Goggles and GG

Fun: watching Braden grow up and get excited for things like Halloween. Not so Fun: Braden changing his mind every few days about what he wants to BE for Halloween. He has rotated between wanting to be a Jedi because of the cool light saber, a Jawa because of the cool gun, and Batman because Braden just thinks he is cool. Unfortunately he NEVER rotated thru wanting to be Buzz Lightyear – the costume we HAVE for him which fits him perfectly and will never fit again after this year. Never, that is, until we cleverly took a drive to the Disney Store and got him a COOL pair of Buzz Lightyear light up goggles that he will get to use with the COOL light up gun Grandma and Grandpa Christensen brought him from Disneyland a few years back. What’s more – GG (Great Grandma Yonally) lives just a few blocks away from the Disney Store so we got to surprise her with a visit.

Picture Perfect

Anyone who really knows me knows that I have no taste. In the past I have left my walls blank because I know whatever I put up will probably look bad and have to come down – leaving a hole in the wall. Once we finished the home remodel I felt compelled to hang pictures but even more afraid of messing up the perfect paint. Solution: Command picture hanging strips. I still think forever about everything I hang but now I know that if I need to take it down – I can – without even leaving a mark on the wall! Thank you 3M!

Arizona water - upstairs bathroom

Food Storage Makeover

A few weeks ago Aaron tore out the old shelves in our cold room and I put up the ones that I got for my birthday. I love them. Not only do I have more shelving space – but the shelves aren’t as deep so I can access everything on them. One more step toward my goal of having every door and drawer open to an organized space :). (Granted there are about 1,000 steps left but hey – a step is a step!)

New cold room shelves - Natalie's birthday 2009

Rolling shelves in laundry room - Natalie's birthday 2008

Saturday Hikes

Most Saturday mornings we go for a family hike. Hiking may not sound like something you can do with a 3 year old and 3 month old but then what we do probably wouldn’t be considered hiking to most people :). Aaron has found several short trails in the canyons close to our house that are stroller accessible and we just enjoy the beautiful scenery at Braden’s pace. When we started it was just fun to look at the streams, trees and rocks. Now with the fall colors there are countless other families getting pictures taken so we usually stop to watch and get some pointers. A few weekends ago Aaron and Braden even ran into the Roosendaal Family - some of Aaron's relatives that we hadn't seen for a while. I had no idea that hiking could be so relaxing, educational and social all at the same time!

Aaron and Braden climbing rocks at Temple Quarry Trail.

Cornbelly's with Sarah and Tyler

On September 26th we nephew-napped Tyler and went to Cornbelly's at Thanksgiving Point. Tyler and Braden had great fun covering eachother in the corn pit, follwing eachother thru the kids corn maze and jumping on the huge bouncing pillows. (By the way, I thought those would be fun to own so I checked them out when I got home - the cheapest, smallest one is over $12k! OUCH!) When Sarah could break free she met us there. With her we all shot pumpkin cannons, rode a very uncomfortable train and drank slushy drinks in the shade of a tent. We were so glad she could make it! The next time Braden goes he wants to take Auntie Sarah again so that they can use her phone to light up the dark hay bale maze. We love you Auntie Sarah!

Aaron, Tyler and Braden jumping on the medium sized pillow

Braden watching Sarah and Tyler demolishing a pumpkin

Jason Turns 25 Again!

Many of you know that my father has turned 39 over and over again. The fact that I am 38 makes this very interesting :). But is Jason now trying to hang onto his youth, too? No. I just got it wrong last year. Evidently he is really 25 this time. And of course I didn't get a photo. Early New Year's resolution - I am going to remember to get the camera out when we spend wtime with the Christensen and Parker sides of the family! (I often forget because we see them both so regularly).

Toyfest with the Nelsons

We had the Nelson family over for dinner a few Saturdays ago. We ate bacon-wrapped turkey kabobs and Aaron and I talked to Rene and CoreyEllen while the boys (Braden, Elijah, Enoch and Noah) played with toys. It was a really nice evening and we enjoyed their company so much that none of us noticed what was going on. When the Nelsons decided it was time to go we found the boys surrounded by an explosion of toys. There was toy debrtis all over the house. No photo could do it justice but I took one anyway because I thought it was hillarious.

Noah, Elijah, Braden and Enoch - don't try this at home - they are professionals!