Pure Entertainment

I can't believe we are almost one month into the new year! I started looking over the past few weeks, trying to figure out where the time went. In reflection I decided that my life has been purely entertainment lately. I don't know how I got so lucky but I have highly enjoyed myself! I thought I would share some highlights:

It is never a dull moment in the Hansen house. Carter (the youngest brother, age 9) split his forehead open last night, OUCH! He hit it on the edge of his bed frame and while the sight of blood and sounds of screaming was scary at first, Carter is just fine. On the drive over to get it stitched up he said, "Good thing my brains aren't oozing out and I would loose all my smartness"...We LOVE "Carterisms".

I spent New Year's Eve at F1 Raceway and while I didn't drive the cars, I had a blast! My girlfriends & I danced the night away. PLUS I bought these beautiful shoes midnight blue patent leather Antonio Milani heels on sale to wear to the event. Needless to say , it was a great night!

As a Christmas present, my amazing friend Kourtney gave me two COURT SIDE SEATS to the Phoenix Suns! Talk about a dream come true! Dan and I couldn't stop taking pictures to document the once in a lifetime experience.

My friend Allan decided to take a couple of us repelling near the Salt River. I had done it a few times before but it was still a little unnerving. The rush afterwards is way worth it! My poor friend Alyssa accidentally got stuck upside down while repelling off the mountain, scary in the moment, hilarious after. Taylor got lost trying to get back up to the top of the cliff we were repelling. Which is only funny if you know Taylor and her hiking stories, love it! Allan repelled down for the last time and broke his angle on the landing. He has a very high pain tolerance!

I went and saw The Lion King, the musical, at ASU Gammage. I was in awe. The costumes were unbelievable. I just kept wondering how someone ever came up with such imaginative ideas. I would recommend it to anyone and everyone. I am so glad I got to go, it has always been one that I have wanted to see. Thank you Dan! :)

A few of my guy friends took Alyssa and I shooting. It was a lot of fun shooting their guns and wearing the fun ear covers and eye goggles. I decided that the next time I go shooting, I am wearing high heels. Double the power, double the fun. :)

The past few weeks I have learned how to long board, bought a new phone, started a new round of classes, hiked Squaw Peak at sunset (gorgeous panoramic view), played croquet (for the first time in at least 5 years), fallen in love with almond butter with chocolate, designed Kayla's bridal shower invitations, beat the high score in Wii Fit Hoola Hooping, bought lots of new sheet music at Milano's, rock climbed, seen the Joseph Smith movie, done baptisms at the temple, had dinners with family and friends, and enjoyed myself thoroughly.

I am so grateful for all the exciting and new things I am able to do. Sometimes we spend so much time worrying about the past, the future, the what ifs, the negatives, that we never realize the joy that is around us.

I get it now, these are the best days of my life.

Nothing Says Merry Christmas like Shooting :)

On Christmas Eve morning my brother Tyler and I drove out to Anthem. My Uncle Jared is a police officer and he lives out there. He took us out into the desert and we got out his guns, targets, clay skeets, and pepsi cans. It wasn't your traditional Christmas Eve celebration but it sure was fun!!! We shot, AK's, AR's, 22's, a Magnum handgun, etc. Mind you, I really have NO idea what any of those things are or which are which. I wasn't so sure that I would enjoy shooting but let me tell you, put a gun in my hand and I feel powerful. That could be potentially dangerous. I wasn't too bad a shot and I think I surprised my brother and Uncle. I found great joy in obliterating those pepsi cans in one single shot. We shot this GINOURMOUS (probably not a real word but its a frequently used one in my dictionary) gun, it looks like something out of the war movies. I thought the pictures were entertaining, my mom sure laughed, Enjoy and Happy Holidays.

The Best Way To Spread Christmas Cheer...

Christmas is fast approaching (my neighbor's countdown clock outside says 1 day 14 hours and 1 minute left to go, to be exact)! I was sitting at work today discussing with my coworkers how they feel they have hardly enjoyed the holiday season. Looking back in the last month I realized I have most definitely celebrated Christmas thus far.

In the beginning of the month, as part of family tradition, my family went to As You Wish and painted Christmas ornaments! We get really really into it, especially Dad! These are our ornaments! Blake painted the white ball with a poinsettia flower on it all by free hand! I painted the blue ball with snowflakes on it. Carter (sort of) painted the penguin with some help. Tyler painted the Snowman and my Dad painted the Santa.... and what happened to Momma's??? Sadly it was broken in the kiln! She is just way to busy to go over and paint another one, understandable.

In the spirit of Christmas, I also went over to a friend's house and decorated Christmas cookies! My friend Caley sat next to me and ate all the one's I deemed as "ugly"...thank goodness for Caley. I was pretty happy with the cookies I decorated... my tummy was even happier!

I couldn't pass up the chance to make gingerbread houses with friends. David, Caley, and I got together and "built" gingerbread houses....we didn't last very long. Smashing them ended up being way more fun..... smearing it on each other was even MORE fun! Check out the mess we made! No worries Mom, we cleaned it up for you, you would never know we were even there!

Christmas has been well celebrated in my book. I have seen the zoo lights, had PLENTY of hot chocolate, and gone on several rides with my best friend, Jenny, to look at Christmas lights. I have decorated a Christmas tree, seen the temple lights, sung at the temple, watched my mom sing at the temple, directed the my ward's Christmas program and choir. I have gone to ward Christmas parties, done my shopping, and wrapped my presents. Now all that is left are the Christmas festivities themselves.

I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas. May it be filled with as much love, friendship, family, spirit, and joy as mine has been. All of my love to you this season and always.

Christmas Questionnare-ness

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Hot Chocolate 100%.... I have a special mug that I painted at As You Wish, it is my hot chocolate mug! I sit in my pajamas with a big blanket and my mug of hot chocolate and I read!

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
Santa only brings on present on Christmas morning and it is not wrapped.... only momma's presents are wrapped :)

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
Classic white! I think it is so beautiful when there are only white Christmas lights. I think my house looks pretty darn good but I can't take the credit though!

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
No, I do not... but that is actually a pretty good idea... now I just need a boy.

5. When do you put up your decorations?
My family tradition is to put them up the Sunday after Thanksgiving when we get home from Flagstaff.... this year however they were up the Monday BEFORE Thanksgiving, my mom's a planner!

6. What is your favorite holiday dish?
potatoes :) can't go wrong with mashed potatoes!

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child?
One year my family invited our whole neighborhood to our house on Christmas eve to watch my immediate and extended family put on the nativity scene. We had legitimate costumes, a real stable, and I got to be Mary. It was such a fun Christmas.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
I figured it out. I think I was about 7 or so. I was walking through the Scottsdale Mall with my mom and I asked her... she tried to salvage my childhood, it didn't work haha.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Yes, yes, yes! Santa Claus comes to Grandma's Christmas Party and I sit on his lap and he gives me a present. When we get home, my parents give us pajamas, no they are not matching thank goodness!

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
First my mom puts up the pine cones, the red Christmas balls, and the holly berries. Then we all take ornaments out of the box and put them on the tree. My brothers like to create their own little "spaces".

11. What is another favorite Christmas tradition memory?
When I was 11 my dad's side of the family dressed up in elf costumes and drove over to a house with a family that had no money. We took into their house an entire Christmas dinner and then several weeks worth of food, present after present, and lots and lots of treats! I will never forget the looks on their faces.

12. Can you ice skate?
I most certainly can and I looooove to do it!

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
When I was 14 my parents bought me my first cell phone. I have never screamed so much about a gift before in my life.

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you?
Everyone is happy. People don't fight and you spend a lot of time with the people you love.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
Mint Brownies :) I look forward to them ALL year LONG!

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
There are soooo many. My family is obsessed with tradition and I love that we are! I really love that my family goes to As You Wish every year and paint ornaments.

17. What tops your tree?
A beautiful gold star :)

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving?
Do I have to pick?! I love picking out presents for people and wrapping them. But I will admit opening them are nice as well!

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?
YIKES! I don't know if I could pick. Let's list a few: All I Want For Christmas, Breath of Heaven, It Came Upon A Midnight Clear, Do You Hear What I Hear?, Candlelight Carol

20. Candy Canes?
Peppermint is gross. I like the fruit candy canes and the chocolate wintergreen ones though.

21. Do you feel Christmas is too commercialized?
Yes, but so are a lot of things in life. It doesn't mean you have to be that way or that you can't enjoy it!

I am tagging.... Kourtney Garner & Aunt Brit :)