The Kenner Family: Boy has he grown!

Jack 5 months old about the size of a full grown Fairy penguin

Jack 15 months old now the size of a full grown Emperor penguin!

Jack has grown soooo much in the past few months! It was like he hit 1 years old and decided he could do ANYTHING! By the way these pictures were taken at the Utah aquarium, my mom sent me the second one from her phone so it's a little blurry, but when she sent it I remember I had taken the exact same picture months before and thought this would be the perfect chance to update my blog :)

Jack runs now :) he started walking 3 weeks ago and I haven't seen him crawl since. He will sometimes be so dead on his feet that he starts running into things and stumbles with every step, I have to save him from himself by just putting him to bed. He has the cutest feet. They are perfectly square and chubby and I want to eat them. He ALMOST has ankle's now! He definitely has slimmed out A LOT and I'm growing depressed by the lack of cellulite and rolls on his bum and thighs...SO many people love him and it brings me SO much joy the way he lights up others lives (not just mine) He has his favorites that's for sure, but he is generally just a lover of all lover boys. He LOVES his blonde mom Auntie Heather and would gladly run away with her if I let him. You should see how he lights up when he see's her it's pretty magical. He also gives impromtu kisses when he is feelin the love and his hugs just melt you into 5000 pieces.

Jack has a pretty good vocabulary now a days...

Mom, Mommy, MOM!!! Mamama! ( but generally he likes to yell any combinations of these to get my attention, even when I'm basically sitting right next to him...)

Dad, Dat, Daddy ( he makes his daddy tear up every time he says one of these on the phone for night time prayers and scriptures)

Nana (for his grandma's) kinda tugs on those heart strings doesn't it!

Dida (for papa's) Papa's are the coolest people around according to Jack

Jack-Jack (it's my fault but right now Jack thinks his name is plural...)

Thanks, Thank You ( I love when he says "thanks" because he kinda holds the s like sssss)

No, Nope (every kids favorite word)

Yea, YUP (love the second of the two)

UH-OH! ( But VERY emphasized)

Dog

Love you (this one gets me EVERY time!)

Nigh-Nigh ( for night-night, he actually will take me by the hand and lead me to his crib when he is ready for bed.)

Bu-Bye ( with hand wave and all)
Hi

Cat (his MEOW is very realistic lol)

All done ( he signs this one as he says it)

Maymen ( for "amen" after a prayer..though he likes to beat you to the punch by saying in a few times before the actual prayer is over haha)
Ball
and my Favorite WOW

And he signs please, thank you, treat, food, drink, milk, cracker and all done! Sometimes when he REALLY wants something he doesn't know the sign or word for he starts going through his whole list of signs and words and starts making up his own signs in a panic, it's pretty funny haha he is a real chatty boy and has a cute little voice with nonsense always flowing, sometimes I swear I hear him say a complete sentence though!

Basically we love him to pieces and he the center of our universe :)

The Kenner's lives have been in quite a tizzy with life's ups and downs, but we are enjoying it all not just enduring it. Chris recently graduated from Army BCT with flying colors, (I'll write a whole post on that later) and he is now finishing up his last 5 weeks of AIT. He has chosen 88M (Motor Transport Operator) for his career path which is basically a "support role" in the Army. He will be driving big tanker trucks, supply trucks, etc. He says he feels like his life has been lead to this exact career path at this exact time with all the experience he has had driving large vehicles at Edutek and Loomis, and he feels totally comfortable and at ease with the training. I've seen some of the trucks they will be driving and they are HUGE!!! He's already scoring in the upwards of 98% in his simulator exams and they are now on to driving the real deals.

The LHS

The M1083A1 they call it "the 5 ton"

The M915

One thing I believe we are true examples of is that opposition builds a stronger more meaningful marriage. I do not like being away from my husband. I hate it actually, but it is endurable. And we are both finding joy in the situations we have been placed in/placed our selves in. There would be no reason for me to waste this time griping when I could be enjoying these close moments with Jack and learning that absence really has made our hearts fonder of one another. Our faith and testimonies have grown in ways I can't even describe and the honest truth is we KNOW this is what Chris is suppose to be doing, and we know every path and hurtle we've crossed has lead us to this point. The future is still scary, but we know it is also going to be so so so so marvelous. We now have that solid footing in our relationship with one another and the gospel that is helping us reach high to the endless goals we can achieve together, always with the Lord. I'm just happy in the fact that I know I don't need to know EVERYTHING to know everything I NEED to know. Faith is something learned and practiced it hasn't always come easily or naturally, but it all we really have. Taking one day at a time and know my family is eternal keeps me grounded. I love my family, I LOVE my husband, and I LOOOOVE and have a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ and Latter Day Saints!