Another First

Tessa's First Birthday!

Oh, how we adore our baby girl! What a sweet blessing she is to our family. It has been an awesome year watching her grow. Some of our favorite things about Tess are - her big smile, her belly laugh, listening to her try to sing when the rest of us are singing, watching her eat and eat and eat, putting her to bed -she loves her "dee" (blankie) and snuggles up to you or into her bed, getting her up from her naps - she is sooo happy and excited, watching her learn to sit up, then crawl and now walk, watching her hold and pat her dolly and not happy when someone else would like to hold it.

What a blast she is!!!

Birthday Party

Papa and Nana came up to celebrate with us. Nana made the cupcakes. They were strawberry cake with confetti frosting. Big hit with everyone - especially Tessa! Her first real dessert and to have it all to herself - loving it.

Tessa and her yummy cupcakes. She had each hand in a cupcake before I got done taking her pic. She loved it!!

Papa and Nana with the birthday girl.

Squish! Squish!

Abbi and Dani Rae

Elizabeth, Weston and Maggie

Mom and I

What a mess!

We cleaned her up and she opened ( I should say her siblings opened) her packages. She got a new fleece blanket.

Some Robeez slippers, bibs and onesies. She is set!

Dani Rae

"Little Bit"

I Love You, Tessa Enid!

A First...

Outdoor Winter Wedding at Big Canyon

Friends of ours, Kevin and Tami, had their wedding at the campsite of Big Canyon. Kevin and Brian snowplowed a trail to the firepit and plowed one of the tent decks. There was a fire in the pit and lots of hot chocolate. The temperature was a balmy 16 degrees (warmer than yesterday) and it was snowing. Made for a beautiful but very cold wedding.

This is the stage for the wedding.

Hudson and Abbi keeping warm by the fire.

Maggie

Weston happy to be drinking hot chocolate.

Our dear friends, Cliff and Linda

Me and My Man!

Here come the Bride and Groom.

Brian drove a snowmobile with a sled behind it and brought them down to the "church".

Tami and Kevin exchanging thier vows.

After the wedding there were 4 snowmobiles and everyone did lots of riding. This is Hudson and Weston going for a spin. Caleb was giving sleigh rides behind the 6-wheeler. We all had a great time.

When it was time to thaw out - - we had soup and bread bowls at our house. Ahhh the warmth.

Congratulations Tami and Kevin!

Thanks for sharing your special day with us at Big Canyon.

Turkey Dinner

...With Great Friends

On Christmas Day

We all got together for some feasting. It was great food and fun fellowship. In attendance were the Myers', Sweeney's, Price's and 4 friends from South Africa (they are working at Park City Ski Resort for the winter and renting the Myers' basement)

Daniel and Caleb. Pheobe and Tess playing with the big boys.

Abbi, Weston and Jonathon playing Monopoly.

Brian and Dave

Olivia, Dani Rae, Ellie, Elizabeth and Maggie all dressed up.

Brian carving the yummy turkey that Dave smoked.

South African friends.


Jennifer, Laurie and Lucas


The Kids Table


Jesus' Birthday cake.


Singing Happy Birthday to Jesus!

Yummy food! Awesome friends! Great Memories!

The Countdown is Over...

Christmas Day is here!!

The Eve of Christmas we found ourselves driving through a big snowstorm - praying that we would get to church safely to attend the Candlelight Service. (We did!) One of our traditions is to drive around after the service looking at all of the Christmas lights but not this year. We went straight home!

The children got in their jammies and we talked about the different names of Jesus and what each one meant. We sang some hymns and off to bed they went. "Santa" is not a part of our familys' tradition but we do put out a few presents out on Christmas Eve so that they have presents to wake up to. The following are this years surprises...

The stockings were filled with a toothbrush, socks, tic tacs and one small individual gift for each child. The books don't fit in the stockings but they each got 3 books.

The boys got a Boogie Board/Sled

The girls got a new set of baby furniture for their dolls and a table for doing crafts.

Then we all take turns to pull out the "goodies" from our stockings. Everyone took one thing out at a time except for Dani Rae - she just dumped hers. No messin' around.

The children wanted Brian and I to open the gifts they gave us - first. They drew and colored us pictures. Very cute!


The following pics are of the children with some of their gifts...

Elizabeth with her crown and new mug with her name on it.

Dani Rae with some of her new bling (jewelry).

A new puzzle. We love puzzles!!

Our little soldier!

Caleb's theme for this year was - Camo!

A fun coloring project for the girls.

CALEB!!! Don't pull the ring.

Everyone take cover! It's a grenade!!

Caleb and Hudson got Weston a Sheriff's badge. Went well with his cowboy outfit.

Tess absolutely loves her new farm.

Dani strapping in her doll for a stroll.



Weston got 2 swords and 2 sets of knight armor.


Hudson took him to the challenge.

Brian sportin' his new hat

Color time!

Dani got her "coffee boy" some new coffee mugs.





A very Merry Christmas to you

from all of us!!

And a Happy New Year.

May you be filled with God's love and have a blessed New Year.