FUN FUN FUN

More fun in the Hall household. I don't know how many of you heard: Casey recently lost his job. But, you know, it's okay. He was getting tired of Applebee's. It was great while it lasted (on good nights he could averaged $23/ hour, on bad nights, $5/ hour). But, it wasn't consistent and his work hours started to diminish for the last month and a half and it was an unreliable source of income. So yes, I'm now the bread winner. Until he finds another job. Please pray for Casey to find another job.

You know, God really does work in mysterious ways. First, we didn't have enough money in checking to cover our last rent check....ugh...the next day, Casey got pulled over. That same day, Casey got a message from his Dad that his Grandpa was sending him a check for $1,000! Then, Casey lost his job. Then, we got our earnest money deposit back, $750. So, it's interesting how things work out. I really do believe that God is watching out for us and answering our prayers. He's given us a cushion to use wisely until Casey finds another job. He was preparing us for our touch financial future. It's a big, BIG blessing. I'm not feeling the stress of Casey not having a job because of our cushion. I just hope we can make the right decisions w/ our limited income. What's great too, is that a few people have approached me recently wanting me to take their pictures, and they're wanting to pay me. If you're reading this and you're one of those people. I really appreciate it and I will give you the best work you've ever seen (hopefully! :) )

Tonight Casey and I went out w/ some of our friends. On the way home, we ran into some really....... uhhhh....hummmmm....to put it nicely, INCONSIDERATE drivers. They were driving very dangerously and very inconsiderately. It was a group of cars, the ones that are all tricked out with spoilers and piped and noisy, you know what I'm talking about. Anyways, there was a group of them spread out over all 5 lanes of traffic on the interstate. First, they would slow down to like 40 mph and wait for traffic to get way ahead of them. Then, they'd race! It was so infuriating and annoying and DANGEROUS! Anyways, Casey called the highway patrol on them. I hope at least one of them got pulled over, it'd be nice if they got a ticket too. That would, hopefully, teach them a lesson! I doubt it though, people like that are too selfish to care. Except for the drive home, we had a great time with our friends!

Updates

I haven't posted in a while. I would like to blame my two time crunches...well, three technically. In the most important order. 1. Espen! She has reached so many new mile postes this past month! First, She has learned how to sit up on her own. Not move from the lying down position to sitting, but if I set her on her tush, she can now balance for minutes on end! Second, she has also accomplished rolling over!!!! Not only can she go from her tummy to her back, but she can go from her back to her tummy! She accomplished that feat in a total of like 2 days! YAY! Third, she is now experimenting with all sort of solid foods! She likes pears, squash, applesauce, peas and she's not a big fan of green beans peaches and bananas. And fourth, her biggest accomplishment yet, she is inchworming! Not quite crawling yet, but she's trying so hard! She get up on her hands and knees and she'll rock back and forth, then fall on her face. Lol. She's a good sport, she doesn't cry through any of it. But, alas, no teeth yet. She's still just a gummer!

2. Work! Yes, I got a job. I can't remember if I posted it in my previous entries. I got a job, for now, at Pinnacle Security. Pinnacle security sells home and business alarm systems. I work in their customer service department, taking calls, for customers...dealing with a wide variety of issues. It's an okay job. Nothing of course compared to a dream job, but dream jobs are hard to come by right now and I am SOOOOOOOO happy to just have A JOB! Luckily, Case and I work opposite schedules right now and he's able to be with her (when he's not in class) while I'm at work and I when he's at work!

3. I am a sucker for the sackboy. When I'm not feeding Espen, bathing Espen, playing with Espen or reading a book. I waste my time playing Little Big Planet. Usually, I play in the evenings after Espen has gone to sleep. My friends and I have all discovered the joy of building our own levels and then publishing them for the whole world to play and rate! If you have a PS3 and are looking for a good recommendation for a game. I recommend Little Big Planet. It's so, so silly. And it's probably the best game you could ever find with a "G" rating. Great fun for kids AND adults! So yeah, big time waster! lol

Yes, you heard right, Casey is now in school! I'm so proud of him! School is a big step! He's going to do communications and he want's to be a publicist.

Heather's Bridals

Here is a sample of Heather's Bridals, since I can't post 'em on facebook. Ya know, so her Fiance Traase won't see them. :D

Ha! I knew it!

Yep, so we had a service call on our oven and guess what!? It really wasn't my fault! The oven's coil on the bottom wasn't working! That would explain every problem I had! Also, our AC was running on half capacity! Our apartment's been so hot but we haven't bothered calling a tech because we're moving soon! But, we couldn't handle it anymore! But, it's fixed now and our apartment is now bearable! yay!

I swear it's not my fault!!!

So, lately I've had all sorts of problems baking. I normally have no problems at all! I don't know what it is! First, my bread wasn't cooking right. It was golden and delicious on the top and white on the part that was in the pans. Not only that, but the minute I took them out of the pans they sunk and were doughy! I've never had that problem before! I felt bad I ruined a batch of bread but decided next time I would turn the heat up, because obviously they weren't cooked enough, right? Well, I did that and the same thing happened only this time instead of being golden and delicious on top they were really brown...but still doughy inside!!! I can't tell you how frustrating it is to make such delicious bread for so long then have it fail several times in a row. Next I baked brownies......from a box. Same type of problem, crispy on the edges and gooey in the middle. I thought since I baked them in a stone wear dish maybe it just took longer since the pan was thicker. Well, my mom's birthday was on the 16th and I decided I was going to bake and decorate a cake for her. This is my result:



Okay, what's the deal!? I don't think it's me. It's got to be the oven.

Happy

So, sometimes I get worried about things that don't exist. I was wondering if Espen really is happy and if I'm doing a good job as a mom. Well, I decided to ask her and guess what!? She said yes! Well, okay, she smiled at me and made a sound that sounded like "yesh". I know she'd rather stay up at bedtime and she hates eating with a spoon but, she's happy! lol! Having her smile when I asked her that question was like a small little answer to a prayer. How I love her!

New Job

Yes, yes. I have a new job. This is all I'm going to say about it. Maybe later I'll post more about it.

I take calls from people who signed up for a promotional kit to earn money at home, or to get information about grants, or whatever. The long and short of it is the website says you'll get the kit for $1.95 BUT in the terms and conditions (which no one I talk to reads) it says you'll be charged for things AFTER your three day trial which starts NOW!

What I've learned and want to share with others:

READ THAT FINE PRINT!!! READ THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS!!! I CANNOT HELP YOU IF YOU DIDN'T READ THEM! PLEASE DON'T CALL ME!

But, I have a job and it will help us in the long run.

Picture of the cute onesie I bought EL

It is just so cute! I love the patterns and colors!

Renna's Challenge continued

Congratulations to those who won "Renna's Challenge"! I have made your prize and I hope you enjoy them! I thought of each and everyone one of you when I designed and made them. Hopefully I can get them in the mail this week! I want one.... Lol!


http://caseyandrachelhallfamily.blogspot.com/2009/02/rennas-challenge.html

Presenting:

Onesie

I bought Espen the cutest onesie! It is a Dr. Suess onesie. It's a light green color and has the fish from The Cat in the Hat book jumping out of water. It's so cute! All the colors are patterned like plaid and flowers! On her behind it says Dr. Suess in pink! So darn cute!!!

The Rain

Wow, the rain is really coming down! Now hail too! This is Espen's first REAL thunder storm. She's seen lightening from a distance and quite thunder but this is really close! So, I took her outside (the bottom of our apartment building stairs) and we watched it rain for a few minutes. The first lightening strike happened and I counted to 5 and explained to Espen what it meant. I told her that there was no reason to be scared of it, but that it was dangerous and I would keep her safe. She loved feeling the splashes of the rain blow onto her face, she laughed! After a couple minutes we went inside and watched it from our window. She was very facsinated with it. Now onto my tornado warning story:

I was living in Gillette and working for a photographer there: George Dunlap ((www.dunlapphoto.com) Thought I put that little plug in there for him. lol) Anyways, it was raining outside quite a bit and I had to make a run to the post office. While I was waiting in line it started to hail! The hail grew bigger and bigger! Then while the lady was weighing the mail, I had lots of pieces, the tornado warning sirens went off! I looked at her and her at me and I was thinking "Okay, I'm sure they have a place we can go to be safe." Ha! She looked at me and said "Well, you're going to have to pay for these we have done and leave." In my head I'm thinking she's crazy! I'm supposed to go back out into the rain and hail and find a safe place when you have a place you can go? Well, it's the USPS, of course I couldn't go behind the counters to where ever because that's the way they are! Security is everything!!! LOL!!! Anyways, the hail is bigger around than quarters! And as I was running to my car I'm thinking "What a day to wear a skirt!" and "I hope my car doesn't get dented" and "Well, this would certainly be an interesting way to die...one I never imagined!" So, drive as fast and safely as possible back to my work. I had to park behind the building and run to the front to enter. GAH!!! Stupid hail! I got knocked in the head and back a few times but, still kept running...well, walking fast, I had heels on. Well, I made it inside and down to the basement with my coworkers. And 10 minutes passed while we were listening to the rain and hail hit the roof and windows. We were all really worried about our cars. Lol...not our lives! Well, we lived. And there was a tornado a couple of miles out of town. It didn't do any damage but still, the thought of a tornado is kinda scary. I kinda wish I'd seen it! Our cars survived, though I was a little worried because I've seen what hail can do to a car! My friend, Jill, had her car damaged pretty severely by some hail. There were a few tornado warnings while I lived there but that was the most exciting one.

Espen Is:

mothers day pics and first swim pics!!!

She smiled while we were swimming! she likes water!!

My First Mothers Day

Last Mothers Day Casey didn't want to celebrate it. He thought it was just a absurdity. After all, I wasn't a mother yet! Lol... He went ahead anyways and celebrated it anyways. He did something I can't even remember. lol. Little did we know, we WERE pregnant! I remember telling him, "I could be pregnant! You don't know!!!" He said later that he felt like a real jerk when we found out. That part makes me laugh!!!

So this year he decided to make it good. He did a good job. He made me breakfast in bed: toast, scrambled eggs and hashbrowns. (I love hashbrowns!!!) Then he got me two gifts. A PS3 game an a glass blown flower which he helped to make! Yes, that's right! He helped make it! It's awesome, it's purple (my fav. color), white and blue! That's right, you can all be jealous I got a glass blown flower made by my awesome husband! lol! Espen helped him make it...sort of...she went with him to pick it up. Later, we went to my parents and had good food and took pictures. And here they are.

I love my husband!



hummm...well...I can't seem to get the pictures on here.


:(

The Last post...

was the day before our one year aniversary! Wow! It's been quite a year! Let us sum it up for ya:
Moved to Utah! Yipee!!! Got married to my wonderful husband, Casey! Found out we were expecting our first baby! Moved from my parents to our first apartment together! Got a kitten whom we named Izzy. Welcomed our beautiful baby girl, Espen Love, to the world. And finally, got sealed in the Salt Lake Temple for time AND all eternity exactly one year after our wedding in Alpine! Quite the year indeed!

I had a great first mothers day. See pictures as follows!

The Kitties

So, the time has come. We knew this would happen eventually. Our kitties have to go. Our rent will go up unless we get rid of them. So, I'm putting in a call for help! We have two cats. We want them to go to (a) good home(s). They're both really friendly and very gentle. Izzy, my cat, has long black and white hair, is super soft and very gentle. Chica, Casey's cat, is a siamese hemingway cat. That means she has 6 toes on her front paws. She is very gentle, loves attention, will sit on your lap and tolerate every kind of attention. Chica is also declawed on her front paws, so she is an inside cat. Both the cats are good with kids and have never bitten or scratched. Both are fixed and have their shots up-to-date. Izzy, even though he has front claws, has never clawed our furniture. If you're interested in taking them (or one) in, please let me know. All in all, they are very good cats.

USPS

Oh, how I love you!

I'm being sarcastic, by the way.

So last week we checked our mail and lo and behold, we had another bill. (surprise, surprise, I know!) We opened it and we thought we paid it a year ago! What the!? So, in his frustration, Casey called the dentists office (in Spearfish, SD, not my cousin,) They checked their records and yep it certainly was paid. We examined the bill closer and the date at the top of the invoice said "April 18, 2008" Yes, it took a year to travel to us. I bet that lowly envelope has been on a quite the journey. Either that or it must have gotten stuck in the postman's chair for a year. Poor, poor envelope, being sat on everyday for a year straight has got to suck.

A few things I've learned

Sometimes when life gets you down, you just gotta remember your blessings.

The saying "Nothing in life worth having is ever easy" is SO SO true. I hope nobody ever thinks otherwise.

Never bite the hand that feeds you.

Holding a grudge is like poison in your veins.

Share your testimony, it'll help it to grow.

If you're ever faced with temptation, just turn away.

If you convince yourself that bad things will happen, bad things will happen. Likewise if you convince yourself good things will happen, good things will happen.

Your attitude effects everything. EVERYTHING!!!

The list goes on, but so does life!

pictures!

Here is a small sampling of our family pictures! My friend Melissa took them, she did such a good job!!! her website is www.thestudiophotographersslc.com.

Bills, Bills, Bills!

Whoever guesses correctly the amount of mine and E's medical bills gets a virtual pat on the back! (Amount before insurance billing.) Let's just say it was quite a hefty sum. Maybe this breakdown will help you sum up:
4 hours monitoring before delivery for mommy
Oxygen for mommy
epidural for mommy
local anesthesia for epidural
more anesthesia for C Section
several IV pokes for mommy (And vein finder)
IV fluid for several days
Emergency C Section for mommy
which includes: anesthesiologist, Doctor, many nurses
4 days stay for mommy after delivery
percocet every 6 hours for mommy
ibuprophen every 8 hours for mommy
antibiotics for 4 days for mommy
nurses checking vitals and stuff every 2-6 hours for 4 days for mommy
nurses for E after delivery
Cpap for E
Oxygen for E
9 days IV fluid for E
9 days time of nurses for E
9 days antibiotics for E
9 days formula for E
9 days diapers, wipes, blankets, etc for E
pic line for delivery of antibiotics

Should I keep going?

Let's just say it was a lot.

Renna's challenge!

The first 5 people to respond to this post will receive something made by me.It will be my choice what I send to you.But...there is a catch...ready?
1- I make no guarantees that you will like what I make! (But I hope you do!)
2- What I create will be just for you.
3- It'll be done this year!
4- You have no clue what it's going to be.
5-The catch? Oh, the catch is that you must re post this on your blog and offer the same to the first 5 people who do the same on your blog! (then come here and post, that you put it on your blog. The first 5 people to do so and leave a comment telling me they did will win a homemade gift by me! Anyone up to the challenge?

E L H made her grand apperance on Sunday, Feb 1st 2009 at 1:52pm. She weighed 6lbs. 3oz. and 19 inches long. And I'm totally gonna brag: SHE IS GORGEOUS! Never before in the history of mankind has a more beautiful baby been produced by two people. But, what can I say, I'm a little biased.

So. You all want to know the scary story? Well, I guess I went into labor on Saturday afternoon around 3 o'clock. I wasn't really having contractions but, when I went to the restroom I noticed I started bleeding! Casey was at work, so I called my mom and she and my dad took me to the hospital. Well, I was dialated to about 3.5, so they sent me home. We all knew that I was going to be coming back. They sent me home with a percocet for the pain. I woke up that night at about 2 am having regular contractions but, it really felt like really hard period cramps, so I took some tylenol and went back to sleep. Well, not sleep, more like fitful awakeness. Around 8 am Casey and I decided it was time to go to the hospital so we started getting ready. I knew the day was going to be long and (lol) laborious so I decided to take a shower and have breakfast (which was a good choice btw). We called my parents to let them know I was going to the hospital and they met us there. We also called my bro. Todd because lol, he's been really anxious about E and I didn't want him to worry or have to call us like every two minutes. lol. Anyways, I was admitted and hooked up and monitored.

I was admitted to the hospital and hooked up to all these monitors and they checked me again and I was dialated to a good 4-5 (if I remember correctly). When you're in labor, you're hooked up to two monitors, 1 measures the baby's heart rate and 1 measures mommy's contractions. I was having regular contractions about 2-4 minutes apart. With every contraction I had E's heart rate would drop significantly and between contractions it wouldn't rise back very quickly. Poor little E was under a lot of stress. The doctors were really concerned about that. The nurses gave me an IV and while they were watching it to make sure it was in correctly and good enough, my arm started to swell around the injection site. The IV was no good. two nurses, an anesthesiologist, and yet ANOTHER nurse tried all the places they could find in my arms to administer an IV and they all FAILED! lol! Every vein they tried it was a blowout (I think that's the term they used). They even had this cool devise called a vein finder to find veins and they still didn't find them. So, I got an IV in my left foot! The funny thing is, the anesthesiologist who correctly administered my Epidural was the same one who couldn't get an IV in me. kind of ironic. lol. After about 3 and a half hours of monitoring E and I, my Doc decided that the only way to safely have my baby was to have an emergency C Section. So, they prepped me for surgery and I watched Casey get ready to come with me. I got the shakes SOOOOO bad. I couldn't hold still at all. I was shaking from my shoulders up uncontrollably. I was so scared! I would try to calm my breathing but, it only worked for a second or two. After a few minutes of prepping me in the OR, Casey was allowed in, but not allowed to look over the curtain between my head and tummy. He was so great, I couldn't have asked for anyone better. He held my hand and spoke to me calmly and stroked my forhead and kissed my cheeks. He also acted so brave and didn't pace or anything the whole time. I was so scared! When the c section was underway I heard the Doctors talking and they told Casey and I that I had a uterine infection. WHAT!? E was having a hard time breathing. WHAT!? She had pooped meconium in her amnionic fluid and was really sick. What?! When she was out I heard a couple of whimpers and about a minute later, she started crying. Oh my word, I'll never forget that sound in my whole life. It was the most glorious sound I've ever heard! My baby was alive and okay. Casey and I were bawling our eyes out.

I was so scared for my baby. How did I get a uterine infection? What did I do? Is she going to be okay? What happens now? I had so many questions. They wrapped her up and I got to see her for all of 15 seconds before she was taken away. I wanted my baby! Why couldn't I hold her? I felt terrible! They took me to a room where I was to recover and I could get some rest. Doctors and nurses kept coming and going as they always do, collecting blood, urine, blah blah blah. In the end, The docs are stumped, they have no idea what the infection was caused by. I was in the hospital for 4 days. E has been in the NICU since Sunday and we hope to take her home on Monday evening or Tuesday morning. Pray for E and all the little babies in the NICU. They're all really sick and need your prayers.

Shopping with the "In Laws"

What's up everyone this is Casey I normally don't do this blog stuff but tonight the funniest thing happened that I just have to let everyone know. I had the pleasure of baby shopping with Gaylen and Leona tonight at target. They were forced to get out of their pajamas to go to target because we were going shopping and we have a coupon for 10% off everything on our registry for the day. I had the wonder ideal of getting the scanner gun from customer service so we can add everything we were buying the the registry so we could save a little more. The in laws showed up about 20 min and a hundred dollars into our little shopping trip. Leona had me scanning everything left and right.

Once we finished I returned the scanner to customer service and printed off the new registry. Much to my surprise my wife and her mother were not done shopping I had to go back and get the scanner once again to scan 3 baby outfits. This is were the story get to be a little funny Gaylen was in need of some new socks you guessed it folks Leona made me add grown man's socks to our baby registry so they could get 10% off on socks. Leona looked at me as I was scanning the baby outfits and said "Don't forget the socks" so I added the socks to our registry laughing the whole time.

In their defense they did help us out a lot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just thought you guys might enjoy this little funny story

Week in review

This past week has been eventful and yet uneventful all at once. First it started out on monday at about 6 am. I had bad heartburn and was hungry so I got up and had a bowl of fruitie tooties (ie. malt o meal fruit loops...lol...we're cheap.) then about a half and hour later I was worshipping the porceline god. WHAT!? That never happens! Yes, I still get morning sickness but usually my tummy settles after a snack and I never lose it half an hour later! I kept thinking that was odd. So, I get a piece of bread and eat about half of that and what do you know, I lost that one to the sewer system too! That morning I had a Dr.'s appointment so I called him and asked him if he still wanted me to come in and he did, so I went to my appointment with a bucket close by and I did utilize the bucket on the way to the Dr.'s. Poor Casey, he thought he would have to pull over. Well, I threw up about 4 times in four hours. not good. Doc checks me out and YAY! I'm starting to dialate! I was a whopping 1 at the appointment. It's exciting to me 'cause I've never done this before. And Espen's head is where it's supposed to be, down, and my cervix is softening and I'm starting to dialate! Woot! This baby's getting ready to come and play!!! (To me that's the most exciting event this week.) Anyways, I've got the flu real bad and I'm at the Doc's and I had to throw up in his sink. I feel bad about that. Well, he prescribed me an anti neausea medication but, I'd take it and I couldn't keep it down. I'd drink about a half cup of water or juice and then I'd be in the bathroom. And anything that was already in me, well, let's just say, it didn't stay there either. I was quickly becoming dehydrated and I was scared for little Espie. So, the Doc said to go to the ER and when I got there, they took me right up to Labor and Delivery! Wow! My own personal little tour! I got an IV and some anti neausea medicine in the iv and even with that I had to throw up. Well, at the hospital was the last time, thank goodness. I was so scared for Espen. All these what if's were going through my head, every worst case scenerio was playing through my mind. Casey and I prayed a lot and I had my hometeachers come give me a blessing. And we made it through. Espen is just fine, I'm fully recovered and I feel great! In fact, I've felt great the last 3 days! My boss was generous enough to give me this week off. Which really REALLY sucks paycheck wise but, has been nice cause I feel a lot better. I feel bad because I took this week off, put them in a bind and knowing how things usually go for me, I'll go to work on monday and go into labor at work and put them in a bind again. lol. It's kinda funny that way, that's how things usually work out for me.

OH! Yeah, I can't rememver if I mentioned that we lost another frog a while ago. Well, it was sometime before christmas we had another anphibious escapee. Well, we never found him and wouldn't you know. He never stunk so we COULDN'T find him. Well, I found it this morning. Poor little froggie, he's very crispified. So, we are down to one froggie and we have a lid now for our fish tank AND we invested in one fish. It's a black Ghost knife. it's about 5 inches long, has a small electric shock so we know the frog won't eat this fish! lol! It's quite a pretty fish. Too bad he likes to hide, we don't get to gaze upon his beautifulness very much. http://aqualandpetsplus.com/Knife,%20Black%20Ghost.htm Oh well. Here's a link to see what it looks like. Stay tuned for more updates! More on monday for sure cause I'm going in weekly now!