Nampa Idaho 2014

My Grandpa was able to get a ride down so he could come to Louis' graduation dinner on Saturday.  After the dinner he spent the night at our house and we drove him back home on Sunday.  The drive went really well besides the flat tire we got!

It set us back at least 30 minutes.  Mainly because we had our own jack we were trying to use before we ended up using the jack that came with the van and finding the very specific place it needs to hook on to.  We had to drive around 55 the rest of the way because of the spare tire, because of that we didn't get to my Grandpa's until about 7.  We dropped him off and visited for a little bit then headed to our hotel.  We used Priceline's name your own price function and got the Fairfield Inn and Suites for only $57 a night.  I highly recommend Priceline.
The next day we headed over to my grandparent's after breakfast and Louis and my Grandpa left to get a new tire for the van.  We didn't know if we would need to get two tires or if they would let us just get the one.  Gratefully we only needed one because the tread on the other tire was still good and it only cost us $82, such a blessing.  After the tire was finished we went out to eat at Chuck-A-Rama.  Then walked around the temple.  We don't think the temple was opened, but the gate was opened so we went in.  There were men gardening and no one told us to leave so we decided it was okay to walk around.  Avery was even given a four leaf clover by one of the gardeners.  He said, "Just a little bit of luck from your humble temple gardener."  Avery was overjoyed with that, but I think her favorite part about the temple was running through the sprinklers.

After the temple we went to Cabela's to see the fish and animals.  It was actually Louis' first time in a Cabela's and he really enjoyed himself.  Avery did not.  She was having a I'm-three-years-old-and-I-want-to-be-independent problem.  

After Cabela's we went to the dancing fountains.  I can't remember what it's actually called, but it's a new shopping center with restaurants and a little covered grassy area with hula hoops for kids and a play ground.  It was really nice.  Every hour the fountains dances to a song.  We got there about 15 minutes before the show was to start.  We were there at 4:00 and the show was really good, but I bet it would be cooler at night because they have lights with it too.  

It was a very nice little place and we had fun, Mary didn't like the show, but she got some good cuddles with Grandpa.  After this we went back to the hotel and ordered pizza for dinner.
The next day we had planned on taking Grandpa and Grandma out to lunch, but I woke up feeling really sick.  My medicine didn't even help.  We decided it would be best if we just headed home instead.
The drive home was much better than the drive up, no surprise mishaps and the kids both took a nap.
We had a great time up in Nampa and were so glad that we got to go up and spend a little time with my grandparents.

Graduated

You guys, Louis is DONE WITH SCHOOL!!  On the 15th of July he took his last final and completed his Masters in Accounting.  It is so nice knowing that he is done.  Louis says it doesn't feel like he's done yet, but maybe at the end of August when everyone else is going back to school and he doesn't!
On Saturday we had a special dinner to celebrate his hard work.  Many people were able to come and we had a good time.  I forgot to take any pictures, so you'll just have to take my word for it.

Last day of school

Louis' plan now is to take the CPA sometime in August.  You know, just that $1000 test.  Yeah, you read that right.  Ridiculous, but we think it is a good idea and can open up more doors for him.  We are hoping he will be able to find a job in the Fall.  Pray for us.

Baby!

The long awaited first appointment of our new baby finally came last week!  With each baby this first appointment has seemed to come quicker.  Probably because I have more things to keep me busy and not thinking about it all day.  It was still an anxiously awaited event though!  I was so excited and nervous for this appointment.  I was more nervous going into this appointment than with the others.  I think it was because it took us 4 times longer than it ever has for us to get pregnant.  I was so nervous that we would go in and the baby would not be okay.  It is the one reason why I'm grateful that I'm sick right now.  At least I keep telling myself I'm grateful.
The morning of the appointment walking into the clinic I was so thankful to be finally walking in and to get to see our new baby.  Then I walked up to check in and saw my doctor had a 20 minute wait.  Isn't that just how it always goes?  So I started on the paperwork and before going in to my appointment we went and talked the financial lady.  May I say that our insurance coverage has gotten much worse in the two years since Mary was born.  It will be even worse next year when this baby is born.
Then it was time to go in to wait in the exam room.  When the doctor came in we had been at the clinic for almost an hour and Mary was not very happy about it.  She just laid her head on my chest and cried while the doctor did the ultrasound.  I tried to cheer her up by having her look at the baby, but she just wasn't having it.  The highlight of the appointment (besides seeing the baby and knowing that it was doing great) was Avery exclaiming the baby was in an ear!  Take a look for yourself, does it look like it's in an ear?

click to enlarge

A couple things:  Sorry for the quality of these pictures.  Our scanner is not working so it's just a picture of the ultrasound.  Second, just to clarify.  I was not only 8 weeks 6 days at the appointment.  I just forgot the date of my last period and counted back wrong.  I was 10 weeks at my appointment.  The doctor took one look and said this baby is way bigger than 8 weeks!  

During the ultrasound the baby was waving at us.  The baby was measuring 5 days ahead of the estimated due date.  The doctor kept saying everything looked so great.  We're very happy.

Before my appointment my friend Holly sent me a link on how to determine the sex of the baby at the first appointment.  I'm skeptical about things like that, but read the article.  Click here to read it yourself.  Basically if the placenta is on the right side it's a boy, if it's on the left side, it's a girl.  Using this theory our baby is a boy.  In the ultrasound the placenta shows on the left, since the ultrasound was taken through the abdomen you flip it and so the placenta is actually on the right.  Meaning boy.  In 9 weeks I guess we'll see how accurate this method was for us!  Everyone is already guessing a boy, only because we already have two girls.  Some people are already using "he" or "him" when talking about the baby.  For now Louis and I are just saying, "the baby."  It's hard to see in the ultrasound where the placenta is, so I labeled it for you.

I am still sick.  This last week has been especially tough.  I am crossing my fingers that I only have a week or two left of feeling like this.  It is very hard being sick for 2 months.  I have medicine that helps and I also eat every few hours so I always have a little something in my stomach.  Eating that often means I have already gained weight, but I'm hoping that I will be able to steady that out when I'm not sick anymore.  The baby bump is already making a appearance as well.

4 weeks

8 weeks

10 weeks

I took that last picture by myself.  Can you tell?  Right now wearing clothes is hard.  Anything pushing on my stomach bothers me.  I'm looking forward to morning sickness to pass so I can wear clothes again!  I have not been exercising because, well guys I'm throwing up!  I don't want to exercise okay!  I am looking forward to starting again though.  I have a goal to be more active through out this pregnancy.  I have felt a few flutters the last few days that may have been the baby, but nothing definite yet.

Avery and Mary are both excited about the baby.  Avery will ask to kiss the baby and give it hugs which is extremely sweet.  I think she's going to like when she can feel my belly move.  Avery will tell everyone she's having a baby brother.  If it ends up being a girl she may be a little disappointed.  Whenever Mary sees my stomach she runs over and pats it saying baby!  I'm not sure if she understands there's a baby in there or if she just thinks a stomach is called a baby.  Mary is now as old as Avery was when she was born (22 months) so I know that she will definitely be able to understand what is going on later on during the pregnancy.  

That's all I can think of to share for a pregnancy update.  We are so very excited!  I love looking at the ultrasound pictures and already feel so much love for this baby.  

The Ultimate Amazing Race

On Saturday Louis and I hosted the Amazing Race with his family!  It turned out great and everyone had lots of fun!  We got all the printouts from the Dating Divas website here.

The first team to arrive was Annette and Kaileb (cheerleaders), followed by Tifannee and Joel (undercover blues), Megan and Phillip (Top Gun), then Jon and Alisha (Pug Life).  We started by taking pictures then we explained how the race would work.  We had three envelopes for each team.  In each envelope there was a detour, a road block, and a pit stop card.  The teams had to complete the two tasks then head back to the pit stop.  Some of their tasks included chugging 22 oz Slurpees, Trying to win it big at an arcade, and going into a hotel lobby and asking for complimentary items.

In between each pit stop while waiting for all the teams to arrive back and while taking a little break, every team made a chalk mural of their team.  At the end of the night we voted on them.  Joel and Tifannee won the contest.

The winner of our Amazing Race was Megan and Phillip!  Annette and Kaileb came in second, Joel and Tifannee came in third, and Jon and Alisha came in fourth.  When everyone had come back we had dinner and then people headed home!  We had a really fun night and are glad that everyone else did too!

An Interview with John Raymond Jensen

For Father's Day this year I wanted to interview my Grandpa Jensen.  I knew that all of my cousins would want the chance to ask a question so I contacted everyone and let them send one question to ask Grandpa.  I sent them up to Idaho and I got the answers back from Grandpa this week!

Before the question I will write who it was asked by.

(Jo Anne)

1.  What experiences in your life have built your testimony/made you a better person?  I feel that consistency and keeping my nose to the grindstone along with the joy that the Church has brought to my life (nothing miraculous) have contributed to my testimony.  As to the better person part of the question, a bit hard to answer.  

(Matthew)

2.  Who is your hero and why?  I probably have a number of heroes in various situations.  My Dad and Mom are both heroes.  They worked hard and worried in seeing we were clothes and fed including Dad working 10 plus hour days and more at Christmas time for $25 a week an maybe a little extra commission.  He was a great salesman and Mom was a hard worker.  An early priesthood leader and my scoutmaster were heroes.  I have a few sports heroes, and you might say that all of my extended family members I treasure as heroes.  Pride may be a bad word, but I'm proud of all of you.

(Charissa)

3.  Where did you and Grandma meet?  What did you do on dates?  I met Grandma Beverly and Grandma Donna in Church.  Beverly was living with her sister, LuDean, a block or so from where I was staying with my sister, Mary Beth.  We got acquainted when she attended our ward Mutual with a friend.  I was stationed in the Army nearby when I met Grandma Donna at a small branch of the Church in Indianapolis, Indiana.  Beverly and I went to Church dances and activities and local movies as well as family events.  Donna and I had a few mostly group activities.  That was it until 50 plus years later.  Refer to my personal history article, "Finding Donna May."

(Sarah and Megan)

4.  Tell us a story of each of your children from when they were young/during their growing up years.  I'll give something in general and a few memories of each of them.  

They were all excellent students and a pleasure to have in the home.  They enjoyed friends and family and were well thought of.  They learned much from life and their surroundings.

Jo Anne:  A lovely girl, honor student, her degree of knowledge seemed to be a challenge to some of her teachers, musically talented (very accomplished in piano and voice), an ardent book worm, creative in numerous ways, and much more.  Traveled on a family trip to New York and back to Utah reading in the back seat of the car.  On daddy daughter church activities we were number one.

Dennis:  Honor student, very inquisitive, organized, good helper to his dad.  Not into sleeping out with friends.  Enjoyed sports, but not into little league.  Liked to keep numbers/statistics especially of sports activities.  When working as a custodian at one of the elementary schools, his mom indicated that he rigged up a way on the machine to view television as he waxed or buffed floors.

Alan:  Honor student, friendly, very easy to deal with, a sports person, into some school activities and sports, very willing to help out.  Musically inclined but didn't take lessons-had some natural talents.  When competing in a cross country event he ended near the back of the pack.  His excuse was he didn't know the course.  Mom suggested he should have followed one of the leaders and not that last runner.  

Kent:  Honor student, a lad of many talents, the most outgoing of the children, a Jack/Kent of all trades-would tackle any task.  A great help around the home, sports minded, t he only one who ever owned an animal (a rabbit) (long story).  Very accomplished on piano and organ-was ward organist when I was bishop.  His mom was chorister.  We share the same wedding date, June 16.

(Becca)

5.  What is one of your favorite things about being a dad and grandpa?  Being a Dad/Grandpa has certainly been great.  Especially knowing that families can be together forever.  They all show great love and concern and are the greatest possessions.  

(Stephanie)

6.  What is one of your favorite places that you've visited?  I have been fortunate to have done a lot of traveling to many exciting places.  The mission of Beverly and I to New Zealand the land of my Father's birth along with visiting Scotland and Wales the place where my mother's parents were born were extremely choice experiences.  

(Nathan)

7.  Other than Utah, what is your favorite state, and why?  Other than the USA, what is your favorite country, and why?  I'm sure you would like me to say Georgia is my second favorite state.  It probably is along with my new residence, Idaho.  In addition to being a beautiful land, New Zealand with our family connections is my number one choice of countries.  

(Ashley)

8.  What is one of your favorite childhood memories?  After we moved from Providence, Utah, I went  back a number of Summers to work on the farm of my Uncle Ken and Jensen Grandparents.  Another fond memory was a family trip to California and the World Fair on Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay.  

(Erin)

9.  As a child, did your family have any traditions that you continued to do once you had your own children?  We had a few carry over traditions from my parents.  They were mostly Christmas related.  Using sofa and chair set cushions for each child's gifts being one of them.  Beverly carried a family tradition by providing great Sunday roast dinners.  

(Nanette)

10.  What is something that you have always wanted to, but never have?  There are still a few things on my "bucket list."  A river cruise and shooting my age in golf 18 holes are included.  As I age I am getting closer on the golf.  

(Dane)

11.  What are some of the ways the world has changed from when you were growing up?  There have been numerous changes in the world over my lifetime, even my half lifetime.  Technology has brought about changes in practically every way--especially in communications, travel, and entertainment.

(Naomi)

12.  What is one of your favorite places/things to do when people come to visit you?  When visitors come to town we usually start with Chuck-A-Rama or Primo Pizza.  We visit a lot and golf and musical productions in Nampa or in the outdoor theater in the mountains north in Garden Valley are fun.

(Nicholas)

13.  What is your secret to living a long life?  Probably my secret of a long life is to keep breathing and to stay out of the way of cars and trains and javelins.

14.  What is one of your favorite scripture heroes?  Nephi the son of Lehi is a scripture favorite.  His dedication, devotion, and his unfailing faith are a great example to all.  (I will go and do the things with the Lord has commanded.)

15.  What was your favorite age and why?  I have many favorite ages from a carefree childhood, to high school and college, army time, marriage, children, and now a great posterity.  Even closing in one "Graduation" is an important part of life.

16.  What kind of games did you play growing up?  The games we played growing up were mostly made up outside games such as hide and seek and kick the can, with a few board and card games inside.  We boys were mainly into sports and were also good at rolling tires.

17.  What were your best and worst subjects in school?  I was always interested in geography and nature.  Probably  those were my best subjects.  I was quite good in regular math and arithmetic, but really wasn't big on algebra and geometry.  

18.  What is your favorite food?  My favorite food is probably dinner with roast, potatoes, gravy, and carrots.  Deliciously prepared by Jo Anne, Beverly, or Donna.  

19.  What was your first car?  My first car was a 1940 Studebaker Commander.  Beverly and I left on our honeymoon with the engine knocking and returned with that and more problems.

20.  What was your favorite decade?  I have enjoyed all of the decades of my life in their turn and as my life continued to change.  I feel the decade of the 1930's (The Great Depression years) were most enjoyed.  School was fun, we had good friends, and no gadgets to entertain us.  We didn't feel we were poor because everyone was in the same situation.  I kept contact with my friends of the 30's until they passed on.  Very few remain.  

21.  What did you admire about Grandma most?  What I admired most about both Grandma's was their charming personalities, their fabulous looks and demeanor's, and how I truly enjoyed being in their presence.  I always wondered what I did right to deserve such companions.  Both kept a tight ship and a nice household, and Beverly, and I'm sure Donna, were good at raising family and were number one mothers.  Most of you are an example of the results of their family/household skills.

22.  What did you admire about Grandma Donna most?  As to what I admire most about Grandma Donna is pretty well explained in question 21.  She is especially good at making me think I am a great guy and that there may be some hope for me.

23.  What do you believe are the keys to a successful marriage?  The main key to a successful and happy marriage is to consider our spouse first and work together.  Really enjoy being together and show that he/she is the most important thing in your life and life hereafter. 

24.  What accomplishments are you most proud of?  The accomplishments I am most proud of mainly pertain to family.  I was raised in a fine family and am very pleased with the children, grandchildren and great grandchildren with whom I have been blessed.  They are very loving and a joy to be around.  I hope I have had some influence on their lives.  I am certain they are a joy also in the eyes of their Heavenly Father and also to their Grandma Beverly.

25.  What is some advice you have for your posterity?  My advice to my posterity includes loving one another, learn all you can spiritually and otherwise, trust in the Lord with all your heart, work hard, stay close to the Church and live the commandments.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is truly God's Church.  Joseph Smith was chosen to be the Prophet of the Restoration.  The "Book of Mormon" is a great and inspired book, and we are blessed to have prophets in our midst today.  I have always been active in the Church and have found great joy in my activity and service.  I pray that you all will continue through the lives you live and your Church activity to have happy and joyful lives, and continue to bring happiness and peace to your family and many others.  In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

With love, Grandpa "J"

Grandpa said he was happy to respond to our questions and he learned a lot about himself through it.  As a thanks to answering our questions I'm sure he'd love a visit from everyone, or even just a call!  I know every time I talk to him he tells me how much he enjoys our visits and wants us to visit again!  

We love you Grandpa and are so thankful for your love, example, and laughs!