...Purely Poulsen...

My Little Softies

2010-03-11T22:02:00.000-08:00

My Mom made these for my girls. Aren't they just adorable. So here is the quiz...can you guess who is who?

Want to make one? Check it...Check it out...HERE!

Cora's Birthday {number 2}

2010-01-27T22:58:00.000-08:00

So I know her birthday was back in October, but Im still catching up from way back when.

Gathering for Birthdays is one of my favorite activities.

Family + Food + Presents + Cake = Lots of fun!

She loves cakes, just like her mommy.

Gram-me paper crafted a very cute frame for her.

Aunt Adrienne made this adorable sock monkey, which she loves.

The Kennellys made her this fun ipod shirt for her.

She likes to pretend to push the buttons.

Cora also likes having her own special place to sit.

That is when Maggie isn't being a chair hog!

Here are some of Cora's favorite Apps made into cute mini cupcakes.

These were fun to make....and eat!

Mag's sure enjoyed them.

Hmmm...Picking Party Ideas For Cora?

2010-01-27T22:57:00.000-08:00

Coming up with the theme for Coras birthday wasn't that hard. Anyone who knows her knows she is our little tech-girl. Some of you have even been the victims of her random emails and facebook postings.

Halloween 2009

2010-01-27T22:35:00.000-08:00

Candy...Costumes...and Parties.

No wonder the kids all love Halloween so much.

This year we kept it simple. We headed over to the local pumpkin patch to play a little. Then we headed to Gram-me's to play some more. Then ended the night gathering treats at our wards Trunk or Treat and Chili Cook off.

So as we are getting older we are begining to out grow the costumes we own. Lizzie managed to fit into a hand-me-down princess dress from her cousin Madilyn. Cora and Maggie are wearing Lizzie and Trevors old costumes from a few years back. But there was no way Trevor was going to squeeze into his Buzz Lightyear costume again. It was tight enough last year. So I asked what he wanted to be and he said a plane. And this is what I came up with...

He was thrilled. I even managed to find some old Buzz Lightyear stickers for him to decorate his plane with.

It's not often we get a family picture with all of us in it. Here is the Poulsen Clan, Trevor is the pilot. Maggie is Squirt from Finding Nemo. Lizzie is Sleeping Beauty. Cora is Jesse from Toy Story. I was a Jelly Fish, but I didn't think to get it out for the picture, and Todd was...well...Todd.

Happy Halloween

Birthday Capes

2010-01-27T22:30:00.000-08:00

These were really easy and really fun to make. I found the tutorial over at The Pleated Poppy.

I made them for my niece and nephew Isabella and Donovan for their birthdays. Lizzie and Trevor couldn't wait to try them out. You know to make sure they worked and all.

Oak Glen Fieldtrip 2009

2010-01-27T22:25:00.001-08:00

After the fires up in Oak Glen this year I was very excited to hear that all the orchards were safe and that we would still be able to go on our field trip to Snowline. It was a beautiful day with such nice weather, and what was even better was that the girls were in a good mood. It made for a very pleasant morning.

Yummy Apples

Cranking the wheel and making apple cider.

Crush those apples Trevor!

Amy's Farm

2010-01-27T22:25:00.000-08:00

This was our second time visiting Amy's Farm and it was just as fun as the first. We got to see their huge mother cow, and pet the goats. We picked carrots from their garden to feed to the horses. But we had to make sure we watched where we stepped. The ground was wriggling with tons of little caterpillars.

One Very Hot Day and One Special Birthday

2010-01-27T22:20:00.000-08:00

Over the Summer we celebrated Grandma LaRue Poulsen's 90th Birthday. It was good to see and meet so many Poulsen relatives. It was very hot that day. The temperature was well into the 100's and we had fun finding ways to stay cool. I think the key ingredient for a fun Summer Party is

Water...

Water....

and more Water!!

and she is just CUTE!

A Conversation With Trevor

2010-01-25T14:22:00.000-08:00

On the way home from picking Lizzie up from school Trevor asked:

Trevor: "Mom, where is dad's work?"

Mom: "Dad doesn't work in one place. He works wherever people want work done. So right now he is working by the Hospital."

Trevor: "AT THE HOSPITAL!!"

Mom: "No not at the hospital, BY the hospital. You know the place where you were all born. He is working in a house around the corner from it.

Trevor: "I wasn't born in a Hospital. I was dropped from the air by Jesus."

Yeah, I think he is getting his stories a little mixed up.

A Stupendously Superb Celebration

2010-01-12T21:50:00.000-08:00

That's exactly how Moose A. Moose and Zee would describe this BIRTHDAY.

On August 29th we celebrated Tristan and Maggies First Birthdays. Tristan being the elder by 4 days. Maggie was born on September 2nd. It's been fun watching these two grow. They get to play together every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and have a cute little friendship. They have grown so much it's actually hard to believe that they are only one. But I keep reminding myself to take it all in. Maggie is my last baby, and I am experiencing the "Last of the Firsts". It's somewhat bittersweet, but I think she knows it and is going to take advantage of it every chance she gets. Maggie is unlike any of my other children. She is feisty and determined. I think she knows that being number 4 means you have to be loud if you don't want to get overlooked. This sweet girl can melt my heart and have me pulling my hair out all in the same moment.

I Love you Mag-pie!

Melissa made the super cute Moose A. Moose rice crispy treat. And she helped me make the adorable Zee cupcakes. It's so much fun making these sweet treats.

Maggie and Tristan were pretty excited to be so close to the treats.

I love how Tristan glances back to make sure they won't stop him. While Maggie gazes wonderingly at the icing on her fingers. She is very quick, and if you're not careful she will snatch things right out of your hand. Isn't that right Tristan. Just ask him he'll tell you all about the disappearing beef jerky story or the missing fruit sancks...bottle....

Oh yeah...that's good!

Sweet. I get a whole cupcake. Hurry dad sit me down and let me have at it!

Well birthdays aren't all about "Sweet Tweets" (hehe I couldn't resist). We did some coloring and of course you can't come over to my house without playing some version of pin the tail on the donkey. Here we are playing Pin The Flower on Zee. Wow isn't it amazing how close Trevor made it to the right spot. Hmmmm I wonder if he was cheating?

And you can't forget presents! But you can forget to take pictures of them. I might have to check Grandma's camera or Aunt Meli maybe they have some.

Happy Birthday Maggie and Tristan.

$3 Chair...My First DIY Project

2010-01-09T23:22:00.001-08:00

I love to visit the blogs of super crafty and clever people. I really enjoy watching them revamp old furniture and show us the before and after pictures. It has inspired me to try my hands at it. Here is my first project. I found this little chair at a garage sale and thought it would be a perfect gift for Cora's birthday.

Here is the before

And here is the after. Cora loves her chair and so does Maggie.

On my 5th Day of Kindergarten....

2009-08-18T20:53:00.000-07:00

My mom finally took my picture. Yep that's just how we roll. Everyone takes a picture of their kid on the 1st day of school, why not be a little different. That's my story and Im sticking to it!!

Learning to Share with Cheetos

2009-08-07T02:36:00.000-07:00

Is it possible to inherit a love of Cheetos? I used to eat them all the time as a teenager and my kids love them too. Then I find out that Gramma Sparks (my fathers Mother) also loves cheetos. This makes me happy. It may seem like a silly little nothing, but to me it makes me feel just a little bit closer to the ones I love.

I walked into the kitchen and saw this. I quickly grabbed the camera to capture this small moment.

Attack of the Popcorn Popper Monster

2009-08-07T01:50:00.000-07:00

Aarrrgghhhh!

Batter Baby

2009-08-07T00:56:00.000-07:00

This girl has more in common with me than just those curls. We both love to lick the batter bowl and sneak bites of the bread dough. She heads straight to the kitchen whenever she hears the mixer or bread maker running. She pulls the chair over to the counter, climbs up and sits there till she gets a taste or two or three. ..

Pizza Dough

Banana Muffins

Summer Fun Fridays

2009-08-06T22:18:00.000-07:00

We had a lot of fun this past summer. Every friday we tried to get out and have an adventure with Gram-me, Meli and Tristan.

This friday we went to Ford Street Park to feed the ducks and run around a little. Then we finished the day off with a little ice cream from Thrifty's. It was a nice summer day.

The nice thing about going to the park early is that the ducks are actually hungry, so they will swim to you. These are some well fed ducks.

Too Cool!

Want to Hear a Story?

So Im taking a picture of this cute little duck couple when I suddenly see something in the background.....TREVOR!! What is he doing all the way over there? And if that is not enough he is standing on one of the ponds drains. On the backside of these drains are little water slides. We were playing on one earlier taking fun pictures like the one below. Then all of a sudden he jumps down the backside of this drain and disappears from sight. Oh yeah I totally freaked and ran like a crazy lady around the pond only to find......

This little ramp. Crazy Boy!!!

Fun Friday: Lake Arrowhead

2009-08-05T23:04:00.000-07:00

This trip is still fresh in my children's memories. How could you forget your first trip to the Belgian Waffle Works. Where you can order waffles topped with ICE CREAM!! Check out these huge platefuls. The kids were in sugar heaven. Or my personal favorite the Benedict Waffle. So Yummy!! Is it summer yet, I'm getting a craving.

Here is Trevor's waffle a la mode.

Liz is in chocolate heaven.

After our tummies were full it's time to feed the ducks. Oh and the fish too.

Then to work off some of that sugar how about a little bowling. This fun friday was extra special since Grandpa was able to join us. With a crowd like this, it was a good thing the place was empty.

Even though the babies couldn't bowl they found other ways to entertain. Love that Tristan.

Fun Friday: Jump Zone

2009-08-04T22:45:00.000-07:00

This is a fun place to go on a hot summer day. It's air conditioned and the kids can run like crazy and burn off all their energy.

We are always outnumbered 5 to 3 on our little adventures. It can be fun and a little stressful juggling (literally in this picture) all those kids.

I think this was Cora and Maggie's favorite part. They sat in this little saucer while we spun them around and around.

They have a little toddler section which was perfect for our 3 toddlers.

Shhhh, don't tell anyone. You're not supposed to slide down together, but come on, you have to at least once.

And since the kids spent the last few hours running around we had the brilliant idea to fill them up with some sugar.

Fun Friday: San Bernardino County Museum

2009-08-03T23:25:00.000-07:00

We have been to this little museum several times. The nice thing about kids is that they never tire of looking at stuffed animals. But don't forget to head over to the live insect exhibit.

Yeah it's my favorite (note sarcasm).

Does Maggie actually have little chubby cheeks in this picture?

Watch out for baby eating birds. This one almost took off with Tristan.

Who Who is touching my wing?

My Magpie is chillin' with the Magpie Lark.

That is one big steering wheel.

Now wouldn't it be really fun if it actually spun around.

Fun Friday: Children's Museum and Ruby's

2009-08-03T21:49:00.000-07:00

Since the kids had such a fun time on their field trips to this place, we thought we we head on over this summer. Again it is nice and cool inside with lots of things to keep the kids entertained.

This is one of Liz's favorite parts of the museum. Well done Liz, another delicious pizza!

Officer Trevor and Cora on duty.

Geesh this kid looks hungry someone get him some food. How about a tasty Ruby's Burger and Chocolate malt to wash it down with.

What better way to start off lunch then with a tall shake and a cup of ice cream.

Preschool Graduation

2009-08-03T00:14:00.000-07:00

Preschool this year was tons of fun and very busy. I pulled double duty with Lizzie in the older class and Trevor in the younger one. I learned so much this year and am so grateful to have found such a good program for my children and myself.

This was Lizzie's last year in Preschool. She has matured so much this year and will be very ready for Kindergarten.

Trevor had a good year learning tons and making friends.

Trevor decided to wink at everyone this night.

So he is making this face in almost every picture. Crazy Kid.

A little excited, just a little.

Check It, Check It OUT!

2009-08-02T23:09:00.000-07:00

....Not So Idle Hands....

This is a site that I really enjoy visiting. She has lots of great ideas and tutorials. As a matter of fact we will be creating a few at our upcoming Christmas in October Activity. So head on over check it out and enter the giveaway while you're there.

Looth Tooth

2009-08-02T22:29:00.000-07:00

This morning Miss Lizz lost her first tooth. She was very excited, then we almost lost it down the sink. Oh my, could you just imagine if that happened. I don't even want to go there. And just last week the purl bee posted this cute tutorial and I had to make one for her little tooth. So sweet and VERY easy to make. The little tooth goes in the tooth pocket, isn't that adorable.

Getting Crafty

2009-07-14T08:05:00.001-07:00

So working on this Quietbook Swap has got me feeling all kinds of Crafty. I've been having lots of fun searching through blogs and finding fun little projects to work on. We celebrated my Sweet little niece Ella's Birthday this Sunday and that gave a the perfect opportunity to make this cute "kids flick" purse that I found on the object project. Then I added a sweet little felt flower I found on Craft Leftovers. I think it turned out cute and it was super simple to make. I left the bag of buttons out and Lizzie really wanted me to make something with them so I made a bracelet for both her and Ella. I found the tutorial for the bracelet over at creative kismet. Happy Crafting!

Our Happy 4th of July

2009-07-14T07:38:00.000-07:00

We had a busy but great 4th of July. We started the day at the Scout Flag Ceremony and Pancake Breakfast. Todd left early to help cook and I showed up later with the kids. What I didn't know was that he was going to cook the whole time. Thanks to the muffin table and Lizzie the kids all sat in their seats while I waited in line to get the pancakes. After Breakfast we headed over to the Kennelly's for Lunch and Swimming. This year was the first time I was able to get my ENTIRE family in the water HAPPILY!!! No more fear of water, Yay! It was a lot of fun and it kept us nice and cool. Next we headed over to the U of R for the fireworks show. I love going here. We always meet up with a bunch of friends and hangout all night. This year the show was fantastic. It's amazing how with a little less money you can come up with a better show. I think they put more emphasis on why celebrate this wonderful Holiday. The Red White and Blue finale took my breath away, and it just kept going and going, even after the music had stopped and they were offering their thanks to those who helped put on the show. Anyway it was a great day. God Bless America!

Every year they have the parachuters drop down from the sky and land on the track. So Cool. The kids really get a kick out of this.

Here is Trevor busting a move to the Celebrity "look alike" Singer. Not sure who it was though? But it was from the Disco Era so all the kids where getting their groove on.

Yes you are seeing this correctly. That is Lizzie, Isabella and Trevor jumping in the pool unassisted. During swim lessons Lizzie wouldn't jump into the pool unless she was holding the teachers hands. And Trevor would never jump in, he would run away and grab his towel instead. So now swimming has become a fun summer activity for us FINALLY!!

Climbing Rocks

2009-07-06T10:11:00.000-07:00

A few weekends ago we headed up to Big Bear (such a pretty drive) with Gwen and Bennett Milloy. Todd's found a new hobby and yep that's right I climbed a rock. I haven't done this since I was back in YW's. It' wasn't pretty but I did it. What surprised me the most was that the kids wanted to try, well at least put on the cool gear. Lizzie made it up farther then Trevor. That was a real shocker.

I was so impressed watching Bennett and Gwen practically run up the rocks. They are some serious "rock stars'. Oh man that was a really cheesy pun, but I couldn't pass it up. Once again Mama Sparks would be so proud.

There's Cora hanging out with Gwen playing with the ipod touch. Why doesn't that surprise me. She's better at that thing than I am.

I've discovered I have a little adventure seeker. She really is a daddy's girl. She was all over the rocks. Her motto seemed to be why follow the trail when you can go through the trees.

Check her out. Mama's so proud.

Yep we even brought the Mag-pie. But what we didn't bring was the baby sling. We could have really used that.

Trevor loved the idea of climbing the rocks. He wasn't however a fan of actually doing it.

Minute Mug Cake

2009-07-06T10:00:00.000-07:00

For Father's Day we painted mugs and filled them with the ingredients for a "Minute Chocolate Mug Cake". I think the kids liked it more than their daddy did though. But it's going on my list of quick and easy treats.

Here's how you make one...

Mix in your Mug: 1 egg, 3 Tbs. Milk, 3 Tbs. Oil, a splash of vanilla, 4 Tbs. Flour, 4 Tbs. Sugar, 2 Tbs. Cocoa, and 3 Tbs. Chocolate Chips. Cook in Microwave for about 2.5 minutes, cool slightly, turn out, and enjoy.

Try it out and see how you like it, or experiment and come up with your own creative concoctions. Although I do not suggest doing what Trevor did and add the chicken seasoning that was sitting on the counter. But we did make him a cinnamon vanilla cake since he is not a chocolate fan. 2.5 minutes and I have some happy kids. Love it!

A little sprinkle of powdered sugar and it is ready to eat.

A Poppin' Good Time

2009-07-06T09:45:00.000-07:00

This happened a while ago, but I love the picture so I wanted to post it. We had a surprise visit on afternoon from Cheryl, Kendell, Sydney and Thys a few weeks ago. So of course we made popcorn. Kids love watching it pop everywhere. Plus it just tastes so good.

Summer Kickoff Tradition

2009-07-06T09:38:00.000-07:00

This is one of my Favorite Traditions. To start off Summer we head down to Balboa Beach by way of Ferry Boat thanks to last years driving adventure. We always go early in the morning before it gets too hot and enjoy some sand, water and doughnuts. Then before heading home we grab some Rubys off the Pier where the kids walk around looking at all the fish the fisherman have caught off the end of the pier. This year there were some interesting finds. We saw a pod of dolphins swimming close to shore. Then on the pier we saw a Seal swimming in the water enjoying the fish from all the fisherman. And someone caught a Shovelnose Guitarfish. The kids found that fascinating.

Yep the sand was that good :)

She really enjoyed her (my) chocolate malt.

Those doughnuts sure were good.

Cora really enjoyed playing in the sand.

Mmmmmm......

So Tristan started crawling away from us and we were trying to figure out where he was going. He was trying to catch himself a Seagull.

This was the first year that we, well Trevor and Grandma :) played in the water.

We always find it entertaining that we drive all the way to the beach so the kids can play on the playground.

"Mom, where's the ziplock baggies?"

2009-07-06T09:14:00.000-07:00

So we were down to the last few weeks of school and Lizzie was really surprising me. She was waking up and getting dressed before I had even crawled out of bed. Well on this particular day I was woken up by her asking me for a ziplock baggie. I was really out of it and confused but finally figured out what she was asking. I told her they were in the cupboard. Later that morning when I started to make lunches, Lizzie informed me that she had already made hers. Cool one less thing I had to do, and off to school we went.

Here is her lunch....Graham Crackers (in a baggie),

Marshmallows and chocolate chips. The popcorn was a snack we made in class.

I'll be checking lunch bags from now on.

Trevors Graduation

2009-07-06T08:55:00.000-07:00

We had a lot of fun in school this year, and we made lots of friends. Here is Trevor, Will and Jack goofing around and being boys.

Hmmm...I wonder who did this? Trevor, maybe?

I love the doing body tracings, but what I love more is that Trevor is winking at me.

Year One done. Summer here we come!

Lizzies Graduation

2009-07-06T08:54:00.000-07:00

It's been a great year of learning and growing for our Miss Liz. Kindergarten here we come!

Lizzie and Olivia enjoying a slice.

Check this out Mom!

Congratulations Lizzie, and Thank you Mrs. Morales for making learning fun.

Rancho Mirage Children's Museum

2009-07-01T11:40:00.000-07:00

Our last field trip this year was all the way out in Rancho Mirage, but it was worth the drive. The Children's Museum out there is fantastic. We had such a great time. Trevor was all over the place. I could hardly keep up with him, and Lizzie was in creativity, imagination heaven.

Here is the stringless harp and one of the few pictures I managed to get of Trevor.

The painted car was awesome. Lizzie had a blast leaving her mark (and layer of paint) behind.

Whenever I couldn't find Trevor this was the first place I looked. He is constructing a tunnel for the little balls to travel through.

The pizza was delicious, and boy did they make lots of pizza.

Show me that upper arm strength. First one to the top wins.

Now this maze was by far the coolest. Trevor didn't have the patience for it, but Lizzie did pretty well after she got the hang of it. You tie clip one end of the rope to yourself and the other to one of the colored ropes twisted around the poles. Then you had to follow your rope while weave in, out and around the tangled mess till you got to the end.

Officer Lizzie On Duty!

If your looking for a fun interactive place to go and you don't mind the drive. Head on over to the Children's Discovery Museum, you are guaranteed a good time.

Last Day of School

2009-07-01T11:25:00.000-07:00

On our last day of school we headed over to the bowling alley to play one last time with our friends. They had a great time rolling the ball down the lane.

Here's Trevor and Tatum taking a break and sharing some pretzels.

Trevor was excited that Xander joined our class towards the end of the year. They had a lot of fun playing together. Nice smile Trevor.

Graceful Lizzie

2009-07-01T10:24:00.000-07:00

Is she a bird or is she bowling? Maybe she is bowling like a bird. It's never boring with her around. That's right I got to go bowling twice in one week. It sure is fun being a preschool mom.

Super Six Celebration

2009-06-24T10:36:00.000-07:00

I know, I know! It's been a month and I am now posting about Miss Liz's Birthday. Im a little behind to say the least. But how could I not post about this special day. It was such a great party filled with family and food and fun. Here are some of the things we did.....

We ate Yummy Butterfly Cupcakes

(thanks meli and mom for helping me make the butterflies)

Lizzie decided that she wanted butterflies at her birthday so I came up with this quick kid friendly craft. We bunched up several layers of tissue paper and held it together with clothes pins that they had colored with markers. Then I made colored water and put it in spray bottles to color the wings and voila (is that the right word?) you have butterflies.

We kept nice and cool by splashing in the pool

(hehe that rhymes)

And what's a party without Purple Gobbley Goo? (aka cornstarch and water)

Although some of us (CORA) called it lunch!

It was a very fun day and Lizzie felt very special. I have the best family. Love you guys!!!

The Sleeping Chair??

2009-06-24T10:34:00.000-07:00

So Im not sure if this is Maggies feeding chair or sleeping chair. Every time she gets in her chair she falls asleep. EVERY TIME!!! What's that all about? Plus she always sleeps in the same position.

Mac n' Cheese Burritos

2009-06-24T10:33:00.000-07:00

Getting Lizzie to eat is always a chore. So I was a little surprised when I asked what she would like to eat and this was her answer: "I have a delicious idea". I was then instructed to take a tortilla and put some macaroni and cheese inside it and fold it up. And just like that we now have Lizzie's Famous Mac N' Cheese Burrito.

Hungry Little Caterpillars

2009-06-24T10:32:00.001-07:00

My kids love playing with Perler Bead and making their own little creations. We were studying about caterpillars in school and working on making our "Very Hungry Caterpillar" books at school, so I can only guess they were the inspiration to these little creations of Trevor's. He told me the little white dots are the eggs that lay on the leaf.

Feeling Saucy

2009-05-02T01:13:00.001-07:00

We are swimming in Marinara and Enchilada Sauce, and I love it. It has sort of become an annual tradition to get together with my Sister's In Law and have a huge sauce making party. We canned these back in March and I think this was our best batch yet. Lizzie and Trevor have actually started to just eat the Marinara Sauce right out of the jar. They have no idea that their "pizza sauce" is filled with carrots, kale, and spinach. It's great.

Who Says An Infant Seat Is Just For Infants?

2009-05-02T01:06:00.000-07:00

It doubles as a nice cozy bed too.

How Do You Like My Dance Moves?

2009-04-16T20:55:00.000-07:00

My Interpretation of Maggie's Thoughts:

No mom I will not sit up, but how do you like this move?

Okay how about this, Is this close enough for you? Now let me play!

I Was In The Kitchen When....

2009-04-13T22:22:00.000-07:00

I heard a loud "THUNK". I immediately stop what I am doing and wait for the inevitable cry to follow. Only it never came. Instead I heard little cheers of excitement. When I headed into the living room to find out what was going on this is what I found.

She finally did it. All week long she has been trying to push over this table. Who knew upside down tables could be so much fun.

"I Don't Believe It!!!"

2009-04-13T08:25:00.000-07:00

That was Trevor's response when he walked into Grandma's craft room on Friday. Grandpa bought a few new tracks for his Train set and had set it all up. Here they are fixing it up again after Cora, Cora, Cora the Destroyer (sung to the tune of Dora the Explorer) had a run in with it. These two kids look pretty happy playing with their trains.

Dinosaur Hill

2009-04-12T23:19:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago Lizzie and Trevor's classes combined for a fun and educational field-trip to

Jurupa Mountains Cultural Center.

We learned all about different types of minerals and how they are used. We also got to touch a fossil of dinosaur poop. The kids got a kick out of that. But I would have to say the coolest was the magnetized rock and the nail. Lizzie was a little nervous but found the courage to try it.

After learning about minerals we hit the trails to see all the dinosaur sculptures. I thought this guy looked like a psycho gopher.

I don't know which is scarier the T-rex or the glare Trevor is giving me.

This was the coolest sculpture of a brachiosaurus. It was "Ginourmous". Trevor, Jack, Liz, and Olivia look up in amazement.

At the top of the hill are these cool sculptures. This was as close as Trevor was going to get to them. He makes me laugh so much.

Big Hug, Tight Squeeze Lizzie!

Just Hangin' out after collecting out Minerals and playing with the Dinosaurs. Lizzie and Olivia have developed such a sweet friendship. Look at them holding hands. Does it get any sweeter than that?

A Few Sweet Treats

2009-04-12T22:59:00.001-07:00

These are just a few pictures of my Cora Girl and Mag-pie that I just love.

I LOVE Mag-pies little side lip pout.

I never get tired of Cora's "Oh someone is taking a picture of me face"

Tristan and Mag's playing together at Trevors Birthday Party.

This one was taken back at the apartments. She walked around all night with that backpack on her head. She thought it was very funny when she ran into things.

I Could Just Eat Him Up!

2009-04-12T21:20:00.000-07:00

Trevor the lucky boy got to celebrate his 4th birthday 3 times this year. Since his birthday was going to be during spring break we took cupcakes to class the week before. He wanted Thomas the Train Cupcakes, and this is what I came up with. He loved them as you can tell!

and so did Cora!

Cheetos and Strawberry Ice Cream Please!

2009-04-12T21:15:00.001-07:00

On Trevor's actual birthday he went to Disneyland (for free) with Gram-me, Aunt Melissa and Tristan. He was gone ALL day and boy did he have lots of fun. Here are a few picture highlighting some of the memorable moments.

Whenever I send my kids anywhere I always have them bring snacks with them and as usual I did the same on this day. So when it came time to eat and Grandma asked where did you want to eat he replied: "Oh that's okay I brought my lunch, but you can eat here." He did however let Gram-me get him some Cheetos and Strawberry Ice Cream. Which was about all he ate that day. Sounds like the perfect birthday meal to me.

He also acted as navigator for the entire trip. Whenever they chose a new place to go he pulled out his map and pointed where to go. Even if it meant going back and forth across Disneyland (and California Adventure) several times. I have to say Gram-me and Aunt Melissa were great sports about it too.

Here is a fun one just because he LOVES riding on the cars.

Now some may ask why is he wearing a jacket on such a warm day? And why did Gram-me have to walk to the other side of Flik's Fun Fair and back to get it? All you have to do is look at this picture and you know the reason. He knows that Heimlich is a messy eater and he isn't going to get sprayed.

Pizza and Cake and Toys.....Oh MY!!!

2009-04-12T21:15:00.000-07:00

And last but far from the least, we had Trevor's birthday the following Sunday with our Family. It was a great time. We had homemade pizza and Mac n'cheese (all filled with hidden veggies, of course) , fresh fruit (thanks Grandma), and fresh squeezed lemonade. The kids had a great time making their very own personal pizza's.

I have to say these are some yummy looking pizza's!

Then of course you have to have a Thomas cake. Thanks Gram-me for picking such a good looking cake. I think he likes it, what do you think?

Trevor enjoyed all his great gifts, but I have to say this one was a quick favorite with everyone. It is a dump truck that comes with tools so you can take it apart and put it back together.

So what happens when you are filled with lots of good food and sweets and no one will let you play with you new cool toys?

you CRASH!!!

Dr Seuss Days

2009-04-12T15:45:00.000-07:00

In the month of March our local Library celebrated Dr. Seuss' Birthday by giving out some of his book to the children. After reading a book and coloring a picture they got to choose one of his books to keep. Both Lizzie and Trevor went with their school. But even though we enjoy the free books the best thing we walked away with is our new Library Card. Smiley is such a beautiful Library and the kids really enjoy going and picking new books to read.

Pureeing Maniacs

2009-04-12T14:50:00.000-07:00

So a couple of weeks ago I got together with Meli and we made made a bunch of baby food. I love being able to make yummy food for our little ones, and well also for my not so little ones who won't eat their veggies. Now they do, they just don't know it!

Searching for Dinosaurs

2009-03-04T22:18:00.000-08:00

Last week we went searching for bones and found some in Claremont at the Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology. It was a very small museum and the kids had fun running around and looking at all the models. We did find one Misfit though.......our terra cotta warrior from china. Maybe he's there to protect the dinosaurs?

Trevor really liked all the fish fossils and models.

This is my favorite. T-Rex had a most delicious snack.

We were just watching a show about giant croc's and here we actually get to see one. Pretty cool and HUGE.

Trevor had a blast running around with Johnny. Lizzie was waiting for her friend Olivia so she's not quite as happy as Trevor is in this picture. He was so excited I could hardly get a picture of him where he wasn't blurred.

What Happens When.........

2009-02-22T21:45:00.000-08:00

You leave Lizzie and My Computer alone

in a room for 30 minutes?

(she made about 50 of these. Crazy girl!!!!)

She's Just Not Having It....

2009-02-16T21:34:00.001-08:00

And just in time too.

Cora will no longer sit in her highchair and eat. She will only eat in the big kid chairs, and she does even better if you give her utensils. Leave it to Cora to choose the perfect time to become a big girl, since Maggie is now ready for the highchair.

Whenever I point the camera at her she flashes me the biggest smile.

She really is the sweetest little girl. I love her to pieces!

A Sweet Valentines

2009-02-16T21:26:00.000-08:00

This Valentines was filled with lots of sweets and treats. Here are a few pics from our FHE Valentine activity, Mmmm cookies. I think I passed on my wicked sweet tooth to my children.

Crazy California Weather....

2009-02-16T21:18:00.000-08:00

It's been rainy then warm then rainy then hailing and windy then warm again.

But the kids are loving it.

Egyptian Art Exhibit @ CSUSB

2009-02-12T23:54:00.001-08:00

Todd and I took the family to what I would call a "Mini Museum". Over at Cal State San Bernardino they have a little Museum and last Saturday was Family Day, so we were all able to get in for free. They had lots of different activities for the kids, they even got a free art kit.

It was very interesting, and a good *free* way to spend the afternoon.

Here is Lizzie writing Hieroglyphics on her scroll

This is a gold mummy face plate and their foot plate.

This is the worlds oldest dress. It's dated about 2800BC. It is basically like a beaded net, so I hope they wore it over something. Trevor is cracking me up, he looks like such a hooligan in this picture.

Oh, for the love of.....Cheetos?

2009-02-07T18:55:00.000-08:00

It's nice to know that Trevor is thankful for his Mommy and Daddy, but only second to Cheetos. He frequently asks if we are going to the store to get them, and that if I don't remember where they are that we could get them at Trader Joe's. You gotta love the kid.

These are the papers Trevor brought home from church the last 2 Sunday's.

Our Home.....FINALLY!!!

2009-02-02T20:58:00.000-08:00

So after 8 years of living in the same 2 bedroom apartment, Todd and I were finally able to buy a home. I still have a hard time believing that it has really happened. The whole process went so quickly. Seriously it took longer to get Verizon to our house to set up the internet and phone than it did to buy our house. But anyway, here are the pictures I've been promising. Over time we hope to make it our own. I want to thank everyone who helped us paint and fix up the kitchen. It looks amazing. I love it!

Here is the front of our home buried behind all those bushes.

We've trimmed them for now but eventually they will all go.

This is what is behind all those bushes.

Here is our backyard. The kids are loving it, and so am I.

This is the kitchen - Before

Here is the after.

Todd and his friends worked long and hard on it, and it was well worth it.

Climbing Cora

2009-01-05T21:33:00.000-08:00

It's been fun watching Cora's personality blossom. She is more interested in her surroundings and has become very curious. She is by far my happiest child. Whenever you point the camera towards her she will give you the biggest smile. I love it. One of her new favorite things to do is climbing into things. Tonight I found her sitting in Trevor's dump truck playing with her radio.

Christmas Morning

2008-12-29T10:20:00.001-08:00

This Christmas was very special for our little family, for several reasons. The first and most exciting reason is that it will be our Last Christmas in our 2 Bedroom Apartment. We have shared 8 wonderful Christmas' here and enjoyed each (crowded) one. Another reason is that it was nice to take the time through out the Season and share with Lizzie and Trevor the reason we celebrate this Special Holiday. Every time we saw a Nativity I would ask them about it, and they were excited that they were able to celebrate his birth. Things are so simple in a child's mind, its very refreshing sometimes.

Like so many others Im sure, This is how our Morning went.

Woken up by children--really early, make them eat breakfast (Im sure Im not the only one who does this right?), Read the story of Christmas from the Scriptures, then open gifts, play with toys, get dressed, then visit with family (one of my favorite parts).

Here is Lizzie with her Dollhouse and Princess Barbies. Todd and Jack (a general contractor) whipped this house out in one day. It turned out better than I could have imagined.

Thanks Gram-me and Aunt Meli for helping me decorate it.

This kid was so excited to get a Thomas Discovery Train Set. Seriously, it was the only thing he had asked for, over and over and over again. It made it easy to shop for him, for once.

'Tis the Season

2008-12-29T10:04:00.001-08:00

We are having such a fun Holiday. Here are some things we enjoyed.

Our neighbor Anne made this really cool train for us. Lizzie is in Candy Heaven. She snacked on it all Christmas Eve and Day. We had some serious Sugar Rush at Gram-me's!

These are the treats we made for friends and neighbors. We baked different types of sweet breads in tin cans. Then decorated them. Don't be a hater, but I love Martha Stewart :)

We were so excited that Uncle Greg flew down to share the Holiday with us. We visited the Mission Inn in Riverside with the Ballantynes. I've never been there before. It was really beautiful.

This was the huge tree inside the Inn. So warm and cheery.

Christmas Time is Here

2008-12-29T09:41:00.000-08:00

This is everyones favorite party of the year. Everything is so festive. Look at all those stockings hung by the chimney with care. I love it!

Look at all those tiny reindeer.

Trevor waited so patiently for his turn with Santa. He just couldn't wait to ask Santa for a Thomas Discovery Train Set.

Reindeer Lizzie was very excited about making a wait chain.

It was so nice of Santa to take time away from his very busy schedule to visit with the children. What did Lizzie ask for? Barbie Princesses, I think Santa could manage that. Now for the kid who asked for a motorcycle and quad, Ummm?

A Thanksgiving Feast

2008-12-29T09:24:00.000-08:00

Holidays are so fun at school.

Here is Lizzie and her friend Olivia enjoying the feast. Well at least Lizzie is pretending to enjoy it. One day I hope she will start eating.

Here we are marching around the classroom with our drums and headbands.

Oops we forgot to wear our vests.

Trevor's class is dressed and ready to go on their march.

That is one happy pilgrim.

Growing Up.

2008-12-29T09:20:00.001-08:00

Here is Tristan and Maggie. They are almost 4 months old. Tristan is growing like a weed.

"When I think of Jesus, it make me feel Happy"

2008-12-07T21:09:00.000-08:00

On Sunday's when we get to church the first thing Lizzie likes to do is get the program for us. Then she looks through it to see how long it is. Today as she was going through it, she pointed to the words "Bearing of Testimonies". She then asked me what that meant and I told her it is when you go up to the podium and tell people how we feel about Jesus and his gospel. In which she responded: "I want to do that." My heart just swelled. Then I told her daddy would love to go up with her :). It was a sweet and simple little testimony. She is really beginning to grow up fast. I love you Miss Liz!

Redlands 2nd Ward Pancake Breakfast

2008-12-06T21:57:00.000-08:00

This morning we headed out to the church for our Christmas Pancake Breakfast with the ward. I thought: Wow this is great, my kids will actually eat pancakes. So when I see that they made french toast instead I knew I would have to figure out a way to keep my kids from freaking out. Well I just called them "Bread Pancakes" and that seemed to do the trick. Whew! After breakfast Bishop Strong entertained the kids with a great game of Reindeer, Reindeer, Elf, the Christmas version of duck, duck, goose. Then we listened to the Nativity story and sand songs. Then it was time to visit with "you know who". The kids were so excited to see Santa. All Trevor wanted to do was to ask him for a Thomas Discovery Train Set. This year is so much fun. I love to see their simple belief and trust in Santa. To know he truly exists in the hearts and minds of children just makes me smile. To be a kid again.

Do you believe? We do!

Cora, our pro walker now.

Singing songs with Sister Strong.

The Christmas Parade

2008-12-06T21:46:00.000-08:00

This year we attended the Redlands Christmas Parade on State Street. I didn't even know such an event even existed. The Ririe's told us about it and the kids really wanted to go, so we bundled up and headed out. It was very cute and fun. Lizzie saw some school friends, and the Coon family made their appearance on the Burgeson's float. It was long, but we had a great time.

Scotty was nice enough to act as a pillow for the kids.

We met up with the Walters and the Riries.

Practicing For Christmas Morning

2008-12-04T22:24:00.000-08:00

This is what I found Cora playing with earlier today when I wasn't paying enough attention to her. Looks like she is preparing herself for Christmas morning. I think she will be able to open her gifts without any help at all.

Nutcracker Ballet

2008-12-04T22:08:00.000-08:00

Today we got all dressed up and headed out with friends and classmates to the Nutcracker Ballet. We made it through the entire performance, with Trevor chatting the whole time. All of a sudden he has become a total chatterbox. We were able to sit in the front by percussion section. It was fun to watch them jump every time they clanged the symbols. They were also able to see a beautiful harp up close. It was nice to spend some special time with my two older children. It doesn't happen often enough.

Applicious

2008-12-04T22:02:00.000-08:00

So Lizzie and Trevor do A Lot of art work at school, and all of it is cute and creative. But this little tree is my absolute favorite, so I had to share it you. These will now decorate my table every Fall.

Cotton Candy Pink

2008-11-21T22:22:00.001-08:00

About 6 months ago Lizzie started wearing glasses to strengthen her right eye. We went in last month to see if they were working and we are so grateful that they are. But I also learned that the pair of glasses we originally picked weren't sturdy enough for her active life. They were so bent out of shape, and the doctor told me that since they were sitting crooked on her face that it changes the prescription. So we need stronger glasses. And these adorable pink glasses won. They are Disney Princess glasses and yep that's right, they are Cotton Candy Pink. These two facts made it easier for her to let go of her originals. She gets so attached to things.

Look Mom, No Hands!

2008-11-21T21:45:00.000-08:00

She is growing so fast.

Gram-me's Back Yard

2008-11-21T21:32:00.000-08:00

My parents have quite a large back yard, and up until recently it was pretty much unusable. Now it is an empty canvas. The kids are already having a blast running around back there. They were so excited to see a tractor in Gram-me's backyard.

Lizzie Student of the Week

2008-11-21T21:20:00.000-08:00

Lizzie was so excited to be student of the week. Her favorite part...Ringing the class bell of course and showing her poster to the class.

Snowline, Oak Glen

2008-11-21T20:35:00.000-08:00

This was a field-trip we took back in October. It was so beautiful up in Oak Glen, and the weather was perfect. As we walked through the orchard the smell of apples was unbelievably delicious. We made apple cider and watched the apple sorting machine. We sampled the apple cider doughnuts and tried not to get hit by the falling chestnut seed pods falling from California's oldest chestnut tree.

Use those muscles Trevor. This is the cider press. First you had to chop up the apples.

Then you turned the press and out came the cider. It was delicious.

Happy Valley Ranch, How Cute!

I had never seen a chestnut tree before. Those spiky little balls are the seed pods. The picnic tables were under this tree, and it was harvest time for the chestnuts. Needless to say it was an adventurous lunch.

Too Cute Not To Share

2008-10-26T22:36:00.001-07:00

We took these pictures a few weeks ago. My sister and I were taking pictures of Tristan and Maggie together for our thank you cards (which I still haven't mailed out, SORRY!) and I decided to take a picture of my two youngest daughters. In this picture Cora is one week shy of being a One year old, and Maggie is One month old. It has really been a crazy few months, but in all honesty....I'm Loving It!!

IEOPBC Photo Contest...Featuring My Awesome Vita-Mix

2008-10-25T23:18:00.000-07:00

So the food co-op I participate in is having a little photo contest using the fruits and veggies we've received. And since my wonderful husband bought my Christmas present early (a beautiful Vita-Mix) I thought I would participate. Here is the very first thing I made with my new machine. I used apples and spinach from today's share and celery from last week. These are my Before and After pictures. It was Yummy!

Mickey's Trick or Treat Party

2008-10-18T22:11:00.001-07:00

We had such a fun night on Thursday. We kicked off our Halloween Celebration early by partying at California Disney. We have gone the last 4 years and the kids (and the grown-ups too) have so much fun. It is a night full of treats, dancing, crafts, and rides, who wouldn't enjoy that?

Here we are waiting to ride Flick's Flyers.

Here is Gramme and Tinkerbell just finishing the Treat Trail.

Here is our Little Squirt and Buzz Light"Ears"

(I think it is hilarious that he tucks his mask behind his ears.)

Trevor loves this ride he calls is "Rock and Roll" instead of Tuck and Roll. So Cute!

Dancing with Tambourines

My Little Pumpkin

Cora was so cute in her Squirt costume, this was the beginning of the night.

And this was toward the end of the night. I love how she is resting her head on her hand.

This is Lizzie, Trevor, and Gram-me's favorite part,

dancing the night away.

Student Of The Week

2008-10-18T20:58:00.000-07:00

Last week Trevor was Student of the Week at his Preschool. We made a fun poster to show to the class, and he got to ring the bell all week. It is so fun to watch him interact and learn with the other kids in his class. He is growing up so fast.

Here he is telling the class about some of his favorite things.

Mrs. Morales is giving him his special certificate. Congratulations Little Man.

Four Little Pumpkins

2008-10-14T21:33:00.000-07:00

For family home evening this week, we carved the pumpkins we picked from the pumpkin patch field-trip last Wednesday. The kids had a blast, and so did I since I love getting my hands all slimy and pumpkiny (my new word) :). Now it's time to bake those seeds. Yummm

4 Little Pumpkins All In A Row

Can you guess who is Lizzie and who is Trevor?

Happy Halloween

Too Cool Kid :)

Cute Girl

Boo...Watch me Glow!

Hand-Me-Down Heaven

2008-10-10T15:17:00.001-07:00

This is for my SIL Heather. She has given me all her girl hand-me-downs and I noticed that on this particular Sunday I had all 3 of my girls in her clothes. PS - Lizzie loves the new dress. She wants to wear it ALL the time, she feels like a princess in it :)

Ketchup Flavored Popcorn

2008-10-10T15:08:00.000-07:00

The other day Trevor asked me for chicken nuggets and ketchup, but we were out of them. So this is what he asked for instead. The kid loves ketchup, he even dipped his fruit leather in it. Mmmm, appetizing.

To be a kid again :)

She is One!!!

2008-10-08T23:18:00.001-07:00

Today is our sweet Cora's first birthday.

She is the happiest little girl and when she smiles it lights up my world.

Happy Birthday Little Lady, Im glad you enjoyed your cupcake.

Green Spot Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-08T23:05:00.000-07:00

Today we went to the GreenSpot Pumpkin Patch for our October Field Trip. Going on field trips is one of my favorite parts of Preschool. Today was so much fun, but the best part was that Daddy was able to stop by and play with us.

My Word Cloud

2008-10-05T21:18:00.000-07:00

Now it is your turn.

I hope some of you post your clouds.

I think they are so cool.

Have Fun!

Wordle.net

IEOP MeetUp

2008-10-05T20:53:00.000-07:00

So one of the moms at preschool told me about a food co-op in Redlands called Inland Empire Organic Produce Buying Club. It is really cool. This past Saturday was my first time attending. I was so interested that I volunteered to help set up that morning. Seriously I was so excited it felt like Christmas morning. What I love most is that I get about 90% of what I normally would eat and 10% of new things to try. Plus I get to support our local growers and know that my food is coming from a safe place. I can't thank the organizer Alexis enough for working so hard to make it happen. If you want more information on the group or want to join, just click on the link above.

So here is what our share looked like. Not bad for $22.00.

The Napa Cabbage was HUGE, see the comparison.

Ahhh, look at the little Cabbage Patch Kids :)

What a sight!

2008-09-29T23:40:00.000-07:00

After running some errands tonight. I got home and saw this. It just put me in a good mood. So I made a cake :)

It's Good To Be Back!!

2008-09-17T14:52:00.002-07:00

Hi Everyone. I've been out of the loop for the last two weeks due to the fact that I just had my fourth beautiful child. Maggie Leigh is here and healthy, which Todd so sweetly posted about (and I didn't even ask him). He did a great job playing mom and fulfilling my preschool duties and taking the kids on their field-trip. And I need to give an extra special thank you to both my Mom and to Norma my Mom in-law. It really would have been impossible for me to get everything done with out their help. It gave me great peace of mind to know that my children were in loving hands. I've got so much to post about, so prepare yourselves for a plethora of posts. I will try to space them out a bit :)

Here is another picture of our sweet little Magg-pie. I came back in to check on her after laying her down and this is what I found. Lizzie didn't want her to be lonely. So Sweet!!

Just Dance!!

2008-09-17T14:52:00.001-07:00

Cora is my first baby who dances whenever we play music.
She just cracks me up.

One hour and One Yellow Sharpie Later.......

2008-09-17T14:52:00.000-07:00

I couldn't control myself. After watching Maggie sleeping so peacfully, my eye lids became so heavy and then I was out. One hour later this is what I find when I opened my eyes. (fyi: you can't see all her beautiful artwork since it is hiding under her clothes!)

The Four

2008-09-06T10:22:00.000-07:00

So The blog thing is fun, and since I know how much Rachelle likes blogging. I will do one more for the kids sake. I thought it would be cool to see all the kids at the stages they are in their lives. Starting with the newest addition of Maggie(5 Days), then Cora(11 Months), Trevor(3 Years), and Lizzie(5 Years). There could be a lot of names for these four children but this blog they will be called the four. Rachelle and I love them a lot and are very happy about all their accomplishments.

Maggie Leigh Poulsen

2008-09-05T21:51:00.000-07:00

Rachelle is kind of in recovery mode, if you can imagine two baby's in one year that is amazing. So this post is brought to you by the one that had to try to play mom the last four days. It was a really good experience since most of the time I try to play the bad guy. So on Tuesday September 2nd at 12:24 we had Maggie and we now are a family of six. I know what you are thinking I think it is crazy also. Rachelle has been amazing through everything. Just a month ago she let me go hikeing 67 miles, being gone for a week and having no access of communication . Taking care of the kids for a week by yourself is definitely a lot harder than hiking 67 mile she is an amazing mom. I almost felt a tiny part of that this week almost . We have a wonderful family and the addition of Maggie is going to bring a lot of joy to our family. Maggie was 7 lbs when she was born and 18 and a quarter inches long. Rachelle is fine and were excited about our wonderful family.

Tristan Sparks Jorgensen

2008-08-29T21:48:00.001-07:00

It has been a long wait (one week overdue), but he is finally here and healthy. Tristan was born August 29th 2008 at 1:15 am. After about 11 hours of Labor (in the hospital) with little progression along with Tristan's constantly fluctuating heart rate he was delivered by cesarean. Melissa and Tristan are recovering nicely and doing well. He is a cute little guy weighing in at about 8lbs 5oz and measuring 18 inches. He is surprisingly very awake and aware, and loves sucking on his fingers. Congratulations Melissa and Eric.

The Waiting Game....

2008-08-23T09:18:00.000-07:00

I don't post many pictures of myself for obvious reasons, but I thought I would share this with everyone. My mom took this picture back in July, and now here we are at the end of August. Meli was due yesterday and I am more anxious for her then I am for myself. Mostly because she has invited me to attend her birth and this will be my first time to experience it from the other side. This is her first child, and she is having a boy. They are deciding between the names Carter (my fav) or Tristan. I'm am scheduled for a cesarean on Sept. 2nd. at 12pm, so around 12:20 my little Maggie will be here. This is one of the very few perks of a c-section. You know exactly when she will be here. Unless I go early :), but it hasn't happened yet. So now we wait!

Summer Bunnies

2008-08-17T17:58:00.000-07:00

Over the summers we have had a few friendly animals come around the yard. A few years ago it was a giant skunk, every night just before the sun began to set, you could see him walk through the field and up past our front yard. We would of course watch through the front window. Last year it was a bunch of squirrels that unfortunately became more of an infestation, which we had to take care of. This summer though it is a pleasant pair of bunnies. Every morning and evening around seven o'clock you could look out the window and find them munching on weeds. Sometimes we would picnic with them in the evening and they wouldn't mind as long as we stayed on our blanket.

Now I Get It!

2008-08-17T17:36:00.000-07:00

As my sister and I prepare for the arrival of our little ones, we decided to empty the memory cards to our cameras, since my sister doesn't have a computer yet I downloaded them for her. And I found a couple fun pictures that I haven't seen before.

Back in July at our Photo Class, as we were walking to our car I noticed that Lizzie had her shirt rolled up. I told her to put it down and noticed that it was drenched. I asked my sister what happened and she said she got a drink. And now I understand....

Color Me Mine

2008-08-13T09:25:00.000-07:00

This Summer we spent our Fridays playing with Gram-me and Aunt Melissa. Our most recent Friday outing took us to a place called Color Me Mine. It's a "paint it yourself" pottery store. The staff is super helpful and friendly. And best of all it is VERY kid friendly. Lizzie and Trevor had a great time. The first thing they did
was pick out what they wanted to paint. Then you choose your colors, and start painting away. When your done you have to leave it with them for a little over a week so they can fire it. But the cool thing is, it always turns out beautiful. Lizzie picked this cute Flower Box, and it's no surprise that Trevor picked a Train that is also a bank. Also a little note, everything is non-toxic. Which is a good thing because as you can see in Trevors picture, he managed to paint his face a little :)

Camp Poulsen 2008

2008-08-01T21:16:00.001-07:00

This last weekend we went camping with Todd's Family and the Johnson's. We headed up to Camp Heart Bar on Friday and we came home Sunday morning. Todd stayed Friday night and left Saturday morning to climb Mount Whitney for a week with the scouts. We wished he could have stayed, but we had a blast, and the kids can't wait to go next year. Parley and I decided that this should be an annual event :) Im sure Grandma and Grandpa would be happy to pass the camping torch to the next generation, which we gladly accept. As long as you bring the hot chocolate and frisbee ;). But anyway, we had a blast. There was lots of exploring and playing and falling. The food was great. The weather was unbelievable. The tent was small. And there were plenty of laughs around the campfire. Adri and Steph came up with a fun idea to make camp shirts. They named us all after one of the Characters of the Mr. Men Series. Todd was Mr. Noisy, I was Little Miss Fun, Lizzie was Little Miss Giggles, Trevor was Mr. Bump, and Cora was Little Miss Sunshine. Thanks everyone for making this such a fun summer outing. We love you all!

Here are some of the fun moments we had.

"Just Keep Swimming. Just Keep Swimming"

2008-08-01T16:05:00.000-07:00

We put the kids in swim lessons this summer. And to my great surprise and pleasure they are going very well. Anyone who knows my kids will find these pictures shocking. Look they are smiling and enjoying the water. I have to admit that on day one for both of them they did nothing but cry the entire lesson, but on day two its been nothing but fun.
Thank you Redlands Swim Team.

This is Day 2 with Trevor. I was amazed. He seriously cried all 30 min and jumped out of the pool as soon as the lesson was over the day before.

This is the best 30 min of MY day :)

Now that Lizzie has her goggles she dunks her head under the water by herself.