Stella

Stella was trying on my hat today, and I thought she looked so cute. I had to snap some photos. It was such a nice day outside, and the light was perfect. Of course, I had to do something digital with them, and I put this together. I think I will print it, and hang it on her wall. I just think she is so adorable. It is amazing how cute she can be, even with a messy pony tail, and her comfy clothes. We just love her. I love when something unplanned turns out so well.

Jabber Walkee

Isaac has found his voice. He loves to hear himself talk. He loves it so much that he wakes up at 3 and 4 in the morning just to talk. He will talk for about 45 minutes and then go back to sleep. It is so cute, but it is making me crazy. I read in a book that their sleep can be interrupted when they learn new things. I don't know about his, but mine has definitely been interrupted. I do love the sound of his sweet voice. I wish I knew what he was trying to tell me.

Jex's Five and a Half Birthday

I tried to make a web album out of this, but it wasn't cooperating today. So you get the long version.

Jex got to celebrate his Five and Half birthday yesterday at school. It was so fun to be a part of that. We made twinkies look like Transformers(I tried to be creative on that one). They almost look like it. The kids were thrilled. Jex got to pass out plates, napkins and cups to everyone(Transformers, of course). Then he decided what kind of cake he wanted. The children pretended to bake him a cake, a chocolate Star Wars cake for 100 hours at his request. After the baking, they sang Happy Birthday to you....(Chinese Chicken). I had never heard that version before, but that was per his request also. He blew out the candles, and then all the kids enjoyed their treat. Complete with a twinkie, gum, starburts, oreos, and frosting. I sent them home plenty sugared up for their parents. It was a fun day.

Our own little Hannah Montana!!

Stella's favorite thing in the whole wide world is to pretend she is something other then herself. She makes me call her by different names, and will not answer unless you call her by the name she is pretending to be. Her most favorite thing to be is a singer and dancer. She gets all dressed up, turns on Highschool Musical, and dances around. She is getting pretty good at learning the words to the songs. When she does this, I have to call her Hannah Montana.

Isaac is six months. AHHH!!

I can't believe that my sweet little angel is six months. He is learning all sorts of tricks. He is now rolling over, screeching at me when he needs something, eating baby food, and grabbing his feet and sucking on them.(YUM!) It is so fun to watch him grow and learn. However, I want him to stay small just a little longer. He is such a delight.

Teddy Bear Parade

Jex had a Teddy Bear Parade today at school. It was so cute. They all decorated a shoe box to look like a float. Then they brought their favorite stuffed animal. Jex took a blue monkey that his Aunt Kristin sent him for Valentines. I love his school. They always come up with such fun things. This was really quite amusing. Stella and I enjoyed watching them circle the school. Even Isaac was mesmerized.

Fish in my armpits

I had to share another funny. I know many of you believe that Stella does not have a personality, because she is so shy outside of our home. She is just about the funniest girl I know. She loves to be silly, but sometimes we are the only recipients of her humor. Yesterday, Jonathan was teasing her that she had a monkey in her belly button. She said, "I know, and look! I have fish in my armpits." Oh, the funny things she comes up with. We love her, and her silly personality.

You go ask her... no you go ask her...

The other morning, I could hear the kids plotting downstairs. I was upstairs anxiously waiting what ever it was they needed to ask me. Jex said to Stella, "You go ask her, because she will do it if you ask." Stella said, "No, you ask her." I am thinking this must be a really big thing they want to do. So then I hear Jex say, "No, just put your really sweet face on and go ask her. She will do anything for you." Stella said, "Okay, your right. She will do it for me." So up the stairs they come. I am laughing hysterically on the inside just waiting to find out what this big question could be. Then Stella says, "Mom, will you put up the tent?" This must have been really important to them. They love to play in their little camping tent. I love listening to my children communicate. It is so sweet. It is such a joy to listen to the small conversations they have. It makes you realize what is so important in their little world. Here I am worrying about getting the van fixed, or paying bills, or whatever. And the biggest thing in their world is putting up the tent. It helps me stop and take time to find out what really matters. I love the lessons taught by my children.

Home...

There is something to be said for just being at home. This weekend we went away, and it was so nice. However, it was even nicer to come home. I love spending time at home. I have resigned myself to running less errands, and just spending time with my kids. This has allowed for more quality time, and better naps for our little Isaac.
While we were away this weekend, we went house hunting. This will be the first home we have ever owned, and I can't wait. We found some nice homes. We don't know exactly where we will be moving yet, but we were able to check out an area that might be a possibility. Now, I find myself even more excited about my resolve to be at home. Home is a wonderful place, and I hope I can make it a place that my children want to be. In all of my life experience, one lesson I have learned is; Home is where your family is.

Happy Valentines Day 2008

Love from the Swenson Kids!!

A Valentine Wish...

Wishing all our loved ones far away all our love... We miss you dearly.

XOXOXO

The Swensons

Patience and Valentines

Tonight, Stella was saying her prayers. She said, "Bless mom to do good with us." I think that was her small way of saying, "bless my mom with patience." I thought that was so sweet. With a husband on-call all the time, and gone interviewing I guess you could say that I needed an extra dose of patience.

Today at school, Jex traded Valentines with his classmates. It was so fun to watch him come home and be so excited about them. He looked over them, and sorted through them all day. When I was putting Isaac to bed, I told them they needed to do something quiet until I was done. He said, "can I look at my Valentines again?" I remember being so excited about things that were my own. I am sure that is how he feels about his own valentines, given to him by his dear classmates. What a fun tradition. I love Valentines!

Hard life!!

I just had to share a funny. Jex and Stella were playing this morning. They were pretending to be grownups, and they were telling me how many kids they had. Jex said, "I grew up in the 80's, and that was a really hard time for me." "I had a really rough life." "The 80's were rough, I had to live in a cabin." If only he new that the 80's were only rough because of the fashion. Big hair, pegged pants, bright shirts, and L.A. Gears. I have to say that was rough. Living up to all those fashion expectations. Kids crack me up. I just had to share his perspective.

Tag... your it!!

My friend Tara tagged me. So here it is:

A. The rules of the game are posted at the beginning
B. Each player answers the questions about themselves
C. At the end of the post, the player tags 4 people and posts their names, then goes to their blog and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they are tagged.

10 years ago I was: A sophomore at Snow College in Ephraim, UT. I made so many wonderful friends this year. I will treasure this year forever, and my wonderful Snow friends(you know who you are.) Jonathan and I became great friends this year as well. It wasn't until that school year was over that we decided we could be more then friends.

5 things on my to do list today:
1. take a nap
2. run a few errands
3. NOT clean my house today(it's Saturday, and I will pay for it on Monday)
4. spend some time with Jonathan
5. bake some sort of yummy treat(because we all know I need MORE treats in my life)

Things I would do if I became a billionaire: I would pay off our student loans. Buy a nice home, and furnish it with all the lovely things that I adore. Buy a vacation home, somewhere warm. Take the kids back to Saba for a visit, and travel the world with our family. Save some money for missions, and college for the kids. Use some of it to take me kids on service missions in countries that could use our help.

3 of my bad habits:
1. letting my closets get unorganized (just so I can organize them again)
2. letting my expensive toothbrush get what Jonathan calls "filthy gross."
3. leaving laundry in baskets for days

5 places I've lived
1. Payson, UT
2. Logan, UT
3. Ephraim, UT
4. Saba, Netherlands Antilles
5. Overland Park, KS

5 jobs I've had:
1. Cook at cafe
2. waitress at several places
3. Public Relations for Photography Studio
4. pedicurist
5. Hair stylist

Something most people don't know about me. I love to organize... I will let messes, laundry, beds all go undone just to get my hands on something that needs to be organized. I also like to let things get unorganized just so I can do it again. I always have to find a better way to do it the next time. You can never have to many rubbermaid, or storage containers in my book. Labels are my best friend. Whenever I am feeling blue... a good pick me up is some organization.

I tag...
1. Kristin
2. Krysta
3. Alison
4. Amber

HAPPY TAGGING!!!

Isaac Blue Eyes...

Isaac has just discovered his feet. He was so intent on figuring out what they were, that I couldn't even get him to smile for me. When I watched the video, I couldn't believe how Big and Blue his eyes were. I am a very biased mother, but I just think this child is so beautiful. He walks on water with me. I can't get enough of him. I thought you might enjoy sharing in his beauty.

In honor of Valentines, I will post something I love about my husband, and something I love about my children up until Valentines. Day10:(Jonathan)(A little Late, sorry I was on vacation) I love that Jonathan picked me!! Happy Valentines Day!! I love you Jonathan.Day 10:(Children) I love being your mom. What a wonderful gift from our Heavenly Father to be a mother, your mother. I feel so blessed. Thank you for the lessons you teach me, and the blessings you have brought in to my life. I love you, Jex, Stella, and Isaac. Swenson Family 2003 Swenson Family 2005Swenson Family 2007

Day 9:(Jonathan) I love that family is so important to Jonathan. Even though these last years have been intense with medical school, he has never once questioned having more kids. I am so thankful that we have kept adding to our family. We have been blessed for doing so. I love that he has always taken care of us. He puts us first, work comes second. I appreciate that. I love you Jonathan!!

Day 9:(Children) I love that Stella loves Isaac so much. She could sit on the couch and hold him all day. The first words out of her mouth when he wakes up is can I hold him. She is constantly rubbing her face on his "comfy hair", and making him smile. She likes to pretend that Isaac is her baby. She says, "Isn't my baby so cute?, His name is Isaac." She is such a fun sister.Day 8:(children) I love that Jex loves to learn. He is like a sponge, he wants to soak up any knowledge that he can. He is very smart. Sometimes he knows more then me. I am so glad that learning is important to him.Day 8:(Jonathan) I love when Jonathan surprises me with Laughter. He will catch me off gaurd with something funny. That kind of laughter is good for my soul. This day he got all dressed up for Halloween without me even knowing. What a shock, to find out my husband was Howard the nerd.

Day 7:(Children) I love Isaac's smile. There is something about a baby smiling at you that just warms your heart. Need I say more?Day 7:(Jonathan) I love that Jonathan and his dad have such a strong connection. He loves his dad with all his heart. There is a great respect for each other. His dad respects him as much as he respects his dad. I hope their example can carry over in to the relationships that we share with our children.

Day 6:(Children) I love that Stella wants to be just like me. She wants her hair to be the same as mine, and to dress the same. If my hair is in a ponytail, she wants her's in a pony. She always says, "mom will you teach me how to do that so I can do that when I am a mommy." She just wants to be a mommy. How flattering. She must think that I am a pretty important person. I tried to keep the cheerleader in highschool thing a secret. However, Grandma Pam let it out of the bag. So... we had to go get her an outfit. She wears it everyday. I love that she looks up to me. I love spending time with her. She is so fun.

Day 6:(Jonathan) I love that Jonathan can just pick up a new hobbie, and be great at it. He is honestly good at everything. I guess that could be annoying to some. However, I love seeing the passion he gets about things he truly loves. It is easy to love things that you are good at. He is so fun to be around when he is talking about one of his passions. His face lights up and he gets so excited. I love to listen to him when he is this way. Skiing is just one of the many hobbies that he has just happened to pick up easily. I know he sure misses hitting the slopes.Day 5: (Children) I love that Jex wants to be everything that his dad is. He is so interested in everything that his dad does. What a great role model Jex has. I know that as Jex gets older he will have a great relationship with his dad. I am thankful that Jex takes the time to be interested, and spend time doing things that his dad loves. What a blessing he is to our family.Day 4:(Children) I love that Isaac came to our family to bring me peace. I am such a different person since having him. He has such a calming spirit about him. He has helped me to slow down, and enjoy time with my children. I am a better mother, wife, and friend since having him. His spirit has afforded me so much. He has helped me to understand what this life is really all about. He is only 5 months, but already he has taught me so much. I don't know what I would do without you Isaac. I love you!!

Day 4:(Jonathan)Tonight, I watched Jonathan gently whisper "I love you" in Isaac's ear. He didn't know I was watching but it made my heart melt. I am so thankful that Jonathan takes the time to love and adore our children even as infants. I love that he is such a wonderful dad. He is always so helpful when we have a new baby. This is so wonderful when it can be so hard to adjust to the changes a new life can bring. I am glad that he doesn't just leave me hanging, but pitches in to help. Even after a really long day at work. I can tell that he adores Isaac, just as much as the other two. Each of our children hold a spot in Jonathan's heart, and he always makes sure they know just how much he loves them.


Day 3:(Children): I love that Stella has turned in to my little helper. She is so happy to help me with anything I need. She has been the biggest helper since we had Isaac. When I ask her to do something she says, "Sure mom, I would love too." What a sweetie.

Day 3:(Jonathan) I love that Jonathan and I share Laughter in our home and our marriage. It is so great to that he has such a wonderful sense of humor. In times of distress he is always the first to lighten things up. I love that about him. On occasion, I like to shake things up too. For example: this t-shirt that I gave him for Christmas. What? I'm a hot mom.
Day 2: (Children) I love that my Jex is so sensitive. He is sensitive to my needs, his friends, siblings, and also to the spirit. He is always hugging me, and letting me know he cares. Especially at the times that I need it the most. He is also the first to want to learn more about the gospel, watch church movies, pray, and get out our scriptures as a reminder of family scripture study. He is a great example. We are blessed to have our oldest child such a wonderful example for our other children. I love him, he is a sweet blessing to our family.

Jonathan with Stella Grace

Her Blessing Day September 2004

Day 2:(Jonathan) I love that my husband is a keeper of covenants. What a blessing that has been in our life. A wonderful gift to have a priesthood holder in our home. He has given each one of our children a blessing after their birth, and several father's blessings since. My life has also been enriched through priesthood blessings. I am thankful for him honoring those covenants, and serving in our home. I love you Jonathan!!

Day 1(children): I love that my beautiful baby Isaac sleeps through the night. What a blessing it is to have children that sleep.

Jex and Jonathan 2003

I love this picture(I think it is so sweet)

Day 1:(Jonathan) I love when my husband shows me he loves me, by putting the kids to bed at night. He does this quite often. He baths them, brushes there teeth, reads and or tells them a story, and says prayers. He does all the normal bed time routine stuff, and then gently puts them to bed. Most nights I find him snuggling with them in their bed, or letting them give him a massage. He is a great dad. The kids enjoy it because it is time well spent with him. I love it, because sometimes I am just to tired to do it all. I know he loves me when he does this for me. Thanks Jonathan!!

Wait five minutes....

If you don't like the weather in Kansas, just wait five minutes because it will change. Yesterday, we enjoyed 67-70 degree weather. All of the kids were playing in the backyard on the playground. All the moms were sitting out there(with our babies), enjoying the sunshine and soaking up our vitamin D. Now, it is pouring outside, and like 30 degrees. We are supposed to get 6 inches of snow. Who knows? I guess you just enjoy those days when they come. Even though it feels like a big fat tease.

I'm so glad when Daddy comes home...I pat his cheeks and give him what? A great big kiss.

 

Jonathan is home for the weekend. He has been traveling so much for interviews, and when he is not doing that he is on call at the hospital. The kids hadn't seen him in days. They were so excited when he got home from work this afternoon. They haven't left his side. They all climbed right up on his lap, and snuggled up close. I love having him here too.

A treat for Dad

 

In honor of Jonathan being home for a few days, Stella wanted to make him a cake. So we made one of his favorites! It's called Lemon Bread. My neighbor Kim gave us the recipe. Stella is always thinking of ways to make her dad happy.

Lemon Bread
1 lemon cake mix
1 sm. pkg. lemon pudding
2 eggs
1 C. water
1/3 C. oil
mix together and pour into 2 loaf pans
Bake @350 for 35-40 minutes

Cool in pans and then top wth glaze
Glaze:
1/2 C. Powdered sugar
4 T. lemon juice.

It says bread, but it is really more like a cake.

Pajama Day

Today at Jex's school was Pajama Day. This was in honor of Ground Hog's day. Jex attends a Methodist School. He is in the Pre-K class with 16 other 5 year olds. They have also been celebrating many half birthdays these last two months. All of the children turned five in the summer. We will celebrate Jex's this month at school. He is excited about that.

Baseball Anyone?

I thought this was so sweet of Stella. She loves to sing, especially to Isaac. Aren't they adorable? She has the sweetest voice. The Swenson's love baseball!