The Littlest Things Make Me Happy !

Hooray, we have our office back. For two years, Kelly and I had to put up with nosey little girls in our office. Now that they have their laptops it has been nice and quiet in the office. Before, the girls used my desk for the "family computer" and I had a makeshift desk (card table) off to the left. Having to listen to some of their music while they were on the computer was annoying (unless they were listening to country).

No more card table and monkeys in the office. So nice to have my desk back and the quietness. Especially, with my new message chair Kelly got me for Christmas. Life is Grand!

Merry Christmas !

Merry Christmas to all. It is now 7 am. The girls got us up at 4:45, I think they were excited. This year Kelly and I were tricksters. For a month now the girls thought they were getting cellphones for Christmas. So, we bought toy phones and wrapped them in a box with a picture of an iPhone. We're so bad. The looks on their faces when they opened them was priceless.

What they really got were laptops. I think they prefer the laptops then phones so all is good

Kelly was a happy camper cause he got one too. Here he is holding laptop training classes. Our
Christmas Eve was pretty special. We had a nice dinner, played games, opened our PJ's and watched a movie. I am so thankful for my family and the many blessings in our lives. I am most thankful for our Savior Jesus Christ and His wonderful teachings.

Drill Team Competition (Provo)

Better late than never. The girls took 2nd place, in two catagories, at the Timpview Competition on Dec. 6th. They did great for their first competition of the year. They are heading to their next competition in Bountiful on Dec. 20th. I love going to these competitions and seeing how hard the girls work. Kelly and I are old pros now, this year is our third year of competitions. Kelly is such a sport for always attending these events with us girls. He really is the best Dad/Husband. Cross your fingers for the Piute Drill Team this saturday. Go Thunderettes.

Snow Storm

We sure do appreciate the festive snow this time of year. Looks real purty on the windows and surrounding the house. The wind, on the other hand, sucks. The wind was shaking the house and garage so bad we thought maybe we were in Kansas (minus the tornado).

What beautiful pictures of the snow on the windows.

What the wind did to our patio fence is not so purty. Power tools will come in handy for Kelly tomorrow.

Second Christmas Tree

Well, one tree just wasn't enough. This year we decided to put our tree upstairs in the rec room where it would be warmer Christmas morning (after 2 Christmas' here, we were tired of shivering while opening our gifts) . The downstairs living room looked empty of festive fun so I decided that we would go cut down a tree to hang the girls ornaments from their elementary years . It's been 4 years now that I've been decorating the tree my way.

Kelly asking me if I was sure this was the one.

This is why we brought Dani's boyfriend.

Final creation with our evil cat posing.

Family Pictures

Last Sunday we were finally able to take our family pictures for the Christmas cards. Weather was perfect. I asked Kelly to go down to the barn and set up a place to have them taken. He made it so nice, better then I expected. He's the best! We hadn't planned on our cat "Coon" being in the pic but, he must have felt left out cause he jumped up on Courtney's lap and settled right in. Worked out pretty good. Of course Kelly wanted his horses in the pic with us but, just wasn't enough room.

Love This Pic of Danielle and Courtney

Halloween Fun

Here's the grandboy's pics that Savannah sent us. Jade (Motor Cross Racer) Kelly (Ninja) Kaleb (Dead Pirate) Kyler (Batman) Wyatt (Grim Reaper ?).




I was teaching at the school when the students were dressing up so I had to dress up or I would never hear the end of it from the students. I was a doctor and I performed surgery on Kelly that morning and it got kinda messy.

Kaleb and Kyler. Too cute. They wore their costumes for school.


Dani and a senior classmate dressed as nerds.

Courtney the friendly vampire. She's such a "Twerd". But she looked awesome.

Fun On The Ranch With KW and Cowboy

Well, we think Kaleb and Kyler had a good time here at Holt Ranch. They had fun coloring halloween pictures, playing in the barn and with the rabbits, gathering eggs, decorating cookies, carving pumpkins and just spending good quality time with Grandpa and Grandma. We sure love it when they come to visit (or as Kyler would say,"Stay for three weekends").

Funny comment. I was feeding the boys breakfast, one morning, and I asked them if they would like some beet jelly for their toast. Kaleb said, "No thanks, I'll just have this grease on mine", referring to the butter on his toast. Too funny, huh!

Cosmo Fantasy Contest

Last week, Danielle entered a Fantasy Contest at her school. They had to use a model and do their hair with some kind of theme. She had Courtney be her model and she did a witch. She didn't win but I thought she did an awesome job.

Missing Our Friend

On October 18th, a good friend of ours, Jeff Alder, passed away due to a motorcycle accident. He has been a caring, dependable and great friend to Kelly since childhood. He truly will be missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Cathy, and his children.

No Elk :(

Well, the boys didn't get their Elk but, they sure had fun playing Guitar Hero. The competition was severe. Just look at the concentration on their faces. Dani and Courtney asked their Uncle Paul if he wanted to play. They were so excited when he said, sure. Now they think Uncle Paul is way cool.

Still No Elk Meat!!!!

But they saw some beautiful country. Kelly and Paul came home with this picture after an evening hunt. They still haven't had any luck. Kelly left for his meeting in Flagstaff this morning. Paul is on his own until Saturday for the hunt. The girls and I wish him luck.

Elk Hunt

Opening morning for the Elk Hunt. Dani was so pumped. The weather changed that real quick once she got up on the mountain. Down here at home it was raining, up top it was snowing. Kelly, Paul and Dani left the house about 6:15 am. They came home pretty bummed out cause they didn't see anything but deer and other hunters. There's always tomorrow.

Courtney Has Gone To The Darkside

Our little Vampire, we're so proud. This is what the "Twilight" series has done to our little girl. She now requests our horse's blood for dinner. We alternate from the chickens, rabbits, cats, dog and horses. The rest of the family refuses to change.

Princess Laynee

Here's some pics of our Princess Laynee. Kimi and Laynee are both doing really well and Kelly and I are so thankful for this beautiful gift from God.

Princess Laynee Is Here

Last night, October 1st at 11:14 pm, our beautiful granddaughter was born. When we left about 1am this morning, mommy and baby were doing great. Kimi and Mark named her Laynee Jo. Her weight was 7lbs. and 20 inches. Lots of dark hair. What can I say, she's beautiful just like her mama. I'll post pics later.

Fun With The Kids

Two fun filled weekends. The weekend of the 27th Sami, family, Kimi and Mark (Jade, Kelly and Wyatt were with their dad) came up to go camping with us. It was alot of fun, minus the bugs. The weather was perfect. This past weekend Kimi's boys came up and we decided to go camping again. Saturday's weather started out beautiful and the boys were having a blast at the camp site. By 6pm, the thunder rolled. But, that didn't stop us from cooking chili and hotdogs on the fire and corn in the coals. We're standing around the fire, in the rain, eating while watching the boys having a great time. Even Courtney was having fun (Dani was still at work missing all the fun). Here's some pics of our camping trips.

The watering hole

Phil and Kyler building the dam for the watering hole

Sami and fam sitting around the campfire waiting for stories

Kimi and Mark looking nervous about the campfire stories, hehe

Mark, Dani and Wort discussing the stars

This is how Jade and his Grandpa split fire wood

Kelly and Jade panning for gold

Celebrating Wyatt's 5th birthday (a few days late)

Boys making an indian colony in the creek

This is how Courtney likes to camp

FUNNY STORY (well, not for me) !!!!!!

Now, there is some of you out there that will laugh at this . Those of you who sympathize with me, thank you. This morning I was playing with my cat "Coon" on the bed before I had to go to the school. Kelly went out to feed while I took a shower and Coon followed him out. When Kelly came back in he had a sad look on his face and I figured it was because of the baby bunnies (whole different story to tell). But no, he told me that my cat was killed by the dog "Koda". The flood gates opened up. I have to tell you that I'm not that much of a cat person but this little guy has a piece of my heart. I sat on the bed and just bawled and the girls came in the bedroom and asked me what was wrong. According to Dani I said,"Koda killed Coon (hick up hick up). I hate that dog, I loved Coon". I was so upset I didn't remember that brief moment. I started to compose myself so I could get ready to go to the school. I was blow drying my hair and I looked over my shoulder and there was Dani holding Coon in her arms, ALIVE!!!!! What a cruel joke my husband played on me, huh? Just kidding, it turned out to be another cat that looks just like Coon (we think it was Coon's son that is wild but we had named it "Junior" because it did look just like my cat). Oh, happy days (sorry Junior but I really do love MY cat). So, all is well on the Holt Ranch, that is until I come in the house and tell Kelly that his favorite horse is dead and then announce, "My bad, it was just the neighbors horse". He He