Brian & Rachelle's Family Blog

Precious Moments

2009-09-03T12:54:00.004-06:00

My little boys can be pretty crazy and very loud sometimes. It seems like the peaceful moments are few and far between as they are getting older and more competitive. Here's a few precious

moments caught on camera of Will and Zach together.

The wall between our house and the neighbors is an excellent place for fishing. So with homemade poles and strings, the boys love to spend some time "fishing" together.
This never happens! I had to catch it on camera as the boys shared a little nap on the couch.

What? Who took these pictures?

2009-09-03T12:45:00.003-06:00

This was hilarious! I had all these random pictures on my camera that I had no recollection of taking. I soon realized that a child had taken them because of the view, but also many pictures were either blurry or crazy. The pictures started in our family room, then went down the hall,up the stairs, into bedrooms and playroom. It was funny to see all the random pictures. so here's a sample:
hallway?

playroom cabinet?

a ceiling fan? who takes these pictures?

here's the kicker! Caught red-handed.... it was Will who took a picture of himself in the bathroom mirror! I had a good laugh and it continues to make me smile when I think of him doing this.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CAMI!!! 4-21-09

2009-09-03T10:48:00.002-06:00

Cami wanted snickerdoodles as her b-day dessert this year! Yummy!

We had a pizza party at the house, then took everyone to see the Hannah Montana Movie and then back home for our very first sleep-over party! It was a lot of fun and a very late night.

APRIL 2009

2009-09-03T10:33:00.003-06:00

New Easter Clothing for church
decorating eggs

Zach and Sophia at the church Easter Egg hunt

the thief! for the longest time i couldn't figure out why our bird seed was always dumped in the grass or why it disappeared so quickly. then one day i saw this! it was no longer a mystery and the kids were fascinated to watch the squirrel dangle upside down like that!

Will had to get some cavities filled! he was brave little boy as they gave him shots for he pain, but he also had the "laughing gas" and they had to put this blue "rain jacket" around his teeth so he wouldn't swallow anything. It was uncomfortable and strange, but he was great!

MARCH 2009: Spring Break to Houston

2009-06-28T14:45:00.005-06:00

After grandma and grandpa left, we headed to Houston to spend the rest of the week with Uncle Mark and Aunt Kyra. We were also able to meet up with our great friends, the Olsens. Here's a few pictures of our trip to the Children's Discovery museum in Houston with the Olsens:

Emma stacking dominoes

Will stacking blocks

Zach had alot of fun rolling balls

face painting

water works

A Day at the Nasa Museum was a BLAST!

MARCH 2009: A visit from some special people!

2009-06-28T14:11:00.006-06:00

OK! i'm playing catch-up again. March was fun in that it brought us a visit from Gr. and Gr. C! They came during a spring break visit and the kids were able to watch grandpa play some church ball with daddy and we also had a fun time going bowling. The weather was bad, so the kids' sports games were cancelled which was a dissapointment because it's not every weekend that grandma and grandpa can come and watch.

Emma bowling

Cami bowlingGrandpa bowlingGrandma and Will

after the weekend storm, we had a beautiful day on monday and walked to the park and played. we had a great game of 4-square and also had fun swinging on the swings. Zach went down a slide that was wet with rain before we had the chance to stop him, thus the diaper dandy! here's a few pictures of our outing:

Playing 4-square

Cami and Zach having fun at the swings

February Happenings 2009

2009-04-01T09:19:00.005-06:00

This is a picture we sent our parents and grandparents for Valentines Day. Rather than coordinate everyone's clothing, we just made the hearts and it was fun. So, Happy late-valentine's to everyone! Below is a picture of Will at his preschool Valentine Party. For the party craft we painted wooden frames, then took pictures of the kids and had them printed before class was over so the kids could take them home for their parents. We took individual pictures of the kids (with our signs from home) and put those in the frames. FUN!

This was just funny! I was about to make sandwiches for lunch and turned around to get something and before I knew it, Zach was up on the counter with a spoon eating the fluff and peanut butter and obviously loving it! I had to laugh.

We decided to keep Will in gymnastics and it has turned out to be the best thing! He continues to excel and he goes without his blanket or stuffed animal and even without ME! He has gained a confidence he didn't have before and he listens to his instructor and then does what he should. Just last week (Mar. 24) the instructor asked if Will could be part of their advanced class! How exciting! He's come a long way and we're so proud of him.

Here's Cami singing at the Activity Day Girls Program. Doesn't she look so grown up? She'll be turning 10 soon, and Young Women's is just around the corner. Yikes!

Here's Emma with her friends at the Activity Day Girls program, too. This was one of her first meetings as she just joined after she turned 8. She loves going and spending time with her church friends.

Here's Spencer getting his Arrow of Light award in scouting. He actually earned it before his 11th birthday, but for various reasons, the ceremony couldn't be held any sooner. Congratulations, Spencer, you (and I) have really worked hard on this! I'm just glad to have a breather from scouting...don't get me wrong...I found myself really liking being a scout leader towards the end, and I'll be ready to go again when Will and Zach get to be that age.

February 2009 cont...

2009-03-31T23:20:00.003-06:00

Spencer and his friends at the winter party at school

Will really wanted to play soccer. We tried to get him on a team with his friend, but it didn't work out. Will is so shy! He had a hard time meeting his new team and coach and wouldn't leave Brian's side during the warm-up before the game. Actually he wouldn't even play the first quarter. He was too afraid and scared. After the first quarter, the coach convinced him to go in and play. Then he got to do the kick-off and the rest is history. He was still shy at first, but once he got into it, he didn't want to quit. since this first day, Will has become the top scorer for their team and he can't wait for the next practice or game. Way to go Will!

i just thought this was a cute picture of my little boys reading on the couch. Aren't they cute?

Happy birthday to Brian! the big 35. WOW! I love you, honey.

Zach begins gymnastics...Jan. 2009 cont...

2009-03-31T22:47:00.003-06:00

Zach loved watching Will in his gymnastics class so much that I decided to try a mommy and me class with Zach. As you can see from the pictures, he loves it! We enjoy the time together and he really gets into it and participates in everything. He especially loves swinging on the bars and "bubble time" at the end. BTW: these bubbles are great! They are from Gymboree and you can actually catch them in your hands and the kids love it. Zach is a natural. He is physically capable of everything they do in class and he is socially in his element.

Happy birthday Spencer! 01-09-09

2009-03-31T22:32:00.002-06:00

Spencer enjoyed his 11th birthday party with a bunch of friends. They came to the house for pizza and brownies (Spencer's b-day dessert) and presents. Then Brian took them all to the local pool for some swimming fun. It was a great celebration. I can't believe that I have an 11-year-old! It seems like yesterday that we were finishing up at BYU and leaving for Texas. How is that?

Happy Birthday Emma! 01-01-09

2009-03-31T21:56:00.003-06:00

Emma had a happy birthday at home this year! She wanted a giant cookie cake with a snowman on it, so this is what she got. She had a bunch of friends over for a party

Emma turned 8, and thus was able to be baptised into our church if she chose to. Here we all are at her baptism with Grandma and Grandpa H. and Uncle Mark and Aunt Kyra. We had a great time and it was fun to have family visit for this special day.

Starting Things off Right! January 2009

2009-03-31T21:16:00.004-06:00

We had a lot of fun cheering in the new year with the kids and some of their friends. We had lots of party food and candy and we all took turns singing karaoke, playing games, then watching the TV as the ball dropped in New York. It was really great. Everyone finally went to sleep, then we had a great big breakfast in the morning with hash browns, bacon, sausage, pancakes, eggs, orange juice. YUMMY!

DECEMBER 2008

2009-03-28T14:12:00.006-06:00

Well, December brought a lot of fun for our family. here's some of what we've been up to:

Will continues with his gymnastics and is doing really well. He has gained a confidence in himself, but he is still rather shy and has a difficult time going to class without his blanket. We're not sure if we will sign him up again.

Will and Zach in their Power Ranger dress-ups

Will helping decorate the Christmas tree

Emma displaying her cookie during our sugar cookie frosting extravaganza!

showing off the Christmas Eve jammies from Grandma and Grandpa C.

waiting for christmas!During Christmas break, we decided to have a family fun day at 6 Flags over Texas. It was a great day...very warm during the day, then chilly at night. We spent the whole day there. It was Will and Zach's first experience at an amusement park, and they had a great time going on rides and seeing roller coasters and eating yummy food!They even had Frosty's sledding hill! The kids loved it and did it several times.

I wish I had taken a picture of the entire hill...it was really small compared to the hills I grew up sledding down in Idaho...but it was fun anyway.

I had to include this one! Where else can you ride in a boot? You know what they say...Everything's bigger in TEXAS!

NOVEMBER 2008...Our Mexican Vacation

2008-11-30T23:30:00.006-06:00

Our trip started last Sunday at 3:20 am when we woke up a little late to catch our 5:40 flight out of DFW airport! We quickly got all the kids up and made it to our flight with time to spare! WaHoo!! We were off. Flying was a new experience for Zach. He's been on a plane before, but he was too young to remember. He was excited watching the guys load the luggage, but as soon as the plane started moving, he was terrified! He had to hold my hand during take off, and he had to have the blind closed on the window. This became our routine for all future take-offs and landings. It was rather indearing and nice to be so needed and to know that I had the power to take away his fear and to have him believe that everything was going to be ok.

After flying through Atlanta and changing planes, we arrived in Mexico to see a rainstorm! It didn't stop us from heading to the beach the moment of our arrival. Everyone was excited to see the ocean and to play in the sand. We didn't want to be too rambunctious on a Sunday, and it was raining, so we did a Christensen Family Favorite, and threw rocks in the water.

We stayed at an all-inclusive resort about an hour south of Cancun. We had all the smoothies and food we could possibly want. So much so that Cami and Spencer got sick the first day after having too much! It was nice to have buffet meals with lots of choices and a few nights, we made reservations at some of the nicer restaurants for dinner which was fun, too. We basically spent our time going between the beach and the water park at the resort. Brian and the older kids enjoyed snorkeling and swimming. Cami's favorite things were the smoothies, building sand castles, and going to the kid's club activities. Emma loved the ocean, watching some of the fun contests organized by the hotel, and making friends in the kid's club. Spencer loved snorkeling, swimming, and playing sports with the other boys that were staying there. Will and Zach liked the kid's water park. Brian liked doing activities with the kids, snorkeling, and walking along the beach, and taking care of Zach when he woke up at 5:30 am! I loved watching the kids enjoy new things, and lying in the sun reading a book. Brian took us on a small hike through some jungle to see an ancient Mayan temple located just off the hotel property. It took some coaxing to get the kids to leave their new friends and activities, but once on the way, they were having fun. Like any family vacation, we weren't without some squables, some tears, and some cross words, but looking back, it was great. The kids did well during meal times, and during the flights, and even during the long lay-overs, and the drives to and from the airports. I'm afraid that we left Mexico without having really "seen" it. Our kids have this distorted view of what they think Mexico is like. To them, it's this fancy hotel where everything is available when they want it. We had a great time and it was a much needed break for all of us.

View our pictures by clicking on the link below!!

http://picasaweb.google.com/rachelekc/MexicoVacationNovember2008#

NOVEMBER 2008...Finally caught up!!!

2008-11-30T23:08:00.005-06:00

Daddy & Kid Pyramid

!!HAPPY 2nd BIRTHDAY ZACH!!

I can hardly believe my baby is 2 years old!! He is terribly cute and is a load of fun as much as he is also a monster and a disaster all in one. Here's to you, Big Guy (still literally)! We love you and our family wouldn't be the same without you!!!

2006

2007

2008

Zach and his "worm cake". He loves bugs and cars and animals.

OCTOBER 2008

2008-11-30T22:37:00.007-06:00

Emma's Soccer

Emma's soccer team is the Pink Panthers. She is a great player on the team and has turned out to be quite an asset to her team. They didn't win many games this year, but not for lack of trying! She plays with a bunch of girls from her school and some from another school nearby.

Will's Gymnastics

Will started a gymnastics class at the Little Gym. He climbs around and jumps off stuff so much, I thought it would be helpful for him to learn how to properly land and also to help expel some energy as well as to make friends to help in "unattaching" himself to me! This is a picture of him playing hide and seek at the close of one of his classes.

PUMPKIN CARVING AND HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Carving pumpkins for 5 kids is getting rather difficult...especially as their design choices become more intricate. Thankfully Cami and Spencer did their own this year. I really liked Cami's idea of braces on her jack-o-lantern!

Trick-or-Treating was fun with our friends. We get a whole bunch of candy without going too far from home. It was great to be out passing friends all along the way. Will was content to go only to the houses he wanted to...Emma and Cami had to hit them all, and Zach was fine riding in the stroller while Spencer was off with his friends this year.

SEPTEMBER 2008

2008-11-30T22:20:00.003-06:00

September brought a new school year, preschool for Will, and a new season of football for Spencer and soccer for Cami and Emma. I wish I had more pictures, but I must have been too busy with other things. Here are some pictures of Spencer playing football in the Texas Stadium where his team, The Broncos, played one of their games. He had a great game that day...he caught an interception and ran the ball back 35 yards or so, which led to a touchdown in the next play. It was a great game and we had fun supporting him! Go Spencer!

Will and Emma had fun amusing themselves by making faces for the camera.

AUGUST 2008

2008-11-30T21:43:00.006-06:00

August started with a service project through Brian's office. They had arranged for several families to go to the Red Cross and do whatever jobs needed to be done that day. Our family was assigned to help put some bunk beds together. I thought it was a great experience for our kids to see that there are people in the world with a lot less than we have and I hoped that they would remember this experience in the future. Here's a picture of us having lunch after the service was completed.

!!HAPPY BIRTHDAY WILL!!

Will turned 4 on August 4th. It was a big deal for him to have a birthday and it seemed to take forever to get here. He knows his b-day is after Cami's, but it's a long wait from April to August! Here's how much our Will has grown over the years:

2005
2006

2007
2008!!

JULY 2008: A Wyoming Adventure...part 2

2008-11-30T16:20:00.011-06:00

The rest of our time in Wyoming was a lot of fun. We took the older kids white-water rafting (sorry...mo pictures) which was a blast! The water was cold and paddling was hard work, but we loved being in the boat. Spencer, Cami, and Emma sat right up front and were frozen by the time we got back to the bus, but it was great! Teresa baby-sat the little ones for us...Thanks! We also took a ferry ride across Jenny's Lake, and did a small hike through the mountains which was fun. Here we are with the whole group of us!

I love this next photo because it is so typical of the Christensen family. They turn everything into some kind of contest! First of all, the children were simply throwing rocks in the river, then Spencer tries to hit a part of the log in the middle, and before I know it, all the Christensen males joined the kids in trying to see who could hit the tiny piece of log sticking up! Too funny! :)

We also had a great time walking through Jackson Hole as we walked through the town and saw the wild west show they put on in the town square. The gun shots were a bit loud!! Will had to cover his ears most of the time, and the babies were crying. The kids also liked looking in the different shops for souvenirs.

THE DRIVE HOME

Our drive home was a long one, but early on, we took a little detour to a Mormon church history site where we could walk along part of the Mormon trail to Martin's Cove. We got to get a feel for pulling handcarts which we discovered was a lot of work...especially with people inside the cart. We didn't make it all the way to Martin's Cove, but it was a fun stop and a great learning experience for all of us!

JULY 2008 - A Wyoming Adventure...part 1

2008-10-19T20:29:00.008-06:00

After visiting Idaho, we met up with Brian and his parents and headed to Jackson, WY. We stayed in a condo at Teton Village which is near Jackson. Brian's brother Mike was there with his family, and his brother Adam came, too. We loved the crisp morning air and the feel of the mountains around us. Every morning we went for a walk which was a nice start to our day. We did a variety of activities which included:

A Picnic and swim (not me) in the icy waters of String Lake

I just love this picture because it is so typical of motherhood! Here's Liz with twins (tanner and reid) in the stroller loaded with innertubes, floaties, and everything else!

The kids took turns stacking the innertubes and standing inside. It was so fun for them, especially when Emma lost her balance!

Right: The kids with their cousin Andrew

Left: The boys minus Will who was feeling camera shy. Spencer, Brian, Adam, Andrew, Mike, and Zach

The next day we went on the Alpine Slide and mini-golfing.

Brian

Cami

Teresa

Ralph

Liz and Andrew

Adam

July 2008 - Idaho, the great getaway

2008-10-19T07:44:00.004-06:00

We arrived in Idaho on a Monday and there was non-stop action during our week there. Brian had gone back to Texas, but my brother Paul came to Idaho with us. We really enjoyed spending more time with him. We don't get to see him enough, so it was great for the kids to get to know him better. Here are some things we never miss out on when we go to Idaho:

Swimming in the little poolJumping on the trampoline with the sprinklerVisiting Jenson's Grove LakeVisiting Great-Grandma & Grandpa Jacobson's Farm

A visit to the local pool

And a trip to the Tautphaus Park Zoo in Idaho Falls

Wow! What a week. Thanks mom and dad for showing us a fun time. We were also able to visit my Grandma and Grandpa Herbst which is always a treat. I must have forgotten to take my camera because I don't have any pictures of the visit. It was great catching up with them and it always makes me a little sad that we live so far away from our families. I wish we could see you more. And a BIG thanks to Paul who helped get Zach to bed every night because Zach discovered how to climb out of the crib on this trip! It made bedtime rather difficult, and Paul rocked him for hours! Thanks for everything. We'll be back next year.

JULY 2008 - A "Bang" in Utah

2008-10-19T06:50:00.008-06:00

Boys and Dads playing football

Zach and Morgan enjoying their icecream

Emma, Nina, and Lily

I'm going to have to divide July. This was our month of travel. We went to Utah, then Idaho, then Wyoming for our summer vacation. It was a lot of fun, and you'll see why. We arrived in Utah on the 4th of July (we stopped in Evanston, WY to pick up some awesome fireworks) and headed to our friends' the Pettits. The LeeMasters were there, too and it was a great time for all of us to be together again. It sure brought back old memories while we created new ones.

After Fireworks, we headed back to Bountiful to stay in the Brian's parent empty house, and met up with my brother Paul, and my sister Merri and her family in Lehi and spent our Sunday with them before Brian had to head back to Texas.

up- Playing in the park at Bountiful

below-Ryne, Ethan, Spencer and Emma

Paul and Zach take a snooze on the couch

Will fell asleep with the popcorn bowl, but he was manipulated by cousins as they put his hand in the bowl, and popcorn in his mouth!

Paul plays whack-a-mole with Will and Zach

Playing Rock Band!!

JUNE 2008 - a visit, some fun, and a new TV

2008-10-18T12:24:00.007-06:00

June begins with a visit from my brother Mark and his wife Kyra! The recently moved to Houston, so it's nice to have family close again. We had a great time with them. Thanks for coming!

Spencer played baseball, Will took swimming lessons, the girls played and watched TV, and Zach just copied what everyone else was doing.

Brian took the young men on a high adventure trip to south Texas and they played on the beach for a few days. He had a great time body surfing, crabbing, feeding the gulls, kite flying, and cooking out.

June was also Father's Day. We usually don't get big gifts for father's day, but Brian has wanted a bigger TV for a long time, so we spent some time looking and finally found what we like. We also found a nice cabinet for it to go in and it totally changed the look in our family room. Here's a rough version (picture taken by kids).

May 2008 - A weekend to remember

2008-10-18T12:09:00.002-06:00

How could I have forgotten this?! In the middle of May, my good friend Carol flew in from Utah, my good friend Camden, and I all got together for a girls weekend!!! It was wonderful! This is something that I have NEVER done. That's right. I have NEVER left Brian in charge of ALL our children for any length of time (overnight or otherwise). I'm not sure how this has happened. Brian and I have taken trips together away from the kids, and he's been away from home his own share of the time, but for some reason, I have never gotten away. This was a much needed, much deserved break for me. I was so ready to go, that I'm afraid I was not empathetic to Brian's situation. I didn't prepare any meals, play dates, schedules, or movies, and I was even gone Sunday morning. I was so excited for Brian to experience it all! (He did take them to IHop for breakfast and had the entire restaurant looking in their direction as Zach did his shrill squeal as Will took his coloring page or something like that.) I could only laugh and smile and I was so glad he was having this experience. Anyway, I'm getting away from myself. I had a wonderful weekend talking with my friends, getting pedicures, shopping, eating, and just chatting. Just thinking about it makes me want to do it again! Thanks girls, and Thanks Brian. I really needed that!

May 2008 - a trip, an outing, and a race at home...

2008-10-18T07:19:00.005-06:00

May took us to sunny California to a Stanford GSB reunion. We had a great time visiting with old friends and driving by our old apartment. We attended most of the activities and even walked the "dish".

While we were gone, Liz and Calvin came to take care of the kids. I'm sure it was over-whelming, but Liz did a great job and they managed to have some fun. Before Liz left, Brian had to buy her a Sheridans for winning the family March Madness tournament. Hey- better late than never (which it usually is)!

I had to inlude this picture. This is so typial of Will's handiwork whether the counter is clean or not. But because it was especially clean, I think he was inspired to go overboard! It turned out hat he had help from Emma, but they cleaned out his entire box of cars and lined them up. If you look closely, you can see some cars that have drivers (little pet shop animals), or cars that are giving piggy-back rides for smaller cars. It was too funny to come down in the morning and see this.

Here's a glimpse of Zach and Will playing Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games on the Wii. It is Will's favorite thing to play. He has played so much this summer that he can now win almost every event he plays! Well, I can't get the video to upload. anyone have any tips? Anyway, basically Will loves to do the running events and it's hilarious watching his little legs pumping and his arms swinging as he races. We give Zach a remote without the battery and he thinks he's going too and he runs as fast as he can in place trying to win, too! It's great. We may have some future olympians in the family!

APRIL 2008 -

2008-10-18T06:38:00.006-06:00

April started out with a terrible storm. The sky was greenish black and very eerie. I remember wondering if I should wake the kids (and Brian) and crouch under the stairs or something! I didn't know how they could sleep through this! The tornado sirens in Plano weren't sounding, so I figured we were safe enough. Lightening was close and would shake the house when it struck and the wind was rattling the windows. At one point, I was looking out the window and saw and felt the lightening so close, I thought it struck our back yard. Eventually it passed, and the damage the next morning was widespread. You couldn't drive a block without dodging trees in streets, fences down and roof shingles in your path. We were somewhat lucky. We lost half a tree in the back yard and our shed blew over with all the bikes inside. A few days later, the news reported that they think there was a series of small tornadoes that blew through.

Here's a little before and after. Will's always had the longer shaggy hair that is so cute, but we decided he needed it cut. Now he looks so much older and less like a ragamuffin. It is now easier to comb and bedhead isn't nearly as bad either.

April ended as Cami turned 9. We had a fun family party and celebrated with her. Brian and I gave her some extra money instead of throwing a party and she bought an iPod shuffle which has been attached to her ever since!

Swimming if fun no matter how cold it is! We warmed up the spa, but the kids got in the pool anyway. Here they are with some of their best friends.

Will also learned to ride a bike! We fixed up Spencer's old bike and added a new horn and put on training wheels and Will was set to go. He did great going with the wind...he likes to go fast!

MARCH 2008 - show and tell

2008-10-17T09:16:00.014-06:00

First of all, a big hello to everyone who hasn't given up on me! Hopefully you have a flagger that notifies you of new posts and you are probably in shock to see one from my corner of the web. Be still your racing heart, it's not that exciting, but we have been busy. So, here's my attempt to show and tell a little of what has been happening in our family over the last 8 months...

I finally went out and bought a new camera. YEAH!! We (well, not us personally) redid the tile in our master bathroom which was a huge job, but it turned out really nice and we love the new look.

So, here's the bathroom before the shower glass was put in. I wish I could show you the "before" (pre-new camera time) but I can tell you that it was all white tile, so this definitely warms up the room, and it is beautiful! March also brought us some snow that barely touched the ground and was so icy that it wasn't much fun. It didn't stop Will from trying to make a snow angel. The frigid weather caused a water main to freeze and break, so we had a flood in our back yard for a few days until that was fixed. During the week of spring break, my mom came for a visit and to give me a hand with the kids while Brian earned our living! We took a day trip to the Natural Bridge Caverns near San Marcos, Texas. We had a great time touring through the caves and experiencing the world beneath the surface of the earth. Fascinating!

I had to duck pretty low in places to avoid hitting Zach's head on the ceiling!

Cami was with us, but for some reason, she wasn't in any pictures! Here she is at our ward Easter Picnic, and then we had fun coloring eggs at home.

Lost and Found

2008-02-29T13:21:00.002-06:00

Over the last few months, we have lost a number of things. The most important thing being our digital camera! In addition, we have lost a remote...also very important! Then, there are the usual things like shoes, brushes, homework, cleets, soccer balls, water bottles, etc... In the course of all these "losts" we have actually made some interesting finds, but i need to back up and set this up.

Zach. Not sure if i really need to say more, but over the last month, i have found things in really odd places! Not to mention that i've walked past the garbage can and done a double-take and then proceeded to remove water bottles or sippy cups or bowls, and even a shoe or two!!! We've been forced to lock the trash can in the laundry room (which by the way has a child lock that Zach now knows how to open himself!) So anyway, when our camera went lost, i figured it would eventually show up. Same for our remote. Zach loves to carry things around, so they could be anywhere. Also, if i happen to see him or Will with the camera, i take it away and stash it in some cupboard up high. Well, to make a long story short, we found the remote in some box stashed in the corner of our room, and we have yet to find the camera. I've looked in all the obvious places where i might have put it myself, taken apart the couch and looked in cracks and everything. I think we've resigned ourselves to the fact that it's really LOST! Or in this case...probably in at the dump having been removed from our house through the trash! Oh, Zach! These kids are costing me a fortune!

Better Late Than Never

2008-01-30T12:38:00.000-06:00

I realize that it has been some time since my last blog. December was a whirlwind of activity as we celebrated my birthday, our anniversary, and Christmas here in Texas. Christmas night, we flew to Utah and spent a week with Brian's family and we were able to see my family, too. While there Brian and Cami and Spencer went skiing and all the kids went sledding, hot tubbing, and played with their cousins. We were also able to drop in our great friends the Seabergs who live in Utah now. I hurt my back while trying to stand up out of a chair while holding Zach (our 30 pound 1-yr. old), so i was in bed for a day and couldn't go skiing or anything! What a lame accident, but I was still very sore and taking obscene amounts of ibuprofen, so I went to a doctor when i got back and he gave me a prescription. I am finally feeling better this week, but i still have to be very careful lifting, doing laundry, loading the dishwasher, picking up toys, vacuuming...well, basically everything a mother does during the day!

Aside from all that, we celebrated Emma's 7th birthday with a Hannah Montana themed party here at the house. We played the animal game, then Freeze Dance to Hannah Montana's music DVD. I found a cute guitar pinata, so we did that, too. We ate pizza and i make a really great guitar cake. Sorry no pictures here! I lost the camera after the party, and have yet to find it!

We also celebrated Spencer's 10th birthday. I couldn't do 2 parties at the house in one weekend, so we opted to have Spencer's party at a local bowling alley where they bowled, ate pizza and brownie (Spencer doesn't like cake) and the played laser tag and arcade games. It was great to have it all planned and ran by someone else! (no pictures here either!)

To top it all off, we've had the bad head cold that never wants to end, science projects, basketball games and practices, soccer starting up, and Brian's been traveling quite a bit, and i (i should say the house, but it sure felt like it was all me!) had a major water leak that came in through the hardwood floor in my kitchen! So, the past week has been spent contacting our home owner's insurance, plumbers, floor guys, a mason (because the pipe was only accessible through the brick wall in the back of the house) and trying desperately not to break down. This must be my mid-life crisis or something! I think things are in control, now. Our pipe is fixed, the brick is fixed, and we are waiting for the wood to completely dry to see what the extent of the damage is.

On a positive note, Brian loves his new car and the kids do to. (sorry! no picture of this either). He is working out during lunch at work and might run a 1/2 marathon this Saturday. Oops, it's only a 10K, but that's more than i'll ever run in my life! The kids are all finally healthy and doing well in school and sports and piano. So, January was a big hurdle for us and I'm glad it's over and hopefully February will be a little more "normal" for us. (is that even possible for a family of 7?)

A Riddle with 22 Legs

2007-12-03T18:38:00.000-06:00

This was the title on one of Cami's homework pages. She was then given the following scenerio:

I counted 22 legs in my house. All the legs were on cats, people, and spiders. How many of each creature--cats, people, and spiders--might be in the house? There are many possible answers. How many can you find?

Cami surprised me by finding at least 8 different possiblilities. The funny part of this story or the "punch line" is that the final question was "How do you know you have all the possible answers?" Cami's answer was classic! She wrote, "Because I can't think of anymore."

If only I could have put that on a few papers at BYU! Ha!Ha! Here's to youth and education!!

Halloween Fun!

2007-11-01T09:36:00.000-06:00

The slide show is a bit backwards as it shows Halloween before the pumpkin carving, but I'm too lazy to go back and redo it! So, here we are. The kids were so cute! Cami was a Hippie girl, Spencer was a dead football player, Emma was a movie star, Will was Lightening McQueen (of course) and Zach was our cute little monkey (I bought it months ago, and by the time Halloween was here, it was too short...oh, well!). Spencer and Cami met up with their friends and went Trick-or-Treating with them, then visited a Haunted House that a family does every year in our neighborhood. Seriously, this guy goes all out! Their yard is really ghoulish and there are decorations everywhere, and the line to go through was around the block! You don't actually go through the house, but through the yard, into that back yard. There are strobe lights, chain saws, headless people, coffins, everything! I am a wimp and have never gone in, but the kids love it. Anyway, so Brian finally made it home and took Emma, Will and Zach through our neighborhood. It was a beautiful night and almost 80 degrees! I had kids asking for water...with their candy of course!

Pumpkin carving was fun, too. We carved on Monday for our Family Home Evening. Will's is a Pumpkin horseman, Spencer's is Dracula, Cami did her own and it was a baby face with one tooth, Emma's was bats in flight, and Spencer did Zach's tiny one. We had a great time, and it was fun to see the faces take shape. It's been so warm, however, that our jack-o-lanterns barely made it through last night. It was hard to tell exactly what they were.

BED HEAD

2007-10-19T19:06:00.000-06:00

Will adds new meaning to the idea of a bed head! I knew his hair was getting long, but I couldn't bring myself to get it cut because it was just too dang cute! a few weeks after this picture was taken, he got gum stuck in his hair and the gum won the war! His hair is now shorter and he's lost some of the cute curl, but this will always remind me of those curly locks and mornings trying to tame them!

Deep in the Heart of...

2007-10-19T19:02:00.000-06:00

TEXAS!!! This was taken at the end of my family's reunion. I thought it was a great picture considering the kids and the hot day and everything. So here we are!

When We're Helping, We're Happy

2007-10-19T18:47:00.000-06:00

Brian's company does a lot of help for good causes, and this was one great day to help the Red Cross. Our family and others from the company met at the Red Cross and divided into different groups to help them wash vehicles, prepare comfort packets, pack bins, and whatever else they needed. Our family helped put together the baby packets. We stuffed bags with diapers and wipes all donated by the company. We had a great time and the kids actually enjoyed it and it was nice knowing they were doing some kind of service for people in an emergency.

Classic Zach

2007-10-19T18:38:00.000-06:00

This is classic Zach! This has been the sorry lot of my life for the past too many weeks! Please note that this cupboard even has the child lock on it! If a cupboard was left open or even if it wasn't, Zach found his way in it and completely emptied it! Maybe I'm getting older and less patient with things, maybe Zach is completely bored, or maybe it's just natural, but last night I stayed up late and added more child locks to every (almost) cupboard in our kitchen. Poor Zach...I've just taken away his play area! However, he did manage to find the ONE cupboard that didn't have a lock on it because I ran out. I had put a giant bag of flour in front of it, and Will had pushed it away to get something out, and never put it back, and before I knew it, Zach was dumping bowls all over the floor! I love this picture because it so perfectly captures his "innocent" expression. Too cute...if I do say so myself.

Growing Up

2007-10-19T18:32:00.000-06:00

Here's our little Will heading to his first day of Pre-school. We were having difficulties getting him un-attached from Mommy. He wouldn't go to nursery at church, he wouldn't stay in the play center at the gym (without the big kids) and he wouldn't stay with babysitters, so I decided to add one more thing to the whole, and for some reason, it did the trick! We explained that he would now be going to pre-school because he was becoming a big boy and he'd be going to a school to help him learn and have fun like the big kids. I'm happy to say that he loved it from the first day, and he now goes to nursery, the gym and stays for babysitters without any fuss!

Harry Potter is Over!

2007-09-17T12:24:00.000-06:00

For the last 3 weeks I've been reading all of the Harry Potter books. So in a sense, I've been thinking, eating, dreaming Harry Potter. When there wasn't something that absolutely had to be done, I was reading the books, one right after the other. I was hooked! It was "constant vigilance"! I just finished book 7 on Saturday night. I found myself sobbing (I'm not ashamed to admit it) through the end and was happy with the ending...yet very sad that it was over! Seriously, I can't believe that I've never read them, but at the same time, glad that I didn't have to wait a year in between books! I think the romantic in me would have liked the books to continue as the relationships developed, so to me, the Epilogue was unsatisfactory. I'd rather have had Harry as an old man taking a trip down memory lane (through the Pensieve) with his wife...sort of like viewing Snape's thoughts...with a glimpse of the special moments. Anyway, just my ramblings but I am really sad that it's over! I need to see the movies now, but I hope they aren't a disappointment.

I just have to add that a friend of mine told me about a new series that's just as good as Harry Potter. It's called Twilight by Stephanie Meyer (an active LDS girl in Utah). Read about it on her website www.stepheniemeyer.com . It's kind of like the link between the magical world and muggles in Harry Potter, but with vampires and humans. Don't write it off until you see the website!

A shout out to Alisa...this one's for the girls!

2007-09-17T12:12:00.000-06:00

Right before Alisa got married, she gave me a CD that she'd made for all the "girls". I listened to it and loved it!! (By the way...i'd love to know the artists and song titles...i have no idea on some of them.) Anyway, on our trip home from Utah, the kids were getting a bit antsy in the car, so I put in Alisa's CD and skipped it forward to a track that i thought they'd really like. To my surprise, the kids started belting out the words! "Children walking next to mothers, sisters walking next to brothers, fathers keepin' those wagons goin' ..." i was shocked and then they told me that all the time's they'd ridden in the car with Alisa, they were listening to her CD! Although one question keeps coming up about that song...Who is Joshua...the kids think it's a horse because the lyrics say, "Whoa, Joshua!" Somehow I don't think that he's a horse, but it's funny anyway.

OK, so one more story...I listen to the CD in the car all the time and though I like all the songs, sometimes you're in the mood for something else. So in the middle of one of the songs I skipped ahead to one of the other songs, and Will started protesting from the back of the van, "hey, mom...i like that song...put it back!" I had no idea that he was even listening. Now he sings along to the words he knows, so I won't change the song in the middle!!!!

So, Thanks Alisa! We love the CD!

Happy 3rd Birthday for Will

2007-09-16T09:26:00.000-06:00

This is a little past due, but the pictures are so cute, I had to share them. Will turned 3 on August 4th, just over a month ago, and we had a nice family party here at the house for him. For those of you that know him, you know he LOVES the Disney movie CARS. So, we got CARS plates, cups, napkins, etc... and even found a Lightning McQueen pinata! I made a simple racetrack cake and we had a blast. Enjoy the photos.

Here we go again!

2007-08-07T12:15:00.001-06:00

Well, most of you know that we've been on VACATION!!! We had a wonderful time visiting friends and family in Utah and Idaho. Here's a few pictures to see what we've been up to:

Our first few days were spent with my sister and her 2 boys. We went to the children's museum in SLC located at the Gateway, then we had lunch at the food court, then went to the fountain where children gather to get sprayed and dance to music every half hour. We had a really fun time, even though Will started throwing up right after lunch!

Then, the next day we headed to American Fork to the City Pool with my sister and her kids again. We had a great time! Then that night, we stayed in South Jordan with our very good friends, the Pettits, before heading to Idaho the next afternoon. While in Idaho, we stayed with my parents and also visited both my grandparents and ended our 10-day stay with a big reunion celebrating my grandparents' 60th wedding anniversary. Here's some pictures from Idaho.

We can't visit grandma and grandpa H. without feeding the horses around the corner from their house!

We roasted marshmallows and made s'mores in the backyard with the girls' friend, Shanda.

These next pictures are from our

visit to my Gr. & Gr. J's:

THE CHRISTENSEN FAMILY REUNION:

1. Kenecot (sp?) Copper Mine

Cami and Emma with cousin Jessica posing in front of the tire used on the dump trucks at the mine. Each tire costs $25,000.00!!!

Will, trying to get a better view from Daddy's shoulders.

This is Zach (in the middle) with his 2 cousins, Lucas (right) and Calvin (left). Calvin was born just a week and a half before Zach, and Lucas a month and a half after! They are so cute together and we hope they will be great friends as they grow up.

Rodeo Anyone? We had a really fun time at a Rodeo later that night.

Emma with cousins Lydia and Lucy enjoying the rodeo

2. Pioneer Day Parade:

Will and Ethan.................................Jessica, Lucy, Lydia, & Emma....................and Zach

Heritage Park in SLC was great fun! It was hot, but we enjoyed experiencing poineer life and seeing how they might have lived.

All dressed up on a Tuesday???

2007-06-16T00:47:00.000-06:00

Well, we definitly had a place to go this last week as Brian's company helps sponser the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, and there was a benefit dinner that he was to attend. I had the option of going, too, so I found a babysitter...then I found out that it was Black Tie! Oh, My! Brian's previous company parties were always Black Tie (optional), but there was nothing optional about this one. Brian bought a tux, and after much shopping (which was EXTREMELY difficult with my modesty standards) I finally found something suitable. The pictures don't do us justice, but I though we looked pretty good! Everyone was dressed up fancy, the dinner was wonderful, and we got to hear the speaches from 8 B&G club state reps. Then that night, one of those 8 was chosen to receive a $10,000 scholarship! What a night. It was fun to dress up and go out, and I'll never forget those kids, and the obstacles they overcame to be where they are today.

A new Pet?

2007-06-16T00:39:00.000-06:00

I was driving home from the store and saw this big rock on the side of the road. As I got closer, I saw that the "rock" was actually moving and trying to get up the curb! It turned out to be a turtle!!! Surprising even myself, I pulled the van into a nearby apartment complex, and walked back to get the turtle. I brought it home and needless to say, the kids were ecstatic! We left him (or her) outside in the back yard to hang out. The kids really wanted to keep Turtle, but I insisted that our backyard habitat wasn't good enough for Turtle, and we would return him to a park where we'd seen other turtles, so he could have friends. The next morning, I went out early to put chemicals in the pool, and what do you think was IN the pool? TURTLE!! It took a while, but I finally got him out with the skimmer, then we took him to the park and set him free.

Memorial Weekend was Memorable

2007-06-16T00:30:00.000-06:00

School ended and Grandma and Grandpa C. came for a visit that very night! We had a great time with them, however it rained the ENTIRE time they were here. I've never seen a rainier spring in Texas. We desperately need it, so we won't complain. In spite of the rain, we did get out for morning walks, afternoon swims (between rainy spells) and a baseball game.

Grandpa caught a ball that was tossed into the stands by the right fielder (don't remember which team was in the field at the time) and he gave the ball to Spencer! Thanks Grandpa!!!

School's almost over!!!

2007-06-15T23:52:00.001-06:00

Well, I know it's about a month late, but our last few weeks of school were hectic and very crazy!!! Here's a quick re-cap of some of the things worth mentioning:

Will and his talent for being athletically coordinated for a 2 1/2 year old--- He has been "scootering" around for months! Even when we go on our morning walks, he usually scooters for a mile or so, then when he gets tired, we put the scooter in the bottom of the stroller and he jumps in. He also decided that he wanted to try roller skates. He found an old pair that the girls wore, and there was no turning back! We got him on video and he loves watching himself fall. However, he was quick to pick himself up and try again, and he was soon skating around the driveway!

Crazy Hair Day--- Every year, the school has a week when they do silly things each day. And every year the kids LOVE crazy hair day! We do the same thing each year, too. We color their hair with red, white (clear w/glitter) and blue hairspray. Will would not be left out, and had to have crazy hair, too.

Kindergarten Splash Bash!!! This is the end-of-year party for the kindergarten classes. It's a half day of fun water activities, then eating pizza. Emma had a blast in the shaving cream and in the sprinklers and other fun stuff.

AAA....Batta, Batta......Sa..Wing!! Spencer had a tough year on the ball field this year! His team had a rough go, but they hung in there and made it through the season. He got to pitch in a few games and really did well. He also played 3rd base and left field.

A piano recital for Spencer and Cami:

AND....

Zach...(sorry, 5th kid...no pictures!) He was a trooper though all the hustle of games and other activities. He has had his 6 month check up and is doing very well. He's now 23 pounds, so slowing down a bit, but still as chunky as ever! He's sitting up, rolling over, scooting backwards, laughing, and drooling! Great fun!

Cami gets Baptized

2007-05-05T18:06:00.000-06:00

Today was the big day for Cami to get baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. We all dressed in our Sunday best, and Cami wore a new white dress we had given her for this special day and special jewelry from Aunt Merri and her family and a lovely bracelet from Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Herbst, and then we were off! We headed for the church at 8:20 this morning and she was given her baptismal clothing. She changed, then we went into the chapel and waited for the meeting to start. There were 2 other 8-year-olds to be baptized this morning, too. They all looked anxious as they waited on the front row with their dads. The meeting began and we sat reverently as the 1st Counselor in the stake presidency conducted the meeting. I don't remember much of what was said, but I remember thinking that Cami looked so beautiful! I was glad to see Brian sitting with her and my parents and I sat in the back of the chapel with Emma, Will and Zach. The only sad thing about the day was that Spencer couldn't share it with us.

Unfortunately, he had a baseball game this morning at the same time. I know that may sound lame, but he is in a premiere league and we already miss games and tournaments on Sundays, and we didn't realize the conflict until it was too late to do anything about it. So we tried to make arrangements for a friend to get him to the church directly after the game and we asked that Cami get baptized last. Well, it didn't work out! Cami did go last, but with only 3 kids getting baptized, it didn't take long for it to be her turn. And come to find out, Spencer was having the game of his life making several great plays, including a double play! The game went into overtime, and we lost 10 to 11. This is a great accomplishment for our boys!! In previous games, we've had to quit early because our opponent was winning 27-0 (no joking!!!).

Anyway, back to Cami. Her baptism went smoothly and we changed her back into her beautiful white dress. Again, she looked so pretty and we sang, "The Holy Ghost", listened to the Bishop talk, then Cami, Emma and Will sang "I am a Child of God," then I spoke about the Holy Ghost (while Will was crawling on the floor around my legs and poking his head through my legs until Brian finally got him!) and presented her with a lovely picture and poem entitled "My Three White Dresses." It's a beautiful poem about wearing a white dress when a baby is blessed, then another white dress at baptism, and then if you keep those baptismal covenants, you will get to wear another white dress in the House of the Lord when you get married. So I talked about the significance of that and the symbolism of being dressed in white. Then she was confirmed and given the Gift of the Holy Ghost. We sang, "I belong to the Church," and it was over! It seemed to happen quickly and we enjoyed it so much.

We came home and had a delicious cake that I had made yesterday (all white, of course). Then we went to the park for a picnic lunch and to feed the ducks and turtles, then home for naps, and into the pool later for a little swimming and pizza for dinner, poolside! What a day! I think Cami really had a good day and she has said a couple of times in her meal prayers that she was having a great baptism day! Here's a few pictures of our day:

Go Huggies!

2007-05-01T22:56:00.000-06:00

Since joining the team at Kimberly-Clark, we have received LOTS of samples products as well as some promotional items. I thought this one was particularly cute. Will put it right on and loves it. If you can't read it, it says, "don't worry.....be HUGGIES"

Back to Reality!

2007-05-01T21:25:00.000-06:00

view from our hotel room

I think vacations always come to an end too quickly! Our week in Maui was wonderful! We arrived Monday afternoon with rain in the skies and the trade winds whipping through our hair, but it was very comfortable and pleasant. When we got to our hotel, which had been newly remodeled, we stepped on the balcony and just looked out over the ocean and the beach in Lahaina. It was beautiful! Then we took a walk to find some dinner and it turned out to be our favorite restaurant. Brian had a stir-fry mix and I had the Big Kahuna Burger which was HUGE and had cooked onions and guacamole and lettuce, tomato, and Swiss cheese. Delicious! We finished by sharing a slice of Hula Pie. Wow! The slice was probably big enough for 4 people, but we ate the entire thing. It had a chocolate Oreo cookie crust, then a huge layer of macadamia nut ice cream, then a one inch thick layer of chocolate fudge, then topped with whipped cream and drizzled with chocolate and caramel and chopped macadamia nuts. We had been starving because they no longer serve food on planes without charging an astronomical fee. After this meal, our hunger was definitely satisfied.

I won't go into too many other details as that would take forever. But, for those of you who know Brian, he had his nose in the guidebook constantly! He always knew what he wanted to do or see next. I had brought FOUR books to read because I anticipated A LOT of beach time. However, we rented snorkel gear and stopped at practically every good snorkel spot on the island. We drove the road to Hana and saw many spectacular water falls. And our rental car had to be a convertible because the guidebook said there was no other way to do the drive to Hana! We saw a fabulous magic show at Warren and Annabelle's in Lahaina (I haven't laughed so hard in ages...the magician was a comedian, too)! We went to the Hyatt to see a Luau, and eventually had a few hours to actually sit on the beach and relax. Brian kept us busy, but we still had time to relax when we were tired. Mixed in with everything, we had some wonderful meals (all at restaurants recommended in the guidebook). It was a wonderful trip and ended all too quickly. Brian has already started working at his new job and I have been swept back in to the routine of motherhood. I guess it's time to get back to reality. Here's a few more pictures from our trip:

One of our snorkel stops

Three Bears Falls........................................At the Luau

At a blow hole north of Lahaina

the final view before heading to the airport

Happy Birthday Cami!

2007-04-21T18:19:00.000-06:00

Today is Cami's birthday and it started with yummy buttermilk pancakes with strawberry syrup (Cami's favorites). Then we watched her open her gifts and then headed to her soccer game! Wow, what a morning.

Later that day, we had a party! 7 of Cami's friends came over for a doggie themed party. We started by having the girls decorate their own "doggie bags" or goodie bags. We had dog stickers, markers, glue, foamies, and other misc. craft stuff for them to decorate their bags. When they were finished, they all got a treat for doing a good job! Next was games. First I had them find some dog treats (Scooby snacks in baggies) that were hidden around the house. I had hidden them at doggie level, so they had to look for them on their hands and knees. The next game was "Dog Trainer Says" like Simon Says, but you give dog commands. Then we went outside for a fun round of Doggie Chase Your Tail where the girls line up and hold on to eachother and the first in line is the "head" and the last in line is the "tail" and has a sock in her back pocket. The front of the line chases the back of the line, or "chases its tail". The girls had a lot of fun doing that. Then we had a drink break, then back outside for Red Rover and a round of the traditional Kick the Can!

Finally back inside for CAKE! I'm no baker, but we came up with a very cute idea and it turned out ok. We made the cake to look like a doggie bowl filled with food. The cake is 4 layers of yellow cake with centers cut out of the top two layers. I frosted then decorated, then filled the bowl with food (in this case it was Hersheys chocolate chip Kiss cookies). It was a hit!

At the end of the party, Cami let every girl choose her own doggie w/puppy to take home and we went outside to play more while waiting for parents to come. It was a great party and the girls had a lot of fun. Hey, I can plan these in my sleep now that i'm a den mother. This was a "piece of Cake"!

Oh, and here's Will waiting for cake....

Will...the bedtime helper

2007-04-20T15:04:00.000-06:00

Will has been off schedule lately and if he takes a nap he doesn't go to bed until after 10 o'clock! So, I've been trying to keep him awake in the afternoons to avoid this problem. Well, the other day, he fell asleep during my errands and thus he wouldn't go to bed. I was doing some things on the computer and Cami popped in to say that she was tired and had done all her stuff and was ready to get tucked in. I told her that i would be there in just a few minutes as I was just fininshing something on the computer. Will was there, and said that he'd go take care of Cami, and followed her upstairs. A few minutes later, he came down and said, "I tuck, Cami, Mom. I tuck Cami!" It was so cute. I finished my stuff and went upstairs to actually tuck her in and she told me that Will had already been there and had helped her pull up the covers and tuck them around her and then gave her a kiss good night!

Zachary (maybe we should call him "Tubbary")

2007-04-04T20:56:00.000-06:00

Zach just had his 4 month check up last week (he was really 4 1/2 months old) and he weighed in at 19.75 pounds! Whoa! What can I say? I knew he was really getting heavy, but come on...20 pounds!? I realize that he had a head start being 11.5 lbs. at birth, but really. I thought he'd slow down a bit. I just barely started trying to feed him rice cereal only because I thought I should, not because he seemed to need it. (Note the rolls in his arms.) Somehow my milk must be laced with lots of cream! :)

Zach is also getting 2 teeth on the bottom, so drools constantly and tries to chew on everything he manages to get in his mouth. He has learned to suck on his right pointer finger. Yes, that's not a typo. Somehow, he tucks his thumb under the other three finger and leaves the pointer finger out and sucks away! It's too cute. (Although, I have to say that this has been somewhat of a gagging hazzard...he spits up a lot more because he gags himself with his long finger!) Anyway, here's to our cute little "Tubbary".

The Toothless Wonder

2007-04-04T20:50:00.000-06:00

I think a picture ith worth a thothand wordth in thith cathe! Our toothleth wonder ith Emma. In the latht 7 (theven) dayth, she hath lotht 3 teeth or "theeth" as Emma now says :)! And believe it or not, she thtill hath 2 that are loothe and will fall out over the nethxt few weekth. Needleth to thay, the Tooth Fairy hath been buthy vithiting our houthe.

Maybe I SHOULD be a doctor???

2007-03-28T00:11:00.000-06:00

So the other day I was getting the kids ready for bed and Spencer complains of a canker sore. (He seems to get them often.) Anyway, he decided to finally take me up on my offer to put some medicine on it. I get the Anbesol and numb it, then some mouth sore medicine for cankers (kind of like a liquid band aid) and put that on and he says, "Wow, I can't even feel it!" So after that, he says, do you think you could help me get the wax out of my ears? No offense to Spencer and I hope not to embarrass him (he'll never read this anyway) but his ears really do produce A LOT of wax. Sometimes at school the kids tease him and call him "Ear Wax Man"! Anyway, he is sensitive to it, so I try to help him keep his ears clean. As I was doing this, Spencer says, "Mom, you should be a doctor." I couldn't help but laugh! So I can numb a canker and clean out some wax...maybe I should be a doctor if that's all it takes! :)

Spring Break...give ME a break!

2007-03-17T10:00:00.000-06:00

Ok, so we decided to stay in Texas for spring break and at the beginning of the week, I had the kids each vote on their favorite activities to do during the week. We ended up having a really fun week, however, I am completely exhausted! I don't remember being so tired! Brian was busy at work, so was unable to join in the fun, so all of our "field trips" were done...ala Mom! So, I toted my 5 kids to the following Texas Fun Spots:

Fossil Rim: This is 1 1/2 hour drive from Plano and is a drive-thru Zoo. When we first arrived, it was feeding time for Zach, so we sat in the car at the entrance parking lot while I fed the baby, then it was finally time to enter the zoo. It was exciting to see the animals and also to see the kids be excited about it! We bought food and were able to feed the animals as we drove through. About half way through, we stopped for lunch, visited the gift shop and looked in at the petting zoo. Then the kids played in a giant sandbox while I fed Zach and then we finished our drive-thru and headed for home. All in all, this was a fun day for us, but I was very tired from all that driving! No breaks for me as I was the only driver I had brought along! Need to re-think that next time.

2. Adventure Landing: This is a fun place where we went mini-golfing and Spencer and Cami tried their skills at the batting cages. Spencer won the minigolf, Will lost 2 balls in the water, and Cami and Emma did great while I followed along with Zach in the baby backpack keeping score and also keeping everyone moving. Then we went to the batting cages where Cami and Spencer kit some balls and did pretty good and had a lot of fun! Then, with spit-up in my hair and hungry kids, we set off for a local park with a picnic, then went home and got in the hot tub!

3. This was to be a movie day, but I never got around to getting a babysitter, so we just played with friends, then went to the store and bought the movie Flicka and stayed up eating popcorn and watching our movie. Very fun, and a great movie, too!

4. Dallas World Aquarium: This was a day to go to the aquarium and meet daddy for lunch. However, we got off to a late start, and had trouble finding the aquarium, so missed daddy for lunch, but still enjoyed our visit with the sea life in landlocked Dallas, TX.

You may also want to note Spencer sporting his new glasses! Doesn't he look smart? After our week of fun, I was completely exhausted and couldn't wait for school to start again!