Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Story Time

I was in the laundry room folding clothes and I looked over and saw this. Emma just loves to read books. She will bring a book up to me and ask me to read it to her. I have made it my goal to stop whatever I'm doing and read it to her. Someday she won't want mommy reading her stories anymore.

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Airborn Sledding!

We had our very first sledding adventure of the New Year. There were jumps at the bottom of a couple of the sled hills and thanks to my new found toy from Mick on Christmas, I was able to catch some pretty fun shots. It was a warm day which was perfect to be outside. We invited our good friends Brett and Andrea to come too.
What a good daddy Mick is. Our kids think the world absolutely revolves around him... as they should. Mick and I were saying that it was nice because we are finally to the point that we can go sledding with the kids and don't have to pack them up the hill every time. It makes it so much funner when you you aren't completely dead after 2 runs. Emma actually climbed the hills most of the time all by herself.
Ariana spent most of the time sliding down this hill on her hind end. She got moving pretty good too. She is always so animated at everything she does.
Even Lucious catches air off the little jump at the bottom of the butt hill. It was so cute to watch her hike the hill and slide down and do it over and over again. It's amazing how something like that can keep a little one so entertained for such a long time. She loved it.
Bet did pretty good about not landing on her head until this one. Luckily she wasn't too hurt.
Then Mick and I decided that we needed to get in on the action. . .
When you were a kid you didn't really worry to much about flying off jumps with just a little tiny piece of plastic between your tailbone and the ground, but as an adult. . . in midair you realize that this is going to kick my butt. The very first run I went down, Brett told me he scored it a 1 and so I couldn't be judged with just a 1 so I had to go up the hill even farther to get a better score. Luckily I did better the next few times around.
I love this pic because Hana is just a squealing and laughing all the way down the hill with her daddy. Mick has his foot out as if that's going to stop them from the jump at the bottom.

Christmas Day

We had such a great Chrismas this year! I was so excited for all the things that I was giving everyone and Mick gave me the best and nicest present I have ever gotten on Christmas. I got a new camera. . . Oh yes, the one that I have drooled over for a VERY long time! I was beyond excited and very surprised. He gave me the lens first and when I opened it and saw it sitting there, my eyes about popped out of my head. Then he asked if that was the right lens for my camera and I realized that he meant my old camera. I had to hurry and put on my happy face because I didn't want to act diappointed with his present. Then he asked if it was the right brand. When I saw it was a Canon lens, I bet I had a grin from ear to ear. What a turd to tease me like that! He definitely got the "best husband of the year" award for that one. I had my nose in the manual for about an hour after that. I have had so much fun using it since then. It takes pics so amazingly fast. He is so sweet and such a good hubbie to me. Thank you buddy!
Bethany wanted a 3 barrel so bad. I think she looks so beautiful with her hair done like that.
I thought this pic was so cute of Grandma Julie showing Lucious that there was one more present for her under the tree. We went by Mick's parent's house that afternoon and stayed for a few hours. Grandma and Grandpa gave the kids some really fun things. They also got presents from Justin and Lara and Pete and Kenna. Thanks you guys! You are all so sweet. I am so lucky to have good inlaws that I get along with so well.
Mick knew that I was snapping a million pics with my new camera. He always calls me "Photo Phylis" and he told me that I was "Turbo Photo Phylis" that day. So he was really hamming up looking in his stocking. You would have thought there was an envelope for 100 grand in there.
We have started getting together as a family on Christmas night at my mom and dad's house to have family dinner and open presents. It is really cool because it always seemed like after Christmas morning the day was so blah after the excitement was over. This way it stays an exciting day right until the end. My grandma and grandpa Jorgensen and grandpa Johansen came down. It is always good to see them. I have been so lucky to be as close to my grandparents as I am. I really miss my grandma Jo. She was an awesome lady who was always doing things for others. She was so cool and laid back. Truly someone I want to be like. My brother Mark and his wife Shae, my brother Alan and his wife Emilie and little Sammy, and my sis Kristen and her husband Chris were all there. The only ones missing were my little Bro Brian and his wife Maribel.
The kids could hardly make it through dinner, they were so excited to rip those presents open! I think it is so funny because in all the pictures that I took after dinner, they all have red punch mustaches. Thank heavens none of that landed on Mama Jo's carpet. Not a good thing.
Now this child looks psychotic. And thank you mama jo for the automatic dart gun that has had darts flying at my backside since Christmas. That gun packs some power I tell ya. I think the only thing that would have made it better would have been to get Mick one. Actually, maybe not because I would have truly been caught in the crossfire. Mick has shot this gun just as much as Ty has. And he thinks he has grown up!
Grandpa Jorgensen helping Lucious get the ribbon off her present. Grandpa is so cute with my kids. He will tickle them and they just love it. I remember loving that as a kid. We'd finally escape and then we'd go back for more. I hate for someone to tickle me now. What was I thinking back then?
Mom and I had both given Bethany scrapbook things on Christmas so when I pull my stuff out to make cards, she can do that with me. Mick and I were trying to think of things to give the kids that wouldn't just be all toys to go in the toy box that won't be played with within a week or two. She has made me so many sweet little cards since then. I gave Ariana some things too and they have both had so much fun making things together.
I was so sad to take down the Christmas tree and put away all my Christmas decorations this year. It has been such a great season. My kids are the perfect age and it makes it so much fun. It is truly my very favorite holiday.

Sunday, January 4, 2009

New Pajamas for Christmas Eve

Every year the kids get to open one present on Christmas Eve and they are always new jammies to wear to bed. (My mom always gave us pjs too, but she would actually sew ours every year. That just isn't happening for my poor kids.) The kids were a little OVER anxious this year. They were asking to open their presents after breakfast. It was Christmas Eve after all they informed me. Christmas Eve was a lot of fun this year. The kids were pinging off the walls by late afternoon and I had to keep reminding myself how excited I was as a kid the day before. We have dinner as a family on Christmas Eve night w the nice dishes and the candles lit. The kids absolutely love it.

We sat together by the wood burning stove and read the story of Jesus' birth out of the scriptures. The girls were so wound up, they didn't really listen all that well. It's kind of hard to have a spiritual moment when they keep giggling and poking each other. I'm hoping that somewhere in there they will get something out of it.

The girls wanted to model their new pjs. Bet and Hana's were Hannah Montana and so they are posing as rockstars. Emma picks up on everything they do and has to do it to. I have to laugh because Hana hasn't wanted to take those pjs off since. Every day during Christmas Break it was a fight just to get her dressed every day because she wanted to wear them ALL day.

Ty had to pose too of course. That is a killer sword made out of the wrapping paper roll. Very intimidating Bones.