The English family at Island Park

 This year the English family vacation was on Bill's Island in Island Park. It is everyone's favorite destination for my family's trip. We spent the week riding around on a side-by-side, wave runner, and boat. Mason, Bri and Ava all got to drive the side-by-side, which the driver loved and the passengers all complained about. Mason got to drive the wave runner but never wanted to do it alone. We got a pontoon boat that didn't go super fast but still made for some fun tubing, and it was so spacious that being on the boat was super comfortable. 

We also did a little hiking around the Johnny Sack cabin. Half the family went to Yellowstone while the rest stayed and played, we were a stay and play family. 

Kelson and his family weren't able to come because little Alice was born the Monday we left. Hopefully next time, because it was a super fun week with family, fun and fresh air.

Camping with the Arbons

 We took the annual camp trip with the Arbon side of the family over the weekend. We weren't really looking forward to going, but it turned out being beautiful and fun.

We went to Bridger Lake in the Uintahs and from the pictures the campsites didn't look great. We were also warned that the bugs were terrible and the weather forcast called for storms. So not a great way to start. We got there and the lake was beautiful, the wildflowers were in bloom, and there were no bugs. We did get dumped on the first night, which was kind of a bummer. But the weather wasn't bad the rest of the time and the cool, clean air was so refreshing. We played some fun new card games, went for walks around the lake, the kids did some fishing, and we had lots of time to visit with everyone. 

It turned out to be the best camp trip we've had in a while.

 

Mason's 15th Birthday

 Mason is 15 years old now. Every year the number of his birthday just seems so unbelievable to me. 15 was such a big year for me. I think it's going to be a good one for him. 

I had been asking him for a couple of weeks if there was anything he would like to do, but he always answered that he didn't know. He didn't want a party with his friends. There was no way he was inviting anyone over to swim. Finally, a couple days before his birthday he mentioned doing an escape room, so I decided that was the plan.

We went to a place in Layton and it was so fun. We chose the vampire room and I think if it hadn't taken us so long to really get started we would have done a lot better. A vampire jumped out of the wall at the end when we failed the challenge and about gave Ava a heart attack. We had such a good time that we got suckered in to buying tickets to go again. 

He had crepes, Javier's and sushi. We gave him $50 and some treats, socks and underwear, because he couldn't decide on anything he wanted and apparently we also have no imagination. 

Mason is such a good kid. He really tries to do what is right and he has good friends. I think we sometimes get overwhelmed with him because every new challenge with him is the first time we have faced it as parents. But he is growing up smart and funny and good in spite of us. And I sure love him. 

Brielle is a teenager

 Brielle turned 13 on Saturday!

She had a cheer competition that day, so she had been trying to decide how to party around it for while. She really wanted to have a party with her friends, so we planned on her inviting people over on Friday night, but none of her friends could come. 

Christmas

Christmas is so wonderful, and this year was no exception. I came and went (without any snow) too quickly, though. 

We didn't have an Arbon family party like we usually do this year, because Sue wasn't coming up again and I guess no one else wanted to plan it. But we did get together for a nice dinner at Maddox. It's fun getting all of Tim's big family in one room. 

Since we didn't have the Arbon party I decided to throw an Arbon party for just our little family and I'm so glad I did. We played a bunch of games with prizes and watched a movie together and it was perfect. I love when I get all my kids involved in something together that's fun for everyone. They're my favorite people to hang out with. 

Christmas Eve was spent at church and then my Dad's house, as usual. Everyone agreed this is their favorite tradition. We had our Mexican food dinner and then the kids did the nativity. I sewed new costumes for everyone this year so it was extra fun for me to watch. Then Pop read The Night Before Christmas and we had our gift exchange. I didn't grow up with a lot of cousins involved, and just fills my heart to see my kids surrounded by so many people who love them and who they love around the holidays. All the time, really. 

Kelson and Lexi stayed with us for Christmas and it was so fun having them here. Luke and Jane are at such a fun age. We don't get to see them often enough so I'm glad they stayed here. Everyone woke up to lots of fun presents on Christmas morning. We had crepes for breakfast and then spent the rest of they day with visitors. Christmas just fills my soul.