Year in Review- Part 3

November

The Golden Princess

To celebrate our 20th anniversary, Ralph and I , along with Lance & Sharley went on a 2 week cruise to Hawaii.  There was a lot of time on the boat getting to and from the islands but we enjoyed the food and the company.We stopped on The big Island, Oahu, Kaua'i and Maui.

Looking at the crater on Hawaii

Turtles on the black sand beach on Hawaii

Shaved Ice at Motsomotos

Our Hike on Kaua'i

We came home from our cruise the day before Thanksgiving. We all gathered in St. George for the feast. We love the turkey and all the sides, but the best part about Thanksgiving is the pies. We like to have a lot of variety and if there is leftovers... Breakfast!

 Of course we had  some games of dodge ball to work it all off. Jessica made this video for fun.

December

For our Christmas get together, we all met at Jenny's in Farr West for  grab bag and food. We also took a group picture of all the family.

 

Year in review- part 2

Now I am caught up to the trip that we look forward too all year long; 

the camping trip to San Clemente State Beach.

When we were talking to Jessica before she left for the MTC, she said that she was sad that she would miss 2 beach trips while on her mission. Trying to make her feel better, someone said  "At least you will only miss one Christmas." Jessica's response was she would rather miss two Christmases than two beach trips. All the other kids agreed. That is how much our family loves going to the beach together.We were having so much fun, we didn't get any pictures.

 August

In  August we drove up to Salt Lake. The boys spent the day at Lagoon (a reward earned from their paper route) while we helped Ralph's brother do some remodeling. Ralph and I got to go to Wicked while we were there. Mid August the kids started school and Brant turned 16. 
Jessica moved into an apartment with her cousin Riley to start collage at SUU.

 

September

For Jessica's birthday, we took a girls trip to Las Vegas to see wicked

 October

Jessica was taking a photography class at SUU this semester so we drove up the canyon to take some family pictures. Hard to believe  these pictures are "set the timer and run". We had a fun time together.

 The announcement during General Conference about the change in the missionary age made a big difference at our house. Dallin and Brant will finish high school just before their 19th birthday so it only changes their date by a few months. But Jessica turned 19 the week before the announcement and was now eligible to go on a mission. What we thought was going to be a few years to worry about sending a missionary, turned into months. Hard to believe but we are so grateful for Jessica's example to serve the Lord.

Recovering from getting her wisdom teeth pulled in preparation for her mission.

Eating our traditional Halloween dinner. Dinner in a pumpkin and homemade root beer.

Miles as Hawk Eye

Year in review- part 1

As most of you know, Jessica is now on her mission. We dropped her at the MTC on Wednesday. You might be asking how we got from her high school graduation (My last post) to her in the MTC. Well, I am way behind!! Jessica set up a blog 

( http://sisterjessicasavage.blogspot.com/ ) for her mission and asked me to update it with her e-mail and happenings while she is gone. I warned her about my blogging history, but she has faith I will follow through. I figured that I had better catch my own blog up before all the letters start coming or I will be hopelessly behind. So here it is:

 The Savage Family June 2012- March 2013 review

JUNE

In June, Brad and Jenny's girls came and stayed a week while their mother was taking a much needed break. It was fun to have girls around the house. 

We don't have many girl toys and dress-ups but they made the most of it.

While they were here, we celebrated Miles' 8th birthday. He has been waiting for this one for a long time. We celebrated in St. George with family. Later on June 30th he was baptized. What a special day.

 

 

Ralph and I celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary in June as well. We went to Salt Lake for a session at the temple.We stayed where we spent our honeymoon and ate at some of the restaurants that we had visited 20 years before. It's been 20 wonderful years!

We were able to take a last minute trip up to Manti to see the Mormon Miracle Pagent and visit the cemetery where some of our ancestors are buried.

We camped at Palisade lake (Funk Lake) named after my great, great grandfather.

At the end of June, Tanner spent 4 days rafting down the green river with his scout troop. He had a blast and earned a few more merit badges.

JULY

We spent the fist few days of July at the Gilliland family reunion. Our original cabin location was threatened by a wild fire and so we scrambled to find a new spot up at Brian Head. Of course it was lots of fun.

Grandpa handing out Tic Tac's

Beautiful Cedar Breaks

Kids getting ready for the treasure hunt

On his way to early morning cross country practice, Brant had a mishap on his bike. He ended up getting  interior and surface stitches on his forehead and under his eye as well as some great looking road rash. We are so glad that it wasn't any worse.

Brant getting his stitches removed on the trek

A week after Brant's accident, Miles went to stay with cousins while the rest of us drove to Martins Cove for a ward pioneer trek.It was a wonderful and moving experience.

cooling off in the Sweet Water

Tanner's Trek family

Ralph & I got to be Ma & Pa

Dallin's Trek family

Jessica's trek family

Brant's trek family

Jessica playing her harmonica

Jessica's Graduation

May 24th was her High School graduation. She has worked hard to be involved and contribute to her high school experience. We are so proud of her. She earned Sterling scholar, Diploma of Merit and National Honor Society sash. Just as awesome, On May 20th, Jessica graduated from Seminary.

That night after her graduation, She hopped on a bus and traveled to Disneyland for their Grad Night trip. Ralph and I were able to be chaperons. Fun, long, exciting day!

School Activities

With kids in 3 different schools, we find ourselves coming and going to all types of functions. Here are a few of the things the kids have been involved in.

Tanner and Brant have both been in band this year. Tanner was band president and is loving the flute. Brant still plays the clarinet and participates in pep band.

Not the best pictures. I really need to get a new camera and then figure out how to use it.

Jessica did high jump for the 4th year. It's hard to believe she is almost done with high school.

Brant had to do a media project for English. He wrote the script and then he and Courtney Brown got to star in it. Jessica was good enough to do the filming and the editing. I think it's funny.