After Birthday cake and presents, Kason wanted to go bowling. We went to the Fun Park for cosmic bowling. This year Kason didn't get a friend party we decided that every other year can be a friend party. The party was fun and it was just like having a friend party because of all the wonderful family that came to support Kason. He has several cousins that are the same age or close to the same age so it's fun for all of them to get together and have a party.

Here is the Karren Family. I beleive that Stetsen & Easten scored higher than Rusty. It's so funny now to watch Easten, he doesn't want to be left out of anything!

Back Up and Running

I am BACK and have lots to blog about! My computer has been down for months and we were finally able to get it fixed. Yeah!! Keep watching for more pictures and my many new blog entries.

Kenzie turns THREE

Can you believe it my little girl turned Three on Monday. I love her so much and she is so fun to have around. Her little attitude and all. Happy Birthday Kenzie girl.

I don't know why I started this tradition of making my kids their birthday cakes. I thought it would be a lot of fun but, it turns out to be very stressful and in the end I shed a few tears when it is cut into. I get to attached to these cakes.
Kenzie changed her mind quite a few times before she finalized on Ariel.

My Grandma Jean, Kenzie's great Grandma made this blanket for her. I can't even tell you how soft it is. She loved it imediatley.

Birthday Girl blowing out her candles.

This was the show stopper. Ben's sister Marci and her husband Neal restored this dollhouse for Kenzie. It came furnished with pictures on the wall, hardwood floors, beds, dresser drawers and a stocked kitchen. How Fun!!

Taking the Plunge.

Today (Saturday) my sister Holly took part in the Polar Plunge in Hyrum. If you don't know what this is I will explain. Holly donated money for children in need of wheelchairs, medical equipment Ect. and then if she jumped into the icy water of Hyrum Dam all the business that donated money would match Hollys donation. Holly earned $250.00 for the kids.
I must say I thought Holly was a little crazy for even thinking about doing this but, considering what Holly and her family have been through I knew there was no way to talk her out of it. I knew that if there was a way for Holly to help other children as others have helped Easten I knew she would do it.

Cute little Holly Pre jump. I think she looks cold here, I can't image what she will feel like after the jump.

Here she is getting ready to take the big plunge. I could tell she hesitated as she got closer to the water. I bet it looked even colder from where she was standing.

Okay, I wish I would have gotten a picture of her face the minute her head popped out of the icy water. I'm not sure if it was a look of terror or sheer pain. Man she swan so fast to shore and the entire way I could tell she could barely breath. I would call her crazy but.... it was for a very good cause.

She did it! I couldn't believe it! I am so PROUD of her!

Christmas this year was so much fun and as you will read in the posted below my family did a lot of fun thing to start some new family traditions. My whole family was together and healthy and I feel like I couldn't have asked for more.
Kason loved his Tribot (a fancy robot) and his K'nex Roller coaster and Ferris Wheel.
Kenzie.. well read on for that experince.
I hope everyone had a Happy & Safe New Years.

I know that you all thought that come Christmas morning when Kenzie saw the jeep she would forget about the traumatizing experience with Santa. You were ALL WRONG!!
Kason came into the room around 7:00 and had already made the trip upstairs to make sure Santa had made it to our house. I had him go into the living room and nicely wake up his sister and let her know that Santa had come.
Ben ended up trying to get Kenzie to wake up and he said the fatal words "Santa came" this was the beginning of the end. Kenzie sat straight up and began to whale and scream. She was terrified!! I got the whole thing on tape if there are not believers. She probably screamed for a good 10 minutes before she calmed down and realized she was staring right at her Barbie Jeep.
The crying stopped and .........

I was unable to remove Kenzie for the Jeep for the rest of the day. It was a success. Thank heavens.

On Christmas Eve my Grandma Sparks gives all the Great Grandkids new pajamis. The kids love to get in their jamies and wait for Santa.
These are all the Great Grandkids short 4 kids.

This was a much easier task for my Grandma when there was only her 7 Grandchildren. Boy has our family grown.

My little Kenzie and my cousins little Skylie with their matching PJ's. Too CUTE! As you can see they have on their princess shoes to match there pajamas.

My dad is the greatest! When I was a little girl our family tradition was to make the trip up to Banida (a little town in Idaho) and stay the night Christmas Eve at my Great Grandma Gregersens house. This is where both my parents grew up. My uncle Miles has a farm and we would go his barn and see Joesph and Mary and little Baby Jesus. This was something I still remember today and when I think of my Christmas' I always remember taking a trip to the barn to see Baby Jesus.
This year my Dad wanted to recreate this for his Grandchildren. He went to alot of work and I was so happy to see that my kids loved it as much I did.
Thanks Dad for making memories for my Kids.

Kenzie taking a closer look at baby Jesus. This is so preious.

Kason finally got to try out his new snowmobile. It worked great on the roads and the sidewalks but, it was not tough enough to barrel through all the new powder. Kason was content to just ride it around the streets. (by the way I did make him put his helmet on to ride the snowmobile)

Can you believe all the SNOW we got hammered with on Christmas night?! I thought for sure I was going to be snowed in at Grandmas house. The next day after all the snow blowing and shoveling it made a perfect day to play in the snow. All the hills of snow were perfect for sledding. Kenzie is definitely my outside girl. She was frozen solid but, insisted on staying outside sledding.

I may have ruined Christmas for Kenzie...FOREVER

I will try to make this a short post but, this is a must read!
Ben and I thought we had it all together and on top of things when we had our entire Christmas done the day after Thanksgiving. How WRONG we were.
The first week of December I have the kids sit down and write their letter to Santa. Kason's letter went something like this.

Dear Santa
I would like and Ipod, a WII, and a laptop oh... and SNOW.

Nothing on this list was bought for him for Christmas.

Kenzie's asked Santa for a Jammin Jeep.....a what??
Ben and I struggled with this for at least a week before we figured out what she was trying to say. She wants a Barbie Jeep.

These Christmas lists are tall orders. Ben & and I tried to talk ourselfs into beliving that come Christmas morning that the kids would love and be so excited about the gifts we bought them that they would forget about their Christmas list.

For the next week or so all Kenzie talked about was her Jammin Jeep that Santa was going to bring her. When you would asked if there was anything else she would like, she would say "No. Just my Jammin Jeep!"

Long story short Ben and I decided to purchase the Barbie Jeep but, it was not an easy task. Apparently these Barbie Jeeps are a HOT item. I looked all over the internet and checked every store I could think of and on line these Jeeps were SOLD OUT! We were in Wal Mart last weekend and spotted the one and only Barbie Jeep in Wal Mart. We made the purchase and felt like we were good parents again. I did tell Ben that Kenzie better wake up Christmas morning and see the Jeep and I expect Cartwheels.

Friday, I was at the Mall with my mom helping her do some last minute shopping and I spotted Santa!. I asked Kenzie if she would like to sit on Santas lap and ask him to bring her the Barbie Jeep. Of course to no surprise she was terrified of Santa. She wouldn't even let me get within 10 feet of Santa. I said to her "You have to tell Santa that you want your Jeep or he won't bring it for you Christmas morning."

This is where I made the fatal mistake. I forced Kenzie to sit on Santas lap and she was forever traumatized. Kenzie now tells us that she does NOT want Santa to come to our house and she doesn't want her Jeep anymore. (I guess the cartwheels are out of the question now!)

Now we have tried to talk to her about Santa and I even tried to read some Christmas book to her to try to show her that Santa is a NICE person. Nothing so far has worked and she still is terrified that Santa will be coming to our house in a few days.

I may have ruined Christmas For Kenzie!!!