Feliz Navidad & Happy New Year

This was our first Christmas alone. Since it seemed a little too lonely we decided to do something memorable so we spent the night in a teepee. why not? I subjected Jeff to movies with teepees such as Last of the Mohicans and Far & Away. I don't know if it was my taste in movies or just a bug but Jeff got really sick.



The next day Bob and Sherri came from Missouri and we had a blast staying a Denney's, invading the Moe's playing games, puzzles and chatting like we love to do.

Jeison and Deb came down for New Year's we attempted a balloon drop and blew up a ton of balloons and set off fireworks at midnight (Jeison and Jeff's holiday specialty). We also attempted a ridiculous game where you have pantyhose on your head with a tennis ball in the sock and you have to knock over all the water bottles before the other team.

 

Brace Face and Metal Mouth

I guess this would be called an occupational hazard?! 

Jeff and I got braces to straighten up Jeff's chompers and to help fix my TMJ.

 Of course we are anxious to have the final results but sometimes i think, "what have I done?!"

MLS CUP 2013 Kansas City

The Hansen's spoil us!  Del Loy chartered a flight for his friends and family and other RSL fans so our flights to and from the game was literally full of RSL friends and fans. Bobby flew in from CA and Brad and DeAnna Silvey drove down from Iowa with some other Rievers.  It was in the negative degrees so we were really bundled but it didn't feel quite that cold with the excitement of the big game. We had great seats cheering louder than ever with the other RSL fans. Our boys lost with PKs after 2 over times- i say if you are going to lose. . that is the best way. It was kinda fun to be the away team and see the KC stadium.

Portlandia Part 2

Back to Portland for the Western Final Championship Game. It was soooo fun! I liked being back in Portland. This time Jeison came with us and we went to VooDoo Donuts (a Portland favorite), the Adidas store (Jeff's favorite)  and we discovered Ruby Jewel Ice Cream (everyone's favorite).

There were a couple Portland fans at the game dressed as angel Moroni, or Angel Mormon as they called themselves. It was kinda funny.

Halloween 2013

We made these rad Jack-o-lanterns with Jeison and Deb. I made the Cheshire Cat, Deb did the sugar skull, Jeison made the ghost and Jeff had the TRex.









On Halloween night, Jeff made a spooky tunnel at the Hansen's front porch out of soccer goals and streamers.  After tunnel construction Jeff came to Jeison and Deb's where Deb was putting on my sugar skull makeup dressed like Wheezy (the penguin from Toy Story) and the boys played FIFA. Jeison dressed like a Wells Fargo employee.

wolfman

Each time the doorbell would ring, either Deb or I would answer the door and while the kids were choosing candy Jeff would jump out wearing a scary wolf mask. It scared every single kid and some parents. Jeff manged to scare me later with the mask because when we got home that night when he hung it on the coat rack and as i came around the corner there was just enough light to make the eyes glow and it freaked me out. i thought the wolf man was certainly standing in my doorway.

Next year I think we will try this instead. 

Portlandia!

a pic of our room

I love Portland because it is beautiful! First views were flying over Mt Hood and Mt Saint Helen's with their beautiful snowy peaks and lush green trees. The autumn was spectacular there, all colors of the fall. Downtown the streets are made for pedestrians so it was cool to walk around and see the bridges and old buildings.  We took Del Loy's jet and I never want to wait in line for security again. We stayed at the Nine's hotel and it was swwwwaaaannnkkkkyyy! We were able to sit in the box with the Hansen's in Jeld-Wen field. That place is insane with all those Timbers fans. Timber's Army. They cheered every minute of the game. Outside the stadium they have the biggest bike rack I've ever seen.  We got to go to the Adidas Employee Store which is Jeff's happiest place on earth.

Reception Rembered- Chuppah

If you aren't Jewish, you are likely asking me, what the hoopa is a chuppah? Well, it is the canopy that a couple gets married under during the ceremony. One year ago I knew the full meaning, but now I seem to only remember something about symbolizing a new roof being raised as a new couple  and  surrounded by family.... I guess it is time for a rewatch of Fiddler on the Roof.  A traditional chuppah looks like this ---->




While scouring pinterest I came across this beautiful ribbon canopy and I fell in love!! It was everything I wanted to make a romantic statement at my reception.

See? This is breathtaking. Who wouldn't want this? I guess the real question is who would be INSANE enough to try to build this? Oh, AND make it free-standing so that we can use it to decorate receptions in separate states? I guess I was. Idiot.




This project took a whole army of brain power and effort.  My dad, brother and Carl Hurst were working on the design- they built the frame out of PVC pipe and used re-bar in the grass to stand it up. I was scouring DI for colorful sheets (light material that would hang) and then my mom, Lorraine and Janae Denney helped cut strips and sew strips of cloth for hours!! We used random fabric, sparkly Christmas tablecloths, Little Mermaid bedsheets, other sheets and left over tablecloth fabric to make the strips. My sweet mom sewed sleeves to fit over the PVC pipe out of the material. It took my mom and I hours to untangle and arrange set it up and then some of the strips started shedding and we went though and cut all the little fabric hairs off the flowing fabric. It was a never ending nightmare. I called Ashlee, Martha and KR in early to help set things up and they cut fabric hairs off and draped shiny bead strands for another hour. After all, it turned out BEAUTIFUL!!  Wedding guests waited beneath the canopy chuppah to get to the receiving line.  We even took the beautiful disaster to our California open house and set it up in the front yard as the entry to the house for guests. It was SO much work!!! But it was so memorable for me, for all of our family. Even though we didn't get married beneath it, I will still call it a chuppah because it was indeed my family raising a beautiful roof to for the start of our new life. We are so lucky to have such supportive families!