Close Enough to Heaven….

You are all probably tired of all of my blogs about skiing, but seriously…  For me this is close enough to Heaven.  Yesterday most of my favorite people in the world were there.  I said MOST..  Kim and Jill dont’ be offended!!   I was lucky enough to spend the morning with (from left) Jeff, Shea, Jen, Ryker, Lance and Jer.  I seriously think that Jer is one of the funniest people on earth.  I got a lump in my throat skiing with Jenny because it made up such a large part of our childhood and we have not skied together for probably 10 years.  It is so great now that all the kids are old enough to join us!

 

What a cutie!!! 

From Left:  Kaleb, Taylor, Mitch and Hayden. 

Samantha and Luke at their lesson.  I snuck a photo.  I rode the lift with Samantha one time during which she promptly scolded me for “not concentrating while in line, which is very important.” 

Thanks everyone for such a fun day! 

Happy Birthday Ryan!

Today is Ryan’s birthday.  He is the big 3 0!  I can’t believe it.  You know you are old when your much younger sibling turns 30.  Ryan is always the life of the party!!  Just yesterday we had a party for he, Lance and Jeff.  I wanted a picture of the 3 birthday boys and Ryan refused to move from his chair!  Check out his hair, he refuses to cut it in the winter and it gets seriously shaggy, but he someone pulls it off.  For a trucker he’s pretty cute!!

 

Ryan is never afraid to be heard, ANYWHERE!  Here are a few photos that I love!

Ryan loves his truck!   Do not eat, drink, move or breathe on it.  As much as Ryan loves his truck he loves his family more.  He is an excellent father and husband.  Check out he and Kenny,  one in the same!  Some of my favorite memories about Ryan include:

Frequent public outbursts

Ghana:  eating bones

Cell phones (he has at least 7 a year, either lost, dropped or thrown across the shop back lot.)

Softball:  Ryan and I used to play on softball teams together

Saturday Ski days:  Ryan is a fantastic skier

San Francisco:  Thrown Football=Stalled Trolley

Socks to the Knee:  THANK YOU JAMIE

Hi Ugly

Spiders:  Let’s just say Kendall kills the spiders at his house

Black jeans and shirts with NO collar

I feel so blessed  have grown up in such a great family.   Ryan is so fun and always willing to help.  He is a such a hard worker and makes me laugh all the time.   Thank you Ry for countless laughs!  Love you lots!

Happy Birthday Jeffrey

Tomorrow Jeff will be another year older!  I sometimes tease him about his age because he is a few years older than me, although he does not seem it.   I usually mention that Chase was born about the same time I went to Homecoming  in high school, or that I was in 5th grade when he went on his mission.  OR THAT… Ok, thats enough, he is only 8 years older than me. Seriously, Jeff has blessed my life in so many ways it is hard for me to even create a post that is fitting!

Here is  a photo from Jeff’s birthday last year.  We do so many things throughout a year it’s hard to know exactly what to add.  Here are a few of my favorite!

Jeff is such a hard worker, he travels a lot but because of his hard work we are able to make a lot of wonderful memories doing wonderful things.   We have had so much fun over the last several years and I absolutely look forward to so much more.  I am so lucky to have found someone who makes me laugh but also understand my goals and “intensity.”  I feel like with Jeff I got his kids whom I love dearly and I have also been able to make super meaningful relationships with friends.   Jeff is selfless with his time and always being thoughtful. 

Jeff may kill me for some of the photos placed on here (i.e. the cookie eating one) but each one carries a special memory for me.

Thank you Jeff for taking such good care of each and every one of us and sharing your life with.  I can’t wait to celebrate your birthday and I love you dearly!

AND… to make Kim, Jill and especially Jeff laugh, this is how it all got started!

CHEEZER!!!

Birthdays, Weddings and Game Night

Today is my oldest brother Lance’s birthday.  I have posted on all my siblings birthdays (except Jill, Kim had to do it because my computer was down!!).  Lance is SOOOO funny, super caring and keeps me laughing all of the time.  I often get overwhelmed to think about how blessed I am to live within 10 miles of ALL of my siblings and my parents.  Here are a few “Lannie” highlights.

Lance helped put up my swing set, he shows up with the incident management truck AND wearing Dickies!  LOVE IT!	I love Saturday Ski Days!  Lance is an excellent skier and makes me tired while the kids are in lessons!
Every Christmas we give Lance a gag gift, these are his “jean sweats.”	Sleeping with Baby Anders…

So all in all I am so lucky to have such a great big brother.  Best memories include the massive fights as children (that we can now laugh at), the massive laughter as adults, numerous vacations, ski trips, numerous "arguments” with Lance ALWAYS playing devils advocate, even to the point of ridiculousness!   And a few phrases that will only make my family laugh:

Old Fart’s Friend

Elbow pop in ear

Doggie Bites

Friendless Ick

Come get these kids

You know you are adopted

If I touch this button the car will blow up

10 echo 10

April Fools joke in Lake Town

There are so many more!  I love you Lance and am so lucky to have such a great example and friend!  Happy Birthday!

On Saturday we had a wedding shower for my cousins fiancée  Katie.  She is such a genuine, nice person (how did you do it Brent?).  Here are a few photos.  I absolutely love getting together with my extended family.  The top left photo is priceless to me.  That is my Grandma Gayle and her only living sibling Stella.  Her other sister died as a young mother.  I am so blessed to now live with the same ward with her daughter and her children.  So fun!!!

Finally,  in this super lengthy post I wanted to document out game night.  I am THE WORST at organized family night.  We have started making a point of having dinner together ever Monday Night and then doing something.  We had an impromptu game night.  We should have done a puzzle, played a board game, but not use.  We played a serious of games on iPods, iPhones and the computer!  Check out Jord’s Pjs.  I love that girl!  Jeff got WAY over involved in some game it was super funny!

Ski 2010!

This was our third time skiing this year but our first time with everyone!  Also, my first time without Jeff (out of town on business) and the three little kids!  WOW!  They were really good and Taylor and Mitchell loved their lessons.  Jord stayed with me and did exceptionally well.  We went up and down the “magic carpet” several times and she even did the lift once.  This is a huge improvement from last time when we did not even make it 10 feet out of the lodge!

For documentation purpose I wanted to write everyone who was there (and so my kids appreciate it when they are old).  Lance, Tonia, Ryker, Hayden, Kaleb (he is a friend of Haydens but we consider him ours!), Shea, Kim, Hunter, Reagan, Samantha, Ryan, Kendall, Jen, Jer, Luke, Taylor, Mitchell, Jordan and myself.  I know you all probably tired of hearing me say this but how blessed am I?? 

I didn’t get any photos of the older kids but I will catch them next time.  This was the first of many wonderful ski days!  Can’t wait!

So, the bottom right photo is not skiing but I had to add it in.  Ryan, Jamie and Kendall brought us a special treat the other night and this is what Jordan did with it.  Heaven Help Me!!

2009 in Review

I am just getting ready to publish my blog and wanted to end with a “Year in Review” post.    How blessed and fortunate we have been in the past year.  I am truly humbled at what a wonderful year I have had.  Here are a few of the highlights for every member of the family.

Jeff

 

Jeff started skiing on a regular basis, took a cross country trip with Chase, ran in several races, took a trip with his old high school buddies, attended numerous band competitions, soft ball games, concerts and dance reviews.  Was an excellent father and truly wonderful to me.  On top of all that he sold “millions” (literally) of iPod/iphone cases, headphones and accessories.  He traveled a lot and touched me on a continual basis about the sacrifices he makes for his family.    He also made me laugh daily and made me the happiest person alive when we got engaged!

Jodi

I think all I did this year was gain 15 lbs (the loss of that another resolution).  I truly loved following all the kids and their band, soccer, softball, dance, piano, violin and fun!  I continued work as a mental health therapist and did my best to manage all of the kids (mother, how did you do it?).   I spent a weekend in St. George with my sisters, mom and sister in law.  Made numerous trips to Beaver Mountain and Bear Lake.  Went to the Jonas Brothers Concert with my fam and Ry and Jam. Took trips with Jeff to Texas, Island Park, Idaho Falls and to see Chase in Virginia.  I continued to be overwhelmed with the abundance in my life.

Chase

With all of the wonderful things Chase did this year why would I put this photo in?  Because it is genuine Chase!  Chase made me laugh for one entire year!  He also graduated from Sky View and headed across the country to Virginia Tech to go to college.  He did great his first semester and survived the dorms.  Chase snow boarded every Saturday, made it across the pond skim and landed his first front flip on the wake board.  He also did so many back flips and jumped from so many rocks, high dives and ski hills that I can’t even count!

Taesha

Taesha continued to make me laugh, HARD!!  She continued in 2009 to play so many instruments I could not name them all in this blog.  T participated in Sky View Marching band and attended lots of competitions.  She played softball during the spring and the summer in the fall of 2009 she joined the debate team and has done incredible making the finals in her first ever competition.  T also began auto body class and took serious interest in air brush painting!

Taylor

Taylor told me last January when she started skiing that “this is the year I am going to try everything new.”  That is just what she did.  She began skiing, played soccer, jumped off the high dive, played tennis, golf, attended nature camp, activity days, played the piano, continued with dance and violin and went rock climbing.  She also rode Wicked at Lagoon, began to love shopping, clothes and her iPod.  She began talking to fast I have no clue what she is saying.  Taylor has so many friends and is so social I can’t keep up with her.  Way to go Tay!  What an incredible year.  I truly watched her grow up into a young lady!

Mitchell

Mitchell grew up a lot this year.  He continued to make me laugh with his honesty and incredible sense of humor.  Mitchy also got glasses, started snow boarding and participated in scouts.  Mitchell also took tennis lessons and participated in nature camp, spent lots of time at Bear Lake and plenty of time watching Nascar.  Mitchy continued to love Samantha and be her “best friend ever.”  Mitchell continued to say what’s on his mind and always leaves us wondering what will come next!

Jordan

Jordan had a huge year!  She has her first dance recital and was hilarious!  Talk about leaving me in stitches.  Jordan also started Kindergarten, learned to read and continued to bring unspeakable joy to all of us.  She had numerous sleep overs with her cousins, went to see Hannah Montana and the Jonas Brothers and skied (not really!!).  Jordan continued to argue with Samantha, but got much better this year.  She played lots of Barbie's, took swimming lessons and went down the water slide all by herself!  Way to go Jord!

I have a good friend whose husband was put in as Bishop of our ward, she had 4 kids ages 9 and under.  She said to me “Where much is given, much is required.”  I love the scripture and that thought it seemed fitting to me.  Thus my 2010 New Year’s Resolutions (at least the ones I will share).  In 2010 I hope to cook more, hurry my children less, increase my patience and spend more time simply “enjoying” my family. 

New Year’s Fun!

I always love Christmas break and am sad when it comes to an end.  New Year’s was great this year.  We ski’d on New Year’s Eve then went to a buffet at the Elements Restaurant.  The food was good and the deserts were great!!  I was sick when we left!!

 

Now back to the structure, schedule and craziness of school and work.  It has been so fun to have the kids out of school and Chase here!