Peyten's Football

Peytens football team had an amazing season this year, they were undefeated going into the superbowl and ending up losing to the Oilers.  They had beaten that team last year in the superbowl.  Guess it just wasn't our year, but I think runner up isn't so bad.Peyten receiving his trophy.
The loyal fans

Friday Face

My first Friday face is...Lauren Christiansen.

Lauren is the oldest child of myself and Brent Christiansen.  She was born on Feb. 3, 1995.  She was a real cutie if I do say so myself.

She has a very likable personality and gets along with people of all ages.  She is a great big sister to her two bothers, Austen and Peyten and her little sister Ashlen.

Some of her favorite hobbies are:  playing volleyball, reading a book, hanging out with her buds, spending time with her ultra cool mom, and watching good old TV.

Lauren is a top notch student in school taking all honors classes, except science, we don't want her to be too perfect!!!

She is a valuable player on the Xtreme 14 yr.  club volleyball team.  She plays outside hitter and has a wicked serve.  Her favorite thing about Volleyball is killing the ball and diving for digs.  She is often seen with huge bruises on her elbows and knees, which is not lady like but very cool.

Lauren has long blonde hair and beautiful blue eyes with dark eyelashes and eyebrows.  She is tall and thin (I know, it's hard to love someone like that), with cute dimples on either side of her cheeks.  

Now for Q&A Time:

Who do you like better Mom or Dad...silence followed by "Mom, I like you both the same."  (sure, whatever)

favorite food... Mexican

Favorite color... blue, green, purple

Favorite season... winter

Favorite song... Hot n Cold

Where do you want to go to college... A&M

What do you want to be when you grow up... physical therapist

what's your favorite tree... any one that you can climb

What kind of car do you want to drive... Ford F-350 (say what?)

Favorite vacation... Pine Basin

Favorite subject in school... PE

Favorite activity... snowboarding and volleyball

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the most awesomest girl in the world... Miss Lauren Fern Christiansen!!!!!

Sometimes...

Sometimes  my biggest goal is to take a shower before the day is over. (I am trying out new fonts)  Got that one accomplished today, phew!!!!

Sometimes all I want is for the kids to is be nice to each other.  Like the other day Austen got in big trouble by the other Adult besides me in the house, and he was up stairs crying and Peyten told me he felt sorry for him and Lauren came and gave him a hug.  (major run-on sentence).

Sometimes I wish that I wasn't married to such a hunk... No, I am just joking, I love my hunky husband!!!!!

Sometimes I would like to get all the laundry done in one day, folded, and put away.  That would be a miracle, that would be cause for Brent to buy me something really nice.

Sometimes I think that Texas is just about the best place ever to live, except maybe HEAVEN!!!!

Sometimes my belly growls for Chipolte in the middle of the night!!!!!

Sometimes my dog makes my heart feel all fluttery, I love her!!!!!  My cat too, she is super fat and soft.

Sometimes the day is just too short or too long, whichever!!!

Sometimes I just look at Lauren and get so proud of how awesome she is.  She was definately a gift from God!!!!!

Sometimes I want to give a mean hand gesture to my obnoxious neighbor, but instead I smile and comment on her lovely permed hair.

Sometimes I like to spy on my kids conversations, especially Peytens, they rarely make sense but are super funnny.

Sometimes I wish I was still a kid living at home and riding my bike to my friends house. (Julie, you know I mean you).  

Sometimes I wish I could talk to my Grandma Fern and Grandma Huxford, now those are some classy old ladies.  Unfortunately they are both in Heaven., but good for them.

Sometimes I can't understand my 4th graders homework, what's up with that?

Sometimes I wish I had not beaten up the neighbor boy who lived next door.  His name was Billy Young and he was 12 and I was 10.  That wasn't very nice of me, I can't remember why I did it now.

Sometimes I wish that I had planned better for my wedding.  At the time I didn't have any money and it was so fast.  Lauren and Ashlen's wedding will be fun, I already know where Laurens reception is going to be.  It's a surprise.

Sometimes I wish that there would be world peace. (That's funny, I was pretending I was a beauty contestant, don't they all say that?)

Anyway, that is my sometimes.

I am going to have a new special on my blog that will appear on fridays.  It will be called "Friday Face".  It is an idea I saw on another blog.  Stay tuned for this friday featuring my first "Friday Face".

Ward Christmas Party

Top 10 reasons why the Christiansens won't be asked back again

1.  We forgot to bring what we signed up for.  (we really weren't home all day, how can they expect us to bring anything, I rarely feed my own family).

2. Ashlen was the cutest toddler by far and made everyone else look bad.

3.  My husband is the hottest man there over 40 and all the other wives were wishing their husband was hot like mine.  ( He is even cuter than the 30 somethings, 20 somethings is pushing it).

4.  During the opening prayer, Peyten was already in the food line.

5.  They ran out of rolls towards the end of the dinner and I noticed Peyten had 5 on his plate.  ( That was also the food item that we were suppose to bring).

6.  Half way through the musical program I noticed that my boys were gone from the our table and then noticed that many of their friends were gone as well.  My boys had initiated a capture the flag game and were outside playing.  ( I got a few dirty looks for fellow parents, hey I didn't tell their kids they could go).

7.  Lauren was suppose to be helping the little kids visit Santa at the end but she ditched it to go outside and play capture the flag and later said she almost beat up the Bishops son.  Way to go sweet cute girl, that will get the boys crawling after you!!!!

8.  Ashlen told Santa, "I don't like you", but later gave him a high five when he gave her a candy cane.

9.  The Bishop asked me if I was ready to be Primary president again and I laughed at him and walked away, then came back and reminded him that I am still expecting his wife to bring me a Christmas treat.

10.  And the final one, we ditched early to drop the kids off to go to a neighborhood party where they served real Coke!!!!!

All jokes aside, I love our ward, I just like to spice things up a  bit.  Every ward needs a crazy old lady like me.

Christmas picture out takes 2008

Gotta love the ones that don't make the cut.

Some fun photos

The kids doing homework after school, my table always looks like a garage sale.

Ashlen always is cute!!!!

Chloe, the new dog my neighbor got.  She is a toy poodle and so cute.  Ashlen loves her as do I and the rest of the kids.

Thanksgiving with the Spendloves

Year after year we make the long trek to San Antonio (3 hr. car ride) to spend Thanksgiving with our dear cousins, The Spendloves, Brents sisters family.  There is always great food, yummy treats, lots of video games, this year it was Rock Band, and of course lots of Football.  Thanks for a great time Kari and Family, see you next year!!!!

my do's and Don'ts

It's about time you all got a bit of my wisdom that I have collected throughout the years.  Here is my list, take it for what it's worth, but surely it is worth a lot somewhere.

Don't falsely impress someone before you really know them

Do let them see how imperfect you really are then you can only get better in their eyes.

Don't have your kids clean their own bathrooms until they are old enough to really clean and not turn it into a water fight and the toilet cleaner is used as a weapon.

Do have your kids clean their own bathroom, it teaches them an important lesson; less mess, less you have to clean.

Don't buy store bought cookies

Do make homemade cookies (Lauren does this in our house)

Don't watch scary movies alone

Do watch scary movies with a good friend that lets you scream in her ear and hug her if needed.

Don't buy cheap toothpaste

Do buy what 4 out of 5 dentist recommend

Don't miss out on hugging your kids everyday

Do grab them whenever possible and plant a huge smooch on them.

Don't let a day go by without telling your kids and spouse how much you love them.

Do show your family how much you love them, not just tell them.

Don't gossip around your kids

Do talk nice about people.  ( if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all)

Don't swear abound your kids

Do swear when they aren't around if you really need to.

Don't wear too much makeup

Do wear a bit of makeup

Don't wear a thong bathing suit ever

Do wear a bathing suit even if you think you look horrible in it.

Don't let your kids go TP ing alone.

Do take your kids TP ing at least once in their life.

Don't buy your kids everything they ask for.

Do make your kids earn and buy their own stuff. (even if you are a celebrity)

Now here are just some don'ts:

Don't laugh with Jello in your mouth

Don't leave the dishes in the sink too long

Don't pick your nose

Don't dress like a teenager if you aren't one

Don't tell people too much info.

Don't drink caffeine ( my weakness for sure)

Don't stay up too late playing guitar hero or Harry Potter video games

Don't forget to wash your kids football gear everyday, or it will stink up the whole house.

Don't let your kids beat each other up.

Don't ever weigh yourself unless you really want to know.

Don't ever forget to lock the bedroom door when you are in your unmentionables and your kids have all their friends over.

Don't forget to lock the door when you want to kiss your husband!!

Now for the DO's:

Do make new friends

Do take a walk in the rain, or snow, or sunshine.

Do chase your kids around the table and give them a spanking if they need one.

Do call you family on the phone if you are thinking about them.

Do let your kids know that you will stick up for them no matter what.

Do kiss your husband ever chance you get, even in front of your kids so they see that you love each other.

Do stay in bed as long as you can sometimes.

Do read a great book.

Do cry during a wedding.

Do cry when a baby is blessed.

Do volunteer for something that doesn't sound like fun.

Do go to church once a week.

Do act like a crazy person every once in a while.

Do put on lotion after you shave your legs.

Do get your toes painted in the summer, a pretty bright pink is fun.

Now do your own list of do's and don'ts.

Movies with a two year old

I promised Lauren and her friend that I would take them to go see High School Musical at the movies today.  Brent has been out of town since wed., Austen was at a scout campout, and I couldn't find a babysitter so Ashlen had to come along.  I usually don't take Ashlen anywhere remotely like a movie or public for that matter cause she is a handful to say the least.  (she swore at me in spanish just now, I heard the word poo in spanish).  Anyway, I decided we had better go to the ghetto movie theatre so not many people would be there bothered by a two year old running around.  I gave her a bit of cough medicine, brought treats, a blanket and a pacifier and tried to do my best.  There was no one else in the theatre, I was so relieved and good thing.  Once Troy Bolton and Gabriella started to sing it was all over for Ashlen.  She was running circles around that place.  She chucked her paci too many times to count, did summersaults down the aisle, threw her sippy cup in the theatre trash before I could catch her, dumped popcorn on the floor, flew out of her theatre seat more times that humanly possible and the untimate, pooped her pants.  I realized I forgot to bring a spare.  I thought, no problem, i'll just dump the poop into the toilet and put the diaper back on and she can wear it for a bit longer.  Well, that doesn't work with the "Runs".  I had to chuck the diaper and wash her bum with a million paper towels while she kept trying to escape.  She just happened to be wearing a dress so no pants to cover her bum, so when we were walking out of the bathroom, she flashed everyone in the lobby, yelling, "diaper yucky".  I love that child!!!!  The rest of the movie was spent hoping she wouldn't tinkle on anything, but really by that point, did it really matter? 

Ashlen loves her brother Austen

It is a Magical love those two have.  

Family Fun

Family night + Ashlen sitting on the potty chair = chaos, but yummy banana bread for desert.

Lauren is no longer a "brace face"

Before and After photos of Laurens braces.  Isn't her smile beautiful?  

Conversation between two 9 yr. old boys

Ok, I wasn't really eavesdropping on my son Peyten and his friend, they just happened to be sitting in the back seat of my car while I was driving them so I got the whole conversation and boy was it a hoot.  What they can come up with.  This is what it went like, not exact word for word, but darn close.

Peyten: your dad is hairy

Peytens friend: I know, it's gross

P:why is he so hairy?

PF: cause he's so old, he has gray hair in places,  like under his arm, I think black hair is the best under your arm

P: yea, I want dark hair when I grow up, my sister has a unibrow

PF: weird, I would hate that, hey Peyten your eyebrows are blonde, you can't even see them.

P: I know, my eyelashes are too long, but my mom said I better not cut them with the scissors or she'll cry, but she won't, she'll just yell at me. 

PF: your sister really has a unibrow

P: yea, and her back is really hairy too, she was born that way, my grandpa's hairy, my mom says it's his fault.

PF: I feel sorry for her.  Did you know my brother use to eat dog food, he's a dork

P: Maybe that's why he has long hair, do you think?

PF: No, don't be stupid.  Do you think your mom will take us to get icecream?

P: Maybe, she has been kind of nice today, but she did yell at my brother for messing up the clean clothes, she is not a good laundry person, my dad  always takes like forever looking for clean socks in the morning.

PF:What?

P: Never mind...mom, can we get icecream?

They are funny boys.  It Ashlen who has a unibrow, I have shaved it a few times cause it is so bad.

Well, lets get on with it...

Well, it's  over and I had a rough night last night, being worried and stressed about Obama, but I realize I just need to make more of an effort to keep conservative values around me and my family as much as I can.  Brent reminded me that always after a democratic president won office, the car business did well.  I guess I will focus on the positive.

Ashlen is yelling at me from the bathroom guess she wants out of the tub.

Todays the big day

Well, we should know soon enough our fate.  Nothing I can do about it now so I am going to enjoy a fun day with my kids while they are off of school.  We are going to start by cleaning up the house, fun for me, then move on to something else.  Haircuts, shopping, lunch out, and a movie perhaps.  Austen already went Golfing with Brent early this morning.

Two nights ago my neighbor Kim and her husband invited me over to watch a scary movie.  I love scary movies but don't watch them often due to the fact that I get too scared.  Anyway, the movie was "Strangers".  Anyone ever seen it? Supposedly it was so scary they didn't release it into the movie theaters.  I put the kids to bed and then walked over to the neighbors house to settle in for a good scare.  I brought my own blanket so I could cover my eyes whenever I needed to.  Well, let me tell you, it was scary, SCARY!!!!  I spent most of the time under the blanket and was shaking by the time I walked myself home.  I woke up Brent and told him I was scared and he said,"SHHH, go to sleep".  The next morning Lauren and Austen came running in my room to ask me all kinds of questions about the movie, "was it really scary, were you scared, what happened, could we watch it, did people die?"  (I don't let my kids watch scary movies, do as I say, not as I do, I know i'm lame).  Peyten then came running into my room, plopped on my bed and looked like he was going to ask the same questions all over again, but instead asked, "did you have any popcorn?"  I love Peyten, he's my favorite!!!!!

HALLOWEEN

The kids all had a great time for halloween.  Ashlen wouldn'twear her bee costume, she said it was hurting her, so she opted for Cinderella thanks to my neighbor having an extra costume.