Here we are Sunday night enjoying our hot chocolate and a fun game of Settlers. Jon and I won, by the way!
Monday we all went tubing in the snow storm. It was cold, but so much fun!
Aahhh, aren't we cute? Tuesday was perfect ski conditions--look at that blue sky!
The whole group getting ready to conquer the mountain! Okay, Darice and I were heading to ski lessons on the bunny slope, but the rest of the group did a pretty good job conquering anyway.
Okay, according to our new resort friend, Bob, everything in Brian Head is AWESOME, but, ya know, he was right! Our 4 day/3 night adventure with the Roses and the Bosleys couldn't have been more perfect! Thanks to some great grandparents all around (and Darice's sister, Vanessa), we enjoyed a kids-free vacation filled with lots of games (where everyone won enough to make sure no one felt too jilted), great food (we brought most of our own food and made meals together, including delicious spaghetti and pot roast with Ranch mashed potatoes, yum!!!), and absolutely perfect ski conditions!
Monday morning we took a resort tour (with Bob) that gave all three couples $100 vouchers for the ski resort (nice!), and then we headed off to do some tubing. It was pretty cold and snowy, but the conditions certainly didn't diminish our great time racing down the hill, narrowly avoiding being launched over the barrier below. We actually did see one man catch some serious air and disappear in the snow drift behind the barrier, but since such antics got him kicked out of the tubing area, we decided to play it a little safer, thoroughly enjoying seeing how close we could get without actually touching the end of the ramp. We headed back to our resort after to warm up in the hot tubs and saunas, and then enjoyed playing games the rest of the night.
Monday's cold snow storm gave way to perfect blue skies and 8 inches of fresh powder on the slopes for our ski day Tuesday. Not only were the conditions unbelievable, but the resort was practically empty, leaving us to enjoy the day almost undisturbed. PERFECT!!!! Darice (who had never gone skiing before) and I (who had only been twice, quite some time ago) took some ski lessons while the others headed up the mountain to conquer the black diamond slopes. We hear Ryan is quite the daredevil, but it sounded like everyone was able to at least kinda keep up, minus a few face plants. (Just so you know, I only fell once the whole day, and that was only when I had stopped to help another ski class member.) We met for lunch, then I headed to the second level of slopes while Darice practiced her newly-learned skills closer to the lodge and the others ventured back to the top of the mountain to carve their way through the untouched powder above. After we all got back to our resort, we headed back for another dip in the hot tub to soothe our achy bodies. All in all, it couldn't have been a more perfect time!
I just have to say...I love the Roses and the Bosleys! Our trip was so much fun and having them with us just made it all the more AWESOME!!! I can't wait to get all of our pictures posted! We'll just have to start planning for next year!
Jon's Costa Vida Birthday!
My Rock Band Birthday Bash!
January and February are always fun months for us because we have both our birthdays to look forward to. It helps ease the post-holiday letdown a little. =) First, we celebrated Jon's birthday in January. It was kind of a low key event this year, but we did go to Jon's favorite restaurant, Costa Vida, with all our friends to celebrate. Maybe we'll have to do a bigger Shin-Dig next year.As for my birthday, it was anything but low key! I told Hilari and Rebekah that I wanted a Rock Band Party for my birthday, and boy did they deliver. Hilari hosted the entire event and we had about 25 people there, all rocking out upstairs to Rock Band or competing downstairs on the Wii. It was a great night filled with delicious food, fun people, cool decorations, and all the celebration a girl could ask for! I LOVED it. I'm sure we'll have to throw another similar party soon, so if you couldn't make my birthday party, make sure you stay tuned for our next big bash! Thanks Hilari for making my birthday the best!!!!
I find myself in an interesting position today at work. I actually have free time. Hence, the reason I am writing this at noon. I was at first twiddling my thumbs thinking, "what do I do?" Then I realized that I have this window of opportunity to check my email...something I don't do as often as I should.
For those of you who have checked out our blog, you will see that Heather did a great job with updating it with tons of pics of this last holiday season. We sure have a great life...even though we are poor. It just goes to show you that money is not the source of happiness. :-)
Today I filled out the forms and made out the check to the dept. of education and I will send it in to have my Masters in Guidance Counseling added to my certificate! I FINISHED!!! Oh how fun it is to be home on Monday nights to do FHE! ( that was the night I had classes). I had missed that and now that our kids are older it is so much fun. We have our lesson and the kids will pray and sing the primary songs and they love talking about Jesus. We then will play a game or something. A couple of their favorites are: Hi-Ho Cherry-o, Chutes and Ladders, and of course Candy Land. I think that was one of my favorites too.
Heather is not working full time right now. She sadly had to say goodbye to her long term sub position because they felt guilty turning down certificated teachers. She did an amazing job and they didn't want to let go of her. I truly understand their feelings. I feel the same way.. and the beauty of my position...I don't have to. :-) and I won't. So, she is enjoying being home a couple of days a week and playing with the kids and they love it too.
Aaron is amazing and his speech is improving. He slurs all his words. Hmmm ,I wonder where he gets that from. I am trying to enunciate my words better to help him and be a better example. He loves to ride his bike and he constantly asks to play with Colton Howard so he can play Star Wars Legos. Yesterday, he asked to go play with him and Heather said, "oh you want to play the Star Wars movie?" Aaron responded, "Mommy, it's not a movie. Its a game." He said it so seriously that I had to laugh. He is a doll.
Sarah is amazing too. She is the cutest little imp and loves to watch Barbie Mariposa and Tinkerbell. I would write more, but the bell just rang and I have to get to class. I love you all and I hope to be more diligent in reading my emails.
Love, Jon
Okay, now that I've finished updating you on all of the fun holiday festivities we've been involved with, I guess it's time to update you all on how we're actually doing. The past few months have been crazy ones for us, not just because we've been super busy, like the rest of the world, but it seems like it has really been a time of transition and redefining for us, or at least for me.
You know how you begin to define yourself by what you do? "I am a Mom," or "I am a teacher" or "I am a nuclear physicist", etc. Okay, so I've never defined myself as the latter, but over the course of the last 5 months, I was defined as the "ELD Teacher at Ranch Elementary". I was also my ward's Primary President for the past 2+ years, a weighty calling that certainly kept me busy and on my toes. Well, at the end November, I was finally released from my Primary calling (something I had known was coming since July, so it wasn't a surprise), and then in December, I found out they had found an ELD-endorsed teacher to teach my ELD class and that she would be starting right after the Winter Break. While neither change came as a huge shock, I have to admit, I went through a type of mourning period for my identity. I felt like I had lost a sense of who I was. Of course, I also greatly missed both my calling and my class, but it was more than just that. I no longer got up and got ready to see my students everyday. I no longer felt a sense of urgency on Sunday as I made sure all 17 of my primary classes were running smoothly. I was no longer "needed" in either of these positions. I had been replaced, and I didn't really know who I was. Well, I'm still working on trying to figure it out, but as time has passed, I have moved on to some other ventures, and I'm still keeping my fingers crossed that a few more doors will open up.
In the meantime, I'm back to regular daily subbing, which I have to admit, I have thoroughly enjoyed. Not only have I had a lot of fun with the work, but it has also allowed me to have a little more time with my family and friends, "Mom" and "friend" being a few of my identities that had been feeling a little neglected with my busy-ness over the last several months. Unfortunately, the loss in pay as a regular sub is substantial and I'm still looking for full-time employment, another identity on hold since most places are letting employees go, not hiring new ones. We had planned for me to start my Masters program this spring, but between finances and the intense time away from my family this move would require, even that pursuit is on hold, at least temporarily. This has been more than a little stressful and challenging, but both Jon and I feel the Lord is watching out for us and the right opportunity will come at the right time.
As for church, while I do still miss being in Primary and the intense ward involvement my calling as president afforded me, my hints and out-right begging paid off, and I managed to get called to my favorite calling--Relief Society 4th Sunday Teacher. I always said, when I was released from Primary President, I wanted to pick my next calling, and, well, I guess I kinda did. (Hmmm...squeaky wheel?)
As for Jon, he has his own identity issues. He did add "Masters Degree" to his personal definition in December, an accomplishment we're both proud of, but as this degree is also opening new doors and opportunities, it is also providing new stresses as Jon has many decisions to make regarding which path to follow--stay as a HS teacher, move to elementary, go into counseling, pursue administration, etc. It's a lot to take in, and since finances are always an issue, every decision is a pull between desire for a position and duty to provide. Sometimes having too many choices can be an even harder place to be in than not enough choices!
So, as we enter the new year, the Coombs family does so with a lot of anticipation (and a little apprehension) for the upcoming opportunities and changes that may come. But while our identities may be in flux, I want to assure you that our foundation has not and will never change--I thank my Heavenly Father daily for the daily constant of who I truly am. I am and will forever be wife to my loving husband, mother to Aaron and Sarah, stalwart and faithful Latter-day Saint, and friend to you all. Stay tuned, however--I'm sure the rest of my identity roller-coaster should be a fun ride!
Thanksgiving weekend also marked Warren Brown's "Surprise" 30th Birthday Party that Cary had spent the better part of a year planning. With all of his family and friends in town, Cary planned several amazing activities, from activities at a park, a concert of Warren's Band, and a morning of ATV/Quad riding up in the hills. Unfortunately, Jon spent the better part of the weekend being sick in bed, so the kids and I made it to what we could. It was all a lot of fun. Happy 30th Birthday, Warren Brown!
Happy Thanksgiving! Jon and I hosted a wonderful Thanksgiving Dinner at our house this year, with the Howards, Browns, Huffmans, and Kathermans--that's 10 adults and 15 kids, for those who are counting. The whole dinner was delicious and fun, and we ended by heading to the Howard's home for dessert and a little Rock Band. What a perfect Thanksgiving!!
Jon and our beautiful bird--man, I love turkey!
The Howards and their amazing turkey--lovingly tended to by Paul himself. That guy is truly a master when it comes to the kitchen!
Cami Brown entertained us all with her mud-antics in my back yard. It was all well and good until she decided that the other kids should be involved as well and started hucking mud balls at them. Sarah, the girly-girl that she is, was devastated when she got nailed in the center of her pretty pink dress by Cami's mud slinging two minutes after she went outside. After that, an abrupt end was put to all mud activities. My home took several days to truly recover from all the mud that we found tracked throughout the house.
On Thanksgiving morning, Jon and I, along with several of the Brown family, participated in the Annual Queen Creek Turkey Trot 5K Run. This year was even more special to me because the proceeds went to benefit my favorite principal, Eric Samuels, who was diagnosed with a rather advanced cancer very unexpectedly in the middle of this last semester. It was a huge blow to our school, but he's doing quite a bit better now and should even be able to return to Ranch Elementary this January. Anyway, the Turkey Trot was a lot of fun, and Jon and I finished the 3.2 miles together in 32 minutes. Not too bad! Also, it made us feel a lot less guilty when we started stuffing ourselves later that day!
Jon and Cary before the race began.
Jon and I right after we finished.
My pricipal, Eric Samuels. This was the first time he had been out of the hospital in over 6 weeks. It was really great to see him there! His wife, Beth, actually pushed him the whole route, so he could finish his own Turkey Trot!
Halloween night was a lot of fun for all of us. Cary and Warren brought their 4 cuties down to our area, where we combined with the Howards, the Roses, the Dunns, and for a while the Harmons, to make our our trek through our neighborhood. We actually didn't hit quite as many homes this year as we did last year, but it was still fun and the kids still managed to come home with a load of sweet stuff--which we have been carefully portioning out in small, controlled amounts since. =) Our last stop was at the Dunn's, where we all hung out and talked outside while enjoying some homemade rootbeer (and a few pilfered treats--shhhh!) Aaah, and it's only the start of the holiday season. =)
Aaron "fighting the bad guys" on Halloween night as a firefighter.
Princess Sarah waving to her fans.
Aaron loved the Howard's red wagon and insisted that he hop in between every house, even though the next house was only a few steps away! I guess this was his version of the red firetruck!
Sarah and Spencer sat down and examined their finds once we got down to our final destination--the Dunn's home.
The adults had almost as much fun as the kids, which is usually the case. Peep decided to wax nostalgic and go as a younger version of herself--an award-winning gymnast (hence the medal around her neck), and I decided to wax prophetic and go as a queen. Oh, wait, maybe that's getting ahead of myself. =)
This picture was supposed to be of the three girls, but our picture got crashed by Jamie in the back. Oh, well, it's a good thing we like him!
Me and Cary--no picture crashers this time.
The boys--don't ask me what Jon was doing in this picture!
The girls outside of Tami and Jamie's house.
