Easter Dresses...

Due to the fact that we didn't make it to church on Easter Sunday and the kids haven't had Easter clothes on at the same time (And when they do have them on we are running out the door and taking pictures is the last thing I am thinking of) we haven't gotten any pictures of them in their Easter outfits. Well, today was no different in we didn't have them all dressed, in fact Dallin was still sleeping until the last possible minute, (I really do not like afternoon church) but I did get the girls pictures.

It was a little breezy when Ella went out to take her pictures, but she loved that it blew her skirt, she thought that was really cool. However she DOES NOT like the sun and complained and wouldn't open her eyes for nothing.

MaCayela really has become our big girl in our home and is looking just beautiful

Okay Mom and Karyn... no more complaining about not having pictures of the Easter dresses. And Surprise!!! they don't match are you just amazed!... hehehe. I will try and get something of Dallin sometime in his shirt, but don't hold your breath.

Backyard Gardening...

We finally planted some of our garden plants last night that we have been babying indoors (more out of haven't taken the time to do than any other reason). We have worked some on the garden and outdoors, but once again I never think about getting the camera out.

We also had the neighbors kids over and the girls were being so cute and wanted their picture taken. (Hence the really reason the camera came out.)



Dallin, MaCayela and Ella making funny faces

Dallin, MaCayela, Sidney, Ella, Noah and Issac (on the swing)

Sidney, MaCayela, Ella

Happy Birthday

to a very special lady in our lives!

Times with you are special
and all too quickly pass.
You fill our world with unending love
and memories that will last.
If we could pick a grandmother
there's no doubt what we would do,
we'd pick the kindest, sweetest one
and Grandma, it would be you!

Happy Birthday Grandma Lulu,
We love you lots!!

Few can bring the warmth
We can find in their embrace,
And little more is needed to bring love
Than the smile on their face.
They've a supply of precious stories,
Yet they've time to wipe a tear,
Or give us reasons to make us laugh,
They grow more precious through the years.
I believe that God sent us Grandparents
As our legacy from above,
To share the moments of our life,
As extra measures of His love.


Love, Annaleesa, Corey, MaCayela, Ella, and Dallin

A Morning on the lake

(Memorial Day Weekend part 1)

We started out our weekend early Friday morning and drove down to Utah Lake to meet Corey's brother Darc and his wife Carrie (and little presley) for some fun on their new boat. (And WOW what a boat! the thing is AWESOME!! it is a Malibu Wakesetter.) We took the kids out for a ride and the girls just loved it. We got to see Uncle Darc in action as he wake boarded and then wake surfed. I had not seen wake surfing done before, but it was pretty cool. Darcy used a rope this time, but once you get the hang of it you don't use the rope. Even Ella got to take her turn at driving which she thought was great. We ended the morning with some lunch out at a mexican restraunt (that was pretty good, hadn't found one in UT yet and then when we do it was an hour from home.)



The girls out front with Presley and Aunt Carrie

The girls soaking wet after putting their hands over the side as we raced across the lake.

Darcy Wake Surfing for the first time

Ella getting a kiss after trying her hand at driving.

Farm Livin' is the life...

(Memorial Day Weekend Part 2)

The rest of our weekend was spent at the ranch having fun and getting dirty with Corey's family. We had planned to meet up with some from our ward in Cainsville, but Dallin was running a fever and it was RAINING big time, which just made for lots of mud. And for mom the mud is one thing when you play and then can clean up or sit in the house out of it all, but to go out and play in the mud, have no cover from the rain and then still have an hour drive home just didn't sound like as much fun. Of course the rain didn't slow the boys or kids down much. They still got in their riding and playing, chores and projects for dad, and game and relaxing time.


MaCayela our dare devil of the weekend. She was on the 4wheeler from sun up to sun down.

Ella had fun riding around with Corey and Grandpa Walt

Dallin riding in the back of the truck with Jared up from the corals

Helping daddy fix the motorcycle

MaCayela and Easton returning from one of their many trips around the farm. They would take off and be gone for chunks at a time out at their "umpa lompa office"

Feeding the pigs to fatten them up for some good eats that are coming

Dallin trying to "fix" the chickens with his tools while he was helping Dad and Uncle Kerry work on the chicken coop

Ella thought that is was so cool that you could hold the chickens still. She was at the ranch when they were just little chicks and loved holding them then.

Sweet sisters!

Dallin FINALLY got on a four wheeler and went for a ride. He use to love it last summer and we would take him all over, but this year he had yet to go on a ride and would scream if you started it while he was on it. But he got over it this trip and loved going around the farm on it.

MaCayela and Easton... Peace Out my little friends!

Dallin and his buddy Bentley watching cartoons

What Grandpa Walt does when he isn't hard at work on the farm

Some down time after a LONG hard day of PLAY

EEWWY, GOOEY and OH SO SLIMY

Gotta love the kid but WOW is Dallin a stinker!! It has now been 2 days and 4 baths later and I still can't get all the eewwy, gooey out of his hair.

I had put Dallin down for a nap and closed his door and walked away. (This is our normal routine for his naps. 95% of the time he just rolls over and goes to sleep. The other times he just comes out of his room and tells me "No Nap Time Mommy".) I decided that I would lay down in my room and read for a few while he was napping since the girls were in the basement playing. I started to hear Dallin chitter chatting with himself and thought to myself that it was unusual, but I was in a good part of the book so he would just have to talk himself to sleep. As a few minutes (close to 10-15mins, that is only a few when you are fully engrossed in a book) passed I noticed that he was still jabbering but I would hear a MOM now and then. I decided it was time to look in on him and give him a stern "It is time for Naps Young Man" talking. But when I opened the door I was in for a surprise!! I walked in to find him sitting on top of his changing table, buck naked and COVERED in A&D ointment. He had emptied the whole tube (a new tube I might add) on himself and his surroundings. He had goop literally from head to toe with not a inch not covered. It took a 10min scrub down in the bath to clean him up and then I put him back down for a nap. He slept great but when he got up his hair had dried and was a slimy as before his bath still, and he has the softest skin around.

Well like I said 4 baths later his hair is finally laying down normal and his skin doesn't quite have that shine to it any longer. But dang it I forgot to take pictures yet again!

You Go GIRL!!!

MaCayela ROCKED her kindergarten testing!

Out of eight different parts (about 80 questions total) ranging from spelling, rhyming, letters, sounds, numbers, and reading she only missed 2 out of the WHOLE test! Way to go MaCayela!!! She also advanced this past week to a 1st grade reading level.

Play day with the Big girls

The girls love that in our new neighborhood there is people to play with all around. They really love playing with the Huber girls, Madalyn and Mckenna. Mckenna and her friend Mariah Vu from the ward came over to play the other day and I let them take the camera out with them for their fun. (of course Ella some how ended up in PJ's again. No matter how many time you dress her she still ends up back in pjs)

The Day After...

This is my quick post from Facebook on the day after Mothers Day...

Mothers day is defiantly over at the hanks house! Lost shoes, late to school and a whole bag of powdered sugar on the carpet with a cup of water to mix. To follow it up, Corey left for SF for 3 days. OH YEA!! What a start to the week.

Lois Tanner at 9:06am May 11

Mother's day is never over, just all the other days feel a little different, but they are definitely always mother's days.

Sarah Larson Lopez at 9:23am May 11

haa haa I only laugh because sounds like our morning Enjoy! happy belated mothers day! miss ya

Melissa Andersen Bird at 12:59pm May 11

i love you!!

OH my gosh! Seriously!!! I just walked in on Dallin in my room with a pair of scissors. His pants are in shreds barely held together at the waist and ankles, my socks no longer qualify as socks, and my sweats won't stay up as they have no waist band any longer. WHAT THE HECK!!! how much more will this day bring!

Christi Leonard Williams at 1:22pm May 11

don't ask!!

Melissa Andersen Bird at 1:28pm May 11

I am NOT looking forward to having a toddler boy.....

Jennifer Duran Ward at 1:29pm May 11

oh sister, i feel your pain. not today, but so many other days go just like yours today.

Chad A Brown at 1:43pm May 11

LOL, and you didn't post a picture!?

Leah Smith Thompson at 2:35pm May 11

TOO FUUNY!!! So sorry to hear that! :) Love him anyway...

Megan Stoddard Robertson at 2:40pm May 11

I know it's far from funny now, but one day you will look back and laugh!

Carrie Hanks at 2:46pm May 11

At least he didn't cut his hair too?!? Breakfast in bed seems like a distant memory now I'll bet.

Terra L Ruoti Luft at 4:55pm May 11

Oh you poor girl... Calgon take you away - although who knows what will happen while you are soaking in a bathtub!

Shannon Jaffa Hello my new friend!! Okay I just have to say that I love reading your comments. I laugh so hard I'm crying! Just remember they don't stay little for very long and all these stories make great memories! But if you ever need a break... I'm just a few houses down and I know Dallin loves that little tikes car so I can entertain him for a few hours :P

like they say, when things are bad, don't ask how it could get worse! Between the two girls we lost a whole gallon of milk at dinner, all over us, the table, the chairs and the carpeted floor,. Combined that with a little black olive juice and all the play dough smashed in the carpet and it might be time to rent a carpet cleaner. Am I bad mom that the kids were all in bed by 7:45 when it is bright as day out still.

Christi Leonard Williams at 8:39pm May 11

You have to do what you have to do!!
Hang in there, been there, done that.
You just have to laugh!!

Linda Clark Vance at 8:39pm May 11

Wow you have had a day! There are two guys that can help you feel better, they are Ben and Jerry and I have been relying on them for years!

Beth Ashby Lawrence at 8:41pm May 11

no way! on days like these, sending them to bed saves their lives!

Heidi Carlson Toomer at 9:09pm May 11

With the kind of day you're having, I would have sent them to bed way earlier than 7:45. Hope tomorrow is better.

Kim Nielsen Andrews at 9:19pm May 11

All that happened to you after our phone conversation?!?!?!? Man I'm so sorry......if you need some Ben and Jerry's, I have some here! :)

The only part of all this that I am bummed about is like Chad said "Where are the pictures". I love my friends and all the support and smiles that they give me, Thanks for the memories.

Happy Mothers day

I just want to say how much I love and appreciate my family. They truly out did themselves this Mothers Day, it was wonderful! It started with being able to sleep in and wake up to breakfast in bed. Corey really did take care of everything. I didn't have to change a diaper, bath a kid, or get one ready for church (although I did pitch in with hair duty just for the sake of the girls). He took care of dinner, clean-up, dishes and dessert. The kids were great too, they were constantly trying to be on there best behavior. Just as one would act up or throw a fit, the other would remind them that it was mothers day and they had to be good. It really was a WONDERFUL day and will remember fondly.

Dad opens his mouth and mom follows through...

I guess Corey and I never had an official conversation on when the girls would get their ears pierced. Partially because MaCayela was has been scared to death since she saw a little girl get them done about 2yrs ago. I always figured we would give the girls the option on a special birthday or as an award when they accomplished something or for some great reason. Well Corey, I don't think that he actually thought that they would say yes, said something to the girls Sunday about getting their ears pierced and they both jumped all over it. They have talked about nothing since and have asked if it was time every couple of hours. We put it off for a couple of days thinking that we could talk them out of it or come up with a way to get out of it but... there was no way around it, Corey had put in out there and now we had to follow through. We now have two girls with holes in their ears. They both got a little nervous (along with dad) while sitting in the chair but both did great with only a few stray tears.

Our brave little try anything Ella goes first.

Big girl Mac was a little nervous after a few tears from sis.

And Dallin, happy as a clam just wondering around rearranging the whole store.