Happily Ever After: Fall and Winter Wrap Up, 2010

This season in our lives was quite fun. Alyssa tested into kindergarten early and so she, along with Harrison who was in third grade, were in school all day. What was I to do with myself for 8 whole hours? I soon found that those hours went by rather quickly, what with running, cleaning, shopping, and cooking. I also volunteered in Alyssa's classroom once a week and often went in more than that. I loved her teacher, Mrs. Fierro and it was wonderful to see Alyssa in her classroom setting. Todd and I discovered that Gilbert Public Schools made the best baby-sitters and we would go out to lunch in the middle of the day once a week. I still served in Cub Scouts and would plan those weekly meetings while my kids were in school too. My biggest goal was to have most of my chores done so that the minute school got out, I could devote all of my time to the kids without having to worry about the laundry, cooking, etc. For the most part, that is what happened. I look back to that time fondly.

Todd and I got to go the Homecoming Game at ASU. Since Todd's firm is a sponser of ASU football, we were treated well. We got to go on the field for the entire first quarter. Even I, not much of a football fan at all, enjoyed it. It is something else seeing football at this level that close. I don't know how the football player's moms handle it, those tackles were loud! I can't imagine how those tackles feel. Anyway, Todd was in heaven and even though I can't remember the score, I do remember we had an awesome time!

My family has a tradition of having a big, extended Halloween party every year. 2010 was no different. We ate chili and cornbread, as usual, and then played minute to win it games. Thanksgiving 2010 was spent with the Smith side of our family and all 5 kids and their spouses were in attendance. Mom and Dad Smith were not, as they were in Thailand serving as mission Presidents. Christmas is always split between the Smiths and Hallocks. On Christmas Eve, we had brunch with the Smiths, Christmas Eve night is with my extended Hallock family, and Christmas was with Grammy and Pappy Hallock. Since my parents live next door to Ken and Janette, we see our Booth(Smith) cousins every holiday anyway! I was particularly happy this Christmas because just a few days earlier, my endocrinologist took me off all my thyroid drugs and deduced that I no longer had any hyperthyroid symptoms. The medicine worked! And now, nearly three years and a healthy pregnancy later, I am still going strong!

Todd's cousin coming home from his mission to India. He had a layover in Phoenix and we went to see him. We told him we would treat him to dinner and his response was, "Where's the beef?" We got him a Whopper at Burger King.