Liebster Award

I've been tagged by April over at Meet the Jechs for the Liebster Blog award. Liebster means "favorite" in German, and she chose me as one of her favorite blogs!

Instead of totally following the rules, I'm gonna switch things up and use this as a fun way for y'all to know more about me. The original rules are that you list 11 random things about yourself, then answer 11 questions that the tagging blogger asks, then tag 11 other bloggers and ask them 11 new questions. Confusing, right?! So I'm just going to do the first 2 rules and leave it at that. If any of y'all want to follow suit and write a post with 11 things about yourself and answer these 11 questions, please feel free. I would love to read your answers!

I've done a list like this in the past and honestly had the hardest time coming up with a list of randoms about myself, but I'll do my best!

1- I've always wanted to be a mommy. Like, if it was normal to have babies in high school I would have.

2- I went to college at UNLV in Las Vegas and had the time of my life. Although not in the way one might expect in Vegas. I actually grew closer to God during those years than I ever had before.

3- I'm not crafty. But I'm a really good Pinterest idea copier.

4- I can be super lazy. Sometimes I'm just not motivated to do laundry, dishes, projects, blogging, etc...

5- I love watching TV. I have to make a conscious effort to not sit and watch TV all day.

6- I have a major sweet tooth. I especially love carb-y sweets, but any sugar will do!

7- I love to cook and I love to bake. Which can be bad (see number 6).

8- I've been married for 5 years this December. Yahoo!

9- I can be very bossy, opinionated and controlling. It drives Ryan crazy sometimes.

10- I am afraid not a fan of the dark. Which is awful for a military wife who had to spend many, MANY nights alone.

11- I'm a terrible home decorator. I wish I had a better eye for things. I see cute things that I like but I don't know how to incorporate them into my own home. Plus, there are lots of styles that I like so nothing really matches. Oh well.

Now onto the questions that April asked me:

1. Tell me something quirky about you? I can't go to sleep if the closet doors are open.

2. What would be your ideal concert? Pretty much anything country is good in my book

3. If you could live anywhere for a year, where would you live and what makes that place so special? This is an easy one for me. New York. Hands down. I am so in love with that city. The energy of the city is just amazing. When I first visited, it somehow felt like home. It was the weirdest feeling since I'd never been there before. However, I wouldn't want to raise kids there (permanently at least), and Ryan hates the hustle and bustle, so I guess it's only a dream for me.

4. What's your guilty pleasure? Rainbow chip frosting straight from the container. And it can't be the funfetti frosting. It has to be the rainbow chip kind! 

5. If you HAD to be a doctor, what type of doctor would you be and why? I would love to be an OB (minus the GYN part). I'm fascinated by pregnancy and the birth process. 

6. If you could be a star in any movie, what movie and who would you be? I can't think of a specific one, but I would love to film a romantic comedy. It seems like so much fun.

7. What's your favorite restaurant and what would you recommend there? I love Cheesecake Factory for three reasons. 1)They have my favorite drink- pomegranate margarita, 2)They have a huge menu with tons of choices, and 3)They have red velvet cheesecake. 

8. What's your favorite holiday and why? Christmas. It's magical!

9. What's your ideal weekend? A road trip to somewhere fun on Saturday, then football and BBQ on Sunday

10. What's a hobby you've always wanted to take up? I'm not a hobby person. I don't really have any, and there isn't really anything that I have always wanted to do. Boring, I know.

11. What's your favorite store to shop at? Target. Duh! Isn't it everyone's favorite store?

Well, friends. There you go. Now you know a little more about me. I would love to have some of you do a post with these questions so that I can learn a little more about you!

Insta-Randoms

A few recent Instagram pictures (follow me @jennahansen) and some other randoms to go with them.

We have some Army friends from North Carolina, who have since moved to Oregon. She is from a town next to my hometown and we both happened to be there a few weeks ago. We took our kids to the Fresno Zoo and had a blast! It was so great to see them after a few years apart!

Sweet Lexi girl sleeping at the splash park...

...while Jax and Max played

Preschool picture! I mean, really, how cute is he?!

I bought these reusable ice pop holders. I put yogurt in some of them... and this is what happened. Just a little messy for a 3-year-old.

She just melts my heart.

As does this.

And this.

He thought he was SO funny wearing my shirt like a dress.

 He never fails to make me laugh!

Happy Friday, friends!

Never Say Never

Before becoming a mom, there were plenty of things that I said, or thought, I would never do. As every other mom knows, usually those "I would never" things go out the window once  you have to actually be a mom. 

I have read a few blogs recently of moms who have discussed this and made their own "I would never" list. I thought I would share mine!

I said I would never...

-let my kids watch more than 1 or 2 TV shows per day

-let them have a dirty face or dirty clothes in public

-let them choose and wear mis-matched clothes

-give/buy them a lollipop, or smarties, or a toy to keep them quiet

-Go back on my word once I told them "no"
-lose my temper and yell at them (ha!)
-buy the organic milk box at Starbucks instead of just ordering a "kids milk"
-bribe bargain with them to eat their food
-let them have nuggets and fries twice in one day

and the list goes on and on...

Sometimes being a mommy is really hard work.

But other times, when they are both being sweet and cuddly and lovey, you can't help but smile and be SO thankful that God chose you to be their mommy!

2 months!

Lexi turned 2 months old on Tuesday! This past month went by so fast. We spent a week in Fresno while Ryan was at a training class in Cleveland, Jax started AWANA, I started MOPS, and Lexi has just been along for the ride.

She really is the sweetest, easiest baby. We do still have a bit of trouble nursing. She tends to fuss when  I'm trying to get her to latch on, and she also fusses when I burp her. But overall, I really can't complain. I'm just so in love with her.

*2 month stats*

-9pounds 2ounces (10th percentile)

-22.25 inches (42nd percentile)

-nurses every 2 hours

-she finally outgrew newborn clothes and now wears 0-3 or 3 month clothes. The 3 month clothes are loose, but we don't have a whole lot of 0-3 clothes.

-she moved up to a size 1 diaper at about 7 weeks old

-takes about 4 naps during the day... one being around 2 hours in the afternoon

-sleeps 1030/11pm-6/7am, waking up around 4am to eat. Although she also sleeps from 8-10pm while I'm holding her downstairs... I really should be putting her to bed during that time. Don't judge me!

-she is very smiley and has done a little giggle a few times

-she coos and "talks" a lot

-still likes her swing, the bouncer, and the playmat

-she fusses when we put her in the carseat but once I pick her up and take her to the car, she (usually) calms down

-she is obsessed with chewing/sucking on her hands. I pull them out and replace them with her binky all.the.time. I figure I can take away a binky in 2 years... I can't take away her hands!

Happy 2 months, sweet girl!

In the warm California sun

We spent Sunday afternoon and evening at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. I've been wanting to take Jax so I suggested it to Ryan after church and we decided to take a last-minute day trip. Unfortunately, everyone else in NorCal had the same idea. The 1.5 hour drive took over 3 hours, then trying to find parking took another hour. I ended up having to climb into the backseat and nurse Lexi while we were stuck in gridlock traffic. Awesome.

Once we finally got there and parked, we headed onto the Boardwalk with the masses. It actually ended up being really fun! Jax is fearless and rides everything he is big enough to ride... While wishing he could also ride the grown up roller coasters. I mostly just pushed Lexi around while the boys had their fun. We ate corn dogs, cotton candy and deep fried cheesecake. Yum! We had a grand ol' time and I can't wait to take Jax back. When it's not a holiday weekend, obviously!