Trip to Utah

We just returned from a fun filled trip to Utah. We went to Goblin Valley, the Oquirrh temple open house, to the cabin, to Oakley for a parade and rodeo, to Cherry Hills, and to Timpanogos Caves. We fit a lot into a week. We enjoyed seeing both of our families while there.

Broken Bone, Birthday, and Balloons

Today is Katee's first birthday. We had a fun day just doing some of our normal things, then we had friends over for dinner and cake. She had a great day until the balloons came out. Her buddy Luke started squeezing one and it squeeked a lot and from then on she was terrified. The looks on her face were hilarious! I will include some video footage. Also, last night while we were at Spencer's baseball practice Sadee was trying to do some tricks on the parallel bars that you can slide down. She fell off the top. I knew something was up when she would not stop crying. She kept saying her head and her neck hurt. I was worried, but we went on with our night and just kept an eye on her. Anyway, this morning she would not use her arm. This tipped Dave off to check her collar bone. Well, we went and had it x-rayed, and yep it was broken. Poor Sadee:( She was afraid that if she wore the sling people would not know who she was. She soon found that when her friends came, not only did they know her, but it got her some good attention!

Bloom Where You Are Planted

This last little while has been interesting for us. First of all, Dave's clinic venture did not get the funding (through outside investors and insurance companies paying) that was necessary to keep it open. So he has gone back to work at the ER. Well, he never really left, he was still working for them part time through this entire thing. There was something we were supposed to learn from all of this, and maybe it is just enjoy the job we have, there are so many who are going without right now. We did have an opportunity to go to Utah to work, but never felt right about it. This last week we realized why, Dave was put in as second counselor in the bishopric of our reorganized ward. I guess we are supposed to be here and bloom here.

We now have a crazy 11 month old who went from no desire of being mobile to being everywhere. Katee is full of energy and definitely has her own mind. She brightens anyones day who sees her smile!

I have been coaching Emma's basketball team. It is definitely a lesson for me in patience. At her age we are just working on the basics.

Spencer is really picking up the game of basketball. (This makes his mamma happy!) He is getting more aggressive this year. He also won first place for his science fair project.

Sadee is my energetic and thoughtful girl. Today she was telling me jokes from the back seat of the car. Ones like, "Why did the Rhino cross the road."

I am really loving it here in Show Low. It is a great place to raise kids.

Christmas and Grandpa

I know..I know..I am a month late blogging about Christmas. It has been a busy few weeks. We really enjoyed it this year. Dave had the day off (first time in 3 years). He did have to work Christmas eve though which sort of put a damper on my favorite part of the holiday (being santa and snuggling). Anyway, we went fairly simple this year with a big family gift. I finally gave in and allowed Santa to bring a Wii. Actually, I don't feel it is like any of the other video game systems out there. We have been enjoying it.

The day after Christmas we left for Utah for some fun with family and snow. While we were there we took the time to stop by and see my Grandpa Knighton (My Sister Callee and her husband Brian went too). He had a stroke in October and was staying at my Aunt's home. While there we overheard my Aunt tell someone that he had been up the night before singing "Come, Come Ye Saints." He wasn't all that aware of what was going on so we decided to sing some songs with him. He joined in. We ended with "Come, Come Ye Saints." Spencer sat and held his hand during most of the visit.

I was so glad that we went to visit him. My Aunt ReNae said that that was the last time that he was really aware of anything. He passed away January 8th. After coming home from Utah, we turned around and went back for his funeral a week and a half later. The kids were troopers and did well on the car ride. At the funeral the Grandchildren sang 2 songs they were both ones that Callee and I had sung with him. I did not make it through them.

If you look at the words to "Come, Come ye Saints" it talks about not being afraid to work hard, and it is a song about hope. My Grandpa was a great example of hard work. I also feel that this is a time when we all need reassurance that "all is well, all is well." One memory ReNae shared at his funeral was that they had taken him on a trip to Navuoo. While there they took a riverboat trip. As all of the passengers left the boat, my grandpa stood there and shook everyones hand and asked if they had had a good trip. That was the kind of man he was. He was in his right mind all of the way up until after his stroke. He loved everyone. I hope I can follow his example.

I am glad that he gets to be with Grandma. He was 94 years old. They had 7 children, 37 grand children, and 98 great grandchildren with 5 more on the way. There was a talk given by President Hinckley about being a strong link in your family. Grandpa was a strong link, and look at what he passed down to 142 direct decendants as well as in-laws, etc. In is last years he still drove a car (last July he drove my children when we went out to dinner with him). He did a few sessions a week at the temple. He was a faithful home teacher to several families. He served right up to the very end. I hope I have some of him in me.

This picture was taken of us with my Grandpa Knighton just over a year ago at my other wonderful Grandfather's funeral. I am so glad that we took the time to take it!

Snow in Arizona

For those of you who aren't too familiar with Arizona, the state does have areas that get snow. Show Low is at about 6500 feet. They say in years past that the snow could get as deep as 5 or 6 feet. The most we have seen is 3 feet in one storm. Well, today we got snow so we can have a white Christmas! The kids love it. If there were school scheduled today, it would be canceled (they either cancel or delay school with every snow storm). With the pine trees all around, it is so peaceful and beautiful with the snow! All of our friends have left for the holiday, so it gets to be a family day in the snow:) They plan on building a snow woman (Grandma Shirlee gave Emma a little kit for it). and a snow man.

Christmas Eve Early

Dave has to work every day (until 8 or 10pm) every night up until Christmas this week, so last night we decided to do our annual Christmas Eve party. This consists of a lot of food, games, singing, acting out the Christmas story, etc. It all started out great with lil' smokies, crackers and dip, a veggie tray, chicken salad sandwiches, goodies, etc. We played Apples to Apples, Catch Phrase and Wackee 6. For the Christmas story, we decided to do the part with Samuel the Lamanite in the Book of Mormon too. Elder Eyring had told about throwing tinfoil balls to represent the arrows. We decided to give it a try. Spencer played the part, and the girls threw the balls at him (I don't think they really tried to miss him). Then we did the Christmas story complete with Mary, Joseph, an angel (Sadee looked more like a hippie than an angel, but was sure cute), and a baby Jesus. Dave even played the part of the Donkey. Next year I may get together some better costumes! We also played name that tune. All-in-all it brought in the Christmas spirit. Then the fun began. Emma started throwing up. The first time she managed to do it on hard floor and not carpet, but the second time she hit carpet in both her room and our room. Thank goodness we bought a steam carpet cleaner this year. I have already used it so many times. Needless to say, we didn't get a full nights rest last night. Lets just hope that the rest of the kids don't get it for Christmas:)

Thanksgiving

Every other year our family spends Thanksgiving with all of Dave's Extended family in Gunlock, UT. It is a cool little town just outside of Saint George. We all (a whole bunch of us) sleep there and stay there for the entire weekend. It is chaotic fun. We never have to worry about our kids, they just play and play. There is plenty to eat! One of my favorites is the homemade fresh salsa that they make (thanks Jamie and Diana). It is fun to see everyone, and everyone's growing families. It used to be that Dave and I were the only cousins with children, now many more have joined the ranks. Dave's cousin Jamie even commented this time as we walked in the door that we were "for real". Meaning that we have 4 kids and they are older (I guess that makes us a for real family!) We ate, hit the black friday sales, ate, geocached, ate, shot guns, ate, and had our own family parade (this is a tradition where everyone dresses up into whatever costumes are available, and we walk down the road honking, and we even have a santa who throws candy to anyone brave enough to leave their homes to gawk at us). This year we had a football game which was one of my favorite activities. When we came home, my parents were here to greet us. My parents had made chili. They had spent the holiday "touring" some parts of Arizona. While they were here my oven went out:( So, we spent some time looking for a new one, going to lunch, eating navajo tacos, going to dinner, planting tulip bulbs and watching a movie. We even decorated the tree while they were here. We always enjoy having them come.