The Stylish Blogger Award

My totally awesome sister in law Nancy honored me this award! I would like to thank her and the rest of all the little people in my life that made this a dream a reality. Thank you! Thank You!....(cue applause)

So the rules go like this:
1. Thank the person who gave you the award (check!)
2. Share 7 facts about yourself
3. Award 7 new bloggers with the award

7 Facts about me....(This could get a little interesting!)

1-Even though I have never dyed my hair, over the last 7 years I have gone from a blonde with golden highlights, to a light brunette with blonde highlights, to a darker brunette with gray highlights! Its amazing what marriage and four kids will do to you! 

2-I can twist balloons into fun shapes! After I graduated college, I decided that I needed to have a hobby. So I decided to learn how to twist balloons. Its a lot of fun and my kids love it when I pull out my balloons. I'm still an amateur but I can do a pretty good dog, giraffe, hat, sword, and something else but I can remember what. Its been a while...time to pull them out again!

3-I was on the speech team in high school and loved to give impromptu speeches! They give you a list with three topics on it and a minute to figure out a basic outline. You then stand up and attempt to give a 3-5 minutes speech about one of the topics. You are suppose to be either informative or persuasive.  I got to be quite good at it!

4-I once gave a ten minute speech (an oratory) about how guys should have my guts to ask girls out. I spoke about different excuses that guys give for not asking out girls and then pointed out that girls have it just as bad as the guys! I know that it sounds really confusing but it was really good. So good that my advisor asked me to give it in front of the whole school. Talk about a little bit nerve wrecking! 

5-I have a passion for Early American history! I can't get enough of it! And with that passion comes a deep longing to travel back east to see all the historical sights! 

6-I have only flown on a plane once in my life and I admit that I didn't handle it very well! Anthony's hand was pretty much worthless after the take off! I much rather drive in a car for long hours then fly! (Shh...don't tell my husband who hates to drive! LOL!)

7-Even though I took 6 years (maybe more!) of piano lessons, I can only play the right hand and only the soprano part of that. I wasn't very dedicated to it but it really helped when I joined choir in middle school because I already knew the notes and music theory. 

Whew...that took a lot of soul searching...

I would now like to award the following with this awesome award....drum roll please...

Michelle Tietjen, Sara Birch, Deanna Poulsen, Rachel Chick, Megan Love,  Samantha Kneiser, and Aleisha Petersen

Our Visit with the Grinch

For our ward Christmas party, they had the Grinch come! He reenacted the "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" and then when he " began to feel the thing that he never had before"...they tied that in with the nativity story and how Christ comes into our lives and can change our lives and expand our hearts. It was very moving and tied in so beautifully. 

The feast (consisting of "roast beast" craved by the Grinch, potatoes, and rolls) was followed by kids sitting on the Grinch's lap. It was the perfect photo op and I'm so glad that I grabbed my camera as I was heading out the door!

 Andrew siting with the Grinch! He was so brave that it surprised me! Usually  he is the scared one! Too bad the Grinch closed his eyes when my flash went off!

 Julia was too tired to be scared or impressed by the Grinch!

 Matthew on the other hand was TERRIFIED!! He wouldn't even get close to him! I took the picture and then he came running to me!

I was so proud of Peter! He was scared of the Grinch when he first came on the stage but he overcame his fear and sat on the Grinch's lap and even kind of smiled for me.

 A few extra of the Grinch!

Overall it was a great night and fun time to spend with the awesome people that make up our ward and my family.

No-No Matthew!

My poor Matthew hears that phase a lot, "No-No!!" He is constantly getting into or doing something that he shouldn't. I don't know if it just curiosity or the desire to be seen as one of the big  boys.  When he was younger (and by younger I mean 6 months ago) it was a deep passion for anything dairy, which he couldn't have because he was lactose intolerant.  We alway knew if he managed to grab a cheese stick or drink some "real" milk. His diapers would give him away...enough said. 

 But two weeks ago...that all changed... Matthew all of sudden was no longer intolerant. This is him enjoying his first ice cream cone! I thought that I might be able to "share" it with him...you know give him a few licks of mine but he had other ideas! He grabbed it and shoved it in! The whole time saying, "Mmmmm....Mmmmmm!" A kid after my own heart!

Shortly after that...it all went down hill. Matthew "fell" when he tried to play with some of the toys that Peter and Andrew were playing.  I could hear him crying and then Peter shout that Matthew was bleeding got me to my feet but I still wasn't any hurry.  It wasn't until I saw all the blood pouring down his face that got into panic mode!  We hurried upstairs and got the bleeding under control and our "Papa" on the way. I don't handle situations like this very well...I am learning but still...I tend to panic and then calm down ten minutes after panicking. It's good for the heart...gets all pumping you know...any ways...Anthony ran him to the doctor while I feed the culprits and took them to school.

I got to the doctor's office just in time to see him glue the skin back together and to receive strict instructions to not let him 1) take off the bandage and 2) not let him bump it again! Uhhh...any one else see the problem with this! He's 18months old and a boy!! Needless to say he had the bandage off by the time we got home and split open his head again when he accidentally got tripped!  Back to the doctors office...he's going to have an impressive scar...sigh!

10 days later another wound appeared when he found out the hard way what the word hot means! Matthew touched our fireplace and got three small blisters (on his thumb and two other fingers) and one the size of a quarter on his palm.  It popped the next day and we started putting lavender oil on it and "attempted" to keep a bandage on it.  A week later and it looks so much better now and is about the size of pencil eraser.

I discovered a new gray hair Friday that had quite the crinkle to it. I justly named it Matthew! I think that Santa needs to bring me a deluxe first aid kit!

Julia's new hairstyle!

When I find out that I was going to have a girl, I just knew that she was going to be bald!! My mom loves to tell stories about how I didn't have any hair until I was two and even then it was peach fuzz. I never allowed her to put anything in my "hair" and so I was often mistaken as a boy! So imagine my surprise when Julia was born and she came with a full head of hair! I was shocked! I think I might have even cried a little! 

My boys and especially me have enjoyed being able to "do" Julia's hair. They take turns picking out bows and flowers.  Julia is so patient with all it and never fusses about "looking pretty!" The other day I decided to try something new! Pigtails! Aren't they cute!

They kind of remind me of antlers but...hey...tis the season right?

This Year's Letter to Santa

Dear Santa,

We know that you have facebook and email but being the old-fashioned folk that we are, we wanted to write you a letter instead and tell you how hard each of us have worked to be good.

Peter developed a tick that is caused by strep throat but he was so good for all the doctor visits and took all his medicine, well … most of the time. He started kindergarten in the fall and has made a lot of new friends. Peter does everything that his teacher tells him and works really hard. He always tries to sit by someone on the bus so that they feel good.

Andrew got to start preschool in the fall and is learning so much! He likes to watch Peter do his homework and can do almost everything that Kindergarteners do.  He helps around the house doing dishes and helping take care of Matthew and Julia.  He helped Mommy clean all the walls doing Fall Cleaning and really liked using the tooth brush to get all the food off the walls.

Matthew is growing up so fast and loves to take care of his little sister. He gives great hugs and loves to laugh and play. He likes to talk in Matthew language, which the rest of us are trying hard to be fluent in! When he “fell” and split his forehead open, Matthew let the doctor glue his head back together. 

Julia is our little doll and we really love our sister! She is so patient with her brothers who love to comb her hair and put flowers and bows on her head.  She loves to smile and is so good with all the people that want to hold her. She is so good to laugh every time that we tickle her belly or toes. At five months, Julia weighs 14 pounds and is 26 inches tall already! 

Mommy and Papa have done their best to be good too! When Mommy had to have gallbladder surgery, Papa stayed with her and took care of her and Julia all day. He helped Mommy out so much with cleaning and cooking until she felt better.  Mommy tried really hard to be good and say thank you to all the people that helped her.

Santa, thank you for all that you did for us this last year.  We are thankful for all the help and support that we received from all your “helpers,” especially from our family and friends! Thanks for inspiring us to be good and to try a little harder to be what we are suppose to be.

Love,

The Tietjens

Gratitude

I feel like I need to spill my guts! Testimony meeting isn't for two more weeks so this will have to do.  I have felt so blessed this last two weeks! One year and two weeks ago I found out that I was pregnant with Julia. I was a little (okay quite) upset about the news. I felt overwhelmed and guilty for feeling overwhelmed because I have so many friends that can't get pregnant or its so hard for them to get pregnant.  I spent hours on my knees crying and asking why...(if you can't guess...I'm a control freak and having kids a year apart was not in the plan). I worried what other people would say. What kind of remarks would have to listen to? Life just seemed so unfair. For weeks I refused to look our bishop square in the eyes because I was afraid he would seem my troubled heart. I again then would feel guilty because other people had such bigger problems then I did and it seemed that they were handling it much  better than me.  I finally accepted what was happening and resolved to handle it the best I could and to pray for strength. So I did...every day! Strength to handle the nausea and the hormones. Strength to not yell at my boys every single day. Strength to accept this blessing the Lord was giving us.

Answers to my prayers came through loving friends and family who would call me and cry with me and give me encouragement.  Relative good health throughout my pregnancy and  kind ward members who would take Matthew as often as they could and gave me encouragement through their own tales of close pregnancies. Realization that I don't have to do it alone and that it is not a weakness to ask for help. (Thanks to my visiting teachers and friends that helped keep my house clean!)

  And most of all the hymn "How Firm a Foundation" 

Third Versus: 

Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen and help thee, and cause thee to stand
Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.


This song would come into my head every time I started feeling discouraged or that I couldn't go on.

A year later I can say how thankful I am for the experiences that I had the last year.  I have been so blessed. Julia is the perfect baby and completes our family. I couldn't imagine our family without her.  I am so happy and thankful to a loving Heavenly Father that knows better than I do! I am so thankful for the lessons that I have learned this year.  Everything is as it should be and I can do all things that I am asked to do if I am willingly to trust in my Father. 

The First Snow Day

My boys woke up this morning, super excited that snow was falling from the sky! They managed to wait until Peter got home from school to go out and play in it! They had so much fun! I could hear them giggling and laughing and it made my heart happy and warm. There is nothing like your child laughing to warm your heart!

 Peter of course had to eat it! What fun would snow be without eating it?

 Andrew preparing to attack Peter!

 The fight is on! Andrew made these huge balls of snow while Peter made little tiny ones. I think Andrew had the right idea!

 Some running in the snow! Making boot prints!

 More eating of the snow! I, like Andrew, prefer to eat it right out of the sky!

Peter prefers to scoop it up and eat it!

After about twenty minutes of playing it was time for some hot cocoa and a movie! Maybe winter won't be so bad this year! It being the first time in two years that I'm not sick with morning sickness has me more excited for the winter and all its possibilities! But then again, I hate snowy roads! You win some, you lose some!

All Hallow's Eve

This Halloween seemed to go on forever! Between school parties, office parties, a carnival, a ward party, and family parties I was exchuasted! As were my kids! The fun started two weeks before the grand event. We had some of my family over to celebrate my sister's birthday and decided to pull out the costume box.  The above shot is of my sister, Rachal trying on one of the wigs. The one below is of my brother also with a curly hair wig!

 Then it was time to crave pumpkins! It was quite a feat to crave six pumpkins but we did it! This is a picture of Julia with the boys craved pumpkins. Anth and I finished ours when the boys went downstairs to watch the great Halloween classic, "Charlie Brown and the Great Pumpkin." Fitting,  I know!

The night finally arrived! We had a flower....

Isn't she cute?

I can't believe how fast she is growing! She is almost four months old! She loves to smile and will at anyone that calls her pretty or cute! (Vanity starts early, I guess!) But when its time to pull out the camera.... I can't get this girl to smile for the world! She is way too interested in the big black thing Mom is pointing at her.

Grandpa was finally able to get her to smile! I love how she smiles with her whole face! Her eyes light up and you can tell that her soul is shining through as well! 

and then a clown stepped into the picture!  Peter had a large rainbow wig put chose not to wear it for trick or treating because it was scratchy!

Matthew was a dragon ( a costume I got at a garage sale for 3 bucks) but he didn't get to go trick or treating because of cold and also because he developed the natsy habit of gagging himself and threw up all over it in the car after the school carnival! ( We later found out he had a double ear infection. Who knew it could cause kids to gag themselves in order to relieve the pressure and pain. )

A scary pumpkin also decided to join us in our hunt for sugar! Andrew decided last November that he was going to a scary pumpkin and often reminded me about through the year! I'm glad that he thought this pumpkin was scary enough!

My sister decided to join in the fun of trick or treating and put on this wig and glasses for the adventure! 

Overall it was a great Halloween! Anyone want some candy?

Conference Weekend

Conference weekend was awesome! I love conference! I feel renewed and able to continue with the tasks that I have been given. It helps that I got to spend two days with my family and get in some photo time!

Here are some of the highlights!

Playing in the leaves!

 Peter liked doing somersaults into them!

 This is him posing in the leaves for me! We have a lot of trees in our backyard but because of the way that the wind blows, all our neighbors get our leaves. My boys loved being able to actual jump in a pile. Well...that is all but Matthew!

 I think that this is my favorite! It says it all!  "What does my mom think that she is doing?"


Next was getting to ride on the four wheeler with Grandma or whoever else might be willingly to drive them around!

 Matthew had to get into the action as well! Can you see him sandwitched into between Andrew and my mom?

What would be more appropriate then a leaf fight? Of course Uncle Glen started it! He's always getting everyone in trouble! (J/K Glen! I had to say that! See, Glen was falsely accused of teaching the boys how to throw lite matches! It's the family joke now!)

 Matthew even got into the action!  He loves to throw things and has recently started throwing his food when he doesn't agree with what is being placed in front of him! I blame it on the parade that we went to a month ago. Matthew loved the concept of flying candy!

 Peter thought it would be funny to throw leaves at this mom! He soon learned not to do that!

Our last favorite activity was getting to help make homemade spudnuts! (Doughnuts made out of potato flakes! Only in Idaho right?)

 Here's the boys getting to cut out the doughnuts!

 We (and when I say we... I mean my dad! I tend to stay away from anything that involves grease!) fried them up!

The final product! They were so good and we had dozens of them! We got to bring them home and snack on them and since they had a vegetable in them I didn't feel too bad about eating them constantly!

Overall, it was a great weekend to enjoy family togetherness and to be refueled with words from the prophets!