Happy Birthday Robyn

Happy Birthday to You
Happy Birthday to You
Happy Birthday Dear Robyn
Happy Birthday to YOU!

Happy Mother's Day

I absolutely LOVE Mother's Day! As my kids get older, it gets even better. This year was the best yet. I was allowed to sleep in by my sweet children. Upon waking up, I was treated to some wonderful gifts. The girls wrote the things they love about me on a paper, colored it and put it in a frame. It was very touching. Here is what they wrote:

Mom, I love you because you because:
You love me.
You buy me clothes.
You feed me.
You tuck me in at night.
I love you so much, you are great
Love, Megan

Mom, I love you because:
You love me.
You cook foe me.
You buy me stuff.
You take care of me.
You work hard every day.
You're the best Mom ever.
You help me when I'm sick.
You take me on trips.
You take me to the movies.
Love, Madison

Since Chris had been at work until 4:00 AM he was not able to get up and help them cook me breakfast. They LOVE to make me breakfast in bed, so they poured me a big bowl of my favorite cereal, Cinnamon Toast Crunch and a big tall glass of milk, complete with a green
(my favorite color) straw. It was too cute. At noon we went to Church. I guess the teacher in Relief Society had called and asked Chris to write a message about me that could be shared in Relief Society. He, and the kids each wrote a beautiful message about me! It made me so proud to his wife and their mom! It is amazing how words from the heart are the best gift of ALL! However, Chris did have something else up his sleeve. Last week we had gone to the Jazz playoff game. It brought back so many fun memories of days past, so Chris purchased me and his mom and dad tickets to the game on Wed. My sister bought tickets for Dave and Mandy for their birthday. Sharon wasn't feeling well, and the game was really late, so Chris came instead of his mom. We had a GREAT time. It was a really good game, and I think Chris loved being there with his Dad! We are headed to the Western Conference Finals. GO JAZZ!!

Happy Birthday Dave

Happy Birthday to You
Happy Birthday to You
Happy Birthday Dear David
Happy Birthday to YOU!

Happy Birthday Monroe and Dexter

Today we are celebrating two special birthdays. Both of our dogs were born on the same day, eight years apart. Monroe was our "wedding gift" ten years ago. We picked him up the day we returned from our honeymoon. Dexter joined our family two years ago after his first family decided that they did not want a dog and made him spend his days locked in the laundry room. It wasn't until I was looking at the papers for both dogs one day and realized that they shared the same birthday. The kids really wanted to have a dog party, but this was NOT the week to add something else to the schedule. We will have to postpone the party, but we will have one, so, if you have a dog you can plan on getting an invitation.......Winnie, Lobo, Patches, Molly, Lizzy, Sophie, Brownie and Bear (the Chicago Dogs!) and any others I may have forgotten. David has told me about a great dog park by suicide rock in Salt Lake, so we may have the party there! The kids want to make a special dog cake. I am sure we can find a recipe online! Happy Birthday PUPS!!!

Why I HATE...Okay STRONGLY Dislike Easter Egg Hunts

Have you ever thought about the messages we send to kids when we plan and encourage them to participate in an Easter Egg Hunt? Yes, they look all cutesy carring a basket, dressed all in the Easter best, but does their behavior match their look?
Seriously think about this. We adults spend countless hours (not to mention money) buying assorted candy, prizes, stickers, and even coins to stuff into an obscene amount of plastic eggs. We then lock the kids inside, or away from the hiding area while we scatter the eggs all around. Once this task is complete, we line the children up and prepare them for the "hunt"
Now, if you have ever attended a "public" easter egg hunt you will clearly see all of the following taking place. First, the parents are all pushing their way to the front of the line so their child can be the first one to cross the ropes when the whistle blows. Once they have secured a perfect starting point, they protect their spot by by swaying the hips back and forth, eying other parents in order to prevent another child from standing within "egg's" reach of their child. If you are lucky enough to get up close. you can hear the skill drill training session that the parents are giving their eager hunter. The are reviewing the strategy for getting the MOST eggs. Run really fast to the middle of the field and then start picking up all the eggs you can find, making sure you are faster than everyone else. The goal again, is to get as MANY as you can find. Push, shove, take from other children's baskets, it is a race, and none of this matters.
Then there are the parents that can't just send their little darlings out on their own. Instead of just walking by them to ensure their safety, the parents are snagging up all of the eggs and their two year old suddenly has the biggie size Easter basket overflowing with eggs, all greedily snatched by Mom and/or Dad.
Now comes the best part of the entire activity. The END! two to three, maybe five minutes, if you are lucky, the hunting has ceased. There are about 5 giant bully sized kids (who are probably in the wrong age group) with baskets overflowing with eggs. then there are the few kids who have a repectable amount of eggs, but are crying because they wanted MORE, and lastly there are the kids with one or two eggs, or maybe even NONE! A few of those kids are HYSTERICAL. Then there is the ONE child who found the lucky egg that had the prize ticket. It is usually the most spoiled rotton child that doesn't even want the giant easter bunny basket.
So, what do you think? Are you up for an Easter Egg hunt? I took the kids to one that they hosted at the resort were were staying in Arizona. My kids had fun. Madison got 4 eggs, all purple, Meg got 3 eggs, and Mason got 2. They had fun, and we had an interesting discussion about kids and behavior following the hunt. I guess that is what they get for having a principal MOM. I was proud of them.

Megan and Madison's Baptism

Saturday February 3rd, 2007 Megan and Madison were baptised and confirmed as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. They were baptised by Chris and confirmed by Grandpa Sansom. It was a very special day. Megan and Madison looked beautiful and all grown up in their white dresses with matching sweaters. They were so excited and ready to be baptised members of the Church. We spent a lot of time talking about what it means to be baptised and how to recognize the feelings of the Holy Ghost. There were 7 kids getting baptised this day. Meggy and Maddie were the first ones. It was so neat to see all of the wonderful people who were there to show their love and support.

Grandma, Mimi, Dave and Mandy came. Nana and Paul came, Grams and Grandpa flew in from their trip in Arizona, Susan and Manu came, Aunt Melody was there, the Crumps, the girls' primary teachers were there, both their 1st and 2nd grade teachers Mrs. Griffiths and Miss Viehweg, their old pre-school teacher Kendra, Trell, Kim, their piano teacher, The Bishop and Lilian, The Reiers, Wilkeys, Christenson's, the Wrights, and many other friends and neighbors. It was so neat to see the girls and Daddy all dressed in white. After the confirmation, we invited everyone to Chick-A- Rama for lunch. It was a perfect day to celebrate 2 PERFECT girls!

The Birthday Shirt

I am not sure when the tradition started, but Grandma is always known for her "holiday" apparel. One year she purchased this stunning white blouse with presents all over it. We named it the birthday shirt, and as each of our birthdays came around, she would show up wearing that shirt. It doesn't matter the season, or if we are in town, we can always count on Grandma celebrating our special day wearing the "birthday shirt" Thanks Grandma for having such a fun tradition. Here is the girls with Grandma, and of course.....THE BIRTHDAY SHIRT!

The Birthday Girls' Dinner

It is no secret that the girls' favorite food is SHRIMP! They always look forward to having their birthday dinner at the Red Lobster. We went there, but the wait was 2 hours, so we tried to come up with a better plan. Mommy reminded them of the Tepanyaki, a Japanese restaurant where they entertain you with a fabulous show while they cook your meal right at your table. Once the girls realized they could order SHRIMP, they were convinced. We had a fabulous meal. We all had shrimp and fried rice. YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY! MAson was so cute. He asked the chef if he learned his tricks from a clown.

The Roller Rink BASH!!

Megan and Madison chose to have their 8th birthday party at the local roller rink. They invited 16 friends to join them in celebrating. It was a VERY snowy evening, but 12 of their frinds were able to make it. They all had a blast. The roller rink allows skates, blades, or scooters, so there was something for everyone to do. We ate pizza and pop, and the girls' favorite "cheesecake" cake. We skated, skated, and then opened gifts. We all had a great time. Mommy and Daddy had a fun time skating, and David and Mandy were the hit of the party. David and I each took turns leading the party train around the rink. Mason was a champ on his scooter. he cruised around the rink so fast it made Mommy NERVOUS! Everyone went home bruised and exhausted! The girls handed out party bags full of some fun gifts for their guests. Grandma, Mimi, Nana and Paul were all there to cheer us on each time we circled the rink. Thanks for making this such a FUN birthday. Oh, and the girls said that the huge snowfall was for their birthday wish! I can't believe my babies are eight!!

Happy 8th Birthday Megan and Madison

Happy 8th Birthday to You,
Happy 8th Birthday to You,
Happy 8th Birthday Megan and Madison
Happy 8th Birthday to YOU!

I love you GIRLS!!!

Happy Birthday UTAH

Today is Utah's 111th birthday!
Happy Birthday to You
Happy Birthday to You
Happy Birthday dear UTAH
Happy Birthday to You

Teddy Bear Factory

Grams gave the girls each their very own little bear factory. It came complete with bears needing stuffing, a little stuffing machine, bag of stuffing, and all the tools a little bear maker might need. They had fun making the bears. They made a white bear for Mason and a fluffy pink bear for me! It was so nice that the first ones they made they lovingly gave away. I am going to have to look online for some more little bears for them to earn. Thanks Grams!! Maybe when you get back, there will be a little bear for YOU!

Our Yearly Tradition...The Nutcracker Ballet at Capitol Theater

Every year since the girls turned 4 Mimi has taken us to the Nutcracker at Capitol Theater. The girls have really looked forward to this tradition. We always dress up and have a nice dinner and then spend the evening downtown at the theater. I decided that since Mason was four now, we would invite him to join us. Well......that was not a very good idea. The first clue should have been the fact that he did not have his nap. We went to dinner, and I ended up taking him to the car because he didn't want to sit in his chair. We talked about his behavior, and I thought things would improve. Well, on the way to the theater he fell asleep. When we got there he woke up. We barely made it into the lobby and he was throwing a fit. Since Chris was at work, Mason and I went home and came back 2 hours later to pick up Mimi, Grandma, and the girls. The girls were so excited when they got to the car. They were proud that this year they stayed awake for the whole ballet! There was a new "bufoon" contraption this year and they loved telling me about it! I was sad that I missed the show, but happy the girls were able to see it. hopefully Mason will make it next year. Maybe I will line up a babysitter...just in case!

Watch Out...Meggy and Maddy are on the Road!

Santa brought the girls these darling pink motor scooters. They are sooooo cute, especially with the girls driving them. It didn't take long for the girls to learn how to control them. There were only a few minor crashes! We are lucky to have many paved trails all throughout our neighborhood for the girls to drive on. They have had fun "driving" to their friend's houses to pick them up, and they even drove themselves to piano lessons. The scooters were a HUGE surprise from Santa. Mommy was just as surprised as the GIRLS!! That crazy SANTA!!! He sure made the girls' Christmas!

Run, Run, as Fast as You Can, You Can't Catch Me I'm the Gingerbread Man

The kids wanted to make a gingerbread man at Grandma's house. They mixed up the batter and got it all ready and put it in the oven to cook. Madison was afraid it would run away, so she sat by the oven waiting for it to bake. We decided to go outside and sit in the hot tub, but Grandma kept watch on the oven. When we came inside the gingerbread man was cooling on the stove. We only left the room for a few seconds when the kids noticed he was GONE! He had run away. They searched all through the house and finally found him hiding on a tray in the dining room. We were so relieved we found him. We took a quick picture and then the kids divided him up to eat. Mason had the head, and the girls each took a leg, so he couldn't run away again! What fun! I must say, I had a bit of him too, and he was wonderful!

Christmas Morning!!!

The kids were so excited. As the girls came down the stairs they saw the motor scooters that Santa had brought! They were then trying to tell Mason to come and see his "bike without training wheels". He took one look at the little 12" bike and began to get upset. He said...."That is not a big boy bike. I asked Santa for a big bike. Why did Santa bring that...then he sat on the floor and put his head in his lap crying". We finally encouraged him to begin opening a few presents, and it became worse. The girls are always playing with dolls, so Santa must have thought Mason would like to have a boy doll of his own to play with. Well.......how WRONG was Santa. He turned to the girls and said, "this is not for me, this is for girls" I told him, no, Santa put your name on it, and it is a boy doll. That did not convince him. He set the doll aside and said "why did Santa bring me this?" His next few gifts were much better. He loved the scooter and the dinosaur that ROARS. Later in the day, once he got on the bike he realized it was just his size, and he fell in love with Quinn, the baby doll once the girls started playing with their dolls. All in all, it was rather humorous. The girls, and Mommy loved the Digi Glamour Makover set and we all had a ball playing the Sing-Song game on the Playstation. Mimi, Grandma, Dave and Mandy all came for breakfast. We had Sausage Strata and Overnight Cinnamon Pull-Aparts! We then went to Grams house where the girls go a darling sweater and their own build-a-bear factory. Mason got the Play and Sing piano. We completed the night at the Evan's Family Christmas party. It was a wonderful day filled with excitement, gifts, family and LOVE!! We all fell into bed and slept really well. Oh, and the beautiful RED sofa's in the pictures are my Christmas gift! Now I need to re-decorate the family room.

Twas the Night Before Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas came and went at the Sansom's house. We went to Nana's and then Grandmas to exchange and open gifts. The kids all received wonderful things. Nana gave the girls a porcalin doll and Mason a set of Army guys. Grandma gave all of the kids new pajamas and ski helmets! Mimi gave the girls season ski passes to Park City and Mason a green sled. They were all so excited and wound up! We went for a short drive to see the Christmas lights, and then headed home to bed. Daddy spent the night playing video games and then went to work. He missed out on all of the fun! The girls went to bed really quickly, but Mason was another story. I am not sure what time he finally stopped chattering. While Chris was at work, Santa came. He said the cookies and milk were all gone and Santa had left all the gifts in the living room. The kids waited until about 7:30 AM to wake us up! We had an exciting time opening the gifts. I will save that for another post!

Christmas Card 2006

Since we were out of town the beginning of December, and I had over 100 gifts for my employees to get ready, the Christmas cards were the one thing that I had to wait to send out. I figure better late than never! Here is the picture and the message that I sent.

Dear Family and Friends,

2006 has been a wonderful year for our family. I always enjoy reading the newsletters we receive from others, so I thought I would include one with our cards this year.

Megan and Madison will celebrate their 8th birthday on January 11th. They are excited for their baptism. They are in the second grade and doing very well. They both scored in the top 6% of the entire district on the end of level tests. They are currently reading at a 5th grade level. They love school and love to learn. They are on a mini dance team and are becoming quite the dancers. They are also taking piano lessons, and love to sing and play. They are still taking classes from Up With Kids and the play this year is High School Musical. They are the best of friends and are always together.

Mason just turned four last month, but he tells everyone he is five! He wants to do everything his sisters do. If you tell him he is getting big, he says, “Yes, now I can go on Splash Mountain. I guess we had better plan a trip to Disneyland. He attends the Sunshine Preschool 2 days a week, and spends his days hanging out with Daddy. He has a little friend who lives 2 doors down that he loves to play with too. He is very athletic and can throw and catch a football quite well. He is looking forward to playing soccer in February. He is definitely a “little Chris”. He loves to talk and argue his point!

Chris has taken a new career path. He is working for Fidelity Investments. He works 4 days per week from 5:00 PM to 3:30 AM. He seems to enjoy his job, but he especially enjoys being home with Mason. He has been keeping himself busy with projects in our home. He put tile in our entryway, dining area, and kitchen. He picked new carpet for the entire house, and helped to move everything so it could be installed. His next project is changing the lighting in our house. He still enjoys playing video games, and has even begun teaching the kids how to play. He also loves to tinker with the cars. I tease him about all of the things he has done to the van. I think I drive the “fanciest” mini van around! I guess that is better than him fixing up some sport’s car!

This has been a very busy year for me too. In July I was appointed as the Principal of East Midvale Elementary. It is a school of about 600 students, right near my Mom’s house. It has been a lot of work, but I absolutely LOVE it! The girls come to school with me, and it is so fun to be there together all day. They love to ride the bus to Grandma’s house after school. Last January I set a goal to run a marathon. I am proud to say; on June 3, 2006 I accomplished that goal in 4 hours, 40 minutes and 22 seconds. I continue to run, when I can find the time, and have run 2 half marathons and plan to do a few more. I don’t really have much time for a hobby, but when I find the time, I enjoy making cards, reading, and writing grants. I love spending time with the kids. Although we have a hectic, busy schedule, I treasure the times we have together.

We are looking forward to 2007 being an exiting year, full of new experiences. As our Christmas card says, we are sending holiday hugs. I have created a blog to share some of the highlights of our life. You can find it at the following link. www.sansoms.blogspot.com