Troy.Erin.Mikayla.Morgan.Owen.Sam: January 2010

My Trip to Dallas

I can't believe I forgot to include this post with my batch of posts yesterday. This was one of the things I have been looking forward to for months!! My sweet baby sister Kaci lives in Dallas and because of this fact I never get to see her. Well she just barely had a sweet new baby and I thought "what better excuse to use Troy's frequent flyer miles!" Here is the best part. My sister and parents and I conspired to get all of us there to see her bless baby Wesley. But we decided not to tell Kaci! It was awesome!!! We did tell her that my parents were coming so she knew at least that much. But because I flew separately from my parents and Kara, I got in a little later. So Kaci picked my parents up at the airport and Kara waited for me. We got ourselves a car and showed up at her doorstep to surprise her. This is a recreation of her face when we got there!!!

It was so awesome. She had no idea!!!!! It was so fun to be together with my sisters we have such a blast together tons of laughing and talking. I wish it would have lasted a week, or forever! Anyway for "fun" or just for something to do, they took us to downtown Dallas to see. . .

Dealey plaza of course! For those who don't know (and you should all know this!) Dealey plaza is the place in Dallas where President Kennedy was assassinated. It is totally surreal. I have seen tons of pictures and a movie about this but to be standing there in person. . . . It is just. . . . surreal is the best word I have to describe it.

This is the section of Dealey plaza that you see all the time where all the people were standing. It is smaller then you would think it is. And if it didn't have the macabre attached to it, it would be a nice place in the middle of a busy city.

This is the view of the street and the grass on the other side of Dealey plaza. I am standing about the same place as the person who made the infamous home movie of the president getting shot.

Here is a picture from the plaza of the infamous School Book Depository. It is from one of those top windows that the shooter was sitting.

This is the underpass that leads right to the freeway. I never knew that the President was shot literally seconds away from leaving Dallas and heading to the airport.

This is the infamous fence that conspirisists place the 2nd shooter on the "grassy knoll" behind. I am pretty sure this is still the same fence. It looks like it has been there forever.

Here is a picture of me and my sisters and even though you can't see him little baby Wesley is tucked in a sling under Kaci's coat. Ahhhh I love being with these two!!!

Here is a picture of our little tour group. Pretty much just everyone that was staying at Kaci's house that was under 50. The "older folks" or as we referred to them "the old fogies" decided not to make the trip. Brad was our tour guide. He did a pretty great job I have to say. And for all those on the tour reading this. . . Back and to the left, for old times sake.

I took a picture of this sign because it tells the events of that day but I thought it was odd that when they said that the president died they wrote "expired" seriously read it! Weird!

Now onto the best part of my weekend and the entire reason I was there! This sweet boy!!

Here is Wesley in his blessing outfit. He is sooo sweet and so small. I held him far longer then I should have. Totally hogged him. Sorry everybody!!! (not really)

Here is Kaci, Claire and Wesley. My sister is such a cute mom and so good with her kids. I was so happy I got to spend time with her and her family.

This is their little family. I was so impressed with the blessing Brad gave Wesley. He is so good to my sister and loves her so much. I am grateful she has him. I can let her be that far away because she has someone that loves her that much and will always take care of her no matter what.

Christmas Morning

I wanted to say to make sure to read all my new posts. I finally am caught up. For now anyway and there are a couple of new ones.

Christmas morning can be described for you in 4 pictures. They are referred to as the befores and the afters.

This is the before

And this is the after!

To answer the questions, Yes Santa came to our house, Yes, we got everything we asked for and more, and Yes we had a great holiday filled with Friends, family, fun and of course good food.

We are looking forward to a good new year filled with all the fun and surprises a new year brings. We hope for happiness and peace, and only good things but if 2010 is anything like the years past you never know.

I do know that I am grateful for the gospel and that I have the wonderful people in my life that I get to share another wonderful year with. I love you all!!!

Happy New Year!!!!

(2 weeks late!)

Our Parents Presents

This year I did something kind of special for our Parents. I always want to do something out of the ordinary that I think they will love. This year I decided that I would make them a memory quilt. Now before you get ahead of your self and look at the pictures and think that I made such beautiful quilts you should know that when I was talking to my sister Kaci about how to do it she offered to do it for me. And being smart and all I JUMPED at the chance. So Kaci so kindly took time out of her busy and pregnant/moving schedule to make these beautiful quilts for me.

This is my parents opening theirs. The kids all crowded around trying to see their pictures, so this is the best I could get of them when they opened it.

Here are Troy's parents. The kids were downstairs so this one was easier. The quilts were amazing and my sister in incredibly talented. Love ya Kaci!!!

Christmas Eve with the Beardall's

We started what I hope will be a new family tradition this year. My brother in law Zach has a family cabin up Big Cottonwood Canyon. My other brother in law Quinn thought that we should head up there the night of the 23rd for a big family sleep over and sledding. It was a blast! I had to beg and borrow from my friends and family (thanks again everyone, you know who you are) for all the winter gear needed for the kids and me. We aren't really outdoors enthusiasts. Zach built a great luge that started just outside the door to the cabin.

You can see the start at the top of this picture where the tubes are. It went around the trees and ended just past the cabin. Sam wanted to go down over and over and over. He outlasted both his older sisters and a lot of the older cousins. He loved it!

This is a picture of the beautiful scenery that was just outside the door. It really was amazing to be there, cold, but really amazing.

Here are the kids getting their beds ready. They all slept (or stayed awake) in the same room. they loved it.

Here is Morgan, Owen and his cousin Caleb. He was really excited to be able to have Caleb with him for a whole night.

This is my mother in law. She is always trying to make sure our get togethers are perfect. Even in some people meaning me were extremely nervous about driving up the canyon when there has been a recent snowfall. Ok I will just say it. I don't drive in the snow. Well I do when I have to but I hate it!! And that canyon is crazy and has hair-pin turns and drop offs. I was really nervous but I did it. We made it too and from safely and we had a great time.

This is my sister in law Shelley getting the games ready to distract the little ones while Quinn got the fire going.

Speaking of, here is Quinn getting the fire going! That was a saving grace. When I got in the car the next morning my thermometer read that it was -2 degrees outside! BRRRR!! If you look you can see the "big screen TV" that Zach rigged up for us. We spent the night watching Christmas movies and laughing and talking. Nothing better then that. (I say that a lot I have realized!)

I am hoping that we will be able to do this again this year before the snow melts. Zach wasn't able to get up there until late and Troy didn't get to go at all so I think that is reason enough. AAANNNNDDDD I wanna go again!

The next morning we all went home and showered (some of us napped) and then met and did a sub for Santa for a family. It was so neat to be able to do this as a family. To watch the kids forget themselves and do something good for someone else. All in all we had a great Christmas eve with the Beardall's

Christmas Cookies

I know I have been horrible about updating my blog but here at our house it really has been one thing after another. So please forgive me as I update things in their original order even if it seems like it happened forever ago.

So here we go. Another tradition we have is to make cookies for Santa. I don't remember why but things kind of ran together and we forgot to do it and forgot to do it so last minute I think the Monday before Christmas we decorated cookies. We happened to have a guest that night. Hannah, Morgans bestest friend helped us frost the cookies. As you can tell from the pictures they had a blast.