The Hansen Clan

Baby Hansen

2012-02-07T20:55:00.004-05:00

There are not too many photos of me and there aren't many of me with the kiddo's. Reading is something we do every night, so I figured it would be good to actually capture the moment in the evening I love when the kids cuddle up and I get to read to them.
My birthday! Mike and the kiddo's got me an ice cream cake. Yumm-o! I also got a gift certificate to the craft store so I can start making those pillows and that blanket and on and on. .
My funny man climbed on top of the food storage and found an excellent hiding place behind the coats. It also proved to be a great place to munch on his apple.
Colton and his best buds. These three are hilarious together. The nice thing is they all have older sisters who are 5, so we get together with their families a lot. It doesn't hurt that we all live in the same apartments either.
And the exciting part of today . . . Meet my daughter. She's so photogenic she is already smiling.
Doc. says she is healthy. Yay!

Childish Thoughs

2012-01-24T19:21:00.002-05:00

Have you ever tried to remember back as far as you can? To your earliest memory? These memories are usually random snippets, vague and sometimes seemingly unrelated. But as you look back, there comes a point where you remember things well. You remember the emotion, the event, the importance of things and these things are all very clear to you. As search my memories, it seems that between 5 and 6 years old is when this clarity was achieved. I remember Jaxon Higgs kicking me outside in kindergarten and I dropped all of the feathers I had been collecting and they blew away in the wind. I remember my dress blowing up in the wind while I was waiting to go into the classroom and Jacob Briggs saw my underwear! I was mad rather than embarrassed. (Darn all that wind in Idaho! That, along with the boys, seemed to cause me a fair amount of frustration at 5.)
What has brought this sudden awareness of these memories has been due to Lydia. Lydia is 5 and it seems that things keep coming up in her life that remind me of my own time when I anxiously awaited teeth to fall out and concentrated so hard on tying my shoes.
For example: Lydia has sight words she learns in Kindergarten One of her new sight words is 'of'. When I saw that word on her little slip of paper, I went right back to Mrs. Kurshal's room, standing beside her desk. She had a long skinny sheet of paper with several words on it we needed to read to her. One of those words was 'of' and I read it as 'off'. That word was SO hard! I was so frustrated that I got it wrong! That's all it took though- for my teacher to tell me I was wrong. From then on, I never struggled with reading 'of'.
Silly story I know, but that is just one of several in the last week or so that has been pulled out of the deep recesses of my mind, due to the sweet goings on of my little girl.
I guess I now understand why people always say, "I remember when I was your age . . . "

Dear Manufacturer

2012-01-05T21:13:00.002-05:00

Dear Manufacturer,
Do you have any idea the anxiety that the little stick you supply produces for millions of women? 3 minutes anxiously awaiting . . . Sitting there on the bathroom counter, ever so slowly developing and all the while, thoughts run through the ignorant woman's brain- What if I'm pregnant? Will insurance cover it? I can't be sick for the next 3 months! When would the baby be due? Or- who is the Dad? (Though this thought has never run through my mind personally, I know that more than one woman has thought it.) Or- What if I'm not pregnant? Women cry as they hope and pray that two little lines will appear. So much hangs on those two little lines.

I commend you manufacturer, that your results seem quite accurate. You don't mess with the pregnant woman- making her think she isn't pregnant and then she is. Or visa-versa. Well, you have probably learned by now, that you don't want to mess with a woman who is hormonal like that. I know women get false results all the time, but that is because we are anxious to know when we will start throwing up. That's understandable right?

Manufacturer, thank you for the reassurance that you offer. A woman starts smelling the sink drain from the family room and she can take your pregnancy test and be reassured. She dozes off before Curious George gets himself out of trouble and she turns to you. She feels the urge to really slug her husband, and you have the answer to the question of 'Is it just PMS, or something far greater?'

In conclusion Manufacturer, I am grateful for the product you provide, and I am grateful that this time around, there were two little lines.

Grandma's package

2012-01-04T09:22:00.003-05:00

This is the progression of the kid's opening Grandma's Christmas package. One big box full of Christmas surprises and packaging peanuts- heaven!
Socks!
I love Diego!
Oh, now that the presents are open, let's play with the box!

It's like a bubble bath!
Oops, the box spilled Mom.
It's like snow!
Uhhh. . . now what are we going to do? (Maybe clean and vacuum for the next two hours)

Thanks for the package grandma. It provided hours of fun!

Hansen Holidays

2012-01-02T10:32:00.007-05:00

I will give you a quick run down of Christmas. It must be quick because the kids are chomping at the bit wanting to see new photos on the blog. Tea party with Lydia's new "real" tea set.
Within an hour of getting back from the Hansen's for Christmas, the kids found this bunny on the playground. We enjoyed him for a few days, but now he has a new home. (Cute, but stinky.)
Maria brought this fella home with her from college. We all liked Ryan. Mike liked that Ryan bought him ice cream. Poor Ryan was sick with the flu for several days during his stay.

We went to Kirtland, Ohio. This is the Saw mill.
Everyone in front of the Newel K. Whitney Store. Photo is kind of far away, but that's alright because we are all squinting into the sun anyway.
Colton chillin' and eating in his new Diego chair.
Mama and Papa Hansen. Our hospitable hosts for the holidays!
What would the holidays be without minors drinking bubbly?
Of course you must have a wrapping paper tube sword fight.
Christmas morning! The kids were delighted that Santa brought them the trampoline they asked for- though a smaller version than they had imagined.
Hansen boys.
Stick boat races. A small creek runs along the Hansen's property. When the creek is high and flowing well, we make boats out of recyclable material and race them. Here Dedee is trying to light the sparklers on the air craft carrier she made.
This was Kimmy's entry- Noah's ark- complete with sparklers, animals and a Noah that looked a lot like a plastic equine rider.
Mike helping Lydia put her boat in.
Colton with his stick boat entry- that he only raced once and then wouldn't race anymore because he lost his heat and was upset. Competitiveness runs deep in the Hansen veins.
The night before Christmas- matching jammies with the cousins. Note the 11 foot tree in the background that Mike's two younger sisters chopped down and put up by themselves.
Lydia just wanted this photo in here. She is playing her cousin's DS.
Uhhh. . . I think Mike must have taken this while I was asleep. Naked kids doing the dishes. Awesome. Wonder where their wet clothes are . . .
We spent a night at Uncle Chris and Aunt Nicole's house and played with their Kinect. Thanks for all the fun!
Colton and I riding Jammer- the big boy horse at the Hansen's. Also my favorite horse.
The holidays are enough to make anyone tired. Hope the Merry Season treated you all well!

Today I am thankful for . . .

2011-12-07T19:35:00.003-05:00

This wonderful event was free, and I loved it just as much as the Blue Man Group! Colton and his classmates singing Thanksgiving Songs.
He looked SO handsome- and then he had to wear the Diego gardening gloves.
Colton sitting on Santa's lap for the 2nd time at the Christmas party. (He cut in line the first time and then came and found me with a candy cane in his mouth and said, "You didn't get a picture Mom."

Today I am thankful for the honest, good citizen who returned my wallet with all its contents to the lost and found at the grocery store.
I am thankful that I now have a government issued ID and I don't have to be paranoid about every police officer I see while I am driving.
I am thankful for my Frequent Movie Goer card so I can get my discount when I go to see Twilight this weekend.
I am thankful that I can now purchase things.
I am thankful that I don't have to try to go through the hassle of getting new library cards, new insurance cards, a new temple recommend, and replacing my credit and debit cards.
I am thankful for my Christmas receipts so I can return things should I need to.
I did not realize the vital importance my wallet has.

Tonsils andTrees

2011-12-01T19:33:00.004-05:00

These photos have nothing to do with my post, but I am behind on photos. Lydia and Mike. Beauty and the Beast.
Colton and Heather. Batman and Robin.
Mike's brother's came to watch the Purdue Vs. Ohio State football game. Guess who they cheered for? We didn't hear any "Boiler Up!" cheers at our house that day. But all is well. Ohio State just got Urban Myer as their new head coach. All three boys look forward to a new season.
We went to Chicago with our friends the Jensen's the day after Thanksgiving. They took the kids geocaching while we were in the temple. The kids loved going on "a treasure hunt."
We love our neighborhood. It is so fun for all the kids to be right out the front door to get together and play.

This year, we are doing some things according to tradition, and some things not according to tradition. For example- on Thanksgiving day, no one from our household partook of a single slice of pie. We didn't do our Thanksgiving dinner on Thanksgiving due to my job, but celebrated Thanksgiving on Sunday and then invited some friends over to enjoy pie. And boy did we enjoy it! Peanut butter pie! My favorite! Pecan Pie! Since Mike ate half of it- we will say HIS favorite! Pumpkin Cheesecake- Lydia's favorite (due to the fact that pumpkin is her teacher's favorite) And what did Colton like? Well, he liked the rolls. That silly boy doesn't like whipped cream- thus eliminating many a goodness from his diet. The boy also doesn't like potatoes (unless they come fried in a happy meal) but we won't go into that because it might break his poor mother's heart.
One thing we did do according to tradition this year was put up our tree the day after thanksgiving. (No shopping for us though) Because we live in an apartment and because you don't go and buy a tree permit and hunt down a tree in the forest while living in the farmlands of Indiana, we have a 3 foot artificial tree. It is disappointing to Colton because our tree isn't green and tall like his friends, but it gets the job done. In fact, it is a lovely tree, adorned with a slap bracelet for a star and a green alien balloon to accompany it. My kids are going to be designers one day.
To go along with disappointing things for Colton, I think he is going to have a disappointing Christmas. My dear 3 year old boy would like a blue motorcycle (The kind that goes on the road- he specified this.) He would also like a trampoline. Again, due to apartment living, the trampoline is out of the question. And, well, the motorcycle, I don't think I need to explain why that one will never happen.
Lydia had her tonsils out today. Children are so resilient. Before surgery, she was in the waiting room, jumping from letter to letter on an alphabet rug and I thought, "Enjoy this activity now, because in a few hours, you are going to feel like crap." (please excuse my poor language, 'crap' is the Idaho farm girl coming out in me.) Anyway, Lydia woke up groggy and was only motivated to eat her Popsicle in recovery because she had to before they would release her. However, on the ride home she came to life. It was a great day for the girl. She got to watch movies all afternoon, eat ice cream and her brother was forbidden from pestering her! When I went to the store to get her medicine, she ran to the door, gave me a hug around the legs and skipped on back to the couch. Ok. This is not what I was expecting, but I'll take it. We will see how things go tomorrow, but it appears that the hardest part of this whole thing will be keeping her resting. She wants to go to school tomorrow. Goodness, when I had my tonsils out in high school, I felt like crap. (Yes, it appears that crap is the only word I can think of for feeling sick.) I made sure that I got my full two weeks of skipping P.E.
Well, my reprieve is over. The domestic life is calling me. Clothes are beckoning to be folded and dishes are pleading to be washed.

Blogging world

2011-11-18T13:19:00.003-05:00

http://www.good.is/post/sister-bloggers/?mid=52

I am by no means a huge blogger, I don't follow very many blogs, but I thought this article might be interesting to many of you who read my blog. Maybe one day, My thoughts and photos will be so interesting to the world, that I too can have 50,000 hits in a week and make a living off of writing and taking photos. You know, that actually doesn't sound too bad. I love photography and writing- I'm just no good at fashion and cooking and those other things that are popular on blogs.

medical

2011-11-07T15:08:00.002-05:00

I just got off the phone with the billing agency for Lydia's stitches and I needed to vent. The lady I talked to kept telling me I just needed to call my insurance, however, I kept asking her questions. She started to get frustrated and said, "No one asks this many questions. They just call their insurance." Well lady, here is the reason for all my questions: If you have the information right now, I want it. Then I am informed when I call my insurance. I want the codes you use for billing so I can make sure they have been billed correctly to the insurance. I want to know the break down of my bill and how much each thing cost because I find it valuable to know that the Dr. charged me $3 for an anesthetic and $266 to put in 2 stitches. Since the insurance doesn't provide me this information, I like to see how much they are actually paying. I want to know how much our trip to the urgent care actually cost so that the next time, I know, because Dr.'s certainly don't say, "I think your daughter might need stitches, but have you budgeted $250 for medical this month because that is the going rate for stitches these days." Wouldn't it be nice if the medical world actually told us how much things cost? I'm done. I'm off my soap box. I just needed to vent. I am very grateful for medical technology and how blessed we are. I am not trying to make any political health care statement, I just get frustrated sometimes.

Idaho

2011-11-06T19:48:00.004-05:00

I was driving along the highway a few days ago when my attention was captured by a tractor disking up a field. I noticed that while the lines were mostly straight, they were not ramrod straight and I knew that he did not have a GPS in his tractor. It made me smile, because his lines looked like the lines I used to make. It made me miss the farm. I will admit though, it is pretty fun when you tell people you are from Idaho and they ask, "Do you grow potatoes?" in a sarcastic voice, I can respond," Yes!" I don't know that my prideful yes helps with the stereotype Idahoans have, but that is alright. I love that even in Indiana, I have neighbors with Idaho license plates still on their cars. There is a camaraderie with these fellow Idahoans. We had Idaho parties where we eat potato chips and see who still knows all the words to "And Here We Have Idaho." And if these Idahoans are from SouthEast Idaho and I tell them that I am a Reed, as in Reed's Dairy, I am instantly famous! (True my dad doesn't run the dairy, but I still bask in the glory of being the second cousin of the man who produces the best ice cream in the West.) Now that you know what a nerdy, prideful Idahoan I am, don't hold it against me. It is true Idaho is bitter cold and we only have two representatives in the House, but it sure is a great place to grow up.

Quick updates

2011-10-22T13:19:00.002-04:00

I've helped with the school's book fair this year. Mike helped by being Clifford. The kids got their faces painted and made Clifford dog ears. It was cute, but Lydia was still afraid of Clifford, even though she knew it was her Dad. Though sweaty, Mike still enjoyed it.

The kids got into the glitter. Oh so fun. I am still trying to brush it off random clothes, vacume it out of the carpet or sweep it off the floor. (Note Colton's Batman mask)

Pumpkin

2011-10-15T18:41:00.002-04:00

What is it about fall that makes you crave pumpkin? In the last few weeks I have had pumpkin fudge- to die for, pumpkin bread- oh sweet comfort, and pumpkin cheesecake- need I say more! Wow, I can't seem to get enough pumpkin in my diet this fall!
Yesterday we went to a chili cook off. So fun and festive. Colton wore a 1-piece superman costume on top of his clothes for the event. It wasn't worth the fight to get it off- so we were both happy. Today I made Colton a Batman mask to complete his batman pajama Halloween costume. He didn't think his costume was complete with a cape- it needed the mask with the trademark batman ears. I used my imagination and what I had on hand and all day today I had a little Batman hanging around my house. Is my son going to be one of those boys who really thinks he is a superhero?
Today there was a book sale at the library. I spent a lot more time there than I had anticipated. In fact, I looked at my watch, and it said it was 7:40! How could time have slipped by like that? I had gotten there around 2:30. To my relief, my watch had stopped and I had only been there an hour. As I bought my books, I was struck by just how much you can learn from a person by the books they buy. For example, in my stack of books I had children's books, a Spanish text book, a book on finance, photography, public relations, simplified music, canning, a suspense book, and several classics like "To Kill a Mocking bird." I think that says a lot about me.

Busy til Thanksgiving

2011-10-09T15:32:00.003-04:00

Went to the park for a 'photo shoot' These are a few of my fav's. Haven't done any editing yet, but not bad for a quick trip.

The stitches. They are now out and you can hardly tell there was anything there- only a week later.
I love that these two are buddies. I laugh whenever Lydia is upset with Colton and she yells, "Buddy!" Seems kinds of an oxy moron to be calling those who are annoying you- Buddy.

I haven't had much free time lately, nor do I plan to have much in the near future. A part time job fell in my lap. Last week I got my first 'real job' (I don't think I would count making snow cones in high school as a real job- though fun) I will be planning a Community Thanksgiving Dinner for about 500 people. It is free to the community and they have been doing it for about 20 years, so all the framework is done. I am just pulling it all together. I even have my own office. I am very excited to get this experience and to be doing something with my degree. Actually, doing with my degree exactly what I wanted.
The Elementary Book Fair is also kicking off this week, which I have co-chaired. I've been finding sponsors and writing press releases for that. Mike is even going to dress up as Clifford the Big Red Dog. The kids are pumped. Maybe this can be the start of a new career for him. He could be a Turkey at the Thanksgiving Dinner. I'm sure he'd make a great Santa Clause.

Happenings

2011-10-02T10:09:00.002-04:00

I just felt like writing and I find I write best when I am in the mood to do it. Often I have asked myself recently, 'who is my audience' for my blog?' 'What is my objective in writing?' Sometimes it is a calendar of events, sometimes it is a mosaic for the grandparents. I want it to be for me too though. An outlet.
Last night Mike and I went to the Purdue vs. Notre Dame game. It was a blowout. We got schooled, but I still love the atmosphere- the over priced food, the painted fans, the crisp fall air, the band . . . There's nothing like a football game. The thing I reflected on the most at the game was not the score however- it was the behavior of the students. As the boys behind me let out a string of vulgarities that would make their grandma blush and the sea of students in front of me proceeded to show the Notre Dame players how they felt about them with hand gestures, I wondered about how many of those students had to live a double life- one person on the weekend and another during the week. I was glad that in my own life I have been taught to be true to myself and to not try to be two different people, but to always hold myself to a high standard. Our future does not look to bright when it is reflected at a football game. There was more. . .fights, inappropriate signs, even a 1st down cheer that includes a vulgarity. Thankfully, last night we didn't have too many first downs! Can you be a Purdue fan and still say that about your school? In summary, the game WAS fun, despite the fans who show their emotion in such a negative way. We just need to get tickets out of the student section and sit next to some cute old alumni couple who get season tickets every year for the last 20.
This post is getting long- as I said, I feel like writing. On Friday, Lydia fell and hit the corner of her eye on a chair. Be it no surprise, she required stitches. 2 of them. Pictures to follow. My accident prone little girl was very brave and I've found that Lydia's annual trips to the Urgent Care and Emergency Room no longer get me uptight. A little cut? No biggie- lets just get a towel and some books and drive on over.
I asked Lydia this morning if she had eaten breakfast. She says, "Cookies are like cereal." hhhmmm. . . It seems instead of a dozen sugar cookies, I now have a half dozen.
Do you ever learn how to do something by doing it wrong? Lydia loves to walk to her class using the crosswalk lady, but it appears I do not know how to cross the street properly because each time I have attempted, the crosswalk lady has blown her whistle at me and corrected my course- I walk too soon, I walk too close to the car drop off area . . . I think next time I might try to do a front hand spring double back flip across the road and see what she says . . .
Alright, I need to eat my own breakfast now- maybe I will polish off the sugar cookies. About the photos- I just needed to post something to make this post with all this text more visually appealing. I posted two photos from my trip to California that I edited because I love to edit and I honestly don't do it as much as I would like. I included an old photo of Mike snowmobiling because he loves it. Sometimes us Mom's and Dad's need to remember the things WE love as individuals.

O-H-I-O

2011-09-23T10:57:00.002-04:00

In response to my post with the Big 10 Trophy.

No, I am not doing a touchdown sign as some have asked me. Mike, being a big Ohio State fan, has taught me about the O-H-I-O letters that people build with their bodies. I've included a couple of examples. There are thousands more on the OSU website. In the photo of us, the kids are the O's, I am the H and the Big 10 trophy is the I. Go Bucks!

Road Rage

2011-09-23T10:48:00.002-04:00

Yesterday I didn't see a guy in my blind spot and almost hit him. Not only did he honk, but I also got the bird and I'm sure there was a string of vulgarities that I thankfully could not hear. A few weeks ago, a bald headed Harley man also made it a point to yell at me and give me the bird. I'm still not sure what I did to him to get such treatment. Perhaps I need my license revoked for poor driving, but in the meantime, I wonder, is it really necessary to show your emotion in such a negative way? Can't you just honk or yell, "Hey, Watch Out!" I'm alright with that since we do make mistakes when we drive, but I'm afraid my heart is too tender to keep taking these obscene gestures. Gratefully, I live among the cornfields of Indiana instead of the skyscrapers of some large city where people drive with a cell phone in one hand and the bird on the other.

2011-09-20T09:36:00.002-04:00

Mike at work. My big chemistry nerd! (I still don't think he looks the type to be a chemistry geek.)
Lydia and Dedee in front of the BoilerMaker Express. Colton wouldn't pose for the photo because he was pouting that his ride was over.
Colton shooting his first gun with Papa. Is it redneck to let your 3 year old shoot a .22? Even if it is, he had a GREAT time!
If I had seen this photo 10 years ago, I would have wondered what in the world I was doing, but being married to the chemistry nerd/football fanatic that I am, this photo has significance. I am interested to know- Do you know what I am doing? If you do, leave a comment just saying you understand the picture, but don't say what it is and I will post again in a few days with an explanation for all those, who like me 10 years ago, might wonder why I pose so oddly for a photo.
On Saturday, there was an outdoor family fun day near Indianapolis, so Dedee and I loaded up the kids- Mike had to work- and set off for an adventure. The kids both shot pellet guns at balloons attached to turkey decoys. (Lydia loved popping a PINK balloon!) They tried casting a fishing pole, we went on a canoe ride and tried our hand at golf. I had wanted to rock climb, but the line was as long as a Chinese dragon, so we opted out of that. It would have been the Chinese new year before we even got to climb! Colton loved that he finally got to ride on a bus that transported us to the event. It was a fun, long day. I love fall and being outside!

Soccer!

2011-08-29T14:07:00.002-04:00

"Why can't I play?"

Soccer season has begun! I am now a "soccer mom" and I love it! Lydia really likes soccer and she tries very hard. I hope it is something she can continue to enjoy. Mike is a coach and they both love that!

Back to School

2011-08-16T19:40:00.002-04:00

My Mighty Kindergarten started school today and did great! She said her favorite part was going to Gym.
This handsome fellow went to his first day of preschool. His favorite part were the cookies at snack time! Could have guessed that one. He had a hard time at first, but they took him to see Lydia and one hug from her was all it took to dry the tears.
So now what do I do twice a week while I am childless? I PARTY! No, actually I plan to exercise, run errands and squeeze in some hobbies like some photography, sewing, and maybe brush up some of those skills from college that I have yet to use!

Gone a long time

2011-08-10T19:53:00.002-04:00

From the last week of June, to the first week of August, I was home for a total of 9 days, so things have gotten away from me. A lot of my photo's aren't loading, but I have to start somewhere. For the first segment of traveling, we all went to Idaho to see the fam. It was great. The photo's are in no specific order. We went to the cabin and even with all the playing we did, the boys still managed to find some time to work. I didn't know Mike was such a good logger. I guess he can always fall back on that if the PHD doesn't work out.
Watermelon, hot dogs, smores. . . a delicious campfire meal with all the cousins.
We flew in on Grandma's birthday and celebrated with a delicious cake at Bruce and Lisa's in Bountiful. Mom really liked being sung to by her grandkids. (Note- right before this photo was taken, Mike and I were in the Urgent Care because while loading into the suburban at the airport, Mike cut his knee on an exposed piece of metal and had to have it glued back together. An adventurous start!)
We also found time to sneak up to Rexburg and see Mike's sister, Maria. We enjoyed seeing the changes at BYU-I and eating delicious cupcakes, and delicious sandwiches, and delicious fried cheesecake . . . Wow, there are a lot more eating options now!
What trip to Idaho is complete without a tractor ride with a potato farmer?
My hunny and I getting ready to ride the boat at Palisades. Couldn't ask for more! (Well, I guess I would make the water warmer if I could.)
Maybe Colton can be a lumberjack too.
The kids saw Temple Square for the first time.
The flight to Salt Lake. They had a great time.
My buddy.
In addition to the fun posted with photo's, we also road fourwheelers and dirtbikes, we saw Car's 2 with EVERYONE there. We took in the parade and the fireworks. Had a fourth of July Bar-B-Q with all of MY cousins. We played board games, broke a pinata and some of the things in it. We went to a splash park and ate caramel apples and cotton candy. It was awesome.

Purdue Water Fountains

2011-06-25T20:54:00.002-04:00

We had fun today.

Birthdays and summer

2011-06-24T21:26:00.005-04:00

I forewarn the reader: These photos are horribly out of order, but that is kind of like life with two little kids- all helter sckelter. Lydia turned 5 last week. One of her gifts was a butterfly kite.
This windy day provided lots of entertainment for all of us. Colton chasing, Lydia flying, and myself snapping photos and trying not to get hit by the kamikaze butterfly.
My neighbor and I traded bikes. They got the little pink one and we got the little red one. It's amazing how much more interest Colton has taken in bikes since he now has a red one, "like Tylers" (The neighbor boy he follows like a shadow.)
A play date with Ivan. Goofy Gophers!
We have had several really awesome storms. I finally got my camera out and took some raindrop photos.

As mentioned, Lydia turned 5 and for the first time had a friend birthday party. It was nothing grand, but when you are 5, even having Tinker Bell Cups and Plates can seem grand.
Lydia's new bike from goodwill- thus freeing up the small pink bike so we could trade with the neighbor. (This is what the kids were doing the other day when I was on the phone with you Dad.)
I could just eat these two kids up! Seriously! They look even better than the birthday cake. So cute!
And here we are at the birthday cake. Lydia wanted a pink soccer ball cake, but it did not come easily. The night before her party, I baked and frosted the base pink layer to save myself stress on the day of her party. Having stayed up late to do Lydia's cake, the kids got up before me and made their way downstairs. They say it's always trouble when the kids are quiet. Well, it might be trouble, but that doesn't help the tired mom who is still snoozing because it is so quiet. Eventually I realized I should get myself up. I caught the kids red handed- or should I say pink handed. Colton and Lydia had snitched most of the frosting off the top of the cake and had just started nibbling the cake. Big Trouble! By cutting off part of the top layer and then putting the ok part on the bottom and putting the bottom layer on top and then refrosting everything, we were able to make it work. Sneaky little girl almost didn't a cake!
I know she isn't paying attention to her swim instructor, but I'm so glad she looked my way so I could get her little smile.
Colton and his awesome blue goggles he insisted on wearing. He was always easy to point out to the other mothers when they asked, "Which one is yours?"
Lydia and best friend Elsie at her party.

Camping

2011-06-06T19:30:00.004-04:00

We went camping and swimming at France park over the weekend. It was loads of fun. Colton took one quick break from swimming to eat a cracker and then he was back out in the lake again.
Why does fire entrance all of us?
Colton was pouting when we started taking down the tent. Lydia, the good big sister that she is, went to console him.
Colton and Mike doing lots of splashing. The water felt SO good! It was humid.
Look at that strong man! He can lift the whole tent- at least the kids were amazed.
All the kiddo's on our adventure. For such a young bunch of kids, they did really well. They didn't fall asleep until 10, but that's alright. It's all part of the fun right?
Colton LOVED hanging out in the tent. I think it was largely in part to the new bouncy air mattress.
Lydia blowing bubbles in the lake.

I honestly didn't expect to sleep, but with a new air mattress, I found myself pleasantly surprised when I woke up and it was already daylight! Whoo Hoo!!

Frank Lloyd Wright

2011-06-01T19:41:00.003-04:00

The outside of Frank Lloyd Wright's "Samara House"
If you are not familiar with Frank Lloyd Wright, he is a very famous architect. The first photo is of one of his most famous designs, a house called "falling water" Frank Lloyd Wright actually designed a house in our town, so we went on a tour of it a few weeks back. It's called the Samara house. This is the dining room. None of the photos are great, but these chairs were really cool.

This is the family/sitting room. I loved the book shelves.
This fireplace was also cool.

I love summer!

2011-06-01T19:34:00.002-04:00

There is something amazing about fresh cut grass, green leaves and the smell of rain. I love it! I love that I can go outside without shoes on! We have been enjoying the warm weather. Colton went on a father son camp out and ate it up! Here he is taking the essentials to the car- his blankie, his Cars sleeping bag and his Cars pillow.
The neighborhood kids racing their various modes of transportation.
Playing in an overgrown field.
Colton helping Mike put training wheels on Lydia's bike.
Lydia's field trip to the zoo and icecream after. Yum. Within minutes of this photo being taken, it poured cats and dogs! They actually had to stop Lydia's bus and get all the kids off and into a 'safe' bathroom because of the severe storm warning. Crazy.

Here, There, and Everywhere

2011-05-02T21:53:00.005-04:00

In April, I took an extended vacation- without the children and without Mike. First, I dropped off this . . .
and this at Grandma Hansen's house.
Then I flew to Salt Lake City and drove to Las Vegas with Mike's three sisters. While there, I enjoyed some of this, Chocolate by the Bald Man. This was the best darn hot chocolate I have EVER had- as evidenced by Maria's face.
After a night in Vegas, we continued our trek down to California where I discovered tide pools and that they are not my favorite thing because aside from the crab and occasional star fish, I found them to be 'ooey gooey' as Lydia would call it.
One day, I went here- the San Diego temple. You really do feel like you are in a castle. Wow it was beautiful!
I did a lot of reading on the beach.
Huntington Beach was awfully nice.
The ladies I love who let me tag along.
Of course I had some fun with the nephews and niece.
After Cali, it was time to drive up for some fun with my own family in Idaho.
Finally, Mom and Dad drove me back to Salt Lake, where I caught a plane to Ohio, picked up the kids and drove back to Indiana in time for Easter. It was a wonderful vacation!

Happy Easter

2011-05-02T21:51:00.001-04:00

The kids enjoyed Easter. Need I say more.

Congratulations to the Royal Couple!

2011-04-29T12:40:00.003-04:00

This morning I was waiting in the dentists office (No cavities Mom!) and saw on the news that Prince William had just been married. Maybe I am a romantic at heart, but I was so caught up in the news coverage of the royal wedding. It felt like the happily ever after you dream of as a little girl- average girl (aka-me) meets handsome prince. They ride in a carriage to the chapel. Wedding bells toll. Everyone cheers as they kiss on a balcony! Thousands and thousands crowd the streets to congratulate them. Of course there is the reality of paparazzi, the scrutiny of the public eye and countless of other things that I wouldn't call 'perks' of becoming royalty, but I wish the happy couple, and particularly Kate the very best, for I think she symbolizes in all of us the wishes of a young girls heart. I hope that in the future she can handle all of her publicity as gracefully as she already has.

There was all the talk of Kate's dress, but heavens, check out the ring! It's beautiful! 18 whopping Karats!

2011-03-02T09:16:00.002-05:00

It's 9:15AM. I've cleaned up 3 potty training messes already and changed the sheets from a night time accident. Colton just came out of time out for hitting and its one of those mornings where I walk by my bedroom and see the sunlight shining in and I just want to flop on my bed and crack open a book and stay there, with my door closed and my ears shut for the rest of the day. However, that is not reality. Hopefully Colton's bladder is empty at least for awhile. We read scriptures this morning and that felt good. Lydia and Colton are getting along very well today and Colton just said "I won't hit anymore Mommy." in a very convincing, remorseful voice. There is still a potential filled day and the sun IS shining. I think we will make cupcakes. Since I can't have my book and solitude, I will certainly settle for the crazy joy that a certain 4-year-old and 2-year-old provide. Motherhood is what I chose to do and there are times I think I don't like it, but when I look for the joy, I find it. Because even though it is no fun to put Colton in his room for a time out, it sure is great when he gives me a hug and says, "Sorry Mommy." Wish me luck for the rest of the day. I hope I can keep this positive perspective up!

Thanks Grandpa!

2011-02-23T20:24:00.002-05:00

Grandpa, Thanks for the $5! It has brought much happiness. Check out my cool new Lightning McQueen shades! I still can't quite figure out how to get them on right.
Yo Grandpa- Thanks for the cool Tinkerbell shades. I'll sale you some shoes anytime, but only if you sleep with them like I do with my new sunglasses.
These are our serious shots.
I had to do a serious shot too because Colton wouldn't cooperate.
Check ya later.

Nice Enough to Play Outside

2011-02-23T20:19:00.002-05:00

Oh how we have missed the playground!
I have not missed the sand, but Lydia has.
The bike! Wow was he ever glad to be back in that seat! (Lydia is trying to teach him how to pedal- rather than just scoot.)
I love being outside! This photo captures the true Lydia. What you see here is what you get.

Championships!

2011-02-23T20:17:00.002-05:00

Mike is playing in the championships for his league in intramural basketball. He did well tonight and his team will move onto the next round!
He made this basket! Whoo Hoo!

Fun day at the Museum

2011-02-23T20:09:00.002-05:00

Can I just say it is AWESOME living an hour away from the biggest children's museum in the world? This was our family fun day for February. Where else can you see two dinosaurs peeking into a building?
Where can you go fishing without a permit?
Where can you work at an animal rescue center without a license?

Where can you chase trains that run along the ceiling over and over and over?
Where can you dig for dinosaurs?
Where can you ride a carousal?
Where can you meet Dora?
And wave hello with Diego.
And when else will Mom let you sit in the front seat and drive?
Only at the Children's Museum!
Whew! It was a fun and tiring day!

Frosty is dead

2011-02-16T20:20:00.002-05:00

For those of you who voted in our poll about Frosty's death, I relate the sad news that Frosty is no more. He could not stand the 40 degree weather. (Literally) Though we are sad for the loss of Frosty, BRING ON THE SUNSHINE!

Arrgghh Matey

2011-02-16T20:08:00.004-05:00

Yo Ho, Yo Ho, A pirates life for me! With the new year, I want to do a Family Fun Day once every month. For January, we went to Buckaneer Bay- a splash park attached to a local hotel. As you can see, there is a pirate theme. Water slides, tunnels, cannons that shoot water, treasure chests that dump water, and even alligators that shoot even more water. If you like water or pirates, this is your place. We happen to like both, so we had a grand time.
Colton was cold for the first half of our visit, but by the end he thought the water slide was fun.
Lydia went down the pirate ship slides tirelessly, but there was one slide that wrapped around the outside of the building that you had to be 48" tall for. Lydia was excited because she was 'almost tall enough' ha ha. I don't think she is going to grow quite as fast as she thinks. Mike and I enjoyed the big slide though. The best part was the big splash Mike made at the end. Very cool to a 4 and 2-year-old.
The hot tub wasn't left out. It was Colton's base camp for quite awhile.

It was a great family fun day. The water was shallow enough for the kids to touch throughout the pool, so we didn't worry about them too much, which was nice. Can't wait to do this again next year.

Oh what do you do in the wintertime . . .

2011-02-07T15:27:00.008-05:00

Oh what do you do in the wintertime
When all the world is cold?
Do you play in the snow?
Or suffer from boredom untold?

The Midwest got hit by a large snowstorm last week. We didn't go out much- and it wasn't always an option either. But we did try to fight our boredom. Here are some things we have done recently. Maybe it will give you some ideas so you can fight cabin fever as well!
We have run the humidifier and used up a lot of tissues. Who doesn't do this during the winter?
We play dress up. (He asked to put the dress on and secretly I was excited just so I could have this photo hanging over his head for the rest of his life!)
It was warm enough to go outside.
We love swinging.
The kids love books.
I love books. Thank goodness for public libraries!
Mike loves sleeping.
Who doesn't have laundry?
And the dishes never end, even if school is closed.
This is Frosty- Lydia's pride and joy. He's actually been around for several weeks and is frozen solid. Any guesses on how much longer his life span is?
Movies!

We have been doing many crafts. Colton's parking garage made from a cereal box and 4 toilet paper tubes.
Balloons really are a marvelous invention!
A chick in a nest. Made from an egg carton.
A Dragon for Chinese New Year. Made from the rest of the egg carton.
Finger paint and any other kind of painting.
A heart valentine. This is string dipped into a cornstarch glue and molded into a heart shaped cookie cutter. This was a very messy craft and we will never do it again! yuck!
A hooded towel for a friend's baby shower. It was nice to do a little sewing one afternoon, but of all our crafts and activities, this one wore on my patience the most. ALL of the settings on my sewing machine were changed throughout the course of this project. It worked out well though because Lydia changed my stitch and I actually liked on the one she selected better than the one I had been using.
When there is nothing else to do- make treats! Not only is it entertaining for the kids, the tasty results are enjoyed for several days!

Birthdays and stuff

2011-01-19T20:56:00.002-05:00

During Colton and I's photoshoot today, I noticed Lydia and Colton's blankets on the ground, so I snapped a picture, because one day, these blankets will be put away, but I don't want to forget all the love they have received. What a piece of childhood-a blanket. They get dragged everywhere, they are stained and often ratty, but priceless. They are a mark of childhood. I had a blanket- Pinkie. I liked to feel the silky edging pinky had. If Mom wouldn't let me take Pinkie into the store, I would rip off some of that edging and put it in my pocket so I could still have a piece of my blanket. Needless to say, when you start ripping pieces off of your blanket, it gets pretty tattered.
These are the new shoes I bought for my birthday. Thanks Mom.
It was a pretty tight squeeze on the couch tonight, but all my kids fit- until one of them rolled over. (Notice Lydia's forehead bandaid- a near trip to the ER (again) when she split open her head on a counter at church. We just glued it rather than taking her in for the possibility of 1 or 2 stitches. )
Our most recent Frosty. Lydia was delighted today when he still hadn't melted. (I love the look Colton is giving Lydia.)
My birthday cake. The frosting didn't turn out quite how I wanted it, but I was able to overlook that when Lydia meticulously placed my candles- all in a line.

The best places to sleep

2011-01-19T20:51:00.002-05:00

Colton couldn't keep his eyes open during dinner a few nights ago. He ate most of his plate, then asked where his blanket was. I told him it was upstairs. Apparently it was at the top of the stairs, and once there, the little guy could make it no further.
This is where I find Colton most mornings lately- the hallway. Don't ask me what it is about the hallway that is so comfortable. He sneaks out there during the night, and surprisingly, I don't even hear him. I'm finally starting to get used to the little speed bump when I get up in the morning.

Colton's photoshoot

2011-01-19T20:47:00.003-05:00

Colton likes to see the photo's I take of him, but I think what he likes the most is when I get out the tripod. Today we needed a little indoor activity since you can only do so many puzzles, read so many books, and help cook so many times before it gets boring. Here is our afternoon photoshoot.

Gymnastics

2011-01-19T20:39:00.003-05:00

Colton fearless jumping into the ball pit.

We signed Lydia up for Gymnastics as a Christmas gift. She attends with her best friend and another boy from church. Not only did she love it, but Colton was able to run around and play while she was in her lesson. Colton came home, ate lunch and crashed on the couch.

Lots of Christmas

2011-01-05T19:52:00.004-05:00

We went to Ohio for Christmas and spent it with the Hansen's. We spent a lot of time sledding, but unlike most holidays, we did not spend much time eating. Mike, Colton and I got the stomach flu a few days before Christmas. While this was not ideal, we certainly didn't overeat over the holidays, and since we were at the Hansen's we had extra help while we were in bed recovering. We were able to go to the Columbus temple while we were there as well.
Mike helping in the barn. Well, he's not helping at the moment, but that's because I made him stop so I could take a photo.
Lydia waiting her turn to ride the horse. She insists on wearing this bike helmet- due to its pink nature.
They had this big tree on campus.
He was just sitting like that and tore his eyes away from the TV long enough for me to capture his little smile.
Hey Rudolph!
A local church had this amazing "Living Nativity" You walked through 14 stations all about the life of the Savior and they had people acting/miming it all. They even had real camels for the wise men. It was really cool. And the hot chocolate and cookies at the end didn't hurt at all either!
A big gingerbread house on campus- at the same place as the big tree. It smelled really good!
I loved walking into my door every day over the holidays because I was greeted by this home made wreath. It's the kids handprints cut out on green paper and glued around a paper plate. A fun craft idea for the holidays.
Lydia was delighted to get the scooter she had asked for. And it was PINK!
Colton loved his John Deere Tractor and implements! And I love them too. They remind me of my own childhood when I would go to Grandma's house and 'plant' crops using the woven rug as windrows.
Even Mike's mom got in on the sledding. The Hansen's have the most amazing sledding hill. It's long and fast. 26 mph was our top speed while we were there. And the best part is, you get to ride the four wheeler back up!
One of only a few rides down the hill that Colton took. He was content to stay at the top and push people down.
Mike on the tube.
Lydia was not as reserved as her brother when it came to sledding. She did so well! It was pretty cute seeing that little girl brave it down that big hill.
Of course, one of the best toys of Christmas- the boxes. Colton loved crawling through this 'tunnel'

Thanksgiving fun

2010-12-08T09:01:00.006-05:00

It's taken me a bit to get my images downloaded, but here I am, finally posting from our trip to Ohio for Thanksgiving and everything since then. This will be a photo log more than anything.
Mike bought me a SLR camera for Christmas and it came right before Thanksgiving, so I have been going a little photo crazy! But I am loving it! I am glad Mike tears me from my frugality every once in awhile and splurges on something I will LOVE!
We went and watched Mike's sister play basketball (#10) Kimmy is a freshman and it was so fun to watch her play. She is a very athletic person and I can't wait to watch her skills develop over the next few years. I just wish I could be out there playing with her!

We went Christmas tree hunting at a u-cut farm just down the road from Mike's place. I think we found the perfect one.
Domino's. A great indoor activity.
Movies and popcorn with all the cousins on the couch. Another great indoor activity. Notice how poor Colton is on the side by himself. Being the youngest and only boy cousin attending Thanksgiving can be rough sometimes.
Santa came to our church Christmas party. This was Lydia's reaction to his appearance. It was a little over the top. I love kids at Christmas.
Don't you want to take him to Disneyland?
Lydia on Santa's lap. For all her excitement, she only stayed on his lap for a second and was so dismayed afterward when she realized she had jumped off before she got to tell him what she wanted to Christmas.
Deer gun season opened while we were in Ohio. Mike and I both sat in this tree stand and watched his neighbors shoot some deer, but none ever came close enough for us to shoot at. It was nice to have company up there, but I think I prefer hunting in Idaho. It's more fun to hike than it is to sit.
I wanted a photo of Colton and I for our yearly photo book. I think Mike did a great job. He likes the new camera as well.
It snowed and snowed on Saturday. We spent about 30 minutes getting bundled up and about 30 minutes loving the snow! We threw snowballs, tried making a snowman and enjoyed sledding. Winter does get to be kind of a pain once you are grown up, but thank goodness for little kids to make it exciting again. Can't wait for the next snowstorm to cleanse the earth in beauty and present some fun family time.

As I've mentioned several times, I am pretty excited about my new camera. I did a photo shoot with the kids and here are my favorites. Can't wait to get the prints so I can proudly display these two cuties on my dresser.

3D

2010-11-19T20:38:00.002-05:00

Colton today playing cars in 3D.
A few days ago Lydia and Colton picked at each other all day so Lydia got some time away from her brother and got to go on a Daddy Daughter Date. She said she wanted to go to a resaurant and chose Applebee's. She got all dressed up and left the house skipping. She returned with leftovers for Mom and Colton (Although Lydia made certain Colton got the box she had dropped on the ground.)
This was Halloween. Colton was supposed to be the Cowboy and Lydia had a cute little Indian dress. (This was so appropriate since Colton is always chasing Lydia around the house!) However, Colton didn't want to be anything and Lydia thought Colton's costume was the bees knees. The only thing I could finagle Colton into was this half finished Raggedy Andy costume.

Halloween still lives on in our house though. After the holiday we picked up another pumpkin bucket for Colton. If the children are reverent for family prayer, they get an M&M. I ask them "Do you want some candy?" and then they run to sit down and pray. However, since Halloween when I ask this question, Colton runs to find his pumpkin bucket and then sits down for prayer. After prayer he takes his bucket into the kitchen, where he is ready to receive his candy. 1 M&M rolls around in his orange candy receptacle as he walks happily away.
Thanks for the shirts Grandma! They fit great!

good, the bad, and the ugly

2010-11-10T20:19:00.002-05:00

A friend of mine recently swore off blogs. She got tired of reading her friends blogs and having them depict this glorious, sugar-coated life that she knew was not realistic. I will admit, on a blog, you tend to put the fun things, the exciting things, something out of the ordinary routine of life. I can see how this gives a warped perspective. But if we write down real life, will anyone read it? Is it boring? Is it negative? This is where my dilemma comes in. I want to be positive and display fun things on my blog, but I want to be real. (Like my last post admitting the soup I made that flopped.) I don't care to write all the horrible things my children do. I don't feel it's uplifting, but if I'm honest, sometimes the kids do things that drive me crazy. (like draw on the computer screen) So hopefully, I can find a balance in what I post. I can write the truth and be real, but be optimistic about it. And now, I must be truthful with myself and quit putting off the mountain of dishes in my kitchen! But I'm going to be optimistic about it. Won't my kitchen feel so much better when I'm done!

2010-11-02T17:49:00.002-04:00

Dinner was a flop tonight. I just wanted to let you know so that if your dinner was a flop tonight also, you don't feel too bad. Thank goodness I made some well done rolls to wash it down! The kids are upstairs serving a sentence of timeout. Lesson I learned from this- don't let the kids serve timeout in their room together. The sounds coming from upstairs frighten me. I'm afraid what greets my eye might be even worse! Oh, I would love to write more, for I am in a writing mood, but I think I had better change that into a "help clean up mood" I'm braving the upstairs and the two wild animals! Wish me luck! ;)

Up to

2010-10-18T21:03:00.002-04:00

I haven't posted much lately, so here are a few things we have been up to. We went to the book fair and had Clifford sign a book. Colton loved him and followed him around. Lydia was terrified and stayed in the bleachers the whole time.
We said goodbye to our dear friend Swathi, who moved to California to be with her husband. She just completed all her bench work for her PHD. Yay Swathi!
We visited the fire department. Pretty sure I enjoyed it more than the kids.
We rode the bike to this park. They love tire swings.
Lydia got to bring this bear home for the weekend from her preschool. I think this is the only time Colton touched it because other than this, the bear was attached to Lydia's hip. It went to the mall, to the playground, to bed. I think the only place it didn't go was the bathtub!

In other news, Mike's intramural football team is 2-1. The tournament starts this week.
I just finished reading "The Host" by Stephanie Myer. (Author of Twilight) Can I just say without offending anyone, that I am tired of Stephanie Myer? Though a very different plot from the Twilight books, I still found a lot of parallel's in this science fiction. Drama, drama, drama. I enjoyed the Twilight books, but I don't think there is near as much talent there as what is celebrated. However, after "The Host" I read "The Last Song" by Nicholas Sparks. HE is a writer! I cried and cried. Not about the romance part, but about the story of growing up and loving your family!
On the way home from Ohio, we hit a deer. The driver side door won't open. You can hardly tell there is a dent, but I think we will get that fixed tomorrow because already I am tired of crawling out the back!
Colton has learned to jump. He seems to now think this is the best mode of transportation.

I like hiking!

2010-10-18T20:39:00.005-04:00

Awesome mall. I loved the architecture. It was such a calming place.
Impressive Michael Jackson impersonators on the Strip.
Mike's co-worker, Johnny. He's from China and never been around a horse before. He rode this big "powerful" horse.
Bryce Canyon. We drove up and enjoyed a half day there.
Mike on top of Angel's landing in Zion's. That is the scariest hike I've ever been on! I didn't make it all the way to the top because the last half mile you hang onto this chain that's secured into the rock and just shimmy around the mountain. If you mis-step, it's a 1000 foot fall! I know there was a time when I would have done this, but something about having the responsibility of children changes you. (Dad- you would have been proud. You would have been pretty upset with me had you seen this thing!)
Another hike at Zion's
The barn at Mike's house. The colors on the tree's got pretty washed out, but it was a beautiful evening. I thought the silhouette was cool.
Colton carrying this poor patient kitten around any chance he got.
The swing. Wee!!! It's a tall one. You glide through the air.
Mike's sister carved and painted these awesome veggi-tales pumpkins!

Call this a photo log. Over the last week, we went to Ohio and dropped off the kids where they stayed for the week. We flew into Las Vegas, stayed a night, and then headed up to Zion's National Park in Southern Utah where Mike had a chemistry conference. My mom even came down and spent a few days with us. The hiking was awesome! There are no real hikes in Indiana. It is too flat. Vegas was fun to see, but if you don't drink or gamble, the selection of awesome things to do is limited. We didn't catch a show or ride the rides on the stratosphere, which were about the only things that interested us, but that's alright. Zion's was much more our style. I read a book by the pool or window shopped while Mike was in his sessions. It was a nice week.

Indy Zoo

2010-09-16T11:57:00.002-04:00

The kids had never been to a zoo, so we went with our good friends Elsie and Isaac. They had a wonderful dolphin show that we all loved. The giraffes were also a favorite.
Next to the Cheetah exhibit, they had this thing where you could run and see how far you could get before the cheetah would pass you. I made it a whopping 15 feet! A NFL lineman can get 24 feet. =
A shark touch pool. I think this was Colton's favorite.
Lydia made binoculars out of toilet paper rolls and used them to spy all the cool animals!

camping!

2010-09-16T11:39:00.003-04:00

Our first ever Hansen family camping trip was a success! We had a great time. We tried just one night, and though the kids slept well, the parents didn't sleep so well, so it was a good thing we did just one night. Mike with his one match fire.
I think this is the best timer picture I have ever taken. Lydia is giving a peace sign- imitating the bunny ears she saw some other kids giving.
Cool waterfall and two happy, dirty kids.
The best part of a smore is the chocolate!
I ran upstairs to grab something while we were packing and when I came downstairs, the kids had packed themselves in the cooler.

We also went hiking, and to a Frisbee golf course. The kids were the perfect age to take. I am so glad we finally did this. Hopefully we can continue every year. (Hopefully next year the raccoons won't be quite so anxious to eat our marshmallows!)

friends

2010-09-06T13:48:00.004-04:00

"Hi Grandma!"
My most recent sewing project. Last time the kids were in Ohio, I found some fabric for cheap, so I decided to cover my couch. I thought it turned out very nice. It's a good couch, it was just outdated. I'm sure you have seen photo's of it in the background of older posts.
We went to Chicago for a weekend with Mike's brothers and their wives. It was so much fun. One of the stops along the way was a Harley Davidson dealership. Oh one day Mike and I will have road bikes. They don't have to be Harley's, but something to cruise around in. Yesterday after church I saw a girl hitch up her skirt and drive away on her bike. I loved it! That will be me in 10 years!

Today the breeze is blowing through my windows. The house smells great from baking and I am content. The kids rode their bikes this morning and I laughed when I noticed that Lydia was carting along her baby doll and Colton had chosen a Lighting McQueen car to tote around outside. I love that they both have their interests and identities, yet they remain best friends.

Happy Birthday Colton!

2010-08-10T22:05:00.002-04:00

Colton turned 2! He got a punch bag for his birthday which is being used as a bench here.
This is Colton's cake. It was fun and pretty easy to make. I am far from professional with my cake decorating, but I'm improving.
We played in the sprinklers at a friends house on Colton's birthday. Another little girl was also there celebrating her 1st birthday, so our hostess gave the birthday kids ice cream cones with candles. They loved it!
Some interesting things about my little man. He is a huge tease and shows promise as a class clown. He thinks its really funny when people fall. He loves wrestling, movies, cars and horses. If you ask him how old he is, he will say 4. (Like his sister) Colton loves cookies, but doesn't care for icecream. I pray for Colton's safety everyday because he is always climbing on something or trying to jump off something. He must have one good guardian angel. This week Colton learned how to open doors!

Travel, and lots of it

2010-07-21T21:50:00.005-04:00

*See bottom of post for detailed explanation of photo's. Park City Zip Line that we went down.
Watching skiier's jump off one of the Olympic jumps. Pretty cool watching them land in the water.
Colton and cousin Jackson riding a train at a birthday party. Colton adores Jackson.
Lydia and Colton on the train.
The view from our hotel room at Park City. It was ritzy. I felt out of my league.
Tractor ride with Grandpa Reed.
The Bear Baiters- minus the two that were pulling the 50 gallon barrel of bear bait up the hill.
Our attempt at a hike that was ruined by the mosquitos.
Can you see the cabin? Cool huh? Wouldn't mind that property!
My little sister- who looks a lot taller than me in this picture! Drat!
Father and Son.
Grandpa and the grandgirls.
Mike exhausted after riding the banana boat forever.
The Grandkids 'practicing' riding the banana boat!

Over the last three weeks, I stayed in 5 different places! We flew to Jackson Hole and spent the 4th with my family. We saw the fireworks, boated, dirt biked, and even bear baited. We ate lots of delicious food and enjoyed good company. I must say, Palisades is my favorite place! Everyone was there in Mom and Dad's 2-room cabin. It was great! The only bad thing was I didn't get to wake board too long because it was so tiring! The next day I was sore, which made me feel old! We ran up to Rexburg and spent a day with Mike's brother and his wife. The kids loved going to demolition derby where they got to see the "cars crash!" We also visited Mike's sisters, Jen and Dedee in Provo. We tried Tucano's Brazilian Grill and enjoyed it. Mike had a chemistry conference in Park City, so Jen watched the kids while I went up there with him. He learned, I just sat by the pool and read a book all day! It was great! (I'm addicted to Fablehaven) We stayed a night with my brother in Bountiful. I was so glad to get to spend the time with everyone. It was a whirlwind! The kids were great and now we are just trying to get our sleep schedules back on the right time zone. Sunday we head to Ohio for a week, so our travels are not yet done! Wish us luck!

Ode to Joy

2010-06-30T21:30:00.004-04:00

Tonight was joy for me. I have been wanting to take the kids to pick blueberries for weeks. Tonight we weren't doing anything, the kids were not tired due to long naps, and a new u-pick blueberry orchard just opened. Mike had scouts, so he couldn't come, but I loaded the kids up and took a beautiful drive outside of town. It really wasn't far, which was nice, but I LOVED the drive. The sun was setting, open fields, and hardly any humidity. It was like Idaho. It was a piece of me, something inside of me that I love. Not to mention the actual berry picking. What a cute farm! It was shaded, I ran into several friends, and the blueberries were delicious. Lydia loves blueberries and didn't stop eating. Colton just kept throwing them. It was all just so peaceful. Did I say that I loved it? I find it interesting that something as simple as picking blueberries with my children can bring joy- real happiness.

She's 4!

2010-06-21T20:50:00.003-04:00

Though this photo may not make is seem like Lydia's birthday was a happy occasion, it was! Colton is just upset here because Lydia took one of her new toys away from him.
We celebrated Lydia' birthday a little early so we could have her cousin's there. That morning Lydia went to the movies. In the afternoon we went swimming and in the evening we had pizza at the park and opened presents. Daddy gave her a pink soccer ball. She had a great time trying it out at the park!
This is what Colton did while Lydia opened gifts. He is a mischievous little boy.
Lydia fell asleep after swimming- holding onto a birthday card.
Lydia's cake. She wanted a number 4. Great. Something simple as I try out these new cake decorating skills and my new resolve to decoratively decorate a cake for each birthday.
Lydia enjoying the spoils from a birthday package. Thanks Grandma Playdough!

Whirlwind!

2010-06-21T20:47:00.002-04:00

We went to Ohio for Mike's little sister's graduation from highschool. We left the kids there and a week later, we returned to see his older brother get sealed to his family for eternity. Mike's sister from Provo decided to come stay a few days with us following all this excitement, so then we spent the next few days showing them around. We did so much, I will just try to summarize with photos. There is way too much to include everything we did. The above picture is Mike's youngest sister showing us her shotput skills. She is quite good.

Lydia and Olivia. Everyone has trouble with their names because the sound so similar.
Maria, Mike's sister, at graduation. Yay Maria!