The Halls Haven

January 22nd thru 28th, 2012

2012-01-29T20:50:00.000-07:00

January 15th thru 21st

2012-01-22T22:19:00.001-07:00

I am trying to keep up, and am loving this project. I am trying to look into tweaking things on the blog so the pages can be a bit larger… stay tuned for that. :) I think I figured out why everything is really easy for me to read and doesn’t look too small… it is because my WONDERFUL husband gave me a HUGE computer monitor for Christmas! :)

January 8th thru 14th, 2012

2012-01-15T22:25:00.001-07:00

January 1st thru 7th, 2012

2012-01-08T22:00:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I am embarking on a new project. It is called Project Life. I will be documenting our entire year, week by week. I have wanted to do this for a while now, and decided that since Bruce and Sharon will be gone this whole year still, that this was the year to do it. I want them to be part of our everyday lives, and know what is happening with us. I have LOVED putting this week together so far. Originally I thought I would put together a paper scrapbook, but my heart belongs to the digital scrapbooking world, so I will be doing all of my pages digital to share on the blog and at the end of the year I will get a nice book printed. I am excited to start this new adventure! So here it is…. our first week of 2012!

Christmas Morning

2011-12-25T23:48:00.000-07:00

The kids actually slept in until 6:20 this morning. CJ was the first one up so we went in and woke up Taylor and Kaitlyn. They went out to the living room, and there were no toys! Taylor got a panicked look on her face, so I told her to go look in the play room. Then the happiness started! They were all so excited. CJ couldn’t believe it! “All these things are for me? Look at all my trucks!!” Taylor was excited about an MP3 player, and Kaitlyn got out her art kit right away. After a little bit I heard Hannah, so got her out of bed and brought her in. She was completely confused, but then after she adjusted she crawled right over and got into her new carseat. It was such a nice morning. We had breakfast casserole (as per tradition), talked with Grandma Sharon and Grandpa Bruce, and then went to church for Sacrament Meeting. The choir did wonderfully which made my Christmas even better!

Christmas Eve

2011-12-24T23:20:00.000-07:00

So today was Christmas Eve. We woke up and had breakfast at Grandma Sharon’s house with all of the cousins and aunts. It was fun to just hang out. Then all the kids came to my house while they cleaned up over there. They all went to seperate rooms... Taylor & Gracie on the computers, Kaitlyn & Gretchen & Rio in my room watching a movie and playing Barbie’s, CJ & Jake & Krey in the toy room. It was wonderful. So fun to have a house full of happy cousins. I love that they are all so close, & that they love playing together. We finished up the cookies for Santa. They are always full of frosting & sprinkles!

Casey still has not been feeling well today.

Tonight Mom & Dad came over at 5:00 for a new type of Christmas Eve. It really has been so strange doing things different. After doing the same things for 9 years, it is a lot harder to change that I thought.

We had:
MENU
Prime Rib
Baked Potatoes
Salad
Rolls

It was DELICIOUS! I under cooked the Prime Rib a little for Dad, and it was pretty rare in the middle, but he was happy. Casey ate some, but was sad he couldn’t really enjoy it.
Mom brought some games for the kids to play... snowman tag with a snowman graphic that we had to try to put on someone without them knowing, & put it on someone else when they got it. The kids LOVED it, but they weren’t very sneaky. They played pin the nose on Rudolph, which Kaitlyn was the best at. They also played Name that Tune... mom gave them the first line of a Christmas song & they had to sing the next lyrics.
We also did a puppet show for the nativity story. Casey read it out of the Bible, while the kids used the puppets to act it out.

The best part was this conversation:

Taylor: I get to be Mary
Kaitlyn: But I wanted to be Mary
Taylor: No I am.
CJ: I just want to be the dumb guy.
(As opposed to a Wise Man.) hahaha

Christmas with the Hall’s

2011-12-23T23:08:00.000-07:00

I have to admit that Christmas was a bit strange this year. For the first time ever in our marriage, we did not have the Jerusalem dinner on the first Sunday of December (Taylor was sooo worried about it!)and we did not go to Bruce and Sharon’s for Christmas Eve. This year we combined the parties into one night on the 23rd. My absolute very favorite part of Christmas is the Jerusalem dinner. This year, without Bruce and Sharon there, they wrote us all a message that Casey read. (choked up the whole time, he misses them so much!) The letter talked about when and how they started the Jerusalem Dinner in their family. It was a nice message, and great start to the evening. We had our traditional meal of fish, pita bread, grapes, bananas, oranges, avocados, onions, hot pepper cheese, and grape juice.

After our Jerusalem Dinner, we all cleaned up and gathered around for the tradition of reading the Polar Express while eating M&Ms.

Next we went on to have Taylor give her first piano recital. She played 2 songs for us, and we all sang along to jingle bells. She was super excited to play Grandma’s keyboard. Angela led us all in playing the chimes, which went shaky, but so much fun. Then on to the presents! Lindsey’s family gave us new SLEDS!! (Now if we could just get some snow to USE them!)

The whole night, Casey was not feeling well. I must be slacking, because I don’t even have a picture of him curled up on the floor in a blanket.

After the party was over, most of the adults went home, but all of the kids stayed for a SLEEP OVER! Addy, Cameron, Lindsey, Dean, and Angela stayed with the kids for a fun night. Then the next morning we all had yummy breakfast of Hashbrown Casserole, French Toast Sticks, and Biscuits and Gravy.

It was a wonderful party, and we even talked with Bruce and Sharon that night.

Temple Square

2011-12-20T22:39:00.000-07:00

I am actually REALLY embarrassed to admit this, but this was my kids very first trip to Temple Square. (Taylor is 8!!) This was their first time to see the Salt Lake Temple up close, the first time in the Visitor Centers, the first time to see the Christus, and they first time to see all of the lights there.

We went down on a Tuesday night, and met Josh and his family at the Family History Center where Mom and Dad are serving their mission. They showed the kids around the building and told them all about geneology and what they do there. After that we went across the street to Temple Square. The kids loved it! They saw the Nativity scene and heard the Prophet’s voice on the speakers as part of the dialogue there. They saw the Christus, we toured the visitor’s centers, and I think their favorite part was looking in the small model of the temple that is in the South Visitor’s center to see what it is like in there. We took photos on the steps of the temple and they looked at the door knobs. We went to the top floor of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building to look down on the sites. We ate at the Nauvoo Café in the JSM. It helped me feel the Spirit of Christmas. I loved the look on my sweet kids faces as they enjoyed learning about the Savior and feeling the Spirit that is there.

Hannah was so good, Kaitlyn forgot her coat, CJ was cold, and Taylor wanted to stay much longer to really look at each little thing. I don’t think it will be a yearly tradition, but it was a fun experience for our family.

Hall Family Christmas Party

2011-12-16T21:44:00.000-07:00

Here are a few of the memories from this year’s Christmas party with the Hall family. It was a lot of fun like always, however I did discover that having 4 kids wears you out!

Croup

2011-12-15T15:15:00.000-07:00

One more sickness for this sweet baby.

Finally a little snow…

2011-12-13T14:11:00.000-07:00

CJ was so excited that there was some snow to play in. He played outside while the girls were at school, hauling the snow in his toy skidloader, and ice skating on the patio.

Workin’ Man

2011-12-12T22:43:00.001-07:00

Here he is… all duded up and working on the Pig Palace. He loves to be anywhere his dad is! This little man is definitely a worker. He has some amazing examples of hard work in his life!

Ornament Thief

2011-12-10T22:47:00.000-07:00

After starting to feel a little better, Hannah has discovered the Christmas tree. She loves to take these ornaments off. In her defense, they do look like lollipops!

Happy Birthday Grandma Great!

2011-12-07T22:52:00.000-07:00

I love that Grandma’s Birthday is in December. It is so fun to be able to go visit her, and celebrate with her. She had all of her holiday decorations up, and the house looks lovely. She did have her big poinsettia, which reminds us so much of Bruce and Sharon, since they giver her one each year. And her traditional flocked tree, with red lights and snoopy ornaments. She enjoys seeing everyone at her home so much! We love our Grandma Great! Annie made her a chocolate cake, which the kids enjoyed, and Casey enjoys sneaking some of her handmade cherry chocolates.

Christmas Village

2011-12-06T21:52:00.000-07:00

For the past few years we have gone to the Christmas Village in Ogden to watch the girls dance. Taylor is not doing dance this year, but we did go to see Kaitlyn do her ballet. She loved taking ballet and was excited to dance. It was FREEEZING as usual, so we visited Santa, looked at the lights, even rode the Christmas train, and watched Kaitlyn’s dance. Right after, we left! Hannah stayed at home with Emilee. The kids love the magic of the lights, and getting hot cocoa!

Christmas Time

2011-12-04T20:29:00.000-07:00

Christmas time is here. Every year I love to get my kids some nice outfits. Here they are this year! ♥

The Face

2011-12-03T22:44:00.001-07:00

Hannah’s new trick is to scrunch her nose up when she smiles. It is adorable!
(Disclaimer: Please ignore the dried boogers on her face… she is still not 100%.)

Kaitlyn’s Special Day

2011-12-02T22:56:00.001-07:00

Today was Kaitlyn’s special day for Kindergarten. She got to make a book about herself, and a paper doll that looks like her. We had so much fun making these things! Then, this morning we got to go to her class while she told everyone about her book and doll. She was the helper all day too. After school I took her to get Wendy’s and then we watched the Smurfs movie. We love you Kaitlyn and you are a very special part of our family!

Poor sick baby…

2011-11-29T20:46:00.000-07:00

Poor baby Hannah has been sick now for 6 days straight. She is miserable! She crawls for 2 steps and then collapses on the floor like this. She has been throwing up and is very dehydrated. I want my sweet happy girl back. All she wants to do is cuddle. I hope she feels better soon. ♥

Indian Day at School

2011-11-22T21:59:00.000-07:00

Today was the annual First Thanksgiving day at school. The girls were so excited to put on their Indian costumes (although the day before they both told me they wanted to be pilgrims!!) Last year we made Kaitlyn an Indian dress, so this year we made a new one for Taylor. CJ had preschool, but they weren’t dressing up… except him.

The girls got to play games, have scones, and Ron Brown gave took them on a hayride.

CJ had a little feast with his preschool friends, and they each got to bring something to share.

Cute Kids

2011-11-21T22:15:00.000-07:00

This week we have been able to have these cute kids at our house. We love them both, and have been enjoying having them in our home so much!

Our new additions….

2011-11-16T21:07:00.000-07:00

We are now the proud ??? owners of 3 little pigs. It all started when I told Casey that Blake and Jessica were getting a pig for their freezer, and that we should get one. Nope… we got 3 LIVE pigs instead of one butchered pig for the freezer. The kids LOVE them though. There names are Rose, Wilbur, and Horse Trailer. (Who’s do you think that is?)

Homework

2011-11-14T21:05:00.000-07:00

Today was Kaitlyn’s first official day she got homework in Kindergarten. She was so excited to start right away. We did her homework at quiet time, and she loved every second of uninterrupted attention! ♥

Baptism Day

2011-11-05T22:49:00.000-06:00

It was a sweet, wonderful day. We had our first big snow of the year, and Taylor said she would always remember that it snowed on her white day. The Baptism was at 1:00, followed by a luncheon at our house. We set up a kids table in the play room, which worked out great! Everyone stayed and visited, it was as close to perfect as it could get I think. Here is the program:

The Baptism of

Taylor Kay Hall

November 6^th , 2011

Presiding......................................................................... Bishopric

Conducting........................................................... Bryce Moyes

Pianist......................................................... Catherine Hall, Aunt

Chorister..................................................... Jessica Hall, Cousin

Opening Song ....................................... When I am Baptized

Opening Prayer.................................. Gracie Ballard, Cousin

Spotlight ..................................................... Alyson Hall, Mother

Talk about Baptism............................ Maddie Morris, Cousin

Talk about the Holy Ghost.......... Rick Lyman, Grandfather

Baptismal Ordinance............................ Casey B. Hall, Father

Confirmation........................................... Casey B. Hall, Father

Welcome to the Ward................................................ Bishopric

Closing Song ............................... Search, Ponder, and Pray

Closing Prayer...................... Coleen Lyman, Grandmother

I was able to give a spotlight on Taylor, and it was so special to be able to include a message from Bruce and Sharon. We missed them terribly!

Taylor has talked about getting baptized ever since she was little. It used to be that she was NOT going to get baptized, because she was not getting in the water. After a while, she changed her mind, and was excited to get baptized, but assured us she would be wearing purple, not white. Over the past year, she has gotten really excited about being baptized. Taylor loves to give the lesson on Family Night, and every other time she did, it would be about baptism, or the Holy Ghost. These lessons were not short, to say the least, but I know they have been building her testimony and ours. Here she is today, dressed in white and beaming with excitement to get baptized.

Taylor was definitely sent to our family first for a reason. She is my second pair of hands. She is an amazing big sister, and helps me everyday. Just before school starts each year, she reminds me how much I will miss her help, and I really do.

Taylor has been known by many names in our family. Taylor, Tay, Sis, Taylor Girl, TK, even her Grandpa Bruce used to call her Madge. The one that stuck with her has been Taytie Beans, which is what her Aunt Emilee started calling her as a baby. She is our sweet Taytie Beans, or sometimes just shortened to Beans.

She has so many talents. She loves to draw and color, she is extremely smart, she can dance, she is turning into quite the gymnast, and has recently started piano lessons, which she is great at. She is responsible and mindful. She has the great talent of making friends, and having a tender heart.

Taylor is excited about life and excited about the gospel. A couple of years ago, our inspired Primary President challenged each of the Primary Children to read the Book of Mormon. We had not been reading regularly as a family, but started that day. Taylor is the one to remind us to read every night, and I KNOW that our family has grown and is completely blessed by the power of the scriptures in our lives everyday.

We are so proud of Taylor, and excited that she has chosen to be Baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. She knows the gospel, and her testimony is growing more everyday. She has been taught by so many amazing people in her life… teachers and leaders, friends, parents, and especially her many amazing Grandparents.

Since Grandma Sharon and Grandpa Bruce couldn’t be here, they sent some letters for me to read to Taylor and to all of you.

To Taylor Hall who is getting Baptized this weekend. Who has a beautiful smile, two quick legs, two creative hands, a bouquet of darling freckles, one very busy mouth, a heart full of love, and a brain oozing with potential and talent. Yes, you’re right that's our "Taylor Girl". It is so wonderful to have Taylor as our granddaughter. She is such a good organizer. She plans ahead and sometimes even plans her mother. She is great to make cookies with, is a very good cleaner, and who could ask for a better big sister. It has been fun to watch you grow and blossom these past eight years. We know you love our Heavenly Father and are so pleased with how you and your family are continuing the tradition of reading the Book of Mormon. We are happy that you have chosen to be a part of our Heavenly Father's family and take upon you His name. Continue to be a strong example to others and look for the happy things in life. Love Grandma in Africa

It is just amazing that we can see you on the computer. We love our visits with you. I would like to congratulate you for your decision to be baptized this weekend. Baptism is a priesthood ordinance of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and needs to be done with a physical body by someone who has the Priesthood of God. Your Father is a good example of a priesthood holder. As his father I am grateful he is worthy to baptize you. Taylor, we get to attend many baptisms as missionaries here in Africa and bare our testimonies about the gospel. I would like to share my testimony with you. I know we belong to the only true church on this earth, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The priesthood was restored back to the earth through the Prophet Joseph Smith. I love my testimony and I love you. As a new member you will now be responsible for the decisions you make whether they be bad or good, please listen to the Holy Ghost in your heart he will tell you right from wrong. Always choose good friends and always be in the right place at the right time then you will be protected. Your Mom will always be there for you to share and talk with. She has a good testimony of the Gospel and is a good example as a mother and wife love her and be helpful in your family. Love Grandpa Hall

Lindsey did Taylor’s hair that morning, just like they had theirs done for their baptism, in a heart french braid. It was darling. and Taylor loved it!

So Proud

2011-11-04T22:53:00.000-06:00

Here is our little miss Hannah. Her bouncer has been in the office, and her new favorite thing to do is climb in and out all by herself. She is so proud!

Baptism Photos

2011-11-02T11:47:00.000-06:00

Here is my baby girl! I cannot believe it has been 8 years since she was brought into our family. Here she is in her white dress, ready and excited to be baptized. We are so proud of her and the amazing girl that she is! ♥

Happy Halloween!!

2011-11-01T11:11:00.000-06:00

We had a great Halloween again. I just love it! The kids are always adorable. We went to watch the kids in the parade at the Elementary, went to see Grandpa Richins, sprinted down the street trick or treating, and attended the annual Chili dinner at Jerry and JoAnn’s home. Nothing better than having fun with awesome traditions. ♥

Going to feed

2011-10-30T11:34:00.000-06:00

CJ loves to be outside, especially with his dad! Here he is all ready to go feed the horses at Grandpa Bruce’s house. What a CLOWN! `

Crazy Hair Day!!

2011-10-26T11:36:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday Taylor

2011-10-23T22:50:00.000-06:00

8 years old! We celebrated today by inviting all of the family over for cake and ice cream. We had Taylor’s favorite cupcakes, Breakfast at Tiffany’s with Hello Kitty rings in them, and cookie dough ice cream, her new favorite. She got some fun gifts, too. Boots, slippers, a zebra pillow pet, and of course an American Girl Doll. She has been begging for one for the last few months, but has talked about having one for a couple of years. INSANE amount of money to spend on a doll! But she was sooo excited! We ordered her doll to look just like her… brown hair, blue eyes, freckles, and even had her ears pierced. It was a wonderful evening!

♥ HAPPY BIRTHDAY TAYLOR! ♥

Birthday Celebration

2011-10-22T23:19:00.000-06:00

Today was the big day… Taylor got her ears pierced! I was certain that she was going to scream and cry, but she surprised us all. Not even a wince or a whimper. She chose gold rhinestone studs. They did both ears at the same time, and she was wonderful! She loves them and is super excited about getting new earrings at Christmas. It was also the birthday of the Newgate Mall, so they had a radio station there with all kinds of things for the celebration. They had face painting that was amazing! We made it a girls day with Grandma Coleen, Me, and all 3 girls. Such a fun day, and amazing memories for her 8th birthday!

Picking Apples

2011-10-21T23:29:00.000-06:00

Every year, we venture up to Mom and Dad’s property in Pleasant View to pick apples. We are out of applesauce that we made 2 years ago, so that is the goal. We all picked and picked, but it was a good thing Josh was there to get up on the ladder. My favorite part about this tradition is definitely taking the kids fall photos in the field.

Hannah’s First Halloween

2011-10-21T11:41:00.000-06:00

I can’t resist holiday shirts for my girls! I just love to dress them up all festive. Here she is all dressed up for her very First Halloween!

Kaitlyn’s Glasses

2011-10-15T11:44:00.000-06:00

They are purple, and perfect for her!

Hannah was feeling left out…

2011-10-12T15:35:00.000-06:00

She wasn’t sure that glasses were the look for her.

Riding Birdie

2011-10-12T15:28:00.000-06:00

Kaitlyn’s getting glasses

2011-10-11T15:33:00.000-06:00

Today the school called and told me that Kaitlyn didn’t pass the eye test. So tonight Kaitlyn and I went ALL over Ogden looking for the perfect glasses. After trying on about 50 pair of glasses in 5 different stores, she found the ones. We had an eye exam, and will be waiting to get her new glasses in about a week.

What do you think about these frames?!? haha

Cousins

2011-10-08T15:25:00.000-06:00

This week we got to spend some much needed time with our cousins! The reason was no fun… Lindsey had her gall bladder out, but being together was great. The kids had such a great time playing together. Here are a few of the shots we got of the kids together. We made a big mess at Grandma Sharon’s and my house, but they enjoyed every minute of it. (Rio and Kaitlyn were too busy to participate in any photos!)

Halloween Excitement!

2011-10-04T23:38:00.000-06:00

We got out the Halloween stuff, and the kids couldn’t help but play in all of the costumes! Has anyone seen Waldo?

Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-03T15:15:00.000-06:00

Tonight we went to the Weston’s Pumpkin Patch for family night. It was so much fun. The kids each chose a pumpkin (Taylor chose 2 and an Indian corn!). Then the kids played with our friends and neighbors. There were donuts and hot chocolate, and even the Charlie Brown Great Pumpkin movie. The kids had so much fun… we will definitely make this an annual tradition I hope.

Our new addition

2011-09-29T15:09:00.000-06:00

After the trauma of losing Sooner, not so long ago, Casey was determined to get another horse to work with. He really is good at working with horses, and he definitely enjoys it. So…our new horse is Birdie. (Named after the character on Hope Floats… and yes, that was her name when we got her.) And did you catch that? I said HER! Birdie is a mare, which I didn’t think Casey would even consider. He is not fond of them, so we will see how this whole process plays out. Here is a picture from my phone, but I will try to get some better ones soon. She actually looks a lot darker brown in real life. (Her tail got eaten, so ignore that.)

Date Night #2

2011-09-23T23:18:00.000-06:00

Tonight was our second date night with Casey’s brothers and sisters. It was wonderful! We all met at the Salt Lake Temple and did sealings. Everyone came, except missed JD and Catherine. And Dean was unable to come at the last minute, since his Grandma was in the hospital. It was so sweet to be together at the temple. I had never been in the Salt Lake Temple, except to see marriages, so I really enjoyed seeing the beauty of the temple. I was in awe at the beautiful details. I definitely would love to go back there again soon. We even snapped some photos, for proof that it really happened.

After the temple, we got on the Trax train to go to the Gateway. We ate at Taiphoon. It was so incredible! LOVED the food! Expensive for chinese yes, but the meats were amazing, and the company was wonderful. I thoroughly enjoy visiting with everyone. Here is what we ordered:

I love these nights out together, and can’t wait to again next month!

Elder MacKay Keyes

2011-09-19T14:30:00.000-06:00

It is really happening! Our little MacKay is now all grown up and going on his mission! He has been called to serve in the Arkansas, Little Rock Mission, Spanish speaking. We are so excited for him, & proud of him! I love the example that he is setting for my little ones! Here are some photos from his farewell. We Love You MacKay! ♥

Preschool

2011-09-05T15:19:00.000-06:00

The man started preschool today… yes on Labor Day!?!

He was really excited to go, and I can’t believe how grown up he looked. He was so glad he got to wear his new cement truck shirt, and be big like his sisters.

PRESCHOOL

Our photo shoot in the morning was so fun. He was definitley hamming it up, and of course had to throw in some silly faces! Man I love this kid!

I Looked Out the Window and What Did I See?

2011-09-03T15:37:00.000-06:00

Today I was going so well. I was in the house, deep cleaning all of the bathrooms. I was so proud of myself and felt like I really accomplished something. Then I looked out the window and saw this…

WHAT?!? Did I mention I had JUST deep cleaned all of the bathrooms?

I let them play for a while longer, because what’s done is done. Casey hosed them off outside, and we had to throw away all of the clothes they had on. They were completely ruined!

The joys of living in a mud hole!

Happy Anniversary

2011-08-30T15:12:00.000-06:00

Today we celebrated our 9th Anniversary! I love Casey more than ever!

We had a typical day, and since it was the first day of school for Kaitlyn, she got to choose where we went to dinner. Guess where she chose?

So, we spent our anniversary dinner at the Playland. The kids had a great time.

Casey did get me a surprise, which I love…diamond earrings!

Life is good, and I am so happy. I can’t believe it has already been 9 years!

First Day of Kindergarten

2011-08-30T15:06:00.000-06:00

Here she is… our little Kaitlyn. She is so excited and ready for her first day of Kindergarten. She did great, no tears or hesitation. She looks so old and grown up here. Her teacher this year is Mrs. Smith, which I am hoping will be good for her. Mrs. Smith is very organized and on the ball. I love this girls attitude! She is just happy and social and ready for anything!

Kindergarten

Be Tru 2 Ur School by Traci Reed

A few others I love…

Taylor’s in 2nd Grade

2011-08-23T13:08:00.000-06:00

Today was her very first day. She was up bright and early and 6:30, and so excited to go. We have decided to use the daily system on picking out clothes, so I made some labels that hand on their hangers with the days of the week, so we will have ALL of our clothes for the week picked out on Sunday night. No more arguments every morning over what to wear (for those of you who know Taylor well, you know she is extremely picky about what she will and will not wear). She was a adorable and I can’t believe how fast she is growing up.

2nd Grade

The Outfit

The Recap in her own words

(for Grandma and Grandpa)

Taylor’s First Day of 2nd Grade

Other than me waking up in the middle of the night with mastitis, it was a wonderful day. (Yes… OUCH!)

Last day of Summer…

2011-08-22T13:59:00.000-06:00

For our last day of summer, I woke the kids up and had a practice run of getting them all ready and out the door in time for school. They were all quite bothered that I had to wake them up so early. They got up, got their rooms picked up and beds made, brushed their teeth, did their hair, and got dressed. They were ready in time to go out the door for school time, so I loaded them up in the van and as we were driving I asked them if we had done everything we needed to get ready. Kaitlyn then remembered… “We didn’t eat BREAKFAST!” This is her favorite meal of the day. (This was my plan all along, which they didn’t know.) So I surprised them and took them to Village Inn for breakfast with Grandpa Rick and Grandma Coleen. After breakfast we went to the Hill Aerospace Museum. The kids had been begging to go there with Grandpa all summer. I couldn’t believe that he had never been there. They had a great time looking at the planes. CJ & Kaitlyn mostly ran around, but Taylor was glued to Grandpa Rick. He knew so much about the planes & passed on a lot of information. She LOVED it!

The last plane is the “giraffe plane.” Taylor thought that they must be sending that one to Africa.

We had a WONDERFUL day!

First Food

2011-08-20T14:40:00.000-06:00

With my other kids, I have waited until 6 months to start any solid foods, but this little girl is INTO FOOD! Anytime someone is eating, she stares at them and even tries to grab it. She has sampled little bits (thank you JOHNNY) but I decided that if she is that interested I would start. Her very first meal was of course rice cereal. She made a couple of odd faces, but for the most part, just wanted more! The video is hilarious… she is like a shark, lunging after the spoon. I love it! She is definitely enjoying her new cuisine.

Hannah’s First Food

CJ & Sooner

2011-08-17T13:25:00.000-06:00

CJ is so proud that he is helping Casey take care of the animals. He loves to give a full report to Grandpa Bruce every time we talk. Casey has been working with Sooner most nights, and thinks he will be a good kids horse. Let’s hope so, because we really do need one! Here is the man riding like an Indian! (Cowboys use a saddle.)

(He was waving at Grandpa Bruce!)

Grandma Donna Josephson Richins

2011-08-11T20:54:00.000-06:00

We found on Friday night that Grandma Richins passed away. I will be the first to admit that I am not the most caring person. I get so self absorbed in my busy life that I definitely don’t visit Grandparents as much as I should. I was so glad that Casey & I went to visit her and Grandpa this past week. I was also glad that I had taken my kids to her Birthday party this summer as well. She got to meet our little Hannah, and the kids have a fun memory of her. It was a good day.

I will miss going to her home in Centerville with the kids. They adored admiring her many porcelain dolls. The girls loved to get into her candy jar, she ALWAYS had some candy. They also always needed to have a drink, because her water in the fridge was so cool. I will miss the annual trip to her house at Halloween, so she could see all of the kids in their costumes. I will miss her spunk. On our last visit with Grandma, she asked me to brush her hair. As I brushed her hair we talked and she wanted to make sure she looked beautiful. I loved that about her. No matter what, she always wanted to look her best. I have known Grandma such a short time compared to the rest of the family, but will treasure the memories I have of her.

The funeral was so lovely. Sharon wrote a talk that Angela read, and I was able to participate on the program by singing, “I Know That My Redeemer Lives.” I am so grateful for the knowledge the gospel brings. Casey dedicated the grave, and did a nice job. In memory of Grandma, some of us wore polka dots, which she loved. We love you Grandma & know that we will be with you again. ♥

Andrew Family Reunion at Bear Lake

2011-08-10T17:21:00.000-06:00

August 7th-10th we headed up to Bear Lake for my Mom’s Family Reunion. It was close for us, but we had family there from Washington, Idaho, and Virginia. We stayed in a beautiful big home up on the hill. There was a “kids house” and an “adult house.” I guess we are still considered kids, so all of us and our kids stayed in a house. There were 9 little girl cousins that stayed in a room together that had 2 sets of queen size bunk beds. They LOVED having their own space, and staying up late together. We had so much fun! We spent a day at the beach at the Lake, and it was great. Usually the water is FREEZING, but this time I wasn’t even cold. Casey and I had a couple of swimming races, too. We had one Sea Doo, so we all got to take turns on that as well. The kids were content playing in the sand and the shallow water. We also went to Minnetonka cave, which was a fun experience with the kids, swam in the pool by the houses we were staying in, swam in the hot tub on the back patio of the house, had raspberry shakes, did some relay races, and had a wonderful time visiting. It was so fun for Grandma Ruby to meet our little Hannah, too. Here are some of the photos from our trip… It was so much fun being together as a family, and especially spending some time with my Grandma.

Tim McGraw

2011-08-06T19:39:00.000-06:00

Another year that I was lucky enough to share an awesome experience with JoAnn. This is our 3rd year going to the Tim McGraw concert together. This year we also got to go with Makenna & Karen. We had tickets in the pit. The stage area was all blocked off, and the pit is where we stood the whole concert right by the stage… no seats. It was fun, but there were tons of rowdy & rude people. This was the first year I didn’t touch Tim… I probably could have pushed my way to the front, but didn’t. I did get some amazing photos, though. The Band Perry & Luke Bryan opened for him and they were awesome! Donny Osmond even made an appearance!! Thanks again JoAnn! You are the BEST!!

School Clothes

2011-08-05T20:58:00.000-06:00

I always loved school shopping growing up. I love a new backpack, new school supplies, and especially the clothes! So it is no surprise that I love to take the girls shopping too. They made some excellent choices this year, and look absolutely darling. I took each of them for their own night out. Taylor and I went to the Layton Hills mall, with dinner at Chick-Fil-A and shopping at Crazy 8, then over to Target. The next night Kaitlyn and I went to Riverdale to Carters and The Children’s Place, then off to Farr’s Fresh for some make your own ice cream sundaes… mmm. We also did a little shopping online. here are a couple of outfits, they are both growing so fast!
(Pardon the blurry photos and the backdrop…eeek!)

My Sweet Baby

2011-08-03T21:42:00.000-06:00

I can’t believe how big this girl is getting! She is growing so fast! Hannah has become such a fun and pleasant girl. She giggles at us, she has beautiful blue eyes, and a beaming sweet smile. She scoots all over if she is on the floor… seriously, I can put her on her belly on one side of the living room, and when I come back she has gotten clear across to the other side of the room. Just this week she has started to get up on her knees and rock back and forth… WHAT?!? She is only 4 1/2 months old! WAYYYY too young to be mobile yet. I am so happy that she is well and thriving (note the double chin and thunder thighs). We all just love this girl!

Gymnastics

2011-07-31T21:09:00.000-06:00

Taylor is getting so good at gymnastics! Once she realized she could do it, she has been progressing so fast. She does back handsprings all around the house now, and on the mat at the gym she can do a round off and FIVE back handsprings in a row!! We are so proud of her. Here is a video (for Grandma Sharon) of her at gymnastics this week. Here she is practicing her whip (backflip).

Taylor at Gymnastics 7-31-11

Documenting…

2011-07-31T13:11:00.000-06:00

A couple of new pages for this week.

Grow with Love Letters: August

Boys Club

Also to come…

This past week I have been doing a big project. I am hopefully going to work on getting it all put together this week. I am so excited about it!

6 days…

2011-07-24T22:31:00.000-06:00

The first real Sunday. Bruce and Sharon are not there. I think it hit me really hard today. Just like CJ, Sunday was a day I would look forward to, knowing they were there. This morning CJ kept talking about wearing a tie just like his Grandpa, because he wanted to be a missionary like him. He couldn't wait to show Grandpa at church that they were the same. We talked about Grandpa not being there, since he is on his mission in Africa. Even as we pulled into the parking lot of the church, CJ assured me that Grandpa would be there. He wasn't. Casey was able to come to our Ward for Sacrament Meeting today, which was wonderful. Sister Donna Spears sat at the other end of our bench, and Kaitlyn just cuddled right up with her. CJ went to tell her hi, and quickly came back to report that Brother Spears had stayed home. We were also missing our Riley today. Not sure why he didn't come this week. I hope that when school starts, things will slow down for him and he will be able to come back to church regularly with us, or with someone else.

Church went fine, then when I came home, it really hit me. We weren't going to Sharon's for a yummy Sunday dinner. We didn't get to see the family and the kids didn't get to play with their cousins. My heart hurts a little bit, and I know we are going to have to get together.

Well here I am a few hours later, and we couldn’t do it. We met the Keyes' and the Ballard's at Bruce and Sharon’s and had a hot dog roast. We all just brought bits and pieces of stuff we had at home and threw a dinner together. There is no way we are going to be able to go without Sunday dinners. I am so glad that we are such a close family. They really are my closest friends and I love them all so much!

Tonight we finally got to talk to Bruce and Sharon through Gmail Chat. It was so good to see them, but so emotional as well. Casey and Bruce were both having a real hard time with their emotions. The kids all got to say hi. CJ asked when they were coming back to their house. I still can't believe it has only been a week. Casey wouldn't sit down to chat because he was too emotional. Bruce popped his head in the screen to tell the kids hi and he was full of I love you's.

Date Night

2011-07-22T23:15:00.000-06:00

I have to start by telling you our pre-date dilemma. Casey was planning on being home in plenty of time to drop the kids at my parents house for the night, while we went to Salt Lake. After CJ's nap, he was complaining that his ear hurt. He told me that Kaitlyn kicked it, so I thought nothing of it. He kept insisting that his ear hurt. I asked him if it hurt inside, and of course the answer was yes. I called the North Ogden IHC Instacare and there was a 45 minute wait! So I called the IHC in Roy and they said the wait was only 15 minutes. SO... CJ, Hannah, and I hopped in the van to get there. I was amazed when we walked in, it was like a ghost town. Not one person in the waiting room. I filled out papers and paid, & before we could sit down, the Dr. called us back. Sure enough, CJ's ear was infected. The Dr. called in a prescription to the pharmacy in the clinic, & gave him some ibuprofen. CJ was in & out within 15 minutes. WOW! So we went to the pharmacy to pick up the script. As we were checking out, CJ started throwing up. I stood there, holding Hannah, my wallet, & my purse, just looking at the poor boy. He tried to stop it with his hand, so it sprayed all over me, him, and the floor. I was stunned! So a sweet guy behind me asked how he could help. He held Hannah, while I helped CJ get cleaned up. This was my first experience with one of my kids throwing up in public... completely AWFUL!! So- CJ wanted to still go to Grandma and Grandpa's house. By the time we got there he was acting much better. I think it must have been the ibuprofen that upset his stomach. Casey and the girls met us at their house. Casey & I left & had to go to Kohl's to buy me some new clothes, since there was barf all over mine. (BONUS- a date & a new outfit!)

Tonight was our first official family date night. Cameron had an awesome idea to meet somewhere fun for dinner once a month. This month we went to Bucca di Beppo’s. The White’s, The Keyes (including Miss Maddie), and the Casey Hall’s came. (We missed the Fox’s, Ballard’s, and JD Hall’s.) Casey & I had been to Bucca di Beppo’s once, while we were in San Diego, so were excited to go again. Dinner is served family style, and we ordered:
Cheesy Garlic Bread, Salad (soooo good), Lasagna, Spicy Sausage Pasta with Penne Pasta and Marinara, and Fettucine Alfredo. To top it off (as if we needed MORE to eat) we had the BIG brownie sundae, which Casey thoroughly enjoyed, and some cannelloni.
It was a wonderful dinner, with wonderful company! Seriously…SO MUCH FUN! We can’t wait for next month to get together again!

Clinton Park

2011-07-21T17:04:00.000-06:00

Apparently this is the week of parks. Today we met at Grandma Coleen’s house and went to the Clinton Heritage park for a bike ride and some fun. There is a paved path that is mostly shaded which made for a nice ride/ walk. The girls loved zooming down it, Grandma pushed Hannah while she power walked to keep up with the girls, Josh pulled the boys in the wagon, and Grandpa and I swaggered behind. (I wasn’t feeling great… my kidneys have decided to hurt.)

The path was so familiar. When I was a kid we would walk along it, but then it was the old railroad tracks that weren’t in use anymore. We would walk along the dirt path, climb around, and head to Steed’s Pond to catch tadpoles.

After the ride/ walk, we stayed at the park for the kids to play while we made a plan for the Andrew Reunion that is coming up in August. We got lots of planning done, and the kids were happy to play on the playground and the rocks at the park.

(Sorry for the unedited photos, I just wanted to get them posted! ` )

Splash Park

2011-07-20T16:45:00.000-06:00

My brother called me up to see if we were interested in going to the Splash Park in Riverdale, since he was playing Mr. Mom this week while Karalee is at Girls Camp. I had never been before… WHY?!? It was so much fun! The kids had a great time! There is a splash pad, and two playgrounds all right together, lots of trees for plenty of shade, too. We had such a fun day! The kids love to be together, and are such great friends. Grandma Coleen and Grandpa Rick even came to watch. After lots of splashing we had some lunch in the park, too. I will definitely do this again! Oh- and did I mention it is FREE?!?

It Happened Today…

2011-07-18T05:41:00.001-06:00

After months of planning and anticipating this day, it is really here. Bruce and Sharon left on an airplane to start their adventure in Nairobi Kenya. It is surreal… we all knew it was coming, but the fact that it is really here is somewhat startling. Today the kids wanted to make some chocolate chip cookies, and they wanted to help do everything like Grandma let them. I heard countless times about, “This is how Grandma does it…” We had a fun time making them, then arguing about eating too much cookie dough. The best part was enjoying them, with milk of course. CJ said, “Mom, I gotta have some milk, because that is how me and Grandpa like them.” Chocolate chip cookies are probably going to be our go to comfort food. They taste really yummy, and the memories linked with this simple snack are endless…

Sunday Dinner

2011-07-17T06:01:00.000-06:00

Tonight we had "The Last Supper." (Can I say that?) We had a big, delicious dinner at our house.

After dinner we had a testimony meeting. Even though you know that everyone has a testimony, and how much we love our family, it was so amazing to hear it. There was such a wonderful, sweet spirit in our home. Bruce and Sharon raised some awesome kids, and I am so lucky to be part of this family. Then came the goodbye's. We will miss them dearly, but are so excited to share in their new adventure.

New Pages

2011-07-15T15:42:00.004-06:00

I love this photo of Taylor! ♥

Using Trademark by Lauren Reid and One Little Bird Designs @ The LilyPad

This is a 3 month layout of Hannah, but today is her 4 month mark! WOW! Isn’t she adorable?!?

With Summer Bouquet by Shabby Miss Jenn

If I could just scrapbook ALL day I would. There are so many more amazing things coming the stores this weekend.

Around Here

2011-07-14T14:53:00.001-06:00

Around Here We are enjoying the long summer days and spending time outside after it cools down a little. The kids like to ride bikes, or even work in the garden.

Around Here We are spending a lot of time with family. I absolutely love that the kids best friends are their cousins. I love that they are close and building great relationships with each other.

Around Here Little Miss Hannah is growing way too fast. Here she is one of her first times sitting in the Bumbo chair. She obviously likes it.

Around Here We are all really wanting some grass. Although the kids do really enjoy all of the dirt surrounding our house, this mama doesn't enjoy it quite as much.

Around Here CJ is constantly asking to ride the little motorcycle. Our neighbor has a small motorcycle that CJ wants to ride every night as soon as Casey gets home. Casey should have never given the man his first ride. He is all about the power!

Around Here Taylor has a hideout under her bed. A secret place she goes with little picture frames set up in the wood framing of her underbelly of the bed. She also has blankets, pillows, a flashlight, and even a my laptop computer.

Around Here The kids are in their swimming suits a lot. It is the essence of summer as they go swimming and running through the sprinklers.

Around Here Kaitlyn always thinks she needs to be plugged in. Whether it is the TV, Computer, MP3 player, or cell phone she thinks that she has to be doing something with electronics all day long.

Around Here We are soaking up the days of summer with lazy mornings with waffle and pancake breakfasts. We are trying to have some fun outings, and some quiet days.

Around Here I am trying to be organized and get some cleaning done, but you know how the saying goes about cleaning your house when you have children at home…

Around Here Casey is finally finished with his project at Davis Behavioral Health and moving on to a new project. It is a gynocology lab… not at the top of his list of things to build!

Around Here Africa is on everyone's mind.

Around Here Life is good. We love each other. We are so blessed.

Angel Moroni

2011-07-12T14:44:00.001-06:00

Today we took a small adventure up to Brigham City to watch the Angel Moroni be put up on top of the new Temple. As we got off the freeway, there it was… you could see the temple in the distance, like a beacon. The temple is so pretty, I love the design and that it is white. We pulled into a parking place around 10:00 am and walked over to sit on the grass in front of the Historic Brigham City Tabernacle. We were greeted by cousins and joined shortly by Grandma Coleen and Grandpa Rick. What a historic day. Personally I have never seen a temple being built, and was excited for this to be a special day in my children's lives, as well as my own. Well, like any good thing, there were a few distractions throughout the day… First, there was an irrigation ditch running right in front of the tabernacle, which all of the kids there thought was their own personal swimming pool. I did not want my kids to be soaked all day long, so was one of the mean mom's who tried to keep them out of the water. This became a constant battle the remainder of the time we were there. The ceremony was supposed to start at 12:00, however the weather was not cooperating. It began to rain, and then to pour. It was a good thing Grandma Coleen always comes prepared. She had 4 golf umbrellas, which kept us (mostly) dry. After the rain let up, we were excited to watch them place the golden statue on the spire. Still a no go though. The winds were too strong. Josh was working with street blocks and crowd control, and he kept reporting to us the inside scoop. They had to place the Angel today, since the cranes were there and all set up, but with the weather they thought they would have to do it later in the evening. So, after a trip to the bathroom where the line was at least 50 people long, I loaded up my kids and decided we were heading home, much to their dismay. I stopped for gas and got a call from my Mom saying that they were going to do it. So we turned around and drove back to the temple. We parked right up front (in a no parking zone) and proceeded to unload again. As I stepped out of the car the hymn, "High on a Mountain Top" was playing from the speakers as I saw them lift the golden Angel Moroni into the air. The Spirit touched me. What an amazing thing to be a part of. I can't imagine how the pioneers felt after the hard work they put into each temple. The Lord is amazing and blesses us in so many ways. We watched as they attached the statue, then finally they turned it around to face the east. There is was… a symbol of declaring the joy of the gospel and the goodness of God. I know that I took my kids for a deep meaningful experience, and I think they enjoyed it and thought it was neat, but my heart was touched and I love the feeling of the Spirit testifying to me of the truth of the gospel and the temple. At 3:30 we left, and although the day was long, and a struggle, it is a day I will never forget being part of.

Changes…

2011-07-10T15:28:00.001-06:00

Tonight was the night… life as we know it in the Hall household are going to change… DRASTICALLY! Tonight Casey was set apart, by his Father, as a High Priest in the Priesthood, and accepted a calling to be on the High Council. So, Sundays will be a crazy, blessed day for us. He will have early morning meetings, hopefully make it to our Sacrament meetings to help me wrestle the kids, then off to the ward he is assigned to. I know it is not all about me, but all in one week I will be losing my Grandparent help, husband help, and dinners on Sundays!! When he was set apart for the High Council, President Meyer blessed that he would still have plenty of time for his family… he must have known the anxiety I had in my heart. I have to say that this is all my fault for marrying such an amazing guy. I am so excited for him, and know that he has great things in store. He teaches me everyday, and I love him! (This also probably means that I need to step up and be better at the everyday things, like personal prayer and scriptures.)

Right after Casey's setting apart, it was time for Bruce and Sharon to be set apart as missionaries. (Taylor thought that "set apart" meant that they wouldn't be together and that they would go different places. We had to explain to her what that meant because she was completely confused. `) There were so many blessings given to them. They are going to be wonderful missionaries. I know that all of our lives will be blessed.

So here is to a new adventure in Sunday living…

VCUG

2011-06-17T21:52:00.001-06:00

Poor baby! We have known for a long time that Hannah has fluid on her left kidney, and that most likely meant she has kidney reflux. The test for kidney reflux is called a Voiding Cystourethrogram or a VCUG. It is an x-ray examination of a child's bladder and lower urinary tract that uses a special form of x-ray called fluoroscopy and a contrast material. First they strapped her hands up by her ears, then wrapped her with an ace bandage around a body board. They they had to wrap her eyes with a bandage as well to reduce the amount of radiation that would get to her. They put in the catheter and she kicked it out, so they inserted another, and she peed that one out. Finally they put in a third catheter and then strapped her legs down as well. Hannah was screaming for over an hour and there was nothing I could do to comfort her. It was like they were ripping my heart out. I was so happy when I got to pick her up and love her after it was all over.

Later they called me to tell me that her kidney's were "unremarkable" or in other words, everything looked just fine. I can take her off the antibiotics and just watch for fevers and vomiting. I was SHOCKED to say the least. I am so happy that everything is going to be ok with her.

Baby, baby, baby…oh!

2011-06-04T21:47:00.001-06:00

Today Gretchen and Kaitlyn (both age 5) were at Grandma Sharon's playing and listening to a little Justin Beiber. Gretchen said, "He is Hot!" and Kaitlyn followed up with, "I could bake cookies on him, he is so hot!" Gotta love the Beiber Fever.

Scrapbooking Journey

2011-06-03T12:23:00.002-06:00

Ok- so I have been lax about posting my scrapbook pages here lately. I feel like people don’t care, or have the passion for it that I do. But, since it is definitely a HUGE part of me right now, I decided to continue to share. The weekends are when all of the fun scrapbook goodies are released and I am so lucky to be able to be part of some amazing scrapbook teams. Here are a couple of kits released today…

THE LILYPAD’S BYOC (Build Your Own Collab)

This page was so fun! I love the bright amazing colors, but mostly the ADORABLE photos of my little Taylor. I had forgotten all about this trip to Willard Bay. She had so much fun, and is so stinkin’ cute!

SHABBY MISS JENN’S ONE AFTERNOON

I also adore this page. This kit was perfect for these photos of our latest Tea Party for Grandma Sharon. I am in love with the photo of Sharon and Hannah together. This tradition is so fun and special to us all, and I wanted to remember Hannah’s very first Tea Party.

Scrapbooking is definitely my hobby, and takes a lot of my time. (More than my family would like I know…) but I LOVE the results. I love to create a beautiful page, but more importantly I love to preserve the amazing stories and memories that belong to our family.

Say Cheese!

2011-05-13T20:15:00.001-06:00

Ever since CJ turned 3, I have been wanting to take some 3 year old photos of him (especially since I am a terrible mama and didn’t take any official 2 year old ones). However, having a baby, and the weather have set me back a bit. His birthday has long past, and even Kaitlyn’s has come and gone. So…today I took CJ and Kaitlyn to take some birthday pictures. We went to the Train Station and had a fun time playing and snapping some shots. Then we went to Vintage Cupcake to take some photos as well. I am still trying to figure out exactly the right tweaks when I am editing photos. I am enjoying photography, but still have so much to learn!

Here are some of the best shots I got of each of them. Aren't they adorable?!?

5 things…

2011-05-08T23:26:00.001-06:00

First I have to say that we are home safe and sound. Hannah was discharged from the hospital on Friday evening. She was sent home on antibiotics and will have the VCUG for her kidneys on May 17th. She seems to be feeling a little better, my poor baby!
I did have a nice Mother’s Day today, and wanted to share some of the reasons I love being a mom.

1. I love the sweet I love you’s, and the look on their face when they know they have done something sweet.

2. The clothes… kids clothes are just adorable.

3. How much they teach me about real life everyday.

4. Their forgiveness and patience with me.

5. The amazing feeling I have each time I hold one of my wonderful kids… they really are the best.

{Taken the day we brought Hannah home… I love these little munchkins!}

Mother’s Day Love

2011-05-08T04:17:00.001-06:00

Here are my silly girls making me a video when they should have been fast asleep in their beds. Such sweethearts, and little stinkers at the same time!

Expensive Sleepover

2011-05-06T15:41:00.001-06:00

I am here in room 5204 on the Pediatric floor at McKay Dee Hospital. Our sweet, new baby has a urinary tract infection and was admitted on Wednesday night. She was vomiting and acting just a bit "off" on Wednesday. She was originally scheduled to have a VCUG test done on her kidneys on Thursday morning, but I decided to bring her to the clinic on Wednesday night. They took a urine test and the in office test showed bacteria. With her age & symptoms she was sent right over to the Pediatric unit. They did some blood test which came back normal, thank goodness, so we were able to avoid the need for a spinal tap. She has been doing alright, but I can tell she is in pain. She has been given antibiotics through an IV. We are waiting for the full results of the urine test which will tell us what type of bacteria she has, and what drug will be the best to treat it.We may be able to go home late tonight or may have to be here until tomorrow. The VCUG test has been rescheduled. This test is to determine why there is fluid on her left kidney. More than likely she has kidney reflux which is why she got a UTI. I am exhausted and so sad for me sweet little girl. Thanks to everyone who has come to our rescue to help with our family... AGAIN! Love you all!

Kaitlyn is 5!

2011-04-30T15:22:00.001-06:00

Today was our sweet Kaitlyn's 5th Birthday! She requested a party with other people invited after attending another friend's party, so tonight was the big "Tangled" Bash. There were 10 girls invited to the party (including my girls). To kick things off they each made their own crowns with jewels. Some were very creative, and they each had a photo. Next was cake and ice cream. I was SO PROUD of my cake. I am going to be honest, I am have some bad luck when it comes to baking… especially if it is baking for a special occasion. I don't know why I am cursed to ruin the cake just about everytime I have a deadline, or something special that it is for. This cake, however, was a huge success. We also played pass the crown, like hot potato, and the princess it landed on got to do a princess dance. Most were not interested in dancing for the rest of us, but a couple brave souls showed us their best princess moves. Next came presents. Kaitlyn is so animated! I love how much she is impressed with every little thing. She got an overload of Tangled gifts, which she was giddy about, as well as an amazing book, some Squinkies, a Barbie, a Wii game, and a Lalaloopsy doll. We had the girls go outside and let balloons go into the sky, like the lanterns from the movie. Repeatedly throughout the party she said to me, "Mom this is the best (birthday) day ever!" The party was a success!

I Hope they Call THEM on a Mission…

2011-04-28T09:40:00.002-06:00

It is here! The call we have all been waiting for…

Bruce and Sharon got their mission call yesterday and will be serving in the Nairobi Kenya Africa Mission. They will leave on July 11, 2011. They will speak English and be service missionaries for 18 months.

For MONTHS, well really since they have talked about going on a mission, Sharon has said she wanted to go to Africa on their mission. She was determined that is where they were going to go. When they started filling out papers, they did not request somewhere they wanted to go, because they knew the Lord would call them where they needed to go. I’m not going to lie… I was completely shocked that they really are going to Africa. What a lesson to me about how strong their faith really is. They are wonderful examples.

CONGRATULATIONS!!

The Gymnast

2011-04-16T12:39:00.003-06:00

It finally happened! Taylor is an excellent tumbler, and has enjoyed being in tumbling for almost 2 years now. She is progressing, and doing her best. Today was the day! For awhile now, Casey and I have known that Taylor could do her back-handspring by herself on the floor, both of her gym teachers know it too. Apparently the only one who doesn't is Taylor. She has been able to do a back-handspring on the trampoline for a while now. Casey challenged her to do her back-handspring TODAY. They are into making deals, so he said he would buy her a prize for doing it. Well, that is all it takes I guess… a little bribery. Taylor can do it! She did back-handsprings on her own today! We are so proud of her! (By the way, she got a new Baby Alive doll for her prize.)

(Sorry the video is sideways... I don't know how to fix that.)

2011-04-14T17:25:00.004-06:00

She is 4 weeks old

She loves the sound of familiar voices

She goes from happy to screaming in a matter of seconds

She likes the vacuum

She is a cuddler, which I love

She is now sleeping in her crib

She is a good eater

She generates a lot of laundry

She is getting that little baby acne

She is still wearing her newborn baby clothes

She rarely wears a bow on her head, since we don't go many places

She has that new baby smell ^

She is fussy, maybe even colicky

She is so darling

She is loved

2011-04-12T14:57:00.001-06:00

I don't know if it is just a recent discovery or just since I have a newborn at home now, but this little man is SO LOUD!! Everytime I turn around I find myself telling him to "SHHHHHH!" I thought when we built our house it would be so great to have all of the bedrooms on one side of the house, and the play room clear on the other. Good in theory, however when your 3 year old is running through the WHOLE house yelling, it kind of defeats the purpose. It isn't even that he yells all the time, mostly he just talks about everything LOUD. (And he is a talker, really never stops.) Good thing he is so dang cute!

2011-04-10T09:36:00.001-06:00

I have been so caught up in the LOOK of the blog that I have forgotten to post. Why must I be that woman, who thinks I can't teach a Relief Society lesson without an amazing center piece, or the girl who can't blog without it looking just right? NO MORE!! I really want to record moments... and presentation doesn't matter. (It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter, it doesn't matter... I keep telling myself.) SIMPLIFY!!

This is like my life today... A few of my favorite things...

2011-03-27T14:01:00.001-06:00

This blog is UNDER CONSTRUCTION!
(Yes- again!!)

2011-03-21T16:28:00.003-06:00

2011-02-22T18:00:00.003-07:00

So many of our best stories seem to happen during family night! :)

Taylor is constantly playing with her loose tooth. She likes you to know it is definitely loose, but does not want anyone to touch it. She is freaked out about someone pulling her teeth out. Tonight we were all gathered and getting ready for bed. Earlier in the evening CJ had been standing on the footstool of the brown lounge chair, and completely free falling backwards into the chair. He was laughing and having a great time. Then Taylor was sitting in the chair, and CJ decided to do it again. His head hit Taylor right in the face… knocking out her two front teeth. These teeth were loose anyway, but the look of terror on her face was awful. She pulled her two teeth out of her mouth, and blood was gushing out. She flipped out and was screaming hysterically. Then CJ was crying because he didn't want Taylor to cry. After lots of crying and screaming they all finally settled down for bed. Casey said he wishes all of her teeth would come out like this, so we wouldn't have to banter back and forth to talk her into pulling a loose tooth out. Now here she is, the morning after the incident. Still with a little bit of a fat lip, but a darling toothless grin!

2011-02-18T14:06:00.002-07:00

Go check out the new Goodies available today at The LilyPad! ♥

Also a new kit by Shabby Miss Jenn!

Love this photo of Taylor... she was so little! :)

2011-02-17T13:56:00.004-07:00

I love you and I hate you at the same time.

I love how you hold so many of our precious memories and images that I'm sure would have already escaped my cluttered mind. And I love how our friends and family can look at you, wherever they are, to see what we've been up to.

But I also hate the stress of keeping you up. Sometimes I dream of the days before you and photoshop were around and wonder what I did with all that disposable time.
And I hate to say it, but my life would be so much easier without you. Undocumented, but easier.

What to do?

I'm so torn.

2011-02-01T21:00:00.000-07:00

Today was my appointment with Dr, Kammeyer. He said that everything looks about the same, so that is good. He wants me to continue staying down and taking the medication to stop my contractions. He said he will be so happy for me to make it to 36 weeks, but making it to 38 would be even better. (As of today I am 33 weeks.) So I will just continue to do nothing... it is so hard some days though. Especially with sick kids.

Our second doctor visit today was for CJ. He has had a cold, but the past couple of days has gotten much worse, so tonight, Sharon and I took him into the InstaCare. Sure enough... he has pneumonia!! Poor little guy. He has been coughing and high fever and not breathing well. We now have antibiotics, so hopefully he will feel much better soon. We are supposed to bring him in tomorrow for a follow up to make sure his oxygen levels are up, if not, he may need to be admitted to the hospital. I guess I could always just lay in the hospital bed next to him.

So the plan is for my mom to come help this week, since I can't send sick kids to anyone's house. I am so grateful for her, and all she does for us. ♥

2011-01-31T10:55:00.001-07:00

The weekend was eventful! On Friday night, my mom and dad came and took the kids up to Josh & Karalee's for Brogan's 1st Birthday Party! (Can't believe he is ONE!!) Then the girls got to stay and have a sleepover. They stayed up way too late, and had way too much fun! (Thanks so much Karalee!)

While we had a night without kids, Casey and I stayed in for a movie night. We watched Secretariat... and I really liked it. I loved the story of the horse was great, but I loved how strong she is as a woman!

Saturday, Casey had to go to work all day, the girls played at Karalee's and CJ got to go see Grandma and Grandpa Richins. It was a nice relaxing day for me and fun day for the kids.

Sunday, Casey went to work again. And... Kaitlyn woke up throwing up. She was sick all day on Sunday and had to miss playing with Rio. The White's were here for Addy's Birthday dinner at Sharon's. Then Taylor came home and threw up too. So we have been down and out. When it rains it pours right?

Hoping to have a much better week.

2011-01-29T09:28:00.004-07:00

New at Sweet Shoppe Designs Today!!

2011-01-28T13:46:00.000-07:00

New at The LilyPad TODAY!!

2011-01-28T13:02:00.002-07:00

Hello to all of you in blogging land. Here I am... January 28th. Only about a month late on my goal for a new look for my blog. Might as well start today right? I am hoping to fill in the rest of January as I go, but as for right now, I am just happy to have a new look and a new post. So... welcome to the newly remodled Hall's Haven. This will be a work in progress, so keep checking back.

I think the reason my blog has been NEGLECTED BIG TIME is that I seem to be a graphic perfectionist. If it isn't scrapbooked, or fancied up, or doesn't have a picture, I don't feel like I can post it. Well, I am slowly coming to realize that my life is NOT PERFECT (shocker, I know) so documenting it shouldn't have to be either. I am really trying to simplify, and record things that really matter. Hope your don't get bored with just me rambling on with nothing pretty to look at sometimes. :)

In the scrapbook world there are so many people participating in Project 365, which is taking a photo everyday of the year. Well, given my current circumstances (pregnancy from he**) I am already behind if I want to do this... again my graphic perfectionism taking over. I have decided I will do this project, but if I miss a day... oh well. (See how laid back I am getting!)

Happy Friday to all! Here's hoping for a wonderful year, with a full and heartfelt blog to go with it. ♥

December 25th

2010-12-26T15:03:00.000-07:00

December 21st

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2010-12-21T15:02:00.000-07:00

December 16th

2010-12-17T15:01:00.000-07:00

December 14th

2010-12-15T15:00:00.000-07:00

December 13th

2010-12-14T14:51:00.000-07:00

December 12th

2010-12-13T08:04:00.000-07:00

December 11th

2010-12-12T08:03:00.000-07:00

December 10th

2010-12-11T08:02:00.000-07:00