Merry Christmas 2014

Merry Christmas friends and family,

            This year we send our love for a prosperous and joyous new year from our home to yours.  Here is a little update of 2014 from our family.

            Little J was born July 22^nd. He has sweet little dimples and a round little belly! He is 16 pounds of energy at 4 months! Oh what a blessing he is!!

            J has a rough and tough skip in his step. Curious and determined our little guy is the mimic of his big brothers and can’t wait for Daddy to get home each day so he can empty the garbage with him!

            E started tumbling this year. She was elated to be able to go with Addi, Becca, John, and Melissa. She’s our spunky little princess who can do anything the older children can do and she’ll let you know!!

            A loves to read and write. Each night before bed you’ll find her writing in her journal. Her letters to Mike and Nate are always well thought out and the longest! She also enjoys reading to her siblings, tumbling, and piano.

            B was baptized this year!! She is getting to be quite the piano player and is very responsible about feeding our bunny Tar Baby. She and John enjoy SEM in school. She really likes being involved with Activity Days.

            J is a cub scout and has learned so much from his great leaders. He likes to invent things out of duct tape, screws, nails and wood. He has mastered “She’ll be coming around the mountain” on the piano and plays while we sing.

            M loves being a Bee Hive in YW’s!! She spends her time babysitting, reading, playing rugby, theater, and piano. She works very hard in school and tutors a bit!! She also sings in the ward choir with John and Becca.

            S just finished his Eagle Project. He collected 1600lbs of food for the food bank and hygiene kits for the homeless before Thanksgiving. He enjoys drawing comics, and watching Studio C. He is such a fun big brother.

            J likes to learn. In his past time you’ll find him programming or studying engineering. Lately he has mastered the Rubik Cube!! Earlier this month he went to run a race in California called “Footlocker.”

            N has been serving in Paraguay for his mission since July. He loves the people, culture, and adventures. He has eaten crocodile and Paraná. He says they taste just like regular meat and fish. I prepared him well with my cooking!

            M has been in Houston serving a mission too. He gets home in February.  We can hardly wait. He loves the people so much! We have become very good friends with his last companion’s family who live in Ogden.  Sweet blessings have come to us through both our sons’ service.

            A is a nanny for a nice family in Ogden.  She has a special gift, little children love her so. She lives in Fruit Heights still. We got to go swim in her pool this summer!

            H is moving up quickly in the professional world at Mylar Disability.

She oversees case workers and juggles a busy schedule!  She is on her toes and loves helping people.

            We are grateful for the wonderful memories this year with our children. H and I just celebrated our 20^th anniversary by going to Disneyland! No strollers to push or kids on our hip so we ran from ride to ride like giddy teenagers! Our life together is simple and sweet.

At this time of year and always we feel gratitude for a loving Savior and His gift of the Atonement. We have been blessed with opportunities this past year to invite others to come unto Christ. Watching them get baptized has been such a highlight for our family. Another big highlight was the re-dedication of the Temple and seeing so many loved ones there from our hometown in Wyoming. Almost every week I will see someone who helped shaped me growing up! What treasured blessings you are in our lives. We love you and wish you the very best Christmas and New Year.

 Although we love pretend with our little ones which includes gifts from Santa, Ralphie the Elf who is watching whether we are naughty or nice, and magic in the jingle bells...Our focus for the Christmas holiday is on Christs birth. Here we are at a live nativity play.  Many of the Monday nights in December we talk of Christ, rejoice, in Christ, and learn how we can become more like Christ for Family Home Evening lessons. On Christmas Eve each year we reenact the nativity play with the children! Another strong tradition is frosting cookies and caroling to the neighbors delivering them, gingerbread houses, and homemade chocolates.