"I Wanna Be a ROCK STAR!"

Last Sunday, after Cooper's farewell , we all got together to play a little XBOX 360..."Rockband"! What a riot! Everyone took turns playing drums, guitar and being the lead singer. I think Steele surprised me the most...he was great "doing" his best "Mick Jagger"! It was a lot of fun!
So now, everyone join in... (think Nickleback!)

"Cause we all just wanna be Big Rockstars,
Living in Bountiful, driving Glenn Thomas Cars.
The songs come easy and entertainments cheap,
We'll all stay skinny 'cause the "word of wisdoms" sweet!
And we'll hang out playing bass guitars,
In the Larson's basement with NO movie stars.
All the family members gonna wind up there,
No annoying "groupies" or big fanfare...
Hey, Hey, I wanna be a rockstar!"

My "Super Tuesday!"

I don't know if you're political or not...
I don't know if your candidate won or not...
I just know that I had a "Super Tuesday" because I spent it with Dalton.

Nick dropped by for lunch and a little "wrestling!" Dalton won!
Here's some other cute shots of Dalton and his sisters, Ava and Sofia. We have had so much fun since Kristin and her family moved here! They get my vote!

Going, Going...Gone!

Nick has been letting his hair grow since his wedding in May. ( He might have had ONE haircut since then). On Tuesday he said he wanted a hair cut...not a trim, a cut. So we decided we'd better document it for his future posterity. Nick's had long hair most of his teenage and adult years, but I think this is the longest it's ever been! The back...definitely longer than mine!

The side....Going...

Bringing back the mullet! ....Going
Gone!
Doesn't he look handsome?

Happy Birthday Dad!

Dad with Sue, Bob and me in 1953.




Mom and Dad in 1945...could they be any cuter?


Today is January 5th and it would have been my dad's 84th birthday! Although he cannot be with us here with us, I know he is celebrating with family members somewhere on the other side! I think about Dad a lot and miss him more than I am able to put into words, but I find great solace knowing that he is much happier and healthier now than he was the last few months of his mortal existence.
So, although we will have celebrate his birthday this year without him... we can continue to celebrate his life, his love, his example, his generosity, his humor, and everything he means to each of us!
They say that time helps to heal all wounds, and I know it's probably true...but when I think about not seeing my dad for another 30 years or so, it seems almost unbearable! Yet, I am so grateful for the years we had with him and for all the wonderful memories he left us. I am blessed to have had him in my life. I know there are many people who have not have been as fortunate as I to have had a father like him!
So cherished memories will get us through for now...I am grateful for each and every one of them! I love you Daddy! Happy Birthday!

Dad with Lori at her wedding in June 2007.

White Christmas!

They say statistically it rarely happens...but we actually had a "White Christmas" this year! It snowed all night Christmas Eve and lightly on Christmas morning. It was beautiful and just added to the already wonderful holiday season!



We started off Christmas with an early morning breakfast with Bry, Bre, Blake, Sean, Steele and I, while Nick and Chelsea celebrated with her family. When Nick and Chelsea joined us we could get the party started! As usual we had to start off with the family tradition of breaking through the "wrapped" door to the Christmas room!

Before "crashing through" the Christmas door!
The youngest child is always used as a "ramrod" to break through the wrapping.!
Bry and Bre

Nick and Chelsea

Blake...moving in on Chelsea!

Sean still wearing his favorite "ugly sweater"

Blake playing with Monte

Steele, with his "Grand Teton" book that Bry and Bre made especially for him.

I know everyone says it, but I really do LOVE this time of year...
I love... (especially in todays world) that we continue to have a day to honor and celebrate the birth of Our Savior!
I love the lights,
I love the snow,
I love the food... (need I say more?)
I love the music (I could play it year round...but I don't.)
I love the smells,
I love preparing all the Christmas goodies...and maybe sampling a few of them.
I love all the traditions,
I love wrapping presents (except for the ones left until Christmas Eve)
But most of all...I LOVE being with family! Merry Christmas Everyone and Happy 2008!

The Ugly Sweater Contest!

Have you ever noticed that the holidays seem to bring out some of the "ugliest" sweaters you've ever seen? Well, we decided to take advantage of this, and last year we started the "Ugly Sweater Contest." We drew names last year (so we had a whole year to find the perfect sweater) and then we opened them this Christmas Eve. It was a riot! I was impressed with everyones choices and creativity. (I did discover that it is much easier to find "ugly sweaters" in the women's section or the men's extra large section.) So here are some of sweaters...

Blake lucked out...his really isn't too bad.
Blake picked out Bre's...Steele loved it, he thought it was the perfect ski sweater.BreAnna drew Nick's name...I don't know if you can read it...It says: "I love my sister in law!"
Sean picked out Chelsea's. Pink is her favorite color!Bryan made Seans. It had a changeable panel on the front to adapt to whatever crowd Sean might be in.Chelsea added some personal touches to Steele's sweater.Nick worked very hard to "light up" Bryan's!Jon didn't have to do one thing to make Lauri's this attractive.And Jon LOVED his sweater! (Seriously, HE DID!)Steele found my sweater in the WOMEN'S sections at DI. Now, that probably doesn't seem all that funny...but what makes it funny is that it is HIS sweater! (We gave it to DI several months earlier, along with another good looking sweater he had.) Both sweaters were there at DI, side by side...in the women's department! (Here I am doing my best "Steele impersonation",
even down to wearing his glasses from the 80's!)

Now it gets even better...this is the exact same sweater that Steele was wearing in this picture, taken 23 years ago at my dad's 60th birthday party! Check it out!We're all looking forward to Christmas Eve 2008 when we can unveil next years "finest!"

Where's Monte Carlo?

Over the years, we have found our little dog, Monte Carlo, in all sorts of various places.

Sometimes we find him cuddled up next to Dalton,








Sometimes...we find him licking Nick's feet!?!








Sometimes...we find him bearing gifts,








Sometimes...HE IS THE GIFT!









Sometimes... we have a hard time finding him at all!
(Note the tail!)





But the other day, I came downstairs to find him in one of the most interesting places of all... there he was in the middle of the trash compactor! Apparently, the smell of Christmas food remnants was just too much for him! He proceeded to reach in to snatch wrappers one by one. (Check the trail!) But, as fate would have it, he went back one too many times! On his last venture, he reached just a little to far ...and plop, fell in! Although he was stuck, he seemed perfectly content to sit and rummage through whatever food wrappers might remain in there...a feast for a king!