Summer Catch Up

The sun finally came out and we have had a lovely summer. Not too hot, not too rainy. Unfortunately not quite warm enough for my tomatoes to get ripe, but I did plant them a tad late- and I'm not giving up yet.

We went to Utah at the beginning of the summer to visit family and had a wonderful visit. We had all my siblings and their families here in Oregon for a reunion. And we went camping with friends in California.



Also this summer: Marah went to her first year of Girls camp, Ethan went to Cub Scout camp, Abby has lost a few teeth, Mia changed her name to "Obsessed with candy Obsessed with potato chips Christenson", and Zane has turned into a real "terrible two" at the tender age of 18 months- and I have the scars on my neck and arms to prove it. Anyone who has experience with clawing toddlers- please help! This is a new one for me.

And as a final surprise, I'll let you all know that there will be a new little Christenson joining our family in February.

A Gloomy Sort of Day

Today is a gloomy day. Its gray and windy and cold. One of my chickens died. We've been playing "Pass the Cold" in our family for two weeks; complete with ear infection, cough, runny nose and goopy eyes. I just want to go back to sleep and wake up when it is spring.

But some good things did happen today. Several talks and lessons at church really struck a chord with me. One particular lesson was about how our Father in Heaven knows and loves each of us and wants us to return home to him. I remember in the story "Alice in Wonderland" when Alice meets the cheshire cat and he tells her that if she doesn't know where she wants to go then it doesn't really matter which path she takes. I know where I want to go: home to my Heavenly Father. I know which path I want to take: the one that follows in Christ's footsteps. I know that through prayerfully seeking guidance and listening to the whisperings of the Spirit I will know what God wants me to do-and I know that this brings the greatest peace and happiness of all.

So even though I'm feeling a little gloomy today, I know my Heavenly Father loves me and that makes me look forward to spring.

A Flutey Sort of Person

In one of my favorite movies, "Enchanted April", Lottie says she has always thought of herself as a flutey sort of person. Well our Marah IS a flutey person - a flautist and a good one! We are so proud of her. On January 15th she won the MTNA Northwest Junior Division Competition and she'll be going to Wisconsin in March to compete at the national level. Way to go Marah!

Happy New Year

Obviously I haven't had blogging very high on my list of "Things to Do" and I didn't get Christmas cards out this year either so here is the year in a nutshell for anyone who still happens to peek at this page once in a blue moon.

Spring 2010- The first week of May we picked up 18 one day old chicks. They were so cute. They lived in our play room in a kiddie pool under a heat lamp. Then they grew up a little and they were ugly and poopy. Mike went to work and rescued me from my over enthusiasm for farm life and built a chicken coop. The chicks did outgrow the ugly stage and now they are beautiful hens (and one handsome rooster)- We gathered our first eggs in October. And they are delish!

Summer 2010- We went to a family reunion in Idaho. We had a very small humble garden. Mike's parents came to visit. Ethan got baptized in August. Mike took three weeks off. Marah, Ethan and Abby performed in "Mary Poppins".

Fall 2010- We went to Utah for Thanksgiving- very icy roads. Can we lobby to have T-Day in September before winter weather hits?

Winter 2010- We went to Southern California for Christmas and New Year's Eve. Zane turned 1. Marah and Ethan went surfing for the first time.

Happy New Year!