CJ bday 2012

December is here, and with it brings much activity! Right before I leave for my trip out West, I planned a weekend for Chris at the beach for his birthday. Our first time exploring the East coast, and we are both really excited.  My goal was to take Chris to the aquarium on Roanoke Island.  Getting there was a pretty easy drive, if a bit longer than anticipated.

Longest bridge I'd ever been on - and it was just a lake! We hadn't even made it to the ocean yet

Me - driving on the bridge!

The bridge we crossed from Roanoke Island back onto the mainland as we headed home

Headed over the water onto the island of Kill Devil Hills, where our hotel was

Finding our hotel was a bit difficult, because directions on an island are given by mile marker! Our hotel was at mile marker 52.. or something.  Crazy! But we finally made it and breathed such a sigh of contentment - it is so beautiful.  I remember all the years I watched the movie Sara Plain and Tall - how she would describe the colors of the sea.  I had no idea the only ocean I had seen on the West coast would be so different than our first experience of the East coast. Sara's words came back to me and I understood exactly what she was describing.

The view from our room - we even saw dolphin's swimming in the surf on the day of Chris' birthday! Amazing!

While the outer banks were pretty slow because it was off-season, Chris and I didn't mind so much.  We had lots of beach to ourselves.  For his birthday, we went out to what was told to us to be the best burger on the Kill Devil Hills.  I found a hair in Chris' french fries, and they comped the whole meal for us - happy birthday to us! Food was good up until the hair was discovered. Afterward we went back to our hotel and ordered dessert to go and went out to a black beach lit up by a bright and shiny full moon reflecting off the water.  We shared a romantic stroll, using Chris' small penlight to discover what we could on the beach in the dark.  Then suddenly, Chris was frantically looking for his keys. He must have left them at the restaurant or maybe he dropped them on the beach! We ran back, swinging his little light every which way, praying he hadn't lost his keys alltogether.  Right as we approached the stairs back up to the hotel, it dawns on me much brighter than the little light he had been using to search the sand.  I turn around to him and yell, "Chris!!! What are you looking for your keys with?" He is confused, not understanding, until he finally looks down the the penlight...... attached to his key ring.  We laugh hysterically all the way back up to our room.

The best I could capture of how the moon reflected on the water

Our whole reason for the long drive to this particular part of the East Coast was to get the chance to see two aquariums, one at Jeanette's Pier and one on Roanoke Island.  Our trip to Jeanette's pier was disappointing. It was just a pier.

Our last stop before heading home was the North Carolina Aquarium.  We had a great time, and most importantly, Chris got to touch a snake! Ewwwww!

It was a great trip, and we can't wait to go back and explore more! Happy birthday to my wonderful husband.

MJ Birthday 2012

November is a good month! We have my birthday and Thanksgiving.  This year I asked for my gift to be discs for frisbee golf.  Our good friends Angie and Dan came along with us and we all learned to play.  Had a great time, at the beautiful Cedar Rock Park. 

Thanksgiving 2012



We baked pies the day before



Here is my lovely meal that I created for Thanksgiving! First time to ever cook a turkey, and I must say it was not that hard at all.  It turned out perfectly, and was enjoyed by all (or so I'm told!)



The boys commissioned to snap green beans



We were so thankful for our new friends, Angie and Dan Sharpe to join us for this holiday.  They also moved here from AZ with thier son DJ.  What a joy to share this new experience with new friends.  Our plan was to start the first annual Turkey Olympics.  While for this time it really only consisted of playing different games throughout the day, I plan on it being a much bigger event for future gatherings, complete with medals and closing ceremonies!  I can't wait for the many more upcoming Thanksgiving memories we will make here in our new home.  



At the end of the day, a bonfire!



The first of the Turkey Olympics events, Sequence!





We wanted to have our own Thanksgiving day tradition, so this we started the Jensen Family Thankful Journal.  We will write in it every year, and take time to read previous years of how God has blessed us.  This whole time was so wonderful, and I am so thankful for all of our blessings this Thanksgiving season.

A terrible loss

Some sad news, my mom's oldest sister, Linda Sue, passed away.  What a terrible shock it was, because she has been released from the hospital, all vitals given a good report.  They found her gone in her room at the rehab center.  Mom is torn with grief, and Aunt Dora even more so.  That call in the morning to my mom was terrible - I couldn't be there! I promised to do everything thing I could to try and come for the funeral, but just could not make it work.  How was I going to go on and celebrate our own Thanksgiving holiday while they were all at the funeral??? My sister and dad were both able to go up to NM at different intervals and be there for mom, so that was a relief.  I feel terribly for my mom. 

Rounding The Corner

It is so crazy to think that the holiday's are almost here! First up is Thanksgiving. We plan on staying home, celebrating our first holiday together in our new house.  We have been doing some social things with Dan and Angie, (Dan is Chris' team lead at work) so maybe they will join us too.  I have to start planning the meal - which will be the first time I have ever cooked a turkey.

In a selfish move, I asked all my family to come here for Christmas, and it looks like they will! I can't wait to show them our new place, and spend some quality time with everyone - here in my own house.  Amazing.

I was able to secure a part time job working at the Whitsett Goin' Postal.  Fun job to do I think, but so much to learn.   What a blessing to have a little extra income right now.

We had to get a roof built over the stair well to the basement, because water was leaking under the door.  It doesn't look too great, but it gets the job done.