New Years Eve

New years eve landed on a Sunday. While we ate breakfast you entertained us with your silliness and straggly tooth.

Nana and Gramps came over to celebrate New Year Eve’s with a homemade Chinese dinner; lettuce wraps, ginger fried beef, rice, and green beans with sparkling cider.


After dinner at 6:30 pm we walked over to the Hicks house to have snacks, play games and a count down.

Desmond, Freddie, and you  played downstairs while Kari Lynn, Ben, Dad and I played board games. At 8 pm you boys watched kids countdown and scream Happy New Years!
We ended up watching 5 countdowns because all you guys wanted to do was scream HAPPY NEW YEAR!

A Grateful Door

Every November when we eat dinner we talk about what we are Grateful for and tape them on the back of the basement door. What a wonderful reminder it is for the month to remember what we are truly blessed with each and every day.

I AM THANKFUL FOR…

Ryker: Swimming pools
Nana and Gramps
Board Games
My voice
The warm sun
My medals and trophies
Aunt Tiny
My vision 
Madcat!

Mom: Daddy’s GPS skills
Warm showers/Water
Homeschooling
My first garden
For my health
Anything Chocolate
My Camera
The computer
Washer and Dyer in the home
Church music
View from the Kitchen window
Cell phones
My eyes
My hands
The sunshine

Dad: Extended Family
Fossil Fuel
Good Food
Microwaves
Ryker
Warm Clothes
Mom being in my life
My jobs
Living near the mountains
Family Vacations
Fresh fruit and veggies
Text messaging
Car pooling
Living close to the church
Warm apple pie
To go running
Tickling Ryker
My toes

7 Years old

*Madcat you are going to be an ice cream shop and I am going to eat you. It is going to be vanilla let me get a spoon.

* “Nana, stay curious.”

* “You asked Daddy what is DNA? While watching your science guy video. After Daddy explained, that’s how you have some of Mommy’s and Daddy’s features You immediately questioned how that could be possible when I came out of Mommy tummy so how do I have any of your DNA?”

*While being stuck in behind some chairs you exclaimed, “I am stuck in the moment.”

* “You know when the asteroid asploded (exploded)

*”Halloween isn’t just for candy its all about the scaring and I really want to be a zombie.”

*Your new word you constantly say is meep and when you yelled it at the top of your lungs outside a bird tweeted back then you yelled meep and the bird tweeted back. It made us laugh.

*After Dad said the dinner prayer you exclaimed, “Hey! You didn’t pray for my sniffles!”

*We were doing riddles at breakfast and you came up with some great ones of your own.
1. What is white and it only has a few?  Daddy’s white hair
2. What is golden and red, not mine, just yours?  Daddy’s sunglasses
3. What has a long neck, but has no arms?  A long neck dinosaur

* “Mom, I don’t want you to grow your hair all the way past your tippy toes and down your back?”

* You saw a new device on the couch and you asked Dad what it was. He said, “it’s a lap top.” You promptly added, “No, it’s a couch top.”

* “Dad, it would be a pleasure if you came shoe shopping with us.”

* You: “Mom can I say Poop?”
Me: “Um..in the bathroom you can.”
You: “You know I can because the word Poop is science!”

* While listening to a song in the car you really like You exclaimed, “Add this to my play list!”

Ryker,
In the world where knowing who you are is lost. My hope for you throughout your life is to really know who you are; you are a Son of God, you are a boy and own it, you are a strong boy who can do hard things, you are a shining example to everyone, you are you and no one can change that.
We are one lucky parents to be your Mom and Dad. For the last 6 years we constantly get to enjoy your silly personality, your facial expressions, your witty comments, and your love of learning.
Happy Happy Birthday!

Love you never ending,
Mom and Dad

Buffalo Hike

I have always thought it would be so fun to be in Young Women’s, when I got called 1 1/2 years ago I was ecstatic but scared at the same time. The lessons are longer and more in depth than primary where I just came from for the last 4 years. My first initial thought was I have a very simple testimony and I don’t do well with deep gospel conversation. How can I teach these tender testimonies about the gospel? With help from the Lord I have found that I have been lead to say and teach how they need to be taught. I have loved every moment with these amazing Young Women. They have been a blessing in my life.

Wednesday evening we drove up the mountain behind squaw peak to hike Buffalo mountain.  I have lived in Utah all my life I haven't heard of this hike.

It was a very simple hike until the end were it was very steep with lots of gravel.

Once up the hill the 180 views were breath taking.

We sat and watch the sun go down leaving a beautiful pink sunset.



“Happiness is a Sunset shared.”   
- Author Unknown

Swim

You are super excited for swim lessons for the Summer! We signed you up for a full Summer of swim lessons.
Over the past 2 weeks y0u have had one of the best swim teachers she helped you gain more confidence in swimming. When you perfected something by yourself she would cheer and give you a high five.
Another two weeks of swim means a new teacher. This swim teacher told you to swim like Superman. You told her, “I want to be Ironman because he has rocket blasters and Superman doesn’t.” It is always a joy watching my little squid in the water.
The last 10 minutes of each swim lesson your class got to go to the deep end and jump off the diving board. You were so brave jumping off to the noodle and ever since you can’t get enough of it.

It was another successful of swim lessons. Daddy got to come watch you a couple of times he keep saying he is doing really good. We are both amazed how natural you are and your love for the water.

A celebration

We celebrated Dad’s 37th birthday with family. He isn’t to fond of celebrating his birthday, but we won’t let that happen as long as I am alive.

He insisted on making his own turkey on the treager. It turned out so moist and the the gravy from the juices made the whole dish. We also had asparagus and salad.


Sweet baby Ellie stole a few minutes of everyone watching her as we waited for dinner to finish.

We sang Happy Birthday and celebrated with homemade Malt cupcakes and presents.


You drew you and Daddy with candles you made sure that there was 37 on the cake.

Me: “What is your favorite thing about Daddy?”
You: “I love when Daddy tickles me until I am done.”

After dinner we went to the side lawn to play croquet and you were going to pop a balloon filled with confetti over his head.
Happy Birthday to the most amazing guy we are so lucky to have him in our lives.