MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Merry Christmas to all! Thanks for visiting our first try at a family blog. Mackenzie put this all together for us...I didn't have time to figure it out, so thanks to her youthful technical savvy, she was able to get the job done! 2008 has been a year full of opportunities, and we are so grateful for every blessing we have felt...the gospel of Jesus Christ, loving family, a warm home, a free country, employment, a peaceful community, good health, a sense of purpose, and necessary challenges & new experiences that stretch us. We hope you enjoy a wonderful Christmas season and a healthy, happy 2009!

Dad and Mom

Mike is still working for Hewlett-Packard keeping very busy doing global real estate location strategy. He enjoys working with the young men at church and, now that Max is growing up, loves being able to play sports with him. Dana loves being a full-time mom and being at the "crossroads" of all the comings and goings of a busy family!

Mackenzie (16)

Mackenzie (10th grade) kept busy in '08 with cross-country, track, a new driver's license, EFY, XC camp at BYU, orchestra, football games, friends, and schoolwork!

Madeleine (14)

This year, Madeleine (8th grade) has enjoyed track, cross-country, basketball, guitar, voice, dance, EFY, performing in the Music Theater Idaho production of "I Remember Mama," friends and more friends...!

Michael (11)

Michael started middle school (6th grade) this year! He has a one-on-one aide with him at all times and works off his own Individualized Education Plan. Madeleine is even his first period peer tutor! He is growing up and is beginning to show his emerging desire for independence :), but is still so loving and sweet. He goes to school all morning, then has intense therapy (IBI) in the afternoon. We are SO blessed to have him in our family!!

Max (8)

Max (3rd grade) had a big year with his baptism last June. He loves being a Cub Scout, playing any sport, reading, chess club, playing with friends, and FOOD! He is an all-around happy, enthusiastic, great kid!

Disneyland in March

We decided on an old-fashioned road trip to Disneyland over Spring Break. We spent Easter Sunday going to church in a Spanish-speaking congregation in which Mike had served when on his mission for our church, "touring" his mission area, and visiting the LA Temple grounds. We spent a few days in Disneyland and we went to the beach, but Max liked dinner & the jousting at Medieval Times the best! It was fun to watch Michael enjoy all (well, most )of the rides and action!

Hawaii in July

We had the opportunity to spend a wonderful week on Oahu with Mom's side of the family to celebrate Grandma Jeanne's 70th birthday. We played on the beach, visited Pearl Harbor, experienced the Polynesian Cultural Center, went snorkeling (with a shark, sea turtles & dolphins!), enjoyed Giovanni's shrimp and Matsumoto's shaved ice, visited the temple grounds & visitor's center, made our way around the Dole pineapple maze, golfed, went on runs, read and relaxed...all with cousins...what fun!

Yucatan Mexico in August

The highlight of our summer was a humanitarian trip to the Yukatan Peninsula in Mexico. Michael stayed behind and had fun with Mike's parents while we were gone. Traveling with two other families, we spent hot, sticky days and nights doing meaningful service work, thanks to arrangements made by Matt Bingham, a young man in our group who had served a mission for our church in that area. We were able to take many suitcases full of school supplies to a Mayan school in the mountains; fund & help build a thatched roof and install a water tank for a family who had been using old, rusty buckets; visit and deliver food and supplies to three very needy families; help with church services; clean a local church and clear its back yard of thick foliage using machetes (the kids loved that!); build a baptismal font; and give away soccer balls & jerseys, ties, and small toys to all the children with whom we had contact. The people were so warm, appreciative, and giving. One of many touching experiences happened when we were visiting and delivering food to a very poor family. As they were showing me their yard, the husband pointed proudly to a very tall avacado tree behind their house that was "heavy laden" with fruit (much of their food is grown in their yards--maize, bananas, etc.). I commented on how beautiful and delicious the avacados looked. No sooner had I done this than the wife disappeared into the bushes below and came out smiling with six of the biggest, most beautiful avacados I have ever seen. She put them in a sack and handed them to me saying they would be ready to eat in 3 days. I felt humbled that this woman, to whom we had come to deliver food, was offering back to me what she had to give. I accepted them gratefully and, on the third day, we all feasted on the delicious fruit.