Quite the unfortunate break

 Poor Bronson moves to a new high school his junior year..... looks really good on the basketball team....and in a preseason scrimmage in November gets hit in the wrist during the game.

He iced it, and was on pain meds and just needed time to heal....... turns out that wasn't the case. Over a month later we took him in and he had a little break that required surgery. The day before the surgery Bronson put up over 30 points at a game as a last hoorah for the season.

getting ready in his surgery dress

Post surgery he was a little loopy, and just loved blowing on the windmill toy.

Christmas 2019

 Christmas time around here is never dull. There will be games, variations of those games (to cause more pain) competitions (and consequences for the losers subsequently), teasing, gifts and a lot of food. This year is right on track.

Christmas Eve dinner with the traditional "Kids-pick-a-side" feature. 

After the Elders left, we played a game the Jones family gave is..... it's kind of a "shocking" game, where we would put our fingers in the slot and anyone who messes up the pattern gets a little zing/shock. 

DEFINITELY game right down our alley!!! 

Of course the boys had to take it next level and they had the 'brilliant' idea of using their tongues instead. The rest of us wisely decided this wasn't a good idea.

Christmas morning and all their 'loot'

We ordered Bronson that didn't get here in time, so we wrapped up a pair of my orange heels with a picture of HIS shoes under it. The shock when he saw the orange shoes was hilarious!

Truthfully, my favorite pics from the morning were these of Iris. She had bought people presents with her own money and her face when she watched them open the gifts embodies the whole feeling of Christmas!

After the gifts and silly string war, Brooks and Emerson played against Bronson and Camden in the Christmas battle to see who has to jump in the freezing pool

Their stances right before they have to jump in crack us up.

December 2019

December started with Grandma and RA flying out another puppy I bought to us. Meet Ronnie

We love her!

RA spent a LOT of time outside rebounding for his grandsons....just like he did his sons

Grandma was quite handy with the leaf blower as we have a LOT of leaves.

Bronson now towers over his Grandma.

Our three dogs.....I just love having dogs around!

For someone that doesn't "love" dogs, I find these moments quite funny.

Royce turned 9 on the 5th of December. I just love their faces right when they open up their junkbox 

He had a birthday party full of boys who just like to sit quietly and not run around at all. #oppositeday

His piñata

Before the whacking of the piñata.

Another reason Grandma and RA came was to see Iris and Aleeya be orphans in the high school's production of "Annie"

I even signed Pat and I up to be ushers so we could get in free. Aren't I a nice daughter-in-law?

My brother Chris and his girlfriend Janise came to watch it as well.

I love seeing my kids snuggle with grandparents. Here is Wynn and RA

And Kellyn and Everly out cold snuggling RA.

We were so glad they came!

Santa came to visit our ward party and Everly's faces with him just melted my heart!

Iris is growing up too fast so I'm glad to have this picture of her still looking like my cute little girl.

Royce deeeeeeeefinitely is rather suspicious of Santas that have time to come to a ward party.

Kellyn is OBSESSED with ballet. I bit the (temporary) bullet and did a Groupon for 8 weeks of ballet/tap classes. She of course loved every minute and I'm thinking in my head "what have I gotten myself into?! How can I break ties after this?!" This constant mental face palm was on replay.

This is us after her Christmas presentation of their dance moves.

And then yes, I cut the ballet/dance ties. I'm a terrible person, I know.

 

November 2019

I LOVE the many faces that fall shows!

Oh wait, this isn't a nice fall face I was thinking of.....this is an early-morning scripture reading face of a pre-teen!

THESE are the many beautiful, colorful faces of fall around here.

I love our little "Patch of Paradise" here. I really do. There is extra work and chores are never "done" but walking outside or even looking outside brings me back to .....what? Peace? I don't know, but nature just makes me feel settled and I love it.

I took this picture of Emerson with a pumpkin pie.....because Emerson can talk his school teachers out of almost anything and today it was the teacher's pumpkin pie. 

THANKSGIVING TURKEY BOWL

The winners were Dad, Mom, Aleeya and Royce.

Thanksgiving with some of our favorites. The Jones family, Kunzlers and Maughans. We kept the little kids in by the adults and all the other kids spread out in the kitchen.

We asked a teenager to come take a few pictures of our family for Christmas cards. But first let me say......we have a BARN....Brooks is a WANNA-BE farmer......of COURSE I had to make convince Brooks to recreate this picture with me.

I loved this adorable picture she got of the twins.

We look like legit farm folk, right?!

The girls with their girl-goats

Me and my girls

While the farm life looks dreamy in some of those pictures, REAL life is really messy. Like crashed bike/wearing nightgowns/goats escaping/sulking toddler/broken blinds messy. 

But I'll take it.