What is it?

   When David called us from China on Christmas Eve we informed him that Levi had brought a girl with him for Christmas and we all liked her.  His immediate response was, "What is it?"  As if.....

    But, we did enjoy having his friend Rally's dog, Roxie with us for the evening.  She came right in and acted like she had been coming here for years.  Maybe some day he'll bring a real girl home we all like.  It could happen.

"The boys", even the mean one, helped Rebekah load up her new Ipod with at least six Tony Bennett CDs. There a few hundred CDs at her apartment to add at a later date, but she gets how to do it now.

Eliah kept telling his Mommy, "Thank you."  for his new toy, Beyblades.  He could not get enough of playing it.  I got enough of it pretty quick because I never one a single competition.  I guess I'll have to go find my own special bey to take him on at his birthday party in January.  I have 12 more photos that look "almost" exactly like this one that Ava took for me.  If you want to see some action shots.

This is our Ava, who was a baby for one day and then she was four.  That was what it seemed like.  She really isn't even four yet. When she opened her gift from us, crafting supplies and this messenger bag, she sat right down at the table and got to work.  She is the crafty one.

And this is Nikko listening to the latest message from Attic Grandpa.  Nikko has parents, but they don't always make the cut when it comes to blogging.  

We had a wonderful Christmas together.

Missed you David!

  

S-P-O-O-N-S

It's been a long time since we have had a rousing game of SPOONS at our house.  That all changed on Thanksgiving evening, after the little ones were in bed.  Seems they can sleep through most anything.

Ahh, the memories with this game.

"Becky and her fingernails are vicious."
"I'm not going to sit by Aaron."
"I got this injury when we were playing a Woman Lake."
"Where did we first learn this game?"
"Oh, yeah....the Hansons."
Levi wasn't even going to play because he had a sore back and didn't want to have to take another sick day because of SPOONS.

Getting the right end of the spoon is everything in this game.  Lucky for Levi he had a sore back, Aaron would have never let him off so easy if he was healthy.

This crowd can also be fairly civilized...it must have been the addition of Bonnie that tipped the scales.

I had to have Becky move over a little so I could watch this guy enjoy his first Thanksgiving meal.

Taking a walk after a yummy Thanksgiving Day meal.

Looks simple doesn't it?  It is for Katri.

I am so blessed.  Thank you Lord.

I get by with a little help from my friends.

I don't know how many times I have been asked, "How do you do it with Dave gone all the time?"  My answer is pretty much the same every time.  "I have a wonderful family, great friends, a church that feeds my soul, a job I love and I must remember to add I live in a great neighborhood.

I saw my neighbor out getting his snow blower ready for the winter and I thought, next time Levi comes over we should make sure mine starts.  So, today we did that, and lo and behold, mine did not start!  The biggest, nicest, newest snowblower on the block did not start....how could that be?

We were thinking it through and trying to start it when my neighbor, Lanny came to see what was going on. He and Levi tried a couple typical things to get it going, nothing.  Then my neighbor, Rob came walking down the alley on his way home from work.  He cannot resist a challenge, or a puzzle.  So they started in with the guy talk and before we knew it, there was no way the sun would set without that thing starting.

Who knew a stuck float in the carburetor would make for such a delightful afternoon for these guys?  Lanny got to use his best gift he ever got, a socket set from OTC and Rob got to solve a puzzle and found out his own snow blower started with one pull.

I have the best neighbors.  Thanks guys.

Cat Seeking Thrills

I have a very sweet cat named George.  He is the perfect cat for me. 

Since the weather has been changing he's not quite himself, so when our contractor, Gene was putting in new windows in our upstairs he asked me, "What about the cat?"

I said, "Just make sure the back door gets closed.  He usually doesn't try to get out, but I don't know about him lately." 

"Okay."

So Gene told the guy working with him about keeping the door shut. 

No problem.

They started work and then went out to the garage to prepare the window.  When they came back out, there was George...out on the scaffolding.  I hadn't really considered that scenario.  Gene was able to "shoo" him back in.  Maybe his thrill-seeking days are over...but I doubt it.

Grandma, what did you do to your stool?

Eliah:  "Grandma, what did you do to your stool?"
Me:  "Nothing."
Eliah:  "But it's so small."
Me:  "I didn't do anything to it."
Eliah:  "Did you cut off the legs?"
Me:  "No."
Eliah:  "Did you take off some of the cross pieces?"
Me: "No."
Eliah:"Oh, you got a new stool."
Me: "No, something has changed, but not the stool."

The wheels really start spinning now.

Me:  "The stool didn't change, but you have."

And then that sweet smile and the knowing look comes upon him.

Eliah:  "Oh, I'm bigger."

Eliah was just three years old when I got the stool and he has used it every time he has come to my house since.  How could it have changed?  He's a big first grader now and doing so well in school.  I am so proud of him.  He's working so hard.

Doesn't he look like he's about 14 years old here?  When he stayed with me this summer he was such a hard worker.  I hope to employ him every summer from now on.  He put my license plates on, trimmed trees, sawed down little trees, dug things up, moved rocks, dragged brush around. I could hardly get him to take a break.  He is an amazing kid....I love him to pieces.

Time Traveler





I've always loved books with time travel in them.  Today, I realized I am a time traveler when I take my grandson to the places I took my little kids so many years ago and relive those moments through him.

Slopping around in Mineral Springs Park brought back some sweet memories for me. Why didn't I feel as freaked out letting him climb around as I did when his daddy was a little guy?



Eliah with Princess Owatonna



 



The Viking Woman Finally Goes to the Homeland...Norway

I dreamed of going to Norway and visiting this little house on the mountain at Skogerbo my whole life.  David and I finally did it and I'm afraid my heart is too full to write anymore about it today.  It was a magical trip for both of us.  We are so blessed.

The New Guy

The shirt says it all.



Ava is helping Nikolai get a burp out! 

We had a 1-800-Grandma emergency on Tuesday when these two needed someone to care for them on Tuesday.  So glad I could get there to help.  It was fun to spend some time with Eliah and his parents after school too.  I love these guys!

Lily's getting married!

Several years ago David and I came across this picture in an antique store in Brainerd and I just had to have it.  It's a Ukrainian Wedding.  I love all the energy in it.  And of course, as my children are so tired of hearing me say, "I wish this picture could talk."  I would love to know where it came from, who put it in there.  It's just a picture from a magazine folded and tacked in with some really old looking nails. 

Now "Our Lily" who was an exchange student from Ukraine and lived with us during the '98-'99 school year is getting married.  I don't think it will be exactly like this wedding, but oh, how we wish we could all be there to celebrate this day with her and Itzak.  She's getting married on Becky's birthday, May 29th in Vinnistia, Ukraine. 

Mazel Tov!

Has spring really come to the Midwest?



These beautiful tulips were not eaten by the rabbits or frozen by an unexpected frost.  Thankfully. 

When I looked out a couple days ago, all the buds were hanging limply in the 28 degree morning. 

I told Levi, "That's it. I just can't bear another freezing cold, snowy day.  If those tulips die, we are paving the yard.  I can't take the disappointment." 

But, there is a God and he loves me. He caused these fabulous flowers to flourish. 

Thank you Lord.



Waitin' for My Mom

Brenda-Norma-Rebekah

I had my car in the shop the other day, so when my mom said she was coming to town to see me, I said, "Great, could you pick me up after work and give me a ride to the shop to pick it up?" 

"Sure." 

You have to know that I work at an all 6th grade school.  I was sitting on a bench in front of the school waiting when some students said, "Mrs. Hanson, what are you doing?"

"Waitin' for my mom."

The looks on their faces were priceless! 
# ONE....I have a mom.
# TWO...She's still living.
# THREE...She can drive a car.

I have to laugh about it every time I think of it.  It was worth the $849 it cost to have the car fixed to have that experience. 

Thanks for picking me up, Mom!

A Chinese Ava?

When David and I were in Xi'an, China last week to see the Terra-Cotta Warriors we met up with this little gal.  She was more than willing to show us how her bubble gun worked.  After seeing all those beautiful little black-haired cuties, it was quite a shock when Aaron sent me a video clip of his blonde-haired, blue-eyed Scandinavians.  Had they been that light-skinned and blonde the last time I saw them?

What a beautiful world we live in.

Life before Ava?

I can't imagine what life was like before we had Ava in it.  Yesterday I was really looking for another photo for something totally unrelated and came across this little clip of Ava on Mother's Day in 2009, She was not yet a year and a half.  It was so fun to see green grass plus it just gave me such a laugh I had to watch it over and over again.  Now I think I should share it with you.

Going gently into the day

Now, who wouldn't love to go to work if you started every day having a cup of coffee and watching the sun rise with these two dear friends.  One day while we sat for that minute or two I felt so blessed to see them sitting there I had to say, "Don't move, I have to capture this moment on film."  It makes me smile every time I look at it. 

A list of what?

It was a frigid Minnesota evening. I was home minding my own business, finally making a list of the spices I have so I know what to get when I go to the store, when the phone rang.  It was our daughter, Rebekah. 

"What are you doing Mom?" 

"I don't want to tell you what I am doing."  I think listing my spices is pretty lame.

Silence. 

"Okay, I'm making a list of my spices." 

Silence. 

Subject changes. 

Eventually, she asks again, "What were you making a list of?" 

"Spices." 

"Oh, I thought you said vices." 

Now, how many vices does she think I have, that I need to keep a list of them?

Nikolai

I distinctly remember David bringing our two children up to see me and their new little brother in the hospital.  After having them there for 15 minutes I was sure I could not go home. Katri and Aaron are way more together than we ever were. They'll make it.



Ava, Eliah & Attic Grandpa on their way to see Nikolai.



Born February 4, 2011--9 lbs. 1 oz.-- 22 inches

 


Why is his hair so soft and mine is so crunchy?

 




"Oh, we get to keep him!!" 







Nikolai, are you ready for this?















Nikolai, Attic Grandma, Ava & Baby Stella





Tony O



Willow Creek School was lucky enough to get on the schedule for the Minnesota Twins Caravan to stop at it!  Everyone was so excited to have them come.  Each classroom made a big Twins poster and students could submit questions to ask the players.  There were three young whippersnappers, Ben Revere, Glen Perkins (A Minnesota Boy), Trevor Plouffe, announcer John Gordon and TONY OLIVIA!  I was so busy putting up posters and running around I hardly had time to think about what was coming, but when Tony Olivia walked by me I could feel the tears welling in my eyes!  How many times did we listen to or watch Tony O with Grandpa Skogerbo? 

Ben Revere, Rosanne-Secretary, Amy- Principal, Kathe-Secretary
Tony Oliva-Glenn Perkins-Trevor Plouffe, John Gordon
T.C. 

The "Other Mrs. Hanson" got to have her picture taken with Tony, but it was a given because she had a token of Tony from his rookie year.
She deserved it. 

I did brush shoulders with him.