Going Private

I've decided to go private again.

I keep our family blog primarily for journaling purposes, so I don't feel the need to have all of our family stuff out there for people I don't know to view.

I don't have time for scrapbooking, so I blog w/ lots of pictures.

In fact, I just printed out my first blog books.
So exciting!

I will probably go private in a week or two.  If you gave me your email address the first time I went private, you will still be able to view the blog.

If not, then leave me your email address and I will put you on the list!
 

Peace out!

The Little Photographer

Emmy has loved taking pictures with my camera lately.

Here are some of my favorites:

Aww, so cute :)

So artistic!  I love that she put the camera on the floor to take the picture.

This one totally freaks me out - the flash wasn't up so it blurred the picture, making Kate look like a weird child with drawn-in eyebrows . . .

I'm in my work-out clothes, post work-out.  Beautiful.

Work-out clothes again.  

Maybe we should try having her take a pic of me when I'm not nasty . . .

She wanted me to growl and reach for the camera :)

Christmas 2010

Here's what went down on Christmas day this year.

The girls woke up and got going on those presents!

Kate was just happy to tear the wrapping paper.  For real.  That could have been her Christmas present, just unwrapping gifts.

She thought that was great!

Kate asked for a new baby stroller since her old one broke.  She also got her very own doll to push in the stroller.  She was cruising with that thing, running all around the island in the kitchen!

She also got a Leap Frog fridge magnet toy (She loves watching Letter Factory and knows almost all the sounds that go with each letter.  She's such a smarty!), some clothes, a new dress-up dress and a few things in her stocking.  Santa was sure not to overdo it this year.  Every year we say we won't overdo it, but this year we really didn't (at least w/ Kate).

Emmy opened her presents (some new dress-ups, dresses {that is all she wants to wear.  I can never get her to wear pants!}, a Memory game, a Tangled/Rapunzel game to go with her Leapster and some things in her stocking).  

She had asked Santa for a new bike.  Well, sneaky Santa, he hid it behind a chair and covered it with a blanket!  When we found it, Emmy ripped that blanket right off and was so excited!

She was ready to put her helmet on and ride that princess bike:

She also got a Rapunzel Barbie and a Tag Reader from Leap Frog with a bunch of books to read with it from Grammy and Papa.  She was really spoiled this year for Christmas!

As for Jake and Michelle:

Jake got a new gun {oh how we loves his guns}, a new phone and a few knick-knacks for Christmas.

Michelle was spoiled and got a Kindle!  Along with some new boots, a popcorn popper and a few other knick-knacks.

I try not to make Christmas about the gifts, but it sure is fun to open presents on Christmas!  It's even more fun to watch your kids see what Santa brought them and open all the beautifully wrapped presents.  

Santa actually only brings one present to each child in our family each year and the rest are from mom and dad.  Otherwise, Santa wouldn't be able to fit everything in his sack!  And we know which presents are from Santa because there is a little silver bell tied to them.

The rest of Christmas day was totally relaxed.  We spent the day in our jammies (I wish we could do that more often!) and nibbled on yummy food all day.  

Poor mommy got sick that night and most of what she ate came right back up.  But luckily she felt better the next day :)

We really loved spending time with each other and with our family that lives nearby {we live right next door to Grammy and Papa.  Lindsey and her family came up in the afternoon and spent the night}.  We watched movies, relaxed and played with our new gifts.

We had such a fabulous Christmas this year and hope you did, too!

Christmas Eve 2010

I am WAY behind on blogging!

Time to play catch-up.

We had a WONDERFUL Christmas this year!

We LOVED having Jake home {Besides work.  I love breaks from school!}.

We LOVED spending time with family.

We LOVED eating delicious treats :)

We LOVED the spirit of Christmas that filled our home.

Every Christmas Eve, we go to my sister's house in St. George for a Hansen family Christmas party.  We've done it for the last 4 or 5 years.  We eat dinner, exchange some gifts, and have a great time.

The grandkids put together a gingerbread house {the girls are wearing Christmas aprons that Grammy gave them}:

 {Dawson, Dylan, Emmy and Ella}

Kate was getting into the kitchen cupboards - do you like her shoes?  She put them on herself.  One of her own and one of Dawson's :)

Papa read the Christmas story from Luke:

This year my mom wrote a story called "The Key to Christmas."  She got the grandkids their own "Christmas Keys" to hang on the tree to remind them of the true meaning of Christmas.  She read the story to us before she gave the kids their keys:

We also watch Mr. Kruger's Christmas every year.  It's a tradition that we've had ever since I was little.  

Before it was available on DVD, we used to go to the Visitor's Center at the temple and watch it every Christmas season.  I love it!

 

The three Hansen girls :)

{Complete with cardigans - we didn't plan on all wearing cardigans, but we showed up in them!  Ha ha ha!  We must be related . . . }

And Grammy got everyone PJ's!

{My mom has gotten us Christmas Eve PJ's ever since I can remember and she's kept up the tradition with the grandkids - and us this year, too!}

Emmy in her Tinkerbell PJ's:

The girls in their PJ's w/ daddy:

Linds and Michelle in their matching PJ's:

My Grandma Hansen comes to the party every year, too!  And, of course, my adorable Aunt Shelley.

{Papa, Grandma and Shelley - all wearing red!

My parents got Shelley this hat, flower clip and necklace for Christmas (all from Binga Bows!).  Shelley LOVED them!  It was really cute.  She was smiling from ear to ear when she put them on}

What is better than spending time with family and focusing on the Savior?  

I can't think of too many things.