Update on Dennis

Dennis has started physical therapy for his back and is going three times a week. He has been doing pool therapy and feels like it is making his back lots stronger. He also went to a new doctor this week for an assessment and the doctor was just shocked at how great he is doing. He has very little pain and only takes ibuprofen occassionally. He has also been drinking Tahitian Noni Juice since a couple weeks after the accident and his doctor was impressed enough with how much it helps manage his pain, that he wrote out a prescription for him to keep taking it. We are anxious for him to get back to work but glad that he hasn't been out working in the extremely cold weather we've had here.

More Drawings From Cameron

Cameron has been drawing a lot of pictures of Tow Mater, Mack, and Lightning McQueen from the movie Cars. He drew the picture of Mater's back from a picture "in his head." The drawing of Mater with a red front and top was of Mater on "Big Rig Day." He and Mack are coming off the freeway and Mater is wearing a "half circle like big rigs do." We are amazed at the perspective in his recent drawings. He stills loves to tell stories while drawing and he has so much fun drawing them - which is great!

Kylie can draw!

I looked over at Kylie drawing today and realized she was drawing a face. She showed me the eyes and mouth and added a nose for me. Then I asked if the person could have arms and legs and she added them too - in the right places! Sorry I just have to brag! She is only 2 1/2. We think she has been watching Cameron draw so much that she figured it out. She was so proud of her drawing and loved to show it off to everyone. Luckily, I took a picture of it before she added more drawing and coloring over the top of it. Hope you can see it too. The scribbling around the top is the hair. The eyes, nose and mouth are in the middle. The arms and legs are coming off the sides and bottom of the face. Okay....I'm done bragging

This recipe is soooooo yummy. I should have taken a picture of the cake but didn't think to. I was too busy eating it. It took about 7 bowls, a double boiler, a mixer and a really big mess to make. It didn't last more than 2 days. It tastes best after it has chilled a couple hours and the mouse topping has set. Not that we waited for our first taste. Oooohhhh, this is taste bud heaven. This will be what I make for my birthday cake.

Playing in the Snow

The kids had a great time playing in our recent snow fall. They enjoyed swinging, digging in the snow with shovels, and making snow angels. After, Kylie said she wasn't tired and didn't want a nap. The picture shows different :)

Jen's Recent Cards and Pics

Here are some of my recent iris fold cards and a tebag card. The temple picture was 8x10 and done with fabric textured scrapbook paper. I was going to see how much it would sell on ebay or deseretbook.auctions/ but Shirley bought it as soon as she saw it to give as a wedding present. I am in the process of making another one. I made the heart cards to show a scrapbook store called Heartfelt Creations. I am going to teach an iris folding class there on Feb 1st. The teabag card was made for a monthly challenge at cicleofcrafters.com. I gave it to a friend who recently miscarried.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year. It is 2am and I can't say I'm up celebrating. I've been up doing geneology and checking out posts on CircleofCrafters.com and Fiskateers.com. I love both websites but CofC is my favorite. I love to get ideas for iris folding and teabag folding.

Here are some pictures from Christmas. We drove to Boise to visit with Jen's parents. The pictures of the Salt Lake temple grounds are from Saturday Dec 30th. The lights were beautiful but it was very cold. Dennis and Jen were married in this temple 10 years ago this month.

White Christmas

Our first real snowfall of the year brought us about 9 inches. The kids have had colds so they haven't gotten to go out and play in it. Of course, Dennis just got the kids swing set up a few days ago. Ky didn't even get to play on it before it snowed. It isn't going anywhere though so she'll get a chance to later. We'll be going to Boise to spend Christmas with Jen's parents. Hopefully, we'll get a little snow up there....after we make the drive.

A Visit to Santa at the Mall

Cameron's preschool visited Santa at the mall on Thursday the 7th December. I don't know if it is appropriate to post group pics on blogs without permission so I have just posted the one of the kids. They had bright lights so I didn't use the flash and the shutter speed was slow so its a little blurry. The kids did great sitting with Santa. Neither of them cried or said they didn't want to sit with him and they both told him what they wanted for Christmas. Cameron wants a "construction set with signs" (that goes with his GeoTrax) and Kylie wants a "Dora, Dora Explorer." Shirley joined us and took us to lunch after. It was a lot of fun.

Pictures of the Kids from 3 December 2006

Wanted to show some cute photos of the kids taken this morning before church.

Kylie is dressed and ready to go. Cameron, as usual is still in pjs. He can be a bear to get dressed some mornings.

We'll Miss You Greg Wiggle!

We were very sad to hear that Greg Wiggle Page had to retire from the Wiggles. For those who haven't heard, he is really sick and can't perform anymore.

I asked Cameron (age 4 1/2) to make Greg a card and Kylie (age 2) had to join in. I decided I'll mail him a card as well.

In Cameron's drawing, if you look close, Greg (in yellow) is giving the truck a cup of red medicine. The drawing is completely his own although I helped him spell. I only wrote the description as well as "Get well soon Greg"

Kylie's drawing is of the Wiggles on a merry go round. After she drew the circles, she told us it was a merry go round. I asked if the Wiggles could ride it and she drew a little of each of their colors.

My card is from a picture I took of one of the last butterflies of summer at my parents place in Idaho. I'm going to mail them to Wiggle headquarters and hope Greg will get to see them although I'm sure he is getting a ton of mail right now. Anyways, thanks for looking.

Jen's Folded Cards

Here are some of my cards that I have created lately. The lighthouse card was done for a sister of a friend. The Christmas cards were done a few months ago and I need to do some more (lots more). The tudor home has an opening in the middle for a greeting or a photo.

Fall Trip to the Zoo

On Saturday November 28th we went to the zoo. Although its been cold, it was a beautiful day. The kids were a little disappointed that the zebras had been put inside for the winter. We did get to see the giraffes get fed which was cool. We love to see the tigers in the Asian Highlands exhibit. There are big glass windows so you can be just inches away from the tigers and leopards. Its really neat. Dennis was a real trooper and was a little sore after all of the walking but he did great.

Halloween

The kids had a great time dressing up for Halloween this year. Cameron picked his firefighter costume. We really thought he would dress up as Murray Wiggle again this year so it suprised us that he chose something different. Kylie got her ladybug costume from Shirley (the lady with MS that Jen takes care of). She had fun fluttering her wings while running around.

Cameron's preschool class had a special program for the parents where the kids sang 3 songs. Cameron did a great job singing and Kylie wanted to join him even though she didn't know the songs. Papa Chick and Grandma Jonna came to visit on October 27th-28th. Grandma and Jen went to a Psych-K training on Friday and Saturday. That night we went to a family Halloween party with Dennis' side of the family. Cameron was sooooo excited to win the big tub of cheese balls. Aunt Mary stopped by to visit on Halloween night and went trick or treating with Jen and the kids. We didn't stay out too long but it was still fun.

Update on us...

Well it has been 3 months since we've posted so I decided it was time. Most of our friends and family know that 2 months ago Dennis fell off a deck he was building and broke his back. Thankfully, he will heal and be back to normal soon. He is getting around great now and even went with us to the zoo last week. He will go in for xrays in about another week and probably be off work for another month or so. We are grateful that he wasn't hurt worse. We have enjoyed the extra time he has had to spend at home but look forward to him getting better.

As we enter the world of blogging....

Here is the most current picture of our family.

We have made comments on message boards (at least Jen has) but never had a blog. We hope our family and friends will enjoy the pictures and stories we share. Of course we'll have to share some of Cam's wonderful drawings and some of Jen's folded cards. There will be some of Ky just being her cute self and maybe a few of Den's decks.

Today, Sunday 30 July 2006, we attended our LDS ward. Ky and Cam love Primary and Nursery but have a hard time telling Mommy and Daddy goodbye. Den and Jen team teach the 14 - 16 year old youth Sunday School class which can be a challenge. We have both loved learning more about the Old Testament stories this year. Today was Elijah and the "still small voice" of the Lord. It was a good lesson and the youth are starting to listen a little more and ask their friends not to talk as much either (especially if they are the ones reading). Den and Ky are getting much needed naps while Jen sets up the blog and Cam draws and plays. Cam's nap time has turned into quiet time in his room for an hour each afternoon. Jen is going to get going on geneology again. She has PAF set up on her computer and member/record numbers so now she needs to see what has been done on Den's mom's line (not much) and what needs to be done (a lot!).

Summer at the Zoo

This summer we have been going to the zoo a lot (at least more than our once a year). We decided to get a membership card so we can go often and not worry if we only stay for an hour or two. This is a picture of Cam and Ky on a set of tiger statues in the new Asian Highlands exhibit. The new feline exhibit is wonderful. The cats are in more natural surroundings and the buildings in the exhibit are really beautiful. Its been too hot to go the past few weeks as its been in the 100s here like most other places. Hopefully it will cool off soon so we can get out again.