4th Week of January

Here are some highlights from the 4th week of January. 

Steve took a picture of the pretty blue sky.  He also stopped by to check on our camper (getting a little excited to go camping this year).  We had the boys activity days Monday night.  They made a structure out of pretzels and marshmallows and peanut butter.

Cute Hudson trying on his brother's martial art's gear.

Carter wanted to go to the school on evening for a Dad's and Donuts event ("Watch dogs").  They also had Scales and Tales (reptiles), so they had a great time!  Nyles was at Young Men's.  Great quote.

Steve took Hudson to the butterfly museum.

Hudson singing Oompa Loompa song.

Friday night Steve and Nyles drove up to Idaho (my parent's place), so they could go duck/goose hunting the next day.  They went w/ a friend Ryan Miller and his son Gavin.  While they were gone, Carter and Hudson slept on mattresses on Nyles' floor.

Carter had his last basketball game on Saturday.  He doesn't have to wear his knee brace anymore, so he's been happy about that!  He could definitely move easier w/out his brace!  Dave and Joann also came to support him as well.

Hudson and Carter ready for bed in Nyles' room.  Carter's last basketball game.

Hudson drawing while Carter plays.

Go Carter!

Carter w/ his basketball team and coach.  Hudson, Joann, Carter, and Dave after the game.

Nyles and Steve w/ the ducks they shot.

And some Canadian geese.

On Sunday, I taught the Relief Society lesson “Love Thy Neighbor” by Elder Ian S. Ardern.  Elder Ardern said,  “Compassion is an attribute of Christ. It is born of love for others and knows no boundaries. Jesus, the Saviour of the world, is the epitome of compassion.”

Steve and Nyles got home Sunday afternoon.  That evening we went for a walk w/ Hudson in the stroller.  He fell asleep of course since he didn't take a nap.  Great thought.

Great quotes:

3rd Week of January

Here are some highlights from the 3rd week of January.  

I had work off and the boys didn't have school on Monday, January 15th for Martin Luther King Day.  It was rainy, so we just hung out and finished some chores.

Steve took Hudson over to Scheels on Tuesday after Hudson got out of pre-school.  Hudson had a blast playing around w/ the toy guns and checking out the fish.

Tuesday night, Steve smoked a yummy beef roast for dinner.  He put in potatoes and carrots this time as well, which were super yummy as well!  Thanks Steve!  I had to work late that night, so I was especially thankful for Steve to do the cooking that night.  

Nyles also had safety patrol this week at school, both before and after school, so they went a little early to school and stayed a little after.  

Yummy beef roast Steve smoked for dinner.  Nyles and Carter during safety patrol week.

Piper had fun chewing up a cardboard box we gave her.

Piper being silly chewing apart a cardboard box.

The other boys wanted to go to Scheels, so he took them Thursday after school.  They got a free token to ride the Ferris wheel.  Steve took an old gun he had and traded it in for a muzzle loader rifle.  He plans to use this to go deer hunting w/ Nyles this fall.

Nyles and Carter riding the Ferris Wheel.  Great quote.  Nyles trying out the new rifle.

Thursday, after I got off work, Steve took Nyles to the temple to do baptisms for the dead for the first time.  There were large groups both in front of them and behind them, but thankfully they squeezed Nyles in so he could do 4 family names.  Nyles had a great time and is looking forward to going again soon.  We'd like to organize a time we can go w/ the extended family.  Nyles' cousins: Alexa, Conor and Lynsie all are getting their temple recommends this year for the first time as well, as they were all born in 2012.

Nyles with his limited use recommend.  At the Draper Temple w/ Steve.

Friday night, we went to a movie w/ Stacie/Phill and Dave/Joann.  Claire was w/ a friend so she didn't come, but Stacie picked up Lynsie to come instead.  We watched the movie "Migration."  It was cute.

Lynsie, Nyles, Conor, Carter, Stacie and Phill.  Steve, Me, Hudson, Joann and Dave.

Hudson getting a closer look at the movie.

Quick picture after the movie.

Saturday, I went to a Pilates class w/ Pauline.  Carter had a basketball game as well.  His last one is next week.  His friend Colin came home w/ them and played for a couple hours.  Shortly after, Carter started complaining his throat was hurting.  It didn't stop hurting, even after taking Ibuprofen, so we decided to take him back to the Dr. to check it out.  He had just stopped taking his antibiotics a couple days before for Strep throat.  Steve took him to the Dr. and they tested for Strep again, and sure enough, he still has Strep!  They then put him on a stronger antibiotic to finally get rid of it.  This has happened a couple times in the past for Carter, so apparently Amoxicillin isn't strong enough for him.  Poor Carter!  While Steve took Carter to the Dr, I took Nyles and Hudson to the Library.  There was a really cool bright rainbow as we got to the Library.  It rained most of the day, and most of the snow is going away.

                                          Pauline and I after our Pilates class.  Cool rainbow!

Grandma LuDean McGrath (age 97) fell this week.  She ended up being admitted to the hospital for 3 days, then was just moved to a rehab center today.  They're working to help her get her strength back and be able to walk on her own again.  Grandma Valere Hegerhorst (age 93) also went to live w/ Aunt Elaine (her daughter) this week in Nampa.  This way she can be helped and monitored better, especially with her high blood pressure.  We're praying for both of them and their health.

Great quotes:

2nd week of January

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

On Monday, January 8th, after work, Carter and I went to the church for our boys' Primary Activity Day.  I'm now over the boys' activities instead of the girls.  It'll be fun to be w/ Carter this year.  It's Carter's 1st year in activity days.  We did some get to know you games this time. We first had them fill out a get to know you questionnaire, then had them try to guess who it was.  Then I gave them different Skittles' colors and asked them different questions about themselves based on their colors.  Then we played "Do you love your neighbor" and ate donuts afterwards.  It should be a fun year w/ the boys!

Steve's first duck he ever shot hanging up in Hudson's room.  Silly Piper licking lotion on the carpet.  We are finally getting some snow!

On Tuesday, Nyles went to Young Men's for the 1st time.  They were going to go bowling, but since itw as snowing, they went across the street and got ice cream instead.

On Wednesday, January 10th, we had Dave/Joann over for dinner (potato bacon soup), then Nyles was ordained to the office of a deacon and conferred the Aaronic Priesthood by Steve.  Our bishop Blaine Awerkamp and 2nd counselor Dion Davidson came over to our house to participate in the ordination as well.  We were able to get Grandma LuDean/Aunt Diane and my parents both on Zoom to watch/listen to it.  It was a special night!  We are so proud of Nyles and his decision to keep the commandments and follow our Savior Jesus Christ!

Dave, Nyles, Steve and Joann after getting ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood.

We got more snow!!! Piper doesn't care, she just wants to play fetch!

We got about 8 inches of snow!

On Thursday after school, Steve and the boys went over to Dave/Joann's place to help them w/ a few things.  Hudson had fun playing w/ a strainer.

On Friday, the boys didn't have school.  Steve and the boys helped clean the house and of course played as well!  That evening we got Cafe Rio for dinner, then went and got a few groceries at Sam's Club.

Saturday, Carter had a basketball game.  Steve wrapped up his knee brace so it wouldn't fall off while running.  Cute Carter ready to play ball!

Carter did awesome, even w/ his brace on!

Good work Carter!

After Hudson got up from his nap, we went sledding!

Fun times!

Nyles sledding down the hill.

That evening, Steve and Nyles met Rob at Scheels for a little bit to look at fish finders.  Carter and Hudson were watching a movie, so I jumped in the shower.  When I got out I heard someone in the boys' bathroom.  I went around the corner and found Hudson having a good time.  He had squeezed out a brand new tube of toothpaste, and was starting to empty the foaming soap in the sink.

Hudson's toothpaste and soap mess or masterpiece?

Silly Piper.  Her lip gets stuck on her teeth ;)

Silly Hudson w/ goggles and a nail gun.  Hudson went to Primary/Sunbeams for the 1st time today!  Steve said he did pretty good!  Steve is teaching Carter's Primary class this year. 

Nyles also passed the sacrament today for the 1st time at church!  Steve passed with him, covering the middle rows.  There are 3 new deacons, and each of them passed w/ their dads.  It was special to see.  We went over to LuDean/Diane's place tonight for dinner.  I made cheeseburger soup and Diane made her yummy breadsticks.  Steve blessed the sacrament and Nyles was able to pass it to her.  We then played a game and had Mickey bars for dessert.  Thanks for the fun!

A thought I had from Come Follow Me this week.

Great quotes:

1st week of January 2024

Happy New Year 2024!  I can't believe it's January already and we are on to another new year.  2023 seemed to fly by!  2023 was a great year, and we're excited for what 2024 has in store for us all!  Here are some highlights to the 1st week in January.

On Tuesday, January 2nd, it was our 15th year anniversary!  Dave and Joann we kind and offered to come sit w/ the boys so we could go to the temple and do sealings.  We had a really small group, so the sealer took the time to educate us as we went on the sealing ordinances.  Once we finished all of our family names and most of what another guy brought, he talked w/ us further about some of the promises in the sealing ordinances.  It was really amazing and eye opening.  The Spirit was strong!

Great thoughts.  Silly Hudson trying my lip-gloss on.  Steve and I at the Draper Temple on our anniversary.  Dave getting attacked with silly string from Carter.

I went into work on Wednesday.  The SLC Temple is making progress, along w/ the rest of temple square.  Silly Piper w/ her ear up in the air.  Steve smoked a pork butt for Dave that night since we were headed out of town to my parent's place the next day.  Dave wanted it for our family dinner on Sunday, but since we weren't going to be back in time to smoke it then, Steve did it ahead of time.  Steve just put it in vacuum sealed bags to preserve it.  It turned out super yummy!

On Thursday, Steve checked the boys out of school 1 hour early so we could head up to my parent's place.  I worked until 2pm, then we loaded up and left.  Hudson fell asleep during some of it.  

Friday morning, Steve and Nyles met up w/ Mark Gasper, his son, and another neighbor, and went goose hunting.  Nyles shot his first goose, a snow goose!

Good work boys!

We went to visit my grandma VaLere while they were gone.  Carter and Hudson had to play w/ the cat.  Later my mom and I put together a cat puzzle that Rose gave her for Christmas.

While we were gone, Piper was at K9, playing fetch.

Saturday, they went out again.  This time they got Canadian Geese.

They had another great hunt!

The boys had to go on a motorcycle ride w/ Grandpa.  

Barbara came down w/ Dallin and Calley as well.  We then went over to visit Grandma Valere.

Hudson, Grandma VaLere, Dallin, Carter and Calley.  Then w/ Barbara and I. 

We had fun playing games.  It was great seeing everyone and visiting!

Mom, Steve, Nyles, Carter, Dad, Carter and me.  We left to go home Sunday morning.  

It was a cold, snowy morning.  There was cows just crossing the road.

Thankfully Hudson fell asleep on the way home.  It started snowing as we got closer to Idaho.  

It got down to one lane for a while, which was scary, but we got through to dry roads again, and made it home safely in pretty good time.

We had snow at home as well, so the boys were excited to go play in it.  

Piper was happy to be home and to play ball in the snow!

Great quotes: