The Jesperson Family

Saturday, October 25, 2008

The Most Anticipated Party of the Year...

Matt still keeps in touch with his buddies from High School, and luckily most of them still live nearby. We try getting all the couples together as often as we can, and since no one ever wants to miss the Cooks famous Halloween Bash, it's a great time to catch up with everyone. With all the friends and fun, we truly look forward to it every year. The theme this year was "What I wanted to be when I grew up," and some of the outfits were hilarious. Thanks JR & Andrea for another great party.

Matt and I dressed up as "Nacho Libre" and "Ramses" (those are true authentic masks from Mexico!)

Too much to handle!! LOL!

Dave & Kendra were Donald and Ivana Trump

Marcus and Lisa came as John McCain and Sarah Pallin.

Andrea was a pregnant MOTAB singer (love the dress), and JR was that creepy guy from that scary movie that I can't remember the name of. =)

Al was Indiana Jones and Ashley was Gwen Stephani

Ben and Melissa came as an overweight OBGYN and his ready-to-deliver-at-any-moment patient.

Ethan was Walker Texas Ranger and Rachel was Gem.

Jules was a Mac Counter make-up Artist and Justin was Superman (I love his pose in this picture)

Friday, October 24, 2008

Jamestown Halloween Party...

We went to the Courtyard at Jamestown Halloween Party last week. The kids had such a fun time. Courtyard at Jamestown is an Assisted Living Community here in Provo, and I think it was more fun to watch the seniors watch the kids. It was so great to be able to bring them a little bit of happiness for this Halloween. I think we're going to have to make this a tradition!

The "Haunted House." (There is no way the kids would have gone in there without Matt).

Inside the haunted house they had a little box with the illusion of a talking head. The kids sat there and watched it for like 5 minutes. Kate came out saying, "It's so silly." I think she was trying to convince herself. (Isn't the back of her costume too cute, I LOVE it!)

Fishing for goodies.

Look Mommy, I caught one!

Playing ring toss.

Enjoying chocolate and trying to figure out what this "prize" was she just won.

On the cake walk...

...Kate won first.

But luckily Tanner won the turn right after.

Doing the "jitter-bug." Love these two!

Monday, October 20, 2008

Barnyard Boo!

A couple of weeks ago, we were able to go to Thanksgiving Point's Barnyard Boo with some cousins in the area. It was a lot of fun and the kids had such a great time. I didn't bring my camera, but when we went to the pony rides, I had to pull out the trusty old camera phone. I'm glad I had that at least. It was funny to see the difference in my kid's personalities...

Kate saw the ponies from across the way and immediately wanted to go see them. I put her on the horse and she was so excited, grinning from ear to ear (I tried to get a picture, but the delay on my cell phone camera is pretty lag).

Tanner also saw the ponies from across the way, and wanted to go see them, but when I put him on the horse, he immediately wanted to get down.

Tanner is my very cautious boy,

While Kate is very adventurous, sometimes a little too much so.

She LOVED riding the pony, and was NOT very happy to get off.

Tanner kind of sorta enjoyed the ride towards the end,

but was VERY HAPPY to be finished.

Enjoying a hay ride, and yep, Kate wouldn't sit in my lap. =)

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Wild Weekend

With a few snows having dusted the upper Wasatch, I was anxious to get out and climb at least two more rock routes before winter closes in: Sundial Peak and Mt. Olympus. For this weekend, we decided Guert's Ridge on Mt. Olympus would be the best because we had the ability to watch the storms come in and adjust our climbing route accordingly.

Driving to the trailhead, the skies were heavy. When we parked at the trailhead there was a very suspicious and talkative fellow who immediately inquiried how far we were going and how hard it would be, etc. It seemed a bit odd, but I thought little of it. While walking up the trail, we notice a second person sitting in the rocks with no apparent purpose for being there. Immediately we thought, "Oh crap, he's a spotter who notifies his buddy in the parking lot when to stop breaking into cars and act innocent." Mt. Olympus has been known to have these break-in problems in the past, so we took the time to descend the trail, move my car down to Foothill Drive and hope it was safe. Turns out, at the end of the day the car was safe. Maybe we're just paranoid. :-)

Storms crossed the Salt Lake Valley all day long, but incredibly, the storms would split and the southern portion of the storm would hit Big/Little Cottonwood and the northern portion would hit downtown SLC. Other than some strong winds that we occasionally dealt with, we never got touched. Amazing!

Guert's Ridge was a fantastic climb. I would highly recommend it. There is one portion of the route rated at 5.5, but it felt easier. The rest is 3rd/4th class and low 5th class. Lots of fun, fast climbing and two moderate rappels with great views.

Thursday, September 11, 2008

September 11, 2001

We will NEVER forget! God Bless the USA!

Tapio...

Tapio has been such a fun addition to our family. Everyday we go and play outside so Tapio can get his wiggles out. The kids love it. And I have to say we all do. It gets us moving, whether we're taking him for a walk, chasing him around the front yard, or laying fetch. We love it!

Tanner loves to play "chase" and "freeze tag" with Tapio.

Tanner and Tapio playing tug-a-war...

Teasing him with his toy...

Taking a break next to Tapio's bed. Is that not adorable? Tanner loves his little dog!

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Potty Trained!!

...and so proud of his Thomas underpants!

This is old news, but I thought this picture was funny. Tanner became potty trained this summer. It was a long process, but he finally got it one day and has been doing great now for months! But, not before a few funny stories:

1. The first day I put Tanner in his underpants, he had 5 accidents. Two of which occurred like this. He would go outside and go potty in the grass, but with his pants on. After the second time he did it, I asked him why on earth he kept going outside to go to the bathroom? His response..."Daddy told me I could wee-wee in the grass."

2. Pulling Matt out of his church classes 6 times in 2 hours!

3. Being at an outdoor wedding reception and pulling his pants down in front of EVERYONE and trying to go potty right in the middle of the reception. And, I wasn't even the one that caught him. I was talking to a friend and turned around to introduce her to my Tanner and saw a lady running over to him, as he turns around a faces everyone with his pants down, to tell him what he was doing was inappropriate.

We're proud of you Tanner!

Like Father, Like Son...

This is the scene in our front yard every time Matt mows the lawn:

He's his daddy little shadow.

Such a hard worker!!

My friend Anne...

When I was in elementary school, my best friend was Anne. She lived just a couple blocks away and we would hang out almost daily. We were in love with New Kids on the Block (who wasn't at that age), and would watch a video that Anne had recorded off TV of one of their concert's as often as we could. When we were in fifth grade, her family moved to California. We've gotten together a couple of times since then, with the most recent being just a few weeks ago. How fun that we both have 2 kids now, and they had a fun afternoon together as we were catching up.

Here is me and Anne!

Here's our babies Vanessa and Kate.

Here's the four of them, Vanessa, Kate, Tanner, and Lorien. It think it's so funny that this was as much cooperation as I was getting from the kids until I mentioned that we would have popsicles after I got one good picture.

Man, how a little thing can make such a BIG difference!

Archive Tannerisms...

"Mom, what's for dinner?" We are having blueberry muffins and omelets. "Omelets? Do I like omelets?"

"Mom, come look at the puzzle I just did. You are going to think it's amazing!"

Tanner, please stop picking your nose. "Mom I can't, I pick my nose before I go to bed and wipe it on my bed so the booger monster can come and get it. He only eats boogers, not people, so I'm not afraid of the booger monster." Oh really, where do you put them. "I'll show you..." And sure enough, there were boogers wiped on his mattress. I have NO idea where this came from.

"Mom, have you heard the news, spring is almost here!"

I asked Tanner what we should name our new baby brother and he has said multiple times, "Cookie Joy."

I had to set the timer a few days ago for Tanner to come eat breakfast. When the timer went off, this was our conversation...

(Me): Tanner, the timer went off, please come eat breakfast.

(Tanner): "Ughhhh, I want to kill it."

(Me): Kill what?

(Tanner): I want to kill the timer!

**When I asked him where he had heard the word "kill" he reminded me that the day before I was running around the house saying I had to kill the spiders because I don't like them. This makes this conversation all the more funny to me!

(Tanner): "Mommy, can I go play outside."

(Me): Not today Tanner, it is so, so windy outside. you'll blow away!

(Tanner): "Mom, (in a really annoyed voice) I won't blow away, I'm not a balloon."

(Me): Tanner, if you don't eat your dinner, I'm going to take you home to bed.

(Tanner): "If you put me in bed, I'll jump up, run out the door, and just come back to Nana's."

(Me): Then I'll just have to lock the doors.

(Tanner): "You'll lock Nana's doors too?"

(Me): Yep.

(Tanner): "No, don't say those words."

(While changing his diaper) "Mom, is my poop white?" No Tanner, why would you think your poop was white? "Oh, because I was eating the snow."

(To a friend of mine who visited the nursery a few weeks ago) "Did you know I am the only 3 year old in here!" (Poor Tanner, turned 3 in Feb, will be in nursery until the end of the year).

"Mom, I'll say the prayer...In the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen." (He knows how to say a whole prayer, I think he just wanted to eat).

"Mom, we sure say a lot of prayers!"

(Kate crying...) "Kate stop being so sassy!" (Kate still crying...) "Kate, stop being sassy! I mean it! I'm serious!"

Last week the snow finally melted off our front lawn and I told Tanner I was so excited because spring was coming and it was going to get warmer and we'd be able to play outside. Saturday, it snowed really lightly, and Sunday morning, I hear Tanner in his room sadly exclaiming, "Oh no mommy, spring has already gone!"

"Mom, could we go to Old McDonald's?" You mean McDonald's? "Yes, McDonald's, and get some chicken nuggets?" Tanner, we have chicken nuggets here at home. "Whatever!" (I actually asked him to repeat himself, I could not believe that this was his response, I was laughing so hard).

(After jumping off the couch and hurting his ankle) "Mom, I need some goldfish." "You do?" "Yes, the goldfish will go into my tummy and go down to my ankle and make it feel better."

"Kate, you are frustrating me!

"Mom, when I wake up, will I be 3?" Yes Tanner, tomorrow is your birthday. "Am I going to turn 3 in my bed?" Yes, I guess you will.

Today, Matt asked Tanner if he turned 3 in his bed. His response, "Yeah I did, well wait, (pause), no I turned 3 in your bed." (Yes, Tanner still comes into our bed EVERY night, at least he thought that through)

Tanner do you feel older? "No mom, I'm still little, I'm just 3."

"Mom, you got these on ebay didn't you?"

"Mom, I Love You! You're my big red dog!" Thanks Tanner. (Watch Clifford?)

Looking at pictures from Cabo)..."Mommy, I'm naked!" Tanner, you aren't naked, you are just in your swimming suit with out a shirt. "No, look, you can see my two nipples, I'm naked!"

Tanner knows that when we cross the street, he has to hold my hand. One day I was holding Kate and carrying groceries, so my hands were full. I told Tanner to grab my purse and hold onto while we crossed the road. He said, "Oh that's okay mom, I'll hold my own hand!" And he did, he grabbed his hand and walked across the street!

Tanner stop picking your nose. "I can't mom." Why? "Because, my boogers are quite expensive, people want to buy them."Tanner's new favorite food is "Mommy's very yucky smoothie." (I make a protein shake some mornings and one morning Tanner asked if he could have some. I told him he didn't want any because it was mommy's very yucky smoothie. He still wanted to try it, so I gave him a sip...he LOVED it! Now he asks for "Mommy's very yucky smoothie" a few times times a day).

"Dang it, I don't want to eat my breakfast, I want to play with my toys."

Tanner, look at this cute costume with the tutu (we were looking at friends blogs). "Do they toot mommy?"

Tanner, you're a good boy, it's just time to go to bed. "Noooo, I'm a bad boy. I'm a very bad boy." A few minutes later..."I'm a very very sad boy."

To Uncle Cole on the phone..."No, I'm not going trick-or-treating, I wouldn't go to bed, and mommy said I would be in trouble if I didn't go to bed, so now I'm in trouble."

I was talking to a friend about Kate's labor and mentioned when my water broke. Tanner came over to me, and asked, "Mommy, were you sad? When your water broke, were you sad?"

Hey Tanner who are you talking to? (Holding a pretend phone up to his ear) "Oh mom, I'm talking to bulldozer." Oh yeah, what's he doing? "He's bulldozing."

(At Preschool)What shape is this flag? (Tanner)"It's a rectangle, just like the BYU flag, GO BYU!!"

"Hey mom, look over there, that cactus is broken. We need some tape so we can fix it."

While we were saying prayers, Tanner whispered, "Daddy, bless the Mickey Mouse Playhouse Concert." Arms were folded and he still had his eyes closed, he's pretty excited about the concert this week, lol!

"Kate, don't touch that, it's dangerous."Mom, I can't, I'm busy."

"Mommy, what's this?" It's a fly swatter. "Oh, what do you do with it?" You kill bugs. "I want to kill bugs." Ok, you can go outside and see if you can find any bugs to kill. (A few minutes later...)"Hey bugs, come here, I want to kill you."

Last week, Tanner started to call Matt's Dad "Papa John." Cute huh!

"Mommy, where are Grandma and Grandpa? Tanner, they went back to Texas. Noooo, Texas is too far away, can't they go to Arizona?"

"Grandma and Grandpa are you going back to Texas? Okay, Tanner go too, I'll get my shoes."

"Woah Mom, that was a big one. (Talking about the size of the poo-poos in his diaper-is this a sign I should be potty training?)."

"Kate, use your little boy voice, please"

"Okay Mommy, let's get to it." (This was Tanner's response when I told him what our plans were for the day).

"I smell poo-poos. Tanner did you go poo-poo. (Laughing) No, I just tooted."

"Mommy, I have a hungry-ache."

"Tanner are you tired? No, I am happy!"

"Mommy, can you draw me a bulldozer? Tanner, I don't know how. "Mommy, can you draw me a digger? Tanner, I don't know how to draw one of those either. Oh come on Mommy, will you please try."

"Mommy, my diaper is full."

"Mommy, be careful!" I was putting dishes away, and this was his response to hearing the dishes banging.

We were sitting in Sacrament meeting and Tanner looked up Matt's nose and audibly asked, "Daddy, where are you're big boogers?

"Tanner, what sound does the letter "R" make. (After a brief pause) "Arghhhh Matey." (We were going over ABC's and the way they sound and he was doing a really good job, so when I got to "R" and this was his response, it caught me completely off gaurd, I was laughing so hard)

Hey Nick, get off your computer and come over here and eat. One, two, three...(I wonder where he got that from?)

Tanner, would you like PB toast or Mighty Bites for Breakfast? "No Mom, I want to be sassy."

"Kate is cute. Mom and Dad are awesome. And Tanner is soooooo handsome!"

Archive Kate-isms

"I'm a pretty one."

(Matt) Are you?

"Yes, I'm a pretty little girl."

"I'm going to go get married in the temple mom."

(Mary) Who are you going to marry Kate?

"Tanner."

(Mary) I'm sorry honey, you can't marry your brother.

"Oh, well then I am going to marry these beautiful flowers."

(Mary) You can't marry the flowers either Kate.

"Why?"

(Mary) Well, flowers don't last forever, someday you'll find a boy that you can marry in the temple forever.

"Oh, okay."

Kate, would you like some lunch? "No, but thank you though."

"Mom these flowers are so beautiful, can I sleep with them in my bed tonight?"

I asked Kate what we should name our new baby brother and without hesitation she responded, "Sister."

(After getting Kate dressed in pink for the day) "Look at me, I'm pinkerella!"

(After Tanner threw a fit) "Mom, Tanner is frustrated."

"Mommy, Tanner is being a very bad boy."

(During the Sacrament) "Mom can I have a book?" Not until after the sacrament, during the sacrament, we think about Jesus. "Can I have a book about Jesus?"

"Mom, why are you giving the counter a blessing?" (She was watching me make bread, and I was shaping the loaves and this was her question to me when she saw me putting oil on the counter)