Etc.

For Christmas (2010) our family got a popcorn popper. The kids had never experienced popcorn cooking in any way other than a microwave. The first time was magical. They loved it! We still mostly use the microwave kind, but when we are feeling fancy we bust this baby out. 

We love it when Chad & Angie and the kids come to visit. Even though our boys are older than their cousins they still have so much fun together. 

Kate especially likes Ben. I think it's sweet that my boys can be so good around little kids. 

This picture is to remind me of two things: 1) never let Ben's hair get this long again and 2) begin work on the pinewood derby car sooner than the night before. 

Matt loves his job at the David Francis Law Firm. He works with some really great people. They have some interesting ways to entertain themselves. For example, the 50 Wing Challenge. Each participant had to eat 50 wings. Matt started out strong until about #35. 

By the time he finished, and he did finish, he was grossed out. This did not, however, ruin hot wings for him. It took him about a week, but he will still eat them, just not from this place.

This could go down as Matt's proudest moment of 2011. 

I gave Zack his own pack of bubble gum and later found this threatening note on the table. I haven't given him his own pack of gum since. 

It says: "Zack's Don't touch. Or I'll beat you down! Just don't! Mom gave it to mmmee. It's all mine!" The toy is identified as the garder buddy.

More fun from the DFLF--a century charity bike ride. Most of the employees (and some wives and some kids- not my slacker family) rode at least 17 miles. It began early so that they could ride their bikes down the strip. That was the coolest part. Matt finished 60 miles. Good for him. I think we may  even join him next year. 

For reasons that boys (men?!?) understand, most of the bike riders also grew mustaches. Matt's was disturbingly awesome. 

This photo marks the beginning of the unfortunate trend of Zack getting sick on every trip/holiday for the rest of the year. This is at Ruby's in Carlsbad the morning after Legoland.  We ate outside so he wouldn't have to smell the food. 

Noah's winter guitar concert. He's getting pretty good on the guitar. He is hoping to get to play one of the solos next year in advanced guitar. He's also banking on a theory that guys who play guitar get the ladies. 

We stopped to eat at McDonald's in Barstow on the way to SLO. It was our first experience with the new Happy Meal sized french fries. Isn't it cute. It makes the other size look like it was supersized, but it's just the medium. 

To make a tree just like Zack's all you need is 4 wire hangers, 1 string of lights, tinsel & lots of tape.  It is pretty cool. I just wonder who looks at a hanger and thinks of making a tree. 

This is what 4th grade looks like. I helped with Ben's Christmas party. I don't go into his class often and I think he likes it that way. If he sees me in the hall at school I get a quick look and maybe half of a wave. 

Ok, that's it for 2011. 

New Year's Party it Up!

This was all for Zack.

He went with me to the store and picked it all out. It's a little excessive considering we didn't have a very big party-just our family and Ken & Haeli. What we lacked in partying people we made up for in festive decorations and way too much food. 

 Though our numbers were few, we had a great time playing Headbandz. Eating. Watching Zack throw up all over the floor. Playing Farkle. Watching You Tube videos. Trying to keep stay awake (only an issue for Ken & Matt). Just before midnight, we drove over to David & Emily's so we could get a better view of the fireworks on the strip. 

 HaPpY NeW yEaR!

 When we got home we engaged in a little spray string war...

and learned our first lesson of 2012: spray string stains things. 

Also, it's a pain to clean up. 

My Trip to Australia

by Matt Francis

This is the first trip that I have taken outside of the country, so I was excited nervous all at the same time. I was really glad that I had David and Ken to travel with me. They have become old pros at this trip and kept me level headed. We also had Haeli along for the trip to keep us all from going crazy.

We were lucky enough to have Lionel and Etsuko to pick us up at the Brisbane airport. It was great not only to meet them, and little did I know, Lionel is one of the best secret tour guides of Australia. It was great. He took us straight from the airport out to see some sights. The picture below is us standing in front of the what used to be the Hauritz Soda Factory. (The business my Grandpa Allan owned).

Next we headed up and saw the house that my Mom and Lionel lived in when they were kids. We heard stories of crazy runaway bike rides down the hill and pet chickens, and Kens bare bum hanging out the window(ask him to explain it). The house was blue when they lived there.

Fresh Passion Fruit over nice vanilla ice cream. This was soooo good. I am killing myself for not getting a photo of the fresh mango. It is my favorite fruit and I think Etsuko found out and had it for me almost everyday. She needs points in heaven for that.

This is the house where it all happened. This is the house that my dad (while serving a mission) met my mom. I have heard mixed stories... I know Lionel experienced the same thing I did when I came home to find Ryan and Leanne becoming friends.

This is the closest I have ever gotten to my Grandpa Allan. It was a really cool experience to visit his grave site. I am glad that Grandma was able to join him.

It was so cool to finally meet Ken and Lisa. I have always heard about my cousins from the land down under. They were everything that my Grandma had told me. She always said that we would get along great. We had a great time hanging out with Ken talking about music, sports, hobbies. It was like we had know each other for a while. It was really cool. Lisa was a blast to hang out with. She was able to come to the South Bank with us and hang out a little bit longer. I did everything I could to try and lobby them to come over to the states.

It was great to see my aunt Carol and Wally again. I saw them along time ago in the states. It was crazy,  I would look over and see little pieces of my grandma in Carol. All of the good things. She was so kind and it was great to spend the day with them. I had a burger with the works and some fresh gelato.

Lisa, Haeli and I at night waiting to ride the big ferris wheel in downtown Brisbane. The town was awesome.

This is the Story Bridge. I heard stories from my Mom and Lionel about my grandpa Allen driving over this bridge and taking out his smokes and saying, " well, this is the last time I will smoke." He never smoked again. It was great walking with my bro David across this bridge.

This was at one of the points that my grandpa would take the kids fishing when they were little. It is really close to Lionel's house. He is so lucky to live so close to this awesome place.

I have tried to explain to Kliss just how awesome Etsuko is. She is probably one of the nicest people I have ever met. She was such a good host and took care of us like we were her kids. I am so grateful to have her and Lionel as an aunt and uncle.

What is a trip to Australia with out seeing a kangaroo? We also got to pet a Koala.

The trip was a whirlwind and one of the best things I have done to date. We now have a jar in our house and we are saving up everyday so I can take my family to the land down under. I want them to feel and connect to the Hauritz side like I did. 

Control freak time:  I am adding a few pictures that Matt didn't include because he didn't want to make this post too long. 

Mango tree

Cricket game. No idea how this game works, but Matt said it was fun to watch. 

This is the beach behind Lionel's house. AMAZING!!

Matt said that the locals rarely wear shoes or shirts- even to the store. He said that Lionel was barefoot while they were hiking along this rocky trail.

Surfer's paradise. 

Christmas is during the summer in Australia. Dianne spent her childhood Christmases on the beach, basking in the sun.  

How cute is this? Matt brought Zack a stuffed Koala (Wally the Koally). You can see him in some of the Christmas pictures.

Grandma Shirley

December 12, marked the passing of Matt's sweet grandma, Shirley Hauritz. Considering that she lived in Australia we were able to see her fairly often. We always loved when she would come and visit. She reminded me a lot of my Grandma Phillips because they were both just a little fussy-you know turn the lights off, that sort of thing. But Grandma Shirley was very patient with her great-grand kids and didn't mind if they were noisy or crazy. 

Getting hugs.

This was taken the last time we saw her. 

This was several years ago when we went took a drive to Bridal Veil Falls. 

Ben considers his 4th birthday his luckiest, because both Grandma Shirley and Max were there to celebrate. 

Grandma Shirley playing Smash Bros.  with Noah. She actually beat him.

We are thankful that she has finally received peace after battling cancer for several years. During her last visit we took the opportunity to record her telling stories of growing up in the depression in Australia and meeting her love, Grandpa Allan and her conversion to the church.  We are grateful for her strong testimony of the gospel and the example she set by serving multiple missions. We will cherish all the memories of the times we spent with such a wonderful lady. I will miss hearing her voice on the phone occasionally when she'd call looking for Dianne. The conversation would always end with "Bye bye, lovey." 


This is from the funeral: