Kacie's 21st Birthday...

Kacie just wanted to go out to dinner for her birthday so we met her and Cole and his parents at the Indian Creek Steak Restaurant in Caldwell Saturday night the 28th.  The food was really good but we thought a little over priced and loud so I'm not sure if we will be going back.

 Scott loved his beef ribs...

 These two had steak and potatoes...

 I had salmon and mashed potatoes...

 Brady had finger steaks...

 I think Joe had steak and Jolene had salmon too... They are so fun to visit with.

 I can't believe this cutie is 21...

After dinner Cole and Kacie came out to the house to open her presents and Mom and Dad came over and we had root-beer floats and ice cream sundaes.  It will be weird not spending time with her on her actual birthday because they have to head back to Rexburg so Cole can go back to work.  Kacie is going to start Paul Mitchell school on January 13th so this will be a fun new adventure for her.  

December 26th & 27th...

Kacie had a kidney appointment with Dr. Bender and she wanted me to go so Scott, Brady and I met her and Cole at her new office across from the St. Luke's hospital.  Everything went good and we discussed getting a new adult kidney doctor in Idaho Falls so it would be easier to make it to her appointments.  By changing to Idaho Falls then she has to change her transplant team to Salt Lake City.  If they move back to the Boise area she can change back to the transplant team out of Portland that travels to Boise once a year.  After her appointment we all went to eat at Zupas.  Scott, Brady and I then went to visit Harlan in the hospital.  He has to stay there five weeks before he goes to Salt Lake City for his bone barrow transplant.  He looked good but boy has he been on a roller coaster ride these past few months.  While we were there Kacie called and said Dr. Bender wanted her to go to the ER because her muscle enzymes were elevated.  We visited with them a little more while we waited for Kacie to come back.  We waited in the ER for about two hours before she finally got back to a doctor.  Her CK (muscle enzymes) were 11,000 from 12/24/2019 and they need to be under 135 so they admitted her to the hospital for the night to give her fluids.  When they get to high they can crystallize in her kidney and can cause damage.  They really pumped in the fluids.  She was going to the bathroom every half hour and peeing 16 oz every time.   Cole's parents came to visit her for a little bit.  We stayed with her while Cole went and got them some things for the night.   We finally left around 10:00 pm.  It was so weird leaving her there and not staying with her. 

The next day we went back to see Kacie but they released her by the time we got to Boise.  Kacie's CK had dropped to around 4000 so the doctor said she would be fine and even thought Dr. Bender could had handled it without admitting her to the hospital so she was kind of frustrated about that.  So we took Harlan and Kendalee some lunch from Tin Roof Tacos compliments of mom and dad.    We visited with them for an hour or so and then the Scott, Brady and I went to Cafe Rio for lunch.  We then did a little shopping and then met Cole and Kacie at the movies to see Jumanji2.  It was funny!  It was a crazy couple of days.

Christmas 2019...

Christmas Eve was just Mom and Dad, Scott, Brandon, Brady and I. We made tacos at our house, watched Elf and then the Hawaii Bowl with Hawaii and BYU. Hawaii won. It was a fun evening.  Teniele and her boys went to Rosie's house for Christmas this year.   I made sugar cookie bars, cake pops and hello dollies or seven layers bars for our Christmas treats. We had some Christmas Eve and I took the rest over to Ron and Stacie's for our Christmas dinner. We also provided a chuck roast. Mom helped me make these pot holders to give to Kris and Stacie. She also made the cozy bowls for me to keep. I love the material I picked out. I bought the foil pan containers to go with the pot holders but you could use any type of dish in them.

Christmas was really different this year not having a stocking for Kacie and nobody wanted Christmas pajamas this year, but I did get Brady some new shorts and a T-shirt to open Christmas Eve.

Brady

Brandon

Brady was pretty happy with his new iPhone 11

Brandon was just happy to get chocolate! haha!

Mom and Dad gave Brandon and Brady new coats. I'm glad they fit!  We had breakfast with Mom and Dad plus Valeda, Melissa and Grandma Joan.  Scott made waffles which were super yummy.  Around noon Mom, Valeda & Melissa were really nice and took Brandon back to his home.  We were really hoping he would have slept the two nights he was home but I think he only slept from  9:00pm to 2:00am Christmas Eve.  We even tried harder to keep the house quiet by 9:00 pm but it still didn't work.  It's so hard bringing him home when he doesn't sleep.  

Cole and Kacie came over around 1:00 and we exchanged our gifts.  It was fun spending time with them before we went over to Ron and Stacie's for dinner at 4:00pm.  Dinner was amazing and I always love it when we have Yorkshire Pudding.  Cole got to try it for the first time and liked it too!  After dinner when had our traditional white elephant gift exchange but all the gifts were really nice.

flexing some muscles...haha!

Scott ended up with this measure board that Rachel made...pretty cool!

It was so fun having these two with us!

Brandon's Christmas Party...

The home sent this picture to me earlier in the month.  I thought it was cute! 

Scott and I went to Brandon's last Christmas party at Navarro.  In February they all have to move.  Luckily Brandon will be able to move to another home with Tomorrow's Hope off Meridian Road.  I think just him and Brittney will be moving to that home.  The rest of the kids will get an apartment together I think.  I was really happy to learn that Maria and Julio will be moving to Brandon's new home too.  They are pictured below.  They have been with Brandon from the very beginning so it's nice to know they still want to stay with him.  They spoiled him again for Christmas.  Brandon however, only wanted the food items, haha!

 I had to get a picture of Julio and Brandon together.  She was a little emotional about the home closing.  Things will never be the same.

After the party we took Brandon home with us for a couple of nights.

Schulthies Christmas Party...

 Scott, Brady and I went to the Nyssa Stake Center for big Schulthies Christmas party, however it didn't seem that big.  There were quite a few that weren't there including Mom and Dad because they had to work in the temple.  Brandon and Ashley sat by us and it was fun to visit with them about all their travels and experiences living in China.  After we ate the younger kids did a little Nativity.  It was nice to see those that came.

After we went home and watched BSU play in the Las Vegas bowl.  

They got beat pretty bad by Washington 38-7.  

Christmas Caroling...

Brady always loves it when it is time to go Christmas caroling.  I was hoping to go this year but then I got a bad cough so I thought I better not share it or make it worse by being in the cold.  Looks like they had fun!

Brady's Solo...

Brady sang a solo at the Nyssa Garden's Senior Citizen Home along with some other High School Kids.  He sang Caro mio ben by Tommasco Giordani.  I'm so impressed he's learning songs in other languages.  He did a great job! 

Isaiah Audelo

Ms. Luna

Piper Malchow

Kaylee

 AJ

After the kids sang their solos the missionaries sang until Santa came and handed out presents for all the residents.