March 23rd Monday, A Day at the ZOO!

Monday was a GREAT day to go to the ZOO. It wasn't very
crowded and wasn't HOT! You can't beat that! Our family
hasn't been to the ZOO in several years, so we were excited
for the adventure! The ZOO was lots of walking, animals that
didn't want to be seen, whining kids(I'm hot, I'm hungry, lets
go here, we didn't see this, how come that...but over all they
were pretty good and had a good time)!


Cashlyn LOVED the petting ZOO! This was fun for the kids,
my girls loved to get close to the animals, they especially loved
it when the goats would start to poop or pee!


Courtney and Amberly were ALWAYS posing for
a picture. When I went to the bathroom, they stole
my camera and started snapping...I have lots of
pictures of them, and feet and heads or no heads...and
did I say LOTS of them! They are cute girls, and
at such a fun age!


Chelsea LOVES to pose for pictures! She was pretty
bored at the ZOO, but tried to make the best of it!


Grandpa and Grandma Baum with the grandkids who went
to the ZOO! A lady near by said, Is that your family...YES...
they are SOOOOO beautiful...tell them they are so lucky, you
don't see families like that anymore...We tried to tell her this
was only half of us, but she didn't listen.

We LOVE our FAMILY, and are so glad we could spend
SPRING BREAK WITH THEM!

March 23rd, LIfe at the ZOO #2

At the Zoo, there was squirrels everywhere. They loved to get food. Ross and the kids tried to hold as still as possible so the squirrel would come and eat out of their hands. It got pretty close and some of the kids didn't like that too well.


Chelsea and Courtney wanted to rock climb. At the zoo they have a climb the palm tree. The girls loved it. They climbed up to the top, then dropped down. The people let my girls go up 3 times. Chelsea and Courtney have always wanted to rock climb, so this was a great time!

LOST & FOUND!
While we were all watching the kids rock climb, and just about done we started to gather the kids to move, and OH NO...NO Braxton. Char and I stayed with the kids, and my Dad and Nikki went one way...my Mom went another way...Ross went one way...Tiffani another...and Hal went back to the place we had last been. None of us realized that Braxton had been missing for about 20 minutes. They searched for about 10 minutes,
then Ross saw him with a worker. Braxton had wondered off, ended up in a gift shop. We were just glad they found him. Well...not even 15 minutes later...we all started up this little trail off the main road, and Charlayne was at the back...Meghan was no where to be found. Char kept asking everyone, are you sure you don't have Meghan, I saw her go with Chelsea...I said NO. My dad came back and said do you have Meghan...NO! So the adults again went backtracking...and NO Meghan. The rest of us kept walking along the trail, and we decided to send Bryce and Chelsea up ahead to see if she was there. Just as they were coming back (with Meghan) Char calls and ask if we are sure one more time if we had her...NO,(Char was just asking them to call someone to help look) but then the kids said we have her...and boy were we releaved!
I DON'T THINK WE ARE GOING BACK TO THE ZOO FOR A WHILE! (at least until we have a buddy system)

Nikki's Birthday...March 22nd

Happy Birthday Nikki! Officially 20,
She is no longer a teenager!

Here are some of the things we love about
NIKKI!

Beautiful Smile
Contagious Laugh
Great Hairstylist!
(we love that she makes us all look instyle)
The best babysitter
(especially spur of the moment)
Always looks so CUTE!

We love you Nikki...you are lots of fun to be around, and
we appreciate all you do for our family!

March 22nd, Sunday Missionary Report

It was great to hear my cousin Tyler report about his mission in Africa! This was a highlight of the week! He related his missionary service to prayer, and how we always need to have a prayer in our hearts. I love to hear missionary reports and about their service! I love that these missionaries who come home have such a love of life, love for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Service, Faith, and they are such a JOY to be around! Thank YOU missionaries for being great examples and bringing that extra spark to those around you!

March 21st, Saturday Service Project

To kick off SPRING BREAK we had a service project for my Grandma Carpenter in Gilbert. All my Mom's family was invited to come help clean up her yard. This was a fun family project. The men worked hard trimming branches, cutting down the palm tree and grape vines in swimming pool area. The woman pitched in with clean up here and there, but mostly worked hard at watching children, and visiting. We had LOTS of FUN!


Even the dog got a trim, well not just a trim but
a shaving to the skin!


All the kids pitched in, it was great to see them work! They
hauled branches, picked up trash, and loved to watch the men
cut down the palm tree!


How many men does it take to make a decision? We(all the
woman) would sit, joke and laugh...the men seemed to either
have a lengthy discussion on what to next or how to do, OR
2 men would work and the rest would supervise!


Everyone brought a picnic lunch! IT was GREAT fun to sit
and visit and enjoy each others company!


On a side note: Courtney got to jump in the pool, and pull
out a large palm leaf they had dropped in the deep end.
This prompted several other children to get on their
swimsuits and jump in. The only problem was...the pool
was still a little on the cold side, so they didn't stay in very long!

We all had lots of FUN and it was a GREAT way to kick off
SPRING BREAK!

Thinking of YOU!

We do not need a special day
To bring you to our minds.
The days we do not think of you
Are very hard to find.

Each morning when we awake,
We know that you are gone.
And no one knows the heartache
As we try to carry on.

Our hearts still ache with sadness
And secret tears still flow.
What it meant to lose you
No one will ever know.

Our thoughts are always with you,
Your place no one can fill.
In life we loved you dearly;
In death we love you still,

There will always be a heartache,
And often a silent tear.
But always a precious memory
Of the days when you were here.

If tears could make a staircase,
And heartaches make a lane,
We'd walk the path to heaven
And bring you home again.

We hold you close within our hearts;
And there you will remain,
To walk with us throughout our lives
Until we meet again.

Our family chain is broken now,
And nothing seems the same,
But as God calls us one by one,
The chain will link again.

~ Author unknown~

Luck 'O the Irish

I have found my POT 'O GOLD in my family. They mean so much to me, and I can't imagine my life without them. You can call it LUCK, but I call it a BLESSING to have 4 beautiful girls! Each one of them light up my life, and I love them for the little ladies they are becoming.

I still haven't figured out what to tell people when they ask me, "how many kids do you have?", so I just say 4, and they can figure it out. We consider ourselves LUCKY to have the gospel in our lives, and so LUCKY to be able to see our LITTLE ANGEL again and to be able to raise her. What a joy and blessing this will be.


We are LUCKY to live in Heber close to family, and to live in this neigborhood. We are LUCKY the girls can go to school, and experience freedom and growth. LUCKY that Hal has a job and that Elisa can stay at home.
We are just a LUCKY family!

So here 's to the LUCK 'O THE IRISH...(Hal needs it, girls in their teenage years..are Wonderful, Emotional, Exciting, Emotional, Lots of Fun, Emotional...you get the picture)

Chelsea...almost 14! She even got GREEN rubber
bands on her braces just for St. Patty's Day!


Courtney...9 years old, and decked out
in GREEN...her face had a 3 leaf clover,
her nails got painted GREEN, a clover
ribbon around her wrist, and just before
she walked out the door to school, she added
a GREEN beaded necklace, and GREEN
jacket, and I am sure you didn't miss the GREEN
headband with the clovers.


Cashlyn didn't feel very well today, so
her picture was a little GREEN!


SEE HOW LUCKY WE ARE!

When I grow UP, I want to be...

Courtney plays on this little basketball team. They
are the TIMBERWOLVES...
Every Saturday we go to Show Low to watch
her and the team play. It started out as an all
girls team, then they added Caden Owens.
This is what Courtney said, "Ever since we got
Caden on our team(he started the second game)
we have won our games." We just started laughing.
We thought it was cute.
On the team we have, Lto R:
Kaitlyn Porter, Hannah Whipple, Savannah Reidhead,
Courtney Hall, Makenzie Willis, Lauren Hancock
and the only boy in front: Caden Owens


The games are so cute, the coaches get to go
out on the court and tell the kids where to go
and what to do!


So we were talking about what to do this summer
and Courtney pipes in...All I want to do is go
to basketball camps, so I can be a professional
basketball player. We thought really?


Makenzie's Mom (Robyn) and Savannah's Mom
(LeAnna) are the coaches...they do a great job,
and have way more patience than I do!

Salon Day

Thanks to a BEAUTIFUL Aunt Nikki, we got to have a day
at the Salon. Nikki spent her morning making her nieces and
nephews look good. We are glad that Nikki knows how to
fix us up, and that we don't have to pay a FORTUNE to look
great! All together Nikki had 8 haircuts and more. (whatever
we wanted, styles, nails, cuts...etc.)

CHELSEA got her hair trimed & Caitlyn got a cut.


COURTNEY got layers in her hair and pretty pink nail polish!


Caden got a haircut and style!

A Poem that is So True!

I have been reflecting lately about the events
of the week of May 26th. Sometimes it is hard
for me to think of Hal's grief, because I am
so consumed in mine. So when I read this poem
I thought it speaks the truth.

A Father's Grief

It must be very difficult
To be a man in grief,
Since "men don't cry"
and "men are strong"
No tears can bring relief.

It must be very difficult
To stand up to the test
And field the calls and visitors
So she can get some rest.

They always ask if she's all right
And what she's going through.
But seldom take his hand and ask,
"My friend, but how are you?"

He hears her crying in the night
And thinks his heart will break.
He dries her tears and comforts her,
But "stays strong" for her sake.

It must be very difficult
To start each day anew.
And try to be so very brave-
He lost his baby too.

Eileen Knight Hagemeister

Happy Birthday Courtney

We are so glad to have COURTNEY in our family. We waited for 5 years after Chelsea was born for her. When we went to the doctor for my check up, the doctor said, "how about we have a baby today." I was 2 weeks early and so I said I guess. He told us to go to the hospital and check in, so I went to Walmart to walk around and cry! (I had never been induced before and Chelsea's birthday was in 2 weeks) We got to the hospital about 5pm, and COURTNEY was born at 1 am. I wanted to name her "Bridget" and Hal didn't really like that name for her after he saw her. I said well then COURTNEY, and he said, "I like it."

So COURTNEY JANAE it was!


COURTNEY was a happy baby, and a
sweet little toddler.


COURTNEY has gotten the best or at lest

the most creative homemade birthday cakes...

a dora cake, a little mermaid cake,

strawberry shortcake--twice,
hannah montana cake.


COURTNEY is very sweet, and
says funny things...most recently she said
this when she lost a tooth..."I feel like
one of my family members is missing."

COURTNEY is a great big sister.

She loves to SKI, play with FRIENDS,

BAKE in the kitchen, SING SONGS,

DANCE, play GAMES on the computer and Wii.

COURTNEY loves PRIMARY & Family Home Evening!

She hasn't decided if she likes to hunt yet.(poor dad)

One of my favorite things about

COURTNEY is...everytime there

is a birthday in our family(cousins,

grandparents, you name it) COURTNEY

will go to her room pick out some

of her personal things and wrap them

for the birthday person...a special

gift just from COURTNEY!

For COURTNEY's 8th birthday we got

to go on a Disney Cruise. It was a

great vacation and we are glad we

spent 1 whole week together as a

family! A Vacation we will never forget!

COURTNEY is a special girl, and we

are glad she is part of our family!

WE love you COURTNEY...

HAPPY 9th BIRTHDAY!

Wednesday Lunch

Most Wednesday's I love inviting Chelsea's
friends over for lunch. They are a good group
of girls, and always so polite when they are here.
But most of all, they say they like my cooking...
and since my family doesn't(j/K) I will keep these
girls around!

back row LtoR
Morgan Reidhead, Lindsay Crandell, Rachel Theil,
Felicia Curry & Bethanie Stephens
front row LtoR
Chelsea Hall, Katia Honsinger & Analise Franco



Felicia, Katia & Rachel


Lindsay, Analise & Bethanie


Felicia, Katia, Rachel, & Chelsea


GOOFY GIRLS

Holy Guacamole!

Avocados were really cheap at Bashas one week,
so we bought several (like 20) so we could make
some great GUACAMOLE. Hal loves guacamole and apparently so does Cashlyn!

DIG IN!

I am sure Cashlyn got more on her face,
hands and clothes than she did in her mouth!
Oh well, it still was good!

Farewell

It has been 9 years since I had been to a missionary setting apart, and I was privileged to attend Anthony Cronin's. Thanks for the invite! It was great to be there and witness the power of the priesthood. To watch a great Stake Presidency bear testimony of missions, and the gospel. I loved being there and partaking of the Spirit. My family has been very close to Anthony for the last 3+ years, and we are so excited for him to serve a mission. He will be a great Missionary!


Elder Cronin with an Elder serving in Heber
and our Stake President.(Farr)


The most touching moment of the night, when
Billy went to hug Anthony...Billy was just sobbing
the whole time...it tugged at my heart.


2 years Baby! It will be a long time, but worth
the wait.