The Mortensen Family

I did it. For Christmas I got all new bedding and decorations for my room. So Saturday we (Todd and my mom) spent the day painting and setting up my new room. I love it.








We also got everything down from the rafters to see what we've got for the baby. Turns out we have everything you can possibly imagine-and then some. We set up the crib and I (actually Todd and my mom) painted half of Emma's room blue with stars for the baby. I think it turned out great.

Emma found a pad of small pink post-its. She went around the house with her post-its and a pencil and labeled everything. Daddy's bed, her blankie, she even tried to label Tucker. We have been finding pink post-its on everything even in the backyard!

The day started out with stockings from Santa...

pull-apart bread (of course)

then opening presents


Our favorites were:

Amy: new bedding
Todd: Blu-ray player
Carson: bionicle, dart tag,
Wyatt: hot wheel cars, army soldiers, snow speeder
Emma: play tent, My Little Pony, girl leapster




then lunch

then playing with new toys










it all ended with a camp-out in Emma's room!








Merry Christmas!

The latest things we have done are:

Cookies and Caroling at the library: the kids got to do crafts and decorate their own cookies. And we met Daddy at Johnny Rockets for dinner afterwards, yum!

Bass Pro Shop: lots of fun games here, shooting arcade, trains, Wii fishing, dart guns, coloring table, r/c monster trucks, and Santa!

California Speedway: Did you know this is where Santa trains his reindeer? We got to see the reindeer, play in the snow, have a tour of the racetrack, and drink hot chocolate.

Carson's Kindergarten performance: Apparently we've been doing too much because he was yawning through the whole thing, but he sure looked cute. And when he was asked what he wanted for Christmas, into the microphone he said, "a DS". What?!

The Nutcracker: I took my activity girls to see The Nutcracker. It was a good time and brought back a lot of wonderful memories.

Delivering goodies: We always have a great time delivering goodies and caroling to our friends.

I'm 30 weeks along in my pregnancy and on Sunday was having a lot of contractions. They got pretty regular so we went in to the hospital to be monitored. The nurse kept saying that the baby was so active. She would call other nurses over to show them how active the baby was. The whole time I'm thinking, "Oh, great!" She also kept telling me what good looking urine I had. A compliment you don't hear every day. Turns out that the contractions would coincide with the baby's movement and he was irritating my uterus, causing the contraction. All I needed was a little rest and water. So I'm supposed to take it easy from now on. If it happens again--bedrest!!

The kids were playing "wild animals" yesterday and this is what I heard:

Carson: I'm a female lion.
Todd: You're a female lion?
Carson: Yes, I'm a female lion.
Todd: Do you know what a female is?
Carson: No
Todd: It's a girl.
Carson: (pause) I'm a tiger!!

It is true. We have never had Christmas stockings. Either because we have never actually been home for Christmas or because it seems like such a big commitment or because I keep saying I want to make them (in my spare time) or because I'm afraid to buy them because who knows how many I'll end up needing; for whatever reason we have been stockingless--until now! Todd's aunt knits the neatest stockings and I asked her to make our family some. I just got three of them (good enough for this year) with a promise of more on the way. I love them! And Todd loves the fact that they are very stretchy (in case Santa thinks he was REALLY good this year). Thanks Joanne!!

Here is a recap of the fun things we have done this Christmas season so far (and there are more to come)!!

Looked at Christmas lights with the Barnes family. Our favorite house was the California Christmas complete with surfing Santa, a waterfall, and flamingos.

Made sugar cookies! (still enjoying this one)

Went to a Creche festival. It was amazing to see all the nativities from around the world and they even had a kids' room with crafts, puppet shows, and costumes to act out the nativity story.

Breakfast with Santa (twice) It's always fun to see the kids sit on Santa's lap and we have some very unique homemade ornaments to hang on our tree, including a blue Santa.

Night in Bethlehem--our ward party. It was fun. The food was great. Our costumes pulled together at the last moment. Carson was a great shepherd and Todd was very "wise".

Santa's been busy this year:

Step 1: Find a tree at the nearest Lowe's in the shortest amount of time possible because all of the kids are crying, freezing, and have to go to the bathroom.

Step 2: Set up the tree in the stand and try to get it straight. Though because of it's lopsided nature, the tree is a foot wider on one side then on the other.

Step 3: Thin out a lot of branches because you accidentally got the bushiest tree in the lot.


Step 4: String lights up the center of the trunk and then fill out the remaining branches. Though this tree is significantly shorter than previous years (cheapskate) you end up using all the lights, even the 3 strings of 15 lights each because of the bushy nature of the tree.

Step 5: Put the star on the top. Since all the kids want to put the star up and you don't feel like choosing your favorite, you just put it on yourself.



Step 6: Untangle the red beads thanks to Wyatt running his fingers through them like they were a trunk of jewels.

Step 7: Send the kids to bed because they are driving you crazy.

Step 8: Untangle the red beads again, hopefully for the last time.

Step 9: Hang the red beads around the tree starting at the bottom. Then not sure you will have enough, start another strand from the top. Uh oh, they are not meeting in the middle. Use some odds and ends to make them meet--kind of.

Step 10: Turn the whole tree to try to find a better front and regret thinning a little too much in one spot.

Step 11: Laugh hysterically because this has got to be one of the ugliest trees ever.

Step 12: Go to bed because it's already taken 3 hours to get this far.

Step 13: With renewed energy and gusto play Christmas carols and hang ornaments with the kids.

Step 14: Rearrange the ornaments that were all placed in one spot.

Step 15: Put presents around the bottom and have a mug of Hot Cocoa!!

While Todd was at the temple with the youth doing baptisms for the dead this conversation took place:

Wyatt: Where's Daddy?
Amy: At the temple.
Wyatt:Is he getting married?
Amy: I hope not!!

We had a great time in Utah for Thanksgiving. Some of our highlights include:

• Ice cream sundaes with Todd and Kathy: The kids loved dressing up as Bumblebee and Emma LOVES playing with Claire.
• Great food: Whether it was spaghetti pie, Thanksgiving dinner, Hawaiian haystacks or gamefood...everything tasted wonderful. Especially only having to cook once!
  
• Turkey bowling: The whole family enjoyed lobbing the 10 pound turkey at the "pins".
  
• Turkey hunt: The kids all were pilgrims and followed Squanto around the park in search of a turkey. Meanwhile there were wild Indians ready to attack. Wyatt and Carson fought for their life but Emma ran the other way. At one point Wyatt pushed me back with his hands and said, "Stay back Mommy, I'll protect you." My brave little pilgrim.
  
• Black Friday shopping: It started at midnight at Toys R US. It looked like the field of the BYU Stadium after we beat Utah. The worst shopping experience of my life. But my mood quickly recovered the next morning at 6:00 as Beka, Krista and I set out in search of the sales.
  
• Lehi pool and water slide: Complete with a lazy river and kiddie playland--who wouldn't have fun?
  
• BYU Basketball game: With a group of 35 of us, we had a great time. Well, everyone except the pregnant tired one whose bottom hurt from the bleachers.
  
• Lunch at Los Tres: It hasn't changed one bit. Smothered burrito--yum.
  
• Talking/Playing Acquire: While the boys played aquire (Craig won both games?! Sounds a little fishy.) Krista and I sat up talking, realizing how much alike we are, or maybe just our husbands.
  
• Tennis match (Todd and Craig vs. Max and The Judge): Todd and Craig held their own out there. Max and The Judge won.
  
• Fishing: Todd's favorite part of the trip, catching a lot of fish none smaller than 10 inches.
  
• The toilet paper: Wyatt told Krista that his very favorite part of Grandma Paula's house was the toilet paper because it is so soft and sticks to his bum.
  
• Cousin playtime: The cousins had a great time playing in the basement and around Paula's house. I never heard from them! The boys played turkey hunt and forts and the girls played school.
  
• Impetigo: Yes, we came home with impetigo again. What is is about Utah?
  

One of the fun things we did on our trip to Utah was have a party with a lot of Todd's old friends/roommates. Chip and Chandler were nice enough to host the get together. The kids (there were 20+ of them) all had a great time in the basement/playroom and we had a great time catching up and reminiscing.

I want to redo my bedroom. I have a vision in my head of something relaxing, quiet, and peaceful. (I think I need more than a new bedroom for this!) I want to do a beach theme with blues and greens. Maybe paint the walls a soft blue. Change our ceiling fan into a bamboo island fan with big round blades. In the corner a wicker chair and little table/lamp to read by. On the wall will hang a huge picture of Todd and I at the beach and a fun shelf with sand and shells on it. How's it sound?

This is Emma's new favorite thing--her scriptures. She carries them around with her all day and loves to sit and "read" them!

I remember putting sponge rollers in my hair on Saturday nights so my hair would be nice and curly for church on Sunday. I decided to give it a try with Emma. I carefully put all her hair up in rollers and 15 minutes later found all the rollers on the ground. I then explained that she had to leave them in her hair so it would be curly like Sleeping Beauty. She left them alone but the next morning only one was left in her hair. Either her hair is too short or she's a very restless sleeper! I guess we'll stick with a curling iron.

All the kids in our ward go to year round school so they are all off for the month of November. The mom's have been busy planning Field Trips and fun things to do during this month. We took a tour of California Pizza Kitchen and all the kids got to make their own pizza.


Yesterday we went to a small airport for a tour. The kids loved looking at all the planes and then watching them take off. Then we went to a self serve frozen yogurt place. They all had a blast there too, especially Wyatt who I caught multiple times "sampling" things.

Carson:

• Bakugan-that sticks to metal and the head and wings come out
• Leapster game
• $500
• Bionicle Movie
• Mata Nui Bionicle
• Easy marble maze--not a race because I will cry if I lose
• Star Wars B-Wing Fighter
• Nerf dart tag
• Lego pirates

Wyatt:

• Bike with training wheels
• Hot Wheels--lots of colorful cars
• Race Track with a starting line and finish line and dinosaur with fake teeth because real teeth will hurt you
• Remote control monster truck that can ride on grass
• Star Wars Snow Speeder
• Shirt with Woody and Buzz on it
• Helmet with no holes to protect me from the birds poking my head

Emma:

• Dress up clothes
• Pink Hot Wheel that goes fast
• Princess Bike with no training wheels--because I will go fast
• Sleeping Beauty movie
• Girl Leapster
• Barbie and the Four Musketeers movie
• Barbie pink musketeer with a pink sword
• Big Crib for Baby Emma
• All kinds of stuff--everything that Maddie has

Amy:

• can opener
• sheets for my bed
• comforter/paint/curtains to redo my room
• jewelry
• knee length exercise shorts
• big clock
• 4-slice toaster
• small crock-pot
• charm necklace with charms for kids
  
• 6 waffle maker
• matress pad
• Christmas wreath for my front door
  
• reusable shopping bags
• books
• maid
• children who do things the first time you ask

Todd:

• $501
• The Perfect Push Up (not the Victoria Secret item)
  
• Bluray Player w/ Netflix Streaming (Samsung or Sony)
• Yaesu FTR-60
• New tape measure
• Saws all
• Black Belt
• Brown Belt
• Khaki's
• Wireless Weather Station with an anemometer
• Briefcase
  

We started off our festivities by going to the pumpkin patch and carving pumpkins. Then we went to my Mom's Trunk or Treat party. The next day we went to our Trunk or Treat and Trick or Treated some of our neighbors. Now the only question is what to do with 3 full buckets of candy?!

How do I post this without bragging?! Oh well, I'll brag a little.

On Friday Carson got Student of the Month in his Kindergarten class. He was so surprised even though he saw both Todd and I sitting there. He's lucky he got to school at all considering Todd got a flat tire driving Carson to school. So he got him out and ran to school with Carson on his shoulders, until one of my fellow Second Grade teachers recognized Carson and stopped to give them a ride.

Some of the nice things his teacher said about him are:

• He is an eager learner
• He is always smiling
• He loves to participate in discussions and gives lots of information
• He works hard
• He helps others
• He is excelling academically
• He knows the routines so well he reminds the teacher when she forgets something

I didn't know I could be so proud of him!! Way to go Carson!

You might think I'm talking about me, but I'm talking about none other than my very own Wyatt. He loves doing crafts, not the kind that you follow a pattern or directions and make something worthy of hanging on your refrigerator. He opts for a more "creative" approach, sometimes disappearing for hours, only surfacing to ask where the _________ is. (scissors, crayons, glue, etc.) Then showing up later with a beautiful project. Too beautiful to hang on the refrigerator, it must be glued (yes, glued) to the wall.

Yesterday we got a box in the mail from my mom. Yes, she only lives one hour away but she realizes the joy that the kids get in getting a box in the mail. It didn't disappoint. It was filled with candy, stickers, and fun craft projects. Carson was looking at all of his loot and said "I'm so happy tears are going to come out of my eyes!"

I love conference weekend. Not getting dressed for church, not fighting with the kids in Sacrament Meeting, hearing and seeing the prophet, but I must say my favorite part is EATING. It all started my freshman year in college when one of my friends, Elizabeth Jackson, invited some of us over to her house in Salt Lake for conference weekend. They put out the biggest spread of food I've ever seen and I loved the idea of having a huge smorgasbord during conference. This year we had German Pancakes for brunch and then a bunch of dips for dinner. It was great fun.


Many other things happened during this weekend to make it very eventful:


Carson learned how to ride his bike without training wheels. Only falling once when he ran into a parked car. Let's hope drivers' ed goes a little better!



Wyatt worked on his arm (which is actually pretty good) by throwing a rock at Emma's head (only a little blood).





We went to Oak Glen to pick apples and found out that there are no apples left this year. Something about a cold spring. We finally ended up filling a bag full of apples with worm holes.

This morning in the car I told Carson that I was going in for a test on the baby in my tummy. He asked if it was the test to tell whether it was a boy or a girl. I said yes. He told me he really wanted a brother. I asked if it was a girl would that be ok too (because I just knew it was going to be a girl)? He said yes, because he loves Emma too and she's a girl.

Well, we went in for the ultrasound and it is a BOY!! I'm still in shock. This pregnancy has been so different that I was sure it was a girl. The boys were thrilled and Emma still wants a baby sister. But as soon as I told her she got to share her room with her new baby brother she was very excited. We'll see how long that lasts.

Carson thinks we should name him Anakin.
Emma thinks we should name him Shako.
Wyatt thinks we should name him Suko.

• My kids are old enough that they play together almost all day. Which leaves me...bored?! Oh, I have plenty to do, laundry, clean up the house, dishes, but I simply cannot motivate myself to do these things. Instead I spend my days blog surfing, wandering around the house aimlessly, reading, and any other worthless thing you can imagine. Until about 10 minutes before Todd gets home and I quickly try to pick up the house! What is wrong with me? Someone please help me!!
• I had Halloween all planned out for about 3 months now. We were all going to be Star Wars characters. Luke, Leia, and Anakin for the kids and Darth Vador and Amidala for me and Todd. We were all excited for this...or so I thought until yesterday when Carson informs me he doesn't want to be Anakin, he wants to be Spiderman. Then Wyatt, "I want to be Batman". And Emma, "I want to be Sleeping Beauty". What?! So now I am in a predicament. Do I make them be our super cool Star Wars family or let them be totally generic things for Halloween?
• Yes, let the winds begin. I don't mean a nice harmonic wind symphony, or a light breeze. I mean full scale, blow tiles off the roof, blow all my beautiful flowers bear, shake the walls of the house, dust blowing in all the closed windows, cannot take the kids outside for fear they will blow away, last for 6 months WIND!!
  

Even though we started school a while ago, we've been pretending to still be on Summer Vacation. Over Labor Day we went with my mom to Santa Barbara for one last hurrah and had a blast in the pool, and later at the beach. It was even funny watching Todd try to wash the kids off in the parking lot of Marie Calendars with a bottle of Aquafina!

Last month we went to Sea World and had a lot of fun. Carson freaked out on the Journey to Atlantis ride, not because it was fast, but because he got wet! Emma loved the dolphin show and Wyatt didn't get lost. The funniest moment of all was at the tidepool. We each (Todd, Grandma, and Me) took a kid to touch the various sea animals in the tank. I look across the tank and see someone drop their big orange souvenir drink cup into the water! I thought to myself, "What a crazy lady!" Then look closer and it's my mom!! It was hilarious.

The other day Todd took the kids on a drive. When he came home I was laying on the couch (surprise, surprise) and he had the kids come in suspiciously and stand in a line in front of me. He counted to three and they all put their hands to their noses and started playing "The Ants go Marching" on their noses. Carson told me excitedly afterwards that Daddy taught him how to play the nose flute.

The story doesn't end there. At Back to School Night Todd had to go to Carson's classroom because I was giving my own presentations in my classroom. He filled out a paper to let the teacher know more about Carson and for the question that said, "Tell me something I probably don't already know about your child." Yes, he did, Todd wrote that Carson can play the nose flute!!

At the current moment I love:



Morning Sickness Magic: It's a great herbal pill taken 3 times a day and releives nausea (mostly).










This is Me Journal: My mom gave this to Carson for his 5th birthday and it's a fun journal that he can write and draw in. There's entries for holidays, and other fun stuff too.

Last Monday we all started school. Carson started Kindergarten, the twins started pre-school and I started my new year.

Carson was so excited to go to Kindergarten. He's been asking me for a month now when he gets to start school. He likes his teacher Mrs. Lee. She might even help him to say his "L's" better because I keep correcting him with her name and he's already getting better. He is going to my school so I was able to walk him over to his class along with Daddy and Grandma. When I picked him up from school he said he had a great day. He said, "Guess what Mommy!" "What?" "I get to come back tomorrow!!" I told him he was going to get to come every day and he corrected me and said, "Except for the Sabbath."



Wyatt and Emma are going to the school district pre-school. They have the same teacher Carson had last year. They were very eager and excited to go the first day too. Even though we were a little bit late dropping them off they went right in and worked on some puzzles. They will go Monday and Wednesday to pre-school--which means I get 2 hours to myself on those days!!! (My first day off I got a bagel and a pedicure!)


I am still doing Second Grade and teaching Thursdays and Fridays. My partner and I have it all worked out to a science and it's coming along great. We were slotted to have a 1/2 combo class this year but numbers came in high for First Grade so they are hiring a new teacher. Which makes our class AWESOME!! We only have 14 students and they took out most of the behavior problems so we are loving life.

Here's to a great school year!!

In case any of you are considering getting pregnant let me tell you a few of my current favorites:

1. I have to eat all the time. I'm talking every two hours, and I mean full meals! Hence:
2. I have gained 8 pounds already.
3. I have more zits than a teenage boy, and in the strangest places.
4. I am feeling sick and tired, both sick and tired, and "sick and tired"
5. And the weirdest symptom: I don't care about anything. Honestly, I know. this is not like me at all, but I simply don't care. My kids are dressing themselves. Not brushing Emma's hair. The house is a wreck. We have no food in the house. My Mother-in-law's birthday was 2 weeks ago and I have something I am making for her that I haven't even started yet. I figure if I don't care she won't either, right?!

We have had a lot of fun this summer...and are sad to see it coming to an end. Our fun has included lots of swimming in our blow-up pool, movies in the park, the drive-in, free movies at the movie theater, swimming lessons, swimming at Glen Helen (the local pool), fun at the beach, the train museum, kids concert and crafts at the Hollywood Bowl, and a Pioneer Day parade and party.

Some funny stories:
When we are at the beach the kids are constantly saying, "I have to go potty." I reply, "Go in the water." "No, it's too scary." is always their response. So we end up hiking a mile to the nearest port-a-potty. Recently we were at a friend's house swimming in their pool with a bunch of kids when Wyatt yells, "I went potty in the water!!" with a big smile on his face. He was so proud and I was so embarrassed.

We were driving to church and passed a field with a bunch of people playing soccer. Carson said he wanted to play so we talked about how they weren't keeping the commandments because it was Sunday. Wyatt chimed in, "Yeah, they're Lamanites."

We were playing with Tucker at the beach and Carson said he wanted to change Tucker's name to Fudge. Then he was calling him Fudge for the rest of the day and complaining that "Fudge" wasn't listening to him. Then Wyatt told us he wanted to change his name to Arv. He made us call him Arv for the rest of the day. Luckily the next morning he wanted to by Wyatt again.

My cousin, Bonnie recently hosted a mini-family reunion up in Big Bear. It was a lot of fun to see so many of my cousins. There were 11 out of 16 cousins there and most of my aunts and uncles and my Grandma Johnson. There was to be a talent show for all of the great grandkids (thank goodness that tradition has passed on to the next generation). I forgot all about the talent show until our drive up the mountain. As I'm feeling car sick and Wyatt is scared of falling off the edge of the road into the canyon I try to find a song for them to sing. All that happens is fighting over what song to sing. So I decide NO, my kids are NOT going to participate in the talent show. The time comes and Bonnie tells me my kids are first and asks me what they are going to do. I say, "No, they aren't doing anything." But Emma just gets up and tells her she is going to do a dance! I have no idea what to expect, but she just twirls around and around with a huge smile on her face until I tell her to stop. Then Carson says he is next, I expect he'll do something great. He pronounces that he is going to sing Book of Mormon Stories. He does a great job. Bonnie looks at me, "Is that it?" "Yes." I breath a sigh of relief. But then Wyatt stands up. Uh-oh. I tried to think of a talent for him to share but couldn't find a high precipice for him to jump off and didn't think it was appropriate for him to fight everyone with his light sabor. So I had no idea what was coming. He told Bonnie he was going to "clap his heart". What followed is hard to explain in words but there was much laughter as he took his hand and slapped it against his heart several times and then ended with a big smile. He was so proud of himself and his new found "talent".

My mom rented a beachhouse for a week on the Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach. It was awesome. 2 blocks away from the bay on one side and the beach on the other. The house was big enough for Todd and Kathy's family, my enterauge, and Mom even got a small room to herself. The house was perfect, very old and eclectic. I didn't have to worry about the kids ruining anything. Here's how the week went:



Monday: unpack and move in (and I mean move in!! 4 carloads of stuff!) Quick walk to the bay. FHE lesson and walk to get Coldstone. Wyatt gets head stuck in banister.







Tuesday: Family pictures (thanks Duncan) and Sophie gets a BAD sunburn. Play at the beach! Todd's go body surfing. Try to fly the kite, not enough wind.







Wednesday: Play at the beach! Sophie's 1st birthday. Great-Grandma comes to hang out with us and have a beach cookout!







Thursday: Play at bay. Go to fun zone and ride the ferris wheel. Play at the beach. Nerf guns and wrestle mania. Todd goes golfing.







Friday: Play at bay with raft. Kathy runs 14 miles (way to go). Play at beach. Go to BJ's for dinner. Yummy pizookie! Go on a tandem bike ride to work out the indigestion (from the pizookie).








Saturday: Laundry and pack up. Last trip to the beach!