Annual Texas Beach Trip | Port Aransas

Each year our family drives 3 hours down to the beach with Blake's side of the family and it's always a great time with cousins, waves, food, and general relaxation.  This year, Tyler Bree went fishing with the boys and had a blast!  Somehow, that girl can catch some fish...every time she goes, she's just got the magic touch.  We also spent lots of time jumping waves, swimming, and hanging out together as an extended family.
For our anniversary, Blake recently got me a new GoPro Hero5, which was definitely broken-in on this trip...check out our little video!


Are you headed to the beach this summer! Where is your favorite!


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Utah Family Ski Vacation

Happy New Year Friends!!!  How the heck are ya'?  After taking pretty much the entire month of December off, it's good to be back.  We've had quite the eventful last couple of weeks and it's so refreshing to start anew and look forward to a new year!
The week before Christmas, we headed up to Utah for some skiing, sledding, tubing, Christmas activities, and much more.  We were up there for about a week and had a blast.  Being around snow during Christmastime made it seem so much more festive, you know?  (Side eye to Texas weather in the high 70s.)
Check out our tubing video and some of the pictures from our trip.  Lots were taken with my iphone, so I might do another post with those once I upload them...but who ever does that anymore, right? ;)



Out of all the ski resorts within 30 minutes of where we stayed in Utah, we chose to ski/ride at Brighton Resort.  Brighton was very reasonably priced and pretty easy to navigate in terms of rentals, lift tickets, ski school, etc.  The two youngest took a half day of lessons and the two big girls remembered their last two times skiing pretty well, so didn't do school.  I was so impressed with the ski school and instructors...those people are saints!  Brighton was also really accessible in terms of driving up into the mountains, rather than staying there.  In other words, it's not a huge resort like a Park City or Vail would be.  Simple and perfect for all of our skiing abilities.

How did you spend YOUR holidays???




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Holiday Birthday Celebration | Christmas Cookies

With all the craziness of the holiday season, Blakely's birthday sometimes seems to get neglected a bit.  This year on her birthday we debarked our Disney cruise in the morning, drove home, and finished the day with a Christmas/Birthday party at my in-law's.  The cookie decorating is a Christmas tradition that the kids look forward to every year.  We all had a great time and I think Blakely felt special on her big day.  She was thrilled to get an electric scooter (which now all the other 3 are putting on their list for Santa)!

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Disney Cruise Video | 2016

Hi Friends!!!!  We are still recovering from being back in the "real world" after a week off for Thanksgiving, followed immediately by our week-long "Merry-Time" Disney cruise!  This was our third Disney Cruise and was the BEST YET!  We made so many great family memories and got to experience lots of new things we hadn't seen/done before when cruising with Disney.  I'll write up an official "review & favorites" post later, but for now, check out our video will all the highlights! (Fair warning: It's a tad lengthy.)




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Holiday Family Traditions

Traditions link families, give a sense of belonging and identity, and at their root define who we all are.  I'm always interested to hear other families' traditions because there are so many wonderful ones we can add to our family.  My hope is that going into the holiday season, maybe some of us can be inspired to adopt new traditions that unite and bond our families in wonderful memories.  Here are a few of my favorites...some my family has done for generations, others Blake and I started with our little family.  Let me know if we have any similar!

*** The below post is from the archives, but I thought it's a great reminder this time of year! ***

Thanksgiving Traditions:

• This year we're starting a new Thanksgiving tradition of a Thankful Tree.  I plan to cut out a big brown tree and paste it on poster board...then cut out a lot of little, multi-colored leaves on which we'll write things we're thankful for.  We'll probably start this as an FHE, but then throughout the month, everyone can continue adding things (leaves) they're thankful for.  What a great reminder of all our blessings!  (I got the idea from here.)

via

• We normally have a traditional Thanksgiving dinner...turkey, dressing, salad, rolls, veggies, pumpkin pie, pecan pie, etc.  But one thing I especially love about my family gatherings (on my dad's side) is playing music.  All of my family is very musically talented, so naturally, everyone brings their instruments and the get together ends with lot of singing, picking, and carrying on.  Hopefully this tradition continues even with my dad being gone...he loved playing the guitar.

• In years past, my daughters and I have facilitated a diaper drive combined with a bake sale fundraiser.  This little act of service, however minimally impactful it may be, teaches my children about helping others and using our talents, energy and resources for good.  Last fall we didn't do the diaper drive, however writing this here will make sure it happens this year...I need to get on it!  This type of service can be applied to anything, not just diapers...get creative. *This year's diaper drive going on NOW!

• Um....Black Friday sales, anyone???  Yep.  And Cyber Monday for sho'!

Christmas Traditions:

• We love making yummy hot chocolate and driving around looking at Christmas lights....with the windows down and Christmas music playing!  Longest running tradition for the Jansens!

• Every year on Christmas Eve, we gift our children new PJs.  This tradition started when I was little...we got to open one gift on Christmas Eve.  We've adapted this to specifically be PJs.  My kids look forward to this each year!  I usually find some good deals...need to get looking!

• Elf on the Shelf.  This tradition is fun for the kids...but geez...he gets on my nerves.  This year he isn't making an appearance until much later.  Last year he arrived on December 1!!!!

• We do a family night reading the Christmas story and acting out the nativity with our kids.  This not only makes for special memories, but also reaffirms for our children the meaning and purpose of why we celebrate Christmas. 

• We plan to institute this tradition Blake grew up with once our kids are a bit older:  On Christmas Eve when everyone was asleep, the kids would try to sneak down the hall to get a "peek" at the gifts.  BUT, Blake's dad would have booby trapped the entire hallway so that the kids would inevitably trip one of the obstacles and make a sound, then scamper back to bed before their parents woke up...then repeat.  Think: rattling coffee cans and fishing wire.  Genius!  Blake has such fond memories of this tradition!

I could probably go on, but I'll cut it off there.  I love traditions.  I see now that they're even more special as a parent.  Let's kick this holiday season into high gear!!!!!  Happy Tradition-Making!

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Refugee Diaper Drive | 2016

Hi Friends!!!  Today I want to share something that is close to my heart.  My family and I have put on diaper drives in years past (supposed to be annually, but LIFE), which benefitted local women's shelters.  I remember when I first learned about the lack of sufficient diapers there are for babies and toddlers in need...I was aghast.  Since then, it's been a cause to which my family and I have wanted to contribute our time and resources helping alleviate.

This year, we are once again holding a diaper drive, but this time it will benefit local refugees.  We are going through the Refugee Services of Texas organization, who are SO appreciative of any donations of this nature.  I spoke with two ladies who work there and both repeatedly emphasized how significant of a need diapers are.  It just about breaks my heart to think of little ones having to sit in a dirty diaper for an extended period of time or mothers having to "clean out" and reuse disposable diapers.  Did you know that sometimes babies in poverty have to wear one diaper for an entire day?! Additionally, lack of sufficient diapers is a major stress for mothers.  There is a dire need for compassion and humanity with refugees, who are trying their best to adjust, integrate, and make the best of their situations.  Our hope is that by donating a basic need such as diapers, their stresses of displaced life can be reduced. 
Our 2016 Diaper Drive will be held on Saturday, November 19, 9am-11am (please message me for our address).  For local friends, you may drop off diapers on this day or arrange for a drop-off prior for your convenience.  My daughters will also be selling baked goods (yummy, holiday-themed ones!), which proceeds will go to purchasing diapers as well.  For online donations, please use the below "donate" button.  Any and all support is greatly appreciated!  Our goal is to be able to donate $1000 worth of diapers to the Refugee Services of Texas...and I'm confident we can do it in the next two weeks!  Thank you in advance for your support!

Ways to help:

• Spread the word by sharing this post!

• Local friends can drop diapers off at my home (or arrange pick-up) and come to our bake sale!

• Donate here:

(For recaps of previous years' drives, check out my posts HERE and HERE.)

Halloween 2016

Is it too soon to break out my Charlie Brown Christmas CD?  Nah!!!!

You know what?  Although we had a great Halloween, including all the festivities leading up to it, I'm so glad it's over!  I don't know what it was about this year, but man, it did a number on us!  We had Red Ribbon Week (which we got through by the skin of our teeth) and then our church's Trunk-or-Treat, and capped it off last night with pumpkin carving and Trick-or-Treating around the neighborhood.  Whew.

Our kids had a blast though and totally owned their individual outfits.  Maybe next year we'll get back to doing a family theme for costumes, but these totally worked!  We had Hermoine, a doctor/surgeon, Rey, and Kylo Ren! It was a mini-milestone kind of night, as we actually sat outside and passed out candy.  This was mainly due to the fact that our kids were okay to just walk around the block and then be done with trick-or-treating.  It was a first for us and we kinda liked it!  We will see what next year brings.

And on that note of next year...I'll have a middle-schooler.  I have some mixed feelings about the appropriate ages for trick-or-treating.  So tell me...

What age should kids stop trick-or-treating???

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Texas Beach Vacation - A Family Tradition

We took our annual Jansen Family beach trip a couple of weekends ago and had a blast!  Each year, Blake's parents treat us to several days down at Port Aransas with the entire extended family.  Lots of fun, sun, and kids!  This year, the beach was really nice and clean...which for Texas beaches can go either way from year to year or month to month.  You never know what you're going to get, so this was a blessing to have such nice conditions.

We also celebrated Bennett's birthday while down there.  He requested a red and blue Star Wars cake, and we got exactly that!!!!  It was so yummy and perfect!  We opened gifts and celebrated with pretty much whatever he wanted to do that day...which was stay in the condo and watch T.V.  Ha!!!!

He requested a Minion BOB from Build-A-Bear for his actual gift, so we have yet to make the trip up to the mall for that.  Maybe today.  We'll see.

After a super busy start to summer (Youth Conference, beach trip, etc), we finally feel like summer has begun this week!  Hallelujah!  I went to bed at 9:30 last night and woke up at 9am this morning...WHAT!?!?!?!?  Hello Summer, I kinda like you.

-What has your family been up this summer so far? -Does the beginning of summer (plus the end-of-school craziness) ever make you want year-round school?




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Making Time for Family Fun

Have you ever thought of WHY certain families want to be together?....Want to spend time together and often would rather be with each other than with friends?

I'm currently reading a book titled "Power Parenting" and it devotes an entire chapter to the importance of having fun as a family.  This is something, until recently, we haven't consciously done.  Sure we go on family trips and do the bigger things that are fun and bonding for our family...but this suggests it should be a common, everyday occurrence or general feeling within our families.  That's a pretty tall order, isn't it?  I mean, with the daily stresses of work, school, activities, keeping an orderly house, crankiness, sibling conflict, etc...It can be quite the challenge to make "fun" a priority.  But as I've been reading this book, we've decided to give it our committed best shot.

This past weekend after the stock show sale, we headed out for a little hike in San Marcos....on a clear, bright, 80 degree Texas winter day. (insert major eye roll)  Blake and I had agreed beforehand that we were going to make it as fun (and as pleasant) as we could...meaning overlooking things the kids said/did that we'd normally get onto them for.  And we were SURE there'd be some complaining.  But thankfully, all went well and the only major issue was full bladders needing a place to go.  ;)

My hope (and plan) is that we can make time to incorporate these "little" things more often to create a fun vibe for our kids.  We want our kids to want to be around us...and want them to know how to have fun doing wholesome activities.  As I've learned from "Power Parenting", having fun together creates a sense of security, fosters humor, relieves tension, and can have a healing effect when those outside forces wear us down....Which really is something we all innately know, am I right?  Most of us don't need a book to tell us about our basic human need for fun, belonging, and family...We know it because we've felt it ourselves.  Fun brings happiness, and happiness is one of our main goals in life!

"Men are, that they might have joy."
(2 Nephi 2:25)

>>>What ways does your family have fun together???




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Christmas Day Recap

Yes, I'm still catching up from Christmas.  I took at LOOOONG break from blogging in December and I'm slowing easing my way back into it.  2015 was such a remarkable year, I'll have to devote an entire blog post to what all happened over the last 12 months, but today, I'm sharing some of my favorite photos from Christmas Day.

We decided, in an effort to take the focus OFF the gifts on Christmas morning, we would let the kids see what Santa brought them and then save the rest for later.  Instead, we acted out the nativity, watched a special devotional on Christ, and read the Christmas story in the Bible on Christmas morning.  Then we ate a nice, yummy Christmas breakfast and went on a bike ride as a family.  This was the first year we've done something like this as a family, and I definitely want to continue the tradition in years to come.  It's all too easy for the kids to get wrapped up in the presents (pun unintended), that without conscious and intentional effort, the true meaning can become a 2nd focus rather than the entire reason for the holiday.  It was such a special day for us and I hope we can keep the spirit of Christmas with us throughout the entire year!

What ways did your family bring more focus to Christ this Christmas?

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First Day of School Family Traditions

The first day of school is always a blur of excitement, rush, and nerves...and yesterday was no exception.  If anything, it carried a bit more weight than the usual first day of school...for two reasons.  One, our oldest has been homeschooled the past year and a half.  Putting her back in public school is a choice we are confident about, however, I still had a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach as I walked out of her new classroom yesterday.  Big feelings, people.  And second, our youngest daughter started kindergarten yesterday.  Thankfully, she has the same kinder teacher the other two have had, so I know she's in good hands.  But then...there's just me and the little guy left at home.  *tear*

Okay, enough of my pity party and back to the first day of school business.  We all agree it's pretty exciting all-around...but wouldn't it be awesome if our children remembered those feelings of excitement and just how special each new year was to them?  In our family, we believe strong family traditions do just that.  Associating a repeated tradition (that's probably redundant) with what we hope to be a memorable experience for them, will help etch those memories in their still-developing minds, while also forging stronger family bonds.  Can you tell I'm a big fan of traditions? ;)  So today...the 2nd day of school...I'd like to share our family's first day of school traditions.

First Day of School Traditions:

• Father's Blessings - In our church, the men hold the priesthood and can administer using that authority and power.  One of the ways they can use their priesthood is by giving blessings...and in this case, special father's blessings.  The night before the first day of school, we all sit and listen while one-by-one, he blesses his children for the coming year.  These are beautiful and personal blessings...and I look forward to it each year!

• Cinnamon Rolls for Breakfast - This year I was surprised that each one of our kids assumed I'd be making cinnamon rolls Sunday afternoon...they remembered our tradition!  I have a killer recipe that I just love.  (The Pioneer Woman recipe is also a great one.)  Each morning on the first day of school, we have a breakfast of cinnamon rolls (plus some kind of protein) and also make a plate of rolls for each of their teachers to wish them a happy first day of school, too!

• Official "First Day of School" Pictures - I shared on my photography FB page that this year I started a tradition of back-to-school photos for each of my kids.  These were taken before school started as a remembrance of what they looked like at their respective ages...kind of like a mini photo-shoot off my front porch.  But THEN, there's the real deal.  The "right before you leave" photos taken on the first day.  They're absolute musts.  But what we also do, is take more photos after they get home to do a comparison.  Usually it's just a much sweatier mess that the former, but they get a kick out of it.

>>> What are some of YOUR family's first day of school traditions?  I would love to hear, so please share in the comments!

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