Jenna HOCO 2024

Jenna went to her first dance today with her whole friend group and had a blast! This was her first "official" date. Actually her first official date was with her dad last week. She isn't quite 16, but will be next week! 

About six weeks ago her friend Manny Memmott asked her with this cute poster. It said: "My heart would Crumbl if you didn't go to Homecoming with me!" Thankfully he remembered that she is Gluten Free and can't eat Crumbl cookies, ha ha. He replaced the cookies with candy and flowers and a little note saying "I didn't forget that you are gluten free!" 

Jenna put a lot of time into making a poster filled with pictures of the two of them... 

All of the guys in Jenna's friend group asked girls from the friend group and the girls were SO excited! I brought Jenna shopping at Suzy's Closet in Hurricane about a month before the dance and we brought Clarissa and her mom along with us. We found this beautiful dress that fit her perfectly! It even had pockets! It didn't have sleeves and the back was really low. I really wanted the dress to be modest and so I arranged for some alterations for them to add sleeves and move the back piece up higher. It turned out so pretty and the sleeves turned out perfect! She looked gorgeous and got tons of compliments! 

One night before the dance the whole group went shopping and bought matching sunglasses! For the day date they went to The Grip and also to Top Golf with Chick-Fil-A in between. They also went to Crumbl cookies. I thought it was pretty extravagant to pay for several places like that!

They didn't get pictures of the day date activities, unfortunately, but did take one in front of CRUMBL cookies! 

 Then the girls came to our house and they all got ready together in Jenna's bathroom! 

After the girls were picked up they went to Dixie Technical College at Grace's mom (who is a professional photographer) took the pictures. They turned out SO pretty!! 

Later on one of the moms sent an album of pictures from the dinner. They ate at Bria and Vann's house. It looked AMAZING!! They went all out!! Four of the moms helped put it together. 

After dinner they went to the dance, which was at the high school, and then they all went to Grace's house to go swimming. It sounds like they all had a great time!! 

Josh Homecoming

Josh went to the Snow Canyon Homecoming dance tonight with friends. He said that it was WAY too expensive and definitely not worth it, ha ha! Josh and Zach had a soccer game in Cedar City that morning and so they weren't able to do their "day" date until 2:00. They went to an axe throwing place, and then went to Walmart where they each purchased a gift for a gift exchange. They dropped the girls off to get ready and were supposed to meet me at the Opera House so that I could take their pictures. But the girls took a while to get ready and so they were 45 minutes late to pictures and then we were really rushed since they had a dinner reservation to get to at Cafe Sabor. They went to dinner and then the dance and then they went to Kadan's house for ice-cream. 

Pictured above: Zach Buck and Reagan Nichols, Kamen Seal and Camille Rowan, Kadan Morris and Ava Riggs, Josh Jensen and Gracie Watkins

 

Daddy Daughter Date for our 16 Year Old!

Rick has a special tradition of taking his girls out on a special date for their first official date when they turn 16. They dressed casual for bowling at Dixie Bowl and then changed at the Seminary building for dinner out at Cliffside restaurant, and then for a walk around the cactus gardens! I sure love these two!!

Your First Date

Good morning sweet girl,

Are you ready to be seen?

Because today is the day

You’re turning sixteen!

These white roses are yours

On this special birthday.

They represent purity and virtue,

Something you show every day!

Many privileges happen

At this magical age,

But driving and boys

Seem to be all the rage.

However, dating is where

All the fun begins.

Dating  is what bring

The biggest kind of grins.

I’m the lucky one who gets to take you

On your very first date!

Date training is my responsibility,

So I’ll make sure I do great!

We will first go bowling,

And have a fantastic time!

We’ll work up an appetite,

And I’ll feed you on my dime.

We’ll then go to dinner

At the fanciest place in town,

I hope dinner at Cliffside

Won’t make you frown.

When dinner is through

And the night is still warm,

A walk in the gardens

will make the perfect forum.

We’ll talk of your hopes

Your dreams and desires.

As you think about your future

And joys that will transpire.

So, my sweet, beautiful girl,

I hope this makes you glad

To have your very first date

With your dear ole’ dad.

Happy Birthday Jase!!

Jase is 16 today!!  He can now drive (well, almost) and date!  He is still working on getting his driving hours in but now that Caroler season is starting he will be performing everyday and so we won't be able to finish up the hours until January.  I also told him that I wanted to be his "first date" and so I took him out to eat at Golden Corral.  When I asked Jase what he wanted for his birthday he said "Chicken Noodle Soup and Money" and so that is exactly what he got!  We will have to postpone his "Sweet Sixteen" Birthday Party until after Caroling Season is over! 

 

Roses

So Janika's 16th birthday is tomorrow and she is leaving at 6:30 in the morning for a Madrigals trip to Salt Lake for a few days.  Rick has always wanted to be the "first date" of each of his daughters when they turn 16.  He has plotted various ideas for something fun that they could do together before they start the official "dating scene."  But with the Madrigal Trip and Caroling every night, this "Daddy-Daughter Date" will have to be postponed until Christmas vacation.  He also wanted to do something special for Janika on her birthday, but since she wouldn't be here, he decided to do it a day early.

He went and got a dozen white roses for her.  He also gave a beautiful bouquet of red roses to me, which was a nice surprise!  The white roses where separated into several different bouquets with some red/white carnations.  He had each bouquet delivered to her in each of her classes with a little anonymous note.  Each note had something to do with the class she was in.  For example, Math was "15.999999 + Purity = Janika."  (Since she isn't quite 16 yet).   Happy Birthday Janika (tomorrow)!