October 30th Thursday

A cute group of people at Birts pumpkin patch there were thousands of pumpkins ranging in price from 2.00 to 300.00 for the sizes. We were in awe so dad had to pick out one to carve for our Chili cook off on Saturday. What fun.

More pumpkins

Dad standing on the corner in Elinjay.

Looking out from the Lodge at the top of the falls.

October 30th,

The past week has certainly flown by quickly. On Monday we took our first long site seeing drive since being here. It was wonderful. We went to Elinjay a small town up North from here and to Amiacola Falls to see the leaves and visit an ex-Temple President and his wife who live in elinjay. They also work at the temple now and we work with them. What a beautiful drive, I will attach some of the pictures we took. The leaves had not changed all of the way so we may end up going for a Sunday afternoon drive in a week..

The town was very small and had a lot of antique shops. It also had a lot of fall decorations outside every store and on every corner. There were lots of scarecrows and jack o lanterns. It was great. Dad bought a golf mug to store his coins in on our dresser and guess what Candy!

He is such a sucker for fudge and goodies. We then traveled to the falls. All the leaves were starting to change, but not what I had expected. They told us at the lodge that it may be another week or two.

Dad hiked the stairs to the top of the fall with another couple of the guys and the ladies drove up to the top and picked them up.

It was quite a site. You could see the valley for miles and a lot of the leaves were starting to turn. It is a lot like Utah in Logan canyon however, there are many more trees.

We have been working in the temple still and are waiting to hear. We are actually going to have lunch with the Carrigans(they work on digitizing and live here also) and our supervisor when we get him. We may find out then if and when we may be doing that type of work. One never knows.

We are waiting with all the others who work in the temple when it will be closing we hope not for a few more months as we really enjoy working there. And if they close we don't know if they will close the apartments also?? Who knows.
Hope all are well we love each of you and hope you have a happy HALLOWEEN.

Happy Birthday to Quincie on the 2nd and Robert on the 5th!!

October 30

Sydnee made the school volleyball team. She was very excited. Way to go Syd.

Well this is my firs attempt to the blog. I finally got it to work. Please don't be to picky on my spelling, it is not one of my strong points. During the week of UEA we went to southern Utah, actually we stayed in Kanab. I want everyone to know that Kanab is really one happening spot. There was a tour bus at every hotel in town. When we went to eat dinner at Pizza Hut two busses pulled in and out jumped a football team from Arizona going to play Snow College. The school name was Pima. They are a small JUCO school and the player were very nice to us. Some of the players can over and visited with us while they waied for their pizzas. It was funny because they said that there team sucked and that they started with 85 players and they were currently down to 50. Thay said that everyone was quiing. They told Tanner that they might need him to come and suit up if the only QB go hurt. One of the players was the son of a Pro player, but I did not know the name.

We went and hicked through Bryce, Antalope canyon, horseshoe point, and the Grand Canyon. One thing that we did in Kanab was we went to see the worlds largest animal sanctuary. A ladya t work told me that it was fun. I about died. It was the longest 2.5 hours I have ever spent. We thought that you would be able to play with the animals, but they were all locked up except for the cats. That was OK, but the rest was a waste. From there we travelled to the Glen Canyon Dam for a Dam tour but no one wanted to go, so we went into Page AZ to tour Antalope Canyon. The canyon is a large slot canyon that is on the Navajo reservation. It was alittle costly but it was one of the highlight of the trip. Here are some pictures.

It was really awesome. We met some brothers from France and they said that it was like entering a church cathedral. We had a Navajo guide and he played a Navajo flute in the cave and it was nice.

On our way to the Grand Canyon we made a stop at Horseshoe Point. It was also very impressive to see what the Colorado river some many feet below us. We were right on the edge looking over. Becky was pretty nervous and Syd sat right on the edge. I stayed back and took the pictures. Not like the story of Bryan and I and Dead Horse Point.

After this we had a 2 hour drive to the canyon and we really had to hurry to still be able to see the canyon wih any daylight. It was getting late. When we arrived at the canyon it was pretty much dark and the logde was closed for the season. We got to see just the silhouette of the canyon. I wanted to say and enjoy the time there, but the rest of the family was ready to leave, so our visit to the canyon was for a total of 20 minutes. I think we will have to go back and visit. Overall it was a funtrip and we did see some beautiful sights.

Here are some pictures of Bryce and the Grand Canyon.

I have never seen the sky so blue as I did at Bryce.

Mom you need to add bryan's family as a contributor then we can post to the blog. Here is a picture of prestons getting his eagle We finally had his court of honor a year after he actually finished. Plus look at this babe in front of the washington monument

Sunday Oct 19th

These are pictures of our HUGE kitchen and the street in front of our apartment, the temple and then our apartment building. We walk through our parking lot to get to the temple in the afternoon at 12:00 PM when our shift begins. It is great! As you can see the trees are starting to turn. I will be attaching another picture when it does.
Well another week has gone by. We worked at the temple from tuesday through Saturday of last week except for Friday. We woke up at 4:30 AM on Friday and got dressed in our Sunday clothes with our badges on and headed out for Ft Benning GA to meet the Mission President Mathesuick and his office staff for a day at the Fort with graduation cermonies for 3 of the latter day saint recruits along with about 150 others. We met with Elder and Sister Hansen who are the missionaries at Ft Benning. They actually can not prosolite(sp) but they give support for the lds soldiers who are on the base. They have had about 29 babtisims just from referrals of other young lds men bringing friends to church in the past year. It is amazing how the Lord works his wonders. It took about 3 1/2 hours to get there. We observed a display of tanks then the graduation ceremony. It was not too long, after we had a short fireside from the missionary leader president Funk who is over the youth in that area of the church. He spoke how the South would be one of the largest areas for the church in the future as prophised by Brother Vaughn Featherstone some years ago. Already there are 3 temples in this area and they anticipate that there possibly may be 1 million saints in the future. Amazing! But it is growig rapidly over the past year. After the fireside we had lunch at a place called Johnny Torrinos it was Italian and it was very good. We then drove back home in a rain shower. Can you believe I forgot my camera that day and I am waiting for Sister Wilson to send me pictures. We did not get home until 6:00 PM that night so it was a long day.
I have been working on a quilt for Brock for Christmas and have finally gotten it done. I hope to have time to do some pillowcases for my grandchildren also. The weather here has been great about 70+ each day, and cooler at night. I think I could get used to this weather. I love serving in the temple and know that this is where the Lord wanted us to be at this time. The blessings given in some of the ordinances are amazing and it has been so good for me to hear them again and to be able to participate in them. I am so thankful for this opportunity to serve my Father in Heaven I know this church is true and I know that the Lord knows each of us individually and if we just stay close to him and pray daily he will bless us. I do look forward for each day.
We work out each day, Paul has been going to the Sr center to workout on the health rider and I go 3 times a week and walk the rest as it is too beautiful to stay inside. I think that will come soon enough.
My testimony has grown everyday. I know that God lives and that he loves us. I feel his spirit with me each day as I learn the ordinances of the temple. We are so blessed. The church is true and I am thankful for each of my children, spouses which really are my children also and my wonderful grandchildren.
November birthdays coming up, Quincie 2nd, Robert 5th, Paul 11, Preston 20, and Leah 26th WOW what a great month.

The fruit of labor or is it love?

This year was my year for canning.

My friend and I bottled 41 quarts of

peaches one day. Then we got together

and bottled applesauce. I am also

making more applesauce today.

I also froze 24 2 cup containers of

peaches. It has been an adventure.

Although it didn't even reach 40 degrees today the girls wanted to go outside and play. Abi thought that the bucket on her head turned her into a snow princess. When we started to have a few small snow flurries she was ready to shovel it up and make snowangels. You can see a little bit of our backyard. In the corner there is a firepit. We have yet to use it though.

October 10

I can't believe it October 10th Friday and we have served here for over 3 weeks now almost. The weather has been beautiful although rainy the past couple of days. It is very needed here in Georgia as they are in a drought at this time 3 years and the lakes are very low. The Lord is blessing us with rain. How great this has been. Working in the temple every day certainly gives me a sense that our Heavenly Father is very close and loves each of us very much. I have heard many stories from some of the sisters who are working in the temple who are converts and we just do not know how blessed we are to live in the family that we do and to be raised as we have. I think we take much for granted with all of our blessings and STUFF that we have. I don't think I have appreciated what I do have and all that I have enjoyed by being raised in the gospel by goodly parents.
The trees are beginning to turn and when it is another week I will get some really good autumn pictures. There are so many trees here that I can just imagine what it is like to have colors change. I remember when we went with Sue and Dan to Conneticut and the area and the trees and colors it is just as beautiful here as there.
Dad and I have been exercising every day except sunday, we have joined the Sr Center and dad goes there daily to workout. I have only been going a couple of days a week as I just cannot pass up walking out in the yards surrounding our apartment. It is so beautiful and I am not sure how much longer the weather will hold. It has been in the 60-70's for the past week actually high 70's. I still freeze everywhere. I had to buy a white sweater to wear to the temple as they always keep it so cold. I guess they think it helps keep people awake. I have had a little bit of homesickness the past two days so I just keep going and praying and know that all is well back home. We have met some wonderful people. There is a couple named Ben and Bonnie who are also working on documentation that we have come attached to and we play cards with them twice a week it has been fun. I am going to look for somewhere to have pictures taken today so I best get going as we leave for the temple at 11:45.

I need to learn how to rotate some of the pictures but you can have fun looking at them sideways.

W e have had a lot of fun of the canyon.
However, now that summer is over we are going to have to wait for the nice weather. Madi and Abi loved riding on the swings, and now Abi also likes to go on the zipline. We did find out the hard way though that Madi needs her own bed to sleep in. If she is in a regular bed she does not sleep. But it was all fun. Both girls just love being outside. Now it is startig to get cold. Now at least the girls have more room to play. We are loving our new house and can't wait to start painting and updating a little.

Abi started taking tap and ballet lessons. She loves it and wears her tap shoes all the time. I guess it is good we have tile floors for her to practice on. So question...Does this dance outfit remind anybody else of a wrestling outfit or is it just me?? She loves it though.

Well we hope that everybody is doing well... I your loser of a sister will be getting a camera however, I haven't been to Pocatello lately. I know ..as Lightning McQeen says...I'm in hillbilly H-LL. But I am starting to like it more and more.

Love you all-

Christensens

WOW Oct 2nd

I am attaching some photos of our stay in Nauvoo and Mt Rushmore. Because I am just now figuring out how to post them (a little slow huh!)


Devils Tower was very cool looking just like Close Encounters of the First Kind


Mt Rushmore our first glance!



I am sure glad we didn't have to get here this way!


This is where we started in Provo.

We have did it, we have actually lived togethere 24/7 for one month. I think that we sometimes are both surprised. But life is very good. We have been working in the temple now for one week it has been TERRIFFIC. It is so peaceful and you are in such a spiritual arena for 6 hours a day, you can't but help feel the spirit and feel close to your Father in Heaven. We have met some terrific people from the President and his wife (President Black) to the laundry lady who is a cute little black lady who is so southern it is awesome.

I was out walking this morning and I saw the most incredible Red Cardnial that I have ever seen. I am going to take my camera walking again to get a picture of one. they are just so red. Behind the apartments we have a huge forest and a house. We see squirrels and deer every day and evening. It is so wooded here that you really can't see the forest through the trees so to speak. I will send pictures soon they are still untaken. Life is great and all is well!!