Youth Leader Skit at Girls Camp

Girls Camp

This year for Girls Camp we went to Heber Valley. Wow! We had flush toilets, cabins, electricity and even an ice machine. I am grateful for President Hinckley's vision and his dedication to provide such a remarkable facility for the young women. We had a fabulous time as the Tahiti Sweeties with flamingos being our mascot. The stake kept us very busy coming and going. I love camp! It is the best way to get to know "my girls." Good news -- we get to go back next year as a ward!

Where do I start? Backwards I guess with Lake Powell...

I have many things to post and I have debated where to start -- the beginning of June or the end of July? I've decided to start with our Lake Powell trip from the end of July and go backwards. We spent a glorious week at Powell on Canyon Magic with everyone but Eliza, and Clay and Jen. We missed them immensely! I was talking to the four oldest grandkids about how our whole family was with us but the three that I have mentioned. Eric kindly corrected me and said, "Barney is part of our family and he isn't here." (Barney is a dear family friend with whom Eric has formed a special bond during other Lake Powell trips.) It was difficult to narrow down which photos to use. These should give a taste of the fun we had! (If you want to see more, visit my kids blogs. There is a link to all of them on my blog.) The three oldest grandkids waterskiied. All of them tubed, swam, and went down the slip 'n slide. It was a great week -- heaven on earth for a happy gamma and grandpa.
RYLEE ON THE BEACH
RYLEE AND TALYA
KEAGAN LOOKING TOO GROWN UP
KEAGAN AND ERICA
LINDSAY, AUDREY, CARLY, TYLER AND SHAE
TALYA'S GREAT WIPEOUT
SHAE'S FIRST TIME WATERSKIING
SHAE LOVING LIFE ON THE TUBE
AUDREY AND GRANDPA
AUDREY GETTING READY FOR HER TUBE RIDE
AT THE END OF THEIR SLIP 'N SLIDE TRAIN
ERIC LOOKING COOL
ERIC ENJOYING LIFE
TYLER WORKING ON THE SAND CASTLE
TYLER SHOWING GREAT FORM
CHUCK, KEAGAN, ERICA, PAMA AND PAPA DAVID, LEANN, CARLY WITH DAX, ROBBIE
RYAN, TALYA, PAMA WITH RYLEE, PAPA, TYLER AND ERIC
PAMA AND PAPA, LINDSAY, MATT, SHAE AND AUDREY
The men spent hours building a slip 'n slide down the sandy hill. They actually did it twice because we switched camp spots Tuesday night. (There had been a canopy with chairs and a tent marking a prime beach location. After three days with no one showing up, we decided to move the houseboat and take possession. The tent owners showed up Friday but seemed to understand why we did what we did.)

GAMPA AND AUDREY ON THE SLIP 'N SLIDE


GAMMA ON THE SLIP 'N SLIDE


SLIP 'N SLIDE TRAIN

Has it really been six weeks?

I can't believe how long it has been since I have added to my blog. I have been incredibly busy since June 1st and it is only slightly slowing down. I figured that from June 1 to July 5 I was home for only ten days. I have many things to say and lots of pictures to add. I hope to have a quiet moment to get caught up on my blog before we take off for Lake Powell in a week. But my first order of business has absolutely got to be finishing organizing and unpacking Girls Camp stuff. Blogging will be my reward for putting off the inevitable.

Kids and Swings

Last Sunday (the Sunday we found out that #9 is on its way!) we put Rylee and Keagan in the swings. As you can see Rylee was mad about being in the swing. She actually tried to get out by herself. However, when we let her hold onto the monkey bars she was thrilled! Keagan, on the other hand, was thrilled to be in the swing. I think this experience says alot about their individual personalities....especially Rylee. Next time Eliza is around we will have to let her take a test drive.

Results of Remodeling

About two and a half years ago I was consumed with the idea of remodeling and knocking out some walls in our home to make it more comfortable for our growing family. David didn't seem to have the same vision or desire. So I gave it some thought. What might motivate him to agree with me??? He has wanted a motorcyle for years. He had one when he was a teenager and when we were first married. I thought maybe the promise of my support of a motorcyle would knock out walls. I was right!

He has had his dream bike now for two years. He loves to share it with me. He has made many adjustments to it so that I can ride comfortably for longer periods of time. (Thanks for your hard work sweetheart!)

Last Saturday we rode to Park City to buy him a light weight leather jacket. We found one and we also found leather chaps (on sale!) for both of us. One has to go through an interesting process to get into chaps. It is a two person job. I never thought I would own anything leather that would cover my legs. But I have to say the ride home was much more enjoyable because of them. We rode down Parley's Canyon and took the turn-off to Emigration Canyon on the way home. I wasn't cold and I didn't feel any gravel hit my legs. The question is....Do these chaps make my butt look big? The answer (unfortunately) is....yes!

A-U-D-R-E-Y Audrey Audrey Rose

While Matt and Lindsay were packing the U-Hauls for their move back to Utah, I was lucky enough to tend Audrey and Eliza for six days. Audrey was working on her spelling so I thought it would be fun to teach her how to spell her name. Gampa came up with the tune and I helped with the words. This was the result!

David's Birthday

Back on May 16th, we celebrated my fabulous husband's birthday. We had a barbecue in the backyard with the kids and grandkids. When I think of my husband, I can't help but to be grateful for divine guidance. Our courtship and marriage were fast to say the least, but 31 years together have proved that I married the right guy for me. He is incredible! He supports me in every crazy adventure that I want to attempt. He is always right behind me with every church calling and assignment. This year I am going to Girls Camp without him -- the first time in seven years. It is going to be a lonely week for me. He loves Festival of Trees as much as I do. In fact, he has become known as "The Voice of Festival" because he is the announcer on Opening Night. He goes along with most everything I want to do to our home and cabin. He supports me in every family activity I want to hold. He is my best friend. I really am spoiled. I'm glad I let Heavenly Father guide my choice in a husband. He certainly picked better than I would if I had been left on my own. I love you the most David! I'm grateful you are mine!

I Love You Through and Through

Yesterday was such a beautiful day that I decided to organize an impromtu barbecue for Sunday after church with any of my children that could come. Talya and Ryan (with Eric, Tyler and Rylee), Clay and Jenny, and Erica and Chuck (with Keagan) were able to come. We had hamburgers, chips, yummy salads and rootbeer floats. While sharing my dessert with a very sticky and dirty Rylee, Clay handed me a gift bag. I assumed it was something they had bought on their weekend in Chicago. (Jenny is the ultimate gift-giver. She spends a lot of time picking out the best gift for each person. I always have appreciated her thoughtfulness.) Anyway, I pulled out the tissue and saw a darling white teddy bear and a book that went along with it entitled, "I Love You Through and Through." I was trying to keep Rylee's very interested but dirty hands from hugging the bear while trying to pick up the book. Then Talya announced, "Don't you get the message???" Oh my goodness! I was slow on this one. I would think by now that I would catch on but I didn't. If I had been able to open the book and read the inscription I would have read, "Congratulations Grandpa and Grandma Hansen! You're getting another grandbaby to love "through and through!" We are SO excited for Clay and Jenny! I couldn't be happier! The magic of each new baby announcement never dims. He/she will be a fun birthday present for Daddy Clay. We expect the due date to be sometime in January. My prayers are with Jenny that she will feel better soon. Congratulations mommy and daddy-to-be!

Festival of Trees

Back in my lifetime, almost 30 years ago, I tended children and cleaned house for Barbara Frazier, (an incredible woman!) She was involved in a little community service project known as Festival of Trees which has evolved into a huge community service project. She signed me up to be on her committee and the rest is history. This is the 38th year. I have been involved with Festival of Trees since Matt was a baby. This is my 9th year of serving on the Festival of Trees Executive Board. I have worked in the Gift Boutique, served as co-chair to Lori Peterson and Edyth Hansen, and I am currently serving as the Auction Host Chair with additional duties on the Large Tree committee. My responsibilities as Auction Host Chair include training and scheduling 500 plus Auction Hosts for Opening Night. Last year we raised $1,604,021.64 in less than five days. Every single penny of that money goes to charity care at Primary Children's Medical Center. All my daughters (which includes my daughter in-laws) are on my committee. Talya is also a member of the Executive Board. This year she is the Entertainment Chair. I celebrated my 50th birthday on Opening Night (hence the tiara) and my daughter, Erica, was engaged at Festival. I am often asked why I keep doing Festival. To me it is a no-brainer. In my small way I get to help children. The money raised gives hope to families in need. Then there is the selfish side of me that keeps doing Festival. I do it for the friendships I have made with some incredible women. I do it to serve with my children, my sisters, my husband and my dear friends in a great cause.

Cheekie Weekies or Squishy Bums

I have a thing for baby bottoms. I just do. They are soft and smooth. They come in all shapes and sizes. They are irresistable to squeeze. That squeeze is the only payoff of having to change a messy diaper. My older grandkids now run if they know I need a cheekie weekie fix. But I have three that don't know about my addiction just yet. Erica sent me this picture of Keagan. (Boy is he going to hate his mom someday!) His squishy bum isn't very squishy. He needs some more fat but it will do because he is so dang cute! Rylee and Eliza have better squishy bums for cheekie weekies. They take after their Gamma and even have great thighs to squeeze during those dreaded diaper changes. I love babies! I can hardly wait for Dax to join the group.

It's official! The Arizona Family is coming home!

It has been 26 months since Matt and Lindsay headed south for the winter....then spring, summer, fall and all over again. Now they are coming back north sometime in the next few weeks. It will be wonderful to have them close by again. I know it will be hard for them to leave their home in Arizona. They have fabulous friends who answered a mother's anxious prayers when they first moved. It is bittersweet to leave a place you have grown to love to come back home. They will probably settle somewhere in Pleasant Grove. Matt is going to be working for a new company called everysinglehome.com. Look it up if you have a minute. Great concept! I am glad to have them return so my family can be all in one state for a few months before Erica and Carly and their families leave sometime next year. Welcome home Hansens!

Another April Birthday -- Audrey

My granddaughter, Audrey Hansen, turned four years old on April 29th. Audrey is full of life! She is such a fun little girl to be around. She is the only blonde with two brunette sisters. We tease a bit and say that she is really Carly's daughter. (Carly was my only blonde with four brunette siblings.) Audrey is the youngest of my first four grandchildren. I watch her try to keep pace with the older ones. She hussles and does a good job of keeping up. She, however, seems to recognize her size limitations. If the older ones are faster on their scooters or swimming in deeper water, she seems content to just be. She is a busy little girl who doesn't sit still too long. She's eager to please but has a spitfire personality that surfaces every once in a while. She knows the best moment to say "I love you" for the biggest effect. She loves to mother Eliza, her baby sister. My favorite conversation with Audrey was when she called to see if she could run away to my house. Of course I said yes! But then I realized that I needed to support Mom in a teaching moment. I explained that I had the same rules that she had at home and there was also a time-out spot at Gamma's house. She still wanted to come. She told me that she just didn't love mommy and daddy anymore. If she hadn't been 12 hours away I would have kidnapped her for the weekend. Happy birthday Audrey! You are my very favorite four year old!

More April Birthdays

April is a busy month for birthdays in our family. The middle of the month brings my daughter in-law, Lindsay's birthday. She is married to my oldest son, Matt. Boy did he do well! She is beautiful to look at. She is a fabulous mother. She is a valiant member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She is a great daughter. (I was always nervous to talk to my mother in-law about day to day stuff but it doesn't seem to bother her, for which I am extremely grateful.) I couldn't have arranged a better marriage than the one Matt did for himself. The newest thing I really appreciate about Lindsay is her support of Matt in realizing a dream that he has had since he was a little boy. He has always wanted to fly and become an astronaut. In fact, his old bedroom still has a space shuttle mural on the wall. When he was three or four he told me he would take me for a ride in the space shuttle someday. Well, he didn't become an astronaut but he is a pilot. He took me for my promised ride in an airplane when we visited in March. He sacrificed a lot of sleeping time to be in the air. But he couldn't have done it without Lindsay's support. Thank you Lindsay, for taking care of my son and letting him realize a life long dream. Happy birthday to wonderful addition to our family!

For her birthday Matt arranged to have the airplane and they flew over the Grand Canyon and up to St. George for a well deserved getaway.

Blog gap

Well, my blog looks like my journal. Lots of big gaps. Oh well there have lots of things keeping me busy. My biggest block of time goes to my service commitments. First of all, to my church calling as Young Women's President. We do many fun things together but it takes a lot of time to research activities, plan them and then carry out the plans. Every once in a while I have the opportunity to teach them on Sunday. That is a huge deal to me. I taught a room full of beautiful young women last week about The House of Israel. I spent hours preparing for the lesson. I learned a great deal and my testimony that Heavenly Father loves me increased. Tuesday night we weeded together at the Sandy Vegetable Project and then went out for Slurpees. I LOVE every single second I get to be with them!

My next block of time goes to maintaining my home. We did some major remodeling starting two years ago and we have never finished. Currently I am working on doing deep cleaning, de-junking and organizing. That is a slow process -- especially when you come across something that reminds you of days gone by or pulls at your heart strings. I worked all day in my basement. I filled up six boxes for Deseret Industries. Some of it was hard to let go. I decided that if I hadn't read the books in the last ten years they were going to another home. But then I started opening them up. When I found a handwritten note or an autographed copy I couldn't part with it. I even found books that my Young Women leaders had given me throught the years with sweet notes on the inside. I parted with my old LPs that I received starting back in Junior High. Do you know that Cat Stevens has beautiful eyes? I thought of the nights I spent listening to America, The Moody Blues, the Carpenters, Chicago and wishing for a date to prom. Then there was all of the other outdated technological stuff like cassette tapes and floppy disks. They all went into recycling. And what about handmade pottery items and pencil cans given to me years ago on Mother's Day? How can I part with those? It is a work in progress but I do have a lot of empty shelves tonight. Soon I will start stripping wallpaper and painting. We paid for the carpet a year ago so it is way past time to be done.

And of course, there is my family with whom I love to spend time! I have a lot to say about them and it is coming up. But now I am off to check on the score of the Jazz vs. Lakers game and then into bed.