Oh where, oh where did 2007 go?!

Where did this year go!? As Jason and I try to get our Christmas letter completed, I can't believe how much has happened this year and how fast time has gone! I'm excited for 2008....(my favorite number is 8 and i've looked forward to this year for awhile). AHahaha. Anyways, currently, it's snowing like crazy, and it finally feels like December! My dogs are driving me nuts (they are play-fighting while I type), so i can't make this long.
In less than a week, it will be time to celebrate the holidays with family! I miss my family so much and can't wait to be with everyone for awhile. We pray that you have a wonderful holiday season too!

November...

The month of November flew by! We had a visit from some friends during the weekend of ONU's homecoming. It was great to see Jayme and Adam and catch up with some other old college friends! We also had Jason's syblings over for our 2nd annual Aukerman Sybling Christmas decorating and movie party. All 8 of them spent the weekend with us...watching the best old Christmas movies, decorating the inside and outside with Christmas decor, getting ice cream, watching football, and eating chili and tacos. It was a ton of fun!

Thanksgiving break was very much needed. We were able to catch up with some friends (The Chamberlains) who just had their third baby. They are such a precious family who we admire so much. In addition, we got to spend time with Jason's family...eating the best food, watching the Colts win on Thanksigiving, getting up at 4am to go shopping the day after Thanksgiving,...and the list goes on! Here are a few pics from the past few weeks in no particular order...

Of course no blog can go without a dumb picture of Byson.... This is him on the car ride home from Thanksgiving. Both dogs had barely any space to sit because our car is always packed TOO much! Reggie didn't make the pic because he is on the floor wedged between the back seat and Jason's driver seat...poor baby!

"Uncle Jason" with the Chamberlain kids (the cutest kids ever!!!!!!)

Jersey Day at school.... (we had quite a few forget and quite of few absent that day!)

Of course I'm wearing my Marvin Harrison jersey!!!! Get well soon pal!Here is Brendan, relaxing on the couch...

Shayna and Kara are coloring in old coloring books we used the summer I met Jason and them. (2002) They were only 4 and 7 at the time....

Colin, Jason's youngest brother... by our really red bush! He helped Jason rake our yard and was very proud of his efforts!

Lissy and Anna.... (and part of Adam) Sorry that my camera ALWAYS makes you close your eyes Anna!

The guys hung lights....

The Colts, Halloween, and a trip to Chicago!

Wow, I'm no good at posting! Well, here's a few pictures from the past month!

This first picture is letting you know how exhausted we were after watching our team get defeated last night. It was a sad night....

Here are my adorable nephews on Halloween. I laughed so hard at the clown wig and mustache.

We went to Chicago with our friends Major and Missy a few weeks ago. Here are a few pictures from our trip.

This is Missy and I taking a break from all the walking....

The next picture is our colorful starbucks drinks, followed by Jason at the field museum, and Jason and I posing with the lake behind us. Enjoy.

We have had lots of visitors on the weekends and I just haven't been able to keep up! Until next time....

Karla and the boys

Saturdays...

I'm so thankful for a Saturday with no major "MUST DO's." This was my first Saturday to sleep in since marathon training ended....and I slept in until 7:45am! ahahahha. Of course, the day I can....I can't! I went to my nephew's soccer game, got a flu shot, ran errands, cleaned, and now I"m waiting for Jason to finish carving pumpkins so we can go celebrate his birthday! I'm starving!!!
I hope everyone is having a great weekend.

Isn't she precious?!

This is a picture of our new little sister, Alayna. She's 5 months old and I just want to squeeze her adorable cheeks! Jason's parents are going to Guatemala today actually...to meet her for the first time. We ask that you keep this adoption in your prayers as laws are changing, and time is running out to bring her home! We believe in God's miracles, and she belongs in Indiana with her family! Thanks for praying!

Marathon Photos...

If you'd like to see pictures taken of me during the actual marathon, go to www.marathonfoto.com They will ask you to choose what even...Chicago Marathon 2007, type in my last name Aukerman, and bib number 13518. Enjoy! ahahah I ran on the edge of the road, so they got lots of me....

Chicago Marathon 2007

Well, I did it. I accomplished a lifetime goal....and I'm so glad to be DONE! This coming Saturday, I can sleep in past 6am!!!! No more long runs that start too early!

Incase you don't have facebook and didn't read my note posted there, they ended up cancelling the race due to the heat. There were about 10,600 or so that started but didn't finish due to people passing out, injury, dehydration, etc. I think they decided it was serious when one man died (they just posted that the cause of his death wasn't the heat but a heart condition he didn't know he had) and they ran out of ambulances. I was fortunate to make it to the finish (4 hours 21 minutes) before they forced people to stop. Overall, even though the end was sad since a lot of people couldn't finish what they started, it was a great experience. The crowds were so fun cheering us on....I forgot I was running for the first 14 or so miles because everyone was yelling for us (along with the bands, cheerleaders, dancers, Elvis, etc. that was performing on the roadside). For those of you who might do a marathon someday...this is a great one. The expo the day before was fun and full of samples and free stuff, and the pasta dinner was delicious.

We were thankful that our friend Jenny let us stay at her place on the north side of town, and we even became pros with riding the bus and trains. Our husbands found us after the race....and they took us out for lunch at a diner called, "Eleven." It's a great place if you haven't tried it. We had to walk up stairs to get to our table....and we looked liked idiots because we couldnt' bend our knees ahahha. Afterwards, we went back to gather our stuff and missed the metra train. The next one wasn't for two hours, so I also got to eat yummy pizza and hang out in Millenium park. Ryanne and I looked like bums because we laid on the park benches...ahaha we were so tired and sore!

OK, i know that was all very choppy and not full of detail that I should probably give, but I"M SO TIRED! Here are a few pictures.....

Us and Hal Higdon...the most famous man of marathon running. We used his training program to get ready for the marathon...(he told me he liked my neclace ahahah)

Us at the expo....16 hours and 1 minute until race time...

After the marathon coming back on the metra....we were so tired. Aren't we cute!? ahaha jk

Ryanne pinning her number on....she did mine next because I was so nervous and couldn't get it to be in the middle of my tank! ahahahahh What a good friend!