Introducing...

Halyn Lael Hulse

October 14, 2009

9 lbs

19 1/2 inches

The obligatory post delivery pic. By the way, I have no idea why the quality of my pictures are so bad for this post. Perhaps the photog's assistant (Abram) made some unknown adjustments to the camera?

So the story is this: Considering I'd been having contractions for the previous eight weeks, I was going to be darn sure I was in labor before I rolled my giant self out of bed. So we went to the hospital about a quarter to 4am and she was born at 5:52am. It was practically a drive-thru delivery. I was stoked to get an epidural thanks to the speedy go-go-gadget nursing staff, but I freaked out when I started to feel a little more than I would've liked during the actual delivery. The anesthesiologist's explanation: when you deliver such a big baby and go from such and such station to such and such station, there's no guarantee for pain relief. Um, information that would've been helpful... yesterday! Oh well. She's here and her perfectly round head was worth all that discomfort (to put it lightly).

The biggest shocker is just how swollen she was. The doctor explained that she'd been so cramped in there that her little head was pinned against my pelvis (nice thought) for who knows how long. I do. I know for how long -- since I was seven months. Thanks doc for validating my continual remarks that it felt like she was practically peeking out to check the weather. Though this is the doc who reassured me that there was no way I'd be having another 9 pounder. "High sevens -- tops," she said. High sevens my...

The other shocker was that this little girl sucked on her hands with such determination that she had a couple blisters on each hand. One had even scabbed over! My goodness she sounded like a little vampire. Her bloodsucking tendency aside, she is a healthy and beautiful little girl who has given us yet another reason to rejoice in our blessings. Far too many to number.

The Big Kisses...

Halyn dressed to leave the hospital. Aunt Emmers embroidered this onsie for little Halyn. Oh, does she look like a two-month-old baby? That's because she's as big as one at just two days.

A funny story...

Bri and I were in the hospital with a fussy newborn and we're looking at each other trying to figure out how to appease her. "She just ate, but it's like she just wants to suck (and I'm not having that)." And then we remembered the wonderful invention that is the modern pacifier. Marin was our last child to have taken a pacifier, and that was ten years ago. Again, the blisters on Halyn's hands should've given us a heads up. And they sent this baby home with us? You'd think we'd have it down after four kids.

Going home.

The proud Biggest Sister. Emmer's made sibling shirts too! Aren't they sweet? It helped compensate for the fact that the children weren't allowed to visit the hospital due to the Swine Flu scare. Brian brought them to the window of my recovery room so they could catch a quick glimpse of their new sister.

Three sweet sisters. Santi is pleasantly pleased to have a little sister. Poor thing has earned it. She'll find caring for a little sister to be easy as pie compared to wrestling a little bro, I think.

As usual, Marin admiring the small details in life, noticed Halyn shares her long and agile toes.

Ambivalence is the best way to describe it. You can tell that Abram wants to be OK with all this. Fortunately, his acting up as been projected onto other things (like taking Sharpies to walls, and "drumming" on any hard surface within reach). He shows affection to his little sister but I can tell it's going to be a process.

Halyn hanging out at home. We're loving this girl.

Marin loving her some Halyn. Nice quiet moments like these make me think (however briefly), "I just may be able to do this after all." Please don't tell that to Social Services. I'm just grateful for such an unplanned and precious moment that is a respite from the chaos of everyday life. Thank Heaven for little girls. And big sisters.

Andi's Baby Blessing, and then some...

First order of business when we moved to California was Andi's baby blessing. We flew into LAX on Thursday, June 11 and her blessing was the following Sunday. It was so great to be at a family baby blessing. You wouldn't believe all the photos I took of sweet Andi in her dress. But then Bri and I lost them when putting them into iphoto. The stink! Luckily Laura and Michael forgave us, which was easier since more responsible persons were also taking photos. All was not lost, phew!

So this is the only shot we have of little Andi in her blessing dress. The one where she's playing London Bridges with Marin, Santi, and Grandpa Davis. Still cute.

Sadie enjoyed being locked up too!

Kimball wooing yet another unsuspecting beauty. He reminds us of his big boy cousin, Abram. Both Hulse boys have a knack for the flirt. We're in trouble for sure. We're all just positive that they'll help each other out and set each other up on dates with girls from their respective stakes. Those poor stake dances will never know what hit them. These two will be the biggest thing since "Rock Lobster." Maybe those two will video tape themselves dancing very succinctly choreographed routines to Bel Biv Devoe. Oh wait, I guess that was their dads. The tapes to prove it.

Here are the Hulse cousins while we waited to take those group photos you'll never see.

Hey, but we've got -- THIS! Check out me and Kathy. We are so unbelievably glamorous. I just try to hang out with Kath and hope the cool and chic will one day rub off. I can't believe I thought I was Big prego in this picture. I can hardly breathe as I write this in October.

Caught on tape. I don't know exactly what I caught Abram doing on tape anymore, but it was something full heartedly mischievous. I'm certain of it. Part of his charm I suppose.

A friendly game of trash talking. I mean backyard ping pong. I don't think I've ever heard the use of the word "school" taken to such extremes than when some of these boys pick up a paddle.

Ah, that's more like it. A friendly game of Uno. Can you see how much Marin enjoys being with Grandpa Finn and Aunt Squirts. I do realize that it is an unspoken rule in this family that no one is called by their Christian names. You do realize that Grandpa's name isn't actually Finn and heaven forbid Amy having ever been dubbed "Squirts." Just strange terms of endearment.

A big wheel traffic jam. Or to borrow Uncle Cam's term..."there's a sig alert on the 405."

It's a good thing Santi can use even the likes of measuring tape to tow poor little Sadie to safety.

How much are we loving this girl? Abram thinks the world of Sadie Pants and that everything she does is quite hilarious.

And how can you not love this face? See, I told you, these boys are bound to be trouble. Mothers, hold onto your daughters.

Uncle Cory (formerly called by Abram as Uncle Corn) and little Lila. It's crazy to think Andi, Lila and our Foursie will all be born in the same year. Isn't that called a triple threat. We'll have to rely on previously mentioned Hulse boys to keep an eye out on all these sweeties.

Oldest and youngest. Marin loves being head of the brood. She's a lucky girl, she gets to have memories of all the little ones who come after her. She's a good cousin.

Santi is in LOVE with the babies. She's an incredible nurturer. She's so gentle and kind with all her younger cousins. I think we've all depended on her to do a little babysitting here and there.

The evening closed with outdoor forts and tired toddlers. Abram would've been happiest snuggled up to Big Sis and his blankie right there in the grass. You can tell by the condition of his once white shirt that he played hard. Like he had something to prove. Cause that's what it's all about.

And this is one reason why we moved back to California. So like PeeWee, we don't have to watch it, we can live it.

Goin' back to Cali

Oh yes LL, I think so. Not for your black Corvette or the Sunset strip, but certainly for a "real good time."

It all started back in the spring when Brian was offered a different position with the Ensign Group that would bring us back to the motherland. After a lot of prayer, we decided it really was time to leave the Rio Grande. For Real? It was strange to think we would be leaving everything and everyone we'd clung to over the last four years in what seemed just the blink of an eye. One day we were there, running through our routines, and as soon as school let out in June, we found ourselves on a plane bound for LAX.

I think part of the reason I avoided mentioning anything on the blog at that moment was because we were waiting for Ensign to send out a formal press release (per their directions). It turns out they opted against the press release, so all my anxiety of breaking some classified code turned out quite anti-climactic indeed. It played out for the better since my husband is not one for any sort of pageantry. One could conclude this about him based solely on his conviction that shorts and Rainbows should be the official uniform for life.

So work took him to Cali in May while I and the fam stayed back on the Texas border until June. And although I was alone with the three children and prego, I can't tell you how smoothly it all went (seriously). The children were complete angels (not kidding) and even helped keep the house pretty immaculate for realty showings. Oh no, we've all digressed to our normal messy selves since then, but it was blissful while it lasted. Probably never to be witnessed ever again by the human eye. Ah well. Plus, I was in the very good hands of very good friends.

Of course, time got away from me before I blogged again, not to mention the fact that I was trying to prepare our entire house for packing and moving. And then we were in heaven when we actually got to California, what with ALL of our family so close. The kids have so enjoyed spending every possible minute this summer with their cousins. It has made such a huge transition into a joy and an adventure. And have I enjoyed it? You betcha. It's like the kids would disappear for a good chunk of time before I wondered if they were OK. How could I not enjoy that while so over-preggers during the summer of heat waves? The big bonus -- I actually get to see my nieces and nephew grow up in front of my eyes instead of occasional updates on blogs and such.

The original plan was to stay with Grandma Nae (Bri's mom) for just a couple weeks while we sold the Mission house and bought out here. But plans changed when the sale of the house took a little longer than expected (bummer) and the realization that Bri is gone most of the time and we've a baby on the way. So we extended our "vacation" at what the girls like to call Nae's Summer House or Nae's Hotel, and are here for the fall semester. The girls LOVE going to their Dad's old school and they never tire of childhood stories retold by their aunts. I couldn't be more grateful that there are so many people around to look after our family while Bri is away, and now that the baby is due any day, I know I've got a ride to the hospital and my big kids are well cared for.

Going through this summer has helped me realize just what we've been missing out on while so far away from family. A few times a year just isn't enough. Hopefully after Foursie is born, we'll be able to get out to BNG more often and the kids can get reacquainted with that crazy clan. There's a lot of fun to be had with all those cousins!

It seems our little family has always thrived on change and how it forges us together. I'll always be grateful to Texas for that. I'm hoping we'll be just as blessed with this move. Hopefully the Lord has work for us to do and that we can actually rise to that call. And it isn't such a terrible thing to love being home again. It's been a long time coming.

Ch-Ch-Changes

"Look out you rock 'n' rollers

Pretty soon you're gonna get a little older..."

It seems changes really are taking the pace of what we're going through (and yes, I am fully aware that I have not updated the blog in almost 4 months, so the changes sound all the more whirlwind). I will desperately attempt to cover an entire summer, marked with changes so that our children, and our children's children, and our children's children's children (you get the idea) will not look back on this time as the summer that never was. Knowing the attempt to be futile, I continue to chant (only in my own mind, of course): "Something is better than nothing." That way, I feel less of a loser for not documenting fun and also important steps in our family's life.

Showtime

Santi's Big Show was a few weeks back (It's tragic just how backed up Mom is on the blog). We all had a great time and had been looking forward to it all year long. Santi's level only performs once a year at the school's annual recital (which is plenty enough for me), but it's difficult for such little ones to wait so long to see the payoff for all their hard work.

Above is one of Santi's studio recital pics. You can see why we sprang for Garmendias instead of these, so much better. But I wanted to at least document one of Santi's costumes from this year.

Dad giving Santi a good luck hug before she entered the chaos that is "backstage."

Marin really, really (I mean really) wanted go with Santi backstage this year. Her eyes were wide with surprise at all the hustling and bustling of bobby pins flying nearly poking out an eye, clouds of hairspray floating about like theater apparitions and lipstick, lipstick, lipstick. Santi didn't bat a fully mascara-clad eyelash. She was feeling it. I think Santi did appreciate her big sister's attention and you could tell Marin was extremely proud of her little sister. I hope that lasts.

As a side note... do you like Santi's eyebrows? I've never penciled in eyebrows before and Santi needed a little bit of help in that department for stage-worthy makeup. She was so patient while I made a few attempts.

Santi with a couple of her peeps. All these girls are performers, boy. If they sensed the ready light to a camera flash, they could whirl around and bring out those stage smiles in a mere split second. I thought it was hilarious. The stage moms seemed a little annoyed with the distraction, so Marin and I took our cue to exit stage left and take our seats.

Marin and Daddy picked out flowers for Santi girl. And of course we staged some after show pictures. See how much Marin is enjoying being coerced to kiss Santi on camera? See how much I love it?

Santi was a smarty pants and brought a change of clothes, but that meant we didn't get pictures in her costumes. Ah well.

Below are the videos from the rehearsal. I KNOW the quality of these videos is horrendous. I only had my little camera. We're not allowed to tape the actual recital. They're not kidding, I saw a grandma escorted out of the recital. Yikes! They really must want that $40 they charge for the DVD.

OK, I totally get that the extensive video coverage is targeted at the grandparent audience. You have to invest a little in order to track Santi across the stage.

Santi's first number was her tap routine (which was my favorite). She starts in the back row and comes in the second from the right. The routines are choreographed so all the kids move toward the front for a little bit. Good luck following her in the different dances. Sorry.



This is Santi's Ballet number, her least favorite. None of the girls liked the song choice and had a hard time getting into it. 

She starts in the back row and ends up being the last one on the right when they come to the front. She's the fidgety one. I noticed she fidgets a lot on stage when she's super excited or nervous.

The following video is of Santi's Jazz number. This may have been her favorite one.

She comes out last from the left in the front row. Of course they change up and she goes to the back. I hope you can follow her. Look for the one who can really move those hips. We love it.

This number they performed with the younger level ones who come on stage after Santi's group exits the stage. Then Santi comes back on as the first one after the level ones leave the stage. You can see her get pumped up in the wings before she comes out. That's my favorite part and the real reason I posted this video. The video after this is the second run-through of the same number and she actually dances better.

the second run-through for the jazz number (also the moment Abram decided that all of this is now nonsense):

This video is Santi in the studio practicing the tap number. I'm outside the class, so you can hear a bunch of Spanish banter from the other moms behind me. You can still sort of hear the music. I thought Santi would like to see herself.

And now we're all relieved that weekly practices are over for the year and no more last minute trips to Target to replace pink tights with holes and runs. Woohoo!

You belong in the ZOO

Santi's first grade class took a field trip to the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville. Compared to San Diego, it's very quaint and small, but I was so grateful for a simple trip. It was made even better because both Brian and I were able to volunteer. Santi enjoyed having us there, but she made it quite clear that she would be hanging out with her friends. For a while, we tried to keep up, but then decided to give her some space. She really liked hanging out with Mrs. Thomson, her teacher, whose daughter Madison is also in Santi's class. 

Enter: Little brother. We intended for Abram to be the tag-along-kid (as usual), but with this being his first real trip to the zoo, it made everything so much fun to see through his eyes.

To feed the birds, it was a dollar a popsicle stick instead of "toppins a bag." Inflation. Santi and her pals liked getting up close and personal. I was grateful she was wearing a hat in the aviary.

After trying to eat the birdseed stick, Abram got the hang of holding still for the birds.

It's so nice to have Daddy around when you need a little boost.

Santi actually enjoys having a "big, white dad." Her dad is quite the anomaly and the kids like to gather around him and he loves it. He's so good at being silly with them, to which Santi sometimes replies with a roll of her eyes and a playfully exasperated, "Oh Dad!"

Santi with gal pal Julianna. And that was pretty much the last we saw of Santi until lunch and at the gift shop at the end. Hmmmm....

FLAMINGO

Pronounced by Abram in variations of: "faminingo," and "fanego," and "famingooooo." 

Dad and Abram taking a breather. Thank goodness. I had quite a time keeping up with them.

It certainly is amazing how quickly this...

turns into this...

But there are already plenty of Monkeys here. So Abram was out of luck. He had to come home with us.

This bear looked like I felt. As the day grew hotter, I became less and less interested in any animal, however rare or majestic. Abram never tired of seeing the next exhibit. And everyone within hearing range can attest that he never tired of repeating animal noises ad nauseam. But that's what it's all about.

I love this picture because Abram is saying, "Cheese!" He kills me every single time he does it. This picture is also indisputable evidence of where he does get the cheese in his smile and the chub in his cheeks. Notice that was not a definite admission.

The video below is of the tigers playing and wrestling like kitties. It was such a treat for Abram. We ended spending quite a bit of time watching them.

And that was the end to a nice long day. The best part is that Abram fell asleep in the car on the way home.

Out with the Old...

Is it possible that Brian is truly handing over the keys to the '97 Escort? That very same Escort that has seen him evolve from newly returned missionary to a father of four? That very same Escort that carried us through Utah snowstorms to make it just in time for California Christmases? And that very same Escort that still has remnants of melted BYU Parking stickers on the back windshield? It's the end of an era folks.

How can we forget how good the Escort has been to us all these years? I remember in '03 just the early four of us were driving up Oso Parkway and I said, "It smells like someone is roasting marshmallows," and just then this car pulls up on the side of us and is frantically yelling, "You're car is on FIRE!" Ahh, good times.

Or how about when it was officially totaled by Allstate 2 years ago when Bri was hit on the freeway by most likely the only other insured driver down here in the Valley. Phew!

And Bri can't ever forget, I'm sure, the endless taunting from colleagues who couldn't believe he would drive such a piece to work. "Just buy a new car, man."

We are so grateful that the little thing kept on ticking. What a blessing it's been to us. But the time has come to move on. So Bri relinquished the keys to one of his Young Men he helped to serve a mission. Miguel just got back a few weeks ago and now has the perfect get-around car for work and school.

In with the NEW...

Congrats on the upgrade Bri. Are new cars really this shiny? Happy to see you so happy in your new ride. 

Marin was particularly supportive of Bri's car shopping. She could already imagine herself behind the wheel. She'd done the math. She knew that it's only 6 1/2 years to driving day for her. And if our track record of holding onto cars continues, this could be the very one she drives. Little does she realize that she'll be carpooling Santi to Jr. High, Abram to third grade and Foursie to Kinder instead of those dreamy joyrides to the beach.

See his face? It takes on a far more stressed demeanor when the kids are in tow. We're trying to avoid the pungency of cheetos and milk all too familiar in the Expedition. I have to admit that date night is so much better with power locks and windows.

It's a........

Congratulations to Marin and Santi, you've got another girl in the ranks. As Tio Andrew can attest (I'm sure), there's nothing like having a kid sister.

Tough luck A-boy, but sometimes it's nice to be the only one. And since you've so enjoyed being the baby of the family, we're sure you'll settle into that "one of a kind role" just fine.

Considering each pregnancy has been exponentially more difficult than the last, Mom and Dad are heavily weighing retirement. I don't want to be like Jordan and keep coming back, so we won't hold a press conference or anything. But Big Finn is just going to have to be satisfied with me as a 40% contributor to the grandkid lot (Well 40% for now. My percentage weakens with each new Hulse grandkid. I guess at this point, we'll have to focus on quality instead of quantity).

And to foursie, we sure can't wait to meet you. You've already got quite a personality. We can already tell that you are the perfect addition to our family. With two wonderful big sisters and one vivacious big brother, you will be the most cared for little girl.

Girlie Pics

The girls had another photo shoot with Gerardo and Angela Garmendia. I posted a few on our blog, but there are a few more on their new blog if you'd like to see more! I LOVE Garmendias.

We haven't seen all the photos from the shoot, so don't worry family... we'll be sure to share the goods when we get them!

Easter EGGstravaganza

Needless to say, neither Michelle nor I could let Easter pass by without another Twilight Egg Hunt. And this year was so much better than last. It was actually dark this time when the kids hunted for eggs, making the flashlights necessary. And the sprinklers didn't even go off which was a great relief to parents.

The girls helped Abram during the Tot Hunt. Every time another kid came by and snatched an egg before Abram, Marin would say, "Ahhhh." It was good motivation for him to move more quickly.

I'm pretty sure Abram is eyeing someone else's basket. Look at those Cheeto lips. So kissable.

Below is the video of the Tiny Tot Hunt. Abram did much better this year than the one egg he found last year.



The disgusting raw egg toss, my least favorite event of the night. And the very proud winners below.



The only picture I got of the confetti eggs was the one above of Abram watching with slight confusion. I tried to stay out of the mix. And the girls were running around so quickly, there was no shot to be had of them. Same goes for the egg hunt. It was dark and I couldn't find my own kids amidst the confusion. Lucky the park we chose is fenced in.

Easter Egg Dive

This year, we took advantage of having the pool and a warm Easter weekend. We had an Easter Egg Dive for FHE on Monday. The kids loved the surprise and wondered how we got the plastic eggs to sink. Money of course. So the girls had to hold their breath for their eggs while Abram skimmed off the top.

Poor Brian was the designated swimmer for Abram. I felt so bad for him after watching this video and realizing how cold the water probably was. I really did feel bad, but not enough to switch places.

Abram taking the plunge.

The girls got pretty tired after a while. Poor things. I enjoyed watching from the side of the pool, also known as the official towel mom.


The girls were so excited to take this shot. It's their High School Musical shot.

Daddy is so happy to have all these monkeys on his back. There is no game more fun to play in the pool than climbing on Daddy and getting rides around the pool.

And now for more videos...

In the following video Abram is racing across the pool. He loves his make believe swim meets. And you have to love the cardboard box "playhouse" in the background. It's time that saggy box made it to the trash. It's been all over the backyard for months.



These others are of Marin and Santi goofing off. They really wanted me to put them on the blog.

How does your garden grow?

Earlier this spring (or winter for everyone else) we planted a small vegetable and herb garden. I am convinced that this is one of the most rewarding activities we do as a family. Not to say that our garden gets all the attention it deserves, it usually doesn't. I wouldn't place us anywhere near the rank of self-reliant. But our kids continually marvel at the miracle of something growing from just a tiny seed. It also provides helpful object lessons to refer back to.

Abram helped to pick out stuff for the garden. And by stuff, I mean anything that he felt like picking up. He really enjoyed himself. We just went to the local Home Depot, but it turned out to be craft Saturday for the kids. So they got to make a mini racetrack after picking out veggies.

I'm so proud of Brian, he made these garden boxes a couple years ago. He's always up for something fun. They fit so perfectly on the shady side of the house. When plants say they require "full sun," they don't mean South Texas full sun. It's atrocious throughout the summer.






I think the girls are most excited for the melons. Bri is probably most excited about the sweet Texas 1015 Onions that were invented and bred here locally. I'm most excited about the staples: tomatoes, basil, parsley, chives, etc... I love walking into the store and passing those things up.

Lucky, Lucky Lito

Lito was lucky enough to be Abram's person of choice to accompany him outside as often as his little heart desired. Lito didn't complain of course, but he did take some pretty long afternoon naps. He was just so tuckered out. Here is Lito helping Abram to ride his big red scooter.







As is the custom with Abram, all outside play ends with the hose and a drenched little boy. Lito did his best to dodge Abram's aim, or lack of it.





Nana turned out to be lucky too. She got to wrap up the little burrito after he had stripped out of all his clothes...again, an Abram custom our family is quite used to. He's been known to rip off his socks, shoes and pants at church. I figure if his diaper stays on, it's not a problem. Unless this continues into his teens.

Santi thought Lito and Nana's visit was the perfect opportunity to bring out her "Easy Oven Bake" (known to the rest of the world as Easy Bake Oven). So for FHE, we enjoyed miniature cakes and brownies baked by Santi and her 60 watt light bulb. Since we could only bake one treat at a time, the FHE treat took over an hour.






Lito has a history with Easy Bake Ovens. Like Santi, I too received an Easy Bake Oven when they were first introduced in the 80s. I made little cakes decorated with way too much frosting and sprinkles. One year I made Lito such a cake and put little Easter bunny figurines on it. He thought it was so cute and tiny, he refused to eat it. Instead he put it atop the microwave like a little masterpiece and never let anyone touch it. Over the years (I'm serious... years), it was knocked around here and there until finally the petrified pastry was irreparable. Poor Lito. Well, not anymore! Now there's a new generation of Easy Bake pastry chefs and of course Lito refused to east the cake Santi made for him. He put it in the freezer and then put it in his shirt pocket for the plane ride home. I'm sure it will be on display the next time we visit.

Marin and Lito shared many a moments like this. I bought this little wooden Tetris puzzle (shout out to M2 girls) several months ago and we have YET to find a solution. The instructions tout that there are over a thousand solutions. Well, if that doesn't make me feel less than the most intelligent person on the entire globe. It was pretty entertaining just to watch these two work together, which consisted of Lito building a foundation and Marin sneaking his blocks to build her own. I loved that even though a solution has eluded us, Marin and Lito spent so much time together.

When Lito and Nana left, I realized how much I'd gotten used to their help around the house. Which is to say that Abram is nagging to go outside and the laundry is again backed up. Plus, there are fewer excuses to indulge in sweet bread everyday. So sad.

Open House

Something about the photo above makes me want to cry. 2020 does seem a bit far off, but I've learned that the years with the children at home are all too fleeting. Since the girls are now in full elementary school swing, time goes by too fast. Marin only has two more years before junior high, can you believe it? Santi will be in fifth grade when A-boy starts Kinder in three years. And throughout all these mathematical calculations of time left and time spent, I keep thinking, when did all this happen? Where did all these kids come from? Didn't Brian and I just get married?

Open House was really great for the girls. Each of them had projects to present and both were proud to have received excellent marks. Phew! It's been so fun to see each of them mature in their own ways and explore their own talents and interests. I so love them.

Santi presenting her power point presentation on Gerald Ford. She was so proud that she created her very own power point for the first time. I volunteered in her class one of the days they went to the computer lab to work on their presentations. I couldn't believe how all these little six and seven-year-olds maneuvered through the program. I was impressed. Good job Santi!


Marin's project was to create a Texas Native American dwelling. She was assigned a Tigua dwelling that was pretty much an adobe structure. She did a fabulous job on the dwelling as well as the report to accompany it. She also created a power point slide show. Again, I was impressed that she was able to do the report and slide show on her own at school. But it was really fun for Dad to share in some of the construction of the adobe.

Here's a close up of Marin and Dad's hard work. I thought it looked fantastic. What you don't see are the little figures Marin put inside the dwelling. She made people out of model magic. Of course, the only color of model magic left in the house was the politically incorrect red for this kind of project. Nevertheless, Dad let her proceed and saved the politically correct lesson for another day.

The highlight of the evening was that the girls were able to share all of their accomplishments with Nana and Lito who were still in town. Nana and Lito said they had such a wonderful time, even though it doesn't look so much like it in this photo. My family has a terrible habit of hardly ever smiling in photos (see abram's bday photo, etc...). I can sometimes catch smiles when the pictures are pretty candid. I think it's tragic since we'll all look back on these photos and wonder if they ever really had a good time at anything. So hopefully, me calling them out like this on the blog can help change that habit. Blogs are good like that.

Breakin' in

Bri and I spent our spring break trying to break into and make sense of the mysterious world that is the teenaged-girl psyche. Since my mom was in town, Bri and I both were able to attend Girls Camp 2009! It turned out to be mostly so much fun, as well as a little eye opening to what we may be expecting in a couple short years in our own household. Can you imagine Marin and Santi in Young Womens? This is where Bri freaks out.

Above is a picture of me receiving my First Year certification from Lynda Holbrook. Since I joined the Church after the age limit for YW, I've a lot to learn and make up. Most of my married life, I've served in the Primary. Only recently have I been called to YW for the first time. I could not have asked for a better first year of camp. How lucky I was that Bri came with.

Because our stake is brand new, the stake leadership decided that every other year the wards will be responsible for their own Girls Camp. Our ward paired up with our old ward, Mission 2, which turned out to be the perfect scenario.

In the above picture, Bishop Hulse and Bishop Smith repeatedly tried to show off how to build a fire. We were all so hungry, we're glad these two trusty Eagle Scouts finally got it going.

This is a picture of all our foil dinners cooking at once. That's a LOT of meat and potatoes.

This is Kaylee Edwards, who may look like one of the YW, but is actually a leader from Mission 2. I had such a blast with her. One of my favorite parts was bunking in the same tent with the other three leaders while Bri and Jason stayed up way too late in their tent. But the ladies kicked me out the next night, so I had to share cabin #2 with Bishop Hulse. And of course, this led to us being teased by the chant, "Rendezvous in Cabin 2!" Lovely.

And this is Shanna Wheeler who is probably the most capable outdoors woman you will EVER come across. I'm not kidding. She's guided river rafting and camping along the river for weeks at a time. This is the gal you want around in the last days, let me tell you.

Here is Shanna showing Bri the finer points of dutch oven cooking. Shanna's dutch oven skills and menus are world class. If you don't think "world class" and "dutch oven" belong in the same sentence, it's because you haven't met Shanna. We ate so well, I can't even believe she cooked all that she did in a cast iron pot.

Let's face it. The Bishops were the life of the party. We as leaders were so grateful they were both able to come as our priesthood leaders. The girls had a chance to bond with them unlike any other time imaginable. Shanna said it best that when these girls need to come to their bishop, they'll feel more comfortable after having built a rapport with them at camp. 

And I just love that about my husband. He gave them so much silly and fun attention. He's never afraid to look goofy or a little foolish. During down time, he performed his ridiculously lame magic tricks (see the video) or lead funny games or songs. He and Jason introduced the girls to the ever useful game of Big Booty.It took a while.

Melinda (Jason's wife) made shirts for our guys as a thanks for their help (as pictured above). Jason's had a Superman on it and said, "Super Smith" and Bri's had a Hulk on it and said, "HULK HULSE." Melinda says it's Jason's fav shirt right now.






Below are just a few pics of Golead State Park. It was nice to wake up to fog and nice cool air in the morning. Ahhhh.

I have lots more pictures of the girls but I figured their parents wouldn't appreciate me posting them without their permission.

Oodles of Poodles and Pedal Pushers

It's so nice that Nana was in town for 50's dress up day at school. Santi has dreamed every year to wear a poodle skirt. Well this time Nana pulled out a nostalgic night before sewing project, and without a pattern too. 

Marin opted for the rolled up jeans, which is something I could accommodate. I can handle that much. Santi would really appreciate some saddle shoes for next year. We'll see if I can plan far enough in advance. And we'll see if Nana's available for another custom fitting.

Niner

Hooray for the number nine Hulse grandchild, Andi Renee! What a cute thing. We can't wait to see her in person and catch up on all the cuddling we're currently missing out on. Congrats Michael and Laura!

Andi Renee Davis

March 10th

1:27am

8 lbs. 4 oz.

18 inches

two much

Who has two thumbs and just had a birthday? THIS guy!

Abram was fully prepared to turn two. He has been rehearsing his Happy Birthday song for months and made certain we were all prepared as well. He's also been practicing blowing out candles on Mom's aromatherapy candles on her bathtub. His motto the last few weeks has been, "if it's got a wick, it can be licked" (that goes both literally as well as figuratively. boys.). Of course he had only dry runs until the critical moment when Mom put a piece of cake with flame-throwing candles in front of a two-year-old. Fortunately, he remained professional and did not compromise the moment by blowing them out too soon or burning himself. However, he remained insistent that we go through the whole song and dance three times. Even after the third time, he was still not quite satisfied. But in our attempts to be decent parents and not raise a completely demanding child, we stopped the revelry at thrice. Because three times is not excessive in the least.




The way he "blows" out his candles is such a kill. Thank heaven for big sisters.



The girls made Abram's birthday cake. They made a lemon-jello bundt cake and topped it with whipped cream. Yum. I am so proud of them. I am trying to allow them more responsibility in the kitchen. They are so eager to learn, but they were even more elated to make such a special treat for brother's Big day!



Abram was lucky enough to have Lito and Nana visiting from California. Abram has appreciated having two more people at home to play with. No one is as willing as Lito to go play outside for hours at a time. I, for one, will be sad to see them leave.



The doting sisters, as always, helping brother to read his birthday book from Grandpa Finn.




Abram casually opening one of his favorite gifts... airplane jammies from Aunt Squirts and Unkie Chris.


Aside from the fact that, like Prince, Abram now has his very own purple throne, this gift from Finn and Lainie is perfect because Abram is fully acquainted with the word, "Shhhh..." printed on it. Every night for prayers, Abram kneels down and then puts his head to the floor and periodically utters, "shhh" throughout the prayer. This might be so, since he hears it from all of us at some point, coaxing him to be quiet for the entirety of at least one prayer in his life. Not yet.


Here is a picture of Abram and his other very favorite birthday gift... his basketball. I don't know how he did it, but this sneaky little guy found it like a week before his birthday, and once he did, it was all over. He had eyes for no one else, including the red pressure washer. I know, borderline obsessive. Even more fully illustrated by the fact that he refused to go to sleep without it in his crib for like three days.


And here is the second time we sang. Though no distinction from the first, I figured the grandparents would love it still.

Party Girl

Santi waited until Lito and Nana were in town to have her birthday party. I'm glad she did. Lito and Nana got a little taste of just how crazy it gets around here. I think we all recovered nicely. After much deliberation (and I mean MUCH), Santi chose a High School Musical theme, which means that sometime in the near future, Abram will be having a HSM party. Or somebody is. We recycle.



The picture above illustrates how Brian is only the coolest Dad (and husband) in the world. He always gets involved with the kids parties (and with whatever whim of a party Michelle and I dream up). Here he is running the East High Wildcats vs West High Knights basketball challenge game. Boy is he ever the man at extemporaneous made-up games.

Abram's contribution during the party was to get as naked as possible. A nice touch at a seven-year-old's party. Good thing the girls don't seem the least bit embarrassed by Naked Bro.

Luckily, Abram put at least a shirt on for the outdoor movie. After Marin's movie party, Santi was convinced she wanted a night party so she also could have an outdoor movie. She chose to show the Wallace and Grommit shorts. Good plan. No one stayed too long.

Lito and Nana really enjoyed the outdoor movie too! It was also a nice break from the intense noise throughout the house. 

Thanks to Abram and Lito, all of the basketballs were pumped up and ready to go for the party. Phew! In the video below, you can see that Abram is always a super helper.

Abram couldn't help but get into the party supplies box and give everything a dry run. Or not so dry.

Cleaned up

Abram cleaned up at his imaginary swim meet. We're pretty sure he came in first in all the different races he swam. I'm not certain, but I think the first race was a sprint, and the second was either a 100 Free, or maybe even a relay where he swam all the legs.

Abram picked up this sport of bathtub racing when he became aware that Marin is racing while she's swimming. So now, every time he's at the pool, even just for her practices, he's cheering her on to go faster.

We're all very proud of him and encourage him to swim his heart out. The soggy bathroom floor has become evidence of that. He's even tried on the goggles, though he's yet to figure out he can see underwater. I can't wait to play with him in the pool this summer. I have a feeling there are many a good times up ahead. And probably a few tantrums when it's time to get out. Definitely.





I like in that last video how he sees the camera and says, "Cheese!"

Love is

Say it ain't so. Can this be happening already? Marin received a Valentine's candy gram at school from a "Secret Admirer." The most adorable thing about it (though Dad would say nothing whatsoever is even remotely adorable about it), is that the young man wrote his first and last name and then crossed it out and chose to remain anonymous. Sort of. We can still read his name.

It was a great lesson for all of us. We as parents realized that Marin is getting older and there isn't much we can do about that. But it was a great lesson for Marin to decline someone's affection in a respectful and (hopefully) classy way. She agreed that the best response is to tell everyone who's been asking about this boy's crush that he is a very nice boy and that she's happy to have him as a good friend. Dad was quick to make sure she told everyone she will not be dating ANYONE until she's sixteen. GROUP DATE. And between you and me, he's not promising that he'll make good on that deal when the day comes.

Brian and I woke up to a very delectable Valentine's breakfast thanks to the dynamic duo. Who wouldn't fall in love with Peach Oatmeal, Cocoa Crispies, Bananas, and OJ? It also would've been nice to have eaten the food prepared in our honor. It's still funny to Bri and me how the girls linger until we ask them if they would like to share with us. To which they respond by instantaneously jumping up on the bed and taking over our forks.

I heart these girls.

The girls and I made these yummy suckers. Choco-covered Red Velvet cakey truffles. And on a stick? Matchless.

On a side note...

I went out to meet the girls on the corner as they walked home from school. As they got closer, I could see that they were holding hands. Just swinging along between them as they walked together. But it can't always be like that I suppose. We definitely, definitely need a little drama. Like fighting over the bathroom and homework space at the table. It's nice to know that there are quiet moments between them where they feel each other's love. It makes my heart swell to think those moments happen beyond my sight and hopefully, more often than I imagine.

7th Heaven

It was all sevens for Santi's seventh. She had such a great day...I don't remember her enjoying a birthday more than this one.
We woke up and got ready early so Santi could call Nana on their birthday. She happened to call at 7am (5am California time. That Nana is such a sport).

At school, Marin ran ahead of Santi so she could tell Santi's class that she was coming. So when Santi opened the door, her whole class jumped up and yelled "Happy Birthday!" It sure pays to have a big sister.

Even though Santi had a math test on her birthday, she scored a 97. She was pretty pleased that it ended in 7 and considered it an extension of her birthday.

The cupcakes she took to class each had little heart shaped rings on top. Six of the boys in her class didn't want them and gave the rings to Santi. So six extra rings plus Santi's equaled...you guessed it...7 rings.

We did end up eating cake that night around 7pm, although I stopped at the idea of her eating seven pieces. Even I have standards when it comes to sweets.

She got lots of phone calls from family and friends. What a happy girl she was to know how much she is loved and cherished.



Dad and Mom gave Santi puppets for her birthday. These Melissa and Doug puppets were on crazy clearance, so we got a few. It's certainly a gift we can all enjoy. I'm curious to see what else will come out of the mouths of these puppets.

Lost it

Santi is a proud loser of her first tooth. You just have to love that first lost tooth. She was too excited to contain it and I was loving every minute of it. She immediately cleaned it up and put it in the special Tooth Fairy box. She kept checking on it and she even lost it for a while. Luckily Big Sister Marin helped find the twice-lost tooth just in time. We almost sent Santi to bed without it since we had warned her not to keep taking it out of the box. Thank goodness for big sisters who are used to searching for small things lost in the chaotic playroom. Phew!



The Tooth Fairy does not go unrecognized in our house. The girls usually leave her a little note explaining how they lost their teeth and they even leave her a miniature snack of some kind. Santi chose to leave her the corner of a graham cracker and the corner of a napkin just in case she's a messy eater. Such sweetness.

I'm trying to take advantage of this little losing tooth stage. It's such a small window until it's closed off forever and thoughts like that just make me want to cry. Usually because they lead to the inevitable idea that I will one day be an empty nester and my children will no longer come home from school everyday with ridiculous stories to tell. I know I'm too sentimental, it's a lost tooth for goodness sake. I'm trying my best not to lose it.

...sting like a BEE

Marin participated in her first District Spelling Bee. She did a great job and somehow stood tall among all those big kids. It turns out that the District Spelling Bee includes grades 3-8. I thought it was crazy that these little third graders were asked to spell words that were challenging enough for the junior high 8th graders. (Many of them words I had never heard of before.)

I was so nervous for Marin, uneccessarily though. Even though she didn't make it to the top three (barely, she was in the top five), she saw the sunny side. She pointed out that she was the last elementary student on stage. And her initial goal was to get through round one and maybe even be the last fourth grader standing. Kudos to Marin for seeing her accomplishment despite the accolades eluding her. I'm so stoked for her that she looks for the good. I could do with a little more of that.


The winner of the District Bee was our friend Jason (who is the 8th grader in a blue sweatshirt behind Marin in the picture above). He is a sweet kid from a great family. We were in their ward before the stake/ward split. I was his Primary president during that time and can't believe he'll be in high school next year! It was such a delightful surprise that he also remembered good ol' Sister Hulse. He was really sweet to Marin during the Bee, they were sitting only a seat apart. So nice.


Above is a picture of Marin's Bee mates from her school. They were a fun group of kids. I wanted all of them to win. I cringed every time one of them got out. It was funny to hear them over lunch, repeating the words that got them out and trying to use them in sentences and laughing about them like an inside joke. I was so happy that their coach, Mrs. Phillips, provided an easy going and fun experience for them.

And the word that Marin misspelled was "pasteurize." She omitted the "e" and will never forget it. She also made the connection between "pasteurize" and Louis Pasteur, whom she's learned about in class. It was one of those lightbulb moments and she came home and looked at all the containers in the fridge to see what has been pasteurized. Methinks I see some investigative research skills forming. It was so cute.

The final buzz about our house is that there's a Bee to catch next year. We'll let you know.

HULSE Legs

So the term has gotten around and is currently being used from California to the Great Lakes (Ann Arbor to be exact, thanks to BIG Abram). Well, here is a beautiful example that HULSE Legs are not only a power source forced to be reckoned with in the swimming pool (see posts on Marin's swimming including videos of my embarrassing commentating), they are also quite delicate and artistic.

I am continually amazed that our little Santi (who some of you remember as The Bruiser, though that title should be passed on to little brother) is so controlled and graceful in the ballet studio. I am also amazed that this grace and control drops away once she crosses the threshold of the dance academy. If a little girl falls out of a chair while no one is watching, did it really happen? Santi says, "YES." Poor thing trips over her own feet constantly and has quickly adopted the phrase (before we can ask), "I'm alright. I'm OK."


If it's possible for a child to be born with a passion for music and a natural rhythm, it is evident in Santi. The girl can NOT hold still. She just feels it. I recently took her clothes shopping and was convinced that this is fact. So there we are in the dressing room at Limited Too (which should give you an indication of the boppy music blaring through the speakers) and I can hardly tell which clothes fit since her body is constantly in flux as she's performing for herself in the mirror. Man did I wish I could have a video of it. For improvisation, it looked quite the choreographed routine to me. Although it wasn't easy to check waistbands and cuff lengths on a whirling dervish, I got better at estimating out of necessity. It is futile to ask Santi to be anything less than she is: in motion.


As talented a performer as she is, there is also a timidity about it we sometimes see. She'll easily dance in a theater of nearly a thousand, but a handful of spectators triggers anxiety. So it took a little coaxing during our Christmas photo session with Garmendias to get these shots. And I'm so glad we did. She so loves these photos of herself and I can't help but watch her face when she sees them. I love watching her see herself just a tiny bit like we see her. That's priceless.

Back in the Saddle

So long as we live in Texas, you will all have to suffer such ridiculous sayings.

I'm just putting it out there that with everything that's been going on lately, I've neglected the blog in a terrible way. I love how the hiatus came right when I sent out our Christmas Cards which read, "Keep in touch with us by visiting our blog: teamhulse.blogspot.com." Nice. Ah well.

Now that things are slowing down, we're back into our routine of school, activities, and now working through computer issues. So I'll be posting again soon as well as filling in back dated posts. Just know that while I'm posting for you, things are being flushed down the toilet. Things that shouldn't be flushed down the toilet. (Whatever did happen to that Lego Explorer Man? Two words: toilet and Abram.) It's a sacrifice I suppose I am willing to make. Especially since Brian has invested in a snake from the local Home Depot. He's already had plenty of practice and has become pretty adept at using it. I'm sure there will be plenty of updates on that. Stay tuned.