FEBRUARY

The weekend of February 1st-2nd was our Stake Conference in which they announced several weeks earlier that they would be reorganizing our Stake Presidency.  Two weeks before our current Stake President called and made an appt. to come visit AJ one Sunday evening for a private conversation and to set him up with an apppointment to meet with Elder Hallstrom and Elder Dewsnup on Saturday morning along with Bishops, High Councilman and anyone else the Stake Pres. felt should have an appointment. AJ had his interview and they tell you to be by a phone (possibly waiting for a phone call) .  Well we just hung around took naps and finally around 2:20 pm I walked into the kitchen and said I think you are safe. As soon as I finished saying that AJ's cell phone rang.  They wanted to meet with both of us.  I hurriedly got dressed.  I think both of our stomachs dropped and we just hugged each other and went not knowing what to expect.

They had me go in first and Elder Hallstrom and Elder Dewsnup interviewed me and then I went out and they had AJ go in.  While I was sitting in the waiting area the Goffs walked in and so I knew it was to be a counselor.  They then had me go in again.  (AJ still had no idea that it was to be a counselor at this point). However, after a few minutes they then extended the call to AJ to be First Counselor in our new Stake Presidency.  This was a very overwhelming and humbling experience for us.  Grateful to our family who were able to come and support us.

 Ryan Campbell a member of our Stake took this picture of the Old and New Stake Presidency of the West Jordan Utah Mountain View Stake along with Elder Hallstrom and Elder Dewsnup in the center.

Megan took this picture after AJ had been set apart as First Counselor.

This was published in the Church News week of March 9, 2014

 AVA'S GYMNASTICS

 We were able to attend Ava's first gymnastic meet held up in Park City, UT.  She is the second from the left side.  This section of the meet is Level Three because of her age she has to do that level.  In the fall she'll be able to move up to hopefully Level 5. She took first in her division for all-around, first in bars with a 9.6, second in floor, first in beam, first in vault.  She is in the TOPS program and practices M-Th from 4 to 8 pm each day.  And may I say she woke up with an infection and fever that morning but that didn't stop her. She is very determined and loves every minute of it.

                                 Her she is with all of her medals...

                                We're so proud of her.

JANUARY 2014

NEW YEAR'S DAY

        We kept with our tradition of going sledding on New Years Day.  It was really a nice day.  It wasn't super cold.  The ground was hard though and AJ and I are to old....we did it last year and felt it for several days.  I need to get us the tubes and then we can do it.  The hill is great though and I think everyone had a great time.  They all came over and we had appetizers and snack food.  I made meatballs and the little smokies wrapped in bacon with brown sugar over the top.  Oh, they are delicious.  

                                               Myla is thinking about it...

           Cory is like us...his back bothers him to much it's to jarring.

                 Eating time, football, and playing games and nap time.

For the last several years when I go visit teaching each month I make a message card and always take a treat or something special for the ladies I visit with.  The snowman is covering a Symphony Candy Bar.  Those are little striped socks, tied with ribbon and fleece for the scarf.  I have a passion for snowmen anyway, so I think they are so cute.

DECEMBER

I always want a White Christmas and we were fortunate to get a big snowstorm the week before with plenty of cold temps since the first of December.  Two days before Christmas it warmed up to forty-two degrees luckily there was so much snow that we had plenty even with what melted.

The day after our snowstorm we took the grandkids to Thanksgiving point to see the lights and reindeer. It was a noisy but fun time.  We had doughnuts and hot chocolate.

Our Christmas Eve dinner...

 I  made their placemats for coloring and on the back had stickers of the nativity for them to put on.  They really liked that.  I also did it for my primary class.  So I will order those again.

 Megan brought props for our photo shoot...

 I told them we would have a coloring contest and I would give the winner a prize.  So we made 4 different categories and gave them each a dollar bill.

                 Myla, Talon and Ty took part in our Nativity play this year.  Myla is our shepherd.

                                         Ava our angel...

                                            Judson as Joseph...Elsie as Mary

                                    Our three kings - Carter, Talon and Ty...

                                We ended by all singing Silent Night.

 Opening their presents....

                                And on Christmas Eve their new pajamas....

            So they could go home and fall asleep so Santa could come.

 Christmas morning AJ and I got up and went to visit each home so see what they got for Christmas.

                                 Ty is totally into hockey as you can see.

                                  Carter got his Infinity for his xbox.

                                   and Ava got a Barbie dollhouse.

                                Ty ready to be the goalie.

 Now on to Talon and Elsie's.

                                       Elsie's new iPod.

                                               Myla's little kitchen

           Judson also got an iPod but while we were there he was enjoying his dollar store
          stocking stuffer slinky more than anything else.  haha

On Wednesday Christmas day night we went to Temple Square with Court and Krin and then I had Elsie and Ava sleep over and spend the next day here.  Then Thursday night I had Carter and Judson spend the night and stay the next day.

So this ends 2013.  We're excited to see what happens in 2014.....Happy New Year!

NOVEMBER

Krin and I celebrated our birthday's this month. I made a  new recipe called pumpkin pie cake.  I really liked it others not so much. I also make pumpkin chocolate chip cookies for the grandkids.

 Our 35th wedding anniversary fell on a Sunday so we didn't celebrate to much.  We went out to dinner on the Monday after. It has been a wonderful 35 years together.

 It was not our turn for Thanksgiving so when that happens we have everyone over on Wednesday evening for our turkey dinner.

 I always make a coloring placemat for the kids and a favor box.

 We all wrote down things that we were thankful for during 2013 and went around and shared them with everyone.

OCTOBER HAPPENINGS

AJ's HUNT

AJ was able to do something from his bucket list.  He went up to Montana to go bow hunting for an Elk having a guide.  He had a fantastic time, loved every minute and wants to do it again.  Unfortunately, he didn't get anything.  But it still was a most memorable trip.

TY'S BIRTHDAY

Ty turned 3 on Oct. 10th.  We went over to his house to celebrate and see him open his presents.

                                         He loves ice hockey.

TY'S BIRTHDAY FAMILY CELEBRATION 

 Ty is our only October birthday so we celebrated at our house with everyone.

OUR FAMILY PICTURES
We decided it was way beyond time to have a new family picture.  Our last picture taken was eight years ago, when we only had one grandchild and Megan wasn't married yet.  So six more grandchildren and another son-in-law we had a new picture taken this year. And by next year it will be outdated because we will have another grandchild.

                                        AJ and me with all of our grandchildren

HALLOWEEN  

On halloween we went early and visited each family and took pictures of them in their costumes and handed out our candy to them. We started at Cory and Tara's. Here is Ava, Ty and Carter.

 Our next stop was Court and Krins....and we have Elsie and Talon (they look so happy) ha ha

 And last Tyler and Megan's....and we have Judson and Myla. Then we had to hurry home so we could hand out our treats to those that came to our house.