Virginia Is For Hansons

When Viv started driving I asked her to do the same things I asked the boys to do when they started driving. Let me know when you get to where you're going and when you're on your way home home so I know when to expect you. The boys where ok about it. They tried, but it was a lot of "oh ma, I'm sorry. I forgot".  You know who doesn't forget? Viv doesn't forget! Never have I gotten so many texts from her as I have since she started driving...  She's also a big fan of Wicket and I walking her out to her car and waving as she drives off. It's such a Viv thing! 

 Weekend signs of life from the boys are the best kind!  Maxwell and Jordi at Octoberfest in Vail, CO... ...and Henry and Angela at the game in Tuscaloosa, AL! 

Ok. So the car wasn't a surprise, but who wouldn't love to wake up on your birthday to a big red bow on your new(ish) car?!  Happy 17th birthday to the girl that makes me smile every single day. To the girl who loves big and is always the first to offer an "I love you". Happy 17th to the daughter I never knew I needed.  Happy 17th birthday, Viv. I love you with every corner of my soul.  Love, Mom 

When a picture captures every emotion that you simply can not put into words, magic happens.  Happy 17th, sweet girl.   

3/3 Hanson littles have now started school and in typical Henry style, this was the first day of school picture I got from him. Now it's memorialized forever...LOL Senior Year  University of Alabama  Class Of 2025

 2 out 3 Hanson (not so little) littles have started school! Woodson High School  Class of 2026 

That cheesy grin. Takes me back to his first day of kindergarten at Incirlik. I promise just yesterday that big, cheesy grin was a 5 year old with a back pack that was too big for him and brand new sneakers. I cried that first day of kindergarten at the bus stop. I probably cried every first day of school after that day too.  No, nothing has changed. I cried this week when he sent me this.  Go do great things, Moose. Those high schoolers of yours have no idea just how lucky they are.  Smoky Hill High School  Aurora, Colorado 

  Love, Mom

In the last 20 years we've vacationed with the Shirley's throughout the world. Hawaii, Texas, Colorado, Germany, Norway, the Netherlands and Costa Rica.  Alaska 2024 did not disappoint.  Mount Rainier  flying into Seattle  Friday morning in Seattle Embarkation!  Royal Caribbean Ovation of the Seas  Tad's gift for all the boys... the official start of vacation  Dinner 1 - SHanson party of 11 Day and night at sea  Bigs and littles first breakfast together squeezed into one room \ Trivia Bionic Bar was a favorite of the Bigs  Juneau  Mount Roberts hike  Skagway Jordi and the boys hiked Upper Dewey Lake...   ...and Jennie and I took the girls to the top of a glacier to dog sled...via a helicopter! Jennie, Ella and Grace took off first  Cara, Viv and I followed the dog camp below  back to town for wine and more crab legs  White out for the evening... ...stalking the kids at the bar... Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier  Day and night at sea  Victoria, British Columbia  (my favorite