Half way thru April?! nice....

For.the.LOVE I have been busy! How sad that my last post was so.dang.long.ago.

We have just been busy with our ticket business, busy with softball (Sarah is the "slugger" hitter-meaning she bats 4th), Rachel has been doing amazing at Track, the other two girls LOVING they get to go to gymnastics every friday for an hour.

Ive got FOUR school projects going on (i hate school projects)-two are due monday, another the following monday and the last beginning of May-shoot.me.now.

Jons brother Mark's wedding is next Saturday-we'll be in SD that weekend.

Spent 9 days at our family cabin which was sooooooooooo nice. We literally did NOTHING. We dont have cable tv in our home (havent had it for over 2 or is it 3 years now???) We watched all 19 episodes of Storage Wars and tons of Cake Boss.

Rachel did Youth Conference. They nicknamed her "Animal" A) because Aunt Kristi made her a zebra print pioneer outfit and B) because she is a WORKHORSE. There comes a time in the trek when the men go off to war and the women are left to push the and carts UP a hill. The leaders said Rachel pushed their cart up then RAN back down the hill to push another up then RAN again to push another-she did this FIVE times! On the last one she was LITERALLY shaking they made her stop and her "pioneer dad and brother" came down the hill and carried her up. They ended up giving her a priesthood blessing as well. What an awesome experience for her. She said there was NO PLAYTIME or FREE TIME it was just work, work work and MORE work. She had fun though. When she came home she said "I want to hear the toilet ACTUALLY flush (cuz they had portapotties) and then take a two hour shower, and then sleep and not wake up till school starts again" -success!?

All in all life is being R.E.A.L.L.Y good to us right now. We are immensely thankful at this time of our lives. We are all healthy, we are all happy, we are all in a good place-and that feels wonderful.

Fun stuff--

Rachel qualified for VARSITY track as a Freshmen! Unfortunately the HS already had older girls who took the few Varsity spots-so she was put in the #1 spot on the JV team. She's just super happy she qualified for Varsity and is excited to be on JV. She has her first track meet today. She is doing the Long Jump and the Triple Jump. She for SURE has the "Hales track legs." That girl has some quads that most boys would be jealous of!

Sarah had her first softball game last night. It was so.very.cold. I was bundled up but by the end when the coach is talking to the other girls i wanted to cry it.was.so.cold! I'm grateful it will be back to 80 on Saturday! I am a WIMP with cold weather. It was a confusing game-they lost 9-6 but apparently the pitcher can only throw 12 outs and our coach thought she could throw unlimited so it ended up us having to forfeit the game!? What in the world!? The league President ended up coming over, a few of the Board Members, both Umps, both coaches. They dont mess around I guess.

I hate doing taxes. Although once I sit down and they are done its not that big of a deal-but it's the lead up to it I dont like I think! I took step one and ordered Turbo Tax from Amazon.com. Then it sat in my mail box for like a week. I have issues obviously! HA So now I've stuck the CD in a cupboard. I need.to.get.on.it.

Jon continues to have his UTI infection. The man n.e.v.e.r takes tylenol for ANYTHING. Our whole marriage he never did. He always felt like they did nothing for him. Through out his injury he's managed to drop his medication by 70%. He got off pain meds as soon as he could. He could be on morphine for his whole life and never have pain-but he told his Dr. I have four daughters at home that need a FATHER not a man on pain pills cruising through life-not even there.
With this round of UTI-he did take Tylenol which has kept his fever at bay. He did start the round of antibiotics. This makes us nervous because if one continues to keep taking antibiotics the body builds up a resistance and eventually does nothing. He is worried that when he really gets a bad UTI nothing will work and that will be the end of it. Last night he said "I dont want go out from a lame UTI-I never thought that's how it would end!" I asked "oh-how did you plan on leaving?" He replied "In a blaze of Glory!" Hysterical.

We have tried MANY things. Cranberry juice 100%. Cranberry pills 100% (taken daily). This round he took AZO which turned his urine dark Orange. Eventually he ended up needing to take the Antibiotics.

When he has a UTI his pain level shoots through the roof. Its the nerve pain (think pins/needles/hot/cold constant pain)-never relief. Its everywhere below his injury-so chest down there is constant severe pain.

He's been in bed the past two days-today will be day three. Hopefully with the antibiotics he will be able to be up tomorrow. Time will tell.

I joked on FB that I need a "Brother Husband!"--for reals that'd be so helpful! Between caring for four children, all who are in sports etc, homework, dinners, laundry, house stuff, running two businesses etc etc etc Then add in a bed bound husband who needs his cath bag drained every couple of hours,feeding him, medication-makes things a bit tricky. Even though life is hard--i am SO GLAD he is still positive. My dad reminded me once "Be so very grateful Jon is a positive person-your life would be unbelievably worse if Jon was depressed, bitter, and mean." That keeps me going when life gets a little hard like this-realizing it could be SO MUCH worse.

The two week catch up

We celebrated Jons 39th birthday. He got a pink tie from Becca, cologne from Sarah, a green "Im Irish" tshirt from Rachel and a big popcorn maker from Anna.

Here's a snapshot of the older two on our way out for Jons Bday Dinner.
Our family spends many Friday nights renting a Red Box movie and having popcorn--LOVE this new machine!

Sarah has has softball practices--her first game is this Wednesday. It will be fun to see her play "for reals." Rachel had Track try outs times on Saturday-her first meet is on Thursday. They will post what she made Thursday morning. She is doing Long Jump and Triple Jump. Once she saw those SUPER FAST AFRICAN-AMERICAN girls run she thought "um maybe I should try the long/triple jump instead!"--classic.

Anna has her HUGE Destination Imagination competition this Saturday. I have to get her and I CLEAR to Pasadena by 8am and we will be there all.day.long. If her team wins Regional, they will go onto State which is March 31st in the Clovis area.
Becca started gymnastics right up the street here at the community center-seriously so dang cute. Maybe her dimples make it extra cutsey!?

We spent Presidents Weekend in Arrowhead. Robert and I moved a TON furniture into the cabin.

My truck is loaded with stuff for the cabin-the Hales truck was loaded too

along with a huge trailer packed with 11 brand new mattresses. The cabin will pretty much have a bed for all 34 of us-how fun huh!
We were cranking machines! I LOVE to be productive and get.things.done. It was awesome. It had snowed before we got there-so the roads were all clear for us and the sun was out shining and warm-it was perfect.
Todd's family came by Sunday afternoon and moved in more furniture. So now the cabin is pretty much set up!
There is a Jr. High School two houses away from us-so all the kids would just get dressed and walk over there. That is where all the AWESOME snow is to go sledding. Only those of us that live there know about it.

The internet was SUPPOSE to be hooked into the cabin by 5pm on Saturday--the guy didnt even show up till 730 and took till 830pm. So the night before Jon and I had to get our work done for StubGate so we had to get into my denali-drive to McDonalds parking lot to access their free wiFI internet. We had both laptops going and then had to run back to our cabin to get the car battery charger for my laptop to work so we sat in the drive way for FOUR hours WITH the truck engine on to charge my laptop while we worked-then at 1145pm drive BACK to McDonalds to access the free WiFi again.
It was craziness. So when the internet was on and working Jon and I were SO RELIEVED we didnt have to do another 4 hours in our truck! We were done with work in about an hour. SO NICE.

On Valentines Day Mark proposed to Clarissa.

She is in the dark grey. Her mom is on the right of her and her sister on the left.
They've been dating off and on for about two years. Such fun news-she's adorable and loved by everyone. They will get married April 21st. They were trying for sooner but the SD Temple was totally packed up until April 21st. Crazy huh!

Also on Valentines day-

the girls EACH got stuff left on our doorstep. Too cute!

Rachel received a letter from her HS Art Teacher.

Basically telling us she has a huge future in Art. Awesome!

Business is doing FANTASTIC and we are BEYOND grateful. Such a blessing-so thankful.

Sadly Jon has come down with another UTI. Poor guy. It makes him tight, feel like he has the flu, feverish, cold, hot-just all around yucky. It started just today. Jon always has a chronic running UTI-it's part of his injury. Sometimes it stays calm, and sometimes it flares up-it just kind of is what it is. We try to fight them naturally because if you keep feeding it to antibiotics-you have to get a stronger and stronger one. We are worried one day when he has a REALLy bad one-he'll have already gone thru all the anti's and nothing will work. The last one he had not too long ago was really rough. He tried to fight it too long. We'll see how long he wants to fight this go around. When he's like this-he is bed bound for about a week. Makes life a little difficult. Hopefully he gets thru this UTI quick and he can resume to his life again.

Highs & Lows

Lows:

Having to pay $101 to fill up my denali. I'm so grateful I work from home and that the HS is around the corner, JR High up the street, softball up the street, gymnastics up the street, the younger two walk to and from school, the bank down the street, fresh & easy down the street, walgreens down the street, and that wendys/carls jr/del taco are down the street!!!! Too bad my Target is 10 minutes away. They will be building a SUPER Target about 1 minute from me-not sure when that will be done-but then I will be set!
I SERIOUSLY live in the PERFECT spot.

Taking Anna to her FIRST karate class--wow that was a no joke class. It was 1.5 hours LONG and at the end all I had to say was "So thinking you want to do gymnastics with Becca instead?" She relieved a huge "YES!"--It will be fun to be doing it with Becca and their friend Kate.

Chase bank calling me DAILY after the 5th of the month bugging me about our mortgage payment. We got our loan modification last year (our rate dropped from 5.125% to 2% for 1st-5th year, 3% on 6th year, 4% on 7th year and 4.375% year 8 on out.) and apparently they call you every.single.day after the 5th of the month to see where their money is. The last call I said DO NOT CALL ME!!! Yet they still do. I just pick it up and hang it up. Good grief already.

MANY.LATE.NIGHTS with our new business venture-its SO TRUE when you own your own and run it YOU WORK YOURSELF TO DEATH! But the rewards are a total pay off. We are actually working on a way to not have to stay up so late--it's a work in progress but we are BEYOND THANKFUL for the support its providing our family no doubt. Thank HEAVENS for my Nuriche REVIVE to keep me going!

HIGHS:
Driving (speeding) to Todd/Celene's ward to be there for Taylors ordination. Chad drove down with 3 of his boys-we were all in this TINY room and then all of us Hales walked in--Chad joked "Um is Taylor in here anywhere?!" It was awesome. So great to be there to support family like that-I REALLY do love that about Jons family. SO VERY AMAZINGLY supportive in all things that are important!

Hanging with the fam bam after the ordination. Jon SO LOVES his brothers-they truly are his best friends. It always makes me tear up to see how they interact with each other. I also SO LOVE that the cousins REALLLLLLY like to be with each other. I am so grateful we have them close by!

Online Bill Pay--does anyone write checks anymore?! HA I even pay my tithing online. It's so nice to hop on the computer-pay EVERYTHING and be done in 10 minutes.

Rachel is doing SO.MUCH.BETTER. we still have her cell and iTOUCH. She's meeting NEW people from the Track team who are GOOD KIDS. She's seeing how they are different. She's wanting to hang with them more then her old volleyball girls-who are nice-but kind of catty. (Ya know the kind who talk about the one girl who just left to get a drink of water.) She's nervous about leaving that group to hang with other track kids. I told her she totally should and can. She's going to once track season actually starts so it wont feel/be so awkward for her. YEAH FOR POSITIVE CHANGES! I'm surprised she isnt BEGGING for her stuff back. We did tell her it would be "a while" and that we were "watching" her.

Sarah JUST MIGHT be the FIRST to get all straight A's on her report card. That girl is doing goooood-she'll come home, totally do hw/ chores. She's on the ball--till Anna gets home then by the end of the night she's driving us crazy. Good thing she's in softball to be out of the house. It totally helps. We told her IF she gets ALL straight A's she's getting something MAJOR. We already know what it is-but she doesnt. WAY FUN. Rachel would get all A's then a LAME B in PE or Band--hello--those are suppose to be the EASY A's!!! So Sarah would be the first.

Thoughts that are in my head...

I cant seem to be clever with my titles--but have all these blog posts in my head about my family--HA!

We have our family "to do" list board that I LOVE. Yesterday I found this lovely creation on it:

She cracks me up-and is so dang talented. How does this happen?! It just goes to show you each of us are given "gifts!"
Instead of taking a LAME spanish class-we put her in an Art class and she is LOVING it. I think it was a good choice for her first year in HS. Here are a couple of pieces she did recently.



Jon and I are being REALLY blessed in our efforts with our new business venture and it is SO.PAYING.OFF. We had a FANTASTIC January and feel SO HOPEFUL. Jon created our "image" of our business.

Awesome huh!

Lastly, here is Becca-in her usual form!

Photo is kind of dark. This girl STILL loves to sniff her blanket-any blanket! Weird huh!? It cracks me up.

Highs & Lows

Lows:

We ended up taking Rachel's iTouch away completely.
The temptation was just too much to keep friendship going with that "one boy." It was a good idea and we've had SEVERAL discussions with her of what we expect to get it back. SO far so good-she's progressing in the right direction. It's REALLY hard for her to be living here. There are no girls her age in our ward. They are either 2 years older or 2 years younger then her. She's pretty much been by herself since age 11. We feel for her-she's not having the teenage experience both Jon & I had. We are considering some other options. We shall see what happens.

Bummed that our OLDER girls STILL can't seem to keep their eyes CLOSED during prayer. Does this bug anyone else? Is this only happening in my family? Am I doing something wrong?! Seriously--so gets to me & Jon.

We went to cabin last Saturday after house chores.

Jons parents were there "working" so I offered to help. Was disappointed Rachel did.not.help at all. To be fair-I did have them clean my house already and going to cabin was the "treat" but I think she still could have been nice and done something. Don't worry--we had a discussion about this too. Can you tell--LOTS OF DISCUSSIONS happening over here!!!

Highs:
Rachel had Winter Formal at her HS-since she is not 16 year-we took her out to dinner-

just the three of us--Texas Roadhouse. We did a lot of talking. It was a great time.

Going to Arrowhead cabin for the afternoon. SO FUN to have something we can just jet too. It was weird for it to be 80 at our house then drive 40 minutes and its 55 at the cabin! After we came home we took the fam bam to Island for dinner.

Jon and I split the Hawaiin burger--our "thing" is to always order buffalo wings-so we shared those two. Dang now im HUNGRY!

Robert needed help picking up a LOT of needles from the front area of the cabin. Anna & Becca were soooooooooo nice to come out and help Robert & I. We managed to get 20 huge black sized garbage bags full of pine needles. I love to work hard like that. I seriously would have made an awesome pioneer!

Speaking of pioneer. Our stake is doing the Trek this year. I took Rachel and she picked out zebra print for her pioneer outfit with lime green as her apron and bonnet. What a crack up! I'll have to post a photo when its done.

I read a POWERFUL article from the BYU Magazine. It was written by Brad Wilcox. Jon & Brad are close friends.
http://magazine.byu.edu/?act=view&a=2968
SERIOUSLY EVERY youth child needs to read it. I've been telling everyone about it!

My girls FINALLY found the Oklahoma DVD

and have been watching it daily. They all know the words to every song-hysterical. I seem to have the freakish talent of being able to laugh like that one girl in the movie--for reals. My girls are amazed. Now admit it-you just tried to do it huh!

No more life!

Looks like I will no longer have a Life in a few weeks -and here's why. THANKFULLY all these activities are literally within 1 minute of my house!

Rachel will be on the High School Track Team as a sprinter--the girl is freakishly FAST!
This is her head coach "Coach Corona":

and this is her specialized Sprint coach "Coach Jones":

SUPER GREAT COACHES! This should be a GREAT season for her-Im anxious to get it started and ACTUALLY SEE HER RUN for reals.

Sarah will start Spring Softball. She tried out last night-NAILED IT! This was her official tryout number. They had to catch two fly balls and throw to second base. Then move to short stop and catch two grounders and throw to first base. This girl can throw from center field to home plate. She did that very play in winter ball and got the girl out-all 5 of her coaches were like WHAT THE SMACK!??!? super fun.

Then she had to hit 4 balls and run on the 4th ball that came. She walked up to the plate, got in her "stance" and ALL of the new coaches that were drafting said "WOAH!!" Most girls kind of go up there and are a little dainty-but not Sarah. She's for real. This photo isnt of Sarah-but was pretty much Sarah's stance.

She doesnt mess around! Her first time EVER playing a sport was winter softball. She knew nothing of the game. She had AMAZING coaches that took her under the wing. They all kept saying "Sarah has NO IDEA how athletic she is--she's like every coaches dream!" ---they get their athletic build from Robert their grandpa. They are lucky to be so strong.

Anna strangely wants to do Karate!?

She is my dainty, always dressed with perfect accessories, always reading, always behaving, girly girl. I have no idea why she wants to do Karate-but alrighty then!

Lastly Becca didnt want to be left out and will be starting floor gymnastics.

Is that photo not SCARY or WHAT!?

So as you can see-the next three months with all this going will F.L.Y. our life by.
But I can look forward to this

come May 6th-13th!
I earned a free trip to Hawaii all expenses paid-flights, hotel, food and entertainment. SHAZAM. We havent decided if it will just be myself & Jon (we've already been to Maui pre accident), or us and the four girls (the girls have never been) OR me and my four close girlfriends for our annual girls weekend-only it will be a girls WEEK. We'd LOVE to take all four girls--so that is our goal. We will see if we can make it happen-flights are SO EXPENSIVE then times four, get another hotel room-it all adds up.
Either way--I will be ready to R.E.L.A.X and do N.O.T.H.I.N.G on a beach in Hawaii!