Hall Family

March 2011

2011-07-02T22:08:00.000-06:00

Oh My!!!

March was extremely 'busy'! -- at least full of activity!

We started off the month with my 4th anniversary with Scentsy! Such an amazing company - I've made such GREAT friends and had some amazing experiences - all due to Scentsy! I'm so grateful that Emily introduced me to it back then. It has truly blessed our lives.

Ammanda had a solo in the last 'Showtime Performers' event! She was SO excited that she got to do it AND did an AMAZING job. She thought it was pretty cool that Gramma Susie used to be in a trio that sang the song too!

From Showtime Spring Show

We hosted Ammanda's End of Soccer Season party. It was a lot of fun to get to know the families outside of soccer. Half of the team wasn't able to come - one had taken emergency leave back to the mainland and the Coach was sent to Japan due to the tsunami that hit.

My birthday was the 19th. Dave and the kids made me a cake and decorated it themselves. It was strawberry cake with white icing. We also found out that week that we are expecting our 4th baby!!! We are SO excited!

Dave and I celebrated our 10th anniversary on the 30th! I seriously don't know what I would do without him. He is the love of my life. He is such an amazing husband and DAD.

February 2011

2011-07-02T19:27:00.000-06:00

Elijah started Speech Therapy in February. The therapist comes to our home for an hour twice a month and works with him. It is amazing (looking back) at how much it has helped. It's all very simple things like 'naming' things (i.e. show him a horse and get him to say something in response) We were concerned and had him tested because as of his birthday in December he wasn't really talking at all - It was rare that he would say Momma or Pappa. I think the only clear word he would say was ball. Other than that, he wouldn't say anything (not even made up speech or sign language!) Now he's still a bit slower than his peers and anyone outside the family has a hard time understanding him BUT, he's talking! He was just reevaluated last week so we will see in about a week what they say. He's still a bit behind on some developmental things but for the most part he's doing great!

Elijah also attends Tiny Tots Christian Preschool twice a week. His teachers are Miss Sue and Miss Ericka. As you can see there are some wonderful kids in his class. This is when they are singing a song. Probably a song about Zacchaeus. (That's one of the class favorites!)

January 2011

2011-07-02T19:06:00.000-06:00

Wow! Has it been this long -- AGAIN?!

I sat down to write this and I'm nearly at a loss for words... right now I can't seem to remember anything that happened this week let alone 6 months ago BUT, we'll try!

Ammanda started a new season in AYSO Soccer... She had an OUTSTANDING coach that taught her more of the fundamentals of the game and concentrated on that more than just kicking for candy! Her teammates were great too... I ended up being the 'Team Mom' but I think Dave made it to more practices than I did! Ammanda decided that she didn't like Dave to go to the games because she doesn't like him to 'yell' at her! LOL -- She scored a couple goals during the season - which ended in March.

Oh My Word!!!

2011-06-20T18:02:00.000-06:00

The last time I wrote was in January??? I SWEAR I had a bunch of posts in March but, I guess I'm wrong. Ok, so I guess we're REALLY playing catch-up again! LOL! I think I'll do a post per month until we get caught up so, PLEASE be patient while I do that!

Man do I play catch up all the time or What!?

2011-01-15T13:32:00.000-07:00

Well, we have been very BUSY!

We started the month at a Super Garage Sale - we sold a ton of our old baby clothes and stuff we'd been hanging onto for years. It was CRAZY... people swarmed our 'tent' in waves just long enough for us to catch our breath then we'd be off again! It was a lot of fun - and whatever didn't sell was donated! We were able to park the car in the garage for the first time in over a year!

Veterans Day marked our 10th "Dating" Anniversary. It seems like it was only yesterday! Elijah was sick so Dave stayed home with Elijah; I took Ammanda and Isaiah to the Laie Temple Open House. It is absolutely beautiful. We had a great time, had some DELICIOUS Shave Ice and stopped at Ted's Bakery to get a Chocolate Haupia Pie! YUM!

We went to see "Unstoppable" - gut-wrenching and a total adrenalin rush!!! AND Harry Potter 7 part one... AWESOME!!! I can't wait for the next one! It was just like the book!

Ammanda had her last soccer game of the season. She even scored a couple goals!!! She'll be starting a new season in January.

Let's see... Dave went to Omaha for a few days - while he was there he got a call telling him that he was going to Peru for 6 months... right before Christmas! What crappy timing! So, we buckled down, got everything ready and Dave got everything military that he needed done!

We spent our Thanksgiving at our dear friends the Sault's. We had a great time! The kids really enjoy playing with their kids. We got home and put everyone to bed. Elijah woke up at 10 having a hard time breathing so we gave him a couple puffs of Albuterol and put him back to bed. He woke up again at 1:30am, couldn't breathe again and threw up so I decided to take him to the ER. We got there a little before 2 and walked right in. His oxygen level was at 89. They gave him 3 breathing treatments, a dose of steroids, a chest x-ray and swabbed for RSV and Flu. We were out of the hospital by 5:45am! He's doing a ton better and is ready to go and play! I cannot wait until we can be somewhere that doesn't affect him like this.

We did our Christmas decorating the day after Thanksgiving... The trees were beautiful of course! The cats and Elijah are had a hard time leaving them alone! Elijah keeps walking up to the big one, pointing at the bulbs and saying 'ball'. One time he even took a newspaper (still rolled up) and took a swat at it. LOL, there were a LOT of time-outs in our house for a while! We ended up taking Ammanda's pink tree down because all of the bulbs got taken off and broken by the boys and cats!

We watched "Santa PAWS" as a family several times! It is a very cute movie... sad at times but cute. Isaiah got so upset at one point that he was almost in tears. He was so concerned for the puppy - it was awesome to see how wrapped up in the story he got.

Since Dave was on his way to Peru, we were invited to be a part of a group for the 'Deployed Spouses/Families'. They hosted a dinner for all of the families that had/have a family member deploying. Santa Claus was there along with Miss Teen Hawaii. The kids had a great time AND some of our friends from church were there so we spent the evening with them.

Another thing that the Deployed Spouses group did was get us tickets to The Nutcracker... Dave and I took Ammanda. It was their first experience at a ballet and both loved it. It was the ensemble's last night of rehearsals before their performances started - there were a couple times that the Snow Prince and Princess totally forgot what they were supposed to do so it was interesting for me! They finally recovered and the performance turned out amazing. I had been wanting to go to see it because a couple of my friends/hostesses and their girls were in the cast!

A couple days before Christmas we got some OUTSTANDING news... Dave is NOT going to Peru after all!

So, I'll end this post with that... See the next post for the beginning of 2011!

Halloween 2010

2010-11-01T02:11:00.000-06:00

Wow this has been an exciting month! When I asked the kids what they wanted to be for Halloween we knew that the boys would be something Star Wars since they are their FAVORITE movies! I was thinking Annikan and Obi Wan but that's not what we ended up with!!! I had already asked Ammanda and she wanted to be Elizabeth Swann from Pirates of the Carribean. I knew I could make the boys costumes but, I am so not ready to make a dress! And really didn't have the time to do it so I asked Mom to do it! She did and it turned out BEAUTIFUL!!!

To start out the month, our Ward had a Chili Cook-Off and Trunk or Treat on the NINTH! So, I hurriedly made a 'Jedi' costume for Isaiah to wear. Elijah went as Peter Pan (that was Isaiah's last year) and Ammanda went as a Cheetah (we didn't have time to do the other costumes). We had a blast. Isaiah ran into Darth Maul and they had a little duel. He was obsessed with being Darth Maul since then.

So, I decided to be a little braver and sew up a Darth Maul costume... It took FOREVER but I think it looked GREAT! There was an inner and outer tunic, pants, belt and robe. We did end up buying him some riding boots for the Obi Wan costume so he wore those!

This week... Elijah's preschool had a little Fall Party. Dave and I went to play with him. We colored some pumpkins, sang some songs and ate some lunch... Here are some pictures...

Last night we went to Janessa's house for a party... she put on a great bash! It is amazing to see Isaiah interact with all of his friends from school -- he's grown up so much. Janessa does an outstanding job with all the kids!

Dave and I decided to dress up too! He got to pick the costumes this year so he got a Zuit Suit and I was a Flapper! It was fun to go out Trick-or-Treating tonight!

Here are some pictures of all of us Halloween night...

Showtime Performers - Fall 2010

2010-10-18T01:30:00.000-06:00

Every Wednesday for the last 10 weeks Ammanda and I have had the privilege of attending Showtime Performers. It's a group of kids from Kindergarten through 5th or 6th grade that love to dance and sing. Angela Harris is their director and she is AWESOME! She is in our ward and is amazing with the kids so we knew that this would be an amazing experience. Saturday was their performance. Ammanda did an amazing job and had a GREAT time! Angela teaches kids in four locations and they all came together for the performance.

Ammanda's class sang and danced to I've Got A Feelin' by The Blackeyed Peas...

Here is a picture of the entire group of performers...

Showtime Performers
Fall 2010

First Day of School 2010-11...

2010-10-17T21:38:00.000-06:00

Okay, so school started FOREVER ago (August 2nd) but, I wanted to share some pics from the kids first day of school.

Ammanda's first day of Kindergarten. She is doing great in school... the first quarter is over. At the Parent/Teacher Conference, Mrs. Okumura told us that she could be in first grade already because of how far ahead she is of most of her class. She is keeping her in Kindergarten so that she doesn't get too overwhelmed and lose an interest in learning. They are starting a reading group in class for the 5 kids that can read!

Isaiah started preschool too... he goes to an 'at-home' preschool run by Janessa Bixel. She is AWESOME with the kids. He has grown up a ton since starting it. His favorite thing is when he's the "Calendar Helper". They have done some awesome projects! Man, those kids have a lot of energy!

Elijah is also going to preschool too! He is loving it too - at first he cried when I dropped him off but now, he walks in like a big boy, puts his backpack in his cubby and sits down to do puzzles without anyone helping him! He's still very excited to go home at the end of the day but, I think that's because he's missing his big brother!

Soccer...

2010-10-17T21:02:00.001-06:00

We have recently added Soccer to our weekly routine! Ammanda has practice every Thursday evening and games on Saturday mornings. It keeps us very busy but, she's having fun... I think she's more excited about 'getting a trophy' at the end of the season but, she's learning some skills.

Isaiah has soccer on Saturdays too. They haven't done a whole lot - just ran around cones the last two practices but, they are only 3! I think that they are going to focus on the very basics (coordination, etc.) One of his friends from his preschool is in the class too! It's great because Dave is able to take him to practice so they get some 'quality' time together.

I had an extra day...

2010-09-06T00:55:00.000-06:00

Originally when I made my reservations to go to Denver, Dave was going to go with me. Then, that changed but I decided to keep the reservation the same so that I could have a couple days to myself. After Scentsy Convention was over, I had a day all to myself to do whatever I wanted to do. So, first, I got a much-needed pedicure at the Aveda Institute Denver! They are amazing and use all natural products!

Then, I booked it to the Coors Field to watch the Rockies play the Cubs! It was my first live game and a great one to go to! The Rockies had won by a landslide the night before so the Cubbies came back hard. The Rockies ended up winning by one.

I had a GREAT time and met a few INCREDIBLE people! I was told that if I ever moved to Colorado that I would definitely have to choose my team! (I was cheering for both). It was an amazing experience that I can't wait to share with my family...

End of July...

2010-09-06T00:29:00.000-06:00

Nothing much happened except...

SCENTSY's Annual Convention! This year it was held in Denver, Colorado! I left home Sunday, July 26th and got there on Monday at 1130 am. I met my First Generation Director, Olga Reyes at the airport and we were 'off to the races'! The ride from the airport to the Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center took FOREVER!!!

We ate at Bubba Gump Shrimp that night... YUMMY! Then I met a few of the Scentsy girls and visited with them.

The next morning we got up and went to registration. There I got to see several of my friends that I met in Boise at the Director Boot Camp (Class #7) in March...along with many friends that I have met over my nearly 4 years with the company. And the fun began!!! My sister Emily and members of her team that I have known through the years along with members from my team came together and had a ball! Emily had her new baby with her - she's grown so much! (I got to see her in March days after she was born!)

I won't go into much detail here about all of the workshops but, I will say that I had a BLAST and learned a lot. I had a slight emotional breakdown that resulted in some lifechanging decisions.

Olga Reyes

Olga Reyes & Dini Moorhouse (Scentsy's 1st Consultant! and Superstar Director)

On Stage because we are DIRECTORS!!! Time for a photo!

Emily Andersen & Olga Reyes

Emily Andersen, Amber Peacock & Lori Hall (me!)

Emily's baby girl!

The view from my room

July 4, 2010

2010-09-05T21:54:00.000-06:00

Our 4th of July was a little 'boring'... Elijah had been having issues breathing (I'll blog about our adventures there sometime)... so we wanted to be away from the smoke from the fireworks but, wanted to see them. So, we went up to the Tripler Army Medical Center parking lot and watched a bunch of them from there. You're able to see a majority of the coastline from there so it was pretty spectacular. Here are a few pics - most of them didn't turn out.

Luckily we didn't have to run to the ER! But, we did have an adventure!

The kids all got bored so we put them in the Trailblazer and turned on a movie... didn't think about it draining the battery. But, that's what it did! So, as we were trying to leave, we couldn't start the truck. The guy next to us wouldn't jump it because his truck was brand new. Luckily there was a family from our ward that was there, we asked the guy to move his vehicle (which he had a fit about) so that Bro. Stubblefield could pull his VAN up and jump the Trailblazer. Meanwhile, the kids were all having a fit because they were exhausted, bored and wanted to go home!

Good times!

Dave's Birthday...

2010-09-05T21:45:00.000-06:00

We spent Dave's birthday at Hickam Beach - we ate at the Sand Bar (of course we had the Kalua Pig bowls!) and played in the water for a little bit!

Ammanda's Birthday

2010-09-05T21:41:00.000-06:00

I think the next thing that happened was Ammanda's 5th birthday! I so totally can't believe that she is that 'old'. But, yet again, she is so totally smart! We had a family party on her birthday (since it was on a Sunday) and a friend party a few days later.

Pics from the family party (her friend Brooke was there because she was leaving for the summer the next morning)...

Here are the pics from her Birthday party! We had a great time!

You can see that she LOVED her gifts!

Gramma - USS Missouri

2010-09-05T21:25:00.000-06:00

Gramma - USS Oklahoma

2010-09-05T20:51:00.000-06:00

Each of the pillars have the name of one of the men that died on Dec. 7th.

Gramma - USS Arizona & USS Bowfin

2010-09-05T20:47:00.000-06:00

USS Utah

2010-09-05T20:34:00.000-06:00

Gramma - Pacific Aviation Museum

2010-09-05T20:29:00.000-06:00

You might recognize this from the movie "Pearl Harbor"... This actual tower was standing on Dec 7th...

Gramma's Visit - Memorials...

2010-09-05T20:24:00.000-06:00

Mom and I devoted nearly a full day to all of the military memorials that we could think of. It was a GREAT time - and it was just her and I. A special treat for both of us!

We stopped at the USS Arizona Memorial and got our tickets. We had a bit of time before our boat ride so we went to the Pacific Aviation Museum, and the USS Utah Memorial. Then, we went to the USS Arizona Memorial and the USS Bowfin. Then, because we hadn't done enough, we went to the USS Oklahoma on our way to the USS Missouri (which we toured from top to bottom!). After that, we went to Punchbowl... a cemetary for fallen US military. The whole day was a very surreal one.

I think I'm going to split up the posts because there are a ton of pictures!

Gramma's Visit - Polynesian Cultural Center

2010-09-05T20:12:00.002-06:00

We were so excited to share our experience at the Polynesian Cultural Center with Gramma! It was an amazing day! Not only were we able to tour most of the 'villages', we also got to see the Tongan Prince... He had come to the PCC that day so they put on a special presentation for him that we got to experience!

Here are some pics of our day!

Prince of Tonga enjoying the presentation (they got him to laugh once!)

Prince of Tonga

The Tongan Prince!

After the presentation, the boys were totally done for the day so Dave took them home. Ammanda and I took Gramma Susie to the Luau and then to "Ha - Breath of Life". It was amazing as usual BUT, we had an added bonus of being there for the World Fireknife Competition! Those guys are TALENTED!!!

Ammanda says... WOW! Those guys are talented... I loved it...

Gramma's Visit...

2010-09-05T20:11:00.000-06:00

Gramma Susie came to visit in May! We had a wonderful time with her. Here are some pics...

We went to Sunset Beach in the middle of the day! It was HOT and the sun was HARSH! I ended up with a sunburn but, we had a great time! Isaiah's swim trunks were too big so I made him wear a 'swimmee'... Luckily he saw a guy with a Speedo so he went along with it because the 'big guy' had underwear on too! LOL!

Dole Pineapple Plantation... we rode the train, fed the Koi, ate Pineapple Ice Cream and had a GREAT time!

We went to Waikiki and checked out a guy making things out of Balloons. The kids got a kick out of him and the newspaper guy!

We went to Pali Point... SO WINDY...

We were so excited to have Gramma come to our home! We had a really great visit. We miss her very much and wish that she could come and visit more often. Perhaps when we move to the mainland we'll have more visits!

The rest of the Hansen's vacay...

2010-09-05T19:49:00.001-06:00

Wow! I just realized that I haven't updated in FOREVER! I'll post pictures and hopefully remember what all we've done since then... it has been a whirlwind!

Day Two (March 11)... Well, I don't have any pics! But, we went to Hanauma Bay, we snorkeled, dug in the sand and had a great time! If you'd like to see pics, go to Meggan's blog..., then everyone but Elijah and I went to Waikiki to the International Marketplace and to The Cheesecake Factory for dinner.

Day Three (March 12): First we went to Pearl Harbor to see the USS Arizona Memorial. The kids had a blast on the boat that takes you out to the memorial. Then, off to the Dole Plantation! YUMMY!!! Then we went to Ted's Bakery and got YUMMY YUMMY Chocolate Haupia pie!!! YUMMY! (Did I mention that it's YUMMY?!)

Ammanda's reaction to the USS Arizona Memorial - I love having a child that understands!

Day Four (March 13): Aloha Swap Meet, Sprinklers and Germaine's Luau. It was a great day but, by the time we got to the luau the boys were beat and acting up so we went home early. Looking back I wonder if we should have got a sitter for the kids and enjoyed some "Adult Time!" But, it was a GREAT time anyway!

Day Five (March 14): I have NO IDEA!!! WOW! I can't find any pictures and Meggan doesn't have anything posted on her blog either! Hmmm. I guess the day got lost! -- Dave said we went to North Shore/Haleiwa then he and Jeff went and took pictures of dandelion things and got pie and REALLY STINKY shrimp.

Day Six (March 15): Waikiki Beach, home to clean up, Waikiki in the evening - back to the International Marketplace and Planet Hollywood.

We had a GREAT time with the "cousins" and can't wait until we can do it again! We definitely miss having family around!

Day One - Waimea Falls Park AND Laie Temple Trip

2010-03-19T20:56:00.005-06:00

This is one of the beautiful views that we had while we were walking to the Falls...

The water was cold and refreshing -- the falls were beautiful. The walk had been very long for the kids and they were hungry so we left shortly after we got in... we had had to wait a while while an ambulance was summoned because one of the hikers had a seizure as soon as he got to the falls. All of the kids 'wanted to see' - we had to explain that he had just gotten really sick and that we needed to stay away so that he could get feeling better. The kids were ok with that (for the most part!)

Here's our first view of the falls... you go around a corner and down a hill and you're there... if you plan on doing this hike, don't be surprised when you go around the corner by the lifeguard station and there is a naked kid... Apparently he's the son of one of the lifeguards and won't keep clothes on!

So this is the entire group of us! One of the nice people that were enjoying the hike was nice enough to take the picture.

This picture is extra special... all of the kids went in and sat on the statue - they left a spot for Elijah and 'Little Princess'... they followed the big kids over and sat down just long enough for us to snap this one then it was off to the races again! We had a great time going through the grounds and meeting the Sister Missionaries. They were very nice and inquisitive. They even got the older kids to sing Primary songs!

Jeff and a band of hooligans! I especially love the look on Isaiah's face... it's becoming very popular in our house--he's so serious!

A very common site... they didn't want to stay away from the water... Elijah kept trying to climb in the "big bathtub"!

Our baby boy... don't mind the no shorts thing... I packed everything but the kitchen sink (and an extra pair of shorts) for the days adventures! He's getting to be such a 'big boy' and believe it or not he's thinned out quite a bit!

Hansen's Hawaii Trip...

2010-03-19T20:33:00.000-06:00

About a month ago (maybe a little more than that) I got a phone call that started:

"Hello?"
"Hi."
GREAT BIG PAUSE...
"This is 'Big Man'..."
"Oh! Hi. How are you?"
"Can we come and visit you in Hawaii?"

From then on it has been a whirlwind... time flew while we were getting ready for 'cousins' to come! Jeff and Meggan and the kids were on their way!!! (Luckily I checked their itinerary and the Delta website and found out their flight was almost an entire hour early so we were actually at the airport when they landed!!!)

You can find their pictures and some of Meggan's posts about their adventure here... Meggan's Blog

The following posts are my thoughts and some of our pictures... We had such a great time. Ammanda keeps asking me when we can move back to Utah. She misses all of her friends and family so much. I wish that we could get back before she starts school but, we're not scheduled to leave here until 2012.

Keiki Great Aloha Run Feb 13, 2010

2010-03-19T19:27:00.000-06:00

On Feb 13, 2010 our family participated in the Keiki Great Aloha Run! It is a 1 1/2 mile run/walk for keiki (kids). Ammanda ran the entire race - she'd run ahead a bit then run back to where the rest of us were then run ahead, etc... I think she about doubled the distance! Elijah walked over the starting line then I through him in the stroller so that we could keep up. I was going to let him walk over the finish line but totally forgot to do it. oops! Isaiah was a trooper... He tried keeping up with Ammanda but his poor little legs just wouldn't keep going at that pace and he got tired. We tried giving him a ride in the stroller but he refused. He wanted to finish by himself. So, he ended up coming in dead last but, he finished on his own! He's such a great kid!

Spencer...

2010-02-12T14:34:00.000-07:00

A very special, young boy named Spencer has been diagnosed with Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma. My friend Heather is organizing a 'card drive' that I would LOVE if you would participate in... Please read her blog for more information...

Spencer's blog is called Journey of a Superhero.

Thanks!

Where do I start???

2010-02-07T23:52:00.000-07:00

January was interesting to say the least!

I started out the year gung-ho and ready to work out and get in shape. Then of course I realized that I am WAY TO LAZY to do that! I have big dreams, but not enough gumption I guess :)

One of my bestest friend in the entire world and her family came to Oahu while ending their Hawaiian vacation. I was so excited to see them. We went to dinner at Cheeseburger in Paradise (AND YES! the man was there -- we didn't actually see Jimmy Buffett but, we were assured that he was indeed there!) One of my dear friends that is in my current ward was there with us because it is a CRAZY SMALL world and she knows the family too!!! So, it was Amy R., me, Candy and Steve, Janae and Rian, Bart and Lisa and Devin... everyone else had to go home before then... wish I could have seen them all but, we'll do that some other time! We had a GREAT time!

The next day, I was on a plane to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico for the 2010 Scentsy Leadership Retreat! I had an incredible time, made some awesome friends, and got some great deals (if you go, make sure you take a current conversion chart with you!) at the International Market. It was great to be able to relax for a few days with people that LOVE Scentsy as much as I do and more! The trip was 4 short days (I should have extended so that I could have done some sightseeing too!)

Then, the next week we took Elijah to the ER AGAIN! He was admitted for Acute Respitory Distress on Thursday and was finally released on Sunday, Feb 24th... We can't pinpoint the problem. It seems that he'll get a cold and be fine UNLESS the vog is bad... if it is, then it makes it worse so he can't get enough oxygen. They finally gave us Flo-vent which is supposed to be a preventative thing so we'll see how that works out. It's scary to know that your baby can't breathe. But, he's good-natured about it and charms all the nurses!

February brought (or should I say took) Dave to South Korea for a week, home for a couple days then off to Guam for about another week...

I have more pictures to post but they are on my phone so I'll have to figure out how to download them!

Oh My!!!

2009-12-31T00:29:00.000-07:00

I just realized that it has been since MAY since I have written anything on this! I am so sorry... here we go... this is the update from - well, you know where!

May - Most of the month was spent packing our stuff, saying farewell to our wonderful family and off we went... A LONG road trip through Nevada (we stayed in Mesquite) to Anaheim, California...

Guess what we did there?! Oh, you'll never guess... we went to Disneyland! We had so much fun! Ammanda and I went on Splash Mount (that's what she calls it) - she was TERRIFIED! We got to go on the Tea Cups with Isaiah and Elijah fell asleep on the train!

Isaiah LOVED all of the different characters - any time that he would see one off he would go - running to them to give them a hug! (He still does that -- gives hugs to the Bubba Gump Shrimp).

Dave and Isaiah went on Astro Blasters - Dave still talks about how fun it was! The pics didn't turn out though - you can't see Isaiah at all! We stood in line FOREVER to see the Princesses for Ammanda but, when we got to them she wouldn't go anywhere near them! So, Elijah and I got our pictures taken with them and had them autograph Ammanda's book!

May 20th we got on a plane - Destination: Honolulu, Hawaii. The flight wasn't too bad. The kids got fidgety and the flight attendants were extremely RUDE... Dave and the older 2 kids were on one side of the plane and Elijah and I were on the other a couple rows back. That would have been fine but, I didn't realize we were in an exit row. Of course that's MY FAULT not the people that ticketed us! So, because of that the attendants freaked out because apparently car seats can't be in row in front of the exit row! (Didn't know that one either)... Quick and easy fix after trying to explain that we could just switch with my husband and son for about 15 minutes! (Dave and Isaiah moving back to that row) and we were on our way...

We finally landed and got to our hotel (Ohana West) which we checked out of the next day because a hooker gave Isaiah a $1 for pushing the button on the elevator for her. Checked into the Outrigger Reef (on the beach in Waikiki)... looked for somewhere to live... switched hotels (Hickam AFB Lodging) and spent Ammanda's 4th birthday...

looked more... switched hotels (Schraders Country Inn) a very run-down bed and breakfast - the owners were nice, rooms - hmmm... we reported that the sink had a leak and they didn't send anyone to fix it, they also didn't clean our rooms the entire time (including taking out the trash). There were a couple local families living there that were AWESOME - they lent the kids their fishing gear so that they could go fishing that night... ummm... checked out because of the no service thing...

RE-CHECKED IN to the Outrigger Reef. Then, finally we were able to move in to our new home July 10th. How many weeks is that? 8 weeks in a hotel with 3 kids. Can you say aggravating???

Dave went to Guam for a week, then again for 3 days, Virginia for 10 days, and Germany for 10 days. He has been busy with his job, the family and calling (Primary)... We are 'team teachers'. Just got finished teaching the Valiant 11's. Next year we will be teaching the CTR 8 class!

Lori - August I went back to Utah for the Scentsy Convention! It was a great break from the trials since we arrived in Hawaii and the past year. I got back and went right to work... I made Director in October and am still expanding my team whenever the chance comes! I am on my way to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico next month for a Leadership Retreat... I can't wait!

Ammanda - she has grown up so fast. She became friends with a few little girls that lived not too far away. Then they had to move. It broke our hearts. She's such a sensitive little girl. But, she is excelling in preschool - sounding out words and loving to read, math and any crafty thing. She loves the outdoors and gets aggravated with her brothers.

Isaiah - holy cow! That kid never stops! He is full of energy and love! He has a temper (if you didn't notice before). He's grown up fast too and misses his cousins a ton. He's all boy! He's starting in the same preschool that Ammanda is in in February. He is currently infatuated with 'signs' - We're constantly hearing - Momma, what's the sign for ___? or Papa, the sign for ____ is ___!

Elijah - our baby! Aside from a couple of hospital visits he is doing GREAT! We have an appointment at the end of January with the Pulmonologist to see what she thinks. He turned ONE December 3rd. He's walking and trying to talk. He's got a totally giddy personality that we all LOVE! He's such a happy 'baby'. I love his hugs - he's starting to squeeze as tight as he can! Dave said to say that he can read and write French too... just to see who's reading!

Ok, that's us up to date...

These last two pics were taken December 20th so are the most up to date we have!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

He's Home and We're On Our Way!!!

2009-05-06T19:46:00.005-06:00

Holy cow!!! Time flies... Dave came home on April 24th and this is what he came home to!!! We had...Big Man, Little Man, A-boy, Isaiah, Mini-Man and Ammanda holding signs. My mom, Jeff, Meggan, Baby H, Greg, Emily, Andy, Hadley, Elijah and I were in the background with a bunch of ORANGE balloons!

My wonderful hubby came down the escalator and gave us all big hugs, kisses, etc. and was just wonderful.

All the "Cousins" helped Dave take his bag through the airport - I think they each had a turn riding on it! Then we said farewell to them so that we could have some family time.

The next day was a cousins 'birthday party' for Isaiah (McDonalds playground then Uncle Jeff's for gifts). We had a blast and were SO happy to see everyone!

Sunday we blessed Elijah Glen... Samantha brought Baby O down from Boise, Grandpa Niels was there too. It was a special experience. Dave gave an amazing blessing. We all met at our home to have a bit of lunch. It was the first time that my Dad had seen all of us together in YEARS.

Afterwards we went to Jeff's for a family photo session... pics in the next post!

What I learned on Monday...

2009-03-18T11:44:00.003-06:00

Hold your toddler's hand (or at least keep up with him) when elevators are around!

Story:

I had a doctors appointment and had to take all of the kids with me. I didn't think to grab the stroller beforehand so, I had to carry Elijah's carrier. We got done with the appointment and I let Ammanda and Isaiah run ahead of me a little bit. As Isaiah rounded the corner he saw the elevator was open so of course he was curious. I was just in time to see him when the door shut. I could hear him pounding and crying on the other side of the door and pushed the button... the second elevator opened and Isaiah's went up to the third floor. There was a lady in the lobby with me that was kind enough to take the second elevator to the third floor to see if he got off.

Anyway, he didn't get off and was SCREAMING by the time he got back down to our floor. The doors opened, he jumped into my arms, then pulled away and ran off again like it never happened. I wish that I could be that carefree!

So, I didn't freak out. I was calm and collected. I wasn't concerned... I knew that I'd get him back sooner or later. Is that bad? Am I crazy for not getting upset? What is this stoic, non-feeling feeling life that I lead? Hmmm, something to ponder while I wait for my next counselling session! Don't get me wrong though... I love my kids, I know I do. But, I don't cry or worry over things that most people would freak out about. I can't make a big deal out of everything. I don't know how! And, crying?! I have cried a total of twice since Dave left last April. I wish that I could feel enough emotion to WANT to cry!

Okay, total tangent but, Isaiah is fine and happy (except the poop & puke that we're currently dealing with!) :)

Our Weekend...

2009-03-15T22:43:00.002-06:00

started on Thursday. We took Mom and went up to Boise! It was a blast! Friday I went to my sister Samantha's work so that she could do my hair. It turned out WONDERFUL!!! I totally love it! She's a perfectionist so was so worried that I didn't like it BUT I LOVE IT!!! I'll post a picture as soon as I can get a good one taken.

Saturday was the Boise - Scentsy World Tour (Regional Training). So, Mom, Emily, Elijah and I (had to take him since he's BFeeding!) went to it - way early! We were able to re-charge our batteries with 7 of Emily's team members and a total of about 450 consultants. It was AWESOME!!! I am pumped up and ready to go out and do some recruiting (anyone want to join my team?!)

Today was the drive home -- horrible! {PERHAPS TMI- Read on if you don't care, if not, skip to the next paragraph - just know Isaiah was 'sick'} Yesterday we came home to find out that Isaiah had really bad diarhea all day and had run out of diapers... (thanks Greg for putting up with that all day!) We thought it had run its course but -- NO! We got about an hour away from Boise and his diaper exploded. Poor guy - we had to stop frequently so it took us nearly 8 hours for a 5-6 hour trip.

Meanwhile we found out that it's going to cost a ton for us to ship our Nissan to Hawaii; we have to take the Trailblazer to LA to ship it; and, Ammanda, Isaiah, Elijah and I have to get a medical clearance to go... along with some other stuff... so, I'm going to be extremely busy for the next week so that Dave can get his orders - soon! If all goes well and he comes home when we are anticipating (April 4th) we only have 20 days left!!!

A carrot, an egg, and a cup of coffee...

2009-03-11T14:09:00.004-06:00

I found this on another site and it hit me and I had to share...

You will never look at a cup of coffee the same way again.

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up, She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, ' Tell me what you see.''

Carrots, eggs, and coffee,' she replied.

Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg.

Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma.

The daughter then asked, 'What does it mean, mother?'

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

'Which are you?' she asked her daughter. 'When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?

Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?

Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to make you happy.

The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; you can't go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.

When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling.

Live your life so at the end, you're the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.

Ok, Now - the 'No Hair Thing...'

2009-03-03T16:54:00.003-07:00

I am shaving my head!!!

You heard it right - I'm shaving my head in solidarity with children who have cancer and typically lose their hair during treatment, while raising critical funds for childhood cancer research!

In the US, more children die of childhood cancer than any other disease. Please make a donation on my behalf to support childhood cancer research so that all children diagnosed with cancer will have a better chance for a cure.

For more information and/or to donate, please click on "LUCKY" !

I am still trying to figure out the date (since I don't know exactly when Dave will be home and I want him there) but I will post here when I have the date set and all the details so that you can join me!

Kids and Pics!

2009-03-01T16:58:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted pics of the kids lately so I figured I better... they are so wonderful to me. I am so glad that they are 'easy' for the most part... of course I could pull all my hair out some days but, they are awesome! (And the no-hair thing is a totally different topic to be blogged about soon!)

Ammanda - she is 3 1/2 and is a great helper. She talks all the time and loves to play with anyone that will play with her! She does have a temper though so watch out!

Isaiah - he'll be 2 on April 6th. He has looks that could kill but, his hugs and kisses make up for nearly anything that he does that is wrong! He has a sweet way of saying Sorry that just melts my heart. He's starting to talk more and more everyday and is just dying to be independent. He loves to read and carries around his "swords" everywhere he goes (unless I won't let him)... his 'swords' are Filipe and Turner (the screwdrivers) from the Handy Manny TV show on Disney!

I thought these were great pictures of Isaiah and Elijah... Here he's telling him that he loves him then giving him a big old kiss! Such a great big brother.

Elijah - has a wonderful smile! He giggled for the first time to ABBAs "Money, Money". He's a great baby - nearly 15 pounds at just under 3 months... CHUBBY!!! He has a smile that doesn't quit (most of the time) but, his screech is just that! Our Heavenly Father sure knows how to make 'em so that they can get their momma's attention! He's sleeping a lot of the night now so I'm a little more rested! He's recently found his hands and that he can move things around if he's holding onto them!

I have definitely been blessed this past year. We haven't had any major problems and I've been able to 'learn how to be a mom.' I love the time that I have spent with the kids but, I'm so looking forward to April - so that Dave can come home and be the Dad! It's only a few short weeks away and I can't wait!

So I have a new blog!!!

2009-02-26T23:31:00.003-07:00

I am so excited! It is for my Scentsy business and will be SO MUCH FUN!!! Right now it's in the draft stage but, I'm so excited to share it with everyone I've already published it! (I'll add pictures later!) It's called Addicted to Wickless (there is a link on the sidebar if you need it) so PLEASE check it out!!! (let me know what I can do to improve either one!--I know I need to post more--I'm working on that!)

So totally lost!!!

2009-02-25T18:25:00.003-07:00

I turned in my computer for repairs last Tuesday and FINALLY got it back today... I didn't realize how much I actually use it, let alone how much I'm addicted to it! I use it for everything from phone numbers, calendars, keeping track of finances, to running my Scentsy business! It is crazy! I've been going through withdrawals and still, my house is a mess! :) I think I actually do better when I have the computer around! Weird!

Have & Have Not...

2009-02-05T22:22:00.004-07:00

I got this a while back and thought I'd put it here... Feel free to do it yourself!

200 Have and Have nots!
BOLD the haves!

1. Touched an iceberg-
2. Slept under the stars
3. Been a part of a hockey fight
4. Changed a baby's diaper
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Swam with wild dolphins
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a tarantula
10. Said "I love you" and meant it
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Stayed up all night long and watched the sun rise
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a huge sports game
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
19. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
20. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Bet on a winning horse
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Taken an ice cold bath - how about a freezing shower at Girl's Camp?
28. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Ridden a roller coaster
31. Hit a home run
32. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
33. Adopted an accent for fun
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Felt very happy about your life, even for just a moment
36. Loved your job 90% of the time
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Watched wild whales
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Gone on a midnight walk on the beach
41. Gone sky diving
42. Visited Ireland
43. Ever bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited India
45. Bench-pressed your own weight
46. Milked a cow
47. Alphabetized your personal files
48. Ever worn a superhero costume
49. Sung karaoke
50. Lounged around in bed all day
51. Gone scuba diving
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Done something you should regret, but don't
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Been in a movie
60. Gone without food for 3 days
61. Made cookies from scratch
62. Won first prize in a costume contest
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Been in a combat zone
65. Spoken more than one language fluently
66. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone
67. Bounced a check
68. Read - and understood - your credit report
69. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy
70. Found out something significant that your ancestors did
71. Called or written your Congress person
72. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
73. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
74. Helped an animal give birth
75. Been fired or laid off from a job
76. Won money
77. Broken a bone
78. Ridden a motorcycle
79. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph
80. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
81. Slept through an entire flight:
82. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
83. Eaten sushi
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read The Bible cover to cover
86. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
87. Gotten someone fired for their actions
88. Gone back to school
89. Changed your name (last name only)
90. Caught a fly in the air with your bare hands
91. Eaten fried green tomatoes
92. Read The Iliad
93. Taught yourself an art from scratch
94. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
95. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
96. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
97. Been elected to public office - can I count county delegate?
98. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
99. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
100. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
101. Had a booth at a street fair
102. Dyed your hair
103. Been a DJ
104. Rocked a baby to sleep
105. Ever dropped a cat from a high place to see if it really lands on all fours
106. Raked your carpet
107. Brought out the best in people
108. Brought out the worst in people
109. Worn a mood ring
110. Ridden a horse
111. Carved an animal from a piece of wood or bar of soap
112. Cooked a dish where four people asked for the recipe
113. Buried a child
114. Gone to a Broadway play
115. Been inside the pyramids
116. Shot a basketball into a basket
117. Danced at a disco
118. Played in a band
119. Shot a bird
120. Gone to an arboretum
121. Tutored someone
122. Ridden a train
123. Brought an old fad back into style
124. Eaten caviar
125. Let a salesman talk you into something you didn’t need
126. Ridden a giraffe or elephant
127. Published a book
128. Pieced a quilt
129. Lived in an historic place
130. Acted in a play or performed on a stage
131. Asked for a raise
132. Made a hole-in-one
133. Gone deep sea fishing
134. Gone roller skating
135. Run a marathon
136. Learned to surf
137. Invented something
138. Flown first class
139. Spent the night in a 5-star luxury suite
140. Flown in a helicopter
141. Visited Africa
142. Sang a solo
143. Gone spelunking
144. Learned how to take a compliment
145. Written a love-story
146. Seen Michelangelo’s David
147. Had your portrait painted
148. Written a fan letter
149. Spent the night in something haunted
150. Owned a St. Bernard or Great Dane
151. Ran away
152. Learned to juggle
153. Been a boss
154. Sat on a jury
155. Lied about your weight
156. Gone on a diet
157. Found an arrowhead or a gold nugget
158. Written a poem
159. Carried your lunch in a lunchbox
160. Gotten food poisoning (I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy)
161. Gone on a service, humanitarian or religious mission
162. Hiked the Grand Canyon
163. Sat on a park bench and fed the ducks
164. Gone to the opera
165. Gotten a letter from someone famous
166. Worn knickers
167. Ridden in a limousine
168. Attended the Olympics
169. Can hula or waltz
170. Read a half dozen Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys books
171. Been stuck in an elevator
172. Had a revelatory dream
173. Thought you might crash in an airplane
174. Had a song dedicated to you on the radio or at a concert
175. Saved someone’s life
176. Eaten raw whale
177. Know how to tat, smock or do needlepoint
178. Laughed till your side hurt
179. Straddled the equator
180. Taken a photograph of something other than people that is worth framing
181. Gone to a Shakespeare Festival
182. Sent a message in a bottle
183. Spent the night in a hostel
184. Been a cashier
185. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
186. Joined a union
187. Donated blood or plasma
188. Built a campfire
189. Kept a blog
190. Had hives
191. Worn custom made shoes or boots
192. Made a PowerPoint presentation
193. Taken a Hunter’s Safety Course
194. Served at a soup kitchen
195. Conquered the Rubik’s cube
196. Know CPR
197. Ridden in or owned a convertible
198. Found a long lost friend
199. Helped solve a crime
200. Responded to a NJP newsletter

He's finally here!!!

2009-01-01T17:16:00.001-07:00

Elijah Glen born December 3rd, 5:35pm
6 pounds 10 ounces
19 inches long

Time Flies...

2008-11-17T20:50:00.003-07:00

It seems I get busier and busier every day trying to get ready for Dave and the baby's arrivals... 18 days until Dave is potentially here and 23 days until the baby is due. Boy, am I feeling it though!

Ammanda and I took a few hours last Saturday and went to Disney on Ice: 100 Years of Magic! We had a blast! I have a few pics on my phone so when I get them uploaded I'll post them... Ammanda was so excited and was literally on the edge of her seat the entire time!

Gramma Susie stayed and played with Isaiah and boy did they have fun! That boy loves his Gramma!

When we got home, Ammanda, Isaiah and I put together the baby's new bed! We had fun but, it was almost bedtime so everyone was pretty cranky. I've decided I don't like where the bed is now so my SIL is going to come by later this week to help me move my bed so that I can get my room situated. Thank heaven for wonderful friends and relatives that are willing to help someone that needs it. I don't know what I would have done this pregnancy without the help of some wonderful people! Even if it's just been an ear now and then, everyone has been so great!

So, Dave will be home in about 3 weeks!!!! YAY!!!!! All of us are so excited! The kids have been making 'projects' to give him when he gets here. He is excited because he gets to come home and all that but, it's his favorite time of year so he's going to be able to 'help' me decorate for Christmas!!! (Not to mention the new baby, spending time with us, family, etc.) I think he'll be 'ready' to go back to Qatar... (not really but, it's going to be fairly busy!) Did I mention I can't wait?!

10 weeks left!

2008-10-02T22:22:00.003-06:00

Simply put!!! We have 10 weeks left until this baby is due!!! That means a couple things... Dave will be coming home for a couple weeks YAY!!! And, we'll find out whether this is a girl or a boy! Ammanda swears it's a girl (one day and a boy the next). Isaiah doesn't care.

Meggan had Baby H last week and it made me realize that we are getting close! We're in the home stretch! We got to meet Baby H tonight and she is beautiful! TINY!!! Neither of our kids were that small (she was 6 lbs 8 oz) - ever!

I am so excited but, it made me kind of realize how much I need to get done before he/she gets here! I need to 'nest' but, don't have the time or energy to do it... My schedule got crazy with parties this month so I'll be way busy with that! Hmmm. Perhaps I'll hire someone... hmmm... that takes money... guess that won't work! :) Well, I'll figure something out!

10 weeks! I am so ready in so many different ways!

Remembering September 11th

2008-09-18T15:03:00.011-06:00

This is the ceremony that they had in Qatar on September 11, 2008. Dave wasn't able to attend but, wanted to share the photos anyway.

Ammanda had preschool on the 11th. We had a very short discussion on why the day was important while she was getting ready for school. We went down to breakfast and she said the prayer (like she always does) and without any prompting from me asked Heavenly Father and Jesus to bless the families that they are ok and happy as they can be. I love our little girl! She's so insightful... It was "Show and Tell" so she took a photo of Dave and I (her hero's - her words not mine). Had to share!

Big Boy

2008-09-18T15:03:00.007-06:00

Isaiah is getting so big! I was looking at some pictures the other day of right after Dave left for Qatar... Wow! Our little boy is crazy! He is starting to talk - and throw tantrums. He's been running for a while and nearly ALWAYS refuses to be carried down the stairs (good thing cuz my tummy is starting to get in the way!) He LOVES Signing Time and is actually starting to use some of the signs on a regular basis! I hate for him to grow up. He's my little buddy but, alas, I know it has to happen. Here are a few pics from in May 2008:

and in September 2008:

My Little Man!!!

Splash Pad

2008-09-03T14:16:00.004-06:00

I've taken the kids to various splash pads throughout the summer... I don't have the energy to keep up with BOTH of them in the pool so this has been a GREAT alternative. I don't have many pics but, here are a few of the cutest ones!

The first couple are of Ammanda's 3rd birthday...

These are from a couple weeks ago... I can't believe how big they've both gotten!

Isaiah doesn't like the water shooting out of different spots but, he'll play in the water on the ground (like a bath!) These photos were taken when he decided he was 'all done' and had been sitting on the bench with me for about 10 minutes... I had put his shirt on because we were leaving soon... One less thing to do... Right?!

Running...

2008-09-03T14:05:00.005-06:00

A while back I took the kids to Riverview Park so that I could meet some local Mommies! We had a great time! We all belong to a wonderful online group (see my sidebar). Anyway, as we were leaving, Ammanda saw a hill that she just "HAD" to run up... she had some extra energy I guess so I told her to go ahead. Ten minutes later I was dragging her to the truck so that we could get Isaiah home to bed (he had fallen asleep in the stroller).

I wish I had that energy AND could have so much fun doing something as simple as running up and down a hill!

Logan!

2008-08-31T08:45:00.008-06:00

So, yesterday I packed up the kids, Gramma Susie and Uncle Andy and drove up to Logan, UT... I have been wanting to do this for a while now... drive around and look at some of the old places that Mom & I used to haunt when I was little.

First stop was the Logan Temple. Gorgeous! Mom and I agreed that the way that they 'grouted' the walls is incredible and different. It's not the typical white mortar. More of a tan color. I have a thing for photos of flowers and greenery so, I'll attach my favorites! We met Andy's friend Nicole and off they went to spend the day!

Then, of course the kids were starving so we went to McDonalds and then to the Aggies Ice Cream place! They have THE BEST ICE CREAM IN THE WORLD!!! Of course we ate WAY TOO MUCH! (But it's soooo yummy!)

From there we went to our old trailer court to 'see the spot' that we used to live in... Surely the trailer wasn't STILL there (30 years later). BUT, it was!!! It had been painted but, Mom said that it definitely was the same trailer. I didn't think about it then but, I should have gotten a picture. That would have been cool... maybe next trip!

Then we went to the Willow Park Zoo. Mom and I used to spend a lot of time there. They've changed it a little bit but, it's still what I remember! The kids had a great time looking at all the ducks and other birds.

She made a friend with a beautiful brown duck. It followed her around until it couldn't any more. She was so cute!

Ammanda's favorite thing though were the turtles.

Isaiah had a great time (although he was EXTREMELY tired). He'd point and say 'Dat?' over and over and over! Sometimes it actually sounded like he was saying 'duck' but, only HE knows exactly what he was saying! :)

After we walked through the zoo, we had Snow Cones and played on the playground. Ammanda LOVES to swing and kept asking Gramma Susie to 'go higher!' When she'd push her higher, she'd say, 'I'm a little scared...' Gramma would just tell her that it would slow down in a minute and she'd be ok... Ammanda told me later that 'I was a little brave today Mom! Gramma was pushing me way high!'

So, that was our trip to Logan. We had a great time! I can't wait to take Dave up there. I think that he will actually fall in love with the area and perhaps want to retire there. It's small-town but, has all the conveniences of 'big city'. Not too close to family but, not too far away either. I've always felt a pull there so perhaps...! AND, of course Utah State University is there - you can't go wrong being in a 'college town!'

Names

2008-08-23T11:02:00.002-06:00

Recently someone asked me the story behind our kids names... (Basically wanted to know why we have 2 M's in Ammanda's name!) So I figured I'd tell the 'story' and risk a slight embarrassment in the process!

While we were pregnant with Ammanda, of course we were going through book after book, listening for names, etc. I knew that I wanted to have a 'family' name so off I went! I tried mixing up a ton of names. Nothing sounded great. Finally, about a month or so before she was born (I think) I was doing something totally non-related and came across some paperwork that had Dave's grandmother's name on it... Ammanda. So, I started playing with that... Dave was excited about the name so that was pretty cool! One day I got a 'feeling' and started looking through the same paperwork and found what I was looking for... Dave's Mom's middle name was Kaye!!!!!! So, she was named Ammanda Kaye. (Now for the embarrassing part... Little did I realize that there was a mistake on the paperwork I had been looking at and Ammanda's name had been misspelled. Grandma Amanda only had one M!

As with our prior pregnancy we were looking for great names for our perfect little boy! I wanted something that was semi-Biblical (don't ask me why - I've wanted it since I wanted kids!) but, I also wanted something that would mean something to us later! A family name I think was a must especially since Dave's other kids (Katja and Creed) don't have a name from his family history. Anyway, so the search went on. We were both fond of Noah but, in the end we pretty much let Ammanda decide - I think anyway. Then we were off to find the middle name. We stumbled across it one day... How could we have been so blind?! David! So, Isaiah is named after a very complex and wonderful prophet of God AND his father!!!

PreSchool

2008-08-05T16:43:00.004-06:00

Ammanda and I went to her pre-school orientation today. She is so extremely excited! There are about 16 girls and 4 boys in her class. Her teacher is Miss LeeAnn?! (sp).

Ammanda's first official day of school is on Thursday, August 7th. I am excited but, heart-broken at the same time. She's not supposed to grow up so fast! It seems like just yesterday (ok, the day before!) that I was holding her for the first time and now, she's starting school. She's ready and I know it... she's bored 'sitting' with me all day at home. She needs the extra challenges that kids her age bring!

His Story - Finally!

2008-08-04T20:28:00.005-06:00

The first part of our relationship? Well we’ll have to go a ways back for that one. It all started on a rainy February evening in 1998. One of my airmen and I had traveled for two days from Malmstrom AFB to Vandenberg AFB in Lompoc CA. It had been a long trip and we were tired. We arrived at a rather non-descript building sometime around midnight-ish. We went to the counter and asked the young lady working there for rooms for our four-day stay. I was tired, but I remember this attractive blonde woman in the back working on a computer that I could only assume was for lodging reservations. She looked up for only an instant….
Now at this point it would be so sweet and romantic to say that the world disappeared and this beautiful woman and I were the only ones in existence, but alas, this is not that kind of story. Not yet anyway.
She looked up for an instant, long enough for me to register the fact that she was attractive, but that was it. She put her head back down and continued her work and I went about the process of getting a room then left.
That was the first time we “met”. We would not see each other again for two years. In that two years I had gone to Korea for a year and come back to Montana and Lori had PCS’d from Vandenberg up to Montana. Oh yah, and in that time I got divorced; that will be an important fact later on. We both worked in building 500 which, if you have the misfortune to find yourself on Malmstrom AFB, you’ll see that it is the biggest building on base and is the Wing Headquarters. Behind the building used to be a smoking area with several picnic tables all lined up for the lazy smokers to sit at. Well one day as Lori was talking to her then husband, I walked out with my girlfriend at the time and I saw her. At the time I thought she was attractive, now though, I’m sure I’d say, “Gross, she’s smoking!” But back then I tended to overlook things that I don’t anymore. So I walked up to her and asked her if we knew each other. Yep, her husband was there and so was my girlfriend. A little uncouth perhaps, but hey we were meant to be together right? We talked for a short minute and figured out where it was that we had seen each other and that was that. Nothing special, but she thought I was hot and just had to have me. Actually I think we both kind of forgot about the whole thing until almost a year later. I had broken up with said girlfriend and Lori had just divorced her husband and there we were again in the smoking area together. This time Lori and I were talking to friends when she announced that she was free from the oppression that was her marriage and would be singing at a country club that night. Again, I thought she was attractive, but who wants to get involved with a recent divorcee? So as she puts it, I blew her off. Well that just fanned the flames of her passion and she pursued me relentlessly for months until I gave in. Wait that was a movie, never mind that last part. It was a few weeks later that she ran into me at a place called Club Cigar. She was wearing a Star Wars outfit she had made herself. She was Qui-Gon Jinn and she was so convincing I had no idea who she was. We talked for a few minutes. Nothing happened, no sparks. There’s just something about a woman with a full beard that turns me off a little, you know? So a few more weeks later, I ran into her at B-01 Missile Alert Facility. That is where she worked as a chef for the missile crews and security police. I was there inspecting some of my equipment and a team of technicians. While I was there I had a lot of down time, so I was working on a crossword puzzle and who would come over and sit beside me and rudely butt into my puzzle? That’s right, Lori. Well this time she didn’t have any facial hair or a husband so it was on. We talked for a while and she made me a tuna salad sandwich with pickles, gross! Turns out I like tuna salad with pickles and I liked Lori too (still kinda do actually J ). So I nervously went into the kitchen where she was working, normally a taboo for anyone but the chef to be in the kitchen, but I had love on my side, and I asked her for her phone number. She was already writing it down when I asked. I think that meant something, not sure.
So I left and she had two more days out in the field still. I called her in the evenings and we talked for a long time. We set up a time to go out the weekend she came back into town. And the rest is history. We fell in love and had babies and a blog.

Welcome to our Blog!

2008-07-23T11:54:00.002-06:00

I decided to try this again! I hope that you will enjoy getting to know our family and reading about our lives as a military family!

Life until today...

2008-07-23T10:55:00.002-06:00

Let’s see...

Dave and I were married March 30, 2001 after a 'whirlwind' romance! It seems that we were meant to be together! I know that I felt drawn to him from the moment that we officially met although at the time nothing could be done about that! I'll have him write down his side of the first part of our relationship (it's funnier from him) and post it later for you to read!

Shortly after we were married we had to move (Dave is/was active duty Air Force). He had an assignment to Camp Humphreys, South Korea. He was going to be stationed there for a year. I moved to our 'follow-on' assignment - Andersen AFB, Guam! I was able to go and visit him twice (a month each!) and he was able to come and visit me once! It was great! He moved to Guam when his assignment in Korea was done. We stayed there for 2 years.

Our experience in Guam was wonderful. (Although both of us would have liked to have seen and done more while we were there - we were kind of homebodies). Dave was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. We made some wonderful friends and had some great experiences (along with some not so great ones which I will probably post about later - let’s just say typhoons are not so fun!)

I re-joined active duty Air Force in May 2004, retraining into the Readiness Career Field (renamed to Emergency Management in 2007!). We got stationed at Malmstrom AFB, Montana again. I was ok with it but, Dave really didn't like Montana so it was kinda tough.

However, June 13, 2005 we were blessed to have Ammanda Kaye Hall enter our family! Dave wrote a wonderful 'description' of that day for her baby book... I'll post it here so that you can laugh and cry like all of us that read it! She was a wonderful baby.

April 6, 2007 we added Isaiah David to our family! It was a very LONG day! Dave had a migraine and of course I was in labor so we were not the most pleasant people to be around. I'll hand it to him though... he stayed by my side the entire time (minus the few times he had to run to the bathroom to throw up because of his head!) It took forever but I finally gave in and made them give me drugs because the Pitocin was making the contractions sharp and I couldn't take it... Whatever they gave me made me hallucinate between contractions and scared me more than I wanted to have the drugs so I gave in and had an epidural!!! It was awesome - however, they didn't tell me that I should move around a little bit so that it would work on both sides so when it was time to start pushing, etc. only the right side was dead. I could feel everything on the right... it was the WEIRDEST sensation! Anyway, we were finally done and he was a wonderfully beautiful baby boy!

Six short weeks later, I was back to work, both of the kids in Day Care and I HATED that! Dave and I decided that if he were promoted to Master Sergeant then I would get out when my enlistment was over. If not, I would re-up and retire. We found out that he made it!!! Yeah! My date of separation was for May 2008. I could do that! Then, because Dave was not happy at his job and in Montana we decided that he should volunteer for a year remote assignment to Qatar. That would get him away from Montana, give him a challenge and different job, AND he would pretty much have his choice of assignment when he was done there! So, we waited and waited for word. Finally, we found out that we got the assignment but the report date was sooner than we expected. So, I submitted paperwork to get out 58 days early and it was approved. I didn't want to stay in Montana without Dave so, in March we moved to Riverton, Utah. Dave left for Qatar on April 2nd.

A few days after he left I got extremely lightheaded while taking a shower. That hadn't happened since I was pregnant with Isaiah so I decided to take a pregnancy test! We're pregnant with our third! YAY!!!