Snowy days at the end of April... and lots of pics.

For our Anniversary update. We made dinner together, fed the girls and then went outside to eat where the girls ran off and played and we got to eat together. We made steak, homemade steak sauce, asparagus, homemade hollandaise (complete with consulting "Mastering the Art of French Cooking from the library), fingerling potatoes, and REALLY easy yummy artisan bread. It was delicious and probably only cost about $10 total. I highly recommend all of the recipes, although I did chicken out and not put the full amount of salt in the potatoes. The sauces MADE the meal. (Also- scroll down for a belated Easter Post)

Today we have snow on the ground, so I pulled out some old Sculpey clay today to see what we all came up with. Jessica made gifts for Mother's day for Grandmas (shhhhh- don't tell)
And then she made this "baby in a stroller" complete with hands, feet, a dress, sleeves, eyes and pink hair. There are also 4 wheels on the bottom.

Kelsi made a bunch of small things including a "Daddy" with green eyes. I made a little "Kelsi" complete with pigtails and pink bows- her favorite color.

And a little Jessica. She chose one green and one pink "elastic" for her head.

Here they are side by side. I need to figure out how to make the eyes better. Attempting a marker after they are baked just does not cut it.

Speaking of markers, thank goodness this one was washable. Meet my "Dalmation." Playing with her cousin Pyper.

My sister Britt did the same triathlon I did last year and she did AWESOME!!! Congrats Britt!!!

After her Triathlon we went to a park to hang out with her and her kids and get to know this great guy she is dating. Kelsi looked like a ragamuffin, but she had so much fun...

Belated Easter...

We went to Discovery Gateway during spring break (bad idea- don't recommend going that week) but here are some picturs of the fun we had.

Jessica loves these pyramids.

Kelsi is mimicking the picture behind her.

Jessica put these ears on Devin. This little boy is so good natured and patient with his sisters.

I made these skirts for the girls for their Easter baskets.

Kelsi is going through a fun "dressing up" stage. This was one of her combinations. I thought it was fairly tasteful. :)

Here are some pictures from our Easter Celebrations. We had a Easter party with my family,a nd then we combined families for Easter Dinner on Sunday. My mom made this fun bunny bread.

Here is Devin in a little Spring outfit from Grandma Nettie.


The clan dying Easter eggs- cousins are in the background.

Happy 7th Anniversary

Today is our 7th Anniversary. We met 9 years ago when DJ had just gotten home from his mission and I was a Senior in High School at his house- I was in the same group of friends as his brother Richard. We met again a year later when Richard opened his mission call, and then a few months later in the Single's ward in Sandy in the middle of May. We both saw each other and thought "hmm- I could date him/her." Things were meant to be because that day I went home and told my parents I wanted to move my records to the single's ward and found out that my ward had been moved out of the Stake putting me in a new single's ward, but the damage had already been done. :) We went on one date the middle of June, Richard left the beginning of July, and by the middle of July we were "dating." By the end of September we were unofficially engaged, by November officially engaged (thanks to a LOOOOONG ring story) and we were married in the Salt Lake Temple for Time and all Eternity on April 26, 2003.

And I could not be happier!!!

(This is us on our honeymoon seven years ago)

In 7 years we have both graduated from College (BYU), lived in 5 apartments, lived and worked in CT for 2 years, traveled the East Coast, been in 29 states including Hawaii, had 3 kids, worked several jobs, multiple callings in multiple wards, DJ is halfway through his PhD, and we have 3 beautiful children. It has been a very eventful and wonderful 7 years.

Thanks so much, DJ.

I LOVE YOU!!!!!!

Smiles!!!

I just realized I had not gotten a picture of Devin smiling yet So here are some to enjoy- taken tonight. Also- he laughed today! It is so fun as babies get more and more interactive. So fun!

Walk on Water

This morning DJ was reading the girls the story of when Jesus walked on water. We asked Jes why he could walk on water.

She said:

Because he is the Son.
Of God.
And he has the power.
But we don't.
But we pretend that we do.
Because we are Super.

Kelsi has been dressing up all week in dresses, skirts, a great black hat, and lots of beads and jewels. I need to post some pictures. She is at such a fun age.

Scroll down for pictures from Devin's blessing.

Devin's Baby Blessing

Here is our handsome little boy.

4 generations of Swensons. Devin is the first boy to carry on the Swenson name. Great-Grandpa Swenson was pretty excited. :)

Here is the clan right after church. I am bummed I didn't take any pictures at the luncheon- my sister came back from Boise and made it to that, as well as lots of friends. We love our ward and court!

What a sweet and patient little boy.

We had to have a little fun with the tux. Thanks Brittany Lisonbee for taking all of the pictures for us, and thanks to April's mom for lending me her tux pattern, and thanks to April for lending me her little tux so I could figure out how to make it. I had to make adjustments to the pattern since Devin is soooooo long- but I had A LOT of fun with it.




I love this little boy so much. And my girls so much. And my husband. And they all love each other...

I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOO Blessed!!!!

Thanks so much to everyone who helped and/or came!!! Thanks to our family and friends and thanks to my sweet husband who gave Devin a very sweet blessing. I am so grateful that he holds the Priesthood and can bless our children.

and thanks to Malisa for the ADORABLE edit. :)

Boy update

So today Jes said "If I can't find Duncan when I grow up, and T doesn't want to marry me anymore, I'll marry you, Devin."

Other funny quotes:

Talking about my cracked tooth Jes said "Do you have a crack that is toofed?"

Jes to me (as I was trying to eat her belly while we were playing) "Bees don't eat bee's belly buttons!"

Jes said "I have a blizzard. Her Dad asked "A blizzard?"
Jes- "No a lizard." Dad "Lizard? Oh a sliver!"

Kelsi's favorite knock knock joke is "Knock knock oo dere impatient cow MOO!!!" (all in one without pausing for the "who's there" part.

And my favorite- Jes said "Devin, if you are ever sad, angry or hungry, I will always love you."

Who knew?

Who knew that this...

... Could create this... and that is even with 2 loads still in the washer and dryer.

And here are some recent pictures of Devin. He is now 7 1/2 weeks old. We sure love our sweet little boy.

He has really been enjoying his jungle gym, especially since I changed up the toys a bit.

Boy Problems? Already?

Today we had a friend from Preschool over for a play date. He said

T: "Jessica, I am going to sit by you because you are my girlfriend."
J: No I am not.
T: Yes you are because you are going to marry me.
J. No I'm going to marry Duncan. Duncan and I already decided this along time ago.
T: You can marry me and Duncan
J: No I can't. I can only marry ONE man.

Finally I intervened and said "you guys, this is not something to argue about. You won't decide who you marry until you are much, much older."

and then T said: "yeah, like 8"

Funny kids.

Thanks April!!!

My friend and neighbor April Allen took these pictures in the living room of her 2 bedroom cinderblock apartment this past week. AMAZING!!! Thank you soooo much!!! It was by far the best commute to a photo studio I have ever had- just up one flight of stairs. We were able to take the girl's pictures and then take them downstairs to my apartment with a movie and a moniter and have as much time as we wanted for Devin. THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!

This is my favorite of Devin. He was awake and happy for almost 3 hours that morning before he finally succumbed to a deep slumber. What a sweet little boy he is. I sure adore him.

I LOVE this one of all 3. What great kids I have. (These are the dresses my mom made the girls for a Christmas present. Thanks mom- you are SOOOO talented.)

My friend Malisa Twelves (this is her photography website) from CT saw my pictures I posted earlier and sent me this. :) Thanks!!! She was the first one to spoil me and teach me no matter how good the photography studio, a friend who actually knows your kids and moves around will take MUCH better pictures. Thanks Malisa- we really miss you.

Thanks again April SOOOOOOOOO much.