Hansen Highlights

January Jumbles

2012-01-30T17:29:00.000-08:00

Our newlyweds got settled in their new surroundings and went on a cruise to the Mexican Riveria for their honeymoon. They had a great time, but had their camera stolen so they don't have any pictures to document their trip!! They tell us Garrett did some pretty good bargaining for deals allowing them to go zip-lining above the trees and para-sailing above the ocean. They saw some pretty exotic fish while snorkeling, ate alot, soaked in the sun alot and karaoked alot! Sounds like they had a great time. I guess I'll believe them. It's good to have them home and happily married.

We celebrated Lindsay's and Amie's birthdays this month. Another year older and wiser too!! Happy Birthday----I'd say their aging just fine.

I finished up my DIBELS testing----I've enjoyed my carpool rides, lunch outings, visiting with the gals, interactions with the kids, and I've seen some improvement in the kids test scores. Way to go Cache County Schools!!!

Dale cashed in on his Christmas gift I gave him......we drove down to Salt Lake on the day of the "big storm" , got a bite to eat, and watched the Jazz play the Timberwolves. The Jazz made our trip worthwhile by winning.......we even made it home safe and sound. I wondered if we would, but Dale's got the skills and smarts for driving in the snow, unlike quite a few of the people we saw off the road!

Danica pulled some late nights and even an all-nighter to finish one ofher drawings for the SV Art Show. She entered two pencil drawings. Both took 5th place. Her "Decayed Majesty" piece will go on to compete in the Brigham City Art Show that has entries from Mt. Crest, Logan, Sky View and Box Elder. We hope the best for her.

Danica also had a soccer try-out for the Iowa Western Rebels girls soccer team. She was told that they want her and will get back to her with details. We're anxiously awaiting what kind of a deal they might have for her. College is just a step away--crazy!!

Danica was also honored as Sky View's student of the month. Dale and I were able to have a catered lunch with her at the school when they honored her. Way to go Danica!!!

Nate and Kim have been enjoying the sun while we've been in the deep freeze, but I'm glad that we finally had some storms that brought in some snow. Nate did get to go skiing at Tahoe with some buddies, so he's not been left out.

Kim learned the finer art of making Sushi from one of her friends----now we'll see if she can shine and show off her new talent when we hook up with them next time.

We didn't get to see our Idahoans live this month, but thanks to skype, we've been able to chat. Oakley just won't be the same now the Mallory's have taken up residency!

Our little Titan is growing leaps and bounds.....he's becoming more mobile and finds a way to get around. He's almost sitting up by himself as well as almost getting in a crawl instead of a scoot. It's fun seeing him learn and grow.

January has been a more relaxing month----but we've still been able to have some fun. It's a wonderful life!!

December Decorum

2012-01-03T19:06:00.000-08:00

December, the month of giving,recieving, believing and remembering----

We were able to again participate in giving with Service for Humanity. Dale, Danica and I went around to the homes of four Sr. Citizens and sang carols and delivered gift bags. It's always a joy seeing their faces light up. Danica and Garrett also got in on the wrapping of gifts for the families that were sponsored. I can't think of a better way to kick off the official Christmas season---I feel very fortunate to have been able to help out with this effort for the past 14 years.

Dale, Garrett, Danica and I went to Salt Lake to see The Blue Man Group preform at Kingsbury Hall. They had the whole crowd involved in their program through movement and song. It was very unique as well as entertaining. We all had a great time and were sad to see it end. To curb Garrett's ravenous appetite we had to stop at In N' Out Burger so he'd be able to make it through the show. I had Animal fries---not bad, but I'd recommend they use real cheese on the fries instead of that imitation stuff. :)

I was able to serve in the Youth Center twice this month. Once with an adorable 7 month old that hardly ever made a peep and once with a darling 2 yr. old that wouldn't stop talking until we got out in the hall and were heading up to the sealing room. It's like she knew what was going on and the sacredness of the temple. I thoroughly love serving in the Youth Center and seeing families sealed for eternity----seeing God's precious children all in white kneeling at the alter, priceless!!!

Danica's friend, Josh, had his mission farewell and then left for the MTC on the 28th. She made sure she got in as much "quality time" as possible she could with him----we had to split on who went where when he had his farewell because Dale and Garrett had agreed to sing in our Sacrament Meeting the same day. So, the Mallory's went with Dale and Garrett and Andrew, Lindsay, Danica and I went to hear Josh speak. They both did a great job.

We met at Val and Nancy Potter's newly remodeled house for the Hansen Christmas Party. We all fit very comfortably and enjoyed a tasty ham dinner, games and visiting with the family. Thanks Potter's for hosting this, I have a feeling we may be doing more of the same in your "great room" in the near future!! (Or until someone spills red punch on the carpet)

For the Petersen Christmas party we went to a live Nativity that was put together by Craig and Janet's boy, Michael. We took the scenic route in getting there, but we made it just in time to see the program.

You know when Mary came in riding on the donkey it really made me think how uncomfortable it must of been for her---that donkey needed lots of urging!! Seeing the three wisemen coming in with a live camel was pretty cool too. I've never seen a camel go from standing to sitting. It was very amazing!! The atmosphere and the music really made you think about what it might of been like on that special day. I was touched---as were others.
We met at Casper's Malt Shoppe after for ice cream treats. I had a "Hot Shot", it's hot chocolate with ice cream. Very satisfying!!

Having the Mallory Clan around added the excitement that we lacked for the holidays with a wedding pending. We even made graham cracker houses, I haven't made those in forever! There's nothing better than seeing the wonder in a child's eye and hearing the joy in their voices.

Dale, Garrett, Andrew, Grandpa Hansen, Josh and his dad all went rabbit hunting near Yost. With very little snow it was more of a challenge, but they still seemed to find them. All had a good time.

Zandra recieved her endowments in the Logan Temple on the morning of the 23rd. What a special day it was for her. I was her escort and felt very blessed. She was so excited and just beamed the whole time. She's anxiously awaiting when she'll be sealed to Garrett and become Mrs. Garrett Hansen. We had a small group at the temple and went to dinner at The Bluebird after to visit. It was a neat experience for us all.

Dale and I made another trek to Salt Lake and we took in the Manheimn Steamroller Concert. We left early enough so that we could walk around Temple Square and take in the whole Christmas spirit. It was a wonderful evening with all the sights as well as the fun, funky, and delightful music. What a way to truly get me in the spirit of the season.

We had Danny, Terry and Lance, along with Grandpa and Grandma Hansen, Andrew and Lindsay, Garrett and Zandra, Danica, Dale and I here for Christmas Eve. We followed tradition and went and lit luminares and caroled at Dad and Mom's grave and then had warm soups, a cheeseball and crackers and vegetables. We went caroling with the neighbors and did our little program with the kids each participating. Danica split up her time with us and even brought the Whitman's here to get in on the program. I must say Andrew and Lindsay perfected Jingle Bells on the pipes! Garrett and Zandra kept the music going and we had a nice reminder of the Life of Christ.

Christmas morning was quiet, but we still carried on tradition and the kids here piled on our bed as we read from Luke 2 --- the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Then we moved onto the gifts---Santa was good to us again this year. I have music filling the kitchen again!! (Dale gave me a nice CD/radio/IPod player). With church falling on Sunday we all went to church where our choir put on the program. Dale and I are both in the choir, so we were probably more spiritually fed. I love singing the songs of Christmas. We had a nice meal here and then went and visited Dale's folks. Merry Chritmas Everyone!! You know we don't even have much snow, but it still felt like Christmas. I guess it's what you make it.

Danica went to Kaysville and went to a soccer try-out for Iowa Lakes Jr. College. She felt good about how she did and is hoping to hear from them next month. We'll keep our fingers crossed.

We got ALL the family here again because of the wedding. What great help they were in setting up the room. Thanks too, to Danny, Terry and Stephanie for all their help!! I'm sorry if I got a little crazy---it just happens when I'm a little stressed. We officially met the Dennis family and decided that Zandra did alright by them. They are very easy to get to know. We're already looking forward to when we go to Washington in May, to hang out on their turf.

Grandpa Hansen sealed Garrett to Zandra in the Logan Temple on the 30th. We had all of our kids in the temple (except Danica). It was also neat to have Zandra's mom and close friend there as well. We did a ring ceremony right after the sealing at the Logan River Golf Course where her dad gave away the bride and Garrett and Zandra exchanged rings. Then we ate dinner at the Tandoori Oven and headed back to the golf course for a little program that Garrett and Zandra put together for close friends and extended family. The reception followed and we had a great turn-out and a fun time. Jaxson and Kennlyn were the cutest couple out on the dance floor (sorry Garrett) and we all got to see Garrett and Zandra's friends do some serious swing dancing. There was plenty of hot chocolate, cake, cheesecake, cake balls and clementines to go around and the place looked beautiful. We all lined the sidewalk and lit sparklers for the new couple to run through as they headed out as Mr. and Mrs. It was a wonderful day---thanks to all for making it happen. I've been blessed with some great friends and an awesome family.
I must say, my bed did feel good that night-----

We brought in the New Year by having all our family around as well as Zandra's dad, mom, and brother. We ate and played games and even set off fireworks to bring in the New Year! I do have to say that the Hansens do know how to party! The guys even took the challenge to see who could improve on their body image the most in the next 3 months. They took pictures and will track their progress through skype. Dale's determined to win---he's bought a pull-up bar/exercise system and been running already. We'll see who wins---I'm not sure what the winner gets other than bragging rights and a new look though.

Now all the hype and excitment is over it's kind of a bittersweet feeling. We're down to just having Danica, Dale and I in the house. It's definitely going to be a change, but at least we'll know when to turn out the porch light!! It's been quite a month, but I wouldn't change it for anything---loved it!!!

November Narrative

2011-11-30T18:28:00.001-08:00

November....the month of Thanksgiving, of reflecting on all of the many things we have to be thankful for.
Family is at the top of my list---

Nate and Kim celebrated their 3rd anniversary of blissfull marriage. Nate's still hitting the books and Kim's doing photography for the newborns at the hospital as well as doing photo shoots for weddings, families, Sr. pictures, etc. They both are managers for the apartment complex that they live in. Nate's "Tool-time" skills are growing as well as his "foot" skills.

The Mallorys are loving their new house, Jaxson still loves school and Kennlyn is in a pre-school group. Matt and Amie "team coach" the 7th grade girls basketball team at Oakley Jr. High and are starting to see some success. The girls won their last game by 14 points!! I'm sure having Jaxson and Kennlyn as cheerleaders has helped as well.

We get to see Andrew, Lindsay and Titan at least once a week. Andrew has his official license to fly helicopters, Lindsay is honing her homemaking skills and Titan is growing like a weed. He has an infectious smile and is just a pretty good kid. It appears that Lindsay's mothering skills are working and Andrew jumps in when he can. Andrew's "Shear Force Detailing and Pressure Washing" business has been keeping him busy. He's not afraid of a little hard work, and it's paying off.

Garrett has been walking in the clouds since he got engaged-----he has managed to focus on his school work and job however still. He's been pretty blessed to find a deal on a car as well as some much needed furniture and household goods to fill the apartment he'll be calling home after Dec. 30th when he ties the knot. Garrett and Zandra are pulling things together to make their big day a special one for them.

Danica closed her soccer season with a team banquet where she recieved the hustle award and MVP award (she shared each of these with another team-mate). She also got first team all-valley defender recognition and they had a little write up about her in the local paper. WAY TO GO DANICA!! She's been applying for colleges and is seriously considering playing soccer on the college level. We'll have to see what comes from that.

Danica went to the schools Sadie Hawkins Dance (girls choice) with some of her soccer friends and had a fun time. They cooked breakfast for the guys at our house and then went and played Fear Factor where they ate worms, crickets and got pudding licked off their face by a dog, just to name a few of the events. After the dance her carload slipped away from the group and went to see the midnight showing of Breaking Dawn. Fun times----

Dale went muzzleload hunting with some friends up on the Uintah mountain range. It snowed the day they went in and the day they left, but he didn't let that slow him down. They saw a fair amount of elk, but never were able to get off a good shot. In my eyes it was a successful hunt--he had a good time in the outdoors and didn't bring home the meat!!

We had my brothers, Kim and Danny and their families at our house for Thanksgiving as well as our WHOLE family!!! We had a houseful, but it was a great day, tastey meal and fun times. We sang "Happy Birthday" to Terry, made cookie turkeys, ate, visited and played games. Then we headed to Dale's folks and tied a quilt for Garrett and Zandra as well as had a family bridal shower and visited with family. It was a full, fun day.

Nate even got some back-country skiing in before we ate. He was bound to make the most of his time here.
Amie and I braved the cold and the crowds and hit some of the Black Friday sales staring at 10:30 pm. I've never seen so many people crammed into a store (thank you Wal-Mart employees for the crowd control). I'm still wondering how some people were able to stand in a line for 2 hours waiting for the store to open, when 20 min. out in the cold waiting for Old Navy to open at midnight was enough for me!! While waiting for Smith's Marketplace to open at 5:00 am, we tried to sleep in the car for a bit but after getting too cold decided to go get an early breakfast to warm us up. Thanks Angies for opening up at 4:00 am the hot chocolate hit the spot!!! Well, Amie got most all of her Christmas shopping done and I got my eyes opened on how crazy some people can be. We both got 3 hours of sleep, but it was an adventure.

The guys, Kim and Danica went skiing at Snowbird, leaving Friday morning as Amie and I were coming home to hit the sack!! We hooked up with the whole group at the Eccles Ice Arena and did some ice skating. We were ALL on the ice, even Titan!! (They let us push his stroller on the ice) Zandra gave us "spinning" lessons and we tried, but it will take practice.

Saturday the Mallorys headed back to Idaho and the boys went back-country skiing while the girls went to The Nutcracker at the Eccles theatre. We all ate and played games after.

Andrew turned 24 years old on the 29th and to celebrate we had a nice Sunday dinner with his favorites and played games. We even got Grandpa and Grandma Hansen in the game.

Kim helped me get the house all decorated for the Christmas season, it's the fasted I've ever got it up---thanks Kim, you're hired!!

Our Californians left us Monday night and now the house is back to pretty quiet.
I did some ushering at the Eccles and saw some fun shows--The Golden Dragons, AFC Veterans Concert & the Nutcracker twice. I'm gearing up for the holidays as well as the wedding and am trying to make it so I can enjoy them both.
November's narrative leaves me feeling pretty blessed. I am so grateful for all I have been given-----

October Objectives

2011-11-05T21:10:00.000-07:00

With General Conference falling on Danica's 18th birthday we decided to kill two birds with one stone and head south for some new scenery and a spiritual up-lift.
(We also had to pick up Kim in Salt Lake, she had done a wedding there and then we got to spend some time with her).

So we got tickets to the afternoon session of General Conference and made the trek. This time we were in the Conference Center hearing and seeing the speakers live---not watching it from a screen in the tabernacle.

What a spiritual high!!

There's something special about being there to hear it for real.

We thought about seeing if the choir would sing Happy Birthday to Danica, but decided that it might not fit into the program so we sang to her around the dinner table instead. It's hard to believe she's 18!

Kim got to see Danica play in her soccer game under the lights on Crimson field. We had our very own cheering section and it must of worked because she played great. They won, and secured second place going into the state play-offs in girls soccer for Sky View.

We were all very thrilled!!

Sky View went on to win the next play-off game against Olympus 4-2, but lost to Timpanogas 7-5 in double OT and losing in the second round of a shoot-out 5-7.

(Timpanogas ended up taking state by the way)

Dont' like those kind of losses :(

Every good thing has an ending, right?

We joined with the Hansen Clan in celebrating Dale's mom's 80th birthday. They had a nice dinner and program at The Coppermill restaurant to honor her, and most of her posterity was present.

It was a nice tribute to a special woman. We wish her to have more happy birthdays.

We had fun carving pumpkins with Jaxson and Kennlyn while they were here. Danica used her artistic skills and Dale used his carving skills and they came up with a horse pumpkin for Kennlyn and a Sonic Hedgehog pumpkin for Jaxson. Guess who came up with the ideas?

Dale and I joined some old neighbors and good friends, Floyd and Alison Griffiths, and went to Island Park to stay in their cabin over the UEA break. Dale was in heaven---fished his little heart out and even got enough to bring some home for the freezer.

We had a great time relaxing, going on walks, playing games and visiting. We stopped at Mesa Falls on our way home and enjoyed one of nature's natural wonders.

Danica took her first "solo" trip and drove to Oakley, Idaho to stay with the Mallorys.

She conquered the highway and had some quality time with her sister.

They went to a huge straw maze, played and worked in the yard, and Danica just soaked up the hugs and kisses.
What more could she ask for?

Andrew really did it this time....He passed the test and is an offical commerical helicopter pilot!!
WAY TO GO ANDREW!!!!

I got in some quality time with some of my high school girlfriends by heading to Park City for the last week-end of the month. We stopped and shopped on the way and even conquered the mountain by going down a zip-line up Provo canyon. It was at night so we never really knew how far above the trees we were, but we had fun. Check that one off my bucket list!

We also hit the outlets in Park City and then went to a Halloween Comedy show at The Off Broadway Theatre; Dracula vs Jekyll & Hyde. Very entertaining!!! We've got ideas for next years trip in the works already. The "Golden Girls" are making their mark!

Good times!!

Dale has taken up the hobby of remote control airplanes and built a "trainer". After a few earlier failed attempts he had a successfull flight with a perfect landing.

We were all smiles!!

My uncle, Jack Whitlock, passed away---he lived to be 92 yrs. old and lived a good life. We attended his funeral and realized more, how blessed we are to have known him. Our thoughts and prayers will be with his good wife, Vonda. I'm sure glad that we have the knowledge we do, knowing that we can be be with our loved ones again. We'll miss you Uncle Jack!!

We had a fairly quite Halloween this year with not very many trick-or-treaters, but Garrett, Zandra, Danica, Titan, Andrew and Lindsay dressed up to help get us in the spirit.

That's the fun of it!!!!

Looks like this month was full of emotions----happy, spiritual, thrills, sorrow from losses, and full of love...... however, that's my objective :) :) !!

September Sentiments

2011-10-06T14:59:00.000-07:00

Looking back on the month I realized that we had quite the time---we held our VERY 1st Dale Hansen Family Reunion with the WHOLE family! We played cops and robbers, slept out in the tent, went to the temple, had breakfast at Angie's, hit the Labor Day sales, drove up to Tony Grove Lake and had a little picnic, canoed on the lake, biked and hiked.

We pulled the Olsen family in on Sunday to bless Titan. He gave us a scare by contacting viral meningitis and had spent five days in the hospital. It was a roller coaster ride on emotions, but we all pulled through and Titan's doing great.

A small get-together with Lindsay's folks and siblings was held and Andrew gave Titan Andrew Hansen a name and blessing in our home. It was a nice day.

We also held a "Minute to Win It" type event that got the whole family involved to celebrate Garrett's 22nd birthday, which fell on Labor Day. Garrett wanted to take the boat out one last time to celebrate, but the weather didn't cooperate so we improvised. It ended up that we got wet anyway because the boys got a little out of control with the squirt guns after one of our games. Those boys and their toys!! We had some quality family time and that's what won in the end. Saying good-bye was hard, but we're Hansens, we'll get together again. That's just what we do best!

I also realized that we could of been celebrating dad's 89th birthday and mom's 90th birthday this month!! They were definitely thought of and are greatly missed. In their honor, Danny and Terry planned the Petersen Reunion up Logan Canyon. We met at the Malibu Campground and even though it was a bit chilly, after some much needed rain, we warmed our hearts and souls around the campfire. Spending time with those you love always warms my heart. Thanks Danny and Terry. Mom and dad were smiling I'm sure, seeing us "keeping the family together."

School is in full swing---Garrett's got some pretty intense classes at USU, trying to decide which area he wants to persue, I'm doing the district DIBELS testing and Danica's into soccer. She has been starting Varsity and the team is doing quite well. They are currently in 2nd place in their region. She's had her name in the local paper a few times and was made a team captian. She has a pretty good fan club when we all show up :)

It was Homecoming this month as well---she donned her "mermaid dress" as she calls it and looked stunning, even out of the water!

I'm still getting dressed up in my black pants, white shirt, burgandy vest and black bow tie to usher for events at the Eccles Theatre. I've seen Annie and Cirque Mechanics-Boom Town already and looking forward to more!

Our Idahoans were able to move into their new home this month. They will be calling Oakley, Idaho their permanent address for the next while. They even got a sprinkling system and sod in---now I'd say they were spoiled. What, no rocks to haul off for months? Yep, spoiled (or blessed). Dale and I were able to deliver their new couch and loveseat as well as help them get better settled in. I added my touch and helped hang some things on the walls and Dale used his handy man skills to fix and hook-up some things. The kids are so excited to have so much room! We wish them the best on this next step in their lives.

Jaxson started Kindergarten this year. A big step in his life. He's loving it and loves his teacher. While we were there we saw his school and were able to watch him play in a soccer game. Amie is his coach. What memories it brought back-----he's got that Hansen drive in him though, he scored 4 goals!! Kennlyn is a good cheerleader and support.

So there you have it----September Sentiments. Another wonderful month full of loving memories.

August Abundances

2011-09-01T16:36:00.000-07:00

August was abundantly hot, as well as abundantly full!!

Danica made the Sky View soccer team --

#10's back on the field and loving it!!

We got our "other sons" (Garrett's group of friends) together with their parents and hosted an "International Dinner" here. Each of the guys made a dish from their mission and we feasted on the abundance! We had a nice evening and enjoyed the company.

I ushered for the Festival of the Opera and was able to watch Boris Gourdono and Oliver for free, while doing my job--not bad, eh? Another double tasker has evolved :)

The Mallory's came and we followed Danica and the Sky View Bobcats as they hit the road. We cheered on Danica and got in some school shopping as well as furniture shopping for the Mallory's "soon to be" new house. I must say, Matt was abundantly patience with us!!

Jaxson & Kennlyn knew how to keep us on our toes with style!!

Danica's team went 4-2 for their preseason and Danica even got a goal in one of the games!! Way to go Danica!!

Dale and I spent a couple of weekends in Burley. We went and helped them paint the basement of their rental and then we went to celebrate Kennlyn's 3rd birthday. All she wanted for her birthday was a REAL horse---she didn't get the horse, but she did get a horse ride and a horse cake. Close enough?

We even got a peek at the Mallory's new house in Oakley, ID!! It will be so nice and give them room to grow.

My cousin's husband, Errol Gardiner, passed away suddenly after returning home from a Hawaiian vacation. Dale and I took my brothers Craig & Kim and Craig's wife, Janet with us to go to the viewing. It was good to see cousins again. They said, they felt an abundance of love and support from family and friends. Our thoughts are with them.

Andrew and Lindsay's, Titan, is growing fast. They really don't stay tiny very long. He gave us a scare and contacted viral meningitis and has been in the hospital for 4 days now. He's doing better, and with a name like Titan, we feel like he'll pull through with flying colors.

A few weeks ago, Danica pulled out her camera and got some fun pictures of the new family. We are abundantly blessed!

School started for Garrett and Danica. Now the lights are turning off a little earlier which is fine by me :)

Danica was asked to do the artwork for the schools calendar, lunch card and activity card.

She does alright---

So August has been an abundant month---full of fun, time with loved ones and full of blessings----

July Journal

2011-08-01T14:26:00.000-07:00

July came in with a bang!!! The city of Logan put on quite the celebration this year. Dale, Andrew, Lindsay, Garrett, his friend Zandra and I went inside Romney Stadium for the Freedom of Fire show. We were entertained by the group Diamond Rio as well as other local talent. Then the fireworks began---we ooooo'd and awwww'd and were proud to be American!! (Now that Danica is a working girl she has learned that a job has it's ups and downs: Ups=paycheck :) Downs=working some holidays :(

Danica spent a week in sunny St. George with the Sky View soccer team trying to hone her skills a bit as well as get a tan. Quite the double tasker I'd say!
She was home a couple of days and then headed off to Girls Camp up Logan Canyon with the ward. Her biggest memory of camp? The ruthless mosquitoes!!

The Hansen Reunion was held in Star Valley, WY this year. Craig and Heidi had the days planned full of fun. Dale, Garrett, Danica, Amie and her two kids represented our crew. They golfed a little, swam a little, boated a little and rafted alot! Even after everyone got tossed out of the raft at the famous lunch-counter spot they went again for more---what die-hards! Thanks Craig and Heidi for a good time.

While they were off playing I was at home with Andrew and Lindsay playing Grandma. After 14 hours of labor, Lindsay delivered a healthy 8 lb. 6 oz. baby boy!! I kept Andrew entertained by playing Mad Gab and a Sorry Revenge card game with Andrew as well as watched movies. It helped the night go faster for all of us.
I was able to be there for the whole labor and delivery process, which was really kind of neat because I'd only been the "active participant" in labor and delivery until now. I was able to hear Titan Andrew Hansen's first cry, see Andrew cut the umbilical cord, witness Titan's "color change", see the love a mother has for her child as he was placed on her tummy as well as see the love that Andrew and Lindsay had for each other as she was bringing their son into this world.
I thank them for wanting me to be a part of this special time in their lives.

Andrew recieved his instrument rating for flying and has been doing more solo flights. He's "buzzed" over the house at night a couple of times now. We flash the porch lights to say "Hi" and he's off!

Titan and Mom are doing great (at times mom and dad are a little sleep deprived, but what's a grandma for, right?). You can't give a child too much love can you?

The Mallorys will be moving into their new home probably next month--they've been busy still fixing up the house they're living in rent free in exchange for the fix-up.

Our California couple (Nate and Kim) have taken on the job as apartment managers. If Nate wasn't a Mr. Fix-it he will soon be! It will help them in two ways: rent and more room for family to visit!!
Kim's done some weddings and is keeping busy with her job and Nate's started doing hands on work in the clinic associated with the school.

Living in Oakland he's seen a little of everything---from a gunshot wound in the foot to triming toe nails.

Someone even had the nerve to steal his front bike tire--he's learning how to do wheelies down the street now.

We are glad for skype and all of the modern technology that helps keeps us in touch. We're hoping to see them again before the years over.

Dale and I celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary this month. Dale bought a motorcylce and I got a new table and hutch. (I guess the trip will have to wait until next year.)

I took on another service opportunity and have been ushering at events at the Eccles Theatre. With the Festival of the Opera going on I've seen two Operas and a musical as well as a Opera contest. For little Logan we have some great talent that comes in and I'd say could compete with Broadway! Wearing long black pants, a white long sleeve shirt, bow tie and vest isn't so bad--I think I'm going to enjoy this.

Garrett caught a early flight with his friend, Zandra Dennis, and they went on a little trip to Washington state. Seeing Seattle's space needle, Pike's Market and the boats.

They also took a ferry over to the San Juan Islands and then drove into and toured British Columbia. Garrett loved the coast---he said he'll take us there for our next trip.

Dale spent the last week of July hiking in the Palisades area of Wyoming with the Young Men in our ward. He came home with a good start on a beard and tired, but had a great time.
Danica and I made sure we had our "play days" while he was away :) :)

So I guess we could look at July as a real BIG bang---one BIG event after another---but that's what summer's for right?

June Jumbles

2011-06-29T14:53:00.000-07:00

School's out and summer's here!!!!

We celebrated three anniversaries this month--Amie & Matt's seventh on the 1st, Andrew & Lindsay's first on the 11th and my mom and dad's on the 10th. Those that could, got together and ate dinner in the cafeteria and then went through a session at the Logan temple in honor of our great parents. We then went to Larry and Glee's and had dessert and visited. It was a wonderful day.

We also got to have the grandkids here for almost a whole week! We made the most of it and ran them ragged, which helped them sleep pretty sound through the night. Don't say grandma doesn't know what she's doing----

A Picnic and feeding the ducks at First Dam, enjoying the Riverwalk Trail up Logan Canyon---

Swimming at Sky View because it rained, Summerfest and all that goes with it----

And of course, water skiing-----

with a little fishing----

Jaxson even caught the first and only fish!

We had the whole family here for Father's Day---Nate & Kim were able to spend three days here. Nate fit in all the Logan outdoor recreation in that he could while here. California just doesn't have the same feel.

Dale and Danica had Youth Conference and we had a couple of get-togethers here with family and friends.

June has been a jumble of mixed weather, family fun and a little work---a pretty good month I'd say.

May Memoir

2011-05-31T18:15:00.000-07:00

April showers did not bring May flowers this year!!! We got rain, snow and wind for most of the month. Between storms we did manage to plant the garden and get the flowers planted, however.
The few warm sunny days we had were welcomed and savored. The weather didn't dampen our happenings however, but some changes did.

I completed my first year as a DIBELS darling, as well as completed my service as "Sis. Hansen" at the Distrubution Center. After serving a short 9 months I had to turn in my badge because Desert Book will take over managing the Distribution Center. It was like saying good-bye to family---I thoroughly loved serving there!

With school out for Garrett and almost out for Danica, I'm sure I'll find ways to fill in the void.

Danica had a short soccer season with the Cache Swag soccer team---they won some, lost some, tied some and fortieted some!! It was a wet season that's for sure, but she had fun playing with alot of girls from her old competitive team.

She also entered her piece of artwork that went to state in the Cache Valley Art Exhibition and got 3rd place. She was also asked to do up the design for next years calendar, and she says she isn't any good? I'd say she's humble!!!

She was humbled when she got her first ticket---she rear-ended a truck pulling a trailer on main street. It didn't cause much damage to either vehicle, but she got the ticket. Ouch!!! The joys of driving--good thing she's still employed and has a paycheck coming in!

Danica also went her her last school dance as a Junior---she was again the belle of the ball (in my eyes) at the Senior Ball. They went to Lagoon in the day, ate at Hamilton's and went to the dance at the Elements ballroom. They even danced in the rain!!!

Garrett is still at Fredriico's and has also taken on the title of Production Manager for a business that Andrew started up last year, SHEAR FORCE. They set up a web-site www.shearforce.blogspot.com , feel free to check it out!!! With all of the rain we've had they may be busy washing windows.

Andrew and Lindsay just purchased a new car--with a little one coming in July they needed a more reliable vehicle. I'd say they got a good deal---KSL.com pulled through for them and they found a 2001 Volvo V70XC. It's pretty nice!!!

The Mallorys are still waiting to dig the hole for their new house. With all of this wet weather it set their builder back---the wait is a test for patience : )

Nate and Kim survived life on the beaches of the Dominican Republic---they got home and drove here to register their car, then drove to Colorado to spend some time with Kim's family. We expect to see them mid-June. With all of the miles they're putting on their car, they may be needing to buy a new one soon!

With the month ending with a day to remember those who have served our country as well as our loved ones who have given us a great heritage we gathered and paid our respects to those who have played a role in our lifes. Between snow and rain storms we were able to visit the graves. We also attended the tradtional Hyde Park Lions Memorial Breakfast and went to Riverdale Resort and soaked in the mineral pools during a rain storm. Dale and I ended the day with a mean game of Phase 10 with his folks, so all in all it was a good day.

Today, the sun came out!!!!! Maybe it will warm up the garden enough to get the seeds germinated and growing. I know it warmed my spirits---maybe we'll have June flowers!

April Antics

2011-05-02T18:21:00.000-07:00

April 1st was no joke for the Hansen's---we were in sunny, but not so warm, California to celebrate and explore the city with Nate and Kim. We were in their territory and on their agenda and we had a wonderful time spending some time with them.

Dale and I went to the Oakland Temple and did a session while Danica and Kim went to a exercise/work-out class at the gym and Nate was in classes. Then we all went to Samuel-Merritt University for Nate's white coat ceremony. He will start doing clinicals after his tests this month and will be looking more and more like Dr. Hansen!!

It was good to see the school, his study buddies, and teachers as well as get a feel for what he'll need to be doing to make it through school.

Nate's a true Hansen and kept us going. We saw alot of the Bay area and some fun beaches as well as got a feel for Oakland and the area that they live in. I must say I feel better about where they are now than I did before we made the trip.

Here's our trip itinerary---Day 1: arrived in Oakland, Nate and Kim played chauffer and picked us up right at the curb! We grabbed a burger at In & Out Burgers and hit Wal-Mart for a few breakfast items. I must say I felt like the minority there, but the people were nice.

Kim's made their apartment homey and we even had our own sleeping quarters just across the hall in a vacant apartment. (I guess it helps to be friends with the apartment managers)

Day 2: Checked out the Costco (so we'd have enough food for the haul), Oakland Temple (which has beautiful grounds around it as well as a killer view of the city), attended Nate's white coat ceremony, ate and visited.

Day 3: Hit the local Farmer's Market--the whole- wheat blueberry muffins were very tastey! Checked out Stinson Beach where Nate and Kim did a little bouldering, but the tide was up so they couldn't get to the good rocks. We just soaked in the sun.

Drove to the Marin Headlands area and saw some ruins, walked through a cool tunnel, as well as got a great view of the Golden Gate bridge.

We got the guys back in time to go to the Priesthood session of General Conference where they saw Garrett singing with the USU male choir on the screen.

While the guys were being spiritually uplifted, the gals caught BART and headed into San Francisco and did some shopping at the mall. (It's a tradition) We even found some bargains!

We caught up with the guys and ate some flavorful Thai food at a place Nate and Kim scouted out. Simply divine!

Day 4: We watched/listened to General Conference and between sessions went to Lake Merritt Park and Nate set up his slack line and we all gave it a try. We all agreed that Nate has the most skill in this, but Danica caught on pretty fast. We had quite an audience at times. We gave them laughs and thrills.

Nate braved the weekend traffic and we drove into San Francisco and went on the Land's End trail along the coast and saw the sunset. It was breath-taking!!

Day 5: Nate took us into Santa Cruz----we stopped at a beach and boardwalk where Nate and Danica tried skimboarding while the rest of us caught a few rays. We also found a hidden beach, Panther Beach, and just relaxed on the beach and listened to the waves crash in on the rocks.

We went on the campus of Santa Cruz University and found the famous Tree 9, but found out that the lower branches had been cut to keep people from climbing it. Well, that didn't stop Nate, Kim, and Danica---they found another tree that was just as big to climb!! What a fun campus--it was like walking on forest trails. Trees were everywhere!

We stopped in Berkley and stood in a long line at the famous Ici's and got probably the best ice cream I've ever tasted (sorry Aggie ice cream). What a great way to end our journey for the day, huh?

Day 6: Nate again braved the traffic and we headed into San Francisco where we went to the Golden Gate Park and caught a free jaunt through a museum and walked around some of the park. I'd compare this to New York's Central Park.

We even checked out the Grateful Deads "hippie" district just to satisfy Kim and Danica's urge for the thrill. Dale and I found our thrill in the Whole Foods store where we bought healthy snacks for the car ride. We walked around the warf area at the Ferry building, drove down Lombard Street, ate in LIttle Italy and saw all of San Francisco from Coit's Point. To top off our day we made a late night run to a bakery where we got hot, fresh donuts that made our tired legs feel like it was all worth the day.

Day 7: We met Nate at a lake that he'd run to and lounged there and then Kim did a mini photo shoot of Danica in Oaklands cememtery.

We got our bags packed and headed to the airport.

We had a great time and saw parts of San Francisco that makes me want to go back to explore more. I ended up going home with a cold and no voice, but I had a head full of some wonderful memories. Thanks Nate and Kim---we'll have to visit again!!!

We came home to snow, wind, rain and cold!!! We were wondering why we didn't stay longer!!

Garrett was glad to have us home though---I think he missed mom's cooking--frozen dinners just don't do it.

Danica had her Jr. Prom. She was in the royalty even and she looked like a princess!!

We had our annual egg hunt and dinner with the Hansen clan for Easter. Garrett and Danica were quite thrillled that they were still eligible to look for the eggs.

Dale and I both survived another year---they seem to be going by faster. To celebrate Dale's we partied at Cafe Sabor and he wore a sombraro while we sang to him. Amie and the kids came for the weekend for mine. I ate up all the hugs and kisses. We went to a mystery dinner show "An Heir of Mystery" to celebrate my big day.

You know, it is a mystery---between all the rain and snow who would of guessed we even had April!!!

March Marvels

2011-04-08T18:17:00.000-07:00

What a marvelous month March was!!!

We were able to see Dale's nephew, who has been serving in Iraq, baptize and confirm his son. The good old USA allowed him to come home to preform those ordinances for his son. We had a great visit with family. Jeremy looks great and it was wonderful seeing him reunited with his family again.

That same night all of my siblings and their spouses were able to get together for dinner. Thanks Danny for lining it up!!! Our Montanaians and Idahoians were even able to make it. We met at the Coppermill and enjoyed a nice dinner and visit and caught up on each families happenings.

Amie and the kids cme by and we threw a early party for Jaxson's 5th birthday. We invited the great-grandparents and his uncles and aunts and had a Wii Party. Jaxson loves the Wii and is very good at it. We each played one game with him. I felt quite proud of myself however when I beat him twice in the Sonic & the Black Knight game. I really had no clue what I was doing---I just got lucky. Jaxson wasn't real happy, but he got over it.

Dale, Amie and the kids went to St. George for five days. Dale had meetings and I couldn't go and where it was going to be Jaxson's birthday we thought why not take them on a little trip? They had a great time climbing on the rocks, seeing the dinosaurs and swiming. They evern headed to Overton, Nevada and spent some time with Dale's sister and brother-in-law, Donna and Doug Brady. While with the Bradys they got to play cowboy and ride horses and work on the ranch. All the Brady's showed up and Jaxson had another party!! What a party animal!!!!

We saw three of the four seasons this month---it never amazes me what spring in Cache Valley can bring. Each day really is a marvel!!!

February Frolics

2011-03-15T14:01:00.000-07:00

After the long, slow month of January---February just seemed to fly by!!!
Where did the time go? As you can see, I'm a little slow on getting this post out, but hey at least I'm getting it out!!!

The frolics of February were few, but still some happened that are worth sharing so here goes---

Danica went to her schools Sweetheart Dance. They took their dates to breakfast and then went bowling. (It was a girls choice dance) She was looking mighty fine all dolled up in her fancies for the the dance and I'd say they made a nice looking couple. She said she had a ball----

All of the girls in the group wore Converse shoes, just to add a little class. Pretty clever way to get around wearing high heels I'd say!

To celebrate Valentines Day, Dale and I took Garrett and Danica to dinner and then to Sky View's musical "The Wizard of Oz". It was very entertaining and a nice "out" for all of us.

I got another temple job---I'll be serving as needed in the Youth Center. What a neat experience to be able to share in the joys of having families sealed together forever.
I'm doing this, because my service at the Distribution Center will be ending the last of May because Desert Book will be managing the Distribution Center and won't be using any "service" employees. I'm loving the associations I have with this calling.

Garrett, Danica, Dale and I headed down to Salt Lake to see our Indian friends. Shyam's sister, Mini got baptized by her brother, Shyam. We were so glad we braved the storm and were able to witness this. It was a wonderful service and great to see our freinds again. Paul, Sheela, Shyam and Mini were reunited!!! We have been blessed knowing them and hope that all goes well for them so that they may be able to be together forever someday.

February gave us a touch of spring and then dove right back into the chill of winter. Maybe that's why I called this month February Frolics----

January Jitters

2011-01-31T12:50:00.000-08:00

After all the excitment from December, January just seemed to have lasted forever!!!! We did have a few highlights however that helped to speed up the weeks some.

Garrett reported his mission in our ward. He gave a great report----his love for the gospel and the people of India were evident in his words. He even bore his testimony in Hindi at our bishops request. Something he hadn't done before because he never really taught in Hindi, just self taught himself words here and there. Enough to get by on anyway.

We had a dinner after with family, friends and acquaintences after the meeting. It was a great day and so good to see everyone.

Nate and Kim sent us a package with a web-cam in it. We got the hint and set up a skype account and can now keep in touch with them in a more "up-date" way! They still look great and things are going well for them. They seems to have adjusted to the live of a med student---

Our family will be growing---Andrew and Lindsay will add a little one to their unit in July!!! Another Hansen, look out!!!! We are excited for them and hope all goes well.

Garrett started classes at USU. He's adjusting well, and is getting back into the dating scence as well. He still keeps in touch with his Indian friends via facebook and email and is hoping to with skype as well.

Danica has honed her artistic skills and entered five articles in the schools art show recently. She recieved a 1st place, 4th place and 5th place ribbon. Her 1st place painting will go onto state. We wish her well.

Dale and I were able to have Jaxson and Kennlyn here for a over-nighter. That Jaxson is quite the U-No player!!! Kennlyn just loves to be loved and we loved having them here.

Our January Jitters are over for now, hopefully February will go on a littler faster pace.

December Delights

2010-12-31T14:06:00.000-08:00

December, a time for giving and recieving----

This December we did both

It's been a tradition with our family at Christmas to help with a group called "Service for Humanity". We always enjoy the shopping, wrapping, visiting of local Sr. Citizens and caroling that it involes. A great way get us into the spirit of Christmas---On the recieving end, we feel the true joy that comes from serving our fellowmen. What a delight to help with this organization.

We recieved an early gift this Christmas season, bringing much delight to the Hansen household. Our son, Garrett, returned from his mission to New Delhi, India on the 17th. All of our family (except Matt) as well as Shaym, Paul and Sheela were their to greet him. He looks great!!

To the delight of our kids, we headed to San Diego for Christmas to spend some quality time with the WHOLE family. We stopped in Las Vegas and saw some of the more "uplifting areas" of the strip.

Then when we arrived in San Diego we went to the beautiful San Diego Temple and did sealings and baptisms with the family----what a delight to have us all in the temple.

Our home away from home was a short block from the beach. What a delight to be able to wake up and go for a walk, read a good book, play in the water or just soak in the sun.

We also drove to Old Town and saw the Mormon Batallion Museum---What a fun, family friendly place and oh the stories we heard and learned from. What a delight being reminded again of the ways the Lord watched over his early saints. I'm glad to be part of that heritage.

With delight we decorated our home away from home--Amie provided their tree which worked perfectly. We each painted an ornament and the stockings were hung. The little ones even got into the spirit of decorating as well.

We spent Christmas day at Sea World----

What a delight seeing some of the beautiful creatures that our Savior has put on this earth.

We were able to watch most of the shows and Amie was even able to feed, pet, and try out some of the signs the trainers use on the dolphins.

We exchanged gifts, played games, ate and watched movies----

Hit the beach some more, built sandcastles, went on more walks, and fed the birds.

When it was time to pack up and head home no one really wanted to because it meant our time together as a whole family would be over. We had a delightful time and know that this is one Christmas that will be fondly remembered by all-----

Good things come to an end, but the memories will be with us forever. We hope all of you had a delightful Christmas and we wish you the best in the coming New Year!!!!!!

November Thanks

2010-11-29T17:37:00.000-08:00

November, the month of Thanksgiving. What am I really thankful for? You guessed it---------

DANICA----recieved the Hustle Award at her soccer banquet. Didn't try-out for the high school girl's basketball team this year. She chose to buy a season ski pass instead, which is probably going to pay itself off within the first month. We recieved 15-18 inches of snow in the last two snowstorms!! She is now employed and is working for a Franchise Compliance Group. Bring it on!!! My thanks to her for her desire to keep Dale and I from getting old.

GARRETT----Still on the Lord's errand as a missionary for another 2 1/2 weeks! Is baptizing all those willing to have a change of heart and accept the restored gospel message. Will be visiting the Taj Mahal for his big last P-day activity with the group of six that will be heading home with him. He wrote that he is thankful for his past two years and AMERICA. I'm thankful for the testimony he's gained and the spirit his letters have brought into our home.

ANDREW and LINDSAY----Our newlyweds....Both are working, and Andrew is going to flight school still, but has his final test schedulded (unless the weather makes him cancel, which has happened twice so far). They were recently called to work in the nursery in their ward. Andrew turned 23 this month as well, where does the time go? My thanks to them for their visits and for adding a little "noise" to the household so that it isn't so quiet.

AMIE, MATT, JAXSON and KENNLYN----Our providers of the grandkids! They were able to come a visit for the weekend before Thanksgiving so we held an early Thanksgiving. Having two little munskins around keeps them on their toes as does their church callings and work. I'm thankful to be a grandma!!!!

NATE and KIM----School and work. That's what they're doing. Nate's adjusting to life as a med student and Kim is bringing in the paycheck. They have acquired quite a diviersified group of friends and have made the most of their "days off" to see the sights California has to offer. Kim cooked their first Thanksgiving dinner this year for just the two of them. Thanks to modern technology that can keep us somewhat connected to those we love.

DALE----Is like a kid with a new toy every year the snow starts to fall. He's keeping up with it by using the trusty snowblower as well as being a good neighbor and plowing out their driveways as needed. He did get in a hunting trip as well as a fishing trip over the Thanksgiving break and thoroughly loved it even if it was only 7 degrees! My thanks to him for putting up with me as well as allowing me to do the things that I enjoy without having to dess in layers. I think I'm allergic to the cold---

There you have it----I'm thankful for family! I realize I have been greatly blessed and that I probably got more than I deserve. I have good health, great neighbors, super brothers and sisters and parents, seat warmers in my car, a husband who provides for the needs of our family, a roof over my head, the gospel in my life, a free country to live in and the list goes on------November, THANKS for EVERYTHING!!!

October Opulence

2010-10-28T21:24:00.000-07:00

October 1st our baby girl, Danica, turned 17!!! Hard to believe isn't it? To celebrate Danica played soccer against Logan and they pulled out a tie. The local paper even interviewed Danica after the game and quoted her, as well as mentioned that it was her 17th birthday!! The next day we took the boat out for one last ride. We've never skied this late in the season, but the sunny skies were just calling our name.

We had the Mallorys and Andrew and Lindsay joined us as well, so that added some excitement to the party. Another great day in the sun.

Hyrum Dam will hold some memories in our hearts.

Danica's soccer season ended after the second round in the play-offs. They went into the play-offs in 2nd place in their region. They traveled to Woods Cross and won and then to St. George and lost. They had a great season however and Danica can't wait to get back out on the field.

With the weather staying unseasonably warm most of the month we were able to harvest an abundance from the garden. We'll have squash and onions throughout the winter. We even grew enough corn to freeze and fill the freezer and if the carrots don't freeze, we'll be eating fresh ones for quite some time as well.

The news from India is that Elder Hansens goal is to baptize one more family as well as all of the singles. Watch out India Elder Hansen is on fire!! Right now there are only 6 Americans left serving with the rest Indians, he wants to make his mark---

If you look up and see a helicopter flying around, it just might be Andrew practicing his maneuvers. He's landing on top of mountian peaks in preparation for possible heli-skiing (not really, but it could come in handy) He has one last test to pass to be a certified pilot. Then it's logging hours.

Amie and Matt are back to a two dog family---Lucky has been found!! Jaxson is now a firm believer in prayers being answered. I'd say he has alot of faith. Matt and Amie are teaching gospel principles well.

Nate and Kim have now survived two months in California. Things are super busy, but going well. Nate was elected to be the California Podatric Medical Association Representative. Meaning that he will be attending a quarterly meeing in LA where they discuss the politics of the field and he will eventually be heading to Sacramento to the capital building to lobby some stuff. Pretty exciting!! He's pretty stoked on being a doctor. They now have callings in their ward--Nate is the assistant executive secretary and an elder quorum teacher and Kim is teaching the 4-year olds in Primary. They are in a ward that is growing fast and has baptisms almost weekly.

Dale has been dabbling in the paint some to get our basement up-dated and I've been trying to get the right color combinations etc. to make it look good. We've both realized that our warm weather is nearing the end and have prepared the yard for the next season that will soon be upon us.
Dale had a conference in St. George and Danica and I tagged along and spent three more days in the sunshine while Cache Valley was getting poured on and snowed on. We missed the storms but more are on the way from what the weatherman says.

The seasons come and the seasons go---I think that's why I enjoy living here. I love seeing the seasons and the beauty each one holds.

September Synopsis

2010-09-30T09:05:00.000-07:00

September----
A month of remembrance, celebration and change.

Remembrance---I have to start out by saying that the month of September will always hold a special place in my heart because it's the month when both of my parents were born. With them gone from this earth now, September gives more of a reason to reflect and remember the great people they were and the impact they had on my life. I realize I was blessed and I miss them dearly, but the circle of life plays on in our lifes and the knowledge I have of knowing I can be with them again gives me comfort. Thanks dad and mom for your example and love. I 'll love you for always!

Celebration----We've had our share of excitement this month watching Danica play soccer for Sky View. They are currently in 2nd place in their region. She's playing great and it's been fun seeing her give it her all on the soccer field. If you take the local newspaper, The Herald Journal, you would of seen her name mentioned in a couple of the articles. She's enjoying being on the field again and we're enjoying being on the bleachers again!
School is in full swing, Homecoming came and went and now she's really hitting the books. Danica's got quite an array of classes but her AP Art class is at the top of the list as her favorite. She's doing well. ----We'll keep you posted on her progress and post some of her work. I'm impressed, she's got talent for sure!!

Change----The change is that I've cut back on my employment status---I'm just doing district wide DIBELS (a reading/language test) testing. It is done three times in the school year. In September, part of December and January and in April. We go to all of the elementary schools in the district and test the whole school. It's pretty intense for that month, but then I get two months off. I'm also filling my spare time up by serving in the Distribution Center for eight hours a week. Change is good.

Nate and Kim have seemed to adjust to their change and are fitting in with the California scene. They've already been out sailing (maybe this will be Nate's new sport?) and have acquired quite an "International" friend group. Kim's working as a trainer and then some with Bella Babies and has had to learn the freeway exits. Thankfully she has a GPS on her phone and between that and Kim's "homing skills" she's been able to get where she needs to without too many detours. Nate's hitting the books pretty hard and realizing that there's a lot to learn, but that in the end it will be worth it. (At least that's what he keeps telling himself)

Andrew and Lindsay had a little change---they had an offer to move into the basement of a house that's twice as big as their apartment was so they jumped at the offer. Now Andrew's sunk though because anywhere else they move to will have to be somewhere in the same league as their new home. He's spoiling Lindsay early----They're both working and Andrew's still going to USU and helicopter school. He was pretty tickled to find out that he got a grant to help with his schooling. That will come in handy for the newlyweds.

Our Idahoans aren't slowing up much---Amie's soccer team (the Declo Hornets) has already done better than they did last year by this time. She's thinking positive and showing a lot of patience. Her motto: Winning isn't everything, it's how you play the game. They are improving and that's what matters.
Amie's headed up a pre-school group with some of the kids in the area and they rotate houses. Jaxson loves it and is definately going to be ready for Kindergarten next year. Kennlyn just loves life and is full of energy. Matt is juggling his work, athletics, church and family. Life is good in Burley.

Our Indian son, Elder Hansen, is fully engrossed in the Lords work. He recently visited a Hard Rock Cafe and ate a 10 oz. real beef burger!! In India, real beef!! What a treat!! He's working with the district leaders, serving as a zone leader and is using his musical talents to sing at baptisms and to touch the hearts of the Thankur Tribe. It's been raining alot and there's been a lot of sickness in the area. So far his shoes have held up thanks to the street cobblers. He's been baptizing and is just loving it. Life is good in India!!

It's a good thing that we have some friends that are willing to share. Over the Labor Day weekend Danica, Dale and I went to Island Park and stayed in a cabin with our friends, the Griffiths. It was a nice get-away and good to just relax and soak in nature's beauty. The guys did a little fishing, we went on four-wheeler rides and drove to Quake Lake and into West Yellowstone for a picnic. It was a bit rainy and windy for our picnic, but tastey. We also got together with the parents of Garrett's "fellas" group and caught up on how all "our boys" are doing serving the Lord in all walks of the world. We have been blessed to have good friends.

Our garden has produced abundantly for us this year, probably the best one in a long time. We were able to bottle beans and freeze enough corn to hold us over for at least another year. It's been a good feeling going to the grocery store and passing by the produce department. There's nothing better than your own home-grown produce.

Well, that's our September Synopsis---simple and sweet. What more can we ask for?

August Antics

2010-08-24T16:17:00.000-07:00

Utah lost another Hansen this month---

After celebrating Nate's 28th birthday with the family we gathered more of the family and close friends together to wish Nate and Kim good luck and farewell before they hit the road.

We got the Penske and Passat all loaded up and then Nate became "turck driver" and Kim became the "follower" as they made their way along the I-80 route to Oakland, CA. After two days of searching for a place to call home for the next 3 years they unloaded and have settled in a "nicer" area of Oakland. It's close to school, a lake, a climbing gym, church and the temple. Doesn't sound too bad--I'm going to be looking for some killer air fare and pay them a visit. I must say I had to swallow hard when they drove out of the driveway----we will miss them!!! We wish them the best as they open a new chapter in their book of life.

Danica made it through try-outs and was chosen to be on the Sky View High School Girls Soccer team this year. She's already had five games and the team is 4-0-1. Not bad, eh???
She's glad to be back on the "green" and loves the game. We wish her well this season.
She'll be a Junior this year----my how time flies!!! She had her first "fender bender" by backing into Nate's car while it was parked in our driveway. We'll just add to name to the Hansens "Opps Group", and feel blessed it didn't mess up Nate's car, just ours!! (She hit the wheel area) You think we'd learn after having that happen to others in our family????

Dale, Danica and I took a day and headed west to visit our Idahoans-- We took cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots and beans from our garden to them and then added our beans to theirs and bottled 18 pints and 8 quarts of beans to get them off to a good start for their food storage. We also went to the Cassia County fair and saw the ribbons that Amie and Jaxson got---they entered spaghetti squash, beans, green onions, bottled jam, beans and carrots and for a first time did alright! Kennlyn will be turning 2 on the 26th so we celebrated a little early and let her blow out the candles. She did it all by herself too!! That Kennlyn sure is a cutie---we so enjoy spending time with our kids and grandkids.

Andrew and Lindsay are both working and getting Andrew ready to hit the books again. He's still working on getting his license to fly solo, but is realizing that there's a lot to it, and nothing comes easy!! He's hoping to have it by next month.

Our Indian Elder has been casting out evil spirits, realizing the blessings of the Priesthood, baptizing, blessing people, following promptings and even getting wet outside of the font!! His whole mission got to go to a water park and go on the waterslides. He says, "There was a field of white that almost blinded your eyes." I'm sure it looked like a burning bush leaving the park when they were done, but I'm sure it was worth it.

So, August was full of different antics, some big and some small, but we're glad we were around for all of them and hope they don't stop!! Till next time----

Jubilant July

2010-07-27T18:52:00.000-07:00

The weather warmed up and we finally are making good use of the boat--With two holidays and the temperatures in the 90's, a nice outing on the water makes for a great day.
We've been able to get Lindsay up on two (she's working on dropping one), Danica's popping up on one now and does well on the wakeboard, Amie can still last the longest, and Jaxson kneeboarded with Amie and Andrew. Andrew and Dale are still ripping it up behind the boat, slalmoning. We've even gotten a couple of Danica's friends up on one ski. Matt and I man the flag and the camera now and are okay with that.
We haven't gotten Nate and Kim out in the boat yet this summer and probably won't because they just are too busy with their adventures, but that's okay.

We spent the 4th of July celebrating with the Mallory Clan. We went to Ogden's Dinosaur Park with them and SO enjoyed seeing the astonished faces of Kennlyn and Jaxson as they saw all the dinosaurs. Jaxson really knows his dinosaurs too---he's a big fan of Tyranasauras Rex however and even knows how to walk and growl like one!! If we weren't looking at dinosaurs, we were getting chased by a boy who thought he was one most of the time while we were in the park. Oh, the looks and smiles we got as we were running from his grasp! We ended the day with a "Bang" by attending Logan's famous fireworks where we met up with the rest of the Mallory clan inside the stadium where we had a picnic and ooooo'd and ahhhhh'd at the bursts of color that flashed in the night sky above us. I am proud to be an American!!!!

Dale and I went four-wheeling with some good friends up above Hardware Ranch and just took in the sights of this beautiful country that we've been blessed to live in.
We rode up Curtis Creek and ended up on the top of the world at Red Spur. We could see Randolph, Laketown and even Bear Lake. It was green, the flowers were blooming and the wind was blowing. We saw deer just off the road and squirrels to give us that true "outdoor feeling".
There's nothing like eating trail dust for your appitizer and dessert, however. I think next time I'll take the lead and remember to pack the wipes to clean my face off!

Danica headed back to Burley with Amie, Matt and the kids to spend some "sister time" and to help Amie out with her soccer teams skills and conditioning as wll as work on her skills to help her prepare for her soccer try-outs. Dale and I didn't know how quiet the house could be---after awhile though we got used to it. Going to bed with the light off and knowing that we could just go to sleep was kind of nice really.

While at Burley, Danica went to a Stake Youth Conference with Amie's stake and got to know some of the kids in the area. She also went wakeboarding quite a bit with a group there that goes alot as well as watched Jaxson learn to swim while he took swimming lessons for his first time. Boy, does he have a beautiful front stroke out of the water!!! With time he'll be doing laps.

Dale and I celebrated our 29th wedding anniversary by going to the Ogden Temple for a session and then to dinner at the Depot in Ogden and then to Grouse Creek, UT for the Hadfield Family Reunion!! Good old Grouse Creek--it doesn't change much! We had a great time visiting family and catching up on the happenings of extended family. With only four of the original ten still alive, it was good to see the legacy live on. We visited the graves of my grandparents, William and Grace and Uncle Gordon and then headed over the hill to pick up Danica in Burley. Spending time with family is always gratifying. Dale and I are hoping to last another 29 or more years together. We realize how blessed we are--Life is good.

July also brought the Petersen family together for a reunion in Montana. We spent a few days catching up on the comings and goings of my siblings and their families as well as seeing the sights of Kallispell, Montana, beautiful Glacier National Forest and Flathead Lake. We saw more of God's beautiful creations and were in awe at the beauty of it all. Lakes, rivers, mountians that reached above the clouds, pristine waterfalls and the list goes on. I felt like Maria, at the top of the mountians in that scene from The Sound of Music!
We saw mountain goats, big horn sheep, squirrels and marmonts.

Flathead Lake is HUGE and we had fun boating, playing basketball (even with a broken wrist--Dannny),cheering, playing tennis, visiting, going out on the wave runners (until they got rocks in the pump--not good!), eating, more visiting, playing catch, badminton, visiting, boating (seeing all the ritzy cabins and even Phil Jackson), enjoying the sunset and reminiscing. We even ended up seeing some horse jumping events in Kallispell before coming home. Home came too early--we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves!!! Thanks all for a great time--WE LOVE OUR FAMILY!!!

Nate and Kim made it through Oregon on their bikes. They biked the coast 400+ miles and still were able to be with us for one and a half days in Montana. They stayed to hike in Glacier while we made the 9 hour drive home wondering why we weren't staying longer. They'll also be hiking the Tetons and Gannet Peak before they make that long drive home. Their new home will be in California though, but at least we'll see them once more before they move.

This definately has been a Jubilant July. The dictionary describes jubilant as "Exultantly joyful or triumphant; expressing joy". I'd say that would be right---

Joyful June!!!

2010-06-29T16:58:00.000-07:00

June has been a month of weddings and anniversaries. To start off with Amie and Matt brought the kids and let Grandpa and Grandma spoil them for a couple of days. Matt suprised Amie with a stay at the Anniversary Inn to celebrate their 5th year of joyful bliss. You know how the saying goes--"when the parents are away, the kids do play"--- well we did just that and wore Jaxson and Kennlyn right out. Mainly to make going to bed easier on all of us. It worked too--however, Jaxson woke up and climbed into bed with Danica during the night. They both managed to sleep well into the morning though so I guess it was a win, win situation!!

We were able to attend the temple with Andrew's fiance, Lindsay, when she received her endowments. We had family and friends there as well. What a great feeling to see the joy all felt on such an occasion. This was a good time to meet Lindsay's family as well and we can see why she's the way she is. What a great family---Andrew seems to just fit right in too!

My niece, Erin had a joyful day as well--she got married on the 5th and was blessed to have the sun out the whole day!! They were married in the Logan Temple and had a family/friend dinner at The Coppermill and then a garden reception at the Old Rock Church in Providence. It was nice to see the support from family and friends and makes you feel pretty blessed to be a part of such a great family. We love you guys!!

Matt was gracious enough to let Amie and the kids stay here to help out with our preparations, which helped out immensely!! It was pure joy hearing Kennlyn and Jaxons wake-up calls to Grandma and Grandpa. They were true troopers as we hauled them around while doing all the errands that were needed to pull off our big day.

June 10th, the day my folks were married in the Logan Temple. We can't forget what that event started---Four boys, three girls, 33 grandkids, 54 great-grandkids and 1 great-great grandchild! (that's a close guess anyways) Happy Anniversary Dad and Mom!! Love You Forever and Always!!

Andrew tied the knot with his one and only June 11th. It was a joyful day even if the sky was cloudy and grew darker as the day went on. Grandpa Hansen married them in the Logan Temple and then a dinner was held in their honor at our church that was catered by their favorite place to eat--Costa Vida!! We were able to eat and visit with friends and family and enjoy a video that Lindsay's step-mom put together about Andrew and Lindsay. Andrew even called everyone together by blowing on a true conch shell! (I think that's how you spell it?)

Garrett, or should I say Elder Hansen, showed up for the dinner and reception!! Of course--when there's food involved!! We all were thrilled to see him there even if he was a "stiff", it made our family complete!!!

To honor the marriage of Andrew and Lindsay, Garrett sent the new couple a Burka and Khurda to wear. For Muslims in India this is what the couple wears after they get married and then the woman has to veil her face in public. He also sent Dale and I outfits that we can wear. Danica had gotten one earlier, so now we all have one! The joys of having a missionary in a foreign country!!

The garden reception ended up being inside because of dark clouds and then rain, but it was a beautiful drive out to Paradise and the gym looked warm and inviting with their "beach themed" reception. We had a great turn-out from family and friends and the evening went realtively smooth considering the weather. Thanks to all who came, helped out and enjoyed the day.

Danica attended our ward YM/YW Youth Conference by starting out the day with a service project and then going to a cabin overlooking beautiful Bear Lake. They did a little geo-cashing, played volleyball on the beach, went on a 20 mile bike ride, went through Minnetonka Cave, got sun burned, ate steak, heard a great speaker (Sarah Allred), did a lot of bonding and shared their thoughts and testimonies. Girls Camp is with our stake at Earley Park. Danica is a youth leader and has done some to help plan camp. Hopefully she'll come home appreciating this beautiful world our Heavenly Father has created for us as well as the conveniences of hot water!

Another month come and gone, but full of great memories that have etched joy in our lifes. It truly has been a Joyful June!

May Flowers????

2010-05-28T16:02:00.000-07:00

We did finally get the flowers planted, in between the snowy and rainey days. Wow, it's been a wet month!! It made me feel like we were back in Oregon.
However, the rain has brought lush green lawn and a green mountainside. I love the green, so I won't complain as long as we get some sunny days with the hope that more are in store.

I guess we could call the month of May a month of endings---(this picture ended up upside down even!!)
Danica's club soccer season is over, Andrew will be ending his single lifestyle in a couple of weeks, school's out and I decided to close the books at Sunrise. I will still l fill in as a sub here and there, but I'm going to start on a new chapter in my book of life and spread my wings a little more. I'm hoping to do some volunteer work, take a class or two, travel more and get in the habit of exercising daily!!

Some of the beginnings that happend this month----Andrew will begin flying solo now since he successfully passed his test to do so. He's still flying and loving it.

Dale has begun trying to work out a budget that will work to make ends meet for the district next year with all of the cuts and a new school he's got his work cut-out for him.

Garrett wrote that he's beginning to smell burning flesh in India because it's so hot there and the AC in his apartment isn't working. It was great hearing his voice live on Mother's Day. He's really working hard and it's paying off. He still living among the monkeys and smells, but that's just India.

Danica has begun wondering if she'll be able to get a job for the summer--which would be great if she can juggle it.

Nate and Kim are beginning to realize that their time in Utah will quickly come to a close so they're planning some road trips to get in what they can before the big move to California in August.

Amie, Matt and the kids are beginning to wonder why they got another dog--Lucky is really pushing her luck lately!! The kids love her though and enjoy playing outside and chasing her.

I'm beginning to wonder why I was in such a big hurry to get my pots planted---now I have to water them every other day!!

Oh well--life is short so we need to enjoy it while we can right, and bloom where we're planted!!!

So we'll count our blessings and continue to have many more endings and beginnnings that through the years will etch a smile on our hearts.

April Showers

2010-04-30T14:35:00.000-07:00

April was a wet one, but we found time to have some fun inbetween storms!

We loaded up the Tahoe and pulled an all-nighter driving through rain and snow to get to the Oregon Coast during our Spring Break.

We had the whole family (except Garrett) there and boy, was it fun and beautiful even without the sun! So lush and green---

We hit the beach, dug for clams, spotted starfish, stepped on mussels, flew kites on the beach, chased the waves, took pictures,ate, watched movies late at night, played the Wii when it was raining, slept in, ate, toured the Tillamook cheese factory, took pictures, ate ice cream, took walks in the woods, saw the fury of the ocean, bonded together, laughed, cried, explored the rocks and caves, saw lighthouses, ate, took pictures,and even became friends with the locksmiths in the area after losing the keys to the Tahoe and Thule in the ocean!! We also have a new appreciation for those kind hearted people who help total stangers when in need. Thanks Brad wherever you are!!!

We never saw the whales migrating, but we did see the seals and get to hand feed some squirrels and seagulls. We never swam in the ocean, but Danica fell in off of a rock and got soaked pretty good. We never ate any crab, but we did collect some cool shells!

Oh we had fun---and we'll want to visit the coast again when it's warmer so we can play in the ocean instead of just chase the waves or fall in!!

That's what it's all about though right--making memories that will linger on?

Thanks Dad, Nate, Kim, Andrew, Danica, Amie, Kennlyn and Jaxson for the memories!! Also thanks Matt and Lindsay for letting your other half go--we missed you guys!!

Garrett wrote and said that no more fun family trips were allowed until be gets home. I say....we'll see...sometimes you just have to seize the moments!!

Nate and Kim will be moving to California in August. They'll be living there for three years until he is up for rotations and then residency after going to Podiatry school. So we won't be seeing them much after August. We wish them the best in their pursuit.

We celebrated Dale's dads 80th Birthday with his family with a dinner and program and then had a family picture taken. It was a nice day for all. Happy Birthday Grandpa Hansen-- wishing you many more!!!

Speaking of birthdays---I hit the big five-0 this year. You know I don't feel a day past 30 and hope to stay that way for awhile. Dale turned 51 and claims that I'll notice it, I hope he's wrong!!

Danica attended two Proms this month--Sky Views and one in Oakley, Idaho. She made the most out of her dress and looked stunning---my baby girl is growing up!!

Soccer is in full swing as well and her team seems to be struggling a bit--their record so far is 1 win 2 ties and 2 losses. She's getting a bit frustrated. Maybe that's okay though, it's always good to be humbled, right?

Elder Hansen knows humbled---for Easter dinner he slaughtered a duck and plucked it's feathers with a family. He said it actually tasted pretty good. His love for the gospel and the people of India is still growing and he is still taking the plunge monthly if not more!! The gospel will change people and the church is true!!

April Showers can't stop the Hansens from ejoying each other and experiencing this beautiful world we live in!!!

March Madness!!

2010-04-01T19:56:00.000-07:00

Okay so March came in like a lamb and went out like a lion--somethings gotta change right?
We at the Hansen Hacienda are open for a new look and are hoping to get some green soon!

Dale, Danica and I took a break from the cold and went to St. George for the weekend. Dale had meetings so Danica and I took advantage of it and tagged along. We soaked in the sun by the pool, went on two hiking trails and even spent a night with the Brady's and checked out their ward. It was a great out for all of us---

We also hit the road and headed west down Highway 84 and stopped in Burley to celebrate Jaxson's 4th birthday with the Mallory clan. We had a great day in the sun there as well--flying kites, (or maybe running around with the kites), chasing Jaxson's new puppy (Lucky), playing the Wii, having tea parties, giving hugs and kisses and just hanging out. Another great out for all of us---

Andrew,three guys and three girls hit I-15 and ended up in California over his Spring Break. They found some fun in the sun on the beaches and went where dreams come true--Disneyland!! Again the Bradys provided a resting place and a soft bed for the travelers heading there and back. You'd think Doug and Donna were running a family hotel!! They are great and so fun to visit with--we love them and hope we can return a stay next time their in Logan. A great out for all yet again!

Then to top off Andrew's Spring Break he asked Lindsay Olsen to marry him on top of Cedar Ridge and she said, "Yes"! So the Hansen family is growing--we're excited for them. Mark June 11th for the date!!!

In all the March Madness we were able to watch Danica play her first soccer game of the season--Rush vs. Infinity--the team hasn't had many practices, but enough to pull off a win 4-2. "It was so good to get out and run on the field", Danica said after the game. We will have a little break from games, but they'll be going strong through April and into May. One of the joys of spring!!

Another joy---Garrett was transfered to a new area in New Delhi and his companion is a guy he knew from the MTC, Elder Barrrick, from Idaho. He's doing great and having alot of success teaching the gospel and bringing families together.

Nate got accepted to Podiatry school in San Francisco and is on a waiting list for Arizona and Iowa. He's still finding the snow deep enough if he climbs high enough to go skiing and working full-time. Kim's perfecting and building on her photography expertise and has some jobs lined up. We had the whole clan here for a weekend and just hung out and enjoyed the family togetherness---life is great!!

Maybe March wasn't so mad after all!!!

February Frolics

2010-02-27T11:46:00.000-08:00

February--the month of highs and lows. We'll start with the highs and you decide the lows.

With the 2010 Vancouver Olympics going strong our household has been somewhat sleep deprived. We thoroughly enjoy seeing USA shine! Go team USA!!

Dale, Danica and I took a trek to Burley, ID this month to play with the grandkids and give Danica some sister togetherness time as well. We love hearing little feet run, giggles and the hugs and kisses that come with being grandparents. We also had some good laughs and shared hugs with my siblings when we got together at The Elements restaurant. We ate and caught up on everyones happenings. Thanks Steve and DeAnn for pulling it off. There's nothing better than spending time with those you love!

Dale and I finished our dance class--we have a deeper appreciation for the "Dancing with the Stars" contestants now. We found it hard just remembering all the dance steps we learned the week before! It was good for a laugh if nothing else.

Dale and I have both donned new looks. Dale is seeing the world a little sharper through glass lenses and I've acquired a "hip" look, thanks to Danica's tips in hair styling! We don't know what we'd look like without her around to keep us "updated". One of the benefits of having a teenager around!

Speaking of teenagers---Danica has seen her share of highs and lows. The Sky View girls basketball team ended their season going into the State play-offs as 2nd place in our Region. Danica got in a few Varsity games and got on the stats book for making some baskets even though she was in for only 2-3 minutes at the last of the game. She did have to get stitches after the big rival game against Mt. Crest however. She got elbowed good enough that her bottom tooth went through her lip. It required four stitches. Luckily there's not really a scar so her smile is still beautiful! Sky View lost in their State Play-off game, but there's always next year!

We went to a dinner/program that tied in with the REAL Championship Trophey Tour with her soccer club, Infinity, and they handed out team and individual awards as well. Danica got the "Most Outstanding Defender Award" for her team! Soccer will be starting up in April so she's been doing indoor training to prepare for that. She's keeping us busy!

Garrett's been busy spreading the gospel and thoroughly loving it! He writes--"I love being a missionary. I love studying the scriptures and being able to be taught from on high."

He was able to ride an elephant and said ,"It felt like he was on a moving and shifting boulder. However elephants are sweet and it was so cool !" He's been chased and almost starngled but still loves the people in India. He writes,"It's so awesome to be able to help people tackle their problems with the gospel of Christ. I love the spirit that is brings into my heart and into their hearts. One scriputre in the Book of Mormon is, 'Perfect love casteth out all fear.' I know that to be true." We love and miss our missionary! He's definitely had his share of highs and we are reaping the blessing of having him out in the mission field serving our Lord.

Speaking of casting out fear---Andrew has taken the plunge and went to his first class to be a helicopter pilot!! He's going to do it!! He adds new meaning to keeping your head above the clouds. We wish him the best on this new journey and hope all goes well. He said that he'll take his dad up the first time he can take a passenger to thank him for co-signing on the loans!! Is that good or bad?

Andrew's been working at ARS still and skis, fishes, climbs and sleeps in when he can. He's still seeing that Lindsay girl, which we feel is okay. We kind of like having her hang around.

Nate and Kim won't be hanging around for too much longer if Nate has his way. He's been invited to intervew at all the colleges he applied for. For now he'll fly to Iowa for a interview and then he and Kim will drive to Phoenix for a interview. We're hoping for Phoenix, it's closer to home.

Kim's enjoying her job taking pictures of newborn babies. She's also got a few photo jobs lined up on the side. Nate has started full-time with his job. It's putting a kink in his lifestyle, but he realizes that he has to pay bills now and needs the funds to do it. We wish them the best in their adventures.

So there you have it, the highs and lows at the Hansen Hacienda. If you noticed however, there's alot more highs---we realize we have been blessed and are grateful to our family, friends and the Lord for what we have.

January Closing

2010-01-31T20:13:00.000-08:00

The beauty of the frost on the trees made up for the days of inversion and fog. That's January for you in good old Cache Valley!! I'm glad we live where we can see a few more blue skies however or I'd probably have cabin fever.

To avoid the cabin fever I took a little trip to Desert Springs, CA with two of my long-time freinds--Kathy Fishburn and Jeanette Petersen. We soaked in the sun, shopped, soaked in the sun and shopped!! It was to celebrate our turning the big five-O that's creeping up on us this year. The Golden Girls Retreat will be yearly now for sure--we had a blast!!

Nate has sent in his papers to schools in Arizona, California, Iowa, Ohio and Pennsylvania to see if he can get an interview for being accepted into podiatary school. We're keeping our fingers crossed!

Kim recently got a job as a photographer that will take pictures of the newborns at multiple hospitals in their area. Will this make her baby hungry?

Our Idaho Spud Diggers, living in the banana belt, got dumped on--I say good for them!! It let's em' get a taste of Utah!! Kennlyn can now say "Grandma" and that puts a big smile on you know who's face!! All's going well for them and we hope it stays that way.

Andrew was ARS's employee of the month! Some of the reasons why were he's great to work with, has a great attitude, is an all around fun guy. He has patience, every day he is happy and no matter how big or small the work is, he goes and helps. WAY TO GO Andrew!!

Probably the biggest thrill for Andrew this month was that he was able to fly a helicopter!! He took a intro-flight and flew around our house a couple of times and got the instructor to hover it in our field out back so we could take pictures. Then he got to fly around some more. This got him hooked--he's going to start helicopter school in February if all goes well.

Garrett was playing cricket with some kids in the street and one of the kids found out that they were from USA. The kid said with huge eyes, "You are from the most powerful country in the world!" Garrett thought that was pretty sweet.

With the tempatures dropping to the 40's Garrett felt very blessed to have the means to buy a space heater. There were a ton of people around fires in the street, and sometimes he'd go chill with them and talk with them and would get contacts that way.

He was suprised to see Burt and Teresa Isrealsen, from North Logan, show up to church at his branch. It was good to visit with someone so close to home.

He had quite an experience recently when a member died from intestinal problems. Garrett and his companion went to the house to give the family some comfort and the body was alreadyat the house. They set up a tent in the park and brought the body wrapped in a blanket and layed it on a table. This family is one of the few that got to go to the temple and be sealed together, so Garrett and his companion had to dress the deceased in his temple clothes. The branch president and Garrett and Elder Petersen were the only endowed ones, so they used blankets as walls so no one could see, and they dressed him. Garrett never thought he would have to do something like that in his life, but he did that day. It was the first time he's touched a corpse, but he was happy to be able to help.

Basketball Update:

DRIVER UP-DATE---
With the snow and ice come the slick roads. Danica has done pretty good so far. She's only had two slide-offs that weren't really anything serious. She's learning that you can't stop or turn on ice very well even if you're going 20 mph. Hey, at least she's learning, right?

Danica had a picture she'd done get a ribbon in the art show at Sky View and will be entering that picture in an Art Show in Brigham City next month. She's just brimming with talent!!