So, I have a lot to catch up on! I am totally aware that I have become a blogging slacker! Sorry! I am mending my ways and because of that I only have about a zillion pictures to post so-Hang in there:)

Ryan's visit from New York 3/19-3/23/09

Brandon's brother Ryan came for a visit this last weekend from New York and the kids had a chance to get to know him a bit more. Sawyer had never met him before so it was fun for them to meet! Ryan's not used to having kids around so I think it was kind-of a shock to his system.

Talmage, Ryan, Laine and Sawyer eating Great Grandma's "Yummy Pie"

ALDRIDGE 3/21/09 Picnic with the Jensen Family

Sawyer playing in the sand with his trucks! He's such a boy.

Laine eating "Mutton" at the picnic. Brandon is totally ruining my kids taste buds by feeding them Mutton! What is he thinking?!!!

Sawyer and his cousin Derrek playing in the sand!

Whitney spent half his time or more playing with the kids! They wanted him to throw sticks at Diesel so they could watch him fetch. Good Times-sorry Whitney:)

Brandon's Birthday Breakfast 2/14/09

The kids wanted to make their Daddy breakfast for his Birthday so we got up early and let Brando sleep in and made him pancakes, sausage, eggs and fruit. Brandon is usually the breakfast chef so it was a surprise (we think)! Talmage wanted to put candles on his pancakes and I think they had him blow his candles out about ten times!

Talmage and Brando went to the Harlem Globe Trotters for Brandon's B-Day. They had a good time. Talmage would almost pee his pants laughing so hard telling me about how funny they were and how they pulled there pants down all the time! I was just praying that he didn't learn something new and try it at school!:)

Talmage at the game.

Hiking at Capitol Reef- Grand Wash

Finally a somewhat warm day that we could go down to the park hiking! We went with Grandma and Grandpa Jensen, the Hiskey's and Lisa Johnson and her kids. We packed a picnic and set off for hiking. We had a good time- we ended up with about ten pounds of red mud on all of our shoes which of course only made it that much more fun that the Moms didn't get mad at the kids for getting all muddy!

Laine

Brandon, Sawyer, Talmage

Laine, Olivia

I know this has been a lot to catch up on and this is only half of what we've been up to, but I didn't want to put too many pictures on here. I will try really hard to be better with the updating-funny that's what my journal say's about every year when I start feeling guilty and pick it up to write in it. I spend about a day catching up and at the end I say I am going to do this once a week- then a year later I pick it up and do it all over again! So who knows if I'll really be any better but I will try!!! We have been busy the Taft's are moving back and we haven't built our house yet. Any of you that really know Brando and I shouldn't be surprised because we like to talk about things for a couple of years and then we have to take at least another year to make sure we have the perfect house plan for us- We've changed it about ten times! I think we really have it this time! Whoa hoa!!! We are moving the end of April into another rental and hopefully we are really ready to start building-soon!:) We'll keep ya posted!

"Then and Now"

We had our annual college friend Christmas party on Jan. 3rd. It was lots of fun! We started this after we left Cedar City and it was hard to get together. Chris actually was the spearhead of the whole thing up until last year-the first year after he got married (and the first year we missed having the party) I guess he had other things going on in his life besides us-go figure:). We had a good turn out of the old gang-those of you that couldn't make it were missed.This picture was taken at one of our Christmas parties down in Cedar in 1998. We've changed just a little bit! We thought we were sooo cool!
Here we are now and we still think we're sooo cool! There have been a few changes - additions to this picture the "next generation" kind of crazy that there's more kids than adults but GREAT! We hope we continue to do this for lots of years:)

Christmas take two- Jensen side

O.K. I know I am really getting carried away here with my new posts, but we had such a great Christmas holiday that it's hard to know were to begin and were to end! We spent lots of time with all of our family and truly had a wonderful time! Pictures are a bit fuzzy- sorry. Aunt Nona opening her present from us
Laine in her princess outfit plus her new sweater! Stinkin Cute!
Talmage got a new sleeping bag- lots of camping this summer.

Talmage would kind-of groan when he opened presents that were clothes-Sawyer could care less he was just having fun ripping paper:) Thanks Grandma and Grandpa Jensen and Aunt Nona.

Fun in the Snow!

READY....AIM.....FIRE!!!!!! Shooting guns and sleigh riding is pretty much day after Christmas tradition. Brandon tells me they had lots of fun.(I was stuck home with the yucks) Look at Tal and his Nerf gun holding his own with the big boys!

Come on laura make us proud!

Way to go Dad! Kid at heart!

Watch out Sethy here comes Laine!

These pictures are mixed up but Tal is doing his thing and WIPE OUT!

Ready or Not!

Hey forget the sleigh riding bring on the snow-it's good stuff!

All the kids big and small had a great Christmas this year! We are so fortunate to have such a wonderful Family that we get to spend time with. It was great having Dad and Marcia home from their mission for the holidays. We're so grateful for the Savior and the wonderful gifts he has given us! It's so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle when really the best part is being with family and remembering others! Thanks Dad and Marcia for letting us spend it with you at your house. We hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year too!

Lyman Christmas Party!

Say Cheese!!!!!
Dennis, Laura and Marcia playing the present game.

Strike a pose Laine! She loves getting her picture taken:)

Hey wow look what Sawyer got! Hey Greg nice scarf! It's always fun to see what random gift you'll get.

Talmage and Dayton were Grandpa's buddies- both sitting on his lap during the game! I think Grandpa's trying to convince Dayt that a pizza cutter's a cool present:) He traded later!
We had lots of fun! We tried to play a different present pass game this year and we decided that we're just too nice to play this way! Nobody would steal from anybody else! Hey but I'm not complaining I ended up with the grand prize so worked for me:)

Christmas Morning

This is actually a picture of our family Christmas party that afternoon!
The kids were spoiled from Santa and everybody else. They had so much fun opening presents. I think Tal kind-of takes after his Mom he gets them opened in ten seconds flat!

All the kids got guitars this year- What was Santa thinking! They have had so much fun with them. Lots of Rock concerts at our house!

Laine got the Barbie karaoke guitar so she's the lead singer in the Jensen rock band.

Talmage is ready for lessons! Maybe he'll take after his Great Grandpa Talmage and have a natural talent for it.

Christmas Eve at Great Grandma's

Talmage, Laine and Sawyer got books from Grandma on Christmas eve! She's given them a Christmas book every Christmas Eve (or close to it) Since Tal was a babe! They love it!!

We opened presents with Great Grandma on Christmas Eve before heading over to Fayette for Christmas!