What are you allergic to?

So I have a monster canker sore. I almost always have at least one. Actually, a canker sore is responsible for my angriest moment in probably the last decade...

[I brought home cookies from seminar for Eric and I, and as I walked in house I bit my canker sore for 15th time that day. I got so frustrated I spiked my cookie on the floor! Eric just looked at me, laughed, and then ate the pieces of cookie off the front rug...]

I know why I get canker sores: nuts. Well, walnuts really. But if I eat too many nuts I get canker sores. If I have even a fraction of walnut, I'll get a canker sore. If I already have a canker sore, any kind of nut will make it worse, or give me more.

Seems easy, right? Just don't eat walnuts! Most of the time I'm good about it, but occasionally I knowingly decide that I have to have the brownie...sometimes I don't realize it has nuts, and other times I figure it's worth it.

ANYWAY, this canker sore has made me realize that almost everyone is allergic to something odd.

Meg--walnuts, insect bites (if I get one mosquito bite on my hand, I lose all mobility. If I get more than five, I break out in hives!)

My brother, Andrew--all antiobiotics. we weren't allowed to get strep throat growing up.

My mom--eyeshadow (makes her eyes swell shut), and neosporin.

Eric--not really any allergies, but he can't touch suede or velvet, he says it makes his mouth dry. He won't even sit on a suede couch! If he does by accident, he has to go get a drink and then sit somewhere else...

So let's hear it. What are you allergic to?

A world of adventure...

well I brought my camera to Colorado and am taking some wonderful pictures and video...but don't have my camera cord so no pictures here until we're back in Utah.

The past week has been filled with traditional Larsen activities: NCAA football video games for the boys, a LAN party playing Command & Conquer Generals, a billion games of NERTS (I was crowned "NERTS wizard" a few days ago and am considering retirement to preserve my sash), intense games of Acquire (Eric would like the world to know that he beat dad, Reed, and Meg all at the same time--complete victory that may never again be repeated....;o), and lots of chasing boys around and eating junkfood.

We've also crammed quite a few outings into the week already. We took our nephews ice skating for the first time, saw the lights at the Chatfield Aboretum, went to Zoo Lights at the Denver Zoo, watched the Avalanche beat the Red Wings in a shootout, saw a few good college football games, did a family temple session, took a girls shopping trip, and watched the first three episodes of the John Adams documentary special, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, the Nativity Story, Robin Hood, Get Smart, Hoodwinked, and lots of Judge Judy.

We even got a few hours of sleep here and there.

Hope all of you are having a wonderful Christmas and a *SAFE* new year.

Christmas doesn't feel so merry...

Why is it that when it rains, it pours, and when it pours, it's a full-on blizzard?

I really want to have a peaceful, relaxing break but I keep getting lots of bad news. My brother lost his job, my dad's best friend was killed while out biking with him this weekend, we just spent $557 getting our car fixed so we're not permanently stuck in Colorado...

At least my sweet Scotty always makes me smile :o)

Anyone have any good thoughts and prayers they can send this way?

Christmas crafts.

So I got all creative the past week or so and decided I needed to make something. I modge-podged a wooden "Believe" sign from the dollar store, thinking that would work it out of my system. It didn't. So i decided to finish Scotty's quiet book for christmas--which is a huge task because I hadn't done a thing since Janae moved! I doubt I'll finish it in time but i've made progress and so far it's really cute, I think :o) not spiritual, but occupying.



I used Janae's idea for a tent with a zipper. When I proudly displayed my first completed page to Eric, he asked me what was inside the tent. WHAT? inside? I asked him what *should* be inside the tent...and he calmly replies "a bear." Guess i'm never going camping with him again!






But hey--ask and ye shall receive. One bear in the tent coming right up.







This page didn't turn out as cute, but hopefully it's entertaining. I designed it so each flap could velcro down, and when you lift it up...







...it says "CSOTT" . Perfect!







Before Janae left, i copied her idea of making a cute face...but then realized that I probably shouldn't give Scotty long hair to braid. So I had to find something else to do with the cute face I had worked so hard on. The page on the right has three pockets...





Presenting, Scotty the Clown! I put magnets behind the face in certain spots, and made funny felt pieces to magnet on...how clever I am!







I think maybe I had a little to much fun doing this.








Here he is imitating his uncle Andrew!









And little Scottette...so sweet!






I also made this cute button shirt. You'll notice the buttons form a traffic light, so we can teach Scotty early about daddy's crazy driving... ;o) love you, Eric!




I still need at least 3 more ideas to fill the pages i have before I can put it together. Ideas, please?

THEN, Martha mentioned that it would be fun to make advent calendars, even though it was already the first week of december. i got hooked on the idea, got some free fabric from freecycling, designed an advent calendar, and put the whole thing together. Yes, it's the 16th of December, but the extra candy didn't go to waste because i ate it while i sewed!

It's all fabric and the days are pockets for candy and notes.

We've made a family rule that in order to get you have to give--whenever you can take something out you have to replace it with a paper saying something nice you did for someone else, something you accomplished, a cool scripture you read that day, compliments about how amazingly fabulous your wife is, etc. Eric's pretty motivated by candy :o)


P.S. I posted a ton of pictures in the next post, so keep scrolling down!

Pictures!

Here are some pictures from our recent adventures.

Last Friday, Eric's brother watched Scotty for us while we headed to Salt Lake with the Birk's for the MoTab Christmas concert. A real date! Hours away from our child! We even got to dress up! Unfortunately traffic was insane and we didn't get in, but we had a good time checking out the lights and eating ice cream. This spot holds a special place in my heart: it was the first time I was ever kissed in the snow! It was even with Eric ;o) Aah, freshman year...Next time, Eric will bring a coat.

Since we're in a student ward, almost everyone heads home for the holidays. So this past Sunday was our Christmas program (my voice came back just for the day so I could sing in the choir). We got Scotty dressed all spiffy, and he matched Madsen. These boys are so fun to watch together--they're 3 days apart and have been creating chaos since day one.

Fast forward 17 years and they'll be dressed the same, only headed for Prom.
Eric tried to get some family pictures of Scotty all spiffy and my new red shoes...that was an adventure because Scotty got yet another tooth breaking through on Sunday! Still, a few cute ones.
Aren't those hot red shoes? Too bad you can't see the side--they're actually VERY tall heels.




It's been snowing, here in Provo, and let me tell you--our cottage looks MUCH better hidden under a blanket of white! Course once it starts melting and mixes with road slush, we'll have sunk to an all new low. Still, I figured I owed to Scotty to let him actually try the snow out before we move to Phoenix and never have to live in it again.

My Own Abominable/Adorable Snowman

He loved it. Unless he fell down, he happily sang and played for almost an hour. Though he didn't like the Scotty angel I made much...

Getting out for the first time...

Shoveling the path (a la Fred Flintstone)