Moms and Muffins at Hannah Holbrook Elementary

January 11th was Moms and Muffins at the school where the students can come and read a book and eat muffins with their moms. Zach of course had to find "the girls" to sit by them. We had fun each taking a turn reading and enjoying Costco muffins!


Zach holding Angus after Moms and Muffins before he needed to go to school.
Adorable...

Planet Hollywood Las Vegas - Upgraded Suite!

Robert and I went to Las Vegas for a wedding job and Robert booked a room at the new Planet Hollywood. We checked in late and the clerk passed a paper over the counter to inform us we had been upgraded to a suite because they had overbooked our type of room and we were only staying one night. Hey, that never happens to us right? But this time it did! It was an unbelievable suite with 10-foot ceilings, multiple rooms, and you had to insert the room key while in the elevator to get to our top level suite. The pictures do not even do it justice.

Miscellaneous Things....

We had been trying to create a little normal life for Aaron since the passing of big Aaron. These two boys have become good buddies since we have all been living together at mom and dad Higginson's house. Everyday Aaron asks "Where's Zach?" when Zach is at school. Here they are watching a movie together.

Zach playing Guitar Hero III, which we got for Christmas...It is quite amazing to watch as he plays 3 to 4 colors with one single finger.
Zach giving Aaron a piggy back ride...my camera work was not fast enough to catch all of Zach but Aaron was laughing really hard.
Caroline and Angus.
Elise and Hannah leaning on Stella who fell asleep in the chair...

Gorgeous sunset.

Aaron Harkness

I know that it has been a couple of months since I last posted on my blog...my brother-in-law Aaron Harkness passed away on November 29th. Thanksgiving was the last time I visited with him and only briefly saw him the night before he died. I still have not been able to find the words to describe how I feel and so instead I wrote nothing until now. My heart aches for Leslie and little Aaron and I just try to do what I can to help, but it will never replace Aaron. Our family had some experiences with Aaron, memories that will not soon be forgotten... For example, camping and boating at Yuba Lake (getting Aaron's truck stuck up to its floor boards in mud), and boating on Utah Lake, when a huge windstorm came up and made white caps, and Aaron safely navigated us to shore. He was selfless with his things, interested in whatever we were doing, and he was always a gentle quiet giant with Zach. Our lives are never going to be the same now that he is gone...

Thankful for Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving was a big get together on the Higginson side because mom and dad Higginson were home off of their mission. The family is so big now that the church is the most accommodating place. There was a lot of yummy main course food and desserts made possible by everybody. We enjoyed a few games of Elimination, Spell Down, and the Thimble game. It was a nice day and we ended up at my family's home for more dessert, visiting, and games with my sister's family.


The food table spread.





Elimination!

John taking out grandma...ouch!
Aaron and Aaron Jr.

Kristina, Caroline, Elise.
Nairn, Lauren, background grandpa, Michael, Veronica, Lily, Sophie.
Michael.
Grandpa and Michael.
More Elimination!

Cheerleaders in the end zone!

Visiting during dessert.
Madsen family eating dessert. Chad with goofy face, Jenna, grandpa, grandma, Christine, Adam.
Jenna, Zach, and Adam.

Octoberfest! Halloween is coming...but I got my blog's backwards.

Zach testing out a new costume for Halloween! "Baggie" overalls (no pun intended). :)

Zach's Halloween gifts from his birth family...he is one spoiled kid!

Zach insisted on helping with the carving. He actually did pretty good with a little bit of Robert's help.
Robert cuts out the final details before we get the pumpkin face below! Zach has turned into a pumpkin!


Traditional pumpkin face!

Zach here with his Vernal cousin Jenna...and below adding Adam. They were here over U.E.A. and we got to spend some fun times with them.


Zach laughing at Adam's funny face.