Palmer Family

A quick look back at 2011...in no particular order.

2012-01-17T07:02:00.000-08:00

Summer is all about friends, mud, frogs and fun!

We were so proud of Jake and Nash for wanting to be a part of their schools Science Fair. They did a great job!

Our little Gracie is quite the dare devil. She might look beat up but the swing ended up in the Intensive Care unit.

Nash's Super Mario Bros. birthday party. Boy was it fun!

This is how I feel we lived for most of 2011...out of a box. It is so nice to finally be settled in!

Jake had a great birthday party at the St. George Rec Center. Dodgeball anyone?

Some of Jake's favorite moments from last year were spending time with friends, scouts and yard work. Maybe scratch the last one.

We will miss our annual neighborhood Easter egg hunt and the weather. The kids ended up with more candy than at Halloween. Lucky!

Colorado was a fun trip. We played on Aunt Sandy's HUGE waterslide, went to a minor league game, watched fireworks, played with cousins and witnessed our sweet Maddy's baptism. It was a great vacation!

Popcorn popping on the Apricot tree...no wait, the Family Room floor.

2011-07-18T06:45:00.000-07:00

So I finally bought a popcorn popper the other day because I was craving that fresh popcorn and butter taste. Yummy! I got it out to make us a little treat when the kids and I decided to live out one of my childhood memory that I had always told them about. I remember my mom laying a sheet/blanket out on the family room floor and putting the popcorn popper in the middle without the lid on. She would fill it with kernels and plug it in. All the kids would sit around and watch the popcorn volcano erupt. It was so much fun! You just have to watch out for very hot rogue kernels. The three oldest kids thought that it was so cool and Gracie was happy because I was finally letting her eat off of the floor.
It was a good night! Hopefully I helped my kids make a wonderful childhood memory!

I LOVE this kid!

2010-11-14T14:29:00.000-08:00

This post is dedicated to a wonderful big brother and my right hand man! Thanks for being such a great kid Jake! I love you!

Fall...Football...Fun!

2010-10-18T11:40:00.000-07:00

This year both Jake and Nash are playing flag football. Jake is a member of the Sniper team and Nash is on the Lions team. They have had fun learning new plays and making new friends. This last Saturday Jake made two touchdowns and Nash made one (first time for both of them this season). Grandma and Grandpa Palmer were there to witness their wonderful moments.

Jake is really good at getting flags and running the ball!

Nash is a wonderful QB and is super fast!

World's Loudest Cheerleaders

We're Back!

2010-10-08T09:18:00.000-07:00

I know...I know...it has been WAY too long! I have finally recommitted myself to my blogging efforts. Thanks to all of you who have diligently kept checking in.

CaMPinG in UTaH!

We decided to take a break from the hot Phoenix sun and head north to cooler weather and family. Here are some pics of our time at the Terry Family Ranch.

Magic Kingdom...Here We Come!

2009-01-17T13:51:00.000-08:00

This year my wonderful mother-in-law decided to give the kids tickets to Disneyland for Christmas. We hoped on board that train and made "Disneyland" our Christmas theme. So on January 8th we packed up the Suburban and headed off to the "Happiest Place on Earth" where we were going to meet up with Kurt's siblings and mom. My sister-in-law did all the leg work (THANK YOU!) and booked us a wonderful suite right across the street from Disneyland. It was the best trip and we made some wonderful memories. And yes, I did get a little camera happy.

He almost had it!

One of my all time favorite rides.

The boys liked this ride the best. I think that Kurt might have too!

We went on a river safari and it was all Kurt could do to not make fun of the guide. He was a little bit crazy.

Jasmin was the only princess that Drew got to see but she was worth the wait!

This is a rare sight to see! Nash was so mad at me and Kurt because we were trying to make him go on a ride that he was not about to get on. He finally walked away from us and sat down by the fountain. The look says it all!

Pluto was all over Jake and Broc. He even stole Broc away from us to show his pal Goofy Broc's shirt. It was a lot of fun for both the boys!

For part of the day we hopped over to California Adventures. The kids loved the "Bugs Life" rides. Here are two of our cute little "bugs"!

Every picture with these three stinkers turns into power ranger poses.

Daddy's little girl

Grandma Laine is the best...she bought each child their very own cotton candy. Those things are not cheap! I would've had to sell an arm and a leg to afford that!

Christmas in the Palmer home- 2008

2009-01-15T07:08:00.001-08:00

I am finally posting some of our Christmas pictures. Enjoy!

This picture is our chritmas present to you! We hope that you get a good laugh...sorry if it makes you cry. That was never our intent!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Christmas Eve with the Palmer's

2008-12-24T20:54:00.000-08:00

Today was a fun family day!
We started everything off with a yummy breakfast and then did a little work to get our house looking great for Santa. (The boys did yard work while the girls cleaned inside.)
For lunch we B-B-Q hamburgers/hot dogs and had a little picnic outside. Then we played a few games of "Boston". It was a ton of fun!
Later in the evening we drank hot chocolate while Dad read us the story, The First Christmas (wonderful book about the baby Jesus). Then we talked about the true meaning of Christmas but also talked about how Santa works into everything.
Then PJ the Elf came and left gifts for the kids at the front door. Every year he leaves them a pair a pajamas but this year he left a note saying that he noticed that they already have a lot of PJ's and so he brought them other clothing items they were in need of.

We then opened one present each. The kids opened "Rock Band" which Grandpa Rick gave us. I had taken apart the huge box and wrapped three smaller boxes so that everyone could open the gift together. Well, when we went to open the gift...one was missing. We search forever! Finally, after about an hour of looking we found it hidden in one of Drew's purses. I was a true Christmas miracle! :)

We ended the night by frosting cookies for Santa and throwing reindeer food on the grass outside (you know to make them come to your house faster).
The kids are now asleep on the floor of my room and hopefully visions of sugar plums dance in their heads. Have a Merry Christmas!

And who through our wondering eyes did appear?

2008-12-20T15:46:00.000-08:00

That's right...Santa! Good ol' Saint Nick himself showed up last night at our ward Christmas party. The kids were so excited to see him! Jake was absolutely certain that he was not going to be the real Santa Claus. In his words, "Mom, I have seen a lot of Santa's and they all look different and have different voices". Yes my child is observant! So I explained again to him that Santa can not be everywhere so he has helpers. But I told him that one way to know if it really was Santa was to see if his beard was real. So when we were close enough in line to actually see him, he looked at me with the biggest smile and said "Mom, his beard is real". It was a fun moment!

Nash had this idea that if you give Santa a quarter he will say "HO HO HO!" for you. I don't know how Nash came up with this but I think that Santa should cash in on the idea! So when he sat on Santa's lap we told him about the quater and he took it from Nash and very sweetly laughed "HO HO HO!". Then he gave the quarter back to Nash and told him that he should put it in his bank and save it for another day. Nash was thrilled to have a quater from Santa!

I thought that Drew would be terrified of Santa but she wasn't. She walked right up and sat on his lap. He asked her what she wanted for Christmas and without any hesitation she said, "A Dora House!". It was fun to see her so happy!

My baby boy is growing up!

2008-11-19T20:04:00.000-08:00

So tonight a wonderful and magical thing occurred. Nash read his first book (with a small amount of help). It is always such a joy to see the "light" come on in a child's mind when they can look at a word and read what it says. He was so happy but was trying to be very modest about it. Like, "No big deal Mom...I always knew I could do this!". It was a very proud moment! I just love him so much and am honored to be his mother. Keep it up Nashy Noddle!

For those of you who were wondering, the book read something like this:
-Mat
-Mat sat.
-Sam
-Sam sat.
-Mat sat on Sam.
You get the picture!
They just kept sitting on each other. It was full of excitement!

My Baseball Boys

2008-11-17T11:57:00.000-08:00

Okay...I am not above plugging my husbands baseball camps. He is an amazing coach and I am so proud of how hard he works and how much he loves the game!
If anyone is interested in signing there child up just type in the address below. Sorry I couldn't get it to link.

http://collegebaseballcamps.com/calendar.cfm?ID=189&src=CBC

It is fast, easy and a wonderful way for your child to learn the game of baseball.
Here are some of the upcoming camps:

November 2008
11/28 – 11/28 ~ Friday to Friday

Phoenix College Shopping Day Clinic #1

Location: Marich Field, Phoenix College | Ages: 6-12

Time: 8am - 2pm Cost: $ 80.00 (Is NOT Sold Out)

11/29 – 11/29 ~ Saturday to Saturday

Phoenix College Baseball Clinic #2

Location: Marich Field, Phoenix College | Ages: 6-12

Time: 8am - 2pm Cost: $ 80.00

December 2008
12/19 – 12/20 ~ Friday to Saturday

Phoenix College Christmas Prospect Showcase

Location: Marich Field, Phoenix College | Ages: Grades 9-12

Cost: $ 125.00

12/26 – 12/26 ~ Friday to Friday

Phoenix College Christmas Future Stars Camp #1

Location: Marich Field, Phoenix College | Ages: 6-12

Cost: $ 95.00

12/27 – 12/27 ~ Saturday to Saturday

Phoenix College Christmas Future Stars Camp #2

Location: Marich Field, Phoenix College | Ages: 6-12

Cost: $ 95.00

Our newest arrival and currently the most loved member of the family!

2008-10-26T16:37:00.000-07:00

A sneak peek as to how it all happened.
The sun shone gently overhead while the crisp morning air lingered close to the moist earth. Kurt worked at the far end of the yard mowing the tall grass, his strong arms and cut build made the daunting task look like childs play. While he mowed, I worked on raking up the freshly cut grass on the baseball field. The sweet aroma that surrounded me awakened my senses like only it could and with the children playing in the front yard I was able to fully take in the calm serenity of the moment. That is when it happened...
The lawn mower broke and I realized how much over seeding bites! This was going to take us all day! That is when I threw down the rake and told Kurt to put the kids in the car...we were going to get a riding lawn mower!

And here he is...John Deere!

Drewbie Turns 3!

2008-10-26T16:06:00.000-07:00

So I have been a slacker these last two months and have not posted anything. During that time there where a few things worthy of posting but most important was the fact that our little princess turned 3! It is so crazy to look back on these past 3 years and think of how fast they have gone by.
On Drew's birthday we went down to Aunt Sandy's house (she is the mom Drew wishes she had) and had dinner, presents and cake/ice cream. Then we celebrated her birthday again on Sunday just with our own little family. Her grandma's and grandpa's gave her so many fun things. Unfortunately, I am bad at taking pictures and so the follow ones are all we have.

Happy Birthday Drew! Don't look too excited. Can we at least get a smile?

Here it comes! Wait for it...wait for it.

She is trying to hide it! Come on we know you want to!

And there it is. It does exist! Looks a little forced but we'll take it.

We know that she is happy because she actually played with her gifts afterwards.

Here is Drew twirling with her new jump rope and "Cinderella" nightgown that she got from Grandma Laine.

This is her "Princess" pose.

We love you Drew(even though you have crazy mood swings)!

Time Warp

2008-09-13T18:01:00.000-07:00

This is so much fun! I went in ten year increments, starting in 1956 and ending in 1996. What do you think?

A Day At The Museum

2008-09-12T22:34:00.000-07:00

For Labor Day this year we decided to do something different and take the kids to the Science Museum. It was so much fun as well as educational. (Score one point in the parenting department!)

The kids had tons of fun with all of the hands on activities.

You can actually see the light going on in Nash's head. It is so bright, it is shining out through his eyes!

The kids where able to flatten pennies in one of those machines that charges you 50 cents to do it. They were so excited that I let them do it this time because I usually say "No way am I paying 50 cents to flatten a penny!" Little did they know that this machine did it for free...score!

Future Science Club Member!

Wannabe Future Science Club Member!

Our CUTE little kiddies!

This station was kind of cool but mostly creepy.

Our little geologist. I guarantee you will never find one that is as cute!

This was the funnest station. You throw a bunch of balls into this giant nose(which was fully equipped with giant nose hairs) and it would sneeze out all of the balls right into your face. Good Times!

You know it was a good day when you leave and everyone is still happy and smiling. Even dad had a small smile on his face. Might I say...miracle!?! No, he is the BEST dad ever!

Retry to see if I could get Reese Witherspoon!

2008-08-22T09:17:00.000-07:00

http://www.myheritage.com/collage

She still does not pull up, but I got Rihanna...Yeah!

Jake Looks Like...

2008-08-22T09:13:00.001-07:00

Kurt Looks Like...

2008-08-22T08:52:00.000-07:00

http://www.myheritage.com/collage

Drew Looks Like...

2008-08-16T12:08:00.003-07:00

http://www.myheritage.com/collage

Nash Looks Like...

2008-08-16T12:08:00.002-07:00

http://www.myheritage.com/collage

I Look Like...

2008-08-16T12:08:00.001-07:00

Nielsen's Rule!

2008-08-08T09:32:00.000-07:00

Our family just returned home from one of the funnest get-togethers I have had in a long time. That's right the Nielsen clan finally had a reunion. It was a blast! We went up to the same cabin in Paragonah that we had been at a mere 5 YEARS EARLIER. The reunion contained all the right activities: mafia, food, late nights, kids activities, food, an assortment of games, 4 wheeling, long conversations and again food! It was so good to see everyone and meet so many new little ones that had recently been brought into our family (sorry kids but to be a Nielsen is to be a little bit crazy, don't worry you will get use to the madness). I would also like to thank my mom (a.k.a Suz or Aunt Suzie) and my aunt LaRae for working so hard to make it happen. They did such a great job that we have all decided to reunite again in June of 2010. Until then we will all have to enjoy our pictures.

All the little ones-

Exercise with Suz-

Mother May I?-

Everyones a WINNER-

"Doug" pile-

Cast of The Wizard of Oz-

My Bros-

Kim, Charlotte and the twins-

Jessica and Jenny-

Melissa and Sydney-

Lindsay and Hatch Gang-

Doug and Jody-

Our little woman-

The Pokemon Masters-

Best hair in the group-

Last but not least...My Little Princess-

America the Beautiful!

2008-07-04T18:55:00.000-07:00

We are all so very blessed and need to take the time to thank our Father in Heaven for the beautiful country he gave us and for sending brave men and women who make our freedoms possible each and every day! -To be gracious, is to be wise.

Happy Birthday Jake!

2008-06-22T16:56:00.000-07:00

On June 22, 2008 my little boy will be 7 years old. I cannot believe how time flies! He wanted a very small party and just invited his three best friends, along with family, to come and celebrate with him. It was a lot of fun and I hope he had a happy birthday!

I'm Back!

2008-06-21T15:43:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! I am so sorry that I have not added a new entry for so long. We moved into our new home in March and my camera cord was packed away. I have been looking for it for sometime now but apparently it does not want to be found. Sandy finally brought her camera up and was kind enough to take some pictures for me. So here goes...

On June 8, 2008 the Palmer family was getting ready to go to the blessing of our handsome new cousin Ryan. The boys looked great and Drew was at the top of her cuteness game. Kurt and I were in our bathroom adding the finishing touches when out of nowhere Jake yells and comes running in our run. "Drew has scissors", he says. That was when she appeared. Our beautiful daughter had done the unthinkable. Yes, she had cut her bangs! We all sat in silence for a moment and then did what we knew we had to do...take her as she was to church. There we received many glances and stares but we still think our little Drewbee is the most beautiful girl in the world.

Totally Bummed!

2008-02-29T21:30:00.000-08:00

I was just released last Sunday as the Young Women's President in my ward. It has been one of the saddest and emptiest feelings I have had in a very long time. My girls, as I call them, are exactly that...they are my girls! It is going to be so hard not to see and talk with them each week. I truly love each of them and was very sad to go. The good part is that we are only moving 20 minutes away and so they have promised to keep in touch. That is one promise I am going to make sure they keep. Here are some photos of the last activity we had together.

YW/YM WEEKEND RETREAT-

We went about two hours northeast of Phoenix to a cabin in the mountains. It all started out great...but went down hill pretty quickly!

We stopped and ate dinner in Payson at the local Pizza Hut. "Eat up kids, because you will be burning that food off soon enough!"

"Told you so!"
Unfortunately, the minivan just could not make it. We were stuck for about one hour before we were able to push it out. However, we immediately got stuck again...and again...and again. We finally gave up and hopped into another leaders 4wheel drive truck.

We finally arrived at the cabin a little bit after midnight. While changing, I discovered that I had salt water taffy stuck all over my be-hind. I am claiming that it is a survival skill I learned at girls camp. -Whenever you get stranded, stick as much food to yourself as you can so that it is easier to find later! Yeah, that sounds good.

Although we only had 4 hours of sleep the night before, we were still able to muster up enough energy to have a wonderful time sledding. It really was a great trip and I will always cherish it!

Who's Your Hubby?

2008-02-29T11:45:00.001-08:00

Well I have been tagged again...but this time I was asked to write about my hubby. I am not going to post any pics of him because I just did that in my last entry.

What is his name? Kurt Jegtvig Palmer a.k.a- K.Pizzle, K.P., Skip, Kurtis Leroy...the list goes on and on.

How long have you been married? 9 years in July..holy cow, time flies!

How long did you date? From the time we started dating to the time we got hitched was about 6 months. However, we had known each other for about two years. (I, by the way, was completely in love from the first moment I saw him!)

How old is he? He is the ripe old age of 33.

Who eats more? He eats more at one sitting. I eat more throughout the day...oh that's sad!

Who said I love you first? He did. Anyone who knows Kurt, knows that he never beats around the bush when he has something to say.

Who sings better? Kurt sings better. I think that he could have been in a rock band. Maybe there is still time.

Who is smarter? Kurt is very smart and has an amazing memory. However, just because he is book smart doesn't mean he is smarter than me...I have street smarts!

Who does the laundry and dishes? I combined these two questions because it is a total team effort at our house. I always tease that Kurt would make a better housewife than I do...the sad part is that he really would!

Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Right now I am but we switch from time to time.

Who pays the bills? I do, but Kurt manages the money. Doesn't make sense but it seems to work.

Who mows the lawn? Again, team effort. I usually end up mowing the front yard and Kurt does the back. However, I do most of the weeding and trimming.

Who cooks dinner? I will be honest...I hate to cook. Kurt and I share that responsibility, but he does do almost all of the baking. -Man it really sounds like I do nothing all day! Poor Kurt!

Who drives when you are together? Kurt, he gets car sick and is a bit of a control freak when it comes to driving. I prefer it because otherwise he becomes a really annoying backseat driver. I love you honey but lets be honest.. this is one of your weak spots.

Who is more stubborn? Oh, hands down...ME! I am the worst kind of stubborn. The kind that gets quiet and won't talk things through. This is my weak spot!

Who is the first to admit when they are wrong? Kurt

Whose parents do you see the most? It is pretty equal.

Who has more friends? Kurt would say me, but I think him. He makes friends everywhere he goes.

Who proposed? Kurt did...twice. We where talking about getting married and he said something like, "I would like to marry you...do you want to get married?" I said "yes" and he asked my mom a few days later for my hand in marriage. He proposed again about three days before we actually got married. He had finally gotten the ring back from the jeweler and asked me properly by getting down on one knee.

Who has more siblings? I win this one, hands down. I have around 18 siblings while Kurt only has two.

Who wears the pants in the family? I like to think that we share the pants. Somedays I wear them longer then he does and vice versa. If you were to ask him though, I think he would say that I do. Maybe that's because I can be a little bit stubborn or just have more wisdom. I don't know!

Tag...Sandy and Lara...you're it!

Pictures of K.Pizzle

2008-02-21T14:45:00.000-08:00

The other day, Kurt looked at our blog and was saddened by the fact that pictures of him are not that frequent(I think there might be two). So I have dedicated this entire entry to my dear, sweet husband. This one's for you, babe!

Kurt teaching Jake how to mow the lawn.

Kurt bought a deep fryer and cooked our turkey last year for Thanksgiving. We would like to thank the patch of lawn that sacrificed its life so that we could enjoy the greatest turkey of our lives!

The shovel was a wonderful tool to help Kurt throw large amounts of snow at the boys until he jammed his wrist when he hit the railroad tie(however you spell it).

Kurt after being dumped while sleding behind the four wheeler.

Kurt with the love of his life! Oh wait...how come that's not me?

Siblings (plus Mom) Vegas Vacation

2008-02-19T12:01:00.000-08:00

(Viewer Discression Advised)
Ron, Doug, Sandy, Zac, Suz and I all decided to have a fun little weekend away in Sin City and boy was it a blast! We went to a magic show, game show, ate at buffets, saw the sites and laughed, laughed, laughed. Maybe if our spouses are all really nice this year we will invite them to come along next time! Here are just a few moments captured by my camera. (If you would like to see more pictures...hop over to Sandy's blog.)

Here is my starter photo for the trip. You can tell that it doesn't take a lot to get me excited.

My friend, Danell, was kind enough to hook us up with a sweet room. It had a huge flat screen tv, awesome shower and even a little tv in the bathroom mirror. The door to the bathroom was a fogged sliding glass door. This provided a lot of laughs in and of itself. (Ask if you want to know what I am talking about.)

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After a day away from our spouses, Doug and I got a little frisky with the locals.

Who needs Paris or Rome or where ever this fountain is located, when you can see it in Vegas!

"Watch out for those Jentzsch/Simpson/Wallin kids...they're a bunch of crazies!"

Who do our children look like?

2007-12-05T12:26:00.000-08:00

Mommies been Tagged...just in time for hunting season!

2007-11-20T17:10:00.000-08:00

WE'VE BEEN TAGGED
I have been tagged by Sandy Beck.
The rules are when you are tagged:
A. Each player lists 6 facts,habits or favorite things about themselves.
B. At the end of the post, the player then tags 6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blog and leaves them a comment letting them know that they have been tagged. (So, watch out....you might be tagged next.)

Six tidbits about Kimberly Simpson Wallin Palmer.

1. Fact: Even though I have three last names I have only been married once and plan to keep it that way! So Kurt don't get any ideas!

2. Habit: I have a habit of singing every song that I hear on the radio and claiming that it is my favorite. I don't know why but this tends to annoy those that are with me.

3. Favorite: Although I really do love all the colors of the rainbow, I find myself drawn to blues and yellows. You could say that those are my favorite colors.

4. Fact: I am the Young Women's President in my ward and although it can be challenging I really do love it! Not only does it make me feel like I am giving a little back but I have also found that being around the girls makes me feel young again.

5. Habit: I am a fingernail biter. There I said it! I know that grosses a lot of people out and for that I am truely sorry. It is something that I am working on.

6. Favorite: My favorite thing in the whole world is my family. I know that is cheesy but it is totally true. I am obsessed with them. I talk way too much about them to the people around me and brag about them every chance I get.

Well, there you have it. That is me in a nut shell. Actually, that is me just giving you a small glimpse of my nut shell. That sound a little dirty. Oh, I can't stop laughing! There's another thing about me...I laugh at myself. I'm going to stop typing now. But before I go, everyone I know has already been tagged so I guess this ends with me. -Bye

Hooray for Halloween!

2007-11-08T15:09:00.000-08:00

Introducing: Her majesty...Princess Drew,

the mightiest ninja around...the Blue Power Ranger,

the man of steel...Super Man,

and the scariest of them all...MOM!

A little glimpse of the ward Trunk-or-Treat and Trick-or-Treating with the fam.

Nash's Field Trip to the Farm

2007-11-08T13:21:00.000-08:00

Nash's preschool went on their very first field trip to a farm and were kind enough to invite the students family members. We all had so much fun looking at the many different kinds of animals, playing on the toys and taking pictures by the pumpkins.

Getting to know... Jake, Nash and Drew

2007-10-10T15:20:00.002-07:00

Jake is full of competitiveness...

but he is also very thoughtful!

Nash is full of craziness...

but he is also very loving!

Drew is full of sass...

but she is also a peace maker!

We love our little monsters...and angels!

Palmer Family on Safari

2007-10-09T16:07:00.000-07:00

We visited the Out of Africa Wildlife Park.

Jake liked the rhino the best!

"No boys... I don't think you will ever be as tall as him.
But keep eating your veggies and we'll find out."

"Everyone on the bus. It's time for our safari...
Oh, I'm so sorry sir but the bus is full!"

Jake had the time of his life. That's a whole
six years you know!

Nash being his usual crazy self. It was all we
could do to keep him in the bus.

Drew loved the zebras but for some reason
she kept saying "here kitty kitty".