Annual Hunting "Camping" Trip 2008

The family went on their annual hunting "Camping" trip and I was left home all alone. :) This is one of my favorite times of the year because I get the whole house to myself for a few days. But I know that Troy and the kids always have a good time. I'm always relieved that they don't ever actually shoot anything. And by looking at the pictures, they had more fun fishing. I guess they had a lot of success with the fish. Michael and Mallory came home early because they have school tomorrow. Troy and Cameron will be home sometime tomorrow (Tuesday). I did miss them and it will be nice to have them home again. I am just not looking forward to the laundry mess they will leave me. Oh well, it was nice while it lasted. Enjoy the pics of my crazy family.

FLASHBACK FRIDAY - July 1982

This is a picture of me and Troy when we were dating before his mission. Young, carefree, not a worry in the world. Wow...look at us now! Troy was barely 19 and I was 17.

Little "BIG" League

We missed having our team captain, Kyle Rigby, for the last game which really wasn't a game because the other team forfeited. So this gives us 2 wins and 6 losses... but who's counting. Justin Schroepfer also added a little drama at this "game" and dislocated his finger. We are just glad it wasn't broken.

WORTH A GIGGLE OR TWO .....

I found this picture on a friends blog and I thought it was hilarious. Who knows, it could be a fake, but if not, the poor guy probably got picked on all his life. My friend wondered if his name was an indicator of how he died....sad.

FLASHBACK FRIDAY

In June of 2003 we took a trip up to Montana with the Shumways and the Rigby's. It was so much fun. Here are a few pictures from that trip.

MICHAEL, MALLORY AND CAMERON
WHILE DRIVING UP GLACIER NATIONAL PARK

MALLORY AND CAMERON
(GLACIER AGAIN)

THIS IS THE "BEAR WITH THE BELLY ACHE"
A FAVORITE PLACE TO HAVE PICTURES
TAKEN. I THINK IT IS NEAR HENRY'S LAKE.

HANSON AND RIGBY KIDS BEING SILLY

(AS ALWAYS)

MALLORY COPYING THE STATUE....
THIS IS OUR CABIN IN "WHITEFISH"
IT WAS SO FUN! RIGBY'S AND SHUMWAYS
HAD CABINS TO THE LEFT OF US.

We have so many memories from that trip. It's too bad we weren't able to go back with the Shumways. They went there for years. It was an annual vacation for them. Thanks again Shumways for making that trip so much fun. We'll never forget it!

INSPIRING MAN

I was browsing some blogs and I found Paul Cardall's blog off of my friend Laura's. I know that he is a very gifted musician and I didn't realize that he was suffering from Heart failure and waiting for a transplant. As I was reading his blog, I was touched by something he wrote and I hope that he won't mind me posting just a brief paragraph that he wrote. It inspired me and I know it will inspire others. Here it is....

"You can't know the sweetness in life without tasting the bitterness of life. There is no reason to blame God for what we are subject to. I believe we chose to experience earthly life as part of a three act play in the eternal nature of things. We are in the second act. God knows what's ahead for us in the third and final act. Like any loving parent, he loves seeing us grow and mature from the choices we make. But above all, at times we make poor choices or are hurt by the choices of others, and like the child who falls from a bike and cries for their mother and father, there is a loving Savior who is there to wipe away our tears and heal our wounds." (Paul Cardall)

I too have felt my Saviors love with some of my own personal trials and I know these trials have only made me a stronger person as well as my family. How truly blessed we are. I pray that Paul will find a donor soon and I appreciate him sharing his story on his blog.

FLASHBACK FRIDAY (a little late)

TROY AND THE KIDS HAVE ALWAYS LOVED TO
GO HIKING, FISHING AND CAMPING. THIS
WAS ONE OF THEIR FAVORITE TRIPS IN 1998
(notice our dog "Lucky" and how young she was)

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE BEING LEFT AT HOME ALONE!
KNOWING THEY ARE HAVING A GOOD TIME!

NEED TO BRAG

Okay, I took Cameron to the doctor today to get a strep test (It was negative by the way) and guess who walked into the clinic? Lindsey Mair! I guess she had the baby on Monday and I had no idea. So I have to brag because I am the first in the neighborhood to have seen Dawson and he is absolutely ADORABLE. He has lots of dark hair and he even opened his eyes and I saw a lot of J.D. in him and also some of Lindsey. Needless to say, with those parents you are going to get a cute baby. AND Lindsey looks great for just having a baby. It just isn't fair. Motherhood seems to agree with her. So, Congratulations Mair Family on your special delivery....Dawson.

DAY OUT WITH MY DADDY

The day my Dad flew in we picked him up at the airport and then we went to lunch. My Dad has a tradition that when he is in town he buys a bunch of roses and with his daughters, takes them to the cemetery to my Mom's grave. He
always reserves a rose for each of his daughters and the rest goes to my Mom's grave. This year we split the flowers between my Mom and Jennifer. It was a nice day. However, my silly sisters tried to get me to do a pose that was very difficult for a handicap. Anyway, my leg wasn't even remotely off the ground. Oh well, at least I tried. It was fun to be with my Dad and Sisters and enjoy the moment. (My sister Jennifer's headstone is on the left and my Mom's is on the right)

MORE JENSEN FAMILY PICS

I love my family so much and it was so great to get together. We don't do it often enough. We were blessed to have my Dad visit us for a couple of weeks.

WHITNEY & MALLORY

LINDSEY, SAWYER AND BELINDA JENSEN

LINDSAY, CHASE & BEN

LORNA AND WENDY

LORNA, WHITNEY & MALLORY

MONA, TRYSTAN, DADDY, WHITNEY & MALLORY

A VERY TIRED WENDY

ERIC & AUBREY BERRY

GARY & MY BROTHER BARRY

JEILA, SYDNEY & JASON

JONATHAN MCGUIRE

My Dad and the "Doodle Dee"

The "Doodle Dee" Song has been around for two or 3 generations because I remember my Grandaddy Jensen doing it with me and now my Dad is doing it with the Great Grand Kids and they love it. It is just a song and my Dad holds their hands and sways them side to side while singing the song and the kids love it. My poor Dad was getting wiped out but the kids kept wanting him to do it. These are memories that will last a lifetime. The older Grandkids use to call my dad "Deedle Dee" because of this song. I think I will carry on the tradition with my own grandkids (someday down the road....a very long road).