Christmas Card Party- December 7

So after a few more night shifts this week, a few of us girls from work had planned a little get together so we could: first- socialize, and second-make our Christmas cards. Notice how the first was to socialize and not to make cards. but we need that excuse.

Now there was weeks into this planning process. First trying to find a day that the majority of the people who planned on making cards was a feat in itself, but well worth the day. Anita Parrott and I even ordered some cute Christmas stamps and other items from Stamp' Up. We were pretty please when we got our stamps, but really had to put them to work

So Anita, Anna Henderson, and Tina Tenney all met over at our house on Friday around 10:30 am. We had cookies and other munchies out and then set off to work to get our Christmas card completed.

Tina already had her cards made and showed us here cute christmas trees made from ribbon that zig-zagged up the card to form the trees. Very nice!! So she just started working on other types of cards. Tina the over acheiver!! GEEZ! Make us look bad. Okay maybe only make me look bad, cause Anna brought out some cute little snowflake stamps and her papers and got to it. She just went to work and eventually came up with a great idea. Anita had already made her prototype card a week before, but had already decided that she needed to emboss most of the things stamped on the card due to her shiny finish on her cards. So away Anita went too.

So there was I sitting there without an idea and I sat there really until we went to Papa Murphy to pick up the pizza. Really and how convient that Paper Pals is right next. door. So I finally got my black craft pad that I could emboss with too.

So we went back cooked the pizza, enjoyed every bit of it!!! And then I decided I might as well help Anita and Anna with their embossing, since all my ides were striking out! We had such a blast and I really wasn't ready to see an of them leave.

Eventually after everyone else left, and it was only me. I finally came up with an idea and went to work. I worked on it that night and the next to complete them all. But I really liked this design and was very happy with them. I still think that I'll have to come up with more to get all the family and friends covered. I guess I need another card party!!

Hot Cocoa Fest 07

For the second year in a row, Mike and Jenn Barnes gather a big group of us for the new yearly tradition of hot cocoa and apple cider with goodies. Here they are after making all the cookies!

Here we are with Amy and Madilyn Harper (with Kelly and Drew Hanks and Holly Merckley in the background) posing for the camera!!

Here is Rachel Hanks and Madi playing in the middle of the circle.

We had a great time just chatting with everyone around for the first while, but we did have a large game of Catch Phrase. Again it was Men vs. Women. It just happens to be the easiest way to get even teams. But who will forget the awesome charade act that Traci Woodard gave as she's gave her clues!! I especially like the garter belt action. She too cute!! It makes it so much more enjoyable. Or even Chad Hunts clues, I don't even now how to explain, but they are very concise and well thought out. So not like my rambling when it's my turn.


Tracie and Ben Woodard, Jerica and Carter Platt, Camille Rupp and Lillian Harper.(Above)
(Below) Brian Rupp, Ryan Merkley, and Chad Platt hanging out in the kitchen near all the apple cider and hot chocolate!!

Crystal Adams made this adorable candy train. It was so cute that no one ate it. But Jenn was excited when she became the adopted owner of it, cause everyone knows she's got a sweet tooth!! We love you Jenn!

So here are Zach and Crystal Adams with Lilly Harper enjoying

After such a wonderful time with games and chatting some went to go sledding on the hill next to the Barnes, but Chad and I were so tired we called it a night along with a few others!! But what an enjoyable evening!!! Way to go Barnes.

Visiting Teaching-Thursday, Nov. 29th

So this is the first month that Kim Mower and I get to be in a new visiting teaching group with the newest member of our ward, Grace Huo. (I think that is how she spells her last name) Grace was just baptized at the end of October and I haven't had much time to really get to know her between working and our trips out of town. But I was able to go pick her up from her work at the Civil engineering lab (Sloan Hall) and brought her to our house and met Kim here. On the way home I got to know Grace a little more. Grace is from China and has lived here for about 3 months in the United States. (Her english is great for only 3 months, I'm so jealous that I can't speak another language that well) Her and her boyfriend came over together from China and then she started taking the discussion and attending the single's branch. The missionaries were ready to ask her to be baptized, but were a little apprehensive since she was living with her boyfriend, when she told them she was married the week before. What an amazing girl! So her and her husband, who is also getting his master's in civil engineering too, live in the Steptoe Apartments. Her husband spends long hours at work in the lab too, and a guess isn't too interested at this time in gospel. I'm sure that Grace is being a great example though.

So right about the time that I turn into our driveway a cop has his lights on and pulls in behind me. I was really embarrassed thinking that I'd done something wrong as I was talking to Grace, but turned out that I had a headlight out. It just happened to be Doug Andersen, the neighbor just on the next street up that lived at Wil-Ru apartments the same time that we had. Very nice guy that gave me a warning. It still was very embarrassing.

But turns out that Kim had a nice story too. She had her daughter Lucy with her and had pulled into the driveway made her way up to the front door, rang the door bell and was on her way back to the car to get the cake for our treats, when she hears this lady addressing Lucy. She thought it was our house, but had made it up 2 houses to the other tan house with the same floor plan. So she met our neighbor Stephanie and is wondering what Stephanie thought as she opened the door to find a little girl deposited on her door step!! I'm jsut glad I wasn't the only one that had a story!!

Night shift starts- Nov. 27-28, 2007

So this is the first week that I started to work night shifts again. My boss, Laure' Larsen, asked me and my fellow coworker Tina Tenny about helping filling in on nights for Bud Fisher that ended up taking a job in ER. I decided that I might be able to help out for a little while since I was given my holiday request off for 2 weeks in December and 1 week in January. I'm very spoiled. I realize that it's amazing that I got to have this same amazing schedule last year. This make it so I can go home with Chad and be there the entire time that he has off school too.

So I am schedule for 2 nights and week and then 1 project day of 12 hours that I can do throughout the week as it fits in my schedule!! I have really enjoyed the night shifts. I love the pace that is usually there and to get to know the people that work on nights better.

I really miss seeing Chad in the evening for the few hours that we usually have together and I'm just grateful for the day shift position that was opened for me when I moved here, that makes me not have to do this too long. I do find it hard to motivate myself to go in other than these nights to do my project time. I found that the few days after my shifts, I get that horrible stomach ache quite frequently that I get when I'm sleep deprived. I'll be glad to get rid of that when I'm finished with the nights. But the kicker is to get in and complete my project time too!! Maybe next week will be better as far as that goes.

Post Thanksgiving weekend-Sat Nov. 24th

So I was relieved not to have to go to work on that Saturday. I was in need of a major rest. So I slept in a little, but having worked early the previous 3 days, it was a little difficult. Since we had snow on the roof and it was no longer safe to put up the rest of our Christmas lights, we decided to change all the Thanksgiving decorations over to Christmas stuff.

We went through the boxes of stuff and we didn't really feel like we had much to put up. It was quite disappointing. We were both sad because we really want a Christmas tree, but figured that having a Christmas tree up for maybe 2.5 weeks wasn't worth the effort (and the money). We couldn't even find a fake tree that looked decent without having to spend an arm and a leg. But we did find a great sale on some cute pine garlands that are flocked just enough to look like they had been snowed on to put above our cabinets in the kitchen and added some lights for the final touch. It made the house look so much better and complimented the light boxes I had made at our last Super Saturday.

This only took us the morning to do and so we started to work on projects. (So I decided that if I was going to get into this craft thing to make a little extra money, I needed to finish some of these things that I've been meaning to do forever.) Chad was sick of studying, cause he got plenty of that while I was work during the week, so we got into some of the projects that I've had in boxes for years. So out came the FAMILY block letters that needed painting, and Chad went to work!! (See the picture on the right.) And I worked on my Easter Welcome Post Topper that I've had forever too. We got both of the things painted and then over the next few weeks I got them sanded and put totally together. I was pretty pleased with how both turned out. (This picture doesn't have the carrots that I painted to hand on the nail, but oh well) What a productive day! I love those.
Here are a few other pictures of the family with our cute pine garlands and lights behind them!!

Sunday brought about another busy day, since it starts at 9am for Chad's meetings and then me practicing the organ before the meeting starts. It was an enjoyable day and the Thanksgiving talks were great. Crystal and Zach Adams and Brian and Camille Rupp all spake. They did a great job. Then in Relief Society, Kelly Hanks gave a great lesson using the Conference talk by Jeffrey R. Holland, With the Tongues of Angels http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=f318118dd536c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=493785aa6bf22110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&hideNav=1. It was absolutely wonderful. She let us listen to most of it and just had open discussion the rest of the time. Made me really evaluate and realize I need to do better! Overall, a very great Sunday!!

Thanksgiving 2007

So back to Pullman we came, so that I could go to work. I had 3 very busy days at work. It wasn't quite what I had expected, cause last year it was pretty mellow! Darn it people should not get sick on Thanksgiving.

So Thanksgiving was not your typical day for us. Chad was at home and planned to come and eat lunch with me, cause we get a complimentary guest turkey dinner at the Red Sage Cafe. I was so busy at work that I got around to eating around 2:30pm. Not only was it late, but they stopped serving the turkey dinner at 2pm. Thanks to the kitchen and Deborah Watkins, the clinical coordinator, two meals for Chad and I were brought down to the ICU and waited until I had time to eat. Something I'm really thankful for this season is a patient husband!!! He was getting pretty hungry by that time. Poor starved guy. It wasn't quite as great as the homemade eatings that we are both used to and for sure we missed being with our families at this time of year where we are so blatantly aware of how much of a blessing our wonderful families are to us!!

The whipping cream that topped the pie today was that we had friends from our ward that came over that evening and brought pie and leftovers from the dinner they had earlier in the day. We had an intense game of Pictionary, Women vs. Men. It was a fight to the finish, but the men succeeded to win the game. By the time that was completed, everyone was pretty tired, including to me. I collapsed into bed, just in time to get up and work again in the morning.

November 18-20th Recap

So we all got to attend Bishop Kreal Christensen's ward on Sunday. We (Janet, Derik, Chad and I) all decided that he definitely earns every blessing they receive. I thought that my own home ward had some funny character in it. But with our Dinner meal conversation turning to the "odd" people we spotted in their ward, we stayed on the topic for quite a while. We'll never forget the old little couple with the matching royal blue jackets. Which, we are told, are worn every week. But not only that but Mrs blue jacket sure had plenty to say in Sunday school, which is far better than no one saying a thing. I wish Derik was writing this cause he was especially observant and picked out lots of special people. But Kreal and Stacie can't complain much, cause it is Kreal's nice (rich) counselor that were to give them their beloved mini van as soon as they purchased their new one!!


So on Monday, we said good bye to Janet and Derik as they left to go back to Eastern Idaho. Derik was being nice and decided to get back to help his dad, Carlos on the farm at home. Chad went with Kreal to work and had a little drive while Stacie, the kids (except Collin, who was at school) and I stayed home, played, and crafted. This is where Stacie got me all convinced that maybe I could make some money off of crafts too. Let's see if it actually happens though! We sure enjoyed the day and were pleased that Kreal and Chad got finished early and came back with Papa Murphy's pizza, which Alyssa says that she likes the pizza that already comes cooked better. It was great just to spend time with them all.

That evening we sat down and had a great Family Home Evening lesson prepared by Collin himself. We were able to go around and say one thing that we were thankful for in preparation for the Thanksgiving holiday. It was great. Then Alyssa picked to play Hide -n- Go Seek outside. So Kreal and Landon, Chad and Collin, and Alyssa and I were teams and took turns hiding. I think the ultimate hiding place was by Chad as he hid in the tree in the backyard!! Tricky tricky!!! We had fun, but were quite cold by the time we made it inside. But that didn't stop us from having Schwann's ice cream fro dessert!

On Tuesday morning we loaded up things, tried to help clean up our mess, and Chad helped Kreal complete some honey do's. Then on our way we went in the snow. We saw some beautiful landscapes with snow and pine trees on the way home. (Those are the scenery pictures in the last post slide show.) But wouldn't you know we haven't been able to put up the Christmas lights on the second story of our house cause of all the snow!!

The Santa Claus Outing- Saturday November 16th

After a little more sleep, we had a wonderful breakfast and played with the kids. Of course Chad got in on some Mario Kart with Collin, because it's his very favorite. I got to pitch balls to Landon, and Alyssa played some Candyland with grandma. We grabbed a quick sandwhich and some wonderful cinnamon rolls that Janet had made (with some assistance in the frosting department from Landon)and loaded up everyone in 2 vehicles to go to the Idaho Center for a Craft fair. This served 2 purposes: First, it's a craft fair and what women doesn't like to at least look (or steal ideas for Stacie and I's case), and second, Santa Claus was making an appearance so the kids needed to tell him what they wanted for Christmas!!




(Landon's batting practice. Too bad he's too busy posing for the camera)


Earlier that morning, Collin and Alyssa had writtten up their wish list, so they didn't actually have to tell him. Collin's number one on his list is a Wii and Alyssa's was a baby alive. On the way there Collin lost his list and we had to remake it in the car. Thank heaven that Janet had paper and pencils in the car. We enjoyed the craft fair and trying to keep little hands out of people's merchandise. We came across some little scooter that the kids really loved. I ended up buying some for my Mom, cause she had talked about wanting something similar. I'm really excited to see how fun they are. But all four of the kids were on Santa and Mrs. Claus' laps for a cute little picture. We realized after that if Stacie had gone up there they would have had their Christmas family picture completed!! OOOPS! It was pretty fun, even though we had to talk Kreal into the idea.


We then went to a nice little Mexican Restaurant on our way home. It was great food. Collin really enjoyed the hot salsa and was downing the water because of it. At one time he had finished his glass of water before the waitress had brought us a refill pitcher. Alyssa and Landon didn't quite enjoy the hot salsa, but the bean dip was great! Landon was my little buddy by that time and helped me eat some of my tostito. He'd pick out the tomatos and eat them and if I wasn't paying attention he'd just grab the fork and get them himself. Dinner was all topped of by "Lando" accidentally knocking off a glass of water on the floor and broke the glass. He sure looked sorry, poor kid!! But the employees were extremely nice about it. and Landon got to finish off the rest of Derik's fried ice cream. YUM!!



Here's a link to a little slide show that we made of random pictures from the beginning to the travel back to Pullman in all the snow!

Free MySpace slideshows, photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Pre-Thanksgiving Trip- November 16th

So after a crazy day at work on Friday Nov. 16, we headed on our way to Boise to spend the weekend with Chad's brother, Kreal's family. Not only did we get to spend time with their family but Chad's mom(Janet) and nephew, Derik, met us there too. We ended up getting out of town about 6PM and to our surprise, Collin, Allysa, Landon, and Maycee were still up to greet us!!! Out the two oldest came, just waiting for us to get out of the car! It's so nice to feel wanted. We loved it.

Stacie and Kreal had brought in a queen sized mattress and cleared the floor of Alyssa's room to make us a bed. Derik and Mom Christensen shared the mobile suite (travel trailer) in the drive way. Alyssa crashed in with the boys' room. It worked really great. The 3 oldest kids showed us our bed, by jumping on the trampoline (mattress). The really funny thing was that after getting to bed well after 1:30am, 6:00am comes really early. Collin and Alyssa were plotting, in their not too quite voices, how to wake us up. First came the large inflatable ball flying into the room. When no response came from that, they took turns just coming in the door of the room(Of coarse they were giggling the entire time). Then they tried to entice Landon to wake up and let him be the culprit. When he wasn't interested, they continued to come in the doorway inching closer and closer to the mattress. Finally when they got close enough, Chad grabbed them and off they go screaming. Then Stacie and Kreal heard them and that was the end of fun.

We didn't hear from them except for the opening of the door and a cute little note was placed on Chad's chest. It's very classic and just made us laugh. (see the picture) You just have to love kid's as they are learning to write!!! Needless to see the next few mornings were uneventful and I guess they learned their lesson.

It's not an annoucement

The Christensen family Title isn't an annoucement. I'm sure some would think of that when they saw that. But Chad and I are so excited to give this blogging thing a try. We figure that it'll be a great way to journal a little and collect our photos in some organized way. It'll also help our family and friends stay connected while we live away from everyone!!
Thanks to all my high school friends and then Leslie and Brant's blog, I broke down and started to learn more about them. So give me some time to get it up and running and I'm sure I'll get better at it