn't even need coats to go trick-or-treating!!

and, of course, the kids had plenty of candy to last them until Christmas (in fact, I'm half tempted to reuse the candy at Christmas!!)