Running is tiring!

Whew! Its hard to run in the cold! (Don't worry, I'm not ACTUALLY dead, my lungs just feel that way ;)

Marathon runner!

Ok, yeah, well, some people are running a 1/2 marathon, and I'm running a 5k. But still, it's the first race I'm running, so it's pretty exciting for us!

Wish me luck, temp at start time is supposed to be near freezing, eek!

Allison's scripture reading

Today we sat down to read scriptures together, and Allison took a turn (for the first time). She opened her Book of Mormon, and while turning pages, related the following: "Tigger bounced to the Nephites. They went here, and they went there, and they went through the chapel. Then grumpy Rabbit killed *all* the Nephites. The end."

And there you have it, the Book of Mormon's central message: Be good or beware of grumpy Rabbit.

Can barely remember this!

I was looking back through our picture archives to see what pictures still need to be posted and found this, from February.


We just got through (hopefully 'through' as in completely done) the 2nd hottest summer on record (8 heat waves = 3 or more days of 90+, of course the accompanying 90% or more humidity; several days in the 100s), and when I saw this picture my mind could hardly comprehend our little street covered in this cold white fluff. What a difference a few months makes.

(This is Nikolas working on a humongous snow fort the size of our front yard.).

CHRIS!!

What a year for Chris - he graduated high school, started college, and turns 18 soon. Oh yeah, and he moved to AZ to live with his grandparents. Andrea moved out, and that same day, Chris moved in to take her place as the most spoiled Hawley kid on the planet.

We weren't too thrilled with Chris' senior portraits taken by a professional, so we decided this is Chris' official senior portrait, taken by a good friend on a great day in the woods.


Note the changes: hair, glasses - this is the way we remember Chris his senior year, the year he found 'style'.

Hawaiian entertainment

At the beach today, Allison and I were sitting on big rocks, which were actually boats we were driving to Hawaii. I asked Allison, "What do you think we'll see in Hawaii?" Quick as a flash, no pause, she said, "Chickens dancing!" Of course! Doesn't everyone know that???

Church fun with Allison

President Monson perfectly described Allison when he said, "Great big spirit, little tiny body."

One Sunday for the Sacrament, a yummy rosemary bread was used. When Allison ate a piece during that quiet, reverent time, she yelled, "YUCK! That bread is YUCKY!" It seriously reverberated off the walls. Subsequent announcement from the Stake President (visiting our ward that day, of course): we will only use plain white bread for the sacrament.

At the beginning of the year when the kids switched primary classes, I asked Allison about her new Primary teacher. She said, "She was grumpy and naughty. I captured her and I tied her up with a rope!" I guess they aren't getting along so well?

There are a couple of older women in our ward who usually sit together in Sacrament meeting. This past Sunday we sat directly in front of them. During the announcements, Allison looked back and called out to me, "Mommy, LOOK! There are 2 Ursalas!!"