Spring Break day 5 - The desert in bloom

I will admit that I am not a huge fan of the desert. In fact I have never found it aesthetically pleasing. We took a trip with my parents and Connie out to see all the flowers that have come because of the rain. It looked much nicer than usual. And I decided that even though I do not think it is pretty, it does have it's own beauty and that is enhanced by the fact that it is were I grew up.



Both of the kids loved being outside. Later that night we found out that Williams shoes must have been too small because with all the running around he did, he wanted me to carry him everywhere that night.

Spring Break day 4 - Potty Train

So we decided that this was the time to FINALLY potty train this kid!I was worried that it would never happen because I told him we would be doing it and he continued to inform me that he was NOT going to go poo-poo on the potty. But after many hours of him sitting on the potty and Russ and I chanting encouragement, promises, and threats, He did it! He went poop on the potty and his reward was a Little Debbie cake.

Gracie found a little friend in the mirror. They talked, they laughed, they kissed. It was all very cute.

Spring Break day 3 - The Sabbath

This was a nice and relaxing day. We went to church with Russ parents and had a wonderfully uplifting meeting. Then took the kids back to their house to nap. After that we took off to my parents and made it in time for family dinner.

Miss Mohawk kept getting the lid to the shape sorter stuck on her foot.

William helping out with the frosting pan.

Spring Break day 2 -The Hunt is On

This was the day of the Christensen Easter gathering. Oh what fun. It is always so great to see all the family and it is fun to watch William each year as he gets older and understands more.
Here is Gracie getting "fed" by her cousin Roxey

Grandpa waiting for the kids to come out.

Here they come

Huntin' for eggs


They are happy, you can tell by the tongues

Consuming his Easter findings

My beautiful spring chick

It was hard to get them to look up from the grass


But they did


Our Family
FYI - sometimes I get choked up when I say that because I can't believe how lucky I am to be with Russ and that we have OUR own family.

And what would a C family gathering be without funny videos on YouTube?

It was a very fun day and like always left me wanting more. We just don't see them all enough.

Spring Break Day 1

WARNING: It was along week so there will be a few posts with a lot of pictures.

We left for the valley Friday after Russ got out of school and donated plasma. We arrived at Russ parents after an uneventful trip (whew!). Grandma wasn't there when we got there so we played with Grandpa outside. Both kids loved the swing. This was Gracie's first time on a swing.

Tongue-o-meter = Extreme Happiness and Joy



William loves the under-dogs!
William also had his first encounter with Roley poley bugs.

When Grandma showed up William was pretty excited.

So after a fun evening and delicious dinner, we had a good nights sleep to get ready for the Christensen Easter egg hunt to happen the next day.

Grandma's Hands

Two years ago, at this time, I was sitting up in my grandmas house that love built with my sister Connie, my cousin Chris, and my beautiful grandma. We were sitting by our grandma trying to make sure she was as comfortable as possible as we new she would be leaving soon. She was not able to talk to us but Connie and Chris were holding her hands and stroking her hair. I was not supposed to be up because I would be driving to Flagstaff the next morning with Russ at 4 am to make it in time for his Graduate school interview. I was going to look at apartments while he was in the interview. I did not want to leave my grandma. I had not left all week, but I knew I had to go. I showered that night, which I never do because I don't blow dry my hair and it messes it up bad if I sleep on it wet. I am not sure why I showered at night, but I think it was a blessing because I got to spend those last hours with a couple of my best Friends. I am not going to go into too much detail, but I was sitting there reading the booklet the hospice nurse gave us and it gives a timeline for different symptoms they are having. I was noticing that she was doing everything on the list and the time was getting close. She sat up and cried like she was in pain so we gave her some morphine and decided to wake the rest of the family. I got Russ up and he sat next to me along with a lot of other loved ones and watched as she passed from this life to the next. She wanted to go so bad. I had the wonderful opportunity of spending time with her a couple times a week reading her her old letters and cards. She would tell me stories and I cherish that time so much. She was always telling me how ready she was to go. The next morning my cousin Erin had written this poem and I love it because it expresses a lot of my feelings in a way I can't.

Chris, Connie, and Debbie

"Which of these will ease my parting?"

Thought that surely never rose

From that heart so turned to others

As the paths for threads she chose.

Through the world her love has traveled

Carried into many lands

Firmly clasped into our blankets

By the workings of her hands.

'Ere we traveled to these sorrows

When we learned whose we would be

When we saw the scores already

Here as her posterity,

Did we ask to live this privilege?

For this honor did we plead?

"Which of us will ease her parting

when it comes her hour to leave?"

Would our hearts so prize this service,

were they not sown with her genes?

Through the world her love will travel.

She had given us the means.

Erin Cranor

March 10, 2006

Her posterity numbering over ten score:

Maggie Johnson Brown

I could never express the gratitude that I feel for being able to be not only related, but to have grown so close to such an amazing women. Everyone that knew her loved her and recognized her for the angel that she is. I hope that I can be more like her in every way. I started making quilts for my Etsy shop and for the craft fair because I realized that I love it and it reminds me of my childhood days laying under the quilts and my mom, grandma, and her sisters would quilt. It is a legacy that I hope will live on. I miss her, and I can't wait to see her again. Until that day...

Isn't she beautiful? Now I have to go to bed because I have a headache from crying.

Quality

I just finished this book the other day.
It was really good. We borrowed it from Russ' parents but I think I may have to get my own so I can read it again and mark it up. It was a short fast read which I really appreciate. I like this book because I was reading it late in the night when I could not sleep and Gracie kept waking up. Usually this would frustrate me because even though I was already awake, she needs her sleep. I decided she must not feel good and that it was probably teething. Instead of feeling stress or frustration I felt privileged to be able to be the one to comfort and help this little girl who can not do it for herself. Yet.

A funny Morning

This morning I came downstairs to see William watching his video like this.

A funny Morning

This morning I came downstairs to see William watching his video like this.
He just layed there and did not move.
I took Gracie's saucer apart to clean it and William thought that was hilarious.

William just became observant, at least where I am concerned, the other day. I had my hair in pigtails which I do often. William looked at it and said, "hey, what's your hair doing?" I told him it was pig tails. The next day I had my hair in a pony tail and I asked William to scratch my back. He did this for a few seconds and then said, "hey, where did the other one go?" I explained that today I just had a pony tail and then I asked him if he wanted one.

A day at the park

Even though there was some snow on the ground, it was pretty warm outside and not very windy and the sun was out so we took the kids to a park.
We took them to the duck park, but the water was still frozen and there was a lot of snow on the ground so we took them somewhere else. But not before we talked to the ducks and played with a stick in the water.


The playground was dry so William had a good time running around.


We played with the snow a little bit and Williams hair was sooo bright in the sun, but it never shows up that way in pictures.



This is William going to get his dad with a snowball.

Gracie had a fun time spinning with her daddy.





And Russ and William made this cute little snowman.

New Addition

This week we had some friends over for dinner and

like the good host that Russ is, he showed them videos on the internet. What are they watching? Whatever it is it looks funny.

Latter in the week we got a call in the middle of the night from them. Russ went over there to stay with their boys while this little girl arrived rather quickley.

Isn't she beautiful. She is soooo tiny!

While we were there visiting her, Gracie started gettting on her hands and knees, but I think she liked their rug or something because she hasn't really done it at home.


We are happy for the Leglers and their new addition. And really happy that the labor went well and that Brit is doing so good.