November 2015

Boy I am getting bad at staying currant with my blog. Maybe that is because I am busier than I ever have been! Life really couldn't be any better though, and the blessing make it all worth it!!

The month started off on an all time low. I lost a very dear friend of mine to lung Cancer. I can only remember 1 other time in my life where I cried so hard. I shed a lot of tears the week following her passing, and still do today every time I think about her. Darlene is the grandmother of our little Tayler. She is Allivia's best friend and comes to church with us every week. I have often wondered what made me love her so much, and I have concluded that its because we both shared an eternal love for Tayler. Shortly before her diagnosis with cancer we were talking casually one night and she expressed  that she hoped to live to see Tayler graduate High School.. She said that she knew that if she didn't, she knew I would be. We had no idea her life would end so soon. The last time I was able to see Dar was when grant and I visited her in the Hospital. Her feet were swollen so I gave her a foot rub. Grant gave her a priesthood blessing telling her to trust in her doctors. A couple days later she decided to go on Hospice and only lasted 24 hours after that. Her funeral was beautiful. They played one of her favorite songs "Achy Breakey Heart" by Billy Ray Cyrus. I have never cried during that song until that day :) I miss her every day and wish more than anything that she was still here! I know that I will see her again someday. I have grown to love Todd and Veronica Holverson who have moved in to raise Tayler and Brodie.

 I bottled some yummy applesauce

 We sold Grant's green truck that we bought when we were engaged

and bought a "new" Land Rover. Grant is having so much fun with it and takes it off road every chance he gets. 

 on the 12th I celebrated my 34th birthday! Allivia decorated my cheesecake and Grant "made" dinner. He was so cute! He made me stay out of the kitchen and you could hear him in there banging pots and making a mess. Then he called us in for my favorite Chinese food from a local place. He had it all in pots and pans like he had made it all himself. I loved it!! 

 Carter and Allivia had their winter piano concert. Grandma Kathy came to play a duet with Alliva. Both did a wonderful job!

 We got our tree up!!! 

 Maddox has a total obsession with babies!! 

 The first snow fall of the season!

 The Bush Bronco Singers sang at the Festival of Trees

 One of my dear friends, Amanda Adams, was sealed to her Husband in the Salt Lake Temple. My dad drove down with me and it was a beautiful day!! I was so happy for her! 

 We took a few minutes after the wedding to tour the square a bit. It was a fun daddy daughter date! Followed by lunch at the Cracker Barrel! 

Good old Joe Smith! Ever heard of him? haha

 Thanksgiving with the Campbells. 

 Olives!!! 

 Uncle Pete and Celeste came for thanksgiving dinner and we loved every minute with them!

 We took Bone road to Soda Springs which is back country roads. They are not plowed in the winter time and it was a great time to test out the Land Rover. Grant put it in snow mode and it plowed right through the snow! There was one spot where the snow was easily a couple feet deep.  I was a little nervous but we made it, and it was a beautiful drive filled with a few deer sightings! 

This is what the roads looks like the whole way. 

I was also in charge of Thanksgiving Dinner for my Moms family. We had about 75 people to dinner and it was a great success! Sadly I didn't get a single picture.

For a couple months we had a bead jar that we were filling to earn a family trip to Salt Lake. The kids got beads for things like practicing the piano, doing homework, doing chores, scripture study and other things. We earned the trip in time to go to Salt Lake the day after Thanksgiving to see the Temple Square lights. It was a wonderful weekend! 

 Grant and I on a date with TR and Amber. It was so cold!! 

 Grant, Allivia and Carter in the Conference Center

 Group selfie in our Hotel. We stayed at the Kimball across the street from Temple Square. 

 Family shot right after the lights came on. There were thousands of people there! 

 The view from our Hotel. It is nice to have a short walk there and back. 

 Having fun and relaxing after a long day. 

 Grants cousin Melany Smith is serving a mission on Temple square and we just happened to run into her! 

 You can't go to Temple Square and not go see the Christis 

 An Angel Moroni Statue

 The Beehive house. This was Brigham Youngs house after moving to Salt Lake. We took a tour which was to much for the two little boys but me and the big kids enjoyed it. The house is AMAZING!! I can only dream of living in an old Victorian home one day. 

 This is the second flood or the Joseph Smith Memorial building which use to  be the Hotel Utah. When the city was going to tear the building down, the Church bought it and restored it to its original glory. Its quite the site!! 

The kids and I in front of the Temple. It was so cold that weekend!!! We brought warm coats but needed warmer hats and gloves. We thoroughly enjoyed this time as a family and feeling the spirit of Christ and Christmas. It was a great way to kick off the Season. 

We ended the month by celebrating Allivias 10th birthday! She is such a joy to have in our home! She is a natural little mother. She loves to cook and sew and play piano. She is all about Chevron print and fashion. She wanted a teal chevron print quilt and Paris themed decorations for her birthday. We had a great time celebrating and feel so blessed to have her as our daughter. 

What a fun busy month!!