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!

'Tis the Season

So as we have already been receiving Christmas cards early this week, good on all of you organized enough to do that, I decided that it was time for us to take Christmas card pictures. I took some of the kids in the afternoon. This is pretty much how it went. Me: "okay you guys sit there. No, sit. Come on, sit. I'll give you a treat if you sit. Okay now big smiles! Say cheesy! Okay, you have to sit still. Now look at me, no at me, where are my eyes, look at the camera. Okay just a couple more. Now put your arm around her, no don't lay down, come on sit up, sit up, no sit up." And on and on. The kids thinking: "What great fun! I can actually see Mom's sanity slipping away. I know just what to do - laugh and run away from the pregnant lady, Mua-ah-ah-ah!"
So then after dinner McKenzie was a saint and came over to take family pictures where there was more of the, "no, you have got to keep your hands down. Look who's in the camera, is it Annie (Liam, Lenny, Cole, etc.)?" And general begging and pleading and yes, bribing for some sort of decent picture. Jaxon was actually pretty good through both picture sessions, but Sammi, oh Sammi. When Kenzie was over she went through a time where she was actually on the floor kicking and screaming. Awesome. But after all of that we actually did end up with some pretty good pictures, and a lot that need to be deleted after we get a good laugh out of them. Huge thanks to McKenzie for being an awesome (and free) photographer!
So I don't know if anyone else has had this problem this Christmas season, but I thought that I was all sorts of organized and ready for Christmas. My neighbor gifts have been done since October, the kids presents mostly taken care of by the end of summer (thanks to garage saling, of which I am totally addicted to), and everyone else's gifts all purchased and waiting to be wrapped. But the more I think of it, the more I realize that I have got a ton still to do! So much for being ultra-prepared and on top of things. Ah well, 'tis the season! Merry Christmas one and all!

Another one

It's a girl! We found out almost two weeks ago that this sweet little thing is going to be our second little girl. We couldn't be happier. I think Jaxon is okay with it. When I went to go pick him up at my parents house after my doctors appointment the first thing that he said was, "Is it a girl?" I nodded and said, "yah". "Okay", he sighed , "I'll still share my dinosaurs with my new baby sister." What a guy. Everything is looking perfect and she is growing right on schedule. She's starting to be quite active and I'm getting more large and in charge everyday. Yay - we are so excited to have another little girl to spoil!

The blur I called October

So October is always a busy month for us. Has been ever since Jaxon was born really. Between 6 birthday celebrations (two of them being Jaxon and Sammi, born 3 days apart), a Hall girl retreat, Riley constantly traveling (not really, but seems like it), and Halloween parties. Throw in sickness, preschool (which McKenzie and I do together), and a funeral and we were pretty booked. All in all it was a great month with lots of reasons to celebrate. To summarize briefly, we ate too much birthday cake and treats.
The kids had a blast going to the Hall Halloween party that we had at McKenzie and Cole's house where we played lots of fun games and generally laughed a lot. Jaxon's birthday was so fun. He's at this great stage in his life where he knows very very well when it pays to be good and to be a good host, such as at your birthday party when people bring you gifts. Sammi's birthday was great, too. She absolutely loved all the princess and dress ups that she got and is in one every day. Jaxon was a little jealous of the attention, but those are the breaks.
We sure love our kids and feel so blessed to have them in our lives. Every day is such fun with them around. They say and do the funniest things that make me laugh so hard, even if they are being a little naughty sometimes. And they are both so loving, just coming up and giving hugs and saying "I love you" in their sweet little voices that just makes your heart so fill with joy. So blessed.
And we are so excited to have a new little one coming into our home in April! I'm officially 1/2 way done and couldn't be happier to reach that little landmark. We have another ultra sound on Thursday and should be finding out if this little sparky is a boy or a girl. Jaxon was insistent on having another little sister because he was all the brother that we needed. So in an attempt to get him to see the good of having a brother I told him that brothers were fun because then he could play dinosaurs with them. Now he really really wants a brother. Time will tell I suppose! Enjoy the slide show! It's a bunch of pictures Halloween and the kids birthdays.