Thanksgiving 2016

New loves...new friends...a healthy and happy family....we have so much to be thankful for!

Eric and Kiley came into town for the Thanksgiving holiday and they brought with them such happiness and love. Such LOVE! The two of them seem to bring out the very best in each other with laughter and patience and a ton fun. Seeing my brother happy, truly and honestly happy and loved, is more than anything I could ever hope for him.

We had a wonderful few days in the mountains with Eric and Kiley and with our neighbors, the Rombergers. Between us and the Rombergers we had seven kids and only had to make one trip to the ER for a forehead gash thanks to a game of tag that was pretty much over before it even started. Only one ER trip though that didn't even need stitches. Around here we consider that a win!

...about two minutes after they met...don't think either one has ever met a stranger...

Red Rocks Amphitheater

Thanksgiving lunch in Idaho Springs

Thanksgiving dinner at Mountain Lakes Lodge in Grand Lake, CO

"The Grown Ups"

Grand Lake

Adam's Fall Hike

...there's something kind of exhilarating about walking on a frozen river...

Colorado River Headwaters - Rocky Mountain National Park 

Night tubing at Fraser Tubing Hill

Not sure who had more fun -- the kids or the adults!

...didn't take long for the races to start...

...such a cheater...

no hips were broken in the making of this picture

...and just like that, our Thanksgiving 2016 holiday trip is in the books...

Congratulations, Henry!

Almost two weeks ago Henry sat for the Principal's Academic Excellence Scholarship test at Bishop Machebeuf and today we found out that he was awarded a four year, full tuition scholarship! Matt and I are so proud of him, but even better than that, Henry is so very proud of himself. He is the most humble young man and never seeks out the spotlight, so to see him walking a little taller on his own merit today has been incredible!

Henry, congratulations, my boy!! We love you so much and can not wait to see how bright your light will shine!

Full Circle

I first meet Steph in December of 2005 when we were both stationed in Incirlik. We were instant friends. It was more than that though. She and Sean became instant family to us. That happens when you're stationed overseas. You make friends fast and you make them for life. Sean and Steph didn't have any kids at the time but wanted them desperately, and she I spent many hours and days talking about what the future looked like for them. Month after month was a struggle. Matt and I had the boys, and regardless of what Sean and Steph were going through, they were absolutely all in with Maxwell and Henry. For our two years in Turkey, it was the six of us -- Matt and I, Maxwell and Henry and Sean and Steph. We were a package deal.

It wasn't long after Matt and I left Turkey that I got a phone call from Steph. When I asked what she was doing she said, "oh you know. Just sitting here being pregnant". It had finally happened. Thanks to Seamus and Sullivan our "family" of six had turned to eight.

Today, I saw this...

Seamus and Sullivan 

November 2016

Those two jackets were passed down from Maxwell and Henry. It might seem silly and insignificant...two jackets. To me though, it's a full circle. Four boys, wearing two bomber jackets from Turkey, 11 years apart. Wished for and oh so loved. 

Maxwell and Henry 

Istanbul, Turkey 

November 2005

WisdomLess

Last Friday Maxwell had his four wisdom teeth removed and for the week beforehand he was totally and completely freaked out. He YouTubed every "wisdom teeth removal gone bad" video. He researched the risks of IV sedation to include the death rate associated with it. He was pretty certain he was going to die right there in the dentists chair. In the event that he did cheat death he worried that he was going to say crazy, racist things when he was coming out of the sedation. I'm not even kidding. He thought the sedation was going to turn him into a racist. Whaaaat??

He woke up Friday morning and had lips the size of Texas. Again, not even kidding. A couple of months ago we had to take him into the doctor because we thought he had developed a food allergy to something unknown. Every couple of weeks his lips would swell and he'd complain of an itchy throat. Those symptoms earned him an EpiPen and a food diary. And then Friday happened and we realized that his giant lips weren't food allergy related at all. His giant lips were stress related. Giant, stressed out lips.

Once we got to the dentists office at noon he was spun into the ceiling. Still YouTubing wisdom teeth removals and trying to decide what his last meal should have been. He played dead twice when the dental hygenist was prepping him for his IV and then kept holding his breath to see if he could "flatline". It was entertaining stuff.

In the end, he didn't die or become a racist. Not even a little.

Election Night 2016

Vivian: Well, I didn't win (class president). Enrique beat me 10 to 4.
Me: Oh, I'm sorry, Viv.
Vivian: It's ok. Even I voted for him!

The Longest Week

Three kids puking in the middle of the night over what seemed like a lifetime of days made for a long, long week. Henry started it off, Maxwell and Viv followed and Matt and I were thrown in for good measure. The stomach flu hit and it hit hard...times five.

Six days later though, we were rolling again. Once everyone was healthy(ish) there was a lacrosse tournament to be played and a ridiculous amount of Halloween candy to be had.

Rock Creek Farm with my girl 

(the day before the black plague of death hit)

Haha! Love this look

Maxwell's football season ended on Friday night and his fall lacrosse season started bright and early Saturday morning. He still wasn't feeling 100% but he hung in there. Dynasty Lacrosse played 5 games over two days and won four of the five. The final game on Sunday was the championship game and they lost 9-8 in overtime. Moose played a little of everything -- face off, middie, attack -- and by the looks of it, it's going to be a fun couple of months!

Hanson (in the whites) #9

Second from the right

Dynasty Lacrosse Academy 2016

And then it was Halloween! I had forgotten what it was like to be on an AF base for Halloween. We must've had 200 kids come through our cul de sac in just a couple of hours. The neighbors all pulled out their tables, chairs and pounds and pounds of candy and we set up shop in the middle of the street. It was a great night and a great way to put an end to a rather crappy (pun intended) previous 7 days!

Henry's mask was so creepy...and oddly appropriate 

Happy Halloween! 

Buckley AFB 2016