January birthdays group style with the Randalls

We enjoyed a great birthday celebration of all the Randall's January birthdays last Tuesday evening.  Paul, me, Grandma Kurtz and Supe drove up to enjoy it.  It was actually Brady's real birthday and Bryan and Afton had waited for their presents.  Dinner was Brady's favorite - pastrami burgers, home made French fries and salad...and cake of course.  The cakes were the traditional amazing creations.  Brady had a pirate ship complete with pilfered "gold nuggets" and blazing cannons.  Afton's was a "whoo whoo" (an owl). She is into "whoo whoos" right now. Bryan had already enjoyed his carrot cake earlier in the month. Bro. Rupe, a neighbor from across the street, joined the fun too.  He has been helping Bryan make a rocking horse for Afton since before Christmas.  It just lacks a few finishing touches to be done.  It is a beautifully done piece of workmanship.  It was fun to meet Bro. Rupe.  He is a real craftsman and so willing to share his time, talents and workshop.  Thanks for inviting us up to share the fun and food.  Happy Birthday to all of you!  We love you.

Grand times at Little Black Mountain Petroglyphs...again!

Since everyone was out of school and the sun was shining, I decided the grands needed a trip to the petroglyphs.  Juge and Lance were down, so we got to include them in the fun along with Lance's mom and grandma. Ferf and kids (and a couple of  cute Borrowman cousins) and Kaebri and Tasia came along too.  It was a really beautiful day and we all had a lot of fun.  The kids went wild taking out ahead on the trail and doing plenty of exploring on their own.  The petroglyphs are cool, but add the wind and water shaped rocks and it was terrific.  So glad we could all hang out on such a beautiful day in such a beautiful place!  (The only thing that could have made it a better day would have been having Paul along.  Too bad work just couldn't be gotten out of that day.)

15 Wendy's kiddie frosties made for the perfect end to a grand "edventure".

Little Black Mountain Petroglyphs, etc.

Saturday morning we had a little bit of free time between commitments and since the sun was shining we took a short, but round about drive out to see Little Black Mountain Petroglyph Site.  We thought we knew the way, but missed the turn off the first time, so we visited a little canyon first.  It had a cool boulder at the entrance that was just standing there held up by mud.  We walked-shinnied our way up it a little way until we ran out of canyon and then decided to go and look for our original goal.  

Don't know how we missed the sign the first time by, but we got there and it was so pretty with all of the crazy water and wind shaped rocks to enjoy along with the petroglyphs.  Too bad some people have to add their own markings and bullet holes to places like this.  Still, we loved getting out in the sun and rocks.  Paul's knee is some better and it was not too strenuous.  We didn't see all there was to see because we needed to get back, but we're going to head back out there soon.

Rock Trip #1 for 2013

Last Friday/Saturday Paul and I had a great time going on our first rock trip of the year.  It was great to just get out of town and we saw some magnificent scenery and enjoyed visiting and eating good food.  We stopped in at Jacob's Lake going and coming back and there were only a few other people there.  Luckily they only have three kinds of cookies in their off season.  That made it easier not to eat too many of them with our hot chocolate.  We spent the night in Flagstaff where it was 7 below, picked up our rock and headed back.  I love that drive.  It is full of amazing views.  Hope we need some more rock soon!

The first views were of the afternoon sun on Zion. 

The next day we saw views of the Vermillion Cliffs with and without snow (north and south exposures).

The Kaibab Forest in snow.

The afternoon sun on the mountains out by Colorado City (don't know the name of these cliffs). 

The final hurrah for 2012!

Moss and Christie were great to host the family New Year's Eve celebration at their house.  Everyone brought food to share.  So many tasty choices, including Ferf's 5 lb. chocolate candy bar.  After getting full for the first time, we got a little exercise playing the Smith's Dance Wii.  I'm such an inhibited creature that it took a while for me to get out there, but it was fun!  The kids had a great time at it and were really good at it.    They inherited their dance moves some place other than from me.  Actually there were lots of the adults with some pretty good moves too.  After that the younger set watched a movie and the oldies played games.    Paul and I didn't quite make it til midnight.  I think we were just crawling into bed as the new year made it's way into existence.  We heard a few fireworks and went off to sleep.  Thanks to everyone for a really fun evening and Happy 2013! 

Didn't get many pics - here's the men's turn doing the Wii Dance.

Dancing and DQ

Once again I am way behind, but can't forget a very fun evening watching Ellie in her dance recital.  The pictures we took aren't too great, but the dancing was so cute.  Ellie did such a nice job.  After the recital we met up at DQ for treats.  It was a fun way to end the evening and some took the opportunity to "RIDQULIZE" themselves for Grandma's camera.  Good job Ellie.  We love you!

Snowy Views over the holidays

A couple of times over the holidays we took drives to see the snow.  Paul's knees are really bad right now, so hiking and skiing are out. Drives were the best bet.  The first drive was up to Pine Valley.

On the way home the sun was hitting the mountains just right and they glowed gold.  These pics are just cropped - not enhanced in any other way.  It was so pretty.

  

Our next drive was up to Zion.  We didn't get many pictures because it started snowing really hard soon after we arrived.  It was still nice to just get out a little in such a beautiful place.  We stopped in at the Visitor's Center and the Lodge and almost no one was there.  It was fun to just browse around with no crowds.  

Christmas 2012

Christmas 2012 - It started on Christmas Eve when we visited the Borrowmans to open presents with them.

The Weavers livened up Christmas at the house by sharing their fun with us on Christmas morning (and for a few days before).  It's a lot more fun with little kids than just us old folks that are left at the house.  

Moss and Christie dropped by our house instead of us going to them.  Brenden was pretty happy to get to open up his new cowboy boots.  They were very hard to get on...until we took the paper out of the toes!  Eliza was so pretty in her Christmas bow.

Then it was off to the Smiths to celebrate and open gifts with them.  Trigg stole the show .(Unfortunately the camera was goofed up on the pictures of Tasia.)

After lunch and a nap we headed up to the Randalls.  Afton was not too happy with her itsy bitsy spider!  We hope it will grow on her!  We had a fun time opening presents, visiting and sharing more lunch with them.

Bean and Brady had made some amazing Lego creations.  Ellie created a very tall tower.  

Christmas with Jay and Brynn came a little bit late, but loved it just the same.  

Thank you to everyone for all of the thoughtful gifts and most of all for your wonderful selves.  We are so thankful for each of you. We are so thankful for the most wonderful gift of all from our Savior Jesus Christ...the gift of a forever family.

Sunrise & Sunset on the Red Hill

I don't take the time to walk on the Red Hill as often as I would like, but when I do, the scenery always makes it worth it.  What a magnificent backyard I have!

Divas & Donuts

I am way behind since they changed the way you put pictures on here, but just remembering a good time with Kaebri and Tasia.  I got to come to their school and eat donuts with them and their mom and brothers and visit their classes.  Tasia's student teacher used to work in the class I work in as a practicum student, so that added to the fun of the morning.  Paul got to go with them to Dad's and Donuts a little later, but didn't get any pictures. He had a good time too. Thanks for the invitations girls! We are proud of you and how hard you work in school and how well you do.