Hansen Hotline

Can it be?

2011-05-23T16:08:00.000-07:00

He turned 18 years old, he's graduating with his High School Diploma and an Associate in Technical Arts, he's now a certified welder, and he's moving to Arizona in three and a half short weeks! That's 1500 miles away. Aaack! Where did the time go?!? 18 years wasn't enough! For him, maybe...but not for this mom!

But we couldn't be happier for him or prouder!

CONGRATULATIONS

JORDAN!

♣ Happy St. Patrick's Day ♣

2011-03-17T11:23:00.000-07:00

Brooklyn needed a bit o' green this morning so we whipped up one of these cute four-leaf clovers out of leftover wired tinsel ribbon and some vintage white buttons and hot-glued a safety pin to the back. We thought they turned out cute enough to make a few extras for teachers. Wish I'd snapped a photo before they rushed off but, alas, I did not. Jaeden's teacher got a shamrock with stem, and Brooklyn's teacher received one similar to this. What do you think?

I'm thinking that if I'm more prepared next year, we could make some really adorable ones out of all kinds of scrap bits 'n' bobs!

May you always have

Walls for the winds,

A roof for the rain,

Tea beside the fire,

Laughter to cheer you,

Those you love near you,

And all your heart might desire!

♥ The Hansens

♥ Happy Valentine's Day ♥

2011-02-14T01:00:00.000-08:00

Wishing family and friends a very sweet

♥♥♥

Valentine's Day!

Capiz shell hearts that are hanging over the dining table. This is the extent of our Valentine's decor this year. Love the simplicity of them.

Wish I could send these pink tulips to you! I've enjoyed fresh cut flowers lately - dreaming of a little spring.

Our youngest turns 10 today! Two ten year-olds under one roof for a week. Me-oh-my! Time is a flyin'!

Ice Capades

2011-02-10T13:12:00.000-08:00

Keith took Jaeden and Boo to the ice rink, for the first time, last Saturday. This is what Boo has to show for it! She was doing great, and they were almost to the end of the 2 hour open-skate session when she tried going around someone and fell. Oops!

Jordan and I met up with them at the Urgent Care. When I got a look at it and saw the swelling on one side in particular, it was pretty obvious it was broken. Her arm was x-rayed and the radius was broken on a diagonal almost completely across just below her wrist. A splint was put on till the swelling could go down.

Today was cast day! When the splint was taken off, we took the opportunity to wash her arm really well. It doesn't take much to make Boo gag and she was already having a hard time not gagging from the smell after only 5 days! The bruising has turned to an ugly yellow-green and there's still quite a bit of swelling.

Brooklyn wanted an aqua blue color and this blue was the closest they had. The assistant came in to put on the cast and forgot Boo had asked for blue when she started putting on the pink. When she realized her mistake, she told Boo she'd make a special, striped cast just for her. I think it's great 'cause it tones down that bright pink!

Had to take a pic before it gets filled up with writing. Big bro Jordan was the first to sign. She goes back in 2 weeks for a follow-up x-ray.

We tease Brooklyn that this broken arm is her birthday present - she'll be 10 in a few days. She tells us it's not funny! :-p We tell her that at least she has a good story to tell about how she got it.

Upcycled Window

2011-01-20T10:45:00.000-08:00

While I'm doing 1,001 posts this morning, I thought I might as well show you what we did with an old window we've hauled around for 3+ years. I saw the idea in a floral shop display in our little town. Bingo! What was once just an old window, hanging on the wall, is now a functional piece of art! And the best part, it was all FREE. I had these mini iron brackets we'd hauled around, in our many moves, along with a few pieces of old fencing and voilà! Keith built me this totally cute shelf. Like it? Oh, and this is where the milk glass vases, I mentioned here, now reside.

Lefse

2011-01-20T10:32:00.000-08:00

The kids and I were invited to make Lefse over their Winter Break with a lady whose grandparents came from Norway, I believe. Being the amateurs we are, she had us make the kind using flour instead of potatoes since it's supposedly easier to work with. I think we need quite a bit more practice, though. None of ours were uniform like hers.

See?

But we still had a great time! They tasted good, too.

Coffee Stands

2011-01-20T10:17:00.000-08:00

Here is something you might see next to a coffee stand here in the Pacific Northwest.

Located in Allyn, WA

Love driving along the Puget Sound! The kids and I took a jaunt here over their Winter Break. Most times I venture outside the house, I am smitten with how beautiful a state we live in. I am so fortunate.

Upcycled Door

2011-01-20T10:03:00.000-08:00

We've hauled this old door around for a couple of years now. I thought it'd be fun to turn it into something useful so I showed Keith a few ideas of cupboards I'd saved and he built this wonderful piece to fit the door. Need to seal it when the weather is better to preserve the wonderful chippy patina and rusted doorknob. Want to possibly whitewash the rest of the cupboard or at least the trim. What do you think?

I can't stand going more than a few days without decorating something, so of course this got the 'Anita treatment'. : ) Found bits and pieces around the house that I enjoy and threw together some vignettes on the shelves. Of course, I meant for this to be totally functional - not just decorative. But for now, I'm enjoying the "pretties".

The milk glass vases I've collected from thrift stores and Goodwill, have already found their way to our bedroom and the inside of the cupboard is currently sporting a more simple coastal theme. But I'm thinking it'll revert back to garden-y very soon. I'm already thinking I want this piece in a corner of the master bedroom to hold quilts and such. Hmmmm.... I have ever-so-many projects in this mind of mine. Now if Hubs just had the time required. Gotta love him!

A Shelf

2011-01-20T09:48:00.000-08:00

Jaeden, what are you building?

For me? Awwww...thanks!

Target Practice

2011-01-20T09:43:00.000-08:00

Brooklyn's dad got her a BB gun (she's a tad bummed it's not PINK) and so her older brother is giving her a few pointers.

Having a big brother can have it's good sides.

Uh-oh ~ Mom has the camera out. . . .better put on the hood. Maybe it'll dissuade her from taking pics.

As if . . . .

Catch Up

2011-01-20T09:06:00.000-08:00

Remember this post last Monday? This is what transpired that evening.

Even though it was a school night, the kids (and dad) made good use of the snow by sledding late into the night. Gotta take advantage of it 'cause you never know how long (or not so long) it will stick around!

It did start raining early the next morning and the snow was ALL gone by the time the kids got home from school.

White Flowers

2011-01-20T08:48:00.000-08:00

Ahhhh...the hope of Spring.

Hyacinths just starting to pop

Had to buy myself these mini tulips at the market yesterday. Okay, it wasn't the market, but the grocery store. Just love the sound of market much better. The cashier asked if they were for someone else or me. They're for ME, of course! Every girl needs some fresh cut flowers in the house every now and again, right?!? Especially when skies are gray - hence, the not so great lighting (I dislike using flash).

The pretty flowers make me want to get outside and work in the garden, but it's so cold out still. Can you believe the weekend is just around the corner again? Where do the days go? What are your plans this weekend?

White Stuff

2011-01-10T08:59:00.000-08:00

More snow pics??? We know you're probably tired of seeing pictures of it on our blog, but we LOVE the stuff! We don't get it that much so it's still a novelty to us. It's coming down at a steady clip this morning and already is so much whiter than this pic I took about 15 minutes ago. School is NOT cancelled. Whoohoo! I can stock up on a little peace and quiet in case school is closed later in the week. I'm trying to mentally prepare myself for a heavier snow that's been predicted. Make sure freezer and pantry are stocked. Blankets and quilts clean. Clothes laundered in case power goes out.

So. . . . . happy Monday morning!

New Year's Brunch

2011-01-10T08:15:00.000-08:00

Cannot believe I didn't take ONE picture of the potluck brunch we hosted on New Year's Day. We had a wonderful turnout - 44 people to be exact! I was in charge of making the coffee and made 100+ cups. Had to keep the people who'd stayed up late New Year's Eve awake. Lots of delicious food, too. We hope everyone had a nice time. I know we did! After brunch, there was lots of visiting and game playing. Great way to start off the new year - with dear friends!

These two pics were of our bonus room and the tables we set up New Year's Eve. Not the best, but you get the idea. We did simple centerpieces of silver/gold/black noisemakers and silver and gold wrapped chocolates.

Happy 2011!

Sky & Sea

2010-11-30T22:18:00.000-08:00

While we were so close to Vancouver, BC, we wanted to do a little sightseeing. We discovered that because it was the weekend, for just $1.75 - $2.50 per person, we could ride the SkyTrain and the SeaBus all around Vancouver and all day on that one ticket. What a bargain! So we hopped on the SkyTrain at a station and rode it to the Vancouver waterfront where we took the SeaBus across to North Vancouver and had lunch at East Side Marios.

Riding the SeaBus from Downtown Vancouver across Burrard Inlet to North Vancouver.

North Vancouver

"Our" SeaBus

Another SeaBus we watched cross the inlet

I'll take one of those yachts, please...

The fish market in North Vancouver reminded me of our very own Pike Place Market. I'll skip the octopus today, thank.you.very.much.

Looking back towards beautiful Vancouver.

Our trip back on the SkyTrain. We purposely hopped in the front car so we'd have the best view.

Our holiday went all too quickly!

Wedding Barn

2010-11-30T21:33:00.000-08:00

Keith's uncle has acreage further away with an amazing old barn on it. Uncle Ralph had a granddaughter who wanted to get married here this last September, so they cleaned it out and set it up for an adorable country wedding! We got to see pictures of the wedding and the next day we took a tour of the old barn. I could totally move in and call it home. It was such an awesome barn! We were talking about how neat it would be to hold all sorts of events/parties in this barn if it wasn't for the liability factor.

Love the old ice house sign!

I could NOT imagine climbing the ladders in the lofts. I got dizzy just thinking about it!

A transom window above the barn doors - how cool is that?

Leftover props from the wedding. During the wedding, they even had a couple of calves in one corner with hay bales around them. I guess the children just loved it!

Looking at the old barn wood out back. What I wouldn't give to use some of that for flooring in our house!

Back of the barn

Loved this moment I caught of Cousin Kayla taking a pic to probably post on Facebook.

Beautiful farm country

Waiting for the loooooonnnng train

Of course, the first thing Brooklyn does when we get back to the dairy is check on the calves.

We can't wait to visit again! The last time we really spent time here was when Brooklyn was ten months old and now she's almost 10 years old!

Dairy Farm

2010-11-30T21:03:00.000-08:00

We spent the Turkey Holiday at Keith's uncle's dairy farm in BC. Brooklyn was in LOVE with these sweet babies, and who could blame her!?! She spent a lot of her time visiting them and bottle feeding them. Most of the calves in this area were about 2 weeks old.

This little darling was only 2 days old.

The pens for the older calves.

Showing off their rubber boots. The ground seemed even more mucky because of the recent snow that had just melted after raining all night.

The feeding barn.

Jaeden sitting on a tractor. He got to go for a couple of rides on them with Keith's cousins.

Keith's mother's maiden name is Newman and this is her brother's dairy.

One of two silos on this property.

I cannot believe I forgot to take pics of the milking barn! When I went through it, it was all dark, and I didn't get up at 5:30 AM for the first milking. Next time... Jaeden, however, was ALWAYS up early to help out with the milking. He loved every minute of being on the farm. I would have to say we ALL did!

Thanksgiving

2010-11-30T20:39:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving Day, we were up bright and early and ready to head to British Columbia, Canada for the holiday. Unfortunately, Brooklyn and I had been battling the flu since Monday, and she didn't make it out of the house without being sick once again. We decided to relax for a few more hours to see what we felt like by noon. She was feeling MUCH better so we finished loading up the van and off we went. We made it to the bottom of our hill without any mishaps and were greeted by this beautiful sight.

Picturesque, isn't it?

We stopped and picked up Keith's mom and made our way north. It was a pleasant enough drive - the rains had started and the snow was melting. Actually, the highways were quite clear almost all the way up. We didn't see snow on the roads until we were north of Bellingham where they'd received a bunch early that morning.

Stickin' Around

2010-11-24T10:38:00.000-08:00

Sunshine!

Love it that we got sunshine and yet it's still cold enough to keep the snow around.

Pics all from Tuesday but last two from early morning before sun came around.

Kids are out of school for the 3rd day in a row. Imagine. A whole week off for Thanksgiving. Wish I were a kid again! : ) The fun part about living on a hill with snow - perfect for sledding!

No School

2010-11-22T10:13:00.000-08:00

Late afternoon yesterday

This morning

Frosty hasn't found his magic, yet. Still looking for his limbs, facial features, and hat.

Ahhhh...that's better! (late afternoon)

Feelin' the MAGIC!

Mid-day

Last night

Sorry pics are somewhat out of order - dear ol' Blogspot is trying my patience.

Snowing yet again tonight. Wonder if we'll have school tomorrow. Think Thanksgiving Break has come early for us!

Soup and hot spiced apple cider on the menu tonight. Lights are flickering - hope power doesn't go out since we have a pellet stove and not a wood one. Brrrrr - at least we have lots of blankets.

31°F when I checked at about 4 PM.

Perfect Ending

2010-11-21T15:46:00.000-08:00

What could be better than a cup of homemade hot cocoa after playing in the snow?

Click on to enlarge - Mmmmmm...

Snow update: 3 inches and counting...

First Snow

2010-11-21T13:45:00.000-08:00

What we woke up to this morning - a few perfect flakes. Note the big star-shaped one in the center.

It's starting to snow even though you can't really see it.

See the accumulation?

It's really starting to come down now so we'll keep you posted with the progress! : ) Kids can hardly be contained until we have enough to really play in.

Edited to add: This is just 1/2 an hour later.

Snowman in progress

Jordan getting ready to head off to school for a few more days before Thanksgiving.

This momma has now officially entered the 'biting nails' stage. Don't like the thought of him driving out in this weather in his new (to him) pickup. Dad at least weighed down the back with some heavy blocks.

An iron fence project he's taking to school to work on is also weighing down the back.

Poinsettias, Anyone?

2010-11-21T12:10:00.000-08:00

These pics are for you, Dad! Wish you were with us. They remind me of Grandma - she always had them at Christmas time. I took Brooklyn with me to Degoede Bulb Farm. It is the place to go this time of year for Poinsettias! Also a fabulous place to visit in the spring when tulips are at their peak.

Who knew there could be so many poinsettias in one place at a time,

and so many different varieties?!?

It was cold outside, but inside the greenhouses it was a perfect 70°.

Can you guess which one was Boo's favorite?

Pink, white, speckled, deep burgundy red, bright red, cream . . . . . with names like Cortez Red, Feeling Pink, Sonora Jingle, Silverstar Marble, Cinnamon Star, Enduring Pink/Red, etc.

A peppermint colored one! Probably my favorite, but we didn't get one this time. We picked up white ones and, of course, one pink one!

Carving

2010-10-30T19:15:00.000-07:00

Eeeewww...

Going batty

Whoooo's th-there???

Leaves, Anyone???

2010-10-30T19:08:00.000-07:00

Wanna come jump in a pile?

We'll gladly share with you.

Pumpkin Pickin'

2010-10-29T17:25:00.000-07:00

We (Mom) procrastinated this year in making the trek to the pumpkin patch. After all, we have a patch of little pumpkins right here at home. The kids didn't find them adequate for carving, though.

All shapes and sizes this year - acorn looking ones, deep orange ones, bumpy ones...

Scarecrow Boo

We thought these two were the final picks - not so.

These pass Jordan's final inspection. Jordan told the younger two, "If you can't carry them, you can't keep them." Hmmmm. . . .wise young man, he is.

What's cuter than baby animals???

Have a Happy Hooliween!

Silly Me

2010-10-22T11:32:00.000-07:00

I was standing outside on the deck this morning mesmerized by the leaves "snowing". It was absolutely beautiful! Lots of work later, but oh-so-pretty watching them swirling and twirling down.

I tried catching them in mid-air on film. Didn't work.

That was until I realized I'd just locked myself out of the house on a cold fall morning with the possibility of more rain in the forecast and barefoot to boot. Ugh! What good is a cell phone and keys when they're in the locked house? I was a tad thankful that we didn't have close neighbors when I found myself having to climb in the bathroom window that was higher than my shoulders.

First item on the agenda today - get an extra key made.

Pumpkinabra

2010-10-21T09:34:00.000-07:00

Ever since I found this candelabra, I've wanted to do this with it!

Now, if I could just find some bittersweet vine to twine through it.

What greets our guests.

Poor Keith. The leaves fall just as fast as he can gather them! I'm loving the look of it, though!

Yum

2010-10-21T09:12:00.000-07:00

Much prettier in daylight, right?!?

Inherited Flowers

2010-10-19T18:57:00.000-07:00

Maybe I've said it before, but one positive aspect to living in different places is we have inherited the previous homeowners flowers they planted. This has given us the opportunity to have had many beautiful surprises over the years. Our newest home is no exception!

Just look at these beauties. Yes, I know these pics are horrid - taken at night. But I just picked them and couldn't resist showing them off.

I'll retake some photos in the morning tomorrow when the light is much better. So come back soon!

These happen to be just outside Brooklyn's window - lucky girl! The lavender tinted edges even match the paint color she inherited in her room.

It's Beginning to Look....

2010-10-15T10:47:00.000-07:00

a lot like fall around here.

Real pumpkins mixed with faux ones

Squirrels and Acorns

A simple centerpiece using what's on hand -
acorn squash, leaves from the yard, and unpopped popcorn

Is your home looking like fall has arrived?

Happy Fall!

2010-10-08T11:34:00.000-07:00

A peek at our pumpkin patch

A view from our living room.

I know, it doesn't look like the lake. You're right! Yes, we've moved once again - but we bought a house this time and we're putting down roots. Yay! Love, love, love the new place. How can we not, with a view like this?

Our front yard complete with leaves, pumpkins in the garden, and a fabulous view of the valley below. It's perfect!

Silly Squirrel

2010-07-22T23:08:00.000-07:00

As soon as I can figure out a better way to upload videos besides Blogger, I will put one up of this squirrel on our deck that was adamant that the rope go with him. He couldn't seem to figure out why it wasn't budging.

Then he did his best to shred it and stuff his cheeks full, but the rope still wouldn't cooperate.

He was quite persistent and wasn't taking no for an answer. The video is hilarious. So, coming soon to a blog near you. . . . .

Right Place, Right Time

2010-07-22T22:53:00.001-07:00

We couldn't believe our good fortune when Keith was driving by a neighbor's house last week. The man was wheeling these out to the lane and Keith commented on how neat they were and what might he be doing with them? The neighbor told him he was going to put them out by the main road and put a FREE sign by them, but if we were interested we could just take them. I think my husband finally "gets" me!

These make me smile every time I see them. I love their colors, the little bits of rust, the fenders, the matching metallic seats and handlebars, the perfect sounding bell on the blue bike (which Jaeden thought he could commandeer for his own bike - as if!).

The coveted and treasured bell

Boo has even ridden it around a few times. They are in great shape (in spite of the rust) for how old they must be.

I recently saw a saying that I love - "My heart will always be ~ in a little cottage by the sea." Yup, these would be perfect by said cottage. ♥♥♥

Proud Mama

2010-07-22T22:36:00.000-07:00

These are the stainless steel medical carts Jordan has been making for his employer, Pacific Cataract and Laser Institute. They're what the doctors' tools are put on to be sterilized. The hole in the bottom right is for the water tanks he welded. The guy who hired him chose him out of his welding class at the college because of the quality of his work. It's been an awesome experience for him this summer!He also gets to work in a hangar with "one" of the company planes and gets to see the company pilots fly the Learjet's, etc. So he comes home with pictures on my camera like this. . . .
and stories to tell of all the air traffic that goes in and out of there. Only time will tell if he'll follow in his great-grandfathers' and uncle's footsteps of being pilots.

Newest Addition

2010-07-22T22:19:00.000-07:00

Jordan adopted an 8 week old hedgehog on July 11th. Her name is Bella. He was going for Sonic but decided it didn't fit a female.

You can read more about where Jordan got her here - Bloomin Hedgehogs. There are also current listings of babies available for sale. Jordan has researched hedgehogs quite extensively now and seems to be quite the "expert".

We've all enjoyed holding her for a bit. She's getting quite comfortable now and likes to explore. We now know that in addition to her special food, she's fond of chicken and raspberries and not so fond of bananas or meal worms (which can be a favorite for hedgehogs).

I'm loving having a baby in the house that isn't my responsibility! When she takes care of business, Jordan can clean up after her. Finally! It's come full circle. . . . .

A Wonderful 4th!

2010-07-22T21:57:00.000-07:00

Being on the lake this year for the 4th of July certainly spoiled us! We had the best fireworks show I've ever seen. There was a panoramic view of fireworks going off in every direction. The only problem was knowing where to look so you wouldn't miss it all.

We even had a ton of our own that was set off at the end of the dock. I was too busy oohing and ahhhing to remember to take pics of them.

Yahoo!

2010-07-22T21:47:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I rented a 2011 Mustang convertible and took Brooklyn and niece Kayla up to Seattle to shop for the day before Kayla went to visit cousins in AZ. We dragged Kayla into a bunch of stores and were constantly giving her things to try on. She was an awesome sport about it all and indulged her aunt for the day. We enjoyed lunch at the Cheesecake Factory and made sure to take a piece of cheesecake home with us. A great memory!

Summer and Lovin' It!

2010-07-22T21:02:00.000-07:00

One of Jaeden and Brooklyn's favorite things to do is tubing behind the boat on our lake.

Right after their ride, they talked me into going out with Brooklyn. Suffice it to say that for the next 4 days, any time I moved my arms I was reminded of what I'd done. Ouch! Note to self: since I no longer carry a baby in each arm, I must work the arms out more.

Berrylicious

2010-06-17T19:18:00.000-07:00

Our local berry stand just opened today! We had to make a u-turn and pick up a flat of strawberries for ourselves.

Don't they look positively yummy? There is nothing like local strawberries. They are red and juicy all the way through! No white in the middle like other strawberries. The lady at the berry stand said they're about a week later than usual due to the cooler weather we've been having. Strawberries will be here 3 more weeks before the raspberries are picked. Berry season goes all too quickly!

Just Ducky

2010-06-17T18:59:00.001-07:00

I took Brooklyn this afternoon to the park to feed ducks. We even got in a long walk around the trails once she'd played on the equipment.Local Landmark - Olympia Brewing Company. Click here to read more about it.

Around the Yard

2010-06-17T18:30:00.000-07:00

It has been fun working on our "upper" yard. It was a wild jumble of plants and weeds until recently. We inherited a bunch of rhododendrons from Keith's aunt and uncle who have raised them for years. They have now formed the border of this little garden area nearest the road. The hanging thing was already there - we just moved it and raised it higher. It will be adorned with little hanging baskets and maybe some bird feeders soon. We transplanted a few rose bushes.
Keith and I created a little seating area with the picket fence in the background to camouflage the electrical box. Most of the plants we put in were from a show we did a while back. I need to find something pretty to climb it and fill in. Any suggestions? There are already a few purple plants along it. The maple is in front of the telephone pole to eventually hide it with a salvaged door (from our last house) leaning against the pole. The cement bench was rescued from our neighbor's garbage pile. Yes, I realize the pillars underneath are crooked - must fix... The wire triangle will be graced with climbing English Ivy as soon as I can find some. The pavers are leftovers from a landscaping job Keith did. We'll fill them in with gravel. It's meant to be a bit rustic and cottage-like.
We've planted lavender on either side of the bench, purple campanula, a small boxwood hedge and existing huckleberry that needs some shearing. I found the cutest little metal gate to go between the two huckleberry. I'll post a picture when I remember to take one. It'll look prettier when we get some bark spread around, too.

What do you think so far?

More flowers from the yard. It's always fun to see what comes up this time of year.

Love the afternoon sun on these beautiful smelling roses.

Jordan's Birthday

2010-05-04T12:06:00.001-07:00

Even though Jordan's birthday was April 27, we celebrated it this last Saturday. His request was Mexican food so we put together a Mexican Fiesta for him. The menu was Chicken Enchiladas, Carnitas, Carne Asada, Miami Black Bean and Corn Salad, Mexican Rice, Cilantro/Lime Rice, Pico de Gallo, Guacamole and Chips, and Fruit Kabobs. It was a lot of work, but so fun and worth it! Many thanks to his 2nd mom, Kathy for all the recipes she emailed me - we used most of her family's favorites and then some!
Of course, what's a day at the lake without going for a spin around it or casting the fishing line in?

Jordan's dessert request was cheesecake and homemade chocolate chip cookies. Wish my cousin Cheryl was here from AZ - her cheesecakes are out of this world! Since she wasn't here, Costco's had to suffice.

Happy #17 Jordan! Wow. . . .

Loved the cute little chili pepper picks and had to add them to the cheesecake.

Jordan and his cousin Kayla modeling some of the party decor.

An "Awwww" Moment. . .

2010-05-04T11:54:00.000-07:00

While enjoying the beautiful weather on our deck Saturday, we noticed these two families of Canadian geese swimming in the lake. The babies on land are a bit younger than the ones in the water.

Isn't spring wonderful?

Bald Eagle Nest

2010-04-30T11:44:00.000-07:00

If you haven't seen this, yet. . . . .you must!

(picture above, not related to the link)

The link is to a baby bald eagle cam, in the nest, real time in British Columbia, Canada. After clicking on the link, scroll down a little way and click on the play button. Watching it can be a lot of waiting, but if it's feeding time or something more exciting like that - it's worth the wait! Hearing the birds sing and watching the wind ruffle the feathers makes you feel like you're really there! The kids will enjoy seeing it when they get home from school today.

Fishing Derby

2010-04-26T11:28:00.001-07:00

On Saturday, the lake had a Fishing Derby. The fishing was not so good and the weather was even worse. It rained most of the day. Lots of people still turned out for the event so there were many boats on the lake. The kids and Keith only caught two fish, the largest being about 14 inches. The winner was just over 20 inches. At 5:00 PM, everybody gathered at the restaurant on the lake for the drawings. Brooklyn came home with a six person tent and Jaeden came home with a ball. Fortunately, Sunday was a dry day so the kids insisted they try out the tent. They set it up on our 2nd story deck overlooking the lake. Prime real estate, I'd say. What a view out their front door.

(click on picture above to get a better view)

Yes, they even spent the night out there. The report in the morning: Brooklyn said she stayed warm and cozy, but couldn't sleep 'cause of all the noises. Jaeden said he slept well.

I remember sleeping in a tent in our backyard with my brother when we were kids. Our view wasn't quite as nice, but we had a great time. Makes for fun memories!

What's a Girl to Do...

2010-04-26T11:17:00.000-07:00

...on a Sunday afternoon? Make bouquets, of course! Brooklyn was looking for something to do and decided to fill all my canning jars with fresh bouquets from what was blooming around the yard. Two of our neighbors were lucky recipients as well!

Beautiful pink Rhododendrons and sweet Bluebells.

We now have bouquets on the kitchen windowsill, on the dining table, on an end table in the living room and even on top of the wood stove.

Ahhh . . . . Spring in the Pacific Northwest.

Front Yard

2010-04-20T16:31:00.000-07:00

This is what our front yard looked like last October when we moved in. Not horrible, but too messy for Keith's standards. Doesn't our house look itty, bitty from this view? You can't see the daylight basement that adds that much more.

Pavers laid, block wall installed on right for seating/raised flower beds. . . . . The house and shop will get a whole new, matching coat of paint this summer.

New white picket fence to be painted this summer. I keep thinking of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn when I think of my kids whitewashing it this summer. Speaking of Huck Finn, Keith left a couple of Huckleberry's by the fence and trimmed them back. Saturday, we went plant shopping. We decided to go with a monochromatic scheme - whites.

A Contorted Filbert. Love the curly branches. I think it adds fun character.

Keith built an arbor that has a darling little picket gate. We planted a white jasmine and a white (of course) clematis to go up the arbor. There are a variety of green mosses, a variegated holly, a creamy white heather, lily-of-the-valley (May's flower for my twin and I) and ummmm..... I can't remember. . .Keith??? I need to pick his brain again. . . .

He added a block wall on the right side of the little shop where we store our garbage cans out of sight. There's a sloping gravel pathway where we can easily wheel the cans out to the lane for pick up.

The kids and I did all the digging and planting Saturday while Keith shoveled the bark and then the kids and I raked it out. There was a little reluctance on the teenager's part because it was raining, but once we all got out there together, we had a great time - mud and all!

In the picture below, you can possibly see that it was absolutely pouring rain! It hadn't been raining that hard, but after the kids and I had finished up and Keith was putting the finishing touches on the arbor, it came hard and fast. He climbed down and ran under the cover of the shop's porch. It'd subside and he'd climb back up the ladder. As soon as he got up there, it'd start pouring hard again. He went up and down a few times and finally, on the third time, he gave up and just kept with it.

In the raised, rounded area, we'll add lots of pretty white flowers next month when it's not so cold out for them. I'm thinking a really large, old barn wood bird condo would look cute on the big stump or a pretty birdbath. I'm on the lookout for a pretty cast iron/metal one.

As a reward for finishing early with every body's help, Keith decided to head out to go fishing for a couple of hours in the light rain. The rest of us had come in and gotten dry. Unfortunately, the next day Keith came down with a fever and chills. Must have been from being soaked to the bone for so long. We're glad to report that he's better now!

A picture the next day with the front of the shop cleaned up. When Keith built it, he made the sliding door out of old barn wood and the window is a really old one from one of our previous homes. I think it even has the original wavy glass in it.

As I type this post, Keith is out in the shop making me a fun little potting bench to go where the chair is on the porch. Can't wait to see it! We'll hang the life vests somewhere else. We're also going to add hanging baskets to the posts in front of the shop. We'll show more pics of the yard as the mosses and flowers start filling in. So handy-dandy being married to a landscaper! What do you think?

Steamboat Island, WA

2010-04-20T16:11:00.000-07:00

I went to visit Keith at a job site his crew was working on and couldn't help but take a few pictures of our neck of the woods. This was looking from where we were at in Shelton across to a little island called Steamboat Island. If you were to drive it, it's almost 29 miles, but as the crow flies. . . .it was just a short swim across the water. Click on this link to get an aerial map view. Amazing, huh!?! And all that water? Love it! That's just another part of the beauty in the Pacific Northwest.

Feeling Blue

2010-04-20T16:07:00.000-07:00

What happens when a kid from school's parent sends a blue ring pop home for your kiddo.

Thanks, whoever you are!

Seabrook Randomness

2010-04-20T15:44:00.000-07:00

A few more pics from our stay in Seabrook, WA before I move on to another post.

Stairs leading to the beach - great exercise!

Sunset from the top of the stairs above the beach.

A trip to the beach is NOT complete without building a sandcastle.
A door plaque on one of the cottages.

Fitting name to the road our house was on.

Well, hello Jordan! He was playing with his mini-helicopter.

Inside our fabulous cottage - dining/kitchen area.

Dining/living room

Living room, door to master bedroom

A gorgeous sunset over the Pacific Ocean.

We'll definitely visit again!

Seabrook, WA

2010-04-15T11:21:00.000-07:00

We took a mini-vacation in February to Seabrook, WA where we rented a fabulous 3 bed/3 bath beach cottage. If you're ever on the Washington coast and want a place to vacation, click the link above to plan your own!

Blogspot never seems to upload pictures in order any more and because of the amount of pictures on this post, I won't bother to sort these this time. If you are adverse to looking at a bunch of architecture/beach homes, you better skip this post.

If you are game for reading to the end of this post, thanks for humoring me!

The first thing on our agenda the morning after we checked in was to take a walk through the neighborhood.

A cute row of beach cottages facing a small park.

Nothing like the details - beautiful lighting, transom windows, wood siding . . . must I say more?

Enclosed porches.
Painted shutters

Cedar shake siding

Wraparound porches

A fave - one of several

Arbors at the front gate - remember this was winter so the flowers weren't blooming, yet. Would love to go back when the vegetation is beautiful.

New beach camp cabins under construction
A great shuffleboard game in progress between Jaeden & Keith!

It comes in handy when your outfit matches your bike! This blue house below is one of my top picks! It even had a matching breezeway and attached garage. Very nautical looking with blue and white and the red accents.
Love the cheerful yellow color!
A 2nd floor balcony and a 3rd floor dormer - cute!

This one could be a keeper! I think it stretches the "cottage" idea, though.

An abundance of fabulous lighting choices.

Great architecture abounds. . .although some of these almost look too formal for the beach, in my opinion.

The super-wonderful market that so kindly stocked our fridge for us before our arrival. That in itself felt like a vacation to not have to haul food for 6 people x 3 days on a "camping" trip. Loved it from a mom's standpoint!

See a peek of the ocean through the trees?

One cottage that even had a "lodge" look. Cute except it seemed out of place at the ocean instead of in the woods somewhere. Adore this bell. If anyone comes across one just like this, let me know - would ya?!?

Great little cafe, although we didn't get an opportunity to check it out. We tried, but they weren't quite open when we went by. Guess they don't do "early". Life at the beach. . . . The great Pacific Ocean

and a peek at the progress of the 2010 Coastal Living Idea House. Click on the link to view the latest updates. I cannot wait till it's open for the public to view. Coastal Living is one of my all-time favorite magazines ever! And their Idea Houses are awesome. I couldn't believe my eyes when I read in one of their magazines (or maybe it was their website) that they were building one this year in our neck of the woods. So this is proof that we were there during construction.

Notice the house above and the picture below. They are the exact same house. Above was taken in February of this year and the one below was taken in August of 2007 when we happened upon this brand-new community just being built. Also, the flowers were all in full bloom and the grass was gorgeous. Now do you see why it would be great to go back when everything is flowering? What a difference it makes!

We could just take our pick of a couple of beach cruisers to use during our stay. They said they were phasing out that perk because of the abuse the bikes got and people wouldn't return them. The neighborhood association would have to go around the community and collect them after people left. Also, the salt water is very harsh on them and they rust easily. Costs are too great for it to continue being a free service. Anybody want to open a bike rental shop?

Our rental was the green Craftsman, pictured below, called the Seastar Cottage. Three sets of French doors opened up onto the porch where we grilled our meals.

Oyster shells lined the streets and walkways. How fitting! Although, Keith assured me that it wasn't the best of ideas. The bits of shells track into the houses and onto the hardwood floors so easily and sure enough, he was right! We had to do lots of sweeping to keep from scratching the floors. So - cute idea, but not practical!

A couple of houses across the street from us. I'd like to rent the one in the middle just to see what it's like. Loved the beachy color scheme of white with aqua trim/shutters. Not all of the houses in the neighborhood are for rent, some are just part-time vacation homes for the owners. There are only about 8 actual owners that live in the community year-round.

Thanks for your patience! Wasn't that fun? Which one would you pick? It might have felt like I took a picture of every house there, but that was just a few of them.

February Birthdays

2010-03-29T10:23:00.000-07:00

We celebrated three birthdays in an 8 day period.

Brooklyn turned 9.

Keith edged closer to the big 4-0.

Jaeden has reached the ripe ol' age of 10!

This was the first year for the kids to not have a homemade birthday cake. Kinda missed it. Keith's mama made him his usual lemon meringue pie. Yum! Glad she came through 'cause with working, I forgot! That was definitely a first in 11 years. Oops. . . We made up for it by going to the beach for a few days, though.

Northwest Flower and Garden Show

2010-03-11T15:40:00.000-08:00

I cannot believe how February flew by! The first weekend of the month, Keith and I spent a couple of nights in downtown Seattle. We attended the Northwest Flower and Garden Show in the downtown convention center. What a great way to be inspired and get one in the mood for Spring!

A picture perfect potting bench! (hint, hint - Keith)

I loved this planter - a mix of natural wood and industrial metal complete with beautiful flowers (I want to say larkspur or delphinium, but I'm not sure. Keith....where are you?)

Isn't it wonderful?

Loved these sweet little flowers - again, I had to ask Keith what they were and have since forgotten. I love picking his brain when I see something I want to know the name of!

Can you imagine this on the wall of your home? Gorgeous!

I loved these metal pots (galvanized metal?). Sorry the pictures aren't the best. Crazy indoor lighting. All of these flowers were forced/greenhouse flowers. It wasn't quite tulip season.

Cute metal garden trellis - I think I see a project for Jordan in his near future. . . .

Isn't this a fun chair for a garden? There's an abandoned one out of driftwood near our house that I've been dying to ask if the landowners will let me take home. I just haven't gotten up the courage to ask and I know Keith already thinks I'm a little cuckoo for wanting it. But I can just see it in the garden of our beach house - uh, you know . . . the one we're going to have in a few short years (wink, wink).

Bad lighting and you can't tell how MASSIVE this tree was. I'm still wondering how they got it up 3 or 4 flights of stairs and set up indoors as well as securing it so it wouldn't topple on the crowds if bumped.

An outdoor retreat. What you can't see is that the back wall under the plants had a water feature/waterfall. What a peaceful place to relax!

The show even had a couple of booths with my favorite kinds of vintage wares.

An unfocused picture that I'm embarrassed to post, but I just had to show you. It's not my taste, but I appreciated the whimsy of this canoe mantle. It was beautiful wood, too!

The rustic wood and stone combination was a nice idea.

More beautiful flowers under bad lighting.

A unique garden gate.

Fun checkerboard moss carpet!

A very whimsical table for a garden theme: stepping stone chargers, burlap napkins, fairy garden, twiggy table. Cute idea! But I'd have to post a sign - no leggy spiders, wiggly worms or hungry ants are invited!

Fabulous cut flowers and timeless ivy.

Love hydrangea!

An example of ingenuity. The chair, pillow on chair, picture frame, chandelier, rug, and even the dog are made out of some form of vegetation.

Did you enjoy the tour? We did, but it was even better in person! We had a great weekend complete with dinner at The Cheesecake Factory, shopping at Anthropologie, some treats from See's Candies, and good ol' city immersion.

Mountain Springs Lodge

2010-01-30T20:09:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday, we left home in the wee hours of the morning, stopped to pick up our niece, and drove up to the snow in Leavenworth, WA for the day. We got there in time to enjoy a scrumptious buffet breakfast in front of the massive fireplace in the Mountain Springs Lodge. A girl could get used to that. . . . .Kayla and Jordan already dreading Mom dragging the camera out.

The hooligans.

They couldn't wait for the real fun to begin!

Hey, look! Here comes our ride.

The website said we'd get to feed the horses in the meadow. Hmph! That was if you were on the right sleigh (which we weren't 'cause I wanted to ride the "pretty" one). And I thought we got to hand feed them, not dump a few pieces of hay off the back of the sleigh as we glided along. But who's complaining? We got the pretty sleigh to ride in!

It was a gorgeous and mostly sunny day just for us!

Wild turkeys

Our shadows on the beautiful and sparkly snow.

Now this is what I call a sleigh! I'd love to go for a ride in one of these someday. . . .

At the end of the ride, we warmed ourselves by the campfire and drank hot apple cider - the best I've ever tasted!

The main lodge where we had breakfast. They have many cabins on the property and the next time we go, we'll definitely rent one. That way we can play more in the snow. It was hard to throw snowballs this time because the snow had more of an icy layer on it and it was pretty crunchy. Felt more like dirt clods being thrown at you.

Jaeden and Boo practicing their turning.

What everyone was really waiting for. . . .the snowmobiling! Usually they take everyone out in groups, but we were fortunate enough to get a guide all to ourselves.

If you click on the picture above to enlarge, it looks like Boo is checking to see if her nose is still attached after the cold ride.

We took a few breaks along the way for pictures and play.

Boo was tickled about how deep the snow was here - past her knee.

Cousins - who cannot wait to go back on a MUCH longer ride.

The view including Lake Wenatchee in the middle.

Great memories were definitely made that day! We look forward to many more this year.

Happy 2010!

Love,

The Hansens

Lions and Tigers. . . .Oh My!

2010-01-30T18:44:00.000-08:00

At the beginning of January, I took the kids to the Oregon Zoo down in Portland. It was really cold out that Saturday, but the rain held off. We got there early and it was so beautiful and peaceful, very few people out.

Our first main stop was the Lorikeet area. We each got a little cup of nectar and when we went inside, they swarmed us. This was definitely a highlight of our day.

We discovered that Jordan's hair makes a great nest!

Sorry I can't turn the video around, but it's more for the sound anyway.

Nice kitties. . . . .

Bats - way too creepy for my taste! Ewwww!!!

I'm second-guessing the whole driver's license thing.

Love these kids! And cannot believe they will be 10, 17, and 9 in just a few short weeks (Jordan in 3 months). We went to the Old Spaghetti Factory in Hillsboro, OR for a yummy lunch. Fun times with fun kids!

Holidays

2010-01-30T18:03:00.000-08:00

Nana and Papa paid us a visit at Christmas time. They drove up from AZ to spend a couple of weeks with us while the kids were on their break. The time went all too fast!

What??????

2009-12-09T08:12:00.000-08:00

(pic from 08 driving to S. CA)

7 degrees outside! It'd be nice if there was some snow to go with it! Heard Flagstaff, AZ had 20+ inches. Boy, does that bring back memories of sledding down the hill behind Aunt Peggy & Uncle David's house! Homemade sleds and all...

Bundle Up!

2009-12-08T07:19:00.000-08:00

It's a whopping 10 degrees Fahrenheit this morning! Brrrr...... Make sure you're staying warm wherever you are!

Catching Up...

2009-12-06T15:22:00.000-08:00

A super quick overview of our lives since Oct 31. I sure miss blogging and feel so out of touch with everyone right now.

We moved.....again......on Halloween.....
Fact: we've now lived in three (yes, that's 1, 2, 3) houses in less than one year.
It's been said to us that we must surely be good at moving/packing by now. Well, the answer is yes, we think so, but believe us - we don't enjoy it! Lots of craziness, that's for sure. Just makes us wish we had a tent, some bedding, and the clothes on our back. Sure would make moving easier! Makes us realize how little we "need".

This time, it didn't help that I went back to work full-time for the first time in 10 years just two days after moving. Needless to say, the house still isn't in order like it was the last time. Which drives me nuts every time I come home from work and think about all that needs to be done.

Jaeden and Boo got in some pumpkin carving after the move - not the same night, though.

Story of the bees - We took the van down to Keith's work so he could pick up a rail for the door to his new shop he's been building. We closed the doors and buckled in. As we started down the road, I looked over and saw these bees in the rail (it was between the seats right next to my face) and they were starting to stir from a winter's nap. Yikes! I kept my fingers crossed, took a deep breath, and prepared to bail if they decided to meander far from the nest. Luckily, our house wasn't far and they didn't get too wound up. We definitely didn't hang around chatting in the car once we got there!

We had an opportunity the weekend after moving to get to spend a day in downtown Seattle with some of Keith's family - some from AZ.

Our sister-in-law Jolene with her granddaughter - our grandniece.

Good food, good times.

The guys had to see if they could fit the giant burgers into their mouths. Took a bit of work.

Keith's brother and his two sons. The baby belongs to the one on the left. Who knew when I left AZ ten years ago that this part of the family would make their way down there? Funny how that works!

We enjoyed a small Hansen reunion the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Aren't these turkeys and pilgrim hats, that some creative gals made, cute?

The gorgeous lake we live on. We're trying to tempt people to come see us - can't you tell?

The latest love of my life. . . . isn't it beautiful? I adore old mantels and the chippy brown and blue paint makes it perfect! Ignore the ugly stove - someday this beauty will go over a real fireplace! Since I quit blogging on my cottage blog, you all have to put up with things like this every now and then.
Don't you envy us, just a teeny-tiny bit, to be able to slip out the back door and into the lake on a whim? Brooklyn, Keith, and Jaeden took off to do a little fishing yesterday afternoon. Hmmmm...do you think this could be why we're not getting a whole lot of unpacking done?

We hope you had wonderful times with friends and family in November and we look forward to sharing our December with you! Where, oh where, does the time go?

Jordan finishes up his first semester at college on Monday and we look forward to him being back home during his Christmas break. My parents are planning on coming up from Arizona for the holidays as well. We're excited about that!

Love to all and to all a good night!

The Hansen's

Moving On...

2009-10-24T19:50:00.000-07:00

Goodbye, sweet house! Oh, how we have loved you.

In the neighborhood
Fall wishes to all our friends and family!

I can almost taste the pumpkin pie!

We hope you're enjoying all that fall has to offer! Where has October gone?

Annual Trek

2009-10-10T18:52:00.000-07:00

We chose a different pumpkin patch to go to this year. It's always fun to check out new places! This one is in Chehalis, WA.

The kids love the ones that include animals to pet!

Hope you're all enjoying these wonderful fall days!

Creepy

2009-09-26T17:40:00.000-07:00

These pictures always give me the heebie jeebies. . . . .ugh*shiver*ick

I've been meaning to post them since last November when we were in Southern California. We were at a rest stop and I happened to be looking at the maps/brochures that they always have on a board. Our niece Kayla came around the corner saying, "Ummm...Anita....there's a big spider crawling towards you..." It didn't take long for me to move, that's for sure! Tarantulas just aren't my thing. I wish I had a coin or something next to him so you can see how big he really was. With Halloween coming up next month, these are maybe appropriate to post - what do you think? I can hardly stand to look at the pictures. *shiverrrrr*

Macaroons

2009-09-26T10:47:00.000-07:00

Jaeden and Brooklyn love to cook and bake.

Brooklyn's latest endeavor yesterday after school: coconut macaroons. Now if we can just work on getting them to look like the beautiful macaroons in Paris bakeries. . . . .
They were a hit with everyone but Jordan. Keith loved them and as a result, they didn't last long!

Overheard this morning: Jaeden telling Brooklyn "Come here and fight like a man." Seems to have gotten her ire up a bit! Wonder why...

Another Wedding

2009-09-24T11:24:00.000-07:00

Last week, I had the opportunity to help prep and serve food for a wedding of some friends of ours. The wedding was held at the Schmidt House in Tumwater, WA.

A pretty little pool strewn with flowers

The amazingly talented Kathy, mother-of-the-bride, with a brother-in-law whose wedding we attended last year.

The beautiful, beaming bride, Kati with her father

Can you feel the love???

Kati & Forrest

The wonderful buffet for the guests

I wish I had taken a picture of the crab cakes and salmon tarts that the mother-of-the-bride made.
What you can't see is how delicious everything was! The cakes were also made by the mother. Lemon with raspberries and lemon curd (the best ever!), chocolate decadence, white chocolate and strawberries, hummingbird cake, etc.
All of the bouquets and flowers were done by an aunt of the bride. This family is truly filled with the most talented, kind-hearted, sweet people. It was such a pleasure working with all of them and getting to know them a little better! Of course, spending time with the family's first grand-baby who was just 3 weeks old was a wonderful plus!

More wedding pics can be found here.

Cheesecake Recipe

2009-09-23T12:03:00.000-07:00

Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake

with Gingersnap Crust

(Super yummy & very easy to make!)

Prep Time: 20 min
Total Time: 5 hr 35 min
Makes: 16 servings

What You Need!
25 Ginger Snaps, finely crushed (about 1-1/2 cups)

1/2 cup finely chopped Pecans

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
4 pkg. (8 oz. each) Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup sugar, divided
1 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
Dash ground cloves

Make It!
HEAT oven to 325°F
MIX crumbs, nuts and butter; press onto bottom and 1 inch up side of 13x9-inch pan.
BEAT cream cheese, 3/4 cup sugar and vanilla with mixer until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each just until blended. Remove 1-1/2 cups batter. Stir remaining sugar, pumpkin and spices into remaining batter.
SPOON half the pumpkin batter into crust; top with spoonfuls of half the plain batter. Repeat layers; swirl with knife.
BAKE 45 min. or until center is almost set. Cool completely. Refrigerate 4 hours.

*****************************************

I made this for a potluck a couple of weeks ago and it was a huge hit! It's rich so a small square goes a long way. Perfect dessert for fall. Let me know if you make it - I'd love to hear your thoughts on it!

Puyallup Fair

2009-09-23T08:14:00.000-07:00

We took the two younger kids out of school an hour or two early so that Uncle Fred and Aunt Jolene could take them to the state fair on the 14th. Jordan had already been with his cousin Kayla.

The fair isn't complete without a ride on the Ferris Wheel.

Great views

Fred and Jolene enjoying the ride

I was amazed that the kids were game for going on all the rides they did. They're finally tall enough to go on almost everything. Uncle Fred had a blast watching them!

We had a great time at the fair! Of course, I didn't join the kids on all the rides or else I would've been rather sick by the end of the night. Did you go to any fairs this summer?

Back to School

2009-09-08T08:07:00.001-07:00

Does 4th grade come with attitude? The cooperation factor was missing this morning, but I did manage to get one un-blurry photo of Jaeden (finally).

Brooklyn looking forward to the 3rd grade.

I so wanted a picture of them together (I tried), but now the moment is gone forever...

Jordan still has 2 more weeks before he starts, and I promise a picture then. Even if I have to sit on him to get it done!

With Mrs. Pietila.

I just had to take this picture of the school bus in the fog. It shouts FALL. 'Twas a damp, cold, brisk walk this morning, but it sure felt good. Brooklyn was talking about a cold nose and I was telling her that's what scarves are for - wrapping around your face to keep you warm. Brrrr....and winter isn't even here, yet. I'd happily send some of this down to you Arizonans!

Can't wait to hear all the wonderful first-day-of-school stories they come home with! But first things first. Do I tackle cleaning the office, do the dishes and tidy up the house, or run to Starbucks and relish a few moments of this new quietness? Hard decision. . . . .

Where Are You???

2009-09-05T13:10:00.000-07:00

We haven't disappeared. Really, we haven't! Just don't have a whole lot to blog about right now.

The two youngest kids are starting school on Tuesday (whoohoo!) and the oldest starts on the 21st. Can't believe we have a 3rd grader, a 4th grader, and a college student!

I'm looking forward to all that FALL brings. School, routines, crisp weather, sweaters, leaves changing color, candles burning, pumpkins, baking, and the list goes on. . . . .

What do you look forward to in the fall?

Surprise!

2009-08-03T10:56:00.000-07:00

That's the name of this 3 week old colt. Our friend Diane invited us over to see the little guy yesterday.

The kids had a great time feeding, petting, and leading him around.

His mom is Luna. The kids rode her here.

Snack time.

Surprise was aptly named because he definitely was one. No one knew Luna was expecting until Surprise showed up late one night. He's a sweetie pie! The kids look forward to seeing him more and getting to ride Luna again when she's ready.

It reminded me of growing up around horses on my grandma and grandpa's farm. Those were the days!

Old Friends

2009-07-30T11:50:00.001-07:00

We had friends visit us a couple of weekends ago from Eastern Washington. They're so faithful about coming to visit us at least once a year. The kids always get along great!

Brice bicycled with Keith in '91 (?) from WA to AZ. Brice & Leann own a very successful bicycle shop in a university town. For a wedding gift, they gave me a bicycle. Isn't that great? It's so fitting.
Funny thing is that I knew Leann's brother in AZ long before I even knew Keith and met Brice & Leann. I probably even saw Leann at her brother's wedding and never knew it!

Growth

2009-07-15T10:17:00.001-07:00

Click on the house picture to see how our flower beds have changed!

Edited to add: I've changed my other blog to invited readers only ('cause I'm not updating it anymore), so if you're still interested in seeing the change, just email us and I'll give you a password. Thanks!

Our 4th of July

2009-07-13T18:10:00.001-07:00

It was a HOT one here in WA! In the 90's. Keith and Jordan worked all day on a big project so I took Jaeden and Brooklyn for the day down to Portland, OR. We went to a couple of stores, had lunch at IKEA, and then decided it'd be nice to dip our toes in the water somewhere.

We crossed back into WA and visited the cute little towns of Camas and Washougal, along the Columbia River, where we found a place to walk down to the water. A lot of the beaches looked crowded and crowds were the last thing I wanted to deal with so this place looked just right! I believe that is Mt. Hood in the distance (correct me if I'm wrong).

We wished this little cafe was open. It looked so fun and right on the water! We'll have to go back.

Isn't the name even fun? Love the sign! Almost made me think of being in the Caribbean again.

Trying to keep cool.

This beautiful, sweet puppers wanted to play with the kids. They were waiting to load the boat onto the trailer and she snuck out once to come say hi to the kids. Kinda funny how quiet she was sneaking away, and then her owner noticed! See how she's looking longingly at the kids splashing in the water?
Sweet hands. If you look closely, you'll see she's a nail-biter! Is that a given maybe 'cause she was a thumb sucker? I know I had that bad habit as a kid (nail biting - not thumbsucking). Jordan does it, too. If they only knew what they were really chewing on!

So refreshing!

It felt funny and unreal that it was the 4th. Usually we're together as a family for the day. We still had a nice day, though. Hope you did, too!

On the Lake

2009-07-13T17:32:00.000-07:00

Jaeden & Uncle Jerry

Keith & Boo

Jordan

And yes, here in Western Washington we wear clothes out on the lake 'cause it's cold!

Mayfield Lake Park

2009-06-29T16:52:00.000-07:00

We camped here last weekend. We had a great time! We had a partial view through the trees down to the water. Once our campsite was set up, the kids got their bikes out and went for a ride.

We were glad to have gone mid-week because hardly anyone was there and the park had lots of great trails/roads to ride on.
This was just down around the corner from our site. It was a great lake to go sea-dooing on. More pictures of that next.

Drive By

2009-06-29T16:42:00.001-07:00

We went camping last week and drove by this gorgeous view. This is Riffe Lake.

Just ONE of the reasons I love WA!

I'll get some camping pics up soon . . . . just dealing with a computer that has more fits than a 2 year old.

Memorial Day Weekend

2009-06-18T15:23:00.000-07:00

Okay, so that was a while ago....but I'm trying to get caught up on posting, and I don't like to skip things we've done. Don't you like staying in the loop? So to catch you up, here's what we did the Saturday before Memorial Day. We heard through the grapevine about the 28 miles of garage sales going on out at the Long Beach Peninsula. They weren't near as good as we were hoping. Oh well, you win some and you lose some. Our consolation was getting to go to the beach and play the rest of the day! It was chilly out there as it usually is on our beaches here in the Northwest, but nothing a sweatshirt couldn't handle!

It was windy, but not quite enough to get the kites up for long.

Keith & BrooklynOkay, who's the wise guy?
I have so many more pictures of Brooklyn because she's so much easier to get to cooperate - in case you're wondering why.

It sure is fun to run your toes through the sand!

But not so fun to remove it before getting into the car. We were taught the trick of sprinkling baby powder on and the sand rubs right off. Still, how do we end up with a beach full of sand in the car when we get home? Crazy how that is. . . .

We went to a BBQ on Memorial Day itself. The first of the season! We love a good BBQ. How about you?

Bugz

2009-06-11T08:27:00.000-07:00

Brooklyn had a speaking part in a program at school on May 8 called Bugz. It was about different bugs going on a picnic. I didn't get a video clip of her part - oops. We heard it for weeks before hand. "That's right, I am a dragonfly. I may look rather odd. That's because I just went through a metamorphosis. For I'm an arthropod." She did very well, I must say.

Her moment of fame. . . .

A clip of one of the cute songs about fireflies. The kids loved having the lights out and using flashlights.

Chocolateness

2009-06-10T10:19:00.000-07:00

I don't think I ever posted this picture from back in February. I wanted to show off this beautiful cake that our niece Kayla made to celebrate all the February birthdays in our family. There are 3 in our immediate family alone! Sorry for the flash reflection, but isn't it pretty? Kayla's only 15! Don't you think she should start a business? Love the browns and turquoises. The cake was delicious, too!

Sweet Sixteen

2009-05-28T09:10:00.001-07:00

A short trip down memory lane...

(1st 3 are pictures of pictures so not the best quality)

3 months

I'm thinking 3 or 4 yrs old (any idea, Mom?)

I'm pretty sure he was 4 here. Taken at Rawhide in Scottsdale, AZ - 1997.

♪ Happy Birthday to Jordan on April 27th! ♪

He loves his cheesecake!

Oh how time flies! He got his driver's license this Tuesday so there is another teenager out on the roads of America. We're already looking into college classes for Running Start next year. It'll be over before we know it!

♪ Happy Birthday Dear Twin ♪

2009-05-17T19:46:00.000-07:00

Hope you're having a wonderful birthday all those miles away, Donald! ♥ Anita

Fishing

2009-04-26T18:42:00.000-07:00

A certain little guy had been counting down the days till fishing season officially began. He knew Dad had to work on Saturday, but there was the promise of a fishing outing in the afternoon to celebrate the start of the season. Even though Dad was at work, he had his pole and tackle box sitting by the back door all ready to go first thing in the morning. As soon as Dad got home, he put everything by the car in great anticipation.

They didn't catch anything, but they "had some nibbles" according to Jaeden. A little boy couldn't be happier that fishing season is now here! Anyone else "in the same boat"?

Married Cousins

2009-04-15T12:58:00.000-07:00

Our oldest nephew Chris and his sweet wife Krista from AZ stopped to visit us the end of January when they came up to WA to get the rest of her things. What great news to hear that they're expecting a baby at the end of the summer! That will make us a great-aunt/uncle. Can't wait to spoil the wee one!
We saw Chris' married sister, Molly Jo (middle) from AZ a couple of weeks ago when she was up to take care of some business. The cousins always have a great time together! Can you tell? Jordan, where's your goofy face?

Spring Break

2009-04-08T09:16:00.000-07:00

We had hoped to go up to Canada to Keith's uncle's dairy farm, but decided to stay home instead and do things locally that didn't cost very much.

We enjoyed visiting one of our favorite places last Tuesday. We'd heard that they had some babies on the farm so the kids were excited to go check them out. Even Jordan was looking forward to it! Only downside was that it was a weekday, so no fresh apple fritters for us.

Jaeden & Brooklyn always insist on a picture with the apple tree.

Strutting his stuff

The kids were delighted to see that there were some "escapees" that had climbed through the fence.

Love their fluffy little tails!

These little darlings were feeling rather frisky! The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.

King o' the barrel

It was a VERY cold and windy day so we didn't stay as long as we would've liked to. We still had a great time and enjoyed our day. During Spring Break last year, we were on our cruise so we were wishing we were on another one again.

Walkin' on Sunshine

2009-03-31T17:16:00.000-07:00

We took advantage of a rare day (lately, anyway) of sunshine and went for a nice long walk to the park. Walking is such a wonderful way to see things that we can miss when driving.

More evidence of spring

The Mr.

The middle child

The baby

The first born

Oops! He wasn't happy that he was forced to go on a walk and was uncooperative so I missed the opportunity to take his picture. He was in a much better mood on today's outing, so I promise a picture will be forthcoming.

Send more sunshine our way. . . . it seems to have been misplaced here!

♪ Happy Birthday, Dad ♪

2009-03-29T19:42:00.000-07:00

Thinking of you on your 60th and wishing we were there to help you celebrate! We hope you had a wonderful day!

Donald and Dad in Tennessee - Jan 2009

Signs of Spring

2009-03-25T17:48:00.000-07:00

Usually, I seem to prefer a palette of just one or two colors with flower groupings, but this year I am enjoying the showy, mixed colors. I have a whole new appreciation for them and am loving each sign of spring!

Faithful primroses
Sunny daffodils Keith brought home last night. They were closed, and the kids and I have enjoyed watching them open up one by one.

I'm thinking it'd be fun to attend the Daffodil Parade and Festival. I'm also looking forward to visiting some tulip fields here and here in the next few weeks. I'd love to see them some day in the Netherlands. Nothing like getting in the mood for spring!

“The splendor of the rose and the whiteness of the lily do not rob the little violet of it’s scent nor the daisy of its simple charm. If every tiny flower wanted to be a rose, spring would lose its loveliness." ~Therese of Lisieux

Cousin Time

2009-03-23T08:52:00.001-07:00

Last night, we spent time with family. My aunt and uncle were up from AZ, one cousin from northern CA and his family, along with the other cousin and his family who live here in WA. And yup, a baby was involved!

Isn't she the sweetest little bundle?

Grammy looks pleased as punch!
Not to mention Miss Brooklyn...

Baby's big brother

More cousins... This one was constantly on the move and I couldn't get a good face shot.

His brother however, loves his picture taken and is a little ham!

We had a great time together and, as always, time went by all too quickly! The fathers of these munchkins are so special to me. Growing up, they were more like brothers to us (my twin and I) than cousins. They both sang at mine and Keith's wedding, too. And that will be 10 years ago next month - wow!

I don't care how poor a man is; if he has family, he's rich. ~Dan Wilcox and Thad Mumford

Our Humble Abode

2009-03-21T10:54:00.000-07:00

Yikes!

See the progress???

We are in love with our sweet little home!

Much better, right!?

Of course, an extra bathroom, rooms for each of the kids, and a separate office space all are wonderful, too! Come visit any time - we'd love to have you!

We've Moved

2009-03-17T15:54:00.000-07:00

Should be back soon! We miss you all...

♪ Happy Birthday, Jaeden ♪

2009-02-25T08:36:00.000-08:00

Jaeden celebrated his 9th birthday on Sunday.

He baked and decorated his own cake this year. He wanted to, and it was a huge help with the rest of us being sick. Lemon with cream cheese filling and lemon frosting. Hard to believe this is his last single digit year! My, how fast they grow. . . He enjoyed a spaghetti dinner - compliments of dad.

♪ Happy #9, Jaeden!!! ♪

♪ Happy Birthday, Boo ♪

2009-02-14T20:16:00.000-08:00

It was a good one, in spite of being sick.

Our Valentine

2009-02-13T13:55:00.000-08:00

Here's our Valentine with her classmates today. I went down to the school to have lunch with her and play a little at recess. I got there in time to help make 100 Valentine's for the care center across the street. This is such a great age! All the kids think you're the best and Mrs. Hansen this, Mrs. Hansen that.

Brooklyn's teacher and class sang her happy birthday...Brooklyn started to not feel well during lunch and rapidly got worse. She went down to the office to have her temperature taken and sure enough, she had a fever of 100.7. What a day to feel awful! We quickly handed out her mini cupcakes, heart cookies and Capri Sun's for her birthday, she rounded up the Valentine's she got from the students and treats from the teacher, and we headed home. She has some Tylenol in her now and is content to be in bed looking through her Valentine envelope to see all her goodies.

♪ Happy #8 Brooklyn ♪

We hope she's feeling better tomorrow. She was supposed to get her birthday pictures taken. What timing! We'll have two eight year-olds in the house again for a week! What fun!

♥Happy Valentine's Day ♥

to all of you! We hope you get to spend it with those you love!

Horse Riding

2009-02-09T12:33:00.000-08:00

Meet Luna.

Our good friend Diane just bought a horse and was dying to try her out with the kids a week ago, last Saturday.

Luna is an absolute sweetheart! The kids just loved riding her.
Diane has offered to give Brooklyn riding lessons.
Brooklyn is in love with horses so it's right up her alley!
Jordan chatting with Diane's dad, Buck.
It was cold out that day, but the kids could have cared less!

♪ Toot ♪ Toot ♪

2009-02-06T08:49:00.000-08:00

I find it necessary (especially as his mother) to toot this young man's horn! He received his sophomore semester grades back and he's made HONOR ROLL! Great job, Jordan! He has a total of five A's and one B. Whoohoo!!! Three of those A's are really an A+ because he had 100% in those classes plus turned in any extra credit he could.

We couldn't be prouder . . .

PS He cut off those curls again - what a sacrifice! I'll have to subject him to another picture soon to prove it!

♥♥ One Happy Girl ♥♥

2009-01-30T14:03:00.000-08:00

Look what the UPS man just brought mere moments ago. . . . .

Aunt Marge in AZ is officially the coolest great-auntie a little girl could have! Brooklyn is literally hugging her new quilt, jumping up and down around the house, squealing "I love it! I love it! I love it!".
Mommy is of the same frame of mind. Isn't it adorable??? I ♥ the fabrics Aunt Marge used. I'd be hard-pressed to even pick a favorite. The polka dot border, the pink heart embroidery, ALL of it ~swoon~. This woman has awesome talent! Every time I visit my cousins' homes, they have another beautiful quilt she's done for them or one of the kids.
She couldn't have made a more perfect quilt for Miss Brooklyn. Pink and brown are the colors in her bedroom, she loves pink, the ♥'s are perfect for a girl born on Valentine's Day, and I could go on and on!

Thank you, Aunt Marge!!!

PS Aunt Marge's birthday was yesterday so I'm feeling a little guilty she sent someone a gift on her birthday.

MLK Jr Day

2009-01-21T21:13:00.001-08:00

The kids didn't have school on Monday (of course), so I decided to get out of the house and take them up to the Tacoma waterfront. We went to Ruston Way and went for a nice brisk (brrr...) and foggy walk.

My sailboat left without me...

Jordan has decided cars and trucks are for the unadventurous. He's saving his pennies for this boat!

An old fire boat

A bird encounter - far off.

Um, yeah...about that picture with all kids cooperating - not happenin'. Jordan and Boo were actually doing their best to help out, but not the Mr. in front. Things happen in threes? Having kids maybe, but not getting them to do the same thing all at once.

Looking across Commencement Bay towards Browns Point - no that's not smog, just fog.

Hope you enjoyed your day off - if you had one! We have another one this coming Monday. 'Semester Break' they call it. I really don't recall all these days off when we were kids. Or am I just getting old?

Grandma and Grandpa's

2009-01-08T12:03:00.000-08:00

The kids always love to play on the swing set at their grandparent's house. All of the branches are what Uncle Jerry, Jordan, and Grandpa took down when pruning. Looks like they worked really hard!

Our impish girl. She was feeling rather feisty! It was hard to get a picture without her tongue sticking out. That's the Porterfield trait being passed down. At least she likes her picture being taken. Both boys have gone through stages of immense dislike in having their pictures taken. Keith pruning a bit.

Jordan helping Grandma Hansen and Auntie Heather with the puzzle.

Cousin Jenny. She's so good about chauffeuring her cousins around. Thanks Jenny!

Goodbye Auntie Heather! We had a lot of fun being with you and playing games. Look at Jaeden. See what I mean about getting pictures? They're candid, that's for sure!

Brooklyn posing with the mini snowmen she and Jaeden built earlier in the day.

Deja Vu

2009-01-07T18:19:00.000-08:00

Welcome to our world tonight. So far we're "high and dry", but there are others preparing for the worst. It's very sobering (especially because it's been just over a year since the last devastating flood) to watch people around town sandbagging, moving furniture/belongings to higher ground and so on. The kids were sent home two hours early today after moving their books and equipment up on tables and desks.

No school tomorrow, but shhhh. . . . .please don't tell them yet. I beg you. . . .please don't. They were off two days early, pre-Christmas break for snow days and now this. So let me pretend they go back to school tomorrow. If only for a few more hours.

It's predicted to be worse than December '07. We heard 10 feet above the flood line. Time will tell. The HUGE snow melt is compounding the problem. I noticed places that weren't bothered by the floods back then that are preparing to be flooded this time around. Anyway, we feel fortunate to be sitting up high. Ya never know, though. Our basement could flood, but we hope not.

On to better things. I misplaced my camera on Christmas Day so I didn't get any pictures of the yummy food, table setting, or family. How could that happen? I'm hoping to have my sister-in-law email a few and then I can post some pics. Guess what? I haven't finished posting from our Thanksgiving trip either. Jordan bugs me about it, too. So I better get busy!

The following snow pics were taken December 21. I must have been getting a bit weary of the snow to not have taken more between these and Christmas. Silly me. . . Now I wish for the snow instead of the rain and flooding. We always want what we don't have. Funny how our human nature works!

Happy New Year!

The kids decided it'd be fun to have a little bonfire and roast marshmallows on New Year's night. The snow had just melted in the backyard and we had a big windstorm hence all the leaves. We were enjoying the outdoors once again in spite of how cold it was!

Our Snow Globe

2008-12-20T19:50:00.000-08:00

Are you tired of snow pictures, yet? 'Cause this is all it seems to be doing around here. We had a day of sun yesterday which was marvelous! It was so cold though that the snow stuck around and we had more ice form. Then the snow started again this morning about 10:30.It hasn't let up. It's so beautiful falling. It's just the right consistency and looks like we're peeking into a giant snow globe. Wonder what it'll look like by morning? We have almost a foot already. I worried about Maddie's paws being cold before. Now it's her belly, too.It already feels like Christmas Break should be half over, and it's just beginning. Uh-oh!