Our Christmas Eve....

We walked the snowy roads on Christmas eve because it was so magical. It was perfect.

Christmas Day

We had a great Christmas.  We started the morning early talking to Taylor in Greece. We talked to him for 2 hours and it was so great to hear his voice. 

Ice Cream heals all...

The night before Taylor went into the MTC, He got set apart as a missionary. It was an incredible blessing. I have never heard of such a long detailed blessing. Blessing after blessing after blessing. It was really neat. But we all cried our eyes out the whole time and were tired and not ready to let him go the next day. So we decided to go to Cold Stone.
This next picture:
A cupboard door fell off and nailed my mom in the face. If you look close you can see a golf ball size tumor that we couldn't help but laugh at everytime we looked at her. Luckily it hides behind her bangs. This is my dad & Lauren pretending to be disgusted. P.S. My mom now has 2 black eyes and a bruised nose because the blood drained. If only Taylor were here to see.

Saying Goodbye.....

We dropped Taylor off at the MTC this past wednesday and it was so sad. I think the anticipation of saying goodbye was the worst. After we hugged him and said goodbye there was this peaceful feeling that came over us so it made it easier to leave the MTC. He gave us hugs and we all said goodbye, then had a big family hug and he was like "big gulps, huh?" (from dumb and dumber) and walked off. He walked backwards out one door and would stop and wave every two seconds because my mom made him promise to not turn his back on her until he was gone. So he walked out one door and we walked out the other. Man that MTC is like Boot Camp. They tell you where to park, where you can take pictures and where you cant, then they get you in, make you watch HORRIBLE 80's commercials about families, sing called to serve in DOUBLE time. So fast you can barely keep up and then make you say goodbye and leave the other way so you can't see your missionary. It was AWFUL, I don't recommend it. Just say goodbye and kick em out at the curb. We got a letter from him on Saturday that he wrote his first night. He was ecstatic and so upbeat. He said he loved his companion, the MTC and already loves the people of Greece. He is going to make the most extraordinary missionary and we're so excited to his impact in the Mediterranean.

What we've been up to.....

Week of May 25th-31st

Maddie Graduated! No more high school students....

She also received the New Century Scholarship for completing her Associate's Degree before the end of her Senior year in High School.

Hogle Zoo

Taylor & Lauren collect coke rewards points like their lives depend on it. No, they are not caffeine addicts but work in a catering department that goes through coke like its going out of style. So they cashed their points in for tickets to Hogle Zoo. So all 4 of us college students and my mom took a trip. It wasn't quite as cool as I remember it. I think you need kids to fully appreciate it. But we loved the bird show, and PEI WEI's afterwards.

Then if you know our family, almost every other weekend we have a family bbq in the canyon, so we had our last family bbq before Taylor leaves today. We grilled, played frisbee and made homemade ice cream.

Weekend Trip to St. George

We took a quick trip to St. George to escape the weather and so Taylor could get some biking in before he leaves in a month. We had a lot of fun climbing rocks, hiking to petroglyphs and swimming in the pool. 

Huh blogs...more reasons for us to stop talking in person. ha ha joke. Bryndee, since your the only person that looks at this, I believe my next post will be in the form of a new years card from our family as if Milo was saying it.

And the verdict is....

drum roll.........................................GREECE, ATHENS Mission. He is set to leave into the MTC on June 5. He is so excited, along with everyone else. No one can think of a cooler place to go then Greece! Oh ....and Bryndee's was the closest bet.

The bets are in.....

Taylor is receiving his mission call on Wednesday. This is where everyone thinks he is going. Whoever is the closest is the most spiritually in tune...

Ryan-Denmark

Bryn-Poland

Lauren-Asia (vague)

Mom-Russia

Dad-Kolob

Maddie-South America

Taylor-Ireland or Chile

Chad-Southern states

Friends

Breanne-Peru