We Love our Family

First of all, thank you for a wonderful Christmas.  With Kristi and Ben and boys here, our Christmas was very busy and exciting.  We love to have you all come and stay awhile so we can love our grandbabies to death.  Each day we are coming to realize that life is too short and we need to cherish the moments we have with each of you.   We want you to know you are in our daily prayers and hope that you will teach the gospel to your  little children with love and patience and kind words.   Teach them to pray and especially morning prayer to have their Heavenly Father's protection with them through the day.
  They are so sweet and innocent and need so much love from family.  We hope  they can be a shining light and example to those around them.
Keep working on your preparedness program at home,
and keep your testimonies strong.  
I'm wondering what 2012 will bring for all of us and hope it
will be a good year for all.
Let's keep working to be a Forever Family for eternity.
Come and visit often!!

To put the world in order, we must first put the nation in order. To put the nation in order, we must first put the family in order. To put family in order, we must first cultivate our personal life. And to cultivate our personal life, we must set our hearts right. - CONFUCIUS

Nativity Actors

This was the first year we had done the
nativity play and I think it could be called
successful.  Beka was the narrator and
you can see all of the actors in the picture.
We had dinner first and then the nativity and
sang a few songs, then they opened their
pajama presents under the tree and then
of course, desserts.
It was a very fun evening - and very busy.

Sledding

I found our sled we keep for when kids are here and the boys took it out for awhile.   Ben and Kris each took turns pulling them.  Then we went around the
block to Marie's house and said hi to her.
There really was a little more snow on the road than this picture shows.   Kris might have a better shot than this one.  

Christmas morning

Matching bow ties for Christmas
(Kris made them the night before)

Neuschwanstein

Cory gave this 3D puzzle to us last Christmas and we have been working on it this last week.  It was a difficult one but really fun.
Neuschwanstein is one of the most popular of all the palaces and castles in Europe.  It is also nominated as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Every year 1.3 million people visit "the castle of the fairy-tale king". It is a 19th century Bavarian palace on a rugged hill in Germany.  The palace was commissioned by Ludwig II of Bavaria as a retreat and as a homage to Richard Wagner, the king's inspiring  muse.  It was his intention to rebuild the old castle ruin in Hohenschwangau in the authentic style of the old German knights' castles.

More Butch

I don't know how long Butch can last.  First thing  Bodee did was dress Butch up in his fireman's
costume last night.  Not only that but Carli gave him a big kiss as soon as she came in the door.
I think he is truly loved.

Butch

This is Butch.   He is a new member of our family -
actually he is "all" mine.
Merry Christmas to all.

My Friend "Butch"

One day at Costco I saw this big bin of teddy bears.
I walked past and then came back and picked one
up.  He was so cuddly.   This is him - Merry
Christmas to me.   He usually sits in the little
rocker except when some little kids come and then
he gets to get up and hugged.   I think he is
cute and best of all I don't have to clean up after
him.    

Evening at the Nutcracker

Donna took this picture and I just had to share it.
Carli had a great time and really did well up until
the last 10 minutes.   It was so fun to see the
Nutcracker again.  It has been many years since
my girls and I went together.   It was at the Fox
this year which I think made it a more gala affair.
There were little girls all dressed in their Christmas
dresses getting pictures taken. 

CDA RESORT

Mindy, Evan and boys went with us
to walk around the resort.   Dad and I walked half way around and met up with them inside by the fireplace.
This has to be the best  tradition.
The weather was mild and I remembered how in times past it has been snowy and icy and freezing.
We enjoyed ice cream and the fireplace for awhile.   WE had totally forgotten to put money for parking and when we came out there was a ticket on Mindy's car.   We had driven together with them so I just paid the bill and forgot about it.  We had such a good time anyway.  

JUST GIVE ME MORE

Jack just couldn't eat this ice cream fast enough or
get enough on his spoon.  It was a good show for
all of us.   I think he went through about 3 napkins.
Every time I would look his way I would see Mindy
putting on a new bib.    Funny little boy.

The Best Dessert Ever

Does this ever taste good.  It is the Butterfinger
ice cream dessert and Dad and I shared it.
I didn't have a lactose pill with me and I never
got any side effects.  Just lucky this time I guess.
Oh, it was just so good.

Grandma Wilma's House

This is the house Grandma Wilma grew up in.  She only had to walk a block to school and about 3 blocks to town.  It's still has someone living in it but we took pictures anyway.  It's in Basin, Wyo.

Feeding horses

These horses live next to Glen and Joyces house.   We drove down the driveway and they came over to be petted.  They really were so tame and so we fed them some wheat thins.
There was a third one but he was a little slow getting over too us.  

Target shooting

Dad had this gun he got from Grandma that use to belong to Clarence.  He wanted to fire it to see how accurate it was.   I had a few turns but never hit the target - -- but then the target was a 7-up bottle so what the heck.  

Wyoming Stuff

This was about a 400 herd of cattle walking down the highway.  There was a cowboy on a horse working them and a bordie collie keeping them in line.  Dad just drove slowly through the herd while I took this picture.  I thought it was pretty exciting.  We were about in the last half of the herd in this picture.   (only in Wyoming, right?

Airport Goodbyes

Kristi and Logan waving goodbye as I stood in the check in line at the SL Airport.
The man behind me was getting a kick out of Logan upstairs.   It was so sweet of them to wait and wave.

The Upper Bed

This is Carli sleeping inbetween the two twin
beds upstairs.   Dad was sleeping next to her.
We all slept pretty good in that little trailer -
where there's a will, there's a way,   right?

Sleeping Soundly

These two pictures were taken while we were camping at Riley Creek.  Avery, Erin and  Bodee were all sleeping on the lower bed - snuggled in tight and sound asleep.   Just had to show thiese two pictures.