January 2024

The first sunrise from my sick couch in Bill's living room wasn't as lovely as Paul's ocean view from the beach down the road from our house in Kauai. We FaceTimed for a while. Paul had another week before he met us in Utah.

He showed me cute little Taquito and how good he was doing, although still LOTS smaller than the other kittens. See Pancake next to him?

After another couple days, Jolie and I got better, and so did the kids. Bill was still a little sick, but Jo Tok care of him and we headed to the Abbajays for a bit. We had the best time with Jolie. Too bad the second half was spent in bed, sick.

Avia went straight into grandma mode and took us all shopping. She's the sweetest, and we all love spending time with her. 

Matix found this funny sign and sent it to Pops. 

I went out with Izzy and found all the old houses I lived at when I was in college. That was so fun.

We went shopping with Jolie, Bradley, and Alexandra with some of the gift cards that everyone won at Kent Christmas. One of the things we got was a game and they played it at Joliet house while we talked a bit. 

Back to Avia's house for dinner and tattoos. We always have a great time together.

Then game playing, of course. 

Measuring on the wall, a classic.

Pops flew home for the day, just to hang out with us a little bit before we left. How did we get so lucky?

We had to get pictures with the fancy car before we left Colorado. 

Ryan, Megan and Cora picked us up at the airport so we could use one of their cars. Thanks!  We arrived to their first big snowstorm of the year. Clearly underdressed. 

Grandma Berg waited up for us. Sully is ALMOST as tall as her, as a 10 year old.

The kids got right to work, shoveling for Grandma. 

Some of the family came over and we ate and played games, as usual. 

Up to the slopes. I didn't get a season pass this year, I just went up when I felt like it. I had grand plans to catch up on the blog, which I always seem to be behind on, but I am trying. Still. :) 

Note to self: No need to wear mascara while skiing.

The kids loved spending as much time as possible in the mountains, but some of the days, Paul worked and they did their school work. 

I went with Della to her DUP (Daughter's of the Utah Pioneers) meetings and learned lots. They tell stories of the pioneers, some of which are truly amazing. 

Matix ordered a shirt with his face on it to give to Mason for his birthday. So silly. 

Sweet Aidan is SO tall. 

The kids made these snowballs in preparation for a giant snowball fight. 

Paul and Andy went to a mushroom convention.  He's always wanting to learn and grow.

Sarah and Alana sent me lots of pictures and updates on the kittens while we were gone. Pumpkin has no loyalty to us, and jumped right into her truck, ready to find a new home. 

At some point Taquito was being left, and not fed any milk, so Sarah took him home and he lived in her bathroom. He was much happier with her attention than he was being left alone by Mousey. I'm so thankful for her. 

Another ski day, beautiful and bright, but so cold. Lullaby got her eye lashes frozen. 

Paul's friends Matt and Aaron took the kids up skiing one day all together. So fun. 

Pokemon night for the boys. This was their first tournament ever and they learned a lot. Lullaby and I were there too, but just to watch and cheer them on.  Then, we didn't know it would turn into a huge passion of theirs. 

I went to another DUP meeting with Della, and we always get treats. 

We went to the Hunt's house for dinner, games and hot tub time. It was SUPER cold, but everyone has fun with the Hunts. 

Our license plate had a frozen sheet of ice over it. 

Sully had Parker over to play for a bit. 

I went out to eat with Heidi at a hibachi place. Such good food and good company.

After Matt and Paul and ski kids came home to Grandma's house, we ate a feast!

Mason turned 14 and we got to keep him for a sleepover and then to Waffle Love for breakfast. Happy birthday Mason!

Then Mason's other grandma came over with bagels for everyone. So much fun. 

The house across the street was a hoarder house and was sold and flipped and put op to rent, so being the nosy neighbors that we are, we went over to check it out. They did a great job and the house is barely recognizable! 

Matix and Hawken played in the backyard taking turns burying each other. Little weirdos. I'm glad they both enjoyed this game.

Pokemon fun, Sully got an expensive card. 

Jonny came over to go sledding and we drove them over in the bed of the truck, then we went out to eat with Amy and Andy.

Back to the Hunts for more hot tub silliness. And games for the rest of us.

Jonny came back with us and built a fort in the yard. They tried to sleep in it but the heat from their bodies started melting the snow and it dripped on them while they tried to sleep. 

This cracked me up. While I was working on the blog, I came across this picture of the kids playing games with the Hunts, and here we were a year later, doing the same thing. 

I went out with Heidi, Lullaby and Shauna to an acai bowl place. It was really good!

Out with the Hunts and Grandma to a movie. 

Out again with Heidi and Eve. 

Lullaby got to see some old friends, Holland and Evie. 

Breakfast at Grandma's house is always delicious. 

Paul, Matix and Hawk got stuck on the mountain when an avalanche closed the road. They were there for a looong time, but perfectly safe. 

We had to get pics of the boys for their passes, and they are so cute I kept the pics for myself too. 

I tried to scare Lullaby, but it barely worked.

We ran into Aidan at Costco and had to take a quick picture. 

Another ski day, so fun. The kids are getting SO good. 

Back at home and Great Grandma Berg made noodles for her famous chicken noodle soup. Yum!

Out for Menchies with Grandma, always a treat. 

Matix and Hawk were invited to Mason's birthday party at the ice rink. They have never ice skated before. 

Paul took the kids up skiing and snowboarding one of the days (no pictures from that) but Grandma and I were home when we kept hearing birds, lots of them. When I went out to see, I was shocked, so I called Grandma and we started recording it. It was WILD.

More Pokemon fun. The kids are transitioning from card collectors to card players and it's fun to see. 

We took Grandma to Ikea to get her a few things she needed. Then we gave her a ride. Lullaby fell asleep on our way back. We stopped at Grandpa's grave to change his flowers. She does it seasonally, which I think is so sweet. 

Out to lunch with Mandy to catch up, then I took Becca shopping. First we stopped by Hannah's work to tease her a little, then we get some makeup stuff and perfume and a new dress. Lullaby played with Sophia, and Hawken and Sully played with Jonny.

Shopping with Lullaby is one of my favorite things to do. She loves to model each outfit, with a pose or a spin. Heidi and Eve met up with us there, and then we all went out for lunch. 

We always go to Trader Joes while we are in the mainland. They sometimes even have kringle from Racine, what a small world. 

Out to see the new Mean Girls musical movie with Amy and her girls. It was cute, but I like the original best. 

Lullaby wanted her hair in an x-braid. Cute. 

The kids found a new Pokemon shop, called Kayfabe, in Utah. They love Pokemon.

The Harmers invited us over to their house for dinner, we brought enough to feed several more families, but it was just us. 

More fun at Kayfabe. 

Becca spent a few months in Mexico teaching English and learned lots about cooking, so she made us all dinner one night, yum!

Trampoline park with the Hunts, fun as always.

We went out to eat with Ryan and Megan, and then out to a Dirty Heads concert. It was a really fun night.

Matix got an incredibly lucky hand in Cover Your Assets and needed to take a picture to prove it to us later. 

Larry and Alison came down from Wyoming to see us for a little bit and we played lots of games with them too. Ryan and Megan and their kids, plus Barry and Steph and their kids, plus Brandon and Alicia and their kids too. It was a party. 

Our last day was bitter sweet. So happy to be going home but sad to say goodbye to everyone, especially grandma. 

We had a layover on Oahu and got a ride from a very friendly airport driver. The kids played more Pokemon, got cookies from a sweet auntie, and then finally got home!

We went right back to work on the Healing Hut after being gone for so long.  

The mango tree was in FULL bloom, so great to see after all the work we had done to it. I wasn't sure if it would come back or not.

The first Tuesday after we got home, the kids went to our local card shop because we found out they host a Pokemon night! So fun!

Back to the beach, yes please. While we were there we saw some whales giving the best show ever. We sat and watched for a LONG time. It was so fun to see.