Jensen Update -- January 2021

 

It has been nice having everyone in school the entire month of January without anybody being quarantined!  Rick got a new part time job in December (in addition to what he already does). He is now the coordinator for the ASL programs for Seminary and Institute for America/Canada. He was only given ten hours a week to focus on this but he really needs a lot more than that (and has been doing a lot more getting the program set up). So it was a very busy month for him, but now that he has all of his teachers in place and the classes are running smoothly hopefully things will slow down for him on his end. He is enjoying it though and wishes that they would take away some of his regular classes so that he can focus more on this new program. He also helped set up an adult religion class for the deaf, even though it isn't part of his current responsibility. The class, taught over zoom by a good friend of ours, (an amazing deaf woman in our area) already has about 50 deaf students from all over. 

I have been interpreting a fair amount. I was enjoying the classes I was interpreting for at DSU. They were in the same building and time as Jase and Jared's classes and so it was fun to run into them in the mornings I interpreted. But then one of the students dropped a couple classes and it happened to be the classes I was interpreting for and so I lost most of my hours. I was really disappointed to lose those classes! But freelance/medical appointments quickly picked up the slack and so I have still had interpreting jobs almost every day and I am still interpreting for a couple of college classes also.

Janika and Brandon bought a townhouse in Pleasant Grove. It is currently being built and should be finished near the end of April. So they are on the lookout for a bedroom set and a fridge and other furniture if you know of anyone getting rid of any! They are currently living with Brandon's sister and husband and three kids while their house is being built. The kids love the extra attention! Janika and Brandon have the whole basement to themselves and so it has worked out well. Brandon is enjoying his new job and Janika is enjoying her practicum (as an elementary school counselor at a nearby elementary school). 

Jase and Ellen are busy with their jobs and a full load of difficult classes. They went to Bryce Canyon to celebrate Ellen's birthday this month. 

Jared is loving his job at Dutch Bros! He makes good money thanks to generous tips. He is also still donating at Biolife. He is enjoying his classes more now that he is (mostly) finished with generals and more into classes from his major (exercise science). He continues to date a lot, and hang out with his friends a lot. He and his friends are looking around for a house to rent near the university.

Janelle is still working at Papa Murphys. She is busy with school and extracurricular activities and friends. She and her friends started a weekly Sunday devotional and there are about twelve or so who attend. They have it at a different house each Sunday with different friends taking turns giving the devotional. Any excuse to get together with friends, right? They also started a carpool to mission prep and it has grown so much that now they have to take a van. It takes way longer to go around picking people up than to just drive to the church, but again, this is much more fun! I have included a fun video that she and her friends did a couple of days ago: https://youtu.be/KVLVWvS-kW0

Because of Covid the high school decided not to do a big musical this year. So that was really disappointing. They decided to just do a small straight play instead (black box). The play is called The Musical Comedies of the 1940s. Janelle decided not to try out -- she is plenty busy with other things. Jaiden is probably even busier, but she never wants to miss out on anything! So she tried out and made the part of Bernice Roth -- who is apparently drunk most of the show, ha ha! 

I enrolled Jaiden and Janelle in voice lessons with Heidi Anderson. She played the part of the sea witch in several of Tuacahn's past productions of "The Little Mermaid." She is amazing! The lessons are expensive though ($40.00 for a 30 minute lesson once a week). I told her we could only afford one slot and so I asked it they could either take lessons together or alternate every other week. She said that they could alternate. The girls are also helping to pay for it. Maybe when Janelle leaves on her mission Jenna can take her spot.

Josh has done a couple of soccer scrimmages and is participating in open field for soccer everyday after school. He will try out for the high school play next month. Josh was having some stomach issues and so I went and had him tested for Celiac (again). He was negative. He still hasn't gotten his taste and smell back and so we are praying for him and fasting for him this Fast Sunday.  

Jenna decided not to do soccer again this year. I encouraged her to do it but she didn't want to. Last year's season was cancelled due to Covid. She is doing the Geography Challenge at Lava Ridge on the 11th and so she is studying for that. This one is a written test instead of standing up in front of everyone and answering questions. I like this way much better, except now she has to learn how to spell everything instead of just memorizing the answers. Jenna took down her Christmas decorations from her hide-out in the shed and put up beach decorations instead (not quite beach weather, ha ha!) We had a lot of rain and even had a little snow one day. 

The kids had a lot of fun with the family history challenge "find-a-face" on FamilySearch yesterday and after they did their matches with various ancestors they started doing matches with their immediate family members. Mom and Chris and I were discussing the other day how many of our ancestors look so much alike from when they were children to when they were adults. (See the screenshot of Joseph and Edward Westra above compared with their thumbnails, for example.) But there are always exceptions and I think I am one of them! I put a recent picture of myself with a picture of myself at ten years old on the find-a-face and it only had a 38% match -- for the same person! It isn't until high school -- post braces and all that -- that I got a 100% match to myself now. Interesting! I was also surprised that I had a higher match to mom than to dad! I thought for sure it would be the other way around. I was also surprised that Jenna and Janika had a 98% match when comparing pictures of similar ages. Interesting stuff! 

Jenna Tubing at Pine Valley

 Cortnie Kendrick invited Jenna to go tubing with her family today in Pine Valley. It was a beautiful day and she had a great time! Then they had a late night that night! 

Our newest hair-stylist!

Look who learned how to curl her own hair with the curling wand! Janika learned how to curl her own hair at a young age (and also curled her sisters' hair). But Jaiden and Janelle never really practiced enough to master it and still don't know how to do it well. I guess I spoiled them by curling their hair for them. But Jenna (age 12) has started doing her own hair every morning at 6:15 a.m. before her early bus to the 6th/7th grade intermediate school arrives. She will curl, or braid, or pull it up in a messy bun, or ponytail, or straighten or whatever. We have many hairstylists on the Jensen side of the family and I guess Jenna got those genes! I love it since then I don't have to get up early and do her hair before school! 

Jenna is also developing a fun sense of style with jewelry and clothing and has started putting together fun layered outfits that often involve lightly ripped jeans, t-shirts, jackets, and combat boots. Her new thing is cameo clothing. I recently went shopping and found a fuzzy cameo sweater and a cute cameo jacket that I knew she would love. They were at a great price and so I purchased them and let her earn them by doing one of her big organizing projects! I haven't thought to get pictures of any of her ensembles, so I will try and do that and add some pictures! 

 

Jenna: Student of the Month

Jenna doesn't have the most organized backpack, and so this certificate was pretty battered, but at least she showed it to me so that I could grab a quick picture! This is what it said: 

"Mrs. Hafen, Mr. Roberts, and Mrs. Stolen would like to nominate Jenna Jensen as our student of the month in December. Jenna is a great friend and to everyone. She is empathetic and compassionate. She is extremely responsible and a very hard worker. She listens well and is very respectful to both her teachers and her peers. She is a straight A students and always puts her best effort into everything she does. She is always a student that we can count on to do her best and helps others to do their best as well. For these reasons, and many more, Jenna Jensen is our Student of the Month.

 

Girls' Night Out

It was fun to get away for a Ladies' Night Out tonight! We met at 25 Main at 8:00 and ate and gabbed until the restaurant closed at 10:00. Then we went outside and chatted for another hour until 11:00! I guess we all needed this! 

Jase and Ellen at Bryce Canyon

 From Ellen's Facebook Post: 

To celebrate my birthday,

Jase

took me to Bryce Canyon for my first time ever and we broke in our new hiking boots.

It was quite an adventure as most of the “town” was closed for the off season. Luckily the park is open 24/7 and

Sophia

and

Ty

came to celebrate with us!

I loved the beautiful views and getting to spend time with some of my loved ones during a weekend away.

Best Restaurant: Bryce Canyon Pines Restaurant

Best Lookout: Rainbow Point

Best Parking-lot Navigator: not @ty

Best Ramen Noodle Warmer: @ty (or maybe my jacket)

Covid 2020 (By Jen)

Here is another fun, informative post by my sister, Jen, that I am "borrowing" for my blog!  

Oh, the memes!

I titled this post "Covid 2020" ... although of course it's actually Covid-19, as the first cases were documented there at the end of 2019. But it was 2020 when most people realized that this coronavirus was going to impact everyone and everything. Shall we start off with some poetry?

COVID Limericks: (by Scott Westra 2020)

Because of the virus Corona

I’ve adopted a different persona

It’s not all that great

To self-isolate

And spend way too much time alona.

It is critical that we all get checked

To insure were not poised to infect

Be up to the task

And wear the darn mask

Or the economy’s sure to get wrecked.

Forgive my cough and my wheeze

Heaven forbid I will sneeze

Just don’t duck for cover

And you will discover

It’s just seasonal allergies!

It was just a little ironic ...

As the year started, "Coronavirus" and "Covid-19" was something many people had heard of, but it was something that was a world away. It got closer. It was January when the news announced that the first case was here in the states. In March, there was a case in Utah. Still, it didn't seem real. 

It was March 11 when Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz tested positive, and the NBA shut down. (All other sports would follow suit. There was no "March Madness" and the NFL draft was done virtually, no school or community competitions allowed. The 2020 Olympics were postponed). In the following days, everything changed. Schools attempted to move to online learning, churches and temples shut their doors, missionaries came home and countries closed their borders. Employers transitioned to "work at home" for all who could. For a time, playgrounds were taped off. Funerals and weddings could only allow limited attendance. No big graduation ceremony for college/high school seniors. Drive-by parades became the only sort of celebration.

Restaurants were open only for take-out (this was encouraged, to help keep the economy going). Movie theaters, gyms, libraries, salons ... all closed. Disneyland closed and the Las Vegas strip shut down. Only "essential" businesses are allowed to remain open, and most would offer "contactless" shopping (order online and pickup). "Essential Worker" was a new buzzword, as was "social distancing".  Other phrases: out of an abundance of caution, super-spreader, uncertain times, flatten the curve, contact tracing, bubble, quaranteam, remote learning, new normal, "blursday" (as time lost its meaning), Zoom and P.P.E (personal protective equipment).

Stores and supplies were hit hard. There were shortages of sanitizer, disinfectant ... toilet paper. Many food items would be very hit and miss, and there were limits placed on most items. Pasta, yeast, flour, sugar, milk, bread. You never knew if you'd be able to get what you wanted/needed. Stores that had previously been open 24-hours now closed for cleaning, rest and restocking. For a time, the number of customers was capped. There were lines outside Costo. There were arrows indicating one-way aisles. Soon masks were mandatory, and there were plexi-glass dividers between workers and customers. Home delivery became very popular! There were other shortages ... bikes, trampolines, game systems, home gym equipment. Almost everything was affected, timelines for manufacturing and shipping were much slower. There was an aluminum shortage that affected cans of soda. Even money ... a coin shortage!

Masks, gloves, face shields, respirators ... there wasn't enough to go around. There was a lot of back and forth about masks. First saying that PPE should be preserved for the medical community, that they weren't really effective for the general public. Many doctors/dentists shut down ("telemed" appointments were encouraged) for all but emergency services, as much to control materials as contact.  People started sewing handmade cloth masks, but there were then shortages of elastic and fabric and it was still questioned if they provided protection. The thought was that wearing a mask may not protect the wearer as much as those around them. "I wear my mask for you, you wear your mask for me."  A few months in, and masks were mandatory and were being sold everywhere. Reusable (washable) fabric masks and disposable - the more protective N95 masks continued to be in short supply. SO much contention and politicizing of masks and procedures.

As things escalated in March, the Governor of Utah issued a "Stay safe, stay at home" directive for two weeks. Only essential movement outside of the home. This was an attempt to "flatten the curve", knowing that there still would be spread, but trying to control/slow it so that the hospitals would not become overwhelmed. Some obeyed, some pushed back. 

Restaurants, gyms and salons opened up again, with restrictions and safety protocols in place. Many people went back to work, but "work at home" will likely never be as limited, often still an option. Some businesses did not survive the shutdown, and unemployment/layoffs were issues for many. A stimulus package put money into most American's bank accounts ($1200). The NBA finally finished the season, with the players staying in a "bubble" with no contact with the world outside. School started up again in August. The Salt Lake School District was only online, but all the other school districts offered options for online or in-person learning. The kids had to wear masks. There were many quarantines and school shut-downs as positive cases were tracked. 

In the Spring, everyone watched as the numbers of cases increased ... in Utah, cases topped 100, then 200. Then there were 500 cases in a day. At first, testing was limited. Specific criteria had to be met; certain symptoms, travel from certain locations or contact with a positive person. Still there were long lines for an uncomfortable test (nasal swab). Soon there were options for a saliva test. Tests were required for travel and before medical procedures. As school started, there was required testing (every two weeks) for college students and student-athletes. Now, the norm for daily positive cases was in the thousands (2000-5000), with a number of covid-related deaths reported daily as well. Controversy and conspiracy theories were everywhere (the "plandemic", it's all a ruse, EVERY death is counted as Covid, people are testing positive who didn't take the test, it's all so the government can take away all our freedoms, the virus was made in a lab and released, everything should open/herd immunity, masks are dangerous or just don't work, this medication or that could be a cure, it's just the flu, etc, etc.) There was some good too though, as people attempted to work together, and there were many stories of environmental recovery. 

As time went on, most hospitals were at capacity and doctors and nurses were exhausted. Some states had crises earlier on (New York was hit hard in April/May) and every state was attempting control in their own way (as were countries around the world). The Governor of Utah set a second two-week shutdown mid-November. People were encouraged not to gather with family for Thanksgiving or Christmas.  As the year ended, a few companies had come out with vaccines, which were starting to be distributed (more controversy), but no one really knows how effective they will be, or if people will even remain immune after recovering from the virus. But there is a feeling of hope ...

Some days, life still felt normal (especially for introverts) ... 

Other days you'd open your eyes and see how odd it all was!

Check out this TIMELINE.

... did I mention the memes?

See my Meme Album here.

Almost 400+ hplayful peeks at the pandemic.

The cousins put together a little production at the start of the pandemic...

Cousins Covid