The Jennison Family

10 years and counting!!

2010-01-31T14:11:00.001-08:00

We celebrated our 10th Anniversary on Jan.15--it's really hard to believe it has been that long already! It has gone by much to quickly, but what an amazing 10 years they have been! We celebrated by going to dinner at El Gaucho that night and then the following weekend we left the boys with grandma and grandpa and spent 2 nights up at the Salish Lodge in Snoqualmie--we had an amazing time!

Our dinner at El Gaucho--amazing! Steak and Lobster--wow! And that's pretty significant coming from me--usually a non seafood/ beef eater :)

Shawn lighting a fire in our room at the Salish

We were treated like royalty!

We had brunch at one of the restaurants in the hotel on the first morning--what an experience! We had the most secluded, romantic table that overlooked the falls. Then, the breakfast was absolutely amazing--it was seriously 5 different courses. Let me just say we were soooo stuffed for the rest of the day but it was definitely worth it!

Scroll down for Part 2

Anniversary Trip Part 2

2010-01-31T13:49:00.000-08:00

Our first time ever skiing together

Shawn getting ready to hit the slopes!

Yes, me on skis and I'm not on the ground! :)
I must say I am very proud of myself. I know some may not believe it but I actually did a lot better than I (or Shawn) expected! I didn't fall once for the first few hours...then we stopped for dinner and things got a little icy and well....there were some issues after that, but for the most part it went well!

Snoqualmie Falls--this was right outside our hotel.

On our last day, after we got a couples massage and spent some time at the spa we went to Northbend and hit the outlets-- preceeded by a wonderful lunch and trip to Starbucks--I'm a happy, relaxed girl here!

All in all we had an excellent time, made lots of memories, and our kids did great without us----hopefully there will be more of these little getaways in the future! :)

For Hannah....a little late!

2010-01-29T20:40:00.000-08:00

We had such a fun time with you guys! Let's not let it be so long next time :) Love you!!

ouch!

2009-12-09T14:57:00.000-08:00

This weekend Austin was running around the house like a madman, slipped and fell face first onto the kitchen floor...it was not pretty. As we were cleaning him up we noticed that he had chipped his front tooth. Poor guy!! After a visit to the dentist this morning we were told to watch for swelling in the gums and tooth discoloration, but there isn't anything they can do unless the tooth is dying (then they'd have to pull it!) since it is a baby tooth. The dentist told us that he see's this at least once a day and that 95% of patients that come in with chipped teeth are little BOYS =) Here is a before and after picture.

And not to leave Riley out...he also took a pretty good spill a couple weeks ago--he got pretty lucky though and missed his eye by centimeters!

What am I going to do with these boys!!!?

October Outings

2009-11-03T15:27:00.000-08:00

These are just a few pictures for a quick review of our month..... Shawn and Riley at the Pumpkin Patch. We braved it in not so nice weather--but the boys had a ton of fun splashing in every mud puddle they could find!

Riley and I at the University Place Harvest Party at the Fire Station. This is an annual event and is so much fun for the whole famiy.

Shawn and Austin at "Daddy and Me Pumpkin Carving Night" at Preschool.

And of course...Halloween! Winnie the Pooh and the Puppy had a wonderful time trick or treating and getting spoiled by the Grandparents. =)

Our trip to Cannon Beach, OR

2009-10-06T16:06:00.001-07:00

Shawn and I on a beautiful beach walk

What an awesome trip we had! We rented an amazing house with my sister and her family that was just a 30 second walk to the beach. Yes, there were 5 little boys ages 3 and under all staying under one roof! It actually went relatively smoothly and it was nice that my parents stayed in a hotel just a few yards away---don't know what we would have done without them! :)

The weather was great and we got lots of beach time--the boys were in heaven! The picture above is 4 of those little boys all trying to watch a movie on a portable DVD player.

And here's Shawn with his kite

Riley was serious about working in the sand

Me and my babies on the beautiful beach

All of my boys

Austin giddy with delight at being on the beach!

Riley in his colorful stripes :)

Haystack Rock!

Getting the boys all geared up for fun in the sand!

Scroll down this page a little more for part 2!

Our trip to Cannon Beach, OR......part 2

2009-10-06T15:39:00.001-07:00

Swim time at grandma and grandpa's hotel

Riley getting ready for a long walk on the beach

The one and only picture of all of us!

The kids (and Shawn!) had a ball playing with the train table at the toy store in downtown Cannon Beach

Shawn and Ry at Doogers Restaurant......mmmm...mmm..good!

Me and the kids on the carousel at Seaside

Austin swinging on the beach in Seaside

And here are the boys, all tuckered out on the way home....dreaming of all the fun they had!

This trip was incredible and we made memories that will last a lifetime. Already looking forward to next year!

A few pic's of the birthday boy!

2009-09-03T14:10:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Shawn!!! You are LOVED!

Time flies when you're having fun!

2009-08-20T14:28:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's been a month since I last posted! It seems this summer is flying by a lot quicker than it should be. The boys are growing like weeds and we've been keeping busy with lots of time spent outdoors at the park, pool, zoo, having picnics, and taking long walks--Chambers Bay is our favorite. It's been a fun summer but I am looking forward to fall and getting back into the routine of preschool and MOPS.
We've got a trip to Cannon Beach, OR scheduled for the end of September and are getting excited for that. We're renting a house with my sister and her family and then my parents will stay in a hotel just a few yards away--they are smart....5 kids age 3 and under plus 4 adults in 1 house? I don't think there will be many quiet moments, but that is part of the fun! I love the look on the kids' faces when they see the amazingly huge and beautiful beach for the first time-- it's priceless!
We've also got Shawn's 31st birthday coming up and we are excited about getting family pictures taken in a couple of weeks. Shawn and I have taught the 2's and 3's class at church a few times this summer and that has been a fun adventure as well. Last week we had more kids than we'd ever had and it was CHAOS!! All we could do was look at each other helplessly across the room while we tried as best we could to manage them all----we were pretty whooped after that. :)
Riley is talking up a storm now and thinks he is a big boy just like his brother. He is the king of climbing onto anything and everything and basically has no fear. We can see his little independent personality showing up more and more. He does love to cuddle though and is definitely a mama's boy.
Austin is a little boy on the go-- it seems he has endless energy! He also has quite the imagination and loves to read, build things, and do anything that includes being outside. He loves his little brother and they play nicely together most of the time :) Austin loves to learn new things and spent a week at a Vacation Bible School last month and absolutely loved it. I love that he is so willing to try new things. Both boys are a joy and it is so fun to see their brotherly relationship develop.
Well, that's our update for now. Pictures to come next time of some of our summer adventures!

Day Out with Thomas the Train!

2009-07-20T15:23:00.000-07:00

With daddy and grammy on a trolley ride before the "Big train ride!"

In the Thomas gift shop picking out a new train--I have never seen so much Thomas stuff in my life!!!

There's Thomas puffing down the tracks!

Me and Ry hanging out in the shade--I think Riley will be more into this next year :)

Austin was so into the train ride he hardly said boo--just stared out the window happily.

view from 300 feet up (out the train window)--just past Snoqualmie Falls

On Thomas! Riley not cooperating for the picture :)

New engineer hat from Grammy--and a lot of other stuff. Grammy spoiled him rotten!

In front of a big black Steam Engine--and yes, I do know all the names of the specific kinds of trains, thank you very much!

Happy Boy!

What a great day this was. Austin was definitely in train heaven! It was so fun to see the excitement on his face when he finally figured out where we were going. We had kept it a secret until the day of--all we told him leading up to it was "we're going somewhere special!" This event is once a year and is held up in Snoqualmie at the Northwest Railway Museum--so just about an hours drive from here. It was a long (but fun!) day and we were ALL tuckered out when we got home. Hope you enjoyed the pictures!

June pictures

2009-07-01T14:13:00.000-07:00

Austin getting fitted for his new bike helmet

At the zoo

Shawn and his boys on Father's Day

Mmmm, watermelon

Cousin time

Brotherly love

Fun in Grammy's yard

This little boy LOVES sand

Leaving this weekend...

2009-06-26T15:16:00.000-07:00

I'm heading out of town today to join the guys from our church on a men's retreat. I haven't been to any kind of camp/retreat since college! I'm excited to have some time away and I have my wife to thank.

She is by far one of the most giving people I've ever met. As a mom, she nurtures our boys daily, grocery shops, cleans, does our budget and works! She is a superstar.

On top of doing everything for her family, she encourages me to do things like this, leave town for a weekend to recharge, regroup and most importantly, return. Being a single parent for even a short time is no walk in the park with young children and she is still willing to do the extra work.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you and I love you Jodi!

-Shawn

Catching up on some pictures...

2009-06-04T21:22:00.000-07:00

Fun at Owens Beach

I love handprints and face marks on the windows...not really, but it's worth it because they were having a ball!

Austin's "Special Day" at Preschool

Staying cool in the HOT weather

Preschool "Moving On" Ceremony--this was so cute! The teachers had to come up with three words to describe each kid. Austin's were: amiable, calm, and soft-spoken--that's my boy!

Enjoying a cool treat

The whole fam! Can you tell Riley didn't want to cooperate for this picture?

New Car!

2009-06-04T21:05:00.001-07:00

A couple weeks ago we purchased our first NEW car in almost 10 years of marriage. It was very exciting. We got a Honda Pilot and we absolutely love it! I was nervous about driving an SUV but it has been a very easy transition so far. We were quickly outgrowing our Camry so all the extra space is a huge blessing! Here are a few pic's of the new ride :)

Las Vegas!

2009-05-26T21:03:00.000-07:00

I had a wonderful trip. Lots of adventures and memories made with family. It's crazy because we haven't gone on a vacation with just the 5 of us since 1995 when I was 16...so this was extra special. And Shawn did a fabulous job with the kids while I was gone. I missed them a lot but also really enjoyed the "free" time. Free from diapers, nap schedules, toddler attitudes, etc. :)

When I came home I swear the kids had each grown a couple inches. It really is a weird feeling to be gone for several days when I'm so used to seeing them everyday.....but it really is true: absence does make the heart grow fonder. I love all my boys so much!

Mommy's boys on Mothers Day

2009-05-12T20:49:00.000-07:00

Don't you love Austin's fingers up his nose?

My handsome hubby making his world famous breakfast

Dimple Boy!

I had a great Mother's Day. Yummy breakfast, great Church Service, homemade cards, and a picnic dinner at the Fircrest Tot Lot. Can't get any better than that! I have the most wonderful husband and children and for that I am so grateful. Here are a couple randoms from the last few weeks....oh, and I'm off to Vegas this week to see my little bro Joel graduate! Pray for Shawn as he stays home with the kids---I know he'll do a great job! :)

Our little man in action!

2009-04-26T21:16:00.000-07:00

Here's Riley about a week ago just beginning to walk, and then about 5 days later showing off his stuff! :)

We have a WALKER!!

2009-04-23T21:20:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's official.... Riley is now walking! I can't believe how much he has progressed over the past week. He started off slowly last Wednesday and has been gaining major confidence every day since then. Today was a pretty big milestone day because he actually walked more than he crawled. The look on his face tells me that he definitely thinks he's hot stuff!
Austin is kind of in awe of the whole situation and asks me 20 times a day, "Mommy, is that Riley walking?"I have a video to post from last weekend that I'm still trying to figure out how to do-- (I may need my technical hubby to help me on that one!) so check back soon!

Daffodil Parade!

2009-04-09T21:13:00.001-07:00

What a fun day! The kids both LOVED the parade! Riley was dancing to the marching band music and Austin was mesmerized by all the floats. Perfect weather too!

Mr. Innocent?

2009-04-09T21:08:00.001-07:00

Big Toy fun

2009-04-09T21:00:00.000-07:00

I took the kids to the playground near our house a couple weeks ago and they had a blast! Riley loved the swing---his first time in one! We are ALL looking forward to spring/summer and lots of time outside.

Pictures of the Birthday Boy

2009-04-08T10:46:00.001-07:00

Riley had a great first birthday. We had a party for him last Sunday and couldn't have asked for better weather! He was the star of the day and had lots of fun opening presents (although I think he liked the wrapping paper better than the gifts!) and thoroughly enjoyed his first piece of cake--he picked the whole thing up and stuffed it all in his mouth at once! The fun ended yesterday when he had his one year dr. appt. and had to get a bunch of shots. Poor baby!!
So now we officially have two toddlers.......as you can imagine the fun never stops in our house!

My birthday boy

2009-04-03T10:37:00.001-07:00

He's 1! Happy Birthday Riley!! It is so amazing to me that he was in the belly, out of the belly, and now almost walking. How does this happen in only 1 year!!!?

I'll post more pic's of the birthday boy this weekend :)

Happy St. Patrick's Day (a few days late!)

2009-03-20T16:06:00.001-07:00

My Handsome Irish Boys!

And the March Birthdays continue

2009-03-12T15:32:00.000-07:00

Austin turned 3 on March 10th! I cannot believe my little boy is 3. It seems like yesterday he came into this world with his big mop of black hair. Our lives were changed forever that day. He brings us joy every day and we love him so much.
His birthday party was held at our church last weekend and I have to say I'm pretty proud of the "train" cake he wanted so badly. I am definitely not a cake maker but he loved it and that's all that matters! We also took him to the Spaghetti Factory for lunch on his actual birthday and we got to sit on the train--he was in heaven! Can you tell he is REALLY into trains right now!?

Hope you enjoyed the pic's!

Surprise Party!

2009-03-01T16:16:00.000-08:00

My wonderful husband pulled off a surprise birthday party for me this weekend! My real birthday isn't for a couple more days so I was not expecting this at ALL.

Wonderful time, great food, a custom picture cake, and family. I'm still trying to figure out how he kept it from me---very hard to do because I ask a lot of questions!!

Thank you honey, I enjoyed every minute!

A walk at Chambers Bay Golf Course

2009-02-22T18:32:00.000-08:00

On Saturday morning we bundled the kids up and busted out the double jogger for a nice walk. It was beautiful, sunny, and COLD! Lucky we stopped for coffee beforehand! Here are a few pictures.

New Pictures

2009-02-22T18:15:00.000-08:00

These are some random pic's from the last month or so...Enjoy!

A Couple Valentine's Day Pics

2009-02-22T18:00:00.000-08:00

Austin had a Valentine's party at preschool and they all made little mailboxes and dropped cards into eachother's boxes...so cute!! I remember doing the same thing and it makes me happy to see him so excited about all his cards.

And hubby surprised me with some beautiful flowers and a big balloon that says "I love you a latte" ---right down my alley! I surprised him too and had babysitting all lined up so we could go out on a date. We went to breakfast at Chambers Bay Golf Course and then walked part of the trail. It was a great day!

This has been a better week!

2009-02-19T20:27:00.000-08:00

The kids are finally feeling better! Yay! Riley still has a few days left on the antibiotics, but he is back to his happy self. So all is well, and thanks for your prayers!

okay, this is getting ridiculous!

2009-02-12T15:55:00.000-08:00

Back to the doctor again........sigh.

Riley's ear infection didn't go away so he is now on a stronger antibiotic for another 10 days. Poor little guy!

Everyone is sure getting to know us around the pediatrician's office. One good thing I can say is that I love our doctor and nurse. They are wonderful with the kids and Austin actually likes going to see them which is a huge blessing in itself.

So, we will keep trucking on and *hope* for better days ahead!

Sick again....take 2

2009-02-04T15:16:00.001-08:00

Well... another day.... another trip to the pediatrician's office. Poor little Riley also has an ear infection. It's so sad to see the kid's so out of it and it's hard to be house bound. With all this sunshine I'm getting spring fever and wish I could take them to playground. Please keep your prayers coming for a speedy recovery!

Sick.....again

2009-02-03T16:04:00.000-08:00

Please pray for Austin today. We went to the doctor this morning and he has a double ear infection. He is having a rough day but hopefully the antibiotics will kick in soon. Riley has a bad cold too so prayers for him would also be great..specifically for his not to turn into an ear infection or something worse. We have just been hammered with sickness this year, hopefully this is the end...we will keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best!

My cutie pies

2009-01-22T20:46:00.001-08:00

Need I say more? :)

We have a CRAWLER!

2009-01-18T14:54:00.000-08:00

Yep, Riley is now officially mobile. Yikes! He started slowly a couple days ago and now he thinks he's hot stuff. This morning Shawn went to get him up and he was on his knees holding onto the bars on his crib--first time he's done that! As Shawn put it...."it's all over now!" Our little baby is turning into a big boy. That makes me sad!! Maybe it's time for another baby? No, I think we're good at the moment! :)

It's Our Day!

2009-01-15T11:24:00.000-08:00

To my wonderful wife:

You are the best wife and mother and I feel so blessed to have you in my life.

Happy Anniversary!

Love,

Shawn

9 years and counting!

2009-01-15T10:59:00.001-08:00

Thank you for 9 wonderful years honey.... Happy Anniversay! I love you.

Act of Kindness

2009-01-11T21:36:00.000-08:00

Today on our way home from church we decided to swing by Starbucks for some coffee (tall soy extra hot latte for me, in case you were wondering :). As we reached the window to pay we were told that the lady in the car ahead of us had already paid for our drinks--we were stunned-- in a good way! So we decided to keep it going and paid for the car behind us. It made us feel happy all day long. How one simple act of kindness from a complete stranger could have such a wonderful effect. I hope the giving continued all day long in that Starbucks line. It makes me want to do things like that a lot more often.
So, my challenge for you is: brighten someone's day this week--your kindness may touch them more than you'll ever know.

Riley's teeth

2009-01-04T15:38:00.001-08:00

If you look closely you can see Riley's two little teeth poking out...or click on the picture to enlarge it.

He's so cute I can't stand it!

Christmas!

2009-01-04T14:59:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful Christmas! The kids did pretty darn good in spite of all the excitement. We loved our time spent with family and had SO much delicious food. My favorite moment was watching Austin get into his stocking Christmas morning and finding "Spencer" the train....his FAVORITE train. He couldn't wipe the smile off his face and that was just the beginning. Seeing Christmas through a childs eyes has got to be one of the most rewarding, precious, fun things ever.

More SNOW pic's

2009-01-04T14:42:00.000-08:00

We had an AWESOME time in the snow---still can't believe we got as much as we did, it usually NEVER happens here so I was a little camera happy---who knows if this will ever happen again!? Each night we'd put the kids to bed and then Shawn and I would go out and play in it.

It was so fun, we were like 2 little kids trying to savor every last minute of it.....now it's gone and we want MORE! :)

Bath time fun

2008-12-28T16:02:00.000-08:00

We gave Austin and Riley their first bath together a few weeks ago. They both love the dual bath thing! Here are a couple pictures.

I will post more snow and Christmas pic's in the next few days as I find the time. :)

Uncle Joel is home!!!!

2008-12-21T16:12:00.000-08:00

We had a nice reunion with Uncle Joel (Jodi's little brother) last night. He goes to school in Las Vegas and is home for the holidays. It had been 7 months since we'd seen him so he pretty much had to reintroduce himself to the kids. Austin warmed up quick and put him to work right away drawing trains on the chalkboard.

We love and miss you Uncle Joel and want you to move back home where you belong! :)

I am blessed

2008-12-18T21:56:00.000-08:00

Jodi is a wonderful wife and mother. On top of running our household, working PT and taking care of the boys, she has time to blog!

Bless her heart!

Loving Husband!

CHRISTMAS lights and SNOW

2008-12-18T16:56:00.000-08:00

Definately not a sight we see often around here. This is our house decorated in the midst of falling snow!

let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

2008-12-18T16:10:00.000-08:00

As I'm writing this the snow is coming down in buckets! It is so beautiful to watch. This morning Shawn, Austin and I went outside to play and go sledding--it was so fun. Little Riley was inside taking a nap so he missed all the action this time. It's a good thing though because despite what I wrote in the last post about the kids finally being healthy.....well, that same day they both came down with bad colds AGAIN. Argh. We just can't win, can we?

Here are some fun pictures of our snow adventures so far.....I see more sledding in the near future!

The cute little girls on the sled with Austin are our neighbors Anna and Julia.

Tis the season!

2008-12-10T14:44:00.000-08:00

Hope everyone is enjoying the Christmas season so far. We sure are! Thought I'd post some pictures from the last couple weeks of us doing "Christmasy" stuff. The kids are finally NOT sick which has been wonderful. Seriously, the past 2 1/2 months have been crazy with at least one of the kids having a cold. They kept passing those yucky germs back and forth to each other but I think we are FINALLY on the mend. Blessings to you all!

More Cuteness!

2008-11-30T14:40:00.000-08:00

Finding the perfect one...

2008-11-29T21:49:00.001-08:00

Christmas tree that is! We searched long and far, high and low, through the thick forest of trees and rugged terrain. Actually I might be stretching the truth just a bit, but it was still an adventure going to a tree farm in Puyallup! We went with my sister and her family and a good time was had by all.

Yummy Thanksgiving

2008-11-29T21:33:00.000-08:00

This year we went to my parents house for Thanksgiving. It was very fun and a bit chaotic with five little boys ages 3 and under running around (my sisters 3 plus our 2). I'm scared to ask if we are all invited again next year after the way their house looked by the end of the night! :)

Thank you mom and dad, we had a wonderful time!!

Preschool Thanksgiving

2008-11-29T21:22:00.001-08:00

Austin's preschool class had a "family gathering" last week that was so fun. Shawn and I went and Austin showed us around his classroom like he owned the place. He was pointing out all his friends, saying "that's Parker, and that's Jackalinn" etc. etc. It was very cute. Here are a few pic's.

Cutie Pie

2008-11-29T20:51:00.000-08:00

Here are some recent pic's of Riley. He's growing like a weed!

My little boy is growing up

2008-11-20T17:16:00.000-08:00

Riley started clapping his hands today. Oh what fun! All I have to say is "Riley, clap your hands!" and off he goes.... clapping like there's no tomorrow--it is adorable! Then Austin gets into it too and it's a true clap fest around here! :) I love how something so simple to us is so huge to the little ones. Riley smiles huge with pride as I praise him, then I get all warm and fuzzy and realize that being a mom is my greatest accomplishment.
I got some video today but I'm still trying to figure out how to post it. More to come!

10 years ago today..

2008-11-06T14:27:00.000-08:00

my wonderful hubby got down on one knee and popped the big question. It's hard to believe it's been 10 years since that day, but what a great 10 years it's been. I am truly blessed and know I am the luckiest girl alive.

I love you honey!

Fun Halloween!

2008-11-02T15:28:00.000-08:00

As you can see Austin was a Fireman (and because he was a fireman, he thought everyone else in costume was a fireman too :) and Riley was a Bumblebee. We took the kids to the grandparents houses and then trick or treating. It's too bad Austin doesn't eat candy yet....I guess Shawn and I will have to help him out this year....darn!

Our Trip to the Ocean

2008-11-02T15:00:00.000-08:00

We spent 4 days in Cannon Beach, OR a couple weekends ago and had a great time. We rented a house and we were so blessed with the weather..it was sunny and beautiful most of the time we were there. Another added bonus was Grandma and Grandpa Bell came too!

Austin loved the beach and water and literally jumped right in. Yes, he got soaking wet within the first 5 minutes....good times!

First tooth!

2008-10-30T15:28:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was a big day for Riley...he cut his first tooth. This is a big milestone for our little guy! It is just barely poking through but I'm sure he feels relief! Now only a couple dozen more to go...

Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-30T15:11:00.000-07:00

We took the boys to the Pumpkin Patch a few weeks ago and had lots of fun. The highlight was probably watching Austin as we took a tractor ride around the patch...he was in heaven!

My blue eyed boy

2008-10-30T14:59:00.000-07:00

Riley's eyes are the prettiest color of blue...they melt my heart everytime I look at him. It's funny because Shawn and I both have brown eyes...so they've got to be from Grammy Jenny!

Ear Infections.....

2008-10-28T21:14:00.000-07:00

are no fun! Just ask Austin AND Riley. Yep, everybody has been sick around here. Actually we are on the mend now...hopefully! More pictures coming soon!

Pictures!

2008-10-14T13:56:00.000-07:00

Here are a few random pic's....more to come as we are heading to Cannon Beach for the weekend!

I am grateful

2008-09-21T22:04:00.000-07:00

Today at church, our pastor launched a new theme for the year, "Won with 1."

He talked about the importance of reaching out to people just as Jesus has reached out to us. This got me thinkin'...it's important for me to be able to walk the walk every day starting with the people who are closest to me - my family.

I am grateful because my family is truly a gift from THE 1.