Happy 18th Birthday, Josh!

It was a good birthday for Josh! With his birthday money ($75.00) he bought a pair of shoes and kept the rest of the cash. We also got him some little snacks and treats. His friends also came through with several gifts for him. Tonight he had a soccer game against Pine View. Rick and I went to watch. He made an awesome assist and another awesome goal and his team won. Josh was voted "Man of the Match," (MVP) for the game. Way to go, Josh! (Also, can you believe he is 18??)

Sister Jensen is Home!!!

We were excited that the married kids could come to St. George with their families to join us for Janelle's homecoming!! It was also my birthday today and having my missionary come home was the best birthday present ever! We all made some signs and gathered at the St. George airport for her arrival! Here is a picture of us with her signs while waiting for her to come! 

Janelle's flight was scheduled to arrive at 3:47 and arrived around 3:37, about ten minutes early. When we saw her we all started cheering! Of course Dad is always the loudest one! We had brought the tripod to video the reunion, but it was missing the piece that connects the camera to the tripod and so we couldn't use it! So Dad was trying to film, but when he was cheering he was also moving the camera up and down, ha ha! Thankfully there was a stranger witnessing the whole reunion. She pulled out her phone and filmed it! And then offered to airdrop the video to us. We were so thankful for that act of kindness! 

Janelle saw us all and started walking really fast. I got to hug her first! I was surprised that I was so emotional -- Janelle and I were both crying!! And then all of the other kids started gathering around and hugging her too. Then the married kids handed their babies over to her! After some hugs we went into the other room to do the traditional "run through the finish line while cheering/chanting some awkward rhyme that dad made up." All of the kids (or most anyway) think it is pretty hokey!! And I guess it is, but it is fun too. The chant for this time was "JANELLE, JANELLE -- RING THAT BELL!!" All of the kids were like, "what does a bell have to do anything?" She ran through through the crepe paper finish line while we all cheered and then rang the bell that dad brought! Then we went to get her luggage and they lost it -- both of them!! Thankfully she had an extra dress and other essentials in her carry on bag! She finally got her luggage a couple of days later and they delivered it right to our house, which was nice! 

The whole family is back together again!!! 

Janelle was exhausted and understandably so since she left yesterday and arrived today!! AND they lost her luggage!! Good thing she had a carry on with an extra dress and some other essentials for the weekend! We all headed home and then had Janelle teach the family the traditional after-mission lesson. She did a great job. It was a little more distracting with the grandkids, but that's okay! 

We then had dinner. Janelle had requested crock-pot chicken. We enjoyed a delicious dinner and then Rick and I brought Janelle over to President Nadauld's house so that she could be released. He asked her to share some experiences and share her testimony. It was neat to hear her experiences first hand! Then President Nadauld asked her to share her goals (spiritual, physical, social, emotional) and then added some suggestions for goals. 

We came back and the kids all wanted to play Smash Bros with Janelle, but Rick made her go to bed!! (It was about 7:00 p.m.) It was morning in Taiwan time, but thankfully she was exhausted enough to go to sleep! The next morning she gave her homecoming report and did a great job! 

Happy Birthday, Rick!!

Janika and Brandon gave Rick a luggage scale and magnetic hooks that you can hang on the wall while cruising! Tonight Rick and I went out to dinner at Outback Steakhouse for his birthday. It really good! The only down side was that we had a gift card which didn't work! They apologized and said that they had never been able to get the cards from this particular company to work. Since they couldn't get it to work they gave us $12.50 off to try and make up for it. Rick is going to try and follow up with the company to see if he can get some answers! 

Rick pretending to be on a diet...

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Jenna's Birthday Party

Tonight was Jenna's 14th birthday party! We went to the dollar store for balloons, which she decorated our stair railing with, and then had a couple of friends come and help her make the cakes. 

She told the girls to come in their PJ's. Every single one of them came except for Brinkley, who was out of town. Jenna got a nail gel set for her birthday with one of those UV lights and so the girls painted their nails while watching Mamma Mia (and singing at the top of their lungs for all of the songs). Then they had cake and ice-cream. A funny story about the cake. Jenna wanted to make round cakes and decorate them. She had a regular cake and a gluten free cake. Her friend Hannah decorated the regular cake and it turned out cute. Grace decorated the gluten free cake and it turned out, well -- creative. Gluten free items can be difficult to work with, ha ha, and it sunk in the middle. She filled it with frosting and tried to paint a dinosaur. It looked quite interesting, but it actually turned out to be quite delicious! 

After cake and ice-cream Jenna opened her presents. She got so many nice ones! She got so many nice presents! Her friends know her well! Clarissa filled a box filled with orange items (orange juice, gum in orange wrappers, mascara in an orange container and so on) and the box was decorated with pictures of her and Jenna and friends through the years. It was so cute and creative and must have taken her hours to put together! Caprina gave her this huge pot filled with various succulents plants (Jenna loves plants -- especially succulents!) She got jewelry and money and gift cards and a cute hat and candy and treats and bath and body type stuff and all sorts of fun things. Jenna was really cute and went and gave every friend a huge thank you hug after opening their gift. After gifts the girls played murder in the dark and then played outside until their parents came to get them. It was a fun night! 

Back row: Julia, Clarissa Williams, Bria Thompson, Anna Ence, Lindsey Gardner, Sammy Smith, Caroline Williams. Front row: Grace Freeman, Hannah Hoss, Caprina Cowing, Joclynn Araico, Alexa Alejus-Ruiz, Maggie Wimmer, Elyse Bayly, and Jenna Jensen being held up in front. 

Happy Birthday, Jenna!!

Happy 14th Birthday, Jenna! Click HERE to see my Facebook Post for her.  Life has been so busy lately! We haven't really had time to shop for her birthday and Jenna picked out some things on Amazon, but just ordered them a couple of days ago and so I was worried that she wouldn't have anything to open on her birthday! (Aside for this darling yellow dress that she wore on her birthday!) 

Anyway, her friends really came through for her and she felt very loved! Grace came and heart-attacked our front door last night so that Jenna would see it this morning. The Young Women's presidency dropped off a birthday sign and treat, and when I picked Jenna up from play practice she came walking out with her arms filled to the brim with baskets and gifts bags filled with all sorts of candy, stuffed animals, Dr. Pepper, gluten free treats and more! I couldn't believe it! Jenna said that Hannah completely decorated her locker inside and out and filled it with funny photos of Jenna and her friends. Jenna certainly has awesome friends!! Jenna said that everyone was wishing her Happy Birthday all day long! 

I brought Jenna straight from play rehearsal to dance and then picked her up afterwards and took her out to dinner at Costa Vida! Then we went to the Dollar Store to pick up some balloons to make a birthday garland for her birthday party this weekend and she got some picture frames for pictures of her friends to decorate her room. And who should she run into at the dollar store, but one of her best friends -- Grace!! They had a great time laughing and talking while Grace's mom and I visited. All in all it was a great day and Jenna felt very happy and loved!! 

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!! 

Jase's Birthday, Dicken's Festival, Janika's Release

Friday, December 2: Happy Birthday to Jase today!! I love how Janika’s mission has a Facebook page with the mission president’s wife constantly posting pictures. We can also post pictures and I usually would for my missionary’s birthday sayingm “Wish this Sister/Elder a Happy Birthday today!”  But Jase’s mission doesn’t have a FB page. I did text the one contact I have in his mission to let them know it was his birthday today (and one of his companion’s birthday today too!)  I think she already knew and said that they were coming over for dinner the night before (last night) and that she would have a cake for them.  So that is nice!

Since everyone got to bed late last night Rick had told all of the kids that they could sleep in and go late to school, but none of them wanted to – except for Jared – he was happy to miss his first class. The others didn’t want to miss any school – which means I had to get up early too. Jaiden had to leave at 6:40 a.m. to go to Student Council. I kept saying, “Now are you sure you want to go – you don’t have to!” But she wanted to. She said they were practicing in first period for her concert at the Dicken’s Festival that day. Josh wanted to go to his early morning choir practice too and Janelle didn’t want to miss any school. So much for sleeping in! Rick has prep period first period and was able to get someone to cover his second period in order to go to Janika’s release.

We went to the Stake President’s house this morning at 9:00 for Janika to get released. The spirit was really strong and it was quite a somber and emotional experience for Janika – and for us. He asked her about her mission and had her share some experiences and told her that her mission was the MTC for the rest of her life. He counseled her to continue with her scripture study (he said a lot could be done in just 15 minutes a day) and prayer (especially in the morning since most of us are in a hurry and forget morning prayers) and asked her to set an attainable goal for how many times she could attend the temple in the next 90 days. She goes back to school in 32 days and so some of that will need to be done there (if she can find a ride – she doesn’t have a car).  He said that he could tell she was a great missionary and that she carried the missionary spirit.  She cried when she was released and when he told her that she could remove her name badge and Rick and I were crying too. 

I took Janika to the Dicken’s Festival to see Jaiden’s concert.  Janika had the same choir teacher when she was Jaiden’s age and so it was fun for her to say hello. Rick met us there too and then went straight to work afterwards. We did some shopping and then I came home and took a nap!

Tonight we had a nice family dinner and then had Janika share experiences from her mission. She started going through her packed away clothes and Tori came over to help. I have a lot to do this weekend but haven’t been able to focus on anything!  Rick is going to leave at 6:30 a.m. tomorrow morning to interpret in Vegas for the day and evening. That sounds really stressful to me. Jenna has a birthday party tomorrow and I have a baptism to go to tomorrow night. Rick and I will go with Janika Sunday morning at 7:00 for her report to the High Council. Wish it weren’t so early! 

Happy Birthday Josh!!

Josh turned four today!!  He is such a cutie.  I wish I could tell you that the frustration, impatience, crying, and screaming that seem to pop up so often with Josh were a thing of the past.  However, it is still something we are struggling with a least a few times a day.  At least he is finally potty trained (and has been for several months) and that is GREAT news!  We love Josh.  He has his moments, but he can also be the sweetest kid ever.  It is so fun to follow him around and listen to his cute conversations.  He plays so well with Jaiden and the little neighbor kids.  They play outside for hours.  It is so wonderful to see him achieving some independence!  He also loves to play starfall on the computer (www.starfall.com).   He thinks he has to be the first one finished at everything (first one dressed, first one with his teeth brushed, first one with his PJ's on, first one to receive hugs and kisses...)   We try to at least let him think he was first to avoid the above mentioned dilemmas.  Happy Birthday Josh!  We love you!

P.S.  Josh helped make the cake and that is why his shirt is covered in chocolate.  The only sprinkles we had on hand were green ones -- which don't look very appetizing on a chocolate cake!  Josh insisted on choosing the candles (with two yellow ones) and put them all in a neat little line...easier to blow out that way!