Birthday

Today was my birthday!  This morning I went and watched Jaiden and Janelle's field day in the morning for a couple of hours while the younger kids played at the school playground.  Then was the usual "take care of kids and clean house" routine.  But I did get a little nap in with Jenna!  She is so spoiled.  She won't take a nap unless someone is laying by her.  But at least it is an excuse to take a nap too!

Tonight Rick and I went out to dinner at Red Robin.  It was the first time we had been there and we both really liked it.  We had heard that they had gluten-free menus, but it actually turned out to be a printed off list of everything I couldn't eat -- which was almost everything!  Bummer!  I did have a nice salad though and it was very good. Then Rick and I went to a deaf activity, watching the ASL movie, "Gerald."  It was supposed to be outside at the park but the weather has been unseasonable cool lately and it was windy and COLD!!  So they moved it to the Deaf Center.  It is really different watching a movie with absolutely NO sound!  It gives you a feel for what the deaf go through everyday.  Janika was gone tonight participating in the relay-for-life and so Jase babysat for us.  It is so wonderful having older kids that can take care of the younger ones!

Thanks for all of the birthday wishes...I hope Janika doesn't mind that I print her e-mail birthday note below!  
 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOMMY(: I love you. Thanks so much for being such an amazing example to me and for helping me with all my problems (which I have a lot of)(: HaPpY BiRtHdAy(: (: You're a great mom.(: LOVE YOU(:

--
♥ Jani ♥

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First and Second Grade Field Day

 

Court of Honor

I have been taking an eight week Deaf Culture class on Wednesday nights for the past six weeks or so.  At first I just signed up to get the continuing education workshop hours that I earn yearly to keep my certification current.  But I have thoroughly enjoyed the class.  Most of the information I already know since I teach a lot of it in my ASL class, but it is a good review and I have enjoyed learning about the experiences from others in the class.  

Tonight, however, was Jase's Court of Honor at the same time as my class.  I told Jase that I was missing my class tonight because I felt that it was more important to be there for him.  He agreed and said, "I am glad you were there -- a lot of the boy's parents didn't come tonight."  Then as a side note he added, "I think sometimes they purposely don't tell their moms because they don't want to have to kiss them in front of everyone!"  Tonight Jase received his "Life" advancement and two more merit badges.  He is moving right along!

Deaf Youth Activity

 

BBQ

Every Monday night our service missionary, Elder Lee, comes over for dinner and FHE.   It is nice because it forces me to straighten up the house and fix a nice meal, even though sometimes I really don't want to!  But tonight I got the evening off because our hearing ward was having a BBQ at the park.  So Janika whipped up a yummy potato salad and we invited Elder Lee along.  He is so cute with our kids and he kept Jenna happily entertained the whole time!  I actually got an entire conversation in with a few people -- it was wonderful!  I was also able to meet several people who have moved in since we were called to the Deaf Branch three years ago.  The new people all probably think we are either inactive or brand new to the area, so it is good to finally meet some of them and learn that we have kids similar ages that we need to get together for play-dates!  Thank goodness for ward BBQ's to pull people together!

 

Jase and Chickens

Jase's scout leader hired him to take care of their chickens for the weekend.  He gave Jase $10.00 and told him that Jase could keep the eggs.  Jase was so excited and had went above and beyond the call of duty, checking on the chickens several times a day.  He was thrilled to get a dozen eggs and cooked them all for breakfast this morning.  He has been begging us to get chickens ever since he was hired to take care of another neighbor's chicken's last year.  We just don't have a very big yard though and don't know where we would put a chicken's coop! 

Egg Bash and Egg Hunt

In sacrament meeting today Janika sang a beautiful rendition of "I Know That My Redeemer Lives" with a quartet of two boys and two girls.  They sang it in the hearing ward and also the Deaf Branch (and I signed it).  After church  we came home and had a huge Easter dinner -- ham, cheesy potatoes, candied yams, various vegetables, and salad.  It was SO delicious!! Then the kids had fun making forts and we continued on with the Easter activities.

Since we had to miss both extended family Easter parties (yesterday and today), Grandma Jensen sent down two grocery bags with candy-filled eggs for our kids to have a hunt with.  So they got two Easter Egg hunts. We finished just before the rain hit.  Thanks Grandma!  Our kids also had their own Easter Egg Bash here (another Jensen tradition -- the kids take turns rolling hard boiled eggs towards each other and whoever has the egg that cracks is out) and Janelle won.  So Janelle called to see if someone could represent her and her egg at Jensen Easter Egg bash up north.  They put her on the phone during the contest and she won!  So she gets to have her name added on to the infamous Easter trophy and keep it for a whole year until next Easter.  She is pretty excited!