These are a few of my favorite things...

This will be a post I will continue from time to time. I thought with my moms pep talk today and with her advice to think of the positive things in my life that I would start listing them now and then as they come to me...drum roll please...Bryan's gray legit sweat pants! He used to come home from school everyday and put them on, and I would just die because no man should ever wear sweat pants, ever! Well, the laundry was running low so I saw the sweat pants beckoning to me to put them on and I couldn't resist. I have not taken warm gray cozies off for days and they look great with the shirt I still have from 9th grade. To top the look off is the mullet I am sporting since I have decided to grow out my hair. When I get brave enough I just might post a picture, but we will see. And these are a few of my favorite things...

Groupie at Heart

I have just been inspired to jump ahead of trying to get updated from Christmas and let you all know I love Jason Mraz new songs. I was just watching him on SNL and started clapping and dancing along like I was at a live concert, and that can get pretty interesting for those of you that have been with me to any concerts. Anyway, I just like the feel good sound, I am not really listening too hard to the lyrics but whatever, enjoy! One of the videos hasn't been authorized so I just found a make shift one on Youtube.

The Christmas Spirit

To help bring in the Christmas season my mom and dad hosted a Christmas party for the family. The grandkids made candy sleighs and raced them, played pin the nose on Rudolph, we sampled several gourmet hot chocolates, and their wouldn't be a "Paul Party" without a little forced entertainment! I loved that I didn't have to miss out on any of this and enjoyed every minute.

Grandkids and Grandpa playing "Pin the nose on Rudolph"


Grandpa and Ella with their candy sleigh, I hope it's a winner!


Carter and Dallin Racing: On your mark, get set, GO!


The family trying to sing and play the chimes at the same time, it was a bit of a stretch but still entertaining to watch!

Cousin Time

It was so fun seeing all of the nieces and nephews, and for Christopher to be reunited with all of his cousins over the break. It was a bit overwhelming for him being around so many people, every time one of the twins would make one of their squawking sounds or take interest in him, he would end up in tears. Needless to say, he got over his shyness and enjoyed partaking in all of the ciaos with everyone else.

Christopher & Carter at Grandmas


Ella wet her pants while we were at K's house for dinner and for her punishment and out of necessity Sandra made her wear Carter's underpants. Ella was so upset that the only thing out of her mouth all night, over and over again was, " I don't want to wear boys underwear!".


Christopher getting a taste of Alison's styling advice

The Jensen Christmas Vacation Begins

I had been waiting for this day ever since I found myself in Lubbock, to go home to AZ! Bryan packed Christopher and I up and sent us off two days after Thanksgiving. Byran's semester finals started that coming Tuesday, and after talking to a couple of friends we decided it would be easier on everyone if I left early and gave Bryan a chance to study and me someone other then the four walls of my house to talk to. It was sad to say goodbye to Bryan but the lady at the flight counter gave him a guest pass so he was able to come back and wait with me and the baby.

Bryan had a lot of work ahead and after finals he was staying and extra bit to put in our floor that had been sitting in our garage for 4 months and finish up a few other things on the house so it would be all ready for Christopher and I to come home, what a good guy!

The Feast

I have spent weeks preparing for the big day. -THANKSGIVING- After Sandra gave me a speech about having people over to my house even in its unfinished state I decided to host Thanksgiving at our house for some of the other law students and their wives. I spent days researching what would be the perfect turkey, I did trial runs on my mashed potatoes, and spent evenings shelling pecans from our tree for pecan pie. In the end the menu ended up being:

Frothy Punch
Cheese Ball
Alton Browns Turkey Brine Recipe
Martha Stewart's Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes
Stuffing
Green Bean Bacon Bundles
Carrots
Pumpkin Chiffon Pie
Pecan Pie
Apple Pie

We planned on 11 people and nowhere to sit them so I came up with a brilliant idea, if I do say so myself, of taking down two of our bedroom doors and stacking them on our food storage boxes. I had some butcher paper to act as my rustic table cloth, and for the final touch, I made Bryan climb our oak tree to get just the right leaves for the center piece (what a good sport). We have no furniture in our living room so it made it really easy to set up. For my fist Thanksgiving I feel it went pretty well, everyone seemed to enjoy the food and company. I have to work of a couple of things next year, such as timing ( the turkey finished ahead of schedule, the gravy took forever, and the green beans where on the extreme mushy side) quantities ( we had enough mashed potatoes to sink a ship, that is what happens when you tell Bryan he can watch a football game while he peels, he would have kept going if he could, anything he could do to keep watching the game)

Thank you all for coming and for your help with a tasty meal and a fun evening!

Sorry for the lack of pictures, it was a busy day!