Sorry that I've been AWOL for a while. I have to admit it's mostly because I just haven't been in the mood to take pictures, and feel like something is missing when I don't post at least one of them per post. Oh well.

I'm here to update you on the comings and goings of the past few weeks.

We spent Christmas at home. It was nice to spend the holiday with just the four of us. Landon got the Jack and Jill movie he asked for (okay so I'm not sure if it's the EXACT movie he wanted, but he likes it anyway.) and Sam got the "toys" he wanted. Chris and I found a nice set of bunk beds here in town, for a reasonable price and gave them to the boys a few days before Christmas so they could be enjoyed before we left to see family.

Last Wednesday, December 29, we packed up the car in the middle of a snow storm and headed off to spend a few days with the Boyd family. What should have taken only 10 hours turned into 15, plus an unexpected hotel stay in Idaho Falls. Just 80 miles from our final destination, 11:30 PM, the roads are suddenly clear of ice and I can see stars in the sky. We are finally able to drive the speed limit instead of 10-15 miles below, and I start to feel like the drive might actually be over in just two more hours. From out of nowhere a large stick-like object suddenly appears before our car and we have no choice but to hit it full force with both front tires. We were forced to pull over seeing as the passenger side tire emediatly became flat and both front rims were pretty mangled. Chris braved the cold (seriously! I don't think I've ever experienced that kind of bitter, freeze your bones, cold.) and changed the tire. Just as he was putting everything back in the trunk, an off duty cop showed up to see if he could help. It seems we ran over the bumper of a big truck. We drove the car a short 10 miles into town and found the closest hotel to stay for the night. By morning the other tire was close to being very flat and Chris took the car into get the rims hammered back into place and get new tires. Fortunately the car was ready just in time for check-out and we finally made it into Robin by 2:00.

We had a nice time in Robin. We celebrated Christmas again for New years. The boys loved the new toys from Grandma and Grandpa, and Sam fell in love with Angela and Chad's new puppy.

Sunday afternoon we left the Boyd's and drove to Salt Lake to see the Paces and enjoy the pre-wedding festivities. It was nice to spend a whole week with my parents and siblings. We watched movies, played in the snow, attended bridal showers and had cousin sleep-overs. A family get-together wouldn't be complete without a little sickness, so Landon complied by puking several time Friday night, just in time for me to start freaking out about everyone being sick for our long drive home. Nicole was sealed to Spencer on Saturday morning. Many pictures were taken, and a lot of food consumed, but the ceremony was definitely the highlight. Elder David F Evans, our former bishop, said some nice things and really made the event special.

By 4:30 PST the party was over, Landon was complaining of a sick stomach and so we said our goodbyes and drove off into the sunset. We made great time and by 8:45 we arrived in Boise and crashed into a hard hotel beds. Today's drive was a little different. We ran into another snow storm and so instead of the drive only taking 4-5 hours, it took 7. Landon has said several times how happy he is to be home. I think we are all feeling the same. It's nice to know we won't be making that long drive for at least another 6 months. I love seeing our families, but I hate the actual drive to get to them.

Tonights plan is to clean enough clothes so that Landon and Chris can be clean for school tomorrow. Everything else can be done later. I think I'm half way there.

Also - two of Chris' grades are up and all I can say is we are pretty happy with the results so far. Chris is a hard worker, I'm sure he will do just as well in his work this next semester.