Adam and Heather Hayes

A Mid-Summers Update

21 Jun 2012 19:07:32 GMT

I know it has been quite a while since we posted. There are a number of reasons for this (namely that the laptop died and Heather doesn't like to use the computers in the office to do her posts.) So I'm doing a quick update.

Heather

Heather is doing well and trying to cram in everything that she missed last summer into this summer. She is taking the girls to T-ball/Pitching machine, TWO summer reading programs, soccer, swimming lessons, a 12 day trip to Texas, a class reuinion, two family reunions, and all of the other "normal" activites for a wife of someone in the bishopric. Needless to say, she is one busy woman.

Erith

Erith has been our little bookworm. She is enjoying all of the reading this summer. She also found that her walkie-talkies will reach to her best friends house, so they are constantly talking back and forth. (I wonder what she'll be like when she gets a phone...) She is doing better in pitching machine and is very excited for all of the summer activities.

Tricity

Tricity had the chance to go compete in "Pitch, Hit, and Run". She is enjoying all of the sports and looking forward to going to Texas.

Viola

Vi has been asking when she can go "back to school", already. She is an amazing reader and loves the reading program and that she gets to check out books from the library. She is doing well in T-ball and isn't wearing skirts to games (compared to last year).

Clara

Clara is our little monkey. She can climb up anything and get into anything she wants to get into (regardless of whether we want her to get into it or not). She goes about a million miles per hour and only slows down to sleep. She is getting better at reading the beginner words and picked up the basic "and, the, of it, to" words.

Charlotte

Charlotte is almost a year old. We are happy that this summer we are not spending it in the hospital. She is crawling like a champ and now is pulling herself up to things and standing by them for short bursts. She has cut 4 teeth and is still trying to branch out from her favorite word of "dad" :) She is cute and a very good baby (most days).

Adam

I've been running like crazy all year long. In February I was called as a councilor in the bishopric. Then I took an adjunct professor position at BYU-Idaho teaching CIT 203 Introduction to Programming. Besides keeping up with all of the work at my business and helping out around the house, it has been busy! I have had a couple of successful projects where I fixed our KitchenAid and our Riding Lawnmower. I'm still painting and did a "consignment" piece for a client. It has been a very busy time and I'm glad things are going so well.

Hopefully that is a little update into our busy/hectic lives.

Charlotte is home and happy

09 Nov 2011 03:01:40 GMT

Charlotte came home to a happy family. We love her so much. We love every one of our 5 girls.

She looked beautiful in the blessing dress.

Erith and Tric are a lot of help with her. Erith especially is a second momma to Charlotte.

Catching Up While Heather Has Been in the Hospital

25 Jun 2011 06:29:44 GMT

Well we've been off the radar for quite a while, but with good reason. Just over 7 weeks ago Heather's water broke. This was a big surprise and we were very nervous about everything. Heather checked into the hospital and has held up quite well. I've been here trying to take care of both "mom" and "dad" responsibilities. Here is what has happened.

Viola Graduated from Pre-school

Viola has been attending Onda K. Smith's "Touch Your Heart" pre-school. She graduated and didn't fall asleep during the program (those of you that don't know the story, I'll try to post the video someday, but it might just end up on America's Funniest Home Videos.

School's Out for the Summer

This means that we have a lot to do including watering, mowing, and maintaining everything around the house. Luckily for Heather's plants it has rained a LOT the last 7 weeks so I've only had to water a few times. However, I have had to mow the lawn a lot. Tricity has stepped up and started helping more and more with the mowing and does a very good job. I still do around the trees and the tricky parts, but she does the bulk of the "wide open mowing".

Plus the kids have been having fun with my parents/brothers and sisters and Heather's parents/brothers and sisters.

The kids have bounced back and forth during the day to Heather's parents or here with my mom or sister, or sister-in-law, or friends in the wards' houses. The kids have thoroughly enjoyed the different activities which have included bowling, jumping on the trampoline, making "crystals", hiking, and many, many other fun activities.

Visiting the Hospital

This happens often. We've tried to make it at least every three days if not every-other-day to see Heather. We really enjoy getting to see her and it gives her a break from the monotony. Heather has loved how many people have come to visit her while she has been on bedrest for these past 7 weeks. We've officially been in the hospital 53 days. The baby was 25 weeks along when her water broke and she is now 32 weeks along. We have 12 days left until the scheduled C-section.

Boise Trip

I went to Boise for a business trip and met with a number of clients (both existing and new). Normally Heather would accompany me, but I had to fly solo. I really missed her and the fun we normally have, so I didn't hang around too long and came back as early as I could (I left at 4:30 in the morning, and I'm not a morning person).

T-Ball and Pitching Machine

Erith and Tricity have been playing Pitching Machine and Viola has been playing T-ball. They've done great! This last week it rained and hailed on them during the games, but they stuck it out.

Viola was a little worried that she didn't know how to play yet and needed more practice, but she has done very well.

Tricity and Erith are both great hitters and are getting better at fielding.

Viola's Birthday

Viola will shortly be turning 5 but with Heather in the hospital we are just going to open her gifts from us on her birthday, so we had an early birthday party for her with my family. Everyone had fun and even my dad and mom got into the action and did the monster mash on "just dance" on the Wii.

Overall it has been a very busy 7 weeks. I'm looking forward to 12 days from now when our newest baby will make her appearance and getting my beautiful wife back.

When it rains it pours

15 Mar 2011 03:28:47 GMT

Well, I'm 18 weeks pregnant and am on bedrest for the 2nd time this pregnancy. The first time they said I could still cook and do dishes and do my carpooling but spend the rest of the time in bed/ resting.This time I am only supposed to stand long enough to take a shower and get back in bed. Tonight Adam sprained his ancle hard at volleyball practice and doesn't love walking too much.And that's how kids become in charge of a household!

Valentines Day

14 Feb 2011 20:06:14 GMT

Happy Valentines Day!

Today started off great with some yummy homemade pancakes.

They were heart shaped for the special occasion.

The girls loved their chocolate.

They also had fun making chocolate covered strawberries and some very special sugar cookies.

I guess this is our announcement. We are 3 months along with baby #5. Heather has had a few complications this last couple of weeks so keep us in your prayers. Everything is still ok, but Heather will be taking it easy for a few weeks.

Double Locks of Love

03 Feb 2011 03:07:32 GMT

Erith and Tric have been growing out their hair for over a year so they could donate it together. We decided February would be the magical month, and they had no school today because it was -20, so we just did it!

Erith was assigned to the only guy student at Austin Kade Academy.

As you can see he has a very alternative style, so Erith and I were a little nervous.

Tric ended up giving 12 inches braided and Erith gave 10 braided. (We weren't expecting it to be braided!) Erith didn't donate the sides because they thought it would be too short.

I think both haircuts turned out super cute, and yay for lower shampoo bills!

I think they are brave, cute girls!

Toothless Annie

03 Feb 2011 02:55:51 GMT

How many teeth can you lose in a week?

When Tric does a job, she does it thoroughly.

Not a bad money week for her.

Christmas 2010

03 Feb 2011 02:51:34 GMT

It's always so serene after Santa comes and before the kids wake up.

I was completely surprised by the new TV. Adam thought I knew what it was by the shape of the box, but I had no clue.

We didn't take many pictures of Christmas, and the ones we did, didn't turn out so great, so now you know why I have waited so long to write a blog. (plus the laptop dies everytime I get something done on it!)

Erith and Tric got matching bed covers. I told them they could keep only 1 baby blanket and the rest were going to Vi and Clara.

Clara is so photogenic.

December Birthdays

03 Feb 2011 02:43:42 GMT

Adam turned the big 32.

One celebration at home and one celebration in Jackson.

Erith turned the big 9. Tana and Robert were sealed to the Purser family on her birthday.

Next year I'll have a kid in the double digits!

Pay it Forward

18 Jan 2011 19:28:12 GMT

I promise to send something handmade to the first 5 people who leave a comment. They must in turn post this (either on facebook or their blog) and send something they made to the first 5 people who comment on their's. The rules are that ...it must be handmade by you...and it must be sent to your 5 people sometime in 2011!

More Paintings - Leonid Afremov Style

15 Dec 2010 22:17:52 GMT

Sorry it has been so long since we have updated the blog. We had an amazing Thanksgiving. Heather did an amazing job with the turkey and we all ate very well.

I also had a great birthday. We had a lot of fun playing band hero until our fingers were so sore we could hardly move them. I also had fun up at Jackson with my family. Remind me not to compete on weight lifting with my "little" (6'1 and probably at least 260 lbs.) brother. I could hardly walk the first day (510 lbs on leg press twice) and then I couldn't pick up my arms the next day (I'm still sore and that was over a week and a half ago).

Now we are just getting ready for the Christmas season.

I've been doing some painting in the meanwhile and have really liked how they turned out.

These three are all taken from Leonid Afremov's paintings. After doing the first one, I watched a video on his technique and did the second one in more of his true style with mostly just the palette knife.

I really like the colors, the reflections, etc. I think I might do one in this same style with the Idaho Falls Temple, but I have to figure out the layout first.

Let me know what you think!

Happy Halloween

06 Nov 2010 17:47:02 GMT

We had two days in a row of halloween fun this year. Friday was the school carnival and Saturday was the Trunk-or-Treat.

Two weeks before that, we had a primary activity and a daddy daughter date themed for halloween. So, we have been up to our eye balls in sugar.

This is what it looks like when you use a dark red votive candle in a low mouth jack-o-lantern. CREEPY!

Spooky Halloween Treats

28 Oct 2010 19:05:33 GMT

Halloween treats are so much fun! I just wish they didn't taste so good. It's hard to stay in control!

Medusa! I just read The Lost Hero which is a continuation of Percy Jackson with the Greek gods and monsters. Gotta love the snakes for hair!

Nothing like a good picture of your windows, to inspire you to wash them! Clara and Vi watch the kittens out that window everyday, it gets touched, a lot. Each girl got 4 cookies and we divided up the pumpkin candycorns evenly this year, so we didn't have sad feelings.

We inherited our neighbors pumpkin patch when they moved, so each of us got our own pumpkin this year. Whew, that was a lot of seeds and pumpkin guts. We got enough toasted seeds to last more than one day this time! Can you guess whose is whose?

I made brownie graveyards for some friends and neighbors yesterday and they turned out great.

New Stuff

21 Oct 2010 18:08:58 GMT

It just so happened that we ended up with quite a few new things showing up the week of our anniversary. (some have been in the works for almost a year)

New hall cabinet

The old drawers were broken and miserable to use. The new ones are so pretty, handles still to come.

New bookshelf.

We have a lot of books that have not had a place to call their own, now they do!

New dining table and chairs.

The freebies we got when we were married have served us well, but the seats were all ripped and only one chair had it's feet still. Goodbye folding chairs, hello beautiful. Adam really made me happy with that one. This is one of his anniversary gifts to me, the other was some bling, I know, he spoils me. The previous post kind of shows the new volleyball net I gave Adam.

New car.

Adam spent lots of time and money trying to fix the red car, but alas it didn't work. Antifreeze in the oil is a bad thing. (The car would overheat after about 6 miles.) He didn't feel up to trying it again, so it took a couple months but we found a new enough car with few enough miles and cheap enough that we could pay for it with cash. We went over 2 months with one car. Happy day, 2 working cars!

New decade of marriage.

Happy 10th Adam, I love you!

Adam's First Daddy Daughter Date

21 Oct 2010 17:49:22 GMT

Adam hadn't been on a date with anyone but me in 10 years.

But then a cute girl asked him to go to a dress up lunch and party and he couldn't say no!

I have to admit she is pretty darn cute, even as a witch! (You'll see Adam's 10 year anniversary gift in the background, an official size volleyball net and poles.)

Hayes Green Canyon Campout

20 Sep 2010 03:42:12 GMT

My girls waited all summer long for this!

The first annual Hayes Family Campout! My first time camping at Green Canyon.

Friday night Adam and I made Dutch Oven potatoes and barbecue chicken.

After dinner we had smores and pie pockets and played out an 11 person murder mystery. It was very fun. Grandpa Hayes' character did it! The little kids decorated hats with puff paint while we did playacted.

I divided up the meals and insisted that eveyone use the fire to cook. (Clara looks so funny here.)

It forced us all to get creative, especially when we woke up to rain on the tents Saturday morning! The breakfast over the fire got delayed till it stopped raining. (If you look in the background here you'll see my Aunt Aldean's RV, we followed them in to Green Canyon by complete coincidence!)

Logan slaved over the fire while the girls got to cut fruit under the shelter. The breakfast was very good, and then we got to swim! I didn't take the camera to the pool, oops.

I do have to say, we Hayes' like to be together, making memories. We had scattered rain, we had wind, and by dang, we had a great time! (The rain seemed to hit everytime we were trying to cook on the fire Saturday.)

Steve and Becca joined us for our hotdog lunch and watchbands and then went swimming with us after.

I have my skirted swimsuit under my clothes here. I think next year I'll give prizes for the "Worst Fashion Statement" and such so I won't feel so alone! The little girls made bracelets while the big girls made beaded watchbands. Guess who's under the table?

Erith and Tricity really showed off their swimming skills that day. They probably went off the diving board 40 times. The swimming lessons were well worth it! We had baked potatoes and homemade ice cream for dinner and then it was dark and late, and we went home. Too short. Maybe next year we'll go 2 nights!

Mini smores

20 Sep 2010 03:02:36 GMT

My aunt told me how to make mini smores while we were at the Quinn campout.

I thought it would be a fun family home evening treat.

All you need is mini marshmallows, chocolate chips, teddy grhams, a candle, and some toothpicks.

It's tricky, the marshmallows burn easily. And the chocolate chips don't melt much, but they're still yummy.

Adam got to be pretty good at it.

Quinn Campout

20 Sep 2010 02:25:17 GMT

The Quinn Family Reunion- Aspen Acres

The first night a group of us went to the Playmill.

Oops, we missed a few.

We saw Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, which used to be my favorite movie as a kid, so I was very excited to see it at the Playmill and I wasn't disappointed!

It was Erith and Tricity's first time to the Playmill and they were very excited to see the show and buy some treats. I loved the colored shirts the brothers wore, just like the movie! Gideon below with Adam and Tric.

We had a lot of little girls running around the campsite, and one boy. Jamie gave all the little girls princess hair.

And then we made princess crowns! One prince. Aren't they cute! It wouldn't be a Quinn campout without crafts!

We had a spot right next to the golf course, which I should have taken pictures of. Adam loves to golf.

The food and company was great and we look forward to next year!

Clara loves grapes and fish

20 Sep 2010 02:11:43 GMT

What do you get when you leave a 2 year old alone at the table with a bowl of grapes?

Well, at least we know this fish is easy going.

I tipped the bowl over the day I gave it to Vi and Clara likes to share her lunch with it, and he seems to be healthy as ever!

I do have to say that if you ever spill your fish food pellets in your carpet, it's worth the $3 to just go to town and buy a new bottle.

Can you see the 20,000 pellets in the carpet? Neither could we.

Updated oil painting

08 Sep 2010 04:07:29 GMT

I have updated the Teton painting because I didn't like the way the reflections looked. Here is the updated version. I'll post another picture soon as well.