SNOW DAY!!!

It snowed last night.  Therefore we get a SNOW DAY!!  NO SCHOOL!!  The schools left a message last night around 10pm; The radio newscaster was exclaiming that we might be getting 3-6 inches of SNOW!  Jared and I had a laugh about that as we remembered Utah weather and school continuing on, usually no matter how much snow we got.  I love it here;  Each time it snows on school days, we get to stay in our nice cozy home and play in the snow or drink hot chocolate.

It was fun to watch Jace today as he got right onto his Science Fair project he's been working on, and was almost bummed to have to stop when his friends came over to invite him out to play and see the snow fort they made.  We were just excited for the extra time to complete his project.  He has to keep reminding me that it's his project; not mine. I like to give him ideas that will make it look more cute and designer-like, but he says if we do that, he'll never get it done.  (That's probably why my projects take me forever!)

Anyway, I didn't get any pictures of Jace since he's at his friend's, but here's a few of the boys during Cami's nap:

"Okay, let's not do dangerous things anymore; just have fun."

Lance, protesting, "But Mom, that is having fun!"



Kyle was so busy, I wasn't able to get many of his face, but I'll take this one of him in mid-air!

I was able to get plenty of Lance's face... Oh, I mean, except when it's planted!



Ouch!!  Cold!!



Kyle last week, trying to enjoy the last of that snow.

Brrr!  Time for hot cocoa!!

Between Now and Then

Today as I was driving away from dropping Kyle off at preschool, a song came on the radio that reminded me of my sweet angel Gramma and my Grampa that is still here.  I miss her so much, and she's been on my mind a lot lately, as has my Grampa.  Gramma loves him so eternally much!  Their relationship is one that I have enjoyed watching and hearing Gramma talk about so lovingly.  A few weeks ago, while Jared and I were falling asleep, I was reminded of something she said of Grampa one day as we were sitting together chatting about him at her home in California, "I love breathing the air he breathes."

My memories of the love they share continue to exemplify what it takes to have an eternal marriage, for me.

G&G on a cruise just a few years ago.  Gramma loves this
 picture because it was taken just after she'd gotten off the bus,
 tripped on the curb and fell, but the pic turned out great!

I read a note my grandma wrote back in 1923

Grandpa kept it in his coat and he showed it once to me

He said boy you might not understand

But a long, long time ago
Grandma's daddy didn't like me none
But I love your grandma so
We had this crazy plan to meet and run away together
Get married in the first town we came to and live forever

But nailed to the tree where we were supposed to meet instead

I found this letter and this is what it said:

 If you get there before I do, don't give up on me
I'll meet you when my chores are through
I don't know how long I'll be

But I'm not gonna let you down, darling wait and see

And between now and then until I see you again

I'll be loving you, love me

 I read those words just hours before my grandma past away

In the door way of a church where me and grandpa stopped to pray

I know I'd never seen him cry in all my 15 years

But as he said these words to her

His eyes filled up with tears

 If you get there before I do, don't give up on me I'll meet you when my chores are through

I don't know how long I'll be

But I'm not gonna let you down, darling wait and see

And between now and then until I see you again

I'll be loving you, love me


Between now and then until I see you again

I'll be loving you, love me
 
- Collin Raye, "If You Get There Before I Do."

Cami is TWO!!!

This couple of years flew by fast!  Cami has brought so much joy to her brothers and parents. We're so grateful to have her in our family.  Just the other day she was pointing at a picture of Evan again, saying, "That's Evan."  Only this time she added, "That's Evan's body."  I wonder how much she knows or knew before she could talk.  How I would love to learn!
Anyway, here's a few pics of her birthday and a few before.  My camera quit working, so I had to use Jared's hunting camera.  Yes - he has a hunting camera!!

...Getting in the pink and preparing for the big day - painting butterflies and flowers to decorate her room!

On Dad's birthday, practicing before her big day, how to eat large quantities of sugar

Want a handful of icecream?
Without being asked, Cami automatically says "cheese" when she sees a camera.  I don't know where she picked that up.

Cake anyone?

Happy Birthday, Dear Cami!

The boys decorated their cupcakes with princess shoes, crowns, pearls, and apples.  Jace swallowed his in one bite, I think.

 



Dad made it just in time for cake.



She ate the icecream and just looked at the cake.  Perhaps she thought it was too pretty to eat.  I finally cut her a slice and she ate it like a princess :)



She had so much fun opening her presents!  She giggled and got so excited when she saw what was inside.  Raincoat from Jared's sister and cute cute outfits with matching hair bows.  She absolutely loved them!  She had to put the raincoat on right away and ran to her closet to get her pink boots to match.  Jared's parents got her a pink flamingo necklace that she wore to church and was a pretty pretty princess.  The gloves were from my family...

My sister found this baby doll, perfect for Cami.  You can never have too many babydolls! Cami loves that she can take the shoes on and off and change her diaper.  She's even potty-training her baby on her little pink toilet.
We gave her a baby doll-size port-a-crib to put all her dolls in, and Lance picked out a purple dinnerware set with Tinkerbell on it.  (the pink one had The Little Mermaid on it.  She only knows who Tinkerbell is)  When we put her bowl and spoon out for her, she exclaims, "It's Tinkerbell!"
Cami is such a delight and we're so blessed to have her!

Day 13, Gratitude Journal

 

Happy Birthday, Dear Daddy...

1. I'm grateful that Jared was born 34, I mean 35 years ago today!  He had to correct me today about his age.  Man, he's getting old!
2. ...And for the happiness that he has brought to my life.
3. I'm grateful for the hard worker that he is.  Even when he's so tired that he can't stay awake.  Even for his own birthday. 




Waiting for Dad to wake up to open his presents:
Pistachio nuts from the kids, a dress shirt and tie
from me, Tupperware bowls for making deer/elk
jerky from his family, a T-shirt with a buck on
it from my family, and...

"Utah Deer Droppings" that my mom found.  Jace's friend was over, and wasn't sure what to think.  We played it up.  (Chocolate Covered Peanuts)
Yum! How we've missed those droppings!



When I asked Lance to make Dad a card, he had this great idea to make a card with a picture of Dad's elk on it.  I found him one of Jared out in the mountains with his elk, but he didn't want that one, he wanted the one of Dad putting "Phillip" up on the wall (as you can see, far right).  Then of course, Kyle wanted the exact same picture for his card to Dad, but he let me do another one of him with his Dad, and the card making fun began...  There's even one from Evan, blowing up birthday balloons (3rd from Right, with Jace, for Jace's 4th BD)
L to Right: Daddy and Cami during brother's soccer game, Jace with results of a hunting trip with Dad, Us on our second honeymoon in Vegas just before moving here...
The middle pic isn't a card, just one that Lance and Kyle both wanted for each of their shelves, and Lance used for the birthday dinner centerpiece.  It is Jared with "Phillip", just after they met in the mountains.
Then Evan and Jace getting ready for Jace's 4th birthday party, Daddy carrying Kyle to the top of a hill in Utah for sledding, and the hanging of "Phillip".

Day 12, Gratitude Journal

My Gratitude Journal was haulted due to the Christmas rush.  Aaah!  Back to it...

1. I'm so grateful for time off work and time off school.  The kids start school again tomorrow, and they probably would have missed it if Jace hadn't said something today.  As we were enjoying lunch together today, I told the kids how nice it's been to have them home and isn't it nice that we have a few more days left before school starts again?  And that was when Jace had to inform me that they're back tomorrow, on Dad's birthday.  I thought, since we had our own holidays coming up (Cami's birthday is the day after Dad's), that the school district would acknowledge these important days and keep the kids out just a couple days more.   It's been so nice!
2. I'm grateful for clean rooms.  With the break off school, Jace and Lance were able to declutter their desks and anything else that needed it.  Jace got to decorate his room a bit more with his artwork.
3. Frozen Dinners.  Yesterday was so nice to come home from church and stick the second half of a recipe I made a few weeks ago in the oven, and take a nap!
4. Leftovers - I know I've gone over the 3, but tonight was super nice because I didn't have to cook dinner with all these leftovers!  More time to paint pink butterflies!  More on that later... I've even got pics of the boys painting pink!

Master Bath Remodel Part 1: Demolition

Christmas Day:

Jace, between turns with his brothers on the X Box, asked, "Mom, it's Christmas, why are you guys working?"

I told him this is our Christmas present (with major help from parents and grandparents!) and we can't wait to get started!  Thank you, family!

 It was really fun working together on this.  Look how romantic we are!

 Take a nice long look at this shower before Jace comes into the picture.

 He worked so hard and got all these walls by himself ! (see below)  He couldn't get enough of it, and can't wait to demolish the next bathroom!

 Super Cheeser Jared put a new cement floor board down and replaced the drain.

 ... Then it was New Year's Eve.

 Cutting cement board while watching the countdown at Times Square.

 Phillip's got his back

It's become tradition.  When the clock strikes twelve, Jared pulls out the 'ol silver trumpet and plays Revely.  I'm sure the neighbors loved it.  He had to take one of me, trying.

We could see and hear Jace banging pots and pans with his friends a few houses down.

Happy New Year!

Christmas Eve

 What a Christmas!  Tonight as I sat comfortably on the couch, feeling the last of those Christmas feelings and watching Kyle enjoy his favorite card from Aunt Verusca that plays music from "The Grinch" over and over as he opens and closes it, I felt gratitude for all the blessings that we have.  We have a lot of good friends and family!  And we miss those live far away so much!  It was nice to talk and skype with a few of them.  We even opened presents from them and got to watch them unwrap our gifts.  I asked my Grandad yesterday how on earth they survived without the technologies that we now have.

We got these photos from our ward Christmas party back today, and added them to our Christmas door.  Jace missed out on sitting on Santa's lap and asking for anything; Maybe that's why he got coal in his stocking.

Kyle and Cami watching Polar Express tonight while I'm on my computer (They got naps today.  It pays to nap.)

Evan's tree.  What good little boys and girls to pose so willingly tonight.  The kids got to put a link on each time they did a Christlike act, beginning on Evan's birthday, Nov. 30th.  Lance really got into this and made most of the links on the tree.  One day he even got to put 22 on it!  He has been focusing a lot more this month on doing Christlike acts like sharing the toys he really likes more willingly, and helping around the house without being asked, and being the "bigger brother".  Everyone else pitched in, too ;)

Reading "The Gingerbread Man", a gift from Kyle's preschool teachers.  It was so nice having Daddy around on Christmas Eve!  They made Gingerbread man cookies for Santa after that.

Christmas Eve Dinner - Glazed Ham, Green Bean Casserole, Yams with marshmallows, and homeade rolls.  Yum.  I love this one of Jared.  Begging for the kids to smile so we don't have to take another picture!

After dinner, Jace became a donkey, and Cami and Kyle were Mary and Joseph.  Dad read the story from Luke Chapter 2.
"And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judæa, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem.
To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

7And she brought forth her ^afirstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the ^binn.

(The shepherd was hiding behind the camera) And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
...And the angel said unto them, (This is Evan's part) "Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."

(Matt. 2 - The wise men were directed by a star to Jesus);  "And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and ^afrankincense, and myrrh."

 (Taken at "Creches and Carols" a Christmas Nativity Exhibit that is put on every year at our church, and this is just one of the fun things they had available)

"Glory to God in the highest!
... and on earth ^bpeace, good will toward men."

Christmas Card 2010

Greetings from St. Louis!

We hope this finds you happy and well.  We bought a house we love! Jared found the perfect place and neighborhood for our family, and we moved in June. There is even a pool down the street that we used almost every day in the summertime, with a diving board. Jenny keeps pinching herself to make sure she isn’t dreaming.

Jared is fulfilling his dream career (after graduation from medical school in May), delivering babies left and right in his 1st yr of residency, and comes home exhausted and SO happy. He still finds time to hunt!

Jace (10) in 5th grade, likes playing violin in the orchestra, soccer, basketball, reading, and hunting with Dad. When he grows up, he wants to be a professional soccer or basketball player, and/or a dentist.

Lance (6) enjoys morning Kindergarten, especially riding the bus home. He and Jace walk together to school. He enjoys playing soccer, “capture the flag”, and making stuff with paper. He calls himself an “author” and loves to write. He wants to be a clown so he can make people laugh and be in the circus. His great laugh can be heard throughout the house, usually combined with Kyle’s.

Kyle (4) is in preschool, loves puzzles, trains, monster trucks, soccer, playing whatever is going on at the moment with his siblings, and plans to be a fireman someday. He continues to be easy going and fun loving.

Cami (almost 2) is just as giggly as a girl can get! She usually has a doll in her arms. Luckily, she still plays “catch”, kicks the soccer ball, and pushes cars and trains around with her brothers. She loves to help mom around the house, talk, sing, dance, and, unlike Mom, shop.

We are so grateful for these blessings in our lives, and for this Christmas season, to celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

“What is the spirit we feel at Christmastime? It is His spirit—the Spirit of Christ. With the pure love of Christ, let us walk in His footsteps as we approach the season celebrating His birth.” – President Thomas S. Monsen



Love,      Jared, Jenny, Jace, Angel Evan, Lance, Kyle, Camille

Any Advice?

Oh Fun!  We're re-tiling both of our bathroom floors and walls. (and replacing the toilets and vanities)   When I say "we" it means I get to do the fun part, and he gets to do it.  I like my roll.  Jared's leaving all the shopping up to me.  I've got to figure out what colors I want and buy all the tile asap before Jared's off starting Thurs 'til Christmas ( then he's back to work again on the day after Christmas). 
I bought a few colors I liked today and tried them in the bathroom, but they're pretty much just like the tile in our entry way and our kitchen.  I really like that color and style!  Anyway, I'm trying to think, since we're re-doing both bathrooms, if I want them both to be the same neutral colors, or do I want to get spunky and go with a little color?  Maybe a slate blue in our master bath (the bedroom walls are a light brown color that I really like - I never imagined myself liking brown walls, but I just really like this house!) and then doing the guest/hallway bathroom a neutral color, yes, like the entryway and kitchen.  Is that boring?  The walls in our house are, more light brown, same as our bedroom (like the hallway by this bathroom), an avacodo green and a vanilla yellow - which sound really crazy and wild, but I actually really like these colors!  ( never would have known to pick them).
I need to shop some more tomorrow, I had about 15 minutes today to pick out the tile I got.  Tomorrow's my last day to shop with just 2 kids in tow.  Not complaining, just sayin'.
I'm so excited, I just hope I pick good colors!  If you were redoing your bathrooms any color you dreamed of, how would you do it?  Ideas anyone?

Oh Joy!!!

What an opportunity it has been to live out here in the mission field.  Jared has a calling in the missionary work of our ward, and he was asked to meet with a family that was investigating the church, and, of course, he couldn't do it with his crazy schedule, so he volunteered me!  I was nervous because I'd never left my children with anyone here, but I was very comfortable with the mother of 6 that watched them for me (of course, after her husband, who is the ward mission leader, volunteered  her to watch them - they had a great time, and it all worked out!)
This family has 4 children, the last of which has recovered from cancer.  It was the first time I had ever been a part of any missionary discussions with a family that really wanted to know.  Anyway, I enjoyed  few visits with them, and they've been coming to church and continuing discussions during the week, and I just found out today that the parents are going to be baptized this Saturday!  What a joy to be a part of something like this!

Stealing the Show

Tonight was Jace's 5th Grade Musical Program, and we (including Jared) got to go together to see it.  It was a great program, the kids did an awesome job.  Cami was clapping her hands and laughing.  At one point, it was quiet, and Cami let out a loud giggle that turned heads in the whole auditorium followed by the loudest laughter from the audience that we'd heard that night.  It was hilarious.  She seemed to like the attention.  Even Jace's classmates on stage saw her and were laughing.  Luckily, after that, her giggles usually came while there was music playing and the show went on.  Thank goodness!

Day 11, Gratitude Journal

1. I'm grateful that Jared has a good job. I found myself complaining today about him just finding out that his night float starts tonight.  A night float is a night shift for a month, that each resident gets about twice a year, and Jared has it for the month of December.  He was planning on beginning it tomorrow night, but called me from work today to tell me that he found out that he'll be working tonight as well.   I felt bad for him, he'd gone to bed a little late last night, and has been working since 6 this morning.  He'll be back home tomorrow morning sometime to sleep, then get up to go to work at 7pm tomorrow.  But as I was talking about this to the cashier while I paid for Kyle and Jace's winter coats (I don't know how I got so chatty, but there wasn't anyone behind me, so I wasn't keeping anyone waiting!)  Wait, I know why, because he called to tell me while I was checking out.  I thought how ironic it was that I was buying these coats with the money that he earned at this job he has.  With so many hard times in the economy, I was embarrassed and quickly told the cashier that I am grateful that he has a job :)  By the way, he loves his job, and comes home tired, but really happy, especially on days that he gets to bring new babies into the world.  That's a blessing in itself!
2. I'm grateful for my warm shower. 'nuf said.
3. I'm so grateful that there is a sweet lady in my ward that let me come to her house, bring my kids to play with her kids, while she cut my long overgrown split-ended hair that was driving me nuts!  I feel so much better now :)
4. P.S. for Evan's birthday tonight, we lit 9 candles in each of our icecream bowls ( 2 per kids; 1 for mom) and sang to him.  Then the kids wrote something Christlike that they can do this month onto a chain link, and made a paper chain for Evan's Christmas tree. (It's the one with red bows on it, that a family left it at our doorstep while he was sick, with dollar bills tied to each bow).  They also get to put another link on each time they do a Christlike deed.  Jace picked our song, "A Child's Prayer", which is kind of our theme song for Evan - his grave stone has "of such is the kingdom of heaven" engraved on it.  And the kids got to open a present, things I've been meaning to give them anyway:  Winter stuff - coats for Jace, Kyle, and Cami, and boots for Kyle and Lance.  It was a nice evening, only we were missing two people:  Daddy and Evan.

Happy Birthday, Evan!

9 Years today. 

'Til we meet again 

We miss & love you, Evan!

Day 11, Gratitude Journal

1. I'm ditto-ing what Jace said at the Thanksgiving dinner table:  I'm grateful for my nice car/van.  It is so nice to travel in comfort and with happy kids.  Where were movies in the car when I was growing up?
2. I'm grateful for this beautiful weather we've been having.  While my family and friends were freezing in a blizzard last week, we've been having 63 degree weather here.  It did, however, snow for the first time here on Thanksgiving day.  It's melted.  I hear that we'll get our turn for cold weather, so I'll try to be careful not to brag too much.
3. I'm grateful for paper and scissors that give children hours of fun - as long as the scissors stay at the table!

Day 10, Gratitude Journal

1. I'm going to say "Ditto" to what Lance said at our Thanksgiving dinner table.  I'm grateful for my nice shoes on my feet.
2. I'm grateful for my nice warm bed.
3. I'm grateful for my house (I know!  Already used it!) and my nice toys that I have to play with (i.e. my computer and camera)