Ellas Temple Experience

Ella decided this Fall that she wanted to go to through the temple and receive her endowment. She planned it so that Aunt Marisa would be in town when she went through, so the day after Christmas several of her family and friends parents went with us to do a session. It was a special experience. She is very well read and was very prepared. She is good at studying and learning so that is always a helpful start. She is hoping to submit her mission papers in a couple weeks. 

Her grandma and grandpa Speers, Marisa and Ethan, Natalie, Chris and Chira were able to join from our family. Then the Whartons, Davis', Hatch's, Armendariz, Dyers, Childs, and Calls came to support her. 

She is a special girl and I have no doubt she will be an incredible missionary. 

Transiberian Orchestra

For Christmas I gifted my dad tickets to the Transiberian Orchestra Christmas Eve tour at the Toyota Center. He loves Christmas music so I thought it would be fun to go together.

We ended up getting 4 tickets from Rangers friend, so we got to bring Ragnar and Ella along. It was nothing like we expected it to be. They didn't play a lot of their popular traditional Christmas songs. There were a lot of lights and fire, but it was still fun to be together and the suite we were in had unlimited food and drinks, so that is always a plus!! I'm grateful for the memory. 

Christmas 2024

This year Christmas came and went so quickly. We were so lucky to have my sister Marisas family here with us in Texas. We even got to see Chris' kids once so that was a blessing. 

Christmas Eve my parents came over and we had soup, decorated sugar cookies, read the Christmas story, shared our testimonies, and played Kahoot. It was a fun evening. 

I love the peace of Christmas morning before the kids come down as I go in the kitchen to make cinnamon rolls and breakfast casserole. 

The kids came down to the song "Deck the Halls" and Ella found the pickle in the tree this year. 

Cavin chose to wear his halloween shirt :) he is a silly kid! They each got several things they had on their list. Ella got airPods, journals, jewelry, clothing, a dress, shoes etc. Cavin got a water bottle, a suit, several pairs of shoes, clothes, phone case... Channing got a Kendra Scott necklace, jewelry, makeup, clothes, a curling iron... Deacon got books, soccer clothes, a soccer bag, shoes, basketball hoop etc. Hopefully they felt loved and taken care of.

It was a beautiful Christmas Day. We went over to my parents, ate, played games, and went for a walk. 

Christmas Sunday everyone participated in a musical number except Ragnar. There was a beautiful spirit of Christmas there. 

This was our Christmas card this year. We had a nice Christmas.

We were grateful for a week with the Scharmans. 

Gingerbread House Fun!

One of the traditions our kids love is making gingerbread houses. I always love to see their creativity and Cavin's creativity always comes out most during this tradition. 

Deacon doesn't typically like anything artsy/creative, but he did pretty well this year. 

Channing is always happy crafting.

Cavin did his based on a Pixar theme.... the movie UP 

I think it looks so creative and he worked hard on those sucker balloons :)

Ellas roof kept falling off, so she improvised and decorated the inside of her house. 

I have four great kids and I am grateful for each one!

Concert Season

I am grateful for music and for kids willing to share their talents. However, there are so many concerts this time of year. Cavin had an orchestra concert, Channing three choir concerts, and we had two church ones and even Ella had a couple in college we got to see parts of.

First Channings concert at AHS where the incoming 8th graders sang one song, then at TMS where she had her holiday concert. 

Then she made the region choir this year as an alto so they had a performance at Davis high school. They sang really beautifully there. Ella was able to join me as she had just flown into town. 

Cavin had an orchestra concert the same night as Channing's basketball game, so we tried to make most of both.

I love that Cavin still plays in the orchestra. He is so talented at the cello. He played a duet of a piano guys song " O come, O come Immanuel" at church and it was incredible. 

Ella had the privilege of performing in a choir "The Forgotten Carols" directed by Michael McLean which was a really cool experience for her. 

She has had many amazing opportunities in her time at SUU. I'm grateful for music that brightens the season! 

Thanksgiving week!

The week of Thanksgiving Cavin and Ragnar went to Camp Caney Creek to go to stake young mens camp. Ragnar is the stake young mens secretary in our church so he got to go and hang out with Cavin.

We have a great group of young men in our stake.

They had a good time together and got to enjoy some special testimony meetings, learning the Haka, and Cavin enjoyed time with the priests chatting and playing football. He had mandatory football practice so he had to drive back and forth each day, but the camp was only 3 days and only about an hour and 15 minutes away, so I was glad he was willing and wanting to make the effort. 

Channing the week leading into Thanksgiving had broken her ring finger on her right hand fighting for a jump ball in a basketball game. 

It was pretty swollen and bruised, but thankfully she only had to wear a brace and not a cast and only for 3 weeks. 

Cavin had his football game that week which they won against Fulshear high school.

They ended up losing to North shore the following week so they were eventually out of the playoffs which was sad.

Thanksgiving day we played soccer with a bunch of families for our " Turkey bowl" and we had a lot of fun. I am glad we have so many families to be active with. We then went to my mom and dad's and had a nice dinner there. So grateful for family and friends.