A Hat Party

I was planning on doing a post today about our Valentine's Day, when I realized I never posted about our festive New Year's Party.  Since New Year's Eve was on a Saturday and we all have early church, we decided to have the party the Friday before.  I was the hostess, but Heidi was the party planner.  She came up with the fabulous hat theme.  Everyone came decked out in their best hats. 

Here are the Pollard girls in donning their best "fascinators" in honor of Prince William's wedding in 2011.  (I made up that last part, but it could be true.)

The ladies of the night...

Chloe and Sophie

Yin and Yang (James so solemn and Nic so celebratory.)

Sadie knows how to party-it-up, as usual.

Annie

The whole crew of cousins, minus the California Cousins. :(

 Oh, and Will and Max...

Each person's hat was unique and this is one Luke put together all by himself!

Alexis

Look at these two beauties....Chloe and Abigail.

This is my favorite picture of the night, it cracks me up! Uncle Brett lookin' like a pimped-out rap star from the 90's.  Well, sort of.  That is my take on it at least.

The kids played lots of minute-to-win-it games done by Uncle Travis.

Uncle Travis could be a professional game show host, either that or a BINGO caller, or an Auctionair-

Grandpa even got in on the games.

Grandma and Sophie

Someone usually comes up with some fireworks to let off for the New Year, but this year things didn't go off with a "BANG".  It started snowing hard just as they all headed outside and it was too wet to let anything off. 

We will just have to wait until the 4th of July, which will be here before you know it! 

Happy Birthday, Nic!

Happy Birthday, Nicholas!

Hope you had an AWESOME day!

I know I have missed a lot of birthdays on here, but I was feeling ESPECIALLY lame about Nic because for some reason (maybe because he was TURNING 11) I was thinking his b-day was ON the 11th. Anyway, we missed it.  So we hope it was a GREAT DAY!  Hope to see you soon, Nic! 

Love, The Bogren Family

Mom's in Time Out

That is what I told my kids at least.  I went down to Utah and attended Time Out for Women with my sisters and cousins. I had so much fun!  Ryan held down the fort with all six kids.  I was a little nervous leaving since I had never left Sophie before and I am still nursing. Ryan and the kids did great though! Emily wrote an awesome review of the weekend here. Emily was such a great hostess.  It was even her husband's birthday that weekend and she opened her home to us.  Rebecca lives really close and so we all hung out.  We didn't sleep much, but got a lot of quality talking in!  I didn't take many pictures, but here are a few I snapped during a break at Time Out.

Okay, I had a WAY better picture of Rebecca sleeping...but because I love her, I used this one.  She took a little snooze so I had to get a shot of it.  (Like I said, not much sleeping took place the night before!)

Melissa and Jennifer diligently taking notes.  (Or not?)

 Heidi and Melissa (Can I just throw in that Heidi just returned from Mexico a few weeks back AND she lives in Arizona, we are all white, but not THAT white!)

Heidi and I

Jennifer and Emily.  Sorry about the coloring guys, their hair is NOT this dark...I really do need to take a photography class. 

While at Time Out, one of the speakers mentioned that 81% of LDS women feel guilty about things they DON'T DO.  I was writing in my little spiral notebook as she was speaking and  I started laughing.  In the very notebook I was taking my notes in I have a "Guilt List".  I don't think of myself as someone who feels too guily about my life in general.  However, I am a list person. I like keeping my notebook next to my bed at night- just in case I have any great ideas about saving the world before I fall asleep.  One night a few months back I was feeling particularly guilty about all the things I had NOT gotten done that day, or for many days obviously.  I decided to make a list. I had never before verbalized or really consciously thought about all those things I was carrying around, feeling guilty about.  I am going to share my list, but not to get a pep talk from anyone.  (Heidi was already giving me one when I showed her my list at Time Out.)  Just more to show that I think it really is true about that 81%!   

Natalie's Guilt List

1. House not as clean and organized as I would like

2.  Didn't moisurize like I should, gonna get wrinkles

3.  Ate too much sugar

4.  Went to bad too late

5.  Don't read to the kids enough

6.  Don't write in journals enough

7.  Don't blog

8.  Don't exercise

9.  Don't go to temple enough

10.  Didn't use a coupon on this or that purchase, could have gotten it cheaper

11.  Didn't send out baby announcements (Check...included those with my Christmas Cards!)

12.  Didn't brush Annie and James's teeth tonight. 

13.  Can't keep up on the yard

14.  Didn't do Birthday parties for James, Luke, and Michael

15.  Didn't get Jennifer a birthday present (Check, did finally)

16.  Don't grow a garden or can

17.  Don't organize my pictures. Ever.

18.  Didn't change Michael's sheets.  Or Annie's.

19.  Kids didn't make beds before school...

20.  Kids don't take music lessons

21.  Kids eat too much junk food

What is on your guilt list?  Do you have things you feel guilty about running through your head during quiet or not-so-quiet moments?  It is all pretty ridiculous the pressure we put on ourselves sometimes.  Sheesh.  This particular speaker had a great idea...instead of making "To Do" lists, make a "Ta Da" list about all the things we DID get done that day.  (Especially those unexpected things that come up that are NOT on our list, but are important.) I tried to remind myself of this on Monday night when one of my "Ta Da's" was having to unexpectedly give the new dog a bath and a hair trim when she had the "runs" and got poop stuck in her hair. 

So, since Time Out I am trying to feel a little less guilty about all those "little" things that we all have but we just can't do sometimes, because we are human. 

One last thing from Time Out that I loved was a quote shared by D. Kelly Ogden.  

“Greatness is best measured by how well an individual responds to the happenings in life that appear to be totally unfair, unreasonable, and undeserved.”
― Marvin J. Ashton

Isn't that great?  Speaking of great...so are these ladies. 

Thanks to everyone for the WONDERFUL time out!  (Especially husbands, Grandma, and cousins that helped out with kids while we were gone.)



Birthdays and Roller Skates

I still have not totally caught up on all the holidays....here are a few things that we also did over the Christmas Break.  My brother David's Birthday is the day after Christmas so we always get together and play games and eat "bread pizza".  (Pizza on french bread slices)  

Grandpa is not much for games, but he is always willing to hold a baby.  I believe this is William taking a snooze with Grandpa.  

 Happy Birthday, David!  (His traditional cake is Marble, with chocolate frosting.)

The Garzas arrived late that night all the way from Arizona.  We went roller skating with them a few days later when the planned ski trip didn't pan out due to weather. 

 I love this picture of Travis and Heidi-roller skating naturals!

The roller rink lets you push strollers while skating.  Sophie and Annie loved it and both eventually fell asleep. (Another plus of roller skating, your kids can sleep while you skate)

Austin

 Luke-looking more like a hockey player than a roller skater.

I got quite the workout pushing these two around. I forgot how much I LOVE roller skating!  It brought back lots of memories for me.  My Grandma Adams would always take us roller skatings in Logan when we came to visit.  We would drive over in the HUGE, old, green cadillac Lincoln.  I thought it was the nicest car.  I still remember the smell of the leather shimmery green seats.  The roller rink was pretty old and I don't think the one here in Idaho Falls is much different! Grandma would cheer us on and tell us we were the best roller skaters she had ever seen.  I never wanted to leave.  I loved doing the limbo and "girl skate" and all the other fun games. She would also let us pick out a candy bar. I remember I would usually get a big tootsie roll or Nibs if they had them. (Food is usually always part of my childhood memories.) I think if the roller rink were closer I would get a season pass and go there instead of the gym!  It is so fun!

Uncle Travis and Michael

We will definately have to do that again soon.  If you want a time warp, go to your local skating rink and it will bring you right back to the 80's.   

A Tender Mercy...

It is a serious tender mercy to me when I step on the scale in the morning after eating a brownie and icecream the night before and being down a pound. Seriously. 

Even though the physics of it might not make sense, I feel like the Lord knew I needed that brownie. He also knew I could not emotionally handle my pants being one bit tighter.  And that is a tender mercy to me.

PS You can read more about some serious tender mercies here.

The Book of Mormon and Water

I am the Personal Progress leader for the Young Women in our ward.  This is great because I also get to work on my Personal Progress, which are basically just goals to help you become a better person.  One of the goals is to read the Book of Mormon from start to finish. I have done this several times, but the past several years I have mostly just studied by topic...and that is when I study at all. ( I know...Pretty terrible!)  I swear I am so ADD sometimes that the thought of sitting down and just READING scriptures seems so hard.  Having a goal this year to read the Book of Mormon start to finish is just what I need.

And you know what?  When you dive in and actually read (not just here and there) it is like reuniting with an old familiar friend.  (Some of you may not know this feeling since you never leave your familiar friend, I don't recommend it.) It made me think of a refreshing drink of water.  I often think I am hungry, and so I will try everything in my fridge or pantry and I don't feel satisfied. Then I foolishly realize that I was not hungry...I was just thirsty!  Ryan tells me this all the time, because he drink a ton of water.  This is probably more so because I am nursing...I have a baby depending on me for some serious liquid, and so I need to drink that water even more.  I realize at the end of the day I am completely dehydrated! 

So it is with the scriptures.  So often when feeling unsatisfied I go looking everywhere...I read books, magazines, blogs, television...and often in the end can be left feeling still unsatisfied.  Then when reading the scriptures I think, duh, I was not "hungry" for all those other things...I was just thirsty and needed to read the scriptures.  The answer seems to simple, and too boring!  (Just like water)  When I am nursing and have someone that needs me, I need to up my water intake.  I had an epiphany that as a parent my babies are "dependent" on me for my spiritual "liquid".  So often at the end of the day I realize I am "dehydrated" so to speak, and don't have much to give.

So, don't get me wrong...I need my "food" in both instances.  I am not going to stop eating, reading and watching TV.  (This is a presidential year, my favorite time ever for politics!)  But I AM going to focus on trying to get in more Book of Mormon time AND drinking more water!  I know I will be better off physically and spiritually for it...

Christmas Day

Christmas was a little different this year since we had church at 9AM!  My kids really are not early birds, so we held off opening presents until AFTER Sacrament Meeting. I thought it was actually kind of nice. Christ is the whole reason we celebrate Christmas and so it seemed kind of appropriate to go do that first, then come home for Santa.  (Not saying I would want to do that every year!)  Anyway, that is why the kids are not in their usual Christmas attire-PJs!  

 

James got a remote control car from Santa.

Sophie got a little Radio Flyer that is just her size, all the kids love riding it.  It has been a hit!

Joshua got a cell phone and I think these pictures pretty much say how he felt about that!

 Luke and Michael both got this castle-thing they had been wanting.  PS That shopping cart in the background-piece of junk!  Took it back to the store.

Luke and Anne got Coaster Cars and I can't recommend them enough.  EVERYONE loves riding them and they have been non-stop fun.  Hands down, best present.   Here Dad is trying one out with Sophie.

Dad got a new Speedo!  Does it fit? 

My favorite gifts are ones that the kids made.  Michael made us a calendar at school.  I loved the wrapping job!

Sweet letter from Luke: "I hope you have a very happy New Year and a very, very, very good good Christmas.  I hope you get very good presents."  

A bird house Michael made us at Scouts.

Another picture from Luke.

Annie and Luke both got this kitchen set.  I still remember the kitchen set that I had growing up. It was also red and white and I loved this one!  I think I was just as excited as them about it. 

I love the boys faces when they exchange their gifts.  Joshua had REALLY been wanting this nice little deodorant set from Luke.  You know, as Luke says, "He needs it to get all the ladies."

Joshua had Luke and got him this Bubble Gum Machine-I think he likes it!

Michael saw this Tiger's Head in a store a few weeks before Christmas and it was love at first sight.  He was pleading to Santa to bring it to him!  Ryan told me, "I always wondered who buys those sort of things when I see them in stores, now I know....my son."  :)  Michael has already brought it to school for show-and-tell.  It is pretty sweet, don't ya think?

After opening all the gifts we had a late breakfast of German Pancakes and fruit. 

Later on Christmas evening we all went to Grandma and Grandpa's for a delicious Turkey Dinner.  I was trying to get a shot of Sophie with her twin cousins Max and Will (7 months) kicking it in their onsies.  They were not being too cooperative.  Could you imagine having all three of these cuties as triplets?

Sadie and Emmaline did a little dance perfomance for us.  I love this picture of Sadie! 

Here is Emmaline, dancing with attitude!  (Love those back-up dancers too!)

Annie and James got in on the action.

I think this picture of Melissa with Max is so cute.  You should see the twins bundled up in these outfits together! 

"Oh, what a feeling...when you're dancin' on the ceiling..." (Okay, you have be a child of the 80's to appreciate a little Lionel Richie.)  Anyway, all the kids kept asking Ryan to put them upside down on Grandma's ceiling.

And that was it...Christmas has come and gone until next year.  Anne doesn't quite understand.  She keeps asking when it is going to be Christmas again.  She figured out that Christmas is LOTS of fun.  I know Anne, we all agree...why can't it be Christmas everyday!?  (Because Mom and Dad would be passed out tired, we would all be over-weight and Santa would go broke!)  Instead, we will just try to keep Christ in our thoughts a little more throughout the entire year.  I left one of my Nativities up this year in the Living Room to help us remember.  I love having it out so much, I thought...why not!?  I wish I could get away with having a Christmas Tree up all year, but that would be a little crazy.  So, for now, we are going with the year-round Nativity set.  Merry Christmas!