name change

If you could change your name..or let's say you had to change your name....what would it Be?

The cutest little girlie shoes

Have you EVER placed your eyes on a pair of shoes so darling in your darn LIFE?

My SIL is so crafty and makes these baby girl shoes and more....beanies, scarfs, head bands, adult shoes, purses, blankets & rugs. The list goes on.

Want to see some of her products? Check her out!

Oh Rocky.

Shelby: Mom, his nose is strange.

Me: Well, he is  boxer and he has gotten punched in his face for a long time.

Shelby: Look mom...see it's strange it does that. (smashing her own nose down)

Me: Yeah I know....he has been punched square in the face a few time over his life.

Shelby: Well...Rocky's nose doesn't do that.

Me: Say what? HUH?

she cracks me up!

the 14th is love day!!

I love what Valentines represents.  I don't get all crazy on the day with decor and such...but I do love feeling loved and showing love. Some people don't love Valentines and some people just out and out hate the day that celebrates LOVE.
For me...it is about love and kindness and especially kissing.

This day marks an anniversary for me and my LOVe...it marks the day that we had our first kiss. well what we called a "2 second spitless WONDER." And boy was it ever!

(I was intructed by my College Institute Dance that this is how your  kisses should be when newly dating someone...tender and spitless.) It was a big joke in our class...

The night of our First Smooch!

Little Story!
We had gone to a dance that night at the college and he drove me home afterwards. He had been home from his mission for 1.5 months and we had been dating since then, and kissing had never happened. DOn't get me wrong..I think we both wanted to smooch, but it just didn't happen.......UNTIL that night.
The night of LOVE. (oooh aahhh)
While standing in my driveway face to face he asked me a very honorable and respectful question
"Can I give you a 2 second spitless wonder?" We both giggled and then my answer of course was "YES".

And history was made right then.

3.5 months later we were married, sealing our Eternities together over the alter at the Temple with a LONGER spitless (probably not really spitless) WONDER! And it was Wonderful.

this year marks our 14TH year of kissing!

(smoochy smooch!)

NOW...13.5 yrs later...we celebrate Valentines with our 5 babies. YES, it was a great kiss!

What's for dinner?

I need some assistance from anyone that reads this.

Oh, a half a year or so ago...I came across this blog that had a weekly & monthly dinner schedule/menu for you....cute little holders that your menu would go in for the week....a wonderful way to prepare your shopping list so you didn't buy what you didn't need or what you might need or what your gonna need, one day.

I know that the blog was from some ladies, I think from Utah...but can't say for sure. The whole deal was fantastic and already prepared for you...a no brainer.

I am sure that the little holders that they made were all done in their kitchen with their very own sewing machine. Very creative and such a wonderful idea.

For the life of me...I can't remember how I found the blog and am in real need of it.

if any one knows what I am talking about....please help and leave me a comment on how to find these ladies again.

thanks

to dream or just to be, that is my question.

I have been wondering over the past few days what happens to our childhood, young adult dreams? You know the ones that we have when we are asked in 5th grade "what do you want to be when you grow up?" Or the ones that we create in our mind when we see an occupation and it mesmerizes us into knowing...."that's what I want to do when I get older".

I was struck with this thought the other day when I came across a few friends on Facebook. I remember when we were younger and I remember what their passion were.

I remember one of my friends, from High School, loved to sing. It's was a love, a talent and it was gonna be a career. Oh, and my cousin....that's all she did all day, was sing. She was in every choir class in high school and college. She sang for the old folks homes and the reunions and the assemblies and the for the birds. If any one was gonna be a singer in "REAL LIFE" it was going to be her.
Okay, then there was this one guy from college that played on the college football team. He was scrawny but had muscles and not really built for football. I would say he looked more like he played soccer. I have to add that the position he played for the football team, says it all. He played KICKER. Anyhow, he was also in my college band class. He played the trumpet and was really good. When I got to know him better I found out that he had a band. They were really good. They played music that is popular now...but was strange then. I am talking about 13 yrs ago. I knew he was going to make this a career. He didnt' tell me that...but I was sure. I suppose it was my dream for him.
Then there is this guy that wanted so badly to be a firefighter. When he grew up he went to all the little firefighter camps and clinics. I don't really know what their called...but that sounds appropriate. When he got older he still had a bit of a drive to do it. When he drove past the Firehouse....there is this slight longing to be there.
Lastly there is ME...I wanted to be a Graphic Designer. I went to college clinics and these little day camps during the summer. What happened to that dream. I still want that in my life.
I suppose LIFE is what happens. We get jobs through our friends father or our family or we just find a job that pays enough to survive....then we get stuck.

All of these people that I write about have jobs and are living that "REAL LIFE" but none of them are doing what they loved. I need to say...that these were their dreams while they were young and thought anything is possible.

At what point do we lose that? At what time in our lives do we cross this line and say "alright I am ? yrs old and now I am struck with what my parents wanted me to do...or....I am stuck because my neighbor gave me a job while going to college and now I can't move on....or...I now have a family and moving jobs to fulfill my dreams would be crazy?

Where do we lose those dreams or the drive to be happy with work. Work is a must. It's the way we better ourselves and become closer to our Heavenly Father. want to know how? READ THIS!

I know there are many people out in the workforce world that love their jobs and are very grateful for them....is it there lOVE or passion? I don't know. Are they content with where they are?
So...the next questions is...if they aren't in their dream job...what is the force that makes them content with where they are in life?

I suppose we change. I guess life that surrounds us creates a new person in us and we begin to love other things. We find that as a college student singing is fun, but playing in your garage or for old peeps...don't pay the bills. Or we realize firefighting would be wonderful...but now your older...you can't stand being HOT.
Or creating graphic art would be wonderful...but your creative eye isn't really that good.

so..I suppose we just move on.

lots of random thoughts and a crazy post....but it was just on my mind.

A must Read...please!

I found this link off a friends blog and was touched by this post.
You must read it and pass it along and then try to see beyond the surface.
But, to me, more importantly...
teach our children that very thing.

IT'S SO IMPORTANT!

click here, it's worth it...I promise!

Our 1st 2011 visitors

Did I mentioned we had our first visit from the Parkinson's? What a great time. We love having them at our home...even though it's NEVER long enough.

Maybe next time you can leave all your responsibilities at home.
thanks for coming.

new years 1.5 months late

Hope your new years found you all well and healthy.
Here is what our Dec. 31st into Jan. 1st looked like.
Cheers!

Super Bowl 45

We had another great Super Bowl party at our home. It's always the same.

-Just us little Hallows.
-Home-made t-shirts. Where the the kids help design their own style.
-Luke makes the food (yum)
-We watch and cheer our teams on.
-Eat some sort of sugary dessert, this year root beer float and sundaes.

We had a split cheering section, this year.
Luke was cheering for the Steelers and to make him not feel sad about being the only one...we put Memphis in a Steelers shirt as well.

The rest of us were cheering for the Packers. The kids only cheered for them because I bribed them. And wasn't I the smart one? WE WON.
I must confess my reasoning behind my teams selections. LUke and I used to be big Favre fans....but with him being really lame lately...I picked the Packers because he wasn't there. It's twisted, I know.
I secretly, but not so secretly,  have a big place in my heart for MR. Heinz WArd....which isn't a Packers, but a Steeler! So, I had to cheer on the side for him. I am a fair-weather fan.
Cheering for those that are winning.

Past superbowl photos.

till next year.

Lane

Whew.....what a emotionally, physically, spiritually exhausting 2 weeks we have had. And at the same time...spiritually building in every way! 

On January 5th, 2011 my sweet father-in-law passed onto the other side of the veil. He was working hard, taking care of his family, ending his day of business and something went wrong with his truck. I can't write the story....it's too difficult. I have spoken about it numerous times. Just yesterday I was given some insight into more of what could of happened...but I can't write it. Is it the words that bug me so? Why? It's strange.
if you want to know more..click here!

Last night while trying to sleep, I kept thinking about the big hole that is left here on this Earth. I feel like my family has lost something so great...it's a huge vacancy in my mind & heart. But we are just a small family of 7. Yes, he was our dad, father-in-law, grandpa and friend....and our hurt is large. I then start to think of others hurt and their longing for Lane....it's too much for my mind to take in. I try to put myself in their spot and it's a break down moment for me.

I learned a great deal over the past few weeks. Learned a few things and then was reminded of so much that I already knew....but had put it in the back of my mind.

I learned so much about my family. I am so proud to be a Hallows. This weekend I held my breath on numerous occasions, trying to stop time when witnessing someones mourning.
One I will never forget was when the love of my life pulled up in front of my home, beat down, in pain and beyond shocked at the news he had just heard from his brother.
I remember trying to not breath when I was talking to my sister-in-law on skype while the news was being delivered to us.
I tried to breath as Luke and I met with his family just hours after the accident for a meeting and a wonderful family prayer. Which a lesson was learned about the humility of kneeing in pray. (thanks jack)
I held my breath when witnessing 5 loving children express their gratitude, memories & powerful Testimony of their father Lane, Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father.
I held my breath when listening to a brother give the most perfect, calming, peaceful life sketch of his older brother.
I, again, held my breath when watching my own children react to the lost of the grandpa and to watch them witness their own father in so much pain.
I could hardly breath when we spent the afternoon in the Temple with all of our family. Watched as we were sitting there in a Sealing room being reminded of our Bond that goes so far beyond this life.
So many more times that were so personal to me and others, I dare not write them.

I was reminded that Heavenly Father has a plan for all of us. He wants us to be happy and live this life with Joy.
I was reminded that Heavenly Father will support us and draw us to better and higher heights if we will only allow him to.
I was reminded that there is only ONE way to live your life...if you want to be together with your family and in presence of our Heavenly Parents.
I really enjoyed this weekend. As much as it was unreal and seems to still be. I loved celebrating Lane and seeing all the people that loved him. All the different spokes of life that he had through out the past 61 years. What a wonderful example of forgiveness, love, endurance and humility.
This weekend made me reevaluate my life and what I want people to say about me at my funeral. I have a lot of growing and changing to do.

the way he sees it!

You know something is wrong when you are trying to explain to your 4 year old that teasing isn't nice and when you tease....it can cause many people pain. Here is the conversation I had.

Scene:
4 yr old & 6 yr old around the dinner table while doing homework. Creed (4yrsold) is mimicking Carter (6yrsold) and sticking his tongue out at him and snickering at him for having homework. Carter is having a meltdown due to the teasing and Mom (old yrs old) is tired of listening to them fight and pester each other. Finally Mom has to physically remove Creed because he won't stop and listen and it's the easiest way to get his attention....and quite frankly Mom has HAD it!
Mom takes Creed upstairs to have quiet and just explain the situation.

Mom: Creed, what happens to Carter when you tease him?
Creed: He starts to cry and yell.
Mom: Creed, what happens to Mom when you tease Carter and he starts to cry and yell?
Creed: Mom beats you up.

say what?

not the answer I was looking for. Maybe something like..."mom, gets mad and starts getting loud and maybe even yells once in a while".
Nope the way he sees it..".I beat him up."

Looks as if my parenting needs some adjustments...in so many ways!