Adios 2018!

The last day of the year we got to spend with just the 5 of us, games and some really great food.  We made Shrimp and smoked a turkey and played minute to win it games.  It was peaceful and just really fun. 

 Well 2018 you were good to us.  We grew and stretched as a family.  We were taken out of our comfort zones and worked hard on our family goal of confidence.  I think we accomplished our goal for the most part and tried hard at many other personal goals.  Shane started coaching two Lacrosse teams, which stretched his abilities and he grew a ton, and stretched my patience to the breaking point a few times while I learned to chill out and find other things to occupy my time.  Shane also got the much anticipated promotion he dreamed of for years. Braxton got his drivers licence which also stressed me out to the max, but he is a good driver and is learning to navigate this things called grown up pretty well.  Dakota shines at Junior high and his mind amazes me everyday how creative and artsy he is as well at very good at science and math.  Cam learned he would get the priesthood almost a year early and showed me what true excitement is.  He beamed for days after the announcement and has grown up leaps and bounds in the last six weeks.  I got released from YW, which truly broke my heart, but cleared my mind so much for other aspects of my life. I got the call to be the Stake Young Womens Camp director and spent the last month of 2018 completely stressed out and not sleeping thinking of how much I will stretch and grow in 2019, but also realizing that the Lord knew I couldn't handle another Lacrosse season without something big to occupy my time, you just never know what you're praying for.
 2018 thank you for helping us heal from our 2017 accident that shook us to the very core.  Thank you for helping us know that time really does help heal.  Thank you for letting us grow together as a family in the gospel as well as work and hobby.  You were kind to us and it is just what we needed so Thank you!

Christmas Day

 Well the boys got spoiled again this year.  For some reason my phone took really crappy pictures, but at least I have some.  Brax and Kota got RC vehicles and Cam got Lacrosse Gear and 2 robots.  Brax also bought himself a new electric guitar.

 This is all of us at Becky's house.  She gave Shane and I tickets to see the play Wicked and I am very excited.  They boys got things to build that they loved putting together.

December Little things

Sweet Dresi.  I love her so much.  She was playing in Braxton's room and got all dressed in his shirt.

Cam and Dakota played at the ward christmas party.  They are both so talented and I am always so proud of their courage and talents when they play in front of big crowds.

Annual Pinata at Mom and Dad's house.  I love this tradition so much and know the kids look so forward to it every year.

This year Kiley got ambitious and made everyone matching pajama bottoms.  Even Grandpa got a pair this year.  Brax had a mandatory Lacrosse fundraiser so he missed most of the party.

Dakota was measuring the magnetism in fruit for his science fair project.  He really worked hard and I got to be the photographer.  He says science is hard, but I know he secretly loves it.

This December was magical for me in many ways.  Our lives slow down substantially in December because there aren't any sports.  We had many quiet evenings with just the 5 of us where we got creative and made a Yule log, went to see the lights, and made toffee.  We even spent New Years Eve just the 5 of us playing Minute to Win it games.

Cam got to sing at the mall for Choir as well as perform at the school.  He loves being in the Choir and it is such a fun way to celebrate the season.

Dakota got his second set of braces.  His teeth weren't quite ready, but our medical savings needed to be spent so he got them at the very end of the year so we could use up the rest and pay the difference with next years money.  He looks so handsome.

Jake and Alayna invited us over for a very special evening called a Jerusalem Dinner or Shepherd Dinner. We sat of the floor and ate with our hands some foods possibly eaten by the people in Jesus time and then did a FHE on shepherds and the night Jesus was born.  It was such a beautiful atmosphere and I really loved our hopefully new found tradition. 

This year thanks to Justin and Bernice we got together with Grandma and Grandpa Montgomery.  We did it at our house since Becky had surgery on her foot.  It was a fun evening full of food and games and also a wonderful grand-kid picture.  Only Katie was missing, sadly, but it has been 5 years since we have all had a photo like this and it is a treasure.

November little things

Cam had his grandparents over for cake and Ice Cream.  I let him have Ridge over to have a late night that same day. Grandma Becky and Grandpa Russ gave him a card that sings the chicken dance, and they had a blast doing it for all of us.

The mayor of North Ogden got killed while in a tour in Afghanistan and they hung this giant, amazing flag up in the canyon for one week.  It was a special tribute and a beautiful sight to behold.

Knox loves to come over and play at our house.  One day he just sat right between Cam and Gavin Broadbent and pretended to play the game they were playing on the PlayStation.

Dresden and Cam had a great time building with the snap blocks.  He plays so much better with toys when there is a little one over to play with him.

Cameron earned his Arrow of Light.  He worked hard all 3 years of cub scout and we were so proud of him and happy to share this moment with him. He got to share it with his best buddy Owen which made it extra special.

Just a random photo of all of us playing with Cam's new toy from Grandma Becky.  We scratch off black things with a sharp pencil.

For our end of Pumpkin Patch celebration we took the kids to Fly High Trampoline park.  They had a blast and I loved watching them.

Out to dinner for his birthday with Grandpa Brent.  Man he loves to go to Chuck-O-Rama with Brent and mix drinks, they stay for hours.

Cam slept at Kiley's house and they went to hold Paula's baby Greyson.  He is such a cutie.

Fall Lacrosse.  It is short and sweet, but man does Braxton love this sport.

Brax had to write 5 poems, and this one really touched me.  It is interesting how you can see inside someones soul through poetry.  I sure love him and the man he is becoming.  We work together now and it is interesting seeing a different side of him when he is at work.  He is really coming out of his shell.