My Grandma Giles and our Crazy Traditions

So my crazy sisters and I went out shopping on Black Friday as we always do every year. It is one of the MANY traditions my Mom and her family started a very long time ago. My mom and her mother (Grandma Giles) and sisters (Aunts Janet, Bobbie and Mary) went every year since I can remember to get all the early bird specials. When my sisters and I got a little older we were invited to go.

It really isn't about the sales for us, it is about being together and getting up so Early and going to breakfast and lunch and spending time together!! Getting the good deals is a bonus! We think it is kind of funny to see the crazy angry people that get so ferocious. We just laugh...."People..it is self inflicted, if you don't like it DON'T go!!!" We love it, it's really fun!

Since my Mom's family has grown so much it is really hard to coordinate who wants to go where, so the last two years we meet my Grandma, Aunts &cousins for lunch. It's cool when we run into our aunt's and cousin's which we usually do several times throughout the day.

This year was fun, we all met at Eva's at 3:30 a.m. shopped and shopped.
We met for lunch at Olive Garden with my cousins, Aunts and Grandma Giles.
As we were leaving the restaurant my Grandma was giving me a hug goodbye and she started weeping. Every time she weeps about my mother we all start weeping it's really hard to keep back the tears. She told me she was having a very rough day because she couldn't stop thinking about my Mother. She said that my Mother and her would stick it out until late hours in the night on Black Friday. She said my Mom was so determined to get most of the shopping done that day. She would keep my Grandmother going also.

My Grandma loves her family so much! She has had such a hard time with the loss of my Mother. We all have. I think it's hard for her because she is so close to all of her family, I know that all of us 9 girls have a lot of her in us, our personalities, looks and interests. We remind her of her daughter. I am so thankful to My Grandma for loving and caring for our family so much. I am grateful for the work and love she has put into her family. She raised such Amazing Daughters. She is so giving and she does so much for her children and Grandchildren. She has an amazing ability to make all of us feel so cared for and loved, I know who my mother took after!! I thank the Lord for the Family I was born into. I Thank the Lord for my Amazing Grandmother!!

I am Thankful For My Savior!

My heart is full! I can't even Describe the overwhelming feelings of gratitude for My Savior Jesus Christ and what he has done for all of us! This Thanksgiving week I have been gathering my thoughts and feelings on all the things I am grateful for and The top on the list is my Savior! Without him there would be no hope. I am who I am because of his Example and his sacrifice, I know I have so much to work on and I stumble constantly, I know I don't always do the things he would want me to do. I thank God for his mercy and Grace, I thank God for his priceless matchless gift to his children. I know I need his Atoning sacrifice and I pretty much need it constantly as I make stupid mistakes. What peace it gives me to know that I can be clean of my sins because he loves me so much to sacrifice for me!!

Waiting in Line for the Twilight Premiere

Thursday November 20th

In the back is my sister in laws (Megan) sisters Beth and Julie in front from left to right are My sisters Bonnie, Eva, Koleen and Beth!!

For me it was more for the fun of hanging out with my sisters because I hadn't read the books (I know I'm a total Slacker!!) I really do want to read them eventually to see what all the hype is about. My sisters have all read them and they were so Excited. I really liked the movie but who am i to Judge it because once again i didn't even read the books!!

Thankful for my Amazing Mother...I miss her so much!

My mother in High school

My parents a very long time ago

My family with President Kimball in 1981, I am on my fathers lap.

My beautiful mother

I am thankful that the Lord gave me the opportunity to be born to goodly parents.

My mother was the most amazing person I have ever known. I try my best to be more like her. She was a very selfless person who loved everyone! She was the most Christ like person. She always found the good in all people even if she had a hard time getting along with some one, she would find a way to see the good in them. She NEVER judged anybody (even to a fault)!

She loved to be creative, like sewing, crafts, decorating etc. I think that's why my sisters and I love creating things too. It seems like we are keeping her spirit alive when we are creative and crafty!

Christmas was her absolute favorite Holiday!

This is a wonderful time of year for me and also my family because we can bring in all the traditions that she loved! They remind us of her. It is very bitter sweet because I miss her so much, everything about the holidays reminds me of her!! The music,decorations, baking, Christmas crafts and the Giving! She loved to give!! She got that from her mother, my Grandma Giles loves to give gifts! It's going on the 11Th Christmas without her. It is hard but I enjoy feeling her spirit in Everything Christmas!

It hurts a little that my younger siblings don't really remember her because I just want to shout out from the roof tops how amazing she was and I hope my Siblings, Aunts, Grandma, dad and I can always keep her memories alive!!

We need to really appreciate everyone in our lives because we never know when it will be their time to leave us in this life.

I love you Mom and I miss you very much, I know you are in a better place and not suffering anymore. I also know you are smiling down on us!

I love my Koleena!!

First of all I love my sisters so very much!! They are such a blessing in my life. I know we have our disagreements and our issues but I know they all love me for who I am and we have an unconditional love for each other. I am so blessed for my abnormally large family of 13 siblings!!

My little sister Koleen moved in with us 2 weeks ago, I am so happy to have her here. She is such a joy in our home! She is so giving and helpful. She would help anyone in need including strangers.
She is always trying to Cheer everyone up and she brings such a positive energy to everyone she is around!! I was having a rough day last Thursday and I got home from work in an awful mood and she started jumping up and down in the car on our way to the twilight premiere singing as cheerfully as she could and says "Come on Angela get in the mood!!, Aren't you excited?!!" So my entire attitude changed, she is so good at making me feel better!
Savannah and JayLynn lover her so much!
Thanks Koleen, I love you and I am so excited for the memories we will make together!

Oh I also love Beth TONS too (for those of you who don't know, Koleen's twin...my sister) !! I wish they could both live with me!! Beth is a selfless sweetheart also. I will just have to steal her away to stay with me a lot!!
I am so proud of my little sisters for how strong they have been throughout their lives without a mother around it is very tough, they are my heros!!


I am really bummed that my sister Molly isn't in this photo, I love this picture of my sisters and I.
Koleen, Me and Beth

Koleen, Eva, Zackary and Audrey

Beth and Koleen

Sorry I haven't posted

My sisters and I have been very busy painting!! Check out our Blog!! Hopefully we can keep up the posts, we have a lot more work scheduled!!

http://www.utahmuralart.com/

Halloween

JayLynn actually agreed to wear her Cinderella gown to school and our Ward party. I was so excited!! I made it for her back in February for her birthday party and Disneyland. For Trick or Treating she wore her pirate costume. Savannah really wanted to be a witch.

Halloween party at the Hasna home

Every year around Halloween my nephew Taylor has his Halloween themed Birthday party. My sisters and I love to sew period costumes so a few years ago we started a Halloween tradition. We all get together a few months before Halloween and decide what theme or time period we want to sew and dress up for the birthday party. Most of us put it off till the last minute then sew like crazy to get ours done. This year was no exception, I was very busy during the month of October so I finally started 3 days before the party trying to get the costumes finished. I made the black and purple saloon girl costume and the purple dress I was wearing. Our theme this year was "The Victorian period" I sewed an early victorian bustle style dress and my sisters made late victorian dresses (Anne of Green Gables era). I love this tradition. Our mother was a very talented seamstress so we all feel like we are keeping her memory alive when we sew. It brings us closer together as sisters also. It is a tradition I hope never ends.

1920's Murder Mystery Dinner

My friend Rachel had a Murder Mystery dinner at her home. Some time in the near future I want to host one of these Murder Mystery dinners!! It was the second one I have been to and they are blast!! We dressed up for the roaring 20's. Everyone had a blast! I was also excited to wear a 1920's style dress my mother made for my sisters high school musical.