Well, I can't speak for the rest of the Hansen clan, but I had a fantastic weekend. Actually, I think I can speak for them in saying that only when Dad watches them do they get to watch TWO movies in one day and eat ice cream and Cheetos (on the couch-the girls made sure not to leave out the important details!) Now I know all his secrets. I think he also had a BBQ or Man-a Q was the term he used with a few buddies. I always know my little ones are in good hands, even if those hands are covered in orange cheese, so thanks to Cody for being a good sport!
My cousin Amy who lives in Boise was married outside of Sun Valley. It was a beautiful location and drive there. She came down the mountain where we were all seated, having hiked in a little bit, in a wagon. The backdrop was lovely as you can see. While I'm more of a temple girl myself, it was neat how well everything reflected she and Ron's personalities. My Mom and I played around in Sun Valley and passed by the $1300 Dolce and Gabbana dresses for the local thrift store. We got to visit with cousins, aunts, uncles who I hadn't seen for quite awhile. Shay and Steve were there which was fun too. We stayed Saturday night in Twin Falls and went to a random ward in to morning. So crazy, I ran into a family who lived just around the corner from us in Moscow, such a small world. It was a fun getaway, really recharged me for a few days anyway!
Still painting here on the homefront, the shower is being tiled this week, and we ripped up some carpet yesterday upstairs, exposing great hardwood floors underneath, just gotta scrape all the paint off around the baseboards. I love hardwood floors and they are much easier with kids, mud, food, everything. We'll probably just have one piece of new carpet put in upstairs in the piano room and leave the rest hardwood and rugs.
I think I'm off to dig out my food dehydrator and dry some herbs before some of the plants go to seed. Some are just getting to big. I can't wait till the raspberries come on! Have a happy afternoon!
wedding weekend...
4th of July fun...
We hit the parade in Soda Springs Idaho, close to my parents home this year. Cody and I grew up with small town parades and I have memories of the front seat of my Grandma's Buick overflowing with parade candy. So, needless to say, we were a little disappointed in the parade here in Idaho Falls last year. It was so long and hot and NO candy, what's a parade without candy? A poor one right?! We do have lots of beautiful floats though.
Anyway, this was a fun one, not too long and the kids had a good time scrambling for treats. I thought the otter pops were a pretty good idea, until I realized that between them hitting the pavement and the plastic candy bags dragging on the road they had left multi-colored puddles all over the van seats, not so happy about that. We'll know next time...
We watched Cody and Loren play in a 3 on3 basketball tournament. It turned into a bit of a long afternoon, but it wasn't terribly hot. Noah was exhausted, I'm a stickler for naps, regular and long, and when he gets grouchy it's hard for me not to :) It was a fun day, Noah's still talking about the loud fire engines, made quite an impression. He was too wiped out to see the fireworks once we got back home though. I was too, but I went to the school with the girls and enjoyed them, what a show, has to last us until next year! Happy birthday America!
new eyes...
One of my favorite quotes of all time since college has been by Marcel Proust- "The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.” Life sometimes seems to really be a lot of the same tasks and routines and finding new and fresh views keep it much more interesting! My children are constantly giving me 'new eyes.' It's a toss-up at the moment, but I think the nethermost regions of our backyard are perhaps the worst looking part of our home. We yanked out a bunch of shrubs last year and have not placed sod there yet. I look out the window and all I see are the terribly overgrown weeds about to go to seed and the huge hole that needs dirt. My kids however always play back there. It's been a campground for pioneers, a jungle with wild beasts, and the favorite-yet messiest is the pit filled with water-a giant stew. Most recently these plentiful milkweeds have gone to seed. Noah was fascinated when Lauren showed him how to blow them. And so while it may be a few years off until I have a weedless backyard and beautiful plants, hopefully the kids will remember all the fun they imagined and in the meantime maybe I can see a little bit of what they so easily see-fun!
a new routine...
Ah, summertime, weeding the garden in your pajamas, eating watermelon off the rind, washing the car in the driveway, slip n slide in the backyard, and evening walks...
Wow, is anyone reeling from the shock that it's July ALREADY?!
This summer is flying by for me. We've been busy, but in a low-key fun kind of way. The girls finished two weeks of swim lessons and loved it. They did well considering it was a catch-up year since I dropped the ball last summer and we didn't enroll. They can swim a short distance now and hopefully that will improve this summer. We're actually going to try to go to the pool more often, lessons probably don't help much if you don't swim until next year's lesson :) Noah has an o.k. time at the pool, he preferred the beach area in Blackfoot with the sand and bugs though. He scraped his toe and knee falling right on the NO RUNNING sign painted on the concrete, fell down right on the 'N'!
Cody enjoyed his annual fishing trip with some mission buddies last week. I guess the fishing wasn't too great, he spent it mostly visiting our families.
I've been busy watering, feeding, washing, painting, driving, all things garden and kids. We sold and bought a new refrigerator, that completely made my day. Our old one which came with the house, leaked inside and out and periodically froze all produce inside, so annoying. I'm enjoying this spacious new one, plus it has a light that works, never knew what I was missing! I only have a few pairs of capris that are working for me right now, I'm a little sad that I won't be wearing any of my summer bottoms, but I'm getting over it. It feels like I just popped out that the last couple weeks or so. Fun times, it's a different perspective knowing this will probably be my last pregnancy. I'm enjoying the journey more. Well, wishing all of you a very happy and safe 4th of July. We'll be in Bancroft, Soda Springs, and back here for the fireworks of course. To me, summer has arrived when the 4th of July is here!
half birthdays...
Summer birthdays have to be the best! We had so much fun planning and throwing L & C a 7 1/2 birthday party, but I think the parties are over until about 12ish :) We were having conversations about if it would rain last week and it was one of the warmest days yet. The poor kids were really hot, we just kept refilling their cups of water. We mostly played water games which ended in a water balloon fight with Cody doling out balloons, mainly so he could toss a few of his own I think. That was a hit. We also had a jumper, Cody's boss owns and rents these out. Even for seven year olds it was very fun. We had it at the house until about 8 p.m. and so ALL of us got the chance to play, Noah and I had some fun too. Everyone was lamenting today that the bouncer was gone, it really made the party, not to mention the rest of the day for me, kind of like a glorified trampoline. It was a fun, tiring day, just glad I won't be doing it December 16!
A huge happy birthday to my brother Loren who celebrated yesterday too. Wish you could have shared a cupcake with us. Your card's a bit late in the mail, but trust me, I did think of you yesterday :)
If you had trouble already...
telling the girls apart, it may be even harder now. Chloe wanted her hair cut, at first it was just a little bit, then she wanted to go even shorter and by the time it was finished, it was nearly Lauren's length. Which, as a mom who combs and cares for it was just perfect with me. In my humble opinion seven year olds have no business having long hair anyway. Chloe would seriously go for days without combing it if I wasn't the mean enforcer.
I kept asking Chloe if it was really what SHE wanted, Lauren was just a tad persuasive. I think they purposefully did it to trip people up, how mean right?! Since the cuts they have been wearing matching clothes even trying to fool me, fat chance ladies. But I always have liked them with short bobs and it doesn't mix me up :)
If you don't have the opportunity to spend nearly every waking moment with them like me and are confused- Chloe is on the left :)
paint, books, and hubby tag
Well friends, a whole week has zoomed by and I've been holed up in our basement in the same grungy old jeans painting like there's no tomorrow. Cody was home from work with some kind of cold/allergy sickness on Friday and Saturday so I would start when Noah went down for his nap and get in a good 3-4 hours. Can't say I want to be a painter in my next life. Lots to show for it though, the basement is finished with the exception of the touch-up work near the ceilings. And I have some killer calluses on my right hand from holding that roller.
Cody has been reading Harry Potter to the girls and they love it. And so of course he's on me again to read them, maybe someday I'll get to it. I guess it's all about priorities. But for now, I think it's kind of fun thing they can share with just their Dad, plus if they asked me a question I'd be completely lost! The girls have been reading a lot too, mostly fighting over the comic page of the newspaper at breakfast and they checked out some Garfield books at the library. Such disappointment when they learned only two comic books could be counted for the summer reading program. Back to 'real' books I guess. I feel like giving the library my credit card number and just letting them start to charge my fees. It's been terribly hard to get everything back on time with the girls keeping books in their room, Noah's board books scattered everywhere and mine as well. Anyone have any solutions that work for them? As I post there is a missing Huckleberry Finn lurking somewhere, I could've sworn I returned that book!
Another week of chipping away at the house continues. I have my second pre-natal visit tomorrow. We're throwing a 7 1/2 year birthday party for L & C on their half-birthday June 16. I know there will be nothing happening in December when I have a month old baby and it's so close to the holidays. Plus they're being baptized this year, so we figured a fun, warm, outdoor celebration might be a nice change of pace.
Here's the stats on Cody, about a week late, sorry Melissa!
1. What is his name? Cody, neither of us have middle names
2. How long have you been together? married 9 years this month, friends for about 12
3. How long did you date? We dated a bit through high school and became serious after his mission
4. Who eats more? I'm a little ashamed to admit it might be me! :) But I think we just eat different things, I eat more at what you might call meals and he's more of a snacker.
5. Who said I Love You first? I'm sure it was Cody, he was always very open about his feelings towards me, but I was close behind.
6. Who is taller? Cody by about four inches, thank goodness.
7. Who sings better? I do, but only I think because I've had more practice and training. Cody likes to sing when he knows his part.
8. Who is smarter? Hmm, should I say me, no, Cody has a lot of everyday, practical, useful smarts. I appreciate that about him. Probably Cody :)
9. Who does the laundry? Me, I'm picky about who loads my washer, how much soap goes in, and what items should not be dried in the dryer.
10. Who does the dishes? I do. All the time. It gets old, but it's just one of those jobs that has to be done-all the time.
11. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Let's just say that whatever side is nearest the clock and the door is mine. It recently changed when we moved our furniture. I get up first and always hear the clock first.
12.Who pays the bills? Cody, after many married years of me doing it, we discovered the joy of online bill pay, what a blessing!
13. Who mows the lawn? Usually Cody, unless it gets too disgraceful and then I'll do it. I don't mind, since it always looks much better. Although Cody is much faster.
14. Who cooks dinner? I do, mainly since Cody misses the whole dinner hour every night. There are few dishes he cooks and he does an awesome job on the grill, but he does refer to the kitchen as my domain.
15. Who drives when you are together? Cody, I think I secretly scare him :) even though my record is great!
16. Who is more stubborn? Me, although I like to think that I just have strong opinions about what I like and dislike!
17. Who kissed who first? Cody kissed me on our back porch, but I get credit for gently taking his arm and guiding him there.
18. Who asked who out first? Cody, because I'm old-fashioned like that and didn't really call guys and never asked them out, unless it was for one of those cheesy girl-ask-guy dances.
19. Who proposed? Cody did, many times, lots of discussions, not really one huge event that stands out to me.
20. Who is more sensitive? I would say me, just as woman, there are things he misses, not intentionally even.
21. Who has more friends? Cody
