the christensens

Easter Sunday

2011-07-10T18:17:00.000-07:00

Easter Sunday was a blast! We checked out our Easter baskets, did an easter egg hunt, and ate way too many robin eggs (you know the first 15 are delicious!)The weather was super nice and the kids were wonderful! What a great day!

How can easter eggs compete with 2 huge geese in your yard? Answer: They can't!

Cooper used easter egg time to perfect his golf skills...lookout Tiger!

Presley in the worlds ugliest pajamas!

Kids started to hunt...again

Chase got Elefun in his basket...best game ever!

Pretty sure this face means he loved his Easter basket!

Our Easter baskets!

St. Maarten...Grand Finale!

2011-04-10T20:03:00.001-07:00

St. Maarten was my favorite Island so I'm devastated I have maybe 2 pictures from here (Bob & Christi /Sean and Janelle please send me a cd of your pics and I'll send you one.)

We wanted to get scooters but the first scooter people were super mean and the boys were going to throw down. Instead we decided to find another scooter place. We actually ended up getting 4 wheelers and we spent hours checking out this whole island!

We stopped at a beach that is literally right next to the airport and there were planes flying right over our heads!

Then we got rained on and the locals laughed at us, then we hit another beach filled with people that were not wearing swimsuits and really should have been!
It was awesome to see the island via quads!

We loved this cruise guys...thanks for the invite...we missed you radfords!!!

Here we are on the quad...

Our big boat!

St. Kitts

2011-04-10T19:27:00.000-07:00

At St. Kitts we wanted to rent scooters and ride around the island but we got to the scooter place too late and they were all gone. So we grabbed a personal taxi and he (Bouncer) showed us the HOT spots on St. Kitts.

We found a castle and did a photo shoot inside then headed over to the most amazing beach i've ever seen! Complete with chairs and shade from palms!

The boys showing off their big guns...get it...

Enjoying my babe in a castle in St. Kitts!

Striking a pose in the castle...not sure what the castle was used for or who lived in it...forgot to listen...but it had great photo spots!

The beach was amazing! And we got to lay out here for free under the palms on comfy chairs...loved every second of it...

Soaking up the rays...

Brandon and I at the castle...so many neat rooms and cool stairways!

I'm gonna do this to my tree in the front yard except with Barqs rootbeer cans and Diet Mtn. Dew cans...pretty sure the neighbors will love it!

Here is a monkey that a guy said I could hold. Seemed like a great idea at the time then I got a little worried that the monkey would give me rabies or steal my money...neither happened so I think we're good!

St. Lucia

2011-04-10T19:01:00.001-07:00

I heard from a few people St. Lucia was the prettiest Island ever...it was pretty but not my favorite (shh don't tell the locals). I was the most excited about the zip line and it was pretty fantastic! Zipping through the green tropical trees and ropelling down platforms...does it really get any better?

The 2 pieces of advice I have are: DON'T wear shorts on this excursion(they are uncomfortable with the harness on) and wear a hat so you don't have to wear a hair net and look like a lunch lady!

This is on the beach after we went ziplining...perfectly warm and sunny!

Here is the crew in all our HOT zipline gear!

Here is Brandon ropelling down a platform...the rope felt a little like it was going to snap any second...just added to the fun!

I'm super excited to get zippin'

Here we are next to some super old trees

Bob and Christi were all smiles here but I'm pretty sure they were scared...they just hide it well...

Barbados

2011-04-10T18:33:00.000-07:00

I loved Barbados!!! But what's not to love about perfect warm weather and blue/green water! We went on a catamaran with world famous Captain Ron. On the catamaran we went snorkling with some awesome golden turtles! I've never seen anything like them they were beautiful!

I asked Captain Ron if he knew Rhianna (she's from Barbados) and if he liked her and next thing you know he was pumpin' Rhianna hits and throwin' us virgin daquari's. Also absolutely fantastic local food prepared by Captain Ron and his crew!

This was our catamaran!

Here are Janelle and I with Captain Ron...Brandon was a little concerned about the 10 pictures I had with my arms around "Captain Ron"...didn't realize I had so many with the guy...

Here I am steering the ship...look I'm a natural!

The Girls taking over the catamaran...

This wall was right next to our catamaran. Who doesn't want a picture with an orange background? Awesome!

St. Thomas

2011-04-10T18:07:00.000-07:00

So I didn't want to bring my new Nikon on to our St. Thomas excursion to get ruined so I just brought my waterproof camera which = not a ton of pictures for you to see! But my waterproof camera had some good ones (sorry guys!).

We headed over with apparently the rest of the cruise ship to our kayak place and hopped in some kayaks to begin our journey. We paddled through some mangroves did some hermit crab races (pretty sure ours was dead...) and snorkling!

We ended the day in our formal clothes dining with our new BFF/server Amaudi (definately not how you spell it). Super fun day with the peeps!

East Carribean Cruise...Puerto Rico baby!

2011-04-04T17:19:00.000-07:00

We left our 3 tiny people with my mom and headed for our much needed Caribbean Cruise! So over all the snow...we were excited to see what the sun looked like and felt like and to see our buddies from Utah! Here are some pic's of Puerto Rico which was beautiful.

Just a tip if you ever visit Puerto Rico...if you see an amazing fake Coach purse on the street and you want to buy it...you can't negotiate price because they don't budge...and you offend people. I thought it was a little more like Mexico (I guess not!). Sorry lady street vendor!

Here is Brandon in front of pretty much the cutest street I've ever seen!

Here we are with my oversized hat that blocks out anything within 20 feet. Worth it though...

Here is the gang! Bob and Christi and Sean and Janelle! First night...

This is Brandon and me on the deck of the Carnival Victory! I couldn't stop smiling...we did still miss you kiddos...I promise!

Kind of fantastic to get to enjoy this for a week! Babe you're hot!

Here we are checking out the sites of Puerto Rico...looking like a local with gigantic hat!

Santa Made It December 25th!

2010-12-25T17:24:00.000-08:00

Christmas was so fun this year because it had only been snowing for a month so it was still pretty and magical! Also the Simpsons made the trek from Denver to share their holiday with us!

It really started when "Buddy" our Elf on a Shelf arrived Thanksgiving weekend (maybe that's early...get off me it's our first year!) Cooper and Chase were so so excited to see where he would be hiding the next night and were trying so hard to be good so he could report that back to Santa. Cooper even told Chase if he wasn't good the Wise Men were going to report that back to Santa.

Once the Simpsons arrived we did it all. We went sledding (I stayed in the lodge and sipped cocoa), went to the amusement park at the Mall of America, swam at the local community center and built igloos outside (I stayed inside and sipped cocoa :). We had such a super fun Christmas and were stoked to spend it with the Simpsons. I almost forgot...we also got hooked on Arrested Development...I laughed my face off! We consumed more food than anyone ever should and vowed to lose it starting January 1st. Best Christmas EVER!

Chase Turns 2 and Celebrates With Bugs!

2010-11-08T17:12:00.000-08:00

For Chase's birthday I thought about what theme to do. As I watched him smoosh, tickle, trap, talk too, snuggle, and lick every bug we encountered I thought...my theme. I sent out what I believe were the craziest invites yet; flyswatters with bugs tied onto them holding the invitation. We had tons of bug balloons (thanks Kristin at www.gogoballoons.com). We had a catapiller crawl, bug toss and of course pin the dot on the ladybug (with oreos!) We were exhausted by the end but loved every minute of it! Hope you had a super time you big 2 year old!

Everyone is entitled to a yawn every now and again.

Chase in his party garb!

This is the Bee! We had 3 and they were so fun to look at!

The Ladybug was super cute and we had like 3 around the house. Chase adopted one and kept it in his room for about a week.

Loved the grasshoppers!

This caterpiller pretty much stayed up until Christmas. People stopping by weren't sure what kind of party they stepped into but we loved it. The kids seriously thought it was the greatest thing ever...they were right...Kristin you rock!

Back to Minnesota...Really?!

2010-10-01T09:57:00.000-07:00

So we are back! After being ripped away from warm weather, awesome friends and our pool in Arizona we were a little hesitant to come back. But then we recovered. It was absolutely beautiful once we got here! The fall was fantastic filled with tons of leaves and my kids barrelling down our hill in the back yard on their trucks! We have a POND in our backyard too! Some neighbors have called it a swamp but I am an optimist so it is a pond to me and I fully intend to canoe on it spring and summer!

Here is a picture of a sunrise from my back porch!

Our new house! I am in LOVE with it! Brandon...not so much! It's got lots of room for my kids to run around and play and plenty of room for visitors to come visit...so visitors...come visit!

Here are my kids at Halloween! We had a super fun time trick-or-treating and once Cooper realized he got candy at every house he was off with his spider arms waving in the wind...

Last Days of Summer...

2010-09-20T21:13:00.000-07:00

Once we found out we were moving back to Minnesota we spent every last minute in our pool! Our kids got really good at swimming (with the help of rings...so really not that good) and Presley was finally able to show off her sweet tiny suit! Right before we left we had 5 days without furniture or our stuff while it was being moved so we spent tons of time perfecting our tans which would soon be hidden by parkas, scarfs and ski pants...stupid Minnesota!

Shiver Me Timbers Captain Coop is Turning 3!

2010-08-20T09:11:00.000-07:00

For Cooper's Pirate 3rd Birthday we send out boxes with treasure maps on the side that were filled with sand and shells and invitations (sorry about the sand all over your carpet friends...). Since its 115 degrees in August in Arizona we spent most of the time outside! We had cannon ball fights in the pool and the kids dove for gold coins to get prizes! I found a pirate ship "The Black Dog" at target and at one point I think Cooper REALLY thought he was a pirate! At the end of the day our big 3 year old (I can barely think it without tearing up) had a great time playing Captain Coop plus he scored lots of fun new toys!

Brandon's 30th B-Day...A Hole In One!

2010-07-25T19:39:00.000-07:00

Everyone deserves a fantastic 30th birthday to lessen the blow from youngsterhood to toddlers and minivanhood. So I threw B a golfing party with golf clubs as the invitations (the post office was a little skeptical but I was pretty persuasive). I put a putting green in the backyard and the kids decorated visors! I think I surprised him! Super fun to see all the golf outfits...thanks for making it great guys! (those who didn't make it because they didn't read the invite/thought it was from someone else are dead to me...no we missed you!)

presley...6 days old!

2010-06-05T18:14:00.001-07:00

Presley Belle

2010-06-01T14:01:00.000-07:00

Best Mother's Day EVER!!!!! My first contractions started consistently at 3:30 pm so I called Brandon who was teaching my primary class and he raced home! After lots of contractions and a fabulous epideral my sweet Presley Belle arrived at 12:44 pm aka the middle of the night. She has been my easiest delivery yet...4 pushes and she was out! When the doctor handed her to me she looked like a toddler. She weighed in at 8'11 and has the cheeks to prove it! Chase was also 8'11 and Cooper was 8'14. She was 5 days early which was perfect since I felt Like I was carrying twins! We are so happy to have our first girl. She is already thrilled to be wearing layers of pink and huge oversized bows and flowers! More pictures to come...

Spring Pictures of Me n' the Boys

2010-04-21T19:48:00.001-07:00

Hailey Gardiner you might be the most talented person I know! Seriously! This photo shoot was done by my friend Hailey who pretends she's not a photographer. Liar!! So here is the fam and soon to be number 3!

In Honor of February 14th...14 Reasons I Love My Valentine!

2010-02-12T10:59:00.000-08:00

#1. He is the funniest person I know...if you don't agree you're probably not very funny...or you don't know him very well!
#2. He does the little things that make such a difference like picking the romantic comedy instead of Die Hard 9 and telling me I look beautiful when I am wearing sweats covered in food/snot and have yet to put on makeup for the day...
#3. He is the best dad ever...whether its teaching Cooper proper golf technique or throwing Chase up in the air until he is almost puking!
#4. The gap in his front too teeth. I tell him constantly I think its hot...
#5. He watches Grey's Anatomy with me...and likes to pretend he's doesn't like it...seriously babe be honest with yourself!
#6. He makes looking like an Abercrombie and Fitch model everyday, easy and effortless!
#7. He doesn't make fun of me when he is reading Colin Powell's Biography before bed and I'm catching up on last months Real Simple magazine!
#8. He thinks the same things are funny that I think are funny...don't make me sing!
#9. He is one of the most patient people I know. Patient with me when I bring home bags of new girls clothes. Patient with our kids when they knock over our speakers and change every dial on our tv/dvd/stereo system making it a 2 hour process to get the tv ready for a movie.
#10. He pretends he doesn't notice when he finds his brand new golf balls in the toilet!
#11. When it's the 4th time in 2 weeks we've had spaghetti he just smiles as if i've just prepared a perfectly cooked filet mignon with a side of mashed poatatoes and apsaragas.
#12. He is the loyalest of friends and people are drawn to his magnetic, charasmatic personality.
#13. He is objective with everything and takes time to decide what the absolute best decision is for every situation. Not the best when you're in line at Baskin Robbins but great every other time!
#14. He is a natural leader and has this presence about him that demands respect and admiration. It probably helps that he's 6'6'' too.
Happy V-Day Big guy! I love you more every day!
-your Valentine

Salt Lake City...Listen Up...Literally!

2010-02-02T13:16:00.000-08:00

Salt Lake City...Listen Up! This week B98.7 will be giving away a Hot Lunch Date Box on your lunch hour! Tune in Monday February 1 through Friday February 5 and call in to win!

A new Hot Lunch Date Box will be given out each day, just in time for Valentine's Day!

Good luck, and get that phone number on speed dial!

12.25.09

2010-01-23T10:03:00.000-08:00

So our kids weren't real excited about the big guy this year (as you can tell from the photo). But that all changed when they realized all the cool stuff Santa had brought them. Don't worry that our $10 train from Ikea got the same reaction and playing time as the retro blue Pottery Barn kitchen I found on Craig's list!

We hosted Brandon's parents and sister and her family this year and had a blast! We hit the train park, went hiking, shopping, and ate more food than a normal family does in a year! Thanks for making the trek Christensens, best Christmas EVER!

Chase Turns One!

2010-01-04T19:47:00.000-08:00

Okay so Chase's birthday was actually 2 months ago (November 8th)...get off my back, it was a busy holiday season! Despite his expression here I think the big guy really enjoyed his birthday (and I promise he wore clothes)! I sent out Rubber duckies as invitations and one of my friends thought it was a toy for her new baby and missed the party! If you are getting something wierd in the mail guys it's probably from me! We had duck cupcakes (thanks no fuss fabulous!) and duck prints leading through the house and I let the kids fish ducks out of the pool for prizes. Does it get any better than that? NO! Chase was ready for

his nap before we got to his presents so we opened those later...thanks everyone for coming he loved it! Chase you're gettin' so big!

Phoenix...Where Have You Been All My Life?

2009-12-12T11:16:00.000-08:00

No disrespect to all the places I've lived in my life but Phoenix is absolutely the best place EVER! It's warm and sunny ALL the time, has great shopping, great food and is close (sort-of) to family! We have had a blast since we moved in! We bought every pool toy possible only to realize our kids don't LOVE the pool and most times would rather take a bath in our tub (thanks guys! would've been good to know before we grabbed the house with a pool!) Here are a few things we have been doing this fall...

Here are Cooper and Chase hittin' the finger paints!
This was at the "Boo at the Zoo!" Halloween day. It was Super hot so we let Coop hit the fountains (which he actually liked more than the animals)!

Here are our little trick-or-treaters a monkey and a mouse! They had a super great time and we enjoyed all their candy! Thanks guys!

More pictures to come...Please feel free to come down and visit and give Phoenix a test run before you move down...or just pack your bags and head our way!

Free Hot Lunch Date Box...

2009-10-11T21:56:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!

Hot lunch is doing a giveaway at http://www.livingmymoment.com/.

here's how you enter:

1. go to www.livingmymoment.com/page/3 (this girl can seriously blog!)

2. Hot Lunch should be at the top of the page.

3. Follow the instructions to win your very own Hot Lunch Date Box!

Please, please, please sign up to win...its free!

thanks for your support! I love you man!

Cooper's Tractor Birthday!

2009-08-23T18:36:00.000-07:00

So Coop turned 2! We found out he loves tractors...which makes sense since here in Iowa he sees more tractors than cars. So I talked with our local tractor dealer and had them drive this tractor into our backyard and we borrowed it for the party.

Coop was a pretty big fan of the tractor and I don't think he blinked for like 3 hours! It was the best! I filled our baby pool with dirt and trucks and cars and tractors and the kids loved it...not there parents so much.

We played pin the rocks on the tractor and did a rock toss. Coop didn't really eat his cake but he did want us to relite his candes llike 50 times.

Here is Coop and dad on the tractor.

Here is Cooper spending some one-on-one time with his new BFF.

We really hope Coop doesn't notice when the guy comes to take the tractor away tomorrow. At least he had some good memories and some photographic proof it was here! Happy Birthday big guy! We love you so much!

Coop Can Almost Speak English...

2009-07-29T19:10:00.000-07:00

Our little coop has been working on his vocab and here are a few things he can say...

Pitt - EE - Poo = peek-a-boo (obviously)

Pie - Yo = Flower, grass and on special occasions trees

pem = pet him... referring to any animal he sees or even hairy people get the pem

milt = milk...I don't have the heart to tell him its a k not a t.

saw = chase...which is better than at the beginning when chase was the same word as cheese and geese.

beep, beep = which means put my milk in the microwave because I like it warm!

fip - fop = flip flop of course which is just in time for summer :)

Pee = please

diaper = diaper

diaper = sprinkler... so it makes our walks interesting when he is pointing at peoples sprinkers saying diaper

BEACH BABIES...

2009-07-12T19:01:00.000-07:00

Best vacation ever! Seriuosly! We had a Christensen family reunion in the Outer Banks of North Carolina and I loved every minute of it! Once we knew it would take 21 hours to drive we did what any normal parent would do...drove to Best Buy and bought a DVD player to go on the back of our headrests for the kids. Great idea right? thats what we thought... until we found that Cooper had a better time seeing how many fruit snacks he could stick to the screen than letting baby einstein teach him his shapes and colors. All in all the road trip was fun. Once we got there we spent our days on the beach. After a few days of basking in the sun nonstop we starting feeling guilty like maybe we should introduce the kids to more than just sand...that was Brandons idea...I was good with just the sand...so we went to the Wright Brothers Museum.

The kids loved it as you can tell from Chases face and we got quite the calve workout climbing up to the memorial...thanks wright brothers for making your starting point so dang high!!!

Cooper learned about kites and sand crabs and Chase learned that the sand tastes just as good as the baby food his parents give him.

We ate delicious crab with Chad and Lisa and scarfed down Duck Doughnuts AKA the best doughnuts money can buy!!! Shout outs...Lisa Christensen you are the best freakin' photographer ever!!! thanks for taking the time!!! Mike and Denise...loved the location loved the company...you guys are the best In-Laws a girl could have!!!

I am a Capricorn and I like rocky road ice cream and long walks on the beach...

dawn does des moines

2009-07-04T09:10:00.000-07:00

When you have had it with the midwest and you are going to scream if you see another corn field your best friend comes to town and makes everything okay! Dawn flew into Chicago where I picked her and her two hot girls up and we did what any normal human would do after an entire day of traveling for her and a 5 hour drive for me... head to IKEA! After a hot new spice rack, rugs and a clock we headed home where we relaxed the next several days. We went to the Blank Zoo where the kids had a freakin' blast!

At the zoo with the Giraffes...apparently Brandon was about their same height!

The boys loved the petting zoo and even though this cow was plastic they didn't seem to mind!

I'm pretty sure there were monkeys behind us at some point...playing hard to get in the photo...

We went to a water park and we did our best to perfect our tans! Dawn and Brandon cheered me on after I finished my 20K (12.4 miles)called the Dam to Dam! It was such a great time! Though I have no photographic proof I promise Dawn was here! AND I LOVED

My Sweet Tiny Dudes

2009-06-22T21:50:00.000-07:00

I got pictures done of the boys and here are my favorites. I don't want to talk about Coop's hair but it is better than the mullet he had before this 'do. Chase is rockin' the bald look.

Okay so I love to put them in matching argyle sweaters...Brandon also LOVES it and even offers to wear a tie so we all match...

this dude laughs like its his full-time job...I really would pay him if I had more money...

Coop thinks he's in Kindergarten so don't tell him its just a photo shoot...

My favorite photo of the whole shoot.

Coop playing hard to get behind the ladder...

Hot Lunch LLC

2009-03-24T13:58:00.000-07:00

So I started my own business! One of my girlfriends from Minneapolis and I started our own company Hot Lunch and just finished our website a few weeks ago! Basically we package fun themed dates you can buy for special occasions like anniversaries or birthdays. Hot Lunch Date Boxes also make great gifts for birthdays or weddings! Check us out at http://www.hotlunchdates.com/

I am having a Hot Lunch house party at Angela Christensen's house (1234 Peacock Midge Dr. Bluffdale, UT 84065) -THANKS ANGELA YOUR THE BEST-Wednesday, April 15th at 7:00pm and I want to see everyone's face there! Bring all your friends and come eat some yummy food. I promise we won't serve tator tots!

12.25

2009-01-23T14:44:00.000-08:00

Our Christmas rocked! Brandon got an acoustic guitar. Strangly the hours he has logged on Guitar Hero hasn't helped with his new guitar...I think he's mastered mary had a little lamb though. After we opened presents Christmas day we drove 10 hours to Denver to visit Brandon's sister Jenny, Aaron, their kids and Brandon's parents. Brandon got to bless Chase at their house and did a great job...I really hope Chase makes it to the NBA like Brandons blessing promised! We also froze our fannies off in Denver when we hiked to see this frozen waterfall. Overall we had a fantastic break!!!

Not My Gumdrop Buttons!

2008-12-17T19:26:00.000-08:00

A great night was had by all as we loaded up gingerbread men with red hots, marshmellows, gumdrops, sprinkles and skittles (left over from halloween...but the kids didn't mind!). Cooper decided to take out the middle man (the gingerbread man) and went right for the candy and frosting! I made the gingerbread men a little thick so they ended up looking more like obese men that need to hit the treadmill ASAP! That's okay...more of them to love! Thanks guys for braving the storm so we could get your kids all hyped up on old halloween candy!

The Easiest Thanksgiving Ever!

2008-12-06T15:52:00.000-08:00

Normally we spend all day slaving away over a hot stove and then sit down for 20 minutes, eat food and then take a 2 hour nap. I like this plan. But not this year...except the nap!Well this year...the hardest part of my Thanksgiving dinner was setting the timer for 2 hours so all the food could reheat! We bought our dinner from a local grocery store...Hy-Vee which is also the account Brandon calls on. We had a huge turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, apple pie, pumpkin pie and 12 dinner rolls (the package was for 8-10 people) for $50!!! What a deal! And it gave us time to spend with Mike and Denise who came to visit us! We had a GREAT time with them and Coop scored a new lawn mower out of the deal (you gotta start the boys early on the mower!). Thanks Mike and Denise for visiting and for changing all the diapers Brandon pawned off on you. With how easy this was I'm debating havind this be a tradition!

New pictures of My Sweet Chase

2008-12-01T13:41:00.000-08:00

Here is our tiny guy! He Loves to sleep with his tongue out.
I Love this guys feet! I'm pretty sure he's going to be a foot model!
Another photo of Chase. He's a pretty big dude!

Chase Tanner Christensen

2008-11-15T18:44:00.000-08:00

There is seriously nothing better than waking up at one in the morning 9 days before your due date to realize you are having a baby! Well the only thing that could be better is to get to the hospital and realize your birthing room looks like a spa! My room was literally huge -- they had just remodeled the whole maternity unit -- and had a jacuzzi in it. The L & D nurse (you can only call your labor and delivery nurse a L & D nurse if you have had at least 2 kids!) got the jets going for me and then asked if I would like some aromatherapy! This is not a joke she seriously did ask me if I did and then spread some around my room...who does that??? Well after an hour bath my contractions stopped (I was having such a good time I may have forgotten to tell the nurse they stopped) she caught on and made me walk for awhile. Long story short I gave birth to basically the hottest Iowan ever at 1:09 in the afternoon! Though my doctor was like "wow this guy is huge, he must weigh 9 lbs." Chase Tanner was actually 8 pounds 6 ounces and 20.5 inches long. His older brother was 10 days early, 8 lbs 11 ounces and 21.5 inches. Chase has HUGE cheeks and literally didn't cry for the first 48 hours of his life. Apparently most babies don't cry much the first little while but I still think we've got a good one. So far my favorite face he makes is when he is really mad. He gets it if I don't pick him up fast enough or feed him fast enough and its hysterical. Cooper seems to be doing pretty good with the little guy and has tried to pick him up and carry him multiple times. He also is good at poking and prodding Chase mostly when he is asleep. He'll be a great older brother. Well I can let my great nurses know they made it onto my blog -- I told them I would absolutely tell the world how great their facility was. And it better be...it is where I brought someone pretty great into the world.

Lions and Tigers and Rats...oh my! Halloween 2008

2008-11-11T17:20:00.000-08:00

I knew Cooper had to be a rat this year when I was in Old Navy and I had him try it on and I was laughing so hard I almost peed my pants! So did five other people in the store (laughed...not peed their pants). Well traditionally you take your little kid out October 31 and get loads of candy...well not here in Iowa! People go out October 30th for "Beggers Night" and collect candy but they have to tell you a joke before you give them any candy. I'm not sure how these rules got started and I was sure I was being lied to until I saw people trick-or-treating with my own eyes. So October 30th we went out and did some trick-or-treating ourselves! We learned a few things real quick that night. We have no good jokes to tell so we tried to play the we just moved here from out of town and don't know your crazy "beggers Night" rules...card. And Cooper can grab that Reeses Peanut Butter Cup just as easy as that tootsie roll. So we tried to train Cooper in the ways of candy. I don't care what anyone says bigger IS always better! By the end of the night we had lots of delicious candy that we did not share with Cooper but we ate ourselves...until we felt sick! What a Halloween!!!

Sweet Coop Turns 1

2008-10-31T09:55:00.001-07:00

Okay I get that Coopers ACTUAL birthday was August 20th...so like 2 months ago but I would suck as a mom if I didn't have photos from Coop's big day! Coop had a water party complete with 2 kiddie pools, waterballoons, and a sprinkler ball. We let Coop eat his own cake and as you can see by the pictures... he was a fan. We had lots of kids come play and help Coop eat his birthday cake. It took us forever to get this dude clean and his highchair was a disaster! Small price to pay to see your one-year-old in pure birthday cake bliss! Loved it!

Babies...So Hot Right Now!

2008-10-20T18:27:00.000-07:00

So our 14 month old Cooper is walking and speaks a little Russian/German/Chinese combo. He's self taught. I can't believe we are having another one when just thirty seconds ago we were strapping our sweet little Cooper in his infant carseat and heading home from the hospital. Cooper has been freakin' awesome from birth. I know that's usually what first time parents say and usually their kids are the worst but our's really is great! He giggles non-stop, sings songs to himself and has the cutest little walk. One of Cooper's favorite things is collecting flags...not just any flags but the flags the utility people put in your yard to show where gas lines are. So once he had a good handful of all the flags from our yard he ran to the neighbors and started collecting theirs. The next day their flags were back up so i'm pretty sure they hate us. Since we have only lived in our new house for a week we probably owe our neighbors like a super big loaf of bread or something. We live in Johnston Iowa now...for those of you who suck at geography...it's below Minnesota and next Nebraska. Brandon got transferred here about a month ago with General Mills. He works from home which is super great for Coop and I because we get to see him all the time and I don't have to iron any button up shirts...just keep his sweats clean! I am pregnant with my second baby boy and I'm due November 17! So our little boys will be 15 months apart! We will keep you posted with the new arrival of number two!