To Give Thanks is Good

I do like THANKSGIVING, but I have to be honest that I am doing this post mostly to get it out of the way so I can move on to CHRISTMAS! I did not feel that way last week, but I am a little late on this post, so we are decorated and well into the Christmas season around here. Of course, there are always many things to be grateful for, and we are all happy to have this holiday to remind us to recognize and give thanks for those things. I will not make a public list because it would not look too different from yours. But, I truly do recognize my Heavenly Father's hand in my life, especially this past year. Life is being guided by Him.
Here are a few pictures of our week and turkey day...
This was my attempt to help my children have a more meaningful Thanksgiving week. We made turkeys and each day wrote and drew pictures of things we are thankful for on a new feather...

The night before Thanksgiving, my mom and the grandkiddos made these cute napikin holders and turkey baskets...A Hansen tradition...Make Turkeys out of cookies and candy...

2700 Monterey Bay

Six weeks after putting our house on the market, we had an offer and just closed on Monday. This brings some mixed emotions - thrilled to have sold our house, but sad to no longer own our first home anymore. Does anyone else get attached to physical things like this? I thought it was kind of sad to sell Brandon's car too, but he didn't seem phased at all.

Also on my mind - I know that the spirit dwells in dedicated homes that are serving the Lord. But, can a part of that spirit be felt for the next owners? (I certainly felt a lack of spirit when we moved into this home). I have thought and prayed a lot about the people who would buy our house. I have a desire for them to love the home as we did and to feel the peace we felt there. I am sort of sad that we did all the closing through mail because I never got a chance to meet the new owners. Although, I know it is their first home, they have six small children between the two of them (I think there are plans to finish the basement) , and were so anxious and excited to move in. I heard that their was a lot of excitement and joy at the closing.

Rediscovering the world around

Today was FINALLY the day that Spencer got his glasses. (The wait over the last few weeks is a different story.) Spencer woke up so excited to go to the doctor's office today. We spent a little bit of time at the office getting them adjusted just right and cleaning them, then Spencer was off to explore the world. It was so much fun watching him walk around and stare at things. He told me that things are smaller without his glasses and bigger with them. When he looked at himself in the mirror he said, "I didn't know I had brownish eyes." I am so happy and excited for him to finally see the way he should. What a sweetheart. Couldn't you just eat him up?

When I grow up I want to be...

...just like this woman. My Mother, Judy, Grandma JuJu - The BIRTHDAY girl!

If you know her, this needs no explanation. She is THE most selfless person I know (and happens to be married to a very selfless man). I think she must get sick of hearing her name and "service" in the same sentence, because that is what we all associate her with. As a mother and grandmother she is amazingly patient, incredibly fun, a wonderful example in all she does and is always concerned about others happiness. I love her and really do hope to grow up to be even a bit like her. I have been told before in blessings to think of my saintly mother and the way she would act in certain situations, then follow those guidelines. I am truly grateful for her in my life and hope that she knows it! I will stop embarrasing her now! Happy Birthday!

Runner's High?

I have heard of this before, but not sure it exists. For years I have been a faithful (4-6 times a week) Jazzercise-er (don't knock it before you try it!) I loved it and feel there were results from it. I credit Jazzercise to my awesome pregnancy and recovery with Clay. Since moving to Utah, I have not found a workout program that works for me. I have not wanted to commit to anywhere yet, so for now I am month to month at the Rec. Center where I take aerobic or toning classes when I can. But, that is not often enough for me, so I have taken matters into my own hands...Running. Yuck! I really really don't like it. I have been doing this route which is just about two miles. The first half is uphill, so it gets the job done in a short amount of time. And I make sure to run (okay, jog) the whole way. I am getting better, meaning I don't think I am going to die in the middle of it, but still don't like it. I am especially worried about keeping up some sort of great workout through the holidays. Because, I will enjoy my english toffee, caramels, fudge, you get the point! Is there any hope for me to discover the runner's high? Unfortunately, it will not stay this warm forever and I may be forced to stop.

It was too quiet...

...and you know what that means. Why can't quiet be good? It is almost always scary around here. This time ended up being more cute than scary. Clay was missing in action. Our house seems so big to me that I can't keep track of all three of the kids at the same time apparently. Clay decided he wanted to try to be like the big boys I guess. I found him in the bathroom with his pants down, trying to take his diaper off. The situation could have been a lot worse, luckily it was just a lot of dry toilet paper on the ground. He was not happy with me when I tried to get him dressed again, so I sat him on the toilet for about half a second until he decided that was good enough. I don't think this is a potty training sign, but I will keep a close eye for the next little bit.

Who doesn't love new shoes?

Clay needed new shoes, so I finally broke down and bought the cheapest ones at WalMart! Lucky for him, they happen to light up. I don't think he has taken them off (except to sleep) since I got them three days ago. This is how he spent the first morning with them on...of course, keeping a close eye on those cool lights...

Online Journal

When I started my blog, I also started an online journal. Yes, there is a difference - you will most likely not see some of the things that I write in my journal while I am alive. They are my more deep, personal thoughts. I do use the two hand in hand though. A lot of times I copy and paste what is in my blog to my journal, then add to it if I need or want to. I figure that the end of every year (or two) I will have my journal printed and bound. So I am about to do that for the first time through the website I've been using, Pyxlin. The point of my post - Do any of you know of a great online journal website? I have not been thrilled with Pyxlin. They have been okay, but haven't done the upgrades and changes yet that I have been hoping and waiting for for over a year now. Please share if you have any tips!

Back in the loop

I have felt somewhat out of touch with the world for the past month and a half since we haven't had internet. Thank goodness my parents live so close, that has been helpful in a lot of ways, including borrowing their internet every other day. But, tonight we are finally online again and it is so nice. Although, I have secretly liked not having the distraction of a computer to waste my time on. I think I will definitely be more careful with the time I spend online now.

Getting friendly with the Neigh-bors

Well, , my children have adopted the horses next door as their pets. Conveniently, there are three horses - one for each of my boys. The boys have named them (I'm sure they already had names). Koby's horse is named Mr. Mischief, Spencer's is Zorro and Clay's is Mr. Messy! The horses seem to actually like my boys. Whenever they come out, the horses come over to see them, and they stick around whether there's food or not! Clay loves them just as much and will come inside and ask for food, then take off with it to feed the horses. The other day I was cleaning while the kids were outside playing. I finally went outside to check on them after an hour or so (I could see them through the window so they weren't totally neglected) and found that they were brushing the horses! Koby had a plastic brush from a stick horse we have, Clay had some scrub brush from the garage, and Spencer had a comb from inside our house. Those horses sat still while my kids stuck there hands through the fence and brushed the stickers off of them. Koby tells me, "You can't brush their mane because it gets stuck, see?" Then tries and gets the comb stuck and pulls it out while the horse didn't budge. They told me that they don't ever want to move again because they love their pet horses so much!

Neglected Child?

If you know Spencer very well, you know that he has to get about two inches away from anything to see it. Well, after months of putting it off (for good reasons), I finally took him to the eye doctor today - just a few days after our insurance started. I was not surprised to hear that he needed glasses pretty badly, but was surprised to hear that he is farsighted. I looked through lenses that show me what his eyes see and I could not focus a thing! Poor guy, how on earth is he such an athlete? How does he write and recognize his letters and name? He has had to compensate for so long, that he is used to it. He doesn't know any better. Although, we have been talking about it for a while now and he has been asking every day when he gets to go to the doctor and get his glasses. Hopefully we will have his glasses in a week. But, these are them and I think he looks darling...

20 minutes of prep, 10 minutes of play, 30 minutes cleanup

We woke up to snow this morning so this is how things went: Downstairs to find the snow clothes box. Boots, wait-boots off, snow bib, boots, gloves, gloves off, coat, gloves, hat, scarf, adjust boots and gloves, play for ten minutes, wet clothes all over the place, warm bath. A funny sidenote: Koby's pants were bothering him (his pajama pants, because they didn't get dressed before they threw everything on). So, he tells me, "My pajamas feel funny." I'm sure I didn't respond immediately. So, he says, "My pajamas feel hilarious!" Funny how kids get their words confused, english is a tough language. Here's the pics...

The Crazy Cat Lady

That's my sister, that crazy cat lady. Long story short - she fed a stray cat who ended up having four kittens. Now her house is overtaken by cats until Christmas time when she can pull them away from the mother. Bets are still out on how many she will actually keep! At least the mom will stay. Meanwhile, my kids are loving it. Koby was scared to death of all of them for the first week or so, but now he loves them. Here are a few pictures I snapped on Halloween night...

Clay, take it easy...

Halloween

I guess I was a bad photographer this year, because this is the best I got for Halloween pictures...Brandon and I dressed up for the ward party. I think we make a pretty good hippie couple, don't you? Koby and Spencer were both Zorro, and Clay was a skunk.My mom and dad went as tourists, I think it turned out hilarious...

Starting him early...

So, I came downstairs the other day to find Clay unloading the dishwasher! He is such a copycat. ANYTHING his brothers do he has to do, including chores apparently. He unloaded the whole top with no help! Let's hope this keeps up