December

December was a full month.  After returning from Thanksgiving, we headed to California the following Monday.  We wanted to spend some time with Mark’s parents and we were able to visit Tom and Krista and Amy and Spencer.  It was a fun trip which we posted on Mark’s parent’s blog here. 

When we got back, we were busy with shopping, wrapping, decorating, school parties, and lots of Christmas fun.  One magical day it snowed, and the kids immediately put snow clothes on to go play.  It’s a good thing because it melted pretty quick. 

This is what I call a St. George snow angel.

Abigail loved to eat the snow.  She just kept shoveling it in. 

Snow is so fun!

Thanksgiving 2009

It’s been so long since I’ve posted, I’m not sure where to start.  Do I try to post  from Thanksgiving, or just skip it and start fresh?   What to do, what to do. 

Well,  I would like a little something to remind me what happened over the holidays this year so I guess I’ll get posting.   Here goes Thanksgiving.

We went “up north”  as I call it, for thanksgiving, but we left early to attend my cousin Maggie’s wedding.   This was a special occasion because I have not seen my aunts, uncles, and cousins in so long.  We used to spend time together frequently, but since my Grandma and Grandpa died, we have not gotten together.   I love my extended family, and we all had a lot of fun.  I didn’t get a lot of pictures of the family, but I did get a lot of the kids doing what they did all night.  DANCING.  They loved the dancing.  Abigail spun in circles for a straight 45 minutes.     

Emma- dancing with her cousin, Shelby. 

   Dane is an amzing dancer and he taught Gabe some moves.  Emma learned the Macarena.  It brought back 7th grade flashbacks.  Scary.  

The ceremony was beautiful and so was Maggie.  With so many brothers and sisters, and cousins, I went to weddings all the time as a kid, but this was my kids first.  I’m so glad we were able to go. 

The real Thanksgiving                      A day and a half  later, we spent Thanksgiving at Brian’s apartment complex clubhouse with most of the extended family again.  Mark and I got a game of basketball in with Gunnar, JJ, Brian, and Chris.  It is a lot of fun to beat my brothers at basketball.   It was good food, and a good time. 

Abigail and Chloe found their own spot to play

  

I’ve been busy

I haven’t posted in a while.   It’s this time of year I guess.  I love love love this time of year though.  It’s snowing outside.  I love the snow.  I don’t necessarily love living in it, shoveling it, trudging through it etc.  But I love to watch it come down from inside my warm house and know that it will be gone by the morning, or a few days at the most.   We returned our  brand new camera to take advantage of an offer for a free zoom lens.   We just have to wait for our new baby to come.   (the new camera)

We went up north for my cousin Maggie’s wedding and a couple days later, Thanksgiving.  It was wonderful.  Two days after we got back, we left for California to visit friends and family.  If you’d like to read a little about our time in CA, you can here. 

In a week, we are leaving to go to a family lodge in Victor, Idaho for Christmas.  I am so excited.  It’s going to be a blast.  From spending summers there as a kid and having so many milestones there, Idaho has a special place in my heart.  Idaho was my first home when I “grew up”.  I became a wife and a mother in Idaho. 

I know I’m rambling a bit,  probably a result of the hour (1:30 am).  But it is officially my birthday.  27.    I’m so blessed to have Mark and three amazing kids, and a million other blessings, it doesn’t matter how old I am.   What a great life.  :)

Great pictures to come soon!

Winning Isn’t everything. But it’s nice.

On Saturday I raced in a triathlon right here in St. George.  I got first place in my age division!  It was a surprise, and pretty awesome.   The race was just three miles from my house at the “SHAC”, which made it the most stress-free race I’ve done.   Of course,  I was quite sick the whole week before the race, which gave me plenty of rest/recovery time.

Mark took this pic the day before the race.  Abigail and I were both sick and worn out.  This nap at 9:30 AM while the other kids were at school was sooo nice.

Because I was so sick,  I may not have raced if my friend, Erika, wasn’t driving down from Salt Lake to race with me.  But I was so glad she came because I haven’t seen her in a long time, and I would take any excuse to hang out with her.  Also, I’m so glad I did it because this was the most fun triathlon I’ve ever done!  Not just because I won.  really.  I know winning makes everything more fun, but I loved racing in my “home court”,  the non-stress factor and familiarity was so nice.  Also,  I went at a great pace. I went just fast enough that I didn’t kill my self – it was still enjoyable,  but not too slow to make me regret not trying harder.  And it was really fun to do it with a friend.  And I saw Coach Baggs for the first time since high school, and it was really fun to talk to him again. 

 

So yeah.  I got first place!  Wahoo! I thought I had gotten third place, and when they were giving the awards they called my name for first place.  I was confused and when I got up there I ask the lady, “what place did I get?”  and she said, “first!”  And I was like, “All right!”  It was pretty cool.  Granted, it was not a highly competitive event (it’s not USAT sanctioned or anything)  But a first place when I’m sick.  I’ll take it, and I’ll like it.  :)

We got no good pictures of the event.  These were the best there were. 

 

Me and Erika after she just finished.

Will the talented writer please step up

Congrats to Mark for his first posting on our family blog!  Hopefully there will be more as he is a much better writer than me, and I’d love to hear what he has to write about. 

The Magic of Sour

There is something wonderful about a child’s reaction to sour foods.

It’s like a black hole hiding behind her face is pulling all skin and muscle inward.

  

Fun weekend that was a while ago

So a little while ago we had some family come into town and we had a really fun weekend.   We talked late, and went for a hike, shooting, and mountain biking.  The next day we played all day in a volleyball tournament.   It was kind-of a boys weekend, but Julie, Aubrey and Brynlee were good sports.   We love to spend time with family.  Here’s some pictures of it. 

Hiking in the “gap”

   

My children like to eat dirt.    

Collin and Aubrey shooting

 

 

 

 

 

Brynee’s first shot with the handgun from about 15-20 feet

A fun day of Volleyball

        

Trevor, relaxing by the pool after a fun filled weekend.  Nice tan.