Some Holiday Fun

We enjoyed the lights at a nearby shopping area...it was even cold---feeling just like Christmas:)

We kicked off the holidays with a Christmas Eve trip to see my all-time favorite musical Les Miserables in Dallas. As usual, it did not disappoint. Grant was trying to get out of going, but secretly I think he really did enjoy himself. (But he didn't cooperate when I wanted to take his picture)

Christmas Day started early and we moved quickly...Church was at 9am so the unwrapping started about 6am. It was so nice to attend Church...I really liked it:)

I am a terrible picture taker on Christmas morning...always have been:( So I didn't even take one of Garrett...but we can all atest to the fact that he was indeed there:) This Father Christmas is in honor of him for he was Father Christmas in the school play of Narnia...sorry Bear.

Grant is a college football junkie! His "Santa" gifts were two jerseys...one was Dennis Pitta (not college, but former BYU Cougar) and his current most prized posession is his Navy (as in the college football team and not the color) "Nike Pro Combat" jersey...if I had a dollar for every time I have heard "Nike Pro Combat", I would indeed be a rich woman! But instead, I am only an insane one.

A festive William...representing the street...Sesame Street...

And Christine...thanks for the sock monkey hat Grant:)
And a Happy New Year to everyone! We went WAY outside of our comfort zone and hosted a New Year's Eve party...trying to entertain our company:) I doubted that we would be able to make it until midnight...but low and behold, we were kicking people out at 12:30...:) We did a white elephant gift exchange and of course ate and ate and William and NaKya introduced the "signs" game to everyone...that was the hit, especially with the Cottrell cousins. We made a bunch of noise and then cleaned up and sent everyone home:) We have 9am church and I had a gospel doctrine lesson to teach...ugh...but it was lots of fun and who knows, we may do it again next year.

Papa-William-NaKya-Grandma

Cousin Nathan "drinking" with Christine

Three of the Tryon kids:)

Some of the crowd...

Lari and Dave Tanner

Most Preferred Man

While we were in Utah for Thanksgiving Grant made an interesting discovery...his very own Papa was named "Most Preferred Guy" at Ricks College in Rexburg, Idaho many years ago. Grant was so impressed that he took a picture of the yearbook as proof and then insisted that the bakery put that very inscription on his birthday cake:) Grant is pretty proud of the fact that his old grandpa was popular among the ladies back in the day.

I do recognize that we switched the "guy" and the "man" part...oops...but you get the message...Papa was and still is a handsome guy/man:) And we love him.

This says it all....Happy New Year!

"This year, mend a quarrel. Seek out a forgotten friend. Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust. Write a letter. Give a soft answer. Encourage youth. Manifest your loyalty in word and deed. Keep a promise. Forgo a grudge. Forgive an enemy. Apologize. Try to understand. Examine your demands on others. Think first of someone else. Be kind. Be gentle. Laugh a little more. Express your gratitude. Welcome a stranger. Gladden the heart of a child. Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth. Speak your love and then speak it again."
- Howard W. Hunter

Bowl Game time!

We had a great time at the Armed Forces Bowl here in Dallas at SMU. The best part being that BYU beat Tulsa in the final possession of the game. Grant and his cousins had a great time waiting for the team to come out of the locker room...they got lots of autographs and met a lot of players. My personal highlight was seeing some old friends from our Wymount Terrace days...Les and Sheralyn Brown. Their son Braden plays offensive line for BYU. Sheralyn and I talked just like old times...that's what friends do...pick up where they left off:) It was great being with Papa and Grandma and the Cottrells too. I think we made some great memories:)

They're Engaged!

After several months of dating...it is official. William asked NaKya Nelson to marry him, and she accepted:) We couldn't be happier. She is a delightful girl and she adores William. No firm date is set yet...late April or early May in the St. George Temple!

The ring