Tagged by Kathryn...

Here are the rules:
Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of yours. Tag 6 fellow bloggers by linking them. Leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger’s blogs letting them know they’ve been tagged.

Here are my six quirky things:

1. I cannot leave the house if the beds are not made. Really weird but I physically can't do it!

2. I LOVE TV shows that I shouldn't. For example, Grey's Anatomy, Desperate Housewives (you get the picture).

3. I love reading but if the book is really good (like the Twilight Series) and I don't have time to finish it I have to cheat and read the last few pages. I will finish the whole book but I usually know the ending first. Really bad habit I know. I can't stand the suspense!

4. If I find a shirt I really like I will usually buy the same shirt in all different colors. It saves time and usually money.

5. I have a secret candy drawer for emergencies.

6. If Alan tells me that the microwave has seconds on it instead of being cleared, I HAVE TO go hit clear or I can't sleep. (He does this as a joke sometimes.)

Happy Family...

We had a such a GREAT weekend with Alan's family. His mom, dad, grandma and two cousins came to visit us. We celebrated his dad's birthday and Abi's birthday together. The kids just love playing with the cousins. Thank you for coming. You guys are WONDERFUL!


GG (Abi's friend from the neighborhood), Abi, and Chandler (Abi's cousin) eating on the deck!


Dale and his cousin Kyler goofing off!


Grandma Julie and Grandpa Alan taking it easy!


Dale and Kyler with their great-grandma Sylvia!


Four generations of Hansens!

Poor Babe...

Our dog, Babe, was running around outside on Sunday evening when his right hind leg just gave out on him. It is so sad, he has been limping around since Sunday evening. I can't get him into the vet until Thursday. Has anyone ever heard of this? You can twist, turn and poke it and it doesn't seem to bother him, but he will not put any weight on it. He is hobbling around on three legs and it is driving me crazy to see him like this. He is three years old. He sure cried when it first happened. Poor thing!

Soccer and More...

This past Saturday was Dale and Gracie's first soccer game in Helena. How is soccer different from Corpus you ask? The WEATHER...it was so cold! Alan is the coach and he went to the game early and he called me and told me to bring warm clothes as it was really cold. I said okay, but really how cold could it be? Okay, I get there in my not so warm jacket and BRRRRR.... Luckily for me, I have the nicest neighbor and she seemed to know that I wouldn't be prepared (didn't take her long to get to know me) so she had hats, gloves and scarfs and my whole family was wearing her stuff. One of these days I promise to stop talking about our weather, but yes I am completely obsessed with it. I can't get over the difference. The kids aren't sure if they like playing in the cold (which apparently we haven't seen anything yet) but I know how much they hated the heat too so what do you do.

Later that afternoon we went to the football game at Carroll College and it was beautiful and warm by then. The game was a lot of fun. It took me back to my own college days (which was as Dale and Gracie say "centuries" ago).

To My Dear Sweet Friends in Corpus Christi....

I have been following hurricane Ike like I still live there. I guess after living there for seven years some habits are hard to break. Actually, I have been thinking of all you and I am glad to see that that Ike isn't going to hit Corpus directly. It is too bad it has to hit somewhere. Anyway, I just wanted you all to know I am thinking of you and I hope those of you that are still on the road please drive safe! I miss you all!!

We feel like kids on Christmas Morning!!

So we were driving home from soccer practice tonight and we looked over and there were three deers roaming a neighborhood. Of course, being the Texans that we are, we had to go around the block and get closer so we could get a picture of them.

Apparently, the natives here don't think they are that great as they eat their bushes, but we think it is the coolest thing ever. We just get excited seeing all these new things...snow, deer, no one locking their doors!

'Montana is a big freezer'

Dale and Grace have come to this conclusion. It's September 1st, and we had a snowball fight! It's not snowing in Helena, but we traveled about 15 miles to the west, toward Missoula (and the Continental Divide), and we ran into snow.

We found a beautiful lookout (place by the road to stop and view the scenery) by the side of the road, and Abi experienced her first snow. At first she didn't want to get out of the van, but once she plunked Alan with a snowball, she didn't want to get in! We thought about making a snow man there, but without gloves it was pretty cold! We wondered if people were laughing at us, with our van and its Texas plates, playing in the snow. We'll soon get used to living in the snow (we hope), but for right now it's a novelty.

Dale of course thought he would be 'Survivor Man' and tackle the conditions without his jacket.

We topped off the morning with some hot chocolate. Now we're home sitting next to the gas stove. It's 45 degrees! On Labor Day!