Elise Claire Jensen (AKA E. Claire)

On October 24, 2009 this little bundle of joy was born. She was 10 pounds 6 ounces and 20 3/4 inches long! Big baby! As you can see she has a full head of hair. She is my newest little niece and is Kimi and Ryan's first little girl. I think she looks a lot like her mommy when she was a baby, maybe I'll post a picture later so you can make your own comparisons. She is so cute and I wish they lived in Utah so that I could give her some lovin'. Hmmm... maybe I will just need to plan a suicide trip to California and go and see her!

This is a picture Kimi and Ryan sent me of her first car ride home!

I made this little hat for her for Halloween so that she could be a pumpkin. Isn't she the cutest little pumpkin!

Lots to Catch Up On....

So there is a lot that has happened in the last couple months and I am just now getting time to blog about it all. So please bare with me as I do some catch up.

Grandma West

On June 29 my sweet Grandma West returned to heaven to be with her eternal companion. She was an awesome lady and these two were the greatest example any two people could be. They really loved each other and they let us grandkids know it. They were sweet together and it was really sad to see them separated by death for ten years.

Grandma was also awesome in her own right. I used to love to stop by her house on my way home from work and say hi. We would always talk for like an hour or more. She was always a person I could talk to and she would always make me feel so special. She had that way about her where she could talk to anyone and make them feel special. She also always taught her grandkids how important family is. She was always the one to bring us all together for dinners. I loved grandma and grandpa's house because it always felt so warm and loving. I also loved that our birthdays were within the same week of each other. It was so fun for me to think that my grandma's birthday was near mine because she was one of my most favorite people. I love and miss grandma very much, but I know she is loving being back with grandpa.

Heyborne Summer Visit

The Heyborne's came down for their annual summer visit. It wasn't all fun and games but on the whole it was an awesome visit. Let me clarify why it wasn't all fun and games. See shortly before they came down our Grandma West passed away, so we had the funeral and all things it includes while they were here. Which was convenient for Trish so that she could attend. But other then that unfortunate event we had a fun time with them.

They were here for the fourth and so we partied and got fireworks and had a little firework show with them. We also went up into the mountains and had a little picnic. It was so much fun to see the kids explore and then to end the night with roasting marshmallows and singing. Dad, Mandi, and me also took Max on a little fishing trip. Max was the only one that caught a fish! Good for him. We also just had the random days where we just hung out at the house, which is always so much fun. All in all it was fun to see them again!!

Getting Ready to Watch Fireworks!!

Our Little Pyros!!

Watermelon is a Fourth of July Must!!

Gwen was teething so she loved the watermelon.

The Heyborne Family on the Fourth

Sadie watching the fireworks

The starting of our picnic.

I thought this was so cute! All the kids were loving that Kirby was playing with them!

Roasting Mallows! Max especially loved burning them.

Fishing Expedition

Grandpa preparing Max for fishing.

Max catching the the first and only fish of the day.

Max catching his fish.

Max with his catch.

California 2009!!

So this summer my whole family and me went down to California for Max's baptism and a DISNEYLAND TRIP!!! When I say everyone I mean everyone, mom came down too :o). Mandi and I drove down while my parents flew. Mandi and I left a little earlier and made it a good looong trip, AWESOME! But Mandi and I did not drive to have a longer vacation. See Mandi was already down in St. George for a Senior Trip. The only way to get her down to California would be for me to drive down to get her and drive the rest of the way. We had tons of fun together, THANKS Mandi.

We went down three days before our parents so we hung out around Valencia. We played with our nieces and nephew, saw Kimi and Ryan's new digs, and went to the BEACH!!

Gwen was trying to eat the sand so we were trying to get her to be interested in other things.


Trish and Kimi are going to kill me for this picture but it's so cute!

Then on Saturday our parents arrived just in time for the baptism. Max is such an awesome kid and I am so happy that he made the decision to become baptised. After the baptism my parents went to their hotel and Mandi and I decided to stay until the next day and go to the Heyborne's sacrament meeting. After their sacrament meeting Mandi and I headed down to our parents hotel by DISNEYLAND. Then dad, Mandi, and I went to DISNEYLAND!!!!

Our first day of DISNEYLAND we decided to do some reminiscing. We watched the fireworks (which may I say is AWESOME!! Not only do they have Tinkerbell fly over they have Dumbo fly over. AWESOME, AWESOME, AWESOME.), saw Fantasmic (which is a classic and must see), and rode some rides. It was so much fun!! The best thing is we were on the Haunted Mansion and some family asked us if we wanted their fast passes for Splash Mountain which could be used in the next twenty minutes. The only answer to the that is heck yeah! We rode the Haunted Mansion and then Splash Mountain which is one of the best rides ever! After our full day we went back to the hotel and passed out!

The next day Mandi and I went to the park early and tried out our first time at Disney California Adventure. We went to go on Soarin' and while we were on there Trisha, Max, Sadie, Kimi, and Dad met us there. Guess what ride the kids wanted to go on, yep Soarin, so we all went on it again. Then we spent the majority of our day in California Adventure. Here's a side note I do not recommend going to Disneyland on a Monday. There was so many people there that they had to close Disneyland to all new visitors. Needless to say that all the lines were looooong. But we had Max and Sadie so it was all worth it. One of the best things we did was go on Tower of Terror with Max, Sadie, and Trisha. Sadie was so funny. She screamed the whole entire time. In fact before it even started Trish looked over to me and told me her ands were sweating she was so scared. But we got off the ride and Sadie said it was the best ride ever, go figure. Then we went and rode some other rides and then we waited in line for the Toy Story Mania ride for two and a half hours. Almost not sure it was worth it. I'm not saying it wasn't a fun a ride, I'm just saying I can't wait in line for that long for a ride. But it was fun to go on it with Max and Sadie. Then we went on Grizzly Rapids, soooo fun and we got super soaked. Poor Sadie got the brunt of it but she is such a trooper, she never complained. Then we went into Disneyland and rode some rides there. Then the kids got too tired and so Trisha, Kirby, and dad took them back to the hotel for the night. While Mandi, Kimi, and me stayed in the park. We rode a couple rides together and then decided to get something to eat. MISTAKE!! The park was so full that every place we tried had an hour wait. Oh, well. Our dad met back with us while we were eating. Then we rode some rides with him and then Kimi decided she needed to leave (being pregnant she was really tired!). Then Trisha met back with us and we rode some rides with her and then all of us decided to leave.

So that penguin Sadie is holding was actually bought for Gwen (get it Pen-Gwen, family joke ;]) but Sadie said she was "protecting" it for Gwen! She's more and more like her mom every day ;).

The sisters!! I think this was the first time we were all in Disneyland together for something like 15 years!Dad and me on the tea cups. We both don't like going around too fast so we opted being on a different tea cup then Trish and Mandi ;)
The Heyborne's Traditional Picture

The next day Mandi and I decided to hang out with the family at the hotel while we still could. I took my dad to the airport so that he could return their rental car since him and my mom were heading home. Then we went back to the hotel and had lunch with the Heyborne's before they headed back. Then I took my parents to the airport. Mandi and I decided to rest up and then headed down to Downtown Disney. We shopped and dined and looked around. It was so much fun.

The next morning Mandi and I packed up the hotel checked out and went back for our last day at DISNEYLAND. We went on all the rides we wanted to and did the repeats of all the best. We also went back to California Adventure and explored everywhere since it was our first time there. We also bought our souvenirs and just had tons of fun together. Then we drove back up to Valencia and stayed with Kimi and Ryan for the rest of our stay. Driving back was no fun for me though. It was late at night and so California decided to do some construction. Now their highways and freeways are not as simple as Utah's. So they had me go on a detour but then did not warn me when I needed to get off my detour. I missed the off ramp and had to pull of at the next one and figure out where I was. Not fun. Eventually we figured it out and got back on the right highway. We then had three days to hang out with Kimi and Ryan and the Heyborne's.

I look a little ghoulish with this lighting, but I couldn't pass up taking a picture in a giant C.

On our last night Kimi, Ryan, Mandi, and I decided to go and explore LA's Chinatown. It was so much fun to see all the nifty things you could buy. We all came away with something. Then on our way home we decided to have what else but Chinese. Not just any Chinese we had PF Chang's. This was my first time going there and it was YUMMY!! Thanks Kimi and Ryan for the adventure!

This is a little dark but it is an alley in Chinatown.

Mandi and I then hopped in the car the next day and drove all day until we got home. Then I woke up the next day went to work!! Back to reality!!

A special thanks goes to my parents for planning and paying for a lot of this vacation. They made sure that everybody that could go were there. Also a special thanks to the Californians for letting me and Mandi hang out with them for a week. Also thank you to Kimi and Ryan for letting us stay with them. Also I would like to say that we really missed Ryan at Disneyland and wish he could have come. We will definitely need to plan another trip where everyone can go!

Congratulations!!

Mandi AKA Westside!

My baby sister graduated from high school today! I am so proud of her! She truly is an example to me and I am proud to have her as my sister! So I am going to take this blog to brag about her!

Reasons Why Mandi is an example to me:

1. She can see the good in everybody and every situation, there is hardly a time where you can ever find her pessimistic.

2. She has never let anything keep her down. (For Example: Getting two major injuries in basketball and keeping on playing.)

3. She can make friends anywhere, anytime, any place.

4. She has an awesome sense of humor even to the point that she can laugh at herself.

5. She is one of the BEST graphic designers that I have ever seen.

6. She is gorgeous! But she would never admit to it!

I also love her eyes they are gorgeous!

7. She is an awesome aunt to our nieces and nephew and will drop everything to play with them.

8. She is an awesome athlete.

9. She is one of my best friend's (which is a feet for any siblings!)

Here are some pictures from the day!

The Little Graduate: I can't believe my baby sister is a graduate!

The Graduate and Me

Dad and Mandi: Look at our dad being a corn ball!! I love this picture for that reason!

I love you Mandi and I hope this is the beginning to the wonderful life I know you are destined for!

Yeah, Yeah I Know I Rock At Blogging!

Okay okay it has been a really long time since I have done this. But I must remind that I warned that this would happen in my first blog. It is just so frustrating to know what to blog! But now I have something really fun to blog about! Recently my oldest sister and her family came up to visit, YAY!!! I do not get to see them enough! Especially their cute little addition Gwen. I haven't seen her since her blessing......

Gwen on her blessing day!

Gwen Now!!

I can't believe how fast she is growing up! She is the cutest little thing. Although she does have her own little quirk. She will only let mom and dad hold her. But I took on the challenge and she let me hold her twice!! I absolutely loved it she is so smiley and awesome. She is also one of the best behaved babies I have seen (and I know my fair share of babies!). First of all she went to the movies with us and no one would have known she was there, she was silent the whole entire time! Then she went to her dad's concert with us and was just so adorable the whole entire time. She was so enthralled with daddy on the stage that she was very quiet. Then during one of the songs she started to move her hands to the beat and was just so cute!

But Gwen's siblings are also growing up so fast! I can't believe that Max is turing 8 in a month and getting baptized. He is so cool and just so smart. I asked him if I could come to his baptism and he said "Of course what else are aunt's for?!" I loved it, he is so awesome! On this trip he was my Wii and fighting buddy. He is also a very awesome big brother. He loved holding Gwen when ever possible and played with Sadie all the time. He is an awesome little boy.

Then there is Sadie. She is also smart and so awesome! She was my little tickle monster buddy. She helped me sneak up on people and tickle them. Grandpa was our favorite victim. She was also my Mario Kart buddy. Man she owns that game! She is so good! She whipped me at it over and over again. She is just so adorable and I loved our one on one time together.

I had so much fun with the kids. They are so fun to hang out with. Seeing the movie was so much fun and then to talk about it with them afterwards was fun. It was so fun to hear their thoughts about the movie and what they thought was funny. It was also so fun to see them play in the snow. It is always so fun to see Californians play in the snow, but with them they just needed a little bit of snow and they built a snowman!

In the process of building their snowman.

Finished product.

It was so fun to see the Heyborne's and I hope I will get to see them again soon!