The Swensen's

Enjoy the Rainbow

2011-04-06T14:29:00.000-07:00

I just wasted about 20 minutes of my life in search of the most hideous and annoying blog background. And yes, I think I found it. Just shy of being vomit inducing worthy, this rainbow/floral wallpaper does give Chinese Water Torture a run for it's money. Seriously, aren't you repulsed by now? Don't you want to find a more pleasant looking blog to read? I even think one with miniature Justin Biebers all over the background wouldn't be as abominable as this blog. To all my followers out there (yes, I said "followerS", of which I only recognize one of them) I hope you enjoy the rainbow. I have no clue who you all are and am quite puzzled to why you would be reading the minute ramblings of my very volatile mind. If you came here for parenting advice, you have absolutely come to the WRONG place. If you came here to learn how to make crafts, or perhaps to read really important and sometimes uplifting thoughts on life, or maybe to look at amazing photography... still WRONG place. If you are just plain stalking me, well, comment me your address and I'll send you an autograph. Until I find out who you are, the rainbow stays. Toodles!

Shoes

2011-03-11T15:47:00.000-08:00

Ava loves shoes. Whether it's plastic little dress up shoes, mommy's shoes, daddy's shoes or her big sisters' shoes, she is a shoe fetish type of girl. I guess that makes her a normal girl. She has even tried to take other babies' shoes off their feet so she could wear them. I guess that makes her a klepto. Note to self: do not take Ava to Payless or any other shoe store. Today she insisted on wearing these:

Don't you love how it matches her cute dress (which Brooklyn picked out). I guess we know whose fashion sense she inherited (Dad). Hmmm...we've got a little work to do.

Evidence

2011-02-25T14:13:00.000-08:00

I would like to submit this photo as evidence of why I don't think my children really like me. Seriously, I had just sorted through boxes and boxes of baby clothes and little girl clothes and had reorganized them yesterday.

What's cookin'?

2011-02-08T12:58:00.000-08:00

I decided as part of the whole New Year's Resolution thing, I was going to learn to make new foods. I really do enjoy cooking as long as the kids don't bug me and the dishes are clean. Though I am not the best cook and will never claim to be, I am pretty good at researching recipes. I not only read the recipes but also scan lots of comments of others who have made the recipe. I try to stick closely to the instructions. It really annoys me when others review a recipe and decide to change almost everything about it, only to then give it 1 star. Also, I only make 4+ star recipes and most of them come from the amazing website, Allrecipes.com.

This year, I have resolved to try at least one new recipe a week. To the ghost of Julia Child, I promise not to offend you. In fact, I promise not to use any of your recipes. Rest in peace.

This past month I have discovered a couple of really good recipes which I'd like to share. First, a shout out to Carolyn (whoever the heck you are--if you are dead, could you please say "hi" to Ms. Child for me) for her amazing Orange Rolls. They were sooooo (I don't think I can add too many "o's" here) good. I topped them with a Orange flavored frosting, which I'm sure most people would love though I can't give a fair review since I'm not a huge fan of cream cheese. But it was good. Seriously, anyone who reads this must try these.

Next, is the Zuppa Toscana. The title of this recipe says "Super-Delicious." I don't think I would agree completely. It was good but probably not worthy of my recipe book though.

The next meal I made was a pretty simple Mexican Casserole. Last Saturday, I realized I hadn't made anything new that week. So, I hurried to find something. The picture looked good and I had most of the ingredients, so I went for it. Yummy! I don't even really like black beans but this was good. Next time I will add onions to the chicken along with some green chilies and extra salsa. Mackenzie seriously loved it so I guess it proved itself as "kid-friendly" as it claims.

Tonight, I will be making BBQ Chicken Calzones. Not only is BBQ chicken pizza my favorite food, but I had this at a restaurant a while ago and really enjoyed it. So we shall see how it all turns out. As for the rest of the year, I hope I can keep this up. Will be trying all types of dishes from breakfast to dessert. I saw a Baked Alaska recipe the other day. Do I dare???

Lately...

2011-02-04T13:31:00.000-08:00

I haven't been the best at updating this blog lately. Probably because I just assume that my life is way too boring to post anything about. Or perhaps I don't have time. Or perhaps I am too wiped out or too stressed out to sit down and just write. Whatever my excuse is (it changes daily), I need to do better. These are my memories and I need to record them. So here is a brief run down of what has been going on the last couple of months.

1. Thanksgiving in Winnemucca. It was cold.

2. Family Pictures

3. Happy 8th Anniversary to us! Best dinner ever, Wolfgang Puck's Postrio in the Venetian. Raspberry chocolate chip souffle to die for!

4. Ear Tube surgery for Brooklyn. She can hear now. Still snores and is still clumsy. I am surprised at how responsible she is with wearing her earplugs in the bathtub. I always forget but Brooklyn is always there to remind me.

5. Christmas at Home. Ava discovered the magic of wrapping paper and her big sister's new bicycle. Brooklyn put her in her place by shoving her off. Just a little drama which one should always expect on the most exciting morning of the year.

6. Mackenzie figured out how to ride her bike sans training wheels. Finally! As proof of what mean parents we are, we showed her youtube clips of 3 year olds riding 2 wheeler bikes to make her feel bad. It worked I guess.

7. Mackenzie finally discovered the difference between baby boys and baby girls. Abe's cousin (who has a little boy) was staying with us and Mackenzie said she didn't want a to ever have a baby brother if it looked like him. Trying to explain herself, she said, "Because he has a weird thing hanging down right there" (pointing to her private area).

8. Tax Season 2011. 3 days longer this year...Blah! April 18th, you can't come soon enough.

9. Night time potty training Brooklyn. So far, only one accident. She didn't exactly pee on her bed--she got up and sat on Mack's bed and let it go. Poor Mack.

10. Mackenzie's constant babble about Justin Bieber...or Justin Biever as she almost always calls him. If you buy a poster of him at Walmart, warning: Mackenzie has most likely kissed it.

11. Girl Scout Cookies! Their goal was to sale 36 boxes. Mackenzie (with the help of her wonderful mother, hardworking father and very popular dental school student Uncle Nate) sold a total of 254 boxes! That's over $1000 of cookies!

12. Brooklyn started her new school. No longer is she classified "special ed." It's a community based program where half the kids are normal and half are slightly delayed. A little more advanced to help prepare her for kindergarten down the road.

Honor Roll

2010-12-30T10:59:00.000-08:00

I know it's only first grade and all but we are still very impressed. Congratulations to Mackenzie for making all A's on her report card. She really is the smartest kid I know (and I'm not saying that because I'm her mom.) She is reading at almost a 3rd grade level. She loves to read and learn. Today, Mack was walking around reading a cook book. Just wait until she discovers Encyclopedia.

Dear Santa...

2010-12-12T05:47:00.000-08:00

After standing in line for an hour or more, (don't worry the kids did not have to stand there the whole time--Abe took them through the store to do fun crafts and see all the animals in Bass Pro and to the mermaid show at the aquarium--so they weren't tortured) this is the best we could do.

Seconds before this picture was taken, Brooklyn had been jumping around excited to see Santa. Here, she almost looks terrified. And Ava, well, I am just glad she didn't claw Santa or try to bite him. Although with how unhappy Mr. Claus looks, you would think that she had attacked him.

Better luck next year, I guess.

Brooklyn turns 4

2010-11-14T09:35:00.000-08:00

Four years ago, I had the most cuddly, cutest little baby. If you could imagine the most perfect baby in the world, you would have to think of Brooklyn. She was a dream. Never really crying, just wanted to be cuddled. She would wake up in her crib and just sit there and wait for who knows how long until I came and got her. Now, she is four. She's perhaps a little crazier and a little less cuddly. She isn't much bigger. Seriously, she is quite vertically challenged and 3T adjustable waist pants set on the last button continue to fall off of her. Her favorite things in the world are probably her baby dolls. She has one or five of them with her at all times. Brooklyn is extremely shy. I think she just loves to bond with her little dolls. They and her sisters are her best friends. When Brooklyn grows up she says that she wants to be a doctor.

Brooklyn wanted a blue snake cake for her birthday.

Opening presents....

The girls woke up early and got into the leftover cake.

Dr. Brooklyn Swensen

Checking Ava's heartbeat

Checking Ava's blood pressure

Ava gets a shot from the doctor

Veteran's Day Parade

2010-11-14T09:22:00.000-08:00

Mackenzie and her Girl Scout Daisy troop participated this week in the Las Vegas Veteran's Day parade. Here are some pictures from the event:

Fancy Mackenzie

2010-11-11T22:03:00.000-08:00

Tonight, I asked Mackenzie to help clean up the living room. I usually get the typical whine or "I can't" when I ask her to do manual labor. Tonight, she replied, "I get so exhausted. That's a fancy word for tired." I wonder if Jane O'Connor could write a new book and call it Fancy Nancy: Fancy Backtalk.

Explorer of the Month

2010-11-06T21:44:00.000-07:00

Shark Escape at the Shark Reef

2010-10-10T20:22:00.000-07:00

Okay not really, but when I told the girls we were heading down to the Shark Reef, Brooklyn immediately wanted to wear the shark costume. Yes, this is her halloween costume this year. Special thanks goes out to my friend Kim who bought it for her baby. Since it doesn't fit him yet, she let me borrow it. Of course, I or should I say Mack, accidentally bought her a nifty little $30 app for her Droid that she will probably never use. So, it seems we are renting the costume for $30. Makes me feel a little better...not really.
Anyway, everybody in Mandalay Bay kept staring at the little shark walking around. She was so adorable.

Summer Olympics 2020

2010-10-08T20:21:00.000-07:00

Keep an eye out for a Swensen girl in the future Olympic games. I've got three girls. One of them is bound to make it, right?

P is for Party!

2010-10-03T20:35:00.000-07:00

So I totally stole the idea to have a Spa Party for Mackenzie's sixth birthday. It was wild, crazy and fun. 14 little girls getting pedis and manis and makeup was almost too much for me to handle. I am so glad for my friends who stayed to help. The girls had a blast and looked simply fabulous! The best part of the night: when Mackenzie came down stairs after the party and said, "Mom, thank you for the best party." Totally worth the countless hours planning it all.

Now I understand

2010-09-19T20:49:00.000-07:00

I remember the first time I met my husband's family for the first time. We went up to Brighton for their family reunion. I have some good memories about that event such as Abe's cousin's bee sting on her forehead and the most intense Capture the Flag you could ever imagine. But my first memory of my then future mother in-law was how she wanted us to watch Nate (my husband's younger brother) in his final basketball game she had video taped. It was the State Championship game and he scored the winning free throw and Lowry High took the State title. She was so excited. I thought it was kind of crazy at the time. How many times are we going to watch Nate? I think we even watched it again when we went to his hometown for the first time. I just kept hearing about how Nate made his free throws and won the game. At the time I just didn't understand why a free throw was so incredible. But now, years later, as I have children of my own and they are starting to do their own "incredible" things, I think I get it. Mackenzie had her second soccer game this past Saturday. She managed to score 2 goals for her team. I managed to get the first goal on camera. She was awesome! I was so excited for her. I am still excited for her. I could watch this video all day. Seriously, I really could. So for all you future moms out there who think this behavior is way over the top, just wait. You'll understand someday.

First day of School

2010-09-12T20:27:00.001-07:00

2010-2011

First Grade and Preschool

Soccer Mom

2010-09-10T21:21:00.000-07:00

As of this week, I officially became one of those crazy soccer moms. Soccer ball-check, shin guards-check, cleats-check, mini-van-check. Okay, I think I'm ready. Mack's first game is tomorrow. She's on the Unicorns' team. Go unicorns! I can't wait to hear her Dad yell that.

Broken

2010-09-04T22:30:00.000-07:00

As soon as I have a working computer again, I will update this blog. There must be a lot of broken computers out there because no one else seems to update anymore.

My Little Graduate

2010-08-01T20:59:00.000-07:00

Congratulations Mackenzie! She did an amazing job in kindergarten! We are so proud of her. Good luck in 1st grade!

Looking for Love in Las Vegas

2010-07-28T11:11:00.000-07:00

Meet Nate. He's a single dental student that has been looking for love in all the wrong places. A fun, outgoing semi-intelligent guy who would love to settle down with a nice LDS girl. As mentioned earlier, he is entering his 3rd year in Dental School. Outside of his schooling, he enjoys doing outdoor recreational activities such as wakeboarding, rafting and snowboarding. He loves to hang out with friends and have a good time. Nate's also really good with children, offering to babysit his nieces all the time. He is also the owner of the growing MuccanWear brand clothing line. As you can tell, he takes great pride in his body and does freelance modeling for anyone willing to take a picture of him. The ideal woman for Nate would be someone who loves the outdoors, loves to laugh and someone who doesn't mind letting him be the little spoon. If you think you might be the one, please fill out the following application:

Date with Nate Application

Name_________________________________________
Phone Number_____________________________________
Age_______________ Education______________________________________________
Occupation___________________________________ Salary____________________________
Hometown____________________________ Current Location_____________________________
Mission (if Applicable)_______________________________________
Current Ward______________________________________________
Current Bishop & phone number__________________________________________________________
Ring Size_________________ Number of children wanted_________________________
Hobbies______________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
Future goals_________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
References____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
*Please attach photo here.

Happy Birthday April...I mean Abram

2010-07-26T22:20:00.000-07:00

I bought him a gift that I wanted...

I made him the dessert that I wanted to make...

and I even made him plan our date...

To a selfless and loving husband, Happy Birthday. I love the camera, the trifle was yummy and the show was so hilarious! Can't wait for "your" birthday next year!

My thoughts exactly

2010-07-25T08:51:00.000-07:00

Mackenzie this morning: "I wish we had a cage that Ava could stay in while we play."

Ava: Persistent cry, attempting to play with the big girls.

Me: Smiling at Mackenzie's comment, trying to ignore the crying.

Pain Management

2010-07-17T18:01:00.000-07:00

I am officially complaining about the pain. Yesterday, I was moving pretty well but as of last night and today, I can barely move my leg. It is swollen and very painful. I am taking more pain meds. They are making me tired and loopy. I guess last night I kept waking Abram up for stupid reasons such as having him help me find my ponytail holder that fell out of my hair in my bed. I don't even remember doing something so retarded. All I remember is that my knee was in extreme pain last night. Today, I thought I might have a blood clot and then of course, I thought I was going to die. Called a physical therapist friend of mine who reassured me that I'd make it to my next PT appointment on Monday. I feel horrible that I can't do much of anything. I miss my kids, even Ava (she cries A LOT so at first this was a nice break). I hear her crying in her crib and I just want to pick her up. I know she misses me. When Abe is holding her I sometimes see her reaching out for me, screaming. I feel guilty that I can't help around the house. I feel like a defective mom. I need help going to the bathroom. I need help putting my foot up on pillows. The pager on the phone has become my new best friend and I feel as if I use it too much for help and that my family doesn't deserve be summoned to my every painful whim. I want to be in the same room with my family but it's just easier to lay in bed. Mackenzie is becoming really good at filling my ice bag. Brooklyn is doing a really good job a mimmicking how I walk. I can't wait until I can run with them and play with them and take care of our home. I hope this experience makes me a better mom.

Mommy has a big boo-boo.

2010-07-15T17:06:00.000-07:00

Mommy has a big boo-boo. That's what Brooklyn said to the babysitter who came over for a couple of hours today. Although, it came out more like Mommy has a big poo-poo. She was referring to my new leg brace that I have to wear since I had surgery today. I messed up my right knee (and probably the left one as well) a couple of months ago and finally decided to fix it. I had scheduled my surgery for Tuesday but then Abram was going to be in California. I was going to still go through with it, with no husband and 3 children, but Abe and the Relief Society persuaded me to change it to today.

So now I am lying in bed with a throbbing, burning pain in my knee waiting for the pain meds to kick in. If I suddenly don't finish this post it will be b/c the Lortab has just put me to sleep. A lot of people don't like Lortab but I do. LOVE IT! I request it when I have babies. They probably think I'm an addict.

Anyway, this was my very first surgery (well if you don't count oral surgery). I am really not complaining about the pain but more just acknowledging it exists. People warned me about the recovery and the physical therapy and the anesthesia. I actually loved the anesthesia. I was super happy and relaxed when I woke up. I felt like I had the best nap ever in my entire life! Definitely worth the $200 deductible that it cost. Wish I could have a great nap like that everyday. So, stay-at-home moms out there, if you ever need a break, just hurt your knee and you'll get one. As for you dads out there, you'll be required to fill your wife's shoes by stepping in and taking care of the little ones. Which is easier said than done. Just ask Abe.

Someday, I think he will look back and laugh at all this, but it really wasn't a very good day for my husband. Surgery even looked better after he told me what he was going through after he dropped me off at the surgical center. He was driving back home when Mackenzie got sick and threw up all over the car. She didn't want to throw up on herself, so (being the smartypants that she is) she leaned over and puked on Brooklyn. So, now Mackenzie is sick, the car is a mess and Brooklyn is crying and mad because her sister just barfed on her. Abe then called me to find out how to clean it all up just as I was about to get my IV. The nurse was laughing as she listened in on our phone conversation, knowing that Dad was having a hard time. Needless to say, he did a great job getting everything clean. But, he didn't get much work done from home which he really needed to do. He picked me up, brought me home to rest and then Brooklyn goes potty in her underwear. So, now he's trying to take care of me, Ava is crying (like always) and Brooklyn has to take a cold shower. To make matters worse, his boss calls to tell him that he is needed in the office for a meeting (which probably sounded like a vacation at this point). So, this explains the babysitter at our house for a couple of hours to help out with the girls.

Special thanks goes out to my wonderful husband who had the worst day ever, the wonderful nurses, assistants, surgeon who did a great job and all the awesome people who have stepped in to offer help. Mom, I can't wait for you to get here on Saturday. Love you!

The Girly Room

2010-07-06T07:53:00.000-07:00

The girls finally got a room fit for a princess. Mackenzie wanted pink and Brooklyn wanted purple. So, to avoid any heartbreak, I just had to paint the walls both colors. Abram was quite worried when I told him what I wanted to do. Putting all worries aside, he helped me a ton with the painting, especially with the stripes. I asked he why he was so willing to help me out with something he didn't exactly agree with. He said, "because it's important to you and the girls."

This is what their girly room looks like now. The girls and I just love it. Abram says it looks better that he thought it was going to turn out. Wait until he finds out what I'm planning on doing to our room....:)

Magic Beans

2010-06-22T12:51:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, you can grow vegetables in Las Vegas. You buy some seeds and put them into some dirt. And then you have to add this secret stuff. It's liquid, starts with a 'W' and is very hard to find in the desert. Yep, lots of water. Makes me wonder if Jack was as crazy about watering his magic beans that his mom threw out the window as I am about my tomatoes. I bet he was if he had any idea he could make some yummy, spicy salsa like we did last night. I think my tongue is still on fire. Definitely worth the cow I traded for those plants at The Home Depot.

Father's Day Gift

2010-06-20T20:55:00.000-07:00

Mackenzie loves to win. And when I say loves, I mean LOVES. She is the offspring of two insanely competitive people. So, when I heard this I almost died. Here's the situation: we were playing Littlest Petshop Go Fish this morning and Abram kept nodding to Mack to get her to only ask for cards from me. So here's our conversation:

Me: Mack, you should ask for cards from your dad. Look how many he has.

Mack: Mom, do you have a mouse? (Dad had been asking for a mouse the whole time)

Me: Go fish. Mack, you have to ask for cards from your dad. He's going to win if you don't ask him for cards.

Mack: But, I want him to win.

So, to the man who we could never live without, please enjoy your Go Fish championship. You're the best father in the world and I could never do this without you.

Say Cheese!

2010-06-02T14:14:00.001-07:00

My friend Joani, (http://capturingalleternity.blogspot.com) recently took some shots of our family. I just love the pictures! Here are some of my favorites:

Birthday spankings

2010-06-01T16:02:00.001-07:00

Did any of you ever get Birthday Spankings? We did. Whoever came up with that idea? It just doesn't even make since. Where was child services when I was a kid? Just a thought--I didn't spank my one year old so don't worry.

Hooray!!! Ava survived one year! Well, it's more like I survived one year! She is getting to be such a big girl. Still very clingy to her mom but at least she is sleeping through the nights. She was bothered with ear infections and a sore throat for a while and would wake up every night. Hallelujah that is over!

My Four Favorites

2010-05-07T20:29:00.000-07:00

SuperAva

2010-05-07T20:22:00.000-07:00

When should we tell her the truth, that she came to us last year in a rocketship from the planet Krypton?

The Happiness Countdown

2010-04-30T09:04:00.000-07:00

Recently, I celebrated my 31st birthday. All in all, it was pretty good. Abram was even home that night to go out for dinner and he made a yummy mint chocolate cookie ice cream cake for me. I even bought my own present this year, which saved him the nightmarish experience of trying to figure out what I wanted. So, thanks Abram for my new Nike + shoes. Of course, I also got a bad knee from all the running prior to getting the new shoes. Dang.

Just before my birthday, Abram and I had a conversation about how my birthday stresses him out. Doing endless hours of mundane tax crap doesn't stress him out but taking one day to make me happy does! What's up with that? So, I thought I would make a list of 31 things that would make me happy so that next year and the years to come, my family will know how to make my birthday a happy birthday without the stress and all.

31) A clean kitchen---meaning it's clean and I didn't have to clean it.

30) No whining.

29) When my husband wakes up early in the morning to take care of the girls--meaning actually dressing them, feeding them and attending to them, not just sleeping in the same room while they kill each other or pass out asleep.

28) A cute yard where my kids can play.

27) Taking a shower without a baby screaming and trying to pry open the shower door and climb in.

26) When my husband does his hometeaching.

25) When my husband exercises and takes care of himself

24) When my husband is home by 6:00.

23) Playing games--but here's the catch, I have to win.

22) Opening presents.

21) My family calling me to chat for no apparent reason than to just say "hi, how's it going."

20) Friends who call me. I really only have one. Thank you, Melissa. I love our chats.

19) Taking fun trips with my family.

18) Brooklyn using the potty.

17) Ava clinging to someone else.

16) Mackenzie reading me a book.

15) Desserts

14) A good hair day.

13) When everything is in order in the house.

12) The economy getting better.

11) Abe getting a bonus.

10) My girls singing Primary songs.

9) Ava napping.

8) Warm weather

7) Celebrating my birthday on my birthday.

6) A new bed

5) Shopping (without children)

4) Southern food

3) Seeing my husband spend time with the kids

2) The beach

and the #1 thing that makes me happy is....

when my girls are being not only sisters, but more like best friends. This was taken on my birthday and I think it was the best present ever. Mackenzie can be the best big sister. I really, really hope they grow up to love each other.

Vote for the Birthday Dessert

2010-04-11T19:45:00.001-07:00

Please vote for the dessert you think Abram should make me for my birthday! Here are the options:

1) Death by Chocolate
2)Carmel Apple Dessert
3)Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie
4)Chocolate Cake with Choc. IceCream & mint cookie layers
5)Chocolate Cake with Cream

I have also posted this on Facebook. Check back to see which one he makes (and how much weight I gain).

Race Update

2010-03-14T21:05:00.000-07:00

So, I just looked up my time for my 5K run:

28:56

90th overall out of 341 runners and 6th in my age group.

Not too bad for my first run!

Six Tunnels 5K Run

2010-03-13T11:16:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, I signed up for a 5K. I don't really know why except that I wanted get in shape, lose some baby weight and be an active mom/role model for my kids. So, I started running. At first it was pretty hard and I was feeling pretty old. But, now I really like to run. On days that I can't run (b/c I can't wake up early or b/c of busy season) I sort of miss it. This week Abe was really busy so I only got to run twice. The race of course was today. So, I didn't know how I would do or even if I could make it the whole way. My goal was to run the entire 3.1 miles without stopping or walking. I am happy to say, "I did it." I don't know my overall time but it was under 30 minutes. It was a really fun race, overlooking Lake Mead. The wind was kind of feisty but overall it was great. My favorite part was when I got home Mackenzie saw my medal (that everyone gets) and she said, "Mom, you won!"

Mr. Joe Joeson

2010-03-06T16:58:00.000-08:00

This is the strange, lonely man who has been creeping around my blog. I just want to say, get a life. My family does not concern you and we would appreciate it if you just go away. I would like to keep my blog public so that all the normal people that I know can look at it. I did not intend it to be visited by strangers.

Just dance..gonna be okay...

2010-03-06T16:48:00.000-08:00

Miss Independent

2010-03-02T21:39:00.000-08:00

Okay, to start off, I just want to say that I love, love, love Brooklyn. She has always held a little special place in my heart. Perhaps, it's because of how cuddly she was as a baby. I always wanted to hold her and keep her safe. I nursed her for a really long time. I think it was more my fault than hers. I just loved to hold her. So, she's growing up and wanting to do things on her own. I keep trying to help but she throws fits if she doesn't get to do thing on her own.

Today, she wanted a quesadilla for lunch. I had already taken out the hotdogs from the fridge, but whatever. Brooklyn rushes over to the fridge, saying "I'll get the quesadillas (tortillas)." By the way, she is really short and so she can't really reach the drawer with the cheese and tortillas. So, she is inside the fridge, attempting to pull open the drawer while on her tippytoes, when the rail holding the drawer cracks. I was really mad and in my head I was thinking, "Are tortillas really that important that she can't let me get them for her?"

So, that brings us to this evening: bath time. Brooklyn is ready to get out. Sometimes she gets out of the tub by herself, though it is a struggle since her legs are so short and she is a little clumsy. I help her a lot but this time I decided to let her do it herself. She proceeded to get out of the tub. She put her foot up on the ridge midway in the tub. She kept pulling and trying to climb out, trying to throw her leg over. It really looked more like someone trying to scale Mt. Rushmore. I really wished I had a camera. It was so funny. I just had to turn my head and laugh. Brooklyn finally realized she needed help and asked me to get her out.

I guess she's learning to ask for help while I'm learning to let her be independent--even if it comes with a little frustration and occasionally a few laughs.

Sleepyheads

2010-02-09T10:56:00.000-08:00

The short bus

2010-02-02T09:12:00.000-08:00

Brooklyn started school yesterday. She is attending a special preschool at a nearby elementary school. It is designed to help 3 and 4 year olds that have developmental problems. Though she's super smart, Brooklyn lacks in social skills. She is extremely shy. For all of you who know Abram, she would have to be Abram x 1000 (or perhaps x 1,000,000) when it comes to not talking. I think in the entire year and a half that she was in nursery, she said maybe 5 words. Once she went to a birthday party and she just sat at the table, looking at her cupcake, while all the other kids devoured their cupcakes and ran off to play. Once again, speechless. I am pretty sure she has what is called "selective mutism." It's where she will talk around her family but once she is around others, even kids her own age, she clams up. Hopefully, preschool will help her become more social and expressive of her feelings. She gets to ride the special "short" bus to school as well. I don't exactly know how proud I should be that my child has to ride the handicap bus to school. A friend of the family put it this way, "It's better that she rides the short bus now instead of when she is bigger." True, very true.

Brooklyn waiting outside at school

Walking out to catch the bus

Ava Update

2010-01-23T22:16:00.001-08:00

It has been 8 months already. Boy, I'm such a big girl. Life is sweet, at least for me. My mom on the other hand has completely lost it. She's walking around wearing some kind of weird white jacket with buckles on the back, saying "I can't take it anymore." I try to help her, but my words of comfort seem to only come out in loud cries. I follow her around everywhere, crying, of course. (Oh, I've been crawling for a month now--I'm pretty much the Jackie Joyner Kersee of crawling).

I love my mommy. She, however, doesn't seem to appreciate my athletic abilities. I can pull myself up on anything. I do this all day long. I just can't sit still. Life is too much fun. I do hurt myself a lot. Boy, I hate that crib thing. I like to ram my head and face into the rails--anything to get mommy's attention. She always gets me out. Works like a charm. Now, she's afraid to put me in the crib during the day so she holds me while I take my naps. Her arms over the lonely crib...you would do the same, believe me.

I love, love, love food. It's a good thing I move a lot or else I would be quite beefy. I have two teeth and should be getting some more soon. That probably explains why I chew on everything. Today, my mom caught me teething on the toilet. She said that was pretty much the most disgusting thing she had ever seen. It felt so good to my gums though. I find new things to teethe on all the time. One day, I was lying in my parents bed and I woke my mom up by chewing on her arm. If it's near my mouth, I'm going to chew on it.

So, I've survived my first 8 months. Not sure how much longer my parents are going to last (yes, I'm driving my dad crazy too). Not even sure if my sisters can handle me either. I've pretty much already passed Brooklyn up. One down, one to go. When are these people going to learn that if they give me what I want, feed me, hold me and pretty much give me their undivided attention, everything will be fine and dandy? Am I asking too much? I don't think so.

Mommy's little helper

2010-01-18T21:43:00.001-08:00

Here's Brooklyn being a good little helper...

doing dishes...

and she did it without being asked. What an angel! And she did a pretty good job considering she's only three!

Our Favorite Things

2010-01-09T21:29:00.000-08:00

How do you solve a problem like Maria? How do you catch a cloud and pin it down? Probably the same way you get four babies to sleep at the same time. Or the way you get a five year old to go back to bed on Christmas morning. Or perhaps the same way you get that perfect family photo...Kendall, leave the hat at home next time. Perhaps, there isn't a solution. And perhaps, life is better with all the chaos and commotion, feisty 2 or 5 year olds, crying babies and even a hat in a picture. All those moments, that seem so out of control at the time, end up making the best memories down the road. So, in honor of cousin Calli's odd fascination with musicals, I submit this post of our "favorite things" from this past Christmas:

Ava crawling

Mackenzie waking up early on Christmas morning, playing foosball in our bedroom.

The invention of the shoe-lock and the great Frontier Street jail break

Stupid witches

Ashley...once a werewolf, always a werewolf

Mackenzie and her new bike...."the elves didn't put the pedals on tight enough"

Doe a dear, a female dear..."No, that's my song!"

It's Captain time!

New Yolk City

Ryan's don't ask, don't tell policy

Bird man Dan, the crappy roofer

Drooling and more drooling

Kendall and his pink party shirt

"Her skin was the color of a branch...she was beautiful."

The greatest Willospit comeback of all time

The art of rolling citrus fruits

Bananagrams

Okay, this clock says 9:20 and that clock says 11:30 and the other clock says 10:05...so, what time is it really?

Pinochle--a fairly quick game that lasts only 3 hours or so

Brooklyn and the scary Elmo book

"Yes, Jesse, yes, yes, yes."

The Happiest Place on Earth

2009-12-14T10:23:00.001-08:00

Even in the rain, it is still the "happiest place on Earth." Abram had training in Orlando, so Macky and I joined him for some fun at DisneyWorld. Mackenzie had so much fun. She loved, loved, loved the roller coasters and the teacups. Oh, I can't forget meeting the princesses. She got so bashful and timid when she met them. It was adorable. She told Belle that she dressed as Belle for Halloween last year and Belle got really excited. You should have seen Mack's face when she saw Cinderella's castle light up at the end of the night. She looked so wet (her poncho ripped) and so cold. But, she had the biggest smile on her face! How sweet! Of course, when we asked her which ride was her favorite, she said, "the one I didn't ride"--the Aladdin's magic carpet ride. Sorry, but it was raining and she had already been on Dumbo, a dinosaur ride and a rocket ride that did the exact same thing. Maybe next time.

Dear Santa...

2009-12-11T10:10:00.000-08:00

To the jolly fellow in red, this is what I really need for Christmas:

http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Trend-Expedition-Jogging-Stroller/dp/B001NIZSGE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=baby-products&qid=1260554864&sr=8-1

Thanks,

April

7 years later, 2000+ miles apart and 1 trip to the Emergency Room

2009-12-01T00:18:00.000-08:00

Last year when we celebrated our sixth anniversary, we spent it driving back from Arizona in separate cars. Well, we just celebrated our seventh anniversary and we weren't even in the same state. Abram got up early, 3 a.m. early, to fix the sprinklers and then had to head off to catch his flight to Florida. I was woken by his voice saying that he was leaving and then to my surprise he added,"Happy Anniversary." Then he was gone. The rest of my day felt like pretty much the typical stay-at-home mom kind of day. Kids whining, baby crying, diaper changes, breakfast, lunch, a little shopping and the bus stop. Then I get the call. The secretary at the school tells me that Mackenzie fell and bumped her head in class and that she won't be able to ride the bus home. I found that a little odd but went ahead to pick her up. I get up to the school to find her with not a bump but a big hole in her forehead with blood on her shirt, blood on her shoes and blood oozing out of her cut. So, I ended up in the ER for two hours with my three children....on my anniversary. Mackenzie's fine by the way. She got her head all glued up and should be good. I'm just wondering, what should I expect next year?

Brooklyn's Birthday

2009-11-21T21:16:00.000-08:00

Yay! She's 3! Brooklyn had a wonderful birthday. Her dad made her the best strawberries and cream cake and she loved her new presents. So did her sister...trouble. "Brooklyn, give me that baby doll! I'm a better mommy to that baby than you are!!! If you don't give me the baby, I'm going to spank you!" Oh, what a night!

Halloween pictures...finally

2009-11-21T20:47:00.000-08:00

Halloween 2009--Mackenzie the "good" witch because bad witches have green faces, Brooklyn the Rag doll (a week later she saw Raggedy Ann in the store and said "look, it's Brooklyn") and Ava the cutest skunk in the world.

The Messy Poll

2009-10-27T09:54:00.000-07:00

Which of the following makes the biggest mess???

a) pumpkin painting

b) pumpkin carving

c) potty-training

Pumpkin Harvest

2009-10-27T09:40:00.001-07:00

Sweet Ride

2009-10-15T21:54:00.001-07:00

Here's our new addition to the family. Abe bought me a van. I love it! Abe's leaping with joy too, of course. He just couldn't wait to get a van! Okay, I hope you can sense the sarcasm! Anyway, we need a good name for her. So send us your ideas. We're assuming she's a she. It seems to be the going trend in our family!

Glasses

2009-10-09T14:59:00.000-07:00

We found out Mackenzie was farsighted. So she just got glasses. They are purple Ariel princess glasses. She picked them out.

Conversations with a 2 year old...

2009-10-01T10:01:00.000-07:00

Okay, Brooklyn has really started talking lately. It's amazing to hear her little voice. She can get pretty demanding too. I hear "I want it now" and "I do it" all the time. Her prayers still only consist of 5 words: Father...day..food...Jesus...Amen. Even at bedtime, it's still the same. But, I'll take those 5 words over 10 minutes of whining anytime. Today, we had a situation that really wasn't very funny but I just had to laugh. Here's the set up:

I am sitting on my bed in our room when Brooklyn walks in chewing on something.

Me: Brooklyn, what are you eating?

and here is her response...

....
....

Brooklyn: Boogers!

I know, pretty disgusting.

Growing Up

2009-09-25T13:39:00.001-07:00

Mackenzie is growing up so fast! This week she turned 5! She's been waiting so long for her birthday!

Opening presents!

Littlest Pet Shop!

She likes her new leapster a little too much!

New clothes!

My little ponies!

Ava also is growing so big, so fast! She is now 4 months old and if she quits sceaming right now, then maybe I'll be able to finish this post.

Sweet Girl!

I can sit up now...kinda...

Oops....Tumble!

4 months means....

Solid foods!

I'm happy!

Brooklyn's bob

2009-09-17T07:36:00.000-07:00

Brooklyn got her 2nd haircut yesterday. My friend (who is older than 5 and cuts hair professionally) fixed Brooklyn's hair. It's still not completely even (it would have been way too short) but I love it!!! Brooklyn's such a doll!!! Also, I probably won't have to hear too many screams from combing out the tangles anymore.

Beauty School

2009-09-15T13:36:00.000-07:00

Brooklyn got her first official haircut. The best part was it was completely free and I didn't even have to tip the stylist. The bad part.....the stylist was Mackenzie!!!

At first, I thought Brooklyn had cut her own hair. But, then I realized that it was cut from underneath on the back by the sides. Sorry, Brooklyn's just not that coordinated. I asked Mackenzie if she cut her sister's hair and she said, "Mom, the truth is...I did." Wow, she actually took responsibility for her own actions! It's usually the opposite, "Brooklyn did it." I was really upset at first. But, when she owned up to her mistake, I totally lightened up. I guess the truth really does set you free or at least gets you grounded from your scissors for a week instead of forever.

My Grandma Calls Me Tubby

2009-09-10T14:37:00.000-07:00

Ava's getting so big! She has lots of rolls and lots of chub.

Fat babies rule!

No Skinny Jeans for Me!

Just more to love, right???

Pictures from Mesa Trip

2009-09-08T19:46:00.001-07:00

The Swensen Family at Hailee's blessing

September 6, 2009

My beatened face

Lessons learned from our trip to Mesa

2009-09-07T12:51:00.000-07:00

We recently took a quick trip to see the newest addition to the ever growing Swensen family, baby Hailee. When I say recently, I mean this past weekend and when I say quick, I mean less than a full day. But, it was a very special day for her...she was being blessed. I am really glad we went. She's a beautiful little girl and it is always nice to visit family. But 16 hours just isn't enough time, especially since the drive was 600 miles round trip. We were quite fortunate though to make it there in time to catch the end of an intense round of the "bean game." Lucky us.

There were a few lessons I learned from our trip that I wish to pass along to pretty much the entire world, or perhaps the two people who actually read this blog. This is very important stuff so get out your pen and paper.

Lesson #1. Don't ever get an oil change at Wal-Mart right before you take a 51/2 hour excursion (or anytime for that matter). I took Abe's car in just 4 hours before leaving to have the oil changed. Well, turns out someone messed with the brake fluid cap. They took it off and didn't replace it, just sat it there without tightening it. Pretty soon after we had left, Abe noticed the brake light on. We just thought maybe it was another weird electrical problem (pontiacs have lots of electrical problems--we also discovered the cruise control wasn't working anymore). On our way home, the brakes weren't working very well. And by the time we made it back to Vegas, Abe was having to run red lights because the car couldn't stop in time for the yellow lights. Turns out, as you might have guessed, all of the brake fluid had leaked out. Special thanks goes out to Ivan at Wal-Mart automotive who worked on our car...we almost died!

Lesson #2 Don't ever buy a Pontiac. I think you probably already realized that via lesson #1

Lesson #3 Don't ever sit behind Abram while he is in the passenger seat. I was in the backseat and had leaned forward to talk to him. He leaned his seat backwards and bam! The seat slammed into my nose, knocking my glasses off. As my glasses came off, it ripped the flesh from off my nose. Boy, did that hurt. I screamed. Then I felt the blood running down into my eyes. I screamed even more! Then I saw the flesh hanging off of my glasses. I wanted to throw up. I am doing okay now. It still hurts and I totally look like a beaten bare-foot housewife. (Pictures to follow...)

Lesson #4 Don't ever eat at the KFC in Kingman, AZ. On our way home, we decided to stop for dinner. After much confusion over where to go and how to get there and which exit to take(perhaps listen to your son, maybe he's right could be another lesson), we finally made it to KFC. Big mistake! The first sign to go somewhere else should have been the "peach cobbler" on their food bar. It looked more like really old, dry brownie but perhaps it was peach cobbler from maybe the early '80s. We still ordered and sat down to eat. The chicken looked a little too done or something. It was really dark and disgusting. We still ate it. Now we are reaping the consequences. It seems now we must be suffering from food poisoning or maybe gastrointestinal disease. To help you better understand how sick we are, I'll end with something my almost 5 year old said to me this morning, "Mommy, why do I have to go potty all the time now?"

The Wheels on the Bus...

2009-08-24T14:38:00.000-07:00

Mackenzie's first day of school

Waiting at the bus stop

Here comes the big yellow school bus (Mackenzie was so excited that she almost left without giving me a hug and telling me "bye".)

Good luck, Mackenzie! We're so proud of you! You'll do great!

Random thoughts from our trip to Montana

2009-08-18T09:46:00.000-07:00

1. Uncle Max and Aunt Ruth have no more raspberries in their garden...my girls ate them all.

2. If there is a random pole in your basement living room, Mackenzie can and will climb it.

3. Going potty in the woods is quite difficult for little girls.

4. P-burg has an amazing candy shop. You've got to try the Raspberry & Cream fudge at the Sweet Palace.

5. Uncle Nathan has strong muscles.

6. Cousin Calli is completely nuts. But, who can't love a 2 year old that can bust out show tunes like that! "Tomorrow, Tomorrow...."

7. 5100 points is the world's record for a single round in Farkel. Record holder: Daniel Swensen

8. Luke is a loud eater.

9. Ryan's name is actually Ryan, though everyone calls him Nate.

10. Babies are always born when your mother is halfway across the country. Congrats Stacie!

11. World's greatest unsolved mystery: why children absolutely love bubblegum ice cream.

12. Dan in Real Life gets funnier everytime you watch it...."This corn is like an angel."

13. Smores are better with white marshmallows than with strawberry ones.

14. If there is grain of sand on the floor, Brooklyn will find a way to trip over it.

15. Never expect your kids to go to bed at a reasonable time when on vacation.

Birthday Boy

2009-07-30T15:23:00.001-07:00

Last week was Abram's birthday. I won't say how old he is but I will tell you that the 1 candle on his cake represents the second digit in his age. You figure it out.

Abram went to see Blink 182 for his birthday.

Abe and Nate at the concert.

Confessions continued...

2009-07-28T17:04:00.000-07:00

Okay, I think my meltdown is ending. I'll probably have another one tomorrow, but for right now, I am doing fine. So while I am in a very wonderful mood, let me continue confessing.

Confession #5 I love my husband. We went to see him at work today. He's stressed and I am sure I don't make his life any easier. I spend his money and complain about how I'm too tired to make him dinner. I want him home more but I also want him to be the best at his job and be as successful as he can be. This has got to be frustrating. He has always been here for me though. I even showed up late for our wedding. But, he was there waiting for me. When I am mad at him, he forgives me. When something is broken, he fixes it for me. When I am tired of holding the baby, he holds her for me.

Confession #6 I have wonderful children. Note: they are wonderful at being children. They drive me crazy but I guess that's what they are suppose to do. They cry when I comb their hair. Tangles!!! They run wild when I need them to be calm. They whine, a lot! They cry, a lot. But, they also eat broccoli and say prayers. They tell me I'm the best mommy in the world. Little do they know.

Confession #7 Today was a good day. I saw Abe at work. He really makes my day. I wish he really knew how much I love seeing him. I had fun with the girls. We went to the Strip. We walked through the Bellagio gardens, had lunch at McDonalds, watched the free movie at the M&M factory and enjoyed the Bellagio fountains. We walked a ton and almost drowned in sweat. I must be crazy to take all 3 out by myself in 110 degree weather. But, I knew the girls would have fun and they did.

Green Bean Confessions

2009-07-28T08:51:00.000-07:00

Lately, I haven't had much to blog about. No cute pictures, no cute stories. Why? Because I am having a meltdown. So here I am confessing (with all honesty) to the world.

Confession #1 I hate my yard. It has been 2 years and our landscaping is not finished. The sprinklers suck and nothing will grow in the 1 finished grow box that we have. I have planted the beans twice and they are dying once again. I don't want anymore grow boxes. I want the whole thing redone. Seriously, when I walk out there I want to swear! Like a sailor! But, I don't. However, if I don't make it to the celestial kingdom, it will be because of this yard. Not because they keep people who cuss or want to cuss out but because they won't let murderers in. That's right, I am going to kill someone if my freaking yard isn't finished very soon! So, to prevent my everlasting burning in heck, we will be using any bonus money my husband gets this year to redo this stupid yard instead of buying a new car.

Confession #2 I broke my phone. No big deal except the reason why I broke it. My child was pretending to be drowning in a hot tub. She thought that was really funny. It wasn't since I had my phone in my hand when I jumped in to save her. Looking back, if I had it to do over, I would still have a phone and one less child. This leads me to my next confession.

Confession #3 I think I have postpartum depression.

Confession #4 I hate living in Vegas. It is dry and ugly. I want trees in my life (not that they would survive with our irrigation system.) Abe wanted to live here. It's where he got a job. I am sure he put a little more effort in the Las Vegas interview than the Denver or Dallas interviews. So, we are here. Stuck forever. There's nothing I can do except buck up and live with it. Oh, and make sure I water those dying beans.

A beautiful baby...a beautiful blessing

2009-07-07T08:33:00.000-07:00

Ava received her baby blessing this past Sunday. She wore the same dress as did her big sisters when they were blessed. She was such a good baby and so beautiful. Abram gave her the sweetest blessing. There were many things that really stood out to me. One thing, was that she would know good from evil and lean toward the good; that the way she would live her life would help others come closer to our Heavenly Father. I guess that puts a lot of pressure on me to be a better mother--to not only raise a child to be good but to be a blessing to the lives of others. Another thing that was mentioned in the blessing was that she would have a love for life and a love for music. When I heard this, I realized just how in tune with the Spirit Abram was. If it were up to Abe, I think he would have blessed her with a love for sports instead. I am so thankful for him. He is not only a great daddy, but the best daddy. I an grateful for the priesthood which he holds--to be able to bless our children and lead our family. I am so happy to have Ava--such a little princess-- in my life. I hope I can help her live up to her divine potential and be the daughter our Heavenly Father wants her to become.

The Return of Ryan

2009-06-29T10:13:00.000-07:00

We recently took a trip up to Winnemucca to welcome home Abram's brother, Ryan. He just returned home from his mission in Argentina. We were all very excited to see him, especially Mackenzie.

Here's the family all together (missing Lindsey's sidekick, Nic, who was in Texas)

And we finally met the latest addition to our fast growing family, Luke.
It was also, Father's day. So, what better way to celebrate than driving 7 hours back to our home in Vegas. Thanks husband. You're the best.

Life

2009-06-11T20:31:00.000-07:00

Hi. My name is Ava. I just came to Earth three and a half weeks ago. Nobody told me it was going to be this EASY! Everyone just loves to hold me and kiss me. This blond girl called Mackenzie keeps slobbering all over me. It's a little annoying but I love all the affection even though. I sleep a ton. I eat a ton. Anytime I want something, all I have to do is cry. Simple. These people just cater to my every need. I love life. My mom is a little tired, but she'll get over it. She loves me. My dad went back to work today. I missed him. I think my mom missed him even more. I can't wait to stay up with him tonight and have my midnight bottle. It's not as good as the real deal but I get to spend time with my daddy. That's all that matters. I am so glad I came to such a good family. They work so hard to make sure I'm happy. Like I said, all I have to do is cry. They keep saying I'm such a good baby so I must be doing something right.

Dress-Up Time?

2009-06-08T10:17:00.000-07:00

Brooklyn loves playing dress-up. Perhaps she loves playing too much. Check out the Cinderella shoes and purse that she fell asleep in last night.

Our Lil' Graduate

2009-06-05T08:26:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, we attended Mackenzie's preschool awards ceremony and swim party. Though it wasn't super sunny and hot like it usually is in Vegas, we still had a lot of fun. I am so proud of Mackenzie. She has learned so much this year. Macky's teacher recognized her for working hard, smiling always and noted that Mackenzie probably had the longest name out of all the kids and was able to learn to write/spell it very quickly. So you better watch out Kavya Shivashankar!

She's here!

2009-05-20T14:02:00.000-07:00

Ava Adelaide Swensen

born May 18, 2009

1:00 p.m.

8 lbs. 8 ozs.

18 inches

Gift of Prophecy

2009-05-11T15:31:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, we learned about spiritual gifts in Relief Society. It was a really good lesson (even better since I got released and didn't have to teach it.) One of the spiritual gifts was the gift of prophecy. It was explained that we can have this gift when we receive personal revelation. Well, it seems that Mackenzie has this gift and can receive revelation for not only herself, but for our family as well. Today, we were talking about how dogs can scratch behind their ears (we were watching 101 Dalmatians.) Here's the rest of the conversation--

Mackenzie: I bet when we have a dog, it will scratch behind its ears.
Mom: Yeah, someday we might have a dog. Maybe in a few years or so.
Mackenzie: Well, what about after the baby comes.
Mom: How about after we have a baby boy.
Mackenzie: You're not going to have a baby boy.
Mom: Why not?
Mackenzie: Because Jesus isn't going to give you one.

Personal Portrait

2009-05-07T16:11:00.001-07:00

Yes, this is me--the big, miserable pregnant one. I guess the picture is missing one thing-- my big swollen feet. I really want to have this baby now although I am so not prepared. I need to get so much stuff organized and cleaned. With Mackenzie, I think I was ready months in advance. But, with #3, I may be ready by the time she turns 10. Poor child.

Baby Swensen

2009-04-28T14:20:00.001-07:00

She's not here yet but we had the opportunity to see her today. Just look at that cute chubby cheek face. They said she was measuring slightly bigger than average and should be between 7.5-8lbs. when born (which is how big my other girls were). I just wonder what her hair color will be and if she'll have the one dimple like her sisters. I guess I'll find out in a few more weeks.

Proof of evolution???

2009-03-24T09:45:00.000-07:00

First of all let me say that I don't believe in evolution. But, lately my children's behavior has caused me to ask, "Could it be so?" Maybe Charles Darwin had a couple of crazy toddlers that drove him so insane that he theorized the possibility of them belonging to some nonhuman primate species. So I pose the following question: If children are not related to monkeys, when do they stop behaving like monkeys?

It seems that in the past couple of weeks, my girls have gone bananas!!! Don't get me wrong, they are great girls. But, why do they have to be so destructive to my home when they want to unleash their inner monkey.
Today, for example, I woke up to hear kitchen chairs were being scooted across the kitchen floor. TROUBLE! I run down stairs to find Brooklyn pouring out all the salt and pepper all over the table and floor. Mackenzie quickly states the obvious, "Brooklyn did it." Maybe we should caution tape our kitchen since that's where the little monkeys like to cause the most havoc. Last week, I came downstairs to find the girls being "creative" as Macky put it. They were going back and forth from the kitchen and living room with yogurt and whipped cream making smoothies for their breakfast. There was yogurt everywhere (since they had to open almost every container of yogurt) and they managed to eat an entire can of whipped cream. My favorite scenario was when Mackenzie climbed up into the fridge to reach the KFC leftovers. It was 7:00 am and Mack was running around the kitchen chewing on a cold fried chicken thigh with little sister chasing after her screaming, "chicken!"

These are just some of the incidents that have happened lately. There are plenty more. Like, the "lotion as toothpaste bathroom" incident or the "I'll clean my whole body with hand soap while sitting in the carpet" incident and so on.

I am sure I'll find this all very funny someday when my girls call me up to tell me their children are behaving like baboons. But, for right now all I can do is think: What's going to happen with Curly and Mo when Larry arrives in a couple of months?

Want to save some money???

2009-03-11T17:19:00.000-07:00

Lately, I have been looking for more affordable car insurance. It seems that our insurance company keeps raising our rates and we don't have anything on our records! My friend's husband is with Primerica. So I called the Primerica number and they hunted down the best rates with various different companies. I couldn't believe how much less it was going to be compared to what we were paying. In all, it will save us almost $1000/year!!! Plus, we have more coverage and lower deductibles. If any of you want to check this out, go to PrimericaSecure.com or call 1-877-855-8111. Make sure you use PIN: PKHK3 and the representative name: Mosley.

A Death in the Family

2009-03-02T22:53:00.000-08:00

It grieves our hearts to inform you of a tragic death in the Las Vegas Swensen family. Nemo Swensen passed away tonight sometime between 5:00 pm and 8:30 pm. The cause of his death in uncertain, but we are assuming natural causes. He was loved by all who knew him, and touched their lives in a way only Nemo could. Survivors include Abram, April, Mackenzie, Brooklyn, and Fish Swensen. Unfortunately, Baby Swensen did not have the opportunity to know him, but there is the possiblity that she may inherit his name in memorium.

Mackenzie for obvious reasons has taken Nemo's death pretty hard. We thought it best to let her know tonight as opposed to having her see his corpse in the morning or see one fish instead of two in the tank during her morning feeding. She has shed many tears for her friend. Please feel free to send your condolences, no flowers necessary. We are starting a trust fund in Nemo's name. If you are interested in donating, please talk to April for details.

More hints...

2009-02-19T11:55:00.000-08:00

The first name is of latin origin; middle name -- german origin.

One of the names is a palindrome. Good luck.

The Name Game

2009-02-17T16:45:00.000-08:00

Okay, so we have about 3 months left until baby girl #3 is born. Most people know the name that I really like (Savannah), but we haven't shared the name Abe likes with very many. So let's play a name game. I'll give you a few hints, and you can try to guess the name. If you already know the name then please do not play. Good luck and have fun trying to figure it out!

Hint #1. The first letter of both the first name and middle name is the same.

Hint #2. There are a total of 11 letters in the first and middle names combined.

Hint #3. 7 of the 11 letters are vowels.

Our new addition

2009-02-07T14:43:00.001-08:00

We are pleased to announce the newest members of our growing family. Mackenzie and her dad went to the pet shop today and brought home 2 bundles of joy: goldfish that is. According to Macky, who happens to be an expert at 'fish genealogy,' they are brother and sister. Mackenzie has named hers "Nemo" and we are waiting for Brooklyn to wake up from her nap to name the other one. I'm sure it will be something like

"ish" or "ishy."

Asleep at last

2009-02-06T13:31:00.000-08:00

Mackenzie and Brooklyn are now sharing a bedroom. Macky sleeps on the daybed and Brooklyn sleeps on the trundle bed. Everynight, we can hear them giggling and climbing around for a good half hour or so before they finally wipe out.

This is how Brooklyn fell asleep last night.

To my Mom

2009-02-05T16:06:00.000-08:00

Here's to my Mom, who turned, well let's just say "older" today. Happy Birthday, Mom. Hope you enjoy the cake the girls and I made for you. If you can't tell, it's a CareBear cake. Are you proud of my super spectacular cake decorating skills or what?

Scripture Power

2009-01-19T16:34:00.000-08:00

Today, I heard Brooklyn crying in the bedroom. This isn't unusual with her since she has rough and tough Mackenzie as a big sister. When I went to check on her, I discovered that they weren't fighting over a toy and Mackenzie wasn't attacking her. She was crying because Macky was bothering her while she was "reading" this....

Growing Up

2009-01-17T08:39:00.000-08:00

Brooklyn has always been our little baby. But lately, she seems to be a little bit more like a toddler (running more, climbing more, etc.). She is two, of course. So this should be normal, right? It's just that for so long she has been the cute, cuddly baby in our family. So now, she's finally acting her age and growing up. Here are some pictures of her from this week. Most of these shouldn't be too monumental for a child her age. For Brooklyn though, reaching the top of the Little Tykes basketball hoop is like climbing Mt. Everest...seriously!

Climbing...way up high!

Playing in the sand

Brooklyn loves to "read" even if the book is upside down.

Brooklyn took a major "Big Girl" step and wanted to sleep in the big bed and not in her crib.

She's no Michael Jordan, but she can finally put the ball in the hoop. Watch our little All-Star in action!

Top Ten

2008-12-26T14:09:00.000-08:00

Here's the Top Ten reasons why I am excited to be having another girl:

10. Girls rule; Boys drool!
9. I'll have 3 helpers to do the dishes for me.
8. I can bathe them at the same time--saving me time and also money on our water bill.
7. We can go shopping together when they are older--maybe this won't save us money!
6. I get to plan 3 weddings and pick out 3 beautiful wedding dresses with my daughters someday.
5. I get to threaten the lives of 3 young men who want to marry my daughters.
4. No psycho daughter-in-law
3. No Thomas the Train toys
2. The toilet seat will be down more often than not!
1. Sugar and Spice and all things nice, that's what little girls are made of!!!

Where do I begin...

2008-12-11T13:15:00.000-08:00

So, I have lots of blogging material and I just can't keep up! So, here I go trying my best to update my blog. I think I'll start at Thanksgiving (even though I could probably go back further).

Thanksgiving '08

This Thanksgiving we traveled down to Mesa, Arizona to visit Abe's sister, Stacie. She's Mackenzie's "favorite aunt" and also the "best girl in the world" according to Mackenzie herself. Sorry to the other aunts out there! Abe's parents and all of his siblings along with spouses joined us there(except for Ryan--he's on his mission still). It was so much fun to spend time around family. We don't have much here in Vegas, just a "foster" child (Abe's brother who is living with us). Most people would probably think I am crazy that I want to hang out with my in-laws but they are lots of fun and really good people. I definitely married into a great family. We spent lots of time playing games and hanging out. It was kind of rainy down there and not super warm. Saturday was fairly nice so we took the girls and their cousin, Calli to a park and then to the Mesa Temple to check out the lights.

Feeding the Ducks at the park

Brooklyn and Calli on the Slide

Mackenzie doing "gymnastics"

Abram teaching Mackenzie how to throw a frisbee

Mackenzie and Stacie and Austin

Abram with Brooklyn

Grandma Tammy and Mackenzie

Grandpa Kendall and Brooklyn

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The Magical Forest

This past Monday, I took the girls to the Magical Forest with Mackenzie's preschool. The Christmas trees were so beautiful and Mackenzie had a blast with her friends. Brooklyn was not very interested except for the train. She's such a funny girl.

Macky and her friends

Brooklyn looking confused

Mackenzie and Brooklyn in front of the Peanuts display

Riding the train (Brooklyn did like this even though it doesn't look like she is.)

Mackenzie in Santa's sleigh

This is so funny! Macky and Brooke both got to meet Santa! Brookie freaked out! Just like last year! Check out and compare the two photos!

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My girls!

So, we get to find out if we are having a boy or another girl in less than two weeks. Christmas day is the big day! It will be exciting regardless of what we are having. I think lots of people are hoping we have a boy. I know Abram really wants a son. But, would three girls be so bad? We have the best girls in the world. They are beautiful, smart, compassionate and very loving. I couldn't have asked for better kids. They seriously were the perfect babies. Brooklyn rarely cried at all. They both slept through the night super early. They were just so cute, calm and happy. And for the most part, they still are. Mackenzie and Brooklyn have been such a blessing in our lives. So, if another sweet girl comes along, it will still be very exciting. I just hope nobody comes up to me and says, "Oh, you're having another girl," because I'll probably punch them! I never said they got their sweetness from me!!!

Abram reading a bedtime story with his girls. He does this every night with them.

Mackenzie let me style her hair today. We curled it with the curling iron. She's so pretty. I can't believe how fast she is growing up!

Bodies!

2008-12-08T13:40:00.000-08:00

The following is a conversation Mackenzie and I had about our bodies:

Mackenzie: (Just as she and Brooklyn were getting ready for bathtime) Mom, me and Brooklyn both have bodies!

Me: Wow! Who gave you your body?

Mackenzie: Jesus!

Me: Why did he give us bodies?

Mackenzie: So we can poop!

Brooklyn turns TWO!

2008-12-02T19:52:00.000-08:00

November 13, 2008

I can't believe our little "baby" is 2 years old! She had a wonderful birthday and loves her new baby doll. She named it "Ella" even though I think she was trying to say "Dora."

I can have my cake and eat it too!!

A new cradle for "Ella"

Baby "Ella" arrives

Grandma and Grandpa Rutter sent me a musical star.

Halloween--finally, I know

2008-11-17T19:23:00.001-08:00

I know, it's been almost 3 weeks since Halloween. Better late than never, I guess. Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, but this year wasn't the best. Why? Because I feel like death everyday! Okay, a little over dramatic there. The girls did have lots of fun though. Macky got to dress up several times for dance class, preschool, the ward trunk-or-treat and then finally for Halloween night. Abe took them down our street to get candy and I took them down another block. They made out like bandits! Brooklyn's bucket (or "umpkin" as she called it) was completely full. She refused to let me hold it for her. It was so heavy she could barely hold it. I thought her little arm was going to break off.

Beautiful Belle

The Itsy-Bitsy Spider

Halloween '08

Maybe a boy...Probably a girl

2008-11-10T09:32:00.000-08:00

We are happy to announce that we are expecting our 3rd child. This is the reason I haven't been blogging much lately. I just haven't felt very normal lately! Not only do I feel sick at my stomach, but I have horrible headaches. Abram and Mackenzie have been so good to help me while I have been sick. I can't wait to feel better. I am now just over 12 weeks along and my due date is May 23rd. We recently got pictures of the baby. I think it looks like Abe. What do you think?

Pumpkin Pickin'

2008-11-03T16:49:00.001-08:00

These pictures are a little late but they are here at last. A couple of weeks ago we went with Mackenzie's preschool to the pumpkin patch in North Las Vegas. It was fun watching Macky hunt for and pick out a pumpkin for school. She wanted a big one. Brooklyn picked out a pumpkin too. Afterwards, we ate pumpkin bread and had fresh apple cider from the orchard. Yum!

Just a few questions....

2008-10-25T11:49:00.000-07:00

The following is a quiz my friend Becky posted on her blog. It was really cute how her daughter answered the questions, so I thought I would asked them to Mackenzie. Here's how she responded:

1.What is something dad always says to you? Go to the corner.
2.What makes dad happy? When I listen.
3.What makes dad sad? When I scare him.
4.How does dad make you laugh? When he says silly songs.
5.What was daddy like as a child? He liked toys.
6.How old is dad? Big now--12
7.How tall is dad? Big tall.
8.What is dad’s favorite thing to do? Work at his work.
9.What does dad do when you’re not around? He laughs.
10.What is dad really good at? At being happy.
11.What is dad not good at? At listening.
12.What’s dad job? Working at the computer.
13.What makes you proud of dad? When he is happy and good.
14. What do you and dad do together? We go to his work.
15.How are you and dad the same? We are skinny.
16. How are you and dad different? He has different hair.
17. How do you know dad loves you? He gives me kisses.

1.What is something mom always says to you? You can get out of the corner.
2.What makes mom happy? When I am good.
3.What makes mom sad? When I bite her like a crocodile and make a hole on her knee.
4.How does mom make you laugh? When she tells me there is a goose outside flying at us to eat us.
5.What was mommy like as a child? She liked animals.
6.How old is mom? 11
7.How tall is mom? This big (holding her arms about a foot apart).
8.What is mom’s favorite thing to do? Clean the dishes.
9.What does mom do when you’re not around? She plays.
10.What is mom really good at? Computers.
11.What is mom not good at? At listening to me.
12.What’s mom’s job? Cleaning up rooms.
13.What makes you proud of mom? When she listens to me sometimes.
14. What do you and mom do together? We play.
15.How are you and mom the same? We love each other.
16. How are you and mom different? Hair, glasses and eyes are different.
17. How do you know mom loves you? I don’t know.

Have you ever heard of the game called Soccer?

2008-10-07T13:11:00.000-07:00

Mackenzie's first day at Soccer Camp.

Happy Birthday, Mackenzie!

2008-09-29T16:32:00.001-07:00

Mackenzie's fourth birthday was last week. I can't believe she is four! We decided not to have a birthday party since we just got home from our trip. Instead, we had a birthday dinner and opened presents. Grandma Hoover and Great Grandma Powell came to visit Macky for her birthday.

Brooklyn thinks it was her birthday too. She loves this scooter!

Trip to Washington D.C.

2008-09-23T13:58:00.000-07:00

Arlington National Cemetary

Mackenzie at JFK's grave site.

Brooklyn, the sign says stay off the wall!

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Brooklyn on the Metro

The National Mall

April and the girls in front of the Capitol

The first day, the girls and I set off on the subway to go to the National Zoo. Mackenzie loved the turtles, the pandas and especially the elephant who decided it needed a bathroom break right in front of us. Somebody should really have his bladder checked! Brooklyn was quited fussy that day--still adjusting to jet lag, I'm sure. We came back to the hotel where she took a much needed nap on her "special bed" that Abe made her. He basically just threw some pillows in the floor. After Abe was done with his classes, we grabbed a bite to eat and then headed off to see the White House, Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial. We walked and walked and walked!!! Finally we caught the subway and headed back to the hotel for some much needed zzzzzz! Stay tuned for the pictures from the rest of the week.

First Day of Preschool

2008-09-09T13:00:00.000-07:00

Today was Mackenzie's first day at preschool. I finally made the decision to go ahead and register her. I'm so glad I did. She was really excited to go. She picked out a new backpack(which is almost as big as her small body.) Her preschool is near our house so I was able to push the girls in the stroller instead of driving. I dropped Macky off, gave her a hug and she was gone. Brooklyn takes a nap during Macky's school so I have almost 3 hours of "me" time. I haven't decided what kind of fun projects I'm going to start doing during this time. Maybe, I'll actually finish a couple of cross-stitching crafts that I started years ago. Maybe, I'll just take a nap. Or maybe, I'll finally have a spotless house--at least until Brooklyn wakes up and Mackenzie comes home. In reality, as excited I am for Mackenzie to get away and learn with new friends, I miss her just as much. In almost 4 years, we've never really been apart on a regular basis. Now, I'm not going to be with her for 6 hours a week. I guess, I've always been really protective of her. She's my first born. Everything had to be perfectly safe. I had to have the baby gate always up, the outlets covered, food chopped to almost puree, no stuffed animals/heavy blankets in the crib, the special baby laundry detergent to wash her clothes and of course, I woke up often at night to make sure she was okay. On her 2nd birthday, I even got her a helmet and knee pads to go along with a little tricycle. Most people thought I was beyond crazy. But, I had my reasons. My little girl has always been very inquisitive and daring. She has always wanted to do bigger things than her little body should be capable of doing. For example, running. She never really started walking. After a few steps, she was like lightning. That was at 10 months old. Now, she is almost 4. I don't put up the baby gate anymore, no more special detergent, the food isn't chopped super small and I even let Brooklyn play with many "not for children under 3" toys. I know, I'm living on the wild side. I guess, there's a time when children grow up and parents have to let them go. I'm just glad that I only have to let mine go for a mere 6 hours a week.

Quote of the Day (or perhaps a lifetime)

2008-09-03T20:29:00.000-07:00

"Mommy, you're the perfect mommy for me."

--Mackenzie Swensen

Labor on Labor Day

2008-09-02T15:04:00.000-07:00

Another Labor Day has come and gone. Abram calls Labor Day a "useless" holiday. I actually watched a news segment on the internet about why we celebrate this "useless" holiday. Back in the 1800s many Americans worked 12 hour days, every day. Finally, they started to fight back for better working conditions and an 8 hour work day. How did they fight? By throwing a parade! Yes, a parade! I guess it worked because today most Americans get their 3 day weekend at the beginning of September. But what about those of us who don't get this "useless" holiday off? Abram hasn't had Labor day off since he began working as an accountant 3 years ago. They have a big deadline in September. He gets 2 days off but has to use them after September 15th. I guess the IRS or the client or whoever it is to blame doesn't respect the American worker and value their contributions to our society. And what about the 8 our work day? I could probably count the number of 8 hour days that Abe has worked on just one of my hands. Now, don't get me wrong. He has a wonderful job. But, if he worked 8 hours instead of 12 hours or 18 hours then it would definitely be better. Maybe he and his coworkers should throw a parade. It worked for the old timers in the 19th century. And last but not least, what about us moms? Moms never get Labor Day off. My mom even gave birth on Labor Day. Moms never work only 8 hours. Their working conditions are sometimes only subpar. As soon as we clean up, it seems there's an employee throwing macaroni all over the floor. Often times, our employees are back talking and occasionally they bite. Where's our parade? We need a moms' union to help us fight the inequalities of this "useless" holiday and society itself. No more labor on Labor Day.

Love for Learning

2008-08-29T14:42:00.000-07:00

Lately, Mackenzie is getting really good at using the computer. I found a site (http://www.starfall.com/n/level-k/index/load.htm?f) where she can practice her alphabet, especially the lowercase and phonics. She discovered that it had a signing section and was teaching herself the signs. Mackenzie is so smart. I remember when Abe blessed her when she was a baby. In the blessing, he said she would have a love for learning. She really does love to learn. It's amazing how much information her little brain has absorbed.

Kindergarten???

2008-08-27T12:19:00.000-07:00

So, here's my new dilemma. Macky's birthday is in September. So, that means next year she can officially start school. I have always thought I would wait until the year after next to put her in kindergarten. I just thought it would be good for her to be the oldest. Also, Macky and Brooklyn would only be 2 years apart in school instead of 3 if we were to wait. Now, I am not so sure. I think she will definitely be ready for school, both intellectually and socially. I just kind of feel bad because she doesn't really play with any other kids on a regular basis. Basically, she doesn't have many friends. I now think it might be a good thing to put her in school so that way she can be around kids her own age more instead of hanging out with boring mom all day. I just don't know what to do! If you have any opinions on this matter please share them.

Mom, look at her...

2008-08-20T10:18:00.000-07:00

BUM! Yep, that's what Mackenzie said out loud in the ladies' locker room at the pool yesterday. I thought I was going to die! I knew the somewhat large lady in the black one piece swimsuit had obviously heard my daughter because she was standing a mere 3 ft. away. I didn't know what to say so I just sort of ignored Mackenzie's rude comment. The woman started to walk to the other side of the bathroom when out of Macky's little trap popped, "Her bum is soooo BIG!" It was extremely embarrassing!