Benjamin

This little rascal of a boy makes me so happy...
He loves his picture taken and will pose at any time. I am so excited to spend more time with him this year as the other kids are in....

Makenna

I've been practicing shooting in only Manual lately, and today Makenna was a wiling model....
She loves dressing up, and I got these really cute hats as props on Etsy....aren't they just so fun and colorful...

Summer is here

The weather has just been so wonderful the last week, and we took the opportunity to go for a walk on evening on Westcliff in Santa Cruz...
There are always a lot of interesting people and the kids started talking to some people who was hoola hooping at the light house. Both Jonah and Benjamin got some lessons and loved it:)

Jonah working it

Jonah and Makenna scoootering the westcliff

Benjamin is walking Ruby

Jonah and Benjamin

Enjoying the wonderful scenery

And I got some pictures of the kids by the lighthouse...they gave me about 1 minute each! However did not get any picture off them all together...Benjamin refused!

Here is a before and after using Nichole V's sunflare actions
Check out her website at http://www.nicholev.com/

Before

After

great website for photographers...

I love this website...anything you can think of when it comes to photography tips and goodies...
check her out at http://blog.nicholev.com/
I just purchased her workshop in a box...and it is just amazing:)

Crazy day at the house...

Its been a crazy day at the house...not that it really is ever NOT crazy, but today especially. It rained most the day and so we were inside....Benjamin fell at church yesterday and did a full on face plant on the pavement. His nose and forehead looks so bad, and he has just been hanging on me all day long poor little boy.
After Makenna's dance and Jonahs Martial arts we had 4 missionaries over for dinner. When they come to dinner about once a week Jonah goes into turbo and gets totally hyper....

Peter throwing the kids into the nice pile of laundry on the couch.....tahts not even half the laundry, the rest is on my bed....

Jonah stopped for 1 second and game one smile...

My poor little baby boy hurt himself so bad...

Me and Benjamin

Makenna and Siena dancing and jumping

Crazy people jumping...

The crazy bunch...4 elders and the family minus me....

Childrens Discovery Museum

We went to the Children's Discovery Museum in San Jose the other day and had so much fun. Jonah was at school and was not very happy to miss it....BUT Makenna and Benjamin had a blast

Makenna doing an art project

Pure joy from Benjamin

Benjamin favorite fire truck

Visit from Denmark

Peters sister Camilla and her youngest daughter Xenia has been visiting with us for the last week. We have had so much fun showing them around and playing all day long. we took them to Natural bridges beach the other day...a little chilly, but the kids didn't care, they had a blast...

Cool Sunset

They found a crab

Camilla and Xenia

Makenna and xenia

Happy Birthday Jonah

Jonah is turning 7 today, and I cannot believe how big he is getting. he is a great boy with lots of energy and lots of brain power. he is doing great at school, Martial arts and baseball. we are so proud of him and the choices he makes most the time, and he is growing up way to fast.

So here is to Jonah finally turning 7:)

I love you sweet boy

All Boy

We had some rain storms last week and we were basically housebound for days. So when it stopped raining for a couple of hours one day we headed outside in the backyard...and Makenna and Benjamin was in mud heaven:)
I had to drag Benjamin in afterwards when it started raining again...and put them right in the shower. But it was fun and messy while it lasted:)

Benjamin in a huge puddle on out lawn

This is out parking area and it rained so much it was flooding...
Great splashing puddles though....

Marvelous muffins

I rediscovered a recipe I used to make while I was at BYU, and had forgotten how good and healthy they are. My kids love them too..with a little jam on it and a glass of milk...perfect snack:)

Makes 12 cupcakes with 148Kcal and 3g fat in each.

Marvelous Muffins

1 1/2 cup wheat flour
3/4 cup oats
1 ts baking soda
1ts baking powder
1/2 ts salt
2 eggwhites- slightly beaten
1/2 cup milk
2 Tbs oil
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup pureed beans ( I used re-fried beans)

Mix dry ingredients and wet separately. stil til moist. grease muffin tins and fill 2/3 full

Bake at 375F for 15-20 minutes

To make Apple cinnamon muffins just add

1ts cinnamon
3/4 cup diced apples


Enjoy

Benjamin and his new tricks....

Benjamin is always coming up with all kinds of new games and tricks...this is what he was doing one day as I was cooking......

New Years eve

New Years eve we had a little party at our house witha couple of families over. All the kids were dead set on staying up until midnight...

Jonah and his friend made it way past midnight and was so silly at the end playing the Wii

Heather and me getting really tired

Matt and Nikki

Brother Jones and Matt

makenna tried soo hard to stay awake...but 9:30 came and she was out...

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE