Presser/Christiansen Family: April 12 and before

Today I went to church by myself for the first time since I came here. Nathan was there when I got there so I sat by him. Sacrament was about what we can do to prepare again for conference and how we can implement the teachings of the Gospel in our lives. I had read a talk this morning about how to get the music of the Gospel in my life from Conference that meant a lot to me and one of the speakers talked about how much that meant to them also

BJ and Cieli

I had offered to teach primary for Ginger Forbes. She had to leave quickly because her father was ill. I was teaching the 6-7years old. The lesson was about being grateful for the things our parents have taught us and about the importance of teaching the Gospel to our children. We played a game where I read a poem and they had to put their hands on their heads when I said heaven or home. Then they wanted to do it again and they climbed on their chairs and jumped off when I said heaven and home. I turned around and the primary counselor was there inside the door. I asked her if she needed anything and she said she was just worried that the kids were out of control. I told her no. So I got in trouble again for my desire to let kids be kids.

Cieli topping the scale at 8.79 lbs.

Holly and Cieli

Nathan decided that he wanted to move out this weekend earlier in the week but the Bishop talked him into waiting until next week to get everyone from the ward to help him. But he decided to move down to the apartment on Wednesday. He bought him a bed and then he has been staying in his apartment since then. His housekeeper Honey Bishop has been driving him and helping him with the kids on Thursdays. It has been hard because he is acting like a teenager. He wants out and so he does not tell us much about what is going on. Honey came to me today and said that he had asked her to stay for the weekend to help with the kids as he has them next Friday but she told him she could not do that and she talked to the Bishop about getting someone from the Priesthood to help him so I guess that we do not get to help with the kids next Friday for the weekend.

Larry was not home from John and Judy's yet when I got home so I ate and then listened to some Conference talks and said some prayers. I had just started the blog when Larry got home. We basically ate and then read and said prayers after that and went to bed. After a while I got up for something and Marcy called to talk because she was driving back from Cedar City and needed someone to help her stay awake. We talked for a long time. Finally at about 12:00 a.m. our time she stopped to get some gas and things so we decided I needed to go to bed. She texted me later and told me she was glad I was her Mother in law. I am glad she is my daughter-in-law we are on the same wave length.

Back to earlier in the month. BJ and Holly welcomed their first child on Tuesday the 31st of March. They named her Cieli (pronounced Chay-lee) Rose Christiansen. Cieli is the Italian word for heaven. She weighed 8 lbs and 7 oz. and she is a cute chunky healthy baby. She is 21 inches long so she is tall like all of our babies. Holly's Mom was able to go and help for a while. I really wish we were closer but we will see her soon I suppose. BJ was able to get some good pictures of her that they have sent by text and posted on Facebook so that helps.

Nathan with the Texas team ready to ski

Nathan started the Winter Sports Clinic on Tuesday. Marcy sent a picture of him all bundled up ready to ski. Apparently even though this is a Wounded Warriors Clinic they did not get a motel room that is handicapped so they are having some interesting moments trying to get Nathan in the bathroom and showered. He seems to like the sports though even though he is not smiling in the picture. I am glad that Marcy could go with him and help him.

View from temple hill

We had a regular office day but we went to the Temple on Tuesday night so that was a fulfilling evening. I took some pictures of the city from the temple. They are not professional but it show how the temple is on a hill.

Maggie in the baby pool

Wednesday I received my supply order for the mission and felt like it was a miracle. I had forgotten how late it was getting while taking time off to help Nathan with the kids and shopping for ski clothes and forgot to order the supplies for MLC until last Thursday. I ordered them and then was worried that they would not come in in time to get the orders together because it usually takes 10 working days to get an order here. But it came in less than 5 days because of prayer and that gave me time to work on it on Wednesday and Thursday.

David trying to convince Isaac and Sammy the water was warm

Wednesday night we took the little kids to McDonalds after picking them up from school. The boys all had Scouts and Sara picked up David and then she took Maggie and we went to the Family History Center while they were in Scouts. Sammy had a fun time because they made Flash lights out of toilet paper rolls and some wiring to teach them the principles of electricity.

Thursday I spent all day filling orders for MLC so that I could be finished so that I could take the kids on Friday because they were out of school for Good Friday. I worked hard and was able to get it done before we left but I was frustrated because the other half of my Book of Mormon order had not arrived and I had had to deny several zones their Book of Mormons that they ordered. And they were not small orders. Several boxes each.

Enjoying the water

We got the kids Thursday night later because Sara wanted to dye Easter Eggs with them before they came because they would be there all weekend for Easter and Maren was coming from North Carolina so we were planning on rolling Easter Eggs with her. That was good she wanted more time because we needed to get some groceries for the kids and we went to get some dinner.

Friday Larry went to the office and I stayed home with the kids. We did a lot of fun things. Maggie organized her brothers in the morning into having a picnic on the floor of the apartment. I was impressed with how she was able to figure out what they were going to eat and play while they did it. We also went swimming that day in the apartment's outdoor pool. It was quite warm that day in the 80's but then it cooled down when Maren came.

Maggie's picnic on the floor

Larry called from the office and the Book of Mormons had come in that morning so he and the Williams's got my orders and filled the Book of Mormon orders that I thought I was not going to have and got them to the Stone Oak Chapel before the Leaders left. It was a true miracle that week how the Lord made it possible for them to have their supplies despite my inadequacies. I was also glad that Larry would worry about it and help me get it done.

Maggie, David, Brinlie, Gauge and Ellie

Guage, Sammy, Ellie, Isaac and Max

Maren did not come in on Friday night as we thought she would. They finally made it about 2:00 p.m. in the afternoon Saturday. I had told them to get a hotel by the airport and so they were only about 10 minutes from us. We had made arrangements to go to the Riverwalk and have a boat tour by our Bishop here in Texas. Bishop Alonzo is one of the tour guides for the Boats. We got there and it took about a half hour to get on his boat but it was a fun tour and Bishop got to meet Maren and her family because there was no church on Easter Weekend because of Conference. He also did it for free because he can have a certain number of family and friends for free each month. I thought that was a warm gesture on his part as we did not ask for free.

Bishop Alonzo driving his boat

Larry and June in the River Boat

We tried to get in a couple of restaurants on the Riverwalk but most of them were a two hour wait with it being Easter Weekend. It was crowded and in the excitement to see Maren I had forgot to take my pain pill so I was not having a good time. I mention to Landon that we could go somewhere else to eat if he didn't care and he said that all he wanted to have while he was in Texas was some good Texas Barbecue. I remembered that Blanco Barbecue where we get the barbecue for the incoming missionaries had a playground and good barbecue so we decided to go there. I was amazed because they do have good barbecue and Landon wanted us to send him some of the sauce they make, but most of the kids ordered the kids meal of chicken tenders and they were huge. Six inches long. Hand battered on fresh not frozen chicken. They were so good that Larry and I have since gone back to get just that. The kids had a good time and for the most part so did the adults. They even had a small mini zoo for the night.

Maren, David, Gauge, and Nathan looking at mini zoo

Sunday we had planned to roll Easter Eggs before 11:00 a.m. Conference but we ended up watching the first session and then going to roll the eggs in between. There is a small dam by our apartment that has worked good last year so we went there. Nathan had also had me get some Mexican Cascarones which are confetti eggs from a lady in Woodlake ward that was making them essentially for free. They also had a good time breaking those on each other and Landon's family has a tradition called red eggs where they each take a red egg and take turns cracking them with each other until only one person has an uncracked egg. We tried to combine all of those and we had a good time.

Landon, Maren, Max and Brinlie at Blanco BBQ

Nathan, Isaac and David. See Chicken tenders on left

We went back and had lunch and then tried to watch Conference in the afternoon but I did not get much out of it because I was being a Martha and trying to help those who were there to have a good time. I have since been listening to them online and having a great experience. We are so blessed with the communication that we now have that makes it possible to listen to the talks immediately online after conference. They also had them out within a few days in written form to be read as you listen.

Maggie, David, Gauge, Ellie, Max, Brinlie rolling Easter Eggs

Sara let the kids play a little longer and then Maren and Landon took Nathan's kids home for him and we tended their kids because there is only room for 6 in the van besides Nathan. I had a good time playing legos with Ellie. And Max was trying to play something with me too. I was surprized that he knew me so well. Brinlie and Gauge were busy with their tablets. I can not believe how much each of them has grown since I was with them for Brinlie's baptism.

It was funny because I thought that Maggie would be so happy to see Ellie and play with her but she was so jealous of sharing her Grandparents and toys and such that it made it hard for Ellie. I am sure she will grow out of it. But one time Ellie said, You don't have to be so rude."

David, Brinlie and Maren rolling eggs

Larry, Landon, David, Issac, Gauge, Maggie and Ellie

When they first came Maren and Landon thought that they would not be able to stay after Monday but then Landon's parents wanted them to go to California on their way home so they were able to stay and go to the zoo in San Antonio while Larry and I worked. Then we met them at the Riverwalk and ate at the Hard Rock Cafe. Nathan said he was tired from his trip so we bought him some food and took it home. It was fun to have that extra time with them. They had parked by the Alamo so they went to the Alamo after dinner but Larry and I went home and took Nathan his food and went to bed.

Tuesday I finally talked Maren and Landon into coming by the office to see where we work. Luckily the President was there because they were working on transfers that week so he was able to meet them. I say that because he is seldom in the office. It was fun to show off my children and grandchildren. Maren and Landon left shortly after that.

Brinlie showing her egg. See the Texas Blue Bonnets growing here

David wearing his Easter Bucket

Nathan bought a bed for his apartment in Converse on Tuesday. He came back to the apartment that night late on Via Trans. He asked us to take him to the Church on Wednesday but because we have been banned from driving his van I asked him how we were supposed to do that. In the past when he has banned me from driving I have talked Larry into driving for him so we could get where we needed to go but this time he refused and I appreciated the support. So Nathan transferred his meeting to his apartment. He has not come back to the apartment since then except to move his things with his housekeeper. He wrote to our Mission President and told him he was done with us and the Mission President and the Bishop each said that perhaps we needed to give him some space. He has been quite creative in his ways of getting things done without us and I am proud of him actually. It is too bad that we have to have a fight to help him progress. He has had his housekeeper take him on Thursdays to get the kids and she apparently also brings him food sometimes. He had the ward help him find someone in the Priesthood to stay with him and the kids this weekend while it was his turn to have the kids.

Maggie in her new Easter Dress

David playing with balloons from Blanco BBQ

I decided to go to Time out for Women that is presented by Deseret Book on the 10th and the 11th. One of the ladies in our Woodlake ward had a ticket to sell so I decided to try it. I just went by myself. It started on Friday night and then was most of the day on Saturday. Larry decided to go visit John and Judy while I was gone and Nathan was staying at his apartment so I had our apartment to myself and I would be lying if I said I did not like it. I was processing how I felt about Nathan's sudden move and Larry's attitude to it and it gave me time to think.

Lego Frozen Castle the kids got for Easter. Notice the confetti from the eggs

Ellie, Brinlie, and Gauge at Hard Rock Cafe

On Saturday I met some of the ladies from Woodlake ward and sat with them. It was fun to be with them and they gave me some support. The talks were inspiring and the music also but I have decided that Time out for Women is a big marketing campaign for Deseret Book and some of their colleagues. I bought two copies of Meet the Mormons and an entire outfit from Sweet Salt then the next day I bought two more books. And that was me trying to be conservative!! I texted Larry and told him to transfer some money and he was cute and just said "Done, I love you!"

Saturday evening I went and bought some food so we would have food for Sunday and basically ate and went to bed. I slept for 12 hours and felt like I needed it.