Ned's Birthday

 We celebrated Ned's birthday a weekend early.  There's a very good reason for this:  Ned and Gwen have an orthodontist appointment the day before Ned's actual birthday and they know by experience that the day after their appointment is a challenging time to eat.  Ned knew he wanted some steak for his birthday dinner, and steak is challenging to eat with a sore mouth.  Thus, we celebrated early to bypass all of that pain. I'll try to be nice and feed him some soup or other soft food on his birthday.  

Some things we love about 15-year-old Ned:

• Ned is so fun!  He's always making me laugh with his cheesy smile or saying something like "I kid, I kid!" while giving a big grin. 
• Ned is such a huge help around the house.  During Christmas, he helped me do all sorts of cleaning and cooking to make it a great Holiday.  He would say it was something like "Operation Happiness"  or "Time to Save Christmas".  
• Ned is a good friend, but judicious in how he spends time with his friends.  He has a few friends he'll go to the gym or driving range with, but if they start to get crazy, he quietly ejects from them.  
• Ned is smart!  He worked so hard and really learned how to study this year in order to make straight A's.  He had to work extra hard in his Algebra 2 class, watching lots of extra YouTube videos to really learn the material.  I'm so proud of his hard work and it paid off!  
• He's so talented with a great ear!  He played a special musical number with me for Christmas on three different occasions.  I always love he plays- he really listens to what he plays and produces such a rich, steady tone on the cello and a soft touch on the piano.  He played so well, that he now has people across the stake reaching out requesting that he play in their ward! 
• We sure love our thoughtful, funny, and talented Ned!

New tennis shoes

Nyle's Birthday- 13 years old!

 Nyle decided that for his birthday this year, he wanted to have a very simple birthday get-together with just two of his best friends.  These are buddies with whom he spends nearly every free day and afternoon. He goes mountain biking, exploring the neighborhood, and chasing coyotes with them on a regular basis.  He wanted to have buffalo wings and a movie with them.  

Some things we love about 13-year-old Nyle: 

• He is so active- always out riding bikes, playing football in the park, or exploring the neighborhood with his buddies.  When he's not doing that, he loves to keep his mind active with Minecraft.  
• He is very athletic, but doesn't seem to be very competitive.  He played soccer last fall and was the player that his coach (his dad) relied on the most.  Nyle was so fast and had such a powerful kick that Zach wanted him to be everywhere at once.  I think that got a little frustrating for both of them at times;).  
• He is so smart!  If it's a song he likes, he can learn it on the piano very quickly. He is also playing the cello and was able to participate in a musical number with Ned and Gwen for Christmas.  
• He continues to be very sweet.  He's so quick to give out a hug and say something like "you're the best mom on the planet!" Or, "Mom, you're the best cook in the whole world!"  The kid melts my heart all the time.  We sure love our sweet, smart Nyle!

Gwen's Birthday

It's so hard to believe that Gwen turned 17!  Her birthday fell on a Tuesday (the same day of the week that she was born).  Unfortunately, she had school and work so we celebrated it on Saturday.  Another unfortunate event is that two of her closest friends have recently moved away.  We had a birthday breakfast for her on the 2nd with Crepes etc.  Then her birthday dinner on Saturday, the 10th.  She was sick with a fever most of the day, but we still managed to celebrate.  She wasn't too sick to enjoy a family dinner and dessert.  

Some things we love about 17-year-old Gwenny!

• She is really becoming quite the musician.  She is playing some songs on the piano that I wasn't able to play until I was in my 20's.  She hears a song that she likes and decides she wants to play it and in no time, she's got it down!  Right now, she's preparing for Junior Festival with the songs: Prelude No.1 by George Gershwin, and Golliwog's Cakewalk by Claude Debussy.  
• In addition to piano, she leads the music in church every Sunday and she has been having fun participating in her choir at school. 
• She has become the family photographer with her new Christmas present of a Canon camera.  She learned some skills while she was at SECTA and has quite the eye.  
• She takes her seminary and schoolwork very seriously.  She is an amazing student and thus, very intelligent and educated.  I love her sense of humor and will often hear her sharing new vocabulary words that she learns just for fun.  
• She is my buddy at home and I find myself just trying to enjoy every minute with her because when it's time for her to leave, I will be without an advocate and one of my best friends!

January Letters

January 4, 2026

Hi Lincoln, 

How was the first week of the New Year?  It sure was nice being able to talk to you a little extra during the past two weeks.  You seem like you're doing so well and showing so much growth!  

We had a busy and good week.  We filled it with lots of playtime outside when the weather was nice and ended it with a visit to Grandma and Grandpa Hills to help them get ready to move.  We had fun taking things to the dump and burning lots of their wood pile.  

Today was a great Fast Sunday to start the New Year.  We had some great testimonies that were borne, and then I was able to join Dad as he taught his primary class.  He started the class with testifying of Christ, which immediately invited the Spirit. Before we knew it, several of the kids in the class began bearing their testimonies of Christ.  Mind you, this is the first time they were meeting with Dad as his new class.  It was pretty inspiring and something I haven't seen in that age group. 

Nyle had a lot of fun with friends and has the injuries to prove it.  He was tossed from a mountain bike while out with Desmond and Jayson, and then suffered some more injuries from riding Benny's bike. Nothing too serious, but definitely signs of living.  Ned and Gwen went to the New Year's Eve dance with Ledger Lyons and Emma.  It was one of the last times Gwen was able to get together with Emma. It's sad to see the Tolmans go, but it's also an exciting adventure for them.  We went to see them off, and they sent us home with a few items that the boys have been enjoying (pictures enclosed).  We also spent some quality time playing tennis.  The weather has been so amazing lately, so we've been getting in some good time on the courts.  

I'm sad I won't be available earlier tomorrow, but I look forward to talking to you later.  

Ned and West playing with the light saber and Nerf car from Tolmans

West is trying to roast a marshmallow in the fire in Logandale

Trying out the Nerf car in the tennis courts

January 11, 2026

Hi Lincoln,

It was so fun to talk to you on Friday night!  You looked so good.  I love seeing you in your missionary attire!

We've been doing well here.  We celebrated Gwen's birthday informally on Tuesday with grilled cheese and tomato soup in between her piano lessons. 

On Thursday, West received his straight-A award at school, and Dad was able to come, so he was able to watch me award my students as well.  

After the awards ceremony

West and Mrs. Woodford

We celebrated Nyle's birthday on Friday with friends and a movie.  Really, they just played around upstairs with the light sabers and various other types of rough-housing before they settled down to watch Forrest Gump (of all movies?!).  The weather was super cold on Friday, so they stayed inside for the most part.  

Jayson, Nyle, and Desmond

Sporting his new tights and helmet

Saturday, Ned and Nyle got all suited up to go up on Mt. Charleston with the youth from the ward for sledding.  Gwen would have gone, but she had the flu, so she stayed home to rest.  The youth group grew a little because the Pueblo ward has now joined our ward for all youth activities and the 2nd hour of Sunday.  It's pretty cool to have the extra youth and leaders.  

Although Gwen was sick with the flu, we still managed to celebrate her birthday with a family dinner on Saturday night.  

Gwen's camera backpack

Dad has been working to get a new (old) bike all tuned up for me.  When we went up to help Grandma and Grandpa Hills move, Grandma gave us her old bike.  It's a really nice one so Dad has been working on getting it tuned up so I can ride it to work.  

Today, we had a great Sunday.  We enjoyed talking about one of Dad's favorite scriptures (Moses 1:39) and Abraham 3:24-25 for Home-Church.  Gwen just left to attend Preach My Gospel, and the boys are keeping up on all the Football playoff games for now.  

We're excited to talk to you to find out what the status is on your transfers.  Hopefully, you were able to see your companion off well.  

We're excited to talk to you tomorrow!  Love you so much!

Mom and Dad

I still love to watch my babies sleep!

January 18, 2026

Hi Lincoln,

It's always so nice to be able to talk to you once a week.  I'm so excited to hear about your baby!  I hope things are going well for you as a trainer now.  Undoubtedly, it's a lot of work! 

We've been doing well.  

Tuesday night, West and Dad went to a Rebels game, courtesy of Brother Rose.  I guess it was a really good game that went into overtime with the Rebels coming out on top.  Friday night, Dad and I went to the temple, then Saturday morning, we had Mountains for Ned's birthday breakfast, then grabbed our bikes to head out to BC for a bike ride back home.  Since grandma Hills gave us her old Ruby bike, we now have 4 road bikes.  Dad rode his bike, then Ned rode Dad's old Roubaix, West rode my mini Roubaix, and I rode the Ruby.  It was a little windy with a headwind, but the wind didn't keep us from enjoying ourselves. Gwen dropped us off and Nyle stayed behind to play football with friends in the neighborhood.  

Saturday night, we had Marlboro Man sandwiches for Ned's birthday.  He requested we celebrate his birthday the weekend before since he'll be having an orthodontist appointment the day before his actual birthday and is anticipating having a sore mouth and thus inhibited in what he'll be able to eat.  I think it was a good move. 

We also enjoyed a visit from Dad's ex-best friend Joey Bear (Joe Rawson).  He and his wife were in town for his birthday so we enjoyed catching up with them in the evening after Ned's party.  

Tomorrow we're planning on going out to Redstone for a bit to enjoy the old tradition with some bbq'd hot dogs.  I'm hoping we'll still have cell service so we can talk to you while we're out there.  

We sure love you and pray for you every day! 

Heading out to the Rebels game

Picnic stop on our bike ride

At the picnic stop on our bike ride

West, being West

January 25, 2026

Hi Elder Hills!

How are you doing as a parent these days?  Have you been able to convince your companion to try cooking without oil?  

We are doing well.  We had a pretty regular week. Gwen has been teaching piano a ton, Ned has been hitting up the gym more regularly and Nyle and West have spending time up at the park with Desmond, Benny, and the Robinson boys playing football and being boys.  

Dad has been working on the yard lately, sprucing it up and I've been doing a lot of cooking while the weather is cool.  

We heard some good news about Grandma and Grandpa Hills and their progress in moving up to Utah.  It may happen afterall.  We'll go up in two weeks to help them clear their property a bit more. They might have a buyer who will be ready in March and won't require them to get much of their junk off of the property.  

Saturday, Gwen and Ned made some cupcakes for fun so we decided to have an impromptu birthday party for all the kids.  We wish you could have been here.  

We think about you all the time.  So looking forward to talking to you tomorrow!  

Love you!

Mom and Dad

Happy Birthday Everyone!

2 on 2

In 'N Out and Nielsen's for Grades