Four Christmases

I love the holidays.

I love being so busy! 

I love the decorations.

I love baking.

I love getting to see family & friends we don't always get to see.

I love getting Christmas cards. 

I love getting to share the light of Christ through celebrating His birth!

I love the music.

I love the spirit.

And I love that because our families are big, spread out, and loving we get to celebrate Christmas over and over again.

Wesson's cute tool belt from Olivia. I love it! It is all felt so he can't bang up my walls!

our highlight Christmas gift. A TRACTOR! Wesson played with it for 45 minutes by himself. at 10 pm. with no nap all day...i'd call it magic but the magic is in the tractor!

this spoiled pumpkin learned how to unwrap presents pretty quickly! and the cutest thing, halfway through unwrapping a gift he would say "tank to anta" (translation: thank you santa)

all the grandbabies at the Jensen family Christmas party. whoever was over there --> is cooler than me evidentially! 

Christmas morning! he was so into his daddy's new pocket knife. Oh dear...

Wesson's highlight of christmas "riding a neigh-neigh" (my brother's poor dog) I should him this picture and he just laughed so hard saying "neigh neigh neigh neigh"

one of the best parts of Christmas, nailing the perfect gift! this is my niece natalee...i LOVE this picture! and this little girl!

"As we seek Christ, as we find Him, as we follow Him, we shall have the Christmas spirit, not for one fleeting day each year, but as a companion always." -Pres. Thomas S. Monson

Rewind...Thanksgiving

This year we spent Thanksgiving the Jensen Clan! 

Ryan's aunt and her girls had decorated the house beautifully, but I didn't take any pictures of that...

The food was fabulous, although I didn't enjoy as much as I would love since Thanksgiving was right in the heart of naptime, wesson struggled to say the least. 

And to top it off, Friday night Ryan and I got a rocking dose of FOOD POISONING! (ryan said it was even worse than the food poisoning he suffered in Mexico..can you imagine?) 

on Saturday we were actually DYING, thankfully we called Grammie & Papa and they wooshed in to save the day,  taking our little man while we slept for 8 HOURS in the MIDDLE of the day! And evidentially he was a monster for them, I called at 6 to say I was feeling up to having him back and I am pretty sure they were at our house but 6:10 (and their house is 20 minutes away) 

:)

but still we owe them BIG!

the worst part, we missed black friday...

you can see the beautiful decor in the background!

but before checking that at look at those cute grandbabies & that sweet papa! they sure LOVE him!

the Malans made the cutest chocolate covered pretzels for everyone,

i think wesson licked everyones...

 but look how happy it made him

my two babes with aunt julie! we love her! and miss her since we don't get to see her as much! she is beautiful and the sweetest heart ever. she used to call me hayley (ryan's sister-in-law) but she ALWAYS knows ryan, even now...

to end the night...trap the little ones in a cage! 

we love spending time with our family! that is the most fun part of the holidays!

California or bust!

Rewind...Halloween

I never blogged Wesson's Halloween pictures

(and since I am struggling to think of anything worthwhile...I'll share them now!)

Shout out to Kellie Hales for the CUTEST Halloween pictures ever! I wish it was appropriate to decorate with them all year long...

 Peter Pan & Tinkerbell 2011

Olivia & Wesson

at the pumpkin patch.

Oh heavens, this boy would have taken EVERY pumpkin home if he could.

I still haven't thrown his away because he loves to run out on the porch and say "umptin, umptin!"

(plus I think Ryan wants to go shoot it or something...)

I don't care how much they weigh I'll take both of them! 

But it won't be too expensive since he is almost 17 months and weighs only 22 POUNDS!

Peter Pan, Hook & Tinkerbell

Wesson, Isaac & Olivia

I love those little guys! I hope this is the first of many coordinated Halloweens, it was SO cute! Isn't Olivia precious?? I am the luckiest Aunt! Not to mention mom, my little man is a sweetheart too!

I am a lame mom and have no action shots but Wesson loved to "treat and treat" he would go up to the kids out trick-or-treating and say treat-and-treat, he was so confused why only the people at the doors gave him candy, shouldn't everyone give him candy?

The Christmas Mitten...

i am overwhelmed my pinterest.

i am overwhelmed by successfully crafty people.

i long to be one.

i lack the ambition, commitment and attention it takes to truly succeed!

(however, in my personal progress mission i will guaranteed improve!)

the young women were asked to be in charge of table decorations for the ward christmas party. 

our president had a baby last sunday.

she asked me to handle the tables. 

i panic. 

i look to pinterest

i cry.

and this is what i came up with...

THANK GOODNESS for:

-a fabulous mother in law who collects pine cones...

-sweet women in the young womens who have more Christmas decorations then I do! (weird because I totally think we are all the same age!! :)

-and no themes or anything like that for me to work with so I can't do it wrong! haha

and a heart warming tale for this Christmas season:

when Ryan and I found out we were having a baby boy we went to Sportsmans Warehouse

There was a cute little came glove and hat combo camo set.

Ryan HAD to have it for his little man!

Well this winter it KINDA fits our little one! Yay!

When we took him to Christmas village on Monday night I was 99% sure he dropped his mitten. It made me sad because it is pretty much the only clothing Ryan has picked out for Wesson (well he has a whole set of camo that will fit him when he is like 12 but that is besides the point!)

So I went through EVERYTHING and could not find it anywhere. 

So I said a little prayer and look what I found today. 

In a place we didn't even play on Monday night...

weird...

or an answered prayer!!!

this may sound lame but I was so excited I called Ryan- and he was really excited about it too...

i'd say there is a perfect person for everyone in this world!

family pictures 2011

for starters,

is my kid the only one that HATES to smile when I have paid someone to take our pictures?!!

my goodness, that boy is a stinker!

but I would say we got a few keepers!

seriously, that is my little blue eyed beauty!

he is the sweetest thing ever.

 and he gets all his goodness from his daddy!

that, my friends, is the happiest smile we were trying to capture!

Background: I have served in the Young Women's at church for 4 1/2 years. Prior to that I had been a member of the Young Women's program for 6 years (age 12 to 18) I had a one year break for college (woohoo!) In all this time (10 1/2 years) I have still not completed my Personal Progress. 

Lame right?

 How long does a girl need?

...So I am turning over a new leaf and made a goal to finish my Personal Progress by November 2012. (cheer!) I have been working on my experiences, reading my scriptures, polishing up on my good habits (prayers, scriptures, family home evening, etc.) and coming up with fun, challenging and spiritual projects for each value. I have gotten creative, taken the opportunity to learn new skills, teach skills I already know, serve and LITERALLY progress physically and spiritually. 

I kept having a nagging thought of an area where I knew I really did need to grow, mature, learn and again, progress! I'll start by saying I have been SO blessed. I have been given much, oh so much! And am grateful for everything and everyone who touches my life for good...BUT...I have a serious problem. One my husband, LOVES, to remind me about. I struggle to live in the moment. I am constantly planning for the "next" thing. I struggle to enjoy what I am given when I am given it. I used to think this was my blessing to be a "planner" but I have come to learn it is truly a lack of faith. I am scared to not have control. And if I am not ready something might happen and I won't have a "plan" but in living like this I miss the happiness of the little moments. So to teach myself to savor the little moments, to have faith in my Father In Heaven's plans for me, to be content where I am, I have created my Faith value project. 

I am going to document SOMETHING every day. Some one, a recipe, a thought, a place, a story, for 365 days I am going to be content, celebrate my "little" blessings...

My motto:

Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. 

Philippians 4:11

so..in case you think, "wow, Jessica sure is blogging a lot" now you know! and come November 2012 I will wear my cheesy necklace proud (and who knows, maybe get released!!)

first real "ouchie"...

mother of the freaking year here... 

my poor baby!

sometimes while i do dishes and such i would let wesson play in the pantry...

LESSON LEARNED

what does one bottle of ketchup + my sweet little babes chubby toe = too many tears to count...

...he cried for a good 3 minutes.

and then he was over it.

bless his heart!

so lucky he chose me...

august 31, 2007

...

add 4 years...

august 31, 2011

less photogenic.

more love.

ryan and i spent the evening doing a session at the Salt Lake temple.

and enjoyed dinner at The Garden (fried pickles...judge if you will but a-mazing!)

i love ryan. 

i love being his wife.

he is the most amazing husband a girl could ask for.

hardworking, smart, fun, ambitious, talented, hotttt, romantic, spontaneous...he LOVES to spoil me, he takes such good care of his family! 

can you believe it has been 4 years?!!

me neither...

i love you ry!

it's my blog and i'll cry if i want to...

i always wondered how personal was TOO personal in the old blog world...

maybe someone will read this and offer some fabulous insight that will relieve me from my troubles! (anyone....anyone...)

but anyway...

i have started to notice in the last year or so, so much tragedy. so much sadness. i think i used to just think old people were the only ones who died. sickness was something you could ALWAYS cure by going to the doctor. hospitals were for old people and women having healthy beautiful babies. divorce only happened to celebrities and lazy people who didn't want to work for it. 

i guess i woke up. 

hard things happen to really good people. 

sickness and death can come at anytime during life.

anger and hurt can come from the people we trust and love most.

i guess i want to go back to sleep. i am scared to live in a world where life IS fragile. i am not invincible. no one is. 

all we have is faith. which i guess i lack. because what i really want are answers. i want to know why our Father in Heaven needed a brand new mom with 4 month old baby? why did He need a new dad with a 10 day old baby and a loving 23 year old wife? why would He not give a baby girl a healthy heart? why would He let people fall in love when He knows one will hurt the other? why would He allow the same family to suffer hard trials back to back? why would He allow a little girls life to end way too early?

and i guess the weirdest question for me, why do I hurt so bad for people I barely know? why do I cry so hard for people I haven't met? 

last year in general conference someone said something about how women feel compassion and it is part of their divine nature...making us "divine"- making us God-like. I wish i could find that quote so I didn't feel like a crazy person!

truthfully i know my Father in Heaven loves me. He has blessed me and He has given my trials. through both my blessings and my trials I turn to Him. He has given me a husband who loves me (even when i am crazy) and a beautiful baby that He trusts me to teach and guide. he has given me friends who are supportive and closer than family. and a family who is constant and loving. my heart breaks for those who have trials without the knowledge of the gospel. because even with all the blessings i have the greatest knowledge i have is that i have a Savior who loves me. who died for me. and through Him i can be with my loved ones forever. this life is hard but eternity is worth it. 

so you be the judge- to heavy for blog-talk?  

Weber County Fair 2011

ryan and I love the fair!

it is our tradition. 

ryan grew up working at the fairgrounds.

cute huh?

we love it. we love the lemonade. and funnelcakes!

we love the trinkets.

the animals.

the demolition derby!

the weber county idol! (can i get an amen bryan saunders!)

well this year. the year we go to introduce our little one to everything fabulous that the fair is...

ryan worked. 

this was seriously crushing. 

enter: plan b! fair with my mother in law! we had so much fun! wesson LOVED IT! it was sad ryan wasn't there though. and he thoroughly loved looking at the pictures and hearing every "ooh" and "ahh" wesson made! 

some cute lady gave us tickets at the gate...Score! (those who know me well know i don't pay to go anywhere! so that was right up my alley!)

we loved it. wesson loved the animals. he danced a little bit to the weber county idol but it was too close to the rides so he got distracted. 

the lemonade line was long so we passed on it (unforgivable. i regretted it immediately!)

wesson loved these weird cows..."moose...moose" (everything is plural. do we'll keep working on moo!)

this picture captures his enthusiasm the whole night! i loved it!

forgive me...it had been a long hot day. but again...i love pictures of me with my boy!

wesson & grammie. she loves him soo much! 

i wonder how many other little ones clapped for the cows? probably not many! what a nice guy! 

me and my boy. he was about done at this point. but we had to see the pigs! 

but all in all we had a great time! here is to next year...

wesson's birthday

I love being a mom.

I love Wesson.

I love watching him grow and learn.

…..

but it makes me sad he will never be a “baby” again.

he is one.

he is walking.

he is all grown up! (not really but give my exaggeration a break!)

doesn’t it seem like it was just yesterday that little dream come true joined our little family?

well it wasn’t…

it was 365 (more now) days ago.

so how does one celebrate one?

crying!

just kidding. 

you throw a party to remember.

full of sweets, treats, pizza and drinks!

thank you to all our family and friends who joined us!

italian soda bar. really so fuN! 

out to dinner on wesson's actual birthday! my favorite people in the whole world. silly boy distracted by something else! 

i don't have a lot of pictures of just me and my boy! not a great one. but i love it!! that is my baby!!!

these two cuties share a birthday! how fun is that!? grandpa & wesson. 61 years apart!

at his part! it is a balloon cake! and he did pretty good i think!

just like we teach him...sharing! (shawni i Love this! i want to frame it!!...love that girl!)

because you want to know...

this boy makes me SO happy!

he is almost ONE.

he says:

what's that

dog

woof

hi

bye

love

momma

dadda

grannie

oh wow

uh oh

he took 3 steps..

stood up by himself twice

he just learned how to stick his tongue out at us!

he claps, waves and blows kisses...

i wouldn't trade a day with him for anything!

he makes me better.

i love him.

he loves us.

our life is pretty a.m.a.z.i.n.g.

did i mention i teared up when i realized he is almost a toddler...or is he already?!!

Father's Day 2011

wesson & i got up bright and early to make ryan breakfast in bed for his first official father's day! mostly wesson just ate all the waffles! (he had TWO whole waffles!) everytime i would tell him "shh we have to be quiet so dadda can sleep" he would laugh SO loud! sometimes he would just scream- oh dear.

when we took breakfast in to ryan, wesson just starts screaming to wake him up! it was hilarious! oh this kid loves his dad. you could tell he just knew it was dad's day! and we sure spoiled ryan good!

wesson sure spoiled ryan good! :)

the man at IFA told us not many dads are loved by a 10 month old like this.

ryan is the best dad ever.

he loves wesson and they have so much fun with each other.

that brad paisely song if he is anything like me, was written for my boys!

and it is so true- he'll be alright if he turns out like his dad!

wesson & i are both so lucky to have him!

(and i love this picture of wesson!)

A day that will live in infamy... (and a sneak peek!)

our little boy.

our baby.

almost 9 months old.

just as sweet as can be.

has become a monster.

you see...

our little precious angel

GOT HIS FIRST TOOTH!

oh my we have been ready for this little stinker for so long. we thought he would make his grand appearance awhile ago. but he took his sweet time, torturing our little man in the meantime! well today he debuted in all his pearly white glory...

we welcome him...and his (insert # of teeth here) friends

in the mean time our little boy has taken two naps both over 3 hrs long...

poor guy.

productive mom.

and for those who will not be receiving an easter gift from Wesson..

here is a sneak peek at what the others are getting

(that sounds mean, it is only his grandparents and great grandparents...you aren't a loser)

thank you Sierra Hillstrom for the oh so beautiful pictures! check her out! (pretend there is a link here, i don't know how to do that)

because he grows up too fast...

..i can't keep up.

(or maybe i am watching too much Friday Night Lights on netflix!)

look at him sitting up on his own. it looks like he has a tooth...but that is just a cracker. oh i love these boys.

he rolls over (pictures to prove that later)

sits up on his own

"talks" like crazy

sleeps all night, naps twice (did i mention how much i love him!)

i love being a mom. full time right now! wesson is the best baby. and he is learning SO fast. more pictures soon..(after i get caught up on Friday Night Lights)

a special thanks to whoever spent their vacation spelling Weston with rocks...