Snowmobiling up at the cabin!!

Blain stuck in the fluffy white snow...







Tracey showin' off his skills







Brandon gettin' some big air







Courtney, Brandon, Rachael, Becca, and Sid all sledding on the awesome sledding run!

Blain's last wrestling match

Talk about David and Goliath. But Blain wasn't intimidated by his last challenger. After a few fancy moves that he learned from his father, the other guy cried "uncle" and the match was called because of tears.
Not Blain's either.

The Thomas Boys

WOW. Its amazing the things that you can find when you start looking through old boxes. Why just the other day I was looking under Grandma's bed and sure enough, there were Blain and Coty's 5th grade school pictures. They were so handsome back then. I just thought I'd share them because they used to be soo cute.... what happened?

Blain

Coty

Matt is King

I'm not sure what you all think, but I'm considering going back to an old hairdo. I was considering something along the lines of this. What do you think???

By the way, if this doesn't look a lot like us, don't worry... it was taken a while ago.

Matt

Just hanging out...

Matt snapped a picture of me just hanging around the house. Just thought I would post it so everyone could remember what I looked like. I haven't seen you all for so long!

-Steff

GUESS WHAT

GRANDMA LOVES BECCA AND DOES NOT LOVE DAVE!!!
COAL 4 DAVE!!! HAHAHA
Love,
becca

Is that James Bond? No it is Blain getting ready to leave for homecoming.

I know it was a bit of a stretch, but our dapper Blain found himself a swell girl to take to homecoming. They rented a limo and went with about 4 or 5 other couples. They ate at Benihanas, then came back to the dance, got pictures then went to a girls house for a movie. All in all it was a fun an successful evening.

PICTURES OF THE GRANDKIDS

Coty, Logan and Blain riding

the big waterslide at 7 Peaks

Brandon (?), Brett and Becca

Rachael (?) and Brandon

Ryan asleep on a Teddy Bear

Sidney's Birthday

Grandma Smith with some of the Grandkids

Courtney and Winston

Memories

I thought it would be nice if we each shared a memory or two of growing up in the Butler Family.

I'll start... We all know Dad has a funny sense of humor. Well, growing up, we didn't do stockings for Christmas that I remember. For some reason, I would always put one out anyway (it was a gift from a friend) hoping that I would find something in it on Christmas morning. One year, I came up and saw it sitting on the fireplace bulging with CD's. I couldn't believe it! I was so excited. Mom and Dad had really surprised me with a special treat that year. I went to look through them and try to decide which one to listen to first. As I started looking, the realization sunk in. They were all my own CD's that I already owned. It was all a funny joke on me. Mom and Dad still get big laughs from that experience to this day. I have to admit, looking back, it is pretty funny. That wasn't the end of it, though. One year I found a "roller ruler" that Dad had gotten suckered into buying at the Puyallup Fair. One year I found some cans of S&W Vegetables and Fruit because I always complained about how annoying their commercials were. It actually became funny waiting to see what "fun" thing Dad was going to dig up to put in the stocking each year. I can already see that I have inherited this sense of humor. I'm pretty sure some of the other kids have, too. I seem to remember something about Lorri and Tracey putting together a big, long treasure hunt for the grandkids with promises of a big reward at the end. I don't know if the Book of Mormon they found was what the kids had in mind.

Another fond memory I have is of my 12th birthday. It was the first year I opened my birthday card to find a 100 dollar bill! I was so excited to get that money on top of all the presents and everything! I still look forward to that money each year. It was even better when I turned 20 and they upped it to $500. That, along with the $1000 they give me at Christmas each year has really been great for me get some fun things. I'm sure you all feel the same. So, as the favorite child, I just want to thank Mom and Dad for all their generosity.

Okay, I got us started. Everyone else needs to share their memories now....

WOMEN'S CONFERENCE

Mom working hard on a quilt at the

humanitarian project at Women's Conference.

She's good with a needle!

Lorri, also hard at work on the quilt. Check out those fancy fingers!

Gayle's "cutting it up" at the humanitarium project!

Is that Martha Stewart?

No, it's Wendi...sewing like the wind!

Eating at Cafe Rio. Yummy!