Winter Kill

Today I did something that I hardly ever do. I carried water. I started singing an old song that my Dad used to sing to us, it goes like this: “Kristi Rogers ain’t no good Can’t carry water and Won’t carry wood.” This seems like it’s a mean song to sing to someone but if you knew my Dad it was always with a teasing smile, probably while he was carrying the water and the wood for you. It was bitterly cold today and it has been for this whole year. It’s January 15, 2013. Cold enough to keep me inside! We haven’t had much snow at all this fall and winter and I started worrying about our trees. Trees are expensive and I don’t want to loose any of them. We have a beautiful back yard and our trees make it lovely. We have some Pine and Aspen trees. All of which we purchased. I waited until after 1 o’clock because Mike had carried the hose that we had stored in the lean to over to the grass to hopefully unthaw so I could use it. I hooked the hose up and it was more like 2 o’clock, but it wouldn’t work. That’s why I had to carry water. The tree that means the most to us is a little blue spruce tree that we got as a seedling years ago for FREE! We dug it up in Uncle Arlo Hunt’s yard in town. Uncle Arlo’s yard has really old trees, an apricot tree that is over 100 years old. Mike remembers when some of the Pine trees in Uncle Arlo’s yard were small enough that he could jump over them. We took this little blue spruce seedling and planted it in a place that we thought would be beautiful. (I’m sure that every one of our boys jumped over that little Pine tree so that one day they could say to their kids, “I remember when I could jump over that big Pine Tree”) Then we added on to our house and decided to park our car right next to that Blue Spruce. I began to be worried that the bigger the tree grew the more that our parking there would be a problem. When we built the 4ft. retaining wall in the back yard and purchased all the other trees that we love, we decided we would move that little blue spruce. At the time it was probably 3-4 ft. tall. We worried it would kill the tree to move it but we knew it couldn’t stay in that spot. I remember Jim Langston came one day with his backhoe and Mike asked him to dig that tree very carefully and put it in the center of the trees on the back wall. Since we moved that tree it has probably grown another 3 feet. It is so pretty! I thought to myself today while I was hauling water. “It would trouble me to lose that tree,” and I thought of Jacob 5, now this is no allegory of the Olive Tree, but it made me think of how carefully and how painstakingly our Heavenly Father has taken care of us. To prune us dig about us and dung us. Way more than Mike and I have done for our little growing “Trees” and we know how much we love them. We want the best for our little “Trees.” My next thought was this… Have I prayed for the water that my little Trees need? I heard a prayer given on Sunday this last. The petitioner asked for Snow or Rain, all that our land needs. It was a hard and cold job today to haul water…. It was all I could do, I was worn out. Maybe I should start by saying a simple prayer. Let’s Pray for Rain!

Our after Christmas Odd Life Party

The kids couldn't all come for Christmas so they came on January 2-5. It was fun! We had an "Odd Life Party" this party comes to us in the Tradition of other Movie themed parties such as "Kung Fu Panda Party" and "Mr. Poppers Penguins Party" The Movie we watched was the Odd Life of Timothy Green. It was a cute movie where the Parents couldn't have children. I got to share with the kids my journal entries of their births and how special each one of them is to our family... I probably didn't finish my thoughts because I was taking too long and the kids were getting restless and wanted to watch the movie. What I really wanted to take the time for is to tell each member of our family that has joined us through marriage and grandchildren that we are so thrilled to have each one of you! You are all so special to us. We are excited to be expecting two more grandchildren this summer. Valerie and Shar are both pregnant. That will be 13! My how fast time goes and how quickly we grow! We ate dinner and the kids requested noodle gravy and Turkey. I'm embarrassed to admit this but that was the Oddest Turkey dinner I have ever had. The turkey was done but just barely. The noodles turned to mush. I haven't had very good luck making noodles lately... Sorry everyone. But Jay's Frog eye salad was good and Chauncy and Shar's veggie tray was yummy and Val's dessert (heath bar cake) was divine but the 'Turkey was odd'. I guess that was fitting! We played "Sleigh Wreck" and "Red light-Green light" and "Mother May I". It's so fun to watch the kids and how they react. Laughing at Morgan when she wouldn't touch the finish line! Oh, and we played charades and Dallin makes a really good squash/mushroom. This is not a complete entry of all that went on but pretty close. We were sad that Trevor and Kim and little Liv weren't feeling well some of the time but they stayed home when it was bad so they wouldn't spread it to everyone. I think Chauncy and Shar had some sickness on the way back home and by Sunday I was starting to feel a little sick. But we did have fun, I love how the boys play so well together. Seth and McKay and Preston and Dallin. Eden wants to boss everyone... Morgan or Liv didn't appreciate that. But all in all we had a lovely 3 days together.

My surprise Happy Un-birthday

I have had Valerie here from Oklahoma for 3 weeks and we have had so much fun from camping a week at the PSR Reunion to working here at my house to hanging out with my cousin Lisa Brown this last week... whew! What fun. Jay and Brittany and their 3 little kids the 2 1/2 month old twins were here... Chauncy and his family came from Thursday to Sunday 19-22nd. It was fun to be surprised on Sunday after church. They had organized and invited some friends over for my 50th un-birthday party. (Who wants to mess with that at Christmas time.) They really surprised me. Especially with the "program" each one of them played the part of one of the people that I impersonate. Val was Garnet Boshqual, Trevor was Natasha Don'tjetski, Jay was Mrs. Plumbottom and Chauncy was the lady who makes fruitcake and gets drunk. Mike was Don't Kickameakickahima and Trevor played Lou, Laloni's twin brother.... I didn't know she had a twin but hey this is La La Land. It was really fun! My family is awesome. Thank you all so much. I love you!

Bo's setting apart

Trevor and Kim and new 2 week old Olivia Jean

Grandma Kathy... Grandpa is in the hospital... that's a whole other story but he's doing ok. He is home now waiting on results from a biopsy.

Aunt Diane, Megan and Grandma Russell

The Websters, Uncle Karl, Aunt Ann, Austin and Megan

The Flake's, Aunt Bet, Uncle Shea, Aubrey, Melany and Kamy


Cameron and Jordan

Monte and his family

Thanks to all the love and support we get from our family. We love you all!

The MTC drop off.

Finally the day was here for Bo to step into missionary life. Driving up we stopped by the Bingham's and visited with them for about 3 hours... it was fun catching up with them. We went to the Salt Lake temple on Tuesday and then on to Provo where we met with David Wilde one of Gavin's companions. He took us on a little walking tour of BYU campus. That was really fun. Then we played raquetball, got some ice cream at the BYU Creamery, with another one of his missionary friends Jacob Hunt Tolman. yum!
Bo was a trooper, he was so tender, I loved his tight squeezes! Like he wouldn't get to squeeze me like that for a long time.... 2 years is a long time.
It was tough coming home without him and when we walked through the door last night, I lost it all over again. I love that quiet kid, he is so easy to be around. I love you Bo!

We made a quick trip to Mesa to see The Jay Russell family

Makenzie got to come with us and while we were there we went to an afternoon cookout with our old camping group. The McMullin's the Hunt's and the McCray family. It was at the McCray's back yard. It was so great to see the families and how everyone has grown up.

Bo's Trip to St. David to see the Russell's

On January 25 and 26 Bo and I went to see Chauncy and Shar and their kids - to say goodbye to them. We went to Tombstone. While there we did a tour of a silver mine, it was very interesting and fun. They made us homemade pizza and we got to see their new truck. We also bought some pecans and we also got to stop and see Aunt Bon and Jhett in Pima.