Playing Ketchup

I've been a posting slacker. Stan's birthday was on April 24th.

My Stan turned 32 years-old. He's really getting up there:) We had to be in Palm Springs for Youth Conference Training (we're going to be Ma and Pa's for the Trek) so we decided to make a day of it.
After training all morning we went to a nice park and played soccer, enjoyed the playground, had a fun picnic, and then Stan opened his presents with a lot of help from the kiddos.
Afterwards we went to How to Train Your Dragon in IMAX 3-D. Very cool experience, but in the future I won't take the girls-they wouldn't keep their glasses on.
Next a quick trip to the Mall to get Stan's watch fixed.
Then to a Brazillian Resturant (like Tucanos in Orem). We were very happy, well fed campers.
What a fun day to spend with my family!



Recent Funny Kid Statements:

Julia asking me to get her a specific food. Me- "That's not possible"
Julia- "I'm impossible!"

On Mother's Day Stan gave me lots of chocolate and caramel. I shared one with the kids and they wanted more.
Me- "You can only eat more if your name is Mommy"
Julia, after a little pause of thought, "My name's Mommy."

Israel loudly at church on Sunday after the Primary President told the Jr. Primary that she wasn't perferct, "You're not?"


Soon to come post: My Front Sight Experience and Israel's T-ball career. Can you believe he caught a fly ball on 1st base?

Cute kids and Israel's Art

My Sunday kids- somehow (even though we stayed up until 12:30 am watching A lot like Love) we were actually ready for church early this morning and the kids were matching and cute (thanks to Jane), so we took some pictures of the fam. in our front yard.



Here's some of Israel's book he made for his teacher for her birthday. She always tells me it's difficult to send his work home and I discovered that it was difficult to let his book go. I actually cried a little bit reading it one last time with Stan. He laughed and said, "lets take pictures." What a brilliant man I married:)

"Just Like Me"

One of this little cutie's favorite games is "Just Like Me"



"Mommy, you have 2 eyes, just like me" (finds my eyes, finds her eyes)
"Mommy, you have 2 ears just like me" (finds . . . you get the idea)

Well a few days ago we were again playing this innocent game when I realized I really need to give my eyebrows some more attention.

"Mommy," Julia said, "you have hair just like me!"
"You have a nose just like me"
"Mommy, you have 2 eyebrows . . ."
and instead of saying just like me,

she said "Just like Granddaddy"

Ouch- and thankfully a good long laugh to share with you:)

Ode to the Bathroom Floor

Oh tile so hard,
Oh smells so strong,
Oh child so happy,
While I wish you would pee.

Potty training, oh potty training,
when will you end?
Potty training, oh potty training,
when will you end?

Julia Michele,
Could you just go,
Does it have to take 4 books,
Could it maybe take just 2?

Potty training, oh potty training,
when will you end?
Potty training, oh potty training,
when will you end?

I try to be cheery
And finally we hear
The most wonderful music
That means we are through.

I leave the hard floor,
I wipe the little bum,
And we wait for a while,
Until we repeat it all again.

Sweet Baby Mama

Julia is our little Mama, even from the beginning we just knew she was going to be an incredible mom. In her baby blessing Stan felt inspired to say "I bless you to be a great matriarch". Already she is such a sweet baby Mama, with her little dolls. Garage selling a few weeks back she found a boy cabbage patch doll. She immediately fell in love with him and took his clothes off. (Hopefully this won't be a pattern in her teen life) Now she sleeps with him, carries him everywhere (even to church AND nursery the Sunday after he was discovered. Yes, I know, huge no no)
Tonight like most nights my not so good dinner eaters were starving right when I was trying to do the scripture, prayer, bed thing. In a moment of brilliance Julia climbed on the table (yes you read that right) grabbed the plastic container with 3 cookies from last night's Enrichment and came over to me. I compromised my no more food, for happy scripture time.
Julia was the last on left with cookie. When asked she repeatedly shared with Eliza and then Israel. Giving away all that was left. She was so happy to feed them. Israel asked, "Mom, why does she like to feed us, is it because she wants to be a Mommy?" I think the answer is a resounding YES.

On a side note, Alice Osborne, author of "It's Here Somewhere" taught us how to Streamline our homes at last nights Enrichment. She was a super fun presenter and we laughed and learned together. Now do I have the courage to follow through? I hope so since we'll be moving soon! Did you know the average American spends 2 years of his life looking for things he's lost in his home? Declutter, have courage to get rid of things you don't need or use. Did you know we wear 20% of our clothes 80% of the time?

Julia in the past week.

Falling asleep at lunch

Being my Easter Bunny

Happily crafting. Much to my joy Julia has already given up on the tasty habit of chewing crayons.

Laughing. Right before a diaper change. I would have to say that playing chase is Julia's favorite game. She loves to run away- as long as she's being actively chased. We have a pre-diaper change ritual that she runs away when I get out a new diaper and I open the diaper by hitting it onto my leg. Well this time the "magic fluff" inside exploded everywhere.

Bonding with the boys. Notice the Wii nunchuk she is holding. She often "plays" video games with Israel and Dad.

Being my sweet girl. And yes, her hair is often just like this.

Blankets for Julia

Julia, like her older siblings loves soft blankets. In fact, she likes them so much Eliza was having fits. Julia kept taking her prized white blanket, the one Eliza used to give her freely when Jula was sad. At the time I was proud of my Eliza to so freely share her special happy. But a few months ago it turned ugly (crying, grabbing, etc.) so I knew I'd have to do a scary thing, make Julia her own silky blanket (cricot). My mom helped me get set with a pattern, fabric, and thread (thanks Mom!), and I was left with a lot of slow hand stitching to do. After 3 months, a few stitches donated my family, and a borrowed sewing machine when mine unexpectedly decided not to function, I am done- DONE done. I am so happy and proud of myself and my stitches aren't even all then even. Cutting away the extra fabric was scary, but I did it and she has a snuggly that thankfully she has accepted as hers. Here are some pictures of her with her silky, and also one with Israel's leapard skin blanket she's happily wearing.

Conserving Water

If anyone is unhappy with their current water bill I have a solution for you. Get you youngest mobile child to climb up the toilet and attempt to use the flushing handle as a foot hold. Depending on their weight it might take a few attempts to accomplish the desired feat- a broken handle. Once this feat happens- esp. if it happens on a Friday afternoon right before a long (3 day weekend). When the only option is reaching into the tank to flush, you'll agree with "yellow mellow, brown down" water conservation. You will have to tell you older children over and over that yes, you know the toilet is broken, but otherwise it's a mostly painless method.

Leaf Time- Nov. 12th

Yesterday Wymount took all of our damp leaves that had totally covered the ground and made wonderful piles. The only thing was they didn't come back quick enough to pick up the piles before thrilled children got to them:) Trina and I didn't want to tell our children not to play in leaves. That's what kids do right? So here are some pictures of our kids and their leaf time. Trina's boys are Travis (in the green) and Jeremy (in the blue coate and hat).

Promised Pictures

Julia acting all "grown up" with Eliza' shopping cart and Dora purse

My first fondany cake

Check out my fancy new boots

I love Israel's huge grin- how he wrinkles his nose-pure Israel Joy








Did I mention I've become a balloon twister? I made this heart with a teady bear for my love.

Happy Hall Birthday!

I don't want to commit to really posting consistantly again, but wanted to at least give a Happy Birthday Cheer to my 3 kiddos, now 5, 3, and 1. Here's some pictures from the fun. We had a party at Nelson Grove Park in Orem- gorgeous park if you've never seen it. The only down side we could discover- you can't fill up water there. We sent a friend to fill up our Gott cooler somewhere else- we were quite thirsty on our hot Sat. afternoon. (The pavilians aren't covered)

For some reason I can't seem to move my pictures around- sorry about the weird order, I'm too tired and lazy to try to figure it out any better.
Israel opened this ball first and ran off to play with it with Nathan and Travis. We didn't open all their presents because they didn't even want too. Playing was too fun.
There were a lot of balloons at the party- I'd learned how to make ballon animals and we'd gotten helium filled balloons -that got horribly tangled- and Aunt Dana brought balloons too. What a party


Julia happy with her link toys

This lady bug cake took an entire jar of no taste red coloring to be this red. Julia was happy until it was gone.

Israel and Eliza shared the sheet cake- it took some help to get the candles blown out- thanks Uncle Jason
Eliza got 2 sets of wings from both her Hall aunts- she loves them.

Julia is the Best!

Okay, other than the fact that Julia is screaming her head off in her crib and I'm going to have to get her in a few minutes- she is my favorite child . . .BECAUSE . . . she said Mama first. That's right- Israel's first word was ball and then Dad, Eliza also said Dad first, but wonderful Julia, she's been saying Mamama for about a week and a half consistently and today she said lala when Eliza left the room and was really happy when she came back- could Eliza be her 2nd word maybe? She also did say dada one time today, but mamama- she says that a lot. Sometimes it is nice to here your kids calling to you.

Happy Independence Weekend!

First we went to Dana and Jason's block party and had lots of fun. Israel and Eliza especially enjoyed the rides behind the tractor. Then it was up to Bear Lake with all my side of the family that's living in Utah (27 people)- with only 2 bathrooms between us getting all ready for 8:30 am church was an adventure and I don't know how we did it, but we were all on time. Jane and Bruce brought up 2 4-wheelers with those and Mom and Dad's Polaris Ranger we got pretty dirty having fun driving up Mill Canyon and up to Temple Flat.


Aunt Jan let Israel and Eliza ride their miniture horse/pony Squirt. They took the baby bunnies for a "walk" and did farm chores brushing down Squirt and taking water to the goats.

We also of course spent plenty of time at the lake. Stan practiced open water swimming and my brother Mike gave him some pointers on howto swim straight (a problem in the Provo Tri) I rode the wave boards with my sisters and we all made sand castles and tried to keep Julia from eating them. It was great to be in Laketown- it's a place I can easily allow my body to really relax and enjoy.

We also went to Minnetonka Cave in St. Charles, ID. It was a really fun, cool tour. We spent 90 minutes underground. Israel was Grandma's buddy the whole time and was so creative. The last picture is of a Stalagtite( or is it mite) called the groom. Israel saw it and said right off that it was a space ship taking off. I think his interpretation is much better:)

On the Move

Doesn't Julia Michele look good in brown! Not only does she have my baby hair, but we think she's going to have my fall coloring. This is my favorite onsie- it's the first one she wears after the wash (not that it stays clean long- if we're lucky we sometimes get 24 hrs, but usually, well you know . . .) Moving for real . . .


Here she's actually cheering for Israel- he's playing MarioKart this morning on our Game Cube. Julia likes the sounds and cheers for her big brother.

I can't deny it any longer. Julia is crawling. I've been happy with the sitting and falling in the direction she wants to go, but she's really getting around now and it's hard to deny the evidence. Ask Israel about that one. She's good at moving from crawling to sitting and back again. Now I have to baby proof again:)