Glancing back, looking forward.

For me the beginning of a new year is always exciting. The first weeks are full of anticipation for what is to come and reflection on what has passed. We had such a busy year in 2011! A year that was blessed with many opportunities to celebrate and share each other’s joys. Two grand babies and a daughter-in-law joined the family. We traveled to Argentina for a missionary's release and to Utah for baby showers, baby births, baby blessings, a grandma's passing, a college drop off and a college graduation. Simultaneously the kids kept the front door revolving with trips home for vacations, summer employment, appointments, school breaks, a wedding, and a missionary's homecoming, just to visit grandpa and grandma and best of all Christmas. And, we continued to have the opportunity to associate and create memories with dear friends camping, celebrating back yard holidays and in our capacities of church service.
All that unfortunately, left very little time to share here the events we enjoyed so much. Hence, the long post below that will hopefully catalog the moments and choice experiences that made 2011 such an amazing year for us. We are greatly blessed!! Life, even with its ups and downs, is good to us. We have a wonderful family, good employment, a great community and associations with the best people to be found anywhere. We are grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ in our lives and value above everything else, as it affords us our many blessings, our membership in His church. We recognize the hand of our Father in Heaven in our daily lives and feel deep gratitude for all that we are given and blessed with each year. With that gratitude and humility for life and blessings we anticipate the New Year. It will no doubt, be filled with just as much love and joys to share as the year that has passed. We hope that your new year will also be filled with much joy and great blessings!!

Love to all,
Paige

2011 in Review

DECEMBER . . .

Christmas was wonderful!!  EVERYONE was home this year!  Even Ryan and Nancy came home from their world travels to surprise us.  From best calculation it was the first Christmas in 10 years that we were all together.

 

NOVEMBER. . .

On November 4th Bryce's two year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints came to an end. Doug and I were fortunate to be able to travel to Cordoba, Argentina to meet him when he was released.

It was a wonderful opportunity to see him in action, hear many glowing reports of his service there and visit with the people he had come to love.

The only issue with the trip was that Doug and I missed his home-coming into LAX as our flight out of Cordoba was cancelled and he came home without us. As interesting as it is to visit a foreign country, in this case, after an extra night in Argentina without our translator it was a great blessing to come home!

On the day of Bryce's Homecoming talk the older siblings who were able to be home gathered in Doug's Bishop's office for candy, I mean a serious family portrait. . . (heehee!)

For Thanksgiving we made the trek in to our Cabin in the mountains of Southern Utah.  We had a great time!  Somehow being out in the woods, in the snow and back to nature made it easy to reflect on our blessings!  Loved the time we spent there but the most exciting moment was when we received news on Thanksgiving day from Jason and Janessa that they are expecting grandbaby #4 in August (2012)! 

OCTOBER . . .

Cute Birthday girl!  Hailey turned 4 in October . . .

Four year old Auntie Hailey!

 And, Kyle campaigned for Student Council President. Kyle "Waldo" Waldron worked hard and was dedicated to making sure he was able to fulfill his campaign promises but in the end did not prevail. The results . . . the girls in the 3rd through 5th grades voted in a block to elect an all female Student Council. Unfortunate but impressive!

SEPTEMBER . . .

Hailey's first day of preschool!  She's bright and loves school!

On the 24th Ryan and Nancy were sealed for Time and Eternity in the Newport Beach Temple.  It was a wonderful wedding and great reception that represented them perfectly!  Link to their blog at the right for more pictures.

AUGUST . . .

The highlight of August was the birth of sweet little grandson, Tyson.  Kirk and Alicen's first, he is our 3rd grandchild.  What an adorable little boy!!

Sweet grand kids with Sara!!

SUMMER . . .

Busy, busy and so much fun!!  Jason and Janessa were here for the summer while Jason worked his first, highly successful business.  Doug and I both had many responsibilities and activities associated with our church callings.  And, the usual fun "summer in California" activities: the beach, camping with dear friends, holiday's by the pool, soccer and scout camps, piano and ballet recitals and family!  In August Kelsey planned a surprise 5oth (man!) birthday party for Doug and I.  It was so much fun and helped ease the blow of the "big one"! 

Camping . . .

the pool. . .

and Hailey's first ballet recital.

Hailey and her besties, Sophie and Bryn.

The family shares her big day!

 

MAY . . .

  

Once upon a time, in May, Kyle wrote a story that was chosen by Imagination Machine to be acted out during a school assembly.  It was an exciting story of intrigue called, "Under the Rug" and it became a funny, entertaining play.  Way to go Kyle the playwright!

APRIL . . .

On April 22 Chris graduated from Weber State University in Manufacturing Engineering with an emphasis in Welding Technology.  That afternoon they hit the road for Cali where he would begin a job with NOV (National Oilwell Varco).  We LOVE having them close by!!