A Party! Finally!

Jenna was finally able to have her party tonight! Yay! February proved to be a busy month, and when we tried to plan an evening party with a sleepover, we were short on dates. Jenna chose the color scheme and snack foods as well as the games. The girls played outdoor volleyball with the spotlight and then came indoors for some dancing. They were all around silly and had a great time. We're so happy we could make this happen for Jenna.

Church Stuff

Some church-related stuff this month...

I was invited to teach Love Language skills in the Beachside Ward. It was great to get back into the material as well as receive some inspiration for these ladies. That inspiration led me to add some information to my notes. It was a great night!

The Beehives welcomed new girl, Ellen, to the team at our New Beginnings night.

Winter Youth Conference was a blast! We stayed at the Wilson's cabin in Big Bear. Kelly and I were one of the main speaking sessions, and we used our Stake President's recent message on the challenges missionaries face by turning it into the challenges our youth will face leaving home. We let the youth come up with the solutions to the challenges by working in groups and brainstorming. Then each group taught the rest of us what they came up with. It was a great learning experience. The youth also did a service project in the local area and got to play in the snow. We love these activities where we get a chance to bond as a ward.

Bonding continued later in the month with our Mia Maid class activity. We enjoyed some frozen yogurt and then went across the street to Target to stock up on supplies for our Bishopric Snack Stash. The Bishop loved our efforts, and they now have some snacks for those long Sundays after church.

Occupy Sarah

BFF, Sarah, turned 13 today. Her friends wanted to surprise her with a little party, but they weren't going to be ready until about 4:00 p.m.  So, we occupied Sarah by taking her to Bruxie for a treat and then over to Forever 21 to window shop. After shopping we had a fake errand to run that happened to be were the party was occurring (Jenna was thinking ahead and borrowed something from these friends she would have to return that afternoon). Sarah was TOTALLY surprised. She knew there was supposed to be a surprise party at some point, but she never suspected this. Mission accomplished!

The Selfie Generation

Our girls are definitely being raised in the "selfie generation." We find so many selfies (mostly of Jenna) on our photo stream that putting them all on the blog would cost us a fortune.

What is it about snapping a photo of ourselves and posting it. There are times when I think Jen has very little self esteem, as do many of her middle school, female peers, with all the comparing they do. But then she'll post a selfie as if she is super confident.  Go figure. Is it because she thinks she looks great (which she does), or because she wants what she wishes for herself to be affirmed by her peers? So far comments are positive. Perhaps if I weighed less I would snap more photos of myself (I partook in this photo shoot to be a "fun mom"). I guess I take a lot of pictures which, while they don't say, "Look at me!" they do seem to say, "Look at what I/we/my kids did!"  I'm not sure how this insta-photo generation will grow from here, but it's certainly not anything we had growing up. It's nice to see snapshots of the lives of my friends and family, especially those I don't see often. I know it's their "best" being put forward, and I do that too. We kind of teeter on the edge of the cliff as comparison is the fast track to discouragement.  We'll have to keep a sharp eye out and educate our children on the pitfalls of technology because the posting/social media trend doesn't seem to be slowing down.  It can be a tool for good or for bad. We have to find the balance.  I'm sure I'll post more about this in the future.

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day started out with a headache, literally. I woke up with a pounding throb and promptly reached for the Excedrine. I did manage to have a small treat and card for the girls and hub on their dinner plates, and Kelly brought home flowers.  He and I also attending a performance of "Into The Woods" in Brea that night where our friend, Tara Pitt, was starring as the Baker's Wife. It was a fun day and even though it started out rocky, I'm grateful to have been able to make the best of this day of love.

Jenna's Creations - Hair and Nail Design

Jenna continues to wow us with her designs whether they be hair or nail creations. We've been impressed with her level of commitment to learning her craft. She has been collecting nail polishes and purchased a caddy and some tools to practice with. She finds designs and tries to replicate them, and she does a pretty darn good job. She paints on her self and this month she tried painting on a nail that wasn't on her hand. Her polish and designs change a few times during the week or whenever she's inspired to try something new.  I love her passion for this hobby and can't wait to see what she comes up with next!

February Doggie Report

Sariah got a new bed which looked appealing to Jenna.  Jenna tried out the bed before Sariah did and promptly fell asleep.  When Sariah got to try it out, she did the same. Favorite time of day is trail time with Kelly. She bounds around and runs to her heart's content. Kelly has been taking her up the cliffs, and she tears right up those too. We love our active pup.

Jenna is a TEENAGER!

Jenna woke this morning a teenager.  Yep, the big 13! Her friends made her feel loved by kidnapping her and taking her out to breakfast. They were kind and let her dress and do her hair. She had a fun day at school, and then we celebrated with family presents and oreo ice cream cake. Yum! Party to come later this month. Happy birthday Jenna!