Celebrating the Otterstrom in us

My mom had a strong feeling that she should pull together the "Otterstroms" for an impromptu reunion with her sisters and some of the cousins. In attendance were: my cousins Rick and Ron Otterstrom (My Uncle Tom died young of melanoma) along with their spouses and children, Marylin and Gary with Jen, Becky and Kenny, Aunt Sue, Pat Thiriot (G'ma Ruth's sister) and Carly Thiriot (mom's cousin).  We missed seeing Tom and his family as well as all the Williams cousins. It was wonderful to see them and see how their families have grown. I am so glad that my mom thought it important enough to bring many of us together to remember our Otterstrom roots.

Sun Valley 2010...a quick trip

 

FHE with the Jensens

Sunday night, the Jensen clan gathered in Kaysville for a Family Home Evening gathering like no other. G'ma and G'pa worked on this for quite some time and were so excited to present this special lesson to the g'kids. After a dinner surrounded by closed windows (so the kids couldn't see the set-up in the backyard), we had a lesson on Lehi's dream and the Tree of Life.After the lesson, each child had a "veil" placed over their eyes and they were directed to the rod. The path was even lined with "the great and spacious building," complete with taunters (my favorite part...love that picture)! The kids made their way to the Tree of Life where small goodies awaited. I love that we ended the night with a family cheer. What a memorable FHE...we loved it! Thanks Grandma and Grandpa!

The Mandarin + Mel Brooks= Birthday Wishes for Dad!

Happy Birthday Dad! Actually, last Thursday was my dad's birthday (and my parents wedding anniversary!) but it's never too late to celebrate...especially when The Mandarin is involved. It was wonderful that have Heidi and Dave here from AZ. Lots of family members were missing, but it was great to get together nonetheless and celebrate my dad. My Dad deserves all the love and attention he can get. Do you ever find a gift for someone that is "so them?" I was so excited when I found a DVD collection of Mel Brooks movies for my dad. I knew it would be right up his alley and he loved it! WE LOVE YOU, DAD!!!

Birthday Wishes....

Today we celebrated my mom's birthday...happy birthday mom and grandma!! How did we celebrate? My mom's favorite thing...being with her kids and grandkids.
Yesterday, we headed to Provo with most of the g'kids. The BYU art museum was featuring an exhibit of Walter Wicks, the photographer who does the "I Spy" books. We are crazy about those (especially Jenna) and couldn't wait to see it. It was really fun to see. My mom isn't good at spending money on herself and wanted to spend it on the g'kids for her birthday. After the museum, we went to bookstore for some BYU apparel and then she gave each of the kids $5 dollars to spend however they wanted in the Cougareat. This little field trip with Grandma was a huge hit...thank you! Tonight, all the adults headed to Madeline's for dinner. My mom loves their Raspberry Halibut! It was great to have everyone together (well, everyone that is in Utah).
I hope my mom felt as loved and spoiled as she deserves to be. I am so blessed to have such a selfless, loving and generous mom. She is always doing something for someone else. She has garnered quite a reputation in my neighborhood. I have many friends envious of my mom's willingness and love of helping out with the kids! Thank you, thank you mom for all you do...I love you!!!

Weekend highlights...

July is one of the most busy and most fun months of the year. I love all the out of state visitors, parades, BBQ's and celebrations. Last week I saw a few of my oldest and dearest friends. I got to see Alysa (Rhode Island) and Teresa (in transit from Iowa to Oregon) for lunch and dinner twice. I also got to see Mia (Nebraska...soon to be Utah!), Erin (back from New Jersey) and Kristi for lunch as well. So. Much. Fun. It is so great to reminisce and catch up on each other's lives. It is so wonderful to have friends that you can pick up right where you left off!On the morning of the 4th, I did the Murray 5k with some of my "Slacker" teammates. We had such a great time doing the Wasatch Back together that we couldn't resist doing this small race together. With his I.T. band still healing, Chad was bummed to serve as the support. My goal for this race was 33min and I did it in 31min!!!! That is a 10:05 mile, folks! Slow for many of you, but a new record for me!We then headed up to Kaysville for the parade (getting more and more crowded every year...I'm not sure why!). After the parade, we went to Dan and JaNel's for swimming and BBQ. The cousins couldn't get enough of each other and the pool!
This year, we did something new for the fireworks. We headed to Sandy for the festivities there. We went with our great friends the Fletchers, Larsons and Yraguens. What a super fun night...live music, friends, (junk) food and fireworks. Sarah couldn't resist dancing to the music...it was so cute to see her dancing. I think this is an event we will be going to again next year!

Oquirrh Mountain Temple Open House

Last Thursday we the opportunity to attend the open house for the Oquirrh Mountain Temple. What an amazing experience it has been to witness the building of this temple. I love that we often sing "I Love To See the Temple" or point out Moroni as we drive by. I love seeing the kids talk about this as "their" temple. A temple they talk about attending often when they get older. I am so thankful that we see this heavenly reminder everyday.
A couple weeks ago, Chad and I were able to volunteer for the open house. We were so lucky to be assigned to one of the sealing rooms. Together, we were able to share our feelings about the temple with those going through. What a special experience.

It was wonderful to go through with some members of my family as well. It's always a treat when family members head to our area! As we walked from room to room, Chad and I reminded the kids what an extraordinary opportunity this was. We told them to look carefully as they would not be returning to these hallways and rooms until they were older and and worthy to be there. Both Andrew and Sarah commented that they couldn't wait until they were 12 so they could do baptisms. Jenna loves to talk about her temple and how it looks like a castle inside. I hope she will remember this experience as well. This temple is flooded with natural light, neutral colors, simple decor and beautiful artwork. I particularly loved the original artwork in the baptistery.

Being a part of this process is a once in a lifetime experience. The events we've been a part of from "The Day of Celebration" for Josh to Chad being in charge of all the volunteer assignments for our ward have brought the importance of the temple to the forefront of daily lives. It has been incredible to talk with non-member neighbors about the temple and what it means it us. It has been a real eye opener to realize just how much I take the gospel for granted. I have been able to look at the knowledge and blessing of the gospel in a new light as I share my beliefs with those around me. I have been pleasantly surprised at how open and excited some of my neighbors have been to my invitation to attend the open house. I can tangibly feel what a special opportunity this is not only for my family but for those all around us. An opportunity to connect with others and share what we believe.

PS...and YES, if you look closely, you will see poor Moroni blackened by lightning. The statue was struck a couple weeks ago (doing his job, acting as a lightning rod for the temple) and it will remain that way until after the open house.

65 yrs YOUNG!

This month my mom celebrated her 65th birthday! Pretty cool, huh? We had a great time planning some surprises for her. On her actual birthday (the 16th), we had a little girls day out with the sisters and some of her friends. We surprised her by all meeting to see "Good Things Utah." It was fun to be in the audience and see behind the scenes a bit. Then, we went to the Lion House for lunch. I think my mom thought that was the end of the celebration since she was surprised by all her friends coming. We had a couple more tricks up our sleeves. We set up a fake night for dinner, but really had a weekend surprise planned for Park City. My dad told her an elaborate story about meeting some guy in Park City who was going to show them a vintage plane (I know mom was thrilled about that). However, we were all waiting at a restaurant to catch her off guard. While at dinner we surprised her with a scrapbook with photos and letters from each of us. We also surprised her by renting a wonderful house for the weekend. The next day she was even more surprised when her sister flew in from CA. I don't think we could have come up with more than we did...she loved it all. We had a great time hanging out, playing games, eating, going to the Alpine slide and even doing a Pioneer Day presentation to celebrate the 24th. Happy Birthday mom....we love you! I also need to give a birthday shout out to my dad who celebrated yesterday...and happy anniversary to mom and dad yesterday, too!

Pancakes, parade, pool & pyrotechnics...

That about sums up our day. Wow, that made my 4th of July post easy! I won't let myself off the hook quite yet. Here are a few more details about our day.

The day started early with Chad running the 10k. This was his first 10k and I couldn't be more proud of him doing it. He runs on a regular basis, but has never taken on this much distance at one time. He felt great...only slowing down on the the wonderful 200 North hill. He finished in 55 minutes, averaged an 8m 50s mile...pretty good for a first try!

We then headed to the traditional pancake breakfast that the city puts on. I actually didn't even get a single bite since I was too busy talking with Alison, Alysa and Liz. I'd give up a pancake any day to see some old friends. I also got to see Erin on the way to the parade! Love it!

We then headed to the streets for the parade. Each year the Kaysville festivities seem to get more crowded. This was the first year that it felt like a bit too much. Here is our exciting view of the parade. Our kids did get up closer and caught plenty of taffy, a toothbrush and some stuffed animals. The crowd goes crazy when the "Bukoos" truck rolls by. They throw out all sorts of stuffed animals. Jenna got a Beanie Baby and Sarah got a Webkinz! Since we were heading to the pool, we ducked out a bit early before the traditional parade water fight started.

Dan and JaNel's home was our next stop. It was so fun to hang out with everyone...we all enjoyed the food and the pool. My dad made his yummy brisket....mmm! Thank you to Dan and JaNel for hosting...we all had a wonderful time!

The day ended with a big fireworks show in Kaysville. Who doesn't love fireworks choreographed to the patriotic classics sung by Neil Diamond, Celine Dion and countless country singers. Good times! The kids go crazy for the glow sticks. The hillside is illuminated with kids running and dancing with their precious sticks of light. lol Before the show started, we could see the Lagoon fireworks. Jenna loved it...apparently because it was far away. As soon as the fireworks started, she covered her ears so tight I couldn't peel her hands off. Even when she feel asleep I couldn't get her hands away from her ears! What a great day!

A Jensen tradition....

The Jensen family has been going to Sun Valley since about 1976. It's hard to believe that my kids have been making the same memories as I did over 30yrs ago. Hiking, river rafting, horseback riding, Penny Lake, Red Fish Lake, Sun Valley Lodge, the Sunday brunch...the list goes on. Of course, over the years new memories and experiences have been added. We go up almost yearly and always in the spring/summer months. We headed up last weekend for a classic Jensen get-together. For the last couple years, my mom and dad have put together an evening devoted to family and games. They put together great stories and memories about our g'parents and other ancestors. Love that we get to learn about and remember them.

A new highlight this year was the beautiful, new YMCA in Ketchem. The kids loved the pool, climbing walls and hang-out rooms for the babies, kids and teens.

We also celebrated Megan's 30th birthday. You're so old Megan. ;)

We took a quick hike up the canyon. For the kids, half the focus of the hike was finding (and fighting over) the perfect walking stick. Jenna was so content riding on Uncle Ron's shoulders. Cracked me up to look over to see her with her face upward and eyes closed enjoying the sun and breeze on her face.

The kids had a great time flying airplanes with PaPa on the big hill behind the Big Wood condo (the same one we've been going to for +30yrs!)

We also enjoyed a beautiful horseback ride near Red Fish Lake. Amazing how differently an older body takes the ride...man, my knees and rear were sore!

A Sun Valley trip wouldn't be complete without a trip to Red Fish Lake. The log lodge and cabins remind of the old "Parent Trap" movie. We love having a picnic lunch, digging in the sand, paddle boats, playing catch, Baci ball, soccer etc on the front lawn...all with the gorgeous backdrop of the Sawtooth Mountains.

A hot dog roast and s'more session are usually on the schedule as well. This year he had a great time watching the guys play baseball. AND...the girls even

jumped in to hit a few balls. :)

THANK YOU so much Mom and Dad for making this wonderful trip possible. I appreciate all the time, effort and money that went into planning this trip. What wonderful memories! Love you!

In the neighborhood...

Last week, the kids and I were in Sandy near my Grandma and Grandpa Jensen's old home. They've both been gone for a couple of years now and I couldn't resist driving by. I wanted to see if the house was still the same color. My grandpa painted it a great shade of green... pea soup green that is. Well, the new owners have now painted it a lovely shade of caramel. It's amazing how easily a place can trigger so many memories. My Grandparents lived in this house for the last 20 years or so of their lives and most of my memories of them took place there. Here are just a few:

*Rhubarb pie

*chocolate chip cookies with zucchini...pulled out of the freezer in an old ice cream tub

*clogging in the backyard for G'ma, G'pa and Arva and Merrill

*the white candy dish

*watching 21 Jump Street in the basement during our Sunday night visits (just the kids...not the g'parents! lol)

*Grandma's old doll, framed in the living room

*The hallway with the multi photo frame with family pictures of all the Jensens

*Grandpa's office with all the bookshelves and old typewriter

*neatly tied bundles of mail, photos, coupons, etc with handwritten notes by my g'ma

I'm so glad we took the time to drive by...it was wonderful to fill my mind and heart with memories of them.

Off track fun...

It's that time again. Time to try to entertain the kids while they are off track. Luckily, my mom came to the rescue. She called on Friday and wanted to meet at "The Living Aquarium" in Sandy. We had never been and the kids were excited to check it out. They loved seeing the jellyfish, the octopus and the shark. They even got to touch a stingray and some star fish. The kid had a wonderful time...thanks Grandma!

Family + food + flowers=

Memorial Day!

Well, this year, you also had to add in the rain. Even with that variable it was still a wonderful day! Chad and I had a nice low-key morning at home. Love those mornings. In the afternoon, we headed up to my parents house. We had a BBQ (eaten indoors!) and banana splits. Mmm...I haven't had a banana split in years. My mom even bought the banana boats from DQ...thanks mom for going to the extra effort. I received a personal garden tour from my dad. My dad loves working in his yard. As I've grown older with a yard of my own, I enjoy playing in the dirt a bit as well. It's fun to learn from him and even transplant a few plants from his yard. We headed down to the Kaysville cemetary to visit G'ma Ruth's grave. The kids loved carrying the flowers. They also loved reading names and dates on other headstones...wondering who these people were and what had happened to them. It's nice to have a day to reflect on the lives of those we love so dearly. I am so grateful for the heritage that is mine. I love and miss my g'parents and other family members dearly. I often reflect on the pieces for me and my life that are so much of who they were. From remembering my pioneer heritage, my love of art and even the way I load the dishwasher...all little pieces from them. I am grateful for these little reminders.

Easter Highlights

*COLORING EGGS*DINNER AND EGG HUNT WITH BOTH GRANPARENTS*HAM & POTATOES*TOO
MUCH CANDY*LOTS OF FUN!!

Fabulous weekend!

What a fantastic weekend in Phoenix! This last weekend we headed south to celebrate the marriage of my brother Ryan to Jodi. The gorgeous spring weather was such a nice break from the cold and snow here. After a looong drive, we arrived Thursday night. We had a great time visiting with my brother Jeff, who rode down with us. Friday, the girls got to shop and eat out...yummy fish tacos and great deals were found! That night we had a rehearsal dinner at "Monti's"...it was great to meet Jodi's family and see so many other family members and friends that we don't see often.
Their sealing took place at noon on Saturday in the Mesa Temple. Just as we were waiting to go into the chapel I ran into Annalisa Semadini!! I haven't seen her since...well, a really, really long time! It was such a sweet surprise to see her and quickly reunite. The ceremony was beautiful...they were both so relaxed and calm. We are just thrilled to have Jodi be a part of our family...she is such a sweet, wonderful person. The weather was just perfect as we waited outside for the bride and groom (about 80 degrees!). After waiting, Ryan finally peeked his head out to let us know she was almost ready. Finally they came through the revolving door and right back in...that is so Ryan. Jodi was glowing and Ryan looked so proud. From her hair to her dress, Jodi looked stunning. Really, I think that is the most beautiful dress I've ever seen. I know my pics don't do it justice. It was originally a strapless dress that had to be built up. It was a soft ivory and with the rhinestones it had such a vintage feel to it. Later that evening we met at Gainey Ranch Country Club for the dinner/reception. It was so beautiful. We had the best time dancing to the fabulous wedding singer (really, he was good!) It was so cute to see Josh dancing with Sarah. Sarah was so excited to meet her "new cousins" (Jodi's nieces). They had so much fun together. I have to give kudos to my kids, they were so well behaved (esp. Jenna who hadn't napped). Needless to say, they were beyond tired at the end of the night and quickly feel asleep.

Sunday we had a brunch at my Aunt Janis' house, went to the Temple's visitor center and had a BBQ with my family at Heidi and Dave's. While at the visitor center, they had the most amazing photography exhibit by a local photographer, Mark Mabry. He creatively photographed recreated scenes from the life of Christ. Just beautiful...I'm so glad we saw it.

Monday morning, we went on the most beautiful hike in Fountain Hills (where Heidi and Dave live). I'll admit that I haven't always been a fan of "desert beauty, " but it really was beautiful. Later in the day, we hit In and Out Burger (mmmm!). The girls went shopping (of course!) and the boys headed to a spring training baseball game (A's vs. Angels). The day ended with the kids going to the movie with G'ma and G'pa and Chad and I went for sushi with Heidi and Heather.

We had so much fun this trip (minus Sarah throwing up all over me on the way home! lol). Heidi and Dave were the perfect host and hostess...thank you so much. We so enjoyed visiting family...especially catching up with aunts, uncles and cousins that we don't see often. We love you all and are so very grateful for the time we had together this weekend.

(this pic is for you Jackie!) >>