Andy's puppy from Mommy and Daddy.

Andy opening a movie.

Andy opening his I-Puppy with help from his friend, Hailey.

Andy got a football player that kicks!

Andy playing with his cracker toy (a whistle) and wearing his crown.

Andy spent a while with Daddy Claus.

Daddy Claus and Andy sharing an ice cream bar.

Daddy Claus and Xandy.

Daddy Claus and Alex.

Daddy Claus and Lexi.

Daddy Claus and Hannah.

Daddy Claus and Kayla.

Daddy Claus and Hailey.

Wait for it, they can't believe their eyes. Ryan especially was in a state of wonder and awe.

Andy blowing out his 1, 2, 3! birthday candles.

Andy's cupcakes, that's his Mumble on top.

Andy at his party table!

The birthday party crackers.

The birthday party crackers.

Lexi and Hannah -- the gypsies.

Alex and Papa playing Alex's new pool game!

Ryan is sitting on Daddy's new food processor and Sean is trying to figure out how to ALSO sit up there.

Mark even had a birthday! Ryan knows how to open presents and Daddy gave him the job. Although as soon as one was ripped one, he immediately wanted to go onto the next one.

Papa had a birthday too. Happy Birthday, Papa.

Its his own Star Wars Legos Xbox game. What a lucky kid!

And he was right! He then said, "These are my most favorite shoes ever! How did Grandma and Papa know what size and that I wanted them?" I said, "They're your grandparents the know what you like and how big you are." Andy couldn't believe somebody but wheels into shoes.

He got excited seeing the box. He's hoping there are Heelies (shoes with wheels in the heels) in there.

He's really happy about his new christmas book (can you tell?).

Alex got a super cute new hoodie and key chain featuring CARS!

Andy was so patient and good through all these gifts for Alex! And then he looked at me like this!

Its just what he wanted! "How did you guys know I wanted this?" Its a Rescue Heroes space adventure toy. Gee, whiz, how do they know? :-)

There's that cut little baby (Sir Ry).

Ryan having his FIRST and ONLY cupcake. Sean was to have one more though, I decided not to photograph my lapse in parental judgement.

Alex opening up his gift from us -- Zathura. The kids went nuts! "You go into space, when you play that!" Alex says, "But not in REAL life. In real life, you just stay here!."

Alex opening gifts!

Sean working on his SECOND cupcake (now upstairs).

Sean devouring his FIRST cupcake.

I thought I was video-ing the singing and blowing out of candles! I goofed!

All the kids in costume. Sean kept making sure he was part of the scene. He roamed around all the kids and held his own well. Ryan (way in back) ducked out early for a nap -- too much noise, excitement, and big peeps for him.

Alex, Andy, and I decorated the house in 10 minutes before he left for school.

Nona, the leopard; Papa, the retired Dracula; Andy, still a shy little devil (he did get over it); and Alex, the power ranger.

Alex was a power ranger with a tattoo and Andy was a shy little devil!

The two brutes -- Sir RyRy, Mommy, and Seany -- they sported football garb for the party!

Cupcakes, a haunted house, and a puppy (courtesy of Andy and Nona).

For Alex's 7th Birthday, his party was Scooby-Doo! Creepy crawlers, skeletons, spiders, etc.

Sean and Ryan can hardly believe what they're seeing! Andy chose all his own garments ~ a yellow button-up shirt with cars and a tie on top over his gray jammie top, kakhi pants, and an Oregon Ducks baseball cap!

Sean sporting a hat that covers his face!

Ryan and Sean eating turkey.

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.

Upon being released from the confines of their high chairs, Sean and Ryan made a dash for the tree and have been hanging out there quite often since.