Confessions

Now that I have untangled my brain from Scarlett O’Hara and Rhett Butler, I can live my own life until the next book falls into my lap. I have a confession….I am NOT a sensible reader. I go to bed drunk and awake with a major hangover. I really need a book group to help my destructive reading habits – a book group that dampens, not promotes reading. Oh, I do love reading! I love stepping out of my world to venture into another. I just don’t know how to put a book down until the last page is turned. I will read until 3 sometimes 5 o’clock in the morning. I get up chipper, yet weary. I know that if I display any emotional outbursts to my children, Cameron will give me grief about reading into the wee hours of the morning. So I stick it out until my body catches up to my brain and I feel whole again. In spite of all this, I am again ready to pick up a new book and start the vicious cycle all over.
Here is the cycle…. . Get up and do my daily doings really fast. Read, pay attention to the girls, read, send the girls to play with the neighbors and read some more. The kids come home from school and they smile knowing full well that they will be able to play Wii (with no time limits), play with friends without doing their chores and eat cereal for dinner. The house goes to pot, I forget to shower, the dog doesn’t get walked, and I go to bed feeling like a lousy parent/person – but hey, the book had a good ending.

I am ashamed to say that this cycle repeats itself a least twice a month. I said ‘at least’. So I now vow to go cold turkey and not read a book until summer. I was thinking to wait until October, given that I am hosting book club and reading Dracula – can’t wait to reread that one, but I know I won’t be able to refrain that long. What’s more, with summer and longer days – I may be able to control myself a little more. We shall see.

I won’t think of it today. I will think of it tomorrow.

---Gone with the Wind

Mom, what's for dinner?

Honestly! I am a good mom. I do make dinner nightly for my family. It is not my most favorite chore, in fact, I dread it half the time. I am flattered to feed 6 other people besides myself – so I attempt to make it special and memorable. I am fortunate that 5 out of the 6 will eat pretty much whatever I put in front of their faces. My Trev is the exception. He does not hide his disgust at the dish placed upon the table. These are his precise phrases accompanied with gagging noises and facial expressions – even after several attempts to teach him good manners and to, “Please, just try one bite.”

"Yuck, what is that?"
"That is so gross – there is no – no - no way I am going to eat that!"
"Mom, I am going to puke!"
"Why don’t you make anything good?"

Oh brother! I have learned to pick my battles with him.
He now has two options; 1) eat the dang food 2) pull out the Cheerios and drink all the milk.

A Small Tribute to a Big Man

Roland Samuel Pack
October 3, 1913 – February 20, 2009

Cameron and I traveled to Caldwell, Idaho last Thursday to celebrate Grandpa’s reunion to Grandma who passed away 12 years ago. It was a wonderful day of remembering memories, celebrating new ones and reconnecting with loved ones.

My grandpa was a man of many words. He loved to talk and talk he did. He had a mighty strong testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and shared it with all. He loved to pray lengthy prayers which became an inside joke with all the grandkids. He always looked at the glass half full and found joy in little ones. My treasured memories of grandpa are filled with garden raspberries, yearly birthday card wishes, an assortment of ball caps he always wore and warm cheery hugs. My fond memory is of grandpa calling my grandma ‘a pearl’ – what a romantic gentleman.

Grandpa was 95 and left an encouraging legacy. We love you and we will miss you Grandpa! Give Grandma a kiss for us.

Great Grandpa Pack with Lico Pack and the five little ones (March 2005).

A Typical Sunday

1:00 church seems to be everyone’s least favorite time to go to church. I never liked 1:00 church because my little ones were either ornery or naughty due to their nap time being messed up. Now that my children are older – I love 1:00 church. I sleep in, Cameron makes breakfast for everyone and even cleans up, the kids play surprisingly well with one another, and we can lounge around all morning until the afternoon rush to get ready for church comes. 1:00 church also means starting the year out by not being LATE!

This is how it usually plays out….. last week all five kids were dressed and ready to go with 15 minutes to spare. Instead of waiting ever so patiently on the couch for me to put on my finishing touches, all five decided to play the latest greatest Jensen Olympic sport called Stair Jumping. Now, if you have never seen Stair Jumping, this is how it is laid out. Every couch cushion, bed pillow, and spare blanket in the house is arranged from the top of the stairs to the bottom of the stairs with the softest and largest pillows at the very end. The kids then proceed to jump, roll and fall down the stairs without hurting themselves. This is what they were doing in their Sunday clothes and their just combed /brushed/ blow dried /hair sprayed hair (yes, I still do all five hair dos – Makayla needs a little help with her new cut and Sunday is really the only day I make the boys gel their hair and I get to comb it).

Well, the hollering and cheering brought me out of the bathroom with half my face on to see the beginnings of this Olympic sport. In my strong commentary voice, I commanded them to put every pillow and blanket back and to get into the Suburban before I had my mascara on. Needless to say, after combing back several wispy hairs and tucking in shirts, we were still a tad bit late.

Hmmm, I need a plan….I was given a bag of Hershey Kisses by a neighbor (gotta love your VT) for Valentine’s Day. I tucked those little bribery kisses away to use for my plan on Sunday. With 10 minutes to church time, I gave Cameron the bag and told him the plan. What followed was five kids out and buckled in the Suburban before I even finished putting on my mascara. Ah, my plan worked all too well – no complaints. On the way to church, I congratulated myself and made a mental shopping list….

Milk – check
Chips for lunches - check
Hershey Kisses – check
Hey, maybe I should buy a 3 month supply.

I turned around just as we pulled into the parking lot and saw Trevor sucking on a mushed chocolate kiss on his finger – What!? I then saw smudge marks on the inside of his pants and around his month. How does 1 kiss make such a mess? Kerri didn’t get away unscathed either. Cameron bee lined to the boy’s bathroom with Trevor and I with Kerri to the girl’s bathroom in attempts to use paper towels and water for clean up duty – maybe I will add Shout wipes to my shopping list. We sat down just as the opening song was beginning. Sigh, late again.

No more kisses – figures!

Makayla squeezes in her piano time ever so diligently now that she is one of the pianists in YW on Sunday. Then she rushes back to bed – fully clothed to keep reading. I have never questioned her school reading log.

Jarin will usually lounge around in his room on the floor listening to books on tape. He’s in the middle of the Prelude to Glory series for the umpteenth time. He knows more about US History than I do.

Trev is the true ring leader with Rebekah and Kerri. They play so well together and will play for hours. Makes a mom’s heart just sing with joy!
My song of joy ended when I came back 5 minutes later to find this delightful mess. It never fails – the trio must end their playing by tearing down what ever project they so wonderfully built together.
Why?!

Cameron retreats back to the den after making breakfast; reads his Sunday lessons and then spends a couple of hours reading EMBA material while listening to Mozart to drown out the kids – what a true nerd.

Since I put an end to Stair Jumping before church, I happened to come upon this little picture. I can handle Disney Monopoly before church – good choice. I just have to put up a deaf ear to, “No way, I get Dumbo!” and “You cheated – Mom!”

Hair brushed, cheeks polished, shoes on – quick let’s go!

How do you spell Mickey Mouse?

We’re going to Disneyland!

Last March our family went to Disneyland for the first time. There was some anxiety and a couple of sleepless nights on my behalf about taking five kids to a crowded park. Dear Cameron took care of that by flying Lica (Grandma) from Virginia to come and join in the fun. It was the BEST vacation ever. Disneyland really is one of the greatest places on earth! We had such a great time that we are going again – yeah!
We had three options to choose from this year.
1. Cam and Jo trip: cruise or fly to England
(Cam had been working on me with that option for months).
2. Big screen TV and a tread mill.
3. Family Disneyland trip.

Option 1 did not appeal to me in that I would have to leave my precious darlings and travel out of the country. The fact that I would have to prep 6 freezer meals, organize life/home for Grandma to take over, and get a passport did not help.
Option 2 – who needs a big screen TV when we have ONE 26” television downstairs? Now that we have a converter box attached, we get more channels then we know what to do with (no cable). Besides, Makayla’s argument was, “We don’t even watch TV – why waste the money on one?” Good point. Although the thought of a new TV is fun and tempting, we shall refrain. As far as a tread mill…spring is just right around the corner – right?
Option 3 won hands down!

We decided to celebrate by heading to the Disney Store to buy our souvenirs now instead of at the park – big price difference. It just hyped us up and we are counting the days. My souvenir is the latest greatest Unofficial Guide to Disneyland 2009. Yes, I do have somewhat of nerd characteristics in me. It was such a great resource/guide last year that I will be using it again. We will miss Lica this year!
M – I – C – K – E – Y - M – O – U – S – E

Jarin's proclamation after waiting three whole days for us to be 100% sure that we were going to Disneyland. He went into the den and wrote on Cam's huge white board and then took a picture - he's not excited, is he?



Last year's fashion purchase. Unfortunately, the Disney Store mostly caters to the young and not so much to the young at heart. Lala will trust her luck at Disneyland. Perhaps she will find something cute on the net instead of paying full price again - too much like her dear ol' mom.



For a mother who donates stuffed animals to charity monthly, I don't know what I was thinking here. Jarin has always been my big bear since he was born - fitting that he would fall in 'like' (his word, not mine) with a big Pooh Bear.

Trevor just LOVES dogs. His array of stuffed animals on his bed consists of mostly dogs. He even still has his first and ultimate favorite little puppy he received at a baby shower, named appropriately as 'Puppy 1'. Bolt just took over the roost and claimed a large part of Trevor's territory to his delight.

Our true princesses.

Rebekah and Kerri KNOW that they are enchanting princesses and they tend to live life that way. Makes everyday magical in our home. They chose Princess Jasmine and Princess Pocahontas dolls to add to their collection. The tiaras came as a bonus for being princesses.

Just for fun...

To give you an idea of park prices compared to mall prices. Mickey and Minnie are booty from last year and cost exactly the same amount as Pooh Bear and Bolt (the dog) did together.

The Joys of a Preteen

Oh my Lala - how I love my Lala. This is the nickname Jarin gave to her when he was a toddler and couldn't say Makayla and it has stuck. Here are the Pros and Cons of having a preteen daughter....

Pros

1. She is truly an amazing beautiful wonderful person.

2. She is an example to her dear ol' mother in filling your soul with daily light.

3. She wears my shirts and sweaters - that must mean I am still trendy.

4. Built in baby sitter - love it - love it - maybe I love it a little too much!

5. She loves to read - I love to read.

6. She'll rub my feet for extra night time reading - yes, I take advantage of it.

7. She is starting to make dinners - yeah!

8. She is my big helper and always reminds me of my 'Don't Worry - Be Happy' song.

Cons

1. She rolls her eyes at me - drives me nuts!

2. She acts like me when she gets mad - drives me double nuts!

Cam just laughs - he thinks it's funny.

3. I get older and not so wise as she grows.

4. She thinks she can get her hair cut anyway she wants and look older.

There are not many cons - she's too good to be true. I've been told that she may loose her brain for a couple of years soon - then I may have to worry.

Love you La!

Lay Up Shot - Foul!

Commentary by LaLa: Dad broke his leg. Here's the scoop: Dad was playing basketball and going for the basket when he stepped on some body's foot and tripped. He broke his foot. So while he was relaxing on the lazy boy. Rebekah and Kerri decided to decorate him. Hee hee hee! Anyways, the girls love to decorate their beds, and now they can decorate dad. They also played doctor, too bad I had to go to school or else I would know a lot more. Dad is hobbling around in a big, funky cast. Poor Dad. Get well soon! (This happened 1 1/2 weeks ago.)

Update by mom: Cameron came home from morning ball (his favorite form of exercise - I think he is just living the glory days from way back then like Uncle Rico in Napoleon) hopping into the kitchen with a grim face. I was downstairs working out and was not in the mood to stop and baby my poor husband even after he told me he probably broke a bone or two in his foot. Dear Lala took care of him (hence the frozen hash brown bag on his leg) until I felt bad for not giving my wifey support. Sure enough Cam's ankle was as big as a big plastic kid softball. He got babied by the girls and felt better. Cam found out that he had a hair line fracture in his right foot. No ball for a while. His mom said he was too old to play ball anyways - eh, I don't think that will stop him.

14 years ago: Cam broke his little toe and the talus bone in his right foot playing morning ball. He came home as I was getting ready to go to class (SUU days). I was brand new pregnant with Lala and told Cam to shake it off - I was as nice as a pregnant lady could be. I really thought we were made of iron those days - maybe we were. Cam walked to campus and back for six days and saw no improvement in his foot. We were so poor with no insurance that the idea of seeing a doctor, let alone the emergency room was not an option. Fortunately, we found a great foot doctor that saw Cam and couldn't believe that he had been walking on it - no wonder he was still in pain. He was fitted to a walking boot and told he wouldn't play ball for 1 year. Wish I had a picture of that time. His Grandma told him then that he shouldn't be playing ball because he has a family to think about - Ha! That didn't stop him for 14 years.

He's on the mend now and hoping to be back on court in three - six months. I hope so too. I just love to go to his games and watch all the guys lick their fingers and wipe them on the bottom of their shoes for traction - yuck! Must be a guy thing. Go Cam!

Happy Anniversary Lico and Lica!

Lico and Lica are short for Abuelito and Abuelita (grandpa and ma in Spanish). It has been 36 years since the fairytale wedding that took place not so long ago in Chile. Lico met Lica and her family on an LDS mission in Chile when she was 14 years old. After two years of serving and falling in love with the Chilean people (particularly one), he bid farewell and returned to the states. Lico and Lica began their long distance relationship (which was okay now) through letters for two years. He returned to Chile when Lica was 18 and asked for her hand in marriage. The newspaper announced that a 'Gringo' had taken a pretty Chilean girl to be his bride - big news then. Yeah! Not a common reunion at the time, yet the start of wonderful blessings for them and many others.
Congratulations happily ever after!
Happy 36th anniversary! Oh dear, that means I will be 36 this year too.
Love you!

Happy New Year!

Pajama Night - Christmas Eve

2008 Jensen Tidbits
10 of our favorite highlights…

1. Christmas dog (Oreo) on Christmas morning.
2. 1st Disney Land trip (yes, the dog took the #1 highlight).
3. 3 camping trips with family and friends.
4. Makayla’s favorite: YW church group and girl’s camp.
5. Jarin’s favorite: historical family trip around good old Pleasant Grove and bowling.
6. Trevor’s favorite: holder of the most fish caught at Fish Lake and Legos.
7. Rebekah’s favorite: neighbor friends, bike rides and trips to the dentist (don’t ask).
8. Kerri’s favorite: neighbor friends, looking in the mirror and Sunday night treats.
9. Yolanda’s favorite: just watching the kids grow and dates with Cameron.
10. Cameron’s favorite: continuing his nerdy ambitions in the U of U Executive MBA program – Go Utes!

**Extra Brags: hiking around Mutual Dell in A.F. canyons, having Lica with us at Disney Land, playing in the ocean, making cinnamon rolls, sleeping out on the tramp, playing soccer in the back yard for every FHE, listening to three wonderful children play the piano, Makayla going to regional in the science fair, Cameron not traveling and mom learning to laugh more, good days and bad days-growing kids and refining of the parents.

We had a great year with family and friends

and are grateful for all that the Lord has blessed us with.
Thank you for your love and friendship.

Wishing you all a Happy New Year!

Christmas Surprise

Welcome Oreo!

One day I announced to Cameron that I thought I was ready for a dog - he about fell off his chair. Holy cow! Coming from a mom that did not like dogs - let alone a dog in the house - and always telling the kids that there was no way in tarnation that we would ever get a dog - Cam thought I was nuts. Perhaps it is because I have no more babies crawling around the floor or diapers to change and potty training to do. It certainly was not a lack of things to do in my life. I justified my reasonings 'for the good of the kids'. Kids need to grow up with a cute furry thing running around. They need responsibility in cleaning up poop, daily walks and feedings. It was time for a dog. Not just any dog - I wanted a small dog that did NOT shed, did not poop (in my dreams), was house trained, was trainable and oh so cute.
The kids have asked Santa for a dog since Makayla was 5 years old. Since then Santa has brought dog games, stuffed dog animals and dog stories. One year Santa even left a note explaining his reasons for not giving live puppies as Christmas gifts. This year the kids' (mostly Jarin) prayers were answered on Christmas day when Oreo (19 mo. old) bounded into the living room and made this Christmas a memory forever. She has already wormed her way into my heart and we hope for lots of lasting memories with her.
Merry Christmas!

Our Favorite Things

A few of our favorite things....

Fluting fourth graders and gingerbread houses
Santa and sledding and slumbering mouses (my kids)
Piping hot chocolate and secretive outings
These are a few of our favorite things

Girls in cute outfits and holiday movies
Dear baby Jesus and shepherds at meal time
Nightly warm stories and counting down stockings
These are a few of our favorite things.

Children whose voices ring out in school choirs
Door backs that hold all our Christmas card flyers
Sleeping out under the Christmas tree lightings.
These are a few of our favorite things

When the kids bite
When the kids sting
When I'm feeling sad
I simply remember our favorite things
And then I don't feel so bad

Joys of Nativities

Just too cute not to share.....

We pulled out our Nativities on Friday (Nov29th) and let the kids set them up. Rebekah and Kerri were in charge of the Fisher Price Nativity and the Veggie Tale Nativity. They spent a total of five hours side by side arranging and rearranging their nativities just on Friday (I love twins). Since then, their Nativity scene has grown to accommodate many more friends and things. The pictures tell the story, however, please humor me as I narrate Rebekah and Kerri’s story….

Picture 1:
-The Wise Men were hungry, so the Pet Shop Pets set up a table for them to munch at as they wait their turn to see Jesus.
-The sheep were baaing and wanted to eat – they too have a table of goodies – thanks to the Pet Shop Pets.
-Some to the Pet Shop Pets climbed the palm trees to get a better look at Jesus
(it’s good to see that Fisher Price Joseph and Mary are in their rightful places).

Picture 2:
-The angel is passed out on a Barbie couch after proclaiming the wonderful news.
-A couple of Pet Shop Pets are in the diner waiting to see Jesus.
-All the little gifts surrounding the scene are gifts for Jesus.

Picture 3:

-Veggie Tale Joseph and Mary are in their rightful place – I was told that they will not leave Jesus.
-Wise Man 1 and 2 are distraught over losing Wise Man 3 (don’t know where he is) – so Mary made hot chocolate to comfort them.
-The sheep are eating food provided by the Pet Shop Pets.

As if there were not enough people, toys, and animals visiting Jesus; Rebekah and Kerri drew our family, friends, fairies, and another Nativity set of people to visit Jesus. They are there to stay until Christmas – so I was told.

Happy Birthday Trevor!

Happy 7th Birthday Trev! It has become our birthday tradition to celebrate our birthdays with breakfast in bed. Trevor requested bacon and eggs with pancakes. He ate on the floor since he couldn't sit up straight in the bottom bunk. His birthday was on Thanksgiving Day, hence the pumpkin pie for his 1st birthday cake. Later he had a friend birthday party with cake and bowling at the local Jack and Jill joint.

A Zion Adventure

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

I know these pictures are past due. I just wanted to see what Smilebox had to offer to a first time blogger. It's really cute.

Bewitching Hour

Twilight

Much to Makayla's dismay, I do want to add this picture and say that she struggled for days whether to be Bella (Twilight) or not for Halloween. She has two great friends in the ward that wanted to be Edward and Jacob. Makayla thought it was too weird and told her two friends that she was backing out until they promised her chocolate. Well that made up her mind (as if she won't get enough chocolate on Halloween). She was able to compromise by suggesting to dress a few decades earlier for Bella, Edward and Jacob. Okay does Makayla's Edward not resemble a dashing vampire and Makayla's Jacob look like a cute wolf?

Blue or Red?

One of the first questions that was asked when we moved back home was..."Are you blue or red?" BYU or Utah? Hmm? Jarin was the first to proclaim our allegiance to the U by wearing a red ball cap and a Utah sweat shirt. Makayla later made a CTR (Choose the Red) t-shirt to wear to school on 'Blue and Red Day'. Yes, the elementary schools have a 'Blue and Red Day' each year before the big rival football game. And no, it was never this competitive when I was growing up.

Naturally we are Ute fans since Cameron graduated from the University of Utah back in the days and is now attending the Executive MBA program (oooh - sounds so official).

In the last two years we have become permanent season ticket holders, owners of 2 hats, several sweatshirts, even more t-shirts, a warm beanie hat (my favorite), water bottles, 2 hand towels, countless lost footballs, red hairspray, and a few homemade t-shirts declaring our colors. We are saving our pennies for one of those funny flags that gets raised a million miles into the air whenever there is a touchdown - oh and some red cushion seats.

We really are not as fanatical as it seems - I do however have to give my boys the pep talk on how to be classy Ute fans and not bad mouth BYU. Jarin is dead set against BYU. He shuns anything remotely connected to BYU . It is time to take my kids to the Bean Museum and the Wilki Center for some family fun. BYU is not just football.

Jarin did cross the line when he taught the girls to chant 'BYU smells like Poo!' I about died when the girls used that chant in a talent show at a family reunion (mostly BYU fans).

Oh well - Go UTES!