Tis' the Season

I don't know if anyone else had this problem with Santa, but he was a slob and tracked snow in our house, then I got to clean it up!! I thought he knew better. Merry Christmas.

You can tell by the look on Kinsley's face that we had a rough Christmas Eve, I'll get to that later.

Here she is later feeding her new baby in her new high chair.

Ryder's new PJ's and cowboy boots!

So we had a great Christmas........, kind of. We did, we had a good one, the health fairy just wasn't on our side. Kinsley woke up from her nap on Christmas Eve with a high fever, Tylenol and TLC and we started the Eve festivities. By midnite she was really sick and I was on my way to Urgent Care in Idaho Falls for a double ear infection diagnosis, then we were off to Walgreens for their 24 hour pharmacy and antibiotics. We got home around 2:30 am and no one slept (except Ryder) for the rest of the night, so the three of us had a long Christmas day. We had fun, but were super tired. Kinsley is now feeling a little better. But Ryder was at Urgent Care on Friday for his ears, throat and sinuses, more antibiotics! Then Wade started getting sick Friday night and has been very sick for the last two days. I am just praying that it doesn't get to me. It has been a long week and am looking forward to getting back into our routine and back on track.

We also have to ask all of you to keep Wade's Grandma Janet in your thoughts. She is very sick and has a long recovery ahead of her, we hope she gets feeling better real soon.

We also have a good friend that is seriously ill and in the hospital in Salt Lake. He is now going to get a pacemaker and that will hopefully help him. He and his family are in our thoughts.

A couple posts ago I put out information about the Idaho Food Bank. I am still urging everyone to donate money or time, they need both. And I want to thank my good friend from Kuna for commenting and sharing her Food Bank experience, I love hearing your thoughts. I appreciate all the feedback, it makes this a lot more fun.

So 2013 is coming to a close and I have been thinking about it alot lately. (I've had a lot of time since I have been sitting on the couch with sick kids for 6 days!) There have been many good times this year, but I do hope that 2014's good times are just as great, if not even better. I think we should all name the top 13 highlights of 2013. Keep in mind that the word "highlight" has different meanings for each of us, and to narrow the year down to 13 moments is ridiculous, but I am going to give it a heck of a try:
1. Our 2nd nephew joined the Christiansen crew
2. Ryder rode a horse by himself for the first time
3. Kinsley walked for the first time
4. Wade and I got to ride with Ryder by himself for the first time
5. We went on a great family vacation
6. We have a great family
7. Remission
8. Hugs
9. A new addition to our home to make the "living" area more user friendly
10. We lived through the addition
11. Our jobs
12. Kinsley's 1st Birthday
13. I am going to call this one Etc. because I really can't narrow it to 13, it's impossible

Take the time to cherish the moments in your life. We are not guaranteed tomorrow, so we have to make the most of today. 2014 has already posed big challenges for our family, but we are going to buckle down and take them head on. Everything happens for a reason, right?

Resolutions? I haven't decided if I will make any this year. There are some that I really I need to make, but I still haven't decided. A friend of mine said that I should make some goals for myself personally instead of making them for me professionally. I hadn't thought about that, but I think it is very important. I am going to give myself the 30th & 31st to make some decisions and then I am really going to implement the changes/goals however small they may be and work on them. If I don't talk to you before, please have a safe and happy New Year.

Ready or not, here comes 2014, make the best of it and let it make the best of you.

Goal: Practice (or at Least do Better) at What You Preach

What a princess. Love this little girl. This was the happiest she was all stinking day.

It took a lot today to get these two in the same vacinity at the same time. We were going to see Santa today. I sure hope he wasn't watching Kinsley's behavior today.

Here we were riding the stool, hey whatever works to get a good smile and a happy memory.



What a handsome dude. Love this guy.



This is where Kinsley should have been today - JAIL!

I have a plaque that sits on my computer desk at home that I will always and forever remember sitting at Granny's house. It says:

"Do it Tomorrow - You've Made Enough Mistakes Today"

There is so much truth to this, both professionally and personally. I think we all have a tendency to blow things out of proportion, it's human nature. Shame on us. Something to think about: Is a grudge necessary, is it reasonable, is it stupid, how would you feel if the person you hold a grudge against was gone tomorrow? The answers to these, if you are truthful to yourself are probably: NO, NO, YES, and TERRIBLE.
Just think about it.

In my post a couple days ago I also urged everyone to donate to your local food bank. Well after researching it a little more I found that you can specify what area of Idaho (or any state probably) that you would like your money to support, so for me I would like my money to support East Idaho AND you can also set up an automatic payment monthly to take directly from your checking. Let's do the math one more time: $10/month = 30 meals, so $120/year ($10/month) = 360 meals, you are basically providing at least one nutritious meal to one person for an entire year. Will you really miss the $10/month?

Have a great evening and week. Take care.

Think about your life. Think about your actions.
 

Ramblings....

I just returned from my second session of Leadership Idaho Agriculture that was in Pocatello. I had a really good time and got to know everyone just a little bit more. This session focused on public speaking, not the funnest subject, but one that I am definitely lacking in both confidence and ability. In each region we tour a different industry. Moscow was Bennett Lumber and Pocatello was the Idaho Food Bank. There are three food banks in Idaho (Poky, Boise and Lewiston). The above picture is a bag of food for their Backpack Program. Just a little history on the Backpack Program. They give each child (in need) a bag full of food for their weekend meals so they don't miss meals while they are away from school. Pretty amazing, this Backpack costs around $6. The Food Bank can provide 3 meals for every $1 that is donated, wow just think a $10 donation feeds 30 people, are you kidding? Can you imagine what good we could all do if we each donated $10....... A lot of people think a lot of people take advantage of the system, and I agree, but there are honest people that need our help. Everyone matters, lets take care of our fellow Idahoans! Every donation counts, I challenge everyone to donate $10 OR MORE to the Food Bank. 208-233-8811 - call now, volunteer, donate funds, donate food, DO SOMETHING!

https://www.idahofoodbank.org/?page=donate

Gift Processing
3562 S TK Avenue
Boise, ID 83705-5278

I love flowers. I love geraniums because they remind me of my Grandma Virginia and Granny. They both always had geraniums everywhere, they always smelled so good, and were so beautiful to look at. I try to plant something each year in my flower beds that reminds me of important people. My flower beds are a gentle reminder every time I pull into my driveway, look out my window or sit on the porch of just some of the great people in my life.

Geraniums - Grandma Virginia & Granny
Iris's - Grandma June
Marigolds/Lillies - Mom
Little, drought tolerant flowers that I can't remember the name of - Susan
Tulips - Grandma Bea
Wind Chimes - Grandma Janet
Christmas Star - Tammie
Horseshoe Flowers - Wade
Toys scattered everywhere - Ryder and Kinsley

I am urging each of you to start this tradition. But the key is letting those special people know why these items are always in your yard, brightening your day.

It's the little things you can do to remind you of how lucky you are that truly make the most difference.

So this is a little out of order, but here are some of my LIA classmates at the Food Bank learning how they can make a difference. From left to right: Derek Romer (USDA/NRCS), Sandy Porter (Treasure Valley Community College), Aaron Johnson (University of Idaho), Gary Halverson (Glanbia Foods)

It is finally Friday and I couldn't be happier. Leaving my house at 6 am and returning at 10 pm has made this a long week. Agriculture makes it worth it.

One final note: Please keep my new friend, Renae from LIA in your thoughts and prayers to keep her son safe.

"We try our hardest to teach our kids about life, but they truly teach us what life is all about."

What a great week!

The kids decorated their own gingerbread men, they have a really good time and it's fun to see their imaginations at work.

Here is Kinsley's, Okay I helped her a little!

And Ryder did his all by himself, pretty fun huh?

Working heifers

We branded some cattle on Friday at Jeff and Mindy Eddington's. It was a wonderful, beautiful day.

Wade let Ryder cut the tags out of the cattle's ears, he thought it was pretty amazing and he did an excellent job.

Well, not the best picture, but we don't get a lot of pictures together, so I had to post one. Thanksgiving was good, good food, good company, good times. Now we're ready for Christmas.

There is supposed to be a big snow storm tonight and tommorrow, so please drive safe and stay warm. I welcome the snow, simply because the farmers and ranchers need it for next year. We need the moisture or we'll be in big trouble next year.

"Live With a Happy Heart"