Sledding at Soldier Hollow

My Dad's BYU ward went sledding the other night at Soldier Hollow, he invited us and the kids to go with them. we've never been before so we decided to go. It was so much fun the kids had a ball!

There is a tow rope that pulls you to the top of the hill, the kids thought this was just as much fun as actually going down the big hills

This is Ellie her first time down the hill. She was so scared, but after the first time down she wouldn't stay off.
So Rick and I were at the top of the hill and we started wondering where the kids were? they all came out of the lodge at different times with different people. We found all of them but Mazie, then as we were talking I see her red coat going down the hill and get back in line for the tow rope. After we got to the bottom we stood there until she came down again. It was the funniest thing, here comes these two boys first, then her, then we hear them saying wait for Mazie? then they were helping her to the tow rope. after they saw us I asked mazie who her friends were, she had no idea! just two nice boys, they said she was looking for someone to pull her in her tube to the tow rope so she didn't have to get out. Then they were off again to get in line. It was just so funny to see them being so cute with her. Only Mazie would make new friends with strangers, so she didn't have to pull her own tube.

Yes Andrew is wearing a purple snow suit, Ellie out grew hers last year so they had to trade

They all were a sleep no more then 5 minutes after we got in the car to leave

Turning 30 wasn't so bad

I have to admit I was feeling a little sorry for my self about turning 3o, I know it's silly, everyone will eventually do it, many of my good friends already have. I guess I have no room to complain. So the night of my birthday Rick and I took off for a weekend get away to San Francisco! it worked out perfect because he had some things at the Dental School he wanted to do, it was so much fun to be back, hard to believe it's almost been 5 years since we left. We spent most of our time doing the typical tourist things. Rick was always at school when I would do stuff around the city with visitors so it was lots of fun to be there with just him! Being back in the city brought back so many good memories, it did make me a little sad to think about all the fun we use to have, and how much I miss those school days, and all the good friends I made. This city will always be one of my favorites!

Fisherman's wharf and pier 39 were always favorite places to take any visitors we had, it was so much fun to go back and see all the things we use to do


Madi use to love to go the pier to watch the Sea Lions, there weren't as many this time of year as we've seen before, but it brought back so many good memories!

I don't think there was a time we went to the Pier that we didn't get these hot little donuts, we love them!

Who doesn't love the bush guy? this guy has been doing the same thing in the same place since we moved there, almost 8 years ago. it's funny to watch him scare people time and time again.

I have the BEST husband in the world! thanks for such a fun weekend Rick

Build A Bear

For the second year in a row the kids have gotten build A Bear gift cards from Aunt Jear and Grandma and Grandpa Courtney (Or as Andrew likes to call them the new Grandma and Grandpa. Because he was only about 7 months old when they left on their mission he didn't remember them, so when they came home they were new to him, thus the name the new Grandma and Grandpa.) The kids have loved this fun new tradition!

Merry Christmas

This just might be my longest Blog yet. It's taken me a few weeks to get back in the swing of things since Christmas, I don't know if it was having the kids at home that threw me off or what, but we're back! We had a great Christmas, the kids enjoyed the time off from school and we all loved having Rick around a little more. A few years ago we were getting frustrated with the kids on Christmas Eve because they were out of control with excitement. We decided we had to do something with them, so we started going bowling in the afternoon. We had fun this year with Kris & Kecia and the girls and Tysen & Chris and Ava.

After Bowling we headed to the Leishman's first, we ate and told Christmas stories. The kids opened 1 Christmas present, strange thing it's New pajamas every year, but they love this tradition.

Then on to my parents house. Every year my Mom and Dad have fun games for the kids to play, we started out with Christmas Bingo

Who doesn't love a good fish pond? Ellie got a little paint set, Christmas morning she wasn't happy with what she got, all she wanted was her paint set from the fish pond. Had I known that was all it took to make her happy, it would have saved my lots of money and time!

The Candy bar game is one of every bodies favorite! you have lots of good candy bars in the middle of the circle, we take turns rolling the dice, depending on what you get you either get to take a candy or you have to put it back etc. It's always funny because some of the little kids get attached to their candy and cry or something if they loose it, I know it sounds mean but it's lots of good laughs!

Cute little boys!

We had a great Christmas mornig. for the second year in a row we have stayed at our own house, we've enjoyed spend Christmas morning with our little family. The kids didn't even get up that early, I think it was like 8:00

I feel like the kids opened gifts all day, Santa in the morning, Grandma Pat and Grandpa Courtney and Leishman cousins in the afternoon. And my family and cousins the next day.
We had such a fun Christmas day with so many fun things going on. We feel very lucky to be around so many people we love!

We had a fun new years eve, with friends, games, lots of good food, and a little Guitar Hero competition, Our litle friend Emma rocked the house!

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Happy New Year !