End of 2011...

Our little guy...

Christmas 2011

We were all home around CHRISTMAS as well!  The Finlays were gone just part of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but we had some nice days all together.  It was so warm that we were playing tennis in the morning in sweats and t shirts!

 We also enjoyed caroling with some dear friends, having our cousins over for dinner, acting out the nativity, opened gifts, ate lots of yummy food, had a special program and enjoyed being together.

(Papa feeding Jordan ice cream for the first time... he was in heaven!)

Thanksgiving

We were all able to be home for THANKSGIVING in Colorado.  It was different without my Mom there... but we really enjoyed being home, and with each other.  Here are a few highlight pictures (not sure why I didn't get a picture with everyone at the table!!).  We also got some family pictures taken, which I need to get a copy of.  I couldn't be more grateful for my Family this year!

My Mom

My sweet, beautiful Mom passed away on October 28th, 2011.  Although she had battled cancer for 4 years - it still came as a bit of a surprise because she had rallied so many times before.  After her last doctor's appointment where they told her the cancer had spread through much of her body and she wouldn't have more than a few weeks up to a few months left... it was 10 days until she passed away.  She went quickly, which I think was a blessing for her.  She did tell us that even though it's not what she wanted, she felt it was her time to go and she was at peace with it.  That has brought me a lot of comfort.

Thankfully, I was able to be there the last week and a half of her life, and it was a hard but really special, sacred time.  All of us kids (and our husbands except Scott who wasn't able to make it until the Funeral) were kneeling around her bed as she passed on.  The spirit was strong.  We were all able to stay through the Funeral and help plan the program and viewing.  It was so incredible to feel surrounded by so many that love us and love my Mom.  I will never forget that sweet time, the kind words said and the many thoughtful acts of service and love.

This is a picture of Jordan and I and my Mom one day before she passed away.  She was in and out a lot but this was at a particularly alert time for her, and she suggested I go get a camera.  I am so glad we have this sweet picture with her.  I miss her every day.  I wish I could call her on the phone and have a simple conversation with her and hear her laugh.  It still seems so unreal to me most days that she is gone.  She is a remarkable woman I will always love and miss dearly.

Happy Fall!

For my own sake (and anyone who is interested) I'm starting back at September 2011 and quickly working my way back up to August 2012 so my blog can officially be up to date :).

Back in September and October, we enjoyed some beautiful fall weather.  One night we went with our good friends the Hardy's to the a HUGE corn maze - our little boys were troopers in the cold!  We had a great time trying to find our way out.
We also went to a pumpkin patch with some friends, to pick out our Halloween pumpkins.  It was so fun!  I've never done that before, and I have to say it was much better than going to the grocery store!  I think we might make that a yearly tradition....
And, Jordan and I made it to Colorado for Halloween this year.  His Aunt and Uncle took him trick or treating around the culdesac - We all had a great time with it... and I think he did too :).

Family Pictures!

We got family pictures taken when Jordan turned 6 months.  Our neighbor, who is a photographer took them at the Gardens up on BYU-Idaho Campus.  Here are a few of our favorites:

I'm back!

I haven't blogged for 8 months!  I figured it's about time to update.  So, I'm back to the blogging world!
The next few posts will be a quick review of our lives since last September :).

We enjoyed visits from Kris's Sister Hilarie, and her adorable little girl Ashlyn.  We also had a great visit with Marion, Josh, Hannah and Olivia when they came to Idaho, and spent some time with the Millers and Nielson grandparents.