I know that everyone else has already posted their "2010 best memories" and all of their "2011 resolutions", and so like usual I'm running late. However, just so you know, being on time is NOT one of my New Year's resolutions.
WEDDING
I guess it goes without saying that Ben and Karin's wedding was the highlight of my year. I know that Karin was secretly in love with Ben for a long time before they ever dated. I was visiting her once and she introduced me to him. I literally had to hold her down by her waistband to keep her from floating away like a helium-filled balloon. She kept asking me, "Isn't he so nice?", as if I could tell from the words "hello" and "nice to meet you". The next summer she was living at home but traveled to Utah for a few days and Ben asked her on a date; it was so fun to watch her get so excited and so nervous about a single date. I am so happy for her that a year later, everything turned out so perfectly. All the wedding preparations and the actual wedding were wonderful and so fun. Karin was so sweet about everything, truly a mother's dream come true. We fell in love with Ben's family, what a comfort to know that they love your daughter and are such good, good people. I was so glad that my parents, a brother and two sisters could come to the wedding. There is such support in family. Did I mention that we love Ben too? It makes me cry to see how kind he is to Karin and the example he is to my boys. Every mother should be so blessed.
I don't know if Ben realized that marriage includes not only the bride, but also her family. Little did he know (I love that line) that he would be helping Matt build a Foosball table until 3am, on Christmas Eve. That's an all time record at our house. We just hope he comes back for Christmas in the years to come. Here he is on Christmas morning. What a good sport!
MATT
Spending time with Matt is probably my most favorite thing to do. This year he took me skiing at Northstar for several days. I should have talked my parents into buying a condo at Purgatory (the ski resort in Durango) because the best way to ski is to be able to take a break in the afternoon, take off your ski boots, drink a little hot chocolate and maybe even snooze. That's what we did and had so much fun together. We've decided that this will be our Christmas present to each other every year.
What is with the goggles I was wearing - do they look extraordinarily huge to anyone else?
GIRLFRIENDS
I also enjoy spending time with girlfriends. I don't get to do a whole of that, so I really enjoy the time we have together. I love my book group, these are wonderful, loving, faithful women and their friendship has meant the world to me. I have been in the group for 10 years now, which means that together we have read and discussed 120 books. I think that you develop really good relationships when discussing that many books. I feel like we know each others likes and dislikes, struggles, victories and so much more. I find that we get together outside of book club just to talk or to share our common interests.
I love playing the piano with my niece - even though we didn't do much of that this year. She is so kind to me and that means a lot.
I love girls who do the "outdoor thing". I skied with my girlfriend Sue and although I took this picture two days ago as we enjoyed a day on the slopes, I did ski with her in 2010 as well.
OUTDOORS
Speaking of outdoors, one of my personal highlights was the glo-ball golf tournament I played in with Matt. Here's the setting: there are 6 of us playing golf at night, in the dark with a transparent golf ball that has a miniature glo-stic stuck in it. I am the only female. Matt is my partner and we are playing with 3 of his brothers and my Bishop. No pressure. They really are very nice, but you know the genes I was born with...just a little competitive. We weren't playing against each other, but I totally did not want to tank every shot. I was silently praying, "please, please just let me hit the ball". Now you know how good of a golfer I am. The thing is, I played great, I mean that. My favorite hole was a par 3 and the first time I hit, I totally scuffed the ball and it rolled about 2 feet. My Bishop said I could repent and have a do-over and so I did. But now, everybody was watching me,
that is pressure. So when I hit it the second time, it flew into the air and landed perfectly on the green. Yes, I showed some excitement, but truly none of them knew how excited I really was. I tried to act like that's a normal hit for me in the daytime let alone at night. I am still so excited about that shot.
SCOTT & DOUG
I love that Scott and Doug were on the same baseball team this fall. I know I sound emotional, but I really do cry when I see that they are such good friends. I cry when I watch them play ball, I cry when I seem them hug each other, I cry when they cheer each other on, I cry when they walk across the field together. I never knew there could be so much crying in baseball. I will thank Scottie forever, for being so kind to Doug. He has taken him under his wing in high school and does everything he can to help him. Doug plays the piano well and it could be so easy to be jealous or to make fun of him, but Scott is his number one fan. He told me that he is almost moved to tears when Doug plays "Liebestraum". It is a surreal experience to hear your teenage boys regularly listening to classical and jazz music on their stereos. How did I get this?
FAMILY REUNION
My favorite family gathering this year was Thanksgiving in Durango with ALL of my siblings and ALL of the grandchildren. I love getting together with my family, they are fun, happy, positive people. After our visit, Scott said, "I love your family, they are so nice and there is no sarcasm at all." I think that's a great compliment. I love that they cheer each other on, on this weekend we cheered runners, cake decorators, pianists, dancers, bakers, babies, pinata busters, and Grandma and Grandpa.
I am so grateful for the example of my parents. It strengthens me to see them be obedient to the Lord and to see the blessings POUR out upon them. I think more than any great parenting technique or Family Home Evening lesson, their example makes me want to be faithful and true.
All of the adults.
All of the grandchildren.
The beautiful, green Monticello Temple windows. Ask me about them.
GIANTS
I couldn't talk about 2010 without talking about the Giants. It is so cool to have your team WIN the World Series. And it was so fun to watch the winning game together, we were shouting, jumping on the couch, laughing, crying. Wow! Everyone should be a Giants fan.
CONCLUSION
I know when I wake up in the morning, I'll think of 5 more things to include. And I really would like to elaborate on some of the things I really enjoyed in 2010. But it took me so long to get this much written that I'd better be happy about it and besides, it's time for me to get on with 2011. So there you have it.
Scott and Doug jumping together.
Ouch for Ben.
Camera in hand to catch all the action.
I love this picture of all four of the boys jumping together.
This is my favorite outfit - shorts, tshirt, baseball cap and backpack. I'm so glad Emily likes this outfit too.
Devils Postpile at Mammoth Lakes, California.
Rainbow Falls
Some of the boys wanted to catch a little fishing time.
Others just relaxed.
I love this picture of Matt helping Thomas.
My brave Emily, (actually very afraid of heights) did great on a zip line.
And both Emi and Tom tried climbing.
The four boys did some mountain biking. Unfortunately, Ben came back wounded.
We also visited Obsidian Dome and then ended the weekend at church in Yosemite Valley.
