Christmas 2011│The Report.

I'm happy to report that we had another successful Christmas at the Jensen household.  

It was a low-key Christmas.  

No traveling this year.  

We enjoyed unusual warm weather for this time of year and 

we were grateful to celebrate the birth of our Savior. 

On Christmas Eve afternoon, I introduced the Sound of Music to my children.  

They watch almost the whole thing and were singing along.  

I love that movie.

On Christmas Eve, we read from Luke 2. 

"And it came to pass that in those days..."

I was the narrator. 

Brielle was Mary.

Braden was Joseph.

Kem was the donkey.

Brooke was Jesus.

Scott was one of the Wise Men.  

Knock, knock...there was no room in the inn.  

I always get emotional thinking about poor Mary with child and Joseph trying to find a place for his wife to give birth. 

But, Jesus was born anyway.  

What a wonderful and simple story.  

and it is true...it really happened. 

I try so hard to not forget and remind our family that, that is the REAL reason for Christmas.  

Brielle and Braden got to open one present on Christmas Eve. 

We had hot chocolate and panetón! 

I have to keep alive our Peruvian tradition.  

I ate way too much panetón this holiday season.  

I ate 3...or 4? 

It seems like Christmas morning was over all too quickly.  

We were beyond blessed. 

Santa was good to us.

Brielle got her much awaited Justin Bieber doll.

I gave in. 

(Blame Scott)

Brielle and Braden 'helped' Brooke with her presents...but Brooke thought Irish Spring soap was just the perfect toy for her!:)

We skyped with Scott's family in Idaho.  They watched us all open presents.  

It was fun that we were able to share our Christmas morning with them.

Then we had a yummy breakfast.  

The French toast was delicious.

After Church, they got out the 'big' present, a set of legos, and they built and built and built.

Our dear friends, the Lacey's had a bunch of us over for Christmas dinner.  It was delicious and enjoyed the company.  No pictures...:( 

When we got back from dinner, Scott and Braden were up until 11pm. finishing the lego set.

Braden is amazing at following instructions and is so good with his hands and finding all the little pieces. 

Scott LOVED spending that 'boy time' with him.

As Brielle put it, "this was the BEST Christmas EVER!" 

(Hopefully, she feels that way about every Christmas!)

I'm glad we were able to make it magical for them!:)

Christmas Parties.

I always enjoy attending the kids' Christmas parties at school.  I enjoy watching Braden be his own little self.  I, especially, LOVE watching his cute face light up when he sees me walk in his classroom.

They sang a few songs for the parents and then we all had a snack.

...and of course Braden was loving life.  He over indulged himself with tons of cookies and sweets! 

This little boy has been having selective hearing lately.  To the point that Scott and I have questioned whether he needs his hearing tested.  I actually took him to the pediatrician this morning to have it checked, he passed! thank goodness!  He does have an ear infection in both of his ears though...but he's definitely not going deaf.

I should have known...because if you tell him 'Braden, do you want ice cream?' from another room, he will come and say YESSSSS!!!!! 

He doesn't have 'selective hearing' when it comes to sweets.

The preschool has a Christmas songs sing-along every year.  This year Braden's class had to accompany the piano along with the jingles.  It was fun to watch him!

Braden has been lucky to make good little friends in his class.  He's good at making friends.  

Then came Brielle's Holiday Party.  I'm so happy that I was able to go! I have been feeling so disconnected from Brielle's school.  The baby makes it hard to volunteer at the school, so I haven't been able to be there as much as I'd like to. 

It was fun to watch my cute Brielle in her classroom.  

She's a big girl. 

Sometimes I have to pinch myself to realize that she has grown this much. 

They had a little dancing party...dancing to holiday music...of course at her school since it's a public school it's a 'holiday party' instead of a Christmas party. 

I loved being there for my Brielle...and it made me happy that she was happy that I was there.  It means so much to them at this age that you are there for them...I'm grateful that I can be there. 

Around Here│'Tis The Season.

We have been enjoying the Holiday Season, especially since it is our last Christmas here.  

I'm going to miss all of the fun things that D.C. has to offer all throughout the year, but especially during Christmas. 

I'm sure we will find fun new places to go to wherever we move.  

The Sunday after Thanksgiving we put up our Christmas tree.  I don't have any pictures of the grand event but I will record that it was full of excitement.  I love that feeling.  Brielle, Braden and Brooke make this season so special for me.  This year Scott got to be with us to decorate the tree.  This hasn't happened in the last couple of years because he's either been studying for tests or on-call at the hospital.  

It was special this year because we were able to do it as a family. 

We've been playing lots of Christmas music and having Christmas music parties around here!

The kids think I'm so cool when I break out the moves! ha ha!:)

I especially love it when Braden asks me to dance and he tries to spin me! 

I always tell him what a good lead he is.

Last Friday, we decorated our gingerbread house.  Did I already mention how excited my kids get about doing Christmasy things? 

These kids are so project oriented.  They both LOVE projects.  

...and of course they always LOVE when they get to spend time with their daddy.  

Scott has been interviewing like crazy for residency.  He's been traveling non-stop. 

It's nice when he's home.

I always enjoy watching Scott get so involved when he does "projects" with the kiddos.

We had so much fun decorating the gingerbread house. 

They did such a good job! 

  

Braden and his sweet tooth. 

He loved the icing...

Brooke was wishing she could have some icing too. 

The three little Jensen's. 

...and our final product.

******

Last Saturday, we all got up bright and early and headed to Santa's Workshop in D.C.

I wanted to beat the crowd! 

...and we did! we hardly waited in line to see Santa.

Brooke was happy to be there and we were all so excited that this was her first time meeting Santa! 

Braden was especially excited, he kept saying:

"Brooke's going to meet Santa for the first time!"

Santa's cutest little workshop.

Brielle was wondering where all the elves were...Scott told her that the elves are nocturnal...she believed him!:)

I liked last year's Santa much better...but this one was kind and friendly too. 

Brielle and Braden couldn't tell the difference any way.

Scott and I always find it amusing how shy they get when they are actually there in front of him.  

I think the fact that this one wasn't wearing his Santa hat threw Braden off a little.  He opened up to last year's Santa and told him all about what he wanted.  

They were both a little more shy this year...but no tears.

We were a little disappointed with the National Tree this year.  It looked so sad. 

THIS is what it looked like our first year here and THIS is what it looked like last year.

We googled it, and found out that the original tree got broken almost in half in a storm last February and a new one was transplanted, so this is the new tree and I think it's just a young tree and not as mature looking as the other one. 

It was a chilly day.

In front of W Hotel. I loved all the ornaments hanging from the trees.

******

After seeing Santa we headed to the Botanic Garden to see the train Christmas exhibit they have there.

Like every year, it did not disappoint and we all marveled at what humans can make.

My brother and Tasnim joined us.  It was fun to spend time with them.

I always say this, but Kem is such a good uncle.  

The garden is just such a beautiful place and the I love the lighting there.

Braden was teasing me.  That little boy gives me a run for my money sometimes.

My big girl.

Kemchu and his girlfriend Tasnim.  

They are a cute couple! 

My hottie husband.  I've been missing my husband.  He's been gone too much. 

Brielle had been looking for that castle behind her for a while and was not able to find it.  She wanted so bad to find it and take a picture with it.  Brooke, Scott and I were so done and ready to go...Kem and Tasnim stood in line for 20 minutes for her to take the picture with the castle, while Scott and I waited in the car...

That is what a super nice uncle does for his little niece!:)

Gracias Kemchu!

******

On Sunday, we headed to the Washington D.C. Temple to see the lights.

It was coooold! 

But we had a grand time with our nice friends, the Nelson's and the Lemke's.  We enjoyed walking around admiring the beautiful lights and the feeling that you get when you walk on temple grounds.

The Nelson's. They are such a cute family!

After walking around for a while we went inside and saw the nativity exhibit.  They displayed nativities from all over the world.  They were all so unique and beautiful.  It made me grateful to live in a world of such diversity and see each country's interpretations of the birth of our Savior. 

The sister missionary said "SMILE" and this is what happened!!! 

What a weekend! 

LOVED every second...

The Tooth Fairy Came.

The Tooth Fairy visited the Jensen household last week.  

It is still hard to believe that I have a child that is losing teeth already! 

Brielle will turn 6 in less than two months! 

SIX! 

She has had those two bottom teeth loose for a while and the permanent teeth have been coming out behind them.  She's been a little hesitant to even show us how loose they were.  She has been very protective of her little teeth.  

But one night Scott asked if he could check and one of them was pretty ready to come out.  Brielle agreed and asked Scott if he would tie it and pull it out with the door! 

Scott got everything ready; as they were walking to tie the floss to the door her little tooth fell out on its own! 

She was pretty stoked! 

The first thing she did was write the tooth fairy a letter! She wrote it pretty much all by herself. 

Dear Tooth Fairy,

 I am glad that my tooth fell out. 

Love, 

Brielle

The Tooth Fairy came by and was super generous and gave her a new tooth brush and toothpaste and $5! 

Wow! Talk about generous!:)

I absolutely LOVE that Brielle really believes that the Tooth Fairy is real!  

I love that I can make her life a little magical!

The next day, she lost tooth #2.  This time Scott tied it again and pull it with with the door! It took us a few minutes to find the tiny little tooth.  

We have been keeping that poor Tooth Fairy busy! 

This is a big deal because it means that Brielle is really now turning into a BIG girl!

I love who Brielle is becoming.