....David John Hall Reunion....

My freshman year of college I was incredibly lucky to meet some amazing, talented, and wonderful girls-we promised ourselves we would meet up after college and go on trips together and that was exactly what we did this past weekend. Not everyone could make it, but seven of us met up in Monterey, California for a girls trip. We had a few adventures along the way-blown tires, leaky ceilings, a flood, terrible weather, and extremely turbulent flights-but we still had so much fun. We stayed in a beach house, walked around Monterey and Carmel, saw the beautiful northern California coast, ate lots of junk food, and talked late into the night. It was amazing to me that I could go years without seeing some of them and that we could pick up right where we had left off-friends like that are hard to find. Girls, I had a blast and I can't wait for our next reunion in 2010!

....UnExPEcTeD SUrPRisE....

I have been a little stressed the past few days because I have to work more this week then I normally do and so I have wondered how I was going to get all my household stuff done, especially the cleaning. I have also been meaning to clean out my car, but it has been so cold I haven't gotten around to it. Tonight after I got off from a 12-hour shift, i opened my car door to find a note wishing me a "Happy Valentine's Day" and also an extremely clean car. I was shocked! It was literally the last thing I expected to get, but the best thing-I was so surprised. When I came home, I walked into a sparkling clean house. Pete doesn't have a lot of time these days and so while his gift was so simple, it meant the world to me that he would take the time out of his busy schedule to help make my life a little easier. I cried when I saw the house-partially because I was so tired (from work and Ryan was up all night) but also because of how thoughtful it was. It is amazing how the simplest things can mean the world to you. Happy Valentine's Day!

It was all Rebecca...

Some people have asked where we got the idea for our holiday card and while I wish I could take the credit for it-it was all my wonderful and creative sister Rebecca (I wish I knew how to link to her,but I don't so her blog is overexposed.typepad.com).

This was the picture we used (above) and here are a few more she took this past summer







I need some help because I keep trying to change the picture of our family on the side bar and every time I try it says "error" and won't let me change it. So if someone could give me some very detailed advice or help in changing my picture I would greatly appreciate it-thanks!

sNoWeD iN!

Yesterday we woke up to a LOT of snow. Pete headed off to work and Ryan and I went up to a breakfast at my in-laws. We came home after breakfast so Ryan could take his nap. Shortly after he fell asleep, our power went out and our house started to get really cold. After Ryan woke up, I realized that not only did we not have power we were trapped because I didn't know how to open the garage manually. I was starting to feel a little claustraphobic in the house and so I decided Ryan and I were going to go out and play in the snow. It took over half-an-hour to get us both dressed because Ryan is SUCH a pill when it comes to getting clothes or diapers on. We finally made it outside and made it about 10 yards when I looked down and Ryan's glove was soaking wet in a pile of slush and his hand was sitting in snow. Ryan starting whimpering because he was so cold-so after lasting two minutes outside we went back in. I had to laugh at the huge effort it took to get out there and how little time we actually spent outside-I am still having to learn that with kids things don't usually go as you plan them to. Oh well, we came inside and Ryan sat and ate the dirty snow off of our boots-whatever keeps him happy!

The Days of Snowbird

I have been putting off this post, because it means that the holidays are REALLY over and I have not been ready to admit that. It was so great to be able to see Pete and family so much-I have been grieving the past week because Pete went back to school, is studying for the GRE, and had to go back to work so we haven't seen him much. It is always hard to go from seeing each other 24 hours a day to not at all. But all complaining aside, we had a WONDERFUL break! Pete's (including all of his Dad's extended family) family's tradition is to spend the two weeks up at a condo in Snowbird-they have been doing it for 19 years. We ski, eat good food, and just hang out.I was back and forth because I still had to work and also to see my family down in Provo. My sister Rebecca surprised us all by showing up on Christmas day with her three boys from North Carolina-unfortunately her husband had to stay at home and work. I got to spend a lot of time with my four sisters-I love all of them so much we had so much fun together! Ryan loved having his cousins around to play with and he LOVED eating snow! He would eat the snow that would fall off of our ski boots when we would come in from skiing-it was totally dirty so we had to give him cups of clean snow to eat. It was just so great to be with the people I love most in this world. I hope all of you had great holiday breaks!

1st Annual Sub-4-Santa/Ugly Sweater Christmas Party

In honor of the Christmas season, I decided that I wanted to throw a Christmas party this year. I wanted to make it more than just a party so I copied an idea that my sister Catherine did and made it a Sub-4-Santa party as well. We found a family through a friend of my in-laws and then we split up their needs between everyone coming to the party. It was so much fun to be able to focus the party on the needs of another family and I was amazed at the generosity of all who came. We wrapped the presents first thing because the family we were doing it for wanted to be able to meet the people giving them the gifts.

My in-laws' friend brought the family over to our condo and we were able to meet their beautiful family. The mother had three darling children-who were so excited for the presents I don't know if they are going to be able to wait till Christmas to open them.

We had so much food and so they stayed and ate dinner with us. It was such a great experience to be able to spend time with them. My friend Lindsey had suggested that we should also make the party an ugly sweater party-it ended up being really funny. Not everyone participated, but those who did looked great. We couldn't find any at D.I. so we ended up getting both pete's and mine at Walmart in the Women's section-Pete's had sparkles and sequins on it.

We ended the night with a white elephant gift exchange-we got a reusable soda jug so big it had to come with its own carrying case. Ryan loves it and keeps trying to drink out of it, but the hole is bigger than his head.

Thanks to everyone who came and made it such a great night and also for your generosity.

Tag I'm it

My friend Megan tagged me a long time ago and I am finally getting around to doing it-sorry meg I am a little slow. I decided I must be a really weird person, because it was actually quite easy for me to think of 7 random facts about myself. So here goes:

1. I can't handle it when people chew on wood-ie. popsicle sticks, toothpicks-it makes me gag and I start dry heaving and I even have a hard time thinking about it. My father-in-law is obsessed with popsicles and thinks it is rather funny to torture me.

2. I grew up in a family of all girls and none of us were given middle names and I always wanted one so in high school I decided to start telling people we all had gems for middle names. I was Anne Crystal (beautiful isn't it?!) and the best part was that people who had known me for a long time believed me.

3. Pete and I always watch shows on the Disney Channel to fall asleep at night and I love them. Hannah Montana is my current favorite, but Pete loves Kim Possible.

4. One of my goals when I went to BYU was to make it into the police beat-I came close, but never quite made it.

5. I sing songs like Copa Cobana and Grandma's Feather bed to Ryan and I was known to make up interpretive dances to them in college.

6. I am a list manic-sometimes I make lists about needing to make more lists-Pete and I were going through some old boxes of mine when we first got married and found old lists I had written in high school.

7. I am a hopeless romantic when it comes to books and movies, but I can't handle it when people are cheesy to me in real life-Pete learned that the hard way.

So there are some random facts about me, I hope you still read my blog after reading them.....

Just me and my blankie!

Poor Ryan has had a rough week and a half. The Wednesday before Thanksgiving he had to get six shots that caused him to get a high fever and to moan most of the night. Two nights later because of his love of bananas he was so constipated he was up the majority of the night-Pete and I went to bed at 4:30 that night. He also came down with a cold, which he still has and then this last Friday his fever came back and he still has that as well. We are definitely going to the doctor tomorrow. I have felt so terrible for him, but have been very grateful for his blanket. He has recently become more attached and since becoming sick he has become super attached to his blanket. I am glad he finds comfort in something so small. I think I need to get a blankie of my own.


p.s. Jessica, I hope you notice which blanket he chose to become attached to.

CHriStMaS fEVeR!!!

Since Thanksgiving has come and gone (and it was great), i can officially start celebrating the Christmas season without getting in trouble from my little sister. I don't know why I am so excited for Christmas this year, but I just am. Maybe it is because Ryan was so little last year that we couldn't do very much, I don't know. I have been looking forward to it since the first of November and I keep telling Pete to gear up for lots of fun activities. I have been listening to Christmas music, making lists of what I want to get for my family, and if Ryan goes down for a nap I am going to get out my decorations. I think that what makes the holidays so much fun are traditions-so tell me your favorites cause I am ALWAYS looking for new ones and while you are at it you could give me some ideas about what to get my father-in-law...