Poppy's Surprise

The day after Christmas I got the best gift and surprise.  A surprise that I really had no clue was coming.  My father!

Through the giving of my parents, Ronald, and Hannah, Dad was able to come to Utah and stay almost 6 days with us.  It was such a sweet sacrifice given by these people so that I could have my father near me during kind of a difficult time of year; the anniversary of my Grandmother's passing.  I think of my Mom, more than anyone that really had to sacrifice the most.  She had to sacrifice the physical support of her husband while dealing with the reminder of the loss of her mother.  I won't soon forgot this.  I love her anyway, but this act of charity makes me feel that love for her even stronger right now.

Poppy watched the boys for David and I while we celebrated our anniversary, he took the boys to a Trampoline/bounce place, we ate out a lot, we went up in the mountains to play in the snow, Dad and I just sat in bet and watched funny TV shows, and the men/boys went out to see a movie.  I think that was quite a lot for being in the middle of a pandemic.

I love my father.  We have a special bond that is obvious to others and personal for ourselves.  How do you put that into words?  I'm not sure that I quite can.  But we know.  I guess that is all that matters.

Christmas 2020

Christmas this year was a little quieter than usual.  It was simple.  Maybe because of Covid-19 and presents not getting here on time.  Maybe because we didn't go to Oklahoma this year.  Maybe because I was a little sad with the anniversary of Grandma's passing coming quickly.  Who knows but it did feel different.  But sometimes with "different" things comes little blessings like how you can learn from a simple Christmas.  We played games, we ate, we loved, and hopefully we'll remember.

Grandma couldn't come inside because of Covid but she did come over later and we exchanged gifts.

A few days later, some packages arrived.  This was one of our favorites.

 

December Mashup

David, Ruger, and I were out and about earlier this month when Ruger wanted to call his Grandpa Adams.  Somewhere along the conversation (he was on speaker phone) Steve said something about remembering letting his boys handle the steering wheel when they were real young.  I went inside the store to get something and when I came back I found this!

Tumbleweed galore!  The first picture is of one of our neighbors drive way.  The second is a picture of one of the many pileups we saw in our neighborhood one very windy day.

Annual gingerbread decorating. But this year, the 2 older boys decorated theirs and then let Ruger "Hulk Smash" them afterwards.  As you can imagine, absolutely destroying a gingerbread house was something Ruger could not pass up.

So many people have these beautiful, themed Christmas trees.  Not us.  They are full of Primary and Elementary School yearly ornaments made by the kids throughout the years and Nanny's yearly homemade Christmas ornaments.  And then there is that weird, now yearly, trumpet on top of the tree that the boys insist on.  But I wouldn't change it if I could.  

 

Levi is an adult!

My baby.  My first born.  On the 20th he became an adult.  Sorry bud, you'll always be my baby. 

As a toddler, his own personality started to show.  Obedient and kind.  Still is.  When he became a little older, he showed interest in taking things apart and them assembling them back together again.  Still does.  At a young age, he challenged himself to read the Book of Mormon all the way through.  He still loves the gospel and asks questions, showing me that he really does have a testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Then he became a pre-teen and showed love for babies and toddlers.  Out of all the siblings, he still gets along best with Ruger.  As a teenager, he discovered his love of welding.  We'll see if he follows that passion after his mission, but as of now that has not changed and he wants it to be his profession.

At 6 food whatever, he towers over his Momma, he loves Sweedish Fish and Coke, he loves playing his piano, he's a hard working man (Little Creasers), he studies the Gospel of Jesus Christ, he hugs his mother without me asking, he enjoys hanging out with his Dad when fixing the cars, bikes, or whatever Dad is perfecting, he laughs with Brigham and Hyrum at silly stuff, and loves messing with Ruger.

  He is the ideal product of parenting that any parent could ever ask for.