New Tradition

The day after Thanksgiving we went over to our dear bishop's home to decorate gingerbread houses with his family and another family from our ward. It was so much fun! I have decided that I want to make this a tradition in my family. Since our tree will always go up way before Thanksgiving, we have to have a tradition to do the day after Thanksgiving when the general population is just getting started with Christmas decorating.

While we got to chat with the other adults, Bishop Hammond kept the kids entertained. So SO nice of him!

Jorgen was in candy heaven! The entire table was filled with candy and the table was low enough and we were distracted enough that I think he consume enough candy for a year! LITERALLY! He was bouncy and hyper the entire night! He was just making up for his missing Halloween candy...disappeared in mommy and daddy's tummies:D.

I was totally impressed with Eric's gingerbread making abilities. He made his own gingerbread and shaped it using heavy duty man tools! And do you see that white backdrop? Well, he made that too. What I haven't seen yet is the ski lift that he was assembling when we were leaving. Really, we are talking some serious gingerbread making skills in this family!

And cute Kerry made the most adorable gingerbread house. This is the only shot of it, unfinished of course, but you can just imagine what the rest of this pink princess house will look like. Next year Shelley and I will make an all pink house:)Our house was smothered in all sort of candy, half of which is already gone. Disappeared in mommy and daddy's tummies no doubt!

Grandpa Joe and Thanksgiving

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! We sure had a wonderful time. Our adopted Grandpa (my sister-in-law, Siena's, dad) and his family invited us to join them for Thanksgiving. It was so much fun seeing them all again.

We met at the Stanford Park Hotel and had dinner there (easiest Thanksgiving prep ever...no cooking or cleanup;D). We had our own room and had a great time!

We then went to Joe's house to play some games and eat pie.

We sure love Grandpa Joe!
We feel so blessed to live so close to Siena's parents.
They are so good to us and treat us just like family.

This picture was taken earlier in the day. I want to remember how we overstimulate our daughter during her three hour patching period each day:) She spends time doing various activities that are all stimulating her eye and not just laying on the floor staring at the ceiling and chewing on a toy. This one makes me laugh because she is all propped up and I put toys all around with her accordion book in front for her to look at. She loves it. And I love looking at her, especially when she gets wiggly and pushes the pillows behind her back away and eventually slumps back on them. Like a true princess, just relaxing away.

Wagon Ride

Shelley and I were lucky tonight and got a wagon ride from Jorgen. We had so much fun and I can't get over how old Jorgen looks and how handsome he is!

Bird Feeders and Ninjas

I was reminded of some funny childhood memories the other day. Jorgen was taking off a long-sleeved shirt with a particularly small head hold (small for huge Hansen heads at least) and it got stuck around his eyes. I decided to take advantage of the opportunity and turn it into a costume. What can you make with a long sleeved shirt, you might ask? ... A super cool ninja, of course! I don't know if everyone did this or if it was just a wacky creation of my super imaginative brother, Jase, but I used to love making ninja shirts.

Jorgen thought it was pretty funny! I think this is his first exposure to ninjas.

Justin thinks his ninja mask looks more like an ewok in this picture. He was trying to mimic his cousin, Ember, who was an ewok for Halloween.

And just a random note, we made a bird feeder out of these harmone-induced, huge pine cones (ok, not harmone-induced, but really, the pine cones here are HUGE). We've had fun watching birds attack it when we look out our kitchen window. If you've never made one , they are easy and kids love to do it. Find a pine cone, cover it with peanut butter, and then roll it in bird seed. Easy!

Christmas came early!

We love packages! A very special package came in the mail the other day...early Christmas presents from Tutu and Dadu! A couple years ago my parents gave us the Little People Nativity. It was so fun to bring out this year again. My parents added to the Nativity set this year with the Inn at Bethlehem and it is so cute! They also got us the little drummer boy and the wise men extension but those are for next Christmas...so wise of them). We have a blast acting out that holy night. He knows the story so well now.

Also in the package was a DVD of last year's performance of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the King's Singers. We LOVE watching and listening to it. Jorgen loves the dancers and Shelley loves that we have music on and are dancing around her while she rolls around and watches us. How I love this time of year!

Thanks Tutu and Dadu!!

Our Sweet Shells Bells

These pictures make me smile! Justin let me take a little nap while Jorgen napped the other day and he took Shelley when she woke up. He was going to study while she played on the floor and in her excersaucer. Needless to say he didn't get much studying done because every time he'd look over at her and smile, she's just melt his little heart with one of her darling little smiles back. He just HAD to take LOTS of pictures. He is such a great dad! Shelley has him wrapped around her little finger! I love that he took so many pictures because each one is a little different and they are all soooo darling. She is just so cute!

The last of the many farm pictures

Towards the end of our fun, farm-filled day we took the golf carts out for one last spin through the walnut orchard. Shelley was down for a nap so we were sad she missed the fun but it was fun spending time with our little Jorgen. He is such a fun, loving, and always entertaining boy!

Newly planted walnut trees (I think they are two years old?).

We watched the sun set as we drove around.Mature walnut trees.

A flock of birds.

Driving sooo fast.Their property ends at a train track and Jorgen thought it was so cool seeing a real train track so close. Later on Justin took him out when a train was passing through and Jorgen thought that was even cooler!

Our little family minus Shelley. It's just not complete without her.

Jorgen being his crazy self.Justin took Jorgen on a ride to the tractors. Jorgen loves John Deere tractors and even has a little Farmer John so this was a special occasion for the two of them. Male bonding time:).

He sure loves his dad!

We also got to shoot some clay pigeons. It was so fun! I only took three shots (sadly, I only hit one of them) and I was so sore! Shot guns are mighty indeed. Taryn is a very sharp shooter! She never missed a shot and hit both of the pigeons when they pulled a double one! Way to go!

I look like a dork:)

Don't mess with the girls!

We all look pretty sweet for holding such deadly weapons!
We ate roasted hot dogs and had s'mores and had such a wonderful night! Taryn's dad and Brendon made a HUGE bonfire (not pictures) that was bigger than anyone I've ever been around. It was so fun!We ended the day with some Wii. Christian taught Jorgen how to bowl.

Trying to get the hang of it himself. It would be fun to own a Wii.

Many thanks to Taryn and Brendon for inviting us to their fabulous farm. It really was such a fun weekend, a much needed getaway!

Kiwis & Candy

Justin lifted Jorgen up so he could pick his own kiwi. He didn't have to lift very far, even I had to duck under the canopy.

Jorgen and Eva had fun showing us their kiwis.

Here some of us are in the kiwi grove. It was so neat under the kiwi canopy.

And above it too
Underneath again...

Yummy kiwi!

Those oranges were just too tempting!Have you ever tried a persimmon? They're pretty tasty!

Jorgen had fun with the men! Thanks to Brendon he got to reach a high branch and hang around like the monkey he is;).We went to the cutest penny candy store. This face reminds me of my nephew Kinnon and all the funny faces he would make at this age.
He was in heaven
The penny candy store also sold hawaiian ice!
It was so yummy and the perfect before lunch snack;)!