You don't know what you have until its gone

Last week our dishwasher stopped working. The repairman came to check it out and gave us the verdict - your dishwasher is DEAD, as in - gone forever. Goodbye dishwasher, I'm sorry we didn't like you that much and thought you were a worthless peice of you know what while you were still alive. We miss you terribly already. I'm sorry Ben & I hated you from the beginning and thought of you as a hunk of junk, but we've learned how ungrateful we were and want you back. Sure you were inefficient, taking over 2 hours to finish your job, you were exceptionally loud & occasionally things had to be rewashed, but you know, you did the job. But like they always say - out with the old and in with the NEW.

Our best option is to buy a brand new dishwasher. We'll have to wait awhile before we can buy a replacement though. Sadly I've turned to plasticware and don't even think about letting the kids drink from certain sippy cups that have more parts than a car engine. Life was easy back then, now I'm back in the kitchen soaking my my hands in hot soapy water, a reminder of what things we're like when life was "simple."

Lets just hope I don't develope dishpan hands. Whatever that is.

Couphs, Sniffles & a Puzzle

(Not sure why, but Bridger loves to get into this drawer, such a cutie!)

Two words that best discribe our past 2 weeks would be boogers and snot. Yup, that about covers it. Ben and I are pretty much better, but Brandon and Bridger have been holding on to this dang bug for so long, but they are also THANKFULLY & FINALLY improving. 

Ben & I bought a 2000 piece puzzle to kill some time at home. It was really fun. I love a good puzzle and this time it was extra fun because Ben was really into it too. 

We're a little sad its over, but now we can move on and do some things like we've been neglecting, like watching our kids, just kidding :)

Christmas

We went down to Utah this Christmas. It was a lot of fun except that we we're all pretty sick the entire time. We had Christmas morning with my Mom and then went to Ben's families house in the afternoon. Brandon was SO excited for Christmas this year. I mean, he was asking everyday (multiple times) when it was going to be Christmas. We did some of the traditional leaving cookies out for Santa and carrots for the reindeer, which he loved. Brandon's favorite toy - new transformers (not a big surprise). Bridger liked everything, the unwrapping, the boxes, the toys, he was pretty easy to please. One thing that was kind of unique this year is that on Ben's side of the family we did a homemade Christmas, we all gave each other homemade gifts, it was really cool to see what ideas people came up with. Ben's Mom did an amazing job making so much stuff, she made me the cutest clothes and they made Brandon this really cool tipi (tepee ?), and we got a bunch of really great gifts from everyone all homemade. Hope all of you had a very Merry Christmas!

(Above: this is Brandon asking Santa for Ratchet (a transformer) and a circle shooter gun :)

Christmas morning pics

(Above: sledding in Grandma & Grandpa Jensen's backyard)

Also, on this trip, Ben's Grandpa passed away peacefully in his home. Grandpa Jensen was an inspiring man that led a really amazing life.  We were glad to be there to attend his funeral. Grandma & Grandpa Jensen were the cutest couple you could ever meet. We are really going to miss him.

My Birthday

I turned 28 in December. I know, I know... I'm so young :) Ben was really awesome and surprised me by getting a bunch of my siblings together for dinner at CPK. It was a lot of fun getting a chance to see eachother and to go out to eat without kids. I loved it! it was a really great night! Thanks Ben! You are the best! And to my family, thanks for coming! 

(Above: I'm not sure why I pull this ugly face so much in pictures, but Tim and Monique look great so just look at them :)

I'm really sad that I didn't get a picture with Brad & Amy & Zach :( Hopefully, we'll see you guys soon. Zach looked so awesome and so much older!

Thanksgiving At Our Home Away From Home

We stayed home this Thanksgiving without visitors or anything.  Nonetheless, we had a really lovely Thanksgiving. We made the turkey with lots of other grub including Bens delish cranberry sauce ~ yum yum! We watched some of the Thanksgiving parade, Ben tossed the football around with Brandon outside (until Brandon was fed up with not being able to catch it), we had a little treasure hunt for Brandon (which I think we'll make a tradition because he loved it!), we expressed our "Thanks",  and ate some of our HUGE turkey. Later that evening we went to the Boise Botanical Garden with some friends, and that was a lot of fun too, we got all bundled up and walked around the garden path looking at all the twinkling lights, drank hot cocoa, ate cookies, warmed ourselves by the fire barrels & looked for the non existent Santa Claus that we told Brandon would be there but wasn't but should've been :/ Afterwards we had our friends over for Ben's made from scratch chocolate cream pie and attempted to have the kids watch Charlie Brown Thanksgiving but in actuallity they were loud wild beasts running and playing in Brandons beloved blanket fort. Yesterday was a day that made it easy to see that we have so much to be THANKFUL for, even when I lost my freakin' phone at the freakin' parking area of the freakin' botanical gardens, it was still a remarkable day :) Full of family, friends & love :)

UPDATE: Phone has been found and all is well.

Beware of the Banana Moon

Last night, Ben took Brandon out to eat for a nice father son dinner. {What a guy!} While they were out Ben told him that when there is a full moon he'll turn into a werewolf, Brandon intrigued replied, "well, when there is a banana moon I'll turn into a ghost!" 

What a funny boy!

This Past Week

Whats been going on at our house you ask.

Bridger splashing in a toilet containing a pale yellow liquid (provided by older brother)

Three sickies all weekend

Booger crusted faces every morning

Booger "rags" scattered throughout the house

Vasaline globs smeared all over Brandons face, hands, legs and wall. That was fun to clean! Yay!

Red mustache on Brandon's face from so much nose wiping

Brandon asking for meds all day because they taste too delicious

Ben so sore he can barely move from working out at a new gym (I practically had to dress him this morning - not complaining :)

On the bright side:

I feel magnificently great and healthy (knock on wood) and Ben (with the help of Brandon) made a yummy apple crisp dessert that could brighten anyones day. Plus Ben and I laughed so hard last night it made me cry and Ben double over in pain :) Isn't it the best to have a good laugh until you cry once in awhile?