Christmas Day Feeding

 We had to push the straw bale back.  Bryan is still working on the stacking skills.

 

Christmas Day was beautiful and clear.  We had about 10 inches of new snow to get through.  We found out about Jackson needing surgery about the time we finished feeding.  I wanted to drop and run to him, but I  realized the roads would be terrible, I felt terrible, and they needed this time to bond without me.  So, I took care of the sick calf in the truck, and went home and slept the rest of the day and the next one too!  I finally feel better after 2 days of sleeping!

Christmas Eve 2012

We had about 70 fall pairs behind Allan's house that needed to go back to Charlie's to spend the winter.  Bryan thought that it would be a good day to drive the cows.  The storm was supposed to be done at 10:00.  It did let up a bit at ten, but by 10:30 it was a blizzard.  We rode past the cattle and they were about a half a block from us!  They drove along nicely--thankfully.  It took us two hours to get there and we were frozen by the time we got back home!

 My "fairweather" riding husband was not one bit happy about the snow!

 

 The visibility is less than a block!

 

Bryan let me come home after the drive to get our appetizers ready for the Christmas Eve party at Marj's. 

 Sierra had gotten them ready and put them out on the deck to stay cold.  Good thing she put tin foil on top, because there is two inches of snow on top of it!

Toni

We went to Tremonton to watch Toni dance.  She has gotten so tall.  The girls did her make-up (except the lipstick) and her hair.  She is a beauty!

The big boys are back! 

 They have found this patch of winter barley that the snow has just covered up.

They haven't found our haystacks yet!

My favorite ornaments

 Sierra brought this home from Germany

 

 I looked for a lot of years to find a saddle ornament!

 

 I like traditional red ornaments and this one is so pretty!

 

 My nativity.  It stays exactly how I arrange it. 

 It wasn't that long ago that the kids would rearrange and play with the pieces.

I will admit I do like to have the empty bedroom to store all the Christmas gifts and wrappings in!

Bone Graft

Jackson had to have a bone graft on his lower jaw.  His jaw is so thin that it wouldn't support the implants that he has to have done.  He is missing like, 12 permanent teeth.  Lucky him! 

 He doesn't have wisdom teeth, if that is a bonus!

Merry Christmas, Mom!

Jackson had to have an appendectomy on Christmas day in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
  It was not exactly the way to enjoy their first Christmas together...but it will be memorable!

 

Christmas Morning

 Sierra wandering in...about 8:00 a.m. 

We didn't get up too early this year.  I was feeling crumby with a bad cold.

 

 

 

 We have out-grown the toys and dolls that used to be all over. 

It is different than it used to be!

 

 This is the puzzle that we worked on this year.  It was a gift from the Greenigs.  We put a puzzle together every year for Christmas and so do they. 

 500 pieces is plenty for us!

 

 Savanna is so excited to have her new skiis!

 

The finished puzzle! 

Early Christmas

It snowed!

 

Jackson and Courtney went to Cheyenne for Christmas so we opened presents before they went.  We had my parents over for dinner and  then watched them open their gifts. 

 Jackson's chin is still a little swollen from a bone graft he had done a week ago.  His jaw bone was too narrow to put the posts for the implants he needs to have put in.  It has been very tender!

Temple Square

 We went to Temple Square with the Young Men and Young Women again this year.  It was a beautiful day and the weather was perfect.  We went to the Joseph Smith movie, the Church History Museum, walked through City Creek,  toured the Visitor's Centers, had dinner at the Lion House and rode the train.  We had 32 total people. It is so great to take them.

 Abby, Trista, Noah, Teresa, Allison

 

 

 Vickie, Mandie, Misty, Bonnie

Saje, Abigail, Ian, Camden, Dillon, Alec

Kiersten and Kylee

Dan, Becca, Jordan

Thanksgiving

I forgot to get my camera out at Thanksgiving!  I did get a cute picture of Shayla and Ike.

The moon looked so amazing the other morning.  This picture doesn't do it justice but It is a good reminder of how cool the moon can look!

25th Wedding Anniversary

Bryan and I celebrated our anniversary in Salt Lake by staying at the Grand America.  It was Grand!  We went to dinner at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse.  We rode in a cab with another couple from the motel who were also celebrating their anniversary by going to the same steakhouse.

 

 

  I especially enjoyed the bubbles! They water came out of the faucet so fast that it made a ton of bubbles!

We left on a Friday afternoon--after I had help process 30 calves.  One of them kicked me pretty good in the knee and it was very sore the rest of the day.  I iced it on the way to Salt Lake so I could walk on it.  As you can see, it was pretty swollen (and I missed a spot shaving!).  Thankfully, the ice helped and I could walk up to  the new City Creek Center the next morning!

Random Pictures

I have become a back-seat rider.  It's much easier to let Sierra teach Savanna to drive.

The new church in Paradise.  The steeple has a bell in it!  The original church had a bell.  The rock that is in the colums on the front came from the original foundation of the old church.  It looks great!

 

 

We have had a turkey invasion!  They are enjoying the barnyard and riverbottoms this year.  I love to chase them horseback.  They don't fly, usually, and they can run fast!

 

Sierra is in the Relief Society Presidency so she took them for a horseride.  It was a nice morning and they loved it!  I can still saddle 9 different horses and not have 2 of the same color. 

Sharell would be so proud!

Adventures in Tie Die

 What started out as a cute-but plain skirt and pants turned into a cute tie die skirt. 

 Thanks Plato's Closet!

 

 My children ask if they ever did anything to embarrass me in stores when they were little and I smile and think that when they have children of their own,

who still embarrass them...even when they are older...

they will understand.

Thankfully, the tie die party was not at my house.  We don't have room to make pyramids in the living room!