Friday, July 27, 2012

Lake Powell...take two

Another trip to Powell..check
Another butt-load of pictures..check
Another week of fun and little sleep...check

We never get tired of this gorgeous place...this time around we took the houseboat out of the slip and ventured off to a sandy beach of our own...away from computers, cars, people and the hustle and bustle of this crazy life we lead..(I would say phones too..but let's be honest people) now it wasn't peaceful or restful or refreshing..like you know when you hear that word "vacation"..well when you have 5 kids, it has an entirely different definition. Plus there were 11 kids...3 of those being 1 and under, 12 adults in the space of a 75 foot houseboat...which is not too bad considering you have a beach to be on too. But with all that is constantly going on, it is not relaxing or serene...it is the complete opposite..exhausting, tense, is someone drowning, quit fighting, go to bed..you get my drift. But all in all, we do these things for the kids..and I have a new found respect for my parents and them taking us on all of our vacations. Because it's truer than true when I say I need a vacation from my vacation.

So here we go...

This Uncle Rob is the proudest daddy ever...he and Clay both had Kate and Luke debut their first time ever wakeboarding...those pics are on my dads camera...so fun to see them as parents


Gorgeous right? The girl and the scenery :)

Luke and Chloe chillen in their boat


Not sure how Hailee puts up with Rob...such a wierdo

Cutest flag girl I've ever seen



Alexis and Rylee
Maggers, Me, Sophie and Ellie...much more chill

Sophie is by far my most brave heart

Sophie and Rob..I think this is her 3rd year in a row..we forgot the small wakeboard..otherwise she would have gone by herself.




The three stooges

All 11 Christensen grandchildren..can't say I didn't contribute or do my part..Connor holding Kate, Cole, Justin, Luke with Maggie, Kaleb, Hunter, Sophie and Ellie with Chloe




Sunday, July 22, 2012

two things

Two things..first of all, this cute boy of mine went to California yesterday for a huge baseball tournament. Today they held a huge BBQ for all the teams and a home run derby among other contests..and this proud mama is grinning ear to ear, because look who won! Each team picked 2 teammates to represent their team. And the competition began...He hit the most homeruns and walked away with a huge ego boost and a trophy! Worth the whole trip of going just to have this experience. Of course I cried and felt bad I wasn't there but still glad I made the decision to stay here...Connor we are so dang proud of you!

Secondly, a few days ago, I became the mother of a 12 year old. How the crap did that happen? Connor celebrated his birthday in style..on a houseboat..in Lake Powell. I am so amazed at this kid and the growth he has made in the last year. I mean he seriously struggled for a while..and I thought I might not make it as a mother. I mean we are talking hormones, mood swings..the works..and all you hear about is how hard girls are??? Sheesh..if my girls are as hard or harder then Connor, then I quit. But he came out of his funk and got most of the hormones slash whatever all worked out and he is turning out to be quite the boy. Not to say he doesn't tease his sisters relentlessly but he is a changed kid. He is genious..remembers everything, smarter than me for sure..especially in stuff like math and science and he is a geology whiz. He loves sports, golf, his dad, skor candy bars, and facts. Happy Birthday to my one and only amazing boy!

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Just Stuff

Maggie surprised me by making both Sophie and her beds one morning..pretty impressive right? She was super proud and grinning from ear to ear.


How does your garden grow? Seriously, gardening is super rewarding right? I've only ever reaped the benefits of my grandpa's garden..til this year. Having a spot already outlined when we bought this house, gave us some incentive to see if we had a green thumb. Not too shabby if I do say so myself..although my raspberries are struggling and my onions never showed up..I thought those were fool proof. But I have corn, potatoes, beans,carrots and cantaloupe.

Maggie-isms- on our way home from Lake Powell a few weeks ago, of course the kids were all losing it, after being in the car for hours..Maggie being the worst..she turns her head around and says, "Ellie, quit being a whiney-butt!"
Then yesterday she was eating chips and I asked her if she had wiped her hands off..she said, "well, I licked em."

Was driving by IFA a few weeks back and all their trees and shrubs were 75% off..amaze-balls right? so I loaded up my Suburban with 2 pear trees, 6 dwarf tree things, 8 boxwoods, and like 6 other shrubs..all for about $80.. then I sweated my butt off and planted them all by my lonesome since we were headed to Cedar City the next day and Nate was at work, trying to pay for them all...pat on my back!

Bless my mom's little heart..She is a true grandma thru and thru...she always has the oddest trinkets, gifts, and oddities for my girls...see exhibit A... webbed, pink, croc-ish, shoe thingies...just what we needed...ah well, Sophie thinks they are so cool.

Meet the 2 newest members of the Belnap family..which is not..i repeat NOT getting any larger..ever! My neighbors have bunnies and of course my kids fell in love and suckered us into getting these two bunnies..I do have to admit tho that they are pretty cute and they just hop around all cute-like. plus they are boys (at least that's what I was told) so we figured Connor could use a little more manhood around here. Can't remember what their names are..i think Pebbles and Thumper..but it changes


And I saved the best for last. This is Connor's All-Star baseball team. They just won State. I am pretty sure that when they won, while everyone else was cheering and snapping photos, I was the only parent, hiding behind my sunglasses in tears..and they were not tears of joy. Let me explain...see, if you win state, you get to go to California...you're thinking..what's wrong with that? Here is what's wrong. Getting to go to California for us meant, me going by myself (Nate has to work) for one week..that's a whole 7 days if you didn't know, driving 12 hours to get there and 12 hours back (to Elk Grove, which is right next to.. oh that's right..nothing), changing diapers, nursing one baby, carrying plates of food for at least 3 kids, while holding my purse and Chloe, sweating from the hot sun, carrying coolers, snacks, chairs, and blankets to and from games, watching 2 hour long games in the hot, California sun, sweating some more, sleeping all in one room with 2 queen beds and spending tons of money on gas and food..you understand the tears now right? I have to admit,my attitude was super rotten. Nate and I considered every option and although it's not ideal, it's the only one that makes sense for us. Gma and Gpa Belnap are taking a road trip to the middle of nowhere and are stoked about it, Connor gets to play in the tournament of his dreams, Nate works, I stay here with the girls and keep my sanity..win, win for everyone. But seriously guys..you're on my side right? Doesn't it give you anxiety just thinking about it...my blood pressure is rising even as I type about it. Thank heavens for sport-driven, baseball-crazy grandparents!

Monday, July 9, 2012

Red, White and Blue

Nothing changes much from year to year as far as the 4th is concerned...every year is the same..
Start with the parade..gather lots of candy
Go to the park - try to mingle with old friends while the kids whine, complain and constantly tug on your arm to go wait in ridiculously long lines for dumb rides..all while sweating to death.
Go to in-laws- bask in the air conditioning, have a big BBQ while kids swim
Go to my house- have another BBQ, light fireworks..listen to Sophie scream (she is terrified of fireworks), look at Maggie passed out from exhaustion
Go home- watch big city fireworks with neighbors
Go to bed..exhausted


Basketball shorts and his grubby, old Braves shirt were as dressed up as Connor was going to get..eh..at least the colors are right.







Sunday, July 1, 2012

Lake Powell June 2012

This year we are super spoiled and get to go to Powell twice. We went last week with some of Nate's family and next month we go with my family..4 days, 8 adults, 14 kids, 1 houseboat, 2 sea-doos, 10 bottles of sunscreen and an endless amount of snacks and towels equal a crazy, never dull, fun time. Picture overload ahead...


this girl's hair has a mind of its own




.....and pose!
these 3 five year olds are such good cousins...Lillie, Sophie & Mace Dog


Belnap brothers and cousins..Connor & Isaac..the only 2 boys to carry on the Belnap name

I know what you're thinking.."where does she get her hair done?"

Mermaid sand tails ...Kate, Brookie & Ellie
The whole sha-bang..sans me who is taking the photog..my fav is Branny sporting his underoos..gotta love it

Shampoo and a rinse off the back of the boat

until next time...

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Golf Balls or Bust

 Now that we live next to the golf course, golf ball hunting has become a nightly ritual at our house. It's actually becoming a little obsessive if you ask me. This is now what Nate considers "date night." Such a thrill looking for that little white ball (read with sarcasm) I had to go buy a 5 gallon bucket to contain them all..they were taking over my garage...we will never have to buy another golf ball..ever. And they are pretty pricey little suckers..Connor looks them up online..I think the most expensive one we have was originally like 5 bucks...who spends 5 bucks on one golf ball? Anyways so if you are out our way in the evenings, you will most likely see a herd of kids on bikes or scooters, looking in the dirt and under bushes..oh and a man in brown with his own butt poking out from under the bushes..such a kid at heart.



Saturday, June 9, 2012

Chloe and more

 Fact- Chloe is now 8 months old and weighs almost a whopping 20 lbs. She is still a terrible sleeper and is a little high maintenance. How did she get so big? Seriously, this time stuff has got to slow down..and from what I hear from the old fogies, is that it just starts to go faster and faster..phooey!

Fact- Her favorite expression is to make an "O" with her mouth..she does it all the time
Fact- Chloe now has 7 teeth. 4 on top and 3 on bottom. She started out with her 2 bottom teeth and just fangs on top and I'm not gonna lie...I was pretty excited when the the two front ones came in..so what..I'm a little vain

She is already at a full blown crawl..she started a couple of weeks ago..my earliest crawler..and yes, I am bragging..I am the mom..I have those rights

Fact- Apparently, I now need to watch her more closely since I came in from watering the plants and found that she was screaming from the bottom of the stairs this morning..sorry Chloe

Fact- She can stand for a few seconds..but it freaks her out because she will realize she has nothing to hold onto

Fact- She was totally over me taking her pictures
Fact- The other day this cheesehead came running in just in tears. While she cried she told me, Connor called me a crybaby and I'm not a crybaby..I'm Maggie Jane!"

Fact- these girls love their dad...and as I am typing this, Ellie is reading this and says,"hey I love dad too" Then she noticed the title and is mad it's all about Chloe. You have to be fair with her around!