Enjoying

As I am getting older and having kids around the house, I have really started realizing what is important. I mean, so what if I go to bed with a messy house. It's still there for me in the morning. I've really tried to hang out with my kids because I'm just sad at how fast it really goes by. So here is The Coopster and me hanging out this morning watching Nemo. We also got out the Halloween decorations today, and made freezer jam. I have the hugest mess to clean up! Not to mention dinner on top of that. But it was all worth it. (I'll tell myself that when I'm up until midnight cleaning and getting ready for preschool in the morning.)

This picture doesn't do it justice, but he has the prettiest dark eyelashes. He's so blond and they're so dark. I absolutely love them!And who could forget these 2 cuties! I'm not to be biased or anything. Isn't Daisy such a cutie? They're the ones we miss all day long. And who wouldn't want to kiss these cheeks all day?

Dog pile!

I don't understand how boys just know how to be wild. All he wants to do at night when it needs to start settling down is wrestle. Of course the girls think it's funny so they lay on the floor and tell him to get on them. He of course just jumps on them. Nice bum Lindsay!
This picture is hilarious! Total action shot. He goes behind Lindsay and tries to tackle her. He'll stick his head in her back(or bum) and just push her or pull her around. He really took her down.
Why do we have to get wild at 8pm on a school night?

We love the rain

This doesn't happen nearly as often as it should! So we have to take full advantage of it. The girls were already gone to school and Coop wanted to go outside and play in it. I got a chair out to sit in under the porch so he decided he needed a chair too. Of course he put it right in the rain and sat there for like 15 minutes watching all the other kids go to school and cars going to work. He was so happy.
He looks like he's waiting for the parade to start.

What a cheeseball!

Cooper's Friend

My friend from church had Avery 10 days before Cooper. We were in the primary presidency together so they grew up together, crawling all over each other. We got to watch him a couple of nights ago and it was so much fun to watch them. They both are a little obsessed with Thomas the Train. In fact, all night was spent playing (arguing) with them. So we finally put them in the office chair and turned on Thomas on the computer. They were glued!
Thanks for playing Avery!

Boys only

Jeff went to go run errands and he took Cooper with him. He was so excited. He had to put his hat on and wear his backpack like his older sisters. It was hillarious!Don't you love his hat? He is obsessed with trains right now so his fun Aunt Becky found him a train conductor hat. He loves to wear it. Even though it's for an adult. It always falls over his eyes but he doesn't care!
Have fun boys!
On a side note: Cooper is terrible for me at any store. He won't sit in the shopping cart. He usually wants me to hold him and push the cart. And he screams and if you've heard it you know how loud and girly it is. And if for some reason he decides he wants to walk, he usually runs down the aisle and disappears. So I secretly was hoping he would do it for Jeff so he wouldn't think I was making it up. But of course he was perfect. So Jeff, you get to run all the errands!

Our New Pianist

So Daisy started piano up again. We took for a little bit a year or so ago but I wasn't very commited. Daisy's grandma Hall said she would be her teacher. So we go every Wednesday after school. She's doing pretty good I think. She doesn't totally enjoy it but she knows that she has to learn to play the piano before she can learn to play the guitar. Which is what she really, really wants to do. A plus about piano lessons though, Daisy gets to play grandma's grand piano.

A smile at the end of practice-that's a good thing!

Our week in pictures

This girl is hilarious! She came walking down to the office after school and had changed and said her name was Sharpay. She didn't wear this outfit to school. She totally came up with it on her own. She was talking on her phone saying the funniest things.
I love her backpack. She was walking to my car after school and I had to smile cause it's as big as her.
At bedtime Cooper goes around and collects all his animals, and the girls and has to put them in bed with him. If you try to take any out he cries the saddest cry so I let him have them all. His record is 14!

Beating the heat. Sprinklers on the tramp and Otter Pops. Nothing better!

I feel like since school has started, we haven't done too much but focus on homework, reading, and getting to bed on time. Especially since Lindsay started kindergarten, I want to make sure she gets enough sleep. As soon as the girls get home from school we do homework then I have to read with Lindsay and Daisy. Then Daisy has to practice the piano and she always has to ask me questions about notes. Then we have dinner. We might play outside or watch TV for a little bit then it seems like it's time for showers, baths and bedtime. And we all know this takes FOREVER! So I hope our life doesn't seem too boring. It really isn't. I stay plenty busy and they manage to still make me laugh:)

So I Thought.

I had big plans when school started this year, Big plans! With 2 kids being in school all day I was going to get so much accomplished and get caught up on all the crafts and projects I want to finish. I've come to realize that just because 2 kids are gone, doesn't mean I have less to do. I still have to do laundry, clean, cook, go grocery shopping, pay bills, run errands, carpool, piano lessons, prepare for preschool, etc. You get the idea. The only thing really that is different is that I haven't "lost it" by 2pm. If we can only work on bedtime. Cause I can still "lose it" then. :)

1st day of school

I made it through this morning. It wasn't too bad. I think it helped that Jeff was there and Lindsay was so excited! She was up at 6 am this morning! Daisy is in 3rd grade. She wanted me to walk her to the playground because she couldn't see any of her friends but she found one and was like see ya! She is quite the social butterfly!Lindsay was super excited but a little nervous too. She kept asking me when I was leaving. I asked her if she wanted me to leave but she said no. She stayed real close to my side but when the bell rang she lined up and had a huge smile on her face. In the classroom she walked and then I lost it. But at least she didn't see me.

When I was taking the girls pictures, Cooper was on the other side of the wall smiling for his picture. Of course he won't look at me.
What's Cooper going to do with all this free time?

SHHHH! Don't tell

After we dropped the girls off we went to Basha's to get some groceries and Cooper and Jeff got a doughnut and I got a DP. No sharing for me!

While the girls are away, mom,dad, & cooper will play!

I swore I would never....

buy my kids character clothes or shoes. I'm ok with pj's & underwear being characters but that's it.
But look how happy he is! I couldn't refuse. We put them on and told him to walk around the store. He was walking with his head down so he could see McQueen when he walked. He was so happy. He even wore them out of the store and has worn them all day. The white string was still on from the tags. We were getting out of the car tonight he said, "McQueen, buddy." Jeff wasn't excited about my purchase until he said that and it made him laugh so I'm not in trouble anymore. Enjoy them Coop cause I'm sure when you go to kindergarten, you're not getting character shoes.

My little bookworm

As busy as he is, he'll always take time to sit and look at books. He'll even let me read a couple. He loves Wibbly Pig (he stole from grandma) and Dora. He found a nice reading spot this afternoon. Don't you love the sissy bridgie (blanket) and the cars? Can't forget those. And so these 2 don't feel left out. Aren't they cuties?

So for FHE, Well more like FHA(afternoon) we decorated these notebooks for our study journals. I don't know about you but we struggle with the whole having a lesson thing. We had the missionaries over for dinner last week and they showed us how cool and easy the Preach My Gospel book is. My parents gave us one a year or so ago in hopes that we would do family FHE every month together. Ok that lasted about 2 months. But I am very excited about this. I know this is something I can do. And even better is that my husband is actually excited about PMG too! So if you don't have this book I highly recommend getting one!

Happy Birthday

Another birthday, another year older! Today is Jeff's birthday. We just want to wish him a happy birthday and say thanks for all you do for our family. We know we're not easy to put up with, but he never complains and always finds time to play and be goofy with the kids! We love you!

Also- yesterday was Jamee's birthday. Didn't want to forget about her! She's awesome and loves the kids and is always willing to babysit. Thanks Mimi! I've made 3 cakes in the last 3 days! That's alot of cake! But who doesn't love cake. And when you have a cute cake mold, you could make one everyday!

You've had a birthday...

Shout Hooray! I can't believe my baby is 2 today! Where does the time go? Cooper has been such a joy in our home. We love having a boy in the house. Now if I can only get him to look at the camera when I take pictures. :)
Opening his presents.
Throwing a tantrum. He couldn't open his presents so the girls were trying to be "the mom" and he did not like them in his face. Hey girls, he already has a mom. Thanks anyway.
My child is OBSESSED with the movie Cars. Jeff found this Mack truck for him. It unfolds and it looks like the inside on the movie. It has a bed, carwash, gas station. He's been playing with it since he got it.

We celebrated with just our family yesterday since it was Sunday and we were all home. Cooper shares a birthday with his girl cousin Avery. She is 1 today. We are going to dinner tonight to celebrate. And tomorrow is Jamee's bday and Wednesday is Jeff's bday. We're eating lots of cake this week! Watch the video of him blowing out his candles. It's the cutest thing ever.

Just a preview...

The Beach

This is the best vacation ever! This is the 5th year that the Hall Family has gotten a beach house on the beach for the week. This is our 3rd year we have been able to go and we look forward to going all year. This year everyone made it. We had 13 adults and 14 kids! We soaked up the sun, ate lots of good food, and just relaxed. If I could live anywhere, I really think I would love a house on the beach.
Daisy picked up boogie boarding this year. She did pretty good and loved it. It kind of surprises me that she enjoys being out in the ocean because everything else scares her. Her and Megan would go out so far on the tubes and ride the waves in. Daisy would come back and tell me she couldn't even touch the bottom. Ok that would freak me out. She won't ride any rides at Disneyland, but she'll brave the waves at the beach.

When I say we stay at a house on the beach, I mean it. I am on the beach and all you have to do is climb the rocks and you're at the house. It doesn't get much better than that. Thanks Hall's for a fabulous time! I'm counting down till next summer!