Happy 2017!

Happy Birthday to Daddy and Happy New Year 2017!

Celebrating with ice cream cones, cheese and crackers

Time to play our traditional birthday game of Acquire with Daddy

The board never gets this full!

Look at that giant pile of things we are getting rid of by the door.

The girls are ready to give up these little cardboard hearts they painted when they were little.

The Walsh's grandbaby Briella stayed with us for a day. The girls loved having a live doll to play with. I like how both of their church purses are in this picture. Rachel has always had a thing for shiny silver bags, while Sarah likes ones with a little darker quality or bronze metals.

The week after New Years we went down to Phoenix for Tyler's law conference at the Tempe Mission Palms. We went a little early so we could go to the Phoenix Temple. Our friends the Abeggs joined us there and the kids played in the car while we attended a beautiful session.

We headed next to check out a car we were thinking of buying...and bought it.

2004 Kia Sorento pros: comfy for Mom's back, fits 5 boogie boards and luggage

Then we headed out to see our dear friend Carroll Williams. He is almost 101 and so very sweet.

He was a music teacher and loves to have Sarah come play her violin for him. They are special friends.

Then we used our Christmas gift card from Uncle Brett to eat at Olive Garden. The kids got so full that the food lasted us all the next day.

Tyler thought he would be super tough and eat the jalapeno.

We checked into the hotel and enjoyed the heated pool and hot tub.

Having a workout in the gym.

Another Tough Guy

Snuggling in for a movie.

The car needed some work done, so while Tyler was in classes we took our new Kia to the mechanic's and spent a long time at the pet shop nearby.

We also got spent time at the Goodwill in Tempe. It had great church skirts for us and a few things the kids needed for school.

I think these photos of our house are funny, but a good memory. I got such a redecorate bug in me and wanted to change everything up and take pictures.

The silver vase and yellow flowers are new. 

This gold frame was discarded by Sara Peterson, it brightens up this very brown fireplace.

This bedspread was new for Christmas, I ended up liking the lamps best in our room on the nightstands. I especially like the cozy feel it gives at night without the ceiling fan light on, and facilitates late night reading when I can't sleep.

The traditional take down the tree day. Due to our trip it stayed up a lot longer than usual.

I spend a lot of time with Bronwynn helping her declutter and organize. Rachel hangs with these cuties and Adam plays with Jace.

Adam's room, mommy snuggling her little buddy. Adam got that Minion he is holding for Christmas. I bought it at Goodwill and had in washing in the glass fronted machine. When he got home from school the minion had made it's way forward and his face was pressed to the glass looking right at Adam as he spun around, not very sneaky of me.

Daddy snuggles too.

Sarah got sick, so the girls watched a girly movie,

While the boys enjoyed sports, with Cheetos.

Sick Sarah, trying to get through schoolwork.

Rachel doing her schoolwork.

Sarah practicing while Adam plays Hotwheels.

I taught a lot of seminary during this time. My friend Bronwynn's husband Ryan had the calling, but needed to study for board exams, so 2-4 times a week I taught so he could study. More as the test approached. I love teaching teens the gospel. It's New Testament this year. After seminary I go to Bronwynn's house and change into workout gear for our personal training session, then grab a quick shower and head to Sara Peterson's house to organize and declutter with her. I sure keep busy.