First Day of school 2016

 Kyler is starting 8th grade this year. (That's an 8 he's making with his hands.) He is a happy, healthy, cool, funny boy. But cool most of all. He loves tennis and is looking forward to being on the cross country and water polo teams this year. He is also considering going back to the swim team but is still undecided on that front.

 Kaden is starting his junior year in high school. He is not keen on first-day-of-school-pictures. He is happy, kind, funny, and hard working. He is a lifeguard at the Springville pool. This year he is looking forward to being on the swim and water polo teams. He also loves disco skating every Saturday night. He's pretty much a professional.

Kolby is starting his 6th grade year. He is a funny, bright, happy, verrrrry unique kid. He loves Pokemon, creating his own, unique clothing style, and friends. This year he is looking forward to orchestra (though he's trying to talk us into band so he can play the DRUMS,) and working on his swim skills so he can eventually do water polo.

Kenyon is starting his first year of college at UVU! He is paying for this education by himself. I'm so proud of him. He is a hard worker. He is smart, funny, determined, and independent. He works for Springville City, doing grounds keeping at the Springville cemeteries. I'm still working on getting pictures of him :)

It's December again

And since December seems to be the only time I remember to post, I'll do a photo catch up…

Kyler's Orchestra teacher. She is awesome!

Kyler and one of his best friends, Joey Hammond

They played so beautifully! I love watching Ky play the violin!

Our last Christmas Mall 4th Grade performance.

Our Christmas pictures this year…thanks to aunt Camie who took this for us on Thanksgiving Day!

Hopefully our Christmas cards make it out in time for Christmas.

Trip to Moab with friends. We had soooooo much fun.

Kenyon is a senior and the year is flying by all too quickly.

Dreaming of going on a walk

Randomness from Day One of 2014

Taking down the Christmas decor and flying helicopters

My good friend, Annette gave our family the best game for Christmas. Telestrations. We love it and have been playing it for two days straight. We laugh so hard. 

It's kind of like the telephone game. One person writes down a word, the next person has to draw that word on the next page, then the next person has to guess what the drawing is on the next page, and so on, until it gets back to the original writer of the word. For our game last night, the word was beaver and Kent drew a beaver. On the next page, Kolby guessed that it was Perry the Platypus, so this was my rendition of Perry the Platypus. Why Kenyon guessed "duck" I'll never know!

Christmas Morning Success

 They woke up at 7:16 am. It was so nice to sleep in on Christmas morning! 

Mom and Dad were awake before the kids for once!

 Santa wrapped the room, as usual. A favorite tradition :)

 Everyone is wearing their Superhero pj bottoms and Kenyon is holding his Superhero rice bag.

All were opened on Christmas Eve, which we spent with Grum and Gump, and after opening all of

the wonderful presents they brought us, we didn't even need a Christmas morning! 

Thank you so much, Grum and Gump! You spoiled us, as usual. We love you!

 Everyone got Superhero watches

 Remote control helicopters

 What could this be???

 EVERYONE got just what they wanted :)

"And there it was, the whole mess!"

(An expression used in my home growing up for as long as I can remember. 

It was a phrase coined by my sister, Lisa, when she was just a little girl.)

I just love this email from my dear Mom after Christmas:

Hi Lisa! What and how are you guys doing up there in the North Pole?  We are doing fine, just being lazy and enjoying our memories of our three fun Christmas Eve parties.

Monday evening -  We spent Christmas Eve with the Laycocks, which was beautiful, yummy, lovely and of good report .  Only one grandchild to do the entertaining, but as always, he lived up to the occasion as he tried very hard to keep us all laughing at him and his athletic abilities. He IS amazing!  (By next Xmas he will have two more little guys to help him out! Fun, fun).  We took turns reading from Luke 2, told about our favorite Xmas memories and thoroughly enjoyed Christmas Eve with the Laycocks.  As we drove home we thought about Lisa's famous Xmas quote . . . "Vogil, we just opened the door and there it was . . . THE WHOLE MESS!"

Tuesday evening - We spent Christmas Eve at the Jepperson family home which was decorated to the hilt.  A wonderful time was had by all.  Good food, good company, and a good visit.  The guys were patiently awaiting a visit from Santa . . . we helped release their excitement as they opened a couple of gifts and you know how mesmerizing those techie gifts can be.  At dinner the whip cream on Kodak's whiskers made us a little nervous until we learned where it came from . . . not the dessert.  After all, she (the dog) had to be part of the family Xmas fun!  I loved the picture on Facebook of her opening her gift - Santa seemed to know just what she wanted!  We had such a very nice, quiet, evening with the Jeppersons . . . (I was never that prepared and relaxed on Xmas Eve, Kim, how do you do it?)  As we watched Kim do her motherly Christmas duties we thought back 40 years ago when a cute little Christmas babe, with dimples! was delivered to us IN A CHRISTMAS STOCKING! What a wonderful Xmas gift!

Thursday evening - We went up to Tannie's for Xmas Eve with her crew.  Love that traditional Xmas eve meal she fixes . . . so yummy.  The evening was both fun and funny.

"And it came to pass" . . . the narrator, Brandon, read ( . . . and created the words that were missing).   Mayla was upset and threw a Mayla fit when the angel costume got put on River.  Mark, the donkey, was taking the pregnant Mary, Jocelyn, to Bethlehem but a shepherd, Grayson, kept trying to climb aboard, tripping the donkey so Mary was having a hard time hanging on. (I was sure she would have the babe before she reached the stable!)  Joseph, Kal, however, was very attentive to his wife and baby.  Baby Jesus, Sawyer, was too hungry to be born so Baby Jesus had to be played by Amarie, (I think that's what happened???).  The shepherds, Grayson and Boston, kept trying to drag each other with their staff crooks. . . they fit perfectly around their necks.  The three very tall, impressive wisemen with their techie beards, Chris-David Ryan-and Zack,  arrived with gifts from afar, after being guided by the Star shining brightly in the east, River, (who had to give up her angel costume so Mayla could be the angel.  What a nativity production we beheld!  Christmas Eve with the Flammers was wonderful.

After witnessing all that Christmas Spirit and all those ridiculous (comfy) pajamas, on our way home we quoted what Tannie said after every Christmas . . . "this was the best Christmas ever!"  

Thank goodness there were 3 Christmas Eves this year.  Worked out perfectly for us and the weather cooperated.  Now its back to booooring and chicken-noodle soup!

Thanks to all and to all a good night!

Taffy Pull!

For a few years, my boys have gone to the McQueen's home for taffy pulls. They come home so happy and they talk about how much fun these taffy pulls are. Last year, I found a piece of this said taffy in one of Kaden's pockets. Oh my goodness. Party in my mouth.

So I've been bugging Ondra for the recipe and guess what? Obnoxious person that I am, I got our family an invitation to a real live taffy pull at the McQueen's beautiful new home!!!!

We had so much fun…

 My mouth is watering right now…

I'm pretty sure I would NOT be able to recreate this magical event on my own, but now that I have experienced it, my life has been fulfilled. THANK YOU McQueens!!!