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Ok, I first have to apologize that I have not got on the "blog train" as of yet, but all with good purpose. Let me just tell you that at 11:54 last night, I submitted our Guatemala books. Of course it had to be in by 12:00....procrastination rules my life!! But oh, how you all better LOVE that book. I really think it is a great book and honestly looking at those pictures made me miss that wonderful country and all of you. I suggest closing your eyes and letting yourself go, even just for a moment. Go to La Casa Del Mundo and look out onto the most beautiful lake your eyes will ever behold.....the lush, green tropical vegetation overgrowing to the very edge of the water.....now get strapped onto the longest cable you have ever seen and let go.....see yourself whizzing through the cool crisp air, faster with every moment.....look to the cliff beside you and see the waterfall folding down the mountain side, so peacefully, and then to the other side of the cable to the native who seems to be coming faster than usual, growing larger by the second, and then there is the red flag, waving anxiously.....you reach to begin braking and pull down with your right hand, but nothing.....the flag begins to wave more furiously and quickly, trying to warn you of the inherent danger on the other end, and the panic sets in. You try with all your might, but nothing, nothing is helping.....all you see is the enormous boulder that you inevitably WILL hit......and then.......smack, the force of it all.......your legs swing into the air and above your head, causing you to almost flip....you don't know what has happened, if you have passed on until you turn to see that little native.....oh, the heavenly native who has saved you, who you now notice is laughing his head of at you.....Oh wait, that is not my memory. I must have transplanted into Marci or Joni's brain..... I swear I am dying just thinking about the sheer panic on your faces as you thought your life was over. Priceless.

Anyway, it really was the greatest trip of my life. A million thank you's to Mom and Dad who made it financially possible for all of us to go and of course Richard and Shelane who decided to get married in the first place!! Our lives are forever changed. Above is one of my favorite pics from the trip.

In other news, Tim completed midterms, and we all lived....barely. Now, he unfortunately contracted some kind of nasty bug that now has been reaking havic on his immune system. Hopefully he is on the downside of it now and will be getting better. Hudson is fabulous as usual. He is learning new words all the time with the recent additions of "socks and baby". He has finally picked up please and thank you which I love. He says please in sign language and thank you in normal words.....I think it is the cutest thing in the whole word. Oh and I should tell you, he is a completely accident prone. I don't know if he is going to live since he manages to hurt himself daily. As for the wound above, he was running down a cement path at the park and trip, hitting his face first....and right in the middle of taking family pictures. Bless him. He cried for a few minutes and then went on his merry way. He is so tough.

Halloween was great. Hudson was the cutest little dracula I think I have ever seen.....so did the whole ward. They had a costume contest for the kids, and to everyone's surprise, Hudson did not win. Some other kid who dressed up like Captain Hook won....he was cute, but nothing like Hudson. Anyway, after it was over, EVERYONE kept coming up to me and telling me that they didn't know how the other kid won because they all voted for Hudson.....come to find out the little boys older brother and friends went in and voted for him over and over and over again. They were all giving each other high fives saying "yeah, we did it, we did it!!" It was hilarious. I think his hair was what did it....not to mention the fabulous cape that I slaved over. Ok, I have to confess, Hudson did not go to sleep at night without a costume and then magically have an unbelievable costume in the morning....but he did take a nap and when he woke up it was done....ok, so not the same, but making his costume really did make me think back to all the AMAZING costumes mom did for us when she stayed up ALL night long to finish them before the parade the next day!! Hats off to you, Mom.

Anyway, I should probably end now, but KEEP posting everyone. We should all make it a goal to post at least once a week, if not more.....that means you, mom. It really is so easy. I can walk you through it over the phone. As for this week, I will be editing more pictures as I am now an official, REAL photographer. I actually made
$50 last week. YEAH!! Hopefully it is just the start of something great. I have so much to learn, but every time I shoot, I feel like I get a little better. It has been a blast to learn and now it is funny, because my mind is starting to change. I swear I drive down the road now, noticing all the great pictures I could take of this and that and how the lighting is affecting everything. It is nuts, but really fun.

Until next week........

Tanis