Kids, Cooking, & Keeping It Real

JASNA Jane Austen Tea 2011

2011-12-31T18:38:00.000-08:00

Happy 1st Birthday Jayden

2011-12-31T18:33:00.001-08:00

She has grown so fast and is definitely our little princess. We love you Baby Girl!

Happy 10th Birthday Spencer!

2011-12-31T18:05:00.000-08:00

Christmas 2011

2011-12-31T17:57:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas! I'll add captions later.

Locomotion

2011-07-05T12:09:00.000-07:00

Jayden is on the move.

She can pull herself up.

It's the whole getting down thing that is scary.

I just love this picture.

Hi Mommy!

I can crawl, but only backwards.

Look at me go.

Motion is so awesome. What can I get into now?

I am mini woman, hear me mini roar!

Check out this pushup (or bear crawl if I'm being totally honest). Look out GI Jane, GI Jayden is the new female "tough guy".

Asher's Ice Cream Birthday Party

2011-07-03T12:08:00.000-07:00

Tammy hosted an ice cream picnic for Asher's birthday party. It was super fun and one of the few warm days we had at the beginning of summer.

Pierce was rocking his outfit and nibbling off plates as he prowled around.

Jayden was rocking her shades and sipping on some pear juice.

Anna demolished her ice cream cone. I have never seen a child enjoy ice cream quite that much.

Anna & Ethan

Melinda was lucky enough to be smeared with Anna's ice cream face.

Ethan played in the mini pool until he tipped over and dove in face first.

Happy Birthday Asher!

Spencer had a blast building a sand castle. Super fun.

A Blessed Event

2011-07-02T12:09:00.000-07:00

May 8th Jayden was dedicated at Nampa First. My family and Steen's parents came up to be there in support. It was an awesome time to be together and to continue a faith based tradition.

The BBJs outside of Applebee's

The Pettersons outside of Applebee's

Pastor Carol asking for the blessing.

Tammy was there to support this milestone in Jayden's life.

The little blessing herself.

Our family.

House Sitting in Hidden Springs

2011-07-01T12:08:00.000-07:00

We did some house sitting for the Truesdales again this summer. This time we split the time with the Gismondi's which made it a super fun time.

Pierce & Anna at the beginning of our garage sale adventure.

After a couple hours of shopping.

Jayden had fun rocking her hat at the sale.

Ok, Anna is so darn adorable but she eats more than any toddler I have ever encountered. Seriously, if she sees you eating, she's like a cute little puppy begging for a bite. In this picture she's begging Steen for his burger after finishing her own dinner.

My little monkey loves sweet potatoes.

Pierce is a sweet little guy that easily charms everyone he meets.

Spencer adores Tuffy. He thinks Jayden's pretty great too.

Jayden pulled herself into a stand. It was so awesome. She also started crawling, al-bight it's backward crawling, while we were house sitting.

She didn't have a great grip on the rocking horse. Am I a bad mother because I snapped the photo before rushing to her aid?

Asher and Bandit enjoying Singing Time.

After the Meridian Dairyman's Parade Spencer blew bubbles for Asher and Tammy with his new bubble kit.

He had a blast watching Asher giggle.

Meal time with all those little ones was a hectic experience but the fish tacos were yummy.

The dogs so wanted to come out and chow on the kiddos scraps. Unfortunately they had to wait. When the kiddos are eating it make the temptation to give the dogs their dinner too great.

A Deal

2011-06-30T22:46:00.000-07:00

Ok moms, check out this deal for a free sample and coupons. :)

Woohoo!

www.vocalpoint.com/mottsfortots

Meridian Dairyman's Parade

2011-06-29T11:12:00.000-07:00

We joined Tammy and Asher at the Meridian Dairyman's Parade. It was a scorcher but we had a ton of fun together. The highlight may have been the bunny that bit the dog on the butt and chased it away but that is another story for another post.

Tammy & Asher

My young man, Spencer.

We had to have a talk about parade etiquette when he plowed his way through a bunch of little girls to get some suckers. Yikes. Chivalry revival is coming soon.

Hehehe. This is fun.

Yes, I gave my baby a sucker to keep her contented at the parade. She loved it. I stand by my decision. :)

Dance to the music Asher Man.

Father's Day 2011

2011-06-28T16:43:00.000-07:00

We were up at Hidden Springs for Father's Day this year. I made Biscuits & Gravy for Steen before we headed out to Nyssa to celebrate with the Petterson crew. Unfortunately we got an undesired present. When we were almost to Nyssa, the Subaru suddenly jerked and stopped. We were literally less than a mile from Steen's childhood home when something fell out of our engine, resulting in the sudden death of our "dependable" family car. Happy Father's Day Steen! We cried a few tears, chatted with insurance and my folks, and then decided to make the most of the day.

Happy Father's Day!

A purrfect surprise!

Meow

Awe, he is such a cutie.

Spence drew Steen an awesome comic in the Father's Day card that he picked out. He was so proud of his hard work.

Water Babies

2011-06-28T12:17:00.000-07:00

There is something magical about hanging out by the pool in the summer time. It seems to take away all of the stresses of being a grown up and makes the magical imagination and joy of youth seem so much closer. Jayden and Spence both had a blast swimming up at Hidden Springs.

Lovely lady lounging by the pool.

Wow, look at that lean, mean, swimming machine.

Getting warm and cozy after you finish swimming is half the fun.

Walking back to the house after swimming was only fun for the first five minutes. Had I taken another picture a bit later his face would have told a different story.

This diva loves to swim.

OMG Glee

2011-05-17T18:45:00.001-07:00

Holy depressing Glee episode Batman. Tears and sniffles... wahhh!

Background Noise

2011-05-14T12:20:00.000-07:00

This morning I am cleaning the kitchen, doing laundry, and grading essay rough drafts for my juniors. All of this work with no play makes Saturday a very boring time. Solution- Royal Wedding. It is one of my favorite films; if you have the time, I recommend it. You can watch it instantly on Netflix. :)

Going Green

2011-04-25T21:38:00.001-07:00

Well, I did it. I just placed my order for cloth diapers and will be sewing some flannel wipes this weekend. When we ran out of diapers and I had to go buy a box (ouch!) I decided that cloth diapers were the way to go. Now all I need to do is have a diaper application tutoring session with Mindy once my diapers arrive. The best part is that I splurged on the flush-able liners so that I can avoid that nasty dunking diapers in the toilet business.

Now that I have shared my mundane Monday evening excitement I think I will head to bed. Enjoy your week, 'cause it just started and you have a long way to go yet.

Days Go By

2011-04-24T12:50:00.000-07:00

I'm busy and things don't seem to be slowing down so below is a quick look at what our Spring has been filled with. I hope you are all doing well. :)

Jayden spent the day with me on one of our teacher work days this spring.

Pebbles is such a cute part of our family.

Jayden's first time eating rice cereal. Woohoo for solid foods.

Nap Time

Morning fun. The Johnny Jump Up is the best thing to use when Jayden is up before the boys in the morning.

The kiddos striking a pose with Granpa Mike and Grandma Carrie.

Spencer had a blast at Chris' birthday party. The party was at Jump Time in Meridian.

Jayden loves her baths.

Jayden and Autnie Devon

Big girl holds her own spoon.

Oh no you didn't!

Happy Girl

We love the hat, we love the girl.

Spencer helped me make sugar cookie.

It was a messy event.

Jayden loves and hates this toy. She loves to chew it but becomes enraged when she can't control it.

My beautiful children.

This was the costume of the week after we watched "Despicable Me".

Trying bananas in the rice cereal.

Not a big hit.

This is Jayden's spot while Spencer and I work on school stuff.

Spencer had an animal project at school that he did awesome with. We made a poster at home for his presentation.

The Annas are so gracious.

We celebrated Tammy's birthday in Hidden Springs.

BBQ burgers and chocolate cake ala mode.

Our Beth Moore Bible Study crew.

Playing the Pride & Prejudice board game was a fun activity.

At Planet Kid in the ball bin.

We met up with the Cramers and had a lovely afternoon playing, talking and eating pizza.

Me and my girl.

Spence had a blast playing with all the kids there.

Trish and I chatted about baby stuff. She's holding little Mackenna.

The boys played chess and talked about work.

Boring!

After all of his hard work on reading this year, Spencer got Proficient on his Reading ISAT.

We went to Starbucks to celebrate with warm drinks and cake pops.

I love my family and I love the life we have together.

Happy Spring!

Easy A

2011-04-21T20:59:00.001-07:00

Oh my word - "I want my life to be like an 80s movie."

Best movie ever- Easy A

Insight

2011-04-10T11:42:00.000-07:00

Today when I picked up Spencer from Sunday school, he announced that he had asked if Zeus was Jesus' father. Such a proud moment. He has also discussed the existence of the dinosaurs based off of the scientific theories that are expressed on the discovery channel's documentaries (not creation). I am sure it has been interesting to have different ideas introduced to the third grade Sunday school class.

2011-04-01T10:48:00.000-07:00

spaceman1928 you people are nuts,,, your kids can learn as much if not more doing online schooling, The teachers have had a noose around our neck's for far to long with there petty threats of alking out if they dont get more money for sitting on there behinds 8 hours a day. the public school teacher stinks and we all know it inside, I say good bye public teacher's
What the kids did is noble.. but futile in the end,,, money and the need to save it will win in the end

Read more: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2011/02/28/1546072/nampa-high-school-students-join.html#ixzz1FJq75UkT

I would recommend that you learn to use correct punctuation, capitalization, and appropriate word choice before posting an anti-teacher rant on a public forum. Posting something this does not present a positive image of yourself and makes your opinion of education seem like a defensive outcry against your own shortcomings

Max Clayton

2011-03-10T22:54:00.001-08:00

Congratulations Eric and Mindy on the arrival of your little man. :) We can't wait to meet him; Jayden is talking non-stop about play dates and adventures (yes... that is the use of hyperbole).

Reading Time

2011-03-07T21:37:00.000-08:00

Ok, this is just a quick blurb to let y'all know what's been going on in the Bunn-Petterson household. We did photos of the kiddos at Portrait Innovations which took 3 hours and was an exhausting but productive endeavor. I got some great shots of them together and individually but was exhausted from getting a fidgety nine year old and teething four month old to sit still and pose for that long. Steen is enjoying work and I am trying to enjoy it instead of pining away for my baby girl. :) Jayden is doing well at daycare and, after we switched to the 6 months + nipple, is finally taking the bottle. Life is busy but good. I am hoping for the best with the whole Luna craze but the realist in me knows I may just have to bide my time and tell myself that "this too shall pass."

Jayden is finally enjoying her tummy time.

Spencer built Jayden a sculpture.

Bandit is still the sweetest dog ever.

Spence is working hard, trying to become a cartoonist.

Jayden loves the saucer that Grammy brought us.

My teething little one with a runny nose and boogers (is that how you spell boogers?).

Jayden got to meet her Auntie Devon.

Despite our best efforts, she is rejecting the pacifier and choosing to suck her thumb.

I think she looks like a little present when she is strapped into her car-seat.

Jayden snuggles up with me so that I can catch up on the blogs I follow and get some lesson planning in.

I love the rosy cheeks at nap time. She does the same spooky "one eye open sleeper" thing that Spencer does.

Jayden and Anna snuggling up with their Aunta.

Spencer working on his comic the night of the Oscars at Anna's house.

My happy little princess.

This is Jayden singing. She is a Grammy hopeful.

Snoozing in the Johnny Jump-Up.

It is amazing the positions babies can crash out in.

Crazy haired Twanda.

Cheeky thing, isn't she?

The best big brother ever, Spence reads to Jayden and catches snuggles whenever he can.

Jim's Post

2011-03-01T19:29:00.000-08:00

Jim posted this on his facebook wall, I love it.

"A unionized public employee, an ill-informed citizen, and a CEO are sitting at a table. In the middle of the table is a plate with a dozen cookies on it. The CEO reaches across and takes 11 cookies, looks at the ill-informed citizen and says, "Watch out for that union guy. He wants a piece of your cookie."

Express Yourself

2011-02-28T21:10:00.000-08:00

Okay, when you hear that phrase, Express Yourself, you probably think of that lovely song, or being outspoken, or sharing some part of yourself with the public... well that phrase had double meaning for me today. I am a nursing mom that has to pump on my breaks at work. I do it, it's not fun, but it works. Today, after school, I put the do not disturb sign on the door, made sure the room was locked, and set myself up for a "milking session". OMG! Of course, today would happen to be the day I didn't have a nursing cover because Jayden spit up all over it. Yep... I was barged in on. I heard the key enter the lock and started hollering: "No, you can't come in here! Get out! Close the door! Stay out! I'm pumping! You need to leave now! Oh my gosh, shut the door!!!!"

The custodial worker that collects the trash in the evenings came in despite my shouting denials and stopped in the hallway of my room, staring in shock at the boobs that were staring back at him though the opalescent cups of the pump. It was deer caught in the headlights syndrome at its finest. Kill me now. He just kept staring, stuttering, and saying that he just needed to get the trash. Finally, he backed out of the room and shut the door. I just looked down at myself realizing that, despite the fact that I had tried to slump, the desk was still at my bellybutton and my bust was on prominent display above it. I was finally able to turn off the pump and detach my mortified breasts from the torturous pump before calling Rhonda to share my laughter and tears.

I guess the questions will be: Will he leave a number on the board? Can that be considered a tip? Will I get beads like I would for the same occurrence at Mardi Gras? I'll just have to suck it up and head back to work tomorrow despite my short stint as the topless teaching dairy gal.

That's all she wrote... I just wanted to keep you abreast of the current work situation. Enjoy your week and seriously, when the sign on the door says "DO NOT DISTURB!" don't open the dang door.

Tom Luna

2011-02-24T16:31:00.000-08:00

I try not to get too political on this blog because, let's face it, politics is a dirty ugly business, however I have to pipe in about this whole Luna fiasco. It hurts. As an educator, I find it devastating that my elected officials seem to have no respect or appreciation for the dedication, sacrifice, and impact my profession has. As a parent, I am flat out angry that the voices of the public seem to mean nothing and instead, they continue on with whatever the agenda is... FYI, it is not what is best for kids or for our society. As a citizen, I am horrified that when things need reworked, slashing the education of our youth and the services for our society are the "fixes" that the politicians come up with. I don't understand the mentality behind this push and I am scared of what it means on so many levels.

The Idaho Education Association will be holding candlelight vigils tonight. Please join us if you can. Let's remind those politicians that they are supposed to be elected officials representing the people and ensuring that no person or group is oppressing and/or controlling the populace. Hello... go back and look at our history and ask yourself why we are sliding backwards.

OMG

2011-02-17T19:37:00.000-08:00

Watching Drop Dead Diva episode 4 with Spencer (when she handles her parents' divorce) and at the end of the episode I heard Spencer say, "Oh crud, I'm about to cry", before he covered his eyes with his arm, took a bunch of deep breaths, and controlled the urge. I got chocked up because of his reaction. He looked over at me and said, "I won't tell Daddy that you cried over that if you won't tell him that I did." Ok, there has never been a more awesome kid than him.

Too Funny

2011-02-16T19:08:00.000-08:00

Today Spencer was playing with fake spiders, trying to scare me (see above). I asked him what he would do if he saw a real spider that big... here is a direct quote: "Scream for my life." I love that kid so much. :)

Back in the Saddle

2011-02-16T19:07:00.000-08:00

I love my colleagues. When I came in this morning I was greeted with a cute yellow sign along with lots of hugs. :) Thank you, I love you all.

I got up early, woke up Jayden to nurse, sing and read together and then, after crying on Steen's shoulder, I went to work. I spent first hour sorting through papers, pumping at the end of my prep. My students were awesome and it was fun to be in the classroom again. We had a fire drill during the last class, students kept peeking out the window at the snow and wishing for a snow day, and Leslie rescued me fourth hour for an "emergency" pump session. I still wish I could be home with Jayden but if I have to leave her, I realize how fortunate I am to work in an amazing department with such wonderful people.

Jayden was super tired when I got her up but she looked adorable.

Someone drew cute flowers on the board for me.

Coming back to a big yellow welcome sign was so nice. :) Thanks again Leslie.

Moments

2011-02-15T08:29:00.000-08:00

Today is my last day with Jayden before I have to go back to work. I'm on the verge of tears as I think about someone else getting to share her cooing silliness in the early afternoons or getting to feed her before her afternoon nap. I love being at home with her and I would love to be a stay-at-home mom, at least for the first few years. Yikes. I never thought I would say that but it's the truth. There are just so many wonderful things that I will miss when I go back. At least I'll still get to be the one to walk in and get her out of her crib. She cries her pathetic "why doesn't anyone love me and hold me and why am I alone" cry in the morning and then I walk into her room, she sees me and the grin breaks across her face. She adores her mommy and the feeling is entirely mutual. I love this little bundle of baby goodness and am going to miss her for those hours I am at work.

So all you working moms out there, please share, what was the hardest part of going back to work and how did you cope? Also, does anyone have any great advice for pumping at work? Take care and have a happy Monday.

Love

2011-02-14T20:29:00.000-08:00

I know Valentine's Day is supposed to be a day to celebrate romantic love, but I think there are so many different kinds of love to be celebrated. I am a lucky woman. My family is quircky, annoying, crazy, and wonderful. My friends know how to challenge me to be better as well as edify me for my strengths. With these things alone I would be blessed, but I have more. I have a wonderful husband who still loves me and after 8 years of marriage we have not lost the passion. He is my best friend, my biggest supporter, and someone who helps me find the adventure in everyday life. Plus, he gave me two beautiful children.

My kiddos are the most amazing part of my life. It's sort of funny when I think about that because I always thought my life would not include children. Motherhood was not a lifelong dream but it has become a huge part of my life's purpose. When Spencer gives me a hug and tells me he loves me or when Jayden is grumpy but cracks a smile just for me I realize how amazing it is that these children are mine. They love me, they think I can work magic in any situation, and no matter what, I'll always be their mommy.

Happy Valentine's Day!

The Littlest Chef

2011-02-13T19:48:00.000-08:00

Jayden was a huge help in the kitchen this weekend. I previously blogged about the casserole day here, but she also helped me make homemade salsa (from The Pioneer Woman) and nachos. As a neat little side note, adding lime juice and lime zest to meat while cooking makes for amazing nachos, tacos, enchiladas, fajitas, chili, etc. :)

Look at her holding her pink spatula at the ready.

She was happy to announce that the meat was ready to go in the enchilada nachos.

I went ahead and jarred the leftover salsa to put in the freezer.

This is totally random, but Spencer worked so hard on his Valentine's for school and then I told him he was supposed to put the message on the outside, not the inside. :) We had to go back through, peak inside at the names, and rewrite the names on the outside sticker... so much fun!

So, how was your weekend?

Casserole Crew

2011-02-12T15:40:00.000-08:00

Tammy, my very dear friend, and I decided to start having casserole days. I am heading back to work, after enjoying some maternity time with Jayden, next week and wanted to do something to make the transition a little easier (plus, now Steen and Spence have easy dinner options if I have a "mommy hates working" meltdown). Tammy is the mother of three, one year old twins (Pierce & Anna) and an adorable three year old with special needs (Asher). She is busy, she never has time to relax, and she needs to to have some "easy" nights. A casserole making day (which I read about somewhere online) seemed like the perfect solution.

The Plan: We decided to each bring supplies to make 2 casseroles, which we would split in half and share. Tammy made ham & onion quiche and chicken divan. I made sweet potato chicken casserole and lasagna. Oh my word, it was a fun morning. We were supposed to start at 9 am but, since I was up until 2 am with a wired baby, I slept through the alarm and got to her house, minus most of my supplies, at 9:45. I had to make a trip home for the missing items and then we were underway.

Ok, I love to cook, but I have to confess that there are times when I feel like I am missing out on fun social time because I am in the kitchen. This morning, it was a social girls day as well as a productive, time and money saving activity. The twins were wandering around looking adorable, Asher was watching Dr. Seuss, and Jayden was chilling in a chair, or being snuggled by whichever mom wasn't stirring the hot meat.

Asher loves Dr. Seuss and he copies the characters while watching "The Cat in the Hat".

This is just the most adorable thing.

Anna recently learned to work a zipper and now thinks she is a male model for a bodice ripper.

Pierce is channeling Lionel from Peanuts.

Jayden is just a little American Sweetheart.

:) I finally got a picture of Anna wearing a headband.

Pierce too.

They are just too cute (Asher is absent from this picture 'cause he was taking a nap).

Me and my girl. In case you're wondering, I always wear bandanas when I am working. It's not a fashion statement or a gang thing... I just want the flyaways to stay out of my eyes.

She smells amazing and snuggling her is the most wonderful sensation.

The Outcome: I came home with 4 meals (6 or so counting leftovers) that I can freeze for those nights when I am stressed, tired, and just need to throw something edible on the table. We decided that next time we'll each bring stuff for 3 casseroles. :) Anyone have any great recipes that they want to share?

Wow baby, things have changed.

2011-02-11T10:46:00.000-08:00

Just take a minute to look at these images. I found them online when I was doing a search for vintage home advertisements (for a collage project). I cannot even imagine having my husband have the role of disciplinarian over me. It was hard enough as a child to be under the authority of my mom and dad, although I dearly love and respect them both. I am not a girl who flourishes while under someone else's authority; I need to know that the decisions that impact my life are ones that I have control over... at least as much as is possible. :) Growing up, my mom always told us that we needed to live Godly lives, to follow biblical teachings- yeah, I had a huge problem from the get go with that whole "wives submit to your husbands" thing. I consider myself a feminist, but an equity feminist. I am a woman, which is very different than a man, but that is not a bad thing. Each gender has it's own strengths and weaknesses. I don't think gender should be what determines who we are or what we do. It should just be a part of the complete package of each person.

Like race, religion, or sexual orientation, gender should never be used to determine what a person can do and how much potential they have. At least that is my humble opinion. What do you think?

Wildfire

2011-02-11T10:28:00.000-08:00

Disclaimer: this show is not deep, intellectual, or of substantial value. It is filled with drama, beautiful horses, and a love triangle. I love it. :) If you're looking for a modern day western show, I recommend this show. Don't expect it to change your world, just plan on escaping reality in a fun story for a little while.

Siblings & Change

2011-02-10T09:32:00.000-08:00

I loved growing up with two brothers and two sisters. Although there was a six year span between the oldest and I, we were still super close. Steen wasn't really close to his siblings. The age gaps are much larger and that worries me when I look at the nine year age gap between Spence and Jayden. It is my fondest wish that they will become lifelong friends that can love and support each other through all of the trials that they will face. Family is so important to me and I want them to share that strong connection, hopefully they will.

We have some changes coming up for our family. My maternity leave ends next week and I will have to wave farewell to Jayden at the daycare each morning and rejoin the ranks of working mothers. Ugh. I have never wanted to be independently wealthy as much as I do right now. Oh well. We do what we can and make the best of our situation in life. :) I love teaching and I am sure that once I get back in the swing of things I will enjoy it, though I'll probably still christen many mornings with tears as I give my baby into the care of someone else.

Here are some updated photos of the kiddos (mostly Jayden 'cause she's changing a lot faster than Spence right now) for friends and family. We love and miss you all.

Spence is so excited to have cool Valentine's cards for his classmates.

Jayden is most often found in her Bumpo or the Moby Wrap, helping mommy.

She hates tummy time.

Such a happy girl.

Seriously, don't you just adore her smile?

Spence eats a full meal when he gets home, but we call it an after-school snack.

Yikes, what am I going to do when he's 16?

Steen enjoys the limited time he has to cuddle his little girl.

I just love her color combo, pink and green.

Again... it's totally the outfit.

At the Cracker Barrel, seeing off Shane & Jim.

Sorry, but she just looks crazy, doesn't she?

Shane and Jim came to visit at the beginning of the month and it was an awesome and relaxing time.

Jayden has started reaching for things and she especially love pinching skin. Ouch! Her little fingers are strong.

Cutie Patootie!

Look at her gorgeous eyes.

She just looks like a little doll.

Wahhhh!

Translation: don't leave me by myself, adore me, play with me, sing to me.

Tammy gave us one of her Johnny Jump Ups and Jayden adores it.

I love the way she has her legs positioned.

I couldn't figure out how to rotate the photo, but I love this outfit. She crashed after we got home from Mindy's baby shower.

She and Spence love story time. We are reading "The Magicians Nephew", by C.S. Lewis. Spencer wants to reread the first Harry Potter book when we finish and then work our way through the series. It is a fun time. We all snuggle up in Spencer's bed and then I read, Spencer grabs the book to make sure I'm reading it correctly before giving it back, and Jayden coos her own story, trying to be louder than I am. Yep. A pure moment of motherhood bliss. :)

Late Night/Early Morning

2011-02-08T00:02:00.000-08:00

Ok, I just got Ree Drummond's "Black Heels to Tractor Wheels" and have been unable to put it down. It is now 1:03 am and I just can't stay awake any longer. It is such a great book: funny, sweet and oh so romantic. It's been awhile since I enjoyed reading something this much.

Nighty Night.

Sweat 2

2011-02-04T13:20:00.000-08:00

Ok, I've been counting the points but only for the last week because I am really bad at tracking and have been walking 3 miles every day for the past week. Weight loss: 2.2 pounds. It's a start.

Sweet Potatoes & Poached Eggs

2011-02-03T14:05:00.001-08:00

Yummy and easy breakfast.

What you need:

1 sweet potato, diced

1 onion, diced

1 red potato, diced

olive oil

dried dill weed

kosher salt

pepper

herbs de provence

eggs

How to make it:

Dice the potatoes and onion and throw in a pan with one tablespoon of olive oil. Add 1 tablespoon of herbs de provence, 1 teaspoon of dill, as well as a pinch of salt and a few turns of freshly ground pepper and saute until the onions are clear and the potatoes are nicely crisped.

While you are cooking the potatoes, boil water in a shallow pan and add some vinegar. Once it has boiled, turn down the heat. Crack an egg into a small bowl and then stir the water and gently slide the egg into the water, repeat (you can cook two eggs at a time) and set the timer for 3 minutes. Once the time goes off, scoop out the eggs, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and add to the plate. Add a serving of the potatoes and enjoy. This feeds our family (Steen, Spence, and I) so alter recipe accordingly based on how many you will be serving.

Spencer's Puppet Show

2011-02-03T11:33:00.000-08:00

Spencer got to write and preform a puppet show titled, "How to be Reliable" in Mrs. Emerson's Puppeteers this winter. He worked really hard, had a blast, and made us so proud. :)

We celebrated with dipped cones from Dairy Queen after the show.

Such a fun event.

She doesn't love "Captain Underpants"

2011-02-02T20:26:00.001-08:00

Native Born Oregonian

2011-02-02T20:00:00.001-08:00

Oregon trip highlights:

Spencer enjoyed reading on the flight

Everyone enjoyed catching up

Rece & Shane

The Family @ Benji's birthday celebration

Uncle Bear & Uncle Jim snatching a cuddle with Jayden

Daddy & Jayden nap time

Spence & Maddie had a blast playing

Margaret & Jayden

Jayden's first flight... she slept the whole way

Everyone had a great time.

A Great Moment

2011-01-09T16:36:00.001-08:00

I found these pictures in my computer the other day and was reminded of what a wonderful trip to Disneyland we took the summer of 2008. Spencer was so young. He enjoyed looking at the photos and told me that he only remembered part of what had happened; funny how the memory works, huh?

Jayden

2011-01-09T15:40:00.000-08:00

Ok- here are the latest pictures of Jayden. She has "filled out" nicely and now sports the oh so adorable baby rolls. Her smiles light up our house and we know we are truly blessed. She giggles at my silliness when I sing to her and she loves it when Spencer reads her stories and when Daddy tickles & kisses her.

Pretty Sparkles

2011-01-09T15:03:00.000-08:00

Raquel Castillo is one of my favorite jewelry designers. She takes beautiful remnants from vintage costume jewelry and makes gorgeous whimsical pieces. I desperately want to buy one of her creations but alas, I have no money for splurges like that. Instead I just browse through her shop on etsy.com and fall in love with jewelry that is destined to grace someone else's neck or wrist. Oh well, maybe I'll splurge on a pair of her earrings instead.

Great Recipe

2011-01-07T16:00:00.001-08:00

I made this recipe, brussels sprout hash with eggs, for dinner tonight and the boys and I loved it. It is yummy, healthy, and filling. I found the recipe on heatherchristo.com. I wish I would have remembered to get a picture but instead, above is the picture of her success. If you like brussels sprouts, you'll enjoy this recipe. (I added garlic powder and kosher salt to the shredded brussels sprouts as well as to the onions as I was cooking them and I only used 1 tbsp of oil when cooking the sprouts, I didn't need it for the onions). Enjoy!

Daycare

2011-01-06T11:20:00.000-08:00

Ok, any working mom with a new baby knows that finding a good daycare can be a challenge. I started looking when I found out I was pregnant and after 5 months on a waiting list, we finally got a place at the daycare we wanted and filled out the paperwork, paid the deposit, and felt good... until I plugged in the numbers for our 2011 budget. Ouch. Mindy mentioned the daycare she will be using (when their little guy comes) doesn't require teachers to pay for the summer and is flexible on days. After numerous phone conversations and a few visits, I finally got the paperwork done for Jayden to go to that daycare instead. It will save us $3000 dollars over the first choice daycare and the services provided are still totally awesome. I wish I could stay at home with Jayden for at least the first few years but that isn't going to work out for us so instead I will enjoy the next month of having her with me and then, come February, deal with missing her as I go back to work. Sniffle. I think I'll also make myself some tea and watch a sad movie this afternoon so that I have an excuse for the crying that is bound to take place.

List

2011-01-04T21:00:00.000-08:00

I have about a month left of maternity leave and while I plan to spend most of that time cherishing my little angel, Jayden, I also would like to have my house in shape before I head back to work. Here is the list of tasks I would like o tackle:

clean & organize the kitchen
fix up the office/craft room
organize bedrooms
thoroughly clean the house
paint Jayden's room & dresser
get rid of trash in the garage & clear spots for parking (this is Steen's #1 choice)

I'll let you know how it goes and maybe post some pictures of the finished product. :) Happy January.

Sweat 1

2011-01-03T23:33:00.000-08:00

I worked out hard and lifted for the first time in months today. Ouch. My fanny hurts as do numerous other portions of my anatomy, however, I have decided that it is time to lose the extra weight. Sure, looking great in cloths will be an added benefit but the reality is that I want to be healthy so that I can play with my kids and enjoy it. I am enrolling in Weight Watchers this week and will continue to workout with weights as well as doing cardio. Woohoo!

Oh, this is not a New Year resolution, I just wasn't cleared by the surgeon to start any earlier so this is the first opportunity for the working out part. :)

Low Key

2011-01-01T13:08:00.000-08:00

For our New Year celebration this year we hung out with the Cramers. Piper was adorable and she and Spence had a blast playing while Jayden snoozed away the turning of the year. When Steen got off work we played Spades and snacked on junk food. We all reminisced about previous New Year celebrations and the way our lives have changed in the last few years. It was a fun and relaxing evening topped off with a yummy breakfast of chocolate chip pancakes this morning. I hope you all had a great night and that 2011 is a great year for all of you.

Growing Girl

2010-12-27T11:58:00.000-08:00

Here are the latest photos of our little one. Sorry for the frequent picture posts but these are for the family living out of state. :) She's a beauty.

Sleepy Traveler

Stretched Out In Sleep

Sock Booties, The Cutest Thing Ever

Sleeping On Daddy's Chest

A Moment of Frustration

Merry Christmas 2010

2010-12-26T21:28:00.001-08:00

We had a wonderful Christmas this year. We celebrated with the Petterson family on the 22nd in Nyssa at Mike & Carrie's house. Once again we were wowed by Carrie's beautiful decorations. :) We went early to hang out and help out with the cooking and then enjoyed dinner and presents. Jayden started out in jammies but then changed into the cutest christmas leotard/tutu with red tights and festive bootie socks. I made her a headband because I couldn't find one I like at the stores and she looked like a Christmas ferry princess.

Spence had a blast playing with cousins and Steen got to chat it up with family. I made my new stuffing creation (I made an experimental recipe last Christmas for cranberry orange sausage stuffing, yum!) and sweet mashed potatoes. The boys enjoyed it but it wasn't a huge hit with the rest of the crew (understatement), oh well. Dirk came over with us and hung out until his dad arrived to take him home. It was great to get to visit with him. We miss him like crazy.

The rest of the crew enjoyed chilling on the new furniture at Steen's parents house while I was cooking... what a life. :)

Jayden and some of her cousins.

Great Grandpa Neil & Great Grandma Ruth

got to meet Jayden.

Opening presents by the tree.

Check out her adorable getup.

Steen had to work on Christmas Eve and on Christmas day so Spencer and I celebrated on our own on the 24th with games, crafts, and goodies and then Steen and I put up the tree that evening when he got off work, actually I guess it was super early on Christmas morning. We didn't run into Santa though; he waited to visit our house until we went to bed. :) We opened presents super early on Christmas morning and then had a yummy dinner when Steen got off work. It was an awesome time for us as we all lounged around in our jammies (yep, we didn't even get dressed on Christmas day) and enjoyed the time spent together.

Our tree had a total of four ornaments on it on Christmas morning.

Yikes, no award for mother of the year for 2010. :)

This was the extent of the christmas decorations at our house, besides the Christmas tree, this year. That's right, I just put out a vase and a bowl and filled them with candy. Don't judge me, I just had a baby in November. :)

OMG, I have two kiddos this Christmas. Yikes, and I'm 30.

How did that happen?

Lots of fun presents.

One tuckered out little girl, presents are hard work.

Yes, she actually enjoyed her first Christmas presents.

We also discovered that she's just a little bit vain.

She must get that from Steen *wink*. Heehee!

"I feel pretty, oh so pretty, I feel pretty and witty and gay."

West Side Story... watch the movie if you don't get it.

After a frantic call to my dad about the tri-tip steak, we finished up cooking it and sat down to an amazing Christmas dinner: mulled apple cider, red wine marinated tri-tip steaks, vegetable medley, red wine gravy and sweet mashed potatoes, & lemon oreo cheesecake. It was delightful.

The picture doesn't do it justice, but the meat was moist, flavorful, and perfectly medium rare.

The day after Christmas Steen had to work at 6 am. Ugh. Spencer, Jayden, and I joined the Gismondi family for the twins' dedication at Calvary Chapel. It was lovely to get to be there for this moment. After the service we headed to Cracker Barrel for a yummy meal and some visiting time. The outing was a double delight because I got to put Jayden in her Christmas outfit I didn't dress her in on Christmas day. She was just adorable.

Mark said a prayer for the twins upbringing and future while Pierce tried to eat the microphone.

Anna hammed it up for the congregation.

Jayden rocked her Christmas outfit: a red and white striped Santa onesie, red and green hair bow, ruffled red corduroy pants, and festive bootie socks.

Today I am cleaning house, baking muffins, and planning on taking a nap after Spencer does a reading assessment. We had a wonderful Christmas and I hope you did too. Enjoy your New Year celebration!

The Big 3-0

2010-12-20T17:51:00.001-08:00

I confess that I pictured myself looking more like this on my thirtieth birthday (above). Decked out in a killer black dress in New York city with an amazing Louise Green hat to top off a posh evening. Instead, I was sporting the trademark sagging tummy of a new mommy and recent recipient of a cholecystectomy as well as grubby cloths and sleep deprived eyes (below). My life isn't what I imagined it would be and that is actually a wonderful thing. In place of the superficial joys I imagined for myself, I have some true blessings: a gorgeous husband who loves me, a sweet little boy with an amazing imagination and artistic sense, the world's cutest dog, and a beautiful baby girl that greets me every morning with a goofy smile and a snuggle. I have a job that I love and wonderful friends and family. Sometimes I think back on the dreams of my childhood and realize that many of them have come true, just not quite in the way I had originally imagined them. It's cliche, but I can't help but thinking about the saying that talks about getting what you want versus getting what you need. :) I love my life and hope to enjoy the next thirty as much as the last.

Happy Birthday Spencer!

2010-12-17T20:26:00.001-08:00

On December 15th, my little boy turned 9. Yikes. I can't believe how fast the time has gone by. It doesn't seem that long ago that he was the adorable little toddler with blond curls, a diaper, and a cowboy hat & boots strutting around the apartment on Colorado. He has been the greatest blessing to Steen and I and I know he will be a brilliant big brother to Jayden. :)

He enjoyed a three part celebration for his birthday this year. The first celebration was for friends and family at Pizza Hut on Saturday the 11th. He had a blast and it was a fun time for everyone in attendance with visiting and lots of laughter. The second celebration was on his actual birthday. We got up early for some peanut butter Captain Crunch (his birthday cereal choice for the last 5 years) and opened presents before school so that Steen could see it. Spencer chose to have hamburgers for dinner and lemon frosted strawberry cake. It was a fun evening which we capped off by watching Ben 10. The third celebration was today at school. I made cupcakes (rainbow chip cake and rainbow chip frosting) this morning and Steen dropped it off at school. Spencer said it was super fun and his teacher gave him a book for his birthday. I was glad that we were able to celebrate his birth in a way that showed him how special he is.

Spencer, Chris (and his little brother next to him), and Brian

Spence picked out a peanut butter cup ice cream cake from Dairy Queen.

An unfortunate reality when a nine year old boy blows out candles:

"spit happens"

The Cramer Family

Brady was charmed by Jayden

Piper was showing off her gorilla

The Kiddos

Asher & Tammy

We got Spence the NFL robot done up in BSU gear

Grammy & Gramdad got him a Mickey Mouse watch that, I am sad to say,

made him look less like a little boy and more like a young man. Gasp... sniffle.

My baby is all grown up.

The cake was too hot when I frosted it so it was more like a

strawberry lemonade sponge cake.

Spencer: "I wish I could control water."

Me: "You know wishes don't come true if you say them out loud."

Spencer: "Oh, um, I didn't really wish for that... it will come true now, right?"

What an awesome birthday.

Happy Girl

2010-12-17T14:29:00.001-08:00

Little Bit

2010-12-14T20:50:00.000-08:00

This is my Little Bit. I don't know why that is what I call her, it just fits. She is also called Punkin and Munchkin. Theses are some photos taken of her that show what a cute little gal she is.

Headband Splendor

There is nothing cuter that footed jammies.

I just missed snapping a photo of her beautiful smile.

2010 Jane Austen Tea, JASNA Idaho

2010-12-13T11:18:00.000-08:00

Tammy, Anna, and I had a wonderful time at the Jane Austen Tea on Saturday (12/11/10). It was a special time this year because Tammy brought little Anna and I brought little Jayden, the next generation of Jane Austen fans. The keynote speaker, Dr. Cheryl Kinney, presented A Dangerous Indulgence: Women's Health in Jane Austen's Time with an emphasis on obstetrics. Yikes! I am so thankful that I was not having babies under those conditions. :)

Tammy & Anna enjoyed the delicious scones.

Jayden slept through most of the tea which was quite nice.

Anna looked gorgeous and was the only one who got to

stay during the whole presentation.

The girls had their first "bonding" moments out in the lobby

where they could make some noise.

Anna kept wanting to put her finger in Jayden's mouth.

Two peas in a pod.

Though exhausted, Anna was very happy and giggly as she

rolled around on the lobby floor.

Me and my girl.

Our Jane Austen Book Club.

Posing with the keynote speaker, Cheryl Kinney, MD

(Texas Obstetrician/Gynecologist)

Halloween 2010

2010-12-04T20:10:00.000-08:00

Here are the highlights of Halloween this year:

Spencer is a dragon.

We got a family picture taken when we went to Boo @ The Zoo.

The boys took a breather and ate some candy.

Being super pregnant made trick-or-treating less than fun for me so I dropped off Spence at Tammy's and she and Anna took him on the rounds with them this year. (Thanks)

Spencer and his pals, Alex & Nathan, had a blast playing with glow sticks. They came to our house for Spencer's first Halloween party. It was a fun night of pizza, Goosebumps movies, and lots of candy proceeded by Spencer's first time at someone else's house for a slumber party. He did fine but Steen and I were super nervous letting our "baby" spend the night somewhere else.

My Girl

2010-12-04T18:20:00.001-08:00

There is something magical about being a mother. I get to nurture, cherish, and love my kids as I watch them grow up into individuals who will have their own impact on the world. It is exciting and intimidating and I am loving every minute of it. Here are some pictures of my girl over the past few days. She lights up the house and we cherish every moment with her.

Turkey Day

2010-12-04T18:18:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on all of the blessing in our lives and to appreciate the people that we love. This year we had so much to be thankful for. In memory of all the wonderful top ten lists from the NNU days, enjoy.

TOP TEN REASONS TO BE THANKFUL:
1. Jayden was born healthy
2. Spencer is finding success at school this year
3. Steen has a great job working for IDJC
4. Amazingly supportive and loving family & friends
5. I have the world's greatest mom (seriously, she is amazing)
6. Fulfilling jobs (I love teaching and Steen loves working with kids)
7. Maternity leave :)
8. Dr. Auntie Fay in my corner
9. Fast recovery time
10. A beautiful and comfortable home to snuggle up in during this cold front

Below are the pictures of our Thanksgiving dinner. My dad was my chef and made the Martha Stewart white wine & butter basted turkey (it was 22lbs.). Friday he made turkey noodle soup and mashed potatoes, Saturday my mom made turkey enchiladas, and I made sweet potato turkey stew for the next week (shown in the saucepan). Yeah for leftovers. I hope all of you had an amazing Thanksgiving and that you are enjoying time with your family and friends as Christmas approaches.

Jayden Michelle 11/9/2010

2010-11-27T18:06:00.000-08:00

Well, she is finally here. My precious little girl has finally arrived and she arrived with quite a bang. We were scheduled for an induction on the 8th but were bumped because of the large number of "natural" labors that came in. Since Auntie Fay was scheduled to fly to Hawaii the next morning, we spent the day hoping for her to come on her own and helping things along by walking around the mall and climbing stairs (which is super fun when your super pregnant). Finally that evening the Dr. stripped the membrane and sent us on a walk. One block later and my water broke with a gush. I think my first words were, "Oh gross, these are my cute shoes." I know, it should have been something about being happy because she would be arriving soon but at that moment I was just grossed out. I was admitted to Labor & Delivery at around 7 pm and Jayden was born at 1:44 am on November 9th. We were delighted to see that she had been born with an adorable head of brown hair and her cuteness instantly charmed the room.

It turned out that the anesthesiologist had a wet tap during the epidural which resulted in a miserable spinal headache and a longer hospital stay. We were finally able to head home after I got a blood patch on Thursday afternoon. We were excited for relaxing few weeks at home... that didn't happen. On Saturday afternoon the headache came back and by Sunday afternoon I was fairly miserable and spoke with the anesthesiologist on call about a second blood patch on Monday. Surprise! That didn't happen either. We ended up in the ER on Sunday night after a rather unpleasant ambulance ride. Turns out that I had gall stones and, although I was always skeptical about this, gall stones cause much more pain than labor contractions. The next week was a flury of appointments and tests and then, after another blood patch and a consult with the surgeon, we scheduled a gall bladder removal surgery for November 23rd. Thanks to a skilled surgeon and an amazing family, Steen, Spencer, Jayden, and I had an amazing Thanksgiving dinner and an awesome holiday weekend (which included a trip to Edwards to watch HP7 with little Jayden). I turn 30 tomorrow morning and feel incredibly lucky to have two beautiful children, a loving husband, and friends and family that make all the parts of my life better. I love you all. Have a wonderful holiday season.

Chef Spencer

2010-07-19T17:02:00.000-07:00

Spencer decided that it was time for him to learn how to cook. He spent some time "practicing" with bark and water on the patio and then we watched the Food Network for some inspiration. We decided to make Paula Dean's baked macaroni & cheese pies and scalloped potatoes. Both were yummy and it was a ton of fun.

Making imaginary mac & cheese.

Putting the ritz crust in the pan for the pies.

The pies were put in the oven without too much snitching of the cheese sauce.

Tasty hot pies fresh out of the oven.

Ready for a taste test.

The food critic tries it.

Success!

My little master chef goes to work.

Housesitting

2010-07-19T16:17:00.000-07:00

There is nothing in the world like a delicious barbecued hamburger to help you enjoy a lovely June evening.

We spent most of the month of June housesitting for the Truesdales in Hidden Springs, which we likened to Stars Hallow (from Gilmore Girls). It was huge fun for our family. My parents ended up coming down for a weekend, The Cramer's stopped by for a day of BBQ, croquet, and swimming, and Spencer had an awesome time playing with Jacob and Tuffy (the Truesdale dogs). We felt like we were taking a month long vacation and although it means that July is busy working on our house, it was a super fun time for use.

Like all BBJ gatherings, delicious food was part of the plan. My dad barbecued these amazing kabobs for us.

We enjoyed awesome weather and had some yummy food on the patio in between chatting and swimming down by the saltwater pool.

We served up the wild Alaskan salmon we bought from Cammie after grilling it with some lemon and herbs on the BBQ. Yumm!

Trish and Steen looking good for our croquet game... which I won! :)

The Cramer girls getting their sunscreen on before playing in the pool.

Steen and Piper chilling and eating watermelon while we were waiting for hotdogs to be grilled.

Spencer has decided that croquet is a blast and he enjoyed the games we played immensely.

No summer gathering can be complete without homemade milkshakes from fresh locally grown fruit. Tasty!

Spencer slept with Tuffy and Jake when they came back to our house so we could water the plants and spend some time with Steen on his long shifts.

Gone Fishing

2010-07-19T15:57:00.000-07:00

Spencer earned some money for picking up the lawn while we were housesitting in June. He decided that he wanted to use his money to outfit himself with fishing gear. We purchased the basics at Walmart and then headed down to Locks Park for his first fishing expedition. It was hot but it was also a lot of fun. He didn't catch anything but was super excited to watch the line jerk as the fish literally nibbled the worm off the hook. It reminded me of the fun I had when I was younger and Grandpa Friberg or Daddy would take us fishing; it's wonderful to be able to create new memories with Spencer.

What a great kid.

2010-06-26T07:32:00.000-07:00

Spencer and I were watching a movie about an elephant family on the Hallmark channel last night and I was reminded about what a sweet tender hearted little guy he is. I confess that I was really reading while he watched but we were snuggled on the couch sharing a blanket and pillow, enjoying a relaxing evening. I heard a snuffling that got progressively louder then heard sobbing. To my shock I looked down to see Spencer blubbering. Now anyone who knows me knows that I can blubber at the corniest commercial out there, but I was still shocked to see the same response in my tough daddy's boy son. When I asked him what was wrong he said, "Those evil men just killed his whole family. Does stuff like that really happen, is it real?" The film discussed the negative impact of poaching on the elephant tribes (which are the closest to having a human familial relationship with eachother) and which resulted in a sad film. He wanted to know if there is anything he can do to protect the elephants. "Mommy, this is different than food. They didn't need them or eat them, they just murdered those animals for money. Why did they do that, why are there bad people?"

I cried at that point, feeling the bitter sweet moment of my son's growing wisdom and loss of innocence. It is amazing how much children pick up. Just last week he was talking about how we should move out of the city to live in the country where it is a more wholesome place to raise children. I think that comment was a quote from one of the grandparents but that doesn't change the fact that he is starting to see aspects of life that I thought we could protect him from and he is showing that he is a compassionate sensitive young man that wants to have a positive impact. I am proud of the person he is becoming, yet I wish I could slow down how fast he is growing up.

Target Downer

2010-06-22T23:56:00.000-07:00

I went to the Target by the Boise mall today to register for little Jayden and was horribly dissapointed by the tiny, poorly stocked baby section that they had. The one highlight was Spencer's excitement over being the official scanner and his comments that we should go ahead and register for the next baby which Daddy will make sure is a boy. :)

Trish is going to help me with the registry at the Nampa Target on Monday and I am super excited. The girl stuff is just so darn cute. In fact, I couldn't resist a clearance sale at the mall today and bought Jayden her first dress. Woohoo!

It's A Girl!! Jayden Michelle :)

2010-06-21T08:00:00.000-07:00

Hey all. Life has been good but busy for us. I'll be posting pictures and detailed stories when I get back home and have my laptop back but to update everyone, we found out on Friday that the expected Bunn-Petterson is a girl. Spencer was pretty funny, insisting that Steen make sure that the next one is a boy.

My parents just headed back to Oregon after spending a wonderful weekend with us and Spence and I are still up here taking care of the Truesdale dogs at Hidden Springs. Steen's new job with the DJC is going well and we are super proud of him.

Check back for pictures this coming weekend. I hope everyone is enjoying some sunshine and fun on the first day of summer.

Proud Moments

2010-05-05T17:29:00.000-07:00

Playing table hockey.

An sunday trophy, now that is a great award.

Asher had a ton of fun.

They sang a celebration song, "Clap your hands if you rock in school", and Spencer got to be the star.

Spencer has had a bit of a rough time with school this year. We have struggled with some attitude, diligence, and behavior issues but he has been trying to improve on all of those fronts to prepare himself to be a "good big brother". The effort paid off and I was thrilled to receive an email from his teacher telling me that his work, attitude, behavior, effort, and impact on classmates has made him a delightful part of her classroom over the past few weeks.

Moments like that need to be savored so I put my stack of grading on hold, picked him up from daycare early, and had Tammy and the kids come meet us at Red Robin for a celebration day. It was awesome. :)

Me and My Time Machine

2010-05-05T17:17:00.000-07:00

Me and My Time Machine

This is Grant Mangum's MySpace page for his band "All Dressed Up For Nothing". We love them, they are super funny.

Slowly

2010-02-03T20:43:00.000-08:00

Ok, it has been awhile, but I have lots to share. I will be posting pictures and stories this weekend. :)

Review

2009-12-06T21:29:00.001-08:00

Mozart and the Whale is a must see. :) I watched it tonight as I was grading papers and contemplating packing up the house. It is sweet, sad, and a beautiful story. I give it two thumbs up.

OMG

2009-12-01T20:48:00.000-08:00

When looking for an article for a friend tonight, I came across this little gem. Ladies, in order to not look horrid, we must refrain from wearing blue jeans. Seriously. Just click on the link and you will see that unless you are a supermodel with a tiny tush, you cannot look good or feminine in jeans.

Manly & Gross

Manly & Gross

Manly & Gross

29... Where Has The Time Gone?

2009-11-29T21:38:00.000-08:00

I celebrated my 29th birthday on Saturday and I was struck by the fact that my life is incredibly different then I imagined it would be when I was planning my future as a little girl. I never saw myself as a wife or a mother, never pictured me having my own classroom, and I sure didn't picture myself living in Nampa, Idaho. Having said that, I also could not have imagined so many wonderful things in my life. I have a husband who is also my best friend, a son who is both artistic and independent, and my life is filled with wonderful friends and family. Every experience that has marked my life thus far has helped me to become who I am today and because I like the person I have become, I refuse to regret any of it. The balance between the happy and the sad and the accomplishments and the mistakes are a combination that allows growth in people. :)

Wow... I didn't intend to get so deep, but rather had planned on dishing about my day. We refused to do housework on my birthday and sat in the living room relaxing and watching the game until we headed to The Cheesecake Factory for dinner and then to see Blind Side (which is amazing). It was an awesome birthday spent with my boys and a perfect closing to a fabulous weekend. My birthday present to myself was finishing organizing my classroom filing cabinets. :)

A Day To Give Thanks

2009-11-29T20:57:00.000-08:00

We spent Thanksgiving at Grandma Ruth and Grandpa Neils' house this past weekend. It was fun to see family and to get to have some delicious food. Steen was exhausted after working an all night shift and spent a good portion of the day napping in various places. Playing with the other kids kept Spencer occupied for most of the day and it was a delightful time for all of us.

Things that I am thankful for:

My family and friends
Health and happiness
Steen & I having jobs
A comfortable home
Shared hobbies with the people I love
Creativity & imagination
Literature, art, & music
Being a student of life

I hope that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and were able to count many blessing in your life.

One Pink, One Blue, Sometimes Blessings Come In Twos

2009-11-21T20:12:00.000-08:00

Tammy's shower was a hit. :) She looked beautiful and we all had a great time eating yummy food and spending time together. I stayed the night with her over at Ross & Carla's on Friday to help prep for the party and to make headbands for the occasion. We stayed up late chatting before getting some much needed sleep.

On Saturday morning we finished preparing for the event before I nabbed Tammy for some primping. I had so much fun and it was awesome to have time with such a wonderful woman but I am relieved that I can just relax at home tonight. I made the boys orange/cranberry chicken roast with sweet potato stuffing and gravy. Now it is time to watch a movie with Steen before passing out from exhaustion. Yippee for the holiday rush!

Over Indulgence

2009-11-21T18:55:00.001-08:00

Overindulgence. That was the theme of Anna's beautiful "New Moon" release party. She made an awesome spaghetti sauce from scratch to go on cheese & mushroom ravioli. We had red velvet cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory as well as many other goodies. Anna put together goody bags with a CD, candy, and vampire teeth; really it was like a grown up slumber party. :)

Most of us had our picture taken with Edward before loading up our plates and sitting down to giggle and watch "Twilight". We left for the theater a little before ten and then sat for a couple of hours, laughing over the fact that Anna's sister-in-law, Chandra, took a spill and she sprinted for the theater (the funny part is that she is a grown woman, happily married with two kids and yet she acted like a 13 year old with a movie star crush).

I loved the movie. :) It was much better than the first, although the overload of sugar and carbs at the party combined with the spinning shots resulted in miserable sickness after the movie. I took a sick day and spent most of the morning and afternoon laying in bed and catching up with Steen on how things have been going for him at work. It was a magical night filled with rich food, fabulous entertainment, and great friends. The perfect way to kick off the Holiday Festivities.

Scorer's Block

2009-11-18T23:06:00.000-08:00

Wow, as much as I love my colleagues, I am thrilled to be heading to bed and taking time away from reading persuasive papers. :) We worked through our common assessment today and it was both encouraging and frustrating. I have included two videos that Tammy showed me. Both of them work as motivation and comic relief when the days get long and the grading pile remains deep. Enjoy!

Tea With Jane Austen: JASNA

2009-11-16T18:47:00.000-08:00

We have a delightful tradition in my Jane Austen Book Club. Every winter we attend the JASNA Jane Austen Tea which includes delicious tea, yummy scones, and interesting guest authors (writers of the popular Jane Austen fan fiction). The years event is going to be on December 12th and I can't wait. It will be a busy day (Spencer's birthday party is that evening) but well worth the fanfare.

Last year's event was enchanting; they brought in a string quartet that created the perfect ambiance. Syrie James, author of The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen, was the guest speaker and we all enjoyed it immensely.

The first year we went, we were all amused to see a young gentleman in a period costume. When we asked him about it he explained that he dressed up "just because". He did so the following year as well. Pamela Aidan, author of An Assembly Such as This: A Novel of Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman, was the speaker the first year. She was a treat.

A Reader

2009-11-15T19:14:00.001-08:00

I have always wanted to share the love of books with Spencer. It was something my parents and siblings all bonded over; I still remember the exasperation my mom expressed when she would find us kids up in the middle of the night pouring over the latest book we checked out. I had imagined that same passion for reading in my own child, yet he never seemed to show an interest. This past summer, Spencer found his own genre to love. He was given a Star Trek kids novel and suddenly reading became a fun pastime. Now, as long as the topic interests him, he will pour over books himself. The tradition lives on. :)

Trick-or-Treat

2009-11-12T20:45:00.000-08:00

We had fun trick-or-treating with Tammy & Asher on Halloween. We went around their neighborhood and then walked over to Anna's house to see Ethan, what a cutie. Asher was adorable as Bumblebee Pooh, Tammy was a princess, Spencer was Bumblebee (the transformer), I was Medusa, Steen was Steen, Anna was a cowgirl, and Ethan was a horse.

Tammy was adorable with her huge twins baby bump and it was fun to waddle along with she and Asher as Steen and Spencer went ahead of us to "get more loot."

After collecting enough candy to cause terror to any dentist, we went over to JP and Trisha's house to see Piper's costume and to have some egg and cheddar biscuits.

I have always loved Halloween. For me it starts of the holidays perfectly with a magical and slightly dark evening where people get to live in an imaginary world, even if just for a few hours. This Halloween was no exception and we all enjoyed a whimsical evening until we fell into a sugar induced coma upon returning home.

The Fort

2009-11-06T20:31:00.000-08:00

Growing up in the BBJ house meant that when the dryer broke (which was common) my mom had to hang the cloths to dry. This meant that every laundry day was followed by a day in the wonderful world of fitted sheet forts.

We made castles (complete with dungeons and dragons), Atlantis, tree forts, ice cities, and military bases all without leaving our house. Childhood is a wonderful time when our imagination is encouraged to have free reign and our worlds are so much larger than the reality of adulthood. Watching and joining Spencer in his many adventures is one of the most rewarding parts of being a parent. I love that kid and through him, I am reliving the wonder and joy of the imaginary world. :)

Double Dippin' Halloween

2009-11-05T18:52:00.001-08:00

On Friday nigh, October 30th, we went to the Watson's Halloween party and got to see the big bad frustrated wolf. :) It fun with lots of goodies, Jose's green jello, hay bales, and lots of fun costumes. We didn't get to stay as long as we wanted to because it was a double dippin' party night, so we rushed off managing to run over Spencer's toe in the bargain.

Our next stop was the Wilson's party. Once again we were treated to yummy food, good company, and fun costumes. People were in high spirits and it was a good way to say farewell to the IYR Discovery House crew. By the end of the night we were exhausted but feeling good. I don't know how people manage to party hop... it is hard work.

Autumn Joy

2009-11-05T18:43:00.000-08:00

1 Boy + 1 Pile of Leaves = 2 Hours of Fun

A Good Season

2009-11-05T18:23:00.000-08:00

I have a confession... I am glad to be hanging up my soccer mom status for a few months. Spencer's fall soccer season is over and I feel nothing but relief that there will be no more evening practices or Saturday morning games.

His last game was fun. Spence almost scored his first goal (yes, almost... I don't care if you think almost doesn't count. I am a proud mother and for me, it does.). We brought the kids Halloween goody bags and cupcakes ensuring that the kids would remain hyped up on sugar as they chased their parents around with neon colored vampire teeth. :)

After the game Spencer and I went and joined Tammy and Asher for the Music Theater of Idaho's performance of Beauty and The Beast. It was cute, although I was pretty perturbed that they tried to charge $15 to get a picture taken with the cast. :(

A weekend with the 'Rents.

2009-11-05T17:39:00.000-08:00

It is always fun to have my parents come up for a visit and their visit this past October was no exception. We packed a lot of fun into a few days and everyone was tired and happy by the time Monday rolled around.

Momma & Daddy got in on Friday evening, just in time to catch the last part of Spencer's fall carnival. When it was over we all headed home and ate a super late dinner of salad and BBQ salmon. It was yummy.

Saturday morning we all went to Spencer's soccer game before heading to Boise for a movie (Where The Wild Things Are) and dinner at The Cheesecake Factory. It was a fun day, filled with much laughter.

Sunday Steen had to work in the morning so the rest of us headed to Macy's to shop for costumes for Momma & Daddy to wear at their Chicago event. Of course, we all found things we didn't go in looking for, but that is the point of shopping, right? We had another BBQ dinner on Sunday, this time Steen & I made the 'Rents our delicious marinaded filet mignon. Tasty!

Monday morning we went to what used to be Elmer's in at the Shiloh Inn. A word to the wise... avoid the new place. I hate to be a downer, but it was gross: cold eggs, bad service, bitter coffee, soggy waffles, well... I'm hard pressed to come up with a compliment for the place. Bummer. With sadness that the visit was over, we gave hugs and promised to try to make it up to Oregon for the holidays. Who knows, maybe we will this year. :)

Roosevelt Fall Carnival 2009

2009-11-05T17:15:00.000-08:00

This year Spencer had a blast at his fall Carnival. We started out the evening with me standing in line for the rock climbing wall while Steen took Spence inside to play games. It was a long wait. Finally, it was time for Spence to climb and he kicked some serious butt. It was like watching a mini spiderman climb the wall, truly. :)

After climbing the wall, Spencer recieved a custom made balloon sword and scabbard as well as a fabulous blue hairstyle. He played more games and topped the night off by winning the jar of gummy worms; he guessed the closest at 550, going against the advice of Steen. Good thing too, there were 565 gummy worms. It was a fun night for all of us, though I was ready to head home by the end.

Buddy Walk 2009

2009-11-05T16:46:00.000-08:00

The Buddy Walk is one of the most fun traditions that we have going each fall. With many delightful pastimes, including: fellowship with friends, hot chocolate and coffee on the way over, exercise, excitement, and games for the kiddos, what's not to love? Of course... we finished up our day at the park with a stop by The Cheesecake Factory. Attached are some of the photos of the event. :)