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.

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.