February 2020

As I've been preparing the pictures for this post, I am amazed at the changes to our lives in the last month.  If I'd known that we would become so isolated, I would have enjoyed the events in February so much more.  So, my goal when Coronavirus goes away - I will cherish the moments with those I love more! And I will appreciate going to the temple, to church, to play games with my mom, and shopping without worrying about the shelves being empty.

Feb 1 - We started the month off with more basketball.  Maden's game was at Hillcrest this time, they had trouble getting the lights on, we thought it was going to be a twilight game.  Annie had fun taking some selfies!

Next, Annie's game, her little team is improving with each game.  We took Hallie while Jared and Nikelle went to Molly's dance performance.  Ryder and Clark had a grand time racing and getting drinks.

After the games and performance,  we went to Red Robin. The kids loved writing on the chalkboard.  This huge dessert that we shared was sooo good.

Feb 2 - Superbowl! Most of us went to Brian's house.  He had fixed a lot of food! It was amazing! Blake kept saying it was the best Super Bowl Party ever!

Feb 4 & 5 - Because Jared was working in Wyoming, and Nikelle got to go judge a pageant, Hallie got to come and spend the night on the 4th, she was a good girl and slept all night! On the 5th, we picked up Molly from her Aunt Bonnie's house. We had Ryder with us, so we took them to Leo's Place for a little bit of fun!  

Feb 6 - Hallie's 1st Birthday! She started taking a few steps! She made a mess with her oatmeal cookie! Ryder and Molly had a fun fashion show with Grandpa and Grandma's shoes.  Hallie really wanted to go downstairs with the kids. Then it was pile on Grandma time!

We took the kids down to I-Jump in Pocatello.  They had a great time!

We sang Happy Birthday to Hallie!

Oops! The pile on Grandma got in twice! Ryder got to stay late because Courtney had Parent/Teacher Conferences and Randy got delayed at his work.  They had a great hot tub party with Grandpa!

Feb 8 - More basketball!  Annie's game was at the same time, so we only made it to Maden's.  He played really well, he was aggressive and really into the game.

Next, we went to celebrate Hallie's 1st birthday! She was pretty dainty with her cake.

Next, we went to Molly's dance performances.  She was so surprised that all her Purcell family was there to watch her.  Such a cutie pie!

Lastly on Feb. 8, we went to a gender reveal party for Michelle and Adam's baby, it's a boy!

Feb 15 - Yep, more basketball! Go Maden!

Go, Annie!

Feb - 19  While I was at the temple, Blake took Ryder over to play with Clark.  They had a great time! They even got to brush George the Cat.

Feb. 20 - A day in the life of Ryder and Blake! Eating a ham sandwich (and liking it!) And Hot Tub Time!

Feb. 22 - The Purcell monthly party! This time we were celebrating Grandma Beth and Hallie.  We had dinner, and cupcakes. Even though she wasn't feeling her best,  Hallie loved the cupcakes, Brian kept giving her more! 

The kids played games, read books and Clark and Ryder had a good long bath!

Then, as people were getting ready to leave, an impromptu leg wrestling contest happened.  There was much laughter all around.

Feb 26 - While I was at the temple, Blake and Ryder had some adventures by the river in Idaho Falls.  They went to Carls Jr., and to see Aunt Kris at her work, then they waited for me at the Visitors Center.

Feb 29 - bonus Saturday in February.  Last ballgames for this season.  It was a good season, with a lot of improvement.  After the game, Randy and Brian and the kids got to have a little fun on the court.

We had time between the games to go to Texas Roadhouse, because that's where Brian chose.  Annie had fun taking more pictures.

Annie's last game.  She played really well, she was running the whole game! Great season, Annie!

January 2020

2020 - New decade, new tradition for our family.  Once a month, we will get together on a Saturday to celebrate the birthday(s) for the month.  We will be together more often, but these will be special birthday celebrations. On January 4th, we met at Leo's place. Nikelle is our only January birthday, so we celebrated Nikelle!  Randy and Courtney brought a cake, we had pizza and other goodies and the kids had a great time in the play area, and some had a lot of fun in the arcade.

Jan. 10 - Hot tub fun.  Molly and Ryder love to get in the hot tub with Grandpa. They play around with he balls and jump from seat to seat.

Jan. 11 - Basketball! Annie's first game of this season.  She's a go getter, and plays hard. Clark, Molly and Ryder loved having races at the end of the court. 

Maden's games are held at Bonneville High School Auxiliary Gym, they have a game clock and they keep score! Maden has been working hard to improve and work on his game.  This game was really exciting, they won by one point at the very end. Hallie had fun playing with my gloves, she thought it was pretty funny when they were on her hands.

Jan. 13 - Randy came to plow, because we had snow and wind and no school. 

Jan 14 - Tons of snow and wind.  It blew the snow on all the windows, our bedroom and the patio got it the worse.  Ryder and Randy came to plow, AGAIN! Ryder wanted to go out and play like he would in the fall, but he found it pretty hard to push his stroller in the snow. He had fun "doing tricks" on the four wheeler with his dad. They only had school on Thursday during this week, because of all the wind and snow.

Jan 18 - More basketball, and more watching and more racing.

I thought it was so cute, after Maden's game Annie and her friend Kelsey took "the littles" on the court to teach them how to play basketball.

We went to Brian's house between the games where Hallie practiced her standing, but not much walking.  After the games were over, we went to Sizzler to eat.

Jan 24 - It's really hard to get a good picture of Clark, he's a little camera shy.  He was so proud of his city we made with his koala crate, and I was so proud of capturing this cute picture of this cute boy.

Jan 25 - More basketball, more races and more walking practice.

What a nice big cheering section for Maden's game! Celia is the one taking the picture.  

Jan 26 - Little miss Hallie enjoying some story time with Grandpa.

December 2019

December 7th - We celebrated Maden! First, we went to his ballgame, he had a great game, he made 2 baskets! Clark was so funny at the ballgame, he would not look at me when I tried to take his picture  We celebrated Maden's 10th birthday (He was born on December 5th) with dinner, cake and bingo! Sure do love this boy that made us grandparents! How did he get to be 10? Grandpa Chin Chopper (or Chambers as most know him) was the bingo caller.  There were lots of prizes, but Jared won the grand prize for Blackout Bingo! He was way excited to win the grand prize.

December 8th - Nikelle brought an ice cream cake and we had a little early (his birthday is the 11th) celebration for Jared. I loved watching Hallie's expressions as we sang to Jared.

Dec. 18th - Ryder got to see Santa at the Snake River Library, he was a little shy, but was thrilled with his book and candy cane.  He was fascinated with the upside down tree at the library, actually, I was too!

December 21st - Chambers Family party at the Matsuura's Clubhouse.  Julie planned a nice dinner, then we played a gift passing game, and a cellophane gift game.  The kids (big and little) thought it was great fun.  Then the kids enacted the Nativity.  Molly was a beautiful angel, Mylee was Mary, Joseph was Joseph, Hallie was a big baby Jesus with a bottle and pierced ears. Other cousins were the shepherds and wisemen.  It was a fun night.

December 22nd - Nikelle and Molly and I went to the Live Nativity at Jensen's Grove with my parents and Lynne's family.  We got there early and only had to wait in line for about 15 minutes.  It was great, but it was kind of weird that it was still a little light. I love that our community comes together and does this every other year.  Such a great reminder for the reason for the season. It was also nice that it wasn't extremely cold this year.  Then, we enjoyed hot chocolate and cookies in the shelter. 

Christmas Day! We started the day with Monkey Bread at 10:00 for those who wanted to come then.  There was still some left for those that came later.  We opened presents for a while.  We got all the kids except Hallie a little motion activated drone.  They are kind of crazy little things.

December 26 - Hallie in the funny purple ball.  She thought she was so funny.  December was a good month, with a lot going on.  I didn't seem to take a lot of pictures, though. Maybe that should be one of my resolutions for 2020, take more pictures!

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.