The most wonderful time of the year.

Merry Christmas friends!

2009 has been a great year for us.  Here are just a few highlights.

We made it through our last semester as students and finally graduated from BYU.  

We traveled to the East Coast and spent time in New York City and Philadelphia.

We found out we were expecting a perfect little addition to our family.

The Lakers won the Championship.

I camped for probably the 5th time in my life with the O'Bryant clan up in Swan Valley, Idaho.

Steven got a great job with Nu Skin Enterprises just days after he took the MCAT.

My little niece Elsie was born!

We spent many wonderful weekends relaxing at my parents place in St. George.

Steven finished and submitted all his applications for Podiatry schools across the country.

We've been able to spend the holidays with both our families.  

Hope you all have the best holiday season imaginable!!!

Now please everyone pray that little girl stays put until we're ready for her to come.  I like saying 5 more weeks much better than 3 or 4.  Still so much to do!

one day older and wiser too...

Happy Birthday [CLAP] to you!!!

Little lady has been kicking in celebration all day. I thought it would have been so fun if she came on Daddy's birthday!!! Maybe she wants to wait for Grandma O'Bryant's on January 18th. Or, knock on wood, maybe she's holding out for Valentine's Day??? I hope not.

We celebrated Steven's birthday on Saturday and will still get a trip in to Tucanos before the end of the month thanks to the Birthday Club. Yummm!

Maybe a trip to the Sweet Tooth Fairy as well.

a bit of nostalgia

I miss Minnesota.

A lot.

The last few days I've been feeling incredibly nostalgic for the wonderful MSP. I miss "home" often through out the year, but it's especially bad this holiday season. Perhaps it's because I'm having a baby and know deep down that she'll never get to see where her mama grew up. I don't know. Maybe it's just because we aren't going anywhere this year and I miss the days that my parents were there greeting me at the airport. Regardless - I'm missing *almost everything about the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

I miss going to The Dayton's Christmas Display - one of my all time favorite traditions. I hate long lines, yet this one never seemed to bother me. I loved looking at the artwork on the wall and then FINALLY getting into the display room, going around from scene to scene as a story was told and then sitting with my family around Santa and hearing my mom ask him for some sort of convertible.

I miss driving down Medina Road on a cold winter evening, approaching my mail box, and gazing down my long driveway lined with Christmas lights back to my house in the woods. It was always lit so bright and looked so warm and you could see the decorated tree in the window. It never ceased to bring a smile to my face.

This is a silly one, but I miss eating Leeann Chin. It holds a monopoly in Minnesota for fast food Chinese. All you Panda Express lovers don't know the true potential that exists.

Another silly food reference - I miss Brueggers Bagels. Their Softwich bagel sandwich with roastbeef, lettuce and tomato made an appearance in my dream last night.

I miss driving around the lakes and seeing the ice fishing.

I miss going to the ward I grew up in and seeing old friends.

I miss down town Minneapolis and getting from point A to point B via skyways.

I miss many more things and can only think of one thing I don't miss.....

*Negative temperatures.

(I don't know what has happened to me, but I am SUCH A WIMP when it comes to cold weather!!!)

Oh Heeeey Utah,

So... where's the snow? Maybe you missed the memo, but tomorrow is the 5th of December meaning Christmas Eve is a mere 19 days away. This Minnesota girl is in NEED of a white Christmas. I already don't love you all that much, so please oh please, SNOW for me! If I have to deal with your cold, atleast let me have some friendly flurries to enjoy.

p.s. - If you decide to grant me this wish, please keep all the California and Arizona drivers away from me. Merci!

sweet.

Stranger: When are you due? (reaching for my belly)

Me: End of January. (moving away from completely rude and invasive human being)

Stranger: No way.

Me: Way. (said with signature Wendy Hansen eye roll developed circa 1989)

movin' right along.

Sorry, no pregnant pictures in this post.

Actually - you should be thanking me........ apology revoked.

Rephrase: Lucky you! There are no pregnancy pictures in this post.

Just a brief update on life. We spent mucho time with the O'Bryant side of the family this weekend and it was a lot of fun. Steven and Jeff went to the Haunted House in Salt Lake on Friday the 13th then came back to watch a scary movie. Thank goodness they have eachother. In the mean time, Clarissa and I cuddled up (not with eachother but with comfy down blankets) on my bed and watched a movie, which about 45 minutes into decided was stupid and turned off. We went and sat on the floor in the baby's room for an hour and chatted until the boys decided to join us. Not the most comfortable, but probably one of my favorite rooms in the house to be in.

Saturday night we all ended up at Nick and Alyssa's (not an uncommon occurance) for a few hours. The boys played RISK and I finally saw Up... which I quite enjoyed.

Squirrel!

You can probably guess what we did Sunday night. Nick and Alyssa's round 2. Clarissa made banana bread, I read about teaching my baby to sleep until my brain went into overload and I felt like I was cramming for the biggest exam of my life... which I guess I sort of am. Putting the book down lead to me asking Alyssa all sorts of baby questions and probably killing her with all the interrogating.

Now, I just need to get through this week and I'll be in the THIRTIES!!! I was telling people all weekend and at church that I was 28 weeks. WRONG - I'm 29, which means I'm even closer than I thought. It's funny, because even though I know my due date, I'm not really planning on the baby coming around then. I just feel like she'll either be early or late - but probably not right on time.

I can't wait for Thanksgiving. 6/8 Hansen siblings will be in St. George. Even though we've been banished to a hotel (apparently you have to actually HAVE children, expecting one isn't sufficient to get a spot in the house this year) it will still be so much fun to see so many family members. This will also be Steven's first time exposed to so many of us at once besides the wedding. He can handle us in small doses, but we'll see how he does with the big group. It's good practice for him for the family reunion next summer!

Are you bored yet?

Dear Second Trimester,

It's only been a short time since we separated but I already miss you terribly.

Sincerely,

Wendy