Happy New Year

We started off with church bright and early in the morning. I am happy with all of my kids new primary/sunday school teachers. It's going to be a great year. John started off the year trying not to throw up. Poor John. He didn't want to eat yesterday or today when we had a ton of food. Glad that wasn't me!

We had everyone come over for dinner. Mike made delicious fajitas. We also tried to get pictures with everyone. I put a ton of them on there, but they are basically the same thing over and over. We had all the grandkids except Marie and Mina. Hopefully when Matt and Sam get married we can get family pictures with everyone!

Speaking of Matt, he is gone. Sam slept over so she could take him to the airport in the morning. He had to leave at 3. John, Pace, Matt and I all stayed up playing games until it was time for him to go. Matt was stressing out because he couldn't find his hoody he got in Iraq. He said that he would rather lose anything other than the hoody. He found it on his laptop. Haha! He would have left his laptop if his hoody wasn't on it! We will miss you Matt! Can't wait to come to your wedding!

Ella, Mallory, Jorja, Blake, Maysen, Preston

Stockton, Lincoln, Abby, Larkin, Skye

Jorja & Abby up top

Ella, Mallory, Grandpa, Blake, Maysen

Preston, Stockton, Lincoln, Larkin, Skye

With Bubs

John, Bubs, Mike

Mallory kept thinking Mike was her dad . . . until he would pick her up. Funny, funny, funny!

Mallory realizing Mike is not John

Matt, John, Stephanie, Bubs, Mike

With Dad

Mike, John, Matt, Stephanie, Bubs

Dad

Topish: Blake, Christen, Stockton, Maysen,

Cassie, Sam, Mike, Ange, Lincoln

Bottomish: Skye, Mike & Larkin, Mallory & John,

Matt & Preston & Jorja, Steph & Abbs, Bubs & Ella

Dad/Grandpa

Blake, Christen, Skye, Mike, Larkin

Christen & Mike

Cassie, Mallory, John

Sam & Matt

Blake & Mallory

Blake, Stephanie, Mallory

I love this year already!

The End

Once again I failed with the picture taking. Not one picture. On the bright side, our family read our scriptures every day this year! Yes, we are quite proud. We will have to think of a fun reward.

Tonight we had Steve & Shannon and their kids, John & Cassie, and Sam & Matt. Mallory slept through all the festivities. I think her parents were quite happy about that. We spent the evening playing games (surprise!) and eating (surprise again!) I had a great time. I think the best moment of the night was when Sam talked to Erica and Maysen about reviewing youth books before they are published. Both Erica and Maysen beamed when they were asked. What a way to start the year.

Video Games Live

Cabin trip is over. I am glad we were able to get good sledding at the beginning of the week. It is still slushy here!

My family spent some time cleaning the living room. They were cute cleaning the windows and vacuuming. They worked really hard. We were able to see Grandma for about five minutes. I was also able to see David Parry really quick. Seems like it has been years since I have seen him!

We were in quite a rush to get home. Mike and Stockton had tickets to see Video Games Live, Bonus Round. It was a concert with the Utah Symphony where they play video game music. There was also a choir and opera singers. Also laser lights and giant movie screens of video games. They loved it. Mike texted me at intermission and said: Best. Concert. Ever. Stockton is already asking about going to it again. Hopefully they come back next year.

Slush

My dad, Max, Bubs, Lincoln, Ella, Mike, Christen, Skye, Larkin and Blake all went home today. The bad thing is they went home, the good thing was Mike and I don't need to sleep on the couch tonight. (Although I would rather sleep on the couch and have them stay.) Today was really warm. Not a good thing. The snow melted and turned into slush. The bottom of the hill was about two inches of slush. No sledding was done today. We still had a great time. We stayed inside and played games. Stockton is a huge ping pong fan. Many games of Dominion were played. Matt added the stats of every Dominion game played at the cabin. Turns out I only won one. At least that was on my birthday.

Jorja had been wanting to play Trek to Zion the entire trip. I promised her I would play with her today. It was bedtime before I got a chance. I let the kids stay up late and Jorja, Maysen, John, Cassie and I all played. (John won by one point! I couldn't believe it!) Anyway, while we were playing Mike, Sam and Matt were cleaning. Sam did an amazing job cleaning out the fireplace. I have never seen one so clean before. Matt was quite the helper. Haha. It was funny.

Sam & Matt

Sam making the fireplace VERY clean.

We finished the cabin with a few more games of Dominion between Mike John, Matt and I. I love playing games with my brothers. LOVE IT. This has been one pretty great week!

Football

Today was the best day! Lots and lots of sledding. Lots and lots of games. Lots and lots of family around. Mallory and Blake loved being around each other. Too bad Mina and Abby weren't there.

Maysen and Mike made a cool jump in front of the cabin. The best was when you went off it, you would land nice and soft. I was hoping walking up the hill would counteract my eating of sweets this week, but I don't think it was able to put a dent in it. Maybe if I would have played football with my brothers . . . Mike, Mike, Bubs, John, Matt & Sam played football for at least three hours! They were all exhausted when they finished. I watched for a little bit and was going to ask if I could join, then I saw Sam get tackled and hurt her leg pretty bad. I quickly decided against it. Sam stayed out there and played hard! When the snow was finally settled, Sam had a giant bruise on her knee and one of her fingers was completely swollen. John also really hurt his elbow. He couldn't bend it all the way, plus there was a bump that was in an odd place . . . . hope he is okay. They seemed to love playing though. It has been a long time since they were able to play together. Wish Brett could have joined in on the fun!

Below is an odd picture. I took it because these girls were walking in a line following Jorja around. It was so cute! Jorja was in heaven.

Mallory, Skye, Larkin, Jorja

Skye, Larkin, Jorja

Mallory

Blake

Larkin & Jorja

Today is My Birthday!

I used to hate having my birthday so close to Christmas. Now it is not so bad. Mike always has the day off, I always get to be with my family and I usually get to be at the cabin. Pretty awesome.

We spent the entire day sledding, of course. It was awesome, of course. Mike and the kids gave me a cool silicone baking mold to make gingerbread houses. You can use it for gingerbread, shortbread and chocolate. Mike made me a chocolate cabin for my birthday! How cool is that? Absolutely perfect! Cassie also got a cake for me, vanilla with chocolate frosting . . . . yummy.

Birthday Cabin

Dad & Max

Preston

Mallory, John & Jorja

Mallory, John & Lincoln

Cassie

Stephanie

Stephanie & Preston

Cassie & Mallory, Stephanie & Preston

Stephanie & Preston

The best present I received was Mike (Millburn) and his family were able to make it to the cabin tonight! Yay! Poor Larkin & Blake with their allergies. I'm glad I don't have those, and I'm glad I don't have to be a mom of a child with allergies. That would be rough!

Stockton, Preston, Skye, Larkin

With Jorja & Ella

Mallory meeting Blake for the first time. (with Christen)

Blake

Mallory

Preston, Jorja, Steph, Stockton, Maysen

With Mike

Today was a perfect, perfect day! (We missed you so much Brett & Rachel!)

Twins

We got to see the babies today! Cassie, Sam and I made a quick stop at Tammi's house. We heard the twins would be there for one more day. Ollie was awake when we arrived, Drew woke up after a bit. They are so cute! I got to hold Ollie for awhile. They are only four months (I think) and they can already roll over! Crazy. They look like newborns, but can do things newborns can't . . . like holding up their heads. They were great . . . and Jessie looks super skinny by the way. Doesn't seem quite fair.

This afternoon we went to the cabin! I love it here! We didn't have snow machines to help us up the hill, but this super nice guy named Pat helped us up. He had this amazing looking 4-wheeler. I want one of those! Don't think that will happen, but it would be cool.

The rest of the day was spent sledding and playing games. I did manage to cut my thumb when I was slicing tomatoes. Boo! At least the taco haystacks were delicious!

Merry Christmas!

Last night Mike and Maysen helped me sneak over a stocking for Mallory. I wasn't positive this would get done in time. I finished it yesterday! This was the first time I actually sewed the back on. Usually I give it to my cousin Debie and she does it for me. (She has helped me on many, many stockings. I am so grateful!) I really wanted to learn how to do it myself this time. Anyway, I was pretty excited about it. The funny thing is I have been working on stockings for Lincoln and Ella for years now. I did get them finished, but I didn't get the back sewed on. Ange was really great about it. When I told her I really wanted to surprise John & Cassie with a stocking for Mallory, she said that it was okay to make Mallory's first. Hopefully I will have stockings for all of Bubs' kids by next Christmas. One can always dream.

Mallory's stocking

This afternoon we went up to see Grandma & Grandpa Parry. I wish I had my camera out when we got there. All of my kids were hugging grandma like crazy. It was great. Although later that day Preston charged grandma and grandpa out of nowhere. That was kind of scary. Sorry about that.

Mallory & John

Mallory & Cassie

Grandma, Mallory & Cassie

Mallory looked so stinkin' cute in these zebra jammies. Santa left her a zebra in her stocking. Who knew Santa was that coordinated?

Mallory

My kids have all loved playing tic-tac-toe with grandma. I'm not sure what Preston was playing here. He added dice and levels. It was all very strange. Grandma just let him jabber away. It was adorable.

Grandma & Preston