Wow, time has gotten away from me, but I hope to catch up on some posts. Hopefully people haven't given up on me completely! Anywho, Derek and I went to Costa Rica last month, and as always I don't have my good pictures, or really any pictures of the trip. But Derek and I did go on a river tour to see ,obviously, crocodiles! We were on the boat for this picture and you can see how close we were because the edge of the boat is just in the corner of this picture! I was not zooming in! Crazy Costa Ricans! But very nice people!

Everyone but Erin finished soccer season in October. Erin continues to play indoor soccer until the end of this month. I've enjoyed watching them play so much that I signed up for my own indoor soccer games! Who says the kids get to have all the fun! But man, what was I thinking? It's been over 15 years since I played on a team and I was sucking wind the first 10- 15 minutes of my first game! Then I remembered how to play smarter, and was able to finish out the game without colapsing on the fake grass!

Morgan was a little spitfire this season and wants to follow in Erin's foot steps with competition soccer.

Shannon is just having fun with it for now, but believes she wants to be like her big sisters. It was sooooo cold for this last game. But she got to wear her tiger hat which I think is the cutest thing! I got Lauren a monkey hat too!

Erin is growing up so fast, I'm having a hard time keeping up with her! She's going to surpass me in height here soon! She already wears my shoe size and tries to borrow my clothes! She has really enjoyed this competition soccer and indoor soccer. It is time for a break though, and she'll get one until Spring after these next two games. Erin has a mean kick when she can get her foot and the ball to connect just right! It's been fun watching her team grow together, seeing as how this is their first year together. A lot of them have gotten much better.

No, there will be no pictures of me playing soccer; mainly because I'm the only one taking the pictures, but because I don't look as good as these girls when I'm pushing myself. Like the ugly cry, I have the ugly work out face! My girls always look at me in wonder after I've done my running, and inform me "Mom.....your face is REALLY red!" I don't need that kind of exposure on the internet!

My cousin, Daniel, was married last weekend and we had the privilage of going to the ceremony at the Salt Lake Temple. They were such a bubbly couple; at least Melissa. Daniel is very Jensen! I can say that because I've been told I'm the same way; we don't show too much emotion. It's great when trying to bluff in a game!

Very handsome guy, that one is!

She had a very pretty dress; buttons down the back and cute detail on the train. Very classic, which is what I'm pretty sure they were going for.

Two peas in a pod

These two are getting married in June. This is my brother in law and his sweet girl!

We are so excited for Ashlee to join our family! Bret and Ashley were gracious enough to pose for me so I could get some practice with my newly tweeked talent. They are a fun couple to work with.

This one is my favorite! They both have such pretty blue eyes! And Ashley... that hair is just gorgeous! My girls can't get enough of these two. Thanks again Bret and Ashley!

Photography; what FUN!

Missy Lolly; our biggest and best ham!

(not touched up yet)

I have always enjoyed photography and trying to capture that perfect image, but now that I have a better idea of what I'm doing......I'M HAVING SO MUCH FUN! I thought I was getting some good images before, but I've started using my photoshop (now that I have a clue how to use it; thanks to Emilie). Those of you who have taken her classes, know what I'm talking about. What a fun lady!

Miss Moo; our helpful and "stick to it" one


Miss Shani; miss "drama" herself

Miss Erin; our oldest and getting braces this month

Now that I know what I'm capable of creating, I think I'll have my camera in my hand a lot more. I made my bro in law and his soon to be bride pose for me, even though they already had some pictures done earlier. I just needed something to play with on the computer and they turned out really cute. Soon to come!

Make sure to eat your vegetables!

Derek was involved in a reenactment of disasters for the purpose of training health care and emergency workers. Being a nursing student, this was part of one of his clinicals for school and had to show up and call on those acting skills of his. Derek's role to play was that of an inmate being transfered by a bus that was involved in a serious crash with a tanker transporting rocket fuel. They were suppose to be taken to one of the hospitals in the area, involved in the training, and dropped off at the ER. Derek was suppose to have had a heart attack 3 yrs ago, taking nitroglycerin and asprin. He was suppose to be having another heart attack after the crash and not have his meds with him. Unfortunately, things didn't seem to be planned out very well and Derek and the other actors were taken to different hospitals before being dropped off about 2 blocks away from the hospital they finally ended up going to. While fully shackled and in their prison garb, Derek and the other men were made to walk those two blocks to the hospital; crossing a very busy road. Derek said they received some very strange looks from people in their cars wondering what was going on. Derek said he caught the wide eyes of one little girl. He wished he had told her,"make sure you eat your vegetables!" Derek could see why no one would want to try to run in shackles. He came home with marks on his ankles and wrists from being shackled for nearly 3 hours. The "makeup" artists had used perminent marker on their "victims" so Derek came home with "dogs" and "cats" written on his knuckles and some fake tats on his hands. They wanted to put tats on his neck and head, but Derek said no way when he saw that they were using perminent markers. I got a kick out of the picture; big tough Derek next to the little squatty police officer! Love it!

Lolly and PCMC

So I couldn't get the photo to turn on my laptop so sorry it's sideways. Lauren had some tests at Primary Children's today and this is her smiling face before the tragedy begins. She wasn't too sure about running around without panties under that gown, but we got over it quickly. She kept saying " I don't want shots, I don't want shots." I had to keep reassuring her that there were no shots; I just didn't tell her about the nice catheter she would be getting in her bladder. She wouldn't have understood much anyway. After the VCUG, she kept asking me what it was the doctor "put in her bum". She said "it felt like a shot in my bum" OHHHH! I felt soooo bad, but luckily kids are very resiliant and once her catheter was out she was just fine. She just wants to talk about her experience A LOT! Unfortunately her problems have worsened over time and we will be going in for surgery in about 3-4 weeks. I'm not sure how we are going to get that gown on her again after today. She loved getting the Bambie toy. Not so thrilled with the doll in the hospital gown. Hopefully she doesn't develop a phobia of hospital gowns!

Once again, I'm at work and have time to post on my blog. So I borrowed my mother in laws acoustic guitar and had it restrung yesterday. I took it home and learned some cords! I really enjoyed it and had to tear myself away from it to come to work. I think my mom was getting a little tired of my going over the same notes again and again in her kitchen. At least you could start to hear a tune out of what I was playing! Hey, it's my first "lesson"! The girls were with me when I took the guitar in to be restrung. The store had keyboards and drums as well as walls of electric/acoustic guitars. Shannon fell in love with the drums! She was sure that was her calling in life! "Mom I love this (glittery gold) drum. Can we get one?" Lauren about jumped out of her pants (which isn't hard to do since they are barely hanging on as it is) when she pushed a couple of keys on a keyboard and a loud noise issued forth! It made the girls laugh. Morgan liked a blue electric guitar with green lightning bolts on it (typical Morgan-style) and Erin just had a headache from "all the noise the girls were making". But Erin did ask if she could get a disco ball for her room! Over all it was a good field trip for them and they got to do some people watching as well. I must say, there are quite an array of people that come in and out of that store. The girls got an eye full! I was just waiting for that one comment that was going to get me the black eye, but they kept their comments to themselves. What a lucky mom!

I'm so excited for a new year and have many things I want to accomplish for myself and my family:

1. go part time at work: Derek, being the most generous husband anyone could ask for, contributed to my "get Katie out of work" fund. We want to have so much saved in my accounts before I can go part time and he just put me over that edge this Christmas! So now I just want to have all of our dept payed off, and then I'll go part time at work! Yay! Hopefully this March or June.

2. Re tile the kitchen and entry way in the apartment and put in new carpet. Can't wait for that!

3. Recommitte to going to the temple at least once a month. This is going to be one of my challenging ones because of our schedules, but I really feel the need to be in the temple more often. And with the Ogden Temple closing in April that will make it even more fun to plan.

4. Study the lessons in our gospel doctrine classes before the actual class. I'm really hoping to get more out of my classes this year. I just need to stay awake in class after working the night shift before!

5. The old stand by.... get into shape, AGAIN! I do want to run some races this year, so if anyone has one in mind, bug me to go with so I have something to train for.

6. Not cutting my hair, no matter how much I'm hating it at the moment! I really want to grow it out so I can do something with it!

7.Spending more time with Derek and the girls doing things we love. Not enough of this going around due to our hectic schedules and we can feel the strain in the girls. Lauren is always telling me not to go to work and always asking where Derek is during the day. You have to be pretty hard hearted for that not to get to you!

8. I really want to learn how to play the guitar...something I've always secretly wanted to do! I'd like to start self teaching with the girls this year.

9. Finally learn how to hold very simple conversations in Spanish. We have the Rosetta stone at home and I have lots of opportunity at work to use it so.....it only makes sense.

10. Get back into photography. I've really missed using my camera and seeing what images I can catch through my view finder. I also got photoshop for Christmas! Need to use it now!

11. Learn how to set my priorities in the right order. I just noticed that I had putting in carpet and tile before temple attendance and gospel study! Please don't judge me for that one! Hehe!

I hope everyone's new year is the best one yet, and you're able to accomplish most of your goals. I'm going to be realistic and probably only plan on accomplishing 30-50% of mine! I know how I've been in the past. Love you all!