m + l

my catch-up arizona post

2011-12-21T21:11:00.000-08:00

I got to spend a lot of time in AZ with a ton of family and it was awesome.

We spectated at the Tempe Ironman, ate at Joe's Farm Grill, ate again the greatest omlette ever, the San Diegan, at the Coffee Shop, In-n-out, Cafe Rio, and Chick-fila (multiple times). Saw the Christmas lights at the Mesa Temple with my brother, Matt and Grandma and played the dice game, Zilch, with them many times. Took a road trip to Vegas to see my one of my other brothers run the marathon on the Strip and got to see, and drive, over the supposedly unbuildable Pat Tillman bridge. It is so massive and beautiful! Got to see my niece's dance performance. Helped babysit my nieces and nephew with my mom and dad and loved being able to spend more time with my brothers, my sister-in-law, nieces and nephew, Grandma, cousins, and my Aunt and Uncle.

What made my Thanksgiving:
Stuffing, turkey, rolls and Grandma's Dixie salad and banana cream pie.
Watching my cousin's kids and my nieces and nephew reenact the story of Thanksgiving.
The beautiful table decorations.
Spending it with family that I am so blessed to have.

If you can't tell by this post, I think my niece, Hannah, is the cutest thing in the world.

sister hansen is home!

2011-11-15T16:08:00.000-08:00

Kelli's back from serving her 18+ month mission for the Church. Of all the missions I have waited for loved ones to come home, this one felt like the longest. She served in the Marshall Islands and can now speak Marshallese (aka gibberish). It has been a great pleasure to read her beautiful, uplifting letters each week about sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the people she served and grew to love in the Pacific this past year and a half. We are so happy to have her back and love her so much!

Kelli's home! from Loral Hansen on Vimeo.

Some pictures of her mission:

matt's birthday

2011-11-15T00:43:00.000-08:00

The big 2-8!

Since we were going to be in California for Matt's birthday, I had to put up the awesome birthday banner my sister-in-law, Adrianne, had made for us a couple weeks before his birthday. Matt is wearing the North Face zip-up I got him as he is opening up my parent's gifts in the pictures below.

Once we got to CA, we had a fancy dinner at San Ysidro Ranch, a beautiful, romantic resort in Montecito the day before his birthday. On his actual birthday, November 3rd, we celebrated with family at Rusty's Pizza Parlor and Matt's mom had decorated the party room and got the best birthday hats and glasses for him and the kids to wear. Like last year, Matt wanted Costco's pumpkin pie and red velvet cake for his birthday. He also was sung to not once, but twice. Once for the cake and the other by his sister and adorable nephews.

the kids and their costumes

2011-11-02T10:02:00.000-07:00

I am really happy we could be here for Halloween and see Matt's nephews and sister dress up. We had forgotten how awesome Halloween is. We loved seeing the costumes, watching Brandon and Justin pass out candy and the kids willing to share their loot with us wasn't so bad either.

back in cali-forn-i-a

2011-11-01T15:34:00.000-07:00

Matt's sister, Kelli, will be back in the States Friday! Matt has always been planning to be home for her mission homecoming and he found a cheap flight for me to be here too, so we are lucky to be here celebrating Halloween, birthdays, and Kelli's return!

1. A beautiful sunset and crescent moon while flying into LA. We stopped at Chick-Fil-A for dinner (which I haven't had in a year or so) and I don't know how I have lived these 24 years and have not had Chick-Fil-A sauce. Seriously, how have I not heard people raving about what could be the best condiment ever invented?!

2. Playing at the pool with Kobe and Cassi. Matt's first priority was to lay out and get some sun.

3,4. At Justin's game, meeting our newest nephew, Jacob.

5. Kobe and that adorable smile!

6. Matt and Brandon.

7. The one and only Yanni's Tri-tip sandwich at Mackenzie's Market.

bend, oregon smells like pine needles

2011-10-22T15:31:00.000-07:00

Earlier in the week we were in Bend, OR. Matt had told me wonderful things about it and I was excited to see it for myself. I don't know if the fall weather is making me like everything a little more than I normally would, but it is a pretty great place. We decided that if we could choose any place to endure snowy winters, so we could have all the possible year-round outdoor activities, this would be our pick. It has a secluded, homey feel that you wouldn't expect for a tourism/recreational based city.

Below: We visited Newberry Volcano and Obsidian Field. The Obsidian and Pumice stones were surprisingly sharp.

matt's a diehard fan, i'm more of a bandwagon fan

2011-10-18T18:45:00.000-07:00

We went to the BYU/Oregon State game last Saturday in Corvallis. There was a big show of BYU fans and it turned out to be a beautiful, fall day for the Cougars to get another W. We got to see a few friends, spotted Jimmer and were impressed by the Beavs pre-game and halftime shows. I find that away games are much more fun than those in Provo.

waterfalls everywhere!

2011-10-12T00:27:00.000-07:00

Saturday turned out to be perfect to hike Eagle Creek Trail in Columbia River Gorge, OR. Our goal was Tunnel Falls, but Matt counted 10 waterfalls on the hike. Most of them were slightly hidden and we would've had to make our own routes to see them with unobstructed views. After 5 hours of hiking, we couldn't feel our feet anymore and were whining like big babies, but having had experienced Tunnel Falls, it was worth it. I have to thank Pinterest for informing me of this beautiful place.

last bit of summer

2011-10-05T14:58:00.000-07:00

Way back over labor day, we got to spend time up North for the holiday weekend. We love being able to spend time with family and this time we were able to be there for Oliver's blessing, visit the Blackberry Festival in Bremerton, WA, walk around beautiful downtown Poulsbo, WA and spend time outside squeezing in the last bit of beautiful, warm weather. So excited to experience our first NW fall, but clear and sunny days will be rare from here on out.

astoria column

2011-09-14T18:42:00.000-07:00

We couldn't pass up visiting the Column while in Astoria on the rare occasion of a perfectly clear day. The long spiral staircase made me dizzy, but the view was worth it. The Column overlooks the city, rivers, bay, forest, mountains and the Pacific Ocean. It was fun to watch kids launch little wood airplanes they got from the gift shop.

fish and chips

2011-09-12T19:09:00.000-07:00

A friend from church had recommended to me that the next time we went to Astoria that we should eat at Bowpickers where you can get the best fish and chips. It was a fun surprise to see that Bowpickers was actually a fishing boat turned into a little kitchen and parked on a hill just 50 yards from the ocean. A place this unique has to serve exceptionally good food and it did.

Ordering food on a boat parked on land reminded us of a place we ate at on our honeymoon. It was a small, rickety, old wood ship nestled in a forest area with a few, tiny houses surrounding it. Like the boat we ate at in Astoria, there was a staircase built to board, but you actually ate at little tables on the ship. The chef and owner was a former coach for the Olympic Russian women's gymnastics team. He was a short, tan, muscular guy in a cut-off shirt who looked to be in his 50s. Just another foreigner living the "pura vida" in Costa Rica. He and his mama ran the place. No menu and you were given a choice of two options. We were the only customers that night. I don't remember what kind of fish we had and it was served with a side of rice with some kind of cranberry sauce and it was delicious. It was one of those experiences that feels more like a dream. I wish I had taken a picture of the place.

mickelle's big day

2011-09-09T20:30:00.000-07:00

She looked beautiful and it was a wonderful day. The realization that all of my closest of friends are now married and spread far across the country is bittersweet. I don't want to think about how long it will be before I will see them again...future girls trips are a must!

(Mickelle painted the cake toppers herself, so cute!)

bits of my week in utah

2011-09-01T15:43:00.000-07:00

All I want right now is a Polish dog from J-dawg's with everything on it. And a crepe with nutella and banana from this crepe/waffle stand that just opened right by it. And another crepe with speculoos (a thick syrup that tastes like graham crackers).

I will miss you random, delicious food joints...you don't realize what you got until it's gone.

We hiked the Y, watched Manti play Rugby, hit up all my favorite food places, saw a play, made marshmallows, saw a double rainbow, and whined everyday about how there is too little time in the day for sisters to spend together.

another utah trip and more sister time

2011-08-30T13:37:00.000-07:00

I got to see my sis for the third time this summer. With our friend's wedding and Rach's last week of summer break, I am a lucky girl to have spent time with her, Manti, friends and enjoy a little bit of the hot, Utah summer. Every time I visit Utah now, I get more and more nostalgic for the mountains and BYU. Never thought I would miss school, but BYU/Provo is definitely a place like no other.

I came in on Rach's birthday, we got In-N-Out for dinner and Manti surprised Rach and I with Rach's favorite chocolate cake from La Jolla Groves and birthday candles to celebrate our August birthdays. Manti is awesome and I could go on and on about what a great brother-in-law he is.

I love spending time with these two and my time in Utah went by way too fast!

i will be the mom that tries too hard

2011-08-19T13:42:00.000-07:00

Babies, toddlers, kids, love Matt. If you are a baby turned around in a pew at church and see Matt's face, you will be locked in, loaded with smiles and ready to fire them at all angles. This is not an exaggeration. I test this hypothesis every chance I get it and it is a bona fide fact. All Matt has to do is smile. I, on the other hand, have to act a fool for giggles and smiles. Kids are not easily impressed with me. And tickling, that is a whole other knack that I just don't have.

Only time will tell, but I accepted long ago that our babies will love Matt more and I will be the mom that tries too hard.

Pictures of Matt with a few of his nephews from our SB trip.

The highlight of this trip was when Brandon called me by name and asked if I wanted to jump on the trampoline with him and Matt. Loral is not an easy name for little ones to say, they pronounce it more like rawr-aul. It is pretty darn cute.

aunt and uncle for the 18th time

2011-08-11T12:48:00.000-07:00

It seems like at least 2 or 3 of the Hansen sisters are pregnant at any given time. Matt's mom and sister were up with Jaimi and her family in northern WA and we got to visit last weekend to meet the newest grand baby.

Playing Hedbanz (you have to ask "Am I a..." type of questions to guess your card) with Matt's sister and niece. We thought Matt's card was hilarious. The game reminded of us of the Office's 'Diversity Day' episode. For your viewing pleasure, a clip or two from the episode.
Matt's newest nephew, Oliver.
Oysters were all over the beach.
Violet enjoyed throwing big rocks in the water.
I love this guy.
Matt and Oliver. By Oliver's expression, I think he got a glimpse of Matt's giant hands and saw his short life pass before his eyes.

birthday celebration

2011-08-09T11:59:00.000-07:00

After making a landscape plan for my sister-in-law, we unexpectedly got a generous gift certificate to eat at DOC and decided to use it for my birthday celebration last weekend. Matt is working in Philadelphia this week and could not be with me on my actual birthday.

The restaurant is small and fancy with a tiny kitchen at the entrance when you walk through the door. We tried the 'Taste Menu', where you get whatever the chefs want to serve. Matt faced the kitchen during our dinner, so he could see what was coming out before I could. When he saw the oysters were coming he said to me "Are you going to eat everything that we get?" I took that as a challenge and said of course. One second later, the oysters were placed on our table and Matt had a big smile on his face. My husband is a trickster. These delicacies are definitely an acquired taste. I had to be extra adventurous to finish my fair share. The two and a half hour dinner was delicious and Matt referred to each dish as another "flavor explosion". It was a special treat.

Afterwards, we saw the new Planet of the Apes and give it a thumbs up. I do not feel mature enough to be 24, but maybe I will catch up this year!

go bobcats!

2011-08-05T12:11:00.000-07:00

Steve has inspired me with his 4.0 GPA and if I ever figure out what I want to do, going back to school actually sounds like fun. He was a great host and we had so much fun on our much too short visit.

bbq and cinnamon buns

2011-08-04T18:02:00.000-07:00

Steve took us to Lockhart, TX, home to many of the best bbq joints in Texas. The bbq pit he took us to was very inconspicuous.

When you first walk through the rundown, wood screen doors, it doesn't look like an entrance to a restaurant. You enter a hot, dark hall and find your way through the door of a large mess hall type of dining room and then walk through the back entrance to the pit (it was so hot and smokey I had a hard time breathing normally) where you order your brisket, sausage, ribs and are offered white sliced bread or crackers to go with your meat. All of your food is wrapped up in paper "plates" and a plastic knife. You get a spoon if you get beans. Your hands are your fork. Lots of napkins are required.

Steve prepared us for the routine of the place since it seems they don't take too kindly to city folk or at least they had that aura. The process kind of reminded me of the Seinfeld's 'Soup Nazi' episode. They don't have bbq sauce and it is not necessary. All of it was so good. My favorite were the ribs. I want to go back.

Another special treat was when Steve took us to San Marcos' hot spot, Gil's Broiler afterwards to get a Manske Roll a la mode. It is a hot cinammon bun, no icing, soaked in butter topped with Bluebell vanilla ice cream shaped into a heart. You can also get a Manske roll with a chocolate Hershey bar on top, but that is for another time.

i want to move to central texas for the live music scene

2011-08-01T14:06:00.000-07:00

It couldn't get much better than to have my first real saloon, honky tonk experience at this place Steve took us to in San Marcos. Hearing the clacking of billboard balls in the back, the place lit up by only fluorescent bar lights and the small stage where the likes of Garth Brooks and Willie Nelson have played was a treat. For three hours we listened to The Hems (Dusty and Jamie) and Halley Anna and the Tennessee Volunteers and it was soooo good. I feel like I should have paid way more than the $5 admittance fee.

brother visit

2011-07-28T19:50:00.000-07:00

Rach and I drove down to San Marcos, TX to visit our brother, Steve. He showed us around town, we hung out with Walter and observed/discussed his elaborate collage of magazine clippings, album covers, pictures and posters on the walls of his apartment.

Wish we could have spent more time with those two!

By the way, the picture, neighboring Bob Dylan and Tupac, is of me and Rach when we were like 4 and 2 years old and the stuffed dog I am holding, I still have it. I am not ashamed.

the mesquite rodeo

2011-07-27T09:50:00.000-07:00

John and Kristen were so sweet to think of me and surprise me with a ticket to the Mesquite Rodeo when they found out I would be visiting home. Thanks to the wonderful 55-250 mm lens, I could capture some intense moments. I love the rodeo! Big belt buckles and all.

I restrained myself to only making one animated gif, but couldn't hold back on adding a gazillion pictures. Cowboys are crazy. When I take my kids to the rodeo, they will take part in the sheep riding.

texas just keeps getting better and better

2011-07-26T20:17:00.000-07:00

To celebrate the recent opening of the Texas In-n-outs, Nate and Katie took me and I knew I would regret it if I didn't wear one of their paper hats and Katie was cool enough to join me. I am blessed with awesome sis-in-laws.

I flew from California to Texas and everyday that I have been here it has been 100+ degrees. It makes me so happy. I didn't realize how much I love, love, love the heat until this visit home.

marina at dusk

2011-07-21T17:26:00.000-07:00

the food stops we have to hit in santa barbara

2011-07-20T15:52:00.000-07:00

We got our hefty helpings of the six major food groups:

Where to go if you are in SB

1. Smoothies:

Blenders in the Grass

All other smoothie joints DO NOT compare.

2. Seafood:

Brophy Brothers

The best clam chowder you will ever have.

3. Pizza:

Rusty's Pizza Parlor

The thin, yummy crust is what gets me.

4. Mexican comida:

Los Arroyos

Gourmet burritos and salsas.

Freebirds (not pictured)

Fat burritos and nachos. They won't skimp out on the meat, cheese or guacamole.

5. Burgers:

In-n-out

Needs no explanation.

The Habit (not pictured)

Delicious burgers and fries that don't make you feel like crap after eating it.

6. Tri-tip:

Yanni's Greek and American Deli

This would have to be the meal that we look forward to most. The Tri-tip sandwich makes me want to break out into song. This deli is a hidden treasure. The owner is a salt and pepper haired, pony tail wearing, motorcyle dude and runs the deli with his sweet, Greek mama.

stearn's wharf

2011-07-19T20:39:00.000-07:00

Maybe too many palm trees in this post. I fell in love with the ones at the Los Angeles Temple and they just make me happy whenever I see them.

The last time we went to the wharf and ate at this restaurant was the day after our wedding. We were killing time before our flight out for our honeymoon. I got sick that morning and remember drinking sprite and eating bread while waiting for a table. We also saw a movie downtown and napped in a park that day.

This time, I had my first experience of extracting meat from crab legs, actually, Matt did most of the work. He finished his lobster tacos and started breaking open the shells while I picked away at the meat with my tiny fork.

There's nothing like eating freshly caught seafood, especially when you can dip it in hot butter!

boat ride

2011-07-18T14:35:00.000-07:00

The last time Matt and I were in the ocean in Santa Barbara was when were still dating and we went kayaking. The best part of that experience was seeing seals unexpectedly pop out of the water. The other memorable part of that experience was when for the first time in my life I felt seasick and wanted to rest on shore, which happened to be a known nudist beach. We rested for awhile and then pushed our kayaks back in the water. Unfortunately, I didn't make it past the first waves and was pushed back onto the beach. We hadn't seen anyone on the beach, but before I knew it, a very nice, but very naked man was asking me if I needed help. Seeing what was about to happen, Matt did his best to make it back to me, but not quite in time. Luckily, I was able to avoid my brain from retaining any and all unwanted memories of that experience.

This time was about fishing, but the boat was rocking a little too much. The rolling water made it a fun run, but not good for fishing. We ended up enjoying a long, relaxing ride under a cloudless sky, with seal sightings and boat watching.

bob dylan concert

2011-07-15T15:44:00.000-07:00

My brother's text after telling him of our experience. He saw Bob in concert in Nashville and highly recommended that we go:

You just saw one of the greatest American artists in the flesh! He's been doin' it since 1961!

The band was amazing, his piano, bass and harmonica playing was amazing, his raspy voice is still amazing, and even though he only sang a few classics, sitting in a beautiful, intimate venue, with no opening act, in 5th row, 30 feet away from him, I could not stop looking at him or shaking my head. We were in awe.

When we found out he would be at the Santa Babara bowl this week, Matt tried buying tickets multiple times to later find out those tickets were already sold, but hours before the concert would start, he found tickets for half their original selling price. You did good Matt, real good.

No cameras were allowed, but that didn't stop anyone from pulling out their camera phones. Hence the lack of quality in our pictures.

We ended the night by listening to the radio Bob Dylan marathon on our way to In-n-out and were blown away by the countless Harry Potter fans waiting in line for 4+ blocks for the midnight showing.

I've only read one of the books, seen a few of the movies, and I'm sad it's all ending.

saved the best for last

2011-07-13T14:03:00.000-07:00

we had heard about this hike before, but were very pleasantly surprised by how beautiful it was and how adventurous we had to be for it. aren't the best experiences in life the ones you have no great expectations for and you can let yourself enjoy what comes?

1.walking into the unknown
2. we thought walking through this cold stream was bad...
3,4,5,6,7. climbing up and over logs, camera is getting slightly worried

8,9,10,11. more scenic walking
12. up to our calves in water, camera is getting a little more worried
13. back to walking and logs
14. so this is the water, about 7 feet deep, the others were talking about. we thought they were exaggerating and expected something more like up to our waist. expendable clothes came off and camera was wrapped in a plastic bag. swam about 20 feet with clothes, camera, backpack in the air. matt was the camera's hero for carrying it across safely. water was cold enough that you almost had a hard time breathing, but we got used to it quickly.
15, 16. the end was well worth the trek
17,18,19,20,21. playing in the water and lots of mist, camera was annoyed
22. camera recovering from the waterfall and giving off a nice glow for rach and manti at multnomah falls
23. rach and manti waving from the bridge

food snob

2011-07-12T22:37:00.000-07:00

After picking up a rental car for Matt to use this week for work, I followed him to make a stop at UCSB for one of his favorite joints, Freebirds. (We've had it in Texas, but it is not the same.) On the way out, Matt was pulled over and I knew it was for not wearing his seat belt. I wasn't mad, because he deserves a little kick in pants to start obeying the law. All this Ron Paul, "It's my right to choose whether or not to wear a seat belt", mumbo jumbo can only last for so long and my pleading, dreaming up scenarios of reasons to wear seat belts and bets have yet to get him to buckle up.

Anyway, as I was watching him across the way waiting for the cop to hand him his ticket, I realized something and my blood pressure shot up. I realized our food could get soggy during this unexpected stop and I was getting more and more impatient at the fuzz for pulling Matt over. This can't be normal.

My name is Loral and I am a food snob.

that's a big rock

2011-07-12T12:54:00.000-07:00

during the day of the fourth of july was about hikes. the first was on the washington side of the gorge hiking beacon rock for some of the best views possible of the river that divides oregon and washington. our next hike was in oregon and one the most unique hikes matt and i have ever done together. i have to break up the day's pictures into separate posts since so many were taken.

we are loving the summer here in wa/or. i feel very lucky we currently still live in the west and get to explore a new part of it.

rest of the coast trip

2011-07-11T10:39:00.000-07:00

we revisited some our favorite spots. earlier expedition can be found here.

1. wild oregon foxgloves grow all over

2,3,4. walking the trail to the beach. we felt out of place being the only crew without a dog.

5. sassy sista

6. the boys

7,8. husband and wife pics

9. feet

10. cave full of prime skipping rocks

11. matt was the best rock skipper rach ever saw

12. newlywed mushiness

13. rach, manti and waterfall

14,15. i spotted the starfish, the starfish did it's best to resist matt from picking him off it's rock, but it wasn't good enough.

16. sea anemones that close up when you touch them

17. ecola state park

18. rach spotted what we thought at the time was deer on the way out. we showed the pictures to matt's littlest sister, who is 11 and an animal expert, and she corrected us that they are elk.

19, 20. cannon beach

start of the coast drive, in pictures

2011-07-10T10:00:00.000-07:00

i don't think i'll ever be able to control how many pictures i take or post.

1. pretty flowers we saw strolling the streets during our one hour wait for brunch. i'd wait days for this food.

2. so many choices...sometimes i wish my stomach was a bottomless pit

3. i came with one purpose and that was chicken and waffles

4. not one, not two, but three tender and crunchy pieces of fried chicken on top of my sweet potato waffle. i was in heaven.

as to what matt had, this is what he had posted on facebook:

Words can't express how good this andouille sausage breakfast po' boy was. My eyes literally teared up. Easily in the top 5 of things I've ever eaten...nay, experienced in my life.

he also said other things like, i literally got emotional and i wanted to cry.

we are thinking about naming our first born after this sandwich.

5. manti and i seem to have the same taste because everywhere we went he would copy my order.

6. downtown highway covered in flowers.

7. we stopped in tillamook, or for a tour of the tillamook cheese factory. both manti and matt saw people from byu they knew. it was random.

8, 9, 10, 11, 12. it was a clear day, yipee! got to see the ocean's horizon.

13. living on a river doesn't look too shabby.

more pictures to follow.

in anticipation for tomorrow

2011-07-08T17:23:00.000-07:00

On more than one occasion I have wondered, anxiously, when the next time Matt and I will be in Santa Barbara again. The thought of visiting the warmer part of the Pacific and sights of swaying palm trees ignites a swell of happiness within me, but the fact is we aren't in school anymore. No more breaks to road trip to wherever our hearts desire.

I know every year we will visit at least once during the Thanksgiving/Christmas holiday season, but oh, the beaches and the sun in Southern California during the summer. Very different from what we have 1,000+ miles up the coast. Look to the East, looks like Colorado with a dusting of moss, look to the West, BAM! the ocean. I helplessly taunt myself with thoughts like, "Maybe today, since the sun is out, it's warm enough to swim in." Then, when my feet cop a feel of the icy water I snap back to reality and wonder how expensive a full-body wetsuit is.

The Oregon coast is beautiful and I am so glad we are close to it, but the heart wants what the heart wants. So, when Matt was assigned to work in SB next week, I immediately jumped into "me, me, me!" mode. Usually my "me, me, me!" attitude doesn't work on Matt, but I think he wanted me to go almost as bad as I did.

At this time, in this state of mind, I think I would give up a leg to live on the beach in Santa Barbara. That's right, a leg.

Past pictures:

first SB visit together...

getting our marriage certificate...

wedding day...

today, we are in eugene

2011-07-08T11:05:00.000-07:00

I told Matt I was coming with him when I found out he was going, then thought I should give him the decision to shake the parasite, that is me, off for the day. Even after all the Loral that I believe only Matt can handle, I am here and I can't wait for my burger and garlic fries at Dickie Jo's.

taste of portland

2011-07-07T13:25:00.000-07:00

After going to Podnah's Pit with Matt's sister and her family our first weekend moving to Portland, I knew this place was a must go to for visitors. Again, everything was amazing and maybe it's been too long, but I dare say this is the best BBQ I have ever had. Of course, the owners are from Texas.

Afterward, we drove around downtown, happened upon Pioneer Courthouse Square where there was some hula-hooping and music for anyone who wanted to dance. Our primary objective was to see Niketown. The displays were cool, but I was expecting something a little bigger and better.

After seeing parts of downtown, I did notice that Rach used the word weird to describe it and I think Portland would be proud of that.

Upon entering WA, an outline of Washington state with a big red apple in the middle. Stem, leaf and all.

beginning of sister visit

2011-07-07T00:09:00.000-07:00

If I wasn't going to see Rach again very soon it would have been a much harder goodbye when she left. We saw and did so much, that the time we were together now feels like a blur. I love these two and I am so, so happy they could come visit.

To start, I wanted to do something special for this occasion and I impulsively bought a Dutch Baby pan. I don't know why it has taken me so long to get one, since the Dutch Baby at the Original House of Pancakes changed my life the first time I had it. They are so easy to make and delicious. The recipe I used can be found here.

The weather was beautiful and our first official outing was to the trail near our house.

(try to ignore the random fire extinguisher on our wall in this photo)

independence day

2011-07-05T18:08:00.000-07:00

With fireworks for sale on what seems like every block around us and lack of regulation we have enjoyed hearing fireworks every night this past week. Matt described it well when he said our drive home last night was like a war zone because you never knew what house or street was going to set off the next firework.

We celebrated the night of the Fourth at Fort Vancouver. An inactive military base that was used from the time of the Civil War to WWII and the former home of Ulysses S. Grant.

Next to the Fort is the oldest operating airfield where a biplane was available for rides. We enjoyed people watching, the vendors and the impressive firework display. Since the Fort is on a hill, we also got peeks at all the other firework shows going on across Portland and the Columbia River.

I love my country and thankful for all the servicemen and women!

it's the final countdown, da na na nah...da na na na nah...

2011-06-30T18:11:00.000-07:00

until sisters are together again!

Do you feel as awkward as I do looking at this picture? There is just too much to point out.

To start: Bangs. Glasses. Boy?

Lucky for me, Rach and her new hubby have a wedding to attend in Portland and we will have them for the long holiday weekend! Let the fun and inevitable awkwardness begin!

peacock sightings

2011-06-28T12:05:00.000-07:00

While driving from La Grande to Union, OR, to see an old LDS Chapel that Matt wanted to show me, we drove by this old hotel and checked it out. A famous bronze sculptor works here and restored the place. It is called Hot Lake Springs because the surrounding lakes are natural hot springs with a temperature of 208 degrees!

As we were walking up to the hotel, this peacock walked passed us. It was awesome.

208 degrees!

Matt wanted to steal the baby peacocks and raise them as our own.

These 2 were loud and walked everywhere together.

A unique and uncommon look for a LDS Chapel, built in 1904.

vancouver farmer's market

2011-06-26T21:16:00.000-07:00

We were pleasantly surprised by the large Farmer's Market here in Vancouver. Lots of people, their dogs, vendors, fresh produce, flowers and the best of all, fried foods.

Feather hair extensions aren't just for people anymore.

"the Blue"

2011-06-24T10:13:00.000-07:00

We had to see the infamous "smurf turf", as my cousin called it, while in Bronco Nation. Before this, we tried out Big Jud's as seen on Man vs. Food and I savored every bit of my burger. I love my bacon.

It has been great being able to see family on this trip. Matt visited his grandma in Pocatello and I got to see my cousin Jared, currently in grad school at Boise State, and his wife Cherie and their cute boys.

retro blossoms

2011-06-23T22:48:00.000-07:00

Boise's finest blooms edited with Lunapic.

hello, idaho

2011-06-22T15:27:00.000-07:00

We have been making time for detours while in the great state of Idaho. This detour was to see the world's first nuclear power plant. Matt acted as the guide. He read through the pamphlet and explained each part of the tour to me.

And before Matt tells everyone we know this story...that day he ran over a prairie dog and I bursted into tears. He always speeds up and jokingly says he is going to hit a bird or squirrel and never actually does, so when he finally does hit something, I didn't take it very well. I did feel silly crying.

Graduating class years, earliest we could see was 1920.

Matt standing on the nuclear reactor core.

what to do when your week is free

2011-06-20T22:17:00.000-07:00

Follow your husband on a work trip. First stop: La Grande, OR.

What I like best about small, old towns:

Time seems to slow down.

Faded mural ads on the side of brick buildings.

Antique shops.

and this one by far had the classiest, still in operation, gas station I have ever seen. Even the employees were dressed in black slacks and white, collared shirts. It felt like I had stepped into the '50s.

watch out lance armstrong

2011-06-19T19:49:00.000-07:00

With the Portland area being very bike friendly, trails are everywhere. We can leave our front door, hit a trail in minutes and pedal to our heart's content. I am still getting used to the different bike gears and a sore bum after long rides. Matt is getting used to my slower pace and patiently waits as I walk the steep hills.

This day was clear enough for us to see the peaks of Mt. Hood, St. Helens and Andrews. We ended up at a large park along the Columbia River with sandy "beaches", lots of people fishing, and permanently docked ships in the water.

father's day weekend

2011-06-17T10:43:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day, Dad!

no baby snakes this time

2011-06-16T13:33:00.000-07:00

Living in a house, we have the responsibility of mowing the yard. Since everything here grows really well and FAST, before we realize it, it is time to mow again. If it gets out of hand, seeing a baby snake slither out of the grass has not been unusual. Although, I do not want to see a snake any bigger than 8 inches crawling in our yard.

In the foreground of the picture, our rose bush is flourishing and I can't wait to see it bloom. I'm hoping the cala lilies Matt got me will be just as easy to care for.

i need a fairy godmother

2011-06-15T13:18:00.000-07:00

I naively thought I would have everything figured out by now. Looking for a job and not knowing what you want to do is so frustrating. Why did I go to college again?

final man-chel wedding post

2011-06-14T11:29:00.000-07:00

The reception's main features included a live band, a room set up to make your own flipbook (my nieces and nephew LOVED it, making around 20 of them), engagement video, and a groom's cake made of doughnuts.

My sister-in-law informed me that my grandma wore this same beautiful dress for her own daughter's wedding over 40 years ago. An example of why to keep a timeless, stylin' wardrobe.

You would only get this cute mailbox idea if you have seen the movie "Up".

Rachel's dress was the cake's inspiration. It was beautiful.

The reception was held in the Grand Hall of the Union Pacific Station, completed in 1909, in downtown Salt Lake. I'm mad I didn't take more pitcures of the room. There were beautiful stain glass windows.

Luke didn't need music to warm up for the dancing before the reception.

Rachel learned a Samoan dance for the reception and did a beautiful job. I loved seeing how much Manti's family and relatives enjoyed it.

Untitled from Loral Hansen on Vimeo.

a weller's weekend

2011-06-13T10:37:00.000-07:00

These little ladies kept us on our toes last weekend. It's hard not to love the Weller girls with their angelic eyes and sweet smiles. Watching them move to Michael Fronti and Wii's Just Dance was all the entertainment I needed.

We successfully revisited Multnomah Falls and Powell's Bookstore, but trying to get a taste of Voodoo doughnuts or checkout Nike Headquarters was another story. Our dreams of trying the renowned bacon maple bar or walking the grounds where the swoosh is king have not been discouraged.

We ate at a popular restaurant chain called McMenamins. The great thing about the chain is that every location is unique. This weekend we ate at the location built on a former site of a WWII shipyard along the Columbia. It was fun to take in the scenic setting, watching sailboats and ships fight the current of the river. Many of McMenamins locations are renovated historical properties. The first McMenamins we went to was originally a poor farm for Multnomah county and is now a destination resort.

To top off the weekend, Jaimi, an amazing cook, made the most delicious lemon blueberry scones.

dreams do come true

2011-06-12T20:58:00.000-07:00

I love you, Mavs.

via

June 4, 2011

2011-06-11T10:29:00.000-07:00

Rachie is a married lady now. I knew I would be excited to call Manti my brother-in-law, but now that Rach is a Mrs., that is going to take some time getting used to. It was a beautiful day and again, I couldn't hold back on the number of pictures posted.

temple day

2011-06-10T19:03:00.000-07:00

I'm so glad we were able to head to Utah early and to be there with Rach, as she went through the Temple for the first time, in Provo. Each Temple visit has always been a special experience for me.

here is a link to a video explaining why Mormons build Temples.

arches

2011-06-09T16:18:00.000-07:00

We've done a more thorough Arches trip, but this time revisited some of our favorites.

Here is our last trip to Arches. Looking back at this post, I am surprised by how many pictures I had posted, so I added more to this post from the last time we were there.

If I had time and if Matt had the patience, I could spend all day hiking and taking pictures out in nature. I would love to be one of those people who are able to travel and take pictures for a living.

looking good Mr. Hansen

climbing Indian Ladder

at the top of Indian Ladder

Pictures from this time around.

Balancing Rock

Double Arch

Possible future arches everywhere.

Delicate Arch

canyonlands

2011-06-08T12:29:00.000-07:00

Canyonlands is huge. We only saw about a third of the good stuff and another trip is necessary. We just tell each other we will save it for our future RV trip across America.

Matt made the fashionable, redneck-like shirt himself. Cutting the sleeves off with a knife.

We did get sunburned and it did hurt. I'm not sure if a sunburn is worth a quick tan, but it worked in time for Rachie's wedding.

utah trip

2011-06-06T16:37:00.000-07:00

Lots of emotions this past week with Rachel's wedding, spending time with family and then saying goodbye.

With hundreds of pictures to sort through, I'd rather start the first of many posts with a list of my favorite events.

-Matt was upgraded to first class on our flight to Utah and deserves brownie points for giving it to me.
      -We saw a moose in the middle of downtown Salt Lake. We were shocked. We've seen deer, but to see a moose is very rare. I'm assuming. Moose are so weird looking.
-Rach looked amazing in her wedding gown.
      -Dancing like a fool with Matt. He was disappointed in my lack of coordination and said I was holding him back.
-Niece, baby Hannah, was unbelievably precious.
      -We left rainy Salt Lake for Moab to experience 80+ degree weather for the first time since last summer. We think summer is the greatest season in Utah.
-Nathan's impressions of Matt (brother) and dad's dancing.
     -Family and friends!
-Red Iguana, Cafe Rio, In-n-out, Moochie's, the Pie

meet the most perfect couple

2011-05-27T21:57:00.000-07:00

and their getting married next weekend. I can't help but get giddy when thinking about it. Seriously, they are both individually and together perfect.

And just think of the beautiful, big-eyed babies in their future! Perfection.

a southern belle and her officer

2011-05-24T18:43:00.000-07:00

Last week, I made Matt go with me to paint pottery, something I have wanted to do with him for years. It would have been a lot harder for me to get him to do this if I hadn't won a bet. I'm glad I could get it out of my system. Lucky for him, they had something there he enjoyed painting. I think we did a pretty good job and I'll eventually turn them into ornaments.

Aw.

what we eat is our main, daily concern.

2011-05-23T19:20:00.000-07:00

Pinterest gives me visual "goals". The beautiful pictures of things to see, do, make and bake give me the motivation to try new things.

Here are my latest successes:


Brown sugar and balsamic glazed pork tenderloin. Found here.

Chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting. Found here.

Bacon-wrapped jalapeno chicken bites. Found here.

I also need to highlight the amazing beer bread and chili Matt made last night. Chili found here and bread found here.

I want it all over again after looking at these pictures.

anniversary celebration

2011-05-23T18:47:00.000-07:00

Celebrating anything for us usually means going on road trips. We drove farther south of the Oregon coast to see what we could find. Even though it was supposed to be a sunny/cloudy day, I've learned you can't depend on weather forecasts. I decided I need a wetsuit for whenever we are visiting the ocean, even if I don't get in the water. We were lucky an umbrella magically showed up in the car. Of course, the drive and the coast was beautiful. We ate fresh seafood, Matt micro-managed how many reeses peanut butter cups and pieces of salt water taffy I ate, and our shoes and pants were wet by the end of the trip. It was a memorable, fun day!

Matt was embarassed by my "3 inch" jumps.

yes, you do need to see this many pictures of waterfalls

2011-05-23T18:07:00.000-07:00

Oregon is just too green and beautiful. It's hard not to post so many pictures. We stumbled upon Horsetail Falls before reaching the largest waterfall in Oregon, Multnomah falls.

Horsetail falls

Multnomah Falls

day trip along the columbia river

2011-05-23T17:48:00.000-07:00

This was the second work trip I have tagged along with Matt.

I'm glad I have the time to be with him as much as possible, but I really need someone to give me a job to fill the time I have because as much as I want to be productive, my productive days are sporadic.

This time we went to The Dalles, OR and drove along both sides of the Columbia River. It was a beautiful drive, but I was getting tired of the trees by the end of it.

Pictures from the Washington side of the Columbia.

Pictures from the Oregon side of the Columbia.

Main Street in Hood River.

The beautiful necklace Matt got me in Hood River for our anniversary.

Beacon Rock

two years

2011-05-16T13:13:00.000-07:00

This anniversary has snuck up on us. I can't believe it has already been 2 years!

Matt left yesterday for work in Montana, so the celebrating will begin this weekend.

I love him more than ever and I am so lucky to have him. I can't wait for what life will bring us this next year!

monday musings

2011-05-09T20:10:00.000-07:00

A picture of Mt. Hood Matt texted me from his flight today. I think he has seen every side of it by now.

I've never heard of this "Nutricate: to nutritionally educate" before and maybe it will catch on, but we tried out a fast food place last week and this is what their receipt looks like. Makes me not want to go back. If I'm eating fast food, it's not because I am worried about calories, but thanks for the reminder! Yep, that first meal was mine. 820 calories for a milkshake!

It has been weird not arguing on what to watch on TV or what music to listen to in the car. I am loving it! The Mavs have more than made up for all of the past Lakers/Mavs bets I have lost.

Rachel had good reason to be worried the second I found out about Pinterest . I am obsessed. Just another thing to keep me on the internet longer than I should be. When I signed up, there was a wait list, but it is worth the wait! It's a nice way for me to organize the chaos in my head and to get creative ideas.

happy mother's day, mama!

2011-05-08T10:13:00.000-07:00

I love you, best friend, girl friend!

another sweet, sweet victory

2011-05-04T23:14:00.000-07:00

Matt is a die-hard Lakers fan and I am a die-hard Mavs fan, so while this rare series showdown is in progress, we are "a house divided". We have a bet that for a month, the winner of the series gets to chose everything we do together, no matter how torturing it is for the other person, they have to do it. By the way the series is going, I better start making a to-do list!

For tonight's pre-game meal Matt made Chicago-style hot dogs. I spent the majority of the game baking and nearly failing at making cupcakes with cookie dough. I colored the cake batter Mavs and Lakers colors, but put a little bit too much batter and cookie dough in them. Still turned out great!

The Mavs cupcakes look like earth cupcakes.

digital camera workshop

2011-05-03T16:28:00.000-07:00

I have a greater respect for professional photographers. I signed up for a Groupon event for a four hour photography workshop and "safari" to the Oregon Zoo for practice. With the zoo closing and me taking forever using the manual setting, I switched back to the auto settings for the rest of the animals. I learned so much and realize just how much practice and good lighting it takes to be a great photographer.

Matt refuses to be my model and this is just another reason to get a dog or baby.

happy easter!

2011-04-24T22:36:00.000-07:00

We spent all day on this.

more days like this please

2011-04-23T22:45:00.000-07:00

We started the day sunbathing on the deck, walked the trail near our house and ended it firing up the grill for dinner. I almost forgot how good it feels to be tired from the warm sun.

the award for the most beautiful newlywed couple of the 70's goes to... my mom and dad

2011-04-22T21:04:00.000-07:00

happy 34th wedding anniversary, mom and dad!

friday night

2011-04-22T20:56:00.000-07:00

It has been nonstop sunny, so it has been a good Friday. Tonight has been about Five Guys, watching the Lakers game, listening to Matt yell at the TV, Matt rewinding the game and making me watch good plays or bogus calls the refs make, old Will Ferrell SNL clips during the commercials (my favorite) and later we are going to see Atlas Shrugged. I've never heard of it, bur he says the book is good.

A little glimpse of what it is like taking pictures with Matt.

Mad about the Lakers game and covers his face with the remote.

Watching old SNL clips, so he is already smiling.

Is actually pretty good about taking kissing pictures.

Pretending to be mad I didn't take a good kissing picture the first time.

You know how some girls ask for their picture to be retaken because they don't think they look good in them? I don't have that luxury. I have to take whatever I can get with Matt.

while in provo i have been...

2011-04-18T19:15:00.000-07:00

Liking it more now as a visitor than I did as a resident.
Distracting Rach from studying for finals.
Filling my Cafe Rio canteen every chance I can.
Soaking in the more reliable sun.
Reminiscing.
and missing Matt.

bridal shower!

2011-04-17T17:53:00.000-07:00

We ate, chatted, opened gifts, and watched an interview of "almost-newlywed" questions I recorded with Manti. We first heard Rachel's answers to the questions at the shower and then watched how Manti had responded. Manti was a great interviewee. There were lots of fun girls and it was a fun shower.

I'm so happy I could come out to Utah to spend time time with my beautiful sister and to kick off the first of many wedding celebrations.

Dad ordered these absolutely beautiful flowers for the shower/our mom, for their 34th wedding anniversary.

We recreated the Peep "sunflower" yellow butter cake with chocolate fudge icing that our mom had made before. Even though no one got it, it was delicious.

Coincidentally, one of Rachel's friends brought a beautiful bouquet of sunflower cupcakes in a flower pot. So cute.

Decorations I made. The wedding colors are aqua, coral and khaki.

sister time is here and i couldn't be more excited!

2011-04-14T21:50:00.000-07:00