Happy New Year!

Tonight we had our traditional New Year’s dinner- fancy meats, cheese, crackers, bread, dips, veggies and sparkling drinks.

Laun really loved the cinnamon cheese, Clayton liked the brie, Porter liked the smoked mozzarella & apricot cheese, Marlee liked the Port Sault, and I liked the pistachio goat cheese & smoked mozzarella. It is fun to try new cheeses every year.

Cheers!

Dessert was a skillet chocolate chip cookie with ice cream.

My goals this year:

-be positive, be healthy, be happy

-write in my journal more often & read my scriptures daily

practicing her letters

Laun was getting sick of staring at this ugly wall, so we painted it. Before we got started we let Marlee go to town & paint some letters.

She loved it, but hopefully she doesn’t start painting letters on the other walls in the house:)

We had light cream paint, so that is what we used. Now we just need to frame the mirror.

cold weather

The weather has been a little cold lately- for Tucson. Clayton is trying to catch some hail. I’m hoping the kids can try out their snowboards soon at Mount Lemmon.

12 years

I know some people think that when you are young you don’t know a whole lot, but I’d have to disagree. I made the best decision of my life when I was only 18 years old…marrying Laun. Today is our 12th Wedding Anniversary & I am so happy with the wise choice that I made at only 18. I love you Laun Hall.

4th day of hiking in a row

Andy & Elizabeth’s family came in town last night. This morning we went on a little impromptu hike at Pima Canyon before church…which explains why some of us aren’t dressed properly (skirts, flip flops, etc.). This trail isn’t too far from our house, but we just found it the other day, so this was our first time hiking it. We definitely want to go back again, but I would like to be wearing my tennis shoes & pants this time, instead of a skirt & flats. This is the 4th day in a row for our family to go hiking!

Josiah refused to look at the camera, I guess he was all done with pictures-love that kid.

Tonight we had dinner with the Frost’s, Turley’s & Fernando.

We had smoked turkey, grilled chicken, sweet potatoes, baked potatoes, corn & salad.

Laun is a good cook.

Jonathan & Darleen made dessert-they always bring over a dessert on Sunday’s.

celebrating our 12th Wedding Anniversary….

Laun & I went out to celebrate our 12th Wedding Anniversary that is tomorrow. We went & saw the movie Les Miserables & then to Blanco’s for lunch.

I wore the awesome scarf that Laun picked up for me on his China trip. The only upside about Laun being out of town is that he always brings the kids & I some great gifts:)

Black Hills

Jonathan joined us on our hike at the Black Hill’s today, before we left Laun gave him a gift from China. This hat looks a lot like a hat Jonathan brought home from his mission in Russia.

When we got to the Black Hills the boys looked for some quail.

Clayton & Jonathan

Laun & Porter

The boys love riding in the bed of the truck.

Marlee worked on perfecting her sunflower seed eating.

We went on a hike at the perfect time-I love how the sunlight is in the afternoon.

Getting farther away from our truck…

Laun

It was strange seeing fern growing between the rocks, this is the only fern we saw while hiking.

Marlee hikes for awhile, until she decides that daddy should carry her:)

Marlee holding a dried cholla cactus.

From shortest to tallest- Porter, Clayton & Jonathan. The boys walk this same way with Laun.

I like walking through the sandy area.

Marlee sliding down a rock to Uncle Jonathan.

little hideout

Laun midair

Clayton stayed by Jonathan for most of the hike.

Two sets of brothers:

Porter, Laun & Clayton- my favorite group of guys

Laun carried Marlee quite a bit- she’s one lucky girl to have such a great daddy.

Porter loves finding devil claws.

I love the golden hue of this picture.

Laun climbed up another mountain & took some pictures from up there:

Jonathan looking for quail

Jonathan & Clayton

Porter, Marlee & I

When we got back from our hike the boys went hunting.

Laun got a quail & Jonathan got a rabbit.

Then we had a campfire dinner & mallows.

We've been loving our new hotdog-mallow roasters.

Jonathan was wearing Laun’s sweater tonight & it threw me off a little. That is Jonathan in this picture, not Laun.

I have been loving all this time in the outdoors with my family this week. Too bad Darleen couldn’t join us today, she had to work.