Portraits of Chelsea at Sayen Gardens.

This past weekend was Chelsea's first church prom and in spite of the 100 degree plus weather she had a lot of fun having her picture taken at Sayen Gardens. And if you don't mind me boasting, she is stunning! 

Peace, Love, Chelsea.

New Yorkers sure go out for every holiday including Valentines day which is such a beautiful way of expressing their love not only for their loved ones, but for their city as well. Chelsea is one of my favorite boroughs - after all, I did name my youngest daughter after her and we absolutely love coming to this spot where she goes all out for every season and this year it looked like this! This peace sign has become an epic photo op for every occasion, and emblem on W 22nd street and no matter how many times I see this photo shared on Instagram I never grow weary of it. Every New Yorker or out of towner takes the same photo but my excuse is the fact that I have friends and family who live far, far away from here and they continue to remind me to share my love of NYC. These flowers are everything! 

Back To In-Person School!

After a whole year of being remote these two have been back in school full-time and they couldn't be more happier. As am I! As much as I loved having them home they need to be back in school in person surrounded by their peers and teachers. They learn more, pay more attention, and won't get so bored. Noah got so bored toward the end of school last year that he literally would not pay attention. There were only four remote kids and about 15 kids in person so I totally felt that his teacher was not giving enough attention to the remote kids which is why Noah was soooo bored. Luckily he passed 5th grade and is now in middle school! 

Girls Beach Date!

Beach days are an absolute must in the summer time and since we only live about 40 minutes away take advantage of our time to go. We've been a few times this summer and plan to go again before school starts! While Noah was at scout camp we decided to have a girls beach date and we had so much fun. The water was extra warm and we literally didn't want to get out of the water! Chelsea was a true aqua woman and having the best time and even though she missed Noah at times it was nice for her to be able to go deep into the ocean and swim. Normally she'll stay close to Noah and play in the water with him but since he's not a swimmer doesn't like going in too deep. So chelsea went all in and took advantage of the waves! I myself am not a great swimmer and so I too stay close to the shore. Maybe it's cause I'm getting old. LOL! Anyway, we had such a blast just the two of us. We should definitley make this a tradition when dad's at work and Noah is away at scout camp! 

A Simple Summer Moment in 2020....

This summer by far has been a pretty rough one. Sure I've posted many pictures on my Instagram about our adventures and how much fun we've had during the pandemic but there are days when I've been downright down. And the days when we venture outside are by far the happiest. Doing things with my family outdoors has been the best. Especially on the weekends when Jon is off from work. His job hasn't been the easiest and he has been dead tired most days working soooooooo many hours including Saturdays so this past week when he had some time off we took it easy for the first few days and chilled close to home. This man's feet have been seriously overworked to the point where he got gout, but nonetheless those magic little pills that the doctor prescribed did the trick and managed to go outside and play a little frisbee with his offspring. This was a simple moment in the history of 2020. Being in our own town. Our neighboring park. Being old school with a frisbee and family. And this is what makes those simple moments of summer meaningful and memorable.

August With Taylor Swifts 'Folklore' Album.

When Chelsea asked if she can somehow reenact Taylors Swifts aesthetic photos from her new album "Folklore" and mock them somehow I obliged. I know that the past six months has been hard on Chelsea with not seeing any of her friends and finishing the school year via online. We all have our own ways of finding solace and relieving stress throughout this pandemic and for Chelsea, listening to Taylor Swift puts her at ease. She has been a huge fan of hers since she was seven and has been listening to her newest album non stop since she released it and it has been a life saver for her. Every story behind each song is beautifully written and it's so nice to know that being isolated doesn't have to be a negative thing for it truly can bring inspiration to some. It sure did for Taylor when she wrote the songs to this album. It was so fun doing this little photo shoot with Chelsea. She only pricked herself a few times on a thorn bush but nonetheless she was happy being around nature and on this day she truly was a different child. Calm, joyful. Wild, but so innocent. Free. My daughter, frolicking, wry, and shimmering in every way. Thank you Ms. Swift, for uplifting my baby girl with your raw music! 

A Reminder As We Enter A New Month...

Well-we survived January and as soon as February came we jumped for joy! 

Literally...

Chelsea is truly the cheerleader in our family. She rallies us on when times are tough, and when I start raising my voice she will tell us to stop yelling! Her sass can be a great thing and at 15 years old is learning to manage it well. She is a city kid at heart, and wants everyone to just be happy! Man I wish I could bottle of some of her energy and use it on days that are sluggish. And January was pretty sluggish. Thank goodness for birthdays and fun events that were planned throughout January because in all honesty surviving January each year where I live is hard. Thankfully I have her and the rest of our kiddos as a reminder to celebrate life no matter how dark the days, and to live life colorfully. So with that being said we survived Jan and are going to enjoy February in hopes that it brings more light, LOVE, and color into our lives! 

Happy February y'all! xo

2019 PTF Honors Recital: Chelsea

It would be very remiss of me if I didn't mention how happy I am for my youngest daughter Chelsea for making it into the PTF Honors recital this year. This is an audition that occurs only in central jersey and after trying out for it a couple of weeks ago made it to honors. She played a beautiful piece in which you can listen to and watch here & here. She is a good pianist, and although it's something she may not pursue in the future she's happy to know that she can play and like her sisters, use that big block of wood to play music that helps them escape from the chaos of the world. 

Come Watch The Little Mermaid Musical!

Chelsea continues to have a love for being a part of the musical, and this year she was cast in "The Little Mermaid" as part of the ensemble. Her role as the chef assistant was simple, and sweet and she had so much fun with it. One thing about her is that no matter what role she gets, she always has fun with it. She's a good sport, and loves being on stage. She loved being a poppy flower in The Wizard of Oz last year, and really had a ton of fun being a part of that show. You can tell she has a love for the theater! Especially the Broadway theater! If you'd like to come and watch curtain call is tonight at 7pm, and Saturday at 3pm. I know once it's over she's going to miss it. This always happens in every musical after rehearsing for two months! Break a leg! 

"There are no small parts, just small actors."-Lola, "Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen"

For Chelsea.

Chelsea...she's the only girl left in the house, and as much as we butt heads we have loads of laughs, and lots of fun. She is my new movie buddy, and is happy to now be the only child who comes home early from school so we can eat at Chick-Fil-A alone together. Our mother and daughter dates have increased, and I am truly grateful to have her in my life, and to have another female in the house for at least another five years to pick on, laugh with, eat out with, shop with, go to concerts with, go to the city with, and just have good ol' fun! So thankful for Chelsea! 

Get Your Tickets For The Wizard Of Oz Now!

You can see the excitement on her face as she looks forward to opening night! She certainly has followed in her sisters footsteps (Lexie & Sierra) when it comes to being in musicals. She would have started in the 6th grade but for some reason this school district starts them in the 7th grade which is odd, but it's okay! Although exhausted due to two months of strenuous rehearsals (I swear they train these kids and auditioned as if they were rehearsing for a broadway show-ever seen A Chorus Line?) 

Officially a Middle-Schooler.

Eight years ago when we moved to Jersey Chelsea was just three years old. THREE! Totally feeling all the feelings right now because just the other day she asked when she can shave her legs. Knowing that she's my "baby" girl I really don't want her to because once she does that I feel as if she's officially a "woman." Then again I don't want any girls making fun of her at gym because she has a bit of hair on her legs so I guess that's a sure sign that I need to buy her her own razor! Today was a question of shaving, (among other things that dealt with "feminine hormonal issues" which she is in no hurry to get!), and it seems like yesterday she was running around the house asking for her "gigi" which was like her comfort, or woobie as others would call it. She'd suck on her thumb, and comfort herself with that small piece of rag. 

It's true what they say. Once they finish elementary school the years begin to fly, and there's been nothing buy grade flying around here in the Jorgensen household! (Still in denial that Noah is a Kindergarten graduate!) It'll be a nice beginning for Chelsea to attend a new middle school, and even though she'll miss her peeps here at Blackwood who will be going to Lewis middle school this fall she knows that she can make friends no matter where she goes. Counting our blessings that we have yearbooks for memory as well as email, and overall technology to stay in touch with her south jersey peeps! 

It doesn't surprise me that Chelsea was chosen out of her 5th grade class as to who is "most likely to Rule the world!" Her response when she was chosen was, "I hope my friends didn't think I was bossy." I said to her that they chose you because they see that you have leadership material, and believe me when I say that because I have seen her in action when it comes to not being the follower! Let's hope she continues to carry that attribute all the way into college! 

Special shout out goes to her teacher Mrs. Schug who was absolutely awesome! All of my kids have been blessed with having such awesome teachers at Blackwood, and whoever attends this school will be in good hands. My kids have learned that as long as you listen, and have a desire to learn you will have no issues with any teacher! 

Truly can't believe we're finished with this chapter in her life of completing her final years of elementary school, and that Noah is my only child left to attend five more years of it. Hoping that those years for both of them will go by super slow, and that Chelsea will shine throughout her middle school years, and be the best student there is! 

Goodbye 5th grade! 

Hello Middle School! 

On Bullying & A First Time Experience.

The day before Chelsea's birthday last week she had an encounter and for the first time in her life had an experience of what the meaning of the word bully would feel like. In all her years of elementary school she has never, ever been bullied, mocked, made fun of, or even pushed around. She has always been the popular girl in her class. The one everyone will come to when they need a friend. The one they will go to when they need a pencil, an extra book to read, extra filler paper, a friend to walk, run, and play with at recess. A friend to go to in times of need, and even though she's 10, when it comes to her peers, and school...she's got the mentality of a 15 year old. She tends to be a peacemaker, and someone who knows the difference between tattle telling, and telling on someone who has done something wrong. She's always the first one to laugh, and smile which she was as I posted this picture of her. I hear the same thing every year since she started pre-school at parent/teacher conference. Her teachers have all said the very same thing about her, and it's never disappointing, "we'd like to reproduce Chelsea" "whatever y'all are doing mom and dad keep on doing it" "she's a breath of fresh air" "she's so sweet, and helpful" (you get the picture.) Each year that passes I am flattered at the results of what her teachers think of her, and in how well she does in her academics. I hear nice reviews from her teachers, and how they've never had any issues with her. 

It's always so wonderful to hear all the good things about your child, but when your child finally comes to terms to tell you that because she was defending a friend of hers who was being bullied while waiting for the bus to arrive to take them home got bullied herself. It's like a knife just stabbed my heart. Apparently she raised her voice at this kid, and told him to "stop it!" That's when the boy stepped forward making a fist as if he was going to hit her. Chelsea stepped back, and got nervous. Luckily the buses arrived, and all the kids went their separate ways. What do we say to our kids when, and why things like this happen to them, or anyone? I certainly wasn't prepared because as far as I know her two older sisters had never been bullied in grade school, and even though I went through off and on periods of bullying throughout my entire 12 years of school I had repressed some of those memories, and with all the media that's out there in this generation today about bullying helped me remember, and after watching this video is when I knew I really needed to go in depth with her about the whole bullying issue. 

Because even the best of kids, no matter who they are will once in their lifetime be bullied. 

Since this incident happened right after school Chelsea didn't tell anyone (including me) until the next day which was her birthday. Funny thing is she didn't show any signs of stress in the home when she came home from school. I think the fact that it was her birthday helped her to forget about the situation, and focus on her special day. It wasn't until she returned to school that her teacher noticed she was melancholy, and not herself. That's when Chelsea opened her mouth to tell her of the incident that took place, and why she was so sad. Luckily the situation was immediately resolved by the principal which resulted with the kid apologizing to both Chelsea, and her friend. Along with a future suspension. Let's just hope this kid learned a lesson, and doesn't grow up to be an even bigger bully.  

So, what would I tell my kid in cases like this? I, for one would never tell my kid to retaliate, or seek revenge. That is just not the answer. I know how it feels to be bullied. To be scared wondering why someone is attacking you when you are doing something right. Wondering why in the first place you're being picked on knowing that you've never done anything to hurt anyone. I was bullied as a young kid. Teased because of my Jackson Five, Afro looking curly hair. I had girls who hardly even knew me wanting to beat me up, and for no reason! There was even this one girl who lived near me up until I moved away who teased me in high school. Made fun of my hair even in the freaking ninth grade! Sad because we were childhood friends, and sometimes hung out after school listening to music outside on the sidewalk chewing on chaw gum, and sucking on hot cinnamon sticks. Oh yeah...even the friends you thought were your friends can become mean! 

But I let it go as I grew up, and became a mother. 

My very first encounter being bullied was by a girl named "Evie" who was from the neighborhood (that's not her real name) I was in the fourth grade. I had gotten off the bus, and as soon as the bus drove away Evie just ran up from behind me and yanked on my hair. Yeah...she just pulled it unexpectedly. I just stood there for like two seconds wondering what the heck just happened here. She began going off on a rant, and because I was in shock couldn't recall her words. All I was thinking at this point was making it home, and I had one block to do so. Evie was a big girl so yeah...I was petrified. Luckily I saw my mom from a distance walking towards me which was very rare. She always trusted me to walk home on my own, but on this day it was as if she knew I was in trouble. Evie had a reputation of being a troublemaker, and came from a broken home. I recall trying to be nice to her at one point before this incident took place, but she always came off rude, and scary so I just stayed away. I was so relieved that my mom was there because if she wasn't who knew what Evie would have done next. The next day my mother phoned the principal, and ever since that happened she never bothered me again. I have no idea what became of Evie, and as I look back to recall some of her actions she always looked sad. 

I was about the same age as Chelsea when this happened to me for the first time, and I told her my story the day before writing this post. I told her that she did the right thing by telling her teacher. I also reminded her to always, always-no matter if she feels she's going to get in trouble to always tell me, her father, or her sisters when bad things happen to her especially when it comes to bullying, and to let us know first! Sometimes kids are too scared to tell on the ones that are bullying them, and they continue to take it until it escalates to a point where that child may not want to live anymore. It's scary to think that, but it's the truth. Chelsea is a tough cookie, and I personally feel that she's a lot tougher than me when I was her age. No one wants to see their friends being made fun of or hurt. Instead of Chelsea joining in on those who pick on others, she defends them, and tells them to "stop it!" Most of the time they'll stop, but in this case...this kid scared her, and luckily her emotions upon returning to school caused her to tell her teacher. 

Bullying has gotten worse over the years, and as parents it is so important to reach out to our kids, and talk to them about that. Whether or not they get bullied it should still be an issue in the home so that our kids can defend those who are being bullied, and most importantly to speak up so that our kids don't become bullies themselves. We are the example to our children, and if we exhibit any kind of bullying ourselves they will pick up on it. They will think that's the way things ought to be, that it's okay because mom and dad do it, and that's how life is. 

Wrong!!

It shouldn't be that way. It doesn't have to be that way. We are the adult, and it is important to act accordingly because one thing I know is that life is tough. And it can end badly for both the bully, and the one who's being bullied. 

Luckily...I endured everything I went through while being bullied, and survived all the ridicule I took throughout my childhood years.

And I pray that when our kids leave the house for the day that they will always return home unscathed. 

Let's stop the bullying. 

***This movie also opened my eyes as well with all the social networking going on today. Cyberbullying has got to be the worst!! 

"It's Saturday!"

This year all the third grade classes performed together for their end of year school production called "It's Saturday", and what a perfect day to write about it because guess what...it's Saturday! I was amazed at how quickly the auditorium filled up. There were so many proud parents out there having a grand time watching their kid perform, sing, dance, act crazy, and just having a good old time. I was very, very impressed with this particular group of kids. Including mine. For weeks and weeks Chelsea was singing and practicing her skit, and she was so ready for "opening night". She is somewhat of a perfectionist, and wanted to get every single line, and song spoken and sung without any mistakes. I can see that they put so much effort, and hard work in rehearsing for this play, and it was so fun to watch. Particularly because they were all in pajamas. I think their favorite part of rehearsing for this play was the fact that they got to practice in their pajamas, and come to school in them for one day! 

Chelsea was part of the Harmony choir, and I am so pleased with her singing & acting ability. She was so cute, and because the songs and skit were fun to read I had to put it on video. Well...not the entire play, but I only recorded two of the songs she's part of in the skit. The kids all sang with such enthusiasm, and they all looked so happy to be singing "It's Saturday!" I mean...they should be because after a long week of school Saturday is "the best day all week long."

"It's Saturday!" from Rose Jorgensen on Vimeo.

This song was my favorite! Saturdays truly are a night of fun, and innocent shenanigans for little kids. I have to warn you about this one...it includes a pillow fight. 

^^^ Friends since Kindergarten: Chelsea & Alex ^^^ 

Like I said...i was amazed at these group of kids. They all seemed to be having fun, and there were about five kids who filled in for another student literally at the last minute. Talk about willingness and devotion to help another kid out! Those are signs of maturity in which most of these kids exhibited. They all seemed to enjoy working together, and just having fun being a kid. This particular class of 2023 is going to be a great generation, and I can see why when I look at who their older siblings are! 

^^^ Sibs: Chelsea, & Lexie, Alex & Sean. ^^^

a good brisk walk.

Be prepared because you might be seeing a lot of outdoor posts with this little guy. Life Lately with Noah has been too much fun. He's so petite for his age, innocent, and although I wish he would stay at this age forever...it's inevitable. He has to grow up. If only I can bottle up his sweet voice forever. Luckily I have voice mail recordings of his voice that I've saved on my computer. The things he has been saying lately have been corny, funny, and sometimes unbelievable. I call them Noah's euphemisms. He's so sweet, and never has anything bad to say about anyone. If he does he'll say it in a pleasant form. The other day I woke woke up with my hair looking like Tina Turner, and he said, "Mommy, your hair looks backwards." I couldn't help but to laugh. There are days when Chelsea will be playing with my hair, and he'll say to her, "Stop playing with mommy's hair...it's not a toy." 

Sometimes I wonder where he picks up these things, but then again those sayings are his words. Having two older sisters in the home who are too smart for their own good does help him mature faster, and then there's a thing called television. 

I have been very careful as to which PG movies he should watch. Sometimes they may be a little to mature for him. Exposing him to Polar Express, and Lion King at age two wasn't too bad, but now that he's four he seems to be getting the meaning behind the plot of certain Disney movies. It makes me happy that he does because we can both watch them together, and have a discussion afterwards. Sometimes we'll even sing along, and dance to them. Besides Frozen, & Dispicable Me 2 his favorite as of late has been Mary Poppins. He loves dancing like Dick Van Dyke especially when he starts singing "Let's go fly a Kite." The first time Noah watched that he said, "I can't...I don't have a kite." Made me feel a bit guilty because we don't own any kites. He's so animated when he sings along with it, and I'm so glad that he watches that more than Frozen. Frozen is such a girl movie (although he does like Olaf.) 

Luckily we don't watch too much television, and on sunny days like this he prefers to go to the park instead. Oh my gosh...we could have been there for hours and hours yesterday. He doesn't care how nippy this spring weather may be. I know being cooped up in the house during a long winter accumulated a ton of wiggles, and now that the weather is better it was time to get them all out...and he did just that.

Being that we went after school Chelsea came along too. Sometimes I wonder if the five year gap helped these two in age, but i know in the end it will. It sure does when they're outdoors. They may bicker, tease, provoke, and push each other around, but at the end of the day they love each other. Hugs are reciprocated, and apologies are taken place in hopes that it will never happen again. Yeah right. I just hope that the older they get the better their patience gets. I love them both, and lucky for me I get to play the referee for these two.

Memories of the girls being toddler age are pretty vivid, but there are moments when I feel I have "forgotten" certain events that have taken place in their life. Luckily I have their moments scrapbooked and journaled, but the fact that I have ONE boy especially at my age (not that I'm old) makes me appreciate every single second of his life. I never want to take any of our days for granted, and am treasuring every moment, every euphemism that comes out of his mouth, and every thing that happens in between. 

Life is wonderful! 

Moab, Utah.

Moab. 

This was one place where I loved venturing out to get away when I lived in Salt Lake. I can't believe it has been eight years since we left Utah, and I'm sure missing it right now. Especially since we've been hit some massive, windy, cold weather. What happened to spring anyway? It's like it just sprung us over! 

I love looking back at old photos reflecting on the good times we had when the girls were little. Don't get me wrong...I love all the memories we're making now with a boy in the mix, but this part of my life watching the girls grow up, and developing into their own personalities was amazing. 

Still is...

Especially since these two girls are now teenagers, and one of them is about to turn nineteen in a couple of months. Now that Sierra is back in Utah going to school I hope that she is taking advantage of her surroundings and hope that she'll get the chance to go back to Moab.

The years fly by way too quickly especially with this cute little girl who is now nine! It seems as if she was this small yesterday. There are times when I look at Noah, and see Chelsea all over again. It's beautiful to see the way God creates our children, and how they all carry the same resemblance. 

Memories of a four drive to Moab was certainly worth it. The singing in the car with their squeaky voices, and giggling all around. Toys scattered about, and crayons rolling back and forth as we'd make a turn. The drive down is so peaceful, and the sun...oh man that sun can shine on my face for eternity if it could. The great part of my life while having three daughters was taking them to the most beautiful places out west. I think moving from a small town in Texas to a state like Utah gave me many opportunities to want to explore the western hemisphere, and we sure did a lot of that before moving out here. 

Jon is such a great photographer. I always tell him that he should go back and take up photography as a career. I love the way he captured the girls in all their beauty. I wish I'd been in some of these pics, but I was too busy taking in the beauty of Moab too! I was also making sure Chelsea wasn't running off, or putting rocks and dirt in her mouth! Living on the east coast is great and all, but sometimes you just need to get away...far away, and venture out to the other side of the hemisphere, and that is what we hope to do soon!

Cross country drive in our plans for the future? Who knows.  Right now all i want is some warmer weather. Taking it day by day, and living in the moment...for now.

Hello Spring!

As i was organizing my pics in iPhoto I stumbled upon these pics, and realized they never made it into the blog last year. Now why is that?? These were taken while we went out for a drive in the outskirts of Jersey and stumbled upon this beautiful garden of flowers. I couldn't help but to get down, and capture my kids enjoying the beauty of some of the earth. I love flowers, and hit myself silly because I wish I could be a green thumb like my mama, and not kill every flower that my kids want to plant. I leave it in their hands to keep up any small garden they plant whether it's inside a huge pot, or out in our little back yard. 

^^^ matching shirts & american flags they actually grabbed from their garden...I made sure they put them back!  ^^^

^^^ a little sweat & gum in his mouth...a sure sign of spring ^^^

Even though it's 40 degrees right now looking at these pics gets me so excited for warmer temperatures, and going out on nature walks. Spring and summer are the seasons which bond us even more as a family, and the older my two younger children get i see that they are beginning to "really" catch the meaning of how beautiful God's creations are. 

Here's wishing everyone a Happy Spring wherever you are, and if you are in colder temperatures hang in there...it won't last very long. Unless we get more snow just like we did last year on the fifth day of spring! 

Happy Thursday!

'the cake'

This past week has been so busy with the girls having extracurricular activities after school including a free trip to the Franklin Institute that we neglected to do 'the cake' on the 'day of' their birthday. So last night we officially had their small celebration with 'the cake' & it was quiet & fun. It was especially funny when we began singing happy birthday to Chelsea because the number nine began falling down. I couldn't help but to laugh...LOUD! You can watch that that video here.

I had been debating on having two separate cakes for the girls this year, but Jon was like, "that's too much cake honey", & I agreed. 

When Chelsea was in her toddler years we'd always buy her a 2 inch round cake & make one for Lexie. Now that their older we've either made cupcakes for Chelsea & a cake for Lexie. This year we made one whole cake for the both of them. We individually sang 'happy birthday' to Lexie & Chelsea & then switched the candles. It was less stressful, there was less baking, & it worked out nicely. You know I'm glad...because when I found this note on my blender from Chelsea that morning it made me happy to know that they both love dark chocolate icing. 

And mandatory pictures of their reaction when they saw their cake.

For those of you who have twins or kids with the same birthdays how do you celebrate? Do you make them individual cakes or just bag it & take them out to dinner where the waiters sing 'happy birthday' to them & hand them a dish of ice cream. Or like me...make one cake for the two of them? 

Pray tell...it's interesting to hear how others celebrate when kids have the same birthday. 

All I know is that I'm grateful for having girls who are easy going when it came to 'the cake'. 

And they seemed very pleased.

The end.