No lumps of Coal!

Well, maybe Ev got a lump of coal, but the rest of us got bank!

 Hyrum is now an official firefighter.

 Riley and her pink "kitar". She looks a little shocked.

Lindsay got to play with all the wrapping paper and boxes.

PJ Elf

PJ Elf found us at Snowflake!

Happy 8th B-day Jeb!

We got to visit Jeb, 8 years to the day that we buried him in the Garrison UT cemetery. It was a cold, windy day. I can't believe he'd be 8! That seems so old. We sure miss him everyday and are grateful that families can be together forever.



All I want for Christmas...

Perfect song for Hyrum this Christmas!

Where's Lindsay and a Kewpie doll

I know these dolls look a little freaky, but they are also cute. I had one of these when I was a baby. But I think my children look a little bit like these dolls :)

Setting Up the Nativity

I love this pic of Lindsay! The kids would only let her play with the little oriental wiseman and the camel.

 I think Riley thinks that Mary is a princess like Belle, Cinderella, etc.  She loves to put a blanket over her head and twirl around. Then she says in her princess-y voice "I'm Mary. And Daddy, you are Joe-phus."

 And Hy likes the donkey, chicken, and goat that were at the Nativity. And Evan loves that this Little People Nativity has Peruvian sheepherders and a border collie.  He says it is more realistic.

November happenings

Lindsay was squealing with glee this night!

 Ev & his girls. Pretend Riley is happy.

 Riley practicing her "Mother Hen" skills. She has been tutored by a pro.

 Lindsay's first pigtails. And Riley's......163rd.

Riley's Eye Surgery

Riley's eyes had become very crossed this year. She got glasses the first part of April. But through the summer, we realized the glasses weren't helping and her eyes were getting worse. We went to Dr. Elliott in Pocatello, an ophthalmologist. He said her muscles were too tight in her eyes and that it would require surgery. If not, she would lose vision in one of her eyes. I was shocked. I didn't think it would require surgery.

 

To any parent who has to watch a child go through surgery, I have a whole new empathy for you. And Riley's surgery wasn't even bad. It was an outpatient surgery and she stayed at the center for an hour and then came home with us.  She SCREAMED when she woke up from the anesthesia and her eyes hurt for a few days. But by the next morning, she was her same old self!  Her eyes were red, RED. Her cousin Elliott saw her and said, "Riley, tree frogs have red eyes." And that was it. And they went off playing.

At her post-surgery exam, things looked really good. The doc said that she wouldn't need her glasses for now...they weren't really helping in the first place. Her eyes are straight on right now. We find out for sure after Valentine's Day, but things look really good.

Halloween 2012

Lindsay (7 mon) a spotted kitty & Riley(3) as Minnie Mouse

 The next night, Lindsay was a zebra.

 We were going to be "Despicable Me" but since we weren't really going anywhere as a family, we opted out. Hy (6) decided to be a rodeo clown!

Name that baby.....

answers (top to bottom) L, R, H

Visitors

Gma Jan & Aunt Kalene came to visit.We had a fun time. Gma Jan has no other grandchildren, so when she cleans out her "toy closet" (from back in Evan's day) we get a whole bunch of treasures!

Thanks for the fun visit!

B-day Party CHAOS!

What happens when you have a birthday party with a bunch of 6-year olds? CHAOS!

 Justin Bake gave Hy a gun. I think it had broken by the time the pic was taken.

 The Bankhead brothers (Bryson & Trevor) gave Hy a treat and some coupons to go to Cattle Country for icecream. *And I think this was the day that Riley chased Trevor and confessed her undying love for him. It made Trevor nervous and awkward around her from thence forth. Riley needs to stop watching soaps and reading harlequin romances...like "The Little Mermaid."

 Will got Hy a sailboat to build and paint-this was a fun craft for Hy & his dad!

Hotdogs, Cheetos & rootbeer. It was a perfect party!

Hy's 6th B-day

Our Hyrum Jeff turned 6 years old this year! Of course, don't ask him, because he mixes up 6 and 8 all of the time. I keep telling him that he couldn't turn 6 until he knew how old he was....yeah, that didn't work.

 

 

I got him a potato peeler (of his very own, because he does like peeling potatoes) and a dvd. He was kind of bummed that was all he got. I told him to be grateful because back in the olden days (like when Poppa was 6) all the kids ever got were rocks and sticks....

 Ev had to go outside to "do something" and came back with a rock and a stick. Apparently my sermon got through to him because he was very grateful and excited for his new toys.

 And then Ev went back out to the garage for Hy's "big" gift......

 ...a border collie puppy!

 Hyrum named him Jimmy.

 Happy Birthday Hyrum! I love your kind heart and your desire to do what is right and please your parents. You are doing well in school and keep getting better and better in your reading and all learning. Thanks for being such a great kid, an obedient son, and fun big brother. We love you.

 

Bad to the Bone

There are no words...

JJR: Music and the Spoken Word

I didn't get any pictures, but we (Dad, Mom, Me, Jessica, Janeen, Rick & Steve) got to go watch the Mo Tab sing. It was amazing! I had never been before, but I loved it. A live performance is incredible-I LOVED the music. I think my favorite song was "Somewhere" from West Side Story, but every song was neat. I even got to see my old roommate, Caroline Coats.  Thanks to Ev for taking charge of the ninos so that I could enjoy it!

JJR: Hogle Zoo

This was probably Evan's & the kids' favorite place. I had to wake up Riley to see the "elf-a-lants".

 Evan with one of his cousins.

 Catching the moment...Janeen & Decca

 Hyrum with some of his cousins.

 Alex & Hy checking out the rhinos.

 Hyrum riding his cousin on the merry-go-round.

Baby Alli (orange shirt), Rick, and Riley on the zebra.

 Riley pushing the boys....

 ....front view. Alex and Hyrum weren't sure what to think.

 Riley and the polar bear.

 Riley loved watching the seals and sea lions and the polar bear.....'s behind.

 Right beside the green hat brim, the grizzly bears were playing in the water. That was fun to watch!

 Cousins (minus Alli & Lindsay): Logan, Elliott, Hyrum, Alex, and Riley.