. . . day 2 commences. . . sheet rock. . .tape. . .mud. . . and some machine that textures the walls with mud. Great fun! Oh, what do you mean this isn't the walls. I kind of got mud sprayed EVERYWHERE!

For $25, It was way worth it....I think, I guess you don't really know until the paint goes on.

Live in a house for 25 years and change it one day and its suddenly hard to remember what it looked like before - weird. The paint is called "Dijon" it is the same color as going down the stairs. But I'm tired for one day and now all I do is wait for the paint to dry. Perhaps I can get in a few strokes of painting on Monday!

Step One

They say that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step! And so the first step began today!. Off with the panneling.

Then there was the Z-brick. . .and . . . well . . .

It was just easier to get rid of the wall!

And so day one comes to an end and the journey has begun!

Christmas Day!

8:00 a.m. seemed a good time to think about getting up, so I fixed us some eggs, sausage, biscuits and gravy - and we had a toasty breakfast in bed!

Mother nature dumped a good 12 inches of snow Christmas Eve. So we put on our warm stuff - jumped on our "toys" and headed for the country!


We spent about 2 1/2 hours down Brown's Canyon plowing through the snow. It was foggy, snowing and just too much fun!

Not much traffic on these roads! That makes it all the more fun!

Big mamma learning to ride!

The new Grizzly 700!

Throw in an afternoon nap - a movie - phone calls and leftovers and it all adds up to a very perfect day!

Christmas Eve for Two

Christmas Eve we had a wonderful 1 1/2 hour talk with Jordan - just like he left yesterday! He is doing well, has gained aobut 30 lbs! Wow isn't that great! He is so happy, loves the gospel, loves being a missionary. Then we had a wonderful meal, Taragon Scallops, grilled Salmon and grilled shrimp, tossed salad and candle light - now - what more could you ask? It was certainly a lovely Christmas eve!

Santa Comes Early!!!

Looks like Santa couldn't wait - its a 2009 Grizzly something or other - but it is BEAUTIFUL and Mark is one happy elf!!! and now, we have his and hers!

Christmas Fun

Each year Bluff Elementary has a Christmas Auction. Last

year I made a Ginger Bread House for them - wanted to try something different - so I took the Taste of Home Cover Challenge - and it was just that - a challenge! Some things were easier - some things were way harder. But all together it was lots of fun.

These snowflakes were actually not so hard and I loved how they turned out, they were really fun.

The poinsettias were really fun - I don't know gum well and tried to find "blue" gun. Nobody could actually tell me what gum was blue - so this was the closest I could come.

Now kids - This is NOT a Charlie Brown tree! I may prefer "slim" but this does not qualify as Charlie Brown. We had lots of fun going up the mountain and getting it. It was a beautiful clear cold day, just a skiff of snow and lots of fun!

4th Pic 4th Folder Tag

So - what do you do when the 4th folder only has three pictures? Post the third picture I guess! This is our back yard last winter, taken from the back porch when I got up one morning. Its what we have to look forward to.

Comfort Food!

I love macaroni and cheese! If you do too - you just may love this recipe! If you like creamy, really cheesy mac 'n cheese, this will be a favorite for you. I cut the receipe in half, I don't need to cook for 12 any more! I used a sharp chedder cheese and a grated parmesean cheese mixture. Wow it was good. Even the "M" of the empty nest was impressed! If you are looking for a "lighter" version, just use good old fat free milk instead of all the thick stuff.

1 16 oz pack elbow macaroni

3 cups 4% cottage cheese

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp garlic salt

3 cups half and half

1 cup milk

4 cups shredded cheddar chees

Topping:

1 cup dry bread crumbs

1/4 cup butter melted.

Cook macaroni according to directions. Meanwhile place cottage cheese in food prcoessor and process until smooth. In large saucepan, melt butter, stir in flour, salt , pepper and garlic salt until smlooth. gradually add cream and mil. Cook until thickened. Drain macaroni; mix macaroni, white sauce, grated cheese. Transfer to greased 13 x 9 inch baking disch. Combine bread crumbs and butter; sprinkle over the top. Bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 20-25 minitues or until bubbly. Enjoy!!!!

1- Where were you when you first found out you were pregnant? Standing in my living room in Cedar City, Utah
2- Who was with you? Mark
3- How did you find out that you were pregnant? The doctor's office called to tell us the blood test had returned positive.
4- What was your first reaction to finding out you were pregnant? Excited as we had been trying for 1 1/2 years - but we were both sick in bed with food poisoning at the time they called to confirm the pregnancy.
5- Who was the first person you told? Mark
6-Did you plan to get pregnant? Yes
7- Did you tell everyone else right away? Yes
8-Was everybody happy for you? Yes
9- Did you go out and celebrate? No, we were going to school and too poor to celebrate!
10- Did you want to find out the sex? It wasn't a possiblity back in the olden days!
11- What was the sex? Boy
12-Did anyone throw you a baby shower? Kind of - we were in a married student ward and 7 ladies were pregnant so we had a "ward baby shower for the 7 pregnant ladies."
13- If yes, who? SUU 2nd Married Ward
14- Did you get any outfits at the baby shower that you just knew you weren't going to put on your baby? No
15- How much weight did you gain? 62 lbs! He was born in June and it was so hot I just porked on the pounds!
16- Did you lose all of the weight that you gained? That time I did!
17- Did you get a lot of stretch marks? OHHHHH YEAAAAA! I have stretch marks that are scary!
18- What did you crave the most? Pizza.
19- Did you crave anything crazy? Cheese
20- Who or what got on your nerves the most? Other pregnant women!
21- Were you married at the time? Yes
22- Did you have any complications during your pregnancy? No
23- Where were you when you went into labor? IHome
24- Did your water break? Not on its own.
25- Who drove you to the hospital? Mark - twice. The first time they sent me home - how humiliating.
26- Did you go early or late? Three days late.
27- Who was in the room with you when you gave birth? Mark, the doctor and 110 year old nurse!
28- How long were you in labor for? Forever! Actually it was 19 1/2 hours.
29- Did you have any drugs for the pain? In my dreams - I wish.. I begged..no such luck.
30-Did you go Natural or have a c-section? I went "ah-natural" by default - I never lived any place that had epidurals - I begged for c-sections - no such luck!
31- Oh, yes, its over!
32- How big was the baby(s 8 lbs 3 1/2 oz ( I think, it was a LONG time ago)
33 - Did your Husband cry? No
34- What did you name the baby(s)? Jonathan Mark Christiansen
35- Does his name have any significant meaning? We both liked Jonathan - don't care for "John" and wanted to give him his daddy's name.
36- Did you have any visitors? Yes, grandmas and grandpas and aunts and uncles.
37- Did the baby(s) have any complications? No
38- How old is your baby today? 31 years old!.
39- When is the next one(s) coming? When *!##! freezes over!.
40-If you could, would you do it all over again? I had 7 and wouldn't trade a one - loved being a mom - but I would NEVER want to go through labor again - I would go through BIRTH again and again, it was a natural high - but NOT LABOR!!!!
41- Tag: TEENA, CINDY, SUMMER!!!

Fall Break - Monument Valley

8 Things Tag

So I'm pathetic, never been tagged. I read Jackie's blog and considered myself tagged. When you read my "things" you'll know how pathetic I am and why I don't get tagged!

8 Favorite TV Shows (Tough because I don't watch much TV)
1. Old British Comedies on PBS
2. Antique Roadshow also on PBS
3. Paula Deen's Home cooking
4. How It's Made
5. Hallmark Movies
6. On the Money (The ONLY program on at 3:00 am when I can't sleep which is not an INFOMERCIAL)
7. Private Practice (when it's nice)
8. 11th Hour (when it isn't gross)

8 Favorite Restaurants (Even Tougher because if all eat out places depended upon me - they would be out of business!) (So these are some of the best I have been to in my "travels.)
1. A little neighborhood pizza place in San Francisco - sun dried tomato pizza - absolutely the best pizza I have eaten in the world.
2. Irish Pub - Washington DC, BEST chowder and sour dough bread ever and ambiance is out of this world.
3. Muldoon's Pub - Washington DC - BEST peanut encrusted flounder I could imagine
4. Starbucks - sounds weird, but I love breakfast there - especially their Eggs Florentine on English Muffin.
5. Don't laugh, but the Campline, north of Monticello serves a mean steak!
Sorry, that's as far as I can go!

8 Things To Look Forward To (Something easy finally)
1. TWO new grand babies
2. Thanksgiving
3. Christmas
4. Retirement
5. Serving a Mission
6. Adding on to the house
7. Spring (that's terrible as winter hasn't even hit)
8. Losing my "baby" gut

8 Things I did Yesterday (Hard to narrow it down!)
1. Woke up at 3:00 a.m.
2. Baked a pumpkin/cream cheese cake roll
3. Typed medical dictations for 4 HOURS straight
4. Ripped molding off the bedroom wall
5. Talked to three of my children on the phone
6. I Voted
7. I was elected to the School Board
8. I attended Relief Society Visiting Teaching Workshop

You can be tagged too, especially if you are pathetic like me and have never been tagged.

Halloween - The Story Continues

So, some more thoughts on why I love Halloween. Reflecting back to my childhood Halloweens it wasn't the candy so much that I loved, don't get me wrong I did like candy as a child. I had the best neighbors in the world to go "trick or treating" to. It was an event. It was not just, knock on the door, get a piece of candy and run on to the next house. I had neighbors who had you come into their homes. There were neighbors who always fixed hot chocolate with marshmellows and we would go in and sit down and drink a steamy cup - Halloween was always miserable weather when I was a child. There were other neighbors who invited you in for home made donuts or apple cider. I had goofy neighbors who had a bowl of papers and you drew one out. The paper said what "trick" you had to perform before you got your treat. The best treats were always the homemade ones that they reserved for the "neighbor" kids. They had you parade your costumes for them and you never ever went trick or treating out of your "ward" boundaries, that was considered greedy. Several years I went trick or treating for charities and that was fun. I loved the costumes, dressing up, playing characters - I still do! So this morning we had "ghost toast for breakfast and Orange, cinamon and clove spiced cream of wheat! Who says you can't still be silly when there's only two of you? I love having trick or treaters come to my home. I love their happy voices. I love when they say thank you and Happy Halloween. Tonight there were two entire families who came all in costumes - they certainly got my vote! Their children will always remember Halloween. I got in the spirit of Halloween today and dressed up as a bag of "Jelly Bellies" I bought some jelly bellies and put them in small Halloween bags and then I went to each of the schools and took a bag to the principals and also to the district offices to the administration there - just to make them smile - and they did. Don't we all need to smile a little more and feel a little less stress some times? I wore it to the clinic and it was so fun to watch people's faces who came in - sick of course - but it made them feel just a little bit better. I think I love Halloween because it is about people being happy and helping people be happy.

I Love Halloween

"Orange" you glad it's Halloween?!

Place an orange post-it note over the flash of camera to give your entire picture a Halloween Hue

Today we had a "Super Saturday" for Relief Society enrichment. It was a Holiday Happening. We celebrated Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. I was in charge of Halloween. I had fun food ideas for families, easy to make costumes that cost less than $5.00. It was fun, we didn't have a good turn out, but I tell myself, ONE person is worth it. Those of us that were there had a good time. Some of the costumes I did was a fried egg, Leggo, bubble bath, bunch of grapes, picnic lunch with ants, "Got Milk", bag of "Jelly Bellies" Here is some of the fun food.

Creepy Crawly Cupcakes

BRAINS FOR BRUNCH!

(Peeled watermelon, with squiggles cut out)

Ghost Toast

(Cut out of Texas Toast, spread with cream cheese, raisin bits for eyes)

Mary Jane's - Carly Jane's

When I was a little girl, your Sunday shoes were round toed, black patten leather with a strap across the foot. They were fondly called your "Mary Jane's." As time goes around, so do styles and it seems that the style has returned, a little updated. I also noted that Carly Jane wears "Mary Jane's" - Hmmm......do you think there is a connection? I couldn't resist this cute little numbers when Alco had a great sale. I've been looking for flat, comfortable, brown and black that I could wear with pants to work. I love my "Janes!"

Eat Your Heart Out

What can I say. . .its corn on the cob at Christiansen's. . .it doesn't get much better than this!

Kim - Brian - Eric

It has been a very difficult week. It has been amazing to see the outpouring of love from the entire community. I can't help but share some of the wisdom and comfort that came from family members of these three good men. "If the Lord is going to take three such fine men in the prime of their lives, there must be something BIG going on up there and you and I had better watch out and get our lives in order!" "My dad could best be described as being, slow to anger, and I gave him plenty to be angry about.!" " The scriptures teach us that when we die we go home to that God who made us, to a place of rest and peace, where there is no sadness and no sorrow. I know that Eric and Kim and Brian could not be happy, could not be at peace, could not rest having left their families behind unless He who made them, somehow gave them them understanding and insight to His plan. It is the plan of happiness and it is a perfect plan. It is not "our" plan for happiness, but his plan and I know it is perfect."

Date Night ... or Make Hay While The Sun Shines

Dr. Black has now worked for the Health District for one year. In appreciation to the employees who have been so welcoming to him, he hosted an afternoon movie at the San Juan Theater. (Jackie, they have NEW seats with cup holders even!) Dad and I took advantage of the chance to have an afternoon date - doesn't happen very often! Cathy kept an eye on grandma and we went to the movie.

KUNG-FU PANDA!!! I normally don't care for Pixar type movies, but I did enjoy this. I thought it was a fun family movie. I especially enjoyed "Po" - they did such a good job of capturing his character and and his facial expressions were superb. We got free drink and popcorn and were banned from sitting on the back row! (They didn't trust us!) The popcorn was OUTSTANDING, the lemonade was refreshing, the movie was good and my date was HOT!

Good-Bye Bus Barn

Jeremy's last day at the San Juan School District Bus Barn was Thursday. In token of his great appreciation for all the staff, he decided to "bake them a cake."

The master cake creator is off and running!

Some things take precision work!

Two heads are better than one!

Voila!

Grandma Toys

Grandma's house just can't be boring. Today the San Juan Bronco Football Team had their annual Yard Sale. I stopped to see what I could find. As Grandma's house just doesn't have any cool toys any more I decided I'd better get something to "lure" my grandchildren to come. I've never really been much of a yard sale shopper, but I had a blast today, rummaging through stuff with the best of them. I just got a great deal! Remote control CAT, Sponge-Bob magic erase book, Little Tike tunnel and tracks, and a bucket full of Lego Blocks. Now, I feel like an uptown Grandma!

My Glad Game

Anybody a fan of Polyanna? I always have been. She had a game called the glad game, no matter how hard something was or difficult, one could always find something to be glad about. I guess over the years I've developed my own "glad game." When I was much younger I found myself being unhappy and discontent about "things." After going to visit family members in their beautiful homes I would come back to my home and be very unhappy. Their homes "matched," their furniture "matched," their decor "matched". I would look around my home and imagine how I could make my home "match." It would always end the same way - I wasn't in a position to afford to make my home "match." My basement remained unfinished and would for many years, my furniture did not match - and still does not for the most part. I made myself miserable. One day as I was wallowing in my woes, I came to the realization that I could spend my entire life being miserable for what I did not have and what I could not do. Did I really want to do that? Would I wake up one day resenting those people that I loved the most because I did not have or could not do the things they did? I took stock of what I had. I had a husband who loved me dearly, he worked hard and was very good at his job. I was a stay at home mom who was blessed to "be there" for my seven children. My home was comfortable and provided for what we really needed. I had food on the table and my children did not go hungry. Most importantly I had my membership in the church and the gospel of Jesus Christ. How could I pine for "things" I did not have. And so came about my glad game - if I could not have something or if I could not do something - I certainly could be glad for those who did. It was an amazing turning point in my life. Oddly enough, the glad game has brought me immeasurable joy. I would never have believed that being glad for the accomplishments, the activities, the possessions of others could make me so happy and so content. I have been eternally grateful for the day that I made the conscious decision to be "glad" for others.

Run Away!

So, we ran away for just a day and look who we found who wanted to play!

Two men and a baby!

Bentley and "her" baby go walking with Grandma.

Grandma is in 7th Heaven

Grandpa love his BIG boy!

Grandma always has to count the toes....

Precious!

Bauer - just too cute!