Scaredy Dog

So I have a few things to say about our dog Lizzy. She is a big sissy. She is afraid of the wind, and a lot of other things.

Whenever the wind blows and she is outside, she will start to cry at the door, then if I don't let her in right away, she will bark till I do. Then when she comes in she runs around and around the island like a crazy dog.

Tonight the wind was blowing pretty hard. It blew over the basketball standard and the wind chimes were really making a lot of noise. Lizzy was inside with me, following me around from room to room like she always does. I could tell she was getting pretty anxious. I was sitting at the piano, practicing some songs and she crawls under the bench and trys to bury her nose under my feet. I try to console her but she looks at me with that terrified face.

She has one other problem...her hair! I don't know how she has any left cause she sheds like crazy. This is how much hair I picked up in her favorite place to sleep...the white (now black) rug. And I had just vaccumed a day before!

She really is a great dog though. She has never growled or nipped at any of us. The only time I ever saw her get mad was when we had the red bone dog, Daisy. She would torment Lizzy to no end. She would jump on her constantly and take all the food we would give to them. She just had so much energy, she couldn't sit still for a second. Lizzy finally got fed up with her and started snarling and growling at her. When we found a new home for Daisy, Lizzy was a happy dog again!

She is forever patient and gentle with Olivia. Even when Liv is pulling her feet out from under her and sitting on her back and pulling her ears and tail, she just sits there and takes it. Olivia loves to play with her and feed her. She gets a hand full of dog food and throws them to her one at a time and Lizzy will jump and try to catch them. She is really good at cleaning up the floor when we drop something ( or when Olivia throws her food at her)

They had great fun blowing and chasing bubbles.

She's not much of a watch dog or a protector, but she is a sweetheart and she keeps me company all day and I enjoy having her around.

No Cats in America!

K.C. and I had just enjoyed a great sacrement meeting and Bishop Burns gets up and says they wanted to welcome all the visitors that were there that day, and a special welcome to Chris and Andrew Jensen. We turned around and they were sitting on the back row. After the meeting was over, we headed back to talk to them and Andrew comes running full blast at us and hollaring K.C!!!!. He about plowed him over gave him a big hug. Then he went up to several ladies in the ward and kissed them on the hand.

After church, I called Grandpa and invited him and Pat and Chris, Andrew and Spencer over for dinner. Candice came over and we made a big pan of chicken noodle soup and some rolls and a cake.

After dinner, we had a good time visiting with them. K.C. had his friend Jared over so he got broken in to "the Jensen family" real quick. Andrew had lots of funny stories to tell us, but kept repeating "No cats in America!!" and also " I broke my dads camera" I asked him about the cats, but he just kept saying "No Cats!" I guess We'll never know why.

It was good to spend some time with Grandpa.

He still gets around pretty good and can still work in the yard and plant a garden. I'm glad that Pat is there with him to keep him company now.
It was especially nice to listen to Kelley and Chris remenicing about their childhood. It really is amazing that either one of them survived when you hear all the crazy things they did.
They have always been there for each other though, and have a special bond that is different than the relationship they have with the other brothers. Whenever something happens, Chris always calls Kelley first and Kelley does the same for him. They are very supportive of each other and will drop everything to help and support each other in what ever is going on with them and their families. They had a pretty rough time growing up, with their dad working out of town all the time and Maxine at the end of her rope physically and emotionally, I think Kelley became the caregiver and protector to Chris.

Anyway it was great to hear them laugh and talk about their lives...Kelley seemed a little stressed after long sunday meetings, and needed to vent. Chris was a counselor in his bishopric a few years ago, so he can relate to what Kelley is going through.

I always know who Kelley is talking to on the phone when I hear him laugh. He only laughs like that with Chris.

Good times in Arizona

We had a wonderful time with Camille and Olivia here for the week after Easter. Kellen had to get back to school so he flew home Sunday and our plan was for Candice and I to drive back to Arizona with Camille later in the week, then fly home on Monday.

Even though it was stormy and cold while they were here, we had lots of fun just being together! Liv liked scaring us with the aliens in her little space ship.

We dug out the old rocking horse that all the kids used to ride on.

We got up real early friday morning and started driving. When I say we I mean Camille drove (Candice and I slept.)

We got to a McDonalds in Flagstaff and went in for lunch. First thing Olivia climbs clear up to the top of the jungle gym and starts hollaring for Chewey to help her get out.
So Candice, being the sweet auntie she is, climbs inside and rescues her.

It felt so good when we finally got there to be warm! It was snowing on the way down there and even in Southern Utah, it was windy and cold.



Katie got there late friday night and we all got up Saturday and went and did a little shopping. Olivia likes shopping at Trader Joes because they have cute little shopping carts just her size.


We went to the pool at their apartment complex and had a great time. The water was cold but it felt good cause it got really hot that afternoon.

Olivia liked dancing with the froggie I made her.

We went to a great little market there where all the fruit and vegetables were really cheap! We got a bunch of strawberries and made a pie to take over to Gary for his birthday.

Candice got an awesome sunburn while we were out at the pool. She did so good to get sunscreen on everywhere but right there!

When we were driving to Wilkinsons, Olivia was just jabbering about something. It was like she was trying to tell us a story and she was very adament about it! It was so funny...I just caught the end of it.

Gary and Bev have just recently moved into a beautiful new home, just a few houses down from where they used to live. We went over there Sunday afternoon to celebrate Gary's birthday. They made a real nice dinner for us and the kids had fun playing in their backyard.


Liv's favorite thing to do while we were there was to play hide and seek. She would usually go hide under the covers in her bed and sit there and giggle when we would say "Where is Olivia?" then she jumps out and says "here I am!"

I got to sleep in her room and she would crawl over into my bed at some point in the night. She is a little wiggle bug and would usually end up with her feet in my face, but when she would put her little arms around my neck and put her forhead up against mine, I couldn't think of anyplace I'd rather be.

Вы серьезные Кларк?

So we have been waiting quite impatiently for K.C.'s mission call. Pres. Child had told K.C. it would be here in less than 10 days and that was two and a half weeks ago. We were thinking that maybe it was delayed because of General Conference, so we were thinking for sure it would be this week.

Camille and I stopped at the mailbox on the way home from racquetball and there was nothing! I checked again about 11:30. Still nothing. K.C. came home from school about 12:00 and wanted to be able to get it before he had to go to work. So I called Merrilee and asked her to call me when the mailman came. About 12: 30 she called. K.C. and I went down to the mailbox and the mailman was just putting the mail in the boxes. He said " I think I know what your waiting for" then he handed K.C. the big white envelope from "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints" We were so excited. We got Katie on the phone and Candice came over from work and Kelley got home and we were ready. Kelley said a special prayer asking that K. C. would be happy where ever he was called to serve and be a faithful servant to the Lord. The tears started before he even opened it. He opened it and read it out loud. He is going to Moscow Russia! Wow we were all so surprised. Hadn't really even thought of that place. Although I did dream the other night that he was going to Lithuainia Russia (kind of a combination country). But then I also dreamed that he was going to another made up place called Geico, Florida. K.C. was pretty emotional as he read the rest of the letter. He has a great trust in the Lord and knows that this is where he is meant to be. We started thinking of people we knew that had served in Russia...Cousin Phil, Josh Smith, Jason, Katies friend. I think for a time they stopped sending missionaries there because it was too dangerous. Things must be better now. Anyway, he is supposed to report to the MTC on July 15. We are all so thrilled for him and give him all of our love and support. He has amazing faith and testimony and desire to do what is right, I know he will be a wonderful missionary.

Beautiful Easter Weekend

This Easter was extra special for me because I was able to have our whole family here together. Camille and Olivia got here wednesday afternoon and it was so great to see them. Olivia has grown up so much. She is so smart and sweet and tender hearted. She is talking really well and is so aware of what is going on around her and is so concerned with peoples feelings.
Katie got here thursday night which was wonderful because that gave us one extra day with her. Kellen flew in thursday night too which was great!
K.C. was expecting to recieve his mission call this last wednesday, (it would have been so nice to have everyone here when he opened it), but it didn't come. We were hoping for thursday and it still didn't come. Then we got to figuring maybe conference had set them back a little bit so we are hoping for this week. Bishop Burns tracked it down for us at church yesterday and told us it had been mailed friday!

We decided to go up to Logan on friday. We all wanted to visit Grandma and they were having their annual "Baby Animal Days" event where you can come see all the new baby animals at the "Jensen Farm" in Wellsville.

They let you get right in the pen with the animals and pet them and feed them. Olivia loved it.

Saturdy afternoon Megan brought Ryder over to play with Olivia. We hid some eggs in the back yard and they had fun running around finding them.

It was wonderful to have all the family at church. Olivia looked so pretty in her new Easter dress.

Then there was the Easter basket hunt. The Easter bunny was very creative this year. I think he was trying to get revenge on us for burying his basket in the garden last year. That was a good one.

The time went by so fast and before we knew it , it was time for Kellen and Katie to fly home. It was so great to be able to spend that time with them.

If there could be a little bit of heaven on earth, I think I had a taste of it this weekend.

Get a life

I really do have a wonderful life...but when I looked at what I had accomplished in the last month, it was kind of telling me that I need to get a job or something. I have appreciated so much that I have been able to be a stay at home mom all of the kids growing up years. I know it was important to Kelley too and I appreciate how he would work so hard so I didn't have to. I love that I am able to be home when everyone comes home to ask them "How was your day?" and have something yummy for them to eat. I remember as a little girl, coming home everyday from school or friends house to find my mom there, busy working in the yard or the house. It gave me a sense of security that I wanted my family to have too. I hope it has been something that would let my family know of the love I have for each of them. So anyway, I think that now K.C is getting ready to go in his mission...(expecting call this wednesday!) I will look for a job.

They talked a lot in conference about change and how we need to be happy with the different stages in our lives. I will try to do better.

Conference was really wonderful. So many great messages that I really needed to hear! I was at mom's so it was great to be able to share that time with her. We both love the music and sing along to the songs, and both had tears coming down our face when Brother Holland talked about feeling alone. It was a very powerful message and made me think of the atonement with a greater appreciation for what He went through for us. She has a great love for Pres. Monson and prays that he will have a good day in every prayer.

When I got home later Sunday, I found out that Mark Scharman had taken K.C. to conference with him. He is a body guard for Pres. Monson so they got to sit on the front row. He said it was really great. That was so nice of Mark to think of taking K.C. Last conference Kelley went with him. He is a great friend to our family.

It was very cold and SNOWY while I was at moms so I couldn't do anything in the yard. I was grateful that Kelley could come up there and fix her bathroom door. Her house has settled so that the door wouldn't shut all the way. He sanded it down and fixed the latch so it would close very nicely. What a sweetie. It is a long ways to drive for just a short time. He is so good to me.

( I also came home sunday afternoon to a lovely dinner and a clean house. I love my guys!)

Last thursday our YW presidency went downtown to go to the YW Auxiliary training. We went to the Olive Garden to eat first and had a good time laughing and talking. I sure love those ladies. It is nice to talk about things and realize we are all going through about the same things at this point in our lives. It has been a wonderful experience for me to work with these great ladies. The meeting was in the Tabernacle and we sat next to a big group of ladies that had come from California. They told us how great their young women were that had stood on corners to support the Prop 8 issue and how people had yelled all kind of terrible things at them and even thrown things at them. They said it was a real test in standing up for what we believe in and they did it without wavering. The meeting was really good. They talked about the new value "Virtue" and how important and needed it is right now.

Candice came over last week and we baked! It has been a while so I really enjoyed having her here. We made some special cupcakes for Megan and sent them to her "virtually" because we both had a feeling this would be her last night.

She was the one with the least votes, but remained true to herself and caw-cawed across the stage. She held up pretty good till she talked about going home to her son, then she broke down. So did we.

What an amazing experience for her...Kara DioGuardi told her she will make records with her as soon as idol is over. Anyway I know lots of good things are in store for her. We get to see her on all the talk shows now and she will be home next week. Candice is so excited to have her friend back.

We also made brussel sprouts...mmmmmmm

Anyway what got me thinking about getting a life was looking at all these little creatures I have made for Olivia. They were really fun to make and turned out pretty cute! I sent the hippo to Olivia in the mail last week. I hope she likes it!

I found the pattern for this spaceship with little people finger puppets in it at my moms. I think that's my favorite.