Friday, April 29, 2011

Coloring Easter Eggs...

As we were out of town for Easter this year we had to color our eggs, before we left.. This being Cole's most favorite holiday, I knew I couldn't just skip this part... Just a few pictures of our cute kidlets dyeing eggs.

All of the kiddos, including my cute nephew Kamden.. :)


Cole & Kamden..


Baby Ryker even getting in on the action..


Look at those eyelashes... :)


Miss Courtnee, she did a great job on tie dying her eggs this year..


Court & Jade...


Just look at that smile.. Giddy I tell ya, Giddy...


Jade thought it was pretty cool this year.. :)


Love his cute little toothless smile..


My cute sisters..


Stockton... Say Cheese... :)


The Hatch Clan...


Cole loves Easter so much that he will sit and dye the eggs for hours, dyeing and re dyeing... Can't tell you how many egg hunts we have had.. :) Love that kiddo.. Until next year.. :)

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Please...

Got this from my BFF, and thought I must share... I love it, I hope to share it with my own kids... Some powerful words.. Thanks K for the link... Amazing how she put into words everything I feel about my own kids..

Please
April 13, 2011

Notes to my children:

Don’t forget to feel
and then move on
if things don’t go the way
you thought they should go.
Sometimes what you want isn’t even what you wanted
anyway.

Open doors for girls.
Or better yet,
open doors for anyone and everyone
coming through.

Please.

Your brother will be your best friend,
if you let him.

Don’t pass up chances to go to far-away places
even if it doesn’t seem like the right time.

Marry someone who likes
so many
of the very same things
that
you like.

Please.

You need to trust your heart-gut,
it speaks to you.
It is a true voice
that can keep you
safe from danger
and lead you to great things.

You were made for those great things,
like laughing or changing your corner of the world.

There are dreams in your heart
and you’ll surely forget them sometimes
so circle back
and uncover them
because they are only yours
and they never totally
leave you.

What is the one thing you can
know for sure?
You will always belong
with me, with us,
we’re a belonging family.

Some feelings
are really hard to feel.
Feel them anyway.

Eat things that don’t come from a box or a plastic bag
most of the time,
eat things that come from say…the earth or a tree.

Please.

Smoking really is as bad for you as they say it is
and even though you’ll think you’re invincible
for many
many years,
if you smoke, you will feel it and you will smell.

I want to say
everything in moderation now,
but you come from a long line of people
who don’t do moderation well at all.
So just,
be careful.

Please.

Gossiping is gross,
you’ll feel that in your heart-gut,
I guarantee it.
And anyway,
you can like just about anyone
as long as you lay your self-righteousness aside.

I don’t really care if you’re good at algebra
and that’s not just because
I’m not either,
but because I think your brain’s energy
is better spent elsewhere,
like on words of poems
or other things that have
more potential
to stay in your
heart.

But maybe that’s just me.
Lots of things are just me.
I love most the things that are just you.

Forgive me for all the times
I have and will fail you.
Please.
The truth is, I’m learning
as I go
but that never changes
how much I wish I could
always do right by you.

Grace is what keeps us all
and it’s free
which is the same for its source,
love.
The love of God.
The love from your fellows.
Give it freely and accept it freely
because you are what love is for,
to get it and to give it to others.

Speaking of others,
learn early that there are no “other” people.

We really are all the same.

So get to know people for all that they are,
not just in parts.
Not everyone will look like you
or act like you
or think like you
or believe like you
but it just isn’t your job
to judge all of that.
It’s your job to love.

Keep the best of friends
like a chain around your neck,
soft and light and connected.

Choose forgiveness.

Turn a whole lot of things over
with your sense of humor,
and then learn to be serious
when life or someone you love
asks you to be.

Please.

Wrap yourself up in the deepest thoughts
and feelings
and fears
and dreams
of someone else.
Listen to them.
Really listen.
You’ll find the best parts of yourself
in what you learn through
the stories of others.

What’s yours is his and his and hers and hers and his.
And anyway,
you can always
have too much stuff.
Give it away,
without much thought.

Please.

Be the one that says,
I’ll help!

You don’t have to DO faith perfectly,
but have as much as you can.
You see,
there is a great union at work
between you
and your Maker.
Should you seek it with an open heart,
you will find rest and freedom
from the parts of yourself
that scare you the most.

Do the next right thing. Don’t leap before grace. Let go. Surrender. Float.

Please.

Be kind and mean it.

Get your hands dirty.
Work so hard
that you are bone weary,
often.

Protect. Seek justice. Fiercely fight for the underdog.

Please.

Think about good things,
the good things about you
and the people you love
and your life.
Think more about these things
than you think of anything else.

The truth is always the best option.

You are like a treasure,
the kind a farmer
might find hidden in a field
after miles and miles of
dirt.
You are that priceless
and unexpected
gift
hidden among the weeds,
the thistles and the bugs.
A shocking piece of art,
sitting on an easel in the sun
amidst the corn.

Ignore all the rest
if you must,
it’s not everything anyway;there’s just so much to know.
But please know that last part
the very most.
Everything else follows
the knowledge
of your treasure-worth
anyway.
So know it. Please know it.

Please.

I love you.




A touch of Photography...

Just a few really cool pictures that Courtnee has taken.. Hmm wonder where she gets her love of photography... :) That girl has got some uber talent.. :) Loves..














Friday, April 15, 2011

Happy Birthday Tim...

Just a Happy Tax Day Birthday wish to my brother in law.. Hope you had a great day, thanks for being a part of our family.. :) Here are just a few fun facts about his birthday... :)


15 April 1974
Your date of conception was on or about 23 July 1973 which was a Monday.

You were born on a Monday
under the astrological sign Aries.
Your Life path number is 4.

Your fortune cookie reads:
Your artistic talents win the approval and applause of others.

Life Path Compatibility:
You are most compatible with those with the Life Path numbers 2, 4, 8, 11 & 22.
You should get along well with those with the Life Path numbers 6 & 7.
You are least compatible with those with the Life Path numbers 1, 3, 5 & 9.

The Julian calendar date of your birth is 2442152.5.
The golden number for 1974 is 18.
The epact number for 1974 is 6.
The year 1974 was not a leap year.

Your birthday falls into the Chinese year beginning 1/23/1974 and ending 2/10/1975.
You were born in the Chinese year of the Tiger.

Your Native American Zodiac sign is Hawk; your plant is Dandelion.

Your date of birth on the Hebrew calendar is 23 Nisan 5734.
Or if you were born after sundown then the date is 24 Nisan 5734.

The date of Easter on your birth year was Sunday, 14 April 1974.
The date of Orthodox Easter on your birth year was Sunday, 14 April 1974.
The date of Ash Wednesday (the first day of Lent) on your birth year was Wednesday 27 February 1974.
The date of Whitsun (Pentecost Sunday) in the year of your birth was Sunday 2 June 1974.
The date of Whisuntide in the year of your birth was Sunday 9 June 1974.
The date of Rosh Hashanah in the year of your birth was Tuesday, 17 September 1974.
The date of Passover in the year of your birth was Sunday, 7 April 1974.
The date of Mardi Gras on your birth year was Tuesday 26 February 1974.

As of 4/16/2011 2:08:08 PM EDT
You are 37 years old.
You are 444 months old.
You are 1,930 weeks old.
You are 13,515 days old.
You are 324,374 hours old.
You are 19,462,448 minutes old.
You are 1,167,746,888 seconds old.

Celebrities who share your birthday:
Emma Watson (1990) Emma Thompson (1959) Claudia Cardinale (1939)
Roy Clark (1933) Elizabeth Montgomery (1933) Leon Schotter (1922)
Hans Conried (1917) Bessie Smith (1894) Henry James (1843)
Leonardo da Vinci (1452)

Top songs of 1974
The Way We Were by Barbra Streisand Seasons In the Sun by Terry Jacks
The Streak by Ray Stevens Having My Baby by Paul Anka
Kung Fu Fighting by Carl Douglas Billy, Don't Be a Hero by Bo Donaldson & the Heywoods
Annie's Song by John Denver The Loco-Motion by Grand Funk
TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia) by MFSB with the Three Degrees I Can Help by Billy Swan

Your age is the equivalent of a dog that is 5.28962818003914 years old. (You're still chasing cats!)

Your lucky day is Tuesday.
Your lucky number is 9.
Your ruling planet(s) is Mars & Pluto.
Your lucky dates are 9th, 18th, 27th.
Your opposition sign is Libra.
Your opposition number(s) is 6.

Today is not one of your lucky days!

There are 365 days till your next birthday
on which your cake will have 38 candles.

Those 38 candles produce 38 BTUs,
or 9,576 calories of heat (that's only 9.5760 food Calories!) .
You can boil 4.34 US ounces of water with that many candles.


In 1974 there were approximately 3.7 million births in the US.
In 1974 the US population was approximately 203,302,031 people, 57.4 persons per square mile.
In 1974 in the US there were approximately 2,158,802 marriages (10.6%) and 708,000 divorces (3.5%)
In 1974 in the US there were approximately 1,921,000 deaths (9.5 per 1000)
In the US a new person is born approximately every 8 seconds.
In the US one person dies approximately every 12 seconds.

In 1974 the population of Australia was approximately 13,831,978.
In 1974 there were approximately 245,177 births in Australia.
In 1974 in Australia there were approximately 110,673 marriages and 17,688 divorces.
In 1974 in Australia there were approximately 115,833 deaths.

Your birth flower is DAISY

Your birthstone is Diamond

The Mystical properties of Diamond

Diamonds are said to increase personal clarity to help one see things clearly as well as be straight-forward and honest. Supposedly, the higher quality the diamond, the better it is supports these qualities.
Some lists consider these stones to be your birthstone. (Birthstone lists come from Jewelers, Tibet, Ayurvedic Indian medicine, and other sources)

Opal, Quartz, White Sapphire

Your birth tree is

Maple, Independence of Mind
No ordinary person, full imagination and originality, shy and reserved, ambitious, proud, self-respect, hungers for new experiences, sometimes nervous, many complexes, good memory, learns easily, complicated love life, wants to impress.

There are 253 days till Christmas 2011!
There are 266 days till Orthodox Christmas!

Monday, April 11, 2011

Life or Something Like It...

Just a few of things happening at our house lately.. ;)

Cole lost his 3rd tooth.. FINALLY!! He was beyond excited... So I told him to write a note to the tooth fairy asking if he can keep his tooth.. This is what he wrote.. "Can I have a 100 doller bill. and can I please keep my tooth." Oh my gosh did I laugh over this one.. Only my Cole... For those of you who don't know Cole's love for money, I call him my Mr. Krabs, because he is identical to Mr. Krabs on Spongebob, and his love for money.. Oh gotta love kids... Stockton was so mad that Cole would even ask for 100 bucks.. Probably because he never thought of it.. :)



Jaden has been trying these new break dancing moves lately... Too funny, that kid..


We were egged... Got a doorbell ditch and opened it to find this... Jade was funny, he was like "Oh mom, it's trick or treat." Thanks to that sweet rabbit who egged us.. My kiddos loved it.. :)

Stockton was invited to compete in a Math Tournament, although his team did not place, I am still so proud of him.. :)

Courtnee was asked to join the National Jr. Honor Society... Extremely proud of her... 4.0 since she started Jr. High... Dang I wished she had got that from me.. ;)

Life is just life... Most days crazy, busy, funny, stressful and eventful; but I wouldn't have it any other way...

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Cole's Baptism...

I can hardly believe that Cole was baptized.. He just doesn't seem old enough (in my eyes..) My sweet little boy, growing up so fast... Just a few of my favorite pictures from his baptism.. :) My handsome 8 year old...

Love the look on his face..

Dressed in white...

Daddy & Cole...

Daddy and his amazing kiddos...

Mommy & Cole...

Levi, Nancy and baby Ryker...

Grandma and her cute grandkids..

Cole and his best friend...

Cole and Great Grandpa Gunderson...

Grandma & Grandpa Gunderson with Cole...

The Boyd family with Cole..

The Jones' family with Cole...

Four generations of Gunderson men... :)

I am so proud of you today Cole.. This was truly an amazing day. Thanks for everyone who shared this day with our family..

Friday, April 1, 2011

Random Pictures.. :)

Finally crashed Saturday at noon, after attending a sleep over where they decided to stay up until 5 am.. Came home, showered. climbed on my bed and was comatose... Turkey.. Miss Courtnee & Miss Kilee... Love this picture of Ryker and my brother... The kids sure do love all the balloons... :) Cole's massive dunk, have I ever mentioned that we like basketball in this house? A LOT...:) Found this note on Cole's white board after we dropped Troy off to the airport for a week... Cutie... Love how Ryker just loves the kids... Jade being sad with Daddy...