OK...

Here are ten things that have happened since our last post: (not the very last post, the one before that...)

1. We went to Idaho for Christmas.

2. We went to Utah for New Year's.

3. Kyle finished his first semester of school.

4. I PASSED THE FINANCIAL SECTION OF THE CPA EXAM.

5. I took the Regulation section of the CPA exam (still waiting for the results.)

6. Kyle has an interview for dental school at USC on February 8.

7. The doors on my car were completely frozen shut for almost 2 days (actually there was a nice layer of ice on the entire car.)

8. In hopes of developing a hobby in 2008...I got a new camera for Christmas. Funny how I still haven't really taken a picture. I think i might need some lessons. (Or something/someone to take a picture of.)

9. Went shopping at Rod Works while in Utah. I love that store.

10. Lindsay got into BYU (5 for 5 in the Christensen family)! Mitch got an offer from Idaho State to play football! Michelle changed majors! Valerie got fun roommates! Derek got an internship! Keith came and visited! Nicole had a birthday! Natalie, well, we are still waiting to hear some exciting news from her...hint, hint (oh, man...I am turning into one of the Christensen girls...)!

Kudos to us, for coming up with 10 things! We would like to thank our siblings for helping us out with #10.

Speaking of families...maybe I will post a picture or two.

Here are our families.

the Christensens

the Bedkes

The time has come...

I don't really have much to say, but don't you think it is time for something new to look at?

Oh wait, we don't really have any new pictures...

We are boring.

Two Years!!

Wow!  It is hard to believe it has been two whole years!  I love you Kyle!

GO HORNETS!!!!

Mitch is holding the trophy.

My little brother Mitch was the quarterback on the Oakley HS Football team. They had an awesome 12-0 Season this year, ending as Idaho State Champions!!!!

Here are a couple of links to the local news station. The first one was when he was selected as Athlete of the week. The second one was when he was interviewed after they won the state championship. These are links to the articles...there are video links on the articles...be sure to watch them! (Mitch is #8.)

http://www.kmvt.com/news/sports/11189146.html

http://www.kmvt.com/news/sports/11189146.html

We are so proud of him (and SAD that we couldn't go to any of the games!!!)

And we're back...

To all of our loyal blogger audience.  I apologize for our long absence... 

In in the duration since my last post, we have had two additions to our family. 

and...

We have loved having the MacBook Pro.  I will be honest, I was a hard sell, not because I was opposed to the idea of switching to Apple, but because I didn't want to shell out the dough!  But it has been a great purchase, I get to use it every fourth evening from 8:45-9:15 (isn't Kyle generous :) )  However, I do really miss my friend "right click"...(I know, I know, two fingers and then click gets the job done, but it just isn't the same...)

We had a really great Thanksgiving.  We went to Brice and Camille's house.  I think that I mention this is every post, but we love going up there.  They make us feel so at home, and it has been really good getting to know their kids better.  Camille's brother Lewis and his family were there.  They have two little girls: an 18-month old and a newborn, so that was really fun.  We watched football, ate a ton of food, played games, shopped 'til we dropped, chopped down a Christmas tree, went to Jessica's basketball game, went bowling, slept, ate, slept, and ate.  

*notice Malyssa's bumpers

(sorry Jessica, none of your bowling pictures turned out...you would have been mad if I posted them)

We are VERY excited that we get to spend Christmas at "home" with our families.  We fly into SLC on Christmas eve evening (we are hoping for a brown Christmas) and are planning to drive straight to Oakley, spend a few days there and then head back to Lindon until January 3rd.  

**OK I rescind my comment about how I love our new computer.  This was my first post using the new computer and it took me over an hour to just format it.  I didn't think that I was an old dog..but I am definitely having a hard time learning this new trick.

Today's Thoughts

I think that I need more interaction with real friends, because as Kyle puts it, I spend too much time with my imaginary friends...he is referring to blogs. I am obsessed (ok, not quite obsessed) with surfing other people's blogs. I think that it is so fun to see the creative ways that people portray their lives. But in retrospective, I conclude that I have probably just wasted away the evening, living an imaginary life...

So calling all friends...come visit us! I am in dire need of a real friend outing!

P.S. I am supposed to be studying right now...but I am having a hard time finding the desire. I leave for work when it is dark, and I get home from work when it is starting to get dark...so when I get home, it is just too gloomy to study. Especially on the days when Kyle stays late on campus! It is only going to get worse I fear...especially when tax season rolls around!

Lions and Tigers and Bears and Hippos and Leopards and Crocodiles... OH MY!

This evening was quite the occasion. Pat Early, the managing principal at Somerset, where I work, had an open house at his home to showcase his hunting trophies. Now this wasn't your regular home, or trophies...it was a log cabin style mansion and these were a few of his treasures...




My pictures hardly do it justice. I am not exaggerating when I guess that he probably had 150-200 mounts of different animals scattered throughout his house. There were several bears, moose, a zebra head, every African deer you can think of, a Hippo, several fish, turkeys, bobcats, white tail, mule deer, water buffalo, fox, coyotes, and elk, just to name a few. His latest kill hasn't made it back from Africa yet, but there will soon be a branch across the entry way with his prized leopard perched upon it.

All I have to say is WOW, he has a supportive wife!

Update...

No, Kyle hasn't been sewing again. In fact, he still hasn't finished the first project; however, I told him that it could join the drawer with all of my unfinished R.S. Enrichment projects...so many good intentions.

This past weekend, we went up to my Uncle Brice and Aunt Camille's home in North Manchester, IN. Like I have mentioned previously, we love going up there. Having them here has really made it feel like we aren't 1500 miles from home. We have enjoyed following their kids' sports and other activities. Both Jessica (15) and Malyssa (13) are the stars of the volleyball teams, we have been to a couple of their tournaments; they are fun to watch! Jessica was also selected to represent her class as a part of the homecoming court, for their school's homecoming this past weekend, so we went to the football game and watched as she was introduced during half-time. She is a beautiful girl, we are very proud to have such great cousins!

We really enjoyed conference this weekend. It was very nice, my Aunt and Uncle have the BYU channel, so we didn't have to go to the church for conference.

We have been staying really busy. Kyle finished up his first round of tests last week, and did pretty well. Luckily his next round is a little more staggered. I am studying for the Financial portion (there are four parts total) of the CPA exam and hope to take it towards the beginning of November. I sent in my application for the tests at the beginning of September, so I should be receiving my "notice to schedule" soon, then I can set a date to take this section. I think that my studying will be a lot more focused once I have a "hard" deadline. My ultimate goal is to finish (and pass) all four parts by early next summer.

In other news, Kyle was invited for an interview at Boston University's Dental School at the beginning of November. We are excited to have options, but are still really hoping that things will work out here. We really like Indianapolis. Kyle likes his program, I like my work, and we both love our ward (with the exception of the Sunbeam calling...just kidding, it isn't that bad.)

Christmas in October?

Yesterday, when Kyle got home from school, we decided to procrastinate our studies and go walk around our favorite store, Costco. (It was alright though, because we did it in the name of Family Home Evening.) After an hour and a half of walking up and down every aisle, our only purchases were two rolls of Christmas wrapping paper and a cute Snowman pillow.

Ok, so I thought it was kind of bizarre that I was already purchasing holiday items and we haven't even made it to Halloween. BUT today as I was driving home from work, I was flipping through my pre-set radio stations, and had to stop when I discovered one was playing a touching rendition of Oh Tannenbaum. I thought it was a joke of some sort, but the very next song was Silent Night.

It's not like we are getting snow or anything, to bring on the premature Christmas spirit...it has been 90+ here four of the last five days!

It must be a sign...maybe I should put up our Christmas tree.

My Domestic Husband

Last Friday when I came home for lunch (right after the fainting incident), I found this when I walked in the door.


When I left for work at 7:30 that morning, we didn't have any huge black pieces of fabric, so I knew something was up. I walked in a little further and found this.



Yes, that is Kyle at the sewing machine. Now, I don't know what the proper reaction should have been, but all I could do was laugh, and ask what the heck he was doing. Turns out, he was surprising me by sewing me a bag to hold all of my primary things (oh yeah, I am the sunbeam teacher; however, a big part of me would rather be the relief society president). I was quite impressed (in a wierd way..), he says that this was his very first time sewing (outside of his Jr. High TLC class)and no pattern here folks, he designed the bag and everything. He even threaded (I don't know if threaded is a word, but I am going with it) the machine without having to call his mom! Now I am almost 100% sure that if I would have been the one to thread the machine, I would of had to have called my mom. Isn't he something!