Monday, August 19, 2013

Our new baby GIRL!

It’s been over a year since my last update on this blog so I’m not going to playing catch up but I wanted to include some pictures of our newest addition to our happy family:

Charlotte Jane Hall

She was born July 2nd at 8:07pm, weighing in at 7lbs 8oz, and 20.5 inches long.

Charlotte 1 day old

We sent our boys up to RV for the 4th of July and Jeremiah and I got a few days to spend together before Charlotte’s arrival. I called Jeremiah home from work at about 2:30ish on July 2nd because my contractions were getting strong. We had a false alarm a few nights before so I was in no hurry to rush off to the hospital. We headed to the hospital at about 4:00 and I was dilated to about 5cm. Charlotte arrived just 4 hours later. Dr. Huff was on his way back from India so we had the on-call doctor deliver her. (I can’t remember his name right now.) Me and baby Charlie stayed in the hospital until July 4th. We left early that morning to head home and enjoy a quiet holiday with just the 3 of us. Jeremiah bought us some steaks and corn and I grilled us up a wonderful little 4th of July celebration dinner.

IMG_1858

IMG_1383 IMG_1386 IMG_1389 IMG_1393

The boys came back that weekend and got to meet baby sister for the first time. Ryan and Mason took the approach of “If I just ignore her, maybe she will go away and mommy can spend more time with us.” Mason came back with a case of “Terrible Twos” and he has had a hard time adjusting to the new change but after almost 7 weeks now he is getting used to the new routine and he is loving his baby sister. He calls her “sisser” and he loves to rub her soft little head. He also LOVES her car seat, bouncer, and her baby doll. :)

Charlotte 4Charlotte 2  Charlotte 5 Charlottle 8

Like I said, it has been 7 weeks since we had our darling little baby girl arrived and things are starting to get into a routine with Simon starting 2 grade 3 weeks ago and Ryan starting preschool again in September. We spend our days at home cleaning up messes, making more messes, and sharing experiences. Our boys are getting some good house cleaning experience as they are learning to do chores to earn time playing games. I am learning so much from them every day and I am amazed at what they are capable of! I am hoping to get my life back into a healthy routine too now that I can start exercising again.

Life with 4 kids has been wild and at times almost more than I can handle but it makes me appreciate them all the more. I love each one of our amazing kids and their uniqueness. Each one is so different from the other but we all fit together so well. 

Charlotte 1  Charlotte 4 Charlotte 5 Charlotte 6 Charlotte 8 B&W Charlotte 11 Charlotte 12 B&W Charlotte 14 Charlotte 15

Sunday, September 23, 2012

My Bad Luck Birthday 5/21

I had to write this story down because it has already been 4 months and the details are getting fuzzy.

 

I turned 29 this year! Only one more year in my 20s. It’s so bitter sweet. I don’t mind the idea of turning 30 next year but my only problem is I still feel like I should have only 19 candles on my cake. I’m 10 years older than I feel.

Anyways, my birthday started out like a typical day. Jeremiah got ready for work and I made breakfast for the kids. We have a tradition of making chocolate chip waffles for breakfast on birthday. Jeremiah needed a ride to work so I packed the kids in the car and jumped in the driver seat still wearing my pj’s. After saying goodbye we drove back home and as soon as I pulled into the driveway I realized that I didn’t have my house key!!! I was locked out of my house, in my pajamas, on my birthday!!! But I am always prepared for just such an emergency. See, we weren’t completely locked out.The back door was left unlocked but since we have a dog that likes to scratch and dig his way out of the back fence I had it blocked well enough that I didn’t know how I was going to get through.

Should I jump over? Could I even get my chubby, weak self over that 6 foot fence? nope. So I carefully, tediously moved that boards, buckets, and rocks that blocked in the fence and was finally able to get into the back yard. Victory!!

I got the kids inside and changed out of my pajamas that had gotten dusty and dirty from sitting on the ground reaching my hand under the fence. I even had the privilege of actually getting ready that day. Not just the 5 minute slap on some mascara and throw my hair in a bun routine. I actually got out my flat iron and straightened my  thick, curly, red hair, and I spent some time putting on more that just mascara so I would feel cute on my 29th birthday. I dressed up semi-casually in my new white skinny jeans and flowing blue tunic. Then I took my cute little self back to the kitchen and did the dishes, and cleaned up breakfast.

After Mason woke up from his nap we decided to go get some lunch so I wouldn’t have to cook. I got outvoted by Ryan who chose McDonalds over a classy restaurant like Red Lobster, but I didn’t complain. I was elated at the thought of the kids playing in the Playplace while I enjoyed a quiet lunch of chicken nuggets, fries, and Dr. Pepper. Of course I would be sharing my french fries with my little sunshine baby and I was ok with that too. So off we went.

We arrived at Mickey D’s and ordered our Chicken nuggets and happy meal and my much anticipated Dr. Pepper and with a baby in one hand and a high chair in the other I corralled the kids to the back of the McDonald’s only to find to my utter disappointment that the play place was CLOSED!!!! I stared at the silver chain and little white sign blocking me from my peaceful birthday lunch. It said “Playplace closed for floor repair.” I turned around and sullenly sat down and explained to my eager little Ryan that they wouldn’t be allowed to play today. Ryan broke down into tears. He asked me over and over again “Why can’t I play, mom?”

We did end up having a pleasant lunch though. They are the cutest dates I could ask for.  When we were done we refilled our soda cups and piled back into our SUV to go home. Only we didn’t make it very far. Our gas gauge on our SUV has been broken for a couple of years now and we haven’t had it fixed because #1 it is expensive and #2 we keep track of the mileage so we know when we need to gas up. We were getting close to the mile point where I normally fill up the tank and I had a strange feeling that day that I should stop for gas before McDonald’s. I should trust my intuition. We ran out of gas only a 1 1/2 miles from McDonald’s. It was 103 degrees outside and I was wearing flip flops. Luckily we still had drinks left over from lunch.

I called Jeremiah 4 times with no answer so I started calling my backups. Karissa, no. Cabrena, no. By this time we were walking down the road in route to the closest gas station that I knew was about 3/4 mile down the road. One hand holding Mason, one hand holding Ryan’s hand. I had to practically drag Ryan along because he could not understand why we were leaving our car behind and walking down the sidewalk. I finally got Jeremiah on the phone and he told me he would come rescue me so I wouldn’t have to walk back to my car in the heat. It took him some time to get away from work so we got to know the 3 isles in the Diamond Shamrock very very well. We got the kids another drink to share and we waited another 20 minutes for Jeremiah.

As you can guess, he showed up and saved the day! My hero!

He gassed up my car JUST in time for me to buckle the boys back in and go pick Simon up from school.

 

For the life of me I can’t rememeber what happened the rest of the day. I think we went to Swan Thai for dinner. The good news is that after my super hero saved me my luck changed and my day went really well! But this birthday will infamously go down in history as my Bad Luck Birthday. I’m hoping 30 will bring more luck.

Mason’s First Birthday! 5/25

IMG_0517-1

IMG_0525-1

Lucky boy got to celebrate his birthday over Memorial Day. We were in Springerville/Eagar and we planned a party at my mom’s house for Mason. I prepped all the food before we left. All I had to do was frost the cake and feed the hungry guests. This is how it all went down, (note, all of the pictures are unedited. This is real life, baby.):

IMG_0529IMG_0531

IMG_0534

IMG_0541IMG_0544

IMG_0551IMG_0552IMG_0553IMG_0559-1IMG_0563-1IMG_0565-1IMG_0566-1IMG_0567-1IMG_0568-1IMG_0573-1

I was hoping to do “smash the cake” pictures with the brightly colored rainbow cake but Mason was so sleepy he was falling asleep with his Aunt Karissa. So we gave him some bites of his cake and called it good.

IMG_0579-1IMG_0581-1

Mason got to wear his special birthday shirt. My family teases me about owls since they are all over his room but I love them and Mason reminds me a little of an owl with his big eyes.

IMG_0593

Ellery, a.k.a. Ellerina Ballerina (that’s my nickname for her, no one can steal it!) She and the balloons became best friends. What a cutie!

 

As I type this Mason is only days away from being 16 moths old. I thought the first year flew by and the second year is soaring by even faster. I am determined to find a way to slow down the clock so I can enjoy more snuggles with my baby before he grows up. I call him “Pookie” (like Garfield’s teddy bear) because he is so cuddly and warm and soft.

I love you Mason! This past 16 months with you has been the most phenomenal time of my life! You are my ray of sunshine! I am so intensely thankful that God sent you here to me! I needed you as much as you need me.

Happy birthday (and beyond) Pookie!

Easter at the 40

Yes, these pictures are WAAAAAAY old but I need to have these on my blog. This is Easter 2012. We spent our Saturday-before-Easter playing in the dirt and having a blast at the 40 acres outside of St. Johns.

April 2012 012April 2012 019April 2012 032April 2012 022April 2012 026April 2012 033

This kid knows how to eat a cupcake!

April 2012 038

Jeremiah and his “mini-me”.

April 2012 039

Easter Egg Hunt. They could be anywhere!

April 2012 041April 2012 042April 2012 046April 2012 048April 2012 051

I had to sneak a photo of “Papa” Hall. He’s camera shy. (shhhh, don’t tell him this is on here!)

April 2012 056

Showing off the loot! Keaton found the golden egg with a $5 prize inside!

(By far my favorite picture! Everett, Keaton, and Ryan (in yellow) playing in the dirt under the big tree.)

 

April 2012 067

April 2012 068

Me and Jeremiah hijacked a quad and went searching for fossils. (True story.) There’s a dinosaur dig not far from this place so it doesn’t hurt to look.

April 2012 082

Batter up!

Si and Ry

Si and Ry