Thursday, January 21, 2010

James at Lake Chungara...


You can check out more pictures and James' latest letter on his mission blog at http://www.elderjameshendersonmission.blogspot.com/ . He is doing well, and having a great time. He said he has heard that Lake Chungara was the highest lake in the world. I tried to check it out online, and found some contradictory info, one site said it was the highest, another named it as 29th. So I don't know, but he said there were llamas and flamingos everywhere. The altitude made some of the missionaries sick, but he did okay.

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Happy 5th Birthday Aidan...










Aidan's 5th Birthday included many smiles and lots of laughs. He was so happy to be 5 years old. He got a batmobile,and batcopter and two more bad guys to add to his batcave for Christmas. He also got a new Webkinz to add to his collection, he got a Toy Story Yahtzee game from RaNae.

He wanted a chocolate cake with ice cream inside, it turned out delicious...






A big Christmas thank you to RaNae...


I wanted to thank RaNae for her thoughtfulness and generosity this Christmas. I received a new Quad set of scriptures, a scented candle, and a retro Rick's college t-shirt for my 22 years ago attendance to Rick's (now BYU Idaho). Harry got new jeans, BYU- Idaho Dad t-shirt, and some cool twig looking colored pencils. Ethen and Corey got a PS3 Madden game and some spinner rings. Beth and Clare got Eternal family rings and the game Apples to Apples. Seth and Aidan got the movie Up and church tie tacs. Joss got a CTR necklace and a beautiful coat.

She also helped buy the Guitar Hero package for the kids.

Thank you so very much for everything RaNae, we loved it all!!!!!

Christmas with the Hendersons...

RaNae playing her new game- Sims 3, she also got a planner and journal for school, P.J.'s and a bag for school or whatever...
Sleepy heads...Ethen and Corey.
They mostly got games for their Playstation 3...we (along with RaNae) did surprise all the kids with Guitar Hero for the playstation (we have had it for the Xbox 360 and the Wii, now the PS3.


Wow, just a little bit blurry...



Bethany waiting for her turn to open presents...

Christmas contemplation for Ethen...




Clarissa playing her Christmas gift... Nintendo DS, she got two games, P.J.'s, a webkinz, jewelry and lip gloss.





Joslynn and Aidan playing with Aidan's toys, Aidan got the Batman cave with some bad guys, a remote control car and a tool set...






Seth got a new skateboard (actually it came with two decks, two sets of wheels, so you can change it out. A new helmet and pads, P.J.'s, a nerf gun and a transformer.







Joslynn got this adorable playhouse, set of play food, a Dora bedtime doll, a Dora blanket, pillowcase, a Dora bedset for her dolls, a baby doll, P.J.'s, a pony (stuffed), a new coat (from Nae)...










The girls in their new P.J.'s...







The boys and Jo in their new P.J.'s...











Seth sporting his new P.J.'s









Joslynn and Aidan in their new P.J.'s...














Aidan opening a present on Christmas Eve.












Joslynn opening her Christmas Eve present...













Thursday, December 24, 2009

RaNae is home....

RaNae is home from school, and of course the Wild Rumpus begins...


RaNae is famous for her flour fights, we were making Christmas cookies and at clean up time, all flour breaks loose...














Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Good Enough to Eat!!!

The kids did an awesome job on the gingerbread house this year, it looks good enough to eat...they probably will anyway.

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

First Snowman of the Season

Super Bethany begins the process...
Joslynn is underneath all the winter gear.

Aidan with snowball in hand and ready to go...


Clarissa doing some refinement work on old frosty...




Even little hands help...



In all his cold and snowy glory...






Family picture. A job well done.





Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Late...Of Thanksgiving and Blessings

This year I was blessed to be able to use my mom's China.
I have wanted for so long to be able to use it for Thanksgiving dinner.
And my Grandmother Gardner's silverware poslished up beautifully.
I was so excited for Thanksgiving dinner this year.
I was very disappointed that Cindy and her beautiful family
weren't able to come out to spend Thanksgiving with us, but I totally understand.
We did have our four Elders come and have dinner with us.
It was their 2nd dinner of the day, but we enjoyed their company.
So, I want to thank my mother for letting me have her china set.
And I also need to thank David and Chelsea for housing it for me for the last few (or more) years until we were able to get it out here.
So, thank you so very much!!!!!
And please excuse the smudge on the lens, I didn't have my glasses on and didn't see it until it was too late.






I have so very much to be grateful for this year.
How grateful I am to have the Gospel of Jesus Christ in my life.
And for my loving Heavenly Father and my Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ.
My loving and adorable husband, and 9 incredible children.
Harry is such a hard worker, he sacrifices so much to take care of our family and I love him with all my heart.
James is an awesome missionary, I am so proud of him for serving our Heavenly Father and Savior, and being such a wonderful example to his brothers and sisters.
RaNae is doing an incredible job on her own. I was always impressed with her grades in high school, she is doing just as well in college.
We are looking forward to her coming home for a few months till her new semester starts.
Ethen, well, he is Ethen. He still keeps us laughing. I am glad and grateful that he continues to love me, even when I have to cut his hair.(I think there is a little bit of a Samson in him)
Corey continues to shine academically, his stubborn streak still confounds me, but he still tells me daily he loves me, so I guess we are good!
Bethany has completed the teenage transition quite successfully, even the sleeping in.
I am grateful for her willingness to help out at home and her pleasing and sweet personality.
Clarissa has been working hard in school this year, and shining in many different areas.
Her shyness has improved a lot, but she is still working on it.
She is very thoughtful and considerate of others.
Seth is my "determined child", there isn't anything he can't do.
And to top it off, he does it all so very well.
You find him standing on his head or trying to walk on his hands most of the time.
Aidan is my genius, he loves to learn.
His beautiful eyes (he has eyelashes to kill for), and gorgeous smile (even minus his two front teeth) make many weak in the knees.
And Joslynn is quite the smarty pants. She is quite intelligent too, but has a bit of an attitude to go with it.
I love to see her with her brothers and sisters, she loves them so much.
I have been so very blessed, beyond what I can even express.
Thank you to all of our friends and family.
We love you all so very much.



Saturday, November 21, 2009

Smartmouth, or the downfall of having older brothers and sisters...








The other day, I was cleaning the kitchen. I had just finished cleaning one of the counters, and I turned around and started on another. When I turned back around Joslynn and Aidan were standing on the counter I had just finished cleaning. I reprimanded them for standing on the counter I had just cleaned. Aidan gets off, and Joslynn starts pretending she is going to fall. I tell her to sit down right now before she really falls. She sits down and says, "Okay, now what Einstein?" (pronounced eye stein) I wasn't sure what to say, she is just grinning at me, all proud of herself. I tried to figure out which older brother or sister had taught her the new lovely phrase. No one will admit to it. I am not sure if she heard it on T.V. or what...Oh, what fun this is going to be!!!!


Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Newest from Elder Henderson...

Here is the rest of the story James told last time...
We went to her and Elder De Leon did an awesome contact. He helped her to see that we had an important message to share and she let us in. We shared with her the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. She liked the message a lot and told us that she wanted us to visit again, so we planned another visit. Elder De Leon told me after the message that when I was looking at the map and we had no idea where to go, he heard a voice that said, "Elder". He looked at me , but realized that I hadn't said anything to him. He then heard the voice again, but this time it said, "Elder look back". He then looked back and there was the lady tending her garden. I realized when he told me that it was exactly after my prayer that he heard the voice. I have no doubt in my mind that it was an answer to my prayer,and I am so glad that he was ready to listen to the still small voice.

Elder Henderson, Elder Roberts and I am not sure who the people in the background are...

A bunch of missionaries, can you spot James????




Elder Schrafer and Elder Henderson, this is his newest companion, he is from Argentina.


Members of the ward and Alexis' family (James didn't tell me anything about the pictures, so I am trying to guess according to his letters.






Elder Roberts, Alexis(I think), and Elder Henderson





I think this is the young man they had been waiting to baptize, his name is Alexis, I think...






Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Eggs anyone????


RaNae's roommate: "Hey, RaNae, check if the eggs are good"

RaNae: "Wait, how do you do that?"

RaNae's roommate: "You see if they float in water or not."

RaNae: "Oh, okay."

CRACK

Her roommate walks over to check on it...

RaNae: "Well, I guess they are old...they aren't floating."

RaNae's roommate: "You weren't supposed to crack them..."



RaNae's roommate posted this on Facebook. I thought it was hilarious. I didn't know the trick to see if the eggs are too old or not, but leave it to my sweet, naive daughter to crack the eggs first.

RaNae, I love you so much.
And P.S. RaNae, we have all done something of this sort, it is fun to laugh at it though...

Monday, November 2, 2009

Happy Halloween!!!!!


The various stages of cleaning out the pumpkin...








Our sinister looking Jack-0-Lantern




Joslynn "Pink" CareBear (Thanks for the costume Aunt Cindy)





Aidan the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle






Seth the "Soldier"( a little gone "Rambo" I am afraid)








Clarissa the "Rock Island Rocks Cheerleader"









Bethany "the too talkative" Mime








Happy Halloween from the Hendersons!!!!