News Flash: Safety Scissors harm small boy

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Can you believe....

... that its been 18 months already? 

 What am  going to do in Sunday School and Relief Society without someone to hold or run after? For the last 2 1/2 years, I have been conditioned to worry about snacks, diapers, bottles, sippy cups, pacifiers,spit up, books, toys, and anything else that might keep a baby happy.  I am so excited to be able to have some freedom, but my heart aches a little too...my last baby... all grown up and terrorizing nursery! sigh....

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I took these after we got home from church that starts at 8:30 a.m. So cruel but nice at the same time...she's wearing the dress Grandma gave her and absolutely loves nursery! No crying or anything...simply playing and enjoyment! I'm so proud of the big girl she has become!

Bringing the New Year in with a Flush

After convincing all my family that it would tons of fun to get together and that I promised that we were all better, they all agreed.  I further convinced them that it would be fun to relive our childhood and have lip sync contest and eat Chinese food. 

Julia enjoyed having Aunt Andrae doing her hair and making her look so much older!

After eating some awesome Chinese, we feasted on homemade ice cream that we had made the day before. I love Julia's face in this one! The wonder of it!

Anthony was resting up for the night I ahead! A little before 11 the worse thing happen, the stomach flu hit five of the people there. Anthony and I included! We thought it was food poisoning since so many of us got it at once, but we later deduced that it had been the flu because others that had the food were fine. Four people competing for a bathroom is not a pretty sight! I am grateful though that we were with family because there was someone to take care of our kids while Anthony and I recuperated on the couch. 

The Monday after New Years we limped home and decided to clean up Christmas. Julia thought the tree skit made a good cape! 

Overall we had an adventurous holiday season! I'm glad that its over and am hoping that next year will be a lot better! 

Winter, where art thou?

It has been a warmer then normal winter here! Christmas we received a sprinkling of snow but then had high temperature the rest of the week. We were going a little stir crazy what with having to stay in the house because of the flu, so I decided on 45 degree day that we would take a walk to the park. 

We played for a few minutes before the cold from the sun going down started to catch up with us.

And of course we had to play in ALL the puddles from our park to our house!

This one is my favorite! It didn't turn out very well but I love what it is stating. A big brother to lead you down the path....love it!

Christmas Stylin'

At a Relief Society meeting, I painstakingly made bow ties for all my boys. I knew that one of them would hate it but did not count on all of them...sigh! At least I was able to convince them to wear them at least once!

He was the one that I knew would hate it!

Matthew did like his...then! He doesn't want anything to do with it now!

Julia contemplating all the Christmas joys she received that morning!

Christmas...Tietjen Style

I would warn you that this picture heavy, but all my posts seem to be a little on the heavy side....LOL! Those with sensitive stomachs may want to skip this one!

Christmas 2011 will be one that will remembered for a long time! At least by me it will! It has to be one most adventurous one yet! The adventure began when Anthony began to complain of a stomach, which latter led to the flu that was had by all except for Julia over the course of the next week! The family that spews together...stay together.....right?

This is our designated throw-up pot! Everyone had a turn with the pot!

One of my favorite Christmas traditions is the giving of neighborhood treats. Though I tended to grumble about getting them done and what I should do, I love to give and receive all the yummy things!

Luckily, Christmas Eve no one threw up. I allowed all the boys to sleep under the Christmas Tree on the 23rd, 1) because I thought it would be fun and 2) I had a sneaky feeling that I was going to have more then one person throwing up that night. I thought it would be easier if everyone was all in the same room. I'm glad that I listened to that small prompting because Matthew and Andrew were throwing up all night and I got pretty good at catching it! Matthew felt so much better the next morning but Andrew still felt sick all day. But not to sick to make cookies for Santa!

We were going to make gingerbread men but discovered last minute that the boys didn't like gingerbread...so we made sugar men instead.

Luckily, Santa's helper was feeling better that night and was able to help Santa set up Christmas! I was really excited this year for our kids to open their gifts! 

The best one! And we got for free!! 

Christmas morning playing....no one threw up Christmas either, so that was awesome!

Anthony got me a Samsung smart phone and this ice cream maker! I really was excited but just caught off guard when he took this picture. 

This was Anthony's favorite gift...he's been wanting one for a long time but I was always afraid he would cut off his fingers or something. I finally gave in after three years!

The boys got Lincoln logs that they have loved!

Santa gave everyone a box of bandaids in their stockings (how he knew that we go through those like candy, I'll know!) and Matthew decided that he needed one of his lip after he pulled some of the skin of it.

Julia has loved her worm bike and rides it everywhere.

Julia managed to get into everyone's m&m's! This girl loves her chocolate!!

My family came up the day after Christmas to give the boys their gifts! We got a little silly with some of the fake mustaches that we had got an arcade.

This is the first of I hope many shelves that Anthony built! Now I can stack all my baggies and tinfoil without it all falling on my head! 

Peter was next to get the flu and as sick later that night! Poor kid! 

By Tuesday we sure that everyone had that would get the flu had got it. What we didn't count on was for it to re-surface...in the van no less. On the way to the bowling alley, Andrew spilled his stomach! That was the worse one, I would have to say!

We finally made it bowling the next day and had a great time eating pizza and knocking down pins! We let Julia bowl for the first time and laughed out loud when she started running after the ball! Matthew and her would do a little dance whenever they knocked done anything, which with bumpers was almost every time they bowled!

Overall it was an interesting Christmas! We had a lot of fun amongst all the sickness! 

2011 Tietjen Christmas Party

The annual Tietjen Christmas party is always a great time to get together and enjoy spending time with family. This year though Anthony had the stomach flu on the day of the party so I took Peter and Andrew over for a couple of hours. There was lots of activities and yummy food!

Anthony's grandma made these for everyone! Aren't they awesome?

It was hard to leave because everyone had just showed up when we decided to go home and rescue Anthony! He was such a trooper!