Hailee had her first talk in March and it was on Following the Prophets.

She was extremely excited and did an excellent job. It was funny while we practiced because she kept finishing the line instead of repeating it.

She was used to finishing the lines in books we read. In the end it worked out well and she figured it out!

Notice the Spring weather! Love that white stuff eh??

She is such a fun little personality and LOVES Primary. She does pretty well considering it is a pretty tiring time of the day.

We are so proud of our goofy gorgeous gal!

What a WINTER!

I'm telling you this has been such a great winter for our family! It made a world of a difference just being home on those blustery days along with the sun-glittered snow blue sky days. We were able to stay plenty busy going to Story Hour, Play Gym, and various other activities with friends.

The best part was that when Curt was able to be home we were able to spend some family time catching up. Mostly we stayed home and drank a lot of hot chocolate, made cookies, created master pieces, and watched movies.

 My crazy munchins are really great at creating all kinds of obstacles around the house. They are full of energy and full of fun. Currently they have reached a point of sibling friendship. They play all day together chasing eachother and playing with their numerous riding machines!

I didn't get to post very many sledding moments from this season, but trust me there were plenty! Hailee is a true outdoorsman. She loved putting on her bundles of snow gear and marching out with her sled. She found new hills all over the farm, some with better momentum than others. Carter is quick to follow her sister and was a real trooper. He waddled around the farm trying to keep up. Sometimes she had some pretty crazy ideas, but no one ever got seriously hurt!
Hailee even got to where she ventured up the big pond hill in front of our house. It is definately a trek, but she didn't seem to mind. I can only imagine the fun our kids will have as they grow up with a killer sled hill in their front yard!

Birthday for the Boys!

We celebrated these two crazy boy's birthday's this past weekend. It was a Green and Orange- themed party. I picked the colors, then Curt let me know it was Articat colors. I guess it works. I wanted Blue and Orange (you know....Boise State) but I didn't think U of I grads would appreciate that much! So Green was substituted.

Logan's birthday was on the 17th and Carter's will be on the 29th. These two are bound to keep us on our toes for quite sometime. The proud Grandparents with their Pride and jOys!

And for your viewing pleasure.... a short walk through memory lane.




Logan riding on the snowmachine. Carter driving the truck to feed animals. Both boys tearing down my decorations. The trouble has only just begun.

Eating their birthday cupcakes. I love how content Logan is to just sit and watch the messy monster next to him go all out with his cupcake!

Both babies the moment they met eachother.

Funny birthday memory. Both boys were anxiously awaiting us to finish staring at them and singing to touch the flaming things in front of them. We finally did and Carter wasted no time in grabbing his cupcake and taking care of business. Logan on the other hand was a little unsure of the calorie crammed goodness in front of him. He went to grab at it several times before just deciding it wasn't worth his time. His mom broke it up for him in attempt to get him to atleast play with it but it didn't work!.

The only way to end a great birthday is with a few splashes in the tub! Which they both loved of course. Too bad no pictures.

Christmas I

What a wonderful Christmas Season we had this year! This year we spent Christmas Eve at our house for the first time in our entire marriage. It was really nice to just be us for the night. Grandparents Stegelmeier and Aunt Cathy came to help us open presents that morning before Church. Oh how spoiled we all were!
Hailee's loot included an Innotab with a Dora Game, some clothes, a computer, a kitchen with all the parts, Princess Paraphanilia, Snowglobes, playmats, a bathrobe, some books, a puzzle, a new work coat, a Bell Doll and some movies. Thanks to everyone who spoiled her. She is really lucky and so far has been pretty thankful for her gifts.

Carter's loot included basketball hoops, a little ride-on talking pony, blocks, a big John Deere tractor, a bear sleeping bag, some new clothes, a ball popping dinosaur, a workbench, a piggy bank, some sippy cups, his own tool and phone, a movie, some light-up baby toys, and some baby crayons. He loves to drag it all out, push some buttons and then find the remote or unroll some toilet paper. Thanks to everyone who spoiled our little guy. He is so busy and will definitely be using all his cool new stuff!

After Church we went to Grandpa Layne's for some more present craziness and some good Biscuits and Gravy. We love getting to spend some time with Uncle Jase, Uncle AJ, Aunt Roni and Uncle Tad. It does get a little crowded though!

Seriously Uncle AJ is crazy and he is lucky that not all of his pictures are of him sleeping. He was pretty strewn out this holiday. He worked alot he traveled alot and so he slept.

Just a little wrapping paper craziness!

I got my dad a desk calendar for his desk at work. It has some pictures of his family and then some funny quotes for each month. Overall it was a success! I need to take a picture of it at his office. I wonder if he has even set it up yet???

After my dad's we went home to crash and rest up for part 3 or was it 4?

My mom and step dad showed up Christmas Afternoon for another round of presents and food. They were able to stay the week with us and enjoy the chaos of the after-Holiday-effect.

Curt also got a little spoiled. And by a little, I'm not exaggerating. I think I failed this year.....mostly because he spoiled me so entirely. It felt like Christmas just didn't end this year because I got spoiled again for my birthday. Between all my new gadgets I have stayed pretty busy.
Thank you to everyone who made this holiday so special and memorable. We are very lucky to have you all in our lives!

Our cute nephew Logan came to visit!

My mom and stepdad's grandkids enjoying their first Christmas together.

Even after Christmas was over we still had one more Christmas Party to attend. The HILL Family Christmas Party is not one to miss! It was a blast as it is every year, and this year it seemed to be louder than it has been before.

We ate some delicious soups, bread, dips, and desserts.

Then we played some good old Santa Bingo.

It got a little heated so Tom started stripping down!

After Bingo we played a couple rounds of BUNCO with the Brown Bag Gift Exchange. It was very exciting with some really good gifts this year. I brought home an awesome pan and Curt got some Redvines.

Hailee got some really fun play mats from her cousins this year and we have had fun building forts. Carter loves it just as much as Hailee and then we all can spend a lot of quality time together putting all of it back together and in the tub!

Did I mention I got a new camera? I LOVE this camera. I have had so much fun capturing these kinds of special moments. I got to where I was so stinking frustrated with my old camera that I wouldn't take the pictures that I wanted to. Not anymore! Watchout people I am a photo snapping crazy lady!

Ward Christmas Party!

Don't you just love going to Christmas parties and gettin all dolled-up for pictures. I remember wearing this exact dress Hailee is in and going to a Christmas Party and singing at church. I am still in awe that she is that big and that I am that old.
While Curt was busily working away somewhere far off, we went to the Ward Christmas Party. It had such delicious food and delightful company. Hailee was especially happy to see her friends and to sing for everyone, sit on Santa's lap, and color a few pictures. I don't think she ate much. Good thing for her she has a hungry brother!
Hailee and her friend Leah. They go to preschool together and will be in the same class. They get to see each other often and I am glad they can be friends.

Hailee and Carter with the Big Guy. He is definitely a little intimidating. Hailee told him everything she wanted. She wanted an Ipad, a computer, a Bell CD, and a phone like her dad's. Carter just wanted a ball. Crazy Girl! Also I think it is hillarious that Hailee's first photo with Santa looks exactly like Carters. They are so in awe by him. Atleast it isn't screaming.

Can you tell how much Carter wanted to go see Santa. He kept doing that and poking around to check on him. I think he wanted to make sure he wasn't doing anything crazy. Carter's pretty strict on the rules you know.

The kids in the Primary sang such fun songs. Hailee loved every second of that attention and she sang her heart out, until they gave her a cool thing to hit. Then she pretty much just hit that the rest of the time.!

Hailee and Leah coloring away waiting for Santa. Hailee kept checking the line to see how close we were. She was pretty much zoned in on her target.

Advent Calendar!

One day while shopping @ Craft Warehouse in Meridian. I came across this build your own advent calendar. So I decided I would. I found some cute paper and some number stickers. I even got a few cones to go on the side. Then I went to work. I stained the wood. Then modged on some of that fun paper and the coordinating sticker. It was really pretty easy, cheap and CUTE. Then I decided that I wanted to make this my Christmas traditions advent calendar. I wanted to do something special everyday for Christmas. So I typed up a bunch of my to do's and put them into each little box. I also added a couple stickers and some candy to a couple boxes just to keep Hailee happy.

I loved this whole experience. She would wake up each morning and drag out the next box for me to read.
Can you just see her anticipation!
I tried to stick to a theme, so The DAYS of Christmas it was.

And on the Fourth day of Christmas, you must look your best. Look under the tree for your very own Dress and Christmas Vest!
Then.... On the 15th day of Christmas make a special treat for all your neighbor friends to eat!

Some of the other things we did:

Made snowflakes.

Bought for someone on the Giving Tree.

Drove around looking at Christmas lights.

Danced to Christmas Music.

Learned a new Christmas song.

Went sledding (oh yeah we didn't have enough snow)

Wrote a note to Santa

Decorated Candy Canes for our Grandparents

Made presents for our Preschool friends.

Wrapped our own presents to our family. (Very interesting)

Played a game.

Decorated cookies.

Make Gingerbread houses.

Slept under the tree. (she ended up having a SO @ Aunt Cathy's)

Made an ornament.

Got an ornament.

Decorated our Christmas Tree.

Granted some of these things will change for next year and some of them were a little modged because we were working with a 3 year old. But for the most part I LOVE this tradition and can't wait to use this calendar for years to come!

Thanksgiving!- seriously it did happen.

I love the holidays. Complete with chaos amd noise, family, food, and fun times. This year Curt's family came up for Thanksgiving (we live here so we don't have to go anywhere, but everywhere all at the same time....does anyone else have that? Yes, the chaos.... love it!

Anyway. Aunt Cathy's house is always so much fun and with cousins it is even better. The kids spent time painting up masterpieces!

Nic got us to pkay some way fun games, which I love because I love games. I don't know why my bro-in-law is weird...but I'm sure it wasn't because I was taking pictures!

AND ..... of course we ate so much delicious and spoon-licking good food.

Then we took a nap, stretched,...and ate some more.

THEN...

We went to Twin Falls to see sweet baby Ruger blessed. We all stayed at a motel, ordered pizza, played, and had so much fun! I got zero pictures from the blessing day but Curtis gave a really great blessing and I am always a huge fan of the moment when you see all the men who care about you stand up together to bless a little tiny baby. Pure joy.

It was also a big day because it was Hailee's first time bearing her testimony. She has wanted to go up for a while but I ussually can talk her out of it. I told her to tell me what she wanted to say. She did, then I told her that she would have to say it and not get scared. She didn't. She went up and said. "I love my family. Love my mom n dad. I love Jesus. Name of Jesus Christ Amen." Tear Jerker. She is going to be such an amazing individual as she grows. I am such a proud mommy!


Finally. On Thanksgiving I finished my Cousin Cards that I had been working on for quite some time. The idea was that they could be trading cards for the kids and older people to get to know eachother better. I had a lot of fun and it was really nice to get to know some of the people I don't see as much. Just as an example here is Carter's Card.

This is the back of the card. It had information on each person. I probably should have listed ages on here so that if I did it again you could see how much things have changed. Oh well.

And the front of his card.

I designed them at home and then just took my JD to the local print shop and had them printed on Cardstock and then laminated. I have seen trading cards at walmart that you can make but that was after I went through this process. I am not sure how that one would work!