Platinum vs. Gold

We've all heard of the golden rule..... but what about the platinum rule????

We all know that the golden rule is TREAT OTHERS AS YOU WOULD WANT TO BE TREATED.
Well, there is a new rule that far outweighs the golden rule, it is the platinum rule:
TREAT OTHERS AS THEY WANT TO BE TREATED

This simple change in rule is so heavy and has such a lasting effect and can change lives and let others know just how much you really truly care about them. We are all different and want to be treated and shown love in different ways. Some of us want to be treated like a buddy, but others of us want to be gently loved and cherished. We wouldn't treat the men in our lives like one of the girls.... nor would we want them to treat us like one of the guys.

In thinking about this new Platinum rule, I was thinking.... which one is of more worth? Gold? or Platinum? well, a simple search has proven that platinum is about double the value of gold!!!! So, naturally, we would want to follow the platinum rule and not the golden rule right????

May we think of others and be aware of their needs. May we pray earnestly to be guided by the spirit to know the needs of our children, spouses, family and all of those with whom we associate everyday. The Lord will guide us because He truly loves each one of us and wants us all to know and feel loved.

F-O-R-T-I-F-Y

On facebook, a friend had posted on her status, a challenge to all of her friends. Think of one word that you could focus on this year for 2011. As I thought about that one word, I remembered reading another friends blog as she had chosen a word STRENGTHEN.... a very good word :) I wanted to choose something different and something that would suit me and my family, so I prayed. After I said a prayer, I began to read my scriptures and was writing in my journal when the word hit me with such force that I had to stop what I was writing about and write about that word....

The word FORTIFY!!!!

The defenition of Fortify- to make strong; to strengthen and secure; to give physical strength, courage, or endurance to



I want to FORTIFY every aspect of my life this year!

FORTIFY- my family, building up those fortifications to protect my family from the evils around us
FORTIFY- my physical body and strengthen my body, getting out and enjoying this wonderful world that Heavenly Father has blessed us with
FORTIFY- my spirit, building up my own defenses and listening more to the spirit and doing the Lord's will
FORTIFY- my testimony and my relationship with my Father in Heaven and my Savior
FORTIFY- my education, studying more and continuing my education to better myself

Love notes

Yesterday I got the sweetest love note in the mail. It was addresses to me, the return address was my address and there was no stamp on the envelope. It was a love note from Dallin!!!!! He kept asking all day if he could get the mail. Asking so much to the point of almost frustrating me. I decided to let him get it, but I took Chloe with me in the car for her ride. Dallin and Kyler raced me to the mailbox.... of course they won lol. I gave Dallin the key to get the mail and it seemed to take him longer than normal. ..... of course it did because that's when he was slipping the love note from his shirt into the mailbox..... He's tricky he is!!!!

I opened the envelope and cried!!!! This is what it said... by the way it was a thank you note and a paper picture. The thank you note said "love you mom. Thank you for all you've done. i wish you get better because of your hip. Have fun and fun with friendship you're so important. LOVE you so much"

The picture was a sunshine with a heart in the middle of it.... on the paper it says "To a great mom: love you, thought you needed some light and love"

I so love these sweet tender moments of reward :) Yesterday evening Kyler even tried his hand at being sweet in his own little way. He made me a love note and, while I was in the bathroom, knocked on the door and told me I have a package waiting for me. He was so excited to give me his letter :) His letter says "I love you mom. I am going to put this card in the mail. Love Kyler" and hearts are drawn all over the paper :)

I SO LOVE BEING A MOM!!!!!!

FAN MAIL!!!!

I posted this on facebook but wanted to also post it here. The other day, while getting my lunch out of my lunch box, I noticed a piece of paper on top of my food. I looked at it and there was a note from one of the boys. The note read:

"Dear mom I love you mom, have a great day! Love Dallin"

It is so sweet and comforting to get such sweet fanmail. What a blessing to see that the boys are learning to be concerned for others and want to make others smile and feel loved.

Tender moments like finding fanmail in a lunch or a special homemade Christmas story make the hard times so much easier to bare.

Josh's letter to Santa

I know I should have posted this before I posted the Christmas posts, but oh well.... This is a letter that Josh wrote to Santa at school:

Dear Santa, All I want for Christmas is my family. Even if they are mean or rude, they are still my family. Sincerly, Josh


What a sweet sweet boy. I love my boys!!!!!

Dallin's Gift

This morning when we were opening Christmas gifts, Dallin brought Tim and I wrapped gift and said it was for both of us. The gift was a homemade book titled "The best parents ever" which he wrote himself.... here is his story

"The best Parents ever"
Once there were two kids and they had trials like getting bullied and beat badly but they got used to it and then 8 years later they were adults and they dated, there names were Tim and Gina. They had 5 kids 1 was Aaron 2 was Brandon 3 was Josh 4 was Dallin 5 was Kyler. Gina worked at Wendy's then lifeguard then teacher and Tim works at a jail facility. We barely see him, he's gone a lot and he misses his kids but on the weekends we get to see him because he doesn't work on weekends. We like that because he gets to spend Christmas with us. He liked being able to be with us all on Christmas.

It is four days til Christmas and we can't wait. It's so exciting. The two parents are busy doing christmas giving, donating, buying presents for all of the family which is a lot of presents. I'm making this present for my mom and dad because they don't have a lot of presents so I want to make them happy.

Merry Christmas mom and dad!!! you truly are the best parents ever!!!! From Dallin, Josh, Kyler, Aaron, Brandon

We love you!!!! The very special end!!! Merry Christmas!!!


I did not tell him any of this story, nor give him any words. This was all on his own and completely from his precious giant heart. If anything this title should be is "The very best son a parent could ask for" I am so very grateful for this sweetest gift of Christmas and for Dallin's sweet spirit. He knows our Father in Heaven and he knows the true meaning of Christmas. I love you Dallin!!!!

Merry Christmas 2010

What a marvelous blessing! We had an angel bring gifts last night. Tim went out to walk Chloe and found a large black bag at the door. This bag had a huge gold bow on it and a card that read: "Just thinking of all the things that make you such a special family...What a perfect way to add a smile to the holidays!" It was signed from SANTA!!!! What a wonderful blessing to feel so loved. May the Lord bless whomever it was that made this Christmas extra special for the Hallam boys :)

Merry Christmas to all our family and friends whom we hold so dear to our hearts. May you all be blessed with countless blessings.

Brandon update

Brandon is doing better. He's eating very well and keeping all of his food down. Yesterday, both of his blood tests came back with good numbers... still low but good. He didn't need a transfusion last night or today. This morning Brandon's numbers were still about the same, so the doctor now is waiting for tomorrow morning's results.

The lab also drew blood for a test for a few diseases that the Drs are looking into for Brandon as a result of his ITP in the past and his current hemolytic anemia. In all this time being spent here at the hospital, I've been able to look up information and have found some very helpful links.

I am still learning about both conditions and how they are related and what to do for them.

It is a great thing though that Brandon is doing much much better. Here is a link for anyone interested in reading a bit of information on Evans disease. to get to the information link, click on the title of this blog... "brandon update" that will take you to emedicine info

Poor Brandon

Brandon was sick with what we thought was the flu on Wed. so he stayed home from school. He was green looking. Thursday, Brandon stayed home again, and seemed yellow this time. He layed on the couch all day and couldn't stop throwing up, the poor guy :( During my lunch break, I called to see how he was doing, but he said he was doing ok, so I didn't worry too much about it.

Well, Tim came home from work and Brandon was basically GLOWING YELLOW!!!! When I got home, I took him to Boise St Luke's.... it's a toss up sometimes since we live right in the middle between Ontario and Boise. ONtario is where the best pediatrician is. Emmett hospital or doctors are out of the question. Boise is where his Hemotologist is.

AS I was getting into the car, I was still undecided on where to take Brandon for his care. I decided at the very last minute pulling out of the driveway that I would just take him to Boise since I knew he would end up there. I knew he had jaundice very very bad and knew somehow that he would not make it home that night.

When I got Brandon to St LUkes, he could barely walk to the door of the ER :( I let them know he was here and needed seen ASAP. We got him to the back and into a room. They work fast at St Lukes it's amazing!!!! By about 8pm thursday night, Brandon was getting situated in a room in the pediatrics 4019 (for anyone wanting to visit )

Thursday night, Brandon had two blood transfusions. He has what the doctors call Hemolytic anemia. His body is killing and destroying all of it's red blood cells, thus causing the elevated billirubin in his blood making him yellow. His heart rate thursday night was in the 140-155 range..NOT GOOD!!!! The Dr. wanted a close eye kept on him and possibly thinking about putting him in PICU because his heart was working too hard and he was also worried about Brandon having heart failure.

Brandon made it through the night with very little sleep, but looking a bit more rosey in his cheeks. Friday, Brandon had another two blood transfusions, but could not keep any food down :(

During the afternoon on friday, Brandon was sleeping and woke up panicked. He pulled off all of his cord and leads and was pulling on his IV where he was currently getting a blood transfusion. Things were very hectic at that time, as the nurse had said that a transfusion is limited on time, so he had to move quickly to get another IV stick in him....which was almost impossible because of his severe anemia.

An IV spot was found after a few tries and the transfusion was completed. Although Brandon had a better night, he did pull out his IV for the second time grrrrrrr. he doesn't handle pain well :(

Today, Brandon has done so much better, his numbers this morning were not as well as everyone was hoping, but still he's able to keep his food down. Brandon has been hungry but at the same time has not really known what he's wanted to eat, just kind of leary of eating for fear of puking again. We did go for a walk around the Pediatric unit... well he rode and I pushed him around :)

You know your child is sick when they don't even want to text their friends. Brandon has really done well today, but still has a long way to go until he's out of the woods. He may be getting another transfusion, not sure yet, we're waiting to see the doctor this afternoon and waiting to hear results of the blood test this evening.

Will keep all posted as I can. I am updateing my facebook page more frequently, so check it out or just text me if you have any questions :) Please continue to pray for him that he will get well quickly. Thank you all for your love and support :)

Halloween fun!!!!!!

First set of pictures of our Halloween fun!!!!