Happy New Year ~

I feel so happy today, and like always ... very grateful. It's always exciting to me, to start a NEW Year!!! I believe it's all in the way you look at things - your happiness in life. You can choose to be gloomy & depressed, or you can choose to be happy and grateful! To me, being happy feels so much nicer. Choosing to be happy makes you feel alive ...energized ... and open to anything that life has to offer.

One thing we always emphasize with our kiddies is that they appreciate what they have. Each day is a gift, and you never know what tomorrow will bring. We really can't take things for granted ... it's just so much better to appreciate each day, and each moment that we are given in this life.

So ... From our family to yours: We wish you all a VERY Happy & Prosperous New Year!

I'm signing off now to go hug my 3 favorite boys: Dennis, Joshua & Dakoda ... 3 of the most precious gifts in my life.

(A white fluff ball is nipping at my toes right now ... it's as if she is reading this, saying "hey, what about ME" .... LOL, I love you too Bella).

:)

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2009 ~

It's been a VERY busy morning ... the kiddies just finished opening all of their gifts & are now playing with EVERYTHING! We had Christmas Eve dinner as a family last night with David, so today we could just play - play - play! :)

Merry Christmas to all of our family & friends! It's been such a great year this year ... and we look forward to 2010. We love, and appreciate all of our family and friends who make our lives that much happier. We are blessed to have all of you, and we hope you have a wonderful Holiday too!

Very special little friends ~

We are always very excited when we get to watch our friends little ones. Our little friends are all special to us, and it's a joy to have them around. Today, Dakoda was SO excited to get to feed baby Kaleb (Ron and Jennifers new little one). He was so careful with him, and Kaleb was happy to have Dakoda feed him it seemed. He's getting SO big! Every week when we see him he looks bigger and bigger. He is a very good baby, and is such a great eater too. It's funny when it's "bottle time" because he doesn't like to wait very long. He looks at you with his big blue eyes and you just know what he is thinking. He's a cutie!

Baby Kaleb Morris

Such a cutie!

Big Brother Kameron is a big helper with Kaleb today too! He is very gentle with him.

"HI"

Three little friends ... having a chat about when Santa will be coming down the chimney!

Brothers

I love this one! Kameron just looked at him and said "miss Kris, Kaleb is my very best friend" ... :)

We love all of our little friends!

Happy Holidays from the Paulsen Family ~

Done Shopping ~

Dennis and I are so relieved to be DONE ... READY for Christmas! The gifts for the boys are wrapped ... hidden in a safe place (our master bathroom tub - LOL, covered by a green blanket), the cookies have been made, the Caroling words typed up, teacher gifts = check! We are ready. Now we can enjoy our date day Thursdays without having to think of anything else!! Yeah! :)

Well, there is the matter of the Christmas family photo. Now only if we can get Dakoda to take it without giving us his "silly eyes". :)

Thanksgiving 09 ~

We stayed home this Thanksgiving, and celebrated together (Bella too). The boys played games upstairs as I made: Turkey, gravy, sweet Potato casserole, cole slaw, twice baked Mac & Cheese, stuffing, cookies, and an apple pie. Delicious!

Bella had been smelling the air for 4 hours ... anticipating ... hoping .... "Will Mommy let me have some too", she thought?

Joshua ripped some turkey into small pieces for her. She was aloud to join us, but she only had turkey. We didn't want to hurt her little puppy belly.

She gobbled it up before we could even say the prayer!! It was a great dinner, and we have so much to be grateful for. Life is good.

Trick-or-treating ~

Let the fun begin . . . We walked our own neighborhood this year (we haven't done that in a few years) - and had a lot of fun. It was very warm outside ... and Uncle D was hot under his ghost costume / but the kids were satisfied with their candy, and of course their time spent with Nanny and Paps, Uncle D, and Adrienne, and us. :)

Basketball ~

Uncle Deeeeeee, Joshua & Paps had a good time playing basketball while Dennis and Dakoda played soccer in the front yard prior to trick-or-treating. It seemed like 6:30pm would NEVER come ... or so the kids said at least! LOL ...

Carving with Nanny and Paps ~

The kids had a great time carving a pumkin with Nanny & Paps over the weekend. We roasted the seeds after we went trick-or-treating ... they sure were yummy!

Fun at the park ~

Here is Joshua, working his arm muscles.

Mommy's turn ~

I had to join in all of the fun . . . So, Dakoda took a turn teaching ME how to ride his bike.

Then it was time for his lesson again.

"Don't let me go Mommy" - he said.

Dakoda and his bike ~

Nanny and Paps came to town to visit this past weekend for Halloween. Nanny helped Dakoda practice on his bike.

She even demonstrated how it should be done. "Look Dakoda, watch Nanny".

Let's try it again . . .

"OK, it's my turn now" :)

Our little quarterback ~

Joshua loves football! He plays at school during recess ... and has really taken an interest in it this year. He has a good arm!

Dennis has been teaching him how to throw it farther by holding it on the lace area.

Look at that arm! Good job Joshua. :)