Have you noticed my ticker?

I don't really know how to set it up where I want it, but I thought it would be fun to have a ticker to let you know our latest news. . . .baby number 5 is due on May 21st! I'll blame the blogging hiatus on morning sickness! The fact that I had the energy tonight to get caught up is a hopeful sign that I may be almost done with the yucky first stages of pregnancy!! YIPPEE!!!

This little surprise feels so right that we know it's part of the Lord's plan for us. The kids have been so excited about it. I told them pretty early (week 8 I think). Each week we research on the internet about the development of our baby and are learning as things progress along. I thought it would be a neat science class for the next several months (especially since our children are particularly fascinated with pregnancy and childbirth--they want the dirty details--YIKES!).

Emma tells everybody that she'll be 5 when the baby comes and Isaiah will be almost 4. The other day, Isaiah went up to a member of our ward and said, "Can I tell you something? My mama has a baby in her tummy!" They are all so excited! When Damian first found out, he about knocked me over with a huge hug! Then he asked if he could hold the baby and help, etc.

Gehrig couldn't believe it when I told him. I had Isaiah tell him that he (Isaiah) was going to be a big brother. Gehrig said, "Well, you're not pregnant. You're not big enough." I told him that I could be pregnant b/c you don't start out big. It was so cute to see his eyes get large as realization set in.

Even though I haven't enjoyed the morning sickness, headaches, etc. of the first trimester, it has been particularly neat to have 4 children so excited about another sibling! We're really looking forward to this!

Random Happenings. . .

Gehrig. . .ever the climber. . .(Wheeler Farm)



Emma and her friend Allison riding in a car that a neighbor found at the dump--worked great with a battery!
I'm so proud of Gehrig's diligence with the piano. He practices every morning without complaint and truly practices (going over tricky sections until he masters them, etc.). This was his first "big" recital in a recital hall. He did a wonderful job (even with his shirt untucked!). He learned Albert Rozin's Little Concerto III this year and received a Superior rating!

 

I couldn't resist this dress for Emma and thought it would be fun to get pictures of my "twins." (The dress comes with a cute white sweater which I make her wear, but took off for a couple of pictures.) They are always so cute together!

 

I just love being a "reading" family! I found them all huddled around Gehrig while he read to them.

 

Our neighbor caught over 600 fish on a trip this summer and gave us several of them. Lou waited until he had the perfect fillet knife and then had a "fish fry" for us. The kids were in heaven! He hardly got any fish b/c they ate it up!

 

Happy Halloween 2010

Aren't they a cute bunch of trick-or-treaters? They enjoyed our ward party this year, which provided enough candy that Lou didn't feel guilty not taking them around door-to-door while I was nursing a migraine at home. Glad they had fun at the party!

 

Princess Emmarilla!

 

We tried out Emma White too. . .didn't make the cut (she hated the wig--itchy).

 

Our First Snow Day in October

When the kids woke up a couple of weeks ago to a snow covered world, they begged to get suited up and play outside. I had to push my task driving tendencies aside and recognize the benefit of homeschool. I let them go outside and play. They had a blast making three different snowmen/women. I enjoyed watching them work so well together and enjoy the snow so much! It was good day--I even had hot chocolate waiting for them when they came inside!

 

 

 

 

Wheeler Farm with the Genesis Group

We enjoyed a really fun primary activity set up by the Genesis Group at Wheeler Farm. We each got to pick our own pumpkin (which we took home and spray painted--forgot to take pictures).

 

We went through a corn maze. . .

 

Enjoyed a hay ride through the farm. . .

 

And fed the ducks. . .

 

Hogle Zoo with Washington Online

I enjoyed taking my monkeys to see real live monkeys at Hogle Zoo! We were all wearing red for school spirit (our online school set up our visit to the zoo for us).

 

 

 

 

The Hansen Reunion at Heber Valley Girl's Camp

This reunion has always been a highlight in my life, but it's extra special at Heber Valley Girl's camp! The missionaries that work the camp are so wonderful! They had so much fun with our little ones (Emma in particular--she's just so dang loving, always free with the hugs and kisses). Oh, Isaiah found the mud, so his pants were drying on the flagpole.
I thought it was so cute how Cameron carried his mother up the hill!
Each ropes course has one major activity and then a bunch of other "object lesson" activities. You can see how much fun everybody was having. If you look closely at the bottom left pictures, you'll see Aunt Marilyn and Honica on the rope swing.
Grandma was amazing on the rope swing! She had NO FEAR whatsoever! She was just smiling and having a good time! What a woman!! Damian enjoyed himself and even took the challenge to let go!

 

I'm so excited that I caught the bottom right picture of Gehrig. His face expresses the feelings that most have when they first let go! It's terrifying and then it's fun (as you can see if you look at his face in the other picture).

 

The picture of Isaiah on the right about undoes me! What a cutie! That expression is really a common sweet expression I get from him! He and Emma had a chance at the swing too. I decided that it would be better to just swing them a little and not take the all the way up. I didn't want to create a fear in them too young (although, I think Isaiah might have loved it!).

 

Emma

 

I'm sorry that I didn't take more pictures of the reunion. We had such a wonderful time. We missed all of you that weren't there!!

Damian's Baptism--September 4, 2010

The star of the show with his Daddy. What a handsome pair!

I wish I could have taken a picture of the look on Damian's face when he came up out of the water. The smile he had spoke volumes! He's a man of few words, but his smile can light up a room and let you know when he's feeling extra good inside!

We were happy to have the Campbells join us for Damian's special day.

 

Our best attempt at a family picture!

 

I think Aspen is next in line! What a cutie--what two cuties!

 

We were so excited to have Mimi, Papa, Mason and Aspen join us that day! :)

 

Our stake performs the baptisms in the order that the person to be baptized arrives. So. . .Lou and Damian arrived at least an hour early to ensure we would be first. The humorous and memorable part of Damian's baptism was when Isaiah needed to go to the bathroom while we were moving from the chapel to the baptismal room. I thought he'd be quick, but when he didn't come right now, I sent Uncle Mason in to get him. The 3 year old couldn't be rushed. We didn't want to start the baptism without Mason (or Isaiah) who had traveled over 3 hours just to get here--he couldn't miss it. So. . .we all had to wait. It was a bit awkward, but it all worked out and added an element of humor to add to our memories.

$2 Tuesday at the Dinosaur Museum

Here we are waiting in the long line outside the museum (I guess $2/person brings a pretty good crowd).

 

The kids had a blast exploring and learning about dinosaurs.

 

We finished with an ice cream cone and wandered through some of the beautiful gardens.