“Let’s go on an adventure kids”

Little did I know how adventurous the day would become.

I’d heard so much about Table Rock since moving to Boise.  A great short hike right in town, awesome views, not too difficult.  Even my neighbor said she hiked it everyday in the summer and ran down for exercise.  Seemed so easy, just a hop skip and a jump to the top.  So it seemed the perfect family activity on our sunny Monday off. 

We got bundled up, but I unfortunately, had left my only pair of athletic shoes in Oregon over Christmas so I was stuck wearing my trusty Teva sandals.  No big deal, I thought, I do everything in my sandals.  Boy, was I wrong.

At the very start of the trail there is a sign that warns if there is mud on the trail then don’t hike it.  Well, I wasn’t about to let a little sign stop me, so we continued on despite the sticky thick mud being piled up on our shoes.

 

But before long, the trail dried up and all seemed smooth sailing.

Hazel had the right idea.  This is the only way to hike!

Before long the mud was back.  And it was back in full force.  Here are Jaxon’s shoes being swallowed up in the earth.  This happened only after I had gotten Sage’s shoes out of the same predicament.   And as I was rescuing both children, my poor sandaled feet sunk deeper and deeper into the mess.   

Here’s what I ended up with.  And all this happened only about half way up the blasted mountain.  But there was no stopping the Christensen’s.  Oh, no.  So I just sucked it up, and hiked barefoot.

Well, long story short, we got there.  The views were as beautiful as I had hoped and the kids did amazing!!  Hardly complained at all.  (I’m pretty sure, okay positive, that I did most of the complaining)

The hike down was wonderfully uneventful, and we were all very happy see our car beckoning us in the parking lot.

We felt we deserved something great for accomplishing such a feat, so we grabbed my free birthday meal coupon and made our way to Tucanos for lunch/dinner. 

Tucanos is amazing, by-the-way.

  

So the moral of the story is, yes, hike Table Rock, but please, whatever you do,  don’t wear sandals.

Oregon!

We got to go to Oregon a few days after Christmas and have a blissful week of food and family.  My two most favorite things.  We got there around 11:30pm, and woke up bright and early to drive to the beach…in the pouring rain.  Only in Oregon!  But as always, it was wonderful…even through the many hail storm we experienced.

It didn’t take long for Grant and Hazel to become reacquainted.  He found her head quite kissable, and I can’t say that I disagree.

I love this picture of my family wiped out after a fun filled day!  So sweet  

Jaxon’s two most favorite people in the whole world. 

This is also where I was introduced to Dominion.  I’m not going to say it’s better than Agricola, but yes, it’s pretty fun. (I’m such a game nerd)

Heather was bound and determined to actually go to the beach, seeming as we drove 2 hours to get there.  So the die hards of the group bundled up and braved the storm to go walk on the beach.  Poor Sage thought she’d be swimming and making sand castles.  She was sorely mistaken.

But Heather would not be deterred by a chilly temperature and a little rain.  No, no, she went ahead and jumped in anyway.  TWICE!!  Gotta love that woman. 

Then all we had to do was sit around and wait for New Years Eve to show itself.  My sisters and I throw a mean New Years Eve party.   Mostly we just have LOTS of food.

 

Lots and lots of food.

We started the night with Bunco.  Heidi had a perfect little thing going, hadn’t lost once.  Well, it was my turn to be partnered with her, and wouldn’t you know it, the other team got Bunco on their first roll.  So what does my sweet sister do?

She throws her pencil at me, point blank, and draws blood on my forehead.  Watch out for this one, she’s a little scary when she looses.  Not sure what Heather is doing in this picture, but it’s pretty fantastic whatever it is! :)

The girls won everything

Ultimate Ninja!  We play some awesome games.

Poor little Sage….this was around 1:30am, and she just couldn't take the fun anymore.

The next morning I got to see my kindred spirit Maegan, and Sage was once again reunited with her best bud Abby.  These two are so cute. 

It was a fun filled week (isn’t it always??) And I was sad to see it go.  Good thing we’ve always got next year! 

Jaxon

Jaxon: “I love everything you do for me mom;”

Me: “Thank you Jaxon, that mean a lot.”

Jaxon: “Oh, and I even love when you’re mad at me…”

Me: (laughing) “Why?”

Jaxon: “Because it teaches me a lesson.”

Me: “I love you crazy kid”

Seriously, how did I get so lucky? 

 

Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair

Hands down my most favorite cake I’ve ever made. Ever! 

Thanks be to Des for the amazing photos, and for having the little girl in the 1st place so I could make the cake, and for cancelling that crappy Costco cake so I could make this cake, and for just being awesome really! :)

Oh, and if you want to see all the other cakes I’ve made check out my cake blog www.stephaniescakes.blogspot.com

Christmas Post

I really wanted to get this post done before Christmas day, so I will take advantage of this time where the kids are in bed but WIRED, and will be out to visit many, many times in the next hour. 

This has been one fun, crazy month.  We got some serious snow and took full advantage of it.  Snowball fights, sledding, and LOTS of hot chocolate.  Jake is a bit of a hot chocolate junkie.  The kids benefit greatly from it!

We found and decorated our perfect Christmas tree, we prefer Nobel Firs.   

Visited Santa and let him know the things we wanted this year.  Jaxon would like a Lego Slave 1, and Sage would like a Barbie Car.  Hazel would be happy with a big box of Cheerios.  She’s crawling now, and it’s ADORABLE!  She does a little army crawl that none of my other kids have done, and she is quick.  Since she’s learned that trick we have found many foreign objects in her mouth.  So we like to keep a fairy decent sized stack of Cheerios nearby to keep her occupied! 

We got an awesome week long visit from Heather and made gingerbread houses while she was here.  It was way more fun than any of us expected it to be!

We made a super quick trip to Utah to see friends and family.  It was worth every penny we paid in gas. 

We also stopped by Temple Square on the way out.  It brought back happy memories of my childhood and helped my son feel the true meaning of Christmas. 

I was in charge of our Ward Christmas program, and it went beautifully.  I love being the ward choir director and feeling the power that music has.  It was a fantastic Sunday.

And then today, on fabulous Christmas Eve, we were as busy as could be.  We stopped by the discovery museum this morning, then went to sing at a retirement center.  I love being able to have the kids sing their fun songs for the people there.  Just leaves you with all sorts of warm fuzzies.  Then we made lots of cookies, brought them to friends, came home, ate steak and other deliciousness, watched Polar Express, opened our Christmas pajamas, read and acted out the Christmas story from Luke 2, sang carols, left cookies and milk for Santa, and read Christmas books.  Whew!! :)  And like I mentioned at the beginning, the kids are now in bed just giddy with what’s to come.  Christmas is so magical, I love it. 

Merry Christmas everyone!!

All About Hazel

Today is my sweet little Hazy’s half birthday.  Six months ago today I went through the most intense natural childbirth experience and brought my sweet little angel into the world. 

I ADORE this little girl.  Me and her are like two peas in a pod.  She’s my first baby to be a real momma’s girl, and I hate to admit that I kind of love it.  Just tonight she was happily sitting on her daddy’s lap, and when I walked into the room she just started crying and trying to figure out a way to get to me.  I’m not so sure that daddy thinks it’s as cute as I do. : )  She loves my hair and plays with it (pulls it) whenever I hold her over my shoulder.  It’s sweet.

She is a great little roller, and can get around our entire front room no problem.  She loves to eat, and is already a pro at eating those little Gerber star things. 

She’s still not sleeping through the night, but we hope to remedy that soon.  Plus, with a face like this, I don’t mind so much helping her out in the wee small hours of the morning.

She loves her momma best, but I think Sage would probably come in number 2 (sorry Jake)  Anytime Sage comes around Hazel squeals in delight.  It’s very cute. 

She’s such a good, sweet, little baby, and I’m so happy she’s mine.

          

We love you Hazel

aka Meepers, Goober, Hazy, and sissy