Thursday, February 28, 2008

Hoopes Look-alike Meter

MyHeritage: Family trees - Genealogy - Celebs - Collage - Morph
It is always so funny to me to hear people say "oh she looks just like Travis" or "she looks just like you" so I thought I would put it to the test. According to this test she looks more like me. What do you think?

Friday, February 22, 2008

TAGGED AGAIN...

TEN YEARS AGO.... I was 13, enjoying being able to tell people that I was now a 'teenager' and probably acting like one as well!! I was also playing Jr. Jazz basketball at this time.

FIVE PLACES THAT I HAVE VISITED....... Hawaii (Maui and Oahu), Mexico (Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara), San Diego, Canada (Niagra Falls), I drove from Richfield to New York on a Church History trip in High School, so we stopped at a lot of places on the way there!

FIVE THINGS ON MY TO DO LIST.......
1. Work out (I'm with Heidi on losing the baby weight!)
2. Laundry - organize Hali's room
3. Scrapbook Hali's pictures with the digital scrapbooking I got for Christmas
4. Clean out my car
5. Go visiting teaching

I ENJOY..... spending time with Travis and Hali, sleeping in, a clean house, being with family and friends, vacations (more specifically Maui), anything sweet, shopping, going to the lake, decorating

THREE BAD HABITS.....
1. Not being able to say no
2. Procrastinating, I always wait until the last minute to do stuff, however, I always get it done. I think I work better under pressure. This leads right into my next bad habit...
3. Being late (I inherited this from the Barney side) but ever since we had Hali it's even worse!

FIVE THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT ME........ You are all going to think I'm crazy!
1. Ever since I had Hali I CRAVE crushed ice. I really need to be checked for anemia!
2. I love the smell of household cleaners, or better said a clean house!
3. When I go to sleep Travis and my pillow have to be touching - weird I know!
4. On my stomach I have over 12 inches of scarring
5. My favorite shows are John and Kate + Eight (TLC), and Man vs. Wild( Discovery)

FIVE JOBS THAT I HAVE HAD..... My worklife started as a lunch lady in the summer for the free lunch program. I then advanced to a 'housekeeper' at the Comfort Inn in Richfield. I came to college and tended my nephew for a job. I worked at the St. George Rec center, and then I taught first and second grade for almost three years. Finally, the best and hardest job of all is being a stay at home mom! (sorry I guess that was six)

I tag Makenzie, Mary, Prentiss, Talia, Mickell

Monday, February 18, 2008

Hali's First Lake Trip!

Getting her lifejacket on!
Our first family picture at the lake!
Just chillin on the boat!

Today Hali made her first trip to Quail lake! Travis's dad is selling their old boat so we needed to make sure it was running good. So Travis and I thought we'd take this opportunity to give Hali her first boat ride! Travis also wanted to get her use to her new 'Hyperlite' lifejacket she got for Christmas! Overall, she didn't mind it. We were only on the lake for maybe ten minutes. The lifejacket didn't really bother her it was more the sun in her eyes she didn't really like so much. It makes Travis and I excited for the summer when we can actually put her in the water!

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Three Months Old!!






Our little Hali turned three months old on Saturday! I can hardly believe it! She has made our lives so much fun and we just love her more and more each day. She is a whopping 11 lbs 2 ozs and 24 inches long. Hali is a very smiley baby as long as she has a full belly and a good nap. She is finding her voice, and is often suprised by the sounds she makes (as am I.) She is all girl and loves to squeal and giggle (which just makes my day!) She has found her little hands and loves to suck on them constantly, often times gagging herself! She still loves the water and her baths which gives Travis high hopes for her future wakeboarding career! The pacifier is still at the top of her love list along with her mom and dad! We sure love her and can't imagine our lives without our little Hal-er (as her grampa Hoopes calls her!)

Friday, February 15, 2008

I'VE BEEN TAGGED

**What is his full name? Travis Robert Hoopes
**How long have you been married? 4 years on May 7th
**How long did you date? Dated 6 months and were engaged for 2 months.
**Who eats more sweets? Anyone who knows me knows just how much I love CANDY!! I definitely eate more!
**Who said I love you first? Travis did right after our first kiss! We had been dating almost 2 months. Yeah, I don't really like to rush the first kiss.
**Who is taller? He is by 8 inches
**Who is smarter? We are both smart in our own ways. When it comes to kids and baby stuff it's me, but when it comes to business he definitely wins!
**Who can sing better? This is a funny one because anybody who knows Travis knows he LOVES to sing ALL THE TIME and ANYWHERE! He has a great voice! I don't sing nearly as much, but I'm not horrible. Get us together singing High School Musical karoke and you can call us Troy and Gabriella!!
**Who does the laundry? We both do, however, Travis doesn't really dare to wash a lot of my clothes for fear he will ruin them! I usually do mine and Hali's and he usually does his own! What a great guy!
**Who pays the bills? Since I quite teaching it seems like he does almost all of them now. Travis pays the majority of them, but there are a couple I take care of.
**Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? I do, and I like what Cami said about the mom being closest to the baby. In our house that is how it is also. I sleep the closest to Hali!
**Who mows the lawn? I guess that is one perk to living in the basement, we don't have a lawn!!
**Who cooks dinner? Cafe Rio, Subway, Iggy's, Travis's mom, you name it!! Honestly I'm trying to be better at having dinner ready, however, cooking is just not something I really enjoy! However, I do like to bake!
**Who drives? Travis always does.
**Who is more stubborn? I would have to say myself! We are both prety laid back, but when a situation arises I end up being the stubborn one.
**Who kissed who first? Travis kissed me first on the pier in San Diego watching the red tide - I totally saw it coming! But it was very romantic!
**Who asked who out? Our very first time together was actually a blind date set up by my sister and his mom (they were in the same ward.) However, there were more girls than guys, so I'm not sure if you can really call that a date. For the first official date Travis asked me out.
**Who proposed? Travis proposed by sending me on a OO7 scavenger hunt through St. George to all of the places we made memories while we were dating. It ended with me climbing up a whole bunch of stairs to find him in a tux on his knee with a ring in his hand on a beautiful (but small) balcony that overlooked the temple! Very cool, a day I will never forget!
**Who has more siblings? We both have five kids in our family. He is the second child and has 4 boys and 1 girl in his family. I am the fourth child and have 3 boys and 2 girls in our family.
**Who wears the pants? He might disagree, but I would say when it comes to the house it is me! Everything else we are very equal!

I LOVE YOU TRAV!!
If you want to do this consider yourself tagged!

Thursday, February 7, 2008

Looking back...

It is amazing to me to look back on the last few years of my life and to see just how perfectly things have worked out (even if I didn't think so at the time).

May 2002 - I graduated from High School and moved to St. George by myself to go to college. A lonely time, but I sure learned a lot!
September 2003 - Met Travis on a blind date.
May 2004 - Married my best friend in the Manti temple.


May 2005 - Graduated from the Dixie State College Elementary Education program, and also began trying to start our family.
August 2005 - May 2006 - My first year of teaching 2nd grade at Panorama Elementary, and still trying to start our family.
July 2006 - Kidney problems surfaced (Hydronephrosis) Major kidney infection, I thought I was going to die!
August 2006 - Major kidney surgery (Plyloplasty)


February 2007 - After trying for nearly two years, taking several medications and going through a few minor prodecures I became pregnant!

March 2007 - I found out for sure I really was pregnant!!! Only six months after my kidney surgery. The doctors told me that if I had been pregnant before or during all of my kidney problems the decisions would have had to be made to either save myself or the baby! It all made sense when they told me that!

November 2007 - Our prayers were answered when we welcomed our sweet baby girl Hali into our family!!


One of the biggest lessons I have learned so far in my short life is that things work out when they are suppose to. Even though I had heard that phrase so many times I didn't really realize it until I look back at the chain of events in my life and see how they all worked out in perfect order. I cried so many nights wanting a little baby in our home and not really understanding why it wasn't happening for us, but I now understand. I am somewhat of a planner and control freak, and in my head I have always tried to plan out my life in a way in which I thought would be best. Everytime I try to plan a main event in my life the way I think it should be I always stand corrected. Clearly, Heavenly Father is trying to teach me to have more faith in him knowing what is best for me!! I'm still learning!

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

My Personality Color

You Are A Blue Girl

Relationships and feelings are the most important things to you.
You are empathetic and accepting - and good at avoiding conflict.
If someone close to you is in pain, it makes you hurt as well.
You try to heal the ones you love with your kind and open heart.