HALL HOME

Sarah

2010-09-24T09:05:00.000-07:00

okay...I know it's a little late, and that the only people that follow my blog (Becky and Kim) have already spent enough time with Sarah, that this will be old hat, but here we go anyway!

We couldn't be more happy to have little Sarah in our house! She is so sweet and calm. Everyone loves her and some love her a little more fiercely than others. Her little screams, (of joy of course) sometimes remind us of the fierce love she recieves. She has started to smile and we all gather round and lobby for her smile in our behalf. "She smiled at me!" We're so grateful she's here and love her very much!

Seriously?

2010-05-24T08:15:00.001-07:00

they hatched...

2010-05-24T08:09:00.000-07:00

life...

2010-05-14T07:28:00.000-07:00

You know life is interesting isn't it? I mean, you meet many kinds of people who are all so different. Each has something unique to bring to the table and really you can learn from everyone. But every once in a while you meet someone who stands out above the rest. One that you recognize is special. One that sees the world through different eyes and helps you, even if for just a fleeting moment, see things through a better set of glasses. Well, we meet someone like that. We really haven't even spoken, as a matter of fact we have only observed each other from a distance, but I'm better because of him. Life is a little more beautiful because of him. Before I introduce him, let me go back a couple of years.

One spring morning I went out to take a look at our garden to see how it weathered the winter storms. Much to my surprise, I found that a mother duck had nested in last years dead tomato plant. I very clever disguise, I thought. She sat so patiently for 4 weeks and finally one day she hatched 8 sweet little ducklings. Aside from our efforts to make her happy in our back yard, she finally figured out how to get them all safely to the pond down the street. It was a wonderful experience. Our family could not have enjoyed it more.

Then last year we had a couple of ducks nest. One hatched her eggs and was gone before we even knew what had happened. The other started much too late in the year. She did her best, but we think the heat cooked those poor little things, and just about cooked their faithful mother.Last year we also had a sweet little house finch nest in our hanging flower basket. She unfortunately, had no success at hatching a little brood. Now this year we had a pretty dove who has started her family on top of our heating lamp (it's nice that it's being used for something) and will probably have two little mouths to feed in another week. For the first time, though, I noticed this year lots of male ducks hanging out together. I know I have seen this before, but have never thought about the fact that these guys are passing the time together while their little gals are sitting on nests. It must be a long 4 weeks for them, and even longer for the females, day in and day out sitting on a nest. Last week we discovered that there are extra special ducks too. Marissa came in and said, "mom there is male duck in our back yard". At first I was a little concerned that he might be terrorizing the devoted female sitting out there doing her job, but with a closer look we could see, he was just out there "being with her". Since then on numerous occasions we have found this fine father duck keeping watch over and spending quality time with his sweet mate. We have witnesses a lesson from nature. True kindness and love happening right here in our back yard! Now if we can just leech a little of that and do it inside the house, it would be a true lesson learned. Our family theme this year is "Kindness Begins With Me", and this guy has got it down!

Beautiful Sunday Afternoon

2010-04-23T09:11:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday we made our way to the park in our neighborhood. The kids grabbed the kites for some fun. After the little ones wore themselves out running around trying to keep the kites up Christopher and Marissa had a chance to really fly them. They flew them as high as they had string.

Allison, Jacob & Kathryn had fun playing with all the branches someone had left at the fire pit.

Thom recruited our good friends Connie and David Atkisson, who's back yard bumps up to the park, to help him untangle his kite. Thanks to some patients they finally got it done and up!

It was really a pretty day...maybe a stretch to call it rest, until we got home and all the wiggles were out, then there was rest!

So Shy...

2010-04-07T09:37:00.000-07:00

So here at the Hall's we have a really shy bunch...lots of people watching them just put them right back in their shell...but when it's just them and mom...sometimes they come out. This was one of those rare times!

I know...total shocker!

A Late Discovery...

2009-12-31T13:55:00.000-08:00

So I looked out on the deck the other day (about 5 days past Christmas Eve) and I found this...

They had endured a few cold nights. I'm not sure how Rudolf, Comet, and Dasher missed this thoughtful offering. As you can see (or maybe not, since they are starting to turn black from the frost bite) they were even peeled. I couldn't stop smiling. Kids are so darn cute!

Gingerbread houses!

2009-12-31T13:27:00.000-08:00

Kathryn reminded me this Christmas, that last Christmas she made a Gingerbread house with her favorite Aunt Tricia. She wondered if she was going to do it again....so we called Aunt Tricia and asked if she'd be willing to come to our house and do it again this year. She, of course, was happy to oblige...what a good aunt she is!

They had a great time, and as you can see, there was no help from me. Tricia really is a good sport!

Christmas Eve...trying a new twist on an old idea!

2009-12-31T11:55:00.000-08:00

Doing the Nativity every year is always interesting...never knowing for sure how it will pan out, like the year one of the kids used his staff as a weapon and started taking out some of the other shepherds and wisemen. Or even the year when we couldn't find a good stand in for baby Jesus, so they grabbed up the dog...we weren't sure it was okay to laugh! Well this year, my ever creative sister-in-law sent out the call to all adults. We would be doing the nativity for the kids....fun!

So Cherlyn made her post as the director...

(pending picture)

4 simply celestial angles! (and that's not even taking into consideration their singing!)

3 very well dressed wisemen (have you ever seen a wiseman with so much chest hair?)

2 perfectly aged Joseph & Mary (with an extremely quiet Jesus, who had a stong resemblance to a doll I use to play with)

1 brightly shining star (beautiful as always!)

and last but not least...3 very handsome shepherds (if we had know sooner we could have had a nice looking shepherdly beard)

We did give the kids the job of music and they did a great job!

Just thinking...

2009-10-06T08:50:00.000-07:00

...how good life is...

...have a great day!

LOTOJA!

2009-10-05T11:22:00.000-07:00

...that is LOgan TO JAckson!

These guys started just before sunrise in Logan Utah, to go on an all day ride. Allison and I, the official support group (which also included Thom's mom and dad this year) meet up with them in Preston, ID...Montpelier, ID...Afton, WY...Alpine, WY and then at the finish line in Jackson Hole, WY. We have a fun time and love being there to make sure they have plenty of apples, yucky drink mix-in, and butt butter :) They have enough fun that they always seem to want to do it again. We always love the stop off in Afton, where we get a little extra cheer from Tara and Kamryn. This year Kamryn decided it looked like so much fun she wanted to join us for the remainder of the ride and hopped right in to the official support vehicle and off we went for more fun! These guys really are amazing!

We are looking forward to lots of excitement and fun next year!

Love ya honey!

Moon Plant

2009-08-06T21:59:00.000-07:00

Thom's mom grew up in upstate New York. A few years ago, after her mom passed away, she and her siblings went back to clean out the farm house and tie up loose ends. While out there on this trip, Chris visited an old Amish friend, who shared with Chris a start from her moon plant. Chris' children and grandchildren have enjoyed many-a-Sunday night sitting in her front yard watching this beautiful little weed looking plant perform it's magic. Chris had offered me a start of this unique plant right from the very beginning. I wanted one of my own, but not knowing the right place to put it, and not wanting to fail at my chance to care for this plant that had traveled all the way from New York, I never took a start.
While up visiting his family one night, early in the summer, Thom asked about taking a start to have for our own. He came right home and planted it in the perfect spot. He told me about his recent gardening endeavors and showed me what he had done. I was excited, but still a little nervous that we might not do it right. Well, I think that little plant likes it here, because after a few weeks it started sending up little buds. We were so excited! We have loved watching it this summer. This is how it works:
Right around dusk, the mature buds on this plant will split right up the side and you will start to see a little yellow pushing out.....

Over the course of about 2 minutes this bud will completely open up into a delicate yellow flower. It stays bloomed all night and by morning, it dies. It is incredible and a thrill for my kids to watch. The other night we had 4 blooms. We felt so darn proud of our little plant. What a joy it's been!

Hasn't been this quiet in a long time!

2009-07-27T11:19:00.000-07:00

Everyone seemed to have something to do and someplace to go, so

we pulled out a little craft we had picked up for the two left behind.

Jacob and Kathryn must have spent an hour or more painting. All I could hear

were the sound of little people focusing all their creative genes (which, by the way, they clearly got from me :)) on this little project.

Happy Birthday Marissa!

2009-07-25T11:44:00.000-07:00

While Thom and I were out of town, my sister Becky made the birthday thing happen! She made her a yummy cake! Also making sure she had some great presents to unwrap, including the super cute bag she gave her. She hung birthday banners and everything! The other kids may be hoping I'm out of town for their birthdays too!

HAPPY 13TH BIRTHDAY MARISSA!!!

End of School Fun...

2009-07-02T07:28:00.001-07:00

We all remember from our own childhood, the last week of school is not a big part of making grades...but a great time! Our school had a theme for each day, including field day. On this day the big 6th graders have games and relays set up on the field and rotate kindergarten through 5th grade to each event. I went to help (watch really) and it was a great time. Maybe the most fun was watching Kathryn make her way to each event on her own schedule and seeing these 6th graders not sure what to do with this 5 year old who seemed to be running her own show. At one point she located the balloon toss and was helping herself to the water balloons, that these guys had spent a whole lot of time and hard work filling up. She was breaking them in a pretty quick fashion, and wasn't too concerned about these not so big 6th graders...finally the poor fellow just closed the lid on the water balloon box and sat on it. I should have been more help, but by the time I figured out what was happening it was too late, plus I was laughing so hard and I wasn't sure I wanted to place a claim on the 5 year old bully.

2009-06-03T22:47:00.000-07:00

VOTE

CHRIS

...and so they did. Christopher won a spot on Student Council for next year. Wah Who for Chris!

Memorial Day

2009-05-26T11:12:00.000-07:00

...is a special day at our house. We always make a drive to Larkin Cemetary with flowers in hand and the supplies to trim and clean Mommy Kerri's headstone. We usually have to remind the little ones that it's not a great place for jumping from one square block with words on it, to the next. Sometimes they seem a little less impressed with this place that starts to seem too much like church, but for others in our family, it is holy ground. Christopher often takes on the job of cleaning up and trimming the grass, since he has made a talent of that at home. Marissa usually cleans and shines the stone that bares her mothers name. For her, this is something she can do for her mom and she takes it very seriously. Allison will often watch and sometimes helps but always wants to have flowers to add to the pretty display. We usually have family with us on this day and we love to spend this time with them. This year Grandma Hall's sister, Nancy and her husband, Jerry were here from California and joined up with us. It was a beautiful day.

What's more American than Corn Flakes?

2009-05-13T11:38:00.000-07:00

I am, I am, I am

(who didn't sing that song in elementary school?)

Jacob had his kindergarten program today! So darn cute!

(Okay, so I just realized I never finished this post...oops)

(And now I remember why! I wanted to crop this picture and I don't know how..isn't that just like life. Some little thing that doesn't really matter stops you from finishing something that does matter.)

Here you can see Jacob on the back row all the way to the left. I think he has already picked up on that Johnson boy trick of trying to be the tallest by thinking taller, which always pushes you up on the tips of your toes!

Jacob and his best kindergarten friend Ben. Don't they look like the sweet and ever obedient choir boys....ha ha! This cute little guy's dad is serving in Afghanistan right now...we keep him in our prayers.

Here is Jacob with Mrs. Tyler...the teacher of the year, as far as I'm concerned. Honestly, she was so wonderful with the little guy who would have rather spent his kindergarten year at home drawing pictures of Indiana Jones and hanging out with mom.

Just another proud moment for the Hall family!

2009-05-13T10:55:00.000-07:00

So...
sometimes at our house when mom is real tired and so is Kathryn and she tells me she wants to sleep in the dress she's been wearing all day, I say "okay". This shouldn't really be a big deal right? Right!

Most mornings when Kathryn goes to Preschool, I just drop her off with the other kids and she follows them through the Junior High, across the parking lot with the crossing guard, and up the stairs to the elementary school grounds to her building. Most mornings! Every once in a while when things are a little more crazy than the average morning...I will just drop off all the other kids and bring Kathryn home to get ready and take her to preschool a few minutes later since her class starts 15 minutes after the rest. Usually works great. Usually!

Well on this fine morning it turned into a less-than-average morning and as I realized time was getting away from us I said, "Everyone into the car! Kathryn, we'll get you ready after....in, in, in! Let's go, Let's go, Let's go!" And so we were off!

We pulled up to the school..."Okay, Everyone out! Quick Quick Quick! Hurry so no one is late! Yes, Jacob, I love you too, now hurry! Love you all, have a good day." Door closes, mom drives away and out of the parking lot....it sure is quiet in this car.

Yep, Kathryn got out too!

I started laughing so hard, that when I flipped a "u-ey" to hop into the next drop off lane, I think the lady in front of me thought I was a little off my rocker. I watched as Allison, with a little concern and confusion on her face, helped her across the parking lot toward their buildings. I called her name and motioned to send her to the drop off area to be picked up. I pulled up, she hopped in and we were off again...What a morning! I think I am up for mother of the year again!

MOMMY!

2009-04-28T19:55:00.001-07:00

What this world needs is a little more joy and a lot less fear!

*Jacob and his fearless cousin Luke on the Tidal Wave at lagoon. My poor baby!

Farm Country at Thanksgiving Point

2009-04-17T15:12:00.000-07:00

*Thanks Becky for posting these pictures on my blog for me....if you would just take over my budget and the disciplining of my children, that would really simplify things for me. :)

Take it when we can!

2009-04-06T13:08:00.000-07:00

Is there anything sweeter than a couple of friends sharing pbj's over a dirt picnic table on a almost springlike day.

Be Aware

2009-02-10T08:09:00.000-08:00

There is a new beautician on the block!

She will be taking appointments in the year 2020!

Mark you calendars!

Just a sampling of her fine craftsmanship!

(and to think, Kathryn got all this free of charge!)

Mom will you jump with me?

2009-02-03T14:07:00.000-08:00

...is the question I hear from Jacob. Well I heard him, but I didn't really answer him, waiting to see if this is a fleeting thought. A few seconds later I hear the same request, and then again and again, now tugging on me. And so I have to have the difficult talk...."Well buddy, I would love to come jump with you, but unfortunately mommy pees her paints when she jumps on the trampoline (or sneeze or cough or laugh to hard etc etc etc)" . A little confused look comes over Jakie boys face and then an impish smile. Yes little buddy, your mom has a small potty issue. "But would you like me to come watch and take some pictures of you?" Thank havens that was good enough and we didn't have to go into anymore embarrassing details.

Did you see that cool move?

How 'bout that one?Too bad you can't do this :)

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

2008-12-20T23:39:00.001-08:00

Tis' the craziest season of all. First there is piano recital...

(Jingle bell, Jingle bell, Jingle bell rock...)

Swim meet... (took 1st place in two different heats!)

Next we had a orchestra concert...

Then we had school play...

(Christopher did a great job!)

Winter sing...

(Look for the girl in Santa's hat! So darn cute!)

Preschool program...

(Kathryn loves to sing!!!!!!)

And of course everything else that goes with Christmas...shopping, cards, sub for santa, excitment, and the ever enjoyable, Christmas music, which may be my favorite part, so I usually get an early start (October?).

This post may be too graphic for the weak of heart (or stomach)

2008-12-16T05:36:00.000-08:00

So, you know that we have a gofer problem, or let me say "had" a gofer problem. After my last posting of the man of our house taking care of business setting off gofer bombs, we had a new development.

A couple of days later, I was walking past our corner where the little critters seem to make a big mess of mounds, and I could see a very fresh pile of dirt. I marched right into the man of the house and said...we have another intruder and the evidence is fresh.

Well, I must say for all the gofer bombs that we had set off in their holes, we must have some well-trained militant gofer that is not effected by our warfare. We had used them all....two whole packages used and they seem to be saying "Hit me with your best shot!" So that is exactly what Mr. Wack-A-Mole did. Not having any more gofer bombs left, and not wanting to run over to Home Depot and risk missing this opportunity, he got his pellet air rifle and made his post next to the fresh mound of dirt.

I was just leaving and took the opportunity to call my mom and tell her how funny it was that he was going to waste his time. That it would take less time to just drive himself to the local Home Depot and just buy more bombs, but he wanted to stake out the gofer hole instead. Well about 1/2 hour later I got a phone call, from Mr. Wack-A-Mole gone military defense squad, and he told me he had shot that pesky gofer right between the eyes! We have won the war against gofer terror, at least this one. He hit him with this best shot!

Kathryn in Church Today

2008-12-07T16:23:00.000-08:00

Ah... Stake Conference, on one hand, it's only 2 hours - on the other hand, it seems like 5 - especially with 5 bored children (6 if you include me). So in the middle of the meeting, Kathryn looks up lovingly to Liz and says, while gently caressing her face and brushing her hair out of the way "Mom, let me help you" She begins to comb her hair now with a colored pencil.
"You're pretty, but you're not cute."

Posted by Thom

Who is that man?

2008-12-07T13:16:00.000-08:00

So we have this little problem in our front yard. We will walk out and find little mounds of dirt in our grass. It is the evidence that we have a growing hotel under our earth that rents out to gofer passersby. We had a problem for about the first 4 years we lived here, and than a reprieve for the last 3, but wouldn't you know who has come back to visit? Those pesky gofers!

But as you can see, they won't be around for long...I could actually hear them runny and screaming "Save yourselves! Run! The WACK A MOLE champion is coming!" And as you can see, my good husband does look armed and dangerous. If those gofers know what's best for them they will run fast and tell their friends, too.

Personally, I have lost that childhood tenderness I use to have when my brother's would come up from the downstairs with a dead mouse in a trap, or firecrackers in their hand with a mission to blow up the ant holes. Oh, how I would cry, feeling the pain of the unnecessary death of one of God's creatures. Gone are those days. These gofers have made one too many mounds in my yard and I say ...

"Get 'em honey!"

To all of you loyal followers...

2008-11-09T14:28:00.000-08:00

including:
Becky,
Connie,
Thom,
and Liz....
Thank you for following :)

2008-11-09T08:09:00.000-08:00

Post from Thom:

Sunday Morning, November 9th. Isn't is a great feeling when you wake up and for a minute think it might be Fast Sunday (also known as Really Slow Sunday around our house), and then realize that it was last week? Food seems to taste better when you eat it after you THOUGHT it was fast sunday. I love Honey Nut Cheerios in milk in the morning. Sometimes I think that might be the perfect food - perhaps it should be it's own food group.

Craig, Warren and I took the scouts over to Mount Jordan pool yesterday morning to pass off their lifesaving merit badge. It's been planned for about 2 months, and we reconfirmed twice with the pool the time and date. Guess what? The crack squad of saavy personnel that runs that fine establishment booked a scuba diving guy during our time, and they had us down for 2 hours later. Of course, having 10 scouts in swim suits by the edge of the pool for 2 hours would not pose any type of a problem.
We used our Jedi Mind Domination techniques on the 15 year old operator to get things straightened out. It went kind of like this: "These are not the droids you are looking for...we can move along and have our class anyway since we confirmed our time twice...now go teach our boys.." Anyway, thats the best I can recall.

To my pleasant suprise, ALL of the boys passed off their requirements - which included swimming 400 yards (16 lengths of the pool). I'll admit to enduring a little mental anguish as I viewed the swimming prowess of a few of the boys. At times I wasn't sure if they were swimming or pretending to be an agitator washing their clothes. I am certain several of them burned off 3 times the amount of necessary calories for the distance travelled. This was made all the more apparent as Ryland, one of the boys in competition swimming, finished about 5 minutes ahead of everyone, and over 20 minutes ahead of the stragglers.

I went to drop Christopher of at Grandpa Johnson's to go to the BYU football game with them, and got an unexpected invitation as they had an extra ticket. We all drove down together, and had a great afternoon with perfect weather and a crushing victory of BYU over San Diego State.

2008-10-24T16:08:00.000-07:00

Thanks Becky!
for doing a blog for me, so that I had no good reason to not write on it. She did a great job...didn't she!
So here I am...an offical blogger!

2008-10-24T12:09:00.000-07:00