Time just seems to be drifiting by...

Its been a very long time since I have been able to take some REAL time and journal about our lives here at the Lensch abode.

Basketball

I coached girls basketball again this year and it was just a rewarding as last year. I seem to get terribly attached to these amazing young women and find myself worried about there futures, will they date the right boys, will the hang out with the right crowd, will they do good in school? Thoughts way beyond the basketball court. It surly is amazing to see the growth and development right before my eyes. We ended up getting #1 in our division and going into state ranked #3. We ended up playing the winners of state our second round and were defeated. I am so proud of my little team!!! Until next year, if I can squeeze it in again:)

Life is supposed to slow down after B-ball season, but you know how PLANNING your life works out. Really though, what fun would life be if we always knew exactly what lye ahead?!!!! We have managed to have some spectacular moments.

New Years

New Years Eve we were able to spend with Uncle Matt and Aunt Joanna. We went to Autumn Court Chinese food (our New Years Eve tradition is Chinese). Home of the infamous “DELICIOUS,” a noodle dish know to my family by that name alone because the first time I bit into it a few years back all I could do it exclaim “delicious” over and over. It NEVER disappoints. After dinner we went back to their beautiful home to attempt playing a game. Being that their home isn’t what you would consider child proof and it was well after the kids bed time I hope we didn’t discourage them from ever considering children:) Thanks for a great evening!!!

Justins Twenty-Eight
Justin celebrated and celebrated AND celebrated his 28th b-day. His family took him out to his favorite Mexican Restaurant Arribas where he routinely orders one of the spiciest things on the menu and every time the waiter or waitress leans in to let him know (gringo) it’s spicy!!! He loves it. Later that week he received the mother load of gifts a Hoover Steam Vacuum to clean the carpets with. It was shipped to the house so as soon as he was done mowing the lawn he undid the vacuum, assembled it, and started cleaning our carpets (and the couch.) Thank you for small miracles, it sure is nice to have a clean husband. Later on that week as a family we were to Black Angus to celebrate with just our little group. And then on his birthday night my parent drove over to our neck of the woods and took us to our favorite Chinese Restaurant Wong’s. Where he received a few other nice gifts, spoiled little guy, he is such a kid still loving to have any sort of party. Happy Birth-MONTH Justin!!!!

Valentines

Valentines has come and gone and I took every opportunity to celebrate it. I know many people think that its just a made up, cheesy holiday for the card companies, but growing up it was always a FAMILY holiday where my mom and dad would take the time to let us know how special we are to them. Mom continues the tradition of making a very gourmet homemade meal that is served on the nicest china, surrounded by the most gorgeous table décor, plus a little gift for everyone. I always looked forward not only to the meal but the conversation that always brought back sweet and tender moments of our past. This is about as GUSHY as my family gets and it is a nice change, just once a year though! Thanks mom and dad for all the preparation for a wonderful evening.

We did some other fun things to celebrate Valentines Day…

A little party for the kids and some friends

A special valentines dinner

And dessert

My Valentines

Owens First Kiss

I have thought long and hard about posting this embarrassing act that my son was a part of and for the sake of remembering and relating the really story I decided to share with everyone.

About 6 months ago a cute new couple moved into our ward and brought with them their daughter Sophie. An adorable, adventurous, blond that caught Owens eye from their very first encounter. Owen is the type that really had no interest in any children INDEPENDENT to the core, if you can’t keep up you are left behind. But not with Sophie, he would get so excited to see her that he couldn’t control himself, trying to jump on her, sit on her, hug her, drag her around, poor little girl. She seemed to hold her own but about 3 months ago she went into Nursery and no longer roamed the halls with Owen. He never found another little friend; I thought that he had forgotten her. 3 weeks ago was Owens first week in Nursery and right away the two paired up not leaving each other for long. It was so cute to see them holding hands, but last Sunday was the big moment…

Justin had just arrived from another ward and we decided to check on Owen. Owen and Sophie were playing at the window ceil in the corner of the room, sharing plastic spaghetti. After a while they started to lick the spaghetti, now this is the point where I stand up and start walking to them telling them that was YUCKY and then it happened. Sophie, trying to obey, dropped the spaghetti but kept her tongue out along with our little man. I was almost to them as they leaned in for their first kiss. I guess the weirdest thing was that they didn’t part until I separated them. Now, I know that they had no idea what had happened but it sure shook up his momma. My little man had his first kiss even if he had no idea.

Sibling Love

As I was getting ready for church Justin caught this interaction between the kids. This pretty much sums up their relationship thus far...

Owen can handle his overly affectionate, mothering sister for a moment...

but just as quickly he's over it. Just keep hanging on, and even tighter Brinley that always keeps the boys around:)

Owen escapes "I am outta here,"

"You wont get to far Owen I am bigger and faster than you, for now."

"I prefer to chill all by myself thank you!"

My friendly, and maybe clingy, daughter is going to have to learn that my independent confident little man is not going to be tugged around. I love the differences in personality, they came from the same two people, right??!!

Leaves

We were over at my Grandparents a few weeks back and found a plethora of fallen leaves on the ground, a rarity in Phoenix. Brinley and my cousins all enjoyed an hour of fun playing in the leaves. It amazes me with all the technology and toys that are around that leaves, dirt, and sticks can amuse these kids for hours. Good old Fun!!!

Making a Leaf Angel!

With the Cousins

Where is Brinley??

Teacher Appreciation

Justin was off for Winter Break for the past two weeks and now on this Wednesday morning I sit here wondering where all the time went. I look so forward to the time we get to spend with daddy, for the past 3 days the kids have woken up saying "Where is daddy," or "Dada Dada." I don't take for granted the very tender and delicate stage of parenting we are in now and the fact that the kids get such a large portion of Justin's time. It is wonderful to see them interact with each other.

I have had to worked on Saturdays for the past couple of years leaving Justin to do all the household duties. It actually may be a blessing for many reasons. It never ceases to amaze me that dinner is on the table, the house is clean, the kids tidy, (maybe their hair isn't done to perfection or their clothes matching all the time but close:) and more often than not the laundry is folded and put away on the days I work. I think that having that responsibly has made him more appreciative of what I do day in and day out. He notices and thanks me when I clean a bathroom, iron the clothes, or empty the dishwasher. Hey buddy thanks for noticing it makes it worth it:)

I suppose there are downsides to having a "teacher" husband but the longer I am in this the more I discover the benefits defiantly outweigh the drawbacks. The kids love to accompany Justin to games or practice, getting to really see what daddy does. Plus, daddy gets to wear his baseball pants even as a coach "nice perk for momma" (okay, I know that just grossed out my sisters SORRY.) So now life will go on as normal until Spring Break, and then Summer Break when I will get to get a temporary break from reality and I get Justin home all to myself (oh and to our offspring:)

The Lord does know whats best for us, if only I could get that threw my stubborn mind and stop trying to prove I know ANYTHING! Good choice on careers Just!

Christmas Squirrel

I just finished reading my sisters latest post on her blog and I got caught up of the memories we as children had. As always she writes so poetically and I was whisked away to all the sights, smells, and sounds of my younger years. One particular Christmas memory jumped out to me that involved a cat, a tree, a tomboy and a squirrel...

Like most newly married, young parents mine were pretty limited on there income but trying to make things special for the holidays they started a tradition to pick out and buy a real Christmas tree each year. Oh, the memories of bundling up from the cold, the smell of pine, and the sticky sap. Most of the time after getting the tree we would immediately start setting it up. Dad would fire up his chainsaw (I can still smell the freshly cut pinewood) to perfectly cut off the trunk, mom and the kids would organize the ornaments into like piles and get the stand ready, so that we could finish it up that night. However, on this particular year for whatever reason we waited for the next day to put up the ornaments. It was the morning after that we decided to decorate. That next morning one of our cats (we had a revolving door of kitties for a couple of years) seem unusually interested in the tree occasionally hissing at it. My mom, older sister, brother, and I standing in the room caught a glimpse of movement coming from the tree. The cat leaped toward the tree as an object leaped out! As quickly as I could identify the creature everyone expect me were on top of a piece of furniture. A squirrel, it was a huge squirrel that must have hitched a ride with us on the tree the previous night. "DaNell get it" is all I remember hearing as my sister, mom, and (I know he might deny this) brother stood screaming still on top the furniture. At that particular time in my life I was bit fearless when it came to animals, being a tomboy (yes, the hair doing, make-up wearing, purse collecting girl was at one time a tomboy) my brother and I could tell you stories you would not believe about, bandaged bunnies, leaping lizards, eyedropper feed quail, digging for snake skin, and microwaved... well another day for those stories:) I got my game face on and about 5 mins after chasing this thing with the help of a cat I had caught myself a nice plump squirrel that took its rightful place outside. These days I am not sure that I would bare handed catch and hold a squirrel I am a little smarter as I age.

That is my story about a tree, a cat, a squirrel, and a tomboy. Its these unplanned events that make lasting memories. Maybe one day my kids will appreciate their fearless heroic mother in a new way:)

As for our Christmas this year, we did it a little different. It was at our house in the morning with Justin's family. I may just have been spoiled, now I wont want to leave our home until the afternoon:) It was so nice to not rush around in the morning with the kids.

Like always we had a great day with the families, but this year more than usual I had the true meaning of Christmas close to my heart. I am grateful beyond words for my knowledge of our Savior and for his divine mission.

I guess we just had to stop and smell the ROSES, what really matters?!!!

Where has all the time gone?

It goes to...

Graduation

Justin finally got to walk for getting his Masters in Educational Leadership. We had a great time in Flagstaff, it is amazing that we can just drive 2 hours north and run into snow. It was a nice change of pace to get all bundled up with gloves, scarfs, and hats. I found out that scarfs are SO useful & not just for fashion:) I cant help but think how hard it would be to really live in the snow with children. You know clothes on then off then on:(

We were able to spend some time with both sides of our family which we always enjoy. My kids adore their grandparents, maybe closers to obsession! Thank you all for all you help and support. I am so proud of Justin, he continues to be such a great husband, father, and provider. We are so Blessed!!!!

I got these cute PJ's for the kids and they are oh so true, except that it need to read "my grandma'S" will!!!
Christmas Decorations

We were able to get Christmas up before Thanksgiving this year and I am so glad. This season just doesn't last long enough. My mom was always so good at bringing the Christmas look, feel, and smells into our home as I was growing up. I hope to do that for our own children. The smell of sweet cranberry & evergreen as we watch the Polar Express next to our lighted tree while we sip hot chocolate. What is better than that?!?! I was able to make this table runner from some scraps my mother gave me! Thanks Momma

I found a couple cute signs at the dollar store. My favorite reads "Naughty or nice I still get what I want!"

Thanks for putting up the decorations outside Justin. Simple but satisfying!!!

Parties

We have had some fun Christmas activities lately...

We got to go to "Christmas Carol" with my family one FHE night. Owen wasn't having it upset half the movie. Thankful he is ADORABLE:) Brinley on the other hand loves movies and can sit for long periods of time (THANKFULLY). I asked her what her favorite part was she laughed and said "Scrooge wore a dress." I guess his nightie looked too much like a dress to her. The point of the movie went right over her head as she was fixated on the "dress." Ha Ha

Owen just loves Santa he drops my hand and run open armed on to Santa's lap. So fun to see their excitement.

I made these Mexican paper flower for a Ward party. They were a bit time consuming by they turned out so bright and colorful. FUN!!!

We made cookies, a Lensch girls tradition, on Sunday and by Monday night we had eaten our portion. YUMMY!!!The days may seem to last forever , we are defiantly tiered at the end, but we are loving every moment of it. Creating memories and trying to soak it all up!!