Happy 1st Birthday Baby Tate!

Yea! I am one now! Watch out world here I come!

We celebrated on his birthday with balloons and Cupcakes!

He finally took his fingers out of his mouth long enough

to try his first dessert.

He loved it! Mom my world has been opened to new tastes.

No more yucky baby food. I am one now!

A week later we had his big birthday party when my mom was in town as we celebrated with the Samuelson family tradition......

Jello Cake

It took him awhile to warm up to the idea and to take his fingers out of his mouth,

but in the end he loved hitting the jello and watching it wiggle.

He only ate a litte, so his big brother helped him taste it.

We invited all of his fans... the kids from church over

for the big event and it was a winning day.

Tate is so full of joy and curiosity. He is into more cupboards more than the other three put together. He has a great laugh and brings us such joy. We love you Tate. Have a great year exploring and being ONE!

As the baby of the family it is hard to see the last of the jello cakes, crawling and cuddling. He is now now off for exploration and independence. Walking here I come.

I do love having short babies so the little clothes last at our house a little longer. The doctors don't think the same and the boys might not think the same in high school.

HAPPY 6TH BIRTHDAY JILL!

Jill had a day full of celebration....

She started out with a favorite cereal!

She then opened her morning presents...

a Bath Bombe and an Ariel Game!

There was no school today so she enjoyed

a bath with her bath bombe that my friend makes.

It turned the water turquoise and she spent an hour

being a mermaid.

Jill's two best friends came over in the afternoon

to watch the New Tinker Bell Movie!

In the evening we PARTIED as a family with a Pizza Dinner and...

Gifts!

Cake!

and
Dress Up!

Happy Birthday Jill!
We love you!
You are our sweet little Princess!
We love your loves and smiles!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Our Sweet little Witchy!

This year Tyler had so much fun trick or treating! He would go up to the door get his candy, and then ask for "two" or "more". At one door he was told he could only have one and he started to cry and wouldn't stop. I think the lady felt bad and asked if she could give him another one, but Mike told her no that he needed to learn the realities of life.

Watch out for our fierce little dionosaur! Tate did not like the cold grass and solved the problem by putting his fingers in his mouth. Beware of his ROAR!


This year we went to the Thompsons for dinner, trick or treating and lots of fun with friends. We had a SPOOKTACULAR night.

Jaden is in the NO PICTURES MOM zone! I respect this unless I really want a picture and then I give him OPTIONS.... You can take a picture or you wont get to..... It usually works to my advantage.

JADEN'S BAPTISM DAY

It's Great to Be Eight!

Jaden Michael Thomas

8 Years Old

Baptism Day

October 11, 2009

Jaden's Baptism Day was one of the most Beautiful and Peaceful Days in our Family! It is a memory I never want to forget.

We were not sure exactly how Jaden felt about being Baptized, except that he said he wanted to. We did know that he has been scared that his friends will laugh at him for this choice, so he has been more reserved in talking about his feelings. I prayed that he would be able to put those fears aside and be able to enjoy his day. I saw the power of the Lord at work this day. This was fullfilled. Two of his friends from school were also able to attend.

As I looked over at Jaden I saw him snuggled up next to Mike looking so happy. After his Baptism, where he was immersed in the water, I watched him again and he could not stop Smiling! He would look at me with joy in his eyes. He looked perfect and he was perfect. He knew he had followed the Savior. It was a beautiful moment for me as a mother.

After Jaden received his Confirmation blessing into the Church and received the Holy Ghost I could see a change in his countenance. The Spirit of God was so strong in the room. I know that God was proud of him and his decision to follow the Savior Jesus Christ by getting Bapized.

Jaden kept hugging and kissing Mike and I, his siblings and Grandparents all day. It was so fun.

Jaden Congratulations

on your choice to be

Baptized and follow Jesus Christ!

We are proud of you!

We love you so much!

You are a wonderful little Boy!

Tribute to Evan Chateauneuf

19 Years ago I had the wonderful experience of being a Nanny for the Chateaunef family in Boston. They had three sons that I took care of during the day. Cameron, Evan and Graham. They were a delight to be around. I knew exactly what I was in for having five little brothers in my family. I had a great time in Boston and meet many great people who will always be dear to me.

Evan was five years old when I arrived. I had so much fun watching him grow through his kindergarten year. He was a brave little boy the day he had to get on that big yellow school bus all by himself. He was so loving, funny and kind to all around him. He has a great smile that lights up the room.

Just this week I had the chance to talk and laugh with Evan about that first day of school, and talk of his dreams and joys in his life.

Three days later he passed away.

Evan I am so grateful for the time we had to talk

and for your love and friendship in my life.

I will miss you.

And to the Chateauneuf Family I Love You! My prayers are with you!

Fieldtrip with the Little Boys

It was a beautiful sunny day so the

little boys and I went on our first

Fieldtrip to Jonamac Apple Orchard.

We played in the corn...

We ate yummy Apple Doughnuts and drank delicious Apple Cider....


And we raced Rubber Duckies!

I had a lot of fun playing with the little boys. I do however miss having friends with little kids to go on fieldtrips with us....

September 11

Happy 8th Birthday Jaden!

We love you and hope you have a fun birthday!

We love to Party!

Jaden's birthday started out with a present under his bed, his favorite boxed sugar cereal for breakfast, and lunch with Mom at school. Then a Lego Power Miner Party with his friends to end the day! Jaden is a very cleaver person and came up with the ideas for the party theme, games and invitations. The party started with pizza, then we watched the Legos power miner clips online, played feed the rock monster, and had a cyrstal hunt where the treasure in the end was their own box of a lego power miner kit. It was a lot of fun!

Illinois Train Museum

For Labor Day we went with the Kings to the Illinois Train Museum. We had a fun time riding different styled trains and checking out the huge wheels on the Steam Trains.

Another fun day.

1st Day of School

My sweet little girl is off to Kindergarten!
She was full of smiles and was so excited to go to school and to ride the bus! She was dancing and singing all morning. I was able to go to school with her the first day and help her put all of her school supplies away and tour the new school. It was such a delight.

I will miss her in the day.

Jill was interviewed by the paper for the upcoming opening of the new school and the art project the kids created for the library wall. It was fun to see her picture in the new school.


Off to Second Grade!

Jaden was excited to go to school with his Dad today and show him around the new school. He is growing up so fast. I am so proud of him, and will miss the fun person he is.

The Zoo!

School was only a half day, so went downtown Chicago to the Zoo and enjoyed the beautiful sunny day. We had a lot of fun laughing and watching the animals.

Morton Arboretum Fieldtrip.

Summertime.....Schooltime!

For our last fieldtrip of the summer we met our friends the Kings and Hancocks at the Children's Garden. We spent hours of fun in the water, splashing around, building dams, climbing through tree houses, running through the maze and smelling the flowers! It was an amazing place. So much fun. I too loved being with friends. We even saw our neighbors there. A day full of fun with friends. Happy Days.

The Girls!

It is two in the morning and all is quiet and calm! A feeling I love to cherish. I just finished cleaning the upstairs for a luncheon with my friends tomorrow. For a few hours I have a house of ORDER! Now if I wasn't so tired I would love to read my Book Club Book. I decided I better take pictures of the house now so you can see it (only three years later... It never is clean enough for a photo shoot, I have messy pictures too.) The sad news is in just a few short hours when the world awakes my house will not look like this again for awhile.

Our Home.....The Clean Part....More photos on the next cleaning session.

Back to Chicago Baby!

On our way home from Utah we decided to go on I-90 and visit Mount Rushmore....This added six hours onto our two day drive, but it was well worth it. We definitely saw prettier scenery.

Coming out of the Black Hills we saw the Flinstone Village. I loved this place as a child. Seeing the park brought back so many memories of getting up early Saturday mornings to watch the Flinstones! I was so excited to go again and take my kids. I had to convince Mike that we did have an hour to go to the park, and he finally gave in. We unloaded the kids, went to buy tickets and found the doors were locked. The park had closed 5 MINUTES Earlier! What! Who closes a tourist attraction at 5 pm in the Summertime! I was so Sad. No one else was though! The kids have no idea who they were, or what they were missing. We did take some photos and rode the "Quarter" rides for 45 minutes. My kids had a blast, due to that we always say No to the rides outside the grocery stores.

Mount Rushmore was Amazing and Magestic! I love watching how these great tasks were accomplished without the technology we have today. What a mark of what our Country stands for. I hope and pray these amazing Men's ideals do not get lost in today's new thinking.

Jaden said he did not care about History. I am sure when he actually learns about it in school he will be glad to tell everyone he has been there.

The Kids loved the museum where they got to pretend to explode the dynamite and carve the faces out of the mountain.

It was an enjoyable end to a great trip out West....Home!