Christmas 2007

Karen and Evan kicked off the Christmas holiday with a quick Friday evening/ Saturday trip to Kingwood to see Max and his parents - and to exchange Christmas gifts.


We love to play with Max. He is such a good boy, and he definitely loves his Nana and BigE.




Chris and Sarah are looking good anticipating their holiday trip to Colorado.




Back in Tyler, Roma joined us for the day. Christmas day was quiet without the kids - Katie and Will are in Spokane - Chris, Sarah and Max are in Denver.



Santa definitely made it to our house this year.

happy birthday will!

in honor of your birthday, max is planning to have peanut butter cookies for dinner.
wish you could join us!

BYU - Provo Fun

I thought I would post one picture from our fun Thanksgiving Utah trip. This one reminds me how happy we were playing in the park after the AMAZING BYU win over Utah. Everyone looks so great in their BYU Blue.

baby

baby is healthy and has all the right parts - fingers, toes, spine, buns, brain, heart, stomach. he moves around a lot but he never turned the right way to get a profile shot (sad for us) but that's ok. so baby's head is big and the rest of him is small... sound familiar?

Our Charlie Brown Christmas Tree

Well we finally got a Christmas tree. Will and I and our friends, Bethany and Doug, trekked up to a forest past Sundance and poached a Christmas tree! They sold 1500 permits but we weren't that lucky to get one. So we decided to be illegal. We are going to send the Park Service a 15 dollar donation to make up for it. We went up there at midnight and left at three in the morning. It was super fun. We love our tree and it was fun to decorate it. Here are some pics.

Super birthday fun!

We love to see that Max has great fun celebrating birthdays too! It's a family trait! (For some reason, the blog won't let me post this as a comment to the pictures so I'm just posting it here!) Can't wait to see y'all tomorrow!

we think chris is one SUPER dada

Bryce Canyon Trip!

Here are some pics from our Bryce Canyon Trip!

Awesome Wood Floors

Here's our awesome floors!

Help!

We don't have the passwords to see the new pics. Tell us quick so we can see super Max on Halloween!

Max!

super max had to stop for a little game of croquet with a stick and rock before going trick-or-treating to the neighbors. chris had to carry max around the neighborhood - he wouldn’t walk (scared of the dark).

i should be asleep in bed

but instead i'm watching chris destroy the 80's tile entry way. satisfying.

The CLUE GAME Activity

Karen and I had a blast at the stake youth activity last night. As you can see from the pictures, we were the Maid and Butler. Many of the stake leaders acted out the game, "Clue" for the kids. Karen put on a flawless performance. She found the dead Mr. Boddy and screamed at the top of her lungs. Eventually we learned that Miss Scarlett did it with the Wrench in the Library.

halloween fever!

max's spooky trick
i can't find max:

oh! there he is!

favorite decorations this year:
pumpkins that light up
pumpkin spice tea lights in baby food jars
cute tiny "puuuump!" as max would say
black and white spooky patterned paper

Request!

I would like to see some pictures of Max and the crew, please.

Finally!

These are some pics that I took of our little apartment.

seminary idea

last night as i was reading through the ensign, i spotted a book of mormon scripture mastery and it reminded me of something my seminary teacher did: any time you found a scripture mastery in a church magazine article or heard it in general conference, you could bring it in and you'd get some little prize or something. he just had a bag of goodies or something you chose from. but two people couldn't get a prize for the same article. just an idea!

a new love

i've never been one to love hibiscus. but then i got a very stunning orange hibiscus for my birthday (thank you karen) and you can't not love it.
but something in my heart was unlocked today when i saw this bloom on my back porch:

just delightful!

still waiting

to see photos of katie and will's latest projects...

Beautiful Salt Lake Temple Wedding Viideo

Evan found this beautiful wedding video on YouTube and I thought I'd share it with y'all. Of course, we don't know the couple, but I love the snow and the way it was filmed and edited. It would be great to show to a Young Women group for a lesson or a special program. My favorite part is the intro with the "I Love to See the Temple" music in the background and the very end where the groom is twirling and lifting up the bride. Aren't temple weddings wonderful? We loved both of y'alls! Thanks for being able to go there!

Two Trivia Answers

First, I will repeat the trivia answer to Chris' 5th birthday: For dinner that special night, Chris requested - b. chicken nuggets and carrot slices.

Chris wanted everyone to eat his favorite meal. Remember in 1986 the stubby mini-carrots we eat today weren't invented yet. Karen would purchase long carrots and cut them into slivers.


On Chris' 5th Birthday, we celebrated with a fun birthday party at Caldwell Zoo.


The answer to Katie's 5th birthday trivia question is - "Balloon Theme." If you can recall, the kids started the afternoon by playing balloon relay games in the driveway - like popping balloons by sitting on them on the brown folding chairs. Then they popped balloons by stomping on them in the front yard. Karen and Evan had blown up several garbage bags full of balloons.


For Katie's 5th Birthday, Karen made individual "hot air balloon" cupcakes for every child.

Evan's Journal Trivia #2

September 28, 1989 - Katie's 5th Birthday

When Katie turned 5 years old, we celebrated her birthday on Friday afternoon, September 29, with a big birthday party. Katie invited 8 friends, plus with Chris, a total of 10 kids participated in the fun events. Karen made sure the party was a huge success. Roma had moved to Tyler a few months earlier and was at the party helping behind the scenes.

Katie's party had a special "theme" that was carried out the whole afternoon. The theme was a big part of the party games, the cake, the decorations and the party favors. Can you remember Katie's fifth birthday party theme?

Please reply and tell us what you remember about the theme. Please comment about anything else you remember about this special day.

Evan's Journal Trivia

November 14, 1986 - Chris' 5th Birthday

On this day Karen fixed Chris his favorite meal for his 5th birthday. What did Chris request the family eat for dinner on his very special day?

a. Church meat and mashed potatoes
b. Chicken nuggets and carrot slices
c. Hot dogs and macaroni & cheese
d. Hamburgers and potato chips

One answer is correct. Please vote. In about a week I will reveal the answer.

Evan

Labor Day "Labor" - and Fun

Labor Day 2007 started out with an extra dose of humidity. Karen and Evan went to Houston to work in Sarah's backyard. But the best reason of all to go to Houston is to play with Max.

It didn't take long for Evan and Chris to retrieve the new swing set from the Jensen's abandoned backyard (using the black Ram truck) and place it in Max's backyard.




Then with everyone helping, we quickly transformed the previous homeowner's neglected space into a beautiful flowerbed.




We had time to spare for an early dinner at Pappasito's. Everyone was too hungry to let me take this picture over again so all would look their best.




And finally, hungry Max shows off his "shiner."

I ran into some familiar faces...

Will and I were shopping at Macey's and ran into Spencer, Karina, and Justin. It was fun to see part of the Scoville clan again. Everytime I go into macey's I see someone that I know. Its crazy how small provo feels.

This is disgusting...(said in the ladies man voice)

http://abcnews.go.com/Primetime/story?id=2346476&page=1

calling all helpers!

who: anyone who wants to
when: labor day, september 3rd (all day) and possibly the next day also
where: pickwick park gardens
what: we are ready to clean up and landscape the backyard. and so, to be patriotic, we thought we'd do it on labor day since it will be a day of hard labor.
[katie and will: we know it is unlikely you'll be able to come, but you are invited just the same :)]

i've drawn up the plans of what we are trying to achieve in the back yard. our neighbors are donating some plants to the cause and the jensons gave us their swing set which will need to be assembled also. chris and i will start this weekend but most of the work will be done labor day after he's done traveling. this is the real deal: i'm even having dirt and mulch delivered to our driveway!

any helpers *cough evan* *cough karen* are welcome to come!

Will and I were watching Karate Kid III this evening and I totally forgot exactly how cheesy that movie really is. It is amazing that a movie can be so cool when you are young but it actually really sucks.

keeping busy

[sarah]
thanks (karen and evan) for letting us crash your house saturday for a few hours. it's always nice to relax and swim. and thanks for all the birthday goodies! i'm going to watch "miss potter" tonight while i plan out where to plant my daffodils. :)

max and i went to dave and deanna's new house today. it's A-MAZING! jalynne and her girls were there too. we had a fun time. the only down side is now the jenson's are one hour away...

Happy Birthday, Sarah!

Any more sweet ideas?

Thanks for all the help in choosing a dessert to make. Good call on not doing trifle. It looks so sloppy anyway. I couldn't decide (you know me) between two, so I made Cream Cheese Pie (that Mom used to make) and Key Lime Margarita Pie that had a pretzel crust (from the Kraftfoods website) Both were good, the Key Lime Pie was tart, but I liked it. I'll try the Lemonade pie sometime with variations. Leslie had made something similar so one time I didn't want to "copy" her.

Now I'm having a Seminary Kick-off meeting at Mom's house on August 26 at 6 pm so I need some ideas for a dessert or some food to serve as refreshments. My theme centers around the treasures of truth found in the Old Testament so maybe something that has a gooey center hidden inside (like Texas Sheet Cake?) or really anything yummy. Do you think I should serve food like fruit or Seven Layer Dip and chips? This includes parents. What do you all think? Ice cream is on sale this week. We could even do an ice creamsundae or bar or something like that.

Sweet ideas?

We are having "Do Nothing" at the Kindles on Sat. and I have to bring a dessert. Any great ideas?
Evan is thinking light and summery like Key Lime Cheesecake Pie (I"ve never made that!), but I'm thinking chocolate or trifle. Any new ideas? Thanks!

we're back home

and we had a darn good time.

Only in Utah

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=1538236

Lasagna Soup

This is a great soup. I know that it is summer, but I felt like making soup today. It warmed my soul.

Lasagna Soup

1 lb ground beef
1 small onion chopped
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 15oz can tomato sauce
1 28oz can tomatoes coarsely chopped (Italian style)
6 lasagna noodles broken
1 beef boulion
4 cups water
1tsp Italian seasonings

*Brown meat then add the onion and then add the garlic last. In large pot add tomatoes, tomato sauce, boullion, water and seasonings and add the meat mixture. Heat to boil, add noodles reduce heat and simmer uncovered 25 min. Cook until tender and adjust seasonings as needed.

Serve with cottage cheese, ricotta cheese and mozzarella. (I like it with sour cream) This recipes is like the italian version of taco soup...and it is good.

Need this recipe! STAT!

What is cream cheese chicken? And why am I so out of the loop of good recipes?

something really good

happened in our crockpot today.
frozen chicken
chopped onion
onion soup mix
cook for some hours. then shred the chicken and add bbq sauce. put back in crock pot and let it get hot hot hot.
serve on hamburger buns. yum yum yum.

new pet. new mudroom.

art camp closing ceremonies

today was the last day of art camp 2007 *sniff*. everyone was having fun until max whacked savannah on the head with a wooden spoon... but, as always, chocolate chip cookies cured the head bonk and hurt feelings.

"shark" by ashton

"crackle painting" by savannah

Okay, this is what you were probably looking for, Mom...

Check it.

Max Has a New Hairdo

Max shows off his new hair style using hairspray. I definitely approve of any attempt to make thin hair on the top look thicker and longer.

Now We're All Ceramic Tile Experts!

Chris and Sarah asked for my advice, (and a little bit of my help) to add a room of ceramic tile in their laundry room. Karen and I arrived late Friday night at Chris' house to find the room already cleaned out and the floor fully prepared.

Everybody added their special expertise:

Door jam cutting and "mud" spreading: Evan
Floor layout measuring and tile setting: Sarah
Precise tile cutting, tile setting and expert supervision: Chris
Cleaning and picture support: Karen

We all finally hit the sack at 2:30 a.m. with every piece of tile in place!!!! Now we all know how to lay tile. Everything looks great, and the grout goes in later today.