Dance Recital 2010-Walking On Sunshine

The year of dance classes finally pays off with the year end recital! I can't believe my little girl is old enough to look like a tween! It was so fun to see her in her limelight, with her hair pulled up and her costume on! Pulling her hair back reminded me of when my mom did it for me! All those years of driving back and forth for the big recital-thank mom! The show was great and we were so proud of our very own Ray of Sunshine! Congratulations princess! You were awesome!

December 2009

2009 Wraps Up for the Family with a Big Christmas Reunion
Our Christmas Season began with the kindergarten program at Mr. Man's School PTA Night. Oma was able to come and watch our very own star in his first school program celebrating the Christmas spirit.

The crowd hushes as the star of the show approaches the stage.

And here they are-for your listening pleasure folks-after months of musical practice, we present the amazing talent of the kindergarten singing a holiday classic-Jingle Bells!

Mom takes a moment to get a photo with the star of the show!

Oma with the three muskateers after the performance.

Dad poses with his all star Kindergartner-ever the proud Papa!

We all got into the Christmas spirit with Dad's work project, making homemade gift boxes for our soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. This is a picture of the boxes the adults assembled, and the airplane one of the kids made, showcasing the dangerous skills of a soldier jumping out of the airplane! Kids have great imaginations don't they.

This is the cookie crowd. The kids went crazy with the sugar cookie decorating! They had a great time, although we are pretty sure that most of the icing ended up on the kids.

Here is a sweet homemade note for one of the soldiers from our Mr. Man. It says exactly what the soldiers need to hear- simply-thank you!

It is hard to believe that my children have all been born during the war on terror. Even though the kids don't fully understand the meaning of war (thankfully), they are always concerned about the soldiers and their families. The kids understand enough about the soldiers absence, to know that it must be hard for the men and women fighting for our freedom, to be far away from those they love. Somehow they know that those men and women are heroes and should be prayed for and thanked.
It gives me great pride to hear my children tell a uniformed soldier "thank you for serving" whenever they can. Children have such tender hearts - if we could all remember the innocence of youth, the spirit of Christmas would be a permanent state of living, and the word "war" would never have to be explained or understood again.

Nana and the Principle Pose for Proud Parents

Yes-I should have the bumper sticker that says "My daughter is an honor roll student at . . . "
but instead we decided to go out to dinner. We were very proud of our third grader-who started out the year in second and was quickly promoted due to her own intellect! Go Girl!!!!

This felt so good for our sis that she has continued to work hard on everything she tackles in school.

Beautiful Girl! Just as sweet inside as she is outside.

The Christmas Project

The Year 2009 brought some trials, but a lot of blessings for the Napoleon and Hill Families. The Napoleons saw a new baby born into their family-the 4th addition, and saw concern over a serious illness calmed and treated for Kalani. The Hills spent the first six months of the year seperated for Jeff's new job, but reunited in a new area, a new house and close to our old friends the Napoleons. Facing the tough economic trials of the year, made us realize how blessed we feel to have stable work, healthy children, good insurance, good homes and food to share. We wanted our children to have the opportunity to realize the blessings we have, by understanding the needs of so many children who would not be so lucky in the season and year round. So we all decided to go shopping for other kids who would be so happy to see a special gift just for them on Christmas. The kids had such a good spirit about doing it, and had a great time picking out the toys they wanted to give. They even insisted that they wrap the gifts themselves! They had such a good time doing it, that we decided to take a picture so we can remind them next season of the fun they had serving someone else. The best part was sharing the hot chocolate after we were all done. Mmmmmmmm!

This is the best picture of the kids. It really shows their true personalities.
Everyones a comedian right?!

Santa Comes to School

Kindergarten was the only class lucky enough to visit with Santa at school this year. We asked for a Spy Gear Kit and a Discovery Kids video camera! Serious toys-so Santa gave him a candy cane just in case the toys didn't work out. Lucky for him-they were there on Christmas morning or else Santa would've been getting spinach on his cookie plate next year!


Santa was so nice-he even let Little Bubbers sit on his lap and tell him what he wanted. The request was made for a transformer-he got a cnady cane too-just in case. Sure enough, the transformer was there under the tree on Christmas day! Santa really knows how to come through for good little boys!

It's Alvin and the chipmunk! Santa had to check on his reindeer after this picture-they were double parked on the roof!

School Parties
Mini Santa and I played guitar and sang Christmas songs for the kindergarten class!
Sugar and Singing go hand in hand!


Mini-mini Santa had a great party with crafts and cookies and good little friends!

"Ok people-what's next? I'm ready for anything!"
Mom had a great time dressing up like an Elf and reading to the Pre-school.
Of course, all the people at the grocery store thought it was a little weird as I was hurrying to gert candy canes before I went. Whatever happened to acceptance? Whatever happened to the Christmas spirit of joy in adulthood? Clearly people are not used to seeing adults dress up like elves in the middle of the day at the grocery store. If it was California-people wouldn't even think twice-it would be weird for someone not be dressed up as an elf in December. Oh well-it was still fun and it was great to be a part of Little Bubbers first Pre-school Christmas party! He had a great time-as shown by the smile on his face in the picture. It's a contagious laugh, so don't get to close or you'll get it too :)


The Gingerbread House

Thanksgiving at the Hills

November 2009


"I'll eat you up, I love you so!"

Norfolk Christmas Parade to kick off the Holidays

where the Wild Things were let out to roam the streets!

Briana and Jackson had a spot right at the front of the gate
so the music and floats were within touching distance! Austin
spent most of the night on my shoulders (Ouch)! Pretty fun
for never being at a Christmas Parade before! Norfolk school
bands really know how to get their groove on! We were clapping
and dancing right along with the cheerleaders, dance team girls
and drummers.

When we were leaving I asked the kids what their favorite part
of the parade was. Both Briana and Austin said, "Santa Clause!"
but my Jackson said, "I liked the girls dancing mom!" I'm in trouble!!!!!

We finished out the night with me pulling Austin and Jackson for 1/2 mile to McDonald's, while holding Briana's hand with my free one, through a sea of traffic and cops everywhere, and then through the 18-65 something males, standing around in the parking lot, listening to music with deep vibrating bass coming out of an old black hydrolic cadillac, and then to the parking garage, all in our Radio Flyer Wagon through downtown urban Norfolk! Can we say "New adventures for the suburban mom with a little red wagon!" What moms are willing to do to feed their kids right!


My Brady Bunch with some of the parade dancers prior to showtime!

We had a really nice Thanksgiving dinner in our new home with family- the Napoleons, the Senior Smith's and us. It was the first turkey I had ever made and it actually turned out well.
We had way too much food and the kids had a great time playing together!
It has been so nice to be around grandparents and best friends here. As we get older we realize that the moments we spend together with those who truly know and love us, are so rare and precious, and that every second of those moments count for a lifetime of memories. We are blessed to have those moments often with the people we love, both living near us and far away. We love you all!

"Home is where the heart is"

Our Bitter Sweet trip to Utah


Julie and Carrie take a picture sans kids!

When Jeff heard that his cousin 34 year old Justin Crowther
had passed away from his battle with Colon Cancer, we knew
we had to be there to support his family.

Jeff's Aunt Sharon and Uncle Bevin offered their support when
Abbey died and we wanted to be there for them too. It was a
beautiful service with so many of his friends and family there
to offer hugs and share tears. Justin's wife and boys were
so strong, as everyone felt surrounded by the spirit of God, as
he comforted all who were there to witness a beautiful farewell
to a very special son, grandson, brother, husband, father, nephew
and cousin. The service really made Jeff and I aware of our
mortality and how vulnerable we all are to our physical bodies,
and how we need to work extra hard to make sure our spiritual
bodies are ready to move forward in God's plan at any point in time.

While we were there, we were able to spend time with all of our family
and it was great to reconnect with everyone! Here's a few pictures from
our reunion.

Parker and Carrie


Easton and Keagan-Seriously-I have the cutest nieces and nephews ever!


It's the new Gap Kids Ad! We were going to see the temple lights!


We had so much fun! I got to read to "Keagie" before her nap,
and sing her a song and hug her tight! She is the cutest
red-head (next to Jackson, Julie, and my mom of course ;).
Easton and I had the best talk about iPhone applications and
games, and how his mom wouldn't let him play with her iPhone,
and how his Dad played guitar, and why Aunt Carrie is the coolest
aunt ever! ;) I wish we lived closer so we could play all the time.

Jeff and I on Temple Square checking out the famous Christmas lights! Temple Square will always have special meaning for us-it's where we had a first real date. We walked around together, got some hot chocolate at the Barnes and Noble (no longer there) across the street, I talked almost the entire time (i know it's hard to believe), Jeff listened which would set the trend for our eventual marriage, and then Jeff pointed out that my wig was crooked!!! ;) It was a great night! I must have done something right, because he asked me to marry him and 12 years later he is still with me! My wigs have special powers.






Cathy, Heather, Tyler in the stroller, Kim , Myself and Jeff represented the Hill family on the square that night!



It was so cold that night, that the sheperds and sheep turned into Ice Sculptures!


Once a little sister, always a little sister! Kim and Jeff got to tease each other like old times!
















"Girls just want to have fun!" Julie, Me, Heather, Kim and Cathy. Amy and Oma were with us in spirit!






Ryan and Heather posed for the camera, unaware that they would find out only weeks after this picture that they would have a 4th baby addition to the family!



Ryan, Heather, Madison, Tyler and Sydney!

The Utah Hills Family Christmas Card.

It was great to see everyone! We even got to visit with Lawton and Amy too, and it made our Thanksgiving season that much more wonderful. We have a lot to be thankful all year round.

School Days

All three Hills go to School

The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors
into windows. ~Sydney J. Harris

September 8th, 2009

The kids were excited to start a new year! Just looking at them in their big backpacks made me smile! They were so excited to start going to their new schools. Big smiles, new clothes, new school, new teachers, new friends to make and a new home to come back to at the end of the day-it was the first day of a pretty exciting new year for them and Jeff and I. I can't believe that they are all old enough to go to school from 3 hours to full-days away from me. They are growing up so fast and I wouldn't trade being a part of moments like this for the world. They are my world-when they smile so do I. I am thrilled that I have the privelage of seeing them as they experience the world, and being the one they're excited to talk to about it at the end of the day-at least for a little while longer.

Mr. Man's Kindergarten Teachers-Mrs. Jefferson
and Mrs. Edwards the teachers aide.

I am always ready to learn although I do not
always like being taught. ~Winston Churchill

Mrs. Bobnock's classroom, where Nana spent the first two weeks reviewing 2nd grade materials, before moving up to Mrs. King's 3rd grade class.

The best teachers teach from the heart, not
from the book. ~Author Unknown

"I don't know about this school thing dad!" Little Bubbers and Dad
take a moment to reflect on the impending orientation day
outside pre-school

Like father like son-Everything's Ducky!



The proud papa and son get ready to go

inside and see what lies in store for our last pre-schooler

The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into

windows. ~Sydney J. Harris

Finally mama gets a photo-blurry or not I had to have
one of my baby boy ready to start his first day of school.

I have never let my schooling interfere with my
education. ~Mark Twain

Mrs. Ferris looks in the frog tank to see the class macsot-the Frog!
The preschool class are appropriately known as " frogs" around school-my own little frogger! :)

"It's a happy talent to know how to play."- Emerson

We met Sam- the 25 year old turtle- and didn't stop talking

about him for the entire week! Who says making friends is hard?!

Education is not preparation for life;
education is life itself. ~John Dewey

Education is what remains after one has
forgotten what one has learned in school-Albert Einstien