Christmas 2025

On Christmas Eve, we hosted the sister missionaries for dinner, Sister Tobie Polanco from Arizona and Sister Mikaela Christensen from Provo, Utah (Timpview HS).  We had a delicious ham dinner with some great dessert of chocolate cream pie and brownies.  We also had a musical program.  Westley and Jonah played trumpet together (Westley played on the old coronet in the guest bedroom).  Annmarie and Eliza each sang a solo.  We then read Luke II with singing Christmas songs throughout the story.  Then we opened our ornaments and I had bought some special Texas ornaments for the missionaries.  It was such a fun Christmas Eve.

Christmas Day was the usual.  We lined them up.  Travis was even represented with the South African flag hanging from the top of the stairs.  We opened stockings, then presents and had our big breakfast.

I worked really hard and gave my mom a drawing I had done of me, her, and her mom all of us around the age of 20 or so.  I used photos that I had from those ages and composed them into a picture. I did use AI to help by having it create the picture and then I used it as a basis for my drawing.  Alejandra and Westley gave Corey and me these great Mexican shirts (they probably have a name but I don't know it).  They were so nice!  On Christmas Day, some of us drove up to Plano's Deerfield Neighborhood and walked through Christmas lights.  We also had our chicken nuggets and applesauce on Christmas Day.

The day after Christmas, we had a breakfast gathering with the Fowles family and played some games.  It was a fun time. All in all, a very good Christmas!  

Family Photos

 

Youth Activity

I got called into YW as the YW Secretary and this was the first activity I attended.  It was a combined Priest/YW 16-18 activity, so both Travis and Eliza were involved.  They were to find a picture of an ancestor and replicate it.  Eliza was Grandma Fellows (Helen Fellows) and Travis was Grandpa Fellows (Gene Fellows).  I thought they did a great job replicating the photos.

June Happenings

We all worked together to try and improve the look of our yard.  We are trying to grow grass and we also put down some mulch.  Hopefully our yard will look better.

Just hanging at the pool while the kids swim.

Look at how many roses I have now!  I have no idea what I'm doing when it comes to taking care of them, but I guess it's working!

Took a photo of Eliza reading because she looked so cute today.
 

End of the Year 2023

 

Christmas Day 2023

We had a later morning than in the past, given that our kids are getting older and want to sleep in. Plus, Corey closed on Christmas Eve (since it was a Sunday and he opted to work the night so he could go to church).  We did the usual things...lining up, opening stockings, opening gifts, eating breakfast.  The kids did their homemade gift exchange.  

Jonah drew a picture for Nathan that was awesome and Nathan (with Corey's help) made homemade light sabers for Jonah. Annmarie made Eliza a new bag for her violin music out of some Harry Potter fabric that has been in the fabric drawers for several years.  Travis (with Uncle Aaron's help) made country mix CD's for Annmarie.  Eliza made Travis some business cards for his baking business.

We went over to Grandma and Grandpa's house to hang out and ride bikes and enjoy the nice weather.  We got to go on motorcycle rides with Grandpa.  Jonah lost his drone in the wind.  Later that evening, we finally had a chance to do our chicken nuggets and applesauce.

 

BYU Women's Conference

I love BYU Women's Conference and was so happy to have been able to drive up to Utah with my mom to go to this. We stayed at John and Allison's house and went to the full conference. It was a lot of driving for only a few days. Maybe some day I can fly up. I love BYU campus and being there with my mom. The drive was nice; we had good conversation and also listened to some good audio books. I also bumped into Jessilyn Stewart Peaslee, who is an author but also someone who knew Corey's family in Palmdale. She was there for book signings at the book store. Wish I'd had my books she'd written so she could sign them. Eliza and I both enjoy her books.

 

Easter 2022

We had Easter as a family for the last time for a long time. Next year Westley will be gone, the next year both Westley and Caleb will probably be gone, and then after that, Caleb again, then Travis, then who knows?  The girls had matching dresses probably for the last time.  Time is sure flying by and the kids are growing up.