Good- Bye 2011

It has been a pretty good year. I am thankful Rich was able to get a steady job. He doesn't love his job, but he doesn't hate it either. The steady paycheck makes a huge difference. Plus the work is a lot easier on his body.

Autumn ended up in a wreck on New Years Eve. She was at her friends house and was coming home at 7:00 p.m and ended up in the ditch. She called me in tears. She wasn't hurt so that is all that matters. My Expedition is beat up, but I guess that is what insurance is for. I am beyond grateful she is okay. Rich was able to pull her out and I drove home. We will need to go to the car doctor though. I need a new bumper, a new mirror, a huge dent is in the side, and quite a few scratches.

Off to see 2011 out. Hello 2012

Real Steel

Rich and I went to the movie last night. Blackfoot turned their movie theater into a $2.00 theater. We wanted to go on a date but the movie I wanted to see wasn't playing. Instead we went to see Real Steel. I wasn't sure if I would like it, but it was a Sci Fi and Rich loves them. I read the reviews online and it had good reviews, and for $2.00 why not. It has Hugh Jackman in it, and he is a good actor. Both Rich and I LOVED the movie. It was so much more than a boxing movie and had a good storyline. Even though Hugh Jackman played a different role and was a jerk through parts of it. I will definatley own it.

Christmas

We had a good Christmas. The girls were spoiled and I am sure they were happy with what they received. We got Autumn and Tymber a sewing machine. They both agreed that is what they wanted. I can't wait to see what they make. Hope got a few toys. I tried not to get her many because she really doesn't play with many toys. I will have to post some pictures when I am not too tired lazy to get them from my camera.

Almost here.

Christmas is almost here. I have really struggled this year, no energy, no desire for the holidays, not really caring if my tree and decorations are up or not. I hate feeling this way, hate that I am not excited for the holidays. Especially because Hope is still little enough to believe. Autumn pretty much put the tree up, Rich did the lights, and then the girls decorated the tree. They also put up the decorations. I do not have even close to what we normally have up. I think some of my problem is that the tree is downstairs and I hardly ever go down, so it just doesn't feel like Christmas.

Last night we went to Lorie and Rory's for dinner. Everyone was there. The whole entire family with the exception of Kade, he is on his mission. It was a lot of fun. We ate, of course, then Caralyn had a few fun games everyone played. She bought a whole bunch of candy and wrapped the candy. It was like the dollar candy in the boxes. Then you had to roll a 6 or a 1 and you got to pick a gift. Once the gifts were gone we went for 10 min again rolling a 6 or a 1 as fast as you could and you could steal someone else's candy. It was really fun and there was a lot of candy so everyone at least got 1 or 2 boxes. Even the little kids were included and they were so excited. A few of them were unable to get a 6 or a 1 on the dice so of course we told them they did and let them get gifts. Little Rycker was throwing a fit because he really wanted to open the gifts. It was hard for him to understand he had to wait, so of course he got to open his candy before we exchanged. But it's all good and fun!
Getting together before the holiday really worked out well because Christmas day is so crazy. We all wrote letters to Kade as well. Then Rory and Lorie showed us their video from when they were in Fiji in November and dived with the sharks. It was really incredible and looked scary to be around that many sharks. But what an incredible opportunity.

Rory and Lorie are going on a two year mission. I was pretty surprised but they will be sending their papers in in January. I will blog about it more and why they decided to go when they get their call. We offered to rent our house out and stay in theirs for the 2 years. HAHA she said surprisingly lots of people have offered. Their house is incredibly beautiful. We also told them we could drive their Vettes while they were gone, after all it isn't good for cars to sit for 2 years. HAHA

Anyways, after the party I found my Christmas. I am defiantly excited now for the holidays!

Heavy Heart

My heart is heavy today. A young man in our ward passed away last night. He was 17 and a senior. His mom Marsha is a teacher at the elementary school, Autumn had her for 3rd grade. His younger sister is the same age as Autumn, they are friends and I interact with her all of the time in young women's. I seen Dane on Tuesday, he was on the trailer we were on when we Christmas caroled. His dad was driving the truck.

My heart breaks for the Peterson family, so close to the holidays. I spoke to Marsha Tuesday, we spoke of Christmas and what a hectic time of year it was. She was telling me she was trying to get a special project completed this coming weekend. Never could we have imagined instead she will be preparing to bury her son.

My heart was heavy when my daughter came home and collapsed in my arms. I pray I find the words to comfort her and help my young women heal. I pray I never have to bury a child and hope that my children know that no matter how bad life may seem there is always hope and someone wiling to help and listen.

May the Peterson family find comfort and eventual healing from our merciful Father in Heaven. Their testimonies are strong and Sister Peterson is in the relief society presidency. May sweet Mikell heal over time with the death of her brother.

My prayers and blessings of comfort go out to the Peterson family at this difficult time. We love you.

17 ....already

I can't believe my Autumn is 17 today. She informed me this is her last year of being a kid, next year she is an adult. Wow where have the past 17 years gone. It is so fun seeing her grow and what an amazing woman she is becoming. She has such high standards and a strong testimony. She is such a great big sister and we are beyond blessed to have her in our lives as our daughter.

Her birthday has been pretty low key. Rich and I took her to lunch and then we made BBQ chicken, cheese potatoes, and rolls for dinner. I bought her a pair of boots last week that she has been wearing all week, and we got her a curling iron and a little bit of nail polish. I think she has enjoyed her day.

Sports

Tymber has been playing sports. She ran in cross country this fall and now she is playing basketball. Today she had a game, they scored 22 points, beating the other team by 12 points. Tymber scored 4 points. They only compete with one other charter school. So there is only 2 games. It is really nice because she can do all of these sports that she would never have a chance to experience at the middle school. Everyone plays no matter what and it only costs about 15.00 to participate. Plus because they only have two or three games the schedule isn't overwhelming. When basketball is over she wants to do volleyball and then I think cross country will start again.

Beautiful

I was brushing Hope's hair and she was asking me how to spell all of these different words, like lamp, chair, table, etc. Autumn asked her "how do you spell silly". I replied "HOPE". Then Hope asked " how do you spell beautiful" Autumn replies "Autumn". Without missing a beat Hope tells Autumn she is wrong, "you spell it MOM". Ha that child is so great. I told her she was my favorite.

Then Tymber was practicing flute tonight and Hope informed her she sounded so bad even the cat had to wear ear muffs because her ears hurt so bad. What a nut.

Holidays

Wow Thanksgiving and Christmas are sneaking up fast. I am trying to get most of my shopping done on line where possible. I hate the crowds. We already have the older 2 their main gift. I think they will love it.

Dang it has been so cold. The wind is just yucky. It is going to be a long winter I think.

Halloween

Halloween was soooo cold this year. I would have preferred to trunk-or-treat at the church, 10 minutes and it's done. Hope would not even consider it she just HAD to go see and be with her cousins. I was really bad and did not take many pictures.
I am embarrassed to say even Autumn went. I told her she was to old but she didn't care, I guess if she is gutsy enough to do it then more power to her. She put leaves in her hair and went as "Autumn". You have to admit it's pretty funny. Hope was a witch and Tymber was a Gothic person that raised zombies or something.

Glen and Hope

This one is kind of strange with the flash
Autumn and Glen
Tymber and Hope
Tym
Hope
McKinley or Tin Tin as she insists on being called
Rycker and Ryan


Rycker and Marcye

talent

Tymber is amazingly talented. She loves to draw, is always making little clothes for the barbie dolls out of scrap material and taught herself to crochet after she learned a few basic stitches. She is always making and creating things to make. The other day she told me she was making herself some gloves and spent hours and hours working on one. We ran out of material so she only has one made but will be making the other soon. Keep in mind she has no pattern or any guide she follows, she just sees it in her head and creates!!!! Pretty impressive I think.

Night Under the Harvest Moon

Sadies was last Saturday. I have to admit I was a little (a lot) ticked off. The girls spent time planning the date and at the very last minute ( Friday) one of the girls decided she did not like the plan and changed the whole date around. I was angry, they had been planning for about 2 weeks and then all of the sudden a certain girl pretty much said if they did not change the plans she would drop out and not go on the date. Originally they were going to go to the corn maze. But then she decided she did not want to go and wanted to make cookies instead. I am sorry but that is LAME. Guys, really do not want to make cookies on a date. Autumn was upset and had a right to be. But it was to late for her to find a different group.Besides she was driving everyone.
They left for their day date and she picked everyone up, then they went to make cookies and play games, then Katie's mom met them at our neighbors house and they took pictures. They opted to do this and buy frames and give the pictures to the guys because they are sooo expensive to buy at the dance and I don't think they ever turn out that great. Then they went to Wal Mart and played games (weird I know but many kids play games at our local Wal Mart, they never get kicked out so...okay) then they came here and I fixed broccoli cheese soup in bread bowels and we had a few salads. Off to the dance they went, came back had desert and she took everyone home.
They all seemed to be laughing and having a great time so it turned out good I guess. I am sure I should not have been ticked off but the thing was so unorganized and it makes me mad they don't set solid plans and pretty much expect the parents to be at their beck-and-call. Typical teenagers I guess. The girls also got shirts and made their own designs the day before the dance. I thought they all turned out super cute. The theme was Night Under the Harvest Moon.
I posted earlier that Autumns date Donald was the Genie in the school play Aladdin last spring. He is super fun to be around and they had a great time. Thy laughed the whole time they were here. I pretty much served them and left them alone but I could hear them cracking up and could often hear him goofing around. When I was around him he was super funny and really lively. Autumn said it is probably the funnest dance she has been to and had a blast.






Quinn, Ashlee, Autumn, Katie

Tyler, Quinn, Ashlee, Jaron, Autumn, Donald, Katie, Josh

More Pictures!

I am not sure I ever realized how much Tym and Autumn looked alike until I saw these pictures. It was pretty funny watching them as soon as the shot was done they were like "ugh get away from me."

Hope Pictures

Hope was a riot the whole time. She wanted to pose for everything. Arli was trying to get some natural pictures and as funny as Hope was being, I think Arli did an amazing job. Hope really hammed it up.