Christmas happenings with our family

Here are some of our pictures from Sunday the 21st to Thursday Christmas day. The first group of pictures is our FHE that we have each month with my brothers and family. And also, that night was Layla's birthday we celebrated. In this picture above (left to right) is Matthew, Mikayla, Brighton, Layla, Brittany, and Suzanne.
FHE at Mark and Miriah's home, this picture above is during the lesson that Miriah did with everyone participating. In this picture is Mark, Miriah, Layla, Caleb, and Mikayla
Layla turned 6 on 12-21-08. In this picture above is (l to r) Mikayla, Layla, Brittany, Cumorah, and Nathan.
Brighton playing with blocks at our FHE at Mark and Miriah's home.
Kara playing with Cougar with Mikayla and Brighton in the background too.
Our Christmas tree in the family room!
Colton and Kara in their new PJ's and opening a present from Cami's deceased parents ( a tradition each year). On Christmas Eve we had the missionaries over for dinner and then we read the story of Jesus's birth in the Luke 2 and in Matthew 1 and in parts of the Book of Mormon. Then we got in our PJ's, got Santa's plate all filled with cookies. Then we played the game that Cami's parents gave us which was the American Idol Encore Wii game. We had a blast singing and dancing!
Here is Spencer with his new PJ on Christmas Eve. He went to Lindsay's home during the afternoon evening to enjoy the Christmas fun at their home. To see more pictures look at Lindsay's page that I have a link to.
Christmas breakfast, this year we ate before we opened presents. Lindsay is the one taking the picture for us. :)
Kara in the midst of opening presents.
Colton enjoying opening his presents.
Matt and I on Christmas morning. Christmas was a wonderful day filled with wonderful company, a TON of snow, wonderful presents, a great talk with our Missionary, Coby, delicious food and celebrating the birth of our Savior and the life he lived so that we can have eternal life through his gift of the Atonement.
Lindsay and Spencer, Christmas morning.
Christmas afternoon at Matthew and Suzanne's home. We ate a delicious meal, visited, and then played a few fun games. In this picture is L to R, Mikayla, Matthew, Nathan turned around, Mark, Kara and then Cumorah.
Matthew looking great after a long day.
A very tired Cougar after a busy Christmas Day in his mom's arms and Cumorah standing close by. On December 26th we went out to a late lunch and then we went and saw the movie, "Bedtime Stories." Our family all enjoyed it and the fun event was because Matt's parents for Christmas sent us money to go out to eat and to go and see a movie. It was a fun day. Then later that evening Matt and I saw the movie, " Seven Pounds." That is a very thought provoking movie.

Sledding, Christmas program and other happenings!

Today Kara went sledding with her two friends Natalie, and Riley. They have a tradition of going sledding right before Christmas at Eastmont. Matt took them this year since I was wrapping presents most of the day!
Here is a picture of Kara's school Christmas choir. They sang on Wednesday December 17th at Eastmont Middle School. This is Kara's last year of being in the choir since she will be in middle school next year. This is her 6th year of being in the choir. Kara also got some very good news this week about her 6th grade play. They are doing the play Much Ado about Nothing by Shakespeare. She got the part she tried out for, Beatrice so she is pumped! Although she does have to fall in love with Benedick and learn around sixty lines so she has her work cut out. Kara also graduated from NOVA a new program that is taught to replace DARE (the drug free program). Thankfully, Spencer drove my carpool route with Lindsay so I was able to go to the N.O.V.A. program.

Colton had a lot of parties at his school this week. One day I made him Texas Sheet Cake for his whole class (you don't have to buy store brand stuff) and the next day I made him Cinnamon Rolls for another class. He has had a lot of fun at his parties though and found out there is a lot of talented people at his school when they did a Christmas talent show program.

This week we did a lot of Christmas shopping, baking, finishing Christmas cards, visiting teaching, home teaching and other Christmas activities. And in the midst of this we had a TON of snow. Matt had put new tires on my Pilot and they were terrible in the snow. I was sliding into everything and because there was so much snow the roads weren't plowed. Luckily Spencer and Matt put my old un-fancy tires back on my car which I am so grateful for because they drive so well in the snow!

Tomorrow would have been my mom's 67th birthday. I miss her so much and I always feel sort of melancholy on her birthday when I think about what might have been. Every year I convince myself that I won't feel this way, but it is really pretty fruitless since it seems to be what happens on her birthday! I am just so grateful for the HUGE influence she has had on me because of who she was!

We also want to wish Matt's parents a very Happy Anniversary today. We are so glad they got together and hope they have a wonderful day.

FHE at Temple Square

My favorite thing to do during the Christmas season is to go to Temple Square. Here are some of the pictures that Lindsay took while we were there. She does an amazing job and she was just using my digital camera. Then she was sweet enough to edit the pictures too. I never knew my camera could take such good pictures.

Christmas skiing in blizzard like weather!

Here is Kara exhausted after our last ski lesson with the Deseret Ski school. I really enjoyed this program and it is so CHEAP. We were able to get three two and a half hour lessons for a total of $40. When I looked at prices for regular ski lessons it was $90 for just one hour so we were very grateful for such a wonderful price and great lessons. When I was talking to my ski instructor he also let me know that all of the Alta ski instructors were teaching these three classes for free. What wonderful kind people to do this for the community. We are so blessed.
Matt waiting for us during ski lessons! He has been great coming with us each week, to enjoy the scenery and he also says it is because he wants to protect his girls!

Here I am about to go on the ski lift with my new found friends. I am in the blue vest and I am too excited to do something that was a fear of mine for a very long time.
Here is Kara at our last ski lesson. She did wonderful and we both went up on a green ski lope. It was so much fun and we both loved it. The only thing that was interesting to deal with was the snow that was falling at a rapid speed.

Here is a picture of Kara after the Mormon Tabernacle's amazing concert that we both went away from in awe. What an amazing choir we have. We are very lucky that Matt has two employees that always give us tickets to this and make it a tradition each year. The guests we had were Brian Stokes Mitchell and Edward Herrman were fantastic.
Matt ended up getting the flu so Kara and I had a fun mother/daughter trip to see the Mormon Tabernacle choir on Thursday the 11th. Here is a picture of Kara before the concert when we went out to eat and this is the dessert we shared. Kara is a lot of fun to hang out with.

I did forget to take pictures of Lindsay and I's trip to Cedar City to pick up Spencer. Since Matt was sick we decided to drive down to Cedar City a day earlier than planned as he was going to make the trip on Saturday, but since he caught the flu that we all had we knew he wouldn't be well enough to go. And since Matt was home on Friday I could actually go because he would be able to pick up Colton and Kara from school and take Kara to her "Up with kids" class too. I still felt bad leaving him with the driving like that when he had been really sick on Thursday, but he liked the idea of not having to drive to Cedar City a lot. When Lindsay and I got to Cedar City we realized that there was still cleaning to do as Spencer was behind because we were coming a day earlier then planned. After the cleaning was done we packed up his stuff in our car. It went pretty quickly and we were back on the road in no time. It is nice to have Spencer home. He has been very helpful. When we got home from ski lessons Spencer had enlisted Colton's help in shoveling the snow on our drive way and walk ways and had hot chocolate waiting for us. And then later that night he and Lindsay made dinner for us too.

It has been a different week then planned!!!

The beginning of our ski lesson
Kara's class (she is in the pink and black coat in the back)


(My ski instructor Sid (who is amazing and who has taught since 1968) and a few of my new friends plus three extra people checking out our class.
Colton also enjoying Alta ski resort with his dad!
Minutes from being sick!!!


We have had a very busy week and had a lot of plans until the awful flu virus came to visit at our home and forced us to slow down. Last Tuesday (12-2) in the evening Kara started getting sick. She said she felt better on Thursday morning so we let her go to school, but then after school when I picked her up she was sick and was throwing up again. Then Colton started to come down with it while we were skiing. And then I caught it early Monday morning and I am thinking I will be much better by this evening. After having the flu it really helps you appreciate a functioning body. And it has also got me very behind in so many things!

Tomorrow is our All Adult Enrichment Dinner I have been working on for quite sometime. When our RS president, Alice called me yesterday and found out I was sick throwing up she offered to go and get all of the food (even after I told her I could do it, but secretly I think she didn't want my germs on it.) Then Natalie offered her help in preparing some of the food I was planning to make. And then my friend Crystal called up today and offered her help too. So after that I got brave (seriously it is that hard for me) and called another mom in the car pool and asked her if we could switch days as I usually pick up today. And she was more than happy to switch. One thing I have always struggled with is asking for help. I've always felt like everyone is already so busy that I never wanted to add more to their already busy life and the unseen burdens they carry. It is funny because I love to help people and it gives me a lot of joy. I learned so much from my mom who was such an example to me of Christlike service. Even when she couldn't physically do things for other people she blessed people by her kind words, note, or call.

We were really sad by the passing of Elder Wirthlin. He has always been one of my favorite apostles. I have loved his talks, book, and learned so much from his humble example. One thing is he also served in the same mission years ago where my son Coby is serving. So it has been nice to hear of some of his experiences there. I loved what Elder Nelson said about him at his funeral, "He cared so little about himself, because he cared so much about others."

Spencer is busy with finals and we will be going to pick him up and all of his stuff this weekend. It will be nice to have him going to school in SLC! We have so much to do for Christmas and hope that you are all enjoying this beautiful time of the year!

Our Tree is Up!!!!

We got most of our Christmas decorations up on Saturday, but we were able to put up both our Christmas trees on Monday night for Family Home Evening. It is always a lot of fun. Here are just a few pictures of our night below.

Our home is quieter now with Spencer back in school, but he will be back in December to stay and go to college here in Salt Lake until his upcoming wedding. Yes, the word is out that he plans to be married in the temple to Lindsay. A lot of you have met her and if not you are in for a treat as she is a very beautiful, lovable young women.

On Sunday I went to hear Coby's friend Jake speak and he did an amazing job. I just love Jake and his very cheerful, happy disposition is very contagious. It made me think that sooner than I can believe our son Coby will be back from serving his mission.

It is a busy time for everyone and I am excited for the season of Christmas as we celebrate our Savior's birth. I hope you are enjoying this time too.