Basketball

It's fun to watch your son play basketball...

 

...especially when he's having so much fun!

 

Go Wildcats!

I Get By With a Little Help From My Friend

Sometimes getting winter boots off is really, really hard.

Jimmy's friend is helping him out a little bit.

 

 Collapse to the floor!  Winter boot still on!  I guess it takes a mom to really do the job right.  :)

Later, while overhearing Jimmy's conversation with his friend as to why he missed his birthday party, Jimmy told him, "Your birthday party was on a Sunday.  And I try to keep the Sabbath Day holy.  Do you go to church?  I go to church.  Do you believe in Jesus?  I believe in Jesus!  Do you?"

Who is this amazing boy of mine?

Dreams Come True, Y'all

Jason and I left the kids in Idaho and went to Salt Lake City for a George Strait concert.  All my country music dreams came true.

 

 

The temple is behind us in this picture but you would never know it!!!  It was so foggy!

Of course, I have no pictures of the concert because no cameras were allowed ... even though EVERYONE had a camera.  Oh well.  My soul is filled to the brim with loving memories of the concert as well as a wonderful weekend with my amazing husband, Jason, who spoiled me and showed me the greatest time of my life pretty much!

We spent a little time shopping and mingling around Temple Square.  We stayed downtown and had a delicious dinner at one of our favorite restuarants, Biaggi's.  Then, the concert!!!!!  Words can't describe.

Ladybug

 

My friend mentioned in her blog about "Keeper Moments."  And I had one today.

 

Jimmy, Christie, and I walked in the door from an outing and saw a ladybug crossing our kitchen floor.  A ladybug!  All three of us sat on the floor, huddled around the ladybug, and passed him (her?) around back and forth.  Christie was screaming "spider!" and refused to hold him, but once she saw Jimmy and I allowing him to roam freely over our skin, she gave it a whirl, too.

 

It was a tiny little precious moment. 

 

It was tickling Christie's little hand and she was laughing.  Then she'd try to pick him up between her fingers and got to squishing him a little too hard so I'd have to swoop in and rescue the poor guy.

 

Jimmy let the ladybug go all the way up his arm and it curved around.  He was lying on the floor at this point, twisting and turning on himself to see where the ladybug was headed.

 

Finally, we released him back into the wild.  Not sure if I should've done that since it's so cold out.  Do ladybugs like snow?

Temple

 

 

I never make anything cute but I made this!

 

I took this picture of the Salt Lake temple a few years ago and it's always been my favorite.  Now that I'm teaching the Mia Maids this year, I decided to add the theme to it and put together a little craft for them for mutual next week.  So fun!

Rockets!

The "men" in this family created straw rockets!  You make a rocket, attach it to a straw, and blow your rocket across the room.  The most excitement we've had all winter!

 

 

 

I tried to get some action shots of the rockets flying through the air.  This was the best I could come up with.

 

Fun!

Purple

My mom dressed me today in all purple.  It's my favorite color.

Then she made me stand on the fireplace so she could take a picture.

 

I don't want her to take so many pictures of me all the time so I'm covering my face.

 

But just to make sure she's still there, I'll peek around my hands a little bit.

 

Wait.  Is that a dog running through our yard?

And Now, Winter

I had a lovely time taking these pictures.  Even though it was 0 degrees.  Not exaggerating.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reflections

Happy New Year!  I took this outside West Yellowstone, Montana on December 30 while Jason was driving.

Memories of 2012, compiled by everybody during FHE last night:

-saying goodbye to Jason's dad, Grandpa Bear, in March.
-selling our home in Texas.
-being homeless for five months.
-all the wildlife we saw while staying in Big Sky for a month...2 bears, a moose, a fox, a mouse, bighorn sheep.
-buying a new home in Montana.
-Jacob earning his Arrow of Light.
-spending the summer in California.
-Jason graduating from residency.
-Jason passing his dermatology boards.
-Blaser reunion in Idaho.
-presidential election (which I'd like to forget).
-new missionary ages announced by President Monson.
-Christiana becoming potty-trained.
-welcoming our new elf.
-going to Disneyland with cousins and my sister.
-Jacob getting into skateboarding and golf.
-Jimmy learning new tricks in math.
-Jacob learning a new way to do division.
-new school.
-new job.
-Jacob playing the flute.

Driving we've accomplished:

In March - San Antonio, Texas to Rexburg, Idaho to Simi Valley, California to San Antonio, Texas.
In the summer - San Antonio, Texas to Simi Valley, California to Bozeman, Montana.
In November (Jason) - San Antonio, Texas to Bozeman, Montana to Salt Lake City, Utah to Bozeman, Montana.
At Christmas - Bozeman, Montana to St. George, Utah to Bozeman, Montana.
TOTAL HIGHWAY MILES COMBINED: 10,262
Fun Fact #1 ... 10,000 miles is 40% of the distance around the Earth's equator.
Fun Fact #2 ... From London UK to Sydney, Australia, or Los Angeles to Cape Town, South Africa is about 10,000 miles.

Gospel lesson from all this madness:

2012 was not our favorite year.  But Heavenly Father blessed us with safety.  He watched over us.  He helped us.  Sometimes it takes looking back to see the Lord's hand, His tender mercies towards us.  He was there.  We recognize it and we are grateful.