Merry Christmas!

Salvation Army

I have been wanting to start some new traditions in our little family.  So the new thing this year was to ring the bell for the Salvation Army at the mall. 

DJ was true to form.  He wouldn't let many people go by without wishing them a hearty Merry Christmas! He also would say to them (after they gave) "God bless and keep you." In his best Dicken's Tiny Tim voice.

This is just a little rough video clip, but it is very representative of  2 hours spent at the mall.

Blessings to each of you this CHRISTmas!

Out of the mouth of babes...

"Mom, do you know what the Bible tells you?  The Bible tells you 'so'."

From Nick

Pumpkin Time!

This is the best picture of all of them... I am still not sure how 3 boys 

end up going in so many different directions!

Mr. Muscles

Hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil.

Happy Birthday DJ!

I think it was yesterday that I found out that we were expecting... 

Somehow he's 7 and I am wondering where the time has gone.  DJ had an "Imagination Movers" party... Disney has got his number for sure!

He is full of ideas for all sorts of new inventions and is convinced that he is the first one to make whatever it is.  I love watching the gears turn in his mind! 

So, we had the family over, the ones we were born into and the ones we have chosen, and made a day of it.

Let's see what's in this bag...

I am not sure why it is a good idea to give small children a large stick and tell them to whack at a box full of candy... 

Birthday bumps are a lost tradition in the Haley family... we have brought them back!

Can you see the gears turning?

Happy Birthday DJ!

Communication

Every Monday afternoon I gather with a bunch of women from our neighborhood for what we call "coffee & chocolate".  It is a time for us women to chat it up and let our kids connect with each other too. One afternoon I was hosting and had made a batch of brownies that DJ had been sampling earlier in the day. When it came time for the ladies to partake, DJ was bugging me constantly to have more brownies.  I told him that I didn't want to hear from him again and that he should go play with the kids. 

A little while later I was silently presented with an envelope containing this note... he didn't say anything, but the picture is worth a thousand words.  I especially like the smoke billowing from the ears!

Old Faithful

You have to go to the sandsbox blog to see this entry (check out the blogs under our picture).  They are not my words, but Corrie summed up the last 7 years pretty well.  

Thanks Corrie!!

More designs by DJ

DJ has really been wanting to invent something real... he has asked me every day, "when will I invent something?"  So, today was the day to invent something real! All his idea, no help from anyone... it's "the wheel turner 3000" 

Watch for it in stores!

Tradition!!

DJ started 2nd grade on August 18th.  

It has been our tradition to go out to ice cream on the 1st day of school. It's a special treat that I, for one, look forward to every year!  This year we visited the little mexican ice cream store near our house... the boys were in a little bit of heaven. (so was I)

Last days of summer break

All good things must come to an end... this was our last outing of the summer, before DJ started 2nd grade!  What a fun day with friends!

The Train

We took the train to Hanford last month to get the best ice cream in the world! (Superior Dairy) 

The boys all had a really great time it was a first for all of them.  Definitely something that will be repeated! Nick is still talking about "the best ride ever to get ice cream!"

Nick is 3!

Nick turned 3 way back in July... It was a Thomas party... as all good 3 year old boy parties should be!

DJ the contractor...

I built some shelves earlier this summer, and there was some wood left over.  DJ said, "Hey Dad, lets build a bird house!"  So today, we did.  Nick helped a little as well.

Tomorrow, after the glue is finished drying, we'll paint it.  I'm sure that will be even MORE interesting... especially for Dad!

40 MAY be the new 30, but WHEW it doesn't FEEL like it!

To celebrate turning 40 this year, I went to Colorado with 2 far away friends (who also turned 40).  We went whitewater rafting for our big adventure (a first for all of us) we had mostly class 2 & 3 but there were a couple class 4 areas. Then we climbed on horses and went for a 1/2 day ride.  My horse decided to put his front legs down and roll over my leg.  Thanks to Travis the cowboy, he wrangled my horse, and got me back up and on the trail. I was a bit bruised, but that's it.  All in all it was a great trip, but I will tell you, 40 may be the new 30, but my body does not recover like a 30 year old!!