Together with My Family in December 2024

Elf on the Shelf

A few years ago, Marshal started moving our version of "The Elf on the Shelf" and had so much fun that we joined in. I decided that an elf who loves and follows Jesus Christ would be the best elf to have. I've enjoyed it even more because of this!

Christmas Market 

at Jeremy Ranch

We loved experiencing this great display of Christmas with creche exhibits, 

a live nativity and ancient Bethlehem market. 

Christmas Band Concert

Soul Bossa Nova by Quincy Jones arr  Johnnie Vinson   performed by JPJ Party Band

Snowscape by Randall D  Standridge   Performed by JPJ Concert Band

In Search of Yeti by Kirk Vogel   Performed by JPJ Concert Band

A Festive Fanfare by Brian Balmages - Performed by JPJ  Concert Band

Larry Miller Sing-A-Long

How fun to have snow falling in the Delta Center. Too bad it was actually just foam.

Love enjoying this tradition every year with my boys!

I had to make a video of Jon Schmidt playing the piano upside down. 

The first time I learned of him he did this at EFY, and I have enjoyed him ever since!

What a fun mash-up!

Waffle House

I saw this waffle house idea on Facebook and decided we should try it! 

It can use improvements, but overall it was a fun idea!

Christmas Eve Junkyard

Kent and I had shopping to do and he mentioned that he needed to grab parts for Braxton's car. He neglected to mention the parts he was grabbing were from the junkyard not AutoZone or Checker Auto. lol I did enjoy gaining insights that I posted here. 

Christmas Lights

We enjoyed lots of Christmas lights this year. We drove around Salem Pond on our way home from Grandma and Grandpa Kunz' party and the downtown and East side area another night...

...we visited Draper Park...

...and enjoyed taking along our new "Car Buddy" Bob that we took to church on Christmas Sunday. The boys really had a good time with our White Elephant gift from the Ugly Sweater Party at the Smith's house.

We enjoyed a bunch of our regular Christmas Light routes as well but didn't take as many photos.

Presents and Decor

I am so grateful my Walk to Read ladies had a plan to give out gifts! The fruit socks, candy cane, and chapstick were perfect! I also loved the hand warmer idea for the kids' teachers, the candle gift (trimming kit) from Kristen Hickman, the Christmas tree cookie jar from Lynn and Cynthia, our Grinch wrapping paper for the White Elephant gift exchange, and my greatest gifts with scriptures for my kids on Christmas morning. 

These are the rest of my gifts from God and the upper left are some of the gifts we received from the 12 days of Christmas. I'm grateful someone knew I needed a little love and uplift this Christmas.

Brayden and Brooke Wedding

We loved celebrating Brayden and Brooke on their special day! We were honored that they chose Marshal to be their ring bearer! I loved the gift of a family painting and Brooke's sparkle dress that she put on so she could dance! Such a fun night and party!

Life in December

I've discovered a curly hair process and I really enjoy it! It's been fun to have natural curls! For the faculty party, they had the Mountain Ridge Madrigals come and perform. They were fun to watch! Braxton started working at Cinemark and he was pretty excited to start working there! The night before Brayden's wedding Kent and I went to the temple. It was exactly where I needed to be. The Lord provided me with answers to the questions I had and I am so grateful for His peace and direction!

I've loved reading the Book of Mormon again this year and the opportunity to "Hold to the Rod." We had fun with Nerf guns brought to us by the 12 Days of Christmas gifts and the boys playing tiny Nerf ball soccer in church. I finally fixed the Nativity set that I got from Grandma Holdaway. Cort made a card creation. I decided to document my Rosacea skin on my face (redness in my cheeks). 

Tiny Nerf Soccer.

I have worked for a year plus on learning Spanish with Duo Lingo! I'm learning all kinds of new "lingo" working at the school. I discovered that J. Golden Kimball was the setting apart officiator when Ezra Louis Kunz was ordained to an office (at least that's what I am guessing). This month we had a great Ward Christmas party. I was blessed to be led to Levi Smith playing the guitar for us and David Haws reading the story of Silent Night. I'm grateful the Lord knows more than I do!

Great questions from my friend Rosanne in the bottom right side! 

#1 Moments that made me feel alive? I would have to say my trip to New York. It was great to see a new city and learn how to navigate that area. I'm not sure how to make more moments like that. 

#2. I'd say I spent time on things that mattered, but I was also distracted. I'd like to be more intentional this year!

#3. I think I showed up pretty well for myself despite fear and concerns of failure!

#4. I'm not sure about excuses. I think I did a pretty good job of doing my best!

#5. I'm not sure what my goals are that I am stretching for. Life is pretty good right where I am!

#6. I'd say I am doing of good job of living life by my expectations and not others. 

#7. & 8. I think my current goals are pretty good for me at this time! 

BeReal

Beautiful World

"Are we careful stewards of what we have - 

growing it, nurturing it, blessing others with it?" 

- Gail Miller 

"Simply said, a place of security is anywhere you can feel the presence of the Holy Ghost and be guided by Him."

-Russell M. Nelson 

"Go about doing good until there is too much good in the world."

-Gail Miller

"Life without God is a life filled with fear. 

Life with God is a life filled with peace."

-Russell M. Nelson

"Love without service isn't love at all. It might be admiration, but it's not love."

-Gail Miller

"I promise that as you increase your capacity to receive revelation, 

the Lord will bless you with increased direction for your life 

and with boundless gifts of the spirit"

-Russell M. Nelson

“Winter is the time of sacred balance and rejuvenation of life in preparation for the coming spring. It represents abundance, teaching, and gratitude.” 

-Noelle Vignola

Robison Family Christmas Letter 2024

It's that time of year when you sit and quietly reflect on the past year's triumphs and lessons and the goals you'd like to focus on moving forward. Unfortunately, with a busy December and my husband and boys all home for the holidays, there's not much quiet or time for reflecting. I'll do my best though.  

Kent and I have been living our best lives and taking the kids to many temple open houses. We took the kids to see the Manti Temple Open House in March which was truly special since we were married there 21 years ago. We also caught the Taylorsville and Tooele Temple Open Houses. We enjoyed being Ma's and Pa's as the two oldest boys attended Trek (a pioneer reenactment) for the first time. Some highlights of the year came from family time with a temple sealing, a missionary farewell, and two missionary homecomings, seeing the Big Ben Steam Engine in July and Kent's former Mission President who came with his wife in October.  

This year Marlies (me) learned to love winter more because of a heated vest Christmas gift and a consistent effort looking for winter beauty by taking photographs during the cold months. Some of my highlights were seeing the Northern Lights for the first time, joining Braxton for a choir tour to New York City, getting Family Pictures, and switching jobs to be a reading teacher at Marshal's School...which I love!

Braxton (18) has had a busy year with senior activities like prom, choir (with the New York choir tour), and high school graduation! So proud of him! There was also a lot of work preparing for this fall. He surprised us by switching plans in June when he decided to attend Snow College a hundred miles south of home. He has since successfully finished his first semester of college and has just started a job at the local movie theater where he will work a couple of weekends a month so we'll be happy to see him a little more next semester. 

Cort (14) found a love of music through playing the trombone with his middle school band. We enjoy seeing him light up when he talks about instruments and all he is learning! This summer he attended FSY (a worldwide church camp) which allowed him to make some great friends. He then enjoyed attending young men's camp (our local church camp) where he overcame the tire swing jumping into Bloomington Lake and enjoyed 9 square in the shallow water of Bear Lake on the north beach. He's in 8th grade and loves school and the many friends he's made there! At school functions it's so much fun to watch him interacting with his friends!

Marshal (9) played soccer last spring and again this fall. He has grown a great love for football this year as he played flag football for the first time in the spring and made it to the championship game. While everyone was at Trek he loved hanging out with his two cousins who helped him develop a new enjoyment for pop-tarts. At the end of the school year, he surprised us when he was randomly selected to receive some college scholarship funds from the Road to Success because of the many hours spent in an online read-a-thon (mostly at school). This fall he started 4th grade at a new school in the ALPS (Advanced Learning Placement) program. We love this change!

We hope you all have had a wonderful year and feel the love of our Savior!

Happy New Year!   

A month of love and loss in February 2024

Aunt Jeanette Funeral

On January 28th, my Aunt Jeanette Campbell passed away from cancer. She is such a beautiful example of following the Savior and sharing his love with others! We had the opportunity to hear her testimony of living the gospel of Jesus Christ in December when we went Christmas Caroling to her. I received these beautiful flowers from the funeral that brightened my entire month! Chad and Davina's youngest enjoyed taking photos with Kent and Cort in the background! I love it!

I loved this quote from her funeral!

Valentine's Day

For Valentine's Day, we had our typical V-Day dinner 

And I got these beautiful new plants!

I love that my kids enjoy Valentine's Day because of this tradition!

I hope it will always be a special day for them!

My birthday

I love how celebrated I have been. Flowers, family, and decor! 

Thanks, everyone!

Marshal's birthday

We had a fun sports-themed birthday for Marshal again this year!

From left to right and top to bottom, he enjoyed gifts from 

Ryker, Blaze, Drew, Logan, and Greyson.

3rd Grade Wax Museum

Marshal did a great job with his wax museum project portraying Tom Brady! 

I learned a lot about Tom, too!

Life in February

I found great comfort in learning about the power of the Lord...enjoyed a response to my Google Review...checking out my fitness progress...laughed with Kent about his old self...Marshal is becoming a BYU fan from Brayden's influence...got a friend request from "Dieter F. Uchtdorf" if only it wasn't a fake account...Marshal says working for his dad is exhausting... a great way to look at the scriptures, as shared by Sister Chavez... I found a meme I liked!

Another great raptor...Hickman girls and Benedict girls having fun...great notes from Braxton's visit with Rosanne...An odd bald spot from Braxton's haircut...my poor friend, Pedro, on the corner missed the bus, so I took him to school...Kent's cousin's daughter has lost her vision in both eyes, and prayers are requested, JPJ's 40th birthday!... We learned about the DISC personalities, and I love the simplicity of them!...My cute kid with crazy hair. lol 

Kent and I have been taking a marriage class through the stake, and I loved this quote...I love how Cort can do arts and crafts with the girls and have a good time!... I've been consistent with closing my Apple Watch fitness rings...Braxton took photos for his mission photo...The boys were enjoying cooking lessons at their Activity Days...I love February flowers... It was a really nice surprise to get this text from Kent. 

BeReal

Beautiful February

“Though, February is short, it is filled with lots of love and sweet surprises” — Charmaine J Forde

“In the coldest February, as in every other month in every other year, the best thing to hold on to in this world is each other.” — Linda Ellerbee

“February days are a marketing gimmick; love happens every day.” — Randeep Hooda

“While it is February, one can taste the full joys of anticipation. Spring stands at the gate with her finger on the latch.” — Patience Strong

Learning the Beauty of Winter in January 2024

The Tree of Life Experience

Braxton was able to share a tree of life experience with us because he is on the Seminary Council. It was a fun experience to get to the tree of life that Nephi saw!

Becca's Visit and 

Just Add Chocolate

When your friend comes into town and says, "Let's go make chocolate," you say, "Sure". I had no idea I would run into the father of my earliest friend. What a joy it was to meet up with Jon Lanenga, who happened to be the owner of Just Add Chocolate in Lehi, Utah!   

We had a good time!

Kent's Birthday

Sometimes you get a chocolate doughnut for your birthday cake! LOL

 

Shooting

Kent has NO fear of germs or shooting guns! 

It was fun to go shooting with the family!

The scenery was fantastic!

Cort and I had fun playing with creative photography!

Life in January

Kent got to go shooting with Spencer and his dad at Wasatch Wing...I am working on learning to enjoy winter more fully!... We enjoyed finding and photographing some deer!

Marshal had to take photos of the shapes he saw in the clouds.

Marshal is a great snow-blowing helper!

While playing Uno No Mercy, we missed the part where it says you are out if you collect 25 cards. Without that rule, the game goes on and on and on! Braxton surprised us by getting an academic scholarship award. We are so proud of him! Cort was very amused that he was old enough to go to dances...Braxton, not so much!

I've been experimenting with enjoying winter 

and discovered it is fun to watch the snow melt!

I reached 100 days of learning Spanish on Duolingo...teased Sebastian about taking over his desk while he was gone...Found a little paper on the floor of work that looked like a bird...am LOVING my new heated vest...finished Corts closet...and enjoyed the fancy lettering from Kyli on her mission!  

Marshal enjoyed the track at the school event!

I am 100% an opacarophile!... Enjoyed this Christmas display in Herriman...loved and wanted to save this House of Israel connection page...had this meme make me giggle...learned the Beach Boys were talking about having "an ocean and not having a notion"...Found Martha buried by clothes...Giggled at this artistic display downtown...Also, giggled at this meme.

BeReal

BeReal fun times!

More pics!

Beautiful World

“I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says, "Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.”
― Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland / Through the Looking-Glass

“In order to see birds it is necessary to become a part of the silence.”
― Robert Lynd

“What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.”
― John Steinbeck

“My old grandmother always used to say, Summer friends will melt away like summer snows, 

but winter friends are friends forever.”
― George R.R. Martin

“Snow was falling,
so much like stars
filling the dark trees
that one could easily imagine
its reason for being was nothing more
than prettiness.”
― Mary Oliver

“If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome." ― Anne Bradstreet

“Even the strongest blizzards start with a single snowflake.”
― Sara Raasch

“The heart can get really cold if all you've known is winter.”
― Benjamin Alire Sáenz

“In the winter she curls up around a good book and dreams away the cold.”
― Ben Aaronovitch