Digging deep to find it....

In the depths of winter I finally learned 
there was in me an invincible summer.

~ Albert Camus

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Great grandpa is teaching logan how to paint!

We will miss you

This is my beautiful, sweet Grandma, Jaquoline Ferney. She was loved very much by her family. My grandpa took wonderful care of her. She was a fantastic woman and a very good friend. Grandma had a strong testimony of the truth that she learned through her life. She and my grandpa were married for 61 years, and were sealed in the temple 13 years ago. She was a talented skiier, golfer, socialite, and storyteller. She had a serious obsession for shoes and jewelry. She usually wore atleast 6 rings at a time. Grandma even had a fake pinkie fingernail that was dipped in gold. She loved to dance growing up. Grandma spent most of her time fishing and camping in the summers. She took her girlfriends on fishing trips in Island Park. She loved her ladies golf league and organizing the Women's day ski trips at Targhee. She took suntanning seriously and once showed me how to surround your body with tinfoil to attract the sun rays. She really loved little children. Logan adored his grandma as much as she did him. I have been a lucky girl to live only blocks away the last 2 years. She died on Sunday night, at the age of 78. I will never forget that night together. She motivates me to attempt to make life as fun and exhilirating as she did. Party on grandma, I love you love you love you. 

A quick catch-up

This past Saturday Brad, Logan, Maddy and I started home from Calgary. Due to some monstrous roads, we detoured over to the cabin outside of Kalispel for the night. Upon our arrival, we discovered that the driveway had remained peacefully undisturbed by any neighboring snow plows through the winter. Moreover, the area had experienced some record-worthy snow dumps. What a wonderful surprise to greet a path of fluffy snow that measured above Brad's waist! Well, being the dignified man of the family, be began to dig with a shovel until he could envision his manly truck busting through the drifts and onto the trail:) We tried, we got stuck, and we got neighbors to help us out. We then loaded some essentials onto Logan's sled and followed the deer trails down into the cabin. Logan loved every minute. After sharing a bath tub (clothes on)between the four of us to warm up the frozen piggies, we went to bed anticipating the rest of the next day's drive.

Okay, now I have to just record a few of Logan's latest and greatest words. I forget whatever pearls of wisdom he shares unless I record them promptly after regaining my composure.

"Mom, do you have hair under your arms? Nope. Hold on, I'll be right back. Daaaaad! Do you have hair in your arm pits? Woah! That is awesome. I want some!"

(After refusing for the umpteenth time to go climb into bed, he starts to sob as I tell him that he will be grounded and to get up those stairs and into his room.) "Mom, I love you but I just can't do this."

"Heavenly Father, please bless mom that she will start excersizing." (He had heard me recite my New Year's resolution to start lifting weights more regularly.)

"Logan, you are so cute." (very angrily) "MOOOMMMM! STOP IT! I am not cute! I am cool and you know that."

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Our Canadian Christmas Adventure

Have you ever seen a rainbow in the winter, arching over the sun, while it is snowing outside? A gracious picture for Christmas Eve day, don't you think? We finally got on the road to Canada in the late afternoon, and pulled up (as is customary) at 4:00 am. to a fully awake Harker home. Sleep cycles within these walls are a unique phenomenon. Anyhoo, on to Christmas Eve....

Let it begin with the breathing treatments, thanks to Grandpa's midnight prescription. Logan loves to start asthma attacks from a mild cold. He is such a trooper, poor little dude. He felt miserable over Christmas, but he has pulled out of it pretty quick.

Logan's favorite Christmas surprises were a miniature Lamborghini model and Ferrari Pumas just like grandpa Orin's, his Lightning Mcqueen race track from grandma and grandpa Ferney, and all other forms of car paraphenelia. Santa brought Logan cap guns! I never thought that I would see the day that Logan would be given guns to play with. Thanks alot, Santa. Aunt Caroline will not allow Camden to play with them, sorry Caro!

This nativity program was the most unique performance ever. Jesus was a girl, the angels were more like Jessica Simpson and Britney Spears in a duet, the 3 yr. old donkeys were acting like they had mad cow, the shepherd hadn't showered in days, and the narrator resembled a circus tent. Props go to Val for her sense of humor.

g
GO FLAMES, GO!!!

4 generations of Harkers- Logan, Brad, Orin, and Jack.

We love you grandma Peggy!Great-grandmas are pretty precious, and Logan is lucky enough to have four of them.

Maddy came with us to Calgary and is having a.... well, an interesting vacation!

This pic is taken from the kitchen window at Brad's parents house. Beautiful!

Pre-Christmas at the Ferney House

The Raymond Christmas party was hosted at my mom's house this year on December 20th. Props to mom and dad for working tirelessly for three days in a row to entertain us. Here is a picture of some of the great grandchildren that are carrying on the family line, looking exactly like we did at their age. We missed 4 cousins that couldn't make it this year. 

Nice pan Rach! We had a little family party and a sibling gift exchange the next night after church. Can you possibly think of a better way to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas than eating Prime Rib and watching Dark Knight? Okay, so I wasn't a fan of the movie.  Ty and Rach had to head back to Utah the next morning. We spent the next day packing and cleaning. That night the Stosich and Harwood families came over to the house for the evening. Then on to the north pole! 

Nic, Joe, and a weird moving shot of Bailee. Poor thing got her tonsils out on Boxing day.

The nativity was acted out in amazing form, with a little bit of BYU action going on in the background. Our condolences to all the friends that made the long treck to Vegas for the dissapointment.

Rach and Ty cheezin' for the camera. They spent Christmas with Ty's family in Utah.

Jesse, Kim and baby Peyton

I stole a few pics off of my sister's blogs so that I could show off my beautiful nieces and nephew. This pic is of Logan and Peyton at Rach and Ty's house in Utah. They babysat several weeks ago while Brad and I went to a rockin' coldplay concert to celebrate our 7th anniversary. Brad was pretty darn ecstatic. Those guys know how to put on a concert! Viva La Vida baby! It is refreshing to enjoy the entertainment of true musicians when the opportunity comes around.

Kudos go to Rachel (my younger sis),the best aunt on the planet. She goes way above and beyond to spoil these kiddos with her attention.

If anyone knows Nichole (my other sis), you know that she is a go-getter. I think this characteristic is required to keep track of Ella. She may be the cutest toddler ever, but she has "mischievous" written on her forehead! 

Happy birthday to Bailee, who just turned 6. She is a fabulous little girl! You make me smile beans!

Pics for Grandma

Before I explain these pictures, I want to wish everyone a fantastic month. December always rushes in as soon as the Thanksgiving dinner ends, but this year it has come faster and with more intensity than ever before. I hope that in our own ways we will all pause to remember the one who is even more generous than Santa Clause, and recognize all the gifts that He brings to every day of our lives. Have a fabulous month everybody!

Snow! Finally! Logan looks pretty pumped up in the pic by the fireplace. His enthusiasm lasted about 10 minutes once he was outside in the chilling air. Now for the tree explanation. It may look like a good ole' fashioned holiday tree when finished, but I swear every year that I will burn the p.o.s. before it gets hauled upstairs again! I had to listen to my parents yell at it for about 8 years before it got stuck at our house for the next 7. It has over 200 plug-in possibilities and half of the pre-lit lights still don't work. And it stands like the leaning tower. Too bad this baby isn't in pisa- it would fit right in. Logan may have fallen asleep as Brad and Maddy put it together, but atleast the project was completed. The picture of Logan in the shorts just displays his remarkable talent for picking out clothes to wear to pre-school in 20 degree weather. That's my boy. 

You know that you wish you could move like that!

First matter of business: I am going to go ahead and be honest in admitting that I have completely messed up sleeping habits! Brad and I need professional help in the circadian rythm department. For as long as we have been married, our minds have come to their most alert state after 10:00 every night. It is between 10:00 and 1:00 that we get the most creative ideas (atleast they seem so at the time), engage in the most intriguing conversations, and find some perspective. It is also the only time we have to catch up on the DVRs like Chuck, My Own Worst Enemy, and Survivor. When does everyone else get there "thinking chair" time? Someone, teach me how to not be nocturnal!

Second matter of business: These you tube videos make me laugh! I sooooo want to be the old lady in the middle when I am too old to be moving like that. Dang, girl's got it. She is good. Who's grandma is she??? Thanks for the clip Ashley. As for the second clip, you won't appreciate the sheer raw talent of Justin Timberlake unless you have already been introduced to Beyonce's music video for this song. Go to youtube for all the male impersonations of this dance. I wouldn't want to have to compete against all the guys out there who can shake it better than their female counterparts.