The Color Run

 I am so happy that Hailey and I got to do The Color Run together.  It was so much fun watching Hailey and to see how much she loved it.  Hailey decided that she should wear he swim goggles so she would be able to see the whole way through the race.  Hailey was jumping up and down as we waited for the race to start, she could hardly wait.

 Yum- colored corn starch right in the mouth.

 At the end of the race, Mia got to have some fun too.  We took her into the dance pit where we threw colored corn starch up in the air.  She loved it.  Look at her face, it is pure joy.

 We saw the Tregaskie's at the race too.

 I love these girls and all of the adventures I get to do with them and Bub.

 She did it! Hailey completed her 1st 5k andshe had a smile all the way to the finish line!

I hope this is the first of many fun races together.

     Life seems to be flying by at a faster pace everyday. I have been wanting to capture the cute and sweet moments we have with both of our girls and write down the funny, crazy, cute, and silly things they say.  I have been trying to figure out how, where, and when I should write these things down.  So here it is, the perfect spot to keep these memories forever- our family blog.  I'm excited to be able to add these sweet moments onto our blurb scrapbooks at the end of every year- so here we go.

Christmas Time

 We went see Christmas lights at the Ethel M Chocolate factory as a family.  It is a different sight than we are used to.  These lights are set up in a cactus garden and there is no snow anywhere to be seen.  Then we went through the Chocolate Factor and had some free samples.

 We spent a week in Utah with both sides of the family over the Christmas break.  We went up to Daniel's Summit, and went snowmobiling with my family.  We try to do this pretty often.  It was one of my Dad's favorite places during any season of the year.  We have spend many days up there horseback riding, four-wheeling, or snowmobiling.  In trying to keep the tradition alive and have some winter fun we had a awesome and tiring day of snowmobiling.  We started together with the kids and everyone except Vanessa (she stayed home since she was ready to have a baby any day).  After 3 hours, Mia fell asleep.  We struggled  to make it back to the cabin and hold her on the snowmobile too.  The boys had to dig each others snowmobiles out more than a couple of times.  At the end of the day Bub, Sam, my Mom and I took one last outing where Bub's snowmobile got stuck super deep.  Bub and Sam were up to there chest in snow trying to get the snowmobile unstuck.  The sun had gone down and the snowmobile took forever to get out. Thank goodness for delicious hot chocolate waiting for us when we made it back to the cabin.

                                     Hailey singing at her schools Choir performance.  It was a big deal to Hailey.

                     Mia needed a cuddle break so we stopped and hung out in the snow for a while.

                         The girls made an awesome fort in their room and the fell asleep right away.  They got to sleep there for a couple of days and were in heaven.

                                                   Grandma Tere, making snow angels.

 The girls had fun at our ward Christmas party.  Hailey asked Santa for a dog, of course. Mia just wants a unicorn stuffed animal.  Santa knew the girls by name and they were a little freaked out by that. LOL

                                    These girls get a long most of the time and are great friends.

8 is Great

                          Hailey, Grace (from school), Graces sister?, Hailey Hughes from Church

                                                               The Ryan girls, Emily (Kate's sister)

                                                                  Aubrey (from soccer), Andalynn (from church)

                                                                                       Mia

                                                                   Lizzy (Church) and Kate (school)

 I  am not sure how Hailey can be 8 years old already but the cute girl just will not stop growing.  Hailey was so excited to have her 1st friend birthday party and I let her plan the whole thing.  It was at the River Mountain Park by our home. We decorated cupcake, played pin-the-tail, had pizza and the girls loved it.

 On the day of Hailey's birthday we had a small family celebration at home.  She got some Piano music, a Book of Mormon, and a CTR ring.

                          We sure love Hailey.  She is such an awesome, friendly, talented girl.

Hailey is growing up way to fast and time just keeps on flying by.  I thought I would ask her a few questions to help us remember her at this age forever.

How old are you? 8

What makes you happy? Playing with my friends
What is your favorite food? Orange Chicken
What is your least favorite thing to eat?  Tomatoes
What is your favorite thing to do? Play with my family
What is your favorite TV Show? My Little Pony
What are you really good at? Sports
What is your favorite movie? The Lorax
What is your favorite color? Purple and Pink
What is your favorite song? Call me Maybe
Who is your best friend? My best friend in my family is Mia and my best friend at school is Kate
What do you and your Mom do together? make cookies together
What do you and your Dad do together? play video games and soccer
What is your favorite sport? Soccer
Where is your favorite place to go? Chucky Cheese
What is your favorite book? Junnie B. Jones
What do you want to be when you grow up? A Veterinarian

Bub's Travels

     

Bub has been traveling all over for his OBGYN residency interviews.  In Pennsylvania, Bub went out to the Amish area where he found Longenecker Road.  I have never met another Longenecker outside of our family.  I guess out in Pennsylvania they are all over the place.

Bub had an awesome time shooting guns with the Elders in our ward.  I guess the desert is good for something.  HAHA

It is weird to not know where our family will be living for the next 4-7 years.  The options have been narrowed down to Michigan, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Texas. It is exciting in a way to know we will be starting on a new adventure in places I have never been.  I am sure glad to know that the church is everywhere and we will be just fine. 

Thanksgiving

     We had Thanksgiving dinner at the Las Vegas Longenecker's this year.  Bub was supposed to work on Thanksgiving and I was sad that we would be without him that day.  I started my day with a bike ride and when I came home, Bub was there.  The resident sent him home and told him to spend the holiday with his family.  I was so excited.  Bubs parents also came down from Utah to spend Thanksgiving with us.  Later that weekend my Mom, Bruce and Austie came down to visit too.  We love having visitors and enjoy having people come see us.

Success- I win!

                                                                Success- I win!

 Hailey has been going to a new school this year called Pine Crest Academy.  She has some awesome friends from our ward that go to school there too.  Lucky for me, we get to carpool and it's the best thing ever.  Little Mia thinks she is a park of the big girl crowd.  It makes her happy so we let her think she is big.  These girls like to have play dates after school on Fridays so they are still in school clothes.  They look adorable.  I love having my home full of kids, it's a great feeling and my girls love it! 

 Oh how I love this girl!  She melts my heart everyday and says the funniest things.  Recently Mia decided she was done with her baby blanket.  The blanket had seen much better days and was barely hanging together.  Mia walked up to me one day and said, "I want to put my blanky in the garbage."  So I took advantage of the moment and we put it in the big garbage outside.  She was happy for a few days until she decided she wanted it back.  Then she adopted her lamb and now "Lamby" goes everywhere with Mia.

 

On Veteran's day we all went to the Nellis Air Force Base for an amazing air show.  We loved it. 

 Hailey loved the tricks the airplanes were doing.  We both got scared a few time that the planes were going to crash.  I feel like this little lady is a fun friend now and she is growing up so so fast.  I used to be sad that she is not a toddler anymore but now she is so much fun in a whole new way.  We love our Hailey!

 Hailey at her end of the season soccer party.    Half of the girls on this team used to be on Hailey's team last season that Bub coached.  It has been fun to see them all grow so much.  Watching Hailey play soccer is so much fun.  She is a talented and smart player and her movements are looking more natural.  She is pretty awesome!

                                      Oh yes, and Mia always thought she was on the team too.

 Thanksgiving was a fun time.  Bub's parents came down and we all had Thanksgiving up at his brother's home in  North Vegas.  Then the next day my Mom, Bruce and Austie come down to visit us.  It was so awesome to have everyone here.  We also got an awesome gift from my Mom- a piano.  Hailey is excited to learn how to play the piano and I am hoping to relearn.  I am so excited to have music in our home once again.

It's that time of year and I love it.  I love seeing the girls so excited about Christmas.  They can barely hold in their excitement when we go to a store and there is a Salvation Army donation bucket.  They get a kick out of telling complete strangers Merry Christmas.  I am so happy to be blessed with my family here on earth and up in heaven.  I'm so thankful for our Savior, and the gospel.  I am counting my blessings........