2nd grade program

I don't know how I skipped these pictures, but any how last friday Kobe and Haddi had their 2nd grade program. They did such a good job, the songs they sang were super cute. The theme was "Ever Green Ever Blue" they were to wear green or blue, so that's why they look like matching cousins:)

That's NOT......

how Grandma does it!! That's NOT what Grandma's look like!!

I think I had both my kids a little worried, mostly Kobe. As I have posted before I'm not Betty Crocker, I do however know how to cook.....but NOT like Grandma!!

We have made sugar cookies before but I have always used a box mix from the store, because before I had kids I made sugar cookies and they sucked!! Well we were given a cookie mix @ Christmas time and it has been in our cupboard and Kobe has asked several times if we could make cookies. So yesterday I thought I'd leave the mix in the cupboard and show my kids I really do know how to make cookies like Grandma:)

Well I was informed right from the start that I wasn't doing it like Grandma!! I used the wrong kind of shorting, I didn't mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl, I didn't level the cups of flour right and most importantly I didn't roll or cut them out right either! WOW!! Sounds pretty terrible huh? But.....to my sweet angels surprise our cookies turned out just like Grandma's!!

However I will say that Grandma has way more patience than me. I was planning on rolling and cutting out the cookies by myself and then letting the kids frost them....BUT I forgot that's NOT how Grandma does it!! She lets them help mix, roll, cut and frost! With the help of these 2 little angles I did get it all right before we were done:)

We had a pretty fun night as a family, our kitchen was a MESS! We made cookies, bread sticks and pizza all at the same time. It was fun having every body help and I'm so grateful for my little helpers and I couldn't make a day without my big helper either:)

James and I both had to do our home & visiting teaching so the kids had to wait for us to get home to frost the cookies. So the above pictures are the 1st process and they both have on their cute little aprons Aunt Kenna made and gave them for Christmas. And the below pictures are of the final process after we got home so they had changed their clothes and no aprons. When we were all done we took some cookies to gp. & gm. so they could see if they were like Grandma's!! the kids were piling the cookies on the plate and I said that's enough they are only 2 people not 2 million and Kobe says we have to give them lots of cookies cause they do lots of stuff for us! So very true:) so they got a big stack and Grandpa said they tasted dry just like a sugar cookie and most importantly just like GRANDMAS!!

I think I pasted the Grandma test:)

Introducing....

Ashtyn Ilene Falk, she was born on March 16th and weighed 4lbs. 4oz. Tuesday night Josh and Sharon came up to my mom's so we could all see this sweet little girl. She is the smallest baby we have ever saw, my kids couldn't believe how tiny she was. She is as beautiful as ever, and we are so grateful she is healthy and strong... Congrats!!

a little getaway...

Last weekend James and I went to Lava to celebrate our anniversary. It was a nice little getaway and so very relaxing!! The hot tubs were EXCELLENT, but I must say the hotel was a little old fashion...

and we took this picture just for you......Alisha:) lol

Quote...

Here's a little quote I ran across today as I was "blog stalking". If you know me I question EVERYTHING and YES even him (the Lord) and I think way to much and I think this should answers any questions I may have......

"Sometimes you don't expect things to happen the way they do! But somebody else, far more powerful, and far more knowing has a different idea for you!"

Sometimes life just gets in the way & we lose track of what really matters. I work w/ this guy and @ his desk he has a piece of paper that states: "REMEMBER WHAT REALLY MATTERS" I look @ it almost every day and I had always wondered what he meant by this so one day I asked him.... What really matters? He said FAMILY!! He said sometimes work sucks, people make you upset, and so on but something that never changes and is always there is your family. So VERY TRUE!! I am very grateful for my own little family as well as my big family and even my adopted families I wouldn't be where I am today without them.

Thanks for picking me up when I am down and for helping me along the way.

SORRY this is kind of random, and probably doesn't make sense to any of you. But it's just a little note I needed for myself:)

14 years....

and still going strong!!

Well I just wanted to say yesterday was mine & James' 14 year Anniversary!! WOW!! Time has flown by and things haven't always been easy but they sure have been worth it!!

Thanks babe for 14 GREAT years!!

I LU2TM&B 10X's :)

I luv days like this.....

Yesterday was the BEST day ever!! The kids had no school & Sunday & Monday night were my nights off this week so it worked out WONDERFUL!! James had to work so the kids & I went to the Capitol Theatre in Brigham to see the Princess and the Frog..... super cute! Both the kids thought the theatre was kind of funny, Kobe says this place is old! When we got home Kobe told James we went to the old fashion theatre:) lol

I had to run a few errands before we went to the show and we had a little extra time and I said to the kids (cause we were by Sonic & I love their fresh fruits slush) I sure wish we could take a drink into the movies and Maddi says me too and she says we aren't even suppose to bring candy are we? Kobe says NO! that's why we have to kinda sneak it:) lol I'm teaching my kids a few bad habits.... but I don't like paying $3.00 for a candy @ the movie house, so YES we sneak it in:)

Then when we got home James started up the bike and he and I went for a super short ride around town....it's still a little chili but it was so worth it!! Thanks babe!

After that Maddi and I headed to the B.R. Hi-Steppers Spring Show to watch Marki. She did an amazing job!! I am so proud of her:)

Here's a few pic I got......

Haddi, Kami, Deven, Marki and Maddi


Mer, Kati, MeeKee, and Me

Grandpa Udy and Ann and Caleb and Julie and the girls came to watch also but left before I could get their pic.

Good Job MeeKee!

Then to end the night I had made Taco Soup before we left for the movies, so we came home and enjoyed one of my favorite meals:) Couldn't ask for a better day filled w/ fun and family! and NO work!! that is the BEST part of it all:)

JaMeS

doin what he LoVeS!!

Last weekend James was suppose to go to Colorado w/ his friends on a big snowmobiling trip, but there plans changed last minute so they ended up going to Wyoming instead. I made sure James took the camera so he could get some good pics but sure enough the batteries were dead!! But he did get a few pics w/ his phone, I think they turn out pretty good. I love this first pic KC got of James, my kids think it's SWEET!!

JaMeS

RiChIe

KC

I hope I labeled everyone right, there were more pictures but I can't tell who everyone is w/ all their gear on. But we're glad they had fun & made it home safe:)

Randomness

and catch up.....

So I guess I've been a bit behind in my blogging. At the first of the year I told myself I would blog once a week since this is my forum of scrapbooking and journaling these days. Well that lasted only a few weeks, life just seems to get in the way.

I have been working a crazy schedule where I work 7 days then have 2 off then work 5 days then 2 off. I love the days off don't get me wrong but random days off just aren't my cup of tea:) But today James and I were both home and we got all the laundry done & the house cleaned so I thought I'd play catch up before my kiddies get home from school.

So here's a little run down of what we've been up to......As you all know James & I just got home from our cruise and the kids had a great time w/ grandpa & grandma's. I am loving that the SUN is SHINING!!! and today I broke out the flip flops:) HURRAY!! Today while cleaning the house I kept letting out a little scream & James would say what's that all about?? I'd say oh, nothing I just FREAKIN love this day!! all because the sun is shining and my house is all clean & I feel that SPRING is in the air:):) :) and he is all smiles his self cause he is getting ready to go to Colorado w/ his peeps on a snowmobiling trip:) to each their own!

My sweet little Maddi has been busy with play practice. She is going to be a rooster and being the great mother I am I can't remember the name of the play:)lol But I'll post more about that next month when we go watch. She loves playing (or maybe I should say hangin, since she is getting to big to"play") with Kami and spending time with her grammy:)

Now for my sweet little man Kobe.....he loves playing in the snow & getting all wet so when we comes home from school his mother is always so happy to see him soaked! NOT!! I think he really likes trying patience:) He just went to stay @ Aunt B's and her and Uncle Rod took the boys to "clean the sink" @ Angie's in Logan. He thought it was great!! For those of you who are little behind on the term "clean the sink" it means to finish a big bowl/sink of ice cream w/ all the toppings...not actually cleaning the sick:)

I love both my kids and I love watching them grow, but oh how I wish they were still little at times....


Life is GREAT here @ the Hales house!! I do still check in on all our blogging friends & family but just don't leave comments like I used to, so keep the updates coming. Hope all is well with all of you!!

HAPPY SPRING!! and bring on the SUNSHINE!!

ONE PROUD PAPA....

A few weekends ago the kids & I were just chillin @ my parents house while James was sledding. My dad & Connor were fixing the leather sewing machines, and Connor was making his little man a pair of chaps and a vest.

Connor is pretty talented and is always coming up with random things to make. But I must say these chaps were pretty dang cute! I thought it was cute, how he would cut them out & sew them and then come try them on Clancy and then make all the adjustments so they fit him just perfect! Connor said he needed chaps so when he practice riding he'd have something to wear. Connor has him sit on his knee and pretend he is riding a horse...super cute!

Clancy is always so full of smiles!! I was watching him one day last week while Sunni did Maddi's nails and he is such a good baby. James came over for a bit & I had Clancy laying on the floor and he was all smiles.....I said to James do you think we should of had another'n? :) He said it's a little late now! Sometimes I wish we would of had just one more, I love watching my kids with their little cousin they are both so cute with them and Kobe is always in love w/ their little cheeks.

So........If you are in need of a pair of chaps or if you'd like your nails or toes done give Connor or Sunni a call:)

Jardine girls party....

On Febuary 20th Maddi & I went to the Jardine girls party. My grandma Udy's mom was a Jardine. There was a lot of ladies we didn't know & a few we did, my mom said there was some one there from every family...so I guess that was good:)

I thought it was kind of fun! We had lunch & then my mom & a few other ladies had made books with family history & pictures. And then Joell (my mom's 2nd cousin) had a bunch of different antiques that were my great-great grandparents displayed. It was pretty interesting if I do say so myself:)

But to me the best part was being able to see my grandma's sisters Aunt O'Reta & Aunt Marie. We don't get to see them very often, but I love it when we do! They both remind me so much of my sweet little grandma:) I love & miss her so much, not a day goes by that I don't think about her.

Any how here are a few pictures that I got......

Me and "my girls"

Maddi, baby Em, Syd and Mags

All the girls on our side of the family that were there... not the best picture too many cameras:)
It was a pretty fun day, and we missed those girls that weren't there:)

My sweet grandma.....

On Wednesday February 17th my grandma's ward was having a little ward party. They had a little Valentine's Day dance and had props set up so you could get a picture w/ your Valentine. Before the dance they honored a few guest and my Grandma was one of them. My dad was suppose to give a little speech about his mom but he had to go out of town so he wrote up a little poem/rhyme and Becki read it. It was really kind of corny but it was cute & fit my grandma to a tee.

She is such an amazing lady!! I started to get tears in my eyes as Becki was reading all the sweet things about her. I was thinking to myself what a WONDERFUL example my grandma is... She very rarely says anything negative & always looks for the good in every situation and in every person. She loves everyone for who they are and is always willing to forgive. She is always so thoughtful of others, and last but not least she is an AMAZING cook!!


I love you Grandma!