Halloween

I know that is this is late but here are pictures from Halloween. I have others from the ward trunk or treat but I can't find my camera right now. These were taken by Brandee.

*Of course they are out of order but enjoy.


Bowen and Aiden staying warm while watching their siblings run door to door.

I love this picture of Aiden. Such beautiful blue eyes. He is just so much fun and happy all the time.

Trying not to smile at Aunt Brandee just because she is trying to get him to look at the camera and smile.

All the kids after trick or treating. Brookelyn was batgirl. Kira was supergirl. Aiden was a giraffe. (The same giraffe costume that we bought for Brookelyn.) Brandee's kids: Lukas was batman. MaKynzee was an Irish princess. Bowen was a spider. Brandee made all her kids costumes, I am just not that cool.

The only picture of me. It got cold fast.

Aiden looking at the camera but not smiling.

Bowen just chilling.

I love the attitude of Kira. I also think it is funny that supergirl couldn't (didn't want to) carry her own candy bag so the princess carried it for her. My girlie is a turkey.

This was the first house we went to. When the kids rang the doorbell there was no spider. As they waited this spider dropped from the roof, touching Brookelyn in the back of the head and Kira and Brookelyn screamed and ran down the stairs. Once the first scare was over the girls loved it. They still are talking about that spider. Brandee and I just stood there laughing. It was awesome. We are good friends with this family and the girls have crushes on the boys (they are two of Arik's young men).

The group right before heading out. Here we go!!

We are off heading to the first house.

It was fun. I am glad that Brandee was able to come with me. Arik was out of town at training. Overall it was fun and we are still eating candy.

We are in the process of laying tile in the kitchen and dining room and it is awful. The final outcome better be awesome or this will really stink.

School and updates

Alright, it has been forever since I last posted. I feel like this is first time I have had to catch my breath and actually spend some time on here to update.

So here are updates about out family:

Arik- working hard and doing everything he can to provide for our family. For about 6 weeks Arik and I only saw each other for about 8 days. It was crazy and he has been trying to make up for it by getting up with Aiden at night. He is also trying to get the young men more involved and has tried to make it to one sporting event or band thing or choir something of every one of the young men so that they know he cares. It amazes me to watch him try to come up with ideas to get the young men involved or to be creative in activities and such. He is an awesome Young Men's President.

Christina- I honestly don't know how in the world I am surviving. I am a full time grad student, teach two classes online, coach volleyball, help teach a co-op preschool with Kira, and am a full time mom. I was stupid for thinking I could do it all. I have realized that I am not super mom. (Disappointing I know). Some nights we have sandwiches and we eat dinner after 7 pm more nights then before 7. On positive notes, I am really liking school. As of right now I am getting better grades then I ever got in Rexburg. I am much more focused (it must be the age). Teaching is going good. I love helping kids learn math and love when that light bulb comes on. What a great feeling. Volleyball is stressful and I am really considering if I want to continue next year but then I like the money (we use it for Christmas). AS for being a mom, well it is the greatest thing. Aiden is full of smiles while his sisters are full of comebacks and "I don't like yous." Life is great. I am grateful for Women's Conference last night. I feel as though Pres. Utidorf (I know I totally spelled that wrong) talked right to me and for me. If you would like to see some of the things I have been doing at school, click on this website that I created. Throughout the semester we will continue to add links. http://edtech2.boisestate.edu/christinajorgensen/502/502.html

Brookelyn- Started 1st grade. (Pictures below) She loves it. She is continuing to read more and more words. Arik and I have to be careful about what papers we leave around the house (especially at Christmas time). She is riding her bike to school as long as the weather keeps up. She didn't ride her bike to school on Friday because it was picture day and "It would mess up our hair mom if we rode our bikes because of our helmets." I had to smile. She started dance again. This time it is a cheer and hop hop class. She loves it. She is a great help with Aiden and Kira and is such a joy. I am already getting into power struggles with her (which I thought didn't start until 12).

Kira-She started Preschool (again pictures below). She is actually attending two preschools. One is with our friend's Lacey Allen's little girl and MaKynzee her cousin (Tuesday Thur Thursday). The other is the co-op one with the kids in her primary class (Monday). The rest of her class meets on Weds also but she is already in the other preschool. I wish I could be strong to say no but I couldn't so we joined the co-op. I only have to teach 12 times out of the year but right now that feels like so much time. Kira is now writing her name. To some that might seem like a little late but she has had a sister that was more than willing to write anything for her. She is pretty excited about it and feels like she is "catching up" to Brookelyn. She started dance this year and loves it. She is in a class with MaKynzee and really likes to go. She loves to play dress up and ride her bikes. She is now into wearing skirts everyday (thanks MaKynzee). She can't wear a skirt while riding a bike (mom's rule) so she goes through two outfits a day. We are working on that one. She feels like she is a personal translator for Aiden. Any time he cries or coos, she lets me know what he is saying. It is really cute. I remember when Kira would follow Brookeyn around all day (okay still does when Brookelyn gets home from school). I can just see Aiden following her around everywhere. She loves to say "I can't" the minute you ask her to do something. But then most of the time she goes and does it. It must a reflex or something. I just can't believe how big she is getting.

Aiden- my dear sweet Aiden. He never talks back to me and then only time he cries is when he is tired or hungry. We think he is getting teeth because he is stuffy and has a little fever and hasn't been sleeping well (also swollen gums) but who knows. He has the bluest eyes and the longest eyelashes. He is starting to get hair and it is looking blonde (gasp!!). It is red in the back but up top it is looking more like Arik's hair. Go figure. Brookelyn is a little concerned but keeps telling us that it will turn red. He can hold his own bottle and even tips it up so that he doesn't suck air. He loves to sit with his sisters in his bumbo while they play. One day he was sitting in his bumbo and Kira was playing in front of him with her dolls and doll house. She had to use the bathroom and left to go. Aiden screamed the second he couldn't see her until she came back out. As soon as she sat back down he was all smiles and even cooing and talking to her. He is the cutest baby ever. He is growing up and entering the really fun stages. What a joy he is.

Now for the pictures you have been waiting for:

Aiden being cute. More cuteness.


Kira and Aiden one morning. Kira just had to have a picture with him. I love the smiles on both their faces.

My sister got the greatest outfit for Aiden. It says Forest Captain. On Arik's birthday it was a little chilly and Arik asked if we could put him in the outfit. It was so cute. Of course I did it. I then had to take pictures.

More of our little "Forest Captain".

So happy!!

Couldn't choose a picture so I added them all. Sorry.

Kira's first day of Preschool. She looks so grown up.

She wanted me to curl her hair "Like Brookelyn". So I did. It was so cute.

Brookelyn's first day of 1st grade. She is looking so grown up.

She looks older than she is. Watch out mom and dad!!

Extra things that have happened.

Anything you can do I can do better.

I told Brookelyn that if she wanted to ride a bike to school with the kids on our street she had to learn to ride a two wheeler. I was not going to kill my daughter socially by having a 1st grader ride a bike with training wheels to school. So Brookelyn got on a two wheeler and rode it. So Kira comes up and asks me to take off her training wheels. I took them off and Kira was gone. We now are spending all our time on our bikes. We have gone on a family bike ride each night this week. Poor Aiden. I figured out a way to have him ride in the bike trailer and be somewhat comfortable and safe.

So here are pics of them on their bikes. Kira. Both of them.
Brookelyn

Kira getting on. She can even start by herself. It is crazy. They are growing up way too fast.

One other thing that happened while we were gone. Brookelyn lost three teeth. She now talks funny, which in the beginning we had lots of tears over but now she says it is because of her teeth.

One last note. In four days, I am going back to school to get my masters. I must be crazy but here I go.

There are three blogs so make sure you scroll down to read them all.

First ever Coople Reunion

Here is the reason we got together for four days in Altamont, UT. My great grandma and grandpa Coople. I learned a couple things while we were there. First, I am just 6 or 7 years younger than my dad's youngest cousins. Second, I am the oldest great grandchild and one of the few that really remember them. It was sad when some of my cousins were talking that they were not born or really young when they died. So many great memeroies of them. I am grateful that my parents made the trip to California every year so that I was able to get time with them. Here is my grandparents with their great grandchildren.

Brittany my cousin holding Aiden. We are still working on deholdatizing Aiden. For three weeks any time he made a noisem someone would pick him up. Sometimes it was just the fact that he was awake that people held him. We are slowly getting back to normal. He did sleep better while we were gone then he does now at home. How that worked out I will never know.

One night we had a squaredance caller come. This dance is the pancake polka. It was for the llittle people.

If you notice all the people in my family are wearing the same shirt. At another family reunion years ago my parents had shirts made for all of us. Well this time Brandee and I made them. Okay a store online made them but we designed them. The front says "{Property of the RD Bowen Family". My dad is David Richard. Then there is a stick person for every member of teh family. We are up to 18. 9 girls and 9 boys. They are positioned in little groups for the different families. Then on the back had our names and a soccer number for when we came into the family. My dad is 1, mom 2, me 3, and so on. RJ was number 18 since he joined the family three days earlier. We also had onies made for Bowen and Aiden with the same things. They were so darn cute. My grandma told me that I should of told her we were doing shirts and that we could have had shirts done for the whole family. I told her maybe next time.

Dad, Mom and Garrett each dancing with a little person.

If you look you can see Kira in the background. I was her partner.

Brookelyn dancing with Bryonna.

My grandma. They had each of the Coople children (three girls) talk about different things of Great grandma and grandpa.

Aunt Pauline

Aunt Barbara

The three girls.

One of the few times Aiden was not held. He actually sat there for a long time just watching people dance and walk around.

The whole Coople family. We are missing some but just a few. Maybe 6 or 7. Everyone else made it.

Kira being cute on the way to rock climbing.

Brookelyn, Aiden and Brittany. Brittany is going to make a great mom someday.

Brittany, Bryonna, and Brookelyn. My girls got favorites and then stuck to them the whole time.

Dad and son. I love this pic. Arik was able to make it to the reunion. We had not seen him in three weeks.

Aiden chilling. You know your a redneck when you through a kid and the stroller in teh back of a truck. HEHE. My uncle said that as we stopped and everyone was unloading.

It was a great time. I paintballed for the first time. Arik went pigeion shooting. The girls played thier hearts out. We played many games and stayed up way way too late each night. It was great. At the end, they asked for a volunter to be in charge of the next one. My dad of course spoke up. Then my mom turned to Brandee and I and said find a place. Great. It will be three years when we all get together again.

Thanks to Shannon for putting it all together.

Melanie's wedding

One of the big things that happened this summer was that my littlest sister got married. Her now husband is a great guy and we are so excited for her and her little family. The wedding was in Gilbert, Arizona. It is a 14 hour drive. Arik was on a fire and unable to make it. Luckily my cousins flew in early for our family reunion (another post) and they came with. Bryonna was just a great help. I don't know what I would have done without her. Also, my dad worked it out so that he could be in Salt Lake right before the wedding so that he could drive with me down in case I needed it. My family helps take such good care of me. I love them all so much. Here are pics from the wedding of course they are not in any order, that would be too time consuming so just enjoy.

Melanie has three kids and so she came up with this idea of a kids' table. It was the cutest thing ever. All Melanie's kids and thier cousins and RJ's (new husband) sister and brother were also at the table. He has a 6 year old sister and a 4 year old brother. They fit right in with Melanie's kids. More at the kids' table. Melanie did cupcakes for the kids after they cut the cake. So adults got cake and the kids got cupcakes.
This is what Aiden did the whole reception and clean up. What a great kid.

These next few pics are the reason I wanted a boy. I just think that little boys in white shirts and ties are the cutest things ever. Now I get to have one and dress him up. :)

After the ceremony some couple saw Aiden all dressed up and thought it was the coolest thing ever. The lady said that she didn't even know that they made white shirts and ties that small. (She is not a member). She asked to take a pic of him too.

He is just so happy. I don't remember the girls smiling this much. He is always happy and has the best smiles.

The girls got these dresses for the wedding. They didn't have sleeves so I got white shirts to go underneath. During the reception RJ's little sister asked Brookelyn why she was wearing a shirt under her dress. Brookelyn said that it was inmodest without a shirt so she wears the shirt so that she can wear the dress. (Proud parent moment). Then later on they were playing and my niece had taken her jacket off her little dress. She asks Brookelyn if she looked cute. Brookelyn said, "You did when you had the jacket on. Now you don't because that dress is not modest." Can you tell what we have been talking about in our house. At least now I know that some things do stay in thier heads and just don't go in one ear and out the other.

Brandee had extra flowers from the wedding so she made these hair clips for the girls. Kira is so cute.

Coming out at the end on the way to the one night honeymoon.

I love this picture. Melanie and dad dancing to "I loved her first" by Heartland. I love that song.

Melanie and RJ dancing to "You and Me" by LifeHouse. RJ is in the Navy.

Love this pic of Mels Bells. Totally love the dress.

The new Service family. Right after they were pronounced husband and wife, Lily run up to RJ and jumped into his arms yelling, "Daddy." If someone hadn't cried yet, they cried then. I ahve never seen my sister so happy. Thank you RJ!!!

My aunt made this for them. I totally love it. In a year and some (RJ will be out on the ocean until Oct) they will all be sealed together. YEAH!!!