Our Latest DIY Project...Completed!!!

(Disclaimer: No infants were harmed for the sake of the following photographs.)

For the last several months, this is was what anyone entering our laundry room, which is also a bathroom, would see:



Yeah.  Yuck.

Nathan had removed the cabinet doors 'cause someone (who shall remain unnamed) thought she wanted sliding fabric "doors" instead.  Good thing he kept those doors.  This is what you'll see upon entering the same room today:



Nathan spotted this fun fabric at Jo-Ann Fabrics in Urbana. 
(What.  Haven't you heard that real men
aren't afraid to be seen in fabric stores?)



Much better!  Don't you agree?  All I did was staple the fabric to the doors.  Nathan did the rest, which involved much more than meets the eye.  He's quite the handy man.

Oh, and no blog post is complete without a little bit of Garrett:

 



 Hope you're havin' a swell Tuesday!

Never thought I'd say this, but...

...I like cooking!  At some point since Garrett's birth (8 months ago today!), I was talking to my mom on the phone and expressed my need for a hobby.  Well, there aren't too many hobbies that fit into the demands of caring for an infant.  With that in mind, Mom suggested that I explore my interest in trying new recipes.  (Yes, Mom, you were right!)  Tonight, grilled salmon with cheese sauce made its debut on the Hannas' table.  It was quick, easy, and delicious.  (I skipped the tomatoes, and I used our indoor grill.  I found Cavender's Greek seasoning at Monticello's County Market.)  Joined by corn on the cob and boiled potatoes, our dinner was on the table in about 30 minutes!  This meal could easily be prepared at the end of the ol' 8-5 with no problem.  If you decide to try it, let me know what you think, and feel free to share simple recipes you love!  Don't get me wrong, it's still music to my ears when Nathan says, "Honey, if you don't feel like cooking tonight, I'll just have a bowl o' cereal or somethin'."

Now, all you Yo Gabba Gabba fans will appreciate this.  There was a party in Garrett's tummy this evening, and the green beans were invited!  They even minded their manners and weren't kicked out!  (If you have no idea what I'm talking about, check out this video.)

Baseball, Hot Dogs, Apple Pie, & Chevrolet

Yep.  We in the Hanna household are about as American as they come.  We root for the Cardinals.  We love what I refer to as The Babysitter's Meal - hot dogs and macaroni & cheese - every once in a while.  Nathan chose apple pie in lieu of cake for his birthday last year.  AND we both drive Chevrolets.  We're pretty average folks, and I'm okay with that.

About baseball...

Before I met Nathan, I didn't have a favorite team.  However, it didn't take long for his love of the Cardinals to rub off on me.  The year we met was the same year that Mark McGuire and Sammy Sosa competed in "The Great Race of 1998".  Before Garrett was born, when Sunday afternoon naps were practically guaranteed, the voices of Joe Buck, Rick Horton, Al Hrabosky, Dan McLaughlin, and Mike Shannon would lull me to sleep.  (That doesn't make me sound like much of a fan, does it?!)  Maybe what I love most about baseball is the time spent with my husband doing what he loves.  To me, that's a good enough reason to keep trying to correctly answer many variations of his question: "Now.  If Carpenter only allows 2 runs in 5 innings, what's his ERA?" 

OKAY.  I confess.  All this talk about baseball is really just my attempt at a clever introduction of this video of the youngest Hanna cheering for his favorite team.  Or for Solo.  Or for pulling himself up.  Or for anything at all.  Enjoy!

Our Story, In A Loosely Poetic Nutshell

Way, way back in '98, he picked me up for our first date.

Was I nervous?  Oh, you bet! What he wore I'll ne'er forget.

Dinner at The Courier, then a pleasant walk we had.

He had to take me home too soon 'cause my ear was hurtin' BAD!

There were several dates that followed.  (I suppose that's obvious.)

Would he ever pop The Question?  I was practicing my "Yes!"

Suddenly, it was 2004, the 25th of September.

To each other we promised, "I will."  That day I'll always remember.

To Monticello we returned after a trip to Mexico.

We settled in as husband and wife and eventually added Solo.

Fast forward to 2010.  A bigger house we'd need.

"Pregnant" showed up on the stick onto which I'd...well, you know.

Nathan worked hard to prepare our home for the arrival of our son.

Garrett arrived on 09/29, and in an instant our hearts he won.

So, here we are along life's road, wondering what's in store.

Join us on our journey.  There'll be love and laughter galore!