Model

So, I'm trying to get my lights set up in my basement, and get my camera at a setting so that my pictures come out nice. Payton has been great being my little model. She gets bored quick, but enjoys it anyway. Here's a few pictures of her. My backgrounds aren't up yet so there is a lot of white going on.

Happy Birthday Koen part 1

Koen is 2 today! He seems so grown up, not much of a shock to me, he's been 2 in my mind for quite a while now. He's so funny I had to post this video of him opening some presents this morning. Make sure you watch the whole thing cuz the best part is what he says at the end! It makes me laugh, he's been saying it all day! I'll post more of the days events when I get more time.


Before I got the camera out I'd tell him we needed to go change his diaper, his reply "Oh...Mine... Gosh!" He says it the same way every time. He used to only say Oh. The things they pick up from big sisters.

We are truely Amazing

Payton and I went to Body Worlds today. She loved it. She's our future of medicine. It was such a great educational tool for her. She loves learning about her body, and what everything does. She was the youngest in our group out of the kids, and she was the most interested and attentive. I love that she loves this stuff! I asked her what her favorite part about it was, and she said the one with the hair. since there was only one, here's a picture. She asked so many questions and it was fun for me to answer them in a way that she understood, and to see her expression of understanding and excitement. I would recommend this to everyone, as long as you don't have a weak stomach. It's only here for a while longer. It's a bit pricey but worth it. $22 for adult and $16 for child. Makes you appreciate more what God gave us. Go to www.theleonardo.org/bodyworlds for more info.

I would make a TERRIBLE single mom!

I've been couped up this past week with Koen. The doc's are thinking Rota virus. Poor kid. I was so worried I took him in twice this week. The first time to see if there was anything we could do for him. He ended up having an ear infection on top of all the other crap, so he got 2 shots of Rocephin. Poor kid, those hurt! The next day he was still looking dehydrated, every time he would drink anything, it would come right back out, liquid. really gross. I won't go into detail to spare you the gag reflux. Anyway so I took him back in and got some great news, the diarrhea may last up to 6 wks! You've got to be kidding! Not looking to the point of iv fluids yet so that's good. He's still not eating much. As of yesterday all he's had to eat all week has been 1 1/2 pieces of toast. Today he's had 1/2 piece of toast and 1/2 ham sandwich. Today seems to be the turning point for him. Only changed 1 diarrhea diaper today! compared to like 10! We are now getting somewhat wet diapers! yay!

As to the title of this post. Russ is now sick, again. Who knows what he's got, but it's really hard doing everything myself. Kudos to all you Single parents. Payton's getting jealous of all my attention to Koen. She's now saying she's sick too. I feel bad, but not much I can do right now. I try and give her any of my free time. We've been playing a lot of games, and watching a lot of movies. (I could go with out the bee movie and any harry potter for a while. Those have been koen's choices over and over!) I'm tempted to go outside and just scream. It usually helps. :)
Well off to play chutes and ladders with payt!

Christmas Greetings!

Ok, so a bit early. My mom came over for me to "help" her with a Christmas card for my dad's brothers. Obviously this is them. I had to post it cuz it reminds me of that movie The Christmas Story. It makes me laugh looking at it. I love it. It was such a great idea for my mom to do that, I'm sure they'll love it too. My dad is the youngest of the group. Don't you just want to kiss those cheeks. He looks like my little Koen. Or more appropriately the other way around.

Sick and Lazy

Russ has been so sick the last 4 days. He's got the flu. When he's home being sick and doing nothing, guess what I do? Right, NOTHING! Surprisingly the kitchen has stayed fairly clean thanks to my Roomba. But the family room has been left in shambles. I'm kickin butt on mario kart though. :) (I've had to start over since our last wii broke and we got a new one. thanks to the warranty we got on it.) Also none of my "honey do" list gets done. I really need shelves in my family room, so the kids stop breaking things. I don't know how many times Koen has broken the heads off of my willow tree statues, and I've had to glue them back on. Anyway, enough of that. I recently came across a photo of Russ that I took this past summer. I just love him. I thought I'd share this picture of my sexy husband with you guys!

You have no power over me...

Remember that show Labyrinth, with David Bowie? Payton saw it at walmart on one of their tv's, and was just mezmorized. I couldn't find it to buy it so we borrowed Crystals, since she has pretty much any movie we would want to see. I had to watch that movie everyday! She would even have her friends come over, just to see her favorite part. That part would be the dance magic dance part, she can sing almost every word of it now. Here's a sample of her dancing along with the Goblin King!

"So Who are you?"

Sometimes I can't believe how out of touch some people are. Then again, maybe its me!

Payton wanted to be Wanda from The Fairly Odd Parents for Halloween. I thought it was a great idea and decided to have Koen be Cosmo. So first of all no costumes out there for them, so I had to come up with my own. Not to hard considering they just wear regular clothes. Then I had to find the "Wands, and Wings, and little Crowny things." We went to Casey's work in the afternoon for some trick or treating. Koen had his green wings on, and that's when I realized that probably wasn't the best idea for my little boy to be a FAIRY for Halloween. It would've been fine if people knew who they were!!! Whatever, I thought they were cute anyway!

So as you can see by the end of the night they wouldn't wear their wings, Koen refused to wear his tie, and my fault for slacking and not buying wands.

Koen wanted nothing to do with pictures

Payton, Koen, Jaron and Colby. They live across the street. Payton and Jaron are always playing together. He's her little protector, he wont leave class at church until i get there to pick up payton. It's cute!

The G Family

My first "real" photo shoot, besides my family of course. My friend Jamie asked if I could take some pictures for her family. Not just the 4 of them, but her husbands whole family! I was soo nervous until I started shooting, then it was like: Oh, I so got this! I was in my element. I think they turned out quite nicely. Shout out to Casey, Thanks for your help!! I can't figure out which photo of the whole family I want to post, so I wont. :)

Jamie and her family

I love this picture of Jamie's family. They all look so happy.

Jared's brother and his family are in the bottom picture. They have some pics taken by the small waterfall, and I swear there's a ghost in them. Just in time for Halloween right.



Kiara and Kelton. Beautiful kids!

Jared's sisters and their families

CUTE!!

I just got a picture that I took with my sister in laws camera at the wedding. I was so mad that I didn't bring my good camera for this shot. But it turned out AWESOME! With a little help from photoshop it's definitely going on my wall!! In case you don't know this is my son Koen, and niece Adalynn

Val's Wedding

Russ' little sister got married on October 18th. Payton was a Flower Girl, and Koen the Ring Bearer. They were so so cute. Here's some pics of the day. I brought my small camera, so not the best shots, but they're still cute!


This is what you get when you don't take the picture yourself! What else could I do. Russ is always saying that out of all our pictures none of them have me in them, Well here ya go! But sorry, not a wall worthy photo!




I didn't have a good angle to get a good picture of Koen, but I hope the photographer did!

The 2 flower girls, Payton & Addy

Pumpkin Patch

Every October we take a trip to the pumpkin patch. Ever since my mom was a preschool teacher we've been taking the kids there. They always have a great time. Koen's at the age where he is so independent he NEVER wants to look at the camera. Oh well, I get some cute shots anyway.

Pictures from Canada

Before my parents left to Canada I told them to take pictures and send them to me cuz I was dying to see the kids. So here are a few of the new addition Kodie, and Kwynn.

Here's Kodie

Look at those cheeks!! I just want to kiss em. She's so cute!

Cute little Kwynners. She's getting so big!

This picture below looks like Payton. From the nose up anyway. She has the Jensen chin!

They blessed both girls today 10/12/08.

I love Kwynn's face. She's like do I HAVE to wear this? She looks so annoyed.

I'm guessing this is what my mom wanted when she sent me this pic. Since she has all the others kids feet.

Auntie

Yes I'm another aunt. Heather had her baby last night sometime in the 8 o'clock hour. A healthy little girl 6 lbs 14 oz. Not sure on a name yet but last I heard they were thinking of Kodie. Congrats Heather, Matt and Kwynn!! She's still in Canada so no cute pics yet :(

The Latest...

Here's my latest project. I love having my kids pose for my pictures. Koen is surprisingly the easiest!

Just call me TREE!

Ha ha. Payton is so funny. She started soccer yesterday, and let me tell you she did awesome! She had so much fun, and that's really all that matters. There are 2 Payton's on her team, it got kind of confusing, so after her game she told us she wanted us to call her TREE! She starts Chanting "Go Tree, Go Tree!" That's my crazy girl for ya, always keeping us laughing. At this age they pair them up and play 3 on 3. One of the girls was kind of a ball hog, so Payton didn't really get a chance. Finally the coach mixed it up a bit, so Payton could show off her mad skills :). Any way she starts dribbling the ball up the field, then just stops. She later told me "I just got so excited!" She rocks! Team name: The Pink Ballerina Bears!

Fun in Bear Lake

I'm sooo far behind! With our move and all everything has been put on hold.

We went to Bear Lake over the 24th. We always have a good time. Russ went up to work earlier in the week, and stopped to get fireworks in Evanston. As they were shooting them off, Russ decided that it would be a great idea to set one off while holding it and aiming it at the water. Meanwhile Hollie and I were walking up to the water to set off some of the small fireworks that were water proof. I was holding the box of about 100 in my hand. So anyways Russ sets his off and we ducked since the sparks flew are way, and as we're running away the box in my hand goes off. Scared the CRAP out of me!! No damage just a little pain and numbness for the next few days.

Here's a few pics of the kids playing at the beach!

Payton picking up shells

Poor Koen had a rash all over. Still so cute though.

Payton walking through to water

Koen picking up shells

Payton keeping her hands warm under Hollies sweater. Hollie's also pregnant, so it looks like she's holding her belly. So cute!

Koen and Grandma Longfellow

Payton and Hollie

BUGS!

Boys and their bugs! We went to Russ' aunt and uncle's house and they found a cricket in the grass and thought it would be fun to play with. Yuck!