Merry Christmas!

What a year 2008 has been! This year started off with a bang (literally!) On January 1st we were on our way to Idaho Falls and were just about 1 mile from home when we got rear-ended. Our poor van! It was quite the ordeal! We were all okay, but since I was about 7 months pregnant they recommended that I go to the hospital for observation. We were there about 4 hours and thankfully everything checked out fine, but what a way to spend New Years!




In March we welcomed Caleb to our family. He was born March 21st and has been a joy ever since. He's still not sleeping through the night, but we've adjusted. He is growing up so fast! He is scooting himself all over the place and loves to play with just about anything. His favorite toy is whatever cord that is plugged into the wall where he is at. Sometimes I don't even remember putting a cord there, but he finds it! He also loves his big sister. I often find them together in Alora's room, just playing. It's so cute! He loves to "talk" and thinks it's funny to "cough" especially during church!







Alora turned two this year. I can't believe she is already that old! Time is really going by fast. She gave up her binkie this year (that was quite the ordeal) and has really grown up. She is becoming quite the little girl. She loves to change her clothes multiple times a day and loves watching "Dora" and "The Little Mermaid." Her vocabulary is expanding every day. It seems she picks up on things we say all the time. Today we were reading a book and I was asking her what color the letters were and she would tell me (she knows a lot of her colors) and then I'd say good job or something like that. Well after a few pages she started asking me the colors and then she would say "good job" very matter of factly. It was so funny! She is always making us laugh.






Matt has been graduated for a year now and full time at Smith Ford in Rexburg for a year. He just recently became certified in diesel engine repair and is now on flat rate instead of hourly. For those who don't know what flat rate is, it's getting paid per job instead of per hour. For example if a job should take 4 hours he will get paid for 4 hours whether it takes him 2 hours or 6 hours to complete the job. So if you're fast, it's great! He is loving it! He is staying busy with that and then all the little jobs around the house that need done. He is such a great hubby!


As for me, I've been busy taking care of everyone and making sure that things are going as they should. I have been trying to get in shape and have been loving my treadmill. I love being able to stay home with my kids and see all the things that they are learning. We have made some new friends in the ward and enjoy going to each other's houses and playing. I'm not exactly sure what I do all day, but I know that I'm busy and exhausted by the end of the day!


This year we also purchased our first home! We have been so busy trying to make it comfortable for us. We've painted the walls, added new baseboards, installed a new furnace, put in a dishwasher and garbage disposal and updated the bathroom. It has been fun, but we are tired! We are looking forward to next year when we can get a few more projects done and make this house more like a home for us. We are still trying to put pictures on the wall and decorate each of the rooms, but it's slowly coming together!


We have had/bought 4 vehicles this year: the 2006 Ford Freestar (minivan), the 1999 Ford Expedition, the 1986 Ford F-250 (we still have this one), the 2003 Honda Civic, the 1991 Mercury Tracer aka the rod (we still have this one), and the 2005 Ford Freestyle (my favorite, so far!). Whew! We are definitely car people! We do love our Freestyle though so next year this list shouldn't exist!


Anyway, we have been truly blessed. This year has been full of ups and downs. We have missed our friends in Rexburg and have struggled with our new ward, but we know that this is where we are supposed to be. We are so grateful for Matt's job and for this home. We are grateful for this time of year to celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ and for the Gospel. We love being with our families and are so grateful for all of the support that has been given to us. We know that this Gospel is true. We know that we are being led by a modern day prophet. We know that families can be together forever and love that we are an eternal family. We are so excited for this upcoming year. We are looking forward to making lots of memories and spending lots of time together with family and friends. We hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and a happy new year! We love you!