Grandma and Grandpa's Tree

 Each year, usually the first Sunday after Thanksgiving, my parents (Grandma and Grandpa Luke) invite the grandkids over to decorate their Christmas tree. This is a tradition we look forward to every year.

It begins with dinner, then the grandchildren get busy hanging 100's of ornaments and other various knick-knacks (some new, most old from when I was a kid) onto the tree, ending with dessert and usually an uplifting Christmas message.

This year we watched THIS VIDEO and committed to 

Follow Our Savior Jesus Christ. In 25 Ways. Over 25 Days.

We even came up with our own plan to Light the World, which I'm super excited about.

Two Months!

It's been two months since my last post. WHAT?!

Life has been crazy-busy, and I plan to blog it all.

WHAT HAVE WE BEEN UP TO?

For starters, we've (and when I say we, I mean everyone but me) been working on putting in our yard -FINALLY! After 4 summers without grass, I'm so ready.

 My dad came and helped Clint put in sprinklers. It was a looooong process, that took almost a month to complete.

 Then we had cement poured for a sidewalk, patio, and a basketball court.

 And of course, for memory's sake, we had to add our hand-prints to the fresh cement.

They go in order left to right - Clint, mine,#1, #2, etc

Next, we replaced our crumbling rock wall with a new sturdier, prettier rock wall

We also had a retaining wall built in our backyard.

Things are moving right along. We are so close to being able to feel cool, soft grass under our feet.
All we have left to do is to hire someone to come scrape the rocks out of our yard (there are only 1,459,678,577 of them), and spread topsoil. Then we have curbing and finally sod!
Stay tuned!

Movie at Gram's

 Last week in between Christmas and New Year's we went to the movies at Gram's new place.

Yes, you read that right.  Gram's assisted living center has a movie theater right there, on site.

It has lots of nice comfy seats, a huge screen, and the best part, they provide free candy (theater box size) and popcorn (from a theater popcorn machine).

We had such a good time.  My kids beg me everyday to take them to watch a movie at Gram's.

(By the way, you'll never guess which movie we're watching, so I'll just tell you. It's a Deseret Book film called The Miracle Maker).

Did I mention Gram's place also has a billiards room?

The boys ended the night with a friendly game of pool.

Thanks Gram for moving to such a fun, family-friendly place!

Holiday Peak

Last week was rough on my nerves, and I can honestly say that I'm glad to be done with it.

The kids were out of school the entire week, which was great and awesome except for the fact that they were ALL "jacked up on Holiday Dew".  They were bouncing off the walls with Christmas excitement - even my teens.  Combine that with a husband who was very busy working super long hours being Santa's helper at work all week- Saturdays and Christmas Eve included.

It's a wonder I made it.

All week long I was like the 4th Destiny's Child chanting:

I'm a survivor

I'm gonna make it

I will survive

Keep on survivin'

Last week we had a jolly-holly good time at our local water-park turned North Pole.

Here we are riding along on the lazy river.  We went sledding down a waterslide and saw Santa.

It was really weird being at the water-park at night in the middle of winter wearing our snow gear instead of our swim suits.

We also went to Temple Square with my parents, Gram, and my sister and her boys.

I love Christmas at Temple Square. It's beautiful and the Christmas Spirit can be felt everywhere.

"The spirit of Christmas is something I hope all of us would have in our hearts and lives—not only at this particular season but also throughout the year."

-President Thomas S. Monson

12 Days of Christmas Randomness

1. Two Sundays ago we all accidentally dressed in Christmas colors.

Definitely picture worthy!

2. Last Sunday, we kept with the long-standing tradition, and had the grandchildren decorate Grandma and Grandpa's Christmas tree.

3. We've sat on Santa's lap, as well as written him our last minute Christmas lists.

4.  We attended a Christmas party at Gram's assisted living center. The kids made trees while Clint sampled all the candy.

5.  Last week it snowed.  It was absolutely beautiful.

6.  The next day it snowed even more.

Then yesterday it rained, and melted everything away which I'm not happy about - I'm dreaming of a white Christmas!  Fingers crossed it snows today.

7.  Yesterday #3 spent the day snowboarding in the mountains where it was snowing  - Lucky!

8. The stockings are hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas soon will be here.

9. All the gifts are wrapped, and I can't wait for Christmas morning.

10. #5 had a dance recital this past weekend.  She did great, and is a natural-born performer.

11.  Due to some scheduling conflicts and a surgery, we were not able to have our traditional Cookie Day this year, so yesterday, the girls and I (since the boys were out playing), whipped up a few things, and everyone was happy, happy, happy.

 12.  And last but not least, Christmas came early for these two little girls.

My best friend, Denise (mother of 4 boys), gifted them her old Barbie Dream house (circa 1980), with furniture and Barbie dolls too.  

Remember Aja, the blue-haired Jem doll?

If you need me, I'll be upstairs playing Barbies!

Thanksgiving 2015

Thanksgiving is always a fun day. There's nothing better than gathering the whole family together around a nice, big, delicious meal.  This year we celebrated up at Heber Valley Camp with my missionary parents.

It had snowed the night before, and the fresh snow was perfect for playing in. 

After the feasting and waking up from our turkey-induced comas, we (when I say we, I mean everyone except for me) went sledding. 

Everyone took turns sliding down the hill and then being pulled back up by the side-by-sides.

(That's my kind of sledding -where there's little to no effort involved.)

It was one of the most fun Thanksgivings yet.

Fall Break 2015

Last Thursday and Friday were Fall Break for us.  

My parents were also on break from their mission.

We decided to celebrate the two by heading up into the mountains.

 

I left my phone (aka my camera) at home, which means I had to rely on Clint to snap some pictures.  He didn't and finally at the end of the day, I confiscated his phone for my own personal use.

However, I wasn't able to take very many.

Insert sadface

It was a beautiful overcast Fall day

 and the mountains were gorgeous!

 Hashtag: beUTAHful

Au revoir

My parents have been serving as Service Missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Church owned camp, Heber Valley Camp.

They recently completed their second year there.  We all thought they were done, but they were asked to stay on throughout the winter and for another summer as well.  

Mom will be working as a "camp secretary" of sorts, and Dad is the second in command over the entire camp.  Everyone loves them because they love and serve with all their might and heart.

They were able to come home for a short two weeks, and are needed back up on the mountain tomorrow!  We are grateful for the times we are able to see them.  We really miss them!

Busy little Bee and Birthdays

Life right now is busy busy.  I can't quite put my finger on exactly what I'm so busy doing.  When I look back at the end of the day, it feels like I've accomplished absolutely nothing. I can't seem to keep up with the cleaning, the laundry, or this blog. It is a total mystery, and one that needs solving quickly. Can someone please call Sherlock for me?  Thank you.

We are in the midst of celebrating another birthday week.  It's not quite as intense as our birthday week in November, but it's still fun!

September's birthday week consists of the following birthdays: Clint's brother, Nate (the 17th), #6 (the 18th), my mom (the 19th), my dad, and my brother, Will -who just happens to share the same birthday (the 24th) with my dad.  

That equals 5 birthdays in 7 days. 

That's a lot of birthdays, a lot of cards, a lot of presents, and a lot of cake, but it's also a lot of fun!!!!

Zip-Line = Flat-line

We spent last Saturday and Sunday up at Heber Valley Camp (HVC).  It is heavenly up there.  I just bask in the quiet, peaceful, serene, beautiful atmosphere of it all.  

 I get to be with my family.  I get to see my mom and dad.

What could be better?

 We are allowed two "visits" per year.  Since my parents served there last year, this was our 4th stay.

Each visit includes a challenge course (there are 5 different ones to choose from), boating on the lake, and an over-night stay in one of their awesome cabins. 

 Mom and Dad choose the challenge course for us, and this time they chose the zip-line, or Challenge Course #2. 

I have a love-hate relationship with the Zip-line.  I don't mind climbing the 20 foot pole up to the top, but the moment I have to step on the horizontal pole and make the walk across to the actual zip-line, my fear of heights sets in and really scares the bejeebers out of me.

 

Finally after I get my knees to stop shaking and I make it to the zip-line platform, my heart finally starts to slow-down, and I can breathe again.  The worker hooks you up, gives you a pep-talk, and then it's time to jump to your death.  (Okay not really, but it feels that way.)  It takes a serious amount of trust to leap off that super high platform.  Once you do and the initial rush is over.  It becomes so fun, you almost -almost- want to do it again.

 (I chose this picture because I look really tan in it. - That is all.)

 Every time we go, Clint and I mention how fun it would be to have a family reunion up here with his family.  Who knows. . . one day, we might actually do it!

 At each challenge course and also the lake they have a sandbox for the children to play in. (Whoever thought of this idea must have been a mom with little kids.  Bravo Lady!) 

After the challenge course, we canoed on the lake where I had the cutest view.

There's just something awesome about having fun with your family outdoors.

I can't wait to go back!  (Next time, I'm forcing #1 to call in sick to work . . .Insert Evil Laugh. . .)