Warning: long post, no pictures

Yes, it has been awhile, so where have we been? Well, I have about five or six unfinished posts, in the edit pile that will never be finished. So, I thought I would just take some highlights from each to get me caught up with the calendar. Here goes.


November 22nd- the awful BYU/utah game. We all watched the game with cousins at the Littles. So much fun, so much food, and a lot of disappointment. Of course now that the game is over and we all no the outcome, maybe I will just share some of my favorite jokes from that week. What is the difference between a Utah grad and a bench? The bench can support a family. Ha Ha, ok last one. What is the difference between and UofU students and BYU students? They both applied to the Y. The loss of the BYU game shook up the standings in the "Brothers from other Mothers" Cougarfan football challenge. All of the brother in laws have made predictions on BYU games this season and winner was to receive dinner paid for by the losers. And the winner is...Grandpa! I believe he won by picking Utah to win the final game. Huh? So much for that true blue spirit. And, if you are reading this brothers, I know one of you also picked Utah, you know who you are, and may the guilt stay with you forever. :) Here is the picture I don't have of all of the Brothers from other Mothers enjoying their steak dinner and an evening of "shooting up" Provo canyon. I am grateful for awesome brother in laws who are great friends and who will take Dad out for true Man dates, something his girls just couldn't pull off.


Christmas lights. really? Do I even want to post anything about this? I love the house all decorated for Christmas, I love the excitement the kids share when the lights go on, I love everything about it, except those darn roof peaks that are impossible to reach. I'd love to say I enjoy the pit in my stomach when I'm on the top rung of the ladder, I'd love to say the thought, "I am their only mother" never goes through my head, I'd also like to think the fire department responds to lots of calls from people stuck on top of their roof and too afraid to climb down, but I can't. I do not enjoy sweaty palms and heart palpitation's, I do not enjoy trying to find just one more package of clear c7 light bulbs from hardware stores that sold out of those in June. I do not like calling my cute neighbor from my cell phone on the roof asking her to coach me off as though I was the kitten stuck in a tree, but I do love the lights, there is just something about the lights and the snow and the cozy Christmas spirit that they bring. It is the beginning of the Christmas season and lights will always be there. (Literally, I don't think those are coming off this year!)


Thanksgiving plays, turkey hats and Pilgrim dresses. Wait, I think I do have pictures of this. Yes, here is Emily as the cute Pilgrim, Josh as the Indian, and Tyler, after his class play. His part was Masasou, leader of the Wampanogs. He did great. Mom filmed the whole thing without sound. Its awesome. Here is a picture instead.

Thanksgiving was fabulous as always. This year we had dinner with Ryan's brothers and mom. Rich and Jen always have a delicious spread and of course we had way too much food. It is always fun to get together with his brothers and more cousins. Our kids are very lucky to have so many cousins on both sides of the family. Dinner was topped by Hilary's delicious pies. Oh my heavens! Like being in a bakery so many choices, so little insulin :) Coconut cream by far the best! Then it was off to my parents house for games and more dessert.

My favorite scene on Thanksgiving night is the piles of newspaper ads with Black Friday deals. We are professionals I might add. For years my sisters and I have been getting up with the crazies in hopes for the best deals which never seem to disappoint. Even when I don't feel like there is anything worth getting up for someone needs a buddy to go with. Two per store, ya know. So, every year we go, either by guilt of breaking the tradition or guilt that someone will be held up at walmart alone! (Gasp) and every year we come home happy. It's tradition that we stop at mom and dads to show off our great deals. Bags and bags load into their front room. Mom and Dad say its better than Christmas as we all hold up the most sought after gift that required true sprinting and possibly a thrown elbow or two. And every year I go home happy for the opportunity to get up at 4am and spend the next five hours with the best sisters around, even if we are on different ends of the store or even possibly at different stores, but we are always in touch with each other by cell phone sharing the excitement of the latest find! Love you girls! Can't wait for next year :)

You have to imagine the picture I didn't take of me and Ryan getting away to the Jazz game! We had so much fun. Great seats, great sushi, great game, great company. I love our little dates where we are able to get away just us and catch up on things without the interruptions:) and here is the picture of me and Ryan at the BYU -Utah state BB game- so fun, unfortunately there were a few aggie fans in front of us and I got a little more into the game than I'm used to. Plus, I was cheering for our entire section since we were representing the "mature crowd" who apparently will only stand up for the fight song. Well worth it, though, especially since we won. It was an awesome game. Wait, is there a pattern here? Ryan, Basketball, Sushi - This is Basketball season after all, and as long is there is sushi involved -I'm game!

I think this brings us up to around December, and although the holidays have kept us busy I'll be honest, my evenings have been filled with reading the Book of Mormon instead of updating the blog. (a pretty fair trade I might add) Ryan and I accepted the challenge we gave the YM and YW to read the Book of Mormon by Christmas. This requires about 20+ pages each night to make the goal by Christmas. 20 pages doesn't seem like all that much, and I am surprised how long it can take to read at night. It certainly is incentive to stay on track and not get behind. I love it! Everything about it. There is something about reading the Book of Mormon at an accelerated pace that brings everything together better. I love the quietness at night, I love the spirit you feel all day long. I absolutely love this book.

And now onto December...