Where have we been?

I'm sure you've been wondering what we have been up to the last couple of weeks that we haven't posted, so let me fill you in. Well, it snowed, and then it snowed and then let's see, it snowed again! But we did do some things in between. Bennett and I went on a great trip, when the kids turn 8 they get to start flying in first class, so to celebrate this we have a tradition of going on a mom and me trip. Ben decided he wanted to go see the broadway musical "Wicked." Originally we had planned to go to New York, but L.A. was easier to get to. So with my sister-in-law and neice (who also had a birthday) we went to Wicked and Disneyland. The kids were spoiled, we ended up being able to stay and the California Grand and after telling them we were there for the kid's birthdays (Ben's was back in June). They ended up giving them a big thing of balloons, a button that said it was their b-days, and at lunch they got some chocalate mousse w/ a candle. Ben loved Wicked, he had me laughing because at some of the funny parts he would laugh really loud and hard. Other things that have happened are that Jackson has been taking the boys up to a ski resort called Kelly Canyon, where they have been learning to ski and snowboard. It's actually really inexpensive, so they have been up almost every weekend. I even went and had my first ski lesson, everything was going well until I hit the powder, let's just say I'm glad there weren't any cameras. We were also able to attend the dedication of the Rexburg Temple. The night before I realized I hadn't gotten our handkerchiefs, so I went to the local Walmart to get some, I knew I was in trouble when I couldn't find any. I went over to Deseret Book to get some tie tacs for the boys. When I walked in a guy asked me "Is there something I can help you find?" I knew if Walmart didn't have hankies neither would they so I said I was getting a gift. I really didn't want to embarass myself and admit I wasn't prepared. While looking at tie tacs he asked if I had my handkerchiefs. I smiled and rolled my eyes and said, "You would have to ask, no I don't have mine!" He laughed and said they had counted 150 people asking for handkerchiefs since 5:00 p.m. it was 7:30 p.m. I told him not to count me. Then I said, " You know I think I've heard of a parable about this, something to do with some virgins and some oil." But I then said that I knew I had material at home I could make some with, so I didn't necessarily fall into that category. In the end I no longer have a nice white tablecloth (it did have a stain!) The dedication was amazing. President Monson was so funny when doing the cornerstone, he had dropped some mortar and when the temple president came to put some in, Pres Monson asked him to clean up after him, he then said "That's what you call Repentence" and then he asked one of the general authorities who is latino to come and do it in spanish. It was a great feeling to be able to do the Hosana shout. I am so grateful the boys were able to have that experience. Jackson and I are being kept busy with getting our ward's trek underway. I'm so excited for our youth to have this experience, it is truly life changing.

Hope you have a great Valentine's Day!