We headed to Grassy Lake, Alberta for Christmas 2010.  We convoyed with my brother Mitch and my "sis" Chass, and arrived on the 23rd.  Dad and Mom's house was completely remodeled by my brother, Dave, and it was so fun to see all the awesome changes they had made.  It was more awesome though to get to visit with so much family!! 

the long trip north

four generations

Grandma and Grandpa's loaded mantle

snuggles with Daddy

Derek Christmas morning

Tess and her miraculous American Girl doll thanks to a special Santa Claus

Wipe out!

The little grandkids sang for us

Making memories with Great Grandma Torrie

my sweet cousin, former roommate, and kindred spirit, Liz

Mom and Aunt Colleen getting their eyebrows dyed.  Way too funny

the pedi's

Good times with Grandpa down at the barn

These two donkeys were so stinking mellow and cute.  The kids LOVED THEM!!

THE END (I didn't get my fingernails done.  Why the heck am I doing that?)

Must try Paula Deen Donuts

Sorry I haven't been a faithful blogger lately.  I've had so much on my mind that I've had to go inward instead of outward if that makes sense.  More on that later....

I'm going to slowly try to get caught up.  Maybe one of these days I'll blog some Christmas pictures!  For now, you really have to try these!

 ...These are the fastest, tastiest, easiest treats around!!  Yummy!!  We made them again last night and seriously in 5 minutes they are done.

You just use a can of refrigerated biscuits, pop out the centers with a bottle cap/lid, deep fry, and then glaze!  5 minutes folks and voila!!

For vanilla glaze:  2 tablespoons milk with 1 cup of powdered sugar and 1/2 tsp. vanilla.

go to foodnetwork.com and search "Paula Deen Donuts" for more pictures and detailed instructions on different glaze/cinnamon sugar dip ideas.

still alive

Hi!  Man, it's been a long time.  I'm too tired to go find my camera from our Canadian Christmas trip and post pictures.  Maybe tomorrow....Lots of crazy decisions to be made lately but more importantly lots of brilliantly beautiful memories spent with loved ones to end 2010 with a bang:  pedicures with the ladies (my first ever!), riding donkeys with Grandpa, late night Rook games with siblings, food, food, food, and more food, Christmas day with 24 grandchildren and 18 adults, birthday and New Year's Eve party with 50 family members (Great Grandma got some broccoli stuck in her esophagus and scared us all when she stopped breathing and slumped over in the chair!  Thankfully two doctors, two nurses, and an EMT were all in the group and after a blessing and rushing out to the garage to head to the ER the broccoli dislodged!  She credited the miracle to the prayer of all the great grandchildren and a priesthood blessing).  Had a blast swimming at the rec center and hotel with cousins, too many fun memories to even write down.  Love our adorable nieces and nephews to pieces!!  Oh, I forgot to mention the puke flu that is flying through our family!  I wonder whose turn it is tomorrow?!  Just thanking my lucky stars they have all managed to make it to the toilet and no one took their turn while we were driving in the car for 18 hours! 

Always An Adventure.

Family, family, family. 

That says it all.  Their overwhelming love and generosity is so uplifting and renewing. 

May 2011 bless us all with more joy, patience, faith, hope, and love.

Cheers!!