Kade's 15th Birthday!

Kade's Birthday fell on a Sunday this year so we got to party on his actual Birthday. We had dinner with the family. He wanted money this year so there weren't any exciting presents to open. 

Kade is a great kid. He loves to ride the 4-wheeler with his friends, play his computer game, be on his phone, still loves to tease his sisters, eat pizza and Arby's, eat any kind of sour gummy candy, and he still loves to make money and decide what he's going to spend it on!

Happy Birthday Kade!

We love you!

Guatemalan ties!

Chris and Kade wearing these awesome ties that Betty made for them. That was so nice of her. Notice the Guatemalan belt Kade is also wearing. Great souvenirs from our trip! 

Guatemala!

In January we were lucky enough to take Kylee, Emilee and Kade and travel back to tour Chris' mission in Guatemala! It was a most amazing experience for each of us. It turned out perfect. It was such a great thing to have the kids along. They loved everything about it. We helped Kade because he is not old enough to have a job yet, but Kylee and Emilee paid for every penny of the trip themselves. It was $1600 each and they thought it was worth every cent.

 Chris planned the trip and he did an amazing job. We toured Guatemala City, Lake Atitlan, Quetzaltenango, Antigua and the Jungle in Peten. It is such a beautiful country and the people there are amazing. We were able to spend time with Anna and her family as well as Betty and her family. We also met Teresa who was a lady that Chris baptized 25 years ago on his mission there. He was able to reconnect with the companion that he served with when they baptized her as well. It was a wonderful experience for him and we loved seeing the sweet reunion as well.

We spent 9 days doing some amazing things. Highlights were...

Watching the sun rise over the Jungle in Peten

Seeing the beautiful old buildings in Antigua

Being near Lake Atitlan, thought to be the "waters of Mormon"

LOTS of shopping from vendors on the street. So cool!

Being on the grounds of the Quetzaltenango Temple!

Attending a session and doing baptisms in the Guatemala City Temple

Watching monkeys swing through the Jungle

Touring the amazing Mayan ruins and pyramids

Meeting and being in the home of a sweet single Mom and her girls that Anna introduced us to

Shuko dogs at Anna's parents home!

Following "chicken buses" as we drove along the roads

Taking our lives in our hands by driving ourselves all over Guatemala!!

It was definitely a week that we won't ever forget!!

Now we've joined Dad in loving the beautiful land of Guatemala!

Out to Dinner with these 2 cute girls!

Since we were taking the oldest 3 kids with us to Guatemala we decided we should at least spend a fun night out with Quincy and Brinley. They were well aware that this didn't make any comparison to an 11 day trip, but it was fun just the same! We took them to "Texas Rhodehouse" for dinner. They tried some new things and loved the food they ordered. It was a super fun night!

A white Christmas!

We had snow for Christmas!  This is the day after Christmas and these cute girls are not letting the chance to get out and play in it slip by.  Loved the snow shovels in the backyard.  Not sure what they are making, but they are hard at work at whatever it is!

Christmas at Grandma's!

Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without breakfast at Grandma's that morning!  We enjoyed a wonderful huge breakfast made by Grandpa and Grandma.  So great and nice of them.  Then we exchanged gifts.  Quincy and Brinley got their favorite presents here.  Grandma Wyatt's money bought them each a "cake pop"maker and lots of cake supplies.  They were in heaven.  I think we will be eating lots of cake now!

The cousins were all there which always makes it fun.  

Home for a little rest and then off to another party at Clint and Heidi's house later that night.  3 parties in 2 days, that's pretty impressive!!

Merry Christmas everyone!!