Cancun!

Something great happened to me today. I mean, THIS is GREAT! It is probably #4 on the list of the greatest things that have happened to me in my life. I won a trip to Cancun Mexico! Our local radio station is giving away a trip a day in May, and I've been trying to win one for 3 weeks now. Tomorrow is the last day of vacation giveaways too! Well, I had to listen to the radio at 7:30 to find out the song of the day and then listen for when they played it in between 6-7 pm and then be caller #9! Can you believe that I was caller #9? I screamed on the radio and almost cried. I was so excited that I couldn't think of my own zip code and I had to look at an envelope to remember it. Anyways, this trip is all inclusive. That means that airfare, resort, activities, food, EVERYTHING is free! The resort is Gran Caribe Royale right on the beach in Cancun! I guess I'll take Randy with me. What a lucky husband. You should check out our resort at http://www.realresorts.com/Caribe_Real/

Ultrasound

It's been a few weeks since the ultra sound, and I finally got Randy to scan the pictures for us!
I think that this one is cute. If you look closely (I think you have to do that with all ultra sound pictures anyways) you can see the cute little footprints.
This one is neat. It is a 3D type of look. It is the baby's profile. You can see her eye, nose, mouth, chin, neck, etc. Anyways, hope you enjoy!

The GARDEN

I love gardening. However, I don't remember it being this much work! Let me show you what we have done so far. First of all, our yard started as this.. See that ugly building in the background behind Kenadi? We tore that down last fall, so that we could have a garden this year. Well, I shouldn't say "we" tore it down, it was Randy and J that did it. I decided that it was too dangerous for me to stay and help that much. BUT, after it was torn down, Randy and I ( I really did help with this) tore the foundation out of the ground, and that was work made for one of the chain gangs! It was a pain!
Next, Randy rota-tilled the ground. We chopped up some of the grass too, so our garden would be bigger.
After that, we planted! Well, I forgot to take a picture of the dirt with just the seeds in it, but that would be boring anyways. You can see some of the things that we are growing. I"ll name what you can see starting from front to back. In the front is strawberries (well, those that didn't get eaten by larvae), in the pots are blueberries, behind that and to the right are lettuce, raspberries on the very right side, beans and peas (which are ripening and are so good!), some larger tomato plants ( there are smaller ones that I had to transplant that you probably can't see very well.... they are in what looks like a bare spot), and the bushy things in mounds are cucumber, yellow squash, watermelon, and zucchini, and behind that is the sweet corn that was absolutely mandatory that we have.
Here is a better view of the corn. Randy would want you all to see these. They are his pride and joy.

Here is one of my poor strawberry plants that has so many leaves eaten off by June bugs! I go out every night before bed and find them and kill them. Soon I'm going to get something that will kill them for me. Who knew that they ate strawberries!? It is also their larvae that ate the roots of so many of my strawberry plants before I knew what was going on. Don't worry, Guerney's (that's who we ordered a lot of our plants and seeds from) will send me a whole new shipment of strawberries when it is time to plant them again-free of extra charge!

Since Randy did so much of the labor to get the dirt ready, we both are the ones who planted the seeds, but I am the one who does most of the weeding, mulching, and edging. It's work, but it's fun work! This is one of my favorite activities because we have the best time as a family working out there. Gardening= work + great conversation + a very muddy Kenadi + great food!

Kenadi is a BIG GIRL now, and I don't know if I'm happy about that.

Well, I don't know how many of you know that I started potty training Kenadi when she was 20 months old or something, and she caught on the first day I started it! THAT was a huge blessing. Now, she goes without a diaper during naps, and she even makes it through the night without wetting the bed! I don't know how that happened so fast. Well, I am definitely happy about not having to clean up excretions any more, but it does mean that she's more of a toddler than a baby. Yesterday we had Kenadi wrap up all of her binkis and we told her that she's a big girl now, and big girls don't suck on binkis, just babies. So, we helped her give her binkis to her favorite baby in the ward, "baby Owen". She understands that they're gone, but bed time was exceptionally hard last night (it took her about an hour to go to sleep, and I had to rock her). Tonight wasn't much better, but she did fall to sleep by herself this time. I know that she is 2 and that she has to quit sucking the binki sometime, but I feel so sad for her. She kept saying, "baby Owen, binki?" Poor thing. Besides the fact that she's 2, the continence, and absence of a binki mean that now she REALLY isn't a baby. It happens too fast.

It's a Girl!

No, I didn't have the baby yet, but we found out that she's another girl! That's good since we have all the girl clothes and girlie stuff. Anyways, I will put some of the ultra-sound pictures up, after Randy scans them. I don't do scanning. So, anyone have any good girl name suggestions?

Random Tidbits

Our friends that left us and moved to Pennsylvania came to visit us last weekend. I'll call them oftluamtP. (that's the first letter of the whole last sentence.) No, I'll call them Penny's. Anyways, they came and Randy and I actually got a picture of ourselves alone! (thanks to them taking the picture) So, I thought I'd publish it.
Here they are-the Penny's. We played games with them and I lost every one. That's okay, I guess, since I usually win anyways.
Kenadi wore this cute dress one Sunday. My mom made it for her. She didn't mind posing for me either.
The sucker is a Sunday ritual. The bishop gives her one after church.
This was my Mothers Day. Randy was wonderful and let me relax and take it easy all day. He also gave me these great gardening things! A knee-board, and a watering can. Kenadi helped me open my presents, too.
These are some of Kenadi's gardening tools that she got from her Grandma Jensen! She loves to help in the garden (walk on my plants), and especially look for bugs!
Randy usually helps her hunt for bugs, or else she picks them up and squishes them on the way to the bug catcher. It is kinda gross.
I LOVE MY FAMILY! Aren't they so cute?

Randy's Birthday

Randy's Birthday was May 7th, and I think that because it was such a special day, the camera decided to start working again. So, you get pictures of it! Actually, we did a little family party on his Birthday because it was on a Wednesday and also finals week. On Friday we had cake and ice cream and invited some of Randy's favorite friends over, including our friends who just recently moved to Pennsylvania. We ate outside and the weather was perfect.

Kenadi loves to open presents, so she helped her daddy. When he was done, she said, "I want presents!". Wonderful.

Here are some of the presents that Kenadi and I got Randy. A tie, some pepper plants so that we can make salsa with our tomatoes that are already growing in our garden, and some socks. Randy was pretty excited about the socks. Actually, I didn't get him much because we are saving to buy him a road bike since he is so healthy and rides his other bike to school every day. 6 1/2 miles one way!
I wrote happy day on his cake because that is what Kenadi calls it. Plus, the words fit on there better. I know that it is nothing special looking, but that is why I want to take a cake decorating class.
He just blew out his candles. Man, what a play-by-play!
Here are some of our favorite people.
I wish that I could have caught this picture in time. This is Kenadi's friend from nursery and play-group and work-out club. She love playing with him. Right before I took this shot they were giving each other the cutest hug.
Well, that is about it! Randy's now 27! I'm so glad he was born.

My New Favorite Cookies

Before you start these GREAT cookies, take notice that you have to refrigerate the dough for 3 hours before cooking them. I hate it when I start a recipe and find that out later. These are sooo good. Oh, I found these on the Taste of Home website. I wish I could take credit for them.



I also wish I had a picture for them...




Chocolate Truffle Cookies
Ingredients:
• 4 squares (1 ounce each) unsweetened chocolate
• 2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips, divided
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons baking cocoa
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Confectioners' sugar
Directions:
In a microwave or double boiler, melt unsweetened chocolate, 1 cup of chocolate chips and butter; cool for 10 minutes.
In a mixing bowl, beat sugar and eggs for 2 minutes. Beat in vanilla and the chocolate mixture.
Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; beat into chocolate mixture. Stir in remaining chocolate chips. Cover and chill for at least 3 hours.
Remove about 1 cup of dough. With lightly floured hands, roll into 1-in. balls. Place on ungreased baking sheets.
Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until lightly puffed and set. Cool on pan 3-4 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Repeat with remaining dough. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Yield: about 4 dozen


Don't worry, I haven't forgotten that yesterday was Randy's 27th birthday, but we are having a little get-together tomorrow, so I will post his birthday later.

It's been a while

Sorry, folks. I am a picture blogger, and my camera broke. So... that's why you haven't heard anything lately. I do have some pictures from our recent trip to Arkansas (hey, it wasn't so bad! I really like Arkansas!) so I will post them soon. Also, I have a few recipes that I've tried lately that I want to share with you. So, that is what to expect while we are waiting to get a camera. Keep checking!
I do have a serious question for everyone, though. How do you get a 2-year old to mind? Please share all of your secrets, or any that you've heard from friends. I need help. Today Kenadi ran into the road 2 times! She knows that she's not supposed to, and used to mind me and stay on the grass, but lately she runs in the road as soon as I tell her not to. Scary! After today, I decided to move the number of kids I want to have from 8 to 3. That sounds way better. Randy probably wont be too upset about that.
Oh, here's an update on the baby. I am currently 18 weeks along, and am due for my sex-determining ultra sound. However, the place where I get that done is booked for a few weeks, so I have that appointment on May 15th. So, I'll let you all know what's going on! I have been feeling the baby kick and move a lot for the past 2 weeks. I love it! I finally feel pregnant. =)