Happy Fathers Day

So, I really wanted to make this Fathers Day special for Peter since last year counted, but this year it counts for 2! Now I know some of you are thinking, did you get pregnant again?? Cause you can't really top telling your father or husband that you are pregnant two years running.......but alas, I am not pregnant. (who am I kidding, heck YEAH I'm not pregnant again!) haha

Elsje is old enough to get messy in some arts and crafts, and Ezra is old enough to hang out and watch. Many of you know I'm huge into Pintrest. I love wasting er...appropriately using my time to find fun arts and crafts for her and I to do together while Ezra gags himself with those uber long fingers of his. Elsje loves getting involved in all sorts of messy interesting crafts so when I found this homemade finger paints recipe, I couldn't resist. One morning, I whipped them up in two colors, stripped my kids down to their diapers (and put on disposable diapers), and headed to the front yard (so all my neighbors could see what a GREAT mom I am...haha). Well, Elsje had a GREAT time, and she made a most fabulous painting on canvas for her dad. Ezra helped too, but his "handprint" (since he NEVER has an open hand) looks more like a blog, but I'll take it. We presented the gift to Peter today, and he was very pleased. He immediately started throwing out places where we can hang it. Fathers day can be fun for women too......

I love when Ezra just stares at Elsje...he does it a lot

This is Ezra about 90% of his awake time...

Last of the Mohicans anyone??

um....

What ELSE can I cover with this liquid magic??!!

I've had my "breaking days" with Irish twins, but this wasn't one of them....I love my kids. 

let the games begin!!

Saturday turned out to be pretty nice here in Utah. So nice in fact, that I even wanted to get out! (which if you don't know me, it must be like 75-80 degrees before i'll even talk about going out.)

Peter was watering our lawn by hand because a few of our sprinklers are broken and he's waiting for a part (or so he tells me...haha) so Elsje and I went out to blow bubbles and crawl in the grass. After bubbles were causing boredom, Elsje made her way to the hose and her dad. She LOVES water of any kind, so we pretty much just let her do what she wanted with the hose. Here is how it turned out:

She pretty much just wanted to drink the water....hilarious.

who says girls can't pull off white shirts in water??! haha

have a great day!

Sentimental

The past few weeks I've been feeling very lonely and like I'm spinning my wheels with Elsje. It seems that you work so hard for this little person, but they just have no idea what is really going on for them. I knew this going in...I understood that motherhood/parenthood was a very thankless job...and will be for awhile, or will it?

Elsje has always been a daddys girl. I don't know if she just gets sick of me and when Peter gets home, she's just SO excited to see someone else, or what her true feelings are. Either way, she loves her dad. She said DA DA first, she claps tons when he walks in the door, and hes the only one that will let her grab his whiskers. haha During my couple week "feel sorry for yourself"mode, I started thinking that maybe I should go back to work, or get a part time job or do something that I can feel I'm being successful at. But last night, I surprised Peter with tickets to the Utah Jazz charity basketball game in SLC. Elsje came with us, and of course it was a group of people that LOVE THEIR JAZZ! Needless to say, it got quite loud several times. Elsje wasn't a huge fan of this. Peter was holding her most of the night, but let me tell you, it made my heart feel too big for my chest when every time my little girl got scared and started crying, who did she reach for? Who did she feel safe with? Who was the only one that could really console her? Thats right, her mom. It just really put into perspective what I do everyday has an impact on my child. Lets just say I'm done feeling sorry for myself for no real reason. I'm done even thinking about getting a job. I'm done feeling like I don't matter. Here are some pics of Elsje, and the everyday things she does that perhaps I take for granted once in awhile.

Growing up so big and strong

Satisfied and completely independent

Curious and excitable

seriously? just plain cute

adventurous

I love you miss Elsje

xoxo

mom

Elsje....again

So yesterday I was out and about delivering borrowed things back to people and I may or may not have stopped at a local bagel place and purchased my favorite bagel (asiago cheese with jalepeno shmear)...and we happened upon Draper Park. I've been to draper park before but didn't have children at the time, and I know that when you don't have kids, swings and slides are furthest from your mind. But we drove through hoping they had Elsje's favorite....bucket seat swings. They did, and below, the result of said bucket swings:

Peter said this picture is the picture he would choose to describe exactly what Elsje's personality is. She is such a great little girl, and full of energy, life and smiles. We love you Elsje, and are thankful you're in our lives......

Go Utes!

So since my life is a little boring these days, Elsje is again the main star. But with those kissable cheeks, who can blame me??

Yesterday marked the first day of college football...for the University of Utah Utes that is. They had their first game last night and demolished their opponent. My good friend Tausha is very good at being in the moment for things like this so I took a little of her energy on this one. When I found out Elsje was was girl, my first thought was...."well, shes a girl, so we need a couple tutu's!" I asked my friend Janet to make her Jazz colored tutu and a Utes colored tutu's. I found some really cute Utes booties at our local farmers market, and the idea was born.....

Below you will see cute Elsje sporting her red and black tutu along with the booties I found. for a couple of  candid 'mom' shots, I think the outfit turned out nicely. Thanks to Ryan and Mel for hosting us at their place for the game....and my good friend Valerie who took me to dinner so I didn't have to have hamburgers. :)

hug, hug, kiss, kiss, hug, kiss.....
-Nacho Libre

My little girl celebrated her 6 month birthday recently....and for her dessert?? a SNOWBALL of course, courtesy of Opa Nelson. She really liked it and her Opa and Oma had so much fun watching her make a mess....cause they didn't have to clean it up of course. ;) 

My girl is growing right up....and I'm enjoying every day of it. I'm thankful I'm able to stay at home with her and savor the moments. 

Happy 1/2 birthday little one!

Forgive me, lets just say I'm turning a new leaf.....

Well hello everyone who ventured into this blog! Welcome! If you have previously read this blog, you may or may not remember what it is about. Peter and I initially set it up as a traveling/camping blog. It only lasted a short time due to my...well...life! haha.

I've decided to revive this blog as I'd like a place where I can list any projects I'm currently working on, an also give those "cute" updates about my kid. Yes, since I've posted last, I've gone through the art of conceiving a child, which turns out that is a LOT harder for us that imagined, the art of pregnancy, the art of giving birth, and the art of being a first time mom. I use ART a lot in this post cause I have no idea how teenage girls get pregnant so fast and usually have no idea HOW to get pregnant, how they deal with the ups and downs of morning sickness, and losing their girlish figure, how they give birth (again keeping in mind that I'm sure at this point they STILL don't know how they got pregnant), and how they deal with being a mom so young. I'm 27 and I still have no idea what I'm doing. :)

For this first post, I'd just like to introduce you to the newest member of "wanna get away? us too" and share some cute pics if you don't mind.

Elsje Boogaard was born on February 13th, 2011. She was 5 pounds and 5 ounces. She was 17.5 inches long. Insert picture 1:

 She has brought so much love to our home and neither of us realized how much we could love someone till she came along.

Some fun info:
Elsje is now 7.5 weeks old an will be 8 weeks to the day on her blessing day this Sunday.
She currently weighs just about 8 lbs and is 21 inches long.
She rolled over and grandma and grandpa Nelsons house at 3 weeks old.
She is just starting to smile like crazy and we've heard her giggle a few times...a sound that I'm sure will never get old.

Elsje likes to roll her eyes at her parents, get her picture taken, eat, have baths, and be held. She still likes to curl her legs up under her belly...a habit her mom is CERTAIN is going to make her bowlegged. Peter has been home from work for two months, and will continue to be home for antoher month. Im really not sure what I'll do when I don't have another set of hands around to help out when I want to do something for myself...and when I say that, I mean TAKE A SHOWER. I know that my life has totally changed, and doing something for myself has now been put on the back burner...so its a good thing she came out cute.

Please enjoy more pics and I'll talk to you soon!!

Niss

so the beard....he said he was going to keep growing it till she was born...good thing she came when she did....

Her first meeting with her new pets....she is already Alpha dog.

she loves being held and patted on the back and bum. 

Her two week appt. too cute not to capture. 

she found her thumb right away. I'm embarrassed to say she found her eyes at the same time. 

One day after church. she was letting us know how she REALLY feels.