And I forgot about the snow.

We did this too. It was Saturday, January 30th. We all had fun.















We drove up past Strawberry to find a place to play in. We actually had a hard time because there was so much snow that all of the little roads to turn off the highway were snowed over and there was no place at all to park. After a while of driving we finally found a decent-sized shoulder of the road that had been cleared of snow. We parked there and did some playing and sledding down the side of the hill away from the road. While we were there a few more families stopped and played alongside us. After the snow we changed the kids' clothes in the car then drove back to Payson to go to Chili's. Eating at Chili's when we are in northern Arizona has kind of become a tradition for us--apparently. Sometimes those traditions just sneak up on you. Maybe they're better that way anyway.

Let's at least try to fill in the gaps

There have been a few events from January to now that never got recorded. So now we will do a catch-up post. Because obviously I really like my catch-up posts. Warning: picture overload.

On New Year's Day we went on a little nature walk at Merkle Trail in Usury Pass. This was our third time walking Merkle Trail and we really are fond of taking little ones there. A mile long walk around a hill with a park in between and picnic tables for lunch and a decent bathroom. Perfect balance of nature and convenience. If you have little kids you should go. Stroller friendly even.



Mark's mom and uncle Arlen walked with us and the rest of Mark's family did some mountain biking along the trails. Later, Shauna and the rest of them watched the kids at the playground while Mark and I borrowed the bikes for a little while.





Adam at Sonic after the "hike":



Here are some photos taken from my Grampa's funeral. My handsome guys below.



Dallin and Adam love their cousin Iris. In fact, my siblings including Iris were at our house. Dallin and Iris were playing then we all got in our cars to go eat at Pete's Fish and Chips (for the out-of-towners you know). On the way there Dallin said, "I miss Iris." Pause. "I know I just saw her and that we are all going to Pete's."



Owen at the luncheon:


Me and my cousins:

Great-grandchildren of Albert and Edna Christensen:

I'm going to go with my five-year-old thought it was funny to suck on his thumb for the above picture.

The day after the funeral we drove just across the AZ border into Verdon, New Mexico for my grandfather's burial. This is the town my grandma grew up in. My grandpa, too, grew up nearby in the neighboring town of Franklin, AZ. Dallin, Adam, and I in front of the graves of my great-grandparents Junius and Sarah Payne.



My dad and my boys in Verdon.



Fast forward to Valentine's.

The boys and I surprised Mark at work the Friday before. We ate lunch outside and dropped off some Valentine's cookies for the office.


I actually did just a little Valentine decor around here and actually did a little something for the boys. They each got a balloon, some heart-shaped pink Rice Krispy Treats, and a homemade card telling them some of the things mom and dad love about each of them. Well, the gifts were just for these two this year.


And this is what I do with Owen when I am cooking and need something to occupy him. He gets some cereal slapped on his tray and he is a happy, messy little camper.


And when things are a little "pull-your-hair-out" over here, my house actually reminds me what it's all about. There is a magical hour in the evening when the light shines just right through the beveled glass in the front door and a message is revealed on the wall.



Is it just me or does anyone else read what I am seeing?

Seven Months

Owen and I followed Dallin and Adam outside today to enjoy the beautiful weather. A few minutes later they ended up back inside so we had a few moments to snap some photos and smile at eachother.



Dear little Owen is sitting up by himself well now. He is enjoying his solid foods and is a good little eater. A couple of days ago I put some frozen diced bananas on his tray and he tried so hard but as far as I know he couldn't get one to his mouth.

Though I must admit that I wasn't watching too well so I don't really know. If you have a baby, here is a tip: when your bananas get just a little too ripe dice them up and spread them out on wax paper and freeze. Once frozen transfer them to a freezer bag and you have a great treat for baby. Throw them on a tray or mix them up with some cereal. No need to defrost because they get mushy almost on contact with baby's mouth. (That's my experience anyway, you know best for yours.)

Anyway, back to this cute kid:

Owen has gotten more playful. He thinks it's fun to shake his head back and forth really fast at you. He is an awesome little sleeper and takes great naps. He is occasionally still up once in the middle of the night, but most nights sleeps all night. Basically, he's perfect. And his brothers wouldn't even be jealous of me saying so because they are beside themselves with how much they love their baby brother. Someday I intend to write down every nice thing either Dallin or Adam says about Owen. It would included multiple comments like these:

• Isn't Owen so cute?
• Owen's being silly, mom
• I love my baby brother
• Owen laughed at me
• Owen, you're a sweet baby
• It's okay, I'm right here Owen (Adam's been saying this one recently)

And on and on and repeat. Oh, the love a baby brings into a house.

Gramps

These pictures were taken last June when we went to visit my grandparents in Sunflower, AZ.

Last Friday my Grandpa Christensen--Gramps--passed away. Gramps was a positive, happy, and friendly person. He knew how to bring a smile to someone's face--especially if that person was a little kid. He was well-known for his one-liners. At his 80th birthday celebration his children passed out papers with maybe a hundred or two of his classic one-liners or "Albert-isms." We went to visit my grandparents a few years ago and noticed gramps had a black eye. Mark joked something about "What did the other guy look like?" And gramps replied with, "No, I'm a lover, not a fighter." He says it jokingly, but it's true. Gramps crocheted beanies for the Church Humanitarian Center and for his grandkids and great grandkids. The day after he passed away Mark and I took the kids to the snow. It wasn't until we got there that I noticed we were nearly all wearing the beanies gramps had made for us and I had to smile thinking of an old man who crocheted hundreds and hundreds of beanies.

For a couple of years Mark and I have been talking about doing some video interviews of our grandparents. Long ago we sketched out some questions but we never got around to doing the interviews. In December of last year we started talking about it again and I began to get kind of antsy thinking about how we hadn't done this yet. I listened to the Mormon Channel (Latter-Day Saint online radio) one Sunday and the speakers were talking about living history videos. At the time I felt like the Spirit was pressing me to get these videos started, but even though I knew I needed to listen, I still wanted to be wrong that there was a reason we needed to videotape our grandparents soon. So, just before Christmas, amid the chaos and craziness that is that time of year I went with my brother to Gramps and Grams' home to videotape them talking about their lives. I learned so much about each of them and am so, so, grateful that we went and did that.

My gramps lived a hard life as a kid. When he was eight his father died leaving the poor family (his mom with six kids) even more poor. He told us about not having running water and trying to dig a well by hand to have fresh water by the house. They finally reached water only to discover it was salt water. Much later, the brothers were able to save the money to have a well drilled deeper than the first. The deeper well reached fresh water, but the family didn't have the money to put a pump on it. As time went on and enough money was raised to be able to afford a pump, they found the salt water had leached down into the fresh water and spoiled their well.

As gramps talked about having to leave school before graduating to support his family it seemed like there might have been a little embarrassment that he never finished. After the interview was over I thought about how my gramps had a hard life and he sacrificied and worked incredibly hard so that his children would have a better life. His children did the same for their children and that is why my life today is really so easy. Many of the blessings I have are because of him and others who have come before me and have made the real sacrifices. I wanted to tell gramps that but I was a little shy about saying so. When I visited him in the Hospice Center last week I gave him a hug before I left the room. I thought to myself it likely was the last time I would see gramps alive in this life. I wanted to tell him then that I was grateful for all that he had sacrificed, but I was too embarrassed about the other people in the room. But haven't I already learned not to care about what other people think? I am so grateful that since my grandparents have lived in Mesa these last several years I have been able to spend much more time with them and I am grateful that I am not looking back wishing I would have done better about visiting with them and seeing them. And mostly I am grateful for listening to that voice that told me to interview my grandparents. Two weeks after that interview my grandfather got very sick and never recovered. Thank you Gramps, hope you know how much you mean to me.