A brand new teenager!

(Caleb with one of his Christmas presents)

Caleb turned 13 today! I can't believe he's that old already! In just 3 years he'll be old enough to drive, and in 6 years he'll be going on a mission!! I have loved watching him grow up and become a young man. He's already showing the normal teenager symptoms- answers questions in as few words as possible. :) I found out that if you listen to the phone calls they make to their friends (while they're in your presence) then you can gain a little insight to their thoughts.

We love you Caleb! You're an awesome kid!

A rat in the house!!

On New Year's day I made two loaves of delicious banana bread. While it was cooking, the tantalizing smells had everyones mouth watering, anticipating the first bite. After the bread finished cooking, I set them out to cool. Then off to the grocery store I went to get a few items for dinner. When I came home, imagine my surprise when the first thing I saw was my perfect banana bread, mutilated by a "rat!" I immediately hollered for Eric- he just had to see with his own eyes what the "rat" had done. We both had a good laugh, took a couple of pictures, then we brought the kids in to the kitchen and told them what happened to the banana bread. We told them that a "rat" (wink wink) got to the bread and that it was time to call the exterminator. Then we see Jared shaking his head to side to side, with a smile on his face, and he boldly announces, "That was me!" I guess that poor little kid just couldn't resist the temptation to pick at the bread. It sure looks like a rat got to it huh!

Until we meet again Brian!

I've had the song "Star Spangled Banner" going through my head today. Particularly the last verse- "Oh, thus be it ever, when free men shall stand between their loved homes and the war's desolation! Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land, praise the pow'r that hath made and preserved us a nation!" Since my oldest brother, Nathan, joined the Air Force, that song held a more special meaning for me. I have 5 brothers and four of them are serving in the military- either in Air Force or Army. Today one of them left for Iraq. Brian is the first to serve in this war. I was unable to go down to see him off but it turns out that the "send-off" was a misunderstanding. (Check out my sister's blog for more info.)

This evening I thought I'd call his wife to say hi and see how she was doing. I pulled out my cell phone and dialed what I thought was Brandi's cell phone. Imagine my surprise when I heard Brian on the other end! He said he had just arrived in Maine an hour earlier. (My heart kind of got that scared feeling- for a brief moment- when I realized he was already on his way.) I was able to chat with him for a few minutes. In the Christmas craziness, I didn't really get a chance to sit and talk with Brian. (At the time I figured I'd stop at his house on the way back to Idaho. But a threatening snow storm changed our plans.) So this was a nice surprise for me!

Through wonderful modern technology, we'll be able to keep in touch with him via e-mail. I look forward to hearing updates from him.

Godspeed Brian! We pray for your safe return! We love you!!

Here's what I've been up to!

Shelby (my SIL) has been patiently teaching me how to do a digital layout using Photoshop Elements 6.0. I just hope I remember it all when I get home! Thanks Shel!!

Merry Christmas!

Wow! It's Christmas Eve! Caleb, Kaitlyn and Jared have been so excited all day. They were excited all month (since Thanksgiving actually) but today they seem to be bouncing off the walls. Even Caleb! He's the worst!

We are in Lindon, Utah at my parent's house. I have a brother and a sister (and their families) who live close by and another brother who flew in from Ohio with his family. We just got back from Christmas caroling- a Hansen family tradition. We also drove around to see homes decorated with lights. There were some pretty cool ones to see (and they probably have a pretty "cool" bill to match! but I'm glad they take the time to do it!) We'll end the night with reading the story of the First Christmas from the scriptures. Those are two traditions my family has always done when I was growing up.

I found out at Thanksgiving that my brother will be going to Iraq. Because he's in the Air Force, he doesn't thave to stay as long. Some people think he's lucky but no matter how long he's there, the separation is still difficult for those he leaves behind. We'll all miss him but none more than his wife and twin sons! He leaves on Saturday. I wish I could be here to see him off.

We want to wish you all a very merry Christmas. Our hearts fill with joy when we think of the love Heaven Father has for us all. He sent His son, Jesus Christ, to show us the way. We are grateful for all of our friends and family. You bring so much joy to our life! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

(P.S.- pictures will follow later!)

Through the eyes of a child

I'm always amazed that every year my kids (starting with Caleb when he was 2) would always rearrange my nativity scene and put all the people and animals in a tight cluster in a circle. It would drive me nuts because then I'd have to rearrange it back to the way I thought it should be- so we could all see each animal and each person, especially the baby Jesus. Then one day I stopped myself and asked them why they set up the Nativity that way. Their reply was so sweet- "So they can all see the baby Jesus!" That's probably more a resemblance of how things were that sacred night; everyone probably huddled around the baby Jesus to worship and adore Him. Ever since my kids gave that sweet explanation, I've left the Nativity scene the way they choose to set it up. It's their way of telling me that small as they are, they truly know Christ's birth was a miracle and a joyous occasion for all who were there.

I finished!!

On Wednesday night I finished the Book of Mormon! That means I completed my final ticket for my Woodbadge requirements! Woo-hoo!! I'm so excited! It was good to read the book and remember the things I learned in Seminary. Such amazing stories in there!

Just a few days ago, while I was focused on reading the BOM, Jared comes and stands on the couch next to me. He rests his hand on my shoulder and asks what I'm doing. I explain to him that I'm reading the scriptures and then proceed to read the next verse. Suddenly he says, "Look Mom! A candycane!" So I ask, "Where?" He then points to my scriptures and sure enough, I see the candycane!

Caleb's Choir Concert

Wow! I didn't realize I hadn't posted since Nov. 27th! I guess I was just waiting for something noteworth to blog. There's all kinds of little things to mention that I just never got around to posting.

Tonight, Caleb performed in his school's Choir Concert. He is taking choir as a "filler" class. He really insisted that we didn't need to come and see him perform. I told him singing is a good thing and he said something like "yeah, if you're not singing soprano!" It seems his teacher thinks all the boys can sing soprano. I know their voices are changing and stuff but these boys have to be singing falsetto in order to sing that high! I'm afraid she's going to ruin Caleb's desire to ever be a part of a choir again. They sang a few of the usual fun songs and even "Silent Night" (imagine that- in a school even!). They also sang a couple of patriotic numbers in honor of a soldier present in the audience who had just returned from his tour of duty in Iraq. (We've had a couple of soldiers from Pocatello die while serving in Iraq in the last year so they wanted to do something for this soldier.)

In the picture above, Caleb is in the middle row, right in the middle of the picture (probably about 8 kids from the right side).