Welcome to my World

Just a few pics of my youngin's

2009-08-21T19:49:00.000-07:00

Just a few pics from the last few months.

2008-12-26T15:10:00.001-08:00

McKenna's birthday party. She turned 6 this year. I can't believe my baby is six!

Taylor carved this pumkin all by herself. I think she did an excellent job!

Gavin, as Bobofet, Taylor, as a Japanese girl, Dylan, just being goofy, and McKenna, as Cinderella. Halloween

Gavin, Shaun and Dylan...Love my boys!!

Gavin, Taylor, McKenna and Dylan at the Pumkin Patch.

Fall in Sherwood, OR

First day of school for everyone.

The view of the lake from our back yard. Amazing, huh? If I could have moved the house and the lake back to the northwest with us I would have.

Taylor with Rowdie.

Gavin, just sitting back and relaxing.

The kids loved the pool at the house in Florida. We lived on a lake with a beautiful view. They were in the pool every moment they could and became very strong swimmers

We went to Bush Gardens with my friend Dawn and her family. They loved Bush Gardens!!

We went to Mt. Rushmore on the drive to Florida this summer. It was a fun stop!

Snow is Everywhere!!

2008-12-25T20:07:00.000-08:00

The kids had a blast playing in all of the snow. They made an igloo and when the snow got deeper earlier this week Dylan made a snow cave.

This is our house with the first snow that fell last week. Earlier this week the snow got so high that you could not see the trail in front of the rock wall. We had record snow.

So it's been awhile since I have updated the blog. It was a crazy summer! We had so much drama in Florida. So many things went wrong from narrowing down the area to live, to the movers, the house, the cars. Finally, Shaun and I looked at each other and determined that God must be sending us a sign that Florida is not where we are supposed to be even though we miss our family and friends there very much. So, we came back to Oregon. We moved in less than a week and found a house even faster. We have renters in our other home so we couldn't move back into the other home, but this house is nice and the neighborhood is great!

The kids have adjusted well, moving right back into the swing of things without missing a step.

We had a GREAT Christmas and a white one at that! Shaun is especially glad that we did not miss this snow. He and the kids love the snow. I love it, too, but from a window inside the nice warm house.

Everyone...keep in touch...I will add more pics later!

WE"RE IN FLORIDA!!

2008-07-08T16:36:00.000-07:00

Well, we finally made it to Florida. My parents are so excited for the kids to e closer to them. I know they probably like me being closer too, but I know it's all about the grandbabies. Anyway, it was a fun trip down here and we got to see Mt. Rushmore too. It is a very cool sight. You see it in pictures, but there's nothing like seeing it up close and personal.

Now, that we are here we (the kids and I) are enjoying the pool, parks and entertainment of all sorts found in Orlando. I think the kids think we are just on a long vacation. We are having a good time and I am enjoying the time with my kids. Although I am missing my nights out with my friends. I haven't had much time on my own and I do no have any girlfriends here yet. Also, my kids are getting tired of playing with each other. So, we are on the hunt to find a house in a neighbor hood with lots of kids so they can have friends of their own.

I will do my best to post pictures soon!!

It's June!

2008-06-03T22:01:00.000-07:00

WOW!! I can't believe it June already. As of today I have only 7 days until the big departure and I hope I am ready for the movers when they come on the 10th. In the mean time, the school year is ending for my kids and I have completely forgotten to get the teacher's gifts for the kids teachers. I am usually so organized and creative. I'm thinking gift cards for everyone. Easy, quick and I know I would love to get a gift card...who doesn't love gift cards. At least it's not a #1 Teacher mug. As a teacher, you can only get so many "teacher" themed gifts before it gets a little overwhelming.

McKenna is done with school and is already bored and wants to go to kindergarten. She keeps asking about starting in her "new" school.

Check out the cute pictures of my kids. They are so adorable!!

BUSY, Busy, Busy!

2008-05-21T14:41:00.000-07:00

So, I have been really busy and trying to keep my head above water. Last week was to be the performances with the Sherwood Chorale that I sing with. I stressed myself out so much earlier in the week that I just hit a wall and my body said ENOUGH! I, fortunately got to sing on Friday night, but woke up feeling like crap and I had absolutely NO voice. You can't sing without a voice. I was really bummed!! All that preparation to not be able to participate much was such a let down.

Now, I am rushing around packing non-essentials, going through all of our stuff to determine what will stay and what will go. I can't believe how much it will cost to move our stuff to Florida! I'm glad I am doing all the packing myself. It would be more if I had them pack.

Well we should be leaving on June 11th and we should be in Florida around the 23rd of June. We are planning to stay in Ft. Pierce for alittle while and then head to Orlando. Then, we will be off to find the perfect house and neighborhood!

The time is coming fast and I am getting very excited!!

6 weeks

2008-04-24T22:18:00.001-07:00

With as much as I have enjoyed being in Oregon I am so excited to be going back to Florida. In Florida is my family, and life long friends that I miss horribly. My past is there and I enjoy reminiscing. I am also looking forward to a fresh start in a new place. I look forward to an exciting new chapter in my life. Those who know me well know that I have had a rough few years with friends, gossip, and just plain betrayal. I learned some very important life lessons and look at people and the world in general in a very different way. Out of these trials I have rediscovered the life long friendships from my past and developed one very special friendship here. I will miss her very much, but we understand that I must leave in order to improve my life and the life of my family.

So, we have 6 weeks. Six weeks to find a home, pack, and plan our trip across the country. It is going to be so much fun. We will see family along the way and some sights we haven't seen before. Not to mention we will get to spend some bonding time with our kids. So, this starts my countdown to home.

April snow

2008-04-19T15:12:00.000-07:00

See the white flake in the center right of the picture?

That's the snow. Ok it's not alot but it is still SNOW!

IT"S SNOWING...IN APRIL...WHAT? Isn't it spring? Our weather is so messed up that in 7 days we have gone from sunny and 78 to snowing, gloomy and 32. What is happening?

Update on Spring

2008-04-16T21:29:00.000-07:00

I guess the sun got scared. We're back to the dreary weather. Even the kids are getting sick of the "yucky" weather. We are praying for sun!!!

We SAW THE SUN!!

2008-04-12T20:50:00.000-07:00

Oh, the sun came out today all day. It was a beautiful day!! I know you must be thinking I'm crazy being so excited for sunshine, but you must realize it has been too long since we have had a warm spring day where we could be outside in shorts and t-shirts. In the land of "gloom and dreary" weather these days are few and far between at this time of the year. I wish the great weather could stay longer, but the weatherman predicts colder weather for tomorrow. Let's pray he's wrong. It is possible. Oregon weather people are not known for thier accuracey in predicting the weather.

So, the kids and I spent the day just lounging around outside. They are pooped and got to bed early so now I can enjoy some quiet time on my own before I go to bed.

Maybe spring HAS actually sprung here!

We're Home

2008-04-04T09:34:00.001-07:00

Back from Florida and recouping. I have been working diligently trying to get unpacked and my house back in order. You know how much laundry is piled up after 6 people have come back from vacation? Let me tell you, it takes up an entire room.

Anyway I thought I would share some pics of the kids. We had a great time!!

Gavin got Baptised. Doesn't he look sweet!

They made hotels for the lizards. There are tons of lizards in Florida and they thought the lizards should have better living conditions. Look! Gavin's even has a pool and an all you can eat salad bar!

McKenna loves to play Grandma's piano.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

2008-03-16T21:52:00.001-07:00

In honor of St. Patrick's Day and my son Gavin's birthday, I am wishing everyone a happy day!!

I am so excited about our upcoming trip. We leave on on Friday for Florida. I will get to see mom, daddy and Aunt Mildred. My kids are as excited as I am. Gavin will be baptized on Saturday and we are making plans to use every moment there to find an area to call home. Shaun's not as excited about the move(I think) as the rest of us are, but he is coming along slowly. He is however very excited about visiting FLorida and seeing all of our friends and family.

So, there is the long and short going on in my life these days. Not very exciting I'm afraid.
I look forward to seeing some of you soon!!

It's Been Awhile

2008-03-01T22:16:00.000-08:00

I haven't been very diligent in keeping my blog, so I will do my best to catch you up. Basically, I have managed to convince Shaun to move back to Florida. I leave on Tuesday to look for schools and houses. I am so excited!! I miss my family, my kids miss their grandparents and I miss my friends. Shaun is in a position where he can look for other employment, so he is looking in the southeast for a position. The search is going very well and he has had a couple of offers. Now, my job is to narrow down a place to live and since he works from home and travels to customers that becomes a difficult search with many options. I have narrowed it down to somewhere between Tampa and Lake Mary. Our family will be going to Florida for 10 days at the end of March. Part of that time I will be showing Shaun the areas that I like. We are planning on leaving here mid-June when the kids get done with school. This is a big move for us. We don't want to have to move again so we are prayerfully considering to right place to go.
I have been almost scared to tell anyone just in case something happens, but Shaun assures me that it is a done deal.

In January I went to New Mexico and helped my mom move my Great-aunt to Florida to live with my mom. That was a busy time. Aunt Mildred has lived in the same home for over60 years and has many things. Packing her home took a lot of organization, but was so much fun. She and Uncle Howard have experienced so many amazing adventures. They lived active lives and have many memorabilia of that life. I learned so much about them that I did not know. Aunt Mildred and I are very much alike. She loves to shop. I love to shop. She loves shoes, purses and jewelery. And so do I. I've decided I cannot be blamed for these things...it's in my genes. I am so glad mom has the opportunity to take care of her and that Aunt Mildred has someone to take care of her so she doesn't have to live in a nursing home.

Now you are up on my life...mostly anyway.

Just Bragging

2008-01-22T21:11:00.000-08:00

OK, I just finished my latest floral project for my dining room and I thought it turned out awesome so I am sharing. Pictured are my two latest floral designs. The pink vase on the buffet was a present from my dear friend Sonja for Christmas. I love it!! Did I mention this is one of my favorite hobbies. The only thing I like to do more is sing. I do floral designs for my home for every season and holiday. I love the rotating color of flowers!

It's a New Year

2008-01-17T23:23:00.000-08:00

Just a quick note to start off the new year. I have grand hopes that this will be a great year. My biggest hope is that we will make a big move back to the east coast. Of course, that largly depends on my husband and his job, but I am doing all I can.
We will be visiting Florida in March for Spring Break. The kids are so excited they can hardly stand it. I am finalizing details, so check back. I want to see and visit with everyone I can before I leave Florida.
Have a great year!!

Merry Christmas!!

2007-12-25T16:30:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas Everyone!! Today was a wonderful day. My parents came for a surprise visit last night (at least a surprise for me since Shaun helped plan the event). That was a great Christams present for me. It was so much fun watching the kids open all of thier presents. With each box broght another excited face. I'm pretty sure they got everything they wanted and then some.

After presents and breakfast it began to snow, alittle anyway. We got about 1-2 inches that stuck on the ground for afew hours. Long enough to play in and build a small snowman. It rounded out just perfect. Family and snow, who could ask for anything more.

It's Beginning to Look alot Like Christmas

2007-12-19T23:00:00.000-08:00

Well, we are finally decorated for Christmas. We didn't get all of the outside lights up this year, but it will have to do. The rain came in...and I do not work in the cold rain. Now I'm just wrapping things up at the school with the kids. Christmas parties are tomorrow and then school ends for the season. We will be spending Christmas in Oregon. As much as I wish we were with my mom and dad in Florida, it just won't be happening this year. I am hoping that we will get the opportunity for playing in snow whether here or up in the mountains.

Here are some pictures of my favorite room in the house at this time of the year; My formal dining room.

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas with your families!! Merry Christmas!

My Boy has a Girlfriend

2007-12-06T10:07:00.000-08:00

So, I picked up my 12 year old son from school yesterday and he tells me, kind of matter of factly, that he asked a girl to be his girlfriend and she said yes. I said, "So, does this mean you are going to hold her hand and give her a kiss?" He said, "Mom I can't kiss her at school, I'll get in trouble. And you have to be on a date to kiss and I can't do that until I'm 16, right" That's right!!

It didn't come as a total surprise that he is interested in her just that he had the courage to ask her. He's been talking about her for a couple months now and asking questions about how boys and girls become boyfriend and girlfriend. Completely, new ground for me, but kind of exciting.

So, he says, "I know I can't date until I am 16, but I would like to take her to the movies this weekend. I can pay for it. I just think it would be fun." Here is the rest of our conversation:

Me: "Dylan that is a date."

Dylan: "No, mom it's just the movies."

Me: "Dylan, what do you think people do on dates?"

Dylan: "I'm not sure, but Dad can take us and then it's not a date."

Me: "That's still a date. How about we all go together as a family and you can invite her to go with us."

Dylan: "But everyone will embarrass me. Can't we go by ourselves?"

Me: "No, Dylan, that is a date."

Dylan: "I don't get it."

I love that he was brave and confident enough to asked this girl to be his girlfriend, and yet scared that this is coming oh so fast. He's my baby boy. Where did the time go?

The Spirit of Christmas

2007-12-01T21:55:00.000-08:00

Tonight I sang in a community Christmas concert. I have participated in this choir for 3 years now. I love it!! It's a great way to begin the season. The auditorium was packed for both performances, which is fantastic because it is a benefit concert for the Voices of the Performing Arts in Sherwood (my sweet, little town). It's a great organization that helps fund the performing arts in my town, which has been relatively absent until about 4 or 5 years ago. To top it off it snowed today for the first time. It didn't stick, but the flurries were big and so much fun to run and play in. The kids were SO excited(I was too, but don't tell anyone)!!

We are busy decorating for the season -mostly me. I will post pictures as soon as I am done. My favorite room is my formal dining room. It looks beautiful! I am hoping my next post will be of our trip up the hill to cut down our Christmas tree. We do it every year. The kids pick it and Shaun cuts it down. My kids pick awesome trees!!

http://picasaweb.google.com/quin.christensen/VPAChristmas2007/photo?authkey=9NETIyEf7K4#5139461387111525410

You should be able to here our group if you go to this web site. The video is not that great, but it kind of gives you and idea of what we sounded like. It is so much fun!!

Happy Thanksgiving

2007-11-25T09:55:00.000-08:00

We spent a quiet day at home with just my family. BUT I am excited to start decorating for Christmas. This time of the year causes me to miss my family and friends in even more than usual so to get past my sadness I shopped. Yes, I did go Black Friday shopping at 5:30. I wish I could say I got some amazing deals. Not really, but it was tons of fun. Shopping therapy is the best therapy in the world!!