Photographer I am not

I have learned many things since becoming a mother, especially since becoming a mother of three. Some of which are: you can go without having a decent REM cycle for lets say oh, about a year, without going crazy...completely. I am capable of loading up a grocery cart with food storage and not lose a single child or have anything broken. I can keep my garden weeded. I can include my kids in chores (even though it's much easier to do it on my own). I can laugh at the hilarious things my kids do instead of want to lose my patience. One thing I cannot do though - purposely get a good picture of all three kids together. It just can't be done. I've tried on several occasions with very limited success. But if they are unkempt and Jill's sitting there in just a shirt and diaper, oh yah, they are all about taking on fantastic picture when they are all smiling. But it's like they know when I take effort to wash their faces and put them in coordinating outfits that this is one time when they can really get mom to lose her mind. Jaxon: "Ok, Sammi, first you put your finger in your nose, then refuse to look at mom, and I'll smile like I have a needle in my finger, then look plain bored from then on out. Jill, you be more interested in grabbing the camera and then get mad when you can't have it. Readyyyyyyyyy break!" This is one of those amazing pictures that I tried to capture this afternoon as I'm trying to get something that will work for Christmas cards (kinda late, I know). The other is me and pretty much how I felt after it was all done. Oh well, another thing I have learned: let it go, man, let it go.

All about Jaxon

Today was the first day of school for Jaxon. His birthday isn't until past the deadline for kindergarten, so he's doing something else instead. Five girls that I go to church with and I are doing a joy school for our preschool age kids. I'm way excited about it and Jaxon pretty much loves it as well. He especially loves the spiderman folder that he has to carry his papers home in.

Also, while he was at school I recieved a phone call from our dentist informing me that Jaxon won the "No Cavities Contest". The prize: a spinning toothbrush that has Walli (that disney thing) on it and his name in lights on the marque outside the office. He won a major reward! Can life get any better? I submit that it cannot...at least not to a four-going-on-five year old.


Sammi is so proud of her big brother.

Jill is also happy although she doesn't really need a reason like a spinning toothbrush and a lite up name to have such a disposition.

Lately

Oh man, I love summer, and this one has been a good one. Pretty much every week flies by, and it's not that I'm particularly busy, but wow is life moving fast. It's been a little bit on the cool side the past couple of days and it makes you wonder how summer can be gone so quickly. Well, here's some of the things that we did to pass the time. It seems like a lot when you compile it all together, but really we've had many lazy summer days.
We've:
-had summer camp of fun days at our neighbor's house
-had swim parties and friends over
-been to two parades
-set off fireworks twice (much to Sammi's chagrin) and went to see some big ones too
-Jaxon had a summer romance with a nine year old neighbor girl but she's back East with her mom now
-had Mark and Katie move here from Oregon
-had a smore fest in our fire pit
-had a backyard campout
-went on a family vacation to exotic Utah (Riley had to go there for work) where we went to the SLC zoo, the dino museum, swimming, and to Whitney's house for some fun
-gardened and weeded (a lot)
-went to Mesa Falls
-had my grandparents and aunt, uncle, and cousins come for a visit
-went garage saling (I'm totally an addict)
-painted the kids bathroom with the help of my rad sister, Katie
-went to the IF zoo with cousins
-went to some family reunions
-chased chickens, rode horses, and took a wagon ride at the stake 24th of July party
-Jaxon tagged along with Katie and Mark and crew when they went to Bear World
-went and saw the "Beauty and the Beast" musical up at Playmill
-enjoyed getting tons of strawberries and raspberries in our garden
-caught up with some friends that we don't get to see very often (even though most of them do live pretty close)
-watched Jill get pleasantly plump and get cheeks that I just love kissing
-got baby food all ready for Jill from the produce in our garden
-rode bikes, took walks, and just generally enjoyed being outside

And now comes Fall. Also a good season. Jaxon is going to start a joy school thingy I am involved with about six other ladies in my ward. It's going to be a very good thing to get Jaxon a little more socially and emotionally ready for school next fall. Fall also means that Riley gets to travel a lot, but the middle of November will be here before we know it, and then this travel season will be done. Hope everyone's summer have been relaxing and wonderful! Here's to many more weeks of it!

A new baby and a wedding

So we had a baby three weeks ago today. I know, I know, it took me long enough to post about it, but I have many excuses. Like the following: There was family in town, so I was hanging out with them, My sister got married, I've been sleeping, I've been busy holding my little baby because I know all too well how fast they grow up. So without further ado, I would like to introduce to one and all our little Jill Amy Hall. She was born on April 5th and weighed 7lbs. 13 oz. She's growing like crazy already and we love having her be a part of our family. I actually went in to be induced the day before my due date because I have and awesome doctor who let me. It was a rather uneventful day thanks to those lovely epidurals. This was me all day - "oh that was a big contraction, can I get some lime flavored ice chips now?" and I was pretty much rolling in my bed because Riley and I found this Dave Barry book at the DI a couple of days before and he was reading it to me. Hil-ar-ious. I kept on having to readjust the contraptions attached to my belly because I was laughing so hard. We got there first thing in the morning and Jill wasn't born until around 7:30 that night. I think she saw the snow storm outside and decided that she would wait it out to see if the weather would get any better. The kids and grandparents and aunts and uncles all got to see our little Jill right after she was born which was great because Jill was all sorts of interested in getting to know them. She was incredibly awake and alert, especially compared to Jaxon and Sammi. It was so fun to have her so bright eyed right when she was born. Jill has been amazing to have in our home. She's such a great baby and Riley and I both love being parents to a new-born again. Jaxon and Sammi both adore her and Sammi especially loves to give her kisses and bring her stuffed animals and such. Jaxon now likes to play dolls with Sammi much more which Sammi couldn't be happier about.
Next, my beautiful little sister got married to an amazing guy on April 16th. Seriously, my new brother-in-law rocks. Thanks to her, a lot of my family was able to all get together here in Idaho. It was so much fun to have them all around and it was great for Jaxon and Sammi to have many more people to provide them with some much needed attention. It was also great for everyone to see little Jilly beans while she was still so little. I loved having so much family around and am going through withdrawals already. But I can't complain because I am so blessed to be living so close to lots of family anyway. But I digress. Emily was a gorgeous bride and it was a fantastic day. When we were leaving the temple that day I asked Jaxon if he was going to get married in the temple to which he replied, "of course!" And then I asked, "Well, who are you going to marry?" He said, "oh just you and dad". We'll have to work on that one...
So that's what we've been up to. For now I'm going to go hold my Jill.

The Waddles

I will spare you the picture for those of you fortunate enough not to have to view such a spectacle. I am officially great with child and looking forward to having this little girl on the outside of me. Oh yes, I've got the waddle. Oh yes, it's hard for me to bend over or to get into our car. Oh yes, I look awfully funny with my skinny little arms and legs surrounding a rather large mid-section. Oh yes, I wish my doctor would tell me that I'm measuring early rather than right on time. Oh yes, I've done all the laundry necessary and have all my baby clothes ready to go. Oh yes, I'm ready to have a baby again. I get more and more excited every day, and not just because I'm getting more uncomfortable, either. I'm excited to have a little baby again. There is just nothing quite like it. So everyone cross your fingers and hope that I at least go a couple of days early (that's not too much to ask, is it?) By-the-way, we're sort of settled on a name, but welcome any new ideas. We did have it all figured out a couple of years ago what we were going to name this child but blah blah blah and yada yada yada, things change. Hope every one is ready to welcome Spring in, I know I sure am!

Been a while

So, I guess it's not Christmas anymore. Maybe I should give a little update to what is going on with our busy (?) lives.
January was a new start and also a new health challenge for our health insurance. For the months of January and February Riley and I were bribed to swear off desserts and sweets for 80% of the months by our awesome health insurance. It hasn't been too bad...but sometimes I just want a cookie! January was also Riley's birthday where he turned 29. Dun, dun, dun, he's knocking on 30!
February stormed on in and, can you believe it, groundhogs day snuck right past us without us celebrating in the traditional ways such as digging a huge hole in our backyard and popping out of it. Of all the rotten luck! Next year, groundhogs day, next year. I'm happy to report that our taxes are completely done and we are just awaiting the automatic deposit into our savings account - yay! Valentine's Day came with much excitement for the kids. They were all about making valentines for their dad and cookies for their grandma and grandpa (and Bailee!). And more importantly they were all about getting their little valentine from Riley and me! I don't know why we keep on giving them candy, they still have some from Halloween and Christmas. This past Monday Sammi started wearing her princess and "pixie perfect" underwear (Riley absolutley loaths the word "panties" so we avoid it at our house). She's been doing really great with only a couple of accidents so we are way excited about that! Other than that stuff these past couple of months have been busy with getting to know our new ward (they changed the boundaries, we didn't move), doing school time with the kids, having friends over (the kids friends, not ours, why is that?), trying to figure out what to do for singing time, trying to sneak in some naps, going to the doctors for check-ups (yup, still pregnant), and trying to wait patiently for my one-day-a-week allotment for dessert. It's been good, but we are very excited for spring when we can be outside a little more and see some family that are coming out for Emily's wedding, plus I'll have this little girl finally out of me. Always something to look forward to!