Great Grandma & Grandpa Jensen...

In August we visited my grandparents. It had been quite a while since we had seen them- in fact they had never met Jase or Ty. It was a quick visit with Grandma Madsen & Aunt Taylor surprised us there too! The kids were spoiled by Grandma as usual and by Great Grandma too (it must be hereditary!) Great Grandma insisted they each get to pick out a toy...and then just a few hours later insisted they go pick out ANOTHER one! It was good to see them and have them see our kids again!

Aunt T + David...

 

 

Taylor and David got married this year! We were excited for them and headed down to Utah for their big day. Here are a few of the pictures from our busy weekend...

 

 

^^Helping the bride get ready that morning. We underestimated our timing and so Cory ended up having to get himself and all three of our kids ready since I was helping Taylor...oops!^^

 

 

 

^^Their fancy luncheon.^^

 

 

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^^Ellie was pretty enamored by Taylor's beautiful dress, ring and flowers. And she looked quite lovely herself...I can't even let myself think about the day that she is old enough to get married herself.^^

^^There were lots of fun and crazy moments from the weekend- but the most important part, the part where they were sealed for Time and Eternity in the temple was wonderful. It was a beautiful reminder of what matters most- having our lives centered on Christ no matter what kind of chaos ensues around us because He is truly what matters most and what will bring us the most happiness and peace in this life.^^

Congrats Aunt Taylor and UNCLE David!!

"Un-official" Madsen Reunion...

We don't really have a designated Merlin Madsen family reunion but for the past three years a large portion of our family has gotten together at a cabin in the mountains and it has kind of been an unofficial reunion. We all love it.

We get to enjoy games, cousins, laughing, entirely too much food, dancing and fruit chopping (X-box...I think that is what it was) and getting to spend time in the mountains. This year we also topped it off with 2 speeding tickets...the cop nailed Cory and then my mom right behind him. That really made Cory one happy camper;)

Even despite the ticket- we all had lots of fun in Garden Valley at the Unofficial-Official Madsen Reunion this year.

 

Adventure Awaits (and a link to Taylor's blog)...

I kinda had "big plans" for my life.  Those plans most certainly included getting married and having a family...but that was all after I accomplished some other plans. Traveling and a career were definitely some of those first plans.  But there is a poem by Robert Frost that says--

 

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

 

I took a different road than what I was planning. I got married at age 19 and had my first, sweet baby when I was 21.  I joined Cory, hand in hand, as we embarked on business ventures instead of completing our business degrees.  I am so grateful for the road that I am on...let's not misread that at all! I sure love my life with all my heart and am so grateful that I trusted Heavenly Father enough to not follow my own plans. My road choice has certainly made all the difference. And I still believe that my road has lots of  traveling, education and adventures ahead.

 

But it has sure been fun to see my younger sisters follow their roads. They have been quite adventurous (more than I will ever be- there is no arguing with that!)

 

So this is just my little shout-out to my adventurous little sisters. I sure love those gals.

 

Here is a link to Taylor's blog about her adventures in France right now

(www.pardonmyfrench2014.blogspot.com)

 

 

 

All Grown Up...

It's official...my baby sister has graduated from high school. 

So technically...I guess that means that we are all grown up!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Maybe not quite...

 

A Blustery Day...

The other day we got to have a fun day with Grandma and Aunt Sydney flying kites! We are so excited for Spring and so lucky to have such an awesome Grandma!!!

 

 

 

 

 

The kids were exhausted from all the running (it was not quite windy enough...so they had to run to make their kites fly) they crashed just like this...

 

Nana J's...

We went on a little trip with my mom and 2 of my sisters.  Just the kids and I.  My grandparents have only seen Brig one time and have never met Ellie.  Since I almost have 3 kids now, we thought we better change those numbers.

 

So we had a quick but nice little visit. Complete with grandma's pancakes (which Aunt T made into an Elk...Brig thought it was pretty great)

 

 

This was always the coveted chair.  It was fun to see my kids get to sit on it.

 

 

We were definitely showered with love.

 

 

4 generations...

 

 

All 3 of us have the middle name Elaine...

Pretty special:)

 

Madsen Family Photos...

We used the self timer and took some family photos the other day while Taylor was home. 

So cute...and so many girls:)

I can't believe that I am the shortest sister.  When did that happen?

 

Not sure why Monica thought it would be so funny to almost drop the 9 month preggo sister...but she did. That's genuine fear on my face.

 

My kids are pretty lucky to be so spoiled loved by their grandparents.  They think they are the best...pretty sure that goes both ways!

A Tropical Visit to My Sista...

It usually is a pretty fun time when you get to visit your sister. When she lives in Hawaii...it is especially awesome to visit her! Cory was awesome enough to suggest that my sister and I go visit our other sister at her tropical home for a couple days and then my mom and other sister decided to come too! So all five Madsen girls were able to spend a few days together in this:

 

 

There are a lot of pictures here and most of them are not in any particular order... but here it goes...

We spent lots of time relaxing to the sound of the waves on the beach and playing in the ocean. It was so nice!

 

 

We did go on a little hike and this sign and horse were next to the trailhead to greet us. We were a bit apprehensive for the first little while.

The hike was no cake-walk.  Especially for this preggo lady! My face was beat red...it was my idea to go on the hike but I decided that I like hiking a lot...when we are done:) It was still super fun though and through all the huffing and puffing- there was a lot of giggling and chatting.

 

 

Another request of mine was to visit Giovanni's Shrimp Truck. Cory and I went to Oahu on our honeymoon and were told about this place and I literally craved it anytime I thought about it for the next 6 years! It is so tasty!

 

 

Monica was a great hostess. We all squeezed into her apartment and slept on air mattresses on the floor. Taylor and Sydney were kind enough to let me have the one extra pillow.  It was really fun to see Monica's home, work and way of life. 

 

 

Just for the record...this is about 20 weeks pregnant.  I feel like I am getting huge already- so all the walking that we did was pretty good for me!

 

 

It was so fun to be able to spend time with my mom and sister's and so awesome to be able to be at such a beautiful place! We made so many memories and had a blast!!!

 

 

I was so grateful for Cory who took on both the mom role and the dad role while I was gone and for his mom and all her help too! They made this awesome adventure possible.

And I have to say that as wonderful as Hawaii was...paradise is definitely when I am with my little family! I sure missed them...in fact, I may have cried a teensey bit when I talked to Brig on the phone after only being gone one day. That may have happened. 

Aloha!