Cade and I Get-a-way to St. George

What a fun way to begin 2025! Cade needed a little get-a-way away from crazy, busy work. Well, I'd like to say I "needed" one too but I was just happy to go and spend some time with him! We had some fun adventures and enjoyed really yummy food, hiking, biking, hot tubbing and meeting up with friends. 

The first thing we did was drive to Pioneer Park and hike around a little until our Airbnb check-in time. Then we met up with the Williamson's (Cade used to work with Chris) at a Mexican restaurant. 

Of course after only being away from our kiddos for a few hours, Benson got quite the bad bonk! He was playing in the backyard on the trampoline and tripped over his own feet and his head bonked really hard on the metal ring of the tramp. It was really bad but luckily didn't split open. He's a trooper. 

We had fun meeting Scott and Amy Noorda at the St. George temple. The new renovations are absolutely beautiful! 

One of our favorite things we did was rent E-bikes and rode through beautiful Snow Canyon. It was really cool. I mean...it was a little TOO cool...cold. Other than that it was really fun. 

We also played some pickleball that day and that was really fun. 

We ate at a restaurant called The Painted Pony that Bryan and Jennie had recommended. It was probably my new favorite restaurant. We got ice cream after and found this cute random telephone pole that made us feel like we were in London again. 

We went on a hike to a place called Scout Cave. The first 2/3 of the hike was really just a walk through lava rock. It wasn't very pretty but I had good company! The last part was more adventurous and the cave was cool. 

We took a tour through the Brigham Young Home and also drove by James Godson Bleaks home (my Great Great Great Grandfather). I can't believe that with all the times we have been to St. George that we have never taken the time to do tours through the pioneer homes. I loved it and can't wait to go through more pioneer homes with my kiddos next month. 

Benson's eye was quite colorful the couple weeks after our trip. Lots of changing all the time. Poor kid. He's tough though. 

Christmas Break Fun!

 Christmas break was great! It was pretty low-key because I was potty-training Benson! We couldn't go many places because of that. But I am SOOOOO happy to say that we no longer buy diapers in our family!!!! It's been over 15 years that Cade and I have been buying diapers. No longer! Benson did great. he had one accident a day for the first 3 days and then has been doing awesome ever since. We are proud of him!

Speaking of being proud...Emma, Reese, and Nora have all finished the Book of Mormon! I feel bad we didnt' get a picture with Emma so I just have this pic below. But we decided when they finish the Book of Mormon then we would take them out to dinner to a place of their choice. Emma chose Olive Garden and Reese chose Tucanos. Nora we will take out in the next week or two. We are proud of our girls for reading it for the first time and hope they finish it many times more in their life. 

Part of our Christmas Break was putting up new wall paper in Cade's office. I love what we chose to do. Fits him well and is much better than the pink that was in there before :). 

We went to our neighbors basketball court and played bball games and dodgeball and pickleball. It was a great time!

One of our family gifts was going to see Beauty and the Beast at the Hale Theater in Sandy. It was AMAZING! Probably the best set and design I have ever seen in a musical. Absolutely amazing. What would have made it even better is if Benny didn't come. It was his first musical and why I thought he would sit through it okay, I'm not sure why. And he was potty training so I had to leave with him a couple times. But overall it was still worth it. 

Emma loves to do her sisters nails! She is very creative and talented at doing it. Lucy and Jane love it the most and are surprisingly very still and patient because gel nails takes a long time. 

We finally went to "Luminaria" at Thanksgiving Point. It's been going on for many many years but we have never gone. Mostly because of how expensive it is. But we decided to do it and I'm glad we did! The kids favorite part were the circle tiles you jump on and change colors as well as the yummy treats. 

Mine and Cade's favorite part was the new Tree of Life exhibit. They had dozens and dozens of beautiful statues and even the Great and Spacious Building with wicked or worldly people represented there. There was of course the rod of iron that you could hold on to and then Christ standing near the Tree of Life. It was beautiful and very well done! 

Christmas Eve and Day 2024!

 Christmas Eve we had Grandma and Grandpa over for our special dinner. This year we ate what I grew up with every Christmas Eve dinner- Chicken Cordon Bleu and white rice and rolls. I think most of the family loved it (of course- it has cream of chicken soup which is so bad for you so I hate using it!). 

We had fun playing/singing together and reading the Christmas story. Our favorite part of Christmas Eve though is giving each other our gift from the hearts. This year Benson and Dad and I all joined in! The whole family. It's so much fun giving something we spent time making and doing. 

Then Christmas morning came!! Kids ran in screaming at 7:00 am on the dot! The girls all slept together in Reese's bedroom and watched the clock for the last half hour until the could wake us at 7. 

Benson got a couple of Cade's childhood toys with lots of memories associated with them. A Fisher price castle (that has a trapped door- VERY important 😉) and some Micro machines. Cade was having fun playing with Benny on Christmas Day. 

Jane found the tiny pickle this year! I thought it was going to be SO hard to find and within about 1 1/2 minutes Jane yelled, "I found it!" She got a giant weighted axolotl stuffy. She loves it so much she shares it with Emma every single night 😂. Emma just smiles and says thank you to her every night!

I got rollerblades for myself and my girls (Lucy already had rollerskates) but it was SO fun to bundle up and roller-skate with them when it wasn't raining. I love mine and so glad my girls are excited about them. Jane is OBSESSED with her new roller-skates. She wears them non-stop around the house. 

Putting together Jane's gift from the heart from Dad. He knew she liked puzzles. And Grandma Close loves them too!

What a great Christmas season! Highlights were singing at a Senior center, doing a shadow nativity, roller-blading with my girls and playing games. OH! And no one was sick!!! What a HUGE blessing!

Christmas/December Fun!!

 We got home from our Thanksgiving trip and all of a sudden we are already a couple days into December! Thanksgiving was later this year so we needed to catch up on some fun!

We got our tree and finished decorating for Christmas. Nora got to put up the star this year...the girls are getting little big to be on Dad's shoulders now :). 

I volunteered to help put together a shadow nativity for our ward and it turned out absolutely beautiful. I am so grateful for youth who would devote time to practice to add a strong spirit to our ward party- including my sweet kiddos (even Benson who came on stage for an appearance as toddler Jesus). Emma was Mary, and Reese and Nora were Shepherds. It was amazing to be a part of. 

Hot chocolate bar with friends. WAY too much sugar 😂

I went to a holiday bread making class with Faith at Snuck Farm. It was super fun. 

Lucy and Cade at a BYU Basketball game for a date. Lucy was most excited to be able to finally use the foam hand at a game :). 

Going to a live nativity and holiday market in American Fork. Jane wouldn't stand by Santa but let me get a picture kind of next to him. 

We incited the Swan's over to make a gingerbread wonderland. It kind of failed so now next year I will make little houses ahead of Time with frosting that is not runny!

Benny and I visiting Sis. Graves at Spring Gardens Senior Living Center. We performed at this place a couple years ago and after learning that Sis. Graves lives there I knew I needed to bring my girls back to perform for her and her friends. It was so much fun. Definitely a highlight of our Christmas Season. The elderly are such loving, kind, gentle people who love unconditionally. It was fun to have Lucy join us this year and play her flute. I love my musical family!

Bleak Family Christmas party was at Nathan and Steph's house this year. We did a nativity again with all the grandkids. Some are older but we make them participate still :).