Oh yeah, I turned 40

And my cool friend Gianetta...And my awesome husband Clint threw me an 80s party, because--let's face it, 40-year-old friends--the 80s defines us.

However, I never dressed like this in the 80s. Never did the flashdance thing, and NEVER wore leggings. I was way too insecure. Now 20 years and 15 pounds heavier, I'm not so insecure. Nice benefit of being "mature", eh? Clint looked so very cute in his Vans.

Fun people Sklar and Art Hatfield. We like them.

Bishop Longshore and his wife, Cheryl--she was pregnant in the 80s and he was a chauffeur who wore a cowboy hat as part of his uniform.

Liz, where did you find my prom dress?! Joe, you won the prize for best costume. You rule, dude! And not just that night, mind you. We learned he was King of Lehi back in the day.

Katie won best hair and spirit!

Righteous ladies. This lineup made me realize--I forgot to wear pastel! In high school I once surveyed my closet and was appalled that I had 10 pink shirts! More posts later on the deep philosophical implications of being 40, or not!

Happy Birthday to Talmage!

Click on image to see full size.

All Hale Breaks Loose in Memphis

It's a good thing my brother Mike and his wife Lisa are the most traveling-est people I know, because that means they have managed to come visit us in every place we've lived. Quite a record! They made a long drive out from Virginia to visit us and the Joey and Katie Hales the week leading up to Easter. We stayed up many LATE nights talking. I really love these guys. It had me nostalgic about the days Clint and I lived only 2-hours from them when we were in So. Maryland. Here's part of the crowd at the Civil Rights Museum, in downtown Memphis: Jack, Tal, Griffin, Cole, Willa, Manon and Lisa.

The balcony where Martin Luther King Jr. was shot. The museum is built around the old Lorraine Motel. It was an awesome museum although we felt like the total minority amongst all the middle-class African Americans, while trying to keep herd on our not-so-classy kids who were making comments like, "I can ride this bus [a replica of the Rosa Parks bus] because I'm white!"

The Hales, feet 10 feet off of Beale.For your drinking entertainment. We actually heard a splash as we left the street. Poor Mike was accosted by several drunks and hit up hard for money. Fantastic Chocolate cake Lisa made for my 40th. That woman really knows how to spoil a person. She took me out for an awesome lunch at J. Maxwell's restaurant and she gifted me a Chinese Troll-look-alike necklace and an emergency Cadbury chocolate bar. Those lucky Hales. Lisa must spoil them silly on their birthdays! Lisa and I also had a great time doing Zumba at our gym. Lisa, a first timer, was way better than the instructor. Lisa is such an amazing dancer! She makes it look like it takes no effort at all! I look nuts doing it, but I get a great workout!

Willa-the-wisp. The cutest, most delicate 7-year old you'll ever meet. But plenty of spunk and volume, I assure you.

Manon, my super-model niece, and super-nice too.

Griffin! Yay! We finally got to meet my nephew Griffin! The Hale's adopted him last year in Beijing and were sealed to him in the Salt Lake temple last summer. Griffin amazes me. He's 9-years old and is in his second year of school ever. He speaks and writes English so well! And my boys LOVE him! Talmage could not get enough of him. They had lots of quality jumping on the tramp, and playing of the Wii together.

The Rat and Her Boy

This is a nice boy.

A very charming boy, who has shown himself very gifted at begging and getting what he wants from his parents. His plaintive tone cannot be resisted. Before Christmas it was "Mom, I really want a pet. In my whole life I've never had a pet. Do you think Santa will bring me a pet?" Clint and I are not pet people. Because we're clean people, but very lazy. But we did some research and found out that rats are good beginner pets.

So, here is Sniffy. When she first arrived in this loud household of boys, she was very stressed out. Swordfights right next to your cage and objects flying across the room can be kind of intimidating when you weigh 8 ounces. There were some biting incidents. And I spent HOURS everyday recapturing her whenever she escaped our grasp. I was getting quite irritated. But Jack is always sweet with her (unless he's showing off for an older brother). And he eventually won her trust. She's much calmer. She loves to hang out in Jack's shirt. She doesn't escape as much, and when she does she'll let Jack easily catch her.

And Jack has an extra friend when his big brothers are at school.