Christmas Season

Christmas has come and gone. As I was looking back through the pictures on my camera and realized how many more pictures I wish I would have taken. I would take pictures of the drives we took to look at Christmas lights. I would take pictures of the visits we made to neighbors and friends with Christmas goodies. I would take pictures of the Christmas parties, and of the long hours Mike worked to provide for his family. And if possible, I would try to capture the warm holiday spirit that has been so prevelant this year.
Here is Josh, gazing out the window at the newly fallen snow, or "NO" as he calls it.

Here is our Christmas tree that we cut down on the way home from Utah. Notice only the top half is decorated. (the half that he can't reach!) We even put a little tree (the top that we cut off) in Josh's room so he could decorate it, which he did every day, arranging and rearranging ornaments.

We spent Christmas Eve at the nearby hot springs, watching Christmas movies, reenacting the nativity, eating dinner, and opening one present each.

On Christmas Day, it took Josh all day to open presents because he will open one, play with it until he was ready to open another one.

Indoor Activities for Cold Weather

What a happy boy! His newest thing is Play-doh! We have made a couple of batches this year and he literally spent a whole day playing with play-doh one day. He likes to use his trucks to haul it, and scoop it up. I taught him how to roll it out and use a cookie cutter. He got the hang of it pretty quick. We made Play-doh snowmen, birds, worms, and lots of other extra stuff.

We made a volcano one day, and let it dry. After it dried we spent time erupting it with baking soda and vinegar.

Hunting Season

My dad gets several depridation permits each year for damages that the deer, elk, and antelope cause to his farms. My dad said I could have the meat if I butchered it. Josh helped me while I quartered it so it would fit in the car trunk...Where is my truck when I need it?


This is how I have spent some of my time this winter, canning meat. So far, I've done over 200 pounds of beef, deer, antelope, and chicken, beef stew, and chicken noodle soup. I fell in love with canning meat after I did it for the first time 3 years ago. It is so handy and quick to just grab a can, pop it open, and I have a healthy meal prepared in 10-15 minutes! Who said fast food had to be unhealthy and out of a bag?

Swimming with Mom

Josh is part fish and loves the water, so we have a lot of fun swimming.

Holly Days in Vernal

While we were in Vernal, we went to the community Holly Days. Josh had a lot of fun this year because he was big enough to do a lot more of the activities. He liked being a little cowboy riding the pony. He would let a little grin escape and then try to hide the smile.
Josh liked to ride the little pedal cars they had.

The county had a little train that took the kids through a mini village.

Choo, Choo!

Josh liked to go on the big blow up slides, and obstacle course, and bouncers, sometimes he wouldn't come out!

Josh liked the tummy tickler ride.

My aspiring artist loved the sidewalk chalk station, and stayed there until his hands got too cold.

They had a parade of lights at dark. Josh has fallen in love with Christmas lights this year, and asks for "Mo Dat" More that!

Eating dinner at Cafe Rio's after a fun-filled night. Josh ate half of mine.

Thanksgiving in Vernal!

We went to Vernal for Thanksgiving. Both of my aunts on my dad's side were at my parents. It was nice to do the cooking with my mom. Mike went to work with my dad for some of the days that we were in Vernal.
Swimming with Grandpa in their pool.

We painted some cars that my grandpa made to donate to humanitarian projects. Josh didn't want to give his up.

Giddy Up!

This is my boy, he loves to jump on my back for a ride at any chance he gets.

Josh wanted to give mommy a ride! Giddy Up!

My parents came to visit for a weekend. My dad found a big snake to show Josh, he thought it was pretty cool!

Another addition...

No, I'm not talking about another addition to the house (although, sometimes I wish I was!) We are expecting our second child the first week of February. I dont have any pictures of my pregnancy so far, sad I know, but I am always the one behind the camera with no one to take pictures of me. So I had Mike take a picture on Christmas. 7 1/2 months down... six weeks to go. All I can say is, this one had better not get too comfy and end up two weeks late like Josh did!

Pumpkin Patch

We went to the pumpkin patch, again, after halloween to get two dumpsters full of pumpkins to feed our cows. They had a good crop this year, so they were big and heavy. It was a little chilly so Josh played outside until he got too cold and then he sat in daddy's "big chuk" (big truck).

Fall leaves!

I am convinced that the only reason leaves fall is for little boys to play in them! We have lots of large trees around our yard, so we have plenty of leaves. We spent a warm afternoon raking a big pile and then playing in it.

Josh, always helpful, mostly succeeded in UN-raking the leaves out of their pile!

He decided he was having so much fun, that his cow needed to have some too! the little white spot is his stuffed cow, and he is buried next to it. Isn't it wonderful to be young and impulsive? I am, of course, including myself with Josh in that description!

Trick-or-Treat

The only pictures I got of Joshua trick-or-treating was for the halloween party that the local library hosted. On Halloween night, we went trick or treating to a couple of our neighbor friends. The houses are spaced so far apart out here that most people don't get trick or treaters, so if someone shows up, they get a whole bag of goodies dumped into their sack! Later that night, we went to a friends home for chili and cinnamon rolls and trick or treating in their neighborhood, since their houses were closer enough together to walk to. Josh dressed up like a dragon in a costume that our friend's son had outgrown.


The library put on a play for the kids before they went trick-or-treating.

Surprisingly, Josh sat there mesmerized, and watched the whole thing! I kept leaning over to him and asking him if he liked it, and without taking his eyes off the play, he would breathlessly say "aaah" (his version of ya).

The actors from the play and library employees passed out candy afterward. Joshua was so funny. He would'nt look at the ones who were dressed up. He would turn his head and hold his bag out for the candy but wouldn't look at them except for out of the corner of his eye!