Christmas 2011

Christmas was a little different this year, mostly because a lot of our family have moved away. Randy and Courtney came and stayed for a few days, but Randy had to work Christmas day, so we ate Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve and even opened presents on Christmas Eve. My kids (especially one of my children) have begged me for years to let them open presents on Christmas Eve, and I wouldn't ever let that happen. But we really didn't have much choice this year! 

We started Christmas Eve morning off with some Monkey Bread

My parents came and opened some presents too, even though my dad really doesn't like to do that on Christmas Eve.

Blake's niece Melinda wrote a children's book about Grandpa Mark Purcell, it was a favorite among everybody!

Courtney reading the book while we all listened. It is a really nice book, written very well with some really nice pictures.

Blake was thrilled with this new tool set.

Courtney was thrilled with her new snowmachine coat! Now she and Blake are really styling because their coats match their helmets.

I wasn't worried about Christmas being ruined because we had already done most of the Christmas activities, because we had something really fun to look forward to! Of course the best part of Christmas when you have a child serving a mission is THE PHONE CALL! It was so wonderful to hear Jared's voice and carry on a conversation with him! We worked it out so that we could hear and talk to Jared on a speaker phone, then he could hear and talk to Cindy in Michigan, and Brian in Texas through skype and speakers! Randy was even able to call from work and could hear and talk to Jared through the speakers on the phones! It was a great Christmas Day!

Forgotten Holiday

I can't believe I did this! I am always upset that Thanksgiving gets overlooked in the media and stores, and now I have done just that! I just realized that I have not posted about our 2011 Thanksgiving! So, better late than never, right?


We did something a lot different this year because Randy and Courtney were the only ones around. We decided to take our thanksgiving fixings and go to a resort in Ogden, Utah, called Wolf Creek. We left on Wednesday and came home on Friday. It was a nice little get away, and we had a good time! I love Thanksgiving because it always reminds me to be more grateful for my blessings, and I am truly blessed!

Blake and Randy played some raquetball.

We cooked our meals in a tiny little kitchen.

We used the coffee table for a serving table.

Here we are, all ready to eat.

We took a drive up a steep hill, then we had to come back down the hill, I think that coming down was the hardest part!

We had a very nice little Thanksgiving vacation, we definitely made some memories! 

Elk Refuge & Salt Lake City

Last weekend, we did a bit of traveling. It started on Saturday when Blake, Randy, Courtney and I went to Jackson Hole, Wy. to the Elk Refuge. It was a fun little day trip. We took a sleigh ride out in a big open area where there were tons of bull elk.

Here we are, all bundled up.

The elk were really close to the sleigh.

Courtney with Jack and Jill, who pulled our sleigh.

Then we drove in the car to another part of the refuge to see some big horned sheep.

One of the them decided to lick the salt off the car, the others just stood in the road.

Then on Sunday, Blake and I had to take his mother and niece to the Salt Lake Airport, so we decided to make a little vacation of it and stayed the night. After taking them to the airport, we went to Temple Square. We were way impressed with all the Christmas displays and lights!

Breathtaking!

"Baby, It's cold outside"

Spectacular!