February Activities

We did two different family activities during the month which was good because Friday nights and Saturday mornings I was at the south church building running basketball while Cindy was home alone. We did our annual combined bowling activity to celebrate mom and dad's birthdays. We did not do to bad as a group.

After bowling it was over to the Ogden Pizzeria for a meal.

The next activity was on the President's Day holiday. We took Shannon and the grandkids plus Maddie to the Natural History Museum in SLC. We went there five years ago when it first opened. This time the kids were the right age and really had a fun time. I'm glad that Maddie and Shannon are at that age to appreciate dress up.

Connor was thrilled with the dinosaurs and this is the place for someone with that interest.

Tribute to Marley

Even before children we have had a dog in the family. It started when Cindy had an abandoned young dog follow her from her noon run to the mouth of Logan Canyon and back to USU Purchasing. That was Mowgley. Mowgley was followed by Molly which was a dog that we took in when someone at work told me they were trying to find a home for some abandoned dog that she had found. After Molly died in a accident on the street in front of the house we thought we would not have another dog. We came home from our Hawaii trip in June of 2008 and Cameron and the girls were going to Wal Mart to get some things. Someone was selling puppies at the corner entrance into Wal Mart. The girls convinced Cameron we needed a dog and he bought it. It was a surprise to see what they brought home from their run to the store. This was the first time we actually had a puppy. Keeping with the M's we named her Marley. She was cute and soon became another member of the family.

Cameron would take her to training classes and learned some important skills that made her a good, obedient dog. Marley was our most obedient dog and we could be outside and let her roam and she generally would stay within view all the time. She did not stay a puppy long but she loved to be around us all the time.

While Cameron left to do different things Marley stayed with us and became our dog. Maddie would take her on trail walks or trail runs, play fetch in the field. Marley was just  a good loyal friend to all of us. She even had her moments she had to overcome. When we were robbed and she was in the kennel the robbers terrorized her because she reacted differently to strangers for a long time. She had always been so loving and accepting of everyone. But the lessons we learn from Marley is always to be loving and accepting no matter what happens. A short memory of the bad is the best way to live life. Last fall Marley developed a limp. At first we thought it was a bruise and she seemed to be getting better but it reoccurred and this time we had X-rays done and found she had cancer that had spread throughout her body. Finally it was time that she not suffer any longer and she left us on February 10. Maddie and I cried as we said our final goodbyes to a loyal family member who had been with us eight and a half years.

100 days of school and the Harlem Globetrotters

Each year when there has been 100 days of school Cindy and the other 2nd grade teachers dress up to look like they are 100. This year was no exception and Cindy modals her latest outfit.

On February 6th the Harlem Globetrotters came to Salt Lake and we took the family there to watch them. I remember as a young boy watching them when they came to Weber State and it was Meadowlark Lemon and Curly Neal. Now it is Big Easy. Even though they do many of the same things each time we watch them, it is still enjoyable to watch their skills, be entertained and be together as a family.

Snow and Hardware Ranch

The new year started off with one snow storm after another. Generally it was good powder snow but a couple of times it was wet and heavy.

The mountains really got a lot more snow than we did in the valley but we still had more snow than we have has for several years.

For Martin Luther King holiday we went up to Hardware Ranch. It was a good break and we actually got out of the inversion that settled in with all the cold temperatures and snow to see some nice blue skies. The kids had fun sliding on their coats while we waited in line for our turn to ride the sleighs.

It was not too long of a line and soon we were off to see the elk.

Aubrey got so excited looking at them she could hardly stand it. No really she was.

After the sleigh ride it was time to head back home but we did see a couple of moose on our way down the canyon to Hyrum.

New Years Eve

During the week between Christmas and New Years there was some more snow that made the mountains so pretty. A subdivision is being planned in the field to the north of us and these types of views may be a thing of the past next year so I ought to record them while I can.

We celebrated New Years at our home also and while the group was not as large as Christmas it was still a good group. We had dinner and then played games until it got close to midnight. There was a lot of laughing and fun.

We then watched the clock strike twelve and welcomed in the new year with our noise makers and fire works.

 
While everyone else had gone to see the lights in Ogden before Christmas, Cindy and I had not so we went on our own one night. A nice cold night but it was pretty.

Christmas

Cindy was spending the month of December  working to strengthen her knee. Twice a week all month long she was in therapy and made great improvements each time.

The picture below is what the artificial knee looks like.

Once the concerts were done it was now time for the family activities before Christmas. We first had a Montgomery party at Mom and Dad's house in the afternoon of the 24th.

 Tyson is telling Maddie what he wants for Christmas.














We then had the Jennings Christmas program at our house that evening. We figured we had over 45 people in the house and we all fit. We had dinner first and then it was the program.

We started with some talents and Payton and Connor played the piano. 

 It was then the chimes, songs, pinata, all the regular activities and the Christmas pageant.  The next morning was Sunday morning and Christmas day. Since church was later in the day we had our normal activities of watching Maddie come down the stairs and be surprised.

The girls in their moose pajamas and our cute Christmas tree in a new old location.

Maddie happy with her stocking stuffers.

There were also gifts for Cindy besides her new knee. 

It snowed early on the 25th so we also had a white Christmas. 

It was a wonderful day and we had an evening meal with family to end a great Christmas.