FUN, FAMILY, AND CHRISTMAS!

SO, I HAVE BEEN PUTTING OFF THIS POST BECAUSE IT IS GOING TO BE A LONG ONE, SO BEAR WITH ME. WE HAD A SUPER BUSY FUN-FILLED WEEK AND I HAVE TO GET IT ALL ON HERE. LAST FRIDAY WE TOOK OFF TO SALT LAKE WITH KIM-JARED'S SIS, AND HER FIANCEE, JOHN. WE LEFT IN THE YUKON, IN THE BLIZZARD LIKE CONDITIONS TO MEET JARED'S FAMILY DOWN THERE, STAY AT THE KIMBALL, SHOP, AND LOOK AT THE TEMPLE LIGHTS. DRIVING ALONG, THE ROADS WERE JUST FINE. WHEN WE HIT LAYTON, THERE WERE PILE-UPS, SNOW, WIND, ICE, AND A YUKON GOING DOWN THE FREEWAY AT 32 MILES AN HR. IT WAS HORRIBLE WEATHER BUT WE MANAGED TO MAKE IT, AND HAVE A GREAT TIME. WE WENT TO LUNCH AT PF CHANGS, FOLLOWED BY SHOPPING AT GATEWAY MALL, WHICH HALLE LOVED-EVEN IN THE SNOW, AND THEN MEETING TREG AND HIS GIRLS AT THE HOTEL. WE ATE DINNER IN THE HOTEL ROOM AND THEN BRAVED THE SNOW FOR THE TEMPLE-JARED STAYED AND WATCHED HALLE SINCE IT WAS LATE, SHE WAS TIRED, AND IT WAS SNOWING-I WENT THOUGH AND HAD A GREAT TIME. THANKS FOR BATHING HALLE AND PUTTING HER TO BED. THE NEXT DAY, WE WOKE UP, ATE BREAKFAST AND THEN HEADED HOME TO GO TO NANNA AND PAPA'S PARTY...

HALLE, JARED, AND I BEFORE WE DECIDED SHE SHOULDN'T GO LOOK AT THE LIGHTS AT THE TEMPLE, I THINK THE PICTURE TURNED OUT PRETTY GOOD~ THANKS GRMA BERNT FOR THE ONE PIECE SNOWSUIT-LOVE IT~

KIM AND I FREEZING AT THE TEMPLE WITH A SNOWFLAKE RIGHT IN BETWEEN MY EYES!

ALL THE GIRLS AT THE TEMPLE: BRIDGET, TIFFANY, ME, KIM, ANNIE, AND GRMA BERNT
SOME OF THE LIGHTS AT TEMPLE SQUARE

ONCE WE GOT HOME WE WERE A BIT TO LATE, TO MEET THE FAMILY FOR LASER TAG SO WE WENT TO NANA'S. HER AND GIGI WER WATCHING THE KIDS WHILE THE ADULTS WENT TO PLAY TAG....WITH 4 KIDS, WE JUST HELPED OUT. ONCE THE ADULTS GOT HOME WE ENJOYED, PRIME RIB DINNER, A WHITE ELEPHANT EXCHANGE, OPENING GIFTS FROM PAPA AND NANA, AND THEN LISTENED TO HALLE. SHE WAS ONRY AND HAD SOME GREEN BOOGIES SO I NEW A COLD WAS ON THE WAY....UH-OH! JUST IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS. NANA SNUGGLED HER ALL NIGHT AND HALLE AND NANA ENJOYED IT. SANTA CAME, SCARED HALLE TO TEARS AND SHAKING BUT EVERYONE ELSE SEEMED TO LOVE HIM, ESPECIALLY THE ADULTS! THE WHOLE FAM WAS TOGETHER AND WE HAD A GREAT TIME. THANKS FOR THE AMAZING DINNER AND EVERYTHING ELSE!
SANTA, HALLE AND I~ YOU CAN TELL SHE WASN'T A HUGE FAN!

ALL THE GIRLS IN THERE NEW JAMMIES~HALLE, JENNA, AND JANIE
TREVY, SANTA, AND AUNTIE NIKI! TREVY LOVED SANTA!

THE NEXT DAY WE WOKE UP AND WENT TO CHURCH, HALLE HAD ENOUGH BY THE TIME YW HIT. JARED BROUGHT HER HOME AND PUT HER TO BED SO I COULD HELP WITH THE LESSON. LATER IN THE DAY OUR FRIENDS, THE HIGBEE'S WERE UP WITH THEIR FAM FROM BOISE, THEY STOPPED BY FOR A BIT, AND IT WAS SO GREAT TO SEE THEM AND THERE NEW LITTLE BABY, KATE! WE LOVE YOU GUYS! THANKS FOR STOPPING IN!LATER THAT DAY WE CARAVANED WITH MY SIS AND HER FAMILY DOWN TO LAVA, FOR DINNER WITH GRPA AND GRMA MENDENHALL. WE SHOWED UP AND HAD A DELICIOUS HALIBUT DINNER, EXCHANGED GIFTS, ENJOYED EACH OTHER'S COMPANY, RELAXED, AND FINISHED THE NIGHT OFF WITH MY FAVE, COOL WHIP DELIGHT! SO YUMMY, THANKS TO THEM FOR HAVING US AND EVERYTHING ELSE! HALLE WAS STILL MOODY AND ONRY-YUCKY COLD!

JARED, HALLE AND I AT PAPA TAB'S~HALLE JUST WANTS TO OPEN THE GIFTS-CAN YOU TELL? I WONDER WHERE SHE GETS THAT?
PAPA TAB, NIKI, TROY, AND TREVOR

PAPA TAB, TREVOR, HALLE, NIKI AND I

JARED AND TROY TRYING TO LOOK COOL IN THERE NEW CARHARTT'S-PRICELESS~

ON MONDAY, WE WENT ABOUT OUR USUAL BUSINESS, BUT JARED DIDN'T HAVE TO WORK WHICH WAS NICE. WE WERE SUPPOSE TO HOOK UP WITH HIGBEES FOR LUNCH AT OUR FAVE SPOT, EL HERADERRO- BUT THEY WERE SNOWED IN AT THEIR PARENTS. WE JUST HUNG OUT AND RELAXED AT HOME AND LATER ATTENDED THE MERRILL/HARTLEY CHRISTMAS PARTY AT THE BERNTS HOUSE. WE MET UP FOR A NICE HAM DINNER, FOLLOWED BY A WONDERFUL PROGRAM THE GRANDKIDS PUT TOGETHER AND PLANNED OF THE NATIVITY, HAD GREAT COMPANY, SANTA CAME AGAIN-SCARED HALLE TO DEATH A SECOND TIME- WE OPENED SOME GIFTS AND THEN THEY ALL PLAYED GUITAR HERO. HALLE WAS STILL WHINY AND NOT HER BEST SO HER AND I CAME HOME AND PUT HER TO BED. WE HAD A GREAT TIME WITH ALL THE FAMILY AND LOVED DINNER AND SEEING EVERYONE! THANKS BERNTS!

JARED AND HIS BROTHER TREG JUST HANGING OUT~

HALLE AND BRIDGET PLAYING, TANDI WONDERING WHAT IS GOING ON...

LILLY AS MARY, AND BODEN AS JOSEPH IN THE PLAY-ADORABLE KIDS!

IS IT OBVIOUS HALLE WASN'T THRILLED WITH SANTA, LESLEY SAID I WOULD LOVE THIS PICTURE, SAD BUT TRUE~

ALL OF THE KIDS AND TREG AND STACEY ROCKING OUT TO ROCK BAND!

ON WEDNESDAY, CHRISTMAS EVE, JARED WAS AT WORK MOST OF THE DAY. HALLE AND I WENT AND DID SOME SHOPPING WITH AUNT NIKI AT THE MALL AND THEN WE WERE GOING TO GO TO LUNCH WITH HER AND TREVOR. AFTER SHOPPING, I CALLED THE DR FOR HALLE. I THOUGHT A DREADED EAR INFECTION WAS COMING. THEY SO NICELY GOT US IN THAT AFTERNOON AND SAID HER EARS LOOKED FINE BUT SHE HAD A SINUS INFECTION AND ON TOP OF THAT SHE IS GETTING 2 TEETH. SHE IS CLINGY AND MISERABLE, AND IN SO MUCH PAIN IT IS SAD. LATER THAT EVENING HER AND I RAN TO FINISH UP SOME SHOPPING. THEN WE WENT HOME AND THE BERNT'S CAME DOWN AND WE ALL OPENED OUR PJS TOGETHER. THEN WE PUT HALLE TO BED AND I FILLED STOCKINGS AND WE PUT TOGETHER HALLES TOYS-SO FUN TO BE PARENTS THIS TIME OF YEAR! WE HAD SO MUCH FUN!

HALLE, ME, JOHN, KIM, BRIDGET, TREG, AND ANNIE IN OUR NEW JAMMIES!

BRIDGET, HALLE, AND ANNIE IN THEIR JAMMIES, LOVE THESE GIRLIES!

ON CHRISTMAS DAY WE WOKE UP AND DID GIFTS AT OUR HOUSE. HALLE LOVED HER TOYS AND JARED AND I LOVED WATCHING HER. WE TAPED IT ON THE VIDEOCAMERA SO THERE ARE NO PIX BUT IT WAS ADORABLE! THEN WE GOT READY AND WENT TO BERNT'S FOR BREAKFAST AND DID GIFTS. IT WAS GREAT AND THEN HALLE WAS READY FOR A NAP! WE CAME HOME AND GOT HER DOWN AND THEN I FELL ASLEEP. JARED STAYED UP WITH HIS FAM FOR A BIT. THEN HE CAME HOME AND WE SPENT THE DAY TOGETHER-RELAXING AND PLAYING WITH HALLE! IT WAS GREAT! HOWEVER, CAN I JUST TELL YOU THE AMOUNT OF SNOW THAT FELL ON XMAS WAS RIDICULOUS-JARED STAYED OUTSIDE OFF AND ON ALL DAY SNOW BLOWING. THERE WAS 7 INCHES THAT DAY, IT NEVER LET UP. IT WAS BEAUTIFUL BUT ITS BEEN AWHILE SINCE I HAVE SEEN THAT MUCH SNOW. WE COULDN'T REALLY DO MUCH OUTSIDE BUT JUST HANGING OUT WAS THE BEST CHRISTMAS EVER! AND EVEN THOUGH HALLE WAS SICK, SHE WAS A TROOPER AND SEEMED TO HAVE FUN! WE HAD TONS OF FUN SEEING OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND SHARING THIS HOLIDAY SEASON WITH THEM. WHAT A MERRY CHRISTMAS!

GOING TO SODA AND WATCHING BABY TREVOR!

TODAY WE WENT WITH JARED TO SODA AND THEN ONTO LAVA TO DO SOME CARPET MEASURES. THIS WAY WE COULD PLAY TOO AND HAVE SOME GOOD FAMILY TIME. WHILE IN SODA, WE HAD TO STOP BY THE FARM AND GET THE FOUR-WHEELER. HALLE WAS SO GOOD AND SHE LOVED GETTING OUT OF THE TRUCK FOR A BREATHER AND A COUPLE OF PICTURES. WE HAD FUN GOING WITH JARED AND I HOPE HE WILL TAKE US SOME OTHER TIME!

HALLE AND I HANGING OUT IN SODA WAITING FOR PAPA! HALLE LOVED IT!

HALLE AND PAPA JUST CHILLING!

THEN TONIGHT, MY SISTER, NIKI AND HER HUSBAND TROY, THAT NOW LIVE HERE, WENT ON THERE 1ST DATE IN ALMOST 18 MONTHS. LIVING IN UTAH AND HAVING NO ONE TO HELP OUT WITH TREVOR AND THEN HOW THERE SCHEDULES CLASHED DIDN'T MAKE IT EASY TO GO OUT ALTHOUGH THEY WANTED TO BADLY. JARED AND I TOOK TREVY TONIGHT. HALLE AND HIM HAVE SUCH A GREAT TIME PLAYING TOGETHER AND WE FED THEM SPAGHETTI AND GARLIC BREAD, WHICH SOON COVERED OUR WHOLE KITCHEN FLOOR. WE BATHED THEM TOGETHER, WHICH THEY LOVED I MIGHT ADD, AND THEN TROY AND NIKI CAME. WHAT A FUN FAMILY FILLED DAY TOGETHER!

HERE IS OUR 1ST EXPERIENCE WITH 2 KIDS IN THE TUB AND I HAVE TO SAY IT WENT WELL, THEY LOVED IT! I JUST HAD TO POST THIS PIC. YOU TWO, THANK ME LATER! HAHA!

I COULDN'T GET A PIC FROM THE FRONT AFTER THEIR TUBBY, THEY WERE HAVING TO MUCH FUN SO THIS ONE WILL JUST HAVE TO DO...LOVE THOSE BUMBS! AND YES, TREVOR CLOTHES LOOK A LITTLE SNUG BECAUSE THEY ARE HALLES AND SHE IS 6 MONTHS YOUNGER, I CAN'T BELIEVE THE PANTS FIT LENGTHWISE...SHE IS SO LONG! WE LOVE YOU TREVY AND HAD TONS OF FUN! CAN'T WAIT TO PLAY AGAIN SOON!

WHAT A BUSY, FUN-FILLED WEEK!

I WILL WARN YOU RIGHT UP FRONT, THIS WILL BE A LONG POST. THIS PAST WEEK HAS BEEN VERY BUSY, AND MY COMPUTER HAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH IT, SO IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO POST. I HAVE GOT A LOT TO CATCH UP ON, AND I BETTER DO IT WHILE MY COMPUTER AND HALLE ALLOW...RIGHT? ON MONDAY, MY FRIEND'S GRAND-DAUGHTER WAS UP FROM BOISE AND SHE HAD SOMETHING TO DO AND ASKED IF WE COULD WATCH THE LITTLE ONE, NAMED CJ. SHE IS ALMOST 4 AND IS AN ADORABLE GIRL. HER AND HALLE HAD A LOT OF FUN TOGETHER PLAYING, EATING CHICKEN NUGGETS AND SALAD, OREOS AND MILK, AND THEN WATCHING KUNG FU PANDA. SHE WAS FUN TO WATCH AND WE ENJOYED HAVING HER OVER!HERE IS CJ, GETTING READY TO PLAY CATCH WITH JARED~

TUESDAY NIGHT, WE ENDED UP PUTTING HALLE TO BED AND THEN PUTTING UP OUR CHRISTMAS TREE. HALLE WOULD HAVE HAD A BLAST BUT WE DIDN'T KNOW HOW LONG THE TREE WOULD BE STANDING WITH HER AWAKE, SO MAYBE NEXT YEAR SHE CAN BE THE TREE HELPER. WHILE I DECORATED THE TREE, JARED WENT AROUND PUTTING "MONEY SAVER" LIGHTBULBS IN ALL THE LIGHTS IN OUR HOUSE. WE HAD A FUN NIGHT DOING THIS WHILE LISTENING TO CHRISTMAS MUSIC. IT WAS ACTUALLY RELAXING SINCE I LOVE TO DECORATE THE TREE!

THE LIGHTS, THIS IS THE WORST JOB EVER BUT SO PRETTY WHEN IT IS DONE. I SHOULD REALLY LEARN TO PUT THEM AWAY BETTER AT THE END OF THE SEASON!

HERE IS THE FINISHED PRODUCT, WE GOT THIS TREE WITH OUR HANDS AND A CHAINSAW AND IT WAS FREE! GOOD TREE PICKING JARED- I DON'T THINK IT LOOKS HALF BAD!

WEDNESDAY NIGHT WAS PORTNEUF EMPLOYEE'S NIGHT AT THE FESTIVAL OF TREES, SO JARED AND I TOOK HALLE TO IT. SINCE I AM AN EMPLOYEE, WE GOT SOME TREATS IN THE BASEMENT, AWAY FROM EVERYONE AND GOT TO ENJOY LISTENING TO HOLIDAY MUSIC, WE ALSO PUT IN FOR RAFFLES-BUT OUR LUCK, NO WINNERS DARNIT! WE THEN MET NIKI AND TROY AND TREVOR UPSTAIRS AND ROAMED AROUND THE TREES! THEY WERE BEAUTIFUL BUT THERE WAS NO ROOM, THE PLACE WAS PACKED. IT WAS FUN BUT NEXT YEAR, THEY SHOULD DO IT MORE SPREAD OUT SO YOU CAN HAVE ROOM TO BREATH, OH WELL! WE HAD FUN AND IT WAS FREE! HALLE LOVED ALL THE LIGHTS AND PEOPLE!

HALLE CHILLING IN HER STROLLER WHILE WE ATE AND TALKED. WHAT A GOOD GIRL!


HERE WE ARE HANGING OUT AT THE FESTIVAL~

TROY, TREVOR, AND NIKI LOVED THE FESTIVAL ALSO. WE LOVED HAVING THEM COME WITH US! TREVY HAD A DOUBLE EAR INFECTION THAT HE WAS JUST GETTING RID OF, HE WAS SUCH A TROOPER AND SUCH A GOOD BOY! WE LOVE THEM!

THURSDAY WAS FOLLOWED UP WITH A BABY SHOWER FOR ONE OF MY FRIEND HEATHER JENKS. WE HAD IT AT MY HOUSE AND IT TURNED OUT TO BE ALOT OF FUN. ALL THE MOMS IN OUR PLAY GROUP CAME OVER AND BROUGHT SNACKS. WE TALKED, SNACKED AND HEATHER OPENED GIFTS FOR HER BABY CLARA~IT WAS SO FUN AND WE WISH HER LUCK! WE LOVE YOU HEATHER!


HEATHER, OPENING ONE OF HER GIFTS!

THEN TO END THE WEEK, HALLE WAS ONRY ON FRIDAY AND HAD A LONG DAY AND JARED HUNG UP LIGHTS OUTSIDE. HALLE SLEPT ALOT THAT DAY AND I KNEW SHE DIDN'T FEEL TO HOT! THAT NIGHT, I NOTICED SHE HAD A SLIGHT FEVER AND WAS NEEDY SO I THOUGHT IT MUST BE A TOOTH COMING IN. WE WENT TO THE WARD PARTY AND WATCHED THE PRIMARY ACT OUT THE NATIVITY-THEY DID GREAT AND ATE A WONDERFUL DINNER. AFTER WE CAME HOME AND PUT HALLE TO BED. ON SATURDAY WE WERE TO GO TO BOISE TO STAY WITH JARED'S BRO-TREG AND HIS GIRLS. OUR FRIENDS, THE HIGBEE'S WERE BLESSING THEIR BABY ON SUNDAY DOWN THERE AND WE WERE INVITED. HALLE WOKE UP TO A RASH ALL OVER HER BODY, IT DIDN'T SEEM TO BOTHER HER BUT IT LOOKED BAD AND THE NIGHT BEFORE SHE HAD A FEVER SO I WAS A BIT NERVOUS TO GO TO BOISE BUT WE WENT, BECAUSE SHE FELT FINE, AND THE RASH WASN'T BOTHERING HER AND HER FEVER WAS GONE. SO WE HEADED TO BOISE. WHEN WE GOT THERE, WE WENT TO OLD NAVY AND GOT SOME KILLER DEALS ON SOME CLOTHES FOR HALLE AND THEN WE WENT TO DINNER WITH HIGBEE'S AND SOME OF THERE OTHER FRIENDS AT THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY. WE HAD A BLAST. AFTER DINNER, WE WENT HOME TO PUT HALLE DOWN. IT WAS A LONG NIGHT, NEEDLESS TO SAY. WE WOKE UP TO GET READY FOR CHURCH AND HALLE VOMITED OUT OF NO WHERE. THEN SHE ACTED FINE SO WE WENT TO CHURCH TO THE WONDERFUL BLESSING. AFTER CHURCH WE WENT TO A BRUNCH AT HIGBEE'S AND THEN BACK TO TREG'S TO PACK TO COME HOME. HALLE SEEMED OK BUT VERY TIRED. I CALLED THE PEDIATRICIAN ON CALL JUST TO SEE WHAT TO DO AND HE SAID SHE WAS REACTING TO HER FIRST MMR SHOT, AND THAT SHE WOULD BE FINE. IT IS A LIVE VIRUS AND HER IMMUNE SYSTEM WAS TRYING TO FIGHT IT OFF, WHICH, IS WHAT THEY LIKE TO SEE. ON TOP OF IT ALL, SHE RUBBED HER EYE SO HARD THE NIGHT BEFORE SHE BROKE A BLOOD VESSEL IN IT AND IT LOOKED SORE AND GROSS. SHE LOOKED AND PROBABLY FELT ROUGH, HOWEVER, SHE WAS STILL SUCH A GOOD LITTLE GIRL. WE HAD TONS OF FUN BUT IT WAS VERY EVENTFUL! WHAT A GREAT WEEKEND~

HERE IS HALLE ON THE WAY HOME FROM BOISE, SHE WAS SO GOOD IN THE CAR. SHE EITHER SLEPT OR PLAYED. HERE SHE IS WAKING UP. WHAT A TROOPER!

HERE IS MY FRIEND, JEN HIGBEE, AND I. I LOVE HER TO DEATH AND MISS HER LIKE CRAZY! SHE IS A GREAT FRIEND AND IT WAS SO GOOD TO SEE HER AND MEET HER ADORABLE BABY, KATHRYN LYNN!