Hefty Blog Entry

Hi everyone! We need to catch up, so here's a fatty entry to let you know what we have been up to since we graduated and moved from San Francisco. So, if you do not have the time or the interest in a long entry, I don't blame you.

For those of you who are looking for a little free entertainment, read on for a peek into our family adventures. In this picture, we are moments before driving out in that huge moving truck you see behind the kiddos! Someday, we are going to look back at how little they were when we moved.



We settled into our little home in Carson and did lots of playing around this summer. Here's a picture of Dan to prove that he had time on his hands....





Over the summer, we did a lot of gardening and playing in the backyard. Since the kids haven't seen the sun much living in SF, they liked enjoying the yard in their undies (two out of three photos, the one on the slip-n-slide I included so you would know that our children actually DO own bathing suits).






When we would garden, the kids got a kick out of finding ladybugs and then holding them FOREVER. McKenna was explaining to Jacob how you need to be gentle with ladybugs and that he probably shouldn't hold them. He indignantly put his hands on his hips and said "But I'm a good ladybugger!" That's right, folks. He is pretty good at buggin' the ladies.

Here he is watching his ladybug. They would drop him in the grass accidentally--"Where did my ladybug go?"--the poor thing would think that he got away--and then, "Oh, here he is!" and they would scoop him back up for twenty more minutes of climbing all over their hands.


We went to Lake Tahoe a few times....




We visited Dan's family in So Cal. Here's one of the kids' favorite activities: riding Grandpa's electric chair around the park.




We spent a day at Disneyland with Grandma and Papa Joe! McKenna got some one-on-one time with the princesses! She was in heaven! (Jake was busy riding the train with Daddy.) In her sugary-sweet voice, each princess would talk to McKenna and ask her questions and tell her to "use her princess smile" for the picture and "we could be sisters because you have pretty blond hair just like me" and McKenna ate it up!



Hannah and Daddy at D-land.


We'll see if Papa Joe is so eager to climb in when she's sixteen...


Talk about crazy drivin'...

Grandma and sweet girl.


Mischievous Mickey...


Done for the day...


Look at these pretty aunts just lavishing attention on Hannah! I think she loves it.






The kids had swimming lessons when we got back to Carson...




Hannah met her Great-great Grandma. Here she is with Grammie (my mom) and Great-great Grandma Jensen.


We hiked up to Angora Lake....
(Note the big stick that little boy is holding. Typical.)



We went camping at Sugar Pine Point (up by Lake Tahoe), and between the hammock, dirt, tent and s'mores, the kids couldn't have had more fun! Here's Hannah snuggling in the sleeping bag in the morning--it was cold! She's not quite ready to get up yet.









Aunt Lauren visited and we went to the beach and rode the steam train...




McKenna started a Pre-K program. First day of school! She absolutely loves it, and we've been told by other parents that their girls come home talking about McKenna. Apparently she's a star. The teachers say she is far ahead of the curve and quite ready for school (but in Nevada, you must be five in September to start Kindergarten and McKenna's birthday is in October).


Dan started work! Long time, no income. Dr. Budd is in da house!! Dan is working four ten-hour days at a salaried position at a clinic and the other day each week at a dentist's office in Carson that we are looking to partner into. We made a banner for our Daddy to come home to after his first long day of work.



Here are some of my favorite random photos from the last few months.

McKenna lined up all her babies:




Three kids in the tub! We need a bigger tub or we need to stop at three. No, I am not asking for your vote. :)



Hannah and Mommy


Hannah vs volleyball. So cute!



Hannah thinks she's a puppy. She spent the afternoon with this slobbery sock hanging out of her mouth. She was as happy as could be.


Pretty girl. She is getting so big!



Three happy kids.



We are happy and healthy and busy. We are enjoying living near family and hope to see more visitors, so come on over! We will try to be better about keeping up our blog. I am sure we will be posting again soon since we just had Jacob's 3rd birthday and McKenna's 5th birhtday. We send our love to all.