Our Year in Review: 2019 in a Flash

This time last year we were celebrating Thanksgiving with Sarah's side of the family. There were a few "big cousins" gathered at her mom's house. Joyce had seen the local elementary school hosting a "turkey run" and she got it in her head that we needed to do one too. Luckily, the "big cousins" were very accommodating. We were also lucky to spend time with some of Bret's family at Sarah's mom's home, giving the kids the chance to have a second "turkey run."

The Christmas season in 2018 was packed. Both kids participated in a mini-Nutcracker production with Kids Community Ballet.

Joyce was a mouse and Ward, a sugar plum.

We have some holiday traditions the kids look forward to. One is making gingerbread houses with our friend, Marianne. Another is seeing Christmas lights downtown. And of course, the annual Nativity at Grandma Ward's on Christmas Eve.

We also got to meet a new cousin.

One of the best things we did in December was make a road trip to California to attend a cousin's wedding and another's homecoming. As we neared the top of Donner's Pass Joyce exclaimed, "We need to pull over, we need to get out, we need to exercise!" She is always keeping us moving.

Once we got home, we got to hang out with our Florida cousins. We joined them for ice skating one day and the kids have begged to go again ever since.

It was a winter of lots of snow, including one day when school was cancelled. The kids helped shovel for neighbors. With many days indoors, the kids discovered a love for all things Mary Poppins. They regularly enjoy dancing to the original soundtrack and have several songs memorized. When the Hale Center Children's Theater was showing Mary Poppins, Bret's parents were excited to take the kids to see it.

As usual, most of our days were spent in the library. Joyce got featured in a story in the local paper that reported on the library's programs.

Our amazing librarian, Scott, recently left us for a job in Washington. He often let Joyce "help."

For valentines we had heart pizza pockets. The school hosted a sweetheart ball, where a children's dancing team performed and then offered instructions. Joyce was especially excited to attend.

As we anxiously looked forward to spring, we planned a trip to Capitol Reef National Park, one of my favorites, and possibly the closest. It was gorgeous there, but the kids had a hard time with lack of sleep on too much driving. They just wanted to swim in the hotel pool, but we did manage a couple walks in the park.

In the spring we were also blessed to have cousins visit, from both sides of the family. In both cases we got to visit BYU campus.

One weekend we were able to go to Idaho with Sarah's mom and brother-in-law to attend a reunion with Sarah's father's cousins and siblings. Joyce and Ward were the only kids in attendance and they delighted everyone by bringing around and filling water glasses. After lunch we got a tour of Preston, Clifton, and Dayton - all the small towns and areas where Dad grew up. We visited his childhood home and the kids got to feed some calves.

Mom standing in the yard where she and Dad got engaged.

Ward's birthday was a bit unique. He was on an anti-sugar kick about that time and wanted a sugar free birthday party. We filled his pinata with things like herbal tea packets and tissues. Everyone thought it was great and especially enjoyed the "fruit basket" he had instead of a cake.

As spring drew to a close, the kids participated in their final ballet performance, a retelling of Max Lucado's You Are Special. At church, they shared their talents: Ward did magic tricks, and Joyce did interpretive dance to ABBA's Dancing Queen.

Mother's Day hugs

As a Christmas gift, Sarah got to attend Women's Conference with her mother-in-law and sister-in-law. It was a great getaway and a great chance to make some memories.

Waiting for the first speaker

At our many library visits this year, we discovered two new forms of movement: capoeira and hip-hop. Both kids love them and have learned some great moves.

Starting in summer, Joyce joined a jump rope team. She spent all of Memorial Day practicing so she could do 30 single jumps in a row, the requirement to join the team. The next day her legs were sore, but she tried out anyway and made it.

Team huddle - notice she's the one in hot pink pants.

Both kids did a round of indoor soccer. Joyce quickly discovered the advantages of acting as goalie.

Over summer break we pretty lived at the park with friends, except Bret, who still had to go to work. Sarah ran a little "Spanish Club" each week with a few friends, but mostly it was an excuse for a weekly play-date.

Sophie is one of the neighbor kids in Spanish Club.

The gang of friends at one of the many free-lunch park days.

Their favorite spot for free lunch had an awesome climbing tree. Ward became an expert tree climber, getting to the very tip tops and making us a bit nervous. Luckily he never needed rescuing and only fell once from a low branch.

We spent the 4th of July in Idaho with cousins. The kids got to speak at their cousin's baptism and then we stayed for the town's parade and backyard fireworks. In August we hiked to Cecret Lake to celebrate Sarah's birthday. For Joyce's birthday we took kids to Jump Around Utah and finished with pizza and cake at a park. The real excitement, though, was at the very end of August when we took a last minute trip to Bakersfield, California to meet Joyce's birth mom and her relatives. The kids loved playing with her half-brother, Kristofer. Everyone treated us like royalty and sent us home with more presents than we knew what to do with.

4th of July Parade in Rupert, ID

Joyce turns 6

Joyce always celebrates her birthday with Grandpa

Sarah's birthday hike

In Bakersfield we toured an animal farm, played at Jim's Incredible Pizza, and of course, visited a library and the park.

Bakersfield Library

Patricia (birth mom) and Kristofer (birth half-brother)

Once home the kids started school. Both are now at Capitol Hill Academy. We also started a new home economy involving morning chores and music practice.

Don't worry, she actually is making some great progress!

Joyce got to dress as a book character, "Fancy Nancy."

Both kids lost teeth once school began. Ward lost two in September and Joyce very patiently had to wait until October 30 before her first one came out. Ward requested that a leprechaun leave him money in exchange for his tooth, and Joyce, in the spirit of Halloween, opted for a Jack-o'-Lantern to take hers.

In the spirit of fall, we gathered for our annual friends barbecue, a.k.a. "Marktoberfest." I also took the kids up Millcreek Canyon to enjoy the fall colors. The kids feared it would be like my birthday hike so I had to promise there would be no walking.

Another favorite fall activity is to tour a farm with Grandma. This year we went to Gardner Village and counted witches. The school tries to hold an annual Fun Run as a fundraiser the weekend before Halloween. The kids were excited to participate so we all donned a costume and tied on our running shoes. We were the very last ones, but we won lots of prizes in the raffle.