Simply

With the dawn of a new decade so must the dreadful task of resolutions. I say dreadful because it seems like there must be a better way to start off a new year, nay, a new decade than with impending failure. Which, up to present, have been my attempts of resolution making and keeping. Me thinks my resolutions in the past have been of the too broad, too cumbersome, too much of the set-me-up-for-immediate-failure variety. So, this year I have decided to focus.
The Vision: Happiness in where I am in life and also where I am going.
How will I meet said "Happiness"? Well, I suppose you'll just have to keep visiting the ol'blog to see.

Start small I keep telling myself; so, I thought I'd list my current favorite things:
1. My latest accessory for this winter is the 'Crochet Headband'. Both cute and functional in these oh-so-cold Salt Lake winters. I think I shall go back and buy one in black...
Something sassy and unique to wear = happy cher.
2. Steamed Dreams found at The Greenhouse Effect. Hot chocolate is great, but I dare say a Steamed Dream is better. Don't believe me? Try it out for yourself!
Delicious vanilla steamed dream = happy cher.
3. Belts. No, not your brother's braided belt from 1993, but cute chunky belts worn over a long sweater or shirt. L-O-V-E. These puppies have made-over my drab work outfits.
New wardrobe accessories = happy cher.
4. Knee length boots. It's hard to find long skirts anymore. Are they even in style? I honestly can't think of the last time I saw someone in a long skirt, but I digress. Anywho, knee length boots are simply a winter godsend. Cute St. Nick brought me a pair of brown and black boots! Love him!
Boots to cover up my white legs = happy cher.
5. Mr. George Forman... grill that is. Mr. Hansen bought me a huge lean mean fat grilling machine. It has been lovely cooking more than one chicken breast at a time.
Less time cooking = happy cher.
6. Books. Currently reading Pride and Prejudice (for the nth-teenth time). Just finished Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins and wish I didn't have to wait until August for book 3. Why oh why are all the fun reads turning into series?
$50 gift card to Barnes and Noble from dearest mother-in-law = happy cher.
7. Art. Hubbers bought me this gorgeous print of Jack Vettriano's called 'The Singing Butler'. I love the colors in this and the lines.
New set of Prismacolor Pencils = happy cher.
8. Music. I don't like blogs that have the music starting automatically. It always catches me off guard. BUT I love the music and will sometimes minimize my blog at work and listen to the tunes.
Good tunage = happy cher.
9. Movies. Mr. Hansen loves his movies. Seriously he is obsessed. I can't think of a single movie he hasn't liked. Love him. He makes it super easy to watch anything from Anne of Green Gables (shhh, don't tell him i told) to 300.
Spending time with ad when he's not studying or talking about cars = happy cher.
10.Lastly, but certainly not least are my dear friends and family. I don't get to see either of them very often, but when I do it's glorious.
Being with the gals = happy cher. (why oh why has it been so long?)

HaPpY LoVe MoNth EveRybOdy!

Who wants flowers when you're dead? Nobody.

"What I was really hanging around for, I was trying to feel some kind of a good-by. I mean I've left schools and places I didn't even know I was leaving them. I hate that. I don't care if it's a sad good-by or a bad good-by, but when I leave a place I like to know I'm leaving it. If you don't, you feel even worse."

"I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all… I'm standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff - I mean if they're running and they don't look where they're going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them. That's all I do all day. I'd just be the catcher in the rye."


"Boy, when you're dead, they really fix you up. I hope to hell when I do die somebody has sense enough to just dump me in the river or something. Anything except sticking me in a goddam cemetery. People coming and putting a bunch of flowers on your stomach on Sunday, and all that crap. Who wants flowers when you're dead? Nobody."

This last quote made me laugh out loud! If you can handle the swearing, The Catcher in the Rye is a classic. I wonder what they'll do with Salinger now?
 
--Catcher in the Rye
J.D. Salinger, Novelist 1919-2010.

If my Austrian friends could see me now...

..they'd be shocked to discover that my German is actually worse than it was in Vienna. Is that even possible? you might be asking yourselves, oh yes my dear friends, it sure is! Ha ha ha.

I got a call from April asking me to join a German Choral group. All the songs are in German and 99% of the participants are over 60 and are from Germany.

I went.
I sang.
...I. Sounded. Special.

As soon as I got to a point that I felt comfortable with the strange shapes and sounds my mouth was making we would switch songs! I'm not sure if I can handle the embarrassment on a weekly basis, but it was quite fun to go and experience something new and away from work and my home.

I would sing you a jig right now, but I fear I haven't retained much of my whirlwind German lesson. double sigh! Setting 'German' aside, it was quite pleasant. The only thing worse than a new language though is learning people's names that have severe accents! yikes! The two names I remember are: Baerbel (similar to Barbara in english... so I'm told...) and Udi. 

Baerbel has sparked my interest in German poetry, and Udi, well let's just say she was patient with me as I fumbled over the words! They made me take the music home 'to practice', but I think April just wants to make sure I give this a second shot!

Perhaps I will go practice my Deutsch...Auf wiedersehen!

the mysterious workings of the mid 20's female mind...

I feel old. I turn 27 this year. That feels REALLY old. I'm closer to 30 than to 20 and for some reason 27 is going to solidify that even more than 26 did. Sigh. A new couple spoke in the ward. Married 4 years. 2 babies. My two sister-in-laws, both much younger than I, both married barely 1 year, and both are expecting baby number 2 this July. This year I will have been married 4 years. I look at all these people having families, buying homes, buying cars, going on vacations, starting graduate degrees, finishing graduate degrees, buying second homes, and I feel stagnant. I swear sometimes if I read one more facebook status with the words "i love my awesomely fun and fulling life/job/husband/child/etc. i might just die. The thing of it that scares me the most, is that i don't feel 'that'.  I mean I enjoy my job. I love my husband. I like our little house even though it's not ours for keeps. Those things are true. But this whole 'mommy bug'.  I dunno. When I watch some of the kids at church, or when one of my neices/nephews grabs hold of my hand to guide me somewhere I feel a twinge of what I'm missing... but most of the time I feel hollow. I'm not sure that is normal. Aside from the fiscal impossibility of baby land at present, have I let fear overcome the desire for a family? Am I that self-centered that I can't imagine my world being centered around a child? Is my lack of faith the problem? Or is this normal behavior for a fellow 'baby-in-the-family"?

I feel defective.

But, it's a new year. A new decade even. I have resolved myself to find the 'me' at the end of this emptiness that is currently clouding my mind. How does one find 'me' when there is no money for my journey? I dunno. I'm gonna figure it out.

I love you all. I really do. I love reading blogs, looking at pictures, and hearing the stories... reminding myself that 90% of life is attitude and that maybe I just have the wrong one at present.  I'm an optimist. Things will change and until things change, I will change.

I blame the weather for this post. Too much cold. Too much inversion. Too much gray.

Silent Night

My mother has quite the skills when it comes to 'waterworks'. A talent she has most generously bestowed on her daughters. I didn't think I had it so bad when I was younger, but during the past months if I so much as see someone cry my eyes automatically respond by filling with tears. (Adam says it reminds him of a Disney cartoon when a helpless woodland creature's eyes slowly fill from bottom to top with a wall of water, complete with a quivering lower lip, then suddenly it's a downpour). To my dismay this superb skill has now expanded its original confines of Testimony Meeting, to music. I love music and I love to sing, and now find myself unable to finish any meaningful song. So long as I stick with Lady Gaga I'll be alright, but every time I travel to any of my favorites it's instantaneous waterworks! BlarG!


I was thinking about my family's traditions this evening and I can honestly say some of my favorite Christmas traditions surround my dear daddio. My dad is a gem. He is a stern, no frills kind of guy. However, this strong man is as tender as a teddy bear in the right setting. He taught high school German for over 30 years, all of my siblings have taken German at some point and 2 of us have even lived in Austria. On Christmas Eve after the games have been played and Santa has dropped in to say 'hello', we all sit around the Christmas tree and my dad sings 'Stille Nacht". We all join in (at least on the first verse). I love that spirit that surrounds us then. To an outsider we probably sound less than great, but to me it couldn't be farther from the truth. I look forward to that overwhelming, all inclusive, all consuming feeling of love, peace, and joy. It is tangible. It fills the air and my heart.


We taught the LDS primary song "Samuel Tells of the Baby Jesus" a few weeks ago. I was unfamiliar with the song before then but this past Sunday, one of the speakers talked about Samuel; and I had this overwhelming feeling of gratitude to these amazing prophets and disciples that came before Christ. Having complete faith and hope that the Savior of the World would be born! What glad tidings this is for all of us. I am not a scholar of the scriptures or even a regular reader as sad as it is to admit that. But I do know. I know without a shadow of a doubt that the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ, did come to earth, did suffer and die for us, and He prepared a way for us to be with Him and our loved ones forever.


I hope that all my loved ones will have peace and joy this Christmas.


Happiest Holidays!


loves.
-me

December a la mode!

Thanksgiving gave us much to be thankful for. Adam got a part time job with UPS which will allow him to take, *gasp*, classes during the day! This is a first in 4 years! The downside is he works 10 pm - 3:30 am. It's been a 3 weeks and I am not really enjoying this schedule, but if it means only 2 years of school instead of 3, it is a sacrifice we'll make. Meanwhile, if you have any book suggestions send them my way!

We had planned on spending Thanksgiving with Adam's fam in AZ, but due to the new job we spent it with my family instead. We were sad to not get to see them, but glad that my entire family could be together which we commemorated with the oh so classic Family Portraits!

They turned out well considering the ginormity that is my family!

After Thanksgiving, Adam and I went into full Christmas mode. Decorating the house, hanging lights, finding and putting up the perfect tree, and planning the First Annual Hansen/Hadley Christmas Party. I have loved throwing parties since I was 14 (and I'm sure before then too ;-). I love myself a get together with lots of friends, fun, food, and festivities! My sister Vicki throws this incredible Christmas party every year, but sadly her move to Idaho means that we won't be attending those. SO! My sister Cindy decided that we should throw a party of our own! And honestly we could not have planned it to go better than it did, nor could my house hold more!

The party was complete with dinner, followed by a gingerbread house contest (each team was given 10 minutes to construct a gingerbread ouse, title the masterpiece, then we'd vote on the best one!).

This year had some classics:

And the winner is: Santa's Escape!

(It's an outhouse if you couldn't tell! Pretty sure it was the most hilarious thing I've seen in years! And yes, Santa is reading the paper).

Christmas edition Jeopardy:

white elephants:

(This was mine! It's a Snuggie for dogs!)

And lastly, but certainly not least, the Sub for Santa.

Thank you all for your amazing generosity.