three weeks in a nutshell

on the 17th of december trents parents came out to indiana for his graduation and to help us make the move back to utah. it was really fun to have them there and show them where we had been for a year and a half. i think they were glad when the day finally came to leave, to give you a little clue why-the day we packed the car it was -25degrees with the wind chill. we could only be out there for a couple minutes and then had to race back inside. i have NEVER been that cold.
trent and i graduation day. for your masters you get to wear a cool hood thing and the school of engineering was orange. i am so proud of him. he studied so hard and worked his tail off to do well in school. what an accomplishment! it seemed like a year and a half would take forever but now that it's over it seemed to fly by. oh the joy of making memories.

his flag is the left bottom corner. they had a guy carry this in front as they came into the music hall. there is a video at the end of him receiving his diploma. he is the second guy.


NAUVOO
we took a slight detour and went to Nauvoo on the drive home. it was monday so the temple was closed so we just took pictures quickly and got back in the car. again, IT WAS FREEZING. the cars were packed solid. there was not an inch of room. poor trent even had to use the vacuum as a head rest. what a trooper.

the boys!

there really is a special feeling here, the temple was beautiful.

for those who have not been here, this is joseph and hyrums last ride together.


CHRISTMAS IN CHEYENNE
trent had on daniels storm trooper helmet, kim....maybe this should have been his present!

me and weenie on christmas morning

my sisters kids on christmas morning. santa brought them a LOT of lute and they couldn't wait to get started. kim....i love sammy's face-what's up with that?

my mother started this tradition when we were little. she wanted us to learn how to give and this was her way that didn't cost tons of money and it has stuck with all of us. on christmas eve my mom and usually the help of the girls would make the dough and then roll the dough into butter and cinnamon and then bake them. then we would wrap them in green and red and jump in the car and take them to friends and family. it always felt (i'm sure more to my mom then us) that we took the rolls to a million families. thanks mom for this tradition, it's one of my favorite christmas memories.

kinsee got a little carried away playing with the dough

i love this picture-mom you'll appreciate this. (look at kims face) kim tripled the dough recipe and then doubled another batch and she was only half way through the tripled batch and started complaining that she wanted to be done and didn't want to do it anymore and on and on. ok so she wasn't really that bad but its funny to think about.

chunky conner!

CALIFORNIA
this is the newest addition the our family. baby brandon paul is my oldest brother matt's baby. he was born a few days before thanksgiving. he is so tiny and adorable. i love the chin dimple.

i can't get enough of brandon. i gave him loves for all of those that have not seen him yet.

new years day we headed over to see the rose bowl parade floats. it was a beautiful day tapped out at 78 degrees. it was nice to get out of the freezing weather. aren't the twins getting so big. just love them. Ava on the left, Anna on the right.


i thought the girls at hamilton would appreciate this pictures. she had her very own float and it was incredible. interestingly enough-her headquarters are in indiana. i have even driven by it. awesome!

look at those strawberries, aren't they awesome? this is still vera's float

i loved our time in indiana but am glad to be back close to family and friends. it took us 18 hours to get from lafayette, indiana to cheyenne, wyoming. then another 7 from wyoming to utah AND THEN 12 from utah to california and then another 10 back. trent and i figured out that if we lived 600 miles further east we would have driven coast to coast in less than a week. we also went through 9 states in less than a week. I AM SICK OF TRAVELING. we are here for the next 6 months and then will probably be moving again. i know we are crazy but that's what life does to you. and now i am caught up, hope you enjoy!


below: sammy got a battery operated four wheeler. this kid is dangerous. he wouldn't look where he was going and at the end hit the reindeer. trent getting his diploma