Good Times

So lucky you, yes I am posting twice in one day. The kids have been having loads of fun playing with lots of friends and cousins. Therefore I have a few fun pictures I just had to post.

On Wednesday, all my cousins from my mom's side gathered together for a yummy lunch of Hawaiian Haystacks and brownies and good times. There are a total of 12 1/2 great grandkids for my grandparents. The kids are all good friends and had a wonderful time together as did us ladies. Here are a few random pictures I thought were cute.

Quinton and Tyler

Collin, Hunter and Tracen

All the big kids (kind of blurry- sorry)

All the babies


Then on one of our random warm days this last week, the boys had fun running through the sprinklers and eating a yummy snack of grapes and chocolate chip cookies with cousins from both sides of the family.

Then on Thursday, Dan and some of his guy friends from our neighborhood had a little "guys night". They thought it only fair because the wives get together once a month for BUNKO. So while the guys were out, one of my dearest friends Amy and I and kids had a little movie night. Even though it was a little crazy with so many kids, it is always wonderful to just chat with a great friend. Thanks Amy for letting us come hang out.

My SWEET Tyler

So I think this picture says it all lately. Sweet Tyler has been, as he has put it in the past, "having some hard of times". I think he is having yet another growth spurt, therefore he has required a bit more sleep than before. In fact, almost every day this week, Tyler has come to me and said, "Mom, I'm going to take a short nap." and then disappears into his room where I find him sound asleep, cozy on his bed snuggling his favorite blanket.

This next picture is what happens to Tyler when he just can't settle down for his "short nap." Yes, he is asleep at the bar with his dinner untouched next to him.

This picture shows what happens when you sleep for a good 30 minutes with your head on the countertop.
We sure do love our sweet Tyler and I have found I am loving this new "short nap" phase.

Need Dinner Ideas?

So Christy and I have started a blog with recipe ideas for when you find yourself asking your friend, "So... what are you making for dinner?" Most of these recipes are way easy and some are just darn good. So please feel free to check it out and add to it anytime. We all need a little more variety in our dinner choices right?
Just go over to my AWESOME BLOGS section and click on "Mamas in the Kitchen". ENJOY!!!

Guess Who?

Well, well, well... let's see if any of you out there can name all of the people present in the photograph this week. I know that some of them might be easier than others, but nobody depicted has aged well at all. Quite honestly everyone in the picture (with the exception of Skeletor - I mean Trent)have put on at least 20 pounds of man-flesh. At least all of us have been able to keep our hair-lines for the time being. Deanne had me post this week because we had a friend get together where most of the people in this picture (and their wives and kids) all came over to our home for some mayhem. What is interesting is that I have kept in relatively close contact with all of them, the exception being Dusty Sims. Anyone know where that joker is?

As stated, we had a little shindig over here on Thursday night. All said, there were 27 people milling about the property and at least half of them were behaving well, and the majority of those well-behaved were adults. We didn't try to do anything more than just have some basic vittles and sit around to chat. In fact we had bean soup... I ask you, what type of host prepares bean soup? We certainly didn't pull out the stops on this one. But I have been told that it was tasty nonetheless.

In attendance were of course Dan and Deanne (Tracen, Tyler, and Tate), Heidi Hatch - no Burke (Kally, Kaya and Lexi), Jesse and Paula Bruce (Jaxon),Trent and Kelli Packer (Brinley and Ethan), Dave and Staci Chavez (Chloe), Kwint and Gina Kemp (Kaeleb, Brennan), Josha and Jana Arnold (Hannah, Jake). There was plenty of noise, laughter, and good memories being shared - for some it was a reunion spaced by several years - and I was happy for all those who were able to make it.

I am thankful that so many of my friends have kept in such good contact with me. I have many fond and funny memories of all of those people in the picture (which, by the way was taken in 1996). Each one of those guys has been a good friend to me for the greater part of my life and I owe much to them. So thanks, gents. You all married above yourselves and most of you look pretty good for just having entered your third decade. I hope that I can make a similar post in 20,30 or more years to come. Once again, thanks!

Birthday parties a plenty!! (late as usual)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY AMAZING SISTER MELANIE (BIG 25) AND MY SWEET BOY TRACEN (BIG 5)


So 5 years ago, I was largely pregnant with our first little baby boy. We were so excited for our family to become 3 and we were thrilled we were having a boy. When we were dating in high school, Dan randomly asked me one day if I liked the name Tracen. I thought to myself, "Yes, I do like the name but don't you think it's a bit premature to pick our kids names? We do have a ways to go before we start that." But none the less, the name stuck and our first baby boy would be named TRACEN DANIEL JACOBS. He was due on April 17th, but we had all thought it would be fun if he were born on his Aunt Melanie's B-day. So when I went into labor around 2am on April 13th we thought, "Well, we were close." I had big plans to have this baby "all natural". No drugs- nothing but me, Dan and our sweet boy. Well, Tracen obviously had "other plans". I felt like I was doing pretty good. No drugs- just me, Dan, my mom, Melanie, and some really good breathing techniques. But, after 18 hours of some pretty intense "laboring" and I was still not progressing enough for me see a very quick end, I decided I was exhausted. So it quickly became... DRUGS- Dan, my mom, Melanie and a 4 hour nap. When I awoke, I had progressed "some". But it still took another 9 hours for me to reach that blessed "10" and it was time to PUSH! Well, I was so numbed from the drugs, it took a bit to figure out when I was supposed to push. Finally Tracen crowned, but... his head was stuck. (have you noticed how big his head is?) So they tried the forcepts, and then the vacuum, but to no avail, he was not coming. So to my dismay, they decided I would have to have an emergency C-section. I was heartbroken. None of my "Big Plan" had worked. There was nothing "natural" about having my baby "cut out", but to my amazement I felt very at peace. Anything to get our baby out safe and healthy. So after 29 hours of this (don't worry my other 2 boys came much quicker), our sweet boy TRACEN DANIEL JACOBS was born weighing a healthy 7lbs 10oz and 21 inches long. He had lots of curly light brown hair on top a very large noggin. :) He had held out to share his Aunt Melanie's B-day on April 14, 2003. He also has a rare genetic "hole" (a small indent) located above his ear just like Melanie does. This little feature is a Stratford gene that some of my dad's sisters and their kids also have. I believe my Grandma Stratford had it also.
Anyway, Tracen is now 5 years old and very excted to go to Kindergarten. He has always been very smart for his age. (I'm the mom, I can brag- right?) He walked across the room on Christmas day at 8 months old and he hasn't stopped. He has a very active, strong little body and a mind to match. He never stops asking questions and loves learning. He is a great big brother to Tyler and Tate. He is constantly teasing Tyler and "eating" Tate. We love you Tracen so much and are so happy to have you in our family.

To celebrate this big day, Tracen actually got 3 different parties! The first party was with the Jacobs side. Leo and Tricia were in town from Spain so we decided to celebrate Tracen's, Sammy's (cousin) and Uncle Joel's B-days while we were all together.
We had a BBQ and Christy made a scrumptious from scratch chocolate cake. Tracen and Sammy wanted a Harry Potter with spiders B-Day cake. I think Christy did a great job and the boys loved it.

We then opened presents, and took some fun pictures with grandma and grandpa and the boys wearing their matching shirts grandma and grandpa had brought them from Rota Spain.



The next party was with the Stratford side where we celebrated Tracen's and Melanie's B-days. We actually had 3 different cakes. We had a very yummy homemade ice cream cake and a delicious German Chocolate cake that Ty had made for Melanie and then I made Tracen some "B-day brownies with 2 4-wheelers driving in the mud that I can take home"(per his request).


The 3rd party was on his actual B-day. He had requested to go out to eat at I-Hop. So we did. And... because Sammy was heartbroken that he couldn't be with Tracen on his "real B-day", Christy and boys (Bruce was out of town) met us there. Tracen said he wanted a "happy face pancake". Now, what he didn't realize is that there are 2 choices of "happy face pancakes". One that makes the face with chocolate chips and whipped cream, and one that makes it with strawberries, bananas, and yogart. I didn't ask him (my mistake) which one he wanted. Instead, I being a health conscious mom made the decision for the "healthier choice". When the food arrived, it was obvious that he had hoped for the chocolate chip face when he said, "Mom, look. They double crossed me again!"
Well, I think Tracen still had a great B-day weekend and is thouroghly enjoying every gift he recieved. Thank you to everyone's generosity.

Did he REALLY just say that?

So.. as we all know, kids come up with some of the greatest quotes. Especially my wonderful Tyler. I seriously could create an entirely separate blog just for keeping a record of the things he says. (hmm.. maybe I will) So anyway, I thought I had better write a little blurp on his latest.
About a week ago, the boys were playing outside when it started snowing. (go figure- it is Utah right?) So Tracen comes running inside thrilled that it was snowing. (we actually do like snow at our house). We then heard Tyler outside yelling up to the sky, "JESUS, STOP THROWING SNOWBALLS AT ME!"I am starting to wonder what they are teaching them in Primary. Well, at least he is thinking of Him right?
*Stay tuned for the next "Tyler quote of the day".

A Sweet Reunion

So anyone remember Harmonique?

This was Fall of 1994


Great pictures- eh? Sorry they are not the best quality. I had to scan them out of a scrapbook. So this is the best they get.
So for those of you who don't know who I am talking about or have tried to forget us, Harmonique was a group of my girlfriends from high school that decided to form a singing group. It is hard to adequately explain the "awsomeness" of this group. We were good friends, and unlike so many girlfriends, we did not fight, or hold grudges, or be as petty as so many girls are at that age. We got along beautifully. We have a bond that is more like sisters than just friends. We would gather together around Julie's (Alli's mom) piano in her basement and sing for hours (I do not exaggerate when I say hours). We would mostly sing songs that Julie had written (they are amazing songs) or hymns. Because Julie's songs were usually just words on a page we would create our own harmonies and WOW, I hope it is OK to brag a bit, we were really quite amazing with what we could come up with. We ended up singing in many sacrament meetings, parties, weddings, funerals, reunions, our own Seminary graduation (in which we sang a georgeous song titled "Feast upon the words of Christ" that Julie wrote) and we even had the priveledge of recording one of our favorite songs "Let your Light so Shine" (also written by Julie).
Anyway, almost all of us are living back in Utah again (minus Rachelle, she is is Chicago right now). So we decided to gather again for a good ole singing session again. We actually spent the first several hours just talking and laughing and only the last hour singing, but it was perfect. Between the six of us there are 22 1/2 kids with only 5 1/2 of them being girls. We figure we must be raising our own little Army of Heleman. It really is amazing. Looking back on those high school pictures, who would have thought of that kind of posterity.
Here are some current pictures of us girls and half of our children. Some of the kids were in school so they were not pictured.

**Pictured Left to Right:
Heidi(Lunt)Dunkley, Deanne(Stratford)Jacobs, Jessie(Woodbury)Charles, Anna(West)Teeples, and Alli(Earl)Goodworth
We haven't changed that much have we? If so, only for the better- right?

The amazing Julie Earl is on the far right.

The Kids- only 1/2 of them


We had such a wonderful time. I am so grateful for the amazing friendship we developed so many years ago (about 13yrs) and that we still have that special bond. Thank you girls!
***P.S. If you haven't had enough of Harmonique, or would like to see some fun video footage, feel free to visit Jessi's (and Louie Charles) blog or Alli's (and Warren Goodworth) blog. Just click on them under my friend and family blogs.