it's the most wonderful time of the year

In years past we have traveled to the mountains and searched for the perfect tree. The last two 3 years we have settled for the artificial pre-lit one that we have in our storage, not quite the same.
So this we resurrected our old tradition and went with our friends to Red Lodge to cut down the perfect tree.
We played in the snow


Not everyone dressed for the occassion.
We spent time fixing the contacts

some trees we cut didn't quite fit on their ride

We did make it home, decorated our tree,
we're excited to enjoy the holiday season

Twenty One

I remember celebrating my 21st birthday on the Oregon Coast. Bruce and I weathered the icy roads and stormy blizzard to enjoy a few days at the Coast. We were celebrating our first month of marriage and our new life together. Bruce had just finished another semester @ BYU and we were on Christmas break. It was just the two of us exploring the coast with no cares in the world. Fast forward 21 years
we've:

graduated from college
lived in two states
2 apartments
4 homes
had four kids in two years
spent all day feeding kids and changing diapers
lived on 3 hours of sleep many nights
never had a minute to ourselves
have 4 teenagers
had 3 in braces...the 4th in Jan.
go to bed hours before the kids do
have all day to myself (very quiet)
spend many weekends waiting up for the kiddos
have 3 drivers in the family
soon we'll have 6
we'll have a son graduate from High School next year
worry about how we will pay for 4 kids in college
we'll be empty nesters @ 45 & 47
Man! has the last twenty-one years flown by.

Happy Anniversary my Love.

The Day Has Come

The girls are so excited!!!! Their Mom?... Not sure what I'm feeling. They have all 3 driven with me several times so I'm sure their ready. It's going to be fun getting the 50(x3) hours of driving in.

Sweet Words

Saturday I woke up, still dark out side, and got ready to go to the temple. I didn't attend a session. I was in the children's center with the sweet little children that were waiting to be sealed to their parents that day. I was with Gavin, age 4, for most of the morning. While he was coloring and enjoying a fruit snack...he looked at me with his sweet innocent smile and said, "your nice". It warmed my heart. Now if I can strive to be nice:

When things are not going my way
when everyone is not doing what I want
when life hasn't dealt me what I thought it should
when someone cuts me off
when someone misunderstands me
when I'm tired
when the house is a mess
when my teenagers don't want my advice
when someone has another opinion than mine

FALL Photos

It is a four day weekend and time to enjoy ourselves....right after we get the kids photos done for the year. Not what they wanted to wake up and do this morning but at least they tried to make their mom happy and just do it. What great kids I have to just smile for the camera. We again visited my friends farm which is just across the road from us. It makes it so easy to just head on over there. I absolutely love this one of the kids. I just want to freeze them at this age. Life is passing me by way to fast, I just want to enjoy this time for a while. The weather was perfect and the fall colors are just beginning to appear. My favorite time of the year.
SidneyShe is loving high school, just finished up Cross Country and is unsure if she wants to do it next year. She always make sure I am taken care of and stills gives me hugs at night. My beautiful, sweet girl. She's the baby of the family & looks forward to get her braces on in Jan...She said since she was the last to get her braces she should be the first to do drivers Ed, that's seem only fair.

Hannah

Hannah I think secretly loved cross country. She improved her time by 2 mins and by the end was running 7min+ miles. She says she is ready for a break. Also loving the freedom of high school. She is the peace maker of our family and can seem to smooth things over when no one is quiet getting me as the Mom. My beautiful brown eye girl.

BaileyAlso did cross country, positive peer pressure. Loved the social aspect of it all, didn't mind running though. She totally loves high school and sometimes has to be reminded to ask before saying yes to anything and everything. Loves early morning seminary, lunch off campus and the whole social aspect that teenage life has to offer. My beautiful green eyed girl.

Parker

He is the stud of the family. Getting ready to start training for rugby, and just enjoying life. His sisters sure adore him and would do almost anything for him. He is my taxi cab driver, since he has his license he drives the girls everywhere...do they even need me? They have all become great friends.
I so love these kids...teenagers....soon to be adults(well at least they think they are)

Opportunities to Do Good

I believe we have opportuntities to do good each day. We just need to look for that opportunity to serve. I was touched by this community to come together and help each other out.

A Miracle

This last summer we spent a week in Oregon. We had the opportunity to walk Grandpa's wheat fields. While walking the fields you are looking for wild oats and other weeds that may be trying to hide amongst the beautiful wheat. Very seldom do you find a weed, there fields are immaculate! Such was the case this time. We did not get the chance to pull one weed. I snapped this photo of Bruce and his oldest brother Jay. It has a special place in my heart. This was a little bit of quality time Bruce spent with his brother this last summer, discussing farming. Last year Jay was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer. Most patients die within the first 3-5 months. Jay has made it past a year. Only 1% of those diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer live past a year. This truly is a miracle we count each day that he is with a blessing. We sure love you Jay. Your always in our thoughts and prayers.

Oh, The Energy

Oh, if I could have as much ENERGY as my kids...and their friends do. Parker was hanging out with us watching a game and enjoying homemade ice-cream. We were unaware that his friends were decorating the lovely blue van, which Parker is the proud driver of. They did a fabulous job of seran wrap and whip cream.




Notice the fabulous atena and his new towing hitch. Quite the improvement.

The Church is Still True

Boy, what a game last night. Bruce and I sure enjoyed it:)

Cross Country

The girls went out for cross country this year. They had their first meet last Friday and did quite well. This was my first official xc meet.It was organized chaos. 12 schools competing and there had to be 1,000 spectators watching.
I only had two spots to get pictures: the 1/2 way mark at about 1.5 miles and then at the finish line. You would think that that would give me enough time to get my camera ready. No. These are 2 highly exposed photos of Hannah and Sidney on their first lap.

Hannah

Sidney

Hannah after her race

Bailey

s400/P1180822.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5651576122843222002" />
Sidney


Bailey first 1/2 of the race

Bailey with friend Kate Hanna

They are now three weeks into the program and I asked they how they are liking it. They enjoy running every day with their friends but not too sure about the meets. I think it is a total social outlet for them. They're having fun! This weeks meet is in Great Fall, Montana.

The beginning

 

My girlies are in High School. We had to send them off right. Doesn't everyone need a survival kit when heading out into adventures unknown?

The Reunion

What do you do when you have 53 people that want to get together...You almost need to rent out a lake. Ok, so we didn't rent the lake just the cabins near the lake. What a beautiful place to spend a few days with family. We minitured golfed,shopped in the little town of Joseph
Made cow cakes and celabrated Sierrah's 15th birthday
played barbies (Ben your such a good dad)
shopped some more
ate some more
paddled around the lake in the rain


roasted marshmellows inside due to the rain
No, a furnace does not work to roast marshmellow, but the kids thought it might.