First Days of Summer

I finally finished up my school work this week and the kids had their first full week of summer vacation.  It has been raining since last week but the last couple of days the sun came out and it finally felt like summer was here.  We got to enjoy a lot of time outside doing yard work and playing.  We also go some new animals to keep us busy.

We already had chickens, turkeys, a calf and horses.  Melissa and Dennis (some friends of ours) brought over two pigs and a miniature pony Thursday night.  Their kids are too big to ride the pony so they brought her over to us for the summer so our kids could ride her.  It's so funny to see them riding around the yard on this little bitty horse named Frannie!  Especially when we are used to riding thoroughbreds!  One day I'll have to get a picture of Frannie next to Nacho.  It's too cute!

Frannie loves to eat grass.  Constantly.

Zane even rode her down the driveway to check the mail.  The Pony Express is back!  Frannie almost made it back down the driveway before she had to stop and eat grass again.  Our pony express rider had to walk the rest of the way back to the house leading her.  Not the quickest way to get the mail!

Our pigs are named Bacon and Porkchop.  Bacon is the striped one and Porkchop is the white one.  The kids named them.  You can tell by their names what their future holds.

We still have our calf that has gone from being named Chocolate Chip to Lula.  Lula fits her.  Zeke and Olivia like to go in the pasture and play tag with her.  She'll chase them for a while and then they chase her.  It's funny to watch!

Today we took four of the kids fishing.  Dillon was with a friend so Makenna, Zane, Zeke and Olivia came with us.  We ended up with 9 trout.  They had a lot of fun and we were the only ones there fishing.  It was a beautiful afternoon.

Can't wait for a few more of these summer days and opportunities to share them with family and friends!

Olivia Turns 10!

Yesterday we got to celebrate Olivia's 10th birthday.  She was so excited for it!  We let her open one present the night before since Michael was going to be gone all day on her birthday so he wouldn't be home for the other gift. Monday morning she got up and opened her other one.  Olivia loves gymnastics and is always doing some sort of cartwheel, round off or hand stand.  For Christmas she got a mat so she could do her gymnastics inside during the winter.  She had been wanting a balance beam for a really long time and I finally found one on one of the rummage sale sites that was a good deal (they are usually quite expensive to buy). 

She loves it!  She has been on it constantly since Sunday night and is getting better at doing cartwheels on it and getting her feet on it when she lands.

Makenna made her birthday cake while I was at work and Olivia frosted it and put the sprinkles on.  Purple is her favorite color so we had purple frosting.  Then Olivia helped make her birthday supper.  She chose chicken taquitos.  They were really good!  It was rainy in the afternoon so she and I watched Liv and Maddie (one of her favorite TV shows) on Netflix for part of the afternoon.

She got a couple of phone calls from family in the evening and got to call Maddi that night too.  We ended the evening eating her purple cake with some cookie dough ice cream.

Olivia is such a blessing to us.  She is stubborn and likes to be right all the time but she is also helpful, happy and kind.  She loves to play games when she is not upside down in the middle of a handstand or cartwheel.  She likes to ride horses, play basketball and swim.  She loves to sing - especially High School Musical songs.  We love having her in our family!

Happy Birthday Princess O L I V I A (spell it, don't say it). ☺

Last Day of School!

May 17th 2017 marks the end of the 2016-2017 school year.  What a year it has been!  To say it has been trying is an understatement.  This has, hands down, been the most difficult year of my life and I know that my children and Michael have also faced a lot of difficulty throughout the year.

However, there has been a lot of good too!  The kids have been successful in their schooling and other activities.  We have stuck together and made the most of each crazy and difficult situation.  We have been blessed with many wonderful friends who have stood by us offering prayers and hugs as needed (and the necessary Diet Coke or Dr. Pepper). 

Our days have been filled with school, sports, church, FFA, and singing.  Olivia played volleyball and basketball this year.  She also participated in an honors choir and our C25K program.  She finished 27th in the C25K.  Zeke participated in football and basketball.  He also did our C25K program coming in at 9th place.  Dillon participated in football, basketball and track.  Zane did basketball, track and FFA.  Makenna did cross country.  She and her team went to state this year!  She started basketball but her season was cut short with knee surgery.  She is getting her strength built up again for cross country season.  She sang the National Anthem at some of our home games for volleyball and football.  She also sang at some district and regional basketball games and ended with singing twice at the Boys Basketball State A finals.  She was in All State Chorus this year and also a Women's Choir at SDSU.  Maddi had to sit out cross country because of a track injury but was ready to play basketball this winter.  She also participated in FFA.  Maddi and Makenna also did early morning seminary throughout the school year.  The four youngest kids and I also ran a 5k for a church fundraiser. 

Now summer is here!  It will still be crazy busy but I look forward to some down time to clean, sort and recover.  Camps start in a couple of weeks.  Rock picking starts soon too.  We will see some family this summer, some of whom we haven't seen in four years.  We are really looking forward to that!  We will also hopefully fit in some trips to the pool, the lake and the fire pit ☺

Here are our last day of school pictures!

 

 

Just finished 4th grade

Just finished 5th grade

Just finished 7th grade (and got a haircut 10 minutes before we left for school this morning because he thought that would be easier than combing it)

Gets to do 8th grade again!  JK He passed ☺ and he can drive so watch out locals your safety cannot be guaranteed!

Just finished her freshman year

 

Zane turns 14!

On April 13th Zane turned 14.  He got to celebrate by going to school ☺  That night we had BBQ chicken sandwiches (his choice) and then ice cream for desert.  I was sick so I didn't get his cake made until Friday so we celebrated him again that night too.

I can't believe this punk is old enough to drive now!  I took him in Friday to get his license but the DMV was closed so he will have to wait a little longer to get that (which I am ok with).

We are so thankful for Zane.  He is kind, funny, smart, caring, easy going and helpful.  He is such a blessing to our family!

 

 

Sue likes him too ☺

 



 

Perfect Love

Today is Easter Sunday.  Today we remember and give thanks for our Savior, Jesus Christ, who after suffering beyond comprehension and dying for us all, rose from the grave.  Because of this, we too, shall live again.  He freed us from sin.  He freed us from the grave.  He opened the door for us to return to live with Him and our Father in Heaven again.

In church we were able to sing hymns of the Savior's victory over the grave.  We were able to listen to talks, scriptures and testimonies of the Savior's suffering, death and atonement - of His perfect love for us.  While I loved them all, one stood out to me and touched me. 

Christ was the one perfect person to walk the face of this earth.  He was the only one who could do what He did.  He lived a perfect life.  He had a perfect love for us and for Heavenly Father.  He had perfect humility, obedience and knowledge.  And now, He has the perfect understanding of us and all that we go through.

Christ did not just feel the pains of our sins when he suffered in Gethsemane.  He felt our sorrows and struggles, our heartache and fears.  This quote was shared in church today and I love it.  It puts things into better words than I can.  David A. Bednar said, "The Savior has suffered not just for our iniquities but also for the inequality, the unfairness, the pain, the anguish, and the emotional distresses that so frequently beset us. There is no physical pain, no anguish of soul, no suffering of spirit, no infirmity or weakness that you or I ever experience during our mortal journey that the Savior did not experience first. You and I in a moment of weakness may cry out, “No one understands. No one knows.” No human being, perhaps, knows. But the Son of God perfectly knows and understands, for He felt and bore our burdens before we ever did. And because He paid the ultimate price and bore that burden, He has perfect empathy and can extend to us His arm of mercy in so many phases of our life. He can reach out, touch, succor—literally run to us—and strengthen us to be more than we could ever be and help us to do that which we could never do through relying upon only our own power."

Christ knows exactly how I feel.  He knows and has felt my exact pain.  He knows the hurt that is in my heart.  He knows the sadness that I feel each day.  He understands completely because He has felt it, not something similar, but the exact pain.  That brings such peace to me. 

In Matthew 11:28-30, Christ invites us to come to Him.

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light”

 

He will give us rest.  He has already suffered.  He can and will ease our burdens so we don't have to suffer the pains He has already felt.  We just have to come to Him.

 

Today I took a picture of my kids all dressed up for church.  My heart hurts that only 5 of my 6 little Christiansens are in it.  However, through Christ, I have hope that all will be well.  He is there to lift us up, strengthen us and give us peace as we walk through this sometimes painful and treacherous life.  I know that He perfectly knows me, my heart and my circumstances.  He knows what I need and He is able to give it to me.  His love is stronger than any pain that can be felt.  It is stronger than any wrong that can be done.  It is stronger than any hurt that can be weighing us down.  His love can lift us above it. 

 

I am so grateful for my Savior, Jesus Christ.  I know He lives.  I know He loves me.  I know He will never leave me.  I know through Him, I can be saved. 

#PRINCEofPEACE - God's Word

Tonight we found scriptures about peace or about the Savior who is the Prince of Peace. In the scriptures we can find peace, healing, answers, guidance and knowledge.  We can feel God's love for us as we read His words.  We can come to know the Savior as we read about His life, His example and His teachings.  Here are some of the scriptures that were shared.

Olivia: Acts 2:21  "And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved."   If we ask Jesus for help, He will help us.  When we follow Him we will be saved.

Dillon: Proverbs 16:7  "When a man’s ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him."  If you're doing good and you're righteous, even your enemies will be peaceful and not fight you
1 Nephi 13:37 " And blessed are they who shall seek to bring forth my Zion at that day, for they shall have the gift and the power of the Holy Ghost; and if they endure unto the end they shall be lifted up at the last day, and shall be saved in the everlasting kingdom of the Lamb; and whoso shall publish peace,"  If you're righteous then you will have joy when Jesus comes again.

Zane:  John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled , neither let it be afraid."  Christ gave us the Holy Ghost to comfort us and give us peace so we won't be afraid or troubled.

Michael Isaiah 48:22  "There is no peace , saith the Lord , unto the wicked."  If you're naughty, there's no peace.

Emma: John 14:18  "I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you."   He is always there for us.  He will never leave us.

Zeke:  Matthew 1:21  "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus : for he shall save his people from their sins."   Jesus was born to save us from our sins.  He is our Savior.

#PRINCEofPEACE - Faith

One of the principles that we learn from Christ's teachings that give us peace is Faith.  Faith or belief in God gives us something to hope for, something to look towards, something to work on.  Tonight for Family Home Evening we read scriptures on faith and I had the kids write in their journals reasons they believe in God.   These are some of the answers they gave.  Each one of us have unique experiences that grow our belief and faith.  Some things are small, some are big.  I loved hearing their experiences and how those things helped them to believe.

Makenna:  When I'm at church, no matter what my attitude is when I go in, when I come out I feel peaceful.  It has changed my attitude and my outlook on things.  I know that it's because God's spirit has been there and helped me feel different.

Zane:  Heavenly Father answers my prayers.  When I do something wrong and I ask Him for forgiveness, I get a warm feeling and I know that it's Heavenly Father letting me know He has forgiven me.  I have read the scriptures and I have asked Heavenly Father if they were true.  He answered my prayers and gave me a warm feeling letting me know that they were.

Dillon:  He gives me comfort.  When Grandma Great died and we were at her funeral, I had a warm feeling inside and I knew that everything was going to be ok.

Zeke:  He loves us.  He sent Jesus Christ to set the perfect example for us and to die for us so that we could live with Him again.  It shows me that He wants us to be with Him again.  Jesus Christ died for us so we know we can live with Him again and that our family can be together forever.  It helps me know that He will be there for us.

Olivia:  He helps me make right decisions.  When I'm mad at my friends and I'm about ready to fight with them, I get this feeling from the Spirit and it lets me know that I shouldn't fight with them.  He helps us choose which path to take to lead us back to Him.

Me: I have seen His blessings in my life.  I have felt His Spirit prompt me and guide me.  I have felt His Spirit testify of Him.  Believing in Him gives me hope.  He has answered my prayers.

Prayer

Today in church we talked a lot about prayer.  Prayer is something that is very important to me in my life.  I was taught to pray as a young child and it has blessed me many times in my life.  Now, as a mother, I teach my children to pray.  We pray morning and night as a family and I encourage my children to have their individual prayers morning and night and any other time during the day that they may need it.

Prayer has given me strength when I didn't know I had it.  Prayer has given me peace when I could find it no where else.  Prayer has given my knowledge to help me understand.  I have seen prayer help and bless others.  I have seen prayer heal.  I have seen others be an answer to my prayer.  I have been an answer to other's prayers. 

I can not being to describe the love that I feel from my Heavenly Father as I see prayer work in my life.  He knows me!  He knows my needs, my heart, my situation, my limitations and my potential.  He takes time, the God of this universe, to answer me, to listen to my pleadings, to help me, to guide me, to love me.

Prayer allows us to talk to God, to build a relationship with Him.  It allows us to come to know Him, to trust in Him, to feel His love for us.  Prayer allows us to show our love for Him and for others. 

Right now, prayer is a lifeline between me and someone that I love with all my heart that I can't be with at this time.  Prayer is the hope that I have each night that God will watch over her.  Prayer is the hope that I have that she will know I love her when I can't tell her everyday.  Prayer is the hope that I have that she will have strength and courage to do hard things.  Prayer is the hope that she will know God loves her.  Prayer is the hope for healing and peace.  Prayer is all I have.

Sometimes we can't fix life.  We can't make things better.  We can't take away pain or sorrow.  But prayer allows us to petition the One who can.  Miracles happen when we pray.  I am so thankful for prayer.  I'm so thankful that I can have a personal relationship with my Father in Heaven.  I am so thankful that He hears and answers - not always in the way I hoped, but always in the way that is best for me.

Game Time!

I got the kids a new game a few weeks ago and we brought it to play with Maddi yesterday.  It makes me laugh so hard watching them try to sound out the words with those stupid plastic things in their mouths!  Luckily I had the camera so no one could take a picture of me when it was my turn but I did get a picture of everyone else - whether they liked it or not ☺

 

Singing At State

Earlier this year Makenna auditioned to sing the National Anthem at some of the state sporting events.  She was chosen to sing it at the Boys State A Championship games on Thursday, March 16th.  She got to sing it twice that day.  She was so excited to be chosen to do it!  I was excited for her! 

We took the day off work, along with my friend Melissa and we spent the day in Sioux Falls.  We shopped, she sang, we ate, we shopped some more, she sang again, we shopped some more and then we headed home.  It was such a fun day!  Melissa loved doing things to make Makenna blush and as Makenna found out, Melissa was very good at it!

By the end of the day, Makenna was exhausted.  She is going to have to build up her shopping endurance before we do it again!  I'll admit I was pretty worn out too. We did find some good deals though ☺

I am so proud of Makenna and all that she has become.  She loves to sing and I am happy that she has had so many opportunities to share her talent.  She has participated in All State Chorus, Festival of Women's Voices, solo and small group contest and singing the National Anthem many times.  I hope she continues to have these opportunities to share and grow. 

Here are a few pictures: