Clausen Children on a Silly Saturday

Just Hanging Out Aren't we so cute ...

We just had a silly Saturday. Not much happening... Chris mowed before it rained... then painted or rather primed the basement walls. (yes we are still working on the room downstairs!) Paige cleaned and cooked. The kids played most of the day, then we had a family movie night with popcorn and marshmallows... Yum!

Friday's Freedoms

Well, it is nice to hit Friday this week. For the first and probably only time in the next ten years, we are home on a Friday night because the HOP is closed for a wedding. Otherwise you can find us at HOP on any other Friday night. I just want to say how wonderful it was to put kids to bed on time and sit on the couch with my husband and enjoy a nice glass of wine. Here are a couple of cute pics of the Westley man... enjoy your memorial day weekend!

On a different note, Matthan saw Dr. Otis thursday and both his hips are looking good. He is completely grown off the pins from the January 07 surgery. Dr. O said no concern, but no contact sports for the little man... like I was gonna let that happen HA! No football for my guys, sorry Dad.

Tuesday Tuesday

Well it is Tuesday... Paige stained the deck surface today (she had a friend helping!) The surface of the deck was peeling or peeled off during that ice storm we had this past winter. It only took all morning to prep it and then only an hour to actually re-stain it. We also have been doing some painting in the basement and plan to finish that job up this week. It is spring cleaning fever around here, Paige is planning on cleaning all the windows tomorrow. Plus we have to go through the basement (now that the room is finally finished!) the subdivision garage sale is next weekend (31st) and we have a few items we have been hanging onto for far too long (like the bachelor couch) Busy Busy Busy :)

The kiddos are finishing up their school years and we are busy with award ceremonies, concerts etc. It will be nice to move into the slower pace of summer... Fishing, picnicing, park and zoo visits.

Gorgeous Weekend

Matthan explains his Art to MommySculpting was after painting (wonder who he takes after!)

The next night we moved into photography
Matthan took this shot of Westley

and this shot of Daddy

All while Daddy was trying to get this shot of Caity!

Wednesday was outside fun day at Matthan's school, so Mommy went and played outside with him. Kind of like a class party, it was a lot of fun. Thursday night was Caitlyn's last choir concert. We all headed over for the perfomance. She sang well. She is growing up so quickly.

Well, it was fabulously sunny and beautiful all weekend. The Clausen clan kept busy... Friday night found Chris leading worship at the HOP... Gateway House of Prayer.

Saturday we went to Lucas's 1st birthday... Esther and Marc cooked some amazing burgers (yes, they served meat and Esther joined in eating it, though Marc continued down his vegetarian road!). They had some incredible yummy food out for all of us, even presented with paper and plastic (and styrofoam oops!) with a recycle bin nearby. Love YOU Esther. Sir Lucas had a great time hanging out with with friends and family for his birthday... yes, I'm sure he enjoyed the presents too! It was nice to be a part of the celebration of Lucas's life, he is a super little guy. We kinda like Mom & Dad too! Ha.

We got a fabulous blessing this weekend. Paige got a visit from the tooth fairy! Who knew that when you get your last remaining upper molar extracted, the tooth fairy visits in a big way?! Bless God for all He gives us.

Sunday we went to church and had worship, an impartation session and more. Our pastors Tom and Mary just got back Friday night from Lakeland, Florida . There is an incredible move of God happening in the form of a healing revival that is spreading by way of impartation to other parts of our country and across the globe. Go to www.Freshfire.ca if you want some! The healings are amazing and there are so many miracles happening, it is hard to comprehend them all. They have it live on God TV every night.

After church today we came home for lunch and yardwork and then moved on through dinner, kiddo baths and kiddo bedtimes. We are exhausted and happy that everyone is healthy and off in dreamland.

Kiddos

Caity and Matthan made these for a Mothers Day
puppet show (Caitlyn sang it for me!)Westley "Dr. Seussin"

Caitlyn & Matthan hanging out

Relaxed day around here. I found the top photo on the camera when I went to post these other two. The puppet show (or song) was really cute on Mothers day. I really have to find the time to learn the best way to post my little video clips.

Three Roots removed in pieces

Yup, it's done. That broken tooth is out of my head. The space left behind is swollen and very painful. The dentist took it out root by root, three times and in a few pieces. Chris was a gem with the kids and everything today. Everybody was on their best behavior. Well, I cannot really eat and my mouth is hurting so I am headed off to rest. The good news is I won't be having that other root canal for another two weeks in order to let my mouth heal first. (Good plan doc!) Everything else happening here pales in comparison to my pain level, so more updates on the Clausens tomorrow or the next day.

Happy Mother's Day

Teeth Teeth Teeth

Well, I was awakened this morning by my tooth throbbing out of my head. I took Ibuprofen and waited until I could ring the doctor, who told me to take Tylenol with codeine and stay on the antibiotic. He thinks the gum area around the newly root canaled tooth is simply "reacting" to it. There is no facial swelling, so that is good news. Codeine is yukky, makes me feel funny, light headed and just yuk.

It is a gorgeous day outside, Thank you God for a beautiful set of windows in my bedroom with a gorgeous view of my spring flowers and trees. Now if we can just keep those bunnies from eating them... ha.

Chris woke up this morning with upper back pain and has been to the chiro already for a long overdue adjustment. Hopefully he will be feeling better by tomorrow.

Mother's Day Early!

Gotta Love those Drumsticks
Matthan performing his songs today

Matthan made me this placemat for the Tea

Matthan & Mommy at
Preschool Mother's Day Tea

Today was fun! I went to Matthan's pre-school for a tea party in honor of the mothers. They sang us 5 different songs (as soon as I figure out how to post video, I will share!) and then we sat and had cookies and pink lemonade. Westley was a champ in the sling, only fussing when I was shooting video of the songs. Matthan asked me dance one of the songs with him, it was a great moment for me. My son asked me to dance with him for the first time, so I got all nostalgic thinking that the next time he asks me to dance, will likely be a much more formal event and he will be much taller! Very precious. In case you cannot see the placemat it reads: "I love you because ... you can spot a rainbow and you know about animals" and the drawing is of a tiger!

It was raining again today and it looks like we may have warmer dry skies tomorrow morning with chances for showers again tomorrow evening. I will fumble about the yard, weeding etc. if it is nice enough. At least we can get outside for a bit. Chris is going to tackle the lawn and perhaps try to paint the basement tomorrow. Sounds like fun ay?!

Daddy's Dudes

Primal Scream Therapy
(Littlest man is screaming!)
Only moments before...

An early morning moment

Face to Face

Today has come and gone... The kids are all in bed asleep. The weather was rainy all day.

Tomorrow promises a Mother's Day Tea at preschool and more spring rain. It looks like we can expect rain all weekend here. Perhaps we can actually work on getting that basement room painted?.

Random Kids Photos

They have the same look on their faces!Aren't these kids Gorgeous!

Well, it is raining again. Spring has fully sprung around here. The narcissus, tulips and daffodils are all done. The Bradford Pear is a gorgeous green. My Purple Alium have bloomed, so tall and pretty. We have lilacs blooming and smelling awesome in front of the garage. The Lily of the Valley are all blooming. I brought some Lilacs and Lily of the Valley in for a vase on the kitchen table! The Iris I transplanted from Mom's have all come up and are beginning to get blossoms. I planted spearmint and peppermint on the chimmney side of the house to combat ants. We think we have a nest right there, as almost nothing grows and if you turned the soil all last summer it was teeming with them. We don't want to spray any more poison on it... so Peppermint it is. I just wanted Spearmint for Iced Tea. They are both very aggressive growers, so I will need to stay on top of them. In the far end of that same bed we have Cannas and some Narcissus. I staked the peonies and planted some annual seeds in front of the house today before the rain started. I still have some perennials to put out back in the (still grassy) half of the flower bed we built up last summer. Someone has to dig up all that sod (read: Chris & Caity) so I can get the plants and seeds in before summer hits. We have been waiting on a dry weekend but still wet enough that cutting out the sod is no big trick. I have all my herbs (Oregano, parsley, cilantro, sweet basil) transplanted into my deck boxes and my hanging baskets almost all out. We have two tomato plants this year, a husky cherry tomato and a Pink Heirloom. I am glad we do a deck garden, I want to find some other things to put on the deck too. A big strawberry pot would be great but we cannot eat those, we think Westley is allergic. I plan to put Caitlyn's watermelon somewhere out back, not sure where the best location would be... last year she forgot to water him daily and something (raccoon?) ate all but one fruit... though it was a very delicious melon. Enough gardening stories...

The kids are fabulous. Westley is drooling and mouthing/chewing his binky and has some good head and hand control already. He tracks well too. He is a very happy little man. Matthan is walking well, still working on full movement of the hip, but he is trying to run around too soon.. we have to stop him (and then his hip hurts later!) His last day of preschool will be May 21st. Where has the year gone? Caitlyn has until May 30th. No summer plans yet... Caity will have summer school from June 9th until July 2nd, but only if she enjoys it. I won't make her go every day. She has her Awakening Camp in KC on June 3oth to July 12th, that should be fabulous for her. We are still discussing if we can actually go anywhere this summer, at this point we have no funds or plans to do anything but visit our fantastic free zoo. (which we enjoy a lot!)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHRISTOPHER

Happy Birthday to Chris!
Love, Paige
(Caity, Matthan & Westley too)

Chris & Paige went to see Iron Man for Chris's Birthday... awesome!

Plein Air 2008 - Completed

Well, the Augusta Plein Air Event is over and I feel fabulous about this year's painting experience. I painted well, though I did not win any ribbons or sell any paintings. I am competing against artists that have painted and won awards for years and years, so no, I don't feel badly about it. I simply paint and learn from people! It is awesome. Here are a couple of photos of the paintings, sorry about the ones under glass, the paintings are brighter than that... as you can see by the photo of Augusta Fields not framed. I did not want to use the flash and put in a false sun, or take the time to unframe and rephotograph the paintings. Maybe later! Enjoy!

Augusta Fields (natural light unframed)
~Yes that is on the dash of the van right after I finished!
Augusta Fields 2008 - Framed

Balducci Sunset 2008

On another note, The kids are great and all currently asleep! Chris is playing out tonight... he is playing the Parkway North Prom, how hilarious is that!

Kid Funny: Matthan is "teaching" Westley every chance he gets. Overheard in the car today: "Dogs don't like cats and they chase them". How precious is that!

Gotcha Day

Officially Caitlyn Rose Clausen as of 2:55p on May 1, 2008.

What an awesome day, we are now officially celebrating it as "Clausen" Day. We went to Vince's Asian Bistro in O'Fallon with the Hale and Graham Families to celebrate. The food is awesome and the service is superior. Once we got home, we settled the boys in for the night and gave Caitlyn her presents (see pictures). Grandma and Grandpa Clausen sent a heartfelt card and a beautiful sterling silver cross pendant necklace with an amethyst heart in the middle. It was her very first piece of mail sent to "Caitlyn Clausen", definitely an envelope for the scrapbook! Mommy and Daddy gave her a gorgeous sterling silver bracelet with amethyst stones that compliments the necklace nicely. It was a very happy day around here.

Caity & Daddy
Caity & Mommy

Thanks Grandpa & Grandma!

Love you Daddy!

Beautiful Caitlyn Rose Clausen
The Clausen Family (with Judge Cunningham)