January 2026

 

The new year and the break from school brought some time for the boys to go skiing together at Brighton. I have loved the photos and videos they bring home. Brian edited the photo above from this one below. Both are beautiful.

Some of the photos and video give me mini heart attacks though. I just pray the boys stay safe!

I really enjoyed their ski photos and videos because I could not go skiing at that time. A few days before the new year, I had a small surgery. I had to go under with general anesthetic for this surgery and I really struggled to recover from the anesthesia. For weeks I felt like I could not function properly. My mind was so incredibly fuzzy and I couldn't make sense of anything. I was very emotional and depressed. It actually scared me a bit. I was so worried I would never be okay again. It has been over a month and I think I still have some effects, but things are improving, which I am very grateful for.   

Both the boys were asked to the Sweetheart's Dance by their good friends. Mia asked Timmy with this poster and candy.

Aida asked Brian with tennis balls all over the yard and candy and a poster.

Mark went fishing with John.

I finally made it up to the slopes with Timmy. While Timmy went off zooming down the hard runs, I took my time on the familiar easy runs to try to get my strength back after surgery. I thoroughly enjoyed the sunset and getting out of the city smog.

Timmy was ordained by Mark to the office of priest because he will be 16 this year. He did an incredible job of blessing the sacrament the first time. Congratulations, Timmy! So proud of you!

At school, January was full with Colts are Great preparation. Colts are Great is the school's traditional spirit week where Student Government works hard to get donations. Students earn prizes throughout the week by dressing up and doing great things. I liked that this year we used tickets in a locked box out in the front entrance.

Brian had his Senior Night at swimming where all the seniors were honored. Brian joined swim last year and has become an important part of the team. I am so impressed with his willingness to join a sport he had never participated in before. We love his coach, Ron.

 Someone on the team made him a sign.

Timmy answered his his friend that asked him to Sweethearts with this fish poster and snacks.

Brian answered his friend by getting Mark to help him take the truck up the canyon, load it up full of snow, and pile the snow in front of her house while she was gone. The sign read "There's SNOW-body I would rather go with to Sweethearts than you!  YES!" Aida and her sister had to shovel it all away to even get in to their house. 

The beginning of year back at school was also the beginning of a new semester. Brian has a free period to work on an online class. I enjoy having him in my room with me while I work!

Mark got his mom a nice plant stand. Timmy helped put it together and the Mark helped rearrange it again to fit all her plants.

The end of the month brought a year since we lost our friend Ben to suicide. We miss him and still grieve his loss and mourn with his family. His mom sent us this as a way to remember him. We enjoyed leveling up our Ben-ness.

At school we had to get ready for the Colts are Great Assembly. One activity was a wig snatching game. Brian was finding wigs in our closets and trying them on.

Mark got a huge box of amazing rib eye steaks. Here he and Timmy are so happy about the sous vide/seared results.

The boys went to do baptisms for the dead at the temple. They gave me these looks when I asked for pictures in their nice clothes.

We have been working on Brian's mission papers. He had to have a TB test done and then a picture sent to his doctor. 

Then the Colts are Great Assembly happened! It was a great success and so fun! We had hundreds of vouchers to give out and some great prizes!

The next day Brian had his region swim meet up in Heber. I was able to go up and watch all four of his events. He swam the 50 free, 100 free, 200 free relay, and the 400 free relay. He had good times! It was really fun to watch his last swimming event in high school!

His friend Jaxon is 2nd in state right now!

Not Pictured in January 2026

-Hot pot dinner with the Cookes

-BYU Scholarship Applications and Essays for Brian

-Jenny teach Relief Society

-Meetings for our upcoming Ecuador Trip

-Stake families over for pizza dinner

-Work, church, school

December 2025

Here's our Christmas card again to start December.

The SBOs decided to make a Christmas card as well. So cute!

Student Government decided to ask for donations for the Gold Rush Charity fundraiser at some of the basketball games and concerts. Here's some of the boys counting the cash in the faculty room. They are such great kids.

The Freshmen decided for their lunch fundraiser that they would use the splash tower and do soak a Freshman. People paid to soak them in cold water.

One Saturday we helped with the Christmas Extravaganza. Taking and organizing donated items for student at Cottonwood.

Then it was the Sami Claus party at the ranch!

We had the CHOICE Jr Board over for their holiday party and gift exchange. They are a great group of kids.

Mark was asked to be head tennis coach at the high school. They wanted to do a social media spotlight for him so he pulled out the old yearbook tennis pictures.

We went to Italian Village as a family one day. Kids weren't happy when I pulled out the camera, but the sky was pretty behind them and I will miss them when they aren't around.

Mark held his Christmas work party at the new Brazilian place, Fogo de Choa. It was pretty fancy I hear!

Brian went to his DECA competition. He won a medal for his test.

Then came our big evening fundraiser for Gold Rush. We decided to use the fireworks that were cancelled at the Homecoming game to try to get attendance at a stomp. We also had Santa come for visits and invited the community to that part.

Brian was the DJ for the student stomp and he did an amazing job!

Overall it was a fun and successful night.

Mark made  some lamb roasts for the boys to try for one Sunday dinner when we did not have company.

Brian had a few more swim meets.

The last Gold Rush Fundraiser lunch was sponsored by the Senior Class Officers. They did Senior Sundaes and made a good amount of money!

Mark gave us our Christmas presents early. He got us electric hand warmers for skiing. Thank you, Mark!

The last day before Winter Break was our Gold Rush Assembly. We had to move it that morning from the auditorium to the gym because the Forgotten Carols took over the auditorium. The kids were super sad about it. But they pulled together and made it work. It ended up being a fun and relaxed assembly. Then the SBOs exchanged their gifts afterward.

Then Christmas break began! Hurray! I was so ready for this break.  The boys wanted to watch Lord of the Rings and play Monopoly with Mark. I joined them in watching Lord of the Rings and started working on getting caught up on all these blog posts. The blog really is something I want to keep. At least for a small record of our lives. I am not great at journaling otherwise. 

One day Timmy and Luke cooked Yakitori for us. It was a delicious dinner.

The boys went skiing a bunch of days and I went a couple of days. Sadly this has been the worst snow year in history. But slowly lifts and runs have been opening at Brighton.

Then it was Christmas Eve! My favorite day! Mark and Timmy cooked all the taco meat and we had a fantastic dinner at the ranch. Then of course we did the nativity program. The big news this year was that Evan got engaged the day before, so he and Grace were Mary and Joseph.

Christmas morning at our house was opening a bag a treats for the boys. All of their ski gear and season passes were their Christmas gifts so there wasn't much to open. It was kind of nice that getting gifts was not the focus.

Alice made breakfast for us so we went over to her house.

Then Mark prepped the prime rib and we got ready for the big Christmas dinner at our house.

It was a lovely time and fantastic food. Some of the kids helped me complete my puzzle and others played laser tag outside.

The next day we went up to Oakley for some airsoft. I really enjoyed playing even though I pretty much got destroyed.

Not pictured in December:

-Ward choir rehearsals and Christmas program. The boys sang part of silent night as a duet and then Brian finished the song as a solo.

-The boys and Jenny played the cello for the retirement branch party.

-We ate lots of amazing food with the Hsiao family like Happy Lamb and Cafe Anh Hong.

-We have included relaxing for Christmas Break.

-The boys and I made our final decision to attend the CHOICE Jr Board trip to Ecuador at the end of February

-Jenny had surgery (to help with stress incontinence) on Dec 29 and is taking a bit of time to recover. 

-Jenny actually got caught up on the blog for the first time in years.