Our attempt at hiking to Spanish Fork Peak...

It was meager...to say the least. But we did hike for 2+ hours and then some gentlemen passed us on their way down and they said we'd only gone 1/3 of the way, so we decided that was enough for us! It was a beautiful hike, very rocky and steep but gorgeous. In some parts it looked like Costa Rica because it was so lush. We decided to turn it into a nature hike. So we took pictures of all the really cool little things we could spot. The coolest was this little hummingbird nest. It had two little tiny eggs in it. We tried to get a picture of those little eggs but the momma would have nothing to do with that. Here is a pic of her guarding those little precious eggs. (The nest was only about the size of my palm.)

PS. Serena took all the pics! Isn't she a great photography!

The Adventures of Youth Conference

Mariah W. said that a s'more isn't a good s'more unless it's all over your face! I guess it would be MY face in this example! Yummy!

Youth Conference Food Committee--Serena, Me, Sis. Orem, Bro. Fernsten, Bro. Lewis

The Thursday night spread!


What a blast! I have loved being able to help the youth this week with their youth conference. Thursday night got a little rainy and windy, so the dinner was held in my garage. (Thank goodness Serena helped me to organize the garage a couple of months ago.) Here are pics of the yummy spread we made and me smothering my face with S'mores!

Crazy Busy and about to get more crazy!

I haven't blogged lately because there has been so much going on. But here's a little update. Helping out with Youth Conference this week. Today they had a morningside at the pavillion that is by the Mt. Timp Temple. It was a beautiful morning and I've been so happy to be able to help. I'm on the cooking committee and also helping with activities. The youth in our ward are so awesome. I'm excited to get to know them.

Today is also my first day of school. I'm just taking biology for the 2nd block of summer. I WILL finish it this time! ;)

More later...gotta go get a huge Diet Coke in order to stay awake for class. I was up at 5:30 to help make breakfast for the youth.

Ode to my kids

My kids are so wonderful, I love them so much. My favorite thing is to watch them use their imaginations and create play. I love it when they come up with new ways to play all on their own. No amount of nagging, or ideas from me would have produced this. Kids don't need nintendo Wii's or DS's or playstations, or expensive anything. They just need to be kicked out of doors every so often and told to go play.

Last week I took this picture after hearing an immense amount of popping in the garage, something akin to machine guns going off. I went to take a look and found them riding their scooters over a huge sheet of bubble wrap. I'd given it to them after it came in a box that arrived from UPS (Kenna had stayed with us the night before and she proudly explained that the box was from her dad's work!) I thought they'd take the bubble wrap outside and stomp on it, to pop the bubbles, because of course that's what I would have done. But Sam and the girls took it a step further; run the wheels of the scooter over it and it makes an even cooler noise.

My heavens, we loved playing outside when I was a kid. I remember pretending to be pioneers coming across the plains and hiding in a grove of trees for warmth and shelter. (It was really windy and there was this little grove of scrub oak right above our house. Rosie, Kit, Char, Mandi, and I used it for a clubhouse and many other hide-outs of sorts.)

Then there are the times when we set up town in Kit's basement. Someone was the store owner (Dotti's food storage), there was a postal worker (Kit's Dad's huge desk that had really cool cubbyholes for mail slots), the librarian (wall to wall bookshelves), which were just a few of the really cool jobs. (I think Dotti must have had the patience of Job to let us play town down there because I swear we'd keep it like that for weeks!)

I remember setting up a a little Italian restaurant in our unfinished basement. Mom bought us those little tiny mini pizza's and she'd cook them and let us serve them to our friends.

Then there was always riding big wheels down the hill past Kit's house, and then into our front lawn. It's amazing that I only remember one kid going through the lawn to the other side and falling over the edge.

I am thankful for my kids because they help me to remember what fun I had as a kid. I'm trying not to take their little-ness for granted. Mary wishes every day that she would stay little. Me too, Mary, I wish you'd stay little forever.

Why do I blog?

The Girls: Fish, Ang, Kristie, Kit, Noelle, and Me

I went to dinner the other night with my favorite girlfriends from High School and collage. We had a wonderful time as usual chatting about things and catching up. As with every time we get together, we each take turns telling about what is going on in our lives and such. When it came time for my turn, I found myself going through my recent blogs in my mind, recounting some of the things my kids and I have been doing lately. I love to blog because it helps me remember what I do each day. I am losing brain cells daily, maybe early stages of Alzheimers, but it is so cool when I blog because it helps me to remember that I am a good mom, I do fun things with my kids, and I have awesome talents and hobbies. I can go back and read my earlier blogs, and think 'wow, I'm really cool!' So here's to me! Yeah Jen! (Positive self-talk really helps!)

All Aboard!

Tuesday, the 16th, was our futile attempt to see the Disney Christmas Carol train. After arriving, amidst utter chaos, (I don't think the marketing people knew how many people would show up for something in Utah that is FREE and Disney!) we were told we'd have to wait in a 3 1/2 hour line to get onto a stationary train. Yeah, I don't think so! We had some kids that were disappointed but they were pretty good; they didn't want to wait in that line either!

We saw a little train that appeared to be giving people rides, so we get in line and waited for an hour. This little tiny train, which was actually the shuttle from Union Station over to FrontRunner, took us over to FrontRunner, and when the conductor told us to exit, I said in my best Bill King voice, "Yeah, I don't think so, all of our cars are over at Union Station, we're NOT getting off here. Nobody is getting off, so if you'd kindly take us back over to Union Station, that would be great, thanks!" He just looked at me and hurried and shut the train door, muttered under his breath that there wasn't anybody to pick up at that stop anyway, and quickly got back on the train.

So we drove all the way to Ogden for another little ride and some pics on the big trains and a little water in the fountain. It's all good. You win some, you lose some right!?! Oh and there were warm doughnuts waiting for us when we got back to my car. What could be better than that!

I forgot to mention that the kids got these little backpacks and some Jonas Brothers necklaces too. Yippee!



One more thing of note, in our quest to see what the fuss was all about, I ask some guy with an American Family Insurance shirt on, 'What's the deal here, what are we supposed to do?' He says, 'Well you get on the train, and there's some really cool stuff all about Charles Dickenson." What, you gotta be kidding me, get a brain guy! I knew we were in trouble right then.

Sam's assignment: take pictures of something unusual

My not-so-secret garden :)

I wanted to take pics before everything started growing but as is always the case, I didn't get around to it till much later. We have lettuce already grown and tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, peas, corn, carrots, and cucumbers that are thriving in the compost, peat moss, and vermiculite that we mixed ourselves.

I've always loved planting flowers and vegetables and watching them grow. It gives me a certain kind of satisfaction that makes me feel one with myself, my grandma (who loved to grow things), and with the Lord. I know some of you will probably laugh but being part of the growing process is very spiritual and very healthy for me. It's wonderful therapy.

Here's a picture of the plants before any of the fruits have developed. More to come.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

I have some of the coolest friends on earth. My friend Mauri called me yesterday afternoon and said that they had an extra ticket for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and asked if I would like to go with them. I had no idea it was playing at Capitol Theater. I, of course, said yes! (I was having a cozy little nap on a rainy Saturday afternoon so I had to hurry up and get all pretty to go. Good thing my phone woke me up!)

We went to a yummy pizza place, NYPD Pizza, reminiscent of NYC, and then we drove up to Capitol Theater.

Capitol Theater is one of favorite places on earth. I have so many fond memories there. Seeing The Nutcracker there as a little girl and as a big girl, watching Les Miserables a couple of times, being there to see Kit strut her stuff in the teen model fashion show, singing as one the monks in Carmina Burana while in the Acapella choir in college, and definitely remembering how we stood outside the theater, hoping for our names to be drawn in the lottery for Wicked. It is a wonderful old theater full of mystery and charm. In my imagination and my dreams, I have the voice to be able to be the one singing and dancing on stage. (Maybe in another life!)

Chitty Chitty did not let me down. It was fabulous. The performers were very talented. I especially loved the little children who played Jeremy and Jermina Potts. They were unbelievable. I am always in awe of children in the theater who can sing and act as if it's nobodies business. The actor who did Caractacus Potts was also very charming and did a wonderful job. It was so fun.

Thanks again to Mauri and Tiff for inviting me. You guys know how much I love the theater!

Braving the weather

I have no idea why Sarah is licking my knee. Strange, I know.

This is Sarah showing me how she can swim under water. I didn't know she was such a fish.

Mary, trying to get warm after being in the kiddie pool.

My son, Tarzan.



Well after a whole week or two of rain on and off, we decided to try to get to Seven Peaks and brave whatever the skies had to dish out. It was overcast and 60's when we got there but it did warm up and the sun came out to play. We had a great time. Here are some pics to prove it.

More of Sarah...

So I guess she's been the one in the family lately with the most problems! I wanted to post this picture of her because it's classic. She got bit by a spider or a mosquito the other night and her cheek just ballooned right up. I took her to the doctor but it wasn't infected or anything. Sarah just has super sensitive skin and anything causes her a reaction! (She obviously did NOT want me to take a picture! She's too young to care, right? Wrong!)

Get this!

Ok, so we are in the middle of Timp Cave, oooo-ing and aaahh-ing at all the cool formations, and Sarah is BAWLING because she has to pee so bad. I'm like, 'Sarah, what do you want me to do? There is NO toilet and we are in the middle of the tour and we have to stay with the guide!' She gets so desperate she conceded to pee in her high school musical water bottle. I attempt to find some place a little private to help her and I ask the guide if there is somewhere we can go. He then proceeds to pull out this AMAZING bag (I'm actually still pretty much in awe, I know, I know, dumb but so cool!). It's a urine bag that fits ladies. I'm going to buy a case and take them where ever we go because the ladies in this family have bladders the size of a pea. Anyway, the guide shows us to a separate door so Sarah can have some privacy. I swear she pee'd for like 5 minutes straight. (Mind you, she went before we left for the canyon, and also at the restroom at the visitor's center before we left on the hike! I was shocked that she had to go so much, she reminds me of Rosie!) Anyway, I've decided to go into sales for this product! I'd make a million!

The Shire or Timp Cave? You choose.

I had to post this picture of the door to Timp Cave. We went up there on Monday and took the kids hiking. It was a wonderful day for the hike because it was in between cloud bursts, so not too hot. The kids were wonderful and had a great time. I love getting outside and doing stuff. It makes me feel real.

Experiencing technical difficulties

I'm so sorry for the Christmas background. I'm still new at blogging and haven't yet made the design up to par as far as my sisters go! But it'll get better, promise!

Raindrops on Roses, and whiskers on kittens...

Well we finally made it to the Princess Festival today. It took me one week to finish their dresses but it was so worth it. They felt totally beautiful and special and had a wonderful time learning how to become a real princess. They had an interactive adventure and they had to help each of the princesses in the stories and then they became real princesses.

When we got there it was pouring freezing rain but the sun came out and it warmed up, so we were able to enjoy the program. I love my girls and I love that they love to dress up!! We are truly girly-girls!

Three Cheers for the Princess Fest, and then three cheers for MOM!

The Princess Festival is an interactive adventure put on by a non-profit organization here in Orem. They support some villages down in Kenya and so in order to raise money they put on this festival once a year for girls 4-12. I am volunteering this year so my girls can go. I just have to dress up in my princess dress and help with registration, which I will be doing next week on Tuesday and Thursday. I loved dressing up as a kid and so I love making costumes. The one I am wearing is from a Shakespearean Era. I made it several years ago but somehow I always end up getting it out for Halloween. It's my favorite. So when I found out that I could wear it again by helping out at the princess festival, I was all over that!

I got so excited about my girls going to the festival that I decided to make them new princess dresses. I'm almost done with Mary's dress, and I'll post the picture. Creating something with my sewing machine, fabric, and my imagination and a pattern here and there, gets me so excited. I was working on it yesterday and mom called me while I was working on it, she asked me how I was doing, and I said 'FABULOUS!' She was really surprised. I guess I answer the phone too many times and I'm down and depressed. It was awesome to answer that I am doing fabulous!

Do you remember your first trip alone to the gas station?

As a child, I remember being at Grandma Johnson's house and mom would let Rosie and I walk up to the Crystal Palace on 13th East. It was this wonderful little neighborhood grocery store and we would go get an ice cream or a snickers bar. The cashier lady was married to one of the NSL police officers. She always knew who we were and it was a treat for us to get to go by ourselves to the store.

This morning Sam was up early as usual. I was out of milk and was desperately wanting a bowl of cereal. I debated letting him go to the Holiday gas station down the busy street of 1600 North. I decided that it would be ok, because he is smart and is getting more and more responsible every day. I asked him if he would do it and of course he was all over that! He got his money (which he let me borrow because I didn't want him taking my debit card) and got a backpack and was off on his bike faster than anything. He also asked if I would like a box of donuts or anything else. Is he my son, or what?!? :)

He was back in 30 minutes flat with a gallon of milk and a box of hostess chocolate donuts. (Of course it helps that my friend manages the gas station, so I texted him and told him to watch for Sam, and then he texted me when Sam was on his way back.)

I LOVE how my kids are growing up! Yeah for first time trips to the gas station by yourself!

I also remember walking all the way down the NSL hill to Orchard Drug, now that was a commitment. Rosie, do you remember how old we were when mom let us do this?