January birthdays

 Eden had the first birthday of the year and turned 17!  I can't believe little Eden is really that old!  She had a pretty exciting day before/day of getting a broken wrist while skiing with friends, getting off the mountain in snowy conditions and not being able to get in to the doctor until the day after.  Thankfully it was not a really bad break - no surgery or pinning.  We didn't get to see her other than on Facetime a week later when her present arrived in the mail.  

We got the Randall gang in one evening after putting it off for Bryan's grandmother's funeral. It was Bryan's 48th, Afton's 13th and Brady's 19th all in one celebration!  Actually got to see Brenden on the day of #15!  He's taking his permit test in a few days! 

Valley of Fire and other fun!

Friday we decided to get out of town to someplace in the sun (it has been raining a lot lately), and we decided to head down to Valley of Fire in Nevada.  It was a great decision.  The place is too hot to even think about going to later in the year, but it was perfect weather for our little trip.  We had been there  once long ago when it must have been too hot and didn't think much of it.  We just did a quick drive through then, but this time we saw nearly the whole place and did every little hike!  It was beautiful and so interesting.  So many kinds of rock and such beautiful formations, petroglyphs and historical things as well. (Sorry - got some picture repeats.)

Another so fun thing was going to a play by the St. George Musical Theater - Sound of Music.  At first I thought that I had seen this a lot of times before, but it was so well done and so fun that Paul and I both were really glad we saw it.  The acting, singing and dancing were all superb!  

Zade ordains Trigg!

 Sunday was a busy,  but wonderful day!  Derek let us know about Zade and Trigg's priesthood ordinations and we were able to attend.  Zade was ordained a priest by Grandpa Smith and then Trigg was ordained a deacon by Zade.  I think Zade was pretty nervous, but he did just great.  Wow, the grand kids are all growing up way too fast! So happy for both of these boys.  Also ordained that day that we didn't know about to attend was Koen - he was ordained a priest by older brother Gaige!  Too bad, no pictures of that one.

Snow Day fun!

We decided it was now or maybe never and spent a January Saturday up in the snow.  We checked the weather and the conditions sounded perfect for cross country skiing up at the Deer Hollow area. When we got there the parking lot was not accessible because of snow drifting, but there were some wide spots in the road that had been cleared so we decided to give it a try.  It hadn't been groomed, but there were some great ski tracks in place so we took off.  It was windy out in the open, but perfect in the trees.  It ended up being one of the least crowded and best conditions time we've had.  We skied out to the lake overlook and met some college kids out for their first time and took pictures for each other.  When we finished up we still had quite a bit of day left and after missing a turn we planned to take we decided to go over and see the snow at Bryce Canyon.  We thought about skiing there too, but it was not a good time there, so we just walked and enjoyed the beautiful scenery for a while and then headed home...and just in time.  A storm was coming up and we had some snow flurries on our way back home, but made it safe and sound.  What a lovely snow day it was!  

New Year's Day - Happy 2024!!!

 Jay and Brynn came down after Christmas for a visit. They left about noon on New Year's day.  It was a quick but fun trip!  We got to do a great hike, New Year's Eve and a little bit of New Year's day with them.  We taught the girls how to play the family traditional game of Hellsapoppin' the morning they left.  They are all almost old enough to enjoy it now!  

In the afternoon Paul and I went out to find the Cedar Pocket Sinkhole that a friend told us about.  It was SO BIG and really cool. Afterwards we took a drive through the Joshua tree covered desert down by the Virgin River to get back home.  It was a beautiful, desert sun winter day and it felt good to get out!  

Christmas Break hike to Pioneer Potholes aka The Vortex

On New Year's Adam (Saturday) we took a hike with whoever of the family could make it/wanted to come.  It ended up being us, Jay and Brynn and girls, Tasia, Zade and Trigg and the Weavers and Ferf.  It ended up being perfect, winter sun weather and was lots of fun! Moss and Christie and kids joined us later and then some of us (the adults) went out for a really nice evening at Red Lobster while the kids/cousins entertained/fed themselves at Moss and Christie's.

New Year's Eve - 2023

We had a fun little gathering with some family for New Year's Eve (Sunday) at Moss and Christie's again.  They are such gracious hosts.  It was Sunday as was Christmas Eve.  We all brought out yummy snacks and played fun games and watched the ball drop at New York!  That way we could all be home fast asleep at our regular bedtimes!  Sorry, but staying up until midnight is just overrated...especially the next day!  (We drank Sparkling Cider with cotton candy in it - new to me.  Yummy!)

Christmas Break Hiatus to Zion Park

 After the wonderful hustle and bustle of Christmas and before New Year's company and back to work as usual we took a little hiatus trip to Zion.  We staying in a little cabin.  We got the last one available luckily - even with our last minute planning of it.  We started out by going the a matinee move of The Boys in the Boat!  Such a good movie.  Then we went to dinner and afterwards we headed to Zion.  Our little cabin was snug and warm.  In the morning we beat the crowds to take the Emerald Pools hike.  So beautiful!  Then we drove over to the petroglyphs site on the east side of Zion and hiked all the way up the canyon above them until we could go no further.  MORE BEAUTIFUL STUFF with very few other people around.  Then we drove home over Cedar Mountain and stopped at a new restaurant that Juge and Lance gave us a gift card to for Christmas - 2nd East. It was really yummy food! We also took the drive up to the top of Kolob Fingers.  Loved our little get away!  It was so needed after the stress of Christmas, Grandma and Bean.  

Christmas Day 2023!

 Christmas Day is always fun as we take Grandma and travel to the kids homes to give gifts and receive some!  This year some of the kids went together and gave us a gift certificate to use at the Shakespeare plays next summer!  We are going to enjoy that.  Juge and Lance gave us new collapsible hiking poles that we are already enjoying!  Lou and Bryan gave us Desert Book Bookshelf that we can use on our phones to read lots of great books!  Such nice, generous gifts from everyone!  

We started the day opening the See's and a calendar under our tree and then took Grandma's present to her at the assisted living place she recently moved into.  After that we got started visiting the kids!  Supe and Beacher were first.  

Next we went to Ferf's! This is where we received our Shakespeare gift certificate.  Tavin had brought a friend down from school for Christmas.  It was good to see him and Brynnli there for the holiday.  

Then we went on to Moss and Christie's!  

We visited the Smith's next.  Zade and Trigg showed us some Karate moves, etc.  It was fun to visit there and have Tasia down from BYU for the holiday!  After this, we took Grandma back to our house for some lunch and then back to her assisted living place.  She was all tired out then.

  

The Weavers came down from Cedar, so they stopped at our house on the way to Lance's folks and opened their presents with us!  Noah treated us to a song on his guitar and Sarai let us ride on her crazy Christmas present.  Then we took a nap and headed for Cedar to see the Randalls.  

They Randall are always share their dinner with us when we visit them!  Merry Christmas 2023!  We love you all and think you are the best present of all other than the perfect gift of Heavenly Father and  Jesus that come to us and the whole world!  

Christmas Home Improvement gifts! 2023

 We couldn't really think of anything we wanted this year except some home improvement type stuff.  We bought it and then Paul put it in a few days before Christmas.  We got a new microwave oven over the stove, a countertop Airfryer oven and a new kitchen sink faucet!  We are trying to learn to work the new ovens!  We also got a little Solo stove that Paul really wanted.  Not sure what we will do with it exactly!