Snow Family

Firsts

2011-10-23T14:52:00.006-06:00

These last 2 months have been a lot of firsts for our family:

1. Ella's first time going to Dance at Miss Julie's all by herself.

2. Ella's first day of Preschool with Mrs. Brown

3. Last but not least, Marta's First birthday!!!

I can hardly believe what has happened to my little girls. Ella in preschool... Marta turning 1... Where has the time gone?

The only thing that worries me more... time is only going to go faster.

Where does the time go?

2011-09-04T09:52:00.009-06:00

I honestly can't believe how fast time goes. Ella is closer to 4 than she is 3. Marta is almost 1... and our summer flew by! School ended the beginning of June and as of today we've been in school for almost 2 weeks. Wow, time just goes faster and faster...

We had a fantastic summer! It is so nice not being pregnant, I actually had energy this summer. The girls and I went swimming, for bike rides, and of course to the park. As a family, once again we were lucky enough to be able to go back down to California.

We went down to California with my family. There are quite a few of us there now. We no longer fit in 1 condo.

We decided to go to Knott's Berry Farm this trip. Ella is a thrill seeker, just like her dad. She often asks when we can go back to the beach and Knott's.

We have so much fun with cousins when we are there. This picture is Ella playing with Jack. She and Jack love each other... as you can see.

This was Marta's second beach trip. The first time we took her she was too small to go in the water. Not this summer. Just like Ella, Marta is a fish! She loved the water! Before we left to go to California Marta was doing the army crawl everywhere. I was not looking forward to the beach because I knew she would have mouthfuls of sand and she would get frustrated because it would be hard to move. Well, let's just say she quickly learned to crawl on her hands and knees.

Ella loved the beach of course! She definitely is a beach bum. The greatest thing about the beach is we get out early and the kids find entertainment in the sand, water, and beach toys ALL DAY LONG! She had a wonderful time with all of her cousins. We had a hard time getting her to leave the beach at night.

The girls are getting so big. Ella starts pre-school this week. Where does the time go? She'll be going to a little neighborhood preschool with her cousin Owen. I am so excited for her. I know she'll love it. However, I would be lying though if I said I haven't shed a few tears about her being this big.

Once Marta started crawling, she quickly started pulling herself up on furniture. Now she is walking around it. Where does time go? Those thighs in the beach video.... well they aren't as chubby anymore. She also added 6 more teeth to her collection. 4 on top and the 4 on the bottom. Crazy!

We had a wonderful time once again at the beach. We honestly wish we could be there every weekend. We are just so grateful that our kids like it as much as we do.

Summer can officially begin!

2011-06-23T13:39:00.003-06:00

Summer can officially begin. I am done with any classes that I scheduled for and and ready for summer.

The girls and I are ready for swimming, sun, and fun. Hopefully I will remember to take pictures.

Our Memorial Day Celebrations

2011-05-31T16:38:00.005-06:00

Instead of heading south to warmer weather for memorial day. We decided to head to the mountains. We didn't have a BBQ up in the mountains though. Well, some of you are probably asking yourself... " Isn't there still snow?" Yep... there sure is...

This is proof:

We went sledding and snowmobiling at Brighton. We had sooo much fun. There was still a ton of snow that hadn't melted and to make it even better. There was 2' of fresh powder. We went with the other Snows and the Cracrofts. Thanks to Weston (Brennan's little brother) we went up the slope on the snowmobile and went down on the sleds. Going up o the snowmobile was the best part. We all had grins from ear to ear.

This is a picture of Corey and Weston preparing the snowmobile and sled for our enjoyment. As you can see it was snowing while we were up there.

The kids were really good sports, even Marta. She loves being out door and only got fussy when it was time to eat and to take a nap.

I think we, the adults, enjoyed the sledding more than the kids. It was too fast for Ella and so she and Owen found a nice little "bunny" hill they could slide down on their butts.

We had such a fun time we want to do it again. This could very well happen because there is honestly still a lot of snow in the mountains.

Picture Day

2011-04-23T11:53:00.005-06:00

In the month of March, I took the girls to get their pictures taken. I am really pleased with how they turned out. Here are a few:

My brown-eyed and blue-eyed girls.

So, funny story about the princess dress. She was supposed to be wearing her blue sweater, pink shirt and cute pants. Well instead, like your classical 3 year old, she found the princess dresses at the photographer's house. I tried my hardest to get the her to take it off, but sometimes you have to pick your battles. This one I figured, was not worth it.

2 posts in 6 months

2011-04-21T15:00:00.004-06:00

6 months ago today, my life became even more happy and full. (I have only done 2 posts with Marta, I've got to get better) I can't believe that Marta is already 6 months old. I couldn't believe how fast time went with Ella. But with child #2, things have gone by even faster.

Happy 6 months months, my sweet little "pumpkin"

Much needed update

2011-02-09T15:39:00.006-07:00

Needless to say, this is a much needed update. Let's see, where do I start...?

December... We had a wonderful December and Christmas. We had a couple of nice snow storms. Ella loved going outside and sweeping(don't have a little shovel) while Brennan shoveled our driveway and walks. Meanwhile, Marta and I enjoyed the warmth our our house while decorating our Christmas tree. Speaking of Christmas, we had a very Merry Christmas. It was a lot of fun having 2 girls instead of just one. It was also a lot of fun because Ella finally understood the whole "Santa" thing. Santa brought Ella way too many presents, but it was really fun to see her enjoy them as much as she did. We had a lot of fun with with both families and love our time together.

January... Well all good things must come to an end. I started back at school at the beginning of January. It was sure hard leaving my girls that I had been with 24/7 for 2 1/2 months. Luckily though, I only work 2 or 2 1/2 days a week so I still get to spend some very valuable time with my girls. We had a very fun and eventful January. First of all, we were able to spend an enjoyable week at the beach. We are so lucky to go down to Southern California 2 times a year. This year we had an incredibly warm week while we were there. It was so enjoyable to get out of cold, inversion filled SLC valley and feel the warm sun on our faces. We spent many days playing the beach. One day, my parents, Ella and I went one day to Disneyland. We had such a fun time seeing Princesses, Woody, Jessie and all the fun rides. We had a blast! Disneyland was so real to Ella this year. We waited in line to see the Princesses for 45 minutes but, she loved seeing them. She still talks about the Princesses. We had a wonderful time at the beach and can't wait to go down again in 6 months. We also had a huge milestone with Marta. During January, she became very interactive with all of us. She started smiling and even, if we work hard enough, laughing. She is very high maintenance but she is such a joy in our lives. We can't picture our lives with out her.

We also celebrated Ella's 3rd birthday. I can't believe that it has already been 3 years. She is such a joy in our lives. She is an amazing big sister and daughter. Well, since we had such a fun week before with Princesses we decided to keep with that theme. She wanted a pink cake with pink frosting. Well, that's just what she got. After dinner and cake we took her and Chris (brennan's mom) to see Tangled. To top it off she got a Princess bike from Mom and Dad and wonderful presents like Tinkerbell dolls and a bike helmet from her Grammy and Aunt Susan. We had a wonderful night.

I promise to try to keep up with our blog so you can all see Ella and Marta grow.

Happy Halloween!

2010-11-09T11:52:00.006-07:00

Happy Halloween!

From our little pumpkin

We are proud to introduce...

2010-11-02T15:23:00.007-06:00

Marta Gretel Snow. She was born Thursday the 21st of October @ 3:40 in the afternoon. She was a HEALTHY 8lbs. 6 oz. and she was 20 inches long. She is quiet an angel. We are so glad that she is finally here!

Thursday was quiet a day. Not only was I worried about the whole labor and delivery thing, I was also so worried about my little Ella and how she would deal with this new arrival. I had arranged the Tuesday before with my Doctor to be induced that Thursday. So, Thursday morning we left for the hospital and were supposed to be there by 9:00. We arrived in time and by 10:00 that morning I was all IV'd up and ready to go. Brennan hung out with me for about an hour and then my mom came to join the fun. It was a good thing she came because as some of you know my sweet husband can NOT do hospitals. One of my favorite parts of the day is when Brennan purposely went to get lunch because they were going to give me my epidural. To make sure he missed the whole thing he texted me and said "Am I clear to enter?" The nurses got a kick out of him.

Anyways, after I was all hooked up and had my epidural it was about noon. Then the waiting game began. I would watch the monitor and would notice that my contractions were getting more frequent and stronger and stronger. During this time my dad and sister Gretel came to join the party. They hate being left out. the nurse came and went and kept me posted on my progression. Eventually, my water finally broke when I was at a five.

(Brennan was freezing at the hospital so he wore my robe to keep warm)

As some of you are aware, when you are in labor they have you sit half of your body on a pillow so you are not laying totally flat. Well, around 1:30 I started feeling contractions on only my left side of my abdomen, and it REALLY hurt. So, I called in the nurse and come to find out that gravity causes the epidural to not work sometimes. She pulled out the pillow from my left side and moved it to my right side. I painfully had to wait for about 30 minutes for gravity to numb my left side. Once it finally kicked in, life was once again good.

(Coming home for the first time)

Brennan, my parents, sister, and I continued to wait. It was good everyone was there. We laughed and told stories while we waited for the doctor to come check me. Finally, around 3:15 the Doctor came in and informed us he had been helping with an emergency c-section and he was going to check me to see where I was. Well, suprised he said I was at a 10+ and said let's get this going. They quickly got things ready for the delivery, Brennan quickly left the room, I pushed twice, and she was born.

We (Marta and I) had a nice time at the hospital for 2 days, but by the end I started getting very anxious to get home and to see Ella. We left Saturday as soon as I got the O.K. to leave. When we got home it was quiet interesting. To quickly sum up those first couple of days at home, Ella didn't like her new baby sister. She didn't like me on Saturday. She didn't like Brennan on Sunday. By about Wednesday she finally got used to Marta and now she is the best little helper ever. I caught her this morning giving Marta a kiss on the forehead and saying "I love you baby sister." My heart melted. I am so glad to have two beautiful healthy girls. They are amazing. I am looking forward to getting to know them better and grateful for the opportunity to rear them, and be their mother.

Ready or Not...

2010-10-20T17:09:00.003-06:00

Here she comes!

Tomorrow is the big day. Snow Baby number #2 will be coming whether I am ready or not.

Stay tuned for pictures!

Sticker Toe

2010-09-27T19:40:00.007-06:00

Even though I am the furthest thing from being a dancer, I thought I should let my little girl try it for herself. I have already blocked her from things like squash, beets, and brussel sprouts. She needs to be her own person and decide for herself if she likes dance.

So, I signed her up for Miss Julie's. Miss Julie has taught my nieces for years and they have all enjoyed it. Miss Julie treats them all like princesses and has an amazing amount of patience.

It amazes me because Ella needs to have ballet shoes and tap shoes and they actually do positions and tap. Ella loves it and actually for a 2 1/2 year old listens to Miss Julie and does well.

It is amazing however, my insecurities towards dance even come out watching a class of 2 year olds and younger. To each their own.

Time just goes by too quickly

2010-09-13T16:08:00.003-06:00

And I don't mean being pregnant. In fact, this has been a very long pregnancy. Ella's seemed much shorter. When I tell people that they seem to say things like, it is because it is summer, and you have a family to take care. I would have to agree with both of those reasons.

I am however, talking about summer. I can't believe how fast summer went by. The Snow's had a fun summer and we are sad that it is over. The first thing that happened was: we started by potty training Ella. Really she has done quiet well with it. Of course we have had our "days" but for the most part she has it down.

Second: Ella and I also spent a lot of the summer swimming at Grandma's house. She enjoys spending the time with her cousins and of course she loves to swim. We also spent time in the garden and she loves going on her "new" scooter. Brennan is very happy because all signs lead to her being a goofy foot, just like her dad.

Third: We had our semi annual summer beach trip with the fam. The weather this year was a little crazy and colder than normal. Everyone was a little upset except for the pregnant lady. For me it was just right. We enjoyed 2 weeks of the sun, water and family. Brennan is already counting down the days till Winter beach.

Now that fall is in the air, we are starting to think of other things, like the baby. Like I said at the beginning of the post, it has been a long pregnancy. However, I am not sure if I am totally ready for her to come. We don't have a name yet. Ideas come and go but nothing has stuck quiet yet. We also had to get ready for school. As some of you are aware, I am teaching part time. This year I am job sharing with another teacher who had a baby. I am loving it. I only work Wednesday and Thursday and every other Friday. Not to shabby. It has worked out quiet nicely.

I am also looking forward to colder weather, Halloween and being on maternity leave until January. Life is going to get a little crazy in the next month or so. I will try my hardest to keep you all updated.

In case your wondering...

2010-06-15T12:29:00.004-06:00

Just in case some of you want to know....

We found out June 2nd what we are having....

The Dr. said it.....

had a heart, lungs, and.....

Had cute little fingers and toes....

She also told us it was.....

A Girl!

We are very excited! Brennan thought it was a girl the whole time. I was convinced it was a boy... This is how it was with Ella... So, I need to trust Brennan's instincts more than mine.

Baby Chick

2010-04-06T14:29:00.006-06:00

About a month ago, Brennan and I thought it would be fun to take Ella to the local IFA to show her the baby chicks, ducks, and bunnies. All I can say is she definitely has a love for animals. We had to pull her away kicking and screaming when it was time to leave.

Well, last Friday night I told some friends about this little experience and one of our friends- The Cracrofts- thought it would be a good idea to take her kids on Saturday.

Saturday came and while Ella was taking her nap and Brennan and I were watching Conference the Cracrofts showed up at our door. I opened the door and heard "Chirp, Chirp, Chirp..." and Corey saying he needed a small container. I couldn't believe it. Had Corey and Kim bought Ella a "special" Easter present? You bet! Nothing but a small, very cute, fluffy baby chick. Thank you to Corey and Kim for probably the best present Ella has ever received.

Brennan and I couldn't wait for Ella to wake up. We knew she would freak out when she saw the baby chick. I will let the pictures tell you just how she felt.

To end this story, unfortunately there is not a happy ending. I was a little overwhelmed to have a baby chick. So, I arranged for my brother and sister in law to take the little chick. This arrangement would work better because they had a placed to send it when the baby chick got older. My nieces and nephews enjoyed it for a day. My brother called that night and told me it was loved a little too much. R.I.P. baby chick.

I wonder if she'll be as excited about her new baby brother or sister coming this fall?

Birthdays, Beach and Disneyland

2010-02-03T14:21:00.011-07:00

We have had a very full January. We had birthdays, we celebrated, and even went to Southern California for 8 days. During that time, we spent 2 days at Disneyland. Let me go back to the beginning...

We Celebrated Ella and Brennan's moms birthday on the 20th of January. We had a wonderful time with some of our family and friends over at the new house. Ella is so loved and received more presents than she needed. But, she is loving them all!

The birthday girls

Ohh and Ahh over the presents

Being sung to

It is funny after last year's cupcakes took me hours to make, I vowed to do things easier for her 2nd birthday. Well...that didn't quite happen. However, these didn't take me as long. Anyways, I always feel that since her last name is Snow and she was born in the dead of winter that she should have a snowman theme. I wonder how long it will take me to get over that?... So, I made snowman cupcakes. The funny thing is I enjoyed them more than anyone else. Brennan says they were a little too intimidating. Oh well, they were sure cute!

After we celebrated her birthday, that Friday after school we packed up and headed to Newport. My parents have started this new tradition going to the beach for a month in January and February. My siblings and I definitely benefit from this decision. We went down and enjoyed the sunny, but cool weather. It was better than Salt Lake weather! We had a lot of fun going to the beach, looking for shells, and playing in the water.

The tide came up so high and went down so low that when the tide was low the beach created these warm tide pools. Ella loved them because the ocean was so cold!

Newport after a week of storms, crazy huh!

Ella's actual birthday was the first sunday that we arrived at the beach. I bought a brownie mix and thought I would just do something easy. Well, I forgot to buy oil, and I didn't want to break the Sabbath so I made brownies with applesauce... Well I needed 2/3 cup of oil so I put in 2/3 cup applesauce... Needless to say, when the brownies came out of the oven they were flat, tasteless, and really it was like eating cardboard. So, to make up for my mistake we headed down to the doughnut shop and ate doughnuts and muffins for Ella's birthday "cake". She loved the sprinkles.

Heading back from the doughnut shop

lighting the candles

She blew them out all by herself!

The one day that it rained, we headed to Disneyland with my parents and my sister and her children. Even though it was cold and wet, it was nice because there were no lines. It was fun going with Ella for the 1st time. I don't think she quite understood what was happening but she liked the rides, especially the Matterhorn. I was very surprised when we saw all the characters (Mickey, Minnie, and Goofy) she was not scared at all. In fact, I told her to hug them and she would. She was however scared of the princesses. Like I said, she doesn't get it quite yet.

See... no one around!

Our first Disney pick and she is asleep... Oh well!

She loves Cars. That's what happens when all the cousins around her age are boys! Princesses... not yet!

We had a wonderful time and can't wait until July when we head down to California again.

2010 can come yet!

2009-12-30T16:00:00.009-07:00

I haven't posted Christmas or any December pictures! We have had a wonderful December, and I can't believe tomorrow is New Years Eve. Is it just me, or has anyone else wondered where 2009 went? We have done some fun things in the last couple of weeks. We started by attempting to go down to Temple Square earlier in the month on a Friday night. After driving around for an hour looking for a parking place, needless to say our "Christmas spirit" wasn't so joyful anymore, so we went home. Well, we decided to make another attempt at Temple Square, but we decided to go on a Wednesday night (not as bad as a Friday, but there were a TON of YW and YM? Brennan and I don't think things through very well). It was absolutely beautiful, but this time Ella's attitude was not so pleasant. We were lucky to get 1 picture of her!

Ella enjoying a good book!

We also had a wonderful Christmas Eve, and Christmas day. Brennan and I are very lucky because my family celebrates Christmas Eve and Brennan's family celebrates Christmas day, so we never miss out! We enjoyed great food and better company! One of my favorite things however, was to have Ella get her presents from Santa. We decided that this is the last year she will not demand for something special so, we didn't go to over board with presents.

Seeing her presents for the first time!

So excited for her Einsteins!

She is attempting to smile. She doesn't quiet get it.

Do you think she likes the princess shoes? Love those cute little legs!

I have to tell you all one more things that makes Brennan and I laugh so hard. We have been showing her pictures of Santa so, she has started to recognize what Santa looks like. Well, our neighbor looks just like Santa, and one after noon she saw him outside and said, " Whatcha doin Santa?" Then, the day after Christmas, we all went to Home Depot and and we were looking at lights and a older man with a darker mustache and beard was looking at lights also and Ella turns to him and says, "Hi Santa!" He loved it. My conclusion is, she thinks anyone with a beard and mustache is Santa Claus. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Everyone!

Tada!

2009-11-28T14:54:00.004-07:00

Wow, I am sorry it took so long to get some of these pictures up. Life has been crazy since Oct. 22. If some of you aren't aware, in October Brennan and I bought our first home. It is in Salt Lake City and we are really enjoying it. It is fun to finally have a place of our own.

In front we have huge mature trees. Let's just say a LOT of leaves! Ella loved it though. We would rake and she would destroy!

I also have failed to show some pictures of Ella for Halloween. Since we had just bought a home, spending money didn't sound like fun so, I borrowed an adorable costume from my sister and Ella was Dorothy from Wizard of Oz. These pictures don't do justice for how cute she looked.

I feel really bad that Brennan and I were so engrossed with buying the house that we failed to do some really fun Halloween activities. Next year things should be a little more calm so there will be cuter pictures. Again, sorry about the long delay!

Next post will be superb!

2009-11-06T15:34:00.003-07:00

Sorry everyone, since moving into the new house, my life has been so crazy! We don't have the internet yet(typing this up at my mom's), so I haven't taken pictures of the house to show all you. I also, have a couple of Halloween pictures of Ella. I will get those up soon as well. So, stay tuned.

What do Polish people, pizza, and the Cubs game have in common?

2009-10-08T15:06:00.006-06:00

The answer is Chicago! This past weekend, Brennan and I were able to go back to Chicago with 2 of Brennan's mission companions and wives. We had an absolute blast with Steve and Sharalee Nabrotzky, and Keith and Natalie Morgan. We were only able to be with them for 3 days and it is amazing to think that it didn't seem like enough time.

We did so many fun things. We went and visited some of the Polish members that they taught when they were there. This is a picture of the Januszewskis, Brennan, Steve and Morgan. This is one of the Solid Polish families in Chicago.

This is the Skinders, and Jerry. Again, more solid Polish members.

This is Brennan's old apartment. The only apartment he lived in. That is what is so special about the old Chicago Polish Mission.

As you can see it was classic Chicago weather while we were there. Rain, wind and just darn right cold. I didn't pack like I should have.

We were only in Chicago for 3 days. But we did a lot of fun stuff. We had lunch on top of the Hancock building, went to the Cubs game(Steve caught a foul ball with his bear hand. He still thinks he's the man. Don't ya Steve!), ate Giradonos(sp?), went to the Polish area, shopped, and just enjoyed the company. It was so much fun to be with the Morgans and the Nabrotzkys. Thank you for the wonderful time! Next trip, Tennessee. Here we come. Oh and by the way, we bought a house.

6 Little Monkeys

2009-09-16T13:40:00.003-06:00

The culprits... 5 little stuffed monkeys

Arranging them just right...

There we have it! 6 Little Monkeys jumping on the bed!

Can you figure out her new favorite book?

Grandma-Great

2009-08-07T09:13:00.003-06:00

Last week, Brennan's grandma passed away after a month of being moved around to many different hospitals. She was an incredible woman. I will never forget her kindness, love for everyone, humility, and meekness. She truly was a perfect example of the way we should live our lives in order to return to our Heavenly Father. She will be truly missed in the family and by us. Grandma, we love you and will miss you!

Love, Brennan, Ella, and Cat

Edna Christensen
Edna Johnson Christensen 1920 ~ 2009 Edna Johnson Christensen passed away on July 31, 2009 three days after celebrating her 89th birthday and 70th wedding anniversary with her husband, Owen. She was born in Fountain Green on July 28, 1920 to Edwin Theodore and Caroline Nielson Johnson. She married Owen K. Christensen July 28, 1939 in Fountain Green. Their marriage was later solemnized in the Manti LDS Temple. Edna's life was one of selfless service to others. She served faithfully in many church callings demonstrating a deep love for her Savior. Her last days were spent expressing love and gratitude for her many blessings. Edna is survived by her husband, Owen and children LaRee Snow and Perry (Carolyn) Christensen. Her son Eddie preceded her in death. She adored her grandchildren: Eddie (Stefanie) Christensen, Callie (Karl) Bjerregaard, Nancy Christensen, Brennan (Cathrine) Snow, Weston (Julee) Snow and great grandchildren: Savana, Sadi, Sydney, Grace, Luke, Bode, Gavin, Ella, and Owen. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, August 4, 2009, 1:00 p.m. at the Fountain Green Chapel. A viewing will be held on Monday evening 6:00 - 8:00 at the chapel and Tuesday from 11:30-12:30 prior to the service. Interment will be in the Fountain Green City Cemetery.

The Beach '09

2009-08-07T08:10:00.007-06:00

I can't believe the beach has already come and gone again. The funny thing is, the countdown has already begun for next years beach. 359 day... pathetic...I know. Anyways, we were able to enjoy 2 weeks of sand in hair, diaper rash from the sand, warmer than usual water, and sitting on the beach. Ella loved it this year. If you can recall, Ella was only 6 months last year and so she was somewhat limited on what she did. This year was she had full rein on what she did and where she went. Brennan and I had to keep a very watchful eye on our adventuresome child.

Ella had the most adorable curls at the beach. She must get it from my dad, because Brennan and I certainly don't have ANY curl to our hair.

Something that I enjoyed watching was her playing with all of her cousins. Kate and Lucy (two oldest) were so kind to let her chum around with them. She loves being with the bigger girls. Ella and her cousins at the "Swensen beach compound".

They were all born in a period of 14 month. Can you say, TROUBLE!

10 Grandkids! Minus Jacob

This year Brennan was in heaven. Not only was he able to surf at least twice a day, there was a big swell that came in from Tahiti. The water was warm, the waves were huge. On average, 15-20 feet high. That is big. We enjoyed awing over them as we sat and watched them tower over people and made the sound of thunder as they crashed the water below. One morning, we biked down to the Wedge, (that you Meg/Thuerers for letting us use them) it was an awesome site. There were so many people, TV crews, insane surfers/body surfers, and helicopters. Wave after wave towered over these surfers. Watching these guys take these waves was incredible and it was extremely fun to watch.

The city of Newport built this sand wall in order to stop the waves from coming up and hitting the houses. Insane

We had such a fun time being down there with family and others we love. Thanks again Jackie for another good summer at "our" beach house.

4th of July pics

2009-08-06T21:22:00.004-06:00

I just realized, I am not very good at taking pictures on the holidays. So here are a few of Ella enjoying her time at the family BBQ.

She knows the word for Pepsi... It is my mothers fault

Cute as a button

One crazy summer

2009-07-13T09:20:00.005-06:00

I keep telling myself I need to get better at doing this whole blog thing. Then things come up and it just spaces my mind. Especially this month so far. It has been a roller coaster. Brennan got home from the month at sea. He has some pretty crazy stories. He also came back with an incredible tan. It was so good to see him. As many of you know it was a long month. We are so glad to have him back. Especially Ella.

A few days before Brennan got home, Ella came down with something. She had a fever of about 102, and would not let me leave her. I held he constantly for about 3 days. I wasn't too worried, but when the fever didn't go down after 3 days, I knew something was wrong. We (brennan had gotten home) took her to the KidsCare and it turns out the she might have had Foot and mouth, and an ear infection. So, antibiotics, here we come. After a day or two she was back to normal. To make the story better, 8 days later she got this red bumpy rash all over her body. Another trip to the pediatrician, she had a reaction to the antibiotics. Wow, poor little Ella had quite a month.

Right after Brennan got home, his Grandmother got very sick. She has been in the hospital. She has had a roller-coaster ride herself. Brennan is so lucky to have such an incredible family. His mother's family is smaller and they are extremely close. They have taken such good care of her. His grandmother would not have made it through this time if it wasn't for her children, grandchildren, friends, and great-grandchildren. If anything were to happen to me, I would love for Brennan's family to take care of me! 5 star care literally around the clock

We had a great 4th of july as well. We were able to spend a day boating, eating, and watching the fire works. It was a lot of fun to watch Ella watch the fireworks. She loved them and just kept saying "Wow". The 4th of July fell right in the middle of all this action. Like I said, it has been one crazy summer.

P.S. Pictures to come...

Kids say the darndest things.

2009-06-18T21:35:00.003-06:00

Brennan has only been gone for a week and a half. Wow, it has been the longest week and a half of my life. I have been trying to think of anything to blog about but, since it has been non-stop raining, and Ella and I have not done much outside of the house, I decided I would blog about what she has started to say. I am truly amazed how quickly she is starting to pick up on words. It is like all of a sudden "BOOM" she hits a certain age and she starts say everything, "mummy, dad, cheese, kitty, Blitz, Hi Grandma, lamby, Wher are ewe" etc. etc.

But I have to tell you my new favorite thing she says. Ella and I have been spending a lot of time with my parents. Hmm... I wonder why... and sometimes I run down stairs to grab something and Ella (who has become extremely klingy) starts crying. Well, one day my mom was telling her to to say "Mommy, Where are you?" and Ella would repeat. The she would say "Cat, where are you?" and Ella would repeat. So, Ella has figured out that I respond to Cat. So, now when she wants to get my attention she proceeds to say, " Mummy.... mummy cat.... mummy cat.... cat... mummy..." It is hard to respond to her with a straight face! I love being a mom.

These are a few random pictures of Ella since Brennan has been gone:

Ella strolling around a picture of "Dad"

What is up with the squinty eyes?

The Adventures of a Filmmaker

2009-05-30T11:58:00.007-06:00

If any of you are not aware, about a month ago Brennan got a new job with a production company called Fischer Productions. Needless to say, I once again have my fun loving husband back. It's just that the last year was a little hard for him in regards to his job. Anyways, Brennan has really enjoyed the last month. He is doing what he loves most, filmmaking and editing.

Here's a little history on Fischer Productions: during the last year, the company approach National Geographic about a Great White Shark show they had begun to shoot. Well, National Geographic and Discovery got in a bidding war for the show. National Geographic got the bid(a lot of money...later)

To make the story more interesting, Brennan called me yesterday and told me that he was going on the boat to the middle of the Pacific to continue shooting some footage. They are headed out to the middle of the Pacific Ocean to a spot called SOFA (an Acronym for something). The show is focusing on Great whites and finding out information about them that no one knows. It will be incredible! So, if you have the National Geographic channel, you will want to see this show. And if you don't, you'll want to get it.

So, Brennan will be gone for 1 month... Yes, I said 1 month. He leaves June 7 and gets back on July 2. We will not have any way to communicate with him. So, Ella and I are very excited and sad at the same time.

So, if anyone does anything fun... Please call Ella and me

because we will be bored out of our minds...

Here is the promo. ENJOY!

I realized...

2009-05-17T10:46:00.005-06:00

...I never put Easter pictures on the blog. Oh well, Happy Easter

...1 month later.

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue

2009-04-28T22:15:00.006-06:00

Yes, it is true, Ella and I went to visit the Obamas... no, not really. We went to visit cute Maryann, Taylor, Hailey, and Dain. Maryann and I have been bestfriends since the 2nd grade when she moved in across the street. To make a long story short, Maryann and I decided on my Birthday that I needed to come and see her. A week later, I received an email showing me incredible deals for one way airfares. I couldn't let this pass by. So, on a whim, I bought a ticket for Washington D.C. Ella and I were headed to see the wonderful Hansen family. Brennan had to stay and work... or he would have come.

Maryann and I had such a fun time. We saw many fun things and stayed very busy with the 3 girls. It was a site to see 2 adult women and 3 tiny girls jammed in the back of Maryann's 4Runner. I think Ella had quite an interesting time getting used to 2 new "sisters." She had her good moments and her not so great moments. Overall, we both had a really great time.

Having 3 kids under the age of 3, we were able to see a lot of Washington D.C., but not everything. Here are some pictures, see if you can figure out where we are:

Thank you, Hansen family! I loved being there with you and getting my "personal tour" of Washington D.C. You were so kind to let us stay with you, eat your food, and take up all your gas looking for parking.

Just call me a Slacker

2009-03-26T10:54:00.009-06:00

Chinaman's Hat

Matt showing his skills at Sharks Cove

Sick waves at Pipeline... seriously, there were pros there.

Brennan was is heaven. This is his Mecca.

Hawaiian Temple that is being reconstructed.

Mark Eubank and his wife were the Temple Couple.

Hole in the Rock...

I know, it has been a long time since my last post. I guess I just feel like I don't have anything fun to talk about. But, I will update all of you on what has been happening as of late. At the beginning of March Brennan, Matt, Julie(Brennan's film partner and girlfriend), and I went to Oahu, Hawaii for 9 days. We went because Brennan and Matt's documentary film "Manowce" won an award at the Honolulu International Film Festival(there is a link to their website on the blog, if your curious). I am so proud of these 2, they have worked so hard the last couple of years trying to get it into festivals and letting people know about it. Finally, someone recognized their efforts and hopefully this will open some doors. Anyways, the festival was the first 3 days and we all decided to stay 6 more days and enjoy lovely Oahu. It was so much fun to be back there again. I hadn't been back since studying at BYU Hawaii a few years back, during which I made life long friends. For those of you that were there with me, the North Shore brought back many fond memories. It seems almost like a dream.

Okay, back to the trip... we decided that it was probably a better idea to not take Ella on the trip with us. Even though she would have loved it. We were going with 2 people that weren't use to a 1 year old and just thinking of packing for her... overwhelming. So, she stayed with my parents, my sisters, and my mother-in-law. Thank you to them for allowing Brennan and I to have a relaxing vacation and not have to worry about her. That doesn't mean we didn't miss her like crazy because, we did. Anyways, the trip was fabulous and it is nice to have a tan in March.

Diamondhead and Waikiki

"Da Country Club"

Winter Beach

2009-02-10T13:43:00.008-07:00

Cloudless skies and 80 degree weather...

Few people on the beach...

50 degree water, but stayed in it forever...

Taking 2 days to fall in love with the sand...

Knowing your child loves the beach as much as you do...

PRICELESS

Ella's 1st Birthday!

2009-01-24T14:41:00.008-07:00

Ella's first birthday

Let me finish what I started. It was Thursday morning, I called the hospital, they wanted me there at 8:00 a.m. While I was getting ready, I started getting these funny painful aches. Hmm... were they contractions? You bet they were contractions. They started out not so bad, then by 7:30 a.m. when we left for the hospital, I started to brace myself because the pains became so intense. Finally, we arrived the hospital, and into a nice room by 8:30. The nurse got me all hooked up to the drugs and then checked me. I was dilated to a 4, so I could get the epidural when I was ready. I was ready! After the epidural, I was able just to sit and enjoy myself, my conversation with my mom and sisters, and watching the contractions on the computer (Brennan was in another room waiting for the "all-clear" sign -- he's not a fan of hospitals/blood). I couldn't feel a thing. After about an hour, the nurse checked me again, I was dilated to a 10. I could start pushing. I pushed for about an hour and a half, and at 12:45 p.m., Ella came into the world. It was an incredible experience. I will never forget that day, Brennan and I are so lucky to have this amazing person in our life. She is the joy of our lives. Ella, we love you and are the luckiest parents in the world.

Ella minutes after she was born

Almost 1 years ago

2009-01-23T13:00:00.005-07:00

Let's see, exactly 1 year ago, I went to work. My daughter was to be born the next day. Yes, some people thought I was crazy but, I wanted to spend as much time with Ella after she was born. I only had 3 months before I had to go back to work. Anyways, It was a very busy day at school. Papers here, papers there, sub notes everywhere! I said goodbye to all my 4th graders, stuck around until about 5:00, then I went home to get ready for the next day. I was going to be induced the next morning. Boy, or Girl was I nervous...

The night before Ella was born

Technologically savvy!

2009-01-19T17:35:00.003-07:00

So Bren and I are "late" bloomers. For some reason, when a new sort of technology happens, Bren and I shrug and say "We're not going to do that." or "this is stupid" or "Why do you need that?" Well, I guess it started with the blog, and then Facebook, now we have given in and just got texting. Some of you are probably saying "What!?!" Yes, it is true, we just got texting. So now we will answer your texts if you text us.

A Merry Christmas and a Great New Year!

2009-01-06T12:08:00.006-07:00

The Nativity

Starting from the left: Max, Lily, Lucy, Kate, Anna holding Jack, Jacob, Sally, and Ella.

Andrew not pictured.

I hope you all had a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year. We Snows, had a great Christmas and a wonderful New Year. We were able to enjoy great company, eat loads of excellent food, and drive in horrible weather. A couple of years ago, Grandma Swensen along with Kate and Lucy decided it was time for our family on Christmas Eve to do the Nativity. Now that the Swensen's have 10 grand children (We are missing one in the picture. Andrew was sick and wasn't able to join us that evening.), this allows the nativity to be more than 4 persons. This year Ella was able to join the fun. She got to be the Sheep. She made her dad very proud. By the way, One Christmas present Ella gave me is she started walking about a week before Christmas day. I am so excited, no more dirty knees, no human vacuum! But, like I have been told by many, different kinds of trouble come with walking! Oh well... We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and a very joyous New Year.

Daddy's little girl

P.S. I want to change my back ground but don't want to loose all the info. Can anyone help me?

Never mind... I got it taken care of! Thanks!

Yeah, she finally looks like me!

2008-12-19T11:46:00.005-07:00

Ever since Ella was born, most everyone would tell me that Ella looks "just like Brennan". Even my own sister said that Brennan and I need to have another child so the next one can look like me. As a mother, you want your child to look like you. However, after time, I got used to the fact that Ella wasn't a Swensen. She was more Snow, which is just fine.

About a couple months ago, I was looking though some old pictures looking for Swen's retirement. Then, I came across this picture. Of course, I got some hope that maybe Ella does look like me. Yeah, I finally got my wish.

I knew she got those ears from me.

Bed Head

2008-12-04T11:30:00.003-07:00

About a week ago, I heard Ella talking after her afternoon nap. So, I went in the room to get her and to my surprise I saw the most crazy bed head I have ever seen from her. I know she sleeps on her forehead with her legs under her but, this day I am not sure how she slept to cause this kind of hair. Classic!

I like to call this one "The Wave"

I am so thankful for....

2008-12-02T12:44:00.003-07:00

I just wanted to express to those around me how grateful I am for them. This past Thanksgiving was very enjoyable. This year, we had Thanksgiving with my family. We basically had dinner at my mom's house and just enjoyed each others company. It was very low key, except of course for cooking. Anyways, I just want Brennan and Ella to know how thankful I am for them. They are truly the loves of my life ( even more than Edward). I am thankful for my family, in-laws, and nieces, nephews, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, basically everyone. You have all been so supportive to Brennan and me. Thankyou for all you love and support. Now, bring on Christmas...

GO UTES!

2008-11-22T21:06:00.005-07:00

I just wanted to write and personally thank the Utes for beating BYU. If any of you don't know, today @ 4:00 MST the Holy War began. It was a pretty intense game until the 2nd half. Then Utah just began to make some really good interceptions and converting on 3rd downs. The final score was 48-24. Anyways, like I said thank you Utah for beating BYU because now I will have a happy husband... Good Luck, which ever bowl you go to!

Rubba Dub Dub, Thanks for the TUB!

2008-11-20T13:07:00.011-07:00

Not only is bath time my favorite time of the night but, it is also Ella's. She is such a scheduled child that if she doesn't get in the bath around 7-7:30, she will get super cranky and crawl towards the tub wanting us to put her in. So each night, our routine is to take her in the bathroom, she watches as we fill the tub, then we go in her room and get her ready, put her on the floor, and then she excitingly crawls to the tub. She loves it. I had to post this because, I think it is so funny to watch this little body cruise as fast as she can to the tub.

Go..Go..Go...

All Smiles :)

Better late than never!

2008-11-05T13:18:00.000-07:00

Sorry about the very belated Halloween pictures. We had a little accident and the pictures were erased from the camera. I went to post the pictures, but Brennan thought they were his mountain biking pictures that he had already uploaded, so he got rid of them. It is a good thing we only have one child, because that way we could get her dressed up again on a random day and do a "retake". If we had more children, Halloween '08 probably would have to be just a mental picture. In any case, the Snows had a wonderful Halloween. We did what we have done the last 10 years, or so...we went to Reef Pace's mom's house and did some pumpkin carving followed by a Halloween party. It was a lot of fun. But what I enjoyed the most was my little bee. Ella was a bee for Halloween. She looked so dang cute. I was surprised she actually kept the antennas on her head. That's what good bees do...

Once again, sorry for the late pictures. I'll be the one in charge of erasing pictures from here on out....

p.s. in regards to the poll from the last post... I just got them all made up and am enjoying all of them. Too hard to decide. Thanks to those of you who voiced your opinions.

Pumpkins, pumpkins, everywhere...

2008-10-26T14:19:00.000-06:00

For years, I have wanted to have a child at Halloween time. In the past I have loved walking into stores and seeing all the adorable costumes and halloween goodies. All I needed was a cute little one to share in the fun with me. Well, my time has finally come! I also have always wanted to get pictures in a pumpkin patch. So this year, Brennan and I took Ella to Wheeler Farm to take some pictures. She absolutely loved being put on the dirt ground free to roam. She loved the straw, the pumpkins, the dirt... she just loved the whole experience. We took a few pictures. You see, I have this frame and I really want to put a pumpkin patch picture in it. But I am having a hard time deciding which one is the best. So I need your help. Which one do you like best? Please help me decide...

Picture 1

Picture 2

Picture 3

Picture 4

Picture 5

Crocodile Hunter

2008-10-14T13:06:00.000-06:00

As many of you are aware of, and if your not, Brennan was very fond of the late Steve Erwin, a.k.a The Crocodile Hunter. He wished during high school that he could do all the fun and exciting adventures the Steve Erwin did. We even went and saw the movie. Unfortunately, he hasn't been able to swim the swamps looking for crocs, or picking up the worlds deadliest snakes yet... However, he has a daughter that took up his desires for croc hunting and lizard eating. She is a natural at it. Now Bren just has to teach her how to eat and survive on these creatures like Bear Grylls.

She's not scared

Cake Work...

Fall, the best time of Year!

2008-10-08T11:52:00.000-06:00

I absolutely love the fall! It is honestly the best time of the year. The weather is warm, but not too hot. You can wear a sweatshirt and capris, or long pants and a shirt. And the leaves... need I say more? The chill in the air at night, football season...(Go Utes! #14), being able to be outside during the day and not sweat, Halloween, my husband's birthday, and our anniversary. What a great time of the year it is in Utah.

This past Monday for Family Home Evening, Bren and I decided to go up Big Cottonwood Canyon to look at the beautiful leaves. Brennan went mountain biking a few weeks ago, and he said the leaves were nice then. Well, the leaves were even prettier this past week. If you live in Utah, I suggest you take a drive up one of the canyons. It's amazing!

I've never been tagged...

2008-10-06T11:29:00.000-06:00

9 T.V. Shows I watch:

1. Channel 2 News

2. Big Bang Theory

3. How I met your Mother

4. The Unit

5. Mad Money

6. Amazing Race

7. (Any) night Football

8. CSI (Original)

9. (Would like to start watching) The Office

9 of my favorite restaurants:

1. Market Street Broiler

2. Cafe Rio

3. Z Tejas

4. Cancun Cafe

5. Paradise Bakery

6. Citrus Grill

7. Aristo's

9 things that happened yesterday:

1. Showered and got ready

2. Watch Morning Conference

3. Made breakfast

4. Took care of Ella

5. Took a Nap

6. Made Lunch

7. Watch afternoon Conference

8. Went to my Mother-in-laws for dinner

9. Did the nightly routine with Ella

9 things I am looking forward to:

1. Halloween

2. Thanksgiving

3. Christmas

4. Ella's first birthday

5. Moving someday

6. The Beach

7. Owning a home someday

8. Snowboarding this year

9. Going to Europe (again)

9 things on my Wish list:

1. My own house

2. XC 90

3. Moving to Europe (England)

4. Brennan having a great job that he LIKES!

5. Getting rid of that nasty last bit of baby weight

6. a beach house (a little Extreme)

7. A new Mac Laptop

8. That my entire family will always be happy

9. Decked out home Gym

9 People that I tagged:

1. Mares

2. Brynnly

3. Meg

4. Margaret

5. Erika

6. Ashley

7. Natalie/Morgan

8. Kasia

9. Wendy/Latta

Our 7th Anniversary!

2008-09-28T13:31:00.000-06:00

You know, it's always funny... Every year on the 28th of September, I call my mom and tell her these exact words, " I told you this was the most beautiful day of the year." With out fail, since Brennan and I got married on the 28th, 7 years ago, it has always been the most gorgeous day. The leaves are just beginning to change on the mountain side and beginning to look like a patch work quilt, the weather is always a nice temperature, and it is always sunny. I honestly love the 28th of September. Another reason why I love this day so much, is because I got to marry my best friend. I love him so much and I am so glad that we are going to be a happy family forever. I just want to say , "Happy 7th Anniversary Bren. I LOVE YOU!"

Happy Birthday Brennan!

2008-09-15T09:18:00.000-06:00

Bren,

SURPRISE !

Ella and I just want to wish you a happy birthday. You are the best dad and husband. You make both Ella and me very happy. Thank you for all you do. We hope you have a great day. We love you very much! Enjoy the pictures!

I'm a big kid now...

2008-08-28T16:50:00.000-06:00

Owen and Ella taking a tub

We had to lower the crib

My pearly whites

There she goes...

"Look at me... I'm a big kid now"

"I will never stay in one place again."

Accomplished !

Summer is coming to an end, and Ella is only getting bigger and bigger. After she started crawling she decided that she knows it all and started climbing up stairs, chairs and mom and dad. Ella is also getting very experienced with bumps and bruises. She doesn't realize yet that with the exploring and climbing, it is bound to happen. There is nothing I love more than when she gets mad or tired and crawls to my feet and just drops and puts head down and just cries waiting for me to pick her up. It is very hilarious to observe. Since the beach, her bottom 2 teeth broke through and now we are patiently waiting for the upper tooth to come in. They are starting to break through. As of the 24th she is now 7 months old. I can't believe she is growing up so fast.

I am not missing teaching. In fact, I still feel like it is summer and everyone is still on summer break. It has been fun the last two weeks just being with Ella and not worrying about school.

Where is time going.

2008-08-11T17:25:00.000-06:00

I can hardly believe that it is mid-August and Ella is already 6 1/2 months old. She had her 6 months Doctors appointment and she now is 27 inches long (94%) and 16.4 lbs (48%). As you can see, she is a growing girl. Ella has also picked up a new trait since we have been back at the beach. Yep, our little girl has begun the dreaded crawling stage (or so I hear of its dread). She is now into everything. I feel like I need to pick up everything off the floor and vacuum twice a day. She has fallen off the bed twice. Needless to say, I have learned my lesson and she is only on the bed with an adult. One other indicator that my little bundle is growing, we have to move her crib down to the second notch. I can't believe it, where is time going?

Here she goes... Crawling all over the place...

Ahh, the beach...

2008-08-04T21:19:00.000-06:00

Ella's beard

Hmm... Good stuff

The Grandkids

Ella loves her cousin Anna

Cousin Owen and Princess Ella

Crazy Face!

Just like the rest of you, Brennan, Ella, and I went on a family vacation. Every year, the Swensen family heads down to Newport Beach, California. We go down for 2 weeks and get to enjoy relaxing, reading a good novel, the water, soft serve, strolling down the boardwalk, and Charlie's Chili. We get a little piece of heaven for 2 weeks! It was a lot of fun having Ella there. It is very different having a child, but we had a ton of fun. Ella loved the sand from the start. She is very tactile and so feeling the texture of the sand must have made her day. She also didn't mind having her face in the sand. When it came to the water, it was a different story... She did not like it. Whenever Bren or I tried to put her feet in the water she would lift them up. It was a very funny site. When we made her stay in the water she just cried. It must have been the cold water. Brennan had a great trip. We bought him his 4th and 5th surfboard (one is a softy, the other is a fish tale) The waves were BIG the first week and part of the second so, Brennan got to play on his new boards. Needless to say it's like a little kid in a candy store. I enjoyed running in the morning, a great book, and some of my own shopping (H&M). We had a lot of fun with my family and we are so grateful that we get to go each year. Enjoy the pictures.

Ella's first 4th

2008-07-08T12:50:00.000-06:00

Brennan, Ella, and I had a great 4th of July. We didn't do much but just enjoy the day and each other. After going to the gym, Brennan and I swam while Ella took a nap. After the nap she joined us in the pool. She didn't know what to think. At first she was very timid, but then she started splashing around. She is definitely Brennan's girl. That night my family came up to my parents' house and we had just a great night of food, croquet, more swimming, more food, and of course fireworks. We had a great night. I love the 4th!

Summer has begun

2008-06-29T16:34:00.000-06:00

I can't figure out this whole blogging bit. But, I have seen a couple of our friends lately and I knew I needed to get on this. So, I have now officially joined the blogging world. I think it is a great way for friends (here and there) to check in on each other.

Ella is growing up right before our eyes. She is now 5 months old and is putting everything in her mouth. At her 4 month check up she weighed 13 lbs. and 4 oz. and was 25 inches long. As you can all see, she looks just like her daddy. Not much Swensen in her. She is so much fun. I am loving being a mom.

I finally finished school. It was a hard year. Especially when I had to go back and finish out the year. But now I am done. I decided to take a year leave of absence and stay home with Ella. Then I can decide if I want to go back next year.

Well, keep checking up on the Snows. We would love to hear from you.