New Years Resolution - take 2 (or 3, or 4, ...)

Well - here I go again.  I am modifying my goal from previous years to try to make it easier to keep - this year the goal is to post every Sunday evening (just once a week, how hard can that be, right?).  This week happens to be a very eventful week and I have lots to talk about.

The new year started with a bang for the Gilmore's!  Miles and Ethan were in California with Frank to seethe Ducks play in the Rose Bowl - dream come true for both of them, best Christmas present ever!!!  Frank flew into St. George and rented this lovely SUV that the boys were excited to paint (they spent hours - okay maybe just one hour - on the windows and then had to redo it when they got to California because they drove through a snow storm outside of Victorville).

Wednesday (New Year's Eve) - they went to a Clippers game with cousin Connor - I am just realizing that I never asked who won the game (I actually don't even know who they played and the boys are asleep or I would ask) - so I don't have much to report about this except they were excited to go to their very first NBA game (unless you count some Blazer's games when they were babies, but I don't).

Thursday (New Year's Day) Frank took the kids to the Rose Parade.  Not sure if you noticed (or if I should point it out even), but Frank made the boys were Oregon Duck apparel everywhere - well, Ethan only has one shirt, so you might see him in the same sweatshirt all trip long.  Thanks Grandma and Grandpa for the Christmas present, don't know what he would have worn without that!!!  Oh, and while we are on the topic of Ethan - he is sporting some new hardware on his teeth.  He got braces Monday - complete with green and yellow bands (of course).

The football game was AWESOME!!! Ducks beat Florida State 59-20.  It was really a fun game to watch though, and it was quite close until 3rd quarter.  Here are the pictures!!!

Friday they went to Six Flags - first time for the boys - they loved it (and have loved describing each ride to their sisters since being home).

They drove all night to make it back to St. George for a very important day on Saturday!!!  Abby's 8th birthday just happened to fall on the same day as the stake baptism.  We have a birthday tradition at our house, that mom and dad leave their present(s) on the floor of the birthday child so they have a present first thing in the morning.  Well, I heard some noises in the girls room and started in to see what Abby was so excited about - turns out that Ethan had snuck his present in her room as well (he gave her a huge stuffed cat, which he put in the cat bed at the bottom of her bed, which is a story for another day) so mom and dad's presents (scriptures and a new leather jacket) both took second place behind Ethan's.  We then moved on to the traditional birthday breakfast - swedish pancakes, and she went out to lunch with her dad at Red Lobster.  

Abby was baptised by Uncle Greg and confirmed by Grandpa Gilmore.  Miles gave a talk on the Holy Ghost.  It was a special day!!!

   
I am grateful for Abby!  She gives so much to our family,  I am thankful for her example to all of us, but especially her sisters.  WE LOVE YOU ABBY!!!