Happy Thanksgiving!

This Thanksgiving I am grateful for many things:

1. This Thanksgiving was not preceded by a funeral.

2. I got to have 30 years with my brother before he left this earth.

3. I have 4 awesome siblings!

4. A home to live in and a car to drive.

5. Living in the United States.

6. We get to choose the schools my children attend.

7. I am free to practice my faith.

8. The blessings of technology.

9. Books & Music!

10. Friends & Family!

Happy Birthday Erik!

Happy Birthday (yesterday) Erik!  I miss you every day...

Anyone Want a Three-Year-Old?

Today, I had a really busy day.  We got home from picking the boys up and Sadie was ALMOST asleep.  As soon as we got in the house she jumped up and was wide awake again.  She went in her room and I sat down at the computer to relax for a minute...


Then, I noticed her in the hallway.  She looked different.  Her pants looked lighter.  Then I realized that I could smell baby powder.

 

Then I went in her room.

 
A whole container of baby powder.  I got to spend the next 10 minutes vacuuming off stuffed animals, her bed, the floor, and more.

Good thing she's so cute.  No, really, she is.  She likes to do the squint-eye, Elvis lip look when I take her picture.

"Mom take a picture of Ernie!" 

My Little Artist!

Sadie loves to draw and color.  Of course, she loves to draw and color on herself, the walls, the floor or furniture more than on paper... But just in the  last few days, she's discovered that she can really draw her own pictures.  A few days ago she was drawing circles all over everything, but today she branched out and started drawing "happy people."  How cute is this?  :)

Happy Birthday, Brendan!

On June 30th, Brendan (my oldest) celebrated his 12th birthday!  I just can't believe I have a 12 year old!  He is such an awesome kid!  And he's entering a new stage of life.  He'll be ordained a deacon tomorrow at church and will enter the Young Men program.  And next month he'll start junior high!  We love you Brendan!

Memorial Day

The Spirit of the Wall

Three soldiers overlook a wall, keep watch, remain on constant call.

And guard the fields where soft winds blow across the names etched row by row.

In granite black these names appear, a soldier's cry is ever near.

Heard 'neath the din and noise and roar who years ago were joined in war.

It's true the dead do linger here to help a comrade's burden bear.

To speak in silent whispers low to those who near this wall do go.

Not in vain did lives expire, for you to live is there desire.

And likewise speak of sacrifice, of duty, of honor.  They paid the price.

Take up the banner with noble stride, and wave it high for those who died.

Sleep not until their justly cause is known to all that they might pause...

And take a moment to reflect.  In silent memory give them respect.

Then they the dead will tell your soul, they want your life to be made whole.

Vietnam tore the nation apart.  The memorial now seeks to heal a heart.

The tokens that you leave nearby cause hearts to swell with muffled cry.

Reach out to those who linger near, who live, but on the look appear

Like shadows in the eventide: they fight an enemy yet inside.

That with the guard-like statue three with winds that blow so silently

The spirit breathes with living soul and rustles the flag on yonder pole.

And as you search the morning sky and hear the meadow lark on high

You'll know then comrade, you and me are joined for all eternity.

So friend, please venture to the healing wall: in the panels gaze in silent awe.

You'll know then these words I write are true: the spirit of the wall will tell you too.

Richard Hanson

September 1989

Arizona

When I was younger, I always imagined that someday I'd end up in my perfect colonial house somewhere in New England.  My yard would be beautiful, my house would be organized...

Being on my hands and knees in my too-small, utterly disorganized stucco home in Arizona beating a scorpion to death with my shoe never fit into the dream... and yet, somehow, that is my reality...

Arizona.  Really?

Another Year, Another...

... approximately 10 pairs of jeans, 5 pairs of sneakers, a bazillion pencils, pens, etc...  At least that's what Zach has gone through this school year.  He can bust through a new pair of jeans over a weekend!

Our school year ends next Friday.  This is our sixth year with Benjamin Franklin Charter School and we've really loved it.  It's Brendan's last year.  Next year he will move on to jr. high (can I be that old? GASP).  He will be attending Gilbert Classical Academy.  Zach has two more years of elementary and then the year he moves on to jr. high, Sadie will start kindergarten.  My kids are growing up.  It's bittersweet.

We're looking forward to a summer of swim team and some trips north to see family. 

April Birthdays

Happy Birthday to my sweet little girl!  Having a girl is so much different than the boys, but I love her!

Sadie Mae

April 26, 2008

Zachary also had a birthday last week!  Happy 10th!

Zachary James

April 18, 2001

Hiking

I have always loved hiking.  I grew up hiking--that was a favorite family activity.  We hiked all over New England (even Mt. Katahdin).  When we moved to Provo we hiked there as well.  And Eric and I even went hiking on our first date.  And in Logan the canyons were in biking distance from our front door.  But for some reason, since we've been in Arizona, I have not done any real hiking.  I've been meaning to...  really!  So, finally, yesterday, I went out to Gold Canyon to do a short hike by myself.  I chose the Hieroglyphic Trail.  (There are no hieroglyphics though, just petroglyphs).  As I drove out to the trailhead, I was seeing homes for sale and thinking about how nice it would be to live closer to the mountains and have a more desert-like (aka lower-maintenance) yard.  I started hiking, and right away realized that this wasn't going to be an "easy" stroll.  The elevation was not difficult, but the trail was VERY rocky, so I had to keep my eyes down.  Then as I moved over to let some hikers come down, I almost stepped on a big snake slithering across the path.  At first I didn't realize it, but it was a rattler.  That's the first rattlesnake I've ever seen!  I think I was breathing hard because of the snake much more than the actual hiking!  Then on the way back down there was another rattler just off the trail--I did not see this one, but as soon as I went by, I could definitely hear it's warning!  There were also plenty of cacti, including those dreaded jumping chollas.  So that pretty much cured me of wanting to live close to the mountains and more in the desert!  It was good to get out and get moving, but I don't think I've ever felt so worried about possibly getting into something serious and painful on a hike before!  And, no, I didn't get a picture of the snake.  I was much more interested in getting away from it!

Toward the beginning of the trail, looking northwest.



A little further up the trail.

Petroglyphs.

 

 

Looking past the petroglyphs up the canyon.



Backyard Fun

Yes, it is already hot enough that the kids can turn on the sprinklers and jump on the trampoline!  Sadie did this for the first time with the boys yesterday!  Fun, fun, fun!







Riparian Preserve

I took the kids to the Riparian Preserve today to play.  I was tired of our little neighborhood playground.  We love the Riparian Preserve!  I took a lot of pictures, so I'm going to try to attach a slideshow here!  Click on the slideshow or on "view all images" to see all of our fun pictures.

IRONKIDS!

Brendan and Zach are now officially IronKids.  They participated in the Oro Valley IronKids Triathlon this past Saturday, April 9th.  We found out just a few days before the race, that "race age" is your age as of December 31st, so Brendan was able to participate as a Senior instead of an Intermediate, which doubled all of his distances.  The distances are:

INTERMEDIATE (ages 9-11)

Swim - 150 yards  Bike - 4 miles  Run - 1 mile

SENIOR (ages 12-15)

Swim - 300 yards  Bike - 8 miles  Run - 2 miles

Friday afternoon we headed down to Tucson.  We checked in to our hotel and then went up to James D. Kreigh Park to look at the race course.  It was cool and we knew the weather was supposed to be pretty cool the next day, but we didn't realize what we were in for!

Saturday morning we all got up at 5 am and went back up to the race course.  We got the boys bikes and gear set up in the transition area and prepared for Brendan's start time of 7 am.  The first thing we realized was that the boys needed flip flops to wear between setting up their shoes in the transition area and swimming in the pool.  Luckily the boys weren't too put out with having to go around in bare feet.

Brendan's race started pretty much on time.  He was last out of the water, but caught several people during the bike and run portions.  During his biking it started to rain lightly.  He hung in there and did the whole thing in short sleeves.  It was raining pretty hard by the time he crossed the finish line.  As soon as he was done he told Eric that was the hardest thing he'd ever done!  He finished in about 1 hour and 6 minutes!  Not bad considering that he didn't really train much at all, and this was the first race of this kind he'd ever done.

While Brendan was finishing, I had Sadie in the stroller and we were trying to get Zach ready to go.  The rain REALLY started coming down and they postponed Zach's start until 8:45 am.  Then they cancelled the bike portion of the race for safety issues.  Zach was so miserable and in tears before he even started, because he was so cold...  But he swam and ran his mile.  It took him just under 15 minutes to complete both!  He also finished in absolute pouring rain.  Because his race was so much shorter and it was raining so hard, I didn't get nearly as many pictures of him as I did of Brendan.

We were so proud of both the boys.  They put their hearts into it and now they know that they can do it!  Let's hope we have BETTER weather next time!!!

The pool temp was more than 20 degrees warmer than the air--making it that much harder to get out!

All marked and ready for the race.

Pre-race, Pre-rain, Pre-misery

Brendan - Swim start

Heading to the transition to get on the bike!

Mile 1 done!

Heading through the Finish Line!

Wet, Freezing, Exhausted -- and DONE!

Waiting in the racquet ball court to hear when the Intermediate race would start. Mid-misery.

Intermediates lined up to start swimming.

Zach finishes in the pouring rain!

Post-race.  In the car.  Sadie was such a trooper!  She did great.

After going back to the hotel to warm up, we went to lunch at Famous Dave's BBQ!  Brendan was so hungry, he ate a 1/2 rack of ribs by himself!

Next Saturday they're both running in the Pat's Run with Eric!

Snow... Almost!

Last night it rained and we woke up to cloudy grey skies, but no rain.  We went to church and when we got out, this is what we had to go home in (I'm sure it's the closest to snow we'll ever get here):

front yard

back yard (lemon tree)

back yard (hot tub cover)

back yard (grill cover)

front yard

New Veterinary Clinic in Utah!

My brother-in-law, Dr. Eric K. Hansen, is opening a new veterinary clinic in Utah Valley.  He has been practicing veterinary medicine for several years.  Bring your pets to the best vet around!

360 North State St. Suite D, Lindon, Utah 84042

A Caring Vet