Memorial Day and Jaiden's Birthday

This beautiful girl was born on Memorial Day 17 years ago! Jaiden is intelligent, hard working, talented, kind, involved, gorgeous, spunky, and has the most amazing smile ever! She is now a Senior in high school and this coming year she will be involved in Exec Council, Madrigals, Theatrical Productions, Academics, dancing at Southwest Dance, teaching swimming lessons, and working at Tuacahn. She will also be preparing for the State Distinguished Young Women competition! Despite her busy schedule she still allows ample time for the gospel, family, and of course friends! WE LOVE YOU, Jaiden Jensen!! Happy 17th Birthday today!! Click HERE for my facebook post with pictures through the years!! This is one of those rare years that Jaiden's birthday fell on Memorial Day (just like on the day she was born). It is also one of the few years that her birthday didn't fall on the same day as her Southwest Dance Concert (the concert will be this weekend). So Jaiden was able to go out with her good friends -- Lizzie Bryner and Emily Williams. They brought her out to lunch and took her to a flower shop where they took lots of pictures of flowers and plants. They spoiled her with all sorts of cool presents -- yoga mat, yoga blocks, crumbl cookies.... (I can't remember what else -- I will have to ask Jaiden!) In a couple of the pictures above you can also see Jaiden's cook shoes that she painted herself!

Here is a picture of the same three girls on Jaiden's birthday 8 years ago (back in 2013, when Jaiden was turning 9 years old!)

I asked Jaiden what she wanted for her birthday dinner (on Sunday) and she said Cafe Rio style sweet pork. So I headed to the store at 11:00 Saturday night to buy all of the ingredients and started it cooking in the crock pot overnight. It was the first time I had made it and it turned out SO good! I made the lime rice and creamy cilantro dressing also. The power went off about fifteen minutes before we were planning to eat dinner and so the rice wasn't able to finish cookies and I had to finish it on the gas stove, but thankfully everything else was finished before the power outage and everything was delicious! Jase and Ellen and Jared came over for dinner and then we played a few rounds of Balderdash and had brownies for dessert. The power came on about thirty minutes later.

Monday night (on Jaiden's birthday) our family went to Tuacahn to see Annie! We had great seats and loved the show! I forgot to get a picture! That is NOT like me, ha ha!

Jensen Update -- May 2021

*Shakespeare in the park with Rick and the kids -- Comedy of Errors

*Senior Ball for Jaiden and Janelle. Click here for pictures: https://wendyjensen.blogspot.com/2021/05/senior-ball-jaiden-and-janelle.html

*Endoscopy and Dilation for Wendy (diagnosed with EOE) 

*Interpreting part time at Dixie Tech (Wendy)  

*Mother's Day Tea (see blog for details)

*Josh passed the test to get his learner's permit -- on the first try. I signed him up for Driver's Education in July. Now he can start getting his driving hours in! 

*Josh took the AP Chinese Test. Janelle took the AP test for AP Gov (I think) and Jaiden for AP Language Arts.

*Jaiden and Janelle sang at Janelle's Senior Honor Night and Jenna sang a solo in church on Mother's Day. 

*Janika and Brandon moved into their new town home in Pleasant Grove! Pictures and info on the blog: https://wendyjensen.blogspot.com/2021/06/new-home-owners-janika-and-brandon.html

*The Madrigals had their final concert. They did lots of upbeat songs and so it was more entertaining than I was expecting! 

*Josh got a job at a family owned restaurant in Ivins called "The Ice Box." He has worked two days so far. 

  

*Jared finished up his college year at DSU with a 4.0 for the year. He enjoys lots of social time with his friends and loves working at Dutch Bros. Jared does most of the grocery shopping and cooking for his apartment and then his roommates all pitch in with the cost.

*Rick started interpreting a class at DSU for the summer. He will be teaching an FSY Session this month. They also wanted us to be session directors this year, but asked us so late that our schedule was already quite full.

*Josh finished up the soccer season and we went to the final banquet/awards night at the high school.

*Rick and Josh went to Father and Sons, but the weather had turned cold and it snowed in Pine Valley. They didn't sleep over. The girls and I went out to dinner with Williams. 

*Janelle graduated from Seminary! She was on the Seminary Council this past year and was one of the speakers at the graduation.

*Janelle went to Grad Night where they had a nice dinner and all sorts of activities for the graduating class. It was at the Dixie Convention Center. Usually it is an all-night thing the night of graduation, but this was the night before graduation and went from 6:30 to 11:30. I liked this way better! 

*Janelle graduated from high school!! She wore the honor cord and white National Honor Society stole. She and six other Madrigal Seniors sang at graduation. It was hot! https://wendyjensen.blogspot.com/2021/05/janelle-graduation.html

*Senior pictures: https://wendyjensen.blogspot.com/2021/05/graduation-pictures.html

*Janelle finished up her mission papers, but then had to push the "submit" date back since she can't submit until four months before her birthday. She thought she could submit early and have her birthday in the MTC, but it wouldn't let her submit them earlier. 

*Jaiden went to Senior Sunrise (A tradition that I really do NOT like!) Rick had just purchased a big speaker for Father's Day Flee, and she brought that. She met up with some girlfriends for swimming and an outdoor movie. Then they watched a couple of movies inside and went to another friend's house for S'mores and later met at airport hill for a dance party and the sunrise. It was her first time staying up all night. She said that she had plenty of energy and didn't get tired, but a day or two later she got sick and was wiped out for the weekend (just one of the many reasons I do not support this activity!) 

*Jase and Ellen got a hamster! 

*Jaiden had her birthday and turned 17! Jaiden requested Cafe-Rio style sweet pork for her birthday dinner and so I made that Sunday night and it turned out really good! Jase and Ellen and Jared came over. We had brownies and ice cream and played Balderdash. Monday Jaiden opened her presents and then went out to lunch with her friends. That night we all went to Tuacahn to watch Annie!! We enjoyed it! That is our month!!   

Senior Lagoon Trip

Janelle went with a group of friends to Lagoon for a mini Senior trip (she has bigger trips planned for later on). They drove up on Friday and headed to my mom and dad's house in Salt Lake. They then went out to dinner and picked up some groceries for the next day. They then played a little Jackbox and then slept over and then headed to Lagoon! They had a great time and the weather was perfect, although it was a little crowded -- probably because it was Memorial Day weekend! Saturday night they stayed over at my mom and dad's house again and then headed back early Sunday morning in order to make it back in time for Janelle to speak in our ward! She spoke on member missionary work and did a great job! I am grateful that Janelle has such great friends! I am grateful that my mom and dad were willing to let the gang stay over at their house this weekend and I am grateful that they had a good time and made it back safely! 

Jenna: Annabeth Chase

Jenna has really gotten into the Percy Jackson series the past year or so. She even decided to dress up as one of her favorite characters today -- Annabeth Chase! 

Here is Jenna from last Christmas wearing the Camp Half-blood sweatshirt!! 

Jenna: Outdoor Movie Party (Cruella)

Jenna and all of her friends were invited over to Clarissa's house for an outdoor movie party watching the release of the new Disney movie, "Cruella." They loved it! Jenna is lucky to have so many awesome girl friends! 

Janelle Graduation

Janelle graduated from Snow Canyon High School this morning! Last year the high school graduation ceremony was virtual due to Covid. This year it was outside at the high school football stadium (I am assuming this is still due to Covid) instead of at the Burns Arena at Dixie State University, like it usually is.

Honestly, I would have been fine with the virtual ceremony that they had last year where pictures were all taken beforehand and the ceremony was all professionally recorded. Instead we sat in the sun in sweltering heat on hard bleachers with a spotty sound system trying to tune out the chatter of the people sitting behind us. Janelle sang (along with the other Senior Madrigals) and I tried to hold up my camera with the heavy zoom lens frustrated that the people behind me wouldn't shut up. Needless to say I didn't get a very good video. I still might add it to this post when I get a chance. 

But anyway, Janelle is graduated and very ready to move on! We were going to take her out to lunch at Cliffside, but there was an hour wait and the streets were filled with traffic due to all all of the graduations from the various high schools that were taking place at the same time. So we went to Lamys, which is just a few blocks from us. I had never been there before and it was quite good! Janelle then met up with friends to go to Gunlock Reservoir for kayaking and cliff jumping! Janelle had a great time at high school and we are grateful for the amazing friends she has! We look forward to seeing what the future holds for her! 

Here is a HUGE poster that Jaiden helped make, along with the other Exec Council members! 

Jenna End of Year Party With Friends!!

Jenna and her friends planned an "End of School Year Party" on the last day of school and it lasted 11 hours!!! Are they spoiled or what?? Part of it was at each of the girls' houses -- except for Clarissa's, because she changed her part to Friday for a Friday night outdoor movie party!!  

Here was the itinerary... 

11:30-12:30 Brunch at Sammy's house

12:30-2:00 Go Carts and Arcade Games at Fiesta Fun!! 

2:00-3:30 Outside Games at Brinkley's house 

 

3:30-5:00 Activity at Anna's house

5:00-6:30 Taquito's at Maggie's House 

7:00-10:30 Ice-Cream Bar, Games, and Movie at Jenna's house

Jenna is looking more like a teenager everyday!! 

Graduation Pictures

When Shane and Alicia came down next month I hired Alicia to take some Senior pictures of Janelle. Here are a few of them! 

Graduation Announcement

 Janelle is graduating from high school on Wednesday!! 

Janelle Seminary Graduation!!

Janelle had her seminary graduation tonight. She was one of the speakers and she (and the other speakers) all did a great job! Janelle's good friend, Brea Bulkley (pictured) was the Seminary Council president this year. (She also lead the SCHS girls' track team to a first place victory in State yesterday!)  Janelle was on the Seminary Council this past year and really enjoyed it! Everything went smoothly for the graduation. For past Seminary graduations click HERE!  

Trina Lang, Janelle Jensen, Brea Bulkley, Justin Gulbranson, Adam Dunn

 

Janelle Group Date

Janelle and some friends went hiking to the Anasazi Petroglyphs. They then went to Brea's house and made breakfast for lunch and then played Settlers of Catan.

Gavin Gough, Brea Bulkley, Taren Stout, Janelle Jensen, Ellie Kenworthy, Jace Lang