Happy Birthday Benjamin!

Benjamin turned 6 years old today. He is such an angel little boy. He had a great day. He woke up this morning happy as always. We had one gift ready for him to open before school. He got the Narnia movie "Prince Caspian." He has been asking for it for a long time. We gave him the choice of having us buy him his gifts or he could go to the store and pick out a few things that he wanted. He chose to go with Dad and pick out his own things. He had so much fun.



They stopped in the pet section to check out the fish. He didn't want to get one he just wanted to look.



Then they went to McDonalds to get a kids meal. He has been wanting the spiderman toy they offer there :). He also got to play the game they have there. Just him and Dad, pretty fun night.





Then he came home and made a Star Wars cupcake cake. Pretty exciting, don't ya think. He picked these cake toys at Walmart. I think they are pretty slick looking.



Everyone enjoyed the cupcakes. Katie had already had 4 that weren't frosted. That girl can eat cake.



Silly face I know, but I just wanted to show his gifts. He is a very happy boy tonight. We are just finishing "Prince Caspian." We let them stay up way past their bed time. Oh well, great days end late right? At least that's what my kids think.

Happy Birthday Emmalee!

Emma turned 8 on Friday (March 6th). She had a great birthday. She kept telling me "8 is Great." She woke up that morning and found her gift that grandma had brought for her (a gift card to Micheal's - her favorite store). She looked so cute for school dressed in this amazing little outfit that she got the day before from Nana. I totally think green is her color.
Our friend Kim had come into town for the day and she and I went to help in the classroom that day. It was fun to see Emma pass out her treats and be all cute with her classmates. They were all so sweet to her.

This is Emma's favorite picture of her dress. I think her hair is so cute in ringlets.

That night she got to choose what she wanted to do. We went out and had a girls night (me, Emma, Kim, and my little sister Julie) Emma had a list that she wrote down and we did everything until they were all checked off. Our afternoon started with a trip to "Build-a-Bear." She has wanted to go there ever since Fiona chewed up her other bear a few years ago. We just never remembered at the right time. She remembered now, and it was the right time. I, of course, was lame and kept forgetting to use my camera at the right time, so my pictures only show the aftermath of everything. Lame, I know, but we were having so much fun I just forgot.

The next thing she wanted to do was go to a "fancy restaurant." We had a hard time choosing where to go. In the end we settled on Carrabba's. We were at the mall and it was the closest, fanciest place. This is wear I remembered to use my camera. She loved the food. She got spaghetti and meatballs (the meatball was her favorite thing - it only came with one), and a bowl of Mama's something or other soup. She loved that too. In fact she said next time she just wants a bowl of soup (so I guess, that was her favorite). She was so full she couldn't even eat the ice cream they brought her for desert. It was so fun and so yummy.

We couldn't believe they had a David Archuleta shirt at Build-a-Bear. Emma was in heaven, He is her favorite. She has a poster of him on her wall next to her bed. She named her bear Samantha (the name of her best friend at school).

After dinner we went to the LDS bookstore for her to get her own scriptures. She is so excited to be baptized on Saturday. She had so much fun picking out her stuff. She got black scriptures with gold trimmed pages. Julie inscribed her name on the cover in gold leafing (Emmalee Christensen). They are very pretty. Kim got her a real silver CTR ring and a pillowcase that she can color, iron, and keep forever. It has a picture of a little girl being baptized by her dad with some inspirational writing all around it as a border. She has already almost finished coloring it. Emma is our artist so that was right up her alley. Kim had to leave then to catch her plane.

The next thing that was on Emma's list was to go home and watch a movie, but she realized we were right next to the temple and begged us to go there. I love that on her eighth birthday, all she wanted to do was go to the temple. She asks to go there a lot, but since we are kind of far, it doesn't happen all that often. So we went. She loved it. She says the temple is one of her favorite places to be. She will just stand in the visitor center and listen to all the little shows and things they have available. She really has a sweet little spirit.

Afterword, we went home with Julie and Aunt Tiffany came over and watched a movie. We watched a Hallmark film called Lucky Seven. It was a cute little romance film. We popped popcorn and checked everything off her list. She loves being eight.

Samson has grown.

Samson has gotten so big. He now weighs about 4 and a half pounds. He is a crazy little puppy but we love him. He has become a big part of our family. He spends most his time with David, but is happy to be loved by anyone who will give him attention. If anyone is in the bathtub he won't leave. He loves the bathtub. He is always trying to get in while they are bathing. He has accomplished that goal a few times. He loves to drink the water that splashes up on the edge. He will even start licking the water off their legs when the come out (which I think is gross). He is quite the puppy.

Emma's newest hobby.

Emma's latest thing is make up. She loves it! She is always asking me for any make up I don't want. She will ask me everyday to wear make up to school (mostly just lipstick). She loves red. I told her red was to bold, then we went to Ulta and she saw a poster with a woman wearing red lipstick. She turned to me and said "Mom, she is wearing red lipstick and she still looks pretty." We had to have a little chat about age and make up and what is appropriate when and where. It was actually a very fun talk. She understands why she can't wear that kind of make up out of the house. But almost everyday after school you can find her in her bathroom putting on her make up. She even wears a soft lip gloss and blush to school every now and then. She's so funny.

"It Snowed!"

A few weeks ago, on the way home from chruch, it started to hail. My kids were so excited. When we got home David and I went up to change (that is always our first goal), when we came back down we looked outside and saw the girls taking pictures of the boys eating "THE SNOW." We tried to explain that it was hail and not snow, but they said "it's cold, it looks like snow, and it tastes like snow." So we left it at that. What can you do. Hail or snow, they loved it.

Sarah's got talent!

Well, I finally convinced Sarah that she should take some time to develop her talents. It's not that she doesn't have talents, she just has a hard time taking time for herself while there are so many other things that 'need' to be done. I personally don't have a problem taking a break to play the guitar, or look for new recipes. Sarah, on the other hand, feels guilty taking time for herself when the house is still messy or there are other 'things' to do.

Anyway, Sarah and I had a discussion about what she would like to do. She actually has quite a list of things she would like to learn. Sarah would love to go back to school to study psychology, go to cosmetology school, physical therapy, massage therapy, learn to cook better... She has lots of goals in mind. After much discussion, we finally decided that she should start voice lessons to redevelop her voice.

Yesterday, we went down to Tim's studio and talked with him about teaching Sarah voice lessons. It looks like Sarah will start taking lessons on Wednesday nights and I am so excited for her. While we were there, Tim showed us some of the arrangements he is working on. They sounded amazing! It will be nice to hear the sound of Sarah's voice again.

We went to Barro's tonight (it is my kids favorite place to go) and we introduced Katie to Ranch Dressing. She couldn't get enough. It started as a little pile on her plate and turned into her wanting the whole container. She got it everywhere but she loved it.



Once again Jacob asked to be in every picture, but then every time I would take it he wouldn't move his pizza. Silliness.

This is Katie's new happy face. Isn't it..... pretty. Just makes you want to ..... hug her? I do love this munchkin.