End of the Year

Here it is the end of the year again where everyone celebrates Aubrie's Birthday, happy 22nd birthday Arby!!!!! Christmas was really fun. We opened the traditional Christmas Eve PJs and had everyone over except Melissa to open family gifts. Harold bought a box of water soaker balls and we had a DRY fight. It was really fun and the KayLyn and Haylee had a great time.
Christmas morning Clinton got us up at about 5:30 so we got up and went down stairs. We had a great time. Clinton got a suit. He looks so good in it. He was pretty excited. I will try to round up some pictures from Aubries camera.

Allie, the new puppy

I have to admit, she is pretty sweet.

Thank you Mom and Dad!!!

I just got the nicest surprise from my mommy and daddy. And man do they smell GOOD!!!!
Its beautiful mom. Thank you so much! It will look so pretty on my Christmas table!

Christmas is almost here

Hi everyone. Christmas is soon upon us. Here is just a little of what is going on in our lives lately. Clinton came home with a puppy on Friday. She is a little lab and border collie mix and she is absolutly adorable. He stopped at Jes' before he came home to gain some support in his cause, and she told him to put a bow around her neck and tell me that she was for me. Thanks Jes! KayLyn named her Allie. Everytime I say her name I think of my dear friend Christine's sweet little Allie.
This Sunday we are doing our annual Nativity in the barn for the YM and YW. We always have a great time doing it. Last year was really wonderful, the kids didn't want to leave after it was over, they seemed to just want to stay and bask in the Spirit of the whole thing. So I am looking forward to this one.
Next week I am taking Mon. thru Wed. off and we are closed at the office on Thurs and Friday so I get a nice long break with my Clinty over the Christmas break. Really looking forward to that.
I am just excited about Christmas as usual. It's my favorite time of year. I wish that the feeling at Christmas could stay with us all year round! We aren't expecting any company, just planning on enjoying a quiet day with Clinton and we will see if any of the other kids show up.
I have a great family. I love all my kids and grandkids and are so grateful they are all living close. I have friends whose kids live all over the country and I see how they miss them. I am so grateful I get to see mine often! Life is Good!
Hope you all have a wonderful Holiday Season. Merry Christmas and we hope you have the happiest of New Years!

Thanksgiving

Big Grandma enjoying the gr. grandkiddies

Look what papa can do.

KayLyn and Haylee with BIG GMA.

Big Grandpa helping at Jes and Kyles house.

Eli sleeping in Grandpa's arms.
Kyle checking out his pumpkin pie

Kimmy

Nevaeh

Aub and Brian.

Grandpa and Eli.

Big Grandma resting and watching a show.

Aubrie and Eli

Melissa.

"Mason Man"

My Laurels

I just want to say how much I love my Laurels. I truly have the BEST calling in the church. My young women are absolutely AMAZING girls. I have so much fun with them.. Last night we had a cookie swap at my house we laughed all night.
For their Christmas present I gave each of them the Jennie Phillips CD Steadfast and Immovable which is the Theme for this year. They sang a song from it at our Young Women in Excellence a couple of weeks ago and I wanted each of them to have a copy of it. They are so special to me, and I will miss those who are graduating so much.

Me, Jes, Kari, Kristen, Krissy, Jordan, Ashely.

Twilight

I know alot of people who have seen it are dissapointed, but I look at it like the Harry Potter movies. THey can't put everything into a movie. I did love the book much better but the movie was pretty good in my opintion. I went with Robin and her cousin on Saturday. Clinton still refuses to see it with me.

Bad News

Ok, so we are raplacing the rented 1000 gallon propane tank with our own. So the guy comes out yesterday to place it and get it set up, runs a pressure check and finds a leak in the line. Guess where. Right next to the 2 water heaters with pilot lights in both of them. Hmmmmmm.
Im glad my house has'nt burned down..

Clintons BYU EFY trip

I know these are a little late, but its worth showing you anyway. Clinton and his very good friend Josh went to the Best of EFY at BYU this past summer and had such a good time.

Josh and Clinty eating pizza

He said they ate this many. Im not sure I believe them.

The one in the gray mask is Clinton, (I think he looks kinda like a pig) And Josh is in the blue and red mask. These two are so fun together. Good friends

Clintons little animated guy he draws . Master Sgt. from a video game.

My Christmas Tree

I have been asked why I choose to put my tree up so early, last year I had it decorated the first of October. I will tell the story:

Growing up my dad was pretty much a scrooge when it came to the Christmas tree and (forgive me dad) a little bit of a tight wad. I remember one Christmas when he wouldn't let my mom get a tree so he bribed us all that if we would wait until the night before Christmas "we could all get a tree and it would be free" so we piled into the car (Christmas Eve when the tree lots were deserted and all the trees were free) and went to the tree lot and brought home 6 trees, one for each of us. I don't remember decorating them (mom probably decorated the one she put in the frontroom for the presents) but each of us had a tree of our very own!!! I have to admit it has been one of my favorite memories of my childhood! The rest of the time he wanted mom to wait until the last minute to put up the tree so as I remember we only had the tree up for a couple of weeks at the most. I remember one year she came home with a pink flocked tree. Dad LOVED that one!!!!!! NOT, he still gives her crap about her pink flocked tree.

I guess my thoughts are that if I am going to go to that much trouble and time I want to enjoy it for as long as possible. Last year I put it up early and didn't take it down until the middle of January, which is a record for me! Usually it's down before the new year. And I have enough room in my house it isn't in the way at all. My family gives me a little heartburn about it but I really think that secretly they love it too!

This year I moved my tree from the usual spot in the far corner of the livingroom to in front of my Big window. I really like it there. Notice the presents under it?


And here are my alpine trees all decorated. I didn't know how to turn the flash off so it isn't a great picture, much prettier in person. Maybe when Robin comes for our cookie swap she will take some nicer ones for me.


Close up- I love it!



I love my tree.

Christmas is coming

I really need a camera.

I started Christmas shopping yesterday.
I put my Christmas tree up on Saturday and decorated my Alpine trees last night. My livingroom is so pretty!!!!!
I love Christmas.

Party at Jones'

We had such a wonderful time with our dear friends Lou and Charlie Weber who stopped at our house on their way home from their mission at the DC temple. They came on Friday and we had dinner and played card games and had such a great time. (Lou and I stomped Harold and Charlie in a mud hole) Saturday , Lou, Charlie and I got up early and hit a session in Rexburg then made a detour to Moms Candy Kitchen (aka Florences Exqusite Chocolates) for some contraband. Then we met Harold in Idaho Falls for a session, the spanish speaking session. Ha Ha, it was really interesting and fun. We are nuts, didn't know the 12:00 session every other week is Spanish. OH well more that half of the patrons were not spanish. We all had an experience. Then Saturday night, another dear friend from Middleton came over and we set her up with a good freind from Ririe and so we ate dinner and played a game called SIGNS all night, then Mafia. It was a terrific time and we all laughed so hard especially with Charlie and his sign ,(picking his nose, then he started flicking it!) We appreciate Lou and Charlie coming and staying with us, we loved EVERY minute of it. And everyone loved Lou and Charlie. I am so sorry that we didn't get any pictures of them while they were here. I am sure they are so happy to be home now. Thank heaven for such good people in our lives!!!!!! What a blessing.

Last Race for Clinty

Clinton At Districts. Clinton was not really excited about going to district cross country but I am very proud of him for finishing the season. This race was at Arco and the course was grueling. Mostly sand and the last part on pavement and lots of hills. His legs were BURNING by the time he finished.
But, here he is with his fan club before the race.


Here is Clinton at the beginning of the race and doing well towards the front of the group.

Clinton finishing the race. So proud of him.

Finish at Ririe Dam

The girl you hear yelling that Clinton is such a stud is a good friend of his and one of my Laurels, Krissy Ritter. She is so funny!!!!

Our Life Right Now

Can you tell that our life right now consists of our son Clinton. It is so hard to grasp the fact that we have only one child at home now. For those of you with young families it is hard to believe that the day will come when your children will graduate from high school and leave for college and get married. I remember!! Looking back over the years, they are a complete blur to me. I remember when Jennifer turned 12 and began Young Womens, our friend gave us such crap about having a kid in Mutual. Little did I know then, that was only the beginning. The clock suddenly sped up and now here we are years later almost empty nesters. Clinty is talking about BYUI after graduation and living on campus. Wow, how wierd will that be, just Harold and I?
My one consolation is that Aubrie keeps dropping hints of moving home and renting their home out to pay the mortgage and help pay down her student loans. Just how fun will it be to have the married kids move back home? They do have little Eli, that would be fun to have him around grandma all the time, and if I get tired of her she can go visit the neighbor!!!!! (Jes) Ha ha.
I mentioned to my dear friend Christine just this morning the possibility of Aubs and Brian coming home and she started to laugh and said "of all the kids she never thought I would even consider letting her move home" and I said "of all the kids I never thought she would consider moving home." How time flies and changes us all huh? Aubrie is wonderful and I love her and that Brian! She has become quite a little woman! She said to me the other day, "I want 10 kids" .........................................................................................ya me too, thought she was on drugs!
Ya thats our life right now.

Ririe Dam Cross Country Race

Clinton at the start of the Ririe Dam race. What a cutie.

Senior Night for Clinton

PARTY AT MIKES HOUSE

Mike and Kathy had the family over for a party for Jon's farewell and to meet Dave and Stepany Leosch ( I am not sure of the spelling but just think of a drunk , yes is is pronounced LUSH) Dave was Mikes first mission companion in Austrailia and they have remained very good friends all this time. We had SOOOOOOOOO Much FUN!!!!! Paul had us play a game called signs. OH my gosh, we laughed so darn hard. Even my parents got into it. We had a great dinner and just enjoyed hanging out visiting. Sunday morning we went to church to hear Jons talk, he did such a great job. He is just a good young man. We are very happy for him. He is going to Richmond VA. and he is so excited to go...... Jes and Aubrie and their babies and I went down for it. I couldn't get Clinton to go two weekends in a row so he and Harold stayed home. But we had a great time. Thanks Mike and Kathy for your hospitality!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We love you guys!!!!!!!!! Here are some pictures of Dan and his family during dinner...

GoOd FoOd, GoOd FuN,GoOd FaMiLy

Goofy Dan! My Brother!

Dates, dates, and more dates..... not the fruit.

The Homies: Clinton Josh and Andrew
Clinton and his homecoming date, Micheline Jacobson,
she is Kyles cousin. Small world huh?

Grandkids

How adorable are they? Soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo Cute
KayLyn Lexie Haylee

Mike and Kathy's Visit & Clintons Homecoming

Hi everybody. Just a note to say how much fun we had with Mike, Kathy and Jon. They came last Friday, I met them at the temple for the 4:00 session, then went home for dinner. Saturday we went to the hills to get wood for Brian and Aubrie, but guess what, NO ONE brought a camera. I talked Jes and the girls into coming up with us so she didn't have to stay home alone all day. And that worked out great cuz Kyle was hunting just across the valley from us and he drove over and had lunch with us before he went to get in his tree stand. We had a great time and got the kids about 2 cords of wood. Then Saturday night we put on a dinner for Clintons group of dates for the Homecoming dance. It was REALLY fun. Mike put on his sunday pants, white shirt and tie and played waiter for the kids, he was FABULOUS!!!!!! We had such a good time, we always do when they come~
We are heading for Mom and Dads this week also, sort of a mini vacation. Clinton is out of school Thurs and Fri. so we are off for a visit and to watch conference with them. We might meet them at the cabin for a night. Then Jon's farewell will be the following weekend so needless to say, its a couple of weeks of travel! Jes is going with me for that.

My Fall Goal

My fall goal is to organize my recipes. I am so tired of searching through my recipe box everytime I need a recipe. So I am going to scrap a tin and transfer my recipes to it. I will be ORGANIZED................. Pictures to follow. Robin, my friend from the office has inspired me, she is an amazing scrapbooker!!! She is my scrapbook hero. However I must interject here that CHRISTINE got me started on scrapbooking she is also my hero besides being my dearest friend, the sister I never had.

Before Pictures

After Pictures

I m still in the process of transfering all my recipes over. I love this box!!!!!

My busy days.........

Last night our youth had baptisms for the dead at the temple. It is always such a wonderful experience to attend the temple with the Youth. We had 7 girls and 11 boys. They were the epitome of reverence. Even the temple workers commented on how quiet our group was. It is so cool to be there with Clinton. He loves to do baptisms, he's an awesome kid!!!!! I am going to miss him so terribly when he goes to college!!!!!
Harold and Brian and Curtis were putting a new door in Curtis and Megans house. Brian is such a huge addition to our family. He is so helpful! THANK YOU Brian!
I have been doing a little canning, lots of applesauce, I will be doing pickled beets, I have put up 4 boxes of peaches and 6 flats of strawberries.
And working at the office also. I never thought my life would be so busy!
Mike and Kathy are coming with Jon to do a temple tour and end at our house on Friday. Then Saturday we are planning to go up and help Brian and Aubrie get wood. Should be really fun.
Then Mike and Kathy are staying till Monday. Looking forward to some R&R.

Good Luck Clinty!

His BIGGEST fans
I am pretty sure someone loves Uncle Clinty!!!

Need I say more?

Homecoming... one of them...Rigby

Carrie Ferguson, Andrew Jose, Megan ? and Clinton . Carrie is one of my favorite people in the whole entire world. She is my Laurel Class President and she is absolutly an amazing young woman. I told her that I wish I was her age cuz she would be my best friend.

Clinton and Drew.... Cute boys! Carrie (my Laurel pres.), and Drews cousin

Clintons Cross Country

KayLyn and Haylee at Rigby Lake watching Uncle Clinty run in his Cross Country Meet.

Clinton running Cross Country at Rigby Lake Sept. 19 (Happy Birthday Mike)

Summer is over therefore my life is over

That pretty much says it all. Just kidding! Clinton is running cross country and we got to go watch him in one here in Idaho Falls last week. The others have been away. This Friday he has one at Rigby Lake and next week it is at Ririe Dam. It is so rewarding to be able to watch my kids in their activities.

My other new news is that (appalling to my son) I bit the nail and am reading the Twilight series. He says it is a cult and that I am a conformer. BUT in my defense, all of my Laurels have been telling me to read it and not to mention 2 neices!!!!!(YOU know who you are) And it really is pretty good.

Other that that Work.....OH YA....... Harold decided to farm next year need. Lets see..............
1. Farmers
2. Smiths
3. Ward Clerk
4. President of the Canal Co.
5. Chamber of Commerce Rigby
6. Bonneville County Planning and Zoning
7. now farming.
need I say more.
Oh I forgot, we now have 7 calves, one of which he and Jes are raising for milking. I have to admit she is adorable, but how thin can someone spread their life out!????????? Crazy you say?
Thats what I say.

So Excited

Ok, I am a bonehead, I was SO excited about going boating on Labor Day weekend that I forgot to put the camera in. So....................no picts. But we had SOOOOOOOOOO Much FUN!!!!!!!!!!!! Jes and the girls came for about two hours and then she went to visit her mother in law and sister in law for the afternoon. We got to the lake about noon, met Robin and the boys at the dam and dropped the boat in. Clinton brought a friend with him, her name is Mindy and she was so much fun too. Robins boys, Chris and Taylor had a huge BALL and they were So dang cute on the tube, we pulled them all around that lake and I think we completly wore them out!!!!!. Robin said that after dinner Chris said he was going to go read and 10 minutes later he was OUT like a light and slept the whole night. At about 5:30 we took out and headed down to where Gary, Gloria, Robin and her boys were camping and had a WONDERful dutch oven dinner with them. THANKS GUYS!!!!!
and headed back home about dark.
It was a wonderfun day!!!!!!!!!!!! Only wish it wasn't so late in the year, darn, its over for the boat! Looking forward to next year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No Pictures of This Treat

Just to let you know what special treat Harold and I got last weekend in our yard while watering.................................Can you guess?.........................................................................
Come on .......................................give it a try........................................................................




A baby rattlesnake. Yes a baby rattlesnake. I saw it swimming to a dry spot in the yard and so I thought "Oh a watersnake, I will just play with it for a bit" so I stepped on it (Luckily I had water shoes on (no I am not THAT stupid) and watched him pop up through the mud then it coiled up and started striking at me. So I decided to take a closer look and yup, sure enough, diamond shaped head, diamond pattern down his back so I STOPPED playing with him and Harold chopped his head off. And NO I didn't take pictures. I haven't gone outside barefoot since!

Labor Day Plans

Saturday we are planning to spend the day at Palisades with friends. We invited Robin and her boys to come. Gary our office partner , and Gloria will be camping at the bottom of the damn with Robin and the boys, so we will just pick them up on the way up and play. Gary is cooking dutch oven and so we get to share in the fare!!!!! YEA.. Pictures to come..................................

First Day of School

Oh my GOSH its finally here!!!!! Five years ago Jes and I had this conversation, "You know, in five years, KayLyn will be in Kindergarten and Clinton will be a Senior." So here it is..................
KayLyn's first day of her first year at school and Clinty's first day of his LAST year of school.