Christmas 2012

Told from Jesse's sister's iphone

Avery is a closet Justin Bieber fan, she is totally embarrassed if you ask her about him.  Aunt Allie is not however; she went to the concert and "almost cried seven times".

Based on the pictures submitted, it looks like Allie is the favorite.  Elizabeth, you are really going to have to step up your game next year or at least pose with the kids in pictures to create the illusion.  These pictures may be their only memories of Christmas 2012.

'O Christmas Tree 'O Christmas Tree

 

It's become obvious, even at her young age, that she is developing a great sense of humor.

She has a flair for the dramatic.

Thankful

I have come to learn that being a friend has a large spectrum of meaning.  I am grateful for all kinds but this Thanksgiving season I am particularly vulnerable to the kind that goes beyond reproach and exceeds all expectations.

I was doing a quilt-along (doing the same quilt pattern along side other quilters) with some interested unnamed individuals, who turned out to be flakes and ultimately uninterested named Rigel and Gillian individuals.  Since they are family I let them off the hook way too easily and began my thousand y-piece hexagon quilt alone.

In an effort to take advantage of the quilting machine while in Muncie for Thanksgiving so I could give the quilt to Caleb for Christmas, I tried to cram down a years worth of quilting the week before we were to leave.  I had to get the top pieced so I could quilt the top, middle, and back together.  The night before or otherwise D day, my nine month pregnant, mother of two, husband in medical school astonishingly amazing friend Ann showed up unannounced at 9 o'clock at night with sewing machine in hand and said,

"Let's do this".

One of the most thoughtful acts of kindness someone has ever done for me.  I love my friends.

Halloween 2012

Fall is my favorite season.  This year we went to the apple orchard and pumpkin farm, carved pumpkins, dipped apples, made apple pie, delivered ghost rice krispies, homemade hot cocoa, and pumpkin bread, went trick or treating three times (as if that's necessary), ate fresh donuts and warm cider, drank hot chocolate for breakfast many a days, ate ourselves sick on candy, and tried at least ten new soup recipes. 

My jeans are so tight.*

Animal costumes on toddlers are the best.  They look like little mascots.  Does that make me an Anne Geddes fan?

Rolling down the hill with the kids took me back to my grandmother's house, where we would hang out in the yard with our cousins until dark and then a little longer.  Totally juvenile, but I remember now exactly why we would do it for hours.  It wasn't only the kids highlight of trick or treating at SVSU(local university here).

And the best part of Halloween was having Cruella DeVille fly all the way from Reno to come trick or treating with us.

Did I ever mention that we love having visitors.  Friends and family are the only reason I remain sane while raising three small humans.  Well, mostly sane. 

*And just to make myself feel better, I did hold a garage sale, help Anne reupholster a chair, and dragged Jesse to my insanity class (memorable).

Enzo

Proof that I do take pictures still, even if he is the third child.

     

On more than one occasion we have found the kitty snuggling up to Enzo at night.  Avery could not have picked a more tolerant animal.

I have an opinion

"Those who stand for nothing, fall for anything."

-Alexander Hamilton

It seems that in today's world in order to be heard politically you must be an extremist, however; most of America is not.  I certainly am not.  We are often called the silent majority, the large group that stays in the middle of the river where it's deepest instead of drifting to the shallows.  Sometimes I feel pushed out by the more aggressive, loud minority.

I am not confrontational.  I despise contention and always try to appear more moderate than I am.  While I was out in Birmingham with my girlfriends a couple months ago we were stopped by what looked like reporters with a tv camera.  My friends of course tried to run for it when I eagerly volunteered us to answer their political questions.  (You're welcome ladies.)  As they asked us about controversial issues I found myself pulling back, unsure as to what their political stance was and not wanting to offend anyone.  But I do have an opinion.

I am for Mitt Romney.  Today I went to the Republican center here in town and picked up a sign.  It felt liberating and empowering to put it up.  I had my friend Ann (love her) take a picture of me sticking it in my yard.  I have a voice and it should be heard.

I am not about to assume that anyone else cares where my support lies or that someone is now going to vote Romney because I put up a sign.  It was for me.  I believe in Mitt Romney and I don't care who knows it.  We are all going to have to take sides in this life, opening ourselves up to scrutiny and disapproval.  Not everyone is going to like me.  Maybe because I am mormon, maybe because I am twenty-seven with three kids, and now, maybe because I have a Mitt Romney sign on my lawn.  And to that I would say, 

You don't know me.  You don't know anything about me.

Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.  --Winston Churchill

Hopefully, I can find the balance.  By no means does this demonstration signify that I am going to be hosting the next tea party rally.  I like it in the middle.

My name's Sarah Jenkins.  And I approve this message.

Shameless

Jess and I were on our way to our friends 80's themed, 30th birthday bash.  When much to our surprise, we spotted an old wooden desk next to the street in someone's front yard.  Seeing my excitement Jesse asks,

"Think they are selling it?"

"Let's find out."

"Okay, but you have to go ask.  I'm not going to the door dressed like this."  (He was wearing American flag pants and a tennis headband over his crazy curly locks)

Shamelessly, I walked up to inquire about the furniture.  The nice couple told me to "just take it" and asked, "can we help you load it?"   I said,  "Of course not!  Thank you so much. . . but I do feel I should explain my attire.  I feel pretty ridiculous.  I am going to an 80's party."  The woman then responds with, 

"No, It fits with you picking up the free furniture and all."

"Haha...wait what?"

I'm not sure if she was kidding or not.  Either way, it was so worth it.

And as a side comment, Jess and I both agree that had we met in the 80's we would have still ended up together.  And this was after he heard me do karaoke to "Uptown Girls" by Billy Joel.

It was time

I've had long hair for four years now.  Sad to see it go, but I was ready for a change.  As I was curling my hair before I went to the salon, Jess said, "What are you doing?  What a waste of time.  I don't even shower before I get my haircut.  They wash it there".

Before and After pictures, duh.

Schwan Man

I'm going to do it.  I am going to break up with my Schwan man.  Today I spent 21 dollars on chicken strips.  Chicken strips.  The commitment is too great.  I imagine the conversation going something like this:

*Ding dong*
"Avery don't get it!  It could be the Schwan man. . .
Oh, hey Jim. . . uhh yeah, I don't know I still have those four half gallon Marshmallow Ripple ice creams I bought two weeks ago. . .
What's that?  You have a two for one deal on precooked frozen bratwursts?  Sounds really good. . .
Jim I am going to be honest with you, it's not working out.
Yes, I am out of cheesy tots but that's not the point.
I have commitment issues.  It's me, not you.
Jim, I don't think it's a good idea that I take your catalog.  It's over.  We had a good run. . .
You're a good man Jim.  I'm sure you'll land on your feet."

My father-in-law used to say "Never feed a stray cat".  I'm going to add,

Never buy anything from the Schwan Man.

Love this kid.

First Day

 

"Avery, if you don't smile you will lose your t.v. time today."

Their first day of preschool and kindergarten went great.  They love their schools and especially their teachers.  Ms. Mary can't believe how shy Caleb is after having Avery last year.  Avery is as social as ever.  All the kids were in a single line waiting to be picked up at the end of the day.  When I spotted her, I wasn't surprised to see her hand and hand in the middle of two new friends being her silly self, making them laugh.  

So much like her father.

Run for your Heart 5k

It was really fun to do a race with friends.  My only goal was to do as well as my brother Jacob did a few weekends ago.  He beat me by 1:21. . . but who's counting? 

                                                                                                         

John and Lindsey

Jeff and Jessica

Wells (brother & sister)