Feb 19
I was on kid duty tonight. A voluntary thing, let me assure you. I like spending time with my siblings. Since Mom, Jess & Logan wanted to go see “Dear John” (I already saw it and enjoyed it – I LOVE Channing Tatum), I offered to watch the kids. Reece was away on a camping trip (who goes camping in the snow anyway?), so it was the 2.0s , Wade and I. Dad is in Brazil, but he gets back soon, wahoo!
At first we said we’d have a “girls night plus Wade.” He quickly corrected us – we were going to have a “girls night plus THE MAN.” And we did – a little popcorn, a movie, cupcakes and some nail polish. (The Man skipped out on the nail polish.)
This isn’t the first time this week that Wade has cracked me up. Mom and I were hanging out at the table while all the boys were being their usual crazy selves. I said we needed to think of a word to describe them – without skipping a beat, Wade had one. “Sexy.” And then he walked out of the room.
Can I just tell you I love my life? Really, how could I not?
Tagged with: 2.0s • cassie • channing tatum • dad • family • girls night • jessie • logan • missouri • mom • reece • sam • wade
Feb 06
At the Christensen household, we’re not big believers in unibrows on women. Unfortunately for us, it seems unavoidable. So we wax. More appropriately, we “sugar.” My youngest sisters have now joined the club. (They enter when they want to; no one should make a little girl sugar!)
This morning, we were doing the deed – Cassie had asked me to take care of her unibrow at the same time I was annihilating mine – and I told her that “Sometimes it hurts to be beautiful.” Almost instantly she responded, “Then I don’t want to be beautiful!” Fortunately for her, she’s beautiful both ways. Unfortunately for her, at the same time she was yelling, I took her unibrow right off.* Distraction is everything. Besides, sugaring doesn’t hurt nearly as much as waxing. Don’t ask me why – I have no idea.
*Before you think I am into inflicting cruel and unusual punishment, Cassie’s been sugared before. She totally knew what she was getting into.
Tagged with: beauty • cassie • family • leila • sisters • sugar • wax
Jan 26
Samantha’s got a nickname. Actually, she and Cassie share a nickname. We call them “The 2.0s.” As in, the 2.0 version of a pretty good set to begin with – Alisha and I. (If we do say so ourselves.) Cassie’s fond of reminding us that they are the “new and improved” version. (Good luck with that, Cass. It’s a pretty high bar.) Anyway, if you look at the pictures Alisha and I have of growing up and compare us to Sam & Cassie, you’d sometimes be stuck wondering who was who. (Sorry, I don’t have an example to show you this instant. Lame, I know. But that would require going through some boxes of photos, scanning one in, and then uploading it. Too. Much. Work. For right now anyway.)
One thing that Sam and I both love? Spa treatments! Yes, it starts at an early age. She turned eleven this weekend and she wanted a spa day. We brought it to her. And if she ever says that Mom, Jessie or I don’t love her, I’m going to show her pictures of us scrubbing little ten year old feet for pedicures. Who would do THAT if they didn’t love her? PS – I’m just posting happy pictures. No need to relive any feet-scrubbing if we don’t have to.
Tagged with: 2.0s • birthday • cassie • party • sam • spa
Jan 17
That’s how Cassie summed up the story of Samson tonight. Never read it? Check out the Old Testament – you can find it in the Book of Judges. If you’re using the King James Version, the end (SPOILER ALERT – where Samson pulls down two pillars and kills 3000 Philistines) is in Judges 16. Or you can just listen to Cassie’s version. When Sam was asking about Samson, Cassie piped up with “he had an evil girlfriend.” You want more from her? “Sometimes guys are foolish.”
That’s pretty simple actually, and for a 9 year old to be able to sum it up like that is pretty sweet. (Not that I’m biased or anything.) She’s right actually – Delilah wasn’t exactly a stellar woman. But Samson WAS pretty foolish – after all, he lied to Delilah about the source of his strength THREE times, and she did exactly what he said would destroy his strength THREE times. Why then, would he actually tell her the source of his strength? Foolish is a good word. (I’d say “stupid,” but that’s a word that Cassie’s not allowed to use. My mom’s big on encouraging a strong vocabulary, and she thinks you can always find something more descriptive than “stupid.” If you can’t, I’d suggest looking at the thesaurus. Here’s a link.)
Cassie’s pronouncement made me think… there are probably times where things are that simple for me, and I just don’t get it. I am pretty positive of one thing though – I don’t have to worry about an evil girlfriend. (At least not one of my own!) It’s just those men I’ve got to look out for. Thank goodness for small blessings.
Tagged with: bible • cassie • foolish • girlfriend • old testament • samson
Dec 21
We went shooting this weekend. “We” is a misnomer. I did not actually fire a gun. I took pictures.
For some reason, firing a gun seems to ignite total masculinity. Trust me. Take a look at the pictures.
At our house, when someone’s extra masculine, we say they’ve got their “man boots” on. Well this weekend, EVERYONE had their man boots on. Even Cassie. (I had to include her in the pictures. Hello – she did a “man” pose too! How could I not include her?)
My dad is the best shot – duh. He can tell the person to “pull!” (to release the clay pigeon) while the gun’s relaxed by his hip and still blow it out of the air. My bros were pretty freaking amazing too – Logan hasn’t been shooting for almost 3 years, and he blew EVERY SINGLE clay pigeon he fired at to smithereens. Reece keeps a cool enough head that if he misses the first shot, he can get off the second while the clay pigeon’s still in the air. It never stands a chance against him. Wade is only 13 and is a pretty good shot. And Cassie – she TOTALLY rocks. If you’ll notice, the gun is almost as big as her. I guess sometimes, you’ve just got it. Enter man boots.
Tagged with: brothers • cassie • dad • guns • logan • man boots • reece • wade
Nov 24
First off, Happy Thanksgiving!!! (And I know I’m a couple days early, but I’m celebrating all week.) I hope you eat lots of turkey, if that’s your thing. My personal weakness on Thanksgiving is crescent rolls. I can skip the turkey entirely (but I normally don’t) as long as I have crescent rolls. My all-time favorite crescent rolls are made by Alisha. Unfortunately, I will have to settle for not-quite-my-all-time-favorite crescent rolls this Thanksgiving, because she will be stuck in Utah. (Collective *sob* from the entire family.)
At Church this week, the speaker talked about how happiness is a byproduct of gratitude. It’s really made me focus on all the things I’m grateful for – after all, I LIKE being happy! It’s totally worked. It’s been a good week.
I started to write a list of all the things I’m grateful for. It got too long. Like, crazy long. So instead of boring you with all the details (like how grateful I am for the brilliant blue bathmats I have in my bathroom, complete with matching towels), I thought I’d share some thoughts I’ve had about the things I’m grateful for.
I realized that the things I am most grateful for in my life can’t be bought. They actually aren’t “things” at all. They are people. And people are irreplaceable. There is nothing that beats being able to be the big sister who comes home on the weekends to curl your 9 and 10 year-old sisters’ hair. Or being able to play cards with your crazy family until midnight and not even noticing the time. Or being able to watch your brothers grow up and learn to be men. It’s fantastic to have girlfriends who you can laugh (and cry) with. It’s so nice to have guy friends you can dance with (and who will move furniture for you). It’s amazing to have professional associates who will send you examples of things you’ve never done before. People rock.
Things are just that – things. Even though they might make life more enjoyable sometimes, they don’t love you back. And yes, I hear some of you saying your Audi loves you back. Trust me – it’s got nothing on the people I know.
Tagged with: alisha • allen • cassie • church • dad • family • grateful • jessie • logan • missouri • mom • quotes • reece • sam • shannon • wade
I was on kid duty tonight. A voluntary thing, let me assure you. I like spending time with my siblings. Since Mom, Jess & Logan wanted to go see “Dear John” (I already saw it and enjoyed it – I LOVE Channing Tatum), I offered to watch the kids. Reece was away on a camping trip (who goes camping in the snow anyway?), so it was the 2.0s , Wade and I. Dad is in Brazil, but he gets back soon, wahoo!
