Just a little catch up...

So our Thanksgiving this year was spent down in my Colorado home! It doesn't get much better than that! Although these pictures are out of order, the fun was just perfect! We had an amazing Thanksgiving dinner down at my Aunt and Uncle's home just a few miles from my dad and mom's place. It was so nice to get caught up with everyone that, lets face it, I have not seen in YEARS!!!! It was such a nice time. We got the chance to let the kids play and run and jump, they needed that! We rode the four-wheeler, went for walks, I even got to go with my mom to my sister-in-law Heather's Zumba class...SO FUN!!!! There were pull stick wars and leg wrestling competitions, not to mention, the ever popular ping pong tournaments! We had a BLAST!!! Then as our visit came to a sad close, we packed up and headed to Utah on our way home. Mark saw how bummed we all were so he pulled off the road and said, "That's it, we are going hiking!" Sure enough, we hiked all the way to the top of the Hole in the Rock that is just a few minutes from Moab, Utah. It was fun but my fear of heights caught up to me and Mason had to grab onto me and guide me up behind him! We then spent an evening with Allen and Jamie and their family. Mark's brother and sister-in-law always take such amazing care of us as well and it was so nice to catch up with them and let those cousins get together again! They have SOOOOO much fun! We wrapped up our trip home with a stop at the beautiful Temple Square in Salt Lake City. I dragged my feet about that, in my desire to just get home, but I am so happy we stopped. The Temple is GORGEOUS!!! The Christmas decorations are so fun and there is such a sweet spirit there. Our Thanksgiving was so special and our family made it that way! I miss them so badly and it never gets any easier to leave but it sure makes our next get-together so looked forward to! To end this glorious encyclopedia of pictures and chatter, I stuck a wonderful picture of the beginning of our winter to come! It is only the start of the LOOOOONG snowy days ahead but it is sure pretty and I wanted to get this on record before my tolerance of that white stuff gives way to out and out hatred by June! Happy holidays everyone!

An Unexpected Journey

While I was growing up around two brothers I saw scouting going on all around me. I saw the efforts they made as well as my parents, to get them through the scouting program. I can safely say that I never fully appreciated the amount of work for all parties, it took to get them through the scouting process. As a mother with three boys who are moving through scouting one right after another, I am beginning to see the sacrifice, love, and determination it takes for the boys, parents, and leaders to get them to the ultimate goal, which is their Eagle.







Cub Scouts, although not easy, I like to think of as the honeymoon period of scouting. Yes there are the few tense days and nights of trying to get those Pinewood derby cars ready for the big race and the mad dash to make an original work of art cake for the auction. Those are tense times, but those boys are so excited and they light up at the mention of their den meetings and the duties that come with them.




Then, there comes the day when they graduate and move on into Boy Scouts. These days are equally as fun however, they are filled with more work, time, and sacrifice then I could have ever imagined. There are the camping trips we get ready for, which in our case, requires the best winter protection imaginable that gets packed, unpacked, washed and then packed again. There are the last minute dashes to the pool to complete the swimming merit badge requirements since the board of review is the following day, and that is all that is holding your scout back from a scouting rank advancement. The nights of the court of honors are so rewarding when that constant running and hard work pays off for both us as parents and these precious scouts. Mason had such a night last night when he earned his Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class Advancement Badges. What a smile on that kid's face, and I am sure it was mirrored in his parents' faces as well. What an amazing feeling it is to know, that although the road is not going to be easy, he is only three ranks away from that Eagle!





It will take sweat, probably a little blood, and some tears to get there but it is worth it!! I have such a strong testimony of Scouting because I know that if these boys can do this, they will be prepared for all of the new challenges and paths of life that come their way. What amazing missionaries, husbands, and fathers they can become if they learn to fight and work hard for something great! It is not a journey that I expected to be quite so difficult but it is a journey that I know will be worth it and that I am glad we are taking!!

HALLOWEEN

Halloween is always such a busy day, not to mention, the MANY parties, costume contests, carnivals, and trunk or treats leading up to the actual day. We had a fun time! It was cold and there was wind but that just adds to the spooky feel of the night, as leaves blow across the roads and you can hear the wind whistling through the tree tops!




Our Chief of Surgery is looking like he is tolerating his picture being taken so he can get out and get to the fun stuff...poor kid, he knows I am a picture nut and has figured out I will get the pictures in one way or another. Our Boise State fan is just more than happy to pose for the camera in hopes that many people will get to see his Boise State Pride!!! Then there is Thor! This little Thor lived up to his super hero status. He flexed for everyone who came by...he was so proud of the built in muscles. He pretended to bring down the thunder on those who bothered him that night, and in general, he had a ball! Then we come to our Fairy Princess Ballerina, that's right, she wanted to be all three so badly that we gave in and just combined it all together. She was so happy as she literally ran from house to house the WHOLE night. She had Mason doubled over on the steps of the last house, trying to catch his breath from trying to keep up with her. Mark and I traded off running next to her because she didn't care where anybody was at, she was on a candy mission! It was so fun!






We had gone swimming just a few days prior, to Green Canyon Hot Springs where there is a pool of freezing cold water. This small pool is there to cool off after sitting in the over 100*F jacuzzi. Well there was a lot of daring and yes betting going on as to who would get in. Mark and I bet eachother that whoever could get in and go all of the way under, would get a back massage. He didn't end up doing it as he put his legs in and jumped out yelling how cold it was. I ended up doing it, probably not the smartest thing but fun! Then I got the bright idea to dare my kids to do it. They responded that if they did, I had to dress up for halloween. I agreed knowing that there was no way they would make it all the way under that horribly cold water...two of them proved me wrong, so I got to go dressed up for Halloween. I went as a gypsy and had to even go up to houses with them and say, "Trick or Treat." They loved it and I secretly did too.







Later, we went home where the parents collapsed and watched the kids dump out all of their loot and proceed to put the New York Stock Exchange to shame by the amount of bargaining and dealing they were doing over candy. It was a good night, we had fun and we are so thankful for eachother and these memories we made together as we laughed, sweat, ran what felt like a marathon, and enjoyed delicious treats and laughter afterwards.