The Jensenites

The Jensenites

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Saturday, August 29, 2009

Happy Birthday Cam!

High School Days


Did you know that Dr. Suess submitted his book to 32 publishers before it was accepted?


Cupid struck his arrow good and deep when I first met Cameron at Snow College. I didn’t know it at the time due to girly feelings for another young man. However, at an opening social institute dance, I spied the tall handsome Cameron standing and chatting with a herd of Japanese students (Cam’s mission was to Japan). I knew then and there that I had to chase him down. There was something about him that intrigued me.


The name Jensen is not to be taken lightly. Any one born from the Jensen family have amazing powers (skills). The most visible power being….they just CAN NOT sit down! (I admire this power, having said that, I am grateful that I do not posses a drop of Jensen blood – I enjoy lounging around and shooting the breeze.)

His parents and siblings hold this power in addition to their own individual abilities.


Cameron’s individual power is his thirst for knowledge.


That is what intrigued me. This boy had a nerdy side that I loved.


Cameron’s bookshelf would make a professor droll. He has rows of improvement books, problem solving books, leadership and management skills books, and columns of mechanical engineering books. Each book has been read and underlined to his satisfaction – some multiple times.


This flair for knowledge has no ends, so I learned as the children arrived one by one.


The day Makayla was born was a turning point in our lives. Being a brand new daddy, Cameron sat in the hospital cuddling Makayla in his arms with an earnest gaze on his face. He turned to me and said, “I think I’m going to get another degree.” Another?


I had just graduated from SUU with my teaching degree a month earlier. Cameron had one quarter left to complete his mathematics/science degree to teach high school. Our plan was to settle in a small town and be old fuddy duddy teachers.


Makayla’s arrival made Cameron realize that starting a 20 grand salary teaching school was not going to cut it for a stay-at-home mom and future children.


I sat in my comfy hospital bed a little baffled at this new announcement and just nodded my head.


What proceeded was three years of additional school which produced a bachelor of science degree to teach school, a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering and a bouncing baby boy.


As Cameron sat in the hospital chair now holding Jarin – just three weeks after graduating from the U of U, I thought that the latter degree had satisfied his hunger for knowledge. Little did I know that his brain had not yet sat down.


Trevor was born, along with Cameron’s knack for inventing. I came home from the hospital with my squishy Trev and Cameron came home with a pretty awesome patent invention to help the mining industry.


When the twin ladybugs were born, all ideas were halted for the space of three years. Once I was on my feet and supportive, Cameron enrolled in the EMBA program at the U of U. He LOVES it!


Did I mention that his ‘nerdation’ brain comes from his father? Yep, the two together could fill a library of manuals full of improvement ideas and inventions, along with a good book of quotes.


I confess that my mind wanders when Cameron launches into the latest greatest – but I wouldn’t have it any other way! He’s not a ‘Jensen’ for nothing.


Did you know that Edison discovered 1000 ways not to make a light bulb?


When you think like that – nothing can stop you!


Happy Birthday Jensen!

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Father's Day

Whoever started the tradition of breakfast in bed for dads on Father's Day did not realize that I slept in on Sundays. At 8 am that morning, Cameron came into the room after being awake for 2 hours and informed me that he was hungry. I slid out of bed to make not one, but two honorary breakfasts. I had two dads to pay homage to that day.
While I was making whole grain pancakes, eggs and bacon, Cameron took a shower, read his Sunday lesson and started into his homework reading assignments - biding his time.

I had my dad come upstairs to partake breakfast in one bed so that we could swarm the two of them at once with our chorus of He's a Jolly Good Fellow.

Swarming!

Oh dear, I can't put in the picture who this beautiful girl is. I am sure that the ladybugs will inform me as soon as they see their - no, not face, but the picture that is colored for daddy.

Happy Father's Day!

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Rio Tinto Stadium

Cameron is employed by Kennecott (who is owned by Rio Tinto) as a senior engineer. This summer Rio Tinto treated all of their employees to a fun free filled evening at the Rio Tinto Stadium.


Face Painting

Kerri ---- Rebekah
The princess crowns stayed on their foreheads for three days before the girls would wash them off.

The boys thought face painting was for sissies until they saw some scary examples of what tough boys can be.

Oh the food! All the concession stands were open for freeeeeee. Trevor's eyes where huge as he ordered a hotdog, a pretzel, a box of popcorn, a pop and a cookie. The kids had a hayday and ordered their hearts out. We had to avoid walking around the concession stands for fear that they would see something new and want it - hence the waffle cones.
Soccer clinics with the REAL soccer players and two free soccer balls.

After all the food and fun games, we settled on the field to watch a late night Disney movie with more popcorn and lemonade slushees.

After the movie, we lost two kids in the crowd going home. It was not an experience I want to relate. Needless to say, we found Trevor on one end of the stadium and Rebekah wandering the other way from the bathrooms. Cameron went home with an upset stomach and exhausted (due to losing kids - not from eating too much), and the rest of us went home grateful and happy to be together.

Thanks Rio Tinto!

More Familia Fun

What is familia?

Abuelita and Lica
Mother and Daughter Bonding

Kylee - Aden - Andres
Cute younger brother surrounded with cuteness.

Lico - Mike- Adriana - Lica
Brand new babies.

Silly Dilly Days

Holy Handsome Grandsons

Food - Yummy Food!

Lica and Pinatas
Side note: we have gone through several pinatas through the years to finally discover the one and only teenage tested pinata - the Costco milk box - decorated or not.

SUGAR!!!

Bubble Fun - love this picture of Kerri that Aunt Kylee took.

Familia is Forever!

Familia Fun

Lico and Lica's visit this summer....


Downstairs in our home we have a guest room for all those that dare visit the Jensenite family. We love to play host and invite all that will partake.
The guest room is actually called 'Lico and Lica's Room'. We love it when Lico and Lica visit us from Virginia.


Celebrating my Abuelita's 87th birthday with three pinatas.

Okay, here's the bona fide truth on her age. In a nutshell, according to two reliable sources (my aunt and my mom), my Abuelita is really 97 years old! Whoah! How did that happen? My Abuelita grew up in a small village in Chile where priests visited every few years to record deaths, births and marriages. Sometimes the priest wouldn't show up for years and when he did, he recorded the children's birth the year he visited even if the child was a few years old. My Abuelita was about 10 years old when a priest finally showed up to take the village census.
She just made herself 10 years younger - hey, it's in the records.
How cool it that?

Disclaimer: this really is just a joke in the family, however, there is some truth to the story. How much? We may never know.

Abuelita gathering candy after hitting her very own pinata.
Doesn't she look amazing for being 87 years old? Shhhh...97 years old.

So much sugar!

Jarin

La La

My cute squirt.

My cute hubby.

My cute daddy.

We love spending time with Lico and Lica.
We miss you and love you!

New Additions

Two new nephews for me and two new cousins for the kids.

#1 Welcome Alexander to my sister Adriana and Uncle Mikey.

Proud parents of their long awaited bundle of joy!

Jarin adores babies.



Oh, I can't wait to play with his little piggy toes.


#2 Welcome Aeson to my brother Andres and Kylee.

He looks just like his two year old brother - Aden.
The double trouble fun those two will be - hee hee.

Camping #1

Hobble Creek Camping
The day school got out, we grabbed our stuff and took off on our first camping trip for the summer. It was just the seven of us, an empty campground all to ourselves and a million little caterpillars hanging off the trees. We just relaxed and had fun.

With no residents around, we were able to practice our shooting skills at paper plates and pop cans.

Nice stance!

Camping means lots of junk and pop!
Sorry Trev, the DP belongs to Dad.

The warning signs of bears around the campgrounds were a little unnerving.
Our hikes were short and sweet.