Happy 18th Birthday, Jaiden!!

Facebook Post: This beautiful, bright, vivacious girl turned 18 today!! We used to call Jaiden Jensen our "little tornado." When she was a toddler, she was always on the go -- climbing, jumping, twirling, and creating havoc wherever she went! Today she is still constantly on the go with a myriad of activities. She is still leaping, twirling, singing, and creating! But these actions have been channeled into the beautiful art of performing and accomplishing great things, not only in the arts, but academically, and as a leader as well. Jaiden has always been brimming with personality and keeps us laughing with her fun sense of humor. She recently graduated from Snow Canyon High School and will attend SUU in the fall, majoring in Exercise Science. Our home will be way too quiet without her! We love you, Jaiden! Happy 18th Birthday!!!

Last Saturday I brought Jaiden birthday shopping at Runway Exchange and she bought a bunch of clothes. She also picked out a big yellow water bottle for her birthday. For her birthday dinner on Sunday she wanted pork tenderloins and so I purchased all of the ingredients for the meal and cooked that for our Sunday dinner. 

Jaiden spent the entire day of her birthday at an all-day dance rehearsal for her upcoming Senior Concert!  Then we had a family dinner and her friends, Emily Williams and Lizzie Bryner both brought over birthday gifts for her. The RS and YW presidencies also brought over treats. To celebrate tonight she and Maddox went to go see “Wonderland” at Tuacahn! I think she had a good birthday in spite of a busy day and being somewhat sick with a cold! Happy Birthday, Jaiden, we love you!!

Jaiden Birthday Shopping Trip

We weren't able to do a friend birthday party for Jaiden since there was so much going on right around that time. I was planning to host one a week or two after her birthday but then Jaiden asked if she and her friends could go shopping at the Mall for the birthday. Works for me! I dropped the girls off at the Mall and gave them gift cards for Pizza Pie Cafe. They ate lunch and shopping and took pictures. They had a great time! Notice their hair. All four of them dyed their tips red with Kool-Aid. I told Jaiden she had to get it out  before EFY!

Playing around with Panoramic Features -- woops, lost an arm!! 

Happy Birthday Jaiden!!

Wednesday 31: Jaiden is officially a teenager!! Yesterday I brought her birthday shopping for some summer clothes, church shoes, swimsuits, and other items. Rick brought her shoe shopping for running shoes last Saturday. She received two birthday cards in the mail -- one from Grandma Jensen and one from Grandma and Grandpa Westra. She is blessed to have such wonderful grandparents!

Jaiden woke up to the young women's birthday sign on the grass and a cupcake and eos from the YW. She opened up the presents she had picked out yesterday and wrapped herself. I added a couple of surprise gifts. Her friends, Lizzie Bryner and Emily Williams, came on their bikes to pick her up. Lizzie's gift to Jaiden was an outing that she had planned. The girls took her on a treasure hunt with clues around the neighborhood. The treasure was a card inviting her to lunch with a list of possible options. Lizzie's mom then brought the three girls out to lunch at Judd's. Jaiden loved the gift and time with friends! 

Jaiden played and swam with friends in the afternoon and Rick grilled hamburgers and hotdogs for dinner. She and Janelle went to YW, which consisted of a color chalk battleship game and dodge ball. Then we sang "Happy Birthday" to her and had brownies and ice-cream.  

We had Jaiden's "friend" party the next day so that it wouldn't conflict with Young Womens.  She invited Emily, Lizzie, and Gracie Newby. I brought the girls to Laser Mania for laser tag and arcade games. Then they came back to the house for cake and ice-cream. Jaiden made a gluten free cake and it was very delicious! The girls then went swimming until 10:00. It was fun listening them chatter away -- cute girls!

 

Happy Birthday Jaiden!

Today Jaiden turned FOUR! Rick went into her room in the morning with a loud, "Happy Birthday!" She said, "I don't feel bigger or older. Do I look four?" I said, "Yes you do!" She exclaimed, "Let me go see!" and she ran towards the bathroom. She stood on her tiptoes and looked in the mirror and reached for the faucet. "I can reach it -- I AM four!" (Whew!)

Janika, her friend Madison, Jase, and I cooked a big breakfast in honor of Jaiden's birthday. We ate bacon, sausage, eggs, and purple pancakes!

Jaiden loves stuffed animals and dolls and she got a whole bunch for her birthday. (As if she needs any more -- her bed is already covered in them. I am not sure where she sleeps.) I got all of the toys from a neighbors garage sale a couple of weeks ago (Shhh! Don't tell! I got the entire load for under $5.00!) We even got the cake for free. Okay, so I did pick up a cute little pink swimsuit from Target too. Jaiden wanted to go swimming on her birthday. It was so cool last week (I am definitely NOT complaining about that!) that the kids weren't able to swim. But today was hot enough and so she got her wish.

Jaiden is such an ENERGETIC cutie! She loves to sit right next to Josh when they eat and is constantly right in his face (I am continually trying to teach her about respecting others' personal space but she doesn't understand that concept.) She is always running from one thing to another, dresses up in several different costumes a day, and always asks for "just one more drink," before she goes to bed. Jaiden is so playful and fun. I have a difficult time keeping up with her! She adds so much fun to our lives. We love you Jaiden -- Happy Birthday!!