Jubilation

Phoenix could hardly contain himself when he realized that ALL the presents (in his pile) were for him. He threw his arms in the air and jumped around. If that isn't excitement I don't know what is!

Poppy is posing here with a new tooth brush and some presents that Santa left. They had to wait till Daddy got home to open anything. The anticipation was almost too much.

Christmas Eve Poppy gave everyone the new sweat suits she picked out for them. That way nobody had to get dressed on Christmas morning. Just jump out of bed and ready to go.

Dinosaurs and Thomas the train were a hit with Phoenix this year. Poppy got the Island Barbie Princess that she asked for. Poppy also got a doll from American Girl but it seems like the Barbie was all she needed. I took the American Girl out of the box to play with.(I couldn't wait any longer) Willow got Hannah Montana stuff and a Zune (which her Dad loves), it plays music like an MP3 and holds movies. Dave has had fun getting it all loaded up for her. Dave got a new dress shirt and tie and will get to pick out a new gun. I got a big digital Photo Frame that holds a ton of pictures and a new Patricia Cornwell book. We are grateful that our children are still small and that they are easily pleased with Barbies and Dinosaurs!

Christmas Spirit or Bah Humbug!

This is the winning Christmas Tree project! YOu can't see but it has real lights on it. Willow's class voted it the best in the class. All the work she made me do paid off. NOte the star on the top has her picture on it. Nice touch I thought.

Poppy decorated this little tree with Monsters Inc ornaments, and one to remember her big sister Willow.

Phoenix is posing for the family picture. He looks so intense. I wonder what he's thinking?

Wierd Santa. Why do we put our children on strange old men's laps each year? It's a little creepy if you ask me. No wonder they cry. I would too.

This year I am torn between having the Christmas spirit and just being a Bah Humbug. I enjoy the lights and the festivities most of the time... but I hate all the traffic and craziness about the season. I know I'm supossed to say it's the most wonderful time of the year, but when it's past time to get the cards out and the ever expanding gift list gets rolling I cringe. The kids are excited and they really only want a few things, so for that I am thankful.

The new baby is growing well. This week I think it must be a boy because I have those weird hormone headaches. You know the ones you can't get rid of. The room is shaping up. The crib is almost ghetto painted (spray paint). I have looked at the crib mattress and I think a new one is in order. I am working on a castle bumper that will suit either a prince or a princess. Phoenix is doing great in his new big boy bed. Actually he doesn't get out of it once I put him down for the night! Poppy and Willow are liking their arrangements so we are all snug like bugs in a rug.

Dave and I are talking about where, and what we will move into when Mom and Dad come home. It varies by week. Some weeks we are going to buy a (another) house and put in a pool and get what we want. Some weeks we are renovating another house. We vacillate between selling the houses in Utah to keeping them. Some weeks we are renting, and some weeks we are building. The location of the house varies just as much. Yesterday we went from Hemet, to Temecula, to La Quinta, to Corona, to back to Utah in a matter of an hour of conversation. I wish I could look into the future to know where to go. That would be a lot easier.

Park City Snow

This pregnancy isn't the most flattering. I am 26 weeks here. Baby Snow#4 had lots of yummy things to eat.

The girls had fun shopping in Park City. We met in Salt Lake for a Taylor girls weekend. Christina came down from Idaho, Aleca came in from Wisconsin, I came from California, and Catherine tried to come from Colorado. Wierd we all live in different states! Of course it was the biggest storm of the season so far in Park City! They got tons of snow! Catherine couldn't make it over the mountain. We shopped and ate. We missed Catherine and dedicated our meal at Macaroni Grill to her. All weekend long it felt like we were missing our 4th wheel.

Sunday Fun

Today was a typical Sunday for the Snow Family. We got ready and then went to Church. Willow had a talk in Primary so she practiced all morning long. I can't believe that Phoenix and Poppy will be in Sumbeams in just 4 weeks. I asked again if they could hold Phoenix back a year but the answer was still no. I went in to nursery today with them and Poppy was quite-put off by the fact that Phoenix would not sit down for the lesson. She kept yelling at him. I think she better get used to that.
She thinks that I should name the baby Tater Tot. I don't know where that came from, but it is unisex. Phoenix thinks that Clifford is a good name and even calls the baby Clifford (like the big red dog). I guess Cliff (ie. ledge, or crevace) could be considered with the theme of names we got goin' on. Willow thinks River. I think it's a girl this week, so I don't think most of those will work.

Better than Sex Cake

This cake is sooo good. My mother-in-law has made it before and then when I saw it on the back of the cake mix box I thought I'd try it. It's really easy. What could be better than chocolate cake floating in sugar sauces topped with candy bars. It covers all the main food groups. Chocolate, chocolate, and sugar.

Ingredients:
German chocolate cake mix (Duncan Hines has this recipie on the back)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2- 1 cup caramel or butterscotch syrup/sauce
1 container Kool Whip
2-3 SKOR or Heath bars broken into little pieces


1. Bake the cake like it says on the box
2. When cake is still warm from oven prick it with a fork all over
3. (While warm) pour about half a can of sweetened condensed milk over the top and
let it settle into the holes.
4. Then pour caramel sauce over the top and let that settle in (it won't settle all
the way in)
5. Then refrigerate. When ready to serve frost with Kool Whip and top with crunched
up Heath Bars. I'm sure you could use whatever your favorite candy bar is. I
thought Reese's or Snickers would be tasty too.

Gobble Gobble Gobble

This year for THanksGiVing we went to MIMI's house. I guess Papa lives there too, but he doesn't get much credit. Dannette and Mark (Dave's sister and her family are down from Utah to celebrate with us!) We are so excited to see the cousins. The kids were up at 5:35 on Thanksgiving getting dressed to go so that they would get a full day of Barr goodness in.


From left to right Jade 15, Poppy 3, Willow 6, Chase 8, Tatum 9 mos, Phoenix 3, DeLane 10
No snow or cold here in California only fires. I put the kids in pants, but by the end of the day they were all wearing shorts and short sleeves. I wish it would get a little cool at least...Maybe not 25 but in the 70's would rock!

Here's the newest snow in the bunch. This is Tatum he's 9 months. Isn't he cute!!

Phoenix, Dave, Papa, and Chase all had birthday cake. Their birthdays are all this month or next so they get to celebrate when we all get together. Phoenix's main goal was to get a party hat. This improvised paper plate seemed to appease him.

Willow is helping Phoenix blow his candles. This cake was delicious. It's called "Better than Sex Cake" and boy they aren't kidding. (Sorry Dave)

Dave's Hand + 1 week

Thank you cards made by Poppy and Willow. Aren't they cute? I think Poppy dictated this to Willow. They think it is hilarious to call him "Dave" instead of Dad or Daddy.

Dave's hand is still looking ugly, but it is healing. If you look close you can see all the pink new skin growing in. Having a really serious burn on a lot of your body would be horrible. We're thankful that it was just his hand and belly. His hair is all growing back and it's a shame the mustache didn't get burned off.

Quick update on Davey

The kids love the beach. It is funny to watch them lay in the sand. Must feel nice.

Dave found a huge hermit crab. He was bigger than the kids hands.

Phoenix found a baby octopus. He said it was crying to find its mommy. Poppy wouldn't hold it.

Phoenix loves his mommy.

Dave is feeling better. His hand hurts but we think the danger of infection and more damage has passed. Now we just have to keep it clean and bandaged with cream. He went to work and they put him in "Central". He has no contact with the bad guys and the crazy stuff they come in with.

Dave's Mano Quemado (burned hand)

I guess that slide show needs a little explanation. We went to Mexico on a spur of the moment trip. We decided to leave on Wed night and left Thurs morning at 9:00am. The weather was great and the 6 hour drive not to shabby. The we bought some shrimp and it was scrumptous. The kids had fun playing in the tide pools and then Thurs afternoon Dave decided he wanted to take a warm shower (wimp). So he goes out to light the hot water heater, when he comes back in his face is white and his body is black from his chest down and he is holding his hand like it is going to fall off. He smelled of burning flesh. He says, "I think I burned myself." I jump up (no small feet when you are pregnant) and go over to him. His hand looks like it is melting and his whole body is burned. At first I thought I was going to faint. It was bad, but not as bad as I initially thought. All the black was singed and blackened hair. He lost most of the hair on his body. He was bad on his tummy and his hand looked really bad. I took him outside and started the hose and put him under neath it. Then I paced, thinking of plans: Leave to go home to the hospital and leave all the stuff here, come back during the week to lock up, take him to the hospital in San Felipe, what do I do with the kids? He needs a translator. He did not want to leave the water, he said the pain was too bad, but I was watching skin come off in the running water so I knew he needed medical attention. Finally I decided to take him to San Felipe to the hospital. THere were two reasons 1. they could give him a pain killer to get us to the States and 2. It was only a 1/2 hour away, if I filled the ice chest with water then Dave could make it there. Off we went. When we got there they took us right in and they gave Dave an IV, a bowl of cold water to ease the pain, and "el hermano de morfina" in his drip. Pretty soon Dave was loaded enough to let them work on his hand. They cut /scraped off the dead skin and cut some of the blisters off, then they put some green soap on it to clean it. Dave nearly came out of his skin when they did this. Then they put some burn cream (sulfa somethin) on it and wrapped it up good. Then they repeated on his tummy. I paid the bill. One thousand pesos. We go to the car and the battery was dead (of course)because the kids were watching a video, and Phoenix had pressed every button he could. So I got somebody to jump us. Then we went to the farmacia and got some more pain killers (you know it's strong when you have to have a prescription in Mexico). After Dave got some medication in him he felt sleepy so I took him and the kids back to Percebu to pack up. It was late enough that Dave fell asleep and the doctor told me that it was not an emergency so I let him sleep. We left the next morning. His hand will heal and the doctors at Kaiser were reasonably impressed with the job done on his hand. Actually the hospital in Mexico was cleaner and had better service than Kaiser. So all in all it turned out fine. I guess I didn't need to get so anxious, but that's the way with moms. Dave went to work today (Sun) and he hasn't come home so Iguess they let him stay. The burns are second degree, and although he may have scarring he shouldn't have any long lasting affects.

PS I'm trying to figure out how to get the slide show thing down. Bear with me.

Check out my Slide Show!

The new little Peanut

Baby's profile with a clear view of the spinal chord. Head is on the left.

Baby's face. Dave think's it really is an alien.

Baby's arm (and body) pushing towards you.

MOre Halloween (NOw it's over)

OOOOhhh scarry!

Willow's face was green like Alphaba's in the musical WICKED that we loved so much!

Since mom is home and has the internet I know that she will be looking at the blogs more often. So I will try to post as many photos as I can. They are the funnest to look at any way.

The kids and their many Haloween Parties

Phoenix is a mummy. His costume was so cool the pictures justdon't capture the coolness.
The Hendrickson's looked darling. Jeff and Nadine were bee keepers from the twin hives.

Dave and I were Mr and Mrs Incredible. At the party we had masks too.

Here's the girls with Helle Robinson. She's the chorister in Primary and does the best job. The kids love her.

Ok, it feels like Haloween has gone on forever this year! Normally this is my favorite Holiday. I love dressing up but this year was like a week long party. It seemed like every day we had someone who had to dress up. I don't mean to sound like a BAH HUMBUG but thank goodness it's finally over. Here are a few pictures from one of the many activities.

The Adult Costume Party

The ladies from the Hemet 5th ward were lined up for this one. I'm just glad it wasn't my husbands costume.

Dave thinks this is the greatest costume. The Cortez's are our friends from Hemet. Dimitri's face was so cool. It had fur all over on it.

LADIES OF EXCELLENCE

Willow got a special award at an assembly today! She was chosen as the first grade student who showed the most character. The specific qualities that they worked on this trimester were: responsibility, forgiveness, compassion, and generosity. What a great day. I couldn't be more proud of my little girl. She got a gift certificate to go out to lunch, a bumper sticker, and some pencils etc. She also got her report card and got all O's with a couple S+'s! Guess what one the S+ was in... yep Behavoir -talking at "inappropriate times". I guess that works if all day everyday is an inappropriate time :0). We're working on the talking.

I put her hair in curlers the night before and it looked so cute! That's Rachel her friend sitting next to her. Dan is next to Rachel, that's who she talks to the most. Dan and Willow got yellow notes two weeks ago for talking. Apparently he's the heart throb of the first grade AND he has passed off ALL his sight words. I think that makes him cool. It's not until high school that not doing well in school makes you more attractive to the ladies. There are benefits to having a child who talks. There is little information that doesn't make it's way to mom and dad.

POPPY THE DANCIN QUEEN (BEE THAT IS)

Our Mimi is the best! She gave Poppy this tutu for dance last weekend. Poppy tried to sleep in it the night before dance, but I took it off her after she fell asleep because it looked to itchy. She picks up on the dance steps very well. Not at all like her mother.

She is concentrating hard on that shuff-le step. See how fast her foot is going? She can do the whole dance at home. It's nice that she can do something all of her own, and be great at it. SHHHH don't tell but she is already better than her mother ever was!

That's My Boy!

Isn't he cute? It's a darn good thing that he is so cute because he is in fine form as of late. I don't think I can take him acting out when the new baby comes. Heaven help us if it gets worse!

These are the pants off a teddy bear from Build-a- Bear. This picture does not do them justice. The are sooo tight. They also have a hole in them for the bears tail... imagine what they look like when the hole is in the front! :0)LOL I call them his hot pants. The other day he had them on with a big flower hair bow and a queen robe. Dave is a little on edge about his wardrobe choices lately to say the least!

Yep, this pictures is exactly what you think it is. Gross I know. I found this little pile in the evening who knows when it happened. The clothes laying right next to the brown substance in question gave me the tell tale information. I have been saying to myself please let it be chocolate, Please Let It Be Chocolate, OH PLEASE LET IT BE CHOCOLATE to myself a lot lately. But alas, it rarely is. My lovely son is not potty trained but "house broken". He never has accidents in the house. He rarely has accidents. He is very deliberate where he pees and poops. The back yard offers too many possibilities to be stifled with a white porcelain toilet in the house. My girls never did stuff like this. I don't know where he gets it from.

Sorry it's been so long. I have been brain storming ideas for a book. Maybe I'll start this year. Yeah, 4 kids, an impending move, I've got tons of extra time on my hands.

4 Little MOnkeys JumPing onTHe BEd

Mom, Dad I guess you might as well know. I told Grandma last week so I imagine the cat it nearly out of the bag anyway. Dave and I are going to have a new baby. The baby is due in March. We are very excited and the kids are starting to get what is happening. Phoenix fake barfs and says the baby makes him sick every day. Poppy thinks the baby should be named Shelley, after her mermaid Barbie. Willow has offered to share her top bunk with the new baby even if it is a boy. This is actually quite astounding considering Dave hasn't even offered to share his side of the bed. He thinks that the baby (and mom) might have to bunk in my old bedroom up stairs! I am, of course, thrilled. Not only will I complete my lovely family but I will have one last and final chance to produce the "favorite" heir or at least a close second. Rugby' s hair isn't all that red... Willow swears that she saw hair on the sonogram. I didn't have the heart to tell her that at 8 weeks the baby doesn't have arms let alone hair.

PS The picture is of the baby at about 8 weeks. The heart was beating and the little blop measured the right length. There is only 1 in there. Whew!

Happy Birthday Mommy!

The kids had a surprise birthday party for me with the help of Laurie Le Duc. MMM ice cream and cake delicious.