The Fab Five

FHE

2012-01-16T10:25:00.001-08:00

So I haven't blogged for a while, and I probably won't again any time soon, but for this occasion, I couldn't help myself. I'm pretty proud of my creativity in using the Playskool nativity characters for another purpose. My favorite is Zoram, played by the zookeeper from another Playskool set.

Family Home Evening tonight is going to rock!

Any guesses on what the yellow Lego is?

Family Pictures

2011-07-12T13:49:00.001-07:00

Its been so long since I've blogged, I almost forgot my password. Maybe I'll get completely caught up, but most likely I'll just leave holes. Its not that we haven't done anything, quite the opposite--we've done EVERYTHING, leaving my blogging on the far back burner and making it more of a mundane task than anything else.

That said, my bro-in-law John took some awesome family photos at the Smith & Edwards junk yard, so I have to share these cute pics before they are outdated.

Soccer!

2011-04-20T12:11:00.000-07:00

Its the first year my boys are playing soccer and I think its the cutest thing ever.

They've had some rough games and they can get too emotional, but their last game was a huge success so hopefully it carries through.

I tried to upload a video I took, but with no success. I've posted it on my Facebook page instead.

We went to Disneyland!!

2011-04-18T13:48:00.000-07:00

For this year’s Groll family vacation we went big---Disneyland and California Adventure. We went with my 2 sisters and their families, my parents, and my Aunt Roxanne Pollmann and her family. The total was 27 people at the happiest place on earth. The day we flew in we just hung out, the next we went to Disneyland, day 3 to California Adventure, day 4 to Huntington Beach, and our last day we flew home (and still made it to church so Jed could be ordained as a High Priest and set apart as the group leader’s 2nd assistant. ??). It was awesome!! We can’t wait to go back, but Marlee will have to be older so she can have some fun too.

We stayed at the Camelot Inn just across the street from Disneyland. You can see the Matterhorn and Sleeping Beauties castle from the pool. It was also a great place to watch the evening fireworks from the balcony.

Swim buddies.

Here's my dad walking into Disneyland for the first time. (Not in his life, but for this vacation.)

Here's most of the kids, plus a few dads.

Me and Mar getting ready to go on the Pirates of the Caribbean.

Yeah, they really are that cool.

Probably a favorite picture of the trip.

I was hesitant to go on the Tea Cups but was glad I did, especially to see the faces of the boys.

Jed & Justin resting on a watermellon.

Me and my sister Camille, somewhere?

Marlee, getting so excited for the Finding Nemo Submarine.

Kendle was the littlest to come to Disneyland, and she loved every minute of it -- that she was awake for.

On Saturday we had breakfast with the characters. It was kinda pricey (like everything else at Disneyland) but it was awesome to have the one-on-one with the characters; something that was nearly impossible to do at the park.

Here's most of the group.

Jed had the magic touch and was able to get Marlee to sleep multiple times.

Here's my dad. Holding the Check.

These are some Huntington Beach shots.

It was brisk that day, but nice to check out the ocean.

Wes with tatoos on his face, put on by Jed--something I would not have allowed had I known. Especially because this particular brand of temp. tatoos took almost a month to wear off naturally. Wes's face was raw after we scrubbed them off.

What a Beauty!

Provo Stacation

2011-03-21T14:04:00.000-07:00

Last month, Verne hooked us up again with a hotel room at the grand Provo Marriott, just for fun, which I named the Larsen Family Staycation. We went with Jed's parents, his two brothers and their families to swim, eat, and play for the weekend. We all had a blast! Verne & Nancy had the presidential suite which is pictured below. Not only was it a super sweet room, but it was great as it acted as a nice central gathering location where we could play games and just hang out. Also, Verne's "connection" delivered an amazing welcome basket as well as ensuring the pool stayed open for us.

The View

Unfortunately, Audrey broke her arm a few days prior, but she was great company with Marlee while the boys went swimming the 1st day.

The kitchen.

The front room.

Hockey Night!

2011-03-21T13:46:00.000-07:00

Jed's dad hooked us up with some sweet tickets to a SLC Grizzly's hockey game, so here are the pictures for your entertainment.

(Note the number of pictures my children are plugging their ears.)

Stu and Audrey

Rue, Kolby, Owen, and Madalynn

Thanks Papa!

Ice Fishing - Part 2

2011-02-27T06:58:00.000-08:00

Yeah! They caught two fish. Actually, Jed caught them both, but no one else in our party did. (However, the ppl 50 yards from us caught one every 10 min.)

Way to go, Jed.

Here are some more pictures of our outing:

Marlee trying her luck. Look close, she's giving you a big grin.

The boys eyeing the catch.

Hey, handsome.

Give it up Stu!

Really, I took a lot of pictures of Marlee because, A) We had some time on our hands and B) She's so stinking cute!

Ice Fishing - Part 1

2011-02-15T13:56:00.000-08:00

A little bit ago we went ice fishing up in Idaho. The pictures below is the progress of our outing.

Dad and Rob getting set up.

Wes, happy to be here.

Jed enjoying a day on the ice.
My dad and Cameron trying to coax the fish out of the water.
Wes waiting.

Rob waiting patiently.

Marlee waiting and watching the line.

Rob, still waiting.

Stu waiting.

Wes, STILL waiting....

So did we catch anything?

To be continued........

Christmas 2010!

2010-12-29T20:09:00.000-08:00

Again, I am a month behind in my postings, but I don't let it bother me.

I loved this picture of Marlee because you can tell she just woke up, but she's soooo excited for her first Christmas (at least she acted like she was.)

Christmas morning messes are the best.

You know the books Where's Waldo? This time its Where's Marlee?

The twins spying on the neighbors with their new binocs.

Pillow Pet "Puff"

Pillow Pet "Jazmine" - (Not my idea)

Jed's new shirt.

What does it mean when Jed gets a new shirt for Christmas and I get a compound miter saw?

The twins received a whiteboard/chalkboard easel from my parents.

Marlee playing with her new blankie doll.

We received so many presents from family, but the list is too long for my attention span, but BIG thanks to everyone for making it an amazing Christmas.

We are so blessed in so many ways, not the least by having such wonderful families and of course knowing Him, whose birth we celebrate.

Christmas Parties

2010-12-29T19:51:00.000-08:00

On Christmas Eve we always go to Grandma Maxine and Grandpa Gordie's home.

The twins received toy tractor sets, which they totally loved.

Marlee snuggling up to Grandpa and her new frog, which we named Lily Pad.

Nana really knows what these guys want for Christmas!

This was at the Larsen Christmas party.

The Kiddos

2010-12-29T17:49:00.000-08:00

What can I say? I have cute kids.

Marlee takes eating very seriously.

Post chocolate frosting.

Mars with her cuz Lily.

Best Buddies

Stu

Wes

The Princess

The Bedroom

2010-12-19T20:34:00.000-08:00

I have home makeover ADD. After I finished Marlee's room, I thought I'd take a break from re-doing things, but I just couldn't help myself. This one I'm most proud of my "finds." The dresser & nightstand, drawer pulls and baseboards I got off of KSL for a killing. Much of my decorations were from the DI and Family Dollar that turned out great with a bit of paint. The bedspread and shams were on clearance. The throw pillows I already had, but just recovered them with material that was actually for curtains. My headboard was free (delivery and all) from my neighbors. It was an old door in their basement, which I painted and trimmed to size. Big thanks to Jed and my mom who were so willing to help. Plus, Stu and Marlee (shown below) were great to pitch in as well. Here are the before and after pictures:

Stu helping me paint the mirror.

Before: Nightstand

Nightstand and dresser after I sanded.

Painted

After

Before: Original dresser

Sanded

Painted

After

Before: Bedroom View A

(Notice the wood door to your right--that's what later became my headboard.)

After: Bedroom View A

Before: Bedroom View B

After: Bedroom View B

(I included Marlee in both pictures to show that she has aged a little, but not too much.)

Done!

I won't tell you my next project, but lets just say it includes the purchase of several power tools for Christmas!

Halloween

2010-12-14T19:21:00.000-08:00

Yes, I'm just posting my Halloween pictures, and yes, I know its December, but I'd hate you to miss out on all this cuteness because I'm behind.

For one party they dressed as skeletons (plus a kitten in the middle).

For another party and Halloween they were Batman and Superman.

My Heros!

Lady Gaga

2010-11-14T19:16:00.001-08:00

Well, we gone and done it.

We got a dog.

Her name is Lady Gaga, and she's an Irish Setter puppy that we got from my brother, who gave it to us because their other dog Roxie was not happy with her new roommate. Because she is still a puppy and so full of energy sometimes I'm not even sure if I made the right decision, but the boys were elated and Jed was all for it, so what the hey! Part of the conditions was for her to be an outside dog. When it turned so cold, I felt a little bad, so we'd let her in, but when she tore the place apart, I didn't feel bad putting her back out. She's got a nice warm place to stay, so she'll be fine.

We didn't think so could climb over the back seat, so we didn't pen her up on her 1st trip. That didn't work, but Stu and she both look happy.

Here is another one of our outside pets (shown inside). This is Katy, and we wanted to make sure she knew we still loved her too, so here is her glam shot. I was also tolerant for her incidental visits inside until Stu's cat allergies kept us up for a few nights. Back outside for you little kitty.

Moab

2010-11-14T19:04:00.000-08:00

In October, we went to Moab for 2 nights for Jed's annual work outing. We debated whether not to bring the kids right up until the last minute, but if you can't tell from the pictures we clearly made the right decision!

Marlee enjoyed the day of sun and sand.

Just as you're driving into Moab, there's a huge, steep sand hill. Watching the gang run down it made me nervous because I thought someone was going to eat it, but all are safe.

I wish I hadn't smiled, because we are one cool lookin' trio.

My little sand angels! Yes, we were dumping sand out of shoes, socks, hair, ears, and underware for days!

What a man!

For one day, we went to Arches National Park. I couldn't believe how much fun we had, and because Jed's boss foot the bill, we were in no hurry and it was no big deal if we couldn't see everything. I love vacationing that way.

This pose was Stu's idea, but this has to be one of my favorite pictures of all time.

Again, I was amazed at their bravery, but they loved climbing and exploring.

Wes

Stu

The guys made several hikes, while me and Marlee remained at a lower elevation.

Texas!

2010-11-14T12:17:00.000-08:00

The end of September my family flew to Katy, Texas (west of Houston) to visit my sister, Angie’s family. As you can see it was a fun filled week, so here it is in a nutshell: We went to the beach at Galveston, an Astro’s major league baseball game vs. the Chicago Cubs, a state park where they saw live alligators, several parks, family fishing day at Justin’s work (Conoco-Phillips headquarters)—this is where they had their faces painted. There were several face painting options but all the boys wanted to be Batman! Stu was the only one that caught a fish during the 1st 5 minutes we were there. We ate at Mooyahs, Tutti Fruiti, an amazing Mexican restaurant, and the 7th best shaved ice stand in Houston (sorry, I forgot the name) . The Merrells have a beautiful swimming pool/hot tub in their backyard, which we spend a lot of our time as well. You will notice Marlee enjoying a relaxing moment on her raft. We also had some down time where we could just hang out and let the kids play. We had an awesome time, and we thank the Merrells for having us and being such good hosts. We love you!

Me and Ellie

Hudson, Stu, Wes, and Gracie

Stu and Wes were lucky enough to catch a foul ball each.

They even let the kids down in the dugout.

Yellowstone

2010-10-17T12:47:00.000-07:00

Around mid-September my family, my parents, the Roylances (my sister Camille's family), and Jeff's family drove up to Yellowstone for a family vacation. We stayed in West Yellowstone, then we drove through nearly the entire park on Saturday, and came home the next day.

This is the grandkids getting a ride on the baggage trolley, steered by Grandpa.

I liked this picture because it looks like that tree is about ready to fall on our SUV.

The wildlife was a plenty. Here's a black bear. We saw a grizzly bear, too.

Buffalo.

Elk.

And we were lucky enough to spot a twin pair of rare wild animals.

We're next to a geyser. Notice the water droplets in th air.

Dad & Stu

This clip makes me laugh as you listen to Dad moving us along.

Randolph & Bear Lake

2010-10-17T12:05:00.000-07:00

As a testament of how much fun we've been having, I'm still posting things that we did in August. This is when we went to Randolph and then to Bear Lake with our good friends.

This has to be one of my favorite picture of my twins with their two best friends.

The boys gathered around a frog that was caught in the back yard. This activity easily entertained them for hours.

Here we are at the beach!

Me and Marlee soaking in the sun.

They brought an awesome kite, and here's Andrew showing off his mad flying skills.

Peach Days

2010-09-28T13:07:00.000-07:00

I did my 1st 10k. I did pretty good at the first by hit a hard wall at 3/4 of the way, but still pulled a decent time. AJ & Cashelle ran the race, too, and this was their 1st ever compettative race. AJ pulled ahead of me around mile 5, but I was in no mood to chase him down--my pace was good enough! Now there talking about running a half marathon in the spring, but I barely made it on this.

Camille and Gabby came to cheer me on and stayed to watch the parade.

Fun Stuff

2010-09-28T12:55:00.000-07:00

As usual, I'm months behind but better late than never.

The next few pictures is of when we went camping with Jed's brother's family. We try to go with them at least once a year at the Box Elder Campground.Madalynn being the sweet big cousin to Marlee.

The Cousin Crew.
Notice Audrey & Wes holding walkie-talkies, which were a big hit.

Mom & Mar

This is the twins with Uncle Rob working the backhoe. Notice the look of concentration on their faces--they take their job pretty seriously.

One afternoon we went with my sister's family, the Roylances, to Willard Bay for some fun in the sun.

The Best Post Ever!

2010-08-19T07:14:00.000-07:00

My twins have never been ones to relish in the spotlight, so this footage is out of character. This talent show was put on while I was at a Relief Society activity, so clearly this was not scripted, nor would I have guessed the were capable of such artistic creativity. Each boy even has his own personal styple of "singing." Stu is more classical pop/rock and accompanies himself mostly on the air guitar. Wes's accompaniment is sometimes a kazoo, but his style is much more poetic in nature--very similar to the Mike Meyer's style in So I Married an Ax Murderer.

This is going to be a very long post because there are seven songs ranging from 30 sec. to several minutes. I will keep this post up for several weeks to give you time to watch them all. We are happy to hear your commetns, reviews, interpretations, and favorites. Also, they need a cool band name.

Just like many songs, it is difficult to understand them, so for your convenience I have included the lyrics--though they may not always be completely accurate. Also, watch for references to actual events and people.

Without further adieu, I'm proud to present....The Larsen Boys.

Anyway – by Stuart Larsen
Anyway I would,
Anyway I could,
Anyway I ever did,
Anyway I ever did,
Anyway, A‘g’in?,
Anyway-ay-ay-ay-gin,
Anyway, A’a’nyone,
Angie-way, Don’t like say,
Run away, D’day.

Dinosaurs - by Wes Larsen
A Dinosaurous
A Dragon
A T-rex
Or Spinasaurous
Stegasaurous
And T-rex

Cats and Spiderman - by Stu
Oh, I love cats
Oh, I love Aristicats,
I love ‘em,
He has ‘uhm.
Anyway, I am gonna have Spidermaaan!
I’m talking about Spiderman.
A kid has a spiderweb,
Anyway, it happe’ned,
Anyway, and we can make it stick on some buildings,
Anyway, he can stick on buildings!

Here I Go - by Wes
Here I go about Bumblebee,
Here I go, with Transformers,
Here I go, this is a really spooky song.
Wa’anan, (Woohoo!) with Spiderman,
Or Bumblebee, or a spiderweb,
Right Now!

Anyway Reprise - by Stu
Anyway, I ever did.
I love the Spiderman.
Anyway, he can stick on buildings!
Anyway, a’ a’ a’ – a’ wha’ hay’ hah’ hah’ hah’ hah’
Anyway, anyway, He can fight bad guys.
Anyway he can,
He is stick on buildings.
Anyway he can, whatever way he can go.
Anyway, Anjaway,
Anyway’ay, he can go!

This next one is rather dark in nature, and I almost considered not posting it. Maybe skip it, if you have small children in the room. (I'm kind of kidding, but kind of not.)

Very Very Spooky Song - by Wes
Bumblebee and me,
This is a very spooky song,
About Stu and you and Spiderman,
It’s a very spooky song about bad guys!
About bad guys.
I’ve got a spooky song to tell,
If we tell about the bad guys,
They’ll come out and kill you.
And if you tell them they’ll start a Spiderman coming through,
And (sound effects),
Yeah, I think I can do a Spiderman or a bad guy,
Or anything, I can do it,
Forever, right now.
This is creepy or a creepy song,
Or mean a bad guy (sound effect)!

Stu intros this song, claiming its not so long, but really its the longest of them all. Still I love every minute of it--especially Wes's input.

A Long Scary Song by Stu
Anyway, a scary song,
Anyway, its not so long.
Anyway, there’s bats hats,
Not so long,
So so scar’ar-y,
Ananan, its so scary.
You’re not gonna believe it,
Because its really scary,
Anyway, nanana.
I heard it,
A creepy sound,
Its like, “Squeek,” ba’ats,
Its like, “Crow, crow,”
Its like, “Raayrt,”
Are ye what, it can be a bear.
(It might…was be a pteranodon.)
No, a pteranodon can’t be in a forest.

Anyway and everyway.
Anyway, and only a T-rex.
(Raaarr.)
That’s not a T-rex, in the cave.
Anyway itself in ?? from the cave.
(Skeleton.)
Only yes, that is it.
Any skeleton can chase you.
And bats can chase you, too,
Bats can chase you, too.
Bats can chase you, too.

Only dogs like bo’ones.
And they like bo’ones.
Only a dog can help you.
(Ahhh! I got it. Dogs will eat the skeleton!)
Only a d’dog,
A dog can help you,
Only in the ca’ave,
Only when I was at Lagoon,
I went on the scary ride.

Just Pictures

2010-08-17T07:01:00.000-07:00

Love this picture!

We went camping to to Choke Cherry again.

Don't I have the cutest family ever!?

Summer 2010

2010-08-12T07:31:00.000-07:00

Stu

Wes

This is the twins at swim lessons, which they really detested the 1st week. The 2nd week was better, but for now I'm content to swim as a family until they're more confortable.

We went to a movie at the park at Pioneer Park in Brigham City and
the twins loved it.

Marlee had a good time too cuz she was in charge of the Zingers.

Being up until 11:00 turns Wes into a zombie.

You can see the projected screen in the back. We sat in deep short field.

There's only one Lagoon.

2010-08-12T07:22:00.000-07:00

We finally took the twins to Lagoon. Really, its what fun is.Jed, a little wet after Rattlesnake Rapids.

Mills & Mitch.
Angie is in the background trying to direct everyone--as always.

Hudson & Cameron

Gracie & Mitch

Choke Cherry Ranch 2010

2010-08-04T19:35:00.000-07:00

The Merrells came up from Texas so we spent some time at "the Ranch."

The twins & Hundson doing some target practice.

Oh yeah, he's for real!

This is what we do most of the time while we're there. Nothing.

While going on a nature hike its always good to be packing heat.

If I didn't know any better I'd say these two are related.

Mars napping in the tent.

Jed & my dad working on the bunkhouse.

Little Foot

2010-08-04T19:22:00.000-07:00

As I came into the kitchen, I spotted these mysterious footprints in the freshly sprinkled sugar. Hmmm. Very interesting.

Marlee's Blessing

2010-07-10T14:04:00.000-07:00

I know that Mars was blessed over a month ago, but when you're having as much fun as we are, its hard to keep up. There's lots of people that successfully alluded the camera, but I still want to give a shout out to everyone that came. We sincerely appreciate your love and support on this special day for our family. She's lying on a quilt made by her Grandma Larsen (Nana), who's middle name they share. Thank you!
Papa. (Nana is back east visiting Jed's sisters.)
Most of the cousins.
Stu & Mom
Great Grandma Maxine
Jed, Desi, Papa, G. Grandpa Gordie and G. Grandma Maxine.

Desi's parents, G. G'ma and G'pa Roberts.

Mars is being held by her Great Grandma Roberts, who made the beautiful dress and bonnet. Thank you so much! We love it.

I think she knows something we don't.

Normally, cousin Gabby is cuter than this. Just kidding, she's always cute.

Cousin Gabby, Daisy and Coralee.

Nothing but trouble, Thomas & Owen.

Cameron, looking to take a swing at something.

Rue shootin' the breeze with G'ma and G'pa.

Kelsey and Uncle Rob.

Great Aunt Lana. (Plus Lana is a great aunt, too.)

Ode to Marlee

2010-06-29T14:12:00.000-07:00

Train Ride

2010-06-24T19:50:00.000-07:00

On the spur of the moment, my Mom landed us a chance to ride this passenger train that was giving short rides from Brigham City to Farr West and back.

Though the twins were way excited, you can tell that they weren't as thrilled with the noise while waiting to get on.

Thanks Grandma! We had a blast.

Random Pictures

2010-06-15T15:26:00.000-07:00

Helping Dad.

Ramblings of Wes.

SLC, Again.

2010-06-09T08:28:00.000-07:00

I've been slacking in my blogging. Not that we've been especially busy, it just that my motivation fades--kinda like most things in life.

P.S. If you wanna see a beautiful (and current) blog click on AJ & Cashelle's on the right. Its about Marlee's blessing. Thanks Cashelle!

These pictures are when we stayed in a hotel in SLC with Verne & Nancy just before Madalyn's baptism. All we ever do is have fun.

I'll never know where my kids get there red cheek from. ? Aw well.

If your wondering, the one in the middle is Jed.

Pre-SLC brunch. Courtesy of the boys.

Welcome to the world!

2010-04-15T17:33:00.000-07:00

Here she is--the beautiful Marlee Jo Larsen.

Born on April 13th just after midnight. (She shares her birthday with my Grandpa Roberts, his daughter-my Aunt Yvonne, and her son-my cousin Morgan.) Her original due date was April 25th, but apparently she lost track of the date. She was 7 lbs. 1 oz. and 19.5 inches long--practically perfect in every way.

This is probably my favorite picture so far. She looks absolutely miserable, but considering what she has gone through (literally) I wouldn't be too happy myself. You can see Dr. Miller in the background. He and the hospital staff were more than amazing. Big thanks!

Stu (above) and Wes (below) were troopers. I went with them to the hospital to check a few things out, and ended up being admitted because I was progressing far enough & my contractions were 3-5 min. apart. The boys had to just hang out in my hospital room watching cartoons & harassing the nursing staff for crackers & juice for a few hours until Jed & my mom could get there.

Like I said earlier, I was progressing right along, but after I received my epidural my contractions practically stopped. Because I had passed the point of no return, they started me on pitosin (sp?), but it still took the rest of the evening before little Marlee was ready to join the land of the breathing. Luckily, it took approximately 10 min & now we are a family of 5! Let the party begin.

Easter FHE

2010-03-31T09:59:00.001-07:00

We invited some friends over for Family Home Evening the Monday before Easter. Jed gave a great lesson on why we celebrate Easter and for the activity we colored eggs.
Stu admiring his work.

A Boys Life

2010-03-31T09:44:00.000-07:00

What would it be like to fill your days with making rockets, painting, and visiting cousins (that's what the backpack picture is of--them on their way to Tooele to sleep over at AJ & Cachelle's).

Bowling Night

2010-03-31T08:45:00.000-07:00

Lily Jean having a great time cheering on the family.

You can see the dedication in Wes's face.

Mitch, showing his focus.

Stu lining up the shot.

Good form Jed.

Camille taking aim.

Jesse showing her stuff.

Jeff's release looks like its going to be a little too early.

You'll notice there's no shots of me bowling--I just kept my ball in my belly & watched.

Babies Room

2010-03-10T07:44:00.000-08:00

The video turned out darker than it is. The top color is a bright blue, and the accent colors are fusia pink, green, and orange. (It's a girl, by the way.)

Old Pictures.

2010-03-03T09:14:00.000-08:00

At first glance you think this may be a normal picture of two sisters at the kitchen counter, but look closer. I (Desi) am holding a calculator and appears to be working on blank paper. Camille, the older sister, though you cannot see what she is holding, appears to be coloring pictures. Clearly anyone can see, even at this early age, our mental aptitude was different and continues on into adulthood.

"Mom, I'm done!"
This has to be one of my favorite pictures of Camille of all time.

Sometimes a mother's love can be smothering.
(Angie & Mom sleeping in.)

I really was that cute!

2010-03-03T08:54:00.000-08:00

I've been helping my parents to convert all their slides to digital photographs, so several posts include pictures from those. Generally, I'm hesitant to post pictures of myself, but these ones are definitely the exception. So cute!
This has to be one of my favorite outfits--the tennis look.

With our beloved dog, Raspberry.

You can never start them too young when it comes to caffeine.

Ice Fishing

2010-01-13T07:45:00.000-08:00

Last week the boys (Jed, twins, Papa, and our friends the Watkins) went ice fishing in Mantua. Desi stayed at home and painted the "nursery." Only one fish was caught, but it made it all worth it.

I love how Stu is just chillin' in the back ground watching his pole.

Nice, Jed.

This Place is for the Birds

2010-01-12T17:17:00.000-08:00

This is my bathroom blog.

Near the end of this summer Jed took a sledge hammer to the bathroom. The pink really wasn't the problem, as much as the temperamental toilet and leaky tub. As you can see we gutted it (down to the studs in some areas) and started over. We did most of the surface work ourselves, though we contracted with a plummer, Larsen Plummbing, (no relation) and cabinets. And of course we could not have tiled without the help of my dad. Big thanks!

This sign hung above the bathroom door for most of the year.

Jed picked out the color. I make most of the decisions, but Jed is the color man. Nice, huh?
My dad working on the tub.

So This is Wesley

2009-12-09T12:38:00.001-08:00

Within the last month, Wes has insisted on wearing summer clothes everyday. He comes into my room every morning asking to put on his shorts and t-shirt. I used to fight it, so clearly he has won this battle, but he's good at changing into pants when we go out--so I figured it good enough.

Staycation

2009-12-09T12:25:00.000-08:00

We went on a mini vacation from Friday to Saturday in Salt Lake with the Roylances. We walked around the Gateway, saw the sights inside the Clark Planetarium, stayed at the Shilo, swam, and rode the Trax the next day. The kids absolutely loved it.The twins weren't so sure about the astronaut.

We also had time to run to the moon. Stu is point out some fascinating geological formations.

Jed took this picture, and though it doesn't really mean anything, I got a kick out of it. Mitch is the one hiding by the door.

Thanksgiving

2009-12-09T12:17:00.000-08:00

We spent Thanksgiving day at Grandma Maxine's house with the family.

Even though turkey is supposedly a sedative, these guys couldn't settle down. I guess it affects people differently.

Halloween

2009-11-18T09:35:00.000-08:00

Update: Check out the bottom of the post for a newly added video clip.

Our camera had a smudge on it, so many of our pictures are fuzzy. Check back in a few days, and I'll post a video clip of the twins getting ready to go trick or treating--its one of my favorites.

The twins had a better time going door to door, than they did at the "trunk-or-treating" that our ward held. You can kinda tell from our 3rd picture, as they fell asleep before the end.

This is Jed's masterpiece of the Headless Horsman, carved into a pumpkin.

You can usually tell whose who from what they're wearing. Wes is typically in shorts & a T-shirt, and Stu is typically overdressed.

Choke Cherry w/Hudson

2009-11-06T08:59:00.000-08:00

This summer Hudson came to visit, and here are some pics of the good times.

The twins still tell stories of their adventures.

The Boys

2009-11-06T08:02:00.000-08:00

How can you not love this picture!? Any guesses on who's who?

Swimming at the BC pool this summer.

At the Box Elder Co. Fair.

Hiatus

2009-09-22T09:22:00.000-07:00

If you keep checking to see if I've updated--just give up. Things have been crazy, and I've decided that blogging is the 1st to go, then bathing, then cleaning the house. Maybe check back in a month or two.

Mantua

2009-08-26T10:24:00.000-07:00

We spent a nice Saturday with the Baron's at their cabin and canoeing around Mantua. So fun!

Bear Lake

2009-08-26T10:03:00.000-07:00

Our family, plus the Roylances spent the weekend at Garden City camping, hiking Minnetoka Cave, and swimming at Bear Lake.

Jed is always conscientious of the suns harmful UV rays.

The twins are running back to the lake though we're trying to get them dressed and ready to go.

Take me out to the Ball Game!

2009-08-26T09:57:00.000-07:00

Verne scored us some Bees tickets and as usual, my kids are sensative to the noise. After the game there was a awesome fireworks show, too.

It looks like Wes is choking, but I assure you he's okay.

Roberts Reunion

2009-08-18T08:52:00.000-07:00

This year for the Dean Roberts family reunion, we went to the Heber Valley Girls Camp. It was a pretty awesome campground with individual cabins, a fire pit, and pavilion (w/grills & a fridge) for just our group. On Saturday, we had the opportunity to go canoeing (we took the paddle boat) and do an obstacle course. Pretty fun!

Its way higher than it looks.

The twins giving the thumbs up for the paddle boat.

My Aunt Yvonne was kind enough to give Stu a ride.

The little kids had craft time where they decorated visors and hand printed t-shirts.

Grandma & Grandpa trying to keep warm.

Uncle Ster & Dad twlling stories.

Uncle Greg setting up the squirrel trap. It actually worked and they kept the squirrel in an empty garbage can for a little bit.

Dinosaur Park

2009-07-28T09:26:00.000-07:00

Our day at the Dinosaur Park actually happened near the beginning of the summer, but I have just gotten around to get the pictures. I went with my 2 sisters and our 7 kids.
Though its hard to see from the bottom picture, the twins are a little apprehensive about the dinosaur standing behind them.

The Ranch

2009-07-28T08:17:00.000-07:00

As soon as we got back from scout camp, we went to the Ranch with my family. My dad and the guys worked on building the bunk house for most of Saturday, while the girls supervised. Friday night some of us slept on the floor of the bunk house as you can see from the picture. From far to close is Hudson, Stu, Wes, Jed, then there was my spot. Of course that’s not how we started, but that’s how it ended up.

4th of July

2009-07-27T11:12:00.000-07:00

Mixed in with they’re birthday party’s was a Larsen reunion, fireworks at pioneer park, and the Elwood town 4th party. While we were cooking breakfast, Jed was in charge of the children’s parade. We are all very proud of his efforts and his award. You’ll also see a pic of Angie & Justin trying to stay hydrated. (This picture is not staged—they really had that many drinks in front of them.)

Uintas

2009-07-22T12:05:00.000-07:00

For another weekend we went with some college friends to a cabin in the Unitas and then we went canoeing in the Whitney Reservior. Wes got to ride with Kelli and Steve Pugh, and their baby Logan. They were lucky enough to catch 2 fish. The 2nd picture is Melissa Powell and Cameron (they're not dating), with Stu in the middle. Kris and Dave Sanders was the other couple that came. (Sorry, Dustin, maybe next time.)

Please don't post.

2009-07-22T09:56:00.000-07:00

With the advent of digital cameras you have the opportunity to take lots of bad pictures, and assure yourself that they'll never be developed--however, that doesn't stop me from posting them for the world to see. (Too be fair, I included one of myself, too.)

Birthday!

2009-07-22T09:50:00.000-07:00

We have been having a crazy summer. Crazy fun that is!

Even though the twins will always have to share a birthday, they’ve managed to be able to celebrate it over four days. It began on July 3rd when we celebrated it with the Larsens. They had an awesome dinosaur cake and received wonderful presents. (Sorry Mandy & Heidi, I haven’t sent you a thank-you. As soon as I develop some pictures, I will.) That night the guys put on an great fireworks show. There’s a picture of Thomas and the twins getting ready to watch the show, though Wes has a dinosaur biting his nose.

The next b-day party was with the Grolls in Elwood. Grandma gave them a Slip & Slide, so we had a water party with the cousins.

They’re official birthday was on July 8th (they’re 3). They received a fish tank from Angie. They’ll tell you all about it in the clip that’s attached. My favorite part was when they decided on the beta’s name. There’s another picture that was taken just after they woke up on their b-day. I love the sleepy/happy look on Wes’s face. Jed & I gave them Razor scooters, too.

They’re last party was on July 9th where we invited the neighborhood kids over (plus some cousins too.) It was another water party with a piñata.

Scout Camp

2009-07-22T09:35:00.000-07:00

Jed and I are lucky enough to hang out with this group of ruffians at least once a week. These pictures are us at Camp Keisel on July 10th. We had an awesome time learning archery, bb guns, canoeing, and much more.

Bluebell 2009

2009-07-07T12:47:00.000-07:00

Some of you may consider living in an obscure town in the Uinta Basin beneath them, however, just one weekend for us and the kiddos proved to be exceptional. From sparklers, to tractors, to kittens, chickens, crawdads, mortar, this place has it all.

The first picture is of my Grandma and Grandpa Roberts, whose home we raided for the weekend. We had an awesome time as you can see by the following pictures.

Crawdad Fishn'

2009-07-07T12:20:00.000-07:00

Another "can't miss" activity is going crawdad fishing at Sandwash reservior in Bluebell. Our original efforts proved fruitless because the group didn't have the patience. However, after throwing rocks, a walk, and sometime in the water one of the fishing poles (a stick with yarn and a hotdog) actually snagged one. It was the hit of the party. Cameron, and eventually Hudson were the only ones that dared to hold it. Cameron picked the name Hotdog for the crawdad, which lived a few days more, but eventually was laid to rest in Farr West.

Bluebell Kitties

2009-07-07T11:32:00.000-07:00

Grandma & Grandpa had a little of kittens that the kids couldn't get enough of.

<

OBJECT class=BLOG_video_class id=BLOG_video-UPLOADING height=266 width=320 contentId="UPLOADING">

Yard Work.

2009-06-26T09:51:00.000-07:00

Jed can't do much without his little team. You can see Wes is ordering Jed around like a supervisor. They were talking about starting up a landscaping business, but figured it wouldn't be considered profession when the twins showed up in their pajamas.

Camping 2009

2009-06-15T10:13:00.000-07:00

Note: My blog is not in chronilogical order.

One weekend our family plus AJ's (Jed's brother) family went camping at Box Elder campground. The picture is of Stu, Audrey, Thomas, Wes, and Madalynn taking a break .

The next weekend we went with Rue (also Jed's brother) and their gang to Heidi's families cabin near Thayne, WY. The weather was sometimes rainy, but that's what's so great about a cabin. Plus it decreased the chances of a fire resulting from our Wyoming legal fireworks show.

Homestead

2009-06-15T09:58:00.000-07:00

Every year for nearly 33 years, we have the Groll family reunion at the Homestead Resport in Midway. Here are some pics.

Here's a picture of Camille and here little girl Gabby. Next is Angie and her girl Gracie. Below that is Wes, Mitch, Stu, Gracie, and Hudson, checking out the duck pond. Finally you'll notice the lovebirds enjoying a fun filled weekend.

Homestead 2009

2009-06-15T09:51:00.000-07:00

The 1st picture is the twins riding the airplane ride at the base of Park City ski resport. The next is Jed vs. Colter in shuffle board, and then there's Stu vs. Wes.

Zions Here We Come!

2009-05-19T10:33:00.000-07:00

Like father like son.

Like Papa like grandson.Normally, I don’t write so much in my blog (if ever, since I haven’t updated it in over a month), but this time I’m using this section as a journal entry and will format it and print it for our personal records. If you’re like me and lack the attention span to read everything, no worries, just check out my cute pics, and you’ll get just as much out of it. Another option could be to break it up and read it over several days because it will probably be another month before I update again.

Vacation tip: When looking for ideas on where to spend a family vacation, check out Verne’s (Jed’s dad) work schedule. He works for the State Office of Education, specializing in youth prevention programs, which takes him all over the state. This last weekend he had a retreat in southern Utah, so we loaded up his van, and we were on our way.

Our first stop was in Beaver, UT, where Verne bought us icecream!

For Thursday night Verne’s “people” hooked us all up at Ruby’s Inn in Bryce Canyon City. That place is like a city within a city, with a grocery store, a few restaurants, gift shops, and of course a swimming pool.

The next day we were off to Zions National Park. We set up camp at South Campground which is just inside Zions park. (FYI, it is $16 a night.) Verne didn’t need to go to his retreat until that evening, so we spent of Friday riding the free shuttle around, and doing some exploring.

Zions cont.

2009-05-19T10:30:00.000-07:00

That night we dropped Verne off at Heatons Ranch, and we ate our dinner of BBQ chicken, jello salad, and Doritos. That night the twins roasted marshmallows. So cute!

Jed, enjoying his favorite spicy sunflower seeds.

The next day we went on our high adventure. The 1st stop was at the history museum and the next was at the trail head to the upper an lower Emerald Pools. We did the hike to the lower pool which is 2 miles round trip, with the kids in the backpacks. Half way there was a little pool, which we all used to cool off in. (Side note: The weather was in the upper 80s-low 90s during the day, so even in May bring plenty of water, and rest frequently—especially if your packing 30 plus pounds of baby.)
For lunch we bought sandwiches at the Zions lodge in the middle of the park. We were originally planning to go back to camp for lunch, but it would take an additional hour or so, so we ate on the lawn there.

The next stop was the River Walk. By now, the twins are pretty tired, so Wes slept on the bus, and Stu took a nap while walking. This was another 2 miles, but there was no elevation change. Again, we stopping to play in the water.

The next picture was the twins chatting on the walkie-talkies while waiting for dinner.

Our campsite was adjacent to the river, so we played yet again in the river. For dinner we had hobo dinners, and hotdogs. Jed got the grill a little too warm, and burnt on side of the hotdogs, so we just allowed them to continue to cook while we made more. We then walked .5 miles into Springdale for fun.

The temperature in the even was perfect. We never needed jackets, and sleeping in our sleeping bags was just a tad too hot. A nice blanket would have sufficed. The twins slept fine, though they’d wake up once or twice.

Sunday morning we packed up and picked up Verne, and we were on our way home. So much fun!

More shots

2009-04-15T08:24:00.000-07:00

Instead of going to a photo studio (in which I don't particularly like the back drops and the best ones cost a small fortune) I tried my hand at doing some photography myself. These are a few of my favorites.

I wanted to get more pictures of the two of them together, but it was like pulling the teeth of an alligator. They wouldn't sit still and look at the camera at the same time. The top picture is the only one I liked (though Wes is still not looking at the camera), because its sort of cool how Stu is standing in the background and Wes is climbing.

Picture Day

2009-04-15T08:17:00.000-07:00

Easter

2009-04-11T17:30:00.000-07:00

The Easter bunny made his way out to Elwood.This is Hudson, showing his excitement of new found eggs and candy. (Notice me in the background with the video camera.)

Wes is enjoying the spoils.

Stu on the hunt.

So cute! These are my bunny nieces Gabby and Gracie.

Chillin'

2009-04-11T17:28:00.000-07:00

The three amigos, Wes, Stu and Hud are being lazy in Grandmas bed, while watching a movie.

Wow Cake

2009-04-11T17:25:00.000-07:00

While I was taking a nap, Jed and the boys decided to make some Wow Wow Wow cake. Now the boys are enjoying the fruits of their labor. Stu is eyeing up the bowl.

Pocatello - Eat your heart out

2009-04-10T10:31:00.001-07:00

Stu, Wes, Gracie, and Mitch splashing in the hot tub.

Is there any doubt in your mind as to whose kids these are?

For a Groll family vacation we went to Pocatello, Idaho. And even though the weather was cold, we had an awesome time. The twins swam until they couldn't swim any more, so we all went out to eat, and then we got back into the pool!

Flour Power

2009-04-10T10:28:00.001-07:00

Its my fault for leaving the flour unattended, but to see them covered was so cute! Fortunately, they took most of it outside to build a castle--Stu is holding the mold.

Lets go fly a kite

2009-04-10T10:24:00.000-07:00

Wes, my hero.

iStu & Buzz

We bought the kids some kites the other day, and were so excited to get to use them, though the wind was hit and miss. Still the twins had more fun than ever, and you could see pure joy in their eyes when the kids took flight. We can't wait to try them out again.

2009-03-11T11:35:00.000-07:00

Though we've been in our house for over a month, I guess its time to post some pictures.

This is our front view. For those of you who are wondering, that is Jed's Civic on the right, which we've had for years now. Its finicky about starting when it is too wet, cold, or hot--but luckily we live in such a climate that those conditions only occur 80-90% of the time. Still we love our quarter-million mile (and then some) car.

This is the view from the back of our back yard.

This is our view from the sliding glass window out to the play house and shed. (We're not on a hill, I just didn't take a very horizontal picture.) There's room for a garden, but we have a few more projects that need our attention before we will tackle that.

We can't wait for the spring, so we can finally have a house warming party in our back yard.

Belly Shot

2009-03-11T11:32:00.000-07:00

Instead of asking to be excused after dinner, the twins were more visual by showing us their full bellies.

Flash Back

2009-03-09T10:49:00.000-07:00

I was looking through my pics and found these. Of course they're as cute as ever, but what surprised me was the size of those cheeks! I never remembered them having such fat squishy faces. Soooo cute!

Biker Jed

2009-03-09T10:42:00.000-07:00

Yeah, he really is that good looking.

This picture is just after Jed rode his bike from our house in Brigham to my parent's house in Elwood. It was just over 14 miles, but the worst part was was cold head wind much of the way. Jed made good time, but this is his first big ride since the fall, so his legs got a little tired.

Tie One On

2009-02-16T13:15:00.000-08:00

These guys really know how to clean up. The 2nd picture is Wes and the next is Stu, cheesin' it up for the camera. The bottom picture is Jed and the guys spying on the neighbors. (They're just making sure that only Sabbath worthy activities are taking place.)

Baseball

2009-02-06T11:46:00.000-08:00

Sorry about the lighting. We're redoing the front room, so lights are limited.

Mountain climbers

2009-02-05T19:30:00.000-08:00

Lovin' it!

2009-02-05T10:23:00.000-08:00

Wes

Stu

These guys couldn't be happier with their backyard play set, no matter the weather.

Snoozin'

2009-02-05T10:13:00.000-08:00

Stu is taking a much needed rest with his favorite blanket. No matter how cold it is, I cannot keep sock on the boys, and here is Stu making that obvious.

One more step.

2009-02-05T10:10:00.000-08:00

Stu, unable to reach the bottom rung, went into the bathroom and brought out his little step stool. Ultimately, I had to put an end to the enterprise, but I commend him for his ingenuity & had to take a pic.

Dog run.

2009-02-05T10:07:00.000-08:00

It looks like the twins are being severely punished, but actually they chose to pretend that they're penned in in our back yard. (They can get in and out of an opening on the left.)

USU Basketball & Update

2009-01-11T14:57:00.000-08:00

I have been terrible at keeping our post updated. This biggest reason is that we no longer have the internet, but the good news is that we just moved into our 1st home! Its actually Jed's sister Mandy's old home, but they've since moved to Tennessee. We miss them, but we are so blessed to be able to buy their home. Jed's still at Mountain View Engineering, and how Desi's doing the stay-at-home thing.

Wes & Stu really do love going to USU basketball games, but the noise can get to them.
Wes & Jed

Christmas Day

2009-01-11T14:50:00.000-08:00

I thought this picture was so cute of Wes looking out at the snow wearing his new backpack. He wore it constantly for 2 days after Christmas.

Here are the twins eyeing over their new presents.

Wes is certainly happy with his stocking stuffer of Sweetharts from Santa.

2009-01-11T14:38:00.000-08:00

Is that little Jed or what?!
This is really Wes making his "funny face". My favorite is how he can lower one eyebrow. Where his got that characteristic, I don't know.

My 3 handsome guys waiting for church.

Sledding

2009-01-11T14:34:00.000-08:00

Stuart and his little friend Cambria gearing up to go sledding in Elwood.

Snowed in.

2009-01-11T14:28:00.000-08:00

They twins always enjoy being outside, but you can tell they're frustrated because their cars are snowed in and they have to be somewhere.

Stu, waiting for the snow plow to get him out.

Wes, catching snowflakes with his tounge.

Leonardo & van Gogh

2008-12-19T09:55:00.000-08:00

While I was upstairs packing for the big move, the "artists" were going crazy on our apartment walls. Stu (right) is clearly very proud of his work, but Wes has the idea that if he can't see it, it never happen. (Actually, he hates the flash, so pre-emptively closes his eyes.)
Luckily, their preferred medium is dry-erase markers, and therefore easier for me to clean, so I was able to enjoy their work before destroying it.

Their canvas also includes themselves, as you can see on Stu's cheek.

Graduation.

2008-12-13T07:45:00.001-08:00

What a team! I would have never went back to school if it wasn't for Jed, nor would I have ever finished if it wasn't for him. My advice: Marry someone smarter than you, but never let him know it. (j/k)

My parents (and Jed's parents, too) are a wonderful support to me. I appreciate all that they have done for me and my family. Again, I would have never been where I am today without their encouragement and examples.

Above is a pic of Wes refusing to smile, and below is apart of the "hooding" ceremony. When you get a master's, they hood you with a cape looking thing with the colors of the school and your college color (engineering is orange.)

So its finally over. I would have never imagined myself graduating with a master's degree in structural engineering, while working part time and trying to raise (wrestle) twin boys. I've got to be the luckiest person alive! My husband, is an amazing provider who works hard and is so much fun to be with. I look forward to him coming home from work even more than the kids do. The kids are a barrel of monkeys, but they are so smart (they get that from me) and energetic. I know that everyone in my family had to sacrifice on my behalf, and I hope I can make it up to them.

The next stage in our life includes a move to Brigham and a new house! We'll be moving the day after Christmas, and we are so excited. Its actually Jed's sister, Mandy's home. They're moving to Tennessee with a new Army assignment. We will miss them a lot, but are soooo grateful for such a perfect home.

Fall Twins

2008-12-10T06:52:00.000-08:00

I love this classic fall picture of the twins playing in the back yard. Wes, not wanting to forget this wonderful memory, is documenting it with his really big crayon and really little paper.

I've been neglecting my blogging because I'm in the home stretch of school, and didn't make the time. I intend to send my thesis to the printers today, and will be officially graduating on Friday!

Trouble

2008-12-10T06:49:00.000-08:00

The cause behind this "trouble" was sparked when Stuart pee'ed on Jed. From there, Wes took on the role of disciplinarian, and wouldn't let it go. Translation: For Wes, Bathtub = Bathroom.

You're Still in Trouble

2008-12-10T06:37:00.000-08:00

This is another (longer) clip of accusations, however, if you have the patience to watch it all, you will find pieces of cooperation and Wes making an amazing basket. The main reason I chose to include both "Trouble" clips is because it is amazing to me how long they go at it!

Happy Halloween!

2008-11-04T20:37:00.001-08:00

Wes already looks a little hung over from the candy and the constant partying. In this picture were at the Elwood town trunk-or-treating and before we went to Aunt Angie's Halloween Party.

Here's Wes, my hero. Ironically, he wouldn't wear his fireman helmet on Halloween, but the next day he didn't want to take it off. Go figure?

Stu is all prepped to get some candy. I mean look at him, it looks like he hasn't eaten for weeks!

Mom & the kids

2008-11-04T20:33:00.000-08:00

I thought this was a good shot of me wrestling the kiddos.

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

2008-11-04T20:31:00.000-08:00

Here is just some action shots of the twins. I don't know why, but Stu has the hardest time pronouncing "twinkle." Its more like "twankle."

Moab, Utah 2008

2008-10-19T16:20:00.000-07:00

Every year, Jed's boss at Mountain View Engineering takes the office out to Moab, Utah. We stayed at the Moab Valley Inn, getting there Thursday evening and leaving Saturday morning. Our big adventure was going mountain biking all day Friday. This year Jed’s parents (Nana & Papa) watched the twins. We missed them terribly, but we know they had more fun with them then they would have with us.

Thursday night, we caught the movie Eagle Eye with our friends (and Jed's co-worders) Matt and Amanda, and then had dinner at the Moab Brewery. The movie was interesting, and dinner was great.

The next morning we began at around 8:00 AM at the trail head of Slickrock, a famous trail for Moab. The 1st part was oober technical, and we (Desi more than Jed) had to walk our bikes more than once. The middle was great, with so many beautiful views. It was around 10 miles, going up and down, up and down. And it took us around 3 1/2 to 4 hours to do. By the end, our legs were burning, and our tire tread was nearly bald, but it was awesome. Here’s the website, if you wanna read more about it: http://www.utahmountainbiking.com/trails/slickrck.htm.

After lunch, we were off again, this time on the Bar-M and Circle-O trails. The Bar-M is more of a mild dirt road trail, but half way through you can detour off and ride the Circle-O. That trail, like Slickrock, is all sandstone, but there’s not as much elevation change, though its really bumpy. These routes totaled nearly 10 miles, but we finished in less than 2 hours.

After riding all day, we went back to our hotel and soaked in the hot-tub, and joined all of Jed’s work people for dinner at the Sunset Restaurant overlooking Moab. We were so exhausted by the time we got back to our hotel, we could hardly keep our eyes open.

The next morning we were anxious to get home, though we stopped in Provo to do a little birthday shopping. All-in-all, we had a spectacular time! Can’t wait ‘til next year.