pioneer day

For july 24, Utah's Pioneer Day, the skeltons, andrew, matt and i went shooting. it was a good area along the mountain by utah lake. there were other people there too, celebrating the day by shooting up bottles and other random targets. matt decided to make an old watch a target and was able to shoot the face off, completely off, what's left is a perfect hole where it used to be. we had fun trading off the rifle, shotgun and pistol. i was not expecting the kick that the shotgun gave though. i'm excited to go again, we really like shooting and i would like to get more comfortable handling a gun. as long as they are in the house, i better be able to handle one!

they're here!

David was nice enough to be the photographer during the rafting trip and mailed us a copy off all the pictures, he did a great job. there were so many pictures that i tried to be creative with displaying them. here's a little video of one of the best (and most intimidating) rapids of the trip...you can see that we almost flip.

more pictures...

roses are yellow, hydrangeas are blue

we've been married for two months and it has flown by! matt brought me these yellow roses (my favorite) on out first month anniversary and then he brought me this beautiful hydrangea the day after our second month (as a surprise, he says i shouldn't expect them, because then it wouldn't be a surprise, but i probably will). he is very sweet and thoughtful and i am so lucky!

floating the provo river

matt and i spent last saturday floating the provo river and eating a little bbq afterwards. the provo river was packed! it was me, matt, andrew, becca, and adam. to begin, the water was FREEZING and the river was moving quite a bit faster then i had remembered with rapids i have never seen before. we had our rafts, blow up mattresses and pool mats but this would not be enough...after crashing into the first bridge at the very beginning of the river, adam and becca's blow up mattress popped, so the extra pool mat was given to them and eventually adam spotted a pretty nice innertube logged into some branches on the river and they each had their own floating device, then the second bridge came and we slammed into that, where matt and i's raft that we had bought the day before could not avoid the nails and did not make it, so adam took what was left of our blown up raft and generously gave us his innertube. matt and i layed on each side of it, but because matt is heavier than me and kept my side out of the water and so he had to endure more of the cold water than i did. during all this, andrew had a pool mat that we had brought that only half of it could stay inflated. besides all that, it was an adventure trying to hang on to one anothers rafts while avoiding rocks, trees and brush. there were a couple of times i was on the outter edge and had to cover my head with my arms to protect me from tree brush. even though it took awhile afterwards for our bodies to recover from the water and banging our limbs against rocks, it was so much fun, and i can't wait to do it again when we are more prepared. we ended up going to kiwanis park for our bbq where lindsay and scott joined us. the girls talked and the boys played frisbee and threw around a football. we had had fun eating hamburgers, brats, and talking til sun down. the pictures above are from while we were drivng through the canyon. it is so beautiful during the summer. and there are a few pictures of the boys and me and matt at the park.

remembering jerusalem

i can't believe that it has already been a year since i was at the byu jerusalem center. i REALLY miss it and i am so lucky to have had that opportunity. there is so much i can write about, but i think i'll have to break it up and include only a few of the hundreds of pictures i have each time i post about this amazing experience.



this is the jerusalem center. the huge building on top of mount scopus overlooking the mount of olives. this was my home for 2 months, where classes and church were held and where i ate and slept (when not on field trips). it is a beautiful building with huge windows so that no matter where you were in the center you had a view of the holy city. everyday we could hear the islam call to prayer 5 times a day, including the 4 am call to prayer that would usually wake me up, it is loud! but you eventually get used to it and kind of enjoy it. hearing muslims and jews say their prayers almost sounds like they're singing a song. it was a safer than i had expected, people think that because it is in the middle east and a religiously hostile city that we would have to be cautious, but the people were very tolerant of us american mormons.



one night, we all went to the western wall the night before the sabbath (we had church on saturdays like the jews). the wall was divided so that women were on the right side and men were on the left. it was a really neat experience. men would dance and sing together, as well as the women, like a celebration and were really enjoying themselves. we took part of this and they were very friendly and inviting to have us join them. people would pray aloud and place written prayers in between the stones and cracks of the wall. when you walk up to touch the wall it is custom to walk away facing the wall, so you are walking away backwards.



the dome of the rock on the temple mount was beautiful. i could not believe how much detail and color was used to decorate the exterior, it is incredible and breathtaking to see it up close. this is where muslims believe muhammad ascended to heaven with the angel gabriel and the jews believe it is the place where abraham prepared to sacrifice issac, was well as the place of holy of holies during the time of solomon and herod's temple.



the garden tomb is located outside the city walls. it is outside and feels like a little oasis with lots of plants and a gravel pathway leading to golgotha and then to the garden tomb. it was very peaceful to be there and away from streets and city. it's hard to describe the way it feels to be there, because besides bethlehem and visiting the places where it is believed Christ was born, this is the holiest of all the sites i will ever visit. the tomb represents the Crucifixtion and Resurrection of Christ. it is empty because Christ had risen and overcame death. He died so i may repent of my sins and obtain the gift of everlasting life. He is the Son of God, my Savior and Redeemer. I am so grateful to have the Gospel and to know the Plan of Salvation/Happiness.

since the byu jerusalem center opened, it has been promised that latter-day saints will not proselyte and teach the Gospel. so we could not speak about the Gospel or our religion with any palestinian/israeli even if they asked. i know eventually this will change and i cannot wait for day when the Gospel can be taught here.



golgatha adjacent to the garden tomb. can you make out the skull-like eyes?



the holy sepulchre. when comparing the garden tomb and the church of the holy sephulcre, they are polar opposites. as you can see from the pictures. a church was built around the holy sepulchre and it is decorated a great deal. while waiting in line to enter the holy sepulchre i could feel the excitement of those around me who had travel so far to see it. an older woman behind me was actually pushing me along to make sure she wouldn't miss the chance.





the garden of gethsemane. this was another very special place to be, the place where Christ was last with his Apostles before He was arrested. the neat thing for us was that there are two gated areas. one for the public to tour with much older olive wood trees that were gated off. so the public could only walk around them and not through the garden and then this area that i am pictured in. this area that i am in is a garden of older and newer trees, the gate is locked and we would have to ask the gate keeper of the other gate to let us in and out. this was a priviledge for us to have this privacy in the garden, to sit and read the scriptures for as long as we wanted. i think that because people in jerusalem respect mormons, the jerusalem center, and our faith, they are willing to allow us in this private area for jerusalem center students both in the past and in the future.



i am so lucky to have add the chance to explore and learn more about the culture and history of this city. i cannot wait to go back with matt.

how well do you know matt hansen?

	matt created this quiz on facebook, so i thought it would be appropriate to include it on the blog as well. this was my quiz and i got a 70%. i corrected my wrong answers below the questions i missed and included information about myself as well. What is my favorite sport to watch
a)	College Basketball
b)	NBA Basketball
c)	College Football
d)	NFL Football
e)	Golf

matt and i love watching sports

2)	When was I born?
a)	November 3rd, 1984
b)	November 11th, 1983
c)	November 3rd, 1982
d)	November 11th, 1984
e)	November 3rd, 1983

i was born on August 9th, 1987

3)	Until 2001, how many sisters did I have?
a)	4
b)	5
c)	6
d)	7
e)	8

Matt was trying to be tricky with this one...he's last sister was born in 2000 so he was trying to confuse us quiz takers. Matt has 7 sisters and 1 brother.

I have 3 brothers and 1 sister.

4)	What city did I serve my mission in?
a)	Michoacan
b)	Monterrey
c)	Nuevo Leon
d)	Merida
e)	Mexico City

matt served his LDS mission in monterrey, mexico for 2 years. it's just below texas.

5)	How many countries have I been to so far?
a)	4
b)	8
c)	11
d)	14
e)	17

matt has been to 14 countries so far: usa, mexico, costa rica, greece, italy, france, the netherlands, belgium, germany, england, switzerland, belize, austria, and luxembourg

i have been to 7 countries so far: usa, france, italy, israel, jordan, egypt, and costa rica

and hopefully many more! we love traveling. we are very lucky to have been where we have been.

6)	Where did I get my name from?
a)	My mother's grandfather
b)	The Apostle
c)	My father's father
d)	Matthew McConaughey
e)	My father's grandfather

matt was named after his mother's grandfather

i was name after my grandmas'. my mom's mom is LORraine and my dad's mom is ALice. i'm so lucky to be named after both of these wonderful women.

7)	What is my wife's name?
a)	Lorel
b)	Loral
c)	Laurel
d)	Laural
e)	Lorrel

people have spelled it all sorts of ways but as explained above it is LORAL

8)	Which of these have I not done?
a)	Rockclimbed without a rope
b)	Skydived
c)	Rafted class-5 rapids
d)	Bungee jumped
e)	Dirtbiked off a 25-ft drop off

matt will do about anything crazy

from this list i have rafted class-5 rapids and skydived

9)	What is my favorite food I've eaten?
a)	Belgian Waffles in Belgium
b)	Gyros in Greece
c)	Pizza in Italy
d)	Escargot in France
e)	Tacos in Mexico

matt loves mexican food and will eat it 24/7

i like everything, but in moderation

10)	What is my favorite type of music?
a)	Rock from the 90's
b)	Country
c)	Rap
d)	Classic Rock
e)	Hymns

matt listens to rap more than any other kind of music, not the rap you would hear on the radio, but to my surprise classic rock is his favorite and i would have to agree for myself.

11)	What is my favorite country so far?
a)	Greece
b)	Italy
c)	Mexico
d)	Germany
e)	Costa Rica

all are great countries, but we plan on going to greece together soon. matt says it's just very relaxing to be there.

12)	Of the following, which flavor do I like the least?
a)	Vanilla
b)	Postachio
c)	Chocolate
d)	Almond
e)	Coconut

matt will take chocolate in small doses, but doesn't like anything rich

i don't think there is a flavor i don't like

13)	How old was I when I completed the requirements for my Eagle Scout?
a)	14
b)	15
c)	16
d)	17
e)	18

14)	How many siblings-in-law do I currently have?
a)	3
b)	4
c)	5
d)	6

matt has 5, but in april he will have his first sister-in-law, angie. she is really nice and fun.

i have one right now, but come february 13th i will have katie as another sister-in-law, i'm excited!

15)	What did I graduate in this past April?
a)	Business
b)	Spanish
c)	Spanish Literature
d)	Spanish Translation
e)	Pre-Law

i will graduate this coming april in landcape management (if i can get through stats and econ this summer)

16)	What was my main nickname growing up?
a)	Mob
b)	Bud
c)	Matty
d)	Cowboy
e)	Big Matt

matt is referred to now as big matt, because he is the tallest matt in his family. he has a nephew named matt (little matt) and he sister lyndsi married a matt (matt). now that matt and i are married, he has another brother-in-law named matt. so many matts! i guess growing up though matt was "bud". i had no idea, but i like it.

i didn't really have a nickname growing up, but my brother matt called me "loral babes" and my sister "rachie babes," my sister and i are my mom's "best friend, girl friends" and my dad would call my lolo on occasion.

17)	From Utah, what is the farthest place I have driven to?
a)	Boston
b)	Baja California
c)	Bangor
d)	Key West
e)	Anchorage

matt and i took a road trip with friends from provo to miami and key west over this last valentine's day and president's day. it was fun to drive through so many cities, lay out on the beach and be in the sun and out of the snow of utah.

18)	How many years has it been since I've lived in SB (besides summers)?
a)	4
b)	5
c)	6
d)	7

for matt it has been 5 years of school and 2 years of being on a mission

for me it has been 4 years since living in dallas

19)	What is my most prized possession?
a)	A brick from the Colliseum in Rome
b)	A gift from one of the people I baptized in Mexico
c)	Pottery piece from the top of a Mayan pyramid
d)	A spearhead from Greece
e)	A pebble from the River Seine in Paris

yes matt, was able to break away a little of the colliseum in rome

my most prized possession would most likely be a olive wood bust of christ from jerusalem

20)	What was my favorite outfit when I was little?
a)	Ninja Turtle costume and gun holsters
b)	Superman cape and cowboy boots
c)	Spiderman mask and chaps
d)	Batman costume and cowboy hat matt's favorite outfit was his superman cape and cowboy boots i didn't have a favorite outfit, but it's fun to look back at pictures and see what my mom dressed my sister and i in. there are some funny outfits and clothes that i thought were so cool, but i wonder now what i was thinking.

4th of July

matt and i had SO MUCH fun rafting the tuolumne river by yosemite national park with kelli, matt's dad, the trichlers and their long-time rafting buddies. we rafted the river consisting of class 4 and 5 rapids during the day and enjoyed the beautiful scenery of large slate rocks and mountains surrounding us. during mealtime sherrie provided us with gourmet food and during the free time we played card games and bocce (a ball game i had never played before) and then we'd sleep under a gazillion stars at night. they are pros and have they're rafting trips organized like nothing i've seen. there were four large boats and matt and i were the paddlers for jeremy's boat while he used huge oars to row. jeremy was an expert on how to get us through each rapid and would let us know when we needed to paddle forward and backward. besides a couple close calls of almost falling out of the boat or when matt was wacked with an oar, it was a safe trip. the most exciting part of rafting was seeing a huge rapid and the white water and not knowing what to expect when you paddle over it. i love adrenaline so i like feeling the danger of not knowing what to expect. the water was nice and cool and we got plenty of sun, which we both needed. other than that it was just nice to be out in nature, out of the norm and be able to relax. matt was a trooper and drove the entire 24 hour car trip back and forth to provo. we drove through nevada passing only 2 towns, the scenery was nice and there was one road that felt like a roller coaster. the best part of the drive was drivng through yosemite national park. there was beautiful scenery mainly consisting of white granite rock, tall skinny redwoods, and giant mountains. we took a ton of pictures and they will be up soon. california has so many wonderful outdoor opportunities and i would love to do a trip like this again!


matt saw this sign saying "speeding kills bears" and we thought it was funny (i was hoping we would see a bear this trip)

A Madsen for Adrianne

I'm putting this up just for the off chance to win one on the 15th. I found this on my sister-in-law's blog and thought they were so cool! I'm sure this Madsen will be very popular.