happy hallidays.

Really though... happy holidays to one and all! It's been an exciting year and--as always--we are loving finishing it off by celebrating the life of our Savior with the ones we love.

This year we have stayed busy to say the least. Todd finished the first year of his MBA and spent his summer doing research with a few different professors at the Marriott School. This fall he started year two and woke up morning after morning super duper early to work on PhD program applications. If all goes according to plan he'll be starting his PhD in Strategy (nerdy businessy stuff) next fall. We'll find out the location of our next adventure come late February/early March. Outside of school Todd has had fun playing intramural soccer, doing more nerdy stuff (this time of the simulated basketball variety), and awaiting the new Star Wars movie which he finally got to see for the second time this afternoon.

Momma also stayed busy this year. First by creating another human being. That was pretty exciting. I also stayed busy with the primary in our ward and the service committee for the MBA Spouse Association. I also got to play on a few different intramural teams. Todd got the amazing husband award again this year while I left night after night to play volleyball, flag football, and soccer. The co-ed volleyball team I played on even made it all the way to the championship game! Which we blew. Darn. Anyhow... this year has been splendid and I have loved all of the adventures my boys and I have gone on. We've played hard, eaten well, and loved a lot.

Just now Todd asked me if I think people see pictures of us from our early years and think we look young. I'm going to say probably. Here's us now though... still looking lively, ya?

Peter Ashton grew up the most out of all of us. In February he started using the potty, in March he found his vocabulary, in April he became a big brother, and this August he turned 3! He's also grown about a foot and has the wildest imagination. Lately he has been a donkey... which was perfect for our little nativity play tonight. Peter has energy like you wouldn't believe. He can go go go... that's probably why he still takes a solid nap and eats like a teenager! When he's not running laps around the house he enjoys writing his letters, cooking pretend meals, going to the library, and running errands. He's an amazing helper and he loves his little brother. 

Almost 4 weeks early Calvin decided to make us a family of four. The Saturday before he was born Peter announced that baby brother was coming soon. We laughed and asked him when. He said, "Next Thursday." The next Thursday came and lo and behold my water broke that evening. Luckily aunt Marysa was already at our house so we packed up some half-hearted hospital bags and headed out. That all started at about 6pm. The next day at 1pm our itty bitty Calvin arrived! And holy moly were we glad. He sure took his sweet time. After a few days we settled on "Calvin Scott" and we're pretty sure he's the sweetest little Calvin Scott ever. Since joining us in April Calvin has tripled in size, learned how to sit up, eat all of the foods, and as of this week he has learned how to play silly games and do the worm to get around the room. Calvin loves his family. He's especially a momma's boy.

These two... already best buds.

There you have it. We're older, possibly wiser. We've had tons of fun and worked our tails off. We've learned lots and grown closer together.

I've never loved three people more than I love my three boys. They make me all sorts of happy and spending Christmas with them has been especially delightful this year.

We love each other and we love our Savior. We hope you feel of His love this Christmas season and all through this next year.

love,

the Halls

happy donut birthday!

I have started this post again and again. I can't decide if I want to be honest, yet grumpy, or just skim over the details leaving readers with nothing to worry about. 

Well there I've done it. Now you're worrying.

K, fine. Here's a silly grumpy post.

Pretty much I just wasn't looking forward to my birthday at all this year. I don't care about getting old, that's not my problem. My problem is that I've been busy. Busy with good things... like my primary calling in our ward and my position as the service committee head with MBASA. But I've still just been too busy... and in charge. I don't mind being a leader. I enjoy it, really. But unfortunately sometimes being a leader means everyone treats at you like the boss-man... not necessarily their friend. This is a tough lesson that I learned this semester... I am not good at being a leader and a friend to those I'm leading. And this is why I didn't want to have a birthday. Because I felt like I had no friends. Because I knew that it would probably be pretty boring. I knew I wouldn't go out to lunch with my buddies and that no one would stop by. And I knew that it was so silly all at the same time... but feelings are real and I was feeling majorly meh.

That's why I decided to do Donut Day on my birthday. On top of already feeling dumb for wanting attention it was also kinda selfish of me to do Donut Day on this specific Saturday because Todd needed to be studying for a calculus final... but I needed his help making batch after batch of donuts. Fortunately he's a great (understatement) husband who can manage time like no one's business. He might be father time himself. He quietly moved around his schedule and studied his tail off all week so he could spend the day with me and the boys making and delivering donuts.

It ended up working out really well and it was a great way to get out and see some friends on my birthday.

After delivering our last plate of donuts we went to Wendy's for my birthday dinner. I had an incredible head cold and couldn't taste a thing. (Don't tell anyone that ate the donuts, I promise I took lots of precautions not to germ them up!) I thought spicy Wendy's chicken nuggets would do the trick  and clear up my clogged brains but honestly I just felt like more of a loser for eating at Wendy's for my birthday dinner. Haha like I said... it's silly. Especially when I look at the next pictures... 

I have nothing to complain about.

These boys are some of my best friends. And I know for a fact that they are using every once of patience they have on me.

The day after my birthday my parents got to come to town due to my dad having some work meetings in the area. My mom got to accompany me at our MBA Christmas Fireside and afterwards the whole family (minus Hermana Barfuss) had cake and ice cream. Brennan gave me some beautiful flowers and my mom sent my sister and I out to shop and get manicures.

In the end everything turned out just fine.

I may feel like friends are hard to come by these days... and I may be terrified to leave my family to go far away for more school in the fall... but like my dad says, "You'll be fine." And I sincerely think I will be. I just need to learn how be a good friend.