Hanson Happenings

Happy 2nd Birthday Olivia!

2012-02-14T04:00:00.000-06:00

Our sweet Olivia is two today. To write about her personality is almost impossible, so I'll share a few pictures to help you see it! Things I love: I love how her little foot taps in steady rhythm as she falls asleep. I love how she burries her face into my neck when she wants to snuggle. I love that she loves to snuggle. I love how she rubs the silk

Shots of our week!

2012-02-01T13:01:00.002-06:00

Just a few sweet shots of my cuties. *** *** They are starting to really enjoy each other. It has been fun to see Stefan playing with him a lot more lately! *** He was menu planning here. He has really gotten to the imitation stage. He was talking through the menu, "on Monday we will have pizza, potato soup, carrots, and chicken." Wow...he had quite the selections

Weekend Away

2012-01-24T09:25:00.000-06:00

A couple of weeks ago, my sister came up and Brian and I were able to get away for a night. We took Silas with us because of course he can't be away from Mama for more than a few hours:). We had such a refreshing time of relaxation, sleep, and lots and lots of uninterrupted talking. The kids at home seemed to have had a great time with Auntie Donna as well! Thank you, Donna! We're

Intentionally Remembering

2012-01-11T11:56:00.000-06:00

I mentioned in my last post that it is important to intentionally look back and remember. Why is this so important? Simply put, it is very healthy to know where you are and where you want to go. While in some cases it may be a bit uncomfortable or even somewhat discouraging to remember, it is the only way that you can make needed changes and move forward. The flip side is that it is also

Bye Bye Christmas and other Random News

2012-01-05T13:20:00.000-06:00

January is off and running and it seems like Christmas was ages ago. We said goodbye to our tree and the only thing left of Christmas are the cards on our fridge, the new toys being played with, and the wonderful memories of a beautiful season spent together as a family. Sniff, sniff... We enjoyed a simple New Years Eve. We first had dinner with friends, but since there were children

Stefan's 4th Birthday

2011-12-29T21:02:00.000-06:00

It really is difficult for me to wrap my thoughts around the fact that we have a four year old. Brian and I took some time to reminisce about Stefan's four years and how much he has changed specifically in this last year. He has jumped head first into boyhood and the toddler days seem long gone and the baby days even further. We have been overjoyed to see him develop and change. His personality

Our Christmas

2011-12-27T09:02:00.001-06:00

Well, here goes a small sampling of our Christmas. We have had a wonderful season, but much of the joy of the season comes from the little light of excitement in our children's eyes, excited squeals, looks of awe, satisfied looks between Mommy and Daddy because the kids are so happy. None of these things, though, can be caught on camera. It is nice though, to try to catch a few memories.

Christmas Morning at Church

2011-12-26T20:35:00.001-06:00

Just a sampling of some Sunday morning shots. Getting out the door for church on Christmas morning was hard enough, so these are just some quick snapshots I took as we were walking to the car. Hopefully I'll get more shots of our actual Christmas on here soon. It's been a bit busy here, so this will have to do for now. I'm pretty sure this is the cutest six

Reading 2011

2011-12-24T15:38:00.000-06:00

I love to read. No surprise there, right? I had a goal of reading twelve books this year and I'm so pleased to tell you all that I not only met that goal, I actually surpassed it a little. I really didn't think I would especially when there was a couple of months where I didn't read at all after having a baby and moving in the same month. It just goes to show that even reading just 5 or

Little Christmas Joys

2011-12-23T09:43:00.000-06:00

Candy Canes and Christmas Trees Extra reading time with Daddy. An anniversary date by the Christmas tree. Experiencing the world of food for the first time. Dressing the kids for bed as if it is a normal night, then surprising them with hot chocolate in their sippy cups, a cookie in hand, and a drive around town to look at Christmas lights.

Beautiful Weather!

2011-12-14T14:29:00.001-06:00

Today was one of those gorgeous days that you have to pinch yourself to remember that it is actually December. Weather in the 60's. Really? While it doesn't help in reminding you that Christmas is less than two weeks away, it is perfect for getting outside with the kids. And I found out there is a lot to learn when I'm outside.One lonely leaf, hanging on for dear lifeI saw this leaf and

December Fun

2011-12-10T19:27:00.000-06:00

A beautiful day.A girl peeking out underneath her hat.Siblings messing around on the ground having fun together.

Outside!

2011-11-19T19:51:00.000-06:00

Our kids, like most kids, love to play outside. We have been blessed with extremely mild weather and unless it is raining we are outside for at least an hour almost every. single. day. I really believe that it has helped us be more healthy and the kids have enjoyed everything from wagon rides, bike rides, walks, picking up sticks and acorns, playing with leaves, playing with friends, and even a

Pigtails!!!

2011-11-18T11:43:00.000-06:00

Olivia's hair is so frustrating. She doesn't have much. It's very fine. It's incredibly straight. But, oh yah, we got her some pigtails today! Woot! (Insert smug smile from Mommy)

Look What I Can Draw!

2011-11-14T21:15:00.000-06:00

Just to get this out right up front...I don't think my child is an exceptional artist. I don't really put a lot of stock in children needing to achieve things at specific ages. I'm really okay with the fact that a range of acceptable child development is quite large and so I don't try to push my kids do do things they aren't really ready to do. That being said, what does excite me is seeing

Papi and the kids

2011-11-10T06:46:00.000-06:00

I discovered these pictures I had never uploaded on a camera card, so here you go! Sweet memories of Papi and Mimi's visit last August! Most were taken at a lunch at the Cracker Barrel! The ever moving target Olivia made these a scream! Aaahhh! It kills me that this is fuzzy, because it is SUCH a darling picture. So, I shared it anyway. Fuzzy or not! Stefan LOVES his Papi.

Three children, two check-ups, one parent

2011-11-09T14:41:00.000-06:00

Today was one of those rainy mornings where I would much rather be curled up on the couch with all my kids piled on me reading books to them. But it was not meant to be...for today anyway! Silas and Olivia had doctor's appointments. Our saga with finding a doctor here in Louisville has been very frustrating and long. I will spare you all from going into all the ups and downs of it, but suffice

Daddy and his girl!

2011-11-05T09:12:00.001-05:00

A typical day playing outside...

2011-10-13T19:32:00.000-05:00

Zooming by with his sister following behind. Yep...pretty much sums it up. Oh, and the snack in hand. Got to have a snack... To describe how much Stefan loves riding his bike would be impossible so I'll save myself the agony. He loves it. Oh, and he calls it a motorcycle. Don't forget that, please. She's a sneaky one...take your eyes of her for a second and she runs back inside and comes

Our Little Fashionista

2011-10-10T18:39:00.000-05:00

A tutu, a tool belt, a hard hat, and the latest fashion in earrings...

"Sorry, Mom! It can go in the wash."

2011-10-08T18:26:00.002-05:00

It has been unseasonably warm this week. It's hard to believe that last Saturday we were at the Pumpkin Patch with weather in the 50's, and this Saturday it was in the mid-80's! Knowing that this kind of weather is coming to a close we decided to take advantage of it. This afternoon after the kids naps we headed out to a park very close to our house. We "hiked" along a trail by the water. I say "

Family Fun

2011-10-08T17:56:00.001-05:00

Lookin' all grown up playing on the floor.Three kids. Playing together. Nobody is crying. MUST grab the camera:-).They thought Silas needed a hug from Tigger.Stefan was very proud to stay up after Olivia went to bed for popcorn and a game.(Special thanks to Papi and Mimi for the awesome Curious George memory game. It was a winner!)

Pumpkin Patch!

2011-10-02T19:00:00.005-05:00

This weekend my sister, Donna, came for a visit. It was so nice to see her even though it was a short trip. Brian and I had been planning for a few weeks to take the kids to a pumpkin patch so we were glad that it worked out to go when Donna was here. We had so much fun! I commented to Donna as I was getting bags, diapers, extra outfits, jackets, sippy cups, snacks and all the other things that

Cherished Memories

2011-09-28T14:18:00.005-05:00

This morning Stefan got up a bit earlier than usual and came out when I was reading my Bible. I stopped short of my initial thought to send him back to bed ("it's not awake time yet...") remembering the many fond memories I have of sitting on my Dad's lap in the early hours of the morning when everyone else was still sleeping.Thank you, Dad, for not sending me back to bed and giving me those

Silas Ridley

2011-09-26T08:01:00.004-05:00

Here's a shot at three cute kids! That certainly will brighten any Monday morning! Of course, it is impossible to get all three looking at the camera at once so this is the best I have!Our handsome little guy is, well, not so little anymore! At 3 months he weighs about 16 pounds. He is fully in 3-6 mo. or straight 6 mo. clothes. He is smiling and communicating with us so much these days. He

At Long Last...

2011-09-23T13:04:00.004-05:00

It has been way too long since I have updated this blog. I'm sorry. I guess I have just been busy with other things. Since we do view this blog as a sort of journal, though, I am trying to make the time to jump back into it. I will do my best to update you all on what has been going on and how we're doing since we moved to Louisville with a few random shots of an outing we took a couple of

Update and Request

2011-07-12T10:42:00.003-05:00

If you thought we had disappeared from blogland you're almost right. We will be back at it, hopefully soon, but things have been a little crazy around here!We are adjusting to life with three children and to life in KY. So much has happened it is hard to even keep ourselves afloat let alone keep everyone updated! If you are on Facebook, my sister posted a lot of pictures so you've seen how much

Happy Father's Day

2011-06-19T19:03:00.003-05:00

To the man my children call Daddy,Words cannot express the thankful heart I have for the father you are to Stefan, Olivia, and now Silas. This past week your thoughtfulness and selflessness have been magnified in my eyes. You have thought of things before I even knew I needed them. You have been doing "double duty" with Stefan and Olivia--being Mommy and Daddy at once.Whether you were feeding

Birth Announcement

2011-06-16T15:49:00.001-05:00

Silas Ridley HansonJune 15, 2011 - 6:52 p.m.8 lbs. 11 oz.20 in.

Our Easter!

2011-04-26T17:07:00.000-05:00

Gorgeous, sweet children!The boys!The Girls!Cousins! Easter afternoon festivities!

Always up to something...

2011-04-15T13:20:00.002-05:00

We have a drawer in the kitchen that Olivia is allowed to get into (as in open up and close, not literally get into!). It has all the plastic containers and it provides lots of entertainment. Usually she is busy putting the containers in and out of the drawer. Today, however, when I walked into the kitchen I found this...

Brian's Heading Back to the Books...

2011-04-12T13:09:00.014-05:00

It's about time I let everyone know our plans. Most of you already know, or have heard by word of mouth, but we thought we would fill you in on the details.We are moving! No surprise there, huh? We seem to have a trend of moving every year! This time, though, it is for very different reasons! We have been excited to see how the Lord has led and how He has made it clear what our next step is.

Warmer Weather!

2011-04-12T11:50:00.002-05:00

It's been great to see Stefan's fear of heights completely dissipate this year. Last year he was still in the stage where he would climb up things and then be afraid to get back down. Now we are no longer climbing up into playgrounds to retrieve a panicking child. In stead, we have to keep our eyes peeled to make sure we still have him in sight. All fear is gone, and now it's just fun-

A Rather Random Peek Into Our Lives

2011-04-05T09:12:00.004-05:00

Two cuties!Stefan and I built this very cool tower with Tinker Toys. It even had a lever/pully thing! Warmer days means more time outside! A wagon ride from Daddy when he got home from work.Boxes remain a favorite toy. Helping Mommy ice Daddy's birthday cake. Yes, this is old...

Our Little Guy

2011-04-01T08:00:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, I had an ultrasound and we got some amazing pictures of our little guy. I'm seriously smitten. He is so stinkin' cute!Doesn't this just make you want to kiss those cheeks?Pure sweetness!Yep! Those are his feet up on his head. Completely breech right now. He's got a few weeks to turn. Let's hope he does:)How is that even comfortable?Peeking out through his legs. Cutest little nose

Our climber

2011-03-30T13:07:00.003-05:00

If you've been wondering why I don't post as much on the blog, or talk as much on the phone, etc, it's because I have a daughter who does things like this. And I really want her to live to tell about all her adventures.Some things you just have to get a video of...Oh, and the toilet bowl is seriously that girls favorite place. No videos of that, though:)She keeps life interesting and we love it!

Playing

2011-03-17T11:07:00.001-05:00

There are few things I love watching more than a child lost in the world of play.

Happy 30th, Brian!!!

2011-03-13T09:42:00.003-05:00

Is this not the sweetest picture of Daddy and his boy?Today, Brian turns 30! Wow! God has been so gracious in giving me Brian as a husband. I really believe there is not another man out there that is as selfless as Brian. I am extremely spoiled as a wife. This weekend we're glad to be lavishing a little extra spoiling on him, for once!Brian requested no party, but just a weekend enjoying his

Different Personalities!

2011-03-08T10:50:00.001-06:00

As Olivia's personality begins to blossom it has become apparent that she is very different from her brother. It is really so fun to watch the differences in them. I am loving seeing all the new things that each one comes up with, and look forward to all the moments of watching them grow up and their personalities develop. I don't want to pigeon hole any of my children into a certain type of

Random Shots

2011-03-02T04:00:00.001-06:00

Reading with Daddy inside Stefan's tentOne of the ladies that made a meal last week made homemade rolls to go along with it. I thought it was so sweet of her to think of the kids and make them their very own teddy bear rolls. It got lots of giggles out of Stefan as he ate off the head and then each paw, etc!In our house you must put the groceries away fast. Olivia went diving through the bags

Pregnancy Update

2011-02-28T21:12:00.001-06:00

I thought I would share with you briefly what's going on around here. Most of you already know a good part of this, but to round out the details, I'll post here.After having lots of fairly strong contractions at close intervals, we went to the doctor on Friday. I was monitored and given a shot to lessen the contractions. That helped, but as soon as the shot started to wear off, the

Home

2011-02-27T12:52:00.012-06:00

Since Brian and I got married just over four years ago, we have lived in four different homes. For those of you that grew up in the same house your entire lives, and then when you moved out of your parents got a home down the street and have lived in that house ever since this will seem very strange. That's just not how we roll :). We've moved. A lot.One of the things I've learned from moving so

Growing, growing, growing

2011-02-25T01:00:00.001-06:00

This week we had check-ups for both Stefan and Olivia.3 years old:Weight: 33.6 pounds, 60th percentile (probably a little off due to sickness)Height: 39 1/2 inches, 90th percentile1 year old:Weight: 21.4 pounds, 50th percentileHeight: 28 inches, 20th percentileThe difference in height percentiles couldn't be more stark. Makes me laugh.

Little Stinker

2011-02-23T11:14:00.001-06:00

Been wondering what the new one year old is up to?Well, I found this around my house the other day...Oh, and that milk I left sitting within reach for all of two minutes? Yep...on the floor. She wanted a drink, what can I say? And yes, she was actually lapping it up like a dog. Oh my. I was laughing so hard and I didn't get a picture of that. Oh well. Daddy mopped the floor for me after

Olivia's Birthday Party

2011-02-21T09:16:00.000-06:00

A little cuteness for your Monday morning! (We all need that don't we?)Uncle Bob, Aunt Jennie, Patience and Corban came over to help us celebrate. It was a fun Lady Bug party. I went over to a friend's house to decorate the cupcakes. We had fun doing them and I learned a lot from her in the process. Olivia got spoiled with some really nice toys and clothes. Oh, and blowing out candles and

Children's Bible Books

2011-02-18T04:00:00.002-06:00

It hit me recently that I talk a lot about books here, and yet I have not mentioned the book (s) that get read daily. So guess what? I'll tell you about them now! Each night (mostly, anyway) before the kids go to bed we have family Bible time. This is something that I am privileged to look to my parents as a model. Ever since I can remember that was part of our day. It would sometimes vary if

The Snowy Day

2011-02-16T12:59:00.005-06:00

Do you know the book The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats? If not, and you have young children you should get to know it. (It's a Caldecott winner, by the way) It's a perfect book to save to give to your kids on the first day it snows. In fact, once snow season is over again, I think I will put it away for the summer and pull it back out in the winter again. It will be like getting a new book all

Happy 1st Birthday, Olivia!

2011-02-14T07:50:00.000-06:00

It's hard to believe that it's been a year since our little Olivia was born. We are so grateful to God for blessing our family with Olivia.Happy Birthday, Olivia!We love you!(shots from her birthday breakfast)

Giggles!

2011-02-13T09:47:00.002-06:00

A few giggles from our almost birthday girl!

Caps For Sale

2011-02-05T08:58:00.009-06:00

One of my favorite things is when I can tie in learning to a specific book. It makes it so much more fun and memorable. This week we had a lot of fun reading, playing, and learning with the book Caps For Sale.Last Saturday when Brian and Stefan went to the library, one of the books on their list to check out was Caps For Sale. I really couldn't remember the exact story line of the book since

It's a BOY!!!!

2011-02-04T07:57:00.000-06:00

We're pretty excited around here, because yesterday we found out that we'll be having another little boy in the family! The ultrasound was so fun. I was a little leary about taking the kids to it, but I'm glad we did as Stefan was completely fascinated with watching the pictures on the screen. Our ultrasound technician was wonderful and took lots of time pointing every detail out and he was

Ba-ba-ba-ba

2011-02-02T13:12:00.002-06:00

Half Way!!!

2011-02-01T08:16:00.000-06:00

Can you believe we're at 20 weeks already in this pregnancy? Neither can I, and I'm the one pregnant so that's saying something. Whoa, Baby! Time's a flying! Let's just hope that the next half of the pregnancy goes as quickly (ha!).Horrible picture quality, but you can see that baby is definitely making an appearance. No hiding that bump anymore. Except when I'm wearing a huge winter coat.

Ssssssssss...

2011-01-29T09:07:00.001-06:00

Why is it that I feel like I only blog about working on the letter S? We do work on other letters, it just so happens that I don't always take pictures. Anyway, we have graduated from working on recognizing letters to working on sounds. So we've been doing all things, snow, snail, sail boat, snake, and of course STEFAN. One of my goals is to do better about posting our projects. We'll see:)

Oh my...

2011-01-27T07:50:00.000-06:00

So much cuteness in my house, I can hardly stand it. This was last night getting ready for church.

Kids play!

2011-01-26T12:04:00.000-06:00

This week I have been doing a major overhaul of clothes. Stefan seems to have just taken a huge growth spurt and nothing was fitting him anymore. So it was high time I pack away his clothes and make room for some new, or at least new-to-us clothes. I took the opportunity to sort through Olivia's clothes and pack away what didn't fit which is a never ending job at this stage. In the process, I

A little cuteness for your Monday morning!

2011-01-24T08:32:00.000-06:00

Our anniversary get-a-way

2011-01-17T21:28:00.001-06:00

I love, love, love big cities. There is just something about a big city that I can't get enough of. I love the lights, the sounds, the craziness, the shops. Thanks to my hubby for finding a great room. We were on the 25th floor of a hotel on Michigan Avenue in Chicago. It was just perfect. We enjoyed a great dinner at a very unique restaurant. Definitely a one-of-a-kind place and very

11 months-and finding new ways to get around

2011-01-14T11:13:00.000-06:00

Stefan's 3rd Birthday

2011-01-04T08:36:00.000-06:00

It's hard to believe that our big guy is three already. He is such a pleasant boy and such a wonderful blessing to our family. We're so thankful for him. He is energetic and very talkative (to us, not as much to others!). It has been so fun to see him develop in so many areas. His talking has just taken off and it is always fun to hear new words come out. We drove to Minnesota on his

Brian's Recognition

2011-01-01T14:45:00.003-06:00

Though we had heard a couple of months ago that Brian's composition, Jesus, Lover of My Soul, was a finalist in the John Ness Beck Foundation competition, Brian was overwhelmed and surprised to find out he had received first place. We heard by email on Monday that he had received first place. There is something really nice, though, about seeing it on the website and receiving the official word

Christmas Eve

2010-12-24T22:39:00.000-06:00

Our Christmas weekend plans have had to change due to the flu running rampant in our home, but we are still having fun!Here are a few shots of our evening New-pajama clad children:)...and here is what awaits them in the morning!

Our week

2010-12-23T10:45:00.000-06:00

It has been a little crazy around here with the flu going through the house. We haven't been doing much partying and therefore haven't had too much to blog about. And when we have done something there has been little energy left to try to post anything!On Sunday, Brian and I celebrated our 4th anniversary. It was a very busy day at church so we're hoping to actually go out maybe in January

Beautiful Sounds

2010-12-09T13:25:00.004-06:00

The soft cooing sounds of a newbornThe squeal of delight of a two year old waking up to snow on the ground The giggle of a baby The sound of your baby’s first cry The delight of a two year old seeing Christmas lights The sounds of your children playing sweetly together The “bubbles” of a baby kissing mommy The “I wuv you” while small arms circle around your neck And… The sound of your

Thanksgiving -- finally!

2010-12-08T19:20:00.000-06:00

I know, I know... I have taken way too long getting these up. We had a great Thanksgiving trip to Greenville. The trip down (non-stop overnight), was very exhausting, but we made it safely! While down there we got to see some extended family and friends (mostly our friends at Cleveland Park Bible Church). Our main purpose for visiting though, was to spend time with Donna, and Dad and Mom

Olivia- 9 months!

2010-12-03T13:21:00.001-06:00

Well, before she turns 10 months I thought I should get her 9 month stats up! We went to the doctor before our big Thanksgiving trip, but I haven't had a chance to post.Weight: 18.14 poundsHeight 26 1/2 inchesShe is just starting to pull herself up and though she is not proficient at it yet, she loves the applause she gets when she succeeds! Her favorite game right now is playing "raspberries"

Stefan Reading-Again!

2010-11-16T10:25:00.002-06:00

Admittedly, if you don't know this book it will be difficult for you to really follow his reading, but I thought you would still enjoy. (And we have it recorded for our own benefit!)I told you about his love of this book here.

Happy Saturday!

2010-10-30T10:01:00.000-05:00

Stefan pointing and naming all the family members to Olivia from the family calendar.Hot chocolate and cookie time with Mommy. Stefan said, "Dis Special!" It was so sweet!Olivia woke up just at the end of it. Next year she'll be able to join us!

Olivia in laundry basket

2010-10-22T11:42:00.003-05:00

It was so funny to watch Olivia get in and then try to get back out of the laundry basket! She did get out by herself, so don't feel bad for her. The camera battery died, though, right before she was all the way out. She kept rolling around and we were all giggling:)

Pumpkin Spice Latte, Anyone?

2010-10-21T06:00:00.000-05:00

2 c. Milk2 T. Pumpkin2 T. Sugar1/2 t. each of cinnamon and nutmeg (or to taste)2 T. Vanilla1/2 c. Strong coffeeCombine milk, pumpkin, and sugar over medium heat and bring to a steam. Remove from heat and add vanilla and spices. Put in blender to froth then add coffee.Note: You might want to make sure that the lid to the blender is on well before you froth. Ask me how I know.And then when you do

Stefan Reads to Olivia

2010-10-20T07:44:00.002-05:00

To hear Stefan reading to Olivia just about melts my heart. It is so sweet. Of course, as soon as she saw me she yelled to be held, but once I walked away she was back to listening to her big brother. Oh the beautiful blessings of parenting.

Olivia's miserable week

2010-10-17T10:50:00.000-05:00

Poor little Olivia has been battling a high fever this week. After several days and no let up we took her into the doctor and found out she has an ear infection. We've been doing lots of cuddling and hugging, but now we have meds and her fever is down. Woohoo! Hopefully that means she'll be back to normal very soon.Yes, she's crying here--so pathetic, poor thing:(Daddy taking an early morning

Leaves, leaves everywhere

2010-10-13T11:51:00.007-05:00

This week in addition to working on letters and counting we focused in on the theme of fall, and more specifically leaves.What we observed:We observed that leaves come in all different sizes, shapes, and colors.What we acknowledged:That God made the leaves, and He made all things for His own glory. Looking at the beauty of the leaves makes us want to thank God and give Him glory.Catechism

Happy Hump Day:)

2010-10-13T06:01:00.000-05:00

On our walk

2010-10-12T07:20:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was one of those days that you just could not stay inside. It was beautiful!We found some leaves and Stefan and Mommy had fun throwing leaves at each other. Stefan ran and jumped and played in the leaves.Little Sister kept an eye on things and got her fair share of leaves thrown on her as well.And Stefan rode his bike in a parking lot near our house. And rode. And rode some more.Olivia

New Shoes!

2010-10-11T13:41:00.000-05:00

Aren't they cute???

You may leave your children at home...

2010-10-10T17:40:00.000-05:00

But you'll always have a trace of them with you! Yesterday I went out briefly during the kids naptime. I had to smile when I was in the store and looked down at my bag to grab the phone and saw this. I'm not exactly sure why I had a baby spoon with my phone. Who knows. I wonder if there is any connection with the fact that when I reached in my bag to grab my sunglasses, I found this.Hmmm. It

Being Vain Maybe?

2010-10-09T08:00:00.001-05:00

Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall Floor...And for those of you that hadn't seen her in her cloth diapers (or didn't know that we switched a couple of months ago) there you have it. It really is true.Just call me frugal. Or green. I'll take either as a compliment:)In all seriousness, we really do love cloth diapering.

Shopping with Mommy

2010-10-08T14:44:00.001-05:00

It's always fun shopping with two little ones. It takes twice as long, it's unpredictable (to say the least!), people are friendlier (that is, if your children are being sweet at the time!), and it is FUN. Especially when there is a cool grocery cart like this one.Here is my expert grocery cart driver this morning.And his precious cargo.In case you're wondering, Olivia rarely sleeps when we are

Um...we do do homework...I promise

2010-10-07T21:35:00.000-05:00

We had a rare warm October day so Patience and I worked outside while Stefan played. And Stefan and Patience found a way to ride the tricycle together.Patience is a very kind and patient (no pun intended!) big cousin.Oh and it works like this, too!And yes, we did do her homework. I promise. Here is her ever present smile to prove it.

Drawing

2010-10-07T07:42:00.000-05:00

Stefan was given this sketchbook awhile back. I would have never thought to give him an empty sketch book. Coloring book, yes, but a sketch book? Who knew? He absolutely LOVES it. Sometimes he colors wildly with lots of crayons, other times he "writes" with his pen. It's been so much fun seeing him develop in this area.

It's Sleep Sack Season!

2010-10-03T20:57:00.001-05:00

I love me a good sleep sack. Oh yes I do. It saves me many trips into the room at night time to cover the kids up with blankets once again. Kids just do NOT keep their blankets on. I have never seen sleep sacks this nice in the US. And I definitely have not seen ones big enough for toddlers. Mimi to the rescue! Stefan is just about to grow out of his this year, but I think we'll make it

Cold Fall Day!

2010-10-03T20:52:00.000-05:00

Saturday we headed up to Wisconsin to visit with Grandpa and Grandma Hanson. We also stopped by a farmer's market and enjoyed some free fun. This market had a petting zoo, but there were way more animals than most petting zoos have. They also had free train rides and horse and carriage rides. Stefan loved it. It was a bit chilly but it just made it all the more fun! Do you see how big those

Olivia keeps us smiling!

2010-10-03T20:31:00.000-05:00

Getting a share of Daddy's apple. She thought it was a very tasty teether!Always busy. Always on the go. Always into EVERYTHING.Atleast this thing is safe;)

Afternoon Reading Time

2010-09-30T10:56:00.000-05:00

How long do you have to do something before it becomes a tradition? I don't know, but the last couple of weeks Stefan and I have been adding something into our daily routine and we're both loving it. Maybe it has something to do with it being apple season? I'm not sure. Anyway, when Stefan wakes up from his afternoon nap we always sit down with some cut up apples and peanut butter (Love that

Our budding reader!

2010-09-25T20:49:00.000-05:00

Thursdays with Patience

2010-09-09T21:26:00.000-05:00

Every Thursday Patience comes over after school for a piano lesson, homework help, and whatever else we decide to do! We all enjoy it:) Today Stefan and Patience were playing duets on the piano for awhile. I had to take a picture!

No stopping her!

2010-09-03T08:02:00.003-05:00

Olivia gets around!

2010-09-01T07:51:00.001-05:00

Here is a very short video clip to show you how Olivia gets around these days. Just this week she kind of took off. Though it isn't a real crawl, she definitely can get to whatever she wants with no problem! My life just got more complicated;)

Happy Birthday!

2010-08-30T06:35:00.001-05:00

Wife, mommy, best friend, teacher, nurse, cook, cleaner, etc...Johanna is all this and more to the three of us. We love her and aspire to model the same grace and mercy she has displayed in our home. We hope that today will be a special day for you, Johanna! Happy Birthday!Love,Brian, Stefan, and Olivia

Visitors!

2010-08-23T10:10:00.000-05:00

We enjoyed a brief visit from Erik and Bethany this weekend. It was great to see the newlyweds. We only wish it could have been a little longer. Here are a couple of shots of them with the kids.

More shots of Olivia!

2010-08-18T13:32:00.003-05:00

Because we all know that for every one shot I post, I took (precisely) a gazillion others. I can't get enough of this smile.This is for all of you that thought I might have waited too long to start her on solids. Ummm check out the thighs!The thighs and the giggles. More cuteness than one girl ought to be allowed.

Family picnic

2010-08-18T12:47:00.000-05:00

A couple of weekends ago we went on an impromptu family picnic. It was a fun evening, though the mosquitoes were quite pesky. We ate, watched Stefan play on the playground for awhile and then finished off the evening with a Sonic ice cream cone. Compliments of our local library's summer reading program. Olivia got her own too, but Daddy and Mommy shared hers:)

Six Months Old

2010-08-14T13:47:00.002-05:00

It is so hard to believe that Olivia is now half way through her first year. Wow. Time has flown. Olivia is such a sweetheart.She rolls all over the place and can get to nearly anything if she really wants to, but isn't actually crawling yet.She smiles and giggles and, hands down, her big brother can get the BEST giggles out of her.Up to this point Olivia has been 100% breastfed. Her entire

Mudpies!

2010-08-12T08:25:00.001-05:00

Another one of our fun activities this week was making mudpies. There is definitely a reason why mother's of toddlers don't get manicures done. It wouldn't last more than a day! Anyway, sometimes I wonder at myself, because I was teaching him how to make the mudpies. But he had a blast and eventually was able to make them mostly on his own! It was so cute to watch his face every single time

Playing is learning!

2010-08-11T08:31:00.000-05:00

My motto when trying to teach Stefan is that "playing is learning." With a toddler there is so much to learn just by playing. Really, nearly anything can be a learning experience if you are in tune to seeing it and maybe just a little imaginative/creative. What I love is that Stefan is learning without even realizing he is. The other day we did this great activity/game together. We were given

VBS Carnival

2010-08-09T14:36:00.000-05:00

Last week our church had Vacation Bible School. Brian helped all week, but the kids and I were home. However, on the last night, which was carnival night, the younger kids were invited to come. Stefan loved it!Trying out cotton candy with Ms. Lacey. That was the only bite he took. He did NOT like it! (Apple didn't fall far from the tree there--neither Brian nor I like it!)Enjoying some of the

Auntie Donna Recap #2

2010-08-09T13:17:00.000-05:00

Stefan really enjoyed Auntie Donna this visit! As he gets older it is really fun watching him develop a bond with people. He definitely picked up really quickly that Auntie Donna would do just about anything he asked. They did lots of playing and reading together. She's a fun Auntie!While Donna was here we also got to meet up with our good friends, Michael, Liz, Viviane, and Adeline. Brian

Donna's Visit Recap #1

2010-08-07T10:17:00.000-05:00

I recently read a blog post titled somthing like, "You know you are a parent of small children when..." This could very well have been the title of our visit to the mall last Tuesday. Since Donna was here we decided to go to a mall a little further away that "just happens" to have a Cheesecake Factory inside and an IKEA right next door. The perfect place for two sisters to spend the day

W is for Wagon

2010-08-06T08:50:00.000-05:00

I knew today was going to be a bit of a rough day. We've had Auntie Donna here all week, and Stefan has thoroughly enjoyed al the extra attention and outings that we have done. Since I knew he would be asking if we were going to go somewhere (since we have been all week), I decided I'd better do an activity. Enter the Mommy-teacher mode:). Here was our little morning activity.(P.S. a host of