OMG! This is October of '09

I just realized this is all the way back in '09 ha ha! Talk about being behind. Sorry, it is what it is!

The Home Coming Harley RIde

Every year at homecoming the drill team picks someone from our town to ride them around the track on a Harley (or any motorcycle), it is way cool to see and hear them all revving up and ridding in the stadium to make a grand entrance for their dance. It is so funny because around the week of homecoming my phone starts texting off the hook from girls reserving my dad and his bike. ha ha he's nearly 70 and still has it!!!

Jaxen has taken to Drew the same way Drew took to Bryce,,,it actually goes further than that with Bryce taking to Tyler. The older boys just seem to take care of the younger boys, "show'em the ropes kinda thing"

I'm Very Disrespectful!!! Errrr!!!!

It has been brought to my attention (by my parents of course) that I am very disrespectful because I tend to always run on the late side of things. What brought this up was the fact that I had taken Ava to school on her first day back from Christmas break ten min late. My mom happened to stop by when we were leaving and said she would take us and then her and I would run some errands after. Well when she realized where we were going and it was already 11:50 I was in for! So as you must guess I am adding to my New Years Resolutions.... Try to be on time, Or better yet try to be five to ten min early!!! This is one that I didn't come up with my self so it is going to be hard follow but I will give it a try!!! Once the baby of the family Always the baby of the family (33 and still getting in trouble from my parents Errrr) :)

This picture just breaks my heart... Bryce didn't know I was taking his pic and I caught him for a moment just sitting by all alone. I wonder what he is thinking.. . Heck He was probably scared to death

One last get together before He leaves ;(

Drew was trying to get every last minute in before he left

It was a double dipper day... Ella was baptized and Bryce went through the temple. You got to do what you can do when all the fam is in town.

Oh my proud son, he sure loves Bryce! (I wonder if Bryce and Jaxen are the brothers Drew never got to have?)

When I get a picture of me I like to throw it in here because it is rare.

My kids are so lucky to have cousins that live so close ( I didn't have a one of them ;( ) It's a lot of fun watching them grow up together.
In some cases the age difference is pretty big but when they are together it doesn't even seem to matter!

This was a big year for Ella. She decided to get baptized. As you can see she had a lot of family (some not in the pic) and her favorite friends to share in her big day. She asked both of her Grandpas to be the speakers and Wow was it ever a good decision. They both did Amazing! All in all it was a very fun, emotional and exciting day! Way to go Ella!

This was the very first time I made my mom's monkey rolls... request from the birthday girl. If I remember right they actually turned out...and as you can see I had plenty of help!!!

Do ya think she was excited about her present.... it was her very first camera.

I didn't realize how much these two looked like each other.

Happy times!

"Grandpa and Grandma Harely" brought her her Birthday treats decked out in Harley attire, she had no idea we surprised her! Then she got to ride off into the Beautiful September Sunset with Grandpa. Too Cute!

I just CAN'T Stand it!!!

Ok I'm sorry I just can't stand not blogging about the last year! It was actually a great year and we did lots of FUN things so I just have to do it..... (since I'm on a roll here hee hee) I'm hoping to keep it short and sweet but if you must know I tend to get carried away. Here goes...

Ella's 8th Birthday, Salon style

I took Ella and two of her friends to Cedar City for the Birhtday. We had a day at the Salon, it was so fun they ate it up like little divas!

Hafen Family Pictures December 2010

Holy Camoly it's been nearly a yr since I last posted. I can not believe I let it go so long. I did make my last blog into a book and we love it(if the pics were a little bigger and a few other minor details). So here's to a new year and all of the exciting resolutions I want to put into it. . . (brace yourself, I have more than one)...
1. Budget!
2. Be a more patient mom!
3. Work with my kids more (school, talents, goals. . )
4. Stop yelling at my favorite four kids!!!
5. Read more (books, magazines, whatever)
6. Run in at least three half marathons
7. Consider training for the St. George marathon (my friend Sara Williams totally inspired me last yr)
8. Be happy with the number on the scale (once I get this holiday buldge off :))
9. Learn to love to cook dinner..
10. Get more involved in community gatherings (I tend to be a home body)
11. Make a book for each of my kids so they can actually have a memory thats not on the comp screen.
12. Learn how to use my new Camera...Yipee, Yeah, Hooray!
13. Stay up to date on my blog!
14. Document the last year of our lives into a book on the web
15. Be Happy and Content with Life and what is has to offer me!!!
I'm sure when I post this I will come up with some more but for now I think these will keep me busy. . . ;)
Here's wishing us all the Best of Luck and Happiness in the coming year! I truelly am so Greatful for all that I have I could not ask for anything more!

My mood for the moment...

I just finished watching a clip on that Canadian Ice Skater who had lost her mom just a few days ago....Truly inspiring! It made me think of my mom of course but also me as a mom. It made me question myself and what I am trying to teaching my kids... Some days I'm just not sure what I was able to bring to their lives. Like today... it seemed like all I did was yell at my Drew boy to get him out the door to school. He has been having a hard few days (very emotional) and it seems like the more we yell the more he acts up. Vicious cycle. I feel like some days I just go through the motions to get to the next day to do the same, but today I am thankful for inspiring stories of couragiouse people to help me realize that life is so precious and short. As I am typing this I can hear Tyler reading and playing with Ava, he really is the most patient man. He lacks on sleep most nights and works long days but he never seems to put the kids aside. He always gives them the time they need and for him today I am thankful. I had a great, yet exhausting day yesterday in St. George with my mom and two little girls, and ya know I didn't hear her complain once. I on the other hand did. A lot! I was talking on the phone to Ella (who was home alone with Drew, they got out early for SEP's), she was crying because Drew was threatening her with his BB gun. Ava was pouting because we had drug her all over the place and she just wanted a small toy, haha... and I look up and see my mom and Maya skipping through the parking lot. She is laughing and her smile can't help but make you smile. Her energy and excitement for life is something I yearn for. What an example she is to me and of course to my kids. Thanks Mom! I know this is a random post but it's my mood... Have I told you how much I love Kenny Chesney? Well I do and he is singing to me right now, "On the Coast of somewhere beautiful running with my heart" lalala.... That is where Tyler and I will be in about 8 months for our big 10 year anniversary! Yay! He has put so much time into planning our trip. We have yet to make a final destination and I told him I want him to surprise me and not tell me until we board the plane. Do you think we can pull that off? I'm not big on not knowing whats going on but I sure hope so! Well I must get going, I have laundry to fold, beds to make, kids to get ready, kitchen cabinets to finish, shower and get ready myself all before noon so we can go to Richfield for State Basketball. Thanks for letting me spill out my emotions. I feel rejuvenated now! I should do this more often!

If we had a dollar for every time we caught or watched one of the kids jump in the water... Tyler and I could go on our own vacation.

Our last picture right before we had to leave our little piece of paradise! We had so much fun! It really is the best place to take your kids. We have started to talk about our next trip and they all want to come back to the Desert Pearl!

Now for a nice relaxing dinner at Wild Willies (I think that's the name?) Ya Right! The only way that ever happens is if we leave the kids at home.

The kids got to pick out a souvenir, the two older girls choose necklaces, not sure what Maya got and Drew took forever to finally find something he wanted. We went to almost every store (except for the ones with a lot of glass in them for obvious reasons) and he could not make up his mind. We were even upping the amount he could spend just so he could decide (he's no dummy) and finally we talked him into this walking stick with a deer on it. He was so pumped as you can see! I bet he has no idea where that broken piece of wood is now does he. Oh well it's all about the memories right!