Kids Collage 2009

This is a collage that I, Ken, created using Picasa 3. It was fun to do and neat to capture all of the different poses for each of the kids. We had a hard time trying to decide which picture to put on the wall, but we did make the selection. The rest are for fun and of course will end up in the kids scrap book at some time.

Our Christmas Day

So, another Christmas has come and gone. Boy, they come and go faster every year! We stayed home Christmas morning to open our gifts and to enjoy the morning as a family. We left for the afternoon to spend it with Shani's family.

We did not get up until 8:30 AM that day and Shani found Angie curled up on the couch waiting for us to come out. Christopher was still in bed along with Kirsten. However, as soon as we came out, then all the kids got up.

I, Ken, playing Santa Clause passed out the gifts to everyone and we were done with opening gifts about 9:30. We then all headed to the kitchen to get breakfast going of waffles in our new waffle iron that we got from Bed, Bath, & Beyond. It cooks six regular waffles at a time and we have had our eye on getting it for the last six months because waffle irons, good quality ones, you cannot find without spending some money.

After getting the waffle iron broken in, we had a good breakfast and relaxing morning and a rushed afternoon and evening. From now on, we plan on staying home for Christmas Day...all day...no more going to family on either side. Our family is big enough that we will enjoy the holiday for ourselves as a family.
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Angela's Christmas Presents



Christopher's Christmas Gifts



Kirsten's Christmas Gifts

I just miss Naomi

Like Ken, I too have to acknowledge how difficult this day is for me. When I think about this day three years ago, I just want to cry. No one thinks that they will ever lose their baby to SIDS(sudden infant death syndrome.) Though I feel peace at times knowing that I will see my baby again, on days like this I am reminded that knowing where she is, does not take away the pain of losing her.

I still get mad at God. Not as often but I still do from time to time. I still ask why did she die. I miss her more then life itself. And the worse thing is nothing in this life will make this kind of pain go away. Not a day goes by that I don't think of her and wish that she had lived. Overall I am happy. However I still think I have a right to be sad or blue on such a day as this. I just plain miss my Angel Baby Naomi Ruth Tennant.

Ken's Thoughts on Naomi's Heaven Day!

Three years ago today...my wife and I were in the hospital in a private room with my mom and sister, a nurse, and the unknown fear that we had just lost our five-and-a-half- week-old daughter. With tears streaming down our face, hugs that offered very little comfort, the gloom began to sink in on the loss of Naomi Ruth.

I would have thought that after three years, this memory would not be so painful, but for this year, this is not the case. It seemed that last year was not as bad, but this morning it feels different and I cannot help but think that this will NOT be the last time. Arrrrrrgh! Why? Why? Why? No earthly answer can be given...I just have to wait...that sucks!!!

A visit with Santa..

Below are pictures with Santa and the kids taken at Ken's work, Farm Bureau, here in Pocatello. It took place a week ago and the kids had a good time. After visiting with Santa and getting candy canes, we enjoyed cookies and hot chocolate in the lunch room of the building.


Kirsten and Santa, but I do not think that Kirsten quite knows what to think of what was going on. She only wanted the candy cane full of M&M's and did not know what else she was suppose to do on Santa's lap.

Doesn't the look tell it all....



So, the other two kids tried to show her what she was to do, but as you can see, she still did not pick up on what was going on...perhaps next year we can get her to smile...maybe?

I guess it could have been worse because she definitely was not scared or crying.

Things To Be Thankful For...

This is a little late, but as they say better late then never. I thought it would be nice to post my next blog on nothing but things I am thankful for.

1 I am so thankful that Ken has a job that give me the privilege of staying home with my sweet children.
2. I am thankful for Angela. She is so good at doing her school lessons while I am helping Christopher with his.
3 I am thankful for Christopher. He is a very slow learner, but slow still means he is still learning just the same.
4. I am thankful for my little 18 month old Kirsten. Even though she tells me nearly every morning that there is lights it is still so cute to hear her say it just the same. It is nice to be reminded of the simple things in life. Yes even lights that we take for granted.
5. I am always thankful for my little Angel Baby Naomi. She gave us so much to look forward to. (For more on that see my last blog entry.)
6. I am even thankful for Buddy our dog of nine years. He is half the reason I kept the weight off I lost this past year. Thank you Buddy for begging me to take you on your evening walks.
7. I am also thankful for our house that we recently moved into last June. It is so nice to finally have the room to store things. I also love that fact that the kids have there own room.
8. I am also thankful that my in-laws live here in Pocatello. They sure love spending time with there grand kids.
9. I am also thankful for my good health. It can be easily taken away. I am so glad to be healthy and strong.
10. I am also thank for the gospel. Without it I would have little hope for the future. I am so thankful for that knowledge that I will see my Naomi again.
11. I am thankful that I have the choice to be happy and I am glad to say that I am indeed happy.
12. I am thankful for friends as this and facebook has shown how many I truly have in this wonderful world!

A Letter to Naomi

It has been 3 years since I gave birth to my Angel baby Naomi Ruth Tennant. I thought to commemorate the occasion I would write a letter to her in my journal. Here it goes.

Dear Naomi Ruth Tennant

It is hard for me to believe at times that it has actually been 3 years since you blessed us with your presence. I was so excited to find out I was pregnant with you on the 4th of March 2006. It had been such a long time since I had a baby. I had planned on naming you Naomi since your Grandma Robbins died a year prior to my getting pregnant with you. Naomi was your great Grandma Robbins' name. Naming you Naomi was my way of dealing with the loss of my Grandma. Just knowing I was finally pregnant with you brought so much happiness into my life. I couldn't wait to tell everyone I knew about your coming. Your due date was the 4th of November. It seemed the longest wait of my life. I knew you were a girl as soon as I knew I was pregnant with you. I found out on the 24th of June 2006. There wasn't a single person that I told about the news of your coming arrival that wasn't also happy for your coming. Later in the summer as your daddy and I prepared for your birth, we realized that we wanted to have a home birth. We took a Bradley Method class and we learned that this would be the best way to bring you into the world. We later, after much searching, found a midwife that fit our needs and expectations. I was so excited to give birth to you at home. We chose to have a water birth.

On November 6th 2006 I went into labor with you late that night. My labor with you was long and hard. With the help of your Daddy and my midwife, Michele Bartlett, I made it through. Finally at 2:28 pm on the 7th of November, you came into the world. I still remember when your daddy brought you out of the water. Your little tongue curled and your lips quivered. You were so cute. I was so excited to finally have you in my arms. I felt the most happy I had ever felt in my life. My recovery after giving birth to you was very relaxed. I enjoyed being in my own home. You were so cute. You weighed 7 pounds 15 ounces. Your daddy and I experienced the happiest five and a half weeks after your birth. It was so fun to see you grow during that time. I loved holding you in my arms while you fell asleep there. I wonder before you left us if life could possibly get any better. I was so happy.

Christmas and the excitement that went with it was added to the excitement of having you that following December. After you turned one month old you started to smile at me. I knew then that you loved me and you knew that I was taking good care of you as your mother. Your brother, Christopher, and sister, Angela, loved holding you. They adored you, their baby sister. Life seemed complete with you in our lives. You started to babble shortly after you turned one month old. You were such a sweet baby. I enjoyed soothing you when you were fussy. Your daddy so enjoyed rocking you to sleep at night. We didn’t complain much when you woke us up at night. We enjoyed our time with you, not knowing at the time it would be so short.

Then the awful day came when Heavenly Father called you home on the 16th of December 2006. It broke my heart to lose you. We found out that you had died of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome). For months afterward it caused me much sorrow. I didn’t know how to go on with my life without you in it. My arms ached to hold you. With the passage of time and the arrival of your sister, Kirsten, nineteen months later, I have found reasons to be happy again, though; it is not the same kind of happiness as it was after your birth. I do love my life and your siblings, but you should know that not a day goes by that I don’t think of you. All the love I would have given you the (kisses and hugs) I now give to your siblings. When I see your baby sister, Kirsten, playing, laughing, and babbling, I think of all that I have missed with you, but I also look forward to someday having this time with you in the millennium to raise you there. In the mean time I will continue giving hugs and kisses to Angela, Christopher, and Kirsten; those same hugs that I would have given to you if you had lived. Please know that I love you so much.

Your mother, always.

Happy Halloween

The kids carving pumpkins. Unfortunately, these pumpkins only lasted about four days before fuzz decided to start growing on the inside. Two days later, they collapsed as they looked more fuzzy than pumpkin...




Finished product, the left of a monster, Christopher's choice. Angie a message of Trick or Treat. Ken did all of the carving and not to bad after year three of attempting to carve pumpkins.



All the kids were excited this year. Christopher chose the fireman outfit and Kirsten loved to be in here cow outfit. She threw a fit when we took it from here while in the store to pay for it. Get this, though. She is barely seventeen months, but the outfit is for a two year old.



After getting everyone dressed for the evening, we went out to two trunk or treats and the kids had a blast. We went to the trunk or treat of our current ward and old ward. It was nice to be able to mingle with friends while Ken gave out the candy. The kids got what they wanted then headed back to the van when they had their fill.

Happy Halloween everybody and enjoy life!

Angela's Baptism

Below, we have a few pictures to tell about Angie's baptism that took place yesterday. They had it on a stake level, meaning that they usually take the first Sunday of each month to have all of the kids baptized throughout the stake for the previous month. So, every child that turned eight during the month of July were baptized yesterday. They had a total of nine kids and we had a lot of family show up.

We had a lunch afterward for a few hours as we got a good visit with family and friends in our new home. It is nice to definitely have a home to host such an event and we look forward to doing it again for future events.

So, enjoy the pitures...

She walks!

We have attached a video showing the greatest achievement to date for Kirsten...she can walk and guess when this happened!? Yesterday, the 4th of July!

Enjoy the video(s):

(Video 1)


(Video 2)

A Move! A Move! A Move!

Yes! The title is correct. We are moving! Yea! Happy day! We are gone! We are moving up in the world! We sold our 1000 sq foot home and bought a 2400 sq foot home. Now that may not be unusual, but the unusual part is we did this in a week and a half. Of course, we still have to wait for the closing day at the end of this month, but by June 1st, we will be in the new home.

Below, is a video that we took as a quick tour of the house. We barely got all the way through before the battery died, which is why it does not contain the footage of the back yard. Still, you should see enough to get an idea of what we are moving too and we could not be any happier. We looked for a place NOT requiring fixing up for us to comfortably live. So, enjoy the video and perhaps one day you may get a chance to see it in person.



PS The house is right across from the church. Also, the video makes mention thinking about a purchase, well we did make an offer and settled on a price.

Some weekend pictures...

OK, this picture had to be taken because Christopher really is asleep in this position on the couch. It really does not look comfortable, but amazingly he did sleep. Isn't it amazing how you could sleep anywhere as a kid, but as you get older that flexibility disappears!



Yes, the Easter Bunny did come, but this year the kids got a single basket containing a soccer ball since they like to kick their other balls around the house. Then we got some candy for the family to share. We never have really been big on Easter baskets, gifts, clothes, or anything of that nature.

As far as the rest of the Easter holiday went, we had Ken's parents along with his sister over for a ham dinner and a fun game of Yahtzee afterwards. It was a great day and would love to do it again later.



This picture was taken because Kirsten loves eating an apple. This is a picture of a ten-month-old biting into an apple that often takes place as Shani eats her daily apples. She does take actual bites, even though they are tiny, and chew them with the eight front teeth that she has in her mouth. Yes eight and she still nurses!



Shani wanted to get this picture in because of the hair style. Does it remind you of a particular cartoon character? It did for Shani and for now, it is the only style that she can do because, yes, most of the hair length exists on the top of her head. What do you think?

Christopher Losses His First Tooth!

Yesterday, as a big event for Christopher, a tooth was lost. The first for him and when he came to tell us that it was loose, he thought he was in trouble. He had a sad composure with tears on the verge of rolling down his face. When we finally got him to tell us why the sad look, we laughed at first and then had to go into damage control in explaining that he did not do anything wrong. He really thought that he broke his tooth while eating an apple.

A few minutes later, Ken had it pulled and in a baggy for Christopher to stick under his pillow for the tooth fairy. Mommy and daddy forgot to tell the tooth fairy, though, and promised him this morning that they will be sure to tell her later tonight. In fact, Ken just got off of the phone (it was a fun conversation) and got the arrangements made for tonight.

So, this is the big news of this blog...what will be next.

Oh, enjoy the pictures...

Dress Up Day for Kirsten

OK...so it has been toooooooooo long since the last entry and we feel it is time to get going again on this. Do not be surprised if in the next few days you get quit a few things posted of what has both been going on recently and in the last little while.

So the next couple of pictures were taken of Kirsten after Angie wanted to play dress up with her. What do you think...

The Kids Speech Festival...

This is coming late tonight, but we wanted to get this in before we took of for our Washington State excursion this week. Last Friday, the kids had a Speech Festival for their school. On that day, all of the kids in all grades and classes had to stand in front of assigned groups with judges to present either a poem or writing either composed or written by someone else.

Well, Angie and Christopher both chose poems written by someone else and while standing in the front of a group of about twenty kids and the adults of some of those kids, they recited the poems. Below, you will see each kid delivering them.

As it turned out Angie was assigned on a competitive level and she ended up getting 3rd place out of her entire grade class. Christopher was not in any competition, but did a far superior job than what would have thought that he would have done.

Good job kids! Your parents are very, very proud of you. Keep up the good work!

(Here is Angie performing her poem - Planting)



(Here is Christopher performing his poem - The Robin)

Blog Site Update

This is Ken, Shani's husband. After twisting of the arm and some investigation, I have added some new items to the site using some of the built in tools. Yes, blogs are still tools of Satan, but they are fun to play with anyway...ha! ha! ha!

Seriously, let us know what you think and what we could to do to better improve the site. As I get more acquainted with the other available tools, I will add more things on. So, keep an eye on this blog for future use and development!

My New Year's Resolution

I wanted to wait to post my new Year's resolution until I knew I could keep it. I have decided to be more clean. To those of you that know me and have seen my house, you know how much of a slob I was or am. (When I say slob I mean stuff on the floor, dishes in the sink, floor not vacuumed, and the table stinky from last night's dinner.)

After hearing that my daughter will clean because I don't clean, that idea hit a strong cord of discontent in me. I thought to myself I want my daughter to clean because I am clean not because I am messy. So about three weeks ago I started to clean. I did little things like wiping off the table washing the dishes, folding the clothes before more were dry, that sort of thing. By that first Friday the entire house was clean. Yes even the bathroom. I have even kept it clean for the past 23 days. A first for even me.

I have noticed some side benefits to this cleaning thing. For one it brings with it a more grateful husband. Ken isn't as stressed when he comes home from work. I feel more comfortable with visitors just dropping in unannounced. Why even my kids have kept there room clean. I should have cleaned like this long ago. Better late then never. So the next time you come to visit me you will be reminded that yes even I can clean.

It has been a very long time since our last entry. In fact, looking back we last created one last year right before the New Year. Since that entry, we have had a lot of time visiting with family. We even had Scott, my brother, and his family with David, my other brother, here for a week. We had a great time seeing them and the rest of the family that was around during that time.

The holidays are over and looking outside the window, just the cold long signs of winter cover the landscape. It is sad to have the holiday season over with because all of the colored lights and festivities did brighten up the streets for a little while. Now the outside is dark with only the street lamps and an occasional porch light to break up the dark of night. Oh well, just a few more months to go and things should start to brighten up once again.

Other things going on includes new callings for Shani and I. Starting next Sunday, we will be team teaching the 8 to 9 year-olds in primary.

The kids are back in school and as ever, my work load has gotten more busy with the implementation of a new software system for my place of employment at Farm Bureau. I have had three weeks of straight training (32 hours a week) with one more week to go.

Well, for now we will stop...enjoy some of the pictures below as they are a scattering of events during the last few weeks.


Christopher, our son, wanted to see what Kirsten, our youngest, would look like with his glasses on her.



The kids like to often get into our bed.



OK...so we got a good picture of our dog too!