Hansen Family

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Wrestling

It doesn't matter what we are doing in this house. Even after an activity like decorating the tree...the wrestling has to come out.

I don't know what's up with these pictures. Not sure if it was the lighting in the chapel or the setting...just not very good pictures. But, I wanted to share Tyler's first piano recital. He has been taking lessons from our good friend Angie Larson since September. People ask me, "Did he want to take lessons?" Truthfully, I really don't know. After being in charge of baptisms for the last year we had several times where the piano player did not show up. There we were with a room full of people and not one person could play the piano. There were even a few times where there were four elders and none of them knew how to play. I have always wanted my boys to take lessons because I never had the chance to and Trent decided to quit early on when he was little. So right then and there I decided that my boys were going to have this skill. Whether for Elder's quorum, their mission or just for Family Home Evenings on Monday nights. Tyler is the lone piano player in our home right now and it is great to have him play for us for our family nights. He didn't seem nervous at all for his recital. Sister Larson drew names out of a hat for the order which the kids would play. I think she has about 20 kids that she teaches and wouldn't you know it...Tyler was called very last. Even waiting that long didn't shake his little nerves. He walked right up there, sat down, took a look at us and played all of his songs perfectly! He even had a little bow at the end. I hope this is something that he continues to grow in and enjoy.

The BOX

It really is true...they would rather have a box than any toy you give them.

Graham Cracker Houses

The second graders at Oak Meadows get to decorate graham cracker houses every December. This year was Tyler's turn and I was given the opportunity to go and help the kids. The teachers had bought the kids chocolate milk the week before and washed them out for the bases of the houses. I thought this was such a great idea. They had so much fun!

Friday, January 21, 2011

My experience at Stater Bros. yesterday

I have to share this experience that I had at Stater Bros. yesterday. We often question if there are any good people left in the world today with things that happen. I found out yesterday that there are. I was heading to Rite-Aid to pick up some deals and had a Buy one Get one free coupon for Minute Maid orange juice. It is on sale this week for $2.50 at Stater Bros. which is right next door to Rite-Aid so I thought I would go in and give it a try. As I was standing in line with my orange juice a man came through the line the wrong way and pushed his way through saying excuse me to all of us. He was limping and as he went behind me he apologized and said, I have a bad leg and it's hard to even make the extra steps it would take to get around the other way. I could tell he was a gruff guy and he had been through a lot. I told him that's ok and then told him that he should feel ok to use the electric carts that they have in the front. I told him I always see people that don't really seem to need them and he was the kind of person that really needed to be in one. He said that he felt bad taking them when he could make it around even with pain. He went on to tell me that he had worked hard his whole life and that he wasn't even 40 yet. I was shocked when he told me that because he looked a lot older. When it was my turn in line I handed the cashier my coupon. She looked at me and told me she was really sorry but Stater Bros. doesn't accept printable coupons over $2.00 and mine would be $2.50 in order to get the orange juice for free. I told her oh, that's ok I didn't know that was your policy, I can get it at another store when it's a good deal. I didn't feel like it was a wasted trip because I was coming out anyway. The man behind me turned to me and tried to hand me the piece of paper he had come to cash out. I often see people at this store trying to cash out vouchers of some sort, I am not sure but I think it might be some sort of assistance voucher. Anyway, I looked at the voucher questionably. It said $3.39. He said, here please take this, I'll pay for your orange juice. I then realized what he saw. A mother with two children and two things of orange juice worth $5.00 total and I was walking away from it because I could not pay for it with my coupons. I told him, oh, no I'm a couponer, I just try and get things on good deals when we can get them for the lowest deal. I told him I had just come to try out this deal and I would be able to get it at another store another time. He tried insisting and I told him that it was really ok. I was very touched as I walked out of the store. I stopped to get my things back into my purse and as I was standing there he came running out of the store and said miss, miss really I will buy your orange juice for you. He then said, (excuse the language, but I have to share it because it shows how passionate he was) "I'll be damned if I am going to let you walk away with your two little boys if you need that juice for them." Silence. I was stunned that this man who seemed so beat down with life would give me his $3.39 assistance voucher for my orange juice that I was just trying to get for free as part of the coupon game that we play. I continued to try and convince him that we were ok and I felt terrible the whole time because I really don't think that he understood that it really was just a deal I was trying to get. It was a very humbling experience and it made me realize that every once in awhile there are people looking out for each other in this world. My only regret was not asking him if there was anything I could do for him. I was just too stunned in the moment to think of that. If only we could think quicker sometimes...

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Subway Art

My friend recently came across Subway Art and in doing searches for it I came across a blog called "Craftily Ever After." She shows her amazing projects that are beautiful yet simple. Her latest example is a Valentine's day theme which I do not have very much of so I am very excited to make mine!