Happy New Year! From the Haws'

Happy 2017!

Our family has had a busy, somewhat stressful (that med school!), and wonderful 2016. In January our friends the Anderson's came from Utah to visit so the kids and I got to spend some time with them in Orlando, and then here in Miami doing ALL the touristy things! In February, Sterling and I were lucky enough to get a night away from our kids and headed up to Tampa for a conference. It was wonderful and something I wish we could fit in so much more often! Tampa is gorgeous! March was full of fun activities and we tried to soak up the cooler weather-we went biking in the Everglades a few times. I also delved into gluten free baking in an effort to help Sterling (gluten free did help) but after several months of that (hats off to all of you who have to live with that forever! It is quite an adjustment!) we found out that he has a chronic condition and if he takes a medication every morning, he is totally fine. So yay for easier cooking around here now! In April and May we were back at the pool with a gusto and over Memorial Day we headed to the gulf side of Florida and visited Marco Island. It was sooo beautiful and heavenly. In June we moved and said goodbye to our HORRIBLE landlord and experience with that apartment. We have never made a better decision-we love our new apartment with all our hearts and can't believe we have to leave it this year! Sterling was able to come with us to Utah in July for a quick minute, and then headed back to start school. Luckily, I picked up some sub jobs and we were able to stay in Utah for all of July and into August so that I could go to a conference and get all of my continuing education credits checked off. It was blissful. Hard to be apart from each other, but my kids still ask if they can go to grandma's house almost every single morning. They followed her to the garden and helped with the weeding and thinning and watering, they followed her around to feed the animals in the barn, they followed her to water the flowers, they loved the cats, being outside on their own (not so easy in our gated community in Miami), the trampoline, grandpa's horse rides, and of course-cousins! I am so glad we got to spend so much time there this year, it really cemented those memories for them, and of course I didn't mind being spoiled by garden vegetables and my mom's cooking one little bit! Not to mention having Sterling's family around to party at their cabin (my favorite week!) and treat me to afternoons with no kids and fun pool days! In August we headed home and Ruth started her first day of Pre-K (it's considered a grade here. I wanted her to have a half day experience before starting full day, so she gets to go from 9-12.) and she absolutely loves it. We had a few months of adjusting to the life of picking up and dropping off every day--and truncating our morning outings to fit that time schedule. In November, my sister's family and mom came and played with us in the Keys after visiting Orlando and it was so great to see them all! After that (or right before that) morning sickness hit hard, and we've been muddling through that ever since. We are having a:

and we couldn't be more excited! It has been such a great year for our family. What we thought were some pretty big trials at the beginning of the year have turned into wonderful blessings as Sterling stretched out his education one more year to accommodate our lives and that made it possible for us to move and catch our breath a little. Sterling is back at school today for another semester and I start second trimester with this baby (although throwing up today is a bad omen, right? My goal was no throw up in 2017 haha and it's already broken.). Ruth (5) is still ecstatic about school and her little ballet class. She is my biggest helper and a huge instigator of the elaborate pretend games that go on around here. Will (3 1/2) took basketball in the fall and loved it and can't wait to start again (someday). He is my snuggler and I love it. He is so excited to have a baby brother! Molly (2) is our baby and every time I look at her I can't believe she isn't a baby any more! She talks faster and climbs quicker than people twice her age and height and we definitely have to work hard to keep up with her! I am still teaching piano two days a week and the ward keeps us busy! We are loving our time here in the sunshine and I don't know what we will do when we can't have regular beach days! Hope that everyone has a wonderful 2017!

Family Reunion in July

Marco Island in May