Finally the day was warm enough to be outside! So we met up with some friends to go to the gardens at Thanksgiving Point, and it was a lot of fun.
It was fun to spend the afternoon with good friends!
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Finally A Little Spring
Finally the day was warm enough to be outside! So we met up with some friends to go to the gardens at Thanksgiving Point, and it was a lot of fun.
It was fun to spend the afternoon with good friends!
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
All Snuggly
The other day I went in to pull Devin's blankets up before I headed to bed, only he wasn't in bed, and this is where I found him:
A different night I found him all cuddled up with Baby Jaguar.
My favorite night, I didn't get a picture of... He was so tired that he fell asleep in my arms while I read him a bed time story. There is never a better feeling then snuggling a sleeping toddler in your amrs!
A different night I found him all cuddled up with Baby Jaguar.
My favorite night, I didn't get a picture of... He was so tired that he fell asleep in my arms while I read him a bed time story. There is never a better feeling then snuggling a sleeping toddler in your amrs!
Easter
The kids had a great time coloring Easter eggs. Devin ended up with neon blue an green hands... but the green cup he spilled didn't stain and the die came off in the tub.
The Easter Bunny brought both of the kids their baskets.
Then it was time for hunting eggs...
But Devin refused to leave his brand new cars and would not even consider leaving them to find eggs.
SO it was left up to Ally to find them all... and she finally found all 40 of them, the last one was a little tricky...
(who knew the Easter Bunny could hop so high?)
Ally got to wear the new outfit my mom had made her to church.
(isn't her new haircut cute?)
Spring Break (minus the Spring)
Our computer had a virus so I have been unable to download any pictures for a while... now I get to play catch up.
Ally had Spring Break a few weeks ago and we decided to do lots of fun stuff... only it was WAY too much and while fun, it was crazy!
Monday was the only day we didn't have aything planned. So we cleaned and grocery shopped... and Ally played with her bff.
Now Tuesday Ally went to my parents to sleep over, so Devin and I were left alone... but not for long. We went with some friends to Monkey Island in Lehi. Devin had a great time and we were there for a long time!
On Wednesday, Devin and I headed up to Salt Lake to pick up Ally and spend the day with my parents. We took the kids to The Discovery Museum at the Gateway.
Thursday, I had a picnic planned with another friend... only it was freezing that day! So we met to McDonald's for lunch and the kids played at the playplace. Then we ran home to give Devin a quick nap. After that I took Ally and her bff to Chuck-E-Cheese, where they had a birthday party. I had to take them home so I stayed, bought tokens and let Devin play all the games. Then we went home and Ally had that same friend sleepover.
Friday I babysat for 5 hours for a friend, and Ally went to Trafalga with her friend. By the time this day was over, I was way past exhaustd!
But, we weren't done yet. Saturday, Ally had a primary activity in the morning and then both the kids went to a birthday party in the afternoon.
Sunday was church and then over to Alex's dad's to drop off a present to his half brother.
So it wasn't very Springy, and it wasn' very relaxing but we were VERY busy and had a lot of fun!
Ally had Spring Break a few weeks ago and we decided to do lots of fun stuff... only it was WAY too much and while fun, it was crazy!
Monday was the only day we didn't have aything planned. So we cleaned and grocery shopped... and Ally played with her bff.
Now Tuesday Ally went to my parents to sleep over, so Devin and I were left alone... but not for long. We went with some friends to Monkey Island in Lehi. Devin had a great time and we were there for a long time!
On Wednesday, Devin and I headed up to Salt Lake to pick up Ally and spend the day with my parents. We took the kids to The Discovery Museum at the Gateway.
Thursday, I had a picnic planned with another friend... only it was freezing that day! So we met to McDonald's for lunch and the kids played at the playplace. Then we ran home to give Devin a quick nap. After that I took Ally and her bff to Chuck-E-Cheese, where they had a birthday party. I had to take them home so I stayed, bought tokens and let Devin play all the games. Then we went home and Ally had that same friend sleepover.
Friday I babysat for 5 hours for a friend, and Ally went to Trafalga with her friend. By the time this day was over, I was way past exhaustd!
But, we weren't done yet. Saturday, Ally had a primary activity in the morning and then both the kids went to a birthday party in the afternoon.
Sunday was church and then over to Alex's dad's to drop off a present to his half brother.
So it wasn't very Springy, and it wasn' very relaxing but we were VERY busy and had a lot of fun!
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Wherever the road may lead...
This has been a tough one to write... mostly because I don't think I am really ready for this.
If you don't know the story of Finn, do a quick catch up here, or the rest of this is just not going to make sense:
http://jensens22.blogspot.com/2010/03/story-of-finn.html
It all started several months ago, a prompting, a feeling... it was time; time to do foster care again.
What was my first reaction to this? "HECK NO!" and a complete decision to ignore that train of thought.
I was pretty good at ignoring that nagging feeling for a few more months, refusing to give in to that not-so-subtle command.
Then Alex and I were watching The Blind Side, and as the emotions of that amazing movie overcame me, I guess it was easy enough for the Spirit to wiggle it's way in and say, "It's time."
What did I do this time?... even though I was in an emotional euphoria from the movie, I am embarrassed to say my reaction was the same, "I am happy! I have two amazing children, I am enrolled to go to UVU in the fall, my plate is full. So, NOOOOOOO!"
Only this time, the ignoring it factor just didn't work as well. So many little moments and promptings... pleadings.
Ok, maybe there is supposed to be another child in our family... Alex's new amazing job matches a huge amount for adoption, I spent hours searching the internet, emailing an amazing friend that did that very thing...
But you know what? That wasn't what I was being asked to do. I was being asked to do foster care... not adopt, not try infertility treatments... foster care.
Really? I have free agency, right? I don't have to do this. I know Heavenly Father was with me last time, and I KNOW He remembers me back then, He can't really be requesting this of me.
Yes, I have free agency... but the Spirit has never, not once, let me down in my entire life. So I will obey.
I call, make appointments... half-heartedly, I have to admit. I set appointments for months in advance, drag my feet. I listen closely to Alex tell me that it really isn't something he wants to do again...
Then the month passes and the appointment is there to meet with DCFS. I almost cancelled it too many times to count. The man comes and talks to us, telling us everything left to go through, the classes, the home study, background checks, what to expect... I've been through this before. It's like I am not really there, almost checked out of the experience. But I agree to the classes, fill out half the paperwork and prepare for the classes to come...
We need babysitters for the classes... surely it isn't worth the stress, right? We need to move the office back downstairs, oh the pain of it. I don't know if Devin could handle another needy child in our family... actually I don't think *I* could handle another needy child. Only, something strange happens. Alex is suddenly not against it any more... what happened to my ally?
So, here I am, sitting with complete mixed emotions. Am I resigned to my fate? No, I realized something important, I DO have free agency. I don't have to do this. I know Heavenly Father is asking this of me, but I also know that He will still love and accept me, even if I choose that I can not go through with this. This is completely my decision.
So, I am moving forward, still extremely cautious and unsure if this is something I can do. What will this accompolish? Will it bring another child in our family to be ours forever? Will I be there to mend a broken heart until a mother can stand back on her own two feet? Or is it merely an experience to banish my past demons? Is that even possible?
I don't know, but I am going on this journey, unclear where I am headed, but I will follow to wherever the road may lead...
If you don't know the story of Finn, do a quick catch up here, or the rest of this is just not going to make sense:
http://jensens22.blogspot.com/2010/03/story-of-finn.html
It all started several months ago, a prompting, a feeling... it was time; time to do foster care again.
What was my first reaction to this? "HECK NO!" and a complete decision to ignore that train of thought.
I was pretty good at ignoring that nagging feeling for a few more months, refusing to give in to that not-so-subtle command.
Then Alex and I were watching The Blind Side, and as the emotions of that amazing movie overcame me, I guess it was easy enough for the Spirit to wiggle it's way in and say, "It's time."
What did I do this time?... even though I was in an emotional euphoria from the movie, I am embarrassed to say my reaction was the same, "I am happy! I have two amazing children, I am enrolled to go to UVU in the fall, my plate is full. So, NOOOOOOO!"
Only this time, the ignoring it factor just didn't work as well. So many little moments and promptings... pleadings.
Ok, maybe there is supposed to be another child in our family... Alex's new amazing job matches a huge amount for adoption, I spent hours searching the internet, emailing an amazing friend that did that very thing...
But you know what? That wasn't what I was being asked to do. I was being asked to do foster care... not adopt, not try infertility treatments... foster care.
Really? I have free agency, right? I don't have to do this. I know Heavenly Father was with me last time, and I KNOW He remembers me back then, He can't really be requesting this of me.
Yes, I have free agency... but the Spirit has never, not once, let me down in my entire life. So I will obey.
I call, make appointments... half-heartedly, I have to admit. I set appointments for months in advance, drag my feet. I listen closely to Alex tell me that it really isn't something he wants to do again...
Then the month passes and the appointment is there to meet with DCFS. I almost cancelled it too many times to count. The man comes and talks to us, telling us everything left to go through, the classes, the home study, background checks, what to expect... I've been through this before. It's like I am not really there, almost checked out of the experience. But I agree to the classes, fill out half the paperwork and prepare for the classes to come...
We need babysitters for the classes... surely it isn't worth the stress, right? We need to move the office back downstairs, oh the pain of it. I don't know if Devin could handle another needy child in our family... actually I don't think *I* could handle another needy child. Only, something strange happens. Alex is suddenly not against it any more... what happened to my ally?
So, here I am, sitting with complete mixed emotions. Am I resigned to my fate? No, I realized something important, I DO have free agency. I don't have to do this. I know Heavenly Father is asking this of me, but I also know that He will still love and accept me, even if I choose that I can not go through with this. This is completely my decision.
So, I am moving forward, still extremely cautious and unsure if this is something I can do. What will this accompolish? Will it bring another child in our family to be ours forever? Will I be there to mend a broken heart until a mother can stand back on her own two feet? Or is it merely an experience to banish my past demons? Is that even possible?
I don't know, but I am going on this journey, unclear where I am headed, but I will follow to wherever the road may lead...
Monday, April 4, 2011
The Weather
is just so fickle these days.
The last weekend of March, gave us this:
(Two sick, but adorable snuggling kids).
Then the weather took a beautiful turn. We spent Thursday, Friday and Saturday outside! We took the kids to the park, we went on walks... it was beautiful!
We even worked in some yard work:
But when we woke up Sunday morning the ground was covered in several inces of snow. Big sigh, this girl belongs in the sun!!!
The last weekend of March, gave us this:
(Two sick, but adorable snuggling kids).
Then the weather took a beautiful turn. We spent Thursday, Friday and Saturday outside! We took the kids to the park, we went on walks... it was beautiful!
We even worked in some yard work:
But when we woke up Sunday morning the ground was covered in several inces of snow. Big sigh, this girl belongs in the sun!!!
Couponing
Have you ever used coupons before? I had... but only every once in a while. I seriously thought they were too much work, not worth it... and let's face it: down right dorky!
I have always watched the store ads, buying in bulk when things go on sale, etc.
However, The Krazy Coupon Lady made me want to try couponing... now I am so hooked.
Now I watch the sales AND use a coupon on what is on sale. See the above picture? What I purchased is a result of that very tactic. I spent $60 on all of that at Target... that's after using $40 worth of coupons. That includes the big box of Tide and Downey (on sale and when you buy both you get a $5 gift card). I spent 75 cents for the cake mix and frosting. Excedrin cost 20 cents. The concealer isn't the brand I uually buy, but it was free. The dressing was 40 cents each, hostess cupcakes and ding dongs were $3 for both... I could go on, but... (on a side note the Nesquik and milk weren't on sale but Devin HAS to have it... and the bananas were expensive but when Devin was crying for one I thought it was one of the best "treats" he could ask for).
So, while I watch the commercial for "Extreme Couponing" on TLC and the lady says she paid $6 for $600 worth of stuff, I am pretty sure I will never be that good. But I feel pretty good about the $60 I spent on $100 worth of stuff. So add me to he "dorky" list!
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