One thing were good at....

Everybody has to be good at something and we are no exception to that rule: WE are good at getting injured, lets say a little accident prone. Here's a picture of Easton's shoulder....is that normal?

Because we didn't have enough to do....

Because we had some spare time on our hands, Christmas morning Reid surprised the family with a puppy. She's a yellow lab. We named her Tanna, after the island Quinn is on. She's adorable and playful and messy. She pees a lot and barks a lot and whines a lot. But she is hard to resist. We were never too good at potty training, apparently you can't teach an old dog new tricks, we are still not very good. Anybody have any good ideas?





It was a fun christmas. Jordan got a new shotgun. Safety first, right? Kenzie got some new kicks and a karoke game for XBOX 360 call 'Lips'. I highly recommend it. Good job, SANTA! Easton got snowboarding gear and a pass to Mission Ridge.





Unfortunately this is a picture of Easton the day after Christmas....4 runs down the mountain, one seperated shoulder....so much for the pass. It was fun while it lasted.

'Twas the night before Christmas......

'Twas the night before Christmas and all thru the house
Every creature was stirring, yes even the spouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that our friends and family soon would be there....



The children were definetly not snuggled in their beds,
But visions of feasting was swirling in their heads.
And me in my apron and pa in his cap
Were dreaming of settling down for a long winter's nap....

Good Friends + Good Food = Good Day

Lots of snow meant it was time for sledding....we tried pulling tubes behind the truck and tractor---scary! We tried hiking up the sand dunes---exhausting! So our good friends The Lawsons came to the rescue with their snowmobiles. We celebrated Vicki's '29th' birthday with some good food and a fun game of bowling after....


Caitlynn and Kenzie


Caleb (aka Spiderman)


Caitlynn, Jordan and Kenzie


Easton


Reid and I
Billy brought the hat back from Russia-MINK!



Me in Quinn's LeBron coat-a good fit right?


Vicki with Caitlynn and Kenzie
Just for the record---I beat Mackenzie and Vickie beat Caitlynn. Feels good at our age.



Kenzie's score wasn't too high---but she definetly had the most creative form....


The whole group!


Thanks for a fun time Lawsons....and Thanks for the friendship!

I'll be home for christmas, if only in my dreams...

Christmas 1990

My Dad's been gone 12 Christmas', and I still miss him so much. Mom and him always dressed in red and green, now just mom. It's pretty adorable and just makes the holiday. If its a BYU game, she's in Cougar Blue...and if it's christmas, she's in red and green.


Cousins on Christmas Eve 1993


Angels in the Nativity Pageant 1990



Wait....is that facial hair? I spent all day begging Jordan to shave. Like father like son.

Christmas Eve 1988 at Grandpa and Grandma Jewkes


It's Christmas Eve day and I'm thinking of years past. We are missing Quinn (2nd year in Fiji) and Danielle (1st year with Andre's). We have lots of snow and I've spent the last two days baking. The kids are out on on deliveries and every once in a while there is a knock on the door with a delivery for us. (Still expecting one more present for kenzie...). The family will be here tonight for the Baker tradition of Clam Chowder and reenacting the Nativity. (No one really knows why we have clam chowder, but Ardath used to make it for Christmas Eve and so the christmas tradition goes....) We will have rolls and stuffed mushrooms and cheese ball and lots of treats. Tonight we have invited the missionaries hoping that in Tanna someone is feeding Quinn. Tomorrow we will get to talk to him, but it will be after Christmas for him, so we made a quick call today at noon (7:00 a.m. Tanna time) to sing 'We Wish You A Merry Christmas", I think we surprised him. It's hard to be away from the ones you love at Christmas so I just wanted Danielle (Tyler) and Quinn to know you are with us in spirit. We will be thinking of you and you will be in every prayer. Enjoy your Christmas and know that you are loved.


Matching CLOTHES----Us moms do it, because we CAN!





Do they get any cuter than this?

Let It Snow, let it snow, let it snow...

The weather outside is frightful, but the mall is so delightful,
So if you'll let me shop all day, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.




That was the plan. Thursday, Peggy and I headed to Spokane to go shopping. She had to pick up her exchange student at the airport in the afternoon and we both were WAY BEHIND on our christmas shopping. WE drove david's car (rear wheel drive---he said we'd be fine....) and headed to the city. It started to snow about Ritzville, the snow was coming down and the roads were packed with snow and ice. It took us over 3 hours to get there. (Should have been our first clue). Second clue-all the semi's pulled over on the side of the road, chaining up. First stop was 'Toys R Us'....but there was a hill and lots of snow and the car began to spin and slip. Two nice gentlemen stopped to give us a push.....20 minutes later they pushed us into a gas station. They asked us where we were going and firmly told us we should stop for some wine, wait out the storm and that we would NEVER get to the airport. So we changed our direction and headed down to the freeway (the nice men thought) but really to the Valley Mall. The car got stuck again (clue number 3) and the men pushed us through the intersection through the light. We drove down the hill to the mall. We decided we would park, go in the mall, try to get chains at Sears, do our shopping and hope the storm would lift. (We decided to forego the wine, even in an emergency). As we headed into the mall we noticed the gates down on many stores....turns out the mall was closing in 10 minutes because of the storm, so was the theatre and the restaurants. What are the chances of being stuck in a mall? Nowhere to go? But its closed!

Out to the car we went (no gloves, no snow boots, or hats--I had a coat, Peggy did not). Sears was closed, no chains, we got in the car and got stuck again as we pulled out of the parking lot. I tried pushing.... A news van came by and was filming the snow and cars and asked if he could give us a push. He and I (okay, mostly him) pushed the car back into a parking space. We asked for a ride to the closest hotel. They gave us one and then an interview and we checked into one of the last rooms at the hotel. They offered us a toothbrush and thank heavens some light appetizers in the evening. We WATCHED lots of TV and two movies, and laughed and talked. I had come prepared with a bag of mint m & m's. We slept in our clothes and and hairdo's and our make-up.... The hotel shuttle gave us a ride back to the mall in the morning when it opened. Reid and James came up and took David's car's home and we shopped all day and drove my suburban home. It was an adventure and I was so glad to be with such a good friend. People at the mall were recognizing us from the news story the day before---"Was it the same clothes? or the bad hairdo's? Who knows....?'

And to all my Molahiettes that have been praying all week for a snow day....just remember that Heavenly Father answers prayers in ways we never expect...Friday, no practice, an answer to a simple prayer.

A christmas tradition

Christmas 1982-Christmas pajamas from my mom and dad

One of our christmas traditions is new pajamas opened on christmas eve. It started years ago, too many to say, when I was little and we opened christmas pajamas. I have added the tradition of giving the kids an ornament with their pajamas. The funny thing about this was it took the kids about 5-6 years to realize that the one present they got to open on christmas eve was going to be pajamas. It's now changed into somewhat of a race to see how quick they can open the pajamas and change into them. Everyone use to run and scramble and come back with their pajamas on, but the boy's have gotten much less modest with time and so they quickly yell out, 'Don't look!' and strip wherever they opened their present. Needless to say, they always win. We then rehang our stockings and set a plate of cookies and a glass of milk next to the fireplace for Santa.

A couple more pictures from our very first christmas together...