Christensen Chaos

Disney World Cont.

2010-07-30T20:30:00.000-07:00

Had to post earlier post because I heard girls heading up the stairs. They love to read over my shoulder when I am at the computer. So I think I have planned our disney/harrypotter trip as much as I possibly can-well I thought that a few days ago and ended up changing hotels because I found one cooler. Our wonderful travel agent was able to make the change -no fees, so now we are staying on site at the Disney Pop Century hotel. Its very disney magic like with lots of large characters around the hotel which is themed the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s. The food court even serves a tye died cheesecake, which thanks to our free dining plan we will be able to try. For those of you wondering about the cost of such a great hotel-all I can say is go to DisneyWorld the end of August! The rates are awsome, crowds are supposed to be small, they offer free dining plans, and if you can handle the heat (and not get in the middle of a hurricane) then you are good to go. Also this is a Disney Value resort so eventhough it will look really neat, the rooms are small and its really just a crazy decorated Days Inn like hotel. Which for us is great for the price and we get Disney Transportation, extra Magic Hours, and of course the free dining! Have I mentioned free dining yet? I think this is one of the things I am most excited about. In fact hours have been spent researching the best ways to use our dining credits-best restaurants, best snacks, and such. Also we had to make early reservations for the sit down dinners because they fill up fast. We are excited to be eating in Cinderellas Castle one night. Todd and I did this on our honeymoon and it is one of our favorite memories. We are cheesy Disney fans though. Also we get to go to Le Chefs De France which is located at Epcot and is the other retaurant we went to on our honeymoon. Other notable places we are eating are Tusker House Buffet in Animal Kingdom, Tepan Edo-Epcot, Planet Hollywood-Downtown Disney, and Crystal Palace in magic Kingdom. I am also trying to get a reservation at the Three Brooms STicks in Hogsmeade, but we'll see if that happens. When I get back I hope to do a dedication on the site to the most noteworthy food we had while on our trip-so check back then. We are both so excited to be able to take the kids back and share with them where we went on our Honeymoon-now 14 years later. I know some would think we would want to go back ourselves-but seeing disney through the eyes of kids is twice the fun. On a side note however we are making plans to do a no kids trip the fall Sam leaves for college. Really only 11 years away-crazy huh? That trip we will go all out and stay at one of the really nice hotels. Ok, but back to this trip. Besides Disney World we are going one day to Universal Studios to see The Harry Potter area. My kids and I are all fanatics of Harry Potter so we are very excited to be going. Todd, not so much-but he will go along with it as long as I don't make him ride its a small world! (Actually its a small world happens to be the only ride closed while we will be there which makes him and Megan very happy. I don't know what they have against it but I'll have to wait another 11 years to get my small world fix!) Hopefully the Harry Potter park crowds will have died down a little when we will be going. Write now they say its a zoo! Well enough trip planning blog. Any ideas to make the next few weeks zoom by would be great.

Waiting for DisneyWorld

2010-07-30T20:18:00.000-07:00

To catch everyone up we have decided to go to DisneyWorld on August 24th! This is a surprise for the girls who think we aren't going until December. We are planning on telling them the day before-we are going to tape the reaction which I will try to post here. Anyways the excitement is just getting too much for me. I need to pull myself away from the computer and do something else. I'm hoping that writing about it will help me put closure to it for a few weeks so I can clean my house and sleep!!!!!

One year older, and wiser too....

2010-06-09T08:21:00.000-07:00

So I've been wanting to get back to posting on my blog for a while now and the start of a new year (for me) sounded like the perfect time. Also I read my sisters cheesy blog this morning and it inspired me. I've been trying to come up with some deep thoughts I may have learned this year but it has been nothing so dramatic. Really getting older, and wiser, can be a slow process. So this year I think I've learned to be a little more patient, a little more thoughtful, a little more greatful of all the wonderful people in my life, and a little closer to my savior.
Today is also the last full day of school for my girls, which I feel is a great Birthday present to me. Many people will not agree, but I love Summer with the girls. I love no schedule and having lots of time to spend with the girls doing fun things without the pressure of schedules and homework. With that being said though, I always know August is here when I am ready once again to embrace a schedule, and maybe have a break from all that girl time! Until then though I say Carpediem (Spelling?)
Now I am going to get ready for my unsurprise/surprise Birthday something. I am truly grateful for a sister who knows I hate surprises and called me to worn me. Even though I don't know where we are going, I am glad for the heads up. I wonder though if she told me because she cares about my feelings, or if she was more worried if she showed up at my house I would still be in my sweats? (Hee, Hee) Well anyways I do get where Bella Swan is coming from in her adversion to presents and surprises. I layed in bed last night wondering why I really don't like them so much. It isn't about not liking the attention, I'm fine being infront of people although I'm not an attention hog. Maybe it is about my lack of patience. This I'm sure was part of it when I was younger, but If you truly surprised me then I wouldn't have to be patient. Anyways after pondering for a while I think I finally put my finger on the real issue. I really like to make sure everyone around me is happy, and that means I get really worried about my reactions to gifts. I am not ooy gooy sappy, so I feel like others may not know how much I really like/appreciate the given gift or surprise. So everytime I go to open a present the thoughts going through my head are about how I can show this person I really like it. If I go overboard with this please understand. I know this is why I used to prefind and unwrap my Christmas presents early. I wanted time to come up with great responses to the presents I opened. My mom thought it was because I was nosy, which I can be, but really it was the given challenge of the hunt and the previous mentioned need for advanced warnings to have great reactions. Also one of my talents is not gift giving. I love to give gifts to others, but am not blessed with an incredible ability to come up with the perfect gift or little thought of appreciation. If you know my sister in law Rebecca and my brother Kevin you know they are both blessed with this gift. They are constantly (or so it seems to the un talented giver) doing nice, thoughtful, and perfect for the person things or gifts. What this means for me is that I would rather not have people do great things for me, because then I stress even more about trying to do something for them. And so there you have it. Don't do nice things for me!! No I'm kidding but if I say you don't need to do anything know that I really mean it and with me the phrase "Its the thought that counts" really holds true.
While I am rambling on the longest post to make up for a whole year I was thinking about the twilight books because I was reading Eclipse again before the movie comes out. I do think I m like them so much because I do find many similarites between Bella and my highschool self. No mom I didn't have vampires sneeking in my windows in highschool, and I was more outgoing then her , but the clumsy-bookreading-not like surprises-mature for her age-plain but having guys like her anyways girl I can relate too. Hmm, and I did marry someone who is rather pale? (Hee Hee) To end this post I have to say I saw a sticker on the back of Nicky Davis's car that read "I drive like a Cullen!" I wish I could put one on my van but we all know I drive well, more like a Swan.

Jennifer on her Baptism day!

2009-05-07T10:43:00.000-07:00

Jennifer on her Baptism day!

2009-05-07T10:42:00.000-07:00

Jennifer's Baptism

2009-05-07T10:33:00.000-07:00

Jennifer was baptized on Saturday May 2, 2009. It was such a very special day for her and us. She was so excited in the weeks leading up to it, and I have really seen her trying to take more responsibility for her actions. You could feel the spirit very strong during the program, and Jen was so happy to have so many family members there and participating. When she came out of the water she was just glowing and she couldn't stop smiling for hours. It was great to have the bishop share about her interview and what a valient girl she is. It also reminded me how grateful I am to have a husband who holds the priesthood and can babtize and confirm my girls!

Crazy faces!

2009-05-07T10:30:00.001-07:00

Cute cakes!

2009-05-07T10:25:00.001-07:00

My mushroom harvest!

2009-05-07T10:21:00.000-07:00

Samantha being a potato person!

2009-04-07T17:27:00.000-07:00

Kaylee doing crafts!

2009-04-07T17:26:00.000-07:00

My mushroom kit with a thin layer of mold!

2009-04-07T17:25:00.000-07:00

Jennifer "biting" Sam on vampire night!

2009-04-07T17:24:00.000-07:00

Megan at pump it up!

2009-04-07T17:21:00.000-07:00

Our "Staycation"

2009-04-07T17:11:00.000-07:00

This spring break we had a staycation where we didn't go anywhere, but stayed and had fun. Actually we wish it had been a lot longer! Some of the things we did were go to pump it up, Todd took the girls to Omsi, a sleepover with our cousins, a vampire party, lots of cooking and crafts, and playing with Maggie and Bronco (who now lives with Kacie and Andrew and is renamed Summo) We now can't wait until Summer! We are having fun getting the yard ready for summer, and growing lots of plants inside for our garden. Also I saw my first asparagus shooting up today, and my mushroom kit is in the mold phase. Kindof gross, but I can't wait to see, and eat, the mushrooms when they grow! The kids are also all growing like the weeds in my strawberry patch, and I have had to sort through clothes because the ones in their drawers no longer fit-again. I'm thinking of not feeding them this spring-do you think that would help?

I am just too cute-Bronco!!!!

2009-03-20T21:29:00.000-07:00

Kaylee, Jen, and Bronco!

2009-03-20T21:28:00.001-07:00

Bronco and Todd watching March Maddness-You can tell because Todd is so serious!

2009-03-20T21:26:00.000-07:00

Getting the new puppy!

2009-03-20T21:24:00.001-07:00

Today we drove to Seaside, and picked up our new addition, Bronco. He is so cute, we had to share pictures with everyone! Maggie is adjusting to not being an "only dog" but they are doing better then I thought. Bronco just wants to follow Maggie around! Now Todd has his boy to watch sports with. In fact he already was today! (I'm glad I didn't have too)

Maggie meets Bronco!

2009-03-20T21:23:00.000-07:00

Cute Puppy Bronco!

2009-03-20T21:21:00.001-07:00

Five free things!

2009-03-16T13:58:00.000-07:00

I am reposting this from another blog-but it sounded like fun. For the first five people that respond to this, I will make you something. Most bloggers are thinking a craft item, however if it is from me it will most likely be a special food item. The rules are you have to post this on your blog too and be willing to make five things for others. You also need to post a picture of whatever it is you get from me. I promise to make the item within a few months. Have fun!

Jen made an afternoon snack. "Plating things for presentation have become important around our house after too much food network!

2009-03-13T17:09:00.000-07:00

Jennifer on her way to America at a pretend Elis Island.

2009-03-13T17:08:00.000-07:00

Jen in "Detention" at an immigration simulation!

2009-03-13T17:07:00.000-07:00

Maggies hair cut!

2009-03-13T17:02:00.000-07:00

This was an Apple stuffed french toast that rocked!

2009-03-13T17:01:00.000-07:00

Lots of new things this Spring!

2009-03-13T16:52:00.000-07:00

This spring we have a lot of new and exciting things happening which I will be blogging about often. The first will be our new puppy coming sometime this next week-lots of pictures will follow when he gets here. I just planted asparagus and am eagerly awaiting it to shoot up, so I will update you on that. I also hopefully will be trying a mushroom kit which will be fun to watch as lots of mushrooms grow. (And eat too) Later this spring my CSA (Farm share) will start and I want to take pictures each week of what I get so others interested will know what to expect, and also I hope to make lots of fun new dishes so those pictures will come too. Speaking of food- you may catch a picture or two of new dishes I have tried. Me and the girls have been watching the food network alot and it has been inspiring to all of us, so If something tastes or looks really great I may post it-only recipes if you ask! And finally, my girls seem to be growing like the weeds in my garden so there will always be lots going on with them!

Sick of being Sick!!!!

2009-02-22T14:22:00.000-08:00

We have not blogged at all this month because much of it has been spent with someone in the house sick. First we got hit with a round of the stomach flu which everyone got over the course of a week-wait before that it was a cold, then the stomach flu, and as I write this Jennifer and Samantha are downstairs sick-we think with the real flu!! So much for the girls getting perfect attendance this semester. Well other then that there have been a few things that have happened of note this Feb. First of all is that Todd decided to not continue on his path to becoming a Sergent in the police department. He realized that politics was not his thing, and so he is back to doing what he loves which is being a police officer. This of course means more changes of schedule, but whats new in the life of a cops family right? On the major plus side he gets to go back to church which had been really hard on him. (And me) Also he gets to see all the girls weekend activities like games and such. I'm back to being a single mom four nights a week, but at least as the girls are getting older that is getting a lot easier! The other thing to note is what is going on in the world around us right now. Obama has spent his first month as president trying to fix the economy-remember according to everyone Obama can fix everything! I sure hope "they" are right because right now this country is a mess. I am very grateful for Todd's very stable job-because many are not so lucky right now, with job loss starting to hit home around our circle of friends. We have seen the affects as we looked at our retirement account that is now almost half of what it was 7 months ago. Yikes. We also refinanced our house this week and were shocked at what our house is really worth. It appraised at 320,000, but would probably only sell for around 310,000. When we bought this house four years ago for 285,000 it was under priced. We then put in 10, 000 work on it (which would have cost more had we not done most of it ourselves) by adding almost 300 sq feet of space and a computer nook. I tell you they said prices may fall to a three year ago price, but they are already down about four years when I look at it. Moving is not in our future that is for sure! I find thinking about the economy so depressing that this week Todd and I have spent way to much time debating the outcome of the reality t.v. series The Bachelor. Somehow it is so much easier to wrap our minds around. With that being said Oregon of course is leading the nation in not putting education first, but cutting more from the states already small education budget. What worries me the most is how this will affect the girls school. It is already running on such a small budget that if more gets cut in the years to come, I don't know if it will be able to operate. They are doing so well there that I would really hate that. Well, I am rambling now and hope to have less sickness this month and more positive posts!

2009-01-28T18:22:00.000-08:00

And another one down!

2009-01-26T15:10:00.000-08:00

The start of 2009 has started and we've said goodbye to 2008. The girls are all growing up so much, its hard to believe. Samantha started Kindergarten this year and she loves it. She gets to stay full day two days a week, but she wishes it were all week. I'm afraid its a little boring around here without her sisters. She did soccer in the fall, and although she was pretty good, and made several goals, she spent most of her time dancing on the field....So we put her back in dance where she belongs. Now she prances around the house all the time. Sam is growing into her tall body, and has found her own sense of humor. The other day she asked why her name wasn't spelled Samanthe with an e at the end because she knows how to spell THE, and it sounds the same. Funny girl! She is taking more responsiblity around the house, now if we could only teach her not to hide her sisters stuff all over the house!
Jennifer is in first grade and thrilled to have her teacher Ms. Jensen. In fact she wants to be like her so much that she got a guitar for Christmas. Jennifer has given up soccer and is taking a singing/acting class and hip hop. She finally gets to put all that drama to good use! She is also really looking forward to turning 8 and getting babtized. Jen is trying hard to make better choices, but boy sometimes its soooo hard! It's a good thing she so cute, or she might be spending a lot more time in her room!
Kaylee has finally grown taller then Megan, which she might consider her greatest accoplishment yet! She is in third grade, and following closely in her mothers footsteps, doing as little as possible to still get a good grade! Ooops. She is a great soccer player, and has enjoyed trying goalie and defender. She also has reached new heights climbing to the top of the first two rock climbing walls, and taking a swimming class at the YMCA. She is very funny, and loves to find the answer to abstract problems. If she would sleep a little more, she would be close to an angelic child.
Megan is on the verge of officially becoming a pre-teen. Even though she hasn't gotten much taller, she is really growing up, and her mood swings prove it!!! She is a great student, and trys hard at everything she does. This fall her soccer team went undefeated, and even won several tornaments. We were even more proud that she chose to not play the Sunday games, even though it was really hard not to. She is looking forward to 6th grade, and going into young womens. She is lots of fun to be around (when she isn't having a mood swing), but her sisters think she reads too much! (just like her mom) She is a big help to me around the house, and I call her my alarm clock. We would never get anywhere on time if it wasn't for her. She has also started babysitting and is enjoying some extra spending money and freedom!
Todd has been promoted to sergeant, and is in his year of training. He has had some bumps in the road, but things are going great now as he has found his groove! He is enjoying seeing the girls more with his new schedule, and is a big help to me running them around! He is also enjoying his big screen TV, and new Ipod touch. WE love having him home at night (when we can pull him away from mob-wars!) He is the assistant scout leader for the 10 year old boys, and is clearly going to learn alot from that!
Jenelle is having a taste of the empty nest syndrome, and loving it. With all the girls at school, she is keeping up with things at home better, able to volunteer at the school, go to the temple, and enjoy time with girls when they get home!

2008-12-31T12:31:00.000-08:00

2008-12-31T12:28:00.000-08:00

2008-12-31T12:23:00.000-08:00

Christmas 2008

2008-12-29T17:35:00.000-08:00

What a wonderful Christmas week we have had. It truly will go down as one of the most memorable ones ever. Having to be shuttled back and forth in Grandpas 4 wheel drive was exciting, if not a major hassle. Having a white Christmas for the second year in a row was amazing, even if it put a kink in some of our plans. Personally I enjoyed cutting back a little, and not being able to stress if things weren't perfect. Even my mom did a great job of being flexible with the weather. We enjoyed spending time with Family, without a whole lot of extra fluff. (I do enjoy a little fluff once in a while, but life and Christmas still go on without it.)
Christmas eve we played gift bingo and had lots of fun. (Only a few tears from Megan over a stolen Taylor Swift cd that Uncle Jack thought was funny to do, but the pre teen Megan didn't.) We ended up with lots of fun gifts including a burts bees pack, a gingerbread gift set, a gumball machine, Hairspray the movie, and Todd picked a look alike leg lamp (from A Christmas Story) that he thinks would be funny to put in our front window! (Don't worry-the girls have plans to accidentaly break it if that happens.) We also did a great nativity story, with the best costumes you have ever seen. Grandma Milne made them and as the snow got higher, the cosumes got more elaborate! You could really feel the spirit in the room. The whole family was in new Christmas pajamas as we went to bed and awaited for Santa to come. It was a little wierd because Samantha is the only one left in our house that still believes in the big guy. By next year Santa may be a thing of the past, which would make it a little easier to concentrate on the real meaning of Christmas.
Christmas morning the girls were very suprised to find that Santa had gotten Daddy his big screne TV!!!!!!! We are all enjoying how clear everyone looks. Today I told the girls when they have kids they will tell them ,"When we were little we had to watch a t.v. that was square, and the people didn't look clear at all." Isn't technology amazing? I can't imagine how much change my grandparents have seen in their lives! Speaking of technology Kaylee got a robot from Santa, Megan a kids video camera, Jenelle a new camera yeah!, and we now have to buy stock in batteries. Jennifer finally got the guitar she wanted, and Samantha was thrilled with yet another baby doll. We marveled at how quickly this Christmas came. Wasn't it just Christmas of 2007? After picking up most of the mess me were shuttled by Grandpa over for the Milne family Christmas. We had the traditional sausage egg cassarole and cinnamon roll Christmas tree for breakfast before tearing in to the gifts. Actually Christmas was not crazy this year as all of the kids (except Kyler) were old enough to have patience and we enjoyed opening each and every gift. Most of the day was then spent watching the girls play with their cousins on the dance dance revolution they got from grandma and grandpa for Christmas. We even got Grandpa and Uncle Jack to do it! Then we ate too much for dinner and tried to stuff even more in for dessert! We especially enjoyed spending time with Kacie and Andrew who finally arrived via Boise and Seattle. We are sad they are going back to Utah on Thursday. On Sunday we were able to have Christmas with the Christensen side. We heard about everyones Christmas, and the kids spent lots of time playing in the basement while the adults talked about politics, and of course the Portland Police department. After dinner we opened presents, and the big highlight was Megans bike! It was nice to visit with family that even though live close, we don't see often enough. We had a wonderful Christmas and hope anyone reading this also enjoyed lots of time with friends and family.

Snow bums!

2008-12-22T10:08:00.000-08:00

Awwwwwwww

2008-12-22T10:07:00.000-08:00

Snow depth. (We cleared this once this week.)

2008-12-22T10:06:00.000-08:00

The great oak tree!

2008-12-22T10:05:00.002-08:00

Winter Wonderland!

2008-12-22T10:05:00.001-08:00

What was our Van!

2008-12-22T10:04:00.001-08:00

Out our front door

2008-12-22T10:03:00.000-08:00

Snow man from when we thought we had snow!

2008-12-22T10:02:00.000-08:00

Snow on, and Snow on, and .......

2008-12-22T09:39:00.000-08:00

What does one do when you have record snow fall at your house? Well today Todd is not going to work (yeah) and he is going to try and build an igloo with the kids. I have to say I am a snow lover, but this is amazing. The kids will always remember this year. Kaylee blames herself for all the snow because she wore her pajamas on inside out, put 12 ice cubes on the front walk, and slept with a spoon under her pillow. (She was told this would make it snow.) Now that she is blameing herself for all this snow I told her I was impressed she had that much control over the weather! She also came down on Saturday and said " And they say we're having global warming. This looks like global freezing to me!" I really had to agree with her. Maybe all of us Oregonians are doing too much recycling! (Hee Hee) Well on Saturday we did lots of crafts, made Tree shaped cakes and decorated them with candy and then gave them to our snowed in neighbors, did the Wii, and watched several Christmas movies. Also the girls had too keep clearing a spot for Maggie to go to the bathroom on. She was having a hard time because of the half inch layer of ice on top of all the snow. Today however she has given up trying to find a good spot and is just going in the foot of space that is clear right by the door. Kaylee and Megan thought the ice was great and did "The Penguin" sliding on their tummies all over the back yard. Jen and Sam liked crunching through the layers of ice, and Sam kept taking bites of the ice before she would throw it sliding across the rest of the ice. Today they think the icicles that have formed are really cool, and tasty. As I am writing this it is still snowing, and we can not see our van in the front yard. The question is really now whether (weather) we will be able to get to my moms on Christmas and if my sister Kacie will get home. (She has been stuck in Boise, and is now on her way down from Seattle.) Besides the fact that many things are not getting done that otherwise might (A few gifts that won't get bought, and treats given to visiting teachers) this snow is really forcing us to have a REAL kind of Christmas where the important thing is spending time with family, and showing love for others. If we can take the time to look past what isn't, we can see we really have been given a wonderful gift. So go enjoy your family and Merry Christmas!!!!!

Christensen Spa Day-Face mask time!

2008-12-18T21:45:00.000-08:00

Megan looks good enough to eat!

2008-12-18T21:42:00.000-08:00

Spa Day!

2008-12-18T21:08:00.000-08:00

Today was our fourth and last snow day (my girls have no school on Fridays anyways) before Christmas break officially begins. I have to admit to being a little annoyed at Sherwood school district for the no school call because the roads seemed so clear, but I changed my mind later when I was stuck in a van half way up a hill. (More about that later.) My girls had mixed feelings about it because we have had a great few days together, they still didn't want to miss school Christmas parties, and Megan of course wanted to be given homework. And I'm not joking about that. Well, slushy roads and all we decided to have a girls spa day to spice up the long week. I even made them an avacado/ oatmeal mask which actually felt great. They did hair and nails on eachother, and I don't think I heard one argument all morning. Also this week has gotten me back on my Wii fit schedule so maybe I can burn off some of those calories I've been eating with all the treats around!
After lunch we decided to do opperation rescue Grandma. My mom hasn't been able to finish her Christmas shopping because she is terrified to drive in the snow, and my dad has been so busy helping other people. (Also she needed to get something for him.) So we all piled in the van to go pick up Grandma. Things were going great, until we got half way up and found the wheels spinning. Nothing we did could make that car go up that hill in the ice and slush. Now this wouldn't be that suprising if I had been driving, but Todd the "I'm a professional" police officer was driving. So at that point I gave the Sherwood School district cudos for the snow day, and somehow convinced my mom to walk the rest of the way down the hill so we could continue kidnapping her. We then went to Costco, Justice for Girls, and Cash and Carry and are hopefully finished for the year. We were all glad to get out of the house, and after a little sunshine-and a faster head start, we made it to my parents door safe and sound. I did feel a little like a pioneer gearing up to go into town on a once a month trip. I guess we really have no idea how great we really have it compared to all the generations that have gone before us.

The grass is always greener.....

2008-12-15T12:20:00.000-08:00

So after a full snow day with the kids I was pondering on whether the grass is greener, without snow that is. Sunday morning I was as, if not more, excited then the kids. I love snow! I love to watch it falling, to sit inside with a warm cup of cocoa while its cold outside, and I love the feeling of nothing I have to do. Then it hit me. None of the things I love about snow include going outside in it, cleaning up 5 sets of wet snow clothes, or keeping 4 girls busy for extra days right before Christmas when they are already sooo excited. As I was laying in bed last night exhausted after the ordeal of the snow day, I was not looking forward to yet another day of it, I realized I had a choice to make. So today I decided to look at the grass the way it is -white- and realize that sometimes in life the grass really is greener on the other side, but we have to learn to love whatever grass we are given. (Or learn to fertalize more.) So today was a much better day. I had fun as I watched the kids sledding down a hill close to us, and then we enjoyed that cup of cocoa with lunch. Right now they are doing the Wii-and if I'm lucky I'll get a shower and then we'll make carmels together My attitude adjustment has made all the difference. So I'm thinking I need to apply this to another area of my life. Todd's work schedule. Many that may read this know that Todd has been on an afternoon shift for most of our married life, leaving me to put kids to bed, run to practices, and go to meetings on my own. I have waited (not super patiently) for the day when he would move to a different shift-looking at that as the grass being greener. So when he moved to night shift-I was excited to feel the warmth of the nice green grass, that is to say I loved the shift. He was home to see the kids more, help me at night, and life seemed to be more normal. The flip side was that he didn't get much sleep, and the poor man was tired all the time. So then a miracle happened and he moved to day shift. (Although this won't last forever.) I was thrilled thinking all would be perfect-Ya know really, really, green grass. Guess what I found out-The grass is not always greener. Now Todd works all weekend leaving me with the girls Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. When he comes homes he is exhausted because he has to get up at 5:00 am, and I have had enough "love" from the girls that I am ready to run out of the house the min. he gets home. On this shift I've been less grateful of Todd's situation, and just feeling sorry for me. So now I realize no matter what shift, or situation we find ourselves in, there is good and bad, and we just have to deal with it. So hopefully my positive attitude can turn this into a better situation for us all as I realize the grass is not always greener (except maybe when its covered in snow.)

Snowgirl Sam!

2008-12-14T16:07:00.000-08:00

Snow baby!

2008-12-14T16:05:00.001-08:00

Kaylee making a snow angel!

2008-12-14T16:03:00.000-08:00

Megan all bundled up!

2008-12-14T16:02:00.000-08:00

Santa Baby!

2008-12-14T15:57:00.000-08:00

Todd, Sam and Jen at the Ward Party!

2008-12-14T15:55:00.000-08:00

Santa and Snow

2008-12-14T15:44:00.000-08:00

On Friday night we went to the ward Christmas party, had dinner, and the girls got to see Santa. (Megan was at a birthday party but she saw the big man last week!) At first Jen didn't want to sit on Santa's lap because she thought she was too big, but Kaylee convinced her otherwise. Sam was super excited to see Santa because this week she has been trying to put together the meaning of Christmas and how Santa fits into all of it. She now understands giving gifts to show love for others like the wisemen did for Jesus, and because Jesus would want us to think of others on his birthday. She then said "So Santa gives gifts like the wise men did?" I told her yes, but that Santa is mostly for fun and the real reason is to celebrate Jesus's Birth. Then this Sunday we got a special Christmas gift. Snow!!!!!!!!! I was as excited as the kids. It was the big, Christmas card picture type snow. Today I wouldn't let the kids go sledding (after all it is still Sunday) but we did take a long walk around the neighborhood with Maggie (who loves the snow), and the girls played a little in our backyard. We have had a great day together doing crafts, puzzles, baking, and of course watching the snow fall. The bad news is that Todd has to drive home in this. :(

2008-12-12T15:31:00.000-08:00

2008-12-12T15:27:00.000-08:00

Book signing, boys, and Band!

2008-12-12T15:12:00.000-08:00

The picture below is from my brother Kevin's book signing at Borders on Tuesday night. He wrote a book called "The Paper bag Christmas." It has been very exciting seeing him go through the process of being published. If you haven't read the book you should. We love it, and it really inspires the true meaning of Christmas.
Boys are not something we normally talk about around here, but on Tuesday we got to see a glimpse into what life might be like a few years from now at our house when Megan played the part of Helena in A Midsummers Nights Dream at her school. For those not familiar with the play, this meant that at one part Megan had two boys in love with her and she was fighting them off. (She loved slapping one on the wrist.) Besides a bit of a reality check for us, Megan did a wonderful job of acting and her Teacher called her a scene stealer. Way to go Megan!!!
Band is not a class my children are taking, but it starts with a b and we did have to sit through the band performance last night before getting to hear our angels voices at the school christmas concert. As always I was very impressed with the quality of the concert, and really enjoyed the older grades that even sang parts. The theme was December around the world, so many of the songs were in foreign languages. Some were about other cultures like chinese new year, kwanza, and Hanuakka, but there was still a nice religious Christmas undertone to it which is hard to find in school these days! Our girls did great and looked so cute up on stage. Samantha even sang without getting nervous! Way to go Christensen girls!!!!!!

2008-12-12T15:09:00.000-08:00

Saturdays Market

2008-12-06T20:59:00.000-08:00

Today the girls and I hitched a ride to the Saturdays Market in down town Portland with Grandma and Grandpa Milne. Actually I invited myself when I heard they were going because I knew that was the only way we could go. (Todd is not a big fan of me taking the girls into Portland-and pretty much refuses to do so. He knows way too much about what really goes on there and sometimes runs into people he has arrested before. This way he didn't have to go, and there was still a guy with us so he felt ok about us going.) So anyways after promissing Todd I wouldn't use my visa(cash only), or lose any of the girls, and stay as far away from potsmokers or bongs as we could, we were off. The girls were in awe of all the sights and sounds around. When I asked them tonight what they liked best here were there responses:
Kaylee-I liked the elephant ears with apple butter on them.
Jennifer-I liked the wooden flute whistles. (She really wanted one but didn't have enough money to get one this time.)
Samantha-I liked the colorful bowls(She meant glass blown vases-what good taste she has!)
and the reindeer whistle I bought.
Megan -It was a hard decision but she also picked the elephant ears.
Kaylee also added that "It was really cool and it smelled so good."
We had a great time roaming around and only purchased a few small things before having our elephant ears and leaving. We managed to follow all of Todds requests except we did see a few glass blown bongs that the girls had no idea what they were. I enjoyed spending the day with family and especially loved seeing all the items made of wood. It reminded me of when I was little and my parents would take me there. I would look at the wood clocks, and smooth wood bowls forever. It is fun to appreciate others art and talents in that setting because it is all so different.

Oh Christmas Tree!

2008-12-02T19:00:00.000-08:00

Thoughts on our Christmas Tree

2008-12-02T17:17:00.000-08:00

Today while the girls were at school Todd and I pulled out the Christmas decorations and put up the Christmas tree. Then we carefully sorted the ornaments into piles for each of the girls, put our own ornaments and breakables up high on the tree, and then sat down and enjoyed some Christmas music. When the girls got home we watched as they lit up with joy upon seeing the house, and each one put up their pile of ornaments. After the peace and quite of today (and no broken ornaments) I have vowed that this will become a new tradition-and maybe I will not dread the beginning of December so much! I also had time to reflect on the tree and ornaments as I carefully pulled each one out of the box. I was filled with a sense of love as I realized that most of these ornaments were from friends and family, and each one has a special story. Some were from Todd and mine own childhoods and have rich stories that we share with our children. There are football and barbie ornaments given to us by Grandma Milne when our tree was very bare, and we couldn't afford many of our own. Precious hand made ones from Grandma Jeanne, The Starlings, and the girls themselves. A great many new ornaments for each of the girls as I pass down a tradition of giving them an ornament every year. (This year they were Webkinz ones.) A rock ornament made by my grandpa strawn, and a white house ornament given to us by Todds Grandma Navine. One of the most memorable ones was given to us by Kevin and Rebecca on our first Christmas in Provo. They had made a Christmas tree out of a bottle of Sparkling cider and this was the ornament they placed on it. That was our only tree and ornament that year. I could go on and on , but I just wanted to share of few of the thoughts about our tree and the ornaments placed upon it. Christmas really is about love, the love of our savior that we try and emulate. We are truly lucky to be surrounded with so many good examples of that love.

Our Thanksgiving-By Jen

2008-12-01T16:33:00.000-08:00

our familyies thanksgiving was crazy .We first went to my Dads moms house we had dinner and dessert their.We also went to my other grandmas house we also ate dessert their. At the second grandmas house their were LOTS of desserts .When we got home we all had a stomachache .I couldn't go to bed that night because I had a stomachache .Oh did I mention my favorite food ?Id have to say it was the trifle that my grandma made ,and that was how our Thanksgiving went .

Kaylee's Sad

2008-12-01T16:04:00.000-08:00

Hi !Kaylee typing .I am sad because one of my best friends is moving all the way to UTAH!!! Im sad but im also happy for her because shes moving closer to her family .She's taking it really well.If I was moving to Utah I would be crying for a long time because I would have to move to a all new school and make all new friends.I feel really bad for her because her hamster died on thank's giving morning.

Awards Ceremony

2008-12-01T08:40:00.000-08:00

Today at the girls school Jennifer received an award for citizenship and Kaylee for great leadership. Megan, Samantha, and Kaylee also got an award for perfect attendance and no tardies this semester. Way to go girls!!! I really have to give most of the credit for the no tardies to Megan who is a great alarm clock for us all. We would never wake up if it wasn't for her.

We are Thankful!

2008-11-30T19:42:00.000-08:00

So before going to bed we thought we would tell 1 thing we are thankful for on the last day of November. Here goes:
Mom-I am thankful for a husband that has a stable job and works so hard.

Megan-I am thankful for my sisters. (She said this like a question so maybe it should be "I am thankful for my sisters?")

Kaylee-I am thankful for my whole family!

Jennifer-I am thankful for school.

Samantha-I am thankful for Maggie (she even told me how to spell it!)

Todd- Is unavailable for comment due to having to work overtime tonight because someone else called in sick.

Welcome to our family blog !

2008-11-30T19:25:00.000-08:00

So we finally decided to get into blogs-with the persistance of some family members-and girls that were jealous of their cousins! They each wanted their own, but with limited computer time, and a computer that is already overloaded, this was our best option. So you might get a little input from all of us. Hope you enjoy-Hopefully more to come soon!