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!

3rd Week of December - Christmas

The 3rd week of December the boys and I had off from school and work.  We had a lot of fun spending time together.  Here are some highlights.

Monday morning, Buddy our elf crashed his hang glider in the Christmas tree.  Silly elf.

Nyles and Hudson "riding" the couch cushion. 

Aunt Diane gave us gingerbread houses to make, so Nyles and Carter put their houses together first.  Hudson just wanted to play with his and Nyles Rocketship as he calls it.

Nyles and Carter working on their houses.

Hudson using his walls as headphones.  Nyles and Carter all done!

Good work boys!  Piper's pretty blue eyes.

Nyles and Carter "cleaned up" their stuffed animals by putting them in Hudson's crib.  Nice try boys.  Hudson thought it was fun for a while though.

That afternoon, Steve, Dave, Nyles and Carter went ice fishing.  Nyles and Carter went over to the dock after walking on the ice and caught several fish.  Steve and Dave stayed by the edge since they didn't want to walk on the ice, and unfortunately didn't catch any.

Carter walking on the ice.

Nyles wanted to keep a couple Perch and a Crappie and eat them for dinner!

While the boys were fishing, Hudson and I called my mom.  

Hudson had fun playing w/ the different faces.  So silly!

On Tuesday, Carter went to a birthday party for a girl in his class at school.  Steve stayed w/ him the whole time.  Hudson playing w/ play dough.  Then we finished the other 2 gingerbread houses.

Nyles earned his next belt rank, a green belt.  Good work Nyles!

Steve and Nyles have been trying more recipes on the smoker.  They cooked up a beef roast, which shredded amazingly.  Steve did some research and found out that he needed to cook it longer in order to shred.  We took it down to LuDean/Diane's on Wednesday evening for dinner and used the meat to make French Dip sandwiches.  They were amazing!

The beef roast.  We also smoked a Papa Murphy's Pizza.  We used our pizza stones in the smoker to give them a crispy crust as well as the flavor from the smoker.  The pizza was soooo good!  It's definitely the best way to have pizza now going forward.

Carter wanted to take the other bed out of his room (it's a bunkbed), so we decided to try it in Hudson's room first, before taking it downstairs.  We left his crib in his room on the other wall "just in case" but thankfully he was happy to try his "big boy bed" and did great.  He successfully slept in his "big boy bed" during his naps and at night for 2 days in a row.  He didn't even try to get out of his bed (knock on wood), so we took down the crib a couple days later.  Hudson is officially in a big bed now, yeah!  

Carter's dinosaur bed, and Hudson's new bed w/ his Mickey/Minnie stuffed animals.  

Buddy the elf brought the boys little candy canes one day.  Great quote.

Hudson blowing bubbles in his bath.

Steve and I put together a jigsaw puzzle of Utah.  It was a lot of fun!  Pauline and her 2 boys got the flu, so Friday night I made chicken noodle soup for her and her family.  I also brought over a salad, crescent rolls, some treats and picked up flowers for Pauline courtesy of Barbara.  Nyles and Carter went over to Dave/Joann's to stay the night as Lynsie was sleeping over as well.  They had dinner, watched "Arthur's Christmas" and played before going to bed.  They had a great time!

Nyles and Carter trying to "hear" what their gifts are from Dave/Joann.

We picked up Nyles and Carter Saturday morning (Christmas Eve), then went over to LuDean/Diane's house.  The boys went on a scavenger hunt around their house then we had donuts together.

Surprise!!!!  Nyles could tell right away what it was since he could read, but Carter was a little confused.  Long story short..... we are going on a 7 day Disney Cruise in February to Mexico!

Carter had a migraine one night, so Piper came in and helped him feel better, almost immediately!  Piper loves :)  Steve took a screen shot of the Santa Tracker, showing the boys when Santa was delivering presents in our town.

After getting home, we put Hudson down for his nap.  While he was asleep, we read the "Symbols of Christmas", and Nyles and Carter practiced their Christmas songs for the program the next day.  After Hudson woke up we opened our gifts from each other.  Then that evening, we read the Christmas story in Luke.  Santa came later that night.  Buddy the elf even got to stay so he could watch the boys open their presents.

We told Nyles and Carter they had to stay in their rooms until 7:15am and couldn't wake up Hudson.  Ironically Hudson slept until 8am, so we didn't get up until then.  The boys were pretty excited to unwrap their presents and find out what Santa brought them.  Nyles and Carter both got cooking aprons and ukuleles!  Carter also got Bakugon balls and they both got more Legos.  Hudson got play food, a garbage truck and other vehicles.

Nyles looking for his shot gun.

Hudson playing with his toys.  Nyles w/ his new shot gun!

Hudson playing w/ his garbage truck.  He loves garbage trucks!

More fun playing w/ toys.  Nyles and Carter starting to build their Lego sets.  

Piper enjoying her new bones.  Nyles all done with his dinosaur boat set.

We then went to Church at 10:30am and got a quick picture before heading out the door.  We had a wonderful program of music (including the 2 songs Nyles and Carter helped to sing in w/ the primary).  We are so blessed for the gift of our Savior and this time of year to celebrate his birth!

Cute Hudson in his big boy bed, then playing w/ Mikey and his garbage truck after his nap.

Hudson playing w/ his new garbage truck after his nap.

After church, Hudson took a nap.  Then after he got up we went over to Dave/Joann's place for dinner.  The boys also opened their presents.  Nyles and Carter got more Legos (Monster Trucks) and all 3 boys got a stuffed animal w/ a blanket to go w/ it.  Hudson got a semi truck that pulls dinosaurs.  They all loved their gifts.  Thank you!!!

Getting ready for dinner, and the girls (Olivia and London Claire), trying to see who is taller (Claire still is).  Then after dinner we went downstairs to sing songs while going around the Christmas tree (a Danish tradition) and then had a white elephant gift exchange.

Hudson playing in a box, then rolling around in the wrapping paper.

Hudson playing in the wrapping paper.

White elephant exchange.

Great quotes:

2nd Week of December

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

Hudson squatting to watch a show.  He likes to lay his head in the water during his bubble bath.  And his many positions while getting ready for bed and while sleeping.

On Tuesday, December 13th we go 6 inches of snow.  I was glad I was able to work from home.  

I still went and played ball w/ Piper during my lunch break.

The roads were good enough though, so Steve took Hudson to the butterfly museum.  

Hudson didn't want to touch them this time, just watch them from a distance :)

We got a couple more inches the next day.

We definitely need the snow/moisture in the valley.

We decided to go play in the snow that afternoon.  I got off work an hour early and we went over to a hill close by to go sledding.  Ironically Nyles friend Lincoln (he's in his class at school) and his family were there also, so Nyles had fun going down the hill w/ him.  I took Hudson and Carter down w/ me.  Silly Carter got snow on his eyes since the snow was very powder like.

Nyles sledding

Hudson and Carter after going down the hill w/ me.  I would pull Hudson back up to the top of the hill in the sled.  He liked to drag his hand in the snow as we went.

Ready to go down.  Hudson making a snow angel.

Hudson likes to play w/ our Little People Nativity set, which is why I put it at his level vs some of our other ones.  He even likes to put his cereal in the manager and share w/ the animals.  He especially likes to push the star to hear "Away in a Manger" song which also lights up the angel.  

Buddy the elf on a string so the kids can give him a ride.

Carter got an award at school so Steve went to support him as he got it.  

It's called Altara's Spirit Leader Award.  Awesome work Carter!

Carter getting his award at school.

The school's mascot, the Kittyhawk, came to visit Nyles' class.  Someone in his class won a raffle for it.  Later that day they did an escape room during their Spanish class.  Nyles said it was really fun.

Piper snoring while sleeping.

Thursday night the boys dentist invested everyone to Classic Skate.  The boys had fun jumping around in the bouncy houses.  Nyles and Steve also played laser tag.

Cute Hudson.  Crazy how much a year makes a difference.

Steve made "shotgun shells" on the smoker.  He put ground beef and sausage on the inside, then put it in a manicotti shell, wrapped in bacon then topped w/ a little of my homemade BBQ sauce.

Carter's kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Veazie, made her whole class beanies.

Hudson blowing bubbles in the bathtub.

Friday night, Steve took Nyles to another birthday party.  This time it was at the Cottonwood Rec Center to go ice skating.  Nyles said he had a great time, even after falling a few times :)

Nyles ice skating.

Saturday morning Steve took Carter to his basketball game at 8am.  It was a little cold outside to say the least.  Piper likes to lay in Hudson's room for the morning sun, then usually comes to our room for the afternoon sun.  More snow.

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

Cute boys seeing how tall they are compared to penguins.

Going across the rope bridge and looking at the exhibits.

Sunday Steve and Nyles made more "shotgun shells" for our family dinner that night.  This time they added some cream cheese to keep them moist and some onions and peppers for flavor.  They were super yummy!  We had our family "Jerusalem Dinner" Sunday night.  We eat mostly foods that Jesus would have eaten.  Then we have a testimony meeting afterwards.

It was a great evening.  The Spirit was strong.  It was great to hear everyone's testimony.

The boys are officially done w/ school and I'm done w/ work until 2023.  We're looking forward to spending the next 2 weeks together!

Great quotes: