Glen's first day of school

Glen's "excited for school" dance

 Glen has wanted to go to school for over a year now.  It was the only thing that got him potty trained.  He just didn't want to do it, wearing diapers was convenient for him and he didn't mind, but when I told him he couldn't go to school unless he was potty trained he did it.  That very day he decided he was going to be potty trained and there was no looking back.  It still took a few weeks, but potty training is so much easier when the kids actually want to do it.  Anyway, since I had promised him he could go we signed him up for pre-school.  I've had some people give me grief over this decision, because once you have kids it's the whole worlds job to tell you how to parent, right?  :)  But all that put aside we decided it was good for Glen to go.  We knew he likely would not learn much academically, but he needs friends.  He is such a social child.  Benjamin is content to play on his own, but Glen NEEDS playmates, so we sent him for friends.  But we also sent him so he could learn important skills like working with a group, following instructions from other adults, and all that fun stuff that kids secretly learn in school.
We met Glen's teachers on Wednesday, and his first day was on Thursday.  Embarrassingly I had been told the wrong time and so I picked Glen up 1/2 hour late Thursday.  Can I please have my parent of the year award now?  I was early on Friday and Glen was so mad that he did not get to stay late again like he did his first day and told me he "would appreciate it" if I would not pick him up so early next time. Hehe  He is having so much fun, making a lot of friends, and he loves his teachers.  There were no tears on either side, I had mourned earlier.  :)  Besides, how could I be sad seeing how excited he was and how much fun he was having?  Benjamin is sad he doesn't get to go to school.  We are working on making it a special time for him to have Glen in school, just you and me time.  And next year it will be Benjamin's turn, and I will have just you and me time with this new little one.  Sometimes I feel sad seeing them grow up so fast, it makes me want to sry, but most of the time I am too busy being proud and amazed to feel sad.

Family pictures

Are these guys the cutest boys or what?

I love this picture because Benjamin had just picked that flower for me and he refused to take any pictures until he gave it to me and he wanted me to hold it in the picture.

This one is just so precious.

I now, there is a building in the background, but what do you do?  Taking family pictures was kind of a last minute, let's do it now thing and we didn't want to go very far.  We have been trying to get family pictures taken for about a year.  For some reason I have been thinking that we do not have a more current picture then Glen's 2nd birthday before Benjamin was even born, but now that i think about it I am pretty sure we have 2 more current pictures.  The problem is I never print them off and hang them up so I forget.  :)  Oh well, there is something about being pregnant that makes my family, and apparently me, need to take a family picture.  In every family picture from the Hansen side at least one, usually to people are pregnant.  So during the last picture all the women were saying how this is the first time that none of us are pregnant.  We announced about an hour later that we were expecting.  :)  That still makes me laugh.  Anyway, so here is my cute family picture, very soon to be outdated again.  But once this cute little girl come along I am more then happy to take another one, as long as I get plenty of just her!

Bucket list

I Was listening to day to a song called "If I only had today" by Hilary Weeks.  It got me thinking about bucket lists, you know the list some people make of things they want to do before they die?  I was thinking, "What would be on my bucket list?"  If I found out I only had a little while to live, what would I do?  I wouldn't go sky diving, or climb a mountain, I wouldn't go bungee jumping off some big bridge.  If I only had a week to live I would...Take my kids to the library for hours and read them EVERY book they brought me.  I would sing songs until my throat hurt then keep singing.  I would have my kids sleep in bed with us so I could cuddle with everyone, but I wouldn't sleep, I would stay awake watching them and thinking how much I love them.  I would wrestle, even if I got hurt.  I would hold hands more, jump in mud puddles, pay attention to the ants and bug.  I'd stop saying "Just a second" and do it now.  I would write a letter to everyone in my family telling them how much I love them and reminding them we have eternity together.  I would cherish every memory, every smile, every hug.  I would cuddle more, and be patient.

I try so hard to live every day like this, but it's hard sometimes to remember.  I listen to the song every day if I can, to help remind me how precious time is.  Even if I have 60 more years to live my kids won't be little forever, this phase is going to fly by.  I want to hold on.  I wish I could hold onto every sweet memory we make together.  

This is probably not the best time for such sentimental thoughts. Every time I hear that song I cry.  I want to just go hug my husband and kids.  And even though it scares me, thinking it might end, I am grateful for the reminder to make every minute count.  To make sure my family knows how much I love and cherish them.  To take the time for what is really important.  I want to live my bucket list every day.