The 5 Hirning's Happenings

My thoughts & happenings in the life of the Hirning's that I want to share with the world...



Saturday, December 20, 2008

2008 In Review

What a year! I just still can't believe that it's less than a week before Christmas. We finally got our Christmas wish last week and got snow on the ground. It really wasn't feeling like Christmas with no snow on the ground. My mom flies in on Christmas from Florida and she needed a white Christmas, I don't think she wanted one but she is getting one.

Dan is still working for QSP. With the economy being like it is it is a scary business to be in. The sad and good thing is schools and groups still need extra money so hopefully we won't get hit too hard. This summer Dan worked for the Missoula Osprey, baseball team, as an usher. He really had fun doing it and even though the pay isn't much is considering doing it again. Dan turned the BIG 40 this year too. The sad thing was he was away from us as he was at his summer QSP meeting in Connecticut. (You can see a slide show of his life, check the July blogs). He continues to WOW us and spoils us with his yummy cooking. He cheered on the Montana Grizzlies last night, with a houseful of friends, to a hopeful National Championship but it didn't happen. The Richmond Spiders put us in a web! Oh, well, there is always next year.

I decided to run for another term for a seat on the Missoula County School Board. Lucky me no one chose to run for a seat and there was two open, so I didn't have to run a full campaign. My name was the only one on the ballot and we ended up having two write ins. 4,154 voted for me, err, or well, colored in the dot next to my name and I was allowed to keep my seat as a trustee. In May, I went back to real world with a real job. I am not a huge fan of pretty much any aspect of it. I miss being able to hang out at the schools and help in the kids classes, I miss sleeping in, going to the YMCA in the mornings, hanging out with my friends whenever I want, bowling in the afternoon league, ohhhh, working stinks. But, bills and money call. I've really had no time to scrapbook and that is always a new years resolution to try to add that into my life,ohh, next year.

Emily is now the BIG 13 and in the 7th grade. She had a busy year. She auditioned for a part in the play Seussical through our local theater and got a part as a Who. There was many long nights of rehearsals and over two weeks of performances. But it was awesome and she is just a natural up there. She played softball, made the All-Star team and played soccer again this fall. She still continues to be a superb student at school and plays the oboe. Emily was involved in her very first automobile accident, check out the October blogs, it's a good story.

Hannah turned 10 this summer and is in the 5th grade. She started cello and piano this year and is doing very well. She continues to be a soccer star and also made a softball All Star team. She even started pitching and hopes to spend more time up there on the pitchers mound.

Benjamin is 5 and started kindergarten this fall. In Missoula we recently implemented all day kindergarten, thus why I started working. He loves it. He told me he wants to be in kindergarten forever. He is already reading and just a little social butterfly. Everyone knows and loves Benjamin! He finally was old enough for team sports and played soccer and tball. This fall he really excelled at soccer and scored 7 goals in one game! He is a stud ~ but a sweet boy too.

On a sad note, we had to say good bye to a dear friend, Sebastian. We had him for 14years and they had thought that he was at least 2+ years when we got him. He lived a full life and it was the hardest decision we ever had to make, but, we had him put down in October. It was a hard time and still brings tears to my eyes, as it is now. He was a good dog! We still have our beast, Sadie, the chocolate lab. It was sad for her to lose her buddy she loved to torment but she is now loving all the attention.

All in all, it was a good year. With the economy and gas prices the way they were we were unable to do any travelling this summer. We were home bodies. But, we hope next year to drive to Erie, PA for my 20th class reunion and have a nice visit with family and friends. I am re-reading this letter and this has to be the most boring one I have ever written. Sorry for that, nothing fancy or funny. Just us. It must be since I put it off to the last minute and am just scrambling to get thoughts down and I still have some baking to complete. Feel free to check in on us anytime during the year on our blog. I try to keep it pretty updated, we would love to hear from you too!

We hope everyone has a blessed new year and a wonderful Christmas. Remember that Jesus is the reason for all this craziness we put ourselves through. We love you all! - The Hirnings (Kelley, Dan, Emily, Hannah & Benjamin ~ Sadie too)

2008 In Review...It's A Coming

If you are checking in to read our Christmas letter - hold your horses. It's a coming. I put it off till the last minute and am working on it as I type this. Ugh! Why do I do this????

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Emily turns the BIG 1-3!



It is hard to believe that Emily turned the BIG 13 today. It just seems like yesterday we were waiting her arrival and the start of this whole roller coaster of parenthood! She got the best birthday present ever - a cell phone! She does not have texting but she is still pretty excited. She is a good kid and we are very blessed to have her as our oldest dughter!

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

My name is Kelley and I am a facebook addict



So I saw where someone was starting a facebook blackout from December 15th 6:00pm to December 16th 6:00pm. I am not really sure the reason, they want facebook to do more for us or something like that. Anyway, I felt it would be a great opportunity to see if I really do have an addiction to facebook. Okay, well, it's been almost 20 hours and even though I would love to click on that little button on my computer that would take me there I haven't. I think I am going to make it the full 24 hours, I do miss Scrabble though today. Hmmmmm...It's just a fun way to stay connected with friends and family all over the country and well now world since I have friend from high school that just accepted my friendship who is stationed in Germany. What can I say? I'm a social butterfly...

Thursday, December 11, 2008

The Bible Book of Hang Glider?

Benjamin last week came home from Awanas very proud of himself. He had learned a new bible verse. I asked him to recite the verse ~ "in the beginning God cweated the heavens and the earth". I said "very good buddy. What book does that come out of?" He says "hang glider". I look at him perplexed and then Hannah explains to me that is the name of his Sparks book. I look at the cover and lo and behold it is called "Hang Glider". What a smart boy!

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Community Service


You do the crime, you do the time? Is that the saying. Oh my little litter bug. I don't know what it is with Benjamin but he feels a need to drop garbage on the ground rather than in a trash can. I told him next he was caught littering I was going to drive him to a park and make him pick up the garbage on the ground. Well after church on Sunday he got busted again. We were invited to Maura's for a family Christmas party ~ which Benjamin had a blast at last year. Dan dropped off the girls at the party and Benjamin had to go to Linda Vista Park and pick up garbage. Boy, he was crying. "I'm going to miss arts & crafts time" ~ last year Maura had them decorate cookies and a frame ornament for the tree and he did not want to miss that. We explained he was in trouble and had to do his time and then could go to the party. Dan asked him what he learned from the experience and he said "that he has garbage to pick up at the park". Well, yes but not that was what he was supposed to learn. We will see if he litters again! By the way he did not miss arts & crafts and was able to decorate cookies & an ornament!

Monday, December 8, 2008

Ho, Ho, Ho





Hard to believe Christmas is almost here. Working on my Christmas cards, trying to find the perfect cookie for my cookie exchange, most of the presents are wrapped, the house is decorated...what else have I forgot? This is kind of going too smoothly this year.

I took the kids to see Santa last week. I was surprised that Emily was okay with going but she was. Benjamin told me he was going to ask Santa for an I-Dog and I reminded him he really wanted a Nintendo DS. "Oh yeah", he said he had forgot. Santa asked Emily what she wanted and all she wanted was a cell phone, the Aeropostle store, an ipod... Santa asked Benjmain if his sisters were good and Benjamin pointed to Emily and said she was but that Hannah wasn't. Emily then agreed. Santa asked Hannah what she wanted but she just kept being goofy and never answered him. Thursday night we had our BUNCO Christmas party ~ again at Kristin's work. As you can see we are a pretty bunch (kidding), as you can see we had lots of fun!

Friday, December 5, 2008

Fred



So I never let everyone know that we did get a new vehicle. Fred! Fred is a red, 1998 Chevrolet Blazer. Dan is now the driver of Fred and Mike is back to being mine. Emily thought I, since I am the mom, should drive the mini van and that Dad would look more professional not in a mini van. Whatever. Iris is sitting in front of our home looking for a new family. I am in cahoots with a local preacher who gives away vehicles to needy people. We are trying to find someone to fix Iris, at hopefully no charge, so we can give her to a needy family this holid, oops, no, I mean, Christmas season. I hate when people take CHRIST out of the season...but that's another gripe for another day.

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

So Thankful...






I complain a lot but I do have a pretty good life; the love of my family, we are all healthy, we have food in our bellys (is that spelled right?) and we have a roof over our heads. Here are a couple of pics from Thanksgiving ~ Dennis & JoAnn came over from Billings and Dan prepared us a yummy meal. Grandpa and I took Hannah & Benjamin down to the carousel to ride the ponies a few times and we played PIT later that night. The next day we had to get up and get decorating for the Holiday Season. I'll add those pics later. I am also thankful for all of you ~ my trusty readers of our never boring life!