Christmas Recap

I have been a little busy working on things for Crop and I haven't updated about our Christmas fun! We were so excited to have Erik's sister Lara come and stay with us for a couple days during the holidays. Christmas eve has always been a nightmare were our families are concerned. I love both families and both of them have their traditional dinners on Christmas Eve. Well with it being my birthday I feel really torn. A few years ago I determined that I was not going anywhere and they were going to have to come and see me. So this year my Mom did the Palmer party at her house the Saturday before Christmas (see Nativity post). That was really nice. On my birthday we had my traditional birthday breakfast with my family. Then we went to Hansen's for a Danish traditional Christmas dinner. I have to laugh at how cute Finn (my father-in-law) was about the whole thing. I can't believe how much he got into making sure that everything was just right. My kids enjoyed dancing around the Christmas tree the most. I am sure that this will be a Christmas they will remember for a long time. Then off to home and bed. First thing in the morning Santa had been to our home and brought lots of presents. Thank you to the extra Santa's for the extra goodies. My kids were really spoiled! The funny thing is that when Kimmie sat on Santa's knee this year she made sure to tell him that Grandpa, Grandma, and Aunt Lara would be at our house Christmas morning so he needed to make sure to bring stocking gifts for them too. Thank you to Mervyns sale I found really cute new stockings for the extra family to ensure that Santa could bring them something too! She is so cute to think of everyone. That is until Christmas morning. She torn through everything like a little tasmanian devil. Anything that had a letter K somewhere on the tag had to be for her. So she ended up unwraping my gifts. We braved the elements and took the normally 45 minute drive to Grandpa and Grandma's house in about an hour and a half. I was really relieved to actually arrive there. I felt a little guilty unwrapping presents and leaving only a little while after we got there but the roads were so bad getting there I didn't want to get stuck. Although we did a little of that too. We got stuck coming out of my parents house we couldn't get up the street. So thank you Erik, Mike and Dad for pushing my heavy minivan up the hill. I was really grateful to get home and spend a quiet evening just to our little family. Thank you everyone for making this a really nice and calm holiday.

Photos: The Palmer Grandchildren (minus Scott and Laurie) , Kimmie in her Tutu made by Grandma Marijo, Erik in Kimmie's tutu, Johnny with a few of his gifts Christmas morning.

Nativity

I have to tell you that my Dad's family (the Palmer's) are not really big into the Christmas thing where religion is concerned. I don't remember very many times even hearing the Christmas story out of the Bible with Palmers. But this year Grandpa and Grandma had a party at their house. The grandkids did a nativity. Thank you to my aunt Susan for the costumes. The kids had a great time and Kimmie has been trying to talk everyone she knows into doing the nativity with her. Johnny and Kimmie made great a great Mary and Joseph. Baby Jesus was played by my cousins baby Timothy.

Christmas Letter goof up

I was in a mood when I wrote this year's Christmas letter as you can see. Although with this mood came a few weird things. Including a few things that I need to apologize for.

Christmas eve I gave Jeanette our Christmas letter and she freaked out after reading the first line. She also found my typo at the end it is suppose to say with love and affection. So Jeanette gets the star for pointing out my mistake! Also sorry to Erik for being hard on you (my brother-in-law said I was too mean).

SORRY! I guess I will chalk up this years letter to being too tired when writing. I will have to get a proof reader before sending next years letter.

Christmas Clothes

My mom is famous for getting my kids new Christmas church clothes. This is this years outfits! They look so cute!!! I can't believe how big they are getting.

Bingham Alumni Choir

Yes, I did put on their choir. Minus a few rare occasions I haven't sung in public very much since high school. As I posted a few months ago. Bingham high school (where I gradated from way to many years ago to post) had their 100 year celebration. A bunch of us got together and performed at the annual Candlelight concert on Saturday. I had a wonderful time. I don't think I have thought that much about high school in years. I really started to look forward to rehearsals. Our choir teacher from back in the days LeAnna Willmore lead two of the three numbers that we did. The performance was great! I think I even saw a standing ovation at the end of the third number! Although the lights were in my eyes so I could have been imagining things. We also sang with the choirs during the traditional Hallelujah chorus (photoed here). Thank you Bethany for these photos. My camera's batteries died. Thank you also to those that put this together I really had a wonderful time! Thank you also to my husband for taking care of my kids and helping me so that I can do this. I appreciate all you did to help with this. It really put me in the spirit of Christmas again. The other photo is one of those of us who sang in the choir together in high school that participated in this fun opportunity. I also learned something again. If I rehearse enough I can still hit a high C!!!

This years Christmas letter

Dear Family and Friends,

Well, Erik quit his job of 12 years at Target, we sold our house, pulled the kids out of school, and are moving to a commune in Montana to grow organic food, raise animals, and live in peace with the universe. Ok, maybe not . . . we changed our minds once we realized there was no indoor plumbing. Truthfully, we sold our home and moved to another home in West Jordan. We are still in boxes (therefore no cute homemade Christmas cards this year) but we are enjoying more space. We wanted to start this letter with something more interesting than "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!" (It still got in!).

For those of you saying "but Kris, your Christmas letter is the most exciting part of my family's Christmas celebration and we look forward to it with joyful glee and anticipation" - OK . . . this section's for you . . . the usual facts/stats about kids, etc. - or, as Erik says, "the blah, blah part."
You are welcome to skip this section and jump to the "with love" part if you want.

Hansen family 2008 facts and stats (read in a monotone, it gives you the full effect).

Erik: is still at Target and after 12 years he got demoted then promoted and now is back in charge of electronics where he loves it! He is missing our calling as the Young Single Adult reps in our old ward and is looking forward to new experiences in our new area.

Kris: Still works for Intermountain Power Agency part time. I am also the President of Epilepsy Association of Utah. I am still enjoying the working with the summer camp and Crop Because You Care. I have had the opportunity to speak in a few different places this year and am scheduled to do a lot more speaking next year. I also worked really closely with the legislatures to pass HB361.

Kimmie: Is now doing well. She is now in 5th grade. She is learning to read and is now “large” seizure free for the past eight weeks (knock on wood here please). The doctors are really impressed at how well she is doing. We had the opportunity to meet with Dr. Chiron from France in August at the International Dravet Education Conference in Chicago. Aunt Lara came the last couple days of the conference to play with Kimmie. They had a great time. We are incredibly grateful for the friends and family that did so much to get us there. It has made a huge difference in her life the past few months! She is also starting to read!

Johnny: Is now in Kindergarten, and is doing well. He has a few girls that he likes although no girlfriends yet (he is way too young for that). He is loving being in school and learning. The teacher tells us that he is incredibly tender hearted and amazingly smart. He is incredibly shy at school although none of the rest of us see that side of him. He is looking forward to a full day of school next fall (Mom is looking forward to that as well). He is also learning to read and is enjoying helping his sister with the reading process. He started playing tee-ball this past year and loved it. He can’t wait until spring so that he can try soccer.

Ok . . . now before you go to sleep we do wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year in 2009!

With Love and Affliction,

Erik, Kris, Kimmie and Johnny

Christmas Tree Dress

I really don't understand this thing that my mom and Kimmie have. I love it although I don't really understand it. My mom has always been really good at making dresses. Kimmie is such a girlly girl that she is the recipient of many of her creations. In fact Kimmie has a hard time wearing any dress that Aunt Lara hasn't bought or Grandma hasn't made. My Dad asked me to stop the two of them about this time last year. I asked him which one started it and which on is willing to end it. With that being said Kimmie is the receipent of two dresses a year, an Easter dress and a Christmas dress. Plus anything else the two of them come up with. About three or four years ago my mom made Kimmie a dress that has Eggs on it for any Easter party that Kimmie goes too. Well this year Kimmie asked for a Christmas tree dress to wear to parties. First of all how many parties does this child go too and who needs a Christmas tree dress and what in the world is that anyway? So here is a bad photo of my kids but my mom's latest creation the Christmas tree dress.

Happy New Year and Christmas posting

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Christmas was wonderful at our home. Thank you everyone for your love and kindness that you brought to our home this Christmas season.

The kids top picture is from the Palmer party at Grandma's on Christmas day. The second isn't a great picture but is from Christmas with the Hansen's I thought Johnny looked too priceless. I can't wait to get copies from Lara's camera.

Kimmie had a great Christmas and got everything, plus everything else that she wanted. Her excitement has been over her "little sweetie" she got a princess baby doll from Grandma and Grandpa that she has named Emily. She has been taking it everywhere with her. The doll wasn't even on her original shopping list so it is nice to see that she is loving other things than what wasn't in the Target toy ad.

Johnny had a wonderful Christmas. He is overjoyed about his Leappad learning system. He got four books and I saved a few more for a latter date and he has been playing with them so much I may give him the new books earlier than I expected. This wasn't on the toy ad shopping list either. He is loving every minute of playing with it. I am loving that he is watching less TV and playing something educational. He was really cute Christmas morning. He kept looking for things with his name on it. He even managed to open the gift from him to Kimmie. He just ripped through his gifts and was done with all of it in no time flat. Kimmie had to wake him up in the morning but it didn't take long for him to realize it was Christmas morning and get out of his usual morning funk.

Erik is still getting out of trouble for forgetting my Birthday and Christmas gifts. I am not real nice about him forgetting something like that. I am really good about him forgetting mother's day and our anniversary but not Christmas and my birthday. So he was feeling really bad to open gifts from me and the kids and have nothing to give me for Christmas.

New Years was rather uneventful. Usually we have had family over for the holiday and no one was able to come. So we went to bed early. I know that is showing our old age.

So back to the usual work and school days.

Crop is only one month away now and I am already far behind where I want to be on it. If you are interested in coming be sure and click the link to the right and register!

Christmas Letter

For the twelfth annual Hansen family Christmas letter, we’ve decided to do something different. This year’s installment will be a quiz. See how much you know (or can guess) about what happened with us this year.

1. Johnny started into a new school this year and loves it! He can’t wait to go to A.) Kindergarten, B.) High School, C.) Middle School, or D.) The same school as Kimmie

Answer? A. He loves pre-school and is learning a lot. Although he can’t wait to start at Mountain Shadows Elementary next school year.

2. Kimmie started a new medication this year that is helping a little with her seizures. It is from A.) Australia, B.) France, C.) the Target Pharmacy or D.) Canada

Answer? B. In February we started a new medication from France. She has had some trouble with it but for the most part her seizure control is getting better and her behavior has improved a lot.

3. In a surprise move, A.) Johnny took a liking to potatoes, B.) Kris decided she was really into public speaking, C.) Johnny and Kimmie decided they loved each other so much they started sharing a room, or D.) Tipper Grandma’s cat is living with us now.

Answer? Trick question. None of these things happened. Don’t expect them to happen next year either. Although D happened for about one month, until she kept waking Kris up at night.

4. Which member of the family changed the most in weight in the last year A.) Erik B.) Kris,
C.) Kimmie, or D.) Johnny

Answer? A. Erik lost the most this year with 30 pounds after being diagnosed with diabetes. Kris lost 25 pounds. Kimmie gained 5! Johnny gained 5!

5. Which of the following themes was discarded for this year’s letter? A.) Writing a typical form letter, B.) Using last year’s letter because not much new has happened. C.) No Christmas letter this year.

Answer? All. But we couldn’t just skip our Christmas letter. We even delude ourselves into thinking people like reading this stuff as much as we enjoy writing it. Sadly for everyone else, we came up with this quiz idea though. Sorry! Any suggestions for next year? How did you do? Get them all right? Did you need a lifeline? 50-50? Ask the audience? Why not just phone a friend? In fact, call us! We hope to hear from you soon!

Erik, Kris, Kimmie & Johnny

Christmas Quiz

I received this Christmas quiz from a friend this morning. I thought it might be fun to post my answers.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping Paper
2. Real tree or artificial with lights already strung? I prefer real but we have artificial (what is this already strung thing)
3. When do you put up the tree? right after Thanksgiving
4. When do you take the tree down? New Years
5. Do you like eggnog? NO, but my kids and husband love it
6.Favorite gift received as a child? This is really hard. The most memorable was the year I wanted a TV and my mom gave me hers. I loved my Cabbage Patch Dolls.
7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes
8. Hardest person to buy for? My Father in Law
9. Easiest person to buy for? my kids
10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? that is a hard one.
11. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Santa Claus with Tim Allen or White Christmas
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? do I ever stop?
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yes
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? bread wreaths
16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Clear
17. Favorite Christmas song? Silent Night
18. Travel for Christmas or stay at home? At home in the early morning and my Mom's later in the morning
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Yes
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? star
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? It depends on which family part we are at. We open Hansens on Christmas eve and the rest Christmas Morning
22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Christmas in store before Holloween. My families not getting along about where we will be for Christmas Eve.
23. What I love most about Christmas? My childrens faces
24. Favorite Christmas Cookie? Butter cookies from Lara
25. Favorite decoration? My whole Christmas Tree with all the ornaments because each one has a story.

HAVE A GREAT HOLIDAY SEASON!!!!!
* A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.