Timber is coming, Timber is coming - Merry Christmas

     I bought Timbers plane ticket to come right after Christmas today, I am so excited to have her here again, and I'm looking forward to it.  We have big plans, since she has never been to Disneyland before we are taking her there with Mackenzee for a couple of days.  Then we will come back towards home and camp with a group of people over the New Years holidays, I think she will have a great visit.  We will stay near Disneyland in an RV campground close enough to walk to the park each day, I hope she enjoys it as much as I have planning it.  The girls have been emailing back and forth making plans and talking about what to do every minute of the visit.

     Last time Timber was here it was summer and it seems like forever ago.  We have been to Colorado to visit I think twice since she visited us, so it will be fun.  She and Mackenzee get along so well, it will be fun to see how they mix it up this time, you know - they are teenagers this time :)

     We will camp with the Cross family so there will be plenty of kids and they are all taking bikes, it's been awhile since we had kids running around the camp ground, we will see how excited Papa Steve is with that :)

Timber and Mackenzee @ Jalama beach.

Timber and I during our last visit. 

Smoke a Thanksgiving Turkey at the lake

     Once in a while, we find ourselves "without" five kids during the holidays.  It doesn't happen often and I am certain I wouldn't like it if it did, but this year we were alone during the Thanksgiving holiday, so we went camping.
     The kids were all getting into the snow ski spirit and thankfully work keeps them grounded at some point, so they all spent time with other family members, friends and/or each other while Steve and I packed up our new motorhome and went to the lake for a few days.  My brother and Judy had opted to spend time in Palm Springs so I would probably see them during the Christmas holidays and Steve's family was busy doing family things as well.  We invited everyone to come visit, but wanted them to understand that we were still going to be having out Thanksgiving out doors, like the Indians :)
     I found this to be actually an exciting option for Thanksgiving and bought a small turkey with all the fixings that we could smoke at the campsite and have when we wanted.  Russ actually ended up driving to meet us and eat, so we were a family of three, and had a nice day, we have much to be thankful for and I never forget to consider myself blessed.
     Happy Turkey Day everyone!

Smoked turkey @ Cachuma

Night after turkey - bacon wrapped filet @ Cachuma

Yum

Park City, Snowbird, Sundance, Deer Valley - It's all SNOW

     Utah, it has become a wonderful part of our lives.  The year that Phillip went to Southern Utah to school I began our love affair with Utah and all the wonderful things that come with it.  Now, it's winter again and Phillip is knee deep in powder in a place he absolutely loves!  I just got off the phone with him, he has been making snow this winter and they are in full swing - he says "it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas" and the season has just begun.  It's great to have a chat with the kids, especially when they are in good moods, the sun and the stars seem to be aligned, they are talkative and getting along with one another.  It makes a mom happy.

Phill loves Park City and so far it's loving him back :)