My Orchids

My nice husband got me this really pretty Orchid plant a couple weeks ago. It's potted, so it just keeps blooming! I think Orchids are one of my favorite flowers. The plant has been perfect! Each flower is picture perfect, and after 2 weeks all the blossoms that were bloomed when he first gave it to me are still in perfect form. It makes our house feel more summery! It is also making me more excited to have a garden when we move to Memphis! (we can plant lots of pretty flowers and lots of yummy veggies!!!)

I love my Orem "neighbors"

Last summer we made the big move out to Orem. I've s tumbled across many reasons why we might actually be living in the Bayou, rather than in Orem. I only have photo documentation of 2 such reasons. (now, please remember that we live in the middle of the city, right behind target)

1.

this is right where you turn get into our neighborhood. So, for directions, we just say, take a left hand turn right after the Emu.

2.

This is a house right around the corner from us. Of course it looks worse in person... but, yes, it belongs in the bayou. There are several others with random fridges and roosters and hound dogs lounging around in the front yard. (but people were outside so I didn't dare take a photo documentation...)

"Pre. Race"

Josh Raced a steeple in an exibition event at the Prefontane classic this weekend. The race was in Eugene, Oregon. The same track that the trials will be on. He ran awesome and won the race. His time was 8:29. The trials are coming up in 3 weeks (July 3 & 5 will be his 2 races) He's getting excited, as am I! Way to go Josh!!!

If you are interested in watching his race here is a link to the footage. (It's not the best film job. Look for him in the back of the pack for the first half of the race...)http://www.runnerspace.com/eprofile.php?do=videos&pg=1&event_id=146&video_id=4662&folder_id=-2&offset=0#video

It's a Girl!!!

Who is further along?

This is my first pregnant stomach post. A couple people wanted to see how chubby I was looking I guess... so this is me and my little sister Tracy, who do you think is further along?


Ha Ha, jk. This is really an Ode to my Favorite restaurant, "The Bombay House". It is SOOOO good! Most people we go with have loved it! If you live in Provo take a trip over and get Chicken Coconut Kurma, Chicken makani, or Chicken Tika Masala. We went there with our family last week (for Tracy's graduation, it's her fav. too) and ate so much. So much, in fact, that Tracy thought she could rival my 18 wk. pregnant stomach... she was right.

High School Graduation!

She made it! Tracy, "the little one", last of the Christiansen's to make it through Timpview High School! Top: Tracy with b.f. Chaison. Middle: I made Tracy a cake with graduation scrolls on top :) Bottom: our fam. (minus sunny) Congratulations Tracy!

All good things must come to an end...

We just had our state track meet last weekend. There were several exciting races. For the events that I coach, we had 2 school records set at state (one in the medley, and one in the 2 mile) We also had some other great runs, and everyone who ran at state had P.R.'s! Thoughout the season we had some amazing runs and lots of improvment! We had 10 new entries on our "Timpview Top 10 All -Time" list. But more than the awesome times run, I was impressed with the dedication, hard work and great attitudes of the girls, they never gave up, they are as "Tough as Nails". Since the state track meet has already taken place, it means that my job as a coach at Timpview is officially over. This has been one of the best and funest experiences ever. I will miss these girls so much! I really look up to them in so many ways and have really learned a lot from them. Each year you think you won't possibly be able to love this years team as much as last years... but every year I've been wrong about that. You get new girls and just after a few days realize how great they are (I guess it's like how people talk about having kids... they don't think they could possibly love the second one as much as they loved the first, but then they do? ha ha) Here's to you Timpview distance girls of 2006-2008!!!

Official Announcment

I've been kinda bad about getting the news out... but we're finally going to have a baby. The due date is on Halloween! (I will truly have a scary halloween this year... I'm scared of labor) We don't know if it's a boy or girl yet. Josh of course wants a boy, I really don't care, as long as it's human :) I'm just over 16 weeks along now and things are going just great!

New York

I'm really behind in blogging... A few weeks ago Josh and I went out to New York for a road race he was doing. I'd only been to new york for half of a day (a few years ago). We had alot of fun. We visited the basics like Central Park (our hotel was only about 1/2 mile from it so we got to run there each morning) we went to "ground 0" and Magnolia's (the delicous bakery) and Grenich village etc. etc. We also got to go to the Broadway- "Mamma Mia" that's the one with the Abba music. It was good, and fun! We were going to wait in the Line for discount tickets for like $50 a piece (people said this was the best deal.) We ended up not having time to wait in the line so we went straight to the box office and got great seats for $30 each!

This is at the Hershey's chocolate store. Me drinking a huge thing of hershey's syrup. (america's chocolate is a bit, okay, more than a bit, behind that european stuff.)

All in all New York is really cool. But I do prefere a place that is less populated... I feel like in big cities you can't really be independent... you'r always waiting on a train, or traffic, or something like that. Hard to get to a grocery store etc. I like just being able to hop in my car and run a quick errand on my own time... plus, I like more open space, I for sure couldn't live in NYC.

Labrynth Goblin

This is one of my favorite pictures of myself... because I look like one of the Labrynth goblins!!!
( if you have not seen that movie, it's worth watching, I love it.)

Tagged

I was tagged again by my cousin Koy, because I have nothing better to post about I'll follow through with the tagging. I'm supposed to tag 7 more people and then link back to them on my page, but I don't know how to do that, I'm sure that probably makes me sound dumb!

7 Random or Wierd Facts about me

1. I love to eat Andees mints when I am sick with a cold.
2. I never had a boy friend in Jr. High or High School
3. I'd like to have a trail mix candy despenser in my house (if I ever get one)
4. I like to run (that's wierd to most people)
5. My favorite Job ever was when I was repair woman at an outdoor store (fixing rafts, and tents etc.)
6. I read 2 of the Spiderwick Chronicles books today (the ones out of the reeces puffs box)
7. I am VERY paranoid about chicken germs (in our kitchen...when we cook!) everything must be sterilized after, including the soap bottle.
* Bonus: I am DISGUSTED by tomato skins and green chillie skins (when they are like cooked, but have come off the tomato chillie or like when you have tomatoes on your pizza and you take a bite and the skin like all comes off with that bite)

Mac Vs. PC

I've been using a MacBook lately b/c that's what I have for work. Can I just say that I am not impressed. I've used one before (when I was doing student teaching) and I just think they are stupid. Granted, I am more used to PC's... but that aside I still feel like a PC is a better option, more straight forward, if you are using it for your normal everyday computer needs. I am convinced that the reason people think Mac's are so cool is because they like the feel and sound of them as they type on the key board, and they like the white, that is their signature color... also, the little icons that line up on the bottom are a little more aesthetically pleasing. Not to mention the fact that "PC " from the commercials is a much more likable, approachable guy; unlike the arrogant, annoying "Mac". Lets be honest though, PC's (or "normal computers" as we call them) are just the better option!

for the purpose of making a post

I haven't made a post in like a month. I keep thinking about it but can't think of anything to post. Life for me has basically just been work. I've worked over 60 hours for the past 3 weeks, but it hasn't been bad. We've had several track meets (hence the 60 hrs.) and it's been really fun. We've got several new girls on the team who are totally dedicated and really doing some great things!

Josh has also started his indoor season. He's run 2 mile races. One in NY and one in Seattle just yesterday. He's so close to breaking 4:00 but I guess he'll have to wait till nationals to do so. In NY he ran 4:01 and in Seattle he ran 4:00.8 He only needs to take off .8 of a second and he's there! (ha ha, easier said that done)

The snow is dumping down on us. Just last night we must have gotten 6 inches of snow and it's still going strong out there... it's February now so we just keep thinking, it has to slow down sometime soon. (actually I guess that depends on if the ground hog saw his shadow yesterday. I don't know.)

Back to Timpview...

I've started my new job at Timpview. So far I'm loving it. I have 6 classes, but my largest class is 17 kids! I'm teaching "Academic Support" so it's basically like my last job, I teach about some study skills, then they have time for homework. My students are mostly Freshman, some sophmores who have failed at least 3 classes I've got some AMAZING T.A.'s that are basically tutors to the kids. And my students are pretty great too! Indoor track has also started. I'm the distance coach again, so that's also adding "enjoyment" to my life!

'Twas the Night before Christmas

I think my favorite christmas movie has always been "Twas the night before Christmas" Me and my sisters still watch it tog. every christmas eve. It is a cute little story about a mouse family, who lives in a human familie's house. The son of the mouse family, Albert, writes to santa and tells him that no one in their town believes in him. Santa is offended and isn't going to visit their town. The mouse family and the human family have to work together to come up with a way to let santa know they believe. This movie even includes some songs, my favorite being "even a miracle needs a hand." Every time I watch it, it reminds me of happy christmas' when I was a kid. Merry Christmas!

Find a penny pick it up...

... and all day long you'll have good luck. I walked out to my car yesterday and found an old rusty penny lying on the ground by my car. I picked it up, hoping that this penny would really bring me the good luck promised in the rhyme. 2 minutes passed and my phone rang... it was the assistant principal at Timpview High School, calling to offer me an awesome full time job (that I hadn't even applied for) for next semester! Then an hour later Josh found out that we could get health insurance through the USATF (something that I've been way stressing about because I've been without for a couple months) and we also found out that USATF will give him tuition reinbursment for grad. school next year! Work was ok that day and when I got home Josh had made a DELICOUS cake! I am now a firm believer in the lucky penny theory!

Atlanta 1/2 Marathon

Josh and I are in Atlanta to spend thanksgiving with his family and grandma. Josh decited to run the 1/2 marathon out here. It's a huge race that included 7,770 people (not to mention a few kenyan's) we all went out in the McAdams family 15 passenger van, to cheer him on and had a real adventure. We even made it on the atlanta news! I'm famous! (okay, mostly it's just josh on the news, but i'm in there for a split second) click on the link to see my debut. http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/myfox/MyFox/pages/sidebar_video.jsp?contentId=5008999&version=1&locale=EN-US

forever fall...

This is the tree in our front yard. It was soo pretty a few weeks ago, now all the leaves have fallen. The beautiful leaves are done with for the season, but the weather has stayed beautiful. How crazy is it that today is november 18 and it was like 60 outside? This whole week I've gone running in a tank top and shorts, and I've still been hott! I hear the winter weather is on it's way... but I say LONG LIVE FALL!!!

Turkey Trot

We ran in a 5k Turkey Trot last weekend. We recruted all the Utah McAdams to run it with us, so that made it fun. from left to right we got Andy (josh's younger bro.) me & Josh, Clint (josh's older bro) and Jayna (clints wife). I hadn't run a race for about 5 months, so I was excited to run this one. I had a goal to run under 20 min. I made my goal by running 19:46! Of course Josh won, and his prize was a turkey gift certificate!

Ohio

Last week Josh and I got to go out to Ohio to visit and to watch his little bro. and sis. compete in the Ohio State Cross Country Meet. It was fun to see and visit with Cindy, Russ, Megan, Brett, Brittany, and Marcin. It was especially awesome that Megan's team won the state title and Brett's team was 4th (highest finish ever by any cross country team that's gone through their high school.)

The bad thing about this trip was that my luggage was "lost" by the airline (hence the poll that was on my blog.) I'd had an overnight flight so I was wearing sweats and a T-shirt and then a half-zip. This is what I got to wear for the rest of the trip... I finally got my stuff back (thanks to my sister in law's mom who works for this airline...) when I arrived back home. My next purchase will be one of those big annoying carry on bags.