Harris Havoc

Mothers Day

2010-05-12T20:01:00.001-07:00

I did get to be with my mom on Mother's Day morning which was rare and great! Then I got to spend 5 wonderful hours in the car traveling home from Phoenix... Yeah right I know who am I trying to fool we were traveling it sucked! We went over for one of Rob's family reunions which I will post about later. Anywho, we had a fun trip. The way home wasn't too bad because the kids had Moama and Pops riding along to provide a little more entertainment. Being a mom is one of the greatest if not the greatest joys in my life, yes extremely trying at times however well worth it. It is the little rewarding moments that keep me going everyday for instance when Hallie grabs my arm and tells me," Mommy I am going to keep you forebber and ebber!" and when Jonah out of nowhere will let me know how much fun he had at the park or wherever I had gone with him and thank me sincerely. Then there is my little Mackay he is my little tender heart. I am so grateful for all the moms in my life and the great examples they are to me.

Happy Easter!

2010-04-04T20:09:00.001-07:00

My Sassy Lil' Egg Hunter
Hallie And Her Buddie Bitsy
Jones And Bub Ready To Stomp The Field

The Artists

The Finished Products
My First Attempt At A Cupcake Bouquet

My Grumpy Easter Bunny
We had a great Easter this year. We went to the park during the week with some friends from church for a little egg hunt and then we had one of our own at home on Easter. We had Moama and Pops over for Easter Dinner. As you can see Hallie was a crank but I will have to stick up for her and say the boys were so excited for the egg hunt they did wake her from a nap, so she was entitled to be a little cranky because lets face it I would be too.

Monster Jam Boys Outing

2010-03-30T23:03:00.001-07:00

The boys went to the Monster Jam World finals this year. They had so much fun. Jonah was so excited to see all of his favorite super hero,s in monster truck form. He said his favorite was the Batmobile and he brought home a batmobile pillow souvenir. Mackay's favorite truck was the Gravedigger and he I guess won most of the events and he got himself a Gravedigger t-shirt. His favorite part was that he got to actually go for a ride in a monster truck (just around the parking lot). They went with their pops and their dad and next year they will be joined by their tots. He was gong to be there but we excused him because he was at the birth of my new nephew Kage Jay Hoffman :) While the boys had their night out, Moama and Hallie and I stayed home and had fun scrap booking. We all had a lot of fun and can't wait to do it again next year. Thanks again Tots for the fun treat for the boys!

Barber Shop

2010-03-25T12:50:00.000-07:00

So I was upstairs and it was unusually quiet downstairs. I walked down to find this.............

Valentines Post

2010-02-23T11:08:00.001-08:00

Late as usual. This year we did not do much. Rob and I just went to dinner during the week. Sometimes I think it is an over rated holiday. The kids were spoiled by all of their grandparents. They got some yummy goodies. Moama made them this cute little Valentines candy tree that they all loved and I thought it was a cute idea.

The Secret Agent Rendezvous Party!!

2010-02-21T18:57:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday we had Mackay's Secret Agent Party. It was at Secret Agent Mackay's hideout otherwise known as the Strike Zone bowling Alley. Since Jonah's my Halloween baby we always do something with costumes and so Mackay wanted to have some costume stuff. I got some great secret agent costume ideas from my friend Lisa's blog. They looked so cute bowling in their little hats and glasses. I made sure to explain to their parents that they were dressed as detectives and not pimps :) We had a great turn out and it was a lot of fun.

7 on the 7th!

2010-02-07T16:54:00.000-08:00

From this cute little guy to...
this handsome 7 year old.

Today is Mackay's "Golden Birthday"! Yep I now have a seven year old. He is a great blessing to have around. He is such a good big brother. Next weekend we will be celebrating with a little Secret Agent Birthday party (thanks to Lisa for the great idea!). I thought it would be cool to do the 007 for his 7th birthday. So I like to interview my kids on their birthday's and here is Mackay's:

* What do you want to be when you grow up (Anyone who knows Mackay knows this answer for sure)? Firefighter, to be more specific he says a "tillerman", which is what the call the guy who drives the back half of the fire truck.
* What is your favorite thing to play? He enjoys playing his Nintendo ds and jumping on the trampoline.

* Favorite food? Spaghetti
* Favorite color? Blue
* Favorite subject? He likes Art class
* Favorite movie? Firehouse Dog
* Favorite book? Green Eggs and Ham
* What makes you happy? Playing Rock Band with his family (yeah, were going to go on tour...just kidding)

We have some new tricks up our sleeves!

2010-01-28T09:26:00.000-08:00

First we have the Amazing Jonah who learned to ride on two wheels a few months ago and mom has finally got some pics. Look out he is H-E double hockey sticks on two wheels!

And then in the other corner we have Marvelous Mackay who has mastered the art of tying his shoes. Hooray! His velcro shoes bit the dust and so he found some lace ups that he liked and I told him that since he was such a good magician he could surely master this trick. With a few lessons form mom, voila! I am so excited because this helps out my morning chaos.

Bringing In 2010

2010-01-05T15:20:00.000-08:00

We rang in the New Year with a visit from Grammie, Papa and Uncle Jeremy. We are some real party poopers, I do not think anyone made it until midnight. We had fun eating junk food and playing cards and the kids had Rob light some fireworks.
This year has just flown by in a blink. I can't believe how fast time goes the older I... we get, my parents always said it and now I am really starting to feel it. It just makes you stop and remember that you really do need to cherish every little moment (well at least the good ones).

Christmas 2009

2009-12-27T18:45:00.000-08:00

Looks Like Santa Came.

Opening Their Gift From Moama And Pops In The Garage.

All Settled Down For Their Long Winter's Nap.

We had a wonderful Christmas! We were very blessed. Nana and Tata were able to come from Arizona to spend the holiday with us. The kids of course were spoiled. We had Moama and Pops over for Christmas Dinner with us. Mackay got a magic kit for Christmas and he became a magician within a few hours with a little help from his Tata. After Christmas dinner Mackay put on a impressive magic show (look out Chris Angel!). It was so cute to watch him perform and take bow after each trick. Well only 363 more days until next Christmas just in case you were wondering.

All Aboard!!!

2009-12-24T11:35:00.000-08:00

Last night in 2 below weather we took a ride on the Polar Express to the North Pole (AKA Grand Canyon Railway) . Yes, it was a quick trip and yes, my whole body was numb from the cold and yes, it was totally worth every minute! To see the smiles on my kids faces and to see them in such aww and having so much fun is just priceless! They never once complained about being cold, that was just me and my toes. They had a blast! They got on the train and sang their hearts out it was so cute. We will definitely be doing this again next year!

"Hot Hair"

2009-12-22T09:43:00.000-08:00

The boys aren't all that into getting dressed up but boy is my little Hallie Kate. She was so excited to wear her new dress to church on Sunday. I think she is the cutest little girl ever of course, but it made her eyes look so amazing! My kidos all have some pretty blues :) The boys looked cute as ever too (sorry boys I mean handsome ). Hallie is getting to the age where she likes me to do her hair how she wants it. I think because it is cold out she wants it hot. Let me translate. This means she wants it blow dried for sure and sometimes a few curls put in it and since both of those must be hot to work she requests, "hot hair". Anyways these are some pics of my cute kids and some, "hot hair".

Gingerbread House Center Piece!

2009-12-20T17:08:00.000-08:00

This year we are having Christmas dinner at our house. We are lucky to have Nana and Tata coming in from Arizona to spend Christmas with us. Moama and Pops will also be joining us for Christmas dinner. I am so excited and a little nervous for my first holiday meal gathering at my house. I know I will have a lot of help though. My kids have always wanted to do a real gingerbread house (we always do the foam ones). So we braved one last night with them. It turned out pretty cute and so we have decided that it will be the center piece for our Christmas dinner.

Deck The Halls!

2009-12-05T10:32:00.000-08:00

Love to deck them. It is the undecking that is a agonizing. So last year I threw away the old bows for the tree that I had made years ago because they were falling apart. My crafty friend Sole came to my rescue and helped me out in making some new ones. I must say the bows look good with the new paint on my walls and that would be thanks to Sole's husband Chance for doing such a great paint job ( if you are looking for a good painter I would highly recommend him).
The kids had been anticipating getting the Christmas decorations up since Halloween (okay so let me be honest so was I). Anyways it was the boys job to set the tree up and get it going and I unpacked all the other decorations. The ornaments are so much fun to go through. Thanks to Robert's mom (Moema) who is very big on the yearly ornaments we have one to remind us of all the past years. Each one having a special meaning behind them. We have all of the ones that she bought for Robert growing up and now she has helped us start them for our kids. Don't get me wrong I love the designer looking trees but I love looking back on the ornaments each year and remembering what the kids were into or what we did that year. We put a twist on our tree we do the ornaments from past years and then to put a touch of "design" to it we put the matching bows and garland.
Now the decorations are up we can sit back and enjoy them.

Bringing in the holiday excitement!

2009-12-03T09:19:00.000-08:00

Every year Rob's work sponsor's Opportunity Village and so we get to go in and experience it before it opens to the public. We actually went before Thanksgiving so yes, this is another belated blog post. It is always so much fun because it gets us excited for the Christmas season. The Christmas lights are always fantastic. The kids look forward to this every year. Their favorite thing is the train ride through the Magical Forest, and of course the goody bag.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-26T22:55:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. I love getting to spend time with family that we do not see very often. I love ironically enough the chaos of it all. The kids running around with their cousins and the rushing around in the kitchen to get the food prepared and the noise of everyone chatting and of course TV with the football game blaring in the background. It all just creates that memorable Thanksgiving atmosphere for me, to which I am so very grateful for.

I am thankful for the beautiful family that I have been blessed with! I am thankful for....

Robert...

that heart melting smile,

being the most amazing father to our children,

making me laugh,

loving me,

being my rock,

etc.

Mackay...

being the best big brother,

sweet smile,

our fellow discovery channel enthusiast,

for helping me cook,

for making us smile,

ect.

Jonah...

being the entertainer of the group,

for his big bear hugs,

sweet smile,

for making us smile,

ect.

Hallie...

sweet smile,

infectious giggle,

her love for her big brothers,

for making us smile,

ect.

I am so thankful for all of my family and friends we are truly blessed.

Trick Or Treat But.........

2009-11-01T20:43:00.000-08:00

"Mommy I don't wanna smell my feet!" This is what Hallie replied every time I asked her if she was ready to go trick or treating. I guess she had heard her brothers say the phrase "trick or treat smell my feet" one too many times and she had interpreted it wrong. Well needless to say she did end up going after all and had a great time. We went across the street for a Halloween party at our neighbors house and then we all went out trick or treating together. They had tons of fun. This year we had Jonah as GI Jonah and Mackay went as the Unknown Phantom and Hallie went has the beautiful Snow White, or as she called herself No White.

On Halloween night 5 years ago........

2009-10-31T21:09:00.000-07:00

at 3:03 a.m. to be exact Jonah was born. I can't believe our little Jonsey is 5 years old. This year GI Jonah and a few of his other GI friends rendezvoused for a top secret mission which was located at the military base other wise known as the bowling alley. Jonah always likes to have a very themed and sort of costume party. This year we had all of the kids bowling in little army helmets it was pretty cute. Here is
Jonah's 5 year old interview :

Favorite color: green
Favorite food: pepperoni pizza
What do you want to be when you grow up? A garbage man (Say what?)
Favorite thing to play? With his new Bat Cave
Favorite show to watch? Spiderman Spectacular
What sports do you like? Soccer
What things do you like to do around the house? Play in the backyard
What do you like to wear? Anything with Super hero’s on it and his Sketcher z strap shoes
Where are some of your favorite places to go? “To my friends”
What things make you happy? “When I get tickled”

We are so glad to have Jonah in our family he such a blessing to have around. Happy Birthday and we love you!

Pumkin Carving Time!

2009-10-30T08:28:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it is that time of year again. This year we had some trouble finding pumpkins. We went all over the place last weekend and everywhere seemed to be sold out. We finally had success at good old Smith's. They had loads of them so if you are in the same bind check there because they let me go in the back and they had a bunch. The kids love carving and , "digging out the guts" as they would say. It is a messy task and so Rob takes them into the garage for this messy task (so don't mind the messy garage pics). One of the first years we carved pumpkins my dad (Tots) was her and he roasted the pumpkin seeds and so now every year my kids expect me to do the same. Yeah they are tasty but man is it a messy job. Thanks tots for passing along the tradition and the job to mom.... By the way Tots you will be here to roast the seeds next year right ? :) Hallie had fun as they put the seeds in the bowl she had her own spoon and so she mad sure they were good and stirred. Jonah was the monitor, he made sure everything was getting done. He did not want to stick his hand in the pumpkin it kind of creeped him out. Mackay helped with everything, he pretty much had his own pumpkin under control. From gutting to carving the boy was trying it all. Big thanks to daddy the pumpkins turned out great.

In Remeberance Of My Cousin Phillip Workman

2009-10-28T13:09:00.000-07:00

Phillip was the first grandchild on the Sotelo side of the family. On Monday October 19th he passed away unexpectedly at the early age of 36. He suffered a massive heart attack. Phillip will be terribly missed. Growing up I always thought of Phillip and I still do think of him to be a very kind and intelligent person. He always had a kind and gentle domineer about him and he would do anything for anyone. And this boy could play the classical guitar like nobodies business. Phillip we will all miss you very much. Till we meet again...

ABC 15 NEWS and AZ CENTRAL *** An Arizona National Guardsman and Peoria resident suffered cardiac arrest and died while training at Camp Williams in Utah Monday.
Sgt. Phillip Workman, 36, was participating in a physical training test when he had a heart attack. First aid was administered at the scene, but he was unresponsive and was pronounced dead at a hospital.
Maj. Paul Aguirre, spokesman for the Arizona National Guard, said Workman was physically fit and officers weren't aware of any health issues.
Workman enlisted in the Guard in 2006 and was deployed to Afghanistan in 2007 with the 1-158 Infantry, also known as the Bushmasters for its storied service in World War II.
He is survived by his wife, Cindy.
Viewing is set for 5 to 8 p.m. Monday at the Regency Mortuary, 9850 W. Thunderbird Road, Sun City. Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Masonic Temple, 345 W. Monroe St., Phoenix, and burial will be in the National Memorial Cemetery, 23029 N. Cave Creek Road, Phoenix.

Rob Is The Big 3-0!

2009-10-23T19:37:00.000-07:00

Rob hit the big 3-0 yesterday and poor guy had to spend it working. He had a big meeting to boot. His parents were very kind though and came and watched the kids and he and I went out to PF Chang's for dinner. Then the kids helped me make a tasty chocolate birthday cake. Rob got some fun new stuff to pimp his new/old ride with (I will post about it later), needless to say he did all the birthday shopping for himself this year because when it comes to car parts and tools this girl does not have a clue.

I Am A Real Punch Guy!

2009-09-27T17:22:00.001-07:00

Jonah came down stairs and had drawn all over his body with marker (washable thank goodness)and Rob and I are of course were like son what the heck have you done?!? He was all proud and with a smile says, "mom, dad I am a real punch guy!" Rob and I looked at each other puzzled. Then Rob put it all together as Jonah started to show us some "Punch Guy Moves". He had drawn some tattoos on himself to make himself look like a UFC fighter. No my kids do not watch the UFC fights but they do know about them and they see the ads and most of them are all tattooed up and so he thought that is what you needed to be a real "Punch Fighter" I guess.

Peace Out I'm Going To Pre-School!

2009-09-20T15:55:00.000-07:00

Peace Out Mom!

Jonah had been awaiting this day for quite sometime. He has thought that he has been on track break forever. At least that is what he told everyone when they would ask if he was in school yet. We did the meet and great almost a week before he started and that made him twice as anxious to start. Every morning he would get up and get dressed and come down and be totally ready for the day and say, "Is it Monday yet". Sadly I would have to break it to him that it was not. So finally Monday came and he was so excited! We dropped him off and with a peace out he was off to pre-school. When I went to get him he had made a self portrait that was a lovely shade of green (his favorite color at this time). He said that he made lots of friends and he loves his teachers Ms. Pam and Ms. Linda.

Labor Day Fun With Grammie And Papa!

2009-09-16T09:59:00.000-07:00

We went to Phoenix to visit see Grammie and Papa for Labor Day. We had a lot of fun. We ran into the heavy rain storm on the way there but the weather the rest of the stay was perfect. We went to Sun Splash water park and the kids loved it. My kids love the water and so they were in heaven. Mackay went on every slide that they had that was open. His favorite he said was the, "Bucket Flush". Jonah liked all of the slides with the double tubes so that he had a buddy to ride with. Hallie loved the wave pool. I think the rain scared everyone away because there were no lines to wait in. It was great. Then we went to a park and Grammie and Papa went and bought the kids some ice blocks to ride down the hills with. They thought that was great because it was like sledding in the summer. We also took the kids to meet my great grandmother and so their great, great grandmother. It was a great trip and we had a lot of fun. Thank you Grammie and Papa for such a nice time!

Not Only Can He Sing!

2009-09-03T19:55:00.000-07:00

But my Jonsey boy has the moves. We had a Zumba class for play group this week and Jonah loved it. Now I have some great video to blackmail him with when he gets a little older :)

"I did it!"

2009-08-27T20:43:00.001-07:00

She yells as she bursts out of my room! Oh yeah! Hot mama! She got into my lip gloss and she was thinking she was hot stuff. So I told her how pretty she looked of course followed by don't get into that anymore. She loves to be by my side as I put my make up on and she always says, "Hallie, wants some pretties." I usually put a little blush and some lip gloss on and so this time she took it upon herself.

School, School Don't Be Late...

2009-08-25T10:06:00.000-07:00

first grade this year isn't that great! Mackay was so excited for all day school and I am not going to lie so was I. He is my child who needs to be entertained 24/7. He was a bit confused he asked, " So am I going to come home at dark?" We let him no it would be just a few hours after lunch. He seems to love his teacher so far. Her name is Ms. Burch and she seems to be very nice. He has many friends that he know s in his class and so that is always fun. He was so excited to eat lunch at school. He brought his lunch for the first day. It all went good and he is excited for day 2. I must say that Jonah, Hallie and I did miss the little guy at home.

It Is A Party! All Ladies Invited!

2009-08-17T10:05:00.000-07:00

When: Thursday August, 20th
Where: My House
Time: Open House From 7 pm to 9pm

We will have shoes,all $25.00 and under, handbags $40.00 and if you buy a hand bag you get a free pair of sunglasses, sunglasses are $10.00. We will have lots of beautiful handcrafted jewelry made with real Swarovski crystals and fresh water pearls. There will be a great selection of fashion jewelry for ladies, girls and infants! We will also have a table with the new craze of beaded watches. The ones with the interchangeable beaded bands and faces. And we will have Scentsy candles as well. So lots of fun stuff so come by and check it out. If you need directions or if you have questions e-mail me at rwharris@embarqmail.com.

In Loving Memory Of E.Taylor Petersen Or Pata The Great

2009-08-14T09:32:00.000-07:00

July 30^th Pata Petersen passed away. This was Robert’s grandfather and so my children’s great grandfather. I myself have known him for about 14 years (his wife taught me in Sunday school when I was younger). Taylor was one of the most spiritually in-tune men I have ever met in my life. I know that Robert looked up to his grandfather with great admiration. About 6 months ago Robert read the book that Taylor wrote about his life. Robert read it at work on his breaks and at lunch. He would come home from work and share the stories with me, some of them made me laugh some of them made me want to cry but the anticipation was always there to hear the next. He was so glad that he had the chance to read it through before he passed. He was able to call him and tell him how much he appreciated the time he took in writing his own his life story. I hope I can be better about that for my kids so thank you Pata for setting that example because that was such a great gift. One thing I know Mackay will always remember is that Pata is the one who knew the secret to catching lizards and that was to take off your belt and smack them just hard enough to stun them so that you could pick them up. The great Pata and Moema’s house has tons of lizards that live around it and when we go to visit Mackay is on a constant lizard hunt. Now Jonah loved giving Pata knucks, shake and bake, pound it, you know whatever you want to call it. As Pata got sicker and weaker and wasn’t able to get a tight hug we all resulted to knucks. Jonah got a kick out of that. He thought that was just pretty dang neat, however all the kids did but I think Jonah thought it was some kind of super hero move him and Pata had going on. Hallie liked doing the exploding knucks the best. He was an extremely faithful man and one that we can all look up to. We will miss him very much. Till we meet again…

"A Man of Principle and Integrity"

E. Taylor Petersen, age 74, passed away peacefully at his home in Hurricane, Utah, on July 30, 2009, after a courageous battle with cancer. He was born April 3, 1935, the second child of Elmer (Bud) Petersen and Leah Eleanor Taylor Petersen, in Helper, Utah. Taylor lived in Helper until completing High School after which he moved, at age 17, to Salt Lake City working at Hill AFB, Utah as an airplane mechanic apprentice. It was in Salt Lake City that he met and married Norma Jean Meyn in 1954. They were sealed in the Salt Lake temple in 1955. Taylor and Norma Jean were blessed with 5 children, 4 daughters and one son, who are the pride and joy of their lives.

In March of 1954, Taylor enlisted in the United States Air Force, serving for 20 years, primarily in missile electronics at Vandenberg AFB, California. He also spent one year in Korea, 3 ½ years in France and another year on Johnson Island in the South Pacific. During his Air Force career he received a Bachelors degree in Business Management from LaVerne University.

After retiring from the Air Force in 1974, Taylor was invited to work with the Church Educational System as an Institute Director and CES Coordinator. This position took him to Santa Maria and Simi Valley, California, Boston, Massachusetts, where he was a director of the Institute serving Harvard, MIT and other colleges and universities in th e Boston area. After six years in Boston, Taylor was assigned to Flagstaff, Arizona. In 1999 he was asked to finish his career with Church Education in Hilo, Hawaii. It consisted of one year professionally and then he and Norma were called on a mission to direct the Institute in Hilo, and administer the Seminaries and Institutes on the Big Island of Hawaii, Maui, Lanai, and Molokai. Taylor truly enjoyed his Air Force career, and cherished his nearly 30 years in the Church Educational System, loving the hundreds of students he had in his many classes. During his time in CES he completed his Masters in Family Counseling at California State University at Northridge, and his Doctoral studies at Brigham Young University in Educational Leadership.

Taylor loved the Church and the Lord’s work, serving in many positions, including District and Branch President, Bishop, Stake Mission President and on several High Councils. Taylor’s motivation in this world was 1 Nephi 3:7 - "I will go and do what the Lord hath commanded..."

He is survived by his spouse, Norma Jean Petersen of Hurricane, and his children Teri Lyn Harris of Henderson, Nevada, Linda Edie of Hurricane, Utah, Mimi Heckaman of San Diego, California, Mark Petersen of San Diego, California and Pamela Walden of Simi Valley, California, fourteen grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held Thursday, August 6, 2009, at 12:00 p.m. at the Sky Mountain Chapel, 452 N. 2600 W., Hurricane, UT. Friends and family may call Wednesday, August 5, 2009, from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Spilsbury Mortuary, 110 S. Bluff St., St. George, and also Thursday, from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. prior to services, at the Chapel. Interment will take place in the Springdale Cemetery.

Zip Line And Cave Swimming!

2009-08-11T10:37:00.000-07:00

Our last day in Cancun we went on an excursion where they took us deep into the jungle to do a little bike ride to a zip line and then to a cenote, sink hole or what I say, a cave to go swimming in. It was a lot of fun. We went up there and I was most nervous about the zip line. We rode these bikes up to this tall hut looking thing where we had to climb these stairs. The stairs did not look one bit safe to climb up. They were wood and like falling apart and there was like this other family climbing up to the platform with us and I seriously did not think it was going to hold all of us. Amazingly it did. So there were 2 stops on the zip line and it went high over the jungle. It was so much fun and was not scary at all. We were able to do it 2 times. When we were done with the zip line we went into the fresh water cenote and that was the scary part to me. They had lights in it but it was still dark and just creepy. They said there were no animals in it but we found a turtle. It was pretty cold but it was refreshing but I was excited to get out of the cave. Anyways, the Cancun trip was Amazing and I cannot wait to go back in the near future!

Mexico Take 2!

2009-08-11T09:50:00.000-07:00

The Hotel was Great. We took The morning bike rides and did some Kayaking. On the morning bike ride they made stops along the way and showed us the animals they had living around the property. When we went kayaking we did a double one and yes, Rob will tell you he did most of the work. It was fun though. We lounged a lot at the pool they had great hammocks to swing on. my favorite part about lounging at the pool was the cute cups they would bring out drinks in. The little bar tender people new me by the end because I was the only on the property who would order 2 pina colodas with banana, no alcohol. He would always turn to me and say, "So a smoothie ?" I would say, "exactly you should put them on the menu". Then the hotel had these night shows and they were fun they tried to do like cirque acts and dance acts and it was interesting. I got pulled out of the audience on the dance night. Now I have danced with some soggy guys but this was the first with ruffles.

More Isla Mujeres Pics

2009-08-03T10:12:00.000-07:00

Cancun Baby ! Part 1

2009-08-03T09:30:00.000-07:00

So yes finally I will I am getting to my post of our vaca to Cancun which was absolutely well needed and worth it and fabulous! We were there for six days. The kidos stayed the first few days with Nana and Tots and then the last few with Grammie and their cousin Jessica. Thank you guys for all your help. Well we stayed at the Excellence Playa Mujeres which was beautiful. It was right on the ocean. We had a swim out suite and so our room went right out into the pool. But it was right on the beach. The first day we were there we went across to Isla Mujeres on a ferry and rented a golf cart and just cruised around to the different beaches and did some shopping. The water there was amazing. When we were taking the ferry across we could see the bottom of the ocean the whole time, it was so clear. The beaches where just white sand so so pretty. It was fun putting around on the golf cart however I am glad I had Rob to drive because anything goes when you are driving in Mexico and I would have killed us. Then the next day we lounged around at the hotel and swam planned out the rest of our days.

Kindergarten Graduation

2009-07-11T12:13:00.000-07:00

Mackay is now officially a first grader. I can't believe it. This day was just as hard for me as the first day of school. He brought home his shirt that the class would all where for graduation and it made me cry. The kids had all drawn a self portrait and signed there names next to it and then it said ,"Smalley Elementary Class of 2021". Yeah that just put it all it to perspective that my baby is really growing up and fast. It was really cute they sang the songs that they have learned throughout the year for us and they got their writing journals which are a crack up to read. Then they finished with a root beer float party.

4th Of July

2009-07-11T12:07:00.000-07:00

We went to St. George for the fourth. We had a BBQ and pool party with all of Roberts cousins. It was a lot of fun and the kids all had a blast. We then went to see the fireworks across the street from the temple. Jonah was cracking us up because he told us like 100 times that it was like we were in Disneyland. I think it was the first real firework show my kids had seen. Hallie was a little scared and she wasn't feeling well and so she just clung onto us.

Hallies Belated Birthday Party Post

2009-07-11T11:59:00.000-07:00

Hallie got a few birthday parties. She celebrated with each of the grandparents because they were all here at different times. I am not going to lie she is spoiled rotten.

Yes It Is True.......

2009-07-07T16:22:00.000-07:00

I am 27 today. A little crazy! So for my birthday I am going to get a week long vacation that will start next week. We are going KID FREE to Cancun. I am so excited only 5 more sleeps as my kids would say. I can't wait! This is where we will be staying and this is how I will be lounging.

The King Of Pop Is Dead!

2009-06-25T22:09:00.000-07:00

Yeah he was pretty creepy! However I am not going lie... I did love to boogie to his music!

Happy Fathers Day!

2009-06-21T19:10:00.000-07:00

Walk a Little slower, Daddy." said a little child so small.
I'm following in your footsteps and I don't want to fall.

Sometimes your steps are very fast, sometimes they're hard to see;
So walk a little slower Daddy, for you are leading me.

Someday when I'm all grown up, You're what I want to be.
Then I will have a little child who'll want to follow me.

And I would want to lead just right, and know that I was true;
So, walk a little slower, Daddy, for I must follow you!!

~author unknown

Our family is very blessed to have such great fathers in it. I want them to know how much we love and appreciate all they do. I am also grateful for Rob for the great husband and father he is to my children. Happy Father's day to all of the fathers.

Happy Birthday Sassy Hallie Kate!

2009-06-10T14:03:00.001-07:00

Hallie Kate is 2 today! She is such a blessing to our family. She amazes me how girly she is having two brothers. She has turned into a little chatter box lately. Her first word besides mom and dad was shoes proceeded by sassy. The sassy thing has just stuck as one of her many nicknames. We asked her if she wanted a baby for her birthday and she said,"No, I need a purse".
Things That Are Totally Hallie At 2 :
*Anything pink in the house she thinks is hers
*Loves Dora, Barbie and Disney Princesses, and Hello Kitty
* I asked her favorite food and she said cake. She is not the best eater so I would say mac and cheese and spaghetti were what she eats best and she does love her some fruit.
*She loves to sing with her brother Joey (that is her name for Jonah).
* Daddy's nickname for Hallie is Keeters and I call her a little bit of everything (nice name's though come on). The boys call her Sassy or Cakers.
*She has a well known smile that everyone one who knows Hallie knows her princess smile. (don't worry I will post it later).
*She loves to dance.
*She loves to be tickled in fact she begs to be tickled.
* She loves her toes to be painted,(she asks for it when she gets out of the bath).
* She loves her brothers so much!
* She hates to see people leave especially mommy and daddy.
* At night she loves to talk to us with her nose plugged.
*Loves Coke (she only gets little tastes). She always says, "Mommy I tirsty I need a coke".
*When you give her milk and it is white she will bring you back to the fridge and insist that it have chocy in it.
*She loves her dog she calls Buno (Bruno).
* She loves to play with her friends. Her best pal is lella (Ella)
There are so many cute things about miss Hallie. This is only to name a few. We love her so much! Happy Birthday!

Jonah's Visit To Page

2009-06-09T10:01:00.000-07:00

Jonah stayed in Page after we left on Memorial Day. He stayed with his Nana and Tots for a week all by himself. They said he did really well and he had tons of fun. He was of course spoiled rotten. He went fishing, bowling, he got to go to work with tots and drive a loader and much more. He said his favorite thing was going bowling. We would talk to him on the phone every night. He always asked to talk to Mackay. Mackay would get on the phone and Jonah would tell him about everything he was doing and Mackay would say, " No fair you get everything". Jonah replied by saying, "What Mackay are you jealous?". It was kind of funny. When my dad told Jonah that Friday that he would be going home on Saturday Jonah took my dad to the drawer he had been using for his clothes and said, "look Tots I don't have to leave I still have more clean shirts." Needless to say he was not that excited to come home because he was having a lot of fun. We sure did miss the little booger though and it is good to have him home.

Jer Bomb's All Graduated

2009-05-31T19:13:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it my little bro is all graduated? I am almost 9 years older than him and so it makes me feel old (now I know how my parents feel j/k). He played baseball for Dixie High School in St. George. He was a pitcher and played first base. They got to play in the state championships this year and so he did not get to walk with his class and they did not know when his ceremony would be. So we unfortunately did not make it to the graduation ceremony but we did still get to be at the lunch my mom had for him. He is a good kid and he will go far. We are so proud of him! He is such an example to us and our kids. We do not call him Peter "Priesthood" for nothing. He should be proud of that name.

Memorial Day Camp Out!

2009-05-28T18:33:00.000-07:00

We went to Page for Memorial Day weekend. We got a tone of rain. It was the most rain Page has seen at one time in a long time. It washed away roads and flooded peoples houses a little it was crazy. We still went out to the lake though. It did not rain as much out there thank goodness. The boys camped out with Tata at the lake and had a blast. Hallie and I came into town for the nights with Nana and Mike, Sophie and Ava. The boys did some four wheeling and some fishing. Jonah caught a carp (garbage eating fish) that weighed about 3lbs. They of course threw that one back, but he had a blast catching it. Robert and Mackay built a sand castle or rainbow bridge castle that was pretty cool. Hallie had fun feeding the ducks and swimming with her totie. She really became attached to him this trip. She wanted to go everywhere with him. Also this trip was the first time we met Ava (my stepsister Sophia and Mikes baby). She is so cute! We went home on Monday and Tata and Nana followed us to St. George to see Tricia and Hunter who were there for Jeremy's graduation. Grammie and Papa had a lunch in to celebrate Jer Bomb graduating. After that we headed home and little Jonsey got to go back to Page with Nana and Tots to stay the week. We miss that little stinker!

Happy Mutrz Day!

2009-05-10T21:29:00.001-07:00

The Saturday before Mothers day I was banned from the garage. Mackay said that he was hard at work on a special surprise for me. He had made 2 gifts for me. He just had to give me one before Mothers day. The card was so cute he put on it, "Happy Mutrz day frum Mackay". I opened it and was like oh thank you and I had to do one of those polite, "well what is it buddy?". He was like, " I know you hate bugs and so I made you a fly swatter". It was made of popsicle sticks. Then I got to looking at it and yeah it really looked like one. This left totally curious to see what was in the next one. Mother's day morning I get up and they all great me with gifts in the kitchen. I open Mackay's gift and again I had to do the, 'This is great what is it?" This time he said it was a fan that I could take to his baseball games so that I did not get hot. What a thoughtful little tike! So cute and he made things that he knew his mommy needed it just shows how well he knows me. Jonah on the other hand made me something that he loves and that was a sword again out of popsicle sticks. Robert took them out to pick something out for me as well. He went to the tanning salon because I am always saying how white I am. The boy's did not like that idea so much. When Robert drove up to the salon Mackay says, " Dad what I want to get her is not her we need to go to Wal-Mart. So they go to Wal-Mart. Mackay insists on a Nintendo DS game and he picked out Cooking Mamma. So funny. I love my family so much and I would never change the chance to be a mother to my three wonderful children. I am also so grateful for my mother and all she does for me. I am also thankful for the wonderful wife and step mom that my dad found for us. I can't forget my mother-in-law I am thankful for her and the charming son she raised to be the best husband I could ask for. I could go on forever. But I guess I just want to say Happy Mother's day to all the mothers out there!

Truly The Best Of Buds

2009-05-06T10:10:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I took these pictures. We sent them to bed and when I came in this is how I found them. As normal siblings they fight their battles but when it come down to it they are best buddies. They are getting so big and I can remember when Jonesy was Hallie's age and Bubba could not wait for him to be old enough to talk to him and play with him. Now they have asked for their own rooms and so when we put our carpet in we painted the rooms and moved the office into my bedroom. It is actually nice and now they do not fight over whose mess is whose.

Kindergarten Field Day!

2009-05-03T20:05:00.000-07:00

May 1st was Mackay's Kindergarten field day. He was so excited he had been asking for days when it was going to finally be here. Jonah was excited as well because Jonah, Hallie and I got to go to school with Mackay. It was so much fun for the kids. They let Jonah participate so he felt so big. They did a relay race with a plunger, they had a spray bottle fight, they did the limbo, hula hooped and threw a ball. Then they got popsicles and had a picnic. It was a beautiful day for the festivities.

My Belated Easter Post

2009-04-29T18:10:00.001-07:00

Look out Fatali ! ( One of Robert's cool pics in Zion)

We had a great time over Easter break. We too went to Utah. Mackay had been there for a week with his Grammie and Papa and so we went to pick him up. We went hiking in Zion. We took the kids to the lower Emerald Pools. They enjoyed exploring and getting there hands wet in the waterfalls. After our hiking trip everyone was hungry and so Grammie treated us to pizza at Pirate Island. Then on Saturday we had some cousins from Cedar come down for an Easter egg hunt. It was fun because this year is the first year that Hallie finally got into the hunt. She got more candy then her brothers (of course she had a little help). After the hunt we had a BBQ and the kids spent the rest of the day swimming. It was a great little get away with the family.

Good Times With Family Home Evening

2009-04-25T21:16:00.000-07:00

Last month in the Relief Society Newsletter they posted a recipe for chocolate cake in a mug. I decided since my family's blood type is Hershey we would test drive the recipe. I took a risk and let each of the kids make their own. Yes they were a little messy but they had fun and that is what counts. It was really cool. You bake them in the microwave. When you put it in they just start growing up over the cup. The amazing thing is they don't explode and they do not spill over the cup. They taste like a chocolate chip muffin. They were pretty tasty. You should try it your kids will love it. If you did not get the recipe her it is:

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE

4 Tbs flour
4 Tbs sugar
2 Tbs cocoa
1 egg
3 Tbs milk
3 Tbs oil
3 Tbs chocolate chips
a splash of vanilla
1 large coffee mug

*****Add dry ingredients to the mug and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the chocolate chips and the vanilla and mix again.
*****Put your mug in the microwave and cook 3 minutes at 1000 watts (high). The cake will rise over the top of the mug but don't be alarmed. Allow it to cool a little bit and then tip out onto a paper plate if desired. And enjoy!

Wranglers Hockey Game

2009-03-18T15:23:00.000-07:00

Last Friday night Robert's coworker and friend Jordan gave our family hockey tickets. We took all of our kids and then Mackay invited Stephen and Harrison. None of us had ever been to a hockey game. It was so much fun. They were all dancing and yelling for the team. We will definitely do this again sometime. Jonah would yell anything he heard and it would be when things were more quit. He would yell, "fight! fight!" or he would say "don't swing your purse, swing your stick". It was really funny. Hallie was jammin' the whole time. When I would catch her she would stop and smile at me. It was a lot of fun. Thank you Jordan!

Visit With Nana And Tots

2009-03-16T15:01:00.001-07:00

My dad and step mom Stephanie came to visit us and watch the boys play ball a couple of weekends ago. The kids love it when they come to town. They always cook some good food and spoil the them. We went to the Dam while they were here. I had not been there in awhile. The bridge they are building is really cool. It is so high. It is pretty scary to see the workers dangling from it. Thanks again Nana and Tots for a fun filled weekend.

Play Ball!

2009-03-16T14:44:00.001-07:00

This is opening ceremonies First Game
Yep it is that time again. I am excited because this means summer is just around the corner. The boys have been excited about t-ball this year. Jonah Bear is so happy to be on the team with his big brother. This year Robert is helping coach so that makes it even more special for the boys.

Disneyland Fun!

2009-02-13T14:10:00.000-08:00

The California Screamin' Roller Coaster

The Disney Fire Station of course
Club 33 Gettin' the High School Musical groove on Baby Minnie keeping out of the rain.

We took the kids to Disneyland for the first time last weekend. It was so much fun although it was raining the whole time. All the rides were open and the longest we waited was 10 minutes and that was because the ride was broken and they were fixing it. Thanks to Robert's coworker we got to have the "Club 33" treatment. We got in at no charge and then we went to eat our meals at club 33. It is a semi secret club that Disney has. You cannot get in unless you have connections or you are a member. There are only about 450 members in the world and there is over a ten year waiting list. They have a website on it. It was really nice and fancy. Mackay got his crab legs and chateaubriand. They enjoyed all the rides and Mackay even got on the roller coaster at California Adventure, California Screamin'. I was shocked. I wouldn't ride it. Rob even said it was a little scary for him. Jonah's favorite ride was the Buzz Lightyear ride. Mackay says his was Splash Mountain. Hallie I would say her's was the Small World, her brothers got off of it and said it was the lamest ride ever. We stayed with the Walden's (Robert's Aunt and Uncle). It was great and thanks again Walden's for your great hospitality! Now that we have taken the kids on vacation we are hoping to plan one of our own in the near future:)

IT IS FINALLY OUT!

2009-02-10T17:27:00.001-08:00

Bye! Bye! Snaggle tooth! He did this by total accident. He was going to sit on the couch and he tripped and somehow he punched himself in the mouth, and ended up knocking the tooth out. Whatever it took, I am so glad it is out.

Where does time go? 6 years!

2009-02-08T17:49:00.000-08:00

Birthday at Disneyland inside "Club 33".
Aunt Pam also was so nice to make him a special birthday cake.

Mackay's 6th Birthday interview.

What are some things you like to do? "Go to Disneyland and ride Splash Mountain, ride my bike and play with my brother and sister on the trampoline."
What sports do you like? "T-ball, soccer and swimming."
What things do you like to do around the house? "Play firefighters with Hallie and Jonah and play the WII and clean the toilets." (strange I know)
What are some of your favorite foods? "Steak, crab, clams and spaghetti." (yeah he is my expensive eater)
What do you like to wear? "Pokemon shirt and jeans."
What’s your favorite color? " Blue and red."
Where are some of your favorite places to go? "The park, Disneyland and Red Lobster."
What things make you happy? "When my mom hugs and kisses me."
What makes you sad? " When he falls off his bike."
What do you do when you are sad? "I come hug my mom or dad."
What do you do when you are mad? "I go tell on who makes me that way."
Who are your best friends?" Steven and Scott and Rileigh and Brynleigh."
What are your favorite movies or TV shows? " Towering Inferno, Spongebob and Phineas and Ferb."
What are your favorite books? " The Grufallo, Fire Engines Up Close."

Secondhand Serenade!

2009-01-28T17:56:00.000-08:00

That is right he was singing to me and you all are hearing it secondhand.

What The Snaggle Tooth ?

2009-01-26T10:52:00.000-08:00

This is tooth number one. Tooth Number 2 This is tooth number 3 Tooth number 4 and 5 Yes that is the future tooth number 6 hanging there.

Mackay has tooth 6 hanging there. He looks like a human jack-o-latern. Everyone has asked him to pull it out. He is just tormenting us with it. It has been sticking straight out like Billy Bob. Hopefully it falls soon.

8 years and counting!

2009-01-06T07:44:00.000-08:00

Eight years how it flew by. So much has happened in eight short years (Mackay, Jonah and Hallie, college, etc). I am so thankful to be blessed with such a wonderful husband and family. So the eight year gift is said to be something bronze or something you choose together to decorate your house with. I am sure Rob will be on the hunt for a TV with a speck of bronze on it. It's alright though he is well deserving of it.

Cousin Fun!

2009-01-04T16:38:00.000-08:00

This is about as good as it gets when trying to take a picture of all of the Harris family cousins

Chloe is not sure what to think of crazy Mackay

Robert's sister Jaime visited for 3 weeks at Thanksgiving time. So yes, once again I am behind and catching things up a bit. She lives in England and so it is a long trip and especially with 3 little ones and one on the way. It is so great our kids are all the same age, they each have a built in playmate when they come to the States (Her next one may be a little lonely though, but we will see). We really enjoyed their visit. We took the kids to the parks, on a tour of the Anderson Dairy and celebrated Sophia's 6th birthday. Our kids are so funny with the different accents that they all have. Mackay and Sophia like to switch parts, Mackay says he will be the Englishman and Sophia says she will be the American. It is so funny to listen to them try to imitate each other. We do not get to see these cousins very often however, this year we were lucky and got to see them twice in one year. We hope to go to England and visit them some day soon.

Hallie and James. They enjoyed the company of one another as long as one did not get in the others way.

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-26T12:32:00.001-08:00

Hallie was hatin' Santa

Mackay and Jonah tearing into it.

Hallie is going through a stage where she doesn't like her clothes very much. But she loves her babies.

This year we had a crazy Christmas season. Our family has been fighting the flu for the past 2 months. Robert and I had traveled to Phoenix on Christmas Eve and left the boys with there grandparents. We left at 4:30 a.m. and got home around 8:00 p.m. We got home and got the kids to bed and around 10:00 p. m Mackay started throwing up. It was horrible this was his third time getting the stomach flu in the last 2 months. While I was cleaning up the bed, Robert took off the mattress so that I could clean under it. I ended up losing my balance and falling through the wooden support beams. I am pretty bruised up. We were up until about 3:00 a.m. with Mackay. We had an extra long day. Luckily Christmas he was feeling a lot better and he was able to enjoy as did the other 2.
We ended up having a wonderful Christmas day. The kids really enjoyed themselves. We went over to Robert's parents house for Christmas dinner. We sang happy birthday to Robert's dad (his birthday is on Christmas Eve) and to Jesus of course. We hope everyone had a very merry Christmas1

Well The Weather Outside Is Frightful....

2008-12-18T10:33:00.001-08:00

Our street

The other half of our street

The boys working on a snowman in front of the house

The finished product

Yes for those of my friends and family that are not in Vegas/Henderson, this is it. 10 inches of snow fell between yesterday and last night. It was chaos on the streets and I got stuck in it. I had a doctors appointment at 1:30 yesterday and had to take the kids to my in-laws so they could watch them. It was snowing when I took them there and I figured it would clear up or stop by the time I was done with my appointment. Boy, was I wrong. I got done with my appointment and headed up to Anthem to pick up the kids. Their street is on a hill and I was driving our car. Well I did not make it far up the street before the car started going sideways and then eventually got stuck. So I turned on my hazards and tried everything I knew to do. I ran out of ideas and called my father in-law to come to my rescue. He came down and his truck started revving on it's own and ran him into a light pole (luckily everyone is alright except the bumper on the truck). He brought some door mats down and we put them under my back tires and a couple feet at a time we made it up to their house. Then about an hour later my sister in-law called and she too was stuck even further out than I was. She had about 15 cars behind her and everyone just looked at her and no one was even trying to help her. She was out in high heels and trying to push her car ( I swear people can be so rude). So again Jimbo was out on snow patrol to the rescue. He ended up putting the door mats between the bumpers and pushing Beth up to the house. Brett went to Robert's rescue and got him to my in-laws safely. So my family ended up just camping out at the in-laws last night. We were truly snowed in. Thanks Jimbo and Teri and Brett for all of your help. Other than that the kids had a blast in the snow, building snowmen and making snow angels.

This is how it all started

Yes this is my car STUCK

Mackay and his first snowman

Bubba and his cousin Fenix

The bumper that kissed a pole

Look who is cruisin' on two wheels!

2008-12-04T10:33:00.000-08:00

Over Thanksgiving weekend Mackay learned to ride with no training wheels! We were at my mom's house in Utah and Robert got down my little brothers old bike and Mackay took off. Robert took off running down the street after him worried that he would fall. Just the way Robert wanted to work off the Thanksgiving meal.

Belated Thanksgiving Post

2008-12-04T10:15:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving this year. We stayed in St. George with most of my family and had Thanksgiving festivities with Roberts family. We had Thanksgiving dinner in Zion at the beautiful Majestic lodge. It was great! Afterwards we went to Robert's grandparents club house and played games and caught up with the family.

Soccer

2008-12-04T09:47:00.000-08:00

This was the boys first year playing soccer and for the most part both of them loved it. Jonah played on Team Revolution and Mackay was on the Purple Tigers. They did really well and both of them made lots of goals for their team. This was also the first time they were both playing a sport at the same time. It made for a very busy season. But there will be many more of those I am sure.

Scentsy Open House

2008-11-29T10:56:00.000-08:00

I am having a Scentsy open house. It will be held at my house on Monday, December 1st. It will be from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Kido's are welcome. They are way cute and they make your home smell terrific. They also make great gifts. So come by and check them out. Everyone is invited. Hope to see you there.

The Magical Forest

2008-11-23T15:56:00.000-08:00

Last Monday for family home evening we went to opportunity village. It was so much fun. It got us all into the holiday spirit. The kids decorated gingerbread cookies and rode the train and the carousel. They all got a little goody bag with some fun toys in them. Then we walked through their magical forest of lights. It was a great family night.

Trick or Treat!

2008-11-03T16:52:00.000-08:00

Well the morning of Halloween of course we celebrated Jonah's birthday and as if they were not already hopped up on sugar we had to go do the trick or treating thing. They love to dress up so it is always extra fun for them. Jonah was of course Anakin Skywalker and Mackay was a fire fighter and Hallie was my cute little fairy.

Happy Birthday Jedi Jonah!!!

2008-10-31T21:34:00.000-07:00

A long time ago in galaxy far far away on October 31, 2004 a baby boy was born. The council named him Jedi Jonah also known as the chosen one. With the fate of the galaxy in his hands he looked to his friends and family to come to his Jedi training camp that he held on his galaxy to celebrate his birthday. That is right Jonah turned 4 years old this Halloween day. He had a stars wars party with his padawon friends. They all came for a Jedi training camp and by the end they all became Jedi's.

I can't believe my little Jonah bear is 4 years old. He has brought so much joy to our family with his soft heart and sweet spirit. Happy Birthday Jonsey!! We all love you!

Happy Birthday Rob!

2008-10-22T21:38:00.001-07:00

Today was Roberts Birthday. We had family over for pizza and ice cream cake. It was more Harris havoc but fun Harris havoc. Our family is so blessed to have such a great guy. He is the best father and husband. We wouldn't trade him for the world.

New stars of HSM 3

2008-10-21T14:01:00.001-07:00

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

Ryan and Hallie's debut

2008-10-21T13:53:00.001-07:00

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

New and improved HSM 3

2008-10-21T13:48:00.000-07:00

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

Dinner Chaos

2008-10-20T08:53:00.000-07:00

So this is a late post and again I am catching up. A couple of weeks ago I was cutting Becky's hair and my kids were eating dinner and the dinner table was total chaos. Hallie loves to climb into the middle of the table. She also thinks that my basket for my napkins is a hat. The boys just sit and egg her on. Then they get mad at her because once she is on top of the table she proceeds to still a bite off of each persons plate. I try to strap her in but she is like Houdini she manages to get out every time. I do not know what it is about the table, every time Jonah sits down to eat something he says, "I need to go potty". Then he comes back to the table in just his underoos. Hallie we just have to strip down because she makes such a mess and she will not keep a bib on. Anyways Becky looked at me and said where is your camera that she saw a blog post coming on. Well here it is better late than never.

This one is for Katie

2008-09-28T19:14:00.000-07:00

That is right my dear friend Katie has tagged me. So here it goes. The song I picked was just to remind us of our fun trip to the cabin :)

8 Shows I Like to Watch:

Bones
House
Prison Break
Law and order SVU
The Office
Desperate Housewives
Rob and Big
So you think you can dance

8 Places I Like to Eat:

Cafe Rio
Jason's Deli
Lucille's
Outback
In and Out
Red Robin
El Pollo Loco
Pizza Factory

8 Things That Happened Yesterday:

I got my family Pics back
I went to look at some couches I found on craig's list
I ate at In and Out
I made hair bows for my neighbor
I went frame shopping
I went to the mall
Watched cops and Americas most wanted with Rob
I was up all night with Hallie, she was not feeling so great

8 Things That I am Looking Forward To:

My whole family feeling well again
A vacation with just Rob and I
A family vacation
My sister-in-law Jaime coming to visit
Christmas
Tax returns next year :)
Halloween (Jonsey's birthday)
Going to Disneyland with my fam in Dec

8 Things on my wish list

a maid
a vacation with Rob
Rob to have a job that he loved
My house be done ( finishing base boards painting etc.)
New carpet ( my carpet sucks it is the contractors grade and it stains)
a want a boat
Not to have to worry about money (dang economy and gas prices:)
some one to do my clothes shopping for me (I swear I have no style. I am just a plain jane)

8 People That I am Tagging

Pam
Tricia
Sophia
Jaime
Mindy
Ang
Steph
Summer

Lake Mead Fun

2008-09-17T10:38:00.000-07:00

The Boys ready for some fun
The boys having a blast
Rob surfingme

Hallie tuckered out

Last weekend we went to the lake with the Gifford family on their new boat. We had an absolute blast. The kids rode the tube and loved it. Mackay our dare devil kept yelling faster! faster! Robert and I tried scurfing (surfing behind the boat). Hallie enjoyed playing in the water. her life jacket was so big she would tip over as she walked around in the water. The jacket did it's job though it would lay her straight on her back. All and all it made for a great weekend of fun.

Camp Out!

2008-09-03T10:05:00.000-07:00

Making home made ice cream
Dirty girl
Dirty Joe
Rob and Jonah
Mackay

Last weekend for Labor day we took the kids camping with grammie and papa. We went up on Cedar Mountain. We all had so much fun. We went 4 wheeling, hiking in caves and did a lot of good eating of course. Mackay loves to ride his dirt bike and he mastered the art of kick starting it while we were camping. He was giving everyone in the camp rides. He especially loved giving my brothers girl friend Kaylee rides ( I think he was trying to steal her from you Jeremy). Jonah and Hallie my mess monsters got down and dirty playing in the mud. Everything went smoothly until it was time to load up. Then my mom had to go and brake her finger. We were half way down the mountain and we got a call to come and get my mom because she needed to go to the hospital. She got her finger caught in the trailer hitch when they were trying to get it on the truck. She had to get a few stitches and now we just have to wait for the break to heal.

Mackay's First Day Of Kindergarten

2008-08-25T21:14:00.000-07:00

My handsome Kindergartner
Mackay and Mrs. Helseth

Oh my gosh I have a kid in school! It is amazing how fast they grow up. Last night Mackay was very anxious to go to school. He laid out a new pair of clothes and his new shoes. This morning he woke up a little nervous about school. He gave himself a little bit of an upset stomach. We got to school and he was a little unsure. We went into his classroom and the teacher had a little paper out for them to start working on. I showed Mackay where to write his name and as he did I could see his little hand just shaking. Then Rob pointed out that his little upper lip was sweating. He warned me this morning that he did not want to see a "cry show" and so I had to hold back the tears in front of him. Once we got to the car I began to cry. I did not think it would be this hard to let him go to school. However it is only half day and when it came time to pick him up it was like, already. He said that he had a lot of fun and made new friends. He said that he got to help the teacher pick up papers today and he enjoyed that. He is so excited to go back tomorrow. Rob stayed home from work today so we took Mackay to lunch after school. Jonah and Hallie missed Bubba man, so they are going to have to adjust as well.

Brotherly Love
Hallie cleaning her mess at Fazzoli's

SOOO EMBARRASSING!!!!!

2008-08-22T17:33:00.000-07:00

So today I took Mackay to meet his teacher. There were so many people there we had to fark (in Katie and Mandi language this means to park far away from your destination) like a block away in the dirt and on a slope. Anyways I took him in and we found his desk and said hello to his teacher. So anyways I was feeling a little weepy at the thought that my baby is starting kindergarten already. I was good though I was able to hold back the tears, come Monday I may not be able to. We go back out to the van and I try to pull out and it wouldn't move. I was putting the pedal to the metal and it was just spinning out dirt. Then I tried to reverse same thing. I panic and called Rob. He asked me if the dirt was to the axle. I got down on my knees to look and it wasn't. He said " I do not understand how you were stuck?" Well I did not either. Kayleen was parked right next to me and I saw her coming back towards her car. I yelled "Kayleen I am stuck!" A man and his wife heard me yell this and so they came over. The man said, "I will push you while you reverse and then you can go forward." So I again put the pedal to the metal in reverse while this man is pushing my van. Again it will not budge. Then his wife says, "Maybe you should release your emergency brake." "What a brilliant idea", I said. I was so embarrassed! So I guess I was not really stuck. I wanted to cry again for the second time today. This day has been an emotional roller coaster.

Bubba's South Carolina Adventure

2008-08-19T07:51:00.000-07:00

And they were off!

Auntie Doda and Hunter Oops

Mackay and Layla were best buds when it came to catching frogs.

This is Mackay and his Uncle Jay playing in the ocean.

They went to Ripley's Aquarium and had a blast.

Fun at the baseball game.

He will try anything

Shopping with Nana

We missed him so much!

I've Been Tagged!

2008-08-14T18:14:00.000-07:00

Robert's Aunt Pam has tagged me. So I guess you will all suffer because I am it for the moment.

Joys (my top 3)

1. My Family. I have been very blessed. I have awesome husband and 3 wonderful children. I also have loving parents and a wonderful extended family.

2. My husbands days off. Whether it be just staying at home or a vacation. Things are just always easier and less stressful and all around funner when he is around.

3. Being able to stay home with my kids. It is a lot of work and can be very stressful however I feel very blessed to be a stay at home mom.

Fears

1. Dieing before my kids are all grown and raised (I saw I share this one with Jaime, it truly bothers me to think about that happening)

2. Driving. I feel as if everyone is coming at me. I especially fear driving anywhere near semi trucks.

3. My kids being harmed in any way, shape or form.

Current Obsessions/Collections

1. My Tile Floors. I am obsessed with cleaning them. I hate anything to get on them. I hate sticky floors.

2. I am obsessed with Coca Cola. I guess it is more of an addiction. I have tried to stop drinking it, but I just can't seem to kick it.

3. I collect Kim Anderson Figurines (Rob started me in high school)

Surprising Facts

1. I AM HALF MEXICAN (no one ever believes me because I am so pasty white but my daddy is full Mexican and people tell me he does not look it either. I tell everyone that my sister Tricia got the nice dark skin, thanks a lot Tricia for taking it all.)

2. Growing up I had some strange desire to be a astronaut.

3. I was born in Ajo Arizona (a very small mining town)

I Am Tagging

1. Katie Z.

2. Tricia H.

3. Mindy T.

4. Stephanie S.

5. Sophie M.

We Miss Our Bubba Mac!

2008-08-08T20:21:00.000-07:00

Jonah Bear missing his brother
Ryan and Jonah playing on the bouncy slide
Moema and Hallie Kate
Popsie and Jonah Fenix

Mackay went to South Carolina with his Nana and Tata last Saturday and will be returning tomorrow afternoon. We have all missed our little man. Jonah especially. He has been asking, "when is my bubbie coming home." The other night when I was on the phone with Mackay, Jonah had said that he wanted to talk to him. The phone cut out before he was able to talk to him and he started crying because he wanted to talk to his brother. Luckily we were able to get him back on the phone so that Jonah could talk to him. Jonah did have a fun week though and Hallie as well. We hung out with Katie, Ryan and Ella Bean. We had a lot of fun we went to Pump It Up, where Katie and I pulled some muscles (what are we 90). Katie and I decided to get in the bounce house that had the jousting. We could not even stand up on the platform. We were laughing so hard we could hardly catch our breath. We also went to the park by Katie's house and let the kids play in the water. Yesterday the kids and I were treated to Red Robin by Moema and Popsie. The kids really enjoyed that and seeing their grandparents and their cousin Fenix. We had a lot of fun but it is not the same without Mackay. We are anxious to see him tomorrow.

Hallie's First Airplane Ride

2008-08-05T21:12:00.000-07:00

Going out to South Carolina was Hallie's first time on a plane. She did very well going out there. The way home, well it was another story. She wanted to get of my lap and walk around and so she was not too happy. It seems that every plane ride we get sat next to some random person. For instance on the way there this time we sat across from a lady with 2 cats shoved in a duffel bag that were meowing the whole way (annoying). Luckily on the way home we were next to a 7 year old boy. I was so embarrassed because I am sure we were classified as the annoying ones because Hallie was screaming. Plane rides are always exciting. Jonah and Mackay's first flights were to Salt Lake City and again we were probably the annoying ones. I was flying by myself with the boys on this little plan and we were seated at the front of the plane. Mackay stood on the seat and turned to the back of the plane and yelled out, " Are you all ready to blast off?" Then at the end of the flight the lady across from us started to look ill and asked for a barf bag just to be sure. Well just as she asked for the barf bag I could smell this horrible stench and I thought to myself Jonah had a dirty diaper and if this lady smells it, it will probably make her puke. So I start checking pants and Mackay yells out," Mom, chill out I just tooted." Needless to say I was so embarrassed but everyone was laughing. Anyways my point is Airplane rides are always an adventure.

Fire House Tour

2008-07-30T15:21:00.000-07:00

Anyone who knows Mackay knows of his obsession with being a fireman when he grows up. Thanks to Summer we were able to tour the Henderson Firehouse this week. Mackay was in heaven. Jonah enjoyed it as well. They got to try on their stinky, sweaty fire coats. It was kind of gross but cute. They showed them all the tools in the truck and let them sit in it. They got to see where the firemen hang out, eat and sleep. It was a lot of fun for the kids. They must of enjoyed it a lot because Mackay still wants to be a fireman and Jonah says he wants to be a super hero too but something more along the lines of Spiderman or Batman.

Hunter Riley Has Arrived

2008-07-30T15:10:00.000-07:00

Their first family photo

Hallie awaiting the arrival of her cousin
She is so proud of her new cousin

That is right I am an auntie again. Hallie and I were able to go last week to South Carolina (thanks grammie and papa!) to await the arrival of my sister Tricia's first baby. We got their on Saturday and left on Friday. When we got their she was only dialated to a one and was not having much pain. I was worried that he would not come before I had to leave. Monday which was her due date we went bowling and an our later her water broke. We went to the hospital around 5 pm and he arrived at 8:14 am, July 22nd. It was a long night in the hospital. It was so awesome to be there. He weighed 6lbs 9oz and was 19 inches long. He looks exactly like his daddy. Hallie loved him she thought she was the mommy and wanted to hold him non stop. It was so cute. Mackay is now very excited he gets to go with his Nana and Tata to South Carolina to see the baby on Saturday and he will be spending the week there. As for the rest of us we will now be home for awhile. Hopefully, I will be able to keep up more on this blogging thing.

4th of July

2008-07-30T15:03:00.000-07:00

Joe Joe and Bubba with their Papa lighting fireworks

My boys went with their Grammie and Papa to St George for fourth of July weekend. They had an absolute blast. They went out four wheeling, they went swimming and the highlight of the trip was they went to see the play High School Musical. They could not stop talking about the play and how they went and gave all of the characters high fives. Rob, Hallie and I stayed home and kicked back. We went to dinner for my birthday ( yeah I am now a big 26 ). I thought it would be quiet without the boys, but no Hallie is truly one of them.

EEEEK !! I HAVE GOTTEN SO BEHIND !!

2008-07-30T14:57:00.000-07:00

So we have just been go, go, go. I have got some much stuff to blog. So please excuse my belated blogs.

My Little Fish

2008-07-07T11:16:00.000-07:00

Well we started out the summer with swim lessons of course. This was Jonah's first lesson without mommy being in the water with him. He had a blast. He had his friends Max and Hunter in his class with him. Mackay got to move on to level 3. It was great their were 3 kids in his class and so he got a lot of one on one attention. He is swimming very well. My kids love the water and have no fear. Of course this is why swimming lessons are very important at my house. They got to go spend the weekend at their Grammie and Papa's in St. George this weekend to practice their mad swimming skills. They went for 4 days. Rob and I thought we were getting a break but little Hallie is a little pistol these days. It was a lot quieter without the boys. We did miss the noise though. Jonah waiting on the stairs with Hunter and Max
This is my Bubba Mac showing off his free style moves

Welcome To The Family Mike!

2008-06-30T16:30:00.001-07:00

Sophia and Mike McCurley The Wedding Party

On Saturday we went to Pheonix for my step sister Sophia's wedding. It was beautiful. I like to go to weddings and enjoy them when I do not have to be part of the stress. It was great to finally meet Mike. He is a good guy. Way to go Soph. It was also great to see a lot of family I have not seen in a long time. My kids had a blast. Mackay drank like 40 shirley temples, so I guess that was his favorite part. Jonah Bear tore it up on the dance floor. He wanted to boogy as soon as the music went on. He did not understand why only uncle Mike and aunt Sophia got their own song. I had to hold him back. Oh buddy though when it was his turn he was out there. Little Hallie enjoyed playing with her cousin Jenna. They did the not so girl thing by digging in the dirt. We were so glad that we were able to go and share their special day with them.
Jonah and I doing the twist
Jenna and Hallie playing in the dirt
Mackay and his Great Nana

Mom's weekend off!

2008-06-25T12:56:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I went with my best bud Katie Zobrist to her in-laws cabin to have a girls weekend. We stayed up late and did some scrapbooking and got to girl talk for awhile. It was so much fun! This was my first time leaving Hallie overnight. Hallie and the boys stayed home with dad. Rob said they did well but Hallie had a rough night. Rob was very brave and took all 3 kids to the car dealership to trade in the truck for a car (gas prices are killing us). They all survived and maybe they gave him the good deal on the car to get the wild kids out of there, who knows? When I came home I walked through the door and the boys came running and Hallie just stood there and stared at me. I think she was a little mad at me. She got over it quick when I went and picked her up.

10 Year Class Reunion

2008-06-19T16:34:00.000-07:00

10 years doesn't that sound like a long time. Maybe somethings just never change. Going to Roberts 10 year reunion just felt like the good old days. Everyone was pretty much the same. It was a lot of fun though to see everyone and to hear what everyone was doing with their lives. Robert graduated with about 250 in his class and the picture above is how many showed up. I guess it was alright turn out considering the fact we are not sure how many people knew about it.

Rob and his good childhood friend Ethan
Rob, Kenny and Brett. Some of Robs friends from school.
Me and Lashell, my good friend Stephanie's sister

Day At Lake Powell

2008-06-19T16:10:00.000-07:00

What we miss most about Page is all of the outdoor activities that there are to do. We did not get to do any hiking this time but we of course had to spend a day at the lake. This was Hallie's first time to a lake and she surprisingly loved it. She got right in there with the boys and was all muddy from head to toe. The kids built sand castles with their Nana and Tots. I took advantage of the kids being occupied and went floating on rafts with my husband.

Glen Canyon Dam Tour

2008-06-19T15:54:00.001-07:00

The boys were so fascinated with dam as we drove across it. We told them about the elevator that takes you to the bottom, and so they insisted that they go down it. So we did the tourist thing and went on a dam tour. The boys met one of the park rangers and she told them they could become junior rangers by going on the tour and filling out an activity book. They had a lot of fun doing this. At the end when they were finished they were sworn in as Junior Park Rangers. We then went out and walked across the bridge. It was funny because Mackay was shaking the fence (it was always when a big semi would pass ) and he thought he was making the whole bridge shake.

Back To Our Roots

2008-06-19T15:34:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we went to our home town of Page Arizona. We went to see family and to go to Robert's 10 year class reunion. When we got there my dad took the boys to camp at Lake Powell. They had so much fun! While they were camping, Robert and I went to my grandparents house to visit.

Happy Birthday Hallie!

2008-06-10T21:15:00.000-07:00

Wow my baby girl is a year! How time flys by. She is getting so big. She started walking a month ago and that is when it really hit me that she is growing up fast. We celebrated by having grandparents and a couple of her cousins over for dinner and cake. She of course was spoiled rotten. Today we went to the park and she shared her cake with some of her friends. She will get to celebrate again this weekend with her Nana and Tots in Page Arizona. We are going there for Robert's 10 year class year reunion and to visit family.

Hiy! Yaa!

2008-06-06T21:41:00.000-07:00

The boys have been taking Tae Kwon Do at the rec center and they have really enjoyed it. I told them that mommy was sending them to boot camp. Jonah was very excited because he went into it thinking that Master Splinter ( from the ninja turtles) would be teaching him. He just new he would come out being able to fight like the Ninja Turtles or the Power Rangers. The boys did learn moves for self defense, and they practice on each other daily. All and all the class was a lot of fun and it was the cutest thing to watch.

Jonsey's language 101

2008-06-02T18:30:00.000-07:00

Jonah has always had the cutest little lisp. The names and words he comes up with keep us smiling. Here are some of the translations of Jonah's own little language.

Action figures=My guys

Darth Vader=Darf Baiter

Yoda=Yoder

Leonardo= lelalardo

Venom=Bendum

Sandman= sand guy

Binoculars=Bed Knockers

Apple juice= Appy Stuce

Chocolate milk=chocy tilk

Hallie Kate= Hayee Cake

Mackay=Backay

Walkie Talkie= hockey, hockey, hockey

Baseball=hey batter, batter

Our van= vannie annie

Pizza= Pete's A**

Drink=Stwink

Guitar=Batar

Escalator= asselbaitor

Elevator=alligator

Magic Carpet Ride

2008-05-25T17:54:00.000-07:00

Whenever we pass the strip Mackay and Jonah have always been fascinated with the Luxor. They have been begging us to take them to the "Pyramid" for awhile. Well they talked their Moema and Pops into taking them. They went and had a blast. They came in the door dressed in helmets and shields and you could not get a word in edge wise because they were so excited to tell us about their outing. They got to go through the museum and they said they saw king mummies. Then they went and had their picture taken on the magic carpet. They also made a DVD for mom and dad of them riding the magic carpet down the strip. The DVD was hilarious. They finished off their adventure with some ice cream. That is what grandparents do, take them out, spoil them, sugar them up and send them home.

She Faught The Washer And The Washer Won

2008-05-21T08:52:00.000-07:00

So Hallie has this obsession with the dishwasher. Every time I open it she comes running and thinks that she needs to stand on the door and throw everything out of it. Anyway, yesterday I opened the dishwasher to load it and as usual here comes Hallie. There was some water on the floor and she slipped and fell hitting her eye on the corner of the dishwasher door. Of course this has to happen a week and a half before we do our family pictures.

---Take Me Out To The Ball Game---

2008-05-20T13:32:00.000-07:00

T-ball Season is over. This was Mackay's first

time playing and he enjoyed it thoroughly. He was on the Cardinals. His coaches were Matt and Scott Weaver and Ryan Gifford. His favorite position to play was first base. He did really good. He was rewarded the game ball at one of his games for playing well. They did half of the season using the T to bat off of and then the other half their coach pitched to them. He had so much fun and cannot wait to play next season. Jonah can't wait until he is old enough to play. He wanted to play so bad this year he cried to stay at a few of the practices. I told him that he could be on mommy's team. So when they anyone would ask what team he was on he would tell them that he was on mommy's team.

The Bowinaters

2008-05-17T20:01:00.000-07:00

Last night I had a girls night at my house. We rented P.S I Love You and made bows. I had Summer, Liz, Sole and little Bitsy over for the Festivities. We had so much fun learning from the expert "bowinater" miss Sole. I am so excited to doll up Hallie in all of her new bows.

The boys went out and had their father and sons camp out. They went out by Boulder City. They had a blast. They climbed all of the boulders and cooked hamburgers and had S'mores. They came home early for Mackay's last baseball game of the season.

Where's Hallie ???

2008-05-14T15:48:00.000-07:00

Hallie always bangs the pots and pans while I cook dinner. The other night while I was cooking dinner it got really quiet. Silence at my house is usually not a good thing. Hallie was no where in the kitchen. I looked everywhere upstairs and downstairs, and so I thought. I was calling her name and nothing. My heart started racing. I finally heard a little laugh in my pantry. There she was laying on the shelf in my pantry. She had pushed the step stool over and climbed on in. She is an adventure girl.