2nd Week of January

Here are some highlights from the 2nd week of January.

Monday afternoon we had our girls' activity days at the church.  We discussed goal setting as we're starting the New Year and had the girls write down a couple they want to work on.  We'll check on their progress next time they meet.  My goals are to do 3-5 minutes of DuoLingo every day (on my phone), practice 15 minutes of the Ukulele,  do 15 minutes of Pilates during the weekdays, and reading scriptures together as a family every night.  So far so good.  Even if we missed a day, as long as we are trying and keep coming back, that's all that matters.

Our back neighbor finally hired a tree company to come cut down his dead Cottonwood tree.  We're thankful he did as it was growing into our side retaining wall.  Hopefully it won't need replacing.  Hudson also developed a fever and didn't want to do much but snuggle.  Poor little guy.  

Hudson came and laid on my leg while we were eating dinner.  He had a little bit of energy and was playing w/ his excavator during his nap. 

Carter playing w/ the Magformers.  Cool design!

Carter wanted to go to Nyles' karate class.  Carter decided to take a break until he's 8 from karate, since it takes longer to earn a belt.  He still really likes karate/martial arts, so he wanted to go do it w/ Nyles.  Nyles is now going to the later class that starts at 6:45pm, so there are only 2 other boys in his class.  The instructor let Carter participate the whole class.  

Afterwards Carter asked if he could join again, but be in Nyles' class (just on his own he didn't talk to Steve or I about it).  The instructor said as long as Nyles was ok w/ it.  After going home and talking about it we agreed that it wouldn't be in Nyles' best interest for Carter to attend his class. Even though it would be fun for them to be together, we know Nyles wouldn't be pushed as hard, and thus wouldn't grow as much.  Carter and Nyles agreed.  So Carter is going to wait one more year until he's 8, then plans to join again.  Nyles is more than half way to earning a black belt now.  He has 4 more belts after his current green one.

Cute Carter and Nyles practicing together.

Though Hudson had a fever the whole week, he was begging to get outside.  On a day the sun was shinning we went outside for a little while to get some fresh air.  The boys playing w/ the magnets.

Steve went over and helped Diane put away Christmas decorations and also his parents w/ theirs.  Hudson loves to vacuum, either w/ a real one or his play one.  Silly Piper stretching, begging for someone to pet her.  Cute Hudson asleep.

On Friday, January 13th, the boys didn't have school.  I took the day off as well.  We were originally going to go up to visit my parents (after not being able to over Thanksgiving when Hudson was sick, then over Christmas due to the weather), but my parents were both sick and Hudson was still showing a slight fever.  There was also a chance there was going to be a snow storm coming in over the weekend, which would have made it difficult to get back.  All things considered, we decided to stay home.  Friday afternoon we decided to go to the zoo w/ Dave and Joann in an effort to get outside.

At the Hogle Zoo.  Looking at the zebras and elephants.

Elephant and rhinoceros.  Then going on the Merry Go Round.  

So much fun!

Then looking at animals, reptiles, birds, insects inside.  Carter by the huge tortoise.

Carter took some pictures of the animals on display.

Hudson catching a ride w/ Steve.  An iguana and an owl.

The tiger was out which was cool.  Nyles standing by the bear size display.  Carter by the Polar Bear (in the background laying down).  A cute red panda licking itself so we didn't see it's face.

Looking at the sea lions before calling it a day.  It was a lot of fun.  Thanks Dave/Joann!

Saturday morning Carter had a basketball.  Steve took Nyles and Carter while I stayed back w/ Hudson since it was at 8am.  Carter did awesome.  He even shot the ball by the free throw line and made it!

Great quotes.

First week of January 2023

Here are some highlights from the 1st week of January.  

On Sunday, January 1st we got dumped on with a large snow storm.  Our church time also switched to 9am.  We made it out the circle and streets by our house and thankfully to the church.  The snow was coming down the whole time we were at church.  Thankfully we also made it home just after 11am.  It continued to snow most of the day.  We were going to get together w/ Rose and Pauline that afternoon, but decided we'd better not, as roads were a mess.  Steve went out w/ the snow blower several times trying keep up w/ the snow.

Lots of snow for New Year's Day!

We got 9 inches.

 

Piper thought it was fun!

And so did the kids!

I threw the ball for Piper and it got stuck in the snow on the slide, and she couldn't find it, haha.

Nyles and Carter playing on the snow piles and on the playground.

Making large snow balls!  We have all been practicing our ukuleles.  We found an app to teach us chords to play a song.  I got a perfect score on one, yeah!

Playing w/ the neighbors (Kaitlyn Moreton, Clay and Beau Evans) on the snow mounds.

Monday, January 2nd, Steve and I wanted to go out to eat for our anniversary.  It was the observed Holiday for New Year's Day, so both the boys and I had the day off.  We've been married 14 years now!  Time sure does fly.  Dave and Joann on were on their way back from watching the Rose Bowl football game at Jeff/Kim's in Lehi and got off the freeway on 12300 South (our exit) since there was a bad accident ahead.  They decided to stop by and ended up watching the boys (Hudson was in bed) while we went out and got a bite to eat for our anniversary.  We went a little ways down 12300 South and ate at Astro Burger.  They were really good!  

Ironically on the day we were married, 14 years ago in 2009, the University of Utah played in another Rose Bowl that night and we had a huge snow storm that day too.  As we were having our wedding reception that night, people would come in and tell us either the score to the football game or what the snow levels were.  Of course Steve and I didn't really care about either one, as it was our wedding day, but it makes us laugh looking back at it.  We had a nice time getting a burger together, then came home.  It was nice to just be w/ each other.  

We have so many wonderful memories to look back on and so much to cherish. I am forever grateful for the life we’ve made and the love that we share. Steve has been my rock, the one I lean on when times are tough, and the person I turn to for strength. He is my everything and one true love. I will love him forever!

Nyles w/ his monster Lego truck.  

Hudson fell asleep w/ Nyles' stuffed animal snake that's 9 feet long.

Nyles at his marital arts class.

Wednesday after work/school, we went sledding on a hill close by.  There was a pretty sunset.

Carter and Hudson making snow angels.  Climbing back up the hill.

Hudson observing the tree :)

I've been doing some organizing and found these wood blocks to hold your plastic wrap and tin foil (plus it has a cutter on each), and one for Ziploc bags.  I also got an organizer for under the kitchen sink.  You can see before and after for the sink.  Before I was using our dish drying rack, so we never used the rack to dry dishes since it was full.  It's much better now.  I didn't get a before picture of bags/wrap drawer, but it looks much better now also.

Since Hudson transitioned to a bed now, we took down the crib.  We don't need it anymore, so we found someone that needed it (having a baby this month) and gave it to her along w/ a few other baby things we don't need.  No more cribs!  Now we just need to lose the binky and get him potty trained.

Hudson so cute when he sleeps.  Great quote.  Fidelity sent me a snack box again, yeah!

The neighbor kids playing again on the snow mounds.

Saturday, Carter had a basketball game and they won!  Silly Hudson w/ his bum up in the air.

I stayed home and made cinnamon rolls and cooked bacon.  Pauline, Rose and their families came over at 10:30am and we had a brunch.  Rose made crepes and Pauline made some monkey bread.  It was fun to finally get together and visit for a little while.

Saturday afternoon we went to the aquarium for a little bit.

There are always fun things to see there.

We also got an email from Canyon's School District that Carter was accepted into the Dual Immersion Spanish Program, same as Nyles!  He'll start it in August, when he starts 1st grade.  We're so excited for him to learn Spanish also.

Sunday evening, I cooked up a lasagna and we took it down to LuDean/Diane's place for dinner.  Dave and Joann came over as well.  Diane made her yummy breadsticks and Joann made a yummy Jello salad and brought yummy pomegranates.  We then played Exploding Kittens.  It was fun to get together as well.

Great Quotes:

Last week of December 2022

It's hard to believe, but we finished up 2022 this past week.  Here are some highlights from the last week of December.  The boys and I had it still off from work and school.

Since Steve served his mission in Canada, on December 26th they have "Boxing Day" which is when you box up all your Christmas decorations and put them away.  So, on Monday the 26th, that's exactly what we did.  We had some fun as we were packing up of course.

Nyles giving Hudson a piggy back ride.  Nyles put together one of his Lego Monster trucks.  We did a 1000 piece puzzle (mostly me but everyone helped a little).

Nyles giving Hudson a piggy back ride.

Racing Lego Monster Trucks.

Hudson learning his numbers.

Some Lite-Brite fun (a Christmas gift for the family).  

They had this back from when Steve and I were kids, so fun!

Hudson had a surprise box and one of them you had to dig into it.  We decided to do it in the tub in case it made a mess, and it did.  It got all over and was BLUE!  After finding the Mickey Mouse pirate sword inside, Hudson wanted to take a bath.  Nyles and Carter wanted to play as well.  I had to clean the bathtub afterwards so the blue didn't stain the tub, but the kids had fun right?!

Carter w/ his shark Lego Monster Truck all done.  Hudson enjoying Steve's Minky Couture blanket he got from Rob's brother's wife for Christmas.  She made one for Rob and one for Steve, as a way to say thank you for catching and giving them lots of fish this past year.  Her and her family are from the Philippines and LOVE fish, so they are always happy to take anything the boys catch.

Hudson playing with a whoopee cushion.

We took the boys and their friends Colin and Austin (brothers) to Thanksgiving Point's Butterfly Museum.  We saw deer as we were pulling into the parking lot.  Hudson playing w/ the handkerchiefs in the air.  A beautiful butterfly.

Carter, Colin and Nyles w/ a butterfly.

Colin and Carter looking at the butterflies on display.  Pretty flower and more butterflies eating.

Austin and Nyles w/ a butterfly.

Carter and Colin going down the slide and playing around the museum.

Hudson in the cocoon.  

Then the boys trying to see how much force they have to move "dung" like a Dung Beetle. 

The boys working on coloring pages.

Thursday Steve took the boys ice fishing.  The wind had moved the ice up on the shore, which looked awesome.  That night Steve and I went to the temple to do an endowment session for our anniversary coming up on January 2nd.  We decided to do it over the break since our schedule was more open.  Dave and Joann came and sat w/ the boys after we put Hudson down which we really appreciate.

Nyles doing another picture.  Silly Hudson likes to put his toy dog in Piper's kennel.  We did another puzzle.  This one was 500 pieces of Mickey/Minnie.  It was a gift from Aunt Diane. Thanks!

Saturday it rained a lot!  Steve decided to smoke a beef roast for our family New Year's Eve dinner that night.  We put up the canopy to protect the smoker since it was raining so much.  Nyles likes to help w/ the smoker and does a great job.  Carter turning Hudson in circles so they get dizzy. Silly boys ;)

Carter and Hudson getting dizzy.

Saturday evening we went over to Dave/Joann's place for a New Year's Eve Party.  We had dinner first, then went downstairs and played games.  We played Blank Slate first.  Stacie drew w/ the dry eraser marker on the kids.  They thought it was fun.  Luckily it came off.

Then we played a candy game, which the kids loved as well.

Since we needed to get Hudson to bed, we did our countdown early.  Alexa, Hudson and London Claire playing.  Steve and Phill ready to count down.  Stacie, Steve, Jeff and Phill all wearing Puma socks.

Great quotes as we start this New Year.  We are so blessed for this past year and are excited for what the new year has in store for us.  Here's to a great 2023!