Blogging is hard...

So for what ever reason I have been horrible at blogging for the last months.  I use to be so great.  We have had some great times and some not so great times.  All worth blogging though.  I will try to go through our last couple of months.

January -

• Hawaii - I just think that Hawaii is probably what Heaven is like.  I love to be there with my family.  It is perfect weather and it is just beautiful. 
• Steve started his fireman job. So exciting.  So hot!
• We went to a surprise party for our friend Dave.

February -

• Laura's Birthday - We were able to celebrate this year and actually CALL her to tell her how much we love her and how much she really means to us. 
• Valentine's Day - Love is the the best holiday.
• Shawn & Alyssa were in the school play "Once upon a Mattress".  I love to watch them up on stage.  They are just great. 
• I travelled to Denver and San Francisco both for work.  

March - 

• Cameron had the maturation program (isn't that blog worthy enough? My little boy is growing up)
• We were able to go clear in the heck out to the boondocks and visit with our good friends Jeff & Cindy.  Jeff had Cancer and we were taking pictures on a CD out to them.  We ended up visiting for about 2 1/2 hours.  We reminisced about vacations that we had had - The Disney Cruise and numerous camping trips.   Jeff also was able to tell us how to treat each other and how to treat our kids.  He told us of faith and family.  It was a really special time that we will cherish with them.   
• Steve had a display at the Home and Garden Show.
• We had a Young Womens fundraiser dinner and auction.  
• Our friend Jeff Anderson passed away.  We travel camping with them and we also went on the Disney Cruise with them.  This one one of the saddest days.  He was such a great, amazing man.  He loved his family and he loved his friends.  He made every single person that knew him feel like they are very best friends with him.  He has an amazing wife and friend of mine Cindy.  I love them both.  Heavenly Father knew what a great man he was and needed him.  Love you guys.
• We also had the opportunity in our ward to clean out a hoarders house.  It was one of the GROSSEST things that I have ever done.  But hey I can do anything for 9-10 hours right?  Think human, cat and what ever else poop and pee everywhere... yes I said gross right? 
• We also got a new Bishopric.  Bryce Benson Bishop, Corey Johnson 1st, & Dean Morrell 2nd.  AWESOME!!!!
• We went to a viewing & funeral.  Steve sang and played the guitar.  He did a great job.  Cindy, Jeff's wife spoke - unbelievable... I don't think that I could do that. 
• I went to a surprise party for Natalie.  I love friends.  I love surprises.
• I went to Denver again.  
• I found out that I have pleurisy.  A lung infection that feels like your lung is being pierced.  It feels like I can't get enough breath.  I watched our friend while he talked to us a few days before he passed away,  he was trying to get his breath.  I can't even imagine.  I feel like I do and mine isn't even a little bit like his.  It really made me get to the Dr. quick when this happened and also just really really feel for Jeff even more than I already did.  
• Jami & I also took Kenadee & Alyssa to the young women conference and then to Market Street Grill.  They are so cute and fun to watch.  I can't believe how grown up they are.
• We celebrated my baby sisters 24th birthday.  Wow!  That would make me OLD!  I really love Jelissa.  She has a great personality.  She bought her first house and I LOVE it.  I LOVE her style.  I want her to come and decorate my house.  She is just darling.   Happy Birthday Baby Sister!

Well that brings us to right now.  I am sure that I have forgotten something.   I am READY for warm weather.  I really do not like this cold gross weather.  I will try and post more often.    

Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day!

So on Valentine's Day our tradition is to hang out with our kids and then we pick another (not so busy) day to celebrate with each other.  This year I decided to cook "Flemings" Restaurant food for us and our kids and eat it by candlelight.  I did it as a surprise so I had Steve take the kids away for two hours so I could get it all done.  So here is my attempt.

Filet Mignon... cooked in Butter.  

Cheesy, Creamy Potatoes

Sauteed Mushrooms

Shrimp Cocktail

Homemade Rolls, White and Milk Chocolate Fondue with apples, bananas, and pretzels to dip.  I also made cream corn with parmesan cheese but forgot to take a picture. 

Here is the table all set up.

Also I had a gift for each person on their chair.  For the boys I got them a CTR ring and Cologne.  For the girls I bought them a necklace, headband and perfume.  

And for Steve I bought him an alarm iPod dock.  

With all of the "surprises" that I did for them, I was still the one who was most surprised.  When they got home they came home with gifts for me too.   

They bought me a build a bear dressed in a fireman uniform so that when Steve is at the fire station I have a fireman to sleep with.

They brought me roses.  MMMMmmm  they make my house smell great.  They also got me a ceramic pizza baking stone for baking pizza and bread.

And lastly, Steve surprised me with a ruby heart necklace.  Now Steve isn't typically one to get me jewelry so I was super excited about this.  He does buy me jewelry from places like Chico's (which I love) and also on vacation but not usually from a Jewelry Store.  this was a fun fun surprise.

I love Valentine's Day.  It is actually my favorite holiday.  I love the colors, the smells (food and chocolate) and that everyone is just a little more "loving" on this day.  

Happy Valentine's Day.  I am glad I have you to love.

Thankful...

I really am here... I have just worked A LOT lately. Like 117 hours in a two week pay period A LOT!!!

I thought for my first post in November I would post about some things that I am thankful for.... Random things as the come into my head.

-Heavenly Father

-Jesus Christ

-The Gospel

-Steven

-Laura

-Shawn

-Alyssa

-Cameron

-Ashley

-My new nephew Andrew

-My Parents and in-laws - I love that we love to hang out

-My awesome siblings... Jarred, Rachelle, Josh & Jelissa - I am the lucky girl in the world to be so close to them

-Diet Coke

-Mexican Food

-Food

-My AMAZING circle of women that I know (some of you are far and some of you are near, I love you all)

-My Work

-Creativity

-Scrapbooking

-My Expedition

-Mine and my Families Health

-School

-Learning

-Sacrament Meeting

-My fantastic young women

-My calling

-Cooking

-Presentation of Presents

-Organization - No I am not always organized but I love it when I am

-Homemade Salsa and Homemade Guacamole

-Tortilla Chips

-Blogs

-Handwriting

-Bedtime

-For Sure NOT the word moist

-Laura's Parents (Madison & Debra)for Raising an AMAZING Daughter and sharing her with us

-Glass Jars

-Clean Cars

-Clean smelling kids

-Holidays and Traditions

-Singing out LOUD (especially to embarrass my kids)

-Sonic Ice and lots of it!

-Matching colors

-My awesome home

-My iPhone

-Computers

-Technology

-Fireman Jobs

-Marrying my best friend

-The Temple

-Soft Sunday Sounds on FM100 on our way to church (my kids don't love it as much as me)

-Christmas Lights

-Airplanes

-Baking

-When people trust you and believe in you

-My kids accomplishments

-Theater

-Soccer

-Service (to others - I have a harder time when I am being served)

-Family Scripture Reading

So it is a random look into my head... I am thankful for a lot more. I just could go on ALL night.

Love you all!

Welcome Little One!!!

Andrew Jarred Cameron

Birth Day September 29, 2010

He is 8 pounds 21.5 inches long

Mom is doing well. She of course still looks cute even after having a baby!

Dad is doing well too.

They are going to be great parents. I am so happy to see my little brother as a Dad.

Congratulations!

You guys do great work. I really, really love him!

Love - AUNT Jennica

(p.s. I am an Aunt for the first time - he already loves me)

me... an Aunt!

I am going to be an Aunt sometime tonight. It is 11:11pm on September 28th. I hope they call soon. I have been waiting for this day for 36 years and 2 months to become an Aunt. I am sitting here thinking about Rachelle and Jarred as they go through one of my favorite times in my life... the birth of our children. Good Luck guys! We love you!

My blog design...

Steve told me today that I should post about why I have the ribbons on my blog. I found this background and LOVED it. I have a small obsession for crafting, but not because of the actual crafting part but because of the products. I love, love, love to feel the product. I love the feel of textured papers and ribbons. I love the smell of craft paint. I love new crayons and markers and colored pencils. One of my favorite things in the world is a brand new easy to color coloring book with a new box of 96 Crayola Crayons. If they are not Crayola just don't bother... I don't want them.

I love to go into to scrapbook stores to supply my hobby of buying scrapbook supplies. I do eventually use them... I just really like the buying them part too.

My favorite time of the year is school supply shopping time. I LOVE when all of the supplies go on sale and I can buy a bunch of everything. for example this year when all of the 24 packs of crayons were on sale for $.25 I bought 48 packs of them... I know I am obsessed. Weird, shocking... me with OCD. It is ok I have finally admitted it.

Here is goes... "my name is Jennica and I am obsessed with craft supplies"

School Started...

Shawn started 9th grade. So far he loves it. He has a great group of friends (they call themselves the crew). There is seven of them. He is loving being the oldest in the school. He is doing well so far. We are about 7 months away from him getting his learners permit. Wow - where has the time gone?

Alyssa started 7th grade. Oh my gosh I can't believe that my little girl is in 7th grade. She also has a great group of friends. They are all in a little temple group. They have been going twice a month. She is loving having seven classes. One fun thing that happened... in seventh grade the kids make a mouse trap car. They design it and then they race them at the school. The school record was 163 feet and it was made last year. Well my little seventh grade girl made the NEW school record of 174.8 feet. Awesome job Alyssa!

I can't believe that Cameron is in 5th grade. That just seems so old. I remember 5th grade so well. I just can't believe he is there. He has Mrs. Dow. She seems like a great teacher. She is really organized. I love that. I love the curriculum in 5th grade. He has some great friends too. He love hanging out with the guys and doing all kinds of fun things. I am also noticing that he is also starting to like to hang out with some girls here and there. Weird.

Ashley is in the 3rd grade. It seems like just yesterday Shawn was there and now my baby is there. She has Mrs. Birth. Se is a little tiny teacher but she is GREAT! I also love the curriculum in third grade. She has some fun fun little friends. She is in Activity Days at church and is loving that.

I thought that life would slow down when they went to school but I have found a lot of stuff to keep me occupied. I love the schedule of school. I love that they go to bed early and read. I love that I have six hours to my self. I know - I am a mean Mom, but I love it!!!! School Rocks!