Flashback Friday - Christensen Cousins

 Next week, the kids' cousins in Vegas are coming.

So we'll have all nine of the Christensen grand kids together for the first time.

(The last time the grand kids were all together there we're only seven of them.)

Anyway, here's a few pictures of the kids through the years...

December 2005
This is me with Devin.
This was back when Sean was on his mission and I was waiting for him.

December 2007
Christmas in Washington.
Val and I were pregnant with Addie and Lexi at the time.

November 2008
Thanksgiving in St. George.

February 2009
Presidents' Day weekend in Utah.

June 2009
Val and her kids came to visit us in Rexburg.

September 2009
We met in Utah to go to a BYU football game.
This is when I told everyone I was pregnant with Avery.

February 2010
Our last trip to Utah before Avery was born and we moved to New Mexico.

August 2010
In Washington for Andrea and Brandon's wedding.

November 2010
In Arizona for Thanksgiving.
This is when Devin thought Lexi to eat snow, something she loves doing to this day.

June 2011
This is when we came to vacation in Utah while we were living in New Mexico.

January 2012
New Year's trip to Arizona.

June 2012
Our first summer living in Utah.

July 2012
When everyone came to Utah for some family reunions.

October 2012
The day we brought Eli home from the hospital.

March 2013
Austin is a week old.

May 2013
Vegas vacation.

I'm excited to take pictures of all the kids together next week!

Growing

 I sometimes feel like Eli is trying to grow as fast as possible!

He just keeps getting more fun and more adorable (which doesn't seem possible).

But I am worried I won't have a baby much longer.

I just wanted to note that I bought him size 5 diapers yesterday.

I have never bought size 5 diapers before.

Lexi and Avery wore size 4 until they were potty trained at ages 2 1/2 and nearly 3.

It will be interesting to see how big Eli will be 

when I take a picture of him on this blanket when he's 12 months old.

Briggs Family Reunion

This past weekend was the Briggs Family Reunion.

That's my mom's dad's family.

It has been four years since I've been to a Briggs reunion.

The reunion was down in Nephi, about an hour and fifteen minutes from our place.

We drove down just for the day on Saturday.

We got there just as breakfast was being served.

We were excited to see some of my cousins.

Here's Eli with Eden.

Eden got home from his mission in March and we haven't seen him since.

He's getting married next month to his high school sweetheart, Candace.

Anyway, I learned that I wouldn't leave my children alone with Eden.

He's not babysitting material.

The park we were at had a fun playground.

The girls loved having everyone take turns pushing them on the swings.

 

Here's my uncle Ken and his new wife Candis.
They just got married a few weeks ago.

Candis was having fun playing on all the playground equipment.

The guys had fun talking football and sports in general.

People always seem to expect Eli to be capable of more than he is.

I think it's because of his size.

Sorry Cassy, Eli doesn't walk yet.

 

My aunt Lisa is so fun.

Lexi asked Lisa to play with her so Lisa gathered a bunch of small sticks with the girls.

Then she helped them make a pretend teepee fire and they pretended to roast and eat marshmallows.

You never know what Lisa will do or say, she's always been like that.

 

 The girls kept asking Lisa to play with them.

They kept her busy.

I love Lexi's face in this next picture.

 

Sean and some of my cousins had a wiffle ball game.

 

Part of the park was the city's water park.

All morning my girls were asking to go swimming.

They had to wait until it opened in the afternoon.

I was really impressed with the water park.

It had a part where the water sprayed up out of the ground, a big kiddie pool,

several big slides, a diving board and a rock climbing wall.

The girls had a great time.

 

Eli enjoyed the water for a little bit and then was ready for a nap.

 

Lexi loved this slide.

Before we went to the pool I told Lexi that she'd like it but she told me that she wouldn't.

At the pool she listened to Sean when he told her she'd like it.

 

Skinny, skinny Avery gets cold so fast.

She's always the first one done swimming.

Here's Avery snuggling up to Cassy, trying to get warm.

 

After swimming we went with Lisa's family and my cousin Zach to go get ice cream at this cute little diner.

We all ended up getting meals and it was delicious.

So good that I didn't even want to be bothered with taking pictures.

After that we went back to the playground and the girls enjoyed having the whole place to themselves.

 

I love watching my girls playing happily while I cuddle with this little man.

 

My grandpa Calvin Eli was there.

We got some pictures of Eli with him.

My grandpa hasn't since Eli since he was two weeks old.

And here's me with my kids, my grandpa and his sister Veda.

 

After dinner they had the "Candy Cannon."

 

Then it was time for the auction to raise money for next years' reunion.

The guys and the kids weren't interested in the auction so they just played lawn games.

 

Here's my uncle Ken saying goodbye to Eli before we go.

 

Avery fell asleep the instant we started driving.

We wore her out good.

 

I'm glad that we live in Utah and have the opportunity to see family more often.

Summer Bucket List - Going to the Mountains and Midway

 Last week we decided to go check out Silver Lake up Big Cottonwood Canyon.

We had a picnic before we walked around the lake.

There were several chipmunks that came right up to us looking for food.

There is a boardwalk and flat dirt path around the lake.

Making the whole thing stroller accessible.

 

It  was gorgeous and green.

It felt great to get away from the city and just enjoy God's creations.

 

Eli was so excited about this duck.

 

Avery was tired and asked to ride in the stroller and didn't want to be in any pictures.

Lexi on the other hand was happy to be running around and smelling all the flowers.

 

Look at all these cute ducklings.

 

Sean thought this mountain looked like it had Mickey Mouse on it.

After Silver Lake, we decided to drive over the mountain to Midway. 

I had seen a road on Google Maps.

And since going to Midway was on our summer bucket list, we decided to go.

Here's a view going up the west side of the mountain.

There was no guard rail and at times the edge was closer than I would have liked.

So I'll admit I was a little stressed but the views were breath taking.

 

At the very top of the mountain is a trail head. 

There were a lot of cars parked there.

We stopped and check out the view.

Then we continued on.

(Something we learned that most people probably don't do.)

The drive from there was horrifying, especially at first.

It was literally one lane (as in both directions shared it).

And at first the road sloped down so much that you couldn't see where you were going.

It just looked like the road was going to end!
 I thought to myself, "My family is going to die! And it's all my fault!"

But the road quickly got wider, thank heaven's!

When I wasn't having a panic attack, I was enjoying the views.

We drove past a ton of aspen trees.

My very favorites.

Sean informed me that they were his mom's favorite too.

 

We stopped to look at the Midway Reservoir.

 

This is about half way down the east side of the mountain.

Look how cute Midway looks at the base of the mountain.

When we got to Midway we went to this cute little ice cream shop.

 

We came to Midway, a cute little Swiss town, in June of 2011.

We came for a vacation while we were living in Albuquerque.

We went to this same ice cream shop then.

Looking at this picture of my girls two years ago, 

I realized that Avery is now in the shirt Lexi was wearing last time we went.

And my girls used to be more photogenic and less awkward.

 We went to "The Store" and got some deli food and had a picnic at a park.

We went to this same park with all of my extended family last time we were here.

It makes me so happy that my kids have a fun dad.

Sean really does love playing with our children.

 

 I can't get enough of this chubby little guy.

I love these next few candid pictures of my boys.

It shows their relationship perfectly.

I was happy watching Sean and the kids play and looking at this view from the park.

It was another great day as a family.

 

On the way home (we took the highway this time) 

Lexi told us that she had fun and that it was a beautiful day.