Good times with good friends

Our beloved Laura and Maynrad family came to visit us the week after Christmas - it was officially the COLDEST week of the year!!  And of course, they are from California - so it was quite the week of memories.

Carlo's biggest wish was to play in snow - thank goodness, it snowed just a couple days before they got here.  We didn't have snow again for the next 2+ months!  Here the kids are venturing out to the yard to have fun in the snow.

Anyone want to tell her that those shoes won't work around here?

Sledding adventure!

Danny found his best friend where we took everyone for some sledding - of course, they were the ones who told us where to find this perfect sledding hill.

 Carlo wasn't a huge fan of sledding - but he did it!

Go Maynrad, GO!

Back at the house - we had lots of chill time.  Which included play-dough, and magic sand. 

And I-pads too.  (and this was adorable because it was the first night and Laura's kids just climbed up into Shayne's lap to do their game time...  We love these kids!)

Taking the gang to a Jazz Game!

Uncle Shad came too!

Yeah, it was cold.

Fun at the Dino Museum (while the big guys went shooting)

This is evidence of our super, intense, and totally chill New Year's Eve playing Settler's of Catan.  Game ON.

We love these guys!!!  We hope they'll come back - we really tried to keep them warm despite the weather outside!  I see a trip to visit them in the near future - dreaming of sunny southern Cali weather.  {wink, wink}

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Our beautiful new tree - with special thanks to Cherae for moving to a home with lower ceilings to make this possible!

Christmas morning stockings 

I love getting a picture every year with the stockings - someday I'll do a collage of just these pictures. 

Look what Santa put in Daddy's stocking!  He must know it's a favorite and we never have it in our house.  (spray butter) 

Cole got Garbage Pail Kid Cards to add to his collection - he loves his daddy's collection of these same cards.  (two peas in a pod)

Danny asked for super-hero shirts - best gift ever.  And probably a first that he was happy to open up clothes.  LOL 

Skye holding his new Dumbo

Daddy had this personalized Hunter sign made while he was in Vegas - he was so surprised and happy about this! 

I took very few pictures this holiday season.  I was actually really sick and miserable.  In fact, I went to insta-care the day after Christmas and it was pneumonia.  That explained the misery and hurting lungs and endless coughing!  We went over to Cherae's house on Christmas evening for a scrumptious dinner and a little nativity too.  Aren't my nieces absolutely stunning - each one of them?  

The highlight for me was giving every family a calendar for 2015 with our family photos.  They loved it - the whole present opening chaos was at a stand-still for a bit as everyone looked over the calendars.  I'm glad they are enjoyed!

Love our family and the holiday season!  Come back everyone - especially now that I'm not sick and in a haze!!

Family PLAY time!!

We had all of Shayne's family in town this Christmas season - we love having everyone here!  There is always something going on and so much to do.

Here we are just chilling and welcoming the Texan's back to the cold.

FAMILY SKI DAY!!  @Snowbird Resort (right?!?  I shouldn't do these blog posts 3 months later)

Clayton, Connor, & Hunter

Chyanna 

Mychaela, James, & Hunter 

Kristin 

Hunter and James posing for me 

my snowboarder 

 Hunter, Shayne & I

how tired we felt after the day...

A pic of almost everyone - missing the Chanin's family (who made this day possible!!!) and Carson.

I just have to write down for memory's sake that James was an absolute angel all day for his Aunt Lea.  He saw that I was struggling and he stuck by me and was the super patient hero for the day.  I got myself onto a hill of moguls (accidentally) and that was not pretty.  Thanks James, for going out of your way to help me.  I absolutely love being up in the mountains and it's just 100 times better being surrounded by family!

And, bonus picture - check out our newest Christmas decor!  I'm sure it'll be enjoyed for many years to come.  

Best moment about this lamp - I teach clarinet to one of the band teachers at the neighboring high school.  As she was leaving the house - I asked what she thought of our new lamp.  She said - "it's interesting" and I quickly realized she did not know the reference to the classic movie "A Christmas Story" and sure enough - she had never seen it.  Friends, if you haven't seen this movie - it's over-due.  It's a classic family Christmas movie!

Happy Birthday to me

For my birthday, Shayne took the afternoon off from work, his parents came over to watch the kids and we hit the slopes.  It was my first time to Brighton - and I was nervous as can be (skiing accident is still fresh in my mind 9 months later).  I went TURBO slow, seriously, really, really slow and even shed a few tears as I remembered how it felt to ski like I knew what I was doing - I knew I wasn't doing it.  I was nervous and cautious.  Shayne was patient and even more patient.  After the tears, it got better.  Sorry, but this girl sometimes just has to cry to feel better.  I definitely want to keep skiing and I have no interest in pushing my limits - I've decided I can be slow and that's ok for now.  Let me get over it at my own pace, and I just feel bad for anyone who has to hang out with me sorting through that emotional roller-coaster.  All said and done - it was still a lovely day for my sweet hubby and I to celebrate my birthday.  I loved being in the mountains and I loved being with my favorite person in the world.  

Some highlights about me:

I currently serve as Primary President at church - it's overwhelming and demanding in ways I never suspected or expected.  And I love it.  I especially love the people I serve with.  I absolutely love our ward and the people in it.  It makes me never want to move.

My favorite color changes by the day - Skyler keeps asking me since his is always green.  Most of the time I say pink and I think it's because I just see so little of it in my house.  It brightens my day to wear pink or have on pink socks - silly, I know.  It makes me feel a little bit like a girl in this all-boy territory.

I dream about carpools.  I remember back in the day I dreamt about school or band rehearsals or concerts - now it's all about carpools.  This is my life.

Favorite Song: I think "Try, Try, Try" by Colbie Caillat is a definite favorite.  I cry whenever I watch the video.

In fact, I cry when I read the news, I cry when I see sad/moving stories on TV, and I cry even while reading Facebook posts.  No, not often, but often enough.

Goal for 2015: Run a half marathon.  I don't consider myself a good runner - at all.  It's by far, the most exhausting exercise in my routine - but I love the "runner's high" I feel after a run and it's something I want to do before the big 40.  I imagine myself running it and finishing it - but whenever I start the 3 mile run I normally do, I think that I'm crazy!!