The Longest Tag Ever!!

My sister-n-law Errin tagged me and I enjoyed reading her original tag so much I thought I would play along.

8 things I am passionate about:(this is not in order of importance just a list)
1. Family (Kjell-our children-our immediate and extended families)
2. Friendships
3. Food
4. My faith and beliefs
5. Memories
6. Having and raising my children
7. Traveling
8. Health

8 Books I Have Read And Enjoyed
1. The Harry Potter Series
2. The Twilight Series
3. The Host
4. Brown Bear Brown Bear
5. Deceptively Delicious
6.This I believe
7. Fisher of Men Series
8. Children of the Promise Series

8 Words/Phrases I Say Often
1. Stop it (Usually directed at the kids but Kjell hears it a lot to)
2. Really-a rhetorical question I ask when i just can't believe something or just don't want to
3. All done?
5. What are you doing? This phrase is used in many tones.
6. That's it!
7. May I have a 4 piece chicken nugget happy meal...I know it's so bad for them-so much for being passionate about health huh?
8. I love you so much or I love you more than...Drew and I play a game he loves me more than the whole universe.

8 Things I Want To Do Before I Die (in no particular order)
This is more difficult for me. There are many things I would enjoy doing but none I feel I have to do before I die. With that in mind I would like to live long enough to
1. Have more children
2. Own a home
3. Travel
4. Not have any debt
5. See my children serve missions and get married in the temple.
6. Watch my children have and raise families of their own
7. See Kjell retire
8. Serve a Mission with Kjell

8 Things I Learned This Past Year
1. Everyone needs friends
2. My two boys are very different from each other
3. I am my own worst critic
4. Most people are more insecure than they let on
5. Happiness is in your own hands
6. I am becoming more anxious as I get older
7. I can't diet successfully-I lose weight when I watch what I eat but don't "diet"-restrict myself.
8. I really, really want to have a girl.

8 places I want to see
1. France
2. Italy
3. London
4. Veracruz Mexico (Where Kjell served his mission)
5. Denmark
6. Russia
7. Hong Kong
8. Belize

8 things I miss
1. The freedom to take off when I want -not having to find a babysitter
2. Living in Provo-I never thought I would but going back makes me miss it
3. Sleeping alone in a bed for as long as I want uninterrupted.
4. Not having to worry about where I go because gas wasn't $4.50 a gal.
5. Having nice things that don't get broken or ruined by my very busy boys.
6. My brain- I used to have a really good memory but now forget where I put things, can't remember what I was doing-it drives me crazy!
7. Swimming laps
8. Spending time with Kjell's family- we don't see them enough we used to see them a lot more when we lived in Utah.

8 things I currently want/need
1. A House
2. A King Size Bed
3. A vacation with just my husband
4. A new Digital Camera
5. A new Laptop
6. Ice cream-I can't get enough and my current craving is Cotton Candy at Cold Stone-soo creamy
7. To get pregnant again
8. To find my wedding rings that I put somewhere last week and don't remember where.

8 People I Want To Tag I don't mind being tagged but hate tagging others so if you read this and want to do it consider yourself tagged!

Fourth of July

We had a great weekend over the fourth. We went to Bakersfield to celebrate Kjell's Grandmas 80th birthday. We spent the whole day with most of his Mom's side of the family. It was a lot of fun to meet those cousins I have heard about for years and not met. I also enjoyed spending time with Kjell's family who we never get to see. I feel like it wasn't enough time though.

This is a picture of everyone who was able to attend the celebration.

This is all of the 3rd generation. Nana Kate's grandchildren and their spouses.

Saturday after we had breakfast with Kjell's parents we took off for the beach. Kjell's family loves Leo Carrillo beach. I think it's nice but hate the wind that keeps it so cool and the water is no where near warm enough for me. (I get wimpy as I get older). But it was fun to layout and watch the kids play in the sand. Kjell had fun boogie boarding with his brothers and his best friend Danny. Danny and Elaina DeBekies live in Southern California so when ever we are there Kjell makes sure to spend time with them.

Sorry these pictures are so bad. We forgot our camera and I couldn't let the trip go by without documenting it so we bought a cheap disposable camera and it totally shows in the quality!

Everyone at the beach but Matt and Callie, they were off exploring. Drew and Chaz loved playing in the sand. Chaz was covered in it-from head to toe.

Fun with the cousins and Daddy.

This picture is really bad but it's of us at dinner. We went to this really good Thai food place with Kjell's brother Vegor and his wife Errin and Danny and Elaina. The kids were pretty good and the food was great. For dessert my favorite Pinkberry frozen yogurt!

We slept at my brother Robbie's in Santa Monica on Saturday night. Sunday morning we woke up and walked to a farmers market for breakfast with Robbie and Laynie. Then we went to the Grove. We wanted to get home at a decent hour so we left around 2. The kids were good on the car ride home. We never have enough time when we are visiting with family it always goes by so fast but we sure had fun!

Utah Trip

We spent almost 2 weeks in Utah in June the 16-27. It was so much fun to see and catch up with friends and just relax. We stayed in Heber but usually ended up in Provo. I drove both ways with the boys and my parents. The kids were pretty good and my parents were really patient with us. We stopped in St. George on the way up and Barstow on the way back to break the trip up. Visiting Utah makes me miss all the fun I had living there. When we moved I never looked back. I didn't feel sad about leaving until I came back to visit. Luckily I plan on visiting more often now that my parents will be back there more. It was so green and beautiful. The kids enjoyed swimming and playing outside. Of course a trip of ours wouldn't be complete without one of the kids having to go to the doctor. Chaz had an ear infection and Strep throat.

Believe it or not I slept in between these two that night. This was our first night of the trip when we stayed in a hotel in St. George. They wouldn't go to sleep and the next morning when we took this I couldn't get them to wake up!
Here are the kids hanging around the house playing outside and sleeping with grandma.

I got to spend some time with one of my best friends and former roommates Katie. I met her little boy Quinn for the first time and he is so cute. She was so fun to be around. She was so kind to drive all over to spend time with us and a big help with the kids to. We went to Pizza Factory (one of our favorite places to eat Katie loves the bread sticks and the never on Sundae is my favorite dessert anywhere!) Chaz enjoyed his first Never on Sundae and we had fun meeting up at Thanksgiving Point. The kids enjoyed some candy while we waited for Katie and Quinn.
I also got to see my good friend Leigh and spend time with her and her kids. She just had a baby boy Ian and I enjoyed watching her be such a good mom to her three kids. We went swimming with them and Drew had so much fun playing with Britten and Sarah he was crying when we left.

The trip home we watched movies and talked. Chaz doesn't watch t.v. yet though so it was more difficult to keep him entertained. Looks like my sister will be there in August so I am tempted to make the trip again.

Sunday Dinner

We had a special dinner Sunday night with his great grandma Nancy and great aunt Duffy. I cooked Drew's favorite rice pilaf and we ate lemon chicken, a green salad, and corn with it. For dessert we had Cake and ice cream. We let Drew open presents from them and from his Nana and Papa who live in Denver. They are always so good about remembering birthdays and Christmas. Drew's package came on Friday and he was dying to open it the second he saw his name on it. Once he unwrapped it he asked his dad to take it out of the box for him. He loved the gift from them and it kept him occupied for hours. I was able to frost his cake without him standing over my shoulder. Drew also had mail to open from them and his great grandma Kate. He loved getting letters in the mail for him. We appreciate all the wonderful family members and friends who helped us celebrate. I still don't feel old enough to have a four year old!

Drew's 4th Birthday

Drew wanted a pirate cake so I did the best I could with lots of help from my friend Angie. She makes all her cakes and had all the tools I needed. We spent about 3 hours decorating it. Ok maybe there was some talking going on to.

Before the Pinata was brokenKjell had to bust it open but as soon as he did all the kids scrambled.
Singing happy birthday to Drew.

Despite wanting a Pirate Party the big hit was Transformers. In the last 3 weeks he has found a new obsession.

Pirate Party

Yesterday was Drew's fourth birthday. Sunday we celebrated by having a family dinner and Monday, on his birthday, he had a pirate party. While we were getting ready for his birthday dinner Sunday I was telling him how the next day was his party and asking him if he was excited. His response was" yeah I am excited but just don't ruin it this year." I was totally offended. I asked him what he was talking about, how could I ruin his party... it was because of me he was even having a party. And then he reminded me of how the year before at his Thomas the Train party I used the wrong candle and that ruined his party. I could not believe that first of all he remember this and second of all that he would say it ruined his party. Ok so I lost the Thomas the Train candle and had to use regular ones big deal. I told him he was ungrateful. He responded by telling me "just don't ruin my pirate party". I did my best and think I succeeded this year. I don't know though I might have to wait till next year to find out. My friend Marilyn may have saved me by coming over early to help set up and get me ice! Whew.