Chloe's Baptism

Chloe was baptized on February 4.  There were 2 other children from our ward baptized with her.  Stephanie Pasket and Keaton Bell.  Their birthdays are January 21 and 24.  So all 3 of these kids are super close in age, with Chloe's being the 22nd.    I had all of them in my preschool class 4 years ago.

The baptism was at 3:30.  We had some family members come from out of town to attend. 
Grandpa Judy, Grandma and Grandpa Hammer, Aunt Carleen, Aunt Claudine and cousins; Ashley, Casslynn, Brielle and Brinley. Uncle Jeff, Aunt Mel and McKenna came from Tooele.  Also Aunt Julie and Hunter and Hannah came from Shelley.  Uncle Jason and Aunt Stephanie and their family came too.  They live in Nampa, so didn't have to travel too far. 

Her primary teachers are President and sister Wait.  They are the temple presidents for the Boise Temple.  Since it is under reconstruction they were released, and are primary teachers!  They attended the baptism.  Also Chloe's school teacher Mrs. Berg attended.  Stephanie is also in Mrs. Berg's class. 

We had a nice dinner after the baptism at our house.  We ate soups ad bread sticks with some salad and desserts. 
It was a great day and we are so proud of Chloe in taking this step in her life.

On Sunday we had those who stayed the night come to church with us.  Chloe bore her testimony and did a great job. Her heart was touched and she wanted to share what she was feeling and bear testimony of what had happened to her. 

A funny thing about Chloe.  Soon after her birthday we were sitting down to eat dinner and she announces to me that she doesn't have to eat that, because she can make her own choices now that she is 8 years old. 

Bishop Simpson

All the nice gifts people gave Chloe

Mrs Berg. 2nd grade teacher

Chloe turns 8 years old!

 Our baby turned 8.  A milestone birthday.  I don't know where the years have gone.  8...missing teeth...2nd grade...baptized...the works.  What is up with that? 
It seems like yesterday we brought our beautiful little girl home from the hospital.  All 8lbs 8 oz of her.  She was a good baby.  Joel was starting a new job in Pocatello at AMI, and we sold our little house on sweet gum and moved into a rental home in Columbia village all before our little sweetheart was 6 weeks old. 
Joel had to work in Pocatell during the week and came home on weekends.  I would stay up at nights with our new born by myself, feeding and trying to get her nights and days correct.  I remember putting her in her little vibrating chair and turning on the fish that would float around in the water and sing songs.  It was all apart of this amazing chair.  I would wake up freaked out that I had fallen asleep and didn't know where my baby was.  There she would be in her vibrating chair staring at the fish.  That chair never put her to sleep, but always put me to sleep. 

Chloe had a birthday party with friends and the whole 9 yards for her 7th birthday.  This year was a family birthday, and we decided to go to Eastern Idaho to see Traegan and Blake recieve their Eagles at a court of honor and also it was Nate's mission farewell.  He had been called to the Tallahassee Florida Mission. 
Chloe's birthday was on a sunday, and that bummed her out.  So, we decided to do "days of 8".  Eight days before her birthday we started to celebrate by giving her gifts and doing fun activities. 

She got a CTR ring one day.  Joel and I took her to deseret book and she picked it out and we talked to her about never taking it off so she won't loose it.  ; )  (it's been a month and she still has it!)
One day she got a bracelet and a necklace to wear on her baptism day.
She got some new clothes and some pretty red shoes to wear with her baptism dress. 
We let her wear Hailey's baptism dress, since it was so pretty and Chloe really liked it.  Now the girls have had the same blessing dress and baptism dress.  I wonder if they will have the same wedding dress?
We went bowling one day together and had a good time.
On her birthday she got her new scriptures and a cute scripture bag. 

While in Eastern Idaho we got all the cousins together and went to Target and had a little scavenger hunt.  The kids had to find stuff in the store that started with the letters in Chloe's name.  We also went to Grandpa's house and had ice cream sundaes, with 8 toppings.  We played a game called "Guess who has the ring".  All the cousins sat in a circle.  They held only a piece of yarn that was tied into a big circle.  The kids pretended to pass a ring (my ring) on the yarn and someone had to guess who had the ring.  It is similar to "button, button, who has the button?"

She wore her baptism dress and new red shoes complete with a red headband for her hair to Nate's farewell on her birthday.  Afterwards we all went to uncle Rhett's house and ate lunch at an openhouse they had for Nate.  While we were there Uncle Rhett had everyone sing Happy Birthday to Chloe.  

Boo for Bogus!

We got our season pass last February, when they offer thier passes for the cheapest.  We get the family pass and have really enjoyed it.  However, this year we didn't get any snow.  We didn't get any snow at all until January 18th. 
Last year Bogus opened before Thanksgiving!  The latest Bogus has ever opened was January 6th.  It broke a record this year for the latest day of opening.  January 19th.
On the day of the big snow storm, I kept Chloe home from school.  Tiffanie (the photographer) came and picked her up and took her out to get some pictures of her in her white dress for baptism pictures.  I had invisioned her in snow for a long time and really wanted it.  We kept putting off taking pictures just waiting for it to snow.  Snow it did.  We got like 6 inches in the valley.  We were having so much fun in the snow I didn't take Chloe back to school.  We made a snowman and shoveled the walks.
We finally were able to go skiing for the first time on January 28.  It was night skiing, but it was good and we love the new high speed quad on the back side.  Chloe did great! and Hailey took off with Caden.  Good times.  Hopefully Bogus can keep the snow with these spring like temperatures.   We love our SNOW!

Goodbye Elder Hammer!

Coelton FINALLY got the clearance from Dr. Care to return to his mission in Puerto Rico.  He got the green light on December 19.  The conditions were that he had to continue with some more intense therapy until January 3.   We gave the release letter from Dr. Care to President Miller.  We figured he would make a few phone calls and then call us and tell us what day and time Coelton would fly out. 
After a week, we called President Miller and asked what the time frame is.  He said it would probably be another 2 weeks, this paper work is much like the paperwork he originally sent in for his mission call and that takes about 3 weeks.  Coelton was asked to write a letter to the missionary dept. explaining why he wants to return to his mission. 
This day was December 27.  We went to Idaho Falls for New Years and returned on Monday the 2nd.  on Tuesday morning Joel flew to Tennessee to work for the week.  That afternoon I went to take Chloe to a friends house and Coelton met me in the garage as I pulled the car in.  He said Pres. Miller called and said they want him to fly out on Thursday!  Coelton just stared at me and then said," I don't think I will be ready by then.  I have to buy deodorant and get my home exercises from Von.  He said I should ask Dad if it is okay."  I looked at him and grabbed his shoulders and said, "Coelton, it's over...it's over.  You are going back!"  We both started to cry and he went in the house and called President Miller and said he would be ready to fly out on Thursday. 
We started to walk through the house and find luggage, and all the "stuff" that filled that luggage before.  The living room became the headquarters for packing. 
That evening we received another phone call that we assumed would be the travel itinerary.  We were surprised to learn that the church travel agent, the missionary Dept for the church, Pres. Miller and Pres. Alvarado were all on the phone!  Coelton was pale and motioned for me to get on the other phone.  When I did, I heard the missionary dept representative tell me that they would like Coelton to take a 5:30a.m. flight out of Boise.  They asked me if this was even possible.  I said "yes".  President Alvarado was very excited!  He wanted his missionaries together for the 3 kings celebration.  He really wanted Coelton back.  He had put off the Christmas celebrations until Coelton returned. 
We began packing like crazy people.  President Miller came over and Bishop Simpson to set Coelton apart as a missionary.  What a blessing!  I was so happy to see this happen again.  Joel was having a difficult time missing out on all of it.  We were able to face time and speaker phone most everything.  When the Lord calls and wants his servants to report...you do it.  Even when it's not too convenient. 
Coelton and I stayed up all night.  My dear friend across the street, Kim, went to the store for me and picked up all the last minute stuff we needed...even the deodorant. 
I came out of my room at 3:45a.m. and saw Coelton standing there in his suit and tie and hair all done nice.  He looked like an angel.  He was glowing from head to toe. 
We woke up the kids and loaded the luggage.  The luggage was heavy and we knew it.  We had to try to make his carry on bags as light as possible with his arm not being able to lift heavy things and his elbow still being bent can't reach the over head bins as easily. 
When we weighed the bags at the airport one was 5lbs over and one was 2.  They charged me $90 and I didn't even argue with them.  I just handed them my debit card.  We were tired and there was nothing I could take out and send him later that wouldn't cost more in shipping charges. 
We all said our tearful goodbye's and watched him go through security.  He looked back through the double glass doors and with a huge smile on his face he gave us a big wave.
He was able to call us when he landed and President and sister Alvarado picked him up.  They  also texted us some pictures.

Coelton spent the night in the mission home and then the next morning he as told he would be companions again with Elder Griffin.  President wanted them to finish what they started.  He them drove him to the church where the ENTIRE mission was standing on some concrete risers in the BB court outside.  As Coelton got out of the car, the all started to sing.