Christmas Letter

2006 has been a year of great challenges and even greater blessings and joys for these Utahns.

In February, Mark was laid off from a .com (the company that brought us out here). Two short weeks later, he started a new job at another .com. We were overjoyed at the ease with which he found a new position. Then in May, he was laid off again due to restructuring. This time it took two long months for him to find a new position at Target. He was hired as a Team Leader (department head) and with in 6 weeks was promoted up to Senior Team Lead (an assistant manager). He is very happy at Target, keeps very busy, enjoys working with a variety of people, and has lost 20 pounds!

For me, the year flew by in as a series of baby feedings, diaper changes, and doctors visits. I was warned how fast a year with twin infants would pass but I still can scarcely believe that the twix are already one! Sean was hospitalized in March with a very serious intestinal virus and dehydration. Then in May, Sean and Ryan were both hospitalized for two weeks with new intestinal viruses and dehydration

Alex graduated from kindergarten with the added excitement of a broken thumb. His first big wipe out on his bike cost him his soccer and swimming seasons! His thumb healed nicely after 6 weeks in a cast. He did get to enjoy a full fall flag football season complete with much unnecessary tackling and celebrating. He started first grade in a new charter school, the Lakeview Academy. There, Mark devoted countless hours serving on the school’s founding council to guarantee Alex’s spot. Alex enjoys his new school, friends, and has a wonderful teacher, Miss Fillmore who always makes him feel fantastic.

Andrew spent 2006 enjoying all the fun the world offers two years old boys. He loves going to the park, walking his stroller around the block, riding his “bike” aka tricycle, playing with Alex and Daddy, experimenting with snow, helping care for the babies, and having me chase him around the trampoline practicing his football moves. He loves to accompany me places looking for alone time with “his Mommy.”

Sean and Ryan have turned into one year old scamps. On Easter Sunday, they were baptized at St. Felicitas Catholic Church in San Leandro with a party following at my parents’ house. We celebrated their birthday with a Curious George theme party and parade with Mark's parents and cousins Erin and Nicole. When they’re not laughing hysterically at each other’s antics, chasing Andrew for his sippy cup, or emptying the kitchen cabinets of dishes, they like to keep busy helping me take the clothes in and out of the dryer or in and out of their drawers, fight over whose turn it is to sweep the floor, and make sure every single candy in the pantry has made it way into their playhouse.

Ryan’s prognosis over the past year has only gotten better. He can walk and all his internal organs work well. We are very grateful for his good health and hopeful he’ll have a close to normal childhood.

We had some fun day trips to the Hoogle Zoo, Heber Valley Railroad to ride Thomas the Tank Engine, and a trip to the local pumpkin patch where a pumpkin 13 times the size of the twix was on display! We enjoyed a trip to Palm Springs with all the other family members to celebrate cousin Nick, and Mericar’s wedding. What a fun 3 days! Alex enjoyed another vacation with the Nona and Papa – he went to Bonfante Gardens, San Francisco, and other Bay Area hot spots! And Mark's dad took the boys and me back and forth to California so I could visit my family twice in two months. Many thanks, Pat!

My parents are arriving on December 10 to celebrate my dad’s birthday, Mark’s birthday, Alex’s 7th birthday with a spooky Scooby-Doo costume party, and Andy’s 3rd with a penguin themed party complete with a special guest in a famous red suit! Auntie Carolyn is flying in for a long weekend when we all will be celebrating an early Christmas. We’ll top off the holiday season with a ride on the Polar Express complete with storybooks, cookies, hot chocolate, pixie dust, and Santa Claus.

2006 has continued to teach us lessons about faith, family, friendship, and love. I sometimes wonder how we’d have made it through the year without these things. As we welcome 2007, we look forward to new experiences and wish each of you and yours all the joys and blessings of the Holiday Season.