W17 of Y4

Youth Ski Trip: Year 2

Since last year's ski trip was such a success, we decided we needed to organize another trip for the youth to continue the annual tradition.  

Jeremy was able to rent the same house.  The house has 30 beds, a large living room area and kitchen.  It is perfect for our group!

Playing games while they are waiting for dinner

The foosball table is another nice addition!

Chance authenticating my tortilla shells for tacos!

Poor Rebecca... she single handedly cut all those onions!  #toomany

Jeremy monitored the doorway to only let a few kids in at a time to get food.  Nice and orderly!

Dinner was a success!

After dinner games

Time for bed

The party room! (I guess Aiden is standing on the roof...?)

I should have hung out in their room so I could get a facial!

The snow was just begging to be played in!

Ready for a fun day!

The Mormon Army of Mini-Vans!

Tight fit!

Finally!!!  Let's ski!

I had these 3 girls in my group all day.  It was the perfect  group.  The girls ages ranged from 10-17 and ski experience ranged from first time to 5+ years experience, but we all had to much fun together!

This year a group went with Sister Bailey to learn how to snowboard.  She used to compete professionally in Japan before getting injured!

Every once in a while we saw these guys passing through

Lunch!!  The best part of skiing! 

After lunch the girls and I were feeling pretty confident and went up with the guys for a run

Done for the day!  Everyone is still smiling and no injuries (in my group).  One of the boys broke his thumb after a fall on the last run of the day.  It was almost a complete success!! :( 

W16 of Y4

Grandpa Cates

One of the hardest things about living overseas is losing a loved one suddenly and  not being able to be there for family or the funeral.  This week we unexpectedly lost Jeremy's grandpa.  He was 92 but seemingly very healthy and independent.  He went to the hospital for a nagging cough and they told him he had a terminal disease in his lungs and sent home with 72 hours to live.  I was so glad that we got to see him and his girlfriend, Marge, over the summer.  They were always such a sweet couple and I dearly love them both!

We'll miss you Grandpa!

Priesthood

When Connor turned 16, he became a Priest.  

On Sunday he blessed the sacrament for the first time.  

It sure seemed like time went by really slow until they turned 10 and then started speeding up exponentially!  

We sure are proud of Connor.  He's a good kid and is working on becoming an exceptional adult.  He's already passed me up!

Even though he's over 6 foot tall and his shoulders seem broader than I am long.... I still see my little Connor bug in there too.  I love it that he still calls me "Mommy".  He even asks me if he can call me "Mom" now and I tell him "no".  He comes and says goodnight to me before he goes to bed - even when I'm asleep by 9 and he doesn't go to bed until midnight (on weekends).  He'd rather be home with us on a Friday night "chilling" than running around with friends - nothing is more fun than Pizza-Movie night!  

W15 of Y4

Winter Scout Camp

Jeremy took the boys on their annual winter scout camp.  

It was around 38 degrees but they stayed toasty warm!

Jeremy tried a new chicken recipe

Apparently it turned out delicious!

Gymnastics

Whitney has started Gymnastics this week and loves it!

Court of Honor

The boys added a few more patches to their scout uniform!

While the boys were getting patches, these 2 were frosting cupcakes! :)

Stake Youth Conference

I got to be a driver/chaperone for a stake activity in Bologna.

Stake activities are always.... interesting!  Lots of good food this time though. 

We finished off the week skyping with Jeremy's parents who are leaving in the morning to go to Brazil for 2 years on their mission. We are so excited for them! 

W12 - W14 of Y4

Well....  someone might think that my new years resolution was to stop blogging.  However, that someone would be wrong!  I just took a break, and not only from blogging but from taking pictures AT ALL!  This is very unlike me and I'm kicking myself now, but, oh well... time to get caught back up on this blog.  

Week 12 we were all recovering from the holidays and trying to get back into a routing again.  I was also finishing up this puzzle that the kids and I started over the break.  I normally don't really like puzzles but wanted to do something with the kids.  It took us about 3 weeks to finish it and look what happened!!!  Can you find the missing piece?  And even worse than a missing piece, there was an extra piece that did NOT go with this puzzle. 

Week 13 Jeremy had to go to the US for a week long training.  This week was also our 18 year wedding anniversary.  I had a visitor from Germany come down to inspect my program in Italy this week.  On Jan 8, our anniversary, we all went out to dinner.  I snapped the picture below and sent it to Jeremy to let him know that he had been replaced! lol!

Week 14 we already had another holiday!  Martin Luthur King Jr. day is a no school, no work day here for us.  Jeremy spent the day recovering from jet lag and the kids and I took a long bike ride.  I did not take any pictures but Aiden did.....

We stopped to get a treat on our bike ride and this was the one picture that Aiden took! lol!  

Time to start taking pictures again so that I can keep this blog updated.  It's more like a journal for us. I can't count the number of times someone has had to pull the blog up to remember something.  So... I guess I'll keep doing it! :)