80's Recap

Realized that we had not updated the blog since the 80's event last weekend so here it goes. The day started early, we were at the grocery store by 10, then to the gym by 11. We got all the big stuff setup before squeezing in a bball game for Maddie. After getting back from that the gym had been fully transformed into an 80's HS dance scene with balloon arches, game area, band setup, etc. We were able to get home, get our "Costumes" on and get back up for things to start rolling. It was awesome to see all the outfits that people put together. Here are a couple pics to give you a taste of it.

 

 

 

Overall the event was a great success, fun was had by ALL, and we raised a bunch of money for the school. It is always rewarding to be part of these kind of things. Thanks to everyone that helped make it happen!  From donations, to giving, to helping, etc...It was a Great event!

The Final Countdown

One week from tonight, we roll back the clock for the 80's "Hope School Rocks" fundraiser. This song seemed fitting for many reasons. If you havent got your tickets yet, let us know, this is going to be a great event!!!



If the embedded video doesnt come through, here is the YouTube link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jK-NcRmVcw

Moving Downstairs

Well, for the last few months Maddie has been asking about the possibility of moving from the top bunk, sharing a bedroom with KK, to the spare bedroom downstairs. Over Christmas she got new bedding, pillows, etc. and last night out of the blue she asked again if she could sleep downstairs...and after thinking about we said OK. Hard to know who had a tougher time with...Maddie, sleeping by herself...KK, now sleeping by herself...or Mommy, having her little girls sleeping separately :-) We are on night #2 and it it already a bit easier...Kenzie likes the idea that she has her own big room...Maddie is planning how to move lamps around, etc...while Mom and Dad just get more exercise walking up and down the stairs. We expect a few bumps here and there, but we are starting into a new phase. We'll keep you posted.

Back in the swing of things

No, we are not talking about golf swings (although that sounds pretty nice right now), rather the day to day routines around here.  After the hustle and bustle that was the Holidays, in a wierd sort of way, it is kind of nice to get back to "normal."  Dont get me wrong, having family around, visiting with friends, parties, presents, no work, etc...is ALL GOOD.  It can just get a bit hectic.  Oh well, it is what it is.  Like every year, we were blessed with a great Christmas and awesome New Year.  This year did lack the "surprise" of last year with all the snow...and the kids (and us) were bummed we didnt get to see any around this year.  We did our best to make up for it by heading up to the Hyak Sledding hill for some sledding with the Doerrs.  As always a ton of fun, but it was almost a bust as they just havent had enough snow yet to really get the hill going.  Luckily, they opened it up after about an hour there...In fact the kids were the "test sledders" for the park ranger.  So, we can take some credit for opening up the hill for the hundreds of people that were waiting as well.



Our biggest "happenings" right now are 1) Maddie playing basketball and 2) Steph helping put on the Hope School Rocks Fundraiser.  As for Basketball, Maddie is really enjoying playing ball.  As Steph says, you can tell she is "passionate" about it as she is playing super hard.  Nothing against Soccer, even Maddie says she still like Soccer, but Hoops might be here thing.  She especially likes to shoot...a lot!  So we are working on passing a bit more. 



The other big activity going on is the Hope School Rocks fundraiser. Steph graciously agreed to be the "leader" of the event. It is shaping up to be a great time..80's themed with a live band, catered food, dancing, etc. A lot of people are helping out and it is going to be "Totally Awesome" for sure. The ultimate goal is to raise money for the school and what Hope is doing for kids and families. If you are interesting in attending, donating, or even helping...give us a shout!

The Last Decade

In our last post we took a look at 2009, and while that in itself is packed, as we move into a new decade, we thought it would be fun to look back on the last decade. This is getting tougher and tougher to do as we get older (remember stuff), but here it goes.


1) The Y2K non-event - Not much to say here other than all the planning and preparation for the end of the world didn't happen...nothing blew up or malfunctioned. We just partied like it was 1999!

2) Madison - In 2001 we became parents with the birth of Madison Lynn. Her Auntie quickly gave her the nickname "Binks", and she has been a true blessing to us. She loves everything she does, and you can tell by the smile on her face all the time.

3) 9/11 - A day we will never forget, Steph was at home with Maddie and I was on the way to work when all everything started to unfold. I vividly recall our CEO at the time, calling a meeting and telling everyone to go home to be their families.

4) Boston trip - After Ryan and Stacey moved back to Boston, we took a great family trip to visit. Besides touring Boston, going to a Red Sox game, etc we all made it out to Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. We wrapped that up with a trip to the "Big Apple" - our first time in NYC.

5) Kenzie - In 2005 we welcomed another daughter into the world, Makenzie Channer. She is our wild one, but also our little baby. We'll never forget the family photo shoot only 3 days after she was born...we still have those pics hanging on our walls.

6) Disneyland - Over the decade we were lucky to make a few trips to Disneyland. One of the first was when a good chunk of the family met in Long Beach for Thanksgiving and then went to the Magic Kingdom. We have made it down there a couple other times as well, once as a surprise for Stacey's birthday, as well as for Sheryl's 60th. We always love visiting Mickey and Minnie.

7) Hawaii trip(s) - Speaking of family trips, we also made a couple visits to Maui...our favorite island. The first was a great trip with Stacey and Ryan when Maddie was just 2...I'll never forget Maddie saying "Push it Uncle, Push it" while Ryan was driving...and rocking out in the car. The second trip was a big family getaway where aunts, uncles, cousins, etc all met in Maui to spread Grandpa Chew's ashes over Pearl Harbor. It was a memorable moment where we laid him to rest at a place where he almost lost his own life as a young man.

8) Vegas - Early in the decade we went on our first trip to Vegas...We expereinced the steak and eggs at 1am, and also spent quality time on the Golf course while the ladies were at the pool....we also made our contributions to the Vegas economy. Later in the decade, along with 3 other couples, we pulled off a surprise 40th Birthday getaway. The kids were at Nana and Papa's and we headed out on a 3 day getaway full of fun, laughs and all the other stuff that happens in Vegas..and stays there :-)

9) Grandparents - On both sides of our families we lost a few of our grandparents. Although it has been sad to see them go, we know that they lived long lives and are in a much better place. They provided us with so many great memories over the years and we will cherish them forever.

10) Parents turning 60 - Both our parents hit the big 6-0 during this last decade. We spent time in San Diego, Disneyland as well as the Oregon coast celebrating these milestone birthdays. We are thankful for their health and the involvement in both our lives, as well as our kids. They love there Nana's and Papa's.

11) Nieces and nephews - In addition to our family growing by 2, both our sisters and brothers grew their families in this decade. Jeff and Amy had Ben and Lauren, while Ryan and Stacey had Haas and most recently Felton. Growing up, we enjoyed our cousins so much, so it is great that our girls have cousins that that they can grow up with as well.

12) Coming Home - The last notable event of the decade was that we moved from Renton back to West Seattle. We called Renton home after we first got married since it was a nice in-between for both our jobs. However, we always wanted to try and find a way back into West Seattle where we both grew up. Luckily we were able to make that happen shortly after Maddie was born. Since then we have returned to Hope Church, Maddie and KK attend Hope school and we love everything about the West Seattle community.

There you have it, 12 notable items from the last decade. As we look forward to the next decade it is interesting, and maybe even scary, to think about where we will be in another 10 years. Maddie will be in college, Kenzie in High School, we will turn 40, our parents retired...and we have no idea what else God has in store for us. We will take it as it comes.

Happy New Year!

Looking Back on 2009

Yikes....Where did the year go? It seems like just yesterday we were ringing in the new year, looking forward to all the exciting opportunities ahead in 2009. But here we are, December, a little over a week before Christmas and 2 weeks before we launch into 2010. Although we try our best to keep everyone informed about what is happening in Jensen household through our Blog, it is a tough job keeping up with EVERYTHING that is going on. So, this is always a great time to look back at the year that was and reminisce about all that happened....Luckily for us we do have a blog, because I'm not sure we could remember otherwise :-)

Makenzie - One word can sum up little KK....BUSY! This kid is nonstop 8am-8pm, go go go. In February she turned the big 4, and this September started P4 (PreK) at Hope. Kenzie loves to play store...all the time. The minute we get home, it is off to her cash register to pretend ringing up groceries, books, etc. I think we have bought all of our possessions about 10 times. With all that energy, we got her into a few different activities to see what might help channel her excitement. In the Spring she did T-ball at the Y with a couple of her buddies from school and really enjoyed it. After the first game where we had to run around the bases with her, she was sluggin it out like a big leaguer...fielding, well, that's another story. This fall we got her into Soccer, thinking that she can run run run...well, after the 1st game when she got elbowed in the head while in the middle of the pack (you know how 4yr old soccer is) it was tough to get her motivated. However, by the end of the year she was going after it, and mixing it up. The latest activity is a dance class with her friend. We always thought given her energy and flexibility, that gymnastics or dance might be her thing...so far she is really enjoying it and even has her own pair of tap shoes. Watch out Broadway! The thing that Kenzie adores the most is her big sister...Maddie is very patient (at times) with her, but they have a good time. They also tend to get on each other's nerves too, but hey, they wouldn't be sisters if they didn't. Kenzie is growing fast and it is hard to believe that next fall she will be going into Kindergarten.

Maddie - Well, where do we start with Maddie....It seems like she has grown WAY up this year. From her recent feat of getting her ears pierced, to being elected to student council, to playing 3 different sports, to getting a 4.0. In April Maddie turned 8, and this September started 3rd Grade at Hope. She loves school, her friends, her teachers and everything else that comes her way. She always seems to be happy no matter what. In the Spring Maddie started her 2nd year of girls softball and had an awesome time. Their team went all the way and won the "championship" for their age group. This Fall she was again on Team Quicksilver for soccer. Although she loves to score goals (don't we all) she naturally found a spot as a defender. Last year we were gung-ho on being goalie, but a rocket off her hand in the jamboree and she wasn't as much into that. Although their team didn't win a lot of games, they played hard each and every week and they got a ton better as the year went on. Now, Maddie is returning to our old stomping grounds, the Fauntleroy Y, for her first year of Basketball...or as we called it back in the day The YBA! For her birthday we got Maddie a basketball hoop, and between practicing outside and doing some day camps through School she is getting better and really enjoys it. Along the way in all these sports has been one of her closest friends, Mikayla. They love hanging out and having fun....but like I said earlier, Maddie loves all her friends. I think she could do something everyday with someone different.

Steph - The first thing that comes to mind when I think of Steph is dedicated. From the kids, to school, to church, to friends, she has dedicated her time and herself to making things better. She has a special gift to see how to make someones day...either through a phone call, an email, a Facebook post, a card, a special present...or more importantly just being there. This year Steph really took on the hobby of beads. Through a class at a local bead store she has developed an amazing talent to create beaded earrings, necklaces, etc. To the point that she is now getting "orders" from friends and acquaintances. She has always toyed around with the idea of starting her own little craft/specialty store, and I will continue to encourage her to do so. With Kenzie moving into Kindergarten next year the door might open a bit to think more about that. Be on the lookout! With her successful work on the Hope Auction back in Nov 2008, they and another local school have asked her to help coordinate their auctions, so that will occupy a lot of time in the coming months. One of the highlights of the year, was when her new little nephew, Felton, was born and she had the opportunity to go spend some quality time with her sister and family during the first few weeks of his life. Another highlight was her trip back to Nebraska to help her grandma prepare for a move to St. Louis. Although not the most fun, it was a time to be with her Grandma that she loves, and her way to help through her amazing organizational skills.

Mike - Hmmmm...since I wrote Steph's, I'll let Steph write mine...take it away. Mike is certainly the one that keeps us all grounded. With 3 girls, well, actually 4 if you count Josie dog as well, I don't know how he does it. Not only are we 3 girls, but 3 strong willed girls. We thank God everyday that he gave Mike an extra dose of patience. Maybe it isn't just a coincidence that work is requiring a bit more travel for Mike? :) He has been traveling about a week out of every month. His most recent trip took him to the Big Apple and not only the Big Apple but the Big Apple at Christmas. After flying a red-eye, one of his first stops before meetings was at the American Girl Store - with no girls along - to check some items off the Christmas list! Daptiv still keeps life exciting. It has taught us all a lot about change and the importance of adaptability. We are grateful for the 10 years that Mike has been there. He recently took on a new position as VP of Community Development. Mike loves technology and social networking and is eager to develop this new role. Quite often we joke that Mike's "other job" is School Board Chair at Hope - the girl's school. It too has taught us all about change and the importance of adaptability. We know that Mike was put in this role for a reason. Given the work changes and schedule, Mike decided to step away from coaching boys basketball this year but gets out their with the girls and their sports on a regular basis and still enjoys golfing and fishing whenever he can.


Friends, Family and Faith.
The three F's...three very important words that impacted our lives every day in 2009. We have been so very fortunate to surround ourselves with amazing friends. Friends that we laugh with, travel with, hang out with and genuinely enjoy our lives with. Coming back to Hope when Maddie was in P3 honestly changed our lives through the friendships we made. On the Family front, this year Grandma Cook(Mike's Gma) passed away after a short 4 month bought with cancer. Then, just recently, her husband Ray passed away quickly after suffering a brain aneurysm. Although we miss them, we know that they are in a much better place. In August, our family was blessed with a new little life - our nephew Felton. Steph and I have been lucky enough to see him in person, and the girls are counting the days to see him this Christmas. The Lakewood Jensens continue to make their annual summer visit to the NW and we really enjoy it when then come up. Maddie and KK love to hang out with their cousins, and we enjoy getting the whole family together when they visit. We are also extremely fortunate to have our parents in our lives and so close to us in West Seattle. We get together often both in town, as well as at the Channer cabin near Hood Canal. Faith wise, Hope Church and School continues to be a big part of our lives. Between School Board, teaching Sunday School, small groups, etc. Hope has emerged as our "third place" and we are excited about that.


We wish everyone a very merry Christmas and fabulous New Year. We hope that 2010 brings continued blessing to your families.

Downtown Trip - Maddie's News

After an awesome Thanksgiving, we headed downtown for our annual holiday night. This was the first time we went the Friday after Thanksgiving, and it was crazy....fun crazy, but crazy. We will get pictures up later of all the festivities which included gingerbread houses, the Macy's star, carousel, tree lighting, shopping, etc. The exciting news from the weekend was that Maddie got her ears pierced. We have been asking Maddie for awhile if she wanted to get them pierced, however, like most 3rd graders, she wasn't too excited about it...for some reason, she was a-Ok with it this last weekend, so we went for it. We snapped a before and after picture, as well as a video. Maddie is super excited, and it taking good responsibility for keeping her ears clean in order avoid an infection...she is already planning what earrings she will start wearing in a few months.

And here is the video