havasupai....again!

at the top, when everyone was still clean.

barely heading down.

in the village, about 7-8 miles in.  no longer clean. 

clayton and cobe, havasu falls.

sharp clan, getting ready to jump.

june and spencer.  really not sure.

spence and kenna, jumping from navajo falls. (30-40 ft.)

brave abby.

taking lincoln behind the falls.

preparing gourmet dinners.

by the lds church on the way out.

preston, first one of the sharps that came out with the regular group.

brig, clayton and i hiked out first, about 2 hours earlier than everyone else. 

brig ran back down the switchbacks to help lincoln get out.

spencer was next.  in his words:  that ultimately sucked!

preston ran back down and brought quincey up the switchbacks.

and june (suffering from serious heat exhaustion) being helped out by preston and james.

she really did NOT love the hike out.  after a blessing and lots of gatorade, she ended up okay.

i didn't get a final group picture at the top, but everyone else did.  i'll add it when i get a copy.  it was hard and hot!!!  but there were some good experiences.  i told will, that was my third time- i'm NOT going again.  but if i ever have to, hiking out was a thousand times better than riding out!

favorite

my favorite part of my new room is the group of pictures will hung above our bed.  those are pictures i took of the coast off of southern washington, right near the columbia river.  i'm not a good photographer, but i still love the pictures.  the two lighthouses are cape disappointment and north head.  they are some of my most favorite places i've ever been to.  the view of the pacific is incredible.  i've been there many times and i've never grown tired of it.  it's a place i plan to regularly vacation for the rest of my life.   

nico's farewell

two weeks ago (and two days) nico entered the mtc.  he's the last of the older boys to go.  he'll be serving in the bottom of mexico, near the mayan capitol.  so he'll get to see one serious party as 2012 ends.  lucky guy.  he was the most excited to leave.  if ever there was a boy prepared for his mission.  life isn't the same without these fabulous young men around.  our family definitely misses them.

grand canyon

on our way home from arizona over thanksgiving, we stopped at the grand canyon.  none of the kids had ever been there, and will hadn't been there in many, many years.  look at brigham's face.  that's how cool he thought it was.  honestly, kids these days.  what does it take to impress them?

girl's choice- winter dance

so back in december the kids all went to the winter dance. it had a disney princess theme, which some of the kids went with and some did not.  kylie asked preston and they chose no theme. 

  kenna asked spencer and they went as belle and beast. 

june asked bridger, and although it had nothing to do with disney they went as princess peach and mario.

this was part of the group they went with.  hercules and meg were in there, and then one guy was without his date and i haven't a clue who they were supposed to be.

brigham dressed up to go serve to the group preston was in.  they had dinner at kylie's house and brig and kylie's sister were the servers.  i'm so unbelievably grateful that my kids have faithfully waited to date until they were 16.  even though brig won't get to go to a single dance this year, he is a trooper and stands strong. 

one of my most favorite pictures ever is one i have of preston with his best friends, all going to prom.  some of them weren't yet 16.  but there's preston, in his jeans, posing with his friends who were all in their tuxes.  i knew it crushed him not to be able to go.  but he never even considered asking.  he was only 3 1/2 weeks shy of his 16th bday.  they are such fantastic examples to me.

los angeles

the pantages theatre in hollywood.  most fantastic theatre i've ever been in!!  unbelievable detail in that place.  i would've taken more pictures if they had let us.  it was spectacular. 

the stage.  wicked is the best.  i don't know how anyone doesn't love it. 

the ceiling in the theatre.  i know- horrible pictures.  i've only had my iphone for a week, so i'm still getting used to it. 

the lobby of the theatre.  i should have just taken pictures of the walls and stuff.

very poor picture of june and i.  but it's the only one i have. 

very undeserving

june and i went to see wicked.  we drove to los angeles with some friends and saw the show last thursday night at the breath-taking pantages theatre in hollywood.  we had a good time, but i was anxious to get home to my boys. 

when we got home saturday night, the house was empty.  june and i thought everyone was gone.  i opened my bedroom door to bring my stuff in and i was welcomed by all the boys and will.  they were hiding with cameras and surprised me with a complete bedroom make-over. 

i don't know how he did it, but in the few days i was gone in california, he managed to work magic and totally create a new bedroom for us.  he is the best.  i felt guilt- big time.  while i was gone playing, he was here working himself to death to give me something he thought i'd love.  and i did.  i love it.  and him.  he is an incredible man!  and i'm incredibly lucky. 

a before and after is always better, but this is the best before shot we have: