Boy's

I love watching my boy's together. Mike was fortunate to be able to spend a lot of time with his Dad, and has been taught many things by him. Mike quietly takes care of all the snow removal and anything else that he sees that needs to be done. I never have to wake him up, or remind him to remove the snow. He sets his alarm, gets up, and gets it done.

Mike teaching Ben how to remove the snow from the driveway.

Mike wanted our "garage" cat to be warm. Snowball now has a heated igloo to keep him warm.

Christmas Party

The Heath's hosted a Christmas party for "the hunting friends". Dan, Warren, Justin, and Steve, have spent many hours, days, weeks, months....well you get the picture.....together pursuing their love of nature; love of the wild; pursuit of their trophies; or just enjoying one another's company. These are friends that we have known for years. They warm my heart with their continual kindness to my family. They have fondly included Mike in their hunts, and I must say he couldn't be happier about it. They have GREAT hunting stories, but I'm sure I don't hear them all. I heard that the adage, "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas", still applies in the world of hunting.

The adorable kids.

Mint Making

Have you ever tried Fernwood mints? Do you remember Fernwood's ice cream parlor/candy store? Fernwood mints were always one of my favorites. My sister-in-law, Michelle, has learned how to duplicate these delicious mints. It is quite the process. Steve's sisters, me, and his mom get together to make our "Fernwood mints" for Christmas.

Leslie, Grandma & Preemie, Michelle

New Tradition

Gingerbread houses have now become a new tradition at our house. The Ashton's introduced us to this great activity last year. As you can see in the pictures, the younger kids love it, and the older kids....well, let's just say they tolerate it.

The process.
The end results.

Mike loves his hot chocolate and prefers it to making gingerbread houses.

Winter Showcase

Lizzy and Ashlyn

The winter showcase is an opportunity for the ballet classes to preform. The competition team preforms later in the season. Lizzy and Ashlyn are some of the youngest in their ballet class. They enjoy dancing with the "older" girls. They preformed to Jingle Bell Rock. The girl's did a fabulous job. After the recital Santa makes an appearance, which adds to the excitement of the show and makes it tolerable for some of the young siblings who made it through the recital (Ben).

Christmas Dance

Christmas music

I love listening to the violinists preform at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. The sound is enhanced with the wonderful acoustics, and seems even more fabulous with the beautiful surroundings. This is one of my favorite Christmas performances. Katelyn
Beautiful music

Lizzy's Birthday

~1998~

Elizabeth Nicole Brown, born December 3, 1998, at 5:16 p.m., weighing 8 lbs 12 ozs.

Both my doctor and Steve were bishops when I was pregnant with Lizzy. They didn't want her birth to interfere with tithing settlement, so they decided together to have me induced in November. After many hours of labor, my doctor decided that November 20th was not going to be her birthday. I got sent home with cookie bouquet in hand, only to be induced again on December 3rd.

First birthday!
Dad and Lizzy

~2009~

On Lizzy's actual birthday we went and got pedicures together.

Lizzy11 years old in her new coat and scarf.
The kids decorated Lizzy's room, put up her new lamp she got for her birthday, and had a Taylor Swift CD (one of her presents) playing when she walked in. For her friend party, she took three of her closest friends to dinner and the movie, A Christmas Carole.

The party invitation/favor.
Silly girls at the movie.
Reagan, Lizzy, Baylee, and Ashlyn
Yummy ribs at dinner.

Lizzy is such a sweet, kind, helpful little girl, (she even helps with laundry). We are so happy she is part of our family.

Early Morning

This morning I woke to the noise of the snowplows plundering up the street scrapping the newly fallen snow. It was early, I could feel the brisk temperatures from the thermostat being changed to a lower setting for the evening hours. I grabbed the covers and quickly wrapped them around me, trying to stay warm. The newly fallen snow brings a calmness, a quietness, contentment, a sense of forgotten woes . The world seems, for a small moment, a better place where peace abounds and troubles are forgotten. Maybe it's just the feelings of a new day, but for me, the early morning snow fall brings tranquility.

My eyes quickly fill with tears as I thought of the times when Steve and I would wake up early to the same sounds, the same feelings, the same brisk temperatures. Life seemed so peaceful and bliss. We would snuggle up to keep warm, and talk in whispers savoring the quiet moment. I miss these ephemeral joys, and sharing those cold snowy morning with the one I love.

Miracles

Recently I have been thinking a lot about miracles. Why do some people who so desperately seek miraculous miracles in life-threatening situations see them, and others just as determined to see the same sort of miracle in a similiar situation don't? We both HOPE, PRAY, and FIGHT, for the same outcome, but don't receive the same result. Is one person better than the other? Did one fight more? Did one pray harder?

Elder Oakes states, "A miracle has been defined as “a beneficial event brought about through divine power that mortals do not understand and of themselves cannot duplicate.” I believe in miracles. I believe that they come directly from God. I believe in hope, faith, prayers, and blessings.

He continues, " What about miracles that don’t happen? Most of us have offered prayers that were not answered with the miracle we requested at the time we desired. Miracles are not available for the asking. We know this from the Lord’s revelation directing that the elders should be called to lay hands on and bless the sick: “It shall come to pass that he that hath faith in me to be healed, and is not appointed unto death, shall be healed” (D&C 42:48). The will of the Lord is always paramount. The priesthood of the Lord cannot be used to work a miracle contrary to the will of the Lord. We must also remember that even when a miracle is to occur, it will not occur on our desired schedule. The revelations teach that miraculous experiences occur “in his own time, and in his own way” (D&C 88:68).

This gives me great comfort. At times when I have been both overjoyed, and envious of another's "miracle", I remember that it is always the Lord's will.

Although we do not personally know the Vanderlinden Family, we will continue to pray for them. We are grateful for their example, their strength, and their miracle.

The Widow's Basket

When my husband was bishop, he started the tradition of making Christmas baskets for the widows in the ward. This tradition has been carried on, and continues with our current bishopbric. The basket is full of goodies, and is put together and delivered by the Young Women to the widows in the ward. The basket is from the bishopric. It is a very kind and thoughtful gesture, and is greatly appreciated.

I wasn't home when the basket was delievered. When I read what was on the envelope I thought, WOW, the Young Women are quite bold and funny. Little did I know my children got to it before I got home. The Christmas Basket
Funny children
More funnies.! (The x-mas part was the dead give-a-way it was no one from a church organization).

The real thing ....beautiful.

Thank you!

Thanksgiving

Our Thanksgiving Feast was hosted by my brother Scott, and his wife Connie. There were a few little technical difficulties with the meal, but once we resolved them it was delish!

Creamy Mashed Potatoes (oops, need to be defrosted).

Our Feast with Matt's Family, Scott's Family, Grandma and Grandpa, and The Brown's.

Kids at play.

We stopped by Aunt Michelle's (Steve's sister) on the way home for some of Grandma Brown's famous turkey cookies and fun with the cousins.

The Anonymous Gift Giver

What a pleasant surprise it is to have beautiful flowers delivered to my house by the anonymous gift giver. I am not sure if this is the same person who has sent cookie bouquets to my kids on their birthdays, and flowers to me. Whoever you are, thank you for brightening my day.

The Turkey Trot

New Traditions are always welcomed. This year Sarah and I decided to enter The Turkey Trot sponsored by the South Davis Recreation Center. We tried to recruit others in our family to join, but we had no takers. The race began at 9:00 a.m. and registration from 6:30 to 8:30. Maybe that is the reason no one was interested. It was our FIRST 5k, and I have to admit I was a little nervous the night before. I DIDN'T want to come in last.

Lizzy and Reagan running the 1k
Finish

Funny people (note friendly young men).

Start

I didn't realize a 5K could be so entertaining..... or interesting.

My top 5 observations are:

1. The older woman who wore a T-Shirt that said, "I'm running....don't talk to me." She was walking.
2. The two friendly young men who skipped arm in arm down the road.
3. The turkey legs on VERY TALL men.
4. The attire of some of the "serious" runners.
5. The loogies that lined the street. (There are real benefits to being first).

I only had two rules. I didn't want anyone with a body type larger than mine to beat me across the finish line, nor the very friendly young men skipping arm in arm (not that there's anything wrong with that). I was happy to meet all my criteria (at least I think so), and made it across the finish line in 39 minutes. Not great time, but not bad for a beginner.

We are already planning our next 5k.

Oh, P.S. - I just viewed the results from the race and I was in the top 10 in my age group. Yay!

The Holidays

The holidays are usually a time of year that we rejoice and look forward to spending time with family and love ones. We anticipate with excitement the celebrations, parties, and wonderful traditions. There is such an abundance of choices of entertainment. There is something for everyone.

The holidays are a difficult time for our family. We feel a great loss and void. We continue to try to find joy in our new journey. Our thoughts are focused on our memories of Steve, and the great times we had with him. I know how much Steve touched the lives of many. I loved reading this. We will continue to participate in traditions, celebrate the holidays, and determine what traditions to observe, change, or omit. We will decide what is most meaningful and comfortable for us as a family.

As we celebrate this season, I hope that we as a family can commemorate Thanksgiving with grateful hearts for our many blessings. We hope to remember the Savior's Life and his birth during the Christmas season. We are so grateful for all our wonderful friends and family, that continue to include us in the festivities of the season. We love you!