Shout Out!

I have to give a Shout Out to my sister Bradeigh, who just gave birth to her second child, Eliza Rose. She had her first son while in medical school, and is now is residency...if that's not impressive enough, she gave birth ALL NATURAL. We are so proud of you...and so excited to have a little girl to play with

ThankFull

We had our Thanksgiving a few days early this year...and here is Colin, he got into the whipped cream.  I think he likes it?

This past month has been crazy and it has given me some time to realize how precious life is and how important family can be.  These are the things are am most thankful for right now...

* Family, both mine and Chris'. My cute sister should be having her baby any day, and my mother in law is beginning her battle with breast cancer, it's great to know we have such good medical care available to us.

*My Home, we couldn't be more grateful that we are not STILL in that dumpy apartment.  So many people can't get loans or are losing their homes and we are so happy to be blessed with our cute house.  

*Friends, I have a few amazing friends who I love forever!  I hope you know who you are!

*Last but NOT least Colin and Chris, my two boys!  You guys are the best, we have so much fun together!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING everyone...it's the countdown to christmas, yippee!

     Hi everyone, this is Christopher Bart Hales!  The Dad in this story.  Ellie left the computer on tonight and I thought I would do my first ever blog post.  For anything.  I'm REALLY nervous.  What if I don't do it right!?!  What if it is too short?!  Egads!  What a rush.  Anyway....... Colin Bear is doing better now.  He is still getting cuter by the minute.  Which is amazing because he was already the cutest anything, ever.  Look it up.  

     Also, if anyone needs a job I am supposed to find some people to come work at Discover Card.  It is really a fun place to work.  Last month our team was the top in the department, again!  So the other day we had our top team party, which, had you been on my team you would have been paid $12 something an hour to watch movies and eat food.  AWESOME!  The PM shifts get an extra 10% hourly pay so starts like $12-ish an hour.  We also get an incentive check on top of the hourly rate.  I usually get at least an extra $500 per month.  Let me, or, i guess, Ellie, know and i'll get you some info.  

     Well, everyone, just thought I'd say hello to all you people, whoever you are.  Hopefully there are some people that I know and have not talked to for a while out there.  If there are some of you reading give us a call sometime.  Not right now though.  It is almost late.  Seriously, we are almost shut-ins.  Ellie has been making fun of me for watching to many shows with the word "STAR" in the title.  Something about fast becoming a dork.  I don't know.  She's crazy.  Even my mom says i'm cool.  Nuff said.  

     Everyone have a good night though!  Or I guess it could be the day time too.  Well, just read this at night to avoid confusion on that. PEACE OUT!! 

Our FIRST Time...

Earlier in the week Colin seemed to come down with a mild cold, I didn't really think much of it, mainly because he didn't seem like it bothered him.  So on Saturday when Chris called me at work and said he thought Colin was "really" sick, I blew him off.  I told him to take Colin to my parents and get his butt to work.  

Well...when I went to pick Colin up at my parents it was obvious he was sicker than ever before.  It was easy to realize he had Croup by the weird cough he had.  Poor little guy.  So we of course did all the things we knew to do with a baby that has Croup...

* we got a humidifier ( a cool mist one to be exact)

* we took him out into the freezing cold (somehow that helps open up the airways)

* we even drove on the freeway with his windows rolled down

But when we were driving home and he started to cough and then couldn't breath we knew we had to get him to the hospital  So we gathered up his favorite comfort items, like his bottle, his sippy cup, his bear and his blanky and we headed for a long night at Primary's.  

We didn't get home til about 5 am.  But we are so glad that we went, the imediatly got him oxygen and steriods to open up his lungs.  Then they did a more intense treatment and had to observe him for 3 hours.  I know this is just the beginning of many scary hospital nights, but I am just so grateful that we have insurance...and great medical care so close.  It was such a comfort knowing he would be okay because we could get him care he needed.  

The THREE C's...Chris, Colin, and a Cape

On saturday,  while Chris and Colin spent the morning together, Chris had a brilliant idea to make Colin a cape out of his pajama bottoms.  The result?  A cape obsessed baby.  He feels like such a little stud in that thing, and has been wearing it around since.  I think Colin has gotten to an age where he is now realizing how cool a dad is, anything Chris does Colin follows.  It is so fun to see!

TAG?

So apparently Ashley "tagged" me and I am supposed to write 6 random things about me...ok.  I think this will be hard, cuz I am just a totally normal, run of the mill girl with no quirks...or am I?

*I love to cuddle...but it HAS to be on my terms, if chris tries to cuddle with me while I am sleeping I flip out.  I need my space!

*chris and I use seperate blankets to sleep.  We realized early on that we fight during the night if we share a blanket, so we each sleep with our very own queen sized blankets.

* I can't stand having my jackets zipped up to my neck, oh it makes me shudder just thinking about it.

* when I was younger I was in a really cool up and coming band called "freshlime".  We even had 2 hits!

* my cousin Joanna and I named a section of our neighbors yard and call it Freida Lane.  That's right...and we even have a song about it

* i knew a family who looked like jam...THEY DO!

BOO at the ZOO

On Saturday we went to BOO at the ZOO.  It was actually total madness to be honest, but we still had a great time.  We bypassed all the lines for candy since there is NO way I was going to stand in each line for 20 mins for a dum dum sucker.  But, we went and saw the animals and Colin was able to get used to wearing his costume.  

Birthday Boy

Well we made it through our first year of being parents.  It has been the best year EVER!  Having a kid makes all the holidays and just the little things so much more fun.  For Colin's birthday we went to my mom's house and had a party.  He of course got to eat cake, which took a little proding, but once he tasted it he wouldn't take his hands out of his mouth!  He also got so many fun toys, some of which included a really cool tonka truch and pretend puppy.  But he seemed to  love the balloon the most! We love our little man and I just hope this year is as amazing as last year was!

Support Your Local Rugby

Some of you may have heard about the movie Forever Strong.  Well not only is it filmed in our very own backyard, but it is based on true events of the Highland Rugby team.  Chris' uncle, Larry Gelwix, is the head coach of the team and has been for 30 something years.  His record is something like 350 wins and 9 losses.  The team is not only the best in the nation but one of the  best in the world.  This movie is based on Larry's years as a coach and many of the events in the movie actually happened.  It's an inspiring story and a great movie.  Support the independent, small budget movie and go and see it! 

SYTYCD!!!

As many of you know, I am completely obsessed with So You Think You Can Dance.  I think it is the greatest show ever made...by humans.  Anywho, my mom took my sister and I to the concert on Tuesday night at the E center.  It was amazing, they performed all the best dances of the season and Gev even dressed up like a girl, multiple times.  I can't wait for the show to be back on, it's only like 8 months away!

My mom is showing her SYTYCD pride, FO' REAL

Family Photos

Over Labor Day weekend chris and I BOTH somehow got the weekend off...so we decided to take some family pictures. Chris' cute little sister Jacki took them for us, and poor little Colin was apparently starving to death the whole time, but they turned out pretty well.

FIRST

As Colin's FIRST year is coming to an end,
I have been thinking about all of my favorite FIRSTS of this year...
like...Our FIRST day as a family














Colin's FIRST bath












the FIRST halloween













our FIRST christmas and FIRST smile
















This has been the BEST FIRST year ever!
I will be sad to see him turn 1, but I am so excited
to see all the other FIRSTS that will be in our future!

these are a few of COLINS favorite things

my parents!

























my eyeball...ball













and of course...my baba

8/8/08

So I have to say that I am dreading the Finale of So You Think You Can Dance.  It is by far my favorite show on tv, and I count down the weeks til it starts up again.  But my mom got us tickets to go see them live in September, and I am really excited for that.  The one thing I am looking forward to when the show ends is the start of the OLYMPICS! Chris and I are huge olympic watchers and we will be tivoing and following as many sports as we can.  GO USA!!!

What is cuter than a naked baby???

A naked baby in a toy box!!!

FINALLY!!!

After years of looking for a house, and months of watching and waiting for this house to be built...we finally are home owners!  I have to say, closing on a house was more stressful than planning a wedding and having a baby...put together!  Even with all the stress it has been so worth it, we love our new place!



We just closed! So much stress has just been relieved!

moving out...

moving in

doesn't it look pretty?

we have a pool in our subdivision and this is colins first swimming experience!
 

4th of July fun!!!

For the4th of July we went to my mom's house and had a bbq,
had the boys swim in the baby pool, and did the first fireworks
all three boys had seen.  It was a good time had by all!

It's almost Done!!!

I can't believe the house is almost done, it is looking so good!
I have been a little worried that the countertops, cabinets and floors
won't look good together but I think it all came together well.  

The Big 3!

 

So Today is our third Anniversary!!!
It's probably the fastest 3 years of my life,
and three of the best years, and also the toughest.
It takes a while to get used to married life and living
with someone else.  By far the best part of the last 3
years has been Colin.  Chris is a great dad and Colin
 loves every minute he spends with his dad.  


Thanks Chris for putting up with me.  I am a crazy
wife from time to time!  Love ya lots!

Here is our house update:
  OUr Kitchen!


our bathroom!