PiNk

PINK is officially our favorite color in the Hunsaker Home. Yes, it is true, we are having our FOURTH GIRL in April. On April 30, 2010 our home will increase to a total of SEVEN females: 4 girls, 1 mom, 1 rabbit, and 1 teenager. Darren is estatic- okay, maybe a little stressed. The thought of another girl in his home really makes him "wild" with excitement. He had the ultrasound tech check 3 times to make sure he was going to get another sweet little girl. The most important part- she looks healthy and "perfect". The girls are VERY excited! Bethany wants to name her Jewel (and make her a pet), MacKenna likes the name Sparkle, and Isabelle is still set on having a brother to hang out with :) We'll keep you updated on all the FUN FESTIVAS related to GIRLS. More posts to come and most definately PICTURES...

FaLLinG into FALL

I LOVE this time of year! Sweater weather, school starting, leaves changing color, and Halloween! Who doesn't love a good holiday (Darren that's who). I've been a little behind in the blogging world, so here is a summary of what has been keeping the Hunsaker Family so BUSY! Remember I mentioned I LoVe JuLy, so I'll save the July Festivas post for later - Here's to August & September!

My niece Cassie (the gorgeous 16-year-old on the far left) moved in with us when school started. Darren is thrilled to have another female in the house; his total now = 5 fabulous females, lucky-lucky man. Cassie started life at her new school with a BaNG at the HoMEcoMinG DaNCe!

Checking out the CoWs, ChiCkEns, GoaTs, PiGS, RaBbiTs, & HoRSes at the Utah State Fair. We went with some of my HHS friends/students/teachers. It was the morning of 9/11, hence the red-white-blue outfits.

9/11 Flags with Friends.
Between Steph, Teresa and myself we had 10 children ages 7 and under.It is amazing to see over 3,000 flags representing those who died on 9/11. The whole sight gives me goosebumps (children & flags).

Darren spent a week in Lake Powell with "The Boys". We spent the week by: Tara starting teaching at a new high school, Cassie starting a new high school and moving in, Bethany starting 2nd Grade, Isabelle starting Kindergarten, MacKenna starting Preschool, and my back going OUT. I'm thinking Darren got the better part of the deal! Dad & Jill took pity on me and invited us to Kamas. Sidenote: If you ever want to see the SmaLLest, ShoRteSt, mOst CanDY parade, GO to Francis Frontier Days! Dad entertained the girls fishing for helium balloons. It is a very intense sport.

Our next adventure was driving up Mirror Lake Highway to some waterfalls and to get ice-cream. I think dad forgot the INTENSITY of small children, rocks, cliffs, waterfalls, water, AND confinement in a CAR. He quickly adapted, notice the tight grip on MacKenna's hand.

Isabelle and Tara/me at the waterfalls. Notice the appropriate hiking footware, Darren would be so proud (ok annoyed). It was great times watching Jill & Dad run after 3-small children. Very entertaining!

Cassie (she's in the chair) got an end-of-the-summer job at Raging Waters. So we tagged along one day and spent some time riding the tubes/slides. Great times!

We ventured off to the Heber C. Kimball Family Reunion in August. They have it at This is The Place Monument. The girls LOVE it. They can ride trains, work with leather, wash clothes in a tub, make candles, ride ponies, pet goats, and eat $10 ice-cream.

Some of my cousins' kids and my kids. We were told by the elders (that would be The Aunts & The Uncles) that this makes them Cousins-once-removed.
The Uncles & The Aunts
Richard, David (dad to me), Laura, Mary

We took the kids to Golden Spike National Monument, west of Brigham City- Where the railroad joined the Pacific & the Atlantic. Isabelle was mad it wasn't Thomas the Train, MacKenna was mad she couldn't ride the trains, & Bethany was just mad. I was ThRiLLeD I got another stamp in my National Parks/Monuments Passport :)

HaPPy JULY FeSTivAs!!!

I LOVE JULY!

July has been my "happy month" since forever. It begins with the 4th of July Festivas, continues with Big D's Birthday, rolls into the 24th Pioneer Day, and ends with a big ole' BANG on my BiRtHdaY!

A few other July loves:

trips to Bear Lake, my Dad's birthday, absolutely NO school, Draper Days bike parade, getting up close and personal with the parade floats, the Kamas demolition derby, great rodeos, and the list just goes on and on and on.

There just isn't any better month of the year! I seriously get as excited for July as I do Christmas.

If you know me well, you might know that:

1) I LOVE fireworks

2) My emotions run high in July-

I cry everytime I hear a Patriotic song

3) I LOVE a parade (big, small, doesn't matter)

4) My children were all conceived in July

5) I LOVE red-white-blue

6) My girls wear "the colors" every day of the month (OK, almost)

7) I LOVE our country * USA *

8) My happy month, July, lead us to getting married, just ask Darren about his 6 month dating rule...

April 19 - Happy Birthday Isabelle!

Isabelle Cressa turned 5 years old on the 19th of April. She is "the middle child". She has always been sweet and easy going. Not a lot ruffles her feathers. So, when I hear her yelling, I know it is "serious". It is a good thing she has such an easy going personality and tough spirit. She has needed it. She had a horrible allergic reaction when she was 10 months old, resulting in- major hives, looking like a leper, surgery for tubes in her ears, and never-never having any form of penicillin. She falls down ALL the time, good thing she is such a tough girl. During the weekend of her birthday we were in Moab with friends. During the 4 day adventure, Izzy split her upper lip, skinned both knees, took the skin off both palms of her hands, and gave herself a great black eye. She is a GrEaT friend. She can play all alone or make a new friend in minutes- either way she is happy. On her bedroom wall I put the song lyrics to "You Are My Sunshine". I've sung that song to my delightful Isabelle from day one!

Isabelle is our Wiggle Worm and our Snuggle Bunny all rolled into one.

She is our: Busy Izzy, Pooh Bear's Tiger, and our Bouncing Ballerina.

Isabelle LOVES life and we LOVE her!

March 30 - Happy Birthday MacKenna

Three years ago on March 30, MacKenna entered our lives. MacKenna let her mom know she was going to be the focus when she created gestational diabetes. She was almost 3 weeks early, was born on an even day (ending our odd day cycle, I'm a freak about numbers), and she interrupted my work conference. She made a statement, "Hello world, here I am and don't you forget it". MacKenna is our sweet baby girl. She was so little and snuggly when she was born. She is loving, kind, and gives lots of hugs, kisses, and smiles. Don't get me wrong, she is as WILD and mischievous as the others. But when I tell her I love her, she runs over, gives me a hug and melts my heart with, "I love you too mom!" LiFe JuSt DoEsN't GeT bEtTeR tHaN tHaT!

March 25 - Happy Birthday Bethany

Seven years ago on March 25th my first baby girl was born. The night before she arrived Darren and I talked about how our lives would change in the next 24 hours. We wondered what kind of parents we'd make. We thought about the last moments of peace and quiet we'd have. We waited with great anticipation for the moment she would arrive. AND WOW DID SHE ARRIVE. Bethany came out demanding our attention and has never stopped. She was born after hours of labor, with forcep marks, being wheeled away with oxygen needs, and demanded to be held and loved. AnD wE dO! Our first baby girl changed our lives forever. I love Bethany's spunky, fiesty personality, and sassy talkativeness! She knows what she wants and she goes after it. She will tell you "how it is", whether you want her to or not. I know she will go far and be strong.

I LoVe YoU BeThaNy, my LitTLe BeE!

The Happiest Place On Earth

I cannot continue with updates until I include this one. I'm usually "quick" when it comes to surprises. I notice the little clues and catch onto things. I may be clueless in a lot of areas, but this one I usually get. NOT THIS TIME. Darren and my dad were very very sneaky...

My dad sent us to Disneyland for a Christmas gift in 2007. We didn't get around to making the plans and were waiting for MacKenna to get a little older, so we ended up going the following Nov. 2008.

Here is a recap of our adventures:

The view Dad & Jill had as they stalked us

This is a picture of me (what a ding-dong) when my Dad & Jill showed up at the Disneyland entrance. SURPRISE! I don't think my dad has been to Disneyland for at least 25 years. The girls were estatic to have them there.

How many character photos do you think I made everyone pose for?!

So many rides, so little time...

After getting all dressed in raincoats, Isabelle discovered she was too short for the ride. She was sooooo mad. The poor guy at the entrance didn't know what to do as she cried and cried. Not the happiest place for Isabelle.

Cassie and Bethany's favorite ride: The Tower of Terror. We rode that thing soooo many times our stomachs turned inside out.

Breakfast with the characters.
MacKenna LOVES Minnie Mouse.

"C" is for Cassie who was a great teenager that put up with all the "old" folks and the very "young" folks.

Cassie and I made Darren drive our rented minivan to In-N-Out over and over and over. YUMMY!

MacKenna's version of fun- sunscreen. As she was sitting on the beach, she openned a bag of Cheetos. She was attacked by 100's of seagulls. I didn't know if I should save my baby or grab my camera :)

We were at the beach for 2 seconds and Isabelle was swamped by waves and washed out to sea. Again, I didn't know if I should save my baby or grab the camera. Instead, I yelled at Darren.

This trip was one of the BEST surprises I've ever had! And we definately had the BEST time at the Happiest Place on Earth.

THANKS DAD WE LOVE YOU!