What We've Been Up To - Sickness and Spring

Two weekends ago we bought a membership to our local Zoo/Aquarium/Botanical Gardens.

So any time this next year Lexi and I and any adult guess can go "free" of charge.

And since we actually bought it we have almost gone enough to have it already paid for.

Here are some pictures from the zoo...

Lexi wanted a picture with this elephant. Whatever. She's two.

Next, is a picture of me and the girls on the train.

We decided to ride the train around the zoo.

Let me just say, don't ride the train for the view.

You just ride behind all the exhibits.

But Lexi just enjoyed riding the train.

Sean and Lexi posing with some lions.

For Lexi's first birthday we took her to the Idaho Falls Zoo and bought her a lion.
Little did we know, that that lion would become her post prized item.
We are trying to encourage her to love other lions.
So we bought her this guy at the zoo gift shop.

Trip to the Aquarium #1...


Trip to the Aquarium #2...
This time with Emily and Folken.
Avery and Folken rode in our double stroller and pointed at all the fish.
So adorable!



We also went to the Bio Park. We hadn't been there since we went to the River of Lights.
It is so cool in the day!
Here are the babies in front of the castle...



There is a section we're you walk around and everything is huge!
I think it's supposed to make you feel like a bug?



Lexi riding an ant.

And a picture of all the Christensen chicas!

(I think my girls look a lot a like in this picture. Maybe it's the blonde hair and squinty eyes?)

Lexi walking through a giant carrot...

If you hadn't guess by the pictures, spring as sprung here in Albuquerque!

There are blossoms on the trees and flowers!

I'm so in love with this sunny 70 degree weather.

We went and walked around the temple grounds yesterday and Lexi smelt all the flowers...

I have loved taking the girls on walks everyday.

They love it too, despite what Lexi's face looks like in this picture...

Spring = Sunshine

Sunshine = Sunglasses

I just can't get enough of this adorable little face!

Avery just keeps getting cuter!

Spring + Sunshine = Warm Weather

Warm Weather = Swimming!

Yes, I know there is actually no water in the pool in this picture.

Spring hasn't been all fun here though.

Two Sundays ago, Lexi started throwing up in the middle of the night.

She threw up ALL Sunday and had a really high fever.

We were starting to get REALLY worried that she'd have to go to the hospital for dehydration.

She couldn't even keep liquids down.

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, she went back and forth

between having diarrhea and throwing up.

Sunday and Monday, it seemed that Lexi had NO life left in her. She didn't talk much.

She didn't move much. It was SO unlike her.

But slowly she got more energy.

And as of last Thursday she has been able hold down her food.

Having a sing child is the WORST thing ever!

And that's why we were so upset when Avery threw up TWICE this past Saturday.

Luckily, she didn't have a fever and she was SO cheery. She didn't even seem sick.

So whatever she had seemed to pass quickly.

Happily we have two happy, healthy, beautiful little girls!

Here are some pictures Sean took of me and the girls before church yesterday...

Avery makes the cutest scrunched nose face.

I just love her in this next picture...

And in case you were wondering what crafts I've been up to lately...

More Barbie Bride's Maids' dresses...

I'm also getting ready to teach the young women at church how to make bows.

I will be doing a post about that soon with LOTS of tutorials.

I'm Famous!

"Modest is Hottest - Even for Dolls?"

That's the name of the article my friend Ailinh (pronounced "eye-lean") wrote about me and the girls in Latter Day Woman Magazine.

Ailinh used to work with me at the Student Health Center on the BYU-I campus

and then was my neighbor for years in Rexburg.

Her two sons are supposed to marry my two daughters.

Now she lives in Utah and write for the magazine.
She's one of the funniest people I know. And I was excited when she asked to write this article.

Thanks again for writing this Ailinh. It was a lot of fun working with you!

Click HERE to see the article.

And go ahead and leave a comment and let Ailinh what an amazing job see did!

12 Dresses

If you're wondering what I did this weekend, well this is it...

I sewed my first Barbie clothes collection.

I'm really pleased with how they turned out.

I'm really, really excited about these dresses that I completed with sleeves.

Thank you to my beautiful models - Belle, Beach Barbie and Cinderella.

Next on my list is skirts and shirts.

And later Lexi and I are going to go to Joann's and pick out some fabric for bridal Barbie clothes!

New Wardrobe

I've decided that Lexi's Barbie's new some new clothes. So I "whipped" these up this morning. I have several more dresses "in the works" and have even decided that I want to sew a Barbie wedding dress. I'm feeling adventurous and Lexi is so excited!

I used this tutorial for the dresses.

Christmas Stockings - Part 1

It's been a long sick weekend at home. Luckily, I found the time to start sewing our Christmas stockings. This is something I've been wanting to do for years and am now finally doing. They are actually SOOOO easy and I'm getting pretty fast at it now. Well, I should mention that I've only sewn the front. I have yet to learn how to do the back and lining. My super crafty friend Rachel teaching me the art of stocking making. Soon, I'll hopefully have pictures of finished stockings to post. But in the meantime, I'm sharing these. I'm just to excited to not share...

Front left to right - Sean's, Sam's, Lexi's, Avery's, and future baby Christensen's (no, I'm not announcing anything other than we want more kids in the future)

Now it's really beginning to feel like Christmas! In fact, I already have two of Lexi's presents all wrapped up. But we won't be putting those under the tree yet.

My Newest Projects

I have really fell in love with sewing. Since Sean works Saturdays, I spend a lot of time in the sewing lab on campus. Here is what I've been up to...

This is little Lexi's Halloween custome. She is going to be a bear. I am so proud of it. I made up the pattern a little and I think it turned out great.
I am considering making me and Sean bear outfits so we can be papa bear, mama bear and baby bear for Halloween.

I have learned to make caps cute by adding bows and such. I am getting so good at these. I can bust one out in 10 mintues now.
This is her watermelon outfit. I think it's adorable. It's a little bright for my conservative hubbie but that's fine with me.
This isn't fancy but it's the first baby blanket I've made. I just sewed the edges but that is a big deal for me because I have trouble sewing straight lines.
I made this bib out of a towel. It is super easy to make. I just had trouble finding the right size of towel.
I made a couple pairs of these fleece PJs. I am way impressed by my abilities. I can't wait to put her in them during the winter.

My First Sewing Project

I am in a children's clothing class this semester. I am so excited about the projects we are going to be making. This is our first one. I am making caps and booties. I also plan on making matching mittens. The ones in the picture are for newborns. I am so proud of myself. This were pretty easy to make. The booties were a little difficult because they are so small but it was worth it because they are so cute. I can't wait to see Alexia in them!