Carving Pumpkins

It's that time of year again. Time to carve pumpkins...why do the kids love it so much? We took the kid's pumpkins and hollowed them out. Then the kids got to choose a pattern for their carving. The boys worked together and the girls worked together. I thought they turned out pretty cute.

Prison Break

Well, we did it. A few of us girls in the neighborhood agreed to run Prison Break (thanks to a little coaxing from Jenny and Cala). We chose between the 5K (me), the 10K, or the 1/2 marathon. It was fun to experience together as friends. Things I would do differently: wear gloves, bring sun glasses, have a parka or blanket in the car for after the race ....it was freezing!

Something I Heart

I saw these earrings in Hawaii and I think I heart them. I have a fixation on pineapples ever since I learned they mean hospitality in the south. I think they are so cute. It's a good thing I bought a pair :)

Prince Nathan

Nate was invited to a royal birthday party where the boys and girls had to dress up like royalty...I think he looks pretty good. He had a great time.

Fall is in the air

We took our annual trip the Pumpkin Patch. The kids each got to pick out a pumpkin and I chose a few to decorate our house. This little pumpkin patch off of Star Road is our favorite. The pumpkins are cheap and they have tons to choose from.

Hawaii + Relaxation = weak moment

Imagine yourselves just returning from a week-long vacation in Hawaii sans kids and husband. Your thoughts of the past week are knowing that you you will never be able to duplicate such a perfect week in paradise...no kids, no obligations, eating what you want, shopping when you want napping when you want etc. you get the idea. Well, I felt a little guilty about the great time I had which is what my family was counting on. All of the planets aligned perfectly and Hell basically froze over because now we are the proud owner of a .....drum roll please.....DOG. My kids and my husband are so happy that we have this little walking hairball but the jury is still out for me. They did let me name him. His name is Paisley (I call him Paisley Poo) he's a shih tzu. Oh, and stay tuned for our family Christmas card picture...yes Paisley is in them (we're becoming those people)

question

Hey...does this helmet make my head look big?

Andrew's Third Birthday

We celebrated Andrew's birthday in Utah with some of his cousins. We had horsey cupcakes with Conner, Carson and Chase and he unwrapped his favorite gift of all...Mater and Lightning McQueen. (Andrew calls him Professor McQueen). Then we had a horsey cake with his other cousins. Every day he asks me to make another horsey cake. Needless to say it took a little time. I found the darling cake pattern on www.parenting.com under the cakes tab. I've made a few of their cakes and they are very easy. They show you step by step instructions and most of the decorations are candy...but I digress. Andrew's birthday was lots of fun and centered around him, just like he likes it. Happy birthday sweetie!

Caporales

We took a little side trip to see Rachel and her darling kids. We got to see their new home, their school and catch up on their lives. Their home is beautiful and Rachel decorated it so well. She also had cupcakes for the kids to decorate. She is an amazing hostess. We had a great time catching up with our friends...next time we'll stay longer!

Trip to Utah

The kids and I decided to take a few days and spend them in Utah with my sissy and her family and to see Rachel and her cute kiddos. We had a great time. We went to the Bean Museum in Provo (we haven't been there before but the kids really liked it) we also went to the art exhibit and ate Navajo Tacos at the Cougareat...delicious!

Sun Valley Book Club

My book club decided to take our monthly meeting on the road. We drove to beautiful Sun Valley and stayed overnight in what we thought would be a nice condo...much to our surprise we were upgraded to a 4 bedroom cottage. We stayed up until 3:00 am playing cards and talking. We also did a little shopping and a lot of eating. Thanks for the great time ladies!

Hawaiian Kids

My cute kids in the outfits I brought from Hawaii.

Hawaii

Aloha! I am posting this in a very good mood. I just returned from the lovely island of Oahu. My friend Brooke invited me and a couple other friends to stay with her parents in Kailua. It was one of the best, most relaxing vacations I have been on. Their home was feet from the sand and ocean. We got up each morning to see the beautiful sunrise. We went snorkeling at Shark's Cove, saw the PCC, shopped at the Flea Market, and took an ATV tour. We also swam in the ocean, took naps, ran on the beach, played cards, ate Hawaiian Snow (yummy) and Teddy Burgers (yum yum) read, swam in the pool and basically enjoyed paradise. I only wish David was with me...It would have been paradise to the 10th degree! Thanks Brooke, Darci, April, John and Kay for a fabulous week.

Sun Valley, Idaho

We went to Sun Valley this year to celebrate Wagon Days. We try to go every year with the Jenson family for our reunion. This year did not disappoint. We enjoyed the cool weather and watched the parade and the kids had a great time playing on all of the toys and riding the train. I love riding our bikes on the long trail. It was a little tricky this year hauling my 40 pound son on my bike but I got a better workout. I also l-o-v-e the Kneadery for breakfast. mmmm delicious. On the "way home" we went to Stanley to check out Red Fish Lake and the surrounding areas. Idaho is beautiful!

Cutest Butt

I love this little Lightning McQueen butt! Andrew is potty trained now. We are so proud of him. It took about two weeks to really be "trained" but he is now a pro. His reward was two little gumballs each time his pants were dry. I am such a happy mom. No more poopie diapers and lots more cute butts. Way to go Drew.

School Days

It's that time of year. All three of my kids are going to school one way or another. Nathan is in half day kindergarten and Drew is in pre-school at Ms. Crystal's. He loves it! Morgan is in 5th grade and will be in middle school next year. They are growing so fast. I love you guys. I hope this year is fantastic.

Allen Family Reunion 2009

It was time for the Allen Family Reunion August 2009. We all met at a cabin in Heber and enjoyed an Auction, Spirit Hike, Talent Show, Luau and lots of fun and bonding. Almost everyone was there for at least part of the time. We missed Jordan but he will be home in February. It was great for the kids to bond with their cousins and David and I got to know the older nieces and nephews better. Josh and Danielle were darling and loving school at Utah State. Steven is in a band in Chicago (wow) and Andrea was a doll...I can't believe how grown up they are! Ryan is a cutie patootie and shared his talent singing and playing the piano. I am so impressed! My mom and dad started getting teary when their 9 kids got up and sang a song that my mom sang to each of us at bedtime. We had a great time! Looking forward to the cruise in 2010.

Lost Tooth!

Nathan had a very happy day. He lost his first tooth. We were so excited for him. He couldn't help but smile all evening and show the gap in his gums. The tooth fairy was very generous and left him $5 under his pillow.

Brigham City

We take a little trip to Brigham City every year (around the 4th of July). My kids love it there because there is so much to do. Ride horses, ATVs, play in the tree house, swim etc. Here are a few pictures of our latest trip.

Costa Rica

David and I took a much needed trip this year to Costa Rica. Why Costa Rica? We were curious about the area and heard great things about it. It was a great little gift for my birthday and our anniversary and we were not disappointed. We stayed at a place called Playa Herradura near the city of Jaco. We enjoyed Tortuga Island, Snorkeling, zip-lining, laying out on the beach and just relaxing. While we were hiking in Manuel Antonio National Park a little monkey kept trying to steal our stuff so David got a stick to wave the monkey away. The monkey got so mad at David he hissed at him. They had the best fresh pineapple. We got some every morning at the little market. De-lish! *please note the spelling of the above Costa Rican words may or may not be spelled correctly :)

Senior Citizen

I know I turned 40 a little while ago and haven't been very happy about it. Someone told me that 40 was the new 30 which made me a little happier. However, I got this little ditty in the mail the other day and suddenly felt like I was a SENIOR CITIZEN! I wonder if I get discounts at movies now?! sniff sniff

WEEEEEEEEE!

Yesterday my family met with my cousins, their spouses and all of our kids and went to Bogus Basin to do a little tubing.  Thanks to Brooke for organizing the trip because it was a lot of fun.  The hill looked a little steep and since I'm so adventurous I was a little nervous to go the first time but my little family all held on to each other's tubes and down we went.  Then all 19 of us held on to each other's tubes and went down...I was screaming and having a great time.  The best part of it was the rope tow.  You just hand the worker your little leash and he puts it on the hook and up you go...while sitting in your tube!  Then your ready for the next run.

Christmas 2008

We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year! Christmas was fantastic this year! In 12 years of marriage our family has finally spent Christmas in our own home. For Christmas Eve dinner, (a Morgan Jenson production) we had a candle light dinner with our little paper crowns from the poppers we have every year. Then we read each other our jokes and talk about the importance of celebrating the true meaning of Christmas. Then we enjoyed a little mudpie. Nathan produced the program that followed dinner. He was responsible for conducting the program and deciding what it would contain. He also helped David round up the costumes for the live Nativity...notice what our little angel is wearing (a little lab jacket and no pants)...note to self buy white sweatpants or loooong tube socks for next year's production. The kids had a blast acting it out. I swear they should have all received an Academy Award for their acting abilities. The only downside of the night? We had a little angelic girl that couldn't go to sleep which resulted in David and I watching 2 yes 2 movies back to back until 1:00 a.m. so we could get our jobs done (wink wink) long yawn.

A Visit From the Big Guy

Santa came to visit again this year which made the kids sing with happiness and glee...well Andrew just wanted the candy cane and to get off of Santa's lap. He'll probably have a list in alphabetical order next year. Merry Christmas

Morgan - A Decade

Morgan's birthday was this month too! She was excited and could hardly wait until she opened gifts. She went to school on her birthday and returned with her report card! Luckily she is a great student and did very well in all of her subjects. Grandma and Grandpa Jenson surprised her with a visit to help celebrate. They even brought a dog (Aggie) that they were tending which made Morgan jump up and down with glee. Morgan is such a cutie and was so excited all night long. Several of her friends stopped by to see her (two were boys!) Then we had a yard full of Christmas carolers who sang a few songs...no doubt for Morgan's birthday?! We love our little girl even if she isn't so little any more. Morgan, happy birthday. XOXo

10th Anniversary of my 30th Birthday

Okay so I'm 40 (gulp) It is still hard for me to own up to that number...and as my sister so lovingly reminds me I'm closer to 50 than I am to 20. (Just a second I need to get a tissue to wipe the tears away) Even though the day started out dreary in the literal and metaphorical sense, my dear friends had a little brunch for me with yummy homemade food and very thoughtful gifts. Then Jenny took me to get a pedicure and later that night David took me to dinner and .....a surprise party! It took me by such shock I started tearing up (and I haven't stopped since). It was so good to see close family and friends and spend the evening with them. David did an amazing job planning and hiding everything. I have to admit it was a lot of fun! Thanks everyone for making my day fun.

Thanksgiving Continued again

We visited some of our dearest friends while on our little trip. We had a great time having coffee and cake (or juice and croissants with Nutella) and catching up. The highlight of visiting was seeing their new chickens. We learned that what the chicken looks like greatly influences what their eggs look like. For example a white chicken lays white eggs, a speckled chicken lays tan eggs with speckles etc. But they also had GREEN EGGS! They had no green chicken. My kids thought that was the coolest thing ever! I took some of the eggs to my mom. She was so excited to use them in her cooking. Thanks Mitchells for the great visit. We love you.

Thanksgiving Continued

Part two of out Thanksgiving trip took us to visit the in-laws. We had a great visit and a yummy Thanksgiving dinner...however my nephew put a fart machine under my chair and would push the remote periodically. I had no idea what was going on but the rest of the table was laughing so hard they had to wipe tears. Ohhhh revenge is sweet. The kids had fun riding horses, four wheelers and climbing into the tree house. We had a lot of fun. Thanks

Thanksgiving Visit

It is about time I update my blog...it seems like so much has happened since I blogged last. Let me start with my wonderful trip to visit my family for Thanksgiving. My sister and her family are always so hospitable. They always make our trip comfortable and fun. This is a picture of the cutie. Thanks guys! I regret to say I didn't take many photos of that little trip but we really had a great visit.

Beautiful colors

I walked Nathan to school today and took a minute to look around at the beautiful fall colors.  I love the tree in our front yard.  The leaves are blazing red.  I had to take a picture.  This alone is proof that God loves us!  Happy Fall

Drew and his trucks

Drew has an obsession with trucks (see his birthday post)  I stub my toes on one of his trucks daily.  It is so funny to watch him drive them.  The trucks have to be hooked up to each other and he insists that the "man" that came with the dump truck (which is very large and portly)  has to sit with the man in the blue truck which looks more like the YMCA construction worker ...needless to say, there is a problem with fitting them both in the front seat - which is the only place they are allowed to sit per Andrew.  I just push the chunky guy in and slam the door as quickly as I can.  Thank goodness that is an "approved" method and makes Drew happy.

Suri Cruise?

When I get the costume box out each year the kids love to try on all of the wigs and capes and costumes.  Andrew put this wig on and I thought he looked a little like Suri Cruise...what do you think?

Halloween

Halloween was so fun this year.  First of all the weather was so nice so the kids didn't need to bundle up to Trick-or-Treat.  Morgan was a witch, Nathan was Spider man (he was Peter Parker half of the night when he couldn't wear his mask anymore) and Andrew was a fierce lion.  I was a witch (big surprise) and David was a rock star.  He looked great.  I found him some leather pants in his size at Goodwill.  Then I bought a shirt that was painted to look like tattoos.  Then he wore a wig with a bandana, black nail polish and makeup.  He won the best costume prize at a party we went to.  When we went to our church party everyone took a double take because they couldn't believe the bishop dressed up like that!  We had a blast.   Halloween night the switch witch came to our home and traded the kid's candy for a prize.  What a win-win for everyone! We hope you had a great Halloween too.

Linder Farms Punkin Patch

We did it!  We went to the biggest and "best" pumpkin patch in the area.  Needless to say it was Saturday and one of the warmest most beautiful days in October and it was PACKED with people. We went with Brooke and Bill and their kids.  We caught the first hayride to one of fields and the kids carefully and methodically picked up every pumpkin and examined it and put it back down...picked up the next pumpkin and so on.  It was so fun to watch little Andrew find his perfect pumpkin.  It was the only one he could really carry with the stem.  After the very involved pumpkin selection, we went to the petting zoo and fed the animals.  They had a zebra, camel, bull, and random sheep and ponies.  The only disappointing thing about the day was the food line.  The kids were ready for some baby sized homemade doughnuts.  The only problem is we had to wait in a loooong line to get tokens and then wait in another loooong line to get the doughnuts.  We left and got a Peanut Buster Parfait at Dairy Queen.  Yummy!

Andrew is Two

Happy Birthday Andrew.  I can't believe that our baby is two.  It seems like we just brought him home from the hospital.  We have really enjoyed this little guy in our home.  He is so funny.  He does the funniest things like:

* lifting up my arms and kissing my armpits

*or burping and saying eeewww! right after  

*squishing a spider with his fingers and "playing" with the dead carcass

*going into the garage with me and  pushing me to our bike so I will take him for a ride

*running on the trampoline without moving his head (grandpa Allen's genes?)

*begging for a Matchbox car EVERY time we go to the grocery store and almost always getting one ;)

I could go on and on.  Needless to say he has our heart and David and I are so happy he came into our lives.  Our house is a little more chaotic but that's how we like it.  Happy Birthday angel.

Ride Baby Ride

Nathan can ride a bike without training wheels!  This has been a very big week for our family.  To top it all off, Nathan has been practicing on his bike without his t-dubs.  David (the patient man that he is) took Nate to a parking lot and worked with him for over an hour.  Yesterday Nate could ride up and down the street with very little help. The only little bit of advise we have for him is to keep his eye on the road (he learned that the fast way when he ran right into a basketball pole).  What a great job you are doing...watch out Lance Armstrong!

I Heart Tony Horton!

Don't rub your eyes...you are seeing me next to the one and only Tony Horton (please note I have post workout hair and face).  I heard that he was in town and just HAD to go see him -thanks to a gentle nudge from my husband David who isn't quite as star struck as I am.  He was doing a little fitness promotion for Beachbody.com so I went to see him and I ACTUALLY GOT TO WORK OUT WITH TONY HORTON.  He signed my very worn out P90X DVD case and posed for a picture.   Tony and I work out every morning whether we do Yoga X, Kenpo, Plyometrics, or lift weights and now we do 10-minute trainers together.  He motivates me to "do my best and forget the rest".  It was great to finally meet him.  I'll see you next year Tony!  

Needless to say my body is SO SORE today but it was worth it.

Congratulations Morgan

On Friday, Morgan was honored to receive the Citizenship Award in her 4th grade class.  She received a letter in the mail that invited her family to attend a special meeting where she will receive an award.  So David, Andrew, Morgan and I arrived at Morgan's school at 8:30 am to see what awesome award she would receive.  Morgan was very nervous as her name was called. She walked up to the front of the room and received an award for Citizenship (oh, and a free meal at Red Robin which is her favorite place to eat).   Her teacher was so sweet and said that she loved Morgan and said that she was always willing to help out.  We are so proud of you Morgan! Congratulations.

Farewell Friends

Dedicated to some pretty cool people who have decided to move on to greener pastures.  We will miss the Fabrizios (who have moved to Las Vegas and are no doubt one of K-Feds newest friends) and the Owens who will be moving to Arkansas in the near future.  We have enjoyed getting to know these families and think they are salt-of-the-earth (that means they are about two of the coolest, kindest, most generous families you'll ever meet).  Hopefully our paths will cross again.  GOOD LUCK!

Tyler and Marie...K-I-S-S-I-N-G

Who would have ever thought someone would actually take Tyler off of my parent's hands?! Marie, welcome to the family. This month we made the trek to SLC to see Tyler and Marie married. We had a great time at the wedding breakfast and the reception. Our family liked the live band and we danced all night. I wish David wouldn't have run and slid on the grass so many times for his "Risky Business" dance. Now I have all these grass stains to get out! Thanks for the memories. Tyler and Marie, we hope the best for you and your new life together.

Supastaaaaah

Is that Nathan or did David Beckam come to visit?  Nate just started soccer this month with his best friend Beau and has enjoyed it thoroughly.  5-year old soccer is so fun to watch.  First of all it's three on three and 2 kids on the field at any given time are twirling around in circles or waving to their parents.  Beau scored two goals and Nate was great "bullying" the other team...or was he twirling in circles?  It's all a blur.  The Green Dragons were triumphant.  Way to go boys!

Labor Day in Sun Valley

Oh, the glorious Labor Day holiday. Our family meets the Jenson families in Sun Valley this time each year. We take our bikes, swim suits and lots of yummy food for our last summer vay-cay. We like to go during Labor Day because it coincides with Wagon Days...which means pancake breakfasts, a carnival for the kids, a parade and shopping galore. (oh, and I saw Jamie Lee Curtis at the grocery store but thats a story for a different day. Suffice it to say we are bff's now). Thanks to Rich and Kim for a fabulous dutch oven meal. It kinda made me want to be a pioneer for a second if that's the kind of food they ate! We fretted and worried over a fire consuming BOTH Bob and Corene's and Rich and Kim's home but after all was said and done, everything turned out fine.

Why do we buy kids toys?

I was busy at the computer balancing my checkbook or shopping on-line or something else really important and Andrew entertained himself with a bag...not just any ordinary bag but a zebra print bag. Perhaps Santa should shop at Papyrus for this little tot. He's a boy after my own heart.

Who in the Shiz saw Wicked?!

Oh my word...one of the big things on my "bucket list" was to see Wicked...guess what?  My dream came true.  My mom and my two sisters and I saw the glorious performance in Chicago.  The theater was so beautiful and we had kick- @$* seats.  It was fun to get dressed up and go to the city.  I loved the play...it gave me a greater understanding of Elpheba and her nemisis the wizard.  I loved the dancing and (well I loved it all.)  Thanks my darling sisters and mom for indulging my dream.  The only thing that guaranteed to me that it wasn't  a dream was that we ate at MCDONALDS when the play was over.  Talk about a dream crasher.

Kristen and Andrew...for better or worse

Kristen and Andrew tied the knot on a beautiful day in Chicago.  The weather was perfect and I had my new handy camera to take pictures with (oh and the recent memories of a delicious pizza pie from Gino's East or West...whatever direction it was it was yummy!) It was great to see my sisters and my mom and dad there as well as the Butler clan. Kristen you looked beautiful and Andrew you were a vision (not quite a deer in the headlights but close).  I know you will love the married life.  It's the best.

Nate Goes to Kindergarten!

Nathan started Kindergarten this year which was really hard for his mommy.  He seems too young to start getting all messed up by the public school system!  School began on August 25th and he seemed pretty excited to go...did he want to leave the nest?  Was he tired of his mom hugging and kissing him all day?  Did he think he was ready to be a big boy and hang with other 5-year-olds while learning how to read and choosing between milk, chocolate milk, or (a new one for Nathan) STRAWBERRY milk?!  He still hasn't had the courage to try the pink mystery drink but he loves school.  I know he misses his mom a little too because when it is time to line up to go into the building he waves at me at least three times. whew.  He's still a mommy's boy at heart.

Morgan's first day of school

Morgan started school on the 13th of August!  Even though we did a lot of fun things, summer flew by this year.   Morgan was ready to get back into a schedule but she has homework already!  I don't think I'm ready for school to start.

Anderson Ranch

Our family and our dear friends the Cottles spent the weekend at Anderson Ranch lake.  We had planned on boating and RVing for a couple of months.  The idea sounded really great but the prep work was way involved.  We had to plan a menu, shop, pack, rent an RV, drive, find a camp ground, set up camp, cook, clean, spray for mosquitos, watch kids, use the facilities in a room no bigger than an airplane lavatory.  

The interesting thing is we had a great time.  The kids got along well, we star- gazed, roasted smore's, water skiied, (or in my case tubed), caught a lizard, played charades, fished, ate yummy food, and enjoyed each other's company.  We loved the lake and the beauty that surrounded it.  Thanks for a great get-away Cottles!

Nathan's 5th Birthday

Nathan turned 5!  We had so much fun celebrating his birthday...in fact he had many, many people sing "Happy Birthday to you".  He is so cute and appreciates all you do for him.  His favorite gift were Blendy Pens.  He saw the commercial for them about 5 months ago and couldn't hardly open his gift fast enough.  He plays with them every day now.  Happy birthday Nathan.

Thompson's Visit

We had such a great time last week.  My sister, Janette and her husband Steve went to Seattle to run in a relay with some of their friends and work associates.  Their Three boys came to stay with us for a few days and we had a blast.  Here are a few of the things we did.

Zip Idaho

On Saturday, David, Rich, Kim and I drove to Horseshoe Bend for a little adrenalin rush.  We heard about Zip Idaho (zipidaho.com) and thought we'd give zipping a try.  The scariest part was taking that first step off of the platform.  By the time we got to the  1700 and 1800 foot lines, we were running and jumping to get more speed.  It was so fun.  I would do it again in a heartbeat!  For those zippers out there, remember the 5 H's and hold on!

July 4th 2008

I love the 4th of July.  For some reason it is one of my favorite times of year.  We started the day going out to breakfast.  Then we came home and played in the water and ate more food.  Later, we met a few awesome families at Ann Morrison and enjoyed the fireworks.  The kids had a great time with their glow sticks.  The weather was perfect and everyone had lots of fun.

Shaving Cream Costumes

On the fourth of July I was busy in the kitchen making lunch.  My kids told me they were bored so, we gave them a can of shaving cream and let them go crazy.  Morgan, Nate and their cousins had a ball rubbing it all over themselves and playing.  Then they would rinse off in the pool and start all over.  They had a great time!

Meridian Dairy Days

We met up with an awesome family at the Hungry Onion for dinner and the Dairy Days parade.  The kids loved picking up the candy and seeing people they knew in the parade and I loved the free chocolate milk and string cheese.  Let's do it again next year Caporales!

G.G.'s Cabin

We spent the night at G.G.'s cabin when we were in town.  We had yummy foil dinners and smore's and a few of us even slept outside on the deck in pretty cold temperatures.  It was nice to be in the canyon and enjoy the outdoors.  

Zoo

We went to the Hogle Zoo in SLC and got to see a lot of the "popular" animals that we don't get to see in our little city.  We even got to see a white alligator  and ride on a carousel.  We liked the giraffes and the elephants and Nate liked the peacocks.  

I-Fly

A few daredevils decided to go "flying" at the Solomon Center in Ogden.  Nathan was the first to sign up and loved every second of it.  I was surprised that he went through with it.  I enjoyed staying out of the "wind chamber" and taking pictures.  David  enjoyed the experience too.    

Recently our family took a trip to Utah to see some great friends get sealed in the Salt Lake Temple.  We were so happy for their family and felt their joy.  It was so good to catch up with this awesome family.  

Morgan had a program for her final third grade event.  She tried out to be the "travel agent" and became the understudy.  We are so proud of her and her efforts.  We really enjoyed hearing the songs and seeing the play they worked so hard on.  Fourth grade, here she comes!

Pre-school graduation

Nathan graduated from pre-school!  We were excited to go to his graduation program and hear him sing his cute songs and see the little slide show of what they did during the year.  I am so proud of Nate. On to Kindergarten. Congratulations buddy!

Mother's Day in McCall

We spent Mother's Day in McCall.  Our family loves going to McCall and we try to get there at least twice a year.  We spent time swimming, exploring and skiing.  The kids are doing great on the snow. 

In the first week of May a few of my dear friends and I went to Women's Conference and had a great time.  We spent Thursday and Friday going to BYU campus and attending some of the most amazing classes that were very inspirational.  The final speaker was President Monson.  What a treat to hear the new prophet give us a little encouragement.  Other than the awesome speakers I really enjoyed the great conversations with the gals, shopping, burnt popcorn smell, chocolate cinnamon bears, mint brownies, Sandra Rast, full-sized beds that slept two! and dropping the kids off at the pool.  

I left my heart...

David and I spent a few days in San Francisco and a few days in Monterey.  We loved seeing the sights and spending time with each other.  Our last day there, we got a massage and did some shopping.  We had a blast.  A little shout out to the L's for watching the kids for the long weekend. 

One warm low-key afternoon, we got a call from my dear cousin to invite us to the zoo.   Nate's favorite animal was the tiger and Andrew just liked the snacks.  What an adventure.

Easter

Our family found ourselves in Utah for Easter.  We had a great Easter Egg hunt for the kids and a scavenger hunt for the adults.  We all had a great time.

Annual trip to McCall

Every year for my birthday, my family takes a trip to McCall. It is so beautiful there. Every year we stay in a condo, make a gingerbread house, and if there is enough snow for skiing we go. This year was Nathan's first time skiing. We were there the first day Tamarak opened for this ski season so it was free! Nathan did a great job and has absolutely no fear - a trait he got from his daddy. I love my family and the special little trips we take together. I hope they always remember to good times we have together.

Morgan's Ninth Birthday

Happy Birthday Morgan! Morgan's birthday was in December. She turned 9! I can't believe how fast time goes by. It seems like she was a baby just yesterday. We love you Morgan.

It Snowed!

When enough snow fell, Morgan and Nathan ran outside and built one of the finest looking snowmen around. It took a few hours to complete (with Dad's help).

Christmas at the Jenson's

I love Christmas! We always have a formal Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve (we pull on crackers which gives us a toy and a paper crown). Then we act out the Nativity and read the Christmas story after opening our new pajamas. On Christmas day we open our presents from each other and Santa. Andrew got a "bike" that he thought he needed to ride at all times (with or without his diaper). David commissioned a great artist to paint this pineapple picture for me. I love the pineapple because it means "hospitality". David is always so thoughtful.

High Tech Skiing

This past Christmas we spent a few days in Brigham City with David's family. There was a lot of snow so we discovered many different ways to play in it. The kids put on their skis and skied down Grandma and Grandpa Jenson's hill. Then David got on the 4-wheeler and pulled Nate on his skis.

Christmas Cuties

Please forgive me for a delay in my posts. I will change my ways and try to update regularly. I'll start with Christmas and move forward. These are my cutie pies in their new Christmas outfits.

Morgan's big week

Morgan had a big week. She started it by going to the eye doctor and discovering she was far-sighted and needed glasses for reading and practicing the piano. She was very excited to get them and looks so cute with them on!

Morgan has been growing her hair out to donate it to Locks of Love (locksoflonve.com) to make wigs for children who have cancer. We measured her hair and decided it was time to cut it. We took her to the salon and they took great care of her. They cut her hair into a cute a-line bob which makes her look so much older...especially with her new glasses on!

Finally, Morgan started school on the 15th of August. I can't believe summer is almost over. We miss her at home so much. We love you Morgan.

Happy Birthday Nate!

Nate turned 4 on July 30th. We had a great day. We went to the matinee "Surf's Up" with the Cottles, went to dinner at Red Robin (a favorite for the kids because they get a free sundae on their birthday), opened presents and ate cake and ice cream. Nathan had a snake cake that he really liked. Happy Birthday Nate!

Perrine Bridge

We had a great time last weekend spending time in Twin Falls. We went down for my High School reunion and decided to take the family. Twin Falls is so beautiful. It is amazing I didn't realize it when I was living there. This picture is under the Perrine Bridge at the Snake River. We had a great time even though it was HOT!

Yankee Doodle Dandy

We had a great time on the 4th of July. We spent the time with Steve, Amber and Cooper. We are so glad they came to visit. We enjoyed a barbeque, spent time at the splash park and topped it off with fireworks. The kids especially liked holding sparklers.