Happy Halloween

My best friend at work, Emily, sent me a list of rules for Halloween and once I was able to breathe again and clear the tears from my eyes I knew I had to share them with you. Hope you enjoy them as much as I did. My sides still hurt.

1. When it appears that you have killed the monster, "never" check to see if it's really dead.

2. Never read a book of demon summoning aloud, even as a joke.

3. Do not search the basement, especially if the power has just gone out.

4. If children speak to you in Latin or any other language which they should not know, or if they speak to you using a voice which is other than their own, shoot them immediately. It will save you a lot of grief in the long run. NOTE: It will probably take several rounds to kill them, so be prepared.

5. When you have the benefit of numbers, "never" pair off and go it alone.

6. As a general rule, don't solve puzzles that open portals to Hell.

7. Never stand in, on, above, below, beside, or anywhere near a grave, tomb, crypt, mausoleum, or other house of the dead.

8. If you're searching for something which caused a noise and find out that it's just the cat, leave the room immediately if you value your life.

9. If appliances start operating by themselves, move out.

10. Do not take "anything" from the dead.

11. If you find a town which looks deserted, it's probably for a reason. Take the hint and stay away.

12. Don't fool with recombinant DNA technology unless you're sure you know what you are doing.

13. If you're running from the monster, expect to trip or fall down at least twice, more if you are of the female persuasion. Also note that, despite the fact that you are running and the monster is merely shambling along, it's still moving fast enough to catch up with you.

14. If your companions suddenly begin to exhibit uncharacteristic behavior such as hissing, fascination for blood, glowing eyes, increasing hairiness, and so on, get away from them as fast as possible.

15. Stay away from certain geographical locations, some of which are listed here: Amityville, Elm Street, Transylvania, Nilbog (you're in trouble if you recognize this one), the Bermuda Triangle, or any small town in Maine.

16. If your car runs out of gas at night, do not go to the nearby deserted-looking house to phone for help.

17. Beware of strangers bearing tools such as chainsaws, staple guns, hedge trimmers, electric carving knives, combines, lawnmowers, butane torches, soldering irons, band saws, or any device made from deceased companions.


Enjoy the holiday and stay safe.

I'm Dreaming of ......

Laying on the beach and having some fun with the kiddos. As this time of year rolls around again I am starting to get a bit ansy. I am longing for the warm weather and beautiful beaches we enjoyed last year when we went to Hawaii. I look to my left and see the calendar of Hawaiian landmarks and start to daydream about beating the cold weather in a tropical paradise.

I think I need to go home and look watch our Hawaiian video. My heart longs to be there again and enjoy the beauty of the islands with our children. There is something absolutely magical about the islands that you just don't get in our world today. Maybe it is the fact that everything is slower there. There are no worries. When you get there you get there. You don't feel the constant rush of having to be somewhere RIGHT NOW! You can take an Aloha Friday (meaning you take the day off) and spend some time snorkeling with the Honu!!!

Home Sweet Home

Yep, it looks like a large greenhouse. But it is home sweet home to us. This is the home we built ( and I mean we as in mostly Sharman). It is passive solar which means we are completely off of the grid. Translation.....no power bills.......ever. Of course it isn't conventional and so there are some things I do without (like a power bill) but it is worth not having the expense of the power bill, water bill, garbage bill, septic bill, etc. We are pretty self sufficient and love that our home has a wonderful view of the city of Rexburg at night. Our favorite site is.......

the temple being completed in Rexburg (public open house will run from Saturday, December 29, 2007, through Saturday, January 26, 2008. Closed on Sundays. The temple will be dedicated on Sunday, February 3, 2008.) It is wonderful living here in the Upper Valley of the Snake River.

Autumn Is Here!!

Saturday Sydney and I were playing in the living room when there was a knock at the front door. Our neighbor down the road had pulled up on her 4-wheeler with a trailer full of pumpkins. She asked if we wanted any. We took two medium sized ones and about ten small ones.

After putting them on the porch we decided it needed something more. The kids and I grabbed buckets and headed to the trees. We filled our buckets full of fallen leaves and then tossed them around the pumpkins. We had so much fun "decorating" our porch. It looks so cute. One thing is for sure.....AUTUMN IS HERE!!!

What A Bike!!

So many of you have asked for a photo of what Sharman and my motorcycles actually look like so I thought I would add them here so you can see.

This is Sharman's bike. It is a Yamaha Road Star. It is beer bottle brown in color.

This is my bike. It is a Yamaha 650. It is silver in color.

Jerry, Jerry, Sharman Jensen, How Does Your Garden Grow?

With tomatoes and pepper plants all in a row (along the length of the planter bed)! I got tired of the tomato plants taking over my bedroom so I cut them back and low and behold there were actually tomatoes there hidden below the massive green branches.

Sharman uses his tomatoes and peppers to make homemade salsa. He even made some last week when we were in Utah for conference.

Simple Acts of Kindness

This past weekend brought with it many different acts of simple kindness. I wanted to share a couple of them with you.

First, while watching conference, I was touched by the way Elder Nelson came and held Elder Wirthlin as he gave his talk. What a sweet experience to see these two giants together and in the act of such kind acts of service.



We had all the cousins together and it was crazy with six kids running around in a home without being able to go outside. Mom took the kids downstairs so that they could play quietly while we watched conference. Then Zack said, "but you are going to miss conference Nana." She said that it was ok because she could read it when the Ensign came out.

My sweet companion drove the entire way home because I didn't get any rest the night before. He held my hand and listened to the final session of conference with me. What a great guy. I sure appreciate him and his willingness to do these small things for me.

Finally, when we got ready to leave, we were handed a bag of sandwiches for our trip home so that we would not have to stop on Sunday. Mom you are amazing. You will never know how much your simple acts of kindness to our family this past weekend meant to me. I love you.

Opposites Attract

I have always heard that opposites attract, but until recently, I didn't think I would see that in my own life. Two children bring with them two very different personalities. I love both of my children dearly as each adds a special quality to our family.

Zack is an avid reader and will sit and read for hours. He is awesome in math. He is a night owl. He loves to sleep in just like I do. Movies are a highlight of his life. Making his bed and cleaning his room are some of the least important things in his life.

Sydney is easily bored with listening to stories. She has a hard time sitting through a movie because there are so many other fun things to get (popcorn, drink, blanket, visit with a friend, etc.) while that is playing. She is an early bird like her Dad and enjoys "working out" with him in the morning. Her room is spotless and her shoes are all lined up in a row. She is a neat freak.

Last night my little neat freak came into my room and noticed my bed was not made (sorry Mom but it isn't that big of deal to me) and hurried me and Sharman out. She then proceeded to make our bed with all of the blankets and pillows lined neatly around it to form a type of nest if you will. She proudly came out and got us and ushered us back into our room to an amazingly made bed. When I crawled into bed last night I could not believe that the sheets were pulled up the proper way and all of the blankets were straight on the bed. My little neat freak sure made my night!!

My children are as opposite as day and night. There are times they fight like cats and dogs. However, when they decide to play together, their laughter is music to my ears.

What Does It Take To Make A Family

Sisters that love you and laugh and care....

Brothers that run and chase and share.....

Cousins that know secrets and are your best friend.....

People that love you to the end!!!

Magical Moments

Sometimes you look at your life and can't help but say, "this is a magical moment." When I got married, when my children were born and each success they have in life is a magical moment for me.

Amy recently sent me some photos of another of those magical moments. Courtney's baptism. I am so proud of Courtney and the decision she made to be baptized.

I remember the day I was baptized and how the Bishop teased me about the water being icy cold (it wasn't bad) and how bubbles floated up out of my little white socks, and how my hair rose to the top of the water and I had to be baptized twice. I was baptized in Honolulu, Hawaii and remember walking out of the baptism room into an outdoor open air walkway between the rooms. I remember the feeling of importance I had when I finally took that step in my life.

I also remember when Sharman baptized Zack. The power and confidence he exuded when he stood and with authority baptized our first born child. I was so touched. All of my family was there and I was grateful for the support they gave my son. One day in the not to distant future, we will being doing this all again for Sydney and my heart aches to think they have grown so quickly. But boy to I love them and appreciate them.