2015

Ummm.....ya, well I just read my last post.  It was a recap of 2014 because I stink at blogging.  Now it is 2016 and it looks like a recap of 2015 will need to be the first, and if history repeats it self, last post of this year. Pathetic I tell ya!

I have to say that 2015 brought a lot of things that I didn't expect.  Big things.  Fantastic additions and fun opportunities.  

Let's start with 

January

After we got Justin to school he immediately met Logan Hatch.  They hit it off right away and were inseparable.  You can see where this is leading...

  Colten decided he wanted to leave ISU and come home to prepare for a mission so after 1 semester there we were back to 2 kiddos in the house again.

February

a sad little girl

This month started out on a really really sad note.  The Rhoades moved to Denver.  They have been in our home and our lives since before the girls were born and we were not happy to have to say good bye to them.  It is not the same to be Gramma Beckie without them close by and coming to dinner every Sunday.  Jeremy started a new job and it is a great opportunity for them but we miss them terribly.

March

At the beginning of this month Robert and I took his mom and went to California to see his Aunt Bonnie.  We had a great time there and got to see Del Paso where Justin served his mission while waiting for his visa to go to Argentina. We spent a day together in San Francisco playing tourist there.  We loved seeing the craziness and diversity of it and also made us really happy to live where we do.

Ghiradelli Square!

 Another fun thing this month was that Bridger got his wisdom teeth out.
Ok maybe not a fun thing, but a necessary one and now that is done.
 At the end of March Justin proposed to Logan and the wedding plans began.

April
Our spring started off with Easter and another engagement.
Yep, that's right.
 Colten  and JoAnna decided to get married.
They had been best friends for a long time and then started dating around July or August before he left for school  I think he was a little worried about what we would think about their decision and also

 a little surprised when we didn't freak out.
We're great parents like that! 
When all things were considered the dates for 2 weddings were set and plans put into action.  Well, I am the mother of the grooms this time so I just tried to help where needed and asked, and the girls put plans into action.



Mackenzie's Bingham sisters in law and I threw her a baby shower this month also.  I have been having a blast making Baby Bingham a quilt and other things.  Also having fun buying stuff.  Lots of family came and she got some nice gifts for her baby boy.  I'm really happy she has a great Bingham family to do things like this for her.

May
...well, this is why I should do this more often because I can't think of anything that happened in May.
Oh ya, we went to Rexburg to attend the wedding of Cache Summers and his sweet Candice.  So fun to see my kiddos there and be part of this sweet boy starting his family.
June
Bridger turned 16 on June 8th.  My baby boy is SIXTEEN!  (tear)
I don't even know what more to say about that.


















As Mackenzie got closer to her due date, my excitement was getting bigger.  I woke up early on the 22nd because I was having a dream about her.  It was about 5 in the morning.  I looked at my phone and at that moment received a text from Andrew telling me they had been admitted to the hospital.  I was so excited and got up and started packing.  I had a list of things I needed so it went pretty fast.  I quickly showered and got ready and then headed out hoping to make it to Rexburg in time for Baby Bingham's arrival.
 I even stopped at Costco in Pocatello to get some things they wanted.
Because I am the best mom ever.
 I arrived at the hospital safe, with no speeding tickets, and in time.  Shortly after I got there it was
time for her to push and
Dean Harold Bingham

was born.

Mackenzie did great and I can't even begin to tell you how excited I was to be a grandma.  I got to spend 2 weeks in Rexburg with them and it went by so fast.  All too quickly I was on my way home and so so sad!

 I was really happy to be coming home and to see Robert and Bridger but I was so sad to leave my baby girl and her baby boy.  They really just need to live closer! It was so fun to spend that much time with her and lets face it, nobody in my house gets me like she does.
 July
July started with our usual 4th of July celebrations which is always fun.
Robert and I also went to UT to see The Little Mermaid at Hale Theatre with Robin, Caitlyn and Becky.  Of course Nan and Darla went to the play also.  I probably wouldn't even remember that except that Robin's car broke down on the way home in Hammett ID in the middle of the night.
Do you know what is in Hammett? 
 Just us. 
 Luckily she has AAA so was able to call a tow truck.  It was definitely a memorable trip.

On July 22nd we got to go to the temple with Colten and JoAnna so they could take out their endowments.  There is nothing like seeing your kids in the celestial room.

On the 25th they were sealed together for time and all eternity in the Boise ID temple. We love her and are so happy for them.

There was lot's of family and friends that came to support them.  We were able to plan the weddings a week apart so that  family from far away could make both weddings.
My sweet sister was able to come and so were the Rhoades.
We had a luncheon for the families and then a reception that night.  It was an exhausting couple of days but worth it in the end.
While the Rhoades were here we managed to sneak in a trip to Starlight in between weddings.  Starlight is a summer favorite for us.

 

August
This month started off with Justin and Logan's wedding on August 1st.  They were sealed in the Rexburg temple.

 
There were some mixups with the temple and the time of the sealing but it got all straightened out and the wedding took place on time. 
 After some pictures there we had a luncheon at the church and then set up for the reception that took place that evening.  It was


soo soo soo hot but we survived and it was beautiful.  We have come to truly love Logan, she is such a sweet girl and a great addition to our family.






The day after the wedding Andrew was able to give Dean his blessing so Sunday started off with a family brunch and then church in Rexburg.  Andrew gave him a beautiful blessing and it was awesome to be there for it.








  After that we headed for home.  After all, we had to prepare for Justin and Logan's open house in Middleton the following weekend!  With the help of family and good friends we got that taken care of the next Saturday.

 Logan's parents and brothers were able to come over for it also.  It was small but turned out great.  When it was all done and all my borrowed things were returned I gave a huge sigh of relief.  That was 3 weekends in a row of wedding!
Can you say exhausted?

About the time the weddings got over the soccer season began.  Bridger was so so so excited that he made the varsity team.  We were really proud of him and also nervous for him.  Goalie is a tough position.  At the end of the month he started his junior year. (tear) 
We also made a quick trip to UT for Darla's kids events.  Kayson was baptized and Payton received his eagle scout award.  This is the only picture I have though.  Cecilie playing piano with Robert

September
SOCCER
That about sums up the whole month.  We got to watch a lot of soccer. 2 or3 times a week.  Of course there was that week that Bridger was out because of a concussion and a broken nose.

 He and a teammate collided.  Tyler's knee hit Bridgers nose breaking it and giving him a concussion.  Tyler also hit the ground with his head giving himself a concussion.  It was quite the collision and put them both out of the game for a week.  Bridger had to play most of the rest of the season with a mask to guard his nose.
October
A huge high light of the season was when Bridger had the game of his lifetime and our team managed to beat Skyview (their rivals) for the opportunity to go to a state play in game in Lewiston.  Winning that meant we went to the state playoffs.

 Unfortunately we ended up losing that
 game.  It was a hard loss, especially since we were ahead  most of the game and lost it in the last few minutes.
 It went into a tie, and overtime in soccer is golden goal.  The other team scored with in a few seconds of starting OT.
There is always next season...

At the end of the month I went to Rexburg to see my sweet baby Dean.  I also got to see Justin and Logan and then Jordan on my way home.
 November
At the beginning of this month I started getting a cough.
Keep this in mind.
A few months ago my nephew Shad got engaged to a sweet girl Named Miya.
Miya is from Hawaii. 
 Can you see where this is headed?  Yep, wedding scheduled for Nov. 13, in the Laie Hawaii temple.  I convinced Robert we should go and he finally saw things my way.  I never dreamed we would be going to Hawaii!
About a week before we left my cough got worse.  I tried every home remedy, old wives tale, new trendy, over the counter, over the top, soup, tea, essential oil trick anybody told me.  I did NOT want to go on this trip of a life time sick!  None of it worked.  Anyway, we got together with Dad and Linda, Lu and Randy, and Scott and Sharla and Tyler, Lauren, and Shea and rented a house in Laie to stay at.  I will elaborate on that in another post but
We had a week in the beautiful state of Hawaii!

 

After coming home to real life and real jobs we geared up for Thanksgiving.  We did ours on Wednesday night because Jordan and Nicole and Justin and Logan had to leave early Thursday morning because of their jobs.  It was awesome to have all of my kiddos here and of course Dean was the center of attention.

family picture!

December
December brought the full force of "peak" at UPS so began the month of not seeing much of Robert.  His hours there were crazier than ever.  We did the usual Christmas prep and because of Andrew's internship their little family got to come home a week earlier than usual.  I was looking forward to having Christmas come, and on the 23rd while I was preparing food for dinner on the 24th
 I got a little knock on my front door.  I opened it to the best surprise of Christmas.  Two sweet little girls came all the way from Denver to surprise me and spend Christmas with us.
 Oh, and they brought their parents too.

 It was so fun having them here and livened up our Christmas morning.  This year it would have just been us and Bridger.

We did brunch at Grandma Millers and then that evening Andrew and Mackenzie and Dean came over, and also Colten and JoAnna.  It is really strange not having my family here with me now that they are all grown up with their own families.
While the Rhoades were here we managed to go to a hockey game.  (Go Steelheads!) That was fun for "old times sake" but not a ton of fun with 3 kiddos.  They make it more work keeping them happy, than enjoyment.

Sadly their visit had to come to an end and they headed back home to Denver.  We have plans to go and visit them during spring break this year though so that is something to look forward to.
Since Jordan and Nicole couldn't make it home for Christmas (they spent it with her family)(I hate sharing) they came the next weekend for New years.  I loved seeing them and we got to end our year on a great note.  We went to the Binghams for New Year's Eve to hang out there with Andrew and Mackenzie since they spent their whole break driving to our house.  Jordan and Nicole came out there and had another surprise for me...They got engaged!  Wahoo! (again I HATE sharing)

 
 Here we go with wedding number 4 in three  years!  I am really excited for them.  Nicole is a sweetheart and we love her.  It's looking like we will officially have another daughter in law in August. Sadly we didn't get to see Justin and Logan for the holidays but hopefully soon.
All in all it has been a great year.
We were able to do a lot of things and have many great experiences with our family.  I'm sure the year ahead will have a lot in store for us too.  It is only the end of January and already many exciting things are in the works!  If I could only keep up on this silly blog...
That's All