Cowboy Austin

These pictures make me laugh. Austin always likes to put Grandaddy's hat on, so I thought I would get some pictures. Well as you can see there is no cooperation!! I probably took 30 pictures!! I thought it would be a neat Kodak moment if I could get a picture of him sitting on the old rocker with the hat on. He was just having a ball, putting the hat on, taking it off, getting up on the rocker, getting down. I should have taken a video. But these pictures are cute anyway!!

Grandaddy, Grand babies and Milkshakes

It will be Kloe's turn soon. Grandaddy always likes to give his grand babies their first taste of a milkshake. Here it is Austin's turn.

THE TRECK

I think it was 2004 Steve and I were a Ma and Pa on a Pioneer treck. We had 6 or 8 youth, pulled a handcart 28 miles, slept under the stars, rations were minimal the first day into the late night (around 11 pm), wore clothes of the period and reeanacted what was the Mormon Treck. It was an unbelievable experience. We loved the youth that were with us, they gained a stronger testimony as well as the impact of our testimony. In 2006 Steve and I were called to be in charge of the 2008 Treck. WOW what an endevor we thought that would be. There was so much preperation and Steve was inspired to deligate deligate deligate, and so he did. We worked with so many wonderful people. During those 2 years there was always something to do in preperation. I wish I had some pictures, but I really didn't have time to take any, and this is the only one I had. Time was getting closer--the dates were December 29 through the 30, 2008. Everyone that was involved gave 110%. I don't think I have ever seen so many people work so hard and so well together. Hilary and Chris were a huge help with making all the name tags and bandannas. During the Treck, if someone called for something over the walke talkie, there was always someone that jumped in and took care of it. There was all the meal preperation, and that was a huge job, portabotties had to be moved around, equiptment had to be moved, stations had to be set up for activities, and the water, that had to be hauled in several times a day. Food had to be made at base camp--I could go on and on, with things that had to be done, and the names of so many that helped. The experience was wonderful, the youth had a great time. I will always remember those few days as my LITTLE ZION!

Christmas Day

This is the man that makes it all possible!!!! He works hard and puts many hours in at the office so our family can enjoy so many things!! He loves his family, and even though the quantity of time is hard for him the quality makes up for it. Hopefully in our 10 year plan, that started a few years ago, he can enjoy more of that quantity time too. Thanks for all you do, and all the love you share!!
Holly and her little helper!! Little Austin wanted to help everyone, not real concerned what was in the boxes, just liked getting the paper off and getting into the boxes. I had mixed emotions about Christmas day----we had Holly home with us for a while, but she had to leave at 4:oo to go back to Provo. Always a bummer when they have to leave!!

Austin was pretty funny with this hat, he got it on and didn't want to take it off, and as you can see because the lack of his shirt it was kind of warm.

THE BOOTS: Holly had really wanted these UGGs---but they were hard to find, every where we checked they were SOLD OUT. I mean everywhere!! One night while she was home we got on the computer and into eBay. What fun that was-we kept bidding--our hearts were beating fast--the SECONDS were going by and I kept getting out bid. It was down to the last second and bingo I got them. One of those exciting Christmas memories. I paid exactly what they would have cost in the store too. The boots came 2 days later, and I didn't tell her they came. SO it was a surprise!

The Little Lamb book was one of Hilary's favorite when she was a little girl. She could tell us the story by looking at the pictures. I had it laminated so it will last a long time, and read many times.

Christmas Eve

We are missing one!
Christmas Eve dinner. They pulled it all together, everyone pitched in and we had a wonderful evening.

Holly and I saw this picture and recipe for a fresh ham with a cherry glaze. It was Holly's request for dinner. As I was starting to prepare somehow I cut my finger really bad on one of our drawers, how, I don't know, but I ended up going to a emergency care facility and spent about 4 hours there. Check out the red Christmas bandage. Mind you this was around 4 o'clock Christmas Eve. My biggest concern was how dinner was going to get done. As you saw in the prior picture it turned out beautiful without me---I didn't even have to do dishes. The family worked together to get it done! Thanks you guys, I knew you could do it!

Love this picture, Holly really enjoys being in the kitchen!

Rexburg Idaho?

Florida in Rexburg?? I would say that Emma and Rick did this just for us, but they didn't even know we were coming. It was fun to get together with them. Heidi and their daughter Kasey were best of friends while they were at Ricks. That was her family away from home, and they treated her as one of their own!! Thanks Emma and Rick!!

Kloe's blessing week end

Even though this is Kloe's blessing week end, I don't have any pictures of her. I didn't have my camera with me when we at the chapel. She was blessed in Rexburg, Idaho, Most of Matt's family lives there, or very close, and they could all get together that week end. Matt and his brothers and sisters sang and it was just beautiful.
This is a manger scene reenactment that the Ritchie family puts on every Christmas season. Many of the youth are involved with either speaking or singing parts. The young man seated by the lamb is our friend Jared. He is a nephew of Brent and Janice Ritchie, and he lives with them. I spent lots of time with them while our girls were going to Ricks college, now known as BYU Idaho. They have a dairy farm and it was always fun to help out. I was never very good with the 4 am milkings!? Hilary stayed with them one summer and she took care of all the milkings while Janice went away for a couple of days!! Holly was able to help out one summer, and she even got to help birth a calf, which they named Holly. Janice had a Hilary and a Heidi calf too. It was VERY cold that evening, Paige looked like a little Eskimo all bundled up! The Ritchies served hot chocolate and HOMEMADE doughnuts.

Below is a picture of the front room of the bed and breakfast Steve, Holly and I stayed in. Out the back window was the Snake River, and it was just beautiful. Each morning we woke up the river was frozen over a little more.

This was the Sunday of Kloe's blessing and the owner of the B & B took this picture.

This is what we woke up to the first morning we were there, and it stayed like this just about the whole time we were there. It was a Winter Wonderland!!! Steve was a little nervous about the roads, but they were clear and we didn't have any problems.