Christmas Letter 2025

This is the most difficult letter I have ever written. I read a bunch of the old letters and I tried to figure out a good way to tell you about my year, but nothing seemed quite right, so here goes. The year began like normal with lots of volleyball and schoolwork. My sweetie and I and Princess’s family flew to New Jersey in March when Twizlet was baptized. Not long after that, my sweetie had back surgery in May. He was sure that would be the answer to all of his problems and for a couple of weeks, it was. In June, we went to Phoenix again for the volleyball finals. It was a rough trip with my sweetie still trying to recover. Scout took the time off to come and help with the driving and enjoy all the games with me. My sweetie mostly stayed in the hotel room. After we got home, he developed an obnoxious cough. One night in mid July, he decided that we were only a few weeks away from our Alaskan cruise, but more importantly, it was almost time for Crafty’s wedding, so he wanted to get it checked out.

We got to the ER about midnight and at first, it seemed like no big deal, but then they ran some scans and then more tests, more labs, more scans. About 5:00am, the doctor came in and calmly announced that my sweetie had stage 4 cancer, involving his pancreas, liver, lungs, and esophagus. Then she left us alone. We both just sat there for about half an hour. Then with no fear, my sweetie told me that this would kill him. I knew he was right and I told him I didn’t think it would take very long. Scout moved back home to help. 

Crafty and Craftsman were sealed in the Syracuse Temple on July 26th. We were both happy and sad at the same time. We set up a beautiful reception the night before. My sweetie and I skipped the luncheon; he just didn’t feel good. The father’s dance was the hardest. My sweetie was too weak to stand up for the entire song, so after about 30 seconds, I escorted him off the floor and he twirled Crafty into the arms of her oldest brother, The Beast. The boys proceeded to twirl her to the next brother and then finally to her new husband, Craftsman. I don’t think there was a dry eye in the room. 

After the wedding, my sweetie had his biopsy and then we left for our Alaskan Cruise. Every doctor and nurse said he should go. Pretty sure they knew it was our last chance to travel together, really to do anything together. Princess and The Frog went with us and I am so glad they did. My sweetie was ok at first and we were able to get off the ship and ride the tram at our first stop. You know, one of the best things about a cruise is the food, and he couldn’t eat anything. He tried, but after a few days we ended up just staying in our state room. Thankfully, we had invested in a room with a deck, so we were still able to see some beautiful things in Alaska.

We got home on August 10th. My sweetie had an appointment with his oncologist the next morning and when they did his vitals at the beginning of the appointment, he had a blood pressure of 60/40. They rushed him straight to Huntsman. He spent about 10 days there and it wasn’t long before they told us there was nothing they could do. They did a final paracentesis to drain the fluid from his abdomen, and then they sent him home on hospice. 

In the end, it wasn’t the bile duct cancer that got him, it was ultimately kidney failure. This cancer is an extremely aggressive form that has very few survivors. He passed away just after midnight on September 4th. 

Even though we knew it was coming and we had a little time to prepare, and we knew it was God’s plan, it was still so hard.

We had lots of family and friends here for the funeral. We laid him to rest on our 42nd wedding anniversary. So many good years together! Baby Doll made the sophomore volleyball team at Bingham and all the girls but one who was sick came to the viewing. They each wore a little green ribbon that they later transferred to their shoes and they wore for the rest of the season. Curly was the center for Bingham’s football team and he had 45 boys and coaches show up to the funeral the next day. He is a senior this year and just became the FACS Sterling Scholar for Bingham.

You would think that each day would get a little better, but the pain is more like hills and valleys. There are some weeks I wonder if I can make it one more day. With my family around me, I feel like maybe he is just waiting upstairs for me and I will see him soon. Of course, he never is. 

But this Christmas letter is supposed to be hopeful and happy, so let me share a little more great news. On December 2, Teach and Twiz had twin girls that they named Twinzee1 and Twinzee2. Teach and Twinzee1 came home yesterday, but Twinzee2 needs a little more time in the hospital so she can learn to breathe. 

Bossy and Gamer are expecting a little girl too! She will be induced on December 22 and they plan to name her Wynter Rose (no blog name yet). So many good things. I passed the 20-year mark as the Women’s Sports Specialist at the church. Scout and I were also recently called to serve in the Nursery. We love it! Baby Doll is the president of her Young Women group and Curly is the 2nd Assistant in his Priest Quorum. Dog Walker attends a singles ward and they have been so good to us! They brought us dinner, but then later they brought us an entire Thanksgiving Dinner and lots of other goodies and treats. They aren’t the only ones. I am still writing thank you notes to so many friends and relatives that have brought food or treats or a scooter. People tell me all the time that they are still praying for me and my family. I am so grateful and so humbled.

Thank you so much for being my friend. I love you all.

Sandy & the Clan

Guest Blog: The Forgotten Carols by the Dog Walker

One of the most fun events has come to us and it's one of Dad's favorites. That's right. Mom, Baby Doll, Scout, Curly, his girlfriend, and I went to see the Forgotten Carols at Weber State University in Ogden. I almost didn't get to go, because I was almost scheduled to work that day. I might have mentioned it before, but even after working at Walmart for almost a decade, it's not always easy to get a day-off request approved in December, just because associates are needed to help out at the store before the 25th. But I managed to talk with my boss just to switch a day with my day off so I didn't have to miss out on the event.

Anyway, about the event. It was really fun to see. We even stayed right after the show to see Michael McLean's finale gig. Mom, Curly, and the girls thought I was crazy for using these Christmas light glasses as part of the audience using their phone flashlights to go along with the gig, but I thought it was fun.

Curly's girlfriend had never seen the Forgotten Carols before, but she really liked it. We bought an ornament from the merchandise table afterward to remember it by. This was totally an event that we won't forget. We sure missed having Dad with us, but we got to sing to him in the finale.

It's Almost Christmas

Today after church, I shut myself in my bedroom and wrapped and wrapped and wrapped...

I always try to do this early so I can see where I need to buy a few more things and where I need to hold something back for a birthday.

Since I sat on the floor through 7 Hallmark movies, my back is aching as well as a few other parts, but I do love Christmas! It is so fun to imagine my kids and grandkids as they rip and tear and smile.

This is such an amazing time of year! People are happy and generous, more loving and kind...everything Jesus wants us to be.

Merry Christmas!

Ward Party 2025

Tonight was the Ward Party at the church. We ate dinner and had fun   visiting with friends and family. Here's some pics for you.

Merry Christmas!!

Wordless Wednesday - Welcome Home!

 

Presenting Twinzee 1 and Twinzee 2.

Guest Blog: Gingerbread Houses and Devotional by the Dog Walker

 On Sunday, we had a family party of making gingerbread houses and watching the annual Christmas Devotional. We love hearing the different Christmas stories from the speakers and hearing the Christmas songs from the Tabernacle Choir. But mostly, we had a good time with the younger kids. We also invited Grandpa to come to the party. He might have dementia, but he had a good time making his very own gingerbread house to take back to Carrington. Here are pictures of a lot of us with our gingerbread projects and a few of us watching the Devotional.

The Nutcracker

On Saturday night, Scout, Baba Doll, Skittles, and I went to SouthPointe Ballet Company's The Nutcracker. They give my free tickets because I get them grant money from the ZAP tax.

It is nice to feel like I'm a little part of something much bigger.

My namr is even in the program. 👏💂

Teach's Cuties

These little ones are so cute! I am so proud of Teach. It is so hard to take care of just one baby and she has two!

Wordless Wednesday: Meet Teach's Newborn Twins!

 Aren't they adorable?!

Congratulations. Curly!!

Today, Curly became our 5th child to become the Family and Consumer Science Sterling Scholar Candidate for Bingham High School. He is such a great guy. I am so proud to call him my son.

Guest Blog: Festival of Lights by the Dog Walker

Mom has asked me to guest blog for her, just because she's feeling overwhelmed that this will be the first time we celebrate Christmas without Dad. Even I'm nervous and a little stressed about all the pressure of getting things ready for the 25th and doing some Christmas shopping without him. He would want us to always remember him on how he loved and cared for us. He wouldn't want us to give up the things he taught us, like going to see the Festival of Lights in Spanish Fork every year.

So tonight, we went to Spanish Fork, me, Mom, Baby Doll, Sport, Curly, and his girlfriend. We even invited Princess and the Frog and their kids to come along to see the lights. There were always the old classic lights that we always liked seeing and there came some new ones. I was in charge of handing out cups of hot cocoa and apple cider to those who wanted some.

The rules have changed for the event, like you can only go explore the park once around, no intentions of going again on the same night. There was still the same rule of keeping the headlights off in your car and driving slowly around. After the festival, we went to drop something off at my aunt's house before we headed for home.

It was really fun to see them and we believe that Dad is very proud that we have continued the tradition. I would wonder what it would be like to celebrate the holidays up in heaven? Probably not Halloween for sure, but the most important holidays like Christmas and Easter. Maybe someday, we'll know, but at least our Dad knows.

Scout's New Obsession

As you all know, Scout is pretty stuck on Wicked, so last week she took Baby Doll, Curly, his girlfriend, Dog Walker, and I to the new theater in Daybreak West.  We all loved the show, of course, but on the way out, we had to pass a huge arcade. Curly and his girl snuck past it, but we just couldn't resist, especially Scout.

They had a "push" machine that dropped Wizard of Oz cards and if you could get all 10, you got a huge bonus. I don't know how much Scout spent, but she got the set and enough points to buy a little air hockey table and a bunch of other things. In fair, she is REALLY good at this machine. She knows just where to shoot coins to get everything to fall. 

Dog Walker found his previous obsession in the DDR game. He played 3 games. The first one was a disaster, but then I reminded him that it had been nearly a decade since he stood on a DDR pad, so he chose a different song and played it on easy. He got a perfect score. Then he changed it to normal and got an A+. 

I guess it's like riding a bike. Your muscle memory is an amazing thing.

Thanksgiving 2025

I think holidays are going to be pretty rough for us this year. Everything is different without my sweetie. I miss him so much!

But I don't want to dwell on things that can't be changed. 

We had lots of fun playing games, making crafts, and cooking...and eating, of course. I am so grateful for all of these things and the 42 fantastic Thanksgivings that came before.

We hope you also had a fantastic Thanksgiving with your friends and family.

💕Sandy