TEN

AT MY GRANDPA AND GRANDMA ANDERSON'S HOUSE 10 YRS AGO...WHERE THEY USED TO LIVE - HERE IN IDAHO FALLS, ID!

I VISITED THE HOUSE EVERY OTHER YEAR MY WHOLE LIFE FROM NY!

I DON'T THINK I EVER THOUGHT I'D MARRY AN IDAHO BOY AND END UP LIVING SO CLOSE TO IT LIKE I DO NOW!!!

TEN YEARS AGO...

...I WAS LIVING WITH MY PARENTS IN IDAHO FALLS, ID. I HAD EARNED MY ASSOCIATES IN EDUCATION AT RICKS COLLEGE, WENT TO BYU IN PROVO FOR A SUMMER SEMESTER, AND WAS GOING TO WORK FOR A YEAR TO EARN MONEY TO GO BACK TO FINISH MY BACHELORS.

...I WAS WORKING AT A DAYCARE AND WAS IN LOVE WITH ALL THE ADORABLE LITTLE CHILDREN I GOT TO TEACH AND NURTURE EVERYDAY.

...I WAS ATTENDING A SINGLES WARD IN I.F. AND WAS SPENDING A LOT OF TIME WITH A GUY FRIEND NAMED ROB.

...I WAS ASKED BY MY FRIEND ROB IF I'D LIKE TO GO TO HIS FRIEND'S MISSION HOMECOMING REPORT DOWN IN SOME SMALL TOWN CALLED SHELLEY 15 MILES SOUTH OF ME.

...I SAID "YES" I'D LIKE TO GO WHEN ROB SAID THIS FRIEND OF HIS COULD SING, DANCE, ACT, WAS SPIRITUAL AND HANDSOME.

...I WENT DOWN WITH ROB AND WE WERE LATE ENOUGH THAT WE HAD TO SIT IN THE FRONT ROW...WHILE KEVIN WAS TALKING I WAS LOOKING AT HIM THINKING AND FEELING LIKE I WAS HAVING DEJA VOUS. IT WAS STRANGE BUT I LIKED IT.

...AFTER THE MEETING, ROB AND I ENDED UP AT SHELLEY HIGH WHERE THERE WAS A LUNCHEON FOR KEVIN, HIS FAMILY AND HIS FRIENDS WHO CAME TO SUPPORT HIM. ALTHOUGH I HARDLY TALKED TO KEVIN THAT DAY, I DID TALK TO HIS LITTLE SISTER FOR AWHILE WHERE, AGAIN - THERE WAS SOMETHING FAMILIAR WITH IT ALL!

...I WATCHED KEVIN PLAY WITH HIS YOUNGER COUSINS AND THOUGHT "THIS GUY IS SO GOOD WITH KIDS" WOW!!!

...ON OUR WAY OUT ROB TOLD KEVIN ABOUT THE SINGLES WARD VOLLEYBALL AND THAT HE SHOULD COME

...HE DID AND THE REST WAS HISTORY

Pictures of Me and My Valentines

Since it's Valentine's Day I thought I would post our pictures we had done back in November!

After all, my little family consists of my main sweethearts in life!!

Audrey, Audge, Doll, Doll face, Sweetheart: watch out world - here she comes! She is super smart - she skipped first grade and is still the top of her class, a straight A student and in the Gifted and Talented Program. Also, she is very responsible. She helps me around the house and with the boys every day. She loves to help and does it all the time without asking. She's an amazing singer and dancer and works very hard on the competing team at Infinity Dance Studio with her ballet, jazz, hip hop and tumbling! She's been on the stage since she was 2 and never had a moment where she ever had any fear about it! This past spring she was able to participate in the Sounds Choir Musical "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" and was such a natural at every aspect of it all! In addition to all of this, she takes piano lessons and loves to practice and go to her lessons! She had her first recital this past December and did great! Don't ask me how but she still finds time to read a ton of books every week and sometimes big books like the Harry Potter series! Audrey loves to write stories, songs (she writes the words, accompinament and melody) and she loves make things - she is so crafty it makes me sick because I do NOT have an inch of that! Audrey loves to swim and really improved this past summer. She was scared to go off the diving board the last day of her lessons but a couple of weeks later she overcame the fear at my friend's parent's pool and I was so proud! Audrey is so happy and has to much FUN in life! Every single new thing out there to experience she loves and embraces - even things like getting xrays or going to the dentist! She's never had a shy day in her life and loves to make friends! She is a lovely little girl who tries to do right. She has an old soul and is kind to all!!

Kyle, Ky, Ky Guy, Bud, Buddy: will he be super sweet or super sour - we never know! Kyle is very smart. He is at the top of his class and does not have any problems with anything Kindergarten has thrown him academically. He has been reading since he was 4 years old and reads btw a 1st-2nd grade level. He is probably at a 1st grade level for math because he's above any math he does at school - he has always loved numbers and starting counting at age 2. Kyle is very gifted on the computer and loves his computer time every day! Kyle has come leaps and bounds socially this year! Kyle is a very sensitive soul. He is so tender hearted that everything effects him more. Certain sights, sounds, touch, taste, and new things in general can be a real challenge for him! I honestly didn't know what was going to happen when he started school but he blew us all away with how well he transitioned! Kyle has improved so much in the past couple of years in so many ways but when change comes along in his life he still struggles...sometimes more than others and every now and then he surprises us and doesn't have an issue at all. Kyle is so great because he is the child that teaches us patience the most. Also, he is the child that is very effected by not getting enough attention so without him, we wouldn't realize when we are not up to par in making sure we give the kids real quality time! Kyle is the child that needs mom the most and sometimes this if frustrating but in the end I am thankful for it! He is also the one who notices things more telling me "Mom, you're beautiful" the most out of anyone in the house. He is always making me something or doing something sweet for me every day. Kyle is a great singer and dancer and he is amazing at gymnastics. He's fast and strong and this past summer he learned how to swim on his own. He is the most brave of our 3 kids in the water! This past fall he tried soccer and football and did great! Kyle is a sweet little guy who loves his friends and family with all his heart! He's so shy that people he's known for years wonder if he likes them because a lot of the time he won't talk to them but we all know how much he loves them! When Kyle chooses the right he glows and there's nothing like the way his face looks when he knows it!

Kaden, Kade, Kade Boy, Babe, Baby: what can I say about this little guy?! And I do mean little - Kaden is all of 28 lbs at 3 1/2 years old and very short but he is ALL personality. Personality plus would be an appropriate term. Kaden is a very funny little boy and has always had us laughing - his whole life. In fact, the day he was born he had everyone in stitches because he had somehow fooled the OBGYN into thinking he was 100% girl when we had the ultrasound but when he came out and I said "There she is!" Kevin had to reply "NO, there HE is!" And he was

ALL boy so we don't really understand how he did the trick in the first place, if you know what I mean! Kaden is such a joy to us. He is happy all day unless he's REALLY hungry or tired. He goes through life in a cool kind of way, he's very easy-going. He doesn't mind new experiences and/or new people! He was an early talker and loves to chat it up with anyone that will listen. He's a great singer, dancer, gymnast, break dancer, and has always been a real natural with sports. He may be small but he is very athletic, strong and fast - in fact ball was one of his first words. He loved participating in soccer and football this past fall and did awesome - even though he was the one of the youngest and the smallest! Kaden is a great eater. He eats anything and everything - including lemons and jalepeno peppers! Kaden loves his mom and dad and loves to cuddle, snuggle and to be scratched and sometimes even scratches mommy back! He has a killer smile and the most wonderful expressions. Kaden is the clown of our family always doing or saying something to make us burst out in laughter! He is a nice little boy who makes people smile everyday!

Me - well all I can say about myself is now that I'm 30 and I REALLY know who I am, I can honestly say that I love myself. Even if there are people out there who don't love or even like me, it's o.k. I know that I'm a good person and I know there are people out there who know that too!

Kevin, Kev, Kevypooh, Honey, Babe: oh my goodness I can't imagine life without this wonderful man! He is truly my one true love, my soulmate, my EVERYTHING! Kevin is everything I ever needed! I always knew I would need to marry a return missionary who was spiritual, honored the Priesthood and loved the Gospel who could, sing, dance, act and be handsome too! Well imagine my luck when I ended up going to Kevin's mission report with a friend and there was my Prince Charming who was and could do all of those things! There are so many other things that I didn't even know I needed in addition to all of that, too! Kevin can also play the trumpet and piano, he is a true handyman and can fix or build anything (we've never had to hire anyone for anything around the house and he built 2/3 of the house we are living in now.) Kevin is one the most patient people I know, he's calm, and isn't very opinionated about many things (except politics of course!) Kevin is so loving and kind to all and is a true "people person." He loves people and most people love him back because he's so nice and genuine! Kevin is such a hard worker and has a lot of determination. He can do anything he sets his mind to. Kevin also is very talented at writing poems and has written many beautiful ones to me. Kevin is very artisitc - he can draw well and can create so many wonderful things on the computer! Kevin can remember anything! He can tell me what happened in a movie he saw once...15 YEARS AG0!!! Kevin is very talented in Marketing and comes up with the most amazing ideas in his career to help people! I love "MY KEVY" so much and am so lucky that he loves me back and treats me like a Queen every day!!!

Oh...

...By the way, in case anyone was interested we DID have a MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Cute kids in Sunday Christmas clothes after church.

Ready to open presents from Uncle Eric, Aunt Nicole, cousins Ivy and Sage...

Homemade Christmas PJs! :)



Christmas morning!



Santa brought one toy for each child

(oh and for mom and dad too)

and he stuffed our stockings.

It was nice to scale back with the gifts!

Audrey got one big and one small teddy bear. Kyle got a cash register. Kaden got Tinker Toys.


Kids exchange - the kids drew names so they each had one sibling to buy for!



Audrey got Littlest Petshop and a new Connect 4 x4 from Kyle!

(The picture got deleted by accident.)


Thanks Kyle!


A puzzle from Mom and Dad!



Books from Mom and Dad!

Kyle got a McQueen art set, G.I. Joe w/motorcycle from Kaden!

Thanks Kaden!

Kyle's puzzle from Mom and Dad!

Kyle's books from Mom and Dad!

Kaden got Handy Manny and his motorcycle from Audrey!

Thanks Audrey!

Here he is with his puzzle from Mom and Dad!

Kaden with his books from Mom and Dad!

We surprised the kids with some Harry Potter brooms after they had opened everything.

They were stoked!

We love Harry Potter at our house so...

...our kids are usually pretending to be wizards once a day - this will make it even more fun to play Harry Potter!

Grandma and Pops Anderson came over that afternoon and gave them some great presents!

That night all of the Hansen's came to our house - Kev read the Christmas Story out of the Bible...

...and everyone but Isaac participate.

(He was having a tough time during those 5 minutes but he was happy before and after that.)

All of us together before dinner.

DINNER!!!

We were so glad Kellie and Paul could come from AZ! :)

Mercedes sharing a candy cane with me!

Audrey's present from Grandma and Grandpa Hansen!

Kyle's present from Grandma and Grandpa Hansen!

Kaden's present from Grandma and Grandpa Hansen!

See! Told you Isaac was happy before and after the mager play!

The next day we went down to Shelley and visited Great Grandma Hansen!

She had this beautiful wall hanging given to her when Grandpa died.

It's the quote he always said when anyone asked him how he was!!

She loves to visit with the children!

Then we went to see Great Grandma Walton and had a nice visit there as well!

The following Monday we went down to UT and here's a shot from the Thanksgiving Point Christmas light show!

We went to Temple Square and missed the lights but saw some outside of the square!

Beautiful!

New Years Day one of Kev's best friends Ross and is family came over

(they were visiting from AZ.)

We played games, ate, talked, ate some more, played more games and talked some more! Wonderful!

Audrey and their oldest, Isis had fun!

Here we are!

Well it was a wonderful Holiday time.

We are so grateful for the Gospel and the knowledege of why Jesus Christ came to this earth!

This year we scaled way down with how many gifts we gave to each other and how many Santa gave. I liked it!