Raegan turns 4!!!!!

Four years ago I sat in the hospital holding my 8lb 4oz baby Raegan! She has brought so much joy to our family. I really can't believe that it has been 4 years, thats crazy! I thought that since Raegan is four I would share 4 things about her:

1. She is such a great big sister. She does so well with Macy and is always so concerned with Macys happiness. I feel as if she is a second mom to her. She is always telling me how cute Macy is and she hugs her and says, "Your so cute, were going to keep you forever." When we leave the house Raegan is overly concerned that we may leave Macy behind. I'm constantly reminding her that we haven't left Macy yet, and were not leaving her this time either.

2. IMAGINATION! This girl has the greatest imagination. I love to hear her thoughts and watch her play because her imagination is incredible.

3. She is compassionate. It upsets her when other children get hurt or have hurt feelings. This of course is even more so the case when it comes to Macy and her feelings. If Macy cries, Raegan is jumping and dancing all over the place to make her feel better and get her laughing. Raegan is also heartbroken if she hurts anyones feelings and I bring it to her attention.

4. She has great leadership skills. Both her primary teachers and preschool teacher have told me that Raegan is a born leader. She is in charge of the class (that's not always a good thing). Her preschool teacher told me that sometimes Raegan has to be reminded that she's not the teacher. I'm sure this will be a great and scary quality when she gets older. I'm a little afraid for those teenage years.

I have been telling Raegan for months now that when she turns four she can no longer suck her thumb. The night of her birthday when I put her to bed I reminded her not to suck her thumb and she said, "Yes I can, the party's over now." I told her shes still four and can't suck her thumb. She started crying and said, "I don't want to be four anymore!"

We adore Raegan and even if she's somewhat of a drama queen at times we'll still keep her. We love her so much and are thrilled she's apart of our family!

This is Raegan's birthday. She was allowed to invite 4 fellow princesses to come help her celebrate. They passed Snow Whites posion apple around. If the music stopped and you were holding it, you had to pretend to take and bite and fall asleep. They also looked for Cinderellas glass slipper, and decorated magic wands. I think the party was a hit and all the princesses had a good time.

Don't cry over spilt milk.

I always hear the saying: "Don't cry over spilt milk", well I'm just wondering, is it okay to cry over spilled milk if it is accompanied with spilled cereal, pee all over the bathroom floor, diaper blow-outs, sick kids that can't sleep because they can't breathe out of their noses and lay miserably coughing their brains out? Is it okay to cry then? I'm not actually at the point where I feel like I need to cry.....yet, but I do feel terrible for my kids. They both have had horrible colds, fevers, coughs, and the runs (in their noses and bums). Raegan, the other night had a temperature of 104.3! I called her doctor panicked and they told me not to worry unless it was 105 degrees. Isn't 104.3 close enough! Raegan actually did really well considering she was so sick.

My poor Macy along with the cold thing had a rash that covered her entire body. Last week the girls and I went to the hospital to deliver a care package to one of Raegans friends who was admitted for RSV and influenza. While we were in the lobby waiting, (since we weren't allowed in to see her friend) Macy was climbing all over the chairs and I look over at her just in time to see her pull a used, snotty tissue out of the hospital waste basket and of course she has to use it herself to wipe her nose! GROSS! OUT OF THE HOSPITAL TRASH! Who knows who put it there, or why they were there in the first place! Maybe they had some horrible disease and were waiting to be admitted! I know I shouldn't let my mind wander but it's still completely disgusting! This may explain Macy's body rash. Poor babies, and poor mom!

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On a completely different note: Blogging is completely addicting! If you're reading this then you know. I am following Kristen Mendenhalls example and only blogging after I've done something productive. I have a long list of things that I would like to get done sometime in the near future and blogging is going to help me get those things done. Yesterday, I really wanted to blog, so I took out "the list" and picked to go through our 72 hrs kits and add to them. I'm I now fully prepared for diaster, as long as it doesn't last more then 72 hours! Hopefully this will keep me in check, and I'll be getting some projects done. After taking care of sick kids all day and cleaning up multiple "accidents" of all types I decided I deserved to blog. Oh boy, I'm justifying it already !

Coconuts Nerd Dance!

I know that I recently had a video on here of my goofy brothers but I just had to add this, because it's such a crack up. My brother Colton, aka Coco, was nominated at his school as Mr. Wildcat and ran against some other kids. Let's just say after this assembly there was no doubt who should win. He got a standing O. I laugh every time I see it. He definately was blessed with some awesome moves.

Smokes and Cheese Anyone?

My darling Raegan loves to write letters. Our neighbors are frequently getting surprise mail from her in their mailboxes. She also is insistent on writing mail for any family members we go to visit. On this particular day she was writing letters for Grandma and Grandpa. This is Grandpas letter, little did I know that I needed to be prepared to give a Word of Wisdom lesson at the time.
I have no idea where she got this. Raegan has Never been around smoking, and I honestly Never have anything besides Disney and Nickelodeon on at my house when shes awake, so where this came from I'm clueless.

This was our conversation as Raegan is explaining her picture to me:

Raegan: "Grandma shares her smokes with him, see, he's so Happy!" (no, her grandma doesn't smoke.)

Me: "Raegan smoking is bad, it doesn't make us happy............"

Raegan: "No, see he's happy, he likes it! He doesn't think it's hot! Say it mom, smmoooke."

Me: " Raegan, smoking is so bad, it's bad for our bodies, it's not healthy. Heavenly Father doesn't want us to smoke....."

Raegan: "But the little boy smiled. It's not bad. He likes it, it has a little cheese in it. Until you say yay smokes I'm not going to kiss you. Don't laugh!"

Me: " Smoking is very bad.............. you can have crackers with cheese, crackers are good for us! But smoking is not good for us"

Raegan "Okay! I can draw a cracker!"

I'm still not sure what to think about this conversation and where she learned about smoking! What is Super Why, Dora, and Max and Ruby teaching our children! Because I know it didn't come from me!

MMMMM Bop

Hanson Brothers, is that you? This is actually two of my brothers. I know you all were fooled! Really though, I can't think of a time where I've been to a family party (on my side of the family) where multiple family members don't break out in song. It's like living in a musical! They honestly sing and dance about EVERYTHING! It can be about food, t.v., other family members, really anything. They're great about making up lyrics on the spot (maybe that's where Raegan gets it). Were always entertained! Unfortunately, I am the only family member who wasn't blessed with musical talent. They must have stole it from me. In fact I was once called in my ward to be the Relief Society pianist and I don't play piano! I did take for 6 years as a kid and learned nothing, although I can play a mean Heart and Soul! If you have ever wondered what it would be like to be in Mary Poppins, The Music Man, or Joseph and the Techna-colored Dream Coat, let me know and you can join my family for a Sunday dinner.

Were going to party like it's 1999!

2008? Really? I can hardly believe it! Well Kurt and I were Party Animals on New Years! Okay, not really. We stayed at home and Kristie and Clint came over to hang-out, eat food, play games, watch the ball drop, nothing to crazy. I'm not sure that New Years is a real holiday anyway. But I thought that I would post a few 2007 Swensen family events. I was going to call them highlights, but some of them were anything but the highlight of my life, so , events is a better word. Even events might be pushing it, but in our home these things were eventful!

• Raegan was potty trained this year, it was last January but it qualifies as 2007! This was GREAT news! One of the happiest times in my life!
• Kurt was called as Gospel Doctrine teacher, which to him is a major event because he feels unqualified. He actually does a great job.
• Macy had her 1st birthday, and then went into nursery! Yay!
• Kurt and I had our 5 year anniversary, and celebrated it kid less in Vegas. Time really does fly when your in love!
• Our basement flooded BIG TIME! Water filled up and broke through 2 windows. It honestly looked like a river flowing into our house. 500 neighbors came to our rescue and stayed until 1:00a.m. helping bail water and suck up mud. I LOVE YOU ALL! I was in tears the entire night, not because my basement was a mess and things were ruined, but because I have the sweetest neighbors in the whole wide world!
• Kurt and I took another kid free vacation to Florida with my side of the family. This is where Kurt hit a hole in one golfing, he wanted to make sure that I included that as a Swensen highlight. It actually didn't mean anything to me because I don't golf, but Kurt did spend $85 on a little plaque that proves his hole in one. Waist of money.
• Raegan's imaginary friends: Cheena, Cholie, and Tina moved in.
• I got that horrible, nasty, worst thing ever, parasite that was going around and it lasted an entire month! I've never been sicker and more miserable. I didn't even swim in a public pool! What the heck! I so did not deserve that!
• Raegan started preschool for the first time! She loves it! Her teacher is named Mrs. Rodabough and Raegan of course calls her Mrs. Robot. Before her first day she asked me if her teacher looked like a teacher or a robot. She's one smart cookie!
• Kurt turned the big 3.0.! Over the hill for sure.

Well these were just few of our experiences this past year! I hope that 2008 brings more excitement, minus the floods and sickness! Happy new year to all of you!