Tolman Top Forty Hits of 2017

Our favorite forty memories of 2017 (in chronological order):
1. Kanyon getting 3rd place at the scout pinewood derby
2. Ammon going to 21 Pilots concert for his birthday with friends--their gift to him
3. Kanyon celebrating his birthday with friends at Blast Off
4. Kala finishing student teaching (and getring roses from Josh to celebrate!)
5. Kala finishing up her degree and officially graduating from college
6. Josh and Kala visiting Wyoming on a whim, relaxing and dreaming about the future
7. Spending Easter with the Perkins family at the house in Tremonton for the last time (although we didn't know it at the time)
8. Touring the newly remodeled Idaho Falls temple together as a family
9. Kala's last piano recital
10. Ammon seeing Pres. Eyring up close at the Youth Cultural Celebration for the I.F. temple
11. Kala getting a new job (but nobody else knew it yet)
12. Jonah and Micah going to scout camp with Grandpa Perkins at Bear Lake
13. Kanyon staying with Grandma and Grandpa Perkins for 2 weeks
14. Josh climbing Coppperhead Peak
15. Josh and Kala taking a motorbike ride downriver to see the flood damage
16. Camping at Timber Creek for the first time
17. Josh riding his motorbike through snowdrifts to get into Iron Lake
18. Hosting family bbq's in the summer and playing dominos/yard games with friends
19. The YW/YM activity at Williams Lake
20. Jonah and Micah hiking with Josh and their troop to see the waterfall at the Treasure Mtn scout camp
21. Floating the Salmon River with the Tolman family on July 4th
22. Kala's college commencement exercises
23. Ammon and Josh competing together on the same team in the Best Ball Tournament
24. Hiking around Devil's Monument as a family
25. Visiting Mt. Rushmore as a family (which was really the NUMBER ONE item for every person in our family when I asked them!)
26. Floating down the Salmon River in boats/innertubes as a family (and surviving!)
27. Rafting the Salmon River with Grandma and Grandpa Perkins
28. Ammon completing his senior project
29. Josh and the older 3 boys watching the Eclipse from the top of Diamond Peak
30. Kala and Kanyon watching the Eclipse with the Perkins cousins in Mud Lake
31. Ammon and Josh performing in the homecoming Lip Syncs
32. Jonah and Micah both shot a deer
33. Josh and Kala seeing Jeff Foxworthy live at the State Fair
34. Kala winning Salmon Idol
35. Jonah and Micah being on the 1st place Middle School Boys XC team at the Bob Firman meet
36. Ammon beating a fellow teammate at District XC and medaling individually
37. Ammon's XC team winning academic state champions
38. Watching General Conference in SLC as a family
39. Going to the Lingers Christmas Eve party
40. Spending Christmas at home

December 2017

December 1: We decided to join in the LDS church's December initiative: Light the World. Every day there is a scripture and a suggestion for ways you can serve others related to that scripture, to bring you closer to the Savior and the will of our Heavenly Father. On Day 1, the scripture was Matthew 10:8 "Freely ye have received, freely give". We decided to give our time to each other, since we haven't had a lot of family time this year, living in separate households. We all shut off our digital screens for 2 hours and spent quality time playing games together. It was awesome!

December 2: Light the World Day 2 was Matthew 25:35 "I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink". We decided, rather last minute, to give out free hot cocoa on Main Street in Salmon. It wasn't too busy, as nothing was going on, but we did serve 30 cups in 90 minutes! I had a lot of fun--but the boys, not so much! That night was Amanda's wedding shower. I had something in town all afternoon, so Josh made deviled eggs to take to it for me. It was the first time he'd ever made them, and I was so proud of him! However, as he was walking up to the entrance of the Sac Center, where the shower was held, he tripped and (trying to protect the eggs) he landed on his knees and his hands, and scraped his one hand up pretty good. There was a deep gash below his pinky finger (which he still has a scar from!), and unfortunately, the eggs all jumped out upon impact and got destroyed anyway. 

December 3: The Light the World Day 3 scripture was Matthew 12:12 "Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days". We observed the sabbath by staying home that evening, decorating gingerbread houses, and watching the First Presidency's Christmas Devotional on TV. Josh even got in on the action, which was fun, because he usually doesn't!

Ammon's display

Micah's home

Dad's structure

Kanyon's house

Jonah's creation

It was the perfect evening to stay in,
as it was beautifully snowing out!

December 4: Light the World Day 4 was Matthew 22:39 "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself". I made little baggies with fruit and candy, and Jonah and Kanyon helped me deliver them to some of the mobile homes near our apartment in Mud Lake. We also got a surprise that night when one of my student's brought by some homemade oreos for our family to enjoy, as well! Jonah moved down to Mud Lake on this day, because it was the start of the new trimester there. I wanted the twins to experience something new and different, and told them that they could stay in Salmon for the fall, but I wanted them to move to Mud Lake for the winter and spring, and then they could choose where they wanted to go to high school next year. Micah chose to wait until January to come so that he could attend his Christmas music concerts in Salmon first.

December 5: Day 5 of Light the World was Matthew 15:4 "Honor thy father and mother". Josh got his parents a small gift, and wrote them a small note of appreciation. I called my parents and talked to them, and told the boys to do something nice for me--like vacuum the apartment and take out the apartment (which they did!!). I took Molly out for her birthday in Rexburg. We went to dinner at Costa Vida, and saw the Disney movie "Coco". She'd been living in Rexburg since October on her own, since Malachi moved to work in New Mexico, because she was finishing up her college degree, and graduated in December. However, every other time I was in Rexburg and tried to get together with her, it didn't work out because she was one busy chica! I'm glad I was able to spend that time with her before she moved as well!

December 6: Day 6 was Matthew 7:1 "Judge not, that ye be not judged". We all decided to 5 nice things to 5 people that day (which was harder for some than others!). That night, Jonah, Kanyon, and I drove up to Salmon to go to the Ward Christmas Party. It was good for Jonah to be reunited again with some of his friends, after being gone since Thanksgiving going to school in West J. with me. When the party was done, we had to follow Josh out to Myron's to drop off Ammon's car, and I noticed the car wasn't backing up very well. When we got to Myron's shop, and Josh got in, I told him about how it had been driving weird, and he got out and noticed we had a flat tire! Well...that was kind of hectic. We ended up putting our stuff in the other car, leaving that car there, and drove home. Josh got it the next day, and took it to the tire shop to have it get fixed. That car was  a blessing (since my silver box car died), but there was constantly problems with it each week!

The second flat tire on it in 6 weeks

December 7: LTW Day 7 was Matthew 10:14 "Suffer the little children to come unto me". Kanyon's class was having a fundraiser to purchase Christmas for several children and families in Eastern Idaho, so we donated baked goods (that I made after the ward party the night before so we could take them back to West J) and everyone in the family donated funds as well, which was wonderful since this is the first year we haven't done something for a family or individuals in Salmon at Christmas time, and I'm glad we were still able to contribute to a worthy cause. 

December 8: LTW Day 8 was Matthew 5:44 "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do goo to them that hate you". We decided to all make a special effort to be nicer to the people we see each day that annoy us! Josh always gets asked if he's a year-round employee. In the beginning, he wasn't, but he is now. In the winter, Josh works on trimming trees at the golf course and also maintains the equipment. For the past few years, he's had a major tree trimming project along #9 fairway, cutting down most of the old willow trees. He basically finished that project this year, cutting the last few down. I'm glad he survived it (he's had a lot of near-miss accidents while doing it!). He took a photo that day to document his progress. I had my staff Christmas party after school that day. We decided to all buy a pair of Christmas socks, fill them with goodies, and then we had a game to move them around, and at the end of the game, whatever you are left with is the pair of socks you'd have to wear to school the following Monday. It was so fun! I thought it was a fantastic, fairly inexpensive, fun idea! After the party, we drove to Salmon that night to watch Ammon's basketball game against American Falls. 

December 9: LTW Day 9 was Matthew 25:36 "I was sick and ye visited me". I hadn't been feeling well lately (I believe I had influenza, which was running rampid this year, but I never got it officially diagnosed) and so I asked if everyone in the family could just sit and watch TV with me for a bit, and let me pick the show (usually the boys watch their shows on the big TV and Josh picks what he wants on our bedroom TV, and I rarely get a choice!). I know it sounds like a petty request, but it was really nice for me to relax and have my family around me! That evening, we went to Ammon's home basketball game against South Fremont.

December 10: LTW Day 10 was John 5:39, "Search the scriptures". We read the scriptures as a family, and asked everyone to share their favorite scripture or favorite scripture story. That was a nice Family Home Evening activity, and I enjoyed hearing everyone's choosings, and their reasons why.


December 11: LTW Day 11 was Matthew 25:35, "I was a stranger and ye took me in". We decided to sit by someone alone or different at lunchtime. That night, I went to the West J Christmas play--my first play while living at Terreton.

December 12: LTW Day 12 was Matthew 5:4, "Blessed are they that mourn". We put a Christmas decoration on a headstone at the cemetery; Jonah and Kanyon helped me pick the right one. Kanyon picked one for a boy that would've been about his same age, but died as a baby. Ammon had a game against the Hillcrest JV team in Idaho Falls, so as soon as we were done at the cemetery, I dropped the boys off at the apartment, and drove to Idaho Falls. Josh was hanging out on the bus (he'd driven the team) during the JV game, so I picked him up and we went Christmas shopping at Walmart for a few items (including a bike, which he had to take home on the bus since it was a surprise for Jonah! That was a tight squeeze onto the back of the bus!). During halftime of the game, my parents called me and informed me that they had moved 3 weeks prior to a new home in Providence, and had already moved all their belongings and had their church records transferred. I was totally in shock. I knew they had been looking for homes, but they told me they hadn't found anything. They totally lied because they wanted to surprise the kids! I was definitely surprised, but not really in the best way. After the game, I headed back to Mud Lake, and as soon as I got home, I got several texts and phone calls that Amanda's dad had had a heart attack. I sat in the living room and prayed and prayed and cried and cried. Unfortunately, he passed away that night. From facebook: "Blessed are they that mourn" --Matthew 5:4. The boys and I attempted to bring Christmas cheer to a child's headstone at the local cemetery this afternoon, in the form of a beautiful nativity ornament, and I've been thinking all evening about how Christmas can be a painful time for those missing their loved ones. And then the unthinkable happened--and my heart broke when I learned of a dear friend's father's passing tonight. I am at a loss for words, and I'm beyond sad that I can't be with her right now.

December 13: Life took a turn the night before, and then it got super crazy with all the Christmas activities, so after the 12th, we unintentionally stopped participating in the Light the World initiative. It was great while it lasted, and I'm glad that we did it, but I also had no regrets that we didn't finish. I slept terribly the night before, thinking about Amanda. I tried texting and calling her several times, but I knew she was dealing with a lot, and that she'd contact me when she needed to. About 10:00 that morning, she called and said she was driving to Pocatello to meet up with Ryan's mom to take Ryan back to Salmon. She hadn't slept and needed company for the drive. Immediately I got a substitute for the afternoon. I had my class make cards for her as I was preparing for the sub, and then at lunchtime I left and drove down with her. We stopped on the way to go shopping for a new dress to wear to the funeral. We were both very emotional, and it was a very therapeutic day to be together. As we were driving back through Mud Lake, she dropped me off and I drove my own vehicle to Salmon to attend Micah's music concert that night. He sang with the junior high choir, and also played the trombone in the band. 

Very honest cards from 2nd graders!

Are they Christmas zombies? 

December 14: I drove back to Mud Lake early the next morning, and right before I got to Lemhi, a deer came running right at me. I slammed on the brakes, but it hit the front left side. I stopped to assess the damage, and it seemed to be just the bumper thankfully, so I was able to drive it the rest of the way. It could've been SO much worse! I'm grateful that I was driving a vehicle that day that hall full coverage insurance, and that it didn't affect the engine, and that I wasn't injured! Kanyon was in the all-school Christmas music program that afternoon. The school re-enacted the Nativity, and each grade sang different songs as a narrator told the story. It was a lovely program. From facebook:  Two months ago, my husband decided to get a second small car for our family, and good thing too because it's become my main car driving back and forth to Salmon lately (although, thinking back, the car problems began then--haha!). In the past two months, the transmission on my silver car went out on a lone drive to Boise, and as I've driven the replacement car Josh got, it has had TWO flat tires (on separate occasions), a windshield replaced, a broken windshield wiper, headlights burn out, new headlight fixtures installed, and an issue with the defrost. Simultaneously, Ammon's car blew a tire and it had to be replaced along with the brakes. And just to top it off, I hit a deer this morning while driving the Suburban. It seems that no matter what vehicle I touch, bad things happen to it!!! I'm kinda over car problems for a while...   

I"m not really sure why he's wearing his coat!

December 15: Ammon had a ball game in Mackay, and got to be a starter! Josh drove the team's bus there, and I went the long way home--through Arco, and then Mackay, (and Challis later) so I could watch the game too. I'm glad he got to start!

December 16: Ammon had a home game against Darby that night. Salmon won! It was their first win at home! Afterwards, John and I practiced the song "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief" at the church for Bill's funeral. Amanda and Ryan came, too, and afterwards, the group of us (plus Micah, because he had come to the basketball game with Josh and I) went out to Bertram's for fries and gravy--Amanda's traditional comfort food when eating/mourning with a group (we've done it several times in the past after various viewings/funerals). 

December 17: Josh and I went to Bill's viewing that afternoon after church. It was great to see the family, but it was very emotional! At one point, both Katie and Reagan (2 of Bill's granddaughters) were on both sides of me, crying in my arms and laying on my lap. It was very tender! John and I practiced singing again after the viewing, and then I drove down to Mud Lake that night, and got everything ready for school the next day, because I was leaving early to drive back to Salmon to go to the funeral, and I needed get all my sub plans done. 

December 18: I left early from work to drive to Salmon. I got there early, because John and I were going to practice singing one last time before the funeral began, but he got there a little late, so we didn't have enough time to run through it again, which was okay. We did well (I swear singing at funerals is my specialty!!), and I could really feel the spirit in the room. There was a family dinner after the funeral, which we were invited to attend. We ate and visited, and then I drove BACK to Mud Lake that night! When I walked in the door, this is how I found the two boys!

December 19: Josh captured a gorgeous sunset at the golf course: 

December 20:  I'd bought a tanning package for the month of December in Idaho Falls, in anticipation of going to Mexico over Christmas Break. My coworker Val had done the same (she was also going to Mexico over Christmas Break!), so once a week we carpooled to tanning together straight from school (the drive alone was over an hour round-trip, so it was always nice to have company and share the gas!). On this particular night, we also needed to go to Wal-Mart. However, because we left straight from school, and because it was a dress-up and activity day for PBIS, I was wearing beach clothes. Val swore she wouldn't be embarrassed to be seen with me in Walmart, but funnily enough, as soon as we entered, she said we should split up and each tackle a different part of the shopping list!!! I still laugh about that night! From facebook: Mele kaliki maka!! We had beach day at school, and I gotta say that I LOVE working with this lady who's just as willing as me to dress up for special days at school AND who's also not embarrassed to be seen with me at Walmart afterwards while I'm still wearing the same outfit (which included awkward socks and flip flops!)

 

December 21: It was everyone's last day of school for 2017--the last day before Christmas Break. We were so excited for the break to start!

December 22: Ammon had a basketball game at South Fremont. I thought about staying overnight in Mud Lake so it would be easier to drive over to watch it, then I thought about driving back down from Salmon to watch it, then I thought about riding on the bus to watch it, but ultimately, I did none of the above. I stayed home instead. I needed a rest! Instead, I got my hair done and my toenails painted in preparation for our Mexico trip! 

December 23: I baked and Josh and the boys helped me deliver our neighbor Christmas goodies. I simplified this year, and just made a plate of the spectacular Mrs. Richardson's cookies (they have chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, oatmeal, and a TON of butter).

December 24: Josh made us a yummy Christmas Eve dinner of turkey! I had all the presents wrapped that afternoon (a first in a LONG time--usually I'm staying up late on Christmas Eve wrapping them!). We headed to Linger's house that evening for their annual party. It was so much fun! There was a ton of good food, we played several games, laughed heartily, and had a fantastic time! It lightly snowed while we were there, which is always nice to achieve the full Christmas effect! On the drive home (we left around midnight), we got pulled over! Thankfully, the cop was "in the Christmas spirit" and didn't give us a ticket. Our bishop and family had gone to Linger's and they were following us down the Bar Hill, and thanked us for being the first ones down the road, otherwise they might've been the ones pulled over! Hahaha! After we got home that night, I finished the final touches for Christmas morning--writing scavenger hunt clues for each boy to receive their Santa gift, and then I had to hide all the clues and the gift, and then I finished the stockings. We got to bed before 1am, which was wonderful!

Mark's pajamas were hilarious!

December 25: Christmas morning was magical. We slept in, the boys opened stockings, and then they each saw the first clue for their gift inside their stockings. They searched one-by-one until they'd all found their gifts. It was fun! They didn't have much under the tree this year, so I wanted Christmas morning to last a little longer, and it worked out perfectly! We took a break, had breakfast (the only day a year I really make a good breakfast for everyone), and then unwrapped the remainder of the gifts. With the fresh snow, the boys went sledding on the hill by our house, and had a nice time outside while Josh and I cleaned up inside and got dinner preparations under way. Josh made ham, and I made the potatoes and rolls. That night, we drove into town to see the newest Star Wars movie. I love Christmas at home with my family!

Ammon's gift to Josh--we loved the wrapping on it!

Light-up hats from Barb

Typical Christmas morning chaos!

New clothes/coats from Grandma Perkins

Gifts from Grandma Kathy

Micah's big gifts were skis and a garman watch

Kanyon's big gifts were the kayak and video games

Ammon's big gifts were the new putter and clothes

Jonah's big gifts were skis and a new bike

December 26: This was the day Josh and I were SUPPOSED TO fly to Mexico. However, the night before, as we were packing our bags and getting everything cleaned up in anticipation of being gone, the thought entered my mind "You won't be coming back alive". It caught me off guard--especially since I was putting away the kids' snowpants, and my mind wasn't even on Mexico at that moment. About an hour later, as I was pulling clothes out of my closet to pack, the thought came to me "Someone else will have to do all this laundry to clean up after you when you don't come back alive". It was rather offputting, but again I tried to dismiss it. After my bags were all packed, and I was laying in bed, I watched Josh slowly pack his bags. He finally came to bed about 11:30. I asked him how he was feeling and he said "I feel like we're not going to come back from this trip alive". Well...that did it. That was the 3rd impression in the same night, and apparently we were both feeling it! So we discussed it, I cried about it, and we made the joint decision to NOT go. I stayed up until about 2:30 in the morning, looking at all my options, and basically there wasn't any: I hadn't purchased travel insurance, and my tickets were non-refundable AND non-transferable, so we couldn't even give them away. We were out $2000. I was sick to my stomach, but I just couldn't go. I laid around all day on the 26th, feeling so sad. I had bought the trip as a prize to myself for completing college, and I'd been looking forward to it since our last trip to Mexico 2 years ago. I was unconsolable. Josh sat next to me, and we binge-watched movies all day. It was nice to have some company. We basically did the same thing again the next day, and Josh decided it was time we do something else--we needed to get out of the house, so we planned a trip to my parents' new home in Providence Utah for the next few days. 

December 28-30: We visited my parents, saw most of my siblings, watched movies, played games, built puzzles, went sledding, and I tried to forget the fact that I wasn't on a beach! My parents were good sports, despite the terrible mood I was in. 

The theater was sold out, so me, my mom, Jen, and her girls

were all spread out in the theater. I was on the very front

row on the far left. It was a terrible seat! I had to slouch

and crane my neck the whole time to see it--but for

this movie, it was TOTALLY worth it! I loved it!

Sledding with the Perkins' at "The Bowl" in Logan Canyon

The front of their new house

The view from the corner

The backyard entrance

December 31: It was a quiet Christmas Eve--just us and Grandma and Grandpa. We worked on puzzles, played a couple games, and did our best on the radio Montage (which we won again!).