5 months

Ty is 5 months old today! I can't believe how fast the past 5 months have gone. He's changing so much everyday...it is so amazing to me. Ty has been such an easy going baby, which is probably a good thing since he is #4. And anyway I spend most of my days running after Kellen, who is very busy! Baby Ty Ty (as Kellen calls him) generally sleeps pretty good. Down at about 9pm and is up once during the night, but goes back to sleep right away after a bottle. I have just started feeding him cereal and baby food...he loves sweet potatoes, but so messy. His first tooth came in a couple weeks ago, and he has just began to roll around, but gets really mad when he gets stuck on his tummy. When I found out I was pregnant with him it was quite a surprise, but what a great surprise! Ty has been such a wonderful addition to our family...he makes our family complete:-) We can't imagine our life without him.

Spring Food Show

My internet has been down for the past 5 days, but we are finally up and running again! (Sometimes I really hate technology) The Clausen house has been busy as usual...all of the kids have taken their turns being sick, especially Ty who has just gotten over RSV. And to make matters worse his first tooth broke through in the midst of it all:-( Last weekend our crew headed to Omaha for the Affiliated Foods Midwest Spring Food Show. We even got to spend the weekend with Uncle Evan, who drove from Iowa City to meet us. Let me give a run down of what the Food Show is like...it is in the Quest Center (which is huge by the way), and they set it up like a giant grocery store. I know what you're thinking... if you are on a diet the food show is definitely not the place you would want to be. Good thing I am not starting my diet until next week! Oh wait, I said that last week, and the week before that too! Anyway, we had a lot of fun sampling all of the new products, especially the boys. We also did a lot of swimming, and a little shopping too:-)

I really got Spring fever...all of the spring flowers, and this cute little garden. Too bad it wasn't real!
Mike and Uncle Evan took the boys to get balloon animals made. Kellen is now obsessed with his balloon monkey. We did this as a bribe, especially directed towards Cayden our stubborn one, who threw himself on the ground at one point and started yelling that he was too tired to walk anymore.
The vendors at the show really cater to the kids...Kellen started whining at one point, so a lady in the bakery area gave him a whole container of cupcakes and this mini heart cake.
Here are some of the samples we got. Did I mention that on the second day you can take whatever you want? It feels so weird taking things without paying. We are definitely going to have to explain to our children, that it is not okay to do this anywhere else.
The boys love Uncle Evan! He had a meeting with Dean of the Dental School at Creighton while he was in Omaha....keep your fingers crossed everyone! (And a little prayer won't hurt anything either)

Winter weather blues....(& a few random pics:-)

On Friday night, the Whitmers called us up and invited us to go swimming in Cherokee at the Wellness Center. We had never been there before, but had heard great things, so we gladly accepted the invite. The boys loved it! We definitely will do this again this winter to burn off energy, and to make family days more fun!

Kellen and Luke. Luke was scared at 1st, but he warmed up quickly and then loved the water!

Mike, Brady, and Cayden playing basketball. Our boys are little fish!

This Saturday was Stella's baby shower. Here is a picture of Emily & Stella and the shower committe. It was a very nice shower and of course Stella was showered with many nice gifts....pink hair bows,skirts with ruffles, dresses, and tights! (Sooo jealous!)

Ty and Stella taking a snooze together.

Kellen loves to wear Brady's hat and snow boots and walk around the

house...he will do his for hours at a time.

My 3 silly monkeys who got caught jumping

on the couch.

Ty wearing his 1st Valentine's day oufit.

Mike doesn't know about this one, but the

other day Kellen found one of my headbands

and wouldn't take it off. This is the next best

thing to a little girl with a bow in her hair!

Celebrating....

The Clausen house has had a busy week yet again. Mike turned 32 on the 26th, and I turned the big 3-0 on the 27th! (At least he should never forget my birthday:-) Monday we were hit with more winter weather, and of course no school again. No school=a bunch of crazy boys and one crazy mom! By Tuesday I needed a much deserved day away, so Emily Doxtad had planned a trip to Sioux City which included an hour massage at Body & Soul for my birthday present. (Thanks again Emily) I was only 10 minutes into my wonderful massage when I received a call from Mike, and no I hadn't left a child anywhere, telling me Kellen had gotten sick at daycare. What luck...I had to cut my massage short and hurry home to take care of my sick little guy. Needless to say Mike and I both ended up having good birthdays....a pizza party one night and a mexican fiesta the next!

Drinking a little vino out of my Birthday girl wine glass!

We had my parents over both evenings to share in the

celebrations! My mom really hates having her picture

taken, but I insisted. After all it was my 30th!
Celebrating with Ty. He actually ended up sleeping

through both evening's festivities. He sleeps best with

noise!

Check out the crazy hair! This was when Kellen was not

feeling very well. He's finally feeling better, and back to

his normal mischevious self.

The Weather Outside is Frightful!

At this rate the kids will be in school until July 4th! We have missed several days due to snow/blizzard conditions, and this week the ice moved in too. Everything is covered in a 1/2 inch of ice, making it even dangerous to walk to the car. I have been really nervous about taking Ty in his car seat outside, in fear that I may slip. The big boys are going stir crazy as there was no school Wed., late start Thurs., and no school today. I can't even let them go outside to burn off any energy, because huge branches keep falling. Oh, and to top it off we have lost power several times in the past few days. Try explaining to a 4 year old that he can't watch a movie because there is no electricity.

Here is how that conversation went:

Me: "Cayden, sorry you can't watch a movie right now because we have no power in our house."

Cayden: "Okay then I will just go to the basement and watch a movie."

Me: "No Cayden you can't because our entire house has no power including the basement."

Cayden: "Fine! I'll go to my room and watch a movie then!"

Me: "Cayden, you're not getting the point. You can't watch a movie anywhere at this time."

Cayden: "What!? I guess I'll see if Brady wants to play the Wii.

At this point I gave up.

Anyway, to pass our time we have been doing tons of coloring (will need new coloring books after this ice storm), made homemade brownies, and had a couple of play dates. Here are a few pics of the family hanging out & trying to pass the time!

Daddy and Ty
Kellen coloring me a beautiful picture.
Happy Ty playing with the toys on his rocker.
Kellen feeding his baby. Mike was a little

unsure when I bought him a baby, but at

least it's a boy. And he loves him!
Brady & Cayden also coloring and cutting out

masterpieces.

Poor Ty can never lay on the floor, because

this is what happens.

New Year's resolution! (My blog page)

Well it's official...I have finally decided to join the "blog family". There is definitely tons to blog about everyday in the Clausen house, but finding the time to actually blog about it may be a challenge. First off here is a quick run down of our family....Mike continues to run the family business and loves every minute of it. He not only works 60 hours a week, but he finds time to play the Wii, color, play with play-doh, give baths, and teach the older two how to perfect pass patterns! (He says you can never be too young to learn pass patterns:-) He is a wonderful dad and a super husband too!

I keep very busy running the house, which includes making sure people are where they need to be at the right times. Some of you may be thinking how difficult can this be? Let me tell you, this can be a very difficult task at times...for example, not so long ago I received a phone call while I was in Sioux City from Mike, asking me if I forgot something. I replied with a calm" I don't think so, why did I?" He then responded with a" yes....you're 2nd child!" Needless to say I had forgotten to make arrangements for Cayden to be picked up from school. The poor child had to sit all bundled up in his winter attire for 1/2 hour, before the school came to the conclusion that no one was coming to get him. Talk about feeling like a terrible mother! It made me feel better when Cayden said to me..."Taxi Donna forgot to pick me up today!" (Our children ride the Holstein Taxi to and from school sometimes:) I replied "that darn Taxi Donna, I'm gonna have to talk to her." (Ha!) Moral of this story is...when you have several children, one might get left somewhere! Besides managing the Clausen schedule, I cook (love it), clean , do laundry (TONS), and work as the assistant director of nursing at Char-Mac Assisted Living 2 days/week.

Brady is 5 1/2, and is our quiet/shy one. He is in kindergarten and loves school. He also loves football...especially the Vikings! Brady has turned into quite the little "gamer" lately, and spends his extra time playing the Wii or his DS. He is a good little helper.

Cayden is 4 1/2, and there are few words to explain him...STUBBORN & TEMPER TANTRUMS! He is completely opposite of Brady...loud and outgoing, and he is not such a good helper. When I ask him to help me with something, his standard reply is..."no thanks mom...how about you just do it yourself." He loves action figures and dressing up in costumes. Somedays he is Batman, other days he is Spiderman, Iron Man, or a Power Ranger. He goes to Wee Wisdom Preschool (yes...the same preschool that we went to:-) three mornings a week, however he doesn't like school as much, as he would rather sit at home in his underwear and watch movies. (Ha!) For being only 4 he sure does come up with some of the funniest one liners. He definitely keeps me on my toes! :-)

Kellen is 2, and is very busy! He copies everything his big brothers do and say. His interests at the moment are farming and trains...who knows how long that will last! He may also be a future American Idol...(you'll see in a future video post). Lately he has been spending majority of his time in time-out. He also thinks time-out is funny, so we're going to have to come up with a different form of punishment.

Last but not least is baby Ty. Ty is 4 mo. old already! Wow how time flies! It makes me sad when I think about how my last baby is getting so big already. He really is a good baby, and has been sleeping anywhere from 10-14 hours straight at night! (knock on wood) I am enjoying cuddling and rocking him with every chance I get! Well that is the Clausen Crew at a glance. Here are a few pics!! Plenty more to come! Hope you enjoy! Sunday night ritual!

Kellen "hanging" out with Ty and Stella! The

Clausens & Doxtads hang our every Sun. night!
Ty...such a happy baby!
Papa and g'ma Platt always buy the boys matching

jammies for Christmas.

This was our best attempt at our Christmas card!