I Need Your Help!!!

Howdy all-
Being as this is the season of giving, I have decided to have a more Christ-like Christmas at my house. In this spirit, I am trying to do a large scale service project. Please check out the following link and let me know if you are interested in helping me out. I probably won't be ready by Christmas, but we can start up in the new year. This is a great organization and would be a very simple way to give back to the world and pay it forward. It's not time consuming and all talents are welcome. Let me know if you would like to help by emailing me at timandkatiej@gmail.com. Or, you can just give me a call, or whatever.... Help me help these little munchkins-and Merry Christmas.

http://www.conkerrcancer.org/

NEW!

Just want you to know that there are new pictures at www.jellybeanjunctionphotos.blogspot.com.
Check it out!

Thankful for...

I am thankful. Period. That's it. I found myself grumping around yesterday about my roots showing and about my job stinking and about the trashy, slow people at WalMart that extended my shopping time because they are slow. Then I thought to myself- Katie Jean (that's what I call myself ...) SHUT UP! You should be thankful that a.) you have hair to complain about. b.) you have a job and c.) you have a WalMart. So, I am thankful. This year, I have so MUCH to be grateful for. So here goes....pay attention, you might be in here. I AM THANKFUL FOR... 1. the gospel of Jesus Christ. 2. An amazing husband. 3. Awesome parents who get more dear to my heart everyday. 4. Super duper in-laws. 5. Brothers who are also some of my best friends. 6. Mrs. Buffy. 7. Nieces and nephews. 8. Forever Families. 9. Sistas from other mistas- Rachel Ann, my Jessicas, Jenn and the rest of you. 10. A cute little house. 11. My Job. Most days. 12. Fun customers that are also friends. 13. Cough syrup. 14. Good hair. 15. Grandmas. 16. Fuzzies 17. Potatoes. Shhh. 18. the time I spent with Palin. 19. Temples. 20. Sunbeams. 21. Ipods. 22. Pianos. 23. Thrift Stores. 24. Cell phones. 25. sunglasses. 26. snowflakes. 27. fabric stores. 28. the color red. 29. squirrelys. 30. Tim. Oh wait, I already mentioned him? Well, then I am SUPER thankful for him.
I could keep going...but my time at the library is running out. :) oh yeah. 31. Libraries.
So, this year....be thankful. not for anything specific, but just thankful. My Heavenly Father gives me trials on a daily basis that I pay attention to, but He also blesses me EVERY DAY! So, here I am....thankful. Happy Thanksgiving.

Love is having a Grandma Hippo

Yes, I love this little hippo...

I've never been sure why I've called her that, but I have always called her Grandma Hippo. She has been sooooo sick lately and it breaks my little pea pickin heart. It has been a great opportunity to reflect on all the things that she has done for me and helped me to be.

First of all, Grandma taught me that having hair in your face is bad. It doesn't matter if that is the style or you just don't care, she always had a tacky, little, plastic barrette to pin my bangs back.

Grandma also taught me that it's not necessarily a bad thing to swallow water from the canal. You shouldn't actively drink it, but unlike Mrs. Swagger, Grandma never told me that I was going to die or be severly deformed because I like to swim in the canal.

Popsicles are okay for breakfast. Nuff said.

Said popsicles must have a paper towel square underneath them.

Pig tails are still an acceptable way to do your hair, not matter how old you are.

If you are 80 years old, you can eat whatever you want.

Little old ladies are excused from everything. That's just the way it works.

Everything can be fixed with a bandaid, a barrette or a needle.

(and a popsicle)

Toys that make loud noises are great revenge.

You must wear nylons. Women who don't...welll.....

If you drink, chances are, you will be made fun of FOREVER.

(aka Mark Lutz)

Just because the world is going to end doesn't mean you won't need toilet paper.

A flour sack dish towel can be used for EVERYTHING.

Wagons are an acceptable mode of transportation. So are lawnmowers. And roller skates.

If mom says no, chances are...Grandma will say yes.

And last but not least-

Love your family. They will choose your nursing home. :)

All joking aside-my grandma is an amazing person. She is a kindred spirit and I will love her forever and ever and ever and ever. She is the kindest person that I know and the closer she gets to heaven, the more I can see her little heart of gold shine through.

There. Reminiscing done. Now, I have to get on with life and go be a strong person.

Jellybean Junction is Here and you're all invited!

Just wanted to invite you all you to view and follow my newest venture...
www.jellybeanjunctionphotos.blogspot.com
I love any and all comments you have-one way or the other.
Also, I am considering doing Halloween shots - what do you think?

The Benefits of Being Us... Just us.

The Childless Couple
Okay, so I have spent wayyy too long dwelling on the fact that I am obviously not meant to be someone's mommy. In the last little while, I have come to the realization that this is not necessarily a bad thing all the time. So, I have decided that I am going to blog today on the benefits of being DINKs. (double income, no kids)

1. Just that! Two paychecks, no human responsibilities.

2. We can sleep through the night.

3. Only 2 suitcases to pack.

4. We can get up and go whenever and wherever we feel like it.

5. No diapers or barf.

6. No macaroni and cheese.

7. I get to watch Disney movies because I WANT TO!

8. Blissfully shopping.

9. Clean car.

10. I get to keep my parents all to myself.

11. We are the favorite aunt and uncle.

12. More time to spend with each other.

13. I don't have to get anyone ready for church but me.

14. I only have to entertain one person during sacrament meeting- Tim. :)

15. No diapers or barf.

However, there are disadvantages... for example...I think that my husband will be the greatest dad ever! My parents deserve to have more grandkids. I want to sew baby clothes. All of our friends have kids and hang out with other people that HAVE KIDS. There are so many negatives about this whole situation, but there are also a lot of positives. So for those of you that feel bad for me, stop. I am happy. I am blissfully happy. How many girls get to be married to Superman? (who, might I add, is my best friend in the whole world..) And maybe, someday, I'll even have a cat! ;)

Hugs and kisses to all!

Things that make a small town girl happy...

I have officially decided that there is no better way to spend a weekend than doing things that make you smile. Life is way too short to stress out about all of the garbage. So, this weekend, I took a break from the fast lane that I call my life and spent my Saturday having fun. Tim and I went to the "grown-up" side of the Idaho Falls Roaring Youth Jam. We went to the car show, watched the boat races and had a heck of a time! It helped me re-discover that simple things really can make you smile! I am so in love with Tim, with being outside, with classic cars, with life! Funny, how a few shiny cars, a snowcone and spending the day with your best friend can make all the little annoyances and stresses in your life dissappear!

Newest Shenanigans of the Jennings Family...

SHENANIGANS OF THE JENNINGS FAMILY!

Hopefully, you haven't noticed that I have been neglecting my blog. However, I am making amends right this minute while I should be working, because honestly...I would rather do this(tee hee)

We have had a busy, crazy summer already. Yellowstone with the parents (Tim's), to Boise for Dustin's graduation, to Henry's Lake and Yellowstone and all over the country with Becky and family AND Girls' Camp. I have recently taken to photographing everything as opposed to writing it down, so hopefully, you enjoy the pictures~

Here is the whole fam at the zoo-minus the picture taker...(me.)

Then, after the zoo to the ice cream parlor, to fatten ourselves with creamy, dairy, goodness. I think that maybe Jared enjoyed it more than the rest of us.... :)

Here we are at Bear World-obviously "beary" happy to be there....

More to come - stay tuned. Same bat time, same bat channel!

NEW BLOG!

Okay, I am soooo over looking at everyone else's displays of homemaker-y-ness. So, check out my new blog listed below...awesome embroidery patterns today!

http://www.katiescraftiness.blogspot.com/

Tribute to my Mommy.

M is for Momface, Mama and Marie.

O is for OhBoy, OhNo, Oh Brother and Otha Motha.

T is for Turkey, Treats, Trouble maker, and thank you so much.

H is for Hairbrush-you know, the one you beat me with. :-)

E is for Eggplant Suit and everything-which is what you are to me.

R is for Rowdy, Rambunctious, Respected, Revered, and Retarded (which is what your kids are.)

Mom-I could have written something tender and touching and completely unlike me, but who are we kidding? I am no good at that. Thank you for being the best mom anyone could ever have. I love you more than I can say. (even though you did beat me with a hairbrush...)

To all the rest of the moms: (including mine...) Thank you for your timeless devotion and selfless actions.

April Highlights

Oh my gosh! It's already May! April totally flew by for me and I didn't even do anything horribly exciting!
Easter came and went without much celebration-because, really? Who wants to see two adults outside looking for eggs in their jammies? We did dye eggs with our favorite cohorts-Nate and Jess. It was interesting. Tim and Nathan are always good for laughs and dirty jokes when we decorate ANYTHING-be it cookies, eggs, cakes, gingerbread houses-together. They're just a couple of knot heads if you ask me.
My mom came down for a while and we did the whole nursing home thing. We played piano and made Grandma proud. It's still tough for me to do that-I used to play for my Grandpa and still think of him often whenever I play. We also got to see my sister in law Crystal (love her!) and my sweet, gorgeous, perfect niece Palin. I just love to hold her and play with her and talk to her and everything! She is so precious and I adore her.
My little (but bigger than me) brother turned 23 on the 30th. I can still remember when he was just a little munchkin. I remember the day my mom and dad brought him home. From the minute I met him, he was MY baby. He is still one of my very best friends and I don't know what I would ever do without him.
The very last day or two of April , Tim's parents came down. We went to Yellowstone and I met some buffalo face to face. Yikes! Thanks Tim for rolling the window down. It was a beautiful day and we had SOOOO much fun. It was fun to see Tim's mom in a different environment and capacity. I always knew that she was fun, I just didn't ever realize how much fun! And it was good to see Tim so happy!
Welp, can't think of much else-so there you go!

Fab Five

five
THE FAB FIVE:OK! So this is how this works...The first 5 people to respond to this post will receive something made by me, just for you. Of course there are some restrictions and limitations:1. I make no guarantees that you will like what I make! :)2. What I create will be just for you.3. It will be done some time within the next year :)4. You have no clue what it will be... Could be lint from my dryer :D) Who knows? Not you, that's for sure. ;-) 5. I reserve the right to do something extremely strange.6. I will send it anywhere! It doesn't matter where you live!The catch? The catch is that you must repost this on your own blog and offer the same to the first 5 people who do the same on their blog. The first 5 people to do so and leave a comment telling me they did will win a FAB-U-LOUS homemade gift by me!!

March Highlights

Okay, so I am very aware that I am slacking this month in the world of blog. So, here are the highlights....

March 2nd- Jamie and Danno's 7th Anniversary

March 13th- Trip to Nephi for Derek Timothy's birthday. We bought him a horse that makes noise. Yay for Uncle Tim and Uncle Katie. No, I did not make a mistake. I walked into the room and this is what came out of his sweet little mouth..."UNCLE KATIE! There her is!!" Then, his parents convinced the little scamp to name his new horse, what else, Uncle Katie.

March 18th- Ice cream day with Rachel. I have not laughed so hard for a very long time. I hate that you are leaving, my Rachel Ann. I will miss you bunches.

March 20th- Anitques and lunch with Jenn face. Wow, I love other people's junk. Tim took me to Bubba's Barbecue for dinner. Oh my yummy.

March 21st- Shopping Saturday with Jess. I found the cutest bunny lamp and had to have it for my Easter decorations. I got to go to all the fun places that I never get to go to with my husband. Thank you Jess.

March 22nd- Taught sharing time. Wow, lots of kids. Listened to little primary singers. Made life worthwhile. Had the Noah's Ark lesson....I made an ark out of posterboard! Yay!

March 24th- The beginning of my "I am going to make dinner" project. So far, successful.

March 27th- (that's today) My mom is coming to visit! I am so flipping excited!

So, there it is....the highlights of March. Let's hope that April proves to be a touch warmer and Spring shows itself. Love you all!

What I Need...

I found this highly entertaining....try it! it's fun!

Here’s how it works: Google “[your first name] needs” and share the first 10 results.
That's it: it is that simple. But be honest! These are actual quotes from the top ten results.
Tag the person who tagged you, and pass it on...


1. Katie needs...HULA LESSONS. (right....)
2. Katie needs...YOUR HELP. (no really, I do...)
3. Katie needs...TO WORK ON HER POSTURE. (whatever.)
4. Katie needs...TO BE ON HER OWN. (okay, that's really true.)
5. Katie needs...AUSTRALIA.
6. Katie needs...TO SMILE. (with my newly cleaned teeth...shiny!)
7. Katie needs...PARENTING CLASSES. (what the heck for?)
8. Katie needs...NEW JEANS. (levi's preferably..)
9. Katie needs...TO HIT THE RESET BUTTON.
10.Katie needs...DESSERTS. (no kidding.)

Okay, now it's your turn. Copy, paste, fill in. Not too hard. Consider yourself tagged.

Love, Love, LOVE!

Happy Valentine's Day! I think that sometimes I focus a lot on the negative....on the drama, on the things that don't matter. So, I thought that I would try and list some of the things that I love!

1. My Husband-He is the best thing that has ever happened to me. No Joke. He may be obnoxious at times (shocker...) but he knows me better than anyone-what I need, how to make me laugh. He is so supportive and kind.

2. My Family-I have the best family anyone could ever ask for. I have an amazing mother and a wonderful father. My brothers are awesome! I have the best in-laws ever...no kidding. And my nieces and nephews...don't even get me started!

3. The Church- Families can be together forever? Thank you. What better thing to strive for? The promise of that is enough for me.

4. My sunbeams- I love my sunbeam class. They are so sweet and open to learning. And really, there is nothing better than hearing my sunbeams sing primary songs at the top of their lungs.

5. My job- Sure, it's stressful, but what isn't? I cannot think of a better use of my time at this point in my life. I have wanted to work here since I was a little girl and now I'm here!

6. My friends- You know who you are. I love you and would not be the person that I am without you. (and your cute kids...)

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Something...

1. Something I want to see: Italy, the Eiffel Tower, a Yankees game, a Broncos game, my husband as someone's daddy, my family to all be happy.
2. Something that inspires me: Priesthood, family, my husband's patience, my mother.
3. Something that makes me angry: people that are okay with abortion, ignorance, assumptions that don't make sense, complete stupidity.
4. Something that hurts a little: being ignored.
5. Something I've gotten used to: not being perfect all the time.
6. Something I collect: water globes, movies, memories,
7. Something I always carry with me: cell phone, purse, hair brush.
8. Something I want to be: Someone important. A good wife. Somebody's mother.
9. Something I dread: going to work.
10. Something that I have learned: to be patient, to be more understanding, to be okay with who I am.
11. Something I read: books. any.
12. Something I want to understand: everything. I question everything.
13. Someone I'm going to tag: Anyone caught reading this (Yes, that means YOU!) [Directions: copy and paste this into your text window, then erase my answers and add your own.]

I wish they all could be California Girls....NOT!

No offense to my Cali friends, but I am thankful to be a small town girl. I was away from home for 6 whole days! YUCK. For those of you who don't know, I was at the NAMM show in Anaheim CA. Now, seriously. The weather was beautiful, the food is great, the events were exciting, the show was great. However, I was so glad to get home, I cried the last ten minutes of my flight into IF. Seeing Tim at the airport was the highlight of my year. (so far...)I had forgotten how much I love him and need him on a daily basis just to talk with or hold hands with. Sounds silly, but I really mean it. I am not a fan of traffic or smoking or alcohol everywhere I look or people who don't like Mormons. I am not a fan of the neverending sea of trashy celebrity seekers who look like a) they haven't showered. b) they forgot half of their clothes at home and c) really should be wearing more clothes...for jiggling reasons. Also, I experienced some new things while there. I ate Kobe Beef-which is super tasty. I watched someone eat soup that had something's face in it. I ate Creme Brulee. Yum. I went on my first lesbian date, I think. Not so great. Weird, awkward, actually. Un-fun. Also, I was the only white person in a restaurant. I've never had that happen before. Really. The biggest thing again, was how much I realized that Tim is the center of my world. I missed my bed, family, tv, etc, but none of those compare to how much I missed my husband. I am so glad to be home and back in my little bitty town. Thank you IF for being just the right size!

SURPRISE!

I DID IT! I kept a secret from my beloved for a whole month! My sweet hubby turned the BIG 3-0 on New Years Day. Holy cow. That sounds really old when you write it down. Yikes. Well, anyhow, for the first time in my life, I successfully threw a SWEET surprise party. I successfully invited his family and cooked and decorated (with the help of his awesome sisters and mom...) without ever telling him! It was pretty fun, with the exception of some depressing news in the middle. It was good to see family and people that we haven't seen in a very long time...(little Larry). So, happy birthday to Tim and....it was Rachel's birthday too! So, happy birthday to Rachel, also.