So what is up this year? Is it global warming or just a miracle? It was in the 60s this evening. We had snowsuits and moon boots worked into the costumes, but we didn't need them. Yaaaaahooo!
Ninja, puppy, and Snow White.
31.10.08
Weird Weather
It's always freezing, often snowing on Halloween (both in the valley and in the mountains). Even if the 30th is warm, the 31st is cold.
So what is up this year? Is it global warming or just a miracle? It was in the 60s this evening. We had snowsuits and moon boots worked into the costumes, but we didn't need them. Yaaaaahooo!
Ninja, puppy, and Snow White.
So what is up this year? Is it global warming or just a miracle? It was in the 60s this evening. We had snowsuits and moon boots worked into the costumes, but we didn't need them. Yaaaaahooo!
Ninja, puppy, and Snow White.
26.10.08
Why "The Best" Christiansens?
Many have wondered, especially the little (or not so little anymore) nephews.
One time when Richard and Gaye went on one of their extravagant trips, we watched their kids. They used to think it was funny to leave all the munchins with newly weds. I'd say it was more entertaining. There was the time we told them we were lost and couldn't find the house because we ended up in Vegas. Or the time we tried to talk them into sleeping in by telling them it wasn't day yet. But the name for the site came from Matthew (because this was originally a blog for the whole family.)
The little punk beat us in a game of midget Nerf basketball. Even though he was only three he started dancing around the basement gloating and signing, "I'm the best, I'm the best, I'm the best!" Thus, "The Best Christiansens."
Most of the funny sayings in our family come from Matthew. Say any of the following in a little munchkin voice:
- "Change me! Change me! I pee peed and pooh poohed!"
- "I'm scared! I'm scared!" (Hint: don't pick up a kid who is yelling this even if it's 3:00 AM and just a few seconds earlier he was announcing the status of his diaper.)
- "Don't take my yummy gum!" (This was when Daryl tried to stop him from chewing gum he found under the table at The Pizza Factory.)
- "You be nice now, okay!"
- "I'm Brett Matthew Christiansen!"
Notice how everything has an exclamation point? That indicates extreme volume.
Now Macie has taken Mathew's place as the loud kid who says funny stuff. They are very similar even though Macie was scared of Matthew for awhile. She said, "He's scary because he has bras on his teeth. " I agree that would be pretty scary.
One time when Richard and Gaye went on one of their extravagant trips, we watched their kids. They used to think it was funny to leave all the munchins with newly weds. I'd say it was more entertaining. There was the time we told them we were lost and couldn't find the house because we ended up in Vegas. Or the time we tried to talk them into sleeping in by telling them it wasn't day yet. But the name for the site came from Matthew (because this was originally a blog for the whole family.)
The little punk beat us in a game of midget Nerf basketball. Even though he was only three he started dancing around the basement gloating and signing, "I'm the best, I'm the best, I'm the best!" Thus, "The Best Christiansens."
Most of the funny sayings in our family come from Matthew. Say any of the following in a little munchkin voice:
- "Change me! Change me! I pee peed and pooh poohed!"
- "I'm scared! I'm scared!" (Hint: don't pick up a kid who is yelling this even if it's 3:00 AM and just a few seconds earlier he was announcing the status of his diaper.)
- "Don't take my yummy gum!" (This was when Daryl tried to stop him from chewing gum he found under the table at The Pizza Factory.)
- "You be nice now, okay!"
- "I'm Brett Matthew Christiansen!"
Notice how everything has an exclamation point? That indicates extreme volume.
Now Macie has taken Mathew's place as the loud kid who says funny stuff. They are very similar even though Macie was scared of Matthew for awhile. She said, "He's scary because he has bras on his teeth. " I agree that would be pretty scary.
We've Been Down Graded
A few weeks ago, we got a letter from the water company informing us that our water had been contaminated, for just one day. They insisted it wasn't a big deal because it was "just one day". The worst part is, they now have to chlorinate our nice mountain water. Now when we visit Grandma the kids won't ask, "Why does Grandma's water smell like a pool?" Cause our own water tastes like a pool. Too bad.
23.10.08
Grooming a forest
As I surveyed our lot from inside the house and decided how to landscape, it seemed easy. I wanted it to look natural, but still be under control. That meant adding a few retaining walls, some ground cover, lots of trees, and removing anything dead or noxious. Next we hit the fall clearance at Lowe's. For just $30 we got a ton of hardy mountain vegetation. So far--very easy.
The people next door (the nice ones) hired a crew of landscape people who showed up for over a week with their Mini-Exs, Bobcats, and other machinery. And the place looks good. Three weeks later, our place looks about the same. Probably the biggest accomplishment is the mini Machu Picchu-looking wall by the drive way. It better hold.
Planting a tree is so hard, it's amazing any of them ever sprout on their own. Some of these mountain plants are pretty resiliant. We've got something that looks like a strawberry plant (without the strawberries) growing through the concrete that someone pumped out into the forest. So if something can grow through a mound of conrete, I hope the stuff I plant on purpose flourishes.
Macie and some "onions" (bulbs) she planted.
I still have so much to do I kind of hopes it snows soon so I can stop.
One of the perks of living here...you can call "Casey the Woodchipper Extraordinaire" and a couple hours later, he'll drop off a heap of pine chips. Smells so good.
One of the down sides of living here...the guy next door accuses you of killing trees to build your house. Lucky for him, he just happened to find a nice open space to plop his giant wooden house. And he didn't have to kill a single tree! Everyone is a conservationalist after they build their house.
The people next door (the nice ones) hired a crew of landscape people who showed up for over a week with their Mini-Exs, Bobcats, and other machinery. And the place looks good. Three weeks later, our place looks about the same. Probably the biggest accomplishment is the mini Machu Picchu-looking wall by the drive way. It better hold.
Planting a tree is so hard, it's amazing any of them ever sprout on their own. Some of these mountain plants are pretty resiliant. We've got something that looks like a strawberry plant (without the strawberries) growing through the concrete that someone pumped out into the forest. So if something can grow through a mound of conrete, I hope the stuff I plant on purpose flourishes.
Macie and some "onions" (bulbs) she planted.
I still have so much to do I kind of hopes it snows soon so I can stop.
One of the perks of living here...you can call "Casey the Woodchipper Extraordinaire" and a couple hours later, he'll drop off a heap of pine chips. Smells so good. One of the down sides of living here...the guy next door accuses you of killing trees to build your house. Lucky for him, he just happened to find a nice open space to plop his giant wooden house. And he didn't have to kill a single tree! Everyone is a conservationalist after they build their house.
14.10.08
Mediocre pictures of a "funkis" house
Mies van der Rohe said “Architecture starts when you carefully put two bricks together. There it begins.”
Well, we didn't use bricks, and I know some of those contractors weren't careful, but we did begin last summer, and we did build a house. Here are some pictures of what the Urtons call, the house that Daryl built.
Living room with the nephews' favorite red chair--the same chair Richard told Daryl he's not sexy enough to sit in.
Master bath with a glimse of the famous shower.
Master bedroom. Yes, we know we need new bedding.
Another shot of the famous shower. I heard the inspector back there laughing during the final. I don't see what's so funny.
Another shot of the living room.
The office is behind the glass partition which also doubles as our cinema paradiso (the projector shines on the glass screen from behind.
The genkan, aka a room designed for storing shoes. And in this case, also for storing junk we still need to install in the house.
kitchen. Sorry it's not clean, but the batteries in the camera were dead the one day the kitchen was clean.
Dining room where we will feed any of you who come visit.
The giant rotter (which, by the way, does not currently contain any rotten food.)
Many have asked how we clean our concrete floor. If we clean, we use this big yellow janitor mop. Jonas loves it. Maybe he'll grow up to be a maid.
When the inspector saw this he said in a rather disgusted way, "What is that?" Macie took over telling him all about Ikea where we bought the lights and where you can get mac and cheese and diam candies. He started talking to her about meatballs and didn't seem to mind Daryl's homemade light after all. Thanks Macie.
The room where Daryl spends all his time. Thanks Takagi.
Macie's closet, sans glass door. She put all her clothes away by herself. She really does want to grow up to be a maid. She told us, "I love cleaning more than anyone in the family except Mom."
Beck's room.
A sideways image of the guess powder room.
A nice blue picture of Jonas.
Well, we didn't use bricks, and I know some of those contractors weren't careful, but we did begin last summer, and we did build a house. Here are some pictures of what the Urtons call, the house that Daryl built.
Living room with the nephews' favorite red chair--the same chair Richard told Daryl he's not sexy enough to sit in.
Master bath with a glimse of the famous shower.
Master bedroom. Yes, we know we need new bedding.
Another shot of the famous shower. I heard the inspector back there laughing during the final. I don't see what's so funny.
Another shot of the living room.
The office is behind the glass partition which also doubles as our cinema paradiso (the projector shines on the glass screen from behind.
The genkan, aka a room designed for storing shoes. And in this case, also for storing junk we still need to install in the house.
kitchen. Sorry it's not clean, but the batteries in the camera were dead the one day the kitchen was clean.
Dining room where we will feed any of you who come visit.
The giant rotter (which, by the way, does not currently contain any rotten food.)
Many have asked how we clean our concrete floor. If we clean, we use this big yellow janitor mop. Jonas loves it. Maybe he'll grow up to be a maid.
When the inspector saw this he said in a rather disgusted way, "What is that?" Macie took over telling him all about Ikea where we bought the lights and where you can get mac and cheese and diam candies. He started talking to her about meatballs and didn't seem to mind Daryl's homemade light after all. Thanks Macie.
The room where Daryl spends all his time. Thanks Takagi.
Macie's closet, sans glass door. She put all her clothes away by herself. She really does want to grow up to be a maid. She told us, "I love cleaning more than anyone in the family except Mom."
Beck's room.
A sideways image of the guess powder room.
A nice blue picture of Jonas.
quote of the day
To anyone (Daryl) who thinks the olfactory system is not the supreme judge...
“The first condition of understanding a foreign country is to smell it,” Rudyard Kipling
“The first condition of understanding a foreign country is to smell it,” Rudyard Kipling
4.10.08
!05 Crestview Cricle
We passed our final (building inspection--not midterm. Some people were confused.) on Sept. 5th, and moved into the house the next day. We still need to clean the yard, build some retaining walls, paint some accent walls, and install some shelves, but we're finally living here. Photos coming soon. Until then visit us anytime.
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