Birthday Time!!

We are officially into January.  My Birthday month.  Ok I really don't celebrate all month but I can get in the mood can't I.  Happy Birthday to me.

Merry Christmas!!

Ward Christmas party.  Not even candy would make Makenna smile with Santa.

 Jacob's preschool performance.  Sooo cute!

 Jacob helping me with holiday baking

 We went to AZ for Christmas so we opened gift early at home.  Jacob got a scooter

Makenna got some shoes.  Probably her favorite gift, besides the candy.

 Another trip to Sea World!

 Playing in the snow in Flagstaff with cousins on Christmas Eve.

 Jacob got a snowboard from Santa 

 And Makenna got a mini quad.

 Another family pic for Nana

Great grandma playing Wii tennis.  She will be 88 in Feb.  

Better late than never...

The day before Thanksgiving, 4 of us 7 kids and our families went to Disneyland.  It surprisingly went well.  Everyone got along.

E., Jacob and Buzz

All the kids at Disneyland except 2

Thanksgiving morning we had a family handball tournament.  CA style.

 After Thanksgiving dinner we had a talent show.  My bro-in-law and niece sang and signed Josh Groban's: You raise me up

Jacobsen family talent was a human pyramid

Grandpa played the bones and the harmonica: I am a child of God, while all everyone else sang along.  Amazing.  I had no idea he could play.

I think this is everyone we had for Thanksgiving except 2.  Grandpa who is taking the pic (don't worry he was in many other pics) and a neighbor guy who just didn't want his photo taken. (Maybe he's a vampire)

My grandparents and all their great grandchildren

 My BFF Mimi come over to visit the whole fam and brought treats for all the kids.  

Our rejected Christmas photos

 Kennas birthday party.  She had a cupcake themed party.  We had tacos for dinner, then decorated our bakers hat and then decorated cupcakes.  

 Kenna throwing bean bags into a cupcake pan.

Kenna decorating her cupcake.  I think she eventually used all the nerds on this one cupcake.  

 I made fancy cupcake wrappers and little cupcake pops.  Those are the little cupcakes in the background.  

 And one big cupcake with 2 candles to blow out!!

 She was so excited about every gift she opened.

 Jacob just got back from his first snowboard trip of the season.  He and his dad have season passes so I may not see much of them this winter.  

Jacob BMX and Kempton Kegerator

The family went to the local BMX track here in Simi last Tuesday night for family night.  Jacob had no fear, and took to the track like a fish to water.  I ran after him for 4 laps; but then I pooped out. He didn't need the help anyway; as he rode for over and hour ad 15 laps before he fell for the first time.  

The kid is gifted, and a little stud.  I am so proud of him, and lucky to be his father.

I finally finished a project that I had in the works for a long time.  It started when Jake was turning 2 years old; and I made a rocket launcher for his B-Day party.  I wanted a grown up launcher, that could propel fruit, (or whatever) long distances.  Well..... This beast of an invention is intimidating, even for me. 

It was a busy week

I went back to Puerto Rico for work again.  It was interesting to fly out of LAX with temperatures in the upper 80's; into Phili with temps in the 40's and on to San Juan with temps in the 90's and storming... all within 8 hours.

From the 5th floor of Hilton Caribe looking East into Condado, Puerto Rico

From the 5th floor of Hilton Caribe looking West into Old San Juan, Puerto Rico

Before I left, Jacob and I launched his VERY FIRST rocket.  He has built paper rockets for 2 years; but we graduated to real engines.  It was exciting to launch rockets into the Santa Ana winds!! (not recommended for anyone outside the Krazy Kempton family).