Tenney Shoes

Well, I guess I have been keeping up with my blog as well as I suspected. I've posted consistently about once a year. So keeping with tradition, here is this year's post. :D Lots of stuff has happened and of course changed our lives, all for the better. Kirk is still Bishop and by October will round out year 4. His work is still going strong even though the competition world wide seems to be dropping out of the game. They have closed the Glendale and Chandler locations in lieu of opening up a new location next to the new Gilbert and Glendale Temples. They started construction in March of this year and his store will also include a Distribution Center. So as of now he is down to one store and will be moving the Gilbert and Southern location to the San Tan Mall location.

Me, not much has changed other than keeping up with everyone else's busy lives. Still love my job. I was just recently asked to sit on a board of directors for Carrington College. They train dental assistants, and the board I get to be a part of, reviews their training and qualifications to help meet the need in the industry better. So I am excited for that. At my office I have become the place where interns like to get their feet wet and practice what they have learned. I love passing on what I've learned over the years and helping them to be more confident in their jobs.

Kylie, my 1st born, my baby, my one and only daughter. *sappy I know* Are you ready for this? She got married!!! She is still my little girl (maybe just to me) but I couldn't be happier for her. She met an amazing man and I am so grateful that they found each other and were Sealed for Time and all Eternity March 9th 2013. They met at the Mesa Institute of Religion, (just like her parents...essentially) He actually kept interrupting a conversation she was having with another guy. They started dating in October 2012 and by Christmas Eve they both knew they wanted to be together forever. He proposed to her while she was working (by the ring section) *eyebrows* (she was made Supervisor by the way) and she said YES! Commence 3 months of wedding preparations and lots of selling on e-bay to fund this event, we made it to the day before the wedding. Backyard looked amazing with a tent that was wrapped in tulle and white lights. Thursday night the storm of the century crashed down on us and we woke up to a destroyed tent and a backyard pool where the tables were to go. So....everything was moved indoors. The luncheon was a little cramped but all turned out well. The day seemed to speed by and before we knew it she was in their car driving away to their honeymoon. So now I have another wonderful addition to our Tenney Shoe closet. Todd Wesley Kupfer. We are so happy your a part of our family. Love you both so much.

Landen man, what can I say about this child? He is one of the funniest people I know. It doesn't matter where we are with him, he can have us laughing our guts out in a matter of seconds. I know where he gets it but it amazes me how many generations it passed through before it got to him. If you don't believe genes can be that far reaching, I have proof they do. He says he wants to be an architect, but that seems all too serious for his personality. He has the smarts to do whatever he wants, so it will be interesting to see what he turns out to be. He also has his dad's entrepreneurial side. If he needs money for something, in about 4 hours he will have a hundred bucks in his pocket. He's not afraid to get out and work and sweat and I'm very proud of his work ethic. He can be a little unorthodox in his methods sometimes but he manages to get what he's after. We always bring up one of those methods, cause it's so funny. He and a friend wanted to grab some fast food but neither had any cash on them. So they dressed up in suits and ties and made a bunch of signs and went door to door selling these signs. The signs they sold...NO Soliciting signs. They sold 20 bucks worth and were even asked to make ones in Spanish as well. That's my Landen.

Blake, the baby of our family, is not so little anymore. He prides himself on the fact that he is way taller than mom and now even Kylie. (that has been a very important progression for him) I'm good with it, I knew I was never gona be the tallest anything. This year Blake has definitely grown out of the geeky first stage of teenage -dom. He has thinned out so much going through this growth spurt he looks like a whole different person. He has found his own nitch of humor and love of music and writing. He is such a sensitive soul. He gave the sweetest speech/toast at Kylie's wedding. I'm just mad we weren't video taping it. He cares so much for other people and I love that about him. He will need to learn how not to make their problems his and then he will be amazing comfort to those around him. He had a difficult time at the beginning of this school year. He was being bullied and unfortunately Kirk and I didn't know the extent of it. Luckily we did find out and with the help of a good friend of our's that also happens to be a Police officer, we were able to make the school understand how serious it was. Blake now is doing a million times better and I'm so happy for him. It's hard enough being a teenager but knowing that even his brother, who sometimes drives him crazy, was willing to step up and protect him at any cost has made them so much closer. They are even braces buddies.

So yep that's our little fam in a nutshell. We did add another pet, not that I have any pull in this area. Kirk has dragged everyone of these creatures into our home. Which is weird cause I'm the animal lover. So anyway now we have a Turtle. He is not a little turtle he is quite large. He is a desert tortoise and was gifted to us by a friend whose mom had raised him from a baby. So now we have Toby Tenney. I wanted to re-name him Bowser in following our Mario Brothers theme we got going but he already knew his name pretty well and I was out voted. He loves strawberries and grapes and does not love the dogs barking at him. Oh and he is actually a good soccer player. :D

Another milestone in my life was the passing of my precious Gogey. Now all of my grandparents are on the other side. I'm so jealous. I really had the most amazing grandparents ever. I thought everyone's were like mine. That everyone loved being with them cause they made you feel special and amazingly loved. I thought that... until I met Kirk's grandparents. Don't get me wrong, lovely people but after an hour at most I was done. I can't wait to be able to see them again someday. Gogey was especially hard to see go, because of the many talents she has. I love playing the songs that she has written and I am so blessed that she was the one who taught me her talent and passed on a love of good music. She had an infectious laugh and personality that I could only hope to emulate a smidgen of. As she was passing, all of her grandchildren that were able to, came by to say goodbye. Many cousins and great grandchildren that hardly know each other were all at my aunt's house to be with her. One of my cousins kids made a comment that the other grand kids didn't really know Gogey as well as they did. That she spent more time with them. My cousin answered, Oh NO. Gogey knows each one and each one thinks they spent the most time with her. And she did. All of her Great Grandchildren has special memories of her, and consider themselves her favorite. The funny thing is my kids said the same thing. When we moved back to Arizona with my parents, Gogey was living next door. My kids spent countless hours with Gogey, playing cards and for Kylie eating their disgusting breakfast of steamed broccoli together. *Blechch* All of her posterity loved her beyond words and each one has amazing memories of time spent with their amazing Gogey.

This was the last 4 generation picture we have. It's of course me, Kylie, My mom Polly and Gogey.

Ok. now this is just sad. One whole freaken year has gone by and not one post on the sad little blog. ( :( Hmmm. Well, lets see, 1st child still doing the college thing and scholarship thing and now the work think at yes, you guessed it.....Deseret Book. Not Kirk's store, he couldn't hire anyone he is immediately related to, but the other one in Chandler, where my daughter is aspiring to be the supervisor. Crossing fingers. And she get's to work with her cousin Mark as well. Then child #2 is gaining momentum with his new found love...Drama. (I never saw that one coming) and who knew he could be so at home up on the stage. He was inducted into the Thespian Society last year and earned his Varsity Letter and pin! Whoo Hoo. and a Junior he is. Now to the last but not the least. Mister Blake is a big fish this year in his little pond. 8th grader. Sad thing is he started off his school year with a nasty cough. We didn't want him to miss the first days of school so we loaded him up with cough drops hoping they wouldn't kick him out of class. So he's a little under the weather for his traditional pic by the door. I am still loving my job at Copper Canyon. I think it's my reward for having to deal with such crapy offices in the past. The Dr. and staff took me to lunch to celebrate and then game me a gift card and yummy lotions! Love them! Kirk is still the Bishop and I think getting a little humpy (in reference to hump day) now that he has almost done 3 years. He's shakin up with ward with new Presidents in almost every auxiliary and new councilors. Wish him luck. Nah he is a natural no matter what he says.