Monster Jam

Dear Kate and Riley,
A few years ago, actually just a few days before Brady was born, we made our first venture into the world of Monster trucks. The boys were hooked (well I'm guessing Brady was hooked in utero). We missed out last year but this year Dad took the boys with a big group of buddies to the show. I didn't mind being left behind one bit. I hooked up with another mom with boys for dinner and puttered around Target for an hour (my kind of night!). The boys had a blast. We've been having Monster Jam in our living room ever since.

They got to go early to see the monster trucks up close

Dad said the boys thought it was so funny to stick their heads into the giant tires and yell

Of course Brady had to copy the big boys

The show. We were smart this time and bought ear phones for the boys, last time I spent the entire time covering Zach's ears with my hands.

Love,
Mom

Last Utah Post!

Dear Kate and Riley,
It's the day before Brady's birthday and I'm finally going to wrap up the Utah Christmas posts!

We spent a day at the Zoo with Summer, Ali and Cadence. It was cold but fun and just the right size zoo for our kids.

3 little monkeys!

The kids named this monkey the Papa Ross monkey and thought they were SO funny

Looking at the Papa Ross monkey


Brady liked the giraffe


The only shot I got of Cadence, the back of her head.

This was mostly a Hansen trip but we did get to spend some time with the O'Farrells. We hung out one night at Uncle Andrew's and played games and we went back to Classic Skate for Ashton and Braden's birthdays.

Hanging out with cousins

Playing DS

Silly girls playing games

More Classic Skate

Aunt Amy is the best. She pushed Brady around that track 100 times. He loves Aunt Amy so much he cried for like 10 minutes for her when we left that night. He still says all the time, Aunt Amy house? I guess he wants to go back, maybe dad and I need to go on another trip!

One day it was supposed to be really "warm" so we went to a park. It turned out to be FREEZING but the park was really cool so we stuck it out for a while.



And, just for fun, a shot of Uncle Bret. Everyone loves Uncle Bret and he is a trooper always having to sit in the back seat between carseats! (we're glad that Uncle Bret goes to BYU so he was forced to shave and get a haircut before school started again)


And that's it! I can't believe we were in Utah so much this year, I can't imagine that we'll ever do Thanksgiving AND Christmas again but it was really fun, it is always fun to be with cousins. I can't believe that in a few weeks we'll officially be the ONLY ones who don't live in Utah (on either side) except for Papa Ross and Grandma Janice. It makes me a little sad that no one else has seen the light but it also makes me feel like everyone will have to come visit us!

Love,
Mom

Utah Fun-- Classic Skate, Cotton Candy, Bowling

Dear Kate and Riley,
With the cold weather, we had to get creative to get the kids' energy out. We started at Classic Skate. Who knew it was so much more than just a skating rink? The place was super packed and stunk of b.o. and foot (seriously enough to make you gag), but the kids had a blast. Zach couldn't get enough of riding the scooter around in circles.

Brady loved the bounce house, especially because there was one just for little kids

Zach was a maniac on the skating rink

Uncle Chris and Aunt Jenny gave Uncle Clint and Aunt Kelli a cotton candy maker for Christmas. You put any hard candy in it and it makes cotton candy. We decided though that the only good flavor of cotton candy is... cotton candy. Boring, right? Everything else just tasted nasty (good thing the kids didn't care at all!)

We went bowling one morning but my camera died right when we got there. I had to make do with my phone. The kids had fun, I don't think any of them had ever been. I liked the ramp it made it more fun for the kids (with the ramp and the bumper, they did better than some of the adults!)






Still more to come...

Love,
Mom

More Utah-- Ensign Peak

Dear Kate and Riley,

I am running out of time to catch up before Brady's birthday. It wouldn't be a vacation with the Hansens without some frigid hiking! We decided to hike up Ensign Peak which was a perfect hike for the kids. Even Brady hiked most of it and was VERY proud of himself, declaring "HIKING!" the whole way. If it weren't for that darn inversion it would have been a pretty day too!

hiking!

Cadence wasn't feeling well so she hitched a ride. Gotta love Uncle Clint's Russia hat (sparkly jewels on the side and all)

Zach and Summer

Aunt Kelli was so nice to sport her BYU letter jacket so I could wear her coat!

Uncle Bret is so cool

Ali and Cadence

Papa and Grandma Janice!

Brady only got a short ride, then he was back to hiking

Love,
mom

Utah Part 1-- Grandma Christmas

Dear Kate and Riley,
Hoping to catch up on all of my Christmas posting before we hit Brady's birthday!

We got in to Utah late on Christmas. The next morning we had a big breakfast and the kids got spoiled again by Grandma Janice and Papa Ross (well, let's be honest, by Grandma).

Cadence got a plasma car like Brady

Uncle Clint got this track to bring a little testosterone into the house (and get ready for baby boy). Our boys loved it.

Summer got more princess dress ups. A girl can never have enough!

Grandma Janice got a little camera

Brady got books and immediately had Papa Ross reading them.

Brady got a bunch of little animals which he loves to line up. They remind me of Uncle Bret because he had all the same animals when he was little!

Zach and Grandma Janice with the Batman submarine

Uncle Bret got ski gear (and scared all the kids)

We missed Aunt Jenny, Claire and Christian!

Love,
mom