2nd Week of December

Here are some highlights from the 2nd week of December:

 Flashbacks of Nyles, then and now.  He's getting so big!

Steve is making progress on the attic.

On Tuesday we had our last activity days for the year.  We discussed the true meaning of Christmas and then made gingerbread (graham cracker) nativity scenes.  Some used hot glue to make them stick, others tried frosting.

Making nativity scenes.

The boys and girls w/ their completed nativities.

Hudson showing us he's "cool" like dad.  Nyles giving Steve a horsey ride, then Hudson.

Tuesday night the YW/YW also got together and made graham cracker houses, but from the scriptures. Nyles group made King Benjamin's tower.

Buddy, our Elf, having fun w/ the yodeling pickle we got at the family white elephant gift exchange.

More progress in the attic, taking out the original boards after adding new ones, in order to make the room a little bigger.  Good work Steve!

Great quote.  We got a little snow.  Carter has been taking a gymnastics class every Thursday afternoon.  He's working hard and learning a lot, working on backflips.

Thursday morning Steve and I went to the chiropractor, then I had a Dr appt w/ my Rheumatologist.   I did Physical Therapy for 8 weeks, and it seemed to help strengthen my hip area.  My hips have still been hurting, but not necessarily getting worse.  I'm going to get an Arthrogram MRI on both of my hips on the 20th.  We're going to see if there is more inflammation that has built up the past 6 months, if so I'll start some medication to treat it.  We're also going to see if my labral tear has changed. 

Buddy, our Elf, hiding by the piano.

Friday night was our Ward Christmas Party.  The Primary kids sang a song.

The kids singing.

Steve w/ the progress in the attic.  Looking good!

Buddy, our Elf, ready to play laser tag w/ the boys.  Great quote.

Saturday evening we picked up some Dominos pizza for dinner and went over to Dave and Joann's.  We had dinner together and watched the new movie Wild Robot.  It was really good!

Sunday evening we had our Jerusalem Dinner.  The kids also put together some bags for homeless people that we can all give out.  After dinner we had our testimony meeting.

Great quotes:

1st week of December

I can't believe December is here!  This year sure has flown by.  Here are some highlights of the first week of December.

I went into work the whole week, taking the train.  After work on Monday, Steve and the boys came and picked me up at our office downtown.  We were driving down South Temple to go visit Barb, Rich and Ryan in the hospital, and I saw the BYU Creamery there in Dessert Book. Barb had been asking for the cookies and cream milk from them, so we stopped and I got them the last 2 they had.  We then went to the hospital.  Steve had smoked a beef roast, potatoes, and carrots for them for dinner.  Ryan was moved out of the ICU, and could eat what he wanted, so he tried the milk, which he liked.  Barb and Rich ate their dinner and we visited for a while, then left to get the kids home to bed.  It was great seeing them, and especially seeing the progress Ryan had been making.  He ended up being released from the hospital on Saturday, and was able to go home, yeah!!!

Christ is the reason for the season.  The cookies and cream milk.

Ryan trying the milk, w/ Barb and the boys in the background.

Steve has been making great progress in the attic for the "Lego Room," adding supports on the side so he can then cut down the middle beams, to make the room "bigger."

Buddy the Elf is back!  More progress in the attic.

Our neighbor Ron taught Steve how to change the oil in our cars, so he's doing it now, yeah!

Thursday night Nyles had another band performance.  I had a work event, so I missed it, but Steve recorded it for us to watch later.  Dave was able to come watch as well, while others watched via video.  Thanks for your love and support; we really appreciate it!

Nyles' band performance here.

So funny.  Apparently this week in preschool they were talking about the letter V.  The teachers were giving words that started with V, then asked the kids to say a word that started with V as they went around the circle.  When they got to Hudson, he sat there thinking, then said Vomit starts with V!  It's another word for throw up!  Haha, that's true!  He is so funny, and a pretty deep thinker!

Thursday and Friday I had training at work.  My boss came in from Texas, and we had other reps from Colorado come in.  We had dinner together Thursday night as a team, as I mentioned.  Thankfully we got done earlier on Friday though, so I hurried home on the train.  Nyles got on the same train as me, so we rode the rest of the way home together.  We then packed up our stuff and headed out to Idaho, to go visit my parents.  Steve and Nyles were planning to hunt with Mark Gasper on Saturday.  We made it to my parents by 8pm or so.  We then got unpacked and settled in, and went to bed.

Leaving SLC and the gross inversion (smog) behind.

The next morning, Steve and Nyles left early (5am) to go goose and duck hunting.  The other boys and I were up at 7am.  Carter and Hudson wanted to hold the little kittens as soon as they could, even though it was really cold outside.

Carter and Hudson holding the kittens.

Instead of smog, they had fog and frost all over!  Pretty cool to see!

Thankfully they were able to find the geese!

And some ducks!  They did great!

My mom and I worked on canning the boys' 3 pumpkins while they were hunting.  

Carter and Hudson wanted to hold the kittens throughout the day.  They even played on the slick ramp.

They had a successful hunt!  

Hudson wanted to hold them when they got back, but the geese were too heavy haha :)

Mom getting the pumpkin ready to blend up before putting in bottles, then the pressure cooker.  

The boys wrestling w/ grandpa.  We also played games, and I got pictures from my parents for the family calendar I'm putting together.

Later, they sat down to watch a show and Hudson fell asleep.  After he woke up he wanted to wrestle w/ his brothers of course.  Hudson and I getting ready for bed.

We canned 23 bottles of pumpkin from the boys' 3 pumpkins.  It took all day!  It was a lot of work, but we'll be grateful to have it later.  We gave my mom a cat advent puzzle calendar.  So everyday she opens a new puzzle and puts it together.  To my surprise they all actually stick together, so it'll make a 1000 piece puzzle in total!  Also kind of smart, the makers of the puzzle put numbers on the back of each mini puzzle, so you know which puzzle pieces go with each other, in case you wanted to do it again as an advent calendar.

Pumpkin and puzzles!

Taking a group picture before he left to go home Sunday morning.

Fog on the river as we were going home.

When we got home, Steve vacuumed sealed up the goose and duck breasts.  That evening we went over to Diane/LuDean's place for our family dinner.  After dinner we did a white elephant gift exchange.  Steve got a toilet seat (soft close).

Great quotes:

Last week of November

We had a busy week this past week, the week of Thanksgiving.  Here are the highlights. 

Monday night we went over to LuDean/Diane's place to celebrate Steve's birthday.  Steve smoked a beef roast and we made French Dip Sandwiches.  We then sang happy birthday to him.  I made him a Funfetti cake, one if his favorites.

Singing Happy Birthday to Steve!

Singing Happy Birthday to Steve

After we got home that night, we learned that they were life flighting Ryan down here from Boise.  He had an infection and they weren't sure what caused it, and how the Dr's were treating it, wasn't working.  The Drs down here said they could treat him, so they loaded him onto the plane and off they went.  Barbara was able to ride in the plane w/ him, while Rich came down in the car w/ 2 of his brothers.  Rose and Sophia drove over to the hospital and ended up staying the whole night.

Nyles and Steve did baptisms at the Draper Temple Tuesday afternoon.  Draper Temple glowing at night.  Silly Hudson w/ a gun.  Cute Hudson asleep.

Carter playing Book of Mormon Stories on the piano and Hudson singing

Wednesday we all had the day off.  We were supposed to go up to Idaho for Thanksgiving, but we decided we'd stay here to support Barbara and Rich.  We we went to Cabela's to see Santa in the morning, then went over to Thanksgiving Point.

Visiting Santa at Cabela's.

Hudson coloring his ornament, then Carter and Nyles joining in.  

Pretending to ride on the ATV, and quick family picture.

We then went over to the Butterfly Museum.  Cool butterflies.

So pretty!  Then fun going down the slide.

Checking out the bugs.

Great quotes.  Steve and Nyles working in the attic on the "Lego Room."  

Cute Steve and back on his mission after a Title of Liberty lesson.

Wednesday afternoon, we all went to the University of the Utah hospital to support Barbara and Rich and see how Ryan was doing.

Pauline, Rose, Barbara, Ava, Ali, and Penny.  

The Dr's rolling Ryan down the hall after his testing.  He was still sedated and unconscious after his surgery the night before. Rich showing the boys pictures of Ryan, when they got there the night before.

Cute Hudson sleeping!

Thanksgiving Day: Steve working on the attic, putting in the window.  Nyles helping Steve w/ the window.  Smoking a turkey for Thanksgiving!  We decided to go to Rose's place for Thanksgiving.

Getting the window in!

We then went out to Rose's house in Stansbury Park for Thanksgiving dinner (lunch).  Carter and Hudson fell asleep on the way out there.  Getting some yummy Thanksgiving food!

We then all went over to the hospital to visit Barbara, Rich and Ryan.  We brought Barb and Rich Thanksgiving dinner, then went to visit Ryan.  Thankfully he was alert, awake and talking this time.  Rose explained to Ryan what happened last Monday night/early Tuesday morning, when he came here via life flight from Boise.  He didn't remember any of it.

Rose and I visiting Ryan in the ICU.  Rose showing him some pics.

Friday, November 29th was Steve's birthday.  I got up w/ the boys so Steve could sleep.  I then made him on if his favorites, German Pancakes.  The boys and I decorated the house for his birthday as well.

German Pancake's for Steve's birthday.  Steve then worked on the window some more.

We then picked up Texas Roadhouse for lunch and went over to eat w/ LuDean and Diane.  After lunch, Nyles and Carter helped paint their windows for Christmas.  Steve and I went over to Wal-Mart and picked up a few things while they painted (Hudson came w/ us).

Good work on the paintings!  Santa and Rudolph Diane painted.  Steve even helped :)

Pauline then came and picked me up at LuDean's house, and we went up to the hospital again to visit.  Ryan was doing a little better from the day before.  He got to eat ice cubes now.  Steve and I got him a blanket to use at the hospital.  Rose, Barb, me and Pauline at the hospital.

Happy Birthday to Steve!  

Saturday Steve went duck hunting (for his birthday) at Utah Lake w/ Nyles and Rob.

It was only a "little" cold while they were duck hunting.  Thankfully Steve brought his hand warmers w/ him to stay warm.  They shot a few ducks even!

Diane went back and outlined the painting the boys did.  They look awesome!

Carter, Hudson and I stayed home and cleaned and put up Christmas decorations.  Carter and Hudson put together the "Elf on the Shelf" puzzle.  Hudson loves to push the angel on the nativity to hear the song "Away in a Manger."

Hudson loves to hold the dead ducks (not sure why).  Silly kid ;)

Sunday we finished putting up the Christmas tree and decorations.  Putting together our first Christmas Puzzle as part of the Advent Calendar from Dave/Joann (thanks!).

Pauline then came and picked me up at our house and we went up to the hospital again.  We played a game (5 Crowns), and went to visit Ryan.  Again he was doing a little better than the day before.  We are all so very grateful for the small miracles that happened getting Ryan down to SLC to get the treatment he needed.  We're so thankful he's doing better and making progress in his recovery!  The Lord does hear and answer our prayers!  Thank you for everyone who prayed and fasted for him.

It was a busy week in a different way.  We didn't have Thanksgiving as planned, but it was definitely one to remember.  I'm so thankful for family and friends, for prayer, and the Priesthood power.

Great quotes: