I even forgot my password

It's been so long since I last made an entry, that I couldn't remember my password and didn't know that gmail had changed to Google. Not good. Maybe that's a little bit how it will be to enter the Celestial Kingdom? :) Thanks Shar, for encouraging me to get back to it.


I've missed writing and documenting all that we have to be thankful for and the little happenings in our lives. The best news is that Matt recently switched jobs at Honeywell and will now be flying as a test pilot which has more regular hours, e.g., daytime and no weekends. Aside from the occasional trip for Corporate and training stints, he will be home in the evenings. The kids and I are very grateful in this struggling economy to have found a job that fits our family better.


It's been a little hard to get into the spirit of Thanksgiving and Christmas with the abnormally warm weather of 80-90 degrees. Did you know that it gets hot enough to pop corn right on its stalks? We learned that at Casper's farm fieldtrip. It does allow us great park days, though, which we've been taking time to do on a daily basis. Casper loves being able to go to recess 3 times a day now and he's picked up some very good boy social skills playing tag football and a couple of friends as well. I cry because I'm so relieved and grateful! We feel also lucky to have moved to the only school district that provides a registered nurse in each school, so he is able to get his medicine and blood sugar checks at the office and head back to class.


Stewart has blossomed into our toddler that loves everything that starts with a b: babies, balls, boots, bikes, brothers, blankies and even the game Hullabaloo, which he loves to play and shout every time he gets on a pad. He was Casper's and Whitney's biggest fan during their teeball season on the same team.


Whitney is a mom at heart, already, knowing how things should be done and when. Two moms in the house is a challenge. She is doing well at her little preschool. They learned about Hansel and Gretel this week and made candy houses.

Life is good and we are grateful for the family and friends we have to share it with. I promise to make more entries! I love hearing what others are thankful for--share some of those things with me on your comments!

'Til we meet again

Matt's father, Richard Alma Jensen, passed away on September 11, 2008. Even Stewart felt the void his leaving made when we went home for the funeral, looking for his Grandpa throughout the house. Matt's brothers and sisters all came together to help their mom plan a beautiful funeral and graveside service that paid tribute to a great man who should have no regrets about the way he lived or the work and service he did while he lived. He celebrated his 80th birthday on February 22, 2008 and his 50th wedding anniversary on August 25th, 2008. What a legacy as his wife, all 8 kids, their spouses and 26 grandchildren sang his favorite family home evening hymn, "Love at Home." I always felt loved by him in his home and mine and am grateful that I knew him, loved him and am married to one of his sons. Because of Dick and Joann, Matt is a kind father, hard worker and has a strong testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We will miss you, Dad!

We'll never forget

Today Casper asked me why everyone was celebrating the flag at school today. For a second, I couldn't think of why and looked at the calendar to see if it was a holiday I'd forgotten. Even though I forgot the day today, I hope I never forget the way I felt that day. Matt and I had just been married that January and he was deployed at the end of August to Saudi Arabia. It was a difficult separation for me, so I was in Salt Lake City visiting family and working on a project for a professor that had overseen my thesis at the University of Utah. I was sitting in the car, waiting for my mom to take me up to the U. and listening to the radio. I heard the announcer break in and say that a second plane had crashed into the twin towers in New York City. I first thought it was an advertisement. Then I ran into the house to tell my mom and turn on the TV. I watched in disbelief and cried. I went up to the University but didn't do any work, just watched TV with all of the students and teachers in the cafeteria. Matt didn't call from Saudi Arabia very often due to the difference in time and his schedule, but he made sure to call me and his parents as soon as he could to let us know the base there was safe but in total lockdown. For the rest of his time there, 3 months, he carried a gas mask wherever he went and never left the base. A year later, Matt and I were able to visit Ground '0' on the 4th of July. We talked about several men he had known in his career that died that day in the airplanes. I cried then and felt so angry that anyone could hate a nation or people enough to destroy so much, especially so many lives. I'm grateful to live in a nation where terror is not usually the norm, that I can be angry about it when it does happen and that so many good people have come together to heal and help each other. As I told Casper about that day, he got tears in his eyes and asked if he could say a prayer for all of those people that died that day. It's important that we never forget!

My daughter is growing up

From Blogger Pictures

Whitney flew to Salt Lake City last week with her Grandpa Casper to visit for a few days. It was hard for me to imagine the day would ever come that my kids would travel without me, but it was a great experience for her and fun for my parents and brother's family. She was able to play with her cousins, have her hair done by Aunt Launi, and have everyone's undivided attention. I never worried about her for the 3 days she was gone and according to both sets of grandparents, she was a model child: ate all her meals without leaving the table, slept through the night with only a nightlight & even took a nap each day. I'm glad to know she can behave better away from home than when I'm around. She's already planning the next trip!

A Celebration of "Galactic Proportions"

From Blogger Pictures

From Blogger Pictures

From Blogger Pictures

Our oldest son, Casper, turned 6 on August 31, 2008 and we're STILL celebrating, it seems. I'm so glad that he is so smart and healthy and so brave at taking things in stride that might be hard for other people. He was such a happy, even tempered baby; so quick to smile and laugh at everyone he met. He still has such an engaging smile and is quick to give a hug. He makes me so glad to be a mom.

On Friday, Matt, Stewart and I had the chance to read "SuperDog" to Casper's kindergarten class and share pictures of him growing up. We handed out Spiderman light up, stamper, bubble pens for a treat and they were a hit. After we found out that there were 3 birthdays that day, I suggest non perishable treats everytime! We ended the visit with a QUICK lunch in the cafeteria. I love kindergartners. They still think it's cool when your mom and dad visit.

Casper wanted a Star Wars party with 3 of his friends, his cousin Jackson and Whitney and Stewart. I really didn't know what a "Star Wars" party would entail, but he seemed satisfied to be led into the direction of a swimming party on Saturday afternoon. My parents, my brother and his wife, and their son, Jackson, arrived just in time to make Star Wars masks with Dallin, Max and Brigette and then we headed out to the pool. For snacks we had watermelon and Sun Chips with juice boxes and water. The Milky Way Galaxy ice cream cake that Casper helped make and decorate was a great hit in the hot summer heat and the perfect presents of Star Wars legos, a Star Wars transformer, a Batman motorcycle, and a helicopter were so well received that Casper said, "Wow mom, I have so many nice new toys that I think Santa can take a break this year from giving me presents."

My dad took us all to the Diamondbacks game and though we were taken out of the competition in the first 4 innings by the Dodgers, we enjoyed watching the fans and eating hotdogs. Chase Field is amazing! During good weather, the top is left open for the grass. When it's hot, they close the top and run an air conditioner!! It was such a nice respite from the heat to watch live baseball indoors.

The wheels on the bus go 'round & 'round

Ok, so when your 6 year old starts writing full sentences on the back of the baby, it's time to start school, don't you think? How can I be mad when he writes, "I love you mom and dad?"

Casper really has loved school and his teacher. On Wednesday night as I was tucking him in bed, he so poignantly said, "When I'm at home, I want to be at school and when I'm at school, I want to be at home."

I felt the same way at summer's end. It's been an emotional week for all of us. The time of my life with all 3 kids at home has come to an end and my work now really begins to help them prepare for being on their own someday...I worry what things they'll be exposed to, the innocence that will leave. Yet, I'm excited for the friends they'll make and the things they'll learn to do. Whitney and Stewart missed him terribly. It surprised me how lost Whitney was without her older brother and how overwhelmed she was with being the 'older sister.' I have enjoyed the quieter time in the day to spend one on one with her.



The weekend before school started we kidnapped Matt and went camping, canoeing and fishing for 3 days without showers, flush toilets, TV and cell phones. It was a grueling trip, but beautiful with the rain each night and the cooler days. I'd never been in a canoe before; needless to say it was a little disconcerting to feel every move of my curious and fearless 6 year old, accompanied by the squeals of my fearful and most vocal 4 year old. Stewart was so miserable he fell asleep in the bottom of the canoe. Despite all of Casper's and Matt's efforts, we didn't catch more than a few crawfish.



The kids really progressed in their swimming abilities this summer. Casper is looking forward to being on the swim team next summer. He loved the freedom being able to swim gives him while going down the waterslide and diving with the big guys off of the diving board. Whitney became comfortable enough to completely submerge her face underwater and dive for toys. We're still enjoying our own pool each day after Casper gets home from school. Two weeks ago we had some friends spend the night at our house and for some reason, the younger boy and Casper decided to throw all the rocks and wood they could find into the pool over the fence. I was so shocked I didn't even yell and Casper felt so bad he completely cleaned it up by diving for 45 minutes for all of the rocks.

Thumbs

Oh the thumb-sucker's thumb
May look wrinkled and wet
And withered, and white as the snow,
But the taste of a thumb
Is the sweetest taste yet
(As only we thumbsuckers know).
--Shel Silverstein

I was driving home from the library today with my kids after an afternoon of sun at the community pool and tuned into the 'cacophony' of sucking noises from the back of the minivan. ALL THREE of my kids were at sleep's door, sucking their thumbs like crazy. My oldest, Casper, has started to ask for help to stop in the daytime, but I'm not sure what to do at night. The dentist recommended adhesive tape, which we've tried and which lasts as long as Casper and Whitney can each stand their thumbs being bound with tape. We've used the Numbzit, or yucky tasting polish, which lasted as long as it took to suck it off.

So, what's a mom to do?

Princess Whitney turns 4!

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the cutest of them all?

And the most precocious, the most headstrong and the one most likely to stand her ground? That would be my daughter, Whitney, who just turned 4 this week. She first wanted to have her party at the sprinkler park near our house, so I reserved the ramada well in advance. One month later, she insisted she have her party at McDonald's. Have you seen the McDonald's play lands around here during the hot summer? They're just like overcrowded amusement parks, only 100 times smaller, so I guided her into having a party at our house. It turned out pretty fun, too, especially as I made it as simple as possible and had lots of help from my friends. We had the same menu as last year: gourmet macaroni and cheese and grapes with the addition of those yummy frozen PB & Js and watermelon and olives. I baked a sheet cake the night before and froze it overnight. Whitney frosted it the next morning, stuck on a few cute princesses we found at Target and then went to town with the pink sprinkles. When the kids arrived, we got them going with sprinklers, water guns and a fish pond and then later they headed in the back for the wading pool, sprinkler hopscotch and water balloon target practice. Two hours was just enough time to play, eat lunch, open presents and have cake and ice cream. The water soakers we found at the Dollar Tree were awesome and have kept my kids entertained for two entire days!

Ridgecrest June 2008

"I hate the leaving part."

The kids and I just returned from a fabulous vacation in our old hometown, Ridgecrest, California. Throughout the days we were there, Whitney kept exclaiming,

"I want to see more cousins! Can we? Please? Can we?"

I've not had such a fun and relaxing vacation in a long time--and seeing our old friends felt just like visiting family. As we arrived into town and headed over to Bob's and Kari's before she left for Norway, we saw the Claysons and some of their friends playing in the front yard. When we stopped, Charity and her cuties came over and the kids all played--or clubbed each other before we had pb & js at the Boisverts. Thanks for giving us your milk, Bob!

We stayed in the BOQ on base across from the Navy Museum, Oasis pool and Jackrabbit Park, where Charity and Becky met us on our first morning there. I felt as if we'd never left over a year ago, except for the addition of cute babies Hope, Hannah and Stewart! That afternoon we got together with Rachel and Kathryn and their kids after they all got out of their last day of school. Stewart and Katie Anne hit it off with the toy cupboard while Casper, Jack, Benjamin and Jeffrey played with Legos and motorcycles in their room; Whitney, Emma and Janie took turns pushing their dolls at the store. Later, they all had Popsicles, played on the swings and rode bikes.

It seemed as if most of the Ridgecrest bunch had some kind of house or yard remodeling project in progress, especially Ronelle and Brent in their awesome new house just outside of Inyokern. Even with the dogs outside, the kids couldn't get enough of the big trees, playroom and open space to run. How many people do you know live on an acre and have an orchard across the street from their house!?

We fit in one last visit of the day to Janice and RJs house before they left for Idaho and Ogden to help their parents. I can hardly believe they made the time while they still needed to pack AND install their new refrigerator: Whitney and Casper were the first to taste the new filtered water.
On Friday, we 'crashed' the end of school water party at Shar's house and Whitney basked in her chance to take Jane Agren down the slide--over and over. That night Nate Kimbler graciously watched his kids and Whitney and Casper while Ronelle, Arlene, Mirilou, Shar, Kathryn, and Rachel and I got together for dinner and chitchat at Lugo's.

Marie's and Scott's house just keeps expanding beautifully and her dream yard is now a reality. Whitney and Casper didn't want to leave after they had jumped on the trampoline, had lunch on the patio and Katie had shared her sour candy! We attempted to go swimming, but made a stop at the base fire department instead to see the fish pond and new RED firetrucks!

Saturday night also felt like old times, celebrating Ricky's and Kim's marriage. They are a fun couple and I know I'd be buds with Kim if we lived there. It was so awesome to visit with our old friends the Saunders, Trimbles, Calls, Kimblers and meet new friends who have moved in since we left. It is so easy to make friends in Ridgecrest!

After church on Sunday we decided to stay an extra day. For lunch we had an awesome visit with the Martinez women: Zukey, Yoselin, Maria and Mimi before the two oldest head off to college in Lancaster. We could hardly believe that Zukey graduated high school! Mimi, Whitney and Casper played on the back patio and rested on the living room floor just like old times.

Now that I'm back home to the 'hustle and bustle' of Phoenix, I am so grateful for the Ridgecrest Respite I had with my 'family of friends." It was exactly what my heart needed in order to start building here what I had there and focusing on the short time I have to spend with my kids while they're little. My brain kept playing over and over the scripture in Mosiah 18:3 to describe why the people in Ridgecrest are so special to me; they truly are "willing to mourn with those that mourn; and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that they are in." Thank you for your tremendous examples of living the gospel! On our last night in the hotel, the kids and I were talking about how much fun we'd had and that it was time to leave in the morning. Whitney in her wisdom, added,

"Yeah, it was really, really, REALLY fun. I just hate the leaving part."