Mud Makeup Mug

Today was such a HOT day, if I hadn't already planned to take the kids to Lewiston to Home Depot and Costco, we would have found some water to splash in, but alas, a trip to the "Pizza Store" AKA Costco was promised and much anticipated by one little girl! When we got home Carter and our neighbor friend Halli played outside while I cleaned the front room, the girls popped in and out of the house for more popsicles...etc.....when you hear "Look, we have make up on"......be prepared to see this!

 The girls had made a bowl of mud, and were painting "makeup" on each others faces....to top it off, they decided a little chalk drawn on the body here and there was a nice touch too!!! I just had to laugh....and GROAN...because the kids had baths last night....but oh well, I remember having glorious summer days as such....you know it's been s fun day when there's a bathtub full of dirt, and a pile of laundry  waiting for Mom to deal with at the end of the day!

 Daddy had a chance to call us amid the mud makeup episode....can you see on that muddy little mug, the sad little girl who misses her daddy SO much....the first day or so after he leaves she carries on like normal...then she gets sassy, whiny and very emotional over EVERYTHING....day 3 she's finally able to verbalize that she misses Daddy, only wants Daddy, doesn't like Mommy...etc.......hopefully we'll make it over the hump soon.....only then to have it all upset again when he comes home, oh well such is life!

 OH, that muddy mug makes me want to cry, what a sad and serious little lady...

 Owen misses John when he's gone too, there's NO mistaking his excitement when he gets to hear Daddy's voice on the phone, his face lights up, he gets a big jaw dropped toothy grin, and actually....can you believe it....for a moment...he is silent.....he's SPEECHLESS!!!

Fortunately for me, he's a little less emotional, and carries on as normal every day....case in point....crazy little climbing man child! He's now mastered climbing on the couches, getting on and off trikes, etc...climbing up me (rock climbing style or monkey style...you know dig in the toes, cling and swing!)He's mastered falling off the couch and my bed with grace and minimal crying, he's mastered pulling sister's hair, kicking her, pushing her, throwing toys at her head and annoying her by turning the tv on and off....and thankfully.....sweetfully.....mercifully.....he's mastered giving Mamma kisses and hugs!!!!

Dear Daddy...

I suppose I should begin by explaining the title to this post "Dear Daddy..." well, John is off and running on another adventure....or I guess just continuing on the same unorganized and unpredictable path that employment as a research technician has taken him! After we got back from Boise, we waved goodbye as he left for a weeks worth of work in Bonner's Ferry (3 hrs north), well, that was short lived because the river was at flood stage and they couldn't accomplish what they needed, so we were surprised to find him home 3 days later (just as we were kinda gettin used to being the 3 Musketeers with him gone) 10 o'clock that night his phone rings, and he's set back in motion re-packing to go help another research project move along in Cascade (4 hrs south)...well, he's really gone this time for two solid weeks, up in the mountains where he doesn't get cell service, and they work such long hours that he literally has NO time to drive down the mountain to call us :( We're missing him something fierce, but I think he's missing us more; away from the comfort of home, the soft giggles and snuggles of little children, home cooked meals and the lovin companionship of a wife (the cold hard ground aint to invitin after a long day of work!)SOOOOOOO even though we can't talk now, we will get a chance, but I KNOW I'll forget SOOOO many adorable, wonderful and even frustrating things that he missed out on, that I normally would talk and laugh with him about, and counsel with him on....So I've decided every few days to post about the latest goings on at our house, SO when he's back he can read all about it and hopefully know how much he's loved and was missed!!!

Dear Daddy....yesterday we went for a walk downtown to the farmers market....we had fun peeking in the booths, smelling fresh flowers and visiting the rattlesnake at the gem shop, we wanted to watch him get fed, but they feed him on Fridays now because he gets stage fright on Saturdays with SO many people around.....we had a nice afternoon napping and reading books, before dinner we took Travis out to get your truck, and then went to get groceries, after dinner we had a nice long bath and then snuggled up on the camo mat to watch "Tooth Fairy 2" that we rented from the library, it was a funny movie that Mommy and Carter really liked....Owen just crawled around like a crazy man throwing toys at our heads!

Today we went to church, Carter wore her new pink flower dress that Grandma Debbie picked out for her, she looked like a princess! Tonight Carter and Owen got to play at Grandma Gail's so that Mommy could go to choir practice (what a nice little break for Mom!!!) These pictures are from tonight, we wanted to show you how good we were for Mommy when we brushed out teeth....can you see what good tooth brushers we are??? And what fun too!!!!

 Owen is getting better at actually brushing his teeth, and tried to do it just like Mom or Carter, he's quite proud of himself.... if you can't tell by the smirk on his face! Carter is really good at it too, so obedient and careful to make sure we can hear the "chh chhh shhh chhh shhh" sound while she brushes!!! (Can you hear her sweet little voice saying "Look at me Mommy....watch me Mommy"...?

 2 Posers....one silly as always(when posing) and one sitting quite properly to have his picture taken while he says " Eeeeee e e eee e"!!!

 Concentrating really hard......

 SO PROUD!!! "YEA, I'm a BIG BOY!"

 Not one to be left out....Sis insisted on her own personal mini photo shoot!!!

Everyone is starting to settle back down and adjusting to you being gone again (not that we like it, or that it's easy....just adjusting)...we hear Travis pull in in the truck....I know you're not there, but I still look anyways (I don't know if we can sell that thing, the soft rumble of that sweet ride pulling in puts me to peace, and starts me thinking on a lot of great memories!!!)....I really missed hearing your voice singing in sacrament today...I missed watching your sweet smile and eyes light up when I got into the car all primped and ready for church....I missed hearing a comment about the vanilla lotion I put on....and I missed cooking Sunday dinner for you, and lazily lounging about our house watching fishing movies while the children napped......it's glorious to put the kids to bed, but then I realize I'm really alone....I pace the house looking for something to occupy me, but nothing works, i'm exhausted and try to sleep but I just toss and turn...I make a nest out of pillows to try to feel snuggled that's not working either....sleeping on my side of the bed is just plain lonely, so I try the middle for a while, then end up on your side sniffing your scent on your pillow...but eventually end up back on my side because there's easier access to the bathroom.....and then it all starts over again...it's hot  and muggy and I want to open the window, but I feel vulnerable, so I opt for the fan to move the air around but then I get cold and don't have you to snuggle with to keep me warm.......I sleep with the phone by my bed in case of emergencies, but mainly because I hope and pray that you'll get a moments time to find cell service so you can call me....I just want to hear your voice....remember when we were engaged and apart how we would run out of things to talk about and I would just make you stay on the line so I could hear you breath.....SO many times I'd fall asleep just listening to you, feeling close to you.....I know it's silly but I just want to listen to you breathe...to know you're there....that you're alive and well....I know I don't really need to worry, but I have an odd panicked feeling, like I've been completely cut off from you without any say in the matter (well, that's kind of what happened, even though not really!)

I just want you to know that although I miss being able to share the kid duties with you...etc....there are more important and personal things that are being missed....it's funny, the only thing I can think of to say is from Jerry Maguire...... "You complete me"....what a cliche I know, but so true...you complete me physically, you complete me emotionally and you complete me spiritually....you are my PB and I am your J!!!! We love you and miss you!

Love your little family...The 3 Musketeers

Just a bit of this and that....

While John is up north working for the summer, my goal is to take at least one picture each day to keep Daddy connected and in the loop on the home front happenings.....Carter loves to wear her "Reindeer hat" just like Dad...(it's actually a pink and camouflage hat that has a cute little doe on it wearing high heels but hey, that's practically a reindeer right?!) And Owen of course hates feeling left out of the hat party, so Sis decided that he should wear Daddy's hat!!!

 Of course he thinks that he's SUPER HOT STUFF, and the FUNNIEST DUDE EVER!!! (this is pretty much his 24/7 attitude, except for when he's just being an angry little man!)

 When I'm in single mom mode I must craft to keep my sanity...today's project of choice....sewing a sturdy library bag for Carter (who by the way picked out the very cute popsicle  fabric, too bad the picture makes the straps look so off color...boo...oh well! It still needs some embellishments, but it holds our 50lbs worth of library books and movies like a champ!!!

 The monogram wreath is from a while ago, but every time I look at it I get a giddy smile...I don't know why but the simplicity and colors just make me happy!!!

Today Carter got to have some fun playing with her two fave BF'sF...she came home for a short break demanding that she get her "princess pack pack" what I gather from her jumbled 3 yr old excitement is that she and the two boys were playing that they were going to school....at random "bad guys" would jump out to  get them and then the kids would collectively apprehend the villains by using various martial arts moves.....let me tell you this three year old has got some serious MOVES! She practices daily on her brother yelling "HI-YAH" and fake karate chopping his head, leg, arm or any other body part that's available....I just have to laugh, I love to see the tom boy in her come out, all while she prances with her princess back pack and sleeping beauty ring on (of which she sleeps with nightly!) 

 She really wanted me to take her picture with her back pack on outside....these photos just about break my heart, she looks like she's headed out for her first day of school...NNNNNOOOOOOOOO!!!! I can't even bring myself to sign her up for preschool this year because I just want her home with me...which is where at least for this year I feel like she needs to be (she has two preschool years before kindergarten so maybe next year.......maybe....maybe not) 

On a funny note....today after briefly seeing the above mentioned friends (before getting to play with them) Carter hounded me for HOURS saying that she doesn't like me (I know she knows this makes me sad even though I understand she's just three....but boy does she like to push that button!) So she says "I don't like you mom....I just love my Dad John, Bekah and Twabis (that's Bekah and Travis our friends AKA the parents of her friends)....I just need to go to Twabis's house mom!) ....I told her that it makes me sad when she says that and that it's not kind....I said "It breaks Mommy's heart"....she immediately looks down at her chest and says "My heart's not broken....see, it's right here!" HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Later, while drying her off after a bath, I must have scrubbed the towel on her too hard, she got all pouty faced, clutched her chest and said "Mom you just broke my heart, see...it really hurts me right here"....HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! TOO CUTE...except that a traditional female melt down with excessive water works followed.....some days I feel like she's thirteen instead of three....who knew the female and her mysterious hormonal swings started this young? Probably anyone who's ever raised a daughter!!!

While mother is sleeping.....

Sleep for me is rare these days, my allergies and asthma are in full attack mode..so usually by midnight I'm on the couch trying to spare my family from the persistent coughing and wheezing....my 3 year old likes to rise nice and early-usually she marches strait into our room and snuggles in bed between us...the mornings I'm not there...she comes searching....."Good morning mom" Is what I hear as she struts down the hall... "I have a gooooooddd rest mom" is the next phrase ALWAYS uttered....and I'm thinking to myself....I wish I had a good rest, and no it's not going to be a good morning...and why can't you be small enough to still cage in a crib like your brother (who I can hear in his room jumping in the crib and babbling to himself)....if I ignore him early in the morning, he usually goes back to sleep...Carter on the other hand is ready to start her day...so I turn on a movie, doze a little and try to keep an ear to her wandering about the house....

Well, the other morning, my ears head a soft clink clink....the sound of only ONE thing....Carter feeding Fish the fish of course....He must have looked REALLY hungry because she decided to dump the very FULL container of food ALL into the bowl (yay for mom who'd just changed the water the day before!)

 I felt like I was suffocating just watching Fish try to swim around in the murky water....it was SOOOO stanky and just SOOO ick!!! We learned a few lessons.....

1: Mom needs caffeine stocked in the pantry for mornings as such

2: Perhaps the fish food should be kept out of the 3 yr olds reach

3: We shall never use a live fish as incentive to potty train again (this fish just won't die!)

 On a more pleasant note, Owen is crawling like crazy, and learning to climb like a champ...I know you're questioning why this is pleasant...well at least he is finding something to do other than follow me around the house whining and crying and screaming like an angry little man!!!

He's ALL boy and loves to be rough and tumble, climbing is his favorite thing, he's now mastered getting up on the ottoman and the kids chairs....he's also mastered falling head first off of my bed and the couch....I knew that big hard head of his would come in handy someday!!! The only thing that will ruin his play is BIG SIS thinking she's the boss!

 The pterodactyl like screeching from Owen, after having to give up his spot on the changing table shelf while sister had a turn was deafening....he definitely has a voice and will let you know EXACTLY how he's feeling....quite often he and Carter get in tug of war matches over toys...the screech always comes first, followed by faint sounds of a bald head or face being slapped, followed by Carter's fake crying and screaming "No bud NO" as Owen has a death grip on her hair and a malicious glint in his eye like he's saying "Finally i'm big enough to get you back...buwahahaha!"

 He's finally starting to grow into that big head of his....he just gets more and more handsome!

 At least they do know how to play nice together..........SOMETIMES....for a few minutes at a time at least.....Carter decided they both needed their hoods on, they looked so nice playing together...that is until Sis pushed all of the magnets WAY up above Owen's head so he couldn't touch them and play too.....OH it's only the beginning...MANY years to go, and more children to add eventually to the chaos of sibling fun..er...uh.......sibling rivalry might be more like it!

Catching up

WOW! Spring is such a busy time of year at the Hansen house, it seems we can barely catch our breath after the holidays before we jump into a string of small holidays and then the kids' birthdays followed quickly by Easter, Mother's Day, my birthday, Father's Day and then John's birthday......INSANE!!! So here's a quick recap of the happenings at the Hansen's....

The big birthday boy enjoying cake! I can't believe it's already been a year.....I'm SO cliche but it seems like yesterday I was nuzzling his sweet soft cheeks in the quiet late night hours of the hospital after he was born!

All dressed and pressed for church, ready to open a present before we head out!

Trying to get a little cooperation for a brother sister picture! These two actually play really well together for now, Carter is such a good big sister always calling after Owen saying "Come on buddy lets go play" or "Come get me buddy" She was very helpful when Owen was opening his presents...secretly wishing that it was her birthday already!

Taking a moment in the Sunday morning light for a Mommy Owen picture

Birthday boy Owen and his new shirt

Two weeks after Owen's birthday we celebrated Carter's 3rd birthday....WOW seriously can NOT believe that she's been with us for 3 years...what a SPUNKY FUNKY little gal we've got on our hands! We have SO much fun together ALL DAY LONG I can't stop laughing because she's always coming up with new and fun things to do and say! What a blessing this little lady has been!

Of course we started the day with opening presents...who says a birthday morning can't be like Christmas morning?!!! After presents we made a nice big birthday pancake breakfast for the little miss, one of her favorite delights!

I wanted SO badly to throw Carter a BIG bash with lots of games and prizes and a pinata, but I just had surgery just the week before and was TOO tired to do much of anything, so we invited some friends to play and have a little tea party, for a three year old who doesn't know the difference it was FAB!

My mom was in town helping with the kids post surgery while John was studying and in class, the night of Carter's birthday was our stakes Easter musical program, we were lucky to get to have a nice uplifting mini date together while Nana and the kids spent some last minute quality time before Nana had to go home the next day.

A quick little photo before we sent the birthday girl off to bed!

We love being up here in Moscow, and have made some really good friends...we were sad to miss all of the usual Easter festivities with John's family but were thankful to have a sudo family to celebrate with...we ended up having a fabulous potluck spread of food, a lot of good laughs and conversation and the best part....the kids played to the point of exhaustion and got along SO WELL!!!

Olivia, Carter, Emily and Cale

Emily, Cale, Carter, Hunter and Tristan (Carter's new BFF and neighbor)

Coloring with chalk in the last bit of sun of the evening

Owen and Emma chilling in the stroller watching the kids play

Emily and Carter Easter egg hunting at our stake primary Easter brunch

This week the weather has finally decided to warm up and stay that way for a few days...I had already over done it physically (post surgery) preparing for and helping put on Easter dinner, but the sun was just calling to me...so I set up the play pen outside for Owen to play in while Carter and I pulled weeds in our little flower patch out front.

I love this kids big cheeser grin....he's now learned to say "cheese" and show me his big teeth every time I pull out the camera!!! What a HAM! Love the dimple!

We found quite a few worms, I had such fun talking to Carter about worms and how they live and sleep in the dirt, I let a tiny one crawl on my hand and asked if she wanted to hold it...she emphatically told me NO that it needed to go back to sleep in the dirt, and that she only liked snakes!

Riding her bike down the hill....we don't have a very good flat spot for her to ride on very easily so she pushes her trike up the hill on the sidewalk and then rides it down sometimes hitting our car...sometimes running into the side of the building...BUT she's a toughy and always pull through with barely a scratch!

Aaaaaannnnndddd this is what happens when Daddy drinks Mountain Dew all day, and shares little sips with sister.....we get an ANGRY one year old who finds a can of Dew in the pantry and throws a MAJOR FIT because he can't get it open for a drink....what a sad little man he was indeed!

Valentine's recap

Too bad it all ended with this.....my sweet little Carter girl with a 104 degree temp.....at least we got some fun in before it really hit........

Who can resist getting together with friends to decorate cookies on Valentine's day??? Not us!!! We met up at the church for our usual "play group" with other moms and kids in our ward.....

Eli, Jacob, Emma (Carter's best friend) and Oakley

Lucy, Carter, Ellie and Lea

Of course you get all sorts of goofy faces when you're taking pictures of a kid with an extreme sugar high!

Our photo shoot of course would not be complete without the "Kissy Face" or "Blue Steel" If you please!!!

We decided to try and stat the tradition that my sister and her family holds, by dressing up all spanking pretty for a valentine's dinner at home! Truly John will be Carter's first "date", we want her to know how boys should treat her, and we wanted her to feel special....it's the first round of holidays and birthday where she's actually understanding what it's all about so it's fun to play it up....besides....NOT like we were going to have some grand romantic valentine's as a couple....besides...I pretty much HATE valentine's day....just because you shouldn't need a holiday and marketing ploys to motivate you to show how much you love some one.

All dressed up make up and all, ready for our dinner date at home with Daddy and Owen

At this point I think she was starting to feel pretty icky...something we hadn't quite picked up on....so we got a lot of grumpy stares in pictures.

The table set and ready to go....too bad I ran out of energy and instead of making our delicious dinner...Applebees provided us with a delicious meal...good thing kids eat for 99 cents on Tuesdays because Carter wouldn't TOUCH her "corn hog gog" that she was previously SOOOO excited to eat...

Oh yes...and the chocolate glazed homemade cheesecake was absolutely delish!!!

We decided to end the night watching "Tangled" an all ages appropriate love story for the whole family to enjoy....that is, until we realized Carter was burning up with a fever, grumpy as all get out....fussiness rivaling that of her almost one year old brother who refused to take an afternoon nap that day, so he was SUPER tired and crabby too.....wasn't quite the fabulous evening I had in mind...but it worked....gotta expect the unexpected when you have kids in the mix...at least there wasn't vomit thrown in it all too!!!

Big Bold and Beautiful

Usually I reserve our family blog to post updates on the kids and family...basically it's my ultramodern.....OK, just flat out lazy way of journaling...but it works right??!!! But this post is more of a mind blllaaaaahhh-gggggg....more for me than anyone else (lets face it a post without pictures is lame and boring, so if you actually make it to the end of this thing without falling asleep-my hat goes off to you!)

Lately I've really enjoyed getting to know a lot of different girls in our ward...THANK heaven for church, it's like an instant social network that I'm SOOOO grateful for!!! What a great support system we have...so many shoulder's to cry on, and sister's to lean on....we're all in the same boat (relatively) with husbands in school, little babies running a muck...etc...

Through MANY conversations with MANY different women, I'm quite frankly saddened by the lack of confidence and feelings of inadequacy that are expressed...most often this comes up when we're "girl talking" about food, our bodies and motherhood.....

Well let me just say.... I'm BIG BOLD and BEAUTIFUL!!! That's right....I said it....I wish more girls could say it in honesty and with confidence instead of as a humorous ploy to deflect those feelings of inadequacy that lurk about.......(something I've certainly done before)....anyways, here are a few things that I've repetitively come across that have been bothersome.....

*Why do women grieve over their "lost figure" after having children....certainly it's a worthwhile goal to shed a few pounds...BUT LADIES.....most of you had teenage stick bodies before (don't forget I'm surrounded by mostly young newlyweds/moms), and now that you've had tremendous hormonal and physical changes you have the curvaceous body of a WOMAN!!! Yes, most of us wish we could fit into those jeans from when we were dating our husbands...but what's wrong with being what you are and who you are right now??? You still are BEAUTIFUL, you still can be FASHIONABLE, you still can ROCK your husbands world...I know my husband enjoys having a thinner wife because we've talked about it openly and honestly....BUT I also know that he's still in love with me and still attracted to me...yup my body is a work in progress and always will be....BUT guess what I'm BIG BOLD and BEAUTIFUL!!!

*Why do I hear comments like... "I really like taking my kids on outings to I can take them to McDonald's for lunch and justify eating a Big Mac" (Ok, so I've made similar comments jokingly on occasion) BUT seriously comments like these are an epidemic around here......WHY do we have to use our children as an excuse to enjoy a Big Mac once in a while? (my personal preference is the double cheeseburger...but to each their own!) WHY can't we just enjoy a little indulgence without feeling like we've "blown" it....Yup it's true, if you haven't heard by now...NEWSFLASH fast food is horrible for you, BUT i'm guessing you already new that because of your guilt complex over eating at McDonald's......SO if you're smart enough to know that, than I'm pretty sure you're smart enough to not eat it every day, multiple times a day......SO AGAIN I say....what is SO wrong with purposefully leaving your house intent on eating a Big Mac just for your own satisfaction....LEAVE the excuses of children and outings behind and march your BOLD self out the door....NO ONE is watching you with binoculars criticizing your lunch choice, astonished that you didn't choose the veggie sub on whole wheat without mayo at Subway!!!

*Why do women play the game of "I'm so perfect I_________" fill in the blank.....

-Exercise everyday (but secretly only hit 3 or 4 days and beat myself up over it)

-Only eat 1100 calories a day (But I'm starved and miss the joy of moderate indulgences)

-Give and do everything for my husband and family (but feel guilty for "doing" for myself)

...etc...etc...etc.....

Why do we put SO much pressure on ourselves to be the "perfect" that no one expects us to be....why can't we say....

Hi I'm Joy Hansen, I weigh more than my husband and I am a women's size 18.....I eat fast food about once a week, and really enjoy pastry sweets. I try to cook healthy and balanced meals but some nights we eat pizza or pancakes and drink chocolate milk....Once in a while I get motivated to exercise-that usually only lasts for a about a week....Sunday's are about the only day of the week that I actually get ready make-up hair and all, most days i'll be in my comfy clothes un-showered with stinky breath until about noon, I could do with less hips and more boobs but I look in the mirror and see a beautiful woman-a bold mommy that's got it going on!!! I am a smart educated woman with opinions that matter, I'm not afraid to be selfish once in a while because I deserve it, I am strong, I am a doer and I believe in myself, and I'm proud of myself....I'm proud of ALL that I am, of who I am...I don't feel guilty for not being more humble in my confidence, I don't think I'm better than another, I'm just thankful that I've learned to embrace being BIG BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL!!!