T Wimm Family

Our Own Private Disneyland!!!!

2009-05-31T14:20:00.000-07:00

We finally finished our backyard playground... thanks to Trent. I love that this is the kind of 'daddy' these little ones have. We have already paid for it in use time and again. I'm out here listening to 'posh, posh, pease!' and mom... 'can you bring me a popsicle?' for at least 7 hours a day.... the smiles and giggles are totally worth it.

LITTLE PIGGIES!

2009-05-26T07:54:00.000-07:00

Bound and determined that this past Sunday I wouldn't show up with a mop head for a toddler.
They turned out so darling, but I didn't have the reaction I thought I would...
I cried at church that my little baby is all grown up... I think next week she will be off to college...
So sad.

Hershey Track Meet 2009!

2009-05-21T09:29:00.000-07:00

Haillie came home with her sign up paper and informed me that she would be competing in ONLY the softball throw ~ her words: "I am AWESOME at that", but nothing else. You can imagine how that sat with me... and how it wasn't the answer I wanted or was willing to hear. So I kindly informed her that she WOULD be running, that she WOULD be running the 50 meter dash, AND that her tiny little legs WOULD be racing around the entire track as she ran in the 400 meter race.
She needed to understand that she would be running in all these events for the sole purpose of dad and mom being able to scream and cheer for her from the stands.
Then I proceeded to let her know that she would also be in TRAINING for this event and that Dad would be taking her to the track and teaching her the tricks to finishing the dreaded 400 (mom would have loved to, but mom's belly is bulging from a Nov due date - so she will sit on the sidelines and eat - and cheer).
Well, the big day came, and the excitement grew as she reached the stands filled with crazy 3rd graders, and noticed the junk food for after her races - I'll explain my idea of junk food some other time, we'll just say it isn't the same as Haillie's, but I did conceed on a few things.
When her races came she was pretty excited! She was in the last heat for the 50 M and came in 3rd - she was speedy for sure! Then she and Dad took off to do the softball throw and she came in 2nd in her line, but lost out to further throws. Then the 400 (no break in between all these events). I could not have been more proud! She was amazing! She followed her Dads instructions and really proved herself as a runner - even with tiny little legs to carry her. She did a fantastic job and made it the whole way around with no stops - she even sprinted from the 200 on! She was incredible and we had the time of our lives cheering her on!

To my future track star: life is a lot like a 400 M... just put one foot in front of the other and you'll eventually get EXACTLY where you need to be. Don't worry about the end from the beginning, just keep moving forward! And though sometimes you may not be able to see or hear them, you have loved ones that are watching your every step, and cheering for you with their whole hearts... you are one of the lucky ones who will NEVER run your race alone... NEVER!

Haillie's biggest fan!

Taking a break from all the excitement!

The Unending Wedgy!

2009-05-05T11:29:00.000-07:00

It can't feel good to have that much material stuffed up there... yet as many times as I pull it out, she manuvers it right back up there.
I really think she's fine with it. And by how dang cute this picture is... so am I.

Lemonade Anyone???

2009-05-05T11:18:00.000-07:00

A couple days ago Hai and Madi (my other daughter, seriously, she's here and Hai is there at her house that much) decided to 'do a business'. So they made the lemonade, got the cups, made the poster, set up the lawn chairs and umbrellas (which blew away in the 40 degree weather). At first business was a little slow... yet the lemonade was disappearing... wierd huh?!?
Then the nieghbor boys got wind of the .25 cent deal and gorged themselves - all the while paying for every refill, every straw, etc.
The girls came out a whopping $4.00 richer... pretty sweet!

My favorite part of this poster is where Hai wrote 'mmmm'. It says so much about her, I can't even explain.

Darling Girls - love them so much!

Beautiful Haillie!

2009-04-17T13:22:00.000-07:00

We finally got around to getting this darling little girl's hair cut. She looks gorgeous!

Spring is in the Air...

2009-03-30T17:14:00.000-07:00

Just a few moments from our day...
love these girls!

Favorite Party Pics...

2009-03-13T15:34:00.001-07:00

March Visiting Teaching Message...

2009-03-13T10:16:00.000-07:00

For the past year and a half or so I've been in a ferocious fight with a ficticious immortal vampire, trying in vain to win back the heart of my one and only, Jenibella. However, expectations have been set so high, I fear that I am losing the battle.

What was I thinking? How could I, just an average Joe, expect to compete with someone who is 10 times stronger and who's heart has 100 times the capacity to love than the average human being?

Nevertheless, I will not give up the fight. I will spend the rest of my life and immortality enhancing my listening skills, training my lips to make the perfect pucker, showing love without bounds, until I too sparkle like diamonds in the sunlight!

Curse you, Edward!

Love you Jen!

Party Time!

2009-03-02T08:27:00.000-08:00

Easiest Party Ever Planned!!!! Totally worth the $250.00 - oh, wait it was free!
Haillie turned 9 officially -though a couple weeks later than usual - by having her b-day party at MY GYM
in Draper (this is the party that I won on TV)... it turned out to be so much fun. I loved being able as a mom to be able to visit and not run around like a chicken with my head cut off.
Almost all the Haillie's cousins were able to make it, and even her mom (Michelle), Chis, Haiden and Grandma Gay from Missori. What a treat!

Swinging rings - that, of course, Haillie got to do first - being the BDAY Girl.

Taryn sneaking in to enjoy the baby gym, and below, Macy and Lauren hitting the slide and ball bath!

Party Part II

2009-03-02T08:23:00.000-08:00

Ash is back!

2009-02-26T15:09:00.000-08:00

Ash came back to show me AGAIN how to use my computer...
thanks!

Cuddle Time

2009-02-26T14:43:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite pictures... it says so much about our love for Jesse!

2009-02-09T14:11:00.000-08:00

Ash just taught me how to 'super-blog'... nice huh... maybe there will be more posts. Yah, ASH!!!!

haillie update...

2009-02-06T07:44:00.000-08:00

-Our History Buff-
Haillie scored an incredible 99% on a tough History test about the Revelutionary War. She did so well that her test was placed on the bulletin board in front of the school.

Ok, not the best picture of her... I think it was my fault. I had asked her earlier that morning if I got dressed (meaning not wearing my pj's) could I walk her into school and take a picture of her by her award-winning test? She said sure, so I went and put some jeans and a sweatshirt on.
But when I got out of the car to walk with her, this was her comment with a bit of disgust, "Mom, I thought you said you'd get dressed?" I said, 'I did'. And then my daughter actually did a huffy breath at me. Apparently I need help in the fashion department... I told her I'd call Aunt Erica or Kristin to get some tips.
Another mounting problem... all of a sudden Haillie's hair is a static-fuzz mess all the time. Suggestions, please!!???!!!

-Scooby DOO-
Haillie took this pic last night as Jesse lounged on the couch (don't tell Trent). Doesn't he look a bit like that lovable great dane?

-Music Maker-
She had her first piano lesson yesterday and came home so excited. Loves her teacher and lOVEs to practice. I actually got to say that if she finished her homework quickly she'd have MORE time to practice. What a fun moment.

LOVE, love, LOVE this girl.

Couch Potato...

2009-02-04T08:57:00.000-08:00

What have I begun here? All of a sudden, all I hear is 'watch movers, watch movers'... all day long. Imagination Movers (that darned disney channel and all there cute shows) is all she wants when she's tired, or sad, or hungry, or in the car for too long.
She has her 'special seat' to sit in and as she watches the show, she comments 'NIIIIIIIIIICCCE!'
Oh, we're going to have to cut this off right now!!!

Workin' for the Man!

2009-01-22T13:19:00.000-08:00

My sweetheart, and the girls' daddy is workin' some SERIOUS overtime to get the tax info out to ALL the company's employees - all over the world... well, I think that's what he's doing, maybe not, but it's something big, that takes a ton of time at work! So, to show our support, 'his girls' have made a list of why our MAIN MAN is so wonderful...

1. He shows (not just speaks of) his loyalty. Let me explain... whether it's work, or marriage, or parenting, or church callings, or working out, or eating healthy, Trent is loyal and dedicated to his decision.
2. He is a perfectionist... I know, who would have ever thought I would think of this as a good thing ...and I know that Trent is going to get a good laugh when he reads that I'm thankful for that trait... but I am coming to a real appreciation for it. It shows that he cares for what is his, or what his name is attached to.
3. He lives in the details of life... that is why we have 'Snow Melted Hot Chocolate' on our snowshoeing trips, that is why every employee will have the exact information they need for their taxes this year (on time) and that is why I wear a ring with mine and Taryn's birthstone in it. It's all because HE thinks of it.
4. He is a thinker! He is smarter than he knows!
5. He is wicked funny! He is so stinkin' witty. He has the most hillarious poems, jokes, and sayings; I love to be around him so that I can catch his sarcastic, teasing comments that have me in stiches (mostly because they are about me... and they are sooooo funny, yet pretty much true).
6. He is, after a long, strenuous, stressful, back-breaking day at work, still a GREAT daddy when he comes home. If I could show everyone what TRUE joy looks like, it would be watching Taryn and Haillie when they hear the garage door rattling open! Their screams, total delight, and giddiness only come because they know that when he comes through that door he won't ignore them, go right for the TV and veg for 2 hours, but he will hug and kiss them, pick them up in his (seriously muscular) arms, dance around the kitchen with them, read stories, cuddle, listen to their school day, finish homework, jokingly tease, tickle, and chase them until they are sweetly tucked into bed with many kisses and wishes for good dreams... then he comes out and gets back to work (refer back to loyalty to company, or perfectionism at this point :).

We could go on and on... we love him so much, and want him to know how proud we are that he is working so hard for our family!
We miss you, Trent, but LOVE you and will be waiting for you just inside the garage door!!!

SNOW DAY!

2009-01-01T20:20:00.000-08:00

Today we packed up the gear, loaded the girls in the car - along with Jesse (I should have got a picture of that) and headed for the mountains. Haillie and I got snowshoes for Christmas (Trent got his last year) and we needed to break them all in. After turning around only once to get something I forgot to pack, we got to the end of the plowed canyon road. It didn't take us long to get our 'shoes' on, which is nice for a family with NO attention span and a limited amount of patience. Taryn LOVES the backpack so she was totally willing to get in and we were off. Walking in the backwoods is so refreshing and peaceful (minus ALL the motors from snowmobiles). We hiked up the trail a ways, then stopped to play around, explore and heat some snow to make hot chocolate. It started to snow a bit as we were packing up to head home which made a beautiful backdrop for the forest. What a perfect day we've had as a family!

Sippin' some COCOA!

Taryn's favorite place in the snow... easier to eat!

A sweet moment caught on camera

Our little hikers

"Haillie's Rock"

Setting up the burners and collecting snow!

Top Ten Wimmer Family Headlines!

2008-12-31T19:37:00.001-08:00

2008 has been a GREAT year for us! We started many new traditions, one of which is writing, in our FAMILY JOURNAL, our favorite 10 family events . The person that thought of the event is in parenthesis. There have been so many wonderful occasions this past year. It's fun to be reminded of these good times and it makes us feel truly blessed and happy.
So here goes...
1. (Haillie) The Peanut Butter/Chicken Incident!
2. (Jen) Dad going to get Haillie and touring St. Louis!
3. (Trent & Haillie) Disneyland!!!!
4. (Jen) Taryn's First B-day!
5. (Trent) Haillie's going away 'HOBO' party!
6. (Jen) The Garden!
7. (Haillie) Staying Home for Christmas Eve & the mysterious 'Santa Call' that Hai and Nana heard Christmas Morning!
8. (Trent) Haillie's Baptism
9. Awesome Family Events - Uncle Jer married Amanda, Baby Ivy, Baby Kate, Baby Tyler, & Baby Jensen.
10. (Trent - not Jen - she really doesn't care as much as her husband thinks she does) TWILIGHT Movie!

Thank YOU!

2008-11-26T08:34:00.000-08:00

A big thank you to all who contributed to Haillie's Thankful Book. She loved it! She read it ALL on the first night she was there, but she called me with a very disappointed voice, saying she was 'shocked' that I didn't put Jesse's thankful letter in there, so I had to email Jesse's letter late. I know it meant a lot for her to hear the wonderful things you said about her and I'm sure it's going in her 'special things' box. It will be fun for her to take it out and read it when she's 2o (though I'm working hard to see that she never grows up).
Thank you! Thank you!

Hailie had a stow-away in her suitcase...
The morning Haillie left was just like any other morning... sweet! They really love being around each other...

In Honor of Twilight...

2008-11-20T14:44:00.000-08:00

There are some real crazies out there, when it comes to Twilight... it's funny to see these married, mormon girls screaming and ranting for Edward... I admit he is appealing, but in my mind he looks and acts a bit like Mr. Wimmer (Trent that is).
Anyway, The song you hear as you scroll down is in honor of the movie I will be seeing very, very soon (though probably not at 2 a.m. I choose sleep over Edward).
Enjoy!

Halloween Night!

2008-11-19T07:56:00.000-08:00

Haillie and Maddi are 'Posh Poddles'.
Taryn's first TRICK OR TREAT moment

We had a great Halloween this year and I want to remember it! The weather was perfect, so warm but with a few sprinkles. We had a trunk-r-treat at the church then scowered the neighborhood for signs of life (which there were none... I guess all the candy was eaten by then). Trent, Haillie, Taryn, me and Haillie's friend Maddi walked about 2 miles searching for lighted porches. When one was found Hai and Maddi would take off in a dead run with Taryn bouncing behind. I was so thankful for Hai saying 'thank you' to everyone that gave her candy - she was a good example to Taryn who only wanted suckers, so when someone gave her something other than that she would reach into her pumpkin, take out the offensive candy, put it on the ground and hold up her pumpkin again to them - so they could get it right and give her what she wanted. Taryn and Haililie were IN HEAVEN that night, and so was I just to be watching them.
The one thing I am so sad about - I didn't take a picture of Trent's costume - hillarious - he wore a wig and was 'Hair Club for Men'.

'Twas the Night Before Halloween...

2008-11-01T07:55:00.001-07:00

And yes, we're just barely getting to our pumpkins. How does time move so fast? I swear it took an eternity for Halloween to come each year when I was a kid.
Pumpkin carving is always a blast, but this year was especially fun because we would get to see how Taryn responds to pumpkin guts. As Haillie got busy scraping and pulling in a very clean and organized way, Taryn picked up where she left off and quickly destroyed the kitchen and all of us, covering everything with pumpkin guts.
We found out a few things tonight:
Haillie is a MASTER carver, and Taryn loves to eat pumpkin guts -what doesn't she love to eat?

Here are our pumpkins all lit up for FRIGHT NIGHT and on our front porch. Dad's is on the top step, then mine, and last but not least is Haillie's.

HALLOWEEN MORNING:
Haillie got to dress up for school and have a parade in the morning, so we thought we'd all join in the fun. Taryn was a cow, I was a bunny, and Hai was a 'POSH POODLE'. They both looked darling, and it was worth all the work to make Haillie's costume - she looked sooooo cute! I couldn't get over it. I had one of those moments as Haillie walked by in the school parade, and I couldn't get over what a pretty girl she was... I just stared at her thinking, 'she's beautiful'.

Trent took this pic as Taryn was sitting on the coffe table Halloween morning. Can you believe she can get her legs to do that?

The Happiest Place on EARtH.. no, really, it is!!!

2008-10-26T19:37:00.000-07:00

I Love Disneyland! Yeah, that's right, me! I think I get more excited than Haillie as we are walking in the gates. It's ridiculous how much fun it is to wear yourself TOTALLY out, then wake up the next day and do it all over again. I think the reason I love it more now than I did when I was little is being able to see 'the magic' through the eyes of my children. Haillie still gets starry-eyed when she sees a princess, and Taryn about flipped a lid when she saw Winnie the Pooh in real life. And it's not just me, Trent races through the streets of Disneyland, with Haillie flying behind, trying to be first in line at the Fantasyland Rides. It really is true that the most responsible adult walks through Cinderella's castle and comes out the other side a big kid. It is the one place where Haillie and I are on the same level... in awe that Arial is right there in front of us. And it always ends too soon! I could go back tomorrow and be just as excited and thrilled to do it all again! With that all being said, here's a little tour through our Disney photos...
Lexi and Haillie riding the Caterpillar through watermelon and candy corns... and you actually smell the scents as you pass through them... yum!
Haillie and Mary Poppins (yeah, she wasn't my favorite, kinda snotty, but then she is Brittish, so...)
Trent, Tar, and Hai getting ready to ride Soarin' Over California, Haillie's favorite ride at California Adventures. It's a yummy smelly ride too.
Trent and Taryn on there way to Huck's Island. We play hide and seek on this island that could last all day long!
Cruella DeVille was DARLING with Haillie! She noticed Hai had cat prints on her shirt and said, "Oh, do you love animals... hmmm, so do I, now GET IN THIS COAT"
I love this picture of Taryn, she was so happy (not that she isn't normally) but what a perfect moment to snap a shot!
Just waiting in line for Nemo's Underwater Adventure - a ride I wouldn't miss! LOVED it!
TEA CUPS... I always need a minute after this ride.
Dumbo is always a favorite. It was Taryn's first ride at Disneyland and Dumbo definitely started her off right, she loved it!

CUTEST NEPHEW!

2008-08-31T14:45:00.000-07:00

Congratulations Julie and Broc (along with Quin, Jakey, and Travy)... I know it's been a long, heartbreaking road, but finally you have YOUR baby. We love you, Tyler!

Haillie's First Day!

2008-08-25T20:08:00.000-07:00

Well, it's already time to head back (I am excited that it's just Haillie and NOT me also). It has been really fun having Haillie around this summer... she is a HUGE help with Taryn, and it's fun to see her playing and I've loved being able to chat with her any time during the day, but it sure is exciting to send her off... especially when she has a smile on her face and she is soooo excited to go! She gets to carpool with Madison (her best friend) everyday, they are in the same class, and they sit next to each other (we'll see how long that lasts - Trent gave them one hour) so I think her excitement doesn't come so much from SCHooL, as much as it comes from WHo is in that school with her. So without further delay... here is our DARLING 3rd grader, attending C.S. Lewis Academy...

Happy Birthday BABY!

2008-08-04T11:38:00.000-07:00

It is with mixed emotions that I post this entry. I have LOVED more than words can say, watching my baby grow and have laughed and cried more than ever before in my life as I watch her eat her first bowl of rice cereal, make funny faces to get everyone to laugh, fall and get hurt, watch a nurse put an IV in her baby hand, cuddle up to her big sister, try to sit in Jesse's water bowl, climb over corrals meant to contain her, and SO ON AND SO ON. She is one of my greatest blessings and joys and has brought so much depth to our family. I feel like having Taryn has made me a better mother to Haillie (the kind of mother she has needed) in the way that I no longer approaching mothering from a teacher's perspective but from a MOTHER'S (not that I beat myself up for it, most of the time, because I did the best I knew how to do and that's all I can ask of myself). I constantly have a quote in my head that "I am going to clean house less, and play house more" now that I can see first- hand how fast these little ones grow and become NOT-SO LITTLE (Haillie especially good gosh)! It breaks my heart a little to have a one-year old, yet at the same time I am filled with gratitude for her and am so excited for all the joys I get to experience with her in years to come.

Our darling little TROLL!
Some of the on-lookers... Denise, Julie, Duane, Mom and Daddy (Trent).
Taryn's first birthday cake... not too elaborate considering the destruction that would soon come to it.

Quincy, Jakey, and Travy wishing Taryn happy birthday!
Sweet Sisters!

Here comes the mess...
Wait for it...
There it is!

We love you Taryn! You have brought an unmeasurable amount of joy to our lives. You are truly loved! Happy First Birthday my baby!

SuMmEr DaZe!

2008-07-30T13:55:00.000-07:00

I love St. George! I love my home town... I really did enjoy growing up there. We moved to Bloomington Hills before I was in first grade and stayed in that same house until after I graduated high school. We were one of the first families there in bushes so there was plenty of room to run! I remember climbing mountains, running over snakes on my bike (not one of my personal favorite things to do), constructing sprawling huts, and swimming... there was always swimming! Well, I am no longer severing snakes but some things don't change - it's a necessity to swim in St. George. So when we got into town, we made plans to meet John and Denise for a pre-birthday celebration at my dad's pool...Haillie, Julie (my sister), Travy (Julie's baby - not for long:), Taryn, my forehead... seriously... sorry about that, Will (John and Denise's cute boy), Trent, and Patrick - the kid has always had his own style - I LOVE the goggles!

A pretty spectacular view from my lounge chair...
Haillie is a FISH... if she wasn't sliding, then she was jumping off the diving rock, or practicing her front flips or hand stands.
Trent and Taryn taking a ride on the rock slide... if you can get a close-up of her face it's hillarious... you'd think she was scared out of her mind and would never want to do it again, but then we would have to say that you didn't know Taryn very well... this kid is a thrill seeker, seriously!
Taryn, Dad and Hai just loungin'

Fun in the Sun!

2008-07-29T14:08:00.000-07:00

Aren't backyards the best place to be? We really love ours... except it's a continual struggle to keep Taryn out of the flowerbeds... the spider infested rocks (I'm sure)... the window wells, off the sharp rock stairs... etc. It's great exercise to have a 1 year old.
Anyway, Tuesday we decided to pull out an old favorite and do some slippin' and slidin'. The girls loved it. Taryn just played in the pool at the end and Haillie and her friend Maddi tried some killer moves on the slide.
Exciting times at the Wimmer's!
Haillie, Taryn, and Maddi strike a pose. It's too bad I didn't get a close-up of how pasty they all look after the triple coating of sunscreen!

Taryn is such a fish... she thinks it's better to be underwater than above.

Can you believe it????!!!!????

2008-07-24T11:43:00.001-07:00

Trent ALWAYS laughs at me and makes fun of my "obsession" with Good Things Utah... well, who's laughing now???? ME!... all the way to the bank... well, actually all the way to MY GYM... I won a $250 gift certificate to have a birthday party at this place on.... yes, you got... Good things Utah! It pays to be a dedicated fan!
I'm so stinkin' excited since Taryn turns 1 tomorrow... perfect timing...
More info to come!

Hai's Home!!

2008-07-16T08:09:00.000-07:00

Man, six weeks is a long time to be without your baby! But six weeks is up and Hai is finally home!! I had the opportunity to go to St. Louis and spend some daddy daughter time with Hai before she came home, and we had the greatest time! Here's a brief recap of the trip! We had some killer games of Marco Polo in the pool, which was on the 18th floor of the hotel and had a great view of the Arch. We stuffed ourselves with good food and Hai taught me how to make lanyards, that she'd learned to make in her summer camp.

Here's Hai, in front of the Arch! I had to lay down on the sidewalk to fit the Arch in the picture. It's taller than Mt. Rushmore!

BFF! (Best Friends Forever)

We rode to the top of the Arch in this pod-like thing. We rode up with an Asian couple so I got to practice my Chinese! It was like a tram ride, Hai was nervous at first but she toughed it out for her dad and I'm pretty sure she's glad she did it!

View from the top! That's the Mississippi River framed in by the shadow of the Arch. Downtown St. Louis was behind us, but the sun was glaring so we couldn't get a good picture of it. Hai walked down the steps to the river and touched the water, so she can say she's touched the Mississippi!

Isn't she pretty? The Mississippi in the background. The ferry's weren't running because of all the flooding. We could see washed up mud and sand on the streets where the river had flooded.

This is the City Museum. Hai had a blast her climbing all over everything! If you look real close, by the light, you can see Hai's head poking out!

This is the outside portion of the museum. Way cool! That's Hai up in the top crawling down toward the airplane!

All in all we had a great time! I sure enjoyed having that time with her, seeing some of the places she's been to, and learning, a little, what life in St. Louis is like for her. She was ready to come home though. We had a pretty long layover in Denver made longer by Hai's anxiousness to see Jesse and Taryn, but we finally pulled in the driveway at 12:30 a.m. to a big Welcome Home sign on the garage door. The reunion the next morning was awesome! Hai and Taryn are having to get re-acquainted again. A lot can happen in six weeks. Haillie hadn't seen Taryn walk yet!

Anyway, it's nice to be a "whole" family again! Now we can get back to normal life.

Sure love you Hai!

Craft of the Day!

2008-07-10T10:16:00.001-07:00

As many of you know, crafts, homemaking, and really anything feminine is not 'the walk I would take'. It's hard for me to sit that long and i usually want to throw up when I see my finished product (and sometimes so does Trent). BUT, things are changing! Isn't life like that! I think it's because I'm around my house much more than ever before. I am TRYING to become a good cook, and also, trying to make more things for our home and for the girls. So, I was at the mall a bit ago and saw the cutest little tutu - I thought Haillie would love it, then I saw Haillie and Taryn dancing around the living room in their little tutu's... I LOVED THAT PICTURE IN MY HEAD... then I saw the price, and I gagged a little bit! $35 for a small one... $45 for Haillie's size. Well, I wasn't going to let that beat me so when the clerk wasn't looking I delved into the tutu to see how it was made... SO EASY!
I made one for Haillie and sent it to her, and one for Taryn... even though Trent says he 'can't even picture Taryn in a tutu'.
How to:
Elastic Banding (Walmart $.97)
6 yards toole (I don't even know how to spell that - $6.00 total)
Measure child's waist, then cut elastic one inch longer (for sewing)
I just hand sewed the elastic together
leave the natural fold in the toole, so it's folded over on itself, and cut it into strips
(on Hai's I cut the toole about 3 inches thick, on Taryn's I cut it about 6 inches - it's not exact and don't worry if you don't cut it straight - it won't matter)
Then simply tie the toole around the elastic in a double not and cut the folded egde (or don't, it looks cute both ways)
Turn on some music and let the girls go!!!!

Happy Fourth of July!!!!

2008-07-07T12:32:00.001-07:00

We went to Circleville, UT to celebrate the fourth. It's kind of a family tradition so all the kids were there along with tons of cousins, and old friends. It's a town of about 700 just north of Panguitch, it's seriously a bend in the road on Highway 89 - but this place holds my heart! I love this valley, because of the kind people, the beauty, and 'worldlessness' it seems to have (I know that's not a word but I can't think of another). I will continually be trying to talk Trent into moving there!
Taryn is getting really excited about the parade... yes, that really IS the parade in the background. We are in a town where the BIG parade of the year consists of kids on bikes and four wheelers, one or two floats that are trailers with hay bails, and there is so much candy thrown that the on lookers leave half of it on the ground (I want you to know I did my part to keep the earth clean by picking up ALL the candy around me and downing it)!
Roscoe (Shawn and Kristin's son who is one month older than Taryn), Trent, and Taryn are enjoying the parade.

Sharing a sucker with Daddy during the parade... mom just has to pretend not to see ALL this sugar going into her mouth and and look the other way! I am actually a little surprised to see her sharing, but to tell the truth, as CRAZY-WILD as this little kid is, she sure is sweet, lovable and kind.
Taryn is so smart... she even falls right (bum first)! She was having a hard time sitting through the program (big surprise), so walked and walked and walked in the back of the gym. The program was WONDERFUL (well, what I saw of it). It started out with some veterans singing some patriotic songs, a wonderful slide show, and my personal favorite - my cousin, Ryan, a singing a solo. I love small towns for this reason - they are so patriotic and truly love our country and are raised with that love and devotion to serve and protect our country. There are many service men and women from from Circleville, Utah that have served honorably and I am so grateful for their sacrifices for my benefit.
Enjoying a moment without Taryn (it turned out to be only a moment) to enjoy the fireworks!

Their Thing!

2008-07-02T22:30:00.001-07:00

One of Taryn's favorite things is to mow the lawn with Daddy! She could go around and around for hours! How CUTE!

Garden Update!

2008-06-24T08:51:00.000-07:00

IT's GROWING!!!!! Our garden and the other things around our house are actually growing! I still don't see anything I can use in a salad yet, but I think I might! We have a miniature lime tree on our front porch that has its moments of being beautiful... I think it's kind of temperamental.
I am trying to grow: limes, strawberries, spaghetti squash, zucchini, cucumbers, carrots, beets, watermelon, cantaloupe, tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, lettuce, swiss chard, bell peppers, and sweet peppers... yeah!
Lettuce and cucumbers: I cannot wait for the cucumbers to start coming, but I have to admit that I have pulled a few leaves off of the lettuce just to see if they are really edible!
The boxes are holding strong... I never had any doubt as I watched Trent's meticulous work!
We have yummy strawberries, if we can get to them before the birds!

The video speaks for itself!

2008-06-17T17:05:00.000-07:00

Publish Post

GROWING LIKE A WEED!

2008-06-11T20:21:00.000-07:00

Just a few pictures from the last couple days:

She loves to look at books. It might be the only time I've ever seen her stay in one place for a second or two.

She is getting good at her animal sounds: fish, elephant, tiger, and snake.

She is SO close to walking. She has great balance and can stand by herself forever... she just thinks she needs a hand still to get around.

Seriously, this is the only time she is SEMI-still. She is even active in her sleep... flipping and flopping to get comfy... Trent couldn't resist getting a shot of how she ended up the other night.
Bath time is so much fun! She gets so excited when we walk into the bathroom to start the tub... she is a fish... going under doesn't scare her at all... she throws a bit of a FIT when we have to finally get out!
Here she is giving hugs to daddy. There was a time when I thought she wasn't really a 'cuddly' baby - she never wanted to be hugged, she just wanted to be 'going'! She is really developing into a cuddlebug - and I LOVE it!

She is into EVERYTHING! Some people don't believe me when I say she is WILD (and wonderful), until they see her in action. I learned very quickly not to look away for even 1 second! Trent has to watch her while I give my lesson on Sundays and it is SO funny to see him walk back in the classroom after he's had her for an hour... tie crooked, shirt wrinkled, dazed look in his eye, saying, "I feel like I've been through a tornado!" She exhausts me too, most days, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

YIKES... my new adventure!

2008-06-02T14:26:00.001-07:00

I have been bugging (literally bugging) Trent for about a year to build me a garden, and well, HE DID! When he finished these beautiful boxes, he asked me, "what next"? Then he laughed because I honestly didn't know!
I think this year will be our trial run and we'll learn a bunch!

This may be as good as it ever looks, so we better get a few pictures now!

Goodbye SWEETHEART!

2008-06-02T13:49:00.000-07:00

Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.
-Elizabeth Stone

Haillie is gone. She is staying in Missouri for 6 weeks. She loves her mom so much, and loves being there... it's easy to be excited with her, but then comes the moment you go into her room to put something away and your heart seems to sink through your feet. I already miss her so much.
Instead of spending my time crying (which I have already done enough of) I am determined to focus on the positive. I now have a chance to reflect on what a sweet, wonderful, funny, clever, enthusiastic little wonder I have the privilege of seeing, teaching and being with so often.

I love this thought:
Have a constant prayer in your heart for your children and God will show you their heart, and how to love them.
I now have some (only some) moments to reflect on how to be better to her and for her.

I LOVE my girl!

Haillie's Going Away Party!

2008-06-01T07:19:00.000-07:00

We decide to have a going away/welcome summer party with some of Haillie's friends on the last day of school. She honestly asked me starting at 12:30 p.m. every 15 minutes if it was 6:30 yet. It couldn't get here fast enough for any of the girls. Well, it did come - the party began... and kept going, and going, and going... and the girls kept running, and screaming, and running and screaming ( I thought the cops would be called on us a couple times - you know... small town drama)! They are all really cute girls and I loved getting to know some of Haillie's friends a bit more.

We only had:
1 bee sting
2 crying girls (the drama)
3 boys trying to climb the fence to get in
and 13 screaming second grade girls!

I also watched Haillie and thought a few things:
- she is a natural leader
- she is very caring toward her friends, she really feels badly when they are hurt
- when she sets her mind to something, it will happen!
- she is enthusiastic, she can have fun doing anything, what a great gift to have to be able to find fun and excitement in ANYTHING!
- she is grateful

I also was reminded that she is one of the 4 LOVES of my entire life, and greatest gifts I have on this earth and I love her more than words could ever say!

Searching the rocks for their next clue on the scavenger hunt.

The girls with their HOBO STICKS!

The girls around the campfire, telling ghost stories and eating s'mores. (Some of the stories were seriously scary... at least to me.)

At this point I thought (again)... what a great DADDY Trent is to his girls! It was fun to sit back and watch him interact with these 13 girls- watch him put marshmellow after marshmellow on their sticks, talk and joke with them, and make them all smile.

Madison, Janie, and Haillie finishing the last of the marshmellows.

The girls in the tent... watching a movie

The AFTER PARTY (at 11:30p.m.)
Dad was the hit of the party, with a good mix of FUN and FUNNY.

Seriously, if I ever invite 14 2nd grade girls to my house again... just shoot me! No, it wasn't that bad, aside from the fact that I now believe ALL eight-year-old girls have ear piercing screams. I have to give a big THANK YOU to Jan (Trent's mom) who came down and willingly took care of Taryn and helped out so much with the party.

It was a fun way to see her friends and say goodbye to her. We will miss her desperately!

Sunday Afternoon!

2008-05-25T20:14:00.001-07:00

Aren't Sunday afternoons some of your favorite times? I love them!

Spring Spectacular!

2008-05-22T14:56:00.000-07:00

Haillie is our little gymnast. She does cartwheels on the way to her room, she does cartwheels on the way to the car - always, always cartwheels EVERYWHERE!
It was fun to see her do her routines on the bars, beam, floor and vault. She is a talented athlete.

Playing Hookey!

2008-05-16T20:22:00.000-07:00

Haillie's school teacher has been away for a week now, and had a sub take her class. Not that I'm all that impressed with her regular teacher this year (I know that sounds a little rude, but, don't ya hate it when you hear such good things about a teacher only to be disappointed for a whole year,) but I'd had enough of Haillie's "review work" and "silent reading time," so I got her out early and we took off to the Children's Museum at the Gateway. Trent met us there and we had a ball as a family!
(A little note to myself to laugh at what a freak I am about germs... someday! Can you just imagine all the little critters running around a place like this... it's enough to make me lose my mind - and my lunch! It was really a big step for me to let them touch this disease-ridden stuff... and they only sanitized 10 or 12 times during our stay.)

Taryn and Daddy playing in the water!

Haillie collecting eggs and feeding the chickens.

Haillie learning how a crane works.

Look at my little climbers! I'm such a proud mommy!

Taking a little ride on the horse!

Our little family.

Steve James Concert

2008-05-16T06:58:00.001-07:00

Haillie had to sing a song at the Prevention Demensions concert last night at her school. The song she and her 2nd grade students sang was called: I've decided. It's about making smart choices not to drink, do drugs and commit crimes :).
She has a beautiful singing voice. One of my favorite places in the whole world to be is here at our house when Haillie is singing a tune while just hanging around. I love to be in the kitchen with the window open while she is out dancing and singing in the back yard. It is so peaceful to wake up to that sweet voice singing in the morning.

A Tribute To My "Amazing" Wife

2008-05-10T15:55:00.000-07:00

Isn't she beautiful?

It only took one look from her piercing blue eyes and she had me under her spell.

This is more for Jen than anyone else, but really, you should all know how much I love and admire my wife, Jen.

So, here are some of the things I love about Jen...

She's beautiful! I'm the guy people look at and wonder "How did he get a girl like that?"

Family is her #1 priority (Dr. Pepper is a close #2). She sacrifices so much for us!

She's smarter than me. I no that ain't sayin all that much, but I really respekt her intellectuality and valyoo her opinyun.

She LOVES her kids. It shows with how protective she is of them. They've never seen a beer commercial and when Taryn was born we painted our whole house with, not one, but two coats of sanitizer. It's a compliment to my convictions that my girls should not get married until they're done with college, and that after they're married is the only time it's appropriate to kiss someone other than their dad.

She has unwaivering faith and love for the gospel. (Funny comments are not appropriate here)

She's trying SO hard to learn how to cook. And she's doing a great job, by the way. It's been a loooong time since she's baked a cake upside down in the oven. You should really try her coconut shrimp or her french dip sandwiches, YUMMY!

She understands that I have a need to FISH! And she's good to let me go whenever that urge gets the best of me.

She's my best friend!

She has great taste in music (with the exception of Yaz and Dashboard Confessional).

She comes from great stock! Ha ha, sorry, i just made myself laugh. That was just a funny way of saying that I LOVE MY IN-LAWS.

She makes me laugh, not always with the jokes she tells, but sometimes with the things she does (Please refer to the "She's trying so hard to learn how to cook portion of this tribute ;o). Sorry babe. I love that she can laugh at herself too.

I love the way she talks about me to other people. It almost makes me want to marry myself!

Jen, you are the love of my life. Thank you so much for everything you do, for who you are, and for loving me.

Happy Mother's Day!!

Love,

Your Husband
(Trent)

Going Green!

2008-05-08T15:34:00.000-07:00

Don't forget to use your REusable shopping bags instead of those 'yucky' plastic ones!
Let's all do a little to keep the world beautiful for our children.

Our Music!

2008-05-05T14:58:00.000-07:00

I wanted to tell a little about our music because it really is an important part of our life. Trent has always loved music and has introduced me to some very good bands (Big Head Todd, Travis and Stereophonics... before they were 'mainstream'). He is always coming home saying, "you gotta hear this". Sometimes I wonder if he isn't in the wrong profession, maybe he should be a 'Band Discoverer'.... I just made up that job, I think, but it sounds good. And, also, Haillie is a 'music lover'. She is always rockin' out with her ipod on in the back yard... singing for all the world to hear - her favorite bands/songs right now are: Colbie Calliet, Popular (from Wicked), and the staple - High School Musical. Anyway, I put some of our music on the blog just because I love it and I could. So now, I'll explain:
Jack Johnson is the guy we turn to to just 'chill'. It reminds me of when we were first married, with not much money, and a big back yard... so we would BBQ, bring out the baby pool for Haillie and blast Jack... he's good for that still.
John Denver is one of my all-time favorite musicians... I remember listening to him with my dad in our yellow Granada on the way to the Frost Top to get a 'big wheel'. My all-time favorite Denver song is 'For You'... if you want an amazing love song - this is the one. But really anything by him is great (except the song called, "Please daddy, don't get drunk for Christmas" - I really can't recommend that one).
Closer to You - The Wallflowers - this is typical of Trent... He hears about I song I've heard on the radio and really liked, then, soon enough, we'll be driving somewhere and he'll put in a CD and it's that exact song. That's what happened with this song, so I had to put it here to remember.
Let my love open the Door - Trent has certain bedtime songs he has sung to Haillie through the years (Wooden Heart by Elvis and Sweet Child of Mine by Guns n Roses) and I couldn't find good versions of those songs, but I did find the song I sing to Taryn each night - Let my love open the door.
Last but not least - my favorite artist of the moment - Leigh Nash. I love this song - My Idea of Heaven, for so many reasons. If there was a song to explain what I feel about meeting and marrying Trent, it would be this song; there is a line that basically says, when I looked at you, I recognized my fate (cheesy, but very true for me). For those of you that know how we met, doesn't that say it exactly right? Love at first sight... or at least knowing I would love him the first time I met him. I really do feel like our very imperfect family is the closest thing I've ever experienced of Heaven on Earth. I LOVE my family... I adore you Trent, I am in love with my girls: Haillie and Taryn, and I can't get enough of my teddy bear, Jesse.
So that's it for now, I will put more on and change them up, but for now... have a good listen.

Caio Bella!

2008-04-25T10:01:00.000-07:00

Ash... we miss you so much! Hope Italy is amazing! We are sad to live without our sister, aunt and best friend for 2 months, but know that it will be a life-changing experience (just don't come back with an Italian husband!)
Love you!

Lunch Time at the Wimmer's

2008-04-24T17:59:00.000-07:00

Our Spring Break... Nightmare

2008-04-22T12:50:00.000-07:00

Haillie discovering Bryce Canyon!
She thought "it was awesome! I loved our Inn and the Old Bryce Town, too."
Funny story: we were stopped at a gas station to eat lunch and Haillie wanted to show me 'rattle snake eggs'. Trent wound up the contraption and gave it back to her trying to explain how to hold it. Haillie, not interested in listening at that point, grabbed the envelope and started walking over to me. Needless to say, she had moved the envelope and started the 'eggs' a-rattling... she screamed, jumped and threw the eggs across the store, sending Trent and myself into uncontrolled laughter, making Haillie even more upset. By the end of the stop, Trent couldn't resist buying the 'eggs'. Now it's a standing joke to find the 'eggs' in odd places around the house.
Ok, so it wasn't THAT bad... but bad enough that we honestly took a 1 day vacation! We started out on Friday morning, heading for Bryce Canyon. One of my goals for this summer is to show Haillie the beautiful state we live in. I love hiking, discovering and just being outside, and it's something Haillie likes also. I imagined our vacation to be all fun, no stress... well, isn't that WHY you go on vacation.... all fun, no stress? Ok, seriously, what was I thinking... We have a 9 month old wonderful, but demanding ball-of-energy!!!! Can you imagine something this cute could be a MONSTER in disguise?
So after a night of pretty much getting kicked out of the restaurant (thanks to Taryn), a 3 hour SCREAMING fit, and NO sleep for anyone, we packed up Saturday morning and headed home... everyone in a BAD mood.
When we were home, I was putting Taryn down for her nap with the USUAL routine, she giggled when I read her a story and she slept peacefully in her own bed. Lesson learned!

Introducing Jesse...

2008-04-16T09:20:00.000-07:00

Our dog, or should I say our 'son' Jesse, is a one hundred and thirty pound teddy bear. He lives inside with us, and usually right at our feet. He is our 'bathroom buddy', our comforter when we just need a little love, and our built-in vacuum. Everyone knows that if the Wimmer's are coming... ALL the Wimmer's are coming (including Jesse). Our family wouldn't be complete without him. We LOVE him!

About this picture: Haillie actually took this picture for her entry in last year's Reflections contest. The theme was "My Favorite Place to be... is next to him". She thought of it all on her own. She won 3rd place overall.

Here we go...

2008-04-13T19:20:00.000-07:00

Well, we're off! I have been enjoying some friend's and family's blogs so much that I have decided to create one. It will be so valuable to keep a record of our daily activities, our highs and not-so-highs, but mostly our funny moments that make our family wonderful. I love being 'mommy' to these wonderful girls, and LOVE being wife to my AWESOME husband - I want to remember it, all of it! So, here we go...

2008-04-13T16:58:00.001-07:00

Ash took these pictures when she came over for Sunday dinner. This is our High School Musical star, Haillie. She was just having fun posing for Ash and running around the back yard. Isn't she beautiful!?! She is an angel to me as my helper and such a wonderful BIG sister to Taryn.

This is a pretty typical face we see from Taryn... she is so happy. It's almost like her face can't contain her smile... she really does smile with her whole face. We love her so much!