HOLIDAY RECAP....

All's well that ends well and in this house... Christmas ended well and now I am done with it. The decorations are coming down and the house is resuming its regular day to day craziness that we know and love.

I am so glad we chose to get mostly outdoor toys and games for the kids this year. I have to practically beg them to come inside way after dark and they are begging to go out way too early. Food is no longer essential to them and anything having to do with indoor electronics is a non-essential right now! I LOVE IT! It gets me out of the house too!! (Although I seem to be the one constantly cleaning up after the kids' messes outside too...hmmmmmmm!)

At any rate, we had a wonderful Christmas Eve with Grammie and Grampie Jensen and the Sutton Family. The boys all played well together and Binky enjoyed being the only girl that seem to be lavished with hugs every 3 minutes or so! Christmas Eve just seems to be getting better and better each year as our kids get older and play better together!

Christmas Day was insane. That is nothing unusual for us. The only problem was that Jax and Binky woke up at 0315 hrs and went down stairs to "check" the status of Santa. With Jax huffing and puffing from running upstairs so fast and Brinkley breathless... they begged us to start Christmas. I finally gave in and told them to pick one present to open in our room since Pudgie was still asleep. That completely backfired and 45 seconds after the presents were unwrapped Pudgie shuffled in and asked if Santa came. We let it go from there and our craziness started.

By 0530 we were pretty much zombies and we all went back to bed. By 0930 we were up and ready to start Christmas Day! I love hosting Christmas every year for everyone. This was the first year I actually did everything to prepare and cook the prime rib. My Daddy usually does the seasoning and brings it over to cook in my oven. This year I get all the credit for cooking the 18 pound hunk of cow to pure perfection!!!

I am pretty sure the kids got everything their hearts desired and then some. Tommy and I are pleased as punch with our new laptop notebook, netbook and desktop computer that will replace three other ones so the kids will have their own now!

We may be blessed with "things" each year that passes, but I always make sure our family knows the real meaning of Christmas and is thankful for everything God has given us and continues to teach us daily! We are a lucky family on all sides.

We missed our California family that could not be with us this year. Gampie Ken is on leave from Afghanistan and this is his first Christmas home in too many years. We understand how he just wanted to be HOME with Grammie. We still love and miss you guys terribly!

~SANTA SNEEK PEEK~

OUR CHRISTMAS MORNING ACTUALLY STARTED AT 0315 HRS. AS IS ALWAYS THE CASE IN OUR HOME......SANTA IS CERTIFIABLY CRAZY... AND WE LOVE IT!!!

Push overs

Yep, it is official... Tommy and I are suckers for a sweet simle, a ton of begging and big baby hugs from all three of our crumb-snatchers. Everyone got to open one present early tonight!

Unfortunately, one little crumbsnatcher peeked this morning and found the one present that was not wrapped, in my closet, covered with a sheet, early this morning, as I slept. (They had been banned from the closet two weeks ago... but what 4 year old would really remember that?) My bad, I should have put it in Tommy's garage.He got another present today and I learned my lesson!

A THOUGHT~

I tend to write about cop things and I think some people don't understand why. Well, besides the fact that I was one, and he is one and our life revolves around it. In reality, I write about it because most, at best, don't live in reality.

Most won't admit that their kids need to learn about drugs. Reality is, they are in our kids' school and my kids, they know all about em. Most won't admit bad things happen. Really, really bad things, even on Christmas Eve. Reality is, Tommy saw it this morning, which brings me to this post.

One of the most known things in cop world is, suicide rates go up starting around Thanksgiving and then skyrocket around Christmas. It is a hard known and sad fact. I joked about it two weeks ago. I told Tommy that he would be getting some 901's (dead bodies) since Christmas was sneaking up on us, and way too fast. It bit me today. (My ability to see the future, that is.)

I have been talking about the meaning of Christmas a lot with the kiddo's every night. Watching a wife and mother of 4 lay her Police Officer husband to rest, the day before Christmas Eve, strikes a bad place with me. I cried watching the news yesterday and then held tight to Brinkley as she wiped my tears and told her, "That could have been you and Daddy and Jaxi, so long ago." How will that family move on? And how will Christmas ever, ever bring them joy again?

Last night, as the love of my life left, he was giddy with excitement that he would be home right after shift to get some sleep and to have our best Christmas ever. We are enjoying the years he has both days off since they only come around every decade or so. I anxiously locked myself in my room and had wrapping paper everywhere as I listened for snoopers at my door. With all three finally asleep, I gave up and just covered the last 20 or so gifts and called it a night. A few heartfelt texts between Tommy and I and I fell asleep.

It was way past shift end when Tommy walked through the door. I knew that was a bad sign. Reality struck at 0400 hrs this morning when he responded to a call that broke his heart. The holidays were too much for a woman with three little ones (the baby is only 3 months) a husband and a beautiful home. While I will spare the details, she took her own life in the garage, and if she does not pass away on her own, someone will have to make the heart-wrenching choice to do it for her. Her brain is now mush.

REALITY!

My kids heard the story. I cried again. Brinkley asked if there was a Daddy. Tommy hopes they wait to take her off life support until after the Christmas holiday so the babies lives are not ruined when Christmas comes each year.

Some days I don't want to hear these kinds of things but the reality for us is, he needs to talk about them to keep the sanity. Other days I drink in every detail so I can remember, so I can be thankful, so I can teach our kids, so I can stop and realize how darn luck my family is. It is so easy for me to forget what I have seen. I want my kids to know that life is not all about the pretty bows and things that are nice. Life outside our little street is not nice, people are not always nice and bad things happen, even to good people.

I know it is Christmas and I should be saying things like Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas, but the reality is that it is not always Happy, some may not have Christmas that includes gifts like the wise men brought and some will have to learn to just cope this season.

It is a good reality that reels me back from the wrapping paper and hustle and bustle of the next few days and makes me stop and just love what I have and pray for those that don't.

P.S. if You have not watched the video from the last post, I have attached it here as well. You may not drink, but most of the time, it is not the drunk driver that gets hurt. Be Safe This Season!

A SOBERING THOUGHT! BE SAFE!

This video is a production of the Australia Transportation Accident Commission. The commission is a government run insurance program that covers the medical costs for traffic crash victims. This video should choke up even the most hardened cop. Thank you for your Holiday DUI Task Force participation this year. Every impaired driver arrested is a potential tragedy averted.

http://www.wikio.com/video/2305796

A JENSEN KIND OF 2009

As the year comes to a close I can hardly wrap my mind around all the things this family has done and been through in the past 12 months. It has gone by way too fast to even begin to describe.

We have had a busy year, to say the least. Travel seemed to be the main theme of 2009 for all of us. Trips to the snow seemed to be a family favorite in the beginning.

Tommy and I were lucky enough to sneak off to Las Vegas twice this year, without the little ones. As always, we celebrated our anniversary there a little early in April so we could attend a friends wedding. We also headed back for a birthday celebration where I got to spend time with my best friend from elementary, Jr high and High School. It was an awesome reunion.

I surprised Tommy with a new car in April. It was an exciting time for him. I have never in my life been able to do something like that so I was just as excited. It is his dream car (this week) so hopefully it keeps him happy for a while.

I flew back to Chicago for a dear friend of mines graduation from Law school in May. It was wonderful to watch her walk and catch up on life with her. It had been a long time since I had seen her so we spent a lot of time laughing and then shopping. Of course, when in Chicago, one must eat everything!! And that we did.

When I returned home from Chicago, Tommy surprised me with a new Escalade, which then became our worst nightmare. Four Cadillacs, one Mercedes, and five months later we finally ended up with the one we call "ours." She is a beauty!

When the school year ended we surprised the kids with a trip up to Jerome. It is the little town literally built on the side of a mountain. It was amazing to watch the kids learn about the town's history and hope for ghosts to show themselves in the haunted hospital we were staying in since it had been renovated into a hotel!

The summer seemed to fly by with trips to water parks and outings with the kids. Pudgie learned to swim and Jax seemed to eat us out of house and home as he grew and grew. The kids started school in July and the littlest Jensen started pre-school. I thought I would be lost without him home. Not even close. I love the days he is gone and the ones he is home I love even more now!!

October brought on the big whopperdoodle of a trip. We were fortunate enough to spend 8 wonderful days on a cruise to the Mexican Riviera. We went to Mazatlan, Puerta Vallarta, and Cabo. It was amazing. The kids were wonderful and loved exploring the ship. Only half of us got sea sick and the other half got land sick after the trip.

The year has been a great one for Tommy at work. He keeps busy with a squad that is the most productive in the entire department! Unfortunately, he has lost a few officers who have chosen to move on with their careers into different areas and on to new squads. While he is sad to lose them, he is excited for them to move forward! We wish them all the luck and safety in the world!

As we fell into the holiday season we took a trip to the Polar Express in Williams. Pudgie loved it while the older ones, well, they seemed to just play along for the sake of all the little kiddos. The snowball fights were really the main attraction for us!

As 2009 comes to a close, I realize how fortunate my family is. We are all healthy, we are all happy, the kids are doing awesome in school and Tommy continues to thrive at work. That is really all I can ask for without feeling greedy!

We wish you all a wonderful 2010 and hope your holidays are happy and safe!

Love,
The Jensen Family
Tommy, DeAnna, Jax, Binky, and Pudgie

~Early Christmas~

Tommy and I wanted our kids to get away from the millions of little toys that get thrown away after a month, this Christmas. Convincing everyone to go along with us became a group effort.

This year we had all the grammies and grampies go in on a springless trampoline, or "JUMPOLINE" as Pudgie calls it, with us.

It arrived this morning, on schedule, and we figured it was best to put it up, rather than even attempt to hide this baby.

Plus, I just wanted to have it up so the kids could play on it during break!!! (Because let's face it, it really gives me a break to not have them whining inside there is nothing to do!!!)

It was 100% a family effort to get this puppy up. It looks cool and is awesome to play on!

Thank you Grammie and Grampie's Alkire, Jensen, Busia and Dzja Dzja!

WE believe................

Santa is forever in our house.

If you don't believe, you are present-less on Christmas. That goes for adults as well as crumbsnatchers.

I have never stopped believing in the man.

Tommy has been re-convinced and my 3 munchies will never doubt Santa and all his plans.

Just to make sure, we semi-surprised them with a little trip up north......to the

POLAR EXPRESS!

A huge storm came through this past weekend and lasted pretty much all week. I had begged for snow during prayers and for forgivness for lying point blank to my kiddos faces. We told them we were letting them take Thursday and Friday off for family time at home because of great grades. The part about family time and great grades was 100% true, but we were not wasting a wonderfully chilly weekend inside the confines of our house!

I had started planning this trip last December but could not book it until July 1st because of a new reservation schedule with the hotel. July 1st came and went and I was starting to panic because their system was not up and running...... Finally I was able to make the reservation around the 8th of July and found myself trying to figure out how I was going to keep this baby a secret.

I was completely devastated when Jaxi was trying to help me with my crutches when I dislocated my knee and he read my day timer/ calendar planner. I saw him looking but was so out of it from the pain that putting 2 and 2 together took me like 5 minutes. When he grabbed my hand and asked, "what's this?" I knew he had read, "<-POLAR EXPRESS CONFIRMATION # 679654->" AND SAW THAT WE WERE TAKING THURSDAY, FRIDAY AND SATURDAY TO GO UP NORTH. WHEN WILL I LEARN THAT JAX AND BRINKLEY ARE BIG?

THE GLOW IN HIS EYES WAS AMAZING. HE NOW HAD A SECRET AND HE COULDN'T STOP SMILING. ALL I COULD SAY WAS, "NOW YOU KNOW WHY I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS STORM DOWN HERE.........AND ALL THE SNOW UP NORTH!!!"

WE HAD PURPOSELY PLANNED ONE WHOLE DAY AT THE HOTEL BEFORE THE TRAIN RIDE TO SWIM AND HOPEFULLY PLAY IN SNOW IF THEY HAD IT........ AND SNOW THERE WAS..................TONS OF IT.........EVERYWHERE!

SWIMMING WAS NOT NECESSARY. ALL ANYYONE WANTED TO DO WAS THROW SNOWBALLS AND MAKE SNOW ANGELS!

WE BUILT A FORT BEHIND THE TRAIN DEPOT, THREW SNOWBALLS UNTIL THE WEE HOURS OF THE MORNING, WALKED THROUGH THE TOWN OF WILLIAMS, SHOPPED, ATE DELICIOUS MEXICAN FOOD, THREW MORE SNOWBALLS AND HAD A WONDERFUL FAMILY VACATION THAT ENDED WITH A VERY UNSUCCESSFUL TRIP UP TO THE GRAND CANYON. IT WAS ALMOST 20 BELOW ZERO WITH THE WIND CHILL AND THE CANYON WAS COMPLETELY FOGGED OVER... BUT WE MADE UP FOR IT WITH A STOP AT THE FLINTSTONE VILLAGE... ONE OF MY FAVORITE PLACES TO VISIT.

ALL IN ALL, THIS TRIP WAS A HUGE HIT... EVEN IF BRINKLEY KNOWS THAT THIS NORTH POLE WAS MADE OF CARDBOARD AND STICKS AND JAXI KNOWS THE TIME TUNNEL FOR TRAVEL WAS A BUNCH OF LIGHTS JUST THROWN TOGETHER ON A WALL.

WE STILL LOVED IT AND

WE ALL DO BELIEVE!!!!!