Happy Birthday To Me!

Today was my birthday (guess you couldn't figure that out from the title) and I had such an awesome day...I have to say that it was the best in years, oddly enough, despite everything going on. Hailee came in my room and woke me up and said, "Happy Birthday Mommy!!" I was utterly shocked and so happy and appreciative that she remembered! For 6, she is sooooo smart! Anyways, we got ready, I got Abigail up and had a great breakfast of Fruit Loops (yum!). Abigail was in a great mood and so was Hailee. We played in the house for a while then went on walk to run errands. Can I tell you how great it is to be able to run errands and WALK around town because everything is close enough to our home? I talked to my sister Laura and my mommy then we went swimming in Vernal. Vernal is 30 minutes away so the girls were very antsy when we finally pulled up to the rec center. We had so much fun playing in the water (sorry I didn't take any pictures, the clumsiness I'm experiencing with my pregnancy made me anxious of taking my camera into the water)! Abigail loved the slides and jumping around in the water and attempting to float in her vest, she is such a smart girl! Hailee, once in her life vest freely roamed around the pool and did what she wanted to. She is getting to be a good little swimmer, with support that is. After we left the pool, we went home and ate lunch, watched a little TV (ahhhhh! TV!) then played outside. My dad picked up Hailee to go shopping for a present for me (they had planned this the night before) while I cooked dinner for my family. Yes, it is odd that I cooked dinner, but I really do love cooking and we had my yummy Fettucine Alfredo and Chicken Cordon Bleu. Mom and Felisha arrived from their trip to Salt Lake so we ate and then they had me open presents. I loved my gifts from mom, dad, Felisha and Grandma tucker, they got me maternity clothes (thank goodness cause my clothes are already getting to be so tight!) but the best gift was from Hailee. Apparently, her and Papa went to three stores to find me purple glasses but couldn't find any so she got a purple coffee mug and a pink margarita glass. They were so precious! I'm sure my dad had to portray great patience with her while trying to find her gift that she was dead set on giving me. It was great talking to my friends today...Christie, Melanie and Rich. I love you all and thanks for a great birthday

PS sorry this turned into a journal entry but I wanted to give you an idea of an idea of what a great day I had but your probably questioning my thought in that. Goodnight!

(This picture was taken 2 weeks ago when the girls, Felisha and I went to lunch in Vernal)

Abigail's animal sounds

I've been wanting to get the right video of Abigail doing this so here it is....

Feeling so Greatful!

I know it has been a long time since I have posted any blogs but so much has been happening and it has been hard to get most anything done.

Last night, I came home from work and was completely overwhelmed by the help, support, love and extra shoves that I have received in the past month. I just wanted to thank everybody espicially my family and friends for all their love and support and all of their EXTRA help! I could not have made it through any of this without you. My parents have been so wonderful and awesome and I couldn't help but be in awe at all that they have done for me in the past little while. They have been amazing and I am so thankful for them. They have helped me with my home, my girls and pushed me to keep going even when I felt like I couldn't or just wanted to give up. I thankful for Lynn and Linda for being able to talk to them through this tough time I just wish it was happier for all. I'm thankful for those who have helped me be able to survive and continue on in life, from financial, to emotional to mental strength. If it wasn't for all the help and support that I have received, me and my girls would not be where we are today. I'm thankful to my sisters and my grandma for their constant phone calls and caring and kind words. I love you!

I'm especially thankful for my girls...if it wasnt for them, I don't think I would be able to exist. They have lifted me up when I was down and kept me going when I wanted to give up. They cheer me up when I'm sad and I love their loves and kisses.

Words cannot express completely how I feel right now from the sadness to the appreciatevness but I am working on it. I know that this is just the beginning of a long and hard journey but I now feel like I can face it and I'm ready.

Again, thank you to everyone and I love you all so much. Thank you for everything you do for me and my girls!

Merry Christmas!!

Today we celebrated Christmas together. Yes, it was 3 days late but we wanted to wait for Hailee to join us and Santa made a special trip just to deliver his presents. It was lots of fun and the girls are pretty excited about their new stuff. Grandma and Grandpa Melville got Abigail a slide and she doesn't stop playing on it.

Hailee was way excited about her new Leapster game and cute horse shirt also from Grandma and Grandpa Melville,

The girls also opened presents from my Aunt Stacy and Uncle David. Abigail got a cute stuffed monkey (which she loves giving loves to) and Hailee opened a cute little chef set complete with brownie mix, mixing spoon, apron and pot holder.

Hailee had me open presents from "Santa" though I'm a little annoyed "Santa" got me anything because we said we weren't going to get presents for each other. Oh well! I got a new robe and pajamas which are going to keep me warm in this terrible COLD weather.

But of coarse the highlight and main event is the presents that Santa brought and I must say that Santa did great this year. Hailee asked Santa at the mall for a growing puppy that was black and white and Santa had to google on the internet to figure out what she was talking about but he found it. And Abigail got a cool new farm animal and barn set. She is trying to make animal sounds and it is so cute, Santa thought it could help.

I would just like to thank our family and friends for such a wonderful holiday season. I am so blessed to have the home that I have, my healthy and adorable daughters and Greg working hard to provide everything that we have for us. I'm thankful for every minute that I get to share with Hailee and everytime I see her I can't help but be in awe in her development and beauty. I am also so very thankful for my little monkey, Abigail. Though she can be a handful, and her busyness is enough to drive you crazy, I love it and I love being with her. I am so thankful for my family...my parents, Greg's parents, my grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and all. They are so supportive and I am so glad they are all in my life. I am thankful for my friends near and far, old and new. It's so great to have shoulders to lean on when you need it.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!!

The Past Week With Hailee

It has been a fun week! Last Friday, I drove to Salt Lake City to get Hailee and bring her home for the weekend. We had a lot of fun playing together as a family,

decorating the Christmas Tree

(finally!) and finishing Hailee's bedroom. Don picked her up Sunday evening to take her back to Salt Lake but I wasn't too sad about her leaving because I knew I would see her again on Thursday.

Wednesday night I was so excited to leave for Salt Lake the next morning that I had a hard time getting to sleep and then I think I finally fell asleep after midnight, only to get up at 4:30 a.m. to get ready and then drive. I finished getting ready and went to go start the car when I looked out our front window and saw the snow coming down! I panicked and threw everything into the car, warmed it up and then put Abigail's coat on so we could get going because I knew it was going to be a long drive. We left at 5:35 a.m. and I didn't get to Hailee's school until 10:30 a.m. Hailee's Christmas performance was at 9 a.m. and I was devastated that I missed it. Five hours in the car and driving in snow was not fun but getting to Salt Lake to be with my daughter was worth it. We left Hailee's school once the parents were ushered out because half day was over and we spent the rest of the day at my parent's house in Draper playing, reading and decorating Hailee's new sticker book.

Friday I picked up Hailee from school at 11:30 and we went to the South Towne Mall to play, shop and see Santa. We had a lot of fun and I would just like to say that I LOVE the playground area that they have at the mall. I could sit there for an hour and the kids would be so happy to play and interact with other kids and go down the slides.

Max, Maama, Papa and Felisha joined us while we waited to see Santa. Abigail didn't cry while in his lap but she had a very serious face. Hailee was very excited and asked Santa for what she wanted. Later she told me that she forgot to ask him for what she wanted at her dad's house and what she wanted for our house but I told her it was ok and Santa knew.

Tonite I get Hailee for a few hours so that we can all go together as a family to the Chase Christmas Dinner. I can't wait to see her. Then after that, we wont' be able to be together until Decemeber 28th.

So this is Christmas...

I am happy to report that Christmas...in my book is officially here! Not only is Hailee's stocking up on the fireplace mantel but we finally got snow today. Hailee's stocking is so cute and when it is out I really feel Christmas in the air. I don't know why it just makes me happy.
I was getting jealous because Salt Lake was getting snowstorms already and I couldn't help but feel unincluded from the winter feel of the season but today...we got some. Unfortunately, it's colder out here and the snow quickly turns into hard ice but, hey! It's snow and I am happy to see it (maybe not drive in it but...)

(Hailee's stocking is the big smiley face, it giggles! And there's Abigail)

Three days until I get to go to Salt Lake and pick up Hailee for the weekend! I cannot wait and I'm so excited to see my little girl. I love her so much and miss her when she is gone. I try to talk to her on the phone but it's not the same as being with her and talking to her together as mommy and daughter. She is so important to me and I'm so greatful that God blessed me with her in my life.
I will add pictures in the morning of the beautiful snow and mantel but I need to finish studying for all my finals that I have this week in school. Ahhh....the semester is almost over, YAY!!! Just had to take a break and update.

(our backyard)

Thanksgiving Weekend

Wow! What a busy and fun time we had! Thanksgiving vacation started a little early for me when I went to SLC to pick up Hailee from school. On the way out of town, we picked up Max to come to the Basin with us. He slept over at Maama and Papa's house but of coarse he came over to play.

The main event for the holiday was going to my parent's house Wednesday night to kill (or watch my dad and Lincoln) the turkey for dinner the next day. That was neat and I hope we do it again next year. How many of you can say that you had that fresh of a turkey for Thanksgiving dinner?

I was going to post the pictures of the whole process of killing and everything else we did to prepare the turkey but I didn't want to turn anyone's stomachs. The turkey ended up weighing 30 lbs. The Betty Crocker Cookbook didn't even have instructions for turkeys that big, haha!

But this was the finished product and it turned out great! Hailee and I made the pies (pumpkin and apple-cranberry), stuffing, yams and rolls (homemade!). I felt very involved this Thanksgiving and I love baking so it all worked out. Hailee was a great help and I'm so glad she was with us. Raelynn and Lincoln came down Wednesday night and left shortly after dinner on Thanksgiving. They were here for only a little bit but I was glad that they came down. I think that this was the first, or at least one of the few where Thanksgiving was just our immediate family. It was great. We missed Laura, Kipp and Asher though but we will see them at Christmas.
For the rest of the weekend, we played a lot at Maama's and at home. Our house is still a major disorganized mess because we are fixing up and painting the front room, Hailee's room and our room. I just finished Abigail's room today. Yay! Only 3 more rooms to go!
Here is Hailee (with Max's help :)singing her Thanksgiving song that she learned at school. I just love her singing and she is doing so much more of it since starting school.

And if you ask Hailee what her favorite thing about Thanksgiving was and she says, "getting the turkey dead..." she never watched the killing of Tom the Turkey, I promise!