Make a Smilebox scrapbook

My Mom!

Happy Birthday Mom! I love you! You are an amazing women. I know it is normal to be able to see more and more how much we appreciate our parents as we get older, but you truly are amazing. You are a women that I admire. I hope you know that and how much you are loved. I wish I could have been there for your birthday! I miss you like crazy.

I love you mom!

Happy Anniversary!!

Happy Anniversary to Beverly and Kermit (Kjell's mom and dad)! Hope you had a wonderful time to enjoy the day and reflect on the many years and memories you have experienced together! We love you both!

r

The wedding and my beautiful cast!

Ok, I had a few people curious to see me in all my glory in the beautiful cast I got to wear to Heather's wedding!!! Yuck! It was a such a fun week, but just bummed by the one problem! I broke it leaving the bachlorette party! And yes I was sober!! At least I got a cast in the wedding colors!!!

THE FLOOR IS DONE!!!

Ok, these are apsolutly horrible pictures. My battery charger is still coming in the mail to my camera, so these were taken from Kjell's cell phone. But as you can see it is done!!! Ok, we still have trim to do all around, but after having ply wood and hard lanolium for the last two years in the dineing room, I am so happy! We have had to wood in the living room the whole time, but I added pics so those who wanted to see and haven't been here could see how the two rooms flow together.

We just painted in the dineing room, so no pics hanging yet and sorry we have the undecorated tree up, but anyway! I am so happy Kjell got this done before he has to leave tomorrow! :(

We will miss haveing him home, he was home for two weeks and that is the longest he has been home in one stretch for a long time. Thank you honey for finishing the floor!! I love you!

THE FLOOR IS ALMOST DONE!!!

Oh, my goodness, I never really thought the day would come! As some of you know, our floor has been the biggest headache of this house! The addition that the previous owners made to extend the dining room out, and add a breakfast room, was sinking. This is a pretty common problem in our neighbor hood of course, but ours was bad. When we bought the house, we tore out all the carpet on the main floor and prepared to have laminate wood floors installed. The did that right away, but the guy who was laying it, when he was half way thru, said the slope was too great and he couldn't finish it! So we then proceded to look into haveing that back end of the house jacked up! Well after getting bids anywhere from $5000 (that guy left town) and up to $30,000. We just simply didn't have that extra cash around. So we have just been waiting. Now I am sure if Kjell had actually been home for more then a few days at a time in the last two years, this would have been done a long time ago. But, now with the chance of haveing to move to Seattle, we have been for forced to get on it. We finally decided to just lay the floor and hope for the best, and I am happy and sad (only because we could have had this for the last two years) but it is laying beautifully. I love it! Kjell and I have worked together on it, and it has really been pretty fun. So, we took some pictures of what the kids and I drew, little messages to the future about our family on the ply wood floor (the plywood floor that I have been sweeping and mopping for the last two years!) The boys have helped finish things up today alot. It has really been a fun project and I am so relieved for it to look like a normal house, not only that I think it is beautiful. I will post some pictures when it is totally complete and cleaned up. I can't wait!!!!

Tag: fourth and fourth

A freind tagged me on this, so I tag you if you are reading this and leave me a comment so I can check yours out!

Directions: Post the fourth picture in the fourth folder on your computer.

Unfoturnaly I am on Kjell's computer so this isn't a great picture, it is a work picture of someone's sad roof!

Random Thoughts about the kids....

We always talk about writing down funny things that the kids said when they were little. I am going to write what I can remember now, before it is to late.

Vance: at about 2, "Boo Ti Ti" for peek a boo, everytime!!

Gjori: "Fire burned da birdie" (He was about 2, we have no idea why, but he said it often.)

We always called Vance, Vancie Pants, and Gjori, Gjori buggy.

Kjellsen has always been called shooter! No idea why, but it stuck from when he was just a little baby. Sometimes it is Shooter Magavin!

When Kjellsen wanted to go to McDonalds. He always said, "lets go to SayUncles" or "SuDoncles" No idea why.

Kjari for some reason started out saying flowers as "Fockers". No matter how clear we would say it for her, she would always later say, "look pretty Fockers!" She did that for about 3 months, and just now says it pretty clear.

The other day, I was having a really rough day, and I was crying. Kjell had just left to get some things for our painting job, this is what happened.

Kjari: Are you sad mommy?

Me: yes

Kjari: Do you miss your Daddy?......... He'll come home soon.

I loved it. I gave her a big hug, and texted my dad! I do miss my Daddy many times.

My boys on Sunday, were so upset and I couldn't figure out why. The young man who blessed the sacrament had made an error, and had to repeat it. I looked over at my two oldest boys and they were in deep discussion and seemed really mad. Later I ask Gjori what was going on and he ask me why he had to repeat it. I told him that it was a very important prayer and it was taught by Jesus Christ and its important we do it His way. He was so flustered and upset, he kept saying that is wrong, that is wrong. (Remember this is my sweet Gjori, everything is very literal to him!) He looked at me, and told me:

"Mom Jesus does not expect perfection from us. He understands when we make mistakes. That just isn't right." I told Kjell he was going to have to have a discussion with him on it, because at that moment there was no talking to him.

I ask Kjell this morning if he talked to them yet, and he said yes. He said he talked to them for about 3 or 4 minutes, and they were totally like, ok, yeah that makes sense. Go figure!!

Anyway, I am off to get some work done today!

Holiday Bake Sale

Ok, calling all bakers!! I am chair this year of our PTA Holiday Bake Sale. I have worked it the last two years but have never been in charge! I am trying to be creative and think of ways to make it even better. I for one will also have to do alot of baking over the next week since the committee I got this year is about half of what we had last year.

So what I am wanting to know is if anyone has any easy recipes that i can make large quantities of, or if anyone has had any great successes with something else in a bake sale!

I can't wait to hear your ideas!

Crystal

Snowy day!

So we finally woke up to snow! For here, that is really late!

I am so proud of myself, small accomplishment, but I got the boys to school on time this morning, happy and feed! YEAH! One did get away with a serious need for finger nail clipping, but I have to look at the positive! hee hee

Kjari said the funniest thing last night, she ask me is we could watch the "scary Jesus" movie. It took me a minute, then I remembered we had been watching the Testaments on Sunday. I put it in for her, and she loved it up until the part where Jesus begins to be taken away, and she said, "shut if off, this is scary."

Then she wanted me to re start it again. She is too funny!

I am still suffering with this sore throat, I know, I know I need to get in to be seen. I just need to find some time, or make it I guess.

Well, I am off to begin a new day! Yeah for snow!

Thoughts for today....

I am going to to try to remember this. I have always gotten for some reason that we were never promised an easy life. Sadly when I hear that, the first memory that comes to mind is my dad walking out of the bathroom and every time singing, "I beg your pardon.....I never pormised you a rose garden!" But I will try to stay on task to my thought!

I guess I have been so blessed that I really don't struggle with focusing on the difficult parts of life, but of course there are times when that is neccesary. Maybe it is because of Thanksgiving, but I am full of gratitude today for all the things I have been so blessed with. I wonder, what do I have to complain of. I won't go there, but for now I would love to share as many have all over the blog world, what I am most thankful for.

My testimony of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. With out this knowlege, I know life would be much more of a struggle.

For a Heavenly Father that loves us so much, he never leaves us alone. He has given a a modern day propeht to lead us in the crazy easily distracted world.

I am grateful to live in a country that we can live free, and we can learn from others mistakes and out own.

I am sooooo grateful for my sweet husband. I truly don't know if any other man could put up with me, and he does it with a smile, a gorgous one at that. :)

I am grateful for my son Vance. He is amazing. He is always teaching me. I love that he is an intellegent thinker, and he truly has a desire for truth always. He is my right hand when daddy is gone, and I am so grateful for that.

I am thankful for Gjori. He is so full of joy. He always keeps me in check with my own truth. He is so literally I have to be. He is so tender with his little sister, that it reminds me of what kind of love I want to show all of them.

I am grateful for Kjellsen! He is such a trooper. He is always making me re evaluate my parenting, he reminds me that kindness is always the best way. He is always ready for a snuggle time and there is no greater stress reliever then that!

I am thankful for Kjari! She of course helps me be not so out numbered by all of these wonderful men. We call her our little ball of sunshine! She truly is that. Just looking at her makes you smile. She makes me want to be a better mom and person.

I am thankful for a healthy body and mind. I am thankful that my kids are healthy, and strong.

I am grateful for friends. Our families away from family. We are so blessed.

I am grateful to work in Primary again, and remember how much love our Heavenly Father has for each and every individual human on this earth. I am grateful that He gives us opportunities ot feel that love for each of his children in our care.

I am grateful for extended family. For forgiveness, for tollorence, for patience, for unconditional love.

Ok, I could go on forever, which I plan to do. But of course, laundry awaits and a two year old who is not opening here tenth bandage and asking me to put it on her "Owey". So life goes on...I love it, i truly do.

Hives from Juice???

Kjari has had the most bizarre hives comeing and going for a few weeks lately! I think I have discoved the culprit! Apple and Orange juice. We really don't drink much around here other then water and milk, but recently when she was sick she had to take an antibiotic, so I bought some apple juice to mix with it to give it to her. I hadn't noticed it much then but she was really only getting about a 1/8 of a cup with the medicine at a time. But of course since then she started asking for juice all the time. We started noticeing the hives last week. I bought some Orange juice this week, since we are all fighting off some colds, and thought we could all use the vitamin C. Well anyway slowly with out fail, after every drink of juice, more and more hives would appear. Who would have known! Benedryl always clears it up, and my doc didn't seem to concerned. So I am going to give it a day or so and give her some juice again, just to comfirm our suspicians. Anyone else out there ever experience this with there kids??

Happy Birthday Gjori!

Gjori

Powerful

Couragous

Tender

Curious

Loveing

Gjori you are amazing! I am honored to be chosen to be your mother in this life! You make my life exciting, you touch my heart, you surprise me and you make me be a better person! Your smile.... WOW... you light up a room! Thank you for that! I love you so much! I hope you enjoy your special day!

I love you!

Love, Mom

My thoughts

Ok, I have not written in a while, and need to get a battery charger before I can post more pictures, I mean I don't know why I don't have it yet, I mean, I am only a temporary single mom of four, busy with a primary calling that keeps my up at night and trying to get a house ready to sell, and pack and move in less then a few months! No big deal right????
Funny, but I am really happy right now. Wierd how that is though, how the busier I am the happier I am. Odd, I know but

So, I am busy, nothing new. But promised myself I would get on here and post something!! Vance and I have made a committment to each other to read The book of Alma and write in our journal everyday for the next two weeks. So, I am honoring that commitment, so if I don't write here I will write in my journal, but this seems for some odd reason easier! Who knows!

Our primary program is over and it was amazing! It was wonderful. I forget how much the spirit always steps in and makes it great! It feels good to have that behind us, and ready to move on as a new presidancy!

Gjori's birthday is this Saturday, I am on it! I am usually so last minute, but we have a party planned and he is sooo excited. The very best part is Daddy will be home!!!!! YEAH!!!!

I am babysitting today, so have to run! Kjari has to be watched!!! I will have to post the funniest picture of her in her camo pants with a tutu, she dressed herself in. Sooooo her! A little bit of sweet, with a lot of rough!!

Multi Grain Indulgence

I got this recipe from an article that a friend of mine wrote for the paper. She is a member of the Great Falls Action for Healthy Kids. I am really trying to provide the kids with healthy options with out loseing my sanity! These kinds of things make this easy! They are just like the granola bars you buy in the store!!! Kids love them!! Thought I would pass this on:

Multi Grain Indulgence:
(Suzette Bruggeman)


4 Cups whole Grain Oats
1/2 cup ground Golden Flaxseed (just so you know, Walmart has this really inexpensive, I add it to everything)
1 cup Almonds
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp sea salt
1 cup prunes
2 eggs
1/2 cup natural brown sugar
2/3 cup honey
3/4 cup virgin coconut oil (Hear in Great Falls, you can get this at A Healthy Horizon on 10th Ave)
1 cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 X13 pan. Using a food processor, pulse oats until they become a fine flour. Remove oats until they become a fine flour. Remove oat flour into a large bowl and add whole wheat flour, salt and baking soda. Pulse almonds into a fine meal and add to dry ingredients. Wisk dry ingredients to combine thoroughly and set aside. In food processor, pulse the prunes until they become a paste. Add honey, sugar, coconut oil and eggs to prune paste in food processor and mix well. Pour wet ingredients into bowl with dry ingredients. With a large spoon incorporate wet and dry ingredients together. It will take some muscle, but you can do it. Pour thick mixture into greased pan and press down evenly with greased fingers. Bake 20-25 minutes until edges start to brown. Cool and cut in to small squares. Enjoy!

"I do it!"

I have so many pictures to post from our trip this summer, but they are all on Kjell's camera and he is back out of town. So... instead of just NOT blogging, I decided I would go on. I took this picture this morning laying in bed, while we were "sleeping in". That smile says it all. Pure contentness and Joy! Kjari (ok I am baggin the name thing!!) is in such a fun stage right now. I call it the "I do it" stage. But I love watching her! I love how it takes her 3 minutes to buckle her carseat, but insists that "I do it, I do it". What is it about that? I am a mom of four kids. To be honest with my first few kids, I would have told you this stage was the hardest for me. I remember feeling so frustrated by, waiting for them to "do it". I would get in power struggles with them. I don't know why, maybe it is because she could be our last, but I just simple see it so different. I know this stage won't last. And to see the joy in here eyes when she says "I did it" is truly priceless and worth the wait and the time to watch her little mind work as she decides which way to twist the strap to make it fit the right way. Now, I recall when my boys were younger people told me, oh, enjoy this time it goes away quickly, I honestly would feel, like good, I hope it does. I don't think I was wrong, just a crazy busy young mom. But what I am learning is, the great wisdom that our Heavenly Father has given for us to have more then your average 1.2 children!! I honestly believe the joy I learn as I re go thru stages, can not be found any other way. I am so truly greatful that I have the kids that I have. They are not easy. I am sooo not perfect. But I am learning that there is joy in hearing, "I do it," and "I did it!"

In the grander sceam of things, maybe we say that to Him, our Father in Heaven. When we are young and beginning our parenting journey, we are constanty, yelling, "I do it, I do it." Let me do it my way! How He must want to just take over, and show us the easier way. He is so truly patient with us, and I believe with all my heart that he does feel pure joy along with us when we proclaim, "I did it, I did it."

More pics

Here is some of those wonderful men! And, some of those future amazing men!

Family

We had such a good time seeing all our family and friends at Grandma's 60th birthday party!

More friends....

These are some really great friends from the Seattle area that we wish we could see more often. Isn't there little guy so sweet! We miss you guys!

A few more pictures from our park night!

A night at the Park

It is hard to imagine but about a week ago, the kids and I packed up all the bikes, brought our dinner to the park and had an incredible night. We had our pic nick, then we went off on our bikes. We first went to the skate park and the boys rode there bikes on all the cool hills. It was so great to see. My boys are surprisingly cautious when it comes to these things. (So fortunate that they got that from me, and didn't follow in there Fathers no fear footsteps!) But also on the other hand I want them to get out there and try things I would have been afraid to try. Anyway, Rodee especially stayed there forever. He tried one hill at a time. He slowly built up to more and more! It was so cool. I could see the confidence growing in his face. It was amazing. I loved it. It did make me nervous when I saw a kid who told me all about how he broke his arm, learning how, and his mom just now let him come back!! But I shook it off! They are kids. I need to let them have fun. In our world I think this is as safe as it gets! Speaking of that though, I feel a rant coming on... hee hee.. bear with me... but this poor kid had just turned 10 himself. No parent in site. In fact in the whole skate park, there were probly 30 kids and I was the only adult, besides I guess the few maybe 18 year old kids skating around. I really felt sad for most of these kids. On one had I was amazed, I loved the true talent I was witnessing in some of these kids. It was amazing, but I also just couldn't help but worry about the danger of them being there. Not the skating. Broken bones heal. But the danger of just so much time alone. So much time without guidance and love. Many of them seemed really attached to older skaters. I can only pray that they are adopted big brothers that will help them, but something tells me that probly isn't the case. Anyway, just sad. I love boys. I know that is why I have three. I just feel so passionate about all these lost young men in our world. If someone doesn't help them, guide them, direct them in a good path. Help them see how talented and wonderful they could be then we just have a bunch more loser sperm donors that neglect there girlfriends and could be families. We so need good, righteous men in our world, and I believe there are so many out there that could be with the right guidance.

Ok, I digress. We left the skate park eventually and then rode the trail for almost a mile!! Poor Lighting was on his big wheel the whole time! The little trooper never complained! (We have since gotten him his own bike that he is so excited about!)

After we rode the bikes the mile back, we parked them and played at the park for a while. Then we played soccer until it got dark. We didn't leave the park until 10:30!! It was such a fun night. The only thing missing was daddy!

Weddings

Congratulations to a sweet girl who was one of our Young Women. It was strange seeing one of our young girls get married. I mean I was only in YW's for 2 and half years, I think, but just thinking about any of them being old enough to get married really makes me feel older. We had such wonderful girls. This one in particular. (Just not nameing names in case she doesn't want me to!) She impressed me so much with her kindness and wonderful example she was to all of our younger girls. We wish the two of you so much happiness!

Happy Birthday Rodee!!

These are a little late, but I wanted to let Rodee know how much we love him and how happy we are that he is in our family! He is truly an amazing kid. He teaches me things everyday. I hope that is 10th birthday was all he wished for. We had a great time with water balloons and other games that really didn't compare to attacking each other with water balloon. It was a new day for me, when I planned all these fun party games, and guess what 10 year olds, only wanted to run around and get each other with the balloons. They had a great time.
Happy Birthday Rodee!!!

Visit from Friends

Our long time friends came to visit up a few weeks ago, they have three boys and a girl just like us. We met them back with our oldest boys were just a few months old. Sophie loved playing with their sweet little girl. She is such a little mommy already. It was so fun to have them over. The boys had such a great reunion and we had fun staying up late and playing card games all night. I tell you, we really are fun to come visit! SO COME!!! Hee hee!

Snow in June!!!!!

Ok, now I know for that being here for 3 years should mean that I am use to this crazy unpredictable weather, but lets get real!!! Snow in June!!! It is June 11th for pete's sake!!
I just couldn't believe we were setting the pool up last week, and we wake up to this! Snow, and not just a little snow!
I have pictures but I don't want to make that the theme of my blog! Though I think that is what it has become!
Daddy comes home this Saturday!!!! Yeah, two weeks a head of schedule!! We are going to be home for the following two weeks. Vance is attending a Science camp the first week, and then the boys have scout camp the next and then we will be off. He is going to be working in San Francisco for the month of July. We are so excited. We spent almost 8 weeks last summer in hotels traveling all over with him, and if I remember right when I came home I was so done with Hotel rooms, but now we are all soooooo looking forward to it! We miss daddy so much that is part of it. The Hotel we will be staying at has an outdoor pool too, so in this cold that sounds so nice. I plan on hanging out in the hot sun all day with the kids at the pool! The tan will help get ready for the wedding I am in, in Idaho the first week in August. That week is going to be crazy. I am in desperate need for babysitters for 3 nights in a row because of wedding things. So anyone in Idaho that can recomend anyone......:)
Anyway, I am going on major diet mode, to lose as much as I can before the wedding too! Its hard with kids, but I am pretty determined!
Anyway, better run!