Memories...December

A whirlwind! Band concerts, Dance concerts, Choir concerts at Temple Square, Service opportunities, Dicken's Festival. 

Not pictured: Massive chocolate pizza production and delivery, Cookie making day with cute aprons (oops forgot the pic again), shopping, decorating, wrapping, school concerts, Fondue Party with the Slades, parties, movie nights, game nights, temple trip, and a snow day up the mountains that lasted about 15 minutes, because it was beautifully, and amazingly freezing. 

December Service Opportunity:  Our family served at the Candy Cane Corner. A store created by donations for the homeless to be able Christmas shop.

Our Lovely snowman friend the kids made .#YesIstillcanttakepictures

Braden's Christmas Concert playing the trumpet

Smiling between songs

The kids posing at the Dicken's Festival

Jaycie losing her head at the Dickens' Festival

Dicken's Festival

Jaycie finishing her dance concert with her teacher and Aspen

Again with Aspen. Jaycie was a mouse in "The Nutcracker" hip hop style.

Visiting City Creek

Alyssa performing in the Assembly Hall at Temple Square. She is behind the arm of the instructor. #TheotherpictureItookhasaguysheadinstead.# Icanttakepictures

Our ChristmasTree

Christmas Morning

Memories....November

A Dance, A Fair and Service Project

Alyssa and her date for the Sadies dance. The Theme was Disney.

Jaycie doing her Consumer Fair...Which poporn pops the most?

For our November Service Project, we went to the Road Home and did activities with the children there.  We read A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving and had a "Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" snack, had a "turkey race", play dough and bingo games.

Memories...October

Halloween and Fall Break Fun

Braden being a "Serious" Nerd for Halloween 

Jaycie as cute Minnie

Close-up

The Fruits of their labors on Halloween Night

We did our traditional Fall Break Scavenger Hunt. One stop Frisbee Golf!

Also for the Scavenger Hunt, we visited the Red Barn

Memories...September

 A Concert and  A Dance

1) Braden's 1st concert at Orem Junior High. #heisinthereIpromise#cheapcamera

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2) This little guy showed up on our doorstep one September evening with 

3) this poster: Alyssa I must "Admint" that Homecoming with you would be COOL! (mint ice cream was in the center)

4)So Alyssa baked up these cute melting snowmen and

 5) replied, "There's 'snow' I wouldn't have melted at your invitation" 

6) And here she is getting ready for the big night.

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Memories...August

In August, we went to Idaho!  Again Picture taking Lacking Skills (yes that is a "thing") on my part but..oh well.  In Idaho we spent a day in Sun Valley horseback riding, paddleboating, bowling and bike riding! Here are some pics horseback riding. Jaycie and I stayed back and did paddle boats. I prefer my horse to have 2 wheels and a comfier saddle (my bike;).

After Sun Valley, we went to Nampa and spent a day with Uncle Doug and Aunt Linda. They invited us to their family reunion and we had such a good time. Thanks so much to Doug and Linda for their hospitality, kindness and just for being able to spend time with them and family. Here we are in Uncle Doug's "garage" having breakfast. Oh yeah the food was amazing too.

My kids now want to move into the garage/fun room.

We celebrated my birthday in August. Alyssa did a fun scavenger hunt for me.

1st clue was in the refrigerator on my special water. There were reasons why I deserve a great birthday.

#1 Because of my aspiration to teach (we went to Suncrest)

#2 You teach us to choose the right and live the Gospel (Church)

#3 You play with us (Park)

#4 You are beautiful inside and out (Canyon)

#5 I don't remember but we had lunch at Zupas and the last one was "your example of service"

And then when we got home, this was on the garage....

 And then they gave me a card with reasons of why they love me.  Ahhh.

 I do have the best kids ever! (and Hubby:)

We then went and worked at an animal sanctuary in Eagle Mountain. This was actually for Jaycie's "summerim" (see last post) field trip as she learned about dogs this summer. (That is why the last clue talked about service)

And then...Chelsie made me this Birthday Cake.  A pine tree because I love love love the mountains!

Thanks to everyone for the facebook messages, gifts, cards, flowers. I am so so blessed.

Memories...July

I seem to have bad luck when it comes to cameras. I break them, lose them, and some force is out there that seems to prevent me from wanting to document my family's life. 

July was a pretty eventful month. We hiked the Y, went camping. We celebrated Summer. Yet I have very few pics to show. Yet here is what I got:

A lesson that Alyssa to teach the importance of the Sabbath Day.  She had Jaycie list all the condiments she likes (ketchup, pickles... ) and we talked how they are good but not on a "Sundae". The dog ate it.

We hosted a S mores and outside Wii Party for the youth

We did the Temple to Temple Run on July 24th. We walked from the old Provo temple to the newer one. And each of represented one of our ancestors. Here are who we represented:
Marc-Martin Sven Eliason
Brenda-Thanful Tefft
Braden- Dwight Erickson
Jaycie- Mary Nora Larsen
I can't remember the girl's ancestors but I will update when I do.

The kids had to do a "Summerim" which is they had to study something of their choice all summer and then we went on a field trip to celebrate.
Alyssa studied pop culture history by decades and interior design. Here we are at a 50's diner and then we went to IKEA.

Our backyard was a popular spot for camping. We had a campout in the backyard. This is the
next morning, around the campfire.

...Memories: June

Jaycie at Ice Skating Lessons

Alyssa Driving the Golf Cart. Golfing at Spanish Oaks. Marc, Chelsie, Alyssa and I.

Marc and my Anniversary Cake by Chelsie. Bikes and Mountains

Marc posing his New Birthday Shirt #GQ