Let's Wrap Up December!

We were blessed to have Diana & Lucas stay on an extra week or so after Nick went back to San Diego. 

The week dawned with fresh snow on the mountains. (Actually, this is a sunset!)

 There was plenty of napping too. It would appear that Roxie fell asleep mid-text!

 Gram pulled out all of her old tricks such as Rachel and Richard's ton of Duplos...

 

...building blanket forts...

 ...bath time and jumping/lotion afterward...

...and pulling out the mini flashlight when the boy got fussy.

 

Roxie took care of the tickling department!

 One evening we all piled into the van and drove south to Provo for the annual BYU Athletic Dept. Christmas party. It is held in the Cougar Club room under Edwards Stadium. Diana wanted a shot of Lucas in front of Heisman Trophy winner, Ty Detmer's wall. Very cool! We sent this one to his Daddy who was Cougar Blue with envy!

The party is always fun with plenty of good food.
As usual, my girlies did not appreciate my photo taking...

 ...until I cried! (No, I just looked really sad!)

 There was plenty of passing the boy around...

 ... and coloring in the kid's area where Lucas charmed rather large athletes.

 Coach & I complied with the request for a photo the FIRST time!

Then Louie finished up the bread sticks!

 We had SO much fun during those days but all good things must come to an end, so they say.

I took this photo a few days later at the airport with a lump in my throat
and tears all of the way home.

Once at home I found evidence in one of my fake apples that Lucas had been there . 

A little love note!

A few days later we were excited to get this photo of our California gang!

Nick loves Santa! Lucas is not so sure!

I caught this wintry shot one morning of the Little House on the Corner.

 Too bad it was garbage day!

 

Dr. Sarah arrived mid-month and we settled into a cozy, fire-building, movie-watching norm.

Oh, and the "Mom! Stop taking pictures policy was still in force! 

Roxie took every opportunity to find warmth. Notice her fleece vest matches Rachel's shirt? 

How clever of her!

We went out to Thanksgiving Point and attended Holiday Lights with Britt. It was one of her last events at this job. She was moving on the BIGGER things!

One night we went to Salt Lake City and enjoyed the lights on Temple Square. 

SO beautiful and peaceful there!

Say "cheese"!

"One was enough Mom. Knock it off!"

 I always love the floating tea lights in front of the temple.
Can you call them TEA lights if they are on Temple Square?

 Such a beautiful backdrop for the Holy Family!

And there were Shepherds abiding in a field of snow, wondering what they were doing there.

Santa came and filled the stockings!

We love him forever because he left us Nutella and Chocolate-dipped Peeps!!

 Oh, and a game to dance away those calories!

There were lots of long winter's naps still to be had...

 ...yeah, I got the message.

 This is me taking a nap. well actually it is my feet under a quilt and pillow, taking a nap!

 This is my most awesome and biggest word score ever
 in "Words With Friends" before I fell asleep!
YES!!

I baked gingerbread men after Christmas because I just couldn't get around to it before!~ I love my Mom's old gingerbread man cutter! Takes me right back to my little girl days, standing on a chair, helping my Mom with her apron tied up around my chest.

 

 There were more naps and mucho book reading! This man can fall asleep anywhere!

 We got a fun new game called "Pictionary Man".

 You have to draw the word right on the little guy. It was funny, loud,

 and sometimes a bit irreverent...ahem!

 Diana sent us this darling photo of herself and Lucas in South Carolina at Nick's parents' home. 

Makes my heart want to burst with love! After all, isn't that what Christmas is all about?
Let's not mention that he is munching on the baby Jesus in his manger!

 Sending love to all of you who make me smile and hope you have a wonderful New Year!

Time Travel Tuesdays...So God Created a Farmer

Did you watch the Superbowl? Like many people, if one of my favorite teams isn't playing I pay more attention to the commercials than the game. Yesterday I think my favorite commercials were...

#1 The Doritos eating goat. Hilarious!

This man comes across a goat for sale. The goat likes Doritos just like him.

 Don't pay any attention to the fact that the current owner is beat up pretty badly!

 When the guy gets the goat home, the furry little guy will not stop eating Doritos. He is constantly crunching them.

 The noise is driving the man crazy. He can't sleep at night.

 Then comes the day that the Doritos run out. 

When the goat sees an empty pantry he makes the funniest angry noise!

 

The terrified man then realizes he no other choice than to sell the goat

 to the next unsuspecting sucker!

I have known a few terrifying goats!

He is doing the right thing.

#2  The Budweiser baby draft horse ad. Who doesn't LOVE a baby horse?

It's a love story that put a little tear in my eye.

We watch as the baby and owner meet for the first time.

We witness their tender bonding as well as more playful moments.

 

The man has done his job well and the sad day comes when they have to part. The horse is to become one of the famous Budweiser draft horses.

 Upon hearing that the draft team will be in a local parade, the former owner goes to the parade route to catch a glimpse of his friend.

The horse sees his first owner too. (the tears start right here!)

 

After the team has gone by, the man returns to his truck. He looks in his side view mirror and sees the horse running down the street toward him and we witness a tender reunion! Sob!

#3  Chrysler's "So God Created a Farmer"

Chrysler was selling trucks. They used an old Paul Harvey radio monologue about the goodness and hard work of America's farmers.

"And on the eighth day, God looked down on his planned paradise and said, 'I need a caretaker.' So God made a farmer," Harvey said as the ad began.

"God said, 'I need somebody willing to get up before dawn, milk cows, work all day in the field, milk cows again, eat supper, then go to town and stay past midnight at a meeting of the school board.' So God made a farmer."

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/what-actual-farmers-thought-of-chryslers-so-god-made-a-farmer-super-bowl-ad-2013-2#ixzz2K2jrcxCb

Hmm...I could have cared less that I was supposed to want to buy a Dodge truck. I thought of my Dad with tears in my eyes.

He was a little Mesa boy who wanted to be like his father.

 

He got up early and stayed up late to milk and feed the cows.

 

Even when he retired he never stopped farming! We all shared the bounty of his hard work for many years.

Brittany & Sarah Loose with their Grandpa Ellsworth.

 Richard Loose helping Grandpa pick peaches.

 When his legs were too old and tired to stand for the entire irrigation he pulled up a chair and kept right on working.

Forget the Dodge trucks! Love the men like my Dad who worked so hard 

all of their lives and led by their examples.

I love and miss my Super Dad!