Clear Creek

In December, Kelsie and I headed to Clear Creek with all the other 5th graders.  Clear Creek is an out outdoor education camp located near Scofield.  We spent three days (and 2 nights) there.  Some of the fun things we did were:  A GPS hike, ropes course, made a music video, performed skits, had a dance party, learned to knit, developed photography skills, listened to ghost stories, and slept in a cabin with 25 fifth grade girls!  Our experience was definitely an adventure.  It started out with a bus crash.  Then we arrived they told us their were cougar tracks and sightings within the camp.  That was a little unerving since we had to walk in the dark through the camp to take showers and go the the restroom.  It was scary and it was freezing cold (like -10 degrees), but all in all we had a blast and I'm so glad I was able to go with Kelsie as a chaperone.  And even more happy that we both made it out ALIVE!  WE are not campers!  Here is a picture of all of the kids on their last day at Clear Creek!  Fun times!



Each afternoon the kids went around to different rotations.  Mindi and I were in charge of "chess and cocoa".  It was the best!  Mindi taught the kids to pay chess, I made hot cocoa, and then they played and drank cocoa and Mindi and I had lots of down time to chat!  :)  Okay, making hot chocolate in the bathroom of the boys cabin did TOTALLY gross me out, but I survived!

Good Morning!  They woke up bright and early and were excited for another fun day at Clear Creek! 

Kelsie and Holly in front of our cabin, "The Pot Gut Hut"!

On the 2nd night we gathered and did marshmellow/toothpick structures, put on skits, and then the kids hunkered down with pillows and blankets for a movie and the leaders made smachos.

Here are the SMACHOS!  They are a Clear Creek tradition and are a mix between nachos and smores that you bake in the oven.  We made tons and it was really yummy...but way sweet!

Some of the leaders got a little out of control while making smachos!  We had a ball chatting and goofing around.  Thanks to Mindi for LOTS of entertainment.  :)

On the last day it warmed up a bit (to like 3 degrees) and teh kids were able to go out one their GPS course.  This is Kelsie's group headed out...

 Mindi and Me.  I was so grateful that we both got to go to Clear Creek and we got to spend so much fun time together before she moved.

Kelsie and I packing up our stuff to go HOME.  We had a great time but we were SO ready to go home!  We were ready to get home to a warm house, NO cougars, and lots of food.   (I about starved to death up there on school lunch meals and everyone was joking around with me about it).  It was great to be headed home but I am so glad I got to go and experience all the fun and adventure of Clear Creek with Kelsie!  We had a great time.

Tidbits from Carter

Tonight we were learning about Abraham Lincoln for FHE.

Halfway through the discussion Carter piped up and said, "I want to be the prophet when I grow up." 

Kelsie turned to him and said, "Do you mean President of the United States?"

Carter's response:  "NO WAY.  I don't want to get shot in the back of the head!" 

Well, at least he was listening!  :)

Christmas Parties

  I love being at the school on the last day before Christmas Break! You can't leave there without feeling excited about Christmas. I helped with Kelsie's class party. We made ornament wreathes, watched a movie, and had treats. Here she is with her 2 friends, Holly and Sydney. They were in the same class this year and last year and I always find those 3 together at school!

I stopped by Emily's class to check in on her! I love her 2nd grade class. The kids are so cute! They were playing Bingo and making really cool Penguin Snow Globes. The little boy to the left of her is one of my favorite preschool kids ever from my first year of teaching preschool. They are cute little buddies at school which I think is just adorable!

Emily's Baptism

Emily was baptized on November 17, 2012.  It was a very special day.  She had been looking forward to this day with anticipation for a very long time!  She was baptized and confirmed by her dad.  She shared her baptism day with a little girl from our ward, Chloe.  Afterwards, Emily, Chloe, Kelsie, and Brianna sang "When I am Baptized".  It was very special to see the way they just glowed as they sang the words to that song with such conviction.  It was a really neat day and we are so proud of Emily.  We are grateful for all of our family and dear friends that came to support us on this special day.

Emily, mom, dad before the baptism

our family...it's impossible to get carter and matson to both look at the camera at the same time...

Emily and John before the baptism

Emily and Chloe shared their baptism day.

We had a fun family gathering at our house afterwards.  Grandpa Durrant brought a special gift from Great Grandma Durrant because she was not well enough to join us.  It is very special to Emily.

After the luncheon we didn't see anymore of Emily, her cousins, and friends.  They went right to her room to play dolls.  That is what Emily loves most!  She loved having all her cousins and her friend Lizzie there at the same time to play dolls with her!

Zoo Lights

We went to Hogle Zoo for the Zoo Lights!  The light displays were great.  The kids loved them!  There weren't many animals to speak of, but we sure got excited about the ones we did get to see!  We saw a river otter, a bear, a jaguar, a tiger, 2 snow leopards, and some cool birds...not sure WHAT they were.  I've never seen so many people at the zoo in my life.  It was SO crowded and it was SO cold, but the kids had a ball.  Matson fell asleep on the way home, but when he woke up this morning he said,
 "I want to go back to the zoo when it's dark again!"  A fun, new experience to go to the zoo in the dark!  Thanks to Grandma for the tickets!  We had a great time.  :)

 

Wax Museum

The 5th graders do a wax museum each year.  Kelsie wanted to be Betsy Ross.  Kelsie loves the colonial era and thought it would be fun to be a seamstress, since sewing is something she enjoys.  This is her poster.

Kelsie as Betsy Ross

At the wax museum.  She looked very authentic with her needle and thread and American Flag!  The whole thing was really cool!  All the kids stood like statues until someone pushed their button.  Then they would give you a fact about their person.  Very fun and Kelsie learned a lot!

Emily's Turns Eight!

Emily is 8!   Those 8 years went FAST.  It was only fitting to have a GYMNASTICS cake for our little gymnast!

Emily was super suprised to get a Bitty Twin doll for her birthday.  She has been wanting bitty twins for a LONG time and was delighted.  She named her doll Zoey.  :)  She also got some fun pioneer era books (which she loves), a bonnet for Kirsten, and a Barbie camping set.  Fun, fun!

Emily invited 3 friends over for her birthday.  They went to Hang Time (a trampoline and foam pit place) which is Emily's idea of heaven.  Then they came back here for treats.  It was the easiest party ever and Emily loved it!