Lia Guest-Hosts

Hi you guys, this is Lia. Dad isn't putting anything in, so I guess I'm going to have to do it for him.
Well. Berrett and I went on marching band tour about two Saturdays ago, down to Red Rocks in  St. George. Our first competition we got first in our division (3A, based on size of band) with three caption awards (outstanding music, outstanding visual, and outstanding colorguard). I think it was after that one that the band started freaking out. You see, at all of our other competitions, we only got second or third with one or two caption awards. But now, at Red Rocks, we finally got first. Afterward at the bus, everyone was so excited that I seriously thought they were going to tip the bus over. O.O  (scary)
Second competition, we got first in our division (2A this time) again. We were just getting over the excitement of that when the announcer said that we had made it to the top ten finals. Now, that's cool, huh? Here's what's even cooler.  Out of all of the other bands from around the west, we were the only band from 2A to make it into finals; the smallest band there! So we marched our show yet again and came in seventh out of the ten bands. Among them was the mighty American Fork Marchinig Band, who, of course, won first. Not that that's bad or anything, I mean, they had only won first at every single competition they had marched that year, won all of the caption awards, and recieved the sympathy of every band in Utah, but that's beside the point. Just on a side note, in case you hadn't heard, the AF band was driving home from a competition a while ago when the driver of one of the buses fell unconcious and collapsed over the steering wheel. The bus veered out of control and started rolling. The clarinet instructor who had been sitting at the front grabbed the steering wheel and managed to gain control of it somewhat before it started to roll. She was thrown out the driver's side window and was killed. The only other injuies were broken bones and noses. Now at the very end of their show, they have a memorial to Heather Christiansen, the clarinet instructor who gave her life to save the lives of her students. It's extremely touching; the first time I saw it, I started to tear up.
So that's band season. Woo! Well, not really woo since this year was my last one. I told myself I wouldn't cry about it, but right before our second to last performane, my freind Kim walked up to me, put her hands on my shoulders, and said, in the most serious tone possible, "Well Lia, this is our last performance." then walked away. After that, when I put on my uniform I thought, This is the last time I'm going to wear this... and sniffed. I picked up my hat, last time wearing this, too... sigh. Assembled my saxophone, this is the last time I'm going to pick this up to march with it... soon I was crying, trying to wipe my tears away on my sleeve before anyone saw them. At least I was able talk to people without choking on my tears. Another one of my friends, also a senior, started crying also and couldn't stop. It was only after I patted his shoulder and gave him a hug that he managed to swallow up his sobbing.

Well, I wish I could write more, but Mom and Dad are telling me that it's time for prayer and dishes and bed. Yay.
See ya!

(I'll try to guilt trip dad into writing more, so you can hear more about everyone else....)

On parade: Wherein Berrett flexes the muscles in his face

As many of you know, Berrett and Lia are both in the Orem High School Marching Band. Mountain View High doesn't have a band, but I won't go into that here. This is Berrett's first year, Lia's third. This year Lia is a section leader; she gets to order the bass instruments around.



I think that they respect her because she manages to do the heel/toe march, stay in beat, and carry an instrument that is about as large as she is over a mile-long course. I'd respect that. Besides, all the bass instrument players are guys . . . and she's not . . . and she's good looking. No it's her successful heal-toe marching.



Berrett doesn't like anyone to take his picture. If you look through the pictures that we have of him, you'll see that he seldom smiles.

I think that Judy offered him a triple-stack for this one. I know it's not because he just finished the parade and feels great because it was so fun. No, it's all about food.

Like me, both Lia and Berrett dislike street marching (which is all that I did in marching band). Lia loves field marching, which is what it is called when a band marched during half-time. Berrett hasn't done it yet. Last year at competitions (can you believe they do marching band competitions?) The band finished 1st on a number of occassions. If they do that again this year, Berrett might actually smile again . . . without being bribed.

Pictures from Manson

These pictures are from a trip the family took to visit Dale, Rae Anne, and family during the summer of '86 (? it's either '86 or '87, can anyone verify the correct year for me?). I think this was my first summer after my mission (an argument for '86), because I was still in post-mission form.

Rob came along, which also makes me believe it was '86.

Part of the festivities was a fishing derby for the kids at the golf course in Chelan. I think Rae has a video of me panicking while picking up a fish. Post-mission form again.

Is this next one of Nick? I can't tell them apart. At that age they all looked like Dale.

These are probably the very first missionary pictures of Aaron and KC.

I never get tired of Manson. I wish that fate had worked with us better so we could go up there more often.

Focus on Judy

These types of posts can't be good for a marriage, but I can't resist sharing some of Judy's pictures that I've been scanning. It's kind of strange probing the past of your spouse and realizing that there were people who knew her well and cared for her long before I ever met her.

Long before I decided that I'd like to spend the rest of my life with her, they were making memories with her.



Judy has always had a way with people, helping bring out the best in them. As I compare her pictures to mine, I find that hers are more of the people she spends time with loves, mine are of scenery and sunsets and things that will be pretty much the same tomorrow, next year, ten years from now. People continue to change and memories speed by and change by the minute. But they can be shared and enjoyed years later with the prompting of a picture.

As I look through these pictures it's hard not to be jealous of all of those memories that I can't share with her because I wasn't there. But then, now I get to create new memories with her every day.

Then I realize how jealous those who knew her when I didn't must now be of me.

Emulating Rob

I've been following Rob's example of scanning old pictures that we have stowed away in different shoe boxes. It's been a while since I've seen some of these and thought I should share some of them. This first batch is from 1983:

In honor of Colby's birthday a few days ago.

I've determined that hyperdocumenting your firstborn's life is genetic.

Well, he was cute anyway.

KC was already attracting women back then.

Rob in a common pose.

Jenni practicing the piano.

Kelli and Marla Perkins? (no, it's Becky Perkins; thanks Kelli)

Steven's Shower

Of course, this is about the baby Steven. My showers are not at all interesting enough for anybody to cater. Sherry hosted a shower for Todd and Crystal at Mom and Dad's house today. She went all out like she usually does and made it a great occasion with plenty of food and fun conversation. (We appreciate all that you do, Sherry! Thank You!) It's been too recent since Steven was born, so Todd attended in Crystal's place.

Rather than try to arrange pictures in the Blogspot editor (how do the rest of you do it?), I'm providing a link this time. So click here to see pictures of the event and a few more of Steven (he also didn't attend because we don't want him becoming sick). Thanks to everybody for your support of Todd and Crystal.

Pictures of Steven Wyatt Christensen

Lia was bummed because she was hoping to see Steven at 2:00 this morning. Instead, he wasn't born until 6:20 this morning, and she had to go to school instead.

Kyle is currently the same age that Lia was when he was born, so this photo represents an interval of "eights".
Judy has been beaming and glowing all day. I couldn't count how many times she has announced that we're now grandparents.
Todd seems to be adjusting well to his new son. He figures that this qualifies him to be on the cover of his favorite magazine. It's a good start.