2024 Year in Review

I feel like this year flew by and was just a good, normal year. We had some ups and downs, but nothing that was really hard that sticks out. We were gone a lot and half of that was without Stephen it seems like. He did a fair amount of traveling for work this year including: Colorado, Washington D.C., New York, Florida, Nevada, South Carolina, and Arizona. The kids got older and wiser, I finished potty training my last child, and we got to spend a lot of time together as a family. I am so grateful for my family and my faith. I couldn't do life without my testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. We have been richly blessed.

January: 

Lucas got glasses

I started Tahitian dance

February:

Elizabeth returned home from her mission in Missouri

The boys had cousins over for a sleepover

March:

I got to go to 'Clue' with my sisters in law for a girls day out

April:

We spent Easter weekend and Spring break in Spokane

May: 

went to our first RSL game

Went to the Layton Temple open house

June:

went camping and digging for fossils in Wyoming with Alissa's family

July:

Spent another two weeks in Spokane and had a blast at our reunion!

August:

Performed my first ever dance performance for an audience and almost threw up

Had a yes day with the kids

Lucas got a black eye

September:

went to the temple with Savannah

Went with Stephen and his brothers and wives to Lad Vegas to see Jerry Seinfeld

October:

went to my last witches night out. So sad.

Went to Washington D.C. with Stephen to see him receive an award for work

Performed a black light Tahitian dance at Weber State University

November:

Watched Miles and Lucy for a week

Charity came home from her mission

Got together with my roommates to get caught up on each other's lives

December: 

Had fun being with family for the holidays

Savannah left for the MTC

New Year's Eve

 Classic Fun Center fun

We had red velvet cake this year since I had some left over from our Twin Falls party. I think we'll stick to Angel food, but the frosting was good! We made a toast and shared our new years resolutions. Zander and Lucas want to get better at video games, Hannah wants to prepare herself for baptism, and Grayson said he loves his family. We had a dance party, a countdown with streamers, and we opened crackers with prizes inside. Happy New Year!!

Christmas!

 We had such a great Christmas this year! It was lowkey—we stayed home and did our own thing as a family. Christmas Eve we had a nice dinner of homemade bread bowls and two kinds of soup. I set up a nice looking table and finally got out my china from Grandma and Grandpa Pettingill 20 years ago for earning my Young Woman’s recognition award when I was a teenager. We had a short lesson on Jesus Christ and then played games.

We played some minute to win it games, and the last game the person who finished getting their cookie from their forehead to their mouth first had to run to the living room and get their clue to where their present was hidden in the house. The kids had to bring their gift into the living room and wait for everyone to find theirs so they could open them at the same time. It was so great. They pulled their new pajamas out first and then they found their own stuffed dog to adopt. They came with an adoption paper for them fill out and all the kids got a different type of dog. They all loved the ones they got. Zander named his Rufus, Lucas’ is Pugly, Hannah’s is Murphy (after her cousin’s dog because it looks just like him), and Grayson named his dog Bob but then changed it to Rudolph, haha. The kids set out their stockings on the couches and then headed to Grayson’s room to sleep together. They were actually really tired. They also got extra blankets out so their dogs had their own beds to sleep in. 

Christmas morning came and surprisingly they all stayed downstairs until 5:50 this year! That’s a new record. Anyway, Santa came and delivered some of the coolest gifts the kids loved. Zander got some electric drum sticks and a golden snitch, Lucas got his sour candy cane and a magic kit, Hannah got a string thing toy and hair accessories, and Grayson got a mini Jenga game and bounce ball with a handle. Stephen got some jerky a new razor and some work shirts, and I got hypoallergenic earrings and new tennis shoes. 

The kids’ favorite gift this year, though, was a hand written letter from their dad. Stephen took some time to write them each a letter of love and appreciation. It was so special and so awesome to see them all reading their letters in silence. They will treasure those forever. 

I caught Stephen writing the kids' letters for Christmas

I put together a shadowbox of Stephen's challenge coins from work. I'm pretty proud of it

Here is some of the straw from our manger from this year. I am so proud of my family!

Family Christmas Parties

 We started off in Twin Falls this year with our family Christmas dinner at mom and dad's house. Brad was in charge of the planning this year and he did not disappoint! I was asked to make a cake for Jesus, so I brought a red velvet cake. Dinner was catered which was so nice for all the adults to not have to do or bring hardly anything so we could enjoy more time with each other. We had everyone there except Becky's family. We miss them so much! 

We had dinner, then the guessing of the pot (Lucy and Grady tied, so they had to battle it out with rock, paper, scissors. Lucy won). Then we played bingo with prizes, and then more games that Brad planned out. It was a hoot! It was also really loud. After games it was time for the spiritual portion. Brad and his girls did a presentation of Mary and played some clips from the prophet and apostles of the church. Then a song, family prayer, then gifts, and finally we sang Happy Birthday to Jesus at 10:45 pm. It was so much fun. We didn't even realize how late it was. 

Feeding a rat to Tyson's corn snake

We went to Uncle Loren's house last night for our Washburn family party. It was also catered and full of food, music, loud talking (haha!), Santa and Mrs. Claus, gifts, games, and more gifts. Aunt Debbie literally made like 5-6 dozen rolls just for Zander because that is his favorite thing about Christmas is Debbie's rolls. He probably ate a whole a dozen of them by himself. 

Thanksgiving At Rachel's

 This year was a Washburn year for Thanksgiving although the Washburns don't really do anything for Thanksgiving. Everyone does their own dinners with their family, and since we didn't want to do it alone we invited ourselves to have dinner with Rachel's family. They were excided to have us. The three boys ended up staying the night there, so Hannah came home with Stephen and I and we took her to a movie the next day. We saw Moana 2. Rachel and Christian did a great job with dinner and the presentation. Thanksgiving is Christian's and Zander's favorite holiday. It was nice and low key.

Zander Turns 11

 Happy Birthday to the cutest boy who made me a mom! He told me he knew what he was getting for his birthday because it's what he always gets--Legos. But to be fair that's all that is ever on his list besides a dog, haha. He did get Legos and they were the exact ones he wanted! Zander also asked for a cheesecake this year which I was happy to oblige. I've never made a cheesecake before so I was eager to try my hand at it.

Zander buddy, you make me so happy. I just smile whenever you are around. I love the way you love your family with all your heart. You try your best when you're asked to try something new, and you're always good for a laugh. You are turning into a nice young man; just don't grow up too fast. We love you!