Frozen Lake

It's stinkin' freezing out there!!  Utah Lake has got to be frozen thick.

After church, we (those who wanted to) drove a few minutes to check out the lake.  It's so frozen you can see people had brought their 4 wheelers onto the ice.  Some other people had shoveled an area and were ice skating and playing a hockey game.  I think we are good to run and jump on the lake.

         

Sunday Shoes

Look Familiar?  Enough said...

Ammon loves tying his shoes.  Not just one knot, but many many knots.  Pretty funny...

Pepper Play Time

Brady was ready for another play date.  Pepper is the Nielson's puppy (a neighbor).  He's about 3 months older then Brady.  Pepper is also a golden doodle, but mixed with a mini poodle, so he will be smaller then Brady.  Right now they are perfect size.  Although these pictures don't show it much, there was a lot of excitement.  I didn't remember my camera until they were more calm.

            

We are learning a lot about Brady and just dogs in general.  Sara Dean, a neighbor who trains dogs, has been helping us out.  We trade favors.  She's taught us how dogs need to be socialized with all kinds of dogs of all breeds and sizes and ages.  Being a puppy, he's not too appealing to older dogs, but he's doing well.  I can't stress this process enough how important it is to socialize pupppies.  This is one area we failed Charlie, our first dog.  They learn so much from other dogs, whether it's  manners, behavior or just knowing they are a dog and not a human.  It's been a fun process.

Happy New Year!!

To ring in the New Year we headed over to the Strong's house.   We even brought little buddy, Brady.  He got to meet Copper for the first time.  His first real play date.  Copper was good with the playtime, but it wore out the little puppy.  Two golden doodles...

And a litle football while refereeing the boys...

While there we had pizza, played games and hung out.

Later, we swam at the neighbors heated pool.  The Strong's were house sitting and it was pretty cool for the kids to swim in steamy, warm water.  Yep, that is snow on the edges of the pool.  It was so cold, that when we pulled a toy out of the water, within a minute it had a layer of ice on it.

Ammon trying out the diving board.

Because it was so cold, once they were done we wrapped them up and warmed up inside.  They played a few games and had fun together.

Back at the house...

Brady had found a way into the playhouse and this is what we found...

Jarom attracts the little ones, they just love him!

Warren and Lexi

Happy New Year!!  

Always wishing the Best for everyone.  Hoping for progress and achievement to allows us to be better then yesterday.

Celeste Fister

     

This is Celeste Fister.  We knew her and her family back in Georgia.  Since then her family has split up and a lot of trials have come her way.  But she had the desire to serve a mission.  I love when people come out here from our Georgia home because I get to play host and show them around the rich, amazing church history sites here.  It was a snowy, wet day, but I pick her up from the airport and head straight to Salt Lake City.

We toured the visitor centers, tabernacle, and my brother toured us around the Church Office Building that he works in...

   

view from the church office building


Then we toured the Conference Center.  I hadn't done a full tour before and the building, paintings and architecture is awesome.

I liked this painting, I had never seen it before.

       

Next morning, before reporting to the MTC, we did a session at the Timpanogos Temple.  It was one of the older films, so it was kind of neat to see it again.

Finally, after a tour of BYU campus, I dropped her off at the MTC.  This will be my second person I have had the privilege to drop off and I feel the closeness a mother would have sending her own child off.  I'm proud of her choosing to serve her Lord.  Thank you Celeste for giving me the opportunity.  Best of luck on you mission. 

Wall Decor

Finally!  I got these up.  This wasn't easy and took a little creativity with a ladder and a few random things around the house, along with help from the kids.  Kendall Rudd, our college friend took these pictures back in August and for Christmas we printed them out on canvas.  Not much dresses our walls, but these are well worth it.

Book It Challenge

This little guy has been a reading machine in 2nd grade.  He has a few book it certificates but we are just now getting to it.  He was so proud of himself, and so am I.  Free personal pan pizzas are always nice to enjoy.  Over the next few months he earns more and have exchanged them in, and with his sweetness has shared with siblings.  I love his giving heart.

Sharing

They are getting along, but still young in their friendship...

...but she has learned new tricks to keep her distance.

Had to share that Jarom has learned his mad skills from Troy, his Uncle.  He's pretty good at it.  I just resort to rearranging stickers...

Christmas Morning

I didn't take too many pictures of Christmas morning.  It's not about what everyone got, but about what the day is about.  I'm so thankful for my Savior Jesus Christ.  He is the only stable thing in my life that keeps me on the straight and narrow.  Many things in my life have shifted and proven to not be secure, but my God will always be the same yesterday, today and forever.  His Son is the reason for this season, and I give my life to Him, just as He has given it to me.  His example, and his sacrifice will always be what keeps me striving to be my best.

On top of the excitement of Christmas morning, it also meant a thick, white Christmas.  It was coming down pretty good.  I measure it at 7 inches, but the snow drifts were up to a foot in several places.  This was wet snow, and very difficult to shovel.  Took Jarom and I quite sometime to clear the driveway.  But the crisp, fresh air in this beautiful world in the quiet of the morning is so refreshing.

My family all donated to a gift idea for my parents.  Alice had gotten this idea from Elder Oaks, I think.  It's a map with all those who have served missions, including themselves.  This meant Jake Adams and Brooke and Riley Palmer.  Pretty soon that map will be overflowing with how the earth is filled with the gospel.

ok the trend right now are hoover boards.  This was Tarin's main gift.  She was excited and brought it over to the Wardwell's that afternoon.

Little did she know that the gyro board would have problems (like hundreds of others) and we'd send it in and wouldn't get it back until about April, with updates from a recall.  Christmas in April...

Live and learn, live and learn...

It was a great holiday.  Love my family.

Christmas Eve

Merry Christmas from the Wardwell's

new pjs and a Brady

Raegan and Ammon were so cute to put this together for Santa Clause.  Ammon is still on the fence if he still exists, but Raegan just wants to believe even though she knows the reality of it.

          

 

Ginger Bread Houses

Just a few of the cousins together

Gma and Gpa Wardwell had their Christmas dinner at the church, to accommodate all the things they wanted to do.  First dinner, then create gingerbread houses then a game.









GingerBread Creations:

    

Games: