Lucy's Birthday & Mission Photos

 Because Lucy was home preparing for her mission, we got to be with her to celebrate their 19th birthday. However, we had no birthday gifts for her. We had a living room full of things we have bought to prepare for her mission, but nothing specific for her birthday.

So Lucy and I went to Kalispell for her birthday. We had a fun day and we bought the rest of the things she needed for her mission. We found a dress, skirt, pants, sweater, bag, jewelry, and shoes. We went to Five Guys Burgers for lunch. 

When we got home, I wrapped up all the things we bought today so she could have birthday gifts.

Lucy's friend, Taylor Heninger, had her mission farewell to start her mission to Indiana. This is a picture of friends at her mission luncheon.

For Lucy's mission pictures, we asked Ashley Bennett to take her pictures. We loved how they turned out.

 

New Year's Eve in Wyoming

 We couldn't all be together for Christmas, but we did all meet at Hanna's and James' house for New Year's Eve. They are managing the Lone Tree Ranch near Upton, Wyoming. 

Hanna was pretty excited to see us when we drove in. We haven't seen her since their wedding in August. And we headed straight out to help move a herd of cows from one field to another.

The next morning we had a mini Christmas. Everyone opened their sibling exchange gifts and their gifts from us and from the grandparents.  Jill and Hanna gave Austin and I tickets to the Cheyenne Rodeo and a gift certificate for a hotel room. Austin had made each of them a headstall. Carly and Austin went to Curtis Leishman's leather shop for lots of hours to make them. It was the perfect hip recovery hobby for Austin. They turned out so nice. Everyone loved them and said it's the perfect reason to buy another bit.  That night we opened the tree gifts I had brought - a photo book for each of them.

Then we went on a ranch tour. We had a girl truck and a boys truck. We loved Hanna's version of the ranch - lots of laughter.  We saw the north herd, the south herd, the main ranch house, and the place where Hanna and James got engaged.

Everyone rode and roped in their indoor arena that night. 

On Sunday, we all drove the hour to go to church in their ward in New Castle. It's a cute and very small ward. James in in the bishopric. Hanna is in the Relief Society presidency. Their bishop talked about how excited they are to have the Casper Temple open sometime this year. Then they will only be 2 hours from the temple.

After church we changed our clothes and drove to Mt. Rushmore. When we realized we were only a little more than an hour from Mt. Rushmore, we decided to go there. Larsen hadn't ever been there. Lucy and Carly were really young when we went 10 years ago and barely remember it.

For our New Year's Eve party, we each made an appetizer for our dinner and we played lots of games. Carly had brought a confetti cannon to shoot off at midnight.  HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

On Monday, we went with James again to do ranch things. James had to move a big tractor from one field to another, so Austin and Will rode with him. Have we mentioned that Will loves tractors? Then we hung out in the afternoon, and rode and roped again at night.

It was a really fun weekend. We love family. And Will provides so much entertainment as the only grandkid.