Christmas Prep

Tis the season to be busy. We have been very busy in preparing for this Christmas season and are sorry we have not made more postings this month. So now you get one long blog.

We started December with a wonderful little snow storm (see previous post). This really got us in the spirt of Christmas. The kids were thinking of Christmas pasts and Makel wanted to know why didn't make sugar cookies and pass them out to our neighbors. The following pics will help explain why we dropped that tradition.

We had lots of fun cutting and decorating (and licking our fingers). We made all sorts of shapes and sizes but our favorite ones were the trees. That is why Makel made everyone make so many - not.

These are everyones favoites:
Gregg - Christmas Tree
Kim - Stocking
Makel - Santa
Kirsten - Candy Cane
Natalie - Rudolph
Jared - Holly
But we didn't mind any of the others when it came to eating them, especially Jared who always eats more then his share.

We made two large containers of cookies but any guesses on how long they lasted? We will make a special cookie for the one who guesses correctly. You will have to wait until next year when we will make a fresh batch.

We have also been busy with Christmas programs and parties.

Jared had a singing program and of course sang the best out of all the 1st grade. They even threw him a party after words.

Kirsten is also excelling in her violin skills. She had a great performance in her Christmas concert and played better than anyone in the 7th grade ( they didn't throw her a party). She is first chair to me.

Santa came to visit us at one of our family parties to check on how good the kids have been this year. Makel and Kirsten are getting to the point where they don't feel comfortable sitting on Santa's lap (but who really does).

We are having a great Holiday season and having lots of fun. We are so very thankful for the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ and know that this is a very special season where we are reminded of his life. We are so grateful for his life and sacrifice. We are so glad we can be together as a family forever. What better gift can we receive.

We love you all very much and want to wish is a Very Merry Christmas!

Winter Wonderland

We woke up yesterday morning to a big snowstorm with snow piling on the ground. The kids had fun playing out in the snow and making a snow fort. I love the first snowstorm and after christmas I am ready for it to go away and move on to spring weather.

What Happened the year Makel was born (1992)

In 1992 (the year you were born)

George H.W. Bush is president of the US Hurricane "Andrew" becomes the most costly in US history with $20 billion worth of damage Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton is elected President of the United States Riots break out in Los Angeles after police are acquitted in the Rodney King case An "Earth Summit" is held in Brazil to address global environmental problems Jay Leno replaces Johnny Carson as host of the Tonight Show on NBC George H. W. Bush becomes ill on a visit in Japan and vomits on the Japanese Prime Minister Mike Tyson goes on trial charged with raping a 1991 Miss Black America Contest contestant Amy Fisher, the "Long Island Lolita," is arrested for shooting Mary Jo Buttafuoco on the front porch of her home Toronto Blue Jays win the World Series Washington Redskins win Superbowl XXVI Pisstburgh Penguins win the Stanley Cup Aladdin is the top grossing film "End of the Road" by Boyz II Men spends the most time at the top of the US charts Mad About You and The Real World premiere Sailor Moon premieres on TV Asahi in Japan

What Happened the Year You Were Born?

Events that happened the year I was born (1968)

In 1968 (the year you were born)

Lyndon B. Johnson is president of the US North Koreans seize USS Pueblo and 83 man crew in the Sea of Japan Communist troops attack Saigon and 30 province capitals in the "Tet Offensive" Martin Luther King is assassinated in Memphis, TN Senator Robert F. Kennedy is shot in California after celebrating presidential primary victories American troops destroy a town in South Vietnam in the "My Lai Massacre" Peggy Fleming wins Olympics figure skating gold medal The United States Congress repeals the requirement for a gold reserve to back US currency Student protesters at Columbia University in New York City take over administration buildings and shut down the university LL Cool J, Lisa Marie Presley, Jeri Ryan, Lucy Lawless, Celine Dion, Traci Lords, Tony Hawk, Kylie Minogue, and Sammy Sosa are born Detroit Tigers win the World Series Green Bay Packers win Superbowl II Montreal Canadians win the Stanley Cup 2001: A Space Odyssey and Planet of the Apes are the top grossing movies The rock musical Hair opens on Broadway The Beatles' White Album and Simon and Garfunkel's Bookends are released Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, debuts on NBC

http://www.blogthings.com/whathappenedtheyearyouwerebornquiz/">What Happened the Year You Were Born?

A Decade of Natalie

Natalie just celebrated her 10th birthday last Friday (October 19). It is hard to believe that she is already 10 years old! She is growing up so fast. We enjoy Natalie and her fun personality and we are glad she is a part of our family. It was fun to go back and look at pictures taken over the years. These are some fun pictures of Natalie.

Finnegans

With General Conference comes a fun family tradition that Steven and Elaine have done for years. I remember when Gregg and I were dating and he said I would like to invite you to come to "Finnegans." I have loved this tradition ever since. Here are some fun pictures of Finnegans (which was just yesterday).

castles

CASTLES IN THE CLOUDS
by: Patricia Osborn Orton
All you need to build

castles in the sky

Are fluffy white clouds

And a fanciful eye.

You can build rooms,

And towers to,

Add doors and windows

By ones and twos.

Now imagine the tower

With a Princess inside

All you really need is

A fanciful eye.

Book of Mormon Quest

Makel had the opportunity to attend youth conference for our stake in a place called Monte Cristo (up by Logan) last July. We just attended a fireside for all youth who went to Book of Mormon Quest and their parents, where we received a DVD. At this youth conference, they did different reenactments of the Book of Mormon and they had to dress in Book of Mormon attire. Everybody who attended had to have two costumes (A big THANK YOU to Grandma Finlinson for sewing Makel's costumes). I really enjoyed watching the DVD. It gave me a better perspective of the Book of Mormon. What a wonderful opportunity to portray the Book of Mormon in a realistic way. I wish that I would have had that kind of an opportunity when I was young.

7 Random Things About Me

I was tagged by Sharon to list 7 random things about me. So, here goes:

1. When I was a little girl I refused to eat lunch, unless it was peanut butter and jelly.

2. My favorite Ice Cream is Burnt Almond Fudge.

3. I was involved in 6 car accidents before the age of 17 and was grounded from driving for 6 months.

4. I don't like to touch the lid of any outside dumpster or garbage can (Too many germs).

5. My favorite actor is Matt Damon.

6. I cried on my first date with Gregg.

7. Before I die, I want to experience what it is like to go para-sailing or ride in a hot air balloon.

Blue Dragons

It's the season for soccer. We signed Jared up for his second year of soccer. His team is called the Blue Dragons. Their first game was yesterday and they won 2-1. Jared scored one of the goals for his team! I can tell he is going to be one of those kids that loves to play sports. He really gets in there and plays hard. He needs something to help divert all of that extra energy he has!

Crossroads in Life

School started for my kids yesterday and I realized that I have hit a "crossroads in Life" (either that or a mid-life crises). I know that I sound ridiculous, but my life will never be the same. Makel started High School, Kirsten started Junior High, and Jared started 1st grade. For the first time in 15 years, I am all alone for 6 hours! Some people would thoroughly enjoy it and think FREEDOM. But, I feel an emptiness. I don't want to work full-time, I am not even sure if I want to work at all. I have some decisions to make as to what to do with my life!

Bill Gates Graduation Speech

My friend sent this e-mail to me and I think there is alot of truth to it. We both have teenagers, so we find it very amusing.

Rule 1: Life is not fair - get used to it!

Rule 2 : The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

Rule 3 : You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.

Rule 4 : If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.

Rule 5 : Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: they called it opportunity.

Rule 6: If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

Rule 7 : Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

Rule 8 : Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

Rule 9 : Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.

Rule 10 : Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.
Date: 5/21/2007 2:01 PM

EFY

Makel had the opportunity to attend EFY July 30 - Aug. 4. She had alot of fun. These are some pictures of fun experiences she had while she was there. This is her second year attending EFY.



Marc (Who is a mission president's son and living in Spain) and Makel's best friend Lindsey.

Makel and her counselor Stephanie Orem.

Friends at EFY