They beat me!

Before bed tonight, I challenged these two to some hoops.  My mistake.  They smoked me!  Then they started singing and dancing, "We beat our coach!  We beat our coach!"

(They have had daily practice on these hoops mind you.)

New Year, New Prophet

A week ago, on January 16th at 8am our time, President Nelson was announced as our new prophet.  It is with sad hearts that we say good-bye to President Monson.  He is loved by all.  It really is amazing how you can feel you know someone you've never met.  I'm about half way through his biography, which I should have read a long time ago.

As I have read and watched what has been published and broadcast about President Nelson over the past week, I echo Elder Holland, "He is the man for the hour."  I am excited for what lies ahead.  In BC2's ward conference this last week, I had the chance to sustain him for the first time.

One of our favorite things in life right now is after the little guys hit the sack, we often get to visiting with Talmage and Bryant, sometimes Sariah.  One night while visiting, James came out with this HUGE shirt he had brought home after it was left at the seminary.  We all had a good laugh.

One of the other things I been working on this new year is organizing and putting things back together after having the basement finished.  I don't want to put junk back in those rooms.  One of the things I found was this small framed picture---one of my all time favorites.

We are in full swing with the kids' basketball.  I coach Rex and Lyle's 1st/2nd grade boys team, and Sariah's 5th/6th grade girls team.  I've arranged practices on Wednesday afternoons which is so nice to free up the evenings.  

Rex imitating Gp. Rex

Lined up for their first game.  

(I actually missed their first game because I was involved in a Primary training.)

Saturday afternoon, we went out for some "wholesome family recreational activity" and discovered a great ride/hike in our own "backyard."  I can't believe we have been here for 31/2 years and never ventured across Sagemoor and up the ditch road.  It was a gorgeous sunset.

Over the weekend, Talmage pitched the tent because he needed one more overnighter for his Eagle (which is finally getting close).

Since there was no school on Monday, and Hyrum really wanted to sleep outside, James was a good sport and slept out with Hyrum and Sariah for the fun of it.  

(James recently won a sub-zero sleeping bag at a Roundtable.)

Holidays 2017

EVERY ONE (kids, spouses, and grandkids) was here for the holidays. That's what makes it special.  Kioa even quit his job (looking for a change anyway) so that he could come up. 

We got off to a bit of a rough start here.  I had a fever for 3 days and then Rex got it, and then Hyrum got it.  James hosted the family recital and pizza party here while I was shut up in the bedroom.  I think he would have liked it better the other way around.

Because of sickness, we had our first Christmas Eve with just our family. It started to snow (the only snow we've had yet this year) as James took the well kids around to some of the neighbors, who we didn't catch on our first round, to deliver treats and carol.  When they got back we read the Nativity story from the scriptures and used puppets instead of costumes this year.  

Two of my handsomes on Christmas Eve.

Then we watched "Christmas Oranges" together downstairs before we tucked them in to their new bedding (their gift from James and I).

It was a really nice night together.  By the time it got light on Christmas morning the flakes were big and soft and fluffy and their was a good blanket on the ground.  It was quite magical actually. There is some magic that only God can make.  I finally felt half alive on Christmas, (which I was very grateful for because I felt horrible last Christmas) so I took the well kids out to Christmas dinner at the church.

Our Christmas present for Vard (after we scrubbed it with toothpaste and a toothbrush).

On the 26th we took up 2 whole rows at the much anticipated Star Wars "The Last Jedi."

The 27th we took our family for a day trip up to Camp Zarahemla.  It was beautiful up there (we even got to see a bald eagle) and we are grateful we made the effort.   We were the only ones that went up this year besides the 7 people that were there for the duration, and 3 that came and went. We learned as we left, that with the decreased numbers, this will be the last year they reserve Z during the winter.  We have a lot of memories at Z and the we were all a little sad at the thought of it being our last time.

Thursday we went out to Mom and Dad's just to be with family.  It started in on freezing rain and it became impossible to travel.  Dax and Jen's family were there in addition to those who were already there, Kase and Brielle and Kioa and Blaire.  In fact, Kase and Brielle were on their way home in Dad's truck and it was so slick they couldn't make it down Ringold hill.  Vard, Kioa, Cole, James, and Dax went to the rescue in Vard's truck. They couldn't make it up the hill so they ended up parking and hiking up to bring Kase, Brielle, Ada, Ella and their necessities back to the truck. The rescue took 2 hours.  Everyone crashed all over the living room floor and it was kind of fun.  

Friday, we had to wait until 2 in the afternoon for even a chance to travel.  They had to push our van out of the driveway, and we went the long way through Basin City.  We picked up the Spechts and I drove their Suburban back with the kids for a slumber party that we gave them for Christmas.  Hayden was here too.  I'm not sure how much sleeping went on that night, but it was nice to have a carpeted basement to host the cousins.

Saturday, all the adults went to the temple (Dave and Taneil weren't quite up to the temple yet, Taneil was pretty sick for awhile) and then we came back here with take-out to visit.

Sunday we were all back together at Mom and Dad's for New Year's Eve to play games.  We watched home movies which was pretty entertaining, but we didn't stay until midnight.  By the time we got home and got everyone in bed it was past midnight.  On New Year's Day we were back to projects---we hung up the canvas prints I gave to James for Christmas.  They make me love going downstairs.  Now, the basement is somewhere where everybody loves to be instead of an eyesore.

For everybody else, it's probably because of this: