Twas the week before Christmas,
chaos was all through the house,
Every child was screaming,
and I can’t find my blouse.

The stockings were hung,
by the TV with care,
This house is a mess,
I doubt they’re still there.

The children are now nestled,
All snug in their beds,
While the vision of a hot bath,
Dance around in my head.

Me on the sofa,
a book in my lap,
I had just settled down,
When the kids awoke from their nap.

I stopped to freshen up,
When there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the restroom,
To see what was left of my cookie platter.

Away to the car,
We flew like a flash,
The stores are still open,
But I forgot all my cash.

I reload the kids,
And pick up a lost hair bow,
I get back to the gate,
With no I.D. to show.

Can I barrow a phone,
Before I shed a tear,
I call on a friend,
She soon will be here.

With little time left,
I have to drive quick,
I see some lights flashing,
I know it’s not St. Nick.

More slowly than slugs,
He gives me my slip,
I look at the clock,
My heart does a flip.

With no time to spare,
I finish my mission,
Cookies for one hundred,
Are nearing completion.

A sound in the driveway,
I have heard it before,
My husband is home,
And he walks in the door.

His eye’s scan the room,
As the kids run by,
They meet with an obstacle,
Mount high to the sky.

Up to the house top,
The laundry pile grew,
The toys are all over,
The furniture askew.

He gives me a kiss,
Not knowing what to say,
I give him a look,
and ask about his day.

I drew in a breath,
And was turning around,
Down to the floor,
The cookies came with a pound.

He put on his coat,
grabbed his keys off the hook,
he knew what was needed,
with out a good look.

A bundle of boys,
And a girl on his back,
He drove off into night,
And came home with a sack.

My eyes-how the twinkled,
My giggles so merry,
I chugged down my drink,
A coke with some cherry.

My droll little mouth,
Was puckered up like a bow,
I gave him some kisses,
I think ten in a row.

The crunch of a cookie,
I heard under my feet,
Told me to get busy,
And whip up treat.

I fed all the kids,
cleaned up the floor,
put the sweets in the oven,
and closed the door.

No makeup on my face,
And a overfull belly,
I took a look at my shirt,
Is that smeared jelly?

He was chubby and plump,
A right jolly boy,
and I laughed when I saw him,
chomp down on a toy.

Soon the was another,
boy wanting my lap,
One on each side,
And a girl who could clap.

We spoke soft words,
As we sat and cuddled,
I love these moments,
When we are snuggled.

The house is a mess,
The dishes aren’t done,
The kids haven’t bathed,
But we did have some fun.

I whisper I love you,
As they drift off and dose,
A rub to their soft cheeks,
And a kiss on the nose.

I sneak out the door,
And turn off the light,
Merry Christmas to all,
and to all a good night.

Christmas without Her

This will be our first Christmas without my mother. The Christmas Season was her favorite time of the year. The halls were all decked, the trees were lit up, the potato sacks where hung by the chimney with great care. The house smelled of Oliebollen, Peanut Brittle, Homemade suckers, & Peanut Butter Popcorn. We as kids we were all suited up and sent out into the snow for hours of play. LOVE was in the air.
My mom spent hours upon hours making Christmas gifts, Barbie doll tents with clothes, G.I Joe sleeping bags, Place mats, & New Pajama’s to be opened on Christmas Eve. I fell asleep many December nights to the hum of her Bernina sewing machine coming from the room above me. LOVE was in the air.
My mom always had a gift for everyone, Nieces & Nephews, Great Nieces & Great Nephews, distant cousins, people she visit taught and neighbors; many times I would ask her “Who are those gifts for?” and her reply would be “These are for those who might stop by that I don’t have a gift for”. If the Savior himself were to stop buy, our house would be in a flurry but she would have a gift. Her greatest gift was always an open heart and willing hands. LOVE was in the air.
My dad always tried to play the Grinch at Christmas time, but he never fooled me. He may watch the movie every night from the 1st up until Christmas Eve, but he was always the first one snooping, peaking and shaking all the gifts under the trees, sneaking treats out of the kitchen, or finding some mistletoe and following my mom around the house trying to get more smooches. LOVE was in the air.
Christmas at our house was always so magical. Whether you lived at home or were thousands of miles away rest assured, Christmas would be unforgettable. Hand made Marshmallow guns were assembled, ammunition was near, places of fortification were acquired, and firing would commence. Of course mom would be in the center of it all. The puffs of marshmallows would be whizzing by in all directions and there she would be laughing to tears in complete and utter joy. LOVE was in the air.
I am sad because I Cannot hear her laugh, because I cannot call her and tell her that her grandson got straight A’s, that her Granddaughter said something hilarious, that Rooster has on obsession with Peter Pan and wants to change his name, That I cannot send her a picture of her new little grandson, her namesake Baby “J” and tell her that he has her blue eyes. I may be sad but I am rejoiced because I know I will see her again, I will laugh and cry and be merry with her once more, because LOVE is in the air.
“For God so LOVED the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever should believe in Him, should not perish, but have Everlasting Life.” LOVE is truly in the air.
You may not think that you have a lot to give this Holiday Season, whether you miss a loved one, have financial setbacks, or feel that you are all alone. Remember, LOVE is in the air.

I'm Sorry, But I Have The Cutest Family Ever...

Where Have We Been? (caution extremely long post ahead)

Enough Said

Eventually it did turn into this....and than back again to how is was

My kids are obsessed with anything Peter Pan or pirates, we have seen almost all the movies and are reading the book together, needless to say they all wanted to be pirates for Halloween

We even found a cute little pirate costume for Baby J

At the last minute Dad & Mom decided to join in on the fun,

So I raided our closet and we became pirates as well.

They had this really fun Harvest Festival at a park near our house so we took the kids. They had so many fun and free activities for them to do, Including this really cute pumpkin mask.

Dad took this week off to relax and for us to go and see New Moon on Thursday/Friday (he thinks I am the excited one) So on Monday after the kids got home from school we wanted to go for a drive and check out an Air Force base that is about 2 hours from us about 10 min from our destination this happens

I have become such a Pro at changing tires thanks Matt & Sara . Between Me And Shane we had the tire changed in about 10 min. Because it was getting so late and we hadn't made it to our destination, we decided to stay and spend the night on the base we were visiting. So the next morning we went the museum on base

Alex is really having fun

We were able to sit in some jet cock pits

They also had an All Wars Memorial that we stopped to see

All in all we have been pretty busy

A New Little Nephew

I have a new little nephew

J.C.B.

Was Born today Weighing in at

7lbs 4oz

19 1/4 in long

CONGRATULATION'S!!!!

CHER & RON

I Love This Picture

The First Day Of School

My Girl & My Boys

The Princess

Mr Zander
Rooster

Baby "J"

No Whey!!!

Our Family had a crazy weekend, On Friday afternoon 30 min after feeding Baby J his top lip started to swell, so I called Shane home and on his way home Baby J's bottom lip started to swell along with his cheeks and ears. Shane called 911 and the fire department came and took his vitals. He was breathing OK but he had some slight wheezing in his right lung. He also started to get hives and white welts on his arms and legs. The fire department called the pediatric clinic and spoke with the on call doctor who said that he had all the symptoms of Hand Foot & Mouth Disease & to watch him over night and take him in to the clinic in the morning. After they left Shane and I both looked at him and said we need to take him to the E.R. We called a friend to come over and help Shane give Baby J a Priesthood Blessing and while we were waiting the Pediatrician called and told us to take him to the E.R. By the time I got to the E.R. a 30min drive Baby J's symptoms had started to improve, the swelling in his lips started to go down. They took us in right away and the first thing the nurse said was that he had an allergic reaction to something. ( My sister & I had suspected he had a milk allergy that was causing his extreme eczema) They gave him a steroid injection and some benadryl & he fell fast asleep. In the end it was a whey protein allergic reaction. So mom is on a no whey diet, (milk, cheese, butter, Ice cream, Dairy of any kind & whole grains like whole wheat, oats, and barley basically everything I know and love) Baby J is as happy and healthy as ever and his skin looks amazing.
I am also proud to mention that Alex lost his first tooth, he came home from school beaming with joy holding a baggie with his little front tooth. The Tooth Fairy came, took his little tooth and left him with a dollar coin.

O My Heaven Look Who's Lucky Number Seven

Mr. Zander is so happy to be 7. He had a great birthday and he wanted to go out to dinner at IHOP for his birthday meal. And of course he wanted a crayon like his siblings, so his was blue.

Sake's Alive Look Who's Five

Our Princess turned five. She liked her brothers cake so much, that she wanted one just like it; but of course pink. She woke up to a pink decorated house and kept saying my celebrations, look at all these celebrations. I think she got decorations and celebrations confused. For her special dinner she wanted hot dogs and Cheeto's

My baby girl is growing up so fast.

Come And See Who Turned Three

Rooster is now three, Where has the time gone? He was so excited when he woke up he just kept walking around the house admiring all the decorations and shouting "It's my birthday, It's my birthday" For dinner he wanted to make his own pizza.

He wanted a green cake, you can't get much greener than a crayon.

Updates

Baby "J" is now two months old

He weighs in at a wopping 15 lb 2 oz

Length 24.5 in

Head 16.25 in Look At Those Baby Blue Eyes

They are the same shade of blue my mom's were

Work-in-out Hansen Style
Unfortunatly with only one vehicle and Shanes crazy schedule,
the kids are going to be riding the bus this year so
we have been practicing waiting in line at the bus stop
& how to sit on the bus (Cute bus driver)

Yes that is an empty Coke bottle in the trash can, I have fallen off the wagon. I even forgot to recycle the bottle so it's a doubble whammy

Shoe Tying 101

Yes, sadly our family has succumbed to the age of Velcro, and our kids don't know how to tie their shoes. Not that we haven't tried, we just haven't been successful yet. But I am on a mission to teach both Mr. Zander & The Princess to tie their shoes before the start of school.

My recipe for shoe tying lessons

a child's shoe box

a shoe traced on the top and colored in

10 holes poked (5 on each side of the traced shoe)

1 shoe lace (laced through the holes and one side colored)

Tape the box Shut

2 eager children ready to learn