"Go Royals! Go forth to serve well. Return with honor!

"Go Royals!  Go forth to serve well.  Return with honor!
This family photo is from August 2003, just before Brad left on his mission to the Philippines, but it remains a personal favorite

Sunday, December 17, 2017

Hear! Hear! Royal Christmas Cheer (2017)


Royal Family, November 2017
(The miracle here is having captured all the grandchildren looking at the camera)
On our way up north where the air gets cold,
Maralea reminded me that I’m gettin’ old.
As my mind seemed to be kind of in a fog,
‘Cause I totally forgot about our Christmas blog.

It’s the time of year,
(Oooh, the family letter)
For Royal Christmas cheer.
(Oooh, the family letter)

There’s been a lot of stuff we can write about,
And I’m stressin’ ‘bout stories I may have to leave out.
But, at least what you’ll read is absolutely true,
And you won’t have to worry ‘bout any fake news.

It’s Christmas time,
(Oooh, the family letter)
A Royal year so fine.
(Oooh, the family letter)

Merry Christmas, Royals
(Christmas blog this time each year)

(Sing this to the tune of Little St. Nick (Beach Boys) and it may possibly make sense)

The amazing Royal treasure!
          As Maralea and I were en route to watch the BYU football team lose its ninth game of the season (this time at home against a 3-7 UMass team that BYU pummeled last season), Maralea and I had the following conversation as I enthusiastically began telling her about a new idea:

          Mike:          I have a new project I’m going to get started this weekend.
          Maralea:      The Family Christmas letter?
          Mike:          Wait.  What?  Oh man, is it already that time of year again?
          Maralea:      Yep.
          Mike:          Can you write it this year?
          Maralea:      Nope.
          Mike:          Why?
          Maralea:      Because that would be torture for me.
          Mike:          How is that torture?
          Maralea:      You just write the letter, and I’ll do the rest of Christmas!
          Mike:          *sigh*  Fine.

(Ha.  I actually LOVE writing the Royal family Christmas letter/blog/report/thesis.) 

Jordan and Ashlee: the newest Royal couple
          We have had some remarkable events this past year.  Our family grew as we welcomed Ashlee into the Royal fold with her marriage to Jordan on May 4, 2017.  Jordan and Ashlee became engaged in February 2017 in Las Vegas, with Ashlee excitedly announcing the news to us as follows: “I’m gonna be a Royal!”  Their wedding in the Oquirrh Mountain Temple was awesome.  Jordan married into the wonderfully fun loving, ever hunting Greenwood family!  

          Also in 2017, the path was marvelously paved for our grandson Royal to be adopted by his father, Craig, on June 15, 2017.  We packed the
Royal and Craig: Forever father/son
courtroom with more than 30 family members from the Royal and Friedel clans for that glorious occasion.  It was the one and only time in my legal career when I, as an officer of the court, could hardly speak through tears of joy.  (When I asked Kelli if having Craig become the adoptive father of Royal was in Royal’s best interest, Kelli began to cry as she responded: “Yes.”)  Royal stood next to his daddy, looking up at him with admiration as the judge asked Craig if he was ready to become Royal’s “forever dad.”  Craig looked down at Royal and enthusiastically replied: “Yes!”  So, while Ashlee became a Royal in 2017, Craig legally adopted a Royal (who officially became a Friedel).  


          It was, without a doubt, another Royally great year.
A Royally enthusiastic Adoption Day crowd!
          We had a Fourth of July reunion in Utah that included swim fun with all the grandchildren in Lehi, and attendance at the Stadium of Fire in Provo together for the first time.  We loved watching Beckham, Aubrey, Zoe and Royal play sports this past year.  They are all such good little athletes.  Also, Kelli coaxed me out of retirement to coach Royal’s flag football team in the spring with Craig and Craig’s brother, Jimmy.  (It had been 10 years since I was involved in coaching - but seriously, one of the coolest things about coaching last spring was having Royal refer to me as “Coach Mike.")
Royals going Fourth to serve well in July
Go Cougars!!  Spring Flag Football, 2017
It's a jolly holiday with Maralea
         Maralea and I served as Greeters at the UNLV Institute for about nine months in 2017, which consisted of Maralea preparing refreshments for 70-90 students every Tuesday and Thursday evening while I would show up to hang out with the youth, play ping pong, and help clean up.  Maralea was close to being overwhelmed with the weekly demands, but she quite angelically fulfilled her assignment with her ever bright perpetual smile and cute giggle.  I continued to serve in the mission presidency while also working at the Institute.  I loved having another opportunity to serve with Maralea as Elder and Sister Royal.  We began serving together as ordinance workers at the Las Vegas Temple in October.  After only one shift, I was abruptly released after being called to serve in the Robindale Ward (YSA) bishopric with Bishop Michael Van and Tom Edington.  Maralea continues serving in the temple.  We both love our new opportunities to serve.
Loved hanging out with the Lollar gang in Greenville, NC - Did we love the game?  Nope.
          Maralea and I had season tickets to BYU football games and followed the team around the country again this season.  It was a rather forgettable year on the Cougar gridiron (BYU’s worst finish in over 50 years).  We attended away games at New Orleans (LSU), Starkville, MS (Miss. State), Greenville, NC (ECU) and, of course, Las Vegas (UNLV).  In those four games, BYU went 1-3.  (How could BYU lose to ECU and embarrass me in front of my cousin Chuck and his family, who were cheering for those pesky Pirates?)  However, we still managed to enjoy the season.  In fact, we love the traveling so much that the losing season was relatively painless (well, except for losses to Utah, Utah State and Boise State . . . Fresno State, UMass and ECU - I mean, come on . . . ).
Biking with Pres. and Sister Foote was Peachy
Picnicking in Peggy's Park with some of our
Georgia besties


          Our extended trip to the Mississippi State and ECU games was especially awesome.  In between the mind numbing cowbell clanging Bulldog fan experience in Starkville, MS and the Greenville, NC ECU Piratefest, we had an absolute blast!  Maralea and I drove to Atlanta, GA to spend time with President and Sister Foote (Dave and Christina), who are in their third year presiding over the Georgia Atlanta Mission.  It was our first time visiting them and staying at the mission home.  We had a blast riding bikes through the lovely golf cart trails of Peachtree City, GA, and enjoyed seeing President and Sister Foote in action.  We got to spend time with our eternal friends, Evelyn and Michael Warren, and visit their growing beautiful family, basking in the love joy of seeing how the gospel seed planted in Evelyn’s heart back in December 1979 has expanded to four generations.  We always cherish spending time with Evelyn’s wonderful family.  We then drove to Myrtle Beach, SC, to stay there for a couple days in Mom’s honor.  Mom and Dad had gone to Myrtle Beach for their honeymoon and, as I understand, Mom got sick on some carnival rides and they had a not so great memory from all that.  Mom had wanted to return to Myrtle Beach one more time before she passed away in May 2015, but just could not get healthy enough to do it.  So, we went there and collected seashells from the beach in Mom’s honor.  We felt her with us every step of the way.
Digging a moment at Surf City, NC, and proved once and for all that, contrary to Jan and Dean's representations in the early 1960's, there are not "Two girls for every boy."
Just for fun, here's a picture of our Royal family at the same Surf City pier in 1962, with Grandma Cladie (Royal) in the center, Mom to the left, and Uncle Pittman by his sand rover thingy
Suzanne took us on an Outer Banks sunset hike
        One of our big discoveries in October 2017 was that we have a previously unknown cousin in Suzanne (Mills) Erskine.  We learned about Suzanne a week before our trip back east, so we were able to make arrangements to spend time with Suzanne at her beautiful beach home on Emerald Island, NC.  It was amazing to meet Suzanne and learn of her story.  The family connection we felt upon meeting her was powerful!  Suzanne was born in 1945 under circumstances where my uncle was completely unaware of her existence while he was serving in the military.  All these years later, we have been given the opportunity to welcome Suzanne into the Royal family.  Without a doubt, it was love at first sight.  We truly loved Suzanne before even meeting her for the first time.  I will never forget the feeling of sitting with Maralea and Suzanne on the back porch of her Emerald Island home sharing personal stories in the darkness of night with the sound of waves crashing on the beach.  Quite remarkably, our family expanded further in 2017 with the addition of Suzanne and her family.
Our little family reunion in Clayton, NC was an absolute blast!
A genuine southern porch picture was a must -
here with Stacy, Scott and Mackenzie
          Also as part of October 2017 trip east, Maralea and I also got to visit Raleigh, NC, and meet with many wonderful relatives from the Royal and Snipes side of the family, together with some of our sweet departed mother’s dearest friends.  Cousin Stacy Pittman opened his home for a family gathering, which was a blast for us.  We visited with Uncle Harry (the Guitar Man, who 36 years ago gave me one of six Pittman guitars he made) and Aunt Jean.  Cousin Scott was present with his super smart in math daughter McKenzie.  Others who came by include Mom’s cousin Gina Clifton.  Gina was a little girl when Mom and Dad got married.  She said Mom and Dad's wedding was like the prince and Cinderella that got married.  Gina said:

Loved seeing my beautiful Alabama marching
band baton twirling ace, cousin Debby
Gina said: “They were the prettiest couple the world has ever seen.”  Gina said she had a “very heavy crush” on Dad for many years, “even though he married your mom - he was so handsome.”  She related a story of an occasion when Danny and I got inside a school bus that was parked in the front yard of her home (her brother drove the bus for school children).  Gina said she was babysitting us at the time.  She was about 11 years old.  Gina said that we somehow put the bus in neutral and it started rolling.  She recalled getting on the bus in a panic and got it to stop moving.  Gina said: “I don’t know how y’all did that but you done ‘bout scared me to death.”  (She shared that story with so much amazing drama, I really cannot do it justice here.)
1971, the last time I saw Cousin Debby
        We also met Linda Peedin, a niece of my Grandmother Snipes, Larry Snipes, Ray Little, and Bessie Creech, along with Mom’s friends Mavorine McLeod and Dorothy Sakow.  My sweet cousin Debby (Royal) Taylor and her husband, Manny, came by as well.  (I only managed to speak with my cousin Karen (Royal) Carr by phone because she and her family were busy moving to Wilmington, NC, during the week of our visit, but it was nice driving past Wilmington and waving hello from the northbound freeway.  Seriously, though, we did offer to help!  Right Karen?)  It was my first time speaking with many of these wonderful people in decades - a truly amazing experience.  We felt so much love for them all and are grateful to have experienced such an incredibly meaningful reunion.
 
If the menu had shrimp and grits, we were
all over that!  Here with Stacy, Harry and Jean
         Cousin Stacy took us to Mom’s childhood home in Clayton, NC.  It was much as I remember it from the last time I was there as a 10 year old.  However, my childhood memories do not go much beyond the neighborhood block.  Mom’s school was about a block and a half away.  (The surrounding area reminded me a movie set you might find at Universal Studios, where tourists ride by in a tour shuttle with an explanation akin to: “And this is where they filmed the series ‘Marie Knows Best.’”)  I could picture Mom walking up the steps with her books in hand, her hair stylishly bouncing back and fourth like Sandra Dee as she excitedly entered to learn.  (Mom was the valedictorian of her high school class.)  I gazed at the front porch of Grandma’s old house where Danny and I used to sit in the swing watching the summer afternoon thunderstorms that were so impressive to us.  We felt Mom all around us in Clayton, NC, and are so grateful for our loving extended family.  It is a privilege and honor to be so connected to the Royals, Lollars, Snipes, Worleys, Pittmans, Taylors, Carrs, Erskines, et al.  We returned home from our trip with a renewed love and appreciation for family, and expressed gratitude to our Heavenly Father for blessing us with so many wonderful people in our lives.
I decided that standing in front of things with my arms folded on our NC trip was really cool.  But, it was sweet to visit the house where Mom grew up to be so incredibly wonderful.
Here's a picture of Mom's childhood home in Clayton, NC, as I remember it - taken in 1962

          Below is a little summary of how the rest of our Royal family is doing.

Brad, Whitney, Beckham and Zoe
A Royal Moana Halloween
         Brad and Whitney continue to reside with Beckham (6) and Zoe (4) in Cedar Hills, UT.  Brad is the Vice-President of Sales at Orca Health and Whitney is in her second (and final) year of the BYU MBA Program.  Beckham and Zoe love attending school.  They both play soccer.  Beckham is enamored with all things Hot Wheels and Zoe loves Moana.  Beckham regularly beats me at Connect Four and completely wiped us out in Settlers.   (He’s definitely a gamer.) Beckham and Zoe enjoy making musical recordings with their dad and playing with cousins.  They all love the Dodgers and Whitney made it to a World Series game.  But, the 4-3 series win by the Astros made their family even more Dodger blue.  Brad teaches Gospel Doctrine in his ward while Whitney serves a Cub Scouts leader.  Their family experienced the 
total eclipse of the sun in Idaho on August 21, 2017, while those of us in Las Vegas were treated to clouds and rain.  (We were very jealous.  But, thanks to the Weather Channel we got to see the total eclipse occur in Oregon, Wyoming, Illinois, Missouri and South Carolina.)  We got to share multiple Cougartails and BYU Creamery ice cream with Beckham and Zoe at the BYU/UMass game (which was way more fun than the actual game).  Below are a few cute quotes from Beckham and Zoe:


The Royal family in November
          Beckham (to Brad): “Can we get a palm tree?  It'll remind me of Royal and the other people I love in Las Vegas.”

          Brad (to Whitney after she dyed her hair purple): “Your ears are purple.”
          Zoe (now aware of her mother’s purple ears): “Now you're going to be a wizard!”

          Beckham: “Hey Dad, sometimes when I eat soda, my nose gets sparkley.”
CUTE COUSINS!  Beckham and Zoe with Aubrey and Royal at Jordan/Ashlee's reception
Craig, Kelli, Royal and Finley
A family November to Remember
         Kelli and Craig moved into their first home in Las Vegas at the conclusion of the year.  Craig and his father, Jim, did a lot of work on the home with the help of Craig’s brothers.  It looks great.  Finley started walking in the summer, well before he turned one, and is a blast to have around.  Kelli now has her own little salon that Craig and Jim built for her.  (Kelli loves doing all things hair.)  Craig enjoys his work as a trust/estate attorney for Solomon Dwiggins & Freer, Ltd., in Las Vegas so much that he moved his family to Summerlin just to be closer to his office.  The biggest event of the year for Craig and Kelli was Royal’s adoption, with Craig becoming his forever dad to seal the deal.  Finley’s mobile development was also big news, quickly going from crawling to walking to climbing so well that not even gates placed at the kitchen entrances could pin him in. 
Royal and Finley love gettin' all churchy
Finley loves playing with the Great White Shark that 
watches faithfully over Nana and Papa’s kitchen, which will get him primed and ready for Shark Week 2018.  (I copied over 20 Shark Week episodes from 2017 to get us by until then.)  Royal got to attend two BYU football games this season (he was asleep by half time at UNLV).  Royal said he plans on playing both football and basketball at BYU after serving his mission, all to be arranged for an October return so he will be back in time for Halloween.  Below is a conversation that took place as Royal and his cousin Aubrey helped Papa put up Christmas lights over Thanksgiving Weekend (for context, I was wearing a blue and gray BYU shirt):


          Aubrey:               Papa, what’s your favorite color?
          Papa:                    Blue
          Aubrey:                Do you like, gray, too?
          Royal (laughing): Yeah, Papa.  Do you like gray because your hair is gray?
                                      (Poor Papa gets no respect.)
Royal and Finley are excited to do some Costco shopping together     
David, Kambria, Aubrey and Macie
The David/Kam fam

         David and Kambria enjoyed year one in their new house in 2017, now residing in Murray, UT.  They have worked hard to get everything just right and Aubrey is quick to tell everyone entering their house: “You have to take off your shoes.”  (She is relentless.  I discovered that if I ignore her, Aubrey will quickly run for reinforcements by way of her mom and dad.  “Mommy, Papa isn’t taking off his shoes!”  I leave them on just to watch Aubrey panic.)  Macie loves dancing to Papa’s adapted 
Aubrey and Macie love their new home

version of the Beatles song “Little Child” - modified as “Little Macie” (sung enthusiastically with a guitar, harmonica or even via Youtube karaoke).  David loves his work at Visible Equity and is moving to an exciting new position there.  He feels very blessed with his employment.  Maralea introduced Aubrey and Macie to run hugs earlier in the year, which has become a favorite bed time activity for us when we visit.  I love sharing smoothies with the girls.  However, Aubrey became less of a fan after I made a grapefruit concoction and got her to enthusiastically drink it while recording on video to preserve her priceless reaction.  David serves in the ward Young Men’s Presidency (second counselor) in their Murray ward while Kambria is a ward missionary and Gospel Principles instructor.  Aubrey prefers to be sung Fight Song and Thunder and Lightning as Papa lullabies at bedtime, while Macie is cool with just being rocked to sleep with Papa slowly humming his Little Macie song.  Below is a recent quote from Aubrey:


       Aubrey:       I wanna watch The Crunch
          Papa:           The Crunch?
          Royal:         She means The Grinch
          Aubrey:       No, I don’t.  The Crunch.  I wanna watch The Crunch Steal Christmas.
Cousin time is always cray-cray play-play
Jordan and Ashlee
Jordan and Ashlee - Marital Bliss Day 1
          Jordan and Ashlee are enjoying the life of newlyweds in their first married apartment while Jordan enters his last semester at BYU in Provo, UT.  Jordan has post graduate plans to pursue a career in physical therapy.  Ashlee works as a supervisor in the corporate office of Bella Ella Boutique, while Jordan is employed at Fyzical as a physical therapy technician.  Jordan achieved the family distinction of being the first and only to win a BYU intramural championship when his mens volleyball team worked its way through the losers bracket to lay claim to the much desired Champions T-shirt that so eluded the rest of us.  (I was on BYU intramural teams in three different sports that all lost their respective championship games - so, no T-shirt for me.)  Jordan and David teamed up in a summer beach volleyball tournament.  (They played well together and displayed sweet brotherly love, which is always noteworthy.)  Jordan and Ashlee bought their first car as a couple in October. 
The Royal couple can boogie oggie oggie
(Yay for surviving married major purchases!)  They enjoy hiking many of the great areas surrounding the Utah Valley and Ashlee introduced Jordan to the Lehi Rodeo in the summer (yee-haw).  One of their most memorable adventures was camping out outside the football stadium to get good seats for the BYU/Utah football game in September, after which Ashlee said: “Never again!”  (Ashlee got Jordan to leave the BYU/UMass football game at half time to go shopping at Ross.  So, they are definitely making progress in the mastery of marital compromise.)  Jordan serves as an Elders Quorum instructor in their married student ward while Ashlee serves as the Ward Music Chair.  Ashlee loves to cook and Jordan loves to eat - a perfect match!
Jordan and Ashlee attend their first BYU football game as Brother and Sister Royal
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
Maralea happily displays her Apple watch
as my forever Royal Valentine
          The spirit of Christmas does so much to bring warmth into our hearts as we consider blessings so bountifully showered upon us.  Even in times of trial, challenge and darkness, the Savior’s light remains constant, like the North Star, ever lighting our way.  All we have to do to enjoy lasting happiness in any and every circumstance is look to Him and live.  We are grateful to parents who taught us to accept, embrace and follow Jesus Christ, living with His light in our hearts.  It is especially gratifying to see our children and grandchildren walking “as children of light.”  (Ephesians 5:8-9.)  We hope to ever honor our family, both immediate and extended, in the way we live through 2018 and far beyond.

          
          Here’s to a Royally Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

          With love, Mike and Maralea
Wham bam love this fam!  (They're down with selfies.  I only got the top of Aubrey's head, but otherwise not bad.)
Christmas Blog Overdrive!  WE WANT MORE PICTURES!!
          We can never have enough pictures from the year, so below are a few more just because there are so many things we want to fondly remember.  (Plus, pictures are always more fun.)


Finley is a deep thinker!  (Hey, what happened to his left sock?)

Royal got choritos for his birthday

Aubrey is ready to bake

Beckham and Zoe are ready for a Nana/Papa hotel pool party 
Ready for the Greenwood family Sunday dinner extravaganza with Jordan and Ashlee
Maralea, Kelli, Royal and Finley went to Reno to visit Mama Kelly

 
David had a beard in 2017
Macie wonders what happened to Papa's beard
We took some time to play at the Murray, UT Chick-Fil-A
Royal on his first date (ha) - at Lego Batman with Kennedy


Finley graduated from his walker, but he loved it back in the day
Jordan and Ashlee got engaged on Royal's birthday
Zoe and Aubrey take a short play break

Celebrating Beckham's soccer victory



Royal is ready for the 2018 football season to begin

I guess this picture may be a collector's item, here with Ty Detmer back when he was still OC
Easter Weekend on the Murray, UT Royal family front porch
Grandkids take a break from family pictures to just chill

Nana worked hard for grandchildren smiles on Family Photo Day

Aubrey and Royal - front porch time
Cousin brother/sister games are fun

Macie and Nana take a pickelball break
Aubrey can't leave it alone


Beckham brought Sharkey to Thanksgiving weekend family pictures

Zoe picks her spot on the teeter tot

A trip to at Temple Square but asking grandkids to look and say Cheese wasn't fair

We love Nana/Papa swim time
Royal and Aubrey are primary lovin' cousins

Everyone smile for an elevator selfie
Aubrey relaxing in the July shade 
Zoe is very bubbly



Nana helps Finley get ready to walk, rock and roll
Royal, Beckham and Zoe cool off in the Las Vegas heat
Leona is cool with son-in-law selfies
Kelli teeters with some Royal tots
Great Grandpa Royal on Finley's first birthday
Aubrey and Macie buckled up in the Hot Cherry


Beckham smiles for miles

Jordan and Ashlee, Timpanogos Temple day (followed by Chuck-O-Rama goodness)
Friedel Family church day
Aubrey and Macie take flight
Beckham takes pride in his ride
Beckham and Zoe had a successful Easter egg hunt

  
Aubrey loves backyard chalk art
Our four little ones - on Jordan and Ashlee's wedding day

The grandchildren got tired of waiting for Jordan and Ashlee to exit the temple
With Jordan and Ashlee now married, the kids are ready to par-tay


At our last Royal wedding reception for a while
The reception was Chip and Dale time



Family hike after Jordan and Ashlee's wedding day
Mother's Day always brings warm memories of a life well lived
Royal graduated from pre-school cheek to cheek
Macie loves Temple Square

David and Kam had a Florida swamp getaway

Mmmmmmmm good!
 ROYAL ADOPTION DAY!
Grandkids love pool parties!!
Maralea turned our backyard into a water park for Las Vegas summer fun
Nielsen's Custard is awesome!
Thanks for the ice cream, Nana!
Another family visit, another Papa selfie
I absolutely loved serving with these great men for several years
(from left: Me, James Cavalieri, Jack Snow, Rob Richardson)
 
Aubrey was happy to see Royal at her birthday party
Things were looking up for Aubrey's birthday party

Maralea pulled over the Sequoia for this picture when the odometer turned to 200,000
BYU game with these cuties
   




BYU/Utah game selfie - David struggled to cooperate
 
BYU/Wisconsin - Love warm football game days
Royal and Kennedy at Trunk or Treat
Royal and Aubrey taking Cougar steps
Aubrey and Zoe play in their fort

Royal got to the BYU/UNLV game with Nana and Papa, and Great Grandpa Royal
Cedar City Temple Open House
David and Kambria like the playground as much as the kids
We had great seats to watch BYU lose to UT Arlington, but have enjoyed the season so far
Finley's get up for his first Halloween

Aubrey and Macie are Halloween ready
Thanksgiving family selfie - what's not to like?
Coach Craig sets the Cougar defense

Macie post Papa smoothie
   
Nana and Mommy go for a stroll
Royal women: the next generation
A special Friedel family temple day
Fab Four Royally cool dudes
Aubrey warms Nana's bed for a sleep over
Zoe with a google wink for Papa
Beckham and Royal dance the night away

Beckham with Zoe as she displays her artwork

We found Jordan and Ashlee on TV during a BYU men's volleyball game
Aubrey working to go all Rapunzel

Elder Beckam and Sister Zoe

I love receiving Maralea emoji texts

Zoe relaxes her dad's guitar case

Cousins Cody and David prep for the reception main event

Grandchildren keeping busy in between family pictures at the Oquirrh Mountain Temple

Beckham chillin' at Jordan and Ashlee's wedding reception

David gives Aubrey a soccer sideline pep talk
Papa helps Royal with a primary talk
Beckham survived our waterfall trek


Pre-church selfie with Nana and Papa
Our sweet Las Vegas view of the August 21, 2017 eclipse
Aubrey's birthday party artistic creation of beauty
Macie melts at the BYU/Portland State game (hottest game we've EVER attended)

We found Royal Street in New Orleans

Zoe and Papa take a game day picture break

Summerlin park play over Thanksgiving weekend

Aubrey is diggin' Santa - Macie . . . not so much
Royal was a Christmas camel

I got talked into adding Frostie to our front yard by grandchildren (first blow up decoration)
Las Vegas May Staycation

Royal's first soccer season

Sister sidewalk colorful creations 
Beckham and Zoe ready for a big time Easter Egg Hunt!
Posterity Christmas cards are sweetly awesome!