Christmas Program

It is always fun to go the school Christmas program. The kids are so excited to get to perform for their families. What I love most is that it is still a Christmas program!! There are fun songs and songs about Christ. It is so nice that we haven't had to remove Christ from Christmas!! It was fun to watch the boys dance and sing and have a good time. Our music teacher, Mrs. Mitchell, puts a lot of time and energy in preparing these programs, and they are always so nice. I love the all school carolling at the end of the program too. All the kids just sing their hearts out! Kenna was so jealous of the boys getting to wear their Christmas clothes. She didn't understand why she couldn't wear her Christmas dress too. I love the holiday season!!

Aaron - 4th grade

Aidan - 2nd grade

My handsome boys all ready for their school Christmas program!

Aidan dancing away!

Musical Aaron

Everything's Coming Up Rosie!

I can't believe my baby is 1 year old!! Where has the time gone? Our sweet little Ashlee Rose (or Rosie as her daddy calls her) is growing up too fast. She started walking at 9 months and has never looked back. She runs everywhere and is starting to talk. She surprises us everyday with something new that she says. It is all on her terms though. She is a spunky, independent, social, loveable little girl! She is most definitely the "baby" of the family. She has everyone wrapped around her fingers. Her brothers and sisters basically jump when she says jump. It is Ashlee's way or the highway. We celebrated her birthday with her grandmas and grandpas a few days after her birthday. She was loving all the attention! The more attention the better for Ash. She is so social and loves people. The video is from her actual birthday. We couldn't go to bed without singing happy birthday to her. She loved every minute of it!

At her 12 month checkup, Ashlee weighed in at a whopping 18 lbs. (15th %) and measured 28 3/4 inches long (25th %). She is a healthy, little Jacobsen girl!

Ash is such a happy little girl! She loves to smile, laugh, and tease. Her blue eyes just sparkle. Despite being sick more often than not, she is usually a pretty easy little girl. Yes, she is busy and keeps us on our toes, but I know that someday I will miss someone pulling on my pant leg, or emptying all the sacks out of the cupboard, or dumping the combs and hair things out of the bathroom drawer, or stealing her brother's frog (as in the pic above) and running with it so he will chase her. She keeps our house hopping and all of us smiling!

We had to have pics of the birthday girl with Daddy and Mommy! We are the luckiest parents to be entrusted by our Heavenly Father to have her sweet spirit in our home. We have an awesome responsibility to channel her energy and social personality to do her Heavenly Father's work!

I usually make and decorate my kids' birthday cakes, but when it came time to choose a cake for Ash I couldn't think of anything more appropriate than a cake full of roses for our little Rosie. BUT, my cake decorating skills are very limited and roses are not anything I would even begin to attempt. Thank goodness I have a sweet friend, Chrissy Lennon, that is a very good cake decorator and was willing to add making Ash's cake to her hectic schedule right before Christmas. The cakes turned out fabulous!! My mom and I were in awe of the basket weaving around the sides!! It tasted fabulous and made for a fun 1st birthday!

She was loving being sung to again and being the center of attention. She just wanted to touch the candle, so Mom had to help blow it out.

She didn't need any help figuring out how to open presents. She had already opened a few Christmas presents so she had it down pat. She was so excited to not get into trouble while tearing the paper.

The 1st birthday tradition is to have smash cake for them to tear into. I figured by the way she went after the big rose cake while I was trying to take her picture that she would just dig into her own cake. WRONG!! Notice the one little finger kind of touching the cake and the expression on her face. She was really not into digging into her cake. She never really got excited about it until we gave her a fork. The excitement came from flinging cake all over the kitchen! Crazy little girl! She did have some frosting on her but most of that was from spitting back out at us what we tried to feed her or what she had flung all over. She doesn't know what she was missing out on. The cake was delicious!! (But I guess I shouldn't have expected too much out of my little girl that will not eat table food!)

"Here! Maybe you would like a taste?"

"Just get me out of my chair. This really isn't fun like you told me it would be!"

"Nice try, Mom."

"Maybe just a little taste."

"Now this is how it should be! Flinging it all over the kitchen is so much more fun!"

"Seriously! The fun is over! Get me out of here!"

My darling little Ashlee,

You are my little lifesaver!! I would be lying if I told you that the decision to have baby #5 was not a hard one. After the long, difficult pregnancy with Kenna and the financial setback it caused, I really couldn't imagine being pregnant again. But, our loving Heavenly Father kept sending promptings that our family was not complete. It took a lot of faith to trust Heavenly Father that everything would be fine, but we made the decision that we needed to bring one more sweet spirit to our family. I am so thankful for those promptings. You have brought so much joy and happiness to our family. My pregnancy brought many trials and challenges, but it was through these that you became my lifesaver. Because I had doctors that were on top of things and listened to my concerns and didn't pass them off as nothing, you arrived into this world safely and 5 weeks after you were born, I began my journey back to a healthy body. I am so thankful that Heavenly Father blessed me with a wonderful loving husband and mother that took such good care of you for the several weeks that I was unable to even take care of myself. You were blessed with a sweet, laidback disposition as a newborn that made it easier on everyone when others had to step in and act as your mother. I am so thankful that I was able to savor the first 5 weeks of your life -for my chances to snuggle you, nurse you, kiss you, and bond with you. I am thankful for a loving Heavenly Father that has allowed me to stay on this earth to continue to be your mother. To watch you grow and change and develop your sweet personality. To be able to feed you, bathe you, play with you, teach you, kiss and snuggle you, help you learn your potential as a daughter of God. I thank Heavenly Father everyday for you and for his loving hand in providing doctors that are blessed with the knowledge they have to heal the human body. Ashlee, you are my sweet little angel. Thank you for choosing our family to join! I look forward to watching you grow and learn. Thank you for choosing me to be your mother! I love you more than you could ever know!!

Love,

Your mother

Have you ever....

started cring while making your bed? I know...I am weird!! But that is just what happened. Yesterday was bed washing day so I spent the day putting clean sheets back on everyone's beds. As I made each bed, my thoughts wandered to each child and my gratitude to my Heavenly Father for letting me be here still to be their mother. I thought about each of their individual personalities and the many things about them that make me smile. My thoughts wandered to how much I love being a mother and how thankful I am to be able to be at home with them. My undoing was as I was putting the clean sheets on my bed. I was so thankful to be able to wash my sheets and remake my own bed. Sounds crazy, but a year ago and for months before and months after, I wasn't able to do that for my sweet husband and me. I wasn't able to sweep and mop my kitchen floor, vacuum my floors, clean my bathrooms, or pick up my sweet little girls. There was a point where I could barely walk up and down the stairs. As I was making our bed, I could hear my sweetheart in the kitchen listening and singing to Christmas music while cutting up his elk. What a lucky girl I am to have him for my husband!! He has been there to let me lean on him through thick and thin. He is there to always pick up the pieces when I seem to fall apart. I am so thankful to be able to go through this life with beside me. He is the best husband and father!!

I have so many things to be thankful for!! My Heavenly Father has allowed me to continue to stay here and learn and grown and overcome my weaknesses and He has given me the best earthly support system. He has given me 5 beautiful children, a loving husband, a body that functions as close to normal as possible, an extended family that always comes to my rescue, friends that always seem to know when I need a hug, phone call, or a playdate for the kids. He has given me the spiritual support through the knowledge that my Savior Jesus Christ knows me personally, He loves me, He died for my sins and my sorrows and my pains. He won't give us anything we can't handle.

So now that the tears are streaming again, I will go relish in the fact that I can do my own laundry and play with my children and prepare their dinner. I am the luckiest girl alive!!

My loving family almost 1 year ago!

5 is Fabulous!

I can't believe my sweet little princess turned 5!! Where has the time gone? Megan Almira Jacobsen joined our family on Dec. 4, 2004. It was a much warmer day than her 5th birthday. The sun was shining. We spent the day working outside, raking leaves and cleaning the garage. My mom and I went for a nice long walk, which by the end, I was pretty sure I was in labor. We were supposed to go to Andy's company Christmas party that night in Cody and my parents were already arranged to watch the boys. We took them over to their house and left with strict instructions from my mom that we were NOT to try and go to Cody for the dinner. (I had Aidan maybe 10 minutes after we got to the hospital and only 2 hours after labor started.) So we went home and decorated the Christmas tree. I talked to my sister on the phone while doing it and she and Andy made fun of me each time a contraction hit. They really weren't that bad though. I was so nervous to go to the hospital cause I knew I was in labor but I was afraid they wouldn't believe me cause I was laughing and smiling and not really in too much pain. We finally decided we better go cause we didn't want a repeat performance of pandimonium like when Aidan was born. Thankfully my Aunt Donna was the one at the check in desk. She believe me, got us checked in, and even got someone to cover for her so she could be there when Meg was born. An hour after we got to the hospital, Megan made her entrance into this world. It was a very easy labor and I was so excited to have my little girl!! I asked the doctor if she really was a girl cause I was so sure I wasn't that lucky to actually get a little girl! What a joy she has been from day 1!

Turning 5 is a big deal cause it is the first year I let my kids have a "friend" birthday party. She was so excited making her guest list and deciding on what kind of party to have. She really wanted Hannah Montana but I really didn't like that idea so I convinced her to have High School Musical. In the end, she won cause we couldn't find High School Musical stuff. She decided instead of one big fancy cake to have individual star cakes with each person's name on them. (I was not disappointed in this.) She so badly wanted a pinata, so I gave in and we had a pinata. She invited several of her friends and we had a party. We played musical chairs, did the pinata, enjoyed presents and cake and ice cream, and then just some fun play time. It sure is fun and fabulous to be 5!!

microphone cupcakes for preschool treats

Meg with her guests: Tate Allred, Mia Baxter, Wesley Preator, Reagan Thompson, and Katie O'Brien

For her family birthday party she decided to have brownies. We were all cake and cupcaked out after preschool treats and friend birthday party. My kids are so lucky to have so many grandparents and great-grandparents close by. The only one not there was Great-Grandma Jacobsen who lives in Burbank, CA.

Playing with her new "laptop" computer she got from Mom and Dad. This was the only thing she asked for. She really didn't want anything besides clothes.

We are Thankful!!

Thanksgiving is such a wonderful time of year! We are so thankful for so many things! We are thankful for our Savior Jesus Christ, for a warm home, Andy's good job, 5 beautiful children, our health and strength, wonderful family and friends, food to eat, clothes to wear, vehicles that work right, the gospel and the scriptures, temples, and so many more things. We are so thankful to live in this beautiful part of the country and get to enjoy the beautiful mountains and surroundings. Our children beg to spend Thanksgiving at the cabin. It is so relaxing and fun to enjoy the mountains in the winter. This year we had a great excuse to be there as Andy had an any elk hunting tag for the area by the cabin. The kids were on countdown for months! They couldn't wait to go to the cabin, especially Megan. Justin had the same tag as Andy, so my parents and Darcee, Justin, and Derrick joined us for Thanksgiving at the cabin. It was so nice and relaxing and unstressful!! The weather was beautiful! The only thing that would have made it better was if the snow had been packed more. It was a little too soft for sledding, but the kids enjoyed me dragging them around on the sled. (You will notice I don't have any pics of Aaron. He enjoyed just vegging inside playing gamecube or DS or watching tv or playing with actions figures with Derrick. We were on vacation, so I didn't push it with him.)



Mom and I made a simple but delicious Thanksgiving meal. Andy, Justin, and Darcee left early Thanksgiving morning to go hunting. When they weren't back for Thanksgiving dinner, we assumed they had shot something or were following them. My parents and Derrick and my children and I enjoyed a nice relaxing dinner together. Later that afternoon my dad and I went to see if we could find the mighty hunters. We found the truck and hiked a little but never found them. Shortly after we returned to the cabin, the mighty hunters returned too. Both Andy and Justin had shot small spikes but Justin's was one tought elk and got away. They tracked it for a long way but could never find it. The three of them took turns packing out part of Andy's elk. They then enjoyed some Thanksgiving dinner and just relaxed the rest of the evening. My parents took all the kids home with them that night, and the four of us went back and packed out the rest of the elk the next morning. It was fun to be with Andy doing something he enjoys doing. It was a nice hike and not really that cold. We will sure enjoy the meat! I feel bad Justin's got away, but he and Darcee were sure good sports about helping get Andy's elk taken care of. I don't think they will be putting in for that tag again though. They learned it is one tough place to hunt.

Ashlee loves the cabin!!

Fun in the snow!

Relaxing with Aunt Darcee after a fun day!

The might hunter Daddy sharpening his knives in preparation to go back and get he rest of his elk.

Snow angels are so much fun!

Gotta love a snowball fight!

Revenge!!

It was too cold for Ashlee to be outside, so she found her own fun inside!

After we returned home, we enjoyed seeing our siblings that had come home for Thanksgiving. All of my siblings were home, so the kids enjoyed some fun but too short cousin play time. We were able to celebrate Derrick's 9th birthday together and also celebrated Grandma Joyce's 80th birthday! We packed a lot of partying in in a few days!!

Ssshhhh!! Don't tell Grammy I was on the table!! (But it was so much fun!)

She couldn't get mad at me, could she?

Andy's brothers, Tom and Dan, were also home for Thanksgiving with their families. The kids were able to enjoy fun cousin time with them too. There was a lot of drawing, rough housing, computer playing, pan banging, and plenty of laughter. Cousins are so much fun!!

Ashlee and Soren (born only a few weeks apart)

Gymanstics and Dance

Megan had so much fun this fall! She was able to enjoy gymnastics and beginning dance! She has been so anxious to get to do sports like the boys, so she has jumped at the chance for any activity that she is old enough for. Meg absolutely loves her gymanstics teacher Mrs. Starla! She looked forward to every Tuesday night.

Megan loved going to dance class. Practices were closed to parents so we were anxious for her little performance the last day of class. Meg would show us at home some of the things she was learning and she was always dancing around the house. She was so excited for her performance and wanted her hair done up in a pretty dance hairdo and she invited her grandparents to come. Meg went to class for about 30 minutes and then the families were invited to come. We picked Grammy up on our way and couldn't wait to see her. I'm not quite sure what happened in the 30 minutes we were gone, but as you can see from the pictures below, stage fright must have sunk in. I have a video of the progression of this from beginning to start the dance, to freezing, to the tears starting, to eventually running off to daddy. I considered posting it, but I think I will just put it on her pic/video CD and she can watch it later on her own. It is pretty cute though! My favorite part was that she ran to her daddy and snuggled in to him. What a sweet little daddy's girl! Despite not doing her final performance, she loved every dance class and can't wait to do it again!

The nerves are beginning to set in!

Safe in Daddy's arms!

My gorgeous, brown eyed princess!