Foster Family

May

2011-06-20T06:42:00.007-06:00

"I Love Solids!" If only he could talk he would have told me to start these earlier! He is our champion eater!
Giddy-up horsey!

A lazy morning!

Lots of folks in our ward are involved with a fundraiser put on each year for a neighboring community. Benson came home with his first fish...it didn't make it very long. He also learned how to throw toilet paper rolls in the toilet and had quite the knack for it! :) He knows how to make a mama proud!

Here is our champion sitter. Spence is a solid little guy...lots of muscle and a little bit of baby fat.

The tiger mother in me! Just kidding...I didn't pose him (although he does have good form!)

April

2011-06-19T19:55:00.005-06:00

I knew Easter eggs would be a hit this year because Benson is in the thick of learning colors. He questions me repeatedly on colors he can't categorize. He loved it!
Our Spencer Spring Roll!
We eagerly compare Benson and Spencer's growth charts after each of Spencer's well checks. We'll need to stop this practice soon because I'm sure these brothers will be competitive enough without their parents comparing their growth. But, right now it's innocent fun. Their head sizes are almost identical but whatever Benson's percentile was in weight, Spencer's is in height and vis-a-versa. Benson was usually 90th weight and 40th height. Spencer is 90th height and 40th weight.

March

2011-06-19T19:01:00.015-06:00

Chillaxin with my brother!
The cutest Sheriff in Texas!

A couple of engineers at work. Notice the two levels...I was impressed but am sure this is only scratching the surface of what these two are capable of.

February

2011-06-19T19:00:00.008-06:00

We were big fans of science experiments this month! Daniel decided Benson was ready to enter the world of science so we started doing experiments in the evenings. This was exploring colors.

Tornadoes!

VOLCANOES! It was amazing to see Benson sense the power behind these tiny chemical reactions. He has a real respect for them. I hope he maintains that respect and is wise as he explores the world.

We are also big fans of Jimmer! We couldn't pass him up at TCU. The boys played with Grandma and Grandpa while Dan and I witnessed the hype for ourselves. We were impressed.

January

2011-06-15T14:32:00.009-06:00

We're getting into the swing of things now!
We took the little boys to the zoo on a sunny, balmy Saturday in Houston and thought of our family cuddled in blankets up North and wished they could come down here and join us!
Benson wasn't ready to venture into the groundhog tunnels alone so I gracefully joined him.
Peanut butter playdough!
Benson's 2nd birthday party x 2! We had two jungle safari's to celebrate Benson this year! We parachuted into our base camp, crossed crocodile filled ponds, sifted through vines, hunted animals in the dark night, ventured into a bat cave, and made it safely back to camp for Tiger and Elephant cake and ice craem. Benson is a delightful little boy who brings smiles and laughter into our home everyday! We love him!

December

2011-03-02T13:12:00.009-07:00

December was filled with family and Christmas! We welcomed Spence and got to know this sweet little boy.

Benson helped Daniel set up the Christmas tree and get ready for the holidays since I was spending a lot of time with Spence. I had my first piano recital for my students at our home so Daniel and Benson put together all the Christmas decorations in time for that! The kids all did a great job and it turned out to be a really nice little recital...but I didn't take any pictures. :( So, you get a picture of an undecorated tree!

Mom and Dad came to help us out for a couple weeks while we adjusted to life with two little boys! Benson adores his Grandpa! They are kindred spirits with a couple generations between them.

We had a fun Christmas in Ohio with the Watkins family! Traveling with a one month old went surprising well. It was the almost two year old that we had the issues with! As soon as we parked the car at the airport (we hadn't stepped out yet) Benson threw up over everything. We frantically cleaned him, the carseat, the car, the clothes...and rushed to catch our plane. It was a bad start to a great vacation.

In our nativity this year Daniel was the wiseman and Allison was "Virginia" Mary!

We brought Spain to us complete with luminarias, flamenco dancing, nativities...

Spencer's blessing day! We are sure grateful to have him in our family! We love you Spence!

Spence had his first bath! He loved it!

And we enjoyed some more Spence!

Much to be thankful for...

2010-12-03T05:57:00.005-07:00

Check out the great form on his follow through. He makes his daddy very proud.

In shorts and t-shirt on Santa's lap--a true Texan!

Welcome Spencer Wayne Foster!

2010-11-26T19:50:00.010-07:00

Spencer Wayne Foster joined our family on Tuesday, November 23rd--just in time for Thanksgiving. A few weeks ago I had some signs of decreased liver function due to the hormones of pregnancy which worsened as due date neared. So on Monday it was decided that being induced a little early would be the best choice for the baby. That night I checked into the hospital to prepare for induction the next morning. 4 hours after receiving pitocin (and just a few minutes after the epidural kicked in) baby Spencer was born. He was 8 pounds 10 ounces and 21 inches long. His head was 14 inches around--lots of brains! We were discharged a day early so we could be home for Thanksgiving. Spencer is a beautiful baby boy who looks just like his Dad. He has a broad chest and long feet and toes. We think he'll be another blondy. He is a cuddly little guy who just likes to be held and has a hearty appetite. We love him!

Fall Fun

2010-10-08T11:08:00.011-06:00

A couple wonderful friends (pictured above) threw a baby shower for me and my little guy on the way--he will have a name soon, I promise. It was beautiful and lots of fun thanks to lots of good friends! We can't wait to welcome our new addition in the next few weeks!

We were the Potato Head Family for Halloween. Mr. Potato Head did recover his other eyeball by the end of trunk-or-treat.

But he was also all mixed up. Luckily Ian Larson was quick to point out his problem and helped him fix it. Thank goodness for little boys!

The cutest little Mr. Potato Head Jr.! He was very good at taking off his facial features. I was lucky to get this picture with them all on. As we went from trunk to trunk Benson would point out every pumpkin he could find. It was more like a seek and find for him. When people tried to put candy in his bucket he'd hide the bucket behind his back. :) Eventually he got the hang of it and really enjoyed catching candy in his bucket.

A Trolley Ride through the Woodlands with great friends. Benson has the back of his head towards me--surprise!

Benson with his friend Lily. Benson shows his love for his friend by stomping in the water right by her side and splashing mud all over her. Luckily Lily doesn't mind but I think a few years from now she will so we'll work with Benson on his love languages. Squinty-eyed boy with his sand pail.
Good friends and mud--life doesn't get much better than this!
Riding the carousel with Dad and waving to picture happy mom.
One more great joy in life...ABCs. His little ABC dance is my favorite! Too bad he gets distracted by the camera so easily--if only we could catch all his funny moments.

Utah/Idaho Vacation

2010-09-03T21:58:00.017-06:00

We escaped Houston's August heat and headed up to the mountains to visit friends and family a few weeks ago! It was wonderful! My pictures are in backwards chronological order but I'll just tell the story backwards.

On Monday night several Long family members had dinner at the Vandegrifts since Tricia was in town and we crashed the beginning of their party. Benson spent his time chasing their new little puppies and playing basketball with Grandpa Long.

We saw Carter for just a few minutes but snapped a picture to compare these two boys to a picture we have of them and Orry a year ago. Look how much these boys have grown! We stopped by Grandma Foster's place and visited for a little while. Grandma Foster found some cool matchbox cars for Benson and he plays with the buses all the time now! Tricia, Brittany, and her friend came by at the end. We were so glad we crossed paths with Tricia as she heads up to BYU-I this fall.

We spent the weekend at the Erickson family reunion just outside Yellowstone. We stayed at a girl's camp up there. It was really fun! We ate lots of yummy food, caught up with family, went 4-wheeling to Sheep Falls, canoeing at Horseshoe Lake--hijacked Holly and Hal's boat :), played games, sang songs, performed skits, and spent a good portion of the time chasing Benson around the camp! Here we are at a quick stop we made after canoeing to see Cascade Falls!

Benson is helping Grandma down the path! Here are the 4-wheeler folk beginning their adventure. Their skin and clothes were a few shades darker when they returned from their trip.

Friday night we played Minute to Win It around the campfire. With a couple exchanges and minor rule changes throughout the evening Watkins family did represent! :) Here Hal and Holly (hiding behind the cup) were stringing penne onto spaghetti noodles. Hal advanced but this was Holly's exit point--her spaghetti noodle broke as she lifted the last penne noodle.

Benny stayed up way past bedtime to enjoy the campfire fun and slept like a rock each night! He has our campsong book in hand ready to sing.

We stopped by Logan on Friday morning and were able to see a few folks from the Watkins side. We swung by Alisa's place on our way in and saw little Carter! Adorable! We visited with Grandma and Grandpa Watkins and caught the Scotts and Suey working out back.

Uncle Bob created this perfect picture taking oasis! Isn't it beautiful! Benson thought it was the greatest jungle gym and the Scott boys showed him how to hop from rock to rock.

Grandpa and Benson stopped for a minute to swing out back! I spent many years playing on that swing set when I was little. It's fun to see Benson enjoying it now.

We were able to get a 4 generation photo! I come from great stock!

Our first few days in town we went to Education Week at BYU. It was wonderful nourishment! I attended some great classes and loved sitting next to family while learning! We don't get to do that much these days now that we're spread across the nation. Benson was such a trooper through these long days and everyone pitched in and took turns sitting out of classes to have some quality time with him! I was so spoiled and so was Benson!

Our first day we took a break at lunch and met up with college roommates for lunch at Kiwanis Park. Tay, Laura, Ash and their babies all came to play! (We got to see Bryce for a few minutes too!) It was fun to meet their little babies and catch up with them. We miss them!

And this was the first time Benson was able to see both his Grandma's at the same time! We had to snap a picture!

July

2010-08-01T20:04:00.007-06:00

It's already August! Where did July go? At the beginning of the month we found out we're having another baby boy around Thanksgiving time! Benson gets a little brother. He looked like a healthy little guy. We're excited!

I have lots of cute little pictures of Benson. His little personality is so funny. We sure love him.

He loves putting on Daddy's clothes. Here he is dressed up to head out to a rig! The helmet might have been a little heavy for his head--he's leaning.
He loves playing blocks with Daddy. He'll grab blocks from the toy room and put them in Dan's hands to convince him to play.

He spends a good portion of the day driving his little cars around the house. He's become really quick--especially around corners. He picks up the car and swings it to the side.

For Dan's birthday he requested 2.8 candles instead of 28. I think he's feeling old.

Amanda came to visit for a few days last week and we loved having her! We're so glad she's living closer and hope to see her often!

We went to an Astros game which Benny actually did really well at. He spotted this ball from a block away. He has a knack for spotting balls everywhere. But when I tried to get this picture Benson was much more interested in the ticket scalper than me. The scalper saw my unsuccessful attempts at getting Benson's attention so he stood behind me and got Benny to smile at him for the picture! Texas is truely one of the friendliest places on earth.

Again we tried to get his attention but the game going on behind us was much more exciting than the picture. A true boy!

At this point the game was pretty much over. Astros were down by quite a few runs--but...Amanda, they did win the series against the Cubs! :)

Benny isn't afraid of ducks, but they were nervous around him. They'd eat from adults hands but this little miniature person was a little scarier!

Walking with Amanda and scowling at the camera. We hope this scowl is just a phase thing.

Benny sure took a liking to Amanda. She blew bubbles with him, played cars, read books...

And just a few more pictures...Dima found a turtle in our background and the boys were fascinated.

Daddy and Benson playing chicken with the fountains.

A turtle came to visit us on our morning walk and Benson wanted to jump in and take a swim with him. Dad held him tight! You can see the turtle coming to say Hi.

Beginning of Summer Update

2010-06-21T13:25:00.013-06:00

We went to Dallas this weekend to see family! It was a perfect weekend for it! We were able to celebrate Father's Day with them, see Tricia perform in the play Okalahoma, and we went to Flower Mound's Wild About Flower Mound festival.

Benson took his first pony ride and loved it! Here is proof:

He made good friends with Grandpa and in this picture was fascinated by a balloon flying away. He later got a balloon of his own that he kept safe.

He was most excited for the Bounce House...until he was inside it. Then he was a little nervous and clung to his parents.

The petting zoo was of course a bit hit as well. This little guy loves animals!

Here are Dad and Benson being flowers...not the most masculine photo op but appropriate for a Flower Mound festival.

The car rides to and from Grandma's house are always an adventure but the BYU Cougar hat kept Benny entertained for a few minutes.

Just a few other pictures from this week. Benson's favorite chore is laundry! I think I could spend all day folding clothes and Benson wouldn't tire of it. Here is one of his favorite places to help me:

And these are a tribute to Uncle Tanner who is on his mission. We saw these PJs and thought of him! "It's All Good" Tan!

Another one of Benny's favorite places--the high chair. (Doesn't he look a little like Carter Jensen in this picture?)

Here is Benny at the fountains waiting to get squirted. It took him a little while to warm up to these but he came around!

We went Blueberry picking last weekend and he spent most of the time like this:

We left with about 10 lbs of big, juicy, tasty blueberries in a bucket and a little boy filled to the brim. His blue face tattle-taled on him!

Foster Family Update

2010-06-05T10:38:00.010-06:00

The Cub Scouts had their Arrow of Light Ceremony a few weeks ago. It turned out really good! Benny was captivated by the whole thing! He tried to be a good helper during the week while we worked on costumes and then he was fascinated by the ceremony.

This is the cast photo. Dan was the yellow chieftan (top row 2nd from right.)
Here are the Boy Scouts doing a dance around the fire.
The boys receiving their arrow of light coming in on a canoe.

The chieftans shooting their flaming arrows into the pond.

The chieftans dancing around the fire.
Great job scouts!

Sundays have become tricky days at our house. Church is from noon to 3:00--right during Benny's nap. I thought this picture captured it well. Right before we left to church he carried Pooh Bear into the kitchen where Dan and I were eating and laid him down to use as his pillow on the cold tile. Poor kiddo--I think he was trying to tell us something.

Here is just a cute picture of Benny eating with his soaked shirt!

2010-03-04T19:46:00.004-07:00

A couple weeks ago before bedtime I pulled out the video camera--this little video catches Benny walking at the beginning and talking at the end. He's growing up too fast.

Ultimate Practice

2010-02-14T16:19:00.002-07:00

Our friends introduced us to the Houston Ultimate Club a few weeks ago, so Dan has been pulling out the Frisbee more often and decided it was time to begin working on Benson's form!

Happy Birthday Benson!

2010-01-25T14:55:00.011-07:00

My little guy turned one this week! We had a little party for him the following weekend, but on his actual birthday I wanted him devour a little cupcake and open a present. Benson wasn't feeling well, but I was bound and determined to get that photo with cake smeared all over his face. So...I set to work. And when the big moment came...it was a disaster. We tried everything--putting a taste of it in his mouth, smashing the cake with his hand, but he would have none of it. So...I decided to give up on the photo for that day because I was sure I could get it that weekend. But, the weekend party came and again he refused the cake--I was so sad.

I was telling a wise friend of mine about my birthday photo sadness. She is a 70-year old lady and she said that when I am her age flipping through photo albums I won't give much thought to the picture perfect moments, but it's the ones with the stories behind them that will be most meaningful to me. I feel better about Benson's first birthday! Thanks Sister French!

So here are our meaningful moments! Benson took very little part in destroying this cupcake.

And again at the weekend party, he simply stared with disgust!

But, the party was fun! There are 3 other families in our ward that have little ones born within just a few days of Benson so we did a joint birthday. Look at their cute little onesies with their names on the back--and the matching bibs!

Dan found his hidden talent--balloon art!

Benson's 1st Christmas!

2010-01-09T20:54:00.011-07:00

We spent Christmas with the Foster's this year in Dallas! We had the whole family together (except Russ)! It was great fun!

Benson wasn't the biggest fan of Santa! In fact--he was terrified. Poor kid!

But, the older guys seemed to get along with Santa better!Christmas morning with his cousin Cierra.

All the cousins on Christmas morning! Benny doesn't want to be grouped with the girls. Bowling after Tricia returned home from her mission! Welcome home Tricia!

December

2010-01-09T20:20:00.009-07:00

For Christmas card photos we put the digital camera on a card table in our backyard and set it to the timer setting. :) I wouldn't recommend this method! Benson found something interesting to look at in every direction, except towards the camera! We were finally able to get 1 picture with him looking in the right direction! This was the best we could come up with! I'll have someone take our photos next year! But do notice the tiny smidgen of snow on the fence--I thought it very appropriate to take advantage of the only day it snowed all year for our Christmas card photo! A Baptist church in the area puts on a drive-thru live re-enactment of the life of Christ at Christmas time. It was really good! They gave us hot chocolate and a candy cane at the entrance and we turned our radios to the station playing live music within the church. The cutest part was when the children's choir finished their song a little boy said loud and clear into the microphone, "Can I go to the bathroom yet?" I don't think they meant to put that on the radio! :) As we entered we were given a CD narrating the scenes. They started with Isaiah prophesying of Christ and went all the way through to His Ascension. They even had real Zebras and Camels, and the Guards to Bethlehem drove between the cars on horses. Really well done!

Happy 3rd Anniversary to us! Dan loves me--he told me in blocks! I love him too!

Fun Times

2010-01-09T19:22:00.010-07:00

We have had two months of play! They started with Dan's work trip to Africa, which gave me an excuse to go play in Ohio with my mom and dad. I had two weeks of tutelage by the project queen! It was great fun!

Then a couple weeks later for Thanksgiving, my parents came to see our new home in Houston! Grandma and Grandpa Erickson came down too! It was wonderful! We went sightseeing around Houston and showed them our stomping ground.

Then we went to San Antonio for a couple days. We saw several of the missions, including the Alamo. They had a boat parade along the River Walk to kick-off the Christmas season that was really cool.

Restaurant we ate at in San Antonio. Check out all the Christmas lights on the ceiling!

3 Month Snapshot

2009-10-15T10:43:00.014-06:00

Our Benny Boy is growing up. He's such a chill little kid--just like his Dad!

Notice the guitar is missing a string--yet it doesn't seem to bother Dan!

Weekend in Dallas

We took Jared and Michelle to the the Addison WorldFest. There was music and dancing from all over the world. The highlight was the Chinese Acrobats--although Dan took a lot of the fun out of it by explaining the safety precautions used for all their stunts. :(

Michelle's favorite--the Mariachi band--is playing in the background.

I think Jared was having the time of his life--he just wouldn't admit it! ;)

Aahhh Choo!

I volunteered to be behind the camera for this one.

Halloween Parties!

Benny was a monkey and I tried to get Dan to be The Man in the Yellow Hat, but he said he'd only do that if I was a banana--so we ended up being Benny's Zoo Keepers.

The Colby's made this fun photo op!

BYU vs. OU Game! Dan decided last minute to go to the game in Dallas because it would be fun to go with friends to see the stadium even if BYU didn't make a good showing. But, to everyone's surprise--they did!

Dan said he was distracted by the big screens--I can't imagine why? :)

Happy Birthday Daniel and Khara!

2009-08-05T08:19:00.005-06:00

Oh, Happy Day!--July 28th...the day Daniel and Khara entered this world (Khara will remind everyone that she came 9 minutes earlier). :) Khara came from Idaho to Dallas to visit, so we went to see her and the rest of the family over the weekend. We went swimming, played games, ate yummy food--(Khara's pizza was the biggest thing I've ever seen!), and had a birthday party. It was great to spend some time with you guys! We love you!

Texas Rainstorms

2009-08-05T08:15:00.004-06:00

We've been in a horrible drought since we moved down here in the beginning of June, so rain is welcomed whenever it makes an appearance. Here was our first Texas rainstorm:

Thank goodness for smart drainage design--otherwise we'd be swimming in our house.

These are a few of my favorite things...

2009-07-16T13:34:00.012-06:00

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens,
bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens...

Dad's yummy fingers...

Swimming at the pool...

(This picture makes me smile--like father, like son!)

jumping...
(thank goodness for a jumperoo--
Mom's arms couldn't have handled the jumping much longer :)

...and flirting with grandmas in the store! :)
(Too bad we can't catch a photo of this one--
it's one of my favorites too.)

Colorado Fun!

2009-07-16T10:13:00.007-06:00

Dan's work sent him to Colorado for a week, so I took a jaunt up there with Benson to see the Jensens. We had a wonderful time! We went to the children's museum, a couple story times, a playgroup at the park, the Denver Zoo--it was Benson's first time at the zoo, then Dan came and played with us for the weekend and we played games, went to Red Rocks Amphitheater--an amazing place, watched a movie, and had fun with the Jensens. We sure love them! Thanks for letting us come play with you! Now it's your turn to come see Houston! :)

Happy 4th of July

2009-07-15T18:28:00.004-06:00

Dan's parents, Jared, and Michelle came down to our place for the 4th of July weekend! We played games, went swimming, geocaching (we weren't very successful treasure hunters this time), blueberry picking, watched movies, ate yummy cake, and just enjoyed each other. Michelle was Benny's best buddy--I'm sure he misses her.

Everything is bigger in Texas and fireworks are no exception. Our neighborhood was lit up with what looked like professional shows all night. And we got to know our neighbors better at a block party that most definitely contributed to the neighborhood shows.

The Newest Texans

2009-06-12T09:18:00.016-06:00

What a wonderful couple of months--lots of new adventures and loads of blessings!

1. I went back to work the beginning of April while Dan played Mr. Mom. We both have a greater appreciation for one another. :)

2. A few days later we had spring break so we flew to Houston to find a place to live. There was so much to learn in such a short period of time, but we found some really nice areas.

3. The next weekend my amazing hubby graduated Cum Laude from BYU in Chemical Engineering. My wonderful mother walked Benny around the track for two hours so I could watch Dan graduate. I was so proud of him. He has excelled in his studies and in his role as a husband and father. (I'll post pictures on the next post)

4. The Westergards and Demaris' came down that weekend. It was so good to spend some time with them and see Cierra for the first time. We sure miss them. Khara decorated this impressive cake for Daniel.
5. That same weekend Tanner went through the temple and we were able to have all of my brothers and sisters with their spouses, my parents, all my grandparents, and many aunts, uncles, and cousins together in the temple for the first time. What a joyous occasion. We snapped a family picture--the last one with everyone in it for at least 2 years. :(
Here is Benny with his Great Grandma and Grandpa Watkins.

And our own little family picture. 6. The following weekend Dan took one more trip to Houston to secure our home. Then it was a busy month of preparing to move and finishing up my last school year of teaching.

7. Dan's parents, Jared, and Michelle came up from Dallas to visit on Mother's Day weekend, so we of course played some basketball and boardgames. Toby and Camille blessed Orry that Sunday so we were able to get together with Dan's extended family, that we're going to miss so much. We even were able to talk to Tricia on her mission in Mesa, Arizona. Here are Carter, Benson, and Orry on Mother's Day.
8. On Memorial Day, we had one last get together with some old roommates and celebrated Amanda's birthday. Joy snuck out before we snapped the picture. :(
9. The next weekend we packed up my classroom and I locked the doors to Rees Elementary School for the very last time. :( I'm going to miss that place. I made some wonderful friends and learned so much teaching there. 10. While our apartment was being boxed up, Grandma Foster came down to say goodbye. (We think you all should just move to Texas with us.) We took a picture of her with Benson.
11. We stayed with Holly and Hal those last couple days while cleaning the apartment. They were so helpful--taking care of Benny and being our chefs and chauffers.

12. And then we flew to Dallas where Benny played with his Grandma Foster, Aunt Michelle, and Uncle Jared for a couple days.

13. We then drove down to Houston, closed on our beautiful house, and have been settling in since then.
14. Dan started work last Thursday at Exxon Mobil. He is excited about his new job. Here he is playing with Benny after his first day on the job. Do I not have the two most handsome men in my life?
I love recording our lives--whether it be in a journal or a brief record on our blog. I end up feeling overwhelmed with gratitude for all I've been given and eager to pay it forward. Thank you all!

Tummy Time Improvements!

2009-04-07T18:01:00.006-06:00

We have great reason to celebrate this week! Benny was on his tummy and didn't scream--I never thought the day would come. We had to get a video of our accomplishment!

Benson Live

2009-03-22T19:29:00.003-06:00

Benny's Blessing

2009-03-22T17:10:00.004-06:00

Today was Benson's baby blessing! He was great throughout the whole thing (he stayed asleep the whole time). It was very nice to have so much family there to support him. Below are the few pictures we were able to catch of Benson with Grandpa Watkins, Daniel, and Grandma Watkins. We wish we would have taken more when the whole family was here. We want to thank all those who came to support Benson and all those who we know wanted to be there but couldn't.

Random Sampler

2009-03-13T13:04:00.006-06:00

Benny's Tummy Time Nose Dive. When he tries to flip onto his back, he looks like he's doing a nose dive. We caught an action shot of it!

My boys! Arent' they cute?!

Wide-eyed Benny. I'd like to get inside his head and know what he's seeing and thinking. Just look at those cheeks!

Congrats Tan!

2009-03-13T12:00:00.006-06:00

On Wednesday, Tan got his mission call! He's going to Rostov-na-Donu, Russia. Congrats Tan! We're excited for you and proud to have you as our little brother. You'll be an outstanding missionary--out sharing the gospel with the good people of Russia.

Tan's buddy recorded Tanner opening the call on our video camera--I just don't know how to upload the video yet. But, when I do...I'll post it. He sure is excited to get out into the field!

Basketball Boys

2009-03-07T16:14:00.005-07:00

Dan has played intramural basketball every year--but this year is especially fun for me because he's playing with Hal (my sister's husband) and Tanner (my little brother). It's so fun to go to the games and see them playing together. Holls, Benson, and I are their fans, but in all actuality we do a lot more catching up with each other than we do cheering. Sorry guys! We're sure going to miss Tanner and the Boyds when we move.

Great-Grandparents!

2009-03-07T15:58:00.004-07:00

Our families have had 2 weddings, 1 homecoming, and a baby blessing in the past 5 weeks. So, Benson has been able to meet all of his great-grandparents! I was bad and only took pictures of Benny with Grandma Long and Grandpa Erickson, but we'll just have to visit them all again soon and I'll be better at playing photographer. Now, we just need Benny to meet his Grandma and Grandpa Foster in Texas...he'll see them soon!

Tummy Time

2009-03-07T15:21:00.003-07:00

Benson is a pretty pleasant fellow--except when it comes to tummy time! He goes berserk as soon as his belly hits the blanket. He tightens every muscle in his body and goes into superman mode with both his arms and legs in the air. I don't know how he does it. But, Dan is a persistent Dad and lays by him for the whole thing. For the first few weeks Dan would give him a little start by tilting him on his side and Benson would finish up turning onto his back. But, the day before he turned 6 weeks Dan laid him flat on his tummy and within 20 seconds he had turned himself over onto his back all by himself. Since then, tummy time hasn't been as miserable. He still isn't pleasant, but he's relaxed a little bit. Here he is at his tummy time best.

Going Private

2009-02-28T14:42:00.003-07:00

Hi friends! Well, now that we have a little boy, we've decided to make our blog private. But, we want to keep sharing with the people we know. So, just leave your email address in comments and I'll send you an invitation. I won't publish comments on this post so you're email address will be kept private.

2009-02-16T14:13:00.004-07:00

Here is Baby Ben hanging out with Dad. He often has this worried look on his face--I'm sure he got that from his mother!

Benson Michael Foster

2009-02-07T12:53:00.006-07:00

Our little guy is growing up! He is already 2 1/2 weeks old, 21 3/4 inches long, 10 lbs. 5 oz., and growing out of his newborn look. He's been a pleasant little boy most of the time...but late in the evening he gets all of his grumpiness out--poor neighbors.

Choosing his name was a traumatic experience for me and never again will I wait until our child is born to choose a name. I'm too emotional, sleep-deprived, and dramatic to choose a name after birth. But, after a week with our poor little guy having a different name each day--we decided on Benson Michael Foster!

We need to take new pictures because he has already changed so much, but here are a few from when he was just a week old.

Look at his cute little smile--he does this all the time in his sleep!

Playing with Dad

Hanging out with Grandpa Erickson in Idaho--they'd snooze together on the sofa
One of Benson's (and Dan's) favorite positions

Junior is here!

2009-01-20T21:56:00.004-07:00

This is my first post on our blog since Carrie is a little occupied at the moment, but we kept getting requests for pictures, so here they are. Our little boy was born Tuesday morning and weighed 9lbs 3oz and was 21 inches long. He's a big baby but doesn't fuss much. We're excited to have him with us.

2 Year Anniversary!

2009-01-18T16:30:00.007-07:00

Dan and I celebrated our 2 year anniversary on December 21st! Again, in the midst of the Christmas rush, we took a night to play (we have a way with having all our celebrations in December and July.)

Daniel is the most amazing guy for me. I tell my family all the time how grateful I am to have Daniel who "handles" me so well. He knows just what to do and say at just the right time to keep me grounded. I'm officially the biggest worrier in the world, but Dan has a way of putting me back together when I'm in shambles.

A girl in our ward gave a talk in Sacrament meeting today on "being quick to observe" the needs and wants of your spouse. Daniel is a pro at this! He takes such good care of me! Thanks Dan...I sure love you!

Happy Late Birthday to Holly!

2009-01-18T16:12:00.004-07:00

In the midst of Christmas rush, we had a short night to celebrate wonderful Holly! Her birthday is always crammed into the busyness of the season, but we want her to know how wonderful she is! Holly--you are a truely amazing sister and friend! We love you!

Christmas Tree

2008-12-07T10:48:00.003-07:00

For date night this week, Dan and I bought and decorated our first real (well I guess it's fake) Christmas Tree. It took us way more hours and way more trips to and from stores than I will admit to find the right bargains and style, but we did it! We now have a tree for our first Christmas that we'll spend entirely at Wymount. I tried to research how to decorate Christmas trees online but came to realize it's one of those artsy things that is foreign to me. So I just copied what I saw others do.

Thanksgiving!

2008-12-07T09:42:00.008-07:00

We had Mom and Dad Watkins, the Jensens, the Boyds, and Tanner all in town for Thanksgiving weekend! It was so much fun! We realized that this would be one of the last times in a few years that we would have that many people from the Watkins family together. We missed Rex and Natalie's family in Wisconsin.
Making Thanksgiving dinner in Wymount Apartments was an adventure! But, everyone pitched in and I think it turned out pretty good! Notice the turkey name placards created by Ali.

On Friday, we ate at Pie Pizzeria in SLC and couldn't eat half of the one pizza we ordered for all of us. It was huge! We saw the Christmas Lights on Temple Square. It was beautiful.

On Saturday, after eating a gourmet breakfast at the Cannon Center--it really was delicious...thanks Tanner--we went up to Bridal Veil Falls.

That afternoon we did blacklight mini-golf at Trafalga. Dad won with Anthony and Dan one point behind. The highlight was Ali chasing her ball into the pond in the middle of the course!
We also played DDR. Dan, Tanner, and Holly were the champs, but everyone was able to hold their own! We met Grandma and Grandpa Erickson at Olive Garden in Salt Lake then played games at the condo and had mounds of ice cream at Leatherby's.

At church on Sunday, everyone helped out in the nursery! Wendy beat us all soundly in Settlers that night. And all too soon everyone left us the next morning. Thanks family for making the journey--we love you all!

Trunk-or-Treat

2008-11-01T20:03:00.011-06:00

We had a ward trunk-or-treat tonight that I was not prepared for. So, 20 minutes before the trunk-or-treat I called Mom asking for fun ideas on decorating trunks. I had some Halloween "stuff" from my classroom and after Mom shared some fun ideas, Dan and I came up with this:

(Ignore the cobwebs. I'm horrible at hanging those things--and I procrastinated, so I didn't have time to play with them.)

The kids came to the trunk and said, "Trick-or-Treat." Then, the lights went on in the haunted house (Dan turned a flashlight on) and candy came out the front door. The kids were amazed! Poor Dan was cramped in the trunk...he is truely a saint!

In hindsight we would have had a signal for Dan so he knew whether to throw the candy out the door or to extend his hand with a piece of candy in it. The little boys loved grabbing candy out of Dan's hand and wanted to keep coming back. But, one little girl wasn't sure where this hand was coming from and I think would have appreciated seeing candy fly out rather than having to take it from a hand.

Anyway, it was fun to see all the little kids try to figure out the phenomenon, but next year I will be more prepared and my cobwebs will look better!

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-25T23:12:00.003-06:00

Being pregnant over Halloween is kind-of fun! I stole some costume ideas from others online and tried two of them out today. We had a Halloween party with the Long side of the family. It was fun to see everyone again! I went as a basketball and Dan as a basketball player. Andrea and I are both having baby boys in January--our due dates are only one day apart. So we had to get a picture of her pumpkin and my basketball belly.

Before trying the basketball, I tried to make myself into a fishbowl. Dan didn't think anyone would know what I was, so I bagged that idea...but not before we got a picture of it.

Halloween can be fun!

It's a Boy!

2008-09-28T18:17:00.003-06:00

It's been a couple months since we've posted anything! We found out a few weeks ago that we're having a boy! When I had the ultrasound our little boy wouldn't stop moving. The technician had to chase him around to get all the measurements she needed. But the best part was that right as she was finishing up the last couple measurements he laid back in a reclined position, put his hands behind his head, and fell asleep. (Check out his little elbows in the picture). We're in for some fun with this little one!

Canoe Trip

2008-07-30T06:04:00.008-06:00

Isn't it beautiful?! South Carolina has this little national park called the Congaree. It's the largest remnant of old-growth floodplain forest on the continent. On Saturday we went with two other couples in the ward on a little canoe trip down this creek.

We're getting ready to launch!

The Hobbit Tree! This hollowed out water tupelo tree was near where we stopped for lunch. But, similar trees were all over the park. I couldn't believe that a tree that had been eaten away like this could still be living, but it was going strong with green leaves. The spikes around us are the "knees" of the tree. They are part of the tree's root system. Cool, huh?

Quilting

2008-07-23T11:43:00.006-06:00

In high school I pieced a couple quilts with Mom, Grandma Erickson, and ladies in the ward. So with the time I had this summer, I tried it out on my own. I'm still learning the art, but it's fun. The tumbling block quilt is all pieced, but I still need to add one more border, put on the backing and batting, and machine quilt.

A Step Back in Time

2008-07-23T10:24:00.008-06:00

We visited the Levine Museum in Charlotte which had an exhibit on the reconstruction of the "New South." It was neat to see how the South transformed it's economy and really it's entire society after the civil war. We tried on clothes at the "new" Belk Department Store (Dad's suit is my favorite) and visited the barbershop.

Andy Griffith's Mayberry

2008-07-23T10:00:00.007-06:00

Until we arrived in Mt. Airy, I had no idea that this was Mayberry, the hometown of the Andy Griffith Show and where Andy grew up. When we learned this, Tanner and Dan whistled the theme song as we drove through the town. Their rendition rivaled the version playing over the loud speakers on main street. I'm not an Andy Griffith follower (in fact I don't think I've ever seen an episode), so it didn't bring back flashbacks like it did for Mom and Dad, but it was fun to hop back in time for a few minutes while strolling down the street and to see the old shops that apparently were in the show.

Nascar Racing

2008-07-23T09:50:00.011-06:00

North Carolina is Nascar territory, so we had to visit the Nascar race park. I was the official photographer given my new, very exciting condition! Here are some fun pictures of the race. I think we finally decided that Mom and Dan were the winners. They hugged the curbs and would stop at nothing to win! On the last lap Dad bumped Tanner and sent him into the tires to wait for an attendant to help him out. It was payback for Tanner's earlier grievances against Dad. Holls was delightful to watch as she just took a leisurely drive through the track (you can see her in the 2nd picture)!

Mt. Airy Family History

2008-07-23T09:15:00.008-06:00

The Haymore family (my Grandma Watkins' maiden name is Haymore) has roots in Mt. Airy, North Carolina in the 1800s. So we took advantage of how close we were and visited the family sites.

We saw the house my great great grandpa grew up in and in the trees next to it we found the family cemetary. It was quite an adventure searching for it. All dressed in our Sunday clothes (I was in heels) we weed wacked our way through the trees and brush to a little gated overgrown plot with headstones. Once we found it, we realized there was a gate on the otherside. So we weed wacked out, and this time let the guys weed wack back in through a different route to reach the gate and get some good pictures of the headstones.

It was neat to see where we came from and hear the stories from Dad. Boy am I greatful to my ancestors. It was my great great grandpa Haymore who was the first member of his family to join the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He joined in Mt. Airy and moved to Utah. I'm so glad he saw the truth and jumped at the opportunity and then passed it on to his posterity (me :)! Thanks family!

Our Safari

2008-07-23T08:46:00.007-06:00

The Watkins family came to visit for the 4th of July. What a great B-day present! We went to this place called Lazy 5 Ranch. It's like a drive-through zoo. You get a few buckets of food and drive through this ranch filled with exotic animals. The animals come right up to your car and eat out of your bucket. It took me a few minutes to get used to the idea. I saw horrific scenes in my mind of toes and fingers being chomped off, but we all left in one piece.

One of the highlights was watching Tanner feed an ostrich. If you know Tanner's lack of love for birds you know what a great accompishment this was.

Also, Daniel getting in a fight with some sort of giant goat over a bucket. I was laughing so hard I couldn't snap any pictures...too bad. We thought Dan would be pulled from the van or the goat would join us. In the end, Dan did win and somehow managed to keep the bucket that the goat had clenched in his jaws. It was quite a fight!

Mom's driving was entertaining! The zebras and giant ostriches were a little big for her to handle right as we entered the park and we saw just how quick Mom can step on the gas peddle.

We left with a car filled with dust, dirt, and animal feed. It was delightful!

Land of North Carolina

2008-07-23T08:18:00.009-06:00

We've ventured east and are in the land of North Carolina for the summer. We love it! I wouldn't mind if the hot, humid weather cooled down a bit, but otherwise it's beautiful. Dan is doing an internship with Metso Power while I'm quilting, reading, and preping for the school year. It is a great life!

It just so happened that I had my camera on me when we stopped by Dan's office to pick up his jump drive. I documented his home away from home. His cubicle needs a little decorating, but he insists the bare walls are fine.

And we're back!

2008-07-23T08:15:00.002-06:00

We took a little time out from blogging, but my enthusiasm is renewed and this time with lots of good news!

Snowmobiling with the Watkins

2008-03-16T11:29:00.006-06:00

Dad Watkins came into town this weekend for meetings and we took advantage! We all went up to Logan for a family get together. Aldon pulled out the snowmobiles and Dad hopped on with suit and all. Holly and Rob helped Lincoln finish his snowman. We love family!

Dance Dance Revolution

2008-03-16T11:17:00.005-06:00

Dan and I practiced our dance skills with our friends the Belmontes on Friday. We held our own, but Isadora eventually took us down.

Christmas in Ohio

2008-03-08T22:37:00.008-07:00

For Christmas '08 we had the whole Watkins family together in Ohio and Pennsylvania. It was wonderful! The pictures are from the Cav's game (they won!), an amazing exhibit in Pennsylvania (Sports Works), tram ride, and our stop at IKEA.

Welcome to the Foster Family blog!

2008-03-08T13:47:00.007-07:00

We're trying to catch up with the technological world. We love looking at our friends' and families' sites, so we thought we'd try putting our own together.

Quick Update on our Family:

Dan and I are still in Provo. Dan is studying Chemical Engineering at the Y and I'm teaching 3rd grade in Spanish Fork. We are loving this season of life!