On being the new kid...

Each move that we have made has been a pretty drastic change in culture. Provo to Chicago--Chicago to Los Angeles--Los Angeles to Houston--Houston to Boise...

Things are very different from one end of our country to another. I have had to learn new brands of food to buy and even new vocabulary--well, mostly in the "foreign" South.

When we moved to California we bought our first home. As California homes go it was on the small side with and even smaller yard. Being first time home owners we were in the market for some things to take care of our new home. One of those things was a lawn mower.

Now, in Southern California most people don't have much grass to speak of...and if they do they have lawn care services come and mow...not the Hansen's. We are do it yourselfers! So Jared and I headed to Home Depot and found a nice refurbished RECHARGABLE lawn mower. It was perfect for our 200 square feet of grass! Infact, we could get several mows out of it before we had to charge her up again! It was great!

Then we moved to Houston and a bigger home. About twice as big and a yard to boot! Those of you who have been to the south also know that our grass is a different down there too. Not grass you want to take your shoes off and run in...or even set a baby down on. It's thick and viney and gross! So after we got settled in our new home and got our St. Augustines laid it was time to mow. We were the laughing stock of the cul de sac with our little mower. In Texas a wussy mower doesn't cut it--literally!

Jared or I would mow about 2 or 3 lengths of the back yard and the darn thing would need to be recharged! So it took about a week to mow the whole thing and then where you started was ready to be mowed again!! It wasn't long before we conceded and got us a real (used) mower!

Now we have moved to snow country. Keep in mind it has been 12 years since we lived in snow--and in Chicago we lived in an apartment, so we didn't need snow tools. When we were thinking about moving here...and when we got here...we were told time and again that it doesn't snow much in Boise. It was all lies I tell you!

They have had more snow this year than anyone can ever remember. The kids love it, but it's a little tricky when you have no "gear"! I finally was able to hunt down boots for Rachel and Jonah. Jared's sister Camille sent some that fit Luke and I'm keeping my eye out for some for Seth. I didn't even own a winter coat until Christmas--thanks Jared (and his personal shopper--Sarah. I'm glad he has sisters with such good taste!)

So the first big snow the Hansen's were not prepared for. At the time we were working on some projects in the garage and so the cars were parked out on the driveway. In our 7 1/2 years in Houston the cars never made it INTO the garage!! So we wake up to ice on the cars. I looked out in the morning to see poor Jared scraping the ice off his windshield with a credit card! Fortunately our good friends the Johnson's gave us a nice ice scraper/brush for Christmas! Thanks!!

The other item we need is a shovel. On the big snow day I went out and there was not a shovel to be had!! Apparently lots of people were in the market for them. I was able, however, to get my hands on some kids shovels. The novelty of shoveling sidewalks wore off much quicker than I was hoping. So today as I was shoveling the walk to the house--hunched over--with my 2 1/2 foot plastic shovel I thought of the days of the rechargable mower. Time flies!

I had to include this picture of Seth...Poor kid cannot keep his pants up. He'll be the first to get frostbite!

I don't even know what to title this...

So last week was pretty much the worst week EVER! I think you will agree with me by the end of this...hold onto your hats!


The week started out just fine--well, Sunday and Monday went without a hitch...then came Tuesday.

I had a document that I needed to sign and have faxed by 1:00 p.m. Jared rushed home at lunch so I could sign it and he could get it faxed in time. I finished filling it out at 12:28 and threw Seth into the Suburban to take him to pre-school...I still had to pick up his friend Sammy and school starts at 12:30!


I jumped in the car...saw the light from Jared's open door and forgot that I had not opened my own...enough said...



Jared came running out from the kitchen...I was pinned in the garage and so he had to push the door up so I could get the burb out.

He was very patient and after a few hours of wondering how someone could do something of this nature--the jokes started coming. I am taking them with a smile--it is deserved!

The worst part of it all is that we got an email at about 2 p.m. saying that the document was no longer needed!!!

Our house happens to be right in the center of our development which means that everyone coming and going to school drives by. It has been quite embarrassing for me. We did get the door fixed by Thursday--however the 3 panels that were replaced are white and so it is a beacon for all to see.

You may think how can things get worse than that? Let me tell you it does.


Fast forward to Saturday night--about 9:30 p.m.

I made a quick run to Albertsons to get a few things to get us through Sunday. After I left the store I decided I'd run the Suburban through the car wash quick. When you live in snow you have to wash your car a lot in the winter, to see through the windows (an explanation for my Texas audience)


So I pull up...put in my $3 for the Basic Wash and the darn thing won't work...it does have my $3 though...that part worked just fine. I backed up and went into the gas station to try to get my money back--he instead gave me a code to get the wash done.


Once again I pull up..punch in the code and the door opens. I'm in! The car wash does it's thing and my windows are clean. I pull forward to exit only the door only opens about 18 inches and then stops! I wait...and wait...and wait...nothing.


I back up trying to go over the tire trigger thing...nothing. I call Jared..."Um, I'm stuck in the car wash at Albertsons...HELP!" I get out of the car slipping to my death--well almost--my phone goes flying in the air and comes apart when it hits the ground. BTW...the floor of car washes are not only slippery, they are very slimy and muddy!


I put my phone together...walk around the car...slipping again--phone in the air--whole bit...

I finally make it to the switch box there and start pressing buttons. The EMERGENCY OPEN button does not work. I call Jared back...he has in the mean time called Albertsons and explained to them that his wife is trapped in their car wash.


Finally...Trey the attendant who gave me the code...opens the front end and walks in. He tries all the same things I have tried...buttons...jumping on the trigger...pushing on the door to get it up or down...nothing. He decides that I should back the car up a bit so I'm back on the trigger and then he'll punch in a new code and surely it will open at the end of that wash! He tells me..."If it doesn't open then call us again and I'll come back" and then he leaves. I'm certain he was feeling bad because he put me through a Supreme Wash this time...my Suburban has never been cleaner!


So the supreme wash ends and...the door doesn't open. I call again and Trey comes out opens the front end and says, "Well, I guess you're going to have to back out of here..." Just as he is turning to go back and direct me--the door closes and now my new friend Trey and I are stuck in the car wash together. He has his cell phone and calls the store and asks if they can send someone to push the red button outside to get us out. At this point I've been in the car wash for about 45 minutes!! about 5 of those spent with Trey--who by the way is from Ft. Worth.


So the door opens...I get the car back through the trigger thing--which was not easy--and get to the front door. It is so icy that the wheels just spin and the car starts sliding side to side. Trey goes and gets some ice melt...and finally I'm out. I do a 6 million point back out to get down the driveway...Trey comes to my window and says, "Wait right here and I'll get you a ticket for a free car wash [pause] or, um, you probably don't want one do you?"


I declined the free wash and told him I'd be calling the store manager to tell him what happened and how helpful Trey was...and to get some free groceries or somethin'!


I called right after, but nobody with any authority was there, so I'll call back Monday morning. I'm tellin' ya, I felt so sick by the time the whole ordeal was over. My head felt like it would explode and I felt nauseous from the smell of the car wash. It brought back memories of last year when I got stuck in the elevator at Dillards with Seth and the non-English speaking lady...


So here's to hoping this week will be uneventful!

Bald Eagle Days...

Today we went with our favorite bird enthusiast--my sister Ann--to the Bald Eagle Days at Barber Park.

We had a great time. It wasn't too cold which made it all the more enjoyable. We got to see lots of neat predatory birds. I also learned that when those big ol' vultures down in Texas hold their wings out it is to disinfect them!! Who knew?!?

The kids got to make bird feeders, and we had some interesting hot chocolate. It was a fun day. Rachel brought her friend Shydon...another Texan transplanted last summer. She is a sweet girl--and is learning how to deal with all the attention from the boys. Sophie could give her some good pointers I'm sure. I often think we are like the family on that T-mobile commercial when the Dad says, "Maybe you shouldn't have such hot friends?..."

My favorite part of the day was to see this... It reminded me of why it was we transplanted ourselves. I love that the kids--and Jared and I--get to strengthen our important family relationships!

Husband tag...

I was tagged by Sarah...

What is his name? Jared

How long have you been married? 14 years--15 in November!

How long did you date? 11 months

How old is he? 36--Two years and one day older than me!

Who eats more sweets? About the same--only it only sticks to me.

Who said I love you first? He did.

Who is taller? He is.

Who can sing better? I think he does.

Who is smarter? He is.

Who does the laundry? ME! When we were first married he did a load with Cascade and it made little pink bleach marks on everything. He does help fold on occasion.

Who pays the bills? He does.

Who sleeps on the right side? Jared

Who mows the lawn? Jared does most of the time. I do enjoy it though, so if I can get to it first I do.

Who cooks dinner? Mainly Me. He does on occasion.

Who drives? Jared--unless I get impatient.

Who is more stubborn? Me--although he can hold his own.

Who kissed who first? He kissed me--first date!!!

Who asked who out first? He asked me--but I am guilty of some serious flirting.

Who proposed? He did...even though I had the remnants of Cheetos all over my mouth!

Who has more siblings? 5 for him 4 for me.

Who wears the pants? Even though he thinks I'm bossy he definately wears the pants. I wear the lounge pants!

Okay I tag Jen, Kristine, Angela, Karen, Karie,Miranda Jill & Karlye

This is gonna make you cry Jill!...

I found this today when I cleaned out Luke's backpack. I immediately knew what it was, but did get it confirmed by Luke. It is a picture of Luke giving flowers to Ryan in the hospital and saying "I Love You". His dream is that Ryan won't have cancer anymore.

He misses his best buddy!! Happy Birthday Ryan! We love you!

Molasses in January...

Pretty much sums me up!

This is the longest I've ever gone without posting. I am ashamed. I have decided that it is 2 things that have sucked the motivation right out of me--some may think I never had any to begin with, but I like to think there was a smidgen in me somewhere...

First of all it is cold. I have officially decided that I don't like being cold. Probably should have thought about that a bit more before I moved to Idaho, but what do you do? I will tell you that it is not nearly as cold as where I grew up in Salt Lake, nor is it as cold as it was the 2 winters we spent in Chicago...and actually the handful of cold days in Houston with 95% humidity were even worse than it is here, but still...I don't like being cold.

So that's my first excuse. The second is my new lounge wear I got from Costco for Christmas. It is dreamy. But somehow...when I put it on...which is like everyday, I just want to turn on the fire and watch one of my 80 CSI episodes that I have DVR'd...with my toasty new throw Jared got at Eddie Bauer. It is a good thing I have 4 children to care for or I just may do that.

I need to put a warning here that the lounge sets are 90% Nylon and 10% Polyester Elastic which means that if you lean up against the fireplace glass while it is on....it will start to smell and the fabric will melt. I learned this the hard way, so take my word for it.

It was much like my experience when Jared and I were dating. I was using a lint buster on a sweater and found myself staring into the darn thing and before I knew it I felt the urge to put the lint buster on my tongue just to see how it felt to be a sweater being "lint busted"...and let me tell you it HURTS! As I'm sure you can imagine, my tongue was cut by the blades and it was a while until I could eat comfortably...

So onto us. Not much going on. School is back in. We had a fun MLK day with the Johnson's--lunch at Fudrucker's and the Bee Movie. Rachel went to a friends house instead, so it was just Ben, Jen & their 3 boys and Jared and I and our 3 boys. I told Jen next time we need to send Jared and Ben out with all the boys and she and I can hit a girls movie!

I will post some Christmas and New Years pictures soon.

Hope you are all well!