Christmas 2011

Christmas was great this year spending time with family.  Once again we got to speak to Ammon through skype.  He's doing great...loving his mission...feeling nervous about coming home in a couple of months.  We were able to get a family picture once again around the computer.  I love that even though he is thousands of miles away from us, we are still able to get a picture of the WHOLE family!

I also was able to make many of the presents this year, including pajamas for Hyrum and the grandkids.  Can you believe that all of these pajamas cost me less than $13 total?!

And, of course, there needs to be a silly picture also.

We also had fun looking at Christmas lights.  In fact, we may have started a new tradition.  The kids dressed in their pajamas, we made popcorn and hot chocolate (with lids), and gave them each one of these...

(source)

Then we piled into the Mini Van Express(s) and drove around to see the lights.  I checked with the local paper beforehand to get a list of must-see light shows.  It was a lot of fun and the kids were especially excited to get their round trip ticket punched!

And then there were the ever popular graham cracker houses!

 I had the hardest funnest time trying to get a picture of Isaac!

 Finally!!

Olivia didn't actually make a graham cracker house....she just ate one!

  

And, sorry to Shailey!  She made a house, but in all the fun of trying to get a picture of Isaac, I didn't remember to get a picture of her!

Hyrum's Baptism

Hyrum is eight years old already and was baptized with his friend, Dylan, on Friday night.  It was a great baptism.  He was soooo excited!  The family all pitched in with Dad doing the baptism and confirmation, Moroni and Grandpa Mel being witnesses, McKay giving a prayer, and Mom giving a talk on the Holy Ghost.  It was a very special evening.  Afterwards, Hyrum was so excited that he got baptized that he was telling everyone...even the clerk at the store.  The conversation went something like this:

Hyrum to the clerk:  "Guess what, I'm eight years old and I got baptized tonight!"
Clerk:  "Why would you want to do that?"
Hyrum:  "So I could get the Gift of the Holy Ghost!"

He had a similar conversation with the person at the ticket office of the movie theater.  He's a missionary already!  Speaking of missionaries, through the magic of photoshop, Ammon was able to attend the baptism also!

The boys enjoy doing a pose they call "The Barney Stinson."  Silly boys!

Mega Man

 This year Hyrum wanted to be Mega Man for Halloween.  I had the perfect colored stretch lycra material already in my stash.  I picked up the rest of the supplies at a thrift store.  I used a basketball for the helmet.  It worked perfect because it was soft and pliable and I was able to cut the shape with scissors.  I used a football for the mega blaster.  These were both covered with the lycra and glued in place with the glue gun.  I cut a hole at one end of the football and wedged a flashlight in it.  It serves two purposes.  One, to use as a handle to hold the blaster, and two, as a cool light-up power source.  I covered the lens with transparent red tape.  The boots were made using thick plastic/foam placemats.  They were also covered with the fabric.  Hyrum LOVES it so I'd say it was a success!

 

Fifty Mile Hike

So Dad and the boys survived their second fifty mile hike this summer.  Dad wasn't able to make it for all of it (on account he was spending time camping with Hyrum and I) but, he was able to be there for the toughest day!  A seventeen mile hike on rough terrain and little water supply!  I guess it was pretty grueling.  Moroni and McKay did great and really made a fashion statement along the way.  In their words..."We've been rockin' these bad boys all week!"  See for yourselves...

I'm glad I wasn't there to witness McKay standing on this cliff with VERY steep sheer drop offs on both sides...SCARY!

...remember the 60's?

Man, our far-out friends, Warner, LeAnn, and Carol all turned 60 this summer.  To celebrate, they threw a party at the Mitchell's pad.  We thought it would be groovy to dress the part.  A trip to Value Village, and a few evenings of sewing turned a moo-moo, pillowcase, shower curtain rings, two t-shirts, and pants into these mod outfits.  RIGHT-ON!

I was lucky to find some bright green strappy sandals with chunky heels at Value Village the same day!

This was the groovy inspiration that blew my mind, baby!

A Week of Firsts!

Is there anything this kid can't do?  First off, he learned to operate the excavator....

Then we went camping at Diamond Lake and he caught his first Rainbow trout on Uncle Rick's fishing boat.  He pulled in three on the first day. Then, on the second day, he pulled in two—including one that measured 17 1/2"!!

What a whopper!!

(Of course, he was hoping to catch a Barred Knifejaw because they sell on Animal Crossing for 5000 bells!)

And while he was at it, he learned to be captain of the fishing boat!  Thanks Uncle Rick for taking us out in your boat!

Posing with Dad to show off the haul from the first day...

Next on the list was to become a Junior Ranger for Crater Lake National Park. 

He studied hard...

Had all the right answers...

And earned his patch from Ranger Brian....

Pretty cool, don't you think?

Notice the "Master Sword" tucked into the back of his t-shirt?  No self respecting ranger goes anywhere without one!  (He would bring his sword on our walk to the restroom to "protect" me.  One time a car came along.  He said, "Watch out, Mom!  I've got to stay alert for those!"  What kind of a seven year-old uses the term "stay alert!?")

And last, but not least, on his week of firsts...the crowning event...drum roll please....

He learned how to ride his bike!!  His dad worked with him a lot before he had to leave and meet up with the boys on their fifty-miler.  He pretty much had it, and could go about 50 feet without his dad holding on, but wasn't completely confident.    It took a lot of convincing to get him to practice.  One conversation went something like this...

Hyrum:  Mom, who's the boss, you or Dad?  Because Dad says I can't play video games until I ride my bike...and I don't think Dad should boss me around like that?  (He was hoping that I was the boss and could boss Dad around!)

Mom:  Dad's not bossing you around, he just knows you'll have fun once you learn to ride your bike.  Its fun to ride a bike.  Once you learn how, you'll love it.

Hyrum:  How do you know I'll love it?  I don't think it will be fun.  I'm okay with not riding a bike.

Mom:  You know, to be a missionary, you'll have to learn to ride a bike.

Hyrum:  No I won't.  I can be a walking missionary.

Anyway, this went on and on.  But, finally....

SUCCESS!!
And, BTW, as soon as he learned to ride his bike he said, "Okay, I was wrong, it is fun to ride a bike!"  And from that moment on, he announced to EVERYONE that went by our campsite that he could ride his bike!  All in all, I'd say it was a pretty eventful week!