Happy Birthday Henry! (Again I am a little behind the times)

December 20th Henry turned 3!

I went down to the springs that night and celebrated with Henry, Cole and Sarah.

We had fun and I made him a chocolate funfetti cake and we had a great time eating it. Both Cole and Henry like to get messy while enjoying their chocolate.

What a big boy! I am so amazed that three years has gone by since you were born. I still remember flying out to Oaklahoma on Christmas day and enduring the drive throught the endless plains all the way to Ft. Sill. I kept looking around thinking I would see Indians on horses off in the distance. The whole way I kept wondering what in the world you would look like, what your little personality was like. I remember walking up those steps and seeing little tiny you with your bald little head with just a bit of fluffy blonde hair and your wrinkly little old man face.The whole time I was there I just stared at you in amazement trying to wrap my mind around the fact that you were really my sister's little baby boy.

I have loved watching you grow in into a crazy, fun, smart, happy, active little man. I love your curiosity. I love your smiles and laughs and your big blue eyes. I can't believe how many questions you can ask or how sharp your memory is. I love how much you love to be with people. And well I love you!

Lets see some of my favorite Henryisms are:

(pointing at anything remotely hot and shaking head with stern look on face) "Don't touch it's hhhhhotttt"

"Joy...."

"Yes Henry"

"I love you... can I have some of that?"

"Someday when Cole is big and strong like me and daddy, I am going to teach him how to sing."

"I loooove chocolate" (You can never start them out too young in my family)

Christmas Update

So I have been MIA for a bit. A couple months to be exact. But I am back in action and things are (I say this hesitantly) somewhat slowing down. I am sorry I know we have all left the holidays a long time ago but I am going to revisit them again. SO here is my holiday update:

Christmas was spent in two parts. And this year we did not have to travel anywhere. Everyone came to us!

We spent Christmas Eve with Alex's family over at our house. It was very fun and very relaxing. I would post pictures but I forgot the CD they are on so I will have to post them next time. We attened the Christmas EVe candlelight service at our church which was beautiful and packed! We had a nice traditional Christmas Eve dinner with ham and mashed potatos and Mom Ganzel's delicious pumpkin pie for dessert. Stella kept us all entertained by just being her! And we opened up all of our presents to each other. One of the funny parts to the evening was Alex's 5,00 gifts he recieved from his parents. (It was combined Christmas and birthday) but they were all individually wrapped tools so it took him for ever and he kept getting embarassed.

Alex and I woke up bright and early on Christmas morning to drive down to the Springs where my whole family was waiting. When we walked outside we were greeted to beautiful fluffy white flakes! We did have a white Christmas. We drove in the snow the entire way down to the springs until we got within four miles of my sisters place and then yup not a flake in sight. It was quite funny. But we got to my sisters place and we felt like Santa bringing in tons of packages. It was a really fun morning with my parents, Sarah, and the boys. We had a great time watching Henry and Cole open presents along with each other.
One of the big moments of the morning was when my Dad opened his present from all of us. It was a long board skate board that Alex made for him. He had been working on it for months and along with the help from one of our friends designed and made it from begining to end. I could (and might) dedicate an entire post to the making of the long board. Needless to say my Dad now has a new hobby that he is dedicating much effort to mastering.
I finally got to open my big package from Alex that had been sitting under our tree for months (o.k. well it felt like months). Our friends had begun to joke that he had gotten me a rifle for christmas because of the shape of the package (it looked like a gun case). Instead it was a professional tournament volleyball set and a new v-ball! So fun. I am now set much summer v-ball fun! I know it will definantly get used.

We had quiche for breakfast and a yummy turkey dinner.
(Can you tell this is the first turkey I have had the pleasure of cooking. Slippery little fellow!)

The day after Christmas I spent the day in bed (feeling sick) and Alex and my dad hit the slopes. I was thankful for a day to just rest and they had a blast on the mountain.

Then on New Years Eve we all went to Fort Carson to welcome my brother-in-law Captain Clay Hanna home from fifteen long months in Iraq. It was a very emotional event to see the soldier of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team and their families reunite. I will post pictures of that later. What a relief to have Clay home. He showed us pictures and filled us in a bit on what he did during his time over there. But what was most precious to see was Clay playing with his boys wrestling and tickling and hugging them.

The rest of the time with my family while they were here was spent talking, eating (surf and turf), one long search for a never found sledding hill, games, and snowboarding/skiing.

It was great to have them all out here and a wonderful holiday season. I am so thankful for the blessing of all of our family.

Merry Christmas!
2007
Love,
Alex & Joy

White Christmas

The movie White Christmas has long time been one of my favorite Christmas movies to watch. You cant get any better than Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen. I have had many years of enjoyment of many of the musical numbers such as "Sisters", "Snow", "We'll follow the old man", "Count your blessings" and on and on.

This past week Alex took me to the White Christmas musical production where I got to see the entire thing live! What a treat! It never fails that I am blown away at the skill involved with singing, dancing and acting all at the same time. It was a wonderful production at Buell theatre in downtown Denver. It was such a moving moment when the title song was performed at the end and the entire audience was invited to sing along as it "snowed" inside the theatre.

And to appease my historical side I have to include a bit of history I learned about the song and its author Irving Berlin.

Irving Berlin was the son of Siberian immigrants (so he obviously knew a little something about white Christmases') Berlin composed over 3000 songs many of which are well know to us even today (God Bless America, No Business Like Show Business, Anything You Can Do, White Christmas, Easter Parade). He was self taught on the piano and he never learned to read music beyond a basic level. He suffered the loss of his first wife Dorothy only five months after they had been married (she apparently caught Typhoid Fever and Pneumonia on their honeymoon to Cuba). Berlin lived to the age of 101.
Berlin actually wrote White Christmas in 1940 sitting by the pool in Phoenix, AZ. The original first verse of the song poked fun at the Californians that longed for a snowy Christmas up north. The song was first introduced in the movie Holiday Inn (also a favorite of mine) in 1942. The song struck a chord with the generation that was facing another World War and quickly soared to the top of the charts three years in a row and won an academy award. Guinness Book of World Records currently lists it as a Hundred Million Seller. Not bad for a self taught pianist.

Our Tree

So in keeping with my family tradition of getting a tree the weekend after Thanksgiving, Alex and I put up our first Christmas Tree together the Saturday after Thanksgiving. We chose a fat little guy that fit perfectly (with a little furniture rearranging) into our place. Since I have not retrieved my collection of ornaments from my parents house yet, we went out and bought decorations for the tree. This year's themes...red and gold and fruit.We are still looking for a star. I think we will get one of those tin cut-out ones. Although I think the tree looks great without a star Alex really wants one. I have to say that sitting by the Christmas tree all glowing and cozy is one of my favorite things to do during the Christmas season. Somehow the beautiful glowing tree makes me slow down and actually reflect on the true meaning of Christmas. I am so thankful that our saviour came into the world to save a sinner such as I. And nothing makes the house feel as cozy as a beautiful tree.
In fact the night we put the tree up we spontaneously had a bunch of friends over for dinner and after much rowdy talking, eating and catching up all 9 of us plopped down on a bunch of pillows and blankets and watched Elf. What a fun night and a great way to start off the Christmas season. I am also including some pics of the decorations I am beginning to put up. I hope that everyone is enjoying their traditions, family, friends, and Christmas preparations this time of year. Remember to take a few moments sit under the glow of the tree lights and thank the Lord for being the reason for this season.

Snow for Thanksgiving

For those of you who know me well you will probably find this post ironic because lets just say in the past I have not really enjoyed the cold. Winter normally is my least favorite time of year and snow well, who needs it. But alas since I have been living in an area where the climate is a bit...ahem...different than I am used to I have found myself (gasp!) actually enjoying the cold crisp weather and the snow we have been getting. I snapped this picture as I walked to the garage on my way to work. It was such a peaceful beautiful morning. I loved waking up to the world magically turned white. Now I might be singing a different tune in a month but for now I will enjoy another part of God's creation...beautiful, fluffy, white snow.

A New Addition To Our Family!

On November 20th 2007 at 8:28 A.M. 7lbs 10 oz


19.5 inches long with velvet soft blond hair


Stella Joy

Entered the world.

Alex and I are ecstatic to add a niece to the two crazy nephews we already have.

I am so excited to be able to buy pink frilly things for the cutest niece ever!

Alex is already planning "Stella and Uncle Alex dates" I might just have to invite myself along because I don't want to miss hanging out with beautiful little Stella.

Stella's parents Andy and Joy (Alex's sister) were super surprised they had a girl (both being convinced it Stella was a fella...hehe) But what a wonderful surprise! A sweet baby girl and just in time for the holidays.

Joy has officially become a family name. Who knew?!
Uncle Alex!

The proud Grandparents.



Grandma G. and Grandma H. with Stella.