Kenna: up-close and personal

These are some of my favorite recent pictures of Kenna (3 1/2). She is the youngest, but has definitely found ways to let herself be seen and heard. She is very outgoing and loves to participate in anything anyone else is doing. She loves to raise her hand to give answers in Primary (even when she doesn't know the answer!) And she is quite often given the "loudest singer" award in Primary. We wonder all the time what she will be like as she gets older . . .


This is a great snapshot of Kenna because it demonstrates her wild and crazy side. She loves attention and loves to be at the center of it all! She also is not one to delicately play and stay clean and neat. She starts out the day with clean clothes and cute hair, but by the end(sometimes by the middle!) she is often on her 2nd or 3rd shirt and who knows what happens to her pigtails!

Here is our little Kenna exploring at the beach in Monterey. I try not to take a picture every time this happens but it is such an adorable part of our life with Kenna! Every time that girl bends over no matter what pants she is wearing, this is what everyone sees. Maybe she has a future as a plumber--it's too early to say!

This is Kenna and her good friend, Ellie. They are only 4 weeks apart and have always looked very similar. Every now and then we will pick out matching outfits on purpose and every now and then it happens on accident (not a lot of shopping choices here in Chico!) They have grown up together and have logged quite a few hours playing together and stirring up trouble together! Once when they were babies, I was holding Ellie, and her dad Tyler, commented about my baby looking funny or something like that. We all got a good laugh when he realized it was HIS baby!

Ties, Trains, and Twinkletoes

Every Sunday when we get ready for church, Jaren insists he wears a white shirt and tie so he can look like Dad. Every Sunday about 3 minutes into church Jaren takes off his tie because "it bodders me!" (Too itchy, too tight, too pokey, etc.) I thought maybe a bow-tie would be more comfortable (no, Greg has not taken up wearing bow-ties, but hey, they're both ties!)--so we gave it a whirl. It made for a darling picture then sadly was taken off before the opening song. Don't worry--we are NOT going to resort to those tacky t-shirts with a tie printed onto the shirt!

Jaren really wanted a train cake for his birthday--so we got creative and built this together. He is all about trains, airplanes, racecars, trucks, heavy machinery even helicopters and submarines. He impresses us every day with his knowledge of these things. One of these days I will learn the difference between a backhoe, a front end loader, and an excavator--apparently we can't just call them all tractors!

Here is a rare shot of Jaren giving in to Kenna's constant pleas for him to "be her Prince". She always wants to dress-up and involve him and he usually says "No, Kenna, that's for girls!" But he was feeling generous this day--he actually danced with her at the ball!

We love our little guy Jaren with his constant movement and energy. I like to think he is keeping me "youthful", but I think he may also have something to do with that first gray hair I just pulled out of my head!

St. Patrick's Day

You know St. Patrick's Day is a big day around here since it is also Kaelyn's birthday. Our kids like to "Go as Green" as possible! This year I made green eggs which were not a hit with Jaren and Kenna, no matter how many times I said, "You DO like green eggs and ham-you do like them Sam I am!" It was a busy school day, with Kaelyn going to ballet after school so we moved Kaelyn's party to another day. We did manage to go out to Original Pete's-Kaelyn's favorite pizza place, though, and of course had yummy chocolate cake. We loved all the phone calls that Kaelyn recieved from Grandparents, aunts and uncles and cousins. She was feeling loved! It's so great to be part of 2 HUGE families--our kids (and Greg and I as well!) are blessed!

A day in San Francisco

Can you believe this is BEFORE they got a sugar dose at Ghiradelli Square!

My very handsome boys

Kaelyn on the boat in the bay with beautiful San Francisco behind her. We were so lucky to have clear weather.

Here is the Golden Gate Bridge right before we zipped under it in our little boat.

Jaren in front of his favorite street performer--the "Guy who Drums for Peace"

We took the kids to San Francisco for a day during Spring Break. It had been a couple of years since the kids had gone so they really enjoyed seeing all the sights of the "big city". We took a boat ride into the bay, under the Golden Gate Bridge, and circled Alcatraz--it was definitely a highlight of our day. We walked all around the city, enjoying all the various street performers--the drummers, the robotic tin men, flame swallowers, break dancers, and our favorite the Bush Man (who hides behind a bunch of leaves and jumps out and scares unsuspecting tourists. Then everyone else gives him money for the laugh!) Another favorite activity was taking the glass elevators up to the 32nd floor of the St. Francis Westin hotel and riding them up and down, overlooking the city the entire time. It was a very colorful, musical and adventurous day for us!