Probably the longest blog post ever...but worth putting some words with pictures to preserve a few memories and moments!!! I've neglected the blog because it's just so much faster to put pictures on FB....but then I don't get to journal all of the little stuff that goes along, and the holiday's and traveling have eaten up my brain.... so this quiet evening while laying in bed watching the office in the background, I'm quite content to do a little journaling for the Hansen Family!
My little Owen man, he's really starting to really show his personality....a tender sweetie at the core, but a rascally, demanding, babbling little tyke every minute of every day!
Anyone else see the mischief in those eyes?!!!!
After MONTHS of NO SNOW, we finally are getting hit hard!!! I'm a person that LOVES well defined seasons, and I hate being hot so when it snows I'm in heaven!!! Carter really loves to see the snow, and play in it too! Tonight after dinner, Owen went to bed early and on a somewhat UN-conventional whim decided to go play in the snow in the dark!
Carter really enjoyed making "balls" to create our Hansen Snow family....somehow mom and dad ended up with extra balls on top!
This is my creative take on a unicorn style Loch Ness Monster....didn't have a clue what I was creating until it just kind of took shape!
This was the best way EVER to kill that horrible time between dinner and bedtime for the kids, usually we dawdle in the bath, but when you have this much snow...the bath can wait until morning!
Carter really liked the snow couch that I built
This picture was taken the night before....it had snowed ALL day, we got 10-12 inched, and by evening it had warmed up and turned into a rainy mist...hence, a nice crunchy layer of ice on our beautiful powder....I thought the flood lights in the parking lot made the snow look super slick...as it was!!!
The snow beckoned us outside, so as our sweet babies slumbered upstairs, we went outside to take a few pictures, and shovel the side walk....John was such a stud and shoveled out our car for the second time that day...knowing that if we needed to go anywhere the next day we would be completely snowed/iced in our parking spot!
A nice deep crunchy foot print....and a nice quiet moment together....we are LOVING being in Moscow together as a family, we're having such fun with our kids, learning and growing together as a family, and also as a couple!!!
We're in a great married student ward, and have made some fast friends, as well as re-connected with some old ones (the Mormon world is a small one!) We've worked hard to put ourselves "out there" so that we could quickly find our "place" here and have reaped great rewards!!!
Yesterday my new friend Suzie came over with her three kids for the day....Her Emma is the same age as Carter, it's so fun to watch them play as princesses and fairies....they were using special crayons to color on the window in the toy room....the ended up both sporting forehead stamps and interesting colored "lipstick"!
A few days before Christmas we were able to adventure up to Sandpoint, ID to visit some friends and stay the night with them at their family's house....we really enjoyed playing games and visiting...and of course doing a little exploring!!! We're definitely going to return to explore Lake Pend Orielle, and the other surrounding areas and lakes!
Carter really enjoyed visiting the Al Paca herd in the barn, and what did we happen upon.....it's sheep....it's a polar bear....NOPE it's just a gigantic dog!!!
What a sad photo to introduce our Christmas!!! This was Christmas morning, right before we headed out the door to church...Owen was SOOOOO TIRED and just done!!!
Carter was feeling very princess-like in her dress (which still fit her from last summer-it was made for her to wear at my sister's wedding!) She could hardly stop twirling long enough for me to take a picture!
A little cheesy I know, but I brought our camera to church so we could get at least ONE family picture on Christmas....two parents+two kids= someone is always left out of the picture!!!
I was so PROUD of myself...I LOVE to play the piano, I learned a lot of my skill (note reading, timing and such) through school choir, and have taught myself the rest....My sister's play beautifully and I've always felt like I couldn't measure up, that I was stuck in their shadows.....BUT I decided when we moved here that I have a talent, and I need to share it
Well, here came Christmas, and our little ward was basically disappearing over the Christmas break, BUT we were in charge of a special musical number for our combined sacrament meeting with the other wards....so I decided to put myself out there, and volunteered...after a lot of practice and nervous sweating.....I NAILED IT!!! I played a beautiful arrangement of silent night, along with a violin and a singer...something I've NEVER done....I get HUGE performance anxiety....or stage fright if you will, causing my fingers to make horrible blunders, my eyes then get lost in the music and once that happens....it's over....BUT the Lord truly blessed me to successfully share my talent!!! I feel so blessed, and improved, and MUCH more confident to do it again!
Owen on Christmas morning with his new elephant pillow pet, ball and boat...oh yes, and all with the binky in hand....it's never to far from his reach!
Carter on Christmas morning with her new Lady Bug pillow pet that Santa brought, and her new doll house and car.....she LOVES it all, and will play pretend with the dolls and furniture for HOURS!!!! What a good girl, I love to listen and watch her play, she's so creative and gets SOO deep into her own imaginative play!
Christmas Eve...all hopped up on cookies and milk, excited for Santa to come bring "peasants" and
"tandy" in our "sockings"!!!!
