Merry Christmas from The Hahn's

Glamour Shots By Deb

It seems the only pictures that are being taken these days are for Randy's school assignments.  We do enjoy are weekly adventures into the city and working with him in the studio being his models!  He likes to pretend he is Deb from Napoleon Dynamite... "I could wrap you in some foam, or something billowy?  Okay, turn your head on more of a slant... Now, make a fist.  Slowly ease it up underneath your chin.  This is looking really good.  Hold still right there.  Now, just imagine you're weightless, in the middle of the ocean, surrounded by tiny little seahorses.  Click... That was the one. I think that's gonna come out really nice."

This is Serious Business... Shots

Some of us are joking!

Can you guess who?

Labor Day

We spent the holiday in San Francisco.  First, we took the boys for a hike down to Baker Beach.  Randy didn't take this photo...but we had to use about a mile's worth of stairs like these.  There are hikers and runners on the path pretty consistently, and it was easy to feel like we were in the way.  Randy actually fell at one point on the way down b/c of a runner who wouldn't get off his tail.  :(  Then, on our way back up - Mathias decided he couldn't go up one more step.  He sat down in the middle of the stairs and said, "these puny legs can't take me any farther!"  

We got to eat our lunch here, though...so that was nice!

We headed over the bridge to get to Fort Cronkhite next.  It was well worth the trip - and will be a spot I recommend to anyone who wants a fun, free place to hang out at in San Francisco.  You can hike, surf and swim here - and there's lots of parking and pretty decent bathrooms.  Isn't it lovely?  It almost felt like we weren't even in the city anymore.

Randy got some fun historical shots of the fort while we were there - and we hiked around, climbed trees, talked with a cute Irish lady, and then the boys got to swim.  They were a bit disappointed about how sticky they felt from the ocean water, but I still think they would do it again:)  

First Day of School

2nd and 6th grade babies.  Say what?  It seriously took me all summer to come to terms with having a child in middle school!!!  My memories of 6th grade are still so prominent I guess.  

Both boys are adjusting well.  It's really an amazing process to watch - all the different levels of learning that they are undertaking.  We're very proud of both of them!

Garron's double-one birthday

Garron turned 11 on August 23.  He asked for a red cake with a wand on it...

Wah-lah!  

There's really no way to explain the love we have for this boy.  He is good in ways we don't deserve.  Randy and I have often discussed how having Garron in our family has proven to us that God truly does know our limitations - and that we are obviously meant to be challenged in other ways/areas of our lives...not through our children.  At least not yet:)

He is quiet, reflective, bright, kind, loving, and careful.  He has an immense desire to do what's right.  We have loved watching him grow up - and step out of his shell a little more each year.  

He is finally learning to stand up to his little brother - which is frustrating for me at times, but good practice for him:)  

He's a great story teller.  Watching a reenactment of an event from his day is an amazingly fun treat, especially if you only know him as a quiet kid.  I love when he stops to laugh with me and then has to recompose himself to finish!

We love you, G!  Keep being you, Kid!!

Lake Tahoe 2010

Thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Hahn we were able to spend a fun filled week with family in Lake Tahoe!  They found a new cabin to go to this year in the Keys that was so nice.  The weather was beautiful and the water was refreshing as always.  Randy was able to take lots of pictures and use them for his final project for school... not to many family pictures this year but here is our annual family photo in front of the chapel in Tahoe!

America the Story of Us: Declaration of Independence

Randy's Official Unofficial Photography Blog

Come see what Randy's Been working on... Much more work to come!

Click Here

Oh, what do you do in the summertime...

You work on your tan, obviously...

That's the advantage of Grandpa's pool, right?

Awards and Last Day of School

Garron received the President's Education Award as a 5th grader.  It requires that a student place in the 'advanced' level in either the reading or math portion of their 4th grade state test, and that an A- or higher average is maintained their entire 5th grade year.

A letter from the President accompanied the award.

Garron also received an attendance award.  He didn't miss any days this year while at Croce, but he did miss two while attending DeZavala in Texas....thus not "Perfect" attendance, just exemplary:)

Both boys on the last day of school

Tar Heel Boy

Garron didn't have to learn all the states and capitals this year (slacker) - but he did have to pick a state and do a thorough report on it.  The project entailed making a 3 fold brochure on the state, a power point presentation, and a t-shirt...which you see him sporting in this photo.  He chose North Carolina.  I now want to take a trip!

Oh wait...there was more to the project.  He also had to memorize the Gettysburg address (which kind of makes up for not memorizing the states and capitals) and learn the words to "God Bless the USA".  Both the address and song were performed by the 5th grade as a whole for the school.  They really did a great job.  It was close to Memorial Day, and such a great tribute to our country and those who have sacrificed so much for it.

Mathias' 7th Birthday

We celebrated Mathias' 7th Birthday!  He wanted a chocolate cake with a California King Snake on it!

We used trick candles on him!

He insisted on Cherry Soda!

Here are some of his gifts.  Thanks to all for the cards, gifts, money, phone calls!  It was a special day indeed.

Cool, cool, cool

A friend of mine recently started designing prints that coordinate with well known scripture verses.  She has a great sense of style and loads of talent.  Go check her Etsy store out - here.  A lot of the prints come with color choices, and they look amazing grouped together!!  Enjoy...

One year older and wiser too

Happy Birthday to Randy!  He reports having had a great birthday - the best yet, even!  In honor of his favorite candy, we made him a chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting...yum!  The boys made him a family celebration plate.  Mathias chose the phrase "you're the best" b/c it reminds him of Nacho Libre saying "it's the best";)  The boys' instructions to Randy regarding the plate are that he's to share it whenever it's someone's birthday, or someone gets a good grade, or does something extra special.  Lovely, boys...lovely.

Randy also got a book, some great ties, and replacement headlight casings for our car (not shown...but they look amazing!).  We also had some fun with him and added trick candles to his cake.  We all had fun watching him blow them out again...and again...and again.  

He appreciates all the calls, letters, facebook messages, songs sung over the phone and more!  Enjoy the shots...

Funny?? You got it...

Our boys' funnies for the day:

Starting with Mathias.  The conversation on the way to church goes something like this:

Mathias:  Dad!  Can you turn down the radio?
Me:  (I know... it should be Randy, but I interrupted b/c Mathias had a very rude tone) Why, Mat-D?
Mathias:  (who is busily writing a story in his journal) Cuz I can't focenstrate
Me:  You can't focenstrate, huh?
Mathias:  (who knows there is something wrong with the words being laid down, but lacks the time to address the issue any further...) Ya!!  (long pause from him...with muffled snickers from the rest of us...)  Oh, concentrate....

I was kind of sad that he got it right.  Focus+Concentrate = Focenstrate ... love it!!

On to Garron at the dinner table.  After filling our bellies with delicious chopped beef brisket sandwiches, which always elevates our joy-meters...Garron had this to share:

Garron:  I NEVER get to sleep in!
Me: (to Randy) Ya...maybe we should have Mathias sleep elsewhere during spring break, so Garron can catch some extra rest.
Randy:  Well, what's wrong Garron?  Are you a light sleeper or something?
Garron:  No...well, maybe...I don't know.  But Mathias wakes up early in the morning, goes to the bathroom (sound effects), washes his hands (more sound effects, and impressment points from mom that Mathias even washes his hands w/o being told), closes the bathroom door (sound effects), opens the bedroom door (you guessed it...sound effects), then says, 'later, Garron'.
Randy:  Wait...He talks to you even though you're asleep?
Garron:  Yes!
Family: (uncontrollable laughter) :)

Book elf

Randy and I found this on our bed the other day.  Do you think we should read it?  

Garron is eating this series up.  Days after finishing the first book, he's already 20 pgs. from completing the second.  And in case you're counting on his review - he says the books are way better than the movie.  And that's that.

I love you and you love me...

This is why we're glad that our six year old can read and write - or at least attempts to:)  FYI:  the last sentence reads "I love y-o-u so much more than anything".  He spelled 'you' completely backwards...funny!

Mathias is constantly leaving notes, personally designed (or forged if you prefer) money, paper boobie traps, reminders, occasional threats, tallies and anything else he can scribble ALL over the house.  We love that he doesn't get encumbered by being accurate...he goes freestyle all the way and lets his creativity show through.    

Go Urban Knights

Today is Randy's first day of school.  He is now a proud Urban Knight and full time photography student.  The Academy of Art is a ridiculously expensive school, but it has some of the best classes, programs and job placement abilities of any art school around.  I'm cautiously excited - but Randy's contagious enthusiasm is slowly getting the better of me.  I guess running around San Francisco all day and taking in all that a city has to offer, could eventually get the better of anyone, right?

Good luck, Randy!!  We love you...

Crazy fun...

Ok...We haven't been this excited about something in a long time!!  We're not sure if we like it so much b/c we're a family of mainly boys, or if we're just super nerdy - but either way we have a hard time imagining anyone NOT liking Geocaching.  In a nut shell, geocaching is a real life treasure hunting game with almost 1,000,000 little geocaches hidden around the world.  If you click on the link, you'll get a better description and idea of what it's all about.  We just started this weekend and  thought it would be handy to share our first find with you.  

After downloading the app to our phones, we set out to track down our first find.  It was called Highway Garage, and b/c Randy has grown up in the area, he knew right where to go w/o having to use the provided map and coordinates.  We headed to the site and just started looking.  There are hints provided about every geocache's whereabouts, but we still struggled to unearth this one.  Luckily, our friends who introduced us to the sport gave us a few more hints, and this is what we found...

Looks pretty benign, right?  Just a cute little rock sitting in some juniper bushes.  But...

flip it over, and look what you find...

a log to sign, and little trinkets that you can trade for if you've brought something along to trade with!! :)

We signed the log, recorded the geocache as found in our log...and looked through all the little trinkets before putting everything back together and re-hiding the rock.  It seriously was soooooooo fun!

You would think that it couldn't get much better than that, but it did!  As we were walking back to our car, a man hopped out of his jeep and asked if we wanted to go inside.  Randy told him he'd lived in Livermore his whole life and had always wanted to see what was in the building...we had no idea what they did in there...

The garage is part of the historic Lincoln Highway, and has been preserved by the Heritage Guild

With lots of cool signs and placards...the coke one was a hint for the geocache

But best of all, it houses the city's restored fire trucks!!

The one above is a 1940's model, and the one below is one that they are currently restoring.  It sat out in a field for 50 years or so.  It was saved in 2008.

The one that you see being crank started is a 1917 model.  Both the 1940's model and this one have been in several parades, and we enjoyed seeing them then - but it was even better to see them up close!

This was one of the first hoses used by the Livermore Fire Department.  6-8 men would pull it, or a car would be rented to haul it around

So...if any of you jump on the geocaching bandwagon let us know.  It would be fun to see what you find!  We'll be sure to keep you filled in on the fun ones we find:)