Christmas!

Christmas this year was filled with the annual Hansen Christmas party. It was a little bittersweet. Bitter because it was the first Christmas my family has celebrated without my Grandma and sweet because we got to visit and see everyone. It still surprises me just how many people are related to my immediate family. My mother had 6 siblings and most of them had many children themselves. My oldest uncle has 5 girls that are around my mothers age and they are already grandmothers. Another uncle was married 3 times and has a total of 6 children. I honestly don't know everyone's name, but I guess that's part of the fun!

I had to take a picture of my mom while she was cooking... just to show you her distracted face.

On Christmas day David came over and we enjoyed Sherlock Holmes, a lovely dinner, and exchanging gifts. My mom is notorious for giving tooth care necessities in our stockings and this year include toothpaste. However, my mother hid my brother's gift (a check to help with school bills) inside his. He carelessly tossed around the box until the hints hit home and he checked inside. We received a GPS for our car to help us transition into Houston driving... it'll be an interesting experience to say the least.

We end once again with a picture of Brody. We had Travis, Ryan (David's friends), David, and Alyson (David's girlfriend) over for dinner and games tonight. I don't know who put Brody in this pose but he was content to stay there for a few minutes. We also played a good game of Scattegories (sp). On one specific list our letter was "p" and the category was body part. All four guys started laughing at once and we knew what they were thinking of. In the end my mom and I could not think of any other word and put it down... penis (pathetic I know).

Merry Christmas!

So Chris informed me last week that it was a little late to try to send out Christmas cards... sadly I think he's right. So here is my electronic Merry Christmas... or Happy Holidays whatever you celebrate :)

We are becoming minimalists!

After moving from Idaho we realized we have a ton of junk! The move to Texas is going to be pricey for the truck, so we have decided a detailed cleaning and inventory of our things is needed. We started with an idea from Steve and Laura Lee. They have the most impressive collection of DVDs but none of the covers. We took our 2 boxes and dwindled our DVD collection into one sufficient binder. It was surprising to see the amount of waste a DVD cover really is.

Without trying we purchased a "green" binder. It isn't even made out of recycled materials, but rather sustainable materials like cotton. I have never felt so environmentally friendly in my life, but it was the cheapest one :)

This addition to the post is again about Brody. I haven't had a dog for the 4+ years I've been away at college. Having Brody around again has made me realize that I am a lot happier when I have a dog annoying me for my attention. My mom knew Brody would love this cheap toy and he did... it took him 2 minutes to love the stuffing out of it.

My mom purchased Brody a new coat during the freezing temperatures recently. I tried to get her to realize Brody was a boy... and a more manly coat would do wonders for his masculinity. She felt that the fakefur lining would keep him snug. Now I no longer have a Brody but a Brodina (that's my attempt at being funny :) it worked well right???)

You might find us crazy... MEH!

Well Chris and I have been enjoying Salt Lake for the most part. Chris' job as an opening Bagel Baker has been strenuous on his sleeping schedule. He seems to always be tired no matter what day it is. I think his body would accept working at 3 AM if it was every single day. Anyways! Although he is tired my husband can rip a phone book apart... can yours??? :)
Apparently my mom ordered 2 phone books specifically for our house. Unfortunately the message didn't get through to us because she has 5 in her cupboard as we speak. We took the extra phone book and Chris tested his strength.

This lovely photo is to show all of the Merkets that I have arrived in the family. Just like Dan and Chris I have tall hair in the morning. The real question is.... IS THEIR HAIR TALLER THAN MINE?? It's amazing to think of the endless possibilities our children will have with their hair anytime of the day. I'm impressed with our gene pool already. (And I do realize that sounds extremely egotistical but like I said before MEH!)

Thanksgiving 2009

Well I'm actually a little stressed right now with moving to Texas, hating work, finishing up the semester, and finding time for family fun. Even though we have good credit I'm terrified we wont get approved for an apartment in Texas because I wont have employment. I just wish we already had a job for Chris and that I could be superwoman and student teach everyday till 3 pm and still work 40 hours at a good paying job. However that is humanly impossible. So we'll hope that we get approved for our apartment. While I've been stressed I just kept thinking about my Thanksgiving pictures and posting them. Here's a shot at a stress reliever.


Chris did an excellent job at cutting the turkey. There are no pictures of all of us because we didn't get ready for the day, but decided to stay in our pjs. Chris is the only one with presentable hair and made the blogging cut.

We made my mom's usual Thanksgiving menu for just the 3 of us. Our fridge is now stacked full of leftovers, but the food was delicious.

My favorite part of the day was playing with Brody. His whole attention was on that stuffed horse on the counter. Its just high enough that he can't reach it. It's adorable to watch how careful he is to try to snatch it by its tail alone.

I think he could be entertained for hours alone with this horse. It even neighs (spelling) when you squeeze it. I think he feels more like a predator with a toy that makes noise.

This is Brody in the depths of despair watching his motivation for life itself. He stayed in this position for about 10 minutes relaxing after his multiple attempts to get the horse down. I feel your pain Brody even if I don't lay on the floor staring :)

A Walk To Remember

Although I am not talking about the movie "A Walk To Remember" this walk was a lot funnier. One benefit about being home with my mom again is my dog Brody. He's been a stinker in the past... one time Chris' family graciously invited him into their home and he pooped on Liz's bed. I felt really bad about that one (sorry again Liz). When he was a puppy he had a mad love for biting shoes and ankles, and he didn't take well to potty training. Now that he's got a few years behind him he is a much better dog. When Chris and I had him up in Logan with us we realized that he was a pansy. Take in point our two pictures. This bear statue does not give off any threatening smells or lifelike movements, but it still took Brody 2 full minutes to go up and smell his snout. Brody is also afraid of shadows, crates, and water. I love Brody to death, but he is more like a she (and yes even with all of my educational courses I'm still stereotyping my dog for the benefit of this blog). Hopefully one day (knock on wood it will never happen) Brody will be able to defend us from an intruder... but I kind of doubt it :)

Just Random Stuff

I just thought I would share with everyone how beautiful we are in the morning. NO that's not a sweater Chris sleeps in :) He is also a very trendy individual in the morning. I don't think anyone can get the height on his hair like Chris.
















I had a great idea for Chris' cake topping this year.
















Us around the cake.


















This is an interesting picture... when we moved from Idaho Falls we had to pack our UHAUL truck to its limits. After everything was packed (around 2:00 AM) I realized something, we had forgotten our bikes. The bikes were in the LOCKED garage. We usually kept that key on the fridge... the cleaned out fridge. I could not remember the last time we used that key for awhile. Then it hit me... Arturo's birthday party at Sol Rio. The key was in my coat pocket. That coat was in the grandma's attic in the front of the loaded truck. I knew my mission then and there. Chris was extremely skeptical, but I was successful. The only casualty of the event was a hamper I stepped on. The cheap legs bent from my weight. It was an interesting ending to our experience in Idaho.

Yes I would stoop that low...

Well the media, news, and even COMIC STRIPS have really influenced my brain to believe that because I am young I will DIE from the swine flu. Therefore, I was very adamant about getting the shot. The move from Idaho and school have slowed my motivation, but it returned in full force when I got sick and thought I was due for the grave. You might think I'm crazy but Chris has to deal with it more than you so suck it up. Anyways I found out that today Walgreens was offering the flu shot for $18 and my flex spending insurance card would cover it. I was pumped! The adrenaline was pumping through my veins. Enter my mother... "I don't think I should get one today because the health department is giving them for free." My mind kind of freaked out and my thoughts raced through the death and burial of my own mother. That's where the tears came in. It took a little bit of time before I calmed down, but it got everyone in the car even the pooper Chris. We all got shots and my fear of death has subsided for perhaps a minute :)

Happy Birthday Chris!

Today is Chris' 23rd birthday. We are now in Salt Lake and its working out pretty well. We don't have a room just yet, but we are going to work a basement room into our temporary/a permanent guest room. We headed down town and went to Benihana for his birthday dinner. For the same price we actually had better dining in Idaho Falls, but all the same it was a fun time. They took a picture and I decided to post it... consider me lame.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HOTTIE!

Adios Idaho

This is my last enjoyment of internet in Idaho. We are almost completely packed and ready to go. Chris and I will be having a camp out on our apartment floor... including sleeping bags since our mattress is in the truck. I'm excited to be leaving Idaho, but there are a few things I have grown to appreciate. 1) The scenery I get to see while driving down to school, 2) the few friends I have picked up at work, and 3) the friends Chris has met at work. Other than that I will not be missing a single thing. I think Salt Lake will be interesting because it is even a more temporary stop on our way to Texas. I hope we will be able to enjoy the holidays with my mom and enjoy a little Christmas cheer. I'm cashiering for Wal-mart again and that job is one sure way to loose the Christmas spirit. I am extremely nervous to student teach, but I think its a healthy fear. We'll probably head to the library and I'll be able to update every once in awhile.

Adios Idaho!

Glee Club, on Fox

I have found a new TV show that I really enjoy. When I first saw it on Hulu.com, I thought it was a joke. In high school I didn't sing...I didn't do plays... and to be honest I thought the typical member of a glee club was an attention whore. However, I really enjoy watching this show because it is a satire of teaching. The show is directed/produced by the same person who does Nip/Tuck (a show I honestly would never watch). Both shows take something in our society and create typical moments that are perverted to show the complete honesty of the situation. The Glee Club is against the cheerleaders in this show and the coaches of both hate each other. Its funny to see a "teacher" say the most inappropriate things about minorities and drug use in this type of setting. I don't know if its because of the courses I've taken, but I can honestly laugh at this type of humor. You should check it out.

P.S. Chris hates the show... because it randomly breaks into song and dance. It is actually based upon a glee club, therefore there is singing and dancing involved.

Hell's Kitchen

We have watched the TV show Hell's Kitchen in the past and we are still loyal fans. This season my favorite chef is Kevin. He's got a cute family with an adorable son and MOST IMPORTANTLY he doesn't smoke. I am not that superficial, but the fact that every single chef smokes on that show gets to me. Through watching past episodes, I had grouped Kevin with the rest of the crew as a smoker, but I was wrong. Kevin is SMOKE-FREE and he has won my vote. The other chefs are great as well, but I really hope Kevin wins. I think I might even find out who wins tonight :)

Some Changes

Over the past two weeks, Chris and I have really thought about our lives in Idaho Falls. Now that we've been here for a little bit I'll admit I enjoy the people I work with, our apartment, and our daily routines, but we aren't going to live here the rest of our lives. That is just a fact. With an interesting incident at Chris' work we really started to think about living in Idaho Falls. So our new plan is to move in with my mother in Salt Lake for the months of November and December and then move to Houston like planned in January. We will be saving money while we live rent free and the drive to Logan is shorter from Salt Lake than it is from Idaho Falls. My mom is very LDS and I'm afraid she'll push us too hard to go to church with her. I'm nervous that we might butt heads a little, but I'm also very excited to get some good visiting time in with her. Another interesting aspect is the role my brother will play into our experience. David honestly thought that I was too young to get married and he's living at home for the time being as well. I have never been extremely close with my brother, but I hope we'll be able to get some fun family time in while we all live together. Hopefully Chris and I will be able to help my mom around the house while we both work crappy seasonal holiday jobs (I'm going back to cashiering at Wal-mart). This will be the first Christmas in a few years that I'll be able to spend entirely with my family. The only thing that could make it better would be to have the Merkets in town... or to be able to visit California for Christmas. Oh and as a good daughter I'd also mention my Dad and sister Gila in Northern California... check it out I managed to mention them :)

I have recently finished reading/listening to Persuasion by Jane Austen. I was extremely impressed with the plot line in this novel, just as I was impressed with Sense and Sensibility. I have never been a big Austen fan until The Finer Things Book Club pushed me in the right direction. I am in debt to Cristy’s selection of Sense and Sensibility because without a little push I doubt I would have read anything by Austen until I was teaching it in a class. I’ve read Pride and Prejudice in the past but thought it was just okay. Perhaps at the time I wasn’t intrigued by the idea of romance, but now I have a thorough enjoyment of it. I thought Persuasion had a very heartening ending that made me want to kiss Chris a thousand times… I was on the road to Utah so that was a no go. Come this weekend you better believe I will be setting up a date night with Chris. Who knows it might happen on my lunch break from Wal-mart. Modern day romance here I come :)

Exciting News... well for us :)

For the past year or so Chris and I have been playing with the idea of moving to Houston, TX for my student teaching. The district in Houston works with USU and brings students to their district which is an inner city, lower income school district. I thought it sounded like a good idea from the start because I'd get the experience of working in an inner city school while still graduating from USU. We really started considering it when Chris did a little research into their local culinary art schools; paired with my somewhat lack of confidence in getting hired in the state of Utah while graduating at the age of 23 (basically I think I don't have as much life experience needed to be a successful teacher) we decided to meet with the representative and get some more information. Well after talking with the representative through email and in person, and emailing a USU graduate who stayed in Houston, we have really decided to go for it. I am excited for this move unlike our Idaho move because we will both be able to work on our careers and hopefully set up home in Houston. I think the change to a bigger city will be refreshing and a possible job in my future will be motivationally exciting. I really can't wait for this semester to pass me so that I can start really attempting to be a teacher. We will sadly be moving farther away from our families, but they will be able to come out and visit us and enjoy some new scenery. I'll admit I really want my mom to consider moving to Texas when I start having kids because I want her to be able to enjoy being a grandmother. However, that is her choice to make. I'm nervous as all hell to be student teaching in that environment and if I don't end up getting a job with the district. I'm aiming to stay positive, and in case that situation becomes reality, I'll just have to keep telling myself "I'm much more marketable as a teacher now that I have that experience on my resume." Wish us luck as we bid adieu to Idaho Falls and the friends we've made and start a move to Houston--this won’t be until December/January of course.

Class

I'm in class with a checked out laptop from the library and it amazes me just how many times people offer so much personal information in classroom comments. I know it makes me a bad human, but I don't care to listen half the time. I can tell I'm overdue to graduate because college life is not really for me anymore. Students are really self-centered and when I'm a teacher my attitude will change completely, but for now I'll enjoy my cynicism. I don't care who just got married and who works at Macey's as a cashier... she's a douche :)

Alone Time

So as some of you may know I am commuting to Logan on Tuesdays for my last semester before I student teach. I get the opportunity to stay in Logan until Thursday when I head up promptly after my class. I only have 7 credits and therefore my time in Logan isn't dedicated to school alone. I haven't had to entertain myself so much in the recent past and I'm a bit out of practice. Luckily the school has a wonderfully large library with lots of computers and of course the big life saver... the Internet. Without which I would be stuck to reading every ounce of homework and being prepared 110% rather than a good 100%. If only I could have attempted a semester like this when I was doing 18 credits and working 30-40 hours a week with two jobs. My GPA is very good...well respectable, but boy I would have learned a lot more if I could devout 6 hours straight in the library. You live and learn I guess. Oh and this lovely image isn't me... google's images are fantastic.

Random Nazi Gorilla in Idaho Falls

This was the crazy looking gorilla at a Sew & Vac store in Idaho Falls. It is just creepy when you first see it and its arm motion is similar to a "hail Hitler" motion. I thought I would let you all see... sorry its sideways.

A visit from my mom

Well my mom came up to visit for the weekend since I had so much time off of work. At first I stressed about only getting 8 hours this week, but after being humiliated by the idiotic douche bag of a manager I work with and having Chris remind me that no work is a blessing, I was grateful for the extra time. I've been lazy... staying in bed and reading. I cut my hair (how I'll style it is shown in these pictures) and did some school shopping. Today was a fun day because we were able to take Brody (the adorable Lakeland Terrier below) to the farmers' market in town and also enjoy some tasty corn.

It was a mouthful to say the least. It was roasted with Parmesan cheese and had a lime pepper flake seasoning on top.

Brody got to enjoy some when we were finished. He's a cute dog that my mom bought for me during my high school years, but since moving away to college he has settled in with my mom. He was so hyperactive as a puppy that I still view him as such. Last time he came up with my mom he got away from us while we walked him around the neighborhood next door. It was a frantic race to stop the bugger and ultimately he ended up in some stranger's back yard. I knocked politely but no one answered. My mom asked a young Latino boy to help me trick him out of the yard because we couldn't open in from the outside. In the end he slowly stuck his head out of the hole and after realizing we were on the other side waiting to ambush him he made a run for it. I caught his collar by the tip of my right pointer finger. It was the save of the day. When he visited me in Logan (while my mom was in China) he had a similar number. The little douche got away from me but wouldn't let me out of his sight because he was unfamiliar with the area. So after realizing he was just a tease I started walking back to my apartment and Brody followed at a distance. The thing that ruined my genius plan was a house full of college boys who left their front door open. I couldn't believe it when Brody just walked right in... I followed murmuring my apologies and went straight for their kitchen. For about 30 seconds I was in their (might I remind you they were complete strangers) kitchen calling out Brody's name before one of the guys came in and helped me. That lovely Logan visit ended with my landlord finding out I was harboring a dog in my room and gave me a lecture. Landlord Patty was never a very pretty woman besides always wearing pearls.

After the farmers' market we went and saw Julie & Julia which was a great show. I think why I liked it so much was because of its universality and how approachable the plot line was. The protagonist is turning 30 and realizing her life kind of sucks so she chooses a project that is doable while still offering a challenge. The sense of humor appeals to everyone...the theater was full of young couples, families, and a lot of older women. For the men out their I say face your masculinity and see this chick flick. Why else did God give men their masculinity if not to challenge it once in awhile?

New Hair Cut

So I got up with the task of getting my hair cut today. I've been putting it off for so long that when my hair dries my curly bangs would fall in my eyes and I hate that shiznick. With my curly hair I get a dry cut because it makes me feel better... I can see the straightened end version in the Salon rather than walking home without knowing what hair cut I just received. Today however my flat iron that has lasted me 6+ years died :( So I had to either commit money for a new flat iron and ultimately get a hair cut that would warrant its use, or go and get a repeat mom's hair cut that I've been wearing for about a year (curly of course). After coming home for Sally's I felt energized and decided to get a short cut... this is were image #1 comes into play. Kristen cut this hairdo for me when she was in Logan and I loved it. I put it on my phone with the mission to get this cut.



This is the before picture of my straight hair. It grows like a weed, and I never realize it until I straighten it.










This is what I left the salon with. It isn't bad but my hair can't really handle the style that the hairdo supports. I'm sure if I put forth the work of showering, and blowdrying a proper part into my hair it would do wonders. But until then this is what the world will see. (I'll probably shower in the morning for all those who thought I would take weeks...:)

Larry and Roxy's Wedding! Aug. 8th, 2009

The day finally came! Larry and Roxy are wedded and on their honeymoon as I type. This first pictures was outside of Jen Clifton's house. She was so kind to house the Merket family while they were in town. We met a cute bunny and studied a hobo spider trapped in a jar. (Useless information for you I know but part of the adventure)

This picture is of the early birds waiting outside of the Logan temple. Listed left to right: Katrina, Jack, Ami, LaRasha, Lucas, and Chris. The grounds were full of people and we got some good people watching in.

This is of my flower girl Katrina and me. She is an adorable girl who will grow up to be a looker :)

Chris and Dan outside of the temple.

The incomplete Merket girls. If only we could have stolen the bride for a picture. However, she was busy as can be in the background.

This picture is of Cary (Chris' cousin) and Chris. It was fun to visit with him and have him at Larry's wedding.

The old crew minus Larry. From the stories I've heard these four guys were the craziest boys growing up. They had a sweater club, constantly went dumpster diving, and chopped down trees regularly. One of the funniest moments of this weekend was reading Corey's horrible card. I'm glad he tore out the overly offensive part. Listed from left to right: Alex, Corey, and Chris.

The cute couple with the Merket parents. Left to right: Cathy, Larry, Roxy, and Dan.

This is one of my favorite pictures from the wedding. It was pouring rain by the time we ended pictures but the wedding couple were in the happiest spirits and never let the rain get them down. I couldn't believe how calm and collected Roxy was. I enjoyed my wedding, but it started at 5 pm rather than 9 am. I truly look up to them for creating such a cute memorable wedding day for themselves and their family.

A close up of the happy couple in the rain.

This is the best picture I got from the reception. I think the awkward laughing was hilarious to watch. Nonetheless Larry got the garter and a lucky bachelor caught it. The reception was held at Roxy's grandmother's home and it was a gorgeous house. She was an artist and collected many beautiful pieces. The yard was filled with candles and glowing lanterns, and the reception ended with some dancing. Overall it was a very fun wedding.

Alrighty, I read this book about two weeks ago not because its a story about strippers, but rather that the author wrote the screen play for the movie "Juno." The sense of carefree language was about the same, but the story wasn't that captivating. I enjoyed reading it and learned a little about stripper etiquette (not that I'll have use that information in my life) but the book didn't leave me with the lasting message that most memoirs have. If you are looking for an easy read that is down right entertaining pick it up, but just remember it is extremely sexual... because its about strippers.