Too Much Family???

On the way home from my bedstemor's birthday party, our little talent show reminded me of a clip from Dan in Real Life, which we saw on our anniversary. I was talking with some of my cousins about it. Cristin said that when Erik and her watched it, Erik made the comment that the family did WAY too much together. Cristin then pointed out to him that that is the Lassen family. There is a scene in the movie were they do family exercises together. The Lassens do do A LOT of activities together(which I love), but for sure I don't think they would ever exercise together, Cristin disagrees with me. Cristin, then made the comment that the Lassens should have an exercise hour everyday while we were at camp next year. She even emailed to whole family about it, and nominated me as the instructor. I don't know if any of them will go along, but I know for one thing spandex is required. Hopefully, I will have pictures next year.

90th Birthday Party

About a week ago was my Bedstemor's (Grandma's) 90th birthday. We celebrated it a couple of weeks early, because my family was in town for the family reunion. We had a very delicious dinner, with prime rib, salad, potatoes, carrots, and Bedstemor's jello salad (I won't eat any other kind.)

After dinner, she wanted all the women to sing her favorite song. I remember that song being sung a lot as a child, almost every time we got together, because she LOVES that song. It was a song by Olivia Newton John, "Let Me Be There." My bedstemor would ask for the women to sing it all the time. Now we usually sing it once at Christmas time for her. Since this was a special occasion, she asked the women to sing it to her. Then when we were done, the men decided to sing it to her. Sorry, I only have video of the men singing, the women did a lot better. After the men sang the grandchildren sang some songs. Then the great-grandchildren sang some songs to Bedstemor. Lizette didn't actually sing, she danced for Bedstemor. Bedstemor was so moved she was crying. It really touched me. I have a great grandma. Having lots of cousins, she has always made me feel special, as I know she did to every single one. She is truly a good example to me. I am so happy that I have many fond memories of her. Happy Birthday Bedstemor.

Tagged

List: List 3 joys, 3 fears, 3 current obsessions/collections and 3 surprising facts. Then tag 3 people to do the same:

I got tagged from Heather, so here you go...

3 Joys:
1. Lizette
2. Tyler
3. Food

3 Fears
1. Something happening to Lizette or Tyler
2. Never getting into a house.
3. Being Pregnant. Let me explain, I love Lizette and I am so happy that we have her and I wouldn't trade her for ANYTHING. But when I was pregnant, I always thought that their might be something wrong or the worst case scenario. I was so scared the whole time with Lizette, that I really didn't enjoy being pregnant.

3 Obsessions
1. Saving Money
2. Trying to be organized
3. My NEW washing machine


3 Surprising Facts
1. I only wash my floors by hand, even when I was 9 months pregnant.
2. I am clip coupons, and I aways use them. I love saving more than I spend. It makes me happy.
3. Some people don't know this but I ran a marathon a couple of years ago. It was the second hardest thing I have ever done in my life.

Happy Anniversary

So on Saturday was Tyler and my six year anniversary. We came home from camping on Friday night LATE. Tyler planned for us to wake up and go to our favorite breakfast place, Eggs N' Things. It was great to finally get to sleep in our own bed, it has been at least a week since we last slept in it. We had a great day lined up, but our washing machine finally DIED. After putting $150+ to try to resurrect it from the dead, we had to lay it to rest. Since we have about 2 weeks of laundry we had to drop everything to get a washing machine. Which took the whole day. Going to different stores, trying to find one that was in our price range, and that I liked, etc, etc. Then we were suppose to go out to dinner and a movie, but our babysitter called in sick and by the time we found a replacement babysitter, I was tired and just wanted to finish the laundry, watch a movie, then go to bed. So that was exactly what we did. We are going to celebrate it this next Friday instead. I am actually happier that we rescheduled, I am still feel tired from our vacations.

At the end of the day, I am really grateful for such a wonderful husband, who still loves me 6 years after our wedding date (even htough he knows how crazy I am). I feel very spoiled that I have such an amazing husband, and father to our baby.

Carpinteria - Vacation Part II

Right after Sea World on Friday, Saturday morning we drove home, so we could go to Justin's baptism in Simi Valley. After spending some Barton Family time. We came home to go to Carpinteria, after loading up the car for the week long camping trip we were so tired. We decided to sleep one night in our bed before we headed out camping.

Sunday morning we woke up bright and early and drove to Carpinteria. We unloaded all of our stuff and luckily Haans and Else had already set up our tent for us. When we were done we went to church up in Santa Barbara and then spent the rest of the day with the Lassen Clan. In the evening, Tyler went to pick up Lizette and heard her arm pop. This had happened before and the next day Lizette had woken up and been fine. This time, however, she woke up every half hour and sobbed for a couple minutes. In the morning we were contemplating taking Lizette to the doctor since she hadn't improved. Lucky for us, my cousin's husband, Reid, said it was a dislocated elbow, or Nursemaid Elbow, and was able to pop it back into place. Even showed us how to pop it back into place and didn't charge us a co-pay. Thanks, Reid.

Monday we spend the whole day at the beach. Tuesday we took the train to Santa Barbara in our own train car. We counted that we had 7 kids from the age 1 1/2-2 1/2 years of age. CRAZY. We went shopping on Main Street and had lunch in the Natural Cafe. Then it was off to the Pier. We went to the Museum and Lizette touched a Horn Shark. On the way back to the train station. Tyler got tired so Lizette pushed him in the stroller while he held his baby.








Wednesday was another all day at the beach. Lizette has so much fun at the beach. She loves to run to the water and go at least to her knees and then run out laughing. She is such a water baby. She also loves it when her Daddy takes her in the water and they go under the waves together. Lizette also tried to help build a sandcastle.

























Thursday we went to Solvang in the morning. We ate at the same bakery that we always go to. They had to close the bakery just to accommodate us, which still makes me laugh. Lizette loved the hard rolls and hot chocolate, which everyone in the family gets. After breakfast it was off to get our salty black licorice, then to the toy store. Lizette was in HEAVEN. There were about 10 strollers and hundreds of babies. She didn't know what to do first. She played for about half an hour with just the strollers, babies, and purses. Then it was back to the beach for the rest of the day.











































Friday was our last day at the beach. We took every moment in. The older boys built a huge sand castle. And all the kids played together. It was a perfect end to the week. We had such GORGEOUS weather the WHOLE week. Tyler, Lizette nor I got sunburned. Lizette slept awesome (except for the first night) our tent was right next to the train tracks and the horn would blow during her naps and in the middle of the night and she didn't wake up once. We also got to hang out with the family. I am so grateful to have such an awesome family. I am also grateful that I was able to see my cousins that I don't get to see very often. I love getting together with everyone and making memories, and now I get to do the same with Lizette.

Seaworld - Vacation Part I

So last Friday, Tyler and I were able to go to Sea World. Right before we went to Sea World, we got Lizette a baby stroller because she is really into pushing her stroller and it just makes everything harder. We had a great time at Sea World. We saw the Shamu Show, went to Sesame Street Park, the penguins, the rays, and the turtles. Lizette had the most fun with her little stroller. I think we could have gone to an empty parking lot and let her run around with her stroller. Lizette had fun looking at all the animals, she would sign and say "more", but her stroller was her favorite part. She would run everywhere, and when she would hear a baby crying she would tell her baby,"SHHH". Someone stopped Tyler and told him, "Be careful, they grow up fast." I do feel like time is going double time.

Seaworld= $$$
Toy Stroller= $10.00

Maybe in a year or two she will understand more....

Beach Day & Doctors

So last week Lizette and I went to the beach with Larin and her son Dean, and Ashley and Chloe. We had so much fun Lizette just loves the ocean. She also thinks that Dean is so funny. Dean was so nice to Lizette. He would fall down in the sand (on purpose) and Lizette would laugh and laugh. Dean also let Lizette and Chloe have some of his Cheetos. Lizette has never had Cheetos before and of course she loved them, I think it is a mush love when you are a kid. It was really a perfect day. Lizette and I had so much fun.

Later in the week Lizette had her doctor's appointment. Lizette is now 32 1/2 inches long and weights 22 pounds. The doctor says she is not concerned about her weight, but I need to feed her more. I already feel like Lizette is eating all the time. I don't know what to do. But to me Lizette looks average compared to the other kids around her age. I think the reason she doesn't gain weight might be due to the fact that she is always RUNNING. For the time being, I am not as concerned, I know that Lizette eats three well balanced meals, with snacks in between. Lizette is still growing. It is so crazy that I think of her as my little baby, but she definitely is not starting to look like one.

Ode to Escape

So for the past two weeks, the car that I usually drive, the Escape, has been non-drivable. All of a sudden it stopped working. Luckily, Tyler has been riding his bike to work, so I was able to drive his car, which is a 98 Toyota Corolla. I don't mind driving it, the only problem with the car is that it doesn't have power steering. Tyler says there is a hole in the power steering hose which he wrapped with some stuff, but the stuff melted and it still leaks. I hate having to turn the car from a stopped position. My arms are so SORE. Finally, about a week ago, Tyler figured out what was wrong with the car. The alternator was not working. For a new one it was $500 and for a used one it was $160. Luck was on our side again and we were able to get one for $100 through a friend. Friday night Tyler was able to pick it up. HE worked on it until midnight on Friday. He couldn't work on it on Saturday because he was going sailing and snorkeling for the whole day. He couldn't get the belt on without another set of hands to help. So yesterday, Tyler's friend, Spencer, came over for lunch and helped put on the belt. I was able to drive my car. I honestly forgot how easy it was to turn the car with power steering. It was honestly AMAZING. I am also grateful for such an awesome husband who knows how to do almost everything. I know that we would be paying at least $500-$1000 if we had to take it to the auto shop. Thanks Tyler!

The things I do to make dinner ready

Almost everyday at the same time, when I am trying to get dinner ready. Lizette is at my feet in between the counter and me pushing for me to hold her so she can see what is happening. But it is really hard to hold the baby and cook dinner. And when I use the gate to keep her out of the kitchen, she will cry and cry.

So yesterday, I was trying to make dinner, and she was at my legs wanting me to pick her up. I picked up up and put her in her baby exercise saucer (we still have it out to protect her from turning on the heater) and turned on Sesame Street. She was HAPPY for at least 30 minutes. And not to mention, that I was happy to make dinner without a screaming baby. It was definitely a win-win-win conflict resolution. (Thank you, The Office)

Getting ready for Spaghetti

These pictures make me laugh

Fiesta

So this weekend was the Fiesta that our town holds every year. We decided to take Lizette again. Last year, she wanted to go on the Merry-Go-Round and the Tilt-a-World but she wasn't able to go on either. This year she was able to go on the Merry-Go-Round, which she thought was alright, but they still wouldn't let her go on the Tilt-A-World. It was fun to compare pictures from exactly a year ago, and to see how much she has changed. She is definitely much more active than last year. (I love the picture of her in front of the Tilt-A-World, she looks so sad.) The funny thing is that Tyler hasn't changed at all. Even his clothes are the same.

We have become those People.

I know it has been FOREVER since I last updated the blog. I have just had a lot on my plate, and a HORRIBLE month. I don't know where to begin on the list of all of my woes, and I almost don't want to. So to make a long story short, I have to start at the beginning.

About two years ago, when Tyler and I first moved into our small rental, we talked of how MOST people (including the previous tenants) collected so much junk when they moved into the house, and we vowed that we would never let that happen to us.

Fast Forward two years later. WE ARE WORST THAN WHAT WE VOWED THAT WE WOULD NEVER BECOME, because of our "problems" this month, we are trying to make some fast money. We have resorted to taking things that people are throwing away to try to sell for CASH. And since our place is so small, we end up putting it in the front yard, not that we look ghetto enough in our house.. SO, I had this brilliant plan to get two refrigerators that were working and sell them to Southern California Edison, for fifty dollars each. Then we got a washing machine for free that we are trying to sell. I don't mind doing all of this, I just had to put everything in the front yard, luckily all our miscellaneous items were only there for about a week, but I felt shame every time I pulled into our driveway. All I would say is $100, $100, $100. I think I mostly felt bad for our neighbors.

Tyler says that the video he did with the Dirty Dog Cooker 2000 was a joke about white trash people. Now he is sad, because evidently he was making fun of us. We actually went straight past white trash to hillbilly hell. Where's the next stop, nobody knows.