December was a record short month.  The time just flew by.  Here are some of the highlights.  The pictures speak for themselves.

Ornament decorating

Heber Creeper North Pole Express

Hawker holiday party

Christmas up in Idaho

I got this Knex Big Ball Factory when I was a kid.  We actually found the home movie where I opened it which was pretty cool.  Lots of people pitched in to help build it and it was a blast.  Mom said it felt like someone snuck in and opened up a present when we were working on it the day before Christmas.  The kids spent several hours entertained by it watching it go.  Pulling it out and building it was everything I hoped it would be and more.  It was like getting it all over again.  The sound of the balls going down the different tracks brought back so many memories of childhood.

Kathryn organized a caroling group here with the jingle bells we got from Santa on the North Pole Express.

Christmas Eve candle light dinner.

Dad reading from the scriptures.  Adding in some sections from the Book of Mormon was fun.

Christmas morning

Eliza was so excited by the bear in her stocking she didn’t even bother to take it out!

We enjoyed some great musical performances.

Visit up to the Petersons.  We really wished we lived closer together.  It was so much fun to go see them.

New Year’s Eve party!

Happy 2018!

This year I’ve been having a lot of fun with the dirt bike.  I’ve been on quite a few really great rides, plus I got the WR450F this spring.  I’ve wanted to get a steering stabilizer for a long time now, and I decided to ask for one for my birthday.   We encouraged anyone who wanted to to get a present to contribute cash towards the purchase.  The prize for the most creative way to give cash definitely goes to Kathryn’s siblings.  They got a paper treasure chest and packet it full of $1 bills and the max number of quarters you can take to the bank without having to pay a wrapping fee (we have a banker in the family).

December has been uncharacteristically warm this year, and I took advantage of a really nice short sleeve Saturday to install the stabilizer on my bike.  It was a good size job and took a couple hours.  With the stabilizer installed, I really wanted to get out on a ride and try it out.  After a couple of people had to change their plans and couldn’t make it, I was worried the ride wasn’t going to happen.  However, we made a last minute audible and decided that Kathryn would come down with me.  Should’ve thought of that a lot sooner!  Bethany was awesome and came and watched the girls.  We packed the atv and the bike on the trailer.  Together, they took up 100% of the space on the trailer, but they fit and that’s the important thing.   Then we headed down to the dunes.  It was such a nice afternoon down there.  So peaceful and quiet, and we just had a blast.

The steering stabilizer worked great.  I can’t wait to take it out one some more rides, especially those rocky trails up in the mountains.  Thanks to everyone who pitched in for the present.  This was a great birthday all around.

A little timelapse project from this year.  Last year, a perfect combination of weather made the walnut tree leaves all fall in one day.  That would have been awesome to get on the timelapse.  While that didn’t happen this year, we still had fun with this video.

We recently had the chance to go on a Hawker family trip to Lake Powell.  We had the whole Hawker clan there, including our girls.  It was a blast.  Though it was a little chillier than other trips to Powell, we still had a great time and really enjoyed the trip.  Kathryn and I were the pilots of the house boat.  Also, we took the Mavic along.  We got some really great shots.  It really is a pretty place.  Here are some pics of the highlights of the trip.