Annie-mal's on Parade

Instructions for a Great Summer Day:

2009-07-10T20:49:00.001-06:00

JUST ADD WATER!

You, Me and the Pilates, Kernie!

2009-07-07T19:13:00.002-06:00

2009-07-07T17:14:00.002-06:00

Balancing Beautifully

2009-07-07T13:52:00.002-06:00

Faith in things Unseen

2009-07-04T12:49:00.003-06:00

Just last week I was pondering how life can turn on a dime. I wrote about our life the last few weeks. Writing helps me process life's unpredictability and marvel at the power of faith. Then, it happened again. Life turned on the dime for my sister and her husband, Lee. After being perfectly healthy except for the annoyance of dry eyes, my BIL woke up nearly blind. I am completely amazed by their positive attitudes when confronted by this trial. They have begun an aggressive treatment that will hopefully limit the damage that a rare bacteria and/or parasite is doing to his eyes. When being confronted with months of difficult treatment and disability, they truly have faith in things unseen. Lee, we love you and pray for you. Thanks for being such a great listener and having great faith.

God Bless America!

2009-07-04T12:05:00.005-06:00

There is nothing like a little all-American fun on Independence Day! We have had huge 4th of July already! We watched the city parade last night (I was slightly disappointed there was not a face painting booth!). We made it through about half of the parade with Peapod. She loved waving to everyone, especially the horses and the princesses. She had a concerned look on once the firetrucks came with sirens blaring that soon turned to tears. She said,"I scared" and we tried to make it seem fun. She was consoled with a fireman waving at her and sitting on Daddy's shoulders.
This morning she was dressed up red,white and blue for Nana's neighborhood kid bike parade! She joined right in the parade, walking along with all the kids. The whole way she was saying, "I coming! I coming!" while waving her large flag. Killer cute.
Then we joined our neighborhood for a pancake breakfast (thanks for hosting Piersons!) and a kid's fun run (thanks Thorells!)! The little ones were so cute running! Peapod was so tired from the earlier parade that she only rode her tricycle to the finish line. Hometown fun. Up next: family BBQ and fireworks!

Worth Looking Into

2009-07-02T21:24:00.006-06:00

Brain Controlled Wheelchair AND The Disappearing Male made me think: Whoa, our world is changing! Especially after hearing the CBC's statement. I love seeing science working to find answers. I love the positive outlook for wheelchair quadriplegics! I'm not one to jump into being "all natural" or "organic" because I like convenience, but I may have to rethink my product choices with more scientific evidence.
Watch here.

Background Info Provided by CBC on The Disappearing Male

“We are conducting a vast toxicological experiment in which our children and our children’s children are the experimental subjects.” Dr. Herbert Needleman

The Disappearing Male is about one of the most important, and least publicized, issues facing the human species: the toxic threat to the male reproductive system.

The last few decades have seen steady and dramatic increases in the incidence of boys and young men suffering from genital deformities, low sperm count, sperm abnormalities and testicular cancer.

At the same time, boys are now far more at risk of suffering from ADHD, autism, Tourette’s syndrome, cerebral palsy, and dyslexia.

The Disappearing Male takes a close and disturbing look at what many doctors and researchers now suspect are responsible for many of these problems: a class of common chemicals that are ubiquitous in our world.

Found in everything from shampoo, sunglasses, meat and dairy products, carpet, cosmetics and baby bottles, they are called “hormone mimicking” or “endocrine disrupting” chemicals and they may be starting to damage the most basic building blocks of human development.

We've Gone Colonial

2009-07-01T21:25:00.003-06:00

I made a free printable on NFF, so you can make your own!

Tired, but Done

2009-06-30T21:35:00.003-06:00

Thank you...

2009-06-29T21:20:00.001-06:00

To my super husband for all you do! You're a winner.

Two Steps in Our Journey

2009-06-28T13:53:00.004-06:00

My dad always says that we are two steps away from any person's situation. Two steps in one direction and we are a sitting on a yacht in the Caribbean. Two steps in another direction and we are looking at life through a jail cell. And two steps in yet another direction leads us to yet another scenario. This perspective has helped me befriend people of all walks of life.
One can certainly try to precipitate certain steps. Occasionally, though, life has this ability to shanghai our best intentions and take two large unwanted steps leaving us in unknown territory. Such a change of direction happened to our friends while we were on vacation this month.

Step One:
John and I have wanted to expand our family, but with my ridiculous back/hips issues, we haven't wanted to get pregnant just yet. So we were tentatively discussing adoption. We decided to think and pray about it while vacationing with John's family. We heard between our outgoing flight connections that my sister's family had been selected by a birth mother for adoption of her almost-due baby! We were excited and amazed that life could change so fast for them. We spent a relaxing, long family reunion/vacation in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. It was fabulous visiting, collecting seashells, watching dolphins and just soaking up the sun. The cousins were adorable together.
We heard while vacationing that our neighbors had to give up their adoptive baby daughter. We had no words for such trauma and our heart went out to them. There was also news that another couple who are my long time friends were at Primary Children's hospital with their adoptive daughter due to a rare devastating genetic disease. Needless to say, these two happenings with adoption have made waiting to get pregnant seem more palatable.
Step Two:
After our lovely vacation, we arrived at the airport relaxed, well-rested and ready to go home. By then, PeaPod started asking to go home. We loaded ourselves into the plane. It started taking off. It turned around and taxied right back! We had a flat tire! I didn't even know that airplanes could have a flat tire! So we unloaded on the tarmac (try doing that staircase with a carry-on and a toddler in wedges and a skirt! We waited and waited. Tempers of our fellow passengers were flaring loudly with the airport personnel. I was singing every toddler and Primary song I could think of trying to entertain PeaPod and other young passengers. (Thank goodness I had that stint as the worst Primary accompanist in history and for the years in nursery!) I talked with fellow passengers. John read (remember this fact for later!). At 6pm, eight hours since we came to the airport, we literally ran back out onto the tarmac to make a connecting flight. The connecting flight was canceled and so were most flights due to storms. We were told there was no hotel vouchers for us and that we could wait on stand-by (we were supposed to be first class!) for a flight that left at 10pm. At least we met up with John's parents at the airport and could commiserate with them. May I say, at this point, that PeaPod was the most congenial and happy critter during this whole crazy experience?! She giggled and laughed and played. She wore squeaker shoes and everyone waiting at the gate loved her. They said they knew that they were at the new gate number because they could hear her! We loaded onto the plane at 1AM after the gate number had changed 4 times! That was a total of 14 hours of traveling without even leaving the East Coast yet!
We arrived home at 4am, picked up by my wonderful morning bird mom.
While traveling, we heard of another unexpected life step for our friends: their home had been lost in a devastating fire. Two very tragic steps and life has brought them to an unexpected place.
We came home to find that our house had been hit by lightening. Our garage door, computers, phones, and in-house vacuum were fried. But, we were thankful.
I came down with Swine Flu just few days later and was quarantined for a week. Incubation times suggest I was exposed at the airport. I definitely won't chat with many people at the airport from now on! My mom was a saint, helping me home from work (yes, I did go to work thinking it was just a cold. They sent me home, after a swab test confirmed flu.) and disinfecting along the way. I just feel bad that we were not able to assist our friends in their time of need. I don't think adding swine flu to their trials would be appreciated, so we'll have to wait to help later in other ways.
Two steps. A million different directions. A perspective guided by faith is a beautiful thing. I look around with love and appreciation at my family. The rest is just superfluous.

Summer's Comin'

2009-05-20T22:24:00.014-06:00

Life has been busy! Things are lovely though. We've been working hard - I am trying to fit in as many patients as possible with Medicaid ending and John has some big projects going on at work. Of course, I worry about practicing, balancing finances and being a mom. After much prayer, I know I am doing all that I can right now and have to enjoy the journey. Young Women's is full of Temple Celebration practices. John and I keep busy at home with our "projects" and loving our little one.
PeaPod is so fun. She talks up a storm with "I do it", "My...(list anything I have in my hand), "el'fants" elephants, "buffos" buffalos, and my personal favorite "Come 'ere" with her patting her tummy with one hand. She loves stuffed animals sleeping with multiple friends on the bed. She sings all day long ABCs and other songs.
It is warming up and it has been such a lift to be able to do things in the garden without much pain this year! Yippee! Feeling the grass beneath my feet feels so good! Here are some of our barefoot in the garden and enjoying late spring days lately:

I Spy with My Little Eye:

2009-05-02T13:48:00.002-06:00

My sister Kristie emailed me these pictures to change into bloggable form for her and I just had to post them also! This second one is chalk full of great things about that time in our lives. The first one is of Kristie hugging one of our bum lambs, Licorice, with the happiest little look on her face - just as I remember her!
Take a look at pic #2 and spy the following:
1. My awesome 'Welcome to the 90's" cowgirl jeans - so hot.
2. Pink boots: mine stylishly hidden by my awesome jeans and Loralee, ever stylish and ahead of the trends, has her jeans tucked into her boots.
3. In the background, our fantastic customized VAN: most awkward vehicle ever to learn to drive in, yet convenient for taking numerous friends about.
4. The wind blowing my attempt at styling my hair while growing out the infamous Utah bangs popularly entitled "The Claw"
5. Our wood fence, before vinyl replaced it. I have many memories walking on top of that fence and painting it!
6. And last but not least, our last set of bum lambs we raised named Salt and Pepper.

There was a great article in the Ensign about the great spiritual lessons that you can glean while raising lambs. This article echoed what we as a family had experienced growing up and talked about many a time. We were given the bum lambs to raise from our great uncle. We bottle fed them and cared for them. Each day I would call, "Baa, Baaaas!" and they would come running and jumping to see me. They knew their shepherd. I loved them so much. Finally, they would be grown and sold to a neighbor who had a flock down the street. Years later I could come to that field and yell, "Baa, Baahs!" and those who were raised by me would look up, separate themselves from the rest of the flock and come running to meet me just as they had as lambs. My dad watched this happen one day with tears in his eyes. He saw the beautiful lesson of knowing our true shepherd. My dad knew that me calling my sheep was just like Christ calling us. We know His voice by feeding on His word. We grow close to Him by daily study and prayer. If we do this, we can hear His call and separate ourselves from those who are not concerned with knowing Him - no matter what we are doing we will look up and know Him. There are so many more lessons I have learned from this one experience. I am so glad and blessed to have been provided such an experience and great lesson growing up.

Petey and Co. are Back!

2009-04-14T15:50:00.002-06:00

The pelicans are back! Three of those massive birds just landed with a surprisingly graceful splash behind my house. I'll have to add pelicans to my "Now It Feels Like Spring" list.

Ignore the Dripping Noise in the Garage...

2009-04-09T00:31:00.004-06:00

There are times when I wonder what my husband will think of next. He keeps me on my toes and laughing at the same time. Our creativity runs in different directions but as long as one can overlook two absent-minded-professors-type-people in the house it works as long as someone remembers to do the laundry. Check out my DH's newest YouTube videos on his blog, then you'll know why my garage is more his laboratory than anything. Yes, he is thinking of putting EIGHT of those fountains in the backyard...eventually. I picture human sized canals running through my backyard this summer. I was bargaining for four just to be cool but realistic, but one of the things I love about him is his ability to think BIG! It might be dangerous to show him the above newspaper clipping.

April Fools Weather

2009-04-01T16:34:00.005-06:00

I think the weather is celebrating April Fools with us here in Utah. This morning as I looked outside, it seemed to say, "April Fools about Spring, here's a blizzard!" It has stopped snowing now, but I'm ready to start digging around in the garden. This year, there seems to be a general public interest in vegetable gardening due to the economy. I smell the fresh green smell of my puny tomato starts and dream of their summer fruits. Whether the economy or produce, everything seems to need some time. It seems like many are planted in a rocky place right now. At the health department, we see a large increase in abuse when times are hard. Plants have two choices when in this position: be apathetic and just get mad at the rock then get washed away or find a way around the rock to grow deeper, harder. I remember seeing the tree on Chapel Rock in Michigan's Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. I was hiking alone since my friends who were with me in the Upper Peninsula were visiting their family in the area and John was working in Utah at the time. I just sat down in the sand and contemplated that lone tree with its large root spanning to the mainland. It is such a great symbol of growth. I can't wait to take my family back there to hike, kayak and appreciate the beauty and lessons there (in the summer of course!).

Mommy Melted Moments

2009-03-25T21:54:00.003-06:00

Now that PeaPod is speaking, I can see why moms are always quoting their kids. The things they say just melt your heart. Here are two from PeaPod this week:

This weekend we were so busy that we hadn't realized how late it was - about 9pm. PeaPod was not in bed yet! It was a perfect starry night. I decided before we started our bedtime routine we, as a family, would look up at the stars together.
I said while holding her with one arm and pointing with the other, "Look up at the stars! They are way up high!"
She looked up. Then she reached out both her arms as high as they would go and said,
"I get stars. I get 'm. I get stars."
We laughed. My heart melted and in my heart I said, "You reach for them little one!!!"
After a moment I said, "We can't hold them because they are way up high."
She looked at me and then reached back up for the stars and said turning her face to me, "Stars are stuck. Der stuck, Mommy. Stars are stuck."
Too cute.

Today was another heart melter. We were playing with the little wood IKEA trainset and rug she had got for her birthday. We set the train to go past places on the rug. We would talk about them as we pushed the train past. "Here we go past the stadium! Bye Stadium!", I would say. On the rug is what I considered a white castle. As she pushed the train past the castle she said, "Hi temple!Choo, choo! Bye temple!" Wow, she is listening and learning!

Pediatrician's Visit

2009-03-17T21:59:00.002-06:00

We went to the pediatrician's today. This is the fourth copay I have had to make in one week! PeaPod is no longer feverish and now she is just getting rid of some gunk in her lungs. Hooray! Plus they did her 2 year checkup at the same time.
She is,at 2 years old:
22.4lbs - 5th percentile in weight (yes, she gets fed as much as she would like although requests for "cannies" candy are regularly ignored and replaced with other "real" food),
33.5 inches in height - 45 percentile in height,
and I don't remember her head, but it was in the 50th percentile.
So she's got herself a large noggin and a metabolism I'd kill for - but then she does run circles around me! Maybe I need to try to jog circles around her instead of trying to keep her in the jogging stroller...

Today' Green

2009-03-17T21:41:00.002-06:00

Happy Barnyard Birthday!

2009-03-08T22:12:00.007-06:00

Happy Birthday PeaPod! I am so excited to see what the next years bring! You are growing and challenging yourself every moment you are awake - as well as trying to challenge your parents about taking a nap :).
I love you so very much.
At two you are adventurous, active, sweet, empathetic, stubborn, and overall good natured.
You are a talker. You always have been quite the babbler, but now you are able to converse with everyone around you. You love speaking on the phone and walk around with my cell phone talking to family members whenever I let you. You probably say twice as much as I do everyday. I love hearing your sweet little voice stating things and asking me things all day long.
You love singing, especially Isty Bitsy Spider. You love books, expecially Brown Bear, Brown Bear and Goodnight Gorilla. You love animals and are very kind to them. You are currently exploring your feelings and body like "funny", "scared", "hungry", etc.
It is easy to love you - and I'm not just saying this as your mother! We will go places and you will just walk up to people and say, "Hi!".They look down, (because let's face it, you are still a munchkin!) and I can see their faces smile at the sight of you. You will then tell them a garbled story and usually they don't have any idea what you are saying, but they smile and ask you more questions. I hope you will always be so comfortable with yourself and happily welcoming to everyone.
I am so glad we were able to spend your actual birthday together seeing the farm animals.It was a great expedition and I can't wait to do it again!

"She'll Be Comin' Around...

2009-02-26T20:06:00.019-07:00

...the mountain, when she comes. Yee-haw! She'll be comin' around the mountain, she'll be comin' around the mountain, she'll be..." After singing that song for a few verses I start thinking: "Alright already! Please bless she has come around that darn mountain!" That's exactly how I feel: I'm coming around the mountain, but seriously, am I there yet?!?
Things have been so busy these past few weeks! My life is faster than I am and I just keep following it! Well, lets see, where do I begin...after being a mom, house wife, part time dentist, and tinkerer of a number things including singing, blogging (well, sometimes!), etc., I have now added PT visits, crazy yoga and the creepy chiropractor to my schedule so that I can keep doing the a fore mentioned activities. The PT sessions are...interesting..and include placement of hands where only my husband's have gone. Yoga is hilarious (although please note: NEVER laugh in yoga, it is very serious).
Valentine's Day came and went. I just want you to know that I dearly love that holiday. PeaPod loved making our homemade valentines. Here is one of the valentines we made the family: (Inspiration from Charity's bean art - thanks Charity!)
This one is entitled "We love you oodles and noodles"Pea also expressed her artistic prowess in her room while supposedly taking a nap. The medium is a washable (luckily!) black marker procured from some unknown source:
Also during the past few weeks she has investigated numerous facial treatments. Mommy's chapstick and lipsticks are a particular favorites. It seems that diaper cream was not a favorite: (picture taken way before the sun came up Saturday morning)
Sir Duncan Bones has coached her on how to be a cat. She enjoys pretending, meowing, sitting on window ledges and under the table like he does.

We are reading the same books multiple times a day now. Particular favorites are: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, Goodnight Gorilla (valentine gift from Grandpa and Grandma Christensen) and the family photo "Who Love You?" book (made by Nana). Doesn't TheMan have great hair? Please remind me not to accelerate my forehead wrinkles by making that face.
Nana moved the fam's stuff out of our basement and into theirs. She said she wanted to get it out of my way, but I honestly think it was more about Sir Duncan Bones's cat hair. But after a year and a half of him sitting on all of it, I think what's done is done! PeaPod chose her own outfit that day: pink onesie, a diaper, and boots that were made for walking.

Tucker desperately needed a groom and went from the first pic to the second. He hates going outside now without his sweater. I feel a bit like the first pic currently. Tomorrow's my first hair appointment in over a year. I know, I'm such a slacker. Hopefully they won't shave me till I'm pink.
And then there was my birthday. It was a lovely day spent with TheMan and PeaPod the first of the day and then the Pea was babysat by Aunt Krissy and Uncle Jon while seeing the Draper Temple Open House. Then she visited Grandma and Grandpa Christensen in the evening. It was just wonderful to spend time together as a couple. John took this photo of me right before church. Here I am at 31 (not photoshopped or else the wrinkles,shine and gray stray hairs would be gone) but John took a pretty good photo:
And I'm still comin' around that mountain. How big did you make this mountain, God? Okay, I'm still comin'.

Little Miss Serious Face and the Photo Shoot

2009-02-09T21:09:00.011-07:00

My friend Autumn is awesome. She took these pictures and I'm sure you will agree! They are beautiful even with PeaPod being Little Miss Serious Face! I just can't decide which is my favorite. Thanks Autumn!

Oh, the drama that awaits your mother in the future, little one!

Week 1, Project 365

2009-01-27T20:44:00.003-07:00

I am so excited about this project! It really embraces my feelings of wanting to capture each day and store them in my heart. A new year and 365 days of memories to fill.

This past year my letter of the year was "W" and words like "wonder", "why", "wisdom", "well" and "willingness" became a part of me.
Now, since I'm going backwards in the alphabet one letter a year, 2009 is the letter "V". Usually the word of the month just pops out to me; "Vitality" and "vamoose" are particular favorites this month. While looking through the dictionary these words seem to hold significance to me: vivacious, valiant, validate, value, visualize, verve, and verily. This way of focusing my attention on one word has helped remind me reach beyond my limits in little ways and try harder to be better. Here's to 11 more months of verve!

Eat more Chickin

2009-01-23T13:15:00.003-07:00

Liv and I went to Chick-fil-a today. This was the first time she has ever played on an indoor playground at a food establishment. I wish I had a video camera! We were walking inside (practically running) as she was saying: "WOW! WOW! Whoa! 'lide! (slide)" It was awesome. We were able to order our food only because she was temporarily distracted by the masses of balloons everywhere. We sat down outside the playroom. She was so excited she could barely sit.
Little did we know that we hit the jackpot of all days to choose to go to Chick-fil-a: it was the store's anniversary! We were given frisbees, stuffed cows, balloons, stickers and treats!
But even with all that, the playground tantalized just beyond the windows. She turned to me and grabbed my face and said, "Pay (play)?" and "Peas? (please)" So when Liv stuffed 2 chicken nuggets in her mouth when I told her she could go play as soon as she ate her chicken and drank her milk, I couldn't refuse. It was a Wow day.

Holiday Highlights

2009-01-13T20:49:00.009-07:00

I took some time off from blogging during the holidays. The time was well spent and everything was so meaningful and merry! It was such a lovely season for the whole household. PeaPod's most repeated words between Thanksgiving till New Year's were:
1. "ights" for lights
2. "Whoa!. Whoa." whenever appreciating any Christmas decorations or presents.

Here are some of the holiday highlights:
Having an awesome hubby put up the Christmas lights!

Decorating the house and setting up the nativities everyday after PeaPod would redecorate
Going to the Messiah Sing-a-Long at Abravenal Hall Riding the Tracks with Auntie Krissy to see Nana serving her hostess mission uptown at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building
Unexpected visit from Auntie Loralee and cousins!
The Christensen Christmas Bowling Party
Excuses to wear Reindeer Antlers and Santa Hats

Seeing the Christmas Lights at Temple Square (once with family and once with the Young Women)
Getting loads of snow on Christmas Day Losing our power on Christmas Morning

Attempting to go see Santa at the mall and failing twice, but winning in the end with precious photos outside the mall just when it started to snow!

Winning the Ugly Sweater Contest Party hosted by Will and Erika. Our greatest competition: lil' Milo, of course!
Painting and making gifts in the garage like crazy...the garage is still a mess...
Visiting many family and friends like long-time-no-see-Michigan-friends, the Heatons and their twins! Too two adorable.
Trying to get those Christmas photos at Kiddie Kandids twice...
Mom making us the the Christmas Mouse and writing a poem to go with it (post it later!)

Seeing Christmas through the eyes of a 21 month old.