Food, Food Fabulous Food!

Jensen DESPISES food- here is a clip of him eating! (I added several new posts tonight so scroll down to get all the family updates!)

Halloween

 Another year of Halloween fun. Eve went as a flapper, Anna as a cowgirl, Julia as a superhero, Eliza as a Barbie 3 Musketeer, and Jensen as Yoda! It was great fun, craving pumpkins, planning out costumes and of course the candy bit! Here are a few pics.

 

Jensen @ 8 Months

Jensen my little man. . . turned 8 months on October 18th. He is a doing fabulously. He is still very big and everywhere I go people let me know how big he really is. Like I don't know this- I am the one toting him around. Hee Hee. He does bring a smile to everyone's face he meets.

He has been teething for nearly a month now. He is feeling it and so am I. Poor guy! But his four bottom teeth and his two side top teeth are finally in. So he has a bit of hill billy look going on right now!

Jensen still refuses to eat any and all real food. He will not take a bottle, a sippy cup or a pacifer. Sigh. So in my moment of desperation a friend said try a slim jim. The salt helps numb their gums and it is soft enough for them to chew on. He loves his slim jims! Here is a funny pic! Jensen eating a slim jim with his "lock up your daughters" tee shirt.  Doesn't get any better than that!

Gratitude and The Fall

I have mixed feelings about the Fall. I completely love how beautiful it is, I love the idea of lots of warm soups to eat and hot cocoa to drink, I like thinking of all the upcoming holidays and all the joy and wonderful memories that come with them- but at the same time I dislike the chill in the air. I hate knowing that that chill just means an incoming bitter cold. Which in turns means that all the parts of my body that hang off a bit will become ice cubes for the next several months. It also means getting out of bed in the morning when it is still dark and cold. Bundling up in layer after layer and even worse bundling up my kiddos in layer after layer only to remove layer after layer a mere ten minutes later when they decide it is too cold or they have to pee! ANYWAYS- I love Fall if I can just not dwell on what the Fall means!!

But this Fall has been amazing and warm so I haven’t had to think about the cold and dreary winter.

When we went up to Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park in mid-October not only did we have an amazing time but it was fabulously warm. It was nearly 80 degrees with just a nice breeze- I couldn’t of asked for a better day!

We walked around all the fun shops; we went hiking, returned to some of the places I visited as a kid and we saw all the Elk come down for the evening. It was wonderful.

As we walked and hiked in the park I couldn’t help thinking about all the amazing and beautiful creations of our Heavenly Father. There I was in the presence of such beauty and wonder, my heart full of gratitude for it all. Not just the beauty of this earth and its many creations but also the family that Bret and I have created together. The Lord has entrusted me with these magnificent and remarkable little people. It truly was a day to remind me of the many blessings the Lord has provided for me.

Jensen @ 7 Months

I LOVE THIS BOY!

 He has brought so much to our family. What? He is 7 months already? When did that happen?

Jensen is up to 20lbs. now he will grow out of his infant seat with two more pounds- not sure what I will do. Everything on this boy is big and I love it! Chunky, chunky thighs. He is wearing 12 month old clothes and even some of those are to snug on his legs.

He now has two bottom teeth and I can see his top teeth are starting to come down.

Jensen is finally rolling over and he has also decided to sit up. But when he gets tired he throws his head back and crashes back down.

He HATES baby food. I put in his mouth and he just lets is sit there and then he starts gagging and dry heaving. It is really funny to watch. But he does like regular food if I put inside one of those chew toy things. Does anyone know what those are called?

He has the greatest laugh and his sisters are constantly dancing around, making silly noises and doing anything to get him going. When he laughs with no clothes on his belly giggles like jello and then that sends the girls into hysterical laughing. Lots of laughing at our house right now.

Jensen loves the outdoors so I am trying to spend as much time outside because I know that the cold is coming quickly.

Jensen is a calming, laid back and loving little guy. He tolerates the girls "games and dress-up time" so well. He goes wherever we go and is pretty content wherever we are. I love it.

Lastly,  he is still very much a mama's boy and I still love it!

Anna Sugar Bee Waters

My Anna turned nine this last week.

She had a fun day lots of cute clothes, and toys. Birthday treats at school, fabulous birthday dinner (her first request was crab, shrimp and steak but I told her she is not old enough to have such expensive taste!) so she opted for orange chicken, pinapple, costco rolls, and apple juice. Of course she had a horribly ugly cake made by me as is tradition and cookie dough icecream. All in all not a bad day.

Anna is such a funny girl, my number two in so many ways. Here are just a few of her quarks and characteristics!

• She is AMAZING with Jensen, a natural mother and she loves him so very much. She is always willing to help and care for Jensen in anyway. She comes home from school and he is the first and only thing to get her attention. I love watching her tenderness and sweetness with him.
• She still loves her sugar- we put anything sugary in front of her and tell she can't have any and she will shake and have to physically hold herself back from grabbing it. It is quite funny to watch.
• She is smart and witty. She loves school, she loves learning and I love that about her.
• Her natural tendency is toward selfishness but in the last year she has really worked on improving in that area and she has. But I love that she is willing to improve who she is and become a better person.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY SUGAR BEE!







The End of Summer :(

BYU vs. AIRFORCE game



Sept. 11th game. They did a great tribute to all those lost on the 11th.

 

The end of summer has come so very sad! We were busy everday and yet we did not even scratch the surface of what I had hoped to do this summer. Oh well, here is the last of our summer fun.

We went to the library summer reading program fair which was super fun (and free) we spent almost all day there! All kinds of things to see and do. Some of the highlights were the stormtroopers for Julia, the flight for life helicopter, sitting in and on all the emergency vechiles, face painting, water slide, and all kinds of other fun things.
I love the library!



• We went to Waterworld so I could relive my childhood memories. It was great fun and I loved watching my girls excitement at all there was to do. I loved seeing them overcome fears in order go on the big scary rides. They are braver than I was at that age! Jensen was great- he just took it all in, went on the big family rides with us and was just happy as can be.

I think this is a new family tradition!

• Bret's work put on an emergency preparedness night at the Sky Sox stadium so we got go support dad in all his hard work. The girls loved it. My favorite part was driving to the game and listening to the girls talk about how we have such an awesome family and they love how we spend so much time together. I wish I could of recorded the conversation. They really understand the importance of family. . . I would like to be able to remind them of their own words when they are 17 and we aren't so cool anymore!

Now we enter into the FALL. A season of crazy schedules, weather and an endless amount of homework and winter preparations. The girls are already discussing Halloween costumes and Thanksgiving plans.

I am not ready I still want more pool time.

My Birthday Boy

Happy Birthday to the love of my life. Thirty seven years old today. . . where has the time gone. I was looking at our wedding pictures the other day wow did we look like babies playing dress up! I considered giving you all a side by side of then and now but then realized I wouldn't like to look at how I have aged! Maybe for the fifteen year anniversary!

The best decision I have made to date in my life is marrying this guy. He makes me a better person, and loves me more than I would ever deserve. I love that we still laugh together and enjoy each other. Bret is an amazing father, husband, priesthood holder and man.

I just love that man! I am glad we get to celebrate him today.

Jensen @ 6 Months

(I have misplaced my camera so this is most recent picture of him from our library reading program party about 3 weeks before he was 6 months old!)

SIX MONTHS - where has the time gone? I can hardly believe that it has been that long already- I feel like I should still have a newborn!

He is growing like a weed! He weighed in at his six month appointment at 19 pounds and 8 ounces. To put that into perspective my four year old weighs 23 pounds. He is 28 and half inches long and is in the 97% across the board. He is one big boy and I am feeling it every time I lift his car seat into the car.

He has brought such happiness to our home. I love that kiddo. He is just the happiest and most content little one I have seen. He loves his sisters to pieces and they love him. It is funny with the birth of each child it seems like they fit right into place and I can't remember what it was like to not have them a part of our family. The same is true with my Jensen. I can't put into words how I feel about him and what he has brought to our family. I am so grateful that Heavenly Father has given me such beautiful, wonderful and sweet spirited children.

Some fun facts about Jensen:

• his pediatrician says "he's not obese, just fat"
• wearing 9-12 month clothes has been since June!
• Julia can make him laugh so hard by just looking at him funny
• he is a mommas boy- and momma is loving it!
• he continues to nurse like crazy every three hours and is taking no interest in baby food.
• We were at the pool enough this summer that he got a baby tan- pull open his rolls and you'll find they are pretty white inside!
• he just rolled over to his belly but prefers lying on his side.
• when he gets tired he can't close his mouth- it is just too much work to pull those cheeks up when your tired.
• he is number one little boy in the Water's house.

Eve and Anna took a computer movie class this summer. Eve did hers on Jensen here is a little clip from it! He has since added on two more rolls onto those thighs!

Trampoline

Yesterday I finally finished painting the ceiling of our family room. After I finished I laid down on the couch to check for missed spots. I was hot and sweaty so I pulled my shirt up to cool off, exposing my belly. Then my little Anna came along jumped up on the couch looked down at my stomach and said, "how come Jensen gets his own trampoline and I don't?" I asked what she was talking about and her reply was- "he gets to jump on your belly trampoline it is so mushy and bouncy like a trampoline."
Ha Ha. . . thanks Anna.
Now I know I haven't been to the gym at all this summer, we've have eaten out way to much this summer. But isn't lifting a 17 pound 4 month old, strapped into his car seat in and out of a giant SUV four to five times a day considered good ab work out? Apparently not.

Splash

Today we went to one of my favorite places in town. The fountain at The America The Beautiful Park. It is this huge water fountain that is free and kid friendly for kids of all ages. There also a really great park and in a few years when some of the newly planted trees have grown it will be perfect for those hot summer days. I just wish I would have thrown on my swimsuit to- instead I ended up in wet jean shorts. I hate the feeling of wet jeans!

From this picture of the girls at the playground you would never know that this park is in the middle of downtown. I love where we live, I love love love summer and I have really loved spending the summer with my children. I can't believe school will be starting in a month- we have hardly scratched the surface of all the fun things I wanted to do.

Anything for a free meal

My hubby thinks I am crazy but I love a good deal, a free coupon or some kind of gig that allows me to save money or get things for free. So of course we participated in cow appreciation day at Chick-fil-a. Dress like a cow and get a free meal. White tee-shirts and some black construction paper dots and a little face paint and the kids get to eat out and I don't have to cook!

LOVE IT!

Eve is 10!

Eve turned ten- I can not belive she is already ten. She is turning into such a beautiful young lady and I love her to pieces. We got her a mountain bike- she loves riding and has unbelievable stamina she will ride for miles and never want to stop. She keeps remind us all that she is in the double digits now. Funny girl.

I LOVE YOU GIRLIE!  

I need a vacation from my vacation

I feel the same way you do Jensen. . .

We took our family vacation a few weeks ago. It was one of those weeks that we will look back on and laugh someday just not today!

We went to Buena Vista not very far away, stayed in a friends cabin, and planned fun cheap and or free activities because this year we were doing a fun, inexpensive simple vacation. Should of gone for the crazy busy, super expensive kind instead!

Let me just count some of the many ways this very random vacation became not a vacation:

• STOMACH FLU. Eve puked the whole way there. So we quarantined her to a back bedroom for the first day, cleaned the bedding, washed down the room in hopes that it wouldn't be passed on to Boyd and Mary (Bret's brother's family). We thought we made it out free and clear but Boyd got sick the last day, and then all of his kids puked the whole car ride home to Utah.
• Everywhere we went we either got lost going or it took twice as long as planned.  I want a tom tom for Christmas! We ended up with a flat tire behind some private lake on a dirt road in the middle of no where while looking for the perfect pinic spot. Four brand new tires after we got back. . .
• Eliza took a major face plant into the tile floor cutting her lip up and making the two front teeth we have invested a great deal of money in very tender and possibly loose. Still a few years before those are supposed to come out.
• Horseback riding was the highlight of the vacation. Eliza was to small to ride but couldn't wait for the hay ride. The hay ride guy didn't show up for work so they offered us a pony ride instead. But when the pony was bigger then her my little ponies at home she was a little heart broken.
• 
  
  Taking the boat out was the big finale. We drove around the lake for nearly an hour looking for the boat ramp (which ended up being 5o feet from the front gate of the lake). Then it was so windy we could not take it out. Bummer hauled it all that way for it to just look good on the back of the car. If you have seen the boat you know I am kidding by "look good."
• Fished in the crazy wind and ate peanut butter and dirt sandwiches. . .
• Upon leaving my exhausion hit all I wanted to do was turn on a movie for the kids and get home. DVD player broken.
• This then cause Julia to cry for a full two hours about everything she could possibly come up with. She missed the cabin already, she'll never see her cousin again, it is raining outside, her flip flop fell off everything. . .
• Last we told the kiddos we would stop at this really fun BBQ joint on the way home for dinner. Two hour wait for some ribs- I was beyond being patient so we did not wait which made the crying to begin again.

I have never been so glad to get back to real life!

But on the bright side- it was beautiful up there and I am so grateful to live in such a wonderful and beautiful place. It was great to spend time with our family and create memories if even for me they weren't so great. The kids had a great time. That's all that really matters.

I recently read a quote/story about a man who took his son fishing and wrote in his journal that night. "Took my son fishing, total waste of a day." Later it was discovered that his son wrote in his own journal that same night and his said, "Went fishing with my dad, best day of my life."

Maybe that is how the girls will view this trip.  

Summer fun so far. . .

Anna had her annual dance recital. It happened to fall on the Stake Conference adult session on Saturday night so I got to do the very long FIVE hour dance recital with one dancer and four kiddos.

Anna did great, Jensen slept most the time (wheeeww), and only one potty break and am I ever glad I threw that bag of life savers into my purse.

We have been spending as much time as possible at the pool. Which in my opinion is not nearly enough. I feel like our summer is busier that our school year. I was really hoping for a restful laid back summer- but thus far it is not the case.

Eliza is a crack up- she won't take swim lessons. She tells everyone at the pool "I will take swim lessons when I am Julie's size" so until then I am not spending the money and she is perfectly happy in the baby pool. She doesn't even need a friend to swim with.

Jensen is four months old and growing like crazy. He weighs in at 16lbs. 14ozs. and comfortably wearing 6-9 month old clothes. He is the greatest joy. My little man is so happy and content. He lights up the room and makes all of us happy.

Julia's Graduation

Julia graduated from kindergarten. This is my first kindergarten graduation our previous school didn't have any kind of celebration. It was fun for Julia to have something that her older sisters did not have. She had fabulous teachers this year and we are sad to move on but overjoyed for full day school. She is beyond ready for full day!

In other Julia news. . . she ran away recently. All the kids were playing out in the back yard while I cleaned out the garage when Anna came and said Julia was gone. I found her all the way down the street ready to cross the intersection to find a new family. She was feeling unloved and frustrated with her big sisters so she left. That is the reasonable thing to do right??

I was so shocked that she would even dare leave the yard I didn't know what to do. I was furious that she left but heart broken she felt bad enough to go. What to do?

Since she was born I have had this strong conviction about her. I know she will be an amazing and wonderful woman. She will have the ability to accomplish a great deal in her life and have a great impact on whatever she choses to do- if only I can get her to adulthood and headed in the right direction. I am trying my best!

I love my head strong girl I hope she takes it easy on me in the teenage years!

Super Cool Mom

I love it when the rare occassion comes along when I get to be the super cool mom. I love it even better when it only costs me 12 bucks!

Old Navy had a $1 flip flop sale and we went. That made me cool- but I became Super Cool when I let them all get three pairs.

Julia said "Are you sure mom, school isn't starting and we already got our pictures taken? We are buying them just because, are you sure our budget can handle this?"

Field and Track day in Colorado

Field days are supposed to be fun beautiful sunny day. When the kiddos get to run and play and enjoy the first days of summer. Parents break out the sunscreen and shorts for the first time and head up to the school to cheer their kids on.

This is what we got instead this year. It snowed, it sleeted, it rained not one ray of sunshine. It was a balmy 21 degrees out. Field days were no picnic in the park this year.

But they still served popsicles afterwards hate to break tradition!

Eliza's Bday

Eliza turned four. Wow how the time seems to be going by fast.

Her birthday was a hit even though it rained and she could not go to the zoo with daddy. So she took him to the mall instead- what a good daddy-o.

I made her the ugliest birthday cake known to man. Something went seriously south with the frosting but she was perfectly happy. It was pink and that was all that mattered!

She had her first friend party (oh how I love friend parties. . .) but we made it through. There are no pictures of the party because in between cleaning up painting fun for 12 four years old and serving blue juice the Kodak moments slipped past me! We painted pots and then planted flowers in them. All the kiddos got to take home their flowers and their own garden shovels that I scored at target on clearance for 50 cents! Love a good deal!

She had fun and now can't wait to be 5 so she can go to kindergarten.

In years past I have had a specific vision of what I thought my Mother's Day should be . I usually end up a little sad and disappointed at the end of the day because it didn't go as I had hoped or thought it would. For example. the whole idea of asking my five children to have one day with pure happiness, kind words, and zero and I mean zero fighting is totally unrealistic. Try as they may (and they do really try) there are just too many pressing issues to set aside for one day. Such as who sits by who at the dinner, or one sister wearing the blue and white polka-dotted head band that belongs to the other, but she has completely forgotten that she even owns it until this very moment and therefore can not live without it!!!
So as I sit here late on Mother's Day night with my house torn to pieces, dessert still sitting out on the counter and a sink full of dishes; I realize that today doesn't really matter. I love the cards, I love watching my husband spend all day in the kitchen making turkey with all the fixings, I love all the extra hugs and kisses but it is the everyday things that make me appreciate my role as a mother.

Each of my children have taught me something, each one has made me laugh and cry. They age me and they keep me young. So for them I want them to know what I love about being their mother.

Eve

I love this girls spirit. She is incredibly wonderful and giving, she always thinks of others. Eve sees the good in each person she meets. She already at a young age has a strong testimony of the gospel, and the desire to learn and study so she can do what is right in her life. I am grateful for her strength and example.




Anna

I love this girls drive. She is smart and clever and loves a good challenge. She is inquisitive and driven and because of that she is always successful at whatever she tries. She is a teacher and a little mother in the making. I love watching her work on homework and reading with her younger sisters. She is patient and tender with Jensen even when he fusses. I look forward to the kind of woman she will become.


Julia
I love this girls wit. Julia can make any one laugh. She has truly been our families comic relief and always when we really need it. She also has a compassionate heart and a creative spirit. She is willing to help and serve where we need her and she works incredibly hard (usually harder than anyone else). I love her creative mind, her art, her ideas and her thoughts on the world around us.



Eliza
I love this girls sweetness. She is fun loving and brings out the child in me- we dance, we sing, we play and we laugh. She helps me to remember to still have fun in life. Her big blue eyes melt my heart but her sweet way of showing her love and making me smile brings me the greatest joy.




Jensen
I love this boys tranquillity. He has reminded me of how great this time is we have with our children. Late at night when it is just the two of us- I sit and ponder the many blessings I have in my life, the great joy I have found in being a mother. Of course I just can't get enough of those chubby cheeks. What's not to love in that little face?



SO tomorrow is back to the regular old grind of a stay at home mom. I will do my best to not lose the mother of the year award yet again!! I will remember on those not so glamorous days of mothering that this is the best job in the world.