Happy Birthday Wyatt!

We were lucky enough this trip to be able to visit Michael and Chrissy.  They were so good to host us.  

Audrey has never truly been sledding.  Last year we built a really tall slide out of snow in our backyard and called that sledding.  I’m not very good with the snow.  I like it a little bit, but it’s more of a distant friend that I don’t like to over stay it’s welcome.  I know I don’t like it because I’ve never really taken part in winter sports.  I grew up in Utah but never went skiing or snowboarding.  When I was in college it was the last thing I thought about adding to my budget.  I went snowmobiling a couple times but let’s be honest there really wasn’t a place close that we could go and not many people owned them.  I never went snow shoeing but I’ve heard it’s pretty terrible anyway so I think I’m good on that one.  That leaves sledding which I did do but never really had warm enough clothing that I truly enjoyed it.  So the thought of taking Audrey out sledding here was not all that exciting to me warm clothes or not.  

If you’re going to sled you have to do it right and I’m convinced that Mike and Chrissy know how to sled.  High reward for low effort.  REALLY tall hill and a way to get back up without having to spend all your energy.  Snowmobiles and sleds make the perfect pair.  Audrey and I went down several times.  I thought we’d hit the jackpot.  It was the most fun I had ever had sledding.  On top of that I was spending the day with my favorite two brothers and their wives.  I can’t tell you the last time it was just me and them.  It felt like old times and I just wanted to live in it.  

Paul joined us on the sled the next time and I had this wonderful idea after the rope had slid under the sled and started to slow us down to yank on it as hard as I could.  Bad idea!  I really don’t know What I was thinking.  Well I yanked and hit Audrey in the face and Paul in the chin.  Audrey’s sobbing and Paul is wincing.  I thought that Audrey might be over reacting.  She can be a little dramatic at times, but when we got to the bottom of the hill she was bleeding everywhere.  I kept shoving snow into her mouth and she kept spitting out bloody snow.  I noticed halfway through the snow shoving process that she had lost one of her front teeth.  She was not happy about this because that meant yet another tooth that she could not present under her pillow for the tooth fairy.  I felt bad that I was the one who kept her from that dream as it had happened before when she swallowed one of her other teeth.  After the bleeding died down she consented to go down with Paul.  Apparently it was a horrible experience because they hit a little bump and went flying out of the sled.  Paul unfortunately landed on top of Audrey.  She sobbed and told me she wanted to go home to Montana.  I felt bad because it had started out such an awesome sledding experience.  We didn’t even have to walk up the hill! 

I convinced her to be brave and we went down a dozen more times.  I don’t think we’ve ever had so much fun in the snow!  Her only request was that she go down with me and not her Dad. So Paul pulled people up the hill on the snowmobile and we kept sliding down.  On one of our last trips and after switching from a sled to a tube and then back to the sled again I noticed a little red tinge in the bottom of the sled.  I couldn't believe I had found her tooth amongst all the snow.  I guess Heavenly Father must have known it meant a lot of our little girl.  That was the second tooth she lost while at in Utah.  

After leaving the hill we went back to Michael’s house and I got to play with my nieces and nephews.  It’s been a long time and I truly enjoyed every minute.  At one point Gentry told me she loved me so much, it filled my heart to hear those words.  Ellie told me she needed me when I walked upstairs for a break.  How could I say no to such a cute strawberry blonde haired little girl.  She was so sweet.  Michael and Chrissy fed us well and then we took the drive back to my parents house.  I couldn’t help but wonder why I had never taken a trip out there to see them prior to September.  Over the last few months I have recognized my neglect in loving my siblings and being there for them.  I hope I can do better and spend more time with them.  I truly am never happier than when I’m with my family and my extended family.  It fills holes and mends the gap I feel when they aren’t there.  I’m so grateful that Paul and I have the means to travel or I don’t think my heart could handle living in another state.  

Later on in the week we were able to spend Wyatt’s Birthday with Michael and Chrissy and their family.  I was so happy that they were willing to spend his day with us.  They had the idea to put together a package of gifts for a little girl at Primary Children's Hospital who doesn't have the same Leukemia that Wyatt did but after being in remission they found more cancer cells in her body.  She had to start treatments again and was going to be in the hospital for a while.  Hopefully the gifts helped her to get through her time there and we hope she is doing better.  

After wrapping gifts we sang happy birthday to Wyatt, ate his favorite food, spaghetti, and played some video games.  I couldn't help but lose a few tears during his birthday song.  We love you and think about you everyday Wyatt!  Audrey went from praying for you to praying for your parents and your siblings without even a prompt.  It touches my heart every time she does. 

Kendall Christmas

We had Christmas at the Kendall’s the next day.  I made book of our trip to Yellowstone and was excited to give it to them.  I think Audrey was just as excited.  She’s been pushing me to make more photobooks over the last year.  I’ve been a little lazy. 

Anne sat down and played legos with Audrey.  Audrey was excited to get a new set but apparently was not into building it right then so we had to come back to it. Anne also let her choose some books off her shelf to take home. A few days prior to this Audrey told me that she couldn’t have anymore books because our bookshelf didn’t have anymore space.  I was ban from buying anymore books and yet she was willing to take them from Anna.  She’s always had a soft spot for books.  I hope that someday she’ll have all the space she wants to collect and read them.  I love that she finds so much enjoyment in it.

  While at Rod and Anne’s we made a snowman family in their backyard.  It was the highlight of Audrey’s winter because up until that moment in time it had not snowed at all in Montana. Later in the week we played games with Aunt Nicole, Uncle Grant, and Uncle Karl.  Paul loves playing games with Grant.  He loves that Grant knows all the rules and leads us through the whole thing.  Game time is always a good time.  Audrey also stamped pages and pages of paper with Uncle Karl with the new stamps he gave her.  

We saw the play the Wizard of Oz and went out to eat.  “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” has always been my favorite song.  I’ve sang it to Audrey before bed since she was a tiny baby, so going to the play with Audrey and Paul’s family was a treat.  Audrey and Paul, Rod, Anne, and Karl, went to the Bean museum, saw some nativity displays, and visited Paul’s old stomping grounds at BYU.  Audrey couldn’t stop talking about the air gun and how much she loved shooting it.  Nicole and I went to get our nails done.  I felt bad going while I was sick but enjoyed spending time with Nicole.  We also went to Bath and Body Works to buy lotions, candles, and soaps.  I love it when they have sales after the holidays.  My hands get to smell like Christmas for a good few weeks post Christmas.  It’s the little things :). 

Audrey loved playing with Hamilton and spending time drawing and coloring too. Anne is sweet to keep her drawings and Audrey looks forward to adding to them every time she’s at their house.  She also enjoyed playing her first ever game of Guesstures.  She’s such and actress most of the time, I’m sure I know why she likes it.  

I’m so glad that we got to come for Christmas and that Paul was able to spend time with his family.  He lights up like a Christmas tree each time he is with them and it makes me so happy when he gets to come with me and enjoy some extra time with them.  

Back to my Camera and Christmas

I feel bad for myself that I haven't been here in a while.  I've taken a step away from my camera and I'm really excited to get back to it.  I've missed taking pictures of my little family.  In the meantime I'll place Christmas here for your enjoyment.  

This year we went back to Utah.  It was an off year for my family so no one was really there until after Christmas.  It was fun to enjoy time with just my parents.  My Dad read "The Night Before Christmas" to Audrey on Christmas eve.  It was so good that I had to record it for myself.  I remember him reading to me as a child fairly often and it was pretty great to see him read to Audrey.  My Mom got down and played Lego's with her on Christmas day.  It always warms my heart to see Audrey doing things with her grandparents.  I hope she has these memories forever.  It makes me think of quilting and making cookies with my Grandma, listening to and trying to play the piano with Grandpa.  Playing ping pong and always losing with my other Grandpa and always asking for him to give me a tour of his office once again, it was full of stories from his past that I loved to hear him tell.  I loved getting advice from my other Grandma; many times I thought how strong she must have been to have gone through so many difficult things in her life.  I always admired her baking and was treated regularly to the very best pies.  I feel so lucky to be blessed with the very best of parents and grandparents. 

I was super sick during the holidays.  I could barely speak half the time and sleep was difficult because of all the congestion.  I thought after dealing with it for a week prior to leaving to Utah that I would be fine but it lasted at least another week.  My Mom was so sweet to make me warm tea over and over again.  She also took time out to make Audrey's favorite bread...which made her so happy.  She even made sour dough rolls just for her for Christmas eve because she knew she would miss the regular ones.  

Christmas was the best.  There are a few moments that I'm so glad I caught on Camera.  The gratitude on Dad's face after opening a gift from my sisters.  The awe on my Mom's face and the excitement on Audrey's. Benji and Karalee were sweet to come and spend time with us and be apart of our Christmas.  

Audrey has wanted a camera ever since she was five and broke the last camera we gifted her.  We found a good solution online and she has been the paparazzi ever since.  I'm so glad too.  She seems to get what I don't.  I'm grateful to have another photographer in that family. She was running around taking so many photos of my parents.  They were so good to indulge her and I was grateful for the pictures.  

Audrey got a new scooter this year.  She exclaimed as she opened it that she didn't need it because she already had one.  

The one at home is a three wheeled scooter.  It's so short that she has to bend over to ride it...it was made for a three year old.  She loves it because it doesn't take anything to balance on it.  What she doesn't know is that I have ulterior motives.  She is 7 and still can't ride a bike.  I guess she doesn't care enough to ride it.  She doesn't like to go out on it very often, I have to beg her.   When I suggest we take the training wheels off she has a screaming melt down.  There are literally no kids in this neighborhood so she has nothing pushing her.  Someone told me that the two wheeled scooter would help her with balance.  I hope it does.  I know she doesn't care to ride her bike, but I feel like it's a right of passage as a child. The training wheels are just going to magically disappear this coming summer.  I'm not going to force her, but I feel like she'll regret it later if she doesn't try now.