The Hansens

Saturday, May 9, 2009

I'm trying to win a contest...

Hey, I'm trying to win a photo session with a local photographer, so for an entry, I have to blog about it. So here it is! Check out her blog at: www.shandyvogt.blogspot.com

Here are 2 of my faves from her blog:

She does a GREAT job! I love the style of her pictures...way cute, reminds me of Danielle Rappleye's (for all you Utahans).

If you are interested in entering, visit www.fabulesslyfrugal.blogspot.com

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Dishing the dirt...

WHERE ARE YOU, SPRING????

Got my planters ready, but I'm afraid to plant them all up...it's been so cold. Three new fruit trees--Hooray! Another pear (to replace my Mother's Day pear tree that got clobbered by wild monkeys last year ;-), and a plum, and a nectarine. We already have 2 peach trees (see my post from last August) and another pear that survived the wild monkeys).

Look at my beautiful garden, just waiting to be planted....look at my weird, alienesque shadow...wish my legs were that long...

My hunk-a-hunk-hunkuvuhman tilled it all up, added compost, and tilled it again...until he got rained out...but isn't it bee-yooo-tee-full???!!!

Today was actually a lovely spring day...I hope the crazy cold is on it's way out...I need to get playing in the dirt!!!!

Playday at the Hansens

Just had to post a few pictures from a play day we had. We had Stickerz fruit snacks for a snack, and here's a picture of the kids.

Zoe (she ate half of her face off by the time I took the picture), McKenzie, Zac, Sadie, Kami. (Alyssa jumped out of the picture...she looked quite silly, too!)

Like mother, like son

We made popcorn the other day, and Zac grabbed all the unpopped kernals before we could throw them out. He said, "I'm gonna plant this in the garden!" (Well, actually, it was more like, "Ine gonna pant deez innuh gahden!") I just had to take pictures of that cute boy of mine...just like his mom, has to plant every seed that comes his way, just to see what might grow.

Jumping on the shovel.

Digging with Zoe.

Filling the water can (he has his eyes closed, or half open--just like his mom--in most of his pictures)

Watering the oldmaids (as Zoe steps on all my onions...) I wonder if anything will grow???

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Pay Backs...

I was rushing out of Albertsons on Tuesday (at 11:56 a.m.), trying to hurry and load up groceries and get three kids in the suburban and buckled up in time to pick up Abbee from preschool at 12:00 (HA! ya think I made it on time???) Well I finally got the kids and groceries in and was trying to get out of the parking lot, when I noticed a young man holding a sign up and a paper cup in hopes of collecting some money. My first thought was, "I think I have a dollar." As I dug through my purse, my next thoughts were, "Ugh! I'm in a rush! I'll help him next time. Plus he looks young and able...but nice...I'm probably poorer than he is...who am I to judge??? Better to give too much than not enough." So I found my dollar and rolled down the window and smiled and exchanged pleasantries and wished him luck. As I was getting ready to leave, he said, "Wait! I have something for you, too!" He reached in his back pocket and pulled out an envelope. He handed it to me, smiled, and waved, and I (now 7 1/2 minutes late to pick up Abbee) smiled and waved and left. At the stoplight, I opened the envelope. And there was a note and a $20 bill! How cool is THAT??? The note said, "YOU'VE BEEN SERVED! We're starting a new church here in Meridian called Connections. We decided instead of spending Thousands on Postcards, Billboards,Flyers, we'd do something different." So they've been sneaking and paying for peoples gas at gas stations, paying for peoples groceries, dressing as bums and handing out $$$, baking cookies, paying for meals at restaurants, etc. Pretty cool, huh? Thought that was a great way to spread around some Christ-like kindness.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Winter Blues

I do NOT love the cold. I think it is horrid. But I do love the snow. For a while. If it is cold, then there should be snow to go with it. Here is an assortment of my favorite snowy pictures from this winter.

Mykal taking down Abbee while Alyssa waits to be next.

Zac throwing a snowball at Mykal...

...and it goes down his own back...

Cute Alyssa

Cute Zoe

Cute Abbee. If you've notice, she has her own unique style. When I say, for example, "Get dressed to play in the snow!" Abbee puts on a tutu, and long purple leopard print socks. But at least she did put on a hat, boots and gloves...

Aly-Lu rolling in the snow.

Zoe and Abbee. I love Zoe's face as she's licking the snow off her huge glove.

Aly on the tire swing.

Zoe Brooke

Zac Henry

Alyssa Lee

Abbee Rose

Mykal & Zac

And I have NO pictures of Tayzia in the snow. So even though I want it to be spring NOW, I will hope for ONE more (and ONLY ONE more!) good snowstorm so I can add Tayzia to this post!

This is why blogging is NOT for the faint of heart...

Everytime I blog, I am punished, SEVERELY! I'm not joking. Here are some pictures I started collecting of the cruel and unjust punishment that is thrust upon me every time I blog...

My living room actually started out clean on this day, really it did.

You know that sticky, greasy Halloween makeup that sticks to everything and does NOT want to come off ANYTHING (including skin and the bathtub!)? Well, HOW ON EARTH did these guys find a sticky black Halloween Makeup Kit (with ONLY BLACK in it, none the less) a full 3 months after Halloween was over?

Kidspeak

I've been excitedly saying, "Myk & Salise are gonna have a baby! I'm gonna be a grandma!" So yesterday I told Zoe (age 4), "Auntie Tiff had her baby!" Zoe started jumping up and down and yelled, "Yeah! I'm a grandma now!" (1-23-2012)

(Abbee) "Wow, Mom, you look like a grandma today!"
(2-27-2009)

(Zac )"Mom! Your eyes are so black!"
(Mom)"They are? No, I have blue eyes. Why do you think they are black?"
(Zac)"Because you are sooo evil!"
(Mom)"What? Why do you say that? I'm nice, I'm not evil!"
(Zac)"But your eyes are so black and your fingernails are so sharp because you are TURNING evil, but you are still nice for now!" (2/11/2009)

The Family: A Proclamation to the World

The First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
We, the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator's plan for the eternal destiny of His children.
All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.
In the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshiped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize his or her divine destiny as an heir of eternal life. The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally.
The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God's commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force. We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife.
We declare the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of its importance in God's eternal plan.
Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. "Children are an heritage of the Lord" (Psalms 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, to teach them to love and serve one another, to observe the commandments of God and to be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations.
The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed.
We warn that individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.We call upon responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society.

Middle-aged Mormon Man