TESS' PROM NIGHT

I HAVE A HARD TIME REMEMBERING TO THINK BACKWARDS WHEN LOADING PICTURES! so - HERE IS THE GROUP TESS' DATE, JORDAN PUT TOGETHER.
TESS & JORDAN GETTING READY TO LEAVE THE HOUSE.

PINNING ON THE FLOWER - TESS WAS NERVOUS AND TOLD JORDAN. AT THAT POINT I THINK HE GOT NERVOUS.

TYPHOID MARY

dad is calling me TYPHOID MARY because any grandchild that has stay here the past two weeks has gone home ill. These are my last two victims. They are the best patients; kept saying they were sorry; felt bad that we had to clean some floors, etc. Kiwi and Maddy are good little girls.

I was so glad when they finally took a nap. Their little bodies were so sore, tired and fevered. They spent the day on my bed and found it quite boring. Thank goodness we have the travel size DVD player-they could watch movies if they wanted.

Dying Easter Eggs

Getting ready for the Easter Bunny. Andy got stripped down because he had good clothes on and nothing to wear if dye got on them. He loved dying eggs-but made Lisa do it because it was messy. Cole just drank the dye and came up smiling! He is such a fun little boy.

Maddy & Kiwi are so excited for the whole thing.

Kay loves a MESS

Tess hoping the Bunny will be generous to her - the question is: Has she been a good girl?

SURPRISE, IT'S A POOL!

wE THOUGHT we were going to add an addition to our home (thanks to Kay & Nate for helping to prepare the footings and pour the cement!)

BUT THIS WEEK IT'S TURNED INTO A SWIMMING POOL? YIPPEE

JACKSON'S BLESSING MARCH 2009

I know you've all seen photos of Jackson's blessing. I wanted to make sure I had some for journaling and remembering. He is such a chewy baby. Jackson LOVES to cuddle and sleep (except at night-by now he may have this under control, though). My handsome grandson, Jackson James Barker. Isn't he a doll?

Proud and happy mom and dad, Jacque and Tyson-thus Jackson

Easter & Cadbury Eggs

There once was a little girl named Tess who loved her Mini Cadbury eggs.... who had a wonderful Father who recognized the value of object lessons and knowing that in adjacent to the most wonderful Holiday on the Nielsen's calender, which is planned and organized thru the year 2099, he thought it would be great for Tess to have a "Clean" start which is

the way she often approaches cleaning her room. She has found that the easiest way to clean her room is to rewash everything in her room, even the seven laudry loads from last week that barely made it back to her floor so

this is the trip of the Cadbury Eggs. With its bags packed Tess's Cadbury Eggs are off to a trip

After first practicing Tess's favorite position, supine, which is how Tutu once described her 1st four years of her life. (Apparantly Tutu must have missed the time when Uncle Larry diagnosed Tess's ADA problem.) So if with each passing day appreciate Tess's endless quest

for the missing Cadbury Eggs.

Jacque is a Year Older

I am using yellow in memory of good times, when Jacque was our "Sunshine Committee Chairperson". Happy Birthday. We missed all of you (Lisa and Lexi showed for a little while, but Cody was ill.) but got to hold Jackson without a line forming! I always appreciate this time to reflect on the birthday person (I do remember some). I am always amazed by Jacque's gift to forgive and forget. And also how she does live-up to her chairship. Jacque, I love you so much and always have fun with you. I am appreciative of your good family you are creating. You've done good!

gRANDMAS daY @ SeGo lilY SchOOL

Friday was the best. I got to take Madison & Kiwi to school (call them Grace and NOT KIARA at school) and participate in Grandparents Day. I met their teachers who couldn't say enough good things about our girls. We did handprints, played games, frosted cookies (and ate them) had our picture taken, etc. It was so fun. Then Kay picked us up and we did the shopping, running around thing. A great memory!

FIREMAN ANDY

FIREMAN ANDY

NIELSEN'S ARE ILL

I had Andy Wednesday and we were in MacDonald's around noon for less than 3 minutes and the little man was throwing-up. The ride home, (n0w that it has been a few days) was funny. He couldn't understand why he was sick, and he "didn't like throwing-up at all". Poor guy was very sick 30 feet from Lisa's house and again in Corinne (about 5 minutes away). He fell asleep quickly after that.

Before that Andy was so funny. I was vacuuming and he asked for the hose, wooden spoons and bowls for helmets. He wore the green strainer and was a knight, Bumpa wore the red bowl and he too was a knight. The hose was the dragon and the spoons their swords. It was so hilarious.

Then he was a fireman and needed the red "hat". )I'm trying to post the picture but not with much sucess.) And finally, the hose was his puppy and we had to pet and feed the puppy.

These pictures tell the story. Ashely, Andy, Ayla and Brew each took turns using the bathroom. Then there were the times you couldn't be far away from the toilet.

PROM DRESS SHOPPING

These two beauties are helping to find Tess a prom dress. They are staying busy while the rest of us focus on Tess. We are preparing them for 15 years from now. Having fun knowing Tess likes privacy.

This dress was my favorite - but way too much money. Thank goodness Tess was okay with that. We did call it the Cinderella dress, though.

Here are some other dresses we liked but didn't get...

STAY TUNED FOR THE DRESS SHE CHOSE (FORGOT TO TAKE A PICTURE OF HER IN THE DRESS)

24 Hours in Tess' Life

I have loved looking at all my kids' baby pictures and family pictures. Since I still have family at home (Dad & Tess) I felt I should update everyone about them. This post is devoted to Tess and later I will do one about Dad. I had Tess' good friend Randi take pictures for one day-these are some of them.

Tess and her friend Nikki Prom

Tess getting ready for class-not sure if she is in front because she talks to much or if she is brown-nosing

Then after school is all about Excel and getting in shape for soccer.

THE GRAPEVINE AND SHE IS STILL STANDING!

I wondered what I was supposed to do with my exercise ball-I will let Tess keep it since I use mine so much

AT THE END OF THE DAY, TESS WAS VERY AWARE OF WHAT WE WERE DOING AND NO LONGING CO-OPERATING. BUT I DID GET THIS CANDID SHOT OF HER CLEANING HER CAR.

California Pictures

Greetings from California-today it is 73 degrees. Chilly though because of rain. I have been looking at all the blogs and missing everyone. Wanted to let you guys see and know what is happening here. Jen is AGAIN at the doctors with Isabel and Preleigh. Brooklyn is asleep and Tommy is playing video games (He gets two hours per day now). I won't post pictures of everyday life-you can all imagine it. But here are some photos from our Disneyland, California Park days. Love you guys.

SLEEPOVER WITH ANDY & AYLA

oKay, this is my third attempt to publish this post. I am ready to call quits. wE HAD SUCH A FUN TIME WITH ANDY AND AYLA AND THE SLEEPOVER. tHEY are such easy, entertaining kids. After Andy's bath he was cold so he wore one of Bumpa's hats.