The Hall Experiment

Christmas Play

2011-12-12T16:41:00.001-06:00

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LOVE

2011-09-20T19:16:00.000-05:00

How cute is this picture?

We had the pleasure of spending a few days with my sister and brother-in-law in the beautiful Smokey Mountains. My kids just eat up their aunt and uncle like they are food and water they need to live. The kids have been so blessed this year to see them numerous times. You'd think they would get tired of each other but as soon as Aunt Angie and Uncle Richard walk out the door I hear from both ends. My kids say, "When do we get to see them again?" Angie will text "I'm so glad to see the girls. I can't wait to see them again." LOL!!

We found a scorpion in our cabin in TN. Crazy!!!!!!

Well Butter My Butt and Call Me a Biscuit!

2011-08-18T22:14:00.000-05:00

I updated my homeschool blog!

http://thehallsgettingschooled.blogspot.com/

Happy Birthday Kendall!!!

2011-08-18T20:47:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I can't believe my little baby is growing into a mature young lady. Oh, I know she has a long way to go. There is plenty of room to grow and learn. I hope I always remember her 8th birthday. Not for the presents or the party, but for the giving. Kendall's birthday was on a Thursday this year, but her Nana and Gramps wanted to come down and celebrate with her too. I told them to come on the weekend but forgot that Kendall and I had volunteered to work at a community outreach at the church that same day. When I realized my goof I told Kendall she could stay home on Saturday and hang out with Nana and Gramps. Her response was "No way. I made a commitment (yes she actually said commitment) to those kids and they need their school supplies. Who will pass out hot dogs if I don't go?" She went and passed out hot dogs, drinks, and bused tables. She didn't last quite the 4 hours, but she was the youngest kid there and she held her own. I'm so thankful to God to have a child with a heart for service.

Motherhood as a Mission Field

2011-07-11T18:12:00.000-05:00

A great article that lifted my spirits. All you mothers out there I hope you are blessed as you read this and have the strength to wipe that runny nose one more time!

Motherhood as a Mission Field

VBS...Pandamania

2011-06-28T18:41:00.000-05:00

Here's a video of the girls (Kendall and Grace on the left, Maddie on the right) of the girls Sunday morning singing one of the VBS songs. We feel so blessed to be at our church and to have a place that cares so much about the children of the church. I took the video with my camera phone so it's a little fuzzy. Don't forget to pause the music over on the right!

Outer Banks

2011-06-20T14:13:00.000-05:00

We just got back from our trip to Outer Banks, NC. I had never been before but I think I'll be a lifer now. It is so beautiful and low key. Not too commercial like many beach places are getting to be. I could have spent all day in a beach chair watching the kids play and listening to the ocean. I'm not even a big beach person (I hate fish and ocean smells) but this place was awesome. So thankful to my in-laws for letting us tag along. I only have one complaint. Do we have to wait a whole year before we can go back?!? LOL!!!

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Happy Father's Day!

2011-06-19T14:22:00.002-05:00

I have four fabulous men in my life that I wanted to celebrate for Father's Day.

My Father

The man who gave me life and therefore gave my children life as well. My father has taught me it's never too late to change. Never too late to accept or give forgiveness. He's taught me that it's okay to be who you are even when it's not what everyone else expects you to be. Also, in 7 years he has NEVER ever missed a grandchild's birthday.

My Father-in-Law

My father-in-law is the kind of grandfather to my girls that I always wanted to have when I was a girl. He always has a hug, kiss, and "I love you" ready when they meet and part. He has a quarter in his pocket to share. He has two knees that are usually occupied by a little girl. He knows the names of all the birds and the trees and has lots of funny stories about when he was a kid. When you're tired, he's ready to let you lay in his lap on the couch so you can both take a nap.

My 2nd Father

The man I grew up with and is as much my dad as a dad could be. There's not enough room to list all the things my dad has taught me. I think what makes our relationship special is that he chose to be my parent. Most of us don't have that option. He knew me before he married my mother and he chose to be my dad even with all my faults and imperfections.

My Husband

I don't know if Byron ever pictured himself as the father of 3 girls. But if he has any doubts about his abilities you would never know it. He pulls teeth, removes splinters, digs huge holes in the sand, kills big bugs and countless other things that none of us want to do. He does it without wanting repayment, without requesting anything. He works hard for us but he never lets work become an excuse to be a disconnected dad. He is an awesome dad and we love him very much!

What a Surprise

2011-06-14T06:18:00.000-05:00

What? I'm entering a blog post? Someone alert the media! I have been so absent and I will continue to be absent today, but I did change the picture! I will have the common sense to at least blog about vacation when I get back. For now, enjoy a new pic of Maddie.

Just Another Day

2011-04-30T21:52:00.002-05:00

We’ve had a crazy week. I had a trip to Owensboro scheduled that I decided to cancel due to bad weather. Boy was I glad I did because that ended up being the day of the tornado outbreak and there was horrible weather all over the state. Since our trip was cancelled we had a chance to go with Byron to Columbus, OH for a few days. Free hotel suite, free gas, free food, umm…yes please. The kids and I swam and went to the zoo and park. Then we got to hang out with Byron at night. We came home and then the very next day Kendall had her very first soccer game. Her team is so sweet but the best part is her coach. Coach Bryan is a upstanding Christian man who loves those girls and loves coaching. During game time he gets really excited and starts yelling from the sidelines helpful hints to the girls. Some examples are:
“Turn around! The ball is behind you!”
“You’re a forward! Run forward!”
“Kick the ball!”—very helpful
“No! Our goal is the other way!”
“Quit playing with the grass and watch the ball!”
“Don’t kick it to the other team!”
He hollers through the whole game and it’s all I can do not to lay down on the sideline and laugh until I pee my pants. It’s so funny.

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They Keep Getting Older.....And So Do I

2011-04-14T12:22:00.000-05:00

I took the girls on a field trip today to the botanical gardens on University of Kentucky campus. I highly recommend it. The area is beautiful plus UK uses it for teaching purposes so they are always adding things and it's very up to date. Plus it's right on campus and you can just feel all the good young happy feeling that a college campus always seems to have. I was uploading pictures and I was blown away by this picture.

Kendall had set down next to that little pond; situated herself just right and asked me to take a picture. I can't believe how grown up she looks! I see her everyday so it's hard for me to notice these things. She looks like a real kid! She's lost all the baby look and even runs and walks like an older kid. She interacts with others on a more mature level and can entertain herself for a LONG time compared to her sisters. Something about this picture just really made me realize how grown up she's getting. Happy face, sad face? I'm not sure what to put here. Both I guess! :-) :-(

The Halls are Off the Grid

2011-04-08T20:34:00.000-05:00

Okay, well maybe I am embellishing just a bit. Hey, I've got to keep the blog interesting. We packed up the van (with a ton of stuff!) and headed out to Byron's old stomping grounds for a couple days. We camped at the Jenny Wiley State Park and then went to see where Byron grew up. The kids even got to play on some of the same playground equipment (like the very same, totally old school) that he played on as a kid. Okay, back to the camping. I knew it was going to be a little cool that night but I forgot to bring the heater for the tent, duh! It was in the 70s though and we were sweatin' it getting the camp site set up so I thought we'd be fine. About 1:30 in the morning it started getting pretty cold. The kids were sleeping good but I still decided to cover them up more. I had left a blanket in the van and I headed out in the pitch black to grab it. While I was out there I got my pant leg wet. I come back into the tent and knock over Grace's water bottle on my foot and got my socks soaking wet. I was so cold though that I didn't want to change my socks and pants. Dumb idea. I spent the rest of the night freezing! Beyond that, we had a great time and here's some pictures to prove it.

Just Keep Spinning, Just Keep Spinning, Just Keep Spinning, Spinning, Spinning

2011-04-04T20:28:00.000-05:00

I finally got up enough nerve and took a spinning class. I know you are thinking, "Alicia, spinning classes have been around for years. You're just now taking one?" Yep. Hey, a year ago you would have never caught me in a spinning class. It took me six weeks to get up the nerve to go. Let me give you a play by play on how it went.

6:55 - arrive at class and I have to take the front row because the back row is full. Now everyone gets to watch my wide rear while I stumble through the class. Oh joy. (Note of sarcasm here).

7:00 - we start pedaling and stretching and I'm thinking "Hey, I think I'll be able to do this. This won't be so bad."

7:10 - I'm sneaking peaks at the clock. It's only been 10 minutes!?

7:15 - Sweat is pouring off me. Is it even possible to sweat this much in 15 minutes?

7:20 - My legs and butt are on fire. I can't decide which is worse. Standing up to pedal and killing my legs or having to sit down after pedaling. I'm pretty sure someone has replaced my bike seat with a dry skinny piece of jagged wood. I'd turn around to look but I'd fall off the bike if I did.

7:30 - Everyone is standing up to peddle at crazy speeds. I am peddling like I'm stuck in the mud.

7:32 - Everyone is still peddling standing up and I'm sitting down. Of course now we're back to the butt pain problem.

7:40 - I close my eyes hoping to give the impression that I'm in the zone, but I'm really just praying that God will grant me some out of body experience. He doesn't.

7:50 - the class is finally over and I did it! I'm not sure I have the energy to even get off the bike and walk out of the room; but the class is over and I survived. Yes I will be crawling on the floor by this time tomorrow. I may have to sit on a doughnut pillow for the next few days. I might have to put myself on an ibuprofen drip to walk up and down the stairs but I made it through the class! The crazy thing is I'm actually looking forward to going back and seeing if I can accomplish a little bit more. Thank goodness I have six days to recuperate.

The Substitute

2011-04-01T21:00:00.000-05:00

Tonight something we saw on TV sparked a conversation with Kendall about blended families. These conversations usually lead into a discussion about how Kendall is related to my dad and step-dad. While talking she says, "Now, I just want to make sure; you guys are not my substitute parents right? Because if you were I would be so upset you didn't tell me!" Ummm...I think she meant step-parents. It's always cute when kids misuse words. However, there is something about them misusing more complicated words as they get older that makes it even sweeter.

Power in the Blood

2011-03-30T13:59:00.000-05:00

For the past couple of weeks, the kids and I have been singing "Power in the Blood" complete with up tempo music and hand motions. The girls have really gotten into it and have been hoping the worship team would sing it at church. We have prayed it will be sung at church the past couple of weeks. Sunday comes and pouting faces turn to me as music times end and there has been no "Power in the Blood". Kendall asked me, "Mom, why won't God answer my prayer?" Oh, if only I could count how many times I've asked the same question. I just tell her that we have to trust God knows what he's doing even if it doesn't make sense at the time. Maybe someone else needed to hear a different song more than we needed to hear "Power in the Blood". I wish I had enough wisdom about praying through disappointment to help my kids handle it better. I remember when we decided to move back to Kentucky that Lexington was at the bottom of my list. The VERY bottom. I even told Byron not to look at jobs in Lexington because I didn't feel we'd be happy there. Look where God led us anyway? I remember loading up the moving van and thinking it was a mistake. I thought the house I picked to rent was a mistake. I was on the fence about Byron switching jobs. I was on the fence about whether we should homeschool the kids. (FYI, spending a lot of time on the fence only leads to a sore behind. My advice; pick a side.). Things did not go as I had envisioned and I was disappointed. Why hadn't God answered my prayers? He didn't know my wants and needs at all. Yet here I am six months later (yes, it's been six months already!) with a house that meets our needs, a safe neighborhood full of nice neighbors, kids that are asking to do more studies when the school work is done for the day. Okay that doesn't happen EVERYDAY, but at least once a week. A new town with some great adventures to discover and some great people to hang out with. We are genuinely happy here; which surprises the heck out of me. So at the risk of getting all preachy here, what part of your life are you not allowing God to answer your prayers? Are you like me and holding out for what YOU think is the perfect situation? Are you ready to let go of what you THINK God wants you to and allow Him to DO what he wants to do? His plans can be scary. They'll move you out of your comfort zone. It can be awkward, stressful, and feel like you're back in middle school at some times. Aren't His plans for you worth it? My prayer for you today is to let God handle something in your life that you really want. Let Him take you to a place that doesn't make sense to you. He's got more brain power than you. I speak as a 100% satisfied prayer warrior. You won't be disappointed.

Shiny Crack

2011-03-10T21:41:00.001-06:00

We have been having so much family fun the last few weeks. The kids went to stay the weekend with Byron's parents a few weeks ago and they are STILL talking about it. They are already asking to go back and I keep trying to hold them back to let Gramps recuperate from all the socializing! Having four women in the house is hard, just ask Byron! I got to spend a Saturday with my sisters in Louisville and have super fun girl time. Then my grandmother came up to visit and keep us company while Byron was on the road. All this within a couple of weeks! I usually have to go 6-12 months without seeing my extended family. Now I only have to go a few weeks. It makes all the hard work to get here worth it. I could just love 'em and hug 'em to death. Plus my kids learn all kinds of new things. For example, I was getting the little ones dressed after bath tonight and Kendall said, "I see a shiny crack!" To which I replied, "Where did you hear that?" Kendall says, "Nana, no wait....Great Granny." I said, "Great Granny taught you to say 'shiny crack?" Now, shiny crack is not anywhere near the end all be all of bad words. I know it's really not that bad. It just doesn't sound so great coming out of your 4 year old's mouth, ya know? Plus my grandmother is as straight as an arrow. If you tested her blood you'd find Southern Baptist DNA. I'm not completely convinced that she taught the kids the phrase "shiny crack". Kendall insisted they were reading a book that had a little boy with his diaper hanging down and she called it a "shiny crack". It's more likely that I said it and don't remember or even MORE likely that Byron taught them. I guess I will have to keep a special eye on Great Granny from now on.

Ballet in the South

2011-02-23T21:05:00.000-06:00

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I have been wanting to do this post for 2 months, but I had no pictures to back it up. I signed the girls up for a ballet class at the YMCA. They were in different classes, but had the same teacher, Ms. Alanna. Ms. Alanna used to be in the Russian ballet (or so I've been told by others.) She is way over qualified to teach 3 year olds how to point their toes, but word is that she does it because she likes it. However, Ms. Alanna runs her class like she is still in Russia. Before I go on, let me stress that my kids LOVE her and she is VERY good with them. However, I've had more laughs watching her unique style of class. First, the classes are closed. No parents allowed. If your child cries after day 2 because she doesn't want mom to leave, she is not ready to be in Ms. Alanna's. I have seen that teacher kick out at least 3 parents who tried to sneak in and take pictures. We were allowed in class today because it was the last class. We all sat against one wall and the students were told to pretend we were not there. LOL! The students are told when to stand, when to smile, and basically when to do everything else. She had those kids in line! There is even a mandatory "hug the teacher" time at the end. When the kids finished a dance, she would look at us with raised eyebrows and say, "parents?" to which we would obediently clap. Once Kendall started on the wrong foot for a dance and she stopped the music and everyone had to start over. (Kendall wasn't the only one she started over for, just so if Kendall reads this some day.) I'm just trying to point out this lady is hard core! Would I enroll my kids in her class again? Absolutely!! The kids learned, they had fun, and she kept annoying pushy parents at bay. Maybe all YMCA instructors should go through Russian ballet training before teaching a children's class. Just a thought.

2011-02-09T21:03:00.000-06:00

Some days are harder than others. Some days have more laundry, more dirty dishes, more bickering, and more questions. Grace had a more questions day today. Some questions were a quick and easy answer. Some were not. Play a little game and see if you can figure out which ones were easy. Please note: these are all from TODAY.

1. Can we have chips for breakfast?
2. Can I wear my PJs to the library?
3. How did we get here? (me: In the bathroom? Grace: No Me: On earth? Grace: no, in this house."
4. Are Nana and Gramps married?
5. How did you make your wedding cake?
6. Why did you and Daddy get married?
7. Why was I a baby when I was born?
8. Why do we go this way to the library?
9. Why does the library have books?
10. Where's Chloe's mommy?
11. How did my eyes get blue?
12. Do teeth break if they get holes in them?
13. Why did Jesus die?
14. Why do we live in Kentucky?
15. Why is it hard for you to drive when I scream?

And those are just the ones I remember!!

Dance, Dance, Revolution

2011-02-05T18:43:00.000-06:00

Byron and I took the kids to a community sweetheart dance at the YMCA. They served dinner and then had arts and crafts and a DJ. The girls had such a good time. They really hit the dance floor and were trend setters. They started spinning on the floor breakdance style and within a few minutes all the kids we're doing it. Byron and I laughed and laughed at their dance moves and free spirits. Check out the video. Watch closely and you'll catch Maddie in a Flashdance/Fame imitation.

Look Who's Talking

2011-02-02T20:36:00.000-06:00

I had an appointment with Grace's speech teacher today and to my surprise and delight she told me that Grace has made so much progress that she no longer needs speech services. We are so proud of the progress she's made in the past year. She went from being understood by her peers 30% of the time to being understood 80% of the time which is right on track! On the way home I was explaining to Grace why she won't be going to see her speech teacher anymore.

Me: "Grace, you've done such a good job (yada yada, fill in lots of praise here) that you won't need to go see Ms. Hager anymore."

Grace: "Mom, I want to go to speech class with my friends and play with my teacher."

Me: "I know honey, but you have done so well. Ms. Hager will miss you and I know you'll miss her but we're not going anymore."

Grace: "No Mom! You are a bad mommy!! Go to your room!!! (short pause) When we get home!!"

Well of course this wasn't okay but it was so cute to see Grace play out her frustration in words that I let it slide this time. In fact it was all I could do not to laugh out loud at that little voice telling me I was a bad mommy and to go to my room. I look up in the rear view mirror and she's got her arms crossed and a defiant look on her face. Five minutes go by and then I hear from the backseat, "Mom, can we go to McDonald's for lunch?" Well, how quickly we forget our anger.

The Sin of the Selective Prayer

2011-01-29T20:14:00.001-06:00

I was with Maddie tonight saying her bedtime prayers. She usually likes to bless everyone and I often prompt her on who to bless next. Here's how our conversation went.

Maddie: "God bless Kendall"

Me: "Daddy"

Maddie: "God bless Daddy"

Me: "Nana"

Maddie: "God bless Nana"

Me: "Gramps"

Maddie "No!!"

Me: "God bless Gramps Maddie"

Maddie "No way Jose!" (with a big sneaky grin)

Me: "God bless Chloe"

Maddie: "God bless Chloe"

Sorry Gramps. You've always been blessed before but the dog pulled rank on you tonight. Ouch!!

2011-01-27T15:56:00.001-06:00

I know I'm bias, but I have the cutest kids on the planet. Here are Grace and Madison singing the ABC Rock. They are looking to the right because the letters pop up on the computer screen when you play it and they couldn't tear themselves away from it. You'll need to pause the music on the right hand side before you begin.

Bedtime at the Hall House

2011-01-26T21:09:00.000-06:00

Kendall just walked in here, mumbled something incoherent, laid down on my bed and promptly went back to sleep. I went back to putting away clothes and within a few minutes she woke up. I said I'd walk her back to bed and she climbed up to the top bunk and cuddled up. Kendall is an avid sleepwalker. It's no surprise. My great grandfather and uncle sleepwalk. Plus Byron and his dad sleep-talk. In fact Byron will shout and laugh so loud in his sleep that it's all I can do to not jump up and hit the ceiling. The funny thing is her sleepwalking consistency. She always sleepwalks 45 minutes to an hour after she goes to bed. I can never understand what she says when she gets up. She always spends a minute or two staring at us then either lays down on our bed or goes back to her own. She never remembers it in the morning, ever. If the other two start sleepwalking too, it's going to start being some busy nights around here.

Climb Every Mountain

2011-01-14T14:30:00.001-06:00

Not a 1/2 mile away our house is an indoor family fun center. These things are great ideas and I wish I owned one so I could make tons of money. This one is inside an athletic club. It has a good 3 stories worth of climbing equipment and an arcade. I took the girls this morning for some much needed run around time. We've had snow on the ground for over a week and it's cold!!! As usual the little ones wanted to climb up a big rope ladder with Kendall. At first I told them no because it was a long ladder and it was made to look like hills so you had to climb up and down the ropes to get to the top. They insisted and I kept watching this other mother carry her kids up the ladder. Well I thought if she could do it I could! We moved at a snails pace and got to the top.
Then the little ones freaked out! When you get to the top you can see all the way to the bottom and I guess they got scared. You have to cross a swinging bridge at the top and they were not doing that. I tried to cross while carrying Grace but it's the type you really need to go across on your knees! The only way down was to go back down the rope ladder! The girls are screaming and I'm trying to get them to go down the ladder. I was literally moving one of them two feet at a time, having Kendall stay with that one, and then going back to get the other one to move 2 feet. Thankfully, another mother saw my problem and sent her 11 year old daughter to come help me. Truly a little helper from God because we wouldn't have got down without her! We finally got to the bottom and within five minutes everyone was fine. I came home and marked that little adventure down as my work out for the day!

Labor of Love (and Stupidity)

2011-01-11T12:07:00.001-06:00

I said a few days ago on the blog that Madison was staying a few days with my in-laws. It was supposed to be a really simple thing of them putting Maddie in their car and driving away. Then I would drive up half-way in a few days to pick her up. Well I guess my brain is finally dissolving away because it turned out to be quite the chore on both ends. First I packed her bag and forgot to send her hairbrush, house shoes, doll, potty seat, gloves, and hat. (In my defense, I did not know we were in store for ANOTHER freak snow over the weekend.) Then my in-laws drove off and left their coat, a shirt, a vest, a pair of pajamas, and Madison's blanket. I discovered the blanket (which Maddie could not do without) a few minutes after they left but I couldn't find my father in law's cell phone number! I go tearing upstairs to my bedridden husband to tell him to get his dad on the phone now! So they had to come back to get the blanket after probably getting all the way to edge of town. Then when I go to pick her up no one noticed that Maddie's suitcase didn't get moved over to the van. So we both had to turn around and meet up again to get the bag. Then I get home and my mother in law has emailed to say she found some of Maddie's clothes in the washing machine when she got home. Ha!! All this, and DHS still hasn't come to take the kids away. I don't think I'll be winning mother of the year or daughter in law of the year anytime soon.

Our Trip to the Explorium

2011-01-07T20:19:00.000-06:00

Byron had some minor surgery earlier in the week. His parents came down to care for the kiddos while I tended to Byron for a day. The took the little Maddie booger back with them for a few days to lighten my load while I finished up school for the week and helped Byron. The older ones and I headed out to the children's museum this morning and we had the best time. I forget how quickly they are growing up! We did the whole museum and ate lunch without a single meltdown. I didn't even take a diaper bag, drinks, or snacks with me! No stroller, no one needed to be carried, and we took the steps and not the elevator. This was a big mommy moment for me. My brain is spinning with the things we will be able to do in 6-12 months. Can't wait!

Our New Addition....Chloe

2011-01-02T20:07:00.000-06:00

I have been promising the girls we will get a dog for about ummm.....at least a year. Like any good mother I have come up with a hundred excuses to not get a dog. My final (and best) holdout was that I didn't want to get a dog and then uproot the dog to move to KY. That excuse went out the window a couple months ago. Then I read this super sad article about how shelters are so full they are putting down more dogs than usual. Well that was so stinking sad to hear. Then I see there is a little dachshund mix at the local shelter that only had a few days left before being put down. Now I would say I am not one to make decisions on emotion. But this little doggie was the sweetest thing to cross my path in a while. I talked to the volunteers about her temperament and she seemed like a good fit for us. We've had her a couple of weeks and she is well loved by everyone. She's almost housebroken already and does a good job of minding. The only problem is the kids keep her awake all day playing and she's exhausted by the time they go to bed. Good for me though because she's slept through the night since day one. I never had that much luck when I brought my kids home!

Our Bowling Outing

2010-12-31T13:54:00.001-06:00

We finally got to the bowling alley and bowled a game. It was the first time for the little ones. Their feet have just now gotten big enough to fit in bowling shoes! I'm so glad we made the extra effort to go again this week because we had a great time. Grace is an especially enthusiastic bowler. She was whoopin' it up and cheering constantly. Her favorite phrases that night were "Great job!" and "Is it my turn yet?" I told Byron will be watching her on ESPN 3 someday. Needless to say that girl was asleep five minutes after I put her in bed. She wore herself out.

The Pain of the Parent Strikeout

2010-12-28T20:21:00.000-06:00

Byron and I had a great plan to load up the kids after dinner tonight and take them bowling. I thought I had all my bases covered. I checked the website to make sure there was open bowling tonight and age limits, prices, etc. I cooked and served dinner early. I fed the kids, pet, and husband and cleaned it all up. I changed the kids clothes, checked everyone's socks to make sure they were clean, oversaw everyone took a potty turn before leaving, and ushered the kids out into the cold van. We drove there, got out into the cold and headed into the bowling alley to be told that there were so many leagues tonight that all the lanes were full. The disappointment on the kid's faces was so strong that the owner gave us all free passes. Even Maddie was so sad! I hate when stuff like this happens. Not only do I have to let my kids down, but I've done all this extra work for nothing! So frustrating!

Coming to You Live From My Bedroom

2010-12-27T21:18:00.000-06:00

My blog has suffered the last few months. I have not blogged nearly as much as I usually do. I used to crawl into bed at night and use my wonderful little net book to reflect about the day on the blog, check facebook, play a few games. I loved that little netbook. Then one day I crawled into bed and pushed the on button and nothing happened. I don't consider myself stuck on material things, but I was real upset when that thing died! I loved it so much! It was perfect for my needs. Well, thanks to my wonderful husband I received a new netbook for Christmas! Yeah! So I'm sure I will be more blog active now. If I am able to put two thoughts together at the end of the day then I will put them on the blog.

Christmas in Pictures

2010-12-25T14:49:00.002-06:00

Post to come later. I've already been contacted by some grandparents to post Christmas morning pictures. I better get on it if I know what's good for me! LOL!

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Happy Birthday Grace

2010-12-09T14:42:00.000-06:00

I found the sweetest tribute to daughters on another blog I track and I just had to post it in honor of my sweet little Gracie's birthday. I wish I had a way with words like these poets do. Grace we all love you so much and everything in these writings is how I feel about you (and all my girls!)

A daughter is a gift of love.
-- Author Unknown

A daughter is a little girl who grows up to be a friend.
-- Author Unknown

A daughter is a mother's gender partner, her closest ally in the family confederacy, an extension of her self.
-- Author Unknown

A daughter is a miracle that never ceases to be miraculous...full of beauty and forever beautiful...loving and caring and truly amazing.
-- Deanna Beisser

A daughter is one of the most beautiful gifts this world has to give.
-- Laurel Atherton

A daughter is the happy memories of the past, the joyful moments of the present, and the hope and promise of the future.
-- Author Unknown

A daughter may outgrow your lap, but she will never outgrow your heart.
-- Author Unknown

A mother's treasure is her daughter.
-- Catherine Pulsifer

Our daughters are the most precious of our treasures, the dearest possessions of our homes and the objects of our most watchful love.---This one is my favorite!
-- Margaret E. Sangster

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-27T14:05:00.000-06:00

Well, I am such a dork. My sister and brother-in-law were here for the whole Thanksgiving holiday and I did not take a single picture. Not a one! I was too busy having fun I guess. The best I can do for you is a picture of these cute turkey candle holders that Kendall and I made. They'll be featured over at www.thehallsgetttingschooled.blogspot.com. Back to Thanksgiving. As stated before, my sister and brother-in-law came and we had such a nice time with them. They are so laid back and fun to hang out with and my girls are CRAZY over them. Grace has the biggest crush in the world on Uncle Rich and every night she would ask me, "Will Uncle Richard be here in the morning?" They let the girls play with their I-Phones and they had all kinds of cool games on them (according to Kendall). We ate and ate (of course) and then Angie and I braved the Black Friday shopping. We left the house at midnight and stayed out until about 7:30am. We will probably not be doing that again! The lines were insane! I've never seen anything like it. It was still fun though and it was good to get in some sister time. We also had another first this year and that was frying a turkey. Luckily, Richard had done it before and was able to guide us a little better. The boys had to do it in the garage because it was raining and it made the whole garage smell like frying oil! It was worth it though because that turkey was DELICIOUS! Then the boys went to see Catholic High play in Danville on Friday night and Angie and I stayed with the girls. We were so tired we just sat on the couch and stared at the TV. Man, we were zonked. I am going to sleep like the dead tonight. I'm super thankful that I'm tired from having fun and not tired from working. It's a much more fun type of exhaustion, don't you think?

True Blue Gracie We Love You

2010-11-21T08:50:00.000-06:00

This will be a very fast post because we're trying to get ready for church this morning. It's too funny to let it pass by and be forgotten though. Byron had a map of Lexington out this morning and Grace, in her special 3 year old way, was asking about 500 questions. Where's this? What's that? Where is Lexington? Where's our house? On and on and on. Then I hear her ask "Where are the basketball players?" Yes, even a 3 year old can't get away from basketball fever when you're living right next door to it. Good grief!

The Smeller's the Feller

2010-11-18T21:37:00.000-06:00

So a while back Maddie had a weird smell coming from her nose. We were in the process of moving but I was just about to take her into the doctor and the smell stopped. She'd had a runny nose at the time and I just contributed the smell to a runny nose. Then the smell came back again. So after much blood, sweat, and tears of dealing with all the rules surrounding the stupid patient health care privacy yada yada I got Maddie into a doctor. The first thing the doctor said to me was that he thought Maddie had stuck something up her nose. This came as no surprise to me because I had already Googled "smelly toddler nose" and this was the number one reason. Plus I've caught Maddie sticking stuff up her nose before. According to Google, it seems that kids love to stick sponges and couch foam up their nose. He laid Maddie down on the table and took a good look up that little booger maker and sure enough he saw something. Well it almost felt like Christmas morning. What was going to be in Maddie's nose? A lost earring? Money? My ipod charger? Okay, probably not that last one. Any guesses? It was blue playdoh! It was big. At least the size of a quarter. Poor Maddie! I hope she felt a lot better afterward. Her nose smelled better immediately. The doctor asked me if I wanted to take the play-doh home and I almost said yes just so I could take a picture and show everyone on the blog; but I changed my mind. Sorry!

I've Got a New Attitude (Okay, Maybe Not)

2010-11-12T18:40:00.000-06:00

So I went to get my driver's license switched over to my new address last week. You know how when you are dreading something and it makes the actual event worse because you have a bad attitude? Well, I know all about that and should know to avoid bad attitudes at all costs. However, you would have found me whining to Byron the night before how I didn't want to go down to the DMV and how awful it would be etc. etc. I should have kept my mouth shut. I get up the next morning and announce at breakfast that the kids and I are taking a little field trip to the DMV. Well, you would have thought I said we're going out in the tobacco fields for 8 hours of hard labor with all the whining I encountered ( I don't know where they get it!). I had gathered all my documents before and we headed out the door. Well, we almost headed out the door. After coats and shoes were on, Maddie had a diaper blowout. Okay, Maddie and I shed our coats and shoes and change her diaper and pants. Coats and shoes back on and out the door. Now it's raining. I had been in Lexington for three weeks and it has only rained twice. Of course it's raining today. In the car to get to the DMV. The dvd player in the van is not working. The kids are chanting, "Put on Cinderella!" I tell them they will survive because we're not going far. We get there. Grace falls on the sidewalk on her way in and starts wailing. I get in the door and immediately get dirty looks because I'm toting a crying child. I ignore them. But thankfully no line! Who hoo! I hand over all my paperwork. The lady behind the desk informs me she needs my original birth certificate and not a copy. I inform her my original is a mess because it has some weird dark parts on it that makes it hard to read. She says if she can't read it I have to drive to Frankfort to get a new one. Oh great. Okay, back home to get the original birth certificate. We get back and in my hast to get out of the rain I spin around and some how shut my jacket in the van door. Now I'm like a turtle on my back and cannot get turned around to open the door. Kendall has to climb into the other side of the van and open my door so I can get free. Back into the DMV where they process my information. I go over to get my picture made and the guy tells me I need to scoot back because it looks like I have a pumpkin head! Well that was just the cherry on my sundae. I can't help but wonder if my day would have gone better with a good attitude. I'm pretty sure it's hard to have a good attitude after you've attached yourself to your own vechile and been called a pumpkin head.

Ladies, time to Vote!

2010-11-02T14:46:00.000-05:00

Some of the first women to vote in November 1935

I hope you got out and voted today. I especially hope you did if you are a minority or a female. There are so many before you that have fought for these rights and the best way to thank them is by exercising your vote. So no complaining or whining about the lines at the poles being too long. You've waited longer for a table at a restaurant. No complaining that candidates don't keep their promises. Maybe they do, maybe they don't. If they don't, you have the chance to not vote for them again. I don't want to hear that the ballot is too confusing. Really?! It takes me all of 5 seconds to read the ballot and there are tons of volunteers at the polling site to assist you. My remote control is harder to figure out. The number one reason to get out and vote today? If you don't vote; you can't complain about the government! To non-voters I would give these words of wisdom I share with my kids, "You get what you get and you don't throw a fit." If you don't vote then you are just stuck with what everyone else chooses. You don't want someone else picking your house, car, clothes, etc.; so why would you let them pick who represents you? Plus, if you go to the polls they give you a sticker that says, "I voted." You can't beat that.

Side note: I just saw on Facebook that my friend Kelly took her 4 year old son to the polls with her and he was disappointed they didn't have food there. LOL!! I'm with you Wyatt, would it kill 'em to put out a box of bagels and a coffee pot? Geez!

Double Dipping

2010-10-30T19:37:00.000-05:00

We went out to my in-laws for a few days this week to hang out and trick or treat. I thought I was being really smart by heading to Ashland for trick or treating (which was Thur in Ashland) because I thought I would miss trick or treat here on Friday. Wrong! Trick or treat in Lexington is on Sunday (I know, I know, I'm surprised too.) which means that I have two choices. I can A) make the kids stay in the house while I answer the door and hand out candy, or B) let them go again. I guess I could C) turn off the lights and not answer the door but that seems so wrong; especially since my kids have already been once this year. So I guess we'll go again. Maddie is actually spending a couple of days in Ashland with Nana and Gramps so the big girls are excited about covering some major ground on Sunday night. I, however, am making sure I have enough freezer bags to bag up all this candy coming into my house. We'll be eating Halloween candy until Easter.

Wanna Be Smarter?

2010-10-27T12:42:00.002-05:00

Then read something! Why not start with my homeschool blog? Check it out at http://thehallsgettingschooled.blogspot.com. I promise I will post the link for "Getting Schooled" on this blog over to the side as soon as I get smart enough to figure it out.

A True Southern Lady

2010-10-26T14:20:00.000-05:00

We've been in Lexington about 2 weeks now and we're finally showing signs of settling into a routine. The kids and I made it through one day (and yes, it was just one day) last week without anyone losing control and having a meltdown, including myself. This is a rarity at any time, but especially after moving into a new environment. I had a little rite of passage this weekend because I went down to the Kroger and got my Kroger card. Now Kroger in the south is like Hy-vee is in the Mid-west. There's one on every corner. In fact, there is a Kroger .25 miles from our house. I'd already been in there a few times and when I checked out they would always ask me for my Kroger card. I would have to whisper to the checkout girl that I didn't have one and then see the look of shock on her face. See, no self respecting southern woman of my age or older would walk around without having their Kroger card attached to their key ring or in their purse. Even when I would visit KY and go to Kroger they would ask me for my mother's phone number so they could use her Kroger card for my purchases. I even got one for Byron so he can run up to Krogers and not have to suffer the humiliation of not having a Kroger card. So now that I've got that out of the way maybe I can tackle more important things like finalizing my renter's insurance and getting a new driver's license. Actually, I can probably get that done at Krogers too.

Note: You might have noticed that I wrote "Krogers" in the story instead of the store's given name, "Kroger". This is because I've never hear anyone called it "Kroger". Since I could talk everyone has called it "Krogers" or "the Kroger". Except for Byron who calls it K-Roger. You can't really go by him because the whole time we lived in Iowa he called Hy-vee "the hive". Sigh....

Go Upward Go!

2010-10-19T19:12:00.000-05:00

Well, this post is a long time coming. Kendall started cheerleading in August and I'm just now posting about it. Good grief! I wanted to post pictures but I had packed up all the USB cables and just now found one. We must have 30 USB cables so I don't know why it was so hard to find. Okay, on with Kendall. We joined a sporting group this year called Upward Sports. If you don't know about Upward Sports check it out here www.upward.org. Kendall decided to do cheerleading for the football teams. Well the first game it was so windy!! The girls were freezing. The second game was windy and raining and we were sent home. The third game was rainy and the girls stayed to cheer but not picture weather. Finally, her last game was sunny enough that I could take pictures. So here she is with the squad. So stinkin' cute.

Ale-8-One

2010-10-15T19:33:00.001-05:00

I wasn't in Kentucky for 2 hours before I had my first Ale-8-One. Some of you just went "huh?" Ale-8-One is a soft drink made and sold in KY and usually only in KY. Some of it might find it's way into TN on another neighboring state, but it's home belongs right here. Ale-8-One or "a late one" is bottled in Winchester, KY (I didn't know that, I had to look it up.) and it is so yummy. It tastes like a mix of ginger ale and mountain dew. It comes in cans but it usually still sold in a bottle. I love to drink one and drop salted peanuts into the bottom of the bottle. Then you can suck the peanuts out of the bottle after they've soaked up all that soda goodness. It turns out they even have a website with recipes on it! Guess what will be heavily featured in the Hall menu the next couple of weeks?

Update on Gas Compnay and Funny Story

2010-10-12T12:41:00.000-05:00

THE GAS MAN CAME!!!! Then he left without finishing :-( Then he came back and finished!!! Something about a gas emergency is why he left. Maybe a kid fell down a well or something. I don't care because we're going to have hot water in an hour or so. Shower, shower, shower!!! He also found the furnace which I could not find. Guess where it was? In a trap door in the ceiling of the upstairs master bedroom closet. Didn't see that one coming did ya?
On to the funny story. Although we are in a quiet neighborhood, we live within a mile to some very busy places. There's lots of traffic and lanes etc. I was driving yesterday and accidently pulled over into a lane and cut someone off. Completely my fault. So I said out loud, "I'm sorry! I'm not used to it here." What I meant was I was not used to the area. Kendall thought I meant I wasn't used to traffic so she shouted out. "Give my mom a break! We're from Iowa and it's small there! She's not used to so many people living in one place in KY. Why can't some of you people go home?! She's trying her best so back off!!". Dang!! Road rage anyone?

Making Friends Already

2010-10-12T06:00:00.001-05:00

Well we made it to Lexington and into our new place. I'm currently sitting in an empty dining room in a lawn chair writing this blog post. Our truck will be here early tomorrow morning and we will be SO glad to have our stuff back. We got here Saturday evening and Byron flew out to New York for work Sunday morning. He's doing his training for IBM and getting all his equipment (toys). I just saw that he posted on facebook that he is officially an IBMer. I'm not sure what that means but I hope he didn't have to get branded or a tattoo or something.
With Byron gone that leaves yours truly to hold down the fort for a few days. It should be easy because how hard is it to take care of an empty house? I've certainly had my bumps in the road the past couple of days but almost everything is going good. The major problem was that when we got here we realized the water heater was gas. I was TOLD by my cocky property manager that everything was electric so I didn't turn on the gas. So we haven't had hot water since we've moved it. I've been boiling water on the stove and hauling it up the stairs in a bucket a la "The Money Pit" style. Not a big deal though. I was going to call Monday and get the gas turned on. I called. They took my info and said I need to sign some paperwork and pay a deposit. Hmm....weird but whatever. She said if I come down to the office and fill out the paperwork she can have someone come out in 3 days. Groan!!!! But what can I do? I go down to fill out the paperwork and the guy tells me I need to have my license verified by a notary, etc, etc and all this other bull dung. I say "This is crazy. I have good credit. (I do, really!). I didn't have to do this with the other utilities. What's going on?" Well, turns out they have me listed as Alyssa Paul. Not surprisingly, that name did not match up with my social. Back to the customer service phone. I explain the whole situation to the lady. She asks if I have an acct. number. I give it to her. Then I kid you not she says, "How can I help you?" Did you not hear anything I said before the acct number??? I re-explain. She changes my name. She says it still shows I have bad credit. I said, "Spell my name" A-L-I-C-I-A H-U-L-L. I correct it for her again. She runs it again and I says it's still coming up bad. I said, "Your system is wrong. I just rented a home and set up other utilities. I could not have done that with bad credit." I'm practically sobbing into the phone of the lobby of the gas company. I'm sure I looked like a crazy person with my dirty hair and dirty kids in our dirty clothes and crying to the lady to please turn on the gas. All I needed were rollers in my hair and fuzzy slippers! We'll I know I should have stayed on that phone and fought that lady to the death about turning on the gas but I was just too tired. I just told her my husband would set it up under his name and hung up on her. That's right! Alyssa Paul hung up on someone. Not in anger, just in exhaustion. Then I came home and took a cold shower that woke up every pore in my body. Yowey-Zowey!! I wasn't tired after that.

Blue Moon of Kentucky

2010-09-20T12:42:00.000-05:00

"keep on shining. Shine on the one that's gone and left me blue.....". Oh, Elvis, will their ever be a generation you don't influence? Well we have been keeping a secret for what seems like a LLLLOOONNGGGGG time. That's probably because I wanted to tell so bad and I couldn't! Byron has taken a job with IBM and we are moving to Lexington, KY!! Crazy, I know. The crazier part is that we're going to accomplish all this by Oct 15th. We're packing, we're looking at rentals in Lexington, we're tying up our jobs here, we're getting our home ready for our renter, we're spending extra time with friends that we are going to miss so dearly!! It is a lot to take in but God has been so faithful all the way through. Even up to the tiniest but important details of allowing Byron to have the week off during the move. So awesome! After 13 years, we are finally going to be close enough to family to actually jump in the car and go see them without having to leave at 3am. We can't wait to catch up with everybody and spend holidays together. There will be a big hole in our heart when we leave the ones we love in IA and I will miss seeing our good friends everyday. However, we are super excited to see what God has in store for us in the Blue Grass Region!

Cloudy with a Chance of Cantaloupe

2010-09-02T07:24:00.000-05:00

I am constantly telling my kids to back up and give mom some room. Wherever I am you can bet my kids are within five feet of me. If there is ever a fire and I have to grab the kids quickly and run out of the house we will all be ready. I can't ever convince them (short of tying them to a chair) that it is okay to not know what Mommy is doing every second of the day. Go play by yourselves for heaven's sake! Well I think I finally taught one of them a lesson on this point. The other day I'm sitting at our breakfast bar eating cantaloupe. Maddie is crawling under the stool I'm sitting on and threatening every five seconds to accidentally topple us both over. Due to my poor fine motor skills, a piece of cantaloupe popped out of mouth, fell, and hit Maddie squarely in the head. She paused, looked up and saw me with my fork in mid-air and immediately began to scream. Obviously her two year old mind told her, "Your mother just hit you in the head with a piece of fruit!! Protest!" I ignored her screams (it didn't hurt) and told all the kids, who of course were standing within five feet of me when it happened. "This is what happens when you don't give Mom some space. Be aware, because next time it could be a lot heavier!"

The BirdMan

2010-08-30T08:32:00.000-05:00

BirdMan of Winterset

BirdMan of Alcatraz

Byron has been complaining that every time he goes to mow the yard that birds follow him around. I always brush him off because it sounded like such a silly thing to complain about. Birds are following you around the yard? Well, you're outside for heaven's sake! Of course there are going to be birds outside. Well, I guess you have to see it to believe it. (BTW, you won't see it. I tried to take some pictures but they didn't turn out.) I watched from the front door as Byron mowed. At least 30 birds were circling him while he mowed. He moved to a new spot in the yard and they followed. This goes on for at least a couple of hours! He said they come about this time every year and they always follow him around. So weird. I told Byron he is officially the Birdman. Can't you see the resemblance?

Well Now She's Got Something to Say

2010-08-25T17:00:00.000-05:00

I took Grace back to her first speech therapy appointment this morning after her summer hiatus. The good new is that she scored the exact same on her speech test that she did in May which means no back sliding at all. Yeah Grace! Her teacher Mrs. Abby also said she is speaking clearer and louder than the end of May. Well I can attest to that. See when I take Grace to her appointment their is really nothing much for me to do. So the kids and I usually sit over on the other end of the room and play quietly. This affords me the chance to hear some of Grace's lesson. Today she managed to tell her teacher that we have spiders in our house (true), that she has been bit by a mouse (not true), we have poisonous snakes all over our yard (not true), that her sister gets poopy diapers (true), and some various other things that I think I might have understood but her teacher did not. I'm not sure I'm so glad she's finally sharing with the world.

Night Crawler

2010-08-17T13:34:00.000-05:00

My little Maddie is a night crawler. She will frequently turn up at my bedside (on in my bed!) in the middle of the night for no apparent reason. I usually get a "Hi Mom" as I drag myself up and put her back in her own bed. Lately she has been skipping the midnight drive by in our bedroom and trading it in for just doing her own thing. A few times I've found her in the living room playing with toys at 4:30am. One morning I found her sleeping on our pillows from our bed that were piled on our bedroom floor. This morning I go to leave for work at 3:30 and I found her curled up asleep in a living room chair. It's kind of cute except it scares me have to death. To think of her walking around the house at night and I don't even know about it! She could crack her head open! I tell her every time that she needs to stay in her bed. You know the answer I get? "Okay mom!". But I'm sure she'll be at it again tomorrow night!

Check Out My New Blog

2010-08-14T21:24:00.000-05:00

I've got a new blog up and running. I'm homeschooling my kiddos this year and decided to do a blog to help them share their work and myself share what's going on etc. So if you are into the teaching thing, or the homeschool thing, or you are a grandparent of one of my children (you know who you are) then you might find it interesting. Don't worry if you don't fall under that list. You can do your part. My favorite wine is a nice light Riesling. Don't be stingy now! I'm going to be with the kids ALL DAY! Actually while you're at it, you can send over any headache medicine you have laying around too. Don't worry, I won't mix the two. Promise!

http://thehallsgettingschooled.blogspot.com

Maddie Kenevil

2010-08-13T09:46:00.001-05:00

Maddie is the daredevil of the family. I don't know if it's because she's the youngest or it is just her nature. She does things at age 2 that Kendall never did at that age and Grace still isn't doing at 3. She conquered the highest tornado slide in the park earlier this summer. She's been climbing to the top of our playground and sliding down our super fast slide since she was 16 months. She climbs to the top of the bunk beds. She jumps off the last 4 or 5 steps of everything. She eats spicy foods that the other 2 won't touch. She jumps into the pool. She warms up to people right away and talks to anybody. She has no boundaries as far as watching out for the road or staying close to mom. Dancing on chairs, jumping off the bed onto her sisters, climbing on top of tables; she's always on the go. I have had SO many close calls with her. But we love her crazy self anyway.

Grace's Bad Day

2010-08-10T17:41:00.001-05:00

Poor Grace. You know how sometimes you just have one of THOSE days. Try having that and being 3 years old. Grace woke up this morning not feeling so great. I won't go into details but she spent twenty minutes in the bathroom with no real success. After we finally got that sorted out we had her least favorite breakfast, eggs and bacon. Then her favorite dress was in the laundry so she had to settle for her denim dress which I'm sure was hot since it was in the upper 90s today. (side note, I told her to wear shorts and a tank top, but she insisted on a dress). Then we were outside playing and a bug flew in her mouth. She flipped out! I'm surprised the National Guard didn't show up in our driveway with how she was going on. You'd think it was a disaster. After 30 minutes of convincing her the bug was gone (BTW, she is still telling me it's in her mouth even this afternoon) she went back to playing only to have a tree frog jump on her face! I am not making this up. After she calmed down we were able to head out to her doctor's appointment. While waiting for her antibiotics at the pharmacy she spilled her chocolate milkshake on her dress. I tried to make things better by putting her favorite movie on in the van but it kept skipping and wouldn't play. She hasn't had any more mishaps today but we still have bath time and bedtime to go. Poor Gracie!

Happy Birthday Kendall!

2010-08-10T16:41:00.001-05:00

I know, I'm late. In my defense we were out of town with some family in the Ozarks and celebrated Kendall's birthday while we were gone. Ever since we have been back I have been all messed up on my days and I don't know what is going on half the time. So forgive me and here we go.....

Happy 7th Birthday my beautiful first born. From the moment I held you I knew you were a force to be reckoned with. You amaze me with your energy and keep my laughing with your witty one liners. You are passionate, inquisitive, and thoughtful. You light up the whole room with your smile. Everyone thinks you are the sweetest thing that's ever walked the face of this earth (and you use that to your advantage, LOL). You are a great big sister and a wonderful daughter. Even though it pains me to see you grow up so fast, I am thankful to God that you are becoming such a fine young lady.

On the Up Swing

2010-07-29T08:54:00.000-05:00

If you don't already know, we are trying to sell our home. I've had a blog about our home up and it never seems to get any hits but I just noticed that it has actually been getting some hits lately. Hmmm...maybe the economy really is on the up swing. So I thought this would be a good time to post my house blog site on my family blog site and do some collaborative blogging. All the info is on the blog, including contact info. We're also up for trading with someone in the KY, TN area and/or renting to someone if the circumstances are right. So go over and take a look. Even if you're not in the market you might know someone who knows someone, who works with someone, who has a cousin who's sister-in-law wants to buy a house in Winterset. Besides more hits on the blog make me happy. You want to make me happy don't you? :-) http://2485hiattappletrl.blogspot.com/

The Dipper

2010-07-24T16:31:00.000-05:00

Sometimes on a hot and humid day like this I get to feeling a little nostalgic. I'll announce to Byron that I'm having a Dipper craving. He usually says, "Okay, I'll go get ya one. Be back in 23 hours." Now if you grew up in Owensboro Ky you would know right away what a Dipper was. The Big Dipper is the full name of a hamburger joint in town that makes the best hamburgers and tater tots will you ever have in your life. Now some from Owensboro will read this and start an argument that Wonder Whip is better. Wonder Whip has it's place in town, but if you grew up on my side of town then the Dipper was the place to be. There is nothing special about them at all. No fancy sauces or secret ingredients. No fancy buns, Kobe beef, or different toppings to choose. I guess their only special technique is that maybe they don't clean off the grill too often. I started eating Dipper hamburgers when I was knee high to a grasshopper on the front seat of my mom and dad's old orange car. It was all vinyl seats that would burn your butt right off in the summer. I remember my mom used to keep a 70s style flowered towel in there just so you could sit in the dang thing without your hindquarters sweating off and then sticking to the seat. I guess that was almost 30 years ago (wow, I'm old) and I don't know that one thing has changed about the Dipper or it's food. They still have a walk up window or a drive through with a squawk box that's loud enough to announce your order to half the county. You have to drive over a cord that dings with your car and that's how they know someones ready to order. I know that thing dings all day long because I've been there at 10:45 on a Friday morning and a line of cars already be out to the road. I even took my two oldest kids there a couple years ago. I took a picture of them right in front of the sign like we were visiting a national monument or something. We sat on those busted up picnic tables in their parking lot and the kids and I ate burgers, tots, and peach shakes. Only time I've ever seen Grace finish a whole sandwich. I swear I'd call them up right now and have them next day air me a sandwich, but I think the grease would probably melt through the box and it would fall out before it made it here.

Thou Shalt Not Use Thy Cuteness to Swipe Toys (a kid version of the 8th Commandment)

2010-07-19T10:44:00.003-05:00

Our town had their Summerfest celebration a couple of weeks ago. The theme was "A Day at Disney" which about put my girls into some heavenly Disney princess orbit. So they all dressed up and headed downtown (I forgot to take a picture, grrr..) to enjoy the festivities. Maddie was rockin' out the stroller and we were having a nice time shopping, playing, and visiting with friends. We were on our way back to the van when I looked down and Maddie had a new toy in her hands. There had been lots of sidewalk sales that day and I was afraid she had swiped it right off a store's shelf while we were walking around. Then I realize I had just handed her a drink a few minutes before and she hadn't had this toy nor had we walked past any stores since then. We HAD however walked past lots of families with kids in strollers and little toddlers walking around. The only thing I can think happen as that she stole it from another family! Oh the embarrassment! I promise I had no idea! So Winterset families, if this is your toy, we have it waiting for you.

Homemade Dulce de Leche Ice Cream

2010-07-16T17:18:00.002-05:00

Don't worry, this isn't turning into a food blog. I guess when the middle of summer hits I start getting a hankerin' for some new reciepes. I was sneaking around some of my favorite food blogs and I found a reciepe for homemade Dulce de Leche ice cream over at http://www.mommyskitchen.net/. Now I would easily knock over my own grandmother (sorry Mamma) to get the last piece of Dulce de Leche cheesecake. That stuff is my favvooorriiittteeee. It's my Green Eggs and Ham. I could it in here or there, I could eat in anywhere. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack, last meal on death row; you get the picture. But this recipe gets even better than that. She make her own homemade Dulce de Leche sauce!! And it looks so easy! Shut your mouth, can you believe that? Well, I am going to immediately put my ice cream maker in the freezer and get my tooshie over to the grocery store first thing in the morning. I will be eating ice cream by mid-afternoon. uuuuhhhhhhhh (Homer Simpson drooling sound.)

Taste....10, Presentation.....0

2010-07-06T11:13:00.001-05:00

When I was a kid my favorite dessert was something called Pretzel Salad. It's a three layer dessert. The top is a strawberry/strawberry jello layer followed by a cream cheese/cool whip layer and the crust is made from pretzels and sometimes pecans if they happen to be in the pantry. My mother made it every Christmas and sometimes on other holidays too. She used to make it for me as an adult when I would come home to visit. She doesn't do that much anymore since I've had my kids because becoming a grandma makes your love for the original child lessen. Those of you that have little kids know what I'm talking about right? Once your parents become grandparents then you get tossed out like an old towel. I'm not complaining, just stating a fact. Anywhoo.....back to the pretzel salad. I TRY to make pretzel salad on the 4th of July holiday. You got your red, your white, and if you put it on a blue plate your totally set. One problem, every time I make it it looks like this......

Why is my pretzel salad such a mess? I have two theories. One, I time the layers wrong as I putting them in and I get something too hot or too cold and it doesn't want to attach the next layer. Two, I can't wait to eat it and I pull one little piece (okay two) out of the pan early causing the whole thing to lose it's support system and come crashing into the empty side of the pan. Take a guess which theory I'm leaning towards.

Strawberry Pretzel Salad (salad is very loosely defined)

2 1/2 c crushed pretzels (throw in some pecan pieces for a little extra)

3 T sugar

3/4 c melted butter

1 8oz container cool whip

1 8oz container cream cheese

1 c sugar

1 6oz pkg strawberry jello

2 c boiling water

1 16oz pkg frozen strawberries in syrup

Mix together pretzels and pecans, 1 T sugar and melted butter. Press into 13x9 inch pan. Bake for 10 minutes at 375. Cool. Mix together cool whip, cream cheese, and 1 cup sugar. Spread on cooled pretzel mixture. Mix jello and water together. Add strawberries and put in fridge until it begins to set. Then pour over cream cheese mixture. LEAVE IT IN THE REFRIGERATOR until set; at least 4-6 hrs. Or the other option is to sneak into the kitchen and cut out a piece early then claim to your family that you don't know why it always falls apart when you serve it.

Happy 4th?

2010-07-05T15:46:00.000-05:00

Making some confetti pop...very serious business.

Victory!!
Waiting for the fireworks to start.
Maddie catching up on the latest gossip while she waits.
What the rest of our weekend looked like.

I just love to celebrate 4th of July. Obviously the best part is a chance to remember our own freedoms and to honor those who allow us to keep those freedoms. I have friends who have lived in other countries for extended periods of time and according to them, we have it really good over here ladies. The second part is just being able to enjoy the outdoors with good food, friends, and entertainment. Everyone just seems friendlier on July 4th. It's just nice to get out in your yard and visit with your neighbors and enjoy the festivities together as a community. The ribs sizzle, the beverages flow, and the fireworks pop. We certainly enjoyed all that this year.....on July 3rd. July 4th and 5th (every one's day off) brought rain....rain...rain. Not buckets of rain but that steady drizzle/rain/drizzle/rain combo that lasts all day. So we were very thankful that most of our celebrating was done a day early. Happy 3rd of July everyone!

Sum..sum..summertime......Finally!!

2010-06-27T16:08:00.003-05:00

Oh my goodness I was so happy when this weekend rolled around. Two reasons. One, it did not rain. Okay, well technically it rained on early Saturday morning and early Sunday morning but that doesn't count. Second, no one had to work this Saturday and there were no pressing household needs. The two together mean the Halls can actually get out and have some summer fun! Fun we did have. It is so nice to be able to go somewhere all day and not have to worry about naptimes, bottles, and super cranky babies. Yeah the kids were cranky, but not until we were ready to go. They even played with each other some while Byron and I sat and did a little reading! Don't get me wrong, I LOVE babies. However, there is something to be said for the benefits of kids growing up.

I Will Not Let Fear Rule my Life

2010-06-09T14:46:00.004-05:00

Those were the words that Kendall kept repeating to herself as we walked through the mall to the earring store. She has wanted to get her ears pierced for several weeks but could not muster up the courage until right at that moment. She had quizzed every one of her friends on what to expect and even asked her teacher how bad it really hurt. We went into the store and even watched a teen-ager get her's pierced. When her time came she panicked and wouldn't get in the chair. I told the woman we needed a minute. We went and sat at a table and chairs right outside the store. I said, "Kendall, I won't make you get your ears pierced, but if you don't do this you are going to regret it." She was shaking like a leaf (it broke my heart!) but she kept telling herself positive things about having pierced ears. It was so precious. Finally she stood up and announced she was ready to do it. We went back in the store and she got in the chair. As the loaded up the earrings into the earring guns she looked at me and said, "I've changed my mind. I can't do this." and she started to cry. Well I could have melted into the floor right there on the spot. Instead I said, "No, we've come this far. You're ready to go. We're doing it." She was crying hard by now but I told the ladies to go ahead anyway. As soon as they pierced her ears, she took one look in the mirror and immediately stopped crying. "Ohhh, I love it!" Of course, I am a wreck by now and tears start running down my face! I'm sure the ladies at Claires thought we were nuts. This story has a happy ending though because she did it and she couldn't' be happier! It's all she talks about. In fact to drill home the point that we were a couple of crazies, Kendall stood up in the store right after she was done and said (loudly) "From now until the rest of my life, Kendall Hall has pierced ears!". I'm sure we will be the talk of the store for the next couple of days.

Time to Make the Cupcakes

2010-05-25T11:08:00.002-05:00

I have taken a little part time job at a bakery. I make cakes, cupcakes, cookies, etc. early in the morning so when the owners get there all the goodies are ready to decorate. I know Homer up there is holding a doughnut but they don't make doughnuts (I know, it's a tragedy) It's not really that kind of bakery. They make all kinds of fancy decorations and cakes that look like they should be hanging in an art gallery. I end up getting home from work about 7:15 in the morning. Well Grace and Madison have taken to "sniffing" me when I get home. After a couple of days, I noticed they would hug me and then hang around a little while and smell my clothing and hands. I can't complain. I'd rather come home smelling like a cupcake then smelling like sweat I guess!

Happy Birthday Maddie-Mo!!

2010-05-14T12:43:00.002-05:00

Maddie, you turned two today and my heart is overflowing with love for you. You're generous and sweet. You're silly and carefree. You stand your ground and don't let your big sisters push you around. You're easy going and comic relief for the whole family. We love when you dance and sing and make funny faces. Everyone loves that you follow your own beat and that you let us join in whenever we want. You've been laid back and relaxed since the day you were born. You were the coolest baby in the nursery! You make our family complete. Proof that God's surprises are the best ones we can receive.

Love,

Mom, Dad, Kendall, and Grace

Love is in the Air

2010-05-13T12:32:00.005-05:00

Look closely and this crudely made craft. Between all the hearts and the happy couple are the words "I (love=heart) you Kendall." I found this love note in Kendall's backpack after school. When I asked her where she got it she said,

"Oh mom, Jacob gave that to me at school."

Me: "Who's Jacob?"

K: "Just a kid in my class. I guess he likes me."

Me: "What did you do when he gave it to you?"

K: "I said thank you (whew..good girl) and then snuck it into my backpack."

Me: "Did you show it to your friends?"

K: Lots of unnecessary and exaggerated eye-rolling "Oh my gosh, NO!! I would die. I didn't tell anyone."

Me: "He hasn't tried to kiss you, has he?"

K: "MMMOOOOOMMMMMMMM, GGGGRRRROOOOOSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!"

How stinkin' cute is that?

I Have No Title

2010-05-06T15:54:00.002-05:00

I sat for a few minutes and tried to think of a little story to go with this picture and here it is.

Maddie was outside and she sat in a bucket. The End.

Props to Gramps

2010-05-06T12:37:00.002-05:00

The Hall family wanted to give a shout out to our patriarch Larry (aka Dad and Gramps) Hall who will be celebrating his retirement of 35 years with his company. Thirty five years is a looooooong time (he's been working there since before I was born) to work at the same company. If you don't think it is, then you're probably one of the few people in the world that has never had a job. Nana and Gramps are currently on a Caribbean cruise (we'll try not to act jealous when they get back) so they won't see this for quite a few days, but congratulations on your retirement from the Hall family. May your next 35 years be a lot more relaxing than the last 35!

Elementary School MOOsical

2010-04-07T14:46:00.003-05:00

Kendall's first grade class had their music program last night. Kendall was a nervous wreck that she was going to mess up the words or the hand actions. She made it through and it was a really cute program. Best part of the program? It was 12 and a half minutes. Ahhh...perfect amount of time. They're cute but I couldn't listen to much more than 15 minutes of the funky chicken song.

I'm just leaving it

2010-04-04T15:46:00.004-05:00

So I finally get the time and the motivation to update the blog after a little writing hiatus. I change the layout and decide to upload a new Easter picture of the girls. FORTY-FIVE minutes later I'm still dealing with the picture not wanting to shrink to fit in the window. I'm walking away from it and plan to try it again soon. So I'm sorry that everyone will have to look at a picture of half the kids. Just avert your eyes for the next few hours.

Ankle biter vs. The Jolly Green Giant

2010-02-22T13:29:00.003-06:00

I was just folding laundry and it dawned on me how ridiculous I probably looked. Why? Well I was folding Byron's long johns. Do you know how hard it is for a 5' 2" woman to fold the long johns of a 6'4" man? Even when I raise my arms all the way up and stand on my tippy toes I'm still not tall enough. So I have two choices. I either stand on the bed and let them hang down over the bed while I fold them or I lay them out on the floor and run back and forth folding in the arms and legs until I get it down to a manageable size. I usually opt for the floor because when I stand on the bed it seems to be an open invitation for all children to stand on mom's bed too. I will be so glad when winter is over. No more long johns!

Lazy Days and Mondays

2010-02-15T16:23:00.004-06:00

It's been another day of yucky weather. The upside? Everyone usually takes a good nap on a cold, snowy day. Here's a pic of Grace and our cat Shadow napping together. So sweet!! I was feeling really good about the kid's cuteness factor and then I walk across the hall and see this

Yikes!! What is with that hair? I think I've found the missing Jonas brother. All the Aqua Net in the world won't keep that lion's mane down.

Date Night

2010-02-12T18:44:00.002-06:00

Kendall and Byron just left for the annual Daddy-daughter dance. They were so cute. Kendall was so excited she couldn't even hold still. If it's anything like last year, she'll keep Byron on the move with dancing and running around checking everything out. Me, I'm going to get the little ones in bed and enjoy a nice hot bath. I love Daddy-daughter dance night!

Not A Lot Going On....

2010-02-10T09:07:00.002-06:00

We haven't had a lot going on the past few weeks. We're just trying to make it through the last weeks of winter. If you don't live in the midwest then it might interest you to know that we've had a busy winter. So far (and this is not counting the snow storm predicted for this weekend) we've had over 50 inches of snow since December 1st. Our usual amount of snow for this time of year?....19 inches. That's not even counting all the wind, ice, freezing rain, blizzard conditions and the huge piles of snow sitting around everyone's driveway. So you might say winter has been a little hard this year. The kids keep us busy and laughing though. So here's some pictures of them. Here they are staging out a protest for mom and dad to buy more than one piece of furniture for the living room.

I think in this one Maddie was sending me a message to turn up the heat. Our avg. temp for Dec. this year was 1 degree. (no, that's not a typo. 1 degree is correct.)

Mmmm...brownies. The problem with brownies, you have to cook them!

The candy heart doesn't fall far from the candy tree.

2010-02-10T08:49:00.004-06:00

Last night Kendall was working on her Valentine's Day cards for school. She was writing her name on all the cards and then was going to add her friend's names. While she was working I hear her say, "I can't believe this!"

I said, "What's wrong Kendall?"

"Mom, how much did you pay for these cards?"

I'm thinking that's an odd question and I really don't have the answer to it anyway.

"I don't know, honey. Maybe $2-3. What's wrong?"

Now before you hear the next part of the conversation you need to picture these cards in your head. They are the kind where you write your name on one side and your friend's name on the other. Then you fold the card shut where your name is on one side and your friend's name is on the other side. Are you getting a mental picture in your head? It's important to the story.

Kendall said, "They have printed the word "to" upside down on every stinking one of these cards. I can't believe this! What a piece of junk! Well, I guess you get what you pay for!"

She was ticked off! I said, "Oh no honey. They didn't. When you fold them in half the word "to" and the word "from" will be the right way." I folded one over to show her.

Well that calmed her down. Now the funny part is not that she thought the words were upside down. Any kid would make that mistake. Very easy to make. The funny part was her words because she sounded just like me! Those were my words coming back and hitting me right in the face! I frequently (although maybe not so much after this little incident) have hissy fits about things I've bought that don't last as long as I think they should. I always say, "How much did I pay for this?" and "Well, I guess you get what you pay for." If kids aren't mirrors of our own actions looking right back at us then I don't know what is!

Cats vs. Dogs

2010-01-23T18:32:00.003-06:00

The Superbowl came up in conversation today and Kendall asked what was the Superbowl.

I said, "It's a football game where the two best teams of the year play each other to decide who the best team is."

Kendall said, "Who are the teams that are playing?"

"We don't know yet."

Then Kendall is quiet for a second and says, "Well I hope it's not Kentucky vs. Winterset Huskies because I would have to hope for a tie in that case."

Don't worry honey. I don't think those will be the teams.

Grandma knows best

2010-01-22T21:13:00.003-06:00

Living in a small Midwestern town has advantages. One of those being that I can go to town looking pretty much anyway I want and no one bats an eye. There is no place for make-up, styled hair, or pumps at the grocery store on a Tuesday morning in my town. So while I was wrestling two toddlers into clothes and winter gear last Tuesday my main concern was that my ponytail wouldn't come loose or I wouldn't start sweating before I got us all buttoned and zipped up. I peeked in the mirror before walking out the door and something popped into my head. "My lips could use a little shine." Why was that odd? Growing up it was rare that I saw my Mamma Barker without full make-up. If she wasn't wearing full make-up then she at least had something on her lips. I swear the women probably puts on chap stick or lip gloss before she gets out of bed in the mornings. It didn't matter where we were going, she was always totting a lipstick or at least some gloss and reapplying it frequently. When I would say, "Mamma, why are you putting on lip stick? We're just __________(taking a walk, getting the mail, taking out the trash, etc.) she would say (yup, you guessed it) "My lips could use a little shine." So I hustled into the bathroom and put on a little lipstick. Guess what? I looked better! In fact it made such a difference that I've been putting it on when I'm home with just the kids. I was even sizing up the clear lip gloss at the store today. I'm right on the edge of being a lip gloss totting Mamma and someday and lip gloss totting Grandma!

Yes, another storm

2010-01-20T14:16:00.005-06:00

Just posting some pics of the ice storm because I think they're cool. I hate the storm, but love to look at the ice. Go figure.

I Spy--Maddie style

2010-01-20T14:06:00.004-06:00

See if you can find the guitar pick in this picture. No I don't know why or how it got there. Some things are best left unanswered. (Pay no attention that my child has spaghetti sauce on her diaper from dinner. When we have spaghetti some of us eat it with no clothes on. I'm not saying who; you'll just have to guess.)

The Pusher

2010-01-19T07:40:00.003-06:00

Lately I have been repeating in my head (and aloud) something I heard once. "Some people are for you, and some people are for what you are for." Byron and I have been making some big changes in the past year and we have seen that lesson played out again and again. It's easy to get frustrated when people are pushing their own agenda on you. At let's face it; we all have one. Our own selfishness leads us to want our money for nuthin' and our chicks for free. But I'm starting to learn that the best thing to do (for me) when you're being oppressed is to take a minute to look around and see who you might be oppressing. The best time to feel compassion for another is when you can be empathetic to their situation. So instead of getting put out with the people that "are for what you're for" I'm going to TRY to focus harder on being someone who is FOR YOU, not for what you are for. Even if I think the stuff you're doing is stupid. :-) If you do happen to have some people in your life that are for you, then hold on to them tight. They are a true treasure and I think God everyday that I have those people. They're the best people to have a laugh with when you talk about all the other crazy people in your life!

Rachael Ray meets Magyver

2010-01-06T16:10:00.002-06:00

I have not been to the store in a couple of weeks, at least. Every time I think about going I check the temperature and it is negative something and I decided we can live without whatever we need one more day. I have hit desperate measures this evening for dinner. First, last night I made a ham roast with a butterscotch glaze because we didn't have any pineapple or brown sugar or a good marinade. The butterscotch glaze was really leftover ice cream topping from last summer. It wasn't that bad. Tonight I'm making a very sad sheperd's pie. If you could call it that. It is really leftover stromboli meat (a mix of hamburger and sausage with onion) I found in the freezer combined with the leftover chili I found in the back of the fridge mixed with a package of frozen veggies. I have no gravy and nothing to make gravy so I mixed BBQ sauce with a few seasonings and a touch of red wine vinegar. I topped it with last nights mashed potatoes and of course plenty of cheese to trick the family into thinking its something really good. So sad. We are down to carrots, parsley and one pear as far as fresh veggies and fruit go. A parsley, pear, and carrot salad? Hmmm...I'll let you know if I'm able to pull that one off. We're in the middle of another snow storm right now so I hope there's a good recipe involving corn meal and toothpaste because that's about what we are down to.

Binkie Rehab

2010-01-05T13:12:00.003-06:00

My first two kids never took to a pacifier. I would try and try to get them to use the pacifier instead of using me as a pacifier but it never seemed to work out. So you can imagine how thrilled I was when our third took to the pacifier as soon as I introduced it. Yeah!! No more using mommy to work out all your oral fixation issues. The only problem with a pacifier is that you eventually have to take it away! I knew the time had come weeks ago. Madison was too old for a pacifier and I'd had it with carrying them in the car, my purse, the diaper bag, a few on each floor of the house, etc. etc. I spent some of that time in denial. "She's probably just give it up when she's ready." Yeah, right. "Maybe we'll keep losing them and then one day we'll just be out." Nope. Like any good addict, she'd tear the house apart until she found one. (or I would while she wailed in the background.) So I set the first day back on our regular schedule from Christmas break as the big day. The night before I tossed out all the pacifiers I could find except for the one she went to bed with. The next morning I snuck into the kitchen and cut the tip off her last one and sat it on the couch. After breakfast she made a bee-line for it while we all watched. She put it in, took it out, put it in, took it out. She brought it to me and said "Oh no!!" It was so SAD!! Good thing I'd thrown the rest out because I would have whipped out another one right on the spot when I saw that face. She showed it to all her sisters and they sympathized. Well, except for Kendall. I heard her say, "Oh no your paccie broke," then in a stage whisper to make sure I would hear her she said, "Mom cut the tip off and broke it." Stinker! But it's been two days and the only times she cries now is at nap time and bedtime. We're making it. I wish I could give up my own addictions but just throwing them out or cutting off the tip!

Time To Wrap It Up

2010-01-01T13:34:00.003-06:00

The New Year has just begun and the Halls have been flung forward sling shot style into the next decade. 2010 snuck up on us and I can't believe it was ten years ago that we were celebrating the year 2000! I always have mixed feelings about time moving forward. Even though some days I can't wait until the kids are up and doing for themselves I know how precious each day is with them while that are so little. Christmas was full of that special silliness, surprises, and laughter that only small children can add to the holiday. How wonderful is God's design that he allows us to relive special times from our childhood with our own children? Our Christmas break has been full of board games, snow sledding, homemade forts, and steaming sweet cups of hot chocolate. Although I have my days where I would rather get my nails done by a professional then by my 3 year old, it's still all good. Byron and I certainly had plans for 2009 that didn't work out but we are truly blessed to have a healthy, happy family to run, skip, walk, trudge, or crawl through the next year with. What are my hopes and plans for the new year? I hope to schedule more appointments at the Kendall Leigh Hair and Nail Salon. I hope to attend more movies in our living room with Grace "couch potato" Hall. I definitely need more time with my personal trainer Maddie "Kool-aid Man" Hall who will work my legs, arms, and core by slamming into them repeatedly anytime I get down on the floor. I for sure want to spend some more time with that crazy guy that keeps claiming he's my husband. (he's even got papers to prove it!) Whatever the year brings, we are ready. Welcome 2010!

I feel pretty...oh so pretty.

2009-12-22T15:09:00.003-06:00

How cute are these kids? I know I'm their mother but I really don't think I'm being bias. They are probably the most attractive kids to ever walk the face of the earth. I have to say that because if I didn't it would be obvious that I was being too modest. LOL!! I guess this post is meant mainly for the grandparents and great-grandparents. Enjoy!

The Playground vs. My Bar of Soap

2009-12-22T14:52:00.003-06:00

Whenever my kids use a bad word they get a bar of soap in their mouth. I used to use Johnson's baby soap but I've moved up to Ivory. For anyone reading this and thinking "Hey, I might start using soap in my kid's mouth!" let me warn you. With all the anti-bacterial soaps on the market you need to be careful what you choose. Choose one that says it is NOT harmful to ingest. Contrary to what Ralphie from Christmas Story thinks, I've never known anyone who has gone blind from soap in the mouth. I rarely use my bar of soap. At our house you get a soap bar in the mouth if you:

1. Say a bad word.

2. Talk back to a parent.

3. Talk bad about someone else. ( I know, there's not enough soap on the shelves right?)

Of course soap is the last resort after reminders and warnings that the soap is coming out. It usually only takes the final soap warning to put a stop to it. At our house bad words are: stupid, dumb, stupidhead, crap, and freakin. Being the good mother I am, I taught the kids the last two words myself. Yes, I need the bar of soap in my own mouth from time to time. Why the soap story? Last night Kendall and I were laying on my bed watching TV and they said a bad word on TV (of course). Here's our conversation.

Kendall "Oh, he said the B word (butt)"

Me: "Yes, that's a bad one"

Kendall "The F word is also a bad word"

Me: (trying to act like I'm not flipping out) "What's the F word Kendall?"

Kendall: "I don't know. But it's as bad as the SH word."
Me: "What's the SH word?"
Kendall: "I don't know. Don't you know?"

Me: "Yes."

Kendall: "Well, don't say it."
Me: "I won't. Who taught you about the F word and SH word?"

Kendall: "The kids at school. They don't know the bad words, but they sure know what they start with."

Oww..my brain

2009-12-15T16:42:00.002-06:00

This conversation took place at 3:35 central time.

Me: "Ohh Maddie, your hands are so cold. Have you been playing in the ice bucket."
Kendall: "What's an ice bucket?"
Me: "A bucket you keep ice in."
Kendall: "Oh, that makes sense." Long pause, "Except they should call it a pail."

Can't this child agree with anything I say? If I said snow was white she would say that "Actually mom (her favorite phrase), snow only appears white because of the color spectrum bouncing off of it and reflecting white." I promise she would say something weird like that. I think I answered less questions per day when I taught first grade (and got less lip service)!

The Golden Rule

2009-12-14T16:53:00.003-06:00

Kendall just walked into the kitchen and told me the golden rule was that we shouldn't kill each other. I said that was a good rule but it was not the golden rule. I explained that the golden rule was Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. (for anybody who might need a refresher!). We talked about what that rule meant and how we could follow it. After my lesson Kendall said, "I think it would just be easier to follow the don't kill each other rule.". Amen sister!!

Where's the closest charm school?

2009-12-14T12:16:00.003-06:00

More than once these past couple of weeks I have found myself chatting with mothers of boys about wrestling and acting crazy in the house. They all say the same things. "Boys are so different from girls. Mine are always so physical with each other." I think they haven't spent enough time at my house. My girls love to wrestle with each other. It is a daily occurrence. Sometimes I have to get in the middle and pull them off of each other. We've been stuck in the house due to weather quite a few days this week. It only makes the wrestling more intense and louder. I tried to capture it on video but when they saw I was taping they really backed off on the smack downs. Maybe that's the difference between boy and girl wrestling. They both do it but the boys do it for show and the girls don't want any proof that they do it!

The Maddie Boss

2009-12-09T15:56:00.003-06:00

My 18 month old thinks she knows everything. She does not heed warnings or take directions well. I don't know where she gets it. (hee hee.). So when her big sister got a sit and spin for her birthday, Madison had to try it out; her own way. Here is the pictoral play by play.

Happy Birthday Grace.

2009-12-09T15:24:00.002-06:00

Dear Gracie,

Your daddy and I are so excited you've made it to your 3rd birthday. You are so special to us. Your beautiful eyes and sweet smile light up the world. You've got your daddy wrapped around your little finger. When you're in trouble you flash that sweet grin and he's puddy in your hands. You make us laugh with your silliness until we're on the floor. You can crack up the whole room and barely crack a smile yourself the whole time. You have enough love in your little heart to turn around the worst day. You love your sisters like nobody else can. Although you argue with them sometimes; they know that you will always protect them and stand with them. The whole family is crazy in love with you and can't stop talking about your silly little antics. You may have had a rough start, but you're breezing through the toddler years with flying colors. So please forgive us if we shower you with hugs, kisses, and tickles. We just can't help ourselves. We can't wait to see what this year will bring.

Love,

Mom and Dad

Vegas, Turkey, and Toenuckles

2009-12-04T20:38:00.003-06:00

That about sums up why I haven't been blogging the past couple of weeks. Byron and I went to Las Vegas to get away for a few days. We had a great time, saw lots of sites, ate lots of good food, and Byron even won a little $$ playing poker one afternoon. Then it was straight home the day before Thanksgiving to spend Thanksgiving with the family. We had a great time, experienced lots of hugs and kisses from the girls, and ate lots of good food. This is my first week home and I still haven't fully recovered from those two weeks. I love spending time with Byron. I forget that sometimes because we're so busy with our lives that we usually end up falling asleep not long after the girls go to bed. It doesn't leave much room for quality time. I miss out on the little things Byron does like read every sign on the road out loud, the clever comments he makes when we people watch, or how he uses strange words like toenuckles. Toenuckles is a real word and it's exactly what you think it is. He said one afternoon that he had a blister on his toenuckle. I laughed so hard I almost peed myself because he kept insisting it was a real word. After looking it up on the Internet (although I think his source was wikepedia, so take it with a grain of salt) he proved that toenuckle was a valid description. Feel free to try to work that into your daily vocabulary.

Third Time's a Charm

2009-11-16T19:54:00.003-06:00

Just because my two first children didn't do something doesn't mean that the third one won't figure it out in short step. Some examples of how Maddie has been able to defy gravity (and me) in the past couple of weeks.

1. Opened the front door and walked half way across the front yard before I found her.

2. Took a header off the couch and landed directly on her head then bent back so I thought she had snapped her neck in two.

3. Dumped herself into the bathtub fully clothed when I stepped out for a minute. It wasn't even her bath time.

4. Jumped from the couch to the chair; and made it without falling.

5. Ate a bagel out of the trash.

6. Climbed on top of the dishwasher door and started tossing dishes out over her shoulder.

7. Took off her VERY dirty diaper during naptime.

I know some of you veteran moms are rolling your eyes because your kids have done these things and maybe ten times worse. I'm telling ya it's new for me though. That girl keeps me on my toes.

I know, I know...

2009-11-01T15:28:00.003-06:00

I haven't posted all week. I'm sure some family members (Don't worry Mom and Brenda, I won't say it's you) are probably pretty upset they've gone a whole week without seeing a picture of the grand kids. We have been super swamped the past couple of weeks. Luckily I almost always have my little point and shoot camera in tow no matter where we are. So even though I haven't had time to write this week, I have captured our lives on film. So here is a little picture montage of our past couple of weeks, complete with captions!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Twleve Years and We Still Got It!

2009-11-01T14:57:00.003-06:00

Well...we've still got it most days. Some days we don't got it. I'm proud to say that today is our 12th wedding anniversary. I'm so blessed to have Byron in my life. He's a wonderful husband, a great father and an awesome son and son-in-law. He makes me laugh and smile and feel all gooey inside (most of the time!). I love him and I'm so glad God choose him to be my little piece of heaven on earth. Check out our wedding pic. It looks like we were about 16 when we got married. Ha!! I thought we were so grown up back then. We were just babies.

Friday Photo Flashback

2009-10-23T12:08:00.004-05:00

This picture is from 1994. It is Byron and I at my high school's Sadie Hawkins dance. I'm not sure if everyone knows what the Sadie Hawkins dance is so I'll give you a very short tutorial. I think in other places they are called the backwards dance or MORP. It's just basically a dance where everything is backwards. The girl asks the boy. You do the opposite of dressing up. It is all very informal type stuff. Back then it was very popular for couple to wear the same flannel shirt. I'm not sure why. All I can say is I think I have 4 Sadie Hawkins pictures and my date and I are wearing matching shirts in each one. Goofy, I know. But fun!

Wordless Wednesday--Spooky Halloween Edition

2009-10-21T12:01:00.003-05:00

Don't say that I didn't warn you about Grace from the start.

Goodbye Baby Tooth

2009-10-20T16:44:00.002-05:00

Kendall just came rushing in from school and said she had an important announcement. She had a wiggly tooth. Sure enough, her bottom tooth is wiggling back and forth and will probably come out in a couple of days. Before becoming a parent, I wouldn't have thought twice about a kid losing their tooth. I taught 1st grade at one time and have seen plenty of teeth missing from kids mouths. I feel a little sad about Kendall losing her first tooth. Just another sign she's growing up I guess. The wiggly one is the very first tooth she ever got as a baby. I remember Byron and I being so excited when those teeth finally broke though. We must have sent a picture to everyone in the family of Kendall grinning with those two little baby teeth barely showing through. Now that same tooth is going to fall out of her head! So I have two questions for all you moms out there. 1. What is the going rate for the tooth fairy these days? and 2. What do you do with the teeth? I should probably say that teeth in general kind of gross me out. The worst thing to me is a pair of dentures. So, what do I do?

Pumpkin Patch

2009-10-19T07:17:00.003-05:00

Just some quick pictures of the pumpkin patch from this weekend. I tried to think of something to write about but nothing came to mind. We went, we picked out pumpkins, we played around, we left. Nothing out of the ordinary happened. None of the kids did anything exceptionally funny. It was just a normal trip. I guess that's my story. The Halls went somewhere and everyone acted normal.

From the Mouth of Babes

2009-10-13T11:20:00.003-05:00

Kendall has had some whopper statements here lately and I thought some of you might get a kick out of me sharing.

I was trying to coax her to get x-rays at her upcoming dentist appt. Her reply was "Yeah, they tried that last time. It didn't go to well."

After getting her x-rays and seeing her adult teeth were coming in she said this when I asked her to wait on the sidewalk for me before going into the parking lot to get in the van. "Mom, I almost have adult teeth. I think I can get into the van without assistance."

While driving and passing some cows, "Mrs. Reitzel (her teacher) likes cows. We should pick one up for her real quick."

Came home from the park with dad where they must have had wooden swings instead of the sling kind. "Mom, those swings were HARD!! I think they must have been the kind from the olden days. Did they invent swings when you were little?"

Grace said something that we couldn't understand. I asked Kendall if she knew what Grace was saying. "Nope. I don't speak Grace language."

First Snow (on October 10th!!!)

2009-10-10T16:48:00.002-05:00

That's right. The first snow. The kids were very excited. You could hear an audible groan from most adults in the area this morning. Seriously? Snow already!! On a positive note, it's all gone by now and it's not suppose to come back until......Monday.

My Review of the New Resturant in Town

2009-10-05T14:19:00.006-05:00

Cut the music and get this dude out of my face.

This is for all you Wintersetians (did I just make up a word?) that read the blog. Byron, the girls, and I went to Grace's Cafe Bar yesterday and I am going to right a review for you. Not because of the food (it was so-so) or the ambiance (it was below so-so) but because of the entertainment. If you don't know where it's located, it is right next to the Mexican restaurant that used to be really good a year ago but now has brought in what Byron refers to as the "B" team and now they're not as great. Byron swears he went in there once and the salsa they served was frozen. Yuck. Anyhoo, back to Grace's. The first thing I was interested in was the sign on the side of the building. The hard hitting news worthy Madisonian had published a letter to the editor that was complaining about how their crappy sign was bringing down the whole town square and making the whole place look like a rat hole. Honestly, I could name 10 things in 5 seconds down on the square that look worse than that sign but I won't because it seems a little petty to complain about a sign. Now, Byron and I had not planned to take the girls there. We were walking and riding bikes downtown and decided on a whim to have an early dinner. When we past it we were not even sure it was a place where kids should be. It's cafeish, but it's pretty barish too. There was only one guy in the whole place though and we thought "How rowdy could it really get in there with just one guy at the bar and us sitting on the other side in a booth?" It was only about 5pm for goodness sakes. And it was Sunday! We went in and everything was going pretty normal. The man at the bar had talked to us for a few minutes but then we both parted ways when we ordered. They have a jukebox in there that is free. I took the girls over to show them how it worked. This guy at the bar had the music in him. This guy started dancing for the girls. Not inappropriately, but kind of dancing around the table to see if he could make the girls laugh. The music went off and I thought "Thank goodness. He can sit down now." Nope. He put on some more tunes and started up again. This time he took Maddie's hands and waved them around in the air while he danced behind her. Maddie was not amused. Then he tried to get the girls to come out of the booth and dance with him. They declined. Byron and I both tried to diffuse the situation a couple of times but he never fully got the hint. He would stop dancing for awhile but he would start up again. He kept saying "I'm 61 years old and I can dance!" He was not drunk. He was just happy to entertain us while we ate. After I decided he was no threat, I let the girls interact with him a little more. We certainly had a good laugh during dinner and afterwards on the way home. Our bill was $18.91 for five meals, free music, and a show. You really can't beat that!

Friday Photo Flashback

2009-10-02T12:38:00.004-05:00

This picture was taken of Kendall a couple of years ago at VBS. What in the world did they do to her to get her smile? If you could classify that as a smile. She looks like the joker on Batman!