The Hale's

Hello!

2011-08-09T16:45:00.000-07:00

So, obviously I haven't kept up with the blog. Sadly, it's been almost a year and a half since my last post. I have so many pics of the kids but it's a little too overwhelming to try to post them all right now but I will put some up. As most of you know, our family is expecting a new baby on 11/11/11. We are very excited. We did not find out the sex of the baby, which makes it even more exciting. I can't wait to find out if it is a boy or girl but I guess I will have to keep on waiting. I thought I didn't need anything for the baby but with the arrival of the baby nearing, all of a sudden I've realized I kindda need A LOT of stuff. I forgot I got rid of almost everything (except nursery furniture) after Hayden b/c I thought there weren't any more babies coming (at least for a much longer time). Now it is even more important to cut back and save as much money as possible. So, I've decided to start couponing again. It's a little time consuming as I have to find the coupons, match them with the sales, map out which stores I'm going to and have list and stack of coupons for each store. But I'm hoping it will be worth it.

Today the kids and I went to Walgreens, HEB and CVS. Walgreens did NOT go as anticipated. The kids were really good but I knew it was only our first of three stops and when they found the slap bracelets for $0.99 I gave in and let them have one each. My mom used to get them for me and it was a happy memory and I thought they may need something to occupy them for the rest of the morning. I planned on getting crayons for free and Huggies Wipes for $1.99 (reg. $7.99) for a big refill bag. Turns out they were out of the coupon books I needed to make the wipes deal work and out of the wipes as well. I got the crayons and got a $1 RR with it to use on my next transaction which was 2 Purex laundry soaps (reg. $5.99, paid $1.49). I had 2 coupons and the RR but didnt know you had to have 1 item for each coupon and RR you use so I had to buy another item. The kids were asking for these big suckers they found in the check out line and after I told them no, I let them get them just so I could complete my transaction. I ended up spending $6.46 total and most of that went to slap bracelets and suckers.

(Not pictured, 2 slap bracelets and 2 suckers)

Original Total: $17.75

Total OOP: $6.46

Total Savings: $11.29

Next was HEB. They were having a great pasta sale so I stocked up. I let the kids eat their huge suckers while we were at HEB so I had to buy some baby wipes. I’ve always wanted to try the 7^th Generation wipes and since I had a coupon for them I went ahead and splurged on them.

Original Total: $17.62

Total OOP: $10.13

Total Savings: $7.49

Our last stop was CVS. I was most excited about this stop.

Original Total: $89.21

Total OOP: $28.73

Total Savings: $60.48 plus I got a $10 gas card.

Overall I would say it was a successful day of shopping. Hopefully I will start keeping up with the blog and post something a little more interesting than couponing. But hey, it's a start!

December 2009-April 2010

2010-04-07T07:46:00.000-07:00

So, I am a little behind on posting. A lot has happened over the past few months. Hunter had another set of tubes in January. My mom, Jarad and I ran the Austin Half Marathon on Valentine's Day. Then Jarad, Hunter and I spent Valentine's evening in the emergency room. Hunter fell and bit right through his lip and chipped his tooth. Since the cut was so close to the edge of his lip, they told us stitches would make the scarring worse so we decided against getting it stitched but we were also told that biting completely thru your lip is prone to infection since the inside of the lip heals faster than the outside so we got an antibiotic. His lip has healed well but it did leave a scar. Hayden is growing up so fast. She first stood up on February 4. She has been walking holding on to things and standing on her own for a while now. I just know she is going to take her first step any day now. She is constantly surprising us. Monday night Jarad and I were sitting on the couch and she just crawled up there all by herself. Hayden has also had some ear infections and has some fluid on her ears. We go to the doctor about every 3-4 weeks for ear checks and they are observing her ears to see if she may need tubes as well. We learned that she too is allergic to penicillin. Hayden is also eating table foods. She wont even touch pureed baby food. She wants to feed herself and she wants to eat what we eat. Hunter is potty trained. Yea! No more diapers or pull-ups. He wears underwear during the day and night now. Every once in a while we have a little accident but he has done great. He is talking so much more too. I think they are going to make us stop going to speech therapy. They pretty much determined it was his ears and now that he can hear properly, they think he will catch up quickly so they are saying he probably wont be admitted for classes over the summer but we will find out for sure when they evaluate him in a few weeks. Both kids are getting so big. They are amazing and make Jarad and I so happy. We love them so way totally much! Well, here are pics from the past few months.

Hunter patiently waiting to eat Christmas dinner.

All the food I cooked...yes, I did it all by myself. Had to make a few phone calls but I did it.

We finally used our china.

Hunter seems to like it.

Hunter and Jarad playing with bubbles in the house...really Jarad?!?

I made pies as well.

Hayden drinking out of her sippy cup Santa brought her.

Hunter dancing to music on his MP3 player that Santa brought him.

Jesus' birthday cake.

Jarad's 27th Birthday.

Hunter holding a sparkler on New Year's Eve.

Homemade pizza on Friday Family Fun Night.

Hunter pushing Hayden down the hall in the wagon.

Hunter turned himself into a piece of art.

Hayden's 6 month pictures.

Hunter's favorite underwear...NEMO!

Hay reading a book.

Hay checking out the toys.

Hunter trying to get her away from his toys. We are still working on the sharing.

Hayden's 7 month pictures. I didn't really get a good one of her. She kept rolling over.

Hunt and Hay love to be pushed up and down the hall in the little wagon. Hunt's a good big brother. He holds on to Hay to make sure she doesn't fall out.

Hunt wanted to change Hay's diaper all by himself. Needless to say, I stepped in but he is such a big helper...sometimes.

Jarad and I were lucky enough to win tickets to the rodeo and to see Billy Currington play. It was a lot of fun and the kids were really good. Hunter was dancing to the music and Hayden was all googly eyes over Billy. It was cute. Before the concert started we got to see a farmer milk a cow, pet the Borden cows Elsie and Beau, go to the petting zoo and see all the big green John Deere tractors. We all had a lot of fun.

Hayden's 8 month pictures. It's getting harder and harder to take her pic on the rug. She just won't be still.

A new McDonald's opened up here in Kyle. We're moving up in the world now that we have a McDonald's. It's pretty neat inside. It is an upscale McDonald's, if there is such a thing. The play area is a music theme. It was actually clean too. Probably b/c it had only been open for a day or two when we went. The kids liked it and Hayden had fun playing the piano on the wall. Finally, a play area that children under 3 can play in.

Hunter hunted Easter eggs at IBC. He had more fun picking up the candy off the ground that had fallen out of the eggs.

Hunter was NOT happy at the restaurant.

We decided to drive around a bit and we found this church off Mopac that had the most beautiful bluebonnets and we just had to stop and get pics of the kids. My parents and grandma always stopped and took pics of my sister, brother and I every time we saw bluebonnets. Jarad wanted to pick some but I told him NO b/c it was illegal to pick blubonnets. After much debating on whether it was illegal to dig them up instead of pick them or that you could pick one for every 100, I finally googled it. According to TXDOT, it is NOT illegal to pick wildflowers, including bluebonnets. They say it is an urban legend. So, now that we know, next time we see bluebonnets, I guess we will pick some.

So we went to the grocery store and Hunter peed in his pants like three times. We used up all of his changes of clothes. His clothes were so wet that in the check out line, there was a puddle on the floor under the cart where he was sitting. So we cleaned up the mess and got to the car and stripped him down. So he got to ride home naked and seemed to like it much better than being stuck in the wet clothes. Hopefully he learned not to pee on himself at the store anymore.

Finally!

2010-02-15T19:56:00.001-08:00

I finally finished my paper for school. It ended up being 54 pages long. Now that I have that behind me I will start posting some pictures. I know I am a little behind, but really, try writing a 54 page paper, watching two kids and getting enough sleep to function. It's not easy but it will be well worth it. I should graduate May 14. So mark your calendars. Check back soon for some more cute pictures of the kids.

Christmas 2009

2010-01-14T18:36:00.000-08:00

We had a great Christmas this year with our little family of four. We just love having our newest addition, Hayden. She is such a blessing and it's great having someone for Hunter to interact with. Well, I cooked Christmas dinner for the first time ever this year. We even used the china I first got from Jarad for our one year anniversary. Since then, I have gotten some more from my parents and grandma. I think I was more excited about the china than actually eating dinner. Haha. Dinner turned out ok. We had turkey, ham, dressing, loaded mashed potatoes, gravy, asparagus, carrots, salad, and deviled eggs. I also baked some cookies, a pumpkin pie, a pecan pie and a birthday cake for Jesus. The cake was a banana cake with chocolate icing. It looked so good but was disgusting. I will never make a banana cake again. I know, never say never, but seriously, I'm thinking next year a chocolate cake with chocolate icing sounds good. It's Jarad's favorite! I couldn't get the pictures of dinner to work. But we had a good Christmas. It was so relaxing being at home with the kids. We really enjoyed hanging out at home all day in our pajamas and just being a family. The kids, well, mostly Hunter, enjoyed their presents. Hunter is so used to everything being his, so he thought Hayden's toys were his. But he was so sweet. He showed Hayden how to play with her new toys and then when she fell asleep, he just played with them all by himself. Jarad and I had a great time watching how much the kids enjoyed everything. It was the best Christmas.

Hayden's 1st Christmas Ornament.

Flashback to Hunter's 1st Christmas Ornament.

Hunter dropped all of Santa's cookies on the floor.

Then he picked them up and put them back on the plate.

Then while we were trying to take the kid's picture by the tree, he decided to take a bit of one of the cookies.

Then we told him to go to bed. He ran to the stairs then ran back to the tree, took another bite of the cookie and then ran upstairs.

Hayden just hanging out.

Again...

Santa came to visit.

Santa ate his cookies and Rudolph left his hoof print in the sugar. They even left the kids a note.

The stockings.

Hunter got an mp3 player from Santa and a tool set and bubbles from mom and dad. Hayden got a mailbox from Santa and a blow up penguin that has balls in it and plays music from mom and dad. Hunter stocking was filled with bananas, hot wheels, his own mini ketchup bottle and some candy canes. Hayden's stocking was filled with bananas, avocados, teething toys, socks and a sippy cup. We dont really have any pictures of the kids opening presents b/c we video taped it all and of course, the videos wont upload. I don't know what is wrong with our video camera, cameras, ipods and computer but nothing seems to be working on the mac or pc. Technology...ugh! Hopefully we can figure it out soon so I can stop posting notes saying nothing works and just start posting pictures. Well, I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and remembered what it was all about...Jesus Christ! Without Christ there would be no Christmas, just mas and how boring does that sound.

...And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.

Luke 2:8-14

FYI...

2010-01-14T17:46:00.000-08:00

I started some posts back in December but the pictures wouldn't upload so I never published the posts. I finally got some pictures to upload and published the post but they published based on the date I started them not finished them. So you will have to scroll down to find the recent pictures I just posted. Enjoy!

Update

2010-01-14T16:02:00.000-08:00

My computer is still messing up, so no pictures yet. Sorry! Just wanted to give everyone a little update about what is going on around here. Hayden is getting so big. She is crawling now. It's bitter sweet. I want her to stop growing but it's fun to watch her develop. I've asked her if she could just slow down a bit but she refuses. She is eating all kinds of foods. She is just like Hunt when it comes to food. They both love to eat. Hunt loves to eat the food I make for Hay so that's great. They are both getting super healthy whole foods and loving it. I couldn't be happier.

Hunter is having another ear surgery on Wednesday. He is going to have his ears drained and get a new set of tubes. After the surgery, the doctor wants to do some more extensive hearing and ear drum test. Something where he goes to the hospital and gets sedated and they do some nerve testing. Hunter is not saying as many words as "they" (whoever they is) think he should be saying. He talks all the time but the pronunciation isn't correct. Or he says alot of things backwards, for example, my dad taught him how to say "Yee-Haw" but he says "Awh-EEE" instead. So we decided to start him in language development classes at Texas State. They begin the first week in February so hopefully his ears will be well enough by then. The doctor thinks the language delay is related to his ears. Hopefully it is but once we get his ears well we will be able to tell for sure. Unfortunately, we dont think we will be able to come back to Abilene this month as planned due to the surgery and all the follow-ups and testing they want to due on Hunter's ears.

As for Jarad and I, Jarad has been working all the time. He is starting to work pretty much every weekend. So that is no fun for the kids and I. I start school next week. It is my last semester so hopefully I will graduate in May. That's about it. Hope everyone is having a good week!

Sorry!

2010-01-08T20:22:00.000-08:00

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. My computer is messing up and any post with pictures wont work. I have so many cute pictures. Plus, it was Hays first Christmas and Hunt was so cute helping her open her presents. I hope everyone had a very happy holiday season. Hopefully, I can get the pictures up soon.

Hayden @ Five Months

2009-12-26T11:30:00.000-08:00

Finally got some pictures to post. Yea! Here are Hayden's monthly pictures on the rug and, of course, Hunter's too!

Randomness

2009-12-25T18:39:00.000-08:00

Hayden was still wheezing and had horrible congestion. She started running fever, throwing up and being really fussy. We took her back to the doctor and he said as far as the RSV, her chest actually sounded better but now she has ear infections. We got another prescription for that. She seems to be feeling much better.

Hunter got some boots and a camo jacket for Christmas from Grammy and Pap Paw. He wears them all the time. He wants to wear his boots to bed but Jarad and I wont let him. He wears his jacket zipped up with the hood on around the house until he gets too hot.

1/14/10

I tried to upload pics of Hunter and Hayden playing together as well as Hunt wearing his boots and camo jacket but they wont work. They are so cute though.

Visit with Santa!

2009-12-19T16:14:00.000-08:00

Today we went to Barton Creek Mall to take the kids to see Santa. We waited in line an hour. Hunter seemed really excited. He kept trying to walk under the ropes and run to Santa. He thought it was funny that he could walk under the ropes and Mommy and Daddy couldn't. But, once it was our turn to see Santa, he got scared. He didn't want anything to do with him. He finally got in Santa's lap but he kept trying to slide down. Hayden was happy and very curious. She was just trying to figure out what was going on. After they took the picture, Hayden looked like she was attacking Hunter. She started pulling on Hunter's shirt and trying to bite him. (She's teething.) Hayden was squealing and laughing but Hunter was too busy trying to get out of Santa's lap to notice. Jarad and I had fun watching the kid's reactions to Santa.

What's been going on...

2009-12-14T14:24:00.000-08:00

We've been kind of busy here at the Hale house. Jarad stays busy at work. I am taking care of the kids, trying to finish school and working on putting on some races with CASA for my internship. And, of course, the kids are growing like weeds.

We put up our Christmas tree about a week ago and I can't keep Hunter away from it. It doesn't help that I placed it front of the window that he loves looking out. He finally broke an ornament today. Oh well, it was bound to happen sooner or later.

We went back to Abilene because Hayden was Baby Jesus in the Living Christmas Tree at Wylie Baptist Church this past weekend. She was in three performances. She did so well. I never heard her cry. Our trip was a little more chaotic than I was hoping but it was good to see our family. Sometimes, I just need a break from reality and it's nice to go back home and let someone else take care of the kids. I did a little catching up on sleep and I got two home cooked meals. So, overall it was worth while.

Hayden is enjoying eating. So far she has eaten rice cereal, carrots, yellow squash, butternut squash, bananas, avocados, and apple sauce. I gave her some apple juice for the first time today. She has liked everything we have given to her. Hopefully this pattern will continue. Hunter still loves Hayden. He likes when she is in his room. He shows her how to play with all the toys. He also enjoys taking care of her. He brings me diapers, helps feed and bathe her and loves to brush her hair. He is really proud of himself, as are Jarad and I. Hayden really likes Hunter as well. She moves her head to wherever he is. She has started pulling his hair if he gets to close. That really makes Hunter mad but it is so funny because she doesn't do it on purpose. Today, Hunter left his Cheerios on the floor and she scooted over to them and started eating them. Luckily, I was able to get them out of her mouth before she was able to choke on them.

I took some video of the kids this weekend but I left the charger to the camera in Abilene so as soon as I get that and charge the camera, I will post some videos.

Happy Anniversary!

2009-12-09T08:23:00.000-08:00

It's official! Jarad and I are no longer newly weds. It's true. Today is our three year anniversary. Can you believe we have been married three years and already have two kids? Crazy huh?!? But, I love it. Jarad's great, the kids are great, I wouldn't change a thing. I love, love, love you Jarad Lynn Hale. Happy three year anniversary babe.

Christmas with Grandpa!

2009-12-08T09:49:00.001-08:00

David came down this past weekend and brought some Christmas presents. When we go to his house for Christmas, he always tells someone to pass out all the gifts and after they are passed out, then everyone opens them. No one ever wants to be that person who gets up and passes out the gifts...until now. Hunter really seemed to enjoy passing out the gifts. It took him a while to get the hang of it and along the way he decided to just keep whatever he wanted. It was fun watching him though. Grandpa got Hunter a Little Tikes Cozy Coupe. It's so cool. I'm envious. It's the 30th anniversary of the coupe and to celebrate, they came out with a new model. It has huge eyes on the front and cup holders for his sippy cup. Hunter loves his car. He also got a little turtle and he likes to put it in the car with him and take it for a ride. He has so much fun in his car. Another gift that Hunter has had a lot of fun with is an Elmo k'nex kit. It's a bunch of k'nex pieces that when put together they make Elmo. Hayden's favorite gift seems to be these little plastic animal faces that snap together. She likes to wave them around and chew on them. She also likes these little rattles that strap on her wrist and make noise when she waves her arms. Overall, we had a really fun time and it was great to spend time with Grandpa. Thanks David!

This present wasn't wrapped and from the moment Hunter saw this, he knew he wanted it.

While passing out gifts, Hunter decided to go ahead and open Hayden's gift for her.

He decided he wanted the football out of Hayden's stocking before he gave it to her.

He wanted to keep a few things from my stocking as well.

Hunter started eating the candy out his stocking with the wrappers on.

Poor Baby Hayden

2009-12-07T16:47:00.000-08:00

Hunter, Hayden and I have been sick. I guess I caught Hunter's cold. Then Hayden got sick. We called the doctor and they told us to use saline drops in her nose, put a pillow under her mattress to allow her to sleep inclined and use a humidifier in her room. Over the weekend she started running fever and her cough got really bad. She was wheezing and it was really deep in her chest. I took her to the doctor tonight and he told me she has developed RSV. The wanted to try a nebulizer treatment and if that didn't help they wanted to hospitalize her. Luckily, the nebulizer treatment helped. It was so hard to hold a mask on a screaming baby's face for 15 minutes. She kept pulling my hair and hitting me in the face but I survived. They sent us home with our own nebulizer and we have to do breathing treatments every four hours. She ate better tonight than she has eaten in a week so hopefully she will be back to her happy little self shortly.

Poor Lil' Hunter

2009-12-01T16:14:00.000-08:00

Hunter has been sick since Sunday. He woke up with some fever and has had it off and on ever since. This morning it got up to 102.8 so we went to the doctor. All they said was that he had a cold and to keep giving him tylenol and motrin. His fever still hasn't broken. I hate going to the doctor for no reason and that's pretty much what we did today since they told us to just continue doing what we were doing. Oh well, at least it's just a cold.

Hunter Makes a Mess

2009-11-30T14:35:00.000-08:00

Hunter drug all the toys and stuffed animals out of the toy box and his closet. We had fun playing with them while Hay took a nap in Hunt's bed. Sorry some of the pics are blurry.

The mess...

Hunt riding his horse Pap Paw gave him at the hospital when he was born.

Rocking in his rocking chair that his grandma gave us. It used to be his daddy's.

We put the seat back on here for Hayden and Hunter thought he would try it out for old times sake. He can get in it but he cant get out. It makes him really mad.

Being a goober.

Second Attempt

2009-11-30T14:21:00.000-08:00

Hayden tried to eat carrots again and did pretty well. She still made a mess, of course. She screamed when they were all gone but I didn't want to feed her too many since it's her first food. If she is anything like Hunter, which she seems to be, it is going to be hard to get her full.

While I was making Hunter's some more lunch, he gave Hayden her carrots. Luckily, I was able to take a picture and get them away from her before she dumped them out, b/c you know that's what she would have done. At first, when I saw his face, I thought he ate some carrots but it's just peanut butter.

Pretty Girl!

Hunter was really bothered by the mess on Hays face. He kept trying to clean it off with a paper towel. Then he got upset when she took it away from him and tried to eat it.

Hunt gave Hay his fork so she could feed herself. He even showed her how to hold it. What a sweet big brother.

She was MAD!

Hay's first solid food.

2009-11-30T11:21:00.000-08:00

Hayden ate her first solid food, other than rice cereal, yesterday. She had carrots. She really seemed to like them. Of course, she made a mess but it wasn't too bad. Plus, she seemed to have a lot of fun in the bath tub afterwards.

Her first bite.

I think she likes it.

"Mommy, I can feed myself!"

"See, told you!"

I'm not sure who got more food...Hay or the monkey?!?

Stickers...Yea!

2009-11-30T11:14:00.000-08:00

I turn my head for 2 seconds and this is what he does...

Hunter loves getting stickers from the doctor's office. He gets a lot of them because they always give him one for being good at Hayden's appointments. But now there's no need to go to the doctor to get stickers. He found a whole box of stickers at home. He was really proud that he stuck these on his shirt all by himself.

Pictures...Yea!

2009-11-28T12:05:00.000-08:00

Hayden @ Four Months

2009-11-23T20:53:00.000-08:00

Thought I would sneak this picture of Hunter in. He always gets the other rug and lays next to her when I try to take her monthly pictures. He's so sweet.

Failed attempt at taking pictures.

2009-11-23T20:30:00.001-08:00

I tried to take some pictures of Hayden but Hunter decided he wanted to be in the pictures too. So he took off his clothes and laid next to Hayden. He also posed her how he wanted her and basically just took charge. I have to admit, at first I was kind of annoyed but it turned out to be really fun. Hunter was so proud of himself. It's not like I would have taken good pictures if Hunter wasn't there. Our camera is horrible and never takes the picture when you press the button and then dies all the time even with new batteries. (Hint: If anyone wants to buy us a camera for Christmas...just a thought. Haha!)

Birthday Presents from Grandpa

2009-11-23T20:19:00.001-08:00

David came to visit a couple weekends ago and brought Hunter some presents. Hunter was very excited. He got a really cool Tonka truck named Chuck that is voice activated, a 24 pack of Play-Doh and a bag of 100 balls. Hunter couldn't have been happier. As for me, I thought the gifts were fun at first until I was cleaning Play-Doh out of the couch cushions and tripping over all the balls. But after we got the ball pit back out and limited Hunter to only two containers of Play-Doh at a time, it's been much better. I wonder if grandparents would buy the same gifts if they knew they had to clean up after the kid?!? Guess that's what grandparents are for right?!? Haha.

Alphabet Photography

2009-11-08T07:23:00.001-08:00

So, I've always thought it would be fun to do photography. I know it seems like you see this everywhere you go but I've always been fascinated by the alphabet photography. It's interesting to see the different objects people see letters in. So I took a few while hanging out in the backyard. Of course, they don't look that great. They need to be photoshopped. Plus, I still can't figure out how to rotate a pic so as I'm sure you've notices, a lot of my pics are sideways.

(this is a capital "I." it's hard to tell since its sideways and it's taken so close)

Backyard Adventure

2009-11-06T11:09:00.000-08:00

The past week or so...

2009-11-02T05:56:00.000-08:00

Hunter always hides in the curtains and looks out the window. So we were in the office and I was sewing. Hunter was being so good. He had brought some of his toys in there and was keeping himself occupied. When he hide in the curtains to look out the window, I didn't think anything of it. It wasn't until the next day I found his crayons sitting on the window seal and discovered his artwork.

Hayden is growing and developing so fast. I used to put her on the play gym for tummy time and she would just lay there. Then she started lifting her head and moving it from side to side. Now she can do all sorts of things; roll over, push up with her arms, reach up and grab the toys and then put the toys in her mouth. She even pushes the flowers to make the music come back on.

This is why we have hardwood floors. They are so dirty but I cant imagine having carpet. It would be ruined. Now I know why my parents always made us keep our food and drinks in the kitchen and dining room.

Jarad and Hunter worked on the playset this weekend. They built some steps, got the slats put up on the bottom platform, as well as some accessories: steering wheel, binoculars and canopy. They put everything on except the safety handles. Men...who needs safety? As most of you know, we bought a foreclosed home that was trashed. Only part of the back yard was fenced in with this ugly three foot fence. We've been trying to clean up what we call the "back back" (the rest of the back yard behind the fence) but it is taking forever. There is so much trash and brush back there. I looks like they threw their Christmas trees back there or something because we have found what looks to be whole dead trees. Finally, yesterday I finished mowing the last of the back back. Now all thats left back there is to cut down the huge sunflower stalks again that keep growing up around the septic tank sprinkler head. It will be a while before grass grows back there. It still needs a lot of work but it's getting better every weekend. I also mowed the front yard and part of the back yard. Now I know why it takes Jarad so long to mow 3/4 or an acre with a push mower. I have blisters on my hand as well as bruises where the bar kept pinching me. I wanted to wear gloves but Jarad made fun of me so I decided not to but now I wish I would have. Maybe next time, IF I ever mow again.

Hunter loves the measuring tape.

He knows what to do. Look at him measuring.

Testing the steering wheel out.

He loves to slide down the slide on his belly.

Checking out his new binoculars.

The playset after the new additions.

Hunter wanted to mow.

Halloween Night

2009-10-31T19:34:00.000-07:00

So I thought Halloween was a bust, but the more I think about it, the more I think it was great. We went to Staci, Amy and Luis' House and ate dinner with them. They always have the best food. We passed out candy. Hunter helped. He kept eating the candy with the wrappers on and even threw one of those chewed on pieces in someone's candy bag. Luckily, I was able to get it out quickly and apologize. Staci, Jarad and I took the kids trick or treating. The first house we went to, Hunter got a goody bag. The second house we went to, a lady was sitting on the steps of her porch with a bowl of candy and Hunter put his goody bag from the first house in her candy bowl, grabbed a box of Nerds and walked off. It was pretty funny. After that, it all went downhill. Hayden started crying so I took her costume off. It really didn't matter too much since two people had already said, "Look at the cute bunnies!" Hunter seemed to have more fun running down the street dragging his crayon box on the ground. Although Hunter didn't really get the concept of trick or treating, Hayden cried, and no one realized we were kangaroos, the kids were cute and it was fun watching Hunter try to trick or treat for the first time.

Eco-Friendly, Money Saving, Healthy Halloween Tip

2009-10-30T06:44:00.001-07:00

Here's a 3 in 1 tip that is eco-friendly, it will save you money and best of all, it's healthy. When kids come to your door and say "Trick or Treat?" in their sweet little voices expecting you to give them a treat, give them a trick instead. It's environmentally friendly because your not throwing away all the candy wrappers and packaging, it saves you money since you didn't have to buy any candy and its healthy. The kids won't be getting more candy to rot their teeth and flare up their acne and you won't be munching on the candy between tricker or treaters. So you think this is a mean idea? Hey, after all, they asked for it!

Dylan's Birthday Party

2009-10-28T19:29:00.001-07:00

Tonight we went to Dylan's 1st birthday party. We had a lot of fun. Hunter and Hayden won the costume contest. They got a brightly colored stuffed elephant as their prize.

Hunter in his costume.

Hayden and I in costume minus the make-up and I didn't have my hood on...it has kangaroo ears on it.

Dylan eating his cake.

Hayden looking around.

Dylan was mad b/c his arms were inside the towel and he wanted them free. This is right after he broke free.

Crystal gave Hunter a balloon. It was his favorite thing to play with. He wanted it taken off his arm and I gave in then he let go of it and it floated up to the vaulted ceiling and we couldn't reach it. He screamed until finally we got a mop and a chair out and got the balloon down.

Sneak Peak

2009-10-28T09:11:00.000-07:00

Here is a sneak peak of the kid's Halloween costumes. Tonight we are going to a birthday party for Dylan who is turning one. The party is a costume party so they kids will get to wear these tonight. I have a few more last minute touch-ups to make on the costumes. I ran out of fabric glue and who knew Elmer's school glue didn't work on felt. I thought it worked on everything. Hopefully they will be done in time. Hayden is going to be a kangaroo and Hunter is going to be an orange crayon. I hope this is obvious or I have failed big time in the costume making department.

Flashback to Hunter last year as Superman. I'd say he's changed a little.

Hayden in her Kangaroo costume. That's a detachable tail laying next to her.

I was going to carry her in the carrier like a it was a pouch but the browns don't match. I still might. We'll see.

Hayden's Kangaroo coustume.

Hunter's Orange Crayola Crayon costume.

Rainy Day

2009-10-26T08:01:00.000-07:00

So, it's pouring down rain and Hunter wants to go outside, as usual. He doesn't really like to watch tv or movies but he likes music. So I decided to bust out "Coyote Ugly" and "That Thing You Do." He loves them. He doesn't watch them but every time a song comes on he goes crazy dancing. I'm loving them too. I now remember why they are some of my favorite movies. And, watching Hunter is hilarious so this morning has been extra fun.

This Weekend

2009-10-25T19:52:00.000-07:00

Saturday, Jarad had to work. The kids and I hung out at home. We played with Maggie and Hunter swung and slid down the slide a lot. He also rode his tricycle a lot; inside, outside, on the driveway, in the grass, anywhere he could take it. He even tried taking it up the stairs. We kicked a kickball around in the yard until I got attacked by fire ants while trying to keep Hunter out of them. It's really cute watching Hunter kick a ball. Saturday evening we went to McDonald's to let Hunter get a Happy Meal and play. He only ate the apples and drank the apple juice. He didn't want anything to do with the nuggets and fries. He really didn't want to play on the equipment much in the play area either, he just run around in circles, which was nice since you know all that equipment is really dirty. Then we went to Hobby Lobby and then Wal-Mart. Today, Jarad ran 13.25 miles. Then he spent the rest of the day complaining about how bad he hurt. I started making the kids' Halloween costumes. Hayden is going to be a kangaroo and Hunter is going to be an orange crayon. The kids took a nap and Jarad and I watched Dr. Charles Stanley on tv preach about anger. Jarad filled the sandbox on the play set with sand. Then I went and ran 5 miles. (I know, it's not near as far as Jarad ran.) I went grocery shopping by myself. I bought some pumpkins. Hunter is fascinated with the big orange "balls." Then we watched tv with Hunter. Nothing exciting happened but I love spending time with my family, even if it's doing ordinary things.

Pics

2009-10-24T08:25:00.001-07:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Hayden @ Three Months

2009-10-23T16:01:00.001-07:00

Every month I take Hayden's picture on a red circle rug so I can compare how much she has grown from month to month. Hunter likes to help me. This time he decided to bring props to the photo shoot. He thought Hayden needed a rattle and the Boppy. Then he decided it would be better if he laid on the other rug and they got their picture taken together. Everyone had fun.

Stuff...

2009-10-23T10:29:00.001-07:00

Hunter loves the computer. My how times have changed. I don't think my parents let me play on a laptop when I was two. Wait...did they even have computers that long ago?!?

Hunter loves watching Smileboxes. He has watched the one of his birthday with the robot on it over and over and over.

Hayden smiling!

Hunter is sharing his toys with Hayden.

I'm not sure if these are supposed to be Wylie colors or Hardin-Simmons colors. I think I'll go with Hardin-Simmons just to keep peace in the house.

He tried to share his golf clubs with her but when she didn't take them he used one to hit the balls out of her hands.

Sketches

2009-10-23T10:25:00.000-07:00

So, I as mentioned in an earlier post, my favorite part about Chuck E. Cheese's was this photo booth that turned your picture into a sketch. Here are the pictures we took.

Another one of Hunter's Birthday Presents

2009-10-23T08:46:00.000-07:00

Grammy and Pap Paw got the lumber and helped build this playset for Hunter last month as an early birthday present. Since then, Grandpa got Hunter a slide and a canopy and Grandma got Hunter some accessories. Now, if only Daddy would finish putting everything on the playset...haha.

Cake Time!

2009-10-23T07:52:00.000-07:00

Since we didn't get to eat cake last night, I thought I would be a "cool mom" and let Hunter eat some of his birthday cake at 9:00 this morning. I was so excited to take pictures of him digging into a chocolate cake. I assumed he would make a mess. Man, was I wrong. I forgot to give him a fork and he wouldn't touch his cake with his hands. He ate a few bites and then didn't want anymore. I let him out of his high chair and he started riding his tricycle. He made me so proud. He chose exercise over junk food. Haha!

First bite after he finally got a fork.

Eating cake.

He didn't eat very much.

More pics of the kiddos!

2009-10-22T21:53:00.001-07:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Hunter's 2nd Birthday!

2009-10-22T21:33:00.000-07:00

For Hunter's birthday, we went to Chuck E. Cheese's. We had a lot of fun. We ate pizza and played games. Hunter loved playing on the slide. My favorite thing was this machine that took your picture and then turned it into a sketch. I'll post those after I scan them in. Jarad enjoyed playing a football game. We didn't get to take very many pictures of Hunter playing games because one of us had Hayden and the other was helping with Hunter, so our hands were always full. Once we got home, we let Hunter blow out the candles on his cake and open his presents. Jarad and I got him a tricycle. We got home late from Chuck E. Cheese's. Hayden went straight to bed. We didn't eat any cake and Hunter didn't get to play with his tricycle very long. But I'm sure he will be playing on it all day tomorrow and I'm sure we will eat some cake as well. I made the cake. Obviously, cake decorating is not my specialty but I had fun making it and that is all that really counts. Hunter's only two and it's going to get eaten anyway. Hopefully my cake decorating skills will improve over the next few years. Overall, we had a great day and Hunter seemed to enjoy his birthday.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Hunter's Photo Shoot

2009-10-20T10:15:00.000-07:00

Hunter loves to take pictures, especially of himself. He gets the camera and just starts shooting. Here is some of his work.

Smile Hayden!

2009-10-20T08:28:00.001-07:00

Hayden was smiling and laughing a lot this morning. But, of course, as soon as I go get the camera, she doesn't want to smile anymore. Out of all the pictures I took, I got two of her kind of smiling. Both of my kids got my dimples...Love it!

Grandparents come to visit.

2009-10-20T08:07:00.000-07:00

Ted and Cynthia came to visit this past weekend. Hunter's birthday is coming up this Thursday, so they brought him some birthday presents. They got Hunter a Leapfrog Tag Jr. It's a hand held device that comes with books. When you place it over the words and pictures, it reads and plays music. Hunter loves it. I think his favorite thing to do is listen to the ABC song over and over and over. He also got some clothes. Hayden even got a couple outfits as well. It was a nice visit.

God never promises tomorrow!

2009-10-07T20:18:00.000-07:00

Today the trial for the man accused of killing Jarad's grandfather, James, ended. He was sentenced to life in prison. Although I am thankful justice was served today, it doesn't make me feel any better. There are still siblings without their brother, children without their father, grandchildren without their grandfather, great-grandchildren who will never know their great-grandfather, and many other relatives and friends without the company of James W. Smith. I know this sounds very cliche but you never know when today is someone's last day. God never promises us tomorrow. Live every single day as it is your last. Never take a day for granted. Be thankful for what you have. I know all this is easier said than done. I am very thankful that I got to know James for a few years and that he got to meet his first great-grandchild, Hunter. This took place only two days before the murder. My prayers are with all the family and friends who lost James as a part of their life. The healing process is tough and I hope you will turn to God for strength.

James holding Hunter for the first and only time.

December 28, 2007

Emma and Hayden

2009-10-07T06:45:00.000-07:00

My friend, Amanda, had a beautiful baby girl, Emma Grace, exactly one week after Hayden was born. Emma is so cute. She has soooo much hair and I love her chubby cheeks. You can tell from the picture that she is a sweet baby. She just looks so calm. Hayden on the other hand was fussy. She had a tummy ache. It was quick visit but hopefully next time we get the girls together so they can have some play time.

Emma Grace and Hayden Elizabeth - 2 months old

1/2 Marathon

2009-10-06T11:09:00.000-07:00

My mom, Jarad and I are running the San Antonio Rock 'n' Roll 1/2 Marathon November 15. It is our first big race to run. Our times wont be spectacular but our biggest goal is to finish. Hopefully this will be a stepping stone to a bigger race, maybe a marathon in the next year or two?!? We each plan to leave San Antonio with a medal, pictured below.

Playing with the camera on the computer...

2009-10-05T14:04:00.001-07:00

Chubby Cheeks

Just chillin' im mama's lap.

I love when she wears yellow with her skin tone.

Hunter was kissing her but it would never take at the right time.

Hunter kept smiling and taking pics of himself.

"Mommy...please stop taking my picture!"

Hunter was playing outside so that's why his hair looks so gross. I promise, he does take baths.

West Texas Holiday

2009-10-02T11:30:00.000-07:00

Jarad and I, along with Hunter, Hayden and even Maggie, made a trip to West Texas to visit all of our family. We arrived Wednesday night and stayed with Nona in Coleman. Then we made our way to Granny and Carrie's house Thursday for lunch. Thursday evening we went to Clyde to see Jarad's mom, Ted and Rode. Friday we went to Abilene to eat lunch with my brother Matt, visited the Counters where we met Amanda's baby, Emma Grace, for the first time and then spent the evening with my parents. Saturday morning we got up very early to drive to Haskell. My mom and I ran a 5K. While there we saw the Rieger's. We then headed back to Abilene and spent the day with Jarad's dad and Luke. Sunday morning we headed home. We were all so exhausted and it took a few days to get back in our routine but it was so good too see everyone. Most people were meeting Hayden for the first time so we just had to go before she got any bigger.

Hunter loved playing with the old toys at Nona's house.

Nona and Hayden

Nona, Jarad, Hayden and Hunter

Granny, Hayden and Hunter

Granny and Hayden

Hayden @ Two Months

2009-10-02T11:16:00.000-07:00

Weight - 12 pounds 2 ounces

Length - 23 inches

Head - 15 3/4 inches

Smilebox

2009-09-18T13:46:00.000-07:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Closet

2009-09-17T08:22:00.000-07:00

On Labor Day weekend, Jarad and I decided to renovate the master closet. We removed the shelves, raised the top shelf and hanging rod, added a lower hanging rod, painted, put in new wooden rods to match the floors and changed out the light fixtures. Now all we need to do is finish the baseboards. We eliminated so much wasted space and doubled our hanging capacity. Of course, I love it.

Before:

After:

Playset

2009-09-16T16:25:00.001-07:00

My parents bought the lumber for us to build a playset for the back yard as an early birthday present for Hunter. Hunter had a blast helping the guys build it. He even got Jarad's pencil and drew all over his playset. It still needs some work. The lower platform needs to be finished and the whole thing needs to be stained and sealed. We also need some accessories such as a slide, canopy and more swings, but for right now, Hunter is loving his toddler swing.

Tummy Time!

2009-09-16T14:03:00.000-07:00

Hayden enjoyed tummy time today. As always, Hunter had to be right beside her, watching her every move. Everytime she rolls over Hunter says "uh-oh!" and tries to roll her back over. He is such a great big brother.

Right before she rolled over.

Her cute little gdiaper.

Rolling over again.

It makes her mad but she keeps doing it.

...and again.

Hunter loves to be near his sister at all times, and if your wondering, my kids do have clothes, they're just not wearing them.

Grandma's Birthday Card

2009-09-15T11:18:00.000-07:00

Hunter made his Grandma Cynthia a birthday card from him and Hayden. He was really proud of his artwork. I'm not so sure Hayden agrees though. (I'm starting to a pattern with her not liking what her brother does. Haha!)

Making Dessert...YUM!

2009-09-15T11:07:00.000-07:00

Hunter helped me make some Pumpkin Cheesecake Squares. Mostly he just made sure they tasted good. They seemed to get his approval although, Hayden thought otherwise.

Hunter being silly!

2009-09-15T10:52:00.001-07:00

Hunter loves getting his picture taken. He would pose all day if someone had that much time to take his picture. As you can see he likes being silly. He rides his dump truck around the house with an Easter basket on his head. When he gets tired of wearing it, he puts it on someone else's head. (That someone is usually me.)

Hayden @ One Month

2009-09-15T10:37:00.000-07:00

2009-08-24T13:25:00.000-07:00

2009-08-13T20:08:00.000-07:00

Hayden Elizabeth Hale

2009-07-30T19:04:00.000-07:00

Hayden Elizabeth Hale

Date: July 23, 2009

Time: 10:15 a.m.

Weight: 9 pounds 1 ounce

Length: 20.5 inches

Head: 14 1/4 inches

Hayden's Nursery

2009-07-20T21:35:00.000-07:00

Baby Hayden will be here soon. I have a c-section scheduled on Thursday, July 23rd. I will find out Wednesday if we are going to go ahead and follow through with the c-section or try a VBAC. Either way, it won't be long. Here are few pictures of the nursery. It still needs some decor especially on the shelves and I am still working on the name above the crib. But for the most part, this is it. Jarad and I (and hopefully Hunter) are very excited. We can't wait until she arrives.

It's a Girl!

2009-03-18T16:47:00.000-07:00

Jarad and I are having a baby girl. Hunter cried during the sonogram so we're not for sure what he thinks about having a little sister but I'm sure he will get used to it. Haha.

Phone Time with Grammy!

2009-03-02T13:49:00.000-08:00

Hunter loves to talk to my parents, a.k.a. Grammy and Pap Paw, on the phone. Whenever we come into the office, he grabs the phone and hands it to me. I know that means I have a phone call to make for him. Grammy sings to him and he dances to her silly songs. She even made up a special song for Hunter that I could not stand for the longest time. (Sorry Mom, but it's annoying.) But, Hunter just loves it so it's not so bad anymore. Hunter likes when Pap Paw laughs. He jumps up and down. It's so cute watching him talk on the phone...that is until they hang up and he throws a fit. Haha.

Update

2009-02-26T13:46:00.000-08:00

Yea! Jarad and I finally have internet. We also have a house phone. If anyone has seen the commercials for MagicJack and is wondering if it really works...it's great and super cheap. Everyone should get it. We love it.

So, it's been a rough couple of months in the Hale house. Everyone has been sick, sick, sick. Poor Hunter has had it the worst. He started daycare a couple months ago and has been sick ever since. He has had non stop congestion and fever. He had an ear infection in the left ear a few weeks ago. Before we even made it to his ear check 3 weeks later, he had an ear infection in the right ear and the doctor thought he had the flu. His fever was nearly 105 degrees, he was vomiting and having little seizures/muscle spasms. Then he broke out in a rash and hives. Turns out he had Roseola plus an allergic reaction to the penicillin. Now, less than 24 hours of seeing the doctor, he has an ear infection in the left ear again and his fever has come back. Hopefully he will be feeling better soon. Thanks for all the prays and encouragement from everyone.

In case your wondering...here are some tidbits on Roseola:

Roseola is a viral illness in young children caused by the herpes simplex viruses.

Symptoms include:

-upper respiratory illness

-high fever (often over 103 degrees) for 5-7 days

-fussiness and irritability

-decreased appetite

-swollen lymph nodes

-pinkish-red flat or raised rash

-febrile seizures including unconsciousness, 2-3 minutes of jerking or twitching in the arms, legs and face, and loss of control of bladder and bowels.

We're Expecting!

2009-01-01T16:31:00.000-08:00

Jarad and I are expecting another baby July 2009!

Hunter-One Year

2008-11-04T17:15:00.001-08:00

Pictures of Hunter

One Year Old

Hunter's Birthday Party!

2008-10-28T20:31:00.000-07:00

We had a lot of fun at Hunter's First Birthday Party. As you can tell, the party was a John Deere theme. Amy made Hunter a cake that looked like a cartoon tractor. It tasted just as good as it looked. Hunter got a lot of FUN toys. Thanks to everyone who came to help us celebrate.

Random Pictures of Hunter

2008-10-10T12:13:00.001-07:00

Maggie-Hunter's Puppy

Our First House

2008-10-08T08:50:00.000-07:00

Jarad and I finally purchased a house. We are so excited to be homeowners. The house needs alot of work before we can move in but we are having fun fixing it up. The house has four bedrooms, 2.5 baths, kitchen with breakfast nook, formal living and dining room, family room, and a game room. It's about 2,700 square feet and sits on nearly an acre lot. We don't have enough furniture to furnish the whole house but eventually we will grow into it.

Before:

Front of House

Kitchen and Breakfast Nook

Pantry

Master Bedroom and Game Room

Bedrooms

1/2 Bath

Hallway

In Progress:

Family Room-Back Door is in.

Master Bedroom and Game Room

Hallway and Stairway

Hunter's Bedroom and Playroom

Front Bedroom and Bamboo Flooring

Hunter Lynn Hale

2008-10-08T06:49:00.000-07:00

Hunter has been such a blessing to us. He's proof that when you start planning your life yourself, God steps in with his own plans. Hunter was unexpected but the best thing that has ever happened to Jarad and I, (and the grandparents don't mind him either). He is growing up so fast. Hunter likes to feed himself, suck on his toes and get into everything he's not supposed to get into, especially cabinets. His favorite toy right now is a bouncy ball he chases everywhere. He is trying to walk. He takes a few steps and falls. Pretty soon he will be running around everywhere. He is constantly extending his vocabulary. He says mama, dada, bye bye, and ball along with a bunch of jibberish. We love him so much and are excited to see what he is going to do next. We are looking forward to his first birthday in a few weeks, although we wish he wouldn't grow up so fast.

In Loving Mermory of...

2008-10-07T19:00:00.000-07:00

Two very special people in our lives passed away over the last year. Jarad's Grandfather, James W. Smith passed away December 31, 2007. He was 68 years old. Luckily, just a couple of days earlier, he got to meet Hunter for the first time. Also, my Grandmother, Angelene Marion Osborn, passed away March 18, 2008, three days after her 81st birthday. She was my best friend. Although we miss them dearly, we are very fortunate for the times we had with them. We strive to keep their memories alive.

The Hale's

2008-10-07T13:56:00.000-07:00

I've been trying to figure out a way to share info and photos about Hunter and our family with everyone without having to send emails with tons of pictures attached. My cousin, Brook, sent me her blog and I thought starting one myself would be the perfect solution. Thanks Brook! So, here it goes...Jarad and I were married on December 9, 2006. We welcomed our son, Hunter Lynn Hale, into this world on October 22, 2007. We currently live in Kyle, south of Austin, and we really enjoy it here. Jarad is an engineer for a company in Austin and I stay home with Hunter and go to school at Texas State. We are loving just being a family.