The Mag Blog

The house has paint:)

2011-09-19T21:11:00.000-07:00

After many sleepless night, we finally decided on a paint color for the house. Seriously, stuff like this shouldn't make you lose sleep, but, sadly, it did, because I am not gifted in this area. And, when you're doing something like this, you have no one to blame but yourself if it turns out looking ugly. The pressure is ON people!

We were deciding between a really dusty gray/blue, and a more taupe gray. I had to face reality that we are not living on the New England coast, so we chose the gray that would fit the surroundings a little better. What do you think?

We are so excited for this to be over! I had high hopes for the summer, of spending every day in endless fun with the children, but we ended up spending quite a bit of time doing some work at the house(mixed in with a few trips to the lake, of course!)

We painted sealant on all the soffets to save us a little cash-Shawn always works with a smile on his face:) And he whistles.

The girls would pass the time plugged in or digging in the many dirt piles outside.

Well....I smiled, too, when we were all done!

We had three birthdays to celebrate, too. Rachel, the day before school was over, and Kate and I in July.

The cake is a dogbone...not one of my best, but a hit with the birthday girl.

Kate turned two! I can't believe how that girl is growing, but she is still my snuggle bug.

We (meaning me) somehow slipped in doing a little birthday shopping, so the girls wrapped up some toys we had in the far reachings of the toy box and Kate never knew the difference...

Someday, she may hold it against me, but for now, I'm still okay with her:)

Shawn was birthday cake chef for me, and made me a favorite.....

Very serious work. We've had that blue bowl since our wedding. It will never die.

When it finally got warm enough to play in the water, the girls took full advantage:
(By the way, the weather people measure summer by how many days there are over 80 degrees, and by the end of July we had 72 minutes of summer....yippee! Welcome to life in the Northwest!)

We also took a trip to SLC for a college reunion and were able to see our dear family, too! We met Baby Kohl, just days old...

So cute! As are all of our adorable nephews and nieces! We were so happy to see them and visit with grandparents, too!

We got to spend some time at Temple Square which is always a highlight for me. I marvel at the sacrifices people made to travel so far and build a temple. I feel so good there, it's hard to leave.

And, of course, our annual trip to Twin Lakes-always a highlight. And the weather was superb!

All of the cousins were playing with this crawdad-so brave!

They also went off a rope swing. I was surprised at Rachel's "no fear" attitude. You go girl!
She went a little lower to try it upside down:)

Brooke is ready for take-off!

I love you Katie-Boo!

The kids have started in their new school, and we are in the final stretch to get this house finished. This week, we'll be choosing tile, carpet, hardwood, and lights. My brain hurts. More updates to come, but for now, I'm going nighty-night!

house update, bird watching, and photo shoot

2011-05-22T16:22:00.000-07:00

Just thought I'd post a few pics of the house. They have the inside framed and are now working on the roof. It's becoming more of a reality everyday. Very exciting:)

Umm....we didn't realize it would be so tall. Luckily the neighbors below us look out the opposite direction, otherwise we would feel even more guilty about destroying the lovely hillside they look at before. Anyhoo-it is what it is. Here is what will be the front entrance:

And the kitchen (with the back stairs). My dream come true:)

Here are some cuties we took home with us:

A photo shoot with Kate-I still have yet to learn how this camera works:

A robin decided to take a rest and let the girls get so close to it. You can't create moments like that.

Happy Spring.....

2011-04-25T13:46:00.000-07:00

...or so says the calendar. We're all wrapped in blankets, drinking hot cocoa and staring at the rain coming down in buckets. But such is life here in the Great Northwest.

This blog posting thing is turning into a bi-annual event, so sorry to all of you around the country who wait with great anticipation for the next post. I shall be better. We have been busy with life and all of its excitement-building a new house has taken up most of our brain capacity, but I know a lot of you are interested in seeing some pics-so here is little sampling of what's going on...

First of all, this is what the property looked like last summer when we purchased it. It was very hard to picture putting a house there, but then it looked like this:

then this:

and now this:

As of this weekend, they had the basement framed and were beginning to lay the floor for the main floor. It's all very exciting and we can't wait for it to come together. Every Saturday we head up there to check the progress and the girls are calling it our "tradition". Heaven forbid we miss a Saturday, but we love to go and see what's been done. We buried a fruit snack in the corner of what will be the front porch-why? Just for the sheer thrill-or at least it was to Kristina. Maybe we'll get a fruit snack tree next summer, wouldn't that be a treat:). Just so you know-minimal trees lost their lives during the land clearing, but many a sticker bush and bunny have had to find new homes. We did burn 2 or 3 pretty good sized piles of debris-here is Rachel standing on the top of one:

Some other random pics of the kids playing:

And this one just because it's cute:

I love this guy....

We were married 12 years ago yesterday..wowza! Ne'r a cross word shared between us. Well, okay, maybe just a few...but I am the luckiest girl in the world!!!

Oh-and it was Brooke's birthday last week-she is seven! She had a tea party-very girly and very fun. They decorated hats and drank out of real tea cups and each girl took home her very own mini tea set in a little box.(Thanks Julie-for helping them look so cute!) I think I had more fun getting ready for it than the actual party.

Much love to all of you out there-I'll try not to stay away so long:)

POSTING PICTURES OF CUTE KIDS IS WAY BETTER THAN CLEANING OUT A CLOSET...

2010-09-29T12:50:00.001-07:00

CUTE

VERY CUTE:)

PLAYING IN THE SANDBOX

Where have we been?

2010-09-01T11:57:00.000-07:00

I'm not really sure where we've been, but this blog is in serious need of some love. Could it be the four kids? Or the four kids home all summer? Or the four kids waking me up at night? Did I mention four kids? It doesn't seem like much until they're all in the same room yelling, "MOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!" They are cute, and we've had some fun this summer, and I guess I should add the past 8 months(is that how long it's been?) This is what we've been up to:

**RACHEL**

She is our.....

.....SWIMMER

.....CLIMBER

....COOK

.....FASHION QUEEN

.....NEWLY BAPTIZED

.....COOL DUDETTE!!

**BROOKE**

She is our...

....PRINCESS

.....SUPER HERO

.....BEACH BUM

....FULL OF SPUNK

....DRAMA QUEEN!

**KRISTINA**

She is our....

....ONLY GIRL WHO LETS ME DO HER HAIR WITHOUT WHINING
(Who has hair like this at two?)I covet.

.....GOOFBALL

....MOMMA'S GIRL

....ONLY NAPS IN THE CAR(major bummer!!)

.....EXTREMELY LOUD

.....BEAUTY:)

**KATE**(a.k.a. "Katie-Boo")

She is our.....

....HAPPY

....FINGER-SUCKER

....CUTIE-PIE

....ALMOST WALKING

....DOESN'T LET ANYONE PUSH HER AROUND

....ONE YEAR OLD!!!

They keep us on our toes and we love them:)

Ode to 2009-may you rest in peace

2010-01-06T13:20:00.000-08:00

I'm a little late in posting this-sorry for the delay.....

HAPPY BELATED NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL!

Nothing would sum up 2009 better than sharing with you some of life's lessons that fell upon us during the course of the year:

LESSON #1
Never underestimate the pairs of underwear a girl can change out of in the course of a day.

I think I did more laundry this year than I will ever do in my lifetime. I don't know if boys are any different but it seems that my girls change their unmentionables more times during the day than I blink. There are a number of reasons they have given for this such as:
"They're too tight"
"They feel funny"
"I was too busy playing"(therefore they're wet),
or my personal favorite,
"I want them to match my shirt."
Okay.

LESSON #2
Beginning your trip to the grocery store with a full cart is never a good idea.

It's just all around better to go alone instead of trying to pile groceries all around the infant and toddler, with the five-year-old trying to bum a ride underneath(there have been a few minor injuries as a result). So much sweat is conserved when I just go alone and leave Dad to bond with his daughters. Plus, you don't accidentally walk out of the store with an item you didn't pay for hiding under the baby, and then have to turn around and go back so as to teach your children it's not okay to steal. Again, much sweat is conserved if you just go alone.

LESSON #3
Whoever said, "After three kids it doesn't matter how many you have, it's all the same", only had three kids.

I love being a mother of four. I look at all of them and can't believe they are mine. Time flies. But it is not any easier than having one or two or three. It's all challenging and tiring and busy. Sure the older ones can brush their teeth and walk and follow directions(sort of) and pour their own milk(sometimes). But no one ever told us that our seven-year-old would say she'd rather be dead when you ask her to stack her dishes, or that our five-year-old would stare at the empty space in our living room and cry that the Christmas tree was no longer there-for HOURS. All while the toddler is dumping food on the floor and infant just needs to be held. People say we'll miss this and I'm really banking on that.

LESSON #4
Never take your health for granted.

Being sick just really stinks. So does being pregnant in your thirties. The two don't mix well either. I believe 2009 was the year for me to appreciate a working body and mind. Knock on wood that 2010 will be illness free.

LESSON #5
Sticking your nose in the neck of a newborn baby and taking a big whiff makes everything better.

Seriously-there is something about the smell of a baby's skin that makes all your worries melt away. Love it.

LESSON #6
Kids say funny things and you should write them down!

I went to write in my journal and realized there wasn't ONE entry for 2009. What? In fact, my last entry was halfway through 2008. FOR SHAME! So I had to do a quick rundown of some of the major events(like the birth of KATE-I am ashamed) and some of the other memorable trips we took. What is sad to me is that our kids say the funniest things, and I didn't record any of them. Thank goodness for the blog, at least. I will be better this year!

LESSON #7
Family is everything.

We had two opportunities to be with my entire family this year. Once for the Champion Family Reunion in June and again for Thanksgiving in CA. Being together brings you back to what's really important. Living by our family here in WA is so fun, and we wish school didn't exist so we could just play and play with cousins all day! We miss Grandpa Jim and Grandma Colleen terribly and can't wait to see them in just a few short months.
I can remember one night a few months ago, when there was nothing to do but just hang out. It was great- and I was in heaven being surrounded by all these little people and a great husband to boot. Life is good. Here's to many more of those moments in 2010!

Enjoy some pictures of these adorable people we get to claim as our own:

An icy Adventure:)

2009-12-14T23:54:00.000-08:00

Since Shawn has been dubbed the Fun Czar in the Rolph Family, we thought we'd share a fun outing our family had this weekend.
Cost? None.
Level of difficulty? Low.
Potential for serious injury that could result in death? High.
But we made some great memories.

It has been so cold here that we took the kids to play on the frozen Stillaguamish River. It's a fun childhood memory of Shawn's. The kids were in HEAVEN!

The ice was very thick so we felt pretty safe. The girls had a great time slipping and sliding around.

Dad and girls chillin' on the ice.
So we all thought we'd take a nap:

Brrrrrrrrr!!!!

Of course you can't be on the ice and NOT perform your own ice dance routine:
Here is Rachel doing a lovely spin:

Brooke's arabesque is exquisite:

She landed a perfect triple lutz:

Every good figure skating routine has to end laying on the ice:

And the final bow:

I convinced Shawn to join me in the pairs competition:

He hates me right now for that. We had a great time. Now I'm off to bed-I don't know why I've stayed up so late-Nighty night!!

2009-12-11T15:47:00.000-08:00

I've been humoring myself by reading back on some of our earlier posts. I'm so glad I've written about certain things the kids have done or said because I've already forgotten. So here is another funny tidbit to remember. We were in Costco the other day, in the self-checkout, and this worker came to help move my stuff along. He was a little on the short side, which made Brooke ask rather loudly, "Mom, why is he so short?" I don't think he heard, and I gave Brooke a look and said, "I'm not sure, and please keep your voice down."
So, her intelligent, kindergarten self decided to rephrase the question:

BROOKE(in a loud voice)Mom, what's a midget?

MOM:Brooke, sshh!

BROOKE: Moooooom, what's a MIDget?

MOM: Brooke-quiet! We'll talk about it in the car.

BROOKE: MOM! What. is. a. MID. GET??

MOM: Brooke, you're in charge of holding my card and when it's time to swipe it I'll let you do it, okay?

BROOKE: Cool. Thanks Mom.

I'll be really sad when she is no longer distracted so easily.

Have your kids ever said anything embarrassing in public? Please share:)

A very Happy Thanksgiving

2009-12-03T22:02:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday. Who doesn't love a celebration that's all about food with no pressure to shop for gifts? I do. And what a better way to spend it then with all of my family. Yes, ALL of us. Not one of us was missing. A true miracle, I tell you, made entirely possible by our gracious hosts, Josh and Kristina. I don't know what was more exciting for our kids: seeing their grandparents or staying in a hotel with a pool and a "free" breakfast. It was a toss-up(sorry Grandma and Papaw). We had such a great time. I had to sit in the backseat for most of the ride home to hide my tears from Shawn. I wish each one of my siblings could be my neighbors. I love them all enormously. And the fact that they all married(and will marry)some of the greatest people on earth, makes it even more difficult to say goodbye. sniff sniff...until we meet again:)

Enjoy the photo gallery:

The beginning of our 13 hour journey-every one is smiling..but not for long.

When are we going to get there?

I'm bored.

Finally-we made it to the hotel with the pool and FREE breakfast!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I forgot my suit(shucks!)so Dad was the fun one...I was really okay being the photographer.

Brooke would not let me leave until I took a picture of her next to the hot tub and this is how she posed. Be scared for us.

We took a day trip to San Francisco. It was a gorgeous day. This may be our Christmas card picture so act surprised when you get it.

We stopped at the beach to play, but with all the little kids running around, someone was bound to bite it. Poor Kristina was the first to take the plunge.

Way to go Aunt Kristina for cooking the best turkey I've ever had. And stuffing, and potatoes, and salads, and pies.....truly amazing!!

Kate like it, too!

Our attempt at getting all the grandkids to cooperate in a picture with their grandparents. What a group of cuties!

Thanks to Josh and Kristina for opening their home to all of us and providing a truly memorable Thanksgiving!!

Happy Times

2009-10-21T15:30:00.000-07:00

Today I want to remind myself of happy times. And when I've had a day when the baby is crying, the toddler is about to take off her poopy diaper, the kindergartner is asking me how to spell something, and the second grader is threatening utter destruction if she can't watch t.v., all at the same time, I will look at this post and remind myself that I would lay myself in front of a train for these little ones. But, please, let me have an hour of quiet first, ok?

We blessed Kate in our home in September. She was wearing a dress made by her Grandma Colleen. It is so beautiful, inside and out, just like Grandma said she is. It was a special day because cousin Florence was blessed also. I marvel at the birth of every baby. They are true miracles sent from heaven.

Bruce is a stuffed dog we got Rachel for Christmas when she was a year and a half old. I've never seen a child be so excited for something in my life. That was the best Christmas for us as new parents because we actually got a good reaction from her. When we asked her what his name was she said "Bruce", without a flinch or a pause. It was like she knew all along: "If I ever get a stuffed St. Bernard I will name him 'Bruce'." Bruce is her buddy, her pal, and he's as close to a real dog I think we'll ever get. We always get a picture of the new baby with him to capture his enormity and their smallness(i think I made that word up). This is Kate at a few weeks old. Love this dog.

I love this. Heart's a-flutter.

Doesn't it satisfy you when your husband gets a small taste of what you go through caring for infants? Unfortunately, Shawn got a much bigger taste than he bargained for.

I don't know why I've always liked this picture. It's not the best quality, but they both look so cute. This is Rachel when she was 2 years old. She was so brave to get in the water with Dad, and he was so proud to have a brave water baby. I love when I can tell Shawn is at his happiest. It's usually when he can get one of his kids to join him in fun activity. The other day he went on a jog with Rachel riding her bike beside him. He was in Daddy heaven.

I was in Mommy heaven in this picture. I was in the good stage of pregnancy, it was a sunny day(but not too hot), and we were at the park with Dad. We weren't in a hurry to get anywhere. It was a good day.

All I Want for Christmas......

2009-10-15T13:35:00.001-07:00

....is my two front teeth!

Busy doing what?

2009-10-07T14:21:00.000-07:00

I was shocked to see how long it has been since posting something and I vowed a while ago to be better for the sake of our family who is so far away, but I've been busy. Busy doing what, pray tell? Here is a sampling:

Kristina's room

Kristina's bookshelf after major sorting and cleaning of books.

I take 5 minutes to go to the bathroom and change the laundry from the washer to the dryer.

This is Kristina's room when I return:

And so the cycle continues. I usually give up and leave it for a few days, but I was getting tired of tripping over books and toys. This is what I've been busy doing.

But on to more exciting tidbits.

Kate is almost 3 months old!

Kate is by far the happiest baby we've had. Smiling babies are the best therapy.

Here's our other little cutie-all messy and ready for a big kiss!

Oh yes. I'm also busy cleaning up children. I used to pride myself as a new mother that Rachel's clothes were NEVER dirty. She could wear the same outfit three days in a row if I let her because she never spilled a drop of food on them. The reason? I fed her. I spoon fed her and wiped her mouth clean after every bite. And then she turned two, and then three, and then four and we were still spoon feeding her. Yeah-not gonna make that mistake again. We have a "dive- in-as-soon-as-you-can-sit-up-alone" policy now, and I've decided that there's nothing better than watching your child lather up in some good chocolate ice cream. (Within the confines of a high-chair, of course:)

Mother of 4....3 weeks in and surviving!

2009-08-07T16:00:00.000-07:00

Kate is three weeks old today, and it is hard to believe that we ever got along without her. I'm amazed at how that seems to be so after each child. She has stolen our hearts, even Kristina's, who wants to hug and kiss her all the time. Surprisingly she's very gentle with her.

Kristina is no longer the baby anymore....sniff, sniff. She seems so big now. Here she is playing dress up outside....

Kristina reminds us of Grandma Colleen. We think she looks like her-what do you think Grandma? And she's developing a personality to match-always cheerful and everyone's friend.

Kate is the most smiley baby we've had, but I have yet to capture it on camera! Sad! She smiles ALL the time: when she's finished eating(of course), when she hears one of the girls' voices, or when she's just "hangin' out". I don't believe in the "it's just gas" business. Do you smile when you have gas? I don't think so. My babies smile because they're happy. What a love bug she is. Here are some pictures we've captured-for the Grandmas and Grandpas. We give lots of extra smooches on these kids just for you.

Just like our Magelsen girls....only minus the enormous head. One of our good friends came by the other day to see her and commented on the fact that when I told her on the phone that Kate looks just like the other girls, she envisioned a big head, but was pleasantly surprised at the fact that Kate's head isn't that big. 35th percentile, baby! All the others were 90th. But she does carry on the crazy hair tradition:

Kate's first official bath:

More pictures:

I can't stand the belly button thingy-any one with me on that? It gives me the willies when I have to clean it. I'm always glad when it falls off.

Rachel and Brooke have been little fishies this summer:

Playing at Kayak Point with Grandma Rolph:

Catching a fish with some random guy:

Just kidding, Delvin.....thanks for entertaining the girls.

Thank you to everyone for your gifts, phone calls and visits. I have a stack of thank-you cards to send, so don't think I've forgotten you all. We are blessed to be surrounded by such great friends and family. Now I'm off to assess the damage that was done while I posted this. Wish me luck!

Kate @ 2 days old

2009-07-20T07:10:00.000-07:00

Baby Kate has arrived!

2009-07-18T20:55:00.000-07:00

Hi All! Our new little girl has made her arrival! Kathryn Edith Magelsen came yesterday at 5:19am. She weighed in at 7 lbs 8 oz and is 19 1/2 inches long. She is so pretty, like her sisters. I'm afraid we'll have trouble distinguishing between the baby pictures. They are all stamps of each other. The birth was fast and furious, just how we like to do it around here-only we were in the confines of the hospital, which was great! We are so excited to get to know the latest and greatest in the Magelsen home.

Off to the hospital-one last smile before the work begins.

Baby Kate!

Big sister is so happy!

She's almost as big as little Brookie Cookie!

Our "four girls" shot. The first of many to come....:)

One nurse called this Shawn's herum....he's a lucky man!

Mom and girls

MagMadness MONDAY!!!

2009-05-18T09:59:00.000-07:00

Hi All! It's been a while since we've done a random Monday post and I have a question. I am a little perplexed at the image I am conjuring up for myself in the minds of my children and wanted to know if anyone else out there has the same issue. Here is a conversation I had with my kids the other day that illustrates my point:

KIDS: Mom, do you still have to go to school?

MOM: I don't have to. I've already finished school.

KIDS: (in amazement) You're already finished?

MOM: Yes. I know everything now.

KIDS: So, when you went to school you learned how to clean?

MOM: Uh....is that what you think I learned in school?

KIDS: Yeah.

MOM: So.....do you think that's all Mom knows how to do?

KIDS: No. You can do other stuff.

MOM: Like what?

KIDS: Like laundry, changing diapers, cooking, making beds.

MOM: This conversation is over.

Soooooo........I know that because I have small children, I have to spend most of my time doing the tasks mentioned above. But this conversation got me remembering what it was like to be a kid and viewing my mom in pretty much the same way. She was the woman who took care of everything. I didn't realize, until now, that she was like me, feeling the same as she did when she was 20, except now she has all these little people around her. I also don't think I've changed much as far as looks go, but when I was showing the girls pictures of our wedding, they said I didn't look like me. I guess I have changed.
It really doesn't bother me, I am humored by the whole thing. But is it going to take until they're moms to see that there is a whole other life I lived before they came? I don't miss that life-but it is still a part of who I am, and I want some appreciation for it, darn it!
In the meantime, I will be taking a hiatus from cleaning and spending all of my time pouring over my old humanities textbooks and English literature so that when we have this conversation again it will hopefully go something like this:

KIDS: Mom, is it in school where you learned about anti-disestablishment tyrannism, and when are we ever going to finish our talk on existentionalism as it is portrayed in Camus'
The Stranger?

MOM: Blessed children, come sit at my feet and glean from the wisdom that is your mother.

Only in my dreams.

SOME OF OUR COMINGS AND GOINGS......

2009-05-12T09:45:00.000-07:00

We've taken another blog hiatus, so now it's major catch-up time. I'm sure you all missed us more than words can express...but my brain hurts when I have to use it, which means turning on the computer and typing equals pain. Call it lazy or call it pregnancy with a toddler hanging on your every move. Maybe it's a mixture of both.
Anyway, in April we celebrated Brooke's birthday, our 1o year anniversary, a some other fun adventures you might be interested in seeing. Enjoy!!!

BROOKE TURNS FIVE!!!

For Brooke's birthday we got her a Webkin which is something I vowed I would never buy because it requires the computer and major tutoring from a parent to learn everything, and my brain hurts, remember? But I succombed to the pressure and got one for her, which means I had to get one for Rachel, too, and therefore I surrendered to another one of my pet peeves and that is getting your non-birthday child a gift for fear of them being sad that the birthday child is getting something they really want, too. What is happening to me? Her birthday is only two months away. Whatever. I did it and it's done!
I have to say that I am not a fan of the Webkins. We've played the games on the website twice, and I had a headache, the girls were frustrated that the couldn't play everything, so lucky for me, they just like playing with them as they would any of their other stuffed animals. Maybe they'll forget about the virtual world out there that gives me utter annoyance.
Anyway-enough of that-it was a great birthday and I scored with the cake. Brooke requested a rainbow with clouds and I think I delivered pretty good. Ignore the brown stuff on the bottom which is the old icky pan peeking through. It was the only one I had that would fit the cake. And, of course, there were no candles (because of the smell) and no singing of the traditional Happy Birthday song(we chose a Primary one), so my sensory overloaded child was very happy indeed.

I love you Brookie and can't believe you're FIVE!!
(Ironically enough, I was taking Kristina to an appointment she had for a small eye procedure that very morning, and I drove through the intersection I gave birth to Brooke in at around the same time it happened five years ago. I'm pretty sure I felt labor pains.)

Let's see, what else......oh yes. We attempted to get a picture of the girls in their Easter dresses. They looked so pretty, but no one wanted to cooperate. Here is our attempt:

I love the "lady-like" pose, Rachel.

Please-no more pictures!

Okay-she's officially cute.

I am SO done with pictures!

ME TOO!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!
Thanks to Grandma Rolph who watched the kids, we had a nice weekend get-away to celebrate 10 years of matrimony! Time flies when you're having fun, and kids:) We spent a day in Seattle walking the market and enjoying the sunshine. Followed by a night in Portland and a night at a cabin along the Columbia River Gorge. It was such a sunny and relaxing weekend. We went on a couple of short hikes and saw some beautiful scenery:

Multnomah Falls-gorgeous!

At the top of Beacon Rock overlooking the Columbia River-another beautiful place.
I'd say we've changed a bit in 10 years...but still young in spirit:)

Well-that's enough for now. These pictures are taking too long to post, so I will close with a Happy Belated Mother's Day to all of those wonderful mothers out there who I love and adore!

WHY PLAY WITH TOYS WHEN YOU HAVE A BOX OF STYROFOAM?

2009-04-01T15:54:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we bought a file cabinet, and as we were putting it together the girls started playing with the box of styrofoam pieces. Before we knew it the living room looked like this:

And, yes, that is Rachel with no clothes on, because you can only appreciate a box of styrofoam to its fullest in your underwear, right? They stayed in that box for THREE HOURS. They named her "Boxie" and they lovingly kept her alive by feeding her pieces of foam as they sat in her gigantic mouth. Not a bad way to spend a Saturday afternoon. Who knew? The cleanup was h#@l, and I think I just vacuumed up the rest of it today, but it was worth it. The things that occupy my children continue to astonish me. It's too bad it isn't always something clean. Rachel was sad when we had to put it in the recycling, and reading this now is making her shed a silent tear. What a friend that dear Boxie was.

Here are a few pictures of our other messy girl-but a cute one at that!

ALL CLEAN!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SHAWNY-BABY-KISS

2009-03-28T22:02:00.000-07:00

What a happy day to celebrate the birth of Shawn/Dad. Yes-I know it was a few days ago, but in our house I like to think we celebrate the birth WEEK, which can be proven by the fact that the decorations are still up. While Shawn was at work, we got busy decorating for our island-themed party, to bring a little sunshine to the rainy day. By the time Shawn came home, the sun was shining, so we really didn't need the decor to help us out. It was a fun party that the girls were excited to dress-up for and surprise Dad. A little Brazalian music set the stage for some fine dancing in the living room by our "hula" girls. (We like to celebrate diversity whenever possible) Here are a few pictures of the Hawaiian-with-a-hint-of-South-America extravaganza:

This is not the typical expression of Brooke in front of a camera

Now that's more like it....and NO-I was not in a hula skirt, for everyone's sake.

Dad is holding Brooke tight-due to her undiagnosed illness of BTSD...(more on that later)

Way to go DAD! Happy Birthday to our #1 guy in the house!!

Now on to the BTSD I mentioned earlier. Brooke suffers from what I like to call "Birthday Traumatic Stress Disorder." Let me explain. Brooke has been petrified of this Happy Birthday plate we have that plays the Happy Birthday song when you push the button. It lights up and everything and even goes, "Happy Birthday, dear 'mmm mmm" so that you can fill in the "mmm mmm" with that special person's name. So cool, right? She HATED it. She would run and hide and cry and DID not like it. So we put it the closet and never really talked about it. For some reason, over the past year, the fear has developed so deeply that she can no longer function, but loses all ability to communicate and basically shuts down. The fear is that intense. One time, she was so overcome with fright, she curled up on my lap and fell asleep. The fear was too overwhelming. Here's a picture of it:

Not the best picture of me-but I was loving it, actually, because who doesn't love a good snuggle! Anyhoo, it has gotten worse, where now she can't even talk about birthdays. Her preschool teachers no longer sing the Happy Birthday song when it's someone's birthday in class. They have to do some alternative celebration song, so Brooke feels more comfortable. Great. So now I'm like one of those whiners who demands the Christmas decorations be taken down at the mall for fear it would offend that one Kwanzza person who might go strolling by. I told them they didn't need to change a universally accepted tradition for my daughter's weird phase, but they answered sweetly that they don't want anyone to feel threatened in their class, blah, blah, blah. Don't they know a little suffering is good for a person? Seriously, though, it is a real legitamate fear. Tonight, in fact, we brought up that her birthday is in a couple of weeks and she started talking really silly and fast to change the subject. We'll see how this all pans out, but any suggestions on how to unfear a child from birthdays? Maybe when she sees her presents she'll snap out of it. We'll see.

ODE TO THE PATHFINDER

2009-03-04T13:11:00.001-08:00

A few months ago, we had to regretfully say goodbye to our dearly beloved Nissan Pathfinder. I never knew that parting with a car could bring such emotion. Any emotion, really. But, she had become a faithful and reliable member of the family, being the vehicle to many a memory and life-changing events. Here is a trip down memory lane for all of you who only knew her as the birth mobile:

Shawn receive this sweet ride after his mission and it took him to his first semester at BYU where he met yours truly. No, I was not privy to taking a ride in it yet. Other girls took the front seat, until he finally came to his senses and asked me out. (a year later!)The Pathfinder took us on many a fine outing:

Here we are on a beach in Oregon-that's my head.

This picture was taken when we were driving back to Provo (in the PathFinder) from a biking trip to Moab. It was late, and he was tired, so we talked and talked to stay awake. I realized that night that I was in luuuuuuuuvvvv.

The Nissan saw us through many more significant events. It even got decked out for us(thanks to some helping hands) on our wedding day.

Whenever I saw the Pathfinder pull into the parking lot of our first apartment, my heart skipped a beat. Oh, to newlywed bliss! Then it towed all of our belongings across the country to begin dental school. Once again, the Pathfinder proved to be a loyal car, as it faithfully carried me to work, picked up Shawn from the train station after school, and to all of our many church-related activities.
It's most precious cargo was our first child, and it wouldn't go faster than 10mph when we drove her home from the hospital. So considerate.

Little Rachel leaving the hospital.

Then we left PA after dental school graduation to begin our new life in Washington. The Pathfinder was no longer adequate enough to tow our belongings so Shawn towed it behind our big moving truck.

And then there is the most exciting event which occurred on the corner of State and 4th Ave in Marysville. Little did Shawn know all those years ago that he would be delivering his second child in the back seat of his car. Here is Grandma Colleen with Rachel picking the car up from the birthing site:

We had to say goodbye to the PathFinder because, quite frankly, it was turning into a money sucker and it wasn't worth fixing. During its final days in our possession it decided to give us a little more drama and would just quit running as Shawn would be driving it to work. He knew how to wiggle the battery cables just so to get it to start again, but I didn't. He started taking our van to work, which left me carless. This wasn't so bad because school is within walking distance, but, of course, the week I don't have a car is the week it decides to rain. One morning, out of sheer desperation, I thought "What the hay-I'm taking the car." Not 3/10th of a mile into our trip, it stalls in the middle of the road. That was officially the end of my love. We donated the car to a tech school so some random kids can tinker with it to their hearts content. To them it's just another car they have to fix to pass off their shop requirements, but to us, it will always be so much more. Sniff, sniff.

Dr. Shawn posing with his little girl, 4 years after he brought her into this world.

Mommy and Brooke, remembering the first time I held her in the backseat.

IT"S A GIRL!!!

2009-02-18T10:22:00.000-08:00

Yes-you read it right. Girl #4 is due to arrive in July! We're happy to add another little one to the bunch and hope she's just as fun and pretty as her sisters. A little less dramatic would be nice, too.

Hello, again....

2009-01-28T13:26:00.000-08:00

Well,well, has it really been 2 months? I just want you to know that I have been in major conflict as to what to do with my time right now. Should I clean the kitchen or grab a little shut-eye or post a blog? My tired eyes are telling me to stop, but my heart is telling me to type. I'm feeling like I've neglected you for too long, our loving family and friends. I can't find the cable to our camera so you'll have to do with out pictures for now. Here is a low-down on the comings and goings of the Mag Clan since Thanksgiving:

1. Despite my complete denial for the first month, many tests, a doctor's appointment, and one ultrasound have confirmed that I am indeed 100% pregnant and will be due to welcome baby #4 in July. This is very exciting for us and the girls who want a baby brother BAD. I hope this time we can deliver.

2. December brought more snow to the Seattle area then we care to remember. And, of course, it came just at the height of Christmas shopping, when I needed to be out getting things ready for the big day and our trip to Philadelphia. Needless to say, we got it all done, and even enjoyed some serious sledding and snowball fights. Lesson to be learned: procrastinating Christmas shopping until the last minute only brings misery. Please remind me of this next September so I can get a head start.

3. Our much anticipated trip to Philly was not without its adventures. We were due to fly out Christmas night, but because of all the snow, we were delayed until the next night. We arrived in Philly Sat. morning and had a great weekend with everyone. And since Christmas is the season of giving, we decided to give everyone the stomach flu. Luckily, our last 2 days there were without incident and we have some great memories being together.

4. Shawn's new office will officially open next week. He has been working hard to get it together and it looks great! We'll have pictures to show later. Once it's up and running it will be nice to have our Dad back, who seems to be spending his spare time on the telephone with contractors, suppliers, new employees, etc. He's amazing how he can keep it all straight in his head. My head space can't quite hold half of a thought lately, so I am in utter admiration at his skills.

5. The girls are growing like weeds, I tell ya. Rachel reads like a speeding train, Brooke has some very intriguing thoughts about life that amuse us, and Kristina is learning how to communicate to us in her own special way. She likes to bang her head on something and then look at us and say, "Ouch". Funny. Or she'll have this intense conversation with us in jibberish. I love it. Her world is about to be rocked when the new addition comes, poor thing. Actually, it will be a good thing.

6. As for myself, I am constantly seeking refuge from the amazing mess that seems to accumulate at the hands of my children. I keep telling myself that someday, it will not be this way, but for now, I am in awe at their ability to create chaos. And it's not from toys. They don't have a ton of toys, and I'm realizing that they don't need any because they find very creative ways to play with other things. Here are a few examples:

-every container in the house becomes a bed for their dolls/stuffed animals. These "beds" are found everywhere-in closets, under beds, in the bath tub, on chairs,etc.
-the blankets for all of these "beds" are my dishtowels, washcloths, aprons, tights(used as a hat) and, yes, even baby wipes on occasion. What's up? We do have real baby blankets.
-any knick-knack or item of decor is fair game according to my children. Flower arrangements, pictures, Shawn's dental awards(used as secret "tablets" to uncover treasures), boxes, candle holders, pots, my jewelry box, you name it, they play with it. And do they put it back? Of course not.
-paper, crayons, tape, glue...these are all items that seem to find their way into every corner of the house. My favorite is a "B" that is written on the wall in pencil, and then it's crossed out. Because crossing it out would hide it from me. Love it.

And where have I been, during all of these shinanigans? One of three places: head in the toilet, head on a pillow, or head in the refrigerator, desperately trying to find the food that will make it all go away.
Here's a question for you: If you could have any superpower, what would it be? Mine's a no-brainer. Power to have any food you want spontaneously appear in front of you whenever you want it. Tell me that would not be a hit among all pregnant women out there. Only in my dreams. What would your super power be?

MagMadness MONDAY!!!

2008-11-24T13:09:00.000-08:00

WASHINGTONIAN:(wosh-en-toh-nee-an) noun 1. A person who suffers from severe sun deprivation and, therefore, must contort their body to fit into any patch of sunlight that may spontaneously appear in any given area.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BABY KRISTINA!!!

2008-11-20T16:03:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday we reached the one year mark of our little Kristina. Time flies when you're having fun!! She started off the day with a cold, so we came home from church early to take a much needed nap...
Then, our good friends, the Tapusoas, who's cutie-patootie boy, Mason, was born on the same day as Kristina, came over for a little gift-exchange and photo op. Mason was the perfect gentleman and let Kristina open her present first. Just like he let her be born first :) A little spark of love in the air.....? We already have them betrothed:)

The twins......
What an adorable couple they make!

We celebrated with all the cousins, aunts and uncles that night. Kristina opened presents from Mom and Dad and Grandma Rolph and Papaw, then we had a surprise call from Grandpa Jim and Grandma Colleen who were just checking in to the MTC en route to Ireland! We sure miss them and pray for them every night!

K- was not so sure of the cake...no smashing into the face from this girly girl!

I love the bucked teeth in this shot-she was so done with the cake.

YEAH!! I finally have my own dolly!

Grandma Rolph gave me a cute bunny that rattles!

This is the best gift EVER!

Seriously.......so cute.

TUNES THAT MAKE US SMILE:)

2008-11-04T13:56:00.000-08:00

HAPPY ELECTION DAY....I wanted to add a list of songs that, well, just make me smile, or make the whole family want to dance around the living room. It turned out to be a very eclectic group of tunes that conjure up some fun memories of the past. Hopefully, this will help us all cope with what may lie ahead. That and a good dose of happy pills.

EXTRA! EXTRA! THIS JUST IN!!!

2008-11-03T16:07:00.000-08:00

Breaking news:

Very cute children were sighted storming the neighborhoods of Marysville in search of candy. Our latest reports indicate that half the stash was devoured by their parents after they were sent to bed...(oops! did I say that?)

Baby Kristina-Ladybug
Brooke-Island Princess Barbie
Rachel-Black Cat
Mom-Babysitter(note the braces)*
*reference to earlier post which I don't know how to link to

Dad-photographer extraordinaire

Who wouldn't want to love this kitty?
(it's the only cat I will ever snuggle with)

Island Princess is giving us her best curtsy...with the assistance of Cheer Bear.

PLEASE GIVE ME A SUCKER, DADDY, PLEASE!!!!!

AAAAAAHHHHHH.....relief.

One of the rare times Kristina lets go of something and tries to stand...

So cute and ready to get some CANDY!!

A house in our neighborhood is hard-core Halloween. This picture doesn't capture the essence of fright, but you can tell on Rachel's face it's pretty spectacular. Although they enjoy all things "girly", their "Papaw" gene comes out and they are intrigued by the spooky and scary. This was the highlight of the night.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

The "Like" Game (a.k.a. Happy Birthday Grandma Rolph)

2008-10-30T16:13:00.000-07:00

So-I will pause from the political rants(I know you're all so disappointed) and take this opportunity to play a Rolph Family favorite...the "Like" game. And since today is a special day for Mommy, we will play on her behalf. The "Like" game was played in our house on everyone's birthday. We would all say one nice thing about each other, and you couldn't use the words "pretty", "nice," or "smart". Mom also made us play when we weren't getting along. But it's a good thing we are, or Ben and Josh might have to pull out the ol' swordfighting bit....remember? Personal family joke. So, Mom, here is why we "like" (LOVE) you:

SHAWN:
I like Jeanette because she really gets into a good game.(i.e. the world series or any other sporting event) Also-we both agree on what's best for Sarah(that was put in by Sarah:)

SARAH:
I like Mom because she is one of the most compassionate and caring women I know. She puts her family first and has her priorities set. Not everyone can say their Mom is one of their best friends-but I can!(I know that was more than one thing...sorry:)

RACHEL:
I like Grandma Rolph because she bring us presents. I also loved our special walks to my new school and I love you!

BROOKE:
I like when Grandma Rolph comes to our house and tells me the "Gingerbread Man" story.

KRISTINA:
"Dat" "Dat" "Bubba" "Aaahh" "Dada"
Translation: I like Grandma Rolph because she gives me kisses and hugs and I love snuggling with her blanket every night:)

We LOVE YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

ELECTION COUNTDOWN....PART 3

2008-10-29T12:22:00.000-07:00

WHAT'S WRONG WITH REDISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH?

Karl Marx said: "From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs."

Sounds okay, right? But not when Karl Marx or any other head of government is in charge. When we are allowed to redistribute of our own free will, whether it be to our church, charity or the local grocery store, we redistribute OUR wealth, OUR income, OUR money. When the government says they will "redistribute", it simply means "confiscate".
Just look at out current education system. Why is our public school system, which is dependent upon the "redistribution" of our money through taxes, so unbalanced and corrupt? Because we are not dealing with a benevolent government personally handing the money to the children. We deal with bureaucrats who determine where the money should go, whether it be to the schools, or in their own pockets. I saw this first-hand when I taught in inner city Philadelphia, one of the highest funded school districts in the state, yet the children were crammed into a class room of 30 or more, with limited textbooks and teaching supplies, crappy pay and run down facilities. This is a broad example of what can happen when the government gets too involved with our money. I'm not saying government should not be involved. There are certainly areas that government should oversee. But the more they oversee, the wider the door is left open for dishonesty and corruption.
So-beware of the one who wants to redistribute wealth for the "common good." The only one qualified to stand at the head of a benevolent society is Jesus Christ, and he would not confiscate our earnings or force anyone to give. We will do it of our own free will and obligation to serve our brothers and sisters, not because anyone is forcing us. That was Satan's plan.

I came across this passage today that seems to apply to the current situation. I believe even more that the Book of Mormon was inspired for our day and times:

"He commandeth that there shall be no priestcrafts, for behold, priestcrafts are that men preach and set themselves up for a light unto the world, that they may get gain and praise of the world; but they seek not the welfare of Zion.
"Behold, the Lord hath forbidden this thing; wherefore, the Lord God hath given a commandment that all men should have charity, which charity is love. And except they should have charity they were nothing. Wherefore, if they should have charity they would not suffer the laborer in Zion to perish."

2 NEPHI 26:29-30

ELECTION COUNTDOWN.....PART 2

2008-10-28T16:06:00.000-07:00

Here's some food for thought, courtesy of Dr. Rolph:).....

Definitions of a Communist, A Socialist, and A Capitalist: The 'Two Cow' Version:

A Communist farmer owns two cows. The government takes one cow and distributes some of the milk to the people.
A Socialist farmer owns two cows. The government takes one cow and gives it to someone who doesn't have a cow.
A Capitalist farmer owns two cows. The government leaves him alone. The farmer sells one of the cows and buys a bull.

I would like to be free to give to whom I please and how much. That is true charity...when it comes out of free will and not by force or coercion.

Choose which one you want and vote accordingly on November 4th....

MagMadness MONDAY!!!

2008-10-27T14:13:00.000-07:00

ELECTION COUNTDOWN....

I have refrained up until now from posting anything political. I'm sure you all know where we here at the Mag house stand. But seeing as how the election is 8 days away and there is a lot of interesting info coming out of the wood works concerning certain candidates, I can stay silent no longer. This urgency has been brewing for some time, and finally reached its tipping point when I woke up this morning to the voice of Mr. Obama, verbally tearing the framework of our country and its constitution apart. My first thought was "He must not understand the Constitution very well to be saying these things." Then, it hit me that he does understand it VERY well, he just DOESN'T LIKE IT. He DOESN'T LIKE that every man has the God-given right to life.(just look it his radical views on abortion.) He DOESN'T LIKE that every man has the right to liberty(he doesn't trust the notion that every man is given a freedom of choice by God). He DOESN'T LIKE that we can all pursue our own happiness.(He would like to the government to determine when you've had enough happiness and redistribute it to someone else.) You can label him a socialist, Marxist, facist, whatever you will, but the truth stands as this: Barack Obama disagrees with the fundamental principles that this country was founded upon and will stop at nothing to influence those around him, until there is nothing left of this country that we recognize to be from God. This is not a "he said, she said" issue anymore. This is as blatant as the sun shines, and the Pide Piper has begun to play a sweet tune that will lead the citizens of this country down a slippery slope if we let him.
SO-with this in mind, I encourage all to find out for yourself(that means don't watch NBC, ABC, CBS, etc.) where each candidate stands and choose wisely by doing the following:

1. Read the Constitution.
2. Read the Constitution AGAIN.
3. Deside which candidate will uphold its principles more fully.
4. Deside which candidate will elect Supreme Court justices that will uphold its principles more fully.
5. Deside which candidate will uphold your God-given rights to life,(look at abortion views) liberty,(the right to free speech and to defend yourself) and the right to pursue your own happiness(i.e. your freedom to determine your own prosperity)

I know I'm preaching to the choir, but this is a serious decision. Let's make it a GOOD ONE!

ALL FOR FALL

2008-10-22T13:53:00.000-07:00

Fall is the best season of the year, really. We've been having some great sunny weather, but not too hot-love it! Today we went to the Pumpkin patch with Brooke's preschool class. I took a few shots of the girls in the pumpkins. Happy Fall!!

Political Pumpkin Heads

2008-10-18T12:03:00.000-07:00

I thought you might enjoy a little project I took upon myself. Don't forget to vote!

Granny's undying wisdom....

2008-10-05T22:03:00.000-07:00

I was telling my grandparents about Shawn, back in the early days of our relationship, filling them in on all of the perfect and irresistible qualities he possessed. Granny responded by asking one simple question: "Honey, does he come from good people?"
Down in the "holler" of Kentucky, it didn't matter what kind of house you lived in, or the job you had to make ends meet, or the clothes you wore, when compared to the kind of people you came from. Your "people" said a lot about you, and in the holler, where everyone knew everyone else's people, it mattered.
I responded to Granny's question(and still do) with a resounding "YES!" So this is a shout out to all the peeps of the Magelsen clan. Them's GOOD PEOPLE!!

So, according to Granny's philosophy, if Shawn had been a complete loser but he came from good people, does that legitimize an eternal marriage? Mmmm.....I wonder. Good thing he wasn't. Which leads me to another thought..... does a person's NAME give any indication as to the kind of person they are? We've all been in situations where we suggest a baby name to our pregnant friend/relative, only to be met with a sneer and a comment like: "I knew a ____ once and he/she was a big time ______.'' All of the Shawns I've ever known were trouble makers. But MY Shawn isn't a--oh, wait. Well-anyway, I'm really diving into my inner self here, so I'll stop and say, I'm from good people and I married into good people, and I hope I raise my girls to appreciate that they're from good people too. Now I will conclude with a poem I wrote with a friend during eight grade geometry class:

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

Just because her name is Bertha
Doesn't mean she's big.
Just because his name is Erwin
Doesn't mean he's a nerd.
What's in a name?
Not much-
Just some letters.

How can I remember that after all these years? It's a gift, people. And how did I fare in geometry? The fact that I was writing random poetry says it all. I'm not a math person. And obviously not a poet, either. Any thoughts on the name game?

MagMadness MONDAY!!!

2008-09-29T14:25:00.000-07:00

Just as I suspected....

After gushing about the sweetness and adorableness, which are my children, last week, I was fully prepared for Murphy's Law to take effect and, let me tell you, it has come with a vengeance. I don't know if it's possible for four year olds to suffer from PMS. But every sign is there-minus the cramps and bloating. I'm not ready for this, people, and I have three girls. Oy vay! A typical morning has gone like this:

BROOKE: Mom, I'm hunnnnnnnnnnnnnnnggggggggggrrrrrrrrryyyyyyyyy!

MOM: OK, what would you like for breakfast?

BROOKE: I just can't decide.

MOM: How about cereal?

BROOKE: I don't WANT cereal.

MOM: OK, how about a waffle?

BROOKE: I don't LIKE waffles.

MOM: But you had a waffle yesterday, and you seemed to like it just fine.

BROOKE: But I just don't like them.

MOM: Well, then, it looks like cereal is your only option. You can have Kix or Cheerios.

BROOKE: But I just don't know what to have.

MOM: How about Kix?

BROOKE: No I don't WANT Kix.

MOM: How about Cheerios?

BROOKE: No, I don't WANT Cheerios.

MOM: Well, you must not be that hungry, then, so come back when you're ready to eat.

BROOKE: But I AM hungry!

MOM: You have 1 minute to decide, then breakfast is over.

BROOKE: But I just don't know what to have!

MOM(to herself) For the love, child, get a grip on yourself and pick a cereal!!! Hey Rachel-can I fix you a waffle for breakfast?

RACHEL: Sure Mom!

BROOKE: Mom, I think I want a waffle, too.

I give up. It's a good thing they're cute.

THE MANY FACES OF BROOKE............

*******************************

This weekend we took the kids on a hike to Boulder Creek, a relatively easy trail that runs along a river with lots of pretty waterfalls. We had lots of fun, and, of course, Rachel turns off her hearing when we tell her to NOT get in the water. She went in waist deep, and we still had 2 miles to walk back. That girl..........

Rachel has been begging us for weeks to go to Denny's for breakfast. Why? Who knows....
So we indulged her before the hike, and she was in heaven! Before she got her food, she was coloring the kid menu picture and said, "This is the best day EVER!" Oh, so easy to please! After her delicious breakfast of waffles with whipped cream and bacon on the side, she asked, "So who's idea was this, anyway?" I said, "It was Dad's." She looked up at him and said, "Dad, you have a really good brain for thinking of this plan!" Way to go, Dad's brain!

Smiley sisters before the hike.....not so smiley after:)

I love these people.

We found a "secret" tunnel under a tree. Rachel wasn't sure about it at first. Brooke had to lead the way.

Not the best picture, but we all need a few of those, right? She's gonna hate me later.

Everyone did great, despite the long trek!

The scenery was beautiful-except for that big stick in the way.

Dad and girls at work constructing a dam. This is a favorite activity whenever we're exploring by a creek.

The girls posing on top of their completed bridge/dam thingy. They were so proud.

One of the pretty waterfalls we passed. It reminded us of those we saw in Hawaii. Just goes to show you don't have to pay big bucks to see beautiful things? When it's not raining, it's very enjoyable here.

So tired from a long day....but a fun one!

MagMadness MONDAY!!!

2008-09-22T16:09:00.000-07:00

I'm not quite sure what to write about today. It's been a typical Monday here at the Mag house. I had my braces tightened, which is always a thrill, and we did a little yard work. Today is one of those days I want to bottle up and open again when we're in the middle of the rainy winter. It's sunny and warm, with just enough of a breeze to keep it comfortable. Brooke and I sat on a blanket and ate lunch, as we pondered how to clean up our neglected front yard. She had some great decorating ideas for the porch which included using rainbows, unicorns and windsocks. I'm not quite sure how to tastefully incorporate all three. Any ideas?
Anyway, I loved today. And I love my girls. I'm sure this is where some of you will tune out....
Yes, we have children and they can definitely be children, but they're mine and I adore them. I love when they wake up (preferably after 7:30am) and I love when they come home from school. I love hearing them sing and pretend and talk about their day.
Today was a good day. And because I believe in the yin and yang, and opposition in all things, I am fully prepared for tomorrow to stink. But, as my Dad always says, "Variety is the spice of life." Otherwise, it would be so boring, right? In the meantime, I will enjoy them while they're enjoyable. Take a look at these faces.........

MagMadness MONDAY!!!

2008-09-15T09:38:00.000-07:00

I asked the girls what they thought I should write about today. Brooke said, "Saying thank you", (she was still feeling good from church), and Rachel said, "Little House on the Prairie". Two of my favorite topics-how do I choose? I choose neither. Instead, I will talk about something entirely unrelated to that, yet equally as important...... ME.

So, I have entered into a new phase of life. I enjoy these transitions because they cause me to reevaluate my priorities and start afresh. Rachel began the first grade(CRAZY!) and Brooke started pre-school 3 days a week. So, with the baby napping in the morning, I actually get some quiet time to do....what? That is the question. With so many things to do, that would be so much easier to accomplish without the interruption of children, where do I begin? I was having this inner turmoil on my first morning of quiet. There was not a sound to be heard. Do I revel in it and take a nap? Do I begin some neglected project from years past? Do I clean without the fear that some child's feet will trample across the freshly mopped floor? What do I do? I'll tell you what I did. I read Eclipse-the third book in the infamous Twilight series. Now, you can make fun all you want, and I deserve it, but I tell you what, I need CLOSURE, people. I've invested too much of my life to throw it by the wayside now.
Shawn does not understand this issue. Just last night, in fact, I was sighing loudly at each page turn, as I was painfully trying to finish the book, and Shawn said, "Why are you torturing yourself? Just stop reading it." What? Stop reading? You mean-BEFORE the end of the book? I physically can not do that. Why? The answer is CLOSURE. I need closure to feel like I can shut the door and move on. Shawn does not have this issue. He can decide in his mind that the conversation is over, and close it, or decide it's time to leave a party, and leave. Or the book is too slow, or the TV show is too predictable, and he'll shut it off. WOW. If only...
I need to know how things finish. I need to feel like everything is put in it's place before I move on. This is just the way it is. So, until I find out if Bella becomes a vampire, the neglected projects, the clean house, and the nap(sigh) will have to wait.
Do you have closure issues? If, so, in what way? And if you don't have closure issues, how do you cope? Let's start a healthy dialogue.
(And to those of you reading Breaking Dawn, is it worth it to keep going? because I don't know how much more I can take...)

WE'RE BACK!

2008-09-09T09:04:00.000-07:00

Yes-We are resuming our spot in the blog-o-sphere. It's been a while and we have a lot to catch up on, so bear with us as we fill you in on our fun filled summer. It might take a while to get through, (but not as long as it took me to post all the photos), so go get a snack and get ready to take a trip down MagMemory Lane:

FUN WITH THE BAILEY FAMILY!

When we came home from Twin Lakes, we were so excited to hear the Bailey Family would be in Seattle the next week. We had such a fun time with them and love all of those cute kids to pieces. Here are some of the highlights:

We took the kids to Deception Pass-one of our favorite places to visit in the Puget Sound area. The kids loved playing on the beach, but weren't so sure about crossing the very high bridge that goes over the channel. Rachel, despite hearing me say, "This is NOT swimming water," decided to take a dip in all of her clothes. We try not to think about the swift current that could have taken her away-I like to go to my happy place for that one:) It was a fun and beautiful day!

After church, Elissa and I looked through some of my cookbooks, and she found this great recipe called "Easter Basket Cake". It called for a cake mix, frosting, coconut, jelly beans and some kind of branch to make it look like a handle. Thanks to the fact that I borrowed coconut from Kamille, and never gave her the bag I bought for her as a thank you-I had all of the ingredients. SWEET! I still owe you, Kams. We had fun making our Easter treat in August and it was suprisingly dee-lish.

Thanks to Grandpa Jim, we were able to take the boat out for a fun outing around Lake Stevens. The Bailey kids were so brave and tried tubing and knee-boarding. They did fantastic! It was a beautiful day, and so fun to spend it with a terrific family. They left that night to spend a few days in Seattle and we joined them for a day at the Science Center and Space Needle. I was surprised at how much the kids loved it, they are still talking about how fun it was. We took them to see a 3-D IMAX movie, and it was so cute to see the kids reaching their hands out to try to touch the fish as they seemed to swim right in front of us. Here are some of pictures of some of their favorite parts:

I don't know how to rotate this picture, but the kids loved the dinosaur exhibit!

There was a little booth where they made their own aliens. Some of the names they gave them were very creative-of course, I can't remember them. But still, very creative. Sorry-I didn't get any pictures of the boys' creations, but they were equally as creepy.

The kids were able to meet a real astronaut and get his autograph. Very cool. Rachel was not so sure because she is going through an "I don't want to ever go to space because I might get sucked into a black hole" stage. A pretty legitimate worry, right?

The girls and I took a quick trip to the top of the Space Needle. Apparently, the rest of Seattle had the same idea and it was very crowded. The girls didn't seem to mind and loved the elevator ride, and the view, of course, is amazing. Then we met up with the Baileys at their hotel. We had so much fun with them, and the girls really missed their cousins when they left. We can't say enough about how much we enjoyed them. Heather and Mike are amazing parents and the kids are so good and adorable, we hope it's not too long before we see them again!

OREGON OR BUST!

After the Bailey's left we were off to the Oregon Coast for a week of camping. This was the first time our family has taken a long trip like this with just us five, and I have to say, we were all looking forward to exploring and taking each day as it came with no schedule or time constraints. We didn't realize how much driving we would actually end up doing, which was kind of a downer, and the baby definitely adds an exciting element to the plans, but besides all of that, it was a fun trip where lots of great memories were formed. Every day was a new adventure and the scenery(when you could see it through the fog)was breathtaking!

DAY 1-We drove to a place at the southern tip of Washington called Cape Disappointment, but the girls so lovingly dubbed it, "The Rock Beach". Our campsite was next to a big rock and climbing tree and the girls had a blast climbing to the top. The beach was next to a big cliff that the girls loved exploring around. Shawn's inner boy came out and he was happy exploring through the caves and climbing around the rocks.

DAY 2-Although we would have loved to have stayed longer, Cape Disappointment really disappointed us the next morning with some misty rain and fog, so we left and drove south to Astoria, Oregon. We spent the day at Shipwreck Beach, named after the fact it has the rusty bow of a ship sticking out of the sand. Apparently, it's a very popular spot for photos. There was a model in a wedding gown doing a photo shoot, so when she left, we had to get some pictures of our little models...

We loved playing on this beach. The sand is really fine and great for sand castles. Rachel amused us with not one, but several "serious" poses:

I was tired of holding Kristina away from the sand so I just let her have at it and here are the results:

We spent the next two nights at one of my favorite beaches of the entire trip. It reminded me of the scene from Anne of Green Gables where Anne and Diana are running alone the grassy sand dunes. It was so picturesque. I loved it! The girls flew kites that night and ran and ran through the dunes to make footprints and we enjoyed falling asleep to the sound of the ocean. Appropriate that we named this beach the "Sand Dune Beach"

Again-sorry for the inability to rotate.

I wish we would have spent more time at this beach, but because we were so close to Cannon Beach, which is a very popular spot, we decided to spend the day there. It was very pretty and looks like it's right out of the movie, Goonies.

We stopped to admire the view-so beautiful! Another great pose from Rachel...

A highlight of the trip for this cheese lover, was touring the Tillamook Cheese Factory. We got to see our favorite cheese packaged right before our very eyes. It was so exciting! Then we devoured some very delicious ice cream before we headed off to our next campsite.

Thanks to Grandpa and Grandma, we took the tent-trailer and camped in style. And what's a trip without bringing along some movies?

One of my least favorite parts of the trip was frequenting public restrooms. It is a phobia of mine, there is just nothing pleasant about it, especially with kids-and girls for that matter who have to sit-ugh! But seeing as we were camping there was no avoiding it. I was surprised at the general cleanliness of the state parks. But when your at the beach, well, the ocean is your toilet, right? Or so my kids thought. There were many moments where it was obvious what they were doing. (Picture Brooke pulling her bathing suit to the side and squatting.) This is when i pretend they don't belong to me. The pinnacle of grossness came when we took the kids on a short hike to a water fall and, of course, Brooke had to go #2. What choice do you have in the middle of no where but to find a bush and do your thing, right? The problem was that Brooke announced to the rest of the hikers that she was going to find a secret spot to poop. Nice. There was no pretending she wasn't mine. Here is a picture of us on the trail right before we found the "secret spot".

We moved on to a place we liked to call "the PlayGround Beach". Our campsite was right next to the park playground. It was nice to be able to sit in the trailer and watch the kids play, but it wasn't nice to see kids too old for the playground making out with their boyfriend/girlfriend. Please, people. Unfortunately, I have no pictures of this charming scene. The girls loved it, though. It was surprisingly cold and windy here, so there was no playing on the beach. We decided to go to the Oregon State Aquarium for the day.

Rachel made friends with a sea otter. He came right up to the glass and was letting Rachel put her hand on the glass. It was so cute. The girls got to touch all kinds of sea creatures and see lots of different sharks and fish.

As we drove to our last campsite, we were amazed by some very beautiful scenery. We couldn't wait to explore the beach, so we set up camp and quickly made dinner. Just as we were eating our last bites, the fog rolled in and never left. We were so sad to end our trip this way, but we had a great time and have lots of fun talking about the many things we got to do and see. Now on to the next adventure:

GRANDMA ROLPH AND PAPAW!!!!!

We were beside ourselves with excitement for Grandma and Papaw to come visit! It was much too short, but we loved every second and the girls got lots of play time in with them. Of course, they spoiled them with love and fun activities and gifts the girls love love love. Shawn and I got to steal Dad away for a hike to Mount Pilchuck. It was so good to see them. We miss them so much already!
Dad and I at Granite Falls
Our hike to Mount Pilchuck was beautiful. Despite a slight shoe malfunction, we made it down okay. Washington is gorgeous!

Grandma and the girls made a blanket for cousin baby Eddie who will be arriving in November!

Papaw and Rachel reading about Mummies-of course!
We love you and miss you Grandma and Papaw!!!!!!!!!!

We hope you've enjoyed looking at our many adventures this past month. Since this has taken me all day to do, due to slow computer, many breaks to assist children, and to nourish myself with plenty of junk food, you all better leave comments. We'll resume MagMadness Monday next week along with updates on the new school year, etc. Love you all!

ASLEEP....FOR NOW

2008-08-08T09:32:00.000-07:00

Due to the high demands of fun this summer we will be continuing our break from the blog world and will put it to sleep until we've completed all the fun activities/vacations/family visits/ etc. Until then....may you rest in peace:)

MagMadness MONDAY!!!

2008-07-28T15:10:00.001-07:00

KIDS CAN HEAR...APPARENTLY

We were on vacation last week and, therefore, could not impart upon you our vast wisdom and knowledge for MagMadness Monday. I'm afraid this Monday will be more of the same. However, Rachel did say a couple of funny things this week worth sharing. Our conversation went something like this:

RACHEL: Mom, where do Aladdin and Jasmine live?

MOM: I'm not really sure.

RACHEL: Just guess.

MOM: Okay. I think they live in India or Morocco or some place like that.(someone correct me if I'm wrong)

RACHEL: Oh, like "Morocco Bama".

MOM: Where did you hear that name?

RACHEL: From that news you play in the car. Who is that?

MOM: He wants to be the next President of our country.

RACHEL: Do you want him to be the next president?

MOM: I'm sort of leaning toward "no".

RACHEL: Why not?

MOM: Because I don't really agree with the things he stands for.

RACHEL: Then I don't want him to be President, either.

Oh the power and the influence I hold in my hand...(insert sinister chuckle here). If only it were that easy to influence her on everything else. Unfortunately, it's not.
This experience made me realize that our kids aren't deaf, despite how many times you ask them to pick up their toys or get their shoes on, as they stare right through you. They do have, what I like to call, selective hearing.
When I take the kids to the doctor for their checkups, he always asks if they're hearing "when they want to". And he's exactly right. They hear you when they want to. The problem lies with the fact that you can't predict when that will be, and what it is they will be tuning in to. Case in point: Yesterday, my fourth child, Shawn(age 33), was teasing and taunting Brooke(age 4) to the point where she was screaming louder than Rachel's movie. With her eyes firmly fixed on the TV screen, Rachel yells out, "IGNORE HIM!"
Hmm...where has she heard that one? Kids do hear. I guess we'd better pay attention to what they hear or it will come back to haunt us...

TWIN LAKES REUNION

2008-07-25T22:26:00.000-07:00

Another great week at Twin Lakes has come and gone. It's always fun to be with family and enjoy the beautiful surroundings. Melissa and I celebrated our birthdays together and Colleen always goes above and beyond in making it a special day for us. I got to enjoy some quiet time while the baby napped and then when the kids were tired of the water, they went back to the cabin and I stayed and swam with Karissa and had a lovely time chatting it up with one of the coolest people I know. Followed by yummy salmon dinner...(I mean YUMMY!) and my favorite birthday cake, to boot, which was dee-lish! It was a fun week with great weather and great company. We missed Mich and Bennett and Nic and Hyrum! It wasn't the same without you!!!Till we meet again, enjoy the pics!

The kids had to get in on the candle- blowing extravaganza. There were PLENTY o' candles to go around, believe me, but pity was shown on us and there were only four on the cake.

Oh, BABY, she is edible! Almost as much as the chest hairs sprouting from Dad's shirt....rarrrr!

(BTW-every cousin in the pack is about as edible as they come. How is it that one family can produce so many insanely cute children?)

RACHEL has turned into quite the little swimmer. After some..shall we say.."encouragement" from Dad, she was jumping into deep water without her life jacket and dog paddling like a pro. She was proud of herself, and then the next day, forgot how brave she was and felt safer with a flotation device. She is a water baby, like her sister, and we could barely get them out of the water. They LOVED it!

To jump or not to jump? That is the question...

Rachel and Tori named this dolphin "Daisy".
What a pal!

Rachel and Karissa having an intense conversation about trolls and something else...I can't remember, but very important, nonetheless. Thanks for amusing her, Kissa.

Rachel learned how to blow up a balloon. We had to record it for posterity.

BROOKE, of course, was occupied with three activities...digging, taking a break from digging, and digging with cousin, Eli...

........digging

...more digging

....getting water for digging

...taking a break from digging

...Brooke and Eli "jumping" off
the dock into 6 inches of water...
SO BRAVE!

Dad having some fun in the sun
with his girls

This is the third annual t-shirt making
activity for the grandkids. Grandmas
know how to make everything fun! The
kids love this part and wear their t-shirts
with pride all year.

Grandma led the cousins on a fun
scavenger hunt around the yard for
some delicious treats!

Kristina devoured Grandma with some
yummy kisses!!

This picture is just a small taste of how
beautiful the setting is. This is Grandpa
bringing the boat in after another day
of skiing.

The car is packed and ready to go....
SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!

We are always sad to leave Twin Lakes. It's a beautiful spot, guaranteed sunshine, and when you're surrounded by family, it can't be beat. We always leave wishing we would have gotten in one more swim. The kids played hard, though, and we were ready to get them back into a normal routine. Needless to say, we came home to cloudy, 60 degree weather...(gotta love Seattle).. and a two day battle with the stomach flu. YUK! We were wishing we hadn't left paradise so early. Until next year.............

MagMadness MONDAY!!!

2008-07-13T23:52:00.000-07:00

I think we will make this the forever face of MagMadness Monday. Hope she doesn't mind.

CEO of the GREATEST CORPORATION ON EARTH!!

The phrase, "I'm bored" is a big no-no in our house. I am never bored. There is always something to be done. And when there isn't anything to do, which is rare, I relish in the moment that there is nothing to do. So when Rachel informed me that church is boring, I squelched that one immediately. What she meant was, I don't understand, therefore, I am bored. So we focused on what she can understand, which is the sacrament prayer. We read it together from Moroni and then I challenged her to listen closely at church....(in the midst of all of this, I am force feeding the baby, cleaning Brooke's spilled milk, finding shoes, gathering my things for my sharing time lesson)...so it wasn't the quiet, spiritual moment you are all envisioning. Nevertheless, I felt good about the tiny lesson we had and off to church we go.
During the sacrament, she was snuggling close to me and I was whispering in her ear some of the things I was feeling in regards to the sacrament, when she asked, "Mom, why do those boys pass the sacrament?" I replied, "Because they have the priesthood." She asked me, "Do girls get the priesthood?" I said, "No, Heavenly Father gave us our own special role on this earth.'' To which she replied, "Oh, yeah, you clean." BAM!-end of spiritual moment.
Okay, so I wouldn't normally be annoyed, but this just so happens to be the SECOND time she has referred to me and my role in our family as "The Cleaner."(see earlier post "Kids Say the Darndest Things")

What is a mother's role in the family, besides "woman who always cleans"? To make me feel way more important, I have decided to dub myself the CEO of our home and Shawn the CFO. While he serves diligently to provide the financial stability we all appreciate, I, to quote Rachel, "do everything else." And what is "everything else?" In a nutshell, (because us mothers know the list is very long), it's executing the plans Shawn and I have discussed as a means to creating a loving home environment. This is no small task, mind you, and I take the challenge seriously. It requires all of the necessary skills needed in running a successful business, (i.e. time/money management, organization, delegation, ingenuity, assertiveness, flexibility...etc.) That's some serious skill! And these skills don't pay in money, fame, recognition, like in the "outside" world. It pays differently. Better.
It was mentioned in the last Worldwide Leadership Training Meeting that there is a difference between "homemaking" and "housekeeping". Apparently, Rachel thinks I've got the housekeeping down, but what about my skills in making a home? I am seeing that these skills are constantly being tested, tried, and refined. Because motherhood does not reward with instant gratification. No Way! But when the moments come, it is better than anything else. Like when one child accidently breaks the piggy bank of the other child, and they care more about each other's feelings than the broken toy. These are the moments I love, even if they only come twice a year. They're still worth all the blood, sweat, and tears. And, hopefully, it is creating a strong corporation that will stand the tests of time.
What are you doing to make your house a home? And what are some good housekeeping tips, because, apparently, I am not very time-efficient?

P.S. To those of you who think our home is clean(i.e. jimmy), my secret is that I know when you're coming and I hide everything in inconspicuous places so as to create the illusion that we do not live in utter squalor. So if you want the truth, just pop in unannounced at any given time(but mostly between the hours of 4-6pm) and you will see an amazing science project in the works. The secret is out!

2008-07-09T08:45:00.000-07:00

I have to add a couple of funnies our girls said lately. It's makes me smile when I'm reminded how much our girls are still learning especially when it comes to the English language. The other day I asked Brooke if she wanted a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch, and she replied, "Yeah, 'cause we don't eat boy-cheese sandwiches."
Now, if you say "grilled-cheese" fast, out loud, mixed with a little ear-wax build up, it really sounds like you're saying "girl-cheese". It took me awhile to figure out what the heck she meant by that, but when I did, I died laughing. How long has she been thinking that's what it was? THEN, Rachel asked me why we only have "ancestors" and not "anbrothers". I was confused until I realized she thinks I say "an-SISTERS". My goodness. Either we're raising our girls to be extremely gender bias or I have a serious speech impediment. Some one break the news to me gently.

SUMMER FUN!

2008-07-09T07:53:00.000-07:00

Summer has officially arrived in the Seattle area! It takes awhile, but when it comes, the wait is all worth it! 70's and 80's with low humidity and beautiful sunshine, followed by cool breezes in the evening-you can't beat that! Aside from the subzero temps of the lake water, I can handle it. We've been spending some time in the sun, going to beaches and lakes, and letting the girls dig in the sand where ever they go. Brooke could literally dig for hours. There is something about creating a big pile of sand that is so fulfilling to her. When we went to the zoo for Rachel's birthday, she had to stop every few feet to make new "piles" of dirt on the path. The urge to let the dirt run through her little fingers was so enticing, she couldn't resist. It's like her addiction-I love it. Enjoy the pictures of our fun in the sun. What is it about little bums with "wedgies" that's so darn cute?

MagMadness MONDAY!!!

2008-07-07T08:39:00.000-07:00

LOST/FOUND/JUST PLAIN CONFUSED......

I'm really lost as to what to write about this week, and since I don't want to disappoint all 2 of you who look forward to MagMadness Monday, I figured I could write about the phenomenon which is "LOST"(a.k.a. one of the greatest TV shows EVER).
So, if you've never watched this show, it is virtually impossible to bring you up to speed. I realized this one night when Mom asked me to fill her in on what was happening, and quite frankly, about 20 minutes into me explaining things to her, my head (and hers) was spinning in confusion. There are way too many twists and turns to keep it straight, but here is a very brief synopsis: A plane crashes on a remote island in the middle of the Pacific, and the survivors soon discover they have landed in a really bizarre place, equipped with secret hideouts, and weird people. What got me hooked on the show, was that each episode followed a different survivor back in time, to give you the story of their life and how they ended up on the plane. You soon discover that they all share one thing in common-they're all big-time screwed up. One's a murderer, one's a drug addict, one's on the run from the law(for murder), one had an affair, to name just a few. Oh, yeah, and they all hate their fathers. Hooked yet? It gets better. Then, you discover even further that they are all linked somehow to each other. And you don't know how or why, so you keep watching. And watching. And watching. It has become an addiction. Shawn, who has a lot more emotional stability than me, has no problem walking away from the whole thing. He'll watch it with me just to keep me company, but he finds the whole thing ridiculous. Obviously, NOT a true fan. I, for one, have become too emotionally invested in the characters and it would be next to impossible for me to walk away now. I need closure, and I just want them to find happiness. Only Josh and Kristina understand my predicament. So, if you have nothing productive to do this summer, check out the DVDs, starting with Season 1, and get all caught up for the next season which begins in January. I promise, you'll get gleefully lost with the rest of us.
Speaking of "lost", did you hear about the lost civilization "discovered" in South America? It was plastered all over the news as being this major discovery, and then it turned out to be a hoax concocted by some reporter, so as to prove his point about the destruction of the rain forest or something like that. Which one of these characters actually turned out to be the lost one, mmmmm?

P.S. To you LOST fans-what are some of your "LOST" theories: Were they all orchestrated by some mastermind to come together?....Are they dead?......give us your theory:)

MagMadness MONDAY!!!

2008-06-30T08:20:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AMERICA!!

Yesterday in Primary the girls learned a new song I had never heard before. It's found in the Children's Songbook, called "My Country." We couldn't get it out of our heads and sang it all day to each other. The words go like this:

This is my country! I sing it with pride,
Whether it's desert, sand duned and wide,
Mountains with pine trees, land ice-berg bound.
It's here where my home and my loved ones are found.

This is my country, and all that I do,
Should make it mighty, noble, and true.
I love my country! Long may it be
A land where my people are honest and free.

We can't stop singing this song. It's a very happy, catchy tune. You can listen to it at lds.org. I love how it describes, not only the diverse landscape we enjoy, but also the special role we each play in making this country the great nation it is. We hope you enjoy your July Fourth celebration this year! We wish we could be with all of you...maybe someday....
In the meantime, we are including some great quotes by our church leaders about our nation and the Constitution, seeing as in this past week, we saw how close it came to being altered. Happy Fourth Everyone!

"If we would make the world better, let us foster a keener appreciation of the freedom and liberty guaranteed by the government of the United States as framed by the founders of the nation."
David O. McKay

"Next to being one in worshipping God, there is nothing in this world upon which this Church should be united than in upholding and defending the Constitution of the United States."

David O. McKay

"The Constitution of the United States is a glorious standard; it is founded on the wisdom of God. It is a heavenly banner; it is to all those who are privileged with the sweets of its liberty, like the cooling shades and refreshing waters of a great rock in a thirsty and weary land. It is like a great tree under whose branches men from every clime can be shielded from the burning rays of the sun."

Joseph Smith

"Those men who laid the foundation of this American government and signed the Declaration of Independence were the best spirits the God of heaven could find on the face of the earth. They were choice spirits...noble spirits before God."

Wilford Woodruff

"This nation, founded on the principles laid down by men whom God raised up, will never fail...I have faith in America; you and I must have faith in America, if we understand the teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ."

Harold B. Lee

"The Almighty raised up this nation by the power of his omnipotent hand, that it might be possible in the latter days for the kingdom of God to be established in the earth. His hand has been over this nation, and it is his purpose and design to enlarge it, make it glorious...to the end that those who are kept in bondage and serfdom may be brought to the enjoyment of the fullest freedom and liberty of conscience possible for intelligent men to exercise in the earth."
Joseph F. Smith

Rachel turns SIX!!!

2008-06-24T04:31:00.000-07:00

It's hard for us to believe we have a six year old, but, yes, it is true. Rachel celebrated her birthday with flare on Saturday. Thanks for all of your cards and phone calls to her! Once again, the favorite gifts were from both Grandmas, (it's like they've done this before or something:) They know what's up! Rachel was up bright and early and ready to celebrate, so being the good parents that we are, we sent her downstairs to watch Saturday morning cartoons, while we got a little more shut-eye. I don't think she minded. Followed by favorite cereal for breakfast(Lucky Charms), opening Grandma Rolph's present,(because she couldn't wait), and trip to the zoo! There was a nine month old gorilla there...so cute... and it resembled the size of our little, or not so little, Kristina. She's our little "chunk-o-burnin'-love." The zoo was fun and exhausting, and we made it home in time to finish the b-day cake, head off to her favorite restaurant(Tacos Guaymos) and open presents before we all collapsed in bed. Great day!

MagMadness MONDAY!!!

2008-06-23T08:45:00.000-07:00

HONK-IF YOU LOVE TO SCRAPBOOK!

This was a bumper sticker I saw the other day, that gave me a little chuckle. Not because I don't appreciate a dedicated scrapbooker, but mostly because I was picturing others actually honking. And then I was picturing the driver responding to the honks. Would she (assuming that most scrapbookers are female) give an enthusiastic "thumbs-up" or would both cars pull into the nearest parking lot and exchange scrapbooking info? (i.e. where to find the best scrapbooking deals, or location of next scrapbooking party, etc.) I'm sure it would make her feel good to be validated by other scrapbookers. After all, we all understand the cost it takes to be a dedicated scrapbooker, and maybe this person has a hard time justifying the spending to her husband. Therefore, a few honks around town might actually convince him that it's a passion worth investing in. ("Honey, why is everyone honking at you?" "Oh, it's just someone who loves to scrapbook, dear.") I could really get into having some validation. Can you imagine the parade of horns that would follow me around town if my bumper sticker said, "Honk, if you have screaming kids in the back seat?" That would make me feel better. Or, "Honk, if your child's bladder is about to explode, and you can't make it home because of all the idiot drivers slowing you down?" That might facilitate some honking. It makes a person feel good to know others share in their joy/misery. So, my question to you is, if you could display your passion for the world to see, what would it be? And is it a passion in need of some validation? Tell us and we'll help!

Our little ballerina...:)

2008-06-17T17:26:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday was Rachel's first ballet recital. It was a hit! For a couple of months, she's been nervous to dance in front of an audience for fear that she would mess up. Just a few months ago, she danced by herself in our ward Primary Talent Show and choreographed a masterpiece on the spot. It was very moving. So when I reminded her of this, that she danced in front of the entire Primary by herself, she replied, "But those were my OWN moves." Apparently someone else's moves are harder to remember. Well, after a successful dress rehearsal with only minor issues, such as which side of the stage to exit from, Rachel danced to perfection to the song "So Long, Farewell" from The Sound of Music. She did great, as did all the other tots in the class. It was a long day-they had two recitals to perform, each lasting 2 and 1/2 hours long-but Rachel hung in there and looked so pretty. Grandma Colleen came to the morning performance, which was a big highlight, then Shawn and the girls came to see it that night. We were all tired from a long day, but her mom was living the dream, that's for sure. The best part was coming home to flowers and a grand photo shoot in the backyard...enjoy!!!

Mom's not sleeping through the night-when will she learn??

2008-06-17T02:33:00.000-07:00

I'm having one of those "the-kids-are-asleep-so-why-in-the-name-of-all-that-is-good-and-true am-I-awake" nights.(Who's with me?) AARGGH!! On the positive side, I am having some rather pleasant and uninterrupted time mindlessly perusing the internet and catching up on all of your lives. I didn't think I would be so into this blog thing, but I have to say that peeking into the lives of everyone we know and love on a daily basis has been great, especially when many of you are so far away from us. Anyhoo, I've had a spark of creativity, which doesn't happen often, so brace yourselves 'cause I'm about to share...
I've been enjoying reading the personal blogs of a couple of my dear, sweet friends, who humor me with their gift for writing on just about anything. And while this technically-challenged person(me) could in no way handle another blog, I thought it would be a good outlet for me to occasionally share some of my random thoughts on life with you, so as not to overload these poor friends with my tendency to ramble on and on about nothing on the phone. Kind of like what I'm doing right now, only you can turn this off at any time, and they can't hang up on me-that would be rude. SO-as to not overload you, the reader,(and I will fill Shawn in on this in the morning), we will now be having a weekly post that will be about anything we want, whatever floats our boat for that particular week. I was thinking we could call it "MagMadness Monday" or some catchy name like that-you can help decide if you want. Anyway, look for that in the future-and we hope it be a small source of entertainment and enlightenment. In the meantime, I'll be posting pictures of Rachel's dance recital(too cute) for you all to enjoy tomorrow. Good night!!

kids say the darndest things

2008-06-09T15:16:00.000-07:00

The other day, Rachel asked, "Mom, don't you get bored doing the same thing every day, over and over again, like you know, CLEAN?". Mmm, maybe she could start helping out a bit, so I could add more variety to my day. The next day, I told Brooke I was getting braces in a couple weeks and she replied, "Braces? Are you going to turn into a baby sitter?" Funny how they think...

Rachel is sporting a new look

2008-06-05T21:47:00.000-07:00

Yes-this is Rachel, in case you couldn't recognize her, who has now entered into the official world of "cool". Shawn and I have officially entered into a new relationship with the Tooth Fairy, who has either come into some money over the years, or is just really generous to the children of Marysville. (We've done some research). I've also got a big beef with our education system for teaching these little kindergartners the value of money so early(how dare they)so a dime just doesn't cut it any more...Anyhoo, she has been fixated on this thing coming out since she first discovered it was loose. After a couple of weeks of wiggling, Shawn(ahem, Dr. Magelsen) decided it was extraction time. Now, picture thousands of dollars being poured into your higher education, and an office full of sterile tools, and what would you do? Find the greasiest pair of needlenose pliers in the garage, of course! So Rachel assumed the position on the kitchen counter, and with one easy tug, out it came! We think she looks as cute as ever, and she was the coolest girl in her class the next day. My only regret is that I didn't savor her "baby" smile one last time before it was altered forever.

...the doctor at work

Yes-we are actually posting something!

2008-06-05T21:25:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone!! In case you are one of the handful of people who have visited our blog, we have made a new commitment to actually give you something to read. This is a new venture for me, as I am not the most technically savy person, but I am slowly giving into the pressures to make myself more in tune with the rest of the world. We hope this will provide you with some entertainment and fun updates on our lives and the lives of the kiddies. Enjoy!!

2008-02-03T11:24:00.001-08:00

2008-02-03T11:17:00.000-08:00