Santa Clause's Portable North Pole!

I know Christmas Eve is tomorrow but if you are blogging you need to make this for your little ones, I did it last week and it is so fun!

It lets you fill out some info about your little one and then it makes a sweet little personalized video for them from Santa! 

  http://portablenorthpole.tv/home

12 days of Christmas

Oh I have a sweetie pie... 

So what is it the 4th day of Christmas- I wonder what he's going to do..
On the 1st I got a messages (like a full body one, it was great)
On the 2nd day I got a "2 hour after bedtime movie"... so we watch Narnia Price Caspian eat popcorn and drank some pop. and stayed up until 1:30! That my friends NEVER happens.. and it was even finals week... 
So on the 3rd day I got my well loved OREOS which worked out soooo good for my Girlfriend Christmas Party... I then dipped them in chocolate and drizzled white chocolate over them... (more on that party soon)
So I just got home and heard Erik putting the kids to bed and so I thought GREAT I could sure use this time to do some updating!! 








Thanks Steven... I think Erik remembers me saying last year how awesome that was.... 

The Christmas Spirit

The Christmas Spirit

Click on the Christmas Spirit! Great video! 

more from ethan

I heard Ethan telling Sadie that when she gets big she will have a baby in her tummy, then he said Sadie me and you will be married. So I chimed in and said actually Eth you will marry someone else and she will marry another great guy. And he said No mom I'm going to marry her because I love her and like her a lot. I said- wouldn't it be weird if I was married to uncle Brandon or uncle Pat??? We just don't marry brothers and sisters! then the tears came, mom I just want to marry Sadie and that's all. So funny!


Oh and Sadie turned to me and said, "Me have baby in temple.. then looked at me like I said that wrong and said, me have baby in tummy"... it was cute!

Ethan is sweet

Today Ethan was mad at me and didn't want to get dressed, I just told him that he could have preschool in his pj's, that he would be the one that felt out of place... so then he said "mom don't talk to me ever again"... and so I finish getting ready and I walk into the kitchen and Ethan is on his knees praying, and I tried to hear him but couldn't and then he got done and looked at me and said, "Mom I prayed that you wouldn't be sad for what I said and I told Heavenly Father that I was sorry."

I just gave him a big hug, and told him thanks! He's so grown up!

New Love!!

More details to come!!!

Ethan is 4 today & Family photos 2009

Ethan turned 4 today I will post about it when I get my pictures.

Here's our family photos shoot- it shows how Ethan is really when around others!

sneak peak...

We got family pictures on Friday and let me just say....ahhh why do my kids have to be shy... I don't think we have any with Ethans cute smile,  just the few I saw so far Ethan was not smiling at all but their still cute! 

Jen Smith is from my home town and she does an awesome job! Thanks Jen

SaDiE iS 2 tOdAy!

Sadie is two 11.13.09

She loves to say or sing:
           abcdefgabcdefgmmnonnoobprrrssstwxynz
      now I know my abc's nex time ont ou ing with me!
           oh my gosh,
           I have it,
           waterwo (water)
           roe roe (rasin)
           dyea (ya)
          mommy air are ou??

She talks a lot! and will say anything you ask her to! 
      
  She still loves to sing, her favorite song is I love to see the tample (temple)
           She loves her dog, baby, and monkey, and her pillow that grandma made for her!
           I just asked Sadie what she loves to do and she said Eat and its true, that's what she loves!

           
        

eight is great

I went home last month to surprise my nephew at his baptism. The week before I talked to Conner on the phone and he said "Tina I aspect you to be here next weekend" I'm like oh ok.. ya I wish Conner. then I got off the phone and talked to my mom and she said if you come I will pay! So I got in the car the next day! It was so fun to see how excited he was, and to surprise everyone else.

Looking at the pictures your thinking hummm why is he in cammo?? well he also is a huge hunter and the day of his babtism, was the first day of hunting sesaon and well they shot two deer. So of course if you know Conner you would know that as soon as he he could he would be back in his cammo... Love ya buddy! I'm so glad that you made the choice to be babized!

california trip

While we were visiting the Hulets Micheal our bro-in-law took us on a plane ride, it was fun all but the part when Erik was flying and Micheal showed him how to do something, made me think we were headed to our deaths- really I was so scared, then Micheal told us he did on purpose, I felt a little better but  not much! 

So this is Erik thinking we are super rich and cool!

This is Hannah and Rebbecca they ran right into each other and gave themselves some great black eyes.

We were so happy to see Scott and Joyce, they flew in from Denver- they had the magic touch with Sadie.

choosing good literature

The other night I got to go hear Michele Watts 2009 Oregon Mother of the year speak, it was so great. She when over choosing good literature I learned a lot and was so excited to be able to hear what she had to say.

you may have tangible wealth untold:

Caskets of Jewels and coffers of gold.

Richer than I you can never be-

I had a Mother who read to me.

"The Reading Mother" by Stickland Gililan

She went over why its so important to read to our kids and what to look for in literature. The different kinds of literature and why poetry is so important. Then she suggested a bunch of great books here are just I few that I am excited to one day own.

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever 

 just like it says on the book, "One of the best Christmas books ever."

 

Silly Sally is one that your kid will love and want to be read over and over,

King Bidgood's in the Bathtub is just beautiful art and just a great book.

Tuesday has very few words, but the pictures are awesome.

Snowflake Bentley is about the first person who photographed snowflakes and is is a great book.

David Shannon is one of my authors!

Now for my favorite illustrators...

its so fun to say that I know him and have received his Christmas cards that he has made.

BRANDON DORMAN

He has so many books out there here is one he just wrote and illustrated Santa's Stowaway, other ones that you have seen around are The Christmas Sweater, and Pingo.

So here are some awesome books for you for Christmas gifts this year!

 

Oh and after the presentation we asked questions and she gave us all two books.

Yay for books!!

Halloween Party @ the Jensens

We LOVE the Jensen party's, they are so much fun this year we had it on Nov 1st because of sick kids, it was so fun to get ready one last time! 

Emily and Alisha thank you so much for such a fun night for my family! You ladies got talent! Thanks Emily for letting me steal your pictures off your amazing blog!

{The SUPER HERO'S}

 

{invitations & party favors}

  

I have one these cute banners now

 

{the yummy food}

bubbling cauldron cheese dip with bat wing dippers, bones and blood, mummies with mustard dip, apples and toffee dip, veggies and spinach dip, 7 layer spiderweb bean dip and chips, witches brew, dirt n' worms &; pumpkin pie tarts

{the games}

donuts on a string are always a huge hit. even better when they're Tanya's homemade donuts 

Any Ideas..

 Erik and I have our 5 yr. anniversary in November and as of now I got us a nice hotel I got for $6.95 thanks to my flight I had this summer, all I had to do was buy a stuffed animal for $6.95 and I got a 100 to Red Lion hotel so we have a hotel right on the Colombia river now I am wondering where to go and what to do while we are in downtown Portland.
So far this is all going to be a surprise for Erik and now that this is Private I know he never reads it! So any ideas?? I have the hotel for the day after Thanksgiving on our actual ann. day the 27th-
I took the rains on this year because I had the hotel hook up and I wanted make it better then just dinner, love ya Erik but its 5 years!!
Thanks guys!

God's creations bless us!

So that is what my little guys said at church today at his very first primary program!

We are so proud of our little guy!

Half Marathon

(Brian F Conaghan photography- thanks for letting me steal it)

So realized I never posted about my run. It was so fun, and totally would love to do another one, two or three! My time, well not so good, It all started out good until about 1/2 mile in, I hear people yell bees, so about that time I get a huge stinging pain in the back of my right leg right below my knee then another one above the knee, so as I am running trying to shake these bees off, ANOTHER one stings me in my right arm. These were like CRAZY bees ok yellow jackets and every 5 minutes I thought I was getting stung again and again. But I kept going, the trail was crazy it was a eyes down the whole time so you weren't tripping kind of trail. And it was up, down, up, down, the whole time. It was pretty but I couldn't really enjoy the view unless I wanted to land on my face. But I enjoyed it! all 14.2 miles of it! I will just say I didnt meet my goal of 2 hours. but my next one will be!! It was fun to train and run with my friend Heather, we both pushed eachother! and got asked if we were sisters by a few people! Our friend took all the pictures of us and I havent gotten them from her yet, so Im glad I could steal this one! 

uʍop ǝpısdn

 ¡pnoן ʎןןɐǝɹ ƃuıʞɐoɹɔ ʍopuıʍ ʎɯ ǝpısʇno ƃoɹɟ ɐ sɐʍ 
ɹɐǝɥ pןnoɔ ı ןןɐ ʇnq ʇɥƃıu ʇsɐl 03:8 ʇɐ pǝq oʇ ʇuǝʍ osןɐ ı 

¡¡ƃuıuıɐɹ sʇı ǝpıs ʇno oƃ ı ǝɯıʇ ʎɹǝʌǝ

uoʇsǝɹd ɯoɹɟ ǝɯoɥ ǝɯɐɔ ı ǝɔuıs ɹǝʌǝ pןoɔ ɐ pɐɥ ǝʌɐɥ ı
 ¡¡ʍou ǝןıɥʍ ɐ ɹoɟ uʍop ǝpısdn uǝǝq ǝʌɐɥ ı ʞuıɥʇ ı os

its done and it feels good!

So I am now officially private! Wow, that feels good! I always wondered who really was looking at my blog.. Even with Blog patrol I always wondered on all those ones who didn't have a blog! So now I can be me! And it feels good!

So you know how Ethan had to go to the emergency room, last month was it.. well we got the bill! 1400 dollars- Yeah you read it right, that is even having good insurance. well  blue cross- Crazy hu!  Erik and I just keep saying- what were we to do let our little boy lose his man hood- well no, we couldn't but we could have just watched it really close all night and waited until morning, maybe! The worst part is the Doc that we called, well the doctor hot-line through his doctor told us to go in.... Well I guess that's not the worst part hu, the 1400 $$ price tag is!  But all is good, Ethan is healthy and that makes me Happy!

Oh and No my computer is still sick!!! I have been putting my photos on photobucket and getting them off there! So I hope to one day get that fixed before the whole thing dies on me!! or maybe it would be nice if it did, then get another one... knock on wood quick! I really do like what I do have!

Going private!!

Well, I know I have said this before but I am going to go private! So if I have anyone who reads my blog then let me know your email! Unless you know I already have yours like from the last time I was going private! Thanks everyone! No scary story this time- I just have been putting it off so its time now! Well I did have a France and a Nigerian looking yesterday... humm well ya its time
I know I have some viewers who just look, so please send me your email, at designbytina@hotmail.com if you want to keep looking!

family shot

I thought it was time to test out the timer! Now we need a fall picture!

Super kids

We had Super Saturday this last weekend and I was in charge of helping people make some super hero capes. It was a lot of fun we make some cute ones with other letters! So I think I know what we will be for Halloween!

Halloween=Monster Munch!

I received some of this today from a friend with a Halloween Costume Party invite!!

Ohhh it is soooo good!!!

Since I have lived here I have been going to my friends Halloween party and it is soo fun! But I am stuck- I don't know what to wear- The first year I got creative and made this... (I was even 8 months prego)Last year I don't really remember what I did, I know the kids were animals and I don't even think I dressed up... So if any of you thinkers out there have any good idea for me for a family theme that I could make- you know because I have no $$ then sent your ideas my way! I love Halloween and dressing up cant wait!! here is the delish Monster munch recipe:

Monster Munch {Halloween Popcorn Mix}

Recipe by Our Best Bites

1 package Almond Bark (1 lb)

12 C popped popcorn (about 1/2 C kernels or 2 bags of microwave popcorn)

1 C candy corn

1 C dry roasted, salted peanuts

1/2 C Reeces Pieces

Pop popcorn and place in a large bowl. Much larger than you think you need. The largest you have. It will make mixing easier! Pour peanuts, candy corn, and reeces pieces on top.

Take a large knife and break up almond bark. Melt according to package directions. I just chop it up a little and microwave it in intervals until smooth and melted. Pour over popcorn mixture.

Stir until everything is well coated and then spread out onto waxed paper, parchment, or foil. Let sit until completely dry and then break up into clumps. Super Easy!

Preston trip

So we as in me and the kids came down to Preston to my nephews baptism on Saturday, it was so fun to surprise everyone. It was well worth the long drive! I got to stay with one of my best friends that was visiting her mom in Boise and then came up. I was thinking I need to upload all my pictures on my moms computer then it would work. But of course my luck I cant get the browse for pictures to work... so still no pictures!!
I do have a before and after pictures to show people of me as well. I got my Hemangeyona (I know that is spelled way wrong) anyways I got it removed off my head! yeah!! So today I am headed home and am so excited for the drive... ha yeah right!!

Ethans FiRsT day of PrEsChOoL

(The other kids were very excited, but sick of the photo shoot!)

This is Ethan, Hailey and Cole his classmates! Us 3 moms are doing a preschool tue. and thrs. for a hour and 45 min. I get every second week. We do a letter, number, color, animal, and science project.
I have some cute pictures of him alone but of course cant get them off my computer! It was fun, Ethan is our very shy kid and his teacher said he warmed up great! Im so proud of my little man.

Its Official, I'm.....

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I'm PPP
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Ppppreparing to run a Half marathon on the 19th I'm all signed up for:

Timberline Half Marathon

I am so excited! I have been training for months and it has felt so good to be using these legs again! This race is actually 14.2 miles so I am going over my goal mark by 1.2 miles! Here are some pictures of where it will be- I run around Timothy Lake- (elev 3227 ft) Its going to be so fun! I talked my friend Heather to run it with me, It started with just our RS gals wanting to make our own which there still is going to be on the 26th. But I am going to be headed to Cali so I didn't want to waist all of this training so I found this Marathon and Jump on board! I am excited we ran 8 and a 1/2 this morning and it felt great, so I am getting there! ha, nope not pregnant!

"Get ready for the most picturesque half marathon course in the Pacific Northwest! The Timberline Half Marathon completely circles shimmering Timothy Lake on single track trails that are absolutely a runner's dream. This gem is nestled at 3,000 feet in the high Cascades and the views of Mt. Hood across the lake are extraordinary"

Yahoo! it looks so pretty!
This is the states of the tail, I think I am going to DIE about 12.5 miles!! Look at that hill!!!

Its a trail around this lake and we will cross over three rustic (in there word) bridges!

Calamity Jane's

I was looking through my photos and found these, we love this restaurant, they have like 60 different types of burgers! Next time I will have to take a picture inside- its really fun. There are dollar bills all over the ceiling. My family would love this place! So guess you will have to come and visit me! So I can take you-

Sadie just loves her brother!