Winter Wonderland

When we woke up this morning, we had 8" of snow. When Michael opened the door, Mieke and Mollie ran outside and were prancing around through the snow like little lambs. They were rolling around in it and eating it and having so much fun! Michael took lots of pictures, which I will post here. A little later in the day, the sun came out, so Michael and I made a snowman. I can't even remember the last time I made a snowman! Then, we had a good, old-fashioned snowball fight! It was a lot of fun. Cade called me later and when I told him about the snow, he said he wanted to play in the snow, too. We are supposed to get more snow tonight. Then the temperatures are predicted to drop into the 20's and maybe even the teens. Enough of the snow melted today to make the ground really soggy, so if we get a good freeze, we'll have icy conditions on the roads. NOT looking forward to that!

We had our Elder's Quorum President come over last night and gave us both blessings. He also offered the use of his suburban for a couple of weeks. It's a 4x4, so at least Michael can get to work. Jared has been doing some research for us to help get the transmission fixed in Michael's truck. So, hopefully we can get that done soon. We will also have to start looking for a new vehicle for me before Christmas. We had been talking about getting a heavier vehicle with 4x4 anyway, so now I guess it will be sooner rather than later. It's hard to think about having a car payment again. Keep us in your prayers! With this weather, Michael's work tends to slow way down. We have been so blessed and I know the Lord will open the doors we need so things can happen.

Thank you so much for your love an prayers following the accident. It's nice to know family will rally around and be there, especially when things get tough. We love you all!!

Travelling with "Children"

We brought Mieke and Mollie with us when we came down for the family pictures. BIG mistake! We are going to have to figure something out for future trips. Mieke is so big that she takes up the entire back seat, which leaves Mollie on my lap in the front seat. All went well on the trip down, but coming back, Mieke got very jealous of the attention that Mollie was getting in the front seat. (They even fight over toys in the toy box at home...) Mollie would lay with her bottom in my lap and her head on Michael's arm or shoulder. Before we got to Payson, Mieke forced (I do mean forced - she is so strong!) her way into the front seat, pushing Mollie into the back seat. She ended up with her bottom in my lap and her head on Michael's arm. Nothing like 80 pounds of dog in the front seat! She was not about to be outdone by the younger, smaller dog! We had to stop the car and make her get back into the back seat. Do they have car seats for dogs??? I guess we're just going to get this divider to put in the back of the car to keep them contained in the back. I was totally exhausted by the time we got home because the "girls" fought all the way home!

Firehouse Dog!

I think the question of who Mieke likes best has now been answered! This morning when Michael left for work and didn't take Mieke with him, she was so upset! She knows that when she and Mollie get too roudy, I let them go outside to play. So, she immediately started fighting with Mo llie right after Michael drove out of the driveway. I waited a few minutes (enduring the rough playing) then let them outside. Mieke immediately ran down the driveway with Mollie not far behind. I grabbed a sweater (it was 37 degrees outside), my shoes, and the leash. I called for them both and Mollie came back right away, so the two of us went on a search for Mieke. We saw cows, so I thought for sure she would be nearby herding them along. No Mieke. I called and walked for an hour, then decided that she might be at home waiting for us and headed back that direction. No Mieke. I called Michael and told him he had to come back home so we could go look for her. The transmission in his truck is out, so he has been using my car for work. I sat down in the chair by my computer and saw an email entitiled, "Mieke is found on Highway 260". Reading the email, Mieke was found by two Linden Fire Dept. firefighters. She had crossed the road and was running down the highway to find Michael! A truck had stopped and the driver was trying to get her into his truck...she was headed toward him. Luckily, the firefighters were able to coax her to them. When Michael picked her up, they had a little plastic fire hat on her and were taking pictures of her! They actually backed out the fire truck so Michael could get pictures of Mieke in the truck! They were hoping no one showed up for her because they had already fallen in love with her. I don't think Michael will be leaving for work without her again. Sadly, I'm thinking about all the dog hair in my car!!

Ami Inspired Me...

Which Twilight novel character are you?

You're Esme Cullen - Your maternal instinct to take care of people and be kind draw people towards you. You're compassionate and loving, yet firm when you need to be. You appreciate hard work and value the beautiful results of your dedication to any project.
Take this quiz!








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Invisible Women: A Tribute to My Daughters and Daughters-in-Law

I’m invisible. It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I’m on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I’m thinking, “Can’t you see I’m on the phone?” Obviously not. No one can see if I’m on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I’m invisible.

Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more. Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this? Some days I’m not a pair of hands; I’m not even a human being. I’m a clock to ask, “What time is it?” I’m a satellite guide to answer, “What number is the Disney Channel?” I’m a car to order, “Right around 5:30, please.” I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude – but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She’s going…she’s going…she’s gone!

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself as I looked down at my out-of-style dress; it was the only thing I could find that was clean. My unwashed hair was pulled up in a banana clip and I was afraid I could actually smell peanut butter in it. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, “I bought you this.” It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn’t exactly sure why she’d given it to me until I read her inscription: “To Charlotte, with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.”

In the days ahead I would read – no, devour – the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work. No one can say who built the great cathedrals – we have no record of their names. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, “Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it.” And the workman replied, “Because God sees.” I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, “I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you’ve done, no sequin you’ve sewn on, no cupcake you’ve baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can’t see right now what it will become.”

At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride. I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.

When I really think about it, I don’t want my son to tell the friend he’s bringing home to Thanksgiving, “My mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table.” I just want him to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, “You’re gonna love it there.”

As mothers, and volunteers we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we’re doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women. (Author Unknown)

Thank you for all you do every day as wives and mothers! You're the BEST and I'm proud of each one of you.

I'll Keep Blogging

I enjoy blogging, so I'll keep posting. I especially enjoy everyone else's blogs, so I hope you will all keep posting, too. This is how I feel close to all of you and can keep up with what is happening in your family. I love all the pictures you post and the adorable videos of the kids.

It's beginning to cool off up here already. Our EQ Pres. said we have less than two weeks before it begins to freeze, so Michael is working hard to get things done outside - like putting the skirting up around the house. I think we're going to have to teach Mieke and Mollie how to use the treadmill so they can get some exercise during the winter because I don't like going out in the cold. I promise to get pics of that if it ever happens! Now I just have to figure out how to throw the stick for Mieke and the frisbee for Mollie without going out into the cold!

Michael's work is slowing down up here and so you may see more of us if he has to start working in the valley again. Annette and Werner said they have houses to paint, so if that's where the work is, we'll be down. We'll keep everyone posted - especially Tara, Scott and Dean!

Last night there was a ward dinner and auction for the YM/YW and they were able to raise over $4k for girls camp and scout camp for next year. It's the only annual fund raiser they have and I was surprised that our small ward did so well. I made homemade cinnamon rolls that sold for $35 a dozen. Michael donated some of his work and with all that, we were able to contribute almost $500. It was a fun evening. My RS calling keeps me busy. We had an older sister in our ward pass away last week, and I will get my first experience in helping to plan a funeral next Saturday. She had a huge posterity (she was related to the Ellsworth's), so they are expecting at least 150 family members; it should be interesting to serve a luncheon for that many people. I also started working in the Snowflake Temple on Friday mornings, and I love it! It is wonderful to spend an entire morning there helping patrons. All that I had to memorize came back quickly, so I had only one week of study and I am back doing everything an ordinance worker does in the temple. I have also been able to get the temple work done for many more of our family names. The next time I come down, I'll leave some family names with Ryan and Ann and Jeff and Heather, so please plan to pick up some names from them when you go to the temple - it is such a sweet experience!

I'll post some pictures soon of all the progress we're making on the house. At least as soon as something gets FINISHED! Michael has started so many projects, and I have yet to see something get completely done before he starts on something else. That's the problem with so much construction and too little money. Now he has to get the outside done pronto! We thought we had more time before the cold weather. Anyway, check back for photos!

Mollie's New Toy

Mollie has found a toy that she loves just as much as Mieke loves her sticks. Michael threw a frisbee for her and she went wild! Mieke has never much liked frisbees - we tried, but I guess she didn't like the feel of the plastic in her mouth. (Yeah - splinters are so much better...) But Mollie is craaaazzzy for the frisbee. We have to throw it upside down for her so she can pick it up, but I'm sure as she gets bigger, we'll be able to throw it and she'll catch it before it hits the ground. Don't get me wrong, she'll still chase Mieke and her stick, but throw a frisbee and she will forget all about the stick and Mieke. At least this was a fun diversion from all the problems with the house!

Pollyanna Syndrome (Otherwise known as The Glad Game)

I was so excited today because Navopache Electric was FINALLY coming to hook up the meter box to our electric pole. FINALLY electricity throughout the house. FINALLY being able to use more than one appliance at a time. FINALLY a porch light and hall light and electricity to the back bedrooms. FINALLY no more extension cords. The meter box was FINALLY installed and Michael was FINALLY able to throw the main breaker. Luckily I was in the house when he was outside throwing the breaker...because our two TVs inside the house blew up and started smoking. I pulled the plug on both of them and yelled for Michael to get in the house to get the TVs outside because I was afraid they would start a fire. All the power had been off all day, so the food in my fridge and freezer was beginning to thaw or come to room temperature and now it looked like we might have to get everything out and take to neighbors so we wouldn't lose all our food. Every light bulb throughout the house was blown and had to be replaced and the circuit board on my relatively new dishwasher is fried. The electrician did admit to hooking a wire up incorrectly - the ground wire.

OK - now for the Glad Game. I'm so glad my computer (which was plugged in and turned on) didn't fry like the TVs, the dishwasher and all the lightbulbs. I'm glad the electrician was able to come out and trouble shoot and get all the electricity on throughout the house. I'm glad I was in the house when Michael threw the breaker switch. I'm glad I have a porch light, entry light, hall light and lights in all the bedrooms. I'm glad my house didn't burn down. I'm glad I had the presence of mind to unplug the TVs immediately. And we plugged in both of the TVs and I'm glad one actually still works - the other is definitely fried and won't power on. The one that works is the smallest and newest one and has some lines through the picture, but I'm glad we can still watch a DVD if we want to. I'm glad I didn't have to take all the food out of the fridge and freezer - everything is ok all the way down to the Schwann's Rocky Road Ice Cream. If you look hard enough, you can find a lot of reasons to be glad and count your blessings!! And now for a gigantic bowl of Rocky Road ice cream...

The Four "M's"

That would be Mom, Michael, Mieke, and Mollie! Everyone has been asking for pictures of our puppies, Mieke and Mollie. (We affectionately call them Princess Mieke and Miss Mollie.) Mieke will be a year old on Sept. 6th - it's hard to believe we have had her for almost a year (we got her when she was 7 weeks old). I think she is finally full-grown! She has stopped growing tall and has really filled out and has so much muscle strength. Mollie is almost 4 months old and really has a fun personality. This weekend we had Tara's dogs, Shadow and Ritz and Jared's dog, Kanal here. Whenever Michael would throw the stick for Mieke (her most favorite thing in the world, besides Michael), Mollie would herd the other dogs away from Mieke so she could get her stick without interference. Mieke and Mollie play well together - sometimes it's like having a 4 yr. old and 2 yr. old in the house again. If Mollie gets a ball or toy, Mieke takes it away from her. They fight over bones, toys, and get jealous if one gets more attention than the other. They chase each other around the chairs, down the hall and into the bedroom to jump on the bed and start all over again. They absolutely love being outside and even play "King of the Hill" on the dirt piles. We believe they will protect each other from the coyotes that seem so close sometimes here. And, of course, we hope they will protect us. Most of all, we appreciate their company and unconditional love.

Ami Tagged Me!

4 jobs I've had:
1. Lansinoh Labs - Office/HR Manager
2. ALG Law Firm - HR Manager
3. Walgreens Healthcare Plus - 5 yrs and 4 positions
4. Chase Bankcard Services - Asst. to VP
4 movies I can watch over and over:
1. Sahara
2. 13 going on 30
3. National Treasure
4. Pirates of the Carribean
4 places I've lived:
1. Linden, AZ
2. Mesa, AZ (sorry about all the houses...)
3. Gilbert, AZ
4. Tacoma, WA
4 guilty pleasures:
1. Chocolate anything (almost)
2. Playing with my Grandchildren
3. Traveling
4. Spending time with my family
4 places I've been on vacation:
1. Maui, Hawaii
2. Banff, Canada
3. Bermuda
4. Oahu, Hawaii
4 favorite foods:
1. Fettucchini Alfredo
2. Really good Mexican food
3. Ice Cream
4. Pie
4 websites I visit:
1. Everyone's Blogs
2. Reliv
3. Bank of America
4. Another Voice of Warning
4 places I'd rather be right now:
1. Maui, Hawaii
2. Sea World or Disneyland with all the kids and grandkids
3. Listening to a thunderstorm - anywhere
4. On a Reliv trip because they pay for everything!
4 books I love:
1. Stephenie Meyers' books (I'm hooked now! When does the next book come out?)
2. Roger K. Young's books on Second Coming
3. Harry Potter books
4. Mary Higgins Clark mysteries
4 things I would like to know how to do:
1. Water ski - I know how - I just want to be better than Jerry!
2. Sail on a boat
3. I've always wanted to chase storms
4. Home decorating - like everyone else
4 neglected body parts:
1. My feet are probably the only body part that isn't neglected...love those pedicures!
4 things I worry about:
1. My children and grandchildren
2. Food/Water storage
3. Wishing I was a better Mom
4. Michael climbing on ladders and roofs without anyone there to call me if he falls
4 happy moments:
1. Any time with my husband and family
2. The birth of each of my children - I always felt like I had a new toy!
3. Dating Michael
4. Buying our home and land in Linden - finally something my own and a place to put down roots!
4 things I want to do this year or in the future:
1. Finish food storage
2. Get my home completely done and looking awesome!
3. Getting the outside of our home done so we don't freeze this winter
4. Go back to Hawaii - (Yeah, right - like I'll have the money if I get the other three done...)
4 people I am tagging:
1. Kaye Coatney
2. Tara Anderson
3. Stephanie Cook
4. Haley Cook
5. Heather Cook
6. Arleen Cook
7. Ann Cook
(If Ami can do it, so can I!)

OK - So I'm Not Bored Anymore!

Yesterday I was called to meet with the President of the Snowflake Temple. I have been called and set apart to be a Temple worker again - and I am so excited! It shouldn't take me long to get back up to speed with all that I have to memorize. I will work on Friday mornings. Clark and Susan Halls also work on that shift, so I will at least know someone when I go - and I guess I know who submitted my name, too.

The temple is so small! The Mesa Temple has 4 Initiatory booths - the Snowflake Temple has one. The Mesa Temple has 4 sets of Ordinance Rooms, The Snowflake Temple has one set. You have to make appointments to attend the Snowflake Temple most of the time, although a few sessions don't require an appointment. It is going to be very different, but I can't wait to get started again. When I was set apart, I was told that my family would be greatly blessed and my health would be better because of my service in the Temple. I have such a strong testimony of temple work and attendance and have had some of my most spiritual experiences while there. I know how busy all of you are, but try to take one day a month to go with your spouse. I know it is a sacrifice because you are all so busy, but you have been promised that angels will attend and guard your family if you go. I still have tons of family names that need endowment work done. Maybe I can leave some names with one member of the family and you can get a family name when you go to the temple. It's always so much more meaningful to me to take a family name through. Any volunteers to be the "keeper of the names"?

Importance of Attending the Temple in the Last Days

I found this quote and want to share it with everyone:

One of the best explanations about the importance of temples in the last days was given by Elder Vaughn J. Featherstone, of the first Quorum of Seventy, when he was Pres. of the Utah, South Area, April 1987:

“The season of the world before us will be like no other in the history of mankind. Satan has unleashed every evil, every scheme, every blatant vile perversion ever known to man in any generation… We and our wives and husbands, our children and our members must find safety.

As the evil night darkens upon this generation, we must come to the temple for light and safety. In our temples we find quiet, sacred havens where the storm cannot penetrate to us. There are hosts of unseen sentinels watching over and guarding our temples. Angels attend every door.

Before the Savior comes the world will darken. There will come a period of time where even the elect will lose hope if they do not come to the temples. The world will be so filled with evil that the righteous will only feel secure within these walls. The saints will come here not only to do vicarious work, but to find a haven of peace. They will long to bring their children for safety sake.

There will be greater hosts of unseen beings in the temple. Prophets of old as well as those in this dispensation will visit the temples. Those who attend will feel their strength and feel their companionship. We will not be alone in our temples.

Our garments worn as instructed will clothe us in a manner as protective as temple walls. The covenants and ordinances will fill us with faith as a living fire. In a day of desolating sickness, scorched earth, barren wastes, sickening plagues, disease, destruction and death, we as a people will rest in the shade of the trees, we will drink from the cooling fountains. We will abide in places of refuge from the storm, we will mount up as on eagles wings, we will be lifted out of an insane and evil world.

The Savior will come and honor His people, those who are spared and prepared will be a temple-loving people. Our children will bow down at His feet and worship Him as the Lord of Lords, the King of Kings. They will bathe His feet with their tears and He will weep and bless them for having suffered through the greatest trials ever known to man. His bowels will be filled with compassion and His heart will swell wide as Eternity and He will love them. He will bring peace that will last a thousand years and they will receive their reward to dwell with Him.

Let us prepare them with the faith to surmount every trial and every condition. We will do it in these holy, sacred temples. Come, come, oh come to the temples of the Lord and abide in His presence.”

Second Coming

I'm sorry...again...that I haven't posted more often. I am so stressed!! I am working on an Enrichment night lesson for the entire ward - the Bishop decided he wanted husbands there, too - on the Second Coming. It has been so much harder than I thought because there is so much information available and I only have 40 minutes. There is so much I want to say and yet I don't want this to be an "alarmist" type of talk. Please keep me in your prayers! This will happen Thursday night and I do need the Spirit with me. I'll let you know how it goes!

New Family Bloggers

OK - I know it's been awhile since I've even posted, but I kinda felt like no one really cared if I did or not. So, now that we all have blogs, I'll get back to it on a regular basis. Ami has really been so good about her blog and it looks so great! I have visited all the kids' blogs and they look awesome, too! It will be a fun way to keep everyone up to date. I am doing another Halls Family blog - not sure what I'll call it yet, but it will be for Lisa, Stephanie, and Mark and anyone else in our family who may want to contribute or put their family blog on it so they can access it. It's your choice.

A New Calling

I've just returned from talking with our Bishop and I have a new calling: Enrichment Counselor in Relief Society. When I was told yesterday that I had an appointment to meet with him, I felt that my calling would be in Relief Society, but I thought maybe Visiting Teaching Supervisor or teacher. Never in my wildest imagination did I think I'd get called to be a counselor. Now I know why the Lord has been making my back better. I guess we won't be spending as many weekends in the valley now, we'll just have to cut it short and come home on Saturday night or early Sunday morning. Our ward doesn't meet until 11:00, so that would be possible. I told all of you that I was getting bored up here - I think all that is about to change! Wish me luck and PLEASE pray for me!

I'm Losing It!

I can't tell you how excited I am! I started a new diet, along with my Reliv, and I have lost 9 pounds this past week. I am never hungry and definitely don't feel deprived. It's called "eating for your body type" or the six week body makeover. You actually take a test to determine your body type. The questions are not to determine the shape of your body, but what your body has been like throughout your life. There is an infomercial about it on TV, but if anyone is interested, I have the website and phone number.
What I have changed is substantial. I haven't had a soda in over 2 weeks now and I'm trying not to eat much white sugar. I have really been watching what I eat by reading labels. I am avoiding "hydrogenated fats". I didn't realize how bad they are for you. Hydrogenated fats are any oils that have been heated. Once heated, they are one molecule away from plastic and when consumed, your body doesn't know what to do with it, so it stores it - usually right around the mid section. It also coats every cell with this "plastic", thus making it very difficult for your cells to absorb nutrients. Good fats, like Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) and naturally occurring fats in avacados, etc. do not coat the cells. Make sense? It did to me. And I have been feeling so much better! When I was at the grocery store buying veggies, fruits, and good meats, it just felt right. An interesting fact here - one that you may have heard before. Did you know that you should shop the perimeter of the grocery store? The outside aisles have all the good stuff - veggies, fruits, etc. The inside aisles have all the sugar and hydrogenated fats. Check it out - you'll be amazed! When I shopped on Saturday, I only went to the inside aisles for tomato sauce, chicken broth, and brown rice. We ate so good all weekend and I even had a piece of pie (yeah, some hydrogenated fat in the crust), and I still lost 3 pounds. But I am not eating nearly the fats and sugars that I was before. Proof that just changing some eating habits can really help.
I am still taking my Reliv, but I don't have to take as much because my body is absorbing more than I was before. I am doing the Reliv Slimplicty plan which I am sure is helping, too. The accelerator tablets have some incredible herbs in them that help keep blood sugars where they should be and reduce the bad cholesterol plus help with the weight loss process as well. I am eating every 2 hours (6 meals or snacks a day) and I am not hungry at all. One thing I have found is that eating too much white sugar makes the pain in my back and joints worse.
So, the next time we are down in the valley - you'll see the "skinny me"! (Or at least a skinnier me!) WOOHOO!

Traditions

What can we do to create more family traditions? Ten, twenty, thirty years from now, all that remains are the memories we have created for our families. It seems that the in-law side of the family have great traditions that no one ever wants to miss. Does anyone have any ideas about what we can do - fun things no one wants to miss? I wish we had more "toys" up here on our property so it would be more enticing to come up for family visits. What about trips to other places, if planned well in advance? Places like Nauvoo or Salt Lake City, San Diego (Sea World and the beach), or Disneyland. I'm open to suggestions. Does anyone else think this is important? Jerry and Kaye are in Hawaii with some of their kids right now. Is there any interest in something like that? Please let me know what you think.

Footprints

So much has happened in the last few days. I suppose when life takes one of it's tragic turns, it makes you realize just how grateful you are. I know life can be taken away in an instant and I want my family to know just how much I love and appreciate them. I am grateful for my Mom and I think about her every single day. We were so close and she was called home at such an early age - 61. I'm only now 4 years away from that time line and I realize just how young she was. I guess she was needed far greater in her heavenly home than I needed her here. I'm grateful that I still have my Dad here and want him to know how much I love him. He still walks a few miles every day and has pretty good health. My Dad has always said "send flowers to me while I'm alive, because I won't even see them if I'm gone." I have really tried to live that principle and express my love to my family at every opportunity.
I am so blessed with wonderful children and grandchildren who make me prouder every day. I want you all to know that when I say "children" - that includes all their spouses - I have always considered them to be totally and completely part of this family and I love as much as my own.
My Mom's favorite poem said:
"Some people come into our lives, stay for awhile, and leave footprints on our hearts,
and we are never the same."
You have all left footprints on my heart and changed my life in such a positive way. I feel so sorry for those people who choose not to have a family because they will never know the happiness and joy that comes with sharing your life with children and grandchildren. I love you all! Thank you for being such a vital part of my life!

The Country Life

The Country Life

It's quiet, no sounds of traffic - only the wind in the trees, the dogs barking, a little rain - it's driving me CRAZY! I miss the sounds of my grandchildren playing and singing and going to the park with them to play. Don't get me wrong, I do love it up here, but it's been two weeks without my family and I don't like that much. We'll be coming down on Saturday and leaving Monday morning, so I am looking forward to seeing as much of my family as I can.
I've gotten a lot of unpacking done, even though I don't have as much space to put things away in this house. I can't put up pictures until Michael does all the taping, texturing, and painting of each and every room. He's so busy with work that he doesn't have much time to work on our house. He is doing much better at coming home at a decent time, though. He's been home by 6-6:30 most evenings. We'll get it done, eventually.
We have no TV shows up here, yet, so if I want to know what's going on with American Idol, I have to read Ami's blog! I keep up with my Suns by watching a live scoreboard on the computer, so at least I know who won - not many good highlights of the game, though. Guess I need to hear more about what happens from my boys (hint, hint).
Hope to see you all this weekend! Happy Birthday to Stephanie (Friday), Kaleb (this Sunday), Kyle (next Friday), Jerry (24th), and Jared and Ann (26th)!

Hey everyone!

Welcome to Michael & Judi Halls' blog! We will post our many adventures and pictures of our relaxing life on our property in Linden, AZ. Hope you enjoy it!