December 2023

 We have so many things we do in December that are the same every year but I still feel like I need to document them as our 'traditions'

Our annual gingerbread house decorating.  Yes I still only buy them one and I love the time they spend together.

I won the Tabernacle Choir Christmas concert ticket lottery this year.  Only Aria wanted to go with us so we invited Brigitte as well.  It was so good and I always love when I get the chance to go to this concert.  And I love that Aria wanted to go, she loves Christmas music!

Shane got out Grandpa South's train a few days before Christmas.  The kids love this tradition and always have fun playing with the train.  And of course our annual sleep under the Christmas tree the night before Christmas Eve.

Christmas Eve was on Sunday so we went to Church and took a family picture and then went to my parents for Christmas Eve.  We had a yummy dinner and the kids still wanted to act out the Nativity.

Christmas Day was spent at home hanging out after all presents were opened.  Then we went to my parents again for Christmas dinner.  I am usually so bad at getting pictures on Christmas but here are a few I did get.

The week after Christmas we went to Quincy to visit VaLois.  Jim her husband passed away a week before Christmas so we wanted to go visit and offer her support.  It was a good visit, low key.  We didn't do much, went on a few drives, went bowling and just hung out being with Grandma.

We drove home New Year's Eve day and got home in time to eat our traditional piezookie and ice cream and ring in the New Year.  Looking forward to what 2024 has in store for us!!

November 2023

 Jaron got to participate in a one day 5v5 tournament.  It was a first time for this type of tournament and it was a little rough but they had a fun time.

I got to help with the Reflections program at Ridgeline so when they went to pass out the awards I got to come help.  Both Siena and Aria awards in their categories.  I'm proud of all my kids that they participate in this program and let their talents shine.

We had family pictures taken last month and I don't have them all saved here but here is one of the kids that I thought turned out so cute.  Love these 3 kids so so much!

Jaron also won several awards for his Reflections contest.  And not only that but he also got a trophy for entering at least 3 different categories (he entered 4 total)

First snowman of the season and I have to say that they are much better than I ever was at making snowmen.  Maybe it's because they grew up in Utah and I didn't but I was impressed they built this tall snowman by themselves.

We went to the new Orem Temple Open House.  I always love walking through new temples and seeing how pretty they all are.

The girls and I also got to go to Luminaria at Thanksgiving Point with the youth in our ward.  We had never been so it was fun to see all the Christmas lights.

October 2023

We had a solar eclipse.  It wasn't a total eclipse but the moon went over the sun so we saw the ring of fire.  It was on a Saturday and the girls had a soccer game right during the eclipse.  But it ended up being so cool because as it got close, we all stopped the game and watched the eclipse and then finished the game out.  It was a fun experience.

We took another walk on Hogs Hollow trail and found the prettiest fall leaves.

Shane took Jaron and friend/teammate Jackson to the BYU soccer game or Surf night at BYU.

Made our annual trip to see the witches at Gardner Village.  Every year I think the kids aren't going to want to go this year and every year they still like to. 'It's tradition'

We had a free pass to the aquarium and Jaron didn't want to go so we invited the girl's friend Annie.  It was a fun afternoon because they had all these Halloween activities and we got to experience their new virtual simulation ride they have there.

Our ward split at the beginning of the month and although we knew it was coming it was a pretty big change.  Jaron lost his two good friends, Graham and Parker but still has a bunch of boys his age.  The girls good friend Annie is still in our ward so that was good.  The ward is so much smaller now and lots less youth.  I was called to be a young women's advisor over the girls class so that's been a fun change.  We were able to take all the youth to Cornbelly's for one of our activities which was so fun for everyone.

I was able to be a chaperone for Jaron's class when they went to 5th grade Clear Creek camp.  It was pretty cold that day but we had a fun time.  I was in charge of one of the ropes course rotations learning how many people they could get on a log and then cross over without falling off.  It is always a long day but I know my days of going on field trips is limited.

The girls bought Chip and Ozzie Halloween costumes so had to document it here, they were pretty cute.

For Halloween this year the kids all embraced the dark and a little spooky costumes.  It was the girls last Halloween parade and they all went trick or treating in the neighborhood with friends.

September 2023

I guess we start out September with my birthday.  This year was a big one because I turned 50!  When I told my kids I was a half a century old Siena replied "Mom don't say that it makes you sound old!"  haha...well I guess I'm old.  I don't feel like I'm 50 so I guess that is the good news.  I spent the day working and then going out to dinner and making smores with the fire pit Shane got me for my birthday.  The next night I got tickets to go see Peter Breinholt in concert with Jennifer and Brigitte and Tyler.  It was a fun night since I hadn't seen Peter in quite a while.

Just a cute picture of all the adults in my family since Christy was in town or a family dinner.

Aria and I went to Courage Reigns fundraiser event one Saturday.  It was fun to walk around and see the horses and Aria got to pet one and do a little craft.  She wants to volunteer there so bad but you have to be 14, so a couple more years!

Grandma and Grandpa always supporting the kids at their soccer games.  They always try to come to at least one game per season.

The girls signed up to do a ChalkArt parking lot event at Ridgeline.  I helped get them started but then they did the rest by themselves.  I thought it turned out so cute and it was a fun event they got to do together.

Because we are season passholders this year at Lagoon, we got to go up and ride the new ride on a weekday when they were closed.  They had promised Primordial would open this summer and it took all summer to get it done so when it didn open they offered sign up times for season passholders to come ride it.  It was a long drive for just a quick ride but the kids were so excited to be one of the first ones to ride it.

We took a Sunday drive up the canyon to see the leaves turning and went on a walk around Tibblefork Reservoir.  The leaves were so pretty and it was fun to get out of the house and enjoy nature.

Aria continues to take horse lessons.  We've been going to a college girl named Aimee who is right in Highland so it's been a good change for Aria and she has been taking lessons with our neighbor Lisbon and another girl in our neighborhood June.

Jaron participated in his first Pinewood Derby race at Westfield.  He had fun racing his car with his friend Parker even though he didn't win any awards.

We did a night at Frightmares at Lagoon at the end of the month.  Jaron had a soccer game up past Lagoon so we dropped the girls off on the way to the game and they met up with Michelle and Lilly then after the game we came back with Jaron and his teammate Lincoln and spent the rest of the night there.