Finally!

After 14 months (and a few threats to our landscape contractor) ...we finally have our grass in!

Birthday

I am officially one year older today. I haven't been looking forward to this, for some reason 34 seems really old to me this year. I don't know why, maybe it is the number matching up with the age spots and wrinkles. Anyway, whether I like it or not, it is my birthday and I am 34. There I said it. Well, typed it, that doesn't really count, does it?

I have enjoyed my presents however, that's always a good part of birthdays. My sister Kelli has a memory beyond reasoning. She always sends me the most creative and thoughtful gifts. She remembers that I lived on instant mashed potatoes and gummy candy growing up. So she sent me very tasty instant mashed potatoes and a bag of gummy candy, along with the new addition to my food animal collection. Last year it was a sweet potato pig. This year she sent me the russet potato hippo. Thank you, thank you, Kelli!

My mom added to my book collection. The 9th book in the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series. I have the first 8 and didn't even know there was a new one out. A good surprise and I am grateful, it will be good to get back into that story while I wait for the next Twight book to come out in August. Thank you, Mom!

My Kids and husband gave me additions to my wardrobe. I am not suppossed to know about them yet (even though I went and tried them on and bought them myself). But the kids like to think they surprised me, so I will put on my surprised face and not let them down. We are going to the Cheesecake Factory in SLC for dinner with my sister Kourtney tonight for my birthday dinner. I am so excited for the carrot cake cheesecake, or maybe the pumpkin cheescake, the lemon one is really good though....yikes I'm in trouble! Maybe I will just bring a few home with me to enjoy for the next few days! Yummy!

Weekend Visitors

From the warm, sunny city of Mesquite, my friend Klea and her daughter Emma came for a visit this weekend. Klea and I spent most of our time catching up on our neglected scrapbooks while Kendrie and Emma got to know each other again. It had been over a year since they had seen each other. I enjoyed the time we had together, it was a nice step away from reality for a couple days. And I got over 10 scrapbook pages finished. I'm going down there next time though. I could really use a good dose of sun.

Front Entry

Here's a better picture of my front door. Thanks for the comments! I have really enjoyed it, especially since we put the shutters on the side window a few weeks ago.

Easter

I just realized I didn't post any Easter pictures. This one is my favorite, the lighting would have been better outside, but it was so cold. What kid doesn't have an "in front of the front door picture" anyway?

Just call me Dory...

I have had a very absent minded day today. It started with one of those jolting realizations that it was morning and oh my goodness, what time is it? kind of morning. Fortunately, it was only 7:30 and my kids weren't late for school, but it set the tone for the day. Tuesday I told my visiting teachers that they could come over today at 9:30, do you think I remembered? Nope. I got in the shower at 9:20. She called me and we rescheduled, after much apologizing on my part, for 10:50. Well, 10:50 came and went and finally at 11: 05 I got a call from the school informing me that it was Friday and the kids are let out early on Fridays and Kortlan had been waiting for me for 15 minutes to come get him. I totally forgot it was Friday! (I really don't like early out Fridays) So I wrote my vt's a note and went to put it on the door. She was just coming up the walk. So I apologized some more and told her to wait, I would be right back. Got Kort, got home, all was well. Now I just want to go back to bed and start over. I feel like I can't remember anything. I even went to the store to get 1 thing and got home with about 20 things and forgot the thing I went there to get. I guess I better go check dinner, hopefully I don't forget to feed my kids....

Kort's first tooth... lost

Kortlan lost his first tooth this afternoon. We didn't even know it was loose until he bit his toothbrush this morning and told us that his tooth hurt. After investigation, we discovered that it was really loose. I tried to get him to let me get it out for him for several hours, until he finally agreed and now he looks like this:

Happy Birthday to Kendrie!

My little girl is now 9! Well, she has been for a couple weeks now, but I am just getting around to posting about it. We started the day with breakfast at IHOP. Grandma and Grandpa Hale and Aunt Kourtney were there as well as the 4 of us. We let her open her presents while we waited for our food.

Have you ever given or received a gift that brought tears to your eyes?
Kendrie just did. Playstation 2 Dance Dance Revolution - Disney version. She had her face in her hands for several minutes.

A new bike.

We then took her and 2 of her friends to Jordan Commons in Sandy to see the Hannah Montana 3D concert movie and play arcade games.

Dinner at the Mayan

And of course the cake, not a fancy one but it was just as delicious.

Pictures of February

San Francisco

St. George

State Basketball Tournament

Melting away.....

The hours have melted together so fast, it is hard for me to believe that it is the end of February already. I finally have a day off and all to myself (that is until the kids get home from school). But there is no expectation of me this day, and yet I am finding that my mind is racing, finding new things to get myself committed to to make my free time fly by faster. So to appease a longing to post something, I will give a synopsis of the past month (more for my journal needs than wanting to bore any of you reading this).

February started out with a trip to San Francisco for the weekend of the 9th. Jim had meetings to attend for 3 days and I had a few obligations myself - shopping! Jim's boss' wife, Dana and a couple of wives of some of the other businessmen we were there with took me on an eye opening shopping extravaganza that led me into unknown territory. I consider myself somewhat of a frugal shopper in a way - Target, Kohl's, Old Navy - that sort of thing. Not with these 3! I was introduced to Tiffany's, Neiman Marcus, Eve St. Laurent, Zara, and some jeweler that made me try on a $23,000 suspended diamond ring. I had a hard time letting that one off my finger - yikes! Anyway, I did manage to introduce a few new articles of clothing to my wardrobe without breaking the bank. It was really fun and we ate really good food, even though we spent a lot of time waiting. Waiting and waiting. Saturday night we ate a restaurant called Scoma's, down in fisherman's wharf by Pier 39. We got there at 6:50. At 10: 15 we received our food. Patience is not one of my stronger virtues and this one tested that quite extensively. I survived though. Sunday we at the Cliffhouse about 30 minutes west of our hotel to the rocky cliffs of the coast line. My only regret is that we didn't arrive sooner, we would have had the most glorious sunset backdrop to our fabulous feast. The food was incredible, as was the service. However, my patience was tested once again with a 2 hour wait for a taxi back to the hotel. This would have been fine if it didn't include waiting with 2 other parties also waiting for taxis - drunk parties at that. Not a fun wait. Once again, I survived. Monday was spent in Fisherman's Wharf, Pier 39 and China Town. We found the most wonderful salt water taffy at the Pier and watched Sea Lions on the docks. With time running out to get to the airport, we decided to eat lunch before heading to our flights. We hopped into some taxis and we were dropped of at the Nanking House in China town for lunch. I have only heard descriptions of big city China towns. Now that I have experienced it myself, I would have to say that I don't think I will be going back anytime soon. China town made the Vegas strip look like Provo. I am serious, I felt like I needed to walk with tunnel vision. Besides being completely appalled at the "advertisements", we had a nice lunch with our friends and we walked back to our hotel from there (not window shopping for several blocks) We finally made it to our hotel and loaded up our suitcases into the taxi that took us to the airport. We were early (as usual) and I began to read a book that I had picked up at Smith's before leaving Salt Lake - I had heard about it but didn't get around to reading it yet. Had I known the "suction" that it would have on me I am not sure I would have started it! Anyone read "Twilight" yet? I will leave that at that for a minute.
Tuesday morning I was surprised to wake up entirely sick. I was sick everywhere, my body ached and my eyes wouldn't focus. I was freezing cold despite the lack of a fever. My stomach raged and I knew it wasn't going to be pretty. I tried to go to work but didn't last very long. Saturday morning I was somewhat myself again. After laying either on the couch or in bed for 4 days, I was ready to be myself again. I hadn't eaten hardly anything for those 4 days and the realization of this made me more hungry than I was capable of satisfying. Mashed potatoes. Comfort food if nothing else, but it made the pain go away. I was feeling stronger as the hours past, even though I was still really dizzy most of the time. I managed to get out to dinner with our friends and I even dared to choke down a piece of pizza, probably not the smartest idea, but it tasted good nonetheless. Sunday I was surprised with the notion that we were going to go to St. George for the day. A 5 hour car trip didn't sound like fun to me, but the knowledge of sun and the lack of snow allowed me to agree. We went down with our friends, Josh and Dana and their 4 kids. We got down there around 6pm and went straight for the swimming pool. Although it was after sunset and the temperature was nowhere near a "being outside in a swimming pool" degree, we jumped in anyway. Thank goodness it was bathwater heated! It felt wonderful to be outside swimming. Not that I miss being in a swimming suit, mind you, but being outside and not freezing to death was so exhilarating. My long absent hunger pains returned and we marched over to the Cracker Barrell for dinner. We all got to bed late and of course didn't sleep well, hotel beds just aren't the same as home. I should have taken some form of sleep aid. Monday morning was all I was there for - sun, sun, and more sun. The kids swam for 2 hours while I soaked up as much of the 60 degrees worth of sun as I could. I even burned my collarbone a little. It was great. Our fun didn't last long though. After a quick trip to Christensen's to get an Easter dress for Kendrie and a stop at Sonic for ice cream, we were back on the road, headed north. Everything in me wanted so bad to head south to see my dear friends in Mesquite. I hope I can get away soon, preferably by myself and take a few more days to visit with them. For some reason it took forever to get home. We didn't get home until after 1 in the morning. My poor kids - we probably shouldn't have done that on a school night, but they survived.
Tuesday started another round of 7:30 in the morning to 6:00 at night work duty. Good for the pay check, bad for my sanity and my family. Thursday we spent the evening down in Salt Lake at the E center because our dear friends that used to live by us in Mesquite were up for their daughter's high school state basketball tournaments. They now live in Cedar City and it was fun to catch up with them. Friday my parents came down from Idaho and Saturday we spent at the E center again watching basketball tournaments. My mom flew to AZ. and my dad flew to MN. Monday started another round of early to work, late to home routine, until today. A very busy month indeed, not to mention being "sucked" into the Twilight series. Every spare moment of time was spent reading this trilogy of vampire romance. I am proud to say, however, that I have finished all 3 books since starting them back on the 11th. The 3rd one completed this morning. I can't believe I have to wait until August to get the rest of the story. Anyway, my husband is happy to have me back from the book world. I am serious, every spare moment was wrapped up in these books. I stole this from a website I found, it fits a description of me and what some of my friends who have read this have done since picking up these books:

SO...YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE THE ONLY ONE whose life was turned upside down once you read Twilight...Your house is a disaster with piles of laundry in every corner and stacks of dirty dishes at record breaking heights. You imagine your husband is a vampire (or werewolf) and have the libido of a newlywed again! You keep convincing yourself that "cold cereal makes a perfectly wholesome dinner" and the pizza delivery boy is now on your Christmas card list. Your children are free to run amuck as long as no one comes to you bleeding...too badly.Oh, there's guilt alright...but that's not enough! You can't tear yourself away from the books and darned be the consequences!

Most of this fits me to a T, however, Jim did all the laundry, dishes and cooking while I was ...um...lost in another world. He is excited that I am no longer glued to this other world, but I told him he only has until August 8th until the next one comes out. He was ok with that - 5 months. I wonder if I could get him to go to the movie in December?

There it is in a very long nutshell. My February 2008 - I am now looking forward to the end of April when I won't be working for the print shop anymore. There is still Hapari though - anyone need a swimsuit? I make house calls!

Parent/Teacher Confrences

On Monday, Feb. 4th, Kortlan brought home his class newsletter that his teacher sends out every Monday. In the "Things to Remember" box it reads:

Please remember to dress your student warmly - we have been having outside recess and if the temp. is not freezing, children are expected to stay outside in the morning until 8:45. I have had several children coming in lately telling me that their parents do not want them outside. I would appreciate parents cooperation in making sure students are not coming to school too soon.


Now as I read this I was thinking to myself, wow, these poor kids are being told by their parents that they can't be outside until school starts and the parents have been told by the school that they are not supposed to be in the school before 8:45. Some parents just think their child can break the rules. I know that my kids can't be in that early. And who would send their kids to school in 15 degrees without any warm clothes on? Anyway, these were my thoughts as I read this newsletter.


Last night, upon entering Kortlan's classroom to meet with his teacher, he took off his coat and his sweatshirt so he could "be more comfortable". His teacher then proceeded to tell me that this doesn't surprise her because he shows up to school without any gloves or hat and his coat is unzipped and that he tells her that he needs to come inside because his mom doesn't want him outside in the cold. I said what?! I laughed so hard I started crying. I told his teacher that I have never told him that he has to go inside before school started and that I constantly tell him to zip up his coat and put his hat and gloves on. We both laughed about it. I told her while I was reading her newsletter I was feeling so bad for these kids whose parents are telling them to break the rules and not dressing them warm enough - just to find out that I was the one doing it!


My funny little boy! Needless to say, we had a little chat about lying when we got home.

My Grandma

On Monday, Jan. 14th, my mom called to let me know that my Aunt had found my Grandma Hale unconcious on the floor of her Rigby, Idaho home. They rushed her to the hospital and found that she had had a massive stroke and that it would only be a week or so before she passed. Wednesday morning we were told that she wasn't going to make it another day. We pulled the kids out of school and drove to Idaho Falls to say goodbye. We returned home late that night and Thursday morning she let go and was reunited with Grandpa, who had been gone for 20 years. Friday we drove back up there to be with my family and on Saturday we had the privilage to go through the Rexburg Temple Open House. Although it was below 10 degrees outside, the warmth and beauty of the Lord's house gave me comfort in knowing that I would see my Grandma again. She is happy where she is and she is at peace. In 6 degrees on Monday morning, amoungst the clear blue skies of Idaho Falls we buried Grandma next to Grandpa and said goodbye. During the funeral services, my sisters Kari and Kourtney and I were asked to read memories of Grandma that family and friends had put down on paper. I had a hard time trying to come up with a specific memory of my Grandma to share. After a long time thinking, this is what I remember: holding her hand as she listened intently to the stories of our lives. Her soft hand on my arm as she responded with wise and whitty comments. A kitchen drawer always filled with vanilla cream sandwich cookies, frozen milk, and every National Geographic Magazine ever published. Although she couldn't see us, she could hear very well and always welcomed us with a big happy smile and a pat on the cheek.

Until we meet again, Grandma. I love you.

For those of you who do not know this yet, my computer crashed and I am forced to break into my boss' computer at work to post this! Hopefully it is nothing too expensive or time consuming, it has already been over a week. Hope all of you are well. I miss blogging.

a sleding we went...

We woke up to 5 inches of heavy, wet snow Saturday morning and made the most of it by taking our kids sledding for the first time. You would think that living in a "snow" state we would be able to find any form of "sled", 6 stores later we finally found one at Target. (Do I get a fee for that plug?) Anyway, we all had fun and the kids are already asking to go again. Here are some of my favorites:

my little song critic

Yesterday while driving home from a friends house, Kortlan and I were listening to the 80's station on the XM radio. Madonna's "Material Girl" was playing and of course I was doing my best karaoke version along with her, when I hear from the back seat , "Mom, everybody is a material girl because we all wear clothes. Well, I'm not a girl, so I would be a material boy."



Then on another occasion, we were listening to One Republic with Timbaland's "Too Late to Apologize" and Kortlan informed me that it is never too late to apologize, if you have done something bad, you need to say your sorry. I told him he was right, we should always apologize when we have done something wrong. Then he told me, "I don't think his mom taught him to do that very well."



Thru the eyes of a child...

Happy New Year

Sending out 2007 with a look back at the past year:

January: After 7 months on the market, our home in Mesquite finally sold!

February: We closed on our new house in Utah.

March: Kendrie turned 8.

April: Kendrie was baptized

Kim had a birthday (not sure which one though...)

May: Kortlan turned 5.

Jim and Kim enjoyed a trip to Cancun, Mexico for their 13th anniversary!

June: Kendrie and Kortlan started golf lessons

July: Kendrie is finally out of school! (We discovered that we are not fans of year round school)

August: Swimming lessons started, but ended quickly due to a virus outbreak in Utah's public pools - Yikes!

September: Kendrie started 3rd grade and Kortlan started Kindergarten.

October: Jim celebrated birthday number...oh, now what number was that?

Kim's sister Kourtney moved in with us after returning from her mission.

Kortlan was able to walk all by himself while trick or treating! No broken bones this year!

November: We celebrated Thanksgiving with Jim's family in Idaho.

December: We are truly excited about the snow we have received this month! We have missed the snow the past 4 years. We are also very grateful for the friends and family that we have been blessed to know and love. We wish you all peace, comfort and joy this season as we pass into a new year.

And the Stockings were Hung by the Chimney with Care...

After 4 Christmas' without a fireplace, I am most excited about this addition to our decor this year. Our little Christmas puppy. We got Maggie for Christmas 3 years ago today. Happy Birthday, Maggie Moo!
One of my favorite ornaments that I have had for 11 years. After moving into our first house 11 years ago, we had an interior designer come in and decorate our new home with a custom decorated tree and garlands for the banisters. These decorations have been lighting up our home since. I think I am ready for a change though. Next year maybe...

Winter