"An Evening of Musical Testimonies" at Great Grandpa Hansons

Home Evening Group 7 from our BYU-I ward came to The Gardens of Rigby to present a musical program for the residents.  It was a great hit and was so enjoyable to see the faces of the residents as the youth sang familiar Christmas hymns.  Many of the residents were singing (mostly mouthing the words) along with the group.  The program was very well organized and included piano, violin, singing, and a heart felt testimony from a young freshman girl.  The group handed out a printed program to each person and we were able to follow along with the program.  HE group 7 is composed of one girls apartment, one boys apartment, and 5 local students (those living at home).  We didn't realize in September when the groups were organized that we had put such musical talent together in one group.

Following the program the kids went around to each resident and knelt beside them and visited one on one.  What a great night for the residents and what a great experience for the kids (I am old enough that I can call them kids--even when I know they are young adults).

After leaving The Gardens we all came home and had donuts (some home made by Grandma), hot apple cider (Grandma's special spiced cider), and some good laughs.  What a pleasant way to spend an evening.

Other wall

Reed's Office

So I needed to keep busy with Reed in India so I painted his office.  We had talked about it but hadn't gotten it done yet.  He wanted someplace to hang some U of U pictures but still keep his Boeing and Planes.  So I painted the walls gray and added and red and black strip for his U of U wall.  Took me about 13 hours but it helped fill the day! I should have done the black strips closer to the middle but not doing it again.

Jeremy's mission Blogspot

Keep up to date with Elder Sessions as his letters that are emailed to family and friends each week are also posted on his blogspot with photo's, etc. Also check out his facebook page for additional photos and video clips that friends from the mission field have posted on his account. Thanks to all who fasted for him last Sunday for a quick and complete recovery...now his companion has pneumonia. We're certain the Lord will bless Elder Bird with a speedy recovery as well!

http://jdavidsessions.blogspot.com/

Ragnar Race Again!

Michael and Spencer are running in the big 200 mile relay race again this weekend.  Well, this is Spencer's first year, but Michael ran last year.  I cant remember if I ever posted the link to the Deseret News article from last year, so here it is:

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705362693/Scouts-become-the-symbol-of-success-in-Las-Vegas-race.html

Last year's race will also be featured in the New Era in November.

You can go to ragnarrelay.com to see the Las Vegas route.  Michael is runner 7 and Spencer is runner 12. They have barely been able to contain their excitment all week.  Michael left at 3:30 this am and Spencer leaves in van 2 with Bill around 10.

Oh, and it was a big deal last year to have at team of primarily youth.  2 adults ran last year and 10 boys. This is it is all boys ages 11-17!  First time ever in Ragnar history that an underage team has ran the whole thing.  Spencer is the youngest!

Go Troop 460!

New Project This Weekend

I am finding I really need down time on the weekends and quilting has been the new hobby of the week.  So I tried my first Stack and Wack for Christmas table runner for my new bookshelf in the family room.  Not perfect (especially from a picture) but I learned a few tricks as I went along.  It has 5 squares on it so that it would hang over the edge so that I could use more of the blocks.

CA Los Angles spanish speaking Mission

It was so fun to watch him open the letter and so grateful for technology that allowed it to happen.  We had a conference call on skype and several others on phones. Kyle is excited and will get to see some of where he was born and enjoy the great weather!!  We are excited for him.


Melodie

Mission Papers

Kyle's mission papers have been submitted!!!  He will get his call maybe as early as next week!
Melodie

Second Dance-See Below

Quality not so good!  :(

Sacred Dance Company Tour-Washington DC

Camille and I were able to spend the weekend in DC with her dance company.  They performed two dances and did a great job.  They danced at an outdoor theater at the base of the Washington Monument. They were dancing as part of a tour called ProjectDance.  It is an organization that was started after 9/11 and tours the world promoting inspirational dance.  Camille had an awesome experience.  She was one of the oldest girls in her company dancing so the dances were not challenging but still really fun to be a part of.

I was able to have lunch with Debbie, Sami and Merrilie on Friday to celebrate Debbie's birthday!  Cheesecake Factory! Yum!!  Dane, Debbie and kids came down the DC to see Camille dance.  It was wonderful to see them.  I was also able to spend some time with my good friend, Tracie, from Maryland.

We are so blessed to live in this great nation.

Enjoy the video.  (Green Costume -Camille starts on the far left laying down.  Ends on far right. Purple costume - starts way in back but ends up in front by water and part of the trio) Second one not loading might be too big will try again when I get help.  aka Brennan

YW Counselor

I was called as the 2nd counselor in the YW's a couple of weeks ago and I have had fun creating.  Here are the center pieces I did.  We wanted something new and one for each value so I hunted clearance and the dollar stores and was able to make them cheap.  I already had the tin buckets so that helped. The tulip ones are for our classrooms.  I just need to hem the table toppers.  Our presidency is great and it will be fun.  Working with the Beehives is awesome. 
Melodie

Cardboard and Duck tape Boat Race

The second annual City of O'Fallon Cardboard and Duck Tape boat race was yesterday.  Kyle was determined to win this year!!  The Hanson "If you're going to build something make it last forever" genes where very evident this year.  Kyle's boat was unsinkable.  Many hours of planning and building went into it.  The only material that could be used was cardboard and duck tape and must carry 2 people.  Kyle says the key is to build it so it doesn't bend, so he used cardboard in strips to support the overall shape and to reinforce all aspects of the boat. He also lined the inside with several layers of tape so if water got it there wouldn't be any damage.  Matt from work also helped put on the finishing touches.  They called the tiger shark shaped boat Bruce Duce (last year the boat was also a shark named Bruce).  Matt kept the boat and plans to use it next year.  There was only some wet spots. There were 4 heats (down and back), then a semi finals (only down), and then the finals (down and back). There was a total of 16 boats.  Some sank right away and never made it and some made the first race but wouldn't last further.  It was really fun to watch.  But I must admit, it was a "knock it out of the ball park" win. First video is prelims, 2nd finals and 3rd is the semi-finals.  I can't get the order to change.

NJ Trip

I was presenting at a conference in Atlantic City NJ June 26-30th and was able to fly into Philadelphia and spend the weekend before the conference with Merrilie.  She drove me down to Atlantic City on Monday after I got to meet the people she works with and she had a couple of appointments to meet with. We had fun shopping and making cards.  I think the final total was about 130 (65 each). We haven't had a picture of us together for a very long time so that was on my must do list.

Kyle's Graduation

Onward and upward for Kyle. There was just under 500 in his class. He is glad to be done and can't wait to start at the U.

Heather doing what she loves

Heather's class this summer was a music education class where she had to teach a song. Meagan and she decided to use the songs Heather wrote for one of her music therapy classes. She wrote the first song to use with children in a hospital or with physical limitations, this song would help them use what muscles they could. The teacher thought it was great that Heather played the guitar through out. The good bye song is a way they use to end a therapy session. She is loving it!!! More details of what music therapy is all about and more about what she has done is on her blog.

Ceramic Class Projects

Kyle took a ceramic class this semester and here are his projects. A dinosaur tea pot, mask, White coil bowl, free form green vase, blue vase, bicycle box and small blue bowl. He is planning on taking a ceramic class for non majors as his fine art gen ed class in the fall. Reed had told Kyle that he made a dinosaur in art once so Kyle decided to make one too. Reed told him that the tea pot was bigger and more imaginative than the one he made. It actually holds water and pours through the neck.

OPPS, THE PICTURES NEVER POSTED..BUT HERE THEY ARE...

ARE YOU READY FOR THE FLYING GRANDMA?

At our recent 8th Ward Social, Grandma joined the kids in doing the high flying rope. They go about 30 (that's thirty) feet in the air. Actually, grandma went hight because the kids pulling her up were having a lot of fun seeing how high they could get her. There is a rope tied to her that she has to release and then she is on her own as she swings back and forth.

Grandma says it was great fun and wanted to do it again but the line was too long. She was overheard to say, "If there is something you are afraid of, do it any way and it will build character." I must admit, that must have been quite a "character building experience."

The real challenge was hanging up there and knowing you had let go of the tether or request to be let back down. There was no way she was going to ask to be let back down--is that peer pressure?

All the kids came over to cheer her on. She was a big hit that night.

Tour of Hermann 2011

Kyle had is first race of the season yesterday. He had a timed trial in the morning. This is raced individually. The racers are started every 30 seconds and ride the route for the fastest racer. This was Kyle's first time to race in one and he said it was like swimming where you just swam against the clock. The route was 14 miles long and it took him 45 min. There were lots of hills (Hermann is in the hilly wine country of MO) so he didn't get to go as fast as he would have liked.

Three hours later he raced the criterium (circuit) that he did last year. It is a 1.2 mile loop that is looped 8 times. Doesn't sound too bad right. Well, the last of the loop is a very steep hill and you get to race up the hill 8 times!!!! He placed higher this year and had a much stronger race. I marvel that anyone could stick with it! He convinced one of his managers at the Renaud Center to race with him. Jeremy has cycled for years but never raced so it was fun to have someone Kyle knew race with him. He is excited to race with the Utes cycling club in the fall.

Gladiator from Italy

Josh was doing a project for his Italian class and asked me to make him a gladiator costume.  Between the two of us we were able to get it done.  We think it turned out great.  I even had a helmet in my play therapy stash.

Trevor in the news

Here is an article about Trevor!! So glad for him and Heather!!

http://www.usu.edu/ust/index.cfm?article=48873

Melodie

Dear Grandma,

Today is my first birthday. My family is making a big deal about it. I’m not quite sure what all the fuss is about, but I’m having fun!

I wanted to thank you for all you did for my family when I was being born. I know my mom had a rough last month of pregnancy and that you came and took care of her and dad and my brothers and sisters. Our house is noisy and busy and it seems like mom is always cleaning and cooking and then cleaning again, so it must have been a big job for you. I know you did a good job because I hear my brothers and sisters talking about it and how much fun they had with you. Just the other day Annie wanted to have fairy bread and watch Little House on the Prairie just like when grandma was here!

I am happy to be in this family with lots of brothers and sisters to love me and play with me. I am so glad to have wonderful grandparents, too! I know my mom and dad feel very blessed to have another baby girl to love because they tell me all the time and they are very grateful for your help in getting me here to my earthly family.

Please give Grandpa my love too as he must have missed you a lot while you were here. I can’t wait to see you this summer!

Love,
Sarah

Pictures from Rebecca

Click here to view these pictures larger

Bryan is Home!!!

Bryan arrived home from Florida on Thursday evening after a 31 hour bus ride.  He is very grateful to be home and is doing well.  He has a huge gum infection that has left him swollen and suffering.  But we have meds now and he is doing better.  He is slowly detoxing and is feeling a little better each day.  He has some decisions to make in the next few days. He is really trying to put his life in order.  It was a neat experience today to have him beg me to take him to the singles branch after he had attended our ward with us.  He is truly trying to put the past behind him.  We are glad he is home and look forward to his time with us.

Changes at the Rackham's

David was called as Bishop of the Woodstown Ward today.  It has been a very long week for us as we have planned and adjusted to this new call.  We had a great Bishop who was serving before David and he has some big shoes to fill.  David is excited as well as a little over whelmed. But we are looking forward to the future.

Snow Days

So what do 2 boys do on snow days? Well Kyle and Grant made an igloo.
Day 1- Wait for the snow to acculmulate.

Day 2- They shoveled snow and hauled it to a pile in the back yard, packed it down and sprayed it with water. (Mom didn't think about taking pictures until it was dark).

Day 3 - Shovel out the inside.

Day 4- Tomorrow night- sleep in it. If he didn't have to go to school he would have used the snow (smaller pile) from the inside and made another room.


This is on of Kyle's bucket list items he says he will be able to cross off.

New Blog for the Adventures of David D

David is having a wonderful time with all the things he can do in Utah.  He has joined a rock climbing club and is having the time of his life. Follow his adventures on his new blog: http://essaisandadventures.blogspot.com/

College Bound Kyle

Kyle found out that he has been accepted to the U of U College of Science- Biology Major. He is not sure if he will go for a semester before his mission or wait till after. Hopefully the scholarships will help make the decision easier. We will know about those this spring. His plan is to get a BS in Biology while being a member of the Ute's cycling team and a member of the LDS faternity. He has found some student research positions and internships that he would like to apply for as well. The research in the RNAi (he can tell you about that it has to do with genetics, which the U is famous for) and other genetic or microbiology areas is where he would like to help with. He then plans to get a master's in either microbiology or molecular biology and continue researching cures for the future. I think we will have another DR. Rowbotham in the future :) Though according so some, his will be "real research" not "just educational research" Whatever, if these smart scientists can't teach then their knowledge goes to waste. So I will help them learn how to teach better. :) We are having fun watch him be so excited about school and what he is learning in his science research course he is taking this year. He really does understand it and does a great job explaining it to us. His enthusiasm is contagious. We are so excited for our kids.

Heather is loving the music therapy program at UT state. Though she feels she is a little behind since Maryville focused more on the performance were as UT state has done more with the Therapy aspect. Trevor is finishing up with his MBA and can't wait to be done :) He is enjoying his classes and learning how to use excel better but so ready to be done (June is not that far away). He will actually get to walk at the May graduation but finishes up with a 6 week course after. They love their apartment, ward and being with Trevor's friends. Heather is amazed at how many people know him. She was introducing herself in class today and one of the girls said "Oh you're Trevor's wife." (that sounds so weird to me, in a good way. Its hard to think she is a wife and grown up) :) The girl works with Trevor at his typing for the hearing impaired job.

Melodie

Mr & Mrs Nelson's Open House

Here are the pictures from the open house. Merrilie I tried to get ones of the house since you wanted to see it decorated, but we didn't get the mantle or staircase. But the rest is there. It was a fun night and great to celebrate one more time.

Melodie