Our Blogger Christmas Letter

Friends and Family,
Merry Christmas. Our Year has been full of abundance and we truly look to the Heavens above for blessing us with Earthly Angels, namely anyone reading this, for Safety, Work, Food, Shelter, Health, Patience, His Light, Entertainment, Warm Summer days and Cozy Snowy ones.

We moved to a city North of Salt Lake last September and last week sold our old house in Holladay. It was bitter sweet to say goodbye again to the home we had both our children in, the home that we labored on so many Saturdays to finally step back and admirably proclaim, "It is enough", and the neighborhood where we finally new every ones names and called our friends.

We love our new suburban life. It is full of talented and kind friends both for us and our children. Namely, a house full of cousins across the street who are like brothers to our children. Upon moving J brought home our first dog. A German short hair named Lady. She is full of play and energy and loves to track anything that moves in our fenced yard. We have begun again making our house a home again.

J is still working hard at selling investment education. He was able to get a deer this year and make it into jerky that his primary class of boys beg more of. He also went out hunting in MO and helped fill a few more freezers. He took Lady out for some Pheasant hunting and was pleased to bring home a bird. Lady found where it was hidden in the yard and ate it - ALL there were no remains. We traveled to CO in July and camped at Rocky Mountain National Park which is breathtaking and to KS to see his parents and siblings for Thanksgiving and to New Mexico in Nov. to witness 4 brothers who were adopted and sealed to his older brothers family. What a blessing for all of us. Our Christmas picture was taken just outside the New Mexico LDS Temple.

D has begun working at home with Melaleuca the Wellness Company (www.melaleuca.com) and Usborne Books the Leading Publisher in Children's Educational Books (www.ubah.com/x2631). Both wonderful companies but I prefer to be a full time wife and mother. This summer has been one of the best with an added up total of 2 weeks on sandy beaches on the Lakes of Utah. This state is so amazing. Powell, Pineview, and Bear. My children loved floating around in there life jackets and playing in the sand and sleeping in there swim suites. It's just not summer without hiking, camping, and wake boarding. I am the party planner for the local LDS ladies, otherwise known as the Enrichment Leader for my fellow church members. It keeps me busy and seems to be my expertise with 8 years of service. I ran the Wasatch Back Relay with 12 awesome Mom's it was breathtaking, nauseating, excruciating, and exhilerating. We are Doing it next year with our husbands. I extended some flower bed's and transplanted flowers and bushes. I really love flowers and though it's not perfect, to me it's Eden. I adore photography and realized it is my most vivid passion and am learning and enjoying capturing God's creations - It's a lot easier than art. I've painted walls and cooked and cleaned and whistled all the while (ha, ha, ha) we'll as least some of the time.

Little Boy D is in Heaven with 4 rambuncious brothers across the street who often come to visit. He has one his age and they spend hours and hours in imaginative play and finally come to reality to eat and brush teeth. It really is a beautiful thing. He likes to pretend Star Wars, dogs, a little mouse, T-Rex , and to be asleep or hiding. He often gives Hugs and butterfly kisses because he knows that's the way Mom feels loved. Last night he said "Mom, tuck me in but not by giving hugs and kisses but by talking to me" I'm guessing his love language is quality time. He wrote his name 5 times today and really enjoys his co-op pre-school class that Mom teaches 1 week of the month. Everything we've taught him scholastically and religiously is really coming together and making sense to him. His mind is so inquisitive and he is constantly asking questions. I'm learning right along with him especially with all our new Usborne Books which are full of everything one should know and with pictures. He is a peace maker (when he's not breaking it) and when someone raises there voices he says "talk it out, talk it out" .

Little Girl N is Mommy's little helper. She is insistent, stubborn, and cheery. I think she makes messes just to clean them up. She unloads the dish washer, folds laundry, pushes the grocery cart, pushes the stroller she's suppose to be riding in, and comforts her babies and covers them with a blanket next to her at night. Today she was washing the counter and singing "jingle bells" over and over again. She really brings a spirit of light heartedness and gentility to our home. She is always with me and is great company. She loves the outdoors and often refuses to come inside. She loves to swing and jump on the trampoline and can climb the little wall of the play set with ease. Her club foot has completely adjusted and the doctor says she doesn't need to wear her corrective shoes. Despite her nurturing character she can hold her own with her brother and boy cousins and knows how to effectively fight with a light saber and growl like a lion.

And that's our family. We express our belief, gratitude, and love for our Savior Jesus Christ whom we celebrate and honor as we are constantly striving to be like him. We love and appreciate you all for touching our lives.

The laudie Family