The Jacobsen Family

We're out of here!

2009-03-09T12:43:00.000-07:00

The blog has moved! I am a loyal wordpress girl now, so we've moved the blog to a new address. Bookmark it!

http://www.thosecrazyjacobsens.wordpress.com/

Tavin BEGGED me to take that picture of him.

Ladybug Update

2009-02-23T09:24:00.001-08:00

Ladybugs have been a HUGE hit at our house lately. A little over a week ago with started out with one, "John-O", and yesterday we counted about 15 total that we had rescued. We invested in a larger cage and added some leaves, twigs, rocks, and grass. We did some research online and found out that most ladybugs come inside because it is too cold out, and they die inside because of dehydration. We found a great website that gave us some info on taking care of "pet" ladybugs. We put some wet paper towels in the bottom of the cage so they could drink, and gave them some raisins (that had been soaked in water) to eat. It has been nice and warm here the past few days, so yesterday Tavin decided to set them free. We sat out on the back porch playing with them and watching them fly away one by one. Both the boys were SOOOOO into it. I loved watching them.

^Oliver would sit and watch them crawl around for literally an hour at a time. He was fascinated!

^Oliver was even brave enough to "play" with them. One did fly in his ear though, and he wasn't too happy about that.

^Tavin requested that ladybugs crawl around on his toes.

Sunny Day in a Field

2009-02-22T09:18:00.000-08:00

We took the boys out for a little walk/photo shoot in the sunshine today. They had SO much fun playing in all the dead stuff. They would have stayed there all day. Oliver was pretty devestated when we left, but Brad took them outside in the backyard when we got home.

All Boy

2009-02-16T14:51:00.000-08:00

Lately, I have been taken back by the fact that my little baby is no longer a baby. He is a boy, and he loves all things boy. Rarely can Oliver be spotted without a Superman or Spiderman in his hands, most of the time he has several. He loves "fi-fi", or fire fighters. He loves to watch sports on TV. He loves to wrestle. One thing he doesn't love, is having his picture taken! I managed to snap a few pictures of the "boy-ness" he has been into lately...

^He was trying to eat cheese and was getting really frustrated when he couldn't get his hand past the shield and into his mouth.

Our First Pet

2009-02-15T20:02:00.000-08:00

^This is "John-O", Tavin's very first pet. He is a little lady bug we found crawling around the kitchen floor. Tavin has been taking him everywhere. Here are some pictures of John-O joining us for dinner tonight...

There is something very fulfilling about watching Tavin care so much for this little creature. Tonight John-O ate dinner and cake with us, watched Tavin and Oliver take a bath (only because I wouldn't let Tavin take him IN the bath), he listened to stories in bed, and he was sung to and tucked in for the night.

Winter Travel Bug!

2009-01-29T10:05:00.000-08:00

It seems like it is always this time of year that the winter travel bug hits me! I just want to get away from all the dark, gloomy rain. Luckily I have a job that allows me to do it! I am thinking of heading out to Utah in April and possibly a couple other spots prior to that. Email me if you are interested in setting something up...family session, portrait session, seniors, anything...and we will see if we can coordinate something!

thejacobsenfam@yahoo.com

Studio Shots - Oliver

2009-01-15T15:38:00.001-08:00

Oliver lasted probably all of about 10 minutes before he blew a fuse! As most of you know, he really only has one expression...and this is it...

^He is in love with these cowboy boots even though they are way too big and are constantly falling off.

Studio Shots - Tavin

2009-01-15T12:50:00.000-08:00

I got some new backdrops for the studio, so I was testing them out with the boys today. You would not believe how hard it is to take pictures of Tavin. He is just sooooo over it. I'll post the proof later! Through all of the complaining and whining, I did manage to get some adorable shots! I can't believe how old and handsome my little guy is getting! Here are his results...

Little Ayden

2008-12-27T20:10:00.001-08:00

My sister Emily's baby Ayden was born today. She has had a really long struggle, but made it 27 weeks before delivering. Ayden weighed in at just over one pound. Brad I went to visit today. He is so incredibly tiny. He is stable right now, and we are just praying that he is able to stay stable in order for his little body to keep growing so that his lungs can function on their own. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. We greatly appreciate it!

These pics are kind of sad, but I thought I would include them. I had to snap them outside his little plastic dome. The tape across his face is to hold his breathing tube in. I have never seen such small little hands.

Merry Christmas...

2008-12-26T08:05:00.000-08:00

We had a really interesting Christmas this year. Oliver woke up at about 12:45am screaming at the top of his lungs...which he NEVER does. (He is usually such a good sleeper and doesn't make a peep all night.) He was sooo upset, and I had no idea what was wrong. I changed his diaper, gave him some milk, held him...nothing worked. He continued to scream like there was no tomorrow. All he wanted to do was get up and play. Finally 2:30am rolled around. We were all awake and sick of the noise, so we decided to have our Christmas morning a little early! We started opening presents at 2:30am this year! Tavin couldn't have been more thrilled, but Oliver was still his usual grumpy self. He continued to scream and yell orders at all of us, determined to claim every toy that Tavin opened for himself. There were toys flying across the room in a fit of Oliver anger, and what sounded like some sort of "baby language" muttering and cursing under his breath. We all agreed that Oliver is not invited to Christmas next year. Tavin had a wonderful Christmas morning, with piles of presents from Santa and an amazing train table from his great uncle. He was incredibly sweet and cute all day, even while being tormented and abused by his younger brother. We made a big Christmas dinner and Grandma "with the O car," as Tavin calls her, came over to share it with us. Christmas night we had a Wii party with our best friends, while the kids played with all the new toys. It was a great Christmas!

Some Snow

2008-12-18T11:59:00.000-08:00

We have had a little snow off and on this past week, and when I say little I mean little! There was a dusting last night, so of course Tavin was begging to go out this morning. You could still see most of the grass through the white powder, but the boys were thrilled.

***UPDATE*** I look really silly now! After I posted this, it started dumping. We got over a foot of snow and were unable to leave the house for days! It was our only white Christmas in like the last 19 years! Tavin adored it, but sadly it is now quickly melting away.

Deck the Halls!

2008-11-28T18:37:00.001-08:00

You know me, day after Thanksgiving and the house has to be fully decorated for Christmas! I was more excited than ever this year, because it was our first year in our house. Here a few shots I snapped tonight...

^ Living room tree

^View of living room from outside

^Family room

^Garland on the stairs

^ Family room tree

^ Kid tree

^ Yeah I know there are still pumpkins on the porch!

Birthday Boy

2008-11-16T18:37:00.000-08:00

We had dinner with my family tonight to celebrate Tavin's and Grandma's (or yellow grandma as Tavin calls her) birthdays. I realized that I didn't get any pictures of Tavin with his cake at his actual party so I snapped a few tonight...

Fire Station Birthday Fun!

2008-11-16T12:14:00.001-08:00

Tavin had his 4th birthday party on Friday at the Edgewood fire station. He absolutely LOVES firefighters. All the kids got to talk to the firemen and see their equipment. We went on a tour of the fire station and they all got to sit in behind the wheel of the fire engine! It was so much fun. I don't know if we will ever be able to top this one!

There was a fire truck on top of the cake...it didn't stay on there for very long!

I think this was the first time I have ever seen a kid actually bust the pinata open! Tavin's friend Louisa got it on the second hit!

In awe of the fire engine

I had to pose Tavin for a couple at the end!

New Photography Blog!

2008-11-13T11:07:00.000-08:00

I have moved my photography blog!

http://www.stacyjacobsenphotography.wordpress.com/

The new blog features better picture quality and is more interactive. Check it out, bookmark it, and tell me what you think!

Christmas is Here!

2008-11-12T13:06:00.001-08:00

Well, Christmas isn't exactly here yet, but Christmas music is! Brad has finished his first Christmas CD, "Christmas Night", and it is now available for pre-order! Save 15% by ordering before November 24th. All pre-orders will be delivered by December 1st. The CD will be available for regular purchase after November 24th for $15. Check out samples at www.Brad'sPiano.blogspot.com

Walkin' the Line

2008-11-05T19:14:00.000-08:00

So after many months of encouragement and even some bribery, Oliver has started walking! Last night and most of the day today he has been walking all around the house! Up until yesterday Oliver was nothing but stubborn, throwing tantrums and crying when anyone uttered the word "walk." He would walk when he thought we weren't looking. If he caught us looking at him, or if we encouraged or clapped, he would fall to the ground, throw his head down in between his knees and scream. I guess something clicked in his brain yesterday, because he couldn't be more excited now. He is almost 16 months!

Happy Halloween

2008-11-02T11:38:00.000-08:00

We had a GREAT Halloween this year. We did a little trick or treating around the neighborhood and then went to our ward Halloween party. The party was a carnival theme, and everyone really went all out. Tavin had the best time, and Oliver loved watching all the kids playing in their costumes.

Tavin couldn't decide between his vampire costume and his firefighter costume. So, he ended up wearing both. He said he was a firefighter during the day and a vampire at night because bats are nocturnal! Cute boy!

^I LOVE how classically bad this photo is. It just reminds me of all the bad school photos I had back in my day. I was asked to have a photo booth set up at the ward party for kids to come and get their pictures taken in costume. Tavin was my first victim.

^Oliver's turned out a little better!

^Our little shark! I taught him to growl every time someone said the word "shark". It was way too cute!

Fall Leaves

2008-10-30T08:47:00.000-07:00

Tavin has had an absolute BALL playing in leaves lately. Could this time of year be anymore fun?!

^Oliver, however, does not seem to be enjoying this season. He was completely terrified of the leaves...we are talking inconsolable!

Carving Pumpkins

2008-10-28T11:15:00.000-07:00

Last night for our Family Home Evening we enjoyed the fine art of pumpkin carving! This is the first year Tavin has really been able to participate, so it was such a fun experience for all of us...well almost. Oliver was SO incredibly worried watching us disfigure his beloved "beans" (or "pumpkin" in English). He began crying when Brad reached his hand in the bright orange friend and began pulling out the insides. It was so sad. I gave him a Halloween cupcake to try and soothe him, but he was not interested. He just sat there staring at us with shock and confusion. By the time we finished up I think he had come to terms with it, but the whole experience was pretty jolting. What a funny little guy!

^Tavin's masterpiece

^If you look closely you can still see the tears in his eyes and on his face.

^Of course, he eventually gave into the cupcake!

^We brought them outside to light up the night

^Now they are displayed on our entry table when you walk in the front door.

The Pumpkin Patch Kids

2008-10-16T10:58:00.000-07:00

A couple of days ago we spent the evening at Spooner Farms pumpkin patch in Sumner. We LOVE that place. They have so many fun things for the kiddos to do. Oliver is completely obsessed with pumpkins this year, much like Tavin was around his age. Actually they are both pretty much obsessed with pumpkins. As soon as we set foot on the patch, Oliver shook and started screaming, "bean! bean!" (Bean is pumpkin in Oliver's little language) Tavin had the wheelbarrow filled to the brim the second we turned our backs. All in all it was a great trip for everyone!

^This just cracks me up

^This is how Tavin tries to "make a smile" for the camera

^He was a good sport to lay down in the squash for me to try and get some shots

My Little Monster

2008-09-27T10:20:00.000-07:00

Tavin has been pretty obsessed with Halloween lately, especially with the idea of vampires. For the past month he has been saying that he wants to be a vampire for Halloween. We have been searching high and low for a child size vampire costume. I guess the classics just aren't in style anymore, because each trip we came up empty handed. I know that it would be really easy to just make a black cape, but I wanted a costume with a little more ooomph! Yesterday we were victorious! We found the only child size vampire costume in the whole store! Needless to say Tavin was THRILLED. As soon as we got home, he tore off his clothes and jumped right into his costume. Then we made some brownies for dessert. Here is the combination of the two...

Since, Tavin has been riding his bike up and down our street trying to scare anyone who crosses his path. When I tell him, "I love you." He states frustratedly, "But I'm a vampire and vampires are scary!" I guess he is a little macho for my love right now.

Cute Boys!

2008-09-26T13:57:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, Brad's uncle Richard came for a visit from South Carolina. The boys had such a great time with him...especially Tavin who was depressed for days after he left. Richard spent some time out in the backyard taking some pictures of the boys, and they turned out a-dor-able! There were so many cute ones, it took me forever to choose!

Welcome to Preschool

2008-09-19T20:36:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Tavin's first day of preschool! It was a huge step for him. Wednesday night Brad and I were trying to explain to him what would happen at preschool the next day, but he would have NOTHING to do with it. It was one of the saddest sights...his bottom lips started to shake and his eyes got huge and welled up with tears. He really didn't want to go. BUT when we arrived at preschool the next day, he couldn't be happier. He didn't even care about saying goodbye to me, he just ran into his classroom and asked where the cars were! Of course I had to snap a few pictures. I had literally about 30 seconds to take these before Tavin disappeared.

^Hanging up his coat, on the hook with his name on it, outside the classroom.

^Parents aren't allowed in the classroom for drop off (to make the separation easier), so I stood in the doorway with my camera.

I picked him up a few hours later and asked how preschool was. Holding hands as we crossed the parking lot to the van, he looked up at me with his eyes dancing and exclaimed, "Great! I think I am ready to drive the car now!" I told him that I had to drive because he wasn't old enough, and he argued, "but I am in high school now!!!" I just had to give him a big squeeze for the cuteness factor.

Little Red Riding Hood

2008-09-17T10:29:00.000-07:00

I know I promised some pictures of Oliver a while ago, but I am finally getting around to it! Here is our little red riding hood playing in the apples out back. The apples are really starting to get mushy and brown, but that didn't stop him from eating the "a-balls!" He is completely obsessed with balls, and he is going through a phase right now where he really only likes to eat foods that are shaped like balls...apples, plums, plouts, raspberries, blackberries, bagels, ritz crackers...I am starting to run out of ideas! When he goes to sleep the last thing he says is "ball", and it is the first thing he says when he wakes up. He LOVES to play catch, and his aim is dead on every time...even from pretty far away. It is funny to watch him grow and see how different he and Tavin are. They do have at least one similarity though, their "gankies" or as we call them blankies.

^Classic Oliver look of disdain

Any favorites for the Christmas card???

The Rest of the Big Trip

2008-09-07T13:49:00.000-07:00

So I finally took the time today to get the rest of the reunion pictures from Utah together...

Waiting with Grandma at Seatac airport for our plane to arrive...

Hanging out with cousins on the swing...

Learning how to swim in the pool with Daddy. By the end of the week Tavin was flying solo!

Riding the kiddy train...

There was this great little western town set up at Aspen Grove. The theme one night was "frontier night." The kids had a blast playing all the old west games, sifting for gold, listening to native american stories, doing some hard time in "jail," and climbing in the old stage coach.

Arts and Crafts: making an Aspen Grove build-a-bear...

I was so proud of Brad for conquering the ropes course. This thing was WAY up there, with my fear of heights I have no idea how he did it!

The last night all of the kids got up with their age group to sing songs and do some little skits. Here is Tavin with his group singing "I'm a Little Teapot."

Following his singing debut Tavin hit the showers...well the drinking fountain and sprayed everyone who dared to walk past...

For those of you who know...

2008-09-05T15:34:00.003-07:00

For those of you who know Oliver personally, I thought you might find this picture quite funny. It is just SO HIM!

That's My Boy!

2008-09-04T17:23:00.000-07:00

I took the boys out for a little photo shoot this morning to try to get our Christmas card picture taken care of. We had a lot of fun. Tavin was surprisingly cooperative! He even came up with a few poses of his own. For the first time I can remember, he was a fabulous model...seriously a photographer's dream! I can't believe how big he is getting, I still think of him as my baby! Vote for your favorite for the Christmas card...

I will post some shots of Oliver tomorrow. I still have a bunch of reunion pictures to get through as well.

HELP!

2008-08-28T11:58:00.001-07:00

Conversation from this morning:

Me: "Tavin stop whining."
Tavin: "It's my life. I can do it (whine) if I want to!!!"

I am scared.

We All Scream for Ice Cream!

2008-08-27T16:42:00.000-07:00

More from our family reunion at Aspen Grove Family Camp! This is a story board of Tavin and his cousin Chase indulging in a little ice cream at the camp store. This quickly became a nightly tradition for Tavin. As always, click to enlarge...

Don't you just LOVE the pirate eye-patch??? Chase lives in it night and day (for about the past 6 months!). He is such a funny, quirky little boy.

Taste of the Sweet Life...

2008-08-25T16:14:00.000-07:00

We are back! We had such a great time on our vacation. It was wonderful to see everyone and watch the kids having a blast together. There are SO many pictures and stories to tell, but for now here is a sneak peek of our family fun over the past two weeks.

These little beauties are three of our nieces throwing up some cotton at a park in Provo.

Keep checking back for more of our big adventure!

Bloggin' Break

2008-08-14T15:41:00.000-07:00

We are going on a family Vay-Cay! We leave tomorrow for 10 days in Utah, so there won't be any new posts for a few weeks. Expect some fun pics of the vacationing kids when we get back. For now, we will leave you with the water fun we had today...

^Yes, those are slippers Tavin is wearing in 90 degree weather. Spiderman slippers to be exact. He insists on wearing them "so his feets don't get sunburned or cold." I love three year old logic.

Excuse Me

2008-08-08T14:52:00.000-07:00

Excuse me for a minute while I plug my photography business...

2008 Mini Sessions are here!

These sessions are great for holiday card pictures, back to school photos, and just updating your family photo! Sessions are $25 and last about 20-30 minutes. Click to enlarge for more details. These sessions will go super fast, so book while you still can!

Knock, Knock...

2008-08-05T13:55:00.000-07:00

These days our house is full of the sound of knock, knock jokes. Tavin is constantly wanting to "play knock knock," and he thinks he is pretty good at it. "Knock knock" is played by saying whatever comes to his little mind when I ask "who is there?" He comes up with some of the most random things, and it can get pretty tedious after about a half an hour or so. But, every once in a while he comes up with some gems that really do make me laugh. Here are a few excerpts from today...

Tavin: "Knock, Knock"
Mama: "Who's there?"
Tavin: "Engine!"
Mama: "Engine Who?"
Tavin: "Engine you glad I didn't say door knob!?"

Tavin: "Knock, Knock"
Mama: "Who's there?"
Tavin: "Chimney!"
Mama: "Chimney who?"
Tavin: "Chimney you glad I didn't' say dirty underwear!?"

It goes on and on and on and on and on like this. Whenever he is especially proud of a joke, he says "O MAN! YER FUNNY!!!!"

What a fun little guy.

Seattle Trip

2008-07-28T13:53:00.001-07:00

On Friday I took the boys up to Seattle with my Nan, uncle, and my cousin. The boys had such a great time. We had some lunch, people watched, got some ice cream, the usual stuff. Tavin absolutely LOVED listening to all of the musical street performers...there was even some dancing involved on his part, and Oliver enjoyed his view from the stroller.

It seems like everyone in Seattle thinks that they are a "musician", but these guys were SO good! They are called Slimpickins, and they are the best street band I have ever heard. You can check out their stuff here: http://www.myspace.com/jakeandannie

Tavin patiently waiting in line to order a cookie.

A little fresh, local color.

Another First...

2008-07-27T18:05:00.000-07:00

I don't know if anyone else has noticed, but Oliver's hair has gotten quite unruly lately. The past few days it has been sticking up every which way, and there is nothing I can do to get it to stay down. SO Oliver had another big first this past week, his first haircut! I have to admit I was a little sad standing there with the scissors in my hand watching that soft baby hair fall to the ground. I just feel like he is growing up so much faster than Tavin did. This is the BEFORE...I think he looks like some sort of mad scientist with the serious face and crazy mop.

And here is the AFTER. Is it just me or does he look like such a handsome big boy now?

Birthday Bash

2008-07-24T10:35:00.001-07:00

We had a family BBQ for Oliver's first birthday this past Sunday. It was the first time we have ever been able to fit everyone in our house, and it was really nice! All day long Tavin had been asking "Can I have a cupcake now? Can I have a cupcake now?" You can imagine the excitement when the time finally came! Other than being obsessed with the cupcakes, Tavin did surprisingly well. He blew out the candle for Oliver, but he let Oliver open his own presents...he didn't even try to take any of the toys away! It helped that family gave him a few cars and some crazy toy that makes your voice sound like a robot when you speak into it. Robots and Transformers are definitely a huge hit at our house right now! Oliver was his usual serious self, and I couldn't get him to smile for the life of me. HOWEVER, when he realized that toys were involved, it was a completely different story! When he gets excited he repeats, "Ohhhh ya ya ya, Ohhhh ya ya ya" in a shaky little voice over and over. We heard a lot of it as he opened his presents. Sorry it has taken me so long to get these pictures up. Things have been a little crazy over in the photography world...if you get a chance check out the latest projects. Thanks to everyone who came to celebrate with us, and for those of you who couldn't be here is some of the action...

This is his tough biker look, not to be confused with his everyday serious look.

And finally some smiles!

Never have I been so excited...

2008-07-16T20:10:00.000-07:00

...to do laundry! I can't, in my entire life, ever really remember being excited to do laundry. Maybe when Brad and I were engaged and I was ecstatic about the idea of being domestic...cooking, cleaning, laundry, etc. Funny how we get excited for silly little things like that, then a few poopy onsies, spit-up covered shirts, and grass stained knees on jeans...I began singing a different tune. On any other occasion I would tell you that laundry is my nemisis, tomorrow however, it will be a joy! We have been without a washer and dryer since we moved about 3 weeks ago. We have baskets overflowing with stinky socks and raspberry covered shirts. BUT, thanks to Brad's mom, our new washer and dryer set is being delivered tomorrow!

Saving Money...

2008-07-15T13:07:00.000-07:00

Tavin loves to pull the coupons out of the little automatic dispensers at the grocery store. What kid doesn't? I remember doing it when I was younger. Anyway, today he pulled a bunch of them out and stuck them in his pocket. When we were driving home he pulled them out and starred at them for a while. Then he asked, "What are these?" and I told him they were coupons. Then he asked, "What are coupons for?" and I told him that they save us money. As soon as we got home, he ran upstairs and got his "money bank." He then preceeded to furiously stuff all the coupons in the bank. I asked him what he was doing and he replied, "Coupons will protect my money from bad guys! Coupons will save them from a fire!" Apparently, "saving money" means something much different to him!

Big "O" is almost the big 01!

2008-07-13T15:22:00.000-07:00

I can't believe our baby is almost one! This past year has gone by so fast. Last night we took the boys out for a little "first birthday" photo shoot. Oliver didn't really know what to think, but at least there was cake and balloons involved!

^ Oliver, who usually LOVES balloons, wasn't all that interested. Tavin spent most of the time playing with them.

^ So good to share with Brother!

The 4th!

2008-07-05T16:19:00.000-07:00

We had such a GREAT 4th of July. We got together with Brad's brother JR and his sister Cami and their families as well as Grandma Jacobsen. The kids had so much fun playing together. The only thing that could have made it better would have been Jill's family! Here are the highlights...

All of the kids got to go for a ride in the old fashioned truck

sack races

It wouldn't be the fourth of July without a pinata!

Pinwheel fun!

Of course the older boys had to do a little experimenting

The grand finale!

We hope everyone had a happy 4th!

There goes the neighborhood!

2008-06-29T11:05:00.000-07:00

It was a long HOT (in the 90's!) day yesterday, but we are finally finshed...we are all moved in! We are so incredibly happy, there are no words to describe it. The boys couldn't be more thrilled. They are happier and more content than we have ever seen them...I think it is because there is so much to do and explore. Oh, and I think Oliver feels much more comfortable on carpet than hard wood floors! They love all the extra room to play, the yard, the neighborhood, and especially our jetted bath tub! Here are the boys getting all cleaned up after a dirty day of playing...

This cuteness is what I awoke to bright and early this morning. (He is OBSESSED with flags)...

Stay tuned for much more as we get settled in and the boys have some more fun.

New Photography Website

2008-06-23T18:26:00.000-07:00

With the help of my fabulous uncle, I have launched my new website today! Check it out at www.StacyJacobsenPhotography.com. Or just click on the link to the right! Also, I am starting a new "comment incentive" on my photography blog. Every 50th comment gets a free See's Candy gift card! Pretty "sweet" huh?

LOVE

2008-06-18T12:37:00.001-07:00

Oliver is completely and totally in love...with balloons! This one is like his best friend. It takes the jaws of life to pry the string out of his hand. He eats, nurses, crawls, and even sleeps holding on to it! It is hilarious to watch him shake and curl his toes in excitement when a balloon crosses his path...grocery store are the best! I think his first real word might very well be "balloon." Yesterday we were playing in the back yard, and he let this beloved balloon slip from his fingers. I was waiting for the screams as it began to float into the wild blue yonder. Instead of crying, he burst out laughing! It was too cute!

I realize there have been a lot of posts and pictures about Oliver lately, but Tavin refuses to let me take his picture! I will keep trying...don't give up on him!

Slowing down...

2008-06-08T20:03:00.000-07:00

It was so nice to have an evening together as a family after all the craziness that has been going on here lately. We haven't really had a minute to rest and spend some time together. Here was tonight's dinner!

Our New/Old House!!!

2008-06-04T20:35:00.000-07:00

Wow! Things have been so excitingly crazy the past few days. Long story short, we will be moving our little family into Brad's old house! So this is our "new/old" house! His mom sold it four years ago when his dad passed away, and we are thrilled to be able to have it back in the family! For any of you who grew up with Brad, you know exactly where we will be! Come visit! Tavin is already in love with the house and the neighborhood, and keeps asking "when can we live there?" He tells us "It's nicer inside." Here are a few images of the new homestead. Here is the "before"....look for the "after" post in a few months.

I LOVE red doors!

Formal living room

Formal dinning room

another angle

Kitchen

Family room

Traveling

2008-05-19T15:56:00.001-07:00

We have recently finalized our plans for our Jacobsen family reunion this summer. We are going to be in Utah from 8/15 until 8/24. I am open for photo shoots on 8/15-8/16 and 8/22-8/23. It seems like so many of friends have moved down that way, so if you want to catch up and do some family, baby, kid, maternity, trash the dress, or anything else kind of session, just let me know!

New Lens

2008-05-15T20:35:00.000-07:00

Brad's Uncle, Richard, sent me a 85mm lens for my Canon. I have been using a zoom lens which is great for, you guessed it, zooming...BUT the 85mm is a lot faster than the zoom. I was testing it out on the boys. Movement didn't seem to be as much of a problem with the 85mm. I think it is going to work great for family/children/baby portraits. Here are more of the results:

Below, Oliver has got quite the scowl, but this is the only shot I could get of BOTH of them looking at the camera. Tavin despises this!

Family Football Fun

2008-05-15T13:49:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, when cousins were visiting, I was so entertained by this football game, I just had to blog about it. All the boys decided to play a football game, three year olds included. The entire game probably lasted no more than three minutes. Here is the play by play...

Sam throws a pass...

Sam catches a pass. Nothing too out of the ordinary, right? If you look at Tavin and Chase, you will notice that they decided football would be a lot more fun if played with a whiffle ball bat and a garden stake. The latter could have been pretty dangerous! Not pictured, there was also a whiffle ball, croquet mallets, and a basketball involved!

Of course someone always gets hurt...within the first 45 seconds or so.

Luckily Chase and Tavin were there to cheer Taden up!

Tavin had an absolute blast playing with his cousins for the entire weekend, especially with Chase. The dynamic duo looked for frogs, gave numerous caterpillars "baths" (more like mass drownings), found a "singing caterpillar" and a caterpillar with a "brand new outfit," and they told everyone "you smell like pickles or somethin."

I would say, all in all, it was a fantastic weekend!

Family

2008-05-12T09:12:00.001-07:00

Brad's sister Cami and her adorable family came up for a Mother's Day visit. Her kids did this fun little photo shoot as a gift for her. Oldest to youngest: Skyler, Brinnley, Taden, and Chase. Here is what the they came up with.

Here are a few of some of our sister-in-law Jana's kids. This is Mariah and Ethan. Sam is missing in action (baseball game!) Hopefully we will be able to do their belated Mother's Day shoot in a couple of weeks.

Jill, if you are reading this, I want to do a belated, belated Mother's Day shoot for you at the reunion this summer. We can't wait to see you guys!

Smile! (PLEASE!)

2008-05-09T11:51:00.001-07:00

Why is it that I can never get my kids to smile nicely for a picture? Oliver lives in this serious face 24/7. I can't tell if he is deep in thought or just annoyed that I won't leave him alone. I am lucky if I get one shot of Tavin before he runs off, and don't even think about telling him to smile for a picture, it can be pretty frightening...he lowers his chin to his chest, squints his eyes, and bares all of his teeth in what seems to be pain. Sometimes I can get "nice" pictures of them when they least expect it. (ex. looking off into the distance, clapping, playing with something, laughing at a friend, etc.) I just don't know why smiles have to be so hard to come by! Hopefully, it will make me laugh when I look back on it.

Swingin' Time!

2008-04-27T14:18:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a BIG day at our house! My brother's girlfriend's parents had a swing set they no longer needed, and they were nice enough to give us an awesome deal on it! We had a long day of taking it apart, loading it up, unloading it, and putting it back together, but we had a lot of help from my brother and one of his friends. Tavin loved watching the men work, but spent most of his time helping by sitting in the "oh so cool" trailer. Our friends the Walkers came over to help us put it together and let the kids test it out. This beautiful girl is Tavin's friend Savana. The adorable baby is Oliver's friend Harrison. Of course, the photographer in me had to make the kids pose for some shots!

Mexican Night

2008-04-21T09:11:00.000-07:00

We had a Mexican-themed ward party this past Saturday. We set up a little backdrop and had some props, and I was asked to take pictures of everyone. Here are the pictures I snapped of Brad and the boys. I added some textures and sepia tones in Photoshop to make them look more antiqued.

The best part of all...

2008-04-18T19:29:00.001-07:00

I forgot the best part of all! At the fair we saw a Yoda made out of Legos! It was a big hit with Tavin

SPRING fair???

2008-04-18T19:09:00.000-07:00

We went to the Puyallup Spring Fair this week...although it didn't feel much like spring at all! It was freezing cold, windy, and raining, but we managed to have some fun! Tavin loved watching all of the rides, but was too chicken to go on any of them. We saw Elvis riding a unicyle and juggling at the same time. Tavin indulged in a beloved scone. The boys enjoyed a cool pirate show. The highlight of the day, for Tavin, was looking at vintage police cars and talking to the policemen. I threw in the "whac a mole" picture, because that has always been funny to me. The last image is Tavin's "Mom! No more pictures!" face.

Manly Bonding

2008-04-14T14:21:00.000-07:00

Oliver loves to snuggle, wrestle, and play rough with his dad. They were being so cute last night, I couldn't resist taking some pictures! I know, I'm a mamarazzi! Maybe they will appreciate it later in life!

Parade!

2008-04-12T18:23:00.000-07:00

Today we went to the Daffodil Parade downtown. This is the first parade that Tavin remembers going to, and he was absolutely thrilled. Before the parade began, we were walking down the spectator-lined street to our chairs and Tavin thought he was the parade! It was soooo much fun! As you can tell from his expression, this was a very serious event for Oliver. He recently mastered waving, so it was cute to watch him wave at everything going past. He even learned to clap today from watching all of the other people! We saw all sorts of exciting things; classic cars, clowns, floats, fire trucks, and even Tthe boys' cousin Mariah with her junior high marching band. Tavin loved waving his flag at everyone. I love having a child old enough to share these special moments with, he gets more and more fun every day!

What happens at Grandma's stays at Grandma's....well almost..

2008-04-08T14:05:00.000-07:00

We went over to Grandma Jacobsen's house for conference this weekend. Here are some pictures of the boys and Grandma snuggling. For some reason Tavin loves to cuddle with her under her umbrella.

Tacoma Children's Museum

2008-04-07T16:11:00.001-07:00

We had the best time today at the Tacoma Children's Museum. The theme right now is health. They had a "farmers' market" set up where the kids could pick fruit off of trees or pull it from the ground, weigh it, and purchase it. It was pretty cute, and it got me excited for our Farmers' Market opening in about a month. They had a rock climbing wall and a yoga room set up too! Oliver even had fun chewing on a plastic potato and watching all of the kids play. You can get in free at the Children's Museum through the Pierce County Library. They have passes that you can check out for up to three weeks, and they are good for 4 people to get in. Also, the Children's Museum changes the theme every few months, so it is fun to come back and see what is new. Of course Tavin had to go see the fish water fountain across the street when we were done. Talk about wet and freezing!

April Fools Day and The return of "The Office!"

2008-04-03T19:23:00.001-07:00

This year I failed to remember the "holiday" I used to get so excited for as a kid...April Fools Day. Luckily my husband still had enough kid in him to remind me. Anyone who knows us, knows how much we LOVE The Office. We are overflowing with anticipation for it's return next Thursday, so this makes what Brad did to me even worse. He sent me an email from work, I'll let you read it...

Hi,

I'm writing with bad news but if you've been on the internet you probably already know. Steve Carrel was killed in a car accident this morning! I feel terrible for his family but have to admit that at the same time I am disappointed there will only be a couple new episodes of The Office this season. I read that they might try and continue the show with a replacement, though I thought it was kind of insensitive to even talk about it so early on. I tried to copy and paste the story and the formatting got all messed up. Just scroll down to read it.

HAPPY APRIL FOOLS DAY!!!!
Okay, that was a really lame attempt at a trick and I highly doubt you fell for it, but I had to try!

I totally fell for it! Like I mentioned, I forgot it was April Fools Day. My heart was racing and I started to tear up because I felt sooooooo bad! I have to admit though, I like it when he plays tricks on me. Now we are once again eagerly anticipating the arrival of new episodes of The Office.

Horton Snuggles

2008-03-31T14:37:00.001-07:00

Oliver has a new best friend. This is the "Horton" stuffed toy he got for Easter from Grandma. As you can see, he and Horton get along pretty well. He loves to yell at Horton, beat him up, and try to bite off his trunk....most of all he loves to snuggle Horton and fall asleep with him. Horton offers the same security for Oliver that the "cool yellow monkey blankie" does for Tavin. Hopefully Horton won't look as repulsive after three years of use!

Hello Cupcake!

2008-03-23T12:40:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we took the boys to Hello Cupcake. It is this great little cupcake shop in downtown Tacoma. They only serve cupcakes, but they have some great flavors. Tavin is enjoying red velvet with butter cream frosting. I reccomend coconut! For those of you who have tried the Puyallup cupcake store, this one is sooooooooo much better!

Egg Hunting

2008-03-16T10:53:00.000-07:00

We had our church Easter Brunch yesterday. Tavin's cousin Ethan came too. We had waffles with strawberries and ice cream! I had never heard of ice cream on waffles for breakfast, but they boys sure loved it. The main event, of course, was the anticipated egg hunt. We had a great time.

Crafty....

2008-03-15T16:47:00.000-07:00

This post is simply to tell you about my friend Colleen's amazing blog! It is www.craftpad.com. She has wonderful craft ideas for every season and holiday. Check it out!

Eggcelent Easter Photos!

2008-03-15T14:15:00.000-07:00

Here are the Easter pictures I took of the boys. I wanted to test out a few creative ideas I had, before using them on clients!

Our 3rd Child!

2008-03-15T14:00:00.000-07:00

Tavin has created an alter ego...This is "Jaymer." Jaymer likes to do magic, his favorite color is blue, and his favorite food is peanut butter. Tavin says he loves playing with Jaymer, but sometimes we hear Tavin and Jaymer arguing in his room! "Don't do that, it's not nice!" "But I like to do it, it makes me happy!" "Don't hit!" "But I want to!" It goes on and on like this. Occassionally Tavin will run out of his room and tell me that Jaymer is being bad. Sometimes Tavin says he is Jaymer. We aren't really sure if, in Tavin's mind, he is Jaymer, or if Jaymer is his imaginary friend. It is hilarious either way. Hopefully this isn't an early sign of some sort of split personality disorder!

Baby Smiles

2008-03-15T09:43:00.001-07:00

The past 7 months it have been my mission to get Oliver to smile for a picture. He is so stubborn and serious in all of the pictures I have of him...until now! He seemed happy to ham it up for the camera yesterday! He is actually smiling! I wonder if it had something to do with the fact that this was a naked photo shoot???

Picnic

2008-03-07T21:28:00.000-08:00

It wasn't sunny or warm today, but Tavin really wanted to have a picnic. We all sat outside and ate our dinner. I love fun, quirky moments like this!

Beach Boys...

2008-03-06T19:48:00.000-08:00

Today I took the boys to my grandparents house on the beach in Des Moines. It was a little chilly, but it was beautiful! Tavin started crying when he realized that he had to step on the shells to walk. I think he believed that there was something living inside them! So now he will no longer walk on the beach, but he will only be carried. It might be a while before we go again!

Nature Walk

2008-02-19T09:53:00.000-08:00

The boys and I went for a walk to the park yesterday. It was actually sunny and almost warm! We had to take advantage of it!

Family Picture

2008-02-15T11:59:00.000-08:00

I thought it was about time we updated our family picture.

Snow Day!

2008-01-28T11:21:00.000-08:00

Today was the first snow of the winter for us, and quite possibly the last! Tavin woke up at 5am this morning and begged to go out to play! We made him to wait until 7am, but he had the best throwing snowballs and making snow angels. There was even enough to build a snowman!

The Big 06!

2008-01-27T15:28:00.000-08:00

Oliver is now 6 months old, and we can't believe it! Time goes much too quickly. One question though, when do they start sleeping through the night?

Picture Perfect

2008-01-01T14:00:00.000-08:00

This morning while Oliver was having his "tummy time" he lifted his head and folded his hands, posing perfectly. It was one of those perfect picture moments I had to take advantage of. He is growing so fast!

Line Cutter...

2008-01-01T12:54:00.000-08:00

"Santa" came to our ward Christmas party this year! All of the families were lined up in the hall to have their children visit with Santa and snap a quick picture. Tavin was so excited, he broke free from Brad, pushed his way through the crowd to the front of the line, and jumped into Santa's lap. Over and over he kept chanting, "I want a Dinco Helgidoctor. I want a Dinco Helgidoctor!" Translation: Dinoco Helicopter. Santa and the entire crowd were very patient with the line cutter.

Jingle Bells

2007-12-05T08:53:00.000-08:00

This is the first year that Tavin understands Christmas, and he understands it WELL. Santa is no longer the cartoon character "Te-Ta" of last year, but the source of a seemingly never ending wealth of hyper-active energy. He has been bouncing off the walls for the past week. He wakes up between 4am and 5am every morning to ask, "Is it Christmas time yet??!!" He is too excited to go back to sleep, so Brad has to get up and plug in the Christmas tree. Then, they must count down the days. Tavin asks "How many days till Christmas." Brad explains to him there are 20 (or however many there are), and Tavin responds with, "No, there are four!" Tavin demands that he selects the music when we are in the car. The only acceptable songs are "Jingle Bells" or "Jingle Bell Rock." Just prior to the last note of the song, Tavin screams from the back of the van, "Jingle Bells! Jingle Bells!" So over, and over, and over it plays. I wonder how long he can keep up this level of excitement and energy before he burns out!

2004-2007 Slideshow

2007-11-30T20:00:00.001-08:00

Make a slide show, scrapbook, or ecard

Tavin is Three!

2007-11-25T14:49:00.000-08:00

Tavin had his third birthday this past week. To celebrate he had a "Cars" themed birthday party. He was quite thrilled with the idea of opening presents. So much so, that he didn't even want to eat any of his birthday cake. He blew out the candles and went straight back to presents. It wasn't until about 8 pm that night (when he was supposed to get into bed) that he remembered the cake and was determined to get a taste! These are some pictures of the excitement. My favorite one is where Brad is holding Oliver and looking at Tavin's new book with him. The look of disdain on Oliver's face is classic. Can a baby really be jealous???? Anyway, it made for a funny picture.

Tavin Has a Girlfriend...

2007-11-11T15:40:00.000-08:00

Savannah Walker, the girl who has stolen Tavin's heart. Tavin's best friend is Savannah Walker, a girl in his nursery class. They absolutely love playing together. No one can make Tavin laugh like she does. It is adorable to watch them hug and cuddle each other. One day when I was driving Savannah home after a play date, she burst into tears in the backseat. Her mom, Amanda, and I tried to console her and asked her why she was crying. She replied, "We broke up! Tavin and me broke up!" It was the funniest, cutest thing I have ever heard. I am happy to say that they have "stayed friends," and still have regular playdates.

All Hallows Eve

2007-11-11T15:04:00.001-08:00

We spent a low-key Halloween at Grandma Jacobsen's house helping her hand out candy to the various miscreants that came to her door. Tavin joined in the fun as we took him trick-or-treating up and down her street. This was a first for Tavin, and after we left the third house or so, he looked down at his bucket and then looked up at us and said, "Wow! We are going to get a lot of candy tonight!" Although he was dressed as a scurvy pirate (2nd year now), Tavin was a most polite trick-or-treater, offering the neighbors compliments and observations such as, "What a beautiful home!" and, after nonchalantly strolling into one of the larger homes, "Look at those stairs!" For those of you who don't know, we are renting a house without stairs (although we have a pretty nifty wheelchair ramp) so stairs never cease to amaze Tavin. Oliver was also a pirate, but squandered his pillaging time passed out on Grandmas bed.

Bloggin'

2007-11-11T14:56:00.000-08:00

We decided to start this blog to help all of our family and friends keep each other up to date without bombarding everyone with massive amounts of emails featuring numerous pictures of our two boys. This way, you can check-in on us when or if you want, and we don't have to bother anyone!