Happy Birthday!!

Today is Brenton's 24th Bday.... Happy Birthday, Love! Brenton is the most wonderful man in the whole world. He is a perfect husband and father. Bryson and I are so lucky to have him in our lives. Hope your birthday is fabulous, honey! We love you!
Pics to come soon...

I Choose Life

So after thinking about the depressing post below, I thought I'd try to write something positive. I was just thinking about how blessed I am. I have a wonderful husband who loves me and spoils me rotten, a happy baby boy who lights up my life 500 times a day, a Heavenly Father who listens to my needs and wants, even though I can be a little selfish and/or crazy at (most) times, a nice non-stress job (that's fun, too!), a wonderful family back in AZ that loves me for me, etc. etc. etc.
Sometimes it's hard for me to get up in the morning. Sometimes I cry for no reason. Sometimes I cry with reason. Sometimes that reason is really silly or lame. Sometimes I just want to lay in bed all day and shut the world out. Sometimes I face challenges that seem impossible to overcome.
Yet, then I remember, I choose life. I chose this life. I love it. I want it. No matter how difficult it is, it is even more exciting and enjoyable. I love my husband and baby boy. I love my other family members. I love the experiences I have every day, whether easy or difficult. They mold me.
So, when I am having a bad day, when I am depressed, when I am crying, I will remember. I choose life. I choose to live. I will make the most of every day. I will remember that although times might be tough and the world might be coming to an end, my life and my world isn't. I love life.

Appalled, Disgusted, Etc.

I am absolutely appalled and disgusted by Obama. I don't even want to refer to him as my President. He decides to close Guantanamo Bay, and then he reverses Bush's anti-abortion policy. Now, our tax dollars will be used to fund abortions internationally. Disgusting. Check out this interview on CNN with the Christian Right. Basically, he says that Obama is more afraid of unborn babies than he is of terrorists. Now the U.S. is promoting abortion internationally as well as within our own borders. It's evil.

Friends

Last week, Bryson and I went to visit Kelli and Dallin. They are awesome :) We put Bryson on the floor and he reached out his hand to Dallin and they were cooing back and forth. So cute! Here are a couple pics. Thanks, Kelli, for sending them to me... and thanks so much for letting me come over and talk!!!!
Oh, and Dallin is 1 1/2 months younger that Bryson and is bigger, can you tell? I promise Bryson isn't small, he's just average!

Bryson

I forgot to post about Bryson's half-birthday! On the 15th, he turned 6 whole months! We went out to celebrate... ate at Taco Bell, then went to Cold Stone Creamery for dessert! We let him try ours, and he liked it, but then ended up spitting it all up when we got home :) Haha. I know, I shouldn't have given hi ice cream... oh well. He enjoyed it. We love our baby boy and can't believe he's already been here with us for 6 months!

Bitten by a Bug....

I have been bitten today. The food storage bug bit me! I have wanted to get into it for a while. I even told my parents I wish I was called as a canning specialist just so it would force me to get more involved. I don't know how to do anything or where to start, but the desire is definitely there. I was looking at the costs and lists and realized that I use TONS of that stuff. I need to start canning and building up my year supply. I am praying that I don't lose this desire, so I can build up my 72-hour kit and our family year supply. So, I'm going to try to get started and slowly build up a year supply. I look forward to learning and feeling more prepared for the future!

From the Grid and Beyond: Fight FOCA Films

My friend, Emily, had THIS on her blog. Very, very important. I am PRO-LIFE.



From the Grid and Beyond: Fight FOCA Films

My Mom

Just wanted to send a shout out to my Mommy, Sheila Cluff. My mom is the most amazing person I know. I love her so much. She has become one of my best friends! I usually talk to her at least 3-4 times a week, sometimes every day. She always takes time to listen to me. She is so caring. When we were visiting for Christmas, she was willing to take care of Bryson so Brenton and I could get some sleep after a LONG night with him. She is always willing to take him so we can rest, she did it when she was up visiting here and when were down in AZ before too. She made us a WONDERFUL cookbook for Christmas with her YUMMY recipes in it. Sometimes I say and do things that are really DUMB, and she just forgives me for it. I love to talk to her, play games with her, and just be with her. When I'm in Utah I miss her. I want to be just like her when I grow up. She's a wonderful teacher, friend, mother. I have learned so much from her through my life. I love my Mom!

A New Addition

Oh, and Congrats to Mike and Breanne (my sis-in-law) who got engaged before Christmas. They are getting married March 20th in the SLC temple. We are so excited for them!

Bryson adventures

Here are a few pictures of Bryson over the past week. He has mastered the art of rolling over! Hooray! He is getting so big. He also likes to play with all his toys. Thanks to Meg for letting us borrow your jumperoo, and to Christine for letting us take it. Bryson loves it! He laughs and giggles and jumps all around.
Oh ,the first picture is a little old but it was so cute I had to include it!

Christmas Pictures

So it's been a while, I thought I would put up a few pictures from our trip. Enjoy!.


Bryson and Daddy at Grandma and Grandpa Jensen's ward Christmas party.



Bryson and Santa at Grandma and Grandpa's ward party. (Do you like how he didn't even know who he was with? We had to take a quick picture so he didn't cry.)



Santa Bryson with Grandma Jensen



Bryson and his 2 cousins with Grandma and Grandpa Cluff! (These are all the Grandkids... Hunter is older and the newborn is Zane.)




Bryson was a sheperd for the Cluff family party nativity. So cute!




The whole nativity! Precious! The babies didn't make it through the whole thing though!



Me and my brothers! We always sing "Bless Us All' from MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL. It's tradition. And yes, it looks like I'm now the 2nd shortest person in the family. Sorry Mom, you still are the shortest!




My bro, Jordan, and his son, Hunter. He's precious!



Bryson opening Christmas presents. He loved it!




Mommy and Bryson on Christmas. YAY!




Brenton in his Christmas PJ's. Thanks Mom and Dad Jensen!

Some Things Will Never Change

As a few of you, may or may not know, from time to time I write a little poetry here and there. Ever since Adree and I first began dating, she has inspired me to write so much, and I know she loves to read it! So today as I walked to work, an idea sparked in my mind as happens sometimes, and this is what came out of it:

Seasons change
from hot to cold.
Colors become faded
that once looked so bold.

Towers once so majestic
crumble and fall to the ground
while leaves so bright and green
always fall and are browned.

Flowers once so pretty
all seem shrivel.
What was once brilliant
today is sometimes drivel.

It's true that in our day
many things can quickly lose their shine
I simply can't believe all things change
It can't be part of the design.

There is one thing
that I know will never change,
It's a possession I’m most proud of-
It's every moment spent with you,
It’s our eternal love.

I love my wife!!

Happy New Year! Bring it on!

2008 was a year of many ups and downs. I wanted to recap a few of the ups this year has brought us. We have been blessed beyond measure, and look forward to an even better 2009. We wish all of our family and friends nothing but the best for this year too.

- We were able to find a 2 bedroom apt. that gave us more room for our growing family and for more visits from other family members.
-Bryson Brenton Lanar Jensen joined our family!
-Brenton applied and was accepted to the Communications school.
-I was able to quit my full time job and stay home with Bryson.
-Brenton set a graduation date of December, 2009.
-I found a wonderful job at a local elem. school that allows me to work while Brenton is home and vice-versa.

We have truly been blessed this year. Amid all the scary things going on in our nation and world, we feel like our Heavenly Father has kept watch over us. We look forward to all the new adventures coming our way this year, especially Brenton's graduation and a move back to warm AZ- closer to family and friends!

Christmas Recap

Well, Sorry it's taken me so long to update. We were in AZ for Christmas Break. It was so nice to be able to visit all of our family.We love them so much and treasure our time with them! I don't have pictures uploaded yet, but I'll try to add some later.
Thursday, December 18th- Snow storm heading to Provo, again. We decide to leave early. Spend the night in Mesquite, escape the storm just in time!
Friday, December 19th- Go the rest of the way to Glendale (Mom and Dad Jensen's house). We go to their ward party and run into Nick and Christine from our ward up here! Small world!
Saturday, December 20th- Make the hour trip to East Mesa to see the Cluff side. Go out with Pam, Scott, Mom, Dad, and Judd for Navajo Tacos and TWILIGHT (It was good, but not as good as the book....you don't want to get me started).
Sunday, December 21st- Church at Signal Butte ward. Bryson fussy, only stay for Sacrament meeting. It was good though! Loved the Christmas program.
Monday, December 22nd- Make LOTS of Christmas goodies. I loved it! Got to spend time with the girls in the family.
The days in between the 22nd and Christmas were a blur. We went with Scott and Pam and watched "EAGLE EYE". Good show! We spent lots of time with family.
Wednesday, December 24th- Christmas EVE! We had our Christmas party at my parents' house. Lots of family attended. It was great. We had yummy foods and had our little Christmas program. The kids did the NATIVITY while Jeremy read it. Bryson was a sheperd. Super cute! Brenton and I read a story about "SILENT NIGHT" and told silly Chistmas jokes. I sang "BLESS US ALL" from Muppet Christmas Carol with my brothers (It's tradition, the one time a year I sing for all to hear).
Thursday, December 25th- CHRISTMAS! We woke up and opened gifts with the family. The best gift was being with our family. Bryson even got into it and opened up a gift. One of the most awesome gifts was from Mom Cluff- a recipe book of all of our Cluff recipes. I'll be using that often! Around noon we headed over to Grandma Wilson's to open gifts with the other side of the family. We loved spending time with them.
Friday, December 26th- Breanne and Mike finally arrived in town (way early in the morning). All of us Jensens went to the WILDLIFE ZOO. It was awesome! There was even an aquarium where we got to feed sting rays. Thanks for the memories!
Saturday, December 27th- Brenton, Bryson, and I headed back out to Mesa to spend a few hours with the Cluff side. We left Bryson there and went and did Sealings at the temple. What an awesome experience! We love the temple! Went back out to the West side and had a WII party at Kim and Rich's with the Jensen side again.
Sunday, December 28th- Sacrament meeting and then home. Bryson doesn't like to cooperate and church. Plus, we were exhausted! Just hung out around the house all day. It was nice. Bryson started to show signs of illness... coughing, congested. By 9 PM we decided to take him to the hospital because he wouldn't stop screaming. By the time we got him in the car and drove there he was sound asleep.
The next few days were a blur. We attempted to do things, but all I remember is lack of sleep and a screaming baby.
Tuesday, December 30th- 3 AM. Bryson woke up screaming again. This kept everyone in the house awake. He wouldn't be consoled. 4 AM. Brenton, me, Dad Jensen, and Bryson head for the hospital. He calms down on the way, but we decide it's better to take him in. He gets happy. We don't wait long in the waiting room. They put us back in a room in the emergency room. It takes hours. After x rays and another test where they stick a tube down his nose and suck out mucus, they find out he has RSV. They talk about admitting him, but his oxygen levels are good enough that they send us out with a prescription and warnings to watch him. We left the hospital after 8 AM. We try to get some sleep, but Bryson doesn't let us sleep long.
Wednesday, December 31st- New Years Eve, we warn my parents about Bryson but head out there anyways. We spend the night playing games and watching movies. Fun times! Bryson wakes us up early screaming again. His medicine took a while to work... Thanks to Mom and Dad Cluff for taking him for a while and letting us get some sleep!
Thursday, January 1st- New Years. We met Hart, Jason, and Halle for lunch at Papa Kelsey's. We love hanging out with them and wish we could see them more often! We spend the next 2 days hanging out with family, riding the RHINO, going to PF Changs, watching movies, and debating when to come home.
Saturday, January 3rd- We headed home in the afternoon. By this time I have gotten sick with a cold/congestion/cough too. Bryson is starting to do better, but won't sleep through the night. We stay the night in VEGAS so we can cut the trip into 2 days. Not too bad.
Sunday, January 4th- Back home in Provo, Utah. It's FREEZING here! But nice to be home.

Ok, that was our long recap. Hope we didn't bore you too much. We learned a lot this Christmas. It's better to give than to receive. Gifts aren't important, being with those we love is. I'm thankful for the time I had to share with our family! We love them and appreciate all they do for us. We are glad Bryson's illness wasn't more serious and that it is now getting better. We are sorry for getting you all sick back in AZ!