Baby Evan is Home!

 Look who came home from the hospital!! 

Janelle is 18!!!

I can't believe that Janelle is officially an adult!! She is such a joy to have in our family! Janelle is easy-going and continuously happy! She has an "attitude of gratitude" and enjoys the simple things in life. She is such a wonderful example to me! She has so much faith and is amazingly consistent with studying her scriptures. I learn so much from her insights and have several "quotes by Janelle" in my own scriptures.

She isn't afraid to try new things. She works hard at whatever she does and I know that I can depend on her! Janelle loves Christmas, Christmas music, singing, lasagna, and the color green! She is especially grateful to have such incredible friends!! Janelle will be an amazing missionary, wife, and mother someday! I am honored to be her mother! Happy Birthday, Janelle!! (Janelle is currently celebrating her 18th birthday by buying a goldfish -- just because she can. Apparently you have to be 18 to buy one!) We love you, Janelle!  (From my Facebook post -- Click HERE to see the pictures and comments!) 

We had cake and ice-cream as a family for Janelle the Sunday before her birthday while Janika and Brandon were in town. The cake shows the number "18" in candles, but in the picture it shows up as "81!"  Boy, she really IS old, ha ha! Click below for her birthday song fail, ha ha! (Wait for it)!

   

Jaiden made Janelle a cute t-shirt that says, "It's called Adulting." It is from a song from a Phineas and Ferb movie and Jaiden played the song on her phone while Janelle opened the gift. Janelle loved it! Her friends decorated her car and gave her some cute little gifts. Her friend, Brea and her mom, brought in pizza for lunch to celebrate! Brea also gave her a beautiful soft blanket and a cute little stocking for Desmond (Janelle's official "adult" purchase -- a new beta fish). 

The speech therapists that Janelle works with for her Internship gave her a little goody bag filled with some fun prizes and her Young Women leader brought over a balloon and some scrunchies. Janelle also received some clothes and shoes and other odds and ends from us. Janelle received a card and money from her Grandma Jensen and her Grandma Westra helped her set up her very own ROTH account! Wow, she really IS an adult now! 

Janelle's friend, Emily Ord, gave her this home-made card. I thought it was so sweet! 

She Passed!! Jaiden's Driver's License

Jaiden got her driver's license today!! She was the first of all of our kids that would have gotten her driver's license on time, but then Covid hit and everything shut down and so it was delayed. But it was less than two months after her birthday and so it wasn't too bad! (Janika got hers six months after her birthday, Jase got his 3 1/2 months after his birthday, Jared got his 4 months after his birthday, and Janelle almost five months after her birthday!) They all had different reasons. The first three weren't very motivated to study for the written test on their own and they had to pass that test before they could even sign up for driver's ed. A couple of the kids failed the written test and had to re-take it. Janelle was so busy once she got her permit that it was difficult getting her driving hours in -- plus she failed her driving test the first two times. Jaiden would have been right on time (had it not been for Covid -- which was totally out of her control!) But she still beat all of her siblings!

Jaiden signed up for Driver's Education last summer so that she could take it with her friend, Emily. Having those dates scheduled spurred her into getting her permit early. She started her driving hours last January and was pretty well on track keeping up with her hours since she had so many places to be (tumbling, dance...) and so she usually drove back and forth to those places (with me in the car of course!) She normally would have tested around her birthday but the driving instructor (Mr. Bundy) was behind schedule due to the shutdown. Jaiden finally did her driving hours with him the last few days of June. The first day of driving with him was pretty rough, but after that it went a lot better. She tested on July 1st and passed her test with flying colors! She only missed four points!

She wanted to immediately run out to the DLD (Driver's License Division) but when I tried to call to set up an appointment all I got was an answering machine (after trying over and over again). I got through the next morning but they said that we would have to put our contact information on a "call-back" list and they would get back to us to schedule an appointment. So that was frustrating!

After waiting about two weeks we decided to try our luck just going in without an appointment as soon as it opened. We waited for about an hour, but they said that they wouldn't get to the "walk in" line until after all of the appointments had been serviced -- and there were 128 appointments! We would have been there all day and so we gave up and went home! But I called the office while we were waiting in line and they said that the online scheduler was now open and I could set up an appointment. I wish that someone from the "call-back" list would have contacted us to let us know that!! Who knows how long we would have been waiting around for them to get back with us! We set up an appointment for Wednesday afternoon at 4:30 and were in and out in under thirty minutes! Jaiden is SO excited to finally have a license! But now she keeps complaining that she has to share a car with her sister!

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 "Sweet Sixteen" Birthday to Jaiden!!

We had a full day today! We sang "Happy Birthday" to Jaiden and she opened her presents (the ones that had arrived -- there are a few more packages arriving this week). Rick gave her a dozen roses for her birthday and a sweet poem (see next post) asking her out on her "first date." (This was the note that caused the fire -- see next post!!)

Jared taught the lesson for Come Follow Me and did an awesome job! We had a great discussion and took lots of notes in our scriptures. Then we had the sacrament administered by the men in our family.

Rick then attended another ward's sacrament meeting (first time back since the quarantine) as part of his High Council responsibilities. He is not thrilled about returning to church, but had somewhat of a change of heart after hearing the speaker in church. He said church was very different! There was no singing -- the organist just played the organ for the sacrament. There was a 15 minute talk given by a single lady. He said it was very good and opened his eyes towards people who are alone during the quarantine and really need the blessings of being able to attend church meetings with other people. We practiced the musical number that we have been working on and went and sang it for a few people in the ward. They got emotional and really appreciated the gesture.

Jaiden's friends, Mariposa, Emily, and Lizzie brought over a bunch of gifts for Jaiden -- a beautiful bouquet of flowers, a big package of "Crumbl Cookies," a pre-dating pampering kit, and several treats and little surprises. Emily had a whole box of hand written "open when" notes. So sweet!

Rick fixed a delicious meal of shisk-a-bobs. We haven't had that in years and it really tasted wonderful! We had home-made ice-cream for dessert. It was a bit runny but still very yummy! We then all played "The Resistance." Between the flowers from dance concert, the roses from Rick, and the flowers from her friends, Jaiden had three beautiful bouquets to brighten our home!!

After our family games I worked on putting Jaiden's birthday collage together! Here is what I posted on Facebook/Instagram:

Jaiden Jensen is sweet sixteen today!! Jaiden is beautiful inside and out! She is intelligent, optimistic, compassionate, energetic, athletic, talented, and a wonderful friend to others. Jaiden loves to be involved in everything and is always up for a challenge! She is a talented dancer and singer, a straight A student, and a member of the student council at SCHS. Jaiden brings so much joy to our family! Happy Birthday, Jaiden! We love you!!

Jenna Fifth Grade Graduation from Arrowhead Elementary

My baby girl just graduated from Elementary School! I am excited to see my little girl move on, but I am also sad to close this chapter of my life. All seven of my kids graduated from Arrowhead Elementary School and so this school will always hold a special place in my heart! I am grateful to the amazing teachers and staff at Arrowhead! I will miss them! I will miss everything that accompanies elementary school -- the classes, the programs, the field trips, the holiday parties, the choir performances, the plays, the music demonstrations, the field days, the fun runs, the family weeks, the competitions, and even the Science Fairs! I will miss spirit-day on Fridays and the Halloween parade around the track. I will miss walking through the hallways and seeing art work on the walls. Arrowhead Elementary was built in 2005, the year my son Jared started kindergarten. So even though all of my kids graduated from there, he was the first one to attend all six years there, followed by all the rest of my kids. I will always have fond memories of the fifteen years my children attended Arrowhead! Farewell Arrowhead Elementary! We love you!

Because of restrictions due to Covid-19 the fifth graders had a "drive-through graduation." We all drove up to the school and hopped out of the car to take a picture of our son or daughter with their teachers, watch them receive their awards, and then take a few more pictures in front of the school. A few days ago this cute "Give Me Liberty" sign showed up in front of our house. So fun! Jenna made these cute little clay figures for each of her teachers -- one for Mrs. Sparks and one for Mrs. Ping. She loved both of her teachers! Mrs. Sparks had several of the Jensen clan pass through her classroom through the years. We will miss her! 

Clarissa's mom, Allison, sent me this cute picture of Clarissa and Jenna on their first day of school when they were starting kindergarten and their last day of school, graduating from Fifth Grade! I am so glad that these two are still best friends!

And some pictures of Arrowhead...

Janelle Driver's License!!

Janelle finally passed her driver's test today!! This was her third time taking the test and so we were really hoping that she would pass! Her appointment was at 8:30 a.m. and so I had Jenna go over to the Williams before school and Janelle drove us out to the DMV in Hurricane. It was raining on and off and I was praying that it wouldn't be raining during her test -- especially since her windshield wipers were not working very well! The rain let up during the thirty minutes of her test and so our prayers were answered! Great job, Janelle!

Jared's Driver's License!!

Jared got his driver’s license today!!  He has been driving with Mr. Bundy all week and finished up his ten hours today.  He got -15 on his test.  I am not sure how many points you can miss and still pass.  Now they have to take a little online test again – 4 tests of 10 questions each.  They have to get 100% on it but can take it as many times as they need to.  So he finally got all of those right and then we hurried out to the DMV.  So he is official!  (Except he can only have immediate family members in the car for the next six months).  It is nice that he can drive to work now since I had been driving with him back and forth!

Jenna, First Day of Kindergarten

First day of kindergarten! Best friends, Clarissa and Jenna!!  

He passed!! Jase's Driver's License!!

She PASSED!!! Janika's Driver's License

Janika is now an official licensed driver!  Yeah!!  Now we just need to wait for the "real" license to come in the mail!