Hello Dolly

This is a picture of my Tyler. He was matched up to a tall girl and then during the song, in the Hello Dolly play, he was to jump into her arms. It was the cutest thing ever! However, probably not for him.
Every year, one of the boys has participated in the school plays. They have walked away with a sense of accomplishment and it has built their self-esteem. This year was a little different, as we had a new Drama teacher. She did things differently, and although I had my doubts of this play actually coming together on time, they pulled it off.
These students worked hard to put on this production with amazing talent, patience and long-suffering. They worked late into the night and had on several occasions, put in a 12 hour day at the school. I'm proud of Tyler for sticking with it. He was a trooper and still was able to pull off a 4.0 for the quarter.
Way to go Hello Dolly cast! You are Awesome!

Happy Birthday Elder Matt-Man

March 16, 1991, I woke up at 4:30 am with a start. My body was shaking and I was wondering what in the world was going on. Feeling sick, I ran for the bathroom and called for Tom to get the car started. Tom asked, "Are you sure?" Yep, I was sure. This was it. This was the day we had looked forward to for 9 months. The day that our little baby was going to come into the world and we were officially going to be parents.
I had packed a bag a few weeks earlier in preparation for this day, not knowing that we would only get 2 hours of sleep for the night. My brother had planned his wedding day on March 15, Matt's actual due date and I being large in the tummy, spent the entire day on my feet helping with the wedding. Tom had to take a final at Utah State that day, so we stayed at my parents the night before the wedding and then headed to Salt Lake in the morning. Just before pictures, Tom left for Logan to finish his finals for the quarter and I stayed to help with things.
Tom made it back around 4:00 pm and we had family pictures taken with the Bride and Groom. We then spent the evening walking around mingling with friends and family. I had been having small contractions throughout the day, but not bad enough to make me alarmed. After the wedding, we cleaned up the kitchen and headed for home in Logan from Centerville. We arrived at home around 2:00 am. Feeling exhausted I crashed heavily on my bed and fell asleep.
Tom was very obedient and got ready to head to the hospital and helped me out to the car. Driving like a bat out of heehaw we zoomed through Sardine Canyon heading for McKay Dee Hospital. We caught up to a Standard Examiner van who then tried to stay up with us as we drove 80 mph in our little Toyota Tercel. Meanwhile, I'm trying to breathe and also telling Tom to pass the dumb van because I didn't want them around when I had to deliver the baby in the car. Uncertain that we would make it to the hospital in time, Tom became more concerned and sped up passing the van. "Where are the police now?" I thought. "They are always in the canyon when you don't want them there."
We made it to the hospital and I walked in with Tom, as I felt the contractions make my whole body shake. Wow! They whisked me away in a wheel chair and checked me in at Labor and Delivery. I was now ready to just relax, right? Ha! Ha! Tom had to rest his head between his legs as the Anesthesiologist came in to give me an epidural.
Within a few short hours, we gave birth to a beautiful little boy. He had a ton of thick dark black hair. Matthew Thomas Hales was born at 9:15 am on March 16, 1991 weighing 8lbs 8 oz. and measured 21 inches long.
Little did we know what joy could come from this sweet little baby. He grew so fast, weighing 25lbs at 3 months. I gained a great amount of upper body strength as I carried him around, but the doctor was concerned about his weight and suggested that we put him on a diet. We tried to feed him water in between meals, but he wouldn't drink it. So, he continued to gain weight and was a very content baby.
He continued to grow and was a very happy baby and still has a very happy disposition. I learned how to draw dinosaurs while learning their names and what they ate and what time period they lived in. We read book after book teaching Matt to recognize and say the letters in the alphabet by the time he was 2.
Then we were blessed to have another baby boy, Bryce, born on July 7, 1993. Matt was so excited to have a little friend to play with and they have been best friends since. They together played and wrestled together. They would march around the room like their favorite dinosaurs growling and marching as they went. They would pack a lunch or snack in a back pack and go for an "Adventure" on the 89 acre farm we lived on in Kaysville. They learned how to help out on the farm by feeding the cows with Dad and bottle feeding a calf they named "Chip". Every time they went out to feed him, Chip would follow them all over the yard nudging them in the legs and back.
Matt was our 'guinea pig' as he was our first kid. We learned a lot from Matt because he was always the first to try everything. Like our patience, our ability to listen, our unconditional love, and our willingness to trust our kids. It's just a good thing that he came first, because he has always been a straight shooter, an arrow, a great example and a man of integrity. He has a desire to always do the right thing.
When he was called to serve in the Mexico Chihuahua mission, we knew that this was where the Lord wanted him to be. He sat with me a few days before he left and talked about the dangers that were there in Mexico. I talked to him about obedience and how the Lord will bless him and keep him safe if he is obedient to the Commandments and the Mission Rules. I find comfort in knowing that he has always been eager to be obedient. We are blessed to have him in our family. Happy 20th Birthday Matthew Thomas Albert Hales! (He added the Albert in there when he was 3)

Super Hero Day

Gracie as Jasmine (She is invisible and she can turn bad guys into stone with her magic wand.)

Emma as Wonder Red (She can read things super fast)

I just wanted to take a second and recognize the Super Hero's in my life.

Tom He's able to lift huge things (like old T.V.'s) and keep his balance while I run circles under him and try to hook things up. He can also go without sleep and never seem to lose his temper. He has an exceptional vocabulary that always leaves me wondering what in the world he just said. His IQ must be higher than anyone, due to all the schooling he's done in his short lifetime.
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Matt, for Super Strong Testimony of the Gospel. It is impenetrable. He can always look for the good things in any situation and keep us laughing even when things look grim.

Bryce, has Super Determination! He can pull a 4.0 every quarter, even if he gets hit with a flu bug the week of finals. He can get things done, without help from his mom. :) His dimples melt my heart and make it easy for him to keep me smiling. He is also very good at negotiating with a certain little Gracie.

Tyler, has a Super Imagination that keeps us wondering what is going through his head. He is an Artist that can tackle any masterpiece with ease! He has a natural rhythm when playing the piano and enjoys jamming! I think that his long dark eyelashes could give you enough wind when he blinks, to cool you off in the summer. Then one look into those blue eyes and you freeze where you stand. I'm just going to say that he's hard to discipline when I look at his eyes. The key is to turn your back when you need to get after him for something.

Emma, Has a Contagious Laugh and an Awesome outlook on life. She loves her family so much that it doesn't matter how mad you try to make her, she still forgives you. (Like little Gracie always taking her things and wanting everything that Emma has) She has a Weasel laugh that will blow your socks off!

Gracie, Has Super Human strength. She can hold on to anyone with a death grip and not let go! Then, she can run fast! Faster than Bryce! They raced one day out to the Playhouse and back and she beat him! She also has the most sweet voice when she sings that she melts your heart in seconds.

Happy Valentines to all of my Super Hero's!

RESPECT

When I was little, we were taught to call our friends parents by Mr____ or Mrs____ or use Brother_____ or Sister_______. We were never allowed to call them by their first name. It was the same way when addressing a teacher or our parents close friends. Then, when I got married, I thought that it made me 'old' when people called me that, so I insisted that they call me Krissy. After all, who wants to be older than they really are? That's all I wanted, until.......

Now, I look at the youth today and think, "Where did respect for your elders go?" Seriously. Where did it go? What happened to the respect for teachers, leaders, neighbors, parents and grandparents. It went right out with my generation insisting on the kids calling us by our first name.

I can't undo what I did to my older boys, but I sure can change what my girls call people. We have been using Mr or Mrs and Miss or Brother or Sister when referring to anyone that is married or old enough to be married. There is no reason for such disrespect to continue and it starts with me.

Happy 21st Anniversary

On February 1st, Tom and I will celebrate our 21st Anniversary. That is a lot of years together. This means that we have shared 21 years of sweat, blood, tears and pure bliss together.
Tom and I met in Weber High Marching Band. He played the trumpet and I played the clarinet. Although he was 2 years older than me, we did get to see each other quite a bit inside and outside of school. If I would have known that he was such a math wiz, I would have requested that he tutor me. Well, after a year of high school, and a year of dating him while he attended USU, he decided to go on a mission. I still had one more year of high school and one year for college. He left for New Jersey, sharing his testimony with the people there and I joined the Seminary Council and then the Institute Welcoming Committee.
When he returned from his mission, it took him a total of 10 days, to ask me to marry him. Knowing that he was the right one for me, I said "YES". I loved him, my parents loved him and I knew that the Lord loved him. So, as naive as we were, we set off on a new adventure together. We joined our love forever in the Salt Lake Temple in the middle of a Snow Storm. As we ran outside to the doors of the Temple for pictures, I exclaimed, "the angels are throwing rice."
Tom and I recently attended a wedding that was performed in the Salt Lake Temple. The officiator, had given some great counsel, to the new couple. Then as he performed the wedding, he said it slowly putting emphasis on the key words of the ceremony. It was a such great opportunity to be there and to be reminded of the covenants that We made with our Father in Heaven when we were sealed for Time and All Eternity. He did mention something that I had never thought of before, that has brought me to think about how I can make our marriage even better. The advice he gave was so simple, yet it made such a great impact on me and I will try to always abide by it. He was talking about the covenant we make with God, that we will receive our spouse unto us, just like our Father in Heaven would receive them. I need to look at Tom through Gods eyes, and receive him the way our Father in Heaven would do. What great counsel from a wise and inspired man. What would happen, if everyone would do this with their spouse? Would our perspective change? Would we be more willing to forgive, help, comfort, support, and love? Would the walls of hate, distrust and selfishness dissipate? I believe our hearts would change! Happy Anniversary Tom. I love You Forever!

Attitude of Gratitude

This last Sunday, our family was asked to speak on Gratitude. Can I just say, I'm grateful that it's over. In preparing for our talks, Gracie reminded us over and over that she was not going to give a talk. No amount of bribery was going to change her mind. However, she did say that she would sing with Emma. So, Emma gave a short talk about the Ten Lepers, and how we should recognize where our blessings come from. Then, Emma and Gracie sang a song called, "My Heavenly Father Loves Me". I couldn't believe that they did it so well. I asked them later, if they were scared and both said "no".

Then we were privileged to hear from Ty and he told an awesome story that goes like this.

A long time ago in a faraway village lived a man who everyone did their very best to avoid. He was the type of person who believed that there was only one competent person in the world, and that one person was himself. Consequently, he was never satisfied with anything. His shoes never fit right. His shirt never felt comfortable. When his food wasn’t too cold, it was too salty, and when it wasn’t too hot, it was too bland.

If a field wasn’t sowed by himself, it was not sowed well. If he didn’t close the door, the door was not closed properly.

In short, he made a career of frowning, lecturing, criticizing, and mumbling about the incompetencies of every other person in the rest of the world.

Unfortunately, the man was married, which made matters all the worse. No matter what his wife did, in his eyes it was wrong. No matter what the unfortunate woman cooked, sewed, or cleaned—or even when she milked the cow—it was never satisfactory, and he let her know it.

She tried very hard to be a good wife, but it seemed the harder she tried, the less she pleased him. Finally, one evening she could take no more.

“I’ll tell you what we’ll do,” she told him. “Tomorrow I will do your chores and you will do mine.”

“But you can’t do my chores,” the man replied. “You don’t know the first thing about sowing, hoeing, and irrigating.”

But the woman was adamant. And on top of that, she was filled with a righteous anger that frankly astonished and frightened the man to the point where he didn’t dare disagree.

So the next morning the wife went off to the fields and the man began the domestic chores. After thinking about it, he had actually convinced himself he was looking forward to it. Once and for all, he would demonstrate to his wife how things should be done.

Unfortunately, not everything went according to plan. In fact, nearly everything the man touched turned into disaster. He spilled the milk, let the pig get into the house, lost the cow, burned the dinner, and ultimately set the house on fire, narrowly escaping with his own life.

When his wife returned, she discovered her husband sitting on a pile of ashes, smoke still rising from his clothes. But the woman wasn’t the type to rub things in. She helped him up, wiped the soot from his beard, fixed him a little something to eat, and then prepared a bed of straw for them to sleep on.

From that day forward, the man never complained about anyone or anything else for as long as he lived.

Bryce shared some more insight on the story of the Ten Lepers taken from a talk given by President Thomas Monson.

Then Bryce and Tyler played a duet of "Each Life That Touches Ours For Good". I was really impressed that they pulled it together so well. It really sounded beautiful and they learned to work together to get something done.

I was the lucky one to go next and so I shared some stories about Matt and my dad, and how to look for ways to live with Gratitude in our Hearts by following these fives steps.
Pray Always
Make the Best of Each Day
Give Service to Others
Don't Be Distracted By Worldly Things
Be An Example

Then Tom up and shared a story from President Hinckley. Here is the link to it:
What I learned as a Boy

I believe that life is all about recognizing the hand of our Savior in ALL that we do. He has given us life, he has given us families to be sealed to for Eternity, He has given us a Chance to Repent through the Atonement, and the ultimate gift to be able to Live with Him again.

This Thanksgiving Season, May we all recognize our Bounteous Blessings!

What I got out of the Glenn Beck Rally

For more pictures check out the links to the right



Glenn Beck Rally

August 21-29, 2010
We were fortunate to go to Washington D.C. for the Glenn Beck Restoring Honor Rally on August 28th. We actually took a tour with LDS Travel and spent a wonderful time with our guides, We toured through New York and saw the Statue of Liberty, Ground Zero, and an Awesome Toys R Us store at Times Square New York. We then spent a day at Gettysburg where we learned about the Civil War that raged, where lives were lost and brother was fighting against brother, and Father against Son.

Gettysburg

Then we toured through Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where we learned about the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States and the Amendments to the Constitution. The kids favorite thing about Pennsylvania, was the Hershey Chocolate Factory! We also stayed in Lancaster and visited the Amish Country and were fortunate to try some homemade root beer and chips. Mmmmmmmmmmmm.



Thomas Jefferson's Home in Monticello

We then headed to Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson and we were amazed at the wonderful gardens, and ingenuity of a great man. One who spent hours writing the Declaration of Independence. We gained a new respect and love for our country and the leaders that started our Country. Then we spent time learning about our Nations First President, George Washington. We toured through his amazing home in Mount Vernon. What a wise and humble man he was.



Mt Vernon, George Washington's Home

Arlington Cemetery was a humbling experience to take in. As we walked along the streets that surrounded the graves of those who have fought for our Country and Freedom, how does one keep the tears from coming? We visited the Tomb of the Unknown and watched the "Changing of the Guards". Then we headed to the north of there to see the Arlington House where General Lee was living when they took his property for burying the soldiers. What a sight from his front door. You can see Washington D.C., with the Capital Building, Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument and Jefferson Monument all neatly placed in a row. We even got to see the statue of the "Flag of our Fathers", at night. What an awesome sight.


View from Front of Arlington House, Arlington Cemetery

We spent 2 days in Washington D.C. which was not enough time to catch all that we wanted to. We saw the White House and then toured the Capitol Building. We spent some time in the 'Free' Smithsonian Museums and enjoyed the amazing sights and history that is kept there.



Glenn Beck Rally

Then on August 28th, we arose early to arrive at the Glenn Beck Restoring Honor Rally. I was in awe of the support he received from so many wonderful people. We were so amazed at how friendly everyone was and how many were there because their love for their Country. There was a lot said about restoring the Values to our Country.



Glenn Beck Rally

I learned that this is my time to be here on Earth and that it does matter what I do and say to others. It matters that I teach my children to be honest, caring, giving, God Loving, and Righteous. I have been saved for these latter days, because I was a Valiant Daughter of God, and I am called to teach my children to stand for Truth and Righteousness, no matter the cost. We need to have 'Faith' in Jesus Christ, our Savior, have 'Hope' that things will get better and that we can return to live in Heaven with our Father in Heaven, and then live like our example, Jesus Christ and have Charity, the Pure Love of Christ, be the center in all we do.