The Vanderlinden Family

Choose the Right

2012-01-19T13:13:00.000-08:00

Our theme in Primary for 2012 year is Choose The Right. Our Primary was in charge of the bulletin board. I got this idea on line and added a little bit to it. I think it turned out so cute. It was so much fun putting it together with the help of Lena, Alli and Kaylie. I'm so excited for this year in Primary. It's wonderful to work with such wonderful ladies.

Daddy's Girl

2012-01-11T13:10:00.000-08:00

When I called Chad from the Hospital where I had my ultrasound performed at 14 weeks gestation to tell him we were having a girl he held his breath for a second then sucked in a lungful of oxygen. I think he did this to prevent himself from passing out. He was shocked to be having a girl after two boys. He was afraid of the future teenage girl. He was afraid of the fragility that is "girl", the drama.

When friends and neighbors found out Chad would have a daughter they were quick to tell him how attached he would become to a girl. This cliche was repeated often enough to make Chad sick. He was determined to prove it wrong.

You should see him now after 7 months. This toughie is tangled around the chubby little digit of a soft and sweet smelling baby girl. I'm quite jealous actually. He loves his little big blue eyed baby girl. She loves him too. When he comes home she has a giggle of delight and wide grin for him. The same smile that is his. The neighbors were....right.

All he could think about was I'm to young for this
Got my whole life ahead
Hell I'm just a kid myself
How'm I gonna raise one

All he could see were his dreams going up in smoke
So much for ditching this town and hanging out on the coast
Oh well, those plans are long gone

And he said
There goes my life
There goes my future, my everything
Might as well kiss it all good-bye
There goes my life

A couple years of up all night and a few thousand diapers later
That mistake he thought he made covers up the refrigerator
Oh yeah...he loves that little girl.

Momma's waiting to tuck her in
As she stumbles up those stairs
She smiles back at him dragging that teddy bear
Sleep tight, blue eyes and bouncing curls

He smiles
There goes my life
There goes my future my everything
I love you, daddy goodnight
There goes my life

She had that Honda loaded down
With Abercrombie clothes and fifteen pairs of shoes and his American express
He checked the oil and slammed the hood, said your good to go
She hugged them both and headed off to the west coast

He cried
There goes my life
There goes my future, my everything
I love you
Baby good-bye

There goes my life
There goes my life

Christmas and Birthdays 2011

2012-01-06T15:15:00.000-08:00

I think Liv looks a little like the elf helper in Christmas Story ("You'll shoot your eye out...")

We had a wonderful Christmas! It was so much fun to wake Liv up for once. She loved the wrapping paper. Liv made the funniest expressions as she tore it to pieces. Kol and Luk were both pleased with the gifts they received. I think Chad and I surprised each other this year. I gave him a yogurt maker and he gave me a drill I'd always wanted. The boys gave me a lego house I'd asked for 3 years in a row. Chad never thought I was serious, but the boys convinced him that I was. It was so much fun to put it together with Luk's help. Now I want lego's every year. I forgot how much fun toys are at Christmas.

Rummy even had a good Christmas. He loved his stuffed frog that Santa left in his stocking. He endured the elf hat we put on him.

We saw the beautiful lights at Temple Square. I love the different Nativity scenes.

Our friends gave us a jar to drop family memories into to read next Christmas.

A few days after Christmas Chad and I have the benefit of celebrating our birthdays. This year was especially fun as Jane and Dennis had prepared a game of "Minute to win it" after dinner. It was so fun to watch Mike and Tauna attempt to be the first to pull out tissues from entire boxes. Chad and I competed in being the first to separate M&M's into color groups (I won). Scoot was thrilled to beat Dennis in the Bubble gum shaker game. It was my first favorite family memory made this year.