bits and pieces...

Thing are going well here at the Christensen house. After more doctors appointments in the first two months of the year for our family, than all of last year combined, we are ready to be healthy for awhile. What a year to switch to a higher health insurance deductible! We are grateful it hasn't been anything serious. Josh is our injury prone son lately. He broke his finger in PE, and a couple weeks later injured his knee skiing. He is now hobbling around in a leg brace and getting lots of sympathy from the girls. The downside is in PE. His teacher likes to give him a hard time about not being able to participate so Josh has been getting all these weird embarrassing jobs to do. He had to go through all the PE classes and health classes with a huge sign about milk shouting, "Got Milk?" Then today he had to put on a muscle man outfit complete with a cape and walk around. He comes home and tells us of his antics and we all laugh hysterically.

Ryan is busy with water polo, school, driving and a social life. He got his first speeding ticket yesterday and learned that while going down a hill acceleration does occur! The worst part was he got pulled over right in front of the high school as everyone was arriving and his friends gave him a hard time all day. He went on a date last weekend ice skating. For those of you who know Ryan know he gets his graceful moves and balance from me, so him, ice and thin blades aren't a good combination. When he came home all black and blue he said, "I didn't realize the ice arena had such and interesting ceiling!" He is doing a fund raiser for Water Polo and selling oranges picked from a Sunkist grove in California. If anyone who is local is interested in a bag, 1/2 case or full case let me know. There is my plug for him. :)

Cassie had a ballroom dance competition last weekend at UVU. She did awesome and danced the Foxtrot, Cha Cha and the Swing. She was in the all around slot, which means she doesn't know what dance her and her partner are dancing until they get out on the floor and it is drawn from a hat. But they did well, I was proud of her. She is also enjoying her tumbling class and spends more time upside down than right side up. She makes me dizzy with all the stuff she does.

Mark is loving having his own room. He keeps it clean and organized and is proud of that fact. He still likes to come curl up on my lap when he first wakes up in the morning and tells me, "luv ya!" all the time. I'm not sure I'm prepared when he finally grows out of this stage and decides that spending time with mom isn't cool! He is enjoying the nicer weather and playing in the flowerbeds with shovels and dump trucks, I'm hoping my bulbs will survive!

Our family went to the Draper Temple open house on Monday and had a wonderful time. What a beautiful place. It was great to take our kids inside of the temple and show them all the rooms, I don't think there is a better family activity than all walking through the halls of the temple. It makes me look forward to the day when all of us can be together there again.

I think that is all our news. I'm gearing up to paint the master bedroom and bath when Kelly leaves on a business trip in a couple weeks. Then I'll be ready to retire my brush for awhile I think. I want to paint my front door, any ideas on a color?

Mark and Cassie's new rooms

My sisters have been asking me to post pictures of my kid's rooms that just got redone, so here goes. The rest of you please humor me. I am not an interior decorator and everything is done for practicality and economy. But the kids are happy so that is what is important. Ryan and Josh's room looked like a college dorm room, and not photo ready, so that one will have to come later. (Maybe when they go off to college!)

You know you are another year older when....

Your nephew asks you how old you are and upon telling him he says he can't count that high.

Your children think that TV's weren't invented at the time of your birth.

Your body creaks more than a haunted house.

You aren't sure what your natural hair color is anymore.

When your younger siblings say, "when I'm your age, you'll be a grandma!"

You forget more than you remember.

You put the cold cereal in the fridge and the milk in the pantry....(ok, that's been happening for years!)

You remember how to kneel down, but forget how to get up.

You can gain five pounds by opening the fridge. (not that the empty container of cookie dough has anything to do with it)

Grateful your birthday isn't in the summer, because the candles on your cake would cause a major fire hazzard.

Seriously, I had a wonderful birthday thanks to great friends and family who helped make it memorable (at least until I forget it) I'm grateful for my life, my health and my family. That is the best birthday present in the world.

More pictures of Ryan's date yesterday.

These were taken yesterday, when they were playing in the snow, I don't think Ryan knows how to dress for cold weather! As an over protective mom, I made sure he had hat, gloves and a coat before he left. It shows you how much he humors me, and then does his own thing. :)

Pleasant Grove High School Sweethearts Dance

Well today was the big day, I don't know who was more excited Ryan or me. It's not everyday your oldest son has his first date. Earlier in the day they went sledding and to Cabella's to the shooting gallery. Tonight they headed for dinner and the dance. They are going in a group with five couples and were meeting next door, before they left for dinner. So lucky me, I got Ry to bring Kellee up to the house for a really quick picture. As you can see she is beautiful on the inside and out. Ryan has good taste. He cleans up pretty well himself. Now we are waiting up for the wrap up later in the evening. I hope everyone had a great Valentine's Day!

Cassidy as Louisa May Alcott

This morning Cassidy had her hero oral report in her 5th Grade Class. She was Louisa May Alcott. She did great. I think she is a natural actress and it's nice to see her use drama in a positive way. :) I was really proud of her, she didn't hardly look at her notes and made great eye contact with the audience. I could not have done that at her age. She is an expert on this author, ask her anything and she knows it! Way to go Cass!!

Luau in Feburary

What better way to get over the winter blah's then have a Luau. That is exactly what the Beehive Class did last week. We made tropical flowers for our hair, ate lots of food, drank tropical juice complete with the little umbrella's and made anklets. We know how to party!

Ryan's First Date

Ryan is getting ready for his first big date. He asked a great girl named Kellee to the Pleasant Grove Sweethearts Dance. It is this Saturday on Valentine's Day. I was just getting used to him driving, now I have to adjust to him dating. Good thing he is giving me all this new stuff in stages. He asked her using fortune cookies, we finally figured out a way to open regular cookies, swap the fortunes and close them. One of the fortunes was, "I'd feel very FORTUNATE if you'd go to Sweethearts with me." A couple of days later she responded. It was cute.

Another Funny Video

My sister Rachael posted this video on a blog, and it was so cute, I thought I'd put the link on mine. It's by Hilary Weeks, and it's a cute song about mom's. I was never this sweet and serene when I had young babies still at home, I'm not sweet and serene now that they all go to school everyday, but it is good for a chuckle anyway. Here is to all the mom's who work so hard, I hope it will make you smile. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6ujADXp0dM