First Half of January 2021

 We celebrated actual New Year's Eve with the Garner side while we stayed over in SLC. We slept over at the James's house and played games and watched movies till midnight! Then when we came home, we made sure we measured the kids on the door we brought from the Riverton house and watched "It's a Wonderful Life" together.  The next day, to help us ease back into school, the kids worked on their kiwi crates, and Richie created a whole new realm of possibility by propping the ladder up against the house and the tramp under it! 

Miles received the Priesthood! It was different than I thought it would be. I thought it would be a bigger family event with many men we love standing around Miles. Unfortunately, lack of advance notice, Mom's health issues, and our distance from everyone prohibited that. But the priesthood is still the priesthood, even if it's just our own little family with a member of the bishopbric we don't really know yet. I am regretting not doing more to prepare him, but Miles understands the gravity of this new phase of life pretty well already. He was asked to be in the Deacon's quorum presidency and was so taken aback at the invitation, he said he needed time to think about it first, because he didn't want to accept if he was going to do a bad job. So he studied up for a week and then accepted and was set apart. Bless that boy. We decided to have all the decon's quorum over for a movie night so they could all get to know each other a bit, which was a big hit. There's quite a few boys, so I'm hoping Miles makes some good friends here. 

Gwen got her splits! Go Gwen! She's been working really hard in her Acro class and making good progress. 

As one of her goals last year, Gwen decided to grow our her hair and then cut it to donate. It was finally long enough just barely, and she chopped it! She says she wants to keep growing it out and donating it over and over again. Bless her. 

Happy Moments dancing in the school room

School Scenes

Homestead Scenes

2020 Book Lists

 Books I Read with the Kids

*Fantastic Mr. Fox- Rhoad Dahl
*I survived- Grizzy Bear Attacks at Glacier National Park
*Ivy and Bean-One big Happy Family
*Nancy Drew- Clock Mystery
*Call it Courage- Armstrong Sperry
*101 Dalmations
*Complete Works of Beatrix Potter (re-read)
*The Secret Garden- Frances Hodgson Burnett
*Caddie Woodlawn
*Ghost- Jason Reynolds
*Alice in Wonderland- Lewis Carol
*A Bad Beginning- Lemony Snickett
*The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise- Dan Gemeinhart
*The Rithmatist- Brian Sanderson
*Little House in the Big Woods- Laura Ingalls Wilder
*Little Britches- Ralph Moody
*Percy Jackson: Lightning Thief- Rick Riordan
*Patina- Jason Reynolds
*Sunny- Jason Reynolds
*Farmer Boy- Laura Ingalls Wilder
*Harriet the Spy
*Ella Enchanted
*The Golden Goblet
*Polyanna

Books I read in 2020

*Educated- Tara Westover

*Motherhood Realized: Power of Moms

*Everyday Millionaire- Chris Hogan

*More Than Enough- Miranda Anderson

*Before We were Yours- Lisa Wingate

*Lady Jane

*Simplicity Parenting

*Where'd you Go Bernadette?

*The Magnolia Story- Chip and Joanna Gaines

*Girl, Wash your Face- Rachel Hollis

*Salt to the Sea- Ruda Sepety

*The Bookish Life of Nina Hill- Abby Waxman

*The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper- Phaedra Patrick

*The Bookwoman of Troublesome Creek

*Bossy Pants - Tina Fey

*The Girl on the Train- Paula Hawkins

*Where the Crawdads Sing- Delia Owens

*The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie- Alan Bradley

*Dear Mr. Knightley- Katherine Reay

*The Good News About Bad Behavior- Katherine Lewis

*The Layered Garden- David Culp

*These is My Words

*Better Than Before- Gretchen Rubin

*Just Mercy- Brain Stevenson

*French Kids Eat Everything

*Wishing You Well- David Baldacci

*Lovely War- Julie Berry

*Boys Adrift

*Come as you Are

SLC/SG Christmas Trip 2020

 We made it to Bluffdale in time for Christmas Day dinner with the Garner clan. We had delicious food and opened more presents! And these were the only 4 pictures I took! Ah!This trip was more about SG though, so even though SLC was mostly just for sleeping over this time to break up the trip, we were grateful we were able to spend any time with the Garner side too.

Excuse the major photo dump, but with my mom's illness progressing, even the smallest moments are becoming increasingly precious. These are some of the everyday moments while in SG. 

My 2 favorites, without hesitation, are Benson cuddled up with Grandma and Grandpa on the couch. Mom and Dad read on the couch nightly before bed. After we had the kids tucked in bed one night, Richie and I snuck out for a walk. We came home to find that Benson had been scared downstairs, and fell asleep cuddling Grandma to the sound of Grandpa's voice reading. 

2nd favorite was finding Miles and my Dad jamming to some sweet tunes. Miles was very excited to have his own device to have his own music on. So in Bluffdale, he asked his uncles to put some of their favorites on his MP3 player. In SG, he asked his cousins and his Grandpa. I don't know who liked it more, Miles or my Dad. My Dad loves sharing his favorite music, and Miles just ate it all up. I think those 2 have a special bond. 

Even while she battles cancer, Mom couldn't help herself and planned another grandkids sleepover, even though she said last year was her last one. :) She had it all planned out, and then her plans were thrown for a loop when the doctors told her she would need more radiation, and traditional chemo this time around. So she divyed up the responsibilities between Adrienne and Jenn, and while the sleepover part was less traditional this time, everyone still had a blast. I know they are grateful now, but one day, my kids will really realize how incredibly blessed they are to be surrounded by such a loving, supportive, creative hard working, and optimistic family. Mom can't do a party without a theme of course. This year's theme was "The Grinch who Saved Christmas". We each donated presents to a family in need previous to the sleepover. We had a Grinch themed breakfast, made grinch ornaments, went on a hike up aspiration trail and left our grinch painted rocks, did a Grinch themed escape room, watched the movie, and my kids slept over at the Lamb's one night. So.Much. Fun.

Saved the best picture for last!