Every year... well, let me start over. Ahm. Since Mike and I have been married (6 1/2 years now), I have taken pride in the fact that I have all of the Christmas shopping done by or immediately after Thanksgiving. I decided to do this our first Christmas as a married couple so that I could relax and enjoy the new found traditions that incorporated two families into one wonderful season. And I didn't want anything to mess that time up - like running around the mall at the 11th hour looking for the latest gizmo for that very special family member or friend.
Oh, ho, ho, ho, ho! Eeek! This Christmas has not been so graceful! I came home with the great idea of giving each of the boys three Christmas gifts each this year. Jesus received three gifts, so we are working on aligning to focus a little more on the Christmas story. Especially since the 5 year-old has the GIMMES bad, oh so bad!
Three gifts - should be pretty easy right? Wrong. They each will receive a gift from Santa, and then two from Daddy and Mommy. The Santa gifts have been easy and non-stressful. I have had them for weeks upon weeks now. Andrew will be receiving a bright and shiny red Schwin bicycle (yes, with TWO wheels - a very special request to Santa this year!) and Ryan will be peddling around in a bright red fire engine (like the old metal ones).
For their second gift, I bought each of them a backpack and had their names embroidered on them with "Iowa Hawkeyes" down each of the shoulder straps. I have lots of books, new crayons and markers, a movie and some games to place inside of each. Great idea, right? Well, it certainly would be if I could find the backpacks! I forgot that they were in the car when I went to pick up the boys. Andrew almost saw them when we were getting in the car. I threw them quickly in the very back. We got home, I opened up the back and...here's were it gets foggy... I remember placing them up high on some of the boxes I have begun to pack if we do ever officially move. But now I can't find them if my life depended on it. And thank goodness it doesn't...because then the song would go "Mom got ran over by the reindeer..." and not grandma!
The third gift we had a hard time settling on. I thought it might be a nice idea to get them something bigger that they both could share. We finally decided to get them a trampoline with the enclosure. I spent hours, yes HOURS, yesterday looking for a trampoline! Toys R Us supposedly had them for $100 off. Of course they sold the last one two hours before I showed up to look there! I spent over an hour with the very nice and friendly guest services employee calling all over the metro area and even into another state to find one. All hope was gone - alas! there was not another Toys R Us within 200 miles that had a trampoline. There are going to be many happy, bouncing (literally) kids on Christmas morning this year. At the last weak attempt to not have to go back to square one to come up with one more gift, I stopped in at Academy Sports and Outdoors on a whim. A small Christmas miracle! They had two left!!! I looked like a circus clown juggling everything in my car to make the boxes fit into my small SUV, but I was not about to leave the golden trampoline behind.
We too will have speed racing, backpack finding, bouncing kids on Christmas morning!
Now...if only I could find those backpacks! I need my own Santa's helper to keep up with my brain!
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Hansen Sunday Comics
Just a few of the precious moments from the last coule of weeks:
1. When we make the trek (me and the boys) down to the grandparents' house where Mike is staying inbetween coming home for the time being, we attended a small church with my parents on Sunday morning. My dad just happens to be the minister of this church as a second job. This Sunday was no different, we drove up to Papa and Grandma's church. Walked into the sanctuary and sat down in a pew toward the front. As soon as my dad walked out to the pulpit, Ryan immediately starts to squirm wanting down and starts saying loudly "I, Papa! I, Papa! I, Papa!" He was making such a commotion to get to his Papa that he was finally escorted out of the sanctuary by grandma. He just loves his Papa!
2. Andrew and I played a new game in the car on our way home tonight. I was called the rhyming game according to Andrew. He would say three words, like "sugar, booger, lollipop", and I would have to tell him which two rhymed and which one did not rhyme. This lasted for 30 minutes! THIRTY! It got to be a pretty silly game. Especially when you hear words like this from the backseat "slogger, logger, bud" and "noodlepoo, poodlepoo, blue" and "fancy, pancy, sky".
3. Andrew has started playing basketball. It is SO much fun! He is a foot taller than everyone and is actually doing a very good job. His first game was Saturday and he was STOKED to say the least. He was warmed up and locked into the game. He scored 5 baskets! When my aunt asked how the game went Andrew said "Oh yea, pretty good. Well, really, I'll tell ya it was just pretty awesome!" My aunt asked, "Where you the star?" Andrew calmly with his elbow propped up on the kitchen counter asked, "Um, superstar? Oh yea, I really was." Watch out Kevin Durant!
4. Andrew is obsessed with perfecting his Christmas list to Santa. On Saturday I asked him what he was going to add to his list. "Well," he said, "really all I need is one of those touch phones." "I have to tell you buddy that Santa won't be bringing that for Christmas." "Well, why not? I think the elves are painting it whatever color I want!" "Well," I say (I'm really having to think sharp on my feet these days!), "Santa knows our family rules and he won't give you any present that doesn't follow those rules." "Oh man! That means I won't get one until I'm just too old! I guess I'll just have to be old like you, mom!" Don't kids say the darndest things! Ouch!
1. When we make the trek (me and the boys) down to the grandparents' house where Mike is staying inbetween coming home for the time being, we attended a small church with my parents on Sunday morning. My dad just happens to be the minister of this church as a second job. This Sunday was no different, we drove up to Papa and Grandma's church. Walked into the sanctuary and sat down in a pew toward the front. As soon as my dad walked out to the pulpit, Ryan immediately starts to squirm wanting down and starts saying loudly "I, Papa! I, Papa! I, Papa!" He was making such a commotion to get to his Papa that he was finally escorted out of the sanctuary by grandma. He just loves his Papa!
2. Andrew and I played a new game in the car on our way home tonight. I was called the rhyming game according to Andrew. He would say three words, like "sugar, booger, lollipop", and I would have to tell him which two rhymed and which one did not rhyme. This lasted for 30 minutes! THIRTY! It got to be a pretty silly game. Especially when you hear words like this from the backseat "slogger, logger, bud" and "noodlepoo, poodlepoo, blue" and "fancy, pancy, sky".
3. Andrew has started playing basketball. It is SO much fun! He is a foot taller than everyone and is actually doing a very good job. His first game was Saturday and he was STOKED to say the least. He was warmed up and locked into the game. He scored 5 baskets! When my aunt asked how the game went Andrew said "Oh yea, pretty good. Well, really, I'll tell ya it was just pretty awesome!" My aunt asked, "Where you the star?" Andrew calmly with his elbow propped up on the kitchen counter asked, "Um, superstar? Oh yea, I really was." Watch out Kevin Durant!
4. Andrew is obsessed with perfecting his Christmas list to Santa. On Saturday I asked him what he was going to add to his list. "Well," he said, "really all I need is one of those touch phones." "I have to tell you buddy that Santa won't be bringing that for Christmas." "Well, why not? I think the elves are painting it whatever color I want!" "Well," I say (I'm really having to think sharp on my feet these days!), "Santa knows our family rules and he won't give you any present that doesn't follow those rules." "Oh man! That means I won't get one until I'm just too old! I guess I'll just have to be old like you, mom!" Don't kids say the darndest things! Ouch!
The Eyes of a Child
Do you ever feel you have so much on your list to do or be involved in that you find yourself yearning for a certain date? Awww...that date that the craziness will be behind you and you can take some time to relax and stay at home and make a plan so life doesn't get SO crazy again.
I seem to be yearning for dates like these over and over and over again. What's wrong with this picture? I never feel like there is the opportunity to slow down. My sister says "Hello! You do it to yourself!" And Mike says, "Jesus said no, so you CAN say no too!"
As much as I sometimes get worn out and burned out, I love giving of myself and being a part of so many different, wonderful and fulfilling things - family, church, friends, work, and my jewelry business, just to name a few...
The hardest part about juggling everything right now is trying to sell our home. It is so hard trying to be disciplined to make my bed every day, keeping the entire house picked up, and staying on top of the boys' rooms. It has been on the market for 5 months now. We have had excellent traffic of potential buyers...just no one making an offer. I told our realtor yesterday that I was going to start charging admission to the newest museum in town - our home!
With Christmas right around the corner, Andrew is VERY excited about all of the traditions and the journey that marks this season. I am focused on living through his innocent eagerness of the season to remember how I should be feeling, and to put aside all of the anxiety and pressure of grown up demands.
Rejoice in the meekness and grace that surrounds us all!
I seem to be yearning for dates like these over and over and over again. What's wrong with this picture? I never feel like there is the opportunity to slow down. My sister says "Hello! You do it to yourself!" And Mike says, "Jesus said no, so you CAN say no too!"
As much as I sometimes get worn out and burned out, I love giving of myself and being a part of so many different, wonderful and fulfilling things - family, church, friends, work, and my jewelry business, just to name a few...
The hardest part about juggling everything right now is trying to sell our home. It is so hard trying to be disciplined to make my bed every day, keeping the entire house picked up, and staying on top of the boys' rooms. It has been on the market for 5 months now. We have had excellent traffic of potential buyers...just no one making an offer. I told our realtor yesterday that I was going to start charging admission to the newest museum in town - our home!
With Christmas right around the corner, Andrew is VERY excited about all of the traditions and the journey that marks this season. I am focused on living through his innocent eagerness of the season to remember how I should be feeling, and to put aside all of the anxiety and pressure of grown up demands.
Rejoice in the meekness and grace that surrounds us all!
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