These Boots Were Made For Sloppin

Kohen's Aunties have a way of picking out such perfect gifts, they completely spoil my kids. If you remember right Ashley gave Kohen his most favorite Superman pj's and now check out what Natalie got for him. These stud-ly cowboy boots. Kohen loves them and wants to wear them everywhere...and I mean everywhere. He even likes to have them in his room when he goes to bed at night. Now of course his desire to ride a horse is stronger than ever. Whenever he puts on his "Cowboy Kohnee Boots" as we call them, it inspires him to talk about the things he will do when riding a horse like tell the horse to go "faster, faster!" and then also tell him to "stop!" Anyway, the boots are a little big so he slops around in them a bit and it makes him strut all the more. B.t.w., this is one of the first times Kohen has ever posed for a picture, it totally caught me off guard! He was more than happy to show off his boots!

Cold Mountain

My little sister Ashley is getting married up at the Tamarack ski resort about an hour and a half north of Boise. So Ashley, my mom, my sister Natalie and Shayn's mother Carmen and her best friend Cathy all drove up together to tour the resort and see the resort and the different places we can stay. We had a nice visit on the way up and got to hear some funny stories about Shayn when he was a boy. I had never been up to Tamarack before and I cannot believe how beautiful it is. After lunch we got complimentary lift tickets and we all rode the 25 min. round trip. The view was spectacular!!! The second picture is of the construction still going on at the resort which shows just how far up the mountain we went. It was a beautiful day but the further up we went the chillier it got until it was down right cold! Poor Natalie was wearing a sundress and was freezing. So I had to get a picture of her leg which she said looked like a freshly plucked chicken...can't argue with that. We started our journey home and at this point in the trip I feel like we had probably been making a fine impression on Carmen and Cathy and that the day had gone well. I don't know what happened. I guess it has been over a year since my mom, sisters and I have had the chance to just sit and visit. Slowly we started slipping into our usual ways that we typically try to keep under wraps in public. We were laughing and talking fast and over each other (we have been described as a bunch of hens when we get like this) and unless you are one of us the chances of you keeping up and/or finding our conversation entertaining are slim. At the time I didn't think about it. I had missed my nap and had some soda to stay awake for the ride home so that is my official disclaimer. Afterwards each of us started worrying that we had probably scared off Ashley's M.I.L.-to-be or at least given her cause to have a serious talk with her son. But as far as I know the wedding is still on so maybe Carmen will just block out that last hour or so! We had such a fun time with them and getting to spend time with everyone, it was a really fun girls day out. And while I am at it I should give a quick shout out to Trevi, Tara and Kysa for each taking one of my children for the entire day so I could go- THANK YOU!!!!!

The Western Idaho Fair 2007

The Western Idaho Fair happens every year in August. The combination of people watching, petting zoo, and expensive greasy food continues to lure me in every year. It is never until I am elbow deep into helping my children feed some sad looking goat that I remember: I don't, in fact , want mad-cow disease- the food always smells better than it tastes- and the Carnies' give me the creeps. But somehow I still can't escape the lure of the fair. I fear it is some hick-gene that all Idahoan's are born with that attracts me to such activities...if that's the case then why fight it, right? This year we jumped right in viewing all of the blue ribbon cows and pigs and Kohen could hardly contain his excitement at being so close to the animals (further proving my hick-gene theory) and then we went over to the petting area and let the kids risk their immune systems by feeding the animals. Kohen was willing to try milking a cow once we explained that no, the cow wasn't peeing. Not a bad guess from a 3 year olds perspective. Milking the cow turned out to be the highlight of the night for both Kennedy and Kohen, even beating out our usual finale of one ride on the Carousel. Though it was $9 bucks for the 3 of us to ride, I was generously reminded my stomach doesn't do spinning anymore, for free. After bathing the children in anti-bacterial we headed home. There really is something magical about the fair. Mostly the part where I magically won't remember any of this by next year when I will likely do it all over again.

Over The Rainbow

Look at these two beautiful rainbows that came from a storm we had the other day. I know it may sound a bit cheesy but I consider a rainbow sighting to be a type of spiritual experience. The specific thought I had when I saw these rainbows was that just like in life, you have to endure the storm before you will see the rainbow...

Full Lap

I know there is some saying about how mother's have 'full hearts' but tonight all I had was a full lap. Full of sick kids. Kohen and Aly especially have not been feeling well and that makes for fussy, uncooperative, clingy kids. Poor Aly has a fever that is still over 100 even after Tylenol. Needless to say she won't let me put her down. My sister caught this shot after they had all piled on to watch gymnastics with me. Later, in a fabulous 'mom moment' I gave Kohen a bloody nose when I opened his door to take him potty after he had been calling me from his bed. Or I thought he was in his bed...not so much. More like right behind the door. Yeah. In my defense he gets nose bleeds fairly easily. It's TRUE! Thankfully every one is sleeping now...but not my favorite day.

Oh please...

Kennedy kicked off our preparations for my father-in-laws surprise 60th Birthday party with tears as I did her hair. I was so irritated. I have been doing her hair since before she could even walk and she chooses today to throw a fit, bless her heart...or spank her bum.


I called Ashley and asked her if she would come do my hair because I can never get it to do anything but lay there like it is magnetized to my head. She promptly came right over and got busy ratting my hair to try and give it some body. She did admit that my hair tries to defy ratting but then cracked me up by saying, "You know what my answer is for that? MORE RATTING!" It took a bit of time but she did make it work. Of course we couldn't have even a few minutes of privacy to get ready. No, no we must always have company. You have to look hard but they are all three there with us...

This picture looks like all is well but I am such a liar. Inside I was thinking how I love Norm but I wasn't sure my day of power struggles and crabby kids had been worth it. The look of complete shock on his face at the party did help some. The 'Farewell to the Fifties' Sock Hop themed party turned out great. Here are a few shots from earlier when we decorated. Happy 60th Norm!

Kohen's 3rd Birthday Party

TAKE A GOOD LOOK~ THIS IS THE LAST PIC. OF KOHEN JENSEN EVER TAKEN!!

Forever more he will be known as SUPERMAN!!!!!!!

Kohen's Aunt Ashley picked the perfect present for him, these adorable Superman pj's. Kohen had to have them on immediately and the transformation happened as quickly as I could pull the shirt over his head. All of a sudden he was doing all of these strong poses and talking in a gruff voice and generally making me laugh so hard I almost peed my pants. Man was he ever in a funny mood while he was opening his birthday presents...Of course now I can't get him to take them off. I barely got him to put shorts on with the shirt to go to the store...picking my battles people...picking my battles.

Favorite Pic of the night...

I told you he was ham'n it up! This is Kohen 'trying on' his new "Cars" underwear...hardy har har!!!!

Happy 3rd Birthday Kohen!

On August 10, 2004 Kohen graced us with his presence here on earth. Forgive me if I can't help but reminisce...

Settler's Park

This is an awesome park that has a chlorinated sprinkler play area in it too. We met a few cousins and friends over there the other day and let the kids run wild.

Crazy Eye Kenna

Let me start off by saying that these pictures don't even begin to do this look justice. Lately when I launch in to one of my "kind but firm" scoldings Kennedy starts giving me this goofy smile while she turns her left eye all the way in- and I honestly cannot even keep talking I just end up laughing. It is this look like 'you are talking to me like I am an idiot so now I am going to act like one'. How does she even do that!? And where did she come up with it? And most importantly, how did she know just when to use it!?!

p.s.- I asked her to do it for me so these faces she was concentrating and not doing the 'duh-her'-smile she usually does with it.

A Bust

My parents went up to a time share that my dad has access to through Winco last week. They called the next day and said that it was this beautiful new house and I had to come up. So I stopped folding all of the laundry from our last camp trip and packed it back up. The next morning I loaded us all up by myself and headed for McCall. I've got all three car seats smooshed in the back seat and the children seem extra close to my ears sometimes but otherwise our drive up was great. The house was amazing. The yard was fun too. There was a no fire order out because of all of the forest fires and so Papa John helped the kids make smores on the bbq. The other funny thing was that the kids had peanuts they were setting out on the rocks for the squirrels to eat and I found Kennedy sitting out there with a chair pulled up staring at the tree waiting for that darn squirrel to eat the nuts. It never failed, as soon as she would walk away and come back the peanuts would be gone!
The problem came when no one was sleeping properly or napping. The next day I got fed up and packed everyone up and drove back home! Here are just two things the kids were melting down over for your reading enjoyment: I am getting ready and start pulling my hair up into a ponytail and Kennedy starts bawling saying "I don't like your hair up like thaaaaat! I like it the other waaaaaay!" What other way? I only have one way!! Then in the car on the way home I was listening to Simon and Garfunkel and out of no where Kohen starts crying and eventually screaming "I don't like dis song! I don't like dis song!" Eventually the song changed but his mood didn't. My kids seemed beyond help as you can tell. I think I made the right choice to get home and get them back on a schedule. It must've worked because my hair is in a ponytail and I am sitting here listening to S&G and no one is crying...

Harry Potter wannabe

If you hadn't heard, Kohen lives in a closet. That is right. In the nursery there is a 'walk in closet' and we fit a toddler bed in there back in January and that is where Kohen sleeps. But with his newest scrape on his forehead I am starting to think he is taking this Harry Potter thing too far...

Baby Talk

Over the last week or so Alyssa has gotten her 'sea legs' and started walking without being all wobbly and looking like a miniature drunken sailor. Just to show off she has decided to start talking. Technically her first word was 'hi.' and it is sweet because she says it at the appropriate times and real softly. Then the other night I held up the phone to her ear so Nathan could talk to her for a minute and let her hear his voice and clear as a bell she said 'Dah-dee'! Nathan was so touched and I was a tiny bit jealous, but the moment was sweet so I let it go. The last word isn't exactly a word that could be found in Webster's but when Kennedy was first speaking when she said 'love you' she said it like 'buhboo' and our family has kind of adopted it and it has become a special little way we have of telling each other we love each other. Anyway, I said it to Aly tonight and she said it right back to me! I couldn't believe it! I am willing to admit she might have just been repeating sounds but I don't care she said 'buhboo' to me and my heart melted. I have to enjoy the little stuff cuz we all know that someday in the not too far future the things coming out of Aly's mouth might not be as sweet! :)

Family Pics 2007

Nathan's sister Tara took our family pictures again this year and here are some of the results. Of course nothing can ever go too smoothly and this time Alyssa was not in the mood for a photo shoot- and with a sinus infection and teething I can't say I blame her. Against all odds Tara got some good shots. I would love opinions on which family pic and which one of the 3 kids anyone likes best. And I have a new found respect for anyone who can get children ages almost 5, almost 3 and 1 to all even look at the camera at the same time!!! Nice work Tara!

Reality Bites

Take a close look at these pics and you can enjoy some of the reality of family pictures with us. Ahh, good times...

Jensen Reunion 2007

This year we stayed at a big cabin on Cascade Lake for the Jensen Family Reunion. Our kids were so excited to play with their cousins- it went on non-stop! Both Kohen and Kennedy caught their first fish ever. We had crafts and bubble gum blowing contests and water skiing and jet skiing. Last year at not quite 2 years old Kohen was obsessed with jet skiing and this summer he was just as enthralled with it if not more so. He would laugh and shout while riding and he would seriously cry when his turn was over...don't feel bad, he had lots of turns.