Mom's birthday!

Today is my 35th birthday. There's lots of things that are neat about my birthday and some that bring a lot of emotion. Six years ago today, Ben came to pick me up after work to go a temple session at the Salt Lake temple. In pure Ben fashion, he was late picking me up and when we got to Salt Lake, it was pretty late. So he took me to the Roof restaurant. That was quite a treat because we both had never been there. We both felt something was going to happen (I had been waiting for my engagement ring) but I had just decided to go with the flow. As we came down from eating, Ben took me over by the reflecting pool. As we were heading to one side, I saw some friends of ours, Asia & Eli. I went to say hi and Ben told me no we have to go around this other side. I was confused because I wanted to see our friends but went with him. As we came around, there were some roses sitting on the edge of the reflecting pond. Now this has a funny story to it. A few weeks before this, Ben and I were up at the Logan temple, where my niece was receiving her endowments. As we were waiting outside the temple, there were some roses sitting in the courtyard. I was kinda of excited because I thought they might be for me. So I pointed it out to Ben, who was with me, and we watched the flowers. Soon enough, a very nervous boy brought a suprised girl over to the flowers and we watched as he proposed to this girl, along with their families, who were also watching. So anyway, as I saw the flowers at Temple Square, that scene came back to me and sooner than I knew it, Ben was down on both knees (I tease him about not being on one knee) with a ring box asking me to marry him! Unknown to me, he was having pictures taken of it all. Our friends Asia and Eli saw it all and came over to congratulate us. Incidentally, Eli gave Asia her ring that night too!
Here's pictures of it from my scrapbook:












Anyway as for the bittersweet, the last day that I was able to see my mom not sick was that day 6 years ago. She had come over to my house to give me a birthday present before Ben came over. Then we called her later that night to tell her we got engaged. The next time we saw her and when my family got to see my engagement ring, was at the emergency room that next weekend when she was brought to the hospital so sick. She never even really saw my ring because she was always so sick. One experience that I will never forget happened a few weeks before that. And it was really brought to my mind when I was reading a little story from the Friend magazine about a little girl seeing her mom's wedding dress and her mom telling her that her mom had made it for her. My mom didn't make my dress but she helped me pick it out. Before Ben and I got engaged, we knew we were going to get married. My mom had waited so long for the day and was so excited to go with me to look at wedding dresses. We had gone to Logan and had found a dress we liked and had asked them to send it down to their new Riverdale store. It needed some altering and my mom and I had gone to try it on again to make sure it was the one I really wanted. My mom thought it would be fun to have me try some other ones on and picked some out for me. When I walked out in the one that I ended up getting (not the one I went there for) I just remember her saying in a very emotional voice, "Oh Jen! That's the one!". I will never forget her saying that and it was such a special moment for me. I know many brides rent or sell their dresses but I will forever cherish mine because I want to always remember that experience. My mom never saw me again in the dress because she was too sick to come to the wedding and died shortly after we got married. Another precious memory Ben will have is to be able to ask me Mom to marry me since my father had passed away many years before. That is another bittersweet thing about my birthday because he died on the 31st of July, just five days after my seventh birthday. When I got home from my mission, I was to come home on the 31st and my mom was very upset about it because that day holds so many sad memories for her. But my family told her that it needed to be a happy day and it became one!
Well anyway I am very grateful for my family and for my parents bringing me into this world!

Lagoon!

Last night, we went to Lagoon. It was our stake Lagoon day and like last year, we went in the evening and just let the kids ride the kiddie rides. They had a blast and it was relaxing to watch them have so much fun. I forgot my camera but the looks on the kids faces were priceless. Ben did take some on his phone but I don't know how to get them off. But just a tip to those out there with little ones. Do what we did and it saves you hours of being there with tired kids.

Pioneer Days parade in Ogden

On Thursday, the 24th, we went to our first Pioneer Days parade in Ogden. We got there a little after it started so we were right in the sun. It was a good parade but long so we left right before it was over. The boys were disappointed because not much candy was given away. We were able to sit by our neighbors so that was fun. Ben's brother's stake had a float in the parade because they are celebrating 100 years. It was a neat float. We had a lot of fun watching all the floats.

Splash pad at South Ogden park

South Ogden City has built this great park with a splash pad that the kids can play in. So we went the other day with some other moms. Jeremy went right to the splash pad but Alex hesitated. He enjoyed playing on the two great jungle gyms. After awhile though, Alex went over by himself and soon found that it was quite fun. Mom enjoyed watching him and taking pictures!

Bull riding!

We were given tickets to go and see the bull riding at the Energy Solutions Center (formerly the Delta Center). Jeremy didn't really know what it was and thought HE was going to go bull riding. But after seeing it, he knows now that he will let the cowboys do it! Most of them could hardly stay on the bull long enough to qualify! We also got to see this cool cowboy who does tricks. We left after about an hour or so because the horses were getting to Mom with her allergies! We also stopped over at the Gateway and let Jeremy play in the fountains there. He loves water!!

Miller Motor Sports Park

Back in December of 2006, I purchased a chance for Ben to ride in a Mustang car at the new Miller Motor Sports park in Tooele, UT. He meant to use it in 2007 but he broke his hand and was out of commission for that year. So for Fathers' Day, I thought it would be a good thing to use. Come to find out that the certificate expired in 2007 but the place was kind enough to still let us use it (I paid enough for it so they better!!). They were booked for Fathers' Day so the first part of July, Ben and I went down to Tooele. It was quite a fun experience. First they give you a little instruction on how to go on the race track. Then they let you and all the other people each ride in a Mustang for awhile on the track. Then they let you ride along with the instructors, who are professional drivers. Ben liked that the best.

Adorable Alex

I just had to post some darling pictures of Alex. Being two, he gets into some mischief. But he is so cute and loves to imitate what you are saying. I am trying to get him to have naps in his bedroom (along with trying to get him to sleep in his bed at night) and he's doing good. But yesterday, he cried when I laid him down. After a few minutes he stopped crying but I could still hear him playing in his room. So after a little while I decided to check on him and he had actually fallen asleep on his window seat!








It was so cute I had to take a picture. I think it happened when he saw some kids playing outside and he was watching them and fell asleep!
Later that night, Jeremy and dad went to a neighbor's house to have the neighbor help put new pedals on Jeremy's bike. So Alex and Mom stayed home. I was doing dishes and I turned around and found Alex pouring water from a water bottle on the floor and then dancing in it.








It was so cute!! And then when I told him he had to clean it up, he ran and got towels (he loves to say that because Dad will grab the towels when there's a mess) and mopped it up!