2011 Family Highlights Reel!

We wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year! We are looking forward to 2012, as much as we've enjoyed 2011. Here is a slideshow with some of our favorite memories of the last year. Apologies for the low-res version, there is a file size upload limit. Come on by the house and we will show you the high-res photos! Thanks!

Olivia Wins Big!

Olivia participated in the “Reflections” contest for the arts in October 2011. The theme was “Diversity means...”, and she was so excited to write her very own “essay” for the literature division. She took the effort very seriously and was really proud of her submission. After all was said and done, a first place ribbon (1st grade level) was awarded! Way to go, Olivia!! The below is in her own spelling; what diversity means to a 6-year old...

"DIVRSITEY MEANS...


Divirsitey means that everewone is different from each other.


There are thowsands of kinds of flowers on the Earth and ech one is prity and intrsting and speshle. Its like that with humans to!! We are all different. We are prity and intresting and spechle just like the flowers.


I like my garden to have many different kinds of flowers becase that makes it more fun to look at and allso more intresting. I garden would be so boring if all the flowers were the same. The earth would be boring too if all the people were the same!


Divrsity means that people don't dress the same. And they don't talk the same. They bring different food in there lunch boxes.


Diversity means that everywone is uneek. That's the way I like it!"

Halloween!

Once again Amy outdid herself as the Hallowqueen. The kids were Seuss characters, with a Star-Bellied Sneetch, Thing 1 and Thing 2, and a Cat in the Hat (the tutu was Olivia's idea, and it made the outfit). We were surprised at how many people didn't know what Dr. Seuss characters are, but everyone over 30 seemed to get it. Amy and I were ninjas at the ward fall fiesta, because ninjas are always cool. Drizzling night keep most of the trick-or-treaters home, but that meant more candy for the kids!

Fall Fun Photos

Random fall photos: pumpkin-picking with the Blackwells, Sheriff Sawyer, Amy trying to get the kids to smile at the same time!

Tiger Trot Race!

October 15, 2011 - the day of the Tiger Trot race! Olivia rocked the 1 miler, and Mommy provided assistance along the way. Ella, Hannah, and Daddy did the 5K, and all went well there with respectable times. It was chilly at first, but we warmed up quick. It was nice that Ella and Hannah finished at the same time. They've practiced hard for this, and they did a great job!

Back To School

September 6, 2011 - the first day back to school. E started 6th grade this year, off to middle school far away. H and O are still in elementary school, right up the street. Daddy was too traumatized by the middle school transition that he couldn't even watch, Mommy handled everything like a pro.

Summer Pool Fun...and a Bonus!

We love the pool all summer. To clarify: everyone loves the pool except for "Ramon, the pool boy" whose sole purpose in life during the summer is to keep the pool clean and toxic to all life-forms but our own. "Ramon" loves the pool - when he gets to swim in it, and everyone else loves it all the time!

Summer's ending soon, we are about to close the pool, so we thought we should post some fond pool summer memories. It is nice to have a pool in the Richmond summers! First, a video of our Ollie-fish who learned how to swim confidently this summer (we are so proud of her!):

Then, the rest of us:

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For all you faithful viewers, here is a bonus video (unrelated to the pool) of Sawyer and two of his sisters singing "You Are My Sunshine", enjoy!

Hartling Family Fun!

The whole family went up to Nova Scotia in July, to be with Bert and see all the sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, in-laws, sons, daughters, cousins, and other random relatives and well-wishers that stopped by the Hartling home! There was too much fun had to summarize it all here, so we've put together a quick slideshow with some of our favorite memories, most of which have to do with all the little cousins running around and playing with each other. Thanks to Max and Brody, we can't get Justin Bieber music out of our heads, so we put the whole thing to one of his tunes - so you all can be tortured as well. "Baby, baby, baby - oOOOH!" Enjoy!

Random Summer Photos

Since the cows invaded and destroyed most of our garden earlier this year, we've had plenty o' time to play this summer! Below are some random photos of some summer memories, enjoy!

Bert and Sharon Getting Sealed!

Amy and Sawyer went up to Nova Scotia over July 4th weekend, and Amy was able to attend the temple sealing of her parents, Bert and Sharon. This special day came after 41 years of marriage, and will henceforth be celebrated by annual fireworks! It was a special weekend for Amy and her parents.

July 4th Carolina Trip

Amy and Sawyer were up in Canada unexpectedly, so Daddy and the girls trekked to North Carolina to visit with first the Blackwells in Silar City and then with the Woolleys in Charlotte! Swimming and dancing dominated the time with the Blackwells, the girls did their own thing together in their own pretend world! The adults caught up and toured their new house/property. With the Woolleys we saw their awesome house, and then boated on their amazing boat on Lake Norman! Everyone went tubing for hours, and walked very tenderly from sunburns for about a week after! The highlight was floating in the Lake altogether watching the holiday fireworks over the lake...that was pretty cool. We can't wait to go down to visit again!