Hansen Party!

It’s always fun to have family around! We were so excited with Tim and Bev flew into St. Louis on July 14! Lyndon worked until 2am, and we learned that Ster and Parker both got bumped to the next flight and got into St. Louis super late anyway, so we drove down to St. Louis the next morning! We walked down to the Arch! While we waited for our time to head up the arch we were able to walk around the museum!

We then saw a movie about the making of the arch! It was amazing watching how they had to be so precise through every step so that when they got to the top the two sides matched up! So the time arrived for us to head up the arch! We got into the little eggs and began the climb up! Once we got to the top we all got out safely – except for Bev and Tim! Their egg wouldn’t open, and they had to make the trip back down and up again! Meanwhile, the rest of us were at the top and it was getting more crowded by the minute! But the views are fantastic!

We ate a yummy lunch and Lyndon ate my birthday cake for me!

We walked to the Cardinals Stadium and took pictures at this fountain!

And we went to Union Station! It was originally a train station, but has since been turned into a mall! The fudge people sang to us! And we whispered into the whispering wall!

July 16 was Lincoln Day! We drove back to Springfield and saw lots of the Lincoln sites! First was the museum! It was extremely well done and gave a lot of history about Lincoln’s growing up and his term as president, the museum even included a few shows!

 We also walked through the Lincoln Restoration Library, and his old law office, and than onto his house! The Hansen boys never even had to duck their heads because Lincoln was their height! They were the only people there who could have used Lincoln’s shaving mirror!

The Capital Building

Later that night I got to be the designated driver to Nauvoo! I had Lyndon turn on a Disney station on Pandora - I was good to go for hours! I don't think Lyndon realized how much of a Disney fan I actually am.


Nauvoo Day and Dylan’s Birthday!! We started out the morning by doing a session in the Nauvoo temple! It was beautiful and is the same layout as the St. George Temple! It was very clean cut and simple which I thought was really pretty! One of my religion teachers in Hawaii – Brother Tefan – was in the same session (He’s from Tahiti! And even remembered me!)

 We started the touring with the reorganized-LDS church and saw Joseph Smith’s homes, hotel, and store (where the family enjoyed some cold root beer).

 We were able to see the Blacksmith shop – and got the nail rings, and he even gave me a horseshoe nail!

 The Brickshop!

The schoolhouse, the print shop, the bakery, Brigham Young’s house, John Taylor’s house, and a big center where we learned about candle, bread, and rope making! We also got to see where guns were made! 

A Hansen Relative owned this gun!

Just making a print!

We had to eat at Grandpa John's - in honor of my Grandpa Robinson! 

Next came the Pageant and all the festivities! I challenged Parker to the stick pull – it was close, but I didn’t want to embarrass him too much! There were lots of games and fun things to do before the Pageant started!

The next day we drove to Carthage Jail. It is an amazing spirit that is felt in the jail and yes I did cry! I love that the bullet holes are still in the door!

Parker wanted the challenge of eating the famous horseshoe and he did it!

I packed up my two suitcases and drove to St. Louis with the Hansen’s – leaving Lyndon for a full month! 

July Already?!

Trips are so fun, until real life sets in again . . . when we got back from Italy we had so much laundry, Lyndon starting working many late nights, and I had lots of fun studying for the GRE... right! But I took it and its over. I am never really good at the national four hour long exams, but whatever life goes on. The second that was over Lyndon and I headed up to Peoria. It's a small town about an hour north of Springfield. We learned that most everyone in this city works for the tractor company Caterpillar!  The hotel we were in is right by the mall - so naturally I had to check that out. With an outdoor pool, I soon found my favorite chair, and then with the guys gone so late I turned the small gym into my on cinema cardio room and would run to whatever ABC family was showing! Like another mini-vacation with free breakfast! Awesome!!

July 4th was fun! The whole office ended early and we all went to Knight's Action Park! There were firework shows all around and the one at our park was pretty impressive! We rode the ferris wheel, had some crazy go-cart times, ate pizza, and played mini golf! 

We went to the Horse Show Championships held here in Springfield - for Arabian horses! They were beautiful and we loved the "Full Costume Competition" the most! 

Then back up to Peoria we went! This time we decided we were going to begin celebrating our Anniversary - just a few weeks early because I was going to be leaving for a month. We started our morning date by walking down by the pier and seeing down town!

We eventually made it to Bass Pro Shop and ate at the restaurant inside! This place was nuts! It was like an underwater shipwreck and a entire bowling alley was inside! We both ate some alligator meat and thought it was delicious! 

 One of the customers that Lyndon installed for had a chair signed by Michael Jordan!! Yeah he sat in it - and we still haven't washed the shorts - jk jk!

Then we headed up to Chicago for the day! First stop was the aquarium! It was so fun! I love seeing all the animals and want to be a trainer when I go to all the shows! 

We then went on a drive around and stopped at the Cubs stadium

 And found this pizza place!!! Delicious deep dish pizza!

Back in Springfield I went to the zoo with the other wives here! It seriously was the saddest thing I've ever seen! There was really only birds and turtles! The cages were so small and they all looked depressed!

Doug (who is Lyndon's manager), his girlfriend came out for a  few days and we hung out with them at the pool and went and hit golf balls!  I blame my softball background that I can't hit a ball that is NOT moving very far as opposed to a ball moving at me at 60mph! Nonetheless, it was super fun!