The Jensen Family

Fun Family Day

2011-10-11T22:19:00.000-07:00

Monday was a fun family day we were all looking forward to. It's Joe's day off of work and Joleigh and Noelle were off of school too, for Columbus Day. So we made a plan to do something fun. Joleigh and Noelle made a list of what they wanted to do and we did it. First thing after breakfast, we loaded the girls' bikes in the van. Joleigh told us that she is the only one in her class that doesn't know how to ride a 2-wheel bike without training wheels (not sure if that's true), but we told her we would go practice. She also wanted to go buy a keychain for her backpack (apparently that is a very popular thing in the 1st grade). Well, after loading up the bikes we could not find the girls' bike helmets anywhere, so we headed to the store to get them new ones and while we were there Joleigh and Noelle got to pick out a keychain for their backpacks and we also got slap bracelets and some fang teeth. We are so fun...I know.

After the store, we decided to head up to the church. We knew there were lots of places to ride bikes and also play on the playground.

The girls have been asking for quite awhile to climb the mountain at the church, but it has been way too hot, so it was the perfect time to go yesterday. It was such a great time! We hiked the mountain and stopped along the way to pray together as a family. The girls were so excited when we got to the top and could see the view and the cross up close. On the way down we went into the empty tomb and Joleigh told us the whole story of Jesus dying on the cross and rising from the dead. It made me so happy and proud to hear her retelling it and then talking about one day getting to go to heaven because she believes in Jesus in her heart.

After our hike, we headed home for lunch and then nap time. We laid Naya and Jaelyn in their beds to sleep. Then Joe and I went to take a nap too, while Joleigh and Noelle had quiet time in their room. Next thing I knew both big girls crawled into bed with Joe and I to take a nap with us. Everyone fell asleep and took a great nap together.

Thinking back to our day just makes me smile. I just adore my family and treasure our special times together!

Sisters Having Fun

2011-10-05T10:11:00.000-07:00

Noelle had Clifford Day at school and made special dog ears and nose. Jaelyn really wanted to play too, so I decided to make her and Joleigh a matching set and couldn't resist making one for Naya too. They are so cute all dressed up and it was hilarious to watch them all crawl around pretending to be puppies together. Later that day, they got to have a ride with Daddy. We all have so much fun together!

My New Newer Haircut

2011-09-25T14:28:00.000-07:00

I have never been one to have long hair. In fact, if it starts touching my neck I immediately must cut it off. I think the last time I had really long hair was in junior high and freshman year, but it was permed and somewhat in style. Well, after my last haircut, I decided to let it grow out and see if I liked it. I have very thin hair, I have a lot of it, but it is still thin, so the longer it gets the more I am aware of just how thin it is. I discovered a fun way to curl my hair though and I loved how it looked and the fact that I could wear it for a couple days was a bonus too. I was happy with it a bit longer (for me), but was worried all the curling was damaging it AND I kept finding adorable pictures of short hairstyles so I decided it was time to cut it off.

So last weekend, I went to my fantastic hairstylist, Hannah (if you are looking for an amazing stylist, please let me know) and showed her what I was thinking. There were 2 pictures one was super short the other a little more cautious. So I went with the cautious look in case I wanted to grow it out sooner. So here is the before and the after.

So after a couple days of playing with and styling it a little, I knew that I wanted to go even shorter. I think I prepared myself for chopping it all of and it just wasn't short enough. I also wanted to add some highlights. So Thursday night, I got impatient and decided to have Joe help me pull my hair through the cap and I added the highlights, which we have done many times before. But Joe left before the highlights were done and I went in to check on them and thought they were done, but apparently they weren't because my hair was now this orangy caramel color. So first thing the next day I called Hannah and she was able to get me in and fix the hair color and while I was there she also cut my hair shorter. It is exactly what I wanted and I absolutely love it!!!

Our Little Staycation

2011-09-15T21:01:00.001-07:00

Our family just got back from a little overnight staycation at the Desert Ridge Mariott. My good friend had a timeshare there for the week and let us use a night of it to get away as a family and relax together. Joe was originally supposed to be gone for a trip, but at the last minute wasn't able to go, so fortunately for us, he had already cancelled his meetings for Thursday, so we took advantage of it.

We picked Joleigh up from school on Wednesday and we were off. We grabbed some dinner to eat at the hotel, then got in our suits, caught the shuttle and we hit the lazy river. The girls had so much fun in their tubes being pushed around the river. Even Naya seemed to love just relaxing with me in the inner tube.

Here the are all the girls on the first night, drying off and getting ready to head back to our room for popcorn and a movie before bedtime.

They were so cute...we explored the resort a little and they climbed up this rock and all posed for this picture.

The girls did great sleeping, even though there were six of us in a one bedroom room. We made it work. I had brought cinnamon rolls for breakfast, but somehow burned the bottoms of them. So, Joe and Noelle went and got us all yummy bagels. We had to lay Naya down for a quick morning nap and Joe took the girls to this awesome playground to play. When they got back everyone changed into their suits and we headed to the lazy river again.

Here we are waiting for the shuttle to pick us up.

We spent the morning floating on the river and going on the water slide. The girls had a blast and so did Joe and I creating more memories together.

This truly is the life...our life! I sometimes still can't believe that we have 4 daughters! But every opportunity I have to spend with them is such a gift that I will always treasure. It's the little things that make us appreciate everything that God has given us. These fun times away that make us happy to be home and getting to do the everyday things together.

Joleigh told me her favorite thing about our staycation was, "getting to be with my family." And the second things was, "everything!" I agree.

Fun Times

2011-09-15T20:57:00.001-07:00

I just wanted to share a few pics of my girls from the past couple weeks.

Noelle and Naya together.

Family Date Night at Mellow Mushroom

Jaelyn being Jaelyn.

Taking Noelle to preschool. They all love each other so much!

Noelle's 1st Day of her Last Year of Preschool

2011-08-22T09:45:00.000-07:00

Today was Noelle's first day of her last year of preschool. I can't even believe it! She was very excited to be back at Happy Apple Preschool. She couldn't wait to see her teachers, play on the playground, feed the animals, do her crafts, eat her snacks, see old and new friends, but especially be reunited with her best friend Lexi.

I make a point to mention her last year of preschool, because I had to explain this to her. She thought she already went to preschool and that she was going to go to kindergarten this year. She knew Joleigh went to kindergarten after she went to preschool, so it's been hard for her to understand. Also, she is more than ready for kindergarten. Academically she is excelling in every way, she is writing, recognizing sight words and even sounding out words as she is reading her books. I'm sure it helps having an older sister and working on everything Joleigh is doing. Unfortunately, she has a November birthday, so it wasn't an option to enroll her early. I'm going to continue to work at home with her and see where that leads.

I just adore my Noelle and was thinking of all the things that make her who she is. Here are some words that I would use to describe Noelle:

Funny- she loves to make people smile and make them happy
Smart- she continually blows me away by what she knows. She remembers everything!
Sassy- you just never know what she is going to say or do
Sweet- she makes everyone around her feel so special
Loving- she loves to cuddle, give squeezes and love everyone
Fancy- she is such a fashionista and definitely has her own style and specific opinion on what she will wear
Kind-she loves meeting new people and making new friends
Beautiful- both inside and out

Noelle doing her fancy pose.

She picked out her dress all by herself.

Noelle with her teacher, Ms. Lindy.

I am so proud of my girl!

Noelle's best friend, Lexi

My beautiful grown up girl

Jensen Family Fun Night

2011-08-20T10:26:00.000-07:00

Mike and Jeri came to visit this past week from Kansas. It had been over a year since they had been back to Phoenix. We were able to see them this past May, but we have missed them so much. The girls adore their Aunt Jeri and Uncle Mike and love getting to spend time with them and play. The entire family got together Tuesday night at Lucky Strike Bowling Alley downtown for a little Jensen family fun. It was great to enjoy each other's company, bowl a little and eat some yummy food. I love being a part of this family!

6 Months

2011-08-16T18:22:00.000-07:00

I wanted to spend some time sharing about my precious baby, Naya. She is incredible! She is the answer to our prayers and the perfect addition that has made our family complete. Naya is most definitely a Mama's girl, but lights up when Daddy and sisters are anywhere in sight. She has become a wonderful sleeper and thrives on being on her schedule.

I cannot even believe that it possible that she is already 7 months old! Naya is blowing me away by all her milestones and accomplishments. In fact her 6th month was jammed pack full of "firsts." Here are what this little lady can already do:

Eating solid foods. She loves to eat, especially squash, bananas and her rice crackers.

Waving. She uses her little waves to say "hi," to show us her excitement and also to tell us she wants something. It's adorable to see her little wrists moving like crazy.

Saying "dada" and "hi." She does lots of babbling, but these words are very clear. She has also said "ma" on 2 occasions, but I've been the only one to hear it, so I'm not sure if that counts.

Sitting up. This caught us by surprise! She has always been a pretty stiff baby and has enjoyed being propped up to sit and standing up. So when we let go to see if she could sit, we couldn't believe that she stayed. She looks too little to be sitting up already.
Clapping. Daddy and Naya have been practicing patty cake together and she started clapping on her own. It was so sweet to see her clapping her hands and getting so excited about it.

Getting ready to crawl. She will be crawling before we know it. She props herself up on all fours and moves back and forth. But in the mean time she just rolls everywhere she wants to go.

Everything is happening WAY too fast! I just want time to slow down, but Naya seems to be wanting to keep up with those big sisters of hers. I just want to hold and snuggle my baby for as long as I can. Fortunately, I can keep doing that for the rest of her life.

I also wanted to give a little update on Naya and her health issues we recently discovered. For those of you that don't know a little over a month ago we discovered that Naya had a serious kidney infection, so the doctors decided to run some tests, one of them being a VCUG. The VCUG revealed that she has Vesicoureteral (urinary) Reflux on both sides of her kidneys. Basically her ureters are bringing contaminated urine from the bladder back up into the kidneys. We met with the urologist and he said that there is a 30% chance that it will heal on it's own. So he wants to wait a year and have us come back every 4 months to do an ultrasound on her kidneys. They also put her on preventive antibiotics to keep away the infections. They will determine if surgery is necessary after a year if there is no change in her condition or if it has gotten worse. So far she has had 2 infections, but seems to be responding to the medication. We are praying, and asking for prayers, that it will heal on it's own and quickly and that there are no more infections.

This is Naya at her Urology appointment looking pretty cute

1st Day of 1st Grade

2011-08-15T22:15:00.001-07:00

I have to be honest, I have been dreading this day. It was not only Joleigh's day of 1st Grade, but her first day going to school full day. I guess I lucked out that last year I was only away from her during the mornings. I got so spoiled this summer, not only having Joe home for 2 months, but having all my girls home and to myself. This summer flew by and today was the day I had to send my girl back to school.

Last night, I was an emotional mess. I was reliving the past 6 years and wondering how they could possibly have flown by so fast. Joleigh is such a special girl and those that know her know just how thoughtful, loving and compassionate she is and I am having a hard time sharing her for most of the day.

Well...Joleigh was very excited about going back to school. We prayed last night for sweet dreams and lots of rest to get ready for the first day. When she woke at 6:30, I knew she was excited! We had pancakes for breakfast, her special request, and had her outfit all ready to go. She wanted to wear her hair long and curly. After dropping her little sisters off with our friends, Joe and I took our big girl to school. On the way she told us her tummy hurt a little and I knew she was nervous. As we started walking on campus, we could tell she was getting shy and very quiet. We went to her class and saw her teacher, Mrs. Kucik, waiting at the door to greet her. Joleigh smiled and was excited to go in and find her desk with her name tag on it and even had a special pencil there for her. Joe and I waited until the final bell rang and then kissed our girl good-bye. It was hard to leave her and I teared up for sure. I was so thankful to have Joe there to hold my hand.

The day went by pretty slow and I was definitely a little sad. Noelle and Jaelyn were missing their big sister too. Jaelyn kept asking, "Where's Joweigh?" After nap time we all couldn't wait to get in the van and go get her.

They let parents on campus for today only, so I was lucky enough to wait for her outside of her class. Joleigh and I saw each other through the window and she smiled and waved and my heart melted and I started crying. When the bell rang and the door opened she ran and hugged me so hard. She was smiling and told me what a good day she had and that she made some new friends, I was elated. Her favorite part of the day was music class and getting to play the drums. She can't wait to go back tomorrow. Just seeing how happy she was makes me so happy. I'm not ready to let her grow up, but unfortunately I don't have a choice, so I have to embrace this new stage of life for our family and continue to cherish every second of it!

Melanie

2011-08-15T20:39:00.000-07:00

Words cannot express how overjoyed I am to have been apart of baptizing my wonderful friend, Melanie Robb, yesterday, August 14th on her birthday. God is so good and I am so thankful that He brought her into my life and now we are forever bonded through Him! I love Melanie so much and she has been such an encouragement to me.

She has been such a great friend to me for the past seven years and I look forward to many, many more years of memories together.

Summer of Joe

2011-08-04T21:59:00.000-07:00

We just had an incredible summer! After working 11 years in ministry and 7 of them at Christ's Church of the Valley, Joe was able to take a 2 month sabbatical. We have been waiting for this for so long. I wanted to share some of the highlights of our family time together. We had so many special moments and were able to create some incredible memories together. This time was such a blessing to our family and helped give us a new outlook and perspective on the future. So here are some of my highlights, big and small, in no particular order:

Celebrating our 11 year anniversary

Spending the week at Coronado Island
Middle of the day hugs

Summer movies

Celebrating Ali's Birthday with facials and pedicures

Joe and I making lunches and dinners together

Swimming Lessons with Miss Trish

Playing at Desert Ridge
Family Game Nights

Joe getting breakfast for the girls almost every morning

Celebrating Father's Day

Lots of Girls' Nights Out

Getting to sleep in

Naya eating baby food

Having fun and being silly

Reading Time

Eating Out

Jaelyn in her big girl bed

Vacation Bible School

Naya saying her first words, "dada" and "hi"

4th of July

Swimming with the girls

Joleigh playing dress-up

Baking with Noelle

Joleigh and Noelle officially learning how to swim

Grandma Ryall's Birthday

Joe being home to hunt and remove the rodent living in our garage

Relaxing

Taking naps

Visiting other churches

Date nights

Weekly Massages at the Chiroprator

Making Homemade Ice Cream

Jena and Maddie's Baby Shower
The Spaghetti Factory with Uncle Justin and Aunt Candice

Jaelyn's prayer times

The Children's Museum

Halloween Parties

2010-10-30T12:11:00.000-07:00

I was lucky enough to get to go and be apart of both Noelle and Joleigh's Halloween parties at their schools. It was so much fun to get them all dressed up and to watch them have fun showing off and celebrating with their friends. I am starting to live for the girls fun activities. I look forward to them as much as they do and it makes me so happy to see them so happy.

Noelle's preschool party was on Thursday and Jaelyn got to participate as well.

Our little Sleeping Beauty

Tinkerbelle on the run

Some of her friends

Her Class

Noelle and her best friend, Lexi

Craft time

Snack time

Beautiful

Me and my girls

After the party at the preschool, we went to a nursing home. The students went trick or treating and performed a song for the residents. It was a really special time!

Joleigh had her party on Friday. My mom watches the little girls so I could go and help. It was so fun to be back in a kindergarten classroom again. The moms in the class organized the entire party and it was so much fun!

Our Little Mermaid

Joleigh went on a pumpkin hunt and found her special pumpkin.

Then she decorated it with her friends.

Her final masterpiece.

Mommy and Ariel

Joleigh with her teacher, Mrs. Hoelzen

Daddy surprised us and came to the party too.

Pregnancy Update

2010-10-26T11:02:00.001-07:00

I can't believe that in just a couple of days I will be 28 weeks and starting my 3rd trimester! The time has flown by. This by far has been the most difficult of all my pregnancies, at least physically. I was so sick for the first 15 weeks, then had a terrible head cold that I just couldn't get rid of. But as the time gets closer and my belly is growing, I am just so appreciative of this entire experience and the opportunity to be blessed with another child, another girl to add to our family. Joleigh and Noelle are getting so excited to meet their newest baby sister. We are not sure how Jaelyn is going to react though. She is definitely the baby of this family and quite spoiled. She is also my only mommy's girl, so it might be difficult to share, but I think she will love being a big sister.

There is so much going on, with Halloween, Noelle's birthday, Thanksgiving, Joe's brother's wedding and Christmas, that January 20th is going to be here before we know it, and she will probably for here before that, so we are attempting to get all the preparations done well in advance to be ready for her arrival. We have finally decided on a name and are very excited about it. Joe got to be the one to come up with the first name and make the final decision, so I think that will be such a special bond between them. We decided on another "N" name, so that at least narrowed our choices and we wanted a family name for her middle name. So our baby girl's name is Naya Lorraine (after my Granny). I love it and think it's beautiful! I just can't wait to meet her.

We have our 3D ultrasound next week, so it will be fun to get a little sneak peak. I hope she cooperates.

Well, here is a quick glance at my growing baby belly and the rest of me for that matter. The belly is my favorite part and I am savoring every movement and moment of it, since this will be the last time I get to experience this.

15 weeks

19 weeks

21 weeks

24 weeks

27 weeks

Fun Recent Pics

2010-10-26T10:32:00.000-07:00

Here's a quick glance of some of the fun we've been having lately.

Snuggling Sisters

Joleigh playing soccer

Sweet Jaelyn

Joe and I at a friend's wedding

Watching Beauty and the Beast for the 1st time

Family Date Night

Little Look Alikes

Being silly

Joleigh's growing up too fast

Noelle's Black and Orange Day

Tea Party Time

2010-10-25T10:11:00.001-07:00

It has been a long week. Joe was gone this past weekend, visiting some churches in Oklahoma and Texas, then when he got back he was busy all week getting ready for a new series and set change at church. I knew to expect long hours, but the girls were really missing him. So Saturday night, after baths and pj's, I asked the girls to clean up their room, because Daddy would be home soon. I didn't check on them for a while and when I did I found they had set up entire tea party, complete with them and their teddy bears dressed up for the occasion and a table set for me and for Daddy. They were so proud and so excited to surprise Daddy when he got home.

We had so much fun! I just love watching Joe with his girls!

My Fun Day

2010-10-24T09:19:00.000-07:00

I had been looking forward to this past Thursday for awhile. First of all, I was so excited to help volunteer in Noelle's preschool class. I have been wanting to do this for a long time, but it is so hard to coordinate child care for everyone. My good friend, Tricia, watched Jaelyn for me so I could enjoy the morning at Happy Apple Preschool. I loved being back in a classroom, helping out the teachers, interacting with the kids and meeting all of Noelle's friends a little better. We painted some pumpkins and also made Dr. Seuss hats. It was just a fun day and I look forward to hopefully getting to help again soon.

Noelle with her best friend, Lexi

Then later in the day after nap time, I got ready to go out for a night of fun and pampering. My mom watched the girls for me and I headed to the nail salon. Every year the wonderful Elder's wives of CCV plan an event for the Pastor's wives. This year they spoiled us with pedicures and manicures. It was awesome! They had yummy treats and drinks for us, as well as special gifts and a letter from our husbands. I got to enjoy some time without my kids and socialize with some truly amazing ladies. After getting my toes painted pretty, I had dinner with some of my good friends, Jobey, Megan and Kim and then Megan and I went and got some yogurt. I didn't have to watch the clock, but just enjoyed myself. It was perfect! I can't thank the Elder's wives enough for all the thoughtfulness and preparation that went into such a fabulous event!

Pumpkin Patch

2010-10-19T16:10:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I've blogged, but I thought this would be as good a time to start back up as any. Noelle's Happy Apple Preschool class went on a field trip to Tolmachoff Farms today. We love to take the girls every year, and since Jaelyn, Joe and I were going to go with Noelle, we decided to let Joleigh miss a day of school and make it a family field trip too. We had so much fun! Definitely the best field trip we have done so far.

The tour started off getting to pick some cucumbers and zucchinis.

Then going through the corn maze.

Petting some animals.

Waiting to ride the train.

We all had such a fun day together!

For some reason it won't let me upload more photos from our day, but I will try again later. It's good to be back blogging. I hope I can stick to it.

Summer Recap - May

2010-08-07T08:25:00.000-07:00

I am so far behind and have been overwhelmed to catch up, so here is my attempt to recap our summer a month at a time and then move forward. So many fun and exciting things have happened to the Jensen family so here it all is in a glimpse.

Joleigh's Preschool Graduation

Our oldest girl is ready for kindergarten. The time at Happy Apple Preschool has flown by! We have seen so many fun changes in Joleigh as she has been learning and growing in so many ways. It's so hard to believe that we are all starting this new chapter, but we are so proud of our girl.

Surprise! We found out we were pregnant!
Joe and I got the best surprise on May, 22, a new little Jensen was coming. We couldn't be any happier to welcome another member to our family sometime in January. My due date is January 20th, but I am usually induced about 10 days early.

Jeri and Mike Sullivant's Wedding
Joe's little sister, Jeri, got married to a wonderful man, Mike, on May 28. The are such a wonderful couple and our family was so excited to be a part of their special day. I was a bridesmaid, Joleigh and Noelle were the most adorable flower girls and Joe walked Jeri down part of the aisle and then officiated the ceremony. It was so special! I had so much fun the week before at the Bachelorette party, the rehearsal, getting ready and the actual wedding itself. I am so thankful for Jeri and for the privilege of knowing her for the past 13 years, watching her grow into such an incredible woman of faith, strength and beauty. And know she has a husband who adores her. I can't wait to watch and see all the bright things their future holds.

Daddy Daughter Dance

2010-02-19T08:33:00.000-08:00

This is something both Joe and the girls look forward to every year. Last year, they didn't get to go because I was in the hospital having Jaelyn, so they were that much more excited to go this year. Joe decided he wanted to take each girl on a separate night to have some one on one time. Noelle was supposed to go on Wednesday night, however we discovered she had pink eye that afternoon. The doctor phoned in a prescription and we were able to start the drops right away so she could go the next night with Joleigh and Daddy.

Joe picked out and bought the girls their beautiful dresses and matching shoes. I think it made the night that much more special to have a gift from their Daddy, plus he did a really good job! Joleigh and Noelle are very much girly girls, so the process of curling their hair and putting on a little make-up was very exciting for them.

Joe took some great pictures at the event, as they ate dinner, dessert and danced the night away.

They also got to see and spend some time with their friends.

They concluded the night with some Starbucks and came home with the biggest smiles on their faces and could wait to tell me all about it.

This s such a special night and I am grateful that they have this opportunity! I couldn't have asked for a better daddy to my daughters!

Valentine's Day

2010-02-16T08:32:00.000-08:00

Our Valentine's Day celebrating started on Thursday, as we got ready for Joleigh's preschool party, making handmade Valentines for her classmates and homemade heart sugar cookies. Then Friday morning, Joleigh, Noelle and I (Jaelyn was with my mom) headed to school for her party. Joleigh was so excited to pass out her cards. I stayed and helped with the party getting the crafts ready and helping the the kids decorate their cookies. Noelle was my helper for the the day. After the party, we met my mom and Jaelyn at Chipotle for lunch.

I love buying the girls matching holiday shirts, I think they look so cute!

Joe took the weekend off, so we went to a different church on Sunday morning. After we got home, Joe fed the girls lunch and put them down for a nap, while I went shopping with my mom. We went to the Anthem outlets and Norterra. I found some incredible deals! I was really wanting to find some new jeans, and by the end of the day I found 4 pairs of jeans, a black pair of pants, 4 shirts, flip flops and gifts for Joe and the girls. It was awesome!

When I got home, I gave the girls their new matching outfits and we got ready for our family Valentine's day date. We went to Mellow Mushroom, this yummy pizza place, and then went to Barnes and Noble. I l just love being with my family and getting to spend time together. Valentine's Day is just another day to remind me how much I love and adore my husband and these beautiful children of ours.

My Birthday Day

2010-02-16T08:10:00.000-08:00

After such a fun night, Joe and I got to sleep in, which was awesome and definitely needed. My parents came to the party, and then took the girls back with them to spend the night. Joleigh had a soccer game, so we picked her up in time to get ready, grab some Hot Bagel for lunch and make it to the field. Joe's family met us there to cheer on Joleigh, it's so cute that she is has her own cheering section. We then went home and everyone took a long nap.

There was so much delicious food left over from the party, Joe catered in Tagliani's Italian Restaurant, so we decided to bring it over to my parents for dinner. We ate a ton, hung out for a bit, got the girls ready for bed, then left them with my parents and went out for a date night.

Joe and I went to Desert Ridge for some shopping and went and saw the movie, Valentine's Day. We had such a great time together just the two of us.

I had the best birthday this year, an amazing party followed by a relaxing day with my family. Again, I am reminded just how great my life is!

30+1

2010-02-16T07:54:00.000-08:00

Last year I was so pregnant on my 30th birthday, so my wonderful husband decided to through me a surprise party to celebrate this year and called it my 30+1. He is truly the most thoughtful man! Joe sent out the evites, order all the food, got decorations, dessert and lied through his teeth, all to make this a special surprise for me. My great friend, Alison, helped Joe and hosted the party. It was so much fun to celebrate with my family and friends until late in the night. Thanks to everyone that came, I appreciate all of you so much!

Thanks Mom

2010-02-10T21:54:00.000-08:00

I have always had headaches. In fact I have been getting them more frequently lately. But on Saturday afternoon, I had a headache like I can't remember ever having. Normally they start in my neck, but this was in my sinuses and my jaw hurt so bad. I woke up with a fever and in pain so for the rest of the day I just sat on my couch and let my kids basically do whatever they wanted until Joe got home from church and then I went to bed early. When morning time came and my headache was still there, I started crying when Joe started getting ready for work. All I wanted to do was stay in bed all day and sleep. My sweet husband called my amazing mother, who came and picked up all three of my children and took them back to her house. As soon as the door closed I was back in bed with my sleep mask on and blankets over my head and slept more than I can remember sleeping in a very long time. I was able to rest in the peace and quiet, it doesn't get much better than that when you don't feel good. I eventually made my way over to my parents house to watch the Superbowl on the couch. So all of this to say I have a wonderful mother, who loves and still takes care of me. I am forever grateful to her and my dad for all they do for me and my family.

They make me smile

2010-02-10T20:00:00.000-08:00

Oh Noelle...part 2

2010-02-04T17:32:00.000-08:00

So, on Tuesday night after Joe put the girls to bed, I am in our room on the computer and hear Noelle come out and tell Daddy that "there is another booger in my nose." Joe does his thing, has her take her deep breath and blow a few times, and sure enough out comes another popcorn kernel out of the other nostril. I hear all of this from the other room and come running. The kernel had been up there for almost a week and a half. She had put a kernel up each nostril and when we asked her if there were anymore she says, "I think that is all, but maybe I put 4 up there." What!?! So we get the flashlight out and looked to see if we could find anything and didn't see anything. I called the doctor first thing Wednesday morning and got her in right away, just to make sure there wasn't anything else up there and to make sure there wasn't any infection. Everything was clear. The doctor said if she had put more up there then maybe they had moved up far enough for her to swallow them.

Noelle was so embarrassed yesterday at the doctors office and every time we tell anyone what happened. I hope she learned her lesson. It just can't believe that she had something up there that long and we didn't know. How scary! I'm just glad she is okay. I love her so much!

Bath Time Fun

2010-02-02T08:24:00.001-08:00

Up until now we have given Jaelyn her baths separate. But last night she got to have it with her big sister, Noelle. She was so excited! Playing and splashing with the biggest smile on her face. She had no idea what she was missing out on. Noelle just adores Jaelyn and loves playing and taking care of her baby sister, so she was equally excited too! I love moments like this!

Oh Noelle...

2010-01-30T08:27:00.000-08:00

I had to share this. Sorry no pictures. Earlier in the week, Noelle seemed really congested, having trouble breathing and sleeping. For three nights before bedtime she would come out of her room and tell us that she "can't get the booger out." So Joe or I would get the "booger sniffer" (that's what we call it) out and some saline nose drops and tried to get it out, but with no success. So finally on Wednesday night, we tried one last time. Joe got the flashlight out and said he could see something up there. So he showed Noelle how to take a deep breath and then blow out her nose, while he plugged the other nostril. After a few attempts, out pops what I thought was the biggest booger I have ever seen! Well, it wasn't a booger, but instead it was the biggest popcorn kernel I have ever seen! What is the world!?! She confessed that she had put it up her nose on Sunday while watching a movie at my parents. We weren't sure if it was just a giant kernel or if we had made it even bigger by putting the saline up there, either way I still can't believe she had it up there for 4 days! Well, she was pretty embarrassed and promised to never put anything up her nose again. Then, on Friday, we had another Family movie night. We even talked about the popcorn kernel incident. Then all of the sudden Noelle starts crying for Daddy because she had put one in her ear. Are you kidding me!?! Joe tilted her head and tapped it out. Oh man. It was such a frustrating, yet hilarious life learning lesson. Just glad she is ok.

11 months

2010-01-27T09:17:00.000-08:00

I am sitting here in disbelief as I am planning my baby's 1st birthday. How can it be almost a year already? The time has flown by since our sweet baby Jaelyn entered our lives and has brought nothing but joy and happiness. She is such a good baby! From the beginning she has been so content and so easy. She lights up when she sees her family or someone she recognizes. Everyone she spends time with has such a special relationship with her. I feel so blessed to have her as a part of our family. It's funny that with the first child, you anticipate every new stage and milestone with such excitement, but by the third child I dread them because I know that she is growing too fast and I won't get that time back. Jaelyn is crawling everywhere, getting into everything and will be walking and running before I know it. So as we get closer to her 1st birthday, I am reminded to enjoy every single second I have with all of my girls and be so thankful that I have the privilege of being home with them to enjoy it all.

Here are some pictures of all of the girls at 11 months. It is so fun to see the resemblance in all of them.

Joleigh

Noelle

Jaelyn

Snow Day

2010-01-26T08:47:00.000-08:00

Joleigh had Snow Day at her preschool. She has been looking forward to this for a while. Noelle and Jaelyn got to join in on the fun too. It was so cute to see her, her sisters and all her friends bundled up in their snow gear in almost 70 degree weather. We are hoping to take a trip up north soon, so they can have a real snow experience, but in the meantime they all had a blast!
Snowballs

Snow Angels

I had my own snow day too. On Sunday, I drove up to Williams with my good friend, Paula, for her sister, Beth's baby shower. I have known both Paula and Beth for many, many years now and it was great to get to spend some time with them and celebrate the upcoming birth of baby Jax. I was blown away by the amount of snow that I saw on my way driving, and even more snow once we arrived in Williams. I only stood in the snow long enough to take a couple pictures, it was freezing, but so beautiful to see.

Jamie's Wedding

2010-01-26T08:46:00.000-08:00

My sister, Jamie, got married on January 9th to Tim Weber. I was the matron of honor. The wedding day was a wonderful day. My sister was such a beautiful bride and I wish her and Tim a lifetime of happiness together! They got married at the Pointe Tapatillo at the top of the resort at A Different Pointe of View. It was an amazing location. We had such a fun time celebrating Jamie and Tim, as we danced the night away with our family. Here are some pictures of the rehearsal night and the wedding.

Playing together

2010-01-26T08:39:00.000-08:00

The girls are getting so big and having so much fun together. Jaelyn is crawling everywhere and wanting to be anywhere and everywhere her big sisters are. Here a few recent pictures of the girls having fun together.

Cooking in their matching aprons

Joleigh and Jaelyn playing with their new dollhouse

Sliding holding hands

All of them together

Christmas 2009

2010-01-26T08:38:00.000-08:00

As I look back over our Christmas, I smile. It was a very busy time for Joe, but we were able to create some fun family memories, and spend some quality time with people that we love. Unfortunately, the entire family got sick the week leading up to Christmas and still weren't 100%, but it was so much fun to see the joy that the holiday brings to our children. We went to church on Christmas Eve Eve, with my parents and my Granny. Then on Christmas Eve got dressed up and went to see Joe at church before heading to my Aunt and Uncle's to spend time with my parents, sister, aunts, uncles and cousins. Then later met up with Joe at his Dad's house to enjoy dessert with his family. Then on Christmas morning, the girls and Joe slept in, only because they were up at night not feeling well. So Jaelyn and I made breakfast and waited for them to get up. Finally it was time to open up stockings and then we surprised Joleigh and Noelle with new bikes. They were so excited! But it did make me laugh later in the day when someone asked them what they got and they both said, "lipgloss and Lifesavers." Too funny! Joe's brother, Josh, and their mom came over for lunch. And then Joe, the girls and I went over to my parents for dinner with my sister and her fiance. It was really a perfect day. I stress out about the holidays and the busyness that goes with it, but I was able to relax and enjoy my time with everyone. We celebrated with Joe's family: his dad, his dad's fiance, brothers and sister, on the 26th with dinner and more presents. It was nice to have another day to celebrate. I am so thankful for my husband, my children and the incredible family and friends we are blessed with. Happy Birthday Jesus, you are the reason we have all things to celebrate!

Highlights

2010-01-26T08:36:00.000-08:00

I have so much to catch up on, so instead here are just a few of the highlights from August through December in pictures.

Joleigh's First Day of School - August

Jaelyn started eating baby food - August

Girls Weekend - August

Family Vacation to San Diego - September

Sea World -September

Jaelyn and I visit Nikki in Palo Alto, CA - September

Joleigh starts playing soccer - September

Jaelyn sitting up - September

Fall Festival - October

Halloween - October

Noelle turns 3! - November

Joe and his siblings go to New York - November

Jamie's Bridal Shower - November

Thanksgiving - November

Night out with the girls - December

Feed My Starving Children - December

Decorating the Christmas Tree - December

Jeri's Bridal Shower - December

Looking at Christmas Lights - December

It's Been Awhile

2010-01-26T08:35:00.000-08:00

It has been so long since I have posted. Every time I sit down to write something, I am overwhelmed by how long it has been and how much we have been doing that I decide not to update. But I have missed my blog and just being able to look back at our life in words and pictures. So I am back and will slowly catch up or just start from here. Our year is off to a great start and this is such a good way for me to catch all the highlights. So here we go!

Prescott Trip

2009-08-12T21:33:00.000-07:00

Joe, the girls and I headed up to Prescott this past Friday for a quick day trip. Our friends, Brittany and Dustin have been working up there at United Christian Youth Camp for the summer. We have been meaning to go up there and visit all summer long, but hadn't yet. So we loaded up the girls in the van and were prepared with lots of movies and snacks and were on our way. We met Brittany and Dustin in town and had lunch, then went to the camp. The girls had so much fun. We hung out at the cabin, went to the pool, played in the rec. room and went exploring. The weather was beautiful, it was so nice to be able to be outside and relax. Before heading back to Phoenix, we went to the town square to play and then ate dinner. We were all exhausted, but so thankful for a quick trip out of town.

Katie's Wedding

2009-08-12T15:24:00.000-07:00

Katie Crum is now a Jensen, no relation to us, but still pretty cool that she is now Mrs. Jensen, like me. Katie is a former student of ours from the youth group at Glendale Christian Church. I was trying to remember, and I think we met her when she was in 6th grade, so needless to say I was and am starting to feel old. Katie is an amazing girl and it has been such a privilege and joy to be in her life over the years and watch her grow into an amazing woman of God. She decided to go to Manhattan Christian College, where Joe and I went, and that is where she met her new husband, Curtis. Katie is also sisters with Brittany, who is one of my best friends, so it was so fun to celebrate Katie and Curtis and also get to spend time with Brittany and her family. It was a great night out for Joe and I. We had so much fun! Congratulations Katie and Curtis!!!

Jaelyn 5 months

2009-08-11T22:34:00.000-07:00

Our precious girl is almost 6 months, so I wanted to share some pictures and highlights of her 5th month. Jaelyn continues to amaze us and is starting to put on a little weight. We started cereal this month and she seems to finally be getting the hang of it and actually liking it. She is rolling all over the place, which is good during wake time, but she hates when she rolls over in her crib. We know if she is crying then that is why. I think she will be sitting up soon, she tries, but has such a long torso that it makes it a little bit more difficult. She is still the happiest, smiliest, most content baby and she are just enjoying every single second with her.

Joleigh's 1st Dentist Experience

2009-08-11T22:28:00.001-07:00

So I finally brought Joleigh to see the dentist. I'm not sure why it took me so long to bring her, but I'm glad that I finally did. I was nervous, not knowing how she would react, but she did great! I found a pediatric dentist nearby that a friend recommended. I loved the entire experience, the office and the staff, but more importantly Joleigh did too and can't wait to go back. Let's keep our fingers crossed that she always feels this way.

Aunt Jeri

2009-08-11T22:16:00.000-07:00

We had so much fun this summer with Aunt Jeri and her new fiance Mike. Jeri, Joe's little sister, was home for the summer doing an internship and CCV in the children's area. She was pretty busy working and planning for her wedding, but we were able to spend some quality time with her. The girls couldn't get enough of her and Mike and hanging out with them. They loved reading books, playing hide-n-seek, singing songs and showing them how fast they could run. I so thankful that they were able to create some great memories this summer, especially since Jeri and Mike are away at school all year, and we look forward to the next time we get to see them.

Best Friends and Sisters

2009-08-11T21:58:00.000-07:00

The summer has come and gone and I don't know where it went. We stayed so busy, not exactly sure doing what, but we had fun trying to stay cool. Looking back at the pictures from this past month I came across some great ones of Joleigh and Noelle. They have so much fun together and really know how to make each other laugh and how to pass the time together. I know I have said it before but I am so thankful for their friendship and how much they love each other!

Happy Birthday Mom

2009-07-22T22:05:00.000-07:00

We have started a tradition, the girls and I, to bake cookies for my mom's birthday and "surprise" her at work to give them to her. I guess it's not much of a surprise if she knows we are coming but the girls like to think we are being sneaky, plus my mom loves to show off her grandbabies to her friends at work. So we woke up early to bake some yummy peanut butter cookies and decorate pictures, then headed to see her. We had a great time visiting and meeting everyone, then took her to lunch. We ended up going over to my parents house later for dinner, dessert and presents.

I love my mom so much and appreciate her more than she will ever know. She is the best mother and friend to me and the most amazing grandma to my girls. They absolutely adore their Grandma Ryall!!! We are so thankful that we got to share her special day with her and hope it was as wonderful as she is to all of us!

Growing Girls...well kind of

2009-07-14T15:25:00.000-07:00

We took Joleigh and Jaelyn last week for there well checks at the doctor. A few weeks ago i was at a play date with some friends and they started talking about their daughters 4 year check up and how their girls reacted to the shots. As I was listening I realized that I completely forgot to bring Joleigh for hers. Since she turned 4 in April, I immediately called the doctor to get her in and had to reschedule Jaelyn's 4 month appointment to get them in together. So both girls were overdue for their check-ups but we got them nonetheless.

Joleigh went first and was actually excited to see her doctor, Dr. Kennedy. She weighed in at 33.2 lbs. (29th percentile) and 39.5 in. (36th percentile), so she is our little lady. She had fun getting her eyes checked, by telling them all the pictures on the wall and even willingly went with the male nurse to get her hearing checked, and she passed both exams, which was good. Then came time for her shots. She was really brave. The nurse told her that it was going to pinch a little, so she now calls her shots her "little pinches." She did great only crying a little, while Daddy held her and then calmed down when they offered her a lollipop. She reassured us all that her "little pinches" would feel all better tomorrow. She's so great!

Noelle was so funny, because she had to do everything that Joleigh did. She was weighed, measured, the doctor gave her a quick look in her ears and mouth, and then wanted band-aids on her legs and a lollipop. I'm sure she was relieved not to have the actual shots.

The doctor then examined Jaelyn. We found out what we already knew, that we have a very tall and very skinny little baby. She is 25.5 in. long (77th percentile), but only 13 lbs. (20th percentile). This concerned the doctor a little, because she has always measured long but dropped from the 50th down to the 20th percentile. I am still nursing her every three hours, so I need to continue this. I just hope I am producing enough for her, but she is never fussy and sleeps really well, so I think that I am. I also must start her on foods right away. This is new for us, not having to implement food for the two older girls until closer to 6 months.

So we started Jaelyn on rice cereal right away, unfortunately she wants nothing to do with it, but sure looks adorable trying. Hopefully she will catch on soon and put on some weight before her next check-up. Here's our sweet Jaelyn trying her rice cereal for the first time. She is so cute!!!

Our 4th of July

2009-07-05T19:02:00.000-07:00

For the most part our 4th of July was pretty uneventful. Just a typical Saturday at home. Joe had to work, so the girls and I got dressed up in our red, white and blue and headed to church to meet him for dinner. We got there a little early and it was so HOT, so Joleigh, Noelle and I treated ourselves to a yummy smoothie to cool off. Then we had cheeseburgers, chips and watermelon for dinner.

After church we headed to our usual fireworks spot. We have been going there for the past few years, ever since we lived in the apartments off of 71st and Bell. There is a great spot to set up chairs and watch the fireworks from from the Peoria Sports Complex, but the best part is avoiding traffic afterwards. We loaded up our drinks, snacks and spray bottles to stay cool. Joe's brothers, Josh and Justin, his sister, Jeri and Jeri's fiance, Mike met us there. We weren't sure how the girls were going to react. In years past Joleigh has been scared of the fireworks, mainly the noise, and we waited only to be in the van during the actual fireworks show. But we were excited to see their reactions, plus it was Jaelyn's first 4th of July, so we had to go. We had so much fun while we waited playing with glow sticks, spraying each other with water bottles and just enjoying our family. When they started the girls were in their own seats, but Joleigh quickly moved to Daddy's lap and Noelle chose to sit with Mike and then later Uncle Joshy.

Some direct quotes: Joleigh-"Daddy they are so large and big." and "You're right, Dad, they do sound like popcorn." Noelle-"They're beautiful." "And sparkly." And then she repeated every color as they exploded.

We had so much fun and created some great memories. Jaelyn was such a trooper and stayed up way past bedtime. We are still adjusting today from getting to bed too late, but it was so worth it, when they woke up this morning asking to go to fireworks again tonight.

Children's Museum

2009-07-01T08:35:00.000-07:00

I took the girls, by MYSELF, to the Children's Museum this week. Last time we were there we had such a wonderful time that we decided to get the annual membership. I was looking forward to going back, but was a little nervous to take all three girls without Joe's help. But I decided I should try it. The girls were GREAT!!! They listened so well and we were really able to enjoy our time there. We arrived at 10:00 am, played for an hour and half, then ate the picnic lunch we brought, then finished our time in the arts and crafts area and finally banged on the drums and rode bikes, leaving at 1:00 pm. When it was time to leave they said, "Ok Mom." I was so pleasantly surprised and proud that I could manage all of them so easily. So now I am brave and we plan to go back again very soon.

Family Date

2009-06-29T08:19:00.000-07:00

I love family date nights and the girls get so excited when we call it that. It felt like we hadn't had one in awhile, so we decided to make it a cheap, but fun one.

First, we went to In-n-Out Burger. Mmmmm. So good! The girls looked adorable in their hats and they gots stickers which kept them very entertained. After gobbling down our cheeseburgers and fries, Daddy surprised them with yummy milkshake. They love their "treats."

After that, we went to Barnes and Noble. This has become one of our favorite places to go. The girls love looking at the books, sitting in the chairs and performing on the stage. They could probably spend all day there. So we had fun relaxing, reading together and being entertained with their "talent show." Such a fun family night!!! I look forward to the next one.

Already 4 months

2009-06-25T12:38:00.001-07:00

I can't believe that my sweet little Jaelyn is already 4 months!!! Time is going by too fast with her. She is so wonderful and I feel like I am constantly bragging about what a perfect baby she is, but if you know her then you would have to agree. She is the happiest most content child. Being the third, has meant she has had to adapt to whatever we have going on, making a consistent schedule nearly impossible. But she has adapted so well. She loves her wake time and being held, but also enjoys laying on the floor staring at everyone, playing with her toys or sisters and watching Baby Einstein. We think she is already starting to teeth, which I think is a lot earlier than both Joleigh and Noelle, because she is drooling constantly. Jaelyn has already started rolling over, more from her tummy to her back, but I have gone to get her up from her nap twice and she has been on her tummy.
We go next week for her 4 month check-up, so I'm not sure what her stats are but she is still very tiny. Her 0-3 month clothes still fit and in some outfits are a little big. She is just really long and skinny, like her sister Noelle (not sure where they get that Joe and I are not exactly tall or skinny).
I love her!!! I'm, a little obsessed with her. She is constantly smiling and laughing, which makes me constantly smiling and laughing in her presence. i just want to hug and kiss and squeeze her all day long! As you can tell from the pictures we are all loving on her.

Questions about Daddy

2009-06-22T10:27:00.000-07:00

I saw this on a friend's blog and thought it would be cute to ask the girls questions about their daddy. I might make this a Father's Day tradition so we can see how their answers change year after year.

How old is Daddy?
Joleigh-10
Noelle-4

How tall is Daddy?
J-Pointed up to the ceiling
N-Big

What is Daddy's favorite thing to eat?
J-Noodles with sauce
N-Corn

What is Daddy's favorite thing to do?
J-Go to Old McDonalds (aka McDonalds) for breakfast
N-Sing Songs

What is Daddy's job?
J-Work at his office
N-Work

What does Daddy love most?
J-Us
N-Me

What makes Daddy happy?
J-Giving him a hug and kiss
N-When I sing Twinkle Twinkle

What makes Daddy sad?
J-When we don't give a hug and kiss
N-When I'm not a good listener

Where does Daddy like to go?
J-On a trip to Sea World
N-Cabin Coffee

What is your favorite thing to do with Daddy?
J-See Up (the movie)
N-Go for walks

What is Daddy good at?
J-Painting
N-Reading books

What does Daddy always say to you?
J-Be a good listener
N-I love you

***Their responses were priceless!!! I was so surprised at how well Noelle answered them. So cute!!! They really love their Daddy!!!

Happy Daddy Day!!!

2009-06-22T08:03:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Father's Day and the girls and I were so excited to celebrate their Daddy! This week we made Joe his present. I tried to be creative and really wanted the girls to make him their gift. So we got the idea, from friends, to paint rocks and use the phrase "Our Dad Rocks," but then I thought it would be cute to make the rocks smaller and glue them to a picture frame, since I am obsessed with pictures. It ended up being so much fun to do with the girls! They love projects and they did such a good job! Here they all are working hard and then the finished project.

I also made him a photo book of pictures of him with the girls over the past year. It has kind of been a Father's Day tradition to make him some sort of memory book of ALL the pictures I have taken of just him with his girls. It will be so fun to look back over the years and see all of the memories he has created with them, starting at such a young age.

The girls were especially loving their Daddy all week. He came home on Thursday and they didn't want to leave his side. So I had my camera ready.

Father's Day was actually a pretty busy day for us. After waking up a little late, Joleigh and Noelle gave Joe his presents and spent a little extra time snuggling with him before he had to go to church. The girls and I spent the morning getting ready for the day, then went to church ourselves. Afterward, we had lunch with Joe's dad and the rest of his family. Then, went to celebrate with my dad and family for dinner. The two older girls didn't get a nap, so that made for an eventful day. Holidays are always a long day for us, but we are so thankful to have both our families here and that we get to celebrate with all of the people that we love!

I am so grateful for my father and the dad and grandpa he is to me and my girls! I know how much I am loved and I hope he knows how much I love him!!!

Words can not describe how thankful I am for the man that I married and the father to my children. I look at the way he interacts with his daughters and I just know how much joy they bring to his life and how much they adore and admire him.

So happy Father's Day to my daddy and the most amazing daddy to my three little girls!!! I love you both so much!!!

Girls Weekend

2009-06-16T23:21:00.000-07:00

I am so blessed, and this past weekend helped me to remember that, in so many ways. Right after I had Joleigh, over 4 years ago, I started meeting with a group of amazing women to study the Bible and help encourage one another. We were all young and married and all new parents. We met every Friday while all our babies would nap, 9 babies at the time. Over the years we have tried to meet together, but have since had many more children, 21 altogether now, and it has become more difficult to see each other on a regular basis. So we decided it was time for a reunion and a getaway trip. I can't even begin to describe how truly amazing it is to have Christian women in my life who love me, encourage me, pray for me and want only the best for me and my family. It is indescribable!

We were all able to get away to Payson, to stay at my friend's family cabin for the weekend. It was nice to have this time to look forward to. I did bring Jaelyn with me, but she was so perfect that we almost forgot she was there, which was nice. We spent the weekend, catching up with each other and all that has been going on in our lives. It always amazes me that you can have a group of women, with no tv or agenda and the hours just pass by talking and laughing. We ate, played games and just hung out together. What could be better!?!?

I love these women and am a better person because of all of them. I look forward to watching our friendships grow in the future.

Ali's 30th Birthday

2009-06-12T23:08:00.000-07:00

This past week I got to relive my childhood. My great friend, Ali, celebrated her 30th birthday and decided to have a '80's themed party at Great Skate. I spent a lot of time at Great Skate growing up and haven't been back there in years. We also had so much fun shopping and finding our outfits, remembering and reliving some of the crazy things we used to wear, thinking we were pretty cool. I had a blast getting ready, teasing my hair and using lots of hairspray on my bangs, especially. Once we arrived, memories started flooding of my junior high years and how much fun I had. We skated to songs from the 80's and had the best time! I think I had a smile on the entire time. It was great to see old friends and just celebrate Ali and the amazing person she is!!! It stinks getting older, but not so bad when you can have a some fun remembering your past. Happy Birthday Ali!!! I had so much fun!!!

Girly Girl

2009-06-08T22:54:00.000-07:00

Joleigh was so excited to go to her friend, Audrey's birthday party at Girly Girlz. Joleigh and Audrey go to preschool together and have become good friends. Joleigh and I weren't sure what to expect but knew she was going to get her hair, maek-up and nails done. Girly Girlz is such a cute place. They have a boutique in the front of the store and then their salon is in the back. Once all the girls arrived the stylists brought them all to the back and explained all the different hair styles they could choose. There was princess, rock star, hulu girl, but my little girl wanted to be a cowgirl. I asked her is she was sure and she was positive. I could have sworn she would have chosen the princess look, especially since almost every other girl chose that style. But was eventually pleasantly surprised that Joleigh chose something different than everyone and LOVED her choice. Joleigh had such a great time getting pampered and playing with her friends. She tends to be on the shy side around a lot of people, but her personality really shined through, as she laughed, sang and danced with all her friends. I am so thankful that I got to be a part of this experience with her. Happy Birthday Audrey! Thanks for letting us share such a fun day with you!

Our 9 Year Anniversary

2009-06-05T22:40:00.000-07:00

On June 3, Joe and I celebrated our 9 year anniversary. We decided we wanted a night away, so we waited until the 4th and 5th to stay in town and go to the Biltmore resort and leave the girls with my parents. It was the first time we left Jaelyn, but were so thankful to leave them in such a great hands. We headed to the hotel in the early afternoon, so we could spend some time by the pool. It was so nice to relax, have a nice lunch, do some reading and just lay out. Afterward we took a short nap and then got ready to go to dinner. We went to one of our favorite places to eat Oreganos and enjoyed a yummy dinner. We then walked around the Biltmore area for a while, then stopped and got some cheesecake to go. We went to bed early and slept in late (or at least later than usual) which was wonderful!!! We then spent the next day shopping at IKEA, without kids, and found lots of fun things for the house.

I had the best time with my best friend. I feel so blessed and so honored to be married to such a wonderful man, father, and partner for life. We really bring out the best in each other and challenge each other to be better people. 9 years has gone by so fast and I can't wait for the MANY more years a head. I love you, Joe, and am so thankful for you and our time away together!!!

The Children's Museum

2009-05-29T22:25:00.000-07:00

We have been wanting to bring the girls to the Children's Museum for a while now. Having heard so many great things about it, our expectations were very high and when we arrived we were not disappointed. Joleigh and Noelle immediately began to play, while Joe and I stood back and just watched them have the time of their life! I was so thankful that Joe brought his camera so he could capture some pretty great moments. We decided to buy the year pass, so we can go back often. As a teacher I loved all of the creative elements that the girls could truly explore and engage in interactive learning. Their imaginations and creativity were definitely being used. Let us know if you plan on going we would love to see you there!

Let's Get Caught Up

2009-05-28T22:03:00.000-07:00

It has been such a long time since I have blogged to here is a recap of what we have been up to:
*We have been enjoying our summer so far. The girls have started their swim lessons, and after a kind of rough start both girls are doing great!!! We have also been enjoying the sun and the water with fun playdates and swimming at my parents' pool.

*Joe and I were invited to a Diamondbacks game, by his coworker Crystal and her husband, Blue. Our seats were in the CBS Suite. This was a first for us so we were excited to go. The suite was so nice! We were spoiled with drinks, hot dogs, chips, dips and an amazing chocolate cake. We had such a great afternoon, meeting new people, enjoying the game (even though we lost) and just having some time together.

*Jaelyn is continuing to grow and amaze us. She is the happiest, most content baby and we are so blessed to have her in our lives. She has recently discovered her fingers and has learned to soothe herself, which is great!!! It's pretty cute, she has no preference which fingers as long as she can suck them. We are not sure if she is already starting to teeth because she is chewing on everything and drooling like crazy.

*Just wanted to share this adorable picture of Joleigh and Noelle, in a moment where they were loving each other.

My Thoughtful Husband

2009-05-22T08:49:00.000-07:00

Joe demonstrated again this week just how wonderful and thoughtful he is. Quality time has been hard to come by with busy schedules lately, unfortunately its my love language. Joe realized this and decided to plan a SURPRISE night out for us on Tuesday. He is SO good at planning things and being sneaky. I told him he is only allowed to use this power for good. :) The only clue he gave me was that I was going to laugh and so was he. Up until Tuesday, I had no idea what we were doing and I couldn't have been more excited!!! I love spending one-on-one time with my Joe, it didn't matter what we did, but I couldn't wait to find out. So he came home around 4:30, the girls and I were all ready. We dropped them off at my parents. When we got back in the car, he told me our plans. He had got us tickets to go see Flight of the Conchords, these two hilarious guys from New Zealand that make up funny songs. We had dinner downtown and then went to Dodge Theatre for the show. We had so much fun and laughed so hard!!! Joe did very good job planning and surprising me!!!

I also have to share that he came home last night with beautiful sunflowers for me, just because. I love him so much and am so appreciative of his thoughtfulness, his unconditional love and our quality time together!!!

Happy Mothers Day

2009-05-14T15:25:00.000-07:00

I was pleasantly awoken to my husband and all three of my girls, each bringing me a white rose. Even Jaleyn had one in her hand. I wish I would of had my camera, because the picture would have been priceless. I got to open my cards and snuggle with my girls for a little bit, before Joe had to go to work.

My present was on Friday Joe stayed home with the girls and I got to go shopping and have dinner with my mom, just the two of us. We had so much fun and got so many great deals. I can't remember the last time that I got to spend time with my mom without the girls. We really enjoyed each other and our time together.

Joleigh woke up sick that morning so we made arrangements for my sister to come pick her up and bring her over to my mom's house, so that I could go to church and then have lunch with Joe's mom and brothers. We had a yummy lunch at Ahso and got to celebrate with Linda. Afterward we headed to my parents house to celebrate Mother's Day with my extended family, as well as celebrate my dad's birthday. It was a nice and relaxing evening eating, swimming (Joe and the girls, not me) and catching up with everyone. We were all exhausted by the time we got home.

The next morning my pampering continued. Joe let me go back to bed after feeding Jaelyn and sleep in. Then I went and had a massage, which I so needed. After lunch we all took a long nap. Then Joe took Joleigh and Noelle to the store so I could take a bath. So needless to say I had a wonderful and very relaxing Mother's Day and day after!

I feel so incredibly blessed to have such and amazing mother of my own. She is so supportive, encouraging and is one of the best friends I have ever had! I have the most beautiful and amazing little girls that make my life so complete and full of love. I love being a Mommy!

My Little Sickies

2009-05-13T18:58:00.000-07:00

I had recently been talking about how healthy the girls have been. I couldn't remember the last time either Joleigh or Noelle was sick. Well that all changed this past week. Last Sunday, Noelle started getting a cough and went to bed with a slight fever. Then in the middle of the night Joleigh woke up screaming that her stomach was hurting her. Joe had the day off and thought we needed to get both girls into the doctor right away. Well we found out Joleigh had strep throat and Noelle had some kind of virus, possibly croup. Noelle then started to break out in hives everywhere, so I had to take her back to the doctors Tuesday only to be told she had some kind of virus and there was nothing they could do. Needless to say we spent most of the week at home resting and getting better. Joleigh stayed home from preschool on Tuesday, it was the only day she missed the entire school year. The week was very long, but I am so thankful that they are feeling better and that Jaelyn, Joe or I didn't catch anything. Here are some pictures of my sick little girls.

Joleigh's Friend Party

2009-05-13T18:46:00.000-07:00

For Joleigh's friend birthday party, we combined it with her best friend, Kyla, who was born the day before her. Kyla and Joleigh go to preschool together and have many of the same friends, so we thought it would be fun to have their parties together. Joleigh and Kyla are good friends and Joe and I are good friends with her parents, Dustin and Megan. Megan and I planned the party together and invited about a dozen or so friends and their families. We started the day at Oasis Gym, where they had an open-gym time for preschool age kids to have free reign of most of their equipment. The kids had the BEST time, running on the mats, jumping on the trampolines, balancing on the beams and Joleigh's favorite thing was jumping into a giant pit filled with foam pieces. We were there for an hour, then everyone met at Chick-fil-a for lunch, presents, more playing and cake. It was a prefect day for Joleigh and Kyla and we all got to celebrate them tunring 4 and just how special they both are!!!

My 4 Year Old Girl

2009-04-27T20:47:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we celebrated Joleigh's 4th birthday. I'm still in disbelief that it is possible that she is in fact 4 years old. It is scaring me how fast time is flying by. We had a great day! She has been counting down the days. I started the day early by going to the grocery store to get her birthday breakfast request, blueberry bagels and pink strawberry milk. I also picked up few last minute gifts for her. I forgot that her only birthday present request was pencils, so I got her a pack of pencils, a sharpener and some notebooks. We also got her some play-dough, a tee ball set and ordered her an easel. When I got home I decorated her door with pink streamers. She was so cute waking up, she knew right away it was her special day and was in the BEST mood.

We have been telling Joleigh that she had to wait until she was 4 until she could chew gum. So I can't tell you how excited she was when Joe surprised her with a piece of gum. She was one happy girl!

We enjoyed our morning at home, and then got ready for her family birthday party. Joe and I decided to have her party at the church, outside under the covered area by the grass. It was perfect! Everyone ordered cheeseburgers from the grill and we brought cake. Funny story about the cake, Joleigh was very specific wanting a strawberry and blueberry cake. I wasn't quite sure how to make that but had some ideas. But I got super excited when I was at Costco earlier in the week and walked by a cream pie loaded with strawberries and blueberries. Joleigh approved and I was thrilled I did have to make one. Overall, I didn't have to do anything for this party but buy some plates, forks and candles. How great is that!?!
Joleigh had such a fun time celebrating with all most all of her family. She was so spoiled with art supplies, dress-up clothes, lots of fun toys and a TON of beautiful dresses.

I had a fantastic day celebrating my precious little Joleigh!!! I love her so much and thank God everyday for the privilege of having her in my life!

Sleeping soundly

2009-04-27T09:24:00.000-07:00

I hope I'm not jinxing it by writing about it, but little miss Jaelyn started sleeping through the night this week!!! For the past six nights she has slept 8-9 hours and then goes back to sleep for another 2 hours. Praise the Lord!!! I still can't believe it! I am starting to play some sort of catch up, but my body still isn't used to not waking up every 3 hours, so hopefully that will change soon. Jaelyn turned 2 months on the 20th. I can't believe how fast the time is going. We are just enjoying everyday, just now with a little more sleep!

The Girls

2009-04-24T22:56:00.000-07:00

I just love to take pictures of the girls whenever they are doing something cute. Here are some pictures that I took of them this week.

Getting ready for bedBig sistersBig smiles
Hanging out
Always hugging
Looking cute
Little diva
Joleigh at her field trip to Cold Stone

Joe's Birthday

2009-04-24T22:34:00.000-07:00

This month has been crazy busy for our family, actually just Joe's schedule. So I was looking forward to Joe's birthday and celebrating with him as a family. He took the day off, which was definitely needed. The girls and I started the day by serenading him in bed and giving him his birthday cards.
Then I took the girls to the grocery store to get bagels and juice for breakfast while Joe got to sleep in some more. I gave Joe free reign to plan the rest of the day, but all he wanted to do was stay home, relax and spend time with his girls. So that is exactly what we did. My mom was so sweet to offer to watch all three girls so we could go out just the two of us. We were both very excited, we haven't done that since the baby was born. When we dropped the girls off, my mom had birthday cupcakes to surprise Joe with. We sang to him again and he blew out his candles, with a little help.

Joe and I went to dinner at his favorite restaurant, Sakana, and had sushi. It was delicious!!! After dinner, the owner's wife, who knows Joe because he goes there so often, came out singing to him and brought him ice cream. He was pretty surprised.

Happy Birthday Joe!!! I hope you enjoyed your day!

Breathe...

2009-04-24T22:16:00.000-07:00

Breathe...that is exactly what I got a chance to do this past weekend. I was able to get away and go on the CCV Women's Retreat up in Williams, AZ. I went with my good friend, Melanie and I also brought Jaelyn with me. It was so nice to leave the day to day routine and stresses and just focus on myself. It's amazing how only having one child to take care of makes such a big difference. Jaelyn was absolutely amazing, she is such a good baby. The weather was beautiful, the scenery gorgeous, the speaker inspiring, the fellowship was so much fun and my time with God definitely challenged me and the areas in my life I need to hand over to HIm. We talked throughout the weekend about the voices that we tend to listen to (i.e. perfection, comparison, greed, regret, shame, etc.) and how these voices keep us from the peace God so desperately wants to give us. I felt renewed and refreshed when I left, but really felt overwhelmed when I came home. But this weekend helped me recognize all of the areas in my life that I hadn't even realized were struggles and now I am able to face them head on. I had a great time away and look forward to next year already.

Easter

2009-04-14T22:23:00.000-07:00

We had a really nice Easter day. Joe had to be at the church at 6:45 am, so we waited to give the girls their Easter baskets until later. I decided to hide their eggs around the living room so they could have some fun when they woke up. After that we had breakfast and then got ready for church. For those of you that know me, know I really like to dress the girls in matching outfits. I know this is going to be a difficult task with three now, but I found matching dresses for Joleigh and Noelle and found a coordinating color dress for Jaelyn. They looked adorable! The church service was incredible!!! Everyone involved in planning did such a great job and it paid off tremendously. The church was packed for the entire weekend. Overall, more than 23,000 people were in attendance. Isn't that amazing!?! God was truly glorified in the service, start to finish.
After church we went to Joe's dad's house for lunch. The girls enjoyed their Easter baskets filled with toys and candy and we were able to rest and relax, which was especially good for Joe who had been working so much in the past week to prepare for the Easter service.
We then went over to Joe's brothers' house to have dinner with their mom. She had more Easter gifts for the girls, which they loved! We played outside in the beautiful weather and had an official egg hunt. It was a really nice day with all of Joe's family.
Then on Monday night we celebrated with my family at my parent's house. We had dinner, hunted eggs and just caught up with everyone. It was a wonderful time!
Overall, it was a terrific holiday! We were able to enjoy all of God's amazing blessings, but most importantly remember our Lord and Savior, the sacrifice He made and HIs resurrection. What a Happy Easter!!!

Pre-Easter Festivities

2009-04-10T22:21:00.000-07:00

Wednesday night the girls and I went over to my mom and dad's for dinner and a little egg decorating. My mom had everything all ready: the eggs boiled, table cloth down, dye ready and stickers on hand. Joleigh and Noelle were beyond excited and couldn't wait to get started. This is the first year that we really have done this. I guess I just thought they were too young in years past, or maybe I was just too lazy. Anyway, we made eggs for everyone in our family, including Grandma, Grandpa and Aunt Jamie. We will be celebrating Easter with all of them, as well as my Granny, Papa and my brother's family on Monday night. It should be fun hiding our decorated eggs for the girls to find and just spending time together.

On Thursday, Joleigh had her preschool Easter party. I left Noelle and Jaelyn with my mom and got to go myself to Joleigh's school to watch her participate in her egg hunt. When I arrived the students were all lined up at the door ready to start the hunt. First they had to find the Easter Bunny hiding somewhere on the playground. After they found him, Joleigh gave him a high-5, but that was the extent of her contact with the bunny. I tried to get her to take a picture with him, but she would have nothing to do with it. Joleigh was so anxious to find her eggs. It was adorable to watch her find the eggs and immediately open them to see what was inside. Then she would hand them to me and find the next one. It was so nice just to have one-on-one time with her and just give her my undivided attention. We haven't had much since the baby was born. I'm looking forward to the upcoming weekend and making new memories with our family, as we celebrate Jesus and the sacrifice He made for each and every one of us.

First laugh

2009-04-07T09:19:00.000-07:00

We were so excited when Jaelyn showed us her first smile a couple weeks ago. I have been trying so hard to get it on camera, without any success. Then this morning after feeding her, I just started singing silly songs to her and clapping her hands and not only did she smile, but started laughing. It was absolutely adorable!!! Joe and the girls were still asleep. I couldn't wait to show them. So this is the picture Joe took of our little baby laughing at 6 weeks. It's already going too fast!!!

Girls Night Out

2009-04-05T09:00:00.000-07:00

My good friend Colleen called a couple weeks ago to let me know that she was coming for a visit. She recently moved to Buffalo, but her parents live here, so I get excited anytime I get to see her. I thought it would be fun to get some of her good friends together to surprise her for a night out and celebrate her 30th birthday, coming up on the 24th of April, a little early. Amy, Jill and I were all bridesmaids in her weeding and it has probably been that long since we were all together, so it was a night we were all looking forward to. After showing up at her parents' house to surprise her, we headed to Westgate, where we had appetizers and drinks at The Yardhouse. Afterwards we went to The Shout House, a piano bar. It was a lot of fun, not exactly what we were expecting though. It was pretty crude, vulgar and distasteful at times, but when they actually played the songs requested it was so fun singing along. We had a great time catching up and just being silly. I was the designated driver, so after I got everyone home safely, I finally arrived home around 2 am. I can't remember the last time I was out that late. The funny thing is that was the first night that Jaelyn slept from 9:00 pm to 4:00 am. If only I could have enjoyed it, but it was totally worth it!!! Thanks girls for an awesome night out!!!

Jaelyn's Newborn Pictures

2009-03-27T09:21:00.000-07:00

I just had to share the beautiful pictures that Joe took of our sweet baby Jaelyn. I can't believe how fast she has already grown from these, but am so thankful he was able to capture these precious memories we have of her.

Out and About

2009-03-23T20:54:00.000-07:00

Getting out of the house is something that I look forward to these days. I finally feel like I have it figured out, as far as managing all three girls at the same time. I just feel better when we are out and about, because when I'm home I just realize how tired I am and how much there is to do around house. So this past weekend, we decided to enjoy the beautiful weather. I took the girls up to the church on Saturday to play outside and have dinner with Daddy. We had such a great time playing with balls, frisbees, running around and just being silly. I feel like it has been way too long since I have actually been able to play with my kids. I have been either pregnant or recovering from being pregnant for what seems like forever!!! I'm starting to feel like my old self, now I'm just waiting to look like my old self, but I just need to be patient with that one.
I wanted to share just how I am been managing all three when we are out. Here is how we all ride around, in our sit-n-stand stroller. (Thanks Mom and Dad!!!)
And here is Jaelyn's special ride.
I LOVE the sling and so does she. She loves being snuggled and falls asleep almost every time. I will be sad when she is too big to fit, which won't be long. Thanks Melanie for letting us borrow your sling!

We are really enjoying baby Jaelyn! Joe and I can't believe she is already 1 month old. The time has flown by, but it is hard to remember life without her. She is such a sweet little baby. We are still working on the sleeping, but at least we are on a schedule, so we know what to expect. I can't tell you how much joy she has brought to all of our lives! Every single one of us has such a special relationship with her already! God is so great and I just have to praise Him for all of the blessings He continually gives to me and my family!

A Little Pampering

2009-03-18T20:26:00.000-07:00

My wonderful friend, Jena, who I have been friends with for more than 17 years, came over to spend some time with me and the girls. Jena is a teacher so she was on her Spring Break. She had a plan to pamper me while she was over and had Joleigh and Noelle join in as well. First, I needed to go to the grocery store so she stayed home with all three girls. I was so excited to get out of the house, by myself, and I thought I would only be gone for a short time. Well in that time Jena set up a day spa, changed a diaper blowout and painted both the girls toes.They were very excited!!!

When I returned the girls were dressed up in fancy dresses and they had the foot spa all ready to give me a pedicure. I got to sit back and relax, while Jena, Joleigh and Noelle took care of me.

I had such a wonderful day spending time with my girls, my friend, getting to relax and just be pampered. Thank you Jena, and thank you Joleigh and Noelle!

Family Time

2009-03-17T20:07:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to share some sweet pictures that we took the other night. We have been spending some quality family time together, mostly at home. You can see we are all adjusting really well to our new little family.

Questions for my 3 year old

2009-03-13T22:39:00.000-07:00

I saw this little survey and thought it would be fun to ask Joleigh, who is 3 years old and turns 4 on April 26th. It was too cute to hear what she thought.

Here's her answers:

1. What is something mom always says to you?
I love you

2. What makes mom happy?
When I pick up things

3. What makes mom sad?
When I touch your (her) things

4. How does your mom make you laugh?
Silly faces

5. What was your mom like as a child?
???

6. How old is your mom?
4 (because I can chew gum, which we told her she could have when she turns 4)

7. How tall is your mom?
Really tall

8. What is her favorite thing to do?
Hug and kiss

9. What does your mom do when you're not around?
Go get things

11. What is your mom really good at?
The computer and putting on shirts (not sure if that is my own shirts or helping with theirs???)

12. What is your mom not very good at?
Fixing things

13. What does your mom do for her job?
Take care of me

14. What is your mom's favorite food?
Spicy things

15. What makes you proud of your mom?
???

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
A doctor

17. What do you and your mom do together?
Dance and spin around fast

18. How are you and your mom the same?
We are girls

19. How are you and your mom different?
I look my dad

20. How do you know your mom loves you?
Kisses and say I love you

21. Where is your mom's favorite place to go?
To church

So far so good

2009-03-07T07:10:00.000-08:00

I haven't had a chance to update my blog, but a lot has been going on, kind of. Jaelyn turned 2 weeks yesterday. It's gone by fast and it's hard to remember life without her. The girls adore her, especially Noelle. We catch her reading books and singing songs to her baby sister and if Jaelyn is up, the Noelle is right next to her, saying "Jaelyn is so cute!" and "Mama, I love her." It's so precious! And Joleigh is the BEST helper. She will do anything for me and wants to help Jaelyn anyway she can. She especially likes the praise she gets, repeating that "I am a good helper."

Really, so far so good. Jaelyn is a great sleeper and eater ad pretty content. I am just trying to function on little sleep. It's hard to only get 2.5 hours max at a time, but hopefully not too much longer and she will be able to go a little longer. I'm trying not to complain too much, because this time goes so fast and I don't want to wish any time away from her and this amazing newborn stage. I could just hold her and stare for hours.

I have been taking pictures of all the girls so here is a glimpse of what our time the past couple weeks have been like. Joe and I make some pretty adorable kids, if I do say so myself!!!

Little Look Alikes

2009-02-26T10:18:00.000-08:00

Everyone wants to know or has their own opinion of who Jaelyn looks like. I just had to share some pictures of each of the girls during their week of life. It is unbelievable how much they all look alike at this stage.

Joleigh
Noelle
Jaelyn

Welcome Home

2009-02-24T12:01:00.000-08:00

We stayed in the hospital Friday, Saturday and came home on Sunday afternoon. Joe and I couldn't wait to bring Jaelyn to her new home and finally be reunited with Joleigh and Noelle. It felt like we were away from them for too long. We got discharged from the hospital around 4:30.

My parents had watched Joleigh and Noelle for us, so our plan was to have them bring the girls to our house and we would be waiting for them to arrive. It was so good to be home and have a few minutes to unpack before they arrived. I was so excited to see them and see their reaction to having Jaelyn home.

As you can see, both Joleigh and Noelle are in love with their new baby sister. They seem so proud to be holding her. They are so interested in her, but don't smother her, just giving her her space. All I can say is so far so good!!! I love my girls!!!

Happy "Birth" Day

2009-02-23T11:57:00.000-08:00

What a long day it was. We thought we were going to head to the hospital late Thursday night, but ended up getting called in at 1:00 am Friday morning when a bed was available. Joe and I were ready to go.

The girls stayed home with my sister, Jamie. We arrived, got settled into our room and began the induction process at 2:00 am. Everything was going fine, slow, but fine. We were waiting for my doctor to arrive, but he called and said to start the potocin, so I got my epideral around 8:30 am.

We waited patiently for my doctor to arrive, he thought he would be there around 10:00 am to break my water. He didn't end up making it until 3:00 pm. He had back to back deliveries and c-sections all morning. Needless to say I was getting a little impatient, but relieved when I saw him. Around 5:00 they checked and I was at an 8. Things were moving along pretty good, I thought. My doctor thought Jaelyn would make her arrival before 6:30, so I called my sister and had her bring the girls up to have dinner, so they could be the first to meet their new little sister. Joe's family had arrived and were patiently waiting.

So you can sense my disappoint when 6:30 rolled around and still no baby. I kind of went to a sad/depressed/angry/dark place around this time. I couldn't believe it was taking so long. I was sure that it wouldn't take as long as Noelle's labor and delivery, which was 11 hours, but we were starting to approach how long it took with Joleigh, 21 hours. At 7:30 they checked me again and I was only at a 9. So at 8:00 I told everyone to go home, that they could meet the baby the next today, you can tell I was still in my bad mood. I didn't want the girls to be there too late, so my sister and dad decided to take them back to my parents house and Joe's family was going to stick around for a few more minutes. That's when the doctor came in and said that I was still not at a 10, but the baby needed to come out. Her heart rate was dropping every time I had a contraction. So after that everything happened really fast!!! My mom got a hold of my family and told them to turn around and bring the girls back. It took only 3 contractions and hardly any pushing and Jaelyn made her entrance at 8:23 pm. What a day!!!

I do have to mention that there were a few complications for me throughout the day. I had some difficulty breathing after my epidural and when they broke my water. The doctors were concerned so they ordered an EKG, chest x-ray and after the delivery a cat-scan, to rule out anything serious. Everything came back fine, praise God!

Joe and my mom were in the delivery room with me, but Joleigh and Noelle were the first meet baby Jaelyn. Their reaction was priceless. They were so excited and so in awe. They immediately loved her!!!

Our families patience paid off and they got to quickly meet Jaelyn that night. We were all exhausted!

My good friend Brittany as came all the way from Rocky Point to meet Jaelyn on Friday, only to turn around and go back Saturday morning. It meant a lot that she came and I'm so glad that she got to spend some time with the baby.
It was a long, hard day, but it was completely erased when I saw her precious little face. God is so good to me and my family!!!

Happy Birthday Jaelyn!!!
Jaelyn Adelle Jensen
Born on February 20, 2009 at 8:23 pm
7 lbs. 12 oz., 21 in. long

She is almost here...

2009-02-17T21:40:00.000-08:00

I wanted to share some of the beautiful pictures Joe took of me, the girls and my belly yesterday. I have always wanted to take pregnancy photos, but never did with the first two girls and time was running out for the third. I love them and think they are amazing!!! I will cherish them and this entire experience!

For those of you who don't know, we will be meeting our newest addition in 2 more days!!! We plan on going into the hospital some time late Thursday night or early Friday morning and Jaelyn should be here sometime on Friday. I'm hoping sometime in the late morning or early afternoon, but we will see. I'm doing and feeling great, surprisingly, just looking forward to seeing and holding my baby girl! Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. I will get pictures up as soon as possible. See you soon!

My 30th Birthday

2009-02-14T11:46:00.000-08:00

I just have to say that I LOVE my birthday! I have ever since I was a little girl. I would start the count down right after New Years and would look forward to it with eager anticipation of what the day would bring. I have the BEST memories of my family and friends making my day so special.

This year was definitely different. I still was looking forward to the day, but it was so over-shadowed by the impeding birth of little Jaelyn, that I didn't want to have any expectations for an elaborate 30th birthday, not knowing how I would feel. Joe turned 30 last year and I remember that leading up to it, he was having a hard to with growing old(er), so I tried to prepare myself for this milestone. To be honest I haven't had that hard of a time with it. If anything getting to this age has made me realize just how truly blessed my life is and how I am right where I have always wanted to be.

The celebrating began on Thursday. Joe and I had a night out, just the two of us! My parents watched the girls so we could have the night to ourselves. We went to Flemings for dinner. Neither of us had ever been there and we had a gift card. It was so nice and the food was delicious. They even gave me chocolate covered strawberries for my birthday. After dinner we did a little shopping at Westgate and then I got to pick a movie, so we saw He's Just Not That Into You. It was pretty good, definitely made me appreciate my husband and the wonderful relationship we have. It was fun to get dressed up and feel pretty, even though I was 38 weeks pregnant.

Then on the Friday, the day of my birthday, I was greeted by my favorite people in the world, Joe and the girls, who sang me Happy Birthday and had a card for me. They were so sweet!!! We lounged around that morning, then went and had lunch at Chipotle.

After lunch, unfortunately we had to take Noelle to the doctor. She has been complaining for awhile about how much it hurt her when she peed and it was getting worse. When we called the doctor they immediately got her in. They needed to get a urine sample, but since Noelle is not yet potty trained, they had to give her a catheter. Let me tell you it was awful!!! They only let one parent in there, so I went and she was in so much pain, but seemed to recover pretty quickly once she got her strawberry lollipop. Anyway, I'm glad that they did the procedure, because she had a really bad infection. She is on antibiotics for a couple weeks, then they will have to go back and check to make sure it is gone and also determine why she got it.

After the doctor we all went home, took some great naps, then went shopping and finally went over to my parents for dinner. My mom, dad and sister were all there and we had a yummy feast of beef, chicken, shrimp and veggie shish-kabobs, my favorite, and angel food cake with strawberries for dessert. I ate so much!!!

Overall, it was a wonderful day! I got to spend it with people I love most in the world, got several phone calls throughout the day, lots of text messages and emails. I feel/felt very loved and again thankful for another year of life,even though I am getting old(er)!!!