TWINS LAST FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!

 My babies last first day of school! These boys are the best and this is going to be the saddest year ever with it being the last of everything but I'm going to soak it all up! I didn't have time to be sad and depressed today, instead....I decided to take today and go out with a bang. Last year I snagged Jared and we drove through the parent drop off line to watch the boys stand on the side and cheer on all the students on the first day of school with the cheerleaders and pommies. Misty saw me and told me to honk the horn and turn up the radio so I did....but because of that....I decided to step this year up a notch! I called Aubrey, my partner in crime, and we grabbed Emily Germaine's RZR, 4 confetti cannons and an air horn and drove through the line, honking and shooting off the cannons. The kids who didn't know us were confused...those who knew us were cracking up. Misty told us to go around again, so we did! Poor Tre had to come with us but he was so embarrassed he laid down in the back so no one would see him! I love that my boys are surprised by my actions, outwardly annoyed by me, but then they like it! Senior year here we come!! 

BACK TO SCHOOL BLESSINGS!

TYLER: 

- You will be blessed with an enjoyable senior year

- Bless you to make the most of your time with studies, STUGO & basketball and you will still enjoy your time to learn and grow

- Bless you to be happy

- Bless you to be healthy

- You will have the spiritual, physical and mental strength to get through the year

- Bless you to be a friend to those around you and those who need a friend

- Bless you with the ability to learn

- Bless you that your testimony of Jesus Christ will grow and you will be prepared to serve a mission

- Tyler, the Lord needs you in the mission field, he needs your unique talents and happy spirit. You will find those who are down trodden. The Lord needs you to serve as an example to the missionaries and to uplift them

- Tyler because of your diligence and desire to be good and righteous you will be blessed to have a successful year

TYSON:

- Bless you to know that this is a great time for you in your life

- Bless you to know before you were born, you saw this time in your life and you were very excited to come to the earth and go through the temple and get the priesthood

- Bless you to be a shining light to your friends and to bring joy to those around you

- The Lord understands your desires to do what is right

- Bless you with all the physical, spiritual and mental capabilities to do your studies, play basketball and work

- You will learn joy that comes from hard work

- Find joy in understanding who Jesus Christ is

- Bless you to be happy, healthy and safe

- Bless you to make good decisions and be an example to those around you 

- the Lord loves you and your desire to understand the gospel 

- You are a great blessing to the family

- You need to understand the role you play as brother, cousin, uncle and son

- As you prepare yourself, you will receive a call to serve a mission

SUMMER SHENANNIGANS!

 Random summer happenings....The twins spent all of June doing summer basketball, early morning practices and then tournaments on the weekends, Jared dressed up for church as a pioneer for a combined youth pioneer lesson, Katy Smith went through the temple, Laynie Bell left on her mission, Lilly Hatch left on her mission, Della and Emma visited it us twice, Sara and I continued our Temple trips, Jared filled in for her when she was gone and the boys spent a lot of time playing xbox and working a little...but hey....it's their last real summer so why not! 

FIRST SISTERS TRIP!

 For Ashley's 40th birthday Blake wanted to send her on our first ever Sister's Trip! We ended up in Newport at a Beach House - the Jensen vacation stomping grounds - more like the boys stomping grounds! We hung out at the beach, ate food, did puzzles, talked about hot dogs at wedding receptions, played the Friends TV Show 50 states game in 6 minutes, I got us matching sets and eye patches for one night, we took a night walk on the beach, we recited the old YW theme to Jennifer aka Jenny, ate acai bowls in the morning and figured out that I give out judgements for free! It was the best trip! so glad we could get away and do this! Thanks Blake! 

STUGO SENIOR YEAR RETREAT!

 *GULP* our last STUGO retreat in the books! If you ever want to crack up and have a good laugh...go to a high school stugo retreat and just sit back and watch them....such good kids but also they are hilarious!  I loved watching Tyler be brave and get up there in front of everyone and give presentations - I know that's hard for him and he went up there with such ease, I was so proud! STUGO pushes them out of their comfort zone, it's a good thing for both boys! These kiddos bring a smile to my face and they are blessed to have the best stugo advisors around! This is going to be a good year!! 

TANNER CARDON'S HOMECOMING!

 We went to the airport to greet Tanner coming home and support his family! I love when I tell the boys we are going to do these like this and it means they can't go out with friends or anything and they never complain! It was so fun to watch their excitement at seeing Tanner coming home...watching everyone get on their tip toes and they think they spot Tanner down the long cooridor! The spirit watching a mom and son reunite after 2 years is so strong and overwhelming! 1 year left till I get my momma hug!! 

4th OF JULY!

4th of July this year was America's 250th Birthday!! We were thinking about going up to Idaho to spend it with the Stolworthys but tickets were so expensive we just decided to stay here. But the closer it got the more I didn't want to be here. I thought of a lot of different options...but I also knew that if we didn't "leave" somewhere then the twins wouldn't hang out with us and I really wanted to spend it with them. So 6 days ago Jared and I booked a stay-cation at the Scottsdale Grand Hyatt Resort. We headed up there around lunch time, checked into our room, staked out a spot to call our own, ordered lunch by the pool, Miami Vices, strawberry daquiris, pina coladas, ice cream, etc. The boys swam, wrestled in the pool, played volleyball, we laughed and joked around together, got dinner together, watched fireworks together, ate a whole bag of pirates booty, etc. It was the perfect 24 hours! I love getting away with the twins and they put their phones away and we get to see their funny personalities! So grateful for this great nation we live in, so grateful for all our forefathers did for our country and so grateful to all those for fight to protect these great freedoms we have! God bless America!