About

hello friend.

welcome.

Here you will find small snippets of the thoughts that run through my head and  the adventures I share with my little family.

Jordan and I met in 2010 on a blind date.  I fell MADLY in love shortly after when driving through the canyon on a snowy night as he blasted Disney music and belted "A Whole New World" with me.  His choice. That was it, I was done. I was his.

We then married on August 8, 2011.  It was the most magical day and the wedding was everything I have ever dreamed of.

We then lived in a little apartment in Utah tucked behind many sycamore trees in the heart of Provo for two years.  

In March of 2014 our whole lives changed when our spunky little Myra Grace was born.

My dreams came true that day because she made me a mother.  And to me that is the most wonderful job in the world.  

We then packed up and moved our lives to Orlando Florida.  And you better believe we are Disney(ing) it up baby!!!

Then on February 16, 2016 our sweet, chubby Maxwell was born.

And my heart tripled in size!

I have my BFA from BYU in Music Dance Theatre and am also licensed in Cosmetology. 

I love to spend time with family,  dream about visiting Europe, bake, watch old MGM movie musicals,  read, binge watch cheesy TV shows, paint, and learn about other peoples lives.

Jordan is currently in Medical School at UCF and stays busy with his studies.  He loves his kiddos and always tells me his dream job would be a "stay at home daddy", skiing, cooking, getting his back washed by yours truly, guitar, piano and football. 

And now that you have read about our lives in a nutshell, I think we are practically BFFs! :)

Thanks for stoppin by.  

Stormy days

Today we had one of Florida's big beautiful rain storms.....Which made me SO happy.

I have been feeling a bit sad the past few days seeing everyones fall pictures back in Utah and it makes me grumpy that I don't get to have much of a fall and all the beauty that comes with it.  

The 

colors of the trees

fresh crisp air

bundled up for high school football games

BYU games

maple bars

Stephens hot cocoa

rain

boots, sweaters, hats and scarfs

apple picking

pumpkin everything

....

Its just the same color of green here... everywhere... so sometimes in the fall I get sad. 

But today as that rain came down and the frogs came out, I felt happy again.  It felt a bit like fall for the day.  A Florida kind of fall.

The storm was crazy enough that it took out our internet...including my phone internet..which I was bothered with for a few minutes.  I then realized as I sat snuggling up to Myra how much more present I was with her and by joy tripled.  It felt good to spend a few hours taking a break from the world all together and just be with my kids.

The rain stopped just in time for me to get to the store and get last minute groceries for dinner and as I pushed max to the car in the cart with Myra on Jordan's shoulders I couldn't help but smile because I felt so grateful for my family. While we may not be in Utah we are with each other and wherever THEY are thats where my home is.  As I step back and stop thinking about all the things Florida is lacking and instead think of all the greatness it possesses I become so much happier...and much more pleasant to be around :). 

First Annual Mabey Fall Kickoff

I have recently been reading the book "Three Steps to a Strong Family" (found here).  And it emphasizes the need for tradition in families.  Now, Jordan and I dreamed of fun traditions we would have as a family before we even had kids, so when I read about this I was super excited to sit down with Jordan and brainstorm more traditions.  Daily, weekly, and ones for special occasions....and one tradition I have wanted to do for years we finally started today!

I LOVE fall and Halloween so we decided to celebrate the first day of fall.  We made scones, drank hot cocoa, watched some Ichabod and cuddled together...Someday when we own a house I want to add a crackling fire to that list ;).  After a bit of a rough day for me it livened up my spirits and made me feel extra grateful for my little family and that any time I want to celebrate ANYTHING I have the power to...and I love that!

I desperately hope that these little traditions we are making for our kids will do the same for them, that perhaps after a hard day they can end it feeling loved.

Monday with tsum tsum

On Sunday we went to a friends house for dinner and Myra escaped to a back room the entire time.  When I went back there to get her I quickly discovered why... It was little girl heaven.  Filled with dolls, dress ups, a vanity with lights around the mirror, a pink doll house and tons of toys.  There was one specific toy she wouldn't let go of.... "little baby Donald" as she called it caused a bit of a problem when it came to leave.  SHE WOULD NOT LET GO OF IT!!!!  

Have you heard of these tsum tsum dolls by Disney?

I had seen them before at the parks and to be quite honest, thought they were a bit weird...and a choking hazard for my baby.

So I was shocked that she was so obsessed with it.  

I finally got her to let go of it when I told her we would go buy some tomorrow since she was so good at nursery...

So allllllll night she kept saying, "Go buy some tsum tsum???"

Finally this morning after Maxwells nap we headed over and bought one package.  I told her she HAD to keep them safe and not to let max touch them because they are SUCH A CHOKING HAZARD!!!

We even went to Michaels and bought her a little box to paint that she could keep them inside. 

So we get home to paint the box and before i knew it... Eeyore and the box were lost.  NO WHERE IN SIGHT.  So I cleaned the whole house...

While cleaning, she lost Cinderella (the smallest one that I am freaked will kill my child).

So then I start praying Max won't be the one to find it.

I eventually found the box.  Then I found Eeyore.....IN MY SHOE!!!!.. then finally Cinderella.

And now she sleeps with them in the box...and we are both in love with the weird little things.

Friday.

It's finally Friday.
All day yesterday I kept thinking it was Friday....when I realized it wasn't, I wanted to take a giant blanket, five pillows and netflix to my closet to escape for a few days.  Could I possibly survive another weekday?
And I did.  And it was a wonderful Friday.  We had friends over, Joy school, nap time, a trip to the library (which is always followed by a chick-fil-a "cream cone", and then on the way home we stopped at the mail box.  And WHAT was in the mail box you ask?  Two glorious packages I have been waiting for and am SO excited about.  A new dress Jordan got me for our anniversary and bright red lipstick.  Lip sense to be exact!  Have you heard of it.?  I'm obsessed.  We then had family pizza night minus Jordan (cause he was on call at the hospital "fixing people" (as I tell Myra)) and then I was supposed to go to the temple but I LOST my recommend and couldn't find it last minute even though I had already put on my bright red lipstick and pretty new dress, cleaned the house for the babysitter, nursed max down and had myra in her jammies with hair brushed and temple bag on my shoulder.
DARN IT!
So instead of the temple Imma gonna have me a hot date at home with my hubby.  Him in his hot scrubs and me in my new linen dress and bright red lipstick! :)

Family Pictures: Summer 2016

My sweet friend came and stayed with us for awhile this summer and she is wonderful with a camera so I spontaneously had her take some pictures of us and then we edited them up together.  Thanks, Syd!

I love this little family of mine.

Myra always gets jealous when Jordan and I are hugging so we usually will scoop her up and let her join in on the hug... A couple of times we sang the "Happy Family"primary song while doing it and after that she would exclaim, ""Happy family" when we were all together and she felt happy.  And I would say, "Yes, sweetie, we are a happy family!"

We have our tough moments and are far from perfect...but when I think about them I feel like bursting at the seems with happiness.  There was a moment there right after I had Max where I felt like I was DROWNING!!!! BUT, with Max growing a bit and becoming less fussy combined with a little parenting tip I read (ALWAYS have a parenting book on your bed side table) I am starting to feel happy and am loving being a momma again.

Joy School

This new school year has been SO fun for me so far.  Myra hasn't had the EASIEST time sharing her parents with a new sibling....I mean, she loves him to DEATH but her sassiness headed to a whole new level after Maxwell graced our presence.  So with the combination of knowing she needed one-on-one time with me during his morning nap, reading oodles of the Eyre's books recently and wanting to teach her more (girl is a SPONGE for knowledge and knows more than I did at age 5!) I decided to homeschool her...specifically in JOY SCHOOL.

Joy school focuses more on teaching children the joys of the world rather than academics and we have had a lot of fun with it this week.  She is loving learning the songs, creating and being with her momma.  

When teaching Joy school you are asked to read a book called, "Teaching your children Joy"... In the introduction it talks about how important it is to help our children be happy.  Not by giving them everything they want (that would certainly help them to end up NOT happy in their lives), but by being a joyous parent and helping them to see, feel and love the world around them. We are focusing on one joy a month for a year and have started with the "Joy of spontaneity!"  So I filled our day yesterday with just that... and on our way home from a trip to the grocery store and a spontaneous stop at the chick-fil-a drive through for a well deserved ice cream, Myra exclaimed in the car, "feel happy, momma!!!" and I said back to her, "I feel happy to, wawa (what she calls herself)".  Because NOTHING makes me happier than seeing her happy... and for her to be happy enough to actually communicate to me that she feels happy, meant that she really felt happy and special that day.  

I am SO excited to continue teaching her JOY and see her grow up using that JOY to help her through the hard times in life.  

Summer 2016

Our summer was FULL of visitors and fun and I spent the majority of my time being with them and revamping my life...Focusing on family, goals, reading SO many parenting books and thinking about who I am and what I want to become. (hence the lack of photos and blog posts) 

When I was younger I spent SO much time writing goals down and working my butt off to accomplish them and I realized a few months back that I really needed to start doing more of this... Not just for me, but for my family as well.  So Jordan and I sat down for a family council and created new goals.  Individually and for our family.  I know people generally do this in January at the start of the year, but I had a big "aha" moment, a realization that I needed a big chang-a-roo...  

I am excited to "try a little harder to be a little better" as Gordon B. Hinckley counseled people years ago.  

So here are the small amount of photos from the summer I got on my big camera!  Happy late fourth of July! :)

Our Love Story: Part One, Blind Date

Our Love Story: Part one, Blind Date

For years I have been wanting to record our love story. For our children, their children and for US.  A wise person told us on the day we got married that we will have hard times in our marriage… times when we may not really like each other.  That person told us that during those times it would be important for us to look back at the time we were completely in love.  To remember feelings that were there and the reasons why we chose each other.  I am so grateful that I kept a journal during that time in my life.  Any hard times that have come, I have been able to go back and read our story and feel all the feels!!! Our story is long and at times cheesy- but some of those cheesy details are my very favorite.  So I am taking my journal and all the memories in my head to combine our love story- my favorite story! Here we go…

***

My mom opened my door and excitedly gave me a “I’m the best mom in the world look”.

Oh no…. what did she do

Mom: I just set you up on a date with the cuuuuuutest boy!

Me: I rolled my eyes… Oh my gosh!!!! I DO NOT WANT TO DATE!”

Mom:  Hailey, he has dimples and he’s Pre-Med.  I gave him your number so be expecting a call.  His name is Jordan Mabey. 

She shut the door clearly annoyed that I was so upset about it.  

I bit the head off of a chocolate covered cinnamon bear and sunk into my bed.

 In normal “Hailey fashion” I was drowning away my sorrows with candy and binge watching Felicity in hopes to make my heart feel just a little bit better.  

After seeing heartbreak through a divorce in the family and recently breaking up with a serious boyfriend I was disillusioned about love and determined to spend the next few years focusing on ME and my future career.  

I paused my show.

blind dates are the worst… 

Jordan Mabey. I typed it into Facebook ready to check out the terribleness that my mother picked out for me…

His picture popped up and my heart skipped a beat.  

He’s cute…Oh my gosh…

I was surprised and, despite my certainty that I would never in my life get married, I for a split second had the thought come to my head, 

this guy could be my future husband.  

***

Two weeks later…

Through an awkward phone call we had determined to meet up for a date on campus after we had finished classes for the day.  I was dreading it all day long and just minutes before we were to meet up I escaped to one of the voice practice rooms in the Richards Building on campus.  I sat myself down in front of one of the mirrors and attempted to fix the mess that was my face.  It was blotchy and red from just having an emotional breakdown on the phone with my mom.  Emotionally I was not in a good place and was not at all in a mood to go be chipper on a date with a boy I didn't know.  

I took one last look in the mirror.

Good enough.  Let’s just get this over with.

***

I walked into the library where we were to meet up and suddenly got nervous.  I looked around for that face with dimples I had seen on Facebook and spotted him talking to one of the security guards.  

My heart skipped a beat again…

He is SO cute!

I started to walk towards him and we locked eyes.

Jordan: Are you Hailey? 

Me: Yep, are you Jordan?

We awkwardly shook hands - clearly he had just returned from a mission - and we headed out the door.

Jordan: Let’s just not make this awkward, ok?  We’re going to have fun.

He opened the door for me and we stepped out into the cold February air.  I stuck my frozen hands into the pockets of my long red coat and looked up at him.

Hmmmmm maybe this date won’t be so bad after all. 

We walked off campus to his apartment to grab his car and then headed to Zupas. 

He kept it simple for that first date.  Just a short dinner in case one of us (or both) became miserable on the date.  But we sat there in Zupas eating and poking at our panini's for far longer than it takes most people to eat.  We ate carefully and just couldn't seem to stop talking to each other.  

We learned a lot about each other on that blind date.  We talked about our shared interests in painting, guitar, and football.  I told him all about myself and he told me all about himself. I learned that he had lived for two years in Mexico City.  That he is the fifth of six kids and is an adored uncle.  He swam, played rugby, rock climbed, played piano…the list went on and on.  He seemed a little bit too good to be true.  He was kind and a little bit quirky…just enough to entertain me but not too much to bug me.  He made me feel comfortable, taken care of, and safe. I knew that if we didn't end up dating we would at least end up being very close friends.  

It was dark when he drove me back to campus and dropped me at my illegally parked junker car at the Richards Building.  

When it was time to get out of the car things suddenly got a little nerve racking again.  I wasn't sure how this was going to end.  

Was he brave enough to kiss me yet? 

Did he like me or not so much?

Would he contact me again?

Or would he just end up being one of those boys I fall in love with but never quite sees me as more than “just a friend?”   

I went to open the door…

Jordan: So…I have these tickets for a Jazz game next week.  Would you want to go with me?

Ummmm… shocked.

My heart started beating faster.

Holy moly.  I didn't expect to be asked on a second date already. 

Me: YES! that would be a lot of fun, just text me the details. 

I hopped in my car, turned up the heater and country song that was on, then drove home.  

I couldn't stop thinking about him….was I on his mind?  What was this going to turn into?

I reminded myself that I really didn't want a boyfriend.

A few hours later I sent a text to that cute dimpled boy.  

I actually won’t be able to make it to that Jazz game…

To be continued 

Memorial Day 2016

We had such a FUN memorial day this year!  I was sad we didn't get to decorate graves but we did get to go to Downtown Disney (now Disney Springs) for the morning which made up for it.  We went to the Disney store and spoiled Myra with a stuffed Dumbo that she has been wanting for about a year and also got her some princess undies to make her want to potty train haha.  (more on that later). We then ate and Earl of Sandwich (AMAZING BTW) and then hurried home to feed Max and put them down for naps.  

After naps we had a fun picnic outside together with corn on the cob, hot dogs and the most amazing watermelon I have ever consumed.  I have not been able to stop eating it since and douse it in lime juice.  After we finished eating I just laid down on the blanket for a minute basking in the happiness I was feeling for the day and said a little silent prayer to Heavenly Father thanking him.  I felt like I had so much gratitude in my heart that day.  

Then we headed to the pool and all of us swam together.  It was the perfect ending to the day.  

I love Memorial Day and the chance that we have to celebrate those that have passed before us.  I am SO grateful for my ancestors and for Jordan's ancestors.  I can't wait to someday meet them and tell them THANKYOU! 

Cocoa Beach

This last year I was such a bum about living in Florida.  I got in the weirdest funk while pregnant and just stopped seeing all the good things about Florida... Well the past few weeks I have been falling in love with this place all over again and it makes me so happy.  Even as I sit here typing we are having a HUGE rainstorm with thunder and lighting and I just love it so dang much.  These rainstorms become a daily thing in the summer and it is the best.  

Anyways... we have a beach just one hour away and we have only taken advantage of it TWICE in the two years we have been here.  This past time we went on Saturday was SO DANG FUN that we will definitely be returning many more times and enjoying it while we can.  

That gap between her teeth... it just kills me.  Ill be so sad someday when it is gone! 

This boy.  Gosh, I just love him so much.

Right before we left- being a diva in my hat! 

Animal Kingdom.

This past weekend we all headed over to Animal Kingdom together.  We first went on the safari ride which Myra LOVED and then headed to the petting zoo.  It was so funny to watch Myra as she interacted with the goats chasing them around and copying what they were doing (like licking things she shouldn't be licking haha).  

The PIE

Lo and behold the great blueberry pie... Courtesy of Jordan.  My cute baker!  

(Pre-bake obv.)

Jordan laughed when I took this cause I totally placed the measuring spoons specifically for the photo and I always tell him I don't want to be like that.. I don't want to set things up or make things look better than they are.. So we laughed as I snapped this.  An occasional "picture set-up" is ok, right?  :)

Berries Galore

We went picking... again.  I know, I know.  Obsessed, right?  This time we went mostly because we were wanting to bake a pie but didn't have quite enough cause I scarfed all of the other ones.  We went and got several pounds and then Myra chased around the chickens, swung, and talked with the goats.  

This home and yard is absolutely amazing.  Like my friend said, "If I had a house and yard like that, I would be happy living in Florida forever!"  AMEN.  haha  SOMEDAY, someday we will have chickens and a huge garden.  But until then Ill just have to enjoy Rucks!

A Quick Trip to Universal

Max

My sweet sleepy boy.

Epcot Adventures

Disney family dates are my absolute favorite.  It's never quite as magical if Jordan isn't there so I just SOAK IT UP when he comes with us.  When we went it was still the Flower and Garden Festival so they had the butterfly room set up.  Myra was in HEAVEN.  There were butterflies flying around everywhere and she just kept chasing them around.  We weren't there for very long so we just went around the world showcase and ate a delicious cronut.  (If you are ever in Florida go to Epcot and grab one, they are just off to the right as you enter world showcase.  They are TO DIE FOR!!!)  We also went on Figment and saw Snow White.  We were headed out of the park and trying to be quick because Max was starving... Well of course when we are in a hurry we see SNOW WHITE and Myra FREAKED when we didn't stop in the huge line to see her.  I decided to have Jordan wait in line with her while I nursed Max at a nearby picnic table.  While I was pregnant with Max I had a lot of anxiety about breastfeeding him while we were at Disney ( first world problems, I know! ;)) but I am so grateful he has ended up such a great eater.  I can pretty descreetly feed him wherever which I never could do with Myra. Myra would take about forty minutes to eat- I was all over the place and milk was always just spraying everywhere.  Max is usually on and done after about five minutes and just eats one side... This makes it surprising that he is so large, I know.  haha  It ended up perfect timing and I got up to Myra and Jordan just as they were walking up to greet Snow White.  Myra get terribly star struck whenever she sees a character and just stared at her... she won't crack a smile or say anything, just stares.  It is quite hilarious.  

I am so grateful I get to make these memories.  I love these people and this place so much.  

More Berries

There isn't a very large period of time that the blueberries are in season down here... and that season is one of my very favorite things about Florida so we try to take advantage of it and go as often as we can.  This was a pretty quick trip to pick some berries cause Jordan got to go with us before class and didn't have a lot of time to stay.  But we were there just long enough for Myra to have fun and come home covered in "black. dirt.... mamaaaaa. dirt." :) 

Utah

Here are just a few snaps from Utah.  

My Parents have oodles of Lilac in their yard and I am all heart eyes over them.

Climbing ladders now and scaring me half to death- but I am learning to let it go and just let her PLAY!!!!

Jordan showing her the deliciousness that is honeysuckle... Now she walks around trying to suck nectar out of every flower she sees, which is funny but could prove to be dangerous.  When I was little I was trying to do the same and my brothers gave me a flower that was actually poisonous if consumed.  My mom ended up having to call poison control after I ate the dang flower they told me would taste "like candy".

One of the few times he actually let me put him down the entire trip. hahaha  This boy loves him momma.  

The yummiest maple bars in all the land.

Just roaming around in the "secret garden" at the Tulip Festival. 

Before Church on Sunday!!! I could just SQUISH him... and I do.

Why is it that kids LOVE cardboard boxes?  I remember being little and playing for hours in our basement with a box that once had held our washing machine.  Give a kid a box and their imaginations run wild. :)

Arranging some flowers with nana. 

At "The Pancake House". My very favorite restaurant! I usually get crepes and Jordan usually gets this California eggs benedict.  Since he wasn't there I decided to order in and snap a pic to send to him and make him jealous.  He ended up actually being at a restaurant when I sent it, so it didn't work to well. haha

Amelia, Max and Myra.

Max and Max

Eating at Hires.  

A Trip to the Zoo

Thank goodness for iPhones!!! Having Max (aka my little leech), it is a lot harder to also carry around my big camera and take pictures while holding him.  Thankfully My phone does ok enough pictures that I don't feel like I have to have the camera EVERYWHERE I go.  :)

While in Utah we took a little trip to the zoo and it was so much fun.  Myra has a cousin named Amelia and not only to they ADORE each other but they also look just like sisters so it is super fun to watch them play together.  I always tell Jordan that they must have been BFFs or sisters in heaven.

Myra ran around and squealed the whole time cause three of her favorite things were there... Daddy (after being away from him for two weeks), Amelia, and animals.

After we left she continued to talk about the elephants we saw for a good week!