Happy 7th Birthday Sophia

Although it hardly seems possible our little beauty Sophia turned seven on Saturday.  She started 1st grade this year and is of course, the smartest girl in her class. She loves to read, play with her friends and she loves school!  We find out everytime we go to St. George that she is a little fish too!  She is a very nice big sister to Liam and Livi.  We love that cutie girl! 

What's been happening at the Halls



The last of the boys are gone. Nathan (in the middle) is in

 Buenos Aires Argentina West Mission.

Next it is Nic's turn

This sweet little face won a photo contest. 

 




These two cuties got engaged!





Alan spent 2 months in Spain





My baby graduated from High School
Maple Mountain Class of 2011




The Fam went to St. George for some fun! 

 

We had a wedding. More pics to come!



  

Soph started 1st grade! Where did that time go?

Fall is here and we are winding down the summer. It has been a summer full of fun and memories.  Life just keeps speeding by me and taking my children with it.  Now I guess I begin to think about the Holidays and getting ready to send Nic on his two year adventure.   We are all well and happy and I am reminded how blessed we are everyday.  I have four amazing children and now TWO extra son's and a extra daughter who I love dearly.  We have a great home in a wonderful neighborhood and ward.  Five beautiful grand children all smiles and full of things to tell me.  A great husband who puts up with me on a daily basis.  So many blessings:)

Nicolas and Allison

Prom Sophomore Year 2009

Prom Junior Year 2010

Prom Senior Year

It hardly seems like it has been a year already since Prom, but here we are at the end of the formal dances.  Time continues to fly by:(  Look how they have grown up.  My sweet boy and his sweetheart Allison Monroe.  Love that boy to pieces!!!!!

These two!

April 1, 2011
The future Mr. & Mrs. Bushman

What a past few years it has been with these two. Up’s and down’s and two really long years with Alan on a mission. They have dated each others friends, anyone BUT each other and each other in between all of that. We have had countless, and I mean countless hours of laughing, talking and crying. Now here they are happy, in love and ready to start their lives together. We are excited to have Alan an official part of our family although it seems like he has been for a long time. I am feeling happy and a little sad at the same time, which is guess is normal for me. Letting go is a hard thing for some moms. As each one leaves they take a part of my heart with them. I love these two so much!

A Feb to Remember!

I adore this place.  Love, love, love Disney World

Behind us is the Tree of Life 

Well as I look as my blog day in and day out, I see that no fairy has came in and  updated or posted anything for me.  My sweet girls keep up on the posting of their families and Kelsey keeps up on the rest of us.  I can't let February go by without posting about our trip to Florida.  As a mom I have come to learn that there are times in your life when you try with all you have to drink moments in.  I believe that as a young mother I never did that. I was always consumed with the day and getting through it.  But as you get older and see your children head off on their own you begin to drink in the moments.  There was the time that my Jake stood at the top of the stairs and told me how much he loved Lindsey long before they were married.  Or when I went shopping with him getting him ready for the mission and we would talk and have lunch.  Then that dreadful day when I watched him walk away at the MTC.  With Hillary it was the moments I would watch her play in her room alone without her knowing I was watching. She would sing and play with her animals so sweet.  She was my girly girl. Then the day that she came into the celestial room at the Temple and hugged her dad.  Never will I forget her sweet face. And watching her give birth to Ammie, though difficult for me a treasured moment.  With the last two kids I have had time to realize the importance of the phrase "holding on tight" cause I have had the gift of seeing their future in a way through the older two.  Kelsey has given me some sweet memories but in a different way.  She has spent alot of time on my bed or on the couch just visiting with me, telling me about her day or her life.  Lots of days I have looked at her and been so grateful for that part of her that is not afraid to open up and talk to me. It has been a gift. I am sure we will share some wonderful moments in the future as she begins her life as a wife and mother.  Nicolas I have some different things that I hold on tight to.  For example one day last spring when I was not doing so well he was in the kitchen fixing something on a Sunday. As I watched him dressed in his white shirt and tie I caught of glimpse of him as a missionary.  It made me smile.  One day recently he told me what a good mom I was and that he wouldn't want any other mom. Right to the heart!  He has made me smile everyday of his life.  There are so many things that I have tucked away in my heart which leads me to the beginning of this post of our trip.  I was so lucky to spend seven days with my two kids and make some memories.  How much I cherish that trip. It was perfect for me and  I  had the best time of my life.  At the end of each day Kevin and I would say, this has been a great day. And they were.

Looking back on 2010

Josh and Ammie.  It was about 105 degrees that day.

Linz - This person needs Saaavvving!!!!!  

Jake, Soph and Liam

My girls!

My Sweeties! Ammie, Liam, Livi, Sophia and Nya

Got to love spending time here!

My baby boy!

This year has been and interesting one for the Halls.  A few highs and a few lows.  As we stand right now we are the proud grandparents of five beautiful grandchildren, the last one Nya, being born this past July.  We are still loving our home even with the challenge of keeping it clean but it is still my most happiest place to be, then Disneyland is my close second.   No big vacations this past year, just time spent in our boat, weekend in St. George and a great trip to Powell in September.  Jake and Linz got moved into their new house the first of December and it is perfect!  Gratefully this year we have not lost any family members except Kevin's uncle Kenneth.  The year has been busy and has gone by so quickly.  We have watched alot of our "kids" come and go on missions, each one with excitement.     Nic has turned 18 this month and my heart stops beating when I think of it being my last year with my son.  Things are never the same when they come back and I  know that.  I suppose it is that part that makes it even more difficult for me. Kelsey turned 21 last month and I am still trying to figure out how that happened.  She is perfect! As always I wonder about the challenges of the new year.  I think you are never really prepared for what comes your way. Never could I have anticipated the events of this past year.  


I am truly grateful for my amazing family.  As I always say, they are my reason for breathing.  When they are here together I just look at them and wonder what I did in Heaven to deserve my children.  I can't imagine my life without them.  I appreciate my great husband. He has been my rock this year and has dealt with alot of tough days I am sure he didn't enjoy.


I am grateful for health and the strength to go out the door in the morning and head to my job.  Once taken for granted I appreciate it much more now.  Grateful for the people that are my work family. They are my sisters.  They counsel with me and help me in so many ways.  


I am grateful for the gospel and the things that it teaches us. It helps us to be better and gives us a reason to strive to be the best we can.  I know it is true and I always have.  I love the prophets both past and present and I am so grateful for prayer.  What a gift.  Blessings come to us in interesting ways, not always easy to see.  But we have to remember they do come, we just have to keep our eyes open.

Looking forward to a great year, spending time with the kids at Disney World, watching my baby graduate from high school, boating this summer and preparing for a missionary.  Certainly a year to remember:)

Happy Birthday Brownie Girl!!!

Where does time go?  My little brown eyed girl is now all grown up.  It is impossible to top last years birthday, spent in Disneyland with all her family around her.  I wish we could afford to do that every year. it was an amazing week.  I was thinking today about Kelsey and the circumstances that brought her into our family.  I had to do alot of praying and talking to myself about the whole idea of having another baby.  When I think of how amazing she is I am so sad that I even questioned the idea.  How grateful I am for decisions made, even when it seemed quite ridiculous:)  How grateful I am to have listened to the spirit and not the world.  Now here we are 21 years later and that my little brownie is all grown up.  We all love her so much and each one of us look up to her as an example in our lives. I miss her when she is away and wish I could keep her here forever.  She has so much to look forward to in her future and I am glad to have a front row seat!  Thanks for the amazing women that you are and for all the joy you continue to bring to our family.  I love you! Happy Birthday Brownie Girl!