Piano Party

In the past year, Kaylee has been interested in taking piano lessons and so we decided to buy a piano.  Now that we have the piano, she is a little wishy washy with wanting to actually take lessons.  One day, Kyle was explaining that she would need to practice a little every day to get good.  And I think that was the very moment, our budding pianist figured something out.... She discovered that she wouldn't be playing with friends as much, if she is practicing an instrument all the time.  ha ha
 So our social butterfly daughter then became wishy-washy with the piano.  So this week, we took her to her first piano lesson!  We pumped her up with excitement and enthusiasm!  Her new teacher seemed really fun and excited to teach her.  I told Kaylee, that we would have a PIANO PARTY when she came home from her lesson.  We would even make a cake to celebrate her new accomplishment.  (to further excite her!)  So she helped me bake a chocolate chip and white chocolate cake!  The boys helped me frost it.  And when our little piano girl got home, we ate it.
Yes, even before dinner!  She was stoked.  So now what to do for the next weeks lesson?.... not a clue.  -Ideas are welcome!  ha ha ;)

Broken Arm- NOT Broken Spirit

Here we are at the Insta-care.... He is happy as a clam! 

 He broke his wrist.  He was trying to climb into the computer desk chair... and didn't really make it.  Sad day.  Here he is in his sling.  STILL happy as a clam!

 

He healed SO fast!  Just 3 weeks in the cast, and he is all better.  

He called his cast, "my band-aid".  Too funny.  

Never a dull moment here at the Brothersen home!

Snow Fun

So for new years we went to Grandpa Keiths house and played on the snowmobiles.  The kids sure love the snow.  I am pretty much snowed out, but these three kids could be totally happy with snow fun everyday.  Weird.  ;)  

Our little bundled up fam!

 We went to the "Bottoms" (family owned farmland)

  Massive Ice Gun = One happy boy!

Speaking of guns... Kyle by his 1000 yard shot!!!  He is amazing!  I couldn't even see the target with my naked eye.  It is SO far! 

  Kase LOVING the snowmobile!

 My little snow princess!

Kyle rode this bad boy when he was a kid!  The family called it the "Snow-Jet".  His dad made it for the kids when they were small!  It used to be bright red.  Kyle said this thing used to feel SO big.  But it was very small for him now!  It was a fun sight to watch him try to get in and out of this thing!  ha ha.  That was quality entertainment right there.  

We tied it to the snowmobile and cruised around the field.

My happiness

Lately, I have been reflecting on what I want most out of this life.  After some thought, it was easy to decide.  The thing I want VERY most in this life is to have a righteous posterity!  I want an eternal family!  President Gordon B. Hinckley said, "In terms of your happiness, in terms of the matters that make you proud or sad, nothing—I repeat, nothing—will have so profound an effect on you as the way your children turn out." 

I want my children to follow Christ.  I want them to find joy and peace in living the commandments.  Because I KNOW joy and peace DO come from living a Christ-centered life.  I am far from perfect, but when I do make choices to live my life how He would want me to, I FEEL SUCH a powerful peace fill my soul!  Saying prayers, reading scriptures, going to church, are all things that bring an indescribable happiness and comfort to me.   

I feel that ANY good choice to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ 

will NEVER be regretted! 

Fort Fun

 It is hard to tell just HOW BIG this baby is!  It is two king size sheets long! They LOVE forts!  I mean really, who doesn't love a good fort right?!  But the two older kiddos wanted to sleep in it!  So Kyle and I agreed to the plan.  And just look at these happy kids!....

 

The next day, we scored a piano and the kids scored a BIG box!  

Naturally, the kids thought, "we needed to sleep in that"!  We piled blankets inside, and a big sheet to drape over the side so they were fully enclosed.

They loved playing with the flashlight and giggling way past bed time! 

If you are wondering where Kase is for all of this action.  He was in bed before all of the madness begun each night.  He then woke up to a really cool place to play in all day.  Our house was a complete haven for these kids for nearly a week!  Forts galore, and slumber parties in cardboard boxes.   Good times had by all.

Number 9

This week marks 9 years of marriage to my honey! 
When I tell people that we have been married for 9 years, it sounds SOOO long!
But it doesn't seem like any time at all.  It really went fast.  Too fast.
The life we have built together these past nine years has been magical and almost fairytale like!
We have a temple marriage!  One that will last for eternity!  What a blessing!  We have 3 beautiful and healthy children!  We have a love that is pure, real, and deep.  He even loves me with all of my faults.  We have so many memories together.  So many trips and vacations and moments of pure joy.  He is my hero and my one true love.  I can't imagine eternity without him and our precious children!

Good Times

Nothing quite says, "Valentines", like the smell of puke in your house!
ALL 3 kids started getting sick after school yesterday!  Happy Valentines Day to us!
9 loads of laundry in a 24 hour period.  3 pink eyes, and 12 uneaten strawberry cupcakes, 2 huge uneaten bags of valentines candy from school.  What does that equal? ... Actually, I don't know what that equals.  ha ha ha
P.S.  I ended up with it the day after Valentines Day.  Good times, good times.

Headband Holder

Ok... So I had to pat myself on the "crafty back" for this one!  

I am not usually one to come up with cool things.  

Kaylee has WAY too many headbands and hairbows.  I decided to make something to hold them all.  Organizing bug has hit!

I took a large Nesquik Container and covered it with scrapbook paper.  It was exactly 12inches tall!  

Threw a flower on the top with glue, and then popped the headbands on! 

BEFORE:

 

AFTER:

 TA DA...!!!!

 

I'm so proud of myself!  Can ya tell?