A Visit from Papa and Nana

Nana and Papa came to visit! We love having them here. They spoil us.

Highlight for the kids: Children's Museum of Discovery and their robes.

Highlight for me: Not cooking (very much) and new shoes.

Highlight for Aaron: Staying up late talking with his Parents.

Christmas 2009

Christmas was nice this year. We kept it simple. I love that we don't travel to Utah during the holidays. Yes, we miss our families, but it's really nice to just have us...establish our own traditions, be on our own time line, and relax. The big gifts this year consisted of Wii games, ripstick, fancy princess alarm clock, sleeping bag, stroller with babies, and a bar stool for all the kids. They all got watches and shoes and games and candy. Everyone was happy. The day was Merry!

Halle Lou turns TWO!

It's hard to believe our baby turned 2. Halle has hit the "busy" stage. She is into everything and wants to do everything the big kids do. She climbs up the stools, on to the counter top, and into the cupboards. So to keep her out of the chocolate chips I have to keep the stools on top of the bar. She repeats and says everything. Yesterday she opened the fridge and dumped some leftovers on the floor, "Oh Dear" was her response.

Her favorite past time is playing "Ashes" (ring around the rosies)...but only with mommy... she won't let the big kids play with her.

She LOVES playing with her babies and her kitchen.

Whenever I give her something she says, "Want two", one is never good enough.

She loves all kinds of food, but if I gave her a choice she would eat chocolate all day.

Here's birthday highlights.

Birthday Donuts for breakfast

Here's Caite playing the Halle's little piano while Halle tries to sing Happy Birthday.

It's Great to be Caite!

Our Little Diva turned 6 yesterday. It's hard to believe how fast she has grown. We love having Caite as part of our family...what would we do without our fashion police? She adds flare and bling to all she does. We love this girly girl.

Let me explain the outfit. Kindergarten had a pajama day/movie day...she thought it was just for her birthday. She didn't quite feel comfortable wearing just her pj's so she added a uniform skirt with it. Yep, much better. Her teacher laughed when I dropped her off..."That's SOOO Caite", she said.

Happy Birthday Caite!!

My first attempt with fondant. Could have been better...could have been worse.

Backfired

Aaron's goal for residency was to be "excetional and really shine" so he could go into and do anything he wanted. He has done just that. Infact he has a nickname from the other residents that he is quite embarrassed about..."Golden Boy". He knows he stuff, he's good at what he does, and he loves the fast pace of a hospital. Don't ask him to work in a clinic with runny noses and ear infections...he hates that stuff. The fact of the matter is, is that here at Arkansas Children's Hospital he can do anything he wants.

We were talking a few nights ago and he said, "my goal has backfired on me." There is a Pediatric Critical Care fellowship open in July that he has been told is his if he wants to "cop out of his chief year". That would be nice, it's what he wants to go into, but our family really needs the down time the chief year will bring. He has several ER attendings asking him to stay with them and do Emergency Medicine. The NICU folks are calling his name to do a fellowship with them. As well as Oncology, and Infectious Disease. His comment was, "all this attention and is stressful". All I have to say is, "it must be nice to be so wanted."

Although the doctors are trying really hard...and I mean REALLY hard, to get Aaron to change his mind, our plans haven't changed. We are hoping that all this "need for Doctor Gardner" will continue when he applies for a Critical Care fellowship at Primary Children's Hospital next year so we can get back to our family. That's our main goal, now please don't let it backfire!

The Stockings Were Hung

Now that our family is complete I decided to make matching stockings for everyone. This is what I came up with. I think they are so fun! It's hard to tell by the pictures, but the red and green fabric is plaid, green on green and red on red. I think I will have first initials embroidered in the middle of the them, but here's a picture for now.

It Makes Me Happy

Every morning I wake up and turn on the Christmas tree lights. For a brief moment the house is silent and I can feel the Spirit that the Christmas Season brings in. It makes me happy. It gives me peace. I love it!

Giving Thanks

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with Grandma and Grandpa Barentsen. They were able to spend the whole week here with us. The kids woke up very excited on Tuesday morning (arrival day), Hayden said, "Mom, today is a VERY special day". My boys hadn't seen my parents since they left for there mission...2 years is a long time. Hayden was only 2 1/2...he has changed a lot since then.

The week was full of food, walks, shopping, eating, relaxing, more food, more shopping and gingerbread man making. It was so nice to see them and let them spend time with the kids. We all loved it. The kids were very sad to see them leave. Few pictures were taken, but lots of good memories made.

Dash

We need to start calling Isaac "Dash". He ran in another 5K race this morning. It was fun to have it right here in Maumelle at Lake Willastien. We ran into lots of people we knew. Isaac beat his best time coming in at 26:17. And that was stopping to tie his shoe. He thought it was cool that he beat his friends dad.

Maumelle Lady Runners was the team who organized this race. Isaac's 2nd grade teacher, Mrs Seward, and his swim coach, Coach Janet, were the two working the finish line. It was fun to have them cheering him on. We stayed for the award ceremony where he received first place in his age group (first place by like 10 minutes). He's a natural. Coach Janet wants to do a triathlon with him. He would love it.

The take off, the back of Isaac's shirt is gray

Coming down the final stretch

the finish line

First Place plaque, or "bar of soap" as Isaac put it.

Way to go Buddy!!

Fall fun

Our back yard is fall leaf heaven! The kids have spent countless hours raking up piles and jumping. The big pile they are jumping in doesn't even leave a dent in that side of the yard. We have a ton! We haven't bagged the leaves yet and probably won't for a little while, because they are just so much fun to play in.

Halloweenies

We had a fun night last night. Small and simple party with the neighbors. Arkansas style. In the garage. We had mummies in a blanket, sawed off hand punch, chips, and pumpkin cake. The kids were so excited! But they were more excited to trick-or-treat. Or as Hayden says "Pick-a-treat". We hit the street running and didn't stop for an hour. Their pumpkins were overflowing. I don't think we could have stuffed another piece in. Now the battle begins with the candy. For the time being it's hiding, only to be brought out when I say. I do have to say Halle was the cutest Raggedy Ann I have seen, even if she wouldn't put her wig and hat on.
Front row: Logan, Alex, Isaac Second row: Halle, Brecken (behind), Hayden, Caite

Notes from a Kindergartener

I found a post-it note taped to Caite's wall saying.

"I quit my Jop be kuz it is to mus wrc".

Hmmm, I wonder what job she's talking about?

I'm actually quite impressed she spelled quit right.

Leaves

Yesterday we spent the whole day "winterizing" our yard and garage. We (meaning mostly Aaron) trimmed bushes, cut back flowers, mowed the lawn, cleaned out the garage, and sealed cracks in the cement. Fall is in full force here in Arkansas. We love the colors of the trees in the fall. The trees are beautiful, they bring peace and much needed shade in the summer, but come fall they are a lot of work. From now until Christmas we will be raking our "Sacred Grove". Yesterday was round one. The kids had fun raking and playing. We ended up only doing a fraction of the raking, we needed to get in for a football game.

Blessed!

I woke up this morning feeling very blessed. I really do have a wonderful life. I have been blessed with an incredible husband who really can do anything. Even working over 100 hours this week, he still pulled off a fantastic Super Hero Pack Meeting for the Cub Scouts. The final challenge was to find a wrecked ship (candy bar) and save the 8 passengers (peanut butter m&m's) drowning in a sea of whipping cream. The kids thought it was so fun. Aaron never ceases to amaze me. Martina McBride sings a song that makes me think about him every time I hear it. The line I love says, "Everyone calls you amazing, I just call you mine." It's true he is amazing and I am blessed that he is mine.


I am blessed to stay home with my kids. In order for me to stay home, I have taken on 3 extra kids. It keeps me extra busy and I have to be super organized, but I wouldn't trade it. I love being able to be home when my kids come home from school. I love having Halle home with me. I love watching them grow and learn new things. I really am blessed to have 4 great kids. I just went to parent teacher conference a few days ago. Isaac is doing fantastic. He has a wonderful teacher who is challenging him, and he is rising to the challenge. She said he's "a fine young man and I love having him in my class". Caite's teacher couldn't say enough good about her. She is sweet and loving to all the kids. She is also in the highest reading group and is already reading at a 1st grade level. Hayden absolutely loves school. His teacher said he is always happy and a joy to have. she also said he is her biggest helper. It was nice to have such positive feedback from the teachers. Like any parent, my kids are my biggest challenge, but I think we are doing okay.

I am blessed to live in such a great place. We love the Little Rock area. I was able to take the kids to a Mountain Man Rendezvous this past weekend at Pinnacle Mountain. It was great to meet up with our neighbors the Roses and Schiderer's. We walked around all the exhibits, then we canoed, and rode horses. The kids had a great time. Little Rock is such a family friendly place to live. I'm so happy for the opportunity to live here. We have wonderful neighbors and friends here.

There is a lady at church that I don't know as well as I would like. She is a single lady raising her 4 nieces and nephews. I don't know the circumstance very well, but I do know that the kids are in a safer, better, happier place with her. We met the youngest and latest addition last night at Pack Meeting. She has only had him for a few days and already has him involved in Cub Scouts. When we were cleaning up he said, "this was the best day of my whole life". It melted my heart, because it was true. She rescued theses little kids. She is thier savior. She is blessing their lives. She is blessing them with the Gospel that they would other wise not have. I know she will be blessed, I'm sure her mansion is waiting for her in Heaven.

Who's that girl with the OREO cookie?

I found Halle in the corner of the office hiding...eating an oreo...making a mess...loving it!

Catching up

I have a ton to catch up on. Life is busy, but a good kind of busy. I started watching a 2 year (Drew) old full time a few weeks ago. So now I have 3 kids, 2 and under all day everyday. I thought it would be harder than it is. My house is still quiet and I can still do what I need to. It also gives Halle a playmate.

Then the kids come home from school and we have organized chaos. Drew's brother Jacob joins our family after school. So 7 kids, 6 of them are 5 and under. Crazy, but good. It's only for a few hours until parents get home. Totally do-able and totally worth the money.

The kids are doing extremely well in school. After the first week of school, Isaac was moved up into a 3rd-4th grade split class. It has been the best thing for him. He is finally being challenged. His teacher has higher expectations than he is used to, so it took a bit of adjustment for him, but he's doing great and loving it. The problem is that he thinks he's in 4th grade. He's going to be disappointed when he goes to 4th grade (again) next year.

Caite, is starting to read and doing a great job with it. She can sound out words as she reads and spells. It's exciting to watch her. Hayden is still as funny as ever. His teacher says "he loves every minute of school". He was sick last week so I kept him home for a day. You would have thought I told him it was the end of the world...so upset he couldn't go to school.

Halle is growing like crazy. although she's still short. Her latest thing is climbing on the bar stools and then walking around on the bar. I now have to put the bar stools up every morning to keep her safe and the chocolate chips out of her hands. She had decided she can talk. And likes to use her new words often. Her latest word is "huggie" she loves giving hugs.

We thoroughly enjoyed Aaron's easy month in Sept. Now it's back to 100 hour work weeks in the NICU. lucky him.

Hayden decides to bust a move during FHE

Hayden cracks us up. He is our funniest kid by far. He's full of live and thoroughly enjoys everything. His teachers at school and church all adore him. This is one of his impromptu dances he had to do for Family Home Evening.

The Girls

I have this thing about dressing my girls alike at church. I know it will be short lived due to Caite's age, so I am taking advantage of it while I can. These are the fall jumpers I made for them. I'm in the process of making peasant dresses...stay tuned.

Caite had cowboy/girl day at school last week. We think she's a pretty cute cowgirl!