Hanson Crew

John and I got the night alone for his birthday and we rented Eagle Eye...it was a really good movie (and only $1). We highly recommend this one and better with a stuffed crust pizza too!

Here are 31 things I love about you... 1. It's amazing that you can actually read a 300 page book in a weekend! 2. You are an amazing cook 3. I love it when the kids wrestle with you even though I look terrified 4. You are a great compromiser (unlike me) 5. I love that you never hold grudges 6. You are an excellent father and husband 7. You are such a wiz at the computer, especially googling the answer to anything (and it's actually right most of the time) 8. You are an excellent leader of our house and family 9. You are very ambitious and I am proud of the business you grew from nothing 10. I love how proud you are about staying home for 2 years with Ashlyn 11. You are a great singer (even though we all give you a hard time) 12. I love that you remember everything you read and learn (unlike me) 13. I love it when you explain things to me in simple words (especially from the bible) 14. I love how when you play Nintendo 64 and your computer games you always find/use a cheat code...

We have been turning this song up alot lately in the car...it is called "While You Were Sleeping" and has a great message. It has become one of our favorite Christmas songs in the Hanson house.

1. Fresh Tree/Fake Tree? Ashlyn - Fake Joshua - Fake Caleb - Fake (they all must have noticed the tree died this year!) 2. Favorite Ornament Ashlyn - Ashlyn's baby pic ornament Joshua - Joshua's baby pic ornament Caleb - Clifford ornament 3. Favorite Christmas Song Ashlyn - Away in a Manger Joshua - Little Drummer Boy Caleb - Jingle Bells 4. Favorite Tradition Ashlyn - Looking at Christmas lights on Christmas Eve Joshua - Advent Christmas Candy Calendar we do each year Caleb - Baking together the week before 5. Favorite Gift Received Ashlyn - American Girl Doll [Ruthie] Joshua - Spider man Scooter Caleb - Huge Firetruck 6. Favorite Christmas Meal Ashlyn - Big Christmas morning breakfast Joshua - Egg Nog Caleb - Chicken and Dumplings on Christmas Eve 7. Favorite Christmas Cookie Ashlyn - Gingerbread Joshua - Chocolate Chip Carmel cookies Caleb - Sprinkle Sugar cookies 8. Favorite Place to be Ashlyn - Home with our family Joshua - Grandma Sue's Caleb - Grandma Sue's 9. Fa...

So I have heard many of you are also experiencing some crazy weather where you are...especially those folks in the Northwest getting 12 1/2 feet of snow in a day! Here is a summary of our wacky weather this week in Missouri... Monday - negative 15 wind chill Tues - negative 20 wind chill (so cold it takes your breathe away) Wed - 2 inches of snow just in time for a white Christmas Thurs - a mild day, not too cold, but not warm either Friday - Strangely very warm - all the snow melts in a couple hours and it feels like 50 Friday night/Sat morning - Tornado watch, hail, and really bad winds Sat forecast - freezing rain and sleet until late afternoon I am sure loving that weather radio we won this past summer!

So our real Christmas tree is dying a slow, and depressing death. The entire bottom half of the tree is dead and it is rapidly moving it's death upward. The garland, lights and ornaments are sagging to the ground and I cannot keep up the the needles landing in gift bags and on little busy socks. I have checked the water level each day, and it continues to stay pretty full. I am hoping that Christmas morning the kids don't come out of their beds to a pretty sad look display of decorated dead pine needles....I'll keep ya posted! The picture is a little deceiving - the upper portion of the tree is still has shape and its branches go outward. The bottom half is flat and very poky! Oh, and I'm wondering if this is the year we run out during the after Christmas sales for that great deal on an artificial tree for next year...

So yesterday, we took my little sister and her family to a couple famous places in Kansas City we had never been...and it was a lot of fun. First we went to Arthur Bryants BBQ which was actually REALLY good! Then we wondered over to Cabela's , which was also very neat. The kids enjoyed looking at all the neat animal displays, especially the aquarium. I forgot my camera, but we hope to go back again someday. We have been busy hanging out with family who are visiting and today plan on baking. In case it continues to stay busy here and I don't get to blog some more - We hope you have a Merry Christmas!