February 19, 2012 - Such a sweet sight

Tonight we had Aidan's family birthday party.  We are so blessed to live by both sets of our parents and all the great-grandparents.  These nights are a fun time to visit and build on the memories he kids have with their grandparents.  After all the goodies were eaten and presents were opened, the kids spread out to play and grandparents enjoyed time visiting.  Sweet little Ashlee just adores all her grandparents and loves to spend time with them.  Tonight she really wanted to play a game with Grandma Kathy and she thought Papa should play too.  So Candyland it was!!!  They made it so no one had to sit on the floor by using the piano bench for the game table.  She was in heaven!!!  I love this sweet moments of wonderful memories being formed!

February 18, 2012 - I'm an aunt again!!!

We were so excited to receive a text message today that our beautiful niece was born this morning!!!  The kids have anxiously been awaiting the news of the arrival of Clark and Juleen's sweet baby girl.  Aidan really wanted to share his birthday with her, but we are glad baby Hailey Bea will have her own special day.  Aidan says it was okay that his present was a few days late.  :)  We can't wait to meet Hailey!  Congratulations, Clark and Juleen!  Welcome to the family, Baby Hailey!!!

February 17, 2012 - PARTY TIME!!!

Happy 10th Birthday, Aidan!!!! Aidan had his friend party today since there was no school. He just wanted some friends to come over and have a good time playing. I think they could have played the whole day. It was fun to hear all the laughter and playing going on. Aid asked for a lego head cake, but I didn't want to make layer upon layers of cake, so I opted to make personal lego head cakes. I baked them in mugs and used marshmallows for the knob on top. They weren't perfect, but he loved them and that is all that mattered. Aidan invited Jaden and Mason archant, Riley Bennett, Dylan Preator, Zane Cordes, and my little brother Derrick. Unfortunately, Zane ended up with a stomach bug and couldn't come. These boys are all such good boys that just love to have fun. I was sad to have to break up the party around dinner time cause they were just having a great time. Ashlee got spoiled and got to go to Grammy's house during the party so she could have a good nap before Justin's basketball game in the evening. She got to fingerpaint with Hannah and Justin and then cuddle with Grammy for a nice, refreshing nap. (And boy was it refreshing! She was so wound up during and after the game. We laughed so hard at all her silliness.) Kenna got to go play with a friend, which was way more enjoyable for her. Meg played with the boys for a while and then she and I did some girl time crafting, which was fun. She had a birthday party to attend this evening and wanted to make her friend a bracelet and some hair clips. It is so fun having her to an age where she can do these things with me and do most of it her self. She is such a creative little girl! She loves to make birthday cards for people and really went over the top on the card for her friend Chloe. Today was a fun day away from school. It ended on the best note by Aidan telling me, "Mom, thanks for everything today! Today was the best day!" A sweet statement of gratitude like that makes all the time and effort completely worth it!

Facts about Aidan:
-in 4th grade with Mrs. Masterson as his teacher
-loves to play all kinds of sports
-Favorite sport: baseball
-Favorite food: tillapia (which he requested for his birthday dinner)
-Favorite tv show: NCIS
-loves to play with Ashlee and can make her laugh and giggle when no one else can. She just waits for him to come home from school each night and is never disappointed when she is greeted with a big hug and kiss from Aidan.
-says that he feels much taller now that he is 10
-took President Hopkin's challenge to read the whole Book of Mormon by stake conference in May (He is beating all of us!)
-loves to have fun with everything he does
-he is a very social boy

Aidan, you bring so much happiness and joy into our family! You came into this world in a hurry and you have never slowed down. I love to watch your love of life! Your love for young children makes me smile. Your passion for sports is so fun to watch. Your desire to do what Heavenly Father wants you to do is inspiring and makes me try harder to be worthy to be your mom. I love how you take responsibility seriously. It usually one takes us telling you once what we expect and then you take responsibility to make sure you are constant at making sure you do whatever it is - homework being done right after school, bed made before leaving for school, reading your scriptures, helping keep the house clean, etc. You are a good example to all of us!!!! I love you, Tate!

Hugs,
Mom

February 16, 2012 - HAPPY 10th BIRTHDAY, AIDAN!

10 years ago today we welcomed our tiny little Aidan Elliot Jacobsen into the world. He arrived weighing 5 lb. 6 1/2 oz. He came in a hurry and he hasn't slowed down since. He was born 2 1/2 hours after my first contraction. We barely made it to the hospital in time, but thankfully he held on just long enough for us to get up to a room. He was our only child not born in Powell. We were in Laramie going to school. I had just graduated in December with my bachelor's degree in Business Administration and Andy was finishing up his bachelor's in Accounting. It was pretty convenient that he came on a Saturday so that Andy didn't have to miss any classes. Aaron was smitten with Aidan from the moment he saw him and they have remained best friends ever since. I took cookies to school today for Aidan's birthday - snickerdoodles, his absolutely favorite cookie ever. He had basketball practice from 5:00-6:00. We were then able to enjoy his birthday dinner - tillapia, baked potatoes, spinach salad, and strawberries. Aidan absolutely loves tillapia and requests it any time it is his turn to choose what we eat. We then let him stay home for a relaxing evening with Megan while the little girls and Andy and I went to Aaron's basketball game. He said his day was good. He will get to have a fun-filled day tomorrow with his friends to celebrate turning 10!

February 13, 2012 - NO MORE CT SCANS!!!

Today I had my 3 year post-cancer check up.  I was not worried and in fact I went alone this time.  Not really what I had planned but Andy couldn't afford to take time off work to go and I needed my mom to watch the little girls.  So I was a big girl and went by myself.  The last time I went in to an appointment by myself I came out shell-shocked, but I didn't even worry this time.  I have been feeling fabulous, better than I have in about 5 years.  I am training for  half marathon and have more energy than I have in a long time.  Today was just a formality.  I had the typical CT scan and labs done.  Then I went to Hobby Lobby in between those and my appointment with my oncologist.  I showed up to my appointment expecting to have to wait awhile (last time it was 2 hours), but thankfully they were running right on time and I was in and out quickly.  Long story short - everything looked good and I don't have to go back ever again!!!!  That was the best news ever!!!  I am so thankful for a healthy body.  I am thankful to be able to just move on with life and not have to go back every year.  I am thankful for the many things I have learned and ways I have grown through all this and will never forget but I will not live in the past either. I am happy, healthy, and grateful for all that I have!!!

February 9, 2012 - Bring on the basketball fun!

Basketball season is in full swing for Aaron and Aidan.  Today was Aidan's first game.  I loved 3rd/4th grade league because they don't keep official score.  Of course, the boys are very good at keeping score in their heads though.  It was fun to watch Aidan hustle and scramble and work hard tonight.  He is a little go-getter.  He doesn't let his size get in the way.  I didn't have any real good still shots tonight cause I videoed most of his game since Andy couldn't be there.  Andy will miss several of his games cause they start at 5:00.  Andy doesn't usually even leave the office until Aidan's games are close to done and then he has an hour long drive home.  It was fun to see how much Aidan has improved since last season.  Aidan spends most days after school playing basketball at the school with his friends.  We have been lucky to have a pretty mild winter.  I also look out the window during the day and see him playing basketball during most of his recesses too.  It is fun to see my boys enjoying a sport that brought so much happiness and joy to me.  Whether they continue to play competitively when they hit middle school and high school doesn't matter to me.  I just want them to be active and have fun while they are young.

February 4, 2012 - First Competition Team Clogging Performance

Megan started clogging in November. She had to wait to start due to her severely broken arm. She was so excited to be out of her casts and splint and get to start being a little girl again. She had her first Beginning Clogging performance during the Christmas season and did such a good job. Before the beginning of the year they moved her up to the first level of competition team - Explosion. She works so hard and practices everyday. She clogs everywhere she goes, and rarely stands still anymore. Her clogging group -Absaroka Mountain Thunder- was invited kind of on late notice to clog for a Robert Burns' Birthday Party for the Big Horn Basin Scottish Society (who knew there was one of those). They had one practice on Thursday night, a video to use on Friday and Saturday morning, and then they performed on Saturday night in Cody at the Holiday Inn. Meg did such a good job and practiced, practiced, practiced during those short few days. It was so fun to see all her hard work come together for a fun performance. She looked adorable! It is so much fun to watch my kids developing their talents and having fun while doing it.

February 2, 2012 - Unusual Sight at our house

All 3 kids doing homework at the same time? This is unheard of at our house. I know it shouldn't be, but this doesn't happen very often. It made me smile today to see this sweet sight though. Aaron rarely has homework. He has a study hall and if he does have homework, it is usually just some IXCEL (math homework) that he does on his i-pad so he usually does it sitting on the couch downstairs or on his bed. Aidan and Megan regularly have homework, but Aidan usually does it with a friend at our house or his friend's house. If they are at our house, they like to sit on Aidan's bed and do it. Meg usually does hers right where she is sitting in the picture - exact same chair. The kids are so good about coming home and getting their homework done right away. I love that it is not a fight. They know what is expected and they do it, then they can move on to have fun with friends or whatever else may be planned. I hope they continue to be this easy!!

February 2, 2012 - Unusual Sight at our house

All 3 kids doing homework at the same time? This is unheard of at our house. I know it shouldn't be, but this doesn't happen very often. It made me smile today to see this sweet sight though. Aaron rarely has homework. He has a study hall and if he does have homework, it is usually just some IXCEL (math homework) that he does on his i-pad so he usually does it sitting on the couch downstairs or on his bed. Aidan and Megan regularly have homework, but Aidan usually does it with a friend at our house or his friend's house. If they are at our house, they like to sit on Aidan's bed and do it. Meg usually does hers right where she is sitting in the picture - exact same chair. The kids are so good about coming home and getting their homework done right away. I love that it is not a fight. They know what is expected and they do it, then they can move on to have fun with friends or whatever else may be planned. I hope they continue to be this easy!!