A Girl and Her Apple

Elizabeth loves apples!  If someone gets one and she doesn't...she lets us know she's been jipped!  If we bite off some of the peel, she can make amazing progress with those little teeth of her's!  I'm so glad Greg captured these cute shots today!

The Barbeque Bible

For Christmas, Greg got "The Barbeque Bible"...and our lives have never been the same.  (Sometimes I worry our children see us pouring over it more than the "other" bible!)  =)  

He's turned out some amazing results on the grill already this summer...including a couple fabulous racks of ribs using a "dry rub" and "mop sauce".  (You can't tell he's proud can you?!)

May Highlights!

I can't believe it's June!  Before any more days go by...I've got to capture a bit of our May!

Thanks to family and friends...I had a great birthday!  One especially fun part was going out for lunch and to a movie with two of my favorite ladies! 

Classic Pictures of Each of Our Children:

Elizabeth -- loves the dirt!  One day I had carefully planted a few packs of pansies and then ran to grab the broom to sweep up.  I came back to find Elizabeth had carefully "unplanted" each one!

Joshua -- Sundays are a big day for a Sunbeam boy who has class during the time each day he usually naps.  If he slows down after church on Sunday evening...this is how we find him.

Nathan -- Yes...this boy loves his "full armor"!  Transformer body, knight helmet, and goggles for eye protection (just in case).

Primary Talent Show

One of my favorite church activities of all time!  The Primary Talent Show included 23 children doing the things they do best.  It included everything from magic tricks to speaking "thai"...showing their dog do tricks to punching balloon demonstrations...reciting poems to a completely spontaneous yet convincing "Dance of the Night Fairy".  What a darling glimpse into the children (and their parents)!  There were actually even some really good piano, guitar, and cello performances too!

Joshua kicked off the night by showing how he plays football with his big plastic animals.  He sets them all up on opposing teams.  Each carefully placed...and then after shouting "hike" they all get "tackled" and started again

Nathan sang "I Hope They Call Me On a Mission" and Greg accompanied on guitar.  He was wonderful and brave!

My dear friends and women I serve in the Primary with:  Jody, Laura, (and me).  Margo too!  Just not in the picture.

One of the best parts of May has been the warm weather!  We've been so excited to get back to bike rides on the trail right next to our home.  Isn't it beautiful?!

Mother's Day Tea

Nathan's Kindergarten class had an special afternoon for Mothers this last week.  It was a program with singing and several small plays...and then a "Kindergarten Cafe" with placemats and books and other gifts all carefully made by the children.  We were even given a portrait of ourselves painted by our child.  What a lot of work...by Nathan and especially the teacher! 
 

Singing "You are My Sunshine"

Narrator for one of the plays...

The "Biggest Billy Goat Gruff"

Zinoviy and Nathan

A picture of Zinoviy's mom, Marta, who has become a great friend.

Some of the gifts Nathan made...an especially cute "hand" made out of clay and painted...with magnet on the back and holding a carefully chosen flower.

Probably the biggest suprise was seeing my portrait...after secretly hoping mine was the one with the "wind blown" hair in the middle of the top row...I had to chuckle a little at my not-quite-so-wind-blown-and-flowing portrait...the fourth from the left on the bottom row.  =)  (Yes that's me with the really round chin.)

Strawberry Jam

I (like many of you) was excited to find strawberries on such a great deal this last week.  We love making strawberry jam...both for the process and the product!

It's fun to have "helpers" that are getting old enough to actually be really helpful!

The First Day of the Rest of Our Lives

Well...it has finally come...our first day of "organized sports"!  "Organized" is a bit of a stretch.  But, Nathan started soccer today.  It turned out to be a fun evening for the whole family!  Our friends, Isaac and Dallin, came along with us tonight.  Isaac plays with Nathan, and Dallin and Joshua had a fun time on the "sidelines". 

Nathan did great!  We were so proud!

Greg with Dallin and Joshua at an "extra" goal.

Nice save, Joshua!

Elizabeth was a "water girl". She dilligently organized the two water bottles over and over!

Greg met us straight from work...so he was looking a little too good for the field. =)

Tie Dye Experiment

For Father's Day, Nathan's school class is creating a "Rock Star" music video to send home on DVD with each Dad on "Father Fun Day".  This last week Nathan was supposed to go to school looking like a rock star and having practiced dancing to pop music at home for the filming.  (What homework!) 

We decided to try making a tie dye shirt for him to wear.  It ended up being a fun project for us to do with our Grandma and Grandpa while they were visiting this last week. 

At JoAnns these days they sell several tie dye kits.  With a 40% off coupon we were able to get one for about $6.  We used it to do two shirts and a onsie (once we started...everyone needed one).  But, the kits come with everything you need and can do up to 8 shirts.

After carefully considering our options using instructions provided...

We put elastics on the shirts and then with the dye in squeezable bottles executed the plan.

It's so fun that really Greg is definitely the most creative one in our family.  When he's willing to get into these types of things there are always great results!

Elizabeth's 1st Birthday!

It was a great day to honor our special girl!! 

Just can't say how much we love her!

The Birthday Cake

Before and After

Opening Presents

A blanket from Mommy

A blanket from Great-Grandma and Grandpa Christensen

(Before my Grandma passed away...she and my Grandpa made a blanket for each of their grandchildren to pass on to their children.  They wanted the next generation to have something that connected to them and helped them know of my grandparent's love...even if they couldn't be here to show it.)

I've been waiting to give it to Elizabeth...but couldn't wait any longer!  A special thing to -- on a day when we wished we had family here to celebrate -- feel a closeness with "those who have gone before". 

It didn't take long for Elizabeth to "catch the spirit" of opening presents.

You can tell she totally enjoyed it!

Probably the sweetest part of Elizabeth's birthday for me was watching the love for her from "the men" in her life.  

Nathan has had a gift for Elizabeth for weeks...tucked away in his desk. A week or so ago, we were at a party store and he just begged to buy a bow...at first I couldn't think of why...but when I saw the purple sparkles on the one he'd chosen I realized this probably wasn't for himself.  The first present on the table on the birthday morning was Nathan's little treasure box with a glow in the dark star and a note.  (See the treasure box with bow in the top "Opening Presents" picture above and note below.)  For a mom...it doesn't get any better than this!

 

Packages from Grandmas

Friends that helped us celebrate.

A new dress for Sunday.