Thursday, April 30, 2009

Grandchildren

This is a picture of Benjamin and Aisha playing on the dirt hill behind Papa and 'Ama's house. I try to kidnap them about every other Saturday. We have a routine sleep over (Aisha believes in sleeping as little as possible on the sleepover--Neil and I joke that she is just an "over.") In the morning we have eggs, pancakes and chocolate milk for breakfast, drive to the river walk around and feed hungry ducks and geese until noon, go to Arctic Circle eat again and play on toys, or if the weather is nice go to Tautphaus Park, eat and play on toys. The neat little rides and miniature golf are opening, so we will have to add that to our day. Then we head back home for football, dirt-playing, baby doll strollering, reading books, play-doh and Lego playing, fish-game fishing, and Horse-opoly.

Tonight I watched my grandchildren at their house. They are so cute. Aisha and I watched a Mickey video and ate the Mickey Mouse shaped cheese I brought over--healthy grandma-approved snack! We had a Mickey theme party happening with the cheese and video. Aisha liked biting off the Mickey cheese ears amd saying to the earless mouse,"I ate your ear!!"
I found out Keeley is now eating the Stage One bananas and pears to vary her formula diet. She also is trying very hard to hold her own bottle. I'm glad she still lets me hold her and give her the bottle and steal some kisses. Soon she will be Miss Independent I'm sure. Ben was playing at the neighbors, so he didn't get to beat me at the Lady Bug Game! Maybe next week.....

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Farming/Happy Birthday Sandy

The Three Musketeers on a Bench in Stratford
(photo by Kristi)

I'm just a bit early but I wanted to wish Sandy a Happy Birthday. I've always thought it neat that we share April birthdays. I wrote on my birthday blog that my mom went to work when I was just a year old. It is amazing that Sandy as a four-year-old was one of my replacement "moms." She is still one of the most nurturing people I know--to Mr. Wonderful, her kids, grandkids, lonely neighbors, nieces, nephews, dogs, baby birds, premature babies, etc. In a world where many people are only concerned about themselves, she is truly remarkable--happy birthday!!

I also have to tell my Facebook farming story from this week. Kristi sent me a cow, so I put it on a farm and figured out how to plant a couple of potato fields (I am from Idaho!). I did not know they needed to be harvested; many days later I came back to dead plants and a lonely cow. I decided the cow deserved better, so I tried to figure out more on this farming world. Now the place looks a little more respectable. Kristi and I seem to farm at the same time, so its been fun to visit with her. My kids laughed at first but now they are farming too!!! Thanks for all the gifts everyone; my cow is no longer lonely and I have trees.

Saturday, April 25, 2009

A Happy Day for David and Karen

I was busy with Easter last weekend, so I did not post this important picture. This is a picture of my brother David and his wife Karen in front of the temple doors. They were sealed in the Twin Falls temple on April 11, 2009. It was a beautiful day and as you can tell they are very happy!!!!

Island Park


Future Camping at Island Park


Neil and I decided to rent a spot long term (May-October) at Island Park this summer. We both love camping and fishing there. Today we drove up and hiked around in the snow to decide which of a couple of open lots we wanted. We decided on one that had lots of trees around it.
Each place has a firepit for roasting marshmallows and telling campfire stories--YEAH! The resort has a swimming pool and some hot tubs, so you AZ-ites escaping from the heat in July should come and have some Idaho fun!!!

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Tyson's Birthday # 23


Happy Earth Day Birthday Tyson!!!
Tyson turns 23 on the 22nd of April. I really feel lucky to have the children I do. We (Neil, Tyson, and I) drove to Island Park this afternoon to look at some lots. We are thinking of parking our trailer there for the summer. The roads where the lots are were still snowed in, so we hiked back in through the snow. Tyson helped me on some of the steep and deep spots. We were talking on the way home about how much help he was on the Scotland/England trip and how much shopping he endured!
Tyson loves music and concerts, photography. movie-making, everything electronic, skateboarding, running, traveling, and playing with his nephew and nieces. He wants to
be a psycho-social worker and has taken nearly every ISU class in this area.
I thought the tree picture was a nice one for Earth Day. Happy Birthday!!

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Technology Life at the Christensens/ Health Update

These are my two technology experts Natalie and Tyson. When I was in grad school, they and Ryan were my personal consultants for all my technology class projects. Natalie just had me create a Facebook account, so I could link up with her and her pictures. I just got hired today for a part-time online English teaching position next fall. I'll be taking two classes before Sept. on on-line teaching and using Blackboard, a digital teaching system--should be interesting. Natalie has been very ill the last week---sore throat, cough and fever. She appears on the mend but is taking an arsenal of medicine. Tyson has about three more weeks of this semester at ISU. He will be happy to be finished but is not too excited about taking stats this summer. Neil had his six-week checkup yesterday with Dr. H. His arm is healing slowly. He starts two week of passive resistance in physical therapy then after that gets to start using his shoulder muscles slowly--I'm not sure if he still has shoulder muscles because he has not been able to use them for six weeks! Hopefully, the worst is over, and he will be getting better.


Friday, April 10, 2009

Friday YEAH!!!

I turned 50--a half-century last year. Neil and Natalie hosted a nice party for me complete with black balloons and a black cake. This year on Tuesday the 14th of April I will be that age plus one. Growing older is a strange thing--you still feel young but the birthdays just roll on. This is one of my few "baby" pictures. My mom had three children in three years and then went to work a night shift job processing potatoes. I think sleep not pictures became a top priority. I like this picture though because I seem so happy. I really did have a happy childhood. We did not have much money, but we had lots of love. I felt like I had three moms--my mom, my fun Aunt Jimmer, and my grandma "Great." I used to love to play at Ucon. I was an expert fort builder (without nails) and one summer my Aunt Jimmer let me raise a bum lamb named Felice. Ryan is going to have an Easter egg hunt here tomorrow for his kids and their cousins. (His new house is still yard-less.) It made me remember how much dad liked Easter egg hunts. If I remember right, we could even redeem some special eggs for money--nickels, dimes, and quarters.

I am so happy that it is Friday. This has been a long week. I took my car in for an oil change, and it ended up needing a new water pump and seals fixed near the timing chain. Neil is sore from physical therapy, and Natalie has a sore throat. Hopefully, everyone can recuperate over the weekend. I do love spring and the happiness of Easter thinking about the resurrected Christ.

Sunday, April 5, 2009

KEELEY'S FAMILY and WEEKEND NEWS

Well the last blog was all about Keeley, so I thought this one would be about her family and our weekend. On Saturday Ashley brought me over this wonderful family picture and some very cute pictures of my grandkids--the next best thing to grandchildren are pictures of grandchildren!!! I thought I'd briefly tell about everyone in the picture. Ryan is our oldest son. He is super smart and tall--6'3". He loves his family, reading, tv watching [a hybrid of Neil and me] and all forms of music. When he was growing up, I used to hear many drum concerts. Now the drums are at his house, and he has to just play the piano when he comes over. He works in sales--it used to be medical but is now internet services . Ashley is his beautiful wife. She is really artistic and has some of her art work up in their wonderfully decorated house. She is amazing--works full time and takes care of Ryan and three little ones. Benjamin is in kindergarten. He is also very smart. He love to play with Legos, cars, and board games. Whenever he comes over, he challenges me to some Horse-opoly and we do some serious Lego building. Aisha is two--she is gettiing very independent--likes to "do it herself." She loves anything Elmo, Pooh bear videos, playing with a monkey play-doh set [the monkey grows play-doh hair and can make himself play-doh monkey snacks, and reading books with grandma [her favorite is Cat in the Hat.] She has no fear and based on the movements she does with dad could be an Olympic gymnist! She absolutely loves her grandpa and has been concerned about his arm "owey" [shoulder surgery]. Keeley is just five months. We tended her again Sat. while the rest of her family and Uncle Nick and Uncle Tyson went to the Monster Truck Show at Holt Arena in Pocatello. Keeley went to dinner with us at Sizzler--which she peacefully slept through; then she played with soft toys at Wayne and Marcia's and started learning how to play Mexican Train. We watched conference this weekend, and I made coffee cakes. I had not make them in over a year. They tasted good but were not as light and fluffy as Wayne's--his are the best. Natalie's friend Stephanie had never eaten them, so we invited her over--she really liked them and is a big fan now. I told her Waynes's were twice as good---she has decided she will come to his Christmas coffee-cake brunch next year. Oh and Jeff Gordon #24 won the Sprint race in Texas today . YEAH!!!! He is Wayne's favorite driver , and we love Wayne, so we are always happy when he wins. Well the weekend is over, and we have to head back to work on Monday. I interviewed Sat. at 5:oo with three people [in a webinar format] for a part-time on-line teaching job next year. They do quite a bit of training, so I think I would learn some new interesting on-line teaching skills for concurrent college and AP classes. Also, I found out this week that I won a poetry chapbook contest, and some of my poetry will be published in a book this summer. It has been a busy, eventful week. Next Saturday David and Karen are going to be sealed in the Twin Falls Temple, which is very exciting news! Well that's the scoop on Keeley's family and the first weekend in April at the Christensen house.

Thursday, April 2, 2009

KEELEY QUINN CHRISTENSEN

Keeley enjoying riding Natalies's big panda. I decided today's blog would be all about her.

Tyson and Keeley

Keeley with her buddy Uncle Tyson--both have gorgeous blue eyes and like Braveheart!

Natalie and Keeley Quinn


This last Saturday I stole my two cute granddaughters, Aisha and Keeley. Keeley Quinn is five months old. She is learning to use her hands and is soooooo cute. She entertained us grasping our fingers and with riding Natalie's big panda. She got very sick with an ear infection and wheezy cough on Monday. I stayed home with her on Tuesday and held her most of the day. Tyson did hold her for awhile and they watched Braveheart together--not your typical kid's movie, but she didn't seem to care. Tyson explained all the Scottish history to her well!!!