President's Day Weekend

duke farms

Camden Aquarium

The shark Tunnel

There were sharks swimming all around us. 

I think that we did a good job of making this four day weekend a lot of fun for the boys. The weekend fun started on Thursday after school. Adam got to go to Sam Nell's house with his friend James. While Zachary had Miriam over here to have a dance party and eat yummy cookies.

Friday Sheryl Cranga and I packed up all of our kids and took them to the Crayola Factory in Easton PA. It was really cute they got to see how crayons and markers are made and get some samples of each. Then there were a bunch of activities that they could do. It was so nice to have friends to go with on our fun adventure.

Saturday Josh and I took the fam to Duke Farms. It is a huge! private estate of Doris Duke (old tobacco money)and we went for a little hike and saw some really beautiful statues etc. We really want to go back there in the Spring.

Sunday was really nice. We had Kerri & Drew Hart over after church for a visit. Adam and Zachary really enjoyed beating on Drew. I think that Josh enjoyed that someone else got a turn as the punching bag and I just enjoyed the company.

Monday we went to the Camden Aquarium along with everyone else in the area. I couldn't believe the amount of people that were there. The line to get tickets was literally around the block. By some miracle a guy walked up to us and handed us three tickets and we were able to get in for free!!!!! I was really happy about that because we were about to drop over $100 to get in. We were able to see the sharks in the tunnel and that was the most important thing for us to see that day. There is a ton more to see and do there but when you get in for free it isn't hard to leave while you are still ahead.

Monday we took our crew to the giant aquarium in Camden on the delaware water front over looking the Phillidelphia skyline. Well everyone else decided to go there today too. i was told that today they had the most visitors there on record. It was a zoo of people. We were about to abort our mission but randomly we got handed tickets by someone leaving. We only went through one zone but that is all we needed. We saw the sharks and oh were the boys excited. there is a tunnel that goes through the

Valentine's Day 2012

This year I wanted for the boys to have valentine cards that were unique and different than the regular super hero ones. So we made pictures with them holding pvc pipe and made it look like they were holding a giant lolli-pop. I thought that they turned out really cute. I pinned on the boy's shirts felt heart and Zachary wanted me to write a message on his. It said "I want to have a dance party with Miriam". He was very proud of it and when he got to school he found Miriam to show her. He got to have his play date the next day with her.



So this is the Valentine,  I just punched a whole at the top of the stick and inserted a heart shaped lolli-pop.  I thought that they turned out really cute.



Josh brought home flowers and a very nice card. I don't know why but I was surprised. I made a special dinner for the fam we had heart shaped raviolis. I wish I would have taken more pictures but....I feel like I was doing pretty good to just do all that I did. I feel like I'm still adjusting to three lil'ones. I also am taking on more crafts and projects that have taken up more of my free time so other things have been pushed to the way side. I'm really grateful for the opportunity to expand my talents.

Because this is a holiday that celebrates the love that you have for family and ones you hold dear I want to take this moment to express my love for my family and how grateful that i am that i have the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ in my live. it is my knowledge of the gospel that gives me the eternal perspective that families are forever and this lie is just a practice period a time to prepare for greater things and roles.

Giving Credit

Andrew loves playing with balls, cars and his brothers. His favorite books are "Brown Bear" "Mr. Brown Goes Moo Can You" and a fire truck book. I think that he says book "da" and Adam "a-da" he loves to sing and likes music. He wants to eat anything that I am and that is everything. One of his top teeth has just broke the surface. When he plays with cars he makes car noises and he just turned 10months old yesterday the 21st of Jan. He hasn't stopped smiling and he brings so much joy to our family. One of my favorites is that he loves looking at the family pictures on the wall and his favorite is the Disney cruise family photo with Minni and Mickey.

Snow Monkey

It finally snowed this weekend and Adam couldn't be happier. I think that he has been waiting for it to snow for a long time. the boys got snowball maker/thrower things for Christmas and Adam has been so excited to use those things on Daddy. He has been scheming about who is going to be on his team and what kind of fort he will have. The second time that everyone went out yesterday he stayed out for a really long time just making snowballs and having a good time.

This evening right about the time it was getting dark he decided that he wanted to go outside. I almost told them "no" but why, because they would be cold? So they hopped into their snow gear and played way past dark and had a blast on their swing set/fort. That thing get used even during the winter...great investment. Love it.

things they say

Zachary:

The other day Zach and I were playing on the couch, he poked my belly and asked "Do you still have a baby in your belly?" I explained "No, do you remember how big mommy's belly was before Andrew came? Well, my skin got stretched out. Do you want to see my stretched skin?" Well, yea!" So i let him see and touch my stretched out skin. I totally thought that he would have been repulsed by it but instead he said "ooo, I like your ripply skin mom."

what a cutie! All mom's need to hear that.

Saturday morning was a slow start for me since it was a snow day. Upon arriving down stairs I was welcomed by a topless Zach. I asked "Zach, why don't you have a shirt on it is cold." He explained "Mom, I'm Patrick Star and I don't ware a shirt."
Like it was obvious that he was Patrick Star and I should have known. It made me laugh. He is such a cutie.

Andrew Andrew Andrew

Andrew is now 9 months old and is making a lot of changes! Time really does go by so quickly. I feel like he should still be 4 months old. While Grandma Grandpa Engstrom were here Andrew just really took off. He was getting up on all fours and able to scoot around and sit himself back up before they got here. But this last week he crawled across the room. Jo saw that and said to me "Oh, Jenalyn you life will never be the same." So true. I have friends that have given me all of their safety gates because now it is time to baby proof. Some other big mile stones; he cut his 2ND tooth, pulls up on everything, and has stood by himself for a few seconds.

He has had his first Christmas, first New Year, first statue of liberty trip. Now that he has teeth his face is changing. He is looking more like a toddler. I recently introduced some lil'crunchies and he LOVES being able to pick up his own food and put it in his own mouth. Although he still eats his baby jar food I can tell that he wants everything that we have on our plates. He has learned that if he screams and waves his hands then I will find something from the table for him to eat.

Because Andrew has been our baby that has spit-up and drooled the most Josh has pegged him with this nick name of Goobs. I really don't like it but I have to admit that it does fit him. From the time that he was born until recently he was always throwing up. There have been many lil outfits that have not survived his goo. While Grandpa was here the nick name evolved into Sargent Goobs. Zach got the name Heavy Z (i think because he enjoyed jumping on Grandpa) and Adam remained A-Bomb.

Oh yeah, another change that has come about it he just LOVES books. His favoriet is "Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See" He has to read it every time I put him down to sleep. He has his cute little smile on his face the whole time we are reading. LOVE it!

(I finally figured out that if I ate dark chocolate then that would upset him.) I'm sure that I've missed some thing

Christmas 2011 to New Year 2012

That is how you say "Merry Christmas"


I am one lucky girl. I hear my friends talk about their in-laws and the things and awkward moments that they have to endure. That is not the case with me. I get so excited when Grandma and Grandpa Engstrom come for a visit. They are wonderful. The boys go ballistic with wrestling on Grandpa, Grandma cooks/bakes up a storm. Zachary announced that "Grandma is a good cooker. She cooks better than you Mom." It is true she is better than me and I love to eat what she makes. The most memorable was the cinnamon twist roll bread.

We made a list of places that we wanted to go while they were here. The weather was super nice so we got out and did almost everything that was on the list. First we went to Valley Forge while the boys were in school. The weather was amazing. I think my favorite part of the driving tour was the house that Washington stayed in. We were told by the park ranger there that family didn't want to except rent from General Washington. It reminded me how much people gave to the cause of Liberty and how much people sacrificed.

Friday Kevin and Jo left early to go into the city for a bus & boat tour. When Adam and Zachary woke up they immediately asked for Grandma and Grandpa. I told them that they were gone for the day and they were so upset. Zachary heard a little nose and thought it was them...."I think I hear them, Gr-aan-dma! where are you." I thought it was so sweet.

Saturday was Christmas Eve. It is one of my family traditions (to help pass the day along) we go out to a movie, then to an early dinner and then read the Christmas story from Luke 2. I got a big group of friends together for the day's activities. It was really nice to be with everyone and to share this special time with friends and family. We read the nativity at the Nell's home and the kids had a great time dressing up as shepherds and such and then acting out. We visited, played, and said our good-byes. We finished up our family tradition of opening one gift ( the pj gift) and then got ready for bed.

Christmas was really nice this year. I was pretty demanding that I get to watch everyone open their gifts (since I thought about, searched for, shopped for, bought, and wrapped each one.) I really enjoyed seeing everyone open up their toys or their favorite chocolate. We enjoyed the morning with each other. Grandma whipped up breakfast the night before; cinnamon twist pull-a-part bread. It was amazing! The big gifts this year were the new couch form Grandma and Grandpa E., Daddy got a new phone (that can do everything and more), I got a new kindle fire tablet, Adam got what he desired spiderman web shooter and the claw zord, Zachary got the octozord and a new stuffed dog, and Andrew got a ball popper. After church we just got ready for Christmas dinner and played with toys.

Monday: we took off to see the statue of Liberty. The weather prediction was right on that day it said that it would start raining about 12:00 and that is exactly what happened. We were able to do most of our outing before it got bad but we were hit with cold winds as we were waiting for the ferry to take us back to New Jersey. Other than the weather turning on us it was a pleasant trip. The boys as always enjoyed the boat ride and loved being with their Grandparents. We got a really good picture of all of the family in front of the NYC skyline.

Tuesday's adventure was a split effort. Grandma and Grandpa went to Morris Town to see some more history sites and we took the boys to an indoor amusement park. We went for the bumper cars and Zachary was just an inch too short. There were tears but he got over it when he got to go on a roller ride. Andrew took a good snooze in the car and then fully enjoyed the rides that he got to sit on.

Wednesday we spent at Princeton campus. We walked around for a little while and looked at some of the buildings it is a beautiful campus we all thought it looked like Hogwarts from the "Harry Potter" movies. After lunch we got some cupcakes at a place that won "cupcakes wars" on the food network. I admit it was the best cupcake that I have ever had. The boys claimed that the cupcakes were their favorite part of the day.

Thursday New Year's Eve and last day with Grandma and Grandpa.  We ended our 2011 by going to the beach for a picnic.  It was a really nice mild day and everyone loved the fresh Jersey air.