Christmas day fun!

We feel so blessed this Christmas season. Many people are without work, we feel very blessed that Erik has a good job at UPS and that I have been able to work a little cleaning with Oma. Santa came and brought very fun gifts. Conner got a "Double shooter electronic basketball hoop". A huge hit with friends, cousins, siblings and Dad so far. Cole got a "Speed Racer bike" hopefully he can learn to use the pedals?!Lindsey got "Guitar Hero" for the X-Box 360. Very fun and entertaining!Carly got an "EASEL" she loves to draw and be crafty. Carly and Conner showing off their COOL pj's!We got Conner a new football game for the X-BoX 360, legos, a Queen Creek High School BULLDOGS shirt and some DVD's.Carly has been asking for PINK legos for a year. She also got the 4 High School Musical 3 barbie dolls, crayons, and some fun craft kits.Oh did I forget to mention Conner's ASU Jersey?! Go Sun Devils!! Lindsey cleaned up with clothes, new BLACK vans, make up, lotion and jewelry. Erik got an ASU hoody sweatshirt. Now he and Conner need to go to an ASU game!

Anyone have tickets they aren't using? Papa, Oma and Logan came to see what Santa brought. Lindsey even gave them a performance on her guitar. Christmas morning we go to Gramers and Papa Morris' for a delicious breakfast. More bacon is cooked than you can imagine and the yummiest pull apart cinnamon rolls. After that we go into the living room and open presents. Wow, each kid got a full everyday outfit, church outfit and a toy. Thank you Gramers, Papa and Nana.

(above: Marcus Webb and Conner)

Marcus is so good with kids, they love it when he isn't working and gets to come and hang out!

Cute dress Carly!Lindsey, Lauren and Sheridan love to hang out! Gramers and Papa, thank you for a wonderful Christmas!

Nana happy to have everyone over and excited about the chocolate she got as well as her new crossword puzzle book.
Around 5ish the Larsen group meets up to exchange gifts.

The Lopez girls all got new dolls that eat and wet.

Kylee, Ramie, and Sienna

We got to Oma and Papa's before everyone.

Uncle Logan helped Carly do her PIXELS craft. What a fun Uncle! Thank you! Erik was up sleeping with Cole (who wasn't feeling good) and I was laying on the couch trying to squeeze in a nap before everyone arrived.

Poor Cole woke up from his nap burning up (the start of the flu). He pretty much sat on Erik's lap the whole night.

WOW, the pink golf cart from High School Musical 2, thanks Oma and Papa!

The highlight of the night, Crew and Case took off their sweatshirts and this is what we saw! A new little one is on the way, due in August! Yeah, congrats Lance and Heather!

Jewelry, Oma ordered Lindsey, Kayla, and Courtney this adorable necklace!
More ASU attire! Conner is all over clothes when they are sport related! Thank you Oma, Papa, and Uncle Logan for all the fun toys, jewelry and clothes. You spoiled us like always. Merry Christmas! Our wish is that everyone has a wonderful New Year!

Christmas Eve Traditions...

Christmas Eve we either go to Oma & Papa's or Gramers and Papa's for a yummy dinner. This year we were at Gramers and Papa's house for our traditional Mexican dinner. The highlight was the yummy beans from Lulu's restaurant. We always get to their house early enough to light the luminaries before we eat. After dinner we play a really fun white elephant game. Gramers always makes it lots of fun!

Megan, Lindsey, Lauren, Jordan and Sheridan

Cole, Jared, Caleb and Conner

Marcus performing for us!

A monkey hanging from the tree!

Liesl and Shelene

When we get home we let the kids open one gift.

What could that be?

PAJAMAS
Cole got "CARS" pj's!

Lindsey got comfy pj's that she can wear all year round.
Conner ASU pj's, he is our sports FANATIC!

Sweet Carly, Tinkerbell pj's!

Jr. High and High School friends after 18 years...

What a fun day! Saturday, December 20 I got to meet up with some of my Junior High and High School friends. Some of them I hadn't seen in 18 years, WOW! Everyone seemed good and happy!

Update from left to right:
Sarah Barnes - a lawyer, amazing! She always wanted to be one, she was always so smart. I am so proud of her! She also has one son, Jalen. I guess he is quite an athlete.

Kristen Stabile Anson - an accountant! Lives right by our old house in Chandler. She has 2 beautiful daughters, Kami and Kate. Likes to scrapbook, one of my loves too.

Heather Cooper Braeutigam - a mother of 3 healthy and happy kiddos. Calvin, Emma and Caden who are very busy and active. Heather lives in Missouri and is very involved with her church.

Denise Nicolson Donaldson - a Southwest airline flight attendant and nurse practitioner. Lives in Tempe and stays super busy flying and supporting Arizona's sports. Recovering from a recent broken leg.

Corrie Brabec - an accountant! Loves to be active playing tennis, hiking and doing anything outdoors. Is an aunt of a beautiful nephew.

What a great time we had catching up! Sure hope we can make this a yearly tradition. Hope everyone has a great year. Can't wait to email each other and keep info. on life happenings.

Poor Oma!

Tuesday night Oma was changing and discovered a bruise with a bump on it. Showed Papa and Logan and they thought it looked like a blood clot. She called her dear friend Ruth (a nurse) and she told her to either go to the ER (and they would probably put her in the hospital and watch her for a few days) or put a hot compress on it and elevate it. Gee can you guess what she did? Yes, she tried to care for it at home. Well today after we cleaned 5 houses I insisted we go to Urgent Care and get it looked at. She had me worried, I guess her Grandma Allred died of a blood clot.

So we went to Urgent Care. Checked her vitals and her blood pressure was high. The doctor came in and looked at her leg said it wasn't the dangerous kind of blood clot, but he wanted to give her an antibiotic because it would probably open up and he didn't want an infection to occur. He checked her over her legs were a little swollen. Decided she was fine, but on the way out he wanted to check her blood pressure again. Well it was HIGH! He had us come back into the room and checked it several more times. It was reading higher every time. He had her lay down, he had her stand up, he had her sit up, her blood pressure continued to rise. He then recommend we go to the ER. Not only go to the ER, but told us he would like her to take an ambulance because of how high her blood pressure was. She and I started to get nervous then.

Decided that is what she needed to do. The firemen arrived first and were amazed that she had no other symptoms with this high of blood pressure (no heart pains, headaches, aches anywhere). In the ambulance her blood pressure hit a high. Larissa came and got me and we met Dad, Logan and Lance at the hospital (No Lisa because she had gall bladder surgery today)! Oh my what a day!

Once at the hospital they did blood work, EKG's, ultrasound (on her legs) and several test. She began having a little discomfort in her back and chest, but once they put her on oxygen she felt a little better. Every test so far came back okay. I feel so bad for her, she was tired, wanted to take a bath and go to bed. Around 10:00pm Larissa and I headed for home. She has to work at 3:30 in the morning and Lindsey needed to get to bed she has finals tomorrow (Erik's at work).

11:30pm Logan just called and said they are on their way home. Not sure why or what exactly was the cause, but all the test came back and no sign of anything. Weird...you never know why things happen. Doctors orders: rest and take it easy this weekend (I hope we can keep her down!).

What a week! Dad had 3 teeth pulled, Kurt strep, Lisa surgery, and mom trip to the hospital by ambulance because of high blood pressure, yuck! Next week will be better. Glad everyone is doing better!

Conner's Christmas Performance

Sunday, December 14 Conner performed in a children's choir at our stake Christmas Program, "Witness of Christ". It was an amazing program. They sang "How Far is it to Bethlehem and Christmas Bells are Ringing" wow! His Papa Morris sang with the adult choir. The spirit was so strong, a wonderful musical performance. Carly went to support him. Lindsey stayed home with Cole he has one of his horrible asthma coughs going on. Next year Lindsey and Erik hope to be involved in the performance, this time of year is hard for Erik. We are very proud of Conner and love that he is willing to share his talents.

Conner...broken or dislocated?

Conner came home from school Wednesday saying he hurt his finger playing football at lunch recess. The nurse had taped it and sent him back to class. He told us it hurt, but really didn't complain too much about it until today. After cleaning with Oma today I get home to Erik saying he thought we should take Conner in and have his finger x-rayed. He headed off to work, I fed the kids, bathed them, then Conner and I headed in to the ER. X-ray time, wish Aunt Rissa could have done them. They had him but his fingers in some crazy positions.
Conner he is such a good sport. He was happy to be able to watch ESPN while waiting for things to happen. Tyler notice it is his middle finger, he wants to be just like you (you had a hurt middle finger right?). We joked about how this was the only time he could have his middle finger up.
Oh and x-rays show only a sprain, yeah! Now he can still play WHAM basketball on Tuesday, his first practice. Love this kid!

Crew is FOUR today!

Happy Birthday CREW! Wow you are four?! Crew is one smart little man. His mom, Heather, teaches preschool and watch out Crew knows his stuff. He is a very kind and polite little man. He loves hanging out with his dad and is very good with Case. We love you!

Mesa Temple has amazing Christmas Lights!

Sunday, December 7 we went into town to see the temple lights. I am amaze each year how beautiful and creative the lights are. The kids loved them. I love the nativity display too. The new statues look so real. We watched the Luke II movie, I love this time of year. Glad we were able to go as a family!

We now OFFICIALLY have a teenager...scary!

Lindsey is born, oh what happy people we were. She was a week late and had to be induced. My epidural didn't work, so it was kind of a painful delivery, but well worth it.
2 months old - Lindsey had a bow on at all times.
5 months old - Lindsey was on chunky baby. We loved it, so much to love on!

7 months old - 2 teeth on bottom you can see! This was one of my favorite bows and dress. Lindsey was such a happy baby. I worked teaching children with special needs, it killed me to leave her everyday. Aunt LaSchelle watched her 1/2 a day and then Erik picked her up in time for afternoon nap time. She was definitely in good hands.

1 years old and what a cute personality.

October 1997 right before Lindsey turned 3. She was the cutiest Dorothy for Halloween. Lindsey had the curliest hair as a toddler. Easter 2000 Lindsey and Conner all ready to go to church.

2000 - Lindsey always did a great job at poising for the camera.

Apples to Zebras preschool - what a fun time for Lindsey.

Lindsey got to go to a FREE PreK program because her birthday fell between August and December. She loved it!

1/2 DAY Kindergarten - what an exciting year. She went to Bologna Elementary in Chandler.

Happy Lindsey!First Grade (Bologna Elementary) - Lindsey loves to go to school. A very social child and loves to learn. Lindsey and Kayla Romney, FIRST Diamondback game.
January 2002 - Lindsey loses her FIRST tooth!April 2002 Learns to ride her bike, no more training wheels, YEAH! 2002 - One of my favorite pictures, Lindsey, Carly, and Conner. Lindsey has always been a great helper with her younger siblings.

Second grade, oh I love this girl!

Lindsey took dance for awhile. Third grade Lindsey plays soccer. Riley Palmer and Shannon Adair were on her team. She loved soccer and was quite fast on her feet.

First trip to DISNEYLAND (in August)! We left Carly with Oma and Papa and took Lindsey and Conner. We had a SUPER fun time.

Lindsey turns EIGHT...her special baptism day! Making great decisions at such a young age.

Third grade, just started wearing glasses. She looks so cute!Fourth grade, braces put on March 2006. Lindsey had to have surgery to pull out her front tooth. They then attached a chain to the tooth up in her gums that didn't want to come down. What a tough and brave girl. Also moved to Queen Creek in April 2006.

Fifth grade, Lindsey has always tried to choose the right. She is a leader and isn't afraid to tell you what she thinks.

First performance in a play, Seussical. Lindsey and Shannon Price tried out together, way to go! Sixth grade, Lindsey started out at San Tan Elementary and after Christmas transfered to Queen Creek Middle School. This was a tough year, but once Lindsey moved over to Queen Creek Middle School she made some amazing friends. This was a huge turning point in Lindsey's life. She really started to connect with the girls in our ward and has made some amazing friendships. Thankful to our Heavenly Father who knew what Lindsey needed and has blessed her greatly. While at Queen Creek Middle School Lindsey took choir. This is her FIRST choir concert. Lindsey enjoys singing - she goes with her dad every Sunday to ward choir practice.

Summer 2008, FIRST girls camp! What an awesome experience, I got to be the camp director. I loved being there with Lindsey! First VOLLEYBALL team (7th grade, Barney Middle School)! Way to go Lindsey!! 60 girls tried out and the coach kept 12. Lindsey likes to set and was the co-captain! Fun times! (Oivia Knapp/Megan Hunt, two of Lindsey's best friends!)

Today, December 7, 2008 Lindsey turned THIRTEEN! yikes, a true teenager...Yesterday she and I went shopping for a new Sunday outfit (skirt, shirt and of course earrings)! She looked so pretty today. Her meal choice was lasugna, salad, garlic bread and cupcake cookies for dessert (oh yeah, drumstick ice cream too)! She bore her testimony and even went to choir practice on her BIRTHDAY! Luckily she got a nap in and then we opened presents (a new comforter set to redue her bedroom and the Breaking Dawn book). Spent the evening as a family checking out the Temple Christmas lights.

Happy Birthday Lindsey! We love you and have enjoyed everyday of your life. You are such a great young lady making such good choices. Thanks for being such a good big sister and one of my very best friends!