The Hanson Crew

This is a FUNNY interview with a KC lady a few weeks ago. Then some funny person made her interview into a song. Here is the interview first: Now the hilarious song...Enjoy!:

I'm always very curious what the Lifetouch people are telling them when they take the picture at school....their expressions show their personality 100%! Caleb thinks they're crazy, Joshua is scared, and Ashlyn is thinking "just smile, just smile!"

I was able to hang out this week with a couple of friends from church to make some amazing flower clips. Some can go in your hair and others on a jacket, purse, or headband. They are so easy to make and really inexpensive. I am hoping to make some more this weekend while I am in Minnesota. Praise God for giving me such talented and crafty friends who are patient enough to teach me fun crafts like this!

Here is John's video from the Saturday morning Fox 4 interview. He shared some cleaning tips for the flu season and did a wonderful job. This is his 4th time being on their morning show.

Kansas City's World War I Museum + free babysitting + Museum Day Free Admission Coupon ($24 value) = One Wonderful Saturday Afternoon Date Before we left The outside of the museum Some WWI history inside the museum The view of Kansas City from the top of the tower The front of the museum from the tower

Video coming soon...

Friday was a fun garage sale day with Grandma Sue! There was a neighborhood sale we go to every year and we had another successful year of great deals we were hoping to find there. Because Caleb's school had an inservice day, he was able to go too this year. After we bought a trunk full of Birthday and Christmas gifts, we headed over to Sue's friend who is moving out of the state. She offered me a bunch of stuff that she couldn't take on her move for a mission trip fundraiser sale. I was so excited and grateful! We got enough stuff to definitely have a good Friday sale. We are going to do this in 2 weekends at Sue's house and I'm excited to see what kind of funds I can get for the deposit that is due in 3 weeks. When Ashlyn and Joshua got home from school they said they wanted to go to more garage sales Sat. morning. So after John was done with his TV interview, we decided to go to some more neighborhood ones. Ashlyn and I went alone since the boys decide

That is the topic John will be covering tomorrow morning on the Fox 4 morning show. He will be live about 7:45 am. I will try to post the video once it is available. He is most excited about changing what he says a little and I think glad that it will be on Sat morning instead of Sunday morning this time. If you are in KC and awake, watch him live :)

Yesterday, I submitted my first Passport application! It was very exciting. I am going to go on my first short term mission trip in January for a week. I am going to join my dentist (and good friend) along with some of his staff to the Dominican Republic to help serve some children in a school there. My part while they clean their teeth, will be to pass out toothbrushes and teach them how to brush their teeth. I am very excited. The best news about this trip is that it is not too far from the States. So from Miami, I will be flying about 2 hours over the ocean...that is better than Hawaii. You see, I really hate flying and that has been my biggest fear about mission work in the past. Once I conquer this first, less frightening trip, I think I will be ready for the next one a little farther away... The cost for the trip will be around $1800. To help pay for the trip, I am asking family and friends to allow me to serve them in return for a financial love offering. I am able

Sadly, the couple in front of us at church can answer yes. Here is the story: Last Wed evening, our crew went to our Mid-week service at our church. The Monday before that, we left Joshua's lunch box in our carpool's car after school. So they brought it to us at church. When worship started, Jonathan and Caleb took their Crocs off. I am not sure why, but they stood to sing without shoes on. After about 3 minutes (a little longer than normal), both boys were climbing on their chairs and not standing still. So they both were moved from the end of the row by Joshua over by us. Right before worship was over, Caleb wanted his shoes on. Joshua passed them down to him with a small smile on his face. I wasn't sure at that point why he was smiling. About a minute later, I see Caleb get really upset and quickly lunge some white, yellow and brown thing toward Joshua. Unfortunately, Caleb has horrible aim right now and I saw two pieces of whatever he threw, hit the man in fr

Our crew didn't have any plans this Friday, which was a kinda of a nice surprise after a few busy ones. We had saw a sign earlier that day about a free carnival in Riverside on Friday and Saturday so we decided after dinner to give it a try. Riverside is a small town about 10 minutes from where we live. We were very surprised at how nice it all was. There was organized free parking and then a registration table for the kids to get wristbands. They were able to play on about 15 inflatables, including a really fun trampoline with a harness that helps them do somersaults, flips, etc. There was also a free concert, some arts and craft tables, and free fireworks. The best news is there were hardly any lines so the kids could go on a thing and then get right back on it. We were there for about 3 hours. We forgot our camera so we took a few shots with John's phone, which unfortunately takes horrible pictures if they are moving. So here they are...including a neat video of Ash

Because we have so many updated pictures right now that we would love to get up somewhere in the house, I decided to create a small hall collage today. I haven't put all the new pictures in yet, but the frames are up on the wall. We have a pretty big collage going down our stairs of old and new photos that I hope to keep adding to as the kids take more pictures. But it is nice to have one upstairs now too...I also bought a big picture screen at a garage sale last week that I put in the living room downstairs. That holds all of the kids baby/toddler pictures (12 - 8x10 photos fit in there) we had taken their first year they were born at Sears and Portrait Innovations. Those pictures were just collecting dust and I love looking at their chubby cheeks while I do laundry and play Wii . I'll try to post a pic of that soon too.

made soccer a little more fun tonight. Both kids played games and I managed to capture them both a little concerned when the ball came their way. Here are a couple good shots of them watching their team mates while they sat out a quarter...they look a little happier watching :)

I just got back from walking Caleb to the corner for the bus. When I got back, the other 3 were eating french toast sticks under warm blankets and watching PBS. I was just thinking about routines when I walked in and saw them in theirs. They're all in their favorite pjs , eating their favorite hot breakfast, waking up before they head down to hours of their mother's instruction and help with Thursday homework. It's a little humorous to walk to the bus stop each Thursday (or each time I go for that matter). Right when we walk out the door, the neighbor across the street is putting his trash on the curb (right about 7:58). Once we get two houses down, the garage door opens and the same black car that pulls out every Thurs begins to back out. When we make it to the corner house, our friendly neighbor that walks his 2 little dogs waves hi and the dogs bark back at Caleb who waves to the them. This all happens almost on the dot each time. Then we head over to our usual s

Last week at library time, Jonathan and I were impressed by with the creative decor at the library we attended. We decided to copy one idea we saw there on Friday after some garage sale stops. We moved out all the family room furniture and cleaned the carpets (a little job that actually took a couple hours because we did the entire upstairs level). Then when we moved it all back in, we moved the furniture to face the fireplace again (it was this way when we first moved in last summer trough winter). We then bought some Christmas lights at a garage sale on Friday for $.25 and put them on a couple pieces of firewood. Now our family room is a magical reading haven again :) Since it has been a little stormy and dark here in KC lately, we have closed our curtains early and turned on the "fire" early in the evening....it has been a little romantic and feels a little like early winter :) If you have access to some unpacked lights, our crew thinks you should give it a try too!

with the dining room chairs. I have 3 more to go. You can see the big improvement above from the old material to the new. I am also going to make a valance for the window to match the table runner on the table. I am excited with the new accent of red (which is also in the living room :)

How do I know besides the start of September... Tornado watch in effect right now Distractions while driving all day today - neighborhood garage sales are back, good ones and just in time for birthday and Christmas shopping! Joshua had a fever after school Pants have been worn half of the week Birthday plans are underway The pool has officially closed Those ugly brown banana things are falling all over our yard again Christmas decorations are everywhere in stores Pumpkin patch field trip details came home today And last but not least of course, the leaves are changing!!! My favorite part!

...after the real first game was cancelled last week because of rain. So they decided to have us try out the rain this week. (Why cancel 2 weeks in a row, right?) It was cold, a little misty, but still a great turn out. Ashlyn in #9 on the Blue Diamonds and Josh is #4 on the Green Hulks....they played at the same time on fields next to each other so we (Grandma Sue joined us too) bounced back and forth. Ashlyn is so much more aggressive in soccer than she was in basketball. We are looking forward to her game next week...

We found and downloaded a new typing program for Ashlyn . She did great her first night even though John put a cardboard box over the keyboard so she couldn't look. I told him he was a bit harsh for the first time. She is working on speed of the home row now. We'll keep you posted as she becomes our pro typer ....

Today Jonathan and I started a new Wed routine. We started walking again with our friends Lisa and Landon, which was great conversation and exercise. We ventured over to a different library for story time today near the park we walked and played at - the North Kansas City Library. The librarian read stories about sunflowers and fall, and then we all made a sunflower mask. Jonathan enjoyed it alot! Since this group seems to be mainly 4 and mostly girls, we might go back to the library by our house next week. But, I did sign up for a card and am excited to have another database to get books and movies from in the future :) After the library, we surprised dad at work and then went to the North Kansas City hospital for some yummy chicken fingers and curly fries...Yes, I might be the only crazy person who goes to a hospital cafeteria for lunch, but I was craving that yummy menu last week for some reason. When we got home to start dinner in the crock pot, Jonathan was very tired... Af

Picture a pretty ugly purple and dark brown bench at a thrift store for $3....then add a little green paint to the legs... Find some $25/yard fabric on clearance for $4/yard at Hobby Lobby. Buy 3/4 of a yard for the "new" kitchen bench that will match the kitchen curtains...and Tada, sitting area for our kitchen desk... A close up of the bench... Then I used the rest of the $3 fabric for a table runner in the dining room... Next plan, sew the above table runner so it does not unravel along the edges. Then re-cover the dining room chairs to match....I went back to Hobby Lobby and bought another two yards for the 6 chairs. You can't beat $8 for $50 worth of great, thick fabric!! I might even go crazy and paint a little red on some green plates I have hanging in the dining room. Pics coming soon...

Yesterday we went to Grandma Sue's house for a Labor Day BBQ and spent some time before dinner at the park. We ran across a pretty cool and big caterpillar while we were there. Since Ashlyn is studying butterflies and cocoons and school, we decided to take it home so she could bring it to school on Wed for Science. It has survived it's first night and day in our sun room. Now we'll see how tomorrow goes...

Today was as Joshua said "A GREAT day!" We picked up the house from dinner guests last night and then headed to the Nelson Atkins Museum after lunch. It was a lot of fun and a free museum! After that, we took the kids to a Mongolian Grill for the first time. They really enjoyed that and ate way too much for 4 little people. We got home and were able to talk to Aunt Carol, Rylee, and Uncle Chris and then watched Clash of the Titans. It was a relaxing and different Saturday. Here are a few pics from the museum...

After working as lunchroom assistants today, we rewarded ourselves with some McD's. We always drink water when we eat out, so getting a Happy Meal is a big deal here! Jonathan was very excited. A nice lady at a garage sale we stopped at gave him a free puppy he wanted too, so he was REALLY happy! It was a great Friday and we are ready for our 3 day weekend! No big plans, just some R&R after a stressful week....enjoy yours too!

I finally got around to finishing up our family website this week. We send out postcards for Christmas each year directing family and friends to our website with this past year's pictures and videos. I got it all updated with our newest pictures and out on the site tonight. I am proud to say that I even created my Christmas postcard today! I am just waiting for a sale or coupon to get them printed now. My next project is adding to our family site a portfolio of work I have done for my new small business venture, Hanson Crew Design. This will be a fun website project that I hope to finish by Oct. If you know of anyone interested in a website, invitations, or greeting cards this holiday season, please send them my way. Click on the screen shot below of our updated site to check it out...you may have to hit F5 to see the changes if you have been there before. Enjoy!

I have had the opportunity to go play Bingo the past couple months at a local nursing home and have really enjoyed it. I have made five good friends who make me smile while I am there. Both Ashlyn and Jonathan have got to go with me before, and I think they enjoyed the kids a little more. That or the prizes that I have been bringing for Bingo! The past couple weeks I filled in for the activity director while she was on vacation on Wed mornings. Our library story time is on break for a few weeks so it worked out perfect with my schedule. While I worked these 2 Wednesdays, I got to know another volunteer named Maria. She was very sweet and comes to read the bible to the residents and helps with games when she is needed. She knew some of the missionaries I know through my church and we had a good time talking about our church and school. On my way out the door, she gave me this poem and said I would really enjoy it. I wasn't too sure until I got to the end...and got a little

This year for most projects in fourth grade, Ashlyn will have the option to type her report. This is new for her. Because she has to also write everything in cursive in fourth grade, she opted to try out typing the report that was due tomorrow. The assignment was actually a poster board that she had to create with pictures and 15 facts, or complete sentences. So after she collected her 15 facts and pictures, I gave her the rough draft sheet and sat her at the laptop. The first five minutes were excitement! She said, this is going to be so much better than writing it all out and making sure it is all so neat.....after about 20 minutes, she asked if she could take a break. After her short break, the wining started. "This is taking forever!" and "Maybe you (mom) could type a sentence and then I could type a sentence" both filled the air with frustration. Because I had helped her create complete sentences with her 15 facts, I told her she had to type it. Abou

This past week has kinda been a blur and therefore, has not made the blog. We have finally got into a school routine on Tuesdays and Thursdays and we are feeling fully adjusted to being back in school. Caleb has really enjoyed full day kindergarten and has already learned so much. He has also been doing speech the past 2 weeks and really likes his new teacher. Both Caleb and Jonathan are a little bored at soccer practice which has also taken full swing every Tues and Thurs night for an hour. John's work has been really crazy and we have really been praying for our business. Please pray with us this next week particularly after a meeting with the Department of Labor. We will keep you updated as we find out more about the future of our small business in the weeks to come. We have been reminded this past week how incredibly important it is to trust in God and rely on Him for all things, especially when the future is uncertain. Even though the week has flown by, I am proud to s