Mashed Potatoes

Today while I was nursing Gryffin came in carrying two baked potatoes from the fridge and was banging them together.  When I asked him what he was doing he looked at me matter of fact and stated, "Mom I am making mashed potatoes."  Hmmm wonder why I never thought about doing it that way.  Productive or unproductive you decide?

Gryffin-isms

Gryffin has been quite humorous lately.  He reminds me of the movie Little Nemo when the seagulls keep saying "mine mine" over and over again.  Gryffin has laid ground rules on what is his and what isn't.  Sawyer is his baby, his baby Sawyer is all I hear through out the day when ever she is in my arms, which is very often. (I wonder then why I am the one getting up with her multiple times through out the night?) The refrigerator belongs to him(but I am responsible for stocking it), the book shelf (that holds books that I get to read to him at least ten times a day which I love), most of the toys (which I usually end up picking up), literally you name it the list would go on and on.  Today it was, "these are my bath goggles (in all actuality they are Tate's) I need to get in the bath so I can use my bath goggles." I thought sure what ever will get you out of your Pj's today (Tate was beside himself).  Love this kid!

Brotherly Love (most days)

Most days these two boys enjoy each others company.  Most days they enjoy playing Geo Trax for hours.  Most days they like to snuggle on one chair and play games on the computer.  Most days they enjoy playing super heroes, which one seems to vary by day.  Most days they like to chase each other with airplanes that like to fight in mid air.  Some days Tate gets called a "stinker head" from Gryffin and some days Tate calls Gryffin a "shortie pants." But at the end of every day there is brotherly love.

Warm Days = Boys & Mud

So it has warmed up here in Logan to 53 today. The boys have loved being able to go outside and play on the swing set and race their tonka trucks which has turned into who can crash the other two first derby. But all in all it has been really nice which leads to the previous pictures of MUD. It warms up and the snow/ice melts and Gryffin has found it to be loads of fun to play in and track into the house. He doesn't have one pair of shoes, and he has many, that doesn't have inches of mud caked on them.  Which in turn leads to to Brooke and I cleaning up after him continually throughout the day. Gryffin is not the only one guilty of this though, Tate and Cole have contributed but not on the same scale as Gryffin. My mother would say I've done worse and she's probably right. I guess its that little bit of bad that always seems to come along with the good. But who came blame boys and their love for mud.

By: Eugene

Be Mine Valentine

Valentines is my least favorite holiday I have to admit.  It is because of the commercial hype associated with it.  I just don't think it is that meaningful to have a day that makes you show the person that you LOVE that you LOVE them.  A spontaneous out of the blue let me show you that I love you, that I am thinking about you gesture is just so much better.  That being said I will admit that I enjoy it a little more now that I have children.  I enjoyed making their Valentines.  I enjoyed seeing their excitement to take them to school and hand them out.  I enjoyed walking around our neighborhood delivering them to neighbors and friends.  I enjoyed watching them share in the LOVE in the gesture of giving.  I enjoyed chatting with my husband and snuggling.  So although I don't LOVE Valentines Day there were a lot of things that I did LOVE about that day.

Valentine Cards

This year I got this bright idea. I was going to make the kids Valentines this year and this is what I came up with.  I got craft paper in the post office section at Walmart around $2.50, traced and cut out what felt like a million hearts, and stitched them shut with the treat inside.  I made over 40 of these babies for Cole to take to his class, Tate to give to his teachers (they don't celebrate Valentines in his class but I didn't want him to feel left out), we made them for our neighbors, friends that the boys don't go to school with, and all the widows and widowers in the ward. It was a fun little project and I think that they turned out to be a bright idea. (one of the less intensive bright ideas I have had and Eugene will contest to that)

Monkey see Monkey do

Every night while I nurse Sawyer I read bedtime stories to the boys in hopes that it will bring their heart rates down a notch and make it less of a struggle to get them to sleep.  Plus I enjoy spending some last minutes with them before they head of to dreamland.  Tonight after I finished reading to them Eugene found this, Tate reenacting the stories he had just heard to Gryffin on our bed.  What a picture perfect moment I am glad Eugene got a few pictures to remember it by.

Fridays I volunteer

Fridays I volunteer in Cole's class.  Today I got a lot of funny questions that make a mother go hmmm and have an increase in blood pressure.  Alexis asked if I could please let Cole go to after schools club because she needs more time with him to talk him into being her boyfriend and there she can have him all to herself which might help in convincing him.  Umm Alexis let me get right on that, not.  Karlee asked if I knew if Cole liked her or not because she does like him very much.  Sandra asked if Cole had a girlfriend, no I said matter of factly that wont happen until he is much much older, post mission if I have my way.  Can you tell yet that Cole is very out numbered in his class?  There are only four boys out of 20 kids in his class.  Sklyer (a boy) asked if I was taken today and he said I looked beautiful and when you tell a girl that it wins her heart so can he have mine, flattery yes my boy is nice and I will admit there was a grin on my face, but I tend to go for a much older man who is 32 and is a lot taller in stature.

Oh Linus

Gryffin was dubbed Linus from Gramme (aka my mom) a long time ago.  He is attached to this blanket as you can probably tell.  We have had the blanket since Cole was born but none of the other boys took to it like Gryffin.  Gryffin would never take a pacifier but man did he love, still loves, this blanket.  As you can tell it is pretty worn out and since I have mentioned getting rid of it Gryffin is very careful not to leave it out of his sight.  I have tried to bribe him with the idea of me making him a new blanket but that doesn't seem to do the trick.  Maybe it is because he knows my sewing skills are sub par. I am not againist him having his snuggly blanket but really what can I do about the shape that it is in? 

Sweet Valentine PJ's

Sawyer is growing like a weed.  She weighed in at 10 lbs 4 oz at her check up when she was about two and a half months.  She is the sweetest baby most of the time and is getting so aware of her surroundings.  She loves to coo and has the biggest heart melting grin when her eyes meet yours.  She is an unbelievable addition to our family and at times I catch myself thinking, "Do you have a sister up there waiting to come down and even out the playing field with the crazy trio (aka her brothers)?" Then I realize she is almost three months old and I must be crazy to be thinking about whether or not another one is in store.  It must be the delusion that many many sleepless nights puts you in because I caught myself the other day looking at a pregnant lady wishing I looked that cute and was feeling a baby kicking inside.

Our Dearest Neighbors

We have the sweetest elderly couple, The Allens, that we are blessed to live next too.  The are both the dearest people and we often enjoy bringing them meals and visiting. (Mr. Allen looks exactly Pres. Hinkley's twin I just have to add that in) A couple weeks ago Mr. Allen fell and broke one of his ribs so today when we were blessed with a new blanket of snow I decided to get the boys outside with me while Sawyer slept and shovel their walk-ways, side walk, and drive way.  It was really a good time heaven knows I could use a few extra calorie burned, this pregnancy pooch is just lingering around.  The boys played on a little snow hill while I shoveled and we all had smiles on our faces despite the nasty wind gusts that kept freezing our ears.

Ski the Beav

Cole didnt have school today so I decided to seize the moment and have Eugene take Cole up to Beaver mountain for some Father and Son time.  When Cole got home I asked him how it went he replied with a big "Joker" smile grin, "This was one of the best days of my life."

Super Bowl 45

Super Bowl 45 was classic. Two of the most storied franchises in the NFL squared off in what would be a fantastic battle. Eugene was pulling for the Green Bay Packers which ended up holding on in the end making for one happy man for the rest of the evening. I have to admit I did the typical girl thing and visited with my dear friend Amber, who was gracious enough to have us over, through most of the Super Bowl pausing to watch a play here and there but when you are hanging out with such great friends visiting is just "more fun" in my opinion.  Eugene may beg to differ.  Hanging out with the Christensen's is so low key, fun, there is never a drop in the conversation or a dull moment, and our kids get along great however Eugene does love his FOOTBALL and that we all know. 

Amazon Amusement

Thanks to trusty ol Amazon delivering Eugene's guitar case right on time my boys had something to entertain themselves for most of the day.  I would be needing a long bath, a chiropractor visit, and probably some drugs if my 30 year old body had taken the good ol Amazon ride as many times as they did today.  I can promise you this I will be keeping our friend "Ammy" for the rest of the stir crazy winter days we will be seeing in Logan if Mr. Groundhog told a little white lie this year and summer is NOT 6 weeks away.

Is there something on my face?

I dont know what it is about powder donuts that my boys like so much.  Maybe it is the white powder mess that it leaves on their faces that initiates great laughter at the table and an embarrassing photo opportunity for mom.

Mr. Block Head

Tate has made some random things in preschool this year aka "Mr. Block Head" being one of them.  Cole went to the same preschool and didn't make anything resembling any of them; but Tate loves it and I am trying to love the fact I have a million random nonsense things sitting around my house. (a stretch for me I KNOW).

He loves me, He loves me not

He loves me, he loves me not! A few days ago Eugene surprised me with some flowers.  I usually am against purchasing flowers, especially on Valentines Day.  But on that day I just took in the beautiful array of color, smell, and the gesture of love and appreciation instead of freting about the money spent.