Gun Shooting at Little Mountain

Over the Christmas break while the kids were still out of school we went up to Little Mountain just west  of Grantsville.  The kids had a fun time shooting the 22's that there dad's brought.  They shot at cans of pop and were excited when they hit and exploded them.

The big kids got to shoot tat the skeets with the shotguns.

This is something that they love to do but don't get out very often to do it.

Since Rafe has been taking gun safety courses he was allowed to shoot the shotguns, as well.

He only took a half dozen shots but was able to hit some targets.

Here are a few pics of the occasion: 

 

After Christmas Fun

The day after Christmas Rick and I drove down to Moab.  

We made it in good time and checked into the Excursion Inn.  This is a cute little motel on Main Street that has been there a long time.  It was refurbished a few years ago and is really a cute little place for a motel.  After checking in we had dinner at the Moab Brewery.

It was a really cold evening so we were happy to get into the pool (semi warm) and the hot tub (nice a hot)

for a good forty five minutes.  We met some young adult men traveling from Switzerland (they were German, though) and visited with them in the tub.  They left and then we met a family from Northern Utah.  the water felt good and warmed us up!

Skylar and Sarah got in soon after we got ready for bed.

Their kids wanted to go swimming so Rick got his COLD suit back on and went and played with the kids.

The next morning we met up with the Phelpses at breakfast.

Rick and I were headed south to do a session at the Monticello Temple.  It is one of President Hinckley's small design temples the two saw a lot of back east the las two summers. What a blessing this temple is to the people way down there in South Eastern Utah!

It was cold and windy!  HAHA!

We met back up with the Phelpses that afternoon and went into Arches NP.  We had a good time hiking to Delicate Arch.  It is always so amazing to see!  I, of course, was the slowest of the bunch but Rick was good to stay back with me and help me over the rough patches.  The kids had a fun time exploring on the hike!  Oh, to have their energy and mobility again!

We got back from the hike just as the sun was going down.  It afforded us some beautiful views!

That night we went back to the Brewery for dinner.  

I was all for that because their root beer was AMAZING!

We got a couple of pitchers full and enjoyed our dinner:)

We all got into the pool/jacuzzi again that night.

The new people we met that night were from France.  

People come from all over to see these beautiful National Parks.

Since we got another annual National Park Pass we are hoping to get to some new ones this year!

The next morning after breakfast we all got into our vehicles and headed towards Glenwood Springs, Colorado.  Charles was happy to see that there was some snow on the ground and immediately started to make a snowman before we even got our rooms assigned.😀

We then went to the Hot Pools and enjoyed a good three hours soaking.

It felt really nice and everyone had a good time!

We ended up getting dinner close to our hotel at Chili's.  The BYU bowl game was on (against Colorado playing in San Antonio) so Rick and I enjoyed watching it while we had dinner.

We then went back to the room and watched the last of the game while Charles and Daisy joined us in our room.  They watched a cartoon on Rick's iPad until they fell asleep, which didn't take too long because they were tired!

The next day was Sunday and we all went to church at the Glenwood Springs Ward.  While we stayed for the second hour the others went back close to the hotel and took a walk.  Sarah said it was SUPER enjoyable!

After eating a small lunch in the Phelpses room we took the kids back to our room for some card games..

WE played for a couple of hours and that was good to give Skylar and Sarah a little break.

After the kids went back to their room we relaxed for about an hour and then went to Zheng Asian Bistro for dinner.  Rick and I had eaten there a few times before and loved it.  The food was just so so this time but the kids LOVED their noodles.  Daisy and Eric loved using the chopsticks!   

The next day was monday and we decided to take the tram up to the Glenwood Springs caves.

We had Charles and Eric going up the tram and had a great time but little did we know that the Phelpses car behind us with Henry and Daisy were in a bit of a panic.  By the time we got up to the top they were both in tears from the experience.  It was a little comical because at know time were in danger but is sounds like Henry is afraid of heights.  Since he was scared that caused to freak Daisy out.  Anyway, alls well that ends well.  We enjoyed the Fairy Cave Tour and then made our way back down the mountain.  We had daisy with us this time and both kids had a better experience on this second ride.

Entrance to the Fairy Cave.

After our adventure we stopped at Rocky Mountain Pizza for some SERIOUSLY delicious AND HUGE pizza pies.  Daisy's piece was as big as her head!  HAHA!

We all got really full with pizza and root beer and then got in our vehicles of the five hour ride home.

 It was a great time getting away from home for a bit and having a fun adventure for a few days!

CHRISTMAS 2024

Christmas Eve was our family celebration.  We started out with dinner where everybody brought something to share.  I had made chicken and dumplings earlier in the day (and may I say that they were the best I've made in a long time!)  We also provided tamales (thank you Mina) and guacamole and salsa.

Kendra brought cooked shrimp, and a relish tray.  Sarah brought a fruit tray and meatballs.   Kaitlyn made a huge bowl of shrimp ceviche and Gary brought some chips to go along with it.  It was a wonderful meal!  We all snacked on our friends goodie collection because we had SOOO much!

Next was the nativity.  We had a practice on the previous saturday and it was complete chaos.  I am glad to say that for the real performance it went SOOOO wonderfully!  The kids were so cute and did such a good job!  

                                                                    Mary and Joseph

Three Wise Men

Narrator

Two shepherds and one sheep.

Angel

                                                                        The whole cute group!

After the nativity we opened up our Christmas jammies and took family pictures.

Everyone looked so cute!

After pictures we opened up gifts from one another.  It was really fun to see the gifts everyone chose and the hugs that came afterward.  Most everyone had left for home and Christmas Eve duties by 7:30 and Rick and I spent an hour or so cleaning up and getting ready for Christmas morning.

Christmas day was very nice!  We sleep until about 8am and then called the kids down about 8:30.

We enjoyed unwrapping our gifts and seeing what we got each other.  Haivyn and Merik were happy with all of their presents.  We then went to visit the Phelpses and then the Bomans to see what santa had brought their families.  We came home to make a fabulous breakfast of cheesy eggs, breakfast potatoes, bacon, and very berry waffles.  The rest of the day was laid back with movies and a quick walk down the lane.  Neither of us showered, haha!  That's how chill of a day it was.  We ended with a ham dinner with rolls, pasta salad, and jellos salad to finish up the afternoon.

Gary and Kaitlyn and her kids took off shortly after dinner.  

Rick and I ended the night with the movie Castaway!  It was a marvelous day!

                                                                    Merry Christmas!!

More December Happenings

 Rick and I have been having Merik and Haivyn stay over on Saturday nights to be able to get them to church with us on Sunday morning.  After our Phelps Christmas party on the 7th we took the kids home for a fun night of snacks while watching Elf.  Neither of the kids had seen it and we thought it would be fun for them.  Rick had gotten a fire in the wood burning stove and we were set and ready with the snacks when out of the corner of my eye I could see Merik jump off the hearth.   He hit his head on the coffee table and I knew it was gonna bad one.  Boy, was I right!  He immediately started bleeding and so I rushed him upstairs and Rick and I just tried to dry it off to see how deep the cut was.  Well, it was deep enough.

Rick got Merik in the truck and headed to Instacare.  Luckily he was able to get right in.  Merik got four staples in the back of his head.  He did well with each of them although each one hurt.  He was a champ throughout the whole ordeal.  They even made it back to see the last fifteen minutes of there show.

What was funny was him walking in with this head wrap. (which he had to wear for three days)

He kept reminding me of the character Eugene Proctor from one of our favorite shows, Pure Luck, who at the end of the show has a head injury and has his head wrapped up just like this.

Anyhoo...He is all healed up now and got his stitches out this week.   Now it's time to give this boy a haircut!

On Wednesday, the 11th we had the Phelps kids over for an overnighter while Skylar and Sarah had their Christmas date including dinner and wrapping presents.  That evening, with an assignment from the Tooele Valley Communications Council,  I made homemade chili (Uncle Johnny's recipe because it is THE BEST) to take to the Methodist church in Tooele to help feed the homeless.  Daisy went with me.  After driving home we had a quick dinner with the homemade chicken and noodles that I made along with the chili. Then I ran a pot of the chicken and noodles over to my friend Shelli who had surgery that day. 

It was a whirlwind of events but when I got back from delivering the food we were able to relax downstairs to Home Alone (part two)  The kids were excited to watch it!  Me too.  I think it's cute show!

I didn't get any pictures of our time together with the kids except this one.  

Everyone fell asleep except this little rascal.  I asked if he wanted to sleep under our Christmas tree and he was so excited for it.  I got this picture and within just a few minutes he was asleep.  Success!

These kids are early risers and Daisy woke up at five.  Rick told her to lay on the chair in our room for a little while longer.  The other kids woke up an hour later and Rick got up with them.  Bless his heart!  I am not a morning person.  Actually by the time I got up he had fed the kids and they were just about ready to run home to get ready for school.  He is so good!  Anyway, we had a good time with them.

The next night was yet another party.  It was our TVCC groups Christmas Party held at Todd and Melanie Thompson's home in Tooele.  Melanie had cooked up lasagna and we all brought salad or dessert.  Melanie had the house looking very festive and had all sixteen of us sitting together on a really long table.

The meal was delicious and we got to sit next to Tom and Jolynn Wilson and across from Jeff and Melanie Hammer.  it was nice to get to know them better.

Our Communications group is super fun!  We played a good round of white elephant gift exchange and it was SO FUN!!  We all laughed and laughed.  Honestly, I haven't laughed that hard in a long time.  

Seriously, these people are the salt of the earth kind of people.  We are so blessed to be able to be working with them.  

From left to right are Melanie and Todd Thompson.  Jeff and Melanie Hammer,  and Tom (who is barely seen) and Jolynn Wilson.

In this picture from left to right is Maresa and Dave Manzione, Alexis and Brent Beazer (our directors), and Heidi and Josh Spaulding.

This is Colleen Johnson and her husband, Bob.  We have one more person on the committee who serves as the secretary and does a great job at it.  His name is Rick Butler and is not in the pictures because he had to leave the party just after dinner for his daughter's band concert.

On Friday afternoon I went over to Willow Elementary to watch Charles in his school program.  The kids sang about ten numbers and Charlie was showcased in the last one where he did sign language to Silent Night.  He's so cute!

Saturday evening was yet another event.  Scout and Daisy have been in tumbling and they had their Christmas Review.  I did not get any pictures of Daisy doing her part but here is some of Scout.  She was doing cartwheels and back flips galore!  She has really loved tumbling and wants to continue with it.

Here we are with her after the concert.

      The Phelpses had left by the time we got into the foyer but Sarah sent me this cute picture.

Monday was another get together with our family.

It was our caroling and chili night.

We went Christmas caroling to six different families and I did not get ANY pictures of us.

Rick got this one of me giving Brother Cook a hug.

I love caroling!  Our family sounds so good together...yes, I know I'm biased.😉

Afterward, we delivered our Christmas dinner boxes to three different families.   One per vehicle.  Then we came home to homemade chili and hot chocolate.  It was very filling!  

After dinner we had our family Christmas program.

Skylar and Sarah started out with Skylar playing on the guitar accompanying the kids an Sarah singing "Samuel Tells of the Baby Jesus"

They did a great job!

Brach and Kendra's kids went next singing Away in a Manger.

Scout then sang silent night with the sign language.

Then Rafe read a scripture from Isaiah about the Savior's birth.

After Rafe, Brach gave a thought on how Jesus is the Light of the World. (no picture:(

Haivyn then told us some fun Christmas jokes.

Rick and I ended up talking about the special gifts that the Savior has given us.

Love, repentance, forgiveness, eternal life, and forever families.

We ended with one more round of Silent Night while Charles did the sign language:)

What a great night with our fam!!

The next day a caught an early flight out of SL (I got out of bed at 3:15🤯) and flew into Las Vegas to spend a few days with my parents.  My mom's birthday was that very day (she turned EIGHTY SIX!) and I hosted an open house for her there in her home.  My sisters helped to bring food and I was pleased with all who came to visit or called to wish her a happy birthday.  I counted forty two people who reached out to her on her special day.

I got a few pictures....

The next day was Wednesday and things seemed to be going well except at lunch I started feeling a little sick.  By 7PM I was vomiting and had diarrhea.  It was awful.  I was so hopeful that my parents would not get sick.  I prayed that I would be able to get a good nights rest and Heavenly Father blessed me to have my last episode around ten o'clock that evening and then I SLEPT THE WHOLE NIGHT!  It wa sa direct answer to my prayer.   I quarantined myself all the next day and then I left early Friday morning for my flight home.  I was feeling much better but still sore from the sickness.

Rick picked me up from the airport and I was SO GLAD to be home!

Rick and I had been planning for a couple of months take Scot and Tiffani and Eve and Sean to the dinner and Tabernacle Choir concert.  I knew that I should stay home so Rick went on his own.  I felt so bad that he had to go that whole night without a partner but it really was better that I didn't go.

They all had a nice time and enjoyed the concert.  Here are some pics of the night....

                                                                        Scot and Sean

Tiff and Eve

Chicken and Salmon were the main dishes served for the dinner.

                                                                    A group picture!

The tabernacle Choir at Temple square!

On the Monday before Christmas (the 23rd) Rick and I had a little Christmas date.  We stopped at the Grand America to see the beautiful HUGE gingerbread house and then took a walk around the gardens.

Then we drove over to city creek to see the Macy's windows.

They never disappoint.  People are so creative.

Here are a few....

Lastly, we stopped at Hatch chocolates for a shake to share.

It was yummy!

And what a fun date just before the Christmas festivities arrived.