Sam and Max

Grandma great's favorite things

Wedding Album

You can check out Lauren and Caleb's wedding album at: http://ramptonphoto.com/coil_w/index.htm

Abigail and Kit

It is a tradition in our family that when our granddaughters are old enough to understand how to take care of something really special, Matthew and I buy them an American Girl doll. Abigail just had her 6th birthday and it was finally her turn to pick out her doll. Everytime I received a new catalog I would give it to her and she always said her favorite was "Kit". Kit looks so much like Abigail, right down to the little sprinkle of freckles on her cheeks, that I knew this would be a perfect match. We had a family birthday party at D. and Jake's on Conference Sunday and we gave Abbie her doll. It was love at first sight. There is something magical about a little girl and her favorite doll. They eat together, talk life over together, change clothes together, play house together, sleep together, and dream together. Abigail is one of the most sunshiny girls I have ever known. Her radiant, joyful spirit fills our family. She loves everyone and she knows how to show it. She comes running, arms wide open, to give me and Matthew a hug everytime we see her. I have always thought one of the most sacred gifts we can be given is the gift of joy. Abbie is the poster child for that gift. If you ask me what "joy" is, I will tell you to look at Abbie. She is a gift of joy to our family and we absolutely treasure her.

I know I'm not the best photographer in the family, my children have often reminded me of that, but when your are 6'6" you have to expect that sometimes you are going to get your head cut off in a photo. Sorry Caleb;)

Halloween 2008

Halloween 2008

Emry playing house

One of the best toys we have purchased for the kids has been a dollhouse. It has furniture for the kitchen, bedroom, living room, bathroom and nursery. It came with several dolls and we have added more when I have found them on sale. The grandkids from 1 year up to Madison's age have really enjoyed playing with it. It has been a great investment.

Happy Birthday Betherly!

The moment Cousin Beverly, better known in our house as "Betherly", came into our family was a miracle. Matthew and I wondered after the first Sunday dinner at our home if she would come back. When she did come back, we thought she was either crazy or knew we needed help (she was a counselor by profession). She became such a part of our lives that I still expect her to show up for Sunday dinner. She has been a gift, a cherished treasure, who loved us and we love her. Her birthday is coming in a few days and we won't be with her to sing or bake her a pie, but we will be sending joy her way and remembering her in our prayers. Have a great day. We love you.
Betherly hitting on Santa...

Betherly hiding among the torn wrapping paper, winter coats, new toys, and the hubbub of Christmas Eve. What a good sport.

My dad used to say a whole piece of pie only tastes half as good as a half a piece of pie shared with someone you love. (Notice the can of whipped cream sitting on the table. Poor Betherly, she didn't know what to do with us butter licking, cream whipping, sugar stirring Bush-Coil family members)

The hot and sexy beach girls of Pineview Reservoir. Don't look too long, the reflection off our legs will cause blindness in less than 30 seconds.

Great quote

Lauren needed a quote for a talk she is giving in Relief Society. I told her I would put it on the blog, then if someone else needs it, you can use it.

"The Prophet Joseph Smith declared--and he never taught a more comforting doctrine--that the eternal sealings of faithful parents and the divine promises made to them for valiant service in the Cause of Truth, would save not only themselves, but likewise their posterity. Though some of the sheep may wander, the eye of the Shepherd is upon them, and sooner or later they will feel the tentacles of Divine Providence reaching out after them and drawing them back to the fold. Either in this life or the life to come, they will return. They will have to pay their debt to justice; they will suffer for their sins; and may tread a thorny path, but if it leads them at last, like the penitent Prodigal, to a loving and forgiving father's heart and home, the painful experience will not have been in vain. Pray for your careless and disobedient children; hold on to them with your faith. Hope on, trust on, till you see the salvation of God." (Orson F. Whitney, in Conference Report, Apr. 1929, p.110.)

Halloween memories 2007

Doin' the mash...the MONSTSER MASH!

The world is a safer place with super heroes like these two.

The world is a more beautiful place with princesses in the world.

I don't mind raking leaves in the fall, because they are so much fun for the kids to play in.

Cute as a pumpkin...



Andy and Shay carved the letters "B. O. O." into their pumpkins. At one point, Carlee was reaching so far down inside the big pumpkin that her head almost disappeared.

Isn't it funny how when you want your kids to stay clean, they get dirty, but when you tell them to go ahead and clean out a pumpkin, they can't handle the stuff on their hands.

I love ladybugs, especially one's named Sammie.

One of my favorite memories of Halloween 2007 was when Erin showed up in an Indian costume. I told her several times how much I liked her braids and headband and how authentic it looked. It wasn't until they were about to leave that Mike told me Erin was actually a "hippy".

That is a rabbit costume Emry has on...isn't it?

Luv'n Tessa

I love the Tessa's left eyebrow. I love seeing the lov'n going on in the Coil Clan.

My best friend

I don't know what I did in the pre-mortal life to be so blessed as to be married to my sweet husband. He is amazing. Our Stake President asked me Sunday how my calling to teach early morning seminary was going? I told him I am truly blessed to have the opportunity to start everyday with scripture study with 33 of the brightest kids at Viewmont H.S. He asked me if it is hard to get up at 5:00 a.m. every morning. I told him that the alarm has only woken me up once since school started. It is as if the Lord has blessed me with an alertness and an ability to wake up, clear headed ready to start the day at 4:59 a.m. Yes, there are still miracles in the world.
The point of telling you all of this is that this opportunity in my life is possible because I have a husband who is supportive of me going to bed at 9:00 p.m. every night, leaving him alone to watch the news and Jay Leno, he doesn't complain when I turn on the bathroom light and the shower at such an early hour, he makes sure my car is in the garage at night, so I don't have to scrape the windshield in the morning, he has been patient and respectful of my 2 hour study session every night, (I don't think he knows that I know he does this one) he goes down every morning and turns up the furnace, so I don't get goosebumps when I step out the shower and most of all, he doesn't just tell me I should do it, he tells me I have the ability to do it. Yes, he is my hero and my best friend.

Someday, when and if I am made perfect, I will almost be as good as my Matthew.

I'm puzzled...

One of our favorite traditions during the holidays is putting together a jigsaw puzzle. Some of us have quite a knack at sitting there for hours and making a beautiful picture out of a bunch of odd-shaped, similar colored, 1000 piece puzzles. I found a puzzle with the picture of a cabin by a little lake with several different animals hiding in the bushes. There is a large window that you can see through on the front of the cabin and inside is an older woman and a young boy sitting at a table putting together a puzzle. I bought it, took it to the cabin and poured it out on the table. Mike and Grandma had a wonderful time with her putting the pieces together and Mike taking them apart, because they didn't match. Don't tell her and don't worry, she doesn't read the blog, so she'll never know. There have been moments in my life where I felt the stars aligning and everything was perfect. This was one of those moments, when I saw my mom happy. It was beautiful!

I love my girls!

I love my girls, Aub, Shay, Erin, D. and Lala, and their husbands. I miss them when I don't get to see them for awhile and phone conversations are just not the same. So when Lauren and Caleb came home for a couple of days during their fall break, it was fun to have them here. It isn't that we do anything special, we are just here, together, talking, laughing, loving. Thanks Caleb and Lauren for giving me a 2 day gift of your presence. Thanks to all 3 of my sons-in-law, as well as my 2 sons, who are so willing to share their wives with me. Love, mom

The Weber River at sunset.

We went on a bear hunt and found a moose.

It was fun to see Abbie using the pillow we made at the reunion at Bear Lake last summer.

Luke catching Sammie on the slide...

The tea party...