1881

Cale and his cousin Garret had a football game last night, and I was able to get a couple of pictures snapped....barely! Garret has always been #18, and when Cale decided to go out for his first year of football this year he chose #81....mirror images. On a side note-when their Dad's played they wore #12 (Keith) and #34 (Kurt) so when THEY stood together they were 1234.

Grandma and Papa Jensen were able to come and watch the boys' game through the strong wind gusts. There was some discussion about taking more pictures but the boys kept saying "That's good, that's enough...."

Abby and Luke's Games

A few weeks ago, Grinnell played Roosevelt at Drake Stadium in Des Moines. It is really hard for me to get to watch Luke's football games, or to watch Abby cheer because of our schedules and where their games are. I was excited at the chance to get to go, so I took Jared and Trevor with me since Cale had football practice.

This is Luke (#5) standing in the middle of this picture. It was a really warm night and Luke played the entire freshman game except for 2 plays. He had a great night, and Grinnell come out of it with the win.
After the game, Luke came and sat with us for a little while. He said he was just too tired and too hot to eat the sandwich that they gave him after the game. This is him with his Dad (my brother), Todd.

Abby is a senior this year and she cheered for the varsity game. She is the second one on the right. The varsity team won BIG, and those poor cheerleaders had to do leg kicks for every point they scored. By the end of the game, they were counting by 2's!

I was just glad that I was finally able to watch them! Great job, you two!

Homecoming

Gilbert's Homecoming was Friday night. There is always a (very!) short parade before the game to show off some of the fall sports teams as well as the Queen, the King and their Court.

This year I mentioned to someone that we have a convertible in our garage if they should need one for the parade. Keith got the call a few weeks ago so he got his car all cleaned and shined. His car is a 1990 I-ROC with red leather interior. It really doesn't see the light of day too often. He will take the kids for rides once in awhile, but not very often. Their favorite thing is when Keith either gives them a ride to school or picks them up from school with it. Last year, Keith took Cale and Garret to basketball practice in it. The highlight is ALWAYS making sure their friends see them!

We had told Trevor that he could ride in the parade with Keith, but Keith ended up calling me to come and pick Trevor up because the guys in the court were going to be riding in the front seat of the car, so there was no room for Trevor. When I picked him up he said "Apparently, I got kicked out." Poor thing, he was looking forward to it and had told his friends to watch for him!

Keith carried Lauren Mosiman and Mason Powers.

Keith also had to drive Lauren around the track at halftime. Since the guys were not riding, there was room for Trevor to ride along. Unfortunately, Trevor was on the other side and was so hard to see. My picture turned out way too dark, but he's there. (Yet ANOTHER reason to get a new camera!) Everyone knew to look for him and Cale, Jared and their friends were yelling at him. He thought he was pretty big stuff!

Lauren had asked Trevor if some day that car would be his and when he said yes, she wanted to know if he would give her a ride. After the game he told me that he thought she liked him. Really....what's not to love! :)

Celebrating Cale's 14th. Birthday: Part 2

Cale's actual birthday is on August 28th. He opted for us to save his presents from us until his actual birthday...so his birthday will "last longer." Just a few things that he got from us were: the Tim Tebow biography. He's been talking about it for quite awhile, and has started reading it. He was telling me about it and the things he tells me are things that I'm happy that he is remembering. He is getting the right messages from that book.

Of course, he got another Cardinals shirt....

And a new backpack.

He had a pretty good day. After church, we came home to open his presents and then we took the boys to Perfect Games in Ames for some laser tag, bowling and arcade games. Earlier in the week our friends, Logan and Brianne Anderson had called and told us that they were in the mood for some laser tag and wondered if they could borrow our kids. ABSOLUTELY!! And after they were done there we had dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings. I would say he scored a pretty good day!

Celebrating Cale's 14th. Birthday: Part 1

We had family over to celebrate Cale's birthday on Saturday August 27th. He started by opening a few presents that included the standard Zebra Cakes from Grandma Jensen. And for the record...he DOES NOT share them!!

An Iowa State football jersey from Uncle Kurt, Aunt Teri, Garret, Maddie and Grandma and Papa Jensen.

Uncle Kevin gave him the new Drew Brees biography. He's been dying to read it!

He got a new Gilbert shirt from Grandma and Papa Honold. (He was also thrilled when some of his gifts were topped off with some cold, hard cash!)

A little cake....

It took him awhile to get all 14 candles blown out.

We took a picture of the Jensen cousins.

We tried to get Luke in on it, but he didn't think he fit in, so Aunt Heidi had to snap one when she had the chance! (Abby was spending the day in Cedar Falls with her boyfriend, Blake.)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CALE!!

Flash Back Friday x2

I couldn't decide....so here is Trevor in 2005.

"Do you want fries, with that?"

And here he is in 2008. Just completely worn out. He has his favorite blanket, Turtwig (his stuffed turtle) and his Nintendo DS.

Jared's Quote

Jared had his first football game of the season on Monday night. There are only 11 5th. grade boys out for tackle football this year which wasn't going to cut it, so they borrowed some 4th. graders.

Jared isn't overly aggressive, or at least as aggressive as his Dad would like. He broke up several passes, almost had an interception...except his team mate tipped it from him at the last minute. He even recovered a fumble!

My favorite thing of the night was when we got home and he said:

"They said I had that one tackle, but it wasn't me. I got stiff armed in the head."

I couldn't quit laughing. We saw that play and knew he didn't have the tackle, but figured it didn't really matter one way or another, but we had no idea he had been stiff armed in the head! :)

I'm sure that I'll have more on his season before long. I'll try and get some pictures, but I still don't have that new camera, so we'll see what I get with my little, baby camera!

First Day Of School

I know, I know...I have slipped back into my bad blogging habits. I am going to try and do better. (I know, you've heard it before!!)

We started back to school on August 18th. Yes, I said WE. I started working part-time this year at the Middle School as a media associate. More on that later....

This picture pose used to turn out so cute. Umm...not so much any more. They get too goofy about it. Oh, well...it shows their true colors...goofy!


This is a little better...everyone has to show what grade they are in.

Cale turned 14 just 10 days after this was taken and he is in 8th. grade. (Yes, we have a plan for when he hits grades 11 and 12!!) He wasn't sold on having his picture taken, but I told him that it's just the way it goes...and I have every intention of hanging out outside of his college dorm room when he starts college. (Keith put his mind at ease by telling him that the dorms are locked and have codes, so he should just not give me the code to get in!) Jared is 10 and started 5th. grade...and moved on to the Middle School!!


Trevor is 7 1/2 (the 1/2 is important!) and started 2nd grade. I told him that I wasn't sure he should wear this particular shirt on his first day, but he didn't seem to think it was a problem. Can you read it? It says "Do you want a peace of this?"--using the peace sign. His picture was harder to take because he kept getting the giggles.

Cale and Jared rode to school with Keith and I walked Trevor to the elementary school. The 2nd graders were suppose to meet in the music room, which is a different drill then it was last year. Trevor sat down quietly, even though he knew everyone there! I happened to turn around and saw his best friend, Birk, quietly walk in. As soon as those 2 made eye contact-all was right in the world again! They are in the same class again this year and couldn't be happier! Birk and Trevor are great friends!!

I, of course, had to have MY picture taken on MY first day of school, too! Here are Jared and I ready for OUR first day of middle school! I work the days that the kids are in school from 12-3:30. I do library things, supervise the computer lab and I am also in charge of 2 study halls--one for 7th. graders and one for 8th. graders. It isn't too bad of a gig. The best part is knowing that I'll be home with them after school, and for holidays, and spring break and of course the SUMMER!!

HERE'S TO A GREAT SCHOOL YEAR...FOR ALL OF US!!