California Here We Come...

So...apparently I like to do the California experience pregnant, and I don't mean a couple months along, I mean a few weeks from delivering.  The last time we did this trip, was back in March of 2007 when I was due with Ella late April, this time we went mid march and I was supposed to be due late April...things never go as planned.  However, it will explain why I'm in so few pictures and the only ride I got to experience at Disneyland was the teacups, over and over with Ella!  So, despite my shall me say full ankles and pure exhaustion, we had a wonderful time.  We love the beach as much or more than Disneyland, so we spent a good portion of out time there.

 Alec trying to get his surf on at the beach...yes "trying"!

 I could watch the kids all day run and play in the sand...oh wait I did, sipping my diet coke and catching up on a little light reading...or shut eye!

 Ella...waiting her turn to meet the Princesses.  Trying to explain to a two year old that they only get to see select Princesses...a little tricky, but we made it through.

 This was one of our only family pictures and apparently the guy who took it was a little off center if ya know what I mean.  It works...all happy faces.  I must say I got a lot of looks and actually questions about my families size, they would look at the three kids and then look at my stomach about ready to burst and couldn't believe we had so many kids...please 4 is the new 7 right!
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Where I spent a large majority of my time...the teacups, so I felt it fitting to take a snapshot at what probably put me into labor two weeks early!

We were able to stop in St.George on our way home and spend a little time with some cousins.  We always LOVE St.George and spending time with family swimming, hiking and just chilling.

 My little Ava in trying to keep up with her older brother and cousins on her bike, got a little to much momentum on a hill and hit gravel.  Needless to say, I had just left with the girls to go have a little R&R and I get a phone call saying meet me at the instacare Ava has been hurt.  So I meet Zach there and they take one look at her "hamburger" chin and send her on her way to the Emergency room...two layers of stitches on her chin, lacerations to her stomach, arms and legs, and a possible fractured arm and we were on our way!  She was a trooper, and still wanted to go hiking with Grandpa when it was all said and done.

Alec's Big Month

So my big boy turned eight on me...this truly is one of those days you think won't ever get here...especially with your oldest, and then you wake up one day and it's staring you straight in the face.  We had a great few weeks filled with all sorts of excitement.  First and foremost the baptism, it was a beautiful day, I only teared up once, and I couldn't have been more proud to be his mother.  I had fun planning a little gathering after and he had fun being the "special boy" that day!

 Alec and I at the baptism...got to say, what a handsome hunk.

 My attempt at being crafty...this only with they help of a crafty friend...love ya Em!

 Little picture shrine of the boy.

 Some of his lovely Aunties enjoying the grub...Cafe Rio style salads to be exact, might I say they turned out pretty darn good...eat your heart out Rio!

Part of Alec's big month meant becoming a Cub Scout...yes another milestone that felt light years away...nope, he has the blue shirt and yellow scarf, he's legit y'all!  He loves it...he's my tasker...give him one and he is on it!

 So, of course we had to have a "party" as well for the birthday boy, and with all the baptism activities he agreed to just have his two favorite people in the world over for a little bowling/slumber party...Thanks Joseph and Bowen for making it a great night!

So last...but certainly not least, and eight year promise came true, much to my dismay!  Anyone who knows me knows dogs are not my thing.  This has been an age old argument in my marriage then carried over to the children.  I was out numbered, and being harassed by my ENTIRE family, so again thinking his eight year birthday will be an eternity away and he'll get over wanting a dog, I made a promise...meet Maggie.  I think it has taken me a year to even be able to blog about it...serious denial was going on, and alot of "what the bleep did I do."  What can I say, I'm good on my promise, and now she's the size of a small horse but that's another post!

I Guess It's A Good Thing He Has A Way With The Girls...

In most households I'm sure it's the ladies job to manicure the fingers and toes of the little ones in the house...hot pink, bright red, even outrageous orange are some of the colors floating around on the toes at this house, but don't think you will catch Mom doing the painting...oh no, it's all Dad! I knew I had a catch in college when he saw me slaughter my own toes with polish and decided he better take over! I guess it's best since we will have one more girl in line to get her toes painted arriving sometime mid-to end of April...I'm keeping the time frame broad! We're all hoping this one comes to us with red hair and a little chub to break the mold of my last two spring baby girls that have had bald heads and no chub to be found...oh but I love them just the same!

Still Stuck in 2009...Christmas

Oh I'm not done...this is four in one sitting...do you think this is a form of nesting? I will say I'm a firm believer in the nesting stage, I've had moments this week where I might have given a child away to the D.I if I could have! O.k, I kid of course my children are nothing but angelic and I would truly have my life no other way...chaos and all!
So back to my final post...yes I'm clearly still stuck in last year, just let a girl catch up alright! I promise this is the last post from 2009, but I've got to document Christmas.


Christmas Eve...2009

We get to celebrate Christmas Eve with my sisters and both mine and Zachary's parents, and it's become such a fun tradition...not that I don't love my brothers, but a little girl time is always cherished time.



Oh the Christmas Eve jammies...Alec said to me this year, "Mom I think I know what our Christmas Eve present is going to be" and I said "maybe you don't, maybe I changed tradition" and he said "Oh I hope not, I like getting new jammies" me too kid, me too!



Christmas morning the chaos ensues...and what sweet chaos it is!



Our final destination Christmas night...Grandpa and Grandma Johnsen's house, where a program is always on the menu. This year it was supposed to be a simple Christmas poem, but my pregnant mind decided to forget that little request so we improvised with a song from Alec and a rendition of Jingle Bells...Ella's request...from the whole family! What a wonderful exhausting day...till next year!

Holiday Highlights...

A month goes by and so many wonderful memories to capture...these are just a few of the happenings we had going on!


Ava and Alec had the opportunity to go see the beautiful Nutcracker with Uncle Lynn and Aunt Barbara...what a special night! Ava was so excited to where her "Nutcracker" dress! They had a blast and came home beautiful trinkets to remind them of the special night...thanks Lynn and Barbara for such a special memory.




The Ence family Christmas gathering...and what a gathering it is. All of the cousins reunite to be with Aunts and Uncles and our dear sweet Grandparents who are so fortunately still with us. Lots of catching up, some singing, and fun games for the kids...thanks Ence clan for keeping us all connected!


Dad's tradition of putting together a gingerbread house...Costco's version of course! The kids look forward to this every year and I always seem to be preoccupied doing something...thanks for taking one for the team Dad!



Temple Square...always a favorite memory. My kids have this little tradition they've started of their own where they pack their back packs to head to Temple Square. It started a few years ago when I told Alec to gather his warm things to head down to Temple Square and well, he took me literally...he packed hand warmers, water bottle, band aids...and plenty of other gadgets to "be prepared" so now Ava has joined in on the tradition, so let's just say we're prepared for anything that might hit us at the Square!


The kids decorating the "kid tree" as Zachary likes to call it. He's just sure I only do it so the kids won't have interest in touching my tree...well guess what, I let them help me with the big tree this year...look how "big" I'm becoming!

Kicking off the Season With Stitches...

So we had the discussion with the kids about the danger of pulling of the stockings because if the stocking holder should fall and hit you, it could really hurt you badly. Everyone seems to get it right...o.k Ella's only 2 1/2, but she's sharp...as was the metal pine comb she pulled down on her head about 5 hours after our little talk. Just imagine the scene...I hear a thud followed by a scream followed by my two older children freaking out far worse than the wounded 2 year old. Clearly my warning earlier had left an impression and with the blood running down Ella's face they were sure her life was ending. Good thing Mom stayed cool, calm and collected and let everyone know the only one that should be crying is Ella and we ALL need to pull it together! Needless to say we ended up in the insta-care with two puncture wounds to the forehead...bless her scrappy little heart!


"I did it..." she announced as she came home from getting stitches.


"Just a cute picture of Ella's random personality"


"Before this whole episode went down, we had promised Ella ice cream that night for some significant progress she had made in her potty training...I'll leave out those details, so after she was done being stitched up she looked up at me with her flaming red cheeks "we getting ice cream Mom" you betcha kid, you definitely earned it!

So Much for My Blogging Spurt!

Well...just cause the moment has come and gone along with the Holidays does not mean I can't "back blog" right? When it hits me it hits me, and until then I just let the pictures and the memories mount. So here's to catching up...

Faces I'm so Thankful for...Thanksgiving 2009

This was a sweet moment with "favorite Uncle Lynn" that I just had to capture. Lynn is like a Grandpa to these kids...they adore him and all the fun he provides. This was him giving a tutorial on the Violin...patient man I must say!