It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year...............

I love Christmas!!! I love the Carols, the feeling of joy, the dread of the cost....I try really hard not to think to much about that one, how happy the kids are, late nights watching Christmas movies and watching the tree twinkle with lights. I love the smell of Christmas Cookies, and laughing with Jeff while wrapping Christmas Presents on Dec 23:) Thinking of how special the holidays were to my mom. We always had a Danish Christmas.....so many fun traditions. We always open presents on Christmas Eve, play a rice game to win a prize, and sing a funny Danish song. Love Love Love Christmas....

I wanted to write alittle about each member of our family, they are so amazing and so fun.

Lucy: Lucy is almost ten months old. She is the HAPPIEST baby I have ever met. She smiles and giggles all the time. She loves to watch her sisters play and laughs at how silly they are. She loves it when Kaylee comes in the morning to get her out of her crib. Lis loves to feed her anything but mostly ice-cream. She smiles so big when she sees Lis coming with a spoon in hand. Kate loves to tickle her and make funny faces to make her laugh. Her biggest smiles she saves for Daddy, she crawls just as fast as she can to see him. I love to snuggle her, she will just let you hold her for a few minutes then she is off to find her sisters. She is so cute and fun, love love that this special girl was sent to our family. Our Pediatrician said when she was born that she was so lucky to come to our family, we are the lucky ones she is so amazing.

Kate....Our silly, crazy, fun Kate. She is our spice in life. She loves to change her clothes about ten times a day. She is a master negotiator.....she will negotiate for anything later bed time, oreos, getting whatever she wants. She says the funniest things, she comes in our room every morning and says, " Get out of bed you lazy bones." another favorite is when she says, "Whats with all the racket." She is so funny. She loves movies her favorite is Toystory 3. She had her tonsils out right before Halloween, she did so well. She was so lovey for a week, loved to be held, it was really sweet. She did great, she didn't seem to have too many rough moments. We love that Kate keeps us on our toes, she is a fun girl and I know she will grow up to be a sweet fun person.

Lis...... is our little Mommy. She wants to take care of Lucy and everyone all the time. She loves to help set the table, put clothes away. She is very observant if I am having a bad day she is the first to try and make it better. She loves all things Girly. She loves hair bows, dresses, make-up, jewelry, she just loves feeling pretty. She loves to dance and is our ballerina. She loves school and is such a good friend to everyone. She loves playing with Kaylee, Lis, Kate and Lucy. She even asked for another baby sister for Christmas. She is so fun!!!

Kaylee....is so fun! She is growing up way to fast. I cant believe my little baby will be 9 in February. She is so smart, and so quick at understanding everything. She is a perfectionist and expects the very best of herself at all times. She works so hard, and loves school. She is a cute little girl and loves to play soccer and softball. She is so fast, she runs the track at school and loves it. She is my sweetheart, she will do anything I ask, so helpful and so good with all her sisters. I am so blessed to have these special, amazing little girls as mine! and alittle Jeff's haha. We love them so much!

Life at the Christensen's is busy busy..........

It's been a year since I've posted and so much has happened. We had a busy, amazing holiday season, with crazy things happening right and left. School for Jeff took an unexpected turn that has truly been a blessing. Jeff is no longer attending the UofU which has been so great! When we found out that we would be forced to take a semester off (last Spring 2010) we were devestated. Funny how Heavenly Father is working in ways we had yet to understand. For the first time in over 5 years Jeff had a semester off, we were expecting, Kaylee was getting baptised and life was just pressing forward.
Kaylee had a fun 8th birthday party at our house with games, food, and cute toe nails done by an amazing sister Alicia. The next weekend Kaylee was baptised, what a special day. Jeff was so happy to be able to take his little girl into the baptismal font and baptize her. She looked so grown up. The spirit was so strong, and being 9 months pregnant the tears just kept coming.
The next week or two we just spent preparing for our baby girl to come. The doctor set Friday Feb 26th as the day to induce. I have never been able to go into labor on my own so inducing seems to work great for me. The wee hours of the morning Monday of that same week, we got a call at 1:40 AM from Jeff's brother saying his mother had passed away. Jeff immediatly headed to his parents and I called my dad and Allison. A few minutes later I headed over. What a sad week it was, Jeff's mom was so great. She loved her grandchildren so much and had just watched them a few days earlier while we had our last dr. apt. She was so excited to find out what we were having. The week was so full of emotion and the question now was to postpone the baby or keep it Friday. The viewing was Friday and the Funeral on Saturday. We talked and talked and decided Lucy was supposed to be here that day so we went ahead with our plans.
Friday Feb26th.....We headed to the hospital bright and early the kids went to Papa and Allisons. The Dr.'s and Nurses were aware of our situation and so kind. I progressed really well, and had our beautiful Lucy Grace at 2pm. Small babies seem to be our nature, but healthy thank goodness. She had cute dark hair and dimples:) Finally someone got my dimples. Jeff left the hospital as soon as I was settled in my room. It was so hard to watch him leave and know I despartaly wanted to by his side. I had amazing visitors who kept me company and took great care of me. I even got to see my girls.
Our Father in Heaven works in amazing ways......had Jeff been in school that semseter would not have turned out well. He needed the time to adjust to losing his mom and our growing family. Sometimes at the time we just dont understand why things happen looking back its amazing how things happen.
Jeff is now attending UVU and working on the degree he really wants in Biotechnology. This is what Jeff orginally wanted by UofU did not offer it. He was just going to get his Biology instead but was not really happy about it. UVU has been such a blessing, Jeff loves the program, starting a ineternship and doors look like they are finally opening for us. School has been one of our greatest challenges, everytime we took one step forward we had ten steps back. We have grown so much as a family because of this challenge. I know we will look back and know it led us to where we need to be.
I will post more later about our trip and update on all our girls, crying baby upstairs:)

* I guess I am not getting the hang of blogging, there are new pictures at the bottom of page :) Hopefully I figure this out soon!

October Activites

To look outside you would think it was December. I have to admit the snow brings a smile to my face, I love Christmas! I love cold days spent sitting by the front window, with a cup of hot chocolate watching the snow fall, with a background of twinkling lights. It reminds me of being a little kid how much I loved this time of year. OK, ok first we should atleast get Halloween over. I posted some pictures of the girls and I attending our first annual Witches Tea at Alicia's house. It was so much fun anyone over 5 was welcome to come. We had a fun dinner, played games and just enjoyed dressing up like witches. ALicia is so amazing she actually did a party for the kids last weekend and had them sleep over. Kaylee and Lis cant stop talking about how great it was!

Last night for family home evening we had a yummy lasagna dinner provided by the sweet Young Women's president. She dropped it by while Kate and I were napping just to be nice. It was such a great surprise, it made my day! Then we painted the pumpkins, Kate even did her famous "booty"dance as she painted. It was a fun night! I feel so lucky to have Jeff home on Mondays so we can spend some much needed time together :) This week we also have a fun Halloween party at Dad and Allisons on Thursday, then trick or treating on Saturday.

Tomorrow morning we all get to go to Midvalley and see Kaylee and Lis both recieve the honor of being October's top dog at their school. It is such a great honor for both of them. One student from each grade is selected each month and our girls got it, I am so proud of them!!!!!!!!!

My pregnancy is starting to show, just started wearing Maternity clothes. The baby is moving more and the excitement is building :)

ITS BEEN FOREVER
I am such a bad blogger, I have tried forever to change the background and cant seem to get it to work. Now pictures wont post, ugh, I am so computerly challenged. I will just give an update on how everyone is and hope pictures and a new back ground is coming soon.

The girls have started school and loving it! Kaylee is in 2nd grade, busy reading, writing and learning more math. She also played softball this season and learned a great deal from her amazing coaches. They were so encouraging and positive it made for a great experience. She is also playing soccer, she loves to play goalie and forward. She is getting more aggressive and charges after the ball more. She has played since she was 4 and has really come to enjoy the game. Lis started ballet! She looks so cute in her pink leotard and skirt. It brings back so many great memories for me. I loved ballet and tap. She counts down the days till Tuesdays! She is also learning to read, she comes home with new books and beams with pride as she passes them off. Kate, Kate she is our fun little two year old who is talking up a storm. She loves to watch Toy Story and acts out the parts. She loves to be with her sisters doing whatever she can to drive them crazy.

That leaves Jeff and I. Jeff is busy with work and school, we are putting Pharmacy school on hold for awhile, it was a bitter, sweet decision. Jeff feels pretty burned out, he has about a year to get his Bachelors of Biology so that is our goal. I am really proud of the effort and time he puts in. Pharmacy school is very competitive and the pressure was just too much right now. He hopes to work in the BioTEch field for a few years then revisit Pharmacy school then. We feel this is a good decision for Jeff and our family. It was hard to make but we feel very at peace with it. The Lord must have other plans for our family at this time.

I am almost 19 weeks preg, we find out next Monday if we are having a boy or a girl. The girls actually are divided on if they want a boy or girl. We are hoping to keep it a secret till the big day. I am feeling good, finally getting alittle more energy. I love fall all the changes. We are excited about the next year of our lives , so much change, we are happy and thrilled to be together and striving to follow all our Father in Heaven wants for us!

You are each in an amazing season of life. It is so important to understand that you don't have to do it all 'right now,' that there is a season for each of life's endeavors. I am convinced that when you use your time now - when you live for the season you are in-to love and teach your children, it cannot be misspent. Don't let the voices of the world distract you in your service. To paraphrase President James E. Faust, you need not sing all the verses of your song at the same time." Jane Clayson Johnson; I Am a Mother

6 Years "I miss you Mom"

Yesterday marked 6 years since mom passed away. I remember the day so vividly, as if it was yesterday. I remember holding her hand as she left us, she opened her eyes for just a brief moment as if to say goodbye. The last conversation I had with her was on the phone,the day before she passed away. Her last words to me, were that she loved me very much and it was going to be ok. I cant believe that was the last time we spoke. Something I learned through moms illness was that Heavenly Father answers our prayers, we don't always like the answer but he truly loves us and wants what is best. In every blessing mom was given throughout her illness she was never told she would beat this. She was blessed that she would have the strength to endure. As a family you want someone to tell you she will be fine, that she will make it, that assurance never came. I think individually we all knew that her work here was done. She suffered much, we were greatful when she was finally at peace. The last day her friend Sherry spent with her, she told Sherry that her mother was there. What great comfort to know in her final hours she was meet by her mother. In the years since mom passed away I have been so blessed with 2 more children, I look to her so often for strength. She was a very special mother, she loved her children with all of her heart. She gave so much to us. I hope that I can be that amazing to my kids. She laughed a lot, and she gave us amazing memories. We took so many trips together, it was important to her. I will always remember her as a great mother, great friend, a teacher, and someone who could always make a bad day brighter.
I remember one time I was having a bad day, and talking to a friend about it on the phone, telling the friend I needed something new. A new outfit to brighten my day. My mom must have over heard the conversation, as soon as I was off the phone, she said, "Lets go to the mall." She took me there bought me a new outfit :) Sounds kind of trivial but it meant so much. Mom would have loved her grandchildren, she would have spoiled them rotten, I know that someday we will all be together she will laugh with them, and hug them to pieces. I love you MOM! I miss you everyday!

Cherry Hill

Our Cherry Hill Vacation!
We had a blast! We headed up to Cherry Hill on Wednesday July 22. We got up to Cherry Hill about 6pm, set up camp then took the kids around to see what adventure awaited them the next day. The kids were super excited for the water slides, it was fun to see them so giddy. We swam in the little pool that evening, which felt great due to the 100+ temptures. We wore the kids out then headed back to our tent. We played alittle war with the girls, ate goodies then went to bed about 1030. Kaylee had trouble sleeping, it was like Christmas Eve waiting for Santa. She tossed and turned and sat up and down. I kept telling her please go to sleep. Later that night, well the wee, hours of the morning 3am, she decided she had to go to the bathroom. I insisted she go back to sleep, no luck. We grabbed the lattern and headed to the bathroom. While in the bathroom, my eyes finally woke up and I noticed Kaylee was not in her PJS anymore. I asked her why her cute reply, " I wanted to be ready first thing in the morning, surprise!" Oh silly Kaylee.
Thursday morning we ran down to Smiths and got some doughnuts and juice and had a yummy breakfast. The water park did not open till 1030 so we had some time to kill. Finally the water park opened and we got to begin our fun adventure. We went on the Dragon Slides first, sooooo fun. The water is only 2 feet at the bottom so the older girls could go down on their own. Kate took turns with Jeff and I. At the end of each time the slide, Kate would smile and say, "AGAIN, Again! " It was so fun. Next we went over to Pirates cove and went on the crazy river run, Kate could not go on this one so she and I went on the Lazy River. The girls loved the water falls on the crazy river and did it several times. Cherry Hill was so much fun, it caters to the little kids they can do everything. My dad later joined us and we had some pizza and did some miniture golfing. Kate just would wait for someone to put, then run grab their ball and put it in the hole. Thats my kind of golfing, haha :)We had a great time, enjoyed being together and loved every minute!