January/February so far...

2012 is off to a good start!

Shelley and Jorgen started swimming lessons again and both are doing great! I'm hoping they'll both be good swimmers come summer since going to the pool with four kids five and under will be quite the challenge.

While the older two swim, Elsie hangs out with me. For some reason she loves it when I fill the lid to my water bottle up with water. It keeps her entertained, and hydrated, the majority of the time. Fun girl!Shower time after swimming.

The kids came home with a fun surprise one day after church. The lesson was on making good choices and both of them had papers that had their grandpa's quote on it from conference. Jorgen still remembers his grandpa's stories from his talk. It made an impression even on a little five year old.

Our little Shells Bells...

While going through Jorgen's journal from school, I found this. Can you guess what he drew?
Chess with his Dad. Made me smile.

Tub time.

Jorgen and Shelley went to one of their friend's super hero birthday parties. They still run around the house with their capes and masks on.

Our blue-eyed Elsie Kay.

Els likes to talk on the 'phone' a lot. Bananas and feet make great phones.

Shelley loves to draw people. She's getting pretty detailed when she draws and I love seeing what she creates.

Jorgen loves to climb trees!

And he sometimes gets battle wounds from the trees when he climbs them...check out his cheek.
The kids love playing in Elsie's crib together!
My parents have visited my mission in Ukraine a few times but the most recent time they attended one of the wards I served in for nine months. It was so fun to see pictures of some of the people I love so much.
This is my parents with Ira. We taught her and she was baptized when I was there and was only 12 at the time. She's now 20 and going strong still!

This is the Yevdokimov family (minus the sister and dad). The oldest son actually served a mission in my parents mission so that was really neat to have two different connections with this amazing family.

And this is Pasha and Anna and their cute family.

Jorgen celebrated his 100th day of school and all the kids decorated shirts to wear on that day. Jorgen really wanted to do a lego shirt so we came up with some designs for his shirt.

Chess in the park
lighting bolt (he loves Cars and Cars 2)
Space ship (Jorgen just did this on his own)
100
TJH for Thomas Jorgen Hansen

Elsie wearing Jorgen's hat (which is actually a hat my sister made me a long time ago)

These two girls are such good friends.

Shelley loves to practice writing her name.

We have been going through boxes and organizing rooms in preparation for the baby and I found my old glasses. Hideous, right! The kids loves trying them on!

Sorting through some of the baby gear...The older kids will think it's more fun than the baby I think.

Elsie wearing my shoes...

Shell and Els picked outfits out for their baby brother.

Shelley got her first pair of aphakic glasses! They are THICK! They are only for backup if she gets an infection and can't wear her contacts and they have been so nice to put on at night once we take her contacts out. It took a day or two of getting used to them but she is a champ. I'm so grateful that she can see!