Painted Nails and Pigtails

Painted Nails and Pigtail

Hello all. As we embark on this latest adventure, I hope that each of you are well. As for the Hall family, we are alive and kicking, having just survived our first family vacation with both Addy and Avery to the mountains of Colorado. Wow. That word pretty much sums it up. Whether it be good or bad, Wow surely does it.

We went on vacation with my parents, as well as my brother and his wife Ashley. Things were a lot different with two small children in tow. In a care for 12+ hours. Pants were peed, tears were cried (not just by children), and we were able to organize our first scream-o song as a family band when Chubbs (Avery) decided to scream the last 50 miles of the trip. FYI, turning the radio up will only make them scream louder! At least it wasn't 51 miles.

  

                                                

                                                            Crank it up to 10!

                                                          

You notice things when traveling with children. It's like all parenting somewhat goes out the window...along with your sanity. If candy will keep them quiet, let them have it. If Addy would rather not watch the movie, but simply replay the title screen theme song for 2 hours, learn the words. And lastly, no matter if you have had to pee for the last 276 miles, if both children are asleep, we keep on truckin'. You learn these things, and you learn them quickly. 

Miss Priss

Ready to fish

At the honey hole

We also found out that while we may realize that we have lost an hour changing time zones, Chubbs did not. In fact, her circadian rhythm was all kinds of messed up. I guess she thought mountain time meant for her to be up and down like the mountain roads we climbed. Up and down, up and down, at 10 pm, then midnight, then 1 am, and 1:35 am. You get the picture, and sleep wasn't in it. That's when having a great wife comes in. She's always let me sleep. I offer of course to help, but making milk isn't an attribute that is a 10 for me, so I sleep.

               

                                       

                                                 Who needs sleep??

                                                          

Great memories were made on this trip. Addy has become so vocal, and her attitude is making its presence known. I did figure out that my future is taken care of. Professional Bass Fisherman make a good living huh? At least we will have one of those cool looking boats. I've never seen a 3 year old cast a line like this girl. It's crazy. She caught her first fish, saw some deer, and we discovered that she took a little too much pleasure in breaking the worms apart to bait the hooks, or as she would call them, "no, they are snails dad". 

             

                                              

                                                           Learning the basics...

                                   

                                            

                                                          Pro. Boom.

   

                                                       

Avery is all over the place, and we are in trouble. That girl has the fastest one-legged army crawl you have ever seen. Don't worry, if she gets stuck like a turtle on its back you will hear her....even if you are in Texas and we're in Colorado. Thanks Lamont gene. Anyways...

    

                                        

                                                   Me? Loud?....Nah

While it was VERY different, it was amazing. Being in that beautiful country with my beautiful family made me realize how blessed I am. How blessed we ALL are. We live in a great land, with freedom to go and do as we please. This freedom should never be overlooked or forgotten, and we should thank God each day we get to live in this beautiful world he has created for us.

Vacation came to an end, and reality has crept back to the forefront of our lives. But when all is said and done, my reality isn't something that I dread. I look forward to the reality of my life, my wife, my children, and this beautiful life that we all share. I am a lucky man....and they are pretty lucky too.

Until next time.

And Then There Were Three...well Four if you count Kelly

WE'RE BACK!!

Hello All.

It's been a while. A good long while. Some might ask "how long"?? Well, to put it simply Addy and Daddy have had to make room for one more in the bunch. That's right. It has been long enough to make another baby, and for that precious little girl to be 9 months old. A lot has happened since I last wrote, so we will start small, and I promise to be better about writing in the future. 

Let us start with an introduction. A little girl whose smile can not be rivaled. Whose blue eyes pierce the depths of your soul. And whose slight obsession with food has created those ever so coveted "Michelin Man" legs and arms all babies deserve. World, say hello to Avery Dawn.

Check out my rolls

So, like my first born Addalynn, aka "The Beast", Avery has acquired a nickname as well. In our household, she is known as "Chubbs", or as Addy likes to call her, "Chubbies". This little girl will melt your heart with her smile, and then blow your ear drums out the next second with her teradactyl-like shriek.  She has been a blessing over the past 9 months, and everyday with her is an adventure. A REALLY. LOUD. ADVENTURE. A trait no doubt inherited from her mother. Never fear, keep that pacifier handy and BOOM! All is well. I've come to be an expert in pacifiers since Chubbs was born. It's no easy task manning the pacifiers. You must always be prepared. And by that, I mean being equipped. One in the mouth out the door, an extra in the backpack, one in your pocket if you're making a day of it, and of course with a special pacifier that has a longhorn attached so you can safely reach back in the truck, find the pacifier in the car seat, plug her up, all while not killing your family while driving 70 mph down the highway. It's a talent, I know. Avery is a lazy one. Perfectly content with being hauled around on someone's hip, or simply rolling to where she needs to be. If she can't get there...(insert teradactyl scream)....until she is picked up. She is always smiling at everyone and everything, and her whispy little hair, the little she has, sways back and forth.

Who is this crazy man??

Enough about Avery. Back to the little one who started it all. Now, she's not so little, at least in her eyes. Addy is 3 now, and she thinks she runs the house, and the world more than that. We've entered the stage of "I don't have to", and "I don't want to", and my personal favorite "Don't touch me dad" (which she has the uncanny ability to say at the perfect times to draw the attention of a crowd as if someone was being mauled in the coliseum by a tiger). She also wants to do everything by herself, and asks everyday to go to school. I tell her to trust me, she will get plenty of schooling. She says "Ok daddy. But I need to take my pack-pack and animals to show my friends". Maybe it's really just daddy that doesn't want her to be at that point yet.

I digress...

Don't worry Jax....you're next!

She is a little girl now, and growing so much every day. She talks, swims, poops on her own...she's a little human being. Her personality is amazing, and her beauty unmatched. Her laughter brings me such joy. I guess while we are talking about additions, we have to mention Addy's new sidekick, a chocolate lab puppy that she named (she really picked the name) COCO. Like Addy, Coco is wild and crazy, and into everything. Unlike Addy, she spends her days chewing on socks and destroying my house. Well, maybe they aren't too different, but Coco does edge her out in number of socks eaten in their life. I'm a lucky man to have the three amazing girls in my life, and Coco too, and I thank God each day for them.

If it works as I plan, and in this life what truly ever goes exactly as planned, they will grow up in the image of their mother. Joyful, loving, faithful. They are special little girls, and even writing these words brings a smile to my face.

There's no greater blessing in this life than family, especially a family you know is always there for you, and whose love is unending. Things have done a swap in our household. When it was me and Addy, I watched her all weekend while Kelly worked at the hospital. Now that I am working in the hospital on the weekends, Kelly works during the week and I have both girls FIVE DAYS A WEEK! It's not too bad. I mean, the world needs more men who can change a diaper while standing up holding your daughter, and that sacrifices your jeans as a snot cloth so your daughter's nose isn't runny. Is it chocolate or poop? You aren't afraid to taste the answer. Lastly, it never hurts to be able to quote every line and sing every song to every disney movie. EVER. If only I got a hit or view for every time that goes on in my house......anyways. I cherish my girls, and am grateful for the life I have.  So from Addy, Daddy, and the new member of the wolf pack, Chubbs, Keep on keepin on.

Until next time.

P.S. I ALMOST FORGOT!!!

Addy's bluebonnet picture this year was simply amazing...drink this in, it always goes down smooth.

NO FILTER #LOL