Pacific Northwest Here We Come

We found out yesterday that Wade got his first pick...Tacoma, Washington for his core rotation. That means that he will be there from October (08) to January (09). The kids and I will probably be there in September. We are so excited. This is the program he really wants to be in for residency and now he will be there when he interviews for the program. No offense to Iowa, but I am very excited for a milder climate and to be closer to my parents for the first time in almost ten years.


In honor of being closer to the ocean, we had salmon for dinner last night. It was tasty - even Gage agreed. When we told him we would be moving to Washington, he told us "I like Utah better. I have cousins there." We have a year to get him excited for Washington, hope we can convince him.

Now we get to wait till October when we apply for the 4 other programs Wade wants to check out and line up 3 more months for that spring.

Contest

I found this awesome contest that a blogger - K8 - is having. I cannot believe all the fun stuff she is giving away! If you scrapbookers out there want to get in on this we only have a few days left!

Curious George Bubbles

This morning Gage was playing and he found a spatula in his toy box. He quickly told me that Curious George uses this to make bubbles with. (There is an episode of Curious George that explains explores bubbles, they use different objects to blow bubbles and find out that all bubbles are circles - not squares or triangles). We decided to try it for ourselves. We found out that the apple slicer makes bigger bubbles and Curious George is right...all bubbles come out circles, no matter what shape they start from.

Crawling

We got Noah to crawl for the camera. All it took was a chocolate chip cookie. As you can see from this video, Gage finds his brother moving rather funny.

Big THANK YOU!

A big THANK YOU goes out to Kristen, a friend I met through this big blogging world, for such a great job making over my blog!

She is a fantastic artist, photographer, mom and has moved on from a personal blog to make herself available to make over your blog too! Check out her site at kmh Scraphic Designs.

Crawling

We now have two movers on our hands. Noah started crawling (forward) yesterday afternoon. He isn't to fast yet, but forward is much better than backyards. I don't have any fun pictures or video to share, but maybe we will work on that tomorrow. I was thinking today about how close that was to the same time Gage crawled and I figured it out to be:

• Gage crawled at 9 months and 24 days
• Noah crawled at 9 months and 22 days

It's always amazing to me to see each one of them develop such different personalities. Gage cruised for a month or so before he crawled and then ran (literally) across the room a month later. He hasn't ever stopped. Noah sat up much earlier than Gage but has been very content to sit. He now loves to crawl to get Gage's toys and shows some interest in pulling up, but not nearly as much as Gage. Gage is full of energy and spunk, Noah is laid back and loves to watch.

They both make me smile. I'm such a blessed person to be a mom to these two!

Happy Birthday

This month marks the birthday of...drum roll please....my blog. This will mark my 215 post in the past year. Christiansen Chronicles has become part of our life around here and I hope it has become part of our life as well. Although I'm sure Wade would argue that sometimes it takes up too much of my life.

There are so many posts that I love (or else why would I post them, right?)

Some of my favorites have been:

1. Beavers

2. Harry Potter

3. Sitting Up

4. Thoughts

5. Mouse and Cheese

6. Hindsight

7. Strange things are happening at Super Target

8. Memorial

9. Today's ten thoughts

10. Gage last night

Good News Wednesday

Yippie it's Wednesday - the week is half way over!

My good news this week:

1. As reading my scriptures this week, I came across this verse. It is now among one of my favorites. Every time I think of it, I hear the song "I can only imagine" by MercyMe. It's such a great song to have in your head!

"But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." -1 Corinthians 2:9

2. Church activities got canceled tonight because it's the first day of school....so I'm scrapbooking! I love project nights at the clubhouse!

3. The check is in the mail, and we are now the proud owners - as in title-in-our-hands- owners of our mini-van. Our goal was to pay it off in one year, and we purchased it last August. It's always nice to set and accomplish goals!

4. Both boys are napping. I love the peaceful hour and half I get each afternoon. I know it will happen someday (probably soon) but I secretly hope Gage never grows out of his naps!

What is your good news this week?

Noah's Pages

Here are a few of Noah's pages that I have been working on. I've decided I am not a professional-perfectionist scrapbooker, because some are really my favorites, but others I am not fond of and did just to keep the chronological order. Poor little man Noah has actually been fairly easy to catch up too. I don't have half as many pictures of him as I did of Gage.

Enjoy.

Sketches

I have been a busy little bee trying to catch up Noah's scrapbook. I will be posting pictures soon of some of the pages. Right now I am up to 3 months old, I must say that's not so shabby!

I just found the Pencil Lines blog and had to share it for all those scrapers, crafters, or just anyone out there. I am already hooked.

Iowa State Fair

After we cleaned and gutted our deer (see post below) we headed off to enjoy the Iowa State Fair. This was our first time (and last chance) to actually go - we were so excited!

We had great weather this morning and had a blast! Tonight as Gage went to bed the conversation went like this:

Gage: "When Noah and me get bigger, can we get a pig?"

Daddy: "Gage, I think we need a house for that"

Gage: "Mommy, when Noah and me get bigger and we get a big house, we are going to get a big pig."

Mommy: "Ok, we will have to talk about that when you get bigger."

I think a close second place favorite was the Ferris wheel ride that Wade and Gage went on. I got to hang out with Noah in the shade and stand next to Iowa's Governor Chet Culver as he waited for his family to get off the ride. I should have had Gage shake his hand, or taken a picture, but since he wasn't really one of our favorites from the beginning, I just couldn't get myself to do it. It was interesting to be that close and see him hang out with his family and shake a few hands.

We spent all $40 that we took with us, and we have no idea how, since all we paid for was parking, food and the one ride. Noah and Gage each inhaled one dripping-in-grease-corn dog. I felt a little bad both of them looked so greasy! I am still amazed that Noah can eat just as much as Gage. Wade and I also enjoyed some greasy food and of course we couldn't leave without trying a deep-fried Oreo. They were good, but nothing I would want to make at home (thank goodness!)

We saw the big pig, we saw baby pigs, we saw lama, horses, cows, tractors, and we voted our corn kernel at the Iowa votes both. However, the one thing we did miss, which we realized halfway to our car in the parking lot, is the butter cow and butter Harry Potter. I am really sad we missed these. Perhaps that gives us reason to return to Iowa and make it back to the Iowa State Fair.

Deer Hunt - Iowa Style

It's a fun filled weekend for our family back in Utah. Today is the opening day of the deer bow hunt. Wade has always loved this weekend with his family. He really enjoys the challenge of the bow hunt, versus the rifle. The guys get to go camping, get up early, track deer, play on the mountainside, and sometimes they get close enough and get a good shot and bring home a few deer.

Since we have been in Iowa and been in medical school, Wade's schedule hasn't really allowed him to enjoy this fun time with his family, so when he brought it up this week that he was sad he would miss it, I decided it was time that it just wasn't fair all the family in Utah gets to have all the fun.

We had our very own opening deer hunt weekend - and we didn't have to leave our house. We found out that an eight man tent really doesn't fit well in a 2 bedroom apartment. Everyone slept in their camo, since you have to wake up really early for the opening morning. I conveniently hid some deer pictures that I found around the house for when Gage woke up. He had to find the ones he could shoot and not shoot - since you are not allowed to hunt baby or mommy deer. He also had to run from a few bears that were lurking around our kitchen!!!

He had such a great time and when we drove by a field and saw some real live deer outside this weekend, he yelled out...."Daddy, stop, we have got to get those deer! OHHH man, we can't, they are mommy deer!!!"

One might ask... What did I do while all these "deer-hunting-festivities" were going on? I did what I do each year back in Utah. Scrapbooked & then slept in the middle of the bed and hogged all the covers.

Thoughts

I am amazed at the selflessness acts some people do. Our friends baby was able to receive a heart transplant this week. I have always checked yes for organ donation, but when it has come to my child's body I have not always been so sure. After knowing and reading the story of the Scadlocks I hope I would have the strength (if ever faced with that decision) that I would be able to save anthers' babies life. I would have to say that would have to be the hardest decision you would ever have to make in your life. People who can do that are amazing. Not only have my prayers been with the little Baby Beckham the past few days, but with the donors family as well. They are the heroes in this story!


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Some other things today:

My friend Heather is having a book swap. The more the merrier, so check out her site, email her and sign up today!


Also, I decided to go shorter (hairstyle that is). It's still long enough for a pony tail, but short enough and I [[[[[LOVE]]]]]] it. My friend Kristen cut it - her hubby is a new first year - and she is great if anyone is interested! I wasn't crazy about the picture (I look it myself), but I love that Noah's expression!

Good News Wednesday

I almost forgot...it's Good News Wednesday!

• We had 15 girls come to lunch bunch today! What a group we made. It was so fun to see everyone and get to know some of the first year girls!
• We had one of my favorite dinners tonight. White sauce pizza. I make a homemade pizza crust, cover it in Alfredo sauce, then top it with: ham, bacon bits (the REAL kind), pineapple, and lots and lots of cheese. Yum-o!
• During naps today I got one and half pages of Noah's album complete and finished the journaling on a few others. A scrapbook night is being planned for next week!
• I get to go hang out with the youth girls at my church tonight. I love hanging out with them every Wednesday night. I have so much fun and they make me laugh. Sometimes I even forget that it's been almost 10 years since I was in their shoes.
• Wade is busy deciding where to go for rotations next year. Top on my list: Tacoma! Yippie for Washington!
• I'm getting my hair cut tomorrow. Thanks for all the opinions, you'll all just have to wait and see!

silly comment

This morning while getting dressed I was having Gage help me with the buttons on his shirt. After two of the buttons he looked at me and said,

"You do it mommy. It's too hard and giving me a headache."

Eclipse

I was able to finish Eclipse last night. Do NOT go to my book blog unless you have finished it. Both reviews there contain spoilers. I will try to keep it clean here.

Was it one of my favorites? Yes and no. Was I happy? Not going to answer on this site. What I will say is that I couldn't put it down; especially for the last part. I wanted to cry at the end, but Wade was laughing at me. I must learn to read these books in private.

I don’t hide the secret that I love Jacob more than Edward. After reading this book I still do. I think it you love Edward you will enjoy this book as well. I am really looking forward to finding out where the fourth book takes us!

I think I am going to have to take a break from reading now. Or at least try too. I want to catch up Noah's scrapbook. My new goal is to have his baby book caught up by the time he turns one. I have 3 months. Do-able?

Hair cut

I need some opinions. I need a hair cut but I cannot decide - keep it long, or go short again?






Option 1 - short bob (bad scanned picture of me in high school, but you get the idea)

Option 2 - Keep some length, but add more layers. I love Bonnie's hair on Hells Kitchen.

Weekend Happenings:

We had a hot fun filled weekend. How was yours? This is how ours broke down:

Noah attempted to eat his first bug. The picture to the left is him caught red handed. I was able to save the potato bug before it met his fate. Unfortunately, a potato bug met Gage and we were not able to save from his fate 3 years prior to this. Noah tried to look cute, casual and innocent while chewing, but the parental authorities in the house knew better.

Friday date night: movies and sandwiches enjoyed with our friends the Grovers. We watched A Bridge to Terabitha. Cute kid movie. It was nice to not have to break up any fights over the toys and finish a sentence.

Saturday: Attempted to go to the Iowa State Fair. Then Wade tied his shoe (how dare him!) and threw his back out. I got a lot of housecleaning done and no one suffered heat exhaustion, or a heart attack from deep fried snickers instead.

Saturday: It was a toss up to go to the fair or the Iowa Straw Poll. We ended up not going to either, but Mitt Romney won the straw poll and we heard it was a blast! This blog on his website is pretty fun to read!

Saturday: It was so hot - and our complex pool is crowded on Saturday - that we created our own water fun. Two bowls, cups and water guns. Our neighbor Brooklyn came over to cool off as well.

Sunday: Morning forts. We go to church in the afternoon right now - so our mornings are always full of PJ's lounging, and forts. Wade even made one with a light inside.

Sunday: Bitter-sweet victory. Noah started making great strides towards crawling. He can now move backyards. He is never in the same position that I leave him in and he finds everything....including bugs.

Other activities in random order: church, neighborhood walks, baking cookies (homemade oreo and lemon oreo) watching more movies, and getting halfway through Eclipse.

AustenLand

Austenland
I have been trying to be patient all week as I wait for the library to receive their copy of Eclipse, but I needed something cute and fun to distract me - and Inkheart just wasn't doing it. (I am still reading it however, just slowly!)

Well the other day as I paced the floor at the library trying to find something keep my mind free of Jacob, Bella and Edward I saw this on the shelf of new releases. I had seen it on my friend Kim's Blog so I couldn't let it sit there any longer!

This cute-under-200-page-book was just what I was looking for. I will have to write a fun review of it for the book blog...sometime in the near future. I have seen many other bloggers mention Shannon Hale and heard her name mentioned at several book club meetings too. She has a fun website - here. She's a local SLC girl - who didn't go to BYU, rather, the U of U....(Go Utes!)

I have actually been making Gage watch Pride and Prejudice today - the BBC long version that this story is centered around - all day today. He thinks it's rather boring, but I think Noah is enjoying it. (sacasm inserted here!) Goose Girl, The Princess Academy and River Secrets are now being added to my long growing list of books to read.

I keep thinking that someday I should take a break from books and catch up my scrapbooking. Then I read a fun book like this and I'm not sure when it will really happen!

- PS. I have now started Eclipse! YIPPIEE!

Faust

We just received an email that James E. Faust, the second counselor in the First Presidency, of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, passed away early this morning.

It's such a sad day. Each time I watched and heard him speak in conferences he reminded me of such a great gentle man! While I know he is in a much happier place now, there is no doubt he will be missed.

For more information you can click here.

Pages

One of my favorite scrapbook pages in Gage's baby book was his monthly photo page. I love looking back at how he grew up. Today during nap I was able to put together Noah's. (minus three months) You can click on the image to enlarge if you want. I'll warn you I do not have a steady hand, so they are blurry. Every time I pull out Gage's book I'm also reminded of how much my scrapbooks have evolved. Not that they are magazine quality now - but I do think they have come a long way.

We went to visit a friend in the hospital this morning and her mom mentioned to me that she just needed someone to bring a table and scrapbook with her, so she had something to do. What a lovely idea! I don't know if I will make that - but it did inspire me to get my stuff out today! I have a few other pages I was able to finish too, I'll post those later.

We will have to plan another scrapbook night soon!

Hamburger

Noah ate his first McDonalds Hamburger today. (I understand childhood obesity rates, and that is is a horrible thing to feed my kid, but oh well!) Gage was actually eating it and Noah wouldn't take his hands off it. So I stripped him down to his shorts and let him have it! He loved it and wanted to eat it all himself.

I have a great video - that I can't get on right now, so here is a picture instead!

Good News Wednesday

Lots of people I know, and don't know (yes I'm a blog lurker) write re-occurring posts each week with a theme. I love these and always look forward to reading them. Here is my very own Good News Wednesday

1. Noah slept from 8pm till 6 am. YIPPIE! I am not one of those lucky ones that have kids that sleep through the night on their own. Gage didn't do it until he was 2. I will never be able to ween Noah if I don't toughen up and let him cry it out. I started a few weeks ago just cutting out one feeding and he has done so well. (typically he wakes at 11 and 3) Maybe - just maybe he will cut out the 3am one on his own!

2. I got to go help with first year orientation this morning as part of the SAA group I've been involved in. It's a club for significant others and such a great organization. It makes me happy to see all the first years - and know we are now in our 3rd year! I never thought we would get here!

3. It's Wednesday - which means Lunch Bunch play group! I love meeting my friends at the mall each Wednesday. We have lunch at the food court and then play at the play place! It's such a fun way to get over the mid-week hump!

4. Date night group starts this week! We are in a date night group and babysit the kids once and then get two weeks off! What fun - I can't wait! This week we are heading to the Iowa State Fair without the little ones!

5. We got packages in the mail today! Two to be exact! Packages always make you smile! One from Grandma Christiansen (with things we left in Utah). And one from the train recall! James still hasn't come back from the "train hospital" but they sent us a free gift since it has been taking so long! Butch the tow truck. Gage was soo happy!

Sunsets

One of the many things I LOVE about Iowa is the never ending sunsets that we have here. They go on and on in the sky. We've had ucky weather this week. Thunderstorms and tornado warnings every night. Tonight as I opened the door to check out the rain I was greeted by this wonderful warm sunset. At times like this I wish I were Erica and had a better camera and a better eye for taking pictures. I snapped this one all the same.

Wade is never going to learn. He loves to jump in front of the camera and make crazy faces at me! (He always makes me laugh!) While most of them always make it to the blog, I am giving him a free-bee tonight. This is his warning! When will he learn? Perhaps I will have to start a whole new blog dedicated to the pictures that he does this in....and the pictures of our food that he does not like as well!

Reading Spot

My sister Kathy is now going to be a contributor on My Reading Spot. I can't wait to hear all her great ideas. The sites still a work in progress, so please be patient with us and check back often to see how we are coming along!

Fun Places

I got one of my favorite magazines this weekend, Real Simple. It was actually a Real Simple family special addition. I found tons of fun ideas and tips inside. There was also this list of fun websites you can share with your kids. Take a look - we loved them!

• www.jacksonpollock.org - you can create splatter artwork by clicking the mouse. If you want to start over just hit the refresh button (this is a FAVORITES of Gage's)
• www.sfpg.com/animation/litebrite.html - don't you remember Lite Brite? Now you can play it online with your kids!
• www.virtualbubblewrap.com - Pop bubble wrap! I couldn't get it to work - I run on Vista, instead of Windows, but it says it will work for Windows users.
• www.howmanyofme.com - find out how many people have your exact name. I don't really believe this site is totally accurate, but fun to look at!
• www.addletters.com - write a rand some note! (pick up your toys or else....)
• www.atom.smasher.org - make your own highway sign
• www.redkid.net/generator/trophy - make a trophy for any occasion!

Have a fun Monday everyone!

Boards

He passed! Wade got his board results today and he passed. (It's only pass-fail.) This is a picture of the actual letter! We are so happy and very excited.

Yippie for my smarty pants husband!

9 Months Old

Yesterday Noah was 9 months old. He is such a happy boy. Noah loves to smile and to be cuddled by his mommy. He can't crawl, but loves sitting up and scooting around on his bum. He can can say mama and dada. He loves his brother and any attention he gets from him. He loves all kinds of food and will eat anything you give him. We love our Noah and are so glad he is in our family!

Trains

On the way home from Omaha (see previous post) we stopped by a park we saw from the freeway, which ended up being the Omaha Botanical Center, but had these great gardens leading up to two old Union Pacific trains. Gage was in heaven!!! The trains were so huge. The wheels on the Big Boy Diesel engine (the black one) were taller than me. It's amazing how big these machines really are.

What more could a 3 year old boy ask for - a fun day at the zoo AND to see big trains!?!