So....this is CHRISTMAS!

We had Christmas Eve with my family at my house! We had yummy turkey, taters, rolls, corn, Chips & Dips, pie & other healthy foods! We had a great Christmas story that the kids listened intently too and then immediately asked if they could open presents now.

We have started a strange, but very popular tradition called.....Connie Claus! My mom dresses up as Santa and hands out presents to the family! The kids love it!

I call this a LOVELY Disaster at my house! We stayed up until midnight cleaning and vacuuming up boa feathers and crumbs. There was no need to have any more gifts- Christmas day!

Jessie & Lily

Jake & his new noisy Hot Rod!

What Santa left! I told my kids to ask Santa for 1 present, Skylar asked for a pillow pet, a purple unicorn. I saw them at the mall and thought they were kinda ugly. When I decided I better have Santa give the one thing she has asked for for about 4 months, I went back to the mall and the man said the purple unicorn was sold out everywhere. I bought the purple hippo instead & fell in love with the pink pig, so Jessie got a pillow pet also, along with the mermaid Barbie she had wanted. Jake doesn't care, so I bought him a Zoobie Monkey pet (animal/pillow/blanket) so stinkin cute. He also got a vtech apple that is for 3+ kids, but he laughs every time he hears the ABC song and he loves to push buttons.

My 3 spoiled babies!

The Christensen Family Christmas Pie! If you must know I will tell you, but I refuse to type a description...it would confuse you! I got a really pretty necklace with a black pearl from China on it! The kids got Chinese whistles, Jake cars, Don a pen light/lazer pointer thing....great church toy!

We didn't buy our kids anything and didn't need too anyway. We are taking the girls Disneyland so ....stay tuned!

Happy New Years!

DECEMBER

December has been crazy....as usual! I thought I would post some things

I hadn't yet, just for fun!

We had an awesome get together with the girls who are 30 or soon to be. It was great to have a girls night and see each other looking like hot 30 year old MOMS!

Santa! Jake wasn't to impressed, the girls loved him....I loved his belt buckle!

Jake likes to be a boy & create chaos for me to clean up. Right after I

have just cleaned the house.

Birthday party for me and Ben! Grandma and some of the Grand kids!

4 of the 5 best, funniest, greatest kids my mom had!

The very blue cake I made for Ben! It has to be documented because I don't cook!

The awesome est Ginger bread house ever! Aunt Brenda made it for us to put together and decorate. The kids loved it. I loved eating the candy, but not the belly ache so much!

My boy and his CRAZY hair! So cute!

Merry Christmas!

3o years...er, maybe 29 again!

My 30th Birthday was aWeSoMe! I started the day with dragging my behind out of bed for my workout so that I would feel nice about myself and all the cake and Ice cream I plan to consume all year! I had an amazing 1 hour massage at the Garden day spa with Patty (Don gave it to me for Christmas last year & I still had it) I asked Patty to marry me, she said "no" but that she would be my best friend. I headed over to get a manicure at Sparkling nails & the cute girl talked me into a pedicure ( didn't take much convincing). After, I had my foot long black roots highlighted (about time). A very uncommonly girlie day for me!

My toes! Like my pose?

Don asked my mom to babysit so he could take me to dinner.....or so I thought. We headed down town to the Olive Garden (because I cant stay away). Then he told me we were not going home and we headed over to the.....Ta da... ArmStrong Mansion! If you haven't been...you oughta!

When we got to our room (February Interlude) they had the lights dimmed, pretty rose petals scattered, glowing tea lights set all around, a yummy fudge heart with my name on it, Sparkling cider, cozy robes & my favorite... a huge bathtub up a winding iron staircase in the top turret of the house. It was so awesome & unexpected. My Husband is awesome, he knew I really needed some time for us without our darling babes.

Thanks to all my friends and family for the Happy Birthday wishes! It was an incredible day! My goals this year are to #1 be PATIENT...cause..well, I'm not! #2 Spend more time on/with- who/whats important & what matters...because I want to KNOW I made the most of my life!

Love you all!

FestiVal oF TreE's

Jessie had her Christmas performance with Legacy Dance at the Festival of tree's Thursday. These kids are so stinkin cute! Jessie knows the moves, but has zero balance, so funny! Sometimes she would turn around and look at the scenery. We had a good time, grandma, grandpa, and cousins came too. They danced to "Up on the roof top".

Princess tree display.....Jessie loved!

I love the red lips they gave her!

Today (Sat.) is just about done Thank heaven! I fish-tailed out of control on the freeway to Ogden ending up the wrong way...lucky no one was around and that we and our car were safe. We Passed no less than 10 different crumpled up or over turned cars. Mom hit her head causing a good sized wound, then she fell up the curb into the snow..... ;), Slid my car once again into the curb pretty hard, picked up the tired not feeling good kids, splattered pulpy orange juice all over the just cleaned kitchen counter and floor, Jake tumbled down the whole flight of stairs- bruise on the head, went to post Jessie's dance video clip to find out I don't know how and that while I was finding the right spot on the tape is when Jake fell down the stairs so when I tossed the camera onto the couch I recorded the couch cushions for about 3 minutes. Recording over some of Jessie's dance and some cute footage of Jake Pre-fall. It's been one of those days. So glad we are safe and that mom's head will heal. Thing's could have been worse!

Last but not least I got to have my big awesome brother take on 7 kids so me, my sister in law, my bruised mom & my little brother could go see New Moon and laugh!

THE END!

Dream Vacation....CoOk IsLanDs!

Our 10 year anniversary trip......Cook Islands, Rarotonga....ahhhh! The most gorgeous place on Earth. Seems like a dream, but I swear I was there, I know because I consumed all the ice cream bars on the island! (they were so creamy, luscious, Yum yum) Don served 5 months of his mission back in 1997 on Rarotonga, the rest in New Zealand. We always talked about some day going there. Honestly...I thought we would be geezers if we ever actually went. I feel so blessed to have spent a week in one of the most amazing places in the world.

This is our post card of Rarotonga! It's so tiny, you can drive around the island in about 30 minutes. The local Islanders are so friendly everywhere. This place is REAL, no commercialized tourist traps.

The beach at our Resort... heading out in the blue Lagoon in a kayak to explore close islands and the really awesome, unbelievable reef!

The gas prices are So SO So expensive, everyone rides a scooter. The mama's TIE there kids to them with a sarong and away they go. I saw one kid who had to be barely 2 & not tied on!

Don & our treasure trove of shells from the Reef! I saw these same shells all polished in gift shops for about $10-&15. The reef is about a mile from shore. The lagoon is smooth, blue and predator free. The waves are huge out past the reef. The reef can only be experienced it's hard to explain.

I so wanted to bring this TINY van home with me. They were everywhere. So cute!

Out in the Lagoon off Rarotonga in our paddle boat!

Cultural Market! They do this every Saturday to sell their produce and crafts to the locals and the tourists. They start with the sunrise and close the whole town at noon.

What a life..."no worries"

Last night at the resort waiting for the Cook Island dancers to entertain us. Little did we know that we would both be pulled on stage to try out the dancing. Um....not so great!

This is our post card of Aitutaki! It looks just like this from the plane. No digital touch up needed. This place is BEAUTIFUL! We flew here for a day tour, snorkeled, ate fish, explored. The population is just over 200 people.

This building.....Is the airport!

This place is a breathtakingly, amazingly, beautiful place. The pictures don't do it justice! The water is so many shades of blue, next to the other 100 shades of blue in the sky! The sand is white, the water is so clear like a bathtub or a pool and so very warm.

We walked out to a sand bar about 1/2 a mile out from the island we docked at. It was that shallow the whole way. They have weddings here & the newlyweds plant a coconut tree on the sand bar, so we checked it out.

A few of the flowers on the island. They all smelled amazing and looked pretty cool. Vibrant colors, crazy shapes, amazing smells.

SO...tell me now that I have convinced you to go to the Cook Islands, I feel like I'm telling you about my new secret hideout, but the truth is....we want to go with you! Careful though, don't drink the water from the tap. A bottle of water is about $2.50-$3.00 same as a can of pop. Whatever Don says about the "fizzy drink" L&P, he's crazy...it's gross. Don't eat at the nice restaurants, yucky! Find a burger joint or small dairy/cafe They are yummy and TONZ cheaper. I should be paid for this long advertisement. 581 pictures were hard to choose from. If you want me to sell you more on the Cook Islands, ask me and i'll show you the rest!

HappY HalloweeN!

Halloween is so much fun...and so much work. I was worn out 3 days before, making cup cakes for Skylars class. Heading to the Halloween Parade early to realize I was late...no more seats. Dragging my stroller, screaming Jessie, slinging my camera, and balancing all my cuppy cakes. Still...I love Halloween! My kids wore several costumes between Party's at school &

Trick- or- treating.

The Young Women in our ward made this for us, our Pumpkin Family. They also gave us a huge plate of treats...so nice & so very Yummy! I laughed really hard when they gave us this & asked if I was supposed to pay them. Look at my highlights...thas my favorite part.

On our way to Trick-or-treat! Jake was....um, a little mad!

My witch, my Zebra & my Bee!

Wonder Woman & Her Best Witch!

The prettiest Super Girl Ever!

A pretty witch!

My best people!