Speaking Larsen

It's your birthday! We can't believe you're eight year old, either! It's crazy. You're getting so big and all. As we prepare for your baptism (Valentine's day!) we're also in the crazy mists of moving out of our house. Brooklyn was so excited for you! She did the streamers! I want you to know that if it seems like mom and dad are distracted over the next few weeks, it's not because we aren't focused on this special time in your life. We're just overwhelmed with all we need to do. So, please know, that we are super duper proud of you and couldn't be happier with your descion to be baptized. We think it's darn cute that you get to be baptized on such a sweet holiday--because you're so sweet!  It's like you and Valentine's day were made for each other. We're excited to take you out to lunch at Pizza Pie Cafe, too. And to have a little Valentine Party after that. It's going to be exciting and busy crazy to ha...

Yesterday after school, I snagged Jocelyn and we went and tried on white dresses. Her eyes immediately went to one that she wanted to try on, and as we washed her hands so that we could touch the white dresses, and as I watched her excitement, a huge bubble of anxiety swelled within me. I know its just her baptism day, but I couldn't help flash forward 12 to 15 years from now and imagine this happening again. Picking out a white dress for a wedding. I remembering I went to the same thing with Catelyn. I just hadn't anticipated it happening again. I should have. I guess I'll prepare to repeat the emotional roller coaster in two years--when its Brooklyn's turn. I think we ate tried on a dozen dresses, but I only took photos of a few. We were there for an hour, but I told her she didn't get to pick out the dress. That's because it's a birthday present and we want to "surprise" her a little bit. I asked her to give me her top favorites and it w...

Landon's really enjoying school. Which makes me happy. He's doing really well, too. He brought me a stack of papers and asked me, very seriously, "mom, will you look at these." I'm sad to report that I nodded, said, "Sure, honey. Just put them on the counter. I'll get to them." We were in a rush to get everyone out the door for school I know I'm not the only mom who's done this. He did as I told him, and then they were gone. I got to work on the kitchen. I looked through the papers. I wish I could go back in time, and look at those papers with his face beaming up at me. Every single one of them had 100% on them, with the exception of 2. Those had a minus one (-1) on them. Dang kid. He's smart and I should've hugged him and told him right then-and-there how awesome he was. How proud of him I am. Thankfully, he'll be home from school in 20 minutes, and I can do that. The moment isn't lost to us forever. Look at those...

I took Brooklyn back in to see AJ when I had to take Cate in with a sore throat. (She didn't have strep, but she did have a funky bacterial thing going on, so she got antibiotics.) After AJ looked Brooklyn over, he called another doc in for a second opinion. We considered the test for pox, but they didn't have it in their office--because, I assume, it's not something they need anymore.  So, we called the dermatologist, and they don't carry the test either--it's that rare! It's practically unheard of because of the vaccination. They said we could go to the hospital--they have the test. But NO WAY AM I GOING TO THE HOSPITAL for a simple test. Especially when I've got two doctors willing to just treat it as the pox. At that point, what else could it be? They put Brooklyn on an antiviral and a steroid treatment to try to knock it down. It's January 14, and we've still got spots, but it is slowly going away. She's been a bit more itchiness, due to t...

The countdown is on! This little monkey is about to be eight-years-old and we're so excited for her. An old shot--but dang--she's getting so big! She's at such a fun age and we can't get over her silliness and playful heart. At the "Great to Be 8" fireside our ward had, she wasn't feeling so great, but we went anyway, as we didn't want to miss it. Also, she was giving the prayer. We sang I'm Trying To Be Like Jesus first and then she was up. The group folded their arms. They bowed their heads, closed their eyes, and heard the words: "I'm trying to be like Jesus, I mean, Dear Heavenly Father...." Dang cute, if you ask me. Jocelyn braved answering a few questions, but really wasn't feeling good, so when it was over, and she'd had her little cheesecake and had her white chocolate key to remind her of entering the kingdom of god through baptism, we were out of there. She had a rough night, and on Monday morning, I t...

January 6th, TEETH PULLED January 8th, 2015  BRACES ON DAY! So our munchkin got braces! This is the real deal, too, this time. We're looking at 14-18 months. Brushing meticulously, 3 times a day. Funky flossing. Monthly visits to see Dr. Baker. The Works. Photos: 1-- The finished product. She'll get braces on her lower teeth in few months, but here she is! In Braces! 2-- She doesn't have enough space in her mouth for her incisors to come--see photo 4--so we pulled two molars out. After three consultations, all of which suggested pulling them out, we knew it was the path to take. She was super worried about it, but trusted that with a blessing it would be all good. And it was! She has fun side story about those molars, too!       Mrs. Haynes, her 6th grade teacher, wanted the teeth! She's going to do a science experiment with them. They'll going to collect a few more teeth-most likely baby teeth being lost by her students or their siblings. Then they...

What I would give to have a photo of today's happenings for each kid. Brooklyn made this for me, for my birthday. I wasn't allowed in the kitchen while she made it, and when she gave it to me, she practially hugged me for a solid minute. It was super sweet. Landon cleaned the whole kitchen, and I might add, he did a really good job. Almost too good, which tells me he's ready for harder chores on Saturday mornings. Cate tackled all the other rooms in the house! She was a little grumpy about it, but she kept cleaning anyway. Jocelyn and Brooklyn stayed out of the way, and played quietly together in Brooklyn's room while I worked on some Christmas stuff in my room. Sure, there was fighting. There were tears. It was a normal day, in most regards, but they did try hard to make it special for me. We took off for ice cream and cupcakes, and the tears didn't stop, but they've all hugged me today and that takes cake for me, Not the best photos, but they were ...