Our Aweful Beautiful Life

We sure had a fun Thanksgiving weekend, and we've got so much to be thankful for this year. My friend/cousin Lacy, did this on her blog, as she was encouraged to do by her Bishop in New York. I liked the idea, and I'm stealing it...a few days post thanksgiving. Let's face it...thanksgiving might only be one day, but we've got something to be thankful for, each and every day. Jason - I couldn't be more thankful for Jason. I look at our lives today, compared to what they were when we first met, and I couldn't imagine being in this place/time without him. Sure, there are days when we don't see eye to eye (he's very stubborn, you know), but ultimately, he makes me laugh when I want to be mad, he's an amazing father, a provider for our family and a super friend. I've always said, that through our family history, God put us together for a reason. I've never stopped doubting that. Jason, thank you, for being all that you are, not only to me, but t...

A few years ago (probably more than I care to admit to), my Grandma Hall and I embarked on an adventure in the kitchen. These were my favorite kinds of adventures with Grandma. She had so much wisdom when it came to cooking, baking, making from scratching and throwing things together. My fondest memories are with Grandma and food! :) As I approach the one year anniversary of her death, and as we enter her favorite time of year (Christmas), I've had a lot of memories come rolling back into my brain. Most of them bring a genuine smile to my face and a few make me sob like a baby because I miss her so much. On this particular adventure with Grandma, we set out to make Whoopie Pies for the boys working in the fields. As was typical with Grandma, we didn't make a single batch, but rather doubled (or maybe even tripled) the batch. As the afternoon wore on, Grandma and I giggled and giggled as we continued to cover EVERY INCH of counter space in her kitchen with whoopie pies! We eve...

Remember a week or two ago, how I blogged about Jason being such a great Dad for taking Colton to his first ever Purdue Basketball game? Remember how super dad was going to PROMISE to send me pictures via the cell phone, and that somehow didn't happen? Last night, we had the opportunity to re-create the fun -- only this time, Uncle Jacob and I joined in. We started the evening off with a great supper at Bruno's with my parents, who were also going to the game. It was PACKED in there! Then off to the game. We had a super time....I don't care how old I get, or how far removed from being a Purdue student I get, I will always love Purdue Basketball! :) Enjoy! Having fun at the game... Ticklefest Me & my baby boy...

Recently, we had family pictures taken on Jason's side of the family. I'd love to do a dedicated post to them, but unfortunately, they are on a locked website, and I can't figure out how to steal the photos, so you'll just have to come to our house to see them. For the Hall's side, however, the photography handed me the cd of pictures, and said..."here you go!" So, Viola...here they are...and let me tell you, I'm partial, but I think they turned out FANTASTIC!  This is just a sneak peak... Thumbs Up, Dude! LOVE this one! Aww!! Do you think Emmalyn is teething? For once it's not Matt with his hands in his mouth! :) The new lovebirds! Two peas  in a pod-- can you tell we had to promise Colton gum if he was good for pictures? The Original 5! Beautiful Baby Girl! Three generations -- love Em's face in this one...haha! Baby Blues! Our Aweful, Beautiful Life...

I'm extra posty and extra picture friendly today. Can you tell I finally uploaded some of my pictures? Jason and I had an adults only Halloween Party. What a riot...and so fun. You'll never believe who came to our party.... A vampiress and E-Male That's us...aren't we cute? Dr. Howie Feltersnatch and his patient A mix-matched couple - wet-t-shirt contest winner & white trash Lois Lane & Superman Ketchup & Mustard Naughty Nun & Priest -- this picture is hilarious... Peter & The Pumpkin...be creative.. There are no words.... Joe Dirt & Morning Glory Vikings...although, I said they were the Capital One No Hassle Card people... Handy Manny & Kelly the Shop Owner Keith Stone & His Keystone Light & Snoopy TOO MUCH FUN!

I can't get over how much Emmalyn is growing and changing. I remember feeling like Colton would never get big, and now, I can hardly remember him as a baby, and it wasn't even that long ago. Can you imagine when these kids are grown up, like, in their teens? I guess now I know how my parents feel! Emmalyn's really been running Daddy & I through the ringer. Over the course of the last month, she's been fighting a nasty cold -- and after about 3-4 visits back to the doctor, two rounds of antibiotics and the most cruel of all, a chest x-ray...we're FINALLY getting our old smiley, not crabby, happy go lucky baby back!! Now, if only she could master sleeping through the night again...that's our struggle that remains! It was amazing though -- through all her sickness, the kid kept eating! She probably gets that from me...but on October 4th, at her 4 month check up, she weighed in at 17 something (already a big baby for her age) and last week, at her last check-i...

Life at our house is certainly not boring right now... Colton fought me on Saturday night about getting off a toy and eating his supper, so I lifted him off the toy, and put him back at the dinner table. (Right before we left on our really, really, fun double date) and was crying as I left saying, "Mommy hurted me"...........but I assumed he was just being tired/dramatic, and off we went. Grandma Jacki reported when we got home, that his arm really must hurt, because he favored it/didn't use it all night. Yeah, Mom of the year. I felt AWFUL. After a Urgent Care visit on Sunday morning (where THANKFULLY he didn't tell the doctor that "mommy hurted me"...) we found out he had nursemaid's elbow. The doc twisted him right back into shape (and Colton didn't even cry!!) and off we went. Thank goodness it wasn't something more serious.  Emmalyn is still fighting her cold, and I'm pretty sure she's getting teeth too. Let me tell you how that co...

Tuesday afternoon, Jason called me mid-day, asking if we had plans for the evening. He mentioned that his bosses had offered him their two tickets to the home opener for Purdue Men's basketball. Being that it was just an exhibition game, Jason asked if I thought Colton would enjoy it. How sweet right? Jason called to set up his first father/son night out, and it just completely melted my heart. I could picture them, sitting there in a not overly crowded Mackey Arena, clapping along to the fight song and pointing out Purdue Pete, and watching the Cheerleaders fly....amongst the real entertainment of JJ dunking and E'Twan and his sly moves, and the Paint Crew, and...you get the picture...I HEART PURDUE MEN'S BASKETBALL. So, I told Jason I thought Colton would love it, but that he had to make me one simple promise. Document the evening in photos, because I'm going to want to blog about it. Fair enough --he agreed to text me a few pictures through out the night (after sho...

Happy Halloween! (Okay, a few days late). Not only did we have fun taking the kids around trick-or-treating, but we had an adults only party as well (that was part Happy 30th Birthday party). Here are a few pictures. Am I brave enough to post pictures of the adults only party....not quite yet, but I'll do so soon. They're too funny not to introduce you to some of the couples who came to hang out! Finger Painting Pumpkins with Ashlyn & Taylor In true Hall fashion, you can't do anything without having your tongue hanging out of your mouth -- a trait that my brothers and Dad still display... :) Sweet Sleeping Bumblebee Kiddo's Trick-or-Treating

Colton was working his big brother-ness this weekend. It makes my heart smile to watch Emmalyn light up when he gets right in her face...and to hear him talk to her. Enjoy the pictures and videos! Sorry the second video is so dark...it was bedtime! Be sure to turn up your volume to hear Colton talking to Emmalyn and reporting back to us! Colton helping feed Emmalyn her rice & pears He takes his duties seriously... She loves it! I love her expressions... He also wanted to feed her and rock her before bed...

It's National FFA Convention week...and I'm blessed that in my office, I've got two screens, and the flexibility in my job that allows me to live stream the Convention! It's funny...it was 10 years ago this past summer that I was elected into the office of State FFA President, and funny enough, my passion for that organization has not waned in the slightest in past 10 years. I always thought that once I moved on from High School and my officer year, that I would lose a bit of interest, or that I wouldn't be able to be as involved through the years as I have been. I've been lucky. Now, ask my husband, and he tells me to "quit living your glory days"...but you know what? Once you bleed the blue & gold...you can't help it. I've gotten chills from the National Officers retiring addresses (that I've heard) and I've broke into tears a few times, from Parent Recognitions to the retirement of Dr. Larry Case, an FFA icon. Go ahead. Dweeb...

Emmalyn has recently moved out of the bouncy seat and into the high chair while I fix dinner each evening. I'm learning that she really would rather sit up and and play and watch me, than layback and relax in her bouncy seat.  Well, I must have really worn her out last weekend, because as she sat in her high chair at suppertime, she could not keep her eyes open. I resist you to smile and say, "awww"...when you watch this. Oh, and I beg you to not judge us because Colton's dirty socks are on her tray...I SWEAR I didn't realize they were there....until of course, we stopped focusing on the cuteness that is his sister, and on the actual goings-on of the evening....

I should and could write daily about the things that come flying out of Colton's mouth these days. For instance, there's the day he handed me Emmalyn's bottle and said, "Here's her frickin' bottle mom".................to which I promptly replied, "Colton, don't repeat everything out of your Dad's mouth, okay?" Or the evening when he kept saying "weird, is that a bad word"...and I had to quickly decide if I wanted to deem this a bad word or "okay" word. I couldn't decide, and he still says it, so I suppose that means it made the "okay" list. It could always be worse, right? Our struggle lately, aside from the normal terrible two issues (that have recently spread like WILD FIRE...I swear he was such a good kid...), is the use of the word NOT. Now, should he be saying, "Mommy, I did not do that or I do not want that"...I'd be okay with it. When he flips back a reply to my request to go put ...

Growing up, anyone who is related to Grandma Hall would agree -- there was one rule for church...NO CHEWING GUM!!!! Anytime that we chewed gum on the drive to church, we had to find a way to get rid of it before even stepping foot into the church doors. When Jason joined the Catholic church the summer before we got married, I tried to instill in him this rule of no gum in church. Sometimes he'd get it, and sometimes I'd catch him halfway through mass, chomping away, and would give him that evil scowl which read "Grandma Hall would NOT approve". He'd even make the comment occasionally, "I don't have to not chew gum, just because that is your Grandma's rule"..........except, that's where he's wrong. He's done significantly better over the years...only sneaking in a piece here or there, but always getting rid of it by communion. Until this last Sunday. Colton has become VERY aware of gum. He loves it when we spoil him with a little...

Last Thursday, Jason and I had the opportunity to go to the Lady Antebellum Concert, here at Purdue. In a STRANGE turn of events, I admitted my age, and asked Abbie, a girl I used to babysit for, to now babysit my own kids. Talk about feeling like an old person. It really doesn't feel like that long ago that I was babysitting her, and now she's able to take great care of my kids. What's even better - she can drive herself to and from our home...which means that once we get home from a night out, we can stay there! :) And, what's better than anything, is that my kids love her, and she does a great job with them. She even baked cupcakes with Colton because she knew Jason's birthday was this past weekend.  Anyway -- they got along great. Fast forward to Saturday afternoon. I'd had to work all morning and basically skidded home in time to fix the kiddos a quick lunch and battle enforcing naptime while Jason helped Seth. I knew naptime was a must, because we were h...

I absolutely love this time of year...fall colors changing, the smell of harvest, tractor/combine rides with Dad and Trent...really, nothing tops this time of year. I love all the color, wearing hoodies, drinking hot apple cider and watching football on the weekends. Unfortunately, so far, it's been almost 80 degrees....which typically would be great, except, I'm READY for fall weather. 60/70's please!!!! We took advantage of Jason's birthday and the great weather and had a fun family outing to Millennium Farms in Benton County. They've got all kinds of fun things for the kids to do, and for $5 per person, you get to take a hayride out to the pumpkin patch and pick any one you'd like. Colton LOVED it. Emmalyn, she was probably less than thrilled, but mostly because she was so sweaty and hot. It was probably 85 degrees while we were there -- but that didn't stop my camera from working. We got some great pictures. Colton kept asking Jason, "How...