Here We Come, A Caroling...

Jen Brandt, a friend in our ward, came up with a really great Christmas idea. Our husbands home teach together, so she suggested that we go caroling together to the families and sisters that we all home and visit teach. Jen and I each made a couple different kinds of treats, then she and her husband Adam came over this evening so we could put together plates and then deliver them with a couple of songs. We had such a wonderful time!
On Saturday night we went with Melissa and Reid Garza, another couple in our ward, to the Festival of Trees. I have always wanted to go, and it was so great! One of the trees was sold for $27,000!!! Steven loved seeing all the lights and colors, and we really enjoyed seeing all of the tributes that people had done for their loved ones in their tree displays, along with some amazing creations in the gingerbread village. I love all the things that help to make Christmas such a magical time!!!

A Wonderful Thanksgiving

For Thanksgiving we ended up getting to go to my sister's house in Austin, Texas. It turned out that everyone in my family was going there, so my parents helped us to be able to make it, too. It was a very fun week! We had 19 people all sleeping in her house at once! We loved getting to spend time together, and it was especially fun to see all the babies and how much the kids loved to play with them. We can't wait for Christmas!!!

Happy 100th Birthday!!!

My Grandpa King passed away when I was just a little, little girl. Today he would have turned 100 years old. The picture above was taken when he was almost the same age as me. Isn't he handsome? Today is also my niece Karlie's birthday. She is turning, and she will be baptized next week. She was named for him and another Grandpa Karl. I know that they are both very proud of her and excited for her baptism.


Carl Marcus King was everyone's friend. He was a beloved husband, father, scout master, and bishop. This picture was taken at his desk while he was serving as the mayor of Burbank, CA. He and my grandmother served together as mission president and mother. When he was in the scout program, my grandpa earned the award of the Silver Beaver. He was always working hard and loving lots. My dad often talks about how he would never allow himself to be lazy, and how he always said that "having money is like burning a hole in your pocket; you've just got to spend it!" Sometimes I follow that one a little too often. ;) I was thinking that it would be fun to write down 100 memories of him to celebrate his would-be 100 years, but I'll just do a few.

Grandpa King was a carpenter. He built some beautiful homes, including the one I was born in. He would also build things for us like an amazing, huge rocking horse for me and a little carriage-type box that my mom and I would ride in to be pulled behind my dad's bike--we called it the carpet. I remember being in his garden with him (his whole backyard was an AWESOME garden). He would let me feel like I was helping him, and he'd teach me things about the plants. I loved seeing the grape vines grow up his fence and into the lattice, and I can still see the first time that he opened a pea pod to reveal several little green peas. I thought that was so cool. Grandpa always brought me M&M's when he and Grandma would come over. I remember once he came into my room and I pretended like I was sleeping. I peeked my eyes open just enough to see his hand placing a few M&M's on my night stand. I will never forget that.


About 1 1/2 years ago my Grandma King got to be reunited with Grandpa. It was something she had been wanting for the almost 20 years since he had left. She would go to sleep each night with her hand out, palm up, for him to come and take her with him. I am so grateful and so happy for them to be together again. The only thing that makes me sad is that Adam never got to meet any of my amazing grandparents. I am going to make sure that my children and grandchildren know about the wonderful people who came before and left such a great legacy for them of love, service, and faith. Happy Birthday, Grandpa! We love you!!!

I'm Thankful for...Halloween?

I love Thanksgiving!!! This year we were able to go to Austin, Texas and see my entire family during the week. I also really love Halloween! I love seeing all the kids dressed up. I love seeing how excited they get when they are given candy for no apparent reason. I love the cool night that comes with the once-a-year-oh-so-familiar smell of candles burning inside of pumpkins.
For Christmas last year, my mother gave my sister and me some matching costumes for the babies we were expecting to have a few months later. Cheralyn and I decided that we absolutely HAD to get pictures done of our cute little boys!!!

We also took some Christmas pictures. What do you think--naughty or nice? This is my FAVORITE time of the year!!!!!!

My Man at Work

I love that Adam loves what he does. He is still in school, but he is getting a lot of experience with building and maintaining water features, working in nurseries, etc. We have been a little worried, though, about what might be in store for us when he graduates in April, what with the poor economy and such. A couple weeks ago Adam went to a green industry convention and ended up doing a ton of great networking. There are two companies he met there, one in San Fransisco and one in Dallas, who want to fly him out to see their businesses and if he would want to work with them. Pretty exciting, huh?! This picture is of Adam working on a pond in Park City to prepare it for the winter. It was completely covered in ice, so he had to put on water proof overalls that went up to his chest and get in to start breaking up the surface. Then, just in case he wasn't cold enough, it started snowing. I'm glad he's still having fun!!! :)

A Good Time Was Had by All!

A couple of weeks ago Steven and I were able to take a trip to California while Adam went to Kentucky for a green industry convention. We loved getting to see all the family we have there, and even a few friends!

Steven loved discovering Grandma's larger-than-life Tigger and Pooh Bear! They were definitely good for keeping him entertained when I needed to do stuff.

Steven also sat up for his first time!!! It made for quite an exciting week. :)


We loved getting to see everyone, and Steven and I loved being able to spend a lot of time with Uncle Nathan. We've really missed having him right by us in Utah.





My mom took me to get a pedicure--bless
her! My feet get so bad in the winter. It was glorious!!!

My parents had me pick-up a bumbo seat
and an umbrella stroller for their house since their grandchildren keep on growing in number. Steven loved going for an evening walk in the new stroller!

Steven also discovered himself in the mirror. He's seen himself before, but on our trip he really started to get excited about it. It was pretty awesome. I was able to totally get ready for the day while he had fun with the other little boy looking right back at him. ;)

Another highlight of the trip was getting to see the house where my family lived when I was born. It was my parents' dream house. My mom designed it and my dad and his dad built it. I even remember painting the white fence with my dad, and once we found a dead baby bear in our back yard. It was such an awesome house to be a kid in!!!

We also did some fun Halloween things, my sisters took me to the California Utah Women's Conference, and we got to see our Hall family. More to come!

Yay for Family!!!

We are sooooo grateful that Proposition 8 passed this week! There were thousands upon thousands of hours spent holding up signs on corners, making phone calls, and even knocking door-to-door to help secure a win. Adam and I are so appreciative of all those hours that people gave in serving the rest of us so that the family can be protected for at least a little longer.


Also, I am pleased to announce the newest member of our family: Ali. My sister Trisha gave birth last week to a beautiful baby girl--now her third. She and her husband named the baby after their sisters, Alison and Emma. She is so completely precious. We can't wait to see her in less than 3 weeks!!! :)

#5!

When I was in 8th grade, my mom read an article about Locks of Love and suggested that I cut some of my very long hair to donate. I cried for a while, but then I knew that it was a really good idea. My sister Cheralyn took me to get it done, and after about an hour I walked out of the salon with 15 less inches of hair. I don't quite know how, but this became a pattern for me. I cut my hair every 2 years--about the time it took to grow back with the trims I'd have. 8th grade, 10th grade, 12 grade, and sophomore year of college all marked big hair chops in my life. I even collected pony tails from people for a church project--32 in all. Well, last year would have been time for another cut, but I was beginning to feel like I was finished losing my locks. Plus, Adam really likes my long hair. Needless to say, it was safe. Last night, however, I was googling "long layered hair" to get ideas of new styles for my hair cut today, and all of a sudden a shorter cut appeared. It wasn't at all what I was looking for, but Adam and I both loved it! So, in keeping with the tradition that my mom and I started 9 years ago, I was sure to take before and after pictures:

























So, if any of you are wanting to donate your hair to Locks of Love, I highly recommend it! It is a non-profit organization that makes wigs for girls and women who have lost their hair to illnesses like cancer. Just be sure to put your hair in a braid or pony tail to hold it together before it's cut. Also, they say that they want 10 inches, but if you have a shorter chop they will still use it for the shorter layers of their wigs. It takes 12 pony tails to make 1 wig, so lets get cutting!!!

*I always have my cousin Buffy cut my hair. I have no idea what I'll do when I don't live by her anymore!!! I REALLY love going to her. Let me know if you want her number!

Sleepy Boy

This morning I was doing the dishes while Steven jumped happily in his little bouncer. I noticed that he was yawning a bit, so I thought I'd finish the few dishes I had left then put him down for a nap. Well, I looked up just a couple minutes later and saw that he hadn't been able to wait for me, haha. He is just so much fun!!! He turned 6 months on Saturday, and we can't believe how fast he is growing and learning. Kids make life so exciting!!!

Proposition 8 Fast

In case you haven't heard, tomorrow (Sunday) there will be an interfaith fast for Proposition 8. I think this is such a neat thing. I love that so many different religious groups have come together in support of the family--the fundamental unit of society. If this bill does not pass, it will have devastating effects from what our children are taught in school, to how religious groups can teach and proselyte, and much more. If you are registered in California, but live out of state, you can request an absentee ballot online. And if you are not yet registered, you need to send in your application so they will receive it by October 20th. The really maddening fact about all of this is that there was a bill passed 8 years ago to protect the family, but 4 members of the California Supreme Court overruled it when a case was presented. This is our chance to tell them what we want. The government was built BY the people, FOR the people. Let your voice be heard!

Voting for Proposition 8 is not voting to punish homosexual people or take away any of their rights; it is simply voting to keep things they way they have always been, and to protect the sanctity of marriage and the true idea of family.

Ah! He is so cute!!!

Thanks, Krugers, for the cute hat; and Grandma for the cuddly blanket!!!

Up, Up, and Away!!!

Last weekend we went to Adam's cousin's wedding in St. George. Jon and Ida looked so happy, and it was the perfect day! I was so grateful to be able to go into the temple, thanks so Sarah, Adam's cousin, for watching our little guy. We spent the night at my cousin's house. It was so much fun to see Richard and Tamara--and she ended up going into labor right before we left!!! Congrats to them on their new, beautiful daughter! The wedding had been on a Friday, so we spent some time on Saturday with Adam's mom, brother Matt, and niece Lexi. It was so cute to watch Steven and Lexi together. She would grab him for a hug, and he'd grab her head and try to kiss it. She was so cute, and so nice about him constantly trying to pull out chunks of her hair to chew on. Steven also loved seeing Grammie--as usual! We had an awesome lunch, thanks to Mom Hall, then our little family took the 4 hour drive back up to Provo, stopping on the way to switch drivers and get some awesome "flying" pictures of Steven!!! A good time was had by all!!!!!!

Tagged by Christine

7 Things I plan to do before I die:

1. Play Eponine or Fantine in "Les Miserables"
2. Run at least a half marathon (yeah right, I know)
3. Build and live in Adam's and my dream house, complete with a huge library, piano room, etc.
4. Write a book that gets published
5. See all my kids grow up, get married, and give me grandchildren
6. Run for public office (something local like school board or something)
7. Go to Japan and on a cruise (not necessarily at the same time) with Adam

7 things I do now:

1. Change diapers
2. Try new recipes
3. Start projects that I may or may not ever actually finish (I'm really good at that--poor Adam!)
4. Walk EVERYWHERE--the grocery store, the doctor, BYU to see Adam...maybe that half marathon could be walking...
5. Feed my baby boy
6. Take lunch to have with Adam at BYU
7. Love life with my 2 guys!!!

7 things I can't do:

1. Crochet
2. Cry on demand
3. Say "no" when people ask for a favor--Adam wishes I'd work on that one
4. Get mad at Adam or Steven
5. Swim a mile--not that I'd want to, but I do have fun swimming a few laps with Adam
6. Speak Spanish--it's a goal of mine
7. Stand on my head

7 things that attract me to the opposite sex:

1. Blue eyes
2. Determination
3. A sense of Humor
4. Sensitivity
5. A love for music
6. Handsome inside and out
7. Basically, Adam in a nut shell :)

7 things that I say most often:

1. I love you
2. Sorry
3. Hi, Baby Love
4. That's awesome (I actually have to try really hard to not say it too much in conversations)
5. Steven Boy
6. Thank you
7. Other terms of endearment for both husband and baby (Love, Babe, etc.)

7 celebrities that I admire--I'm not sure about admiring, but 7 that I like:

1.Tom Hanks
2. Reese Witherspoon
3. Julia Roberts
4. Shirley Jones
5. Tony Lee Curtis
6. Natalie Wood
7. Debbie Reynolds (or, "The Debster", as my family and I love to call her)

7 favorite foods:

1. Anything chocolate--the darker, the better
2. Tuna melts
3. Homemade rolls
4. Roast with carrots & garlic mashed potatos
5. Mac & cheese
6. Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal
7. Wassail at Christmas time

7 people who need to do this:

1. Tamara Hall
2. Christa Hall
3. Barbara Dayton
4. Buffy Dayton
5. Lillian Wilkins
6. Lorianne Halverson
7. Holly White

Have fun!!! ;)

A Whole Lot of Firsts

Our family has been having a lot of firsts, lately. It's pretty fun to constantly have new things--it sure keeps us on our toes!

1. Steven had his first time eating REAL FOOD! We started with apples/apple sauce, bananas, carrots, and then peaches. So far, he eats the carrots but doesn't love them, and the peaches are by far his favorite. He'll start breathing really excitedly with his mouth in the "ready-for-food" position if I'm taking too long between bites.




2. Steven rolled from his back to his tummy for the first time!!! He started doing tummy to back when he was 4 1/2 weeks old, so we've been wondering when it would happen the other way. A few days ago he rolled across the room to get somewhere. Time to start "baby-proofing" our apartment--is that even totally possible?!



3. Adam had his first day of his last year at BYU. He is LOVING his major, and Steven and I love walking up to campus to meet him for lunch. I must admit, I'm already getting pretty sad to be leaving my comfort zone of Provo.








4. Almost a first--Steven is soooo close to getting his first teeth! He has been making the most funny faces when he chews on his bottom lip and tongue.






Some other firsts that we don't have pictures for are:
5. Steven's first night sleeping in his own room! This was a pretty tough one for me, but Adam and I have both been feeling really good about it, and it was time to get our room back and not have to always worry about waking him up whenever we'd brush our teeth or go to the bathroom. I do miss having him right by my side of the bed, though!
6. I have my first ever stake calling as the stake music chairman. It's going to be kind of tricky in a student stake where there's so much turnover ever semester, but I am excited! :)

Some of Our Favorite Things to Do in Utah!

We have been so lucky to get to enjoy the many beautiful things that Utah has to offer. Adam's major has helped a lot with that, too. Last week we went on a mini hike up Rock Canyon looking for bugs for one of his classes. It was so nice up there! We have also loved going to Thanksgiving Point. During my mom's visit for Steven's birth, they were having their annual tulip festival, so we all decided to go. We liked it so much that she bought us a year pass for my birthday. We have totally been taking advantage of that! We went a couple of weeks ago (again, with bug net in hand) and took a picnic with us. Adam loves telling people that Thanksgiving Point is home to the largest man-made waterfall in the western hemisphere. We ate our lunch on the grass right in front of it. We love the sound of that water!


Another activity we love is going to the Living Aquarium in Sandy. For Adam's birthday I adopted a shark there for him. We decided to get season passes there, too, and it is so much fun! They'll be adding a rain forest exhibit in February and we can't wait!!!

More From San Clemente & 4th of July

Here are two more pictures that I saw on both of my sisters-in-law's blogs, so I copied them to put on mine (I hope that's okay, girls!). The first is Adam with his brothers--probably the last time they'll all be together for almost 4 years because Peter and Jason will miss each other with their missions. The second is Grandie, Adam's grandmother, with her great-grandchildren at our reunion. Quite the cute little group!





















This last picture is of all the new babies in the great-grandchild generation that were at my family reunion for July 4th. It was pretty fun!!!