End of 2010 with Lots of pictures

Ok, some I'm finally getting around to updating our blog. Eventually I'll catch up...(maybe...) So I wanted to post pictures of the other things that we did last year (besides dealing with health issues) I honestly could have posted more pictures, but I tried to only pick a few for each "highlighted" activity so that this blog post wouldn't be miles long. In September my sister Nicole went to the Temple to receive her endowment. (You can read more about Temples here) It was such a wonderful blessing to be able to be in the Temple with Nicole, my Mom, both Grandma's and a few other close friends.

It was such a beautiful day!!!

What a beautiful daughter of God! :-)

In October & November we celebrate many family birthday's. In my family we celebrated Mom, Parley, Brenda & Nicole's birthday. Just so you don't think this is all focused on one side of the family, we do celebrate many birthday's in Curtis' family during August and September...Tim, Heather, Ben & Chuck...but I never seem to have pictures of those celebrations, sorry guys, we still love you! Happy Birthday everyone!

Sam & Brenda's self portrait

Parley

Nicole laughing during one of our family dinners,

I think we were hitting balloons around the house...

This next picture doesn't involve me, but it's really cute. Sam took Brenda to a BSU Men's Basketball game the week of Thanksgiving. Sam knows several of the b-ball players from her classes and she told Brenda about them. Part of the "condition" to go to the game was that Brenda would let Sam do her hair and she would get to have "tattoos" and get to wear lots of orange & blue. (if you haven't guessed from other posts Brenda is a HUGE BSU fan, if she could get away with only wearing BSU clothes, she would....oh wait, most of the time she does...) Anyway, they had a lot of fun and we all thought that Brenda looked SUPER cute!!!

Go Broncos!

Thanksgiving was a busy one for us. We ate dinner with my family at 1 pm at Grandma Ward's house and then we went to Curtis' parents house for dinner around 5 or 6 pm. We ate a lot of food that day, but it was worth it...especially since we got to spend it with family. Again, these pictures are going to seem "one sided" but I promise we spent time with both sides. (Maybe I only remember to take pictures of the Ward family because someone is always taking pictures, so I tend to remember more....)

Sam & our cousin Marguerite

My Mom & I

Parley, Dad, Grandma Ward & Mom

Christmas was fun and busy too. Christmas Eve was spent with my family and Christmas day was spent with Curtis' family.

My Dad LOVES to play Santa. This year he came over right after he had stopped by several homes to help spread good cheer. Brenda wanted a picture with Santa and we made Parley stand in the picture too (he was NOT excited about it, but humored us anyway)

All the Ward Kids

Do we look like we are related and love each other?

I can't pass up a story with this picture...As stated above Brenda LOVES anything BSU related. This is her reaction to realizing what Sam got her for Christmas....

A 2010 Fiesta Bowl picture with a few autographs on them...one of them included Kellen Moore, the BSU quarterback. (Sam had a class with him and a few other FB players too) Brenda thought it was the "Best Present Ever!"

Opening presents with our nephews Spencer & Matthew

Heather with the cross-stitch that I made her for Matthew

Uncle Tim playing on PBS kids with Spencer

While here visiting for a week, they boys got to come play at Uncle Curtis & Aunt Sara's house. Of course the first thing Spencer wanted to do was build with blocks!

Playing Hide & Seek with the Santa doll.

Matthew thought this game was absolutely hilarious!

Aren't they cute BSU fans!!

I wouldn't have bought the t-shirts, but they were only $2

on the clearance rack...good thing they will grow into the shirts!

Spencer wanted to "sleep in the tent" with Uncle Curtis. Since it was winter we made an indoor tent instead....When it was done Spencer said "it's a Dog House!" Ha, ha!! I can't wait until he actually understands what that means...(by the way, this is the only time Curtis has "slept in the dog house" since we've been married)

Getting ready for bed inside the "dog house"

Nap time!!!

For several years I have wanted to build shelves in the garage. After Christmas my brother Parley finally had time to come over and build them for us!!! I was SOOO excited!!!

Wall before

Hard at work

He make this look easy....

almost done

The finished product!

Sam was my official photographer during this process. She was also trying to get Parley to let her use his power tools. Because she was "bugging" him, it took him about 1 1/2 hrs to build the shelves, if she wouldn't have been there he probably could have done the whole project in about 1 hr. Sam thought that the shelves looked like bunk beds...we threatened to kick her out there...

A few more random pictures:

BFF...Shasta & Sara

We got to spend a Saturday together....loads of fun!!!

Dec. 1st we got a ton of snow here in the valley. So much that schools and the colleges all had a snow day. Sam and her friend Becca had fun in the snow at our house. Here they are with their boyfriend Pierre. He is so handsome...