April Snowstorm

While we could still get another snowstorm here in Wisconsin, I am hoping that the last one of the year was back a few weeks ago on April 11th!

It was a soul-crushing snowstorm and I am pretty sure almost everyone protested and just stayed home! 

I had wanted to plant my spinach, kale and radishes that weekend, but it did not happen!  Took a three or four days for the heavy, wet snow to melt - but thankfully, April snow does melt pretty fast! 

Welcome Sadie!

We adopted a dog last month!

She is 9 months old.


Pure-bread Golden Retriever. 


She is such a good girl!  She already follows commands and is completely house broken and she is kennel trained, which was a nice surprise as we had already made the decision prior to getting her that we would require her to be kenneled during the day and at night.


She is such a joy to have in our family!!!

Our first walk with Sadie

The pretty girl!

William and his new buddy.

Goodbye Sam

We said goodbye to our kitty Sam this weekend.  He became sick and we made the difficult choice to put him down.  Our house already seems a little less happy without him.  

Sam - January 16, 2015

I will miss him and the funny way he liked to lay on his back.   And how he loved to sleep curled right up next to my arms.  And pretty much everything else about him.  Except his litter box.  I will not miss that one bit!

Elizabeth's 5th Birthday Party

What a wonderful celebration we had this past weekend in honor of Elizabeth's 5th birthday. 


It was so good to gather with family and know that everyone there truly loves and cares for our beautiful little girl!  She is such a joy to have in our lives and I am so blessed to be her Mom!

Singing Happy Birthday

Our homemade carrot cake - with carrots from Auntie Stacy's garden this year.

We smoked a couple chickens and some ribs and had scalloped potatoes, roasted mixed vegetables, baked beans.  Simple yet delicious.  The best way to have meals.

Auntie Leann with the kids

Presents were thoughtful and she loved every single one of them!  Especially everything Frozen themed!  She is a huge fan and has seen the movie many times.  She is such a fan of Elsa that when I was listening to Idina Menzel's Christmas album in the car the other day, she heard it and said Queen Elsa was singing Christmas songs to us!  Now that is a devoted Queen Elsa fan to know her voice!
  



Opening one of her Frozen themed gifts!

Grandpa, Libby and Auntie Leann waiting to open gifts

Libby and Eddie relaxing after the party.

Fall Fishing

We headed out yesterday afternoon for a short fishing trip on the river.  It was short because it was so very windy, we all got cold. 

Elizabeth practiced her casting skills and William did some fishing too, but none were caught in the short time we were out.  It was so nice to be out on the river, but with the wind whipping up the white caps, it was less than ideal circumstances. 

Eventually, we headed down river to the dam and fished in the calmer area.  Eddie and Libby had a little picnic in the boat with peanut butter sandwiches, but William and I waited to eat until we got home.  We both needed something warm and a bowl of hot soup was the answer!



Elizabeth practicing casting with her fishing pole.



A very happy William out in the boat.

Edward and Mommy in the boat.

They do like each other!

Fall Fun - Playing in the leaves with no reservations.

Excitement over his sister throwing the leaves into the air.

So happy to have an afternoon at the park and river!

2014 Hanson Family Hayride

The hayride this year was a great success.  Lots of fun and great food!  Once again, Marvin & Sheila hosted the family at their farm.  We only needed one hay wagon this year to pull the crew as many of the family couldn't make it due to illness. 

Libby

Eddie and his favorite thing - a tractor!

Eddie and Grandma Sue on the hayride

Amanda, William and Libby on the hayride

Stopping at the family orchard to pick some apples

Grandma Connie teaching Libby and Eddie how to use the apple picker

Libby testing it out.  She did get an apple or two off the tree using it!

Wolf Creek.  This is the spot where William and I were married.

The family farm.  Thanks to Marvin & Sheila for hosting us this year again!  It was one of the best days I have had in a long time!

A Beautiful Day at the Park

We headed out to the local Lion's Park yesterday afternoon to run off some energy before nap time.  It was such a beautiful day and I couldn't resist running through the grass with the kids!

She really likes to slide.

A caged Eddie-Bear!

Getting ready to race down the slide.

Eddie, William & Libby - September 21, 2014

Eddie, Amanda & Libby - September 21, 2014

An Empty Shell

We closed on the sale of our home on Friday, August 15, 2014.  It had been our home for a little over 10 years.  We took a beat up and neglected house and turned it into a home.  It will always be the place that helped me grow into a (more) responsible adult, Wife and Mother.



An Empty Kitchen

Many delicious meals (and some not so great - lemon pepper tilapia comes to mind!) were prepared in this kitchen and served at our little round table.  Our kids began to learn to eat solid foods at the table.  We had conversations, birthday parties and arguments in this kitchen and around our table.  Wesley the dog ate cookies off the table and begged for food while on this floor.
 

Dining Room Table is gone

We spent time together as a family watching television in our living room, pizza picnics on the living room floor and even slept here a time or two when we were sick or had sick babies that needed to be held through the night.
 

Empty Living Room

When Elizabeth was born, she had jaundice and we spent time in the sunroom trying to get as much natural light on her little body as we possibly could.  My jade tree lived in this room for many years before it finally grew too large.  Our kids put on their winter jackets and snowpants here to get ready for outdoor adventures.  Many adventures.
 

Bare Sunroom.

It was very sad to see our home empty.  I was hoping that once all our belongings were out of the home, it wouldn't feel like our home anymore.  I was wrong.  It still felt like our home. 

The memories we made in this little home will be with me the rest of my life.  And I realized that I wasn't envisioning my stuff in the home - it was the memories I could still see there.  And since I get to take those with me, the home will always be mine in a small way.  Even if I don't live there anymore.
 

Our Home - February 2004 to August 2014

Now it is off to our next adventure.  For two weeks, we are living in a basement until we can close on our new house.  The first few nights have been rough, but I have hope that we will thrive and come out of this mini-adventure with a new-found appreciation for a place of our own.  Even if we are starting all over again!

Around the House - August 5, 2014

The reminders that we are leaving this house are now everywhere.  Finding it hard to want to pack anymore.  Emotionally draining.  Hopefully by Friday morning I will be ready to go again as I need to get more done when I have the time off without the kids at home. 

Front Deck

Front Yard



Hostas & Peonies

Garden

Backyard Fun

Tomatoes

Peppers

The daily reminder I am leaving this house.

A Perfect Week (on Vacation!)

Last week was the most perfect week. 

It felt like I was on vacation for at least two weeks instead of just one.

So grateful for the time to spend with my family and extended family at the lake in Minnesota.  We are truly thankful for them opening their houses, cabins and campers to us for the holiday week!

Perfection.

Ice Cream eating with a black eye from the waterpark.  (She ran into a chair when she wasn't looking!)

Breakfast at Grandpa's house.

Waterpark fun with the Kids!

Eddie's 2nd Birthday Party

Eddie turned two last week. 

Not sure how that happened as I am pretty sure I just gave birth to him a few months ago...

He is such a joyful kid (for the most part - he can throw a temper tantrum with the best of them) and I am so grateful he is part of our family.  His smile is infectious, his laugh is contagious and his kisses and hugs are the very best.

Here are a few photos of his party, which was very small, but so perfect. 

The Big Boy with his Birthday Cake.

Eddie & Libby enjoying the cake.

Excitement over a Slinky.  Love the simple gifts!

The fishing pole.  I had to pry it out of his hands to get him to go to bed!

Grandma Connie trying to teach Eddie how to play his new harmonica!

He needs to grow a little bit before he can start riding his balance bike, but I am exited for him to have the opportunity to learn to ride without training wheels!

It was such a wonderful day - we were supposed to have storms and rain showers most of the day, but it cleared up nicely and we were able to play outside and get some fresh air.  It is always more fun when we can play outside instead of being stuck indoors! 

 

 

Eddie has enjoyed playing with all of his presents this past week.  Not a single one has gone untouched!  Even the balance bike has been used (by Libby though!). 

 

Thanks to everyone for a wonderful party!  It was so nice to see you all (and even nice that the family members who were sick earlier in the week that didn't show up - they didn't want to share their germs - and I truly appreciated it!)