Letters From CJ!!

So I'm going to be posting all of CJ's letters on his blog for him throughout his mission, so you can go to his blog to read them:
http://blognitude.blogspot.com/

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAC!

and HAPPY RECENT BIRTHDAYS TO SAM, AND UNCLE PAUL SLADE! ALL THE MEN IN THIS FAMILY ROCK! (the women too, but it's the men's turn right now, he he) Love you so much!

Beautiful Hanna

The morning of Homecoming dawned beautifully, and Hanna woke up like this. We knew we had a ways to go to get this girl ready for the big First Date!!

Just Kidding:)
Is this the same girl?!?!
Isn't her dress Awesome?
Shortly after Hanna appeared, Emmy disappeared. Then she reappeared wearing this! She had been digging in the dress up box, because she "wanted to be a Princess like Hanna"
Her date's jaw literally dropped when he saw her. I know! I was watching! It was adorable:)

YEP. HE'S OUTTA HERE!

Dad and Mom dropped him at the curb of the MTC yesterday and we're already done crying (mostly). He's a great kid to have around and we will miss him dearly.

This is his MTC address:

Cory Joseph Christensen

MTC Mailbox #332

ITA-ROM 1117

2005 N 900 E

Provo, UT 84604-1793

What are the chances?

I mean, Really?!
We're both preggo!
And we're both due on May 3rd.

Party on Saturday

Thanks Jo for calling today and getting me on the ball. Party Saturday will begin with little kidlets party for Coleman 1-3pm. Of course any and all cousins are invited. Then family (and some friends) party will begin directly after that... come eat, bounce, eat, jump, eat, play, eat, sit, read, eat, chat, etc.... for as long as you'd like. The Bounce House will be taken down between 7-8pm. Bring your own something to BBQ and something to share (salad, fruit, finger foods, dessert), and I will make a big pot of my grandma's very yummy baked beans. See you Saturday!

A Smattering of Slade's

Swimming at Grandma Gwen's! There was a variety of Slades in the area on Saturday, so we met at the pool for some good times.

Warning: These photos are not in order. I have two ankle biters running around and no longer maintain the brain capacity to organize them appropriately. Thus endeth my lazy reasoning.

The party started off with Cami diving off the diving board into this red tube and getting stuck halfway!

She hired Tess and Hanna to extricate her, but to no avail. She was in that tube for a good long while.
Jonah thought it was hilarious.
This was after we ate (and ate and ate) - we all had to veg for a while. The sleeping dark haired guy up there is Matt, Chris Winnie's son.

I told you this was a mix of people!
Sara was telling a great story, apparently!
Hello Sara! Yes, I did just take a picture of you. You're looking lovely today.
This is Chuck participating in our diving contest. Judge his angle carefully and guess what happened:)
This was the neatest afternoon! Such an odd mix of Slades. (Is there such thing as a normal mix of Slades?) It was like we were the little kids again (instead of the adults that we're attempting to be) - reminiscing about Gr&Gr's California house and other memories.
These little next-generation-of-cousins provided the evening's entertainment:)

It's a Party!

Coleman turns 4 on August 27th and we want to have a fun family party on Saturday, August 29th. Everyone is invited, and we're hoping to have a fun blow-up toy thing for all the kids... yes, Chuck, Paul and Bryan, you can play too! Let's make it a potluck and pray for perfect weather. So reply to this post and let us know if you can make it. We could make it a little send-off party for C.J. too (sorry, Jordan will be on his way). What do you think?

O What Do You Do In The Summertime?

Do you swim in a pool

To keep your self cool

Or run around naked outside?

2 WEEKS LEFT! Boo Hoo.

Just a little reminder that Jord will be back in Provo on August 6th. I can't believe how fast the time is flying--I am trying to get myself prepped for the parting--it will be hard to say good-bye to that boy!!! We will miss him horribly. Anyway, I hope the fam can get together with him before he enters the MTC on the 26th.

We Heart Liberty Days

I'm starting this post with Grandma Nette, since she started all of us:

Don't you just love her?
She's my favorite.

This next one's out of order. Tess, Hanna, and the practically-a-Christensen Tiffany had a booth at the park. They sold hair bows, tutu's, wands, and glass magnets (all handmade) and Tiffany painted nails. It was a hit! You'd never believe how much mulah they made. The boy cousins are already planning their booth for next year.

Okay, back to the evening-at-the-park photos

Here's Aunt JoJo attempting to start a grass fire.

Tess and Hanna pretending they don't know I'm taking their picture.
This is Nicholas pre-haircut. Aunt Kari wowed us all Sunday afternoon with her newly discovered haircutting skills. Nick now looks even Cuter (if you can imagine).
I love this face.
Jamie was lost without her other half, who decided to ditch us all for you cool california people.
So what did all the rest of you do? Huh?

Detox

So, most of you know that for the past two years we have been eating free of "bad" chemicals (artificial flavors, colors, preservatives). It's been good. It helps Max tic less and helps both the kids with hyperactivity, focus, etc. Well, we had a "free week" last week because the week before the kids had some food infractions during the last few days of school, and Max had Cub Scout Day Camp each day last week, so we decided to give him a break and be able to buy candy and ice cream with the rest of the boys. Kind of a reverse test, if you will. So we all took advantage of the break--we ate out, got frozen yogurt, movie popcorn, the works. Interestingly, by Tuesday night Max said, "Mom, I think I'm done with bad chemicals." A wave of surprise and excitement rushed through my little mother heart. "Oh really? Do you feel a difference in your body?" "Yah, I'm moving a lot, and my head feels [waving hand in front of his forehead] cloudy." Oh . . . my . . . glorious day! Can you hear the trumpets? I can't tell you how happy this makes me--to know that all my efforts to keep their systems clean have a tangible, physical and mental effect. And to finally have the kids, well, Max at least, be able to verbalize the way it makes them feel. So cool! Today is Day 1 of their detoxification. We know the chemicals remain in their bodies for about a month, so it's a long process, but worth it. Anyway, I just had to share!

She'll be comin' round the mountain when she comes! Lal la la!

Hi everyone,

Sadly, I am going through a divorce and it is a hard thing to go through...
However, I am moving to Utah and will be staying with Grandma for a while!!
I am lucky to have such a loving grandma and all of you to be so kind to me. I am sure grateful to those of you who have offered refuge for me during this time.

So now...I have to prepare for...snow in the mountains. Yikes!!

It's me again.

I've been super slacky at Sladesnews blogging lately, so I'm trying to make up for it. If you haven't noticed:)

Some one else post more than me!!

Eat every potato and pea on your plate!!

I have very mixed feelings as a Gardener. I'm only going to share photos of my peas with you today, because they are truly the only thing that I am growing that I would want anyone to view. And that is because they seem to be over achiever peas.

I say mixed feelings because while my peas are doing great, my pumpkin plant just barely got it's third leaf and I think my tomato plants are growing smaller. I don't even want to talk about the "6 foot hollyhocks" that forgot that they were supposed to be tall.

My peas bring me such joy. If it wasn't for them, I would dig a hole and plant myself.

Is anyone growing a fantastic garden that I can dream about? Someday! I will figure it out someday! Until then I'll stick to peas. I always was the trial and error type learner.

Do they look alike yet?

Today is Tess and Chuck's Fourth Wedding Anniversary.

I really like these guys.

A Wonderful Thing Happened Today

Wow......Today Jayne the Blog Queen "repaired" my inability to blog under my own name. After months of my having to use someone else's password and not being able to straighten it out, she finally took pity on me and worked it out. What brain power lies within that cute litle head.

So even though outside it's wet and grey,
Inside is a happy and rewarding day.
For now the communication will be easier to do,
Rambling on randomly with you and with you....

Thank you Jayne. from your corny gr.

Congratulations, Taylor N. and Kenz!!

What a surprise to finally hear what Kenzie's "news" is. (See previous post comments)..... yahooey.

KENZ HAS NEWS, JORD TO CHILE!!!

Okay, I don't have permission to say anything, so I'll let her do it. :)

Plus, we are so excited about Jordy and his call, overlapping his MTC time with CJ's!!! Yay--The Lord sends us so much good in the midst of difficult times, it sure softens the blows, doesn't it. Jord will be back around the first of August to spend time in Provo with fam and friends, so I hope you all get to see him then. Pictures coming.

C.J.s going on a mission!!!

Want to know where?

well I guess you'll just have to watch this and find out!

congratulations C.J.! We love you!

Okay, had to show off one of our pictures.... here is Jesse with his friends at his 9th grade graduation. (I know, they all kind of look like girls since they all need haircuts!) Hooray for EFY which requires short hair!

Graduation! :)

Hey family! Jamie here. On Tuesday, June 2, a wonderful event occured. I graduated from high school! WOOT WOOT! So here are a couple of pics. Graduation was originally supposed to take place outside on the football field but... it rained. So Trav (my principal) made us do it inside, in the hot, stuffy, little gym. Just ask grama...it was miserable! However, it was still FABULOUS because now I'm officially done with high school! :D

A happy happy day.This fall... off to college!

CONGRATS, JAMIE! CONGRATS, JORDY! CONGRATS, JESSIE, CONGRATS, AUSTIN! CONGRATS, JAKE!

Posted by Grandma: So much happening all the time....I am so blessed to have
all these wonderful progeny, keeps me busy thinking about other things besides
talking to myself all the time. Latest.....Jo and Layne went to Italy for a few days,
Jamie graduated from Grantsville High (we need a picture, Jamie).
Jordy is graduating from (whatever school in Kiev), and also receiving his
mission call for Chile, Santiago West; Austin graduated from Jr. High; Jesse graduated from Jr. High; Jake graduated from high school......whew!
We hope you all can give us some details. Much love, Gr
(posted by Gr)

Jayne Rocks!

Wow, we're finally able to post to Sladesnews... Thanks to the Aazing Jayne! (thank you) We didn't know we had to be "invited." Hmmmmm, fancy shmancy!

Here's Sydnie completing her first official 5K (with her dad)... we're so proud of her... what a cutie!

Now, we're off to Jesse's 9th grade graduation (sob-sob-sniff-sob-sniffle-sob-sob).... my baby is growing up so fast!

This afternoon:

Emmy: "Hey Mom, benember that guy Austin?"

Jayne: "Yeah, he's our cousin"

Emmy "Oh. I like that guy a lot."