Halloween 2020

Halloween was really different this year. Jaiden and Janelle were both at work (and then went to Halloween parties after work), Jared and Josh were both at parties, and Jenna went trick-or-treating with friends with no moms trailing behind like past years. Rick and I found ourselves home alone, watching a cheesy movie and answering the door for our four trick-or-treaters (we never get many on our street). Part of me was really sad -- I really enjoy wandering through the neighborhood in the fresh cool night air stopping to visit with neighbors and friends along the way. The other part of me was relieved since I am still sick and didn't really want to expose the whole neighborhood. At least all of the kids had fun! 

Costumes this year:

Jase: NASA, Ellen: Extraterrestrial, Jared: Ryu from Smash Brothers, Janelle: Elf, Jaiden: Snow White, Josh: Soccer Player (actually he didn't dress up, but I didn't want to leave him out), Jenna and friends: 80's girls! (Janika and Brandon didn't dress up this year).

Apparently Jenna's whole school that she was Jo Jo Siwa. I had no idea who that was until Jenna showed me. She really does look like her, ha ha! 

Ryu and Jared 

Other pictures from the night...

Janelle and friends decorating pumpkins 

Josh's Soccer Game

Tonight Jase and Ellen went with Jared and Kaylee to Josh's 8:00 p.m. soccer game. The temperature had dropped twenty degrees over night and it was frigid! Up North there was snow and hail -- but here it was just cold! They won the game 2-1 and Josh made both goals so it was a good game for them to watch! 

Josh's girl friends also braved the cold to come watch him play!

 (Alexa Harrell, Lilly Wittwer, Ashlee Harris)

Then Josh's brothers brought him to Iceberg for ice-cream! 

(Although hot chocolate might have hit the spot better, ha ha!) 

Fall Carnival

I was a little surprised that our ward went forward with the annual Fall Carnival since Washington County has been moved to a "High Transmission" area (for Covid). However, they did take several precautions. Everyone was asked to wear masks (except while eating of course) and it seemed that most people complied. All of the food was served by assigned ward members who wore gloves and masks. They had the tables spread out for social distancing. I went with Jenna and Josh. Rick was going to come but ended up staying home because he wasn't feeling well. I brought him home some chili, breadsticks, and salad. (We remembered that last year we were all stressed, trying to finish painting the basement right before this party. Rick had paint ALL over his clothes from painting and so instead of changing he just showed up as a "painter!")  

There was the annual chili cook-off, a dunking tank, fishing booth, and pumpkin decorating. Janelle opted to go to Staheli Farm with friends instead and Jaiden worked at Tuacahn. So Josh and Jenna and I only stayed for a little over an hour and then headed home. After the party I headed out to my "Girls' Night Out" with interpreter/deaf friends. I didn't even think to have us take a group picture! We chatted and played "Cover Your Assets." Jenna was anxious to have Clarissa and Anna over to continue playing in the little "house" they put together  behind the shed (I will explain that in a separate post).

Here is Jenna, Clarissa, and Anna in their fun 80's costumes that they put together all by themselves! They turned out really cute!! 

Here is Jenna, Clarissa, and Anna in their fun 80's costumes that they put together all by themselves! They turned out really cute!! 

Josh -- Cross Country Team Pictures

 

Janelle is 18!!!

I can't believe that Janelle is officially an adult!! She is such a joy to have in our family! Janelle is easy-going and continuously happy! She has an "attitude of gratitude" and enjoys the simple things in life. She is such a wonderful example to me! She has so much faith and is amazingly consistent with studying her scriptures. I learn so much from her insights and have several "quotes by Janelle" in my own scriptures.

She isn't afraid to try new things. She works hard at whatever she does and I know that I can depend on her! Janelle loves Christmas, Christmas music, singing, lasagna, and the color green! She is especially grateful to have such incredible friends!! Janelle will be an amazing missionary, wife, and mother someday! I am honored to be her mother! Happy Birthday, Janelle!! (Janelle is currently celebrating her 18th birthday by buying a goldfish -- just because she can. Apparently you have to be 18 to buy one!) We love you, Janelle!  (From my Facebook post -- Click HERE to see the pictures and comments!) 

We had cake and ice-cream as a family for Janelle the Sunday before her birthday while Janika and Brandon were in town. The cake shows the number "18" in candles, but in the picture it shows up as "81!"  Boy, she really IS old, ha ha! Click below for her birthday song fail, ha ha! (Wait for it)!

   

Jaiden made Janelle a cute t-shirt that says, "It's called Adulting." It is from a song from a Phineas and Ferb movie and Jaiden played the song on her phone while Janelle opened the gift. Janelle loved it! Her friends decorated her car and gave her some cute little gifts. Her friend, Brea and her mom, brought in pizza for lunch to celebrate! Brea also gave her a beautiful soft blanket and a cute little stocking for Desmond (Janelle's official "adult" purchase -- a new beta fish). 

The speech therapists that Janelle works with for her Internship gave her a little goody bag filled with some fun prizes and her Young Women leader brought over a balloon and some scrunchies. Janelle also received some clothes and shoes and other odds and ends from us. Janelle received a card and money from her Grandma Jensen and her Grandma Westra helped her set up her very own ROTH account! Wow, she really IS an adult now! 

Janelle's friend, Emily Ord, gave her this home-made card. I thought it was so sweet! 

Jenna's 12th Birthday and General Conference!!

Today was Jenna's birthday!! It was also General Conference! I remember watching General Conference when I was in the hospital after giving birth to Jenna. Click on the link to see my Facebook  post with pictures of Jenna through the years -- or click HERE for my blog post from the day she was born! 

Back to this weekend -- we had Jenna's friend party last night. Today was a busy day! Not only was it General Conference, but I also planned to go to Josh's soccer game this morning and Rick wanted everyone to help take down the swimming pool. Janika and Brandon called Jenna over Duo and so they were able to watch her open her presents. She opened up the Friend's Lego set with her presents from her friends last night. 

Jenna received a few surprises this morning and her new snow cone machine arrived later this afternoon! She wanted to pay for it herself and so she saved up $20.00 and then used the birthday money from both her Grandmas to pay for the rest. Later on she had her friends over for snow cones! Jared and Broden came over and they each purchased a snow cone too! (I forgot to get a picture of her cute snow cone machine! I will take a picture of her using it later, but for now I will just include the promo picture off Amazon, although it makes it look bigger than it actually is!) 

Jaiden and I went to Josh's soccer game at the middle school (nice to have one close for once!) We listened to conference on our phones during the game. Josh's team played the girls this time. I think it is weird that the boys play the girls for one of their games. Josh's team won 5-0. Josh made one goal -- and of course it was in the first ten minutes and so we missed since we were ten minutes late! I did get some of his fancy footwork on film though! We came back and everyone helped to take the pool down (it was during the conference break by this time). That took around 45 minutes. It was hot outside and it made me wish we weren't taking it down! 

We then watched the second session of conference. Jenna missed it since she had another birthday party to go to for Ella Thomas at Sunset Bowling. After the session Janelle left for work. Jaiden started her new job at Tuacahn last night and worked again tonight. So they both missed the General Women's Session. So Jenna and I watched it. Janelle invited several of her friends (who also missed it due to work) to come watch it at our house Sunday night. Josh was at a birthday pickleball party for Caden Morris and Rick was busy working on his own projects and so Jenna and I actually had some time alone! The conference meetings were SO good today!! 

Jenna's Birthday Party!!

Jenna had her birthday party tonight. She planned the whole thing herself and made the invitations. She even made her own birthday cakes! She made one gluten free and one regular. She invited Clarissa and Anna to come over early to help her make and decorate them. I told her that she had to keep the party small this year. If you look at last year's birthday party you can see why!! This year's party was scheduled from 7:00 to 10:00. It was much more simple than last year and went great! 

Jenna wanted to paint canvases, have cake and ice-cream (and hot chocolate), and watch a movie. So that is what they did! She told them to bring their pajamas. They painted their canvases and then Jenna gave out a prize for each painting (most colorful, most detail, most funny, Birthday's Girls choice -- you get the idea). Then she opened her presents and had cake and ice-cream. They ended up watching Maleficent on Disney Plus. It ended ten minutes before the girls were to be picked up and so it was perfect! 

(Tonight Jaiden started her new job at Tuacahn. Thankfully Emily works there too and could give her ride since Janelle had the car to go to work. Josh was gone to his Cross Country meet in Cedar City! So Jenna and her friends had the house to themselves!)  

(Pictured: Clarissa Williams, Jenna Jensen, Amy Ence, Ella Thomas, Cortnie Kendrick, Lindsey Gardner)