Logan and Cutting Down Trees... Again!

We arrived in Logan to the Marriott around maybe 7:30 or 8:00 pm. Just enough time for the kids to throw their swimsuits on and head to the pool. Toby went down and got in with them and I went down to watch. The pool had SO much chlorine in it! Even the room itself  without getting in the pool was stinging my eyes! My mom and Dad and Jake got a room this year too so it was fun to have them there. Once they were done swimming we went back to the room and put on a movie while I did someone online Black Friday shopping and then fell asleep. The next morning we made sure to take advantage of the free continental breakfast and then got all dressed and ready to go to Preston and cut down trees. Except we didn't have to cut down trees since we did it the week before so really I guess we were going up to be with everyone, help them find their trees, and let the kids play in the snow! It was a super easy year because that's all we did. Toby actually even stayed at the bottom of the mountain in the car while Kemp slept. We got Jace and Jamie's tree and I think that might have been it. Then we just headed back to the church for soup, salad, mud pie, and cousin time. We had a couple of really cute little "programs" from both my dad, (elle helped) and Aunt connie and then Santa Claus came! The weather was really beautiful for the boys played outside a ton too. Then we just headed home and listened to Christmas music the whole way back. I sure love this tradition of ours. One of my favorites. I can't ever imagine not having a real Christmas tree cut down from Idaho in my home for Christmas. It truly brings me so much happiness. Such a wonderful weekend for my family and I! I have so much to be grateful for and try so hard to show appreciation and let my Heavenly Father know that I acknowledge his hand in my life always. Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Thanksgiving 2017

This year was a pretty special Thanksgiving as we got to spend it with Todd's Parents, Ned and June Christensen, which was a first for us. Honestly I or my children have hardly had a chance to be around them at all since they have lived in Eugene Oregon for all of Toby and mine's married life. They were moved to Utah about 4 or 5 months ago by Todd's brother so that he could care for them better. We were so blessed that they were feeling well enough and that the weather was more than wonderful so that we could transport them to Alpine and spend a wonderful Thanksgiving with them. Ned couldn't say much but honestly his face said it all. He was all smiles and then he had a few moments of tears as he watched the little boys run around or even once was Tate came running up to him and gave him a hug and said, "I love you Grandpa." It was pretty special. The meal was incredible. All the foods a Thanksgiving Table should have and more. I made the rolls, sweet potato casserole, a Salad, and a Raspberry Cheesecake. I have to be honest I was pretty proud of it all. Turned out really good which isn't always the case for me. I really do love cooking Thanksgiving morning and having the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade on in the background. Anyway it was a lovely Thanksgiving it was so nice spending it in Alpine. I had made sure we were all packed with everything we needed to head straight to Logan so when we finished up with the evening we loaded up and headed north! ( Also the day before we went on a beautiful walk around the lake as a family and then to the movie Thor after so I had to include pictures of that...and of course Kemp had a little breathing issue the night before Thanksgiving so included that as well.)

Kemps Little X-Ray

This ought to be a fun little post. Kemp has some of the same bowel issues that Cash had back when he was 4 or 5 years old. Basically he is beyond constipated and has lost his ability to push number 2 out. It causes all sorts of problems because it ends up getting stuck up there forever and just small amounts leak out and it smells horrible and we change diapers constantly with just the tiniest amounts in there. Fun stuff right. So we took him to Primary's to do a little Barium Enema X-ray to find out what's going on. They literally have to stick a little camera up his bottom and then tape his legs all together and over his bum to make sure there is total suction. My heart just broke for him. He had to wonder what in the world was happening to him. But he did awesome and I'm so grateful Toby was there to help. I do however, wish that Toby would have been around to help later that day…when Kemp emptied every bit of #2 that he had in stomach over the last two weeks. I have never seen diarrhea  like this in my life. They warned me that this would totally clean him out but I had no idea or at least didn't remember that this is what it did. He couldn't even control himself when he was in the bathtub and I ended up having to move him back and forth bathtubs as I had to clean one out and then the other. Bless his little heart. We are hoping to get some answers and get this problem fixed ASAP.

Cutting Down Our Christmas Trees (a week early)

We had to move plans around a little bit this year because it wasn't Josh's year to have the girls for Thanksgiving weekend, and there was no way we were going to let those little girls miss out on a tree hunt, so we decided to have some of us go up a week early and cut down our trees and then just go back up the next week with everyone else and just enjoy being up there but not have to worry about the trees. It worked out perfectly! Toby stayed back with the little boys and I rode up with Jordan, Dad, and Elle and Cash in Jordan's truck. Then Josh drove up with Liz and his girls. We stopped at Connie and Ed's to pick up our permits and had a good time reminiscing and looking at pictures all over Connie's house. I sure have a special place in my heart for Preston Idaho. We then headed up to Strawberry to cut the trees down. I can honestly say I'm not sure I have ever seen that canyon look more gorgeous that this time. It was truly a WINTER WONDERLAND. It just had the perfect amount of snow and it had just fallen. We listened to Christmas Music and talked and laughed and it all just worked out perfectly. With Jordan's truck we were able to drive pretty high up the mountain and it didn't take long for all of us to find out trees and cut them down with an electric saw. Threw them in the back of the truck and we were good to go! It really was so fun and I'm sure Toby was more than happy to know that I got both trees and that next week there will be no pressure on him to cut them down. It was nice spending time with the older kids and Jordan and my Dad. I sure enjoy being with them.

Cash's 10th Birthday

How my eldest son is 10 already I'll never know. He is truly one of kind. He has a heart of gold and one of the most tender hearts I've ever known. I started a thing a while back with my kids where I told them they could have a birthday party every other year. Ever year with four kids was starting to be more than I could handle. So this was his "on" year and really wanted a party. We decided to just have it hear and he invited about 10 of his friends. It was honestly one of the more easy parties I've thrown because TOBY did so much to help. We did minute to win it games, let the boys play some indoor basketball, gave out raider cups and Cash's favorite treats as favors, and redecorated Kathy's cake she bought for Tob and Cash and the November birthdays and turned it into a Raider Cake. Cash had a great time and was beaming from ear to ear the whole day. He of course got his breakfast in bed and balloons on the ceiling and we celebrated both he and Toby later in the week at my parents house as well. This family wouldn't function very well without Cash. He is the peacemaker, the best big brother to the littles, Elle's best friend, Toby little side-kick, and my best bud. I LOVE HIM MORE THAN WORDS CAN SAY. Happy Happy Birthday Cashy Boy!!!