Christmas Band Concert

 We were so proud of our kids performances this year in the band concert. Tyler's first year playing the trombone. He sounded amazing. At least we couldn't hear him above all the other kids playing wrong notes so we count it as a win.

 Papa and Nana Livsey were able to come and hear the concert. They had four grandsons performing in one event. Pretty good turnout.

Carter is doing trumpet for his third year. He was the one in sleigh ride who made the horse noise with his trumpet. It sounded great! They had such a fun night and we snuck off to have yogurt at Orangeleaf after with the Ruesch cousins. It was a fun night.

Christmas Letter 2013

The BJP’s Christmas Letter 2013

Another great year has quickly come and gone. I can’t believe how much we were able to squeeze in.  The kids have grown taller and smarter, the house has gotten older, and its inhabitants have grown closer.  It was a successful year for the BJP’s.

Carter, now thirteen years old, has managed thus far to avoid what we call “teenage disease”. He is still quick to help, kind to his family and loyal to his friends. He is playing the trumpet in band, loves going to Scout camp, ran cross country with his junior high team and is tolerating Latin since his got a new upgraded teacher. His love is reading; give him a new book and you won’t see him for two days. He simply vanishes from life. We are so lucky to have Carter in our family. This next year we are anxiously anticipating our first Eagle Scout.

Tyler is eleven quick witted, clever and handy. He loves a good project and wants to be in the thick of whatever we are working on. He plays the trombone with band in school and suffers through the violin.  He is counting down the days until he gets his braces off (Jan 7^th), loves to play with friends, go camping, sledding or anything outdoors and scout related. Tyler is one kid who is happiest when we are on an adventure and lives life to the fullest. Tyler is full of compassion and fun. His mind is rattling off new ideas and plans for the future.  We are so glad to have Tyler in our family.

Ally (note the new spelling, she changed it) is full of energy and vitality for life. If you can keep up with her energy level then you must also be a seven-year old girl. She loves gymnastics and has perfected her round-off back handspring and is diligently working on her back tuck. She is the cutest violinist and enjoys watching herself improve. She loves to play with friends and cousins. She is full of determination and enjoys a good challenge. The trampoline is her favorite hangout but says sledding and building igloos with her dad are the best winter activities.  She is also very pleased with the new Siamese kitty Cleopatra we got a few months ago but would have really liked a little sister. (Not going to happen.)

Byron is and always will be my man with many hobbies. His newest hobby and our favorite is Popup Camping. We are the proud owners of a Coleman Popup Camper. He was released from Elders Quorum and put in as Scout Master (round two.) He is having fun with Carter and his friends. Today they did a practice snowshoe hike to prep for their Yurt experience in January. Byron is happiest if he is on a hike in the hills behind our house with his dog Jessie. He has taken us to some of his favorite hunting places in our popup and we are enjoying the time together. He is a on again, off again P90X participant but manages to stay in shape so he can keep up with his outdoor activities. We are happy to say Byron is still gainfully employed with CIT Bank and hope this will continue for many more years.

I, Erin, am busy with a new job. I am part time secretary at Ally’s school. I am loving handing out band-aids, getting ice packs and keeping track of attendance. Byron got it right with his anniversary gift this year and gave me a really nice camera. I am now enjoying my new life as an amateur photographer. I have also taken a few painting classes again and am now using a painting knife. It has again added a new level of difficulty and I am challenged and having fun painting. I am tickled watching my garden grow and mature as we have been in this house for 8 years now. My lilacs bloomed for the first time this year (hallelujah) and my apple tree gave us an amazing harvest. It’s really the little things in life that are so exciting.

We were blessed to take use our vacation days and head for some fun family time. The kids and I enjoyed a quick trip up to visit cousins in Idaho and moved a few boxes while we were there.  Byron and I snuck away to Maui to celebrate our 15^th Anniversary. I love getting away from it all and hanging out with my boyfriend. He’s awesome!!  The bamboo forest there is my top spot on the planet. So peaceful!

We took the kids on a few camping trips: Goblin Valley, Arches, Topaz Mtn, and the West Desert near the Great Salt Lake; (wouldn’t recommend that one.) Goblin Valley was at the top of our list (ultimate hide and seek game).  We also took the kids on an “exotic” island vacation to Catalina Island in California.  We thoroughly enjoyed the flying fish tour at night with a big spotlight, petting jellyfish at the aquarium, and snorkeling in our wetsuits. I can’t forget the ice cream, lots of ice cream. 

I also snuck the kids off during Thanksgiving Break without Byron (work) and we hit Zion National Park. It was amazing and the Red Cliffs Recreation Area was equally awesome. The beauty literally fills me with joy. We have two weeks off for Christmas and I just don’t know if I will be able to stay home the whole time…where shall we go next?  We have realized our days with our kids are numbered and we must make the most of the time we have. They are growing up at an alarming rate.

We went to Dallas, TX this summer to celebrate the 90^th birthday of Byron’s Nanny. We had a great time visiting the new Perot museum, the aquarium downtown and fishing at the local pond. Best of all was hanging out with family and cousins and second cousins and jumping in the pool with our clothes on. Yee-haw!!

We managed to make it to Jackson Hole for a few days of our annual Livsey Family Reunion. It’s tough squeezing in a whole weeks worth of activities into three days but we managed. The cousins, aunts and uncles, grandpas and grandmas made it a fun adventure. We can’t wait to go again next year. I would order less of Ally getting bucked off and dragged behind the mule next time; everything else was perfect. She quickly recovered and we are thankful for the fast acting red-headed wrangler who unlatched her foot from the saddle with an amazing head first flying leap off his running horse. He may be superman or an angel, I don’t know. We dusted off the mud, found her missing shoe in a bush and said a quick prayer of gratitude. Ally was not excited about riding back to camp so the two of us walked.   

We are excited that late this year Byron’s brother Jason moved in with us. He is working downtown managing Golf Anytime USA.  It is an indoor golf simulator store. Schedule a T-time and perfect your swing.  The kids are LOVING having him around. I for one am enjoying my snow removal team.  For a bunch of Texans these boys can get-er done.

I am so grateful for this time to reflect on the year, on our blessings, and on the love our family shares. We are thankful for our Savior, for the chance we have to be forgiven and for the great potential there is in all of us. We wish you a very Merry Christmas and the very best this coming new year. (If you read all the way to here you must really love us! There’s always too much to say for one little page.)

All our love, Byron, Erin, Carter, Tyler and Ally Pollan

Zions Thanksgiving Break

The kids and I snuck away for a trip down to Zion during Thanksgiving break. Byron had to work and couldnt join us. We drove down and stayed in a nice hotel with a pool and a hot tub and thoroughly enjoyed the hot chocolate bar and chocolate chip cookies they set out nightly. Ahhh, nice.

We hike almost every hike in Zion. Starting with Angels Landing. The kids were troopers and the weather was amazing. Nice and crisp hiking weather. Freezing once the sun went down but beautiful during the day.

The view from the top of Angels is incredible. We made it across some of the chain zone but Ali decided to be the sensible one and we stopped before we got all the way to the end. It made her and Tyler a little nervous to be walking along  a bitty ledge of rock, hanging onto a freezing chain and trying not to slip to your death. Carter was disappointed but as he has hiked it already he agreed to turn around with us.

We chose two hikes a day, one tough one and an easy one. It was amazing hanging out with our cute kids and chatting as we hiked. They have lots of ideas in those heads of theirs.

Swimming in the pool, heated pool, was fun even though it was chilly outside. The hot tub was great as well. Ali enjoyed playing the animal game where we shout out an animal and she swims like the animal would. She would play much longer than we were willing to think up animals.

This is my trusty camera lens. I had a fun time trying out new things with my camera and finding out what it really can do.

These are taken on our hike back from the trailhead for the Narrows hike. This is not the time to hike the Narrows, but our kids are ready to come back in the summer and hit it then. It looks like a fun hike up the river and through the narrow rock canyons.

We got a kick out of this sign. Lots of joking about being in the wild.

The kids found this sandpile in a dried up riverbed. They spent an hour or so building sand-castles and then used dirt balls to try and destroy them. It is harder than you would think destroying a sandcastle with a a sandball. I had fun stacking rocks and taking pictures of them while waiting for the kids to finish their castles.

We really loved our hike through the Redrock Cliff Recreation Area. This is a camping site which we will have to bring Byron back to next year.  It's just one exit further south off I-15 than the Zions turn. Funnest hike of our trip. Steps carved into the side of sandstone, ropes hanging down to help you hang on with. Natural waterslide rocks along the riverbank, it was too cold for us to try it but we are returning come summertime.
The kids and I had a great time hanging out together and enjoying the pure beauty of nature.

Fall Sports -

 

 Looking through this post you may draw the conclusion that the Pollans are an athletic family. I would probably say no to that statement. We participate in a sport every now and then but in general we are happier being entertained in less ambitious ways. 

Ali did LOVE her soccer team this year. She was a great little forward and did her fair share of scoring. She also took to being goalie fairly well. They had a regular goalkeeper who missed a game and Ali was quick to volunteer for the job. She had a fun time trying to keep the ball out of the net. She didn't even cry when they did score on her. I was so proud.

 Carter is our cross country man. He went from a twenty minute two mile race down to a 16 minute mile two mile race. I was very impressed with how much time he was able to knock off his run in the short season. He had a fun time making a few new friends. He also had his cousin Chandler on the team for part of the season. It was fun to see them both working hard and improving their running skills.

 Ty is a die hard soccer player, unless he has scout camp the night before a game, then he's asleep on his feet. He plays a mean gave of half back and will defend the goal to the end. He had a good season and got to know a neighbor friend better. It was a win/win on all accounts. They only lost one game the entire season and that was when their coaches both were out of town at the same time. We really have a good team put together here and I am excited to see them in action again in the Spring.

 Jacob and Tyler high-fiving after another awesome game. It's great to be great isn't it.

 This is Ali showing off her goal keeping skills during warm-ups before a game. Ali is one of those players that will always stay in, always keeps running, never gives up on the ball. I don't know where she gets her energy from but this girl has got skills.

In this race Carter knocked two minutes off his time. I couldn't believe it when he came in so fast. I asked him what he did different and he said he just kept pace with Christian there on his right. Pretty good strategy.
I loved this fall, we have had such a nice long beautiful fall. The leaves have actually all fallen to the ground before we were buried in snow. It has been fun heading out for games and sitting outside in the fall sunshine enjoying the beautiful sunsets and watching the kids work hard at their different sports. I look at my kids and can't believe they are actually mine. They are all getting so big and grown up. We are really blessed to have three outstanding children that we love dearly.

New Kitty For Us...Surprise!

 So as part of date night about a month ago Byron and I stepped into Petco to get some new dog treats. I know, exciting date night, we had eaten at a nearby restaurant before Petco. So we head back and there is a few animals from the humane society there. I peeked into the little kitty cage and instantly fell in love with the cutest little cat. I am a sucker of a siamese kitten. So I poked my finger through the cage a little and the kitties licked them and bit them. That night I couldn't stop thinking about that kitten. Obviously I went back and got her the next day but I did try really hard not to. I called in the morning to see if she was a girl, we can't have another boy cat since our Lucy cat doesn't like boy cats around. Tried that already. It was a girl, then I called to see if she had already been spayed and given shots....of course that was already done. So as part of Ali and my girls day of fun, (the boys were off cutting wood for a Yurt in the woods,) we went into Petco and picked up a new little kitty.

 They had named her Jasmine and we kept that name for the first week but ended up changing it to Cleopatra. We call her Cleo for short and she is a fun little spunky thing.

 We kept her in the computer room for the first week, then slowly started  letting her into the garage with Lucy. Lucy didn't really appreciate her at first but they have adjusted now and even share the same bowl of food and water.

 Chewy and Cleo were fast friends. They like to snuggle together in Chewy's cage in the kitchen. Chewy is so excited about having another little animal around that likes him.

 The animals have all adjusted to each other and are getting along very nicely. I do think Lucy and Cleo will be glad for each others company out in the garage this winter. We have certainly loved having a kitten around. They are so cute and spontaneous. I was out in the yard bent over doing some weeding and Cleo would come racing along straight at me, jump up onto my back and leap off the other side. Then she would turn around and charge back from the other direction. She was using my back as a launch pad. It was highly entertaining.

 This is a photo of the kids after a Cross Country race. Carter is looking a little exhausted. We went out to Tony's Pizza up in Layton after the race for dinner. Some afternoons its hard to fit food in with all the running around we do for the fall sports. It is a little challenging with the races being pretty far away, Layton, Ogden, Salt Lake. 

No Guilt- Fall Fun

This is my no guilt for no blogging since Jackson blog. The kids have been busy playing fall sports and a variety of other fun things. These photos are all from a Fall Farm Day at Cornbellies. It is one of these farms turned into play ground during the fall time. We met Sonja, Deborah, Chortney and Lisa plus all their kids for a day of fun.

 Christopher and Carter on the giant slide. Surprisingly it doesn't go that fast, you really have to push yourself along on the sack but the kids still managed to enjoy themselves.

 Tyler and Rachael

 Ali, who has changed the spelling of her name to Ally (FYI)  and Rachael.

 Giant sized tricycles we raced around hay barrels. Well, race is an exaggeration as it implies going fast. This was more like a snail race. They were very hard to maneouver which made it more fun. Lots of tipping over and mocking as we were riding tricycles.

 Photo Op! This is our small group while waiting for the rest of the crowd to get there. Carter's friend Christian came along as well.

 Duck Races. This was my favorite activity. It wins big creativity points in my book.

 The kids pumped the water spouts for a long time. They loved lining up a bunch of ducks and letting them all go at once.

 Artistic photo of the day. I love how it turned out.

 More photo ops.

 The corn maze was a U vs. BYU race. It was fun, big, Ally got a huge corn cut, like a paper cut but from a corn stalk. A little first aid in the corn maze, lucky we had tissue to hold onto her hand.

 This was their hay bail maze. It was also large and awesome. We came out covered in hay as the kids thought it appropriate to climb through little holes in the maze. Trying to keep up with them I followed behind. I don't fit as gracefully through small holes in hay mazes.

 Gourd v. pumpkin Tic-Tac-Toe. Fun day at Cornbellies.

We picked out our pumpkins on the way out the door. My only rule was you needed to be able to carry your pumpkin back to the car. This fella overestimated his strength. So did Ally. I had them wait at the entrance and ran for the car. Not as strong as we think we are.

Jackson Hole 2013

 We managed to skip a day of school and slip up to Jackson for one last summer vacation. My family has a big family reunion up there every year and we just couldn't miss out on the fun.

 String Lake Day was so fun!! Jumping off the big rock, paddle boarding, trips around the lake in the raft. Lunch on the beach and then lots of lightening. We got poured on and ran for the cars. Luckily we had lots of thunder as warning. You can see the concern on James' face. I don't think he believes Tyler is rowing quite fast enough. The thunder was clapping directly overhead. It was pretty loud and intimidating.

 Cousins freezing by the lake and enjoying a bit of lunch.

 Byron was off looking for huckleberries when he ran across this cute little guy and his Mama bear. He came back to get us but by the time we hiked back to where the bears were the rangers had closed the trail. The bear were eating off a deer carcus and they didn't want any hikers getting into trouble. We hung around for a minute and the rangers managed to drag the carcas away from the trail and into the woods. They opened the trail and we managed to hike in quick enough to get a few pics of Mama and baby cub crossing over the trail following the scent trail to find their food again.

 We were all very excited about our close encounter with the bear. I had a bit of an adrenaline rush as Mama bear was walking straight at me while I was trying to get her photo. I eventually yielded the trail and she crossed exactly where I had been standing. Thanks for telling me I was standing in the scent trail of the carcas.

 Fun signage. We were there on 8-21-13. This Mama has been in a bit of trouble lately. In the last five days she had gotten into four coolers in the close vicinity.  They were hoping the deer carcas would slow down her people food habit she was getting into.

 Jonathan was hiking Ali back from viewing the moose who wandered through our condo units.

 They playhouse is a favorite activity of mine. We got great seats this year! Ali and Nathaniel enjoyed the front row action. Ali did manage to fall asleep before the end and I had a good chuckle watching five guys dance and sing their hearts out right above Ali while she slept like a baby. I don't know how she didn't wake up.

 Some of the playhouse crew. We bought sixteen tickets altogether. Troy was nice enough to run the five blocks through the rain to bring the car around for our crew. I love the animated faces of these cousins!!

 A little horseback riding adventure for us. We got more adventure than we had planned on.

 The horse is actually a mule named Fancy. The wrangler is actually a superhero in disguise. Garrett managed to save Ali's life during our trail ride. We are every so grateful and I have no doubt there were angels helping as well. This girl did get herself into a pickle, by no fault of her own though. About an hour into our ride Ali's MULE spooked, bucked and darted down the trail. Ali was not able to hold on and was thrown. Garrett said he heard the mule buck and turned around to see an empty saddle and Ali dangling by one leg being dragged under the running mule. He kicked his horse into high gear ran along beside the mule and did a flying leap for the stirrup. He somehow managed to free her foot but he got kicked in the chest. He told me he had never dismounted a running horse before and wasn't sure how he was able to get her foot free. It is a miracle she was not kicked or trampled or honestly hurt in any way. Not a scratch on her little body. She was drug through the mud for about twenty yards before Garrett managed to get her foot free. She was shaken up but didn't even cry, not one tear. Brave little lady we have on our hands.

I did not see all of this take place, thankfully, but I could hear sounds of terror coming through the trees. I yelled up the line asking if Ali was okay....nothing. Yelled again, is she okay? Finally I hear she got bucked off but is standing. I finally leaped off my horse and ran up the line to get my eyes on my little girl. I am so grateful for the angels who were watching over her and keeping her away from those hooves. Garrett was alright as well, not sure how you take a hoof to the chest and walk away from it but he did. I did tip my guide, my sister tipped our guide and when my Dad heard what happened he headed back to the ranch and tipped our guide again. By the time my Dad got over there Garrett had headed out on another trail ride. They said he was doing just fine, Fancy not so much...she will be retired. That was her last rodeo.

 This is Ali after her big adventure on Fancy the Mule. She lost her hat and a shoe flew off her foot during the run-away mule ride. It took some looking but we found the shoe. She was concerned they are her new school shoes after all. We sat on the porch so Mom could have a little cry and recover herself a bit. Ali just wanted to go jump on the bungee trampolines. I was far more shaken up than she was. We went to the tramps!

 Trampoline fun for the boys. They didn't want to be left out just because they didn't get bucked off a mule. We are proud to brag that all three kids did front and back flips on the tramp. They are getting so talented in their old age.

 More Teton Village fun. Luckily the rock wall does not buck.

 Candy store in Jackson. We visited twice in the four days we were in town. Carter left his candy at the Merry Piglets restaurant so we had to go back so he could restock. What else can you do if you loose all your candy?

 Will and Greg (Jake's twins) were holding Ali's new turtle for her. She was quite distressed that they would not stop sucking on the flippers. Such cute boys!!

 The fishing gang. Chandler really wanted a trip to go fish with Byron. We snuck down to the Snake River and they caught two fish between all of them.

 BUBBA'S!!! Nothing says a good breakfast like Bubba's. Biscuits and gravy, blueberry pancakes, pecan waffles, bacon, ummm. Byron decided the best way to do Bubba's is he orders the biscuits and gravy and then also eats off everyone elses plates so he gets a taste of everything. It worked out pretty well for him. He's lucky we are all so nice.

 Nearly ready to hit the road for home and Carter got a bee sting. A little mud fixed him right up. He didn't even cry, isn't he so brave. :-) Just kidding Carter, of course he wouldn't cry over a little bee sting. Especially not right after his sister flies off a bucking mule and doesn't cry. He's got to compete with a tough crowd.