Winter Wonderland

Blanding has experienced its own Winter Wonderland.  The snow began about 5:00am on Wednesday and didn't let up until 10:00pm that evening.  Ten it began again during the night.  We have at least a foot of snow!  The solar lights are now covered with snow.  

We REALLY like our nephew Kevin who came over

and plowed out our driveway midway through the storm. 

It saved Mike from a lot of shoveling!!!

Images of Christmas 2010

Merry Christmas!

Change. The Christensens have experienced many changes this past year, the biggest being a move from Salt Lake City to Blanding, Utah, on May 31st to live with and help care for Mike’s parents.

Home. The Salt Lake City home is currently occupied by Sidney’s brother, Steven, and Sidney’s niece, Alishea. Mike and Sidney spent some time, even before moving to Blanding, painting rooms and doing some redecorating in the portion of the Blanding home in which they now live, so that there would be a bit more of that “feeling of home” for them.

Retirement. Mike grumbled just a tad, but retired, also at the end of May, which made the move to Blanding possible. Mike has discovered that while he’s officially retired, there is still much to be done, as in helping to care for one’s elderly parents. Sidney is also busy being a caregiver to her husband, so that he can meet his responsibilities. They are both learning a great deal about this sort of work.

Inspiration. Sidney was released as Relief Society President two weeks before the move to Blanding. After 3 ½ years of service, the change was welcome, but Sidney continues to miss the sisters she came to know and love. Mike too was released from his calling as an assistant to the High Priest Group leader. Currently, Sidney accompanies the Blanding First Ward choir.

Sunshine. Blanding is full of sunshine and Mike spent countless hours working in the yard, digging up weeds down to the tap root (or it does not count) and preparing the soil for planting grass. Five trips to the Blanding dump were required during this process, and all of this in addition to assisting his parents.

Technology. Sidney will have completed several family history projects this year, thanks to improved technology. She has written three life histories and has submitted a couple of hundred names for temple work by utilizing the new.familysearch.org computer site.

Mike. Now that the weather has changed, Mike is finally finding time to work on his second novel. This was one of the goals established when the move to Blanding was planned.

Accompanist. This fall, Sidney began accompanying a local women’s singing group, Hometown Harmony. This group practices on Tuesday mornings and performs locally at a variety of different events.

Swimming. Sidney’s dream of being able to walk to and swim in the Blanding City Pool every day was fulfilled this summer. Mike’s parent’s home is directly across from the pool and Sidney swam every day. It’s a good thing because this is the last year of the pool’s existence. A new pool will open at the south end of town come next spring!
We are extremely grateful for the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ and for his atoning sacrifice for all mankind. From our family to yours, we wish you a Merry Christmas.

With Love,


Mike & Sidney Christensen

Thanksgiving 2010, etc.

The Family...

Doug, Caroline & Mike

Before dinner table...

Mike insisted I take this photo...

Fudge Season arrived early. I wanted to make sure I had all my christmas gifts ready to give my parents when they came down to Blanding for Thanksgiving. The weather postponed their trip. Bummer. But, thanks to Scot and Julene and Kevin and Jeff, the gifts will be delivered!

Ingredients in the Pot

Boiling...

Completed batches of fudge - I made 10 batches last Friday

Messiah...

I am singing in the community Messiah this year and decided to audition for a solo. I was selected. I'm shocked. I've never soloed before and never thought I could sing a piece from the Messiah. Now, I'm in practice mode!!! Come and join us on December 12th & 17th.

Etsy

Last Saturday, I put this unfinished quilt top out on Etsy and it sold within an hour.

Last evening (Tuesday) I put this unfinished quilt top out on Etsy. This morning, it also had sold!

I honestly don't understand Etsy. I put thing out there and they sit for months. Then, within a couple of days, I've sold two high dollar items.

I am GRATEFUL!!!

Thursday's Purchase

Which means.... fudge season is just around the corner!

Honk 'Em Home

Well, Mike and I learned of another Blanding tradition on Sunday afternoon. I was over at the church playing the piano for choir practice. All of a sudden, I hear lots and lots of sirens and horns honking. Angela Hurst walks out of church like she knows exactly 'what is wrong', her daughter Klea follows quickly behind her. I'm clueless...

We finish singing the piece we are working on and then someone said, "Oh, the Volleyball Team is home".

(In case you didnt' know, on Saturday, the San Juan High School Girls Volleyball Team took the State Championship in Division 2A.)

THE TRADITION: When a team takes a state championship, the fire trucks and police lead the winning team home along mainstreet with their sirens. Cars then follow along honking their horns. It causes a smile to come to your face. So, at 5:00pm on Sunday afternoon, we are at Main Street watching this impromptu parade go up and down mainstreet as the town "honked 'em home". I loved it!

NOTE: The town is expecting another parade in two weeks when the San Juan Bronco Football team is expected to play and WIN the State Championship. I guess last year when they won, they returned home in the middle of the night.... We'll see what happens this year!

Other news...

Last Friday afternoon Adrienne brought Jett and Tenli over in their Halloween Costumes to visit Granny and Grand dad. Are they not just darling?!? It's a good thing I had bought the candy the day before. Mike and I gave them boatloads of candy!

Jett, Adrienne, Tenli

Afternoon Date

Today Mike's sister Marjorie was visiting from Aztec, NM. She volunteered to sit wtih Mike's parents for a few hours and invited Mike and I to leave for a date.

Plan A: Drive to LaSal-->Paradox, CO.

We are not ten miles out of town - at Devil's Canyon - when we run straight into snow and ice on the road and an overturned car. We decided to turn around and head south.

Plan B: Bluff and the Bluff Fort

Neither Mike nor I were too excited about Plan B, but honestly, it turned out great!

First, we ate at Simpson's. Their fries are delicious and so is the fry bread! Eating at Simpsons is always good. (This part of the plan we were okay with.)

Mike at Simpson's with the Navajo Twins in the background

Our next stop was the Bluff Fort. Members of the original Hole in the Rock company settled the Bluff area in 1880 and built this fort. When here three or four years ago, the fort was rundown, but so much renovation has occured. It is really cool!

Mike standing outside of the meeting house

Mike pointing to Walter C. Lyman,
his great-grandfather who came through
Hole-In-The-Rock at age 17.

Sidney holding the hand of a prophet (John Taylor).

John Taylor was the prophet who issued the

mission call to those families who settled Bluff.

Hanging out of a window of the Barton Cabin

General view of the fort

Thanks so much Marjorie for giving us a few hours off. We so enjoyed our date!

Happenin's

I feel like a broken record, but I am SO TIRED of working on projects. I am burned out. I keep thinking Mike and I are finished for the summer/fall, and then something else crops up! So, here's what we've been up to the past couple of weeks...

The junk collecting behind our house is now at the 'transfer station' (not the dump). The good news about this is that we won't need to look at it all winter from outside our bedroom window!







This morning I went to our garden and picked all of the unripe tomatoes. They are now safely stored on top of our refridgerator!

Well, it's a good thing the grass we planted on the side of the curb didn't grow too well because the telephone company came and dug a HUGE hole and installed new phone lines for the area. Mike and I are taking the positive spin on this and grateful that the phone company 'tilled the soil' for us so that the seeds will take hold next spring!

This past week I've been working on Christmas. I've been ordering on-line and then I made this wall hanging for my mother-in-law. She had a fabric calendar from 2002 hanging in the kitchen - before the redo - and she kept it because she loves cardinals. So, I told her I would create a wall hanging for her from the cardinals. This is how it turned out. As I know she doesn't view our blog, I can put it on display here. Caroline will need to wait until Christmas to see the final product. I'm quite pleased with how it turned out. (Thanks to Brenda and Bethany for their suggestions!)
The Blue Mountains, aka Abajo Mountains. This picture was taken from the transfer station. These are the mountains down here in Blanding. They are beautiful. The scenery grows on me more and more. I truly am coming to love this part of the country.

Finally, I've been reading a book, Edge of the Cedars by Albert R. Lyman, a distant relative. It is the history of Walter C. Lyman, Mike's great grandfather. He was the one who had a vision to create the town of Sidon/Grayson/Blanding. The book as been very interesting. The longer I am here, the more spiritual feelings I have about this place and reading this book has only intensified those feelings. This area truly is a sacred area. Why? I'm not sure, but I just feel that it is.