Allyson's photography :)

Allyson snaps a pic of the truck ahead of us.

Allyson's Sunday school teacher...Miss Kathy.

Allyson's friend Anna


Allyson received a Princess camera from her Aunt Katie for Christmas. She is enjoying taking pictures w/it! This is some of her first work.

Allyson's Christmas story

Allyson awoke early on Christmas morning...before anyone else. She told me that she got up first so she could write the Christmas story out on paper and put it up on her door for of us to read. Here's the story...Allyson taped it on her door, and it's been there ever since Christmas morning.

You might need help deciphering the last line: "nees(knees) and gave him gold, mure(myrrh), honor."

Christmas Photo

Definitely not our best photo, but we sure had a great Christmas!!

Grandaddy, Grandmother, and Caleb's Christmas in NC. Also my beautiful Christmas flowers from Candace.

Post-Christmas

This year will be the third Christmas in a row a guy named Dell Lyle, who works for Kevin at Williamsburg Manufacturing, has given us a Holiday Inn gift certificate for a one night stay including five passes to the water park in the hotel. We used it last night and had a spectacular time!
Below are the three excited monkeys running out of our room and down the hall...eager to play downstairs in the water park...

Allyson and Kaleb in the kid's section

Travis loves splashing and scooting on his belly in the 5" deep water.

Allyson going down the slides again and again...

What the two slides look like from the outside

Going back to the room to rest and watch TV...and pillow fight :)

Hitting the arcade room for a while...notice the water park right through the big door

A favorite spot for Kevin...the hot tub

In the morning, Kaleb enjoys a muffin and juice.

We had a great time...it was a nice warm vacation from the cold weather!

picture of the week....

Well it's been a while since I put a picture up for you all. I tried some new techniques with this photo so let me know what you all think.

 This was taken Christmas day looking for snow. We didn't find snow but did get to see some falling,just not enough to stick to the ground.

Our christmas day

We drove up to a mountain about 45 minutes from where we live to see snow, but it hadn't arrived yet. It was soooooo cold and there was ice everywhere.

Highlights

We Hanna's give thanks for a wonderful Christmas. On Christmas Eve night, the house was filled with excitement and torn wrapping paper. After reading the gospel of Matthew account of the birth of Jesus, Kevin and I sat back and enjoyed watching the kids open their presents. Then this morning, after reading the Christmas story from the book of Luke, we drove to Cedar Rapids and spent Christmas day w/Kevin's family...and feasted on a huge delicious Christmas dinner!

The pictures:

Travis is eager to eat HIS bar of Norwegian chocolate! Every year, my grandfather Bestefar, who is from Norway, has always given a bar of Norwegian chocolate to each one in our family for Christmas...a heartwarming tradition that I have loved for as long as I can remember.

Allyson chattering away w/her great-grandma Hanna. :)

Me...enjoying the snow at least for a little bit on this Christmas Day.

All of us kicking back, relaxing, and watching a movie at the end of the day.

(Remember to click on the collage picture below to view it much larger)

John 3:16

My Christmas Present

If you'd like to hear the story you will have to call me!

Sunday 21st @ 5:20pm

This evening, we were heading out of our driveway...turned right onto the country gravel road that runs in front of our house. This is what met us! ...snow over a foot deep!

Where the flattened down looking snow stops, in between the tire tracks, is where our car sat unmovable! Before long a big 4-wheel drive truck came up the hill heading toward us and tried to pass...he started spinning in the snow too at the top of the hill. He backed down the gravel road and got back on the main road. Meanwhile, Kevin tried shoveling around the front tires(because the car is front wheel drive) and putting it in reverse...the tires just spun and wouldn't budge. The frame of the car was sitting on the snow, and the tires were not touching the ground. Then Kevin trudged up to the house to get the pickup and chains to pull the car out...now keep in mind, this is in weather that feels like -29 degrees! BUT THEN, God sent us an angel of help! ...remember the man who had to back up down the hill in his truck?...he showed back up! ...he had left and driven on other roads all the way around us! He backed up to the rear of our car...Kevin hooked his chain on the guy's truck, and we were soon back in our home, safe and sound. :) Praise the Lord for sweet, helpful people....MERRY CHRISTMAS!

(when we walked back into the house, it was 6:20pm...we had been gone for exactly an hour...and didn't get very far! LOL!)

Cuties :) ...and a cold ride?

My little Christmas Cuties...all snug as a bug in their PJs. :) They looked so merry and lovable last night! ...I posed our little angels in front of the Christmas tree for a picture. Luke 2:11


On the way to church, we always pass many Amish buggies. This morning it was -4...w/a wind chill factor of -29(that's what it REALLY feels like outside in the wind). The Amish have battery powered lights on their buggies...so then they probably have battery powered heat inside there too...however, I couldn't help but think, when I saw this family in their buggy, that it must be a cold ride for them this Sunday morning.

Some...of us

This is the beginning scene of the play. As you will notice, Allyson really got into it w/her facial expressions...she inherited her acting talents from her Aunt Katie and Aunt Kristin.

Here I am in my costume...standing on a chair. Kevin is close by to steady me and pass cameras to take pictures of some cast members.

This picture was taken during a live performance. Kevin is playing "Ezra", a friend of Joseph. He and two other men stand up against the Roman soldiers to defend Joseph.

Here I am looking on at the scene in fright and disbelief. I need to take acting lessons from Allyson.

These are just very few of the MANY pictures that Saundra took of the Christmas play. You can see many more at her website: http://www.grandmahoffert.smugmug.com/

Anyone recognize this poster?

Candid shots

Top left pic is a room turned into a "playroom" for the older kids during the Christmas play season...you can find Allyson and Kaleb there watching a movie...Allyson would play here in between the play performances.

Travis had fun during the Christmas plays eating popcorn and laughing w/"Nana" (Saundra Hoffert).

Kevin posed w/the three corny shepherds...Steve, Kelly, and Michael Cope. ;-)

Allyson just finished w/her first part in the play. There was a snow machine in the scene she was just in...notice some of it still in her hair. (That is a candy cane that Goofball has hanging out her mouth.)

Allyson and Kevin...in costume

Allyson is sitting down and having a bit of a refreshment w/Daddy and Mr. Cope during play practice Monday night. Don't ya think Kevin's headpiece is something? He put it on himself. It looks as if he should be jumping on his Harley rather then a character of ancient history...lol...I told him to let someone else arrange his headpiece this Friday night for the first play performance. :)

Happy Birthday to Allyson! :)

Today, Allyson is 7! Early in the morning seven years ago, we welcomed our 7lb. 11oz. baby girl. This morning, seven years later, Kevin asked to see her baby pictures...and here she is right after 11 hours of hard labor! :) ...it was worth it! Allyson's spiritual birthday is April 6th 2008!

Sunday...7th

When I saw the sunrise this morning, I saw the majesty of God; and the snow reminded me of this verse in Isaiah 1:18 - Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

We spent the afternoon after church this morning at the Cope's home. Kelly fed us delicious soup and my favorite...cornbread! :)

Steve talking while he's sleeping...

Kevin, Candace, and our good friends Steve and Kelly Cope...a very sweet couple. :)

We had such a fun time together today...it was full of laughter!

Eating bubbles

 Mera loves to try and eat the bubbles,it is so funny she makes an eating sound like aaauuuummmmh! when she goes for one...

Friends forever!!!

Just hangin out

Officially my favorite comic

The Hanna's Thanksgiving

This is Arkansas...taken from a extremely high little narrow lookout tour that I had NO intention in climbing because I'm scared of hights. So, I sent Kevin up...but then Allyson and Kaleb wanted to go too...against my wishes. :)

We had a wonderful(too short) vacation in the Ozarks. See all the pictures from our vacation on http://www.hannafam.shutterfly.com/. Titled "Thanksgiving '08" (The first 5 were taken sometime before we left.)

Kindred Spirits

Daddy just got a drink off that old man's tray and Mama is telling the old lady how beautiful she thinks her sweater is.