The Wedding

I finally got a slide show made of the wedding!

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Countdown To Easter

I love it when we can focus more on Jesus during Easter and Christmas. This year I found this AMAZING Easter countdown. I don't know how Cocoa finds time to do it all, but I'm glad that when she does something amazing she shares :) We've been doing this everyday during our morning devotional and the boys have really enjoyed it. We haven't had time to do the extra activities that she has listed, but what we've done has really brought the Spirit into our home. I didn't want to spend any money, so we got out one of our small Christmas trees and decorated it with plastic eggs that I bought on clearance last year. I printed the tags out on cardstock and we add one each day after we have had our devotional. I know I didn't get this posted early enough for you all to do the whole month, but you could do it for a week or even save it for next year. I hope you enjoy it!

Field Trip to Wyoming

A few weeks ago, my aunt called and invited us to stay with them at their condo in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. We were so excited! The kids had never been to Jackson or Yellowstone, and Steve and I hadn't been there for a long time. My aunt and uncle have been going there for years and promised us a great sight-seeing adventure! We started out at 6:00 on a Wednesday morning. Less than 2 hours into the trip Mason declared, "This really isn't a vacation, is it? It's more like a field trip!" Ummm... yes, dear boy, a field trip it is! I think he gets tired of me turning into Ms. Frizzle and loading everyone into the "bus" for a learning experience. Nate on the other hand, loves to learn about anything at any time. It's amazing how different each child is:)

We got to the condo late morning. We had a quick lunch and then headed out to see the bison.

This is about the time Mason decided field trips might be fun after all. It was almost a little unnerving to be so close to the local wildlife :) Down the road from the bison there was a row of houses called "Mormon Row".

In the late 1800's, Brigham Young sent 5 families to the Teton Valley to establish farms. I can't imagine how hard that must of been. There is NOTHING around for miles, just sage brush and more sage brush. They have only a few months every year that it is warm enough to grow anything and the snow is 100's of inches deep and you couldn't go anywhere for months. Definitely a hard life!

We then went to the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor's Center that sits on the edge of the National Elk Refuge. You can find so much information on the Teton Valley and the animals there! Loved, loved, loved it! Mason loved the gift shop, of course :)

On our way back to the condo, we saw a moose, elk, beavers, and a bear. It's amazing how they just sit right by the side of the road.

We were so tired when our heads hit our pillows, but we were back up early and on our way to Yellowstone Park. The map said 111 miles. That's not so bad, right? Ummmm...... 111 miles on a twisty, yucky road = 3 hours and me being carsick. Blah! It was sooo worth it, though. We were able to spend the day seeing some really awesome stuff. They had the most amazing visitor's center there, too. I loved all the visitor's centers/ museums. They all had educational worksheets that you could pick up from the front desk and fill out as you explored.

On our way back to the condo, we saw another bear, elk, the beavers, a fox, and deer. Nate made the comment that maybe the wildlife isn't so wild if they come so close to people. Yeah, I wasn't ready to test that theory.

On our last day, we went into Jackson Hole to do a little shopping. Mason was excited! If the kid has a penny- it burns a hole in his pocket :)

After shopping, we went to the Rockefeller Nature and Wildlife Preserve and hiked up to a waterfall. We got all the way there- and there was no water :(   Our last stop before dark was Jenny Lake. It was beautiful! It's amazing how many lakes are hidden away in Grand Teton National Park. They are left over from the glaciers.

We packed a lot of sight-seeing into 3 days and had a great time. We learned a lot about Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park. As fun as it was, we were ready to get back to our own Rocky Mountains :)

 

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Camp Hunt

Nate went to scout camp last week and asked to borrow my camera. They were going to Camp Hunt, which sits right on the shore of Bear Lake. I couldn't wait for him to get home and share his pictures. I envisioned lots of pictures of canoeing, fishing, swimming and water fun. I couldn't wait to see were they set up camp. Last year Steve went with him and was in charge of the picture taking. There were lots of pictures of the activities and the camp. We even got a look at the "not so nice" bathroom facilities. Here's a look at what Nate thought were the most important things at scout camp. I'm glad for his subtle reminder that we all see things differently and are individuals. I would have wanted to capture every moment of fun and would have taken pictures of the campsite and all the day-to-day things that we did. He found importance in the serenity and beauty of other things. I love how unique each one of my children are! It definitely would be boring if Heavenly Father made us all the same.

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Dishes

Dirty dishes drive me crazy!  They're not a hard chore to do and everyone in the house usually helps do them. But alas- the sink seems like it's always full! They're like laundry, you never are completely done.  Today, I could feel myself becoming irritated as I loaded the dishwasher for the second time.  For heck's sake- it was only noon so that meant there would be at least one more load for the day.  As I stood there, the irritation was overwhelmed by a feeling of intense gratitude.  Gratitude for dirty dishes?  As I stood there I was reminded that:
1. A sink full of dishes means that we have enough food to eat
2. That I am surrounded by a precious family to feed
3. That I have a home that I can wash my dishes in
4. That my health allows me to do those dishes
5. That I have a dishwasher to put them in
6. That I have the knowledge to use all those pots and pans to make something
My list could go on and on...

 I'm so grateful for teaching moments like these from a loving Heavenly Father.  It's so humbling to know that you are never to old to learn something.

Cub Scout Day Camp

This was Mason's first year going to cub scout day camp. We went to Camp Kiesel. It was really fun going with him. One of the perks of being his leader, I guess! One of the funnest parts of the day was the canoeing. I didn't dare take my camera in the canoe- we were warned that it would be a huge water fight! I got really wet, but poor Mason was soaked!  They also shot BB guns, did leather-working, archery, an obstacle course, nature hike, learned about Leave No Trace, and went to the Traders' Post.  All in all, a fun day with the boys :)

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Bagels

I found this note taped to the pantry door.  "Mason eat bleuberry bagels".  I hardly ever buy bagels, but I found some really cheap ones at the breadstore.  Mason LOVES bagels.  He was not used to having them in the pantry so every morning he would get up and eat something else and then later remember that they were in there.  The kid was determined he was going to get a bagel!  He always makes me smile :)

You Know It's Time To Get More Organized When...

I am typically a very organized person. I'm the one that not only has a list- but a list to organize the first list. Well, that is until it comes to my computer. When it comes to the computer I just can't get it together. I typically have a few thousand emails piled up and files saved all over the place. I claim to know where everything is, ummm, yeah- that's my story and I'm stickin' to it! Until recently, there was 5 of us sharing the same computer. One day there "appeared" a folder on the desk top that simply said "Jennie's Stuff". Well, I guess it was time to get organized. I knew I could do it, even the 8 year old has his own stuff bookmarked properly. I moved everything that I've ever downloaded or saved in my life to that folder. I continued, day after day to download and save to that folder. Fast forward to today. I got an email for an amazing sale from Scholastic Books. They have downloadable books for as cheap as $1! I decided to check it out. I remembered that there were several things that I had wanted to get. I was hopeful that they were on sale. I was thrilled to see that they were. I ended up with 17 things in my shopping cart. I thought I had some amazing finds, especially since I had a $6 PayPal credit. I paid and it took me to the new-and-improved download page. It had a list of everything that I had downloaded in the past 3 years. Yep- I purchased 17 things and guess how many things on my list had been previously purchased and downloaded. Any guesses? Yep- 17. The worst part is, is that a couple of things had been downloaded 3 times! OK. I'm now thinking that the $1 deal may not be so great. I have new resolve! I will organize those files so I can find my things and not forget what I already have! I guess the bright spot in all of this is that at least I am consistent with what I like :)

Has it really been this long?

Wow! I can't believe that I haven't been here in months. We have just been plugging away at school and a few field trips here and there. Lex has finished classes and is just trying to make it through her field internship at OFD, which she loves! Just this week she worked 4, 24 hour shifts. That's not counting the hours at her day job so she can pay her bills. Ahhh- to be young again :) The next few posts are a few highlights of what has been going on around here. It's nice to be back :)

She Passed!

Lex passed her national paramedic test! Graduation is on April 20th and she is graduating with Honors.

The New Baby

Lexii got a puppy for her birthday! His name is Harley and he is soooo cute. He is a teeny, tiny Pomeranian that just weighs a few pounds. He has to live at James' house though, because animals really aggravate my asthma. I couldn't help but love him up and he really didn't bother me much, I was really surprised. I think it's because he has hair and not fur. It could also be because he smells like a yummy, delicious blueberry muffin and not a dog! Of course Lex would never be able to handle having a "smelly" animal. I was really thinking about giving in to the boys and considering a dog, and then Harley peed on the floor. Ahhhh yes! Now I remember why we don't have a dog :)

'Tis The Season

This year I've had a really hard time mustering up any Christmas spirit. We've been sick, money's tight, and I'm tired of looking at all the holiday decor that's been up since Halloween. Blah! Well, since the kids seem to think we should carry on the tradition, I've tried to get into a better frame of mind. I sat down, took a deep breath, and remembered what we are really celebrating. Now come on- the birth of our Savior should be something we can all get excited about! This year we are focusing on Christ. I always say we are going to, and sometimes we do better than others. This year I'm serious- we have so much to be grateful for and we owe it all to the Savior. Our children need to "know" that. They need to "feel" that. I want my family to be grateful, compassionate, loving, and humble. This year we are doing a Christmas unit-study that we found on Discover The Scriptures. This is what it promises:
Discover Christmas will help your family put Christ at the center of your Christmas celebration. It will take your family on an adventure through the symbols and customs of Christmas, teaching you the meaning behind the symbols to help you focus your celebration on Christ. Each day from December 1 - 25, discover the story behind our holiday customs and how it relates to the birth of Christ.
So far we are really enjoying it! We are also trying to focus more on others. We picked an "angel" off of our ward's giving tree, donated gently used books and toys for an Eagle Scout project, donated video games to Primary Children's Hospital, and still have some quilts to make and a donation to make to a Sub-for-Santa family. It feels good to help others. It's an opportunity to forget about our own worries and stresses. It brings an added measure of peace and harmony into our lives. Christmas is also a time to think about family and spend time together. We are going to spend a little less time studying and a lot more time baking cookies, decorating, visiting Temple Square, walking through Christmas village, playing board games, listening to Christmas carols, and watching Christmas specials on TV. Hopefully, this will help us remember the true meaning of Christmas and worry a little bit less about the commercialism of it all.

Another Month Has Come And Gone...

Wow! I can't believe that another month has gone by so quickly. My weekly updates have turned into monthly ones :) We spent a lot of November sick, and December is already looking the same. We had to miss the field trip to the art museum because we were all home in bed. We did take another trip to Salt Lake, though. We went to Kingsbury Hall on the U of U campus to see a play. It was the 7 dragons. The boys were excited that there was finally one without the "girlie" theme they call it. Mason was entranced the whole time. He loved it! Nate the skeptic, was preoccupied about the dragons not really looking like dragons and the water not really looking like water, etc. It did lead to a great discussion on the difference between plays and movies, though. He was still not impressed. Hopefully he can at least gain an appreciation for the arts, if not a love for them. Lexii has been studying hard and will finish up her finals this week. She definitely is ready for a break, even if it's only 3 weeks. It's holiday time, so she will probably pick up a lot of hours at work until Christmas is over with. The other day she made the comment that "it sucks to be an adult". Yes, yes it does. I've been trying to tell her that for years, but for some reason they still always want to grow up too fast.

Weekly Review

If I don't start posting more often I'll have to start calling this the "monthly review". So, what have we all been up to? Well, the big kids have just been working and going to school. Once you hit that big 18 and beyond, life just isn't as fun :( The world expects you to be productive- so work and school it is! The little kids have been busy too. They spent a day at Astro Camp learning about physics. They had a great time. Nate has been to several of these (including the 3-day camp) before. We also went on a field trip to the fire station and police station in Roy. Hardly anyone showed up so it was really fun for the kids to have the extra attention and see things really up close. They were excited to see what Lexii is going to do when she graduates. What little boys don't like police cars, ambulances, and fire trucks! I think the highlight of the month so far has been our trip to SLC. We rode the train to SLC and then met up with our science club at the new Leonardo museum. We then went to the SLC library. Mason declared it "The best day of his life!" Yes, my kids would rather go to a library than most anywhere else. He even begged for us to move to SLC just for the library, LOL. We then had lunch and spent some time at Temple Square. We were going to stop at the Planetarium, but Mase wasn't feeling well so we went home. We'll hit the Planetarium another day. We've been on a lot of field trips this month, but we've also got a lot of school work done. We've also been to science club (where I taught the physics class this month) and to swim group. Mason has been taking swimming lessons this month. We got the "homeschool discount" so it is really cheap at Marshall White rec center. it also turned out that Mason is the only one in his class. You can't beat private lessons! Both boys are still playing the piano everyday and Nate is loving violin lessons. I'm a little tired of Jingle Bells and Joy to the World, but their Christmas recital is going to sound great :)

Waiting to go into the Leonardo


Outside the library





At the Leonardo


Waiting for the train


Temple Square

Weekly Review

Oh my gosh! I can't believe it's October already. I had planned on being diligent and posting on here at least weekly. Yeah, like that was going to happen :) Things have just been a little crazy around here the past month. We took a couple of weeks off from school so I could get some canning done. There was not a protest to be heard. I think the boys kept themselves scarce in hopes I would forget they needed to be doing more than just playing. It was a good break and I got a lot done. Canning spilled over into the rest of the month and I just barely finished peaches on Saturday. So far this year I have canned: 37 quarts of green beans, 18 pints of dilly beans, 8 quarts of apricots, 20 quarts of spaghetti sauce, 30 pints of salsa, 4 quarts of zucchini pickles, 6 pints of zucchini pickles, 15 quarts of peaches, 15 quarts of vegetable soup, 21 half-pints of strawberry jam, 14 half-pints of cinnamon apricot jam, and 28 half-pints of cinnamon peach jam. I'm hoping to do some more vegetable soup, chicken soup, and potatoes.
This month swimming group started as well as science club. It's been really nice to see old friends and get into a routine. We also went on a field trip to the Bingham Copper Mine. It was really interesting and we learned a lot. They have a great visitors center with a movie and many hand-on displays. Sadly, I left the camera home on the counter. The big kids have settled nicely into college life and between work and school, we hardly see them. We were able to get everyone home on the same night last Thursday and we went bowling and had pizza. We had a great time. OK October- bring it on! We have lot's of fun planned for the month :)

Weekly Review

Week of August 22, 2011

This was a really good week! We are finally into a good routine.Lexii and Kyle started school this week too. It's a little crazy with 2 in college and homeschooling a jr. high aged child and 1 in elementary school. We definitely need another computer, though. Lexii has her own laptop and that helps, but Kyle desperately needs one. His whole math class is online- no text book at all. Nate also started an art class taught by another homeschool mom. He didn't want to do it, but it turns out he loves it! We also had an orchestra meeting this week. Nate will be starting on the violin. They have about 6 kids in the class and are working on a holiday concert. In the spring they are going to do Celtic fiddling. I love that this will be during the day instead of another thing in the evening. Hopefully he can keep up with both the violin and the piano.

We also just got back from an awesome family camping trip. It's so fun when all the cousins can play together and we can just spend time with each other. There was plenty of eating, four wheeling, and fishing too. We are excited for the one next year already. Life is good at the Wennergren house :)

I Did It!!!

What did I do? I finally cleaned up my email inbox. If you think that isn't quite blog-worthy, well...then you have never seen my inbox. You see, I have this terrible habit of not deleting things. I would always "plan" on organizing it later. It quickly got out of hand. I've been trying to clean it up little-by-little, but I never seem to make any headway. Tonight I did it- I selected "all" and "delete"! 845 pages. Almost 19,000 emails. It feels good to have a clean slate. I just hope there was nothing important in there that I deleted. I don't even dare look!

Scout Camp

The boys seemed to have a great time at scout camp, but they sure were dirty when they came home! Mud got tracked in everywhere. I've never seen so much stinky, dirty laundry either. I guess that's what happens when you send 3 boys into the wild for a week. They were very happy to get home to their soft clean beds. Mason was happy to finally have "the big boys" home too. I guess mom and sis just don't cut it for an entire week. He and I did have some fun, though. We went to the movie with grandma, watched way too much T.V. and ate way to much junk food. Fun times!

Pictures of Scout Camp