Myrtle Beach

The week before Memorial Day, we decided to head to Myrtle Beach to beat the rush of all the vacationers. We had a cool hotel picked out with some awesome outdoor water parks. The hotel was right on the beach so we could just wake up and walk out on to the sand. We had been planning this little trip for almost a month and the kids were so excited to be going. We left early Friday so we could get there in time for dinner and a little beach strolling. Well, we did get there early enough for dinner, but the kids wanted to go swimming in the ocean, so we decided for safety reason to just hold off on going to the beach until morning.

We woke up Saturday got breakfast and then headed to the beach. After getting all set up, John and the kids running out to the water, and me sitting down on the sand to catch some rays, I hear Brooklyn screaming, "Mom I am hurt, I'm bleeding everywhere." I didn't think too much of it because Brooklyn seriously over exaggerates every time she gets injured. A scratch is usually a broken arm or something like that. So I had her come sit down next to me so I could see what happened...and oh my gosh, she was not exaggerating. The bottom of her foot was pouring out blood and not stopping. I poured a bottle of water on it so I could see what happened and it was not a pretty sight. I ran down to the water and told John that we had to leave and take care of Brooklyn. We took her up to our hotel room while she is screaming and crying. It looked like there was something hanging out of her foot so we were going to try to pull it out, but she would not let us any where near it. So we headed to the nearest Urgent Care Facility.

At this point she has calmed down a little and is watching cartoons while we wait our turn. We then go back to see the doctor where the clean her foot out, not a fun experience; kicking, screaming, you name it she did it. And all of the screaming is because of the pain she thinks she is going to have, not because of any actual pain. So once she realized the cleaning was not bad she was okay. We then went off to get an x-ray to make sure there was not shell or anything else in her foot. The doctor found something but he wasn't sure if it was a shell or a big clump of sand...which meant we had to brace ourselves for more screaming. At this point I told him that I could not be in the room and I was going to have to get John to help hi from here on out. So I went out to the car with Josh and John came in with Brooklyn. John ended up having to hold her down because they had to give her a shot to numb her foot. I was told that she kicked the nurse several times and screamed the entire time. She ended up getting two stitches in her foot which meant our time at the beach had come and gone. For me, the saddest thing about all of this was the Brooklyn kept saying, "This is the worst day of my life...."

We ended up going to play miniature golf as a family which turned out to be real fun. After we were done with that, the boys headed back to the beach and the girls sat down at the hotel restaurant for a nice dinner. It was raining at this point which was perfect for John and Josh. No one was at the beach and the sand castles were easier to make with wet sand.

Here is a picture after the nurse was able to get her foot washed off...

Josh Turns 4..back in April

For Josh's 4th Birthday we headed to Chuck E Cheese...again. This time instead of just the family going he was able to invite all of his friends. He had such a blast playing games, waiting for his cake, and opening his presents. Sadly when it came to Chuck E Cheese coming around, he was not that thrilled. He did take a picture with him, but there was not a smile on his face. Overall it was a blast and he really enjoyed being with all his friends.













Josh got really close to the candles when he was blowing them out and actually burned his nose a little. I didn't notice until he looked at me and said, "Mom, that was really hot," and then rubbed his nose.













All the kids enjoyed the show put on by Chuck E. and the gang. Well...sort of, I am just glad that they were able to eat pizza during the show otherwise they probably would have run off to play more games. The did enjoy having Chuck E. come out and take pictures with him.













Justin and Chandler riding the roller coaster. One of the funnest games all the kids played on.

Baby #3 On Its Way!!

I haven't told very many people. So for those of you who read my blog and I haven't told, please don't feel left out. I have only been telling people that have been helping me already with babysitting for my doctor appointments or those that I work with. So now you know and yea!!!!

So I went to the doctor yesterday and was able to see our new baby moving around like a gymnast already. I told the doctor that having two other kids has ruined it for me. I don't want to wait for all the exciting things to happen, I just want them to happen...right now! I can't wait to be able to feel the baby moving and all the fun things that are coming.

I have been so incredibly tired and nauseous since Christmas, but luckily the nausea is wearing off. However, I could still use a nap by 11:00 everyday. Unfortunately, that is not going to happen with my ever energetic Josh running around. These things didn't happen with Brooklyn and Josh, so it is new for me to actually feel sick and be too tired to do much of anything.

So here is a picture from the ultrasound yesterday. This was not the best picture from the screen, but the only one she captured. Having diabetes does have one advantage when you are pregnant...you have a ton of ultrasounds so there will be lots of pictures to come.

Way Overdue and Really Really Long

So it has been 6 months since I have really posted any news from our family, other than John's father passing away. So here we go on a whirlwind recap of the last six months...

Brooklyn's first Dance Recital
Brooklyn has been in a dance class all during her first grade year. I ended up having to drag her to the last couple of months of practice, but once there she thoroughly enjoyed it. I took her to her class dance recital and she was just scared to death being there for pictures. Which got me very worried for the time of the actual recital. Once she all the girls in her class her nerves calmed down and she did a great job. They wouldn't let us do pictures or videos once the dances started and 8 months later I am still waiting for the DVD I had to purchase so here is the one picture that I was able to capture with her friend Abigail from her class.

















August
We headed out to Texas for August. While were out there we celebrated Brooklyn's sixth birthday. Nothing big, just a little family get together...or that was supposed to be how it was. But we ended up heading down to Sea World. They kept advertising Sea World here in North Carolina, and even though there isn't one too close, I knew we would be heading to Texas so I told Brooklyn that we could go the next time we were in Texas, which just happened to be the week after her birthday. My sister was in town from Germany so I was able to see her and my nephew Addison and do a little catching up. After spending two weeks there the kids definitely missed daddy, so it was time to come back home...and back to volleyball for me.

So once we get back to NC it is time for me to start my school volleyball. I actually missed tryouts for my team while I was in Texas, but it seems that the selections have been pretty good. It is also time for Brooklyn to head back to school. It is crazy to believe that she is already in first grade. I mean it was weird to send her off to kindergarten, but now first grade! Where has all the time gone? Here is her first day and her getting on the bus. She was very excited, especially since school was starting almost an hour later and she could wake up early enough to ride the bus. We are not morning people by any means in our family, so an 8:15 start time is perfect!!


















September
I've looked back through all my pictures and have found nothing in September...which means nothing too exciting happened. So I have nothing to report.

October
This seems like the month of a lot of happenings. Most good, some bad.
October is when our town has their Family Fun Day. We headed down to the town Elementary School for a day full of wandering through a bunch of vendors, games for the kids, political campaigning for all those running for elections, and getting to know others in the town. Being the wife of someone on the town council doesn't seem to leave me a lot of time for socializing on the fun side of things, especially with the people we had trying to run for open spots on the town council. I was trying to help John by figuring out what some of these people are doing, clearing up a lot of the rumors being spread, and spreading some of my own two cents to my friends (not negative though). The kids got their faces painted this year. Josh is totally into spider-man, so of course he became him.













We headed to Utah in October to see Grandpa Hullinger one last time before he left us to return to our Heavenly Father. I have never seen the kids so sad before. It was really hard to see the emotions Brooklyn showed once she realize that Arv had passed away. We will truly miss him, but are grateful for the Atonement and knowing that we will all be together again.

Halloween
Brooklyn has been wanting to be Daphne from Scooby-Doo for so long. I was able to find her size finally (had to travel to Utah for that), and luckily it wasn't too cold this year so she was able to just wear a long sleeve shirt with it be and be good.
Josh, still completely into Spider-Man, was able to wear his costume for a full day without me having to tell him he had to be a little boy at the store and not a super hero. He was so excited to shoot his webs at people and be all that he constantly dreams about. He really wanted to be black spider-man, but I told him that it is better to be a good super-hero, than a bad one and he agreed.


















November
We headed back up to Utah again to spend some good times with John's family. Brooklyn was able to reunite with her long lost cousins and had a hard time letting go. I ventured for the first time ever to the After Thanksgiving Day Sales. I can honestly say that it wasn't too bad. Maybe that was because I wasn't after the things that people go crazy for. The worse part was just waiting in the lines, but what else do you expect when there are a million people in one store. Will I do it again? Probably not, unless I find some incredible deal that I can absolutely not pass up on, but really I am sure that I will be able to find a deal later anyway.
We headed up to This is The Place Village to see how Christmas was celebrated back in the pioneer times. It ended up being way too cold for me and was just unbearable. I could barely stand it, but the kids had a fun time and enjoyed it. I must say the most disappointing part was when we got to Father Christmas's house, waited 30 minutes in line to see him and then when it gets to our turn they tell us we can only see him if we pay to see him (which no one else had to do) because the line was getting too long. Let me just tell you, we were a little mad at that point and I just really wanted to go.






































December
So coming back a little late after Thanksgiving really put me behind on getting Christmas up at our house. I felt like such a scrooge not having our lights, Christmas tree, and other decorations up the week after Thanksgiving. I think we didn't even have the decorations on the tree until the week of Christmas. I guess I could blame the fact that John had strep throat, I had strep throat, Brooklyn got bronchitis and strep throat for the reason for being behind. But I really think I just wasn't as excited this year. Why? you might ask, I seriously have no idea. But thanks to John he got the decorations up on the tree the week of Christmas, and I was able to lay a few strands of lights on our bushes to show a little bit of our Christmas Spirit. The kids ended up getting most of what they wanted for Christmas, which I didn't think was a lot, which was wonderful. They were happy, I was happy and we have lots of nights of board games waiting for us.






























Brooklyn's Presents From Santa














Josh's Presents From Santa














Did I also mention that we didn't even bake cookies for Santa. Luckily we had some Thin Mints in the pantry for him to enjoy.

We Really Miss You Dad...

Arvin Don Hullinger, D.V.M.

1935 ~ 2009

Arvin Don Hullinger left this earth life on October 22, 2009, to enter the next phase of his eternal progression.

Arv was born on a snowy day in a log farmhouse built by his grandfather in Monarch (Roosevelt), Utah, on December 6, 1935. He was the oldest child of James Edward and Lora Hamblin Hullinger and spent his early years in Roosevelt. After graduating from Union High School, he left home with only $60.00 in his pocket to attend Utah State University to begin pursuit of his lifelong dream of becoming a veterinarian.

He left U.S.U. for two years to serve a mission in the Northern States Mission, and returned to complete his pre-veterinary studies with a BS degree in Microbiology. During his last year at U.S.U., he met Annette Cooper and they were married in the Salt Lake Temple on Aug. 28, 1959. Arvin was accepted into the School of Veterinary Medicine at Colorado State University. In his senior year he was elected Student Body President of the Veterinary School. He graduated in 1963. He practiced small animal medicine in California and Utah for 45 years until his retirement in July 2008. He loved being a veterinarian and valued his clients and patients through the years. Although he came from very humble means, he never considered himself poor. He was able to overcome many obstacles to see his dreams fulfilled.

An active member of the L.D.S. Church, he served as a gospel-doctrine and early-morning teacher, Branch President, Bishop, and High Council Member.

He was passionate about living a full life and spent much of his time in the outdoors hunting, fishing, backpacking and scuba diving. He loved working with tools and employing his skills in welding, plumbing, carpentry, electrical and cement work.

He will be missed by his wife of 50 years, Annette, his children, Mark (Charlene), Dan (Ellen), Kari Ambrose (Tim), Ted (Brenda), Suzanne Ely (Greg), Jane Johnson (Durk), Mindi Call (Michael), Julie Duffin (Rob), and John (Kristen), and 33 grandchildren. His brother, Lynn, and sister, Sharon Oakes (Geary) also survive him.

Viewing will be held Friday, October 23rd from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm at Sundberg-Olpin Mortuary, 495 South State Street, Orem. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, October 24th, at 2:00 pm, at the Orem Sunset Heights LDS Chapel, 500 South 600 West with a viewing 12:45 to 1:45 p.m. prior to the services. Interment will be in the Orem City Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Missionary Fund of the L.D.S. Church.

Independence Day

For the 4th of July we had originally planned to be in Utah with John's family. Unfortunately John kept thinking he could find even better deals on airfare and the prices only went up and not down. So we ended up not getting tickets to fly out.

So this is how our Fourth of July went. We woke up early so we could head out to the Indian Trail 4th of July Parade where John got to ride on the town's float. He wasn't exactly excited about this since the majority of the town council has managed to make an embarrassment of our Town. I kept reminding him that he was riding the float to support the town, not to support the other council members. Sadly I did not get any pictures to document this occasion, but I am sure that some of us would just rather forget that it happened and move on. One thing I do not want to forget though, was the feeling I had when the soldiers that participated in the parade passed by us. I actually got teary eyed when they came by and I thought of all the sacrifices that they have made for each and every one of us. I am grateful to have a brother-in-law that is currently serving our country and the blessings he received while he was fighting in Afghanistan.

After the parade we went home for a little relaxing before we were to head off to the Stake Fourth of July Party. After a couple of hours I shewed off the kids that were playing so I could get the kids ready. After they were all ready, John turns to me and says, "Do you really want to go to this?" I told him that I wanted to go to see the fireworks show (since we aren't allowed good fireworks in North Carolina) but I was okay if he wanted to miss the other stuff. So we got into the car and started driving. After a while we just ended up at the local stores trying to find our own fireworks instead of heading to the Stake Party. By that time of the day most every store was sold out so we didn't end up with much, but definitely enough to get the kids excited. So that night we sat out with our neighbors and set off fireworks until 10:30 that night. It was fun for the kids and more relaxing for us parents. We had a really good view from our house of nearby neighborhoods doing some big fireworks.
































During the day I had tried my best to explain why we celebrate Independence Day. Brooklyn understood for about 5 minutes after I told her, but then it was all lost. Josh now wants to get some swords so he can fight the British.

Nature Museum Trip

A couple of weeks ago I took the kids out for a trip to the Nature Museum. It was cute little museum. The kids enjoyed going and seeing some of the animals, but truly loved the Butterflies the most. They tried so hard to get one of them to land on their hand but it was to no avail.















Mom getting in on the action