And we're back!

I know this way overdue and this is for all of you who have told me that if you look at my blog one more time and see the "pomegranate" post its gonna make you sick! So after this overview of the past 5 months, I will try not to go A-Wall again on my blog for another 5 months. So what have we been up to? Well we wrapped up our time in Hawaii with a visit from Doug's parents, which included amazing food, fun shopping, hilarious stories, and of course a scary slippery hike in the pitch black with nothing to lead us but our cell phone lights. To clarify, we didn't intend to hike in the dark, but Doug assured us that we would be in and out before dark...well to say the least he was dead wrong and we were all scared out of wits and had no idea if we were even following the right trail!! But Doug redeemed himself when he successfully led us out the dark jungle and safely to our cars (there's your Eagle Scout training put to good use). Well after the in-laws left, my sister and her husband came to visit for thanksgiving. We attempted to cook a "Pilgrim-like" dinner with the little supplies we had at my apartment and it turned out suprisingly good, and did all the fun touristy things we would want to do before we left the island. Then sadly it was time to leave Hawaii for good, and we spent 3 weeks in California with our family and friends. It was a blast and now we are Utah settled in, hanging out with our adorable nieces and nephews, and looking forward to the Hansen's Utah Ski trip in a few weeks!!!! More to come...hopefully ;)

Oahu Temple

Such a beautiful family! The brunch was so delicious I have never been so full!! The fateful hike on the way in.
Doug's BYUH soccer team
His last soccer game :( and he completed it in typical douglas style with his umpteenth concussion, a broken nose, and a fat lip!!
Our first turkey...we were so proud!
John and Brandi enjoying sunset beach with us!
Dinner at Roys!! Delicisoso!! And at of all things I new our server from college in Socal. Small World!
Before trying Doug's nasty sushi which he swore was harmless
After that dirty liar ticked me into trying his sushi!!!Eatin banana pancakes pretend like its the weekend now.
Sisters at play!

My Annual obsession

There is that saying that "time makes the heart grow fonder..." well in the case of pomegranites only coming in season every year around October to December for too brief of a time, my love for pomegranites has turned to more of an obsession! I am holding myslef back from two a day. This is a fact that Doug is just loving - due to extremely low cost of this wonderful fruit (yeah right). Doug is starting to take inventory of how many pomegranites I am eating and trying to teach me to conserve instead of indulge my craving...classic doug. Lucky for him he knows it only lasts for a few months. mmmm Think I'll have one right now!! Good thing costco sells them in bulk!

Finally!

I know an update is long overdue...I am just really bad at all of this blogging stuff. But here is a brief overview of what we have been up to since we have been back to Hawaii. Doug has been busy with soccer and school and is currently getting a black belt certification through six sigma - a business managing thing- at nights for two weeks. Candice, my sister-in-law, is out here this semester which makes Hawaii a lot more fun for me, because we have just been hanging out at the beach and catching up on gossip girls online...since we don't have the CW out here. Doug and I just got back from a long trip in Bay Area, Doug because he was on his mainland soccer trip, and me to support Doug and to see my cute little new nephew, Baby Owen Wayne Kaenel (1 month) for the first time! I love him so much already and miss him everyday I am out here! Well before I go on and on about how amazing my nephew is, because trust me I will...I'll introduce the pictures. Coming up you will see: many of pictures of baby Owen from my trip, Doug making friends wherever he goes (a stray dog at the beach), Goalie-in-action, My Birthday Dinner at Turtle Bay, me and Candice after losing a battle with the ocean - it was a good fight though, and Dinner with Doug's parents and Hannah after a game against San Francisco Academy of Art. It was such a fun trip and so good to see everyone. Doug's parents are such saints to make Sunday dinner for the whole soccer team, year after year! I don't know how they do it, but it was delicious, and everyone enjoyed themselves. And seeing how it is Doug's last year, hopefully it is their last year as well!

Summer Champ!

Well we are back in Hawaii after spending 4 months in Maryland/Washington D.C. Doug was there Selling security for Platinum Protection, and he did amazing!!! He killed it! He worked hard all day 6 days a week and it paid off - He doubled his best summer in sells. Right before we left the owners of the company even met with him and asked him to manage next year. I am so proud of him and am so thankful for all his hard work. It really amazes me sometimes all the things he is capable of doing. It blows me away! I am so thankful to have him as my husband.

New York New York!!!

I know its been a while since I have updated my blog, but that is seriously because nothing interesting has been happening at all this last month. But that all changed last weekend! Doug and I took a weekend getaway to New York for our 1 year anniversary. I can't believe it has already been 1 whole year- but I feel like I love him even more with all his corks and stubbornness. Living together, while difficult for both of us at times I'm sure - has just made me feel that much luckier I have to share my life with...Anyways, this last weekend we went to New York and saw Wicked on Sunday. I was dying to see it, and thanks to Doug's love of theater he ended up really liking it too. The music, the acting, and the story all so amazing!! We got in Saturday night to our Time Square hotel that we got for a really good deal on priceline. Unfortunately what we didn't know about priceline, was that you couldn't guarantee the room type. So our first night of our anniversary was spent in a room with 2 single beds. It wasn't what we expected but it couldn't keep us down, we walked around time square and took in the city. The next morning we took a cab to Ground Zero which was reverencing, sad, and patriotic all at the same time. I couldn't believe that the two tallest buildings, once American monuments stood in the now mile wide rubble. It made that traggic day all the more real....Next we walked over to the Financial District, where we saw wall st, the New York Stock Exchange, The Trump Tower, and the place where George Washington stood when he took the oath as the 1st president of the United states. We ended that tour in Canal st, and then headed straight to Wicked. Which again soooo great!! We had the most fabulous anniversary dinner at Del Frisco's, a restaurant recommended by his parents - p.s. Thank you!- It was delicious! and we ended our night walking through time square like 2 kids in a candy shop, and once we even did stop in a candy shop and filled up on all the sweet treats we could to bring back to our room (which thank goodness had been upgraded to a King for our last night). Not only was it a great way to celebrate our 1 year, but it was the first time we had really gotten away from the office. I felt like we actually got to talk and have real conversations with each other, and it was so nice - I felt like "Oh yeah, I know you!! I do like you!!!" Anyways I know this is long so I'll end with it was a wonderful weekend and I feel blessed to have already spent a year married to Doug Hansen.

Medieval Times

A few weeks ago a group of us all when to the dinner and a show restaurant Medieval Times. We were there supporting the Green Knight - who turned out to be the villain of the evening who tried to kill the prince - for shame. Anyways the show was entertaining: there was jousting, sword fighting (the kind were you say-someone just die already!), over dramatic princesses, and dancing horses. I think we had the loudest most competitive group there, it was kinda funny to watch the guys reactions everytime the green knight came out.

Anyways, I think the most entertaining part of the night was the food. To give you a little background, everytime Doug watches a cartoon where the king is eating a feast or an old Greek movie or something-he always says he wants to make a whole chicken or turkey because they make the food look sooo good. With that said, at medieval times they serve you medieval style food so you eat these huge chicken breasts and legs with your hands. Its a mess, but its fun. Doug's plate was covered with chicken skin and bones and I don't know when I have ever seen him this happy.

Although parts of the show were corny, it was really fun and entertaining sharing it with our friends and watching Doug enjoy his medieval food.

4th of July

This 4Th of July, although we didn't go to the D.C firework show with everyone else due to being tired bums by the end of the day, still turned out fun with lots of laughs. A day or two before the 4Th Doug visited a firework stand and came home with hoards of what we THOUGHT were fireworks that actually launched in the air, that he of course "got a deal" on.

So on the 4Th, after going to dinner with our good friends Nicky and Kyle, we came back to our apartments and planned to launch these amazing fireworks from the roof of the garage...After much excitement and a runaway plan I might add - Doug lit the first/biggest firework and it turned out to be one of those ground like sparkler noise makers, and so did the next one and the next one.

Oh Doug was disappointed but he didn't let that ruin his night, he ended the night with a finale with 2 little gas bombs and like 10 noise makers...then to make the night thrilling still - he decided to jump through it all. If only I had a picture of that, well I don't because the last thing I expected was for my husband to go running through the bursting pile of fireworks sparks - but you never know, I should know by now to always have my camera ready with him. Anyways we all had a blast and a bunch of laughs with the puny display of our little firework show.