Going Backwards again...
2026 New Years Sibling Day!
Thrifting, Record Shops, Race Cars, and Ramen
Christmas in Price
Christmas Brunch Ebelskivers
Christmas Eve
Danish/Korean fusion dinner, Boomwhackers, Reindeer Games, Nativity & Sing-a-long
We stayed at the cutest Airbnb in Helper. Because the weather this winter has been so strange it rained our entire trip. The temperature in most of Utah is too warm for snow so we feel like we are in the Pacific Northwest this year. I know how to adventure in the snow...mud I have to wrap my mind around.
Solstice Celebration on the Sunset Trail
Thanksgiving with the Drewes & a visit to see G'ma G'pa Ray
Northern Lights have been visible here in Utah for the last few months.
It's a sight I never thought I would see in my lifetime.
Darin and I had so much fun getting season tickets to Ogden Twilight Concert Series.
One of the bands the kids grew up hearing from Darin's playlist was Modest Mouse. We all enjoy their songs so we bought tickets for the whole family to see that show.
Byron's mountain bike race in Beaver gave us the opportunity to visit Eagle Point again. All of us stayed at a condo and skied there years ago and loved it. It's hard these days with all the kids busy schedules to find weekends everyone is free plus Will was able to join us. Fun to visit in the fall, we were just a week or so early for fall foliage, but had a wonderful...
adventurous time!
While on our hike, Darin and I stopped to enjoy the silence while the kids walked ahead.
The kids saw a buck Elk with his huge family walking by.
There were lots of trips down to Provo to visit Byron and Cheryl at Legacy Village.
One of those visits the boys and I ran up to Bridal Veil Falls for a quick hike.
Miriam and I found a free weekday to hike Kyve Peak. Gorgeous views in all directions.
Mother's Day, another trip to visit Cheryl and Byron. We met up Provo Canyon at a park for bagels before Miriam had to run to work.
Easter lunch at our house.
Lucky to have G'ma and G'pa Rasmussen with us plus Mark, Dayoung, Lora & Jena.
Miriam, Soren and I got in a quick winter hike to Fifths Hot Springs.
We got the full experience, nude old dude and all.
The UVU Ballroom team Giving Gala. Dinner plus a ballroom show put on by the UVU ballroom team. Miriam sold more tickets than anyone else on the team.
The biggest change this year has been the health of G'ma Ray. She fell November of 2024, and hasn't recovered enough to leave her bed. It's been a challenging year of big decisions to find somewhere for Cheryl to get the care she needs, and help Byron deal with the huge changes that resulted from one fall. Darin and his siblings have worked so hard to get finances in order, keep and preserve heirlooms, and get the Smithfield house cleaned out and ready to put on the market. Byron and Cheryl now live in Provo at a beautiful assisted living center by Provo Canyon.
When you pan out and view the situation as a whole, the blessings and miracles are so apparent; a safe clean place to live, medical staff close by, children who can visit daily and weekly, resources abound for end of life care. On a day to day basis the change has been extremely difficult for everyone. Understandably, Byron is not happy about the changes in his life. So much is out of his control, so much is new, and the things in his control (activities at the living center, using a walker etc..) are not appealing to him. It's heartbreaking to see Cheryl in bed dad after day. I think every one of us wants to put her in a wheelchair and take her outside, or at least to the lovely dining hall to meet people. We all wish Byron felt more at home in his new circumstances. Despite these heart aches, and wishing things could be easier on both Byron and Cheryl, we all persist in showing up, and trying to show love.
It has been wonderful to see the power of family. Darin and his siblings made tough calls together, tackling his parents house was a monumental task that over the course of a year they took care of. Darin and Craig continue to monitor the finances and make sure his parents are comfortable, everyone visits, but especially Cristin has taken on the burden of daily visits and weekly care. The circle of life, and the power of an imperfect but loving family.
