The "Mortensen Owl" is on the move again.

The Mortensen Owl got tired of the cold weather and heard that Max and Deanna Wade were headed to St. George, Utah to spend a few months.  He hid in the back of the Uhaul they rented and was able to head south for the winter.  I am sure he is enjoying the warm weather.

Mountain River Ranch

We meet  Max and Deanna Wade and the Travis Wade family; and Nina Ricks, with Seth and Tonya Steer, and the Lyle and Michelle Rumsey family; with Hillary, Lily and Ashley at the Mountain River Ranch.  We all rode a horse drawn sleigh back into where they feed us a dinner and put on a program.  Everyone had a great time.  

Sledding and Playing in the snow

 Lily loved being pulled on the sled and playing in the snow.

Later the Landon cousin's came over and Jaxon pulled the kids with the 4 wheeler up and down the road and in the field.  Everyone had a great time.  Grandpa even tried taking Lily for a ride on the lawn mower.  

Game Night

Seth and Tonya Steer were here in Idaho to visit Nina for the holidays.  They came out to our house for dinner and a night of games with Caleb, Hillary and Ashley.  

Hays Christmas in Iowa

 The Hays moved to Iowa so they had Christmas there.  I am so glad there is Skype and Face-time so we can keep in touch with them.  We missed them this year for Christmas..  The kids had a great Christmas in Iowa though.

We received a packed from the Hays's.  Iowa popcorn, homemade cookies and a fun decoration to hang up.  We have snow here so it works good for us.  

Christmas

 Christmas morning was just Randy, Susan and Ashley.  We all slept in late and opened presents later on.  No rush at all.  You miss the little kids.

 Caleb, Hillary, Lily and Bear showed up later in the afternoon.  Lily was so fun to watch open her presents.

The next day we saw what Santa had brought the Landon kids.

Christmas Eve 2012

 We had Jaxon, Raquel, Kinsley, Keagan, Holden Landon and Ashley with us Christmas Eve.  The grand kids acted out the Nativity with puppets as grandpa read the Scripture account.  Kinsley played some Christmas songs for us on the piano.

Everyone always enjoys opening the presents that night. A tradition is new pajama's for the grand kids also.

Max and Deanna Wade's Annual Christmas Breakfast

It is a great Christmas tradition to go to the Wade's on Christmas Eve (Morning) and enjoy the breakfast they have.  They serve over 300 people each year.   All their kids and spouses, and grandkids help them.  Thank you so much  Wade's for including us.  It looks like Adam is ready to take over the pancake cooking job.

Lily Trampoline Jumping

Lily loves jumping on her trampoline.  She is in her red dress ready to go to church.  We had a great few visiting her.

Salt LakeCity, Utah - Lights at Christmas Time

 The SLC Temple Grounds are always so beautiful at Christmas time.

Macy's Department store window decorations. Everything is made out of candy.  

Lily Shopping/IKEA and the new Outlet Mall

Lily is a born shopper.  It is never to early to learn to walk in high heels.  Lily and grandpa trying out the beds at Ikea.  We went to the new outlet mall called Traverse Mountain.  Wow it is nice.  

Gardner Village SLC, Utah

We went to see the Elves at Gardner Village.  

Lily at Zoe's Christmas Party

 Lily painting cookies with her mom.  They mixed food coloring in evaporated milk and painted it on the cookies before they were baked.

 Friends at the party.

Zoe and Lily

Bowling/Thursday Morning League

I am on a Thursday morning bowling league with Deanna, my sister; and Nina my sister-in-law..  We have a great time.  

Live Nativity/Ritchie's home

 We went and saw the Live Nativity that the Ritchie Family puts on.  They include neighbors, friends and family.  It is a great production to help you remember the true meaning of Christmas.

 It is out doors so we all get to bundle up to watch.  It is great to have family come with us.  Raquel, Jaxon, Holden, Kinsley, Keagan and Randy.  The Ritchie's also provide homemade donuts and hot chocolate.

Books/Melanie

 

When I saw this I thought of Melanie.  She loves books !!!!!!!!!

Keagan and Holden - 5 years old

Keagan and Holden had a Construction Themed Party.  The wheel barrow is holding the presents, the dump trucks were holding the bread sticks, and everything else was construction stuff also.  It was a great party.  

Temple Shift Christmas Party

We had our annual Wednesday AM Temple Shift ordinance workers Christmas Party.  Right after our shift we meet at Frontier Pies for a very delicious dinner.  Brother Jim Braque was our entertainment.  He has the most beautiful voice and sang the Christmas songs so well.  It was very enjoyable   I do love working at the temple and  serving with the people we associate with.  

Kinsley's first crosstitch

Kinsley Landon's first crosstitch.  I think she did a great job.  

Rexburg GFWC Civic Club

For the December meeting we had a Christmas party.  Lots of fun treats and a great program.  Also the ladies brought their hobbies and talents to display also.  Of course I did not get pictures of them but they were all wonderful also.  We collected and turned into the Crisis Center over $500.00 worth of new toys for Christmas gifts.  The ladies in Civic Club are wonderful.  

Christmas Decorations

 Every year Kinsley comes over and helps me put up the Christmas Village.  It is made of houses we all painted years ago.  She likes reading the names of who painted them on the bottom of the houses.

This year we got rid of the plants above the cabinets and put up a nativity scene.

Melanie 38 years old

Cross stitch pictures I made Melanie for her birthday.  She moved to Iowa this summer to teach at the University of Northern Iowa (UNI).  

Thanksgiving

 Thanksgiving Day here in Rexburg was really beautiful.  No snow, no breeze, a little chilly but a lot of sunshine.  The turkey was in cooking, the potatoes were boiled, the rolls were rising, the salads were made and Raquel was bringing the pies, so everything was ready early.  So, Randy and I decided to go on a bike ride.  We have never done that on Thanksgiving.  It was a great ride.  Maybe it is time to put the bikes up.  Who knows!!!!

Grandpa Landon (Ike) has been staying here for a few days.  We had a small group for dinner.  We had grandpa and Jaxon, Raquel, Kinsley, Keagan and Holden.  We all had a nice dinner and day.  I am so thankful for all I have.  We have all been blessed so much.  

Cancun- Day 9- Saturday- November 17- Flying home

 Checking out of the resort.  We had a total of 22 suitcases, a car seat and lots of carry-on bags.  We were quite a circus moving from place to place.  Everyone was so good to help us.

Waiting at the Cancun airport to fly home.  The Hays family  to Des Moines, Iowa and then drive to  Cedar Falls and the rest of us to fly to  Salt lake City.   Hillary, Caleb, Lily  and Ashley  are home in Salt Lake and Randy and I and the Jaxon Landon family drove to Rexburg.

Hays Family flight.  Henry making sure his Bear has a seat on the plane.
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It was such a fun week with all the family. The weather was wonderful.  We all enjoyed the sunshine and the cool breezes off the ocean.  The grand kids loved ordering daquires and pina colada any time they wanted to.   It is so fun to watch the grand kids play  in the ocean and the pools.  All of them were just wonderful.   It is fun to watch the parents with their own kids also.  It was just a great week.  Fun memories to have. Thanks to all the family for making it such a great week for Grandpa and Grandma.  We love you all lots !!!!!!!!

Cancun- Day 8- Friday- November 16- Tres Rios, Pirate Show

 We all went out to Tres Rios today.  It is a beautiful resort on the ocean.  Also it has 8 Cenotes on the property.  We took a ride to one of them.  The water is so beautiful and clear.

 You can kayak, snorkel and swim in them.

Holden and Keagan on the ride home from Tres Rios.  They were in the van with grandpa and grandma this time.  

 The maid leaves a beautiful towel art each night.  Our maid was very clever.  I like to save them until we leave.

 Holden and Keagan painted  'Mater" cars  down by the pool area.

We went to a Dinner and Pirate Show.  Oliver posed with the Pirates after the show.  

Cancun- Day 7- Thursday- November 15- Tulum

 Randy, Ashley and i headed to Tulum today.  Hillary and Lily were the only ones up when we left.

 We rented a car and  Randy drove.  Lots of fun sites along the way.

 At Tulum we got a guide to take us through.  You did not have to wait in the long line if you used a guide.  We ended up with Lemuel Petlacalco  (He is the nephew of Helaman that we met in February.  What a small world.  He just got his mission call to Costa Rico and leaves in December).  He did the regular tour and then was able to explain some of the Book of Mormon doctrine.  It was very good.

 Tulum ruines

 We saw lots of Iquanna's at Tulum

 Tulum is right on the ocean so a beautiful view.

 We next went out snorkeling in a small boat.  We were able to get picture of Tulum from the ocean reef where we snorkeled.

On the ride home we had a very large rain storm, but  a rainbow came out as soon as the rain quite.  It was a beautiful rainbow.