Maren, Kevin and Bridgette Hanson

Monsoon Season in AZ

2010-07-30T21:16:00.002-07:00

Grandpa's Party Too

2010-07-26T21:23:00.002-07:00

Kevin and Grandpa Tobler share a birthday week. So, they were good enough to share a birthday party too. Caroline – the oldest granddaughter – made her very first cheesecake for the occasion, and the sugar from eating it kicked right in. The kids went wild throwing around plastic balls that Grandma had bought and Uncle Marc even started to juggle.

"I" Want It

2010-07-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

For posterity’s sake, I feel like I must record the “I” mania that has swept the nation (maybe the world).

In just my brief lifetime, I have seen the rise of the personal computer. It’s hard to believe that my dad’s law office used to have a room that was entirely dedicated to housing its single mammoth-sized computer. The temperature had to be kept just so.

Later, I remember feeling state of the art, because our home had a computer. I typed on Bankstreet Writer (white letters on a fairly barren black screen), and saved my small compositions to 5 and1/4 inch floppy discs.

Today, I practically hold the world at my fingertips through my iphone. And so does everybody else. The iphone 4 came out this summer, and I stopped by the Apple Store that first day to see if could get one for my mom. It was her birthday. Silly me.

At 1:00 in the afternoon, the line was still around the corner and out of sight. Thankfully, the Apple people put up canopies to protect their customers from the Arizona sun. I still didn't stick around.

I understand the mania though. Apple’s “I” products are amazing. The variety of applications, which make your phone everything from a flashlight, to a level, to a piano, to a credit card machine, simply astonish me. As soon as I can convince myself that I'll use the ipad for work and not just play, I want one of those too.

Anyhow, the iphone 4 came out in June. It is now July. I've heard that over 3 million have already been sold. You would think demand would dry up. But the phones (aka the-mini-do-everything-you-ever-thought-of-machines) are still hard to come by. Nathan and Steph are on multiple waiting lists. This is despite the bad signal reviews.

I just wonder what technology will be able to do by the time Bridgette grows up.

Happy Birthday Kevin

2010-07-19T08:00:00.001-07:00

Kevin’s birthday came early this year. Bridgette and I braved the overcrowded Apple Store to get him an ipad. We were so excited about our gift that we couldn’t wait until his actual birthday to give it to him. And at least by giving it early it was a complete surprise! As he immediately began setting up and playing with his new toy, he assured me that we had made the right decision.

Oh Beautiful For Spacious Skies

2010-07-18T21:55:00.005-07:00

We had an All-American 4th of July weekend. Since Independence Day was on Sunday, we had celebratory barbecues and picnics 3 days in a row.

We took in fireworks on Sunday night in our own special way. We packed up sandwiches and freshly baked M&M cookies, then hopped in the car and drove over to a small neighborhood park on the other side of Higley. Conveniently, the official Gilbert town fireworks were going to be shot off from a stadium about one mile from there.

We got to the park about 7:30 and let Bridgette loose on the playground equipment. I turned up the tunes on our radio, and we waited for the sky to get dark. Soon enough, others arrived with the same idea. People from the neighborhood all brought blankets, lawn chairs, and anticipation.

When the last rays of sunshine disappeared, firework shows started going off all around the valley. The last display was the one near our park. Because Bridgette was pretty tired by this point, we watched the last explosions from inside our car, then headed towards home. Bridgette was soundly asleep before we got there.

Dad's Day

2010-06-20T21:50:00.000-07:00

We love you Dad. And we love lazy Sunday morning breakfasts with you. They’re even better when presents are involved.

All You Need For A Beach Is...

2010-06-15T20:22:00.005-07:00

Thanks to cousin Ben (of the Florida cousins), who thoughtfully decided to marry a California girl, we had the perfect excuse to drive out to San Diego and go to the beach!

We've been prepping Bridgette for the trip by reading bedtime beach books ("All You Need For A Beach" and "LadyBug Girl Goes to the Beach"). In the days before our trip, she was super excited, talking non-stop about going to California, swimming in the waves, and building sand castles.

When we finally found a moment amid the wedding/family hoopla to hit the ocean, Bridgette loved it, and we did too. Our souls were refreshed by the warm sand, cool breeze and roaring waves.

Not So Terrible

2010-06-15T19:58:00.006-07:00

Our baby girl is not our baby girl anymore. She turned two. And yes, she is a little more stubborn. But she is definitely not terrible - just terribly cute.

Like the year before, we celebrated at the nearby public pool with friends, family and sub sandwiches. Only this year, we chose a Paul Frank monkey theme. Our plates, napkins, wrapping paper, gift bags, and even t-shirts coordinated.

Extreme Contrasts

2010-05-03T22:01:00.005-07:00

We've had two experiences lately that left me with such different emotions that they merit mention. I'll start with the scary and leave you with the joyful...

Tonight we had dinner at the Cheesecake Factory. We sat on the patio where there is a fountain. Of course Bridgette was drawn to it. We turned our chairs so we could watch her, because I didn't want her to get too wet. Thank goodness we did. She was reaching for something floating just beyond her reach and fell in. But she didn't go all the way in. She got high-centered, with her round little tummy stuck on the edge of the fountain. Her entire face was in the water. She was buoyant enough that she wasn't going to fall all the way in, but she had no way to push herself back up. We were only a few feet away, so I was able to pull her up after only a couple of seconds. She was scared, but unharmed. But it really scared Maren and me. I'm convinced that if we hadn't been close she could have drowned or had serious brain damage. Very scary...

On a joyful note (much needed after that story), last night we were at home finishing dinner. Bridgette had already finished and was sitting a few feet away playing with her tea set (she's really into tea parties right now). All of the sudden we heard her saying a blessing on the food. It was the cutest thing ever. She had her arms folded and head down and was very serious about it. "Thank you for mommy...name of Jesus Christ, AMEN!" (By the way, I totally agree with that sentiment.)

Spring Has Brought Me Such A Nice Surprise!

2010-04-22T20:40:00.005-07:00

Grandma Tobler had a wonderful surprise for Bridgette when we arrived yesterday morning. A momma duck and her 7 ducklings had set up shop in their pool. Bridgette was so excited. She fed them Honey Nut Cheerios. She observed them from every angle, near and far.

After a few minutes, I noticed that the momma duck was coming and going as she pleased. Her ducklings were not so mobile. They couldn't get out of the pool. Naturally, I was concerned for their safety. So, I chased them around for 20 minutes trying to get them out of the pool. Given that we'd just met, they we're quite ready to trust me. They swam as quickly as they could, they dove surprisingly deeply, and they hid in the pool skimmer. But I got them all out. I left for work with a sense of relief and accomplishment.

10 minutes later, I got a call telling me that they'd all gone straight back into the pool. Oh well, we had a great morning together with the ducks!

Do The Bunny Hop

2010-04-07T22:17:00.006-07:00

Forward, backward, hop, hop, hop.

I have fond childhood memories of lining up with my brothers and doing The Bunny Hop down our long, tiled hallway. I'm pretty sure we had an old record that played The Bunny Hop and the Peter Cotton Tail song. It will be interesting to see what traditions our little family develops.
Bridgette loved the chocolate bunny in her basket this year. She promptly unwrapped the bunny and bit off its chocolate nose.

She also delighted in the Easter Egg Hunt that was held at Marc and Karen's home this year. You couldn't ask for a prettier day for the little kids to run around outside in their frilly skirts, gathering colorful eggs in their Easter buckets.

What Happened to March?

2010-04-07T21:50:00.009-07:00

This spring has been so crazy that we haven't had time to stop and narrate it.

We threw a bee-themed bridal shower.

We partied in bouncy houses.

And we talked to the animals.

But our most quintessentially spring moment was visiting the Butterfly Pavilion at the Desert Botanical Gardens.

Skeeball Bridgette's Way

2010-02-21T23:01:00.005-07:00

This past Saturday, Bridgette got invited to a birthday party - complete with a petting zoo. Only due to the rain, "the animals went home." This is the explanation I kept repeating to Bridgette, who kept asking about the them.

The festivities moved to Peter Piper Pizza instead, and Bridgette got to try out Skeeball. Rather than roll the balls up the ramp, she walked them up, and gleefully dropped them in the gutter. And though there were no real animals, there were lots of adorable animal cupcakes that made Bridgette happy.

Where Love Is

2010-02-21T21:29:00.005-07:00

You can't beat a holiday that's all about LOVE.

Our neighbors celebrated by throwing a couples party with a white elelphant Valentine's gift exchange. What a great idea! The gifts were sweet and sassy, and we came home with a romance themed picnic basket and lots of chocolate dipped strawberries!

We ended up sharing the strawberries, when family and friends came over for dinner and dessert on the 14th.

And perhaps what I enjoyed most of all that night were all the Valentine's that little Lorin made from foam hearts and stickers. She passed them out with heartfelt love to everyone in attendance.

Just a Spoonful of Sugar

2010-02-21T20:58:00.004-07:00

We've got season tickets to all the shows at the ASU's Gammage Auditorium. And when Mary Poppins came to town last week, we took Caroline (my niece) and Chantelle (my cousin's daughter) with us to the show. It was "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!" I mean it. The songs, the staging, the story were wonderful.

In keeping with the night's them, at intermission the concession stand sold "Spoonful of Sugar" mocktails (Sprite, pineapple juice, and blueraspberry flavoring). The colorful drinks - clearly marketed to the underaged audience - were served in tall glasses with plastic umbrellas hanging over the sides. We had to have them.

I have to say that part of the story line - where the banker father is worried he'll get in trouble for choosing to invest in something "real" as opposed to a mere money making scheme - hit home in light of the recent banking crisis and financial meltdown. And I was fairly touched by the old lady singing "Feed the Birds."

Parenting Success (aka The Fruits of My Labors)

2010-02-09T21:02:00.002-07:00

So, tonight I got home before Maren and Bridgette. Naturally, I turned on the Nuggets game so as to create a warm, welcoming environment. Immediately upon coming into the house, Bridgette squealed with delight, pointed to the game, and said "Nuggets!"

I wept sweet tears of joy.

Oh When the Saints Go Marching In!

2010-02-07T21:36:00.005-07:00

Super Bowl parties are always fun! Good food (this year I was particularly proud of my veggie bars), fun decorations (see the cool Colt/Saints sign my nephew Jackson made out of legos), and great folks (note all the happy men on the couch).

But these parties are best when the game is good and ultimately your team wins! Of course, we'd have preferred that the Cardinals were there. But I was happy when the underdogs - The New Orleans Saints - played tricky in the second half and took a trophy home.

The game still cost us though. Since we were at Marc and Karen's - home of the best bike/scooter/anything-with-wheels collection ever - Bridgette insisted on hanging out in their garage (where aforementioned collection is kept). Kevin and I had to bribe her older cousins to keep an eye on her and make sure she didn't roll down the driveway and into the street.

My Little Sunbeam

2010-01-28T20:19:00.002-07:00

The other day in the car I was signing Primary songs to Bridgette, including such timeless classics as "Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam." Out of the blue, Bridgette said, "I like Jesus."

It just made me think that Bridgette is indeed a Sunbeam. She makes me so happy and she is a shining example of all that is good.

Amen, Brother!

2010-01-25T22:28:00.003-07:00

The latest evidence that Bridgette is watching everything we do -- and then imitating it -- is that she keeps saying "damn it!" But, I'm not supposed to tell you that. So, instead, I'm going tell you how she's started folding her arms, bowing her head, and (kind of) closing her little eyes during prayers. We never even had to try to teach her. She just started doing it at the appropriate times. She's so smart.

Apparently, she's got a little evangelical in her also, because the other night she kept yelling "Amen!" during Grandpa Tobler's blessing on dinner. After the prayer, several people speculated that she was trying to encourage Grandpa to finish the prayer in a more timely way. Nicer elements suggested that Bridgette was just voicing her agreement. To which she replied, "Amen, Brother!" (She really said that)

That reminds me that I need to share the story about how I ruined the Tobler evangelical tradition of holding hands during prayers -- before we were even married...

Do You Like My Hat?

2010-01-07T20:54:00.004-07:00

Around our house, Kevin often quotes his favorite line from the children's classic Go Dog Go...

Bridgette took this to quote to heart this winter, and tried out many fashionable head pieces. We pretend it is to keep her head warm, but really we live in Arizona and the hats are all about lookin' good.

Photo Frenzy

2009-12-31T16:16:00.003-07:00

Once again the extended Tobler clan embraced the photo frenzy. Please note that Bridgette pulled the bright look together by wearing the striped dress (the colors of which we all were to match) with the polka dot tights (the pattern you’ll also find on Charlotte’s skirt).

December Moments

2009-12-31T15:35:00.011-07:00

Before the year ends, I must blog about all the wonderful moments we’ve enjoyed this December.

Decorating the Tree:
As we pulled out our ornament bins this year, I worried about the poor combination of small hands and glass globes. My fears weren’t needless (shards of pink glass graced our tiled floor before the day was done), but the general decorating experience was actually pretty wonderful.

Under our direction, Bridgette eagerly plucked ornaments from our bins and carried them to the tree. Some she shoved into the low branches, but most she offered up to her dad. “Up high. Up high!” she directed. We loved it.

Though we frequently reminded Bridgette to touch the ornaments with just “one finger,” we lost a few more before the season was done. They were just too tempting. Still, I discovered that the joy of watching Bridgette appreciate the beauty of them, far outweighed any angst at losing them.

Treats, Treats, and More Treats:
We seriously live in the most cooking crazy or just plain generous neighborhood. I came home one night from work and found four different sets of goodies on our front porch. I started keeping a list (for future thank you notes – should I be industrious enough to be that polite), and it quickly hit the double digits. Thank you one and all for all the scrumptious stuff – but quite frankly I’m just feeling guilty about all the people I didn’t get around to making deliveries to.

Candy:
Ever since the gingerbread houses – Bridgette has been gaga for “handy!” That’s candy without the “k” sound. Pictured here - she stole and stashed all the Hershey Kisses that I had out to stuff in the gift bags for my office staff.

The Office Party:
I can’t remember a more fun office party! After the perfunctory lunch and passing out of gifts (Flip video cameras which were mighty cool but still not the highlight), the staff was instructed to open a large envelope marked: Santa’s Helpers. Inside, a letter informed the staff that Santa had been in a collision (the Easter Bunny had failed to yield the right of way), and because Santa was so busy dealing with the property damage issues, the Tobler Team was being called upon to help get Christmas gifts. With a fistful of money and a time limit, the staff rushed off to shop. They returned to our office with hordes of toys, which ultimately were delivered to kids in need.

The Nativity:
Bridgette simply refused to participate in the live Tobler nativity this year. That’s ok. I figure there will be plenty of Christmas’s to come where she’ll fight with her plethora of female cousins for the opportunity to be an Angel or the coveted Mary. So, as long as she was content as an audience member – so was I.

It was classic fun this year. Little Lorin – a happy shepherd if there ever was one - danced joyously in front of the manger scene. We all could only marvel at Mary’s/Caroline’s ability to keep a straight face as she sang her lullaby to Baby Jesus aka Landon.

The Presents:
We thought we would have until Bridgette was older before we’d have to get up at the crack of dawn to see what Santa brought. Unfortunately, Bridgette was up with a horrible ear ache all of Christmas Eve. So finally at 5:00 a.m. we wandered down to the family room. Fortunately, Santa had brought many distractions for Bridgette’s pain.

Bridgette loved her “push” toys this year. The buggy from Santa and the stroller from Grandma have already seen many miles. Other big hits were the plasma cars (gifts to the uncles that the toddlers immediately took over), the penguin-on-a-stick (an homage to watching March of the Penguins with Grandma and Grandpa Hanson), and the individual suitcases. Lorin was heard asking Ellison, “Will you play suitcase with me?”

The only gift that actually brought tears of joy though was one to Grandma and Grandpa. Marc and Karen put together a picture book of my parent’s early years. It was beautiful. And hopefully each family will get a copy in the future to pass down to posterity. (Side note – the parents were quite the stylish hotties in their day)

Landon’s Blessing/Bridgette’s Christmas Dress:
The Sunday after Christmas, Nicholas blessed little Landon. My favorite part was the blessing of a joyful heart. I think Landon has also got a lot of missionary work in his future.

We used the occasion to dress Bridgette up in her Christmas dress – which she hadn’t gotten to previously wear for a hodgepodge of reasons. Thus, we finally got a pretty Christmas picture in front of Grandma’s red and gold tree.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-25T23:33:00.002-07:00

Happy Birthday to Me

2009-12-10T16:36:00.003-07:00

Thanks Kevin for the lovely orange tulips.

Look Out Below!

2009-12-09T21:30:00.003-07:00

A great blessing to us, Bridgette has always been basically healthy. So obviously, something was wrong Monday night.

The local Tobler clan and Team Hunt met at Organ Stop Pizza to celebrate Maren and Alice's birthdays (December 10th and 4th respectively). Grandma Janet had to wake Bridgette from an unusually late nap just to get her to the restaurant. Then once they arrived, Bridgette didn't jump down and run around exploring the fantastical sites and sounds of the Wurlitzer organ as she normally would. She just wanted to be held and was quiet and cuddly.

I mentioned to Maren that we should have a quick piece of pizza and get her home to bed. But before we could manage that, calamity struck...

While Grandma Janet was holding Bridgette near the balcony railing watching the organ performance below, Bridgette exploded. Keep in mind that she has never thrown up in her life (spitting up is an entirely different story, as is slobbering). I'm not sure you'd call it "projectile" vomiting, but it couldn't have been far off. Vomit went all over Grandma and over the rail onto the unsuspecting party below -- and their pizza.

Though all of the adults were concerned about poor Bridgette, all of the young nieces and nephews thought it was the coolest thing they'd ever seen. Not everyone in the party below was as understanding as you might have hoped (though really they were probably justified in any irritation). Fortunately, we had smooth-talking Uncle Nathan to apologize to them while the rest of us tried to clean up Bridgette and Grandma.

We left a generous tip for the Organ Stop employees who helped mop up the mess. Then, we got Bridgette home, showered, and to bed. I'm happy to report that she has already made a complete recovery and is back to her healthy, happy, exploring self.

And lastly, we're hoping this episode was a big distraction from the binkie drama. The day after this event, Bridgette finally napped again.