A Visit from Grandma and Grandpa Hales

Okay- Sorry Kim- Had a great weekend with Mom and Dad who drove from Cali to see everyone. We spent the majority of Friday at Grandma Mikkelson's Home-well actually in her basement. Has anyone ever been down there? I never decended the steps into her basement. Scary descent! Dad mentioned that he used to sleep in the room where the furnace is now. There in the window (literally small enough to poke a head out but not to crawl through) hung yellow gingham curtains with brown rick rack. Grandma said she made them a long time ago. We found the coolest stuff down there..... gun powder, food storage with the expiration date of 1972, a dead trantula, boxes and boxes of "stuff." Grandma was great about letting go of things. We all know how clean she keeps her house upstairs and the downstairs was definately Grandpas. There was a "shotgun bullet maker" still housing bullet casings from the last time Grandpa made his own bullets. We filled a HUGE trailer with things to haul away to the dump. I am sure that it helps Grandma to know that it is semi-clean down there. Although we did not clean up all the mouse droppings or sweep the floor. All-in-all it was a great day. Lots of progress. And Grandma looked so beautiful. Her hair freshly styled and smelling of sweet powder like she always does. I love that smell. Next trip we can all help her with the attic and then the back room. I was reminded of the life that our Grandparents led. Very frugle, using what they had. Taking care of things themselves. The life of a farmer could not have been easy but surely had joy and peace and quiet. So different from the busy lives that we all lead. No fast food or restaurants. No gyms, or close gas stations, no internet, no movie theatres. Just simplicity and fine company. One of the things I love about going to Grandmas is the time she takes to talk. She loves to talk. She really loves us all and surely has been a GREAT Mother and Grandmother.
Sunday we spent the day eating and visiting with family. There were the usual wrestling matches and tickling fests with the kids.... and adults. The Goodmans were here too and were so kind and friendly. They are such wonderful people. Mom and Dad and the Goodmans both shared funny stories from their own geneology to which we all laughed. Boy do we have some fun stories to tell! The food was yummy and the company was delightful- I wish no one had to leave. Mom and Dad left to go home this morning. They are stuck in Riverside in traffic- big surprise! But they are almost home. We love when they visit and are SO SAD when they have to leave-but thanks for coming up-we know how incredibly busy you are. Don't have pics just yet-I'll post some when I get some-

A lovely visit with Grandma Mikkelson

sort of chopped!

what would it be w/o my signature smooch shot!

i LOVE the side swoop bang!!


so i went to this new guy..i told him i was debating on whether or not to chop my hair to which he replied "women would kill for your hair-leave it long!" RHGHGHHG then he said "you have great hair, so if its short or long it looks good either way"...so i told him right now its just toooo long and toooo heavy..i want it light and bouncy!
he said "lets give you 3 haircuts-its NOT good to just chop all this hair off..thats too drastic and will cause you problems..so instead let me cut it, then you live with it for one week, if you want it shorter you can come back for free to cut it again, then another week, if you want it still shorter i'll cut it again for free"
SOLD!!

so this is what we did--he took 5 inches off and then put in lots of layers to make it bouncy and blend it all together -he was cutting EVERYWHERE i felt like i was on a makeover shower--scary! but it turned out AWESOME!! I SOOO SOOO LOVE IT!! he asked if i wanted it straight or curler..i said lets try curler..so we did--SO SO CUTE! a tip he said is of course to use light hair spray all over head before curling, then use a curling iron to curl the hair, BUT to PIN IT UP so the curl stays hot and cools off IN THE CURL still..so essentially my head looked like i had rollers in it but there were no rollers in it if that makes sense, then after the last curl he did, he took them all out and tousled it a bit..

so what do you think?? im anxious to wash my hair to see what it looks like straight and styled..but so far im loving it!

to chop or not to chop....

so lately i have been SO done with having long hair!! its too long/too heavy to do much with it...my aunt has been going to this guy who is REALLY good at doing something with your hair that would "work for you"..
SOOOOO i have my appt at 2pm...im totally freaking out as to what he's going to suggest!! YIKES!! ive been wanting to chop it off mid neck forever...maybe i should half my hair and get use to it first..
i'll have to take an after photo to show you what turned out...NERVOUS!

Just for Family and Close Friends Right?

I think that blogging in general is a way to stay close with especially family when we live so far apart. We write and respond which is fun as long as it stays here on this page. We share events and sweet experiences that happen with our children and families that are somewhat private and geared towards only sharing them with family and really close friends. Please no copying and pasting our words onto any one's blog (No matter who's it is.) This is an attempt to make the distance between us not so far. Lets keep it clean, no gossip, nothing offensive, no slander!

this will be me...

in a few days or weeks (depending on when i get the appt)...i went to the doctor yesterday who i REALLY actually like---he has ordered me a table tilt test which will have to be done at the hospital most likely..so i have a consult with the cardiologist first, then the actual test--he checked my lab work again and ALL of it looks really good...so they are going to essentially keep probing the heart to see whats going on..
so that is that!

kristi: this has been going on for over 8 weeks now..i can usually tell when its "coming on" and can hold on to something and work my way thru it..but last monday it went really fast and i fell down..i really thought it was my iron because im always low during pregnancy..but he said that my iron levels are actually really good, same with the sugar levels...so that is that!

Blood Work, EKG & a 3D BRAIN scan later

they still dont know WHY i am passing out..i made an appt to see my dr but i couldnt get in till NEXT tuesday (which really no biggy) i then went to tracy's house and was having a little difficulty (just felt weakish pass outish)so mama tracy MADE me go to the urgent care...
i had my blood drawn, and EKG done and a brain scan (the full on 3D model type)on top of that HELLO!! make a girl ALL BY HERSELF SCARED!!!! i was TRYING to hold it together and not cry..i did okay till i called my dad..why do our parents make us cry and nervous!!
so the dr came in and said my heart is great no problems with the EKG, the blood work is normal too (ie iron, sugar etc)..and the brain scan came back negative so no tumors or bleeding in the brain--UH WHAT?!??!?! we were LOOKING FOR TUMORS OR BLEEDING ON THE BRAIN!?!?!??!?!?!!
so im home now and have kept the tuesday appt with my dr to follow up (seeing how the week goes)& more tests can be made..they are testing my thyroid again and sugar levels again & iron..even though the sugar and iron came back good (which is why he ordered the hairy scary ekg and brain scan)...
so there we have it..