Mama Can Shoot!

When my parents came out to visit Joel and I for an afternoon back in November, we decided to get out our 22 and bow. Target practice is a fun activity, dOn't ch'ya knOw. 

About five  or six years ago my older brother, Chad, showed me how to shoot a gun and set up some Folgers coffee cans to practice on. I'm proud to say that they were "holier" by the time I finished.

Little did I know that my Mama had never been taught how to shoot a gun! My Mama couldn't shoot.

 My Mama couldn't shoot? It was time for her to learn how to shoot.

Joel got her set up. Shut one eye... hold your breath...

 Aim... and fire! She wasn't a bad shot, either. 

 That's my Mom! Now my Mama can shoot.

Oh, and here's a picture of my stud. smile :)

Wedding Bells

In the season where Christmas Bells are ringing and singing,

reminding us with joy of the first sweet Noel when Christ was born,

another kind of bell will be ringing soon for my friend Monica.

Not too long after Joel and I started dating in 2010, Sam Newhouse and Monica Auppl began their relationship. They met at the same bible study group where Joel and I met.

 I remember the first time Sam came to group, my brother Seth and I decided that he would be 

perfect for Monica. A few weeks later when Monica emailed us that she and Sam decided to start dating, it came as no surprise. I believe Seth's and my exact words were, "Haa! I knew it!"

 Earlier this fall, with the holiday season growing near, predictions were made as to when Sam was going to "pop" the question. I would like to say that my prediction was only one week off - haha! Friday, Dec 2nd, Sam and Monica were supposed to come over to our place for a double date. Sam sent me a facebook message a couple days before saying that he was taking Monica on a surprise date (Mmm hmm), and asked if I would continue to set up the double-date with Monica.
Sam surprised Monica with a sweet video-taped proposal and a date of their own.

This is my official congratulations to my friends, Sam and Monica, as they prepare for their wedding.

Since my predictions have been fairly accurate thus far, I venture to say that I believe you two are going to have a very blessed marriage. Love you guys!

This was taken at our place on Memorial Day, 2010.
This was just a few days before Sam and Monica started dating.

This was taken the day after Sam and Monica got engaged.
 I think Monica may have been floating a few inches off of the ground.

Boo!

 Mmmm... Trick or Treat, and in this case, Treat!

Halloween night a few friends came over for a costume party and a night of Alfred Hitchcock.

 And of course a healthy dose of... food!

 Our menu consisted of homemade chili, molasses and raisin bread and candies.

 Here is my never-fail recipe for chili:

1 1/2 pounds ground beef, browned and seasoned with chili powder to taste

2 cans of chili seasoned tomatoes

1 or 2 cans of chili beans

1/2 bag of frozen corn

After the meat is browned and seasoned, mix in the rest of the ingredients, and voila!

You have Chili!!  

 Chili was a perfect dish for our party since all the food and beverages had a brown and orange theme.

 My goblets even got a little bit of sprucing up with different kinds of ribbon.

 Now all I need are some guests!

Or maybe a Pirate!

 These two gangsters are from the early 1900's!

Correction: The Lady is Ms. Estel, a steampunk character and an adventuress/treasure seeker

Our handy dandy Menard's Associate.

Looks like someone may have just stolen a cookie from the cookie jar...

 And a Cowgirl! Yee ha!

 Here are the Ladies. I'm a fairy! Hmmm, I feel like I need some sort of weapon in this picture...

 Megan likes her dart gun ;)

 Candy Corn Vampires!

 Can you believe I chugged this whole liter of pop?!!!!

 Me either. I drank two swallows.

 The goblets looked even better with root beer and orange slices.

 (The orange slices were Joel's idea!)

Helloooo!

 

Unfortunately, the bread was executed by pirate's sword.

It was a dark and scary night...

No, it really was! After we watched our movie the power went out! Can you believe the timing??

Kristen read Dr. Suess's, The Pale Green Pants to us by candle light.

Boo!

Almost There!

Harvest is coming to close for the Hansen household. With only a couple days to go, Joel and I are both getting excited for this intense season to be over. We've had a lot of fun along the way; it was actually really good one-on-one time for us in the tractor cab, but we are definitely ready for a break.

I've learned a lot about farming this year; such as, a corn stalk only produces one ear of corn (for some reason I thought it produced two or three), the definition of GMO is now permanently recorded in my brain (refer to an earlier blog!), and Farmers work very hard. I will say that I knew that already, but not to this degree. ;) I've also decided that I could most definitely make at least a million dollars by designing a better passenger seat in the dump cart tractors for Farm Wives of America. Just sayin'! ;)

Here's a few pics from a recent tractor ride!

 I took this picture from my beloved passenger seat.

Hello, Blogger World!

Why is it amusing to make funny faces in the rear-view mirror?

I don't know.

It just is.

Joel got out of the tractor for a minute to move my car to a better spot.

Joel left me alone in the tractor cab?

Joel left me alone in the tractor cab!!!

Mwha ha ha ha! Wheeee!

Just kidding! I didn't drive it around... yet ;)

 Just another day on the farm :)

The Invitation

The colors danced and swayed in the morning light;

 laughing and playing,

and bidding me to come enjoy the wonderful sight.

 "We know there's work to do," they said to me,

 "but you can never capture this moment again.

Come run and and skip,

  Taking a little time to sip 

the sweet wine of the morning glory of the Divine."

I sat and pondered the invitation set before me

while I looked out my window again, and saw a sight to see:

 Water was still and undisturbed, like transparent mirrored glass. 

His Love, Reflection, held time frozen in her grasp;

It was impatiently waiting to pass.

Today she let it go slowly, as if to say,

 "Time can wait for another day."

Then the chorus of all creation cried,

"Time may push and Time may strive

to be the one that gives you your drive,

 But there is a better way: 

 Let peace be your guide.

 Once again, Come out, come out!

 Come out from among them;

 Come out from the clenches of Greed and Strife.

 You will only find that once you have given them your entire life,

 There is no turning back; the day is done.

Ambition is good, ambition is right,

 But don't let it be the only thing you keep in our sight.

Enjoy the now while you hold it in your hand;

Don't let it seek another Lover, leaving you with only an impression in the sand.

Open your eyes, look straight ahead.

It's time to wake from your sleepy days/daze;

 this dream is finished, now get out of bed."

C.S. Lewis

I don't know that I've ever read anything so challenging as C.S. Lewis's writings. He seems to find all of my hidden pride and expose it in the light of boldface truth. Ouch. :) In the venture to learn what it means to truly love someone, whether it be spouse, parent, sibling, friend, enemy, etc, I found this quote from C.S. Lewis's book, The Four Loves, to be challenging, encouraging and heart wrenching.

 "There is no safe investment. To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully around with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in the casket - safe, dark, motionless, airless - it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. The alternative to tragedy, is damnation. The only  place outside  of heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all dangers and perturbations of love is Hell."

 "I believe that the most lawless and inordinate loves are less contrary to God's will than the self-invited and self-protective lovelessness... We shall draw nearer to God, not by trying to avoid the sufferings inherent in all loves, but by accepting them and offering them to Him; throwing away all defensive armour. If our hearts need to be broken, and if He chooses this as a way in which they should break, so be it."

Caeden Mathias - A Birthday Card Blog

Caeden Mathias.

Precious Boy, 1 year old today.

How fast the last year has gone; it's incredible how much you've changed...

From your precious round face

 

to your chubby little toes

 We were completely overjoyed by your arrival.

 I will always cherish you, little man,

because you made me an Auntie

 

You always make us smile, and sometimes very, very tired.

But it's all worth it when we see your little face.

            Your Daddy already has plans for you. 

                        Mommy could just cuddle you all day.             

I like to read books to you.

 And Great-Grandpa is so proud.

You've become a permanent part of our hearts.

 Oh, those chubby legs!

 You are such a wonderful gift.

 It's fun to see you learn and explore

and find that not all Easter eggs are edible.

But don't worry, you can have your own Easter basket.

                            You are Mommy's little man and Daddy's world.

You were once my little ring-bear,

but you'll always be my cuddly teddy-bear.

You like the kitties at my house

and running up and down the halls in your walker.

 Sometimes you may get into some mischief, but who can be upset with that smile?

                 I loved it when you found your belly-button. It was very serious business!

                                          

 You make my heart sing with your laughter,

 and you should know that forever after

You are awesome,

Caeden Mathias Dawson