Powder Mountain weekend

Carrie took over the condo when mom passed away.  She has been up there once, but me and my kids haven't been up there since that weekend 4 years ago.  Carrie booked it this weekend, and I wanted to go up and make some happy memories instead of the sad anxious ones that we've carried with us.  We went up on Friday after school and it was so much fun!!  Carrie along with her family, and Mat with his joined us and it was such a great time.  We made so many fun memories and it was the best way to begin Christmas vacation.  Friday we kicked back and worked on puzzles, and played games, the kids swam and soaked in the hot tub, we ate dinner and played Nintendo Switch, and stayed up really late.  Saturday started off pretty lazy, but then the kids went down to the Lodge and we played basketball, Grace helped Gator with some volleyball, and Davis & Owen played pool.  After lunch, Davis, Gator and Carrie went night skiing at Powder Mountain.  I thought a lot of when we were kids skiing there, but this time I was just as happy to watch them.  We stayed for a little bit to watch them ski, but then we went back up to the condo to play more games and eat dinner.  After a while, they came home and quickly ate dinner then went back to the pool/hot tub.  I was shocked that after all that Gator was still awake, but we stayed up even later Saturday night playing games, Switch, and doing a puzzle.  Sunday morning, we got up and got ready to go to Nordic to go tubing.  Owen left to go down to Kylee's family Christmas party and a doctors appointment this morning, but the rest of us had fun tubing.  Even I went down the hill a few times.  I am just so nervous in my old age, but now that I survived I can say that it was a lot of fun.  I love watching and taking pictures most of the time, it is so much fun for me to watch my kids having a good time.  Sunday evening we had dinner and most everyone was in bed by 9:00.  We were exhausted from playing so much all weekend.  Now we are home and hopefully we brought some of the snow with us so we can have a white Christmas.  It's crazy how Thanksgiving was so full of snow, but now there isn't a single flake out there.  Oh, Owens appointment went amazing.  His doctor can't believe how he has recovered and he said 3 more months of therapy and he will be fully released to play football!  I can't believe how fast his recovery has been.  I know it has been painful and seemed slow at times for Owen, but he is really blessed to even have an injury like he did and still be able to play football.  So we are home now with lots of fun memories and ready to celebrate Christmas.  It will be a little different this year, with our new circumstances, but I'm ready.  I'm ready for a fantastic Christmas with my kids and family!  Now, here are a million pictures of our weekend.

Worth It

My boss brought in a bracelet making kit.  And for Christmas she let us all make a bracelet.  We were supposed to pick out a word that had meaning to us.  I've been struggling big time with my self esteem and life is really a struggle.  I decided my word needed to be something that was a reminder to myself that I am okay. 

Surprise you're getting teeth pulled

I've had an infection I've been fighting in a tooth that 15 or so years ago I got a tiny cavity and it's given me problems ever since.  I've never had any other dental work except for this stupid tooth.  I've had a filling, a root canal, a filling replaced, a crown, and a crown replaced all in vain because now I've got a freaking hole in my mouth where the dentist just finally pulled the tooth out.  I don't have the finances right now to fix it with a bridge, so I will be toothless and I hate it.  Gator went with me for a "quick" visit to the dentist and we ended up being there over an hour and a half and we both lost teeth over the dang visit.  Her baby teeth haven't been very cooperative in falling out and she had two last baby teeth that the dentist looked at and said they had to be pulled now.  So we had a bonding time together getting teeth pulled.  

And after the numbing wore off, Gator had a Christmas concert at school.  She loves choir.  Mrs King is amazing, and Gator just loves going to choir.  They got to wear pajamas and her friend bought the three of them matching pajamas, so they looked like triplets. 

Argentina

This morning was Collins farewell, he is on his way to the Mexico MTC on Tuesday and then Argentina  after that.  We are excited for the first email Collin and you are in our prayers.  

The mountains got snow

The weather forecast was for another big winter storm.  We didn't get any snow down at the house, but the mountains got 3 feet of snow.  It was a great day for Davis and Gator to go skiing.  Ryan, Gabe, and Jess joined them on the slopes.  As well as Santa.  Christine and I chatted in the lodge while everyone enjoyed the fresh snow.  

Temple Square

And I thought Ogden lights were crowded the other night.  It was nothing compared to tonight at Temple Square.  But you know what, I didn't care at all.  I had so much fun with my family, it didn't matter that we had to walk 2+ miles to even get into Temple Square.  It was raining on the way down, but it stopped when we got to Salt Lake.  We stopped by our favorite BBQ place in Farmington on the way down.  Owen's girlfriend Kylee and Kennedy went with us.  It is so beautiful with all the lights and the temple.  All the treat places were closed by the time we hiked back up to the truck, but Walmart is always open and we got some ice cream from there and watched the Grinch. 

I asked the boys to take a picture of Gator and I, this is what I got.  I asked Kylee after this.  

 We also walked around City Creek and went to see the candy windows outside of Macey's.

Ogden Christmas Village

It's nice when I don't have to be the one to plan an evening out.  I was cleaning up dinner tonight, and Owen suggested we go to the Christmas Village.  I didn't hesitate, because I didn't know when I'd get the boys to go willingly before Christmas.  Maybe they weren't in the best of moods while we were there and it was crowded, but I am thinking small here, and it was a fun evening for me at least.