We've had a birthday!!

February 2nd 2008.  That is the day that our precious baby boy was born.  Each year, the day that we celebrate his birthday.  On every one of the kid's birthdays there is the inevitable telling of the birth story.  Each of the kids has their special claim to fame - Kasey gets the wild ride to the hospital while Mom banged on the window, and dad losing his glasses lens in the nighttime grass and having to crawl around to find them before we even got in the car.  DJ gets the almost-C section and the special blessing that seemed to speed up labor so that he speedily made his entrance before his heartbeat dropped any further.  Karly was the tiny baby whose entrance was bumped up by a few weeks as she was not getting adequate nourishment - faulty umbilical cord.  Preston forced his poor mother to be on bed rest for 2 weeks, (I know, just terrible...) because he was supposedly not thriving like his sister, but after coming two weeks early he turned out to be a burly (and mightily displeased young lad), but he seemed to get over it eventually.  Now we have another birth story, but this one is very different.  We don't know this story, and more than likely never will, at least not in this life.  I like to think that he was anticipated with great joy, and that for those few weeks that he was with his first family, that he was also welcomed with love, though also, with sorrow.  My heart cracks whenever I think of his birth mother and the process that led to her realization that her baby could only get the necessary medical care he needed if she gave him up.  In China there is no medical safety net, and Mason's feet and legs needed interventions that were out of reach for any but the wealthiest of people to undertake. I hope she was able to store up some memories and impressions for those precious few days that she had this beautiful infant.  I also hope someday that I can thank her - and tell her that - oh my goodness - he has been loved.  I want them to know that I think of their sacrifice every single day, and am grateful for the privilege I have had to welcome their little bundle.  The bundle that was placed in the safest of spots - a police station - where he would be immediately found and cared for.  The doctor that checked him over decided he looked like a wise young man, and named him Wen Sai, apparently a famous Chinese scientist.  Our birth story is a little longer for this child.  Our insistent and subtle tugs that there was a member of the family missing, and that member of the family was, inexplicably, in China.  Our journey through red tape, and interviews, and at the end of it all, a plane ride, and later a bus ride through a smoggy city where we would finally, at long last, get to meet our son.  It's a great story.  It didn't happen on his birthday, but it's our story nonetheless.  My heart will always ache a little every February 2nd, for my son, that he doesn't know any of the circumstances around his birth, no funny stories or anecdotes about a wild ride to the hospital or anything at all really.  I will always think of those parents, who are not celebrating that day like we do, with presents, and cake and games and lots of love, and for the story that is all theirs, that we don't share with them. For now, our story will have to do - I think it will do.          

The peace after the storm

It is 11:43 am on a Thursday morning, the kids are finally back in school, I don't have to work today, and the peace and quiet that I so love has finally descended.  I even put the dog in her crate just to ensure a completely interruption-free interlude.  (The cat, however, is always welcome, he is our dear old gentleman and I would never deny him a welcome, as he always knows how to be a low-impact companion.  Plus he's super soft and purrs a lot.)  Though the cold here is nothing like Minnesota, especially now - when schools there are closing for -45 degree weather (yes, that's a minus!!!), it has been uncharacteristically cold here, and school has been cancelled outright, and a 2-hr late start today.  But now - at last - silence.  Though Mason did miss the bus, (it came way early!!), and I had to drive him, and he said he hates school, and he said couldn't put on his seatbelt because it was 'too cold', and the van broke down IN THE DRIVEWAY, and the dog ran over to the neighbors' and I had to chase him in my pajamas and Jim's gigantic parka, (though to the neighbor's credit, they did help me chase the dog, and didn't laugh at my ridiculous zigzagging technique to try and catch the dog, yes, my dignity is gone by the way) and, and, and, it is now recharge time.  Don't get me wrong - Christmas was just SOOO nice.  Everyone was home, games were played, laughter was frequent, food was plentiful, and yes, tears were shed when everyone left, but still, I'm not gonna lie, I love a quiet morning when I am the sole occupant of the house.  The question is, what to do with that time.  I have already eaten a whole sleeve of Ritz crackers, (I'm not proud of it, but they were open and took the least amount of effort to grab), and had a Diet Coke, (non-negotiable).  There are many tasks that are on my list, (Laundry, cleaning, organizing, figuring out my new sewing machine!!), but really, I think Netflix is going to win this battle.  Now, deciding which new series to commit too - a big decision, very big.  Wish me luck.  Later on I just might go to yoga.  Namaste.      

Moving Day approaches

I probably have about zero to no followers at this point, and I originally started this blog so I could chronicle the lives of the kids as they grow up - so I will just resume this blog again - writing is something I love to do, and I want a record of these people I can look back on, and remember, and hopefully learn from as I go along.
No pictures today - but I promise to post them as I go, I need to update!!  The movers are here today - they are busy packing and working so hard to safeguard and move our belongings, and I am somewhat guility skulking in a corner on my computer.  I always feel a little guilty as movers pack up our stuff, guilty and grateful as well.  This will be a busy and emotional week, culminating in an airplane ride to Reagan National, and an hour long ride to our rental house near Fredericksburg Virginia, and living in the same house as my husband again after a two-month separation.  I feel like I can't ever complain though, he is not deployed or in harm's way - just starting a new job and waiting for us to follow. 
Karly is distraught and beside herself, but I don't seem to have any words of comfort, beyond the idea that everything will turn out all right.  That doesn't seem to cut it for a 17-yr-old leaving behind all she holds dear to spend her Senior year in a strange place.  It 's is a dirty trick and I feel terrible about it, and yet, I think it will be all right.  I hope. 
Yesterday I was released from my calling.  Bittersweet.  I have had the privilege of working with some of the most wonderful people on the planet, people that I admire, and will miss terribly.  Mostly I will miss the most wonderful youth on the planet, those in the Lakeville Stake, specifically the Young Women.  I can't even type that without getting choked up.  Or write more about them.  I love them, I love the other leaders I have worked with, I will miss them. 
It has been a strange parade of emotions over the last week.  After two years of blood, sweat and tears I finished my masters degree.  Weird.  It is very odd to not have some paper or exam or studying hanging over my head with doom written all over it.  I am trying to adjust to the newness of being master of my time again, that combined with moving has thrown me for a bit of a loop, but as always, everything will come out OK in the end. 
Off to write a letter to our missionary.  And buy lunch for the movers.  They deserve it.    

The catch-all post with accompanying picture dump!

Kasey and Mason at the zoo a few months ago



Staring at the buffalo




riding the turtles!



Karly was in the play Bye-Bye Birdie and we were good parents and gave her flowers, she sang and danced up a storm!

OK, so this is Karly's first date, which also happened to be prom.  DJ wasn't letting a golden chance like this pass him by, so we were hard-pressed to get pics of just the happy couple, though we did finally manage one or two.  Karly later forbid DJ from making an appearance at her official birthday party - "Mom, he has to be the center of attention and that should be me at my party!"  True enough, he was banned.



Just cute!




The happy couple




OK, so this is just precious - Karly sprained her ankle at girls' camp and was icing it.  Mason just had to have an owie to ice just like Karly.  He likes his Karly, and somewhat distubingly, loves her shoes.  Jim tries to ignore the shoe tendencies - although it is only Karly's shoes, so there is still hope.




Happy Birthday!!!  She was home for a week before going back to school.  We did lots of shopping, it's her birthday, right??





Mason has started playing with his little ball and bat, which unfortunately requires that someone throw the ball to him to hit for hours daily.  He is getting pretty darn good, which is a relief....see caption above about shoes.




Preston had to go and Karly wasn't ready for 'first day of school pictures'.  Too bad, if you look closely you will see that she has no makeup on - horrors!!!



A little better, a seventh grader and a junior!!

Riding his spiffy brand new bike to school early in order to gethis locker in order, let's hope this lasts!



OK, now she's happy!




Off to preschool/daycare and loving his new sweatshirt.




Ummm....cute or what?



Summertime comes to a close

I had dreams of being a world-class blogger when I started this blog, chronicling my children's lives and the ups and downs of our family, but I have turned into a blog-reader instead.  I lurk and read about other families instead of writing about mine, which is a little sad, so I will try to do better, though the picture downloading thing still freaks me out a little; pathetic, I know.  This has been quite the summer, sending off our precious and funny DJ to the MTC and now to Mexico, where apparently the mosquitoes love his fresh gringo blood, and the language is starting to make sense to his previously Spanish-averse brain.  It probably helps that his companions speaks no English, and that no one in a several mile radius speaks much English either - necessity tends to get things done, and in this case, get the Spanish words and conjugations settling in his brain!  We miss him, but are so excited always for the experiences he is having, and for the wonderful man that he is becoming. 
Girls' Camp in Nauvoo was just...awesome.  I can't think of a better word.  My throat ached the whole time with unshed tears as I watched the wonderful girls of the Lakeville Stake learn about the Nauvoo Saints, the history of what took place there in Nauvoo, and to have experiences like a real handcart trek (yeah, it was real, my pants were muddy up to my knees!), do baptisms at the Nauvoo temple, visit Carthage jail, and experience all that Nauvoo had to offer.  The first two days were record-setting hot, and the suffering was real, but the last 3 days were milder, and much more bearable.  I hated for it to be over, and also that I had to miss the first two days because of class.....
Speaking of school, I survived the summer semester, and came out of it with decent grades to boot.  Not a day went by when I didn't ask myself yet again, why I was putting myself through this ordeal, but, it will all be worth it in the end.  I stayed home all by myself for a whole week while Jim (the trooper) took the kids to the family reunion in Island Park.  This with a brand-new knee to boot, he did great, he even had to cook breakfast for 40 all by himself when it was our turn to make a meal.  I prepared and sent him off with as much help as I could, and they all had a great time with family, with the instances of vomit and sickness kept to a bare minimum, since this is us we are talking about, those things are a non-negotiable part of any vacation or trip.  While they were gone I went to class, took two written exams, studied like crazy and passed a practical exam that I was so nervous for I was physically ill, and just generally had one of quietest weeks of my life!!  I also got more sleep than I've had since I started back to school!  I was sure glad to see them all arrive home however, and hated missing the family reunion, though next year sounds even better than ever. 
Karly got a job working at Wendy's, while DJ worked installing insulation or some yucky job like that for the month that he was home before his mission.  We got to meet his girlfriend (with strict instructions to 'be normal' while she was here), and were so glad that she came and spent time with us (well, mostly DJ) before he left.  Preston has outgrown every pair of pants that I bought him last spring, and later today I will take him school shopping in order to be presentable for 7th grade - where did the time go???  Kasey came home from her job in Missouri to visit us and go to DJ's farewell, and then I got to drive back with her to Provo and help her get settled in her new apartment.  Why is an 18 hour drive such a nightmare in a  van with 5 people, and so fun in a little car with just two people.  Curious.  I visited with my sisters for a few days, and got to see the rest of the family too....nice house big brother!!!!!  I even had the thought that maybe possibly I could come back to the area to live, but let's not get crazy here; it was mostly because the very best chiropractor in the world lives near my sister and he came into the office on a Saturday just to adjust my neck.  This alleviated a horrible headache that I had had for days.  Thoughts of marriage did cross my mind; too bad I am already hitched to my true love, because this guy would be a contender.  Really.
This will be Kasey's last year, and the last drive back to Provo in the fall, an era is ending.  I can't wait to see what her future will bring her.  As always, there is our incomparable little Mason....he is the fun little machine that keeps our family smiling.  I truly don't know what we would do without him.  The kid has ruined me, I cry every time I think about how we got him, and what a miracle it is that he is a part of our family.  Sigh.....we just needed that extra little link at the end our family chain I guess. 
OK, since Kasey borrowed my camera and now I can't find it I have no pics to download - BORING!!  Oh well, I will find my camera and download next time, or a miracle could happen and I could figure out how to download from my phone.  Who knows.  After a 2-week break for me, we all start school on Tuesday, fun for everyone!!          

It's late and I'm tired but.....

It has been so long since I posted, and I realized how much I like having a little record of our goings on around here, so I decided to take a minute to update so that someday my posterity will have one less reason to go to counseling as a result of being raised by yours truly.  Our cool DJ is leaving on his mission to Villahermosa Mexico in a little over a week.  It is hard to believe my little silly boy is so grown up.  He went through the temple today and it was just so cool to see him there.  It was very low-key, we drove up, just Jim and DJ and I, went through our session and stopped and got a Subway sandwich on the way home and kind of tried to be chill about the whole thing.  I remember when I went through it was actually kind of traumatic.  I wa getting married in just a few short days (terrifying!!), and the whole extended family came to go through with me, then we all went out to dinner.  Everyone kept asking me what I thought and how it was, and I was just so overwhelmed by everything that was going on that I just couldn't take it all in.  DJ is pretty chill anyway, (where did that come from) so it was just a nice low-stress day.  Kids these days.....they are so much more prepared for life. 

Karly turned 16 (gasp) which ended a nearly two-year countdown to dating and driving, but unfortunately culminated in the non-passing of the driving test at the DMV.  All of us mothers were in the waiting area watching our kids drive through the testing range.  Karly completely backed over a cone and I knew it was over.  If a kid flunks they stay in the car while the tester gets out to come talk to the parent.  It was a very long walk to the truck for me.  Very long.  I opened the door and the keys came flying out.  Strike one.  I got in and the tears and sobbing commenced.  Strike two.  On the drive home it was determined that the result of the test was completely my fault because I hadn't taught her how to avoid backing over cones.  Strike three.  Bad day.  Upon arriving home Karly collapsed face-down on the beanbag chair and didn't move for quite some time.  Jim finally made her get up and go to school...but man!!!  What a drama queen!!  The next Friday the driving test was successfully passed, this time with dad in attendance.  Whew......life can continue now.

Preston is currently convinced that life is over because of the mandatory attendance of summer school for him.  That is what happens when you FLUNK MATH!!!  Life is tough, but Jim finally told him if he didn't stop complaining that he would lose all TV and video game privileges FOREVER.  Every once in a while dad really means what he says, and as a result Preston has been his usual cheerful self - even with the dreaded purgatory of summer school looming. 

Mason of course is the icing on the cake for all of us, he just couldn't be any cuter.  He also couldn't be any more rotten, but we take the whole package......the kid can turn on the charm like no other, but man can he throw a fit.  After 4 previous accomplished fit throwers though, I am truly immune to it.  Unless we are in a public place I don't even bat an eye, it is actually kind of fun to ignore a 3-year-old meltdown - it sure does make life easier.  One thing I have learned is that if throwing a fit doesn't get a reaction that eventually he will stop - I'm hoping that holds true for this little guy.  His new favorite saying is "What the heck??"  It is so cute, if he is feeling ignored or can't find a toy or something similar he throws that phrase out and it always makes us smile.  DJ took him to Kung Fu Panda 2 the day it came out, the first one is his favorite movie (weird!) but in this one Po finds out he's adopted!!  I can't wait to see it with our little Po.  It's funny he also loves Tarzan, another adoption story.  Not a day goes by that I don't think about how grateful I am for adoption and what a blessing it is for us - I still firmly believe that this tiny little boy that was born in Baoji City China was somehow destined to end up in Lakeville Minnesota - the Lord truly works in mysterious ways. 

OK, I've done my schoolwork for the day, and must get to bed to make it to a ward conference in the morning....poor Jim, another Sunday on his own.  He can whip up a Sunday dinner now with the best of them, and get the dishes done too.... what a guy.  I do miss them when I go to ward conferences however, some of them are a long ways away and I am gone all day.  Next time I will post some pictures as my camera is completely full and I need to download them!!!  

     

Two weeks of mom-hood

Right now I am on a two-week break from school.....it is heaven.  I am going to enjoy every minute.  Yesterday was a visit to Shriner's with Mason, and it went so well.  Every time I go there I am reminded how grateful I am that Mason is so functional, and that his little orthopedic problem is so slight, especially considering what the doctors told us at first.  My heart is always bursting when we go to Shriner's and see all the wonderful kids that struggle with such serious disabilities.  I love the way everyone is treated at Shriner's, it is so kid-centered and such a happy place.  Anyway, the doctor said that as long as we keep encouraging Mason to utilize his left leg fully, and keep him active that we are accomplishing as much or more that physical therapy or even surgery could do.  We are in a big "left, right, left, right" campaign to get him to use both legs going up and down the stairs, or any other climbing and it is working.  His left leg is getting bigger and more muscular, and he seems to be developing the habit of using it instead of favoring it so much.  Next is to get him to ride his little trike, that will do wonders for his left leg.  After Shriner's I took him to McDonald's and he went nuts playing and climbing.  He got a bloody nose however and by the time I got him to come out of the tunnels he looked like he had been in a slaughterhouse.  Gross.  He had fun though, the little girls he was playing with were pretty grossed out, but they seemed to forgive him after we cleaned him up as good as we could. 
I am waiting anxiously for my big kids to come home and visit for a while.  Kasey will come home for a week and will see Karly's play - Bye Bye Birdie.  Karly does a lot of dancing and singing and her claim to fame is her one line..... something about boats, I can't quite remember.  DJ will be home for over a month before his mission and I can't wait for him to be home.  He will get to spend lots of quality time with Dad as he is officially getting his OTHER knee replaced in May.  Bummer, but a good thing because he is in pain all the time, and a little cranky.  With DJ here he can entertain and keep Dad company some of the time, though we did play some decent Scrabble games during his recuperation from the last knee replacement.  I swore I would go to the gym every day during break, so it is off to yoga class for me........ 

It's almost finals week!!!

In just two weeks I will be done with my second semester of graduate school - YEAH!!  Two more to go and then fieldwork for 6 months; fieldwork doesn't even count, that will be a breeze after these classes, (at least I hope so, it can't be any harder). It is a good thing that I have Mr. Jim around, he is my proofreader, researcher, shoulder to cry on, and all-around Mr. mom when I need him to be.  Maybe he is just imagining that paycheck I might someday bring home if I actually make it through this program. I get two whole weeks off between semesters and my list of things to do is long, I can't wait.  I am going to tackle an Easter gingerbread house, actually clean my house, and take Mason on all kinds of fun outings - I might even exercise!  It will be over too soon, of that there is no doubt. 

 So, in an earlier post I had mentioned that I thought spring was here.....WRONG.  I have taken a picture to document the wrongness of my statement.  Suffer with me - please.

 First, let me just say here that when my kids get tired they get irrational, emotional, just plain weird.  So, I go into the computer room to get something and this is what I encounter.  My daughter is curled up in a ball under the computer hutch.  For real, this isn't staged.  She has been working on a paper all evening and has given up and crawled under the compter hutch.  She thought I had gone to bed so she wouldn't be seen in her misery.  Sigh......so sad.  She finished her paper on Huckleberry Finn (thanks mom!) and got some much-needed sleep soon after.  Silly children.




 

 I just like this picture - looking at it makes me happy.

And of course, I need my obligatory Mason pic.  He can sure pucker up and give good kisses - we all demand our share. 

OK, so this morning I am awakened in the wee hours of the morning by the very unfortuante and all-too-familiar sound of our cat hocking up his breakfast on the floor right by the bed.  I know.  Nice.  Jim and I dream of the day when poop and barf and all other related grossness are no longer part of our daily list of tasks to clean up.  Admittedly, when we decided to be parents yet again at the ages of 40 and 42 we were certainly asking for it, but we have also had the worst luck with our pets being naughty.  On Saturday we finally put the recliner out in the garage that is listing to one side and also smells permanently like a well-used fire hydrant because of our little pug that I finally gave to an older couple that could pamper him the way he required.  I think we would be wealthy if we could have all the money back we have spent on pets and the messes and havoc they have wreaked on our homes (and psyches).  Oh, well - we are on the downward slope.  Mason will be potty-trained soon (fingers crossed), the cat is house-trained, just has your occasional gastrointestinal upset, and the current dog is decent now that we have removed all traces of the stupid pug from the house.  After these animals have gone the way of all the earth we have vowed to never have pets again.  Ever. 

Also, the other day I talked about high heel shoes that I have been saving for the day when I can wear them because there is no snow on the ground.  I had to take pictures of two of them because they make me so happy:  Enjoy!!!  The colored ones I saw on the shelf at the thrift store and I couldn't resist - are they hot or what?!  The boot thingies I got for 75% off at DSW.  Love.That.Store.  Oh....and there is a cute pic of Mason on the day he wouldn't take a nap, this is after he fell asleep on Preston's lap, we just laid him on the chair after Preston got tired of heavy baby on his lap! 
AND....the big news that we've had for a week now is that our big boy is going on his mission to Villahermosa Mexico!!!  I can't believe he is old enough to be going on a mission!!!  This is a boy who spent three years in Puerto Rico and can't say Hola correctly.  Jim and I were both hoping fervently that he would be called to a Spanish-speaking mission, just so we could at last have the satisfaction of hearing him speak fluent Spanish!!!  I love that kid - that's all.  And I love that he gets this opportunity to serve - sigh.....did I mention that I loved that kid???  

Spring has sprung........maybe?????

Today it is supposed to reach 50 degrees.  Really.  This may not seem like a big deal to you all out there is mild weather land, but to me, here in the frozen hell (yes, I said it) of Minnesota, this is like Christmas, birthday, and Valentine's Day all wrapped up in one.  I can finally look forward to all the many things that I have been deprived of the last six months, and in honor of the string of 50 degree days that are forecast for this week, I have made a list of things that I am glad to say good-bye to, and things I can't wait to say hello to.  Here goes:
Hello to the ostentatious brick pillars at the end of the driveway that have been completely covered with 6 feet of snow all winter.  Jim is going to remove both of you as soon as you emerge completely from your wintery tomb.
Good-bye to having my constant companion, the space heater with me as I shiver in the computer room each day and work on my homework and assignments - I don't have to take it up to Mason's room each night so he doesn't freeze to death in the night, but is kept warm by our blessed little space heater that undoubtedly saved both our lives this winter. 
Hello to all my wonderful open-toed high heels that I get to wear to church now.  Every time I went to the thrift store I bought a more outrageous spiked pair than before, just in the anticipation of not having to wear a fur-lined monstrosity on my feet everywhere I go (actually I have some pretty cute boots, but I digress). 
Good-bye huge puffy slipper socks that haven't left my feet in six months.  I have worn holes in 4 pairs of them this winter, as I said, they don't leave my feet.
Hello to daylight after 4:30 pm.  What a miracle.  Eating dinner in the daylight!!!
Good-bye to my beloved BFF.......my electric blanket.  We have the one where there are controls for both sides, Jim didn't even turn his on this winter, he is part-Eskimo, part abominable snowman.  Also, the heat emanating from my side was enough to keep the entire room warm.  Oh blanky, I love you.
Hello to long walks on the path to the lake, my favorite pasttime in the summer - those three short months when there isn't snow on the ground.
Good-bye to dripping wet snow pants, gloves, mittens, hats and boots leaving trails and puddles to wipe up and slip on.  You are all going into storage where I won't have to acknowledge your existence for a while at least. 
Hello to taking the kids down to the lake, walking to down to Dairy Delite for an ice cream cone, and playing frisbee outside with the kids.
Hello to barbecuing, garage-saling, cute summer baby clothes for Mason, sandals, short sleeves, sprinklers on the trampoline, and mowing the lawn, oh how I love the smell of fresh-cut grass.
Hello to fresh produce and flowers from the farmers market (that I can walk to every Saturday morning with Jim), hanging out with the kids during the day, going to matinee movies, and fireworks on the 4th of July.
Hello to fireflies, crickets chirping, birds singing (not a lot of that when it is 20 below zero), and our cat being able to go outside instead of stare forlornly out at the snow piled outside the back door.
Good-bye a million times over to driving on icy roads, shivering in the van while I wait for the heater to warm up after driving for 20 minutes, and slipping and sliding and getting stuck in the snow.  (yeah, I drove us out of the snowbank after Jim failed, I have skills).
Hello to pedicures and red toenails- aaaahhhhh.....
Good-bye to frostbite after forgetting to take my gloves to school and nearly losing digits on the 15 minute walk to class from the parking lot in nosebleed territory.
Good-bye to having numb toes ALL DAY LONG.  They NEVER get warm.  What is that???
Good-bye to standing like two inches in front of the fireplace to get warm at several intervals throughout the day.
Good-bye to snuggling with Karly in the electric blanket while we watch a chick flick movie in my room.
Good-bye to warm soup or stew at least 5 times a week.
And finally.....hello to open windows, cool breezes, sandy toes and sandals, sunscreen, fishing poles and bathing suits, the smell of chlorine, sunglasses, the zoo, and a very warm car to get into . . . . aaaaaahh.  I can hardly wait. 

Catch-up time

The girls shoveling after a Christmas snowstorm

 It has been quite a while since I posted, so I thought I would put up a few Christmas pics and also Mason's birthday pictures as well.  The holidays started off so wonderful when DJ surprised us by coming home the day before Thanksgiving after telling us he wouldn't make it till a week after.  What a wonderful surprise!  We had the best Thanksgiving, we invited a couple of families over from the ward and enjoyed a full house, complete with tables and chairs borrowed from the church.  That is how I figure we've really made it into "real" family territory - when we've had to borrow tables and chairs from the church to accommodate everyone in the house.  We enjoyed having DJ home for all of December as well.  He was my right-hand man, shopping buddy, baby-hauler and all around good company during the day (after he would roll out of bed, that is).


Preston and Mason and a random child at the sledding hill

  The party really started when Kasey came home.  I had a wonderful time cooking meals for everyone (is that weird?), we went to lots of good holiday movies, (my faves were Tangled and Harry Potter), and did lots of shopping.  Does it get any better?? 
We celebrated New Years' Day by taking the kids to a really nice restaurant as final good-bye to the big kids.  It was so fun - the kids had a great time ordering from such a nice menu, and even Mason behaved fairly well.  We will make it a New Years' tradition, once a year is good for a place that expensive!!  (But, oh, so worth it!).  School started for everyone soon after, and


Getting ready to open Christmas Eve pj's

 DJ seems to have settled into his life at Utah State well.  Basic Training was good practice for succeeding at school.  He is preparing to send in his mission papers - hopefully we will have him at home for a month or two before he heads off for his mission this summer.  Kasey headed back to continue at BYU, she is plugging away at her Elementary Ed degree - she and I will actually be done at the same time - May of 2012.  As far as family time went, it was right up there this December with the kids - I can't wait to get us all together again. 


Aren't we lovely in our matchy-matchies?




What a good-looking group of young men




He was ready for bed before any of us




Putting together the Chrismas Lego set




Wearing big brother's cool military hat




Happy Birthday to You!!  (3)




Birthdays are happy - especially when they fall on Chinese New Year!




The coolest race track ever!



Halloween, graduation, birthday and other fun stuff

What a handsome soldier, don't you think.  It is weird to see Mr. Happy looking so somber, but there you have it!



Seeing the sights at Ft. Benning.  Jim said that DJ automatically went to the "at ease" postion any time they were standing still.  Too funny!




playing in the leaves with apple juice for sustenance




Happy birthday number 12!!  He is now a deacon and is happy to have particpated in his last Primary program!! (which was the week before his birthday)




He actually asked for those books - we will have a reader after all!!




Mason was chowing down on the birthday cake like crazy, it was so funny, he's never done that before.




pumpkin carving time!!




A lizard and three power puff girls at trunk or treat!!





looking at the "fishies" is his favorite thing to do

 In other news, we finally got our basement back - YEAH!!!!  Preston was not sad to give up the couch, but we are keeping the fish tank upstairs because Mason has so much fun just staring at it.  We are so excited for DJ to come home on December 3rd, though that means he can't camp out on Black Friday at Best Buy.  sigh. . .   Karly will have to do it.  It actually snowed here the other day, though it didn't stick thank heaven.  How long before we can move to somewhere warm??????  Soon???   

Happy Shriners'!!

Yesterday Jim and I took baby Mason to Shriners' to begin his orthopedic care there.  It was a great visit.  Traffic and construction made me 45 minutes late so I was totally stressed by the time I got there.  I think Jim has recovered from me screaming at him on the phone that I didn't know where the #@% I was after construction had sent me on yet another detour.  Oh well, he understood.  So, the doctor said that Mason is improving so very much on his own that further interventions are questionable at best.  It was really fun running up and down the hall with a diaper-clad Mason to show off his abilities to the doctor.  We decided in the end with a device that will keep his left foot from flexing so that he is required to utilize the bend in his knee more.  That's it.  No surgery or casting!!  He will never have a compete range of motion in his knee, but the doc said that the structure of his knee probably makes that impossible, and that all the extreme interventions like surgery will have negligible results.  I don't have to put those awful orthotics on him ever again!!  Good-bye leg brace!!  Shriners' is such a cool place - so kid-friendly, and organized, I'm so glad I heard about them. 

Jim went and watched our big boy graduate from basic training.  It was really cool, and DJ is so happy to be done with it, though he actually really liked it.  (Who likes basic training????)  He's now at Ft. Leonard Wood until December, he can call and Skype now so we can talk to him every day.  He is definitely on the path to adulthood, he bought his very own laptop the other day! 
We have been following the story of the miners' in Chile and I watched highlights of the men as they emerged from the rescue pod.  How cool was that??  One guy quietly knelt down in prayer after he emerged, there with millions watching he gave thanks.  What an amazing example of gratitude!  You would have to have a heart of stone to not be a mess as these guys emerged to their families, with their kids and wives crying and hugging them.  Gosh, it was cool.  Preston finished his season of football, and Jim has proclaimed that we have another softie who can't hit hard in a tackle.  I can't help it if we raise sensitive sweetie boys!!  Jim still has hope that Preston will get in touch with his inner beast, time will tell!!  I guess there is always interpretive dance. . . . . . .             

Time surely flies!

There really is never a boring moment around here - well, during the day when it's really quiet maybe sometimes.  Nevertheless, we have had a few momentous happenings lately.  Last week I went downstairs to get a toy for Mason and stepped ankle deep into soggy carpet.  It was everywhere!  The rain that had poured non-stop for the previous week had overwhelmed our sump pump and unbeknownst to us, the motor had burned out.  As a result water was pouring into our basement through the pump for a few hours before we realized.  It's a good thing Mason wanted to play with the choo-choo that was downstairs!  We knew it was beyond our capabilitie to manage so Jim called a Flood Restoration company and they came to our rescue.  We also called a plumber.  The Flood guys came and were in our house until 4 am pumping out water and pulling up the carpet to try and dry it out with big fans.  The basement looked very interesting with all the big humps of carpet with huge industrial fans underneath them blowing them dry. The water hadn't been there long enough to ruin anything but the carpet and most of the baseboards, it hadn't started seeping into the drywall yet - yeah!  (I think).  Our insurance has a sump pump rider.  Heave a big sigh of relief here.  Jim ascertained this at approximately 2 am on the morning of the flood when he was checking over our policy to see if we were covered.  A silent prayer of gratitude went forth for the little rider that will cover this big old mess!!  The plumber came the next morning and installed a new sump pump.  I have learned more about sump pumps the last week then I ever thought I would, or would want to if we're being honest. 
     So, the silly little dance studio that was in one corner of the basement will have all the warped hardwood pulled up and the wall of mirrors removed and we will put carpet there with all the other new carpet being put down.  Now we will have two bedrooms down there - yeah!!  Poor Preston is sleeping on the couch upstairs, showering in Karly's bathroom, brushing his teeth in the kitchen and getting his clothes out of the garage, where all the contents of his bedroom currently reside.  Just two short weeks and we will be good as new.  The Flood guy even brought me a donut today, he has my heart forever. 
     In other news, Mason got accepted for treatment at Shriners' Hospital!!!  The treament there is free and they deal only with orthopedic issues and burns for children under the age of 18.  We are so happy and blessed.  We love Gillette Children's, but even with our deductible, the expenses were substantial.  He has his first appt next week.  I'm so glad a friend of mine told me about Shriners', I researched them and they give top-notch care, the best!!  The application process was simple, and we heard back within a few weeks.  Honestly, after applying to adopt a baby from China, no application or paperwork will ever intimidate me.  Really.  He continues to do so well, his progress is amazing.  Once his knee bends and he has that increased mobility, it will be fun to watch him progress. 
     Mason's transition to daycare has gone well, though he still cries when I drop him off.  I still feel very good about that decision, though the requisite guilt is still lingering.  He has learned to do so much more by himself, as Marilyn (the daycare provider) pointed out, I did everything for him.  I didn't really realize it, but I did.  He now is so much more independent, eats so much better, sleeps better, and is more obedient.  Who knew?  I slave away at the computer all day while he is there, and I try not to touch schoolwork after I pick him up.  I am getting more used to my days, though it was certainly a huge adjustment for me.  I still go to bed every night feeling like I've been hit by a truck. How can doing schoolwork make someone so tired???  I still get a little scared each morning that I won't be up to the challenge and the my professors will e-mail me that I am too stupid to be in the program, but so far that hasn't happened.  I drive up to the University about once a week, and enjoy the face-to-face time with other students and the professors.  I hope I make it through this program.  21 months to go!!!
     Jim left today to go to DJ's graduation from basic training.  My heart is aching at not being able to be there.  He also took my camera which is why this post has no pictures!  There was no way I could leave - with a two-year-old and lots of schoolwork it just wasn't possible.  Jim promised to take lots of pictures and to give him lots of hugs from me.  I miss that kid.  I'm glad that he is making grown-up decisions and is becoming an adult, but there sure is a empty spot in the house without him.  After graduation he is off to Ft. Leonard Wood and specialty training until December first.  I can't wait!  He will be home until school starts at Utah State in January.  There will finally be someone to eat all the food that I am used to cooking.  With Jim's diet and everyone's busy schedules, the meals that I cook never get eaten anymore!  I suppose I should be glad that I don't have to cook as much. 
     That is a sum-up of the latest at the Hansens'.  General Conference was great, as was the RS General Broadcast.  I am so grateful for a prophet to give us counsel - we are so blessed!      

Back in the saddle!

What a week we've all had here!  I just have got to give a shout-out to my honey, he has lost a total of 40 lbs in the last couple of months!  Amazing.  Once he made up his mind there was no turning back.  Some very ugly cholesterol numbers, plus my insistence that he live for a few more decades at least, must have helped make up his mind.  I've given him my best years, now he has to stick around for the slow descent into decrepitude.  I'll do the same for him!!  Here is a recent picture of him with the chili-cook-off hat he won at church.  That was a proud moment, he actually made up the recipe and cooked it from scratch.  I also figured out how to make pictures turn the correct way when I load them from the camera.  I amaze myself sometimes.  Is there a cuter 45-yr-old anywhere? 

     OK, speaking of age, I am the oldest by far of anyone in the OT program.  Way.  I'd say the average age is somewhere in the neighborhood of 25, maybe 27.  So, mostly 20 somethings, a few 30's, and . . . .you guessed it.  Me.  Do I admit I also have 5 kids?  Actually I already did, and got the requisite oohs and aahs, but everyone was nice.  I have never actually been the oldest person before.  I don't like it.  So, for you all to judge, does this look like someone that is the oldest person in her class - by far?   I know.  The answer is yes.  Though I do take comfort in the fact that I used to not be old.  Really.    There is also comfort in the thought that this first semester there is a lot of writing to do, we read lots of articles and other stuff, and then write in many different formats.  This is right up my alley, and I also have a lot of life experience to draw from when I have to analyze all this info.  I don't know what these young whippersnappers are writing about, but at least I have a small advantage that way!  I also need a whole bunch of immunizations to be in a health professions program, and my answer to that was when I was a kid we all lined up in the cafeteria from time to time and got shots from a cool little shot gun. . . . with the same needle.  Since that didn't seem to hold water for the admissions people, I had to go to the doctor and be a human pincushion.  Ouch!!  I still have two more visits to be current on my shots.  Who knew?

     My little caboose is still rather ticked off at the whole daycare situation.  It turns out he's used to getting his way all the time, and getting waited on hand and foot.  This doesn't work so well at daycare.  In my defense, here is a picture.  You tell me if you could resist spoiling this little bug rotten.  Right.  Didn't think so.  This is his smile face - we can't get him to do anything else.  He has pretty much resigned himself to being one of the daycare crew, and Marilyn says he is just fine after I leave, though he is still miffed on a daily basis when Marilyn tells him no or to do something himself.  Life is tough little guy, real tough. 

     Our big National Guard boy was attacked by wasps the other day and was sent to the hospital.  It turns out he's allergic!!  A shot of Benadryl and a nap and he was out shooting some gun or other after just a couple of hours.  I think he's getting a lot of mileage out of the story, everyone we talk to seems to have already heard about it.  He got phone privileges on Sunday for a couple of hours, so he was able to really get the word out!  He will be home for Thanksgiving!!!!  Yeah!!!  It was going to be a small group, but just feeding DJ will make it seem more like Thanksgiving. 
     I've got my first full day of classes on-campus tomorrow - eek!  We go up a few times each month for a long day of classes, and the rest is online.  The class time will be fun, it is kind of lonely sitting in front of the computer for 8 hours a day.  So, I am off to gather my stuff, and then hit the rack!!