The Blickenstaff Family

2011-03-25T15:35:00.002-06:00

Last night Baden pulled his first top tooth (actually his dad pulled it). Losing teeth at our house is a big deal because we tend to like to hang on to them. Last Fall the dentist had to pull two of Baden's and Gavin is getting ready to have a few pulled also. So last night when that tooth came out we all gave a big cheer! We then spent the next ten minutes talking like Daffy Duck (tho thilly). This morning the boys were counting the quarters that the Tooth Fairy had left and Gavin said "Only five? Thath Dithpicable!" Ohhh good times. I'm still giggling about that. All five of those quarters were promptly spent on Squishies down at the pharmacy first thing after school. He got several he had been hoping for including a green alligator. I could see the joy on his face as he ran back to the car and said "YETH! Thith ith the luckieth day of my life!"

We'll have a Jack-O-Lantern for Easter this year.

Dad's the best tooth puller! I guess I don't have the guts.

2011-03-25T15:08:00.000-06:00

All winter long I have been waiting for a day when my chores would be done and I could sit on my couch and just watch the snow fall. Well today's the day, although I've realized my chores are never through (what was I thinking?) And today might be my last chance, it is after all March 25 and even though it sometimes seems like it might...Winter does not last forever. So when I went to pick up the kids from school today I went barefoot in my car - because feeling the hot air from my heater blowing on my cold feet is one of my favorite things (next to driving with the windows down and the AC on in the Summer). There really is so much to enjoy in the Winter time. Hot chocolate, cozy sweaters, going to bed early, fluffy socks, ski days, the way my kids look with their backpacks over their coats, putting on my snow boots to shovel the driveway (I don't love shoveling, but I do love putting on my boots), savoring the way the oven warms up my kitchen as I bake. How many times did I bake snickerdoodles for my kids this Winter? Dozens. These are things that do not happen in the summer, and I will miss these snow days when they're gone. But spring will soon come, and after this lovely day I will be ready.

2011-03-23T15:39:00.000-06:00

Hooray! We got Kelsey dropped of at the MTC today! She was very brave, though a little stressed that her luggage seemed bigger than the other missionaries ; ). She's ready for this and it will be great to see what adventures she experiences. My mom started a blog for her if you'd like to check in on her.

We will miss her dump truck loads. But like I told Baden last night, there are people waiting for her to change their lives. We are glad to share her! And we will be so glad to have her come home again in 519 days (who's counting?)

New Beginnings

2011-03-22T15:51:00.000-06:00

Several years ago I was a Laurel advisor in our ward. It was a calling I loved, and there were three girls who I felt a special closeness to. They were all as different as can be, and I loved them for their uniqueness. In the last few weeks I have watched each of them begin new and important chapters of their lives. One was married, one accepted a mission call, and another began chemo therapy. The love that I have for them has caused me to step back, and reflect on God's love and awareness for each of us on our own journey through life.

Last week my family was able to go to the temple on behalf of my brother Tanner who died from cancer thirteen years ago. It was a day we had looked forward to, and as we stood together as a family, all I could think was, "he's here!" It was good to feel close to him. My friends battle with cancer has kept him on my mind. I love the way she has met this challenge head on, just like Tanner did. Their courage seems to lift everyone a little higher.

When I got home from the temple we found out that my new little niece, Sage, had been born in Idaho. Again, I had to step back and reflect on the new beginnings that were happening on both sides of the veil that hour. Every aspect of our lives are beautiful when you can see God's hand in it.

2011-03-11T16:43:00.000-07:00

The other day while grocery shopping I happened upon a line of products that had aroma therapy fragrances in them. They featured two of my favorite fragrances, lemon verbena and geranium. Mmmm. So of course I bought the hand soap and the counter spray. later while I was cleaning up the house I thought to myself (seriously) how much my family would appreciate me for making such a lovely home for them. I cooked dinner and had everything just right as Jer got home from work.

Well, nobody liked the dinner I made. Everyone was grouchy. Reese cried all evening. The phone kept ringing. Before I knew it, it was time to put the kids to bed. After they were asleep I folded some laundry and one last time sprayed and wiped the counter tops. As Jer walked out of the kitchen he casually said "that stuff kind of stinks, huh?"

Needless to say, I overreacted. I was destroyed. I realize that Jer is entitled to his preferences, and this matter was after all, only about preferences. So why was I so sad about it? Jer looked at me like I might be insane when I said "I don't think we're meant to be together" Ha ha - only joking. Jer is perfect for me actually. I guess I was just trying to show off the 'invisible work' that I do . I thought of a talk I heard a while back by Doctors Bill & Chris Marshall called "Love at Home". They talk about 'invisible work'. The endless tasks like laundry and dishes that nobody realizes has even been done until it hasn't been, and then you get assaulted by kids needing socks and their favorite shirt or tinkerbell jammies. And now every time I use that delicious soap I feel like i'm causing offense. Grrr.

Well this morning when Avery opened her closet to find her favorite outfit waiting for her she said "oh my! I am so happy! You're the best mommy in the world" (she's always this passionate about small things, it's her gift). Funny how such a small amount of recognition can make me feel so warm and fuzzy.

The Empty Sea

2011-03-07T21:47:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, Kelsey took Gavin and Avery for a drive. She asked them "Do you want to see where I'm going to live for a few months?" So she drove them down to the MTC to get a good look. Gavin then asked "Kels, is there really an empty sea in there?" cute.

2011-03-04T09:46:00.000-07:00

It's been 18 months since I last posted. It's been a really busy time in my life. But a great friend recently inspired me to once again commit to this 'journal'. In the last year we have experienced some significant events. Here's an update:

On August 16th 2010, Reese Jean was born. She is a character. Our only baby born with hair (brown hair!), she is a beauty. She is full of life. Curious, playful, noisy, silly, hungry, delicious. These are words we use to describe our little Reeses Pieces (Pieces for short).

In the last few months, we have lost two grandmothers. First was Jeremy's paternal grandmother Francell Blickenstaff. She was someone special, I love her so much. It was hard to let her go because she continued being a mother to all of her family until her last breath. From the first day I met her, she adopted me as her granddaughter, and I always felt so loved by her. She is so missed.

Last month my maternal grandmother, Margene Kirk, passed away. She also was filled with unconditional love. Her last years were painful, difficult and lonely. She had lost her eyesight, and was completely dependent for her care. Yet, I am grateful her life was prolonged, because I was able to see her through adult eyes, and better understand her life. She was a beautiful person. There will come a day when we will meet again, and when we do, I will share with her my gratitude, my love and my respect for all she accomplished in her life. I hope she already knows.

Baden was baptized in January. It was HUGE moment for us as well as him. He seems to understand the promises he made much better than I did at his age. My love and appreciation for the gospel has taken a new meaning as I experience it through my children's eyes.

My baby sister Kelsey has received a mission call to serve in South Korea. The process has again allowed my to apply my faith, and see Gods love unfold. She leaves on the 23rd of this month. She will be so missed, But I couldn't imagine a better place for her to be right now. Love you Kels!

2009-09-19T17:04:00.002-06:00

First Day of School!

This picture makes my laugh because it looks just like the ones my mom took of me in this same exact spot. The sun comes up over the mountains and shines bright in the eyes of all the elementary students each fall!

2009-09-19T16:25:00.003-06:00

Grand Cayman

The water in the bay lights up like a glow stick when you run your hand through it because of little "water fireflies". It was the most amazing thing I've ever seen. It doesn't show in the picture. But this is my brother Ryan and my cousin Scott. They hogged the Kayaks every night. : ) We had to be careful though, because the jellyfish stung those brave enough to swim in the bay.

Sting Ray City! A very cool place where you swim with the rays (out in the open ocean). This is my sister Kelsey. Jeremy was our amazing underwater photographer this trip!

The water was a little deep and the rays were a little big for the comfort of my kids. You can see on Baden's face he is on the lookout for danger.

The diving was amazing and the water was so warm! We saw plenty of turtles too!

My dad taught me to sail on this little hobie cat. I loved it, it was my favorite part of the trip!

2009-09-11T13:22:00.002-06:00

Baden feels like he can do anything with his shark goggles on!

We really wanted to take one of these cute turtles home with us!

We had many hunts for starfish and sand dollars.

We were surprised how fast they actually move!

The kids spent most of their time creating and re-creating homes for the many hermit crabs they caught.

Before the trip, Gavin would not put his face in the water. Only hours after arriving, we found we couldn't get his face out of the water. He swam morning till night and even became a good snorkler.

2009-09-10T12:50:00.002-06:00

Lake of the Woods

Canada

I can't get enough of this beautiful place! It's a few hours out of Winnepeg.

It's a huge lake with 1 acre islands scattered all over it.

We do some great fishing here, and some great sight seeing too.

If you know Lunds, you know we do plenty of teasing too - sorry mom!

Happiness is a good handmade swing!

Ahh...fishing in the rain.

Can you believe this?

2009-09-10T11:57:00.002-06:00

This is when we discovered Jeremy has inner ear issues. We played the 'spin around with your head on a bat' game. Jeremy won after he tripped over the boardwalk and landed in a heap. One of my favorite moments!

A vacation's not complete without a few card games!

Gavin caught the trip's smallest fish!

(along with many dozen other fish!)

Jeremy caught the trip's largest fish!

(at least the largest caught on camera! My dad caught one that was so big it wouldn't fit in the net - and then it got away! Baden says it was as big as a small crocodile!)

This was my first glimpse of a bald eagle in the wild! There were so many in that area!

The picture does not do it justice.

2009-09-06T08:40:00.002-06:00

This year we spent the Fourth of July in Blanding, Utah, whereJeremy's grandmother has lived her whole life. It was a really fun, small town, very american weekend. We went to the ruins, the parade, a boxing match, and watched the fireworks. Avery didn't like the fireworks much - she hid under a seat in the car. My favorite part was playing tag with my kids in grandma's yard during a heavy rainstorm. It was a perfect weekend!

2009-07-01T15:35:00.002-06:00

Today's Gavin's fifth birthday! I can hardly believe it - but he promised this morning that he would stay five forever. We had a Star Wars party for him. All of the kids dressed up like Jedi's - it was cute. We played "Heavy Hang Over" while we opened presents, and Gavin wished for each of his friends to be part of his family.

2009-06-12T12:36:00.001-06:00

I've lived in Utah Valley for most of my life - and had never climbed up to the Y on our mountain! So my neighbor and I packed up the kids one morning and set out. Wow, it's steep! We were both carrying toddlers (hers was bigger than mine, but you don't hear her complaining!) and trying to motivate the rest to keep on trucking up that mountainside! Luckily it was a cloudy day which provided a happy amount of shade for us! I am glad to have that checkmark - but don't expect me to do that again anytime soon!

2009-06-01T10:06:00.002-06:00

This swing is so fun! It hangs from two phone poles and hooks to a wench on another phone pole behind it. The wench pulls you up so high that you feel like you are about to fall out - and then releases you into a second of freefall! Avery is my daredevil and she loves this swing! Here she is riding it with my dad. It's such a beautiful place!

2009-06-01T09:49:00.003-06:00

On Memorial Day weekend we traveled to Mesa, Arizona, where much of my extended family lives to visit my cousin who is on his way to Boise, Idaho to serve his mission! I've been thinking about families a lot lately because we have been talking about them in primary so much this year. And lately I have come to better understand how important those relationships are! Last weekend I went to the baptism of my friends son. They are a tight knit polynesian family, and there were so many family members who attended that we had to move the meeting into the chapel. After the baptism, while we waited for the father and son to change out of their wet clothes, a younger brother, about 5 years old, sang primary songs to us from the microphone. It was so sweet and I was thinking how brave he was, when suddenly in the middle of a verse of I Am a Child of God, he stopped singing! He had forgotten the words. Within a second, the entire family joined together to continue the song! The boy was able to remember the words, and he stepped back up to the microphone to continue where he left off. I started to think about my family, and how when someone loses their way (including myself) the rest are there to continue on, to show us the way and love us. And with time we are able to remember who we are and what we are supposed to do.

2009-06-01T09:03:00.002-06:00

Baden graduated from Kindergarten! He made a lot of friends this year, learned to read, write and do math, loved recess and P.E. and was sad to say goodbye to his teacher Mrs. Stewart! It's been fun for me to see him go to the same school that I went to. Many of the same traditions are still being carried on, and many of the same teachers are there. Baden is looking forward to 1st Grade mostly because now he can play on the Big Playground!

2009-05-19T09:29:00.003-06:00

The other day my friend Amy called to ask for the yummiest dessert recipe I could think of. Needless to say, it's hard to narrow it down. But this cake is so good in the spring and summer! After she made it, I had to make it myself! Mmmm.

Mandarin Orange Cake

For cake: 1 yellow pudding cake mix + 4 eggs

1 stick of butter

1/2 cup oil - whip all together

Whip in 1 can oranges with the juice

pour in 9x13 pan - bake 45 min. at 350 degrees

For topping: 2 sticks of cream cheese

1 cup powdered sugar

1 stick of butter

1 can crushed pineapple - drained

whip all together and spread over cool cake.

top with cool whip and sprinkle coconut if you want.

refridgerate!

2009-05-19T09:01:00.003-06:00

Last week Gavin graduated from preschool! He grew up a lot during the year and loved his teacher a whole bunch! We are sad to say good-bye to Rainbow Preschool. After so many years of teaching, Helen has decided to retire so she can enjoy being a grandma! Thank you Helen, for being a light for my kids!

2009-05-13T10:05:00.002-06:00

The kids had a day off from school Monday, so we packed up and went for a hike up to Stewart Falls. It was such a nice day. We encountered a little snow along the way which made the hike more slippery than we had anticipated, but it just added to the adventure. We were lucky to spot a small snake sunning itself in the path right at the start, which made it worth the two skinned knees still to come. The kids were really tough - the hike is two miles each way, and by the time we made it home, we all needed a nap.

2009-04-27T09:26:00.003-06:00

We waved "see ya later" to our good friend John today! He is on his way home to California to get ready for his mission! We are really going to miss him - especially my kids! He has been so good to them! John has been dating my sister Kelsey this last year, and they spent a lot of their time at my house playing with my kids. He will be a really amazing missionary. Can't wait to see where he goes! Love you John! (Nice Jazz Jersey!)

2009-04-22T17:17:00.001-06:00

2009-04-22T15:56:00.002-06:00

We spent our Spring Break in Puerta Vallarta with Some of Jeremy's Family. We were excited to spend some quality time with our cousins that we never see enough! We lucked out and had fantastic weather! It was hard to keep the kids from getting sunburned because they wanted to be outside every second. Baden loved the pool. He got very brave this trip and jumped off of a bridge into the water (about a five foot drop ). Gavin was soaking up the culture. One day he asked me, "Mom, I'm going to live here - how long will it take me to learn Spanish?". He spent the rest of the day saying "Hola" to everyone he passed, and that night when he was saying his prayer he began to utter a bunch of gibberish and then after said " I said my prayer in Spanish!" Avery was not feeling great, and was a little nervous to get in the water, or touch the sand, or leave my lap for the most part. She did finally decide to sit on the edge of the pool and run her feet through the water. A highlight for her was definitely the specialty drinks. I'm surprised her eyes didn't turn pink after so many Strawberry Smoothies! It was a great trip! Thank you Grandma and Grandpa Blick for the memorable time! We love you!

2009-04-19T12:29:00.002-06:00

He did it! The tooth came out last week while we were in Mexico! While he was playing on the beach one day, he looked down in the sand and found a seashell. After examining the shell he discovered it was actually his tooth! He must have flicked it out with his tongue and not even realized it! The tooth fairy left him a quarter under his pillow that night, and in the morning he said with a smile - "um...my friends get a dollar!" We told him to be glad it was not a peso!

2009-04-09T09:31:00.002-06:00

This is a really great recipe I got from my friend Maureen! We usually have it at Thanksgiving, but I was craving it, and seeing as it's made from carrots and all, I thought it would be perfect for Easter.

Carrot Soup

Saute in soup pot:

6 TBS unsalted butter
1 large onion chopped
1/4 cup ginger root
3 cloves garlic, minced

Add and cook until soft:

7 c. chicken broth
1 c. white wine
1 1/2 lb. carrots

Add:

2 TBS lemon juice
salt & pepper
fresh chives
pinch of curry

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Reheat and serve!

2009-04-09T09:24:00.002-06:00

Baden has big news that he is very excited about! The other day he came running in to show me that he has a loose tooth! And it's not just a little loose, it's almost ready to come out! I didn't expect this to happen so soon - it really caught me off guard. I guess I'll have to really hurry to make a tooth-fairy pillow. Can you tell which tooth is loose from the picture? It's kind of dangling!

2009-03-27T18:01:00.002-06:00

Jeremy always gives our kids funny nicknames, and Avery has so many! When Avery was born the boys and I started calling her Boo Boo Chicken (from some Disney Channel thing we saw) which Jeremy turned into Chicken Dinner. He also calls her:

Pretty Minnie
Min-Min
Pink Stuff (Baden's Favorite)
A
Sis
Sissy
Cinna-Minnie
Minnie
Chicken

2009-03-23T19:47:00.002-06:00

While I was in the process of making these baby shower invitations, I saw this clip from President Uchtdorf. It brought to my attention how much I really do enjoy creating things, even though my ability is much less than many of my talented friends. Sometimes the most I can do is create a cleaner house, or a batch of cookies. But it always makes me feel like I've accomplished something beautiful.

2009-03-23T19:42:00.002-06:00

Now that Baden is reading, he loves to read stories to Gavin. And I have to say that I love it too! Nothing like seeing my boys cuddled up on the couch, reading a story and laughing at the pictures.

2009-03-18T11:09:00.002-06:00

Yes we are trying again! Meet Jasper! He is about 12 weeks old and we love him! Jeremy found a litter of puppies at the Lab Rescue Shelter, and he had to have him. When I went to pick him up, I found out that he was born in Blanding, Utah - which is where Jeremy's dad grew up, and Grandma Blick still lives there. We took it as a sign that it was meant to be. Having a puppy in the house makes me really miss Kish, our first dog. She was a Brittany Spaniel - and a really smart dog. We had to give her away when Jer and I moved to Houston. I wish we had kept her. But now I look foreward to a new relationship with Jasper.

2009-03-18T10:55:00.002-06:00

We have made a tradition of making traps every St. Patricks Day to catch a Leprechaun - This year we found this cute design in a magazine - I can't remember which one. We also made one with a rock wall on the side, but it's been destroyed. When we woke up on St. Patricks day, the traps had been tipped over and the Leprechauns had escaped, but they had turned our milk and toilet water green on their way out. It was a fun day! I love St. Patricks day. We always watch "The Gnome Mobile" and listen to the soundtrack from "Waking Ned Devine" - also one of my favorite movies.

2009-03-05T16:46:00.002-07:00

I love living in Utah! The mountains, the seasons, the weather...and on that note, two days ago we were outside in shorts getting sunburned and this morning we wake up to inches of fresh snow and a crisp blue sky. It's so beautiful to me.

2009-03-05T11:01:00.002-07:00

Avery turned 18 months last weekend - and it suddenly brought to our attention that she is a big girl now! On Sunday she went right into nursery with her big girl pigtails and she looked so tall to me, even though she is quite short for her age. Avery is by far my bravest baby. Her brothers are very attentive, and teach her everything they know, and she is anxious to learn. She loves to play outside - especially on the slide and the tramp - oh, she loves the tramp. She blows bubbles in the tub and swims like a fish. When our puppy Jasper knocks her down, she cries for a minute and then comes back for more. She loves to sit at the computer with her hand on the mouse just staring at the screen - trying so hard to be like those big brothers!

2009-02-16T17:24:00.002-07:00

For any of you who don't know Gavin very well, let me just say that he has many, many layers to him. You never know what is going to come out of his mouth. Sometimes he will say "Mom, I have a secret...you're my best friend" or " Mom, when I grow up, I'm going to marry you." Other days he has a little more...spunk. Last month after a great snow storm we took our kids sledding behind my moms house. We were out there for a couple of hours and had a great time! Baden wore out before Gavin did, so to encourage Gavin to head home happily I said "let's go get a snack and some hot cocoa!" to which Gavin replied "Are we having a snack at our house or at Grammies?" I said "Our house, of course" Gavin quickly took off his gloves and threw them down on the snow and screamed "Then it will NOT be a delicious one!!!" My laughter enraged him as it does each time I repeat the story. It still makes me laugh!

2009-02-15T13:49:00.002-07:00

For Christmas Kelsey gave Avery this cute skirt. At the time she cried when we tried to put it on her, but suddenly now she loves it. We all laughed for the longest time while she twirled and posed for the camera. What a girlie girl.

2009-02-15T13:39:00.002-07:00

Who's more fun than Aunt Kelsey? Last Thursday she stopped by and decided to make cupcakes. Several hours and three grocery store runs later she finished her project. We had some trouble finding red and purple sprinkles (too close to Valentines Day maybe?).

2009-02-15T13:31:00.003-07:00

Hickory Dickory Dock
the mouse ran up the clock
the clock struck one
the mouse ran down
hickory dickory dock.

This year "Nursery Rhyme" day for kindergarten and preschool fell in the same week. So we made a clock for both the boys to use. It was a fun project.

2009-01-21T16:11:00.002-07:00

Baden turned six last week! He took his friends to the Bean Museum to see the reptile show. He was so excited to find a turtle of his own waiting for him at home, a gift from his Aunt Kelsey. Maybe this pet will last longer than our last!

2008-12-03T14:22:00.001-07:00

Last night we went with Grandma Blick and Uncle Jason to ride the Heber Creeper, which at Christmas time turns into the Polar Express! The kids all wore their jammies and we sat sipping hot cocoa and eating cookies while waiting to see Santa. Just before he arrived, we read the story "The Polar Express" and the kids drew pictures with their fingers on the steamy windows. Santa finally came and handed out sleigh bells to all of the children. The elves told jokes and we all sang Christmas carols. The look on Gavin's face when he first spied Santa was magic. Thank you Grandma and Grandpa for this memorable experience! We love you!

2008-11-24T15:06:00.003-07:00

I took this video of Baden three years ago. I thought he was so grown up at the time, but now as I watch it I am overwhelmed at how fast time goes by. The last few days I've had the Charles Dickens quote on my mind "I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach." Thank you Baden for being my first, for being patient with me while I learn how to be your mom, and for teaching me to live and love with enthusiasm. I love you!

2008-11-07T10:58:00.006-07:00

Avery has learned to stand and crawl in the same week! If this seems strange to you, remember that she has been scooting around up until now! Nothing makes the boys giggle like their little sister crawling like a normal baby! I promised my mom that I would keep Avery from walking until her return from Africa (so she won't miss the big moment), but it will be a close call. Avery wants to walk - hurry home mom!

2008-11-07T10:35:00.008-07:00

Last night Jeremy and our boys went to a Utah Jazz signing party! Coach Sloan and Carlos Boozer were nice enough to take some pictures with the kids! They came home with two hats and a basketball filled with signatures!

2008-11-06T17:32:00.002-07:00

A Big Congratulations to my brother-in-law Joel for passing the BAR exam!
(not that anyone was surprised!)

~ And congrats to you too April, it's a team effort! ~

2008-11-03T16:25:00.005-07:00

Family Business

(a family home evening tradition)

- Baden is excited for his first SEP conference on Monday

- Gavin LOVES to play at Owen's house

-Avery got a new tooth (her 3rd) and crawls on her hands and knees. (it's a big deal)

-Jeremy and Chrissy were given new church callings on Sunday. Jer is the Young Men's President, and I am the 1st counselor in primary. This is my first time in primary since I was 11!

High: Halloween

Low: Saying goodbye to previous callings.

Owl Cookies

2008-11-03T13:20:00.005-07:00

My nanny Melanie Taught us how to make these cute cookies when I was a kid. I love passing this tradition on to my kids.

1 c. brown sugar packed

3/4 c. butter softened

1 tsp. vanilla

1 egg

2 1/4 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate, melted

1/2 tsp. baking soda

chocolate chips

cashews

In a large bowl, beat brown sugar and butter with a mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and egg until blended. Beat in flour, baking powder, and salt until well blended. Place 1 c. of dough in small bowl and blend in melted chocolate and baking soda.

On plastic wrap, press half of light dough to form 10x4 in strip. Shape half of chocolate mixture into 10 in. roll. Mold sides of light dough around chocolate and wrap in plastic wrap. Repeat with remaining dough. Put in fridge for 1 hour.

Heat oven to 350. cut dough into 1/4 in. slices. Put two slices together and pinch corners to make the face. Stick on chocolate chips and cashew for eyes and beak.

Bake 10 min. until edges are golden brown.

2008-11-03T12:54:00.001-07:00

Happy Halloween!

We had a great time at all of the Halloween parties this year (the more opportunities to wear our costumes the better)! The Boys chose their costumes based on the weapons that came with them - obviously. Baden chose to be an army soldier (which came with guns and a knife and an assortment of gadgets). Gavin chose to be Prince Caspian because it came with a sword that turned out to be taller than him. Avery was a lion, and a very cute one, as long as she had a lollipop in her mouth! Poor Jeremy, who hates dressing up, let me pick his costume this year. We were pirates, and Jer was a REALLY good sport! Love you Jer!

My Grandma invited us to a halloween party at her care facility, which was so fun. I love my grandma! She lost her sight a few years ago and needs a lot of assistance for everything. She was also a good sport at the party, and came out in her wheelchair to enjoy the party. I watched her sit in her wheelchair with a big smile on her face while

she enjoyed the sound of the children's laughter. I can't imagine I would be as patient given her circumstances, and I love her dearly. My cousin Bethany and my Aunt Debbie also were there. Aren't families great!

2008-11-03T12:00:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday Grandpa Lund!

We Love you!

Friends

2008-11-01T12:48:00.004-06:00

We had a perfect Halloween this year. The sky was cloudy and gloomy all day, and a few hours before Trick-or-treat we had a light rainstorm which brought out the smell of the fallen leaves. You can see in the picture of Katherine and me, that as the night got darker the sky turned positively spooky. We had such a great time at trunk-or-treat, visiting with great friends and admiring each others costumes. Isn't baby Amy the perfect picture of Halloween?

2008-10-27T15:12:00.002-06:00

My Dad is so awesome! He wrote a song about his experience in Africa and sang it for the Nu Skin Convention last Saturday! It was beautiful, and very moving. This is not something I ever thought I would see my dad do. He was so brave, and it was well worth it.

2008-10-27T14:27:00.003-06:00

Family Business

(a family home evening tradition)

- Baden gave a talk on service in primary yesterday! (he did great!)

-Gavin gave a prayer in primary yesterday! (actually I gave the prayer... but Gavin stood there!)

-Jer & Chrissy met the Goo Goo Dolls (it was better than expected)

-Avery stood up all by herself yesterday for the first time!

High: Watching Dad sing the Africa Song at the Nu Skin Convention

Low: Putting Avery's baby clothes into storage. (I miss those days!)

2008-10-27T14:21:00.002-06:00

The Goo Goo Dolls came to the Nu Skin convention last weekend. It was a great show! We got to meet them after!

2008-10-27T14:05:00.002-06:00

Jason's Dutch Oven Dinner Night!

2008-10-19T21:22:00.002-06:00

We had a full UEA weekend this year. The weather is absolutely gorgeous and I don't remember a fall with more vibrant colors or mild temperatures. I took the kids to Barnyard Boo out at Thanksgiving Point on Thursday. I had never been before, and we had a great time. Early Friday morning we took Gavin down to the hospital to have his second set of tubes put in his ears and his adenoids taken out. He seems to take after me in the "don't let the doctor touch me" department. But we had a great anesthesiologist who treated him like gold and made the whole experience much, much easier than last time. I'm writing a letter to the hospital to sing his praise. Gavin has been a champ during recovery. We had hoped that losing the adenoids would alleviate his snoring, but last night when I checked on him he was as loud as ever, I could hear him down the hall - poor kid. We spent the rest of the day at Cornbelly's which has been a really fun Halloween tradition for our family. A highlight for us this year was getting to crack open a geode and launching pumpkins out of a canon. We also found that Avery goes nuts over slides. The boys are getting braver every year when it comes to "The Beast" (a dragon-like monster that you walk through similar to a haunted house) but they still don't love it like I do. Halloween is my #2 most favorite holiday - second only to Christmas. Saturday night, Grandma & Grandpa Blick came over because Jason cooked a dutch oven dinner for us that was AMAZING! Thanks Jason. Sunday we spent with my dad's side of the family. It was a good old fashioned Lund family Sunday. It was a great UEA - and now it's back to school, work and laundry.

2008-10-13T14:51:00.002-06:00

I went with Gavin's preschool class on a field trip to the fire station, which we were both really excited about! He got to climb through a fire truck, wear firefighter clothes and spray the hose. Too bad my flash stopped working and my pictures are blurry - grr.

2008-10-13T14:22:00.003-06:00

Pumpkin Bars

4 eggs

1 - 2/3 c. sugar

1 c. oil

1 16oz. can pumpkin

2 c. flour

2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. salt

Frosting

1 3oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 c. butter softened

1 tsp. vanilla

2 c. powdered sugar

Beat eggs, sugar oil and pumpkin till fluffy. stir in dry ingredients.

Bake on 15x10x1 baking pan at 350 degrees for 25 min. cool and frost.

Frosting: cream together cream cheese and butter.

Add vanilla and sugar in small amounts, beat well.

2008-10-06T16:49:00.004-06:00

Mashed Potatoes

6 cups cubed redskin potatoes

3 heaping TBS horseradish

3/4 cup butter softened

1 1/2 tsp. salt, and to taste

1 1/2 cups shredded Gouda cheese.

Boil potatoes until very soft - Drain.

Add butter, salt and whip until butter melts.

Whip in remaining ingredients.

Serves about 6.

2008-10-06T13:11:00.003-06:00

Avery turned one last month! She is a joy for our whole family.

It's so fun to make a girlie cake!

How about a little help

Kelsey gave Avery some funny baby high heels!

2008-10-05T20:13:00.004-06:00

Jeremy was the soccer coach for my boy's team this fall. It was a lot of fun, and we had a great team with fun kids. These are some clips of my boys:

When Baden plays soccer he pretends to be Anakin Skywalker and he's flying in a starship. If you watch, you can tell.

Gavin is 4. We have found with our kids that at age 4, soccer is all about exposure : )

2008-10-05T20:05:00.004-06:00

Seriously, this is how she moves around!

2008-09-26T15:06:00.005-06:00

Last week we went to N.Y. with our friends for a business trip (meaning that the guys work while the girls play). It was my first trip since 9/11 and I felt very patriotic as I walked around the city. We also saw Wicked, which was awesome. I love New York.

2008-09-26T10:56:00.002-06:00

Last weekend we went to Moab, Utah where Jeremy, Jason and John rode in a 100 mile bike race. They had great times, no injuries and a lot of fun!! Meanwhile, Jennifer and I worked really hard relaxing by the pool with the kids. That night we spent time at Grandma Blick's place in Blanding, Utah. We love her!

The end of an era

2008-08-25T13:01:00.003-06:00

Baden started kindergarten today. He's going to Rock Canyon Elementary - the same school I attended. The smell of the school as we entered the doors brought back many memories. Baden has been very excited for this day. He is mostly looking forward to the library where he was able to spy a few snake books the other day.

2008-08-25T12:56:00.003-06:00

I admit I thought it would be horrible when Baden left me to go to Kindergarten, yet as the day drew near, his excitement rubbed off on me. Baden will absolutely love Kindergarten! I didn't even cry too much on the way home.

2008-08-13T09:04:00.002-06:00

This was our first real attempt at a family vacation. We packed up my parents RV and left for a week at Yellowstone. It was perfect, at least as far as I'm concerned. The boys were disappointed with the wildlife - even though we saw deer, elk, four bears and buffalo in abundance - because all they wanted to see was a rattlesnake and a black widow spider. Nice!

2008-07-20T20:57:00.002-06:00

I have to make note of this picture because it makes me so happy! My kids are the type that will never give a natural smile in a picture. They are always looking off to the side or closing their eyes or making a goofy face...it drives me crazy! But we recently went to the zoo where I was able to get this pic of Gavin. This is the happy boy I know!

2008-07-20T20:37:00.002-06:00

I love watching how girlie Avery's nature is. The other day I sat her down in a room with toys all over the floor. The toys, of course, are all either boyish or gender neutral items like star-wars figures, balls, blocks, musical instruments and stuffed animals. We own one doll that I bought for her last Christmas (because I couldn't resist) knowing that it would be ages before she would ever play with it. The second she saw the doll she went straight for it, picked her up and hugged her! I couldn't believe that she even knew what to do with a doll - I never showed her! The only time the doll was played with before was when the boys were swinging it by the head! I love that she, at 11 months old, already has a nurturing nature. Needless to say she and her dolly have been inseparable ever since.

2008-07-07T21:59:00.002-06:00

Happy Fourth!

2008-07-07T12:59:00.007-06:00

Luke joined our family on July 1st (Gavin's Birthday) I'm sure you can guess that he is named after Star Wars! He is a Puggle (half pug half beagle) and he's a whole lot of fun. When we introduced him to the kids they screamed "don't let him touch me!" - Not really the reaction we expected, but they love him more every day. Avery likes to laugh at him from a distance, but when they get close to each other they both can be a little rough. Her first word aside from "momma" and "dadda" was "dog".

2008-06-14T21:33:00.003-06:00

Best Friends

It amazes me every day how two little boys who fight so much (and I mean a lot) can love each other so much. But then I think about who my best friends are today - and I've fought "to the death" with every one of them.

2008-06-14T12:15:00.004-06:00

The Harley bug seems to be in the water in our neighborhood, because one by one the men are dropping like flies. Every sunny Saturday morning a group of 10 or 15 guys go for a ride to Heber City for breakfast or through various canyons. What I want to know is - Where's your helmet?

2008-06-14T12:00:00.003-06:00

Love at first sight.

Avery took to Grandma quicker than usual the first time they met. They seemed to have a sincere connection. Like the girls they are, they bonded through grandmas pretty necklace, which Avery couldn't get enough of.

2008-06-14T11:01:00.002-06:00

Where did Avery get those eyes from?

This is a question often asked, and although we have many shades of blue eyes on both sides of our family - there's no denying this match.

2008-06-14T09:25:00.002-06:00

Summertime

The Blicks love summertime, but this year we've had a slow start. Cold rainy days have left us wondering what season it is. We are looking forward to warm summertime adventures soon. This month we are going to Lake Powell right after Jeremy returns from the annual (and very manly) fishing trip to Lake of the Woods. In July we are spending a week in Yellowstone hunting with sticks for snakes and bears. We are also excited about the big project next door - we are landscaping the yard and watching every day with great anticipation. I must say that the best part of summer for me is watching my kids ride their bikes down the street and cutting the grass with their dad (whose favorite part of summer is Saturday morning motorcycle rides with the guys).