Mesa Falls and the beginning of goodbye

I've said it before and I will probably say it again, but I HATE when our friends grow up and abandon us! It's getting even worse now that Stori is talking and connecting with everyone. (and even more worse when those friends live 7 steps away).
 So to celebrate the end of an amazing semester of friends, we headed to Mesa Falls. We packed our lunches and hit the road after church and naps.
We headed straight down to the waterfall and got all the picture-taking out of the way.

We had the perfect spot for our picnic because the kids were sorta trapped in the forest and therefore they entertained themselves while the adults ate and talked. They did lots of exploring, climbing, dancing, eating cheetos, falling of tables, and lots of pooping.

Dan decided to take Luke down to the waterfall again to see if the lighting was better. I took that to mean that they would go down there and come and get us if the lighting, was in fact, better. Dan thought that meant we would go down there if we wanted to see it again. Well, while they were gone, both Lila and Stori pooped. Lila wears panties, so those went to the garbage. Stori wears diapers but somehow she went through that like she was a newborn. She was in so much pain but Dan took the keys to the car. The car that held her diapers and wipes. So we took a trip to the great and smelly potty---emptied her diaper, and washed her down naked in the water fountain. Keepin' it classy.
Well the boys finally returned after an hour and we took another stroll down to the waterfall for some even more pictures. I'm married to the king of taking pictures.

Nora, Alicia, Drew, and Lila

Alana, Tracen, and Luke

Besides the poop, we all had such a GREAT time!!!
We took a detour home to Silver Falls to enjoy the pretty waterfall and the million mosquitos. And let me tell you this, I would rather have a million mosquito bites than have our friends move away....
the end.

Drive-In with the family

Nothing takes you back to your younger days quite like floatin the river during the day and enjoying the Drive-In at night. There were 4 of us siblings and our families (plus Mother who actually stayed awake) eating popcorn and penny candy, and yelling at other cars that were blocking our view ;) Just as it should be.

My tiny human has been growling like a monster ever since this night. (Monsters University and Lone Ranger---we didn't stay awake for the 2nd one though)

CFFR8 and all things great.

The week of the 4th was so so so so crazy fun! 

I would say the only bad part about the whole reunion/celebration, was that I didn't get to see Dan very much. He loves being with my brothers and bro in laws, so they took every opportunity to play frolf, go shooting, go for soda runs, play cards, etc. The girls didn't need the husbands anyway---we were busy talking, cooking, cleaning, reminiscing, and just enjoying being family.

We literally had every single member of my family home and staying at my mom's house. (48 in total). There was room for everyone because part of our reunion tradition is camping out in mom's forest. Also, we live only half hour away so we came back to our apt to sleep part of the time because my pregnant self wasn't getting the sleep I needed because Stori was having way too much fun to sleep! She literally cried for "Granny's house" if we came back to our apt. But we would get home late and leave real early, so she somehow managed to survive. :)

A few highlights of that week

-80's theme reunion: Lot's of big hair, hairspray, makeup, and mullets

-beyond delicious food

-child-less date to Texas Roadhouse for Kristie's bday

-dress up with cousins

-4th of July parade in Menan: where the boys took a swim in their clothes

-Menan fireworks: literally has become our favorite spot to watch them

-Trapeze swinging for Stori and Daddy

-a huge backyard for running around

-hammock-ing

-perfect deck for relaxing and eating

-tricks on the trampoline

-building towers for Flynn Ryder

-cousin time

-BOUNCY HOUSE! this was a huge hit

-s'mores over the fire

-Listening to 80's music with the Queens of the 80's (sisters)

-picking up Corey from the airport in our 80's gear

-Ryders blessing and having everyone at church for it

-playing games after the kiddos are asleep
-not getting on my phone! I would go to charge it at night and still have 96% battery! It is wonderful to be disconnected from all the distractions I let in my life!

And holy cow so much more..... !! 

The best part is that it's not even over. we still have lot's of shopping to do, floating trips to take, shooting, hiking, more food to eat, and lot's of deck sitting in the perfect Idaho weather. I just love this time of year and my family!
The Christensen Family Fun Run year 8

The bouncy house and roasting some s'mores

taking pictures on daddy's camera

The Parade

 

it was so hot at the parade that these guys jumped in fully clothed. Dan didn't have a change of clothes but jumped in twice.

Getting all 80's

how we do... this pic is super pixilated so it has to be small

34 weeks preg and my freaking cute punkin princess

Ryders blessing day

All the sibs in birth order

all the ladies (and one giant)

haha

Grandma and ALL the grandkids Baby Rad 2 will make 33

My tiny human is not so tiny anymore...

July 17, 2013 marked the day that I became the mother of a 2 year old. 

To celebrate, we had not one, not two, but 3 parties! Well two and a half...

*July 11 (Hazels bday) 

We had a twin cousin Minnie Mouse birthday party. We made chicken salad sandwiches and the most heavenly cupcakes in all the land. Neither Dan nor I like cupcakes, but these really hit the spot. It was actually my first time making cupcakes from scratch EVER, but I knew I would like them because my sister made them for my baby shower when I was preg with Stori.

So we ate dinner both inside and outside due to the off-and-on rain storm, sang happy birthday, and then opened presents. Stori got a Rapunzel dress up doll from Granny that she hugged and hugged. It was a great day and we seriously have such an amazing and fun family!! 

As for a present from us....Dan had this grand idea to get Stori a power wheel because he always wanted one when he was little. Well I was very reluctant for several reasons:

1. I didn't want her to get spoiled by toys and material things---I spoil her pretty good by taking her on a walk to the park everyday.

2. I didn't want a giant toy to take up space in our apartment.

3. I didn't want her to want to ride it every day because I would have to haul the heavy thing downstairs and I'm 9 months preg.

4. And, I didn't want to spend the money. I thought a new book or some frozen yogurt would be just great for a tiny human.

 BUT

Everyone I told sided with Dan. And I guess it was pretty cute at how excited he was about his idea---like called me over 7 times in an hour as he was shopping for her. 

So he got all the info and it turns out the power wheel was a Minnie Mouse 4-wheeler that was light-weight, cheap, really small, and perfect for our Stori Rose. So he got it. And she LOVED it!!! She did a great job at sharing it with her cousins while they were at Granny's house too. All in all, a successful bday party!

wearing their twin outfits that they wore when they turned 1

and wearing their new twin outfits that Kristie got them

hugging her Rapunzel dress up doll from Granny

*July 17 twin friend bday party (Astoria's actual birthday)

Sticking with tradition, I decorated the house while Stori was sleeping. I placed streamers down her door so that she would walk through them when she got up. She was soooo excited to see those and called them her princess streamers.

Then we took a trip to the park with Tracen and Alana to play as much as she wanted, and enjoy a free lunch at the park! 

That night we got together for dinner with the Foresters and the Allreds. Lila Rose and Stori Rose have the exact same bday just one year apart. I was shocked at how much fun those 2 crazy girls had. They laughed and hugged for seriously 10 minutes. Alana is the sweetest and gave them matching birthday dresses from H&M and they looked so cute! We ate dinner, had cake and ice cream, and then played and played and played. I am so lucky to have amazing friends!

The beautiful Alana and Alicia posing with the 36 week pregnant giant!

*July 18 no ones birthday but still a party

A sweet girl in our ward works at a horse arena in Idaho Falls and let Tracen, Stori, and Lila come and ride her Pony "Little Bit." Tracen enjoyed the trucks they had there to play with more than the Pony, but Lila and Stori absolutely loved their Pony rides. The pony was small so it made our girls look way older than they are. She walked them each around the arena 4 times and these kids thought they were in heaven!

      

So far, turning 2 is 3x's the fun. She is talking so much and just makes our hearts explode on a daily basis with how much we love her! She is the best tiny human I could ever ask for! Love you Punkin! Happy 2nd Birthday!