Winter Wonderland

This December sure has been white!  It started without much snow like this.

And this.

Then one morning we woke and and got to do this!  We inherited a sweet snow blower when we bought this house and last year there was no need to use it.  We've definitely gotten use out of it this year.

It was an absolutely beautiful winter wonderland with more snow to come.  I could not get enough!

Timmy spent hours and hours playing and shoveling and enjoying the white stuff.

Even the animals seemed excited about it.  All except the cat who stays curled up in his barn bed.

Brian had to wait all the way until Friday when he had short day at school to really get out there and play during daylight hours.

Then of course we headed to the park for some sledding!  The kids didn't want to go home.

Oh what fun it is to ride a one kid open sled!  I love having real seasons!  It is one of my favorite things about living in Utah.

Thanksgiving 2015

We had some of Mark's family and our friend Johnny over for Thanksgiving this year.  It was fun and delicious despite the fact that I ruined the green bean casserole. Thankfully Mark was willing to take charge of the turkey. He got down to business spatchcocking, brining and cooking it.

The boys helped set the table and cleaned for guests.

Guests arrived and so did the food!

And we ate and ate and ate.  Mark and Johnny both cooked a turkey and they both were delicious.

Next time I will leave more room for dessert!

November 2015

November brought our one year anniversary of living in this house.  I spent time reflecting on this amazing place we live and what was happening and how it all looked at this time last year.  It has been the most blessed and wonderfully busy year.  I love November and the attitude of gratitude that comes with this beautiful month. I have never been happier and more grateful in my life and I hope that no matter where I am or under what circumstances I can always remember to whom I owe everything - my Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ.  I am currently in the most choice and special circumstances I could ever dream of and I am grateful everyday.

November could definitely be called the month of the horses.  The first week in November our neighbors got three of their friends horses from Oakley to stay the winter at their place.  It was so fun to meet these new neighbors and anticipate getting my parent's horses for the winter.

 Then just a few days later we got Frankie and Ahab!  It has been all about these guys since then and so much fun!

Mark got the horse drinker done in the nick of time. 

Frankie figured out how to push the paddle down for water right away and he taught Ahab how to use it.  The goats took a little longer to figure it out but they finally got it down and everyone is happy with fresh water that doesn't freeze.

There was a lot of work going on in this month.  One afternoon I looked out the window to see Timmy cleaning up the leaves and pine needles all without me asking.  He is so cute.  In the background you can see the barn partially painted.  We finally got a warm enough and not windy day to get that baby painted.

We painted it gray with white trim in order to avoid painting the brick and cement on the sides and still have it match somewhat.

At the end of November Mark finished two more barn doors.  So I need to wait until warm enough weather to get those painted to match the others.

Mark built three slow hay feeders, one for the goats and two for the horses.  They have been working great!  Feeding is so convenient now!

Seeing Timmy out with the animals in our backyard is just the best.

And it made me so happy to see this tack nicely organized in my barn.

The boys helped Mark with some projects.  They both have a drill in this picture removing screws from the old doors.

November snow brought lots of fun and play outside.

We went to our friends and had a mini recital.  Brian and his friend were so cute playing a song together.

At the beginning of the month Mark gave the boys much needed hair cuts!  I love how he can cut their hair.

The boys participated in the church primary program and did a perfect job.  They are so cute to watch up there singing their little hearts out.

Mark's primary class made him a thank you card even before they knew he was going to be called as the first counselor in the bishopric.  Most of them bawled their eyes out when they learned he was not going to be their teacher anymore.

We played more in the hayloft and the cat decided he really likes in up there.

We also painted the boys bathroom in November.  It went from this. . .

. . .to this!  So. much. better.

During the Thanksgiving Holiday we took the boys ice skating for the first time.  

Most of the time was spent like this for them, but they got better by the end.

Brian especially figured it out and was going so fast I could barely keep up.

November ended with Thanksgiving and then ushering in the Christmas season!