It seems like I post everything to Instagram and have very little need to post it here, too... but I do realize that not everyone has instagram. However, I am also fully aware that I have more people read my instagram than I do my blog. :)
So it's been a busy couple of months.
The cat died and we let Cute move into the house. Mama cat followed shortly thereafter, she always wanted to come in and wander around, and got to the point where she didn't want to go back out, so we let her stay. She is the BEST cat ever. She never claws things, or climbs on anything, she will come lay by you once in awhile, but not often. She doesn't like to be held and loves to play. Cute has his moments, but he's still a most excellent cat! Mostly because he's so docile.
Thanksgiving day, I decided to put up the Christmas tree. I got it all done and some of the lights were giving me fits, I did NOT want to take the whole dang thing apart and put it back together, so the next week, I took it apart and Cody and I went to town and bought a new pre-lit tree. It is SO pretty!!! I spent more than I wanted to, but decided it was worth it to get a good quality tree with lots of lights that will hopefully last a LONG long time! The cats didn't bother the tree at all, until about three days before Christmas when Cute kept climbing right to the top and wouldn't stay out. Stinker!
The day after Thanksgiving, we got a phone call saying that Cody's grandma Moore had died in her sleep. They aren't 100% sure what happened, but based on previous events, she may have had a pulmonary embolism. She had stopped taking her blood thinners so she could have a cortisone shot in her back. Thanksgiving day, she developed a cough that she thought was just a cold, and when she went to bed that night, she was fine. Grandpa found her the next morning in her bed.
Cody and Justin were asked to be pall bearers and the girls and I had to perform a musical number "In the Garden". Cody's cousin Jason spoke for about 3 minutes, and the pastor did the rest. The whole funeral lasted about 20 minutes, then we departed to a beautiful cemetery where she was laid to rest, and returned back to aunt Becky's Lutheran church for a lovely dinner with family and friends. It was beautiful and Grandma would have loved it and that's all that mattered.
Jason's little girl, Mya, was so stinking cute and friendly, she made herself at home at our table and conversed with us like she'd known us forever - which she has - but for a 2 1/2 year old, she was quite the social butterfly.
This year for Christmas, the siblings had dinner at Lynette's house. Cody smoked a brisket (it was SOOO good) and we played Catch Phrase. We did it early in December so Kaylene could come as she was going back to Mississippi for Christmas. Mitchell was there as well, and he was busy sewing a quilt - something to pass the time. He showed me the ring he was giving to his new fiance - Karissa Killpack. I did their engagement photos on New Years eve and will also do their wedding pictures in February. Sort of excited, sort of not. Just super happy for Mitchell.
Mom and dad are doing well. Mom has been suffering from quite a bit of dementia and it's been hard to watch her go downhill so quickly. She doesn't talk much and when you talk to her, she doesn't have much to say or she doesn't know what or who you are talking about. She just smiles and nods a lot. Dad was having some pretty good back pain and we weren't sure it wasn't his heart. We tried to get him to go to the chiropractor, but he wouldn't go until he knew for sure it wasn't his heart. So he had an MRI and a stress test, and everything looked fine. The doctor even said he had a fantastic back for a guy his age. So it must just be old age. Then we took him to the chiropractor where he's been going regularly since. I think it's helping. It was an extremely busy month, though, with Kaylene gone and trying to get ready for Christmas, leaving RA and I to drive him back and forth and sit with mom during all this! We missed Kaylene a LOT!
My silly siblings. Someone said to suck it in and poke it out... so Verl did.
The whole gang - picture compliments of Mitchell. 
Ashlee loves grandma's gravy. So much. So much that she drinks it with a straw. Not even kidding.
My neighbor asked us to send her missionary son a Christmas card. She had the card ready, addressed and stamped even, all we had to do was write him a note, so I put Arilee in charge of it. Silly girl.
The girls had an ugly sweater contest at Young Womens. Ashlee borrowed one from Braily (pictured next to Arilee) and Braily and Arilee borrowed one from Grandma Arave. They didn't win, but these sweaters were sure ugly.
Christmas eve was spent at the inlaws house like usual. There was, like usual, lots of presents and lots of pizza and candy and munchies and dips and chips and crackers and all that fun stuff... Grandpa Moore came and spent Christmas with us and we even got Aunt Lynn to come over for the festivities.
We didn't have a clue what to get the child who has EVERYTHING... and likes only pokemon and sonic the hedgehog, but I did some research and found out the scary store in the mall (Hot Topic) carries Pokemon t-shirts. So I picked her one up and she LOVED it, so much she didn't even care what was in the rest of her present before she put it on. She also got a unicorn (cuz what else does the child who has everything need?) and some rock star headphones and an iTunes gift card. From us, that is.
Grandma Moore had purchased a few things for the kids before she died. Justin got earmuffs, and the girls got fingernail polish, which Arilee says she is never going to use so it will last forever.
Cody's mom bought a new game - Logo's - and we kind of like it! Cody kicks butt at it and everyone wants to be on his team. Britnee got mad at him for winning one time, she kept putting his guy back on start (it was terrible of her, but we couldn't help but laugh - she was SO mad) and the next time we played, she decided she was going to be on his team so she'd win.
Christmas at our house... the pile doesn't look as big this year, but truthfully, the tree is bigger and more stuff fits under it this time. hahaha
Christmas morning. I made up some sticky buns the night before and I'm thinking I forgot the yeast because they didn't rise. Breakfast fail. We had eggs instead.
Arilee got a new iPhone 5C and some "Miss Me" brand jeans - which she was SOOO excited about.
Ashlee got an iPod 5, a snuggie and other stuff that didn't fit or she didn't like.
Taking a picture of the Christmas morning sunrise is a tradition now... it's always SO beautiful!
Justin got some fancy headphones, a video game and money.
Cody got a coat, wallet, gloves, and an iHome for his iPhone.
I got clothes, a curling iron, a gift card for my nook, and a beautiful crystal flower from Ashlee - which I have yet to take a picture of.
My neighbor Geri Thomas is a hoarder. She hoardes stuff... cool stuff, but she has tons of it. Collectibles, movies, etc. Her house is overflowing with stuff. She has hundreds of nativities, too, and has been giving them away to people she loves... and what a shock it was when she showed up at my door with this beautiful one by Pam Schifferl. I am her visiting teacher and all, but still shocked that she loves me this much - especially considering how much she paid for this nativity. WOW. And it was one of her cheap ones! Thanks Geri!
Britnee celebrated turning 10 by taking us all to see "Frozen" and having pizza and pokemon cake.
We done did good for her birthday, too, when I gave her a Sonic the hedgehog plushie, blanket and comic books. She could barely put them down long enough to say Thank you and goodbye.
New Years Eve, we played another round of Logo's, and kicked back with grandma's slippers on and ate too much while bringing in the new year.
A New Years day selfie...
This little guy loves to go outside - which we rarely let him do because he likes to hide. He thought we'd never find him here! Nice try, buddy, now gityerbuttbackinthehouse!
Oh yeah, Cody bought a new pick up truck. A 2014 Silverado - silver. The first week he had it, he had to go get a doording taken out of the passenger door after one of the cats knocked a board over onto it. Way to go, felines. Way. To. Go.
I submitted some pictures to the features section of the newspaper and it wasn't a surprise to see one get published. It was a surprise to see it get published three days later and take up almost half a page in the paper in full color. Woot Woot! I also found out I was one of 34 finalists in the Idaho Falls Magazine photo contest, but I don't know my results, so I will update that one later.
I read the book "The Mitten" 14 times at work this week. Each kid got to color a page from the book and they all seemed to enjoy it, but I was sure tired of reading that book!
Cody needed a winter project so he built me a headboard! Because he is AWESOME! This was his quickest project yet, and it's my FAVORITE! It's SOOO pretty!!! He did SUCH a good job on it! Love that guy of mine!
Okay, I think that about covers it... I'm sure I've missed a few things, but it will save for another day.
1 comment:
love every picture, but really love the headboard. He did a great job, as always.
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