Jenna is three!

Jenna turned three last week and seems to have extra energy ever since!  Her birthday was a lot of fun because she totally knew what was going on.  She got a lot of fun presents and we went to the library and out for ice cream on her actualy birthday.  And then on Saturday we had a family party. We colored Mickey Mouse Clubhouse pictures and she had a Minnie Mouse cake per her request.  It was a lot of fun! 

Some fun facts about Jenna at this age are that she has an amazing memory! She is SO smart.  If you teach/tell her something once she seems to remember it forever.  She is very obedient and good at listening to us.  She has an awesome imagination.  She is really good at 'pretend play'.  She loves to tell stories and have us tell stories to her also, especially when we are driving somewhere.  She really likes going to the library.  She loves to read.  Some of her favorite things right now are anything to do with Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and she really likes the Fancy Nancy books.  The winter cold weather has arrived but during the summer she loved being outside! She really likes hiking, 'rock climbing (she likes to climb on any rock or boulder she sees), swimming, boating, swinging and going down slides, including big water slides on Mommy's or Daddy's lap.  She is such a sweet, silly, smart, fun, amazing little girl! Happy Birthday Jenna!

Yellowstone Pics

Yellowstone

We had the Bedells at our house for about a week before the Yellowstone family reunion which was a blast! We made bubble blowing devices, went to Seven Peaks a couple of time, went bowling, and more! It was fun to spend time with them because they live the farthest away so we don't get to see them very often. Our trip to Yellowstone was for the Donald and Carol Hansen family reunion, so Andrew's Aunts and Uncles and cousins were all there. We were missing only a handful of people. It was a great turn out and we had a lot of fun! We went b.b collecting at Margie and Terry's cabin (the kids collected airsoft gun b.b.'s in plastic cups. Some of the kids and I decorated a Christmas tree in the woods with flowers and b.b.'s. :) Sadie, Makaylee and Jenna had a lot of fun catching butterflys around our cabin. We also did makeovers, played games, went fishing, river rafting, on a hike, and of course drove through Yellowstone! We all got up and left by 5:30 am and followed Uncle Brian's itinerary. Our goal was to see a bear. And we did! We saw a grizzly! He was super far away so it just looked like a blob but he turned a certain way while I was looking through the binoculars and I could the outline of his ears and head. So then I believed it really was a bear!

Flaming Gorge!

We went down to Flaming gorge with the Hughes clan (minus Greg) and we had SO much fun! It was beautiful down there! The natural landscapes around us were constantly changing dramatically, it was a fascinating drive. And there were so many beautiful red rock mountains surrounding us in certain parts of flaming gorge, floating down the river through the red rock canyon was especially beautiful. (Red rock is my favorite). It was just a quick trip but we made every second count! We fished, went boating, floated down the green river, played games, ate A LOT and had loads of fun! Jenna was fearless! She LOVES the water! She went tubing with us, was always asking to get out of the boat and swim, and even jumped off the boat into the lake into my arms when we had stopped the boat and were taking a swim break. She sure is one brave little fishy! Oh, and how cool are Grandma and Grandpa Hughes doing tricks on the water skiis!?

Camping!

We have a very busy summer this year which is so much fun! We have been going to Seven Peaks Waterpark a lot.  Playing with friends, going camping, and we have a lot of fun trips planned for the rest of the summer too. Andrew replaced our roof too! It was a huge job!  His fchildhood friend Levi and his family came down to help.  The men roofed and the ladies and kids played, cooked and shopped. :) Good times! Here are some pics from our first camping trip of the summer.  We went with four families that are our friends that also enjoy camping and canoeing.  We went to Palisades State Park and it was so much fun!  They had a really nice lake and a beach which makes for lots of fun in the sun!

Winter/Spring 2012

We have had such a fun Winter and Spring and have big plans for an awesome summer too!  Here are some pics of some of the highlights. We went sledding with the Daltons, Blacks Bedells and Sara. Good times. :) During cold weather Jenna and I have been doing some fun little activities like playing with water and different sized containers, measuring cups, spoons etc.  I let her do this sometimes if I am baking something I don't want her double dipping in, like cookies or bread to share with neighbors. :)  We also play with food coloring sometimes, here she is painting the snow with food coloring and water.  We made pudding paint with food coloring the other day which was also a lot of fun!  We went canoeing for FHE last week.  We had a picnic in the canoe and then a little lesson about how the Lord created everything around us and how to show appreciation for nature. :)  Right before potty training we went to the farm and saw lots of animals! Jenna loved it! She especially loved climbing on the tractor and in the tree house. :)  She is growing so fast.  She can talk so well and is so imaginative and silly!  She amazes me everyday. :)

Ever Growing Toddler

Jenna is SO MUCH FUN! She is learning and growing everyday! I am constantly amazed at the new things she is always doing/saying. One of her greatest talents lately is her ability to memorize. She is so quick to memorize a book and can recite most of her books (including her libraby books) to us, or to her baby dolls when she is reading to them. She's such a smart girl! P.s. Her hair has been getting so curly lately! We love it. :)

First Snowman!

Andrew and Jenna built a snowman together, and it was Jenna's first snowman ever! It was a lot of fun. I brought out lemon halves for eyes and a carrot for them to use as a nose. I love watching these two spend time together. Jenna has always been a Mama's girl, which is fun for me but hard for Andrew sometimes. But I have had class once a week lately and Andrew and Jenna have been able to spend time one on one which has been really good for them. Andrew has been taking her to different temples (she loves temples!). He made playdough for her, they play and read books, etc. One night, I was not able to be home until after bedtime. The next morning when Jenna woke up, I went in her room to get her and the first thing she said was "I had fun with Daddy!". It made Andrew and I really happy. She is such a fun, silly, sweet, loving sweetheart. :)

So Cute

Today was special. Jenna said a prayer all by herself today for the first time and it was the cutest thing I have ever heard. She said thank you for mommy, thank you for daddy, thank you for me, thank you for my diapers, thank you for my clothes, thank you for my crib, thank you for my sound machine (pretty much everything in her room) and thank you for Jesus. Her prayer was full of thank yous and it was the cutest thing I have ever heard. I'm so grateful for such a sweet girl. She also sang "I am a Child of God" all by herself for the first time too. She is so sweet, adorable, and smart!!!!!! Love that girl.

Jenna's Birthday Continued

I am FINALLY finding time to post some more details about Jenna's birthday party. Here are some pics from our little farm themed party. We had it inside our church building, because it was too cold outside. We had lots of family and a couple of friends come. So fun! Here is a picture of the food labels. We served Chili, chex mix, and a veggie tray. We made little labels for them. Pig trough for the chili. Jenna's Garden for the veggies and Chicken Feed for the chex mix. We're creative, I know. ;)

Grandma and Grandpa Hughes with Jenna. Love them!

We played stick the chick on the farm scene.

Jenna wanted to stick the chick on my face. Silly girl!

I made little piggy cupcakes with frosting, chocolate chips, and pink marshmallows.

Jenna got Pooh bear for her birthday. She loves Winnie the Pooh.

She hugged him like he was her long lost friend. It was so cute!

Wearing her "Party Princess" sash, pooh bear in hand, and piggy cupcakes. What a good birthday! :)

We had pictures of farm animals and some crayons for the kids to color.

And some farm animal puzzles/blocks.

Happy Birthday Jenna girl! What a happy, sweet, fun-loving little girl we have!