Draper Temple Open House...

We have been looking forward to taking our kids to see the Draper Temple since it was announced. Having grown up in the area and having both of my parents live in this new temple district, we have enjoyed watching the temple be built. We had a nice FHE on the temple before we went and we've been talking about it for a while so they would know what they would see.


Everything was very organized and we really had only about a 30 minute wait before we watched a 12 minute video presentation and then boarded the bus.

The kids were especially good and very reverent as we walked through the beautiful new temple. It is a smaller temple, but still quite spacious. Kendyl was especially intrigued with the baptismal font and Brityn liked the pretty murals on the walls. Really, the highlight has got to be the celestial room with the gorgeous ceiling and chandelier.

Of course we couldn't take any pictures inside the temple, but we did take some on the bus and while waiting.

Ryder was so good through the whole tour and then fell asleep on the bus ride back to the car! :)

It is well worth the trip to see and a wonderful experience for the whole family! The open house goes until March 14th and you can make reservations here to go on a tour.

Just enough snow...

We were in Utah this last weekend, where there was almost more grass than snow, but we made the most of what snow there was!

I don't think Ryder was too excited about the snow, but he liked watching everybody running around.


Brityn had lots of fun going down the hill!


And she went all by herself with a big smile on her face!

Kendyl was running and trying to get some speed down the hill before she hit the grass! It was lots of fun anyway!



Brityn became a snowball queen! She was throwing snowballs at everyone and laughing the whole time!


She was laughing so hard while she was trying to pick up the snow, that she never even noticed when a snowball came her way! :)

Having fun!


Throwing a snowball at Grandpa Jerry.

Grandpa getting Brityn and Kendyl!

Kendyl getting in on the snowball fight!

Road Trips...

We made two very quick trips the last two weekends spending a total of 41 hours on the road...thank goodness for dvd players in the car, toys, books, snacks, and naps! For the kids, I think the highlight was stopping at the McDonald's playland coming and going both times!

Surprise!!!

Grandma Hardy came to visit yesterday and surprised us all--even herself! She needed some dental work done so Grandpa put her on a plane in the morning and by lunch time she was here! She really surprised Kendyl when we went to pick her up from school yesterday. It's always fun when Grandma comes!

Uncle Lee...

Lee Alan Russell
October 26, 1946 - January 13, 2009

My Uncle Lee passed away last week and we made a quick trip to Wyoming for the weekend. I loved listening to the stories and memories everyone shared about him. My favorite memory was being in Wyoming at Uncle Dean's house, I can't remember how old I was, maybe 9 or 10...Uncle Dean's kids did a paper route so there were lots of rubber bands around. Apparently Sheri was flicking one and it went flying at someone else and then someone flung it back until it became a full-fledged rubber band war. I remember watching my dad and two uncles shooting rubber bands at each other while the rest of us ducked for cover behind doorways and couches! I remember thinking, I can't believe these guys are acting so crazy! It was a side us kids didn't see often, but now with the crayon wars story out, I'm thinking Grandma probably had more than enough craziness with six kids at home. :) We will miss you Uncle Lee.

Kendyl's awards...

Our little 1st grader, Kendyl, made the Principal's Honor Roll by getting straight A's! She also got a certificate for Good Attendance. We're so proud of you Kendyl!!

Projects with Daddy...

The girls love it when Daddy gets his tools out!

They can't wait to help...good thing Steve is full of patience!

Hair cuts...

We have not cut Brityn's hair before, but her hair is now getting pretty long and I wanted to trim the ends and even it out. So out came the camera to document her first hair cut! These are her "before" pictures, a little shy and unsure.














Here she is "after" with a big smile and "Thanks Mom for cutting my hair!"














Kendyl wanted her hair cut as well, so here she is before...














...and after. Now she is talking to me about gel, hairspray, and a curling iron!

New Sunbeam!

To say Brityn has been excited to be a Sunbeam is an understatement--ecstatic, elated, thrilled, squealing with hyperactive delight--might be closer to the truth. She was ready for today. The last month, all she could talk about was going to big Primary and being a Sunbeam. So with a few last threats to stay in her seat by her teacher and to be reverent, I dropped her off in big Primary...

...and when I picked her up, she was this happy! And now I'm listening to all the things she did today now that she's a Sunbeam.

And can I just say how happy we all are now that we have church at 9:00am!

Fun in the snow...

We headed up the mountain to find some snow so we could use our snow boogie boards we got from Santa.


It was a beautiful day and we were all excited to find a nice hill to slide down.


Brityn went down with Steve a few times and after that she was going down all by herself!


Kendyl just kept going and going and going! She didn't want to stop!


Wahoo! The girls had a great time, no serious injuries, just some cold fingers and toes.


Ryder wasn't quite big enough to go down the hill, but he loved watching all the excitement going on. Maybe next year he'll be ready for snowballs and snowmen. :)

Happy New Year...

Kendyl and Brityn wanted to stay up until midnight for New Year's this year. Kendyl made it last year and Brityn wanted to do it so bad this year. Unfortunately, she didn't want to take a nap, but she forced herself to keep her eyes open all the way to midnight so she could watch the fireworks. After the fireworks she said, "When is midnight coming? They didn't come over." :)

Ryder did not stay up until midnight (thank goodness!) and even slept through the noise and fireworks (yay!).

We played wii and watched movies and had a fun day!

Every year we do a big puzzle, it helps to pass the time, and this year the girls both wanted to "help".

All finished for the new year!