November 2019

Molly loved her "camping" Koala Crate this time.  She played and played with it.

A fun day with these kiddos.  Blake went to Perkins in the morning with the 4 goofy ones on the bench.  Then we went to Maden's ballgame, then to Texas Roadhouse.  Annie and Molly got ahold of my phone and had a great time taking pictures.  It started out as kind of a sad time when we first got to Roadhouse.  Because Maden was asked to stay and play in a second game, Brian stayed at the gym with him.  We took Annie and Clark with us.  When we got in the building, we had to go wait in the "peanut room". After about two minutes, I realized that Clark wasn't there with the other kids choosing songs at the jukebox, or playing in the peanuts.  Blake, Randy and Jared took off outside to look for him, Courtney stayed with Annie, Ryder and Molly. I went into the restaurant, I found him in the arms of a server as she was carrying him around looking for his parents.  He was very upset! When I got back out front, Annie was way upset and was very glad to see her brother.  Clark was pretty mad at me the whole time, and then when his dad got there, he wouldn't leave his side.  So sad, so sorry Clark!

Jared brought his girls down one Friday night, and we had a fun time playing "Quixx". Hallie thinks she's just as big as everyone else.  The next day, we watched more of Maden's games.  

My niece, Michelle came over one Wednesday and helped me clean out the pantry.  Look at all the outdated stuff! It filled two huge garbage bags! Every time I walk into it now that it's all cleaned out, I'm so happy, and impressed!  Ryder decided he wanted to try egg nog, he claimed he liked it!

We watched Hallie and Molly while Jared and Nikelle helped some friends move, then Ryder came in the afternoon too.  Molly and Ryder love having Grandpa read to them, and Hallie thought she should be in on the story, too.  Nikelle's friend gave them this fancy Jeep walker.  Molly and Ryder had a great time pushing Hallie around the house in it.

More basketball! Ryder and Clark thought they were really cool to be taller than everyone!

Nov. 28 - Thanksgiving -My parents and Blake and I ended up being alone for the holiday, so we went to Fort Hall to the Painted Horse Buffet special Thanksgiving dinner.  It was pretty good, but not quite as good as the last time we went down there.

Look how nicely 18 Christmas Stockings fit on my nice mantel! I love it.  The kids all love seeing all the stockings and looking at the pictures and reading and spelling the names.

October 2019

Courtney helped us tend Molly and Hallie. They played at the park, we went to Texas Roadhouse and a lot of other fun activities.  

General Conference Sunday -  More fun with Ryder, Molly and Hallie. There was stories, games and fun with Grandpa Chin Chop. 

Watching and listening and sleeping through conference. 

 Oct. 8 at A&W, then Oct 9 in our yard.

Oct 11-13.  We took a little trip to West Yellowstone with Jared's family and Randy's family.  It was Jared and Nikelle's 6th Anniversary on the 12th.  They stayed the night at the Worldmark Resort, then had a fun helicopter ride.  The rest of us stayed in a VRBO cabin. I didn't end up getting many pictures. They had fun in the pools at the resort. We saw a fox outside of the cabin. Ryder thought he was funny to wear his mom's boots, and Hallie thinks she's as big as Molly and Ryder to drink out of a glass.  Blake and I brought the horse trailer home from Idaho Falls with the Explorer.

 Oct 15 - My 61st birthday.  Brian's family surprised me with a cake, so we had an impromptu little party. Cindy had the beautiful flowers sent to me.  Thank you!

 Oct 16 & 17.  Ryder made this cute spider hat at the Snake River Library, then he got tired and slept in the chair. The next day, he got tired when we drove to Idaho Falls.

 Oct 19.  We went to watch Maden play basketball, then we all went to Texas Roadhouse to celebrate mine and Annie's birthdays.  She loves to sit on the saddle when they cheer for you, I'm good with just standing by the saddle.  Maden had a great time just reading his book.

 Oct 26 - We got to have Molly and Hallie spend the night while their parents were busy with Miss Bonneville.   They were very good girls. We gave Hallie a bath in the sink, and fixed her hair.  Molly and I loved watching "Frozen". We took the girls to watch Maden play more ball.

 Molly stayed in Idaho Falls to be part of the Little Miss Bee at the pageant, but Maden, Annie and Clark got to come spend the night with Hallie.  They watched "Toy Story 4", ate popcorn, played with Hallie and the track. Lynne, Rob, Ryan, Samuel, Michelle, Adam, Michael and James came for a few games.

 Tuesday, October 29 - What a cold, miserable, snowy day! It was a north wind, that blew drifts in strange places. It was the coldest October on record!

 Oct. 30 - Michelle and I took Ryder and James to the Snake River Library to trick or treat to some classrooms.  There were a lot of people there!

 Oct. 30 - This beautiful girl is 7! How does that happen?!

 Oct. 31 - Halloween - Randy dressed up from the movie Grease, using his old letter coat. Ryder was Spiderman. Courtney was Donald Duck for school, but I didn't get a picture of her when she picked up Ryder.  Ryder, Michael and James had fun at the trunk or treat at the school, even though it was cold and snowy.

 Jared is the best fisherman ever, look at all these cute fish he caught!

Clark, Maden and Annie all dressed up and ready for a cold time trick or treating.  Clark thought he was way cool to be a kitty like George.

September 2019

Clark went with us to see Aunt Merralee and had a great time on the rocking horse.  Molly started her first day of 2nd year Preschool on Sept. 4th.  Love these two 4 year olds!

We took Ryder to the fair, he loved watching the train for a long time. He also loved playing in the kids free area.  The state policeman at the train display gave him a state trooper hat.  Love this 4 year old too!

Sept. 6-8.  We went to Garden City, Utah.  Nikelle, Molly and Hallie rode with Blake and I.  Jared came later after work. Molly and Hallie were ready to go when Grandpa came to get them.  Ryder was here and wanted to push Hallie in the stroller while the boat got ready to go.  Hallie loved sitting in her turtle floaty and Molly and Ryder loved pushing her around in it.

Sept. 7 - The guys took the boat out on Bear Lake for a while, but it was pretty windy so they didn't stay long.  So, we went back to the pools, even Hallie got in the hot tub for a bit. The reason we went to was to attend my nephew, Joseph Leifson's wedding open house, and for some reason, I didn't take any pictures!

Cute Hallie girl being so big and learning to sit up by herself.

Sept 12 - 14.  I took a little trip to Manti, Utah with my parents and sister-in-law, Julie.  We were able to attend the beautiful, unique Manti Temple on the 12th.  We stayed the night in a little motel in Manti.  Then on the 13th, we witnessed the marriage of Joseph and Akaila.  I'm so bad at taking pictures, these are the only ones I have! The bottom right is Joseph and my nephew Adam Taylor.  Adam came from South Carolina! After the wedding we drove to Highland, Utah and went to the reception that night. We stayed the night in Lehi, Utah and came home Saturday morning.  It was a nice little trip.

We went to Texas Roadhouse with Jared and Hallie.  Hallie thought she was so big to sit in the booster chair and eat mashed potatoes.

Ryder is almost addicted to this basketball game.  He's got pretty good at making baskets and gets so excited when he gets a "buzzer beater"!

Just a boy going down all three curvy slides.

Sept 20-21. Annie and Molly had a sleepover at our house before going to the Princess Party in Rupert.  They loved having some girl time, and being silly with Grandma's glasses.

Sept. 21 - Blake's 64th Birthday! All the kids love singing Happy Birthday and blowing out the candles.  

After the cake and candles, everyone had fun playing, Hallie loves the track and the cars. I'm not really sure what Courtney and Jared are playing. 

Ryder, Randy and Blake playing some more basketball.  I love to go to the temple, and I love it when the sun shines on Angel Moroni.  

Sept. 28 - Some of us went bowling at the Pindale Lanes in Blackfoot.  Jared, Blake, Nikelle, Ryder and Molly had a great time bowling.  Hallie, Courtney and I were great cheerleaders.  Hallie learned to say "Yay".  

After bowling, there was some good Hallie time and some good hot tub time.  Nikelle felt very cool in my shirt and Jared's swim trunks. 

August 2019

August 3rd - Blake, Randy and Jared took my nieces, Jackie and Stefi, and my nephews Carter, Ryan and Samuel to Jensen's Grove. They all tried skiing, or wake boarding and had a great time! 

My sister Suzanne and two of her kids were here from South Carolina, so we had a party at the Matsuura Clubhouse.  Here's Suz holding Hallie and Kenzley.  We ate good food, watched a movie, and visited.

There were lots of games, the littles had a great time with all the games to play.  Grandma Beth organized a fun dice game with candy for prizes!

My niece, Michelle made a fun obstacle course for the littles, even though it was hot, the kids loved it! Nikelle had to try it too.

The guys enjoyed playing spike ball and tennis. Blake even played in his jeans!

After the party, we came back to our house for a bit.  Hallie and Kenzley had a cute face off, the kids love playing with the track.  Brian soothed Hallie by pushing her around in the stroller, then he let her watch a show on my bed with Annie.

Ryder had a chance to play a little T-ball.  At first he didn't quite understand what was going on, but by the end he was really into it and did really well.

August 10 - The boys and Molly and Ryder took the boat for a spin at Jensen's Grove, then came back for some hot tub time and some dinner.  Hallie loves being big!

August 16 - We took Maden, Annie and Clark to Blastoff for an afternoon of fun.  Clark loved the ball pits, Annie loved the climbing wall and would not give up until she hit the bell, Maden loved laser tag and mini golf.  There were some kind girls that let him join their game.

August 17 - We made a quick day trip to West Yellowstone to the Playmill Theater with Jared, Nikelle, Molly and Hallie.  We saw Joseph and the Technicolor Dream Coat.  It was a great show and we really enjoyed it. Molly got to dance on stage before the show started.

After the play, we stopped in Island Park at the Soda Co. to see Brian and Celia.  Jared took Molly for a 4wheeler ride, we all enjoyed some soda and cookies.  Brian got to hold the Hallie girl for a bit.

August 20 - Fun day for Maden, Annie, Clark and Ryder at Jensen's Grove. Brian found a huge dead fish, Clark and Ryder had a grand time running and they all had fun playing in the sand.

August 23 - School started for Courtney, so Ryder gets to come hang out with us again.  He is obsessed with the basketball game, and has got so he can make baskets! We went and played at the Groveland School playground with Michael and James.

Blake, Randy, Jared, Ryder and Molly went over to Lake Walcott for some boat time, the water was perfectly smooth. Then they tried some fishing.  When they got home, Randy and Ryder mowed the lawn.

August 26 - 1st day of school for Maden and Annie.  Maden is in 4th grade, Annie is in 1st. August 27 - Ryder's first day of 2nd year preschool.  Man, these kids are growing too fast.

August 31 - Eastern Idaho State Fair Parade. Maden took his wagon and sold some candy and popcorn before the parade started.  Then, we went to the fair.  It was a very hot bright day!

We went over to the north side of the fair to the booths with free games, then Maden and Annie rode a little horse, Annie got brave enough to let the sheep eat out of her hand.  Maden spent some his hard earned money on a cool treat that he mixed himself.

Annie rode the Merry-go-round, and these swings. I was glad she wore bright pink shoes, so I could tell where she was.