Blast from the past!

WOW! Lookie what I was surprised to find on the Haley Family Blog this morning!

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To read more or view the post, click here:

http://haleymonkies.blogspot.com/2008/04/ability-to-find.html

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What a blast from my past!

Alison (Perry) Haley was my roomie- roommate my second year at Ricks College. We shared a room and our college-girl lives together in Harmony House #210 the school year of 1995-6. What a FUN time we had! we were such goofballs... I have so many great memories! Love that girl!

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Alison and I had lost touch for a while and have only recently sent annual Christmas cards to each other. Until the WONDERFUL-world of blogging reconnected us! Alison google-searched me and found my Picture This... website and then, even better, our blog! She sent me an e-mail and we have been enjoying staying in touch for a few weeks now and catching up on each others lives.

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This is what I love about the blogging-circuit! In 5-10 minutes a day (or several times per week), I can keep up with the goings on of family, friends and long-ago friends/acquaintances I don't otherwise often cross paths with. It is so fun to see what everyone is up to and feel in some small way connected to their far-away life. If you can't tell, I love it and am totally addicted!
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Ali, remember? We took this CHEEZY photo in the Jailhouse at Smith Park to send to "our Matts" to show them how much we were missing them...

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My Matt was attending Snow College, a million miles away and your Matt ("Bones", we called him!) was away on some Fashion Club trip, or something, I think. I'm not sure if you two were "together" yet or still part of the Harmony 210 triangle... (or was is a square? I can't remember how many of our roomies were into him... but at least 2 or 3 of you! ...Glad the best woman won!)

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So crazy that 13-ish years later, we are both happily married to those very same "Matts"!

We both have 3 boys, almost the same ages and Alison just had a beautiful baby girl, Ella, last spring. I am expecting our 4th, (still to be determined as another boy or a sweet girl) ...funny how similar our families are! We also love so many of the same things and have nearly all the same interests. She is a true bosom-buddy!

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I have such fond memories of that year together, Al. It was such a fun time! I am so glad to have found you (or to have been found!) and to be keeping in touch!

I love your guts, girlie and would LOVE to see you if/when you ever get out this way again!

(Or maybe we'll have to take a trip..!)

Until then, we have blogging!

Boys on Wheels...

Pedaling out in the wide-open air...

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Feeling the rush of wind through your hair...

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There's just no pleasure or earthly joy...

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Like Riding a Bike, to a little boy!

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Skateboards, scooters, scabby knees,

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Jumping off rocks and climbing trees,

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Always going, running past,

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He's growing up.. and way too FAST!

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My guys had such a fun time out cruisin' around their cones on the driveway.

Whether on their bikes, scooters or rip-sticks, they are always on the move!

Staker Family Easter Egg Hunt...

Okay, I know, already... this is OLD news, but I finally got around to editing the photos from Easter Sunday! (It's only been 2 weeks... come on!)

There are even more to come, but here are a few shots from

The Staker Family Easter Egg Hunt 2008

at Grandma Peggy & Grandpa Larry's... always so fun!

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Our little fam...

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Trev was so excited to find a bucket with his very own name on it (that he could read all by himself!)

and he couldn't wait to find an egg in each color!

Thanks, Grandma Peggy!

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Kade, on the other hand, looked high

and low...

until he finally found his bucket...

which he still managed to fill with eggs!

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AND (Drum-roll please...) Here's the traditional 2008 Egg-Hunter Group Portrait, taken under the Gazebo, as always! Look at all those happy Egg-Hunters... looks like they all had a great time (even the Dads!)!

And I guess we wore them out! Little D didn't even make it to the freeway!

Thanks again to Auntie Lynette and Grandma Peggy for a wonderful evening!

We're in TROUBLE, now!

If I hadn't seen it with me own eyes, I'd wouldn't have believed it myself!

Look what this resourceful Little Stinker has figured out how to do...

He watched in awe (you could see the wheels turning!) as each of his big brothers came in and went back out of the front door (where he knew they were playing) and it wasn't 15 seconds before he had crawled over...

Pulled himself up onto his tippy, tippy-toes...

Scooted himself to the side as it unlatched...

Stepped backward and around to open it...

Steadied himself (remember that he's NOT walking and barely standing, so this nearly knocks him over backward)...

And was OUT in a flash! (Notice he NEVER looked back!)

I couldn't believe it!

I wish I'd had the video-camera handy, but my camera was closer (as usual... I'd just taken the pics from the prior post!), so I made him do it again while I took these photos... no problem!

He was thrilled with himself, much to my dismay!

(I may have to start keeping the door locked!)

These Brown Eyes will Melt Your Heart...

This is the sweet face that greets me every morning...

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With his Daddy's gorgeous brown eyes and that mischevious, giggling grin,

he just about breaks my heart every single day!

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He so patiently waits his turn while I get the big boys ready and off to school as he enjoys his morning milk...

...all the way to the last drop!

And he never forgets to thank me...

...with his smile!

He is always ready for an adventure...

...and always willing to play!

Mmmmph... LOVE that boy! :)

TRIUMPH!

It was one of those proud Mom-moments...

I had to share (maybe even brag a little!)

My boys ate and actually LOVED something I cooked!

...Miracles never cease!

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I mean, look at these smiles! And they wanted MORE!

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To truly appreciate this moment, there is something you must understand...

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Perhaps you DON'T know this about me, but I am I am not a good cook. Horrible, actually.

There are many reasons...

Mostly because I don't enjoy it...

(Seems like a lot of work and mess when it doesn't even taste as good as eating out!)

Also, because I never learned how...

(Everything we made in our house growing up, came from a can or a box.)

True Story:

I was 12 (literally TWELVE... I was a Beehive!) when I learned that "scratch"

(as in "make it from scratch") was not a "mix" of some sort. Yeah...

I thought it was like Bisquick... some sort of "just add water" kind of stuff that you could use to make anything. (SAD!)

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Bottom line...

I don't usually give it a lot of effort...

(If there are too many ingredients, too many steps, or it takes more than 15 minutes, I'm out!)

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Well, for the sake of my poor husband and growing children, I have recently embarked on a Personal Culinary-Skill Improvement Project.

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This yummy pulled-pork was my latest experiment...

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Guess what? I DID IT!

I started it in the slow-cooker at 10:30 am and by noon it smelled so good I wanted to eat my own arm! YUM!

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Here's the magic formula:

Rinse (and pat dry) a 3-6 pound Pork Rump or Shoulder Roast

(I got my 13 pound roast at Costco and just multiplied accordingly)

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Rub with 1/8 cup coarse Kosher Salt

Mix: 2 cups Water and 2 teaspoons Liquid Smoke (from the BBQ aisle)

Pour Liquid into the bottom of Slow Roaster Oven

Add salted Roast

Cook covered at 350 for at least 3 hours (Keeping Moist)

Shred with 2 forks

Add more Water/Liquid Smoke/Salt to taste

And THAT'S IT!

My boys LOVED it! (And I felt like a Domestic Goddess!)

Trust me when I say, if I can do it, so can you!

Happy Anniversary, Mom & Dad!

Today is my Mom & Dad's 38th Wedding Anniversary!

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They were married in the Salt Lake Temple on April 2, 1970.

(WOW! I can't even comprehend how long ago that was... Good thing, I'm not that old yet!)

They met while working at the church's granite Genealogical Vaults and were engaged on their second date!

As far as I know, they've been happy ever since!

Not that their lives, nor their marriage has been necessarily easy, but I think to their credit, they've both always been committed to making the best of their current circumstances.

What a good perspective... they've taught me so many things.

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I honestly don't remember my Dad ever losing his temper. I'm sure he did at some point, but it was few enough times and far enough between that specific instances escape me now.

And think of the patience it would have taken to wait 7 LONG YEARS to be blessed with t heir first child (ME!) and another 6 before we adopted my brother, Joe. Wow!

I reminded myself of this MANY times while waiting for my own children to come to our family...

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I learned the importance of picking up and moving on at an early age.

Dad was a Navy Career man and we moved often when I was young.

It was always presented as an opportunity for growth, adventure, new friends and experiences. I am grateful now for many scattered friends I have collected easily along the way!

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From Mom I gained a respect for nurturing, loving and serving those around me.

My Mom is unyieldingly loyal to those she loves and she "takes care of her own" at all cost. She and her mother were inseparable and many people actually thought they were sisters! She cared unceasingly for her father, even though it required several visits a day for many years. Now she enjoys watching her grandchildren WAY more than her fair share of the time. Her selfless attitude and willing sacrifices are still such an example to me of true "Mothering" .

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Okay, I could go on and on, but I am too teary to even see the keyboard... (another FUN side-effect of this pregnancy...) sooo, let me just say that I am SOOO blessed to have been raised by such wonderful, loving, supportive parents. I love them deeply...

I am so very grateful for them... for the values they embrace... for the irreplaceable role they have played in my life... and for the promise of an eternal family.

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Love you, Mom and Dad!

Here's to many, many more!

In-between-ers...

Okay, so it's not really an April Fool's joke, but we HAVE been holding out on you!

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I unrealistically wish that I had time to record/scrapbook/blog every moment of my boys' lives, (which of course, is completely ridiculous!)

I DO take a LOT of photos... and I DO (eventually) get around to editing MOST of them...

It's just that since that's what I "do" for everyone else, often times MY OWN family's stuff gets put on the back burner and done LAST! (Hate that!)

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ANYWAY, here are a few of the "Momentous" things that have happened in the last week or so in-between my other posts, that I still haven't gotten around to sharing with you...

Daynen, sweet thing that he is, cut another tooth!
(His 3rd on the bottom... hopefully you can see it, just below the tip of his tongue.)

Amid his cold, ear infections and surgery, I never got around to posting this darling pic of his cute "new" smile!

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Trevan, smarty-pants, passed off all his letters/sounds at Preschool and moved up a Reading Level!
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This was a HUGE accomplishment for him and he was SO excited and proud of himself!

(You should have seen him run to tell me at the end of class!)

He has been working really hard and is enjoying learning to read.

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And here is the one I feel a little bad about...

Kaden just finished his first Junior Jazz season... and I have yet to post a single picture!

(What kind of mother am I?)

I was there, taking photos at EVERY game, just never got any online. Oh well...

To ease my conscience, here are just a couple of my faves:

Let me just say that the improvement from the first game to the last was remarkable! His little team went from ball-hogging ("Pass? What?"), shoulder-high dribbling, half-court shooters to quite a team of "real" players!

Kade learned to play GREAT defense, and was even the high-scorer of his team a couple times... 14 points one Saturday! Wahoo!

We were all sad to see the season end and think it may be our favorite sport, so far!

ABC TAG... More than you ever wanted to know!

So I've recently been tagged... twice actually.

I am going to do this ABC TAG from Jane first, only because it's easier/faster...

(Sorry, Troy, you undertand, right?)

Here goes:

A- Attached or single:

Happily attached! :)

B- Best friend:

I am blessed to have too many...

If I have to name just one, of course I am going to choose my sweet husband, The Man of my Dreams, My Hunka-hunka Burnin' Love, My Sweetie, My Matthew.

He truly is sooo good to me. Love you, Babe! :)

C- Cake or pie:

Neither... I'm an ICE CREAM girl, all the way!

D- Day of choice:

Friday... TGIF! My house is always CLEAN and I am always sooo ready for the weekend!

E- Essential item:

Camera... I am rarely without one.

These are my current faves:

I take my "big camera" anywhere I want to be sure to get great pics of...

But I keep this "teeny camera" in my purse and LOVE having it to snap spontaneous, candid shots of my kids at a moment's notice!

F- Favorite color:

Green, any shade.

(Literally, figuratively and theoretically!)

G- Gummi bears or worms:

Neither. Chocolate-dipped cinnamon bears.

(Thanks, Janey!)

H- Hometown:

The Navy..? We moved around when I was young.

I never lived anywhere more than a few years at a time.

Although, since being married, I've now lived in PROVO longer than anywhere else,

so I guess THIS is IT...

...Happy Valley!


I- Indulgence(s):

I am a faithful monthly-pedicure connisseur...

Could I do it myself? Maybe, but I just LOVE to have pretty feet that I didn't have to stress over. Especially when I am pregnant!

One more, (which really IS a personal indulgence)... I am a chronic, habitual uber-organizer. I LOVE little sectioned compartments and I can not resist labeling and/or color-coding everything... really EVERYTHING! (Even my children are color-coded!)

I love to see things neatly stacked or in rainbow-color order. Silly as it is, I absolutely LOVE it! My closets, cabinets and even "junk" drawers are all immaculate.

It just brings joy to my little soul to see those tiny, typed name-strips and to know where everything in my little world is at every given moment.

I don't apologize... I am not ashamed...

I just function better when I am not living in chaos! (Or so I rationalize...)

Ahh.. there... I've said it... I'm a freak... now you know!

J- January or July:

Definitely fun, festive, warm, happenin' JULY!

(January is a blah-blah Home-Body month.)

K- Kids:

aka: "The Monkeys"

Kaden Matthew (soon to be 8),

Trevan Mattson (4 1/2),

Daynen McKay (almost 1),

and a new little peanut, due this Fall...

either Avari Mae or Bronson Micheal...

(can't wait to find out in a couple more months!)

L- Life is incomplete without:

I am going to be trite and say "Love".

(Sorry, but really... what else REALLY matters?)

...Well, I guess a trip somewhere... with a beach... at least once a year... is nice, too! :)

M- Marriage date:

October 11, 1996... coming up on a dozen years! WOW!

(Sad, but no photo... that is before the digital age and I am too lazy to scan a photo this morning...)

N- Number of siblings:

You'd THINK this is an easy question... well, here goes!

I was raised with just one brother, Joey (26).

He lives in Murray with his wife, Christie and their 3 darling kiddies.

Until a year ago, that was it...

However, last year when I met my Birth Mother, Jean, for the first time,

(Wild, huh? This is us... can you tell?)

I was lucky enough to "inherit" 7 MORE half-siblings! (YEAH... WOW!)

Cute, sweet Natalie (24) lives in Huntington Beach and is about to get married in May.

Gorgeous Kristi (22) lives in Washington State and is an incredibly talented singer (seriously AMAZING!),

The infamous Rhett and Drew (twins, although you'd never guess!, almost 19)

live in St. George and Provo, respectively,

Darling Joseph (14) is a great computer artist (and pretty popular with "the ladies", we hear!),

Awesome Ian (10, on left) loves all the same stuff as my Kaden (on right)... (they're great pals!),

and sweet little Lizzy (8) just got baptized.

(Funny to note that Jean's youngest is just a few months older than my oldest!)

It has been such a blessing to get to know and love them!

It's fun having this whole other "bonus" family and we enjoy seeing them often! :)

I also have GREAT "siblings-in-law" who I adore, so I don't want to leave them out!

Mike & Mauri Staker: http://stakerfamilycircus.blogspot.com/,

Megan & Russ McMurdie: http://ifhesingsonemoresong.blogspot.com/

and Mindy & Cody Johanson: http://johanson5.blogspot.com/

I am truly so blessed to genuinely LIKE my in-laws! All of them!

One of my greatest blessings is to have married into such a fun and wonderful family!

O- Oranges or apples:

Both... and any other fruit for that matter! I LOVE FRUIT!

P- Phobias or fears:

I have this unexplainable fear that I am going to accidentally back over one of my children...

(it's usually Trevan I worry about, mainly because he is "just that height".)

But I actually refuse to move my car in or out of the garage until I can see both my boys at least 20 feet from my Tahoe and know they are standing still and watching me pull out.

They get really annoyed, but at least I know they are safe!

Q- Quote(s):

I am a vinyl lettering addict! I LOVE quotes and inspiring thoughts and have them all over our home.

It's hard to pick a favorite, but here are two I love...

Above our Master Bedroom door:

and on the wall in our Upstairs Balcony:

"A happy Family is but an earlier Heaven!"

R- Reasons to smile:

Oh, so many everyday!

My Boys... ALL of them...

(I refer you to letters "B" and "K"),

my countless, innumerable Blessings,

feeling the promise of new life within me,

(I'm one of those crazy people who actually totally LOVES being pregnant),

finishing my laundry this morning,

and lately, keeping in touch with all of you!

(I'm LOVING the blogging thing!) :)

S- Season:

Summer! Warmth, sunshine, swimming, vacation, flip-flops... what's NOT to love?

T- Tag five:

Gretchen Knell: http://knellplace.blogspot.com/

('Cuz she is far away... and we miss her!),

Susan Bland: http://www.theblandclan.blogspot.com/

(Honey, it is TIME to update the ol' blog! We will HELP you!),

Carrie Finlinson: http://thescarrielesa.blogspot.com/

(I am hoping to officially OUT her "secret"!),

Meanna Dullum: http://nathanandmarianna.blogspot.com/

(Way too long since I've heard from her!)

and Krista Lewis: krista@snugabugbaby.com

(Maybe she'll finally jump on the bandwagon and get a blog up and going!

No photo because she doesn't have a blog YET for me to steal one from!))

U- Unknown fact about me:

Is there anything left? I'm kind of an open-book, aren't I?

V- Vegetarian or oppressor of animals:

Oppressor, I guess. I do LOVE a good steak!

(Although I LOVE most veggies, too! I just love GOOD FOOD, in general!)

W- Worst habit:

I am a chronic over-achiever and think I can do everything.

I continually overcommit myself, and consequently, am often running behind.

Although I have made HUGE improvements lately... NO, REALLY! Ask Matt! :)

X- X-rays or ultrasounds:

Definitely Ultrasounds!

(Is that really a question? Who wants an x-ray, or anything broken?

I just wanna see that little babe I'm cooking in there!)

Y- Your favorite food:

I've posted this before, but if I had to eat one food for the rest of my life,

it would most definitely be the Fillet Bryan at Carrabba's.

Makes my mouth water, even to THINK about it!

Z- Zodiac:

Leo-to-the-core, baby! (Rar!)

Wow... I feel like I just came from therapy!

Indeed, that was long... but, I never said brevity was one of my talents!

(To the contrary, in fact!)

SO, now I'm curious to see who actually takes the time to read it all! :)