They were young once!

In organizing the under-appreciated-at-the-moment-it-was-given gift from Todd, an external hard-drive (I know you all want one too) I have been putting all my photos onto it AND came across this oldy but goody:


I only have one child in each photo...can you tell which one is mine? Hint: Not the girls.

Christmas Highlights

Warning: LONG post!

The family gift this year, a ping pong table, WAS the hit Todd predicted. Matt drew up a win-loss sheet and organized tournaments.

Hair cuts...crazy kids let each other cut their hair, leaving me to fix them after they were done.









Christmas Eve breakfast with the full-time missionaries...

Singing at the old folk's home on Christmas Eve with ward families.

Christmas morning we awoke to NORTH DAKOTA WEATHER! Nathan is still relishing in it. Except for when he has to shovel. We shoveled four driveways/walks Christmas Day. And it rained first, so it was heavy stuff. 9" for KC is daunting for them.
Opening gifts (Santa struck out on a few items, sigh. Sorry Nathan)This year we tried a variety of shrimp dishes instead of old turkey/ham and it got rave reviews.
After dinner (well, after the entire holiday season) this is how we all felt. (And the winner is..?)

Taco Night at the Trumans was delicious as always.Ice skating...
Matt's wondering where his girl is...or when he'll have one. Mission first, dear.

Garrett's fiance flew in after Christmas. We loved getting to know her. Here's a ride in a horse-drawn carriage at the Plaza.
Good friends threw a bridal shower for Saryn. We appreciated their kind gesture. It was great.
A friend took pictures for G & S's announcements. You'll have to wait for the real photos, but here's a sneak pic of the process:
Practicing those dance moves for the reception.
Registering for gifts:
Our good friends from ND arrive signaling New Year's Eve festivities. This year we spent time at Union Station in awe of the train displays.
Sushi Night on New Years Eve wrapped up the holidays.
Sad to have the boys gone, wish they could stay longer, but oh, the memories!

Still growing up

I thought the older you get the easier it is to say good-bye to your family and head home?! And be happy when you get there.

Love and miss you all in Aberdeen!

It's OFFICIAL!

Happy for Garrett and Saryn. The date is set for April 29, 2010 in the Denver Temple.

Full of Thanks

We kicked off Thanksgiving with a Missouri tradition...Christmas in the Air on Thanksgiving Eve. It's a great 20 minute fireworks display over a very large lake in Lees Summit.

But it's not the 20 minutes of fireworks that draws us. It's not the two hour wait, fighting for a parking spot, the chilly air, and dealing with traffic on the way home.

No, it's the warmth of friendship and love of family time and friends that carry us there. It's BBQ-ing in the dark, eating food you cannot see, and laughing around the fire pit at life's quirks.

How grateful our hearts are for good friends. After a rather long week, I received a package from my friends in North Dakota. Great timing. In it was a a BEAUTIFUL Thanksgiving table runner. I was touched that they thought of me, spent hours quilting with little ones under foot for ME.

These Missouri Hendricksons express gratitude for wonderful friends, near and FAR. And how we love family, health, the gospel, our Savior. The list grows and grows.

We are FULL of Thanks.

What....PINK?!

Raising four boys and one husband (not really, Todd, you're great), I do know BLUE. But pink?! I admit to being uncomfortable when shopping for baby gifts for friends that are expecting girls. I get very overwhelmed with all the selections, styles; they're all so cute, cute, cute.

But I'll have to get over it because Brandon and Julie are expecting and it's PINK! Haven't heard much about "gender" tests, but they (B & J) claim 90% accuracy. And according to the test they took, it's a girl. Due early June.

I have a feeling I'll overcome my "pink" weakness...eventually!

A Builder, My Mom

I just had four days of undivided attention from my mom. Am I lucky or what?! She visited us here for the first time and we enjoyed talking, sight-seeing church history sites, driving through old historic neighborhoods, Union Station, and much more. We even had a chance to have lunch with her first cousin, Dave (below) who lives in the area and whom she hadn't seen in years.


I sure appreciate her and all she's done throughout her life as a daughter of God, wife and mother. Pres. Hinckley said it best, "You [mothers] are the real builders of the nation wherever you live, for you have created homes of strength and peace and security. These become the very sinew of any nation.”

With 9 children, 53 grandchildren, and ten and 3/4 great-grandchildren and growing (hope I counted that right), I'm sure she didn't realize the "nation" she was creating as she went to bed tired every night after long days of raising 9 kids.

Love you Mom!