Christen

All posts tagged Christen

March 12, 2009
Aaron, X, and I start off on our road trip to end up in Oklahoma. We decided that we would take time getting there and have fun as a family. Our first destination would be White Sands, NM. I had thought that I had done my research and White Sands would be right there on our way. Come to find out later that night it was an hour an fifteen minutes out of the way. Who knew?

March 13, 2009
We have a tradition on vacation that we try to eat at places we don’t have at home. So we set off to in the direction that we thought the White Sands sledding park was in for a great place to eat. We find a little hole in the wall to eat at and a very nice local that explains that we headed in the wrong direction.

After we had ate breakfast, we drove to the White Sands National Park. Where they charged us an arm and a leg for three sledding discs. We then entered the park and drove to find some “naked” dunes. Once we found the perfect dune, we had some fun. I couldn’t be left out of the fun so I did the “bunny hill” a couple of times and the “big boy” hill once. However, Aaron and X did both, mostly the big hill, for about 2 hours. We had sand coming out of everything.

From there we decide to detour to Roswell, NM. When we found out that it would only add half an hour to our drive Aaron and I couldn’t pass it up. We love the sci-fi stuff. We didn’t stay long, but did take the time to do the UFO Museum and have Xavier take a picture with R.A.L.F. (Roswell’s Alien Life Form) their mascot. On our way to Roswell we stopped by a pistachio farm/vineyard. We acquired some very fun food items like a Pistachio Wine, Huckleberry Honey, Pistachio Coffee, Pistachio Honey and a Pomegranate Wine. It was an altogether great stop.

On we went to Amarillo, TX, where we would stay for the night. But the trip wouldn’t be boring. Xavier got to see his first snow fall. The temperature had dropped from 56 to 32 real quick. It snowed from an hour outside of Roswell to about half an hour outside of the Oklahoma/Texas line. In all it was about 4″. Being that the last time X was in snow he was about 2, he was having a ball.

If you know me at all you will know that I like my space to organized and clutter free.

We have steadily out grown our house that we have been in for about 4 1/2 years, so we thought that a little extra space would be helpful while we are waiting for the right house to come along. So we started out our Christmas vacation by building a shed. By we I mean, Aaron, Dad and Cody. Occasionally Mom, Rachel, and I would hold up a wall, sweep, etc. They had the shed finished by New Year’s weekend, which isn’t too bad for guys who had no clue what they were doing. They did a great job and I now have 120 sq feet of space to put Acholi Beads, which used to live in my living room, Christmas and Fall decor, and misc nonsense that we are keeping until we move.

Don’t think I wasn’t busy during this time the boys were building. I took this time to completely “gut” Xavier’s room. I took out all of his toys and went through them and got rid of so many that I think that we could of started a toy store. Then I went and got a ClosetMaid Cube, fabric buckets, and plastic tubs and sorted. I think he is now the most organized 5 year old in town, maybe even in Arizona. I went a little crazy.

And that’s not all, I have now, simultaneously started to reorganize the kitchen and the office. Who knows what’s next? I think that I have taken this New Year’s resolution thing a little far or maybe the meds the doctor has me on are just making it so I have many more better days.

Watch out…your pantry might be next!

I just want everyone to know that I have greatest group of friends. I am so very blessed to be surrounded by such love and support.

Four and half years ago my husband and I decided to move to the desert. Usually when you move to the desert you don’t find much and that is exactly what I thought I would find. We had found a church right away. But it took us a long time time to find a home team that we could belong too. Once we did it was awesome. It now has been a couple of years and we have had to “restructure” our home team but our group is the best. I have the best girlfriends, I could not believe that out here in the middle of the desert they would be here.

I just got back from the birthday lunch that they threw Jess and I. I had so much fun just being able to relax and know that I can be safe in this group. We had a great time just laughing at how many boys God has given us and how crazy these lunches will very shortly when they can all walk on their own. Man, are we in trouble! I vote for a nanny.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am so glad that we are having a rainy Thanksgiving. It helps put me in the baking and decorating mode. I am just so happy that the new meds that the doctor gave me are starting to help. I was so worried that I wasn’t going to be able to a part of the preparing of the meal this year. I wasn’t able to make any apple pies but I did make some pumpkin pie dip and some pumpkin pies. Maybe by Christmas I will be having more good days and I will be able to make all of my favorite holiday foods.

(Warning: Contains a woman’s rant on her personal possessions.)

We now have two dogs and they have the mob mentality which makes it very hard to figure out who’s done what. Last night one of my favorite brown kitten heal sandals became victim to the harsh environment of the teeth and drool. I caught both Cat and Maybe with the shoe, so like I said it is very hard to figure out who started the brutal attack.

I LOVED those shoes….also love my dogs. I guess it just gives me another reason to go shoe shopping.

I am reading a great book by Dr. James Dobson, bringing up Boys. I started reading it because my friends and I have a “book club,” really it is an excuse for us to get together to eat and talk. But this time around I am missing the lunch because I am in Boston. Not such a huge sacrifice, sorry girls. I am decided to write this little rambling because I still wanted them to know how I felt about our book.

There is a chapter titled “Father and Sons” and in it Dobson explains how we as a society have moved away from the traditional family where the father takes the leadership role, is the sole bread winner, protector, and spiritual director of the home. He explains that this necessary for our sons so that they have an example to follow and will be able to grow in the MEN that God created them to be. I have to say that I agree. The fact that there are some groups out there that want women to take on this role is crazy. We are wired differently! I know for a fact that I am thankfully that I have a husband that is MAN enough to step up to do all the things that God asks of him to do for our family. I would not for a minute want to carry the pressure that he holds, but I am always here as the help-meet that I was created to be.

Dobson does not let the mothers off the hook on raising young boys that we can be proud of. He lays it on as thick as he did for the fathers. He points that we as mothers have a huge role in teaching our sons. Being X’s care giver for most of the day I took this chapter to heart. It brought a huge challenge to me that I am the one that he see showing love to people, interacting with his dad, and giving him as much support as he needs as he learns to take life full speed. I think that I need to remember that he is a little sponge and he will be until I am six feet under. I hope that I can be the example God wants me to be for him so that we can raise a young MAN that we can be proud of.

I have been in desperate need of fitting clothes for some time now. I decided to go clothes shopping with my fashion adviser (X), Rachel, and my mom. We had done this over a couple of days, making sure my adviser wasn’t missing any crucial naps.

Our first shopping trip was for shoes. X decided that he should join in the fun of trying on all the different styles of shoes. He tried, ballet flats, heels, and even a nice pair of brown leather boots. X did try to walk in the heels and boots but continued to trip, he never gave up he just said they weren’t the right pair of shoes. He then proceeded to pick out shoes for Rachel and I to try on, saying “These are so pretty, you should buy them!” The pretty shoes he was picking out were like shoes that you would think a “lady of the streets” would wear, they were like 5″ wedges that were bright yellow that had a large bow on them.

The second shopping day Rachel had to start her new job so it was the Adviser, Mom, and I. We were shopping for clothes that would be suitable for mine and Aaron’s upcoming trip to Boston. X was again picking out clothes that I don’t think would be appropriate for public but that was par for the course. Being that both Mom and I had chosen things to try on, X had to go in the changing room with me. Now, X’s voice is not quiet by any means so everything could be heard in the changing area. As I was trying on clothes X was telling me how he liked or didn’t like certain things. I was trying on a dress (I know a dress, I even bought it) and X said, very loudly “Mommy, why do you have purple stripes on your tummy?” I thought I could pass out and never come out of the room. You would think that by now with this kid I would be used to the fact that nothing is sacred. I replied “Those were left by you.” X nodded his head like he had accomplished something great. I guess leaving a lasting impression is what everyone wishes for.