Christmas Date with Noah

Noah and I planned a great date to celebrate Christmas break in Salt Lake City because we had to drive Abbi and Marlie downtown. Clara and Dad stayed home, we dropped the big girls off and we went off on our own adventure.

The girls were dressed up cute for the Ballet West Nutcracker at the Capital Theater with Aunt Anne. Abbi liked it but thought the men could use more clothing to cover their rears. 

Noah chose P.F. Chang's Chinese for lunch. He loves Chinese food! We tried out the lettuce wraps and loved them. He ordered honey chicken and lo mein and I had sweet and sour chicken. For dessert, we brought home the Great Wall of Chocolate! Noah had such excellent manners and was a great date!

Before going to Temple Square, Noah wanted to go into the toy store we have taken him and Abbi a few years ago. I was letting him lead the way and the first, and only, thing he did was find a toy he thought was great and asked to get it for the Toys for Tots box. I had no idea he remembered when we did that before and was very proud of what he chose to do.

Noah and I had lots of fun looking around City Creek at the window displays, the Disney store, and the fountain. We rode the escalators lots of times, raced to the elevators, made jokes about the parking levels, and were more wild than we had been in a really long time. I think it was the perfect date for a cabin-fevered mom and a new middle child.

At Temple Square, we waited in line to donate to the Light the World vending machine. There were lots of options of things you could pay for in order to donate towards others. Water, meals, eye glasses, baby stuff, goats, water systems, etc. Noah chose to get 100 meals for the Utah Food Bank. The vending machines had nearly 24,000 transactions and generated $469,000 in donations from visitors to Temple Square. Amazing!

We went up to the top of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building and pretended to spy on all the people we could see below. Then, went back to City Creek to buy naughty little gifts for the Hansen Christmas Party.

When we got home, we shared our leftover lettuce wraps and our Great Wall of Chocolate with Dad. He was very nice to stay with Clara and let us have such a fun day in the city.

Halloween 2017

 This year we got to go to a couple of fun trunk or treats in our new town of Plain City. The ward put on a fun night where we saw the headless horseman and Noah got his face painted. One of the young men also played Abbi a special song on the piano in the primary room :)

Earlier in the day, I was determined to walk and walk to get the baby coming so I planned a full day. I started at Noah's school parade which was very festive! Then, I headed to Deweyville to see my cows. I ate an order of cheese bread at Pizza Plus before heading home for a nap.

I took the side-view picture for my sisters. I heard it's fashionable to tuck in your shirt these days.

Halloween night, we went to a fun trunk or treat the bible church puts on at the park. Noah was most excited for the can of Pepsi he got at one of the cars. Jake and I walked around the neighborhood with Noah while Abbi manned our door for trick or treaters.

It was kind of a different Halloween for us but I think we all got plenty of goodies!

Mother's Day Weekend

Mother's Day Weekend was lots of fun! The kids and I went to City Creek and to eat at Little America before it closes down for six months.  The aunties met us there and we had a big dinner and dessert.  I love the Coffee Shop.

Noah chooses his own clothes these days.

Abbi and Noah at Little America with their dessert.

On Saturday, we took the kids for a surprise to meet Uncle Ross and Cousin Tom at Boondocks for dinner and games.  The kids loved it there.  It was like being in Las Vegas for kids ... no clocks, just swipe your card and play, etc.  We got a lot of tickets {mostly from Uncle Ross's skills at Ski-Ball} and the kids thought it was great to choose a prize.

Dance Dance Revolution with Tom Ballard

Punching Bag with Tom

Wish I had more pictures of Abbi but she was hard to keep up with.

Mother's Day was a beautiful day outside.  After church {and a nap}, Jake took us for a drive and we visited Grandma Hansen.  The kids gave me beautiful cards and a gift they had made at school or at primary.  This was my first year to get something from them so it was pretty great.  They were so excited to give me something.  I am so proud of their work and think there really aren't presents as good as those.

These are beautiful Joey curtains that Wendy made for me out of a shower curtain.  I love them so much!

 And, it's another beautiful day outside today.  It's Jake's and my second anniversary today.  Uncle Jeremy and Lilia took Noah and I for lunch to Uncle Jimmy's.  We were so glad to see Amber feeling good today.  I got to see Jake for a few minutes before he was off to work.  To celebrate our anniversary, I'm getting myself a big Oreo shake when the kids go to bed.  That'll be nice.

my favorite kids at our favorite place

Noodles & Company.  I didn't know they would fall in love with it the way I did.  We are happy campers when we get to eat our noodles and chicken.