{Snow Much Fun}

FINALLY! I get to blog about recent events!

A few weekends ago, we headed to Beaver for our annual snowmobiling weekend...... I can officially call it an annual event since we've done it twice now, and plan to go next year too, right?

James and Kami were planning to come with us, but unfortunately they all got influenza, so they couldn't join us. We had invited our friends, the Cummings family to come and lined up 2 condos (from generous friends). Derrick took the day off on Friday, and after sleeping in a bit, we loaded up and headed down.

After unloading everything, and getting semi-settled, we decided to head out for some snowmobiling fun. We headed over to a flat area to play a bit. Derrick and I kicked the kids off to play in the snow, while we played on the sleds. I was feeling like a pretty good driver, until I made a turn and tipped the sled on it's side and sunk it! When we finally got it unstuck I jumped on with Derrick to play for a minute. I had just thought to myself how much I liked riding with my honey every once in a while, when he started carving and threw me right off the back of the sled! We headed back and I ducked to miss a branch and ended up tipping the sled over again..... I guess that's what I get for thinking I had snowmobiling skills...... 3 times in 2 hours!

Brandon and Christy and 3 of their cute kids got there that night, they left their baby with Brandon's mom. We spent Saturday playing in the snow and eating!

My cute Brock!

Kabers
Carlie Girl

Monica, Colby, Carlie, Paige, Brock, Kaleb, Derrick, Brandon, Christie, and Kyle

My man hanging out watching the sledding action!

He can only hang out for so long before he needs to move on to something else. I think he took the girls up and down the hill 30 times. I love the grins on their faces (Derrick included)....they were having some much fun!

Kaleb decided he wanted in on the fun too...... I not even sure how he stayed on!?!

Can you find Kaleb in this picture? He's way down at the bottom to the left of the truck on the mound of snow. So, the sledding hill by the condo was a pretty long hill. The kids really never made it quite all the way to the bottom. Brock kept begging me to go with him. You should all know I'm not a sporty/athletic girl, but I sucked it up and decided I better be a good mom and go with him...... next time, I'll just stick with being the mean mommy! We hopped on the tube and headed down. I guess the extra weight added speed. Somehow we ended up backwards, then we bounced off the side of the shed (with the pile of snow on the top) and dropped off a 6-7 foot drop to the ROAD! My head smacked the road, my glasses flew, Brock dropped on top of me, we broke the snow depth marker in half and we popped the tube! Laugh, come on I know you want to! Even better, there were 2 guys walking their dog.... imagine their surprise when we dropped out of nowhere!

This would be the ledge we dropped off...... someone stuck the marker stick back together. I think Brock must have cracked or broken one of my ribs when he fell on top of me..... It's been 20 days and I'm still hurting!

The Eagle Point Ski resort (formerly Elk Meadows) just opened back up this year. We decided to go check out their sledding hill. Paige, Colby and Kaleb were all sorts of excited about going and the dad's got voted into going with them!

Kaleb's first time on the lift!

Carlie and Kyle watching.

Brock decided after watching for a bit that he wanted to go too!

Brock on the lift with dad!

In the end Carlie was the only kid that didn't end up going, even little Kyle tried it. Not me..... I'm pretty sure sledding will forevermore be a spectator sport for me!

{December Catch-Up #2}

Every year all my siblings get together at my mom and dad's for Christmas Festivities, usually on Christmas Eve, but this year we changed things up and got together for Family Home Evening the Monday before Christmas. The kids act out the Nativity.

Yes, this was the best picture we could get..... after many tries!

(Addie, Carlie, Kamryn, Tylie, Carson, Brock, Kaleb and Bryson)

Gram reads us a story. She chooses a new one every year, and for the life of me I can't remember what this years story was? When I remember (or more likely, I'll just call and ask her) I'll post it. This year we also watched Christmas Oranges. Addie and Carlie looked so cute sprawled out on the floor together. We open the presents from the cousins name drawing.... Youngest to oldest of course!

and then the "adults" open the gifts from the sibling and spouses name drawing. Katy got me the cutest new purse.... I can't believe I don't have a picture of it. Take my word for it, it's adorable..... it's red with a satiny chocolate and cream zebra lining!

I'm so thankful for my family! I love that we all live close and cherish the time we get to spend together.

{It's Catch-Up Time}

Once again, as usual, I'm playing catch up! Hopefully I can get done fast and keep caught up. One can always hope, right?
Just had to share Kaleb's battle wounds from Thanksgiving Day (which I never blogged about). The kids were playing downstairs at my sisters, after dinner while the girls visited and the guys watched football. They'd been told to stay off the treadmill, and Lis even hid the key, but somehow they got past us with it. We never really got the entire story, but Kaleb ended up with a few really sore looking battle wounds which are now pretty tough scars!
The Saturday after Thanksgiving Carlie and I went to see the Rockettes with Grandma Sheri and Sydney and some of Sheri's family. It was great to have a girls day, and Carlie loved every minute of it and was in heaven spending the entire day with her Syney. In fact, ever since then she's been obsessed with dancing and is pretty sure I'm going to sign her up for dance class any day now.

Carlie and Syd waiting for the show to start!

The next weekend was the Beckstrand Party here in Meadow. I look forward to our get togethers every year. We very rarely are all together anymore, but there were just a few missing this year, and it was nice to spend a few hours together.

We played a few Minute to Win it games and had some good laughs!

The kids wanted to do every game, and most of the adults were content to sit back and watch them.

Brock and Carson with their Great Grandma Beckstrand.
Sweet Miss Carlie

For the last few years my cousin Brian and his family have stayed at our house (Grandma's house tends to get a bit full) the night before the party. The kids all get along really well, and MaryAnn always makes me laugh. We really look forward to their visit and wish they'd come more often. Carlie always talks about her friend Allie for months after they come stay.

A few weeks later it was the Ainge Family party.

After eating and visiting, the kids sang a few songs while they waited for a special visitor.

Santa brings one gift to each of the kids. Brock made sure to tell Santa all about the remote control car he wanted, right down to the 1/10th scale and speed he wanted it to reach.

Carlie surprised us and asked for a Funmaker (Easybake oven that day). Every time before and after that she Santa she asked for Zoobles, but not that day.

Kaleb never wavered, the only thing he was hoping to get? A bearded dragon Lizard.

Carlie wouldn't let me leave until we took a picture with the other Karleigh. She just couldn't believe that they had the same name, and for her that sealed the deal.... they had to be best friends!

The highlight of the family party had to be when Karleigh jumped up on Santa's lap and announced that her dad needed a carburetor! HILARIOUS!

{Conference Campin'}

Did I just not vow in my last post, three weeks ago, that I would not get behind on blogging again? Yea, so much for that! So, guess what? I'm playing catch-up again today.... be prepared, lots to come!

As a family, we always try to plan a little outing over General Conference weekend. This year we hooked up the trailer and headed over to Kanosh to camp for the weekend. We invited whomever wanted to come, and my parents took us up on the offer. Derrick wanted to do a little scouting, since he had a spike Elk tag, so that seemed like a good place to go.

Aren't those the cutes little dirty camping faces you've ever seen? Why is it, that they never look quite as dirty in the pictures as they do in real life? Believe me they were DIRTY! and their feet.... ICK! For some reason they all thought it was great idea to go without shoes more often than not!

The only thing Kaleb needs to make him happy no matter where we go is lizards! If he can find a lizard, the trip is a success!

The kids spent plenty of time playing in the stream, and we all went on a few good four-wheeler rides and mom and I took a few walks. But, my favorite part of camping is just hanging out and relaxing, and we did plenty of that.

I just love a good fire.... add a few marshmallows, some Fudge Stripe cookies and some Starbursts and I could just sit there all night! Poor Brock, one of his Starbursts got a bit too gooey and dripped on his wrist and burned him. When he wiped the goo off, the burn blister and everything came with it.... OUCH! He still has a pretty good scab and it's been more than a month now.

I was especially glad that we were able to find Conference on the radio. What could be better than sitting out around the fire with your family, listening to the things the Lord wants us to hear from the leaders of the Church?

Awwwww, camping happiness!

{Catch Up #5- Four Weelin' Fun}

We've been on some fun four wheelin' adventures the past few months, and though each one deserves it's own post, I'm really trying to get through my catch ups, so I'm just lumping them all together... just think of it as smorgasbord o' four wheeling fun- K thanxs! The first little venture we took, we drug along my mama and my papa and headed to Beaver and then up the mountain. We had no destination in mind and randomly picked a trail and took off.

(not sure why that random Much better is floating there? Oh well, WHATEV)
Mom and I agreed that we defiantly like the trails rated "more difficult" than the trails rated "most difficult". Don't get me wrong, it's not that I can't drive it, I just would rather not.... but if I must, I'll suck it up and hit the gas (if we're going up) or ride my breaks if we're heading down, cause I'm a good sport like that. Also, a word to the wise, if you happen to be following my hubby and there are two trails, and one is a short cut.... for the love of all that's holy, take the long way! THERE USUALLY IS A LONG WAY FOR A REASON. (This I learned as we're heading almost straight up and bouncing over rocks, with kids riding with us?!?) Carlie got so tired, she fell asleep and Derrick put her in the little back section of his bike, where she promptly woke up, of course!

A few weeks later we planned at trip with our fantastic friends, Jason and Misti and their cute boys. ( I know this picture is random, be patient- you'll see why I took a Pizza Hut pic) So in case you didn't know, there is no Pizza Hut round these parts. So, we jumped on the four wheelers and headed over the top of the mountain and into Richfield for some pizza. It was a great little jaunt, that we defiantly should have started earlier, seein' as how we were still on the very top of the mountain when it got dark! Let's just say it's a much different experience to drive down the mountain in the darkness! Would I do it again.... Heck ya!
A few weeks later, we headed back to Beaver with Jason and Misti and all the kids. This time Derrick knew just where he wanted to go. He wanted to check out all the places he snowmobiles, minus the snow! (Twilight Girls, notice the Cullen Creek Road sign that I took a picture of just for all of you!)
Derrick and I chillin' while the kiddo's explore!
Derrick, Kamdyn, Kaleb and Carlie

(Hmmm, I must have missed taking pictures of Brock and Kadyn? They were there!)

We had a great time, and definitely need to go again soon before it's too cold!