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.

More Reunion Pics

Nathan's sister Tara's kids are all super tall for their ages. Check out the pic where Laynie has her arm around Kennedy. These two are often connected at the hip...or more like hip to mid-thigh. Laynie is a year younger than Kenna and about 2-3 inches taller. The bottom picture is Abigail, Lyssa (the blond baby) and then Alyssa. Long story about the 2 girl cousins born 5 weeks apart named Lyssa and Alyssa...

Even More Reunion Pics

Kennedy couldn't have been more happy to have gum whenever she wanted. I don't know where she would have gotten that from...And the bottom pic happened when we were cleaning and Aly found this duster and it was the perfect size cane for her. She strutted around all proud of herself for at least 5 min! :)