Some of My Recent Facebook Posts

Because these can sometimes give a better glimpse into my life than anything else can...

This morning, Spencer (age 4)
commented, "when I grow up, I want my very, very very own Dr.
Pepper." Yup, we dream big around here!

oh I love to dance! And I can't
believe I get paid to do it!

Top of Form

note to self: keep thing simple next conference weekend.
Preparing six huge, from-scratch meals in two days was exhausting! Not to
mention the dishes! Next fall, Little Caesar's and Stouffers, you will be my
friends.

Why do I feel like sometimes parenthood brings out the
worst in me? Watch out, here comes Darth Mom again!

found myself getting teary tonight after watching High
School Musical 3 with the kids. Seriously? Tears? I know I'm one of the 8 or 9
people in this country who actually did love their high school experience, but
still.

Thanks Cougs for a great year - I'm sure Superman will
always cherish his Jimmer Fredette pajamas!

I just had a sudden, desperate craving for a pain au
chocolat!!!

On the bright side, I'd rather have the water go out than
the power. However, this little crisis promises to be both expensive and
chronic...grrrr

I want to live in my own little world and not have to
think about things like the national debt. Totally ruins the high I got from
the Cadbury caramel egg I ate earlier.

I love watching my awesome husband teaching my kids
clogging steps in the kitchen. Am very blessed and lucky to be able to keep
dancing a part of my life!

I am mystified as to why my house smells like chocolate
chip cookies. Not that I'm complaining.

I think that a week at a French chateau in the Loire
Valley sounds like a good idea. I should probably follow up on that thought.

Confession: watching the Academy Awards has always been a
guilty pleasure of mine. Only please, bring back Billy Crystal or Steve Martin!
and dancing! and an interesting, funny script! and movie magic without the
politics!

How sweet. I've been up puking all night, so the dog
thought she'd puke too all over the kitchen floor as a sign of solidarity.
She's so loyal!

It's been HOW long?

Okay so I have so much catching up to do - I've never known time to fly by quite so fast as it has the past few months! Here we go: This was Rexburg in February. It's great for a while, the sledding, beautiful storms, the snow men... but it gets old. I don't know what Spencer's fishing for, but I think it was Spring. Nice try, buddy! One of our favorite things to do - lounging around in our pajamas with Bella! She's just turned one year old now and is a really sweet family dog. We love our beautiful boozy-bear! As evidenced by Sophie allowing Bella to kiss her... yup, Bella is a kisser! and a cuddler...

February: had a fab Valentine's Day with a steak/bearnaise/asparagus dinner in (tradition), flowers, sparkling cider, chocolate dipped strawberries, decorations, love-themed FHE, all that jazz. The weekend before we had a big Friday family date and went to Leos Place (like Chuck E Cheese but way better) and saw Gnomeo & Juliet, delivered sugar cookies to widows on Saturday, had friends over for dessert on Sunday, and Sophie and I heart-attacked Gary's door at work on Monday. Good times. We love holidays! Sorry though no pictures - the camera broke that month and we had to get it fixed.

March: was dominated by dance in many forms. We spent the first weeks getting ready for the Idaho State Clogging Championships, the one big competition that all our teams do every year. This year we stayed overnight at a hotel in Pocatello instead of driving back and forth and it was lovely - a pool and free hot breakfast makes the Larsens a happy family! Our teams did great, Sophie was adorable in her freestyle, and Maggie's "Popular" duet from Wicked brought down the house. She really comes alive on stage! I'll upload videos when I figure out how. :-)

This is Sophie in her freestyle costume and Maggie as Elphaba for her duet. They look so much older in makeup! Maggie loved it but I told her not to get used to it -this is a performance only thing, young lady!

After the competition we started work on our Festival Team - we were chosen to represent the United States at the Rexburg International Dance and Music Festival in July and have LOTS to do. We've started work on a hoe down and the 80's medley (always a crowd favorite), and have plans for a swing, group clog, boogie woogie tap number, Blues Brothers clog, and maybe a Charleston. Stuff we could take on possibly an international tour next year!!! Anyway, lots to do and it keeps me busy, and dancing! Love that I'm getting my dancer arms back. It's a great workout! Which is one of the many reason why I love having a dance studio!

The rest of our days are filled with carpools, laundry, game nights (we've recently discovered Blokus), temple sessions, laundry, playing with friends, sledding, movies (Leap Year, Harry Potter 7 Part 1, How to Train Your Dragon, Despicable Me, Tangled, and The Adjustment Bureau were 2011 winter favorites), reading, Zumba, kids' homework and piano practicing, more laundry, dishes, and playing with Bella. Nana and Papa come up to stay with Nanny every few weeks so we get to see them; this last time Papa tickled Bella's neck while we watched Kid Histories on YouTube and she followed him around for the rest of the afternoon. Even when he was trying to take a nap before driving back to Utah! :-) She's so loyal.

Lunch with the Gals

Me, Lindsay Welch Hola, Gretel Swensen Sampson, and Cecily Smith Horsley (8 months prego). Missing from the Fab 6 pic: Andrea Whisenant Cowly and Becca Todd Archibald. Long live lifelong friends, girl time, and the Dodo!

“A blessed thing it is for any man or woman to have a friend; one human soul whom we can trust utterly; who knows the best and the worst of us, and who loves us in spite of all our faults; who will speak the honest truth to us, while the world flatters us to our face, and laughs behind our back, who will give us counsel and reproof in the day of prosperity and self-conceit, but who, again, will comfort and encourage us in the day of sorrow, when the world leaves us alone to fight our battle even as we can.” -Charles Kingsley

“L’amitié vrai, c’est comme la mer. Elle s’en va, s’en revient. Mais elle est toujours là.”

-Michèle Emmense

Spencer Turns the Big 4-!

Ahoy mateys! This here be the birthday celebration of the one-eyed Captain Spencer Sparrow, sporting his Hiccup headgear and light saber an' all!

What be a pirate birthday without ice cream and pizza (in that order) for dinner?

It was all hands on deck with Peg Leg Parker, Briny Ben, Big Fisted Briar, Hard Hitting Hyrum, Arrow Nosed Ammon, Just Joking Jarum, and sisters Midnight Maggie and Saw Toothed Sophie helping with the games. Ring Toss over the Alligator's nose, pin the flag on the pirate map, musical deserted islands, rip tide relay, and pass the coconut all got "huzzas" from this ghastly crew.
My favorite was the Pirate Ship pinata. It was so cute! Argh, I mean, more terrifying than the dead man's chest in Davy Jones' locker...

All hands to starboard for cake and ice cream!

My Favorite Things About 2010

· Learning to be a dog person again. I love my black lab Bella!

* Discovering green smoothies, Himalayan salt, and kale. And oh yes, Donckel’s Belgian truffles!!!

· Watching my kids get a year older, more mature, and more fun!

· Having Spencer potty-trained

· Reading the conference editions of the Ensign

· Reading the Book of Mormon in 90 days with my family

· ZUMBA!!!!

· Creating my pirate choreography for my clogging class

· Watching Maggie place 4^th in the district spelling bee… without even studying

· Making the acquaintance of Elizabeth Gaskell though the book and movie versions of Cranford and Wives and Daughters. Now I need to find North and South.

· My Jane Eyre phase over the summer, with Maggie watching too!

· Huckleberry picking and learning more about gardening

· Bridge jumping with the Ricks, Rigby lake with the Fransons and river exploring with the Goodnoughs

· Watching both Soph and Spencer learn how to swim… and seeing Sophie do a flip off Papa’s diving board! I can’t even do that!

· My kidless trip with Gary to Del Mar with the Knights! And that dinner at Roy’s. macadamia nut crusted mahi mahi. Sleeping in, playing games and watching movies until late, eating out…. Ahhh.

· Enjoying the feeling of doing real and substantial temple work with Gary and our 3-4 temple dates a month… and living within 10 minutes of a jewel of a temple here in Rexburg

· Learning to make my favorite restaurant takeoff recipes at home, like strawberries and cream crepes, lettuce wraps and our Wingers meal

· My RAD class and the RAD kids class (self defense) – thank you Emi!!!

· Discovering how much the whole family loves Tepanyaki restaurants. Everyone can find something to eat there, and hey, dinner and a show!

· Realizing again that I have a truly wonderful life, lack of sleep and all. I really am so lucky and blessed to have a tender, endearing husband, charming and relatively well behaved children, a cosy house that meets/surpasses our every need, and a secure job (prof at BYUI) for Gary. And membership in the world’s best church. And I love Rexburg. And I have the best parents in the world. And remarkable, lovely friends who show me daily what womanhood and motherhood can be. I am so very lucky to be who I am, where I am, surrounded by my life! (I just need to remind myself of that at 3 AM when Spencer’s up for the second time and I’m delirious with fatigue, or when Maggie’s pushing my buttons or Sophie refuses to do her hair…such minor, minor trials.)

2010 Christmas Highlights

Making gingerbread houses

This snow fort actually reached over six feet when Gary was finished. It had a roof and everything! Snow or sand, he is the best builder!

Christmas Eve at Nanny's house. Always lavishly decorated (thanks Natalie and Nanny!), with amazing food, a talent show, and a nativity pagent!

Vanessa, Remi, Mitchell and Chase did a hip hop dance. It was hysterical! They will do anything for Nanny! Maggie told Christmas riddles and clogged, and Sophie did her Mele Kalikimaka clog. Spencer was a Christmas lion in the pagent, Maggie was an angel, and Sophie got to be Mary! We were well represented.

Ta da! Christmas morning. Thanks Nana for the pajamas!!!

The hit gifts: the Star Wars legos and helmet for Spence, the Hungry Hippo Game, tons of new books, the American Girl doll clothes, angel barbies, new leap pads, brand new robes, slippers and blankets for everyone (it's cold here in Idaho!) and OF COURSE the karaoke machine from Nana and Papa! And oh yes, the brand spanking new trampoline that Santa delivered to the studio out back.

Gary gave me counter space for Christmas, bless him. He had our above-range microwave fixed (so we could put the countertop one away) and bought me this tv/dvd player for the kitchen instead. It installs above the counters, beneath the cabinets. Mommy was pretty darn pleased! He always finds some way to surprise and spoil me! I got him some winners too, but he almost always manages to outdo me.

We spent the day playing games, taking naps, carving out dinosaurs from the mini paleontologist kits from Santa, setting up the tramp, playing in the snow, and watching movies. And of course, since food is such an emotionally important aspect of my family traditions, we happily snarfed down crepes, eggnog French toast, ribs, homemade rolls, cheesy potatoes and hula ice cream pie. Kids went to bed very tired but very happy. What a wonderful day!

2010 Headlines from the Larsen Family Times

Stop the Presses: “Spencer (3 1/2) Was the World’s Easiest Potty Trained Kid!” The community at large rejoices as the last box of diapers is happily donated to the toddler down the street. The Larsen Household is now officially diaper-free.

Personals: “One adorable black lab/collie mix puppy available at the pound.” Oh wait, no she’s not, because we took her home! All are immediately smitten with charms of said puppy… even mom, who had to clean up her puppy poop. Bella grew really fast, but she’s a good doggie!

Sports: “Footworks Young Adult Clogging team comes home with three first place wins from Western Nationals!”

“Team Bella-n-Kids Clock New Speed Records On Kitchen/Front Room Speedway”

Theater Review: “Madison High School’s Fall Musical of ‘Singing in the Rain’ (Choreography by Gary Larsen) is Smashing Success!”

Health and Beauty: “Larsens Join the Nebulizer Owner’s Club as Pneumonia Sweeps through the Family. Enrollment in the Albuterol Flavor of the Month Plan is a Bonus.”

“Tylenol with Codeine Ruled an Effective Pain Reliever When Margaret Larsen Broke Both Wrists in One Scooter Accident”

“How to Give Dogs Pain Pills for Broken Legs: A Primer”

Weekend: “2010 Critic’s Choice Awards go to Tepanyaki Restaurants, Mountain Dew Apple Dumplings, Donckel’s Belgian Truffles, Horseback Riding, Zumba, The Grand del Mar, Bye Bye Birdie, The Princess Bride, Three Amigos, Legos, The Hunger Games and The Fablehaven Series”

Travel Section: “SE Idaho Prime Destination for Outdoor Recreation”: bridge jumping, waterfall tours, hiking, and river and pond swimming win top accolades. Contact the editor to book your reservation at the Casa del Larsen as your gateway to Yellowstone, Jackson Hole and the infamous (that’s “more than famous”) St. Anthony sand dunes!

Want Ads: one tired mom desires in-house assistant to aid with dishwashing, cooking, cleaning, laundry, bum wiping, carpools, midnight sheet changings, doing screaming daughters’ hair, etc. Payment will be in meatballs, with signing bonus of caramel popcorn, depending on experience.