Joe & Kristen Blakley Family

Halloween

2012-01-20T21:57:00.000-08:00

I love fall. I love it when the weather cools down and the leaves fall. Halloween isn't necessarily my favorite holiday, but the weather change makes me look forward to it. We have never carved pumpkins before, they just make such a mess. The kids really wanted to this year and honestly I have really relaxed over the past year or so. (I think four kids will do that to you) So we took the kids and let them pick out a pumpkin and let them bring them home and carve them. Some how I got pictures of them carving them, but I didn't get any pictures of the finished product.

The girls wore indian costumes that my mom, my sister (Dana) and I wore when I was younger. They looked so cute. Carson was so excited to be a BYU football player. We even took him to a game this year to help him get into character.

Preschool

2012-01-20T21:34:00.000-08:00

I am one of those moms that loves sending my kids to preschool. I have avoided preschools at home because that means I have to take my turn teaching. I love being able to drop them off and know they are learning and having a good time and I can run my errands and pick them up at the end. This year I had some wonderful moms want to put something together and I just couldn't resist. These three boys have such a great time together. Carson counts down the days until the next class.

The Fair

2012-01-20T21:05:00.000-08:00

We have mixed feelings about the state fair at our house. It is so much fun to go down and walk around, but fair time means that we don't see Joe for the week. This year was actually better because he had several employees that helped out. Hallie always has her birthday during the fair so we go down and spend the day down there. The kids had so much fun on the trampoline things and in the petting zoo. Grace was a trooper and slept through the whole thing.

Back to School

2012-01-20T20:50:00.000-08:00

I have mixed feelings about the girls going back to school. On one hand the house is so much quieter when they are gone, but on the other hand I loose my helpers and I miss having them around. They both have wonderful teachers and are so excited to go back. Madilyn is in the 1st grade and has a new teacher this year, Mrs. Mejia. Hallie is in the 3rd grade and her teacher Ms. Bird has taught 15+ years.

I look at these pictures and I just can't believe how big they are getting. They are both growing up to be such wonderful girls.

End of summer party

2012-01-20T20:39:00.000-08:00

This year we decided to have some friends over for an end of the summer party. Not really something to celebrate, but I look for any reason to have a party. We had a BBQ, went swimming, jumped on the trampoline, and just relaxed and visited. We are so lucky to have such wonderful friends.

Bear Lake and LOTS of Blakleys

2012-01-20T20:18:00.000-08:00

Grace and Grandma Blakley

Blakley cousins

Playing in the hot tub

These four girls are all the same age - so fun

Grace and Grandma Wikle

Over the 24th of July weekend we had a family reunion at Bear Lake with Joe's Family. We stayed in a beautiful cabin and had such a great time. We got raspberry shakes, went out on the boat, played in the hot tub, and ate and ate and ate. The kids had the best time. They have such fun cousins. The adults played a game of "Minute to win it" and I don't know if I have ever laughed so hard. I am so thankful to belong to such a wonderful family.

My 30th Birthday

2012-01-20T19:57:00.000-08:00

I turned 30 this year. YIKES!!! It was a wonderful birthday as usual. I went to lunch with the girls (I have the best friends). When I got home Joe and the kids had blown up 30 balloons and had written things they liked about me on each one. I loved reading each one and they made me feel great. They also made me a birthday hat out of balloons that was about 5 feet wide and at least that tall. We took some pictures, but I refuse to put them on here. Let's just say they all got a good laugh at my expense. Anyways, it was a wonderful day and here's to many more.

4th of July

2011-07-18T19:43:00.000-07:00

I love summer!!! The 4th of July is one of my favorite days. There are always a ton of things going on and family around. This year my parents were up here and we spent the first part of the day with them, then at night we went to fireworks with some friends. Here are a few pictures of my cute kids in their new outfits.

Grandpa Hobbs

2011-07-18T17:46:00.000-07:00

My sweet, wonderful Grandpa Hobbs passed away on June 19th (Fathers Day). It was very hard to know that he was gone, but so comforting to know where he was and that we would be able to see him again. His dad died when my Grandpa was just 7 years old so they hadn't seen each other in 75 years. What a wonderful reunion that must have been.

We were able to go visit Grandpa a few weeks before he died. I was so glad that he was able to meet Grace. Carson was so cute he just jumped right up on the bed by Grandpa and started telling all sorts of stories. The kids just adored him and he made each of them feel special and let them know that he cared about them.

The funeral was beautiful. My Grandma just had a glow about her, she looked beautiful. I know that she will miss him very much. There is no doubt in any ones mind how much those two loved each other. They meant everything to each other. As we arrived at the grave site there were some rain clouds in the distance. As we started the grave site service it started to rain and it was actually really pretty. About half way through it started to pour down rain and then there was hail about the size of quarters and a terrible wind storm. We all ended up getting soaked. It was quite an ordeal. Just as we drove out of the cemetary the rain, wind and hail stopped and there was a beautiful rainbow across the sky. Grandpa always did have a good sense of humor!

You have to love this face

2011-06-12T18:14:00.000-07:00

I just love these pictures. My wonderful friend Leah took them. Grace was such a trooper through the whole thing. Thank you Leah for taking the time to make sure the pictures turned out perfect and for being so patient when she peed all over the sets and your shirt :)

(you can see Leah's other work on facebook at shutter girl photography)

Gracie

2011-06-05T22:15:00.000-07:00

We are having so much fun with this little girl. She totally has us wrapped around her finger. I know I am her mom and you always think your kids are the cutest things ever, but I really think she is the cutest.

Kindergarted graduation

2011-06-04T22:32:00.000-07:00

Madilyn had her kindergarten graduation on May 26th. It was so fun to watch the kids sing and perform for the parents and families. Madilyn is so animated and has such a great time with things like that! She is such a good girl and we are so thankful she is a part of our family. She is already missing her great teacher and her friends from her class.

He loves her

2011-05-29T22:27:00.000-07:00

I was worried about how Carson was going to do with a new baby in the house. He has done wonderful. He loves her so much. He can't walk by without stopping and touching her and kissing her. We are still working on being soft with her, but for now I am just excited that he likes having her around.

I love my mom

2011-05-28T22:57:00.000-07:00

My mom is the BEST!!! She is always so good to come up and help out any way she can. She came up a few weeks before Grace was born and she watched the kids so Joe and I could go up to Jackson Hole for a few days.
She then came up and stayed for a week and a half after I had Grace. She is such a huge help to me. She does everything for me and just allows me to relax and enjoy the time with Grace. She completely takes care of the housework and entertains and takes care of the other kids. It is wonderful!!

After all that work my parents took Carson down to Utah for a week so that I could continue to get a break with my new baby. Carson had a great time and I got to try and get some much needed rest during the day after being up late with Grace.

I have such a great mom!!

Dance Recital

2011-05-20T22:07:00.000-07:00

The girls had a dance recital the other night. They had a wonderful teacher and they were in classes with great friends. They both did a great job. Joe stayed home with Gracie so I could go watch them. It is so fun to see them so animated and having fun up on stage.

Meet Grace Blakley

2011-05-14T13:07:00.000-07:00

I just love this little face. I look at it and I ALMOST forget the last nine months of being sick and uncomfortable...and the 12 hours of labor...and the 4 botched epidural attempts. Whew! Its finally over!

Our beautiful baby Grace was born Friday May 13, 2011 at almost 6pm. She weighs 6 lbs. 13 oz. and is 20 1/2" long.

Labor and delivery went smoothly and we are both healthy and feeling great. We are all excited to take her home and have a new baby at the house. Hallie and Madilyn love her to death. Hallie decided that she liked having a new sister. We are excited about that because for a couple of days she didn't know if a new baby in the family was such a hot idea! She had realized that a new baby meant more work for the oldest child. Madilyn thinks that the baby is cute because everyone says that Grace looks just like her. Carson thinks that "pink babies" are OK, but he hasn't seemed to care much one way or the other.

We are so thankful for the opportunity that our Heavenly Father gives us to care for and love his children. What a blessing it is to have such a beautiful new baby in our family!

Easter

2011-05-10T12:33:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures of the kids in their Easter outfits. I just love any excuse to get the kids new clothes. There are also a few pictures of the kids on an easter egg hunt with the Oakeys. Ever since I was young I looked forward to the Oakey easter egg hunt. My grandma works so hard on it and it is so fun to have my kids experience this fun tradition.

It's a...

2011-02-06T19:09:00.000-08:00

GIRL!!! We are very excited. We took the girls with us and it was so fun for them to see her. I think it made it real for them. Joe was a little bit unsure about another girl, but I think he has come around. He and Carson will have to do lots of boy stuff together. Carson talks about having a baby sister and calls her "the pink baby".

What was he thinking?

2011-02-06T18:59:00.000-08:00

The other night about 15 minutes after we all went to bed, Carson starts yelling out "I'm stuck". He has had a rough time going to bed lately and has tested our patience so Joe told him to get to bed. A few minutes later he yells out again "I'm still stuck". So we decided to go check on him. We found him laying in the hall completely in his pillowcase and he WAS stuck. I honestly don't know how he got in there but it took both of us to get him out (after we stopped laughing and took some pictures).

Christmas 2010

2011-01-06T18:44:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful Christmas this year. My parents and Dana came up to spend the holiday with us. We did stockings and Santa at our house and then we went over to my Grandparents house and opened gifts over there. Hallie got a digital camera and every time I turn around I am getting my picture taken. Madilyn got an ipod and it is just a constant reminder that she is growing up too fast. She walks around listening to her music and can't hear a word I say. Carson got a BYU jersey and he looks so cute in it. He loves to wear it and everytime he puts it on he say "BYU! Go Cougars!" We feel very blessed and are thankful for this time of year to see constant reminders of our Savior and his birth.

Baby #4

2010-12-12T19:03:00.000-08:00

We are all so excited to have a new baby in our family. I am 19 weeks along, so I am starting to feel like I just might survive this pregnancy. Hallie is so excited to have a cute little baby to hold. We were hoping to know what we are having by Christmas, but we have a very shy baby. So, we scheduled another ultrasound for the 30th.

Christmas Dance Ricital

2010-12-06T18:36:00.000-08:00

The girls had a dance recital at a retirement center. There were so many people there we couldn't even get in the room to see them. My parents and Dana came to watch them. My mom and Dana worked their way to the front and cheered them on for the rest of us. The girls did a great job and had a lot of fun.

Thanksgiving

2010-12-06T18:10:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving down in Utah. We spent the day at my parents house. Joe's sister April and his brother Russell and their families came over for dinner. It was great to have both sides of the family there. Some of the adults took the kids sledding before dinner. It was nice to get dinner ready without all the kids. That weekend Chad and Mary came so we had all the family there. It was so fun and we even got a family picture.

Halloween

2010-11-12T18:53:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pictures of the kids in their halloween costumes. Hallie was a pirate, Madilyn was a witch and Carson was a dalmation. Our old ward has a trunk-or-treat that we go to every year. It is so fun to see all our friends.

Boys will be boys

2010-10-12T18:46:00.000-07:00

Carson just loves to get into everything. The other day he was very quiet (which usaully means I should be worried). When I went into the bathroom this is what I found. He decided to put on my mascara. When I walked in he told me he "looked pretty".

Hallie's Baptism

2010-10-05T18:32:00.000-07:00

I can't believe Hallie is getting so big. She was baptized September 25th. She is so lucky to have so many people who love her and want to be with her on this important day. She looked so beautiful. She is such a good example to our family and we are so proud of her.

1st Day of School

2010-09-12T18:17:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures of the girls on the first day of school. Hallie is in 2nd grade and Madilyn is in kindergarten. They are excited for a new year, but we are all going to miss sleeping in and playing all day.

Birthday Luau

2010-09-12T18:02:00.000-07:00

The girls decided to have a Hawaiian themed birthday party. We had 14 kids in the backyard. They went swimming in the big and little pool, jumped on the trampoline, and played on the swing set. It was so much fun. I love that the girls have birthdays so close together. My girls are getting so big.

Wave Running

2010-09-12T17:45:00.000-07:00

My parents sent the wave runners up for a week this summer. We had so much fun with them. We got to go up and hang out with Wade and Callie. One day we went up just our little family. We all jumped on and went for a long ride. The kids had a great time and Joe even slowed down so I could keep up with him.

Blue Angels

2010-08-01T18:02:00.000-07:00

The Blue Angels came to Idaho Falls last weekend. It was AMAZING. The planes flew right over us many times. We went to the soccer fields just west of the airport to watch them because we worried that the kids would go crazy inside the airfield with no grass to run on or relax on. It was so fun to be there with friends and family.

Splash Park

2010-08-01T17:54:00.000-07:00

Carson spends about 90% of his time like this
and the other 10% in the water, but he still loves it!

There is a wonderful splash park in Rexburg. My kids just love it. We went last week with our friends the Bozungs. The kids had a great time and the moms had a great time talking and working on our tans (or should I say burns). If any of you moms need a fun activity to get out of the house with the kids on a hot summer day, give us a call!! (They also do free lunches every day for all the kids!)

Camping

2010-07-29T16:23:00.000-07:00

The kids enjoyed some fun time in the hammock.

(Rhett WAS enjoying some fun time before this spill!)

We went up to Island Park a few weeks ago and went camping at the Johnston's property. They have a beautiful lot up there. We appreciated the invitation to go up and we had a great time visiting with several families from the neighborhood. The Birch's kids were there too and kept our kids company . I am not a camper and knowing that my uncle had a cabin just down the road with beds and showers made it even harder for me. Thanks to the twin mattress I stole from Carsons room I survived the night. Actually, it was really a lot of fun. The campsite was great and it was great to spend time with everyone.

Lagoon

2010-07-29T16:12:00.000-07:00

Uncle Drew is such a good sport!

Carson with his glasses on upside-down

I'm a little scared of heights so Aunt Terri saved the day

This year we decided to get season passes to Lagoon. We spend enough time in Utah that we decided we would get our moneys worth out of them. We have gone with the kids several times and had a blast. My mom and my sister also got passes so they could even take the kids when we aren't around. It has been so nice to be able to go whenever we want and not to be worried about the cost every time. My Grandma and Grandpa Oakey also take the whole family to Lagoon just about every year. Above are a few pictures of our anual Oakey lagoon day.

4th of July

2010-07-29T16:01:00.000-07:00

The girls all had red, white and blue nails.

Waiting for the fireworks...

Our family loves the 4th of July. It is such a fun day to hang out and enjoy the summer together. This year we had a picnic at my Grandparents house and then went down by the river to watch the fireworks. We love to go down and see the amazing firework show that they put on here. It was a great day.

Toy Story 3

2010-06-27T19:32:00.000-07:00

We took the kids to the drive-in the other night. We saw Toy Story 3 and Prince of Persia. There is something about watching a movie at the drive-in that is so fun. My brother Wade and his wife Callie came with us. We filled the suburban with foam matresses, pillows and blankets and all piled in. It was so much fun.

Rex Mortensen

2010-06-27T19:12:00.000-07:00

Our sweet nephew Rex died in a skateboarding accident on June 12,2010. He was out skateboarding with his friends and fell and hit his head. We had the opportunity to go down to Nevada for the funeral. It was actually a great experience. His family is amazing. It was very sad, but there was a lot of comfort knowing where he is now. He was honestly one of the nicest and best kids I know. We will miss him very much, but know that we will see him again.

Detached Retina

2010-06-27T18:49:00.000-07:00

The other day Joe went in to see Dr. Birch, a friend of ours to get a new prescription for contacts. They realized he was missing nearly 30% of the vision in his left eye. After a bunch of tests they found that he had a detached retina and would need surgery to keep him from losing more of his vision. The surgery went really well and he is recovering quickly. He is even starting to get some of that vision back. The doctor said in 6 weeks he will be as good as new.

Lava Hot Springs

2010-06-27T18:32:00.000-07:00

Joe had a quick job up in Lava Hot Springs, so we took the kids up to play for the day. We found a little hotel and Hallie kept telling us it was "so ghetto". Sorry Hallie, No Marriott in this town. We all had a lot of fun and it was a great way to start our summer.

Preschool Graduation

2010-05-27T17:39:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that the school year is over already. Madilyn had her preschool graduation yesterday. She had the best teacher. We just loved Ms. Karla. Madilyn also had her two best friends in her class. (Olivia Wynn and Addison Larsen) It was a great year and we are sad to see it end. We're excited though to do some fun things this summer!!!

Locks of Love #2

2010-05-27T17:16:00.000-07:00

Hallie and Madilyn both got serious hair cuts. Madilyn cut 7 inches off and Hallie cut 10 inches off. Hallie hasn't had her hair this short since she was almost 2 years old! Hallie is going to donate her hair to locks of love again. I think they both look so cute.

Butterfly

2010-05-27T17:07:00.000-07:00

Hallies first grade class learned all about butterflies this year. They all got caterpillars and watched them go into the cocoons and come out a couple weeks later as butterflies. Here is a picture of Hallie and her butterfly. After a few days with her butterfly she set it free.

Piano Recital

2010-05-27T17:01:00.000-07:00

Hallie started taking piano lessons a few months ago. She had her first recital a few weeks ago. She played so well. Joe sent her flowers because he was working at a home show and couldn't be there. Way to go Hallie. We are so proud of you.

Sushi

2010-05-01T19:01:00.001-07:00

The other day we took Carson out for sushi. He loved the food and did great with the chopsticks (for a two year old :)

Chad and Mary

2010-04-25T19:08:00.000-07:00

Carson and Aunt Callie

Carson loved the cakes!!!

My brother Chad got married last week in the Idaho Falls Temple. We had an Idaho Falls reception and a Bountiful reception. We were all exhausted by the end, but it was a great weekend. We are very exctied to have Mary in our family.

Micheal Buble!!!!!!!!

2010-04-01T18:23:00.000-07:00

For our birthdays my parents gave me and my sister Dana tickets to Michael Buble. We had such a great time. The concert was great and it was so fun with just the girls. Thank you mom and dad and thank you Joe for watching the kids.

Funny Girl

2010-03-14T17:04:00.000-07:00

Madilyn keeps us laughing on a regular basis. She just says what she thinks. I can't remember it all so I have decided to write things here and one day print this into a book.

A few weeks ago we were down in Utah visiting my family. Madilyn went to the sunbeam class and my mom is the teacher. It is a class of all girls and they are a handful. They all want to sit on my moms lap and they all want the attention on them. It's all very different from Madilyns class at home. So after church my dad (the bishop) comes home and starts asking Madilyn how church went. This is how the conversation went.

Grandpa: Madily how was church today?

Madilyn: It was fine

Grandpa: Tell me about it

Madilyn: Well, the kids were all over the place and they all wanted to sit on grandmas lap and I was just sitting there thinking WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON

At that point my dad tries so hard to refrain from laughing and comes looking for me and Joe to tell us about the conversation. My family loves to get together and talk about all the funny things we said and did when we were kids. This has now been added as one of our favorites.

Manly Man

2010-03-14T16:55:00.000-07:00

Poor, poor Carson. With two older sisters he just can't help but get sucked into all the dress-up fun. The kids were downstairs playing and when they came up this is how he looked. At least I have some good blackmail pictures for when he's older :)

New Years

2010-01-14T16:40:00.000-08:00

We went up to my aunt and uncles cabin in Island Park for New Years. The kids had so much fun on the tubes and the snowmobiles. It's always a party up there and this time was no different. We were all having so much fun we forgot to watch the clock and we played right through midnight. We had such a great time, thank you Drew and Kathy.

Christmas

2009-12-27T16:29:00.000-08:00

This is the first year we were at home for Christmas. My family came up to Idaho and stayed at my grandparents house. It was the best of both worlds. We spent Christmas Eve at my grandparents house and then we came home and did the stockings and santa stuff at our house then went back to my grandparents house for gifts and a fun dinner. We all had a great time and and a wonderful holiday season.

Halloween, Wedding and Thanksgiving

2009-12-20T17:05:00.000-08:00

Things get so crazy this time of year. I finally have a few minutes for a quick update. Here are a few pictures of the kids on Halloween. Hallie was Elphaba from the musical Wicked, Madilyn was Minnie Mouse and Carson was a cow. They all looked so cute and Carson was even old enough this year to get in on the trick or treating fun.

My brother Wade got married the weekend before Thanksgiving. The kids had a great time getting all dressed up and being a part of the wedding. We are very excited to have Callie as part of our family.

We spent Thanksgiving at my uncles house in Heber. We had a great time. The kids got to ride on my uncles horse and we all had a great time visiting.

Family Pictures

2009-10-20T19:35:00.000-07:00

We decided to give in and do the dreaded family pictures. By the time we get done the kids (and mom) are usually crying. This year was no exception. It was so windy and freezing, by the end everyone had red noses and we couldn't feel our fingers. The kids did really great considering and thanks to the magic of photo shop we were able to get a few pictures.

Triathalon

2009-10-03T10:59:00.000-07:00

Hallie did a youth triathalon up in Rexburg last weekend. Some our friends own a development up there and they organized the event on their property. There were 180 kids that participated. They were from 5-12 years old. Hallie was in the 5-7 year old group and they had to swim 50 yards, bike .8 miles and run .5 miles. It was so much fun and Hallie did such a great job. Way to go Hallie we are so proud of you.

Next year we plan on attending again and Madilyn will also be old enough to participate!!!

BIRTHDAYS!!!

2009-10-03T10:36:00.000-07:00

Wow, it seems like we have had nonstop birthday parties at our house. Hallie and Madilyn had a joint birthday party at a fun center called Leo's Place. Leo's Place has all sorts of fun things for kids to do, like slides and climbing and games, etc. They had a great time. We ended up having nine kids at the party and all were well entertained. Both girls wanted to get their ears pierced for their birthdays. After many unsuccessful attempts to get the girls courage up, Madilyn got hers done and then Hallie followed a week later. She couldn't let her little sister show her up. They both look very cute are so so excited to change them and accessorize with them. Carson has also had a birthday. He turned two years old. We had a little party with his cousins down in Utah and with Grandma and Grandpa Hobbs. It was lots of fun.

Carson helping in the kitchen

2009-08-12T19:29:00.000-07:00

This year we decided to try and grow a garden. It has been great, but I think we did a few too many zucchini plants. We can't eat them fast enough. Today I decided to make a bunch of zucchini bread. About half way through I got a phone call and left the kitchen to talk. When I came back about two minutes later this is what I found. Carson had gotten into the butter and it was all over him, the walls, the floor and there was even some on the ceiling. He seemed to think he was really funny. After MANY hours of cleaning (and some crying), I think my kitchen is finally clean.

California

2009-08-09T19:27:00.000-07:00

We took a great vacation in San Diego for a week with my family. We went to Sea World, the Wild Animal Kingdom, and the San Diego Zoo. The kids loved seeing all the animals. Carson thought that every animal was a cow. He would "MOO" at everything. At Sea World we got to pet a dolphin, and some star fish. Hallie was the only one of the kids brave enough to touch them. We went to Old Town San Diego and the kids got little guitars. They love playing with them, but they are a little loud for me. We went to the beach several times. Hallie and Joe loved to play in the water. Madilyn and I enjoyed laying in the sun and working on our tans, and Carson took naps in the stroller both times we went. We had a great time and were very thankful to have family there with us to help us keep track of the kids.

Lagoon

2009-08-02T17:07:00.000-07:00

My Grandpa and Grandma Oakey took the whole family to Lagoon this year. There were about 35 of us. Hallie tried a few big rides but decided that she would stick with the little kids rides for this year. We survived the heat at the water park and Hallie developed a new love for water slides. Madilyn loved the rides and would have probably gone on the big rides if she were tall enough. Carson stayed with Joes' sister April. With the killer heat and the long lines we were glad he was home with her in the AC. Thanks a ton April!! We all had a great time.

Locks of Love

2009-08-02T16:37:00.000-07:00

Hallie has been growing her hair out since she was born. It has been trimmed a few times, but never really been cut. When people meet her, her hair is usually the first thing they comment on. I loved her hair, but she decided it was time for a change. We took off 14 inches. She loves it and although I was kind of sad to see is go, I think she looks super cute. My little girl is growing up. We'll donate the 14 inches we cut to Locks of Love. Maybe some other little girl will love it as much as we did!

4th of July

2009-07-07T20:03:00.000-07:00

We has a great 4th of July. We started out the morning at the parade. The kids loved all the candy they got. After the parade we were all dying of heat and decided to go home and swim in the pool. Then we all took a much needed nap and headed down to sit by the river and watch the fireworks. The firework show was great as always.

Island Park and Yellowstone

2009-06-30T21:07:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we went to Island Park and Yellowstone for Joes 30th birthday. We had so much fun. We went to Yellowstone for one day and the kids loved seeing all the animals. When we got there it was raining hard. I had brought sweaters for everyone, but no rain coats. Hallie decided to make a raincoat out of a trash bag. She thought it was so cool to wear that she wanted to keep it and use it for dress up at home.

The rest of the weekend we played at a cabin in Island Park. We rode on the 4-wheelers a ton. Hallie even learned to drive them all by herself. After seeing a snake on the path I was done and ready to come back home. We had a great time.

My 28th Birthday

2009-06-09T19:35:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was my 28th birthday. Here are a few pictures of my day. Some of my friends took me out to lunch, they are the best. It was so fun to just sit there and talk. When I got back Joe and the kids had decorated the house. They went all out with balloons and streamers all over the place. Joe gave the kids a few choices for my birthday present and let them pick what they wanted to get. They had to choose between a rice cooker and a swimming pool. So, needless to say, I have a new swimming pool. We were so excited to have the pool that we decided to take the afternoon and set it up. About half way through a huge rain storm came in and Joe and I were out in the pouring rain trying to finish. We were soaked and laughing at how funny we looked. As soon as we were done and got things all cleaned up the rain stopped and the sun came out. We went in and cleaned up and Joe took me out to a great dinner. The kids and I tried the pool out today with some friends and it was great.

Graduation

2009-05-26T18:49:00.000-07:00

Hallie had her kindergarten graduation today. It was so cute. They sang some songs and got thier diplomas and then we watched a slide show. Here are a few pictures of Hallie and some of her friends and her teacher. Congratulations Hallie!!! We love you.

WICKED

2009-05-26T18:35:00.000-07:00

For my birthday my parents gave me tickets to Wicked. They flew me and my grandma down to San Francisco and sent us to the show. It was the BEST. I had so much fun and Wicked was awesome. The songs were great and I never wanted the night to end. Thanks mom and dad. You are the best.

Dance Recital

2009-05-26T18:18:00.000-07:00

Hallie and Madilyn had a dance recital last week. They both did a great job. Madilyn was a little nervous, but she got up there and was so cute. The girls were so excited to get all dressed up and put on make-up. We spent three hours on hair and make-up. They both knew their dances so well and Hallie smiled the whole time she was up there. We are so proud of both of them.

Singing Concert

2009-05-17T12:24:00.000-07:00

Hallie is in a singing group here in town. They had a concert last week and here are a few pictures from it. She loves having her friends in there with her. We gave her flowers after the show. We started giving her flowers after concerts but it started to be too much, so last time I decided to skip the flowers and she asked me if she did a bad job and didn't deserve them. So, we are back to giving flowers. Hallie doesn't like me to hear the songs before the concerts, but she did tell me all the music they were singing was "old" music. So I felt very old when the "old" music was 80's music and she was amazed that I knew the songs.

Easter

2009-04-17T20:30:00.000-07:00

We were in Oregon for Easter. We had an easter egg hunt with Joes family and one with Kristens uncle and aunt. The kids loved it. Here are some pictures of the easter egg hunts, Easter morning and the kids in their new clothes. Carson found one of his cousins hats and he loved it. He looked so cute I had to post a picture.

More Easter Pictures

2009-04-17T20:22:00.001-07:00

Oregon

2009-04-14T21:27:00.000-07:00

We went to Oregon for the weekend. Joe's mom came home from a mission to Ecaudor. We had so much fun visiting with her and the rest of the family. Here are a few pictures.

St. Patrick's Day

2009-03-20T07:47:00.002-07:00

Here are a few pictures from our traditional St. Patrick's Day breakfast. We had green waffles and green milk. The kids love it.

Bella

2009-03-12T15:42:00.000-07:00

We have a new friend at our house. Her name is Bella. She is a maltese. She is about 2-3 pounds right now and she will be about 5-6 when she is done growing. She likes to follow us around and I am worried that she is going to get stepped on. The girls think she is the best, they fight over who gets to hold her. Carson on the other hand is not her biggest fan. He woke up all happy and nice today but the minute he saw Bella he started throwing a fit and crying. I think he likes to be the center of attention.

Vinyl, Vinyl and more Vinyl

2009-03-08T21:44:00.000-07:00

(Carson loves to play with the vinyl scraps)

It's been a busy couple of weeks, but I have finally decided to start working on our blog. This is what we have been up to lately. I have had a few HUGE vinyl jobs, and I have had the whole family helping me. As you can see Carson has even gotten in on the fun. I still have a few small jobs to finish up, but I hope to have more time to work on this and do some fun things so I have something to blog about.

2008-11-04T22:07:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the Joe and Kristen Blakley Family blog. We have no idea what we are doing yet, so please bear with us and we will attempt to get some content on here that you will enjoy. We're excited to update our family and friends on our families activities and our hectic lives.