...on a stick

Minnesota State Fair 2008


Merry-Go-Round Near Grandstand


Giant Slide - Run #1


Giant Slide - Run#2


Water Boats (This lasted about 1 minute, not a fan)


Dragon Wagon


Change on a Stick


Sky Pilots


See ya next year!

Brace Yourself

Greta Considers Her Future in Pet Massage

It may be Pleasantville perfect weather out there today, but anxious thoughts about the coming winter are already sneaking up on me. Sorry, Minnesconsin, but one more winter like the last, and we may have to break up. Newborn. Hormone shifts. Trapped indoors. Starting daycare. Had it lasted much longer, it could have been The Shining.

The Farmer's Almanac predicts 2008 to be a bitterly cold, extra snowy winter for the Midwest. We will be armed with down and SAD lights this year. And potentially a lower latitudes escape route.

Size 12-18 Months

So Big!

Red Velvet Cupcakes

I don't think this picture needs a caption.

Fake Believe Quiz

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Uploaded by houseofhanson

Past Your Bedtime

Happily ever after to the newest Mr. and Mrs. Detlaff. The babes had a fantastic time. Noah was so fully over served with drums, bass and spinning disco lights that it may take him days to recover.

Some of his winning moves included the Run-Run-Run-and-Slide-on-Knees (a la Footloose Kevin Bacon),

and the Jump, Jump, Jump-Pausetocheeseitupforthephotographer-Jump, Jump, Jump.

The bride was beautiful as were the miniature cuties in her entourage. We took one thousand pictures of the kids, only a handful of which are in focus. I am comforted that the photographer has the same experience. Usually they move too fast, she told me as she showed me her version of this photo, but sometimes I get lucky.

Greta was also out far too late, but she looked good til the very end.

Ninth August

All at once, I realize that there is a good chance I will ultimately recover my own identity. As promised, Greta has passed the ten-month mark, and suddenly things are easier. Everyone is sleeping at night, all night. Mostly in their own beds. Sometimes in their own beds. Fine. Once so far this week in his own bed. They are playing, for minutes at a time before one of them bashes the other over the head. They have spent overnights without us, twice this summer. Awesome.

Maybe it isn't really less labor intensive. It's just more fun. No offense to any newborns, or parents of newborns, but man, they can really be a drag. By ten months, I no longer like I'm playing with a lump of baby. She's playing back.

There are days when I imagine an enormous tribe of Hansons taking over the world. Then there are others when things seem just perfect the way they are. Balanced. Well-rested. Done.

Here are some from last weekend. Kids without us and us without kids.

Greta & Grandma

Bride

Partial UN

Tired Swing

More from the weekend here.

Old School Swimming Pool

Our awesome inflatable jungle pool with rainforest canopy and sprinkling water effect was totally not awesome. This ShopKo sidewalk clearance find is way cooler.

Bipedal

These feet took their first steps yesterday. Witnessed by Kevin live and in person and by me hours later over phone video message. I'm only a little hurt that she couldn't wait just 16 more hours to start walking. We have the next 40 to perfect it.

Wildflowers and Weeds

August already?
Next summer, we're going to plant a butterfly garden.