Taylor's 7th Birthday Party

This past weekend, we helped to celebrate Taylor's 7th birthday!

When we showed up at their house, everyone got right down to business playing and making lunch! 

Trent and the girls played with Noah's Ark and all the animals that were actually a Christmas present for Taylor but it came broken, so we had to get a new one. 

(I will mention that Trent's sister and her family just recently moved into a new house and are getting new flooring on their main level soon. That's why there isn't any furniture in this room :) )

Nice face...

The playing turned into Trent picking on the girls or them picking on Trent, I'm not quite sure which way it was going. :)

Melodie was in the kitchen getting lunch ready. She made some awesome cheese sticks and four different kinds of pizza. It was wonderful!

After lunch, it was time to sing "Happy Birthday" and eat some cake and ice cream.

Then it was family Rainbow Loom time :) I told them that they could be in an advertisement for Rainbow Loom with this picture!

It was then time for the birthday girl to open her presents!

She got some really great stuff for her parents. What they ended up doing was giving her something from four different categories. 

1. Something she wanted -- New outfits for her doll

2. Something she needed -- A baseball glove since she's starting to play that in the spring

3. Something she could read -- The Frozen book

4. Something she could wear -- New cute pink, sparkly Sperry's

And from Jenna, she got a doll of Princess Elsa from the movie Frozen. I think they both loved that gift!

From Trent and I, Taylor got some money. Her parents decided that since Christmas just got over and she got a lot of gifts, it would be best to give her a dollar for each year of her life. So Trent's parents and us each gave her $7.00.

To spice it up a bit, Trent and I decided to send Taylor on a scavenger hunt to find her gifts, one dollar at a time.

I found some cute little rhyming clues online and wrote them down and put them in her card. After she opened the card, I helped her to read that her presents were throughout the house and she had to use the clues to help her find them.

Taylor really didn't have much trouble figuring out any of the clues! She would go find where the dollar was and then come back to the room and let us know how many dollars she was up to. She'd stuff the dollar in her pocket and then she was off to find the next one. It was fun to watch!

When it was all done, she was feeling pretty rich I think!! 

During the day, I also had a chance to play around with my new camera. This time my subjects were Noah and all his animals :)

As we were gathering around the cake to sing her happy birthday, I realized that this was the 5th birthday that I was able to be there to help celebrate with Taylor! I can't believe I've been in their family that long! That seems like forever. When I told Trent that I realized it had been 5 years, he said that I'm lucky that they've kept me around that long! That, or I tricked him into keeping me around... something like that!

On Taylor's 3rd birthday, I was just a lowly girlfriend that Trent was bringing around, but I was lucky that they allowed me to be a part of their family events. By Taylor's 4th birthday, we were engaged, and by her 5th, we were married! I remember going to their house on the day we got engaged to share the good news and Taylor saying something like "When you two are married, you'll be Aunt Kendra!" 

I have loved watching her grow up and am so happy that I've been able to be her aunt. I hope that I can be as good of an aunt to her and her sister as my aunts were (read: are) good to me!

Family Feud Chain Email Completed by my Dad

In the spirit of filling out questionnaires, like Trent and I did for Valentines day earlier this month, I found this old email a while back and it made me laugh, just like it did 5 years ago when it arrived in my inbox.

Back on May 22, 2009 I had filled out a chain email called "Family Feud" (you know, because all of those things used to be so cool!) and sent it around to some of my family. It was the ones that had a list of questions that you answer and then send around to see how many people send it back to you with their own answers. A little while later that day, I received an email back from my dad, who had filled it out with his own answers... I can't say that he did that often, but something must have inspired him that day to fill this one out. And I'm sure glad that he did!

We all know my dad was quite a goofball and sometimes said some very off-the-wall things. Oh how I miss that! Some of his answers below are logical, some are clever, some are funny and some are just plain strange! I wanted to share his answers because I'm sure everyone could use a laugh.

Name something you use in the shower? Saw

Name something a football player wears under his uniform? Shoulder pads

Name something people hate to find on their windshield? Chicken

Name something a man might buy before a date? Flowers

What is another word for blemish? Whiting's girls' basketball team

What is something you cook in the microwave? Cat

Name a piece of furniture people need help moving? All

Name something a dog does that embarrasses its owner? Driving a car then wrecking it.

Name a kind of test you cannot study for? Jared's classes

Something a boy scout gets a badge for? Out of a gumball machine

Name a phrase with the word home in it. "Home - Sweet - Home"

Name a sport where players lose teeth? Old age

Name something a teacher can do to ruin a student's day? Name the 5 best ways to do something when there are only 4 listed in the book.

Name the person that is least likely to respond? A deaf and mute person

Name a bird you wouldn't want to eat? Rotten bird

Name something a person wears even if it has a hole in it? Mask

Name something that gets smaller the more you use it? Pencil

7th Annual Jons Family Girls' Weekend

This past weekend was our 7th annual Jons Family Girls' Weekend. Since my cousin Molly moved to Kansas City in the past year to live with her fiance, we took the opportunity to have our fun in KC this year. In past years, we've had our get together in Sioux City and Omaha, so it was fun to mix it up and check out everything in a new city.

Everyone arrived at Molly's for lunch on Saturday. She had made us all yummy enchiladas to fuel us up before heading out on the rest of our adventures for the day.

Our first stop was to all get our nails done. The place we went was really great. All the workers were nice and we came away with beautiful fingers and toes.

My pretty nails. Colors picked out by my cousin, Molly!

After our nails were done, we went to the mall for a quick round of speed shopping. Everyone kind of went their separate ways, as everyone had stuff they wanted to look at so Kellsey and I made our way to a few jewelry stores to try on some pretty rings and then made our way to Dillard's for some speed trying-on of prom dresses and other formal dresses. :)

I tried on two dresses that I liked. My first one made me think I need to become an important person within the American Heart Association so I will have an excuse to wear a pretty red dress. And the second (which I don't think the picture does justice) is a dress I am going to wear when I become Vanna White!

After our fun trying on prom dresses (or some of them were more "Mom Dresses" than "Prom Dresses") it was time to go to the Plaza area where we had a reservation at Bucca di Beppo, a family style Italian Restaurant.

The food was amazing and I ate way too much of it, but it really was great!

All our food!

Before we left, we also got them to sing their birthday song to Doreen whose birthday was the next day. She just loves attention, so that was fun :)

After supper we went back to Molly's for some more fun and games. Our first order of business, though, was to give Molly a Wedding Day Emergency Kit from us all. Molly and Derrick are getting married in early May, so we wanted to give her a little something special at our get together this year. She is always the one that does a lot of the leg work to put our girls' weekends together, so she deserved the treat! Hopefully she's got all the little random things she might need on her wedding day now.

We each also wrote her a little note to put in the kit to let her know how special we think she is and how happy and excited we are for her!

The kit included:

Then we played the games "Smart Ass" and "Heads Up". Games with my family members always turn into lots of laughs due to some of the hilarious answers that come out of people's mouths, and this time was no exception. I especially loved the part when we had to try to get Molly to guess the names of songs that we could only hum to her. It was quite comical!

These are the game pieces from the "Smart Ass" game (get it... donkey's... smart ass...haha). I had just got a new "fancy" camera the night before our get together, so this was my first attempt at being "artistic" with the camera. Notice how the background is really blurry compared the the front donkey :)

I've got some work to do, but it was a start! haha

After the games, we called it a night. The next morning, we all woke up and had breakfast pizza and cinnamon rolls and wished Aunt Doreen a HAPPY BIRTHDAY! (Molly tried to get them to spell "Happy Birthday" with the bacon on the breakfast pizza, but they didn't go for that)

And, of course, while we were all together, we had to check out the exciting news in The Observer and The Manilla Times!

On the way back up north, my mom, Kellsey and I rode together. We stopped at a gas station along the way to get some Subway and there was no way we were going to pass up this photo op!!!

I'm already looking forward to next year and seeing what kind of fun we can get into then! It will be interesting to see what excitement will be going on in our lives a year from now!

Relationship Questions for Valentine's Day!

In the spirit of Valentines day, I thought it would be fun for Trent and I to answer the same questions about ourselves and our relationship and then compare them. We both answered the questions  separately without knowing how the other one answered and then I put them together below. My answers are in red and his are in blue. Some of Trent's answers really made me smile. It will be fun to go back answer these questions again in a few years and see how our answers have changed.

I hope you enjoy :)

What’s your spouse's  favorite food? 
I don't know if he has one... but I'll go with anything grilled...

Pizza… lasagna…

What's your favorite food?

I like melted cheese and bread :) I'm a big fan of pizza, though (most unhealthy things)

I'm not sure I have a favorite food... I like chips and salsa a lot... My favorite meal would probably be chicken breasts on the grill, baked potatoes, and a salad...

What’s your partner’s favorite band/artist? 
I'm going to go with Shane and Shane, but I'm not certain if he has a favorite...

I’d say Jeremy Camp

What's your favorite band/artist?
I have a few favorites... Jeremy Camp is at the top along with Casting Crowns and Rascal Flatts, of course!

I like Shane and Shane pretty well... but I don't know if they are my favorite... or if I have a favorite...

What’s the one thing (apart from you, of course) that they would save in a fire? 
Well, of course, Mattie... but other than that, his computer or guns...? I don't know lol

Mattie… our dog….  If Mattie was safe, I would guess her laptop since it has a ton of pictures and videos on it….  She really should back everything up…. 

What's one thing (apart from your spouse) that you would save in a fire?

Mattie, of course, but besides her, it'd probably be pictures (which are mostly all on my laptop) and my box of stuff that has to do with my dad. (Let's just hope the house never starts on fire. I'd never get out because I'd be trying to save too much stuff. I think I need to get a huge fireproof safe or something!!)
MATTIE!!! But, if she's safe, I would save KENDRA's laptop because I know she hasn't backed it up and there is a lot of important items on there! If she's already grabbed her laptop, I'd probably grab the box I keep a lot of things that have sentimental value to me in...

How many children does your partner want? 

2 (but I'm hoping that he'll fall so in love with our children, he'll want to have many more!)

10 --- sorry Kendra, that isn’t going to happen… 

How many children do you want?

I don't know an exact number (because I don't know what it's even like to have one) but I'll say around 5 or so.

MAX of two. NO TWINS :)

What’s your partner’s nickname for you? 
I thought it was Buttercup until I found out that he calls everyone that!

If she isn’t happy with me she calls me “Dear”… otherwise she calls me Babe a lot… 

What is your nickname for your spouse?

I call him all sorts of nice names like Honey, Dear, and Babe.

I don't really think I have a nickname for Kendra... I call her lots of different things, but I don't have a go to nickname really.

How long have you been together?

Officially "together" for almost 5 years and married for 3 years in May. 

I think we started dating in May of 2009ish…. But we had been friends and knew each other for a while before that….

Who said "I love you" first? 

He did. I was kind of in shock when he did. But I loved it.

I did… and she didn’t even say it back right away… 

Who asked who out?  

I think he asked me out right after I told him that I loved him... we did it a little backwards, I guess!

I asked Kendra out first.

Who kissed who first? 

I think this was a team effort, too!

She kissed me first…. She couldn’t resist... jk… I probably initiated the first kiss. 

Who proposed? 
He did. :)

I did.

I was pretty happy with the fact that he did :)

Who eats more? 

Probably me... I like food.

I probably eat more, but I eat healthier! 

Who chooses the movies you watch? 

It depends... He likes to watch movies more than me and cares what we watch, so probably him. (He always says I can pick though cuz he's nice like that!)

ME.  Kendra is easy going and is willing to watch almost anything…

Who is taller? 

I think he wins by a nano-inch when I don't have shoes on. But if I have heels on, then me.

ME

Who sleeps more? 

During the week, he does for sure! But if we had a sleeping contest, I am sure I would win!

ME

Who sings better? 

Trent by a long shot! But I sure try my best!

Kendra sings more often… but sometimes she is a little off pitch. 

Who is smarter? 

We each have our own things we're "smart" at!

...It depends on the topic

Who can't take a joke? 

He would say hands down me... but we both have our days.

Kendra….  She is a little bit more sensitive than I am… not in a bad way though…

Who's temper is worse? 

Haha. I'd say it's a tie!

Kendra's!

Who does the laundry? 

I do it more, but he occasionally helps. And, no matter what, I always fold (or I refold what he folds).

Kendra does more often than I do… but I do contribute….  I never fold though… she makes fun of the way I fold clothes, so I gave up on it. 

Who does the dishes? 

The dishwasher... but I know he thinks he deals with the dishes more than I do. 

We both contribute… but I think I unload and load the dishwasher more. 

Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? 

He does, since that's the side of the bed that the bad guys would go to first if they came into our bedroom.

ME

Who is better with the computer? 

Trent for sure!

ME

Who mows the lawn? 

That's all Trent! I stopped mowing the lawn right when I moved out of my parents' house. :)

I do. I don't think she even knows how to start the mower!

Who cooks dinner? 

Trent most of the time... (But to be fair, it's because he gets home from work a lot earlier than I do). I'm pretty lucky to get home and have supper waiting for me most nights!

I do more, but only because I typically get home earlier than Kendra. 

Who drives when you are together? 

Usually Trent, but I will drive if he wants me to!

I drive more… but Kendra is always willing to drive when I don’t want to… 

Who has the nicer vehicle? 

We are fortunate to have two nice vehicles, but he has the newer car, so it's nicer. My car has unfortunately taken a bit of a beating in the 3 years we've had it.
I drive our nicer car…. But she drove the nicer of our cars before we bought our most recent…

Who had more kisses before your relationship? 

Well we've never sat down and figured it out, but I know it's not me.

Like kissed more people??  What kind of questions is this?! 

Who pays when you go out? 

Well, the money is both of ours... but we usually use Trent's card, and then I add on the tip and he signs the receipt... it's a team effort.

I pay, but Kendra usually figures the tip…

What is your partner’s most annoying habit? 
Leaving his clothes on the floor in front of his dresser!! It's like the limbo zone between him not wanting to put it back in the closet or dresser and not wanting to commit to putting it in the hamper!! Just put it somewhere that's not on the floor!!

She sheds…. 

What would your partner say is your most annoying habit? 
I'm sure his list of things that I do to annoy him is long, but I'll go with leaving dishes in the sink with water in them... 

I seem to leave a pile of clothes on the floor in front of the dresser… 

Who would play your partner in a movie?  
I'm basing my answer off of looks mostly. If it was just a normal person playing Trent in a movie, it would be this guy who was an assistant basketball coach at AWV last year. I always thought that they looked alike. I can't say if he's a good actor or not though :)
Just in case you were wondering, Trent is on the left!

And if I had to pick an actor. I might go with Chris Pine. He's in movies like the new Star Trek movies and Unstoppable. (And I guess I could play myself in this movie if they need me to!!)

NO one is worthy to play Kendra in a movie!

Who is most stubborn? 

We are both very stubborn...

KENDRA… she is WAY more stubborn than I am. 

Who is the first to admit when they are wrong? 

Me... Only because Trent is too stubborn and I get frustrated and just give in usually!

I would be… if I was ever wrong…. 

Who brings home the bacon? 

We don't eat much bacon... But I'd say whoever is getting the groceries is who brings it home.

Kendra is my sugar momma…. 

Who is more sensitive? 

Me - but he can be a pretty sensitive guy, too.

Kendra….  

Who is more likely to lose it in public? 
Heehee... Probably me! I'm not proud of that, though!

Lose what?  Kendra is forgetful, so she would be the one to lose something… 

Happy Valentines Day!!

Super Bowl Sunday

This past Sunday, Trent and I hosted a little get together at our house for the Super Bowl. This is the second year we've had an actual get-together at our house, but Trent and Lauren and I were talking about the fact that this is the fifth year that us three have watched the Super Bowl together! That's pretty crazy. 

This year, it was Trent and I, Bailey and Josh, Lauren, my coworker, Stephanie, and her husband and Trent's coworker, Ben. If you remember, last year at our Super Bowl party, it was just Lauren and Alex, Bailey and Josh, & Trent and I and it was the day that Josh and Bailey told us they were expecting little Harper Lee later that year! It was fun to be able to take pictures "one year later" this year.

They made their announcement with a super cute picture on a cookie cake.

This year, we got to replace the cake with the cutest little baby!

We also had fun not touching the baby in Bailey's belly by touching the actual baby's belly!

And for another before and after picture, here's me and Harper when she was just a little over a week old to this past Sunday at 4 and a half months. Doesn't she just have the absolute cutest smile!! 

I can't really say that I watched a whole lot of the game, but after seeing the first play and watching the Seahawks score run up, I figured we weren't missing too much. I did see a few good commercials and the halftime show was pretty sweet, though! We had a lot of food (Trent and I are going to be eating left overs for the rest of the week) and some great company, so I'd say it was a successful night. I always feel so happy after a night with my best friends. And I'm happy I got to include my best work friend this time, too!