Last Day

No, I do not like to say good-bye. I do not like it at all.

Ready to go by 8:30pm.  One month's worth of living for 2 adults and 3 kids is packed into these bags.

This morning Sven and Hyuna returned from their trip to DC. Happy children, happy parents! 

Hyuna and I enjoyed a 3 1/2 hour shopping trip (Vanities, Sam's, Barnes & Noble, Home Depot, Walmart and Redbox - use your imagination!).  

Sven and the kids played with some cool rockets and ate astronaut ice cream that came straight from the Smithsonian Space Museum. 

Later, Keven visited with Sven & Hyuna while they packed and the kids, including neighbors Maya and Jadon, and I built marshmallow shooters.  I learned a lesson: no good deed goes unpunished....I was their first and long-lasting target.

When they grew tired of picking on me they ambushed Hyuna.

Notice Sven's cleverly designed shooter. It packs a wallop and I have the welt on my cheek to prove it!

After dinner and showers we had to have one last round of the chocolate game. A cute movie helped everyone relax and get to bed reasonably early for our 3:00am departure for the airport.

FYI, I do not think I will be good company tomorrow after that.

Good-byes stink.

Parting shot

Let the Good Times Roll, Week 4

Look what Sven picked up at the LA airport for us to share:

Guess who's eating more than her fair share?

Look what happened Sunday afternoon:

Look who had fun at Chucky Cheese's Monday night:

Look who's learning some Korean from Hyuna:

Look who's taking such good care of his little brother while

mom & dad are in DC for 4 days:

Look who's fixing dinner:

Dinosaur toast!

and setting the table:

Look who's creating lovely chalk art on our driveway:

Look who ended the day watching "The Frog Princess"

and eating popcorn together:

Parting shot - it is so special to see how these boys take care of each other and want to be together.

Let the Good Times Roll, Catch-up Edition

No time/no Internet - my excuses for not posting any pictures for a week!

Alex with one of the 3 tortoises we have found in our yard this month.

This one went to a friend at work who already has a cat named Alvin and another tortoise named Theodore.  Guess what? Her daughter named this one Simon.  Elena was so sad that she couldn't keep him for at least another day; she is the one who found him in our front yard one morning.

Title Relinquished

It took 15 years, but I finally gave up my pogo stick championship status and let Tanja have a turn. I was just being nice....

4/7 of the Jensen women

Boo hoo, we said good-bye to Tanja, Kelly & Brei and their family this past week.  We do not like seeing people leave, no siree, Bob.

Gabe chillin' with Seymore

Seymore nuzzeling with Seth

We have to force-feed Alex spaghetti

5th Ward Pioneer Day Camp Out

Cloudcroft, NM

July 23-24, 2010

Unloading and getting started - these boys were so excited to get their own camp chairs!

Gabe and Seth in line for their turn on the zip line

Hyuna stirs up her fabulous stew

Please note the fire ring - Soren's Eagle Project 18 years ago was to create all the fire rings at the campsite, and they are still in great shape!

Tuckered out

Seth and friends in a fun fort

Alex kept close tabs on the dogs - he and Chump became the best of buds.

3 boys with the 3 Bears

Gabe ready to ride the new and improved zip line - higher, faster, and with a fun twist at the end! 

Thanks, Rhen, for working your magic!

Gabe was fearless, and rode the zip line dozens of times.

Big hugs and "thank yous" to Mel & Debby
and the Activities Committee for working so hard to make this a great event

The cloudburst waited until all our gear was packed up and loaded. It caught us by surprise while we were still playing in the meadow, so we were soaked through completely for our 2-hour drive home!

My flattering soaked-to-the-bone look

 

Parting shot - the road back to Cloudcroft

Yes, we made a stop at the General Store for some fabulous pastries - eat your hearts out!

Best of all, on Saturday night Sven/Daddy came back from Korea - happiness abounds!

Let the Good Times Roll, Sunday Edition

July Birthday Celebration #2 - Jake turns 9 on Saturday!

Muffins were his happy choice for breakfast

Spending his birthday with his cousins was pretty special

Jake takes a swing at the dinosaur piñata first. The cousins and neighbors demolished the T-Rex in short order!

A water balloon fight and playing in the sprinkler made for a fun birthday celebration and a very happy birthday boy!  Boo and hiss: nobody thought it was fair that the day ended with Jake being stung on the back by a scorpion. But he was pretty tough about it, and could hardly tell it had happened by morning.

Sunday Morning

We have the kids sit on these hard wooden steps to get them ready for the pews at church (practice makes perfect!)

This is how they feel about it all

Brei taught Hyuna how to make her famous beans and rice, and we all enjoyed a delicious dinner

Kris spruced up for the occasion

Scott and Mary Louise joined us for the evening and the kids had a lot of fun with them

Parting shots - Alex and Kyle napping after a walk

We Interrupt this Program....

Trek 2010

Gila National Forest

Days 1 & 2

Sacrificing 2 days with my visiting kids and grandkids I participated in our stake's Pioneer Trek Thursday and Friday.  Sacrificing the last 2 days of Trek I arrived home at 1:30 am Friday morning.  It was, once again, an amazing, memorable, testimony-strengthening experience. How thankful I am for the sacrifices our pioneers made, and the trials they so magnificiently conquered that have allowed the gospel of Jesus Christ to flourish and spread through all the world. 

Support staff's limousine transportation

Bishop Payne and the red-bearded Chief Seth

Singin' in the rain

Drying out

Gun Show!

Ron, Lisa & Charla - the amazing food committee  - these blueberry pancakes were soooooo delicious!  (Katreena is dreaming of more in the background)

Charla stirs up more pancake batter

Equally yoked

Captain Allen ready to recruit

Pensive women

Ready to roll

Rebecca, Coralee and cute Ma McCune

Parting shot