Ice Skating

Cue Tevye singning "Tradition!!!!!"

"Every year we miss out on a fun day of snowmobiling for an afternoon of ice skating."  Says our family book of pictures and quotes.  LOL!

It's true...every New Year's Eve, our family goes skating...it started at Utah Lake, progressed to Seven Peaks, moved to Logan, and this year we switched things up and went to the Ice Skating rink in Idaho Falls.

My dad and Clay (tore a muscle in his knee?) were gracious to watch our littlest pip-squeak, Kortlen, while the rest of us hit the rink.

Please forgive me for posting all the blurry pictures...I'm learning how to use my camera.  Still. Bwahahaha!

Afterwards we headed to Pizza Hut for pizza then home for band aids (me) and baths before bed.

I didn't cry, but smiled

I have spent the last week at my mom and dads, and traveling to Kearns, UT and all around.  I finally got home and the first thing I did, even before doing laundry and putting things away, was take down the tree.

It's simple...we needed the room to move in our tiny apartment.  Even so, I'll miss our lovely tree.

This year's tree was the most beautiful tree we've ever had.  I loved it, and any angels daring to enter our wild home probably loved it too.  My mom and I joke that we do it for the angels, because visitors and/or guests are few and far between.  There were many days I'd sit on the couch for a moment when I had one, and just looked at my pretty tree.  It made me happy.  And filled my heart with many memories.

While I didn't cry, I smiled as I carefully and delicately took down each ornament, the garlands, the lights & bows, and lovingly packed them into their tissue-paper homes for the next eleven months.

When Tanner and Taylor turned around from watching a movie I put on for them, the questioned if Christmas was over.  I replied, "Even though I'm taking down all the decorations, Christmas is all year round.  If we are kind to one another and show our love for each other, Christmas is always here."

That seemed to satisfy their little minds.  I hope our little family can keep the Christmas Spirit in our hearts and spread it from our home each day, not just on Christmas Day.

Kearns Holiday Open {Swim Meet run-down}

***Picture Heavy...FYI***

Wednesday, December 28th
Tanner has been swimming since March...that's about 9 months.  He's come so far, and can successfully (without drowning) swim across the pool several times during workouts with the team.  His coach and I decided he was ready for a few meets, so we made the Holiday Open a priority.  This is a meet I attended YEARS ago, EVERY YEAR the week following Christmas.  Good times, I'm tellin' ya!  I was excited to see fellow swimmers and also to see him swim.

Since it was just me and him, I decided to make a date of the weekend and have some fun.  We ate dinner at Crown Burger (fond memories, but greasy, too) and walked Temple Square.  We even made it to the Visitor's Center to see the Christus.

Thursday, December 29th
Keith and Tricia were gracious to let us use their spare room to sleep in, and my little brother made the best egg salad sandwiches for our lunch that I've EVER had.

Then on our way to the meet (about a 30 minute drive across to the West Side of SLC) I got a phone call from my brother, saying a certain someone had likely taken his keys and he couldn't leave for work till he had them...so in the middle of the "spaghetti bowl"/Redwood Road/I-215/I-15 (can you tell I had NO clue where I was?) I turned around and made my way back to meet him and give him his house key (he found the others in his pocket. LOL!).

Tanner was signed up to swim the 50 backstroke and the 50 free.

He was excited and so was I...he did well, for his age, and for his ability.  Our goal was to beat splits of 2:44.00, since his 25 bk was 1:22...I haven't gotten the results back yet, but his time showed up on the clock as 1:56.81!!!  Although he was last place, he was racing against boys twice his age.  I am so proud of him!

Swimmer's Feet:  Peeling and nearly Raisin-like. 

Killing time while I decide what to do for
SIX HOURS!!!

When I told his coach we'd stick around for his next event (50 free), she informed me that he was to swim it the next day...I was planning on him swimming them both the same day then heading home, as that's what the online info stated.  So, we waited around at the pool for a while, and then I got up the courage to call my mom to see if she'd watch the little kids an extra day, and to call my little brother to see if we could crash at his house one more night.  They kindly said, "yes".  So then I had to figure out what to do for the next SIX hours, till Keith and his wife got home from work.

We settled on going to see Keith at work to pick up the house key we returned earlier.  Doh.  Then making a day of it at Thanksgiving Point.  (Now that I think about it, we could have got to Cabella's and watched the fish for FREE!  Another "Doh"!)

Regardless of our many options, Tanner really enjoyed the Museum of Ancient History with dinosaurs and 'cool stuff', as well as the Art Institute where we watched glass being blown and saw beautiful Stained Glass windows being constructed.

After 3 hours of that fun, I decided we should head back to Keith &; Tricia's to take naps and just relax.  On our way there, we ventured into IKEA.  That was a mistake!  I thought we'd just "go in and see what they had", but was forced by their marketing gurus to take a tour of the entire place...now I NEVER have to go back.  Talk about OVERWHELMING!!!  And EXHAUSTING.

Friday, December 30th
We woke up early and headed  back to the pool.  Long story short, Tanner didn't want to swim.  And Coach Denise wasn't going to 'make' him.  However, he DID decide to jump in after the other boys were about half way across the pool...

...and finished after a painfully embarrassing 2:33.20.  Um....yeah.  We won't be doing another swim meet till he's more proficient in the water.  Like maybe next October.

Needless to say, we were both so upset at each other, we drove straight from Kearns to Chesterfield in silence (without naps!  Just pure tension and silence.)  I'm not even joking.

After a quiet and contemplative drive to my parents', I loaded the car with Christmas Goodies, buckled in the boys and headed home.

Lesson to be learned:  Get over it and don't reminisce in the glory days through a stubborn six year old.  Time to move on.  

__________

Thank you to my mom and sisters and brothers for keeping tabs on Kortlen and Taylor.  Apparently they were 'delightful' and Kortlen 'lost' his binky, so I don't have to worry about it anymore.  YAY!  And thank you to Keith and Tricia for putting up with us two nights in a row.

Back to 'Normal'

...I think not.

My boys constructed a sling shot from a large rubber-band, some shoelaces, an elastic belt I made to keep my toddlers' pants up, their bedroom door and dresser.

Kortlen and I are dodging flying foam fingers and candy while we sit among our Christmas spoils and goodies.

We are SO not back to normal.  And I'm sure we won't be by the first of the year.

Hope you had a Merry Christmas, and we wish you a Happy New Year on top of all your craziness, too...Please tell me I'm not the only one swimming in gift wrap and new toys.  Still.


***edited to add:  I am only swimming in the bags of gifts we brought home, and just need to put it all away, lest you think we're complete slobs.  :)  It's been a very fun-filled and long week, and I am just now getting home with the kids and our haul.  That's all.

Aftermath & Preparation

The day after Christmas, Tanner begged relentlessly to "dig for dinosaurs".  One of his fun gifts was a Paleontology Kit. So we spread out a paper bag on the garage floor, and let him go to work.  While I hoped this expedition would last a few days, I wasn't surprised that it lasted less than an hour.  He was proud of his work and of his dinosaur fossil that fit together perfectly.

While he was digging and chipping and brushing away, I took advantage of being in the garage and got this fun craft done...more pics to come in the near future, I hope. :)

My intent for the checker set was for Tanner to have something fun to do while at his swim meet, besides coloring and bothering everyone else.  LOL!

Christmas Day {2011} Joys

Many blessings and many joys...here's a few we captured on this special this day...

Mom's gorgeous Tree

Waiting on the stairs to open presents

My parents and siblings at home
Keith & Tricia were in California at her parents, and Stephanie is serving a mission, currently in Vancouver, WA.

Silly Taylor, Directing Deanna, Frustrated Tanner, Content Kortlen, Annoyed Ryan.
Yup.  that's us.  

Take 63.  Not getting any better...

79th time's a charm...

Whatever, Tanner....Just don't make that face too long, or it might get stuck.  

Of course you don't look like you've just socked your brother, and kicked your mom...anyways, you're still cute.  

Kortlen isn't sure he want's to wake up...poor baby....And you're looking fab, my dear! 

*sigh*  so many fun memories.  So many good times.  Glad we'll laugh about the silliness of it all later.

Random Christmas Stuff

I have been too busy to post fun pictures of our fun-filled December, so here are a few.  First up...Gingerbread Houses!

Found some fun books at the DI and used the foam cones from our Gum-drop Trees as a base for the paper trees.  I'm loving the paper star on top, made from one of the pages.  The vintage picture is one of the many pictures I tore from the pages of the Bobbsey Twins.  ♥♥♥

My Olive Wood Nativity.  Given to me by my Grandma Crandall years ago.

And my intense need for a mantle.  LOL!

{Merry Christmas!}

For our friends and family who are regulars here, I'll spare you the Christmas Letter as you're aware of the wonderful, the crazy and the great things we've experienced this year.  However, we want to still let you know of our gratitude for you, and especially of our testimonies of Jesus Christ.

We are so very blessed to have both your love and support and the love of Christ present in our lives.

Thank you.  And Merry Christmas!  We hope you have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!

and because I really cannot decide which card I like better, here's option two.  *giggle*

AMAZING!

Wow.  Have you ever been to a Jon Schmidt Concert???  

If not, you need to make plans to go, and you won't regret it!!!  I should just go to bed right now so the songs are playing in my sleep.  

The energy in the room was phenomenal.  And hearing my sister gasp LOUDLY when her favorite songs were announced was hilarious!!!  I'm exhausted just from smiling so much, and my toes are cramped from tapping for two hours! LOL!  Makes me want to start practicing again, and get Tanner and Taylor on a piano schedule! 

Thank you to my parents and husband and siblings for making tonight memorable, and AMAZING!!!

Santa's Sleigh as been filled and there's minimal preparations to complete before Christmas Morning.  Hoorah!

Never did get to the skirt, or the cookies, but it's on my list for tomorrow morning.  I have less than 4 days left to finish it all up.  Oh, boy!

Pure Genius...not to mention talent

I'm super excited to get to see these Musical Genius' tomorrow night with my family.  SUPER EXCITED!!!

Like, YOU HAVE NO IDEA!!! I want to scream like a little girl over Justin Bieber.



Makes me want to rock out right now.  *swoon!*



I had better get those 27 plates of cookies a cookin', and that skirt a sewin', and this house a cleanin'.  Where's Mickey Mouse when you need him?! And those buckets and mops and the wizard that makes it all work?

Need another one to entertain you while you procrastinate all your Christmas hustlin' and bustlin', too?

You got it.



and the one that compels me to watch Master & Commander over and over just to hear this song:



Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand one more.  :)  Totally over played and over done, but it's fantastic, nonetheless.

....As well as embedding disabled, so you'll have to follow the link to hear their Love Story Meets Viva la Vida.

Link HERE.

tear-jerker

Pause the Christmas Music.  Watch this.  I promise.  You won't regret it.

Apartment for Rent

Just got word that our landlords are looking for some renters...

Updated last week!!! 2 bedroom, 1 bath, large kitchen (larger than other apartments we've looked into), W/D hookups in closet in kitchen, long garage (park your car and there's still room for storage!), and in a FANTASTIC WARD!!!

VERY affordable, and clean.  Ground-level entry. On 19th Street.  :)  We'd love for someone with a young family to move in!!!  Or someone who is gone all day or can withstand three rambunctious boys running on your ceiling at times! LOL!

Call Nick or Tiffany Woolstenhulme (208) 3six0-0six2four if you're interested!!!

( I really need to work on my advertising...but seriously, if you know of anybody, call soon!  These apartments always fill up fast!!!

They.Are.Still.

My lovelies woke up at 5:30 this morning, as their dad was reading his scriptures on the couch.

"Oh, NO!" I said as I willed them back to sleep.  For two hours they whispered as I dozed in and out of conciousness after Ryan had left for work.  I allowed them to get out of their beds at 7:30, and then I wished I could crawl back into mine for the rest of the day.  I have had a terrible sore throat, and no amount of Chloraseptic or Coke has helped at all today.

And so it has been, all.day.long.  Nobody had naps.  Well, I take that back.  Kortlen slept this morning for about an hour.  Needless to say, he went to bed promptly at 6 pm.  (Boy, we've come a long way in six years!)  The boys watched Caillou on Netflix while I lay on the floor in front of the space heater watching Miracle on 34th Street in my bedroom.  I was supposed to be folding laundry, but slipped into a 30 minute coma.  I was obviously too tired to care if boys brushed teeth, or if they went pee after changing into jammies.

I was awakened when my six year old came in and announced that he was tired.  And he was going to bed.  I left my room to get a drink, knowing that Taylor, who had taken my spot on the floor, would be sound asleep within five minutes.  And he was.  That was at 9 pm.

*happy sigh!!!* 

They.Are.Still.  And they are asleep.  And I still have laundry to fold and a Christmas skirt pattern to alter because everyone is getting/has gotten new Sunday clothes for Christmas/birthdays and I need something, too.  I guess I had better get cutting, folding, pinning, and fitting!

__________

We just had three birthdays in the last two weeks.  Do you think I had the energy to get out the camera and snap JUST ONE SHOT???  Sadly, no.  And I feel terrible that I was so lame.  Because the boys, Ryan included, all had WONDERFUL days....We celebrated for 10 days straight!!!  From December 3rd to the 13th.  I just barely took down the "Happy Birthday" banner and popped the balloons yesterday.  I am ready for Christmas.  And ready for bed.  

Tanner, age 6

Favorite Color:  "uh, Blue and Gold.  Actually, mom, take the blue and gold away, my new color is actually gold."

Favorite Song:  "the church song"  (I Belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints)

Favorite Movie:  "uh…..hmmm…Sonic Underground, Duck Tales, and the How to Train your Dragon Movie"

Favorite Toys:  "my car white and gold hotwheels car"

Scared of: "monsters and ghosts"

Pet Peeves:  "what bothers me is my brother named Taylor Lynn Poulsen"

Favorite Things to Do:  "Play with my cool gold and white car and I like to play in the forts my brudder makes"

Bad Habits:  "Sometimes I follow what my mom does and I think sometimes when I do that stuff I think it’s not good to be following what my mudder and father are doing, like saying bad words." (Yeah.  Working on That. Duck-head-now)

Good Habits: "I ask my brother nicely to give me the toys." 

Favorite Thing to Say:  "Sonic and Robotnic.  I also have one more, you know what it is?  Scrooge McDuck."

What do I do that makes my mommy laugh the hardest: "*giggling*  I laugh and then you laugh.  And also when I’m telling you all this stuff and you’re reading it to me." 

What does daddy do at work?  "He workses at his work.   When people need to buy stuff at the work he’s working at, he is gonna check how much dollars it costs."  (We also need to work on past and present tense. LOL!)
What do you want to be when you grow up: "I want to be uhhhhhhh…..An animal doctor.  I take care of amimals that people are worried what’s happenin’ to them."

Who’s your best friend:  "Renee"

Best thing that happened this year: " My mom and Tanner got to make our present for our dad."

Worst thing:  "That now it’s changing back to the times that Tanner and Taylor got lots of spankins." (uh....not sure where this is coming from because it's been an awful long time since he's had one.  LOL!)

Goal:  "I want to be the fastest at my school for putting my folder in the bin."

Alright, then!  That was hilarious and slightly embarrassing.  Actually, it was VERY embarrassing.   

{O Christmas Tree}

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,

How lovely are thy branches!

Not only green when summer's here

But in the coldest time of year.

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,

How lovely are thy branches!

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,

How sturdy God hath made thee!

Thou bidds't us all place faithfully

Our trust in God, unchangingly!

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,

How sturdy God hath made thee!

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,

Thy candles shine out brightly!

Each bough doth hold its tiny light,

That makes each toy to sparkle bright.

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,

Thy candles shine out brightly!

When you're in college, you do whatever it takes to make your stinky apartment to feel like home...

Way to make it work, Katelyn!

And then you hope that you get to the point in life that you can start collecting fun ornaments for the real trees in your life...

For that day in the future when I have my blog printed, I thought it would be fun to have a little history on some of the ornaments that adorn our beautiful Christmas Tree each year.

One of the first ornaments, a Hallmark.  My boys LOVE to look at this sweet ornament!
Waiting.  Watching.  Wondering. 

Tanner's First Ornament, 2005

Taylor's First Ornament, 2007

Kortlen's First Ornament, 2010

From Ryan's mom, for our first Christmas...our poor Gingerbread Couple is turning a bit green. LOL!

I worked at Porter's for a few years and personalized ornaments each Christmas season...this glass -blown snowflake is my favorite!  It has already had a few casualties, but is still beautiful. 

One of MY first ornaments...a Noah's Ark, circa 1984.  I have three 'First' ornaments, but this is my favorite. 

At our wedding reception, we had a tree with tiny frames of Ryan and I when we were younger.  Now they hang from the  strong branches near the bottom of the tree where our boys enjoy looking at 'mom' & 'dad' when they were little.

One year (around 1993) when we brought a tree home from the ranch in Wyoming, we found a birds nest nestled in the branches.  My mom kept that nest till it fell apart, nearly 10 years!  Now, I look for a nest in my parents' "Wyoming Pines" and am lucky to find one every year!  I took pictures of this sweet nest earlier this Spring with 5 little eggs inside. :)

Ho, Ho, Ho!  Merry Christmas!  We picked up this cute Santa in West Yellowstone to remember our fun canoe trip in 2010.

I picked up a few boxes of silver, red, and matte red bulbs at Target last year (36 ornaments for less than $2!!!) to replace the 25+ year old red bulbs  I inherited from my mom and dad when I was a college student.  

Baby Jesus in a humble walnut shell.  Made by  my friend, Devon, for each primary child in 2010. She and her family cracked EVERY.SINGLE.WALNUT shell open to make these for over 100 children. ♥♥♥  

Our  three snow-boys, Kortlen, Taylor, and Tanner.

Blue Silk Elephant brought home from Cambodia by Reed, 2009.

"Every Knee will Bow" - to help us remember how helpful Santa is.

I have a set of music ornaments that were my mother's mother's.  Each time I see them, I think of my grandma.
My mom had ROLLS and ROLLS of the red bead garlands, and I inherited their beauty!  Every year I think I should get rid of them, for fear there's lead in them (they're probably 20+ years old!) but they remind me of my mom's beautiful trees, so I keep them around.

And this fun one that Kortlen JUST HAD to get in on!!!  Such a cute little show-off!