My new favorite thing...

For a while now I've been wanting to try yoga but you know was too lazy to actually try it. So one day while we were watching The Biggest Loser I finally put some of those little motivating feelings put it to good use and got online and made the best purchase, their Weight Loss Yoga DVD. I LOVE IT!!!! Bob kicks my butt every morning at 6:30am and it is awesome!!! I can't think of a better way to start my day, it really does give you a great workout plus it relaxes me before I go and start my day. It has been a great investment, and if you've been wondering about this DVD I say go get it today, you won't regret it!!!

A Weekend Away....

The end of February I went with my friend Becky to North Carolina. She grew up there and since I had never been what a perfect opportunity for a weekend escape. It just so happened that the weekend we were there it was rainy and cold but we still had a great time. Sunday afternoon while we were there the rain finally stopped and we went to downtown Wilmington. There we walked around the Cotton Exchange and the river front. Here are a few pictures that I got on our little walk around. There's just something calming about being around water, I love it.

Of course here are some self-portraits I took on the trip. It's a great way to pass the time...and very entertaining too. We did also make it to the beach for a few minutes. It was getting dark and it was a little cold but I LOVED it!!! It was great to see new things, new places and to get out of Utah for a little while. The trip got extended for a day because of a storm in the East which was fine with me. And since we were flying standby again we decided to take a different route home that had more openings to make sure we got home on Tuesday. So, we flew from NC to FL to CA to UT. It was an adventure and I loved it!!!

Rugby anyone?????????

Yesterday I had the opportunity to attend my first Rugby game and what made it even better was to be able to watch my younger brother Ryan play in it. He tried out and made the BYU Rugby team this year, I'm proud of him. Here are some of the action shots I got yesterday. Ryan was #5 yesterday, as an FYI. BYU played Weber State and won 65-0. Go Cougars!!!!

What would a post be without a self-portrait? This is Alisa and I just hanging out on the side lines.

Ryan and I after the game. Good job, Ry! Can't wait to go to the next one!

The newest member...

Spencer James Hanks arrived February 1, 2009 at 9:01am to Amy and Dave Hanks. He is adorable! Most of these pictures are from the first day, but the one in the middle is from yesterday (2 days old.)

Here are a few pictures of big brother Seth coming to meet Spencer for the first time. Spencer gave Seth a cool little car garage at the hospital. It's pretty fun and gave something to do, other then pushing the fun buttons all over the room.

Here are a few pictures of people with Spencer. Yes, I realize that they are mostly of Spencer and I (but this is my blog.:)) The first one is our first self-portrait together, then there are a few other self-portraits from the 2nd day. (They aren't the best pictures since I was by the window, but you get the idea.) Then we have the proud Daddy, and a darling picture of Grandma with Grandchild #10.

CONGRATULATIONS Hanks Family -- I am so excited that he is here safe and sound!!!

A week out of Utah....

I spent the week between Christmas and New Year in Colorado Springs visiting Candice and Abigail at their new "mountain house" (that's what Abigail calls it.) I had a great time visiting and hanging out with Candice and Abigail but from some reason my camera stayed in my bag. :( Here are a few pictures that I took Friday morning as we were packing the truck to leave. There is a story about this "buck." When Candice went to leave her apartment to pick me up from the airport, this buck was down at the bottom of her stairs chowing down on a plant and wouldn't leave. She called her apartment manager and they finally had to call animal control to get him to leave but it still took a while because he just wanted the plant. So, then when I saw him when I was leaving I thought I had to take a picture. Too bad it wasn't hunting season because "buck" had nice rack, right Dad?

Then on the way to Denver I notice these really cool looking clouds. They looked better in person but you can still get the idea. And that my friends wraps up the pictures that I took on my trip...hopefully I will do better next time.

Christmas Fun 2008...

This year I had another great Christmas. Ryan and Alisa came out for Christmas and stayed a couple of days with us. Here are some pictures of Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. Ryan, Alisa and I all got new PJs on Christmas. I still love that tradition! Christmas morning was a lot of fun and Mom and Dad did manage to surprise me with the family gift...we got a Wii!!! I am SO excited and so far it has proven to provide hours of fun for us (we have even had Mom and Dad playing with us!)

Here are some random shots of the family on Christmas. We were able to have everyone there and it was a lot of fun. We were very grateful that the snow stayed away from our area until until Christmas night.

We all know how Christmas goes with the sweets and then the comes the sugar high. Well, Seth had just a little sugar high and was very entertaining with all of his energy. Here a few of the random shots that I took of him running around. After presents Seth sat down next to Tanner and he was asking Tanner about the car that he had. It was really cute.

Carter still loves "Cars" and he got a "Cars" vest for Christmas from Grandma and Grandpa so here he is modeling it for me.

The Crooks gave Dad this moose that is dressed in camo and he sings "Hit Me With Your Best Shot." It is so funny, he even taps his feet while he sings.

Here is the birthday girl, Jodi!!! It was great to be able to spend time and celebrate her birthday with her. Happy Birthday!!!!

Snow, snow and more snow!!!!

Yesterday was a day of SNOW!!! It snowed most of the day and we had big flakes, it was SO pretty to watch but not fun to deal with. Here are a few pictures I took yesterday of the snow. This is what my car looked like after sitting at work all day, and then the next picture is the "after" picture because I have this thing about not driving with snow on my car, it annoys me! Then I have a picture of our deck and the snow piled on it. One of our measuring stick out on the deck, just about 9 inches. And then some of the front of the house. I love Christmas lights in snow I think they are SO pretty!!! Isn't Mom's Snowman on the house too cute? Today it only snowed for a little while, we need the break. But they are saying a POWERFUL storm is heading our way for Christmas day...so we are having a White Christmas! (Stay tuned for more snow pictures.)

December Birthdays...

Sunday we celebrated part of our December birthdays, Talmage and Dallin. (Jodi's we will celebrate on her actual birthday.)
It was fun to have almost everyone together just chilling and hanging out. I was kind of a slacker and only got a couple pictures. Happy Birthday boys!

Candyland...

It's tradition at work for my team to decorate for Christmas. This year we have a new set up so we did things a little different and just did one theme for the whole team. Welcome to "CSR Candyland!"

Just another picture of the start...

We decided that we needed to have candy in Candyland and we also have a Coco Latte machine for the visitors to enjoy as they journey through Candyland...yummy!!!

In front of my desk we did a Ginger Bread House. Once again, the easiest way to show all the pictures is in a collage. I think it turned out really cute.

Then as you journey on down the row you will run into Hot Chocolate Falls.

Then on to Peppermint Stick Forest...

Then we have a Christmas tree...

And you end up at Santa's Village.
It was fun to make and have something different up for a little while. It brings a festive feeling to work.

Thanksgiving 2008

Last week we had a great Thanksgiving at Mom and Dad's house. With Thanksgiving being so late this year Mom already had her Christmas decorations up. It was fun to have some fall decorations and Christmas up at the same time. Here are the adult tables all decorated so pretty.

Janna made the name tags, aren't they SO cute?

I think that Seth is really excited about Thanksgiving dinner, don't you? But he at least got to sit at one of the adult tables.

Here is the "kid" table...Abby, Sydney, Brenna, Peyton, Dallin, Carter and Bailey.

This was the adult table 2...Matthew, Sandie, Michelle, David, Jason and MIA are Claire and Janna. (It was Claire's nap time, need I say more?)

Adult table 1...Dad, Amy, Seth, Dave, Me, Debra, Aunt Diane and Mom was taking the picture. It was a great meal and fun to visit with all the family.

Here are a few random pictures from the day. I had to take a picture of Seth eating the whip cream with a tool, it just made me laugh. Jodi's family came out later in the day, and it was fun to visit with them for a little while. Then we have David's family, the looking of the ads to see where everyone is going for Black Friday, Sandie and I, Seth and I, Mom and Dad, Dallin, McKay and Talmage. We missed Ryan and Alisa who were with Alisa's parents. Thanks everyone for the yummy food and great company!