Christmas 2010

This year we didn't have any of our kids here for Christmas. This is what Christmas looks like without the West children...

Where's the big Christmas tree and ALL the presents???
Fortunately, our good friends took pity on us and invited us over.
We went to the Evan's for a wonderful Christmas Eve dinner and music program filled with friends, fun and food.

It was REALLY so delicious!!

Then on Christmas morning, we went to the Sheffer's for a beautiful brunch!

It's so great to have such wonderful friends.

We love and appreciate them so much. All their kids were there and it was fun hearing about what they are doing.

We really ate TOO much...and I'm not even mentioning the fact that after the brunch we drove to Long Beach and had another meal with Grandpa and Grandma Ann

and THEN we went to Grandmothers!!

TOO MUCH great food!!!

New Year's resolutions right around the corner though! :)

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Two days before Christmas, we went to the San Diego Temple and attended our (near) family

friend's wedding.

Drew and McKenna Simpson.
Here's a picture of Lauree and I. (my sis)

and the 5 good friends...

Drew, Clay, Seth, Traci and...

umm...

WHERE's KAREN???

Merry Christmas everyone.

We love you!

Thanksgiving 2010

We had a great time over Thanksgiving weekend. It was so fun to have Owen and Megan, Karen and Danny, and Jeff and Kathy.

We really missed Julie and Daniel though.

There were so many things we wanted to do, one of which was to take pictures at the beach.I'll admit that I was so busy most of the time that I didn't take pictures of half of what we did. One thing we did most every night was to sit in the spa...even the night it rained. We went to the movies, watched the BYU/Utah game...so sad BYU lost, ran the 5K Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning in Palm Desert where our family won 3 out of the 10 prizes that were given, ate a big Thanksgiving dinner that everyone helped with in some way. I'm especailly grateful that Owen cooked the turkey. We visited Grandpa and Grandma Ann in Long Beach after going to lunch at Hof's Hut. It was nice to have Grandma here for part of the time too. We also went to the temple on Sat. night and on Sunday the kids surprised me with several birthday gifts and cake and ice cream. I just have the BEST family!!!

We watched funny things on youtube,

played Catch Phrase at Denise's after eating Stephanie's delicious homemade pies.

Kathy gave a few haircuts...(thank you, Kathy.)

The boys played computer games,

Megan made delicious blueberry french toast,

and we FINALLY got rid of the old buick by donating it to a charity.

The boys had to push it out on the street.

I don't know why Karen is hugging that car...she hated the buick!!

A GREAT MORNING!

My morning just got better and better, so I thought I'd share it with you.

Although it has taken me about 3 months, I began my 4th week of training today. (The schedule Karen designed for me in preparing for the Turkey Trot.)

It felt so good and I'm actually quite proud of myself that I could step it up a notch.

Then I went to physical therapy and my P.T. thinks that the pain in my elbow joints is coming from the tightness in my neck so she gave me the BEST soft tissue neck message!!

So wonderful!!

Then to top it ALL off....

Dad and I done some killin' !!

This is so un P.C. (Dad says people will know that means politically correct, but I wouldn't so I'm explaining it.)

I can not tell you how HAPPY it makes me to kill a gopher!!

So here you are.

Enjoy these pictures!

I was actually the one that konked it on the head.

:)

Spur of the Moment Trip to Utah

On Friday morning, my good friend, Chris, called and told me she wanted to go to Utah for the weekend and asked me if I would like to go with her. SURE!!! Fortunately, Kathy and Jeff were willing to put up with me for a couple days so OFF WE WENT!!

It was SO FUN!!

No offense to dad, but it's amazing how fast the drive goes when you only stop TWICE along the way. Dad would not have survived it.Wish you could hear the music playing along with this um....dance?

I spent Saturday with Kathy at the salon.

Before and After pictures.

The cute newly married couple.

So excited for Thanksgiving!!

Charleston, South Carolina

We spent two nights and one full day in Charleston, South Carolina.

We toured the Yorktown Aircraft Carrier.



Took a boat ride out and toured Fort Sumter, which was where the Civil War started.

We also toured a sub called the Clamadore.
And we stayed all day and saw this gorgeous sunset!

The morning we left, we took a walking tour of Charleston. It's really a cool city with a lot of old buildings and history.

Wish you all could have been with us. We love you and miss you! Looking forward to Thanksgiving though!!

Kennedy Space Center

After several delays, the Discovery Shuttle is scheduled to launch tomorrow, November 5, 2010 and rain or shine, we will be there!! It will take six astronauts and one robot.

We spent one day at the Space Center seeing as much as we possibly could. We even talked with a real astronaut and a cosmonaut! They just happened to come on the space shuttle launch simulator ride as we did.
We also spent a day at the Astronaut Hall of Fame. There really are a lot of astronauts. I had no idea there were so many and I've learn so much about the space program.

The rocket garden.

This hugh building is just one story and it is the largest building in the world. Four Empire State buildings could fit inside it.
It is here that they turn the shuttle upright and link everything together with the rockets in launch position.

This is the crawler that they put the shuttle on and transport it to the launch pad. It takes 8 hours to transport it and it goes up to one mile an hour.

It is all set to go except for putting the fuel in the tank which they will do the morning of the launch.

It's all a go for tomorrow!!

We've wished several times that you could all be with us here.

Hopefully, you will each get the chance to come to this great place.

It is one of the most inspiring places I've ever been to.

Daytona Beach, Florida

The other day we were able to do some sight seeing at Daytona Beach, Florida.
Here it is on a cloudy, November day and hardly anyone is at the beach even though it is warm and beautiful.

We were so surprised that you can actually DRIVE your car on the beach!!

Awesome! The sand is super fine and feels like cement
as you walk. Sand doesn't even get on the tops of your feet as you walk either. The water was unbelievably warm too.

We loved it. It was the first time I put my feet in the Atlantic Ocean too.