Christmas Card

For any who still check on this forgotten blog there are some updates below. We have had a wonderful year full of fun and growth. We thank the Lord daily for the gift of the gospel of Jesus Christ. What a blessing to our growing family the knowledge of His Plan is. We love all of you and pray a great year for all of us.

Christmas fun.

The week before Christmas our family went to Idaho for the funeral of my dearest Grandpa Miller.(I'll have to search for a picture of him.) He is the first of my four grandparents to die. He was up and doing until two weeks before he died and then he decided he wanted to move on from this life. We loved seeing the friends and family at the "reunion" and it was a happy funeral and a happy time visiting. Never-the-less it put Christmas prep way behind but we had a marvelous Christmas just the same. Thank heaven for unspoiled children!(for the most part:))
We were planning on some friends joining up for Christmas Eve but one by one they canceled and it was in this case, a blessing, because of being gone all week. We had a beautiful Christmas dinner just us! It was a first and really wonderful. My kids loved it! Here are a few pics I promised Annie I would post.

This is our traditional cranberry pudding cooking in a water bath.

Santa Clause came for visit shortly after dinner bringing bags of goodies and giant teady bears! The kids loved them and were still hugging on them Christmas morning. Yeah for Santa Kip!

Fun with Friends.

This was a much needed mommy get away with my two prego friends in CA. We sun bathed, slept all we wanted and all the fun girl rejuvinating things! It was a little too short but so great for what the trip intended.

Kids and Martin friends making rock mosaics.

Water Park fun with Sydney.

Swimming lessons with Ashley.

Girls night out with Sherrie and Mara. Sherrie came to town to visit friends and family. She came to swimming lessons with us and we enjoyed her lots! We hope she will visit us even when she is a married woman! :)

Cabin Reunion

This was truly a highlight. My siblings got together for a well planned and super fun Yellowstone Cabin Adventure. There was Playmill, dutch oven, shooting range(giving the kids a healthy respect for a gun and the adults some sport), hikes, tea parties and more. I can't be thankful enough for my parents and siblings! I love them so much!
Scriptures with Grandma

This camera is not my friend much of the time. The flash doesn't work when it should and does when it shouldn't. (I know it's the operator!)
This is Ellie with her notebook taking some notes on the previous days activities. The kids were better than expected for a scripture study with grandma.

Adventures with Grandpa
My dad made all the old enough grandkids "possibles bags" from scrap leather(Annie burnt their names on them)to take on their adventures. They had scarves, cats eye necklaces, possible bags and notebooks for their finds on their daily nature walks with grandpa.

Music Time with Annie

Beach Fun
Hebgan Lake is magical for us.

Hats in her element.

Uncle Lincoln giving out watermelon to sandy kids.

The water was a little cold but the sun made up for it.

Family Picture
Sporting our t-shirts.

Summer fires.

We had a few bonfires this year because Nate had enough scrap wood to make some fun fires. We live an hour away from so many of our friends and so we have to have parties to entice them here! Nate has gotten me a 6 quart ice cream freezer and an apple cider press to start our party gear. ps Apple Cider with dry ice is divine! Seriously.

Hattie is at home outside getting dirty.

April play

Here are a few posts just to share a few highlights with the limited pictures on this camera. (I just down loaded 600+)

This was a play Ellie and Nathan were in called Savior of the world. It was their personal highlight of the year. It was wonderful to watch them and my parents came for a visit to watch them too.