NCAA Picks

How I fill out my NCAA Tournament Bracket. Heads or Tails?

And I usually do pretty well if I do say so myself :)

Midnight Madness

Alyssa woke up at midnight the other night with a fever and she seemed very uncomfortable. Not knowing what else to do besides give her Tylenol I got her up and decided to feed her. Afterwards, I was holding her when she blew out her diaper- something she hasn't done in months. Sorry for you squeamish types, here comes a little bit of potty talk. This was no ordinary blow out. It was crazy, I heard and it was simultaneouly clear down her legs just like that. So now we had the runs to add to her growing list of ailments. Anyway I was in the kitchen and after rushing over to the sink I kind of froze in place standing there holding her out from me trying to decide just how to proceed. I didn't know the number for Hazmat so I decided to just bathe her myself in the kitchen sink. She didn't seem to mind the chance to splash around a bit and I had her clean and back in bed just after 1am. 36 hours later her fever finally broke though the runs have lingered. Tonight I think she is finally on the up swing of this bug. Either way, I thought she looked cute in that big 'ol sink with just her head peeking over the top. It would have been even cuter however, during daylight hours!

Last Meal

I am aware that usually when you get the opportunity to choose your 'last meal' it is usually because you are incarcerated and on your way down the green mile -if ya know what I mean- but if I was ever to have to choose a last meal (hopefully under less disgraceful circumstances than death row) this sandwich from Panera Bread is what I would choose- especially if my last meal was lunch cuz I have something else in mind for dinner. This sandwich is called Turkey Caprese' and it is UNBELIEVABLE! Everything at Panera is delicious but this sandwich with turkey, sun dried tomatoes, pesto and fresh mozzarella is amazing. This scrumptious sandwich alone is worth a trip out east. But if you can't make it out that is fine...more for me! Check out www.panerabread.com

The Doll House

Santa brought Kennedy a doll house for Christmas this year and Kennedy LOVES to play with it. She will solicit any willing participant (and several not so willing) to play with her any time they will. We use playing doll house with dad as a tool to get her to get ready for bed quickly because she loves for Nathan to play with her. For Valentines we even got Kohen his very own "Kohnee" so he has something to play with besides the Spiderman he was using before... though now he just uses both. But it is funny because we can play role reversal and I can be Kennedy (as seen in picture #2 sitting next to Diego) and throw tantrums and it is so funny to listen to Kennedy being the 'mom' trying to reason with a naughty child. The hit of the century was when Nathan, playing himself, took a tumble off of the roof and when he landed he let out a toot...I couldn't figure out why when I came in the room Kenna and Kohen were laughing so hard- well following their father's brilliant example all of the characters were going around 'tooting' which meant the kids were actually just spitting all over each other (trying to make the toot sound) and laughing hysterically. Anyway, I have found the house set up in some pretty funny scenes before...and apparently Spiderman is an accepted member of this family because he is always hanging around. Moral of the story? Flatulence is always funny.

Sticks and Stones...

Sticks and stones may break my bones, and so will falling down the stairs. Kohen learned that this Saturday when he took a tumble down a set of stairs (one of many in our townhouse) in his rush to go down and greet his dad. I knew he had actually gotten hurt by the sound of his cry and the fact that there were genuine tears. But soon he was playing again though I did notice he wasn't putting any weight on his right hand. I was sure something was amiss when he kept bringing up that his arm was "ow-ee" and that it needed a band-aid. We took the wait and see approach and Sunday morning his wrist was mildly swollen, he was still nursing it and if we put any pressure on it it still hurt. So this morning I took all three children to an urgent care facility (those words 'took 3 kids to urgent care facility' can lead to nothing good!) with x-ray capabilities and then we were sent immediately across the street to an orthopedic surgeon. The whole ordeal took well over 4 hours and ended up running past lunch and nap time and could be a whole different post in itself. Anyway, Kohen was a great little patient and truly just observing him you probably would never have known he wasn't functioning at full capacity. The break is not bad and should heal fine. They did put the cast clear up to his shoulder, however, to keep him from pulling it off- and I just hope that up to his shoulder is far enough! As soon as the cast was dry and the nurse let go of his arm Kohen took a good look at it, and promptly whacked the wall behind him giving a little 'yah!' for good measure. The nurse and I met eyes and I breathed out "oh no." Yes, it has taken all afternoon to try and get it into Kohen's head that he can't hit things -ANYTHING- with his cast. He is disappointed. He can't figure out why they put it on him then. I mean, what do we expect when you encase a 2 year olds arm in fiberglass? It sure gives a whole new meaning to 'armed and dangerous'!

The Dunnings visit!

This weekend our dear friends Mark and Kristy Dunning came to visit us and brought their sweet little boy Rowan to play too! Mark and Nathan were roommates in college and we have a great time any time we get the chance to be with them. Kristy is a good 'ol Idaho girl which made us love her the minute we met her. Mark had to come to D.C. for work and so Kristy and Rowan came too so that we could all hang out. We had such a fun time! Never were there 4 people together who could ALL talk 'the hind leg off a donkey'! If you see a donkey around without any legs, I am afraid we are to blame! The highlights of the trip were dinner in Georgetown at an Italian restaurant and also shopping and dinner at Tyson's Corner. But truly, these few sentences just can't express what a great time we had and how grateful we are we got to spend the weekend with the Dunnings. Check out almost 5 month old Rowan chilling in the swing- he is too cute!

'Holistic' Health Care

Kennedy picked out this adorable horse at Build-a-Bear on her 3rd Birthday. She adores this horse and plays with it often. She went through a stage where she would put her dolls to bed in all of the beds around the house, which gave me a scare on more than one occasion. One night I went into my room and found her horse all tucked in...with ear plugs in each of her ears! Nathan and I thought it was too funny- we didn't even know she knew what earplugs were! Well, today Pony got sick and we found her on the couch in this condition:

That is right, medicine syringe in the left nostril and ace bandage over the eyes (which she reported were broken...oh my) and then tied around the hoofs- now that, good people-is some excellent health care. Kennedy realized what Nathan and I were snickering at and taking pictures of and she promptly rushed to her Pony's side and gave us that "don't mess with one of my patients!" look. And this is the girl who will care for me when I am old and infirm? Hide the ace bandages!

High Decibles

FACT: Boys are loud...very loud. So it doesn't really surprise me to find Kohen behind any loud banging or raucous in our home. He likes to vacuum randomly throughout the day and this particular time I found him wearing his 'Bob the Builder' goggles- for protection I am sure. I have to laugh when I look at these pictures because he looks like such an adorable goober! Then the other day he found a noise maker and I am telling you, he was giving it his all! He was blowing so hard it kept flying out of his mouth- Nathan even caught it on camera!

Aly J.

Love this girl! She is such a sweetheart. I love the beanie in the top pictures with the pea pod on top- it was Kennedy's and it was fun to get it out and put it on Alyssa. The last picture is exactly what Aly was wearing the other night when Nathan and I were out with her and nobody new that she was a girl, in spite of the pink threaded throughout the overalls and on her shirt, not to mention a white and pink blanket over her...I knew because when people would ask about her or tell me she was sweet they would use gender neutral terms that though they thought they were being inconspicuous, these certain phrases are red flags for when people are fishing for gender confirmation. Here, I will give you an example, instead of saying she/he is cute they will say "oh, what a sweety!" and then to ask how old he/she is they will say simply, "How old?" And the most obvious is when they ask, "What is the name?" ...'the' name? Come on people! You might as well just come out and ask if it is a boy or girl. This same night the hostess who seated us went on and on about our baby boy and made all of these male gender specific comments about 'him'. I usually don't care but I thought two things: Probably my fault for not helping out the general public by putting a bow on Aly's head (though that still doesn't seem to help a sorry few) and also, is that outfit really that ambiguous? Does Aly really not look like a girl? No one is going to tell me if she doesn't I suppose but still...With the bow on, if you can't figure it out I suppose you got bigger problems then not being able to tell the difference between a baby boy or girl!

School Is In!

As a mother I don't feel like I am the overly ambitious, do-it-myself-cuz-I-can-do-it-better type. I wasn't dying to do a co-op preschool. I would rather not stress about having 6 or so, three and four year olds over to my house and the pressure of trying to keep them in control, and entertained all while attempting to teach them something. So when we moved to Virginia I was excited to get Kennedy into a preschool, only to find out that here you have to have your child on the waiting list the moment they are conceived or they won't get in. You will also pay tuition that rivals that of most colleges- and I am not even kidding. I was bummed and sure that I had just officially messed up Kennedy's life (heretofore it had been 'unofficial') because there was no way she was getting into preschool this year. After a bit of searching I discovered that the high schools here do preschools where there is a teacher and students that teach and they are actually affordable. After literally hounding 2 of these teachers through emails I was able to get on a waiting list for next year and just recently found out that Kennedy made it in to the fall 2007 program. Meanwhile at home we started playing school as a pretend activity and Kennedy loved it so much we have turned it into the real deal. Kennedy is SO excited everyday- she has me pretend to ring the bell to signal the start of school and she and Kohen (decked out in shoes and coats that Kennedy has put on them) come into school (aka-the kitchen) carrying backpacks all ready to learn. Kenna calls me 'teacher' and 'Mrs. Jensen' and is enthusiastic about our learning program to the point that there can be tears when school is over or it is the weekend. The picture of the place mat shows just how neat and tidy Kennedy is. It asked you to match the # to the groups that had that # of objects in it. She wouldn't draw a line through the directions and I was impressed with her willingness to go out of her way to avoid an unsightly break-up of the directions. Check out the #5. She started to the right of the number then draws up, all the way to the left, then carefully down and back to the right to the middle group of ducks! In that moment I knew she was related to her Papa Dixie, just a little...retentive...you know what kind. Any way, we are having fun doing all sorts of activities and Kohen mostly colors with a dry erase marker the whole time while I teach Kennedy her lessons. I love that picture of him hunched over his work like an artist obsessed, he takes his scribblings very seriously. Anyway, for now we are having a good time...And I never thought that I would say that about teaching at home!

You Can Try...

Notice the little tiny 'Polly Pocket' shoe in Kenna's hand

What Kennedy chews on instead of gum

You can try to keep your children from making the same mistakes that you did, but sometimes it is hopeless. I chewed so much gum growing up that my jaw is a complete disaster now. So I have been really careful to keep gum out of my children's immediate reach, not that that stopped me when I was young...but I digress. I have tried to only use gum with children on occasion for a really special treat. So of course I became suspicious one day when Kennedy appeared to be walking around the house chewing gum. Turns out she was chewing on a teeny, tiny rubber shoe from her 'Poly Pocket' princesses. Then I realized she has started keeping all of the shoes together in a baby doll sippy cup as a stash of chewing shoes! I got to tell you, I never saw this coming. Over the last month I have noticed her chewing shoes on nearly a daily basis- so much so that I finally had to pop one in my mouth and chew on it for a while to see what all the fuss was about- and you know what? Not so bad. Definitely a viable alternative...and I am the expert.

Satan's Cookies

Don't be deceived by all the shiny, happy, wholesome-looking girls on the box. If you eat what is in that box you won't feel shiny, happy OR wholesome! The problem is, the cookies only come around once a year, and the $ supposedly goes towards those cute little girl scouts selling the cookies, and those two reasons always seem to compel me to impulse buy them (for a 'good cause' I tell myself, ignoring the fact that clogged arteries are not exactly a 'good cause') and to buy more now because you can't buy them later which is classic supply and demand. I thought I was doing so good this year not having bought any cookies (though mostly because I hadn't had the opportunity) until Sat. when Nathan was out with Kennedy running errands and I was out with Kohen and Aly running errands and I was STARVING. Naturally when Nathan called and said, "they are selling girl scout cookies, do we want some?" I replied, "Yes, and get a lot!" I was so delirious with hunger he could have offered to bring home gourmet dog biscuits and I couldn't have been responsible for giving him the okay. So, I beat him back home and was able to eat something and as the immediate hunger subsided I started worrying about the license I had given Nathan in the phrase 'get a lot'. Yeah, he came home with four different kinds of cookies...oh boy. Now, I hardly ever eat so much that I get sick. Rarely do I do that. But Sunday night, I don't know what came over me. I ate my entire daily caloric intake in girl scout cookies alone! I felt so sick- just looking at them made me feel gross. The picture above is what is left after the cookie massacre, minus the box of Samoa's which were the first to bite the dust. In my defense, Nathan did help...a little. So today, Monday, I am feeling better and that overly full sensation is starting to fade into a distant memory...until I went to get something out of the freezer and saw what is pictured below...CURSES!...Duty Calls!

Maiden Voyage

Well after 6 months we finally gave in and bought a table. We left our old one in Boise. It was one of Nathan and I's first purchases after we married, which we were naively high pressured into and it was the biggest piece of over-priced junk ever! So after quite a bit of looking we settled on this beautiful set. Since we moved we had been eating with Kennedy in a booster seat thing that hooked to the island and Nathan and I ate on our bar stools next to her with Kohen in the high chair. Nearly every night when we would sit down to dinner either Nathan or I would comment "we have GOT to get a table!" But our Kitchen is set up a little odd and so making a table fit is a bit of a challenge. I love this table and I all ready feel myself going a little bit overboard trying to keep it in good condition (notice the kitchen towels under the children's plates, I had to improvise until I get the proper place mats or some such). With little children around and the occasional clumsy adult (okay, mostly just me) I know it will be a slow death for this lovely table. I haven't taken the protective plastic off of the seat cushions yet, and the vinyl table cloth I put on for the school lessons we do has remained on since shortly after this picture was taken. Nathan is worried. He keeps trying to bring up a dialogue about what my long term plan is with the table cloth. But I just can't bear to let the gouging and scratching begin just yet. Anyway, we enjoyed our first meal together at our table sharing home made pizza which was so fun. Then I tried Alyssa out in the high chair -she looked so tiny in that big chair that Kohen had filled out so aptly!

Frosty the Snowman

Nathan, Kohen, Kennedy, Erin and Alyssa
Sledding Feb. 2007

Marianne, Kohen, and Kimmy with the beginnings of Frosty.

Nathan and Kennedy after a particularly awesome ride down the hill

The Bell Family (well, 4 of 6 kids present)

Top left: Marianne, Rosie and Tom

Bottom left: Peter and the twins Kim and Katie

Everyone, minus our photographer Rose, posing in the awesome scenery!

February 25, 2007 Sunday

It has taken Nathan and I a little getting used to the fact that if there is even a dusting of snow they cancel everything here. Mainly (and understandably) because Virginia doesn't have the salt, sand and snow plows needed to clear anything but the main roads and even that is a stretch. So even when we received almost 4 inches of heavy, wet snow this past Sun. morning we were still surprised when our phone started ringing with calls that Church had been cancelled. No, you read that right, Church was cancelled! Nathan and I proceeded to do the stupidest happy dance jumping up and down and shouting "woo hoo" before we realized what we were doing and started laughing at ourselves for being idiots. Don't get me wrong, we love church and the boost that it gives us to take on the upcoming week- but having church cancelled was a first for both of us, and forgive us for being a little overly excited. We will repent...next week, when we have church. Any way, we went sledding with the Bells and had the most wonderful time! Everyone took turns bringing Kennedy and Kohen down the hill, and I even went down with Alyssa strapped to me, a few times which was fun (don't worry Dad, I only went half way down, and I started right below the tree stump that everyone kept coming dangerously close to. You would be proud, I even brought the kid's bike helmets with me but lost my nerve when I saw where we were sledding and the lack of imminent danger). Then we started building Frosty. He was about 6 ft tall- so huge! And quite handsome if I do say so myself. It was everything you dream about for a snow day and playing in the snow. After, we went home and I put a swimsuit on and got in the tub with Kennedy and Kohen so we could warm up and sweet Nathan brought us all hot chocolate with marshmallows!!! Love that guy! Then we got in our sun. clothes and headed across the street to the Bell's home. The Bishop had authorized us to bless and have the Sacrament in our homes and so we shared a really neat experience doing that with the Bell's. It was a good reminder for me of how thankful I am that my husband has the Priesthood and was able to participate in blessing the Sacrament, and also a good reminder of how grateful I am to have the opportunity to recommit myself to my baptismal covenants each and every week by taking the Sacrament. I know it is a heavy topic for a blog but I have to be honest, it was a wonderful experience. Anyway, there are so many pictures from our fun snow day, I didn't even scratch the surface. The post beneath this is just more pics of the fun we had. Enjoy!

Snow ball Fight!

6ft 1 in Marianne making a snow angel next to 3ft 2 inch Kennedy!

Kohen clears his mouth of snow after an awesome ride down with Katie!


The Snowball fight that ensued was a lot of fun, even with Aly strapped to me I still got in on the fun. You may be thinking that having her with me would give me a clear advantage seeing as no one would want to hit the baby, however I can't actually hit my target with the snowball so I remained as ineffective as usual!

Peter and Marianne battle it out while Kennedy and Kohen put their two cents in. And it wasn't snowing anymore, that is all the flurry of the snowball fight my friends!

The girls get pelted!

The best snow day ever!

Mr. Mischief

My sweet Kohen has turned into a mischievous little 2 yr old! I am unable to get anything done because if I turn my back on him or let him out of my site for 30 seconds (30 seconds, people!) he will have dropped paper towels in the toilet, rubbed chap stick ALL over his face, given a quarter to Alyssa to play with, tasted the powder laundry detergent, gotten out 2 steak knives to chase Kennedy around with (though in his defense I think he was just chasing because she was running)...these are just a few off the top of my head. Now, I know this is somewhat typical and perhaps not even that bad compared to some, however-I don't care. It still is not all that fun. I think it is the sheer volume of incidents rather than the deviance of them that gets me down. In case you are judging me about why he had access to knives, detergent, quarters and the like, well I didn't think he did! He has proven himself a worthy opponent climbing and snooping and finding all of the things he isn't supposed to. So I have compiled a few pictures from some of his less urgent adventures. First off we have Kohen standing next to a tiny cup from Kennedy's kitchen. One morning he found a full adult size cup of water that a guest had left out that I didn't find the night before. Not to worry, my helper Kohen found it and I saw him out of the corner of my eye. Knowing how he thinks I tried to cross the room in 2 steps shouting a slow-motion "NOOOOO!" he hurriedly dumped the entire glass into that teeny cup. Did I mention the tiny cup was sitting on the couch? Next we have Kohen holding Kennedy in what looks like a hug but became a full fledged headlock as soon as the picture was taken. This is a common practice he uses to get his sister all upset. We have also caught a "hug" he was giving Alyssa turn into what looked like him doing chest compressions on our sweet girl! Ahhhh! And finally, this Monday during family home evening Nathan was taking turns with the children playing a song for them on the piano and they could choose to sing a song or play along with him. Kohen had his turn and then I became distracted while listening to Kennedy make up an impromptu song while Nathan played. It was so darling until I realized Kohen was missing. And not only was he missing, he was quiet- that can only mean one thing...mischief! And there he was standing on the bar stool with the big 'ol pepper shaker- shaking it ALL over the place! There was a thick dusting of pepper all over the counter, chair, and floor. So I go to get him down so he could vacuum it up -and he does what he usually does when he gets caught-he frantically tries to finish the task at hand before I can stop him. This time that meant that he reaches out with both hands and in a frenzied motion sweeps his little hands back and forth sending the pepper in every direction. To my let-the-punishment-fit-the-crime delight he then put both hands in front of his mouth and took a great big lick! He sneezed intermittently for 10 min after that- I even got a picture of one. What a boy. Even with all of his 'creativity' how could you not love this kid?!