Brian Graduated

Brian graduated from ALS (Airmen Leadership School) last Thursday night. It was an event worth celebrating. This class proved to be a huge challenge for our family, with Brian deploying soon and all the regular holiday rush. However at the award ceremony/dinner I figured that I had probably taken the wrong attitude toward his class. I was frustrated and very bugged about the timing of everything, and I finally realized had I supported my husband during his class he would have done better academically. Brian got 90's on all his tests, speeches, and assignments, but that was not good enough to get any extra awards or recognition. Not really a big deal other than it was Brian's goal to do well enough for an extra award, and this is the first class/school that he has not been given extra recognition. Poor Brian is always effected by me learning little life lessons. I guess that is just part of being married.

Attending Brian's graduation was of course me, his mother Kathy, my mom Tami, and my brother Rustin, Ashley watched the twins. His dad was unable to make it to his graduation due to church meetings. At his graduation we sat at a table with three of his supervisors and I met his first shirt and commander. All of these men were there just to support Brian in completing this class and making Staff Sergeant. Now we are looking forward to when Brian actually sews on Staff... it's not the extra responsibilities we are looking forward to, it's the money!! Anytime Brian can trade a good test score for a raise is a good thing!

Noel

This is Noel, she is a Guinea Pig and the newest member to our family.

I got her from the pet store over a week ago... its been a long time since I've posted, we've had computer problems along with all the holiday madness. I went to the pet store with my mom and husband to look at getting a small animal for my sister (Ashley) for Christmas, and while I was shopping for her I came across Noel. I asked the pet store employee if I could hold her, and as soon as I held her in my arms my bottom lip got big and my eyes went glossy, I just couldn't let her go. Of course as I was doing this my poor husbands eyes were rolling in the back of his head. He couldn't believe we were actually getting, for lack of better words, a rodent.

You see my husband didn't have family pets while he was growing up. He said he had a ferret for about a week, and a dog for about a year, give or take a few months. So he didn't understand how this sweet little animal could melt my heart. While I was a child we had numerous animals that varied in type, and I loved them all. However, the animal that was always my very own was a Guinea Pig. I think I got my first Guinea Pig when I was 8 years old her name was Scarlet. My second Guinea Pig I got for Christmas when I was 10 years old, I named her Holly Berry because she was a Christmas present.

So Noel was my early and only Christmas gift from my mom this year. We named her Noel for the obvious reason that she was a Christmas gift and its a Christmas name. However, it fits her in so many ways, one being its a sweet name and shes a sweet pig. Once we got her home from the pet store and the boys in bed Brian took some time to bond with her, and it didn't take long before his heart too was melted. Everyone at our home is very smitten with this little pibby, as the boys call her. It has been a real blessing to have something so small to nurture and love. She had helped us all remember to relax and be gentle, as our nerves were at breaking point with Brian leaving so soon. We are grateful and happy that she is a part of our family.

Just to explain some of the pictures... Of course the boys love her and are learning to be soft with her. They are very excited to hold her and feed her. Just so you know Heith didn't really eat that carrot I told him yucky before he got a bite, but it made for a cute picture. Also Heith didn't get bit by Noel she is so sweet she hasn't bit or pooped on us. When we hold her she falls asleep. Shes the nicest piggy I've every had.

A New Tradition

This is a countdown candle that we found, and we light it everyday to burn while we read a Christmas story or scripture to the boys.

These are some of our favorite books.

This is Brian reading to the boys from The First Christmas Story Book.

Brian had a hard time keeping the boys interested in the story, so he had to use gestures to keep them looking at the book. They were very intrigued by the light.

The boys had a fun time listening to the story of Christmas, and they're happy to listen to a story each night while the candle is lit. It really calms them down at night to get ready for bed.

After we read them their story, we held them for a little while and started singing "Silent Night." Just like dogs howling at sirens, they howled as they tried to sing along to the song. It was pretty funny, and we could barely finish the song because we were laughing.

Our Sledding Slideshow

It all started Saturday morning when we awoke to big fluffy snowflakes falling. This was the first big snow storm for Utah this season, so I put on the kids snow suits, hats, and boots to see how everything fit. Heith and Haiden were very anxious to get outside to play in the snow. On the way down the steps of our front porch Haiden grabbed the hand rail that was covered in snow and said, "owwee, owwee." I tried to explain to him that the snow was not owwee it was cold (they know what the word hot means, but evidently not cold). Haiden didn't seem to care what the right word he should be using was, he only knew he didn't like the cold snow on his hands.

Later that same day we took the kiddos sledding. It was really cold from snowing all day long, so we only stayed out for 45 minutes, but boy did we have a great time. After a few runs down with the kids Brian decided he wanted to test the sled out for speed, so he left the boys at the bottom of the hill with me, so we could watch better. Heith of course was not content waiting at the bottom of the hill, he wanted to be apart of the action. So up the hill he headed, and then down the hill he came rolling like a giant snowball in those cartoon shows. This happened twice before he decided it would be best to stay with me.

Our Christmas Tree

On Wednesday the 28th of November we finally put up our Christmas Tree. Not only was the 28th our (Brian & Brandi) fourth anniversary it was the fifth time we've decorated a Christmas tree together. Brian and I love Christmas and the spirit that is felt at this time of year, so it was very fitting to celebrate our anniversary by decorating for the holiday. We are happy that Heith and Haiden are finally getting old enough to start participating in our family traditions. They are such good boys and big helpers! They really love to do everything that Mommy and Daddy do.

Brian and I have decorated a Christmas tree together five times but this year was a first for us... we decorated it with the kids ornaments. The other four years I've decorated our tree with pretty bows, ribbon, glass balls, stars, garland, and lights. I would call it mommy's tree and it always turned out beautiful, but its so fun to have a tree with ornaments from my childhood and the beginnings of my children's childhood.

Our usual Christmas decor is quiet extensive. However, this year is very different with Brian deploying soon after Christmas and my short legs. We have narrowed it down from six boxes to only one and a tree. That way it is easier to take everything down after Christmas is over. Its a little different with out the other five boxes, but we aren't lacking in Christmas spirit!

Some of our favorite Christmas traditions or things we do to celebrate the holiday include: an advent calendar, a gingerbread house, a cup of hot cocoa or apple cider, making homemade treats for our neighbors, seeing all the Christmas lights, putting up a tree, reading the nativity story, listening to and singing Christmas carols and hymns, reading touching Christmas stories, watching Christmas movies, being with family and friends, and of course eating good food.

Whats under our tree? Since I love Christmas time and all my decorations, I also would love for them to stay intact so I can use them every year (some of the "things" are very special to me). My solution was to give my kids something that they could touch or play with, and put it under the tree. We don't wrap and keep our presents under our tree cause the presents wouldn't stay wrapped (we bring those out on the 24th). We instead keep our children's personal nativities, nativity books, and Christmas train under the tree for them to enjoy. Its been a great alternative for our family so far. I then hope that our kids stay more focused on the true meaning of Christmas instead of the number of gifts and what everyone is getting. It also has really helped keep them away from the things I would rather them not touch.

Its fun to be our own family and to learn to grow together, bringing some of the Hansen's traditions, and the Hocker's traditions, and mixing them together to make our own traditions.

Christmas is a wonderful time of year, a time of love, service, and most importantly a time to reflect on the birth and life of our Savior Jesus Christ. We hope that you all enjoy this Christmas Season.

Kickin' it with the Cousin's

Heith and Haiden had a great time at Eric and Priscilla's. They were able to play with Jared like big boys, big boys that still took afternoon naps of course! I can't say that they were little angels by any stretch of the imagination. Heith would scream every time we took him away from the cars he was playing with... heaven forbid the child eat! Mean parents I know. And poor Haiden just always seemed to be upsetting Jared by having the wrong toy in his hand. Its hard for three little boys to get along for two full days especially when they are still learning the concept of sharing!! But they did great and are excited to see their cousins again at Christmas.

Thanksgiving

For Thanksgiving this year we spent it in Pocatello, ID with Brian's sister Priscilla, his brother in law Eric, and there three kids. We had a wonderful time. Good company and great food.

I made the ham, sweet potato casserole, rolls, and cranberry jello salad. Priscilla made the green bean casserole, and all the pies... 2 pumpkin and 1 apple. Sheryl (Eric's sis-in-law) made the turkey, stuffing, mashed potato's, and gravy. Mmmm- mmm good!

I think its kind of funny that this post talks mostly about food. But its what you do on Thanksgiving... eat and sleep.

We hope you all had a Terrific Turkey Day!!

Surprising News

At 2:00pm in the afternoon I was called by Brian's supervisor, he sounded frantic looking for Brian. Well for some reason this wasn't the first time they've called like this in the last week. Brian's at ALS (Airmen Leadership School) and he is hard to get a hold of, its a real class/ school so they require cell phones to be turned off! Brian is a hard worker and a real asset to his job. He strives at knowing everything!! Which drives me crazy, cause that is not how the standard Air Force member feels about his/her job. Since Brian is a know it all, he gets a lot of phone calls from people at work that don't know how to do their job. Anyway, so I thought it was just another one of those calls. I assured Brian's supervisor that I would give Brian the message as soon as possible, and that he would be home in about an hour or so. His supervisor didn't seem calmed by my answer, and said, "its really important." I once again said, "I would try my best to get a hold of him ASAP." His supervisor then said, "well I just want you to know, Brian is deploying."

If some of you are shocked by this response well, so was I. I couldn't say much, actually I'm not quite sure how the conversation ended probably with me stammering. I know that he will probably live through this experience, la dee da... that isn't what I'm worried about. Of course I'm worried if the boys and I will survive, selfish I know. Brian is a great dad and a wonderful husband a real asset to our family! So while he is off saving the world, we will really miss him.

Just so you all know this is the revised story... mine was much better and more interesting with lots of details and I guess a huge security risk. :)

Sailor Coats

I love my boys I really do (I'm just out numbered!). When I was pregnant with the twins and I still didn't know what I was having, I was excited to think of dressing two girls in cute little dresses with beautiful overcoats... So of course when I found out we were having twin boys I was a little sad to think of all the cute clothes I would miss out on. And every time I walk by one of those stores in the mall and see a cute sailor coat for a little girl, my bottom lip would get big and I would remember why I wanted girls... there is a happy ending to this story. And it goes something like, a few months ago I was at a store with a 50% off sale and what did they have but two cute sailor outfits in my boys size. It was like a sign from heaven saying Brian and I really were supposed to have twin boys.

And the reason we dressed them in this outfit today was because Brian is going to ALS (Airman Leadership School), it's a class he has to take in preparation for sewing on Staff Sergeant (in many months). Anyway he had to wear his Blues this week which is a rare occurrence so I thought I would dress the boys in there little sailor jackets and snap a few pictures. Last night we were trying to find a nice pic of Brian and the boys, well there wasn't one. Lots of pictures with Brian half naked at the beach with the boys, but no nice ones.

So now you know the rest of the story.

Daddy & Us

OF ALL NATURE'S GIFTS TO THE

HUMAN RACE, WHAT IS SWEETER

TO A MAN THAN HIS CHILD.

-Marcus Tullius Cicero

Mommy and Us

The bravest battle that ever was fought;

Shall I tell you where and when?

On the maps of the world you will find it not;

It was fought by the mothers of men.

- Joaquin Miller