Merry Christmas family! What a wonderful holiday we just celebrated. It was so fun to be with each of you (sorry Nate and Brianna, maybe next year??) and to share in the wonderful spirit of Christmas. Thank you to Janel and Mark for another spectacular feast (Jason too). I must admit it's strange not hosting the celebration myself. I do miss the big parties with all the extended family...Thanks to everyone for their gifts and sharing the holiday with us. Looking forward to the New Year and all the hope it brings. Love to each of you. Mom

What a great week and a spectacular weekend! Emily surprised us last Saturday and enjoyed Thanksgiving with us. What a treat! Next year I hope we can all be together?? Had a great turkey day at Janel's and then left for Thatcher with all the grandkids. Janel joined us Friday afternoon and then the whirlwind began. Emily and I put the Thanksgiving decorations away in storage and brought the Christmas boxes home. Janel and Emily helped me put up the decorations in the front yard and the tree inside. Now it's up to me to decorate the rest. I do love the season and it's so fun to bring out my decorations and relive the memories I have of all of you kids home, young and so excited for Christmas. Yes, I'm crying as I write this. It's been an emotional weekend and I just want to say thanks to my girls for being there for me. If I knew how to put pictures on my blog I'd take some and post my work. Hint, hint.

Friday and Saturday night we worked on crafts and made some incredible gifts. I have a baby shower this Saturday for Shane and Kelsy Parra and Janel was nice enough to make my gift. Emily made a darling sign for her room and Janel made some Christmas gifts. We work well together, just wish Brianna, Katie and Hannah could have been with us. It was truly a team effort!

Dad left yesterday for North Dakota and it was very bittersweet. We're so thankful to have the possibility of having an income, but it's so far away from home and I miss him dreadfully already. Don't ever take for granted your spouse or the ones you love the most. I'm grateful for our challenges and know that I'll look back on this time and see that it was necessary for us to take the next step in life. Just very difficult right now.

Know that I love each of you and again so grateful for your support. Looking so forward to Christmas and having those that can make it home for the holidays. Love, mom

Heh kids, it's only been since August that I updated...what is wrong with me?? Just not into the computer as much as the average person I guess. What's new??, maybe that's the problem, nothing really. We're still without work, trying not to panic, can't decide what to do next. Any suggestions? Sure love reading everyone's blog, glad to see Emily joined us. Hannah, it's a great way for us to stay up to date with your Hawaii adventures. Sure miss you guys! And then Janel, all the pics, projects and newsy info. Thanks for all of it! The weather (I know it's boring when I talk about the weather) has finally changed. It's only 55 degrees today, but thank goodness the wind stopped. It was unbelievable last night. Wish we all lived around the block from each other, maybe someday??? But, I love you all and hope you're happy and well. Love ya, MOM

Can't believe it's been since May that I posted. I read Katie and Janel's updates and felt really ashamed. We've had an interesting summer with several vacations and I'm glad to finally be home. This weekend was fun at Janel's, kind of a going away party. Yes, Emily is really going to BYU. We leave on Wednesday and dad and I will be home Sunday. It won't be a "FUN" trip, but I'm so happy for Emily. I'm nervous to come home to an empty house (grandma is in Utah for a month) but, I'm going to try and keep busy with projects around the house and finding work. I signed up for weight watchers so I can lose these last 25-30 pounds. I see pics and know I still have some work to do. Katie you look so good. I can really tell you're losing. Jason is also showing his loss. So excited about the bikes dad and I got. We are trying a 20 miler tomorrow. Wish me luck! I feel so much better about my weight, but I really seem to have a problem on the weekends. Not a lot of self control. It's like I've lost the last 5-10 pounds 5 times. What's the matter with me? Anyway, hoping the weight watcher point system will help. Katie, I can have 20 points a day. Isn't that what you get? Well I'm going to try really hard. Guess I better go, everyone try to update their blog, love getting the pics. Haven't figured that one out yet. Love to you all. Mom

Hi! Was Monday fun or what??!! Couldn't believe the memories that were generated from the smell of the boat to life vests. It was like I went back in time. I told dad, it was a perfect day! Let's do it again, maybe in June? Check your calendars. Love ya. Mom

Hi everyone!

Just noticed how long it's been and how diligent everyone else is...so, we had a wonderful time in Hawaii. Just need to figure out how to visit more often. Brianna was a wonderful hostess! Thanks so much!!! Didn't do much but sit around the pool and beach and got a terrific tan, just ask Emily!! Dad went scuba diving with Bri for the first time and had a great experience. I just can't figure out why I never moved there when I was young. I've always loved the people, the ocean and just the general feeling you get, guess it just wasn't in the cards.

So excited for Brianna and her adventure coming up. Glad she can spend time with Nate for a couple of weeks. We miss you Nate! I am looking forward to Minnesota, and like Emily wish the "boys" could come too. Maybe our next reunion will be in Hawaii while Bri, and Nick & Hannah are living there. I'm up for Christmas, anyone?, anyone?

Looking forward to this weekend at Roosevelt lake with everyone. You know losing weight makes you want to do a lot more things! I've already had people tell me I don't need to lose anymore (any guesses??), but after looking at the pics, I do!! So, hopefully by the time you get home Nate I'll be 105.

Well, time to go, going to Mesa tomorrow. Still trying to get my WBE status. Can't believe how the adversary is working against me. But, I will prevail!!! Love to you all. MOM

EAC Graduates 3 and 4!

Well.  Congratulations to my older brother Nick and I!  Wow it feels so good to be done with Eastern Arizona High School!  Ok ok EAC wasn't that bad, it's just not as fun when you grow up in Thatcher and then go to the college in your little home town.  The education was good?  I sure hope it was good because I'm going to need it in the fall!  I'm sure everyone knows, but I am officially a cougar now!  I've already registered for classes at BYU in Provo and I can't wait to expand my horizons and move out of T-Town.  Not that it hasn't been good for me, it's just time.  Well life has been going pretty good for me out here in the west, not too much to complain about.  Maybe the gas prices??  But who knows how high they are in Korea and Hawaii.  Speaking of Hawaii, is anyone else a little hurt that mom and dad didn't invite anyone to accompany them to the islands?  I know I know they need some time together but we do live right by Mount Graham...rent a cabin and take the whole famdamily to Hawaii!  Haha I'm kidding, they are taking a well deserved trip and although I'll miss them, I won't miss watching politics on the big screen,  love you dad!  We had a good weekend here in Thatcher with Janel the kids Jason and Nick and Hannah!  Wish everyone could be here!  I talked to Nate and he said we'll all be together again next...March...and he also said I'll be married in two weeks once I move up to BYU!  Hopefully both of those were just jokes.  We miss you Nate!  And can we start posting on this thing again??  AND!  Did everyone notice how fantastic Mom looks in that picture!!!  Well I love you all and hope to see you soon!