Grace turned eight today… 8, ocho, otto, EIGHT!!! I love her so much and I'm incredibly grateful that Heavenly Father blessed me with a DAUGHTER! We laugh, argue (a little), plan, work, cook, play, snuggle, dream, and so much more TOGETHER. What a blessing, what a GIFT! Happy Birthday, Gracie-Girl.

Fairy Tea with my girl!

I do love having a girl to enjoy the more feminine & fanciful side of life with! This was our second year going to Provo Library's Fairy Tea party. This year we went with Grace's three closest friends: Amberly, Hannah & Avery, and their mom's, of course! Glitter and wings, chocolate covered strawberries, and curtsies for the Fairy King! I hope she wants to go again next year. And we even got to watch graceful ballerinas glide across the floor. It was such a fun afternoon! 

LUKE, my Wingman!!

LUKE is AWESOME!!! He is such a blast; full of energy, whit, pizazz, topped with cuddles & kisses. It's the best of both worlds! I've really been trying to soak up my time with him lately, since he'll go to preschool next year. All the other kids have stayed home with me 1 extra year, since their birthdays have been in the fall. But I feel like the time is slipping away too quickly with Luke. Nearly every morning, as soon as the kids head off for school, we sit on the big white leather couch and read books together. Even if it's just for 10 minutes, I LOVE that time, just me & him!!! 

For Christmas we got him a special gift: gymnastics classes, which he loves. Last Tuesday his teacher came up afterwards and said, "You know, your son is really good at this. I've taught a lot of kids, and he's definately got talent." I was not at all surprised! He's very body aware, and capable of going backwards on the balance beam (which was his own alteration), jumping off of anything high, running at lightening speeds, and every other boy thing you can think of. He learned to ride his bike at the end of last summer, when he was only 3 1/2... a Hall family record. Even Dad didn't learn to ride his bike til he was 7 or 8, and he's a stud athlete. What does Luke have in store?? Pure greatness!! 

He has been discovering new layers of language lately. He was at BYU with Billy a few weeks ago, explaining something about a picture he had seen earlier. He couldn't remember the man's name in the picture, but kept saying "the one with meat in his name." Turns out, it was AbraHAM Lincoln! He has said a few other things lately, along those lines... he pays attention to those little details and is super smart! 

Needless to say, we had a great week together. He's been wanting to dress up like a pirate, with Teddy on his shoulder as his parakeet-parrot. So, we did! We've had plans to make homemade playdough together, so after a few days of carrying the Cream of Tarter around with him to remind me, we did! We've been reading together, learning to recognize and practicing the sounds of each letter. He comes with me to volunteer in Grace's classroom, where we sit in the hall and work 1-on-1 with kids who need extra reading help. It's giving him a headstart, and he'll for sure be reading before Kindergarten. So we found a book at the library, quite fitting for the occasion... SuperHero ABC! Painting, playdough, growing out of the Batman jammies the Magic Pumpkin brought him last Halloween, dressing up, reading, and EATING A TON of food in the mornings (that's his refueling time!)... life with Luke is pretty darn great! 

1st things FIRST

Okay, this is my attempt at creating a functional tool to help me stay focused on the things in my life that REALLY matter. It's my 2014 helper. I want to be able to keep up with the bustle of my life, without sacrificing the gems that happen each and every day. That's part of my motivation to journal here--it helps me to slow down and acknowledge the little miracles in my world!

It's hard, because everything "matters" on some level. It matters if I buy groceries. It matters if I sweep up those crumbs. It matters if I take out that trash OR pay the bills OR work an extra nursing shift OR wipe that nose OR prepare my music time for Primary OR text a friend OR make breakfast OR tie that shoe OR feed the bird OR fold the socks OR check the oil OR answer the phone OR OR OR.

But it REALLY matters when I 
read that book with my child
listen intently
pray for my family
read the word of God
sing with all my heart
snuggle without trying to rush off to the next thing
feel the nudgings of the Spirit
look into those blue eyes (they've all got 'em)
help with a school project
welcome expirimentation, even when it comes with a mess
get excited about that idea with them
watch the sunrise
whisper "I love you"
feel that warm hand in mine
go on that run
draw a bath and then sit with them while they play
radiate happiness & peace
bite my tongue, even when I'm tired
answer a heartfelt question
CREATE MOMENTS THAT MATTER!

My PLAN:
Every Sunday, before I hit that pillow, I will check in with myself & these happy paisleys. These sheets of paper will hold ideas for connecting with EACH member of my family EACH week. Some ideas will most certainly flow over from one week to the next. I won't get to each of the ideas each week. But I WILL be re-centering on WHAT MATTERS MOST, which is my relationship with my Heavenly Father, my family & myself.

It's a whirlwind of a life we all live. I pray this helps. And I think it will; the Spirit nudged me with the idea. Can't go wrong following that!

School happenings...

Billy and Seth are really enjoying this school year at East Meadows Elementary!

Billy is in 5th grade and loves science & chemistry. Pictures coming soon of his Science Project. His confidence in math has really improved this year, and he brings home high scores on his tests everytime. At his last parent-teacher conference, Mrs. Anderson commented about how Billy is well-liked by everyone and how easily he gets along with his classmates. She said you would never guess we had just moved to the area at the start of the year, that it seemed like he grew up with these kids all along.

Lunch duty means 2 helpings as payment! 

The Crew.
Word is, the girl on the far left "likes" him. Oh, no... it's starting!

Seth is excelling in Mrs. Mecham's 3rd grade class. He has found some good buddies: Drew, Zach M. & Zach K., who rule the 4-square court every recess. He is following in his dad's footsteps, as a remarkable reader, as he's reading at a 7th grade level. We've had to talk about the fact that doing your best (not perfection every time) is what matters, because if he doesn't bring home a perfect score on a test or quiz, he feels dissappointed. At this point in his academic carreer, he thinks he wants to be a Chemical Engineer... whatever that means. :) I hadn't even heard of such a thing when I was his age!

I love it that Seth has a good friend!!

Seth & Zach K. jumpin' around.
Just a T-shirt in January... he runs hot

Pinewood Derby FUN!

Tonight was an action-packed event, with the Pinewood Derby. This ward does it up right, complete with racing flags, hi-tech track, driver's licenses for the boys before they could "drive," even popcorn & chocolate mini-donuts for desert. Seth had a good time, but wasn't quite as happy with the results of the Black Thunder, as compared to his racer from last year. I think it's all about the low profile, consolidated weight. Maybe even the purple paint.

This was last year's result: 2nd Place! 

And this year's: Most Innovative!!

See Luke chugging the punch in the background? He even had to hold the chair, to steady himself! Fun night! 

Valley Springs... feels like SPRiNG!

We've enjoyed a great visit with our family here in Valley Springs. Even though it's winter here, it feels like spring to me! I guess my blood is thick; I must be a true Utahn now. But I'll always be a Californian at heart!

Today, Tatum was baptized, which was a wonderful thing to witness! All the cousins sang "If the Savior Stood Beside Me" and Uncle Billy gave a great talk on the Holy Ghost. Tamales and Red Rider Daisy BB gun shooting at Andy & Shelly's afterwards. Baby tummy time awards: "Biggest Head" goes to Max, and "Biggest Hair" goes to Benjamin!

Special, so SPECIAL

Look at these SPECIAL little people!! I love that Grace is sharing this most important message with Ben! They need to KNOW that they are SPECIAL, with every fiber of their being before they leave my nest. And that, in this life there will be many who try to disuade them of this truth. It really only matters what GOD thinks of them! Only matters that they feel their life is in harmony with HIM who created them.

If my little birdies fly without getting this, I have failed. Period.

But I won't fail them. Cuz they ARE SPECIAL!!!

Happy Easter!!!

It's chilly outside, but our hearts are warm as we celebrate the mission, atonement and resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Happy New Year's Greeting

Hello Family and Friends,

(This was meant to be a Christmas Greeting...and before it turns into a Happy Valentine, here it is!)

Why is it that at the end of each day Ingrid and I collapse into bed exhausted? Or why at the end of the week do we turn to each other and with exasperation and astonishment recount a litany of “things” packed into the six days allotted for work? But what strikes me is the mysterious turn this process of listing takes at the end of the year when you sit down (because your wife demands an accounting to send to friends and family) and can’t think of a single thing to say. It’s not that I can’t remember the important events of the year, but what mystifies me is how the weekly “can you believe how much we did this week” turns into a yearly “what happened again?” Anyway . . . from memory then, a few highlights from another eventful year in the life of the Hall’s—at least what I can remember as important—for the rest consult Ingrid, or at some point in the future, the Book of Life kept by the angels.

Luke: The newest edition to the family came in the form of a Luke Langley. He was born on March 11, 2010 in Santa Barbara CA. We call him the “Luca Lu” and the fact is, he’s one fat pink slobber-ball of joy.

Grace: Our only daughter can sing and dance until someone tells her that we need to do something else now. Seriously, she can be operatic about having to go potty or expressing how much she loves you. She’s an extraordinarily helpful big sister and frankly scares the nonsense out of poor Luke.

Seth: Sonny Boy started kindergarten this year and is already reading the How to Train Your Dragon series. He is a kamikaze on a snow sled—and just about everything else he does, from bikes to physical shows of affection that nearly knock you down. But maybe best of all is how he has developed a sense of humor this year that has the whole family laughing about toots or some other thing that only he and his charismatic smile can get away with.

Billy: The big news with Billy is that in September he decided to get baptized and confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He has shown a great deal of care and responsibility in this new adventure and will no doubt continue to build on his already solid spiritual foundation. He also taken off with piano and can’t stop playing “Deck the Halls,” even though the lights of Christmas are fading.

Ingrid is grateful for: a larger living space in which she can hide from the children; a washer and dryer that you don’t have to lug bags of laundry to and put coins in; and her rekindled love of singing, as she joined the Orem Chorale Community Choir.

As for Billy, he finally finished his doctoral work after seven long years in the sunshine and surf of Santa Barbara and took a position as a visiting assistant professor of English at BYU. We are happy and we are moving forward, which is perhaps the most a family can ask for or aspire to.

We hope this note finds you all well! We are grateful for the ways you each touch our lives. And we wish you a wonderful, safe, and bountiful New Year!

Winter Wonderland

It's snowing like crazy. In the last 18 hours I've seen slushy rain-snow, big fluffy flakes, and little pelting BB's of snow that sting your skin and make you run for cover. We are trying to embrace the cold, but sometimes it's more than our California blood can handle. In the car today, the kids were rocking out to "Surfin' in my Imagination" and I had to forcefully stop my fantasy of sunny beaches, hot sand, lazy afternoons. The reality is... beautiful, but brrrrrrr!

Sledding at Rock Canyon Park.

Gracie and her snowman.

Home, Sweet Home!

Seth's a wildman!

Little Snow Bunny!

Brain freeze!

Everyone helps.

It's magic

Merry Christmas Eve!I can remember how magical Christmas, especially Christmas Eve, was for me as a child. And now mine are all snug in their beds, dreaming of Santa in his sleigh. It's their turn to make the memories.
I love it!

H A L L - E - L U - J A H ! ! !

Tonight I sang in my first Orem Chorale Christmas Concert. I really enjoyed the entire experience and I am so ecstatic to be singing again! And, of course, it was amazing to sing beautiful Christmas carols. I was practicing the alto line of Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus beforehand and Billy E was in the kitchen listening. He chimed in, “Mom, you missed that note.” And, yea, I was missing quite a few! I’ve never officially sang any of Handel’s Messiah before. Then he said, “If I had to sing all those notes I’d just lipsync.” Not a bad idea!

Billy and the kids all came to the concert and supported me. They sat in the back corner, and throughout the evening I could see them in a row, Luke wearing his white Winnie the Pooh jammies asleep in Billy’s arms. When I met up with them after Seth said, “I only clapped for you, Mom!” Grace asked, “You were practicing the piano?” Uh, maybe she was asleep with her eyes open.

Here's an dynamite version of the Hallelujah Chorus. I bet they didn't miss any notes!

Autumn is here...

Yes, it's true. Snow is coming.
But for now, we are loving
this perfect fall weather!

We told Grace she was an Indian princess
being escorted
up the mountain on her elephant!

At the top of the "Y." This picture doesn't capture the panic I felt watching the kids dangle there legs over the edge and try to race Hot Wheels cars down the face of the Y.

Entering the waters

Now introducing the newest member of
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints!

We drove back to California for Billy's baptism, and it was worth every mile! He was baptized in the same font I was when I turned eight. I still can't believe I have an eight-year old who can make such big and important decisions. It was a wonderful event to witness--an event made even more special because we were able to share it with our family and friends!

Before "the plunge!"

"Suffer the little children to come unto me,
and forbid them not:
for of such is the kingdom of God."
Mark 10:14


Birthday boys... Billy & my grandfather share the same birthday, only 82 years apart. I remember, like it was yesterday, when Grandpa came to visit Billy & me in the hospital just a few short hours after his birth.

Look who's six months

He's eating, cooing "da-da-da," drooling like a mad dog, and slapping chubby-fisted rhythms on the kitchen table, but do you think he could sleep through the night without needing a little Mama time? Not a chance--and I love him all the same! Babyhood goes too fast.

Phew!!!

So, we packed up our stuff and all our amazing Santa Barbara memories and landed in Orem, Utah (Billy is starting at BYU as a Visiting Professor in the English Departmet this Fall)!


We celebrated with some Macaroni Grill,


started second grade,

finally bought some yard tools,

and a bunkbed for the boys,

started Kindergarten,

reconnected with some old Goleta friends (we love you, Allens!),

tried on Mom's makeup,

and the new crib,

figured out the commute to work,

bonded with Brigham (in Daddy's office... check out that view!),

met Cosmo,

...oh, and smelled the roses along the way!