Welcome Back Kylie :)

One of Maddie's friends from the 1st and 2nd grade moved back to Orem this summer and goes to Orem High with Maddie! She saw her on the 1st day of school and wasn't sure if it was actually her but soon found out it was :)

Kylie is on the left - Maddie is on the right

She came home with Maddie, Maddie, and Sammy today and they went to the football game together where Maddie was performing at half time. It's so fun to have her back :)

Congrats to Talbie!

Talbie has spent the past 3 days (one day voice auditions, second day dance auditions, third day call-backs) auditioning for the school play "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat!" She called me when she got to school today and said she had made it!

I'm so excited for her because her passion is singing and being in plays! I'm not sure when the performances will be but we'll let you know as soon as we find out :)

Peaches, Peaches, Peaches

My parents have a peach tree that isn't very old but every year it produces more and more peaches. Last week my mom called and said the peaches were ready to pick so Bronson, Talbie, and I went over there and started picking.

I was shocked at how many peaches we got off that tree... (This isn't even all of them!)

So I've been busy making peach jam...

...and canned peaches! I'm pooped!!

Talbie's Bottom Braces

On Monday Talbie got her bottome braces on. She's had her top braces for about a year. She's on the homeward stretch to being done with her years of orthodontic work!! That is always a happy day :)

Oquirrh Mountain Temple Dedication

My family and I - except Emmie who isn't quite 8 yet :( are heading to
the Oquirrh Mountain Temple dedication in about 1/2 hour. It's such a privledge to have
so many temples close to us in Utah!

First Day of School - 2009

Today was my kid's first day school! They were all really excited to get back to seeing their friends and starting a new year. Here are their pictures...

My girls have their own sense of style! Maddie (as you know) is stuck in the 80's. She's starting the 11th grade!

(in this picture you will notice her vintage "Giorgio" bag that was mine in the 8th grade. Also the macrame owl necklace that my mom made me around the same time.)

Talbie choose to dress like she's out of the 70's today. She's starting 8th grade

Bronson and Emmie chose this decade for their school attire - 5th and 2nd grade

Family Pictures

While my brother Bret and his family were in town we decided to get some family pictures taken before they went back to Texas. Caleen's side of the family did the same thing so we were able to have her family take our pictures with our cameras. We didn't hire a professional but I think the pictures turned out great anyway!

The whole family ;)

The original Christensen's
Brittany, Cody, Me, Dad, Mom, Bret, and Dustin

Me and my family

Bret's family
Ember, Bret, Chase, Caleen, Markelle, and Ember
Cody's Family
Cody, Ally, and Kali

Brittany's Family
Brock, Boston, Dallin, Brittany, Logan, and Jared

The Grandkids

Mom and Dad

Blast from the Past

When I was in high school, if I wanted to listen to music I had to go buy an album, 45 record, or a cassette tape. I had a "sweet" stereo system and it took a section of my bedroom (stereo and speakers). I love how technology has evolved and the convience of and ipod and ihome. It doesn't get any better.

Well, those of you that know Maddie, know that she has an obsession with the 80's. She dresses 80's (most of the time) and has taken all the clothes that I did save and she wears them all the time!

Maddie and her friend were school clothes shopping in Salt Lake and they found a store that was selling albums. These albums were current bands and music - just made on an album. She bought one and brought it home - so excited. Even though she had these songs on her ipod already!

Well, she was desperate to play her album but of course, didn't know what to do. I'm not a "pack rat" and I get rid of things when I don't need them anymore. Luckily my parents are not that way and she went over there and was able to get my old stereo (actually I think it was my brother, Cody's but they were the same). She came home and got it set up...

I dug out my old 45 records that I have saved and she's been playing them over and over.
(The big poster in her room hung in my room for years too when I danced)

It is the strangest feeling to have a daughter, the exact age you were, love the same music, clothes, jewlery, and everything. It blows my mind! I thought parents and kids were supposed to argue over the music they wanted to listen to and the things they wanted to wear.

"Julie and Julia"

On Tuesday night the girls went to see "Julie and Julia". I was so excited to see this movie because I love Nora Efron movies ("You've Got Mail", "Sleepless in Seattle", etc.) I have to say I was not disappointed by this movie. I really enjoyed it.

The thing I enjoyed the very most about it was seeing the wonderful supportive men that the two women in this film had in their lives. They loved them so much and they gave them wings to fly! It reminded me A LOT of my wonderful supportive husband who does way too much for me.

The "girls" - Brittany, Me, Caleen, and Molly (Caleen's sister)

We were excited when Molly pulled up in her jeep - even though it took an act of congress to get us into it :)

More Craziness with the Cousins

We have been having a great time with the cousins that are here from Texas! The boys are quite a handful when you get them all together but they are making fun memories!

Sleeping in the tent...

Ended up on the familyroom floor!

Emmie and Ember have literally spent hours (over 10) making "fairy houses". I've yet to see any "houses" - just a giant mess!

Today Caleen and I went to "Nickelcade" with the boys

They only spent a small fortune for a million tickets that they redeemed for a little bit of NOTHING!

...and I somehow managed to get my beets canned in the middle of it all!

Maddie's YW Recognition Night

Sunday night was Maddie's Young Women Recognition Night. She had finished her Personal Progress in January before she turned 16 (and got her driver's license :)
Our ward likes to have a recognition night for the girls and recognize all their hard work at achieving their goals. It was a beautiful evening.

Maddie in front of her display table

Maddie and her friends Sammy and Maddie M.

Maddie's friend, Lauren from our ward. She was also recognized that night. Way to go Lauren!

Maddie receiving her YW Medallion from the Bishop

Maddie, Sis. Brooks, and Lauren

Aunt Sandy and Maddie

Maddie and our great Home Teacher (and great friend), Bro. Mitchell

I'm so proud of Maddie for getting her Personal Progress completed and for doing it right! She's a hard worker and showed with the things she's accomplished in her life.
Keep up the good work, Moo!

The Boys are Back in Town!

They're Back!
(Brock, Logan, Bronson, Aiden, Chase)

Caleen (my sister-in-law) got into town yesterday and my brother, Bret will be coming later in the week. It was so great to have the cousins come over today and we're excited to spend the week with them!

Ember and Emmie were born 1 month apart when Ember lived next door to us! We built our houses together and Bret and Caleen lived next door for 8 years! Ember and Emmie were 2 when they moved but it only takes them about 30 seconds to get reaquainted and they are inseperable!

They are building "fairy houses" in this picture - Emmie's new favorite thing to do.

Stay tuned for more adventures this week...

Dad in the Hospital

My dad spent the last couple of days in the hospital but is now home!

It all started on Tuesday when he started feeling really sick and dizzy. He got up but passed out because he was so light headed and when he came to, he had thrown up grape juice all over the floor. Dave thought there was blood in it too, but wasn't sure.

That night he was still really dizzy so Dave and I took him to the ER to have him checked out. He was really dehydrated so they gave him an IV and then he started to feel a lot better. They ran all the other tests too and found that his blood levels were a little low, but not abnormal and they had him go home.

Wednesday he was trying to get better but was having a hard time bouncing back. For those of you that know my dad, you know that he is NEVER sick and when he is, he gets over it really quickly. This was concerning.

Luckily my brother Dustin was in Vegas working and had heard of a guy that works for my dad that was having the same symptoms when they thought he had the flu. But it turned out he had been bleeding internally and they didn't know it until it was almost too late. Dustin told them to go get another blood work up the on Thursday morning, so they did.

Thursday morning they got the blood work done at his doctor's office and by afternoon he was starting to feel better (he thought) until his doctor called him and told him to get to the ER - ASAP! His blood levels had dropped dramatically.

They admitted him into the hospital Thursday afternoon and that night gave him a blood transfusion of 3 pints. Friday they scoped him and found that he had a hyrnia on this esophogus and it was all scratched up and bleeding. That's where the blood was coming from.

They put him on some acid reflux medicine that will heal his esophogus and let him come home today. He will go back on Monday morning and have his blood tested again to see if the bleeding has stopped.

This was pretty scary for our family. My dad is our rock and has never been in the hospital until now. We are so glad he's on the mend. I know he's glad to be home too because he did not like being in the hospital one little bit!

Brittany and I had a fun time sitting with him though and laughing. He felt pretty good the whole time he was there so that's what made it hard for him to sit there!

I have some great video of him too but I'm not quite ready to be written out of the "Will" yet so I won't post them :)