Coke + Mento's = Happy New Year

This year for New Years Eve Cody wanted to try something that he saw on the TV show Mythbusters. Something about putting mento's in your mouth and then drinking coke causes a little explosion. Of course, Cody just had to try this.
We bundled up and went out in below zero weather to test the theory. Sure enough, you can spit coke pretty far if you chew and drink.



Happy New Year everybody!!!

Christmas Vacation-Big Horn Resort

This year Matt had to work the whole ten days of our Christmas vacation. It was very sad not to get to spend time with him. But since he was not at home, we decided to go and visit our Bassett family in Wyoming. As part of the visit, the kids and I drove to The Big Horn Resort in Billings, MT.

The snow started falling and blowing just as we were getting there but that didn't bother us, the Big Horn Resort has a full indoor water park.



We played and swam until we could hardly stand up. Then we ordered pizza and played some more.


It was a great way to spend a stormy, December night.

Christmas Memories

This year was a quiet little Christmas at home. My dad came over for awhile on Christmas Eve and had dinner with us. My mom also came over for a little while Christmas morning and watched the kids follow their strings.

Matthew went a little crazy this year and so Cody was elected to climb up into the hard to reach places.
Brit was so proud of the little pocket watch that was in her stocking. Cody got a new scope and case for the rifle that he got this summer. And Jaycee didn't open much as she got her new Droid cell phone in November.
However, on our shopping expedition on Black Friday grandma Jo got her some boots that she really had been wanting. Everything looked ok when we left the store but when Jaycee opened them on Christmas morning she ended up with two left boots, one brown size 7 and one black size 8. We all had a pretty good laugh over this and bless grandma Jo's heart, she sent her a new matching pair on Monday.
One other thing that we got was a metal detector. Brit and Matthew have been wanting one for a long time and they can't wait until the snow melts so that they can go find hidden treasure at the beach.
Our Christmas was really good this year. The thing that we enjoyed the most was just being together.

To Santa Love, Britnee

Every year since Britnee was old enough to write, she has been writing letters to Santa. Sometime in the last year or two, she found out the whole Santa secret, but that hasn't slowed her down at all. She just writes different letters.

This year, it was very important that Santa have a few of his favorite goodies as he stayed up late to fill the stockings at our house. Egg Nog was left in a goblet, and a gift with 25 Reese's treats was wrapped and left on a table that Brit set up in the front room.

The letter reads: "Dear Santa, How are you. I hope you like candy instead of cookies. I'll have a glass of Egg Nog on this table. Look up at your present. Love, Britnee"Boo" McMullin. Take a sit down."
I love Britnee's giving little heart and pray that she never grows to old to give and to believe in the magic of Christmas.

A Traditional Christmas Program

This year was Britnee's last performance in the annual Elementary program. She got to sing Frosty The Snowman and was the Traffic Cop.

Britnee and her friends: Jessica Bateman, Kaylee Smart, Brit, Haylie Eborn, and Kori Passey

Sadly, the picture with Cody and his friends was lost somewhere in cyberspace. We'll catch him next year.

Gardner Village Christmas

For my birthday this year, Candice invited me to go to Gardner Village. It had been awhile since I'd spent some time with my Brit, so I brought her along as well.

We walked through all the little shops and oohed and awed at all the Christmas decorations. When we were done there, we went and had lunch at the Cheesecake Factory.

We drove back through Logan and did a little Christmas shopping there, got some yummy Ice Cream at Sub Zero and drove home. It was a really fun way to spend my birthday.

Spiritually Fed

This weekend was Stake Conference and it was one that I'll never forget. Our visiting Priesthood were Elder Fisher from the seventy and Elder Bednar from the twelve. Both the adult session on Saturday night and the general session on Sunday were indescribable.
I was asked to say the closing prayer at the Sunday session so I was invited to sit on the stand. That was just fine with me as I got a soft seat with no distractions. Both men was wonderful and I could've have listened to each for several more hours.
The one thing that I was able to get is a copy of the poem that Elder Fisher shared on Sunday morning. I'm surprised that I haven't heard it before because it is quickly became one of my favorites.

The Oak Tree

by Johnny Ray Ryder Jr.

A mighty wind blew night and day It stole the oak tree's leaves away Then snapped its boughs and pulled its bark Until the oak was tired and stark But still the oak tree held its ground While other trees fell all around The weary wind gave up and spoke. How can you still be standing Oak? The oak tree said, "I know that you Can break each branch of mine in two. Carry every leaf away Shake my limbs, and make me sway. But I have roots stretched in the earth Growing stronger since my birth You'll never touch them, for you see They are the deepest part of me. Until today, I wasn't sure Of just how much I could endure But now I've found, with thanks to you I'm stronger than I ever knew."

Ugly Sweater Bash

Last night was our annual Ugly Sweater Christmas Party. Because of scheduling conflicts not many were able to come, but those of us who did had a great time.

We bar-b-qued hamburgers, played the Animal game and watched a movie.

Brookell bought our sweaters and I love mine. I'm keeping it and will probably pull it out next year. Thanks guys for an awesome party.

Gingerbread Makers

This morning we got up and decided to take out the gingerbread kit and create this years masterpiece. The bread was a little stale and some of the candies were stuck together but we did our best to make that little house.

About an hour later, Cody had lost interest and the house would cave in only minutes after we put it up. One whole side broke into several unrepairable pieces that super glue couldn't even touch. So we got out the big guns, (aka Elmer's Glue, because who really eats these things anyway?) We glued and glued and used Cody's wood blocks for support, and iced over the top so unless I wrote about it on the blog, you'd never know that it wasn't just a few squirts of well placed icing.

Everyone got really interested in the candy placing part and if you don't look too close, I think we were able to pull it off. Well, kind of. The kids had fun though, we made some memories, and that's the most important anyway!!

California Dreamin'

This weekend my friend, Celeste and I, flew to San Diego. My dad had given me a travel voucher and so even though it wasn't the best timing, we couldn't let it go to waste. We stayed with my great uncle Avrille and great aunt Maureen.
On Thursday night we went on a dinner cruise in the San Diego bay. They had music and dancing to accompany our yummy meal. The harbor had several of the ships lit with Christmas lights that were fun to see.

On Friday we braved I-5 and drove to Knott's Berry Farm up by Disneyland. Celeste is pretty adventurous and somehow talked me into going on every roller coaster in the park. We didn't have to stand in hardly any lines and the weather was perfect. For lunch we ate at the world famous chicken restaurant, and after exhausting ourselves, drove back down to San Diego.

On Saturday we scoped out Legoland. I was completely amazed at all the things one can build with Lego's but surprisingly, the rides were geared toward a much younger crowd than the two of us. Crazy huh!

I couldn't resist getting my picture taken with the famous Hagrid. I could have happily brought home every Harry Potter Lego set had I the room in my bags. (Oh, and lots and lots of money.)

We went to Sea World on Saturday afternoon. The weather turned a bit chilly so we didn't ride any of the "get ya wet" rides that are probably a lot of fun in the summer, but the dolphin show was pretty neat. We didn't feel that we had seen enough Sea World so on Monday we tried to go back for another round, but they wouldn't honor our passes. :(

On Sunday, we went to church at the deaf branch with Avrille and Maureen, spent some time exploring Old Town San Diego and then went to see the temple in the evening when the lights were on. A picture can not even do justice to how beautiful and peaceful it was.

On Monday we drove over to Coronado island, (where I discovered I could very happily live), Mission Beach, Imperial Beach, Belmont Park, and even had time to go to the mall and see a movie.
I thoroughly enjoyed our little mini-vacation to San Diego. My only sad thing was that I didn't have my kids with me. They would have loved it. I guess I'll just have to go back and take them with me.