Christmas 2008

Merry Christmas everyone! We had a great Christmas, but we missed Bryan and Bre who stayed in New York preparing for the birth of "baby Steele." We even got a foot of snow! It was great. Here are a few of our pictures...probably a lot more than you care to see!


Breaking through the Christmas Wrapped Door!

Nick and Chels

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!
Monte and the wrapping paper!

The aftermath!


Sean warming up by the fire.

Merry Christmas...and here's to the New Year! May we all enjoy the richest blessings of health, family, friends and God's love!

"Thrice" as Nice!

I couldn't resist posting this picture! My niece Nicole was in town for a few days. She and Ty came to spend Thanksgiving with Ty's family. Ty had to return home but Nicole stayed a few extra days to spend some time with Kristin. I got to watch the girls for a little bit so Kristin and Nicole could have a little time for themselves. They were very good! About 15 minutes after this picture was taken, they all fell asleep!

Fun Filled Weekend!

Well, it was a busy weekend in our household, but a fun one! Bre flew into town for the weekend, and we had just enough time to throw her a baby shower. On Saturday she went to her family shower in the morning and then came to The Larson family shower in the afternoon. It was so good to see her she looks absolutely darling!
Bre opening gifts with Chelsea and Natalie looking on
Sara and Maddie came from Logan
Kelly and Chelsea trying to "ichat" with Bryan in NYC!
Terra, Bre and Emily

Karen and Grace Kelly and Isabella

Chelsea and I got creative with the cake!
We had so much fun and I can't believe I'll be a grandma in just a few short weeks!

Then on Sunday we celebrated Blake's birthday. He was able to get the weekend off from work and spend it with us.

Sean, Birthday boy, Jon and LaurieWe thought Blake needed to lose a little weight!
"Makin' Bank!"
Happy Birthday Blake! Thanks for brightening our weekend! We Love You!

Twas The Night Before Halloween...

Twas the night before Halloween,
and in the Larson house,
we were all carving pumpkins...
except for my spouse!






John and Lauri were carving
a scary pumpkin face,
while Steele was just looking
for some breathing space.






And Chelsea kept threatening
Sean with a knife...
"Leave my pumpkin alone !"
she said with great strife!







For she thought her pumpkin
was the best in the house...
but we thought it was just
a bit "Mickey Mouse!"









Nick decided to try
something very advance...
So he carved up his pumpkin
like "Sponge Bob Square Pants!"








Sean turned his pumpkin into
a squirmy nail biter,
with his talented hands
he carved a huge spider!









As for my little pumpkin...
He needed 9-1-1!
As I attempted to make
my "fav" JACK SKELLINGTON!





So we lit all the candles
in our Jack O Lanterns,
And we sent all the witches,
on their brooms back to Saturn!




HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Happy Birthday Bre

Bre just celebrated her 27th birthday! Even though we weren't able to be with her on her Big Day, I know she had a great one because her mom went to New York to spend the day with her! On the other hand...I'm such a bad mother in law..I didn't even get her birthday presents mailed to her in time! Luckily, Bre is very forgiving, and I hope she forgive me! Forgiveness is just one of the many things I love about Bre, here are a few of the others...

I love that she was willing to leave her family and move the Big Apple so that Bryan could go to dental school.

I love that she's willing to work hard to support their family while Bryan attends school.

I love that she is Bryan's biggest cheerleader.

I love that she and Bryan both LOVE Halloween!

I love that she is protectively "carrying" our future grandson.

I love that she and Chelsea are such good friends.

I love that she and Bryan have made the absolute most out of their time in New York!

I love that she is "crafty", especially in a city like New York.

I love that she supports Bryan's eccentricities...safe cracking and building laser tag guns.

I love her testimony of the gospel.

I love that they will be moving home in May!

I love that Bryan found his perfect match.

I especially love that I have been blessed with TWO WONDERFUL daughters in law!

Happy Happy Birthday! We love you!

Happy Birthday Chelsea!

Yesterday was Chelsea's 23rd birthday! I'm afraid her actual birthday was spent in school, but luckily she and her mom were able to sneak in a  trip to Park City a couple days earlier for some shopping.  We love Chelsea and we're so glad to have her in our family.  She has made such a difference in Nick's life, and of course...OURS.

  I love how Nick lights up whenever she walks in a room!

  I love that she "gets" Nick's sense of humor. 

  I love that she "accepts" Steele's sense of humor.

  I love that she's comfortable in a testosterone filled house.

  I love how she motivates Nick to the do things he doesn't think he can do.

  I love her discipline and determination to run.

  I love that she and BreAnna are such good friends.

  I love that she LOVES pink!

  I love her desire to go to college and to graduate.

  I KNOW she's the ONLY one that can get Nick to the same!

  Most of all...I love that she loves Nick!

Happy Birthday Chelsea. We love you! Thanks for all you do!

  

 

Aloha!

Our "room with a view!"

...although "Mahalo" would probably be a more appropriate title...we are so thankful! We are here in Kauai, at my true "Happy Place!" We came here 11 years ago with the kids and always knew we wanted to come back! Aside from the financial side of it being tricky...the scheduling part was even trickier! But we did it! So we are back again with the entire family, including my mom, two beautiful daughters in law, and one future grand baby! (Bre and Bry are expecting
their first baby in January!) It truly is HEAVENLY! We are having such a great time. All four boys are certified to scuba dive, so they have been diving every morning. (Bre is certified too, but her doctor said "No" to the scuba diving!) We are staying in the exact same place we stayed 11 years ago because we loved it so much. The furniture is a little "worse for the wear", but the view is unbelievable! These are just a few of the pictures from Bryan's camera. I'm sure that Chels and Bre will have a lot on their blogs, and I will add more later. (I'm sure more than anyone wants to see...but me!) Aloha!
Our condo is the corner top one!
Cheslea, enjoying the view.
Blake, Chels and Nick
Sean, Chels, and Nick
Kids watching the waves break on the rocks.
Blake playing on the rocks below our balcony.

Happy Birthday Steele!

Blake and Steele "Flying a Hull" in 2006!

Yesterday was Steele's birthday, and of course, his #1 birthday wish was to go sailing. Unfortunately, Bry, Bre, Nick and Chels were on the East Coast and couldn't join us...but Blake and Sean both got the day off! Steele loves this boat more than anything! Throughout the long, cold, winter he would continually brush the snow off it and say, "Pretty soon we'll be able to go sailing! Are you getting excited?"
Although, I still love sailing, I must admit as I get older I've become pickier about when I'll hop on the boat. (After all, this is just ONE of the reasons I had all boys...so they could go sailing with their dad!) In the early spring, the reservoir is is filled with the freshly melted snow, which makes for freezing water ( and you get WET on a catamaran) so I tend to stay on the shore. And sometimes, (not often) when the lake is crowded with power boats and jet skis, it takes away from the tranquility of sailing. But I ALWAYS enjoy going with the family and just taking in the atmosphere! We usually go to Pineview Reservoir. This is one of my favorite places. It is up the Ogden Canyon in a little town called "Huntsville." (Where, in a dream world, I would LOVE to build a little cabin one day.) It is a beautiful mountain lake, with sandy beaches and surrounded by green hillsides. So even when the sailing isn't perfect, the atmosphere usually is. This was the case on Tuesday! We found the perfect beach spot right beneath the shade of a huge cottonwood tree and hardly another soul in sight! I brought my camera to get some great shots of the boys "flying a hull"...but there was NO WIND! Steele was especially disappointed, because this was the first day Blake was able to get away and come, but the boys seemed to have a great time anyway. Blake throwing the frisbee.

Sean...waiting for the frisbee

They played Frisbee, swam, sailed, and dug a huge hole in the sand and filled it with red clay. Then when they were totally covered in it, they ran up and gave Steele a big Happy Birthday hug! We had a great day, we just wish ALL of the family could have been there!
Maybe next summer...

Blake and Steele "flying" a little too high...Blake's the one going in head first!