We decided to do something a little different this year for Mother’s Day Tea. Last year we combined it with Father’s Day Flee and just dressed up in various hats and took some pictures. But it felt pretty anticlimactic, and the younger girls wanted to go back to how it was before. So, we decided to have our regular Mother’s Day Tea and dress up.
However, we wanted to make it more of a celebration of our moms (and moms to be) than in the past and so we decided to have a “runway” where the girls could show off their costumes and pose while the host (Rick – “Shimmy Shawn,”) read a list of accomplishments from the past year with contributions from the husbands and kids. (You can read the script, which includes the list of accomplishments below). Rick had purchased balloons and sticks and put out a "red carpet" with a couple of our maroon blankets.
We had
some technical difficulties (the battery died in the camera, and we tried a
couple of different phones. Jenna had to do her “runway” like three times. So
next year I will need to make sure it is fully charged!) We also may have to shorten
it a bit. After the runway we came upstairs for our tea party which included
four step pudding and peanut butter bars (both made by Jenna yesterday) and
fruit. I had a few bags of candy that I was going to pull out and then
completely forgot!!
I think the best costume this year had to be Jenna, dressing up as me, from my wedding! 😂 She looked great!! Jaiden also killed it as Ken from the Barbie movie, and Janelle and Bryton looked great in their biker get-up. Jase and Ellen's family were so cute as the Little Mermaid characters, and I was Wendy (as in Wendy's hamburgers), and Rick was a random music artist from the 60's. He named himself "Shimmy Shawn." It was fun to get together and laugh at everyone's costumes and characters!
We did our zoom call with Josh and talked to him for a while and then just chilled the rest of the evening. It was a fun day!
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Welcome to the first annual Model Mothers Runway show. This event is a showcase of our mothers and mothers to be. It displays the outstanding accomplishments of each of these women who have added so much to the world around them. Before the show begins we’d like first acknowledge the mothers who were not able to attend this event.
· Marjorie Westra
· Carol Jensen
· Janika Jenson
· Hallie Jensen
We wish them a Happy Mother’s day in their respective places.
Now, onto the showcase of exceptional accomplishments, daring feats, and challenging obstacles that these women have faced within the last year. The writeups of this program were created by those who share their love for these outstanding women. We will begin with the potential modern mothers.
The potential Model Mothers
Janelle
Janelle has had a whirlwind of a year. Currently she is attending BYU as a sophomore, studying Chinese and psychology. Her hope is to obtain a MA degree in Occupational Therapy. Though school has been a priority for Janelle, (and she does continue to get good grades even though there are constant complaints about her failing her Chinese tests), she did manage to land one of the most eligible and fantastic men at BYU. Upon meeting this spectacular gentleman, she set up a date with him and challenged him to kiss her. He was no match for her Hallmark strategy, and soon, she was able to affix a beautiful diamond on her ring finger.
Her biggest accomplishment of the year was to plan a wedding reception and wedding in St. George without actually being here. She and her new husband were also able to travel to exotic destinations while on their honeymoon, where they experienced various cultures, but most importantly, each other. He provided me a list of Janelle’s accomplishments in no particular order:
· amazing academic report
· best wife ever award
· become successful at a new, challenging job
· weekly temple attendance!
· advanced mid on the Chinese test
· started running and already passed me up
· planned and helped make our wedding happen
· moved to a new house and made it a home
· learned how to cut my hair
· written 2 papers that are super professional and took a lot of work
· makes me feel like the luckiest guy ever every day!
Congratulations Janelle on your outstanding year!
Jaiden
Since last Mother’s Day, Jaiden has been serving her mission in Mongolia! She turned 20, rode a camel, celebrated Naadum, ate sheep head, was involved with several baptisms, and was surprised with a Tsagaan Sar farewell party! Since returning home, Jaiden has been attending the temple almost every week and working as a Paraprofessional working at Arrowhead elementary in SPED. She has changed poopy diapers of both nephews, niece, and students – which will prepare her for the challenges of motherhood.
Jaiden is currently looking for her true love. Though she thought she found them in the mission field, wearing a black name tag - (both of them), her eyes will now be wide open as she embarks to FSY, with young men wearing a new white name tag. She will be preparing to be an FSY counselor and will return to SUU in the fall, where she may meet someone with no nametag. We wish her the best of luck in her search in finding her true love.
Jenna
The youngest of the potentials, Jenna Jensen, believes she has different opportunities than her predecessor siblings. She believes this has caused her to excel in many areas.
· In the past year Jenna danced with both Westside and Southwest dance and started working at Tuacahn.
· She received the departmental award for Chinese and ended the year with a 4.0!
· Her summer included FSY, Girls’ Camp, and a Church History Tour!
· Jenna auditioned for and made it into Madrigals
· Jenna started dating and driving this last year!!! She is currently pinning her hopes and dreams on one local boy, but with her looks, personality, and creativity noticed by many young men (even in out of town restaurants), she has the potential to meet and date many more admirers.
· During the past year Jenna and her friends went to the temple almost every Friday morning.
· Jenna is finishing her sophomore year with 14 college credits!
Way to go Jenna!
Ellen
This year has been a full and productive year for Ellen. Since last Mother's Day, she walked for her Masters Degree from SUU in professional communications that she received the previous December. With that degree she learned necessary skills for marketing and used that in two businesses she helped start while being a full time stay-at-home mom.
As a mother this year, she accomplished the following feats
- She changed approximately 1237 diapers
- She performed over 300 bedtime routines
- She successfully potty trained her oldest (and most dramatic) child
- She underwent a full 9 month pregnancy and gave birth to her first baby girl and first full term baby
- She produced hundreds and possibly thousands of ounces of breast milk
- She made over 100 dinners
Ellen Jensen has been an astounding mother and provider for her family. She has wanted to move to St. George to settle down for sometime, but her husband continued to discourage her, saying it would be impossible for him to find the right job. Yes, one of Ellen's greatest accomplishments this year was making even this dream come true by applying for and receiving her own dream job opportunity that moved her entire family down right where she and her family wanted to be. Her hard work and experience in marketing paid off and she now enjoys working as the marketing director for Liberty Village and being a focused mom, supporting her children whenever she is home. In the words of her children:
“I love my mommy because she makes me yummy ice cream and takes me fun places. She reads me books at bedtime and whenever I ask nicely” -Evan
“Mommy is very nice and makes me lots of yummy food. She is kind and reads me stories and plays with me. I love to snuggle with my mommy.” -Eli
“Eeeenglurah” which is interpreted “I love mommy because she focuses so much on me. She makes me yummy milk and loves to hold me and play with me. I love when she comes home from work and gives me all the attention. My mom is so pretty and when she smiles it makes me smile. I could look at her all day” -Elsie
Congratulations on this astounding year Ellen. We look forward to hearing your accomplishments next year.
Wendy
What an outstanding year for this mother of 7 and grandmother of 5. She makes her debut on the “Model Mother Runway” as someone whose experience and hard work is paying off in droves.
Wendy Jensen’s children have the following to say about their Mother’s accomplishments this year:
· Janika says: She has sent less accidental Marco polos to the group 
hahaha but really she has given so much love to her grandchildren this year, they adore her. She has done tons of interpreting, serving in callings, and taking care of her family! We love Mom!
· Jase says: She has been so willing to help out with her grand babies since we’ve moved to St. George and even coming up to help out when we had Elsie. She has made our transition so easy. She has also been busy interpreting and serving others helping them feel supported
· Jared says: Mom has always been the best mom, but lately she has been showing she is the best grandma! She has accomplished many of the amazing book series I’ve recommended to her 
but more importantly she always shows she’s a great listener and talks to me about them! I love mom!
· Janelle says: Mom has been a huge help for me making big changes in life and always being a listening ear when I was preparing to get married, even when I was a total mess. She has accomplished so much with interpreting and getting into different environments to work, like cruises! I am so thankful for Mom!
· Jaiden says: she has been working so hard and being so supportive, helping me to understand my goals and who I want to become and pushing me to achieve them. She was also a huge help to me on my mission, making sure I had all I needed and helping me feeling supported!
· Josh says: Mom has accomplished a lot this year -- one of her kids leaving on a mission, one returning, two getting married and having weddings, more grandkids being born, watching the grandkids and helping Jase and Ellen move to St. George, and also working at the same time! Mom has accomplished a ton this year.
· Jenna says: This year I think that mom has achieved many things. She is so great and the most thoughtful mom anyone could ask for. I love my mom so much she has also become the most sweetest caring grandma. I love all of the long talks that we have. She is so beautiful and my best friend!! I love mom so much for how she always does everything that she can to help me with everything I do. I can remember her spending countless hours helping me with school projects and teaching me patiently to drive. I have also had so many crazy things happen with friends, but she has always been there to listen to me and I am so so thankful for that. Thank you so much mom for helping me with my goals and showing me the type of mother that I wanna be. Happy Mother’s Day!!
· Her husband says: Every mother’s day I’m grateful I chose you to bear and teach our children. You have been and are a magnificent mother. Keeping track of all 7 children’s schedules, through marriages, missions, births and birthdays has been a milestone. Well done MOM!
This concludes our Model Mothers Runway show. We wish all of you a Happy Mother’s day!
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