Scrappin' Sistas!

I went on a weekend scrap booking retreat to Alexandria this weekend with some friends. We had a really good time, and despite a Friday night detour to the Green Iguana Bar right next door, I got a ton done. I always forget my camera, which is a little ironic I know, so I have no pics, but it was a blast! Thanks for the great time ladies! I am hoping we can make it happen again in the fall!

Happy Birthday Tarah!

Today is my friend Tarah's birthday!

Here are the 5 reasons why I celebrate her and her birthday!

5. I haven't found something that she can't fix or do. Kitchen back splash? No problem. Computer malfunction? She's your gal! It is incredible.
4. She is hilarious and fun. A party just isn't the same without her. She usually is the party.
3. We have a wonderful reciprocal venting relationship. I listen to her and she listens to me. She is a great listener.
2. If I ever need her in a pinch she is there. No matter what. A friend like that is hard to find.
1. I just like her, like spending time with her and I am glad she is my friend!

Happy Birthday Tarah! Looking forward to celebrating with you later this week!

March Madness

March has left me feeling very overwhelmed. So busy and so tired.... This is my busiest time of year for the company, my dining room and family room look like a costume factory threw up in there, and it just seems like we have something going on EVERY SINGLE day. I am not complaining, okay, maybe just a little, because most of it is fun stuff, but I do long for a few lazy days at home with nothing to do..... Andy went to Vail with some law school buddies last weekend and I am, drum roll please, going on a girls weekend tomorrow! I am so excited! Scrapbooking and friends and a little time to myself. Heaven, sheer heaven. I am hoping to come back energized and refreshed....

Here are few fun pictures that have been taken latley. I hope to get back on the blogging wagon here soon.....

Maria and Julia have pretty much started wearing some kind of dance clothes everyday. It is great for my laundry situation. The love to put on their leos, and they have a bazillion to choose from, and turn on a CD in Julia's room and rock out. It happens almost everyday - no exaggeration.

Maria also likes to wear my shoes. They look great with the footed pjs! It was very cute at first - now I just want her to stay out of my closet because I have to go around the house collecting shoes after she has been in there.

I didn't want to post this because in a really strange twist, one of the costumes I chose this year is also going to be one of Maria's costumes for her dance recital. (The blue she is in...) What are the odds, of all the costumes in all the catalogs, her teachers and I pick the same one? Needless to say we picked it because it is ADORABLE! So, here is a sneak peek of more to come..... (Julia is modeling a different one that I am using this year.) My house is covered in tutus but as I start to hand them out there are little bits of carpet showing through again....

Dance Fever!

We got to watch Maria's dance class through a 2-way mirror right before we went to Mexico. It was sooooo funny! Andy and I stood there in shock and amazement. She was awesome! She is one of the youngest ones and while not doing anything perfect, was really trying hard and having some success. She is going to give Julia a run for her money if she keeps it up!
One of the highlights was when she was standing in line - the music would come on and she would march and stand RIGHT next to Miss Taylor - like practically stepping on her feet - and do her dance and then when the music was over she would march back to her spot. I told Taylor that she had better order herself a costume for the recital because otherwise Maria is going to be lost without her.... We also got to see their costumes and they are so cute! One is a little cowgirl and one is silver and blue - adorable!
Julia also had watch night but I did video this time. If I ever figure out how to get one on here I will put up a clip. She is pretty cute. We got to see her costumes too - one song is about a cowgirl named Candy Cane Jane so it is red & white striped with cowboy boots and hat and the other is a song from Peter Pan so she will be dressed as Tinker Bell. Both are really cute! I can't wait for the spring show!

Waiting her turn - why is she not this patient at home? Her class is really small, 7 kids, and I love that because they are all so little.

I love seeing her in the mirror in this pictures. Taking shots, with no flash, through a 2-way mirror and across a large room doesn't work very well so I have very few action shots. They just come out blurry.

Invading Taylor's space. The white piece of paper that says Maria in the bottom right of the picture is where she is supposed to be standing. (Notice that both kids on either side of her are MIA....)

Life's a Beach

We spent a wonderful wonderful week in Mexico at the beginning of March with my parents and my sister and her family. We stayed at 2 amazing resorts, one in Playa del Carmen and one in Cancun, and had incredible weather. Here is a quick photo recap of our trip! (In a very strange and random order - couldn't take the time to fix it....)

Julia hanging out in the pool

Maria playing at the beach

Daddy & Jules coming down the water slides. There are apparently no rules to water slides in Mexico. You wanna go together? No problem.

Maria was a fan of the endless supply of fruity kid drinks

Julia, Parker and Molly coming down the pirate ship slides

My sister's beautiful family. Are those kiddos cute or what?!

My parents with their grand kids. Thanks for the great week mom and dad! We are very grateful!

Julia and Molly on the beach

Maria on the beach

Disney Dreaming....

In the name of catching up, I am going to do a small photo recap of Disney. Small you ask? It doesn't look small? Well, I took almost 900 pictures and we had the most amazing time. There a bazillion things that didn't make it on here, entire days in fact, but I just need to post it and move on and try and get caught up.......

Minnie and Daisey at Hollywood Studios. It was Valentine's Day - hence the red and hearts. We loved it there - the Play House Disney stuff was awesome. We met Handy Manny, the Little Einsteins and ate lunch in a car at a "drive in". The girls LOVED it!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Epcot Center
We spent a lot of time in Mexico on the Donald ride...see below.

My favorite picture of the trip. I am in love with this picture and this memory.

We finally saw Ariel! Her line is always crazy and this time we hit it minutes before the park closed and only waited a little bit. It was awesome. I did pretty much want to punch her though. She was stunning, so great with the girls, and let me tell you, there are VERY few people in the world that could wear that outfit.....

Donald was a surprise hit with Maria. By far her favorite character. She got a stuffed Donald and he has become her lovey. She has slept with him every night since we have been home.

We spent a day at Blizzard Beach water park. It was incredible. It was like they sat down and asked me what I would want for my girls at this age at a water park and did it. Life jackets that fit, kiddie tubes, kid water slides with TONS of lifeguards, a zero depth pool, and the list goes on. Here the girls are before out trek down the lazy river....

Blizzard Beach

This is at the Animal Kingdom Safari Breakfast. Maria is doing this in a lot of our pictures. Pretty funny....

The biggest highlight at every park was the parades. We saw a parade a day and sometimes two. Andy and I can sing the song that is in one of them. "Celebrate a dream come true......." It has been in my head since the trip. They would get so excited and wave and wave and wave. It was so fun to watch!

Julia and Andy rode the race cars while Maria and I walked around and waited for them. As they came around the corner you couldn't even see her in there she was so little. She loved it though!

The Buzz Lightyear ride was a big favorite this time. We rode it several times, alternating who sat with who. Even Maria was in on all the action.

Julia and Maria loved the tea cups! I am definitely getting old, it made me a little ill when she spun it around so fast...

The newest attraction there is photos with the Disney Fairies and Julia wanted to see them soooooo bad! The line was always crazy so we went there as soon as it opened and still waited an hour. She did get see Rosetta, pictured above, who is her favorite. Tinkerbell and Iridessa were also there.

It was truly an amazing week.

Disney World and the Hansell's get along great and we can't wait to go back!

Blog-cation

We have been on 2 big trips in three weeks and needless to say I am behind on EVERYTHING - the girls are going to be sleeping naked if I don't do some laundry today - so the blog has once again been pushed to the back burner. Stay tuned though, the mother of all posts in coming......