The Happiest Place on Earth

Disneyland delivered...

a beautiful week

of warm weather, minimal crowds and so much fun!

Hannah Banana

It's not everyday that your teenager has a class that requires them to discuss their childhood memories with a parent and then write a paper about it.

Tonight, I racked my memory for stories about Hannah as a baby and toddler.

Oh boy, do I ever have some good stories about her!

For starters, her birth was not typical. She rode in a helicopter before she ever rode in a car. The first time I held her in my arms in the NICU (10 days after her birth), she scrunched her little forehead and gazed into my eyes. I quietly cried and rocked her little bruised body.

Then there were the countless times she crawled out of her crib and into Hilary's crib, always waking her up from a sound sleep and then nothing but giggles from both of them. 

Hannah has always been very transparent with her feelings. She is completely and whole-heartedly honest. If she pulled Hilary's hair while playing, she would come and show me the fist full of hair she had pulled out. When she made a mural on a white wall with a black Sharpie she confessed before I could even ask what had happened.

Cupboards, the top of the Lego table, a bin of toys, and couch cushions on the floor, are just a few of her favorite, unconventional places I could find her playing.

There are scary stories too... the day she twirled right into a glass table that resulted in 17 stitches under her right eye, a severely broken arm from doing jumps on her scooter, her tricycle ride down a steep street with parents frantically chasing after her.

Wow, I am really grateful that there are teachers out there that still require these kinds of assignments!

Basketball in Black and White

Saturdays in the winter are partially dedicated to...

Junior Jazz Girls Basketball Games.

I wouldn't have it any other way.

I love to watch Julia play!

After Dan watched her slip and slide across the floor at the last game, he decided she needed a real pair of basketball shoes. I'm pretty sure she will wear these a total of 6 more times (the number of games left) and then outgrow them.

 Wasatch girls warming up before their game with Edgemont

 You can't tell because the photo is black and white, but that is a pink basketball, after all it is a girls team.

 Chilling out on the chair during a break with her legs crossed like a proper lady... love that!

 Dan is always praising Julia for listening to her coach. She is a great learner and very attentive to his instruction. Her nickname is D-Will (as in Deron Williams).

It was a great game and as we left Provo High School, we reverently stood before this banner than hangs high from the rafters in honor of Dan and his glory days.

Based on this photo, I'm pretty sure Julia gets her mad basketball skills from her dad!

Yep, number 4 catching some air is Dan back in the day!
And for the record...he made the shot!

A New Year

We welcomed the new year with a lot of silly string, Martinelli's, and food.

We started the evening with Cafe Rio takeout--now a die hard tradition.

Family came over and made the night complete.

This is how Scout looks whenever her favorite cousins leave...such a downer for her!

 Julia made sure that we kept the party going well after midnight. We had a HUGE silly string fight and I'm as grateful as ever for the new central vacuum system. It made clean up a cinch.

I'm excited for this year...

I'll be celebrating the big 40,

I'm working out like never before (thanks to my new friend Elizabeth at Gold's). 

Just when I think I might draw my last breath in a smelly gym or hurl all over some dumb bells, 

I miraculously make it through the workout. 

This is the year I will graduate from college...finally.

This is the year that I will coerce myself, the twins and Dan into running a half marathon with me. 

This is the year that Dan and I will meet one of our travel goals... I'm counting down the weeks.

I have several other goals that are on my mental list. However, I'm hoping by actually writing down some of them and posting them, it will keep me focused and motivated to follow through with it all.

Here's to 2011...

300

I can't believe I made it to 300...my 300th blog post.

I fear this blog is dying a slow death, but for posterity's sake, I am trying to keep it somewhat up to date.

Today, Julia played in her Junior Jazz basketball game. She played incredibly well--broke her personal best record with the number of baskets she made. She played the entire game, jammed finger and all.

After a quick lunch and shower, we headed to her winter piano recital.

I believe she takes after her eldest sister, Emily... neither of them ever gets nervous about performing.ever. They truly enjoy playing. Emily was a huge help and played a duet with her. I took a few quick photos...

Love the shoes and bright tights!

For the Record

We did celebrate Christmas this year, despite the lack of quality photos!

Actually, it was a wonderful break and when real life commenced, I have to say it took us awhile to get back on a normal routine. 

The Andersens hosted us on Christmas Eve and it was extra special to have the Willis family (we missed you Ron:) and Howard and his boys here.

Jeanmarie and Jim shared a really nice message and had goodies for everyone.

 We celebrated (again) 20 years of marriage :) Have I mentioned how lucky I am to have him?!

Julia and Eva spent a lot of quality time together, along with Eva's Christmas gift...Molly.

Hilary and our favorite 4 year old boy...Will

And in full disclosure, I spent a whole lot of time with my head in a book or my face glued to a computer screen finishing up my ECON class. So grateful for my cheering section here at home who understands when I get a little frazzled trying to maintain this balancing act!

Sluffing for Skiing

Nothing better than sluffing school part of the day to hit the slopes skiing at Sundance.

Dan and Julia enjoyed their "ski date" and escaped the inversion in the valley.

Julia can't wait for ski school to start on Friday!