The Hannig Home

...Luke Hannig! Lukey won the Lakes Area Review annual Christmas coloring contest for ages 2-4.  He is only 3, so we are very proud of him for coloring so beautifully!  He won a $25 gift certificate to the Big Kahuna (a fun place in Spicer with mini golf, bumper boats, go karts, etc.).  He also had to go to the Lakes Area Review office for a picture in the paper!  He was on the front page of this week's paper.  Here he is!  And the picture he colored is below, too!  Paul and I are so excited and now realize how parents can beam with pride for their children.  Late last night I was lying in bed staring at the picture and smiling at how cute it was.  Paul walked into the room carrying another copy of the paper, staring at Luke's picture and smiling and giggling.  Precious!

Monday was a rough day for the pregnant mom.  I was exhausted from a weekend of very little sleep.  I did not step foot outside the ENTIRE day (talk about going stir crazy in the dead of winter) and could not muster up the energy to care what the boys were doing.  I was pulling my hair out from being stuck inside, but was too tired to do anything about it.  I let the boys make a pizza for breakfast, watch movies all day, and eat donuts for supper.  Mom of the year here.  Happy boys, though.

I looked through some pictures from the past month and a half and realized I've missed blogging about a lot of fun moments.  I will share the pictures and fill in the text as I go. First:  SNOW!  This year has been an absolute blast because of this snow.  And unlike last year, both Luke and Ben enjoy the snow.  We have had SO much fun sledding.  We blazed a few AWESOME trails back in the woods and had so much fun zipping down the hills.  I will start Luke taking a wiz in the woods.  How nice it must be to be a boy. Benny, just being cute. This is how Benny rides the sled. Even grandpa and grandma Hannig were having a blast one day. How great is this picture?! Luke not afraid to put on the face mask. This was the huge snowstorm we got. Almost impossible to pull sleds through this deep snow. Paul rigged up this double sled action. It works pretty slick! We also continue our Saturday morning tradition of getting donuts and coffee, th

Boys, Your dad is in Las Vegas this week for work.  He just left today.  That leaves me to fend for myself.  :)  You are both in bed already (8pm) and the house is quiet - so quiet.  It is peaceful and I am thoroughly enjoying this time to sit down and capture some thoughts. Ben, you started to put together two word sentences.  You constantly say, "Are you? "  You mean to say " Where are you? " but the 'where' gets left off.  I hear your little voice saying it often if I am out of your sight.  " Mom!  Are you?! "  You also just started saying " Mom, WATCH!" when you want me to watch you do something.  You started saying it last night in the tub and now you continue to say it all the time.  Often you will make something goofy up to do (like put your hands to your mouth and blow on them..?) just so you can say " MOM, WATCH!"   You continue to be sweet (and you are less crabby than you have been the past 2 weeks.  I think those

Luke and Ben, You will both be big brothers (Luke, again for you) in July.  Your little sibling is due on July 9th, 2013.  I am almost 14 weeks pregnant.  You have both kept me running through the fatigue and nauseousness of my first trimester.  :) Luke, you seem to understand we're having another baby, although I still think you'd be shocked if we brought home a baby today.  Maybe once my belly gets bigger it will seem more real.  You say you want a boy, not a girl.  You want to name him Matthew and call him "Matty."  We like that name, too.   Benny, You have no idea we are having another baby.  And I think you are just going to be mad.  It's going to shake your little world.  But maybe I am wrong.  You are used to having a sibling around 24-7 with Luke, so perhaps another little body won't phase you.  The time and attention I give the new little one might be the hardest for you.  Tonight in the bathtub I mentioned that Mama is having a baby and you

It's almost been 2 months since my last blog.  I am finding that recently the idea of blogging is causing me much dread.  I know it is simply because each day is packed with funny stories, new words, new understandings, tear-jerking moments, sweet moments, and much more - and I just simply cannot capture it all.  That causes this mom stress.  Trying to unpack my world - to articulate my daily emotions and happenings with a 3 and 1 year old - is like climbing mount Everest each and every day.  How can I possibly get down in words all that Luke is learning and saying and doing as an almost-four-year-old?  He melts my heart daily.  He is a mama's boy through and through.  He kisses me and caresses me.  He often just wants me to stay near him regardless of what he is doing.  He doesn't want to go to Sunday school or preschool or anywhere that I am not.  He loves guns (especially the one he got from Grandpa and Grandma Dold for Christmas.  Picture to follow below).  He is shy ar