Opposites Attract

First Day of School 2011

2012-01-26T09:29:00.000-08:00

Luke started kindergarten and Lance started 2nd Grade. They both love school and are excited to see old friends and learn new things. This year school starts an hour earlier than last year. That will be an adjustment for all of us. Other things the boys have to look forward to are tumbling on Mondays, Desert Trackers (although that starts half an hour before school and I think it might be hard to get up even earlier), and Luke will be in soccer. Lacey will be in preschool in the afternoon on Tuesday and Thursday, because if she went in the morning my day would look like this: drop off at eight, drop off at nine, pick up at 10:40, pick up at 11:30, then pick up at 2:21. I think it's more efficient to drop off at 8, pick up at 10:40, drop off at 12:30, then pick up at 2:21, then pick up at 2:45. Lia gets to hang out with Mommy all by herself for at a least a little while during the week.

Luke and Mommy Day

2012-01-21T15:29:00.000-08:00

Luke wanted a day with Mommy after he saw how much fun Lance had. So for Luke's day out we went to Build-A-Bear Workshop. He picked Alvin from "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked." After that we ate lunch at McDonald's in the mall food court. Then, because it was two days before Christmas, we finished up some last minute Christmas shopping. Luke is pretty content to do his own thing most of the time, but it's good to get one-on-one time with him.

Luke Turns Six (November 29)

2012-01-21T15:18:00.000-08:00

What a big boy he is getting to be! Luke was due December 21, but I knew he would be early. I had been sleeping on our reclining couch because that was the most comfortable position. At about 4 a.m. I woke up and felt like I had to go to the bathroom. When I stood up my water broke. Another baby three weeks early! We took Lance to Grandma Susan's then went to the hospital, arriving at about 5 a.m. We checked in, got into a delivery room, got hooked up to machines, got some blood drawn, and about ten minutes to 6 Alex decided to go to the 7-11 to get something to eat. Because for sure we had hours to go, right? Wrong! Ten minutes later I felt like I had to push. There was no doctor and no husband there, only the nurse, Rose, and my mom. She told me to stop pushing but I said no way. She scrambled to get ready to deliver the baby. Luke came into the world at 6:13 a.m. and was 7 lbs 3 0z and 19 1/2 inches long. He was just anxious to get here, I guess! I held him right after he was born and when the nurse handed him to me he whacked me in the face with his slimey little hand. But holding him I thought, "Yes, here you are-right where you belong."

Luke is definitely all boy. He likes action and rowdiness. But he also has a sensitive side. He is concerned if he thinks his little sisters are in trouble. He makes friends easily with boys and girls. He was on a soccer team this year and had as much fun socializing on the sidelines as he did playing the game. He is enthusiastic about school and is doing great in kindergarten. He was student of the month in December. He is a great kid and I am blessed to be his mommy!

Mommy and Lance Day

2012-01-02T09:44:00.000-08:00

Lance wanted to have a special day all by himself with Mommy. After dropping off the other kids at Grandma Sharon's, we went on a little adventure. First we went to the Scout office to get Lance a new Cub Scout uniform-blue shirt, yellow handkerchief, and other accessories. Next, we went looking for a place to have hot chocolate. We decided on IHOP. We had hot chocolate and a funny face pancake. Lance got a balloon sword there. Next we went to Toys R Us. Lance bought a stuffed panda. He used his own money and he named it Pandy. Next we went to Wal-Mart to look for a gingerbread house kit, but they didn't have one. Last we sang Christmas carols in the car on the way to pick up the other kids. Both Mommy and Lance had a great time.

It's Great to be Eight!

2011-11-26T09:14:00.000-08:00

I can't believe he's eight already. Lance's due date was December 13, and I had planned on getting all my lessons ready for when I was on maternity leave over the Thanksgiving weekend. The Tuesday before Thanksgiving I was in the office at school and felt some leaking. Later at my regularly scheduled doctor's appointment I mentioned that small detail. The doctor checked and much to my surprise she told me that I needed to check into the hospital. Three weeks early! What!? I was not even ready at school for the next day, let alone for the next few months. But there was no stopping. I checked into the hospital at about 4 p.m. on Tuesday and at 4:10 a.m. (after only about twenty minutes of pushing) on Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, I brought forth my first born son. Six pounds, ten ounces, 19 inches long, the spitting image of his father. I was overwhelmed with happiness when they put him in my arms, sobbing actually. I was a mother, and he was my beautiful baby boy.

Now he is eight years old. Still sweet, still beautiful. I love his personality and his sense of humor. He's smart and friendly and a good boy 95% of the time. He wants to be an author and illustrator someday, but I think he could be great at anything. He likes to try new things and has done baseball, basketball, tennis, tumbling and a few piano lessons. I feel so blessed to be the mother of this wonderful child.

NIne is Fine

2011-08-30T13:17:00.000-07:00

So it's been nine years since we got married. August 30, 2002. This year to mark the occasion we are listing nine things that we love about each other. That's right: I said WE. Alex is making his debut contribution to this blog. He asked me what I wanted and I told him this was it. I may just die of shock!
Here's nine things I love about Alex, in no particular order.

1. Alex incorporates the kids' words into his own vocabulary. We remember some of what the kids said when they first started talking because Alex still uses those words. For instance, Lance used to say bok for milk and oofs for shoes. Alex still says bok and oofs. One day when Luke was little Alex was in the bathroom when Luke knocked on the door. Alex said, "Who is it?" and Luke said, "It's the Kook kook." Every day Alex says, "Who is it? It's the Kook kook." Lacey for a short time added an extra syllable to her words ("watch-a my show") and now Alex adds an extra syllable to his words: "It's time to get in the big-a bed-a." It's annoying and endearing at the same time.

2. He tries to to his best at everything he does. Whether it's being a manager or riding his bike he does everything he can to be the best.

3.He admits I'm right by saying it was his idea. Like when we were in Salt Lake for our vacation: I wanted to go to the Blue Lemon right across the street from Temple Square, but he didn't see any other families there so we went to another place down the street. The kids started to whine about eating there so I said we should go back to the Blue Lemon. After eating a fabulous meal, Alex said, "I told you we should have come here in the first place."

4.He tries to make wrong things right. Recently some friends of ours bought tires from Alex but there was some trouble and they had to take time out of their vacation out of state to have the problem fixed. Alex offered them some free tires for their trouble which they declined. But always trying to make the customer happy, Alex offered to take them out to dinner, which they accepted.

5.He goes out of his way to help people. A guy in our ward brought his bike to Alex to see if he could fix it. Alex doesn't really fix bikes, but he paid for it to get fixed.

6. He's not handy, but he makes enough money to pay people to be handy for us.

7. He is genuine; he does not try to be something he's not. When he's happy, he's happy. When he's mad, he's mad. What you see is what you get. But this quality makes me trust him one-hundred percent.

8. He makes up silly songs for the kids.

9. You wouldn't guess that he's going to be 45 this year. All that bike riding is good for something.

Here's what Alex loves about me in his own words:

1. beautiful

2. understanding

3.support me

4.comfort me

5.love and teach our kids

6.righteous

7.same girl i feel in love with!

8.awesome family

9.(edited for the purposes of this blog-TMI!)

A Song is a Wonderful Kind of Thing

2011-08-28T21:12:00.000-07:00

I have been in many church callings in my life, but by far my favorite has been being Primary chorister. I have never felt the Spirit like I have each week singing those Primary songs. They are simple yet powerful. They teach the doctrines of the restored Gospel. My heart is touched each week as those sweet children sing so beautifully, and the Holy Ghost witnesses that what we are singing about is true, absolutely true. One Sunday I was teaching the hymn "Praise to the Man" and I told them a little bit about the life of Joseph Smith. Tears were pouring out of my eyes as I gave my testimony of that prophet and restorer of the true church of Jesus Christ. The children sat in rapt attention and I knew that they were also feeling the Holy Ghost in their hearts. A few weeks later my own son gave the family home evening lesson and repeated, almost word for word, what I had said. If he learned that important bit of information, I'm sure others did.

So it is with great sadness and reluctance that today I had to give up that calling to accept another calling. I tried to talk them into letting me keep it until the Primary program in October, but they didn't think it was a good idea. Sad, sad, sad. However, my new calling also has to do with music. I am the new ward music chairperson. That means I coordinate the Sacrament Meeting hymns, schedule musical numbers and supervise the ward choir, among other things. The first and second counselor in the bishopric reminded me that the Lord calls people He need for particular callings at particular times, and I always try to be where I'm supposed to be and do what the Lord wants me to do. But I will certainly miss Primary.

July 2011

2011-08-17T17:07:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I made a slide show so I decided to make one of our events in July. From Luke working on getting his first tooth out to Family Reunion at the ranch (which included Minute to Win It, Family Fun Run) to more pictures of our Utah Vacation, July for us was what summer is all about.

Super-Dooper Utah Vacation

2011-08-07T15:48:00.000-07:00

We recently spent six days traveling through various parts of Utah as a family. That was certainly our longest family vacation, and definitely our funnest. Here are some of the highlights:

Capitol Reef National Park

Of course we couldn't have a vacation without a bike race, but at least it gave us the excuse to visit a new place. Capitol Reef National Park is located in south central Utah and we passed through several small towns (including Circleville, boyhood home of Butch Cassidy) to get to Bicknell where we stayed at the Sunglow Motel. We arrived on Thursday, and Alex did two races on Friday. While he was racing we explored the town and went into the National Park. I thought it was a good history lesson due to the fact that all the little towns were originally pioneer settlements and before Capitol Reef was a national park, there was a pioneer settlement named Fruita near where the park visitors' center is now. The orchards those settlers planted are still there as well as one of the original homesteads. It was called the Eden of Wayne County. Saturday Alex did an 80-mile race and we arrived at the finish line just in time to see him cross. Here is some of what we saw on the first leg of our trip (Lance was the photographer that day.)

At the Capitol Reef Visitors' Center

One of the herd of buffalo we saw on the way to Capitol Reef

Lovely scenery

Rock formations in the National Park

Provo/Orem
For the first three days the kids kept asking when we were going to the hotel pool. So when we arrived at the Travelodge in Provo on Saturday, all they wanted to do was swim in the pool. I think if all they had done for the whole vacation was swim in the hotel pool with their new life vests, they would have thought it was the best vacation ever. It was a good idea to get the vests, actually, because wearing the vests made the kids more confident in the water. But before we let them into the pool we went out to dinner at an Italian restaurant called Gloria's that had an accordion player who played Disney songs to keep the kids entertained. Bless him!

Sunday we had a quick but fun visit with Aunt Mary Lou and Uncle Jeff. Then we went to Provo Canyon for a picnic in Vivian Park. I have been to Provo Canyon before, but this time it took my breath away with how beautiful it was; so green, so inviting. The only thing that dampened our great day was that Luke got stung by a bee while he was playing on the playground. He said through his tears, "It's not fair that a bee could sting me for no reason! I was just minding my own business and the bee stung me." But he forgot all about it when we got back to the hotel pool. We had dinner at the Los Tres Amigos restaurant right by our hotel, and we were lucky that my brother Austin could join us for a little bit.

Temple Square

Monday we went up to Salt Lake City to visit Temple Square. We first went to the South Visitor's Center and saw displays about how the temple was built. Then the kids threw pennies in the fountain and made wishes.

Lance said,"I know I can't go inside the actual temple, but can I just go in the lobby?" I said I wasn't sure but we could go over and see what they say. When we got to the entrance of the lobby a greeter said that we could go to a certain point, but then a gentleman at the check in desk waved us in to the lobby. He gave each of the kids a silver token and said, "Now you have proof that you have been in the Salt Lake Temple." They all had smiles from ear to ear.


Luke, Lacey, Lia, and Lance on the steps of the Salt Lake Temple

After that we went into the tabernacle, and it's true: you can hear a pin drop from the podium and it also looks bigger on TV than in real life. From there we went to the Assembly Hall for a quick peek inside. The Seagull Monument is in front of the Assembly Hall and I told Lance about how the pioneers were about to lose their crops to a cricket infestation, but then miraculously the seagulls came and ate up all the crickets. Lance was impressed.

We then went to the North Visitors' Center where there are a whole bunch of paintings depicting scenes from the scriptures. But the best part was seeing The Christus statue. Of that Lance said, "I feel like I'm in Heaven," and Luke said, "This is like being in space!"

Church History Museum
After a yummy lunch at Blue Lemon, we went to the Church History Museum. I could spend a day on each floor there if I were all by myself. The bottom floor had an exhibit of childrens' art. They also had a station where kids could color or draw their own pictures and they would be shown on the "wall."

The main floor has an exhibit of the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints from it's early beginnings to the settlement of Utah into the modern age. I wanted to read every detail about every display, but we had to keep moving to keep the kids engaged.

This was a great place to visit the week before Pioneer Day.

The top floor of the museum has an exhibit dedicated to all the prophets since the restoration from Joseph Smith to Thomas S. Monson. I went to the bathroom and Lance looked at the exhibit but the other kids were starting to get restless. Alex thought we should call it a day, but I knew the best was yet to come: the quilting exhibit! Just kidding. There was a quilting exhibit but we passed it up to go to the childrens' Book of Mormon exhibit. This area was very child-friendly: interactive displays in English and Spanish that told a story from the Book of Mormon and a related story about a child's real life. The first display was Mexican dancing. A how-to video showed the children what steps to do and they could dress up in skirts or vests and follow the video. Well, my little dancer, Lacey,spent the whole time doing that. She was in heaven with the twirly skirt and the dancing. I had as much fun watching her as she had doing the actual dancing.

The boys and Lia tried the dancing for a little bit but they went to other displays also. There was the one with the boat that had to do with the journey to the promised land. Lia got in the little truck which had to do with the family who picked up people for church in their truck.

We had to drag the kids away when it was time to go.

Our final stops of the day were at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building and Deseret Book. Lance wanted to stay longer but the baby was getting cranky.

Seven Peaks Waterpark

Tuesday we went to Seven Peaks Waterpark in Provo. It has big water slides and a lazy river, and a wave pool. I thought the kids would be too scared to go in anything but the "tadpole" area, but with their life jackets the boys had enough courage to go on the big slides and Lacey and Lia went in the wave pool and lazy river several times. We rented a cabana and were able to stay the whole day without getting burnt to a crisp. So.Much.Fun!!

We left the waterpark and drove to Beaver to stay the night. We have discovered that it's not a fun trip if you have a crying baby for more than an hour or so. So the last leg of our trip from Beaver to Henderson was about three and a half hours and just about right to prevent a major toddler meltdown. After we got home Alex said, "We should do that more often." To which I thought "It took you nine years to figure that out, but better late than never!"

Year in Review-Lance

2011-06-24T07:52:00.000-07:00

Lance did an amazing job at school this year. He got awards for Straight A Honor Roll (all year), Exemplary Attendance (missing three or less days), Citizenship, Taking Care of Business. Throughout the year he received awards in his art and music classes as well. All his teachers, and some that knew him but were not his teacher, said what a good boy he was and how helpful and creative he was.

Lance on stage getting Straight A Award

With his friend Emma. They were always at the top of the class together.

Lance participated in Desert Trackers, which anyone can join. Most mornings before school he ran or walked laps around the playground. He racked up 71 miles. The first graders accumulated more miles than the second,third, and fourth graders.

Lance's teacher was Ms. Claros. "She was a good teacher," said Lance.

Lance thought that it would be funny if Lia tried on his glasses and him wearing sunglasses.

Year in Review-Luke

2011-06-23T07:22:00.000-07:00

Luke made tremendous progress in his Pre-K program. He enjoyed making new friends, participating in programs, having special family food functions, and going on field trips. At the beginning of the year he was a little behind on his skills but by the middle of the year he was "at grade level." His language, math, vocabulary, and communication skills have improved greatly. And more importantly, his manners and self-concept have improved. Now he is absolutely ready for kindergarten.

Luke and his friend Lloyd at the Thanksgiving feast.

At the Natural History Museum looking at the hanging manta ray.

With Lacey and cousin Dalin at the Gilcrease Nature Preserve. He did not like the smell!

At his Safari Program. His part was, "Walking through Africa, what do I see? I see a rhino looking at me."

Year in Review-Lacey

2011-06-22T12:36:00.000-07:00

Lacey had a great first year of preschool. In fact I would say that she is ready for kindergarten already, even though she still has another year before she can go. She can sound out words and can write some of the words that she sounds out. At her school's bike parade ( did I ever mention she taught herself how to ride a bike with training wheels?) she did laps for about half and hour around the cones in the parking lot. At one point I heard her singing "Three Little Kittens" as she was riding. She likes to sing a lot.

Lacey at preschool graduation in her favorite pink polka-dot dress.

Lacey with certificate of achievement

With Grandma Susan and Grandma Sharon on Grandparents Day

At a performance in March before the music started. She's holding her arms because it was super cold.

Lacey started a dance class this year. At first I was worried that she wouldn't pay attention and just be in her own world. But as the year progressed she got more serious and turned into quite a good little dancer. The best one in her class, if I do say so myself. But really, at performances she never had to look at other dancers because she knew the steps. And when she danced to "Ma Belle Evangeline" (from the movie The Princess and the Frog) she had the perfect dreamy look to match the song. It was beautiful to watch. I'll let her do dance as long as she likes it, but I hope that's a long time because I love watching her perform.

Father's Day Special by Lance

2011-06-18T12:41:00.000-07:00

Well, Father's Day is coming up tomorrow. We found the best idea: Grandpa Lowell made a sign that says Families Are Forever with our family's names in a circle around the outside. It says Alex, Carmen, Lance, Luke, Lacey, Lia.

I think that Poppy is the best dad in the whole wide world. Every day before work he gives us a hug and says, "I love you too much." At night we all say a family prayer. He is a hard working dad. Once when we were in Pine Valley he said, "Wow! We caught 7 fish."

One time Poppy said, "Hey, wanna go on a bike ride to Grandma Sharon's new house?" Me and Luke said, "Yeah!" Poppy said. "It's going to be a long way." In the middle of our bike ride my back hurted so much that we had to take a break. At the end of our bike ride we said, "How come you didn't tell us it was going to be that long?" "I did," Poppy said. "But you didn't tell us it was going to be 7 miles." We called Mommy to come get us from Grandma's house, but then we decided to ride back on our bikes anyway. We took an extra shortcut back, that made it 13 miles altogether. What a ride!

Poppy always says, "Watch out for Bigfoot!" But we don't have all the proof that Bigfoot is real.

Poppy is the most athletic, funny, kind, hard worker I have ever seen.

I love Poppy.

Can't Stop the Cuteness

2011-05-04T14:18:00.000-07:00

Lia is 19 months and continues to be adorable. She says "ma" for mommy, "da" for daddy, "kanka" for blanket "amma" and "ampa" for grandma and grandpa, "dee-dee-dee" for Dora, and "agh-agh-agh" for SpongeBob, and she says uh-oh, baby, and bye-bye. When she wants me to play Wheels on the Bus with her she puts her finger to her lips and says sh-sh-sh. She is getting the hang of being in nursery, and although she is shy about singing songs in class (and I know because I do music time there every Sunday) she often wants to sing with me at home. A few weeks ago we had pizza for dinner and someone left a slice on the couch. I asked, "Who left pizza on the couch?" and after three "not me"s, Lia raised her hand. No way is she being left out. She's so sweet, I could just eat her up!

Lacey in her birthday castle, painted by Grandma Sharon

Lacey is Miss Personality. Everything is funny to her. These days she adds an extra syllable to her words like this: "I want to watch-a my show." and anything that has an 'or' in it gets an oy-fork=foyk, store=stoy. I think it's adorable. Except she hasn't been wanting to go to preschool because she says it's boying. I think she was watching a cooking show or something the other day because she came to me and asked if we could have rose"berry" chicken for dinner. A few days later she had fun helping me make rosemary chicken but then she wouldn't eat it because she said it was dirty. She enjoys drawing and painting pictures which I think are really quite good for her age. Her brothers decided that since she turned four she is now old enough to play Club Penguin online so now she's a big fan of that, too.

Luke is turning into a clever kid. I took the kids to the store one day and as I was getting Lia out of the car a man said to the other kids who were hanging out by the back of the car, "Stay out of the street there's a lot of cars here." When the man passed, Luke said, "Mind your own business!" Cheeky. At preschool recently he was playing with his friends and they all wanted to ride inside the wagon. Luke said "Let's play rock-paper-scissors to decide who gets to be in it first." His teacher heard him say that and was so impressed with his problem solving skills that she asked him to share with the class.

Lance has been asking some interesting questions lately. One night he asked me who I thought he should marry. I told him he would meet a lot of girls before he was ready to get married. Then he said, "Yeah but what girl should I marry?" The rest of the conversation went like this: Me: You should marry someone that goes to church and keeps the commandments. Lance: Like M____? Me: And someone who wants to get married in the temple. Lance: Yeah, like M____? So it looks like he's pretty set on marrying M____ in about 14 or 15 years. And I will say that I approve of that choice. :) Lance continues to do well in school. Everything comes easy for him-reading, math, art, music. He says he wants to be an author and illustrator someday and I'm sure he can.

I really find it a great honor to be the mother of these wonderful children. I enjoy where they are now and look forward to what they will become.

Little mouse, little mouse, are you in the Pendleton house?

2011-04-24T22:20:00.000-07:00

A little over a week ago I was up late reading a book when I heard a scratching sound coming from the wall. I ignored it at first, but as it continued my mind began to concoct all the things that could be making that sound. A giant roach? A rat? The ghost of a construction worker accidentally buried during the construction of our house? I finally concluded that it must be some kind of hideous rodent trying to make an entrance into our house. I gave the wall a pound and the scratching stopped. The next day I told Alex and he said that he had heard it that morning. He put out some traps with peanut butter for bait.

A few days later our pest control guy, Kevin, came for his monthly appointment. I told him about the rodent problem. He put out a box trap with bait in it.

"There's plenty of bait in there," he said.

So I said, "So the mouse eats the bait and gets poisoned then dies?"

"Right. So if you find a dead mouse just get a tissue and pick it up and throw it in the trash."

Gag.

Two days ago I was in the garage loading the kids in the car. Something, which looked like trash on the floor, caught my eye. Upon closer inspection I realized that it was a little brown mouse. Not a huge rat like I had envisioned; just a little, almost cute, brown mouse. It looked like it was sleeping.

I left with the kids to run errands and when we got back I showed them the mouse. Then I got some toilet paper and picked it up and put it in the trash. And I can't believe I'm saying this, but part of me felt bad for the mouse. It was just trying to find some food. It meant us no harm. So rest in peace, little mouse. Someday we'll have a world where we can coexist.

The Trip to Utah

2011-04-22T08:14:00.000-07:00

On April 20th 2011 the Pendletons went to see Grate Grandma Haynes in St. George.But she was in Orem! Lance was really sad. We stayed overnight in a hotel. Our hotel room had a microwave and mini refrigerator. Alex said "Why don't we go fishing in Pine Valley. So we went to Pine Valley and went fishing and caught nothing. When we were done fishing we went to lunch at the Brandin' Iron Steakhouse in Pine Valley. Lance ordered grilled cheese with a side of fries and lemonade, Lacey and Luke got fries, Lia got a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Poppy got fried fish and a diet Coke, and Mommy got a club sandwich. Then we got ice cream for dessert. When were done we left and went to the car. We were driving and Lance sat next to Lia. Lance's seat was wet and Lance didn't know until he touched the back of his pants and it was wet. He played his Mario game and played Mario and Luigi "Bowser's Inside Story." Lance played it to get his mind off the wet. He played and thought he needed Kyle's (his cousin) help on a part. Back to the trip: It was a long drive. Lia spilled Gatorade all over the car. 42 minutes until we get home said Poppy. 40 minutes later we were at the Fiesta. When we got inside the gate everybody cheered. Lance was so relieved he could get out and stretch his back.
Written by Lance

It Was One of Those Sundays. . .

2011-04-18T15:49:00.000-07:00

So yesterday I took the kids to church by myself because Alex wasn't feeling well. Usually when I'm by myself at church with the kids they are pretty well-behaved, sometimes even better than when Alex is there. But this was not one of those times. I made the mistake of letting Lance pick the seat. He chose the long middle bench, second from the front. Not that I mind the front, it's just easier to corral the kids if we are on a short bench. Also, Lacey hadn't come in with us because she had a boo-boo on her heel and just couldn't walk all that way. Then the freedom of a long bench was too much for an 18-month-old to resist. About two minutes into the first talk I had to leave with Lia because she was screaming because I wouldn't let her walk on the bench. We went out into the hall where I expected to find Lacey. Well she was wandering around the church--shoeless. Then Luke followed me out and he and Lacey proceeded to run through the semi-empty halls. We took a little break in the nursery, but about 15 minutes until the end of the meeting I said, "I came here to listen so we are going back in and you all had better be good." Yeah, right. We didn't make it another two minutes before we had to leave again. This time I was mad. I was mad at the kids for not being quiet. Mad at Lance for picking the front. And mad at Alex for not being there. I was "this close" to dishing out a helping of "butt-whoopin' soup" (as Alex likes to say) right there in the church.

When the meeting was finally over I was trying to gather up the remnants of our time there--fruit snack wrappers, crayons, paper, shoes--when the man who had been the last speaker (I didn't catch his name because we were out in the hall) tapped me on the shoulder and said, "I want to tell you that you are my hero. I watched you the whole time and I thought "How does she do it?" You really did a great job with those kids. I know it's not easy, but your children will be the recipient of your faith." By then I was sobbing, partly out of guilt for thoughts which had they been acted upon would have resulted in a meeting with child protective services, and partly because his words were so sympathetic and just what I needed to hear at that moment. I could only blubber out "Thank you. . . thank you."+

So the lessons I learned were if you see someone struggling with rowdy children in church, offering kind words might be the best thing you can do. and don't let your seven-year-old pick where you sit in church. :)

Halloween 2010

2011-01-20T15:32:00.000-08:00

Alex and Carmen-50's; Lance-Mario; Luke-Ironman; Lacey-Tinkerbell; Lia-Minnie Mouse

My Own Best Kind of Mom

2011-01-19T20:14:00.000-08:00

Once again I am having technical difficulties with my computer and browsing for pictures, so I am going to post some things I have been thinking about that don't require photos.

Last October at Time Out For Women mother and daughter authors Linda Eyre and Shawni Eyre Pothier talked about Secrets of Motherhood. One of the things they talked about was being your own best kind of mom-not comparing yourself to any other mom, or going crazy trying to do it all. So here's the kind of mom I am not: I am not a craft mom, or a scrapbook mom, or a library mom, or a no watching TV mom, or a do-my-girls'-hair-pretty-everyday-mom, or an organized mom, or a great housekeeper mom.

Here's the kind of mom I think I am: a cook-healthy-meals-even-if-I'm-the-only-one-who-likes-it-mom (they'll thank me later), a music mom (the kids have seen me be the choir director and primary chorister and often tell me to stop singing), a cheerleader mom (I am so proud of my kids whenever they play baseball, dance in a show, learn to write a K, etc.), a gospel-loving mom (I try to teach them the gospel and bear my testimony every chance I get), and an I-think-I got-the-best-kids-in-the-whole-world mom (I have said that to other people and I often say to the kids "Who's the luckiest mommy? I am because I have you!)

So to all the moms out there, you are awesome, whatever kind of mom you are!

Lance wins first place!

2010-12-04T14:35:00.000-08:00

Marathon Finish!

2010-12-04T14:04:00.000-08:00

Lance did a MARATHON! HE TIED FOR 1st PLACE! MOM WAS SO PROUD! The lady who works in the office at Gordon McCaw was proud too. They blew the horn and first grade started to run. I was in the lead then a couple of minutes later boys started to catch up. 1 boy passed me. I sprinted then I was in the lead. At the end I tied with another boy from a different school. I was out of breath. I got water and food. I saw Ronald McDonald then I talked to my coach. She said I was outstanding. I got a medal shaped into a guitar it said ING Kids Rock. I got a t-shirt that said Kids Rock. And that is the story about me at the marathon.

Time Out For Women 2010: Friday Night

2010-11-05T14:32:00.000-07:00

I had the great opportunity to be a volunteer at Time Out for Women (thanks for the hook up, Danette!) which meant I got to go for free, but that I also had some great experiences. I was really inspired as well as entertained and I just have to share.

The first presenter was Ardeth G. Kapp. She was the General Young Women's President during all my years as a young woman. She talked about how the Lord has given each of us an individualized plan for our lives and how we can have hope because of the plan of salvation. Whether it's death of a loved one, childlessness (both of which she knows about first-hand) or whatever other struggles we have, there is hope for happiness. She said that when she was young and people asked her if she had any children she would say, "Not yet." And now in her eighties(?) when people asks her if she has any children she still says, "Not yet." She also said, "I have a photographic memory, just not same day delivery." I didn't realize she was so witty! When I was 13 or 14 Sis. Kapp came to Las Vegas and did a regional young women's fireside. After her remarks she let any who wanted to come up to where she was on the stand so she could meet the young women. I went up and shook her hand; she asked my name and then gave me a hug. I still remember how wonderful I felt that night. So at TOFW I got my picture with her and mentioned that event and she correctly guessed that I must have been about a Beehive age back then. And did you know that the Young Women Values were introduced 25 years ago this month? I think Sis. Kapp looks the same as she did back then and she is still inspiring me.

The next presenter was John Bytheway. I met him when I was at BYU on a couple of occasions. Once was when he took out my roommate so he came to our apartment. (He did not remember that particular incident.) So I have followed his career throughout the years and have found him to be inspiring at different times in my life. I read What I Wish I Knew When I Was Single, when I was in the midst of my single years, and What I Wish I Knew When I was a Newlywed right after I got married. So there I was at Time Out For Women and he talked about What I Have Learned from Time Out for Women. John Bytheway is certainly funny and entertaining but there's no denying that he knows and loves the Gospel of Jesus Christ and that is what I like about him most.

What's Not to Love About Lia?

2010-10-07T14:07:00.000-07:00

Lia's first birthday was Saturday, October 2. I kind of want her to stay little but she gets cuter and cuter everyday. She has cute little curls, a cute smile, a happy personality. She just started toddling all over the place and bringing me things and giving me kisses when I ask her to. She's happy to play with her brothers and sister and she's just tickled with herself when she does something new. At her one-year-old check up today I found out that she weighs 18lbs 12oz (10-25th percentile) and is 30in. tall (75th percentile). She's going to be tall and thin "like a model" the doctor said. I have to say that I love everything about Lia.

Who's Who in the Qof12

2010-09-26T19:07:00.001-07:00

104 Days of Summer Vacation

2010-09-24T18:36:00.000-07:00

I had big ideas for how the summer was going to go: we'd have a cooking day, a library day, a park day. But none of that happened. Here's what we did do: The boys signed up for a Pee-Wee All Stars Sports class. They did basketball, tennis, soccer, and track and field. It was a good taste of a variety of sports. At the end they each got a gold medal. Lance, Luke and Lacey all took swimming lessons. They did pretty well but none of them actually their heads in the water. Maybe next year.

This summer I was obsessed with pioneers. As the primary chorister I spent all of July teaching the kids songs about pioneers. I asked my mother-in-law to make me a pioneer dress. I made my kids dress up for the ward pioneer commemoration dinner (which was not actually a dress up event so I'm sure that someday my children will say, "Our crazy mom made us dress up and we were the only ones. How embarrasing!") But they sure were the cutest little pioneer children.

Lance spent a lot of time with his friend Nathan who lives across the street and was invited to play dates with other friends. He became fascinated with Club Penguin. Luke was also invited to parties and play dates and spent a lot of time with Club Penguin (online game). Lacey finally got potty trained and learned how to pester her brothers by singing. Lia learned how to crawl and click her tongue louder than anyone I've ever heard. Alex kept super busy at work. As for me, this summer I chased kids around and read three books, Three Cups of Tea, Uncle Tom's Cabin, and The Hunger Games. I also changed the color of my hair.

I've been sporting blonde highlights for about twelve years and wanted to give something new a try. It's actually close to my natural color. (Although I hardly remember what that is.) Sometimes summer seems long but then you look back and go where did the time go?

Good Times. . . Good Times

2010-09-10T14:30:00.000-07:00

It was the best of times. Memories made that will last forever. Everyone should have a family as great as mine. the Hafens decided to have a family vacation together this summer at our family's ranch. The highlight was the cousin camps: Cowboy Cousins, Hula Hunnies, and Little Squirts.

Each camp came with activities and/or costumes. The boys got cowboy hats and bandanas and learned to ride a homemade bucking bronco (genius!). They also learned some cowboy talk: "Howdy!" "Thank you ma'm." and "Yip-yipee". My brothers Aaron and Brian ran that activity with help form Jordon and Chris.

The older girl cousins were the Hula Hunnies. They decorated flip-flops, made an ocean in a bottle, and made candy leis with Aunt Kristen and Aunt Natalie. Then they learned a hula from Aunt Kortni who played the ukelele.

The littlest cousins got to play in a wading pool and make their own artwork thanks to Aunt Danette, Aunt Mandy, and Uncle Jason.

Friday night we had a Hafen Family Film Festival. Everyone made their own movies. Some were funny (Droolzilla,Cirque du Hafen) some were remakes (Nacho Libre, The Duck Song), some were very original (The Search for Bigfoot, Low Budget Spiderman), and some were touching memories (Muckus History and Let Them Be Little-a compilation of a lifetime of slides).

Saturday we went to the hidden-away Kershaw-Ryan State Park and had lunch and some people cooled off in the wading pool. Saturday night we had a family testimony meeting, which was wonderful.

In all my years of going to the ranch, I think this was the best time I have ever had. It's great to have such a close, loving, supportive family to share good times with.

Bless-ed Honored Pioneers

2010-07-22T10:08:00.000-07:00

Recently I had the opportunity to do some research into my family history (thank you Katrina!) and what I found is so inspiring to me that I just have to share it.

First, I found out more about the Knight family. Joseph Knight Sr. was the patriarch of a large and faithful family who were present at every step of the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Revelations are given to him and his son Newel in the Doctrine and Covenants. This family followed the prophet Joseph Smith faithfully and this is what Joseph said about Joseph Knight Sr.: "Joseph Knight Sen. . . was among the first to administer to my necessities, while I was laboring in the commenncement of the bringing forth of the work of the Lord, and of laying the foundation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. For fifteen years he has been faithful and true, and even-handed and exemplary, and virtuous and kind, never deviating to the right hand or to the left. Behold he is a righteous man, may God lengthen out the old man's days. . ."

Newel Knight married a lady named Lydia. They were the first couple married by Joseph Smith. When they moved to Nauvoo, Illinois, Lydia came down with malaria and feared she was at the point of death. She asked Newel to get a handkerchief blessed by the prophet so she could be healed. Newel brought her a handkerchief but she did not improve. When she was sure she was going to die, Newel left and when he came back he said that he hadn't wanted to bother the prophet before so the previous handkerchief was not blessed by the prophet, but this one was. Lydia was fully recovered by the next day. When the saints were forced out of Nauvoo, Newel and Lydia took their seven children (and one on the way) and settled temporarily in Indian territory. Soon after, Newel became sick and died. Lydia stayed in their hut built in front of a cave for three years until she could go west to meet the other saints in Utah. She had sold her wagon and team of oxen so she and her children walked most of the way. When in Utah she taught school to support her family. She married two more times and eventually settled in St. George and worked in the temple almost until she died in 1884.

A bit of geneology: Joseph Knight Sr. begat Newel Knight who begat Samuel, who begat Lenora, who begat Arthur Knight Hafen, who begat Herschel, who begat Lowell, who begat me.

I also learned more about my third great grandfather on my father's side, Charles Lowell Walker, known as Charley. He joined the church in England and after spending some time in St. Louis came to Salt Lake. In 1862 he was called to the Cotton Mission: southern Utah. It was rough trying to tame the dry land of St. George, and there were times of hunger and sickness. But Charley tried to make the best of things. He was known as the Sage of St. George because of his skills as a poet, songwriter, and toastmaster. Charley wrote the dedication hymn for the St. George temple. President Brigham Young was there to dedicate the temple and asked to speak with Charley after hearing the hymn. Charley brought him a copy of the hymn and visited with the prophet. At the end of the visit Brigham Young said, God bless you Charley, and He has, hasn't he? Charley recorded in his journal that "all the blessings I had ever had were laid out before me." Charles Lowell Walker wrote the hymn "Dearest Children, God is Near You" which is in our hymn book today and will always have a special place in my heart.

From Alex's side of the family I learned about Joseph and Matilda Bowler. They joined the church in England where they had directed choirs, one that even performed for the Queen. When they brought their seven children to America they headed to Utah, and despite efforts to get them to stay in Salt Lake and direct a choir there, they remembered a promise that they had made to a missionary that they would go to Hebron, Utah and direct a choir there. Hebron no longer exists, but it was in the vicinity of Enterprise, Utah-another hot, southern Utah town. They went from having a comfortable lifestyle in England to an impoverished lifestyle in Utah. Thirty years after thier arrival from England, Matilda's brother came to Utah, but not wanting him to see her in such dire conditions, refused to meet him. They say she died of a broken heart. On the bright side, Joseph and Matilda's children each had large families of their own and I have discovered third and fourth cousins including my hairdresser(and friend from ninth grade), former bishop, and the girl whose mom used to pick me up for school who is now in my ward.

I don't know if any of these people ever thought ahead 100-150 years in the future and wondered if what they were doing would make any difference to anyone. But learning about them has made a difference to me. I admire them for the sacrifices they made and their dedication to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and I honor them by building on the foundation they set.

Why Alex is a Great Dad

2010-06-19T23:29:00.000-07:00

1. He likes to take the kids camping and fishing.
2. He watches cartoons with them at bedtime.
3. He says, "I love you too much!" to them everyday.
4. He tells them they are "geniuseses" everyday.
5.He reads scriptures and says prayers with the family, most everyday.
6. He is a good example of a hard worker.

Happy Fathers' Day

Pine Valley-year three

2010-06-18T09:13:00.000-07:00

We made our annual trip to Pine Valley June 7-9. Of course there was fishing; everyone caught a fish or two, even Lacey. We went on a fun nature hike to the lake (well some made it to the lake, some had a meltdown). There was a family that camped across from us with five kids (and one on the way, bless that mom's heart!) and our kids had fun playing with them. We left Lia with the grandmas because we didn't want her crawling into the road, but we sure missed her. I kept looking for her and the kids kept asking where she was. Maybe next year, Lia!

And They All Died Happily Ever After

2010-05-24T09:36:00.000-07:00

That is my take on the series finale of "Lost." I am going to miss that show. I don't think there will ever be another one like it, brotha.

Lacey at the "Haircut Store"

2010-05-19T09:59:00.000-07:00

Grandma Sharon was kind enough to take Lacey to the "haircut store" for Lacey's first official haircut. Lacey got the full treatment and came home sporting a cute bob with glitter hairspray.

Muffins with Mom

2010-05-19T09:50:00.000-07:00

Lance and I went to his school to share muffins and juice provided by the PTA. What a fun tradition!

Lance's First Baseball Team

2010-05-19T09:46:00.000-07:00

This spring Lance has been on an organized sports team for the first time. He has had a lot of fun and I have enjoyed watching him. He really is out there for the fun of it, but he has gotten better and better as the season has progressed. He said he doesn't want to do baseball again and that's okay because we just want him to try all the sports and find something that he really loves.

Lance as third baseman.

A swing and a miss.

In batting order.

Easter

2010-05-19T09:27:00.000-07:00

This year's Easter festivities began on the Friday night before Easter. We joined the extended family for a flashlight egg hunt at my brother Aaron's house. The kids loved using their flashlights to hunt for eggs.

Easter morning Lance was the first one awake and he went right outside to where he had left his Easter basket, but it was not there. I told him that the Easter Bunny had brought it inside because it was too windy and he didn't want the baskets to blow away. Actually one did blow away, but good thing the Bunny had an extra. (Below: Lia is sad because her sister stuck stickers all over her.)

I have to say that I enjoyed having Easter the same weekend as General Conference. I also am on the lookout for ways to make Easter more meaningful; so if anyone has any great ideas, send them my way.

Da Bulls (real ones, not the basketball team)

2010-05-19T09:14:00.000-07:00

Discount Tire sponsored a rodeo at the South Point Hotel and Casino on March 27, so we got free tickets. It started at 8:00 and we had a rough start. Luke thought it was too stinky, and he was a little afraid of the pyrotechnics. Lacey wanted to look at all the displays, and while she does make the cutest cowgirl ever, I didn't want to chase after her and heft the baby carrier everywhere. When the bull riding finally got going, it was pretty exciting, but we left at 9:30.

Lia is 6 months old today

2010-04-02T09:06:00.000-07:00

Our baby is half a year old already. Where does the time go? Lia just gets cuter and cuter each day. She smiles when people talk to her and loves to play patty-cake and peek-a-boo. She prefers her thumb to a pacifier and she prefers mommy to everyone else. She has mellowed out a little since she was a newborn. She's very content if she has a full belly and a dry diaper. She has also become more snuggly, which I enjoy.

I'd Like to Thank the Academy. . . .

2010-03-20T22:24:00.000-07:00

Or rather, I'd like to thank Rebecca for giving me this Sunshine Award. It means a lot coming from her, whose blog I turn to daily for wit and wisdom. And thank you to Luke for being honest with the haircut lady. From now on when I need a good chuckle I will think of that conversation. Thank you to Lance, Lacey, and Lia, also, for being so dang cute. And last but not least, Thank You to Alex for giving me these beautiful children. You're the best! Oh, and Thank You to Heavenly Father for everything I have. I couldn't do it without You.

Overheard: Luke to the Lady Cutting His Hair

2010-03-19T20:03:00.000-07:00

Luke: My brother said I can't have a girlfriend.
Lady: Oh, he did?
Luke: Yeah. You have to be eight. . . or seven.
Lady: You have to be seven or eight to have a girlfriend?
Luke: But I already have a girlfriend.
Lady: Well, we won't tell your brother.

Random March Pics

2010-03-19T19:53:00.000-07:00

Alia (Uncle Jordon and Aunt Kortni's 3 week old baby) and Lia (5 months old)

Luke at preschool bike parade

Alex at Donuts with Dad

Lance at Donuts with Dad

Wearin' O' the Green

2010-03-19T19:45:00.000-07:00

Rants and Raves

2010-03-11T10:44:00.000-08:00

First the raves:I love the Primary songs, so I am happy that I am the Primary chorister. Not a week goes by that I don't feel the Spirit as we sing songs like "I Know that My Savior Loves Me" and "He Sent His Son." Boyd K. Packer said "We are able to feel and learn very quickly through music. . . some spiritual things that we would otherwise learn very slowly." I can see that the Primary children are learning very quickly the truths of the Gospel of Jesus Christ that are taught in the beautiful songs we sing.
Second rave: Retail therapy is not made up. Yesterday I went shopping at Kohl's and bought the kids some new spring clothes. It's been rainy and cloudy this week, but I found that as I picked out clothes that are bright spring colors, my mood brightened as well.

Now the rants(feel free to skip this if you don't want to hear me go off): I had a doctor appointment last week at a general practitioner's office. I went to him because he is close and on our insurance and I wanted to get my thyroid checked. When I signed in I expected to get a clipboard with forms for new patients, but somebody walked in behind me and the receptionist started helping him. I stood at the desk until she asked if I needed help. I told her that I was a new patient and didn't I need to fill out some forms. She said yes and gave me a clipboard. Then the lady that had signed in 25 minutes before me said that she also was a new patient and needed the forms. They should have known we were coming in and been ready with the forms right away. So then I waited almost an hour and they said you're next that will be $20 for a co-payment. I took out my debit card and they said, "Oh, our machine is down. We're only taking cash." A simple sign put up saying that would have allowed me to go out while I was waiting instead of right before I was to meet with the doctor. By then it was after 6p.m. and I was super annoyed. So then the doctor came in and asked me why I wanted my thyroid checked and I told him that I lost 20 lbs. after my baby was born and then gained it back and she's only five months old and my ob/gyn said it might be a thyroid issue. So then he gave me a lesson about calorie deficits and didn't mention anything about thyroid. My biggest problem with that was I felt like I wasn't being heard. I said weight and he jumped on that ( I should have known since he had "Medical Weight Loss" posters all over his office.) I think that's my biggest pet peeve ever: when I think I'm not being heard. I saw in the paper that a lady is giving a seminar on how a complaint is a gift. Well I have a few gifts for the doctor next time I see him.

I Sho Wuv Lacey!

2010-02-27T13:30:00.000-08:00

Lacey's third birthday was February 12. She has become quite a little girl. I think if I had to describe her with one word it would be "personality." She is funny, playful, imaginative, stubborn, smart, beautiful, silly, and joyful. She dances around the house, sings songs, and often has a messy face and messy hair as if she doesn't have a care in the world. When she really likes something she says, for example, "I sho wuv pudding." So that's why I say, "I sho wuv Lacey."

Fat Tuesday

2010-02-16T10:42:00.000-08:00

Today is Fat Tuesday, the day when people indulge before putting on the breaks for Ash Wednesday and Lent. But the stress of four kids and lack of restraint during the holidays have left me feeling fat. And since I don't want to feel fat on Wednesday, I'm putting on the breaks today--I even put my half-eaten Valentine cake in the trash.

The Missing Months

2010-02-03T17:56:00.000-08:00

The following are posts from last summer after we moved out of our old house. I wanted to write them down for posterity's sake, but if anyone was wondering if we fell into a hole for a while, here's what we were up to.

Finally Moving In

2010-02-03T17:36:00.001-08:00

On September 3 we finally moved in to our new house. We spent six weeks at my parents house and now thankfully everyone has their own space. We thought we were going to get a different house but it fell through because the sellers would not let it go for the appraised price, which was 25,000 less than the asking price. So one day at the end of July Alex and I went with our realtor to look at a house which was pretty nice. When we were done Alex noticed a sign at the house across the street. That house was a five bedroom, 3 1/2 bath, three car garage home and it was available. We put in an offer at $4000 above the asking price. Our offers on other homes took weeks to hear back on but this one only took days. They accepted our offer. The inspection and appraisal went well and our lender was quick in processing our loan so we could close quickly. They say that when it's right, it goes well, and that was the case with this house. This is a home that we can grow into for many, many years.

Seventh Heaven

2010-02-03T17:11:00.000-08:00

Our seventh anniversary was August 30. Lucky for us it was the same weekend as the Discount Tire Sweetheart Weekend. Every year Discount Tire sends the managers and their wives on a weekend retreat. This year it was at the local Marriot Resort. (If had been out of town I would not have been able to go because I am so uncomfortable being almost nine months pregnant, I can't sit in a car too long.)The Marriot of course is very nice, but the first night we went to a private bowling party at the Red Rock Station. We bowled, had pizza, and I even serenaded Alex with a karaoke version of "Baby, Baby." And for the record, I beat Alex on the second round of bowling. On day two we both went to the spa and got massages. Mine was a pregnancy massage which, hallelujah, fixed my sciatic pain. Later that day we had to go to the title company and sign our closing papers for our new house. That evening we were treated to a nice dinner at one of the steak house. So thank-you again Discount Tire for a great weekend. And thank you Alex for seven great years of marriage. I love you!

First Day of School

2010-02-03T16:55:00.000-08:00

Lance started kindergarten on Monday, August 24. I can't believe he's in kindergarten already. I walked with him to his class and he went in just fine. I helped him find his seat and then gave him a hug and a kiss. I was fine too until I saw another mother walking in with her child and she had tears in her eyes. I got a little choked up and had to hurry out before I started crying. Luke started preschool on Tuesday, August 25. He's been dying to go since Lance was in preschool. When I dropped him off he barely said good-bye and ran off without any hugs or kisses. Both Lance and Luke had great first days of school and are excited to go back.

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

2010-02-03T16:31:00.000-08:00

August 14 we went to the Las Vegas 51's baseball game. They played the Albuquerque Coyotes. We got tickets from Discount Tire and we also got to sit behind the visiting team's dugout. Lance and Luke struck up a conversation with one of the players who promised that if he caught a ball he would give it to them. He made good on his promise. the kids had a fun time but it got to a point where they were just wandering through the stands instead of watching the game and I was not going to spend the time chasing them down so we left before the game was over. I'd say we got our money's worth out of that one.

Living with Grandma and Grandpa

2010-02-03T16:22:00.000-08:00

So we are now living with my parents. All five of us are in one bedroom. Pretty much all of our stuff is in storage so I got some rolling drawer carts for our clothes. We have a bed and an air mattress in our room for sleeping, but the bed is so hard to me that I usually end up on the couch. Some people might find it hard to move back home, but for us it's really been good. We read scriptures and say prayers every night with my parents and the kids help out setting the table or doing a "two-minute tidy." It's good to have good grandparents as examples for my kids.

Lance and Luke Go to the Dentist

2010-02-03T16:02:00.000-08:00

July 15 Lance and Luke had dentist appointments; it was Luke's first time. Lance was a good big brother and held Luke's hand during Luke's cleaning. The dentist, Dr. G., said that their teeth looked good and that Lance's missing tooth (the one he's been missing since he was three) should be in by the time the baby comes.

Kung Fu Fighting

2010-02-02T11:59:00.000-08:00

I signed up Lance and Luke for Little Ninjas class at the rec. center in June. I did it mostly for Luke, but he didn't really care for the class. Too much waiting in line and not enough "hi-ya" for him. But Lance had a good time.

High Uintas Stage Race

2010-01-27T14:34:00.000-08:00

Alex raced in the High Uintas Stage Race on June 20-21. The race started in Kamas, Utah and ended in Evanston, Wyoming. The first day was chilly and rainy. While he was racing over the peak of a mountain, I was driving on the freeway. I thought, If it's raining like this on the freeway, what's it like for Alex? When we met up with Alex in Evanston, he was nearly frozen; I had to unstrap his helmet for him. The next day Alex participated in a time trial, and also a circuit race in downtown Evanston. It was still a little chilly but not as rainy, and Alex did well in those races. The kids and I hung out at a soda shop while Alex was warming up then watched as he circled a few city blocks downtown. It was the first time any of us had been to Wyoming, and it made for an interesting adventure.

"Is This College?"

2010-01-27T14:12:00.000-08:00

In June we went to Utah for a bike race. We went up two days before the race so Alex could get acclimated to the higher altitude. We stayed in Orem with Aunt Mary Lou and Uncle Jeff. Since we had time and we were so close, I wanted to show the kids where I went to college, so we drove to Provo to visit BYU. When we turned right onto 1450 North from 900 East Luke said, Is this college? Indeed we were at the location of the dorms where I spent my freshman year, but the buildings have been leveled and all that remains is the Morris Center (cafeteria).** Then we parked by the Bean Museum and Luke asked, "Is this college?" When we walked onto campus he again asked "Is this college?" He asked the same question when we went to the Jesse Knight Humanities Building (I'm not sure if it is still called that) where I had most of my classes and again when we went to the Wilkinson Center food court. Yes, I told him, this is all college. Most of the buildings have been remodeled since I graduated from there 13 years ago so it has a different look, but I still had the same feelings that I did when I was a student. That day was the first day of new student orientation for summer semester so parents were walking around with their kids. It made me think that someday I might be one of those parents with a new college student checking a map to locate classes. Looking back...looking forward. Anyway, if you ask Luke what his favorite part of college was, he'll say the snacks and the elevator. Well said.

**Ah Deseret Towers, my first home away from home. How I cherish the memories I made there. Having dinner with my roommates at the "Mo", special food functions, sunbathing on the roof of our building, studying late into the night, boys allowed on Sunday nights, watching TV in the basement, telephone baseball, and much more. Deseret Towers, may you rest in peace.

Fun in the Snow

2010-01-18T22:29:00.000-08:00

On Dec. 28 (Alex's birthday) we headed up to Mt. Charleston for some sledding and snow play. It was super fun! We borrowed sleds from my sister and also snow pants and boots. Luke felt like he was flying in a ship. The first thing Lacey did was make snow angels. I'm not quite sure how she knew how to do that since she has never been to the snowy mountains before, but she did it like a pro. We got there about 10:30 in the morning and left at about 12:30 which was perfect because it was way more crowded when we left. Also we learned that if you leave your sleds at the bottom of a hill without propping them up against a tree, they will get swiped. :(

Top Nine of 2009

2010-01-13T22:13:00.000-08:00

9. Alex kept his job.

8. Lance started kindergarten and Luke started preschool.

7. We sold our house.

6. We bought a bigger, newer house and have a lower monthly payment than before.

5. What recession? We actually had a great year financially.

4. Living with my parents was a great blessing in many ways.

3. No swine flu or any serious illnesses.

2. Our beautiful, red-headed, baby girl, Lia, joined our family.

1. Being blessed more than I deserve.

Hopefully 2010 will be as great as 2009!

Holiday Highlights

2010-01-12T17:35:00.000-08:00

Ah, the holidays! The most magical, beautiful, crazy, stressful time of the year. But I love it. I love the parties and the treats (a little too much!)and the shopping (I count it as retail therapy)and the giving (getting isn't bad either). Here are some of the hightlights from Thanksgiving to Christmas:

Luke was the cutest reindeer in his preschool production of "Twas the Night Before Christmas." They had great costumes including antlers. The antlers had bells on them so throughout the program Luke kept shaking his head to make the bells ring. Of course my camera was out of battery power so I couldn't get a video of that classic preschool moment.

For the ward Christmas party Lance and Luke and the rest of the junior primary sang "This is Jesus." For weeks before and after the party Lance and Luke could be heard singing "THIS is Jesus. THIS is our king. THIS is our Savior; His praises we sing!" They sang it even more than "Santa Claus is coming to town" Thank you Sis. Rhees for helping my children get their Christmas priorities right.

The annual Hafen family Christmas party is something I look forward to every year. I love to spend an evening during the Christmas season with all the people I love the most. This year the party was the Monday before Christmas. We enjoyed great food, a nice program and most of all, each others' company.

This year I feel that we have been extraordinarily blessed and I really wanted to give above and beyond my own family. I was talking to the mom of one of Lance's school friends and she mentioned that she wasn't sure they would be able to have much of a Christmas this year. She got laid off from her job and has had back problems among other things. I decided to give her a Wal-Mart gift card so she could buy her children a few things. You know that warm feeling that you're supposed to get when you do something good? Well, I felt it so strong that I was almost crying as I gave her the gift card. I was trying to do something nice for someone else and I feel like I got the gift. Also, when I was finishing up my shopping at Toys R Us I grabbed a few things that I wasn't planning on getting. As I wrapped up all the gifts I felt like I should give those last minute things to my friend who is going through a divorce for her kids. It was another "warm, fuzzy" moment. Maybe next year I will give our whole Christmas away!

Then the long-awaited day finally came. My favorite part of Christmas is the excitement and joy the kids show when they open their presents (although I kind of wish that that was possible without the toys. Where can I get a box of joy?) Lance's favorite present was the basketball hoop. He didn't get the corn seeds he asked for, but maybe the Easter Bunny can bring those. Luke's favorite was the Joker action figure so he can say, "Looks like the joke's on you, Joker!" Lacey's favorite gift was the princess dress-up clothes. Lia got a new swing, Alex got a new sleeping bag, and I got a new car radio with satellite. That day we also went to both of the grandparents' houses to share gifts and food with our extended family. It was a great day.

I have to include that while we should think of Christ all year long, the Christmas season puts Him in the forefront of my mind. We give gifts to symbolize the gifts the wisemen brought to the baby Jesus, but also to symbolize that Jesus gave us the ultimate gift. Everything that I love most-my children, my husband, my extended family, the gospel-I have because of Christ. So Merry Christmas and God bless us every one!

Could I Get Some Assistance Over Here?

2010-01-05T14:26:00.000-08:00

I have been trying to put up some new posts with pictures and videos from my new Flip camera and every time I click on "browse" it tells me that there is a problem with the webpage and sends me back to the compose page. Any ideas? Anyone? Anyone? Beuller?

BTW HBDTY

2009-12-08T23:40:00.000-08:00

It was my birthday yesterday. I didn't really think about it because I am so consumed with my baby and three other children. But I do appreciate the people who called me or came over or sent cards. It's nice that others are thinking about me when I can't think about myself (that made sense to me even if it doesn't make sense to any one else). This past year has been very eventful for me; selling a house, moving out, buying a new house and moving in, my oldest child starting kindergarten, having my fourth baby. And those are just the big things.But I have to say that in this time of economic strife and uncertainty, we have been extremely blessed in all aspects of our lives. Hopefully this coming year will be as good as this last.

Lia's Blessing

2009-12-08T23:09:00.001-08:00

I thought that since Nov. 29 was Luke's birthday and we had just had Lance's birthday and Thanksgiving, we might as well add more excitement to the weekend by having Lia blessed at church. It was a beautiful blessing and the Spirit was very strong. Among other things, Alex blessed her that she would have the desire to seek much learning, both spiritual and secular. He also blessed her that she would be close to her mother. How sweet! Lia is a different baby than my other kids were. She's more fussy, and she mostly doesn't take a pacifier. But she nurses better than they did. Luckily, she sleeps quite well at night which definitely helps my sanity. She is beautiful and our family is blessed to have her with us.

Luke's Birthday

2009-12-08T22:43:00.000-08:00

Luke turned 4 on Sunday, November 29. He loves Star Wars; the whole summer was spent watching all the episodes of the Star Wars saga. Of course anything can be turned into a light saber. Luke also loves preschool. He asks me everyday what day it is, and if it's not preschool day (Tuesday and Thursday)he's sad.
Lance and Luke had a fun birthday party.They always enjoy being with thier cousins and they love all the presents they got. They got a Star Wars cake with Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker action figures-complete with glow-in-the-dark light sabers-very cool!

Happy Birthanksgiving!

2009-12-08T22:22:00.000-08:00

Lance turned 6 on Thanksgiving this year. I really had to convince him that the gathering of 100 relatives wasn't exactly for his birthday. Lance is doing great in kindergarten, draws the best pictures, has the sweetest testimony (he tells me he wants to be the prophet when he grows up), and I love seeing him learn all the things he is learning in school.

Here are some other pictures of our Thanksgiving.

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"Can I See Your License, Sir?"

2009-10-29T16:39:00.000-07:00

So I picked up Lance from school on Tuesday, with all the other kids in tow, of course. I opened the driver's side sliding door to put Lacey in, but she didn't want to get in so I went to the other side to put baby Lia in her seat (she was in my arms). As I lifted the baby to put her in, I the car was moving backward. "Why is the car moving?" I thought to myself. I looked at the driver's seat and saw my three year old standing there having just put the key in the ignition and pulled the gear shift. The car was at just enough of an incline that it rolled backward across the aisle of the parking lot, took out the tail light of another car, and hopped the curb into a rock.

SCARY! Luke was crying and I was shaking and people who witnessed it kept coming over to ask if everything was okay. Poor Luke: he knew he had done a bad, bad thing. I put him in his booster seat and said to myself out loud, "Do I have to call the police?" He started screaming, "No don't call the police! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" So I gave him a hug and told him he wasn't in trouble. When the officer showed up he didn't quite know how to write that up. He couldn't really give anybody a ticket since nobody was really driving. He did ask Luke if he could see his license, which put Luke into hysterics again. We're just lucky that no one was hurt and that we have a good insurance company.

It's a Girl!

2009-10-03T20:11:00.000-07:00

Lia Susan Pendleton was born Friday,October 2,2009 at10:06 a.m. She weighed in at 8 lbs. 14 oz, and 21 inches long. Sometime between Wednesday and Friday she went from head down to bottom down with her head stuck up in mommy's ribs,thus resulting in a c-section delivery.Mommy and baby are recovering nicely and due home on Sunday. We are so happy to have this beautiful new addition to our family!

We're About To Be Homeless

2009-07-09T22:49:00.000-07:00

In April we put our house up for sale and at the end of May, it sold. So I thought the hard part was over and all we had to do was find a house to move in to. Well we haven't exactly been able to find a house yet and this morning Alex and I went to the title company and signed away our house. We have put offers on five houses and have either been rejected or left hanging. Our house closes on July 15 and this Saturday, July 11 the movers are coming to move our stuff into storage. So we will be living with my parents for a while, bless their hearts. To say that I am stressed is putting it mildly. Our house is sold but we don't have a house to move in to. The house has to be packed up and even doing one room at a time, for me, is exhausting. We were about to sign our house away-the house that I bought myself and picked out the flooring and the cabinets and the carpet; the house that I have lived in for eight years. This morning I was thinking about everything that was going on and when Alex asked me a question I couldn't answer him because I knew I would start crying. As a matter of fact, I cried half-way to the title company. We have a place to stay, but we don't have a place to live. Our realtor told us today that on one of the offers, they had semi-accepted our offer but the owners were out of town and would have to sign the offer when they returned this weekend. That is a glimmer of hope. It's hard not to have a definite timeline of how things will work out.

Baby Update

2009-06-16T09:55:00.000-07:00

I'm almost 24 weeks along-that's six months. I feel good except that I get super tired at night. If I ever try to watch a TV show after 10:00 p.m. I usually wake up at midnight on the couch and realize that I have completely missed whatever it was that I wanted to watch. As for the sex of the baby: we've decided not to find out. In one ultrasound the baby's legs were crossed at the ankles. The technician said it would be hard to see even if we did want to find out. Some have asked if I feel like it's one way or another. With the boys I remember having heartburn a lot, but not so much with Lacey. But with Lacey I had acne, and not so much with the boys. I haven't really had heartburn or acne with this one so it's really going to be a surprise.

Preschool Graduation

2009-06-16T09:41:00.000-07:00

a After two years at Junior Junction Preschool, Lance graduated. I have to admit that I was crying my eyes out the whole time. Some will say, What's the big deal? It's only preschool. But I say that he will never be in preschool again. Milestones like these are bittersweet. Sweet in that it's important for children to progress, but bitter in that it reminds me how fast time goes. So like it or not, the preschool years are behind us, for Lance anyway, and kindergarten will soon begin.

Pine Valley for Mother's Day

2009-06-16T09:21:00.000-07:00

On May 10 we camping in Pine Valley, not my first choice for a Mother's Day activity but it was fun. We got our favorite spot by the creek and it didn't rain on us like it has in the past. Alex took the boys fishing while I cooked dinner with our new dutch oven. (It turned out pretty well for my first try. If anyone has any great dutch oven recipes, send them my way.) The fishing trip was successful that evening. Lance even reeled in a fish by himself and Luke almost did. We stayed for two days. Fishing and cooking took up most of the time. The boys brought back six fish to camp after their last fishing excursion. Yea for them, but how am I supposed to cook fish? Although it was fun, I think that is going to be the last camping trip for me for this year. Sleeping on an air mattress and having children kick me in the middle of the night will be less and less comfortable as my belly grows bigger and bigger.

Grandparents' Day at Preschool

2009-06-16T09:09:00.001-07:00

May 7 was Grandparents' Day at Junior Junction Preschool. Lance is fortunate to have not just one, but two sets of grandparents close by. Grandma Susan and Grandma Sharon were both able to attend. They all had fun painting and coloring butterflies and eating macaroni for lunch. What a great way for a kid to feel special!

San Luis Rey Bike Race

2009-05-08T18:53:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we headed down to Southern California for Alex's bike race. We stayed in Fallbrook which is inland from San Diego between Temecula and Escondido. The kids enjoyed the hotel pool and the lemon trees on the premises.

While Alex was getting ready for his race, The kids and I hung out in the car and explored the school where the start/finish line was (thank goodness for indoor plumbing instead of port-a-potties.When the race started I thought,"What am I going to do with these kids for the next three hours?" Luckily they found ways to entertain themselves. They climbed on the big, decorative rocks. Lacey had the most fun climbing. There was another boy trying to climb up and she said to him,"You okay? You mom help you?" It's sweet that she is concerned about the welfare of others. Thanks to the kindness of strangers, Lance and Luke were enthralled with Star Wars action figures. Now I know that if I want to keep the boys occupied, pull out a bucket of Star Wars toys.

As for Alex, the bike race was good, but tough.

<This is Alex on the second lap. He's at the left.
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Coming around the corner for the third lap

Alex finishing the race. Don't worry, he's not last.

The Parable of the Ten Virgins-A Musical Play

2009-04-19T22:14:00.000-07:00

For the past two months I have been involved in a play put on by sisters in my ward Relief Society. It's the story of the ten virgins, but it tells more specifically who these women are. My character's name was Ashira (a foolish virgin). She does good things with her life, but she forgets to make time for the most important things, like going to the Shopkeeper to get more oil for her lamp. I chose that part because I liked the song that I sang, but as I read the whole part I realized that I am just like Ashira. I often let things distract me from what is really important. Here is my main speaking part: "Most days it's all I can do to get myself dressed in the morning. As soon as the sun comes up over the mountain, I get right to work. At times I feel like I'm everything to everyone. Other times it seem like I never get anything done. Sometimes I look up at the top of the hill [where the Shopkeeper is] and think, Today will be the day. Between doing the dishes, scrubbing the floors, reading to the children in the village, and the trips to the market, I will find the time." Who hasn't felt like that before? Having this part reminded me to make more time for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. The whole experience was incredible. Every time we practiced I could feel the Spirit, and my talents were expanded and improved. It was really a blessing to be a part of this play.
This video probably won't sound as good as the actual performance, but I hope you get the idea.

There's Always Room for One More

2009-04-15T16:52:00.000-07:00

So I'm pregnant. Fifteen weeks already. Here's the story: When Lacey was born I was pretty sure that we were done. Three seemed like a good number for us. I told people that I was 90% sure that we were done, but I was leaving 10% open in case something dramatic happened. . ."But I'm sure that won't happen" Well about the time that Lacey turned one, some things started to happen. All three kids would be in the living room and I would think that there was someone sleeping in the bedroom. Or I would get them all in the car and think that I had to go back in for the last one. Hmmm. Then I would think of all the reasons that I shouldn't have another baby. 1.The shots. I have to take blood thinners while I am pregnant which means I have to inject Lovenox into my belly every day until 34 weeks after which it is two Heparin shots a day. Ouch! 2. I'm getting up there in years and so is my husband. Risks of genetic diseases increase after the age of 35. And Alex is already 42 he will be 60 by the time the baby graduates from high school. 3. Alex works long hours and so I don't get much help at home. As I pondered those things, these answers came to me: 1. I may have to take shots but at least I'm not debilitatingly ill like some ladies. I tolerate pregnancy pretty well. 2. I am inspired by several friends who have had a fourth baby after the age of 35. And as far as genetics go, my mother had two healthy children after the age of 35 and my grandmother and great-grandmother both had healthy children in their 40's. 3. As I was thinking about how I don't get much help a voice said to me,"I will help you." So with those concerns resolved, my next concern was how to convince my husband. One day we were on a trip and I was thinking, 'Okay, I'm ready, but what about Alex?" Two minutes later Alex said, "Brent (his friend and fellow Discount Tire manager) said having a fourth baby was the best thing they ever did." After a few more discussion he finally agreed to another baby if we waited until January to start trying. Well January came and we tried and our baby is due October 7. So far everything looks great. I see an ob/gyn and a perinatologist. We're thinking that we may not find out the sex of the baby, but with all the ultra-sounds I get, it may be too hard not to find out. That appointment is three weeks away. And of course we will pick out another L name; we don't want anyone to be left out. I feel pretty good and the kids are excited. More updates will be coming.

Because I Am a Mother

2009-03-09T14:40:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking lately about how being a mother has changed my life in unexpected ways. For instance I have realized that any weaknesses I have are magnified as a mother. I've always known I am disorganized, but that is more readily apparent by the state of my house. And even though I thought I was a patient person, my patience is tried daily and I don't always pass the test. But the good news is that I am trying to improve these weaknesses. After all, being a mother is all about on-the-job training and there is no deadline.

But also unexpectedly I have found that motherhood brings out hidden talents. I think I have become a pretty good cook because I am always on the lookout for healthy recipes. This talent is not always appreciated by my children, but someday they will thank me for not giving them junk food all the time. Additionally, since I have a son who is always asking me to draw something, my artistic abilities have improved. I wouldn't say that I'm a Van Gogh or anything, but I have moved beyond stick figures. The birthday cakes I decorated for Lance's and Luke's birthday party were a personal triumph, something I didn't think I could do until I really had to do it. Other things I have learned as a mother: making actual vehicles out of Legos and how to explain good vs. evil in Star Wars. One thing that I refuse to learn: how to play Mario Brothers on Nintendo DS. Lance always wants me to help him, but I just tell him that he is better at it than me.

I'm sure there will be many more lesson to learn and hidden talents to discover as the years go by. Motherhood: a great adventure.

Dad's 60th birthday

2009-02-26T12:23:00.000-08:00

My dad's 60th birthday was on February 17th. On Feb. 16th, Presidents' Day, we all gathered for a birthday breakfast at my parents' house. My siblings and I shared our memories of dad which we wrote so they can be put into a book. Here's what I shared:
Most of what I learned from Dad I learned from his example. Actions certainly speak louder than words and Dad has been a good example of learning, of service, and of faith.

Dad has always been a reader. He can often be found with a book in his hand, but I also remember some of the times he read to us. During a time with no TV Dad read some Reader’s Digest Condensed Novels. Our John Willie was one. From that story I learned what a fortnight is because Dad was of the opinion that if you didn’t know what a word meant you should look it up. Also he read Up the Down Staircase which was about a new teacher in a high school. I had the chance to read that book in college and it brought back good memories. Learning is so important to Dad that he would do anything to help us learn . There were many nights that Dad and I were up late while he helped me with my algebra homework, which was a sacrifice since he had to get up early in the morning. Dad is also a good example of learning in his ever-expanding list of hobbies. From photography to wood working to computers to vinyl, Dad is always expanding his talents and knowledge.

Dad has never had to preach one word about being of service to others because he is his own sermon on that subject. He is a faithful home teacher and I have heard people rave about how helpful he was and how he was there when they needed a priesthood holder. He uses his skills to help people with electrical problems, and his Spanish has come in handy on a few occasions. I’ll never forget when he and Mom drove all the way out to Sanders, Arizona to bring me a bed and while there he made a few repairs to my little trailer home (although he couldn’t really do anything about the leaking septic system and thus cut the trip short.) His philosophy is that when you love someone you just want to help them in any way you can.

When it comes to being an example of faith, there could be no better example than our Dad. He has showed us that prayer is important by having nightly family prayer ever since I can remember. But he has also taught us to pray when we have special needs. For instance one time I was going to sing at a baptism and I got really nervous. Before the baptism started Dad said a prayer with me and my nerves were calmed. I also know that he has had special prayers answered on behalf of our family because he has testified of such things. He has taught us from the scriptures and has borne his testimony of those things he knows to be true. For him the Sabbath day is sacred and I think I can count on just one hand the times that he has missed church. Dad has done an excellent job of being the faithful patriarch of our family.

Now that I think about it, there are a few things that Dad has taught me directly. One is how to lead music. I remember one family home evening he showed us how to lead music and that was the first time I realized that there’s more to it than just waving your arm around. I think of that every time I direct the choir. Also, he taught us to save our money from the time we were small. We got banks to put our money in (fuzzy rabbit or squirrel banks) and by second grade we had official bank accounts. Being wise with money has been an invaluable lesson throughout my life.

So Dad, thanks for being a great example. I love you.

Family Filled Sunday

2009-02-26T12:05:00.000-08:00

It's not unusual for Sundays to be family days. We often have dinner with the whole family on Sundays. However, Sunday, February 15, was a day filled with a variety of family activities. First, my brother blessed his twin baby girls in church. In the afternoon we had family dinner. After that my niece Ashton was baptized and confirmed. After that my brother Austin had his Eagle Scout Court of Honor. Of all my brothers, that is just the second Court of Honor I have been to, and all seven of my brothers have earned their Eagle Scout. What added to the excitement was that our whole family was there, even my brother Brandon and his wife Cara who live in Idaho, and also Grandma Haynes was able to come down from Utah for the weekend. It was a busy but wonderful weekend.

Annual Valentine Cake Party

2009-02-26T11:25:00.000-08:00

For over 20 years our family has decorated Valentine cakes. The party keeps getting bigger and bigger and more and more fun. It's always interesting to see how the cakes turn out. Some are packed with as much candy as possible. Some are cute and well-designed. Some try to make a statement. This year I noticed that more cakes were minimalist due to pre-party munching! Here's a look at Valentine Cakes 2009:

Lacey's 2nd birthday

2009-02-26T10:59:00.000-08:00

Lacey turned two on February 12. We had a little birthday party for her at Grandma Sharon's house that evening. The whole day I was trying to teach her to hold up two fingers when I asked her how old she was. She could finally say "Two!" and hold up two hands. Close enough! She also sings happy birthday like this: "Happy Bir-day, Sacey!" She's undeniably cute! She got some new clothes, a cute purse and a stuffed poodle.

To continue the birthday festivities, on Friday, Feb. 13 we went to Grandma Susan's for a cousins' birthday party. Lacey's cousins Scott and Ashton also have February birthdays. She got a new baby doll, My Little Pony, necklace, bling phone, a new book and new clothes.(Thanks everybody!)

How did my baby girl grow up so fast! I just want to squeeze her and make her stay little. Her happy personality brings joy to our home.

Campaign Kick-off

2009-02-26T10:53:00.000-08:00

On February 9 I took the kids to a campaign kick-off party for Andy Hafen, my uncle. He's been on the city council for over 20 years and now he is running for mayor. Good Luck!

Hey, What's Happening?

2009-02-08T15:52:00.000-08:00

Not much has been going on around here lately, but here are the highlights: I had a chest cold for about two weeks. You know, the kind where you are coughing up chunks. It was uncomfortable but not debilitating. Then Alex got sick, and let me just say that he's a bear when he's sick-grouchy, but pretty much stays in his cave.

Alex and I have managed to go to the temple three times since the beginning of the year. That puts me ahead of my new year's resolution to go the temple once a month this year.

I also have had some interesting experiences substitute teaching. At one school I was in a learning disabled class and we watched the movie Mama Mia all day. At another school I was in an English class. The AP class was reading Heart of Darkness and they were like "Please tell us what this means!" Luckily, I am familiar with that story and it was fun for me to analyze it with them. The English II Honors was reading the Aeneid which I had not read before but I am good at asking questions and checking for understanding. The English III class was to write a page about what president they would like to meet and what they would ask him. One kid said he would like to meet Millard Fillmore. This is the same kid who thinks that the best way to stimulate the economy is to legalize marijuana.

Luke is having a hard time potty training. He is not motivated by potty treats, threats, or even the reward of his own Nintendo DS. Since he is still wearing pull-ups crazy things like this happen:
This is the laundry. The white stuff at the top is not soap bubbles, but that stuff that is on the inside of a diaper or pull-up. That's what happens when you don't check your loads before you put them in the washer.

The most exciting thing that has happened is this weekend I put tile on the kitchen floor. Okay, I helped do it, but my friend Jessica did most of the work.

Book Review: East Wind: West Wind by Pearl Buck

2009-01-24T18:49:00.000-08:00

I went to a book club meeting Thursday where we discussed East Wind: West Wind by Pearl Buck. (If you're asking how I ever have time to read a book, I have to admit that if I am reading a book usually something else is not getting done like cleaning the house or updating the blog or feeding my kids.) This book takes place in early 20th century China. The central character is a girl named Kwie-lan who is about to get married to the man she has been arranged to marry since before she was born. Her mother has taught her all the things she needs to know to please her husband like how to paint her eyebrows in just the right way and how to serve tea to her husband's mother with both hands. However, her husband has been educated in the west and wants his wife to be equal to him and to go against custom and live by themselves instead of with his parents. He even wants her to unbind her feet. These ideas are so foreign to Kwie-lan that she is distraught and seeks the advice of her mother who tells her to do whatever she needs to to please her hsuband. Unbinding her feet becomes the bonding moment between Kwie-lan and her husband. So while things are going well for Kwie-lan, the same cannot be said for her brother who went to America and brought back an American wife. He is disowned from his family and his mother is so upset that it causes her death. Kwie-lan and her brother both break from centuries-old traditions to find a new life for themselves and their families.

Here is what I took away from this book:1) No matter how much you prepare for something, sometimes it is much different than you thought it would be, and that is not necessarily bad. 2)When you really get to know someone you realize that you have more similarities than differences. 3) What happens when the western idea of love meets the eastern idea of love is the same theme of another book by Pearl Buck called Mandala which my mom checked out for me to read one summer during high school.

All in all, if you are looking for a good read, pick up East Wind: West Wind by Pearl Buck.

Grandpa Herschel's 90th Birthday Party

2009-01-22T18:32:00.000-08:00

My grandpa Herschel Hafen turned 90 on January 19. On January 17 we had a party for him. He is one of thirteen children and he has seven children of his own. So with brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews, it was quite a full house. Each of his childrens' families shared some kind of musical number, all of which were beautiful (we get that from our grandmother). What I thought was best was that Lance spent almost the whole time sitting next to grandpa. Lance has a special affinity for old people and Grandpa said it just made his day that Lance wanted to be next to him.

If you know my grandpa, you know that he is the strong silent type, but every once in a while he can be quite witty. He owned a tire store for many years and he loves his family more than anything in the world. It's interesting that I married someone who is the strong, silent type, witty once in a while, runs a tire store, and loves his family more than anything.

Tis the Season

2008-12-29T20:52:00.001-08:00

Tis the season for school Christmas programs with visits from Santa:

Tis the season for birthdays. In my family, just in December, birthdays include me, my mom (she turned 60 this year) my nephews Clayton and Frankie, and Alex. And just added to that December birthday count: new twin nieces, Erica and Elizabeth. These are my mom's grandkids singing at her birthday party.

Tis the season for big family get-togethers that include good food and good talent.

Tis the season for snow days, although where we live that is rather unseasonable. There was just enough snow for it to be fabulously fun and to make a few snowpeople. That really is almost a once in a lifetime memory.

Tis the season for the magic and joy that Santa can bring into a child's life.

I love this season!

Happy Birthday Alex

2008-12-29T20:45:00.001-08:00

Alex's birthday was yesterday, Dec. 28. The card I got for him says everything I feel:

Birthday after birthday

year after year,

we live and we laugh and we grow.

We savor our joys,

learn from mistakes,

let life's little heartaches all go.

Birthday after birthday,

we're grateful for memories we've made

and for goals that we've met,

And the beauty of life

is that every new year

holds the hope it will be our best yet.

For all the beautiful days

and nights we've shared,

for all that's still to come-

I love you.

Don We Now Our Gay Apparel

2008-12-14T22:58:00.000-08:00

I love dressing up. Fortunately for me, my husband works for a company that has a formal party every year. The annual Discount Tire Company Party was last night at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. For a bunch of tire guys, they really go all out for these annual parties. I found a great dress for this year's party: plum colored, mermaid style, slightly rouched and beaded in the middle. I love feeling like a princess! The party was fantastic! Excellent food, a surprise proposal (almost any proposal brings a tear to my eye), dancing with my husband (that's an annual event as well), and the company put us up in the hotel for the night! That's really livin' the high life! Also, I just have to say that Alex really cleans up well.
Here's a better look at the dress.

Alex and Carmen with Bruce Halle, founder and CEO of Discount Tire

HBDT Me!

2008-12-07T22:17:00.000-08:00

So today is my birthday and I am 35 years old. I can hardly believe it myself. Thirty-five seems so old until you actually get there. Whenever I see someone that is 28 or 29 or 30 I always think they are the same age as me. Two years ago I was talking to the father of one of my college roommates and he said that I looked the exact same as the last time he had seen me ten years before. I guess I'm aging well.

However, there are times when I feel old. It seems I have to take extra time and make-up to cover up the dark circles under my eyes. Recently I substitute taught at the high school I graduated from and where I last taught. I was filling in for a teacher who co-taught with other teachers and one of the teachers I co-taught with was Mr. Purtill, the same Mr. Purtill that was my eighth-grade Algebra teacher in 1988. That was 20 years ago! And I'm really out of it when it comes to text-messaging. If I ever send a message it takes me forever because I don't know the lingo. And I am super annoyed by people who text while I am talking to them. It's not multi-tasking; it's rude!

I was looking at my baby album and I noticed this picture of me and my mom. I am about sixteen months old. I think it could be a picture of my own little girl Lacey, except her eyes are blue.

Here I am: older and wiser.

Lance's Testimony

2008-12-07T22:02:00.000-08:00

Once when Lance was two he wanted to bear his testimony, but I said he had to wait until he was three. He has borne his testimony quite often since he turned three. At first Alex or I would tell him what to say. Then I would ask him what he wanted to say and if he got nervous, I would remind him of what he had already told me. Well today he decided that he wanted to go up to the stand all by himself and bear his testimony by himself. This is basically what he said:"I want to bear my testimony. I know this church is true. I know Thomas S. Monson can be the prophet. I love my mom and dad and my sister and my brother and my grandmas and grandpas and my teachers. I know that if we be good we can live with Jesus someday. I want to be a missionary when I grow up and I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen."

Alex and I looked at each other and said, "Wow!" It was such a sincere, sweet testimony that it brought me to tears. I was so proud of my little five-year-old.

Happy Birthday Luke!

2008-12-04T13:22:00.000-08:00

Luke turned 3 on Saturday, November 29. (Hopefully the terrible twos are behind us!) He spent all day Saturday playing with his new Bat Cave. Although Luke can be a handful sometimes, he is also quick to forgive and say he is sorry, and he always shares with others. His new thing is when he is in trouble he says, "I sor-ry. We be best friends." So now Alex always says to Luke, "Hey, it's my best friend!" He gets super excited about Batman and Superman. When the opening sequence of the cartoon comes on, he does a little dance. It's hilarious! We love you, Luke! Happy Birthday!

Lance and Luke's Birthday Party

2008-12-04T12:56:00.000-08:00

The boys had a fun birthday party on Sunday, November 30. Grandma Sharon, Grandpa Bill, Grandma Susan and Grandpa Lowell, and most of the aunts, uncles and cousins came to celebrate. We had dinner then the boys blew out the candles of their specially home made Spongebob and Superman birthday cakes. (I spent about three hours decorating cakes on Sunday morning.) Before they opened their presents I asked a question about Lance or Luke. Whoever answered the question right got to give their present. It was a fun game. The boys definitely had fun dressing up in their new Superman and Batman pajamas, and also Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle costumes. Other fun presents included a tee-ball set, Nerf guns, new books, more pajamas, and Disney coloring and activity books.

Who is the Ace of Cakes now?

Heroes on the half-shell!

Christmas Cactus Garden

2008-12-04T12:44:00.000-08:00

In honor of Luke's birthday as a family we went to Ethel M chocolate factory to see the lights in their cactus garden. Christmas is so magical when seen through childrens' eyes. Lacey kept saying "Oooh star! Oooh Christmas! Oooh Santa!" And the boys were so excited to see all the displays. Lance stood in line to see Santa, but Luke said Santa was too scary. So Alex took Luke to get a candy bar while I waited with Lance and Lacey. Lacey wouldn't sit on Santa's lap, but she happily took the chocolate coins he gave her.

What We're Thankful For

2008-11-27T18:32:00.000-08:00

Lacey: Nanee (candy), and pretty much everything else.

Luke: Scott (his cousin and best friend)

Lance: Gramma Haynes, Mommy, Papa, Grandma Susan, Grandma Sharon, Grandpa Lowell, Grandpa Bill

Alex: Our house, his job, that we're doing alright because it could be worse, family

Carmen: That Heavenly Father sent me the best children He had in heaven, the gospel of Jesus Christ, a loving family (no holiday drama here!), and good financial circumstances.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Birthday Lance!

2008-11-26T14:55:00.000-08:00

Today is Lance's 5th birthday. I didn't think he was too excited about it because he hasn't been telling me anything he wanted, and I have been the one to say "Three more days. Two more days." However, first thing this morning he came in my room, just seconds after I had finished wrappng his present, and said, "Mom, it's my birthday! I'm finally five!" Then he looked in the mirror and said, "Well I look bigger than yesterday!" All day he has been milking this birthday thing for all it's worth: It's my birthday so I can have what I want to eat. It's my birthday so I can watch whatever I want on TV.

Lance has done some really cute things lately. Last week I was doing some projects for Enrichment Super Saturday. He wanted me to draw something for him, but I said I was busy. He said, "Mommy, I am your widdle son. What is more important? The project or your widdle son?" What could I do but draw a picture for him. Last Wednesday he drew a picture for Sister Twitchell, a very sweet old lady in our ward. He came with me to choir so he could give her the picture. She didn't come that night because her 98-year-old mother-in-law was at Sister Twitchell's home, very close to death. When I told Lance Sister Twitchell wouldn't be coming he cried so much that I said we could go to their house after choir. Brother and Sister Twitchell were very touched by his picture because he had drawn their daughter who passed away 20 years ago as well as the elder Sister Twitchell, who I felt would also be going to heaven very soon. What a tender heart he has. Lance has also started to notice pretty girls. He was kissing a picture of Amy Grant the other day and he thinks Tinkerbell "looks good." (Do I have to be concerned about that already?!)

Happy Birthday, Lance! I love you more than anything! Love. Mommy

Our First Date

2008-11-24T16:02:00.000-08:00

On this day, Monday, November 24, exactly 10 years ago, Alex and I went on our first date. I can't believe it's been that long, but it's true. Here's the story: I met Alex for the first time in January of '98. We were both at the temple doing baptisms. I was impressed that he was spending a Friday night at the temple. A few months later he started coming to the same singles' ward I was in. I didn't really talk to him that much for a long time. I would see him playing basketball after activities, tie-dyed shirt and backwards bicycle cap, and think, "How old does he think he is?" But after a while I noticed that he was at every activity and Family Home Evening and institute class. Impressive. And I heard good things about him from other people. However, even when the opportunity presented itself, I couldn't bring myself to talk to him. One time after Institute class he came up to me and told me he was my home teacher. He was mistaken, but if I had been suave I would have said something like, "You don't have to be my home teacher to call me." But suave I am not. He called me once to ask me on a group date, but that weekend I had to chaperon a group of students going to Magic Mountain. We kept missing each other for a few weeks. Then at last we made arrangements to go out to dinner after Family Home Evening. I thought it was going to be just the two of us, but his friend, the infamous Kenny Taylor, and Cindy Kleinman (now Campbell) and Meridee Robbins (now Turner) joined us also. We all went to Johnny Mac's
To be honest, there isn't much to tell about the date. We said a prayer before we ate our food. I ordered a chicken salad. At one point I told myself I should pay more attention to my date instead of thinking of other things. Alex and I chit-chatted a bit and after dinner we went to his mom's house and watched TV for a while.His mom's house alarm went on when we entered the house and she came out of her room in her nightgown. That was my first glimpse of my future mother-in-law. It was really no big deal. The next day as I drove home from work I thought, "I don't really have any bad vibes about him, or any good ones, but I guess if he asked me out again I would say yes." About seven weeks after that he was my boyfriend, and here we are ten years later-married with three children. Here are some pictures of us at that time.
Me at a faculty Christmas party (I went out with Alex later that night.)
Alex with the lasagna he made for a church dinner.
Us as a brand new couple.

P.S. Happy Birthday to my brother Aaron, who for the next two weeks is the same age as I am!

Polar Express Live

2008-11-09T19:26:00.000-08:00

It was magical! The excitement and joy I used to feel as a child at Christmas time was restored on the Polar Express. Our family, along with my parents, brothers and sister and their families, went to Williams, AZ for an amazing experience based on the book by Chris Van Allsburg. We all checked into the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel then ate at the buffet. While we waited for our train we walked through the lighted maze and visited Mrs. Santa Claus. The weather was chilly, just right for a ride to the North Pole. As our departure time came closer, we stood in line to get into our train car. At the "All aboard!" everyone got on and took their seats. This was as exciting for me as it was for the kids because it was my first real train ride. When we began moving our "elves" brought us hot chocolate and cookies. Soon we came to the "North Pole" and there was Santa getting his slay ready for Christmas. We couldn't get off the train, but Santa boarded so he could visit all the children. He visited each train car. Our car was last in line, so to pass the time we all sang Christmas carols. When Santa finally arrived he talked to all the children and gave them a special silver bell. By this time we were back at the station. If I were a kid, I would have been in heaven. But I'm not a kid and I still thought it was great. It was the essence of Christmas-family, love, joy, believing, giving. The Polar Express was a wonderful start to the holiday season!

Halloween Fun--Just Can't Get Enough

2008-11-02T14:41:00.000-08:00

Preschool party, Trunk-or-treat, neighborhood trick or treating, passing out candy. This year's Halloween season was jammed packed with fun. Lance, Luke, and Lacey had a great time at the Junior Junction Preschool Halloween party. They came home with lots of candy and prizes. Halloween night we went to the trunk-or-treat party at church. Again the kids came home with lots of candy. Then Lance wanted to pass out candy from our house. Then I took the kids to a few houses on our street. (Here's a trick-or-treat tip for next year: At one house on our street they pass out full size candy bars and at about 8:00 they say you can take as many as you want!) You know it's time to come home when your bag is so full of candy that it's too heavy to carry.

A Shout Out to. . . Nevada!

2008-10-31T07:58:00.000-07:00

Home means Nevada, home means the hills. Home means the sage and the pines.
Out by the Truckee's silvery rills, out where the sun always shines,
There is a land that I love the best, fairer than all I can see.
Right in the heart of the golden west, home means Nevada to me!

I learned the Nevada state song in elementary school and now Lance has learned it in preschool. Today is October 31, and to most people that means that means Halloween. But here in Nevada it means Admissions Day, or the day Nevada became a state. Here are reasons why I love Nevada:

1. Family. My pioneer ancestors settled in Nevada. My Grandpa Hafen started a business here in the 1950's which is still here today run by members of the family. My dad returned here after college and getting married to start a family. All of my brothers (except one who recently moved) and my sister and their families live within 20 minutes of where I live.

2. Opportunity. For whatever profession one would like to choose there is a job here for you.

3. Great weather most months of the year.

4. Close proximity to other great places. We can be at Disneyland, Zion National Park, or the Grand Canyon in a matter of hours.

5. A variety of outdoor activities within minutes. Lake Mead is close by and Mount Charleston is close by, and the stunning Red Rock Canyon is close by.

6. Culture. From farmer's markets and pumpkin patches, to local plays and Broadway productions, whatever your interest, we have it.

7. Hometown/Metropolis. As a native born Nevadan, I am one of 10 percent of the population. People from all over the country have relocated here bringing their unique perspectives and enriching my life. On the other hand, because of my history here, I am not just a face in the crowd. I can go anywhere in this town and state and run in to people that I know or that know people I know. I enjoy that.

So Happy Birthday, Nevada! Thanks for the holiday!

Halloween Party-Discount Tire Style

2008-10-26T10:52:00.000-07:00

Every Halloween Alex's boss hosts a costume party at his house. Last year we went as the Princess and the Frog (side note: I made Alex's costume out of a green hoodie, white flannel for the belly and ping pong balls for eyes. He got made fun of so bad! So I will not be attempting homemade costumes again.) I think our Princess Leia and Obi-Wan Kenobi costumes were the best I've ever had. Other costumes at the party included Edward Scissorhands, Lucky the Leprechaun, Thing One and Thing Two, Blind Referee, Missionary and Polygamist Wife (wrong on so many levels), Flapper Girl and Gangster, and many other crazy and creative costumes. I thought we should have won for best couple, but that went to Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky. I'm already thinking of what we can be for next year!

He Would Ride One-hun-dred miles

2008-10-26T10:31:00.000-07:00

Saturday Alex participated in the Regional Transportation Commission Viva Bike Vegas ride for charity (also called the Las Vegas Century). One could ride 25 or 50 or 75 or 110 miles. Of course Alex chose to ride 110 miles. It was just a ride, not a race, but cyclists tend to be competitive no matter what kind of ride it is. Alex was doing well, but at 80 or 90 miles into it he crossed wheels with another rider and went down. Other riders crashed into him. He has a bad road rash and is pretty sore, but mostly his pride was hurt. He managed to finish the ride, with a cracked frame even. (Some, including myself, might question the sanity of all this.)

Family Fun at the Fair

2008-10-26T09:48:00.000-07:00

Friday night we went to the little carnival at Sunset Station. We went last year and the kids had a great time. It's always fun for me to see the kids having fun. Lance tried out the bungee trampoline, and I thought he would be scared jumping so high, but he loved it. Luke also showed his bravery by climbing by himself to the top of the big blow up slide. Alex encouraged Luke the whole time, but Luke made it and had fun sliding down about 20 feet.

All the kids loved riding on the car ride. I will say that Lacey was not having a good time at the end. She didn't like hay getting in her shoes and she wanted to go on the slide and trampoline like her brothers and I wouldn't let her. And she was hungry. So by the time we left she was pretty grouchy. Despite that, I think that we will make this event a tradition.

Hafen Reunion Game Show Extravaganza

2008-10-19T21:20:00.000-07:00

When the Hafens have a family reunion there has to be a game show. We have played Family Feud, Jeopardy, The Price is Right, and just yesterday, Wheel of Fortune. Every year I wonder how anyone can top that year's game show, and each time it gets more elaborate. Thanks Uncle Brad and Aunt Miya for providing the fun at this year's family reunion

Lots of cousins to play with!

My Grandpa Hafen is almost 90. I hope my children know how "great" he is!

Cute Kids

2008-10-03T13:56:00.000-07:00

I cut Lacey's hair and I think it looks like she did it herself. What can you do when they won't sit still? Hopefully it will look okay when I take her to get her picture taken next week. Lance is always building things out of household items-tents, campsites, towers, castles (pictured). I have many pictures that are similar to this.
Luke has spent hours pouring over the Party City ad with all the Halloween costumes. He likes to wear a "cape" at all times.
Luke has also come up to me and said. "You're so cute." Of course I have to say, "No, you're so cute!"

I have two things to report. First, I gave blood the other day and the phlebotomist said that only about two percent of the local population donates blood and since the economy has been sinking, they are only getting half of the usual donations. It does take some time, but everyone should consider giving blood. The life you save may be your own. Second, today we went to Party City to get Halloween costumes. When we went out to the car I didn't have my purse. We went back into the store to see if I had left it at the counter or in the cart. My purse was neither of those places. We went back out to the car and I was looking around. Lance was concerned about how we were going to get home until he found some change he said we could use for the bus. Luke said, "Don't give up, Mommy." So I decided that we would go back in the store but first we needed to say a prayer to ask Heavenly Father to help me find my purse. We went inside the store again and one of the clerks called my cell phone number to see if we could hear it or if anyone answered. No luck. Then I decided to look around the store to see if anyone had taken it. I walked passed a cart that a girl was pushing and out of the corner of my eye I noticed my purse underneath a bunch of stuff. So I reached into the cart and grabbed my purse, and the girl said, "Oh, sorry, " like she hadn't even noticed it. Whew! We went back out to the car and said another prayer to thank Heavenly Father for helping me find my purse. I think that was a good lesson for me and the kids.

Hot Rods

2008-09-29T13:50:00.000-07:00

Going to a car show would have never crossed my mind, nor would it have crossed Alex's mind except that one of the guys who works with him restores old cars on the side and told him to check it out. So we took the kids to Water Street and braved through the mob of people and classic cars to see what his friend does when he's not working on tires. Alex's friend said that when there's a car show he only gets about three hours sleep a night for two or three days because of all the work that goes into the cars. The boys liked the old cars and thought it was a treat to get in a '57 Chevy and pretend to drive.