Christensen's

No Smiles

The Fall

A Bundle of Fun

Thanks again for the jammies Scott and Janine!

A couple weeks ago Cohen and I went to the Festival of Trees with my mom, Mary, Emma, and Annika (aka Emmaka by Cohen). The parking lot was an absolute nightmare and it took us at least 20 minutes to find a parking spot. We saw two older women get in quite the fight right in front of their kids. I made some comment to the effect of a parking spot just wasn't worth that. Then about 10 minutes later I found myself raising my voice at someone stealing a spot we had followed a lady to, good thing Mary was there to calm me down and I wasn't driving. Seriously, isn't this supposed to be the happiest time of the year??
All in all we did have a good time once we made it inside. The girls loved all the pink trees and the ones with princesses. Cohen and I took a picture in front of "The P"U"RFECT Season" tree.





I hope you're all enjoying the season and not fighting over parking spots. Merry Christmas!

So I'm sure someone has already thought of this, but it just hit me while I was laying in bed last night and it was too late to tell anyone. I totally forgot about it today and then I was just laying in bed now and thought of it again, and once again it's too late to call anyone and Paul is sleeping. So here is my thought:

Obama Nation = Abomination

Funny, huh?

I'm not saying that I'm not going to support our new president and I don't want to cause any controversy, I just thought it was funny. Hope you all enjoy my late night thoughts!

Yesterday Mary and I decided to take our kids to get their flu shots together. Cohen's shot was pretty uneventful, but both Emma and Annika gave me a good laugh during the outing.

Mary had explained to Emma beforehand that she would be getting the shot so Emma brought her ipod and was going to think about getting a chocolate shake while she got the shot. Initially we were going to have Emma go first, but she really didn't want to so Cohen did. I don't know if that was a good idea or not. When it was her turn it took, Mary, the nurse, & me to hold her down and get her situated. The whole time she was screaming, "I don't want it!" I had to laugh to keep from crying, it's amazing how strong a 5 year old girl can be when she needs to be. She seemed to forget how traumatic the ordeal was after getting her chocolate shake though because she said, "Mom, this is the best day of my life!" What a crack up!

Annika was a lot easier to manage during the actual shot, she only required Mary and the nurse. While we were in the waiting room she did give me a good laugh when she said, "I don't want an owie, thanks."

Paul, Cohen, & I have all gotten ours done now, so another year down. Thanks Mary for motivating me and giving me a taste of what the next few years might be like with Cohen!

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No we have not fallen off the face of the earth, we are all alive and well. It's amazing how fast time can go by. And while it seems like nothing happens a whole lot actually does.

Paul's little brother, Carson, got married on October 9th. It was a beautiful wedding! Everyone looked great, especially the little ones. We are so happy to welcome Michelle into our family.


On the 14th my big brother, Owen, turned 31. For some reason every year that he gets older affects me more than my turning another year older. Maybe it's just that his birthday is earlier in the year than mine, but it just really boggles my mind that we're adults! I don't know when it happened, but it did. Happy Belated Birthday O!

Fall has also finally hit here in Lehi with SNOW! I love it and I hate it. With the colder temperatures Cohen and I went with Mary, Emma, and Annika to the South Towne Mall's dinosaur playground. It's nothing super spectacular, but the kids love it and it's free! I'm hoping this becomes a weekly tradition.


This week is actually Fall Break at the U so Paul has been trying to get a few more hours in at work and get his doctoral project done. I can't believe this is his last book semester and it's half over!!! With the change in his schedule, I've learned a little bit more about the phrase, "Can't live with them, can't live without them."

Don't get me wrong it is wonderful to have him home more, but it is also really hard to have the change in our routine. It seems like when we're on our normal schedule all I want is for him to be home to spend time with Cohen and me, but this week while I've loved having him around we seem to push each others buttons a little more than usual. It's probably because there is actually time to press those buttons. I'm really going to try to savor these last few days I have a little extra time with him.

I hope this gives everyone a small idea of what has been going on in our lives in the last month. I promise to make more regular posts.

You all may or may not know that I sell Lia Sophia jewelry. This months special is my favorite, buy 2 items at full price and get any 4 items at 50% off! The 2 you buy at full price will always be the least expensive. It's a great way to get some Christmas shopping done.
I've been trying to find a day to have a party, but it has been a busy month. So if any of you are interested check out the catalog here and leave me a comment and I will get in touch with you. I am planning on putting an order in on September 30th!

I don't know how many of you read the Twilight series, but I got on Stephenie Meyer's website last night out of the blue and this is what I found.

www.StephenieMeyer.com

Needless to say I'm upset. I guess I'm a little more addicted than I would like to admit.

So it has been a good long while since I last posted and it is so overwhelming to think of what I should start with.

We just got back from a trip to Bear Lake with Paul's Mom and her husband, Wayne, and Paul's siblings and their families. We are so thankful that Wayne and Annette would put the time and money into getting the family together. It was a really fun trip, even for me the non-boater of the group.

Cohen loved riding in the boat and spent most of his time in the driver seat with either Wayne or Annette. Annette bought a wetsuit for him to wear and he looked so dang cute in it, like a little batman!! He also loved playing in the sand with his cousins.

We were planning on coming home Sunday morning, but ended up leaving Saturday night. Cohen started feeling sick Tuesday night and Paul needed to get back to get ready for school and let's face it I went into melt down!

It ended up being a good thing we came home because Cohen's fever hit 102.7 so we took him to Kids Care Sunday and he has pneumonia, poor guy. He is already on the up and up with 2 doses of antibiotics in him so we are happy.

Here are a few pics from the trip.

Cohen getting excited to get on the boat with Grandma Net

Paul and Cohen tubing

Addy, Cohen, & Paul getting ready for a ride

Me and Brynn (Thanks for going easy on me Wayne!)

My little Batman

Cohen and Addy taking a break from the boat

Cohen going down a slide we found on the beach

Addy loved the slide too

Future boat driver

Cookie Break

Papa Wayne giving Cohen a little swing

When we got home from St. George a few weeks ago I started doing laundry and my dryer just did not smell right. I thought that it might be because we hadn't used it for so long so I wiped it out, washed the lint collector, and cleaned out the pipe in the back. None of this did what I wanted it to do so I hoped that after several uses it would just go away.

So last Saturday we went outside to put together the toy that Annette had gotten Cohen for his birthday and noticed that one of the flaps on the outtake vent from our dryer was missing. When we looked inside we noticed the makings of a nest!!

Paul and I finally got to taking care of it yesterday night and it was more than we bargained for. It took about 20 feet of pole to drag all of it out of the pipe and a couple hours, it was awful. We ended up finding 5 little blue eggs and it made me really sad, but what do you do.

After cleaning it out we put a new vent on that has a net in it so even if one of the flaps comes off nothing can get in there.




What a fricking nightmare!!!

I can't believe that Cohen is 2, where has the time gone?! He is such an amazing little guy and both Paul and I feel so blessed that he was sent into our lives. I can't believe what a sweet little personality he has, yes he can be pretty stubborn and rambunctious, but those can definitely be positive traits.

Some of my favorite things about Cohen are his crazy laugh, his super cute face, his energy, his determination & eagerness to learn, the way that he really concentrates on things, the way he wraps his arms around my neck, the way he says "w", the way that he loves me with all my imperfections as a mother. He is an incredible little boy.

As hard as it is to see him grow up so fast, I look forward to seeing what he will come up with next.

Happy Birthday Cohen, Mommy & Daddy love you!!

Last week I was working on some new valances for my kitchen and when I was ready to climb back down off the counter onto the chair I was using Cohen was sitting there in my place. I didn't think much of it, even with our kitchen chairs being so tall, I just thought it was just a one time thing.


Unfortunately it wasn't. All I do all day now is get him down of the table and the counter and anything he can get on. We're trying to teach him how to climb down himself because otherwise he screams until we get him down and we just can't keep up with him!

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Today I took a shower and thought he would be safe locked in our bedroom when I got out I found him on the bathroom counter.


Look at that little stinker!!!

Paul and I have been trying to spend some time with and keep in touch with the Crandals with all the health problems that they have been experiencing. They are such great people and are in such need at this time in their lives. None of their kids live close so I feel like we need to step up our game and help out.

Fortunately Paul's Mom, Annette, and her brother, Ray, were in town this weekend so some of the feelings of responsibility let up. We did still head up to Bountiful to see them and to hang out with Mac, Brynn, & Co. and had a great time! Thanks everyone!

Hey I just wanted to set the record straight, I'm not pregnant just fat! I had two people ask me if I was pregnant at church today, one even touched my gut. I have also had several members of extended family ask me. So I just wanted to let you all know that if you're questioning it, the answer is no.
No comments please.

I'm sure all states have their own individualized holidays, but I've gotta say that Pioneer Day is pretty fantastic. You just can't go wrong with family, bbq's, and fireworks. Paul, Cohen, and I had a two day celebration.

On Wednesday we went to Bountiful to have dinner with Paul's Grandma Crandal and then to visit Grandpa Crandal in the hospital. He is getting between 3 and 4 hours of physical therapy a day and seems to be recovering well. While we were at the hospital Ruth was good enough to give Cohen a ride on her leg like she always does and he absolutely loved it. I tried to do it to give her a break and I had a really hard time, she is one tough grandma!!


We also went up to Paul's aunt and uncle's (Reed and Syd's) for fireworks, they have the BEST view from their spectacular back yard. It was hard keeping Cohen entertained while we waited for it to get dark, but once the fireworks came on he was in heaven oohing and aahing. It was a really fun day.

Thursday we had my family over for a little bbq and our own little fireworks show, the kids loved it. After dinner the boys went out to play croquet, I didn't know it was such a violent game.


It was so fun to spend time with both of our families, I look forward to getting together with both of them again soon.

So as early as I can remember Cohen has been hamming it up for the camera. He squints his eyes and says, "cheese" and it's about the cutest and funniest thing I've ever seen. Unfortunately I don't always catch the look because of the slight lag of our digital camera, but here are a few that I have caught recently at bath time... Enjoy!!

I can't believe it, but ten weeks in St. George have come and gone and we are now home in Lehi. It feels so good to get back to our "normal" daily routine. The state of isolation we were in has been replaced with almost a bombardment of social engagements and it is fantastic!

Unfortunately one of those engagements was going to visit Paul's Grandpa Crandal in a rehab facility in Bountiful because he fell and broke his left hip and shoulder last Monday. Our thoughts and prayers are with him for a speedy recovery.

Tonight we had nothing but fun at my aunt and uncles, it was so great to see everyone on my dad's side of the family. We really do have such a great group and I am so looking forward to Thanksgiving in St. George with everyone.

I really am so thankful to be home, but am so grateful for the opportunity we had to have a little adventure as a family for ten weeks. Here are a few pics from our last family outing by the pool. Cohen loves Paul tossing him into the air. It's a good thing my mom wasn't there to see this for real, I think she would have had a heart attack!

My parents and some friends came down to St. George for the weekend and I can't tell you how nice it was to have them. Cohen absolutely loved it! He likes my mom better than anyone else in the whole world, he throws a fit when I take him from her. I love that they have that special bond.






On Saturday after a long two days of golf all my dad wanted to do was take a little snooze, but Cohen insisted on bringing him every one of his toys and all the shoes he could find. He said "tank tu" after handing him each one. He has learned that from me taking away things he shouldn't have and saying thank you. My dad was such a good sport!




I am so glad that they came and look forward to them being here to celebrate the 4th with the whole family! That will be our last full weekend here... crazy!!

Hey I just wanted to let everyone know that Coke products are $2.50 at Walmart right now! I know that Smith's and Albertson's will be having a sale for the 4th of July, but if you need some right now (like I did) go to Walmart!!

Yes I'm an addict, but I don't think they have rehab facilities for my kind at the moment, so I'm going to be one for a bit longer.

Paul, Cohen, & I went to Zion National Park today and hiked to the Lower Emerald Pools with our friends Heidi and Zane. It was beautiful!!!