I am in an unhealthy relationship. I hate to admit it but it is true. It isn’t really even true love, it is more of an obsession. It is a love/hate relationship. It can drive me crazy and then other times leave me feeling blissful.
What, oh, you want to know the second party in this little affair? It isn’t easy to confess that you are having relationship issues but it is always better to come clean, right?
Here it goes; my obsession, my passion, my infatuation is with…food.
It is true, as shameful as it is. I love food. Well to be specific my obsession isn’t with all food, I mean the fruits and vegetables just don’t call to me like the chocolate, the desserts, or the creamy pasta dishes.
I try to resist, I promise myself that this is the last time we will meet, the last time I will give in, but it always ends up calling me, luring me, tempting me. I have tried many things, I even started a new affair with the gym thinking that would distract me, give me the strength to resist. I feel great when I am nurturing that relationship but after I leave the gym, the desserts and breads start to taunt me. And sadly, I love it. The big problem is, my deep (or not so deep) secret, I don’t want to stop, don’t want to give up on this relationship.
The way a decadent chocolate cake looks, smells, and most importantly tastes. The way the chocolate can just melt in your mouth as you savor the flavor. Or the taste of berries heaped with swirls of whipped cream sitting in a glistening glaze and flaky crust.
See the problem? But I love it, I don’t plan to give it up, but maybe I could try a little bit more of the unexciting foods, try to spice up that relationship a little more and leave the exhilarating relationship for special occasions. It is worth a try, if I can nurture the affair with the gym a little more and reward myself occasionally with the tantalizing desserts, maybe my “relationships” as well as my body, will be a little healthier.
Can anyone relate? Does anyone else have the thrilling fixation with delectable treats and food? Come on…I know you do. This is why we love the holidays so much, we are given numerous opportunities to feel the thrill of consuming delectable treats.
It is one of those relationships that so many of us have in common and we adore the guilty pleasure of allowing ourselves a little of the obsession. I plan to continue this sordid little affair forever, but like I said maybe I can nurture some other “relationships” as well. Wish me luck, as I wish you! :~)
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Monday, December 28, 2009
A picture of December
This is a brief recap of December at the Andersen home.
We had a fun month full of...
FAMILY
BAKING
HOLIDAY EVENTS
GIFTS
MORE GIFTS
GIFTS
AND EVEN MORE GIFTS
AS WELL AS LOTS...
We hope your holidays were just as wonderful!
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
But Mama!
"I'm a big girl Mama! I can do it!"
"I'm a big girl Mama! I can be careful!"
"I'm a big girl Mama! I don't need to hold hands."
These are the words of a 3 year old. My 3 year old, Lilli. Spoken on an almost constant basis..."I'm a big girl..." can be combined with almost anything but what it comes down to, what it really means, is that my baby is not so much a baby anymore. My baby is...*sigh* growing up.
Don't get me wrong it isn't that I don't enjoy her and all her stages but I've been through this 3 times before, am still going through it with all of them. I didn't realize it so much when Oscar was a baby. With your first you are so excited for everything, can't wait to see what they do next, but now with my 4th, I know what is coming and I know how fast it goes by. It seems to go just a little faster with each kid.
Lilli is darling, so fun, and it is a joy to watch her grow up, I just wish I could pause time once in awhile...spend some extra time in one of those wonderful moments that happen.
I go through this same thing with the other kids, they are getting so big, so old, so mature. (well the maturity has its ups and downs but so does mine.)
It is when I realize how quickly it is going by that I need to remind myself to be more patient, and enjoy each moment I have with them. But along with having kids and having the wonderful moments comes life. And life is about good and bad, ups and downs. So I will take the good with the bad because I love just having them in my life. But please can I just pause and live in the good moments once in awhile...
"I'm a big girl Mama! I can be careful!"
"I'm a big girl Mama! I don't need to hold hands."
These are the words of a 3 year old. My 3 year old, Lilli. Spoken on an almost constant basis..."I'm a big girl..." can be combined with almost anything but what it comes down to, what it really means, is that my baby is not so much a baby anymore. My baby is...*sigh* growing up.
Don't get me wrong it isn't that I don't enjoy her and all her stages but I've been through this 3 times before, am still going through it with all of them. I didn't realize it so much when Oscar was a baby. With your first you are so excited for everything, can't wait to see what they do next, but now with my 4th, I know what is coming and I know how fast it goes by. It seems to go just a little faster with each kid.
Lilli is darling, so fun, and it is a joy to watch her grow up, I just wish I could pause time once in awhile...spend some extra time in one of those wonderful moments that happen.
I go through this same thing with the other kids, they are getting so big, so old, so mature. (well the maturity has its ups and downs but so does mine.)
It is when I realize how quickly it is going by that I need to remind myself to be more patient, and enjoy each moment I have with them. But along with having kids and having the wonderful moments comes life. And life is about good and bad, ups and downs. So I will take the good with the bad because I love just having them in my life. But please can I just pause and live in the good moments once in awhile...
Monday, December 21, 2009
The internet... the metamorphosis I've seen, 13 years of change, or... man I'm getting old
Since I’ve been married the internet has come so far. It has changed, morphed with us really, as we learned the many things it could do for us, or that we could do with it. When I first started it was awesome because of email, I could keep in touch with my family in another state.
Then there was the “make your own webpage” craze. Everyone had one. You put pictures of your family up and updated it every once in awhile. Next, I discovered places you could go to chat with people that had something in common with you; for me, this was kids. There was the parents of September 1997 babies, parents of closely spaced siblings, etc. At the time, this was a lifesaver for me. I could go to these message boards and feel connected with people, understood by someone. For me that was important. I didn’t really know anyone in Salt Lake City at the time and I found it difficult to make friends. For one thing, I was a mom, people assume you are busy with that and don’t need friends. For another thing, it seemed as though everyone already had their circle of friends, people they had known forever.
I needed friendship. Yes, I had Lars and he was wonderful, but I needed something beyond the house. I thought I was being selfish at the time, that perhaps there was something wrong with me. Then I found these groups online and I realized I was just like every other mother out there. We are humans and we are not made to be isolated, we do not thrive that way, or at least I don’t.
Eventually I made friends; I learned how to be a mother, a wife, and myself. I learned the importance of each of those, that they are all me but I needed to indulge and cultivate each of those parts of me individually at times. Most of my life is spent with them melded together but it is good for my soul to be just me for a couple hours, I am still Mom and they are my priority, but for the sake of us all I have to have to be me, to learn, to do. I also need times when my whole heart and soul is being a Mom, and times when I have to concentrate on my relationship, my marriage. It sounds like a lot but it really isn’t. It makes my life so complete, and in turn makes me a much better wife, a much better mother, and a much happier me.
Nowadays, the internet seems to consume my life at times. I bank, I shop, I even order food. Who knew really? However, this brings me to the world of blogging, something I swore I wouldn’t do. Finally, I caved, my sister had one, my friends had one, and they all wanted to see what was going on in my world too. So one night I just did it, I set up my blog and I typed. WOW! I’ve always enjoyed writing but this was cathartic. It filled something in me I didn’t know needed filling. It is addicting at times, though so hard to make the time to do it. Not to mention the fact that sometimes you feel a little silly sending your thoughts out there… out into the world of blogging, through the internet into others homes, onto their screens, and into their minds. What can I have to say that is worth anyone else’s time? Maybe nothing, maybe no one reads much of it, and you know what? That is okay too. It is enough for me just to write, as mediocre as it may be, it’s one of those things I do for me. I don’t always blog about my kids, it is kind of about my life, which is so much my kids, so much my husband, but also so much me. So here is to my family and to my random thoughts…enjoy them or not, I just enjoy putting them out there.
Then there was the “make your own webpage” craze. Everyone had one. You put pictures of your family up and updated it every once in awhile. Next, I discovered places you could go to chat with people that had something in common with you; for me, this was kids. There was the parents of September 1997 babies, parents of closely spaced siblings, etc. At the time, this was a lifesaver for me. I could go to these message boards and feel connected with people, understood by someone. For me that was important. I didn’t really know anyone in Salt Lake City at the time and I found it difficult to make friends. For one thing, I was a mom, people assume you are busy with that and don’t need friends. For another thing, it seemed as though everyone already had their circle of friends, people they had known forever.
I needed friendship. Yes, I had Lars and he was wonderful, but I needed something beyond the house. I thought I was being selfish at the time, that perhaps there was something wrong with me. Then I found these groups online and I realized I was just like every other mother out there. We are humans and we are not made to be isolated, we do not thrive that way, or at least I don’t.
Eventually I made friends; I learned how to be a mother, a wife, and myself. I learned the importance of each of those, that they are all me but I needed to indulge and cultivate each of those parts of me individually at times. Most of my life is spent with them melded together but it is good for my soul to be just me for a couple hours, I am still Mom and they are my priority, but for the sake of us all I have to have to be me, to learn, to do. I also need times when my whole heart and soul is being a Mom, and times when I have to concentrate on my relationship, my marriage. It sounds like a lot but it really isn’t. It makes my life so complete, and in turn makes me a much better wife, a much better mother, and a much happier me.
Nowadays, the internet seems to consume my life at times. I bank, I shop, I even order food. Who knew really? However, this brings me to the world of blogging, something I swore I wouldn’t do. Finally, I caved, my sister had one, my friends had one, and they all wanted to see what was going on in my world too. So one night I just did it, I set up my blog and I typed. WOW! I’ve always enjoyed writing but this was cathartic. It filled something in me I didn’t know needed filling. It is addicting at times, though so hard to make the time to do it. Not to mention the fact that sometimes you feel a little silly sending your thoughts out there… out into the world of blogging, through the internet into others homes, onto their screens, and into their minds. What can I have to say that is worth anyone else’s time? Maybe nothing, maybe no one reads much of it, and you know what? That is okay too. It is enough for me just to write, as mediocre as it may be, it’s one of those things I do for me. I don’t always blog about my kids, it is kind of about my life, which is so much my kids, so much my husband, but also so much me. So here is to my family and to my random thoughts…enjoy them or not, I just enjoy putting them out there.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Smile...
So, does anyone watch "Glee"? It took me awhile to get into it, but I like it. It is silly, sometimes sweet, and usually funny. I digress though, in one of the most recent episodes they sang a song, Smile written by the great Charlie Chaplin. Now I had no idea that he did anything but act silly on the screen, and I have never liked this song really, but I love the arrangement they sang on Glee.
It is one of those songs though that makes you get really contemplative and thoughtful. You know those, you just want to turn them on so you will sit and think. Some songs you want to listen to when you are sad, sometimes (And I know most guys won’t understand this.) but sometimes just to let yourself feel sad, to wallow for a moment so you can move on. Just to show you what a t.v. addict I am and to illustrate my point about just feeling sad sometimes, there is an episode of “Everybody loves Raymond” in which Ray peeks in the window to find Deborah sitting on the couch crying. He of course is sure something horrible is wrong. Later he confronts her about it and, first of all, is mad at him for spying on her, and second explains to him that sometimes women just need to have a good cry. He is baffled, understandably so from his point of view. However, there is some truth to this, though this was a bit exaggerated in my opinion. We women feel though, we feel deeply, and though sometimes it is a pain, we relish in those feelings and invite the opportunities to express each of those feelings. Maybe this is why women, as science has proven, have the need to express more words per day than men do. This is possibly, why you seem to find many more amateur women bloggers then male.
Back to my original point of this post, the song “Smile”. It talks about smiling even when life is hard. Which is exactly my point, most of us take the time to cry for a minute, wipe our eyes, and then move on. You put a smile on your face, you live life, and you simply move on.
It doesn’t mean that you don’t feel sad about something bad that has happened, it means you simply continue to live life, you find something good in it, and you live.
When bad things have happened to me in my life, people have commented that I handle it so well. I don’t always, I take my moments to cry, rant, and even lose it. Then I put that smile back on and continue on with life. It doesn’t make everything go away, it doesn’t fix everything, but it does help. You could continue to wallow, to answer with a monologue when people ask how you are, but to what end?
Lars knows, he deals with my bad moments (or days) and he is there for me through it. We all cry our buckets of tears, the tears wash away a bit of the saddness, enough to continue on. They take off the edge. Lars is there for that everytime. And he still loves me after, and that helps me too.
So this was kind of an all over the place post but feelings are like that aren’t they? I say feel, feel every feeling that comes your way, but always keep living…and keep smiling.
It is one of those songs though that makes you get really contemplative and thoughtful. You know those, you just want to turn them on so you will sit and think. Some songs you want to listen to when you are sad, sometimes (And I know most guys won’t understand this.) but sometimes just to let yourself feel sad, to wallow for a moment so you can move on. Just to show you what a t.v. addict I am and to illustrate my point about just feeling sad sometimes, there is an episode of “Everybody loves Raymond” in which Ray peeks in the window to find Deborah sitting on the couch crying. He of course is sure something horrible is wrong. Later he confronts her about it and, first of all, is mad at him for spying on her, and second explains to him that sometimes women just need to have a good cry. He is baffled, understandably so from his point of view. However, there is some truth to this, though this was a bit exaggerated in my opinion. We women feel though, we feel deeply, and though sometimes it is a pain, we relish in those feelings and invite the opportunities to express each of those feelings. Maybe this is why women, as science has proven, have the need to express more words per day than men do. This is possibly, why you seem to find many more amateur women bloggers then male.
Back to my original point of this post, the song “Smile”. It talks about smiling even when life is hard. Which is exactly my point, most of us take the time to cry for a minute, wipe our eyes, and then move on. You put a smile on your face, you live life, and you simply move on.
It doesn’t mean that you don’t feel sad about something bad that has happened, it means you simply continue to live life, you find something good in it, and you live.
When bad things have happened to me in my life, people have commented that I handle it so well. I don’t always, I take my moments to cry, rant, and even lose it. Then I put that smile back on and continue on with life. It doesn’t make everything go away, it doesn’t fix everything, but it does help. You could continue to wallow, to answer with a monologue when people ask how you are, but to what end?
Lars knows, he deals with my bad moments (or days) and he is there for me through it. We all cry our buckets of tears, the tears wash away a bit of the saddness, enough to continue on. They take off the edge. Lars is there for that everytime. And he still loves me after, and that helps me too.
So this was kind of an all over the place post but feelings are like that aren’t they? I say feel, feel every feeling that comes your way, but always keep living…and keep smiling.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Christmas letter
With not alot of time before Christmas I thought I'd post our family Christmas letter since it isn't likely to make its way into the world this year ;)
So here it goes- (It looks so much cuter in word with my cool fonts etc.)
So here it goes- (It looks so much cuter in word with my cool fonts etc.)
~Merry Christmas from the Andersen home~
Where do the years go? I don’t think time flew by so quickly when I was a child but now that I have children it certainly does!
Oscar is 12. I am still having a hard time believing he is already that old. He is still an amazing artist and had the pleasure recently to meet a Disney animator who is also the voice of “Rhino” in the Disney movie Bolt. Oscar is enjoying being in Young Men’s and boy scouts. Oscar is learning the value of working hard at school and is really enjoying the after school chess program. He has many good friends and is always full of joy, excitement, and ideas.
Emma is 11 and, again I am having a hard time believing how quickly time has gone by.
Emma recently made the high honor roll at school (which apparently is a step above the honor roll- it is new to me since I didn’t really care about school that much as a kid. )
She is ever the fashion conscious child and enjoys shopping much more than I do, but I love to shop with her. (Although she is still learning the concept of a limited budget)
Henry is 8. He was baptized in May and is really enjoying being a cub scout. He is doing great in school and is making some new friends, which he is really happy about. As always, Henry loves to spend as much time as possible with his Grandpa Champney. They are best buddies and are pretty inseparable. Henry is so creative and always has some idea or creation going on. I love to see his enthusiasm.
Lilli is 3 going on 18. ;) She is such a sweet girl, with a bit of an independent streak. She loves to play and is always sad when she wakes up and the kids are all gone to school. She makes the best of the situation by bossing Mom and the dog around all day. She loves to have friends over to play and is a very observant and thoughtful girl, though like all 3 year olds can be impulsive at times. She is always happy to see everyone come home and hates that the kids have homework and responsibilities that keep them from playing right away.
Lars is enjoying his 11th year of teaching. He is still at the same school, and for a job that started out temporary it has sure been a steady job; what a blessing it turned out to be. I don’t think I could stand to have him work another job as I enjoy having him home at decent hours too much, plus school breaks! He does keep busy fixing computers on the side, but for the most part, we can work it around our schedule. Lars is now the den leader for the 8-year-old cub scouts. It is a fun, yet challenging calling.
Grandpa Champney- Since many of you know and love Grandpa, I thought I’d give you a little update on him. Grandpa is doing well. He still goes to the temple twice a week with a group from his old ward, his faith and dedication is such an example to us all. He had heart surgery in August, a valve replacement as well as a bypass. He has recovered swiftly, he was even well enough to leave the hospital a week after surgery, much to the doctor’s surprise. He is a fighter and hates to be sick or unable to do things, I think that has aided in his recovery. We are so blessed to have him in our lives; he does so much for us and for so many people around him.
As for me, I am home with Lilli. She, and running a household, keep me on my toes. I do not have an official position on the PTA this year and it has been quite refreshing. The past 2 years as volunteer coordinator took a lot out of me, it was fun but I was happy to pass the job along to someone new! I am now the Activity Day girls leader at church. It is fun, but I do miss working in the nursery. L I love to be in there with those kids! However, the girls in activity days are fun and I love being in there with Emma.
We had a great time at Disneyworld with Lars’ brother and family as well as a good friend and his family. There were 18 of us all together. What a party! It was quite an adventure, especially the plane ride there and back. It was the two Andersen families, which includes 4 adults and 9 kids. The kids actually did really well, but I’m not anxious to go on another 5 hour plane ride with that many kids anytime soon.
Soon after arriving home, one by one, we started to come down with a virus that turned out to be swine flu. Thankfully, everyone got through it without any major trouble, though the girls were quite miserable for about a week.
Now we are healthy once again and hoping to stay that way throughout the season.
We are so thankful for the friendships we share with each of you. We are thankful for our beliefs in our Father in Heaven and in Jesus Christ. We know they are there and that they have blessed our lives richly. I hope that we can remember to take the time to remember Jesus, his birth, his life, and his sacrifices. It means so much to us in our lives. I know many people say that it is silly to have a time set aside to remember and worship his birth, that we should do that all year long. It is true that we should do it all year long, but it is also good to have a time where we concentrate on that even more, a time to actually celebrate it and start us off in a new year with that as our focus. So, I pray that we can each do that this season, use this time to celebrate the birth of our Savior, spread his love through our love, and start off the new year by recommitting ourselves to him and his work.
We love you all and hope you have a wonderful Christmas and a very wonderful New Year!
Love to all,
The Andersen’s (Lars, Crystal, Oscar, Emma, Henry, and Lilli)
Where do the years go? I don’t think time flew by so quickly when I was a child but now that I have children it certainly does!
Oscar is 12. I am still having a hard time believing he is already that old. He is still an amazing artist and had the pleasure recently to meet a Disney animator who is also the voice of “Rhino” in the Disney movie Bolt. Oscar is enjoying being in Young Men’s and boy scouts. Oscar is learning the value of working hard at school and is really enjoying the after school chess program. He has many good friends and is always full of joy, excitement, and ideas.
Emma is 11 and, again I am having a hard time believing how quickly time has gone by.
Emma recently made the high honor roll at school (which apparently is a step above the honor roll- it is new to me since I didn’t really care about school that much as a kid. )
She is ever the fashion conscious child and enjoys shopping much more than I do, but I love to shop with her. (Although she is still learning the concept of a limited budget)
Henry is 8. He was baptized in May and is really enjoying being a cub scout. He is doing great in school and is making some new friends, which he is really happy about. As always, Henry loves to spend as much time as possible with his Grandpa Champney. They are best buddies and are pretty inseparable. Henry is so creative and always has some idea or creation going on. I love to see his enthusiasm.
Lilli is 3 going on 18. ;) She is such a sweet girl, with a bit of an independent streak. She loves to play and is always sad when she wakes up and the kids are all gone to school. She makes the best of the situation by bossing Mom and the dog around all day. She loves to have friends over to play and is a very observant and thoughtful girl, though like all 3 year olds can be impulsive at times. She is always happy to see everyone come home and hates that the kids have homework and responsibilities that keep them from playing right away.
Lars is enjoying his 11th year of teaching. He is still at the same school, and for a job that started out temporary it has sure been a steady job; what a blessing it turned out to be. I don’t think I could stand to have him work another job as I enjoy having him home at decent hours too much, plus school breaks! He does keep busy fixing computers on the side, but for the most part, we can work it around our schedule. Lars is now the den leader for the 8-year-old cub scouts. It is a fun, yet challenging calling.
Grandpa Champney- Since many of you know and love Grandpa, I thought I’d give you a little update on him. Grandpa is doing well. He still goes to the temple twice a week with a group from his old ward, his faith and dedication is such an example to us all. He had heart surgery in August, a valve replacement as well as a bypass. He has recovered swiftly, he was even well enough to leave the hospital a week after surgery, much to the doctor’s surprise. He is a fighter and hates to be sick or unable to do things, I think that has aided in his recovery. We are so blessed to have him in our lives; he does so much for us and for so many people around him.
As for me, I am home with Lilli. She, and running a household, keep me on my toes. I do not have an official position on the PTA this year and it has been quite refreshing. The past 2 years as volunteer coordinator took a lot out of me, it was fun but I was happy to pass the job along to someone new! I am now the Activity Day girls leader at church. It is fun, but I do miss working in the nursery. L I love to be in there with those kids! However, the girls in activity days are fun and I love being in there with Emma.
We had a great time at Disneyworld with Lars’ brother and family as well as a good friend and his family. There were 18 of us all together. What a party! It was quite an adventure, especially the plane ride there and back. It was the two Andersen families, which includes 4 adults and 9 kids. The kids actually did really well, but I’m not anxious to go on another 5 hour plane ride with that many kids anytime soon.
Soon after arriving home, one by one, we started to come down with a virus that turned out to be swine flu. Thankfully, everyone got through it without any major trouble, though the girls were quite miserable for about a week.
Now we are healthy once again and hoping to stay that way throughout the season.
We are so thankful for the friendships we share with each of you. We are thankful for our beliefs in our Father in Heaven and in Jesus Christ. We know they are there and that they have blessed our lives richly. I hope that we can remember to take the time to remember Jesus, his birth, his life, and his sacrifices. It means so much to us in our lives. I know many people say that it is silly to have a time set aside to remember and worship his birth, that we should do that all year long. It is true that we should do it all year long, but it is also good to have a time where we concentrate on that even more, a time to actually celebrate it and start us off in a new year with that as our focus. So, I pray that we can each do that this season, use this time to celebrate the birth of our Savior, spread his love through our love, and start off the new year by recommitting ourselves to him and his work.
We love you all and hope you have a wonderful Christmas and a very wonderful New Year!
Love to all,
The Andersen’s (Lars, Crystal, Oscar, Emma, Henry, and Lilli)
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Time
You know how when you were young, old people would tell you that time flies, that it goes by too fast? I remember looking at them like they had two heads. They were crazy, time crawled by, especially around Christmas or a birthday. It took forever to get older.
Guess what!! I must be old now. There comes an age when everything reverses. You age incredibly fast, everyone around you is growing older, growing up. Birthdays fly by, Christmas comes and it feels like it has only been a couple weeks since Halloween.
Something about watching your own kids grow up makes time shift into some hyperspeed. When did it change, was it when I got married, when my first was born? Or does it happen at a certain age wether you have kids or not? Do you hit 25 and time speeds up. And why is it just when you want life to slow down that it suddenly decides to speed up?
Okay, so there is my little growing older rant. It isn't that I mind getting older, I don't. It just seems to happen so fast. I guess the worst part is that I'm going to close my eyes and wake up to find my kids are grown.
SO...here are my new years goals (though I never really do this- I think I wrote down new years goals when I was 16, but that is all I can remember)
Seriously, this is what I hope to learn in the next year...
It won't slow life down but hopefully I can learn to take it all in and make it worth the time we have here.
Guess what!! I must be old now. There comes an age when everything reverses. You age incredibly fast, everyone around you is growing older, growing up. Birthdays fly by, Christmas comes and it feels like it has only been a couple weeks since Halloween.
Something about watching your own kids grow up makes time shift into some hyperspeed. When did it change, was it when I got married, when my first was born? Or does it happen at a certain age wether you have kids or not? Do you hit 25 and time speeds up. And why is it just when you want life to slow down that it suddenly decides to speed up?
Okay, so there is my little growing older rant. It isn't that I mind getting older, I don't. It just seems to happen so fast. I guess the worst part is that I'm going to close my eyes and wake up to find my kids are grown.
SO...here are my new years goals (though I never really do this- I think I wrote down new years goals when I was 16, but that is all I can remember)
Seriously, this is what I hope to learn in the next year...
- To spend more time laughing and playing with my kids
- Learn to enjoy each day more- not let the little things bug me so much (not as easy as it sounds!)
- Learn something new- I don't know what, just something. Something that just sounds fun or interesting.
- Teach my kids something I already know- double dutch, basketball, crocheting, cooking...something
- Be a better example to my kids (this one will take a lifetime, I'm so flawed, just like everyone else) ;~)
- Spend a lot of time laughing with my hubby
It won't slow life down but hopefully I can learn to take it all in and make it worth the time we have here.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
The little things
I know I need to blog more. I forget to write down the little things. I feel I can only blog when something happens. So here are some things I’ve missed in the last month…
Swine flu at my house, pretty sure everyone had it- Lilli was actually tested for it (positive of course) ( My anxiety and panic attacks cropped up again as a result of worrying about all this but that is another story!)
Emma made the HIGH honor roll at school! (She was excited!)
We got to meet Mark Walton (A Disney Animator and the voice of Rhino in the movie bolt!) He is a friend of a friend and came to Lars class to talk to his 3D animation class about…animation ;~) Oscar was so excited the night before we met him that he could hardly sleep. lol
I had a Jewelry party at my house, even though I really don’t wear jewelry (my dear friends were mercilessly making fun of me for this!) But to help an old friend I will do many things.
Thought about, and then discarded, the idea of taking a vacation to Cali for Thanksgiving and ditching out on the big family thing. BUT since ALL my siblings will actually be in town for Thanksgiving we decided to stay here in the cold.
Having the desire to move again (It is just a part of who I am, I long for a new adventure every couple years!) I’d love to move somewhere totally new. One of my favorite things to do it go online to www.findyourspot.com and look at different places to live in the US. Check it out, it is a fun website. Beyond the US we would love to live in Denmark for a few years to give the kids that experience, get to their roots, get to know family that is there, and learn the language. It is a dream, but hopefully we’ll at least get to visit someday. (If we quit spending all the money we don’t have on Disneyland/world! haha)
I’ve gone on several fun GNO’s with my gal pals! Love those ladies! Looking forward to another girls night away sometime in the future! (A couple of days away from the family, giving the daddies quality bonding time with the kids!!!, and doing nothing but shopping, talking, and eating with some of my best friends!) Until then a night at the movies, or bakery, is awesome too!
We sold 2 of our cars and got a new, to us, Chevy Tahoe! LOVE IT! And it will pull the tent trailer so much better than our Trooper did!
I have been enjoying the cool fall weather, crunchy leaves on the ground, and plenty of hot chocolate! I also have enjoyed baking pumpkin treats galore as well as gingersnaps to go with the hot chocolate! LOVE FALL!
Lars and I celebrated our 13th anniversary!! Sounds so long, but has gone by so fast!
I said I would blog about my love of fall sometime but I think I’ll need a whole post just for that! :-D
So those are the little things that have been happening in our lives! Lots of adventures, lots of drama, lots of fun!
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Lucky 13
Well, we did it! Lars and I have survived 13 years together! Whew...what a trek ;-P
Really, they have been wonderful years. We have had 4 amazing kids together, many fun times, and some hard times. BUT we have stuck together through it all, and it really hasn't been that hard to do because Lars is wonderful to me. He loves me, listens to me (mostly ;P), and is my friend and companion through it all.
It is strange to think I have been married for 13 years, it sounds so long, but it has gone so fast. I used to hear about people celebrating their 15th anniversary and thinking "WOW, that is such a long time!" And now here I am a mere 2 years from 15.
It is interesting to think back on it all now, and I have been doing a lot of that since my neice just became engaged to be married. She is almost 19 and I remember being that age, getting ready to marry and being so happy to be where I was. I know I was young, but I don't regret my decision one bit. We have learned together, laughed together, and cried together. (Well I've done most of the crying but Lars has done the important part...the listening and the hugging.) Sappy, yes, but so true and so important.
I remember people telling me I was too young, I had a whole life ahead of me. You know what, I couldn't, and still can't, imagine that life not having Lars in it. We have had many adventures together, including the 4 kids, and I still have a whole life ahead of me, it just happens to include him. :D And I wouldn't have it any other way. He gets, as in understands, me and I can't imagine anything being more important. He lets me ramble, worry, and even rant. He knows me and understands how to help me, how to laugh with me, (and even when to ignore me lol) and he loves me.
I'm sure this doesn't mean a lot to anyone other than me but I had to commemorate the occasion by writing this down. Who says 13 is unlucky? We made it through 13 and I'm sure this 14th year will be just as wonderful, full of adventure, hard times, and fun times. But no matter what the year, and years to come, throw at us I am a lucky girl because I know without a doubt that he will still love me and will be by my side. And he will still get me...and to me that means a lot.
Really, they have been wonderful years. We have had 4 amazing kids together, many fun times, and some hard times. BUT we have stuck together through it all, and it really hasn't been that hard to do because Lars is wonderful to me. He loves me, listens to me (mostly ;P), and is my friend and companion through it all.
It is strange to think I have been married for 13 years, it sounds so long, but it has gone so fast. I used to hear about people celebrating their 15th anniversary and thinking "WOW, that is such a long time!" And now here I am a mere 2 years from 15.
It is interesting to think back on it all now, and I have been doing a lot of that since my neice just became engaged to be married. She is almost 19 and I remember being that age, getting ready to marry and being so happy to be where I was. I know I was young, but I don't regret my decision one bit. We have learned together, laughed together, and cried together. (Well I've done most of the crying but Lars has done the important part...the listening and the hugging.) Sappy, yes, but so true and so important.
I remember people telling me I was too young, I had a whole life ahead of me. You know what, I couldn't, and still can't, imagine that life not having Lars in it. We have had many adventures together, including the 4 kids, and I still have a whole life ahead of me, it just happens to include him. :D And I wouldn't have it any other way. He gets, as in understands, me and I can't imagine anything being more important. He lets me ramble, worry, and even rant. He knows me and understands how to help me, how to laugh with me, (and even when to ignore me lol) and he loves me.
I'm sure this doesn't mean a lot to anyone other than me but I had to commemorate the occasion by writing this down. Who says 13 is unlucky? We made it through 13 and I'm sure this 14th year will be just as wonderful, full of adventure, hard times, and fun times. But no matter what the year, and years to come, throw at us I am a lucky girl because I know without a doubt that he will still love me and will be by my side. And he will still get me...and to me that means a lot.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Disneyworld pictures
Disney World in a nutshell
Friends and Family...
Character meetings...
Other adventures...
Friendships and saying goodbye...
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Quick Catch up post
So much to say and never enough time to post it! So the kids are back in school and already halfway through the first term! Had parent teacher conferences. It usually goes about how I expect it. Emma's teachers "Emma is doing wonderful, always turns in her work, and is a pleasure to have in class! She is sweet and very bright." Oscar's teachers "Oscar is energetic and so funny. And what a GREAT artist! He is so much fun to have in class. BUT...he has a little trouble turning in work and spends too much of his class time drawing." ;) He actually had to take make-up work on our Disney World trip. Poor guy, but that is how it goes.
And the teachers are spot on with my kids. They are both so wonderful and SO different. They have their strengths and weaknesses. Emma's humanities teacher this year is the same one Oscar had last year. The first thing she said when I ran into her a couple weeks after school started was "Crystal! How are you? WOW...Oscar and Emma are such different kids, aren't they?!" We laughed about it, but the wonderful thing was that she is able to tell me what she loves about both of them and not how one is better than the other. I LOVE teachers like that.
As for Henry, I am homeschooling him for now. We are having such fun with it! Lilli is loving having someone home besides me and loves to "have school" with us. He is doing great and is working hard. He just needed a little extra one on one work and has some things he is working through. He is such a great kid! I love homeschooling him and will be sad when he is ready to go back to school.
My grandpa had heart surgery in August and I spent the week before the kids went back to school up at the hospital with him. My wonderful aunt came into town for the first few days and it was so nice to have her there. After he was released from the hospital he came to stay with us for a bit until he was allowed to do things on his own. He is home now, driving, and just feeling great! We are so grateful and can't believe how quickly he has healed. We had expected at least 4 months of long, slow recovery. BUT that isn't Gramps style. He hates to sit around so he just decided to get better ;)
So all in all, I've had plenty to keep me busy, along with every day life! :D
THEN came Disney World!!!! Have I mentioned that I LOVE all things Disney? Well, I do! :) We had a great time, saw our wonderful friends, and made some amazing memories (not all of them good I assure you! lol) There was the look on the children's faces when they meet that first character, the pride in my 12 year old as he and our friends son got to venture off on their own in the parks, the heat and humidity, the guy harassing my husband and kids because he swears my niece sneezed on his food. Lars getting security to haul the guy off, Lilli and Tony (the 4 year old of our friends) forming the cutest little friendship, and for us old folks (HAHA) the sore feet and backs ;) (PICTURES TO COME SOON!)
Other things that have happened, Oscar turned 12! That is just huge to me. He is more than halfway to adulthood. It goes way too fast. He is still into art, loves to be with friends and is our ever fun-loving guy!
Emma, turned 11. She is growing up too fast as well. She decided to cut her hair and get her ears peirced for her birthday. She is such a cute, sassy little dresser. I love it! (though don't tell her, cause she already likes to shop too much!)
I think that is about it for the last couple months, not much has happened ;) Same ol', same ol' here at the Andersen household! Adventure after adventure, we are having fun.
And the teachers are spot on with my kids. They are both so wonderful and SO different. They have their strengths and weaknesses. Emma's humanities teacher this year is the same one Oscar had last year. The first thing she said when I ran into her a couple weeks after school started was "Crystal! How are you? WOW...Oscar and Emma are such different kids, aren't they?!" We laughed about it, but the wonderful thing was that she is able to tell me what she loves about both of them and not how one is better than the other. I LOVE teachers like that.
As for Henry, I am homeschooling him for now. We are having such fun with it! Lilli is loving having someone home besides me and loves to "have school" with us. He is doing great and is working hard. He just needed a little extra one on one work and has some things he is working through. He is such a great kid! I love homeschooling him and will be sad when he is ready to go back to school.
My grandpa had heart surgery in August and I spent the week before the kids went back to school up at the hospital with him. My wonderful aunt came into town for the first few days and it was so nice to have her there. After he was released from the hospital he came to stay with us for a bit until he was allowed to do things on his own. He is home now, driving, and just feeling great! We are so grateful and can't believe how quickly he has healed. We had expected at least 4 months of long, slow recovery. BUT that isn't Gramps style. He hates to sit around so he just decided to get better ;)
So all in all, I've had plenty to keep me busy, along with every day life! :D
THEN came Disney World!!!! Have I mentioned that I LOVE all things Disney? Well, I do! :) We had a great time, saw our wonderful friends, and made some amazing memories (not all of them good I assure you! lol) There was the look on the children's faces when they meet that first character, the pride in my 12 year old as he and our friends son got to venture off on their own in the parks, the heat and humidity, the guy harassing my husband and kids because he swears my niece sneezed on his food. Lars getting security to haul the guy off, Lilli and Tony (the 4 year old of our friends) forming the cutest little friendship, and for us old folks (HAHA) the sore feet and backs ;) (PICTURES TO COME SOON!)
Other things that have happened, Oscar turned 12! That is just huge to me. He is more than halfway to adulthood. It goes way too fast. He is still into art, loves to be with friends and is our ever fun-loving guy!
Emma, turned 11. She is growing up too fast as well. She decided to cut her hair and get her ears peirced for her birthday. She is such a cute, sassy little dresser. I love it! (though don't tell her, cause she already likes to shop too much!)
I think that is about it for the last couple months, not much has happened ;) Same ol', same ol' here at the Andersen household! Adventure after adventure, we are having fun.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
DISNEYWORLD!
We are off to Disney world in a couple hours. I am up early making sure all is ready, but I must admit that it is mostly because I'm so excited I can't sleep :D
I just told Lilli a couple days ago that we were going to Mickey's house; she was excited about that. Then I told her we were going to ride on a plane to Mickey's house. She started to clap her hands in excitement and then stopped and looked at me with her adorable face and said "But we don't have a plane, Mom!" She just makes me laugh sometimes, well a lot actually! I told her that there are planes that you get to pay money to ride on and she resumed her excitement and ran off to tell everyone else. The other kids are excited as well but I still don't think anyone is as excited as me! I'm not really looking forward to the plane ride. It will be us and our 4 kids PLUS Lars' brother and his family. They have 5 kids. So 4 adults and 9 kids on one airplane- the other passengers are going to hate us. Well not my kids of course, they are angels...always. 0:-) They will have all their electronics so that will help, and I will have a good book and my music. Good times.
Some good friends will be meeting us in Florida as well. They live in Georgia and we don't get to see them all that often. It will be a grand reunion and party. Living it up at the All Star Music Resort in Disney world. I'm sure it is rockin'!
I'm hoping that when we return it will feel more like fall here. Where is all that good weather? It is still too hot! I love fall, about as much as I love spring, but for completely different reasons, of course, but that is another story.
For now, I am off to Disney world! Catch ya when I get back (with enough pictures to bore everyone for hours!)
I just told Lilli a couple days ago that we were going to Mickey's house; she was excited about that. Then I told her we were going to ride on a plane to Mickey's house. She started to clap her hands in excitement and then stopped and looked at me with her adorable face and said "But we don't have a plane, Mom!" She just makes me laugh sometimes, well a lot actually! I told her that there are planes that you get to pay money to ride on and she resumed her excitement and ran off to tell everyone else. The other kids are excited as well but I still don't think anyone is as excited as me! I'm not really looking forward to the plane ride. It will be us and our 4 kids PLUS Lars' brother and his family. They have 5 kids. So 4 adults and 9 kids on one airplane- the other passengers are going to hate us. Well not my kids of course, they are angels...always. 0:-) They will have all their electronics so that will help, and I will have a good book and my music. Good times.
Some good friends will be meeting us in Florida as well. They live in Georgia and we don't get to see them all that often. It will be a grand reunion and party. Living it up at the All Star Music Resort in Disney world. I'm sure it is rockin'!
I'm hoping that when we return it will feel more like fall here. Where is all that good weather? It is still too hot! I love fall, about as much as I love spring, but for completely different reasons, of course, but that is another story.
For now, I am off to Disney world! Catch ya when I get back (with enough pictures to bore everyone for hours!)
Monday, August 10, 2009
Photo shoot
Last month we had our pictures taken by a friend who is trying to make a break in the photography industry. I just thought I would post a few of the pictures he emailed me. I'll have to post more when he gets us the CD.
We had a good time, it is has been awhile since we had a family photo taken. As always, the kids are by far cuter than the adults! ;)
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