Putt Putt and Scraggles (and Dad, Jared, Mr. Vean) go to Zion

Last weekend, the Jensen Men took a trip to Zion to go backpacking. We headed out friday morning and to got Zions National Park early that afternoon. We hiked on in through some awesome canyons and forests. We saw some pretty amazing cliffs and waterfalls. We set up camp near a spring about 5 miles in. We got the tents up just before the sun set, so we were good to go! After a scrumptious dinner of Chicken a la King and Chicken and Noodles, we got in the tents and played some rook. It was pretty cozy cramming the 4 of us in a 2 man tent to play rook before bed. All in all, a good day.

Saturday we got up and threw a baseball around for a bit after breakfast. We then started a hike to Cable Mountain, a 3 mile hike from our site. As we got the the trail from our campsite, we found a guy standing there wanting to talk to us. His name was shaun, and he was in the area working and decided to hike through the park that day. He didn't want to be all alone, so we invited him to come along with us. He was a funny guy and chattered with us the whole time. The hike wasn't bad, and the view was breathtaking. We were standing on a 2000 foot cliff! It was spectacular.

That afternoon we got back to the campsite and threw a baseball again (I think we are the first people ever to take baseball gloves backpacking). We also dug a pretty sweet latrine using big rocks for a seat and even a stick as a toilet paper holder! Cool stuff.

We had a nice dinner that consisted of mashed potatoes, sweet and sour pork, and teriyaki chicken. Yum! We played some more rook, then went to bed.

Easter morning we had to stay in our tents for while because it was raining. Bummer. The rain and terrain didn't hinder the easter bunny from showing up, though. He came in all his glory, delivering easter treats to us and easter eggs around our campsite that we had to go and find. Go Easter Bunny!

After breakfast, we had a little morning devotional. It was really good. Dad had hidden some hymns in the topographical maps he gave to each of us at the beginning of the trip, so we sang songs and talked about the importance that the Savior has had in our lives. It was a great way to spend easter morning: a dad and three brothers in a gorgeous part of the country.

We decided to roll out and pack up camp. It had rained both nights and the thought of getting up at 7 in the cold rain to pack up our stuff monday morning to hike out did not seem appealing at all. We packed up and left and drove over to bryce canyon. That place is way cool! We drove and saw some of the scenery on sunday.

Monday morning Dad, Jared, and I woke up and went on a short hike through Queen's Gate (putzer decided to sleep in). It was really cool do go down through the little "pillasters" (as dad called them) and walk through the canyon. Its pretty spectacular. After that, we made the drive back up to Provo.

It was a great weekend, and we made a ton of fun memories. Dad proved he still has his knack for the outdoors! Even at 60, the man still can get it done. Happy Birthday, Pops!

TO SEE MORE PICTURES click here

For anyone who missed it, a couple of months ago we put together this video to announce the man-cation. We had to do a lot of electronic stuff to get it together with the three brothers being in different places. But here is the announcement:

Intramurals

Another semester, another set of adventures in intramurals!

This semester, I played intertube waterpolo with the Christiansen Family team. We did well-- we were in the upper division and made it pretty deep in the upper tournament.

I also played coed soccer. Our team was made up of 1/3 of the guys from my guys intramural team from last fall and some girls that the other guys knew. We lost our first game 2-1 (against a team that had 1/3 of the guys from our fall team), then won our next two, then lost our last regular season game. They left us in the upper division for the tournament because the games we lost were pretty hard fought games (i assume).

anyways, we won our first game. Then our second. Then I had the car crash and wasnt able to play in our third game. It was the semifinals, and i was devastated. That was the same day i went to the hospital for them to tell me i had a concussion and that i needed to lay low. It was a very good thing i didnt play-- i had been feeling lightheaded and any small bonk on the head would have been very bad. I brought an extra jersey and gloves and one of the guys on our team suited up. He played really well and had 5 saves. We ended up winning 3-1. I was dying on the sideline. I was pacing and yelling encouragement and all the things i normally would from the goalbox. It was more stressful being on the sideline than on the field!

So we advanced to the finals. I decided to play and wore a headband for protection. The final score? I'll let the picture tell:

1. my favorite number is 8. 2. shutouts are my favorite, and 3. i didnt bonk my head a single time during the game. Perfect!

By winning an intramural championship, we won the much-heralded intramural championship t-shirt:

It already looks good on me

Team 156 (they didnt like the other two names we tried)

THE CHAMPS

My Brain Hurts

Right about.... THERE! is where it hurts.

I went to the doctor on Thursday and had a ct scan to make sure my brain wasn't bleeding. They told me I had a concussion and that i had to rest and take pain killers. That explains my lack of focus, the lightheadedness, the dull headaches, the upset stomach, the drowsiness, and the reason why I havent gotten nearly enough done this week.

PS. this blog post was made because i cant focus on studying....

Hopefully I get better by finals week!

pps. after i published this, colton came in and i told him how i'd worked successfully for 15 minutes while he was in the shower. we then spent the next 8 minutes trying to play a jimmy eat world song at the same exact time on our two computers.

We got it now. Back to studying!

Candle Light Vigil

Last night, we held the candle light vigil for ESPN. It was an emotional experience. Putzer gave us a riveting speech that highlighted the best ESPN had to give us.

We also have a urn with the ashes of a picture of ESPN.

Thanks to everyone who came!

Putt Putt and Scraggles try to go to conference...

Here is the story for everyone who didn't get the full scoop:

So Sunday morning, we had tickets to go to General Conference up in Salt Lake. We woke up to 4 inches of snow down in Provo (crazy because i've been wearing shorts all week!). We jump on the highway and start on our trek up to Conference. I was driving, Hayley was sitting shotgun, Putzer was back left, and Elizabeth was back right.

We were passing Lehi on I-15 in the lefthand lane at about 8:15. It was rainy and so there was spray coming up onto the windshield. I saw infront of us that the car was slowing and stopping, and that the cars in front of him were swerving into the righthand lane. I started slowing down and came to a prompt stop at least 10 feet behind the tan car in front of me. There had been a small fender bender or accident in front of the tan car, and there was an asian guy outside his car waving his hands for traffic to slow down. 1. Why didnt they get into the lefthand emergency lane? and 2. Why are you outside your car waving your hands? Scary.

We didnt skid or screech or anything, it was just a hard stop. When we stopped, we all kind of gave a sigh of relief and said 'phew.' I look in my rear view mirror and saw a big white pickup coming hard right behind us. it was able to slow and swerve into the emergency lane between us and the barrier to our left. I am looking out my left window saying 'good thing he didnt hit us.' Then all of a sudden i thought 'OH NO! WE'RE GOING TO GET HIT!' (these thoughts happen in about a fourth of a second.)

Suddenly there was a BOOM! We were thrown forward, my face into the exploded airbags. We rocked forward into the tan car infront of us. As the car was bouncing back, we were hit again. The car came to a stop, and we were all stunned. There was smoke in the car, presumably from the airbags. Needless to say, we were pretty stunned. We sat there for a couple of seconds and didn't say anything, then when I thought it was safe-ish and we weren't about to take another hit, I opened up my door and got out. Hayley climbed over from her side out my door, and then Putzer and Elizabeth from the back. We walked out between our car and the barrier and just kinda looked at the car and what happened. There were about 9 cars in the pile-up.

The driver in the tan car infront came back and was talking to us and told me to turn off my car. He was an older man and wasn't injured at all. We didnt talk to anyone else until the firemen and police came.

A police officer came over and identified me as the driver and handed me something to fill out. A fireman came a minute later to talk to each of us and see if we were okay. He talked to hayley and she had a little debate about how old she was. She told him, and then he was worried about me because of my forehead, but I told him i was okay. I then took some pictures of the car and began filling out the report. Putzer and Elizabeth went and sat in someone's car who had stopped because Elizabeth was a bit shaken up and in pain.

George Benson had driven through the crashed cars and stopped to come and check on us. Sam and my friends Bryan and Matt were with him. They came over and were talking with us and looking at the car and stuff. A bit later a couple came over and had Hayley and me go get in there car. They had their heat blasting and people sitting in there getting looked at by paramedics. Hayley sat in there and I had to go talk to a police officer and get some papers out of my car. When I came back, she was crying a bit and shaking pretty hard and said her neck hurt a bit, so I went and grabbed a paramedic to talk to her. He was helping her calm down her breathing, and the owner of the car was giving her tissues and helping out a lot.

Elizabeth and Putzer left in an ambulance to head down to the Provo hospital about a half hour after the crash. Hayley and I left about an hour and twenty minutes after. We left just as they were scooping ESPN (my beloved friend and car) up onto the tow truck. I jumped into the front seat of the ambulance and we were off. I talked to Hayley's sister, and then to her parents. Sitting in the front seat of an ambulance with their daughter on a stretcher and neck brace in the back was not the ideal way to talk to her parents for the first time... Luckily Hayley was doing well. In fact, she was asking the paramedic in the back if she had all of her teeth and if she was still cute!

We got to the hospital and we were in a room near putzer and elizabeth. Elizabeth had had x-rays done do see if she had any broken ribs, and they took Hayley for a ct scan on her head and neck. we were there for a long long time, and all turned out well. Elizabeth was fine, and Hayley had a mild concussion and strained neck muscles. Putz and Elizabeth left about 45 minutes before us. Hayley's aunt and uncle made the drive down from north of Salt Lake to come and check on us and make sure she was alright. They were really nice and helpful in getting the medications and taking us back to our apartments.

Today we are all pretty sore and tired. But we'd all rather be sore and tired than have anything worse have happened to us.

We are really grateful for the protection that the Lord gave us yesterday. We consider ourselves extremely blessed to have been able to walk out of the car with minor injuries. We know that He is mindful of his children wherever they are, and that he truly watches over us. The prayers for protection that our parents offer every day were answered.

Here is an article on fox news. You can see (from left to right) Sam, Hayley, Bryan/George, Matt, Me, and ESPN.

Hayley throwing the dueces with her aunt and uncle

They put this thing between hayley and the backboard. Its pretty cool.

Ready to leave!

I promise she is smiling and not in pain!

Again, smiling, not in pain.

ESPN, my beloved car, went out like a champ. He was a hero. He sacrificed himself to save us. He was a great little soldier in the prime of his youth: 6 years, 40,700 miles. He had just gotten a tire rotation/oil change and new brakes (which probably helped us out a bunch). We had some great moments, but he never stood stronger than yesterday when he saved all four of us in the car. I'm gonna miss ya, bud.

The pictures of ESPN:

Its incredible how much damage was done to the front and back and how intact the cab stayed. That saved us.

This one is my favorite... it almost looks like a transformer in mid-transformation

That white car in the background hit us second (i'm pretty sure). the blue excursion is where we went and sat for a while. They were such a nice couple to stop and help everyone out.

My boy got hit hard

I'm pretty sure that the red car hit us first. We were stopped back where he is, and then between getting hit by him and the white car we got pushed up 10-12 feet into the tan car.

the spoiler popped right off! i should have kept it.

those are the curtain airbags in the window. They saved us big time.